Observations of Early Optical Afterglows

The Swift Ultra-Violet/Optical Telescope (UVOT) has performed extensive follow-up on 71 Swift Burst Alert Telescope triggered gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) in its first ten months of operations. In this paper, we discuss some of the UV and optical properties of UVOT detected afterglows such as XRF 050406, the bright GRB 050525A, the high redshift GRB 050730, the early flaring GRB 050801, and others. We also discuss some of the implications of why 75% of GRB afterglows observed by UVOT in less than one hour are "dark."Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, to appear in the Proceedings of the 16th Annual Astrophysics Conference in Maryland "Gamma Ray Bursts in the Swift Era," Washington, DC, November 29 - December 2, 200

Musicals in the STEAM Curriculum: Framing Instruction with Show Tunes and Themes

Musicals, a part of the arts, have potential in the STEAM curriculum. A long history of stage, film and television musicals are present within popular culture. Musicals can foster STEAM especially in terms of the technical aspects of theatre, cinema and television production. STEAM educators can utilize show tunes and themes to frame lessons as outlined in a number of examples. A description of a high school curriculum integration program provides examples of how school musicals can foster STEAM areas. These musicals illustrate how STEAM instructors can capitalize on musicals with their students

Picking Up STEAM: The Role of Languages and Linguistics

Languages and linguistics are powerful skills that enhance STEAM curricula and careers. A variety of approaches and methods to language teaching and learning inform educators how to proceed with the enhancement of STEAM programs. Linguistics, the science of language, can help STEAM students, especially within the science and mathematics components, because of its reliance on hypothesis formulation for scientific inquiry and data collection and analysis. Language, an important aspect of the human experience, elevates or picks up the STEAM experience

Stakeholder approach to the segmentation of the short haul business air travel market

The marketing literature deals inadequately with markets which show characteristics of both consumer and industrial markets. In this work such markets are called hybrid markets. The research attempts to find an appropriate research approach for the short haul business related air travel market, which has hybrid market characteristics. Recent studies of the business travel market (Stephenson and Fox, 1987, Toh and Hu. 1988 and 1990) have investigated corporate and traveller attitude towards frequent flier programmes (see Glossary). However, as yet the airline marketing literature has not investigated the role the purchasing organisation (the employer of the traveller) has to play in a decision to purchase business related air travel. Market segmentation is selected as a suitable tool to investigate the business travel market. However, a review of the literature on segmentation for both consumer and industrial products reveals that an approach suited to the characteristics of this market is not available. Consequently a two stage research approach for hybrid markets is developed. A case study of nine companies in the first stage of the research is used to develop an understanding of corporate involvement in the purchase of business air travel, and identifies three key stakeholder groups in the purchase. They are the traveller, the travel organiser, and the "organisation". The second stage of the research collects data on the stakeholders. Traveller data on the importance of product elements in the purchase are used in a benefit segmentation of the market. The attitude data from 827 business travellers is analysed by factor analysis to identify six principal purchase benefits. These six benefits account for 60.6% of the variance in the data. Six factor scores for each respondent are calculated and then investigated by ak means iterative partitioning cluster analysis. A robust three cluster solution is discovered; i. e. three benefit segments are present in the short haul business travel market, based on traveller attitude. Cross-validation tests are carried out to test the stability of this solution. The three segments are investigated to evaluate the influence in the purchase decision of other organisational stakeholders. Differences between segments are found in the travel policy of the employing organisation, class of travel allowed to travellers, and purchase behaviour. The research indicates that for hybrid markets such as business travel, the role of the employing organisation may be important in purchase decisions. Consequently, it is recommended that future reserach should assess corporate involvement in purchases of products that have both consumer and industrial elements. The evaluation of the influences of various stakeholder groups in purchase decisions in hybrid markets may reveal previously overlooked marketing opportunities.The Institute of Marine Studies, University of Plymouth; Air UK Ltd

Detection of the optical counterpart of the proposed double degenerate polar RX J1914+24

We have detected the optical counterpart of the proposed double degenerate polar RX J1914+24. The I band light curve is modulated on the 9.5 min period seen in X-rays. There is no evidence for any other periods. No significant modulation is seen in J. The infrared colours of RX J1914+24 are not consistent with a main sequence dwarf secondary star. Our ASCA spectrum of RX J1914+24 is typical of a heavily absorbed polar and our ASCA light curve also shows only the 9.5 min period. We find that the folded I band and X-ray light curves are out of phase. We attribute the I band flux to the irradiated face of the donor star. The long term X-ray light curve shows a variation in the observed flux of up to an order of magnitude. These observations strengthen the view that RX J1914+24 is indeed the first double degenerate polar to be detected. In this light, we discuss the synchronising mechanisms in such a close binary and other system parameters.Comment: 11 pages, accepted for publication in MNRA

Customer Experience – an analysis of the concept and its performance in airline brands

This paper investigates the application of the concept of customer experience to the airline industry and the extent to which airline brands are delivering customer experience. A review of literature shows that the concept of customer experience is not well understood and has had no clear and consistent definition. The purpose of customer experience was identified as to deliver satisfaction throughout the customer experience that, in turn, leads to brand loyalty and advocacy. The customer experience concept was then applied to the airline industry. In order to measure its performance a study was undertaken using International Air Transport Association (IATA hereafter) data collected over a twelve-month period from a sample size of 18,567 passengers on fifteen major full-service airlines on Europe-Middle East-Asia routes. The elements of the airline passenger journey most strongly related to overall satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy were, for most airlines, cabin features followed by crew (for satisfaction) and inflight food and drink (for loyalty and advocacy). The analysis did not identify strong effects from the impact of airline continent, individual airline and flight class. The relationships between the passengers’ satisfaction ratings for specified elements of the journey and the overall satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy were not moderated by flight class

Keith Mangrum in a Senior Oboe Recital and Gene Mason in a Sophomore Trumpet Recital

This is the program for the senior oboe recital of Keith Mangrum and the sophomore trumpet recital of Gene Mason. The recital was held on December 10, 1970, at 8:00 p.m., in Mitchell Hall. Sharon Coe and Marilyn Rauch assisted on piano; Larry Aldridge assisted on the clarinet; and Charles Wesley assisted on the bassoon