Assessing Historical Thinking at a State History Museum

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-06

A Study of the Association of Maternal Occupations and Deliveries by Cesarean Section for Infants Born in Washington, 2011-2013

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-06

State Social Safety Net Programs and the Great Recession: The First Line of Defense and the Last Resort for the Economically Disadvantaged

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-06

Optimal unravellings for feedback control in linear quantum systems

For quantum systems with linear dynamics in phase space much of classical feedback control theory applies. However, there are some questions that are sensible only for the quantum case: Given a fixed interaction between the system and the environment what is the optimal measurement on the environment for a particular control problem? We show that for a broad class of optimal (state- based) control problems ( the stationary linear-quadratic-Gaussian class), this question is a semidefinite program. Moreover, the answer also applies to Markovian (current-based) feedback.

Probabilistic synchronisation of pinning control

This paper is concerned with synchronization of complex stochastic dynamical networks in the presence of noise and functional uncertainty. A probabilistic control method for adaptive synchronization is presented. All required probabilistic models of the network are assumed to be unknown therefore estimated to be dependent on the connectivity strength, the state and control values. Robustness of the probabilistic controller is proved via the Liapunov method. Furthermore, based on the residual error of the network states we introduce the definition of stochastic pinning controllability. A coupled map lattice with spatiotemporal chaos is taken as an example to illustrate all theoretical developments. The theoretical derivation is complemented by its validation on two representative examples.

Fully probabilistic control for stochastic nonlinear control systems with input dependent noise

Robust controllers for nonlinear stochastic systems with functional uncertainties can be consistently designed using probabilistic control methods. In this paper a generalised probabilistic controller design for the minimisation of the Kullback-Leibler divergence between the actual joint probability density function (pdf) of the closed loop control system, and an ideal joint pdf is presented emphasising how the uncertainty can be systematically incorporated in the absence of reliable systems models. To achieve this objective all probabilistic models of the system are estimated from process data using mixture density networks (MDNs) where all the parameters of the estimated pdfs are taken to be state and control input dependent. Based on this dependency of the density parameters on the input values, explicit formulations to the construction of optimal generalised probabilistic controllers are obtained through the techniques of dynamic programming and adaptive critic methods. Using the proposed generalised probabilistic controller, the conditional joint pdfs can be made to follow the ideal ones. A simulation example is used to demonstrate the implementation of the algorithm and encouraging results are obtained.

The Front Office Manager: Key To Hotel Communications

The Front Office Manager: Key to Hotel Communications is a written study by Denney G. Rutherford, Department of Hotel and Restaurant Administration, College of Business and Economics at Washington State University. In it he initially observes, “Since the front office manager is usually viewed as the key to the efficient and orderly operation of a hotel, the author has researched the job and activities of this individual in an attempt to provide data about an area which he says was "intuitively known" but never "empirically explored." “Current literature implies that the activities of the front office are so important to the daily operations of the hotel that it occupies a preeminent position among other departments,” Rutherford says. He also references, Gray and Liguori, who describe the front office as: “the nerve center of the hote1,” echoing an early work by Heldenbrand indicating that it “becomes a sort of listening post for management.” The quotes are cited. The primary stage of the article relies on a seven-page, two-part questionnaire, which was used to collect data regarding the FOM – front office manager - position. Even though the position is considered a crucial one, it seems there is a significant lack of pragmatic data regarding it. Rutherford graphs the studies. Good communication skills are imperative. “Other recent research has suggested that the skills of effective communication are among the most vital a manager at any level can bring to his/her endeavors in the service industries,” Rutherford notes. He provides a detailed – front office communications model – to illustrate the functions. In, Table 4, for example - Office Manager as Facilitator – Rutherford provides Likert Rating Scale values for a comprehensive list of front office tasks. Rutherford informs you that the communicative skills of a front office manager flow across the board, encompassing variables from guest relation exchanges to all the disparate components of employee relations. Not withstanding and compared to technical knowledge, such as computer and fiscal skills, Rutherford suggests: “The most powerful message derived from analysis of the data on the FOM's job is that communication in its various forms is clearly central to the successful mission of the front office.”

Self-tuning algorithm for dsp-based motion control in cnc applications

This thesis describes the development of an adaptive control algorithm for Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) machines implemented in a multi-axis motion control board based on the TMS320C31 DSP chip. The adaptive process involves two stages: Plant Modeling and Inverse Control Application. The first stage builds a non-recursive model of the CNC system (plant) using the Least-Mean-Square (LMS) algorithm. The second stage consists of the definition of a recursive structure (the controller) that implements an inverse model of the plant by using the coefficients of the model in an algorithm called Forward-Time Calculation (FTC). In this way, when the inverse controller is implemented in series with the plant, it will pre-compensate for the modification that the original plant introduces in the input signal. The performance of this solution was verified at three different levels: Software simulation, implementation in a set of isolated motor-encoder pairs and implementation in a real CNC machine. The use of the adaptive inverse controller effectively improved the step response of the system in all three levels. In the simulation, an ideal response was obtained. In the motor-encoder test, the rise time was reduced by as much as 80%, without overshoot, in some cases. Even with the larger mass of the actual CNC machine, decrease of the rise time and elimination of the overshoot were obtained in most cases. These results lead to the conclusion that the adaptive inverse controller is a viable approach to position control in CNC machinery.

Soil Stabilization with Lime Fly Ash, Iowa Highway Research Board Bulletin No. 26, 1961

The sixth in a series, this bulletin further compiles the reports on completed research done for the Iowa State Highway Research Board under its Project HR-1, The loess and glacial till materials of Iowa; an investigation of their physical and chemical properties and techniques for processing them to increase their all-weather stability for road construction. The research, started in 1950, has been conducted by the Iowa Engineering Experiment Station at Iowa State University under its Project 283-S.

Methods for Testing Engineering Soils, Iowa Highway Research Board Bulletin no. 21, 1960

This bulletin is a further compilation of the reports on completed research done for the Iowa State Highway Research Board Project HR-1 The loess and glacial till materials of Iowa; an investigation of their physical and chemical properties and techniques for processing them to increase their all-weather stability for road construction. The research, started in 1950, was done by the Iowa Engineering Experiment Station at Iowa State University under its project 283-S. The project was supported by funds from the Iowa State Highway Commission.

Soil Stabilization with Cement, Iowa Highway Research Board Bulletin No. 23, 1961

This is the fourth publication in a series of compilations of the reports on research completed for the Iowa State Highway Commission. This research was done for the Iowa State Highway Research Board Project HR-1. The Loess and Glacial Till Materials of Iowa; an Investigation of Their Physical and Chemical Properties and Techniques for Processing Them to Increase Their All-Weather Stability for Road Construction. The research, started in 1950, was done by the Iowa Engineering Experiment Station under its project 283-S. The project was supported by funds from the Iowa State Highway Commission.

Soil Stabilization with Lime, Iowa Highway Research Board Bulletin No. 25, 1961

This is the fifth publication in a series of compilations of the reports on research completed for the Iowa State Highway Commission. This research was done for the Iowa State Highway Research Board Project HR-1, "The Loess and Glacial Till Materials of Iowa; an Investigation of Their Physical and Chemical Properties and Techniques for Processing Them to Increase Their All-Weather Stability for Road Construction." The research, started in 1950, was done by the Iowa Engineering Experiment Station under its project 283-S. The project was supported by funds from the Iowa State Highway Commission. The principal objectives of the project may be summed up as follows: 1. To determine by means of both field and laboratory studies the areal and stratigraphic variation in the physical and chemical properties of the loess and glacial till materials of Iowa. 2. To develop new equipment and methods for evaluating physical and chemical properties of soil where needed. 3. To correlate fundamental soil properties with the performance of soils in the highway structure. 4. To develop a scientific approach to the problem of soil stabilization based on the relationships between the properties of the soils and those of the admixtures. 5. To determine the manner in which the loess and glacial till materials of Iowa can be processed for optimum performance as highway embankments, sub-grades, base courses, and surface courses.