Empathy Through Inquiry: The Weaving Of (post) Qualitative Inquiry Into Design

Learning design is moving toward more human-centered design methodologies. One key component of human-centered design is empathy. To have empathy, designers must understand their learners as people and “how they show up as learners” within our learning experiences. To do this, designers need to do learner research. One way to do this inquiry work might be to take up post qualitative inquiry because so many of the key tenets of design thinking and post qualitative methodologies are similar. Through interviews within a post qualitative framework, this project looks at how designers go about this design research to understand their learners. Several insights came out of this project, including two types of design inquiry and an understanding of how designers might make a shift in their design practices. The two types of design inquiry are content focused inquiry and learner focused inquiry. Designers using both of these approaches are thinking in post qualitative ways; however, they are thinking with different theories. The other key insight was that many of the designers interviewed experienced a Deleuzian event. This caused them to make a shift in how they think/practice design and inquiry. They were generally moving to a learner focused approach from a more content focused approach to design. Design scholars and educators might look at how they can incorporate the basics of qualitative inquiry into their writing/teaching about design. This may help newer designers do better learner inquiry and design better learning experiences. There may also need to be a design inquiry methodology focused on post qualitative inquiry and centered around learning design to help move the field toward stronger learner inquiry

UA3/3/1 Correspondence Re: Dress Code

Memos to and from Sara Tyler, Kelly Thompson and Charles Keown regarding posting signs about dress code, specifically wearing shorts

Fano Schemes of Complete Intersections in Toric Varieties

We study Fano schemes $F_k(X)$ for complete intersections $X$ in a projective toric variety $Y\subset \mathbb{P}^n$. Our strategy is to decompose $F_k(X)$ into closed subschemes based on the irreducible decomposition of $F_k(Y)$ as studied by Ilten and Zotine. We define the expected dimension for these subschemes, which always gives a lower bound on the actual dimension. Under additional assumptions, we show that these subschemes are non-empty and smooth of the expected dimension. Using tools from intersection theory, we can apply these results to count the number of linear subspaces in $X$ when the expected dimension of $F_k(X)$ is zero.Comment: 26 pages, 3 figure

Hypergeometric decomposition of symmetric K3 quartic pencils

We study the hypergeometric functions associated to five one-parameter deformations of Delsarte K3 quartic hypersurfaces in projective space. We compute all of their Picard--Fuchs differential equations; we count points using Gauss sums and rewrite this in terms of finite field hypergeometric sums; then we match up each differential equation to a factor of the zeta function, and we write this in terms of global L-functions. This computation gives a complete, explicit description of the motives for these pencils in terms of hypergeometric motives.Comment: 70 pages, minor revision, to appear in Research in the Mathematical Science

GroovePin performance of threaded inserts

Groov-Pin corporation presented team Groovy-Pin with the capstone design project at the beginning of the fall semester. The capstone design project with Groov-Pin was primarily focused on the performance of the threaded inserts that the company manufactures. The company presented a plan of action to analyze the forces, torque and deformation caused through thread forming and thread failure using finite element analysis in Abaqus. The project goal was to create a model in Abaqus that would test the specific insert that Groov-Pin would like to analyze by creating a force or a torque on the fastener. Groov-Pin corporation presented team Groovy-Pin with the capstone design project at the beginning of the fall semester. The capstone design project with Groov-Pin was primarily focused on the performance of the threaded inserts that the company manufactures. The company presented a plan of action to analyze the forces, torque and deformation caused through thread forming and thread failure using finite element analysis in Abaqus. The project goal was to create a model in Abaqus that would test the specific insert that Groov-Pin would like to analyze by creating a force or a torque on the fastener. This semester Team Groovy-Pin was able to create a more successful pull-out test and a deformation model. The pull out test was refined so that the base material did not shear fully and instead the bolt was pulled out by only one thread pitch. In the deformation simulation, Groovy-Pin also was able to dent an insert inward successfully and show the deformation that takes place. The dented insert is used by Groov-Pin to increase prevailing torque by increasing contact between the threads of the bolt and internal threads of the insert. Groovy-Pin attempted to create a prevailing torque simulation by screwing in a bolt into the dented model but was not able to achieve acceptable results due to difficulty with modeling the complex interactions

Genus-zero rr-spin theory

We provide an explicit formula for all primary genus-zero $r$-spin invariants. Our formula is piecewise polynomial in the monodromies at each marked point and in $r$. To deduce the structure of these invariants, we use a tropical realization of the corresponding cohomological field theories.Comment: 28 page

A Novel Approach to Small Form-Factor Spacecraft Structures for Usage in Precision Optical Payloads

Precision optical payloads will soon experience a boom in manufacturing scale with the onset of proliferated satellite constellation concepts. Presently, the cost of assembly for a single unit can reach upwards of $500,000. Reduction in recurring engineering and assembly complexity can reduce this figure by up to two orders of magnitude. This paper discusses one potential solution which relies on consistent structural components that are easily manufactured in bulk quantities to facilitate general uses while also enabling high-precision mounting in designated payload slots. This proposed approach combines standardized struts and panels able to be connected and stacked in a variety of ways to form a modular structure from 1U subsections. For the subsections in need of higher precision, slots are milled and reamed from the same standard panel. Within these slots, card-like brackets are mounted to within 10 micrometer precision with the use of low-tolerance gauge spheres. A technique called “screw-pulling” secures these brackets such that the gauge spheres act as nearly single-point-of-contact datums. This approach allows payloads to be tested externally with minimal alignment shifts when re-integrated into the structure and is demonstrated with a 2.2 μm pixel size CMOS sensor and a 23 mm focal length lens