Exploring theory development: Learning from diverse masters

The goal of this chapter is to illuminate the theory development process in order to encourage, inspire, and assist individuals striving to understand theory, develop theory, or teach theory and theory development

Investigating Human-Rare Historic Book Interaction among Young Adults

This paper reports on research conducted to improve understanding of human-rare historic book interaction as a necessary first step in order to design and develop physical-virtual renderings of rare books that provide integrated haptic, audio, olfactory, visual and cognitive human-rare book interaction for the public. Our synthesis of relevant literature proposes that current research and technology can be categorized according to five characteristics: expected users, content and content management, navigation, presentation, and interaction control. Our research investigates how young adults (novices) in northern Europe interact with a rare historic book and their reflections about their interaction. Results indicate that interaction engendered appreciation and curiosity regarding individual human behaviour and social practices, and regarding design and technology for novices. Interaction also had an affective impact, eliciting personal memories and emotions. Participants reported that interacting only visually with books or their representations would not have afforded the same results. The results suggest several design recommendations for future physical-virtual renderings of rare historic books

A two-stage storage routing model for green roof runoff detention

Green roofs have been adopted in urban drainage systems to control the total quantity and volumetric flow rate of runoff. Modern green roof designs are multi-layered, their main components being vegetation, substrate and, in almost all cases, a separate drainage layer. Most current hydrological models of green roofs combine the modelling of the separate layers into a single process; these models have limited predictive capability for roofs not sharing the same design. An adaptable, generic, two-stage model for a system consisting of a granular substrate over a hard plastic “egg box”-style drainage layer and fibrous protection mat is presented. The substrate and drainage layer/protection mat are modelled separately by previously verified sub-models. Controlled storm events are applied to a green roof system in a rainfall simulator. The time-series modelled runoff is compared to the monitored runoff for each storm event. The modelled runoff profiles are accurate (mean Rt 2 = 0.971), but further characterization of the substrate component is required for the model to be generically applicable to other roof configurations with different substrate

Residence Time Distributions for Turbulent, Critical and Laminar Pipe Flow

Longitudinal dispersion processes are often described by the Advection Dispersion Equation (ADE), which is analogous to Fick’s law of diffusion, where the impulse response function of the spatial concentration distribution is assumed to be Gaussian. This paper assesses the validity of the assumption of a Gaussian impulse response function, using Residence Time Distributions (RTDs) obtained from new laboratory data. Measured up- and down-stream temporal concentration profiles have been deconvolved to numerically infer RTDs for a range of turbulent, critical and laminar pipe flows. It is shown that the Gaussian impulse response function provides a good estimate of the system’s mixing characteristics for turbulent and critical flows, and an empirical equation to estimate the dispersion coefficient for Reynolds Number, Re, between 3,000 and 20,000 is presented. For laminar flow, here identified as Re < 3000, the RTDs do not conform to the Gaussian assumption due to insufficient time being available for the solute to become cross-sectionally well mixed. For this situation, which occurs commonly in water distribution networks, a theoretical RTD for laminar flow that assumes no radial mixing is shown to provide a good approximation of the system’s mixing characteristics at short times after injection

Interactivity between protégés and scientists in an electronic mentoring program

Interactivity is defined by Henri (1992) as a three-step process involving communication of information, a response to this information, and a reply to that first response. It is a key dimension of computer-mediated communication, particularly in the one-on-one communication involved in an electronic mentoring program. This report analyzes the interactivity between pairs of corporate research scientists (mentors) and university biology students (protégés) during two consecutive implementations of an electronic mentoring program. The frequency and structure of the interactions within each pair were examined to provide context: 542 messages were posted among the 20 mentors and 20 protégés. These messages were formed into 5-10 threads per pair, with 3-4 messages per thread, indicating a high level of interactivity (there were more responses posted than independent messages). Mentor-protégé pairs rated as effective by both mentors and protégés' posted more messages overall, had well-structured threads, had protégés and mentor postings that were similar in topic coverage and message length, and had little overt "management" behavior by mentors. However, there appears to be no clear recipe for successful interaction. Not only are there a variety of factors at play in developing an online relationship in this context, but mentor-protégés pairs can falter at various stages in the process and in various way

Identifying the residence time distributions of urban drainage structures from solute transport data using maximum entropy deconvolution

Solute transport, the processes of water carrying particles through flow, is affected by the bulk mixing that the flow experiences. Improved understanding of solute transport can therefore lead to improved understanding of bulk mixing processes. The Residence Time Distribution (RTD) is a non-parametric model that more fully describes solute transport than traditional models, and therefore can provide additional insight into the underlying mixing processes. As a predictive model, a downstream concentration profile can be expressed as the convolution of an upstream concentration profile with an RTD. Maximum entropy deconvolution is an optimisation method that can be used to reverse the convolution process and obtain an RTD from paired experimental upstream/downstream concentration profiles. This thesis focuses on the application of maximum entropy deconvolution to solute transport. As maximum entropy deconvolution is a relatively new method as applied to solute transport data, it has been tested thoroughly. An initial investigation of the effects of outlet angle on short-circuiting (as a mixing process) in surcharged manholes was undertaken to guide further work on maximum entropy deconvolution. Maximum entropy deconvolution was found to make repeated comparisons between recorded and predicted data through a constraint function. A study evaluating 12 potential correlation measures was undertaken, finding 8 measures potentially suitable for inclusion in maximum entropy deconvolution as a constraint function. 3 correlation measures were found to be additionally suitable for independent model evaluation. Several other configuration settings to maximum entropy deconvolution (number and distribution of sample points, and number of iterations) were also found to impact on the deconvolved RTD. These were examined with different types of input data (e.g. storage tank vs manhole) in order to determine a robust combination of settings for all data types. Two novel extensions to maximum entropy deconvolution are proposed and examined. The first novel extension involves changing interpolation function and number of sample points to give a smoother RTD. The smoother shape is more realistic and allows for easier interpretation of the RTD. The use of alternative interpolation functions also reduces the impact of over-sampling. The second novel extension is the deconvolution of raw data, i.e. data without pre-processing, reducing potential sources for error and making deconvolution easier to apply. Synthetic raw data was examined to produce guidelines for raw data quality. When the quality limits are exceeded, some minimal pre-processing then becomes necessary. A large data set, covering both benched and unbenched manholes with 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90° outlet angles at a range of surcharge depths and flow rates, has been re-analysed (as raw data) with deconvolution. The data was previously analysed with Advection Dispersion Equation and Aggregated Dead Zone models. 6 characteristic RTD shapes were observed, from which different flow fields have been inferred. Deconvolved RTDs are shown to provide new insight into mixing processes occurring

State of the art/science: Visual methods and information behavior research

This panel reports on methodological innovation now underway as information behavior scholars begin to experiment with visual methods. The session launches with a succinct introduction to visual methods by Jenna Hartel and then showcases three exemplar visual research designs. First, Dianne Sonnenwald presents the "information horizon interview" (1999, 2005), the singular visual method native to the information behavior community. Second, Anna Lundh (2010) describes her techniques for capturing and analyzing primary school children's information activities utilizing video recordings. Third, Nancy Fried Foster (Foster & Gibbons, 2007) reports how students, staff and faculty members produce maps, drawings, and photographs as a means of contributing their specialist knowledge to the design of library technologies and spaces at the University of Rochester. Altogether, the panel will present a collage of innovative visual research designs and engage the associated epistemological, theoretical, methodological, and empirical issues. All speakers will have 15 minutes and be timed to allow a minimum of 30 minutes for audience questions, comments, and discussion. Upon the conclusion attendees will have gained: knowledge of the state of the art/science of visual methods in information behavior research; an appreciation for the richness the approach brings to the specialty; and a platform to take new visual research designs forward

Mentoring Future Biologists via the Internet

Mentoring has a long tradition, reaching as far back as 1000 B.C. It continues to be practiced today in both educational and corporate settings. The process is typically established to help a protégé grow and develop new skills and attitudes. But science students in lower socioeconomic areas rarely have the opportunity to interact with mentors face-to-face. This is particularly true if the students are located in a rural setting, since most corporate scientists and their research facilities are concentrated in a few urban areas of the country. Few college students can travel to these sites as part of their college study, and few scientists have the leisure to travel to colleges and universities to interact with students there. If such contact were possible, students would be exposed to a much wider range of perspectives on scientific and professional issues. The E-Mentoring program was designed to overcome some of these difficulties. Electronic mentoring, or telementoring, involves the use of computer-mediated communications (like e-mail or computer conferencing systems) to support a mentoring relationship when a face to-face relationship would be impractical.The E-Mentoring program provided biology students from two historically minority universities in North Carolina with opportunities to interact and develop relationships with corporate scientists, to expand their learning horizons, and to use technology in a meaningful way. To provide a meaningful context for electronic mentoring for students, the project was integrated within appropriate biology courses, one undergraduate and one graduate. For most students and mentors, e-mentoring was a pleasant experience, but there was no immediate important impact. It is possible that the impact of the relationship may be more fully appreciated upon later reflection. For a few students, the program was unsuccessful They never developed a relationship with their mentors, and so the only benefit they received was the introduction and use of a new technological communication tool. Recommendations for future e-mentoring programs are provided

Computational fluid dynamics modelling of residence times in vegetated stormwater ponds

Experimental data characterising dispersion within Typha latifolia were previously collected in a laboratory setting. This mixing characterisation was combined with previously proposed computational fluid dynamics modelling approaches to predict residence time distributions for vegetated stormwater treatment pond layouts (including a wetland) derived from Highways England design guidance. The results showed that the presence of vegetation resulted in residence times closer to plug flow, indicating significant improvements in stormwater treatment capability. The new modelling approach reflects changes in residence time due to mixing within the vegetation, but it also suggests that it is more important to include vegetation within the model in the correct location than it is to accurately characterise it. Estimates of hydraulic efficiency suggest that fully vegetated stormwater ponds such as wetlands should function well as a treatment device, but more typical ponds with clear water need to be designed to be between 50% and 100% larger than their nominal residence times would suggest when designed against treatment criteria