Leadership in Higher Education in a Culture of Declining Relevance and Incivility

The institution of higher education is experiencing numerous challenges, and questions are surfacing regarding our relevance in an environment where the focus is on workforce development. Concerns are being raised about the preparation of our graduates for the demands of the workplace and, internally, we are dealing with behaviors characterizing a culture of incivility. These are not new concerns, but the prevalence of disconnects between higher education and the realities of the workplace appear to be increasing. These perceptions of disconnects tend to be exacerbated by behaviors occurring on university campuses that in some cases have become violent and/or disruptive to the learning environment. Leadership is critical as we work to maintain our viability, and listening to our various constituents has become increasingly important. We must be intentional in what we value and focus on those things critical to our mission

Computational aerodynamic optimisation of vertical axis wind turbine blades

The approach and results of a parametric aerodynamic optimisation study is presented to develop the blade design for a novel implementation of a vertical axis wind turbine. It was applied to optimise the two-dimensional cross-sectional geometry of the blades comprising the turbine. Unsteady viscous computational fluid dynamic simulations were used to evaluate blade performance. To compare geometries, the non-dimensional Coefficient of Power was used as a fitness function. Moving meshes were used to study the transient nature of the physical process. A new parameterisation approach using circular arcs has been developed for the blade cross sections. The optimisation process was conducted in two stages: firstly a Design of Experiments based response surface fitting was used to explore the parametric design space followed by the use of a Nelder-Mead simplex gradient-based optimisation procedure. The outcome of the optimisation study is a new blade design that is currently being tested in full-scale concept trials by a partnering wind energy company

Identification of material parameters through inverse finite element modelling

International audienceIn the past, the mechanical behaviour of soft tissues has not received the attention it deserves, because their highly nonlinear behaviour requires numerical simulations that were beyond the power of all but the most advanced computing facilities. However, with the rapid development of computers and imaging techniques such as MRI and digital image correlation, it is now possible to make real progress in soft tissue modelling and interest in this important field is growing rapidly. There are many exciting applications in medicine, in the design of products such as razors and in other areas such as animation and computer graphics. In addition, there are many fields such as dermatology and cosmetics where accurate measurements of tissue properties are needed. In general, it is difficult to measure the mechanical properties of these materials directly and some kind of inverse approach is needed, where an experiment is simulated and the material parameters are adjusted until the model matches the experiment

A reduction for the distinct distances problem in R^d

We introduce a reduction from the distinct distances problem in R^d to an incidence problem with (d−1)-flats in R^(2d−1). Deriving the conjectured bound for this incidence problem (the bound predicted by the polynomial partitioning technique) would lead to a tight bound for the distinct distances problem in R^d. The reduction provides a large amount of information about the (d−1)-flats, and a framework for deriving more restrictions that these satisfy. Our reduction is based on introducing a Lie group that is a double cover of the special Euclidean group. This group can be seen as a variant of the Spin group, and a large part of our analysis involves studying its properties

Partnering in Principal Preparation Program Redesign

Research findings have identified the importance of university/district partnerships in the preparation of principals along with points of dissatisfaction of traditional preparation programs outcomes. While change had and was occurring in some programs, impactful change in the quality of programs and program completers must involve all stakeholders including partnering districts and state agencies in the redesign of preparation programs. This paper examines the local and state context as foundational to the redesign process and the engagement of one university’s use of Wallace Foundation funds to engage area school districts and the state Professional Standards Board in the re-envisioning of its principal preparation program

Utilizing Counseling Skills in the Classroom to Promote Student Well-Being and Success

The success of institutions of higher education is dependent upon student academic success. Current research with students in higher education links academic success with student well-being. Members of the faculty are in critical positions to ensure student success and thus, the institution, but may be unsure how to promote well-being in the classroom setting. This article examines challenges professors face and shares a professional performance review process. Strategies and skills used by professional counselors that university faculty can implement to foster a sense of student well-being and establish supportive relationships through an integration of Miller’s Relational Cultural Theory and Social Cognitive Theory from Bandura are provided. Some of these counseling skills include rapport building, validation, empathy, grounding techniques, and mindfulness