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The Science Careers Program consists of 12 activities aimed at increasing the career relevance of science education for all students in grades 4 through 9, while at the same time particularly encouraging female and minority students to consider careers in science and engineering. This set of resource materials is available to help teachers in preparing to use these activities. The materials are presented in six sections: (1) program objectives; (2) various materials on sex, race, and handicap role stereotyping, including aids for detecting stereotyping; (3) a compilation of facts about women and minorities in the labor force; (4) a compendium of information about famous women and minority scientists, a list of these scientists keyed to science curriculum topics, and sample ideas for using posters about scientists; (5) career and employment information, a list of definitions of science/engineering careers, and a discussion of the participation of women and minorities in science (with consideration of their attitudes and performance as youngsters, educational and employment patterns); and (6) a description of ways students and teachers can learn more about science engineering careers (including guidelines for classroom visits by scientists). An extensive annotated bibliography of print and audiovisual materials is included. (JN)

During the year 1998, we have made progress in delineating the non-catalytic roles of acetylcholinesterase. This activity involved the construction of several expression vectors and directing their expression in transiently transgenic tadpoles of Xenopus laevis, as well as in cultured Xenopus motoneurons and rat phaeochromocytoma cells. We have further advanced the creation and characterization of transgenic mice which express several engineered variants of human acetylcholinesterase. We discovered an intriguing feedback response which leads to the accumulation of soluble monomeric acetylcholinesterase following acute psychological stress events or under exposure to anti-cholinesterases. Current efforts are focussed at the development of an antisense approach to prevent the accumulation of excess acetylcholinesterase and thus avoid both the imbalanced cholinergic neurotransmission that is caused by such accumulation and the adverse consequences associated with the non-catalytic activities of the excess protein.

During the year 1998, we have made progress in delineating the non-catalytic roles of acetylcholinesterase. This activity involved the construction of several expression vectors and directing their expression in transiently transgenic tadpoles of Xenopus laevis, as well as in cultured Xenopus motoneurons and rat phaeochromocytoma cells. We have further advanced the creation and characterization of transgenic mice which express several engineered variants of human acetylcholinesterase. We discovered an intriguing feedback response which leads to the accumulation of soluble monomeric acetylcholinesterase following acute psychological stress events or under exposure to anti-cholinesterases. Current efforts are focussed at the development of an antisense approach to prevent the accumulation of excess acetylcholinesterase and thus avoid both the imbalanced cholinergic neurotransmission that is caused by such accumulation and the adverse consequences associated with the non-catalytic activities of the excess protein.

This research explores the integration of the Constructive Systems Engineering Cost Model (COSYSMO) into early modeling efforts for the Department of Defense (DOD). Initial acquisition decisions influence the analysis and design of systems engineers, who face an increasingly complex and dynamic environment with significant impact on system life-cycle decisions and cost. This work utilizes a model-based systems engineering (MBSE) approach and the systems modeling language (SysML) to highlight the sharing of system model data with COSYSMO to provide an estimate of systems engineering costs. The document highlights the proposed methods compliance to cost estimation techniques, adherence and support to pre-Milestone A requirements of the DOD acquisitions process, and links to the Department of Defense Architectural Framework (DODAF). Application and documentation of the author's methods include a commonly used humanitarian aid effort scenario that incorporates traditional systems functional analysis of a single water distiller. The work's results demonstrate an ability for automated and semi-automated integration with COSYSMO from the system model in a web-based tool, conclude with challenges associated with external cost model integration, and suggest future areas of continued refinement and extensions. A starting point for an ensemble of models to enhance DOD cost estimation practices results from the techniques.

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Please visit the California Revealed website to see the most complete and up-to-date version of this object: https://californiarevealed.org/node/474217 . In this episode of FutureWatch, hosts Leslie Baer-Brown and Joseph Wakelee-Lynch speak with Martha Crouch, a biologist at the University of Indiana about genetically-engineered crops. They discuss the controversy behind genetically-engineered foods, how the bio-engineering of plants led Crouch to stop her own plant research, whether genetic engineering affects the price of crops, and how consumers can tell if food has been genetically engineered. The episode also features Patricia Florez discussing how robots are being used to fix underground pipes in her segment, The Good News Report; Randy Ringen discussing the effort to eliminate polio throughout the world in his segment, ScienceLine; and Dr. Ed Walton discussing the science behind fossil fuels in his segment, Everyday Science. FutureWatch was a publicly broadcast program that explored topics in contemporary science. The show was distributed on radio, cable TV, and the Internet and was produced collaboratively between Harvey Mudd College and MediaVision, an audiovisual production unit at the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) represent a revolutionary integration of neuroscience and engineering, enabling direct communication between the human brain and external devices. These interfaces have shown immense potential in applications ranging from medical rehabilitation and assistive technologies to neurogaming and cognitive enhancement. BCIs leverage neural signals to facilitate motor control, speech generation, and brain-state monitoring, utilizing invasive and non-invasive methods. However, significant challenges remain, including improving signal acquisition, enhancing processing algorithms, addressing ethical concerns, and ensuring data privacy. This paper examines the foundational principles of BCIs, their technological advancements, their applications in healthcare, and emerging ethical dilemmas. With rapid developments in machine learning, signal processing, and neural implants, BCIs are poised to become integral to both medical and consumer technologies, paving the way for enhanced human machine interaction. 

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) represent a revolutionary integration of neuroscience and engineering, enabling direct communication between the human brain and external devices. These interfaces have shown immense potential in applications ranging from medical rehabilitation and assistive technologies to neurogaming and cognitive enhancement. BCIs leverage neural signals to facilitate motor control, speech generation, and brain-state monitoring, utilizing invasive and non-invasive methods. However, significant challenges remain, including improving signal acquisition, enhancing processing algorithms, addressing ethical concerns, and ensuring data privacy. This paper examines the foundational principles of BCIs, their technological advancements, their applications in healthcare, and emerging ethical dilemmas. With rapid developments in machine learning, signal processing, and neural implants, BCIs are poised to become integral to both medical and consumer technologies, paving the way for enhanced human machine interaction. 

This report is based on data from the Academic Pathways of People Learning Engineering Survey (APPLES), administered to engineering students at 21 U.S. engineering colleges and schools in the spring of 2008. The first comprehensive set of analyses completed on the APPLES dataset presented here looks at how engineering students experience their education, how they gain knowledge of what engineering is, and what their post-graduation plans are. The APPLES instrument is one of the research tools developed and used by the National Science Foundation-funded Academic Pathways Study (APS)1. The APPLES study represented the major cross-sectional survey component of the APS. Other components included a four-year longitudinal study of 160 engineering students at four institutions, and interviews of over 90 practicing engineers in a range of professional settings. Taken together, these components were designed to expand our understanding of the undergraduate engineering experience and the transition from school to the workplace. The APS research questions focus on four primary areas that investigate what engineering graduates need to succeed in an increasingly complex world: (1) Skills and Knowledge: How do students' engineering skills and knowledge develop and/or change over time?; (2) Identity: How do students come to identify themselves as engineers? How does student appreciation, confidence, and commitment to engineering change as they navigate their education? How does this in turn impact how these students make decisions about further participation in engineering after graduation?; (3) Education: What elements of students' engineering educations contribute to changes observed in the questions related to skills, knowledge, and identity? What do students find difficult and how do they deal with the difficulties they face?; and (4) Workplace: How do students and early career engineers conceive of their engineering future? What skills do early career engineers need as they enter the workplace? Where did they obtain these skills? Are there any missing skills? This report presents the first set of analyses conducted on the APPLES dataset. The first section of the report (Chapters 1-3) is an overview of the APPLES instrument along with demographics of the overall cross-sectional population surveyed. In Chapter 1, the APPLES instrument is described, including definitions of the variables which form the basis of the rest of the report. Chapter 2 specifies the selection of the 21 schools where APPLES was deployed and the demographics of the 4,266 students who completed the survey. Then in Chapter 3, the organization of the remainder of the report and its focus on the comparisons between first-year and senior engineering majors are outlined. Appended are: (1) The Academic Pathways of People Learning Engineering Survey (APPLES) Instrument; (2) Descriptions of the Major Declaration Process and Institutional Selectivity Characteristics; (3) Definitions of APPLES Engineering Majors and Other Majors; (4) Means and Standard Deviations of Core Constructs; (5) Simple Correlation Coefficients: First-Year Students; (6) Calculating APPLES Multi-Item Variables; and (7) Methodological Notes for Regressions. Individual chapters contain footnotes. (Contains 11 figures and 99 tables.)

In 2022, industry leaders voiced concerns to policymakers that Idaho was not producing enough engineering and computer science graduates from its public institutions to meet the needs of Idaho's economy. In response, the Idaho State Board of Education commissioned an analysis from Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) to explore the issue. Guided by an industry advisory group, the project team reviewed existing research, analyzed publicly available data as well as data from the state's longitudinal data system, modeled the projected supply of graduates, and conducted a range of employer engagement activities to answer two key questions: (1) Is the supply of engineering and computer science graduates from Idaho's public institutions adequate to meet current and projected industry demand?; and (2) If not, how can the state strategically address the gap between supply and demand?

At SAME, the journey begins with a holistic approach to education. The curriculum is meticulously designed to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical training, ensuring that students not only grasp the fundamentals but also gain hands-on experience in aircraft maintenance.

A significant amount of research has gone into predicting student performance and many studies have been conducted to predict why students drop out. A variety of data including digital footprints, socio-economic data, financial data, and psychological aspects have been used to predict student performance at the test, course, or program level. Fairly good prediction results have been achieved using both traditional machine learning and more recently deep learning methods. While using diverse sets of data has achieved good results, this data is often difficult and expensive to collect, and may have privacy-related issues. This paper explores the extent to which only prior performance data readily available with registrars in most Universities can be used to predict student performance in future terms. Twenty term data from 789 students enrolled an engineering program at an American University were used to train long term short term (LSTM), Bi-directional LSTM and Gated Reference Units (GRU) models to predict student performance in future terms. The results are that all three types of models were able to reasonably predict the next term's performance (F1-score of about 0.70) regardless of the number of terms a student had spent the University. The models generally did not overfit. The prediction was reasonable until about trying to predict performance on seventh term in the future, but the performance dropped beyond this point primarily due to lack of sufficient data (F1-score of about 0.2). [For the full proceedings, see ED621108.]

This thesis proposes a methodology for measuring the extent to which basic systems engineering principles and practices are followed during a system development effort, as well as for measuring other characteristics of the system development process, in attempts to relate the success of the development effort to the degree of systems engineering. The approach enables the evaluation and rating of case studies, regardless of system type or size, based on figures of merit and rating criteria developed for each of five characteristics of the system development process as modeled. The scoring methodology is demonstrated using six case studies of recent commercial and military aircraft development programs, including the Boeing 777, Lockheed F-117, Northrop B-2, McDonnell Douglas C-17, Learjet Model 60, and McDonnell Douglas MD-11. The primary purpose for conducting this effort is to provide a tool to enhance systems engineering understanding and education. (AN)

The construction industry plays a vital role in the global economy but grapples with inefficiencies in electrical and electronics engineering projects, resulting in delays, increased costs, and reduced productivity. This study explores the application of machine learning techniques to enhance efficiency in these projects. Specifically, it focuses on developing and implementing machine learning algorithms for optimizing project scheduling, material procurement, and equipment utilization. Additionally, predictive analytics will be examined for risk identification and mitigation in electrical and electronics engineering tasks within construction. The research combines literature review and empirical analysis to understand industry challenges and the potential benefits of using machine learning. Empirical analysis involves creating and testing machine learning models using real-world project data. The expected outcome is a set of practical recommendations for project managers, engineers, and stakeholders in construction to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Overall, this research contributes to ongoing efforts to enhance construction industry efficiency and productivity through the application of machine learning techniques in electrical and electronics engineering projects.

This article is from Biotechnology for Biofuels , volume 7 . Abstract Background: Molecular engineering of the intermediary physiology of cyanobacteria has become important for the sustainable production of biofuels and commodity compounds from CO2 and sunlight by “designer microbes.” The chemical commodity product L-lactic acid can be synthesized in one step from a key intermediary metabolite of these organisms, pyruvate, catalyzed by a lactate dehydrogenase. Synthetic biology engineering to make “designer microbes” includes the introduction and overexpression of the product-forming biochemical pathway. For further optimization of product formation, modifications in the surrounding biochemical network of intermediary metabolism have to be made. Results: To improve light-driven L-lactic acid production from CO2, we explored several metabolic engineering design principles, using a previously engineered L-lactic acid producing mutant strain of Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 as the benchmark. These strategies included: (i) increasing the expression level of the relevant product-forming enzyme, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), for example, via expression from a replicative plasmid; (ii) co-expression of a heterologous pyruvate kinase to increase the flux towards pyruvate; and (iii) knockdown of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase to decrease the flux through a competing pathway (from phosphoenolpyruvate to oxaloacetate). In addition, we tested selected lactate dehydrogenases, some of which were further optimized through site-directed mutagenesis to improve the enzyme’s affinity for the co-factor nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). The carbon partitioning between biomass and lactic acid was increased from about 5% to over 50% by strain optimization. Conclusion: An efficient photosynthetic microbial cell factory will display a high rate and extent of conversion of substrate (CO2) into product (here: L-lactic acid). In the existing CO2-based cyanobacterial cell factories that have been described in the literature, by far most of the control over product formation resides in the genetically introduced fermentative pathway. Here we show that a strong promoter, in combination with increased gene expression, can take away a significant part of the control of this step in lactic acid production from CO2. Under these premises, modulation of the intracellular precursor, pyruvate, can significantly increase productivity. Additionally, production enhancement is achieved by protein engineering to increase co-factor specificity of the heterologously expressed LDH.

This article is from Biotechnology for Biofuels , volume 7 . Abstract Background: Molecular engineering of the intermediary physiology of cyanobacteria has become important for the sustainable production of biofuels and commodity compounds from CO2 and sunlight by “designer microbes.” The chemical commodity product L-lactic acid can be synthesized in one step from a key intermediary metabolite of these organisms, pyruvate, catalyzed by a lactate dehydrogenase. Synthetic biology engineering to make “designer microbes” includes the introduction and overexpression of the product-forming biochemical pathway. For further optimization of product formation, modifications in the surrounding biochemical network of intermediary metabolism have to be made. Results: To improve light-driven L-lactic acid production from CO2, we explored several metabolic engineering design principles, using a previously engineered L-lactic acid producing mutant strain of Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 as the benchmark. These strategies included: (i) increasing the expression level of the relevant product-forming enzyme, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), for example, via expression from a replicative plasmid; (ii) co-expression of a heterologous pyruvate kinase to increase the flux towards pyruvate; and (iii) knockdown of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase to decrease the flux through a competing pathway (from phosphoenolpyruvate to oxaloacetate). In addition, we tested selected lactate dehydrogenases, some of which were further optimized through site-directed mutagenesis to improve the enzyme’s affinity for the co-factor nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). The carbon partitioning between biomass and lactic acid was increased from about 5% to over 50% by strain optimization. Conclusion: An efficient photosynthetic microbial cell factory will display a high rate and extent of conversion of substrate (CO2) into product (here: L-lactic acid). In the existing CO2-based cyanobacterial cell factories that have been described in the literature, by far most of the control over product formation resides in the genetically introduced fermentative pathway. Here we show that a strong promoter, in combination with increased gene expression, can take away a significant part of the control of this step in lactic acid production from CO2. Under these premises, modulation of the intracellular precursor, pyruvate, can significantly increase productivity. Additionally, production enhancement is achieved by protein engineering to increase co-factor specificity of the heterologously expressed LDH.

This program (which consists of 12 activities) is aimed at increasing the career relevance of science education for all students in grades 4 through 9, while at the same time particularly encouraging female and minority students to consider careers in science and engineering. Major areas addressed in the activities are: (1) students' images of scientists; (2) sex role stereotyping in home and and class chores; (3) occupational patterns; (4) making predictions about future work habits; (5) detecting sex and race bias in written materials and in spoken language; (6) famous women and minority scientists; (7) exploring careers in science and engineering (filmstrip presentation); (8) selected science and engineering fields; (9) skills and interests needed for a science career (emphasizing skills that students already possess); (10) resources available for learning about science careers; (11) the employment outlook for scientists and engineers; and (12) career planning. Each activity includes background information, instructional strategies, and (when applicable) student materials. A list of major points addressed in this program is included. (JN)

This report describes the accomplishments of a pilot hypermedia information service embodying the conceptual definition of a pilot information base developed by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) in support of the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) Software and Intelligent Systems Technology Office (SISTO). This pilot effort was conducted in support of the Technology Cost-Benefit Analysis tasks within TO&P 2-151, Software Engineering Technology Transition for Director, Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E) and ARPA. This report also describes the intended uses and user populations of the proposed information base, design issues that influenced the structure and contents of the information base, a proposed information model consisting of information content and linkages, the pilot information base including the technology selected for the initial pilot effort and the pilot capability, lessons learned from the pilot effort, and future plans relating to the information base efforts. Information service, Hypermedia, World-Wide Web(WWW), NCSA Mosaic, Software engineering technology transition.

Pathway holes correspond to steps in a pathway for which a homologue of known enzymes cannot be identified even though other enzymes in the pathway are present. Pathway holes can occur when an organism has independently evolved an enzyme to provide a catalytic function supplied by a structurally and possibly mechanistically different enzyme in other organisms. We have approached the identification of convergently evolved enzymes that fill pathway holes using both bioinformatic and experimental approaches. We have developed algorithms for generating divergent sets of protein sequences (Divergent Set) and for clustering proteins according to the patterns of motifs found by MEME (Motif Cluster). These algorithms can be used to search the database for sequences that are annotated with the same function and to cluster the sequences into families, thus revealing groups of sequences that show little relationship to each other and may therefore have evolved independently. We have identified a missing enzyme in Thermoplasma volcanium and are tracking down another enzyme that is missing in most Archaea. We have also developed the framework and ontology for a database of convergently evolved enzymes and have begun to populate the database.

The U.S. Navy designs and operates the most technologically advanced ships in the world. These ships incorporate the latest in weapons technology, phased array antennas, composite structures, signature reduction, survivability, modularity, power systems, computing systems, and automation. The modern day warship is an exceptionally complex system and the design process is long and intricate, spanning several years from feasibility studies to detailed design. Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) has been a recent initiative in the systems engineering community to enhance the systems engineering process by streamlining requirements traceability and improving communication amongst the various stakeholders. MBSE methods have been used in industry to develop systems architecture in a robust and comprehensive manner. In the ship design process, there is a significant need to ensure that the architecture is not only well-defined, but also addresses the needs of the stakeholders. This thesis explores the use of MBSE to develop systems architecture with application to Navy ship design and acquisition.

This study aimed to investigate engineering students' learning experiences in eLearning Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework that integrates social, teaching, and cognitive presence to promote collaboration and critical thinking. Data analyzed quantitatively with descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression using IBM SPSS Statistics 26. The research location was at a state university in Bengkulu, Indonesia. Data were collected from 187 students consists of 112 men and 75 women. The questionnaire was derived from three elements of CoI. The results showed that (1) teaching presence has a higher contribution to cognitive presence than social presence for engineering education, (2) students were ready to construct the CoI in e-learning, and (3) students have positive feedback for the CoI evaluation in engineering education. Recommendations for engineering education include lecturers should be equipped with pedagogical competence and facilitate discussions using the CoI framework. Furthermore, students should contribute more actively to the social and cognitive presence.

Pathway holes correspond to steps in a pathway for which a homologue of known enzymes cannot be identified even though other enzymes in the pathway are present. Pathway holes can occur when an organism has independently evolved an enzyme to provide a catalytic function supplied by a structurally and possibly mechanistically different enzyme in other organisms. We have approached the identification of convergently evolved enzymes that fill pathway holes using both bioinformatic and experimental approaches. We have developed algorithms for generating divergent sets of protein sequences (Divergent Set) and for clustering proteins according to the patterns of motifs found by MEME (Motif Cluster). These algorithms can be used to search the database for sequences that are annotated with the same function and to cluster the sequences into families, thus revealing groups of sequences that show little relationship to each other and may therefore have evolved independently. We have identified a missing enzyme in Thermoplasma volcanium and are tracking down another enzyme that is missing in most Archaea. We have also developed the framework and ontology for a database of convergently evolved enzymes and have begun to populate the database.

xvii, 89 p. : 26 cm

xvii, 89 p. : 26 cm

This study investigated whether it was more beneficial to provide the learners in computer-based learning environments access to on demand (self-regulated) help after they committed an error in problem solving or for the learning environment to externally regulate the presentation of instructional help. Furthermore, two different resentational formats textual and pictorial of instructional prompts were examined. This study was conducted with a computer-based learning environment that introduced high school students without any prior content-specific knowledge to the principles of parallel and series electrical circuit analysis. We found that textual prompts facilitated problem solving statistically significantly better than pictorial prompts. Moreover, the learners provided with externally regulated prompts reported statistically significantly more positive attitudes toward the prompts than learners in the self-regulated conditions. Finally, the continuing motivation was statistically significantly stronger in learners who viewed textual prompts than in their counterparts in the pictorial prompt groups.

An investigation of whether parents who took part in the Exploring Together Programme supporting the foundations of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) report increases in engaging in maths and science related activities with their child at post-intervention compared with pre-intervention.

An investigation of whether parents who took part in the Exploring Together Programme supporting the foundations of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) report increases in engaging in maths and science related activities with their child at post-intervention compared with pre-intervention.

SAME understands the importance of staying abreast of industry trends and developments. To ensure its courses remain relevant and up-to-date, the institute fosters strong partnerships with leading aviation companies and organizations.

Biomedical engineering principles applied to medicine and biology

Air Force Communications Command accomplishes more than 2,500 installations, modifications, and removals of ground communications-electronics equipment and system each year. The responsibility for this mission is assigned to the Engineering Installation Center (EIC). Since its inception in 1981, the EIC has witnessed numerous instances where target completion dates were not met and unprogrammed resources were consumed. Although many factors contribute to these problems, the root issue can be traced to the original man-hour projections annotated during the request for technical assistance process. Specifically, man-hour estimates are made solely on the subjective judgement and experience of scheme engineers. This research explores the feasibility of developing an automated work estimation system which, as a component of the EI Management System (EIMS), could be applied to arrive at man-hour estimates. This paper evaluates the existing EIMS data base and applies multiple regression analysis to a set of explanatory variables. The research concludes that the existing data base does not lend itself to an automated estimating system due to the paucity of germane physical and performance characteristic data to set up an estimating relationship. (Author)

Entrepreneurship is still young and developing in Mongolia, yet it is the main driver of the Mongolian economy. According to The National Statistics Office of Mongolia, small and medium businesses create 52.5% of all jobs in Mongolia. To ensure more qualified entrepreneurs join the labor market, educators and instructors can help with resources for their students that will enable them to create successful businesses. Entrepreneurship education can play an essential role in providing a qualified and skilled supply of entrepreneurs for the Mongolian economy. This paper will examine how project-based learning impacts engineering students' entrepreneurial mindset at Mongolia's university. The study will try to create awareness of the importance of entrepreneurship education and a project-based learning (PBL) approach for students with any engineering background. As a case study, this research will take "NUM Startup 2.0", a five-month program in that students can team up with their professors to build a startup company from the beginning. A qualitative research methodology will be used to conduct interviews with participants of NUM Startup 2.0. This research will use homogenous sampling to select students with similar backgrounds, and for a semi-structured in-depth interview, collected data will be analyzed using the thematic analysis method. Moreover, this research may provide valuable feedback to universities in Mongolia to develop more well-structured courses for students. [For the full proceedings, see ED630948.]

This thesis investigates the relationship between peacetime and wartime tasks for Air Force Civil Engineering career fields in regard to outsourcing. Relevant literature in civilian sector outsourcing techniques is then studied to determine how they decide on what to outsource and what to keep insourced. Peacetime tasks performed by individual career fields are correlated with the wartime tasks to determine if there is any valuable wartime training gained from the completion of peacetime work orders. Several interviews completed with Air Force Civil Engineer readiness experts to evaluate an importance factor for each career field wartime mission. This importance factor and the wartime correlation is then coded into a mathematical system dynamics model. This model enumerates different decision-maker profiles of outsourcing motivation in order to predict long term trends of manning authorizations given the wartime correlation and importance factors. Different specific dynamic cases are then discussed and possible predictors for optimization are suggested.

Despite generally higher academic achievement, female students display lower academic self-confidence than males. Of particular interest to engineering educators is the difference in confidence in mathematical, scientific and problem-solving skills. Using a multi-method approach that utilizes the rich dataset of the Academic Pathways Study, the researchers were able to consider approaches to understanding the "confidence gap" in engineering students. The quantitative data indicates that, over the course of the four years of their engineering education, men have higher confidence than women in their math and science abilities and in their ability to solve open-ended problems. No difference was observed in confidence in professional and interpersonal skills.

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The long-term objective of the research in the laboratory is to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms that mediate the coupling of short-term changes in cholinergic neurotransmission to long-term consequences in motor, cognitive and autonomous functions. To study the pathways by which cholinergic inputs control neuritic and synaptic cytoarchitecture and determine changes in downstream-regulated genes, we have developed transgenic and antisense models which enable gain- and loss-of-function modulation in several acetylcholinesterase (AChE) variants. These led to the observation that AChE expression is essential for growth and affects synaptic development through its catalytic function, core protein and variable-termini domains. In transgenic mice, we found that overproduction alters expression of the neuronal circuitry-related members of the neurexin gene family and causes late onset, progressive deterioration in dendrite branching, neuromotor and cognitive faculties. Using hippocampal brain slices and an in vivo stress protocol, we demonstrated that both acute stress and exposure to anti-cholinesterases disrupt the blood-brain barrier and promote long-lasting changes in cholinergic gene expression. Currently, cosmid sequencing and genotyping studies are being employed to explore the association of intragenic and neighboring sequences with regulation of the expression of the AChE gene, which is essential for responses to drugs and scavenging of poisons.

This research explores the integration of the Constructive Systems Engineering Cost Model (COSYSMO) into early modeling efforts for the Department of Defense (DOD). Initial acquisition decisions influence the analysis and design of systems engineers, who face an increasingly complex and dynamic environment with significant impact on system life-cycle decisions and cost. This work utilizes a model-based systems engineering (MBSE) approach and the systems modeling language (SysML) to highlight the sharing of system model data with COSYSMO to provide an estimate of systems engineering costs. The document highlights the proposed methods compliance to cost estimation techniques, adherence and support to pre-Milestone A requirements of the DOD acquisitions process, and links to the Department of Defense Architectural Framework (DODAF). Application and documentation of the authors methods include a commonly used humanitarian aid effort scenario that incorporates traditional systems functional analysis of a single water distiller. The works results demonstrate an ability for automated and semi-automated integration with COSYSMO from the system model in a web-based tool, conclude with challenges associated with external cost model integration, and suggest future areas of continued refinement and extensions. A starting point for an ensemble of models to enhance DOD cost estimation practices results from the techniques.

This research explores the integration of the Constructive Systems Engineering Cost Model (COSYSMO) into early modeling efforts for the Department of Defense (DOD). Initial acquisition decisions influence the analysis and design of systems engineers, who face an increasingly complex and dynamic environment with significant impact on system life-cycle decisions and cost. This work utilizes a model-based systems engineering (MBSE) approach and the systems modeling language (SysML) to highlight the sharing of system model data with COSYSMO to provide an estimate of systems engineering costs. The document highlights the proposed methods compliance to cost estimation techniques, adherence and support to pre-Milestone A requirements of the DOD acquisitions process, and links to the Department of Defense Architectural Framework (DODAF). Application and documentation of the authors methods include a commonly used humanitarian aid effort scenario that incorporates traditional systems functional analysis of a single water distiller. The works results demonstrate an ability for automated and semi-automated integration with COSYSMO from the system model in a web-based tool, conclude with challenges associated with external cost model integration, and suggest future areas of continued refinement and extensions. A starting point for an ensemble of models to enhance DOD cost estimation practices results from the techniques.

Under the framework of emerging graduate education models, Industry-Academia Co-Creation Model (IACM) significantly enhances graduate students’ innovative capabilities and industry relevance. This study takes Harbin Engineering University as an example to propose a collaborative innovation framework for graduate education, grounded in the Emerging Engineering Education paradigm. Through critical analysis of the limitations inherent in the traditional graduate training model and the imperative for IACM, we propose four IACM pathways for graduate students’ training, comprising dual-advisor system, university-enterprise joint development of training programs & curriculum system, industry-university-research-application (IURA) collaboration platform and quality-centric evaluation metrics. These strategies cultivate “theory-application integration” competencies in graduate students, achieving dual objectives of elevating the quality of talent development in universities and addressing industry demands for real-world engineering solutions, thereby in line with the evolution of modern higher education.

The U.S. Navy designs and operates the most technologically advanced ships in the world. These ships incorporate the latest in weapons technology, phased array antennas, composite structures, signature reduction, survivability, modularity, power systems, computing systems, and automation. The modern day warship is an exceptionally complex system and the design process is long and intricate, spanning several years from feasibility studies to detailed design. Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) has been a recent initiative in the systems engineering community to enhance the systems engineering process by streamlining requirements traceability and improving communication amongst the various stakeholders. MBSE methods have been used in industry to develop systems architecture in a robust and comprehensive manner. In the ship design process, there is a significant need to ensure that the architecture is not only well-defined, but also addresses the needs of the stakeholders. This thesis explores the use of MBSE to develop systems architecture with application to Navy ship design and acquisition.

This work reports on research focused on the Internet Engineering Task Force’s (IETF) innovative processes for not only creating protocols (descriptions of how to move data in networks of computers) but also, its own governance protocols. We argue the IETF is regenerative and leverages its collective intelligence. Our research can offer insights to organizations and communities seeking to create better technology for the good of humanity. The first part of our research explores the IETF as a living system based on our participation and observations mapped to the patterns from three different pattern languages. In this section we explore how Identity, Culture, Process, Governance, Tooling, and Knowledge all shape a deeper IETF Purpose. The second part of the report thoroughly explores how the IETF is regenerative. We use the patterns from the pattern languages as lenses to understand how the organization works. We detail how these patterns appear within the IETF as it operates. We explore • How an organization that is totally open to participation from anyone in the world maintains its coherence and achieves effective results developing the protocols for data communications networks. • How the Ritual and Flow of week-long meetings embody many Patterns from the Group Works Deck: A Pattern Language for Bringing Life to Meetings and Other Gatherings. • How the organization distributes governance and embodies and expresses key patterns from the Wise Democracy Pattern Language. • How the organization sustains Joyful Communal Labor within a Zone of Autonomy it has cultivated and maintained. • How core patterns like a Willingness to Experiment and a Grounding in Running Code exist for both the technical protocols and the community leadership and governance protocols they create. • What key patterns are present within Working Group meetings – the main meeting form within the IETF.

Communication is the vital exchange of information between people, groups, or places through words or mediums that help understanding. It is essential in various aspects of life, especially in professional interactions. Communication dynamics show various aspects of a workplace depending on its communication culture, challenges, and flow of communication in the company. The researchers aim to examine how communication dynamics influence employee engagement, the role of communication culture in shaping organizational behaviour, and the flow of communication through different hierarchical levels. The study employed a qualitative approach to investigate communication dynamics within an engineering company. Through in-depth interviews with seven employees representing various roles, data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Moreover, utilizing the thematic analysis to identify the data's recurring themes provides insight into organizational communication dynamics. Noticeably, there is an exchange of information and ideas, with its circular nature, signifying the dynamic interaction where feedback and mutuality are prevalent. This study aims to ascertain the prevailing communication model within an engineering company by analyzing the gathered data meticulously and interpreting its implications. Thus, the engineering company understudy has adopted the Osgood-Schramm model, a model proposed by Charles E. Osgood and Wilbur Schramm in 1954. Lastly, this study aspires to provide recommendations for improving communication dynamics within the company. Hence, this research underscored the importance of prioritizing face-to-face communication and bolstering leadership skills among project supervisors. Moreover, implementing these strategies is crucial for ensuring both project success and organizational effectiveness.

In this article the authors collected numerous forms of data to better understand the perceptions of a joint conference from the various stakeholders. From the detailed survey and interview responses, the researchers found that administrators/supervisors had fewer reservations in regards to holding a joint conference. One reason for this may due to the multiple STEM-related content areas that the administrators and supervisors represented. Administrators expressed in the interviews that a joint conference allows professionals to attend a richer conference where they can gather resources on a greater variety of topics to share at their school. Also from these data collection methods, the analyses of science and technology and engineering (T&E) participants at this conference indicated differences in perceived understanding of content and ability to demonstrate comprehension of content within their fields. Analyses further indicated pre- and post-median score gains in perceived understanding of content outside of their fields for both groups of professionals. These analyses also revealed T&E professionals' identifiable gains in pre- and post-median scores for their ability to demonstrate comprehension of and apply content within their field; whereas science professionals' median scores for ability to apply content outside of their field increased as a result of the joint conference. This may suggest that science professionals benefited most from the hands-on T&E presentations at the conference that helped inform teachers how to teach STEM concepts through engineering design.