Student experiences of peer review marking of team projects

Peer review of students is a partial response to critics of group work who cite drawbacks of "free riders" and de-motivation. It is often used to motivate and focus students on their own development within a group work setting. Pressures of time, budget and student numbers often obviate deeper study of alternative assessment techniques. The study reported in this paper, made possible by an HEA grant, allowed for analysis of a peer review mechanism that had been operating for a number of years alongside a new web-based system. The paper reviews criticisms of peer review techniques in existing literature and outlines how student experiences of peer review were researched. Qualitative outcomes are discussed alongside an analysis of quantitative data from the systems used. Key conclusions from this research are that the data collection method made no significant difference to the reported student experiences of peer review or to the peer review marks. The findings update and strengthen previous literature and provide important new insights into the emotional perspective of students. The findings from this research are being used to aid development of the webbased system and to establish 'good practice' guidance on the deployment of this valuable and innovative technique

Laser angle sensor development

Electrical and optical parameters were developed for a two axis (pitch/roll) laser angle sensor. The laser source and detector were mounted in the plenum above the model. Two axis optical distortion measurements of flow characteristics in a 0.3 transonic cryogenic tunnel were made with a shearing interferometer. The measurement results provide a basis for estimating the optical parameters of the laser angle sensor. Experimental and analytical information was generated on model windows to cover the reflector. A two axis breadboard was assembled to evaluate different measurement concepts. The measurement results were used to develop a preliminary design of a laser angle sensor. Schematics and expected performance specifications are included

Laser angle sensor

A laser angle measurement system was designed and fabricated for NASA Langley Research Center. The instrument is a fringe counting interferometer that monitors the pitch attitude of a model in a wind tunnel. A laser source and detector are mounted above the model. Interference fringes are generated by a small passive element on the model. The fringe count is accumulated and displayed by a processor in the wind tunnel control room. This report includes optical and electrical schematics, system maintenance and operation procedures

Laser angle measurement system

The design and fabrication of a laser angle measurement system is described. The instrument is a fringe counting interferometer that monitors the pitch attitude of a model in a wind tunnel. A laser source and detector are mounted above the mode. Interference fringes are generated by a small passive element on the model. The fringe count is accumulated and displayed by a processor in the wind tunnel control room. Optical and electrical schematics, system maintenance and operation procedures are included, and the results of a demonstration test are given

Remtech SSME nozzle design TPS

Thermal damage to the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) aft manifold Thermal Protection System (TPS) has been observed for flights STS-8 through STS-13. This damaged area is located on the ME2 and ME3 and extends over a region of approximately one square foot. Total failure or burn-through of the TPS could lead to severe thermal damage of the SSME manifold and loss of an engine nozzle necessitating nozzle replacement causing significant schedule delays and cost increases. Thermal damage to the manifold can be defined as a situation where the manifold temperature becomes greater than 1300 F; thereby causing loss of heat treatment in the nozzle. Results of Orbiter/nozzle wind tunnel tests and Hot Gas Facility tests of the TPS are presented. Aerothermal and thermal analysis models for the SSME aft manifold are discussed along with the flight predictions, design trajectory and design environment. Finally, the TPS design concept and TPS thermal response are addressed

Challenges & Rewards with an Institutional Repository

UVM Libraries launched ScholarWorks @ UVM in 2013 to collect, preserve and disseminate scholarly works of faculty, students as well as make collections, reports and other materials more discoverable and available.This institutional repository has grown to over twenty collections, comprising of student dissertations and theses, public health projects, historic botanical research, Vermont history, faculty publications and more.Challenges include varied participation across campus, impacting work flow in library positions, and adding another library service.Author’s works enjoy increased discoverability from all over the world, from low income countries to individuals that seek information without the benefit of library resources. IRs support libraries’ intellectual mission

Grain Boundary Structures in f.c.c, and b.c.c. Metals and Sites for Segregated Impurities

The key features leading to low-energy grain boundaries in metals are discussed by reference to computer-simulated structures and geometrical analysis in terms of atom packing. Low energy is found to be associated with boundary structures consisting of relatively dense packing, and this can in turn be expressed in terms of the space-filling packing of coordination polyhedra. The geometrical method of analysis is shown to be well suited to the identification of interfacial sites for segregated impurities

Dispersing agents prevent negative impact of oil on uptake of sinc by duckweed (Lemna minor)

Oil spills have had extremely negative effects upon the environment, affecting both animal and plant species living in and around the contaminated water. It is known that the oil can interfere with certain plant and animal functions, potentially causing death. Means developed to remove the oil from the water include physical methods such as skimmers and chemical approaches such as adsorbents and dispersants. In the cases of the chemical treatments, some people question whether the remedy may also cause problems. Here, we confirm that the aquatic duckweed plant (Lemna) can take up zinc from its environment and show that oil in the water will inhibit that uptake. Further, we demonstrate that the negative affect the oil has upon zinc uptake by duckweed can be ameliorated by treatment with a dispersant and that the dispersant itself does not inhibit zinc uptake by duckweed. We conclude that, treatment of oil contaminated water by dispersant may be a good method to clean up the water

Preeminence of Lesser Splanchnic Blood Flow in Selected Patients With Generalized Portal Hypertension

Although restricted transhepatic portal flow is necessary for development of generalized portal hypertension (GPH), increased splanchnic arterial inflow also contributes to GPH and its clinical sequelae. In this context, we describe 7 male and 6 female patients (mean age 48 years) in whom the lesser splanchnic (gastrosplenic) system played a key role in the signs and symptoms of GPH. These 13 patients (9 with hepatic cirrhosis, 3 with primary myeloproliferative disorder, and 1 with extrahepatic portal block) shared common features of massive splenomegaly, huge splenofundic gastric varices, often with a prominent natural shunt to the left renal vein. Total or near total splenectomy alone or combined where appropriate with coronary vein ligation was effective in controlling varix hemorrhage (10 patients), ascites (3), or complications of an enlarged spleen-anorexia and abdominal pain (3), hemolytic anemia (1) and profound thrombocytopenia with severe epistaxis (1). Intraoperative jejunal portal venography was crucial in operative management in order to establish definitively the presence or absence of coronary venous collaterals, and when present, to verify their operative ligation