The Maxwell-Pauli Equations

We study the quantum mechanical many-body problem of $N \geq 1$ non-relativistic electrons with spin interacting with their self-generated classical electromagnetic field and $K \geq 0$ static nuclei. We model the dynamics of the electrons and their self-generated electromagnetic field using the so-called many-body Maxwell-Pauli equations. The main result of this thesis is to construct time global, finite-energy, weak solutions to the many-body Maxwell-Pauli equations under the assumption that the fine structure constant $\alpha$ and the nuclear charges are not too large. The assumptions on the size of $\alpha$ and the nuclear charges ensure that we have energetic stability for this system, i.e., the absolute ground state energy exists. The work in this thesis serves as an initial step towards understanding the connection between the energetic stability of matter in quantum mechanics and the well-posedness of the corresponding dynamical equations.Comment: 95 pages. PhD thesis, Georgia Institute of Technology, May 2020. Includes results from arXiv:1904.0674

Thomas, Forrest (2)

https://dh.howard.edu/prom_corres/1146/thumbnail.jp

Thomas, Forrest

https://dh.howard.edu/prom_corres/1145/thumbnail.jp

PCORnet's Collaborative Research Groups.

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) launched a multi-institutional "network of networks" in 2013 - Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network (PCORnet) - that is designed to conduct clinical research that is faster, less expensive, and more responsive to the information needs of patients and clinicians. To enhance cross-network and cross-institutional collaboration and catalyze the use of PCORnet, PCORI has supported formation of 11 Collaborative Research Groups focusing on specific disease types (e.g., cardiovascular health and cancer) or particular patient populations (e.g., pediatrics and health disparities). PCORnet's Collaborative Research Groups are establishing research priorities within these focus areas, establishing relationships with potential funders, and supporting development of specific research projects that will use PCORnet resources. PCORnet remains a complex, multilevel, and heterogeneous network that is still maturing and building a diverse portfolio of observational and interventional people-centered research; engaging with PCORnet can be daunting, particularly for outside investigators. We believe the Collaborative Research Groups are stimulating interest and helping investigators navigate the complexity, but only time will tell if these efforts will bear fruit in terms of funded multicenter PCORnet projects

Part-time music faculty in selected senior institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth of Virginia

The purpose of this study was to investigate part-time music faculty in higher education in Virginia. Part-timers are a significant part of music programs in Virginia where they make up fifty-three percent of the music faculty and outnumber the music full-timers. The results of this study suggest that perhaps the discipline of music may use more part-timers than any other discipline.;While the body of literature on part-timers in general is small, scholars such as Howard P. Tuckman, Judith M. Gappa and David W. Leslie have begun significant research and reporting. The literature on part-time music faculty, however, is virtually non-existent, and this study was an attempt to add to the literature on part-timers in general, and to begin a body of knowledge on music part-timers.;The population for this study included department chairpersons and music part-timers from twelve of Virginia\u27s senior institutions of higher education. Questionnaires were used to gather data from chairpersons and questionnaires and interviews were used to gather data from music part-timers.;The study presented findings in response to eight specific research questions dealing with music part-timers in Virginia as the following topics were researched: who they are; their employment profiles; how they fall into Gappa and Leslie\u27s taxonomy; their level of satisfaction with their involvement; when and why they are employed, and what external forces affect their employment; how much of the teaching in Virginia\u27s institutions they do; what courses they teach; how fiscal pressures affect their use; employment policies and practices; differences in their treatment based on the classification of institution in which they teach (Carnegie Typology); whether their teaching is viewed to be inferior to that done by their full-time colleagues; and differences between this study and the national study done by Gappa and Leslie in 1990-91.;The study led to implications for change in such areas as: (1) better communication with administrators--especially with the chairpersons, (2) a breakdown of the barriers between part-timers and full-timers, (3) more equitable salaries, (4) benefits available--especially health insurance, (5) inclusion of part-timers in institutional and departmental governance, (6) job security, (7) adequate orientation programs, (8) consistent monitoring and evaluation, (9) appointments made with careful consideration as early as possible through written contracts, and (10) adequate support services and development opportunities

Watershed - A Transdisciplinary Social Design Process Applied to an Environmental Issue

Wicked problems are often vast, complex, and difficult to navigate. Often used in dealing with social design issues, the term wicked is intended to connote a problem that is difficult to define and solve rather than its moral implications.1 These problems, like watershed maintenance and pollution mitigation, involve an entwined community of diverse players, intricate systems, and ever-changing terrain. Because of their pluralistic nature, these problems can seem impossible to solve and even impossible to understand. This requires a collective approach and new ways of thinking to create better understanding and solutions. Important changes occur when citizens are knowledgeable, see their connection to the whole, and feel empowered to take action.;As the problems facing society grow more complex, designers have evolved to find applications for the design process across a variety of disciplines. A transdisciplinary approach allows for a community-based model that creates solutions to complex problems based on strategic outcomes rather than product development. This approach uses a system of solutions working together to address problems that are multi-dimensional. Historically, graphic designers are often tasked with creating a call to action. The failure in this approach is that it leaves the responsibility of that action with the audience. As designers, we should not only ask for action but facilitate action in ways that empower our audience. It is critical that we provide a context to educate our audience so they better understand the issue and develop a better attitude to take effective action.;My thesis focuses on the complex pollution issues that threaten the health of the Deckers Creek Watershed. Deckers Creek is a tributary of the Monongahela River. It flows west towards Morgantown from Arthurdale, West Virginia. Deckers Creek is a scenic waterway that has suffered a long history of abuse and environmental degradation. It presents a complex set of problems that requires the collaborative approach involving a community of diverse professional disciplines, public agencies, and concerned citizens. By drawing on multiple influences and past experiences, I created a transdisciplinary and a community-centered design approach that was relevant to the issues surrounding watershed pollution.;This project used design methods and products to ask visitors to understand how their personal attitudes and actions are connected to the health of their environment. The goal was to create an educational exhibition surrounding the challenges to improve the watershed, stimulate a call to action, and raise peoples\u27 interest in community intervention and action. The cornerstone of the project is CreekDog , an interactive responsive web site that allows citizens to report and track pollution issues throughout the watershed. CreekDog was created to educate and empower citizens to take an active role in improving their communities by protecting their environment. In addition, the exhibition also included environmental interpretive signage, a portable interactive kiosk, and educational information graphics. Designed in collaboration with local non-profit, Friends of Deckers Creek (FODC), these pieces became tools that continued to educate the public through public outreach efforts after the exhibition. 1 Understanding Wicked Problems, ac4d: Austin Center for Design, http://www.ac4d.com/home/philosophy/understanding-wicked-problems, (accessed May 13, 2004)

Rural environmental concern: Effects of position, partisanship and place

The social bases of environmental concern in rural America resemble those for the nation as a whole, but also reflect the influence of place. Some general place characteristics, such as rates of population growth or resource-industry employment, predict responses across a number of environmental issues. Other unique or distinctive aspects of local society and environment matter as well. We extend earlier work on both kinds of place effects, first by analyzing survey data from northeast Oregon. Results emphasize that “environmental concern” has several dimensions. Second, we contextualize the Oregon results using surveys from other regions. Analysis of an integrated dataset (up to 12,000 interviews in 38 U.S. counties) shows effects from respondent characteristics and political views, and from county rates of population growth and resource-based employment. There also are significant place-to-place variations that are not explained by variables in the models. To understand some of these we return to the local scale. In northeast Oregon, residents describe how perceptions of fire danger from unmanaged forest lands shape their response to the word conservation. Their local interpretation contrasts with more general and urban connotations of this term, underlining the importance of place for understanding rural environmental concern

HMO employment and African-American physicians.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the level and determinants of African-American physicians' employment in health maintenance organizations (HMOs), particularly early in their careers. METHODS: We analyzed data from the 1991 and 1996 Young Physicians Surveys to assess racial differences in the likelihood of HMO employment (n = 3,705). Using multinomial logistic regression, we evaluated four explanations for an observed relationship between African-American physicians and HMO employment: human capital stratification among organizations, race-based affinity between physicians and patients, financial constraints due to debt burden, and different organizational hiring practices. Using binomial logistic regression, we also evaluated differences in the odds of being turned down for a prior practice position, of subsequently leaving the current practice organization and of later having career doubts. RESULTS: Without any controls, African-American physicians were 4.52 times more likely to practice in HMOs than Caucasian physicians. After controlling for human capital stratification, racial concordance and financial constraints, African-American physicians remained 2.48 times more likely to practice in HMOs than Caucasian physicians. In addition, 19.2% of African-American physicians in HMOs reported being turned down for another job, far more than any other racial/ethnic group in the HMO setting and any racial/ethnic group, including African-American physicians in the non-HMO setting (including all other practice locations). Five years later, those same African-American physicians from HMOs also reported significantly more turnover (7.50 times more likely than non-HMO African-American physicians to leave their current practice) and doubt about their careers (2.17 times more likely than non-HMO African-American physicians to express serious career doubts). CONCLUSIONS: African-American physicians were disproportionately hired into HMO settings, impacting their subsequent careers