Wave reflection at a free interface in an anisotropic pyroelectric medium with nonclassical thermoelasticity

In this paper, the well-established two-dimensional mathematical model for linear pyroelectric materials is employed to investigate the reflection of waves at the boundary between a vacuum and an elastic, transversely isotropic, pyroelectric material. A comparative study between the solutions of (a) classical thermoelasticity, (b) Cattaneo–Lord–Shulman theory and (c) Green–Lindsay theory equations, characterised by none, one and two relaxation times, respectively, is presented. Suitable boundary conditions are considered in order to determine the reflection coefficients when incident elasto–electro–thermal waves impinge the free interface. It is established that, in the quasi-electrostatic approximation, three different classes of waves: (1) two principally elastic waves, namely a quasi-longitudinal Primary (qP) wave and a quasi-transverse Secondary (qS) wave; and (2) a mainly thermal (qT) wave. The observed electrical effects are, on the other hand, a direct consequence of mechanical and thermal phenomena due to pyroelectric coupling. The computed reflection coefficients of plane qP waves are found to depend upon the angle of incidence, the elastic, electric and thermal parameters of the medium, as well as the thermal relaxation times. The special cases of normal and grazing incidence are also derived and discussed. Finally, the reflection coefficients are computed for cadmium selenide observing the influence of (1) the anisotropy of the material, (2) the electrical potential and (3) temperature variations and (4) the thermal relaxation times on the reflection coefficients

Improving the Computer Science in Bioinformatics Through Open Source Pedagogy

Bioinformatics relies more than ever on information technologies. This pressures scientists to keep up with software development best practices. However, traditional computer science curricula do not necessarily expose students to collaborative and long-lived software development. Using open source principles, practices, and tools forms an effective pedagogy for software development best practices. This paper reports on a bioinformatics teaching framework implemented through courses introducing computer science students to the field. The courses led to an initial product release consisting of software and an Escherichia coli K12 GenMAPP Gene Database, within a total incubation time of six months

Improving the Computer Science in Bioinformatics Through Open Source Pedagogy

Bioinformatics relies more than ever on information technologies. This pressures scientists to keep up with software development best practices. However, traditional computer science curricula do not necessarily expose students to collaborative and long-lived software development. Using open source principles, practices, and tools forms an effective pedagogy for software development best practices. This paper reports on a bioinformatics teaching framework implemented through courses introducing computer science students to the field. The courses led to an initial product release consisting of software and an Escherichia coli K12 GenMAPP Gene Database, within a total incubation time of six months

Standards-based Grading: An Alternative to Score-based Assessment

Standards-based grading involves assessment of student development towards achieving the course objectives throughout the duration of a course. Final course grades are then determined based on students’ overall development towards achieving the course objectives. There have been no studies to date that investigate this specific system for undergraduate science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. This groundbreaking study involves the implementation of standards-based grading in a sophomore-level undergraduate course in Mechanics of Materials. The goals of this study are: 1) to obtain insight in how to best implement standards-based grading in an undergraduate STEM course, and 2) to obtain a sense of how students respond to standards-based grading. Students (N=30) were asked two questions at the end of the course: 1) if the standards-based grading system is more conducive to learning than the traditional, summative score-based grading system, and 2) if they prefer standards-based grading to the traditional grading system. The preliminary results suggest that the vast majority of the students, at a minimum, agree that standards-based grading is more conducive to learning (89.3%) and that they prefer standards-based grading (85.7%). Student comments also support the quantitive results. In addition, this study provides significant insight regarding implementation of standards-based grading for undergraduate courses in STEM

Standards-Based Grading: Preliminary Studies to Quantify Changes in Affective and Cognitive Student Behaviors

Assessing student learning is a key component to education. Most institutions assess learning using a score-based grading system. Such systems use multiple individual assignment scores to produce a cumulative final course grade, which may or may not represent what a student has learned. Standards-based grading offers an alternative that addresses the need to directly assess how well students are developing toward meeting the course objectives. The course objectives are the focal point of the grading system, allowing the instructor to assess students on clearly defined objectives throughout the course. The system assesses how well students become proficient in the course objectives over the duration of the course. This study extends the use of standards-based grading at the K-12 level into the realm of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Five STEM courses pilot tested the integration of a standards-based grading system to investigate how it impacts affective and cognitive student behaviors. The results suggest that a standards-based grading system increased student domain-specific self-efficacy, was perceived as valuable, and helped students develop more sophisticated beliefs about STEM knowledge

3D Virtual Worlds and the Metaverse: Current Status and Future Possibilities

Moving from a set of independent virtual worlds to an integrated network of 3D virtual worlds or Metaverse rests on progress in four areas: immersive realism, ubiquity of access and identity, interoperability, and scalability. For each area, the current status and needed developments in order to achieve a functional Metaverse are described. Factors that support the formation of a viable Metaverse, such as institutional and popular interest and ongoing improvements in hardware performance, and factors that constrain the achievement of this goal, including limits in computational methods and unrealized collaboration among virtual world stakeholders and developers, are also considered

Breaking Boundaries in Computing in Undergraduate Courses

An important question in undergraduate curricula is that of incorporating computing into STEM courses for majors and non-majors alike. What does it mean to teach “computing” in this context? What are some of the benefits and challenges for students and instructors in such courses? This paper contributes to this important dialog by describing three undergraduate courses that have been developed and taught at Harvey Mudd College and Loyola Marymount University. Each case study describes the course objectives, implementation challenges, and assessments

El Tio Mengues o El toro bípedo : zarzuela en un acto, en verso y prosa

Copia digital. Valladolid : Junta de Castilla y León. Consejería de Cultura y Turismo, 201

Mobile-Based Monitoring System Framework for Smart Hydroponics Lettuce Farming

Hydroponics farming is popular all over the world because it sustains many people who suffer from hunger and who don’t have a lot of space or land that can be planted. The focus of this study is to provide material and design for innovative smart hydroponics farming that involves growing a lettuce plant using IoT devices, sensors, and Node-Red. Conducting this study is critical to the research because different components need to be identified first, as well as features for mobile devices connected to the IoT devices. The aim of this study is to design an IoT-based system that constantly monitors the water level, temperature, and humidity of the hydroponic lettuce crop. To fulfill the aim of the study, the researchers provide material and design for how it works, methodology for the hardware of the system, and a design thinking process to address complex problems and come up with unique solutions that emphasize innovation. As a result, the study can collect data from the different sensors. The readings of the sensors can be accessed through the Node-red Dashboard, viewable on mobile devices. Additionally, the researchers suggested exploring more about Node-Red and other possible uses of it in the IoT