Narmada dams controversy -- case summary

"This case study looks at one of the more famous instances of transnational involvement in stakeholder struggles over large dams: the long-running contention over dam construction on the Narmada River in India. Though proposals to build large dams on the Narmada inspired political controversy from the day the first proposals were made in 1947-48, only in the mid-1980s did the controversy take on the transnational aspects for which it is now famous as critics took up the cause of those who would be displaced as the reservoirs created by the dams filled up and raised environmental concerns about the project." Part of the International Dimensions of Ethics Education in Science and Engineering Case Studies Series

Case Study: Narmada Dams Controversy

This case study looks at one of the more famous instances of transnational involvement in stakeholder struggles over large dams: the long-running contention over dam construction on the Narmada Rover in India. Though proposals to build large dams on the Narmada inspired political controversy from the day the first proposals were made in 1947-48, only in the mid-1980s did the controversy take on the transnational aspects for which it is now famous as critics took up the cause of those who would be displaced as the reservoirs created by the dams filled up and raised environmental concerns about the project

An Assessment of Policy Recommendations in the Aftermath of Winter Storm Uri

In February of 2021, an arctic cold front, named Winter Storm Uri, led to freezing temperatures across the state of Texas. As transmission lines froze, the grid was out of order as technology failed and energy demand surpassed manageable output by the utility operators. Following the detrimental impact of the Texas Interconnection by the storm, the Texas Legislature put forth new legislation overhauling the way that the Energy Regulatory Commission of Texas (ERCOT) and the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) manage the grid. The new Texas law requires weatherization of gas production utilities. Additionally, it enables improved communication systems among utility managers as well as with customers. Experts recommend many solutions, including fortification of alternative energy sources, market incentives, and expanded interstate grid connections to better address the shortcomings of the grid in the extreme weather event. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) recommended weatherization techniques that include heat tracing, thermal insulation, and windbreaks as well as recommending that a separate entity compensates utility owners for the weatherization of their units. Politics, cost, and feasibility stand in the way of quick progress in these areas. The situation continues to unfold and reveal more about each of these aspects. Since the storm, ERCOT has provided reports on their weatherization standards, demonstrating significant progress. The grid was able to avoid a similar collapse in the midst of Winter Storm Miles in 2022. However, as climate change continues to cause extreme weather events to increase in frequency and scale, impactful legislation is necessary to ensure continued reliability of the Texas Interconnection. </div

The emerging global socio-technical regime for tackling space debris: A discourse network analysis

The global space sector has to increasingly consider sustainability concerns in the orbit, given the rising challenge of space debris. In which direction the management of space debris will develop in terms of technological solutions, policies, and actor strategies remains still unclear. This paper applies the concept of ‘global socio-technical regimes’ to better understand how actors in the global space sector frame, conceive, and legitimize the space debris problem. More specifically, we apply a discourse network analysis method – sociotechnical configuration analysis – to identify and map different value orientations by core actors over the last fifteen years. This analysis reveals three development stages in the discourse: a problem identification period (2007–2011), followed by the rise of national interests amidst increasing promises of space-based infrastructures (2012–2015), and finally, the emergence of a global socio-technical regime that increasingly connects space sustainability with Earth-bound sustainability (2016–2019). Based on our analysis, we expect that ensuring future earth-space sustainability will include a broader mix of challenges. Future approaches to space debris management will have to consider a broader and clearer problem framing to help inform effective policy making

Students\u27 Attitudes towards Socially--but Not Scientifically--Controversial Subjects: Evaluating Ways in which These Attitudes May Be Shifted

Chapter1: Numerous anti-science bills introduced into state legislatures reference the strengths and weaknesses of scientific subjects, but the subjects they target, most commonly evolution and global climate change, are not topics of contention within the scientific community. This brief work provides a researched rebuttal to the notion that evolution and climate change have strengths and weaknesses of the form implied by anti-science legislation while providing examples of actual scientific disagreement about these subjects. The disagreement is not, of course, about whether or not evolution or climate change are factual occurrences, but rather over ideas such as the finer points of evolutionary mechanisms or providing physical evidence that support theoretical ideas produced by mathematical models. Chapter 2: The HungerU campaign of the Farm Journal Foundation includes a mobile, informal education exhibit centered on raising college students\u27 awareness of hunger in the US and abroad, as well as the role of modern agriculture in solving hunger-related problems. This study evaluated changes in students\u27 understandings of hunger as a cause of mortality before and after participating in the HungerU exhibit, as well as concurrent changes in their attitudes toward bioengineered or genetically modified foods. Students showed a significant increase in their understanding of hunger as the leading cause of mortality world-wide as well as a significant increase in their level of concern about hunger. Although there was no explicit instruction on GM foods, there were simultaneous significant increases in these students\u27 opinions that farmers should be allowed to use bioengineered crops in food production and that GMOs are a good option for solving issues related to world hunger. We posit that becoming more aware of and concerned about issues related to hunger may have allowed students to become more open minded to technologies to which they were previously ideologically opposed. Chapter 3: Given the high availability of different media sources to students today, it stands to reason that some media sources would be of greater quality than others when communicating particular subjects to students. Previous findings have shown viewers of comedy news shows (the type of news show most frequently watched by younger viewers) to be better informed on some issues than viewers of other news outlets such as Fox News, CNN, or MSNBC. We sought to compare the effects of two different sets of videos, one comedic and one authoritative scientific, on students\u27 knowledge of and attitudes towards climate change as well as how the two sets of videos were received by students. Surprisingly, we found no difference is effects on students\u27 knowledge of or attitudes towards climate change. We did find however, that students generally felt that the authoritative videos were more likely to influence the way someone might vote, and that liberal students felt both videos were slightly more likely to influence voting than conservative students. We then make suggestions for future studies on media related to climate change, and for climate change educators. Chapter 4: This qualitative study explores the experiences of six students enrolled in a special topics biology class that exclusively used primary literature as course content material. NOS conceptions have been linked to students\u27 attitudes toward scientific subjects, but there has not been research specifically exploring the effects of primary literature use on NOS conceptions. Results, based both upon written responses to an established and validated NOS survey (VNOS-C) taken at the beginning and end of the course and upon reflective essays in which students described in detail their experiences with using primary literature, indicate positive gains in various aspects of NOS conceptions as well as increased confidence with approaching original research. We conclude by suggesting the expanded use of primary literature in biology education

PROMOTING BREAKTHROUGH MEDICAL INNOVATION: INSIGHTS FROM AN ANALYSIS OF RECENT TRANSFORMATIVE DRUGS, BIOLOGICS AND MEDICAL DEVICES

Given the recent concern from multiple healthcare stakeholders that the pipeline of medical innovation is slowing, this thesis provides insights on how to spur breakthrough medical innovation in present day. The findings and recommendations are derived from one of the largest collections of interview transcripts from biomedical innovators (n=143) responsible for developing critical devices, drugs and diagnostics used in medicine today. An exemplary case (coronary artery stent) was selected for an in-depth analysis, which included a detailed recounting of stent development and an exhaustive analysis of the patent literature. External factors either catalyzed (e.g., supportive institutions, strong underlying science and collaboration) or hindered (e.g., technology transfer challenges, lack of funding and onerous conflict of interest rules) the development process. Strategies aimed towards promoting transformative medical innovation should focus on institutional-level policies targeting early stages of innovation. This includes providing individuals with unique expertise with the capacity to pursue innovative work. Technology transfer processes should be simplified to enable collaboration for individuals between institutions with disparate expertise. Policymakers should continue to support basic science research, which underlies future innovations. In contrast, policies that increase reimbursement or reduce taxes for industry or extend patent terms are less likely to impact transformative innovation

Activities in nuclear engineering at M.I.T.

"List of graduate theses (September 1987 to June 1989) "--Pages [129]-[134]Progress report; August 198

Reports to the President

A compilation of annual reports for the 1989-1990 academic year, including a report from the President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as reports from the academic and administrative units of the Institute. The reports outline the year's goals, accomplishments, honors and awards, and future plans

Reports to the President

A compilation of annual reports for the 1988-1989 academic year, including a report from the President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as reports from the academic and administrative units of the Institute. The reports outline the year's goals, accomplishments, honors and awards, and future plans