Master's in autonomous systems: an overview of the robotics curriculum and outcomes at ISEP, Portugal

Robotics research in Portugal is increasing every year, but few students embrace it as one of their first choices for study. Until recently, job offers for engineers were plentiful, and those looking for a degree in science and technology would avoid areas considered to be demanding, like robotics. At the undergraduate level, robotics programs are still competing for a place in the classical engineering graduate curricula. Innovative and dynamic Master’s programs may offer the solution to this gap. The Master’s degree in autonomous systems at the Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP), Porto, Portugal, was designed to provide a solid training in robotics and has been showing interesting results, mainly due to differences in course structure and the context in which students are welcomed to study and work

Master's in Autonomous Systems: An Overview of the Robotics Curriculum and Outcomes at ISEP, Portugal

Robotics research in Portugal is increasing every year, but few students embrace it as one of their first choices for study. Until recently, job offers for engineers were plentiful, and those looking for a degree in science and technology would avoid areas considered to be demanding, like robotics. At the undergraduate level, robotics programs are still competing for a place in the classical engineering graduate curricula. Innovative and dynamic Master's programs may offer the solution to this gap. The Master's degree in autonomous systems at the Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP), Porto, Portugal, was designed to provide a solid training in robotics and has been showing interesting results, mainly due to differences in course structure and the context in which students are welcomed to study and work.

Matter fluxes in mountain oases of Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Oman

Since 1970 when Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said took over power from this father, agriculture in Oman has undergone major transformations as a consequence of rapid population and economic growth. In this process groundwater extraction has dramatically increased to meet domestic and agricultural needs. Recently, the agro-ecosystem of ancient mountain oases of Oman have received greater attention as interest has grown to understand the causes of their often millennia old sustainable productivity. Particularly little is known about the carbon (C) and nutrient turnover in these intensive landuse systems. This is partly due to the difficulties to measure such processes in the often remote fields. To fill the existing gap of knowledge, field studies were conducted in five oases at different altitudes of Al Jabal Al Akhdar, the highest agricultural area in Oman, to determine C and nutrient fluxes as well as nutrient use efficiencies for two different cropping systems as affected by temperature, irrigation, and manure quality. The results of this study indicated that water scarcity as a result of low precipitation and an increase in urban water consumption is a major threat to the sustainability of agriculture in these oases. Optimizing the use of irrigation water is a major challenge for agriculture in these oases, particularly given ever increasing competition for this most limiting resource. Traditionally, farmers of these oases adapt to variation of irrigation water supply by minimizing the growing area of annual crops, leaving these areas uncultivated through drought seasons (Luedeling and Buerkert 2008). In this study, a remarkable reduction in annual crop area was observed in 2009 for all oases. Our results suggested that water scarcity as a result of low precipitation and the increase in urban water consumption cause such changes in land use. The data also underline the intensive C and nutrient turnover in the man-made irrigated agroecosystems and confirmed the importance of the large manure quantities applied continuously to the terraces as a key factor responsible for sustainable soil productivity. To trace the fate of C and plant nutrients that are released from the large amount of manure applied by oasis farmers, more detailed studies under controlled conditions, using isotope signatures, would be needed.

PGR Tracker Demonstration for Students

This short video is a demonstration of the University of Southampton's Post Graduate Research (PGR) Tracker software that PGR students use for recording and tracking their post graduate progression milestones and training. Click on the 'Download' link to watch the video with a clearer image.

PGR Tracker Demonstration for Supervisors

This short video is a demonstration of the University of Southampton's Post Graduate Research (PGR) Tracker software that supervisors use for tracking and recording their post graduate student’s progression and viewing training records. Click on the 'Download' link to watch the video with a clearer image.

PGR Tracker Administration Manual

This is a user guide to support faculty administrators who need to use the PGR Tracker system to administer and maintain post graduate student records and related tasks. Use the 'Download' option underneath the main display to save a PDF copy of the manual locally.

Postgraduate Education for Physical Therapists at Cardiopulmonary Area in Colombia

This paper presents the supply of postdegree programs in the cardiopulmonary area in Colombia in orden to show its state and sufficiency. Plans of formation, objectives, curricular approach, methodology and profile of performance are analyzed in terms of costs, duration, supply, location and research capabilities. Our results show problems in regard to supply as well as unanimous criteria and strategic alliances. There are no Gremial associations that favor both discussion and analysis about epidemiologist aspects of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in Colombia there is necessity of professionals in this area with experience. Knowledge and appropiated skills in management, administration, laws, agreements and public policies that cover the affected population. Also, it is exposed that the Universities whit this programs require support and pursuit for professionals positioning both in national and international context.Methodology A descriptive study was carried out with a data collection made in a period between April-December of 2006. Cards were done and they allowed to review different aspects such as costs, occupational profile, duration, modality, methodology, practical component and evaluation in the offering universities of programs of postdegree in the cardiopulmonary area for physiotherapists. Later an analysis was made on curriculum, profiles, objectives, contents, professional competitions the areas of research.

Ultrafast dynamics of bis (n-butylimido) perylene thin films excited by two-photon absorption

We report a pump-probe study of the two-photon induced reflectivity changes in bis (n-butylimido) perylene thin films. To enhance the two-photon excitation we deposited bis (n-butylimido) perylene films on top of gold nanoislands. The observed transient response in the reflectivity spectrum of bis (n-butylimido) perylene is due to a depletion of the molecule`s ground state and excited state absorption.

Ética na pesquisa em turismo: percepções de discentes de programas de pós-graduação stricto sensu em turismo UFRN, UCS e UNIVALI

This study analyzed the perception of ethics on the part of students of Post-graduation in Tourism, to develop their academic research. It is characterized as exploratory-descriptive, being considered quantitative with some elements analyzed qualitatively. Data were collected through an electronic questionnaire, originated in google docs and sent via e-mail to 54 students in three graduate programs in Tourism: The Tourism Master of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), the Master in Tourism and Hospitality of the University of Vale do Itajai (UNIVALI) and Master of Tourism at the University of Caxias do Sul (UCS), resulting in 22 responses. The study presents a profile of the dissertation research of post-graduate students, their perception about research ethics, as well as the difficulties encountered in the research process. Notes that research of dissertation are geared mostly for the historical and cultural aspects of tourism and the choice of topics for the essays came in first place, due to the influence of the guiding lines of research and, secondly, due to social relevance. The methods used in post-graduate research are descriptive, the literature and exploratory. It also notes that most students graduate in tourism (81%) attaches great importance to ethics in carrying out their dissertation research, students claim that ethics brings credibility and seriousness to research. Furthermore, it was realized that they have no knowledge about the practice of misconduct by researchers in the field of Tourism. Demonstrate that the major ethical challenge encountered by students is in relationship with the research subject, what happens during data collection. It also notes that none of the respondents sent any project to be evaluated by an Ethics Committee (CEP), moreover, most do not know the resolution 196/96, which has the main guidelines on research ethics at national level. Concludes that the students post-graduate in tourism have little knowledge about the standards and guidelines on research ethics. They demonstrate ignore the benefits of research ethics in regarding the protection and preservation of the participant, as well as the benefits it generates for society

BURROW-BUILDING STRATEGIES AND HABITAT USE OF VOLES IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST ORCHARDS

Seidel and Booth (1960) wrote that the "life histories of the genus Microtus are not numerous in the literature." In support of his observation he cited 6 publications, all dated between 1891 and 1953. Since then the literature has exploded with a proliferation of publications. An international literature review recently revealed over 3,500 citations for the genus. When Pitymys and Clethrionomys are included another 350 and 1,880, respectively, were found. Over the last 10 years approximately 3 new publications on voles appeared every 4 days; a significant output for what some would consider such an insignificant species. Most of the publications were the result of graduate research projects on population dynamics and species ecology. As such, many do not explore more than the rudimentary ecological relationships between the animal and their environments. Unfortunate, as well, is that all but one confined their observations to only a small part of their total environment. For many of these animals, their life underground may be more important for their survival than that above ground. Trapping studies conducted by Godfrey and Askham (1988) with permanently placed pitfall live traps in orchards revealed a significant inverse population fluctuation during the year. During the winter, when populations are expected to decrease, as many as 6 to 8 mature Microtus montanus were collected at any 1 time in the traps after several centimeters of snow accumulation. During the summer, when populations are expected to increase, virtually no animals were collected in the traps. According to current population dynamics theory, greater numbers of animals, including increasingly larger numbers of immature members of the community, should appear in any sample between the onset of the breeding period, generally in the spring, taper off during the latter part of the production season, usually late summer, and then decline as the limiting factors begin to take effect. For us, we trapped more animals in the fall and early winter than we did during the spring and summer. A review of the above literature did little to answer our question. Where are the animals going during the summer and why?

Chicana, Indian and Sudanese Perspectives of Teaching in the Academy: Three Levels of Experience in the Teaching-Learning and Social Environment

“Women of color from any culture or country face additional barriers in predominantly white institutions. This panel presents perspectives and experiences of three women from three cultures and three different levels of academia—a Chicana Latino visiting professor, a graduate teaching assistant from India, and a Sudanese graduate research assistant.”

Reflexiones sobre la investigación acción en el abordaje de las memorias e identidades indígenas kollas en la ciudad de La Plata

Este trabajo tiene como finalidad presentar los principales lineamientos de lo que constituye mi proyecto tesis de investigación de posgrado explicitando los objetivos generales y particulares que se buscan alcanzar. Asimismo, se presentan cuestiones referidas a los desafíos que plantea el trabajo con entrevistas y observaciones participantes, especialmente las que atañen prácticas de grupos tradicionalmente silenciados y relegados al olvido como son las comunidades indígenas de Argentina. La posibilidad de entablar vínculos estrechos con miembros de estas comunidades que permitan dar cuenta de las experiencias personales y colectivas, las memorias sociales compartidas, las herencias ancestrales y culturales, constituye el resultado de un trabajo sostenido en el largo plazo. En este caso, el desarrollo de ésta investigación se plantea como un proceso conjunto y participativo, fruto de una experiencia de extensión universitaria que permitió el acercamiento y vinculación con la comunidad kolla, Asociación Civil Warmikunamanta Antipak Sonqokuna. En consecuencia, se buscará abrir a la reflexión sobre la producción de saberes en ciencias sociales, especialmente en los estudios sobre sociedades indígenas del siglo XXI