Från första juli 2021 gäller en ny ämnesplan för matematiken på gymnasiet som inkluderar förändringar av innehållet kopplat till programmering, som funnits som innehåll sedan 2018. Tidigare forskning visar att lärare känner sig oförberedda att undervisa om programmering i matematikämnet. Det här arbetet har undersökt implementeringen av programmering i matematikämnet på gymnasiet i syfte att skapa en bild av matematiklärares inställning till införandet av programmering i deras undervisning. Lärarnas uppfattningar ställs i relation till den nya ämnesplanen och Skolverkets arbete med att ta fram utbildningsmaterial som stöd för lärarna. Med avstamp i tidigare forskning har genomförts en enkätundersökning med 166 matematiklärare på svenska gymnasieskolor. En bild av lärarnas upplevda självförmåga att undervisa i programmering samt deras inställning till den nya ämnesplanen och Skolverkets utbildningsmaterial har tagits fram. Enkäten bestod av huvudsak påståenden som lärarna fick ta ställning till. Lärarnas egna kommentarer från enkäten har även tematiskt analyserats. Resultatet visar att matematiklärarnas övergripande uppfattning är att programmering inte hör hemma i matematikämnet. Enligt lärarna kommer tillägget medföra förvirring för eleverna och ta värdefull tid från undervisningen. Lärarna rapporter en upplevt låg självförmåga i att undervisa om programmering då de saknar både erfarenhet att undervisa i ämnet och relevant fortbildning. Lärarnas uppfattning om den nya ämnesplanen och Skolverkets utbildningsmaterial är vid första anblicken positiv, men de rapporterar i båda fall att innehållet misslyckas med att motivera programmeringens placering och roll i matematikundervisningen. Slutligen har det här arbetet tagit fram en vägledning för hur vidare arbete med införandet av programmering i skolan bör ske. Vägledningen är baserad på enkätundersökningens resultat samt en litteraturstudie av tidigare forskning inom ämnena programmering i matematiken samt i skolan. Den är uppdelad utifrån två olika perspektiv. Ur perspektivet att programmering införts för att stödja matematiken föreslås att (1) en eller flera programmeringsmiljöer bör utvecklas på ett sätt som inte avviker från matematiken utan fokuserar på elevernas matematiska förståelse och lärande, (2) resurser bör avsättas av huvudmän och Skolverket så att matematiklärare ges möjlighet att erhålla relevant fortbildning samt (3) att läroplanen bör formuleras för att tydliggöra och förklara de förändringar som tidigare åtgärder medför. Om programmering istället införts i matematiken för att istället introducera programmering till fler elever föreslås att Skolverket tar fram en egen allmänbildande kurs i ämnet. / Starting the first of July 2021, a new syllabus for mathematics takes effect in Swedish upper secondary school with some changes to content regarding programming, that has been partof the curriculum since 2018. Earlier research shows that teachers feel unprepared to teach programming in their math classes. This work has examined the implementation of programming in the subject of mathematics in upper secondary school in order to create a picture of mathematics teachers’ attitude towards the introduction of programming in their teaching practices. The teachers’ perceptions are set in relation to the new syllabus and the Swedish National Agency for Education’s work to produce educational material to support the teachers. Based on previous research, a survey has been conducted consisting of 166 mathematics teachers from Swedish upper secondary schools. This in an attempt to create an overview of the teachers’ perceived self-efficacy towards teaching programming and their attitude towards the new subject syllabus and the National Agency for Education’s educational material. The survey consistedmainly of statements that the teachers where asked to consider. The teachers’ own comments from the survey have also been thematically analysed. The results show that the mathematics teachers’ overall perception is that programming does not belong in the mathematics subject. According to the teachers, this change will only cause confusion for the students and require too much valuable teaching time. The teachers report a perceived low self-efficacy in teaching programming as they lack both experience and sufficient training. The teachers’ perception of the new subject syllabus and the National Agency for Education’s educational material is positive at first sight, but they report in both cases that the content fails to justify the placement and role of programming in mathematics teaching. A proposal has been developed for how to proceed with the introduction of programming in schools. The proposal is based on the results of the survey and study of relevant literature pertaining to programming in mathematics and in school in general. From the perspective that programming has been introduced in the subject of mathematics as a tool to support the subject, it is proposed that (1) specific programming environments should be developed in a way that does not deviate from mathematics content but focuses on the students’ mathematical understanding and learning, (2) resources should be allocated by principals and The Swedish National Agency for Education so that mathematics teachers are given opportunities to receive relevant in-service education and (3) that the curriculum should be formulated to clarify and explain the changes that previous measures entail. If programming has instead been implemented in mathematics to introduce more students to the subject, it is proposed that the National Agency for Education develop a separate more general course in programming.

<p>With the increasing need for alternative power sources in the future, the growth of the distributed energy sector will play an important role for meeting future world energy needs. One potential source of distributed energy is the natural gas combustion micro-gas turbine (MGT). Although natural gas is considered a cleaner source of energy than some solid and liquid fuels, there are still significant pollutant emissions. In order to determine the potential pollution from MGTs, two types of MGTs were characterized for their emissions; one single stage moderate lean burn combustion type MGT and one dual stage lean burn combustion type MGT. Furthermore, a novel pollution control device, a trench type nonthermal plasma-catalyst reactor, was examined for potential effectiveness of treating gaseous pollutants in MGT type flue gas.</p> <p>The MGT characterization of the exhaust flue gas revealed that the pollutants of greatest concern for the single stage combustion type MGT were nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), with steady state concentrations of 15ppm (-510 g[NO_x]/MWh) and 120ppm at a full load of 101.2kW, respectively. VOCs were observed to be higher in the dual stage MGT's flue gas with a maximum steady state concentration of 140ppm at a full load of 70kW. It was observed that the dual stage MGT had a significant amount of particulate matter emission for a diameter smaller than 29nm.</p> <p>Preliminary MGT simulated exhaust gas treatment results for the trench type non-thermal plasma-catalyst reactor were observed to be effective for converting NO to: N0₂, N₂, O₂, CO₂ and H₂0. Further tests need to be completed on real natural gas combustion exhaust in order to determine the effectiveness of the non-thermal plasma catalyst for treating MGT exhaust.</p> / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

<p>A study has been made of the inelastic seismic response of single story structures having symmetrical as well as symmetrical configurations and subjected to bidirectional excitations. The intent of this investigation was (i) to assess the significance of force interaction in yielding of columns in the analysis of inelastic structures, (ii) to privude guidelines as how to account for the bidirectionality of the ground motion, and (iii) to clarify the role of "eccentricity" in the lateral-torsional response of inelastic asymmetrical systems.</p> <p>The elasto-plastic responses of symmetrical systems, with interactions effects included or ignored are presented for sinusoidal base motions as well as earthquake ground motions. The latter excitation consisted of five pairs of recorded earthquake ground motions. It is found that the interaction effect is significant for stiff structures with low yield strength and it increases the response. The increase becomes substantial for very stiff structures. For this type of structure, an elasto-plastic analysis using uniaxial excitation could seriously underestimate the displacement ductility demand. It is recommended herein that such structures to be designed remain elastic or almost elastic under expected earthquake disturbances. Taking the interaction effect and the critical orientation of ground motion components into account, the ductility demand can be up to 40% larger than the estimates calculated otherwise.</p> <p>An inelastic analysis of single mass monosymmetrical structural models subjected to the two horizontal components of ground motion is performed. A new concept of eccentricity based on the yield properties of the resisting elements is proposed as a better index to denote the severity of torsion on the inelastic response of asymmetric systems. The ductility demand of asymmetric structures with uniform strength distribution, i.e. with zero plastic eccentricity, are found to be not much different from those of symmetric structures.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

<p dir="ltr">McAlester Army Ammunition Plant (MCAAP) was established in 1943 as the U.S Naval Ammunition Depot. In World War II, MCAAP played a crucial part in supplying ammunition for the war efforts. Today, MCAAP is home to nearly 45,000 acres of land, producing almost all the bombs for the Army, Air Force, and Navy.</p><p dir="ltr">In November of 2023, the Army launched their 15-year modernization plan for their Organic Industrial Base (OIB). The plan aims to modernize facilities, processes, and the workforce to bring the OIB into the 21^st century. The Army’s OIB consists of 17 arsenals, depots, and ammunition plants, including MCAAP.</p><p dir="ltr">This thesis optimizes the operational variables of the U.S. Air Force’s Mark-84 production process at MCAAP. Using software (AnyLogic) to construct a Digital Twin of the existing process provides insights into the current operational dynamics, enabling a deep understanding of the system’s inefficiencies. Then, utilizing this understanding and the capabilities of the Digital Twin, we offer targeted recommendations for process improvement. This study aims not only to enhance the Mark-84 production process, but also to demonstrate the transformative potential of Digital Twins in optimizing manufacturing operations.</p>

Utvecklingen av artificiell intelligens (AI) har tagit världen med storm, men har samtidigt visat sig vara en av de största och svåraste utmaningarna vårt samhälle står inför. En av utmaningarna är användandet av AI-genererade deepfakes som ett desinformationverktyg. Vid granskning av tidigare forskning konstaterades att majoriteten av dem behandlar detektion och förebyggande åtgärder. Konsekvenserna av deepfakes undersöks i varierande omfattning men ingen har studerat konsekvenserna för just det svenska samhället på ett djupare sätt, en lucka detta arbete ämnar fylla. Syftet med arbetet är att undersöka deepfakes påverkan på spridandet av desinformation, vilka konsekvenser denna teknik kan medföra för det svenska samhället och hur dessa kan hanteras, samt ta reda på hur deepfakes kan se ut och användas framöver. För att besvara arbetets frågeställningar genomfördes en litteraturöversikt i kombination med semistrukturerade intervjuer.   Resultatet av arbetet visar att deepfakes tack vare sin lättillgänglighet har stor påverkan på hur desinformation skapas och sprids. Desinformation med deepfakes kan medföra flera allvarliga konsekvenser, däribland ökade sociala splittringar och ett minskat förtroende till digital information. För att hantera dessa konsekvenser bör en kombination av filtrering, lagstiftning och källkritik tillämpas. Tekniken är under konstant utveckling och användandet av deepfakes som ett desinformationsverktyg kommer med stor sannolikhet att utnyttjas i ännu större omfattning framöver, vilket visar på behovet av fortsatt forskning inom området.

Nuclear power has been an important part of the electricity generatingin Sweden in almost half a century. However, the use of nuclear powerraises many complex issues such as economy, accident risks, andradioactive waste management and storage. Nuclear power has thereforebeen debated intensively in Sweden as in many other countries since the1970s. Several countries have changed their nuclear policy and starteddecommissioning programs following the nuclear accident in Fukushimaback in 2011. Citizens' support for nuclear power has declined worldwidein last few years, including in Sweden. This study aims to investigatethe perception of nuclear power among engineering students and showsthat the majority of engineering students, who generally are positivetowards technology, have been affected by their surrounding and areagainst nuclear power. Engineering students in general, both supportersand opponents of nuclear power, agree that Sweden should gradually phaseout nuclear power and replace it by renewable energy sources.

No description available.

<p>This study examined the self-trapping of light emitted by a miniature green laser in a photopolymerizable medium and the interactions between two parallel-propagating self-trapped beams. The work included the design and fabrication of an Intra-Cavity Frequency-Doubling (IC-FD) Nd: YVO₄/MgO: PPLN miniature green laser with a stable and tunable output intensity. Emission from this laser enabled a systematic examination of self-trapping phenomena at incident intensities spanning 8 orders of magnitude (3.2× W·cm^-2to 6368 W·cm^-2). When launched into a photopolymerizable medium, light emitted by the miniature green laser self-trapped by initiating polymerization and corresponding changes in refractive index along its propagation path. The evolution and dynamics of the self-trapped beam corresponded to the behaviour of self-trapped beams of coherent light. Interactions between a pair of parallel-propagating self-trapped beams were also characterised at a range of intensities. This study shows that the miniature green laser is an efficient, coherent source with a large range of output intensities for the excitation of self-trapped beams. This opens opportunities for its incorporation into small-scale optical systems designed to operate based on the generation and interactions of self-trapped beams.</p> / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

<p>Laser-based displays have been under active development over the past 50 years. Visible lasers are considered as the “ultimate” light sources for display applications due to their high brightness, high directionality and high color saturation. Unlike commercially available red and blue laser diodes, semiconductor laser diodes that can directly emit green light with sufficient power and efficiency required in laser display are still not ready yet. Significant effort has been paid around the world to overcome this “green bottleneck”.</p> <p>The aim of this thesis is to investigate a practical solution to build a compact green laser to satisfy the cost/performance requirement for laser display applications. Frequency doubling based on MgO doped periodically poled lithium niobate (MgO:PPLN) is the main research direction of this thesis work.</p> <p>The thesis focuses on several engineering issues, mainly related to practical applications. Two different approaches have been explored: single-pass frequency doubling and intra-cavity frequency doubling. In the single-pass configuration, an all-fiber Q-switched fiber laser was used as the fundamental laser source because the high peak pump power can increase the conversion efficiency. 3.1%/W/cm nonlinear conversion efficiency was achieved which show good agreements with the theoretical simulations. The single-pass frequency doubling of a novel annealing proton exchanged (APE) MgO:PPLN ridge waveguide was also investigated. Over 120 mW green laser with a 53.2% conversion efficiency was achieved. The results have shown remarkable improvements comparing with the reported waveguide devices.</p> <p>On the other hand, in the intra-cavity frequency doubling, Nd:YVO₄/MgO:PPLN microchips for low power (300 mW CW green power and 530 mW modulated green power) applications have been demonstrated experimentally and investigated theoretically. It has been shown that although the plane-parallel cavity structure with discrete components can provide 2.9 W green laser with 29.6% conversion efficiency, it is complex for mass production. One of the important research achievements of this thesis is to study and optimization of a novel monolithically integrated Nd:YVO₄/MgO:PPLN module (namely mGreen module) which combines the advantages of the microchip structure and the discrete plane-parallel cavity structure. 1.28 Watt output green laser has been achieved through a compact configuration based on the optimized mGreen module. Power scaling based on this monolithic green laser module by employing an array concept has also been investigated. The dependence of output power on pump beam gap has been studied both theoretically and experimentally.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

<p>This thesis presents the design and implementation of a source code generator for dealing with Bayesian statistics. The specific focus of this case study is to produce usable source code for handling Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) from a Domain Specific Language (DSL).</p> <p>Domain specific languages are used to allow domain experts to design their source code from the perspective of the problem domain. The goal of designing in such a way is to increase the development productivity without requiring extensive programming knowledge.</p> / Master of Applied Science (MASc)