Online Master Program in System Technology

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette proposed the creation of a Master of Science in Systems Technology (STEC) in 2013 to the State of Louisiana Board of Regents which was approved in 2014. The delivery of the new MS degree was 100% online to facilitate access to a wide student base within the state of Louisiana and beyond. The objective of Systems Technology education intends to equip students with the knowledge base, skill set and cutting-edge tools to develop solutions to complex systems problems in a diversity of industries. It is designed for industrial and engineering technologists, and other professionals engaged in developing systems to meet required specifications.Cockrell School of Engineerin

James Joyce’s father foreclosure: the symbolic order of language and social existence

In symbolising society, the father is a significant cultural representation of authority or power. James Joyce’s works are commonly read for Irish history, his unique style of writing, and as sources of autobiography. However, his Finnegans Wake (1939) stands out for its unanalysable textuality, creating a form of authority in itself. The omnipresence of the father figure as a performer of paternal authority in almost every page of Joyce’s final work reflects an obsession within Lacanian psychoanalysis, that of imaginary and symbolic ‘fathers’ standing in for the biological father. This study thus attempted to identify the role of the father in Joyce’s own life, as well as in Finnegans Wake, based on Jacques Lacan’s definition of the father. In order to examine James Joyce’s father foreclosure, that is, his expulsion of the father from the Symbolic order, this article focuses on the connections and functions of the writer’s Real father, John Joyce; the Imaginary father in Finnegans Wake, H.C.E; and the role of the Symbolic father, performed conceptually by religion. John Joyce and H.C.E, his literary projection, prove impotent in performing their patriarchal responsibilities; while Joyce himself rejects the influence of the Church. In short, despite the paternal function being absent from Joyce’s life, the father figure is very much present in his works. Studying the function of these fathers in Joyce’s life indicates that he suffered from father foreclosure for two reasons: the failure of his real father, and his refusal to accept any other form of paternal authority

Strategies to Increase Representation of Students with Disabilities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)

As a nation wrestles with the need to train more professionals, persons with disabilities are undereducated and underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The following project was proposed to increase representation of students with disabilities in the STEM disciplines. The program emphasizes an integrated program of interventions for college students with disabilities (SwD) majoring in STEM which centers on a system of continuous student monitoring with rapid access to academic and personal services, as well as professional development and degree enhancing experiences supplied during the entire period of college attendance

The Retention of Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics: A Framework for Persistence

Women make up 47% of the total U.S. workforce, but are less represented in engineering, computer sciences, and the physical sciences. In addition, race and ethnicity are salient factors and minority women comprise fewer than 1 in 10 scientist or engineer. In this paper, a review of the literature is under taken that explores the many challenges women encounter when pursing a career in the sciences. It includes a review of the national landscape and discussion of the guiding general retention theories. Finally it proposes a conceptual framework for persistence and proffers a number of research questions designed to delve deeper into the under representation phenomenon

Online Resources in MEMS Technology for Professional and Educational Development

Over the last twenty years, the National Science Foundation (NSF) through its Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program has funded many ATE centers across the United State of America to advance the technician level work force in the Country. One of these centers is the Southwest Center for Microsystems Education (SCME) located at the University of New Mexico. The SCME offers educational materials and professional development at no cost.  These materials and professional development opportunities include sponsored conferences, downloadable written materials for instructors and students, YouTube channels providing lectures, animations and videos, hands-on kits for the classroom, micro and nano films, webinars, online distance learning courses and mentoring opportunities for educators.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v3i1.584

Identical Lifestyle and Disparate Poetry of Emily Dickinson and Zhaleh Ghaemmaghami

Two women poets, from two different social contexts, both celebrate their solitude in words; Emily Dickinson, an American 19th century poet, and Zhaleh (Alamtaj) Ghaemmaghami, a modern Iranian one. They similarly experienced dissatisfactory contacts with the male world that resulted in their isolation from their communities and a lonely life. Zhaleh was secluded as a divorcee, in a society where divorce was considered as an inconceivable and unforgivable ignominy. But, Emily chose solitary life more voluntarily since her lover left her. Although this solitude empowered them, through providing time and space as an opportunity to explore their inner abilities, they displayed a different perception of the similar situation. This paper attempts to depict that this seclusion, which becomes their constant companion and the source of inspiration for their artistic creations, functions differently due to the dissimilar cultural and social contexts they belong to and results in a different tone in their poetry. Zhaleh confesses the grievances and sufferings of her compulsory seclusion to the inanimate objects and blames her parents for her life condition. Moreover, she bitterly, criticizes the condition of women in the male dominated society of her own time. Emily, however, appreciates her seclusion as a holy gift and reveals her spiritual and metaphysical conceives of life, death, marriage and nature. In addition, she does not involve in political or social issues

A Interactive Game to Enhance Student Understanding of Materials Management

It is difficult for students to grasp essential concepts of materials management because there is a considerable amount of new terminology as well as the need to develop a “feel” for what appears to be a static, but in actuality, a very dynamic process. In an attempt to overcome the language barrier as well as help the student develop a “feel” for the process, an old case study from the 70s has been revised and updated it for today’s student.  The method of presentation has also been changed from an out-of class activity to an in-class group activity. Initial results, based on 3 classes of 35-40 students each, have been positive with absenteeism reduced from a historical average of 10-15% down to 2%.  Student attitude appears to be better and test results appear to be better although comparisons in this area are more difficult to measure. A copy of the game is provided and maybe be freely used in your classroom.   Any suggestions for improvement would be greatly appreciated.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v1i2.148

Daneshvar’s Fictitious Real Women: The Portrayal of Female Characters in Persian Modern Short Stories

From the classic Persian epics and sonnets to modern short stories and novels, women characters have always been present. Their portrayals, however, depicts a high range of diversity. The classic female characters, as the ideal objects of desire were later accompanied by those accessible ones, who were believed, are capable of destroying men's lives. These exquisitely beautiful women could act in two distinct ways; they were holy virgins or evil destructors. Both drain men out of their lives, whether by love or by lust. Although later on in modern short stories, male authors involved superstitious and passive women as well they mainly faithfully preserved the classic categorization. It took centuries for the literary works to hold the mirror to the reality of women in Iranian society due to the long held social norm that women should be bigerded in the mystery of domestic life. Simin Daneshvar risking her social reputation courageously and comfortably unleashed the ordinary Iranian woman from the chains of unfair and unreal binary Madonna/whore classification and provided them the opportunity to be seen as they are. The kaleidoscopic character prism of women is depicted and analysed in this research paper. Moreover, examining female characters unravels the new face of Iranian men, characters beyond patriarchal expectations. Men are not an exception in the realistic view point of Daneshvar to the characterization of her characters

Towards Non-Spontaneity in Interpretation of Implicature Serving Implicit Characterization: The Case of Subsidiary Trait Precipitation in Arthur C. Doyle’s ‘A Study in Scarlet’

Although characterisation is a much-aged matter in literature, certain aspects have yet to be explored, such as how fictional characters implicate in their discourse, what takes influence from this, and what comes to pass in the production and interpretation process of the phenomenon. As the contribution is of subtlety, implicata in characters’ discourse have not exclusively been studies in detail as elements of characterisation. Therefore, in view of the cognitive approach leant towards by leading researchers on the subject of characterization such as Jonathan Culpeper, this research relies on Sperber and Wilson’s ‘relevance theory’ to define cognitive procedures into instances of implicata verbally exchanged between fictional characters to determine a) how authors exploit such instances for trait progression of their characters and upholding character discourse credibility, and b) how readers can achieve what Furlong terms a ‘non-spontaneous’ interpretation of such exchanges. To address the stated issue, we conducted a detailed cognitive-effectual analysis on five instances of implicata made by four flat and round characters within Arthur C. Doyle’s ‘A Study in Scarlet’, the results of which yielded a mechanism wherein writers’ making implications and readers’ calculating and interpreting them hinge on both parties making presuppositions on certain topics to ensure certain pragmatic presuppositional effect for readers. A five-stage bottom-up process was also proposed which links character traits to implications conveyed within inter-character discourse, following through which can lead to readers’ achieving maximal relevance on the made implications and a non-spontaneous interpretation of them

COVID-19: Impact, Concerns and Mental Health of Medical Students of CMH LMC

Objective: The current study aimed to assess the concerns of the medical students regarding their studies and clinical rotations during this pandemic. Additionally, this study also explores the impact of this novel COVID-19 on different domains of medical student’s life and on their mental well-being. Methodology: We conducted cross-sectional survey. Questions focusing on concerns and impact of COVID-19 were included. Depression, Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used to assess the mental wellbeing. Results: The results of current survey revealed that 49.6 % medical students of their final years suffered from the mild to extremely severe range of anxiety, 39.6 % from depression and 16.8 % suffered from the stress. Findings also highlight that mostly travelling, studies and social life were affected. As observed that mostly, students highlight their concerns about availability of Personal Preventive Equipment (PPE) and about taking of preventive measures by patients. Almost 81.4 % agreed that e learning is not the alternative for classroom face-to-face lectures. It is also observed that 60.5 % showed satisfaction about teacher’s adaptation to the e learning and 57.3 % highlight the competency of teachers about giving proper feedback and asking questions during online classes.  Conclusion: This survey exposed students concerns due to this pandemic on their studies and clinical rotations in the clinical settings. Additionally revealed about the huge impact of Covid-19 on mental health and daily functioning of medical students in different aspects of life