Effects of flavor-symmetry violation from staggered fermion lattice simulations of graphene

We analyze the effects of flavor splitting from staggered fermion lattice simulations of graphene. Both the unimproved action, and the tadpole improved action with a Naik term show significant flavor symmetry breaking in the spectrum of the Dirac operator. We also measure the average plaquette term and describe how it calls for a reinterpretation of previous lattice Monte Carlo simulation results, due to tadpole improvement. From this we infer that the simulations are indicative of a semi-metal phase for suspended graphene.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures; v2. added results for noncompact gauge action; v3. added results for stout smearing, corrected rescaling of coupling, published versio

How Will Defined Contribution Pension Plans Affect Retirement Income?

How has the emergence of defined contribution pension plans, such as 401(k)s, affected the financial security of future retirees? We consider this question using a detailed survey of pension formulas in the Survey of Consumer Finances. Our simulations show that average and median pension benefits are higher under defined contribution plans that for defined benefit plans. Defined benefit plans are slightly better at providing minimum benefits, but for plausible values of risk aversion, a defined contribution plan drawn randomly from those available in 1995 is still preferred to a defined benefit plan drawn randomly from those available in 1983. This result is robust to different assumptions regarding the spending of defined contribution balances between jobs, equity rates of return, and the date of retirement. In short, we suggest that defined contribution plans can strengthen the financial security of retirees.

Global Folk Music Evolution through Technology

This artistic research project is an audio engineering, sound design, and electronic music production portfolio which explores the social, cultural, and political potential for furthering traditional and folk music styles through creative music production techniques and spaces. This topic is explored through a series of collaborations with folk musicians around the world, resulting in a collection of acoustic music recordings, and an EP of ambient electronic music. A sound design library and educational content component are created to accompany each recording. This project seeks to define new paradigms for producing folk music styles and challenges the dichotomy of acoustic and electronic music.https://remix.berklee.edu/graduate-studies-production-technology/1186/thumbnail.jp