In a society concerned over the possibility of terrorism, secrecy, and security of infrastructure data is crucial. However, research on infrastructure security is difficult in this environment since experiments on real systems can not be publicized. "Virtual cities" are one potential answer to this problem, and a library of these virtual cities is now under development. "Micropolis" is a virtual city of 5000 residents fully described in both GIS and EPANet hydraulic model frameworks. To simulate realism of infrastructure, a developmental timeline spanning 130 years was included. This timeline is manifested in items such as pipe material, diameter, and topology. An example of using the virtual city for simulation of fire protection is presented. The data files describing Micropolis are available from the authors for others' use. A larger city, "Mesopolis," is currently under development and will incorporate additional critical infrastructure dependencies such as electrical power grids and communications. This will supplement the development of further models to account for risks and probability of electrical power failure due to hurricane events. It is hoped that Micropolis, Mesopolis, and additional virtual cities will serve as a "hub" for the development of further research models.
While agriculture and its use of water resources are obviously sensitive to climatic conditions, past research has seldom identified the effects of climate variability and climate change on the relationship between crop yield and irrigation. There is potentially great value in understanding the role of climatic uncertainty on this relationship because of the dependence of agriculture on irrigation and the scale of water consumption for irrigation. Probability distributions of cropwater production functions (CWPF-PD's) are demonstrated as being useful encapsulations of the climate-yield-irrigation relationship for decisions at various levels of time and space. Combined with reliable climate teleconnections or climate forecasts, CWPF-PD's can be a central decision support tool for questions of risk and reliability. For long planning horizons, potential climate change predicted by multiple general circulation models (GCM's) can be assessed in the context of agricultural water resources. By analysis of changes in the CWPF-PD's, conclusions regarding the efficacy and sustainability of water resources and agricultural policies can be made. The case study of the Lake Victoria basin in East Africa is used to illustrate the article's methodologies, and potential future climate impacts as predicted by the CGCM1, ECHAM3, and HadCM2 GCM's are discussed.
Slope, and throughout the "lower 48 states." His current activities at Texas A&M cover a wide spectrum from K-12 outreach and recruiting to undergraduate curriculum design to retention, monitoring, and post-graduation engagement.
Dr. Debra A Fowler, Texas A&M UniversityDr. Debra Fowler serves the Associate Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at Texas A&M University. Following 16 years working in industry she completed a Ph.D. is in Interdisciplinary Engineering with a specific focus on engineering education from Texas A&M University. Her research areas of focus are faculty perspectives and growth through curriculum design and redesign, professional development of graduate students related to teaching and the influence of reflection and creation of eportfolios on student connections to learning and employment.
Transformation of a Large Civil Engineering Department Curriculum Using the ASCE BOK2Abstract Texas A&M's undergraduate civil engineering curriculum has been re-designed and founded on the 2 nd edition of ASCE's Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge (BOK2). The curriculum transformation work involved a team of civil engineering faculty and students as well as a pedagogical expert and occurred over a deliberate two year timeframe. The process was made explicitly analogous to an engineering design process with data-driven analysis in order to build faculty consensus. The team adapted the BOK2 outcome statements and defined comprehensive rubrics to specify expectations of student performance for multiple indicators under each outcome at multiple levels in the curriculum. A curriculum map was then developed to identify how specific courses would introduce, reinforce, and demonstrate program outcomes as students advanced. The size of the program (in terms of available elective plans as well as personnel) required enhanced attention to potential student course plans, empowerment of course coordinators, and inclusion of representative stakeholders. Beyond the expected work of revising courses, the effort led to: a novel mid-curriculum zero credit hour course incorporating a highimpact learning practice and reflection, extensive cooperation with external departments to enhance non-departmental courses, and cataloging of resources for students to address knowledge gaps between courses. Lessons learned focus on how the expansive nature of the BOK2 outcomes require a process that values deliberation, inclusion, and creativity.
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