Approaches to the embedding of sustainability into the engineering curriculum - where are we now, and how do our graduates become global engineers?

This paper presents a resume of how the topic of sustainability can become fully-integrated into the engineering curriculum in the UK, and how this needs to evolve toward consideration of how graduates could be better developed as global engineers. The paper begins by providing a justification as to why sustainability is an important feature of the already overcrowded engineering curriculum, and briefly reports, through illustrative examples, on alternative approaches which currently embed sustainability into the engineering curriculum. The paper makes the case that it is timely now to re-address the learning outcomes in order to enhance the students’ experience beyond just the inclusion of new curriculum content It does this by consideration of the identified drivers that range from the accrediting bodies and from the aspirations of employers, through revised approaches to embed sustainability, to the consideration of students’ own perceptions of sustainability and ultimately to their becoming employed as global engineers. The paper therefore discusses both the current and planned work toward supporting the development of engineering graduates into global citizens, with a greater emphasis upon their responsibility to ensure a sustainable future world, moving beyond sustainability awareness towards informed application of sustainability thinking

An introduction to sustainable development in the Engineering curriculum

The guide looks at why and how EngSD is included in the engineering curriculum and considers embedded versus discrete approaches. It discusses approaches to teaching and learning for EngSD, including examples of EngSD within the curriculum and a ‘what next?’ section, which points the reader towards further areas of study and practice. As an introduction to EngSD within engineering programmes, this guide does not seek to prescribe courses of action but rather aims to outline the main opportunities, sources of guidance and educational resources which may enable informed debate and decision making. Both personal action and leadership are required in equal measure if graduate engineers are to meet the needs of society, even when society itself may not be taking action (Blincoe, 2009). Readers of this guide should, therefore, feel empowered toward personal action and leadership in the encouragement of their future graduates in becoming effective global engineers

Plasma cleaning of ITER first mirrors in magnetic field

To avoid reflectivity losses in ITER optical diagnostic systems, plasma sputtering of metallic First Mirrors is foreseen in order to remove deposits coming from the main wall (mainly beryllium and tungsten). Therefore plasma cleaning has to work on large mirrors (up to a size of 200*300 mm) and under the influence of strong magnetic fields (several Tesla). This work presents the results of plasma cleaning of aluminium and aluminium oxide (used as beryllium proxy) deposited on molybdenum mirrors. Using radio frequency (13.56 MHz) argon plasma, the removal of a 260 nm mixed aluminium/aluminium oxide film deposited by magnetron sputtering on a mirror (98 mm diameter) was demonstrated. 50 nm of pure aluminium oxide were removed from test mirrors (25 mm diameter) in a magnetic field of 0.35 T for various angles between the field lines and the mirrors surfaces. The cleaning efficiency was evaluated by performing reflectivity measurements, Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures and 1 table. Results presented on the 21st Plasma Surface Interaction conference held in Kanazawa Japan, May 201

Law and Quantitative Multivariate Analysis: An Encounter

This Article chronicles one attempt to blend the sophisticated science of statistics with the mysterious art of the law in an antitrust case. Once again, we hope to provide lawyers with an understanding of a tool which can be used in resolving complex factual questions wherever they arise, not merely in an antitrust context. Although the lawyer will not emerge from this encounter as an accomplished statistician or economist, he may be able to talk to his fellow social scientists and to achieve a more fruitful application of social science techniques to the law

Helium-3 blankets for tritium breeding in fusion reactors

It is concluded that He-3 blankets offers considerable promise for tritium breeding in fusion reactors: good breeding potential, low operational risk, and attractive safety features. The availability of He-3 resources is the key issue for this concept. There is sufficient He-3 from decay of military stockpiles to meet the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor needs. Extraterrestrial sources of He-3 would be required for a fusion power economy

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Salmonella in Hunted Wild Boars from Two Different Regions in Switzerland

Toxoplasma gondii and Salmonella are zoonotic foodborne pathogens that may be transmitted to humans through the consumption of raw or undercooked meat, including game. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii and Salmonella antibodies in wild boars in two different regions in Switzerland. During the hunting season of 2020, a total of 126 diaphragm muscle samples of hunted wild boars were collected and the meat juice of these samples was analysed for pathogen-specific IgG antibodies using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. The overall seroprevalences were 35% for T. gondii and 17% for Salmonella, respectively. In general, seropositivity increased with the age of the animals. Seroprevalences of T. gondii were similar for animals from the northern region (29%) to those from the southern region (36.8%), indicating that T. gondii is widespread in the sylvestrian environment. By contrast, Salmonella seropositivity was remarkably higher in wild boars from the north (52%) compared with those from the south (5.3%). The high occurrence of Salmonella may represent a risk of transmission to compatriot domestic animals such free-range farmed pigs as well as to humans. Further, meat of hunted wild boars may present a source of human toxoplasmosis or salmonellosis

Entwicklung eines physiotherapeutischen Tanzes für Kinder mit Cerebralparese

Die Cerebralparese (CP) ist in den Industrieländern die häufigste Ursache für körperliche Beeinträchtigungen bei Kindern und Jugendlichen. Die Prävalenz beträgt etwa 2 bis 2,5 pro 1000 Lebendgeburten. Durch die Bewegungsstörungen sind Motivation und Partizipation der Kinder mit Cerebralparese limitiert. Tanzen bietet sich als Möglichkeit an, die Motivation und die Partizipation von CP Kindern zu steigern. Das Ziel unseres Entwicklungsprojektes ist es, ein an die Pathologie CP angepasstes physiotherapeutisches Tanzprogramm zu entwickeln, das motiviert und als Heimprogramm abgegeben werden kann

Long-term renal safety profile of ibandronate 6 mg infused over 15 minutes

In an earlier study, intravenous (i.v.) ibandronate 6 mg administered every 3-4 weeks had a similarly good renal safety profile whether infused over 15 or 60 min in women with breast cancer and bone metastases. This current study focuses on the renal safety of the extended use of ibandronate

Study of Wall Re-Deposition on DC-grounded ITER-relevant Mirrors with RF Plasma in a First Mirror Unit

In ITER, several first mirrors (FMs) are expected to be DC-grounded with the water cooling lines being implemented as a quarter wavelength ($lambda$/4) RF-filter. DC-grounding of the FMs can significantly increase the plasma potential V p, which could trigger an increased wall sputtering and associated re-deposition on the FMs during plasma cleaning. To understand the scope of this impact, helium discharges were excited with DC-grounded FMs in an ITER-sized mock-up of a first mirror unit (FMU) using wall materials with different sputtering energy thresholds (E th). Additionally, a part of the FM was electrically isolated from the RF to study its impact on the erosion/re-deposition properties on the surface. The E th of the wall materials, as well as its native oxide layers, had a significant influence on the re-deposition observed on the FMs. With high E th where walls were unsputtered, both the DC-grounded and electrically isolated parts of the FM were free of deposits. However, with low E th where the walls were sputtered, there was a net wall re-deposition on the DC-grounded parts of the FM, while electrically isolated parts were still relatively clean. Further, to study the impact of floating wall components, Cu walls in the FMU were isolated from the ground. Here the walls developed a floating potential V f and the ion energy at the walls was lowered to e(V p - V f). The floating walls, in this case, were relatively unsputtered and the FMs experienced a net cleaning with total reflectivity of the mirror preserved at pristine mirror levels. This work shows that electrically isolating the FM as well as the wall surface minimizes wall re-deposition in presence of $lambda$/4 filter and therefore are promising techniques for effective FM cleaning in ITER