The Blue Stragglers of the Old Open Cluster NGC 188

The old (7 Gyr) open cluster NGC 188 has yielded a wealth of astrophysical insight into its rich blue straggler population. Specifically, the NGC 188 blue stragglers are characterized by: A binary frequency of 80% for orbital periods less than $10^4$ days;Typical orbital periods around 1000 days;Typical secondary star masses of 0.5 M$_{\odot}$; At least some white dwarf companion stars; Modestly rapid rotation; A bimodal radial spatial distribution; Dynamical masses greater than standard stellar evolution masses (based on short-period binaries); Under-luminosity for dynamical masses (short-period binaries). Extensive $N$-body modeling of NGC 188 with empirical initial conditions reproduces the properties of the cluster, and in particular the main-sequence solar-type binary population. The current models also reproduce well the binary orbital properties of the blue stragglers, but fall well short of producing the observed number of blue stragglers. This deficit could be resolved by reducing the frequency of common-envelope evolution during Roche lobe overflow. Both the observations and the $N$-body models strongly indicate that the long-period blue-straggler binaries - which dominate the NGC 188 blue straggler population - are formed by asymptotic-giant (primarily) and red-giant mass transfer onto main sequence stars. The models suggest that the few non-velocity-variable blue stragglers formed from mergers or collisions. Several remarkable short-period double-lined binaries point to the importance of subsequent dynamical exchange encounters, and provide at least one example of a likely collisional origin for a blue straggler.Comment: Chapter 3, in Ecology of Blue Straggler Stars, H.M.J. Boffin, G. Carraro & G. Beccari (Eds), Astrophysics and Space Science Library, Springe

Academic freedom: in justification of a universal ideal

This paper examines the justification for, and benefits of, academic freedom to academics, students, universities and the world at large. The paper surveys the development of the concept of academic freedom within Europe, more especially the impact of the reforms at the University of Berlin instigated by Wilhelm von Humboldt. Following from this, the paper examines the reasons why the various facets of academic freedom are important and why the principle should continue to be supported

Designing Trustworthy organizations

Our model is based on research we conducted with colleagues over the last 12 years to understand how organizations and their leaders earn, maintain and violate trust and repair it after a violation. We conducted detailed reviews of the academic literatures on trust, trust building and trust repairi and basic experimental, field and theoretical research into the nature, development and repair of trust. In 2011, we completed a study commissioned by the Institute of Business Ethics of 30 organizations that had violated trust and then attempted to repair trust (with varying degrees of success) during the prior 10 yearsii; the study analyzed case study data based on both archival and interview sources. We have also conducted deep examinations of two large corporate and government organizations experiencing trust crises. For obvious reasons, the identity of the organizations must remain confidential. One was global and headquartered outside the United States; the other was U.S.-based and operated primarily within the United States. In both cases we had extensive access to key employees at all levels and collected interview and survey data. We supplemented the above research with an examination of best practices at select companies that consistently appear on the “Most Admired” and “Best Companies to Work For” lists compiled by Fortune magazine and data from several hundred executives and managers attending executive education leadership programs on the trust issues they experience in their organizations

Population synthesis of Galactic subdwarf B stars

Contains fulltext : 84185.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access) Contains fulltext : 84185.pdf (preprint version ) (Open Access

Knowledge Management in University Administration in Malaysia

Part 2: What Issues Do Those Developing New Educational Management Information System Face?International audienceKnowledge management is important to both business and government organisations as a means of improving their operations. This research project investigated cultural factors affecting knowledge management in higher education administrative departments in Malaysia. It considered strategic decisions made by university administrations and adoption decisions made by individual staff members. As the study was conducted in the South-East Asia region, organisational culture in this region is important. The paper describes the factors found to affect the practice of knowledge management in higher education in Malaysia