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Construction Management Students using Technology in the Field
Get PDFThis research paper examines the affect technology has had on the desire for college graduates to pursue a career in the field. The idea of college graduates entering directly into a field leadership position was contemplated and discussed. Historically, soft skills such as leadership and communication have been the predominate attributes of any worker expected to run construction in the field. While the importance of these skills hasn’t changed, the importance of technological skills has increased to be considered alongside soft skills. Through an anonymous survey of industry professionals with 10+ years of experience as well as interviews of two lifelong builders, it was determined that rapidly evolving construction software continues to play an increasingly vital role in the construction process. Knowing how to use these programs to create schedules, manage people and materials, predict costs, and create models has become a mandatory part of a resume in construction. This dynamic balance between the people skills and technological skills required for effective management in the field demonstrates the complexity of the construction industry. A majority of respondents agreed that the need for technological skills will continue to increase as jobsites transition to progressively include the latest technology
Establishing a Baseline Vegetation Study of the Monterey Pine Forest Understory in the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve
Get PDFThere is invaluable genetic information in native Monterey pine forests; having unadulterated genetic information is critical for the pine industry as well as conserving native trees in native stands. The Monterey pine forest and its understory are incredibly sensitive and precious ecological systems. Maintaining healthy remnant forests, including understory vegetation, is important for local biodiversity. In 2020, the Monterey pine was listed as an endangered species candidate, yet so little has been published about Monterey pine in California, with outdated reports and a lack of information about the forest floor. Monterey pine is endemic to only three locations on the West Coast of North America, one of which is located in Cambria, CA. The Monterey pine forest understory of the West Fiscalini Ranch Preserve (FFRP) in Cambria, San Luis Obispo was targeted to establish a baseline vegetation survey of the understory location, composition, abundance and diversity. Since around 2010, FFRP has been growing and planting thousands of Monterey pine and a few oak seedlings to increase the forest’s extent. To date, the forest’s range has increased by approximately twenty-five percent. Yet the understory of the forest has not been targeted for restoration efforts along with the overstory, leaving the forest floor in a state that may be depauperate. The focus of this research project is to specifically target the understory of the Monterey pine, creating an inventory of the native understory. The research intends to preserve the current habitat with management implementation for future comprehensive revegetation efforts. Ensuring the broad range of forest characteristics that affect understory growth were surveyed, systematic sampling was utilized to target every portion of the Preserve. Data collection took place from June 13 – 25, 2021. a total of thirty-eight, 1/10th acre fixed-radius plots were used for sampling. All plots were distanced 330ft from each other in a grid-like formation. A total of seventy-three understory species were identified, of which only nineteen non-native plants were found between the thirty-eight plots. The majority of the understory comprised of native California species while non-native species showed little presence. The most abundant and varietal understory grew under concentrated amounts of Monterey pine while the understory on the coastal bluff was comprised of only mixed grasses. While documenting a baseline understory vegetation study, this survey will be a source for future understory comparisons, establishing criteria for successful regeneration and revegetation practices
Look Who\u27s Talking: Exploring the DEI STEM Librarianship Conversation
Get PDFLibrarian research on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in its various iterations dates back over a decade; however, in the context of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) librarianship this work still seems very limited. We collect and analyze papers published in STEM library and information science journals over the past 10 years to better understand the nature of this work. In our research we consider the content of existing conversations, what is missing from this discourse, and areas for further research
Exploring the Numerical Range of Block Toeplitz Operators
Get PDFWe will explore the numerical range of the block Toeplitz operator with symbol function , where . A full characterization of the numerical range of this operator proves to be quite difficult and so we will focus on characterizing the boundary of the related set, , in a specific case. We will use the theory of envelopes to explore what the boundary looks like and we will use geometric arguments to explore the number of flat portions on the boundary. We will then make a conjecture as to the number of flat portions on the boundary of the numerical range for any matrices and . We finish by providing examples of flat portions on the boundary of the numerical range when , for
Assessing Dietary Nutrient Adequacy and the Effects of Season-Long Training on Body Composition and Metabolic Rates of Men\u27s Division I Collegiate Basketball Player
Get PDFThe success of performance in basketball may rely on both optimal body composition and nutrient intake. To our knowledge this is the first study to examine dietary intake adequacy and season-long effects on body composition and metabolism. The purpose of this study was to examine seasonal changes in body composition (BC), resting metabolic rate (RMR) and respiratory quotient (RQ), while also examining the dietary intake adequacy of NCAA DI male basketball players. BC, RMR and RQ were assessed during pre-season, in-season, and post-season (September, December, and March), while dietary assessment was collected in September and February. Results of this study indicated that players consumed inadequate amounts of energy (ppp\u3c 0.0001) relative to the recommendations for exercising individuals during the October baseline period. However, following analysis and consultations, athletes increased intake and received adequate amounts of energy and protein during follow-up, yet carbohydrate (p=0.0025) was still significantly lower. Results also revealed that there was a decrease in percent body fat (%BF) during season, an increase in Lean Body Mass from preseason to postseason, a peak in RMR during season and an increase in RQ post season. These findings indicate that significant metabolic and body composition changes occur in players over the season and suggest nutritional strategies employed concomitantly may be beneficial
A Research Framework and Initial Study of Browser Security for the Visually Impaired
Get PDFThe growth of web-based malware and phishing attacks has catalyzed significant advances in the research and use of interstitial warning pages and modals by a browser prior to loading the content of a suspect site. These warnings commonly use visual cues to attract users\u27 attention, including specialized iconography, color, and an absence of buttons to communicate the importance of the scenario. While the efficacy of visual techniques has improved safety for sighted users, these techniques are unsuitable for blind and visually impaired users. This is likely not due to a lack of interest or technical capability by browser manufactures, where universal design is a core tenet of their engineering practices, but instead a reflection of the very real dearth of research literature to inform best practices, exacerbated by a deficit of clear methodologies for conducting studies with this population.
Indeed, the challenges are manifold. In this paper, we present the results of our study analyzing the experiences of the visually impaired with browser security warnings, detail the development and advancement of the methodological best practices when conducting a study of this kind, and ultimately identify some initial approaches that could improve the security for this population
Microgrid Laboratory Wind Energy Integration
Get PDFCal Poly San Luis Obispo’s Electrical Engineering Department and the Power Energy Institute have developed a microgrid laboratory with various generators, loads, and protection systems over the past several years. To improve and make the Cal Poly microgrid laboratory more realistic, this thesis outlines the process of improving the EE microgrid setup by adding a wind energy generation system via an induction generator, excitation capacitors, and a protection relay. By adding an induction generator, the microgrid system becomes more resilient to sudden power fluctuations by maintaining a stable voltage and frequency when the microgrid is islanded. To test this, a disturbance was introduced to the islanded microgrid by turning on and off the pump motor load for one second and by adding a torque load.
Without the wind energy system, the system frequency drops below 59.7Hz causing the microgrid to collapse. However, with the wind energy system, the microgrid frequency is kept above 59.7Hz and can remain operational even if the pump motor is loaded to 2 lb•in. This is due to the large inertia the induction generator contains. This is further investigated by creating a Simulink model that models a wind turbine system with wind fluctuations. The model shows that by having a large rotating mass, the inertia keeps the output power stable even if there are rapid wind speed fluctuations
