Engineering Commons^™

Expanding Efficiency: Women's Communication In Engineering, Jennifer C. Mallette

English Literature Faculty Publications and Presentations

As engineering fields strive to be more inclusive of women, focusing on perceptions of women's work is vital to understanding how women can succeed and the limitations they may face. One area in need of more attention is the connection between communication and women's experiences in engineering. This article examines the gendered nature of writing labor in engineering, focusing on case studies of three women who were able to use writing effectively, yet how communication emerged as a gendered form of labor subject to gendered perceptions. While these women's communication skills led to professional success, their association with writing echoes …

An Unsung Success Story: A Forty-Year Retrospective On U.S. Communications Policy, Christopher S. Yoo

All Faculty Scholarship

Looking backwards on the occasion of Telecommunications Policy’s fortieth anniversary reveals just how far U.S. communications policy has come. All of the major challenges of 1976, such as promoting competition in customer premises equipment, long distance, and television networking, have largely been overcome. Moreover, new issues that emerged later, such as competition in local telephone service and multichannel video program distribution, have also largely been solved. More often than not, the solution has been the result of structural changes that enhanced facilities-based competition rather than agency-imposed behavioral requirements. Moreover, close inspection reveals that in most cases, prodding by the courts …

Mid-Air Retrieval (Mar) Of Cruise Missiles, Rpv’S And A Historical Overview Of Aerial Recovery, Walter R. Blackwell

ERAU Prescott Aviation History Program

USAF (RET) Lt. Col Walter R. Blackwell entered pilot training in October 1959 and served as an air force command pilot for 26 years. His flying experience includes light and heavy lift helicopters i.e. the H-19, H-21, H-1F, H-1N, HH-3E, and H-53. He has a total of 8,188 hours. His assignments in the Air Force included rescue combat crew commander in South East Asia, chief of flight safety at Aerospace Rescue and Recovery headquarters, and Air Force Systems Command Test Squadron. During his time as the Test Squadron Lt. Col Blackwell flew in support of cruise missile tests and special …

Individual And Community Well-Being In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska: 2017 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bradley Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, T. L. Meyer

Rural Futures Institute: Publications

Conclusion

By many different measures, rural Nebraskans are positive about their community. Many rural Nebraskans rate their community favorably on its social dimensions: as friendly, trusting and supportive. Most rural Nebraskans say it would be difficult to leave their community and have a positive attachment to their community. And, most rural Nebraskans disagree that their community is powerless to control its future.

Across all years of this study, rural Nebraskans’ views about the change in their community have generally been positive. The proportion believing their community has changed for the better during the past year has usually been greater than …

Geopolitics Of Rare Earth Elements, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Rare earth elements (REE) contain unique chemical physical properties such as lanthamum, are found in small concentrations, need extensive precise properties to separate, and are critical components of modern technologies such as laser guidance systems, personal electronics such as IPhones, satellites, and military weapons systems as varied as Virginia-class fast attack submarines, DDG-51 Aegis destroyers, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, and precision guided munitions. The U.S. has some rare earth resources, but is heavily dependent on access to them from countries as varied as Afghanistan, Bolivia, and China. Losing access to these resources would have significant adverse economic, military, and …

How Useful Is Gsv As An Environmental Observation Tool? An Analysis Of The Evidence So Far., Katherine Nesse, Leah Airt

SPU Works

Researchers in many disciplines have turned to Google Street View to replace pedestrian- or carbased in-person observation of streetscapes. It is most prevalent within the research literature on the relationship between neighborhood environments and public health but has been used as diverse as disaster recovery, ecology and wildlife habitat, and urban design. Evaluations of the tool have found that the results of GSV-based observation are similar to the results from in-person observation although the similarity depends on the type of characteristic being observed. Larger, permanent and discrete features showed more consistency between the two methods and smaller, transient and judgmental …

United States Drone Laws, Jacob Crittenden

Student Works

The purpose of this Directed Study was to investigate and compile the drone laws that exist within the United States, both on the federal level and for each individual state. The federal laws are directed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under laws that pertain to “Unmanned Aircraft Systems” (UAS) and are relatively new. Most states have further regulations on UAS that they have passed. Most of these laws are in place to protect public safety and privacy, but some also prohibit certain locations of flight and certain modifications that might be made to the platform. State laws that limit …

Writing And Women's Retention In Engineering, Jennifer C. Mallette

English Literature Faculty Publications and Presentations

Engineering disciplines have focused on recruiting and retaining women, assessing factors that contribute to decisions to enter or exit the field at every level. While many studies have examined writing in engineering disciplines, few have looked at writing’s role in women’s decisions to remain in or leave engineering. Using a case study of a professional civil engineer, Katy, this study examines the role that writing played in her dissatisfaction with engineering and her ultimate decision to leave the field. The author analyzes two genres of writing, meeting minutes and a preliminary engineering report, to explore how Katy’s writing practices often …

Design And Planned Obsolescence. Theories And Approaches For Designing Enabling Technologies, Matteo Zallio, Damon Berry

Articles

We are currently living in a decade where smart objects and Internet of Things (IoT)-based devices are becoming part of daily life in different contexts. This research seeks to investigate and verify, by using a formal literature review methodology, the most visible aspects of technological development, within the Industry 4.0 and IoT scenario, in relation to the theories of the so called “Planned Obsolescence”.

This study covers a defined number of works on Design theories and practices on how to face the issue of built-in obsolescence of devices in the era of the Connected Devices. The majority of the works …

Media, Institutions And Voting: Perceptions Of Nonmetropolitan Nebraskans: 2017 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bradley Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, Timothy L. Meyer

Rural Futures Institute: Publications

Conclusion

Rural Nebraskans most trust information received from local news sources (TV and newspapers) and public sources (PBS and public radio). They least trust information from social networking sites and Internet blogs. Most rural Nebraskans are somewhat or very confident in their ability to recognize news that is made up.

Most rural Nebraskans have confidence in their local institutions (public safety agencies in their community; public schools in their community; and voting and election systems in their county). On the other hand, over one-quarter of rural Nebraskans have very little confidence in the following national institutions: U.S. House of Representatives, …

Wood Composites Manufacturing, Advanced Structures & Composites Center, University Of Maine

General University of Maine Publications

The UMaine Advanced Structures and Composites Center has a complete Wood Composites Pilot Line allowing production of up to 4’ x 8’ oriented strand board (OSB), laminated strand lumber (LSL), particle board, MDF, and other cellulosic composites on a near-industrial scale.

Duration Of Load And Creep Effects Of Wood Composites, Advanced Structures & Composites Center, University Of Maine

General University of Maine Publications

The Duration of Load & Creep Effects Lab at the UMaine Advanced Structures and Composites Center has a complete creep testing facility capable of evaluating duration of load effects on wood composites such as panel products, structural composite lumber (SCL), and wood-plastic composites (WPC).

Mass Timber At Umaine, Advanced Structures & Composites Center, University Of Maine

General University of Maine Publications

Many architects and engineers believe that we are now in “the beginning of the timber age” where “plyscrapers” will soon be dotting city skylines all over the world. These tall wood buildings are a result of “mass timber” – a category of construction characterized by the use of large wood-based panels for wall, floor, and roof construction. Products in the mass timber family include: Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), Nail-Laminated Timber (NLT), Glued-Laminated Timber (Glulam), and Structural Composite Lumber (SCL) e.g., Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL), Laminated Strand Lumber (LSL), and Parallel Strand Lumber (PSL), as well as hybrid products manufactured with a …

Structural Testing Of Wood And Wood-Based Products, Advanced Structures & Composites Center, University Of Maine

General University of Maine Publications

Maine’s economy has always drawn upon its forests. Our wood composites research not only follows this tradition, it allows future generations to do so, as well. International timber competition has forced Maine to become smarter about the lumber goods it produces, which is why the UMaine Advanced Structures and Composites Center has been working with industry to produce value added wood products since its inception in 1996. Focus areas have included FRP-reinforced glulam, structural composite lumber, wood-plastic composites, wood and bio-based panels, nanocellulose, and mass timber construction.

Guide To The Richard C. Heyser Collection, College Archives & Special Collections

Collection Guides / Finding Aids

This guide describes the organization and scope of the Richard C. Heyser archival collection, housed within the College Archives & Special Collections at Columbia College Chicago. Richard C. Heyser (1931-1987) was a pioneer in research relating to audio and acoustic measurement techniques.

Shopping For Food In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska: 2017 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bradley Lubben, L.J. Mcelravy, Timothy L. Meyer, Vanessa Wielenga

Rural Futures Institute: Publications

Conclusion

Rural Nebraskans purchase their food from a variety of stores. Almost four in ten buy most of their food from a supercenter (like Wal-Mart or Costco). Just over three in ten typically shop at a supermarket and just under three in ten buy most of their food at a small grocery store. Differences in the type of store most utilized occur by community size. Persons living in or near larger communities are more likely than persons living in or near smaller communities to purchase the majority of their food from either a supermarket or supercenter.

Persons living in or …

Iot Based Recipes For Enabling Senior Citizens: Stakeholders Views On How Integration Of Iot And Web Services Can Enhance Well-Being And Inclusion Of Older People, Matteo Zallio, Damon Berry, John Mcgrory

Conference papers

The main body of research clearly highlights the world’s population is rapidly expanding. When this fact is combined with the increase in life longevity due to medical and social advances it alters the demographic balance in relation to age. Hence, the number of people aged 65 and over is constantly increasing. The potential of Smart Technologies and IoT-based devices to improve health has increased rapidly in the last few years and users are now in a position to contribute to the development of the interaction process and need to be properly trained on benefits of using new technologies. IFTTT (If …

Key Inference From Irish Traditional Music Scores And Recordings, Pierre Beauguitte, Bryan Duggan, John D. Kelleher

Conference papers

The aim of this paper is to present techniques and results for identifying the key of Irish traditional music melodies, or tunes. Several corpora are used, consisting of both symbolic and audio representations. Monophonic and heterophonic recordings are present in the audio datasets. Some particularities of Irish traditional music are discussed, notably its modal nature. New key-profiles are defined, that are better suited to Irish music.

Six Degrees Of Freedom From Six Degrees Of Separation: The History Of Flight Simulators, David Keck, Morgan Lopez

Publications

Some of today's advanced flight simulators have the capacity to provide pilots with experiences of six degrees of freedom: forward/backward, up/down, or left/right (or pitching, rolling, or yawing in either direction). These incredible devices are the product of over 100 years of design developments that come from a series of technological discoveries and historical events.

Perceptions Of Agriculture And The Economy In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska: 2017 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bradley Lubben, L.J. Mcelravy, Timothy L. Meyer

Rural Futures Institute: Publications

Conclusion

Most rural Nebraskans view their economic well-being as being dependent on agriculture. Over three-fourths feel their economic well-being is at least somewhat tied to agriculture. Economic dependence on agriculture has changed very little over the past seven years. The proportions reported in 2017 are almost identical to those from 2010.

Similarly, most rural Nebraskans believe the economic well-being of their community is very much dependent on agriculture. Overall, over nine in ten rural Nebraskans feel their community’s economic well-being is at least somewhat tied to agriculture.

Most rural Nebraskans say their job/income security is about the same as it …

Calculus Reform: Increasing Stem Retention And Post-Requisite Course Success While Closing The Retention Gap For Women And Underrepresented Minority Students, Doug Bullock, Janet Callahan, Jocelyn B. S. Cullers

Mathematics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Boise State University (BSU) implemented an across-the-board reform of calculus instruction during the 2014 calendar year. The details of the reform, described elsewhere (Bullock, 2015), (Bullock 2016), involve both pedagogical and curricular reform. Gains from the project have included a jump in Calculus I pass rate, greater student engagement, greater instructor satisfaction, a shift toward active learning pedagogies, and the emergence of a strong collaborative teaching community. This paper examines the effects of the reform on student retention. Since the curricular reform involved pruning some content and altering course outcomes, which could conceivably have negative downstream impacts, we report on …

Ten Years Later: Where Are They Now?, Janet Callahan, Donna C. Llewellyn, Vicki Stieha, Ann E. Delaney

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper explores the educational and career trajectories of the alumnae of an outreach activity for girls. The outreach activity was originally developed using an integrated marketing approach to attract girls into engineering programs.¹ The program, a two day, overnight experience for rising 9^th, 10^th and 11^th grade girls, focuses on showcasing engineering as an exciting, creative activity, including activities developed from that perspective. Started in 2005 and held annually since then, a total of over 500 girls have participated, with approximately 85% of them coming from Boise State University’s immediate metropolitan area. Facilitated by …

Listening And Negotiation Ii, Adjo A. Amekudzi-Kennedy, Kevin D. Hall, Trevor Scott Harding, Amy J. Moll, Janet Callahan

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper is based on a panel held in June, 2017 in Columbus, Ohio, jointly sponsored by the Women in Engineering Division and by the Minorities in Engineering Division. It is focused on negotiation, with an emphasis on providing practical strategies that are relevant in an academic setting. The panel featured academic leaders at multiple levels, including professor, chair and dean, from diverse engineering institutions, ranging from teaching-centric to heavily research-focused. Panelists discussed strategies for negotiation, with an emphasis on an approach that meets the interests of both parties to the extent possible. The panel was administrated with an opening …

Shalom Seeking: Foundations Of Flourishing, Kevin Timmer

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Jesus instructs us to seek first the Kingdom of God. Seeking first the Kingdom of God is no small task. It is a process of striving to show God’s love in every situation by showing love to our neighbors and to the rest of the creation. It is serving in a way that enables them to flourish. Seeking first the Kingdom of God is striving for true progress in all its wholeness; it is seeking shalom [1]. Shalom is an Old Testament word which refers to the restfulness, contentment, beauty, and harmony of a life lived in perfect obedience to …

Bendablesound: An Elastic Multisensory Surface Using Touch-Based Interactions To Assist Children With Severe Autism During Music Therapy, Franceli L. Cibrian, Oscar Peña, Deysi Ortega, Monica Tentori

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Neurological Music Therapy uses live music to improve the sensorimotor regulation of children with severe autism. However, they often lack musical training and their impairments limit their interactions with musical instruments. In this paper, we present our co-design work that led to the BendableSound prototype: an elastic multisensory surface encouraging users to practice coordination movements when touching a fabric to play sounds. We present the results of a formative study conducted with 18 teachers showing BendableSound was perceived as “usable” and “attractive”. Then, we present a deployment study with 24 children with severe autism showing BendableSound is “easy to use” …

The Intersection Of Manufacturing Technologies And School Music Programs, Leslie Prunier

University Scholar Projects

The objective of this project is to design and manufacture a musical instrument, a marching baritone horn, out of plastic. It is constructed out of both PVC pipe and 3D-printed components. Utilizing this project’s documentation, a high school student could use a 3D printer and other basic tools to make their own musical instrument for a fraction of the cost of purchasing one. This documentation will produce a horn tuned in the key of B flat with one functioning valve, and suggestions for future work to make the other two valves functional as well.

The Biomechanics Of Music Performance, Rachel F. Bellisle, Jessika Decker

Senior Honors Projects

When first learning to play a wind instrument, beginner musicians are taught how to hold their instrument and correctly position their body. They are taught how to sit, where to put their hands and fingers on the keys, and how to hold their arms. This initial lesson on posture and hand positioning is often short, as one quickly moves on to learn the embouchure and breathing techniques that allow sound to be produced. As a musician progresses in skill, positioning is emphasized more, and they learn that it can affect their risk of strain or injury and improve their sound …

Swosu Research And Scholarly Activity Fair 2017, Lisa Appeddu, Cj Smith

SWOSU Research and Scholarly Activity Fair Programs

Welcome to the Twenty-Fourth SWOSU Research and Scholarly Activity Fair! On display today are 158 poster presentations and 11 oral presentations, involving 314 student researchers, writers, presenters, and artists, and 47 faculty sponsors encompassing scholarly activity from the SWOSU Departments of Art, Communication, and Theatre; Biological Sciences; Business & Computer Science; Chemistry and Physics; Engineering Technology; Language & Literature; Music; Pharmaceutical Sciences; Psychology; and Social Sciences; and SWOSU School of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences. In addition, there are poster presentations from the Western Technology Center Biomedical Academy, Francis Tuttle Technology Center, El Reno Public Schools, and BlueSTEM AgriLearning …

The Relationship Between Motivation And Job Preferences In Commercial Aviation Graduates, Shayne A. Daku, Robert Stupnisky

Education, Health & Behavior Studies Faculty Publications

The current demand for commercial pilots at regional airlines means that graduates of commercial aviation degree programs have the luxury of choosing a particular place of employment post-graduation. What do the majority of these graduates look for when choosing a place to work after they graduate and meet the minimum hiring requirements? The present research surveyed 134 recent commercial aviation degree students and graduates to determine what motivated their decision to work for a particular regional airline. Student’s and graduate’s motivation was measured using Vallerand et al.’s (1992) Academic Motivation Scale (AMS). Respondents who demonstrated extrinsic – identified motivation style …

The Myth Of Strategic And Tactical Airlift, Jacob D. Maywald, Adam D. Reiman, Alan A. Johnson, Robert E. Overstreet

Faculty Publications

In the 21st century, our ability to quickly and decisively deliver combat forces and equipment is of the utmost importance in achieving our national security objectives. The swiftness and flexibility of the US Air Force’s mobility airlift fleet is the key to executing a rapid global mobility strategy. The operational effectiveness and efficiency of military air transportation relies on the expertise and intuition of Air Mobility Command’s (AMC) mobility planners. Working in coordination with the United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) and geographic combatant commands (GCC), AMC is responsible for the tasking and tracking of almost 900 daily mobility sorties worldwide. …