Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons^™

Tracense Develops New Explosive Detector, News Brief

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Scientists at Tracense, a technology company in Tel Aviv, Israel, created a new nanotechnology explosive detector.

Evaluating Landmine-Detection Rats In Operational Conditions, Amanda Mahoney, Timothy Edwards, Kate Lalonde, Christophe Cox, Bart Weetjens, Tekimiti Gilbert, Tess Tewelde, Alan Poling

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Researchers evaluate the accuracy of pouched rats’ ability to detect landmines under operational search conditions. Results indicate the ineffectiveness of one training method for maintaining quality operational performance and suggest further examination.

Evaluating The Mini Minewolf, Phil Straw

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The U.S. Department of Defense Humanitarian Research and Development Program conducted operational field evaluation to assess the capabilities of Mini MineWolf technology.

3-D Printed Landmines And Mine Clearance Tools, News Brief

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

3-D printing offers an inexpensive, customizable, mine action training solution to militaries and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams. 3-D printers use digital files to create objects, such as simulated landmines, with layers of molten plastic.

Issue 18.3 Endnotes, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Endnotes

Power Of Equality Myths: A Transdisciplinary Study Examining The Influence Of Equality Policy On Teaching And Learning, Jennifer Gutiérrez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been steady interest in the ideology of equity in schooling practices reflected in the written artifacts of the United States, especially in the last thirty years. However, equality-laden language is often used without definition or critical examination. The assumed meaning of equality terminology is problematic--especially for classroom teachers who are directly held accountable for the practice of equality policy. This inquiry critically evaluates the multiple implications of this common-sense usage of language related to issues of equality, equity, sameness, and even democracy. Using the combined methodologies of educational criticism, critical discourse analysis, and self-ethnography, this transdisciplinary investigation describes, …

Selected Characteristics For Census Tracts In Douglas And Sarpy Counties, Nebraska, And Pottawattamie County, Iowa, From The 2008-2012 American Community Survey, Melanie Kiper

Past Publications

This report presents a series of maps and a table of selected characteristics for census tracts in Douglas and Sarpy counties in Nebraska and Pottawattamie County in Iowa. Each map has a smaller map of the entire three county area, along with a larger map of the most populated census tracts in the area to show more detail in the population core. The counties are combined without indication of county or state boundaries to illustrate that the pattern of the characteristics are consistent across boundaries when viewing the core area as a whole.

Selected Characteristics For Census Tracts In Douglas And Sarpy Counties, Nebraska, And Pottawattamie County, Iowa, From The 2008-2012 American Community Survey, Center For Public Affairs Research (Cpar)

Past Publications

This report presents a series of maps and a table of selected characteristics for census tracts in Douglas and Sarpy counties in Nebraska and Pottawattamie County in Iowa. Each map has a smaller map of the entire three county area, along with a larger map of the most populated census tracts in the area to show more detail in the population core. The counties are combined without indication of county or state boundaries to illustrate that the pattern of the characteristics are consistent across boundaries when viewing the core area as a whole.

Also included is a reference map for …

Conflict Engagement: A Contingency Model In Theory And Practice, Jay Rothman

Peace and Conflict Studies

The systematic study and applied practice of conflict resolution is now a few decades old and is evolving into its own field and perhaps towards its own discipline (Avruch, 2013). I believe an essential way forward towards a more robust field and discipline is to build a parsimonious contingency approach. That is, an approach for applying our best theoretical and analytical tools to diagnosing the nature and status of a given conflict and then systematically and adaptively matching up the best methods for constructively engaging the conflict as it evolves. Fisher and Keashly (1991) pioneered contingency theory in international conflict …

Using Plants To Detect Landmines, News Brief

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, Virginia (U.S.) are investigating how plants can be used to detect buried explosives, such as landmines, in areas of dense vegetation, where traditional demining methods are difficult.

10 Best Practices For Effective Program Management, Paula S. Daly

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

James Madison University College of Business Professor, Paula Daly, reflects on her experiences teaching the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery’s Senior Managers’ Course in ERW and Mine Action and provides a list of best practices for senior mine action managers.

Shark Bay Prawn Managed Fishery : Bycatch Action Plan : 2014 – 2019 : Version 1.0, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Management Papers

No abstract provided.

Fisheries Management Paper No.266 - Exmouth Gulf Prawn Managed Fishery Bycatch Action Plan 2014-2019. Version 1.0, Department Of Fisheries, Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

Bycatch is described as the part of the catch which is returned to the sea (usually referred to as non-retained or discarded) either because it has no commercial value or because legislative requirements preclude it being retained. Thus, this Bycatch Action Plan (BAP) includes unmarketable finfish and invertebrate species, along with endangered, threatened and protected (ETP) species, such as marine mammals, reptiles and some elasmobranchs.

It is Government policy to minimise bycatch in all commercial fisheries. This BAP details a program of actions to address bycatch issues in the Exmouth Gulf Prawn Managed Fishery (EGPMF), in accordance with the EGPMF …

Fisheries Management Paper No.265 - Exmouth Gulf Prawn Managed Fishery Harvest Strategy 2014 - 2019 Version 1.0, Department Of Fisheries Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

This fishery-specific harvest strategy has been developed in line with the Department of Fisheries' (Department) over-arching Harvest Strategy Policy for Aquatic Resources (Department of Fisheries in prep.) and in consultation with licensees. The broad scope of the Harvest Strategy Policy for Aquatic Resources is consistent with the National Harvest Strategy Guidelines but as well as considering all retained target species, it also incorporates retained non-target species, bycatch' and other ecological components to ensure the risks to these elements are managed effectively.

The Exmouth Gulf Prawn Managed Fishery (EGPMF) harvest strategy outlines the longand short-term fishery-specific management objectives; a description of …

Tls Newsletter Volume 9, Edition 3. November, 2014, Unf Transportation And Logistics Society

Transportation & Logistics Society Newsletter

Inside the Newsletter: TLS Meeting on Wednesday November 19. Upcoming Events. TLS President's Corner. Get to know Thomas Phengchanh. TLS on Tour--Volkswagen Parts Distribution Center. TLS Philanthropy: 14th Annual Hubbard House Holiday Drive. In the Know: AST & L Certification in Transportation and Logistics. Life after Graduation with Brandon Little

Successful Communities: What Is Desired And What Is Present In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska, 2014 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bradley Lubben

Nebraska Rural Poll

Rural Nebraskans are looking for many things in a community. The characteristics of a community that most believe are absolutely essential include social dimensions (sense of personal safety), economic dimensions (jobs/economic opportunities), some basic services (a quality school system, available medical services, affordable housing, quality housing and well maintained infrastructure) and environmental dimensions (a clean and attractive natural environment).

Unfortunately, when asked if these characteristics are present in their current community, some of these areas are lacking. One of the more extreme cases involves jobs/economic opportunities. Seventy-seven percent of the respondents say these are absolutely essential in order for them …

What Is “The Good” Of Arts-Based Peacebuilding? Questions Of Value And Evaluation In Current Practice, Mary Ann Hunter, Linda Page

Peace and Conflict Studies

In a context of growing attention to the benefits of the arts in peacebuilding, this article reports on the findings of a small scoping study that aimed to identify how the arts are perceived and supported by international development agencies. Based on a 2012 analysis of five international aid agencies working in the South East Asia and Pacific region, the study found that arts and creative practices are not, as yet, afforded a significant role in current policy or strategy, although arts activity is recognised as a social development tool by agencies working in partnership with local organisations. Resulting from …

Traditional Ecological Knowledge: A Model For Modern Fire Management?, Gail Wells

Joint Fire Science Program Digests

For many thousands of years, aboriginal peoples worldwide used fire to manage landscapes. In North America, the frequency and extent of fire (both human caused and natural) were much reduced after European colonization. Fire exclusion became the policy in the United States for most of the 20th century as the country became more settled and industrialized. Past fire exclusion has helped produce landscapes that are highly susceptible to uncharacteristically severe wildfire. An urgent challenge for land managers today is to reduce fire risk through several means, including prescribed burning, without harm to culturally significant resources or human communities. The Joint …

Restoration Of Bison (Bison Bison) To Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, A Feasibility Study, Daniel S. Licht

United States National Park Service: Publications

Executive Summary

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is a 3,057-acre park located in western Nebraska. The unit is comprised of northern mixed-grass prairie vegetation, typical of the Northern Great Plains. Weather, fire, and grazing are generally considered to be the ecological drivers of prairie ecosystems and critical for prairie health. However, grazing has essentially been absent since the 1960s. In 2014, a Department of the Interior report explicitly listed the park as a high priority for bison restoration. This report evaluates the feasibility, management options, benefits, and challenges of restoring bison to Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.

A potential bison …

Coalition For Prisoners' Rights Newsletter, Vol 39-Tt, No. 11, Coalition For Prisoners' Rights

Coalition for Prisoners' Rights Newsletters

A Step in the Right Direction

Disarm the Police!

Boehner Advierte a Obama que no Tome Medidas Ejecutivas en Materia de Inmigración

Former Prisons Chief Arraigned in For-Profit Prison Bribery Scheme

Five Year Strategic Plan For Economic Development: Prepared For The Town Of Winthrop, Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center For Public Management, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Edward J. Collins Center for Public Management Publications

In the spring of 2014, the Town of Winthrop hired the Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management at the University of Massachusetts Boston to help develop a Strategic Plan for Economic Development. The Center’s project team began its work by carefully analyzing data in order to understand Winthrop’s current business environment, and to learn how it has changed over time. Multiple sources of information were used, including the Census Bureau’s Decennial Census, American Community Survey, and County Business Patterns, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Claritas retail leakage data. In addition, the project team distributed and …

Can Protected Bike Lanes Help Close The Gender Gap In Cycling? Lessons From Five Cities, Jennifer Dill, Tara Goddard, Christopher Monsere, Nathan Mcneil

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

Even in areas with increased levels of bicycling, there remains a significant “gender gap” in bicycling in the United States, in contrast to many other countries with high rates of bicycling. The primary objective of this paper was to explore whether protected bike lanes could help reduce the gender gap. To do so, the authors used survey data from a comprehensive evaluation of protected bike lanes in five large U.S. cities (Austin, TX, Chicago, IL, Portland, OR, San Francisco, CA, and Washington, DC) that included survey responses of 1,111 intercepted bicyclists and 2,283 residents. Both men and women overwhelmingly felt …

Welfare Reform And Children’S Health, Badi H. Baltagi, Yin -Fang Yen

Center for Policy Research

This study investigates the effect of the Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) program on children’s health outcomes using data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) over the period 1994 to 2005. The TANF policies have been credited with increased employment for single mothers and a dramatic drop in welfare caseload. Our results show that these policies also had a significant effect on various measures of children’s medical utilization among low-income families. These health measures include a rating of the child’s health status reported by the parents; the number of times that parents consulted a doctor; and …

The Classroom As A Peace Incubator: A Us-Gaza Case Study, Ian S. Mcintosh, Jamil Alfaleet

Peace and Conflict Studies

This paper describes the design, implementation, and lessons from a case study in transforming two university classrooms into what we call an international “peace incubator.” In the besieged Gaza Strip, opportunities for normalization of relations with Israel are almost non-existent, and there is very limited desire or personal capacity among the student population of Gaza to do the work of peace-building. A semester-long videoconference class linking IUPUI and Gaza University students sought to address this deficit by developing a model for building ties of friendship and cooperation. West Bank peace activist Juliano Mer Khamis once spoke of a coming Third …

Volume 21, Number 2 (Fall 2014), Peace And Conflict Studies

Peace and Conflict Studies

No abstract provided.

Front Matter, Peace And Conflict Studies

Peace and Conflict Studies

No abstract provided.

Studying Diplomatic Negotiations: Integrating The Personal And Institutional Aspects, Egle Murauskaite

Peace and Conflict Studies

Following the Middle East Peace Conference in Madrid in 1991, the Arms Control and Regional Security (ACRS) working group was launched as the first and so far only official regional arms control negotiations. While there have been multiple attempts to distil the lessons of the ACRS process, the aspect of events most conducive to forging trust between the negotiators and their inter-personal dynamics has never been explored. This paper takes an inter-disciplinary approach to studying negotiations: it zooms in on the ACRS process, integrating Middle East studies, decision making processes and nonproliferation literature with negotiations theory and oral history techniques, …

The Political Economy Of Ivory As A “Conflict Resource”, Natasha White

Peace and Conflict Studies

The past year has seen attention directed, both in policy discourse and the media, towards the implication of Central African non-state armed groups in poaching and ivory trafficking. Engaging with both mainstream political economy analyses and work on the “geographies of resource wars,” this paper turns to the case of ivory as a “conflict resource,” through the case study of the Lord’s Resistance Army. It begins by outlining the contextual specificities and conditions of access, before assessing the compatibility of the resource’s biophysical, spatial and material characteristics with the needs of regional armed groups and the LRA in particular. Though …

The Evolution Of Research On Multimedia Travel Guide Search And Recommender Systems, Junge Shen, Zhiyong Cheng, Jialie Shen, Tao Mei, Xinbo Gao

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The importance of multimedia travel guide search and recommender systems has led to a substantial amount of research spanning different computer science and information system disciplines in recent years. The five core research streams we identify here incorporate a few multimedia computing and information retrieval problems that relate to the alternative perspectives of algorithm design for optimizing search/recommendation quality and different methodological paradigms to assess system performance at large scale. They include (1) query analysis, (2) diversification based on different criteria, (3) ranking and reranking, (4) personalization and (5) evaluation. Based on a comprehensive discussion and analysis of these streams, …

Teacher Absenteeism In Indonesia: Policy Brief, Phillip Mckenzie, Dita Nugroho, Clare Ozolins, Julie Mcmillan, Sudarno Sumarto, Nina Toyamah, Vita Febriany, R Justin Sodo, Luhur Bima, Armand Arief Sim

Shaping educational policy

This study of teacher absenteeism in Indonesia is one of the most comprehensive and large-scale studies of teacher absenteeism undertaken anywhere in the world. Specially trained teams made two unannounced visits to each of the sampled schools during their regular teaching and learning time. The teams collected information on teacher absence, observed classes, conducted interviews with principals and teachers, and administered short tests to samples of students. Visit 1 was in late 2013 and Visit 2 in early 2014. Interviews were also held with district-level officials. The research examined not only teachers’ absence from school, but also any absence from …