Science and socio-ecological resilience: examples from the Arizona-Sonora Border

The Greater Sonoran Ecoregion (GSE), spanning the U.S.-Mexico border between Arizona and Sonora, faces myriad biophysical and social challenges to maintaining long-term socio-ecological resilience. Concepts of socio-ecological resilience and transformability provide a foundation for examining interactions between society and nature, and between society and science. An analysis of three case studies reveals that the GSE is becoming ever more vulnerable to systemic changes that will have serious consequences for the environment and society alike. While much more knowledge needs to be developed in both the biophysical and social sciences, there is an equally pressing need to bring social values and practices more closely into alignment with the resources and limitations of the coupled system itself. Improvements in science–society interactions are also needed. Threats to the GSE can only be addressed through long-term programs having the ultimate goal of preserving the system's human and ecological integrity.     

北京市高校行业用水评价指标体系构建

用水评价是帮助用水户进行精细化管理、提高用水效率的重要工具。论文在对北京市35 所高校进行用水节水情况实地测试和问卷调查的基础上,结合现有节水法规,系统分析了用水评价的内容,明晰了用水效率、节水技术和节水管理三者之间的关系,并运用节水潜力法、层次分析法、概率测算法和专家咨询法等方法,构建了北京市高校行业用水评价指标体系。该体系由3 项一级指标、12 项二级指标和26 项三级指标构成。最后,对北京市5 所高校的用水评价结果能比较客观真实地反映各高校整体的用水水平,以及各部位的用水效率和各种节水措施的优劣,明确了其节水工作需进一步加强的方向。     

An environmental management model for universities: from environmental guidelines to staff involvement

The environmental pollution caused by universities in the form of energy and material consumption could be considerably reduced by an effective choice of organisational and technical measures. Examples of environmental protection measures can be seen at several universities, but a professional environmental management system (EMS) for universities with a systematic approach to reduce the consumption of resources is lacking. At the University of Osnabrück, the basis for a university-related EMS has been developed for the first time in Germany, the use of which is also possible by other universities. Beginning in autumn 1999, this EMS will gradually be implemented at the University of Osnabrück.     

The role of academia in regional sustainability initiatives: Wales

This paper demonstrates the relative non-engagement of universities in regional sustainability initiatives through a case study of Cardiff University in Wales. It is argued that the turbulent and often complicated political and administrative context along with divergent goals and performance targets means that synergies are less readily achieved. A case study of automotive industry alternative technology new cluster development is given to illustrate the arguments. In so doing, the paper presents the view that we need to move beyond mere optimism in order to address fundamental underlying issues.     

关于学校化学教学实验废液量及废液管理状况的调研报告

利用基于实验内容的废液量统计方法，对北京大学、湖南大学、首都师范大学3所有代表性高校的化学实验教学中心以及3所普通高中的废液量进行了统计。得到的数据对于学校实验室废液的管理具有一定的参考价值。通过网页浏览、文献检索、实地考察、电话访谈等方式对国内一些知名大学的废液管理状况进行了考查，针对存在的主要问题，提出了进一步加强学校实验室废液管理的建议。     

Clean energy technology transfer: A review of programs under the UNFCCC

This paper describes the experience andresults of programs designed tooperationalize the technology transferprovisions of the United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). These programs share a common goal ofdemonstrating modalities for developedcountry parties to fulfill their obligationunder the UNFCCC to supporttechnology transfer to developing countryparties that facilitates theirparticipation in global efforts to combatclimate changes. Several related U.S.bilateral programs and programs supportedby the Climate Technology Initiative, amultilateral effort on behalf of a numberof Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, are included in thisreview. The discussion highlights a numberof common elements of the approaches ofmany of these programs as well as somedifferences. It presents case studies thatfocus on methods and results in China,Mexico, and Southern Africa, and cataloguesand describes the implementation activitiesand results that these programs haveachieved. It concludes by assessing theimplications of this experience for theinternational community as it moves forwardwith the climate change technology transferenterprise.     

From ideas to market applications: dynamics of knowledge transfer and the role of champions

Technology transfer is a significant effort of the federal government and the intent of this effort is to transfer technologies developed in federal laboratories to the private sector for commercial use. The Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer is a clearing-house for technologies developed through federal research laboratories. In addition, universities and other institutions use various mechanisms for transferring the technologies or knowledge to the private sector for civilian use. In this paper, the transfer of experimental and conceptual knowledge from research environment to civilian sector, covering aspects of engineering and social science is emphasized. The engineering examples deal with alleviating the nitrate pollution of rural domestic wells (a conceptual knowledge) and phytoremediation of hazardous wastes (an experimental knowledge). The social science examples deal with a culture assimilator for improving race relations (a conceptual knowledge) and a multimedia assimilator for global managers (an experimental knowledge). In each case, mechanisms and shortcomings involved in transfer-ring the knowledge for civilian use are demonstrated. We present a framework for knowledge transfer, and discuss the role of champions in knowledge transfer. We take the position that, though the attributes of the technology itself are important, knowledge transfer does require champions.     

University ranking using research,educational and environmental indicators

This paper introduces a model, which is enabling a comparison between universities regarding research, educational and environmental performances; the mission of university fits the sustainability idea. The purpose of the paper is to improve the methodology and indicators of the existing ranking tables. The three dimensional index, which provides simplified information about the quality of universities, has been developed. It enables quick detection of the weaknesses, strengths and opportunities for universities. Weights of indicators were determined using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Results of the AHP have shown that the most important are research oriented indicators, followed by social and environmental ones.The proposed model has been tested on a sample of 35 top universities from the ARWU (Academic Ranking of World Universities) and Times ranking tables and a new ranking table – the Three dimensional University Ranking (TUR) has been developed. In addition, correlations between indicators and ranking tables have been carried out. There is only a medium correlation between the ARWU and TUR. Regarding the indicators, a high correlation with Hirsch indices and Highly Cited Researchers exists, while there is an insignificant correlation between the low student to staff ratio and the graduation rate.     

The relationship of social capital and fishers’ participation in multi-level governance arrangements

The need for effective multi-level governance arrangements is becoming increasingly urgent because of complex functional interdependencies between biophysical and socioeconomic systems. We argue that social capital plays an important role in such systems. To explore the relationship between social capital and participation in resource governance arenas, we analyzed various small-scale fisheries governance regimes from the Gulf of California, Mexico. The components of social capital that we measured include levels of fishers’ structural ties to relevant groups and levels of trust in different entities (i.e. cognitive component). We collected data using surveys and interviews with residents of small-scale fishing communities adjacent to marine protected areas. We analyzed the data using a logistic regression model and narrative analysis. The results of our quantitative analysis highlight the multidimensional nature of social capital and reveals complex relationships between different types of social capital and fisher participation in monitoring, rulemaking and MPA design. Furthermore our qualitative analysis suggests that participation in fisheries conservation and management is not fully potentialized due to the social and historical context of participatory spaces in Mexico.     

The effect of NADH on different human and mouse cell lines

Part of the work was supported by the Bundesministerium für Forschung und Technologie, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, the Fonds der Chemischen Industrie, and from the Carl Zeiss, Hoechst, and Ernst Leitz companies. Special thanks are due to Dr. K. Wahn, Department of Virology, University of Giessen, for conducting the electron microscope and phase-contrast investigations, to Prof. G. Sauer, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, and Dr. W. R. Willems, Department of Medical Virology, University of Giessen, for supplying the different cell lines.     

Engineering education in sustainable development at Delft University of Technology

Is technology hindering sustainable development or can it be used to stimulate sustainable development? It is becoming clearer that technological innovation can be a useful tool for achieving sustainable development. That is, if the technologist is aware of the boundaries that should be considered when working in a sustainable way; and is knowledgeable about how to use the tools that can be used to work in a sustainable way. Therefore, making technology students aware of these boundaries and tools is an important educational task for universities. Such education should, in our view, include two subjects. (1) Giving them insight into the concepts of sustainable development. What is sustainable development? What are sustainability problems? What are the causes of these problems? Which strategies and approaches for solving them are available? (2) Giving them insight into the technology development process. How does the technology development process work? Which factors influence and steer it? What is the influence of technology on society and on sustainable development? The Technology Assessment group at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands has developed several courses on the combination of these two subjects, integrating research results in the fields of sustainable development and technology dynamics. In this article the contents of these courses are described.     

Choosing an appropriate university or college environmental management system

Universities considering integrating an environmental management system (EMS) have numerous decisions to consider. Should they pursue a formal certified model or an informal uncertified one? If informal is appropriate, which framework best meets their needs? Which environmental interactions are most important to manage? Are there any other sector-specific considerations? This article discusses six different campus EMS frameworks, three different categories of drivers, and the six unique features of a campus EMS, and offers suggestions on when each framework is best applied. The frameworks considered are from: ISO 14001; Higher Education 21 (UK); the EMS Self-Assessment Checklist (USA); the Auditing Instrument for Sustainability in Higher Education (Netherlands); the Osnabrück University model (Germany) and the Sustainable University model (Mexico). This article also draws upon the empirical experiences of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada.     

贝类病原性寄生虫种类

海水贝类养殖业的迅猛发展以及养殖品种的异地养殖越来越普遍，导致了贝类病原性寄生虫全球范围内的广泛传播，而寄生虫是贝类最大的病原生物。本文比较系统地列举了导致牡蛎、贻贝、蛤类、扇贝、鲍鱼病害的寄生虫各类及体内寄生原生动物分类地位，为我国贝类病害的研究提供基础资料。     

农业院校环境科学专业学科群建设及课程体系设置

文章以环境科学学科群的带头学科及其内涵、外延分析为基础,对环境科学专业学科群进行了系统分析;并以青岛农业大学环境科学专业课程组织为例,对农业院校环境科学专业学科群建设进行了探讨,为高等学校环境科学专业建设提供一种新范式。     

Die Universität im Spannungsfeld von Bildung und Beruf

The harmony of research, general education and professional training, which was an essential element of the classical German university, has been deeply disturbed by the enormous increase of student numbers. We discuss, whether the demands for a transfer of technology and for a training of an elite of specialists can be combined with the task of a helpful education for the majority of our students. As an example for a flexible solution we present the program of summer-schools ("Ferienakademieprogramm") of the Technical University of Munich.     

高校中水水源分类及基于AHP方法的优质度排序

高校是我国城市用水大户,在高校校园建立中水回用系统是节约水资源、减少水污染、建设生态校园的有效途径,选择优质的中水水源是保证中水回用系统高效运行的首要前提。目前,开辟中水水源多基于简单定性分析后加以利用,少有对水源的量化评价以及优质度的排序。文章针对高校中各个单位用水类型不同、排水水质和水量呈多样性的问题,将校园内各个水源进行综合分类并运用层次分析法(AHP)进行优质度的量化评价,以各水源优质程度排序为依据筛选出可利用的中水水源。根据实地调查及实验分析数据,以北京师范大学为例应用评价方法,并将结果与校园实际的中水回用情况对比,验证指标及方法的合理性。文章将为高校中水水源的分类及筛选的量化评价提供借鉴。     

墨西哥湾“深水地平线”钻井平台事故分析与反思

对美国墨西哥湾“深水地平线”钻井平台爆炸事故进行了原因分析,总结了事故的经验教训,并从技术、管理、应急救援体系、技术研发4个方面为中国石化提出了预防类似事故的建议措施。     

The surface energy balance in Mexico City

Results of a field observation programme to investigate the surface energy balance of Mexico City, D.F., are presented. Direct measurements of net all-wave radiation and the turbulent sensible heat flux were conducted from a 28 m tower located about 4 km from the city centre. Heat storage in the urban fabric was parameterized and the turbulent latent heat flux was found by the residual in the energy balance equation. Most of the data were gathered in the dry season from February to the end of March 1985. The results from this tropical highland city resemble those from temperate cities in respect of the magnitude of the Bowen ratio and the diurnal trend in the amount of the net radiation partitioned into turbulent sensible heat. On the other hand, the role of heat storage is much larger than in the temperate case so that the partitioning of the sensible heat between turbulent and conductive transfer seems to be more nearly equal. Nevertheless evaporation appears to be an important term in both the surface water and energy balances. The nature of the energy balance may help explain some of the previously observed features of the heat island and humidity regimes of Mexico City.     

Surveying the state of higher education in energy efficiency,in Australian engineering curriculum

This paper presents the method and results of a survey of 27 of the 33 Australian universities teaching engineering education in late 2007, undertaken by The Natural Edge Project (hosted by Griffith University and the Australian National University) and supported by the National Framework for Energy Efficiency. This survey aimed to ascertain the extent of energy efficiency (EE) education, and to identify preferred methods to assist in increasing the extent to which EE education is embedded in engineering curriculum. In this paper the context for the survey is supported by a summary of the key results from a variety of surveys undertaken over the last decade internationally. The paper concludes that EE education across universities and engineering disciplines in Australia is currently highly variable and ad hoc. Based on the results of the survey; this paper highlights a number of preferred options to support educators to embed sustainability within engineering programs, and future opportunities for monitoring EE, within the context of engineering education for sustainable development (EESD).     

Double-electrode arc welding process: Principle,variants, control and developments

Double-electrode gas metal arc welding (DE-GMAW) is a novel welding process in which a second electrode, non-consumable or consumable, is added to bypass part of the wire current. The bypass current reduces the heat input in non-consumable DE-GMAW or increases the deposition rate in consumable DE-GMAW. The fixed correlation of the heat input with the deposition in conventional GMAW and its variants is thus changed and becomes controllable. At the University of Kentucky, DE-GMAW has been tested/developed by adding a plasma arc welding torch, a GTAW (gas tungsten arc welding) torch, a pair of GTAW torches, and a GMAW torch. Steels and aluminum alloys are welded and the system is powered by one or multiple power supplies with appropriate control methods. The metal transfer has been studied at the University of Kentucky and Shandong University resulting in the desirable spray transfer be obtained with less than 100 A base current for 1.2 mm diameter steel wire. At Lanzhou University of Technology, pulsed DE-GMAW has been successfully developed to join aluminum/magnesium to steel. At the Adaptive Intelligent Systems LLC, DE-GMAW principle has been applied to the submerged arc welding (SAW) and the embedded control systems needed for industrial applications have been developed. The DE-SAW resulted in 1/3 reduction in heat input for a shipbuilding application and the weld penetration depth was successfully feedback controlled. In addition, the bypass concept is extended to the GTAW resulting in the arcing-wire GTAW which adds a second arc established between the tungsten and filler to the existing gas tungsten arc. The DE-GMAW is extended to double-electrode arc welding (DE-AW) where the main electrode may not necessarily to be consumable. Recently, the Beijing University of Technology systematically studied the metal transfer in the arcing-wire GTAW and found that the desired metal transfer modes may always be obtained from the given wire feed speed by adjusting the wire current and wire position/orientation appropriately. A variety of DE-AW processes are thus available to suit for different applications, using existing arc welding equipment.