A volumetric Penrose inequality for conformally flat manifolds

We consider asymptotically flat Riemannian manifolds with nonnegative scalar curvature that are conformal to $\R^{n}\setminus \Omega, n\ge 3$, and so that their boundary is a minimal hypersurface. (Here, $\Omega\subset \R^{n}$ is open bounded with smooth mean-convex boundary.) We prove that the ADM mass of any such manifold is bounded below by $(V/\beta_{n})^{(n-2)/n}$, where $V$ is the Euclidean volume of $\Omega$ and $\beta_{n}$ is the volume of the Euclidean unit $n$-ball. This gives a partial proof to a conjecture of Bray and Iga \cite{brayiga}. Surprisingly, we do not require the boundary to be outermost.Comment: 7 page

Doing it right: procurement talent for the 21st century

An effective procurement strategy positively affects a company’s ability to drive profitability and to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage. However, some procurement leaders do not believe their teams have the skill to execute their company’s strategy. Pundits cite a shortage of qualified personnel, and deficiencies in leadership, soft skills, and critical thinking ability. Companies, therefore, must recruit, develop, and retain personnel to execute properly their procurement strategies. Research literature states that employee engagement, transformational leadership, and emotional intelligence affect an employee’s willingness to learn and intention to stay at a firm. A compendium of literature also links organizational performance and business outcomes to leadership style, employee engagement and emotional intelligence levels within an organization. Based on the literature, a leader’s style, emotional intelligence and ability to foster employee engagement has an impact on organizational performance. How can leaders effectively develop procurement personnel to address today’s marketplace challenges and opportunities? Informed by literature, this phenomenological study examines the best practices employed by today’s procurement leaders to develop personnel. In addition, this study examines challenges these managers face in developing employees, and the metrics employed to define success in procurement staff development. The study also summarizes recommendations from today’s procurement leaders to future generations of managers on employee development best practices. Finally, the study contains conclusions, thoughts, and recommendations based on insights gleaned from the study’s participants

Diversity, equity, and inclusion post George Floyd and COVID-19: reflections from global business leaders on a changing paradigm

This global study of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), encompassing the lenses of sixteen corporate executives with multi-country influence, examines efforts to address marginalization in the workplace based on identity characteristics such as race, gender, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or ability. Othering is a global phenomenon. Corporations were awakened to the magnitude of othering, shocked into reality by the murder of George Floyd and other acts of political and social violence, including femicide, globally. The COVID-19 global pandemic further exposed the impact of marginalization seen through wide health disparities across communities. The Russian invasion of Ukraine further augmented the corporate lens, making clear that the oppression of others is a human rights violation worthy of a response. Organizations responded by creating DEI job roles and engaging in activities to foster greater inclusion and fairness in the workplace and in the nations in which they operate. Corporations are now working to create sustainable DEI and environmental social governance (ESG) programs that balance the need to respond to human rights issues with market access and profitability concerns - given the level of political polarization in communities worldwide. Through DEI and ESG initiatives, corporations have a unique opportunity to foster positive social change and economic good should they choose to. The researcher implores those with opposing viewpoints to keep an open mind - focused on finding workable solutions - not just shortcomings in approach. Through examination of the literature and review of data provided by the study’s participants, the researcher concluded that a derivative of critical race theory - critical (global) othering theory - holds promise for countering marginalization within societies and organizations globally. An additional conclusion drawn is the existence of a DEI data management continuum across firms. Labeled herein as the data collection, accountability, transparency (data CAT) continuum, companies fell along a progression of openness indicative of how assertive their DEI programs were. Consumer-oriented firms generally were more proactive in DEI implementation than tech or industrial companies. The location of the corporate headquarters also had an impact on how DEI challenges were framed. Companies wishing to benchmark against others may find this study helpful

NASA/FAA helicopter simulator workshop

A workshop was convened by the FAA and NASA for the purpose of providing a forum at which leading designers, manufacturers, and users of helicopter simulators could initiate and participate in a development process that would facilitate the formulation of qualification standards by the regulatory agency. Formal papers were presented, special topics were discussed in breakout sessions, and a draft FAA advisory circular defining specifications for helicopter simulators was presented and discussed. A working group of volunteers was formed to work with the National Simulator Program Office to develop a final version of the circular. The workshop attracted 90 individuals from a constituency of simulator manufacturers, training organizations, the military, civil regulators, research scientists, and five foreign countries

Part 1: Executive summary

A workshop was convened by the FAA and NASA for the purpose of providing a forum at which leading designers, manufacturers, and users of helicopter simulators could initiate and participate in a development process that would facilitate the formulation of qualification standards by the regulatory agency. Formal papers were presented, special topics were discussed in breakout sessions, and a draft FAA advisory circular defining specifications for helicopter simulators was presented and discussed. A working group of volunteers was formed to work with the National Simulator Program Office to develop a final version of the circular. The workshop attracted 90 individuals from a constituency of simulator manufacturers, training organizations, the military, civil regulators, research scientists, and five foreign countries. A great amount of information was generated and recorded verbatim. This information is presented herein within the limits of accuracy inherent in recording, transcribing, and editing spoken technical material

The feasibility of a fluidic respiratory flow meter

A study was undertaken to determine the feasibility of adapting a fluidic airspeed sensor for use as a respiratory flowmeter. A Pulmonary Function Testing Flowmeter was developed which should prove useful for mass screening applications. The fluidic sensor threshold level was not reduced sufficiently to permit its adaptation to measuring the low respiratory flow rates encountered in many respiratory disorders