|
|
Tilting Windows
Modern office towers often have windows that jut
out at odd angles. While attractive and energy
efficient, such windows might get in the way of
work unless theyre placed with the office occupants
comfort in mind. Ihab M. K. Elzeyadi, an architecture
student who won first prize in the Arts and
Humanities division of the 1997 Graduate Research
Exhibition, conducted a survey in three office
buildings with different degrees of window tilt.
His data showed that how close a person sat to
the window, the spaciousness of the work area,
and the perceived degree of order and stability
had a significant effect on the workers visual
comfort. Glare was one of the distractions
reported. Elzeyadis conclusions, he said, can help
architects design office buildings that are
comfortable on the inside as well as impressive to
look at from the street.
Habitable Moons
Last year, astronomers discovered Jupiter-sized planets orbiting several stars within 100 light years of Earth. "Giant, gaseous planets are unlikely to harbor terrestrial-type life," says Darren Williams, a graduate student in astronomy and astrophysics, "but their moons might conceivably be habitable." Williams, winner of the first-place award in Physical Sciences in the 1997 Graduate Research Exhibition, calculated size, distance from its sun, type of rotation, and depth of oceans needed to sustain
earth-like life on such
a moon. See "Worlds Beyond the Sun" in the January 1997 Research/Penn State.
Clean Cows
Kimberly A. Shafer-Weaver, a graduate student in veterinary science, won first prize in the Health and Life Sciences division of the 1997 Graduate
Research Exhibition for her part in an ongoing effort to prevent mastitis in cows. See "Clean Cows" in this issue.
|
|
Practice Makes Perfect
"Why do people usually get better with practice?" asks Myeong-Ho Sohn, a graduate student in psychology and first-place winner in the Social and Behavioral Sciences division of the 1997 Graduate Research Exhibition. His studies of how people acquire skills showed that practice "did not always produce better performance." The "practice effect," he believes, may result from an interaction of two types of knowledge: one that makes people comfortable with the materials used, and another that leads to an
understanding of the rules.
On Stage
"Storytelling is theatre in its oldest, simplest, and perhaps richest form," says Anthony Irons, a graduate student in theatre arts. Irons tied for first place in the Performance Option of the 1997 Graduate Research Exhibition for his adaptation of "The Farmer and the Snake." See "Uncle Remus Live" in this issue.
|
|
Habitable Moons
Last year, astronomers discovered Jupiter-sized planets orbiting several stars within 100 light years of Earth. "Giant, gaseous planets are unlikely to harbor terrestrial-type life," says Darren Williams, a graduate student in astronomy and astrophysics, "but their moons might conceivably be habitable." Williams, winner of the first-place award in Physical Sciences in the 1997 Graduate Research Exhibition, calculated size, distance from its sun, type of rotation, and depth of oceans needed to sustain
earth-like life on such
a moon. See "Worlds Beyond the Sun" in the January 1997 Research/Penn State.
Vibrating Wings
Rushing air usually separates from the top of an
airplane's wings if the plane is climbing or diving at a steep angle. When aircraft take off or land, or when military jets make high-angle
maneuvers, the air no longer flows smoothly over the wing, and the wing stops generating lift. Oguz Uzol and Todd Klaput, graduate students in aerospace engineering, mapped the way air rushes over a wing and quantified the separation of air from airfoil as the initial part of a study to see if piezoelectric surface act
uators could be used to vibrate the airfoil and
so actively control airflow. Uzol and Klaput won first prize in the
Engineering division of the 1997 Graduate Research Exhibition. Their vibrating wings could eventually be used to make faster and more effective aircraft, propellors, and even submarines.
Scriabin's Preludes
Svetlana Brandt, a graduate student in music, tied for first place in the Performance Option of the 1997 Graduate Research Exhibition with her performance of eight preludes from "24 Piano Preludes, Op. 11," by Alexander Scriabin. "It was interesting to take a close look at the starting point of his evolution from late Romanticism to atonal music. While using many late Romantic techniques in Op. 11, Scriabin planted new seeds of advanced harmony, rhythm, and piano sonority."
|
|
| |
|
