Teaching to Develop Perspective, Skills, Confidence, and Identity as Problem-Solving Engineers

The “core” of an engineering degree program typically comprises the concepts, equations, and technical skills needed, as well as their practical application to common problems of the profession. This core is then divided into the “content” that must be covered in each course. It is widely recognized, however, that successful individuals do not thrive as professionals on content alone. Thus, there is significant and increasing emphasis across higher education to “educate the whole person.” These efforts aim to develop “deep” qualities like grit, critical thinking, perseverance, learning from failure, valuing diversity, teamwork, leadership, curiosity, recognizing opportunity, creating value, and acting ethically and sustainably. Assessment is crucial as educators seeking to continuously improve our pedagogical practices and as researchers motivated to generate evidence of efficacy. In this manuscript, I describe specific efforts, tools, and modules aimed at developing an inclusive and entrepreneurial mindset in engineering students, as well as practices for fostering an inclusive learning environment. Finally, I reflect on the value of qualitative and quantitative approaches in assessing the development of “deep” qualities in students

The chemistry of some fluorinated internal olefins

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Dark Matter with Topological Defects in the Inert Doublet Model

We examine the production of dark matter by decaying topological defects in the high mass region $m_{\mathrm{DM}} \gg m_W$ of the Inert Doublet Model, extended with an extra U(1) gauge symmetry. The density of dark matter states (the neutral Higgs states of the inert doublet) is determined by the interplay of the freeze-out mechanism and the additional production of dark matter states from the decays of topological defects, in this case cosmic strings. These decays increase the predicted relic abundance compared to the standard freeze-out only case, and as a consequence the viable parameter space of the Inert Doublet Model can be widened substantially. In particular, for a given dark matter annihilation rate lower dark matter masses become viable. We investigate the allowed mass range taking into account constraints on the energy injection rate from the diffuse $\gamma$-ray background and Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, together with constraints on the dark matter properties coming from direct and indirect detection limits. For the Inert Doublet Model high-mass region, an inert Higgs mass as low as $\sim 200$ GeV is permitted. There is also an upper limit on string mass per unit length, and hence the symmetry breaking scale, from the relic abundance in this scenario. Depending on assumptions made about the string decays, the limits are in the range $10^{12}$ GeV to $10^{13}$ GeV.Comment: 27 pages, 3 figures. V2: Published version with references adde

Grazing Management Effects on the Sward and Physical Characteristics Relative to Streams in Cool-Season Grass Pastures

Different grazing management practices in pastures may affect the sward and physical characteristics of riparian areas which affect sediment, phosphorus, and fecal pathogen loading of the pasture streams. To measure these effects, six 30-acre cool-season grass pastures, bisected by a stream, were split into two blocks with three treatments per block. Pastures were grazed by continuous stocking with unrestricted stream access (CSU), continuous stocking with access to the stream restricted to a 16-foot wide stabilized stream crossing (CSR), or rotational stocking (RS). For data and sample collections, pastures were divided into 4 zones: on the streambank (streambanks zone), 0 to 110 feet from the streambanks (110 zone), 110 and 220 feet from the streambank (220 zone), and greater than 220 feet from the streambank (upland zone). Forage heights were measured and forage samples were collected and analyzed for dry matter and mass from areas where cattle did or did not congregate in each zone monthly from May to October. The percentages of bare and fecal-covered ground were also measured monthly at each sampling site. Sward heights were lower in cattle congregation areas than open areas through all months (P \u3c 0.05). In the later months of the grazing season, sward heights and forage mass were less in the streambanks and 110 zones of the CSU pastures than CSR pastures. Pastures with CSU also had higher (P \u3c 0.10) percentages of fecal-covered ground cover in the 110 zone than the other treatments through August. There were few significant differences between treatments for forage sward height, forage mass or bare or fecal-covered ground in the 220 and upland zones in any month

Microclimate Effects on the Temperature/Spatial Distribution of Beef Cows Grazing Cool-Season Grass Pastures by Different Management Practices (A Progress Report)

Congregation of cattle near pasture streams increases fecal cover and decreases forage sward height and mass, thereby, increasing the risks of sediment, nutrients, and fecal pathogens entering the stream and impairing water quality. Restricting access to the streams to stabilized stream crossings or by providing alternative water sources away from the stream may decrease the amount of time that cattle spend near a stream and, thereby, reduce the risk of nonpoint source pollution. Six 30-acre cool-season grass pastures, bisected by a stream, were split into two blocks with three treatments per block. Treatments were: continuous stocking with unrestricted stream access (CSU), continuous stocking with access to the stream restricted to a 16-foot wide stabilized stream crossing (CSR), and rotational stocking (RS). Cattle spent a greater proportion of time in the stream in CSU pastures than other treatments in June (P \u3c 0.05), August (P \u3c 0.05), and September (P \u3c 0.10). During May to July, and in September, cattle in CSU pastures spent a greater (P \u3c 0.05) percentage of time within 110 feet of the stream than in CSR or RS pastures. Offstream water had no effect on cattle distribution near the stream (P \u3e 0.10) in a summer in which there was considerable precipitation resulting in some of natural offstream water sources