Different types of breakwaters have been developed in the past for the protection of valuable coastal property, commercial activity and beach morphology. Among these, gravity-type breakwaters are the most common and provide good surface wave attenuation. However, these breakwaters are not always suitable due to their adverse impact on the coastal environment. To alleviate the problem, free surface breakwaters with a variety of caisson designs have been proposed and developed. The main advantages of such breakwaters are low capital cost, freedom from silting and scouring, short construction period, circulation of water beneath the breakwater and exertion of relatively low hydrodynamic forces on the structure as compared to conventional breakwaters. However, complete tranquillity on the lee side is not likely to occur due to wave energy transfer through the permeable parts of the breakwater. The degree of wave attenuation primarily depends on the configuration of the breakwater, the water depth and the incident wave conditions. The hydrodynamic performance of such free surface breakwaters is the subject of this thesis. Semicircular breakwaters mounted on a low-crested rubble mound structure were successfully built for harbour protection in Japan and China. However, the concept of having semicircular structures as free surface breakwaters has not yet been explored by the research community. As a result, this research is initiated with the aim of developing a free surface semicircular breakwater (SCB) that would serve as an anti-reflection barrier and provide reasonably good wave protection to coastal and marine infrastructures. To meet this research goal, a free surface SCB models were constructed and tested in a wave flume under various wave conditions. The experiments were conducted in three stages. For the first stage, the SCB model was initially tested without any perforations on the curved surface (i.e. a solid SCB) for different depths of immersion from the still water level in the wave flume. For the second stage, the front curved wall of the model was subsequently perforated with rectangular openings of different dimensions, producing front wall porosity of 9, 18 and 27%. Following this, two rows of rectangular openings near the crest of the rear curved wall were provided so as to facilitate water infiltration and escape of the run-up waves. For the third stage, additional effort was made to extend the draft of the breakwater by adding a wave screen at the front or/and rear. The screen porosity was 25, 40 and 50%. The hydrodynamic characteristics of the SCB models were investigated in both regular and irregular seas through a series of systematic experimental programme. The water surface elevations were measured at different locations upstream and downstream of the models to determine the coefficients of wave transmission (CT), reflection (CR) and energy dissipation (CL) as well as the wave climate coefficients in front and inside the breakwater chamber. The horizontal wave forces exerted on the SCB models and the wave screen(s) were also measured and subsequently normalised to yield the force coefficients in the analysis. These hydrodynamic coefficients for the respective test cases are presented and discussed in this thesis. The experimental results revealed that even though the solid SCB was a better wave attenuator than the perforated ones, it produced a considerable amount of wave reflection. The perforated SCB with 9% porosity of the front wall (denoted as SCB9) outperformed the other perforated breakwater models; however, it produced high wave transmission when the draft was limited and subjected to longer period waves. Hence, wave screens were added to further enhance the performance of the SCB9. The SCB9 with double screens of 25% porosity was found to provide the highest hydraulic performance. Empirical equations were developed using a multiple regression technique to provide design formulae for wave transmission, wave reflection and horizontal wave forces. The proposed empirical equations showed good agreement with the experimental data. These equations are intended to be of direct use to engineers in predicting the hydrodynamic performance of free surface SCBs. However, sensible engineering judgement must be taken while using these equations as they are based on small scale laboratory tests.

Abstract   Author: Annika Sjögren Arvidson Title: The reflective leadership role in social service organizations   Supervisor: Anders Giertz Assessor: Jan Petersson     I have studied the leadership role of unit managers in social service organizations and their relationship to the concept of reflective approach. I started from a curiosity about how and if unit managers within social services use the concept reflective approach in their leadership role, and how their organizations look upon this and what the consequences are. If in the long term, this affects the individual receiving assistance. All the interviewed persons come from different places, services and organizations. The study is qualitative, with a number of interviews conducted with unit managers. The results show that the concept of reflective approach is used in different ways, and it does not depend on the type of organization whether or not it is used. It could also make a difference for the individual receiving assistance.

This study responds to the critical question: How could I as an educational leader in Manitoba improve educational outcomes for students who are the least privileged in society? I envisioned a leadership development program which would enhance the ability of teacher leaders to facilitate change from within schools. This critical action research study aimed to: 1) identify the knowledge, skills and dispositions teacher leaders required to be agents of change in educational contexts; 2) identify the learning processes that developed agency; and 3) determine the impact of a co-constructed community on teachers who participated in the leadership development program. As a participant-researcher I facilitated six full-day leadership development sessions with a cohort of nine teacher leaders committed to social justice. Qualitative data sources which captured the processes influencing teacher leader development included: videotapes of focus groups and leadership development sessions; participants’ and researcher’s written reflections, journals and action research cycles; pilot test feedback forms, self-assessment and peer reflection instruments; audio-recorded mentoring conversations; and curricular and design process notes. Data analysis was ongoing, cyclical and reflexive; it included content and thematic analysis, “themeing” (Saldaña, 2013, p. 175), and crystallization across multiple sets of data. Research outcomes include the creation of the Social Justice Teacher Leadership Self-Assessment (SJTLSA) and Peer Reflection (SJTLPR) tools offered for use in various educational contexts to promote self-knowledge, reflection and dialogue. A theory-in-context is proposed which synthesizes the knowledge, skills, dispositions and agency of teacher leaders for social justice. Seven elements were found to promote critical reflection and agency of teacher leaders: action research, learning-focused conversations, dialogue, self-assessment, peer feedback, journals and critical reflection. The co-constructed community contributed to participants’ feelings of acceptance, validation, belonging and challenge. A three phase modular leadership development model is proposed which summarizes the design, enactment and outcomes of the leadership development sessions. Positive outcomes for teacher leader participants were transformative experiences, frameworks for action and a community to support sustained engagement. The iris is used metaphorically to describe the catalytic potential of the leadership development sessions. Implications of the study for teacher leaders, facilitators of adult learning, theory and future research are identified.

The various electronic phenomena of electrons in the quasi-one-dimensional semiconducotor heterostructures have been largely investigated in the past research, due to its importance both on the theoretical understanding and the design of nanodevices. In particular, most research is currently based on the GaAs-AIGaAs material system with a 2-DEG interface. From the study of Hua Wu, following the Bohm's interpretation of quantum mechanics, energetic electrons approximately approach the classical behavior. The goal of this theoretical study is to investigate how the flow of energetic electrons may be controlled by the use of a tunable reflector. When encountering hard potential walls, energetic electrons in the nanostructure nearly follow the law of reflection. In addition, if the hard potential walls function as a reflector, the bouncing ball trajectory is also predicted. In this project, the fact that energetic electrons demonstrate semi-classical periodical flow motion is conceptually verified.The quantum wire (QW) with a tab and a notch nanostructure is selected as the practical model to achieve the project's goal. The resonant properties of the QW with a tab and the QW with a notch are individually investigated. The tight-binding recursive Green's function method is the theory underlying the numerical computation of the conductance in a nanodevice. / Department of Physics and Astronomy

Lietuvoje socialinis darbas, palyginti su kitomis, yra viena naujausių profesijų, socialinio darbo profesinės ir mokslinės tradicijos pradėtos kurti ir plėtoti tik po šalies nepriklausomybės atkūrimo. Šiandien socialiniai darbuotojai dirba įvairialypiame socialiniame, ekonominiame, politiniame kontekste, kuris, pabrėžia tam tikras socialinio darbo sritis ir veiklas. Psichikos sveikatos priežiūros sistemoje socialinio darbo profesija žinoma jau daugiau kaip šimtametį. Socialinio darbo, kaip atsako į rūpestį ir poreikį veikla tampa vis reikšmingesnė dirbant su psichikos sutrikimus turinčiais asmenimis, jų šeimomis ir platesne aplinka, taikant įvairaus pobūdžio intervenciją. Šiuo tyrimu siekiama prisidėti prie naujų socialinio darbo žinių kūrimo psichikos sveikatos priežiūros srityje. Tyrimo objektas - socialinio darbo intervencijų pobūdis stacionariose psichikos sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose, remiantis socialinių darbuotojų profesinės veiklos refleksija. Tyrimo tikslas - atskleisti socialinio darbo intervencijų pobūdį stacionariose psichikos sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose, remiantis socialinių darbuotojų profesinės veiklos refleksija. Tyrime iškelti tokie uždaviniai: 1) Aprašyti, kaip socialiniai darbuotojai reflektuodami savo profesinę patirtį apibūdina psichikos sveikatos priežiūros įstaigos paciento tapimo socialinio darbuotojo klientu veiksnius. 2) Aprašyti, kaip stacionarioje psichikos sveikatos įstaigoje dirbantys socialiniai darbuotojai reflektuodami savo profesinę... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / In Lithuania, social work, in comparison with the other, is one of the latest professions. Social work professional and scientific traditions began to create and develop only after the country’s independence was restored. Today social workers are working in diverse social, economic and political context, which emphasizes certain areas and activities of social work. In mental health system social work profession has been known for more than a century. Social work’s, as a response to the concerns and needs (Johnson, 2003), activity becomes more important working with persons which have mental disorders, their families and the wider environment through various forms of intervention. This study aims to contribute to the new social work knowledge development in the field of mental health care. The object of this research – the methods of social work intervention in stationary mental health institution, based on reflection of social workers professional practice. The purpose of this research – to reveal the methods of social work intervention in stationary mental health institution, based on reflection of social workers professional practice. The objectives of this research are: 1) to describe, how a stationary mental health social worker reflecting their professional experience describes how the patient in mental health institution becomes social work client; 2) to describe, how a stationary mental health social worker reflecting their professional experience describes the changes... [to full text]

This study is an auto-ethnographic examination of reflections of a novice itinerant art teacher. The teacher taught at four schools within her first two years of teaching. Reflections of her first two years are recorded, then analyzed, and suggestions for other novice itinerant teachers are provided

In this art-based study I will examine the construction of identity creating three life size figures utilizing metaphor and symbolism. I recorded and analyzed the process through reflections. The artist/teacher/researcher will provide conclusions based on art production and self-reflection.

Continuous evolution is a key trait of software-intensive systems. Many research projects investigate mechanisms to adapt software systems effectively in order to ease evolution. By observing its internal state and surrounding context continuously using feedback loops, an adaptive system is potentially able to analyze its effectiveness by evaluating quality criteria and then self-tune to improve its operations. To be able to observe and possibly orchestrate continuous evolution of software systems in a complex and changing environment, we need to push monitoring and control of evolving systems to unprecedented levels. This thesis proposes implementing monitoring and evolution in adaptive systems using autonomic elements that rely on the reflective capabilities of the language in which the system is implemented. Such monitoring will allow a system to detect anomalous internal behaviour, and infer that changes to the operating context or environment have occurred.

A system for recording the trajectories of non-planar shocks and particle tracers within a shock tube flow has been developed. The optics consists of a double-pass schlieren system with a multiply pulsed ruby laser as light source. The laser is synchronized with a high speed framing camera. A grid of ammonium chloride tracers is injected into the flow field, and the motion of the tracers behind the Mach reflection of intermediate strength shocks has been recorded. Analysis of the trajectories has yielded the space and time variation of the physical properties within the flow field. / Graduate / 0605

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