Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluation Of Bridge Maintenance Interventions Under Changing Deterioration Rates: A Markovian-Based Methodology, Dilum Fernando, Baolin Wan, Scott Walbridge

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Markovian transition probability matrices employing condition states are often used in bridge management systems to determine optimal intervention strategies. This approach assumes a constant deterioration matrix throughout the entire analysis period. However, in order to adequately model and evaluate intervention options such as fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) strengthening, it is necessary to model the impact of the intervention on the deterioration rate. This paper presents a Markovian based approach to model interventions that impact deteriorating rates. A model employing this approach is proposed. A methodology to determine the optimal intervention strategy based on steady state probabilities is then presented. The proposed …

Development Of An Aquaponics Research Program, Richard W. Marklin Jr., Margaret Mathison, Brooke K. Mayer, Mark L. Nagurka, Vikram Cariapa, Michael Schläppi

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Special Issue On Plenary And Invited Papers From Icops 2012, Felipe Iza, Carl Ekdahl, Michael G. Kong

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

The 39th International Conference on Plasma Science (ICOPS) was held in Edinburgh, Scotland in July 2012. This was the third time that the conference was organized outside North America, the previous ones being in Karlsruhe (Germany) in 2008 and Jeju (S. Korea) in 2003. The technical programme combined seven technical areas of plasma science and technology covering a wide range of topics. The conference featured a wide range of advances in innovative plasma and beam science and applications, and served as a venue for an international community to meet and discuss their ideas and research results. More than 800 abstracts …

Tpm: Cloud-Based Tele Ptsd Monitor Using Multi-Dimensional Information, Roger Xu, Gang Mei, Guangfan Zhang, Pan Gao, Aaron Pepe, Jiang Li, James D. Westwood (Ed.), Susan W. Westwood (Ed.), Li Felländer-Tsai (Ed.), Randy S. Haluck (Ed.), Richard A. Robb (Ed.), Steven Senger (Ed.), Kirby G. Vosburgh (Ed.)

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

An automated system that can remotely and non-intrusively screen individuals at high risk for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and monitor their progress during treatment would be desired by many Veterans Affairs (VAs) as well as other PTSD treatment and research organizations. In this paper, we present an automated, cloud-based Tele-PTSD Monitor (TPM) system based on the fusion of multiple sources of information. The TPM system can be hosted in a cloud environment and accessed through landline or cell phones, or on the Internet through a web portal or mobile application (app).

Hyperspectral Image Classification Using A Spectral-Spatial Sparse Coding Model, Ender Oguslu, Guoqing Zhou, Jiang Li, Lorenzo Bruzzone (Ed.)

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

We present a sparse coding based spectral-spatial classification model for hyperspectral image (HSI) datasets. The proposed method consists of an efficient sparse coding method in which the l₁/l_q regularized multi-class logistic regression technique was utilized to achieve a compact representation of hyperspectral image pixels for land cover classification. We applied the proposed algorithm to a HSI dataset collected at the Kennedy Space Center and compared our algorithm to a recently proposed method, Gaussian process maximum likelihood (GP-ML) classifier. Experimental results show that the proposed method can achieve significantly better performances than the GP-ML classifier when training data …

Regular Lecture Quizzes Scores As Predictors Of Final Examination Performance: A Test Of Hypothesis Using Logistic Regression Analysis, Oscar Wambuguh, Theo Yonn-Brown

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Student academic success in school demands acquisition of specific skill sets that emphasize self-assessment, monitoring, adjustment, self-control, and motivation; the courage and ability to adopt efficient learning strategies; and resiliency in case of academic difficulties. As hypothesized, data from the present study demonstrates that student performance in routine lecture quizzes can predict performance in the final examination and successfully completing a course. Course data accumulated from several courses taught by the same instructor in the last five years (n=1294) were used in this analysis. The results generally indicate that: 1) performance in the quizzes is positively correlated with performance in …

Making Change Happen In The Middle (Approaches To Innovation For Library Middle Managers), Robert Farrell

Publications and Research

This paper seeks to provide library managers with a theoretical framework for thinking about how change is effected by those in middle management positions. Starting from the principles that change takes place within socio-culturally bounded contexts and is most successful when approached indirectly, two scenarios characteristic of many situations requiring change middle managers commonly face are then put forward. Following each scenario, a possible solution or path towards change is advanced in order to provide the reader with models for putting into practice the theoretical ideas presented. A methodology that combines theoretical frameworks and practical scenarios is adopted in order …

Spring 2013 Budget Packet: A Guide For The Spring 2013 Budget Process Fiscal Year 2013-2014, Asunm

Associated Students of the University of New Mexico (ASUNM)

No abstract provided.

Planning A Reading And Discussion Series In An Academic Library, Rebecca Arzola

Publications and Research

Planning a reading series for an academic library takes an initial investment of time, energy and attention to detail. When you consider all the elements involved with planning and executing a reading, the initial investment of time and effort to devise a smoothly run event series is well worth the results. It can be as creative a venture as you have time for. Do what is comfortable for you

The "Upper Basin Voluntary Demand Cap" As A Means Of Mitigating Legal Uncertainty In The Colorado River Basin: Modeling Results, Colorado River Governance Initiative, University Of Colorado Boulder. Getches-Wilkinson Center For Natural Resources, Energy, And The Environment, Western Water Policy Program

Books, Reports, and Studies

15 p. : ill. ; 29 cm

Cross-Boundary Water Transfers In The Colorado River Basin: A Review Of Efforts And Issues Associated With Marketing Water Across State Lines Or Reservation Boundaries, Colorado River Governance Initiative, University Of Colorado Boulder. Getches-Wilkinson Center For Natural Resources, Energy, And The Environment, Western Water Policy Program

Books, Reports, and Studies

65 p. : charts ; 29 cm

Academic And Social Barriers To Black And Latino Male Collegians' Success In Engineering And Related Stem Fields, Terrell Lamont Strayhorn, Leroy L. Long Iii, Joseph Allen Kitchen, Michael Steven Williams, Meg E. Stenz

Publications

Historically underrepresented racial/ethnic minorities (i.e. African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans) have experienced barriers to their success in engineering and related STEM fields. These student populations have had lower degree attainment rates, switch to non-STEM majors more frequently, and experience unique social challenges when compared to White and Asian Pacific Islander counterparts. To examine these findings, nearly 50 interviews were conducted and analyzed in the present study to better understand the academic and social experiences of African American and Latino American men in these fields. Interviews revealed that these students tend to (1) feel alone and invisible, (2) lack same …

How Relationships With Faculty And Peers Affect Value Development In Undergraduate Engineering Education: A National Survey Analysis, Leroy L. Long Iii, Michael Steven Williams, Terrell Lamont Strayhorn

Publications

To prepare students for the serious ethical dilemmas encountered in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), higher education educators strive to influence students’ value development. Despite this goal, little is known about value development in undergraduate engineering education. Survey data from the 2008-2009 national administration of the revised College Student Experiences in STEM Questionnaire (CSESQ) was analyzed to examine the relationship between students’ engagement with faculty and peers and their perceived value development. Findings from the present study offer insight into (a) engineering students’ value development in college, and (b) the influence of relationships with peers and faculty members on …

Students' Perceptions Of Student Evaluation Of Teaching (Set) Process, Ale J. Hejase, Rana S. Al Kaakour, Leila A. Halawi, Hussin J. Hejase

Publications

Researchers have mixed views about Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) as means to evaluate teaching where some agreed and others viewed SET as being biased. This study aims to measure students’ perceptions of the effectiveness and appropriateness of the evaluation process in Lebanon. A survey questionnaire was administered to students from five Lebanese universities. Findings revealed that students were positive and perceived the evaluation process as effective and appropriate to evaluate teaching. Students identified students’ perceptions, instructors’ behavior, and course characteristics as variables that may impact the process. Results and implications were discussed for future research.

Payload Charging Events In The Mesosphere And Their Impact On Langmuir Type Electric Probes, T. A. Bekkeng, Aroh Barjatya, U. P. Hoppe, A. Pedersen, J. I. Moen, M. Friedrich, M. Rapp

Publications

Three sounding rockets were launched from Andøya Rocket Range in the ECOMA campaign in December 2010. The aim was to study the evolution of meteoric smoke particles during a major meteor shower. Of the various instruments onboard the rocket payload, this paper presents the data from a multi-Needle Langmuir Probe (m-NLP) and a charged dust detector. The payload floating potential, as observed using the m-NLP instrument, shows charging events on two of the three flights. These charging events cannot be explained using a simple charging model, and have implications towards the use of fixed bias Langmuir probes on sounding rockets …

Community College Presidents' Perspectives Of Dichotomous Events: The Consequences Of The Great Recession & Coincidental Increased Enrollment, Corey W. Carlson

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The community college, like all of higher education, has been significantly impacted by the Great Recession and coincidental increased enrollment. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the decision making processes of community college presidents as related to resource allocation and the impact of these decisions on the comprehensive community college mission. Declining state funding and increased enrollments have greatly impacted how community college leaders make decisions with leaders incorporating shared governance and informed decision-making. Community college leaders have also been proactively seeking out alternative revenue streams in order to help offset decreased state funding. Findings of this …

The Transfer Of Military Culture To Private Sector Organizations: A Sense Of Duty Emerges, Janet K. Tinoco, Anke Arnaud Ph.D.

Publications

As a government institution, the United States (US) Department of Defense (DOD) wields powerful influence on private sector organizations in the defense industry beyond the implications of public policy. In our conceptual research, we study the DOD as a key customer stakeholder in these organizations and investigate the influence of its military culture on these private sector organizations. By analyzing the culture of the DOD, we uncover a new dimension, sense of duty, not previously studied in mainstream organization literature. We propose that this dimension transfers from the DOD to its private sector suppliers in the defense industry via interorganizational …

Visualizing And Understanding Tectonism And Volcanism On Earth And Other Terrestrial Bodies, Mladen M. Dordevic

Physics Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation presents new methods of visualizing, teaching, assessing, modeling, and understanding tectonics on Earth and other celestial bodies. Tectonics is the study of planetary lithospheres and includes impact, plate, plume, cryo- and gravitational mechanisms. This dissertation is concerned with plate tectonics and plate/mantle plume interactions. Plate tectonics describes the mainly horizontal motion of lithospheric plates over the asthenosphere. Lithosphere is created at ridges and consumed at subduction zones. In addition to the plate tectonic system, mantle plumes also contribute to mass motions in the subsurface Earth. Both plate tectonics and plume upwelling processes help shape the present form of …

Investigation Of Nbnx Thin Films And Nanoparticles Grown By Pulsed Laser Deposition And Thermal Diffusion, Ashraf Hassan Farha

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Niobium nitride films (NbNx) were grown on Nb and Si (100) substrates using pulsed laser deposition (PLD), laser heating, and thermal diffusion methods. Niobium nitride films were deposited on Nb substrates using PLD with a Q-switched Nd: YAG laser (λ = 1064 nm, 40 ns pulse width, and 10 Hz repetition rate) at different laser fluences, different nitrogen background pressures and deposition temperatures. The effect of changing PLD parameters for films done by PLD was studied. The seen observations establish guidelines for adjusting the laser parameters to achieve the desired morphology and phase of the grown NbNx films.

When the …

Evolving: Using Science Fiction To Engage Students In Evolutionary Theory, Chad Rohrbacher

Publications

Evolutionary biology is not well-understood by a majority of the population. Many misperceptions and misconceptions exist as well as outright resistance to the theory. Various teaching and learning strategies have been tried in an attempt to involve students in exploring the theory, with mixed results. The use of science fiction to engage students in this area has been sparse, and virtually no quantitative assessment of learning with the method has been done. Using Origins, an anthology based on evolution, we created an interdisciplinary teacher’s resource manual that will be offered free to teachers. This paper examines some of the difficulties …

Salvaging The 2013 Federal Law Clerk Hiring Season, Carl W. Tobias

Law Faculty Publications

Ten years ago, the judiciary instituted the Federal Law Clerk Hiring Plan, an employment system meant to regularize hiring in which most circuit and district court jurists voluntarily participated. Throughout the succeeding decade, this process operated effectively for innumerable trial judges, but functioned less well for appellate jurists. In early 2013, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit revealed that all its members "will hire law clerks at such times as each individual judge determines to be appropriate," concomitantly explaining "the plan is [apparently] no longer working." With these statements, the D.C. Circuit explicitly acknowledged what …

In Defense Of Scholars' Briefs: A Response To Richard Fallon, Amanda Frost

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

In a thoughtful and provocative essay, Richard Fallon criticizes law professors for lightly signing onto 'scholars’ briefs,' that is, amicus briefs filed on behalf of a group of law professors claiming expertise in the subject area. Fallon argues that law professors are constrained by the moral and ethical obligations of their profession from joining scholars’ briefs without first satisfying standards similar to those governing the production of scholarship, and thus he believes that law professors should abstain from adding their names to such briefs more often than they do now.

This response begins by describing the benefits of scholars’ briefs …

Judicial Ethics And Supreme Court Exceptionalism, Amanda Frost

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

In his 2011 Year-End Report on the Federal Judiciary, Chief Justice John Roberts cast doubt on Congress’s authority to regulate the Justices’ ethical conduct, declaring that the constitutionality of such legislation has “never been tested.” Roberts’ comments not only raise important questions about the relationship between Congress and the Supreme Court, they also call into question the constitutionality of a number of existing and proposed ethics statutes. Thus, the topic deserves close attention.

This Essay contends that Congress has broad constitutional authority to regulate the Justices’ ethical conduct, just as it has exercised control over other vital aspects of the …

What Marriage Equality Arguments Portend For Domestic Partner Employee Benefits, Nancy Polikoff

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

No abstract provided.

Maritime Piracy: A Sustainable Global Solution, Paul Williams, Lowry Pressly

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

Maritime piracy is a complex transnational security concern characterized by emerging international finance operations and organization, an oversupply of labor, and a low cost of market entry. This article provides a realistic picture of the driving forces behind maritime piracy in areas such as Southeast Asia, the Gulf of Aden, and the Gulf of Guinea. By examining some of the assumptions and proposed solutions in counter-piracy literature and policy, this article exposes some piracy illusions and proposes a sustainable, global response that addresses the persistent threat of modern maritime piracy. Today's manifold piracy challenges call for a multifaceted approach. Accordingly, …

Changes In Neurochemicals Within The Ventrolateral Medullary Respiratory Column In Awake Goats After Carotid Body Denervation, Justin Robert Miller, Suzanne E. Neumueller, Clarissa Muere, Samantha Olesiak, Lawrence Pan, Matthew R. Hodges, Hubert V. Forster

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

A current and major unanswered question is why the highly sensitive central CO₂/H⁺ chemoreceptors do not prevent hypoventilation-induced hypercapnia following carotid body denervation (CBD). Because perturbations involving the carotid bodies affect central neuromodulator and/or neurotransmitter levels within the respiratory network, we tested the hypothesis that after CBD there is an increase in inhibitory and/or a decrease in excitatory neurochemicals within the ventrolateral medullary column (VMC) in awake goats. Microtubules for chronic use were implanted bilaterally in the VMC within or near the pre-Bötzinger Complex (preBötC) through which mock cerebrospinal fluid (mCSF) was dialyzed. Effluent mCSF was collected …

Using Coaching As A Professional Development Modality To Train Teachers In The Use Of Evidence-Based Practices For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders., Samantha Hollins

Theses and Dissertations

Professional development for teachers currently working in the classroom is an important focus of educational programs and school systems. Continuous professional development is especially important for special education teachers to maintain current information related to strategies and supports that are effective in educating students with disabilities. The increase in identification of students with autism has forced many teachers to quickly adapt to working with a population of students they have limited experience in teaching through preservice education and previous classroom experience. Coaching is a popular method for professional development delivery to special education teachers currently working in the classroom. This …

The Impact Of Imprecision In Hcv Viral Load Test Results On Clinicians’ Therapeutic Management Decisions And On The Economic Value Of The Test, Roberta M. Madej

Theses and Dissertations

Clinical laboratory test results are integral to patient management. Important aspects of laboratory tests’ contributions are the use of the test information and the role they have in facilitating efficient and effective use of healthcare resources. Methods of measuring those contributions were examined using quantitative HCV RNA test results (HCV VL) in therapeutic management decisions as a model. Test precision is important in those decisions; therefore, the clinical use was evaluated by studying the impact that knowledge of inherent assay imprecision had on clinicians’ decisions. A survey describing a simulated patient at a decision point for HCV triple-combination therapy management …

Shame, Blame, And The Emerging Law Of Obesity Control, Lindsay Wiley

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

In using law as a tool to combat the obesity epidemic, legal scholars and policymakers are drawing heavily on the lessons of tobacco control. This Article describes the resulting emergence of "obesity control law" and argues for a radical reorientation of it from a "denormalization" strategy based on the tobacco control experience to a "destigmatization" strategy based on the HIV prevention experience. The war on obesity is nearing a political crossroads. Subsidies and food industry regulations aimed at making our environment more conducive to physical activity and healthy eating are in danger of losing out to cheaper and more politically …

The Competitive Consequences Of Most-Favored-Nation Provisions, Jonathan Baker, Judith A. Chevalier

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

"Most Favored Nation" contractual provisions have come under scrutiny in recent years by antitrust authorities in both the US and EU. MFNs are a type of vertical agreement between suppliers and buyers. The literature has recognized that there may be efficiency rationales for these arrangements but the literature has also recognized that these arrangements have anticompetitive potential. In this paper, we distill the economics literature on MFNs to explore both possibilities.