Study Abroad Course Development: Pre-Departure Sessions

Study abroad is a highly encouraged component of the undergrad business program at Bella Lake University, with the large majority of undergraduate students choosing to study and live in a foreign country to expand on their international experiences. Currently, there is no learning structure or learning outcome expectation for students that will participate in the study abroad experience. This project focuses on the development of a course that supports students in the pre-departure phase of their study abroad journey and prepares them to set goals, understand the learning process and the practices of experiential learning to encourage students to achieve both personal and professional goals, and encourage the development of intercultural competence. The discourse surrounding the perceptions and efficacy of the course development is based on a self-assessment survey completed by 121 undergraduate business students that participated in the pre-departure sessions prior to leaving for study abroad in March 2016. The self-assessment results overall showed that the course achieved its aims with the majority of students rating that they were more likely to understand and engage in experiential learning, set goals for their study abroad experience and felt more prepared for study abroad after attending the pre-departure sessions. The project concludes that in order for the pre-departure course to maintain its value, the conversation with students surrounding experiential learning in study abroad needs to continue with further course development focusing on both during and post-study abroad. Further exploration can also be done to find varying ways to motivate different students to engage in the learning potential of study abroad.

Dynamic cost indexing

This paper describes the development of a generic tool for dynamic cost indexing (DCI), which encompasses the ability to manage flight delay costs on a dynamic basis, trading accelerated fuel burn against ‘cost of time’. Many airlines have significant barriers to identifying which costs should be included in ‘cost of time’ calculations and how to quantify them. The need is highlighted to integrate historical passenger delay and policy data with real-time passenger connections data. The absence of industry standards for defining and interfacing necessary tools is recognised. Delay recovery decision windows and ATC cooperation are key constraints. DCI tools could also be used in the pre-departure phase, and may offer environmental decision support functionality: which could be used as a differentiating technology required for access to designated, future ‘green’ airspace. Short-term opportunities for saving fuel and/or reducing emissions are also identified.

Biodigestão anaeróbia de dejetos de suínos sob efeito de três temperaturas e dois níveis de agitação do substrato: considerações sobre a partida

Neste trabalho, avaliou-se a biodigestão anaeróbia de dejetos de suínos. Para isso, foi utilizado esquema laboratorial, constituído de 24 digestores com volume total de 14 L, sendo cada um abastecido com dejetos de suínos em fase de terminação, diluídos em água, perfazendo 10 L de volume útil de substrato com concentração inicial de sólidos totais de 6%. Três grupos formados por oito desses biodigestores foram expostos a três temperaturas (25; 35 e 40 ºC) e a dois níveis de agitação (com e sem) do substrato. A análise da fase de partida foi feita com base na produção média acumulada de biogás, num período de 71 dias. Os resultados demonstraram que a agitação não interferiu e que o melhor desempenho, inclusive o menor tempo gasto para atingir determinado nível de produção de biogás, foi verificado na temperatura de 35 ºC.

Le continuum des violences genrées dans les trajectoires migratoires des Colombiennes en situation de refuge en Équateur

La migration internationale, expérience centrale et de plus en plus féminisée de la mondialisation, semble fortement structurée par les rapports de genre qui peuvent faciliter ou limiter la trajectoire. En outre, une attention particulière doit être portée à la vulnérabilité différenciée des femmes face aux violences dans les processus de recrutement, de déplacement et de passage des frontières. Le contexte de déplacement forcé en étant un particulier, il est essentiel de prendre en compte la situation et le point de vue des femmes en situation de refuge tout comme il est nécessaire de questionner les structures mises en place pour assurer leur accès aux services ainsi que le respect de leurs droits. Dans ce contexte, cette recherche s’intéresse à l’importance de l’interaction entre les différents axes d’inégalités sociales dans la production et la transformation des formes de violences basées sur le genre vécues par les déplacées colombiennes tant dans la phase prédépart, dans l’étape de déplacement que lors de leur insertion dans le pays voisin où elles cherchent refuge : l’Équateur. En plus de s’amalgamer aux autres axes de différenciation sociale tels que l’âge, l’ethnie, la classe sociale et l’orientation sexuelle les caractéristiques vulnérabilisantes liées au genre se dévoilent dans un continuum de violences qui vient à son tour influencer les rapports inégaux. L’utilisation d’un concept comme celui du continuum permet une réflexion sur la nature multi-facétique de la violence. En plus d’aller plus loin que la hiérarchisation des abus, ce concept favorise l’exploration de formes de violences qui, contrairement aux violences extrêmes et directes, sont moins communément étudiées. En effet, les violences basées sur le genre ne sont pas des phénomènes isolés, mais des manifestations qui s’entrecroisent le long d’un continuum au cours duquel elles se supportent, se nourrissent mutuellement et parfois se fusionnent pour se transformer.

The ω Phase Formation during Laser Cladding and Remelting of Quasicrystal Forming AlCuFe on Pure Aluminum

We report the formation ω phase in the remelted layers during laser cladding and remelting of quasicrystal forming Al65Cu23.3Fe11.7 alloy on pure aluminum. The ω phase is absent in the clad layers. In the remelted layer, the phase nucleates at the periphery of the primary icosahedral phase particles. A large number of ω phase particles forms enveloping the icosahedral phase growing into aluminum rich melt, which solidify as α-Al solid solution. On the other side it develops an interface with aluminum. A detailed transmission electron microscopic analysis shows that ω phase exhibits orientation relationship with icosahedral phase. The composition analysis performed using energy dispersive x-ray analyzer suggests that this phase has composition higher aluminum than the icosahedral phase. The analysis of the available phase diagram information indicates that the present results represent large departure from equilibrium conditions. A possible scenario of the evolution of the ω phase has been suggested.

The omega phase formation during laser cladding and remelting of quasicrystal forming AlCuFe on pure aluminum

We report the formation omega phase in the remelted layers during laser cladding and remelting of quasicrystal forming Al65Cu23.3Fe11.7 alloy on pure aluminum. The omega phase is absent in the clad layers. In the remelted layer, the phase nucleates at the periphery of the primary icosahedral phase particles. A large number of omega phase particles forms enveloping the icosahedral phase growing into aluminum rich melt, which solidify as alpha-Al solid solution. On the other side it develops an interface with aluminum. A detailed transmission electron microscopic analysis shows that omega phase exhibits orientation relationship with icosahedral phase. The composition analysis performed using energy dispersive x-ray analyzer suggests that this phase has composition higher aluminum than the icosahedral phase. The analysis of the available phase diagram information indicates that the present results represent large departure from equilibrium conditions. A possible scenario of the evolution of the omega phase has been suggested.

Two-phase flow and pool boiling heat transfer in microgravity

Researches on two-phase flow and pool boiling heat transfer in microgravity, which included groundbased tests, flight experiments, and theoretical analyses, were conducted in the National Microgravity Laboratory/CAS. A semi-theoretical Weber number model was proposed to predict the slug-to-annular flow transition of two-phase gas–liquid flows in microgravity, while the influence of the initial bubble size on the bubble-to-slug flow transition was investigated numerically using the Monte Carlo method. Two-phase flow pattern maps in microgravity were obtained in the experiments both aboard the Russian space station Mir and aboard IL-76 reduced gravity airplane. Mini-scale modeling was also used to simulate the behavior of microgravity two-phase flow on the ground. Pressure drops of two-phase flow in microgravity were also measured experimentally and correlated successfully based on its characteristics. Two space experiments on pool boiling phenomena in microgravity were performed aboard the Chinese recoverable satellites. Steady pool boiling of R113 on a thin wire with a temperature-controlled heating method was studied aboard RS-22, while quasi-steady pool boiling of FC-72 on a plate was studied aboard SJ-8. Ground-based experiments were also performed both in normal gravity and in short-term microgravity in the drop tower Beijing. Only slight enhancement of heat transfer was observed in the wire case, while enhancement in low heat flux and deterioration in high heat flux were observed in the plate case. Lateral motions of vapor bubbles were observed before their departure in microgravity. The relationship between bubble behavior and heat transfer on plate was analyzed. A semi-theoretical model was also proposed for predicting the bubble departure diameter during pool boiling on wires. The results obtained here are intended to become a powerful aid for further investigation in the present discipline and development of two-phase systems for space applications.

Departure fuel loads in time-minimizing migrating birds can be explained by the energy costs of being heavy

Lindstrom and Alerstam presented a model that predicts optimal departure fuel loads as a function of the rate of fuel deposition in time-minimizing migrants. The basis of the model is that the coverable distance per unit of fuel deposited, diminishes with increasing fuel load. This is an effect of the increasing flight costs associated with increasing body mass. Lindstrom and Alerstam (1992) found that birds left at lower fuel loads than their model predicted for which they considered various ecological explanations. Alternatively, we hypothesize that the difference between prediction and empirical data might be a result of extra resting metabolic and transport costs associated with an increase in fuel load during stopover. We develop a new version of the Lindstrom and Alerstam (1992) model taking fuel load associated costs during stopover into account. We fit empirical data from rufous hummingbirds Selasphorus rufus and bluethroats Luscinia svecica to this new model. Estimated fuel-load costs are discussed in relation to knowledge presently available on variations in basal metabolic costs and transport costs with body mass. We show that fuel-load costs within a reasonable range can explain the observed departure fuel loads when migrating birds are time minimizers.

Biaxial nematic phase in the Maier-Saupe model for a mixture of discs and cylinders

We analyze the global phase diagram of a Maier-Saupe lattice model with the inclusion of shape-disordered degrees of freedom to mimic a mixture of oblate and prolate molecules (discs and cylinders). In the neighborhood of a Landau multicritical point, solutions of the statistical problem can be written as a Landau-de Gennes expansion for the free energy. If the shape-disordered degrees of freedom are quenched, we confirm the existence of a biaxial nematic structure. If orientational and disorder degrees of freedom are allowed to thermalize, this biaxial solution becomes thermodynamically unstable. Also, we use a two-temperature formalism to mimic the presence of two distinct relaxation times, and show that a slight departure from complete thermalization is enough to stabilize a biaxial nematic phase.

The effects of cultural distance on student socialization and departure decisions

Organizational socialization theory and university student retention literature support the concept that social integration influences new recruits' level of satisfaction with the organization and their decision to remain. This three-phase study proposes and tests a Cultural Distance Model of student retention based on Tinto's (1975) Student Integration Model, Louis' (1980) Model of Newcomer Experience, and Kuh and Love's (2000) theory relating cultural distance to departure from the organization. ^ The main proposition tested in this study was that the greater the cultural distance, the greater the likelihood of early departure from the organization. Accordingly, it was inferred that new recruits entering the university culture experience some degree of social and psychological distance. The extent of the distance correspondingly influences satisfaction with the institution and intent to remain for subsequent years. ^ The model was tested through two freshman student surveys designed to examine the effects of cultural distance on non-Hispanics at a predominantly Hispanic, urban, public university. The first survey was administered eight weeks into their first Fall semester and the second at the end of their first year. Student retention was determined through their re-enrollment for the second Fall semester. Path analysis tested the viability of the hypothesis relating cultural distance to satisfaction and retention as suggested in the model. Logistic regression tested the model's predictive power. ^ Correlations among variables were significant, accounting for 54% of variance in students' decisions to return for the second year with 96% prediction accuracy. Initial feelings of high cultural distance were related to increased dissatisfaction with social interactions and institutional choice at the end of the first year and students' intention not to re-enroll. Path analysis results supported the view that the construct of culture distance incorporates both social and psychological distance, and is composed of beliefs of institutional fit with one's cultural expectations, individual comfort with the fit, and the consequent sense of “belonging” or identifying with the institution. ^

Departure and approach procedures for unmanned aircraft systems in a visual-flight-rule environment

This paper assesses the departure and approach operations of unmanned aircraft systems in one of the most challenging scenarios: flying under visual flight rules. Inspired by some existing procedures for (manned) general aviation, some automatic and predefined procedures for unmanned aircraft systems are proposed. Hence, standardized paths to specific waypoints close to the airport are defined for departure operations, just before starting the navigation phase. Conversely, and for the approach maneuvers, a first integration into a holding pattern near the landing runway (ideally, above it) is foreseen, followed by a standard visual-flight-rule airfield traffic pattern. This paper discuses the advantages of these operations, which aim to minimize possible conflicts with other existing aircraft while reducing the pilot-in-command workload. Finally, some preliminary simulations are shown in which these procedures have been successfully tested with simulated surrounding traffic.

Departure of high temperature iron lines from the equilibrium state in flaring solar plasmas

The aim of this study is to clarify if the assumption of ionization equilibrium and a Maxwellian electron energy distribution is valid in flaring solar plasmas. We analyze the 2014 December 20 X1.8 flare, in which the \ion{Fe}{xxi} 187~\AA, \ion{Fe}{xxii} 253~\AA, \ion{Fe}{xxiii} 263~\AA\ and \ion{Fe}{xxiv} 255~\AA\ emission lines were simultaneously observed by the EUV Imaging Spectrometer onboard the Hinode satellite. Intensity ratios among these high temperature Fe lines are compared and departures from isothermal conditions and ionization equilibrium examined. Temperatures derived from intensity ratios involving these four lines show significant discrepancies at the flare footpoints in the impulsive phase, and at the looptop in the gradual phase. Among these, the temperature derived from the \ion{Fe}{xxii}/\ion{Fe}{xxiv} intensity ratio is the lowest, which cannot be explained if we assume a Maxwellian electron distribution and ionization equilibrium, even in the case of a multi-thermal structure. This result suggests that the assumption of ionization equilibrium and/or a Maxwellian electron energy distribution can be violated in evaporating solar plasma around 10MK.

Condensed phase combustion travelling waves with sequential exothermic or endothermic reactions

The one-dimensional propagation of a combustion wave through a premixed solid fuel for two-stage kinetics is studied. We re-examine the analysis of a single reaction travelling-wave and extend it to the case of two-stage reactions. We derive an expression for the travelling wave speed in the limit of large activation energy for both reactions. The analysis shows that when both reactions are exothermic, the wave structure is similar to the single reaction case. However, when the second reaction is endothermic, the wave structure can be significantly different from single reaction case. In particular, as might be expected, a travelling wave does not necessarily exist in this case. We establish conditions in the limiting large activation energy limit for the non-existence, and for monotonicity of the temperature profile in the travelling wave.