1,690 research outputs found
Investigating Varied Pedagogical Approaches for Problem-Based Learning in a Fire Safety Engineering Course
Fire safety engineering is a critical component of a well-rounded engineering undergraduate curriculum but is
understudied in the context of engineering education literature. Guided by previous work in problem-based
learning, we conducted a multiple case study structured around three sections of a fire safety engineering course
for students across engineering programmes. Our goal was to develop a better understanding of the impact of
different pedagogical approaches on students. These approaches were chosen for study because they align with
predominating approaches to industry practice in fire safety engineering. Classroom observations and student
coursework from each of the three sections were used to evaluate the different approaches: (A) controlling (the
specialist approach), (B) student autonomy (the generalist approach), and (C) combination strategy
(autonomous/generalist and controlling/specialist). Findings confirm more autonomous/generalist approaches
foster positive student experiences and outcomes, but a balance of instructional techniques is still needed. It is
clear that more work needs to be done to explore engineering education in the context of fire safety engineering,
and this study provides preliminary results that suggest areas for future scholarship
Predicting criticality and dynamic range in complex networks: effects of topology
The collective dynamics of a network of coupled excitable systems in response
to an external stimulus depends on the topology of the connections in the
network. Here we develop a general theoretical approach to study the effects of
network topology on dynamic range, which quantifies the range of stimulus
intensities resulting in distinguishable network responses. We find that the
largest eigenvalue of the weighted network adjacency matrix governs the network
dynamic range. Specifically, a largest eigenvalue equal to one corresponds to a
critical regime with maximum dynamic range. We gain deeper insight on the
effects of network topology using a nonlinear analysis in terms of additional
spectral properties of the adjacency matrix. We find that homogeneous networks
can reach a higher dynamic range than those with heterogeneous topology. Our
analysis, confirmed by numerical simulations, generalizes previous studies in
terms of the largest eigenvalue of the adjacency matrix.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Inclusive Design of Workspaces: Mixed Methods Approach to Understanding Users
Accessible design within the built environment has often focused on mobility conditions and has recently widened to include mental health. Additionally, as one in seven are neurodivergent (including conditions such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and dyspraxia), this highlights a growing need for designing for ‘non-visible’ conditions in addition to mobility. Emphasised by the growing disability pay gap and the disability perception gap, people with disabilities are still facing discrimination and physical barriers within the workplace. This research aimed to identify key ways of reducing physical barriers faced by people with a disability and thus encourage more comfortable and productive use of workspaces for all. Once the need for designing for a spectrum of users and inclusive workspace design was understood, a survey was then circulated to students and staff at a large university in the UK (working remotely from home), with the aim of understanding how people have adapted their home spaces and what barriers they continue to face. Quantitative and qualitative results were compared to the literature read with key issues emerging, such as separating work and rest from spaces in bedrooms. The survey findings and literature were evaluated, extracting key performance-based goals (e.g., productivity and focus within a study space) and prescriptive design features (e.g., lighting, furniture, and thermal comfort), whilst also considering the inclusivity of these features. The key conclusion establishes that, to achieve maximum benefit, it is important to work with the users to understand specific needs and identify creative and inclusive solutions
The Photographic Action of Irradiated Cod-Liver Oil
We have previously reported the results of experiments on the photographic action of irradiated oils. This paper gives the results obtained with various arrangements of the screens and the receptacles for the irradiated cod-liver oil
A5: Grafton Notch State Park: Glacial Gorges and Streams Under Pressure in the Mahoosic Range, Maine
Guidebook for field trips in Western Maine and Northern New Hampshire: New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference, p. 95-104
Effects of network topology, transmission delays, and refractoriness on the response of coupled excitable systems to a stochastic stimulus
We study the effects of network topology on the response of networks of
coupled discrete excitable systems to an external stochastic stimulus. We
extend recent results that characterize the response in terms of spectral
properties of the adjacency matrix by allowing distributions in the
transmission delays and in the number of refractory states, and by developing a
nonperturbative approximation to the steady state network response. We confirm
our theoretical results with numerical simulations. We find that the steady
state response amplitude is inversely proportional to the duration of
refractoriness, which reduces the maximum attainable dynamic range. We also
find that transmission delays alter the time required to reach steady state.
Importantly, neither delays nor refractoriness impact the general prediction
that criticality and maximum dynamic range occur when the largest eigenvalue of
the adjacency matrix is unity
Work in Progress: Transformational Change in a Masters-level Integrated Capstone Design Course that Partners Industry and Academia
Integrated capstone design courses in civil engineering pose a major challenge for educators because of the breadth of topics covered. Partnering with industry has historically provided a way to alleviate some of these challenges and provide a more authentic design experience. While external partnership in capstone design courses can provide added authenticity as well as fringe benefits such as networking opportunities, there are risks associated with an industry-driven approach. We also argue there is a need to shift from an emphasis on product to pedagogy in capstone design and that authenticity from industry is not an end in itself. In this work-in-progress paper, we present our project to reimagine the integrated capstone design course at a large, public research university in the United Kingdom. This project has three major goals: (1) Develop an understanding of how to balance industry involvement; (2) Generate mechanisms for sustainable adoption of changes; and (3) Evaluate short- and long-term student outcomes for the course. We will present an overview of our intended curricular changes as well as research and evaluation plans to date. This project fits uniquely in the current literature on engineering design education in that it centers around a masters-level course and challenges the notion of what constitutes healthy industry partnership. As a starting point, our first research question considers how the current capstone design course came to be a primarily outsourced effort and what factors impacted this organizational shift to lower academic ownership from within the department
Taxes and Mutual Fund Inflows Around Distribution Dates
Capital gain distributions by mutual funds generate tax liability for taxable shareholders, thereby reducing their after-tax returns. Taxable investors who are considering purchasing fund shares around distribution dates have an incentive to delay their purchase until after the distribution, since this will reduce the present value of their tax liability. Non-taxable shareholders, such as those who invest through IRAs and other tax-deferred accounts, face no such incentive for delaying purchase. This paper compares daily shareholder transactions by taxable and non-taxable investors in the mutual funds of a single no-load fund complex around distribution dates. Gross inflows to taxable accounts are significantly lower in the weeks preceding distribution dates than in the weeks following them, but gross inflows to tax-deferred accounts do not change around these dates. This finding suggests that some taxable shareholders time their purchase of mutual fund shares to avoid the tax acceleration associated with distributions. Taxable shareholders who purchase shares just before distribution dates also have shorter holding periods, on average, than those who buy after a distribution. The cost of the distribution-related tax acceleration for pre-distribution buyers is therefore somewhat less than that for those who buy after the distribution.
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