Automatic Annotation and Semantic Search from Protégé

Semantic search has been one of the major envisioned benefits of the Semantic Web since its emergence in the late 90’s [1]. Our demo shows a proposal towards this goal. One way to view a semantic search engine is as a tool that gets formal queries (e.g. in RDQL, RQL, SPARQL, or the like) from a client, executes them against an ontology-based knowledge base, and returns tuples of ontology values (resources) that satisfy the query [2]. While this conception of semantic search brings enormous advantages already, our work aims at taking a step beyond this. In our view of Information Retrieval in the Semantic Web, a search engine returns documents, rather than (or in addition to) exact values, in response to user queries. The engine should rank the documents, according to concept-based relevance criteria. The overall retrieval process is illustrated in Figure 1 (see [3] for more details of our research)

Policy entrepreneurs have more power in the policy process than we give them credit for

Just how important are individuals in the policymaking process in the US? In new research, Joel Vallett studies the impact of so-called policy entrepreneurs in how policies are adopted by and diffused through the US states. Using Erin’s Law, a child sex abuse prevention education policy, as a case study he finds that the influence of a policy entrepreneur was the most important factor in the law’s adoption by state legislatures. He writes that lawmakers do listen to enthusiastic policy entrepreneurs, especially when they lack the resources to make a quick policy decision

The Importance of the Policy Entrepreneur in Policy Adoption

What factors influence the likelihood that a state will adopt a policy? I argue that the role of a policy entrepreneur is vital to policy diffusion and eventual adoption. Performing Event History Analysis, I investigate 28 states over 7 years that have adopted Erin’s Law, a child abuse education policy. Preliminary findings suggest that the states in which Erin Merryn, the policy entrepreneur, visited increased the likelihood that the state would adopt Erin’s Law. Recognizing the important role of a policy entrepreneur has valuable implications for the policy and diffusion literature

Vermont Agency of Transportation Employee Retention and Knowledge Management Study

In 2015, the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) developed a new strategic plan that included five goals that would support the agency’s mission and vision. Goal 5 of the plan is: Develop a workforce to meet the strategic needs of the agency. VTrans leaders were concerned with the loss of employees due to turnover and the subsequent impact of knowledge loss on the operations of the agency. This applied research study used a mixed methods approach in data gathering to help determine the state of employee retention and knowledge management (KM) at VTrans and to provide tools that could help with both retention and KM issues. Key steps in this study involved an organizational assessment of turnover and KM practices at VTrans, a scan of other state DOTs concerning retention and KM practices, and a pilot project to address both issues. With guidance provided by a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), the decision was made to focus most of the research in specific units of the Highway Division

An Innovative Lens Type FinLine to Microstrip Transition

Due to the disadvantages of vacuum tubes in terms of warm-up time, size, and highvoltage needs, solid-state power amplifiers (SSPAs) with gallium nitride (GaN) monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) are the key solution for power levels up to some kilowatts in continuous wave. An SSPA is the most convenient solution for these RF power levels due to its low weight, small size, negligible warm-up time, low-voltage operation, and high reliability. Spatial power amplifiers (SPAs) combining techniques are the best candidates for SSPAs due to the intrinsic low attenuation in dividing and combining functions. SPAs mainly use two types of probes: transverse and longitudinal, such as FinLines. This paper describes a broadband FinLine to microstrip (FLuS) transition based on dielectric lens theory. Comparative simulations with traditional FinLine transitions show a significant improvement in matching performances and a very significant increase in mechanical resistance of the transition. The proposed innovative FLuS uses a substrate shaping designed according to dielectric lens theory. Frequency simulations of a FLuS inside the WR22 waveguide are shown. These evidence the better performances of this transition than the classic FLuS transition using quarter-wave transformer (QWT) matching. A Q band spatial power combiner with dielectric lens FLuS was made and measured, showing the excellent performances of this innovative FLuS transition

Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Planning: Agency Roles and Workforce Development Needs

This report is one of two NCST Research Reports produced as part of a project to evaluate the state of practice and adequacy of technical tools for resiliency and adaptation planning. A companion report, Network Requirements for Assessing Criticality for Climate Adaptation Planning, focuses specifically on the technical challenges of conducting criticality assessment for climate adaptation and resiliency planning. Because climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of many extreme weather events, climate adaptation and resiliency planning are increasingly important tasks for transportation agencies at all levels of government. While specific climate threats and adaptation needs varies by location throughout the United States, all agencies face challenges in terms of resource availability (including staffing levels and staffing expertise) and the quality of the technical tools for adaptation planning. In 2015, the University of Vermont Transportation Research Center conducted a survey of planning organizations in the U.S. concerning climate adaptation planning intended to assess the adaptation planning capacity, workforce development needs, and current preparation levels of local and state agencies as well as the adequacy of currently available technical tools. The survey consisted of 14 multiple choice or open-ended questions and garnered 154 respondents, including representatives from planning organizations, state transportation agencies and others involved in transportation planning. Respondents in this study affirmed that workforce development is an important part of advancing climate adaptation and resiliency planning. More work is needed in examining the workforce development needs of transportation agencies by factors such as region and type of organization. In addition, a higher level of specificity of the skills and qualifications is needed to inform development of new training, new hires, and educational curriculum that prepares the future workforce. The authors\u27 recommendations include additional targeted funding, developing a continuum of workforce development offerings, developing professional communities of practice and using online technology as a platform for climate adaptation planning workforce development

Scaling air quality effects from alternative jet fuel in aircraft and ground support equipment

Thesis (S.M. in Technology and Policy)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, Technology and Policy Program, 2010.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 74-78).Many of the nation's largest airports, including Los Angeles International Airport, the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport are located within areas designated by the EPA as having ambient particulate matter concentrations that exceed National Ambient Air Quality standards. When inhaled, fine particulate matter can enter the blood stream from the lungs and increase the risk of illness and premature mortality. This thesis examines the potential of two jet fuel types, ultra low sulfur jet fuel and synthetic paraffinic kerosene, to reduce aviation's contribution to ambient particulate matter concentrations. Scaling factors were developed for airport criteria pollutant emissions to model alternative jet fuels in aircraft and ground support equipment. These linear scaling factors were based on currently published studies comparing standard diesel and jet fuels with alternative jet fuels. It was found that alternative jet fuels lower or maintain all air pollutant emissions considered (primary particulate matter, sulfur oxides, nitrous oxides, unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide) for both aircraft and ground support equipment. To quantify the potential benefits of changing fuel composition on ambient particulate matter concentrations, a study of the Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport was completed using both emissions inventory analysis and atmospheric modeling. The atmospheric modeling captures both primary particulate matter and other emissions that react in the atmosphere to form secondary particulate matter. It was found that the use of an ultra low sulfur jet fuel in aircraft gas turbines could reduce the primary particulate matter inventory by 37% and synthetic paraffinic kerosene could reduce the primary particulate matter inventory by 64%. The atmospheric modeling predicts that an ultra low sulfur jet fuel in aircraft could reduce ambient particulate matter concentrations due to aircraft by up to 57% and synthetic paraffinic kerosene could reduce particulate matter concentrations due to aircraft by up to 67%. Thus, this study indicates that the majority of air quality benefits at Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport that could be derived from the two fuels considered can be captured by removing the sulfur from jet fuel through the use of an ultra low sulfur jet fuel.by Pearl Donohoo.S.M.in Technology and Polic

Photoelectrochemical Water Systems for H2 Production

This Photoelectrochemical Water Systems for Hydrogen Production presentation by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's John Turner was given at the DOE Hydrogen Program's 2007 Annual Merit Review

RF/Microwave properties and applications of directly assembled nanotubes and nanowires: LDRD project 102662 final report.

LDRD Project 102662 provided support to pursue experiments aimed at measuring the basic electrodynamic response and possible applications of carbon nanotubes and silicon nanowires at radiofrequency to microwave frequencies, approximately 0.01 to 50 GHz. Under this project, a method was developed to integrate these nanomaterials onto high-frequency compatible co-planar waveguides. The complex reflection and transmission coefficients of the nanomaterials was studied as a function of frequency. From these data, the high-frequency loss characteristics of the nanomaterials were deduced. These data are useful to predict frequency dependence and power dissipation characteristics in new rf/microwave devices incorporating new nanomaterials