Print and Politics
Any analysis of print culture should consider the reach, audience and reception of the printed word. National literacy rates were steadily rising throughout the 18th century. By 1800 around 60% of men and 30% of women were signing their own names in marriage registers although there were wide regional variations. Literacy can be measured in a more qualitative manner by looking at the demand for reading materials. Reading aloud to others was common in the 18th and 19th centuries. Reading rooms, C
Afta Thoughts On Nafta
Brad DeLong "Afta Thoughts On Nafta"
"I was a true believer in NAFTA--the North American Free Trade Agreement. Now my faith is not gone but shaken." So states Brad DeLong, economist and creator of one of the net's most popular weblogs on economics, at www.j-bradford-delong.net.
J. Bradford DeLong is Professor of Economics and Chair of the Political Economy major at the University of California at Berkeley. He also serves as a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research and w
A Conversation with Ambassador Joseph Wilson, IV
Called by President George H. W. Bush - a true American hero, Ambassador Joe Wilson has been involved in international politics for more than twenty years. As the acting U.S. ambassador in Iraq during Operation Desert Shield, the massive U.S. buildup in Saudi Arabia after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, Wilson was responsible for freeing 150 American hostages seized by Iraq. He was the last American official to meet with Hussein before the first Gulf War. During his highly-decorated career, Wilso
Reconfigurable control of Aircraft undergoing Sensor and Actuator Failure
Significant number of fatal aircraft accidents in recent years have been linked to component failures. With the predicted increase in air traffic these numbers are likely to increase. With reduction of fatal accidents as motivation, this dissertation investigates design of fault tolerant control systems for aircrafts undergoing sensor and/or actuator failures. Given that the nominal controller may perform inadequately in the event of sensors and/or actuator failure, the feasible approach for suc
Developmental Selection
The Developmental Selection module is a research simulation that allows students to investigate the possible causes of incomplete embryo development in perennial legume fruits.
Two competing hypotheses are proposed to explain patterns of seed abortion - the pollen tube competition hypothesis and the maternal resource limitation hypotheses. Students can explore these competing hypotheses by setting up experimental problems and then collecting and analyzing their data.
The Developmental Selectio
Understanding the Least-Squares Regression Line
This applet allows students to explore three methods for measuring "goodness of fit" of a linear model. Users can manipulate both the data and the regression line to see changes in the square error, the absolute error, and the shortest distance from the data point to the regression line.
Biometrics
This text manual introduces statistical analysis and its underlying philosophy, enabling students to understand how to describe the confidence they have in their analysis.
Statistical analysis is one of the most widely used, and abused, techniques in the biological sciences. Statistics are ostensibly used to allow an investigator to be objective. That is, the researcher uses statistical tests to determine whether or not his/her hypothesis is supported by the data collected.
Unfortunately, the
Rescue Work of Culver Cadets, Logansport, Indiana
During the 1913 flood, cadets from Culver Military Academy in Marshall County came to Logansport to help rescue citizens trapped by flood waters. They are seen here rowing their boat down the middle of a street in Logansport, Indiana.,Cass County Journey
Birdsong Playback as a Tool for Teaching Animal Behavior
Animal behavior is often downplayed in general biology labs. Problems include where to deal with the topic in the syllabus, time constraints and special equipment needs, and the unpredictable nature of behavioral responses. Birdsong playback offers a solution to these problems. Birdsong relates well to several important conceptual areas of biology. Its acoustic features can be investigated easily using desktop computers, and it is a fairly reliable behavioral response obtainable in the field. Th
An Introduction to DNA: Spectrophotometry, Degradation, and the 'Frankengel' Experiment
In this laboratory students perform three exercises as an introduction to the basics of handling and analyzing DNA. In the first, they expose circular plasmid, linear phage, and high molecular weight genomic DNA samples to a variety of physical, thermal, chemical, and enzymatic conditions that might be expected to affect DNA integrity. The DNA's are analyzed by electrophoresis on a group agarose gel. In the second, they pour and reconstruct a "Frankengel" (a gel containing sections with three di
Financing Economic Development, Fall 2003
Focuses on financing tools and program models to support local economic development. Includes an overview of private capital markets and financing sources to understand capital market imperfections that constrain economic development; business accounting; financial statement analysis; federal economic development programs; and public finance tools. Program models covered include revolving loan funds, guarantee programs, venture capital funds, bank holding companies, community development loan fu
Site and Urban Systems Planning, Spring 2002
The planning of sites and the infrastructure systems which serve them. Site analysis, spatial organization of uses on sites, design of roadways and subdivision patterns, grading plans, utility systems, analysis of runoff, parking requirements, traffic and off-site impacts, landscaping. Lectures on analytical techniques and examples of good site-planning practice. Assignments on each aspect of subject. The Site and Urban Systems Planning course provides a unique opportunity to engage in the explo
Introduction to Urban Design and Development, Fall 2003
Examines both the structure of cities and ways they can be changed. Includes historical forces that have produced cities, models of urban analysis, contemporary theories of urban design, implementation strategies. Core lectures supplemented by discussion group focusing on student work. Speakers present cases involving current projects illustrating the scope and methods of urban design practice. This course introduces graduate students to ideas about the form of cities and how they are designed a
4.491 Form-Finding and Structural Optimization: Gaudi Workshop (MIT)
Inspired by the work of the architect Antoni Gaudi, this research workshop will explore three-dimensional problems in the static equilibrium of structural systems. Through an interdisciplinary collaboration between computer science and architecture, we will develop design tools for determining the form of three-dimensional structural systems under a variety of loads. The goal of the workshop is to develop real-time design and analysis tools which will be useful to architects and engineers in the
9.51 Affective Priming at Short and Extremely Short Exposures (MIT)
This course is an investigation of affective priming and creation of rigorously counterbalanced, fully computerized testing paradigm. Includes background readings, study design, counterbalancing, study execution, data analysis, presentation of poster, and final paper.
Public Transportation Service and Operations Planning, Fall 2003
This course describes the evolution and role of urban public transportation modes, systems, and services, focusing on bus and rail. Technological characteristics and their impacts on capacity, service quality, and cost are described. Current practice and new methods for data collection and analysis, performance monitoring, route design, frequency determination, and vehicle and crew scheduling are also discussed. In addition, the effect of pricing policy and service quality on ridership and metho
Stochastic Evolution Equati
The lectures are at a beginning graduate level and assume only basic familiarity with Functional Analysis and Probability Theory. Topics covered include:
Random variables in Banach spaces: Gaussian random variables, contraction principles, Kahane-Khintchine inequality, Anderson’s inequality.
Stochastic integration in Banach spaces I: γ-Radonifying operators, γ-boundedness, Brownian motion, Wiener stochastic integral.
Stochastic evolution equations I: Linear stochastic evolution equations: e
STS-135 Centennial of Naval Aviation Message
STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson and Pilot Doug Hurley record a special message to commemorate the centennial of naval aviation.
Ancient Eyes Looked to the Skies: Sunwatchers of the Southwest
A teacher guide of classroom activities for grades 4-8 focused on ancient solar astronomical observation and calendaring by early cultures, particularly in the American Southwest. Activities range from individual or small group projects to whole-class exercises. The activities are designed to have students engage in real scientific data-taking and analysis while at the same time getting a sense of how non-technological cultures observed and tracked the cycles of nature, particularly the Sun, lon
1.050 Solid Mechanics (MIT)
1.050 is a sophomore-level engineering mechanics course, commonly labelled "Statics and Strength of Materials" or "Solid Mechanics I." This course introduces students to the fundamental principles and methods of structural mechanics. Topics covered include: static equilibrium, force resultants, support conditions, analysis of determinate planar structures (beams, trusses, frames), stresses and strains in structural elements, states of stress (shear, bending, torsion), statically indeterminate sy
