Metamorphosis of the Electric Grid in Hawaii: Merging Intelligence, Data, and Energy to Reach 100% Renewable Energy by 2045

This item includes a video recording of a Mānoa Faculty Lecture Series presentation that took place in the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa Library and also a flyer for that presentation.Research at the intersection of power systems, intelligent systems, and communication is critical to make innovative solutions that will be required to meet the human needs for sustainable energy, particularly in Hawai‘i, with its goal of using 100% renewable energy by 2045. The Renewable Energy Design Lab (REDLab) is poised to develop the tools needed to advance the understanding of renewable energy systems with the goal of stable and reliable power generation. One current project, funded by the National Science Foundation, focuses on grid optimization architecture, bridging data science, artificial intelligence, power systems, and economics to tackle ongoing and anticipated issues in the electric network

Investigating the Impact of Dissuasive Factors of the Fuel and Oil Products Smuggling in the Customs of Iran

The huge difference in the price of Iran's fuel across borders due to national subsidies to oil products and the fuel crisis in neighboring countries has caused smuggling of heavy goods to account for the highest rates of trafficking in goods from inside the country. Increasing fuel trafficking from the borders of the country is due to the huge difference in fuel prices in Iran with neighboring countries. In addition to the severe blows that the smuggling of these drugs causes on the economy of the region and the country, it leads to a false crisis and its dangers. Different perceptions of existing laws are different and various from the laws on similar issues, including the problems faced by the judiciary and government departments in counteracting the violations of fuel products. This study, considering the shortcomings and shortcomings of the smuggling of gas in the Iranian customs as well as the manner in which services are provided by customs, is to investigate the deterrent factors of smuggling fuel and oil products. For this purpose, a research was carried out at the customs level of the Mahirood border zone. Keywords: Smuggling, Iran Customs, Border Areas, Oil Products, Customs Rules. DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/9-12-08 Publication date:June 30th 201

Washback Effect of the University Entrance Examination on Iranian Pre-University English Language Teachers’ Curriculum Planning and Instruction

The impact of a test on teaching and learning is commonly referred to as the washback effect. In Iran, the university entrance exam (UEE) is assumed to exert a negative washback effect on language education. This study examined the nature and scope of the impact of the UEE on pre-university English teachers’ (PETs) teaching and curricular planning in six dimensions, that is, classroom activities and time arrangement, teaching methods, teaching materials, syllabus design, teaching contents, and classroom assessment. It also explored PETs’ expectations of the UEE. In this study, eight factors (independent variables) were studied under two subheadings: 1) teacher characteristics (teaching experience, educational background, professionalism, and gender) and 2) context characteristics (school type, school location, perceived students’ learning attitudes, and perceived external pressure). In the first phase, 220 subjects selected based on the proportional stratified random sampling responded to the questionnaires. The Cronbach alpha of the questionnaire was 0.97. In the second phase, eight purposively selected PETs participated in two focus group interviews. Pearson product moment correlation coefficient, t-test statistics, and stepwise regression were used to analyze the quantitative data from the survey questionnaires and a systematic note-based technique recommended by Krueger (2002) was used to analyze and interpret the qualitative data from the focus group interviews. The findings showed that PETs’ perceived professionalism in teaching (r = .388) and perceived students’ learning attitudes (r = .464) were positively and moderately associated with their perceptions of the impact of the UEE on their instruction and curricular planning. There was also a low positive relationship between teachers’ perceived professionalism in teaching and their expectations of the UEE (r = .229). Based on the results from the stepwise regression analysis, perceived students’ learning attitudes (21.2%), perceived external pressure in teaching (3.0%), and perceived professionalism in teaching (1.1%) can be used to reliably predict PETs’ perceptions of the impact of the UEE. Furthermore, perceived professionalism (.048%) and school location (.031%) can be used to reliably predict PETs’ expectations of the UEE. Almost all PETs, regardless of their teaching experience, educational background, gender, the school type, and the school location where they were teaching perceived the negative effect of the UEE similarly. The implication is that potentially influential factors such as teachers’ experience and educational background play a neutral role in adopting effective teaching techniques due to the washback phenomenon. Thus, if the UEE is not reformed to encourage English teachers to teach communicatively, spending millions of Rials on training and improving their level of knowledge at teacher training colleges and universities would be a great loss

Studio di fattibilità sulla catalogazione di siti web presso la Biblioteca e gli Archivi Nazioneali dell'I.R. dell'Iran (NLAI)

The focus of this research is the feasibility of websites cataloging with the use of the NLAI standard rules. For this purpose 50 websites in 20 subjects were selected at random from Parsindex Websites.The study was carried out following two different methodologies: a preliminary checklist was compiled in order to gather the necessary data and information and then descriptive statistics were used for data analysis.The findings show that the use of NLAI standards to organize and to catalog websites is both practicable and convenient.Questa ricerca si concentra sullo studio di fattibilità dei siti web di catalogazione con l'uso dello standard NLAI. A questo scopo sono stati selezionati casualmente dal sito web Parsindex 50 siti web suddivisi in 20 soggetti. Lo studio è stato condotto seguendo due differenti metodologie: un primo elenco è stato redatto al fine di raccogliere le informazioni e i dati necessari e successivamente sono state utilizzate statistiche descrittive per l'analisi dei dati. I risultati mostrano che l'uso dello standard NLAI per organizzare e catalogare i siti web è fattibile ed anche conveniente

The Relationship Between Integrative Self-Knowledge, Mindfulness, Self-Control, and Mental Health Parameters

Background: Self-regulating is a set of processes that controls or alters individuals’ behavior, emotion, and performance. We aimed to evaluate the relation between three components of self-regulating including integrative self-knowledge, mindfulness, self-control, and some variables of mental health and self-conscious emotions. Methods: A total of 233 Iranian university students voluntarily enrolled in the study. Seven questionnaire forms including Integrative Self-Knowledge Scale (ISKS), Attention Awareness Scale (MASS), Short Self Control Scale (SSCS), Costello & Comrey's Anxiety and Depression Scale, Rosenberg Self–Esteem Scale (RSES), Authentic Pride Scale (APS), and other as sham scale (OAS) were distributed to participants. The correlation between self-regulating variables, mental health, and self-conscious emotions were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient test. Results: We found a negative correlation between self-regulating variables, depression, and anxiety. Our data also revealed that self-esteem positively related to integrative self-knowledge, mindfulness, and self-control. Among self-conscious emotions variables, authentic pride had a positive correlation with self-regulating variables whereas feelings of shame appeared a negative relationship with them. Conclusion: Integrative self-knowledge, mindfulness, and self-control as self-regulating components correlated to mental health and self-conscious emotions