Informed Voting: Understanding the 2020 Presidential Nominees

The 2020 November election has been publicized as one of the most influential and crucial elections for years to come. Because of this, it is of the utmost importance that voters are well versed in the policies each candidate supports and has vowed to uphold and in the policies which hold the most importance to them

Senior Recital: Rachel Mudgett, piano

This recital is presented in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree Bachelor of Music in Music Education. Ms. Mudgett studies piano with David Watkins.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1504/thumbnail.jp

Extreme Ideologies, Situational Factors, and Terrorists’ Target Selection

The purpose of the current study is to examine how ideology and situational factors shape terrorist target selection in the United States. While a growing number of studies have examined target selection by terrorists, the current study is the first to consider how combinations of factors present situated opportunities for terrorists to select particular types of targets as opposed to others. Guided by the situational crime prevention approach, this study relies on data from the American Terrorism Study (ATS) to measure attributes of incidents perpetrated by far-right and Islamic extremists and target selection. The outcomes of interest include government versus citizenry targets and human versus non-human targets. Bivariate and multivariate statistical tests are used to examine how ideology and situational factors statistically predict target selection. In addition, conjunctive analysis of case configurations (CACC) is used to examine how configurations of key factors are more or less associated with the selection of particular target types. Findings indicate that ideology and weapon type were two of the most significant factors associated with target selection by terrorists. The results of the CACC also revealed that some configurations of ideological and situational factors resulted in increased or decreased chances that terrorists would select one type of target over another, highlighting the interconnectedness of factors shaping target selection. This study concludes with implications for terrorism prevention and suggestions for future research

Book Review

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A System Dynamics Approach to Modelling the Degradation of Biochemical Oxygen Demand in a Constructed Wetland Receiving Stormwater Runoff

The objective of this research was to develop a tool to aid the Air Force Environmental Manager in the identification of the design parameters of a constructed wetland system that may be optimized to provide a desired biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) removal efficiency during the treatment of Air Force stormwater runoff. The objective is achieved through the development and use of a system dynamics model which simulates the hydrological functions of a constructed wetland as well as the processes within the wetland responsible for degradation of BOD. Based on literature review, the primary mechanism responsible for the degradation of BOD within a constructed wetland system is degradation due to microbial populations in the form of both suspended biomass and biofilm found on the surface of vegetation and the wetland floor. The model was run for constructed wetlands of various surface areas, each subjected to a range of stormwater influent rates and influent concentrations. The hydraulic retention times, organic loading rates and BOD removal efficiencies were determined for each case. Scatter plots of both hydraulic retention times and organic loading rates vs. removal efficiency indicated a clear relationship between both hydraulic retention time and removal efficiency as well as organic loading rate and removal efficiency. Several runs of the model also indicated that larger surface areas, greater length to width ratios and depths contributed to lower BOD concentrations in the water column

Daniel Pierce Thompson and “The Shaker Lovers”: Portraying the Shakers in Fiction and on the Stage

When Vermont author D. P. Thompson’s short story “The Shaker Lovers” was first published in the periodical The New World in 1841, it joined a growing body of literature on American Shaker communities. However, Thompson’s story was unusual in three ways. First, it was the product of a man whose upbringing and opinions gave him a unique perspective on the Shakers. Second, it was a fictional literary treatment of the Shakers, of which there had been very few up to that date. And last, Thompson’s story was destined to be turned into a stage play, albeit one with a somewhat different set of messages than in the original story

Results of a Long-Term Demonstration of an Optical Multi-Gas Monitor on ISS

Previously at SAMAP we reported on the development of tunable diode laser spectroscopy (TDLS) based instruments for measuring small gas molecules in real time. TDLS technology has matured rapidly over the last 5 years as a result of advances in low power diode lasers as well as better detection schemes. In collaboration with two small businesses Vista Photonics, Inc. and Nanoracks LLC, NASA developed a 4 gas TDLS based monitor for an experimental demonstration of the technology on the International Space Station (ISS). Vista invented and constructed the core TDLS sensor. Nanoracks designed and built the enclosure, and certified the integrated monitor as a payload. The device, which measures oxygen, carbon dioxide, ammonia and water vapor, is called the Multi-Gas Monitor (MGM). MGM measures the 4 gases every few seconds and records a 30 second moving average of the concentrations. The relatively small unit draws only 2.5W. MGM was calibrated at NASA-Johnson Space Center in July 2013 and launched to ISS on a Soyuz vehicle in November 2013. Installation and activation of MGM occurred in February 2014, and the unit has been operating nearly continuously ever since in the Japanese Experiment Module. Data is downlinked from ISS about once per week. Oxygen and carbon dioxide data is compared with that from the central Major Constituents Analyzer. Water vapor data is compared with dew point measurements made by sensors in the Columbus module. The ammonia channel was tested by the crew using a commercial ammonia inhalant. MGM is remarkably stable to date. Results of 18 months of operation are presented and future applications including combustion product monitoring are discussed

Laser Spectroscopy Multi-Gas Monitor: Results of Technology Demonstration on ISS

Tunable diode laser spectroscopy (TDLS) is an up and coming trace and major gas monitoring technology with unmatched selectivity, range and stability. The technology demonstration of the 4 gas Multi-Gas Monitor (MGM), reported at the 2014 ICES conference, operated continuously on the International Space Station (ISS) for nearly a year. The MGM is designed to measure oxygen, carbon dioxide, ammonia and water vapor in ambient cabin air in a low power, relatively compact device. While on board, the MGM experienced a number of challenges, unplanned and planned, including a test of the ammonia channel using a commercial medical ammonia inhalant. Data from the unit was downlinked once per week and compared with other analytical resources on board, notably the Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA), a magnetic sector mass spectrometer. MGM spent the majority of the time installed in the Nanoracks Frame 2 payload facility in front breathing mode (sampling the ambient environment of the Japanese Experiment Module), but was also used to analyze recirculated rack air. The capability of the MGM to be operated in portable mode (via internal rechargeable lithium ion polymer batteries or by plugging into any Express Rack 28VDC connector) was a part of the usability demonstration. Results to date show unprecedented stability and accuracy of the MGM vs. the MCA for oxygen and carbon dioxide. The ammonia challenge (approx. 75 ppm) was successful as well, showing very rapid response time in both directions. Work on an expansion of capability in a next generation MGM has just begun. Combustion products and hydrazine are being added to the measurable target analytes. An 8 to 10 gas monitor (aka Gas Tricorder 1.0) is envisioned for use on ISS, Orion and Exploration missions

Portable Multigas Monitors for International Space Station

The Environmental Health System (EHS) on International Space Station (ISS) includes portable instruments to measure various cabin gases that acutely impact crew health. These hand-held devices measure oxygen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen chloride and hydrogen cyanide. The oxygen and carbon dioxide units also serve to back up key functions of the Major Constituent Analyzers. Wherever possible, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) devices are employed by EHS to save development and sustaining costs. COTS hardware designed for general terrestrial applications however has limitations such as no pressure compensation, limited life of the active sensor, calibration drift, battery issues, unpredictable vendor support and obsolescence. The EHS fleet (inflight and ground inventory) of instruments is both aging and dwindling in number. With the retirement of the US Space Shuttle, maintenance of on-orbit equipment becomes all the more difficult. A project is underway to search for gas monitoring technology that is highly reliable and stable for years. Tunable Diode Laser Spectroscopy (TDLS) seems to be the front-runner technology, but generally is not yet commercially available in portable form. NASA has fostered the development of TDLS through the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program. A number of gases of interest to the aerospace and submarine communities can be addressed by TDLS including the list mentioned above plus hydrogen fluoride, ammonia and water (humidity). There are several different forms of TDLS including photoacoustic and direct absorption spectroscopy using various multipass cell geometries. This paper describes the history of portable gas monitoring on NASA spacecraft and provides a status of the development of TDLS based instruments. Planned TDLS flight experiments on ISS could lead both to operational use on ISS and important roles in future Exploration spacecraft and habitats

Philharmonic and Concert Band

Kennesaw State University School of Music presents Philharmonic and Concert Band.https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/musicprograms/1378/thumbnail.jp