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Progress in the scientific and practical fields of aviation has caused the Swiss Institute of Technology to organize lectures and practical training courses in all three branches of aeronautics and to found centers of scientific research, laboratories, etc., in order to supply the government and industries with scientifically and technically trained engineers.
Traditional and nontraditional methods for training technical writers-editors within the federal government are discussed. It is concluded that cooperative education that combines work experience with classroom instruction provides an excellent method for locating and training competent and reliable young professionals.
Accident and incident reports have indicated that flight attendants have numerous opportunities to provide the flight-deck crew with operational information that may prevent or essen the severity of a potential problem. Additionally, as carrier fleets transition from three person to two person flight-deck crews, the reliance upon the cabin crew for the transfer of this information may increase further. Recent research (Chute & Wiener, 1996) indicates that light attendants do not feel confident in their ability to describe mechanical parts or malfunctions of the aircraft, and the lack of flight attendant technical training has been referenced in a number of recent reports (National Transportation Safety Board, 1992; Transportation Safety Board of Canada, 1995; Chute & Wiener, 1996). The present study explored both flight attendant technical knowledge and flight attendant and dot expectations of flight attendant technical knowledge. To assess the technical knowledge if cabin crewmembers, 177 current flight attendants from two U.S. carriers voluntarily :ompleted a 13-item technical quiz. To investigate expectations of flight attendant technical knowledge, 181 pilots and a second sample of 96 flight attendants, from the same two airlines, completed surveys designed to capture each group's expectations of operational knowledge required of flight attendants. Analyses revealed several discrepancies between the present level of flight attendants.
In late 2006, the Mission Operations Directorate (MOD) at NASA began looking at ways to make training more efficient for the flight controllers who support the International Space Station. The average certification times for flight controllers spanned from 18 months to three years and the MOD, responsible for technical training, was eager to develop creative solutions that would reduce the time to 12 months. Additionally, previously trained flight controllers sometimes participated in more than 50 very costly, eight-hour integrated simulations before becoming certified. New trainees needed to gain proficiency with far fewer lessons and training simulations than their predecessors. This poster presentation reviews the approach and the process that is currently in development to accomplish this goal.
Syracuse University Industrial Assessment Center (SU-IAC) project is focused on the two primary objectives: (i) educate undergraduate and graduate students in engineering and associated disciplines on the concepts of energy sustainability and to provide hands-on training by performing energy assessment at industrial facilities to become future energy efficiency experts, and (ii) offer energy assessments to small and mid-sized manufacturing companies in SU-IAC 2 the greater New York State region, perform analytical engineering work in support of assessment recommendations, and to report the results of those analyses to the client companies, to DOE, and to Field office personnel Through this project period, SU-IAC successfully trained 77 engineering students who were undergraduate or graduate students at Syracuse University College of Engineering, or at SU- IAC’s satellite center at Clarkson University. Each of these students received comprehensive ‘in-class’ technical training, safety training, and hands-on field training. The students performed various tasks related to energy assessment at the manufacturing facilities, including billing analysis, energy use reduction recommendations, and report preparation. Through this project period, a total of 34 students have completed all requirements of the SU-IAC program and have received the US DoE Certificate on Energy Efficiency, with the remaining students continuing at various stages of field work or training. During this project period, due to Covid-related measures in New York State, Syracuse University campus and most of the manufacturing facilities were completely closed or were under severe restrictions for access, for an extended period from March 2020 through April 2021. The closures affected our project execution, with the project Sponsor offering structured relief to carry-out a modified project during the affected budget periods. During this project period, SU-IAC student teams, led by its Director, completed a total of 77 energy assessments at small- and medium-scale manufacturing facilities located in New York State. For these facilities, SU-IAC prepared and presented details for 569 assessment recommendations (ARs). The facilities implemented a total of 258 of these ARs, realizing annual average energy savings in the range of $\$ $3,300 to $\$ $55,000 per facility. Cumulatively, these facilities have reduced their “first year after implementation” energy use by a total of 4.37 million kwh, and fuel use by a total of 27.7 billion BTU. SU-IAC project has successfully met the two primary objectives (and the associated sub objectives) and helped the manufacturing facilities in New York State achieve quantitative energy use reductions as a result of this project.
MITT Writer is a software system for developing computer based training for complex technical domains. A training system produced by MITT Writer allows a student to learn and practice troubleshooting and diagnostic skills. The MITT (Microcomputer Intelligence for Technical Training) architecture is a reasonable approach to simulation based diagnostic training. MITT delivers training on available computing equipment, delivers challenging training and simulation scenarios, and has economical development and maintenance costs. A 15 month effort was undertaken in which the MITT Writer system was developed. A workshop was also conducted to train instructors in how to use MITT Writer. Earlier versions were used to develop an Intelligent Tutoring System for troubleshooting the Minuteman Missile Message Processing System.
While technical training and advanced degree's assure proficiency at specific tasks within engineering disciplines, they fail to address the potential for communication breakdown and decision making errors familiar to multicultural environments where language barriers, intimidating personalities and interdisciplinary misconceptions exist. In an effort to minimize these pitfalls to effective panel review, NASA's lead safety engineers to the ISS Safety Review Panel (SRP), and Payload Safety Review Panel (PSRP) initiated training with their engineers, in conjunction with the panel chairs, and began a Panel Resource Management (PRM) program. The intent of this program focuses on the ability to reduce the barriers inhibiting effective participation from all panel attendees by bolstering participants confidence levels through increased communication skills, situational awareness, debriefing, and a better technical understanding of requirements and systems.
Phase 3 of the School Science Comes Alive Program (S(sup 2)CAP) created an exciting, science - enrichment experience for third, fourth and fifth graders and their teachers and enhanced the science-teaching skills of teacher teams at each of four participating elementary schools on Virginia's Peninsula. The schools involved enroll a majority of Black students, many of whom are from economically disadvantaged households. Designed to build on the highly successful S(sup 2)CAP program of the preceding two years, this project brought college faculty together with classroom teachers and trained volunteers in a cooperative effort to make a lasting difference in the quality of science education at the four schools. In total, this program touched approximately 1000 the school children, more than half of whom are black, giving them direct and indirect exposure to the spirit of inquiry and adventure of the world-wide science community. In S(sup 2)CAP Phase 3, a large measure of responsibility was placed on the classroom teachers, thus creating a more sustainable partnership between college faculty and grade school teacher. Our college physics professors coached and supported teams of teachers from each school at intensive training workshops. A volunteer program provided each teacher with one or more trained volunteers to assist in class with the hands-on activities that have been central to the S2CAP program. Most of the equipment for these activities was constructed during the workshops by the teachers and volunteers from low cost materials provided by the program. Two types of volunteers were enlisted: science smart black college students and technically trained retirees (many of whom are ex-NASA employees). One goal of this program was to increase the numbers of minority students who see science as an interesting and exciting subject, to make the science period a time which students look forward to in the school day. Such an attitude is expected to translate naturally into a higher interest in science and engineering as a career for these students. A second goal was to create a sustainable improvement in the way science is taught at the elementary level. By the end of the program we expected that our teachers would be significantly more self reliant in using hands-on-activities as a part of their science curricula than they were prior to their involvement with S2CAP. In summary, S2CAP Phase 3 offered intensive training workshops for teachers and supporting volunteers followed by stimulating hands-on activities in the classroom for the children. These components combined to amplify the experience, enthusiasm, and ideas of our scientists in a way that complements the normal elementary school curriculum in each of the two school systems involved.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), through their partnership with the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), requested the support of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to provide specialized technical assistance as part of the Smart Infrastructure for the Mekong (SIM) Program in Thailand. Introduced in July 2013 by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, SIM is a U.S. Government Inter-Agency program that provides Lower Mekong partner countries with targeted, demand-driven technical and scientific assistance to support environmentally sound, climate conscious and socially equitable infrastructure, clean energy development, and water resources optimization. The U.S. Government is committed to supporting sustainable economic development within the region by providing tools, best practices, technical assistance, and lessons learned for the benefit of partner countries. In response to a request from the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), a SIM project was developed with two main activities: 1) to promote hydropower sustainability and efficiency through technical assessment training at two existing hydropower assets in Thailand, and 2) the design and implementation of one national and two or three regional science and policy workshops, to be co-hosted with EGAT, to build common understanding of and commitment to environmental and social safeguards for Mekong Basin hydropower projects. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is leading the technical assessment (Activity 1), and has contracted ORNL to provide expert technical assistance focused on increasing efficiency at existing projects, with the goal of increasing renewable energy generation at little to no capital cost. ORNL is the leading national laboratory in hydropower analysis, with a nationally recognized and highly qualified team of scientists addressing small to large-scale systems (basin-, regional-, and national-scale) energy generation optimization analysis for DOE. The mission of the ORNL Water Power Program is to develop technologies, decision-support tools, and methods of analysis that enable holistic management of water-dependent energy infrastructure and natural resources in support of the DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office (DOE-EERE), Federal hydropower agencies, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), energy producers, and other entities. In support of SIM, ORNL completed technical assessments of two hydropower plants owned and operated by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT): Vajiralongkorn (VRK), with an installed capacity of 300 MW, and Rajjaprabha (RPB), with an installed capacity of 240MW. Technical assessment is defined as the assessment of hydropower operation and performance, and the identification of potential opportunities for performance improvement through plant optimization. At each plant, the assessment included an initial analysis of hydropower operating and performance metrics, provided by dam owners. After this analysis, ORNL engaged with the plant management team in a skills exchange, where best practices, operational methods, and technical challenges were discussed. The technical assessment process was outlined to plant management followed by a presentation of preliminary results and analysis based on 50 days of operational data. EGAT has agreed to provide a full year of operational data so a complete and detailed assessment that captures seasonal variability can be completed. The results of these assessments and discussions will be used to develop a set of best practices, training, and procedure recommendations to improve the efficiency of the two assessed plants.
Building on new institutional theory, this paper develops an analytical framework for analyzing constraints to the institutionalization of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) at four different institutional levels. The framework is tested in an empirical analysis of the environmental assessment system in Vietnam, which is a frontrunner among developing countries regarding the introduction and use of SEA. Building on interviews with Vietnamese and international experts, as well as an extensive literature review, we identify institutional constraints which challenge the effective use of SEA in Vietnam. We conclude that commonly identified constraints, such as inadequate training, technical guidelines, baseline data and financial resources, are strongly linked to constraints at higher institutional levels, such as incentives to not share information between ministries and severe restrictions on access to information and public participation. Without a thorough understanding of these institutional constraints, there is a risk that attempts to improve the use of SEA are misdirected. Thus, a careful institutional analysis should guide efforts to introduce and improve the use of SEA in Vietnam and other developing countries. The analytical framework for analyzing constraints to institutionalization of SEA presented in this paper represents a systematic effort in this direction. - Highlights: • A framework for analyzing constraints to institutionalizing SEA is developed • Empirical analysis of the strategic environmental assessment system in Vietnam • Constraints in the action arena linked to deeper institutional constraints • Institutional analysis needed prior to introducing SEA in developing countries.
The DOE-EM recognizes that successfully completing its legacy environmental cleanup mission will require maintaining a well-trained, technically skilled, and diverse workforce. Minority representation in critical science and engineering fields is an important part of EM's vision for the future workforce. The Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Program (MSIPP) has been created and designed to increase the numbers of minorities with science and engineering experience in areas important to the success of the DOE-EM mission. MSIPP will provide financial assistance for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities at Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) engaged in research and related STEM efforts supporting EM's needs. The program offers research internship opportunities at DOE National Laboratories across the DOE complex. MSIPP also encourages research collaborations between MSI Universities and DOE National Laboratories by funding research in areas relevant to DOE-EM needs. Based on current DOE-EM missions, there are two research focus areas: Tank Waste and Site Restoration. Tank Waste includes priority areas of current DOE tank waste and waste processing approaches, alternative DOE tank waste processing options, and tank management and closure. Site Restoration research concentrates in the areas of Soil and Groundwater with priority areas of attenuation-based remedies for the subsurface, deep vadose zone, remediation of mercury and industrial contaminants, and advanced simulation capability for environmental management; and, in the areas of Deactivation and Decommissioning, with priority areas of unique sensor networks for remote monitoring of entombed facilities and tanks, interactions between radiological and chemical contaminants of concern to DOE and facility materials, incombustible fixatives and decontamination agents, acceptability of DeconGel and various contaminant mixtures and robotics, remote systems with plug-and-play interchangeable components, and models for facility decommissioning. This paper gives an overview of the opportunities available to MSI students and universities and outlines the progress this program has made since its inception, and the path forward to further enhance efforts to create a pipeline into the DOE-EM workforce. (authors)
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) is the most sensitive method for quantitation of 14 C in biological samples. This technology has been used in a variety of low dose, human health related studies over the last 20 years when very high sensitivity was needed. AMS helped pioneer these scientific methods, but its expensive facilities and requirements for highly trained technical staff have limited their proliferation. Quantification of 14 C by cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) offers an approach that eliminates many of the shortcomings of an accelerator-based system and would supplement the use of AMS in biomedical research. Our initial prototype, using a non-ideal wavelength laser and under suboptimal experimental conditions, has a 3.5-modern, 1-σ precision for detection of milligram-sized, carbon-14-elevated samples. Furthermore, these results demonstrate proof of principle and provided a starting point for the development of a spectrometer capable of biologically relevant sensitivities.
The Centro de Micro Analisis de Materiales (CMAM) is a research centre of the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid dedicated to the modification and analysis of materials using ion beam techniques. The infrastructure, based on a HVEE 5MV tandem accelerator, provided with a coaxial Cockcroft Walton charging system, is fully open to research groups of the UAM, to other public research institutions and to private enterprises. The CMAM research covers a few important lines such as advanced materials, surface science, biomedical materials, cultural heritage, materials for energy production. The Centre gives as well support to university teaching and technical training. A detail description of the research infrastructures and their use statistics will be given. Some of the main research results will be presented to show the progress of research in the Centre in the past few years and to motivate the strategic plans for the forthcoming.
Abstract Humans act as drivers for the introduction of non-native trees. Some non-native species may become invasive and cause undesirable impacts, thereby motivating targeted decision-making and management actions. Australian acacias (or wattles; genus Acacia subgenus Phyllodineae) have been introduced worldwide, offering both opportunities and risks for local communities. Understanding how stakeholders perceive invasive acacias is paramount to assist effective decision-making. We assessed stakeholders’ perceptions about these non-native acacias, their invasion process, social-ecological impacts and management. We conducted a questionnaire-based survey with experienced managers and decision-makers in Northern Portugal, where acacia invasions are widespread. We found that most stakeholders are not able to recognize non-native species, failing to identify the introduction period, drivers of dispersion and appropriate management methods of Australian acacias. We could also identify different stakeholder perceptions on the benefits and negative impacts provided by these species. We call for the implementation of technical training and information outreach strategies to address stakeholders’ lack of knowledge (and experience) on the recognition and identification of non-native trees, as well as on their introduction and invasion history, drivers of dispersion, costs and benefits, and effective management actions. Stakeholders’ engagement should be promoted in the design and implementation of biosecurity efforts to control (and/or adapt to) invasive acacias at relevant scales of invasion management.
As the world's fossil fuel resources are being depleted and their costs increase, there is an urgent need to discover and develop new processes for the conversion of renewable, biomass resources into fuels and chemical feedstocks. Research and development in this area have been given high priority by both governmental agencies and industry. To increase the energy content and decrease the boiling points of biomass-derived carbohydrates and polyols to the useful liquid range it is necessary to chemically remove water (dehydrate) and, preferably, oxygen (deoxygenate/reduce). The poly-hydroxylic nature of carbohydrates is attractive for their use as functionalized chemical building blocks, but it presents a daunting challenge for their selective conversion to single product chemicals or fuels. The long term, practical objective of this project is to develop catalytic processes for the deoxydehydration (DODH) of biomass-derived carbohydrates and polyols to produce unsaturated alcohols and hydrocarbons of value as chemical feedstocks and fuels; DODH: polyol + reductant --(LMOx catalyst)--> unsaturate + oxidized reductant + H2O. Limited prior studies have established the viability of the DODH process with expensive phosphine reductants and rhenium-catalysts. Initial studies in the PI's laboratory have now demonstrated: 1) the moderately efficient conversion of glycols to olefins by the economical sulfite salts is catalyzed by MeReO3 and Z+ReO4-; 2) effective phosphine-based catalytic DODH of representative glycols to olefins by cheap LMoO2 complexes; and 3) computational studies (with K. Houk, UCLA) have identified several Mo-, W-, and V-oxo complexes that are likely to catalyze glycol DODH. Seeking practically useful DODH reactions of complex polyols and new understanding of the reactivity of polyoxo-metal species with biomass-oxygenates we will employ a two-pronged approach: 1) investigate experimentally the reactivity, both stoichiometric and catalytic, of polyoxo-complexes and practical reductants with representative polyols to establish structure/reactivity relationships and reaction mechanisms; and b) carry out parallel computational studies of these reactions and their mechanisms- both analytical and predictive. Our prioritized action plan is: (1) to optimize the catalytic efficiency, assess the substrate scope/selectivity, and address key mechanistic aspects of Re-catalyzed, sulfite-driven DODH reactions; (2) use the findings from (1), together with computational predictions, to discover new, effective non-precious metal catalysts for sulfite-driven DODH reactions; and 3) to initiate exploratory studies of CO- and H2-driven DODH. Successful execution of this research project will: 1) provide practical chemical processes for the conversion of biomass into useful chemicals and fuels: 2) bring fundamental new understanding of chemical reactions involving metal-oxo catalysts; and 3) provide educational and technical training of future energy scientists.
The development of our Integrated Actinide Sample Preparation Laboratory (IASPL) commenced in 1998 driven by the need to perform transmission electron microscopy studies on naturally aged plutonium and its alloys looking for the microstructural effects of the radiological decay process (1). Remodeling and construction of a laboratory within the Chemistry and Materials Science Directorate facilities at LLNL was required to turn a standard radiological laboratory into a Radiological Materials Area (RMA) and Radiological Buffer Area (RBA) containing type I, II and III workplaces. Two inert atmosphere dry-train glove boxes with antechambers and entry/exit fumehoods (Figure 1), having a baseline atmosphere of 1 ppm oxygen and 1 ppm water vapor, a utility fumehood and a portable, and a third double-walled enclosure have been installed and commissioned. These capabilities, along with highly trained technical staff, facilitate the safe operation of sample preparation processes and instrumentation, and sample handling while minimizing oxidation or corrosion of the plutonium. In addition, we are currently developing the capability to safely transfer small metallographically prepared samples to a mini-SEM for microstructural imaging and chemical analysis. The gloveboxes continue to be the most crucial element of the laboratory allowing nearly oxide-free sample preparation for a wide variety of LLNL-based characterization experiments, which includes transmission electron microscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, optical microscopy, electrical resistivity, ion implantation, X-ray diffraction and absorption, magnetometry, metrological surface measurements, high-pressure diamond anvil cell equation-of-state, phonon dispersion measurements, X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. The sample preparation and materials processing capabilities in the IASPL have also facilitated experimentation at world-class facilities such as the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory, the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble, France, the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Facility, the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratory, the Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the Triumph Accelerator in Canada.
The revised Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1547 Standard for Interconnection and Interoperability of Distributed Energy Resources with Associated Electric Power Systems Interfaces (IEEE Std 1547-2018) was published in April 2018. This standard is one of the foundational documents in the United States needed for integrating distributed energy resources (DERs), including solar energy systems, with the electric distribution grid. The revised standard contains 11 chapters (clauses) and 8 annexes that comprise 136 pages. The revision is significantly different from the 2003 version, and it contains new concepts and new technical requirements. Each clause specifies information or requirements that apply to certain aspects important to the interconnection of DERs to the electric power system. Implementing the requirements necessitates a careful study of the underlying technical concept and requires the appropriate information required to calculate relevant settings and configurations. Various stakeholders have different roles in implementing the standard, and portions of the standard are directed toward a specific audience who must possess specialized information and technical training to use and apply the requirements. This document aims to (1) summarize a specific portion of the standard as concisely as possible and (2) provide the reader with introductory knowledge and information to support the utilization of the requirements.
The U.S. Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) launched the Innovating Distributed Embedded Energy Prize (InDEEP) in March 2023 to accelerate innovation in Distributed Embedded Energy Conversion Technologies (DEEC-Tec) for ocean wave energy. Administered by the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) with technical support from Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), InDEEP focused on the development of small, distributed, and embeddable energy converters (DEECs) and their integration into scalable DEEC-Tec metamaterials for marine renewable energy applications. Spanning three phases over two years, InDEEP awarded approximately $2.3 million to teams from academia, industry, and startups. Phase I emphasized conceptual design. Phase II moved into the prototyping of individual DEECs. Phase III required integration into functional DEEC-Tec metamaterial prototypes. Across 60 submissions, teams explored a wide range of energy conversion mechanisms - including piezoelectric, variable-capacitance, ionic, and inductive methods. Note, the prize did not include the design nor demonstration of ocean wave energy conversion systems. Rather, the prize only required participants to design and demonstrate individual DEECs and corresponding DEEC-Tec metamaterials. This prize utilized a mix of novel and proven techniques to attract participants from outside marine energy, including an engagement leaderboard, robust recruitment, technical expert mentorship, and a suite of technical trainings. Key insights from the competition emphasized that DEEC-Tec metamaterials must be intentionally designed to produce beneficial emergent behaviors - advantages that go beyond simply combining multiple DEEC units. Top-performing teams showed that thoughtful design of system architecture, coordinated deformation, and systems adaptabilities could unlock meaningful performance gains both at the DEEC system level and DEEC-Tec metamaterial system level. A critical realization was that many DEEC-Tec metamaterials could benefit from being designed to accept lower-frequency energy inputs and shift those into higher-frequencies per each DEEC making up the respective DEEC-Tec metamaterial. Other important takeaways included the need for rigorous and quantitative performance testing, effective integration of power conditioning electronics, and the pivotal role of material science in enabling innovative, adaptive DEEC-Tec-based energy conversion designs. InDEEP also helped establish a growing DEEC-Tec community of practitioners, attracting participants from beyond traditional marine energy sectors. Through a strong support infrastructure, InDEEP fostered early-stage innovation and laid a foundation for future DEEC-Tec-based ocean wave energy conversion solutions - positioning DEEC-Tec as a promising pathway toward scalable, resilient ocean wave energy conversion. Through focused R&D of individual DEECs and their integration into DEEC-Tec metamaterials, alongside a growing, multidisciplinary community catalyzed by InDEEP, there is a strong opportunity to drive a disruptive shift in ocean wave energy conversion design and development. This convergence of novel architectures, emergent behaviors, and collaborative innovation positions DEEC-Tec as a transformative approach, moving the field from rigid, centralized energy conversion-based designs to resilient, modular systems highly adaptable for real-world ocean wave energy conversion applications.