Adoption Technology Targets and Knowledge Dynamics: Consequences for Long-Run Prospects

When targeting frontier technologies, less developed economies usually face obstacles to achieve high growth in the long run, because of their low level of knowledge relative to the adoption technology target. If the intensity in which the adoption activity uses knowledge is high, then the less developed economy may end up trapped in a low growth equilibrium. We show that in this case it is beneficial to target less advanced technologies, which helps to compensate the scarcity of knowledge during the transition. Nevertheless, polarization is possible. If knowledge intensity in the adoption activity is low, then possessing a low stock of knowledge allows targeting the technology frontier even in a poor R&D environment. In this case, all economies achieve a high growth equilibrium in which only income level differences persist in the long run.R&D, adoption, innovation, growth, development, transitional dynamics

Multichannel quantum-defect theory for slow atomic collisions

We present a multichannel quantum-defect theory for slow atomic collisions that takes advantages of the analytic solutions for the long-range potential, and both the energy and the angular-momentum insensitivities of the short-range parameters. The theory provides an accurate and complete account of scattering processes, including shape and Feshbach resonances, in terms of a few parameters such as the singlet and the triplet scattering lengths. As an example, results for $^{23}$Na-$^{23}$Na scattering are presented and compared close-coupling calculations.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure

Analytic description of atomic interaction at ultracold temperatures II: Scattering around a magnetic Feshbach resonance

Starting from a multichannel quantum-defect theory, we derive analytic descriptions of a magnetic Feshbach resonance in an arbitrary partial wave $l$, and the atomic interactions around it. An analytic formula, applicable to both broad and narrow resonances of arbitrary $l$, is presented for ultracold atomic scattering around a Feshbach resonance. Other related issues addressed include (a) the parametrization of a magnetic Feshbach resonance of arbitrary $l$, (b) rigorous definitions of "broad" and "narrow" resonances of arbitrary $l$ and their different scattering characteristics, and (c) the tuning of the effective range and the generalized effective range by a magnetic field.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figure

An investigation of how IEP teams function in select Michigan high schools when developing a course of study decision for students with disabilities

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate the ways that Individual Education Program (IEP) teams function when developing a course of study decision for students with disabilities in high schools in 19 school districts from four intermediate school districts in Michigan. Topics included teacher professional development for reaching consensus in IEP meetings and personal curriculum (PC) plans for diploma acquisition by students with disabilities. Special education teachers who work with students with disabilities at the secondary level shared survey information, perceptions, and opinions about their experiences in IEP meetings. Special education directors, with oversight for special education programs, services, and staffing at the school district level, were interviewed regarding perceptions and practices in the preparation for and delivery of special education services. Data gathered led to findings about types of training provided to special education teachers by school districts to aid them in facilitating IEP meetings collaboratively to achieve consensus; whether IEP teams (IEPT) use any tools, models, or guidelines to help the team reach an informed course of study decision; and ways that teachers and families are informed of legislative mandates, such as personal curriculum (PC) options. Data gathered in this study determined that the majority of participating school districts sampled did not adequately prepare special educators with knowledge and skills required to hold effective IEPT meetings, especially regarding training for collaboration and consensus and information pertaining to PC options leading to decisions about the course of study for students with disabilities. Further, facilitators of IEPT meetings were not given a tool or model from the federal, state, or local education agency

Autonomous Interconnection of Heterogeneous Networks

In today\u27s and future networks heterogeneity tends to grow which complicates configuration of devices and communication between them. This dissertation introduces a generic solution for auto-detecting and interconnecting heterogeneous networks in a self-organizing and scalable manner. As a result, this approach relieves users and administrators from complicated configuration and enables the deployment of P2P applications in heterogeneous networks

Analysis of the Generative Replay Algorithm and Comparison with other Continual Learning Strategies on Newly Defined Non-stationary Data Stream Scenarios

Training neural networks on newly available data leads to catastrophic forgetting of previously learned information. The naive solution of retraining the neural network on the entire combined data set of old and new data is costly and slow and not always feasible when access to the old data is restricted. Various strategies have been proposed to counter catastrophic forgetting, among them Generative Replay, where together with the discriminator a second, generative model is trained to learn the distribution of the training data. When new data becomes available the generator produces data resembling the old data set and the neural networks’ training is continued on the combination of the new data and the generated replay data. In this thesis, we implement this method and add it to the Open Source Continual Learning Library Avalanche. We then compare several variations of how to use Generative Replay in order to understand better when the method works best, using the common benchmark scenario splitMNIST as our testing scenario. We then argue that benchmarks like these do not necessarily correspond to real-life settings and we propose a new scenario to address this issue. We evaluate several strategies on the new scenario and find that state-of-the-art method iCaRL is outperformed by Generative Replay. However, we also find that Generative Replay is not easy to use and it requires knowledge on the underlying scenario to adjust it to work properly

Liberating Women, Liberating Knowledge: Reflections On Two Decades Of Feminist Action Research

The pioneer of feminist participatory action research recalls the origins of this model from the time of its first publication in 1977, and offers a history of some of its results throughout the world. She reflects, too, on challenges to the model, including the "academic matricide" posed by feminists' embrace of postmodernism.La pionnière des études sur la participation à l'action féministe retrace les origines de ce modèle depuis le jour de la première publication en 1977, et présente une histoire de quelques-uns de ses succès partout dans le monde. Elle fait réflexion aussi sur les défis au modèle, y compris le «matricide académique» causé par l'adhésion des féministes au postmodernisme