Advanced fiber/matrix material systems

Work completed in Phase 1 of the NASA Advanced Composite Technology program is discussed. Two towpreg forms (commingled yarns and fused powder towpregs) are being characterized under the program. These towpregs will be used to evaluate textile fabrication technologies for advanced aircraft composite structures. The unique characteristic of both of these material forms is that both fiber and matrix resin are handled in a single operation such as weaving, braiding, or fiber placement. The evaluation of both commingled and fused powder towpreg is described. Various polymer materials are considered for both subsonic and supersonic applications. Polymers initially being evaluated include thermoplastic polyimides such as Larc-TPI and New-TPI, thermoplastics such as PEEK and PEKEKK as well as some toughened crosslinked polyimides. Preliminary mechanical properties as well as tow handling are evaluated

Re-Engaging Historic Military Sites

Historic Conservation seeks to protect the historically significant built environment while allowing for more current uses. As it pertains to land planning, this effort extends current land-use tools beyond the historic and conservation districts to include buffer districts and heritage areas. We need these tools because preservation, which is defined as maintaining an unaltered environment, does not adequately address managing change over time. Fort Moultrie on Sullivan\u27s Island, South Carolina is one example where historic preservation and conservation merge to address the adaptive reuse of this former military installation. At Fort Moultrie, many of these former installations are in disrepair and consume valuable space on a small barrier island where real estate is a premium. This study uses surveys and interviews with local residents, officials and tourists to develop a set of design guidelines for the island. Through the planning and design process, community residents and visitors can be re-engaged to not only memorialize a former battle site, but also give this landscape a current application that can be utilized for future stakeholders, and enjoyed everyday

Navigating the Role of Head of School as Perceived by Female Heads of National Christian School Association Schools

The current representation of women as heads of schools in U.S. independent schools is significantly less than that of men. With little research on independent female heads of schools, particularly in religious school communities, this qualitative study examined the perspectives of female heads of school from the National Christian School Association regarding perceptions and experiences in the leadership role within a conservative Christian school context. This study was framed through social role theory, muted group theory, authentic leadership theory, and emotional labor theory, and guided by one overarching research question: What has been the experience of a female head of school within a conservative Christian educational community? A sample of four current and former female heads were interviewed to understand their experiences. The study revealed seven common themes: (a) faith and calling, (b) influence of mentors, (c) learning to lead, (d) challenges, (e) conservative climate, (f) perseverance and strength, and (g) leadership redefined. Further, it supported the presence of a double bind and recognized the significant expense of emotional labor by the participants in their roles. Keywords: academia, church of Christ, conservative Christian community, emotional labor theory, head of school, independent school, National Christian School Association, patriarchy, social role theor

Determining the Preparedness of Nursing Programs and Faculty for the Next Generation NCLEX-RN

Fifty-two nursing faculty from ADN (Associate Degree Nursing) and BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) programs in the state of Arkansas were surveyed to examine the preparedness resources and interventions to prepare for the Next Generation NCLEX-RN (NGN) and to explore the perceptions of nursing faculty on their readiness to teach critical thinking, clinical judgment, and their competency with NGN item writing. A quantitative cross-sectional descriptive design was used for this study utilizing a self-created survey. The survey revealed 40% of participants felt adequately prepared with item writing, and 35% reported feeling adequately prepared to test using the new NGN item writing question formats. This study identified a need for preparedness of nursing programs to develop NGN item writing skills. Although 55% reported their program had implemented some form of training, when asked if they had regularly scheduled training, 33% reported they did not. Many resources for achieving preparedness were assessed, with webinars being the highest-scored resource at 37% for education and competence. Limitations of the study include a small convenience sample and assessment during the semester instead of at the semester\u27s end. Implications for future research include reaching a larger sample size and the development of an assessment tool for the continuation of seamless research on this topic of faculty preparedness. Keywords: nursing faculty, preparedness, next-generation NCLEX, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Associate Degree Nursing, item writin

Arctic Circular Seafood Synergies: Beyond the Bottom Line. Perspectives on Full Utilization & Local Processing in Alaska & Norway

Alaskan wild salmon and Norwegian farmed salmon represent the largest share of their respective global harvests of salmon by volume, yet both are exporting the majority of their harvests and byproducts for processing and are thereby missing out the potential to create local circular production systems for more environmentally sustainable processing . Alaskan salmon and Norwegian aquaculture have an opportunity to contribute to objectives of blue growth by shifting towards circular production systems. The purpose of this study was to investigate why Alaska and Norway, rather than seeking full utilization of harvests, export for further processing and recommend how they can align their future strategies to move in the direction of local, full utilization of byproducts and thereby contribute to the objectives of blue- and circular economies. This study collected primary data from fishery stakeholders in the form of surveys and semi-structured interviews from Alaska, Norway, and Iceland. This thesis recommends collaboration strategies between Alaska and Norway, rooted in the 4-step value chain of harvest, production, trading, and consumption, which excludes exporting for further processing. This is to be achieved via the harvest and production steps through the themes of economies of scope, controlling the processing lines, efficient production lines for coproducts/byproducts, and innovation related to energy and automation. Collaborations related to trading and consumption includes sustainable branding for full utilization, market coordination for diversifying secondary products, and certifications of the workforce/production lines. It is in the interest of both Alaska and Norway to make haste in changing their processing and exporting practices in the favor of environmental stewardship and not just short-term economic gains. Both locations are in positions of diminishing advantage as the purchasers of their byproducts continue to strengthen their competitive advantages on the resources use and sale

An Exploratory Investigation on the Effects of an Electronic Recording System for Repeated Reading

Repeated Reading is a common reading intervention that has been used to help students read fluently since 1979. There are many variations of Repeated Reading that have been investigated and found to be effective. However, there is a relative research deficit on the effectiveness of software programs for administering Repeated Reading. This exploratory research project examined the effectiveness of Repeated Reading with an electronic recording system. The performance of the electronic Repeated Reading group was compared to the performance of participants who received traditionally administered Early Intervention Program services. The results suggest that electronically scored Repeated Reading is as effective as traditionally administered Early Intervention Program services

THE EFFECTS OF AFFINITY GROUPS ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT OF AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SETTING

Closing the Achievement Gap is one of the nation's top education reform topics today. Despite many education reform efforts, the academic achievement of African American students continues to lag behind that of white students. In efforts to improve minority student achievement, some schools and organizations have created affinity groups to increase student self-efficacy and connectedness to school. This research study examined the potential impact racial affinity groups had on African American student achievement at the elementary school level in one district.  Ed.D

Adaptive Planning and Prediction in Agent-Supported Distributed Collaboration.

Agents that act as user assistants will become invaluable as the number of information sources continue to proliferate. Such agents can support the work of users by learning to automate time-consuming tasks and filter information to manageable levels. Although considerable advances have been made in this area, it remains a fertile area for further development. One application of agents under careful scrutiny is the automated negotiation of conflicts between different user's needs and desires. Many techniques require explicit user models in order to function. This dissertation explores a technique for dynamically constructing user models and the impact of using them to anticipate the need for negotiation. Negotiation is reduced by including an advising aspect to the agent that can use this anticipation of conflict to adjust user behavior