CatMobile EV Front Suspension

The Central Washington University (CWU) Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) program owns an electric vehicle called the “Cat-Mobile” designed to be entered into an Electrothon America race. The Cat-Mobile is a collaborative project, various aspects of which are built by CWU MET students in the capstone sequence of the senior year. For the Cat-Mobile to operate safely and effectively, it was necessary to design and build a proper front suspension system. The suspension needed to meet Electrothon America Handbook rules dictating a minimum ground clearance of 2” and optimize material usage to keep added weight at or below 20lbs. Loading and stress analysis was used to design the suspension system, and FEA analysis assisted with optimization. The final design modeled a typical “double-wishbone” or “double A-arm” style suspension. A spindle assembly was mounted between the A-arms with the use of ball-joints. The spindles included provisions for steering, and potential mounting locations for braking components. A coil-over style shock absorber is used which can allow for height and dampening adjustments. The total mass of parts added to the Cat-Mobile was just 12.7 lbs. The ground clearance of the Cat-Mobile can be adjusted and at minimum height adjustment, conforms to the Electrothon America requirement of 2”

WHERE WILL FUTURE AGRICULTURAL MARKETING INFORMATION COME FROM: NEW JERSEY PEACH MARKET - A CASE STUDY

Researchers and decision makers are currently faced with a reduced supply of agricultural marketing information at both federal and state levels. Although a number of on-line computer informational sources are available to help fill this gap, the data are relatively expensive and often not available in the form or detail needed at the farm level. This paper examines expected future sources of agricultural information in the public, private and semi-public/private sectors. A working model of a semi-public/private informational system is presented. The proposed self-help grower informational model system can be tailored to provide farm level data needed at a reasonable cost.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

CONSUMER AWARENESS OF STATE-SPONSORED MARKETING PROGRAMS: AN EVALUATION OF THE JERSEY FRESH PROGRAM

The majority of consumers surveyed (77 percent) report awareness of the Jersey Fresh, state-sponsored promotional program. However, certain segments appear more likely to be familiar with Jersey Fresh and its logos than others are. Behavioral and demographic models were constructed to evaluate which characteristics influence consumer awareness of Jersey Fresh. The results indicate that those who shop at more than one supermarket, those who frequently shop at direct marketing facilities, and those who frequently read food advertisements are more likely to exhibit a preexisting awareness of the Jersey Fresh Program. The results also indicate that the period of residence in the state positively contributed to the awareness of the program.Consumer/Household Economics, Marketing,

TRANSPORT COSTS IMPACTS ON THE FRESH MARKET FOR PEACHES - WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON THE NORTHEAST

An interregional transportation model was constructed using ordinary least squares and reactive programming to evaluate the short-run economic impact of changing transportation rate on the U.S. interregional equilibrium and, in particular, the Northeast's competitive position for fresh peaches. Using fixed regional supplies, uniquely determined regional per capita consumption and existing transportation rates the reactive programming algorithm obtains solutions to the spatial equilibrium problem including: overall regional quantities supplied and demanded, prices, consumers' outlays, producers' revenues and opportunity, transfer and shipping costs. Transportation rates were varied 20 percent above and below the current rates to examine the short-run economic impact on the prevailing equilibrium. The East Coast was a relatively isolated market and therefore was not significantly affected by changes in transportation rates. The most significant changes in producers' revenues and trade flow patterns occurred in the remaining regions that traded mostly amongst themselves.Crop Production/Industries, Marketing,

Managing academic skills development and english language learning and use: The case Of Chinese postgraduate coursework students studying in Australia

The challenges confronting Chinese students studying in Anglophone universities are well documented (e.g. Durkin, 2008; Huang, 2008; Ryan, 2010). Effective communication in English across different language modes and through different text-types is identified as problematic. In response, and in order to support Chinese and other international students in their learning, arguments have been made for the adoption by academics in Anglo-European universities of pedagogies that are culturally inclusive (Jackson, Watty, Yu, & Lowe, 2006), blended (Zhu, 2010), and/or open-ended (Sharma, 2006). Discussion and actions associated with the uses of such pedagogies are directed towards honouring students’ home languages and cultures, and have the aim of benefiting a universal student body. Whilst such aspirations and actions are no doubt both admirable and honourable, this paper argues that notions of inclusivity and blending may be incommensurable with the disparate pedagogical strategies that exist in China and Australia. It is therefore incumbent on academics in Australia to devise and adopt approaches that make explicit ‘difference’ in terms of disparate educational contexts, the often conflictual learning expectations and the different disciplinary discourses and text types which Chinese students, particularly those involved in postgraduate coursework programs, are required to both negotiate and perform in their studies in Australia. This paper reports on the early findings of a collaborative project between two Chinese and five Australian universities where qualitative research has been conducted in both countries in order to identify and articulate how approaches which are socially, culturally and educationally responsible might be developed to support Chinese postgraduate coursework students. Findings indicate that factors such as established understandings of university discourses, and compressed timeframes for study necessitate explicit articulation and negotiation of difference as a mechanism to support Chinese students

Critical discourses in the culture-public relations relationship

In this essay, we problematise some of the foundations of the culture-public relations relationship and then consider what insights and challenges may be gleaned for the discipline, research, and education. We employ the concept of discourse as a heuristic to aid insight into how culture and public relations intertwine in a dynamic, socially constructed process of meaning making. In identifying two prevalent discourses which inform thinking and writing about culture, we note how these highlight the complexity of the public relations-culture interaction, an aspect often under-estimated in research. We offer some final, tentative ideas concerning both the teaching of public relations and the doing of public relations research

Negotiating difference through research and teaching strategies in China and Australia

In the seminar, we will identify the process and challenges of conducting this research, and highlight some of the key findings. We will argue that disparate pedagogical strategies exist in China and Australia with consequences for the lecturer - student relationship in Australia, and the success or otherwise of Chinese students studying communication, media and management. If time allows, we will also work through some of the socially, culturally and educationally responsible pedagogical strategies and innovative resources devised by the project specifically to address this situation

An agenda for change: Supporting Chinese postgraduate students studying media and communication in Australia

Recent years have seen increasing educational ties between China and Australia. Australian government statistics report that 40.6% of international students studying at tertiary level in May 2012 came from China (AEI, 2012). This situation has prompted many Australian and Chinese universities, including Schools of Media and Communication, to actively seek to develop mutually advantageous partnering opportunities within the globali sed education market..