Dollar Budgets Research Articles

Pipe-Routing and Pathfinding in 3D (Student Abstract)

Pipe-routing in 3D is a common problem in the design of industrial plant layouts. Here, we aim to minimise the structural cost of the plant (which can have multi-billion dollar budgets), while maintaining safety and engineering constraints. We tackle this problem by developing efficient methods for optimal 3D search. We contribute an adaption of Jump Point Search, a well-known symmetry-breaking technique for 2D grids, into 3D: in contrast to related work, our algorithm preserves path feasibility. In combination with a novel method for limiting over-scanning, we report search time speedups of up to an order of magnitude on benchmarks in the literature. We further develop three new and varied voxel benchmark data sets sourced from 3D applications in the literature in order to provide better opportunities for differentiating competing techniques. Towards pipe-routing, this work also identifies several remaining issues for translating the size of industrial domains and their associated constraints into 3D search.

The State of the Humanities circa 2022

The State of the Humanities circa 2022

Qualitative comparative analysis as a method for project studies: The case of energy infrastructure

Empirical research involving projects is an important and common way to advance knowledge in the energy sector, and there are well-established approaches for qualitative analysis of single or few cases (1–10 cases) as well as quantitative analysis of large databases (from 50+ cases). However, the “middle-ground” of analysing 10–50 cases is an unknown territory, and very few approaches exist to deal with numbers of cases that lie in the range of 10–50. This paper shows how this “middle-ground” can be explored through Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). This is a method that can be applied to energy infrastructure projects (such as construction, operations, and decommissioning of power plants) in order to study causal inference (e.g. factors associated with outcomes). This paper demonstrates the potential of QCA by showing its application on an energy infrastructure phenomenon with an intermediate number of cases, that of nuclear decommissioning projects. These projects are becoming increasingly important to society and have multibillion US dollar budgets. Moreover, their characteristics need to urgently be matched with their project performance in order to avoid even further cost overruns. The application of QCA to 24 European nuclear decommissioning projects shows that a combination of characteristics (such as a streamlined governance structure and the presence of a storage facility for radioactive material on site) might be contributing to lower cost overruns. This paper concludes by showing how QCA can be applied to other energy infrastructure phenomena with a similar intermediate number of cases.

Organic ‘folkloric’ community driven place-making and tourism

The term 'place-making' describes a multi-faceted approach to the planning, design and management of public places for improving urban environments and residents' quality of life. Place-making has since become an institutionalized industry often supported by multi-million dollar budgets, but rarely are communities in control. The emphasis on improved welfare outcomes for communities has frequently omitted tourism benefits as an objective, although the tourism industry is often quick to exploit public space developments. Even though there is an emergent literature on place-making and tourism that has started to analyze this phenomenon, there is still little understanding of the role of place-making in tourism when place-making is the result of a community-led organic process. Five cases of place-making through emic, organic, folkloric, community-driven initiatives that differ markedly from the formal 'industry' of place-making that have achieved tourism-related outcomes even where tourism was not a primary motivation, are explored.

What Motivates Donors to Athletic Programs

In the highly competitive college sport environment, many varsity sport programs have financial systems independent from the academic side of the university. These programs function on multimillion dollar budgets partially funded through ticket sales, licensed merchandise, and television rights. However, donations from alumni and boosters account for the most substantial portion of many athletic budgets. Fund-raising efforts in this environment have not had available models of donor behavior from which to streamline solicitation efforts. Using the Existence Relatedness Growth (ERG) Theory as a guide, this article fills this gap by reporting on the development and testing of an integrated model of college donor motives: A Model of Athletic Donor Motivation (MADOM). Using a sample of college sport donors ( N = 532), the results yield a psychometrically sound eight-factor measurement scale: A Scale of Athletic Donor Motivation (SADOM). Study implications and practical applications of the scale are discussed.

NEXCEL, A Deductive Spreadsheet

Usability and usefulness have made the spreadsheet one of the most successful computing applications of all times: millions rely on it every day for anything from typing grocery lists to developing multimillion dollar budgets. One thing spreadsheets are not very good at is manipulating symbolic data and helping users make decisions based on them. By tapping into recent research in logic programming, databases and cognitive psychology, we propose a deductive extension to the spreadsheet paradigm which addresses precisely this issue. The accompanying tool, which we call NEXCEL, is intended as an automated assistant for the daily reasoning and decision-making needs of computer users, in the same way as a spreadsheet application such as Microsoft Excel assists them every day with calculations simple and complex. Users without formal training in logic or computer science can interactively define logical rules in the same simple way as they define formulas in Excel. NEXCEL immediately evaluates these rules thereby returning lists of values that satisfy them, again just like with numerical formulas. The deductive component is seamlessly integrated into the traditional spreadsheet so that a user not only still has access to the usual functionalities, but is able to use them as part of the logical inference and, additionally, to embed deductive steps in a numerical calculation. Under the hood, NEXCEL uses a small logic programming language inspired by Datalog to define derived relations: the target region of the spreadsheet contains a set of logical clauses in the same way that calculated cells contain a numerical formula in a traditional spreadsheet. Therefore, logical reasoning reduces to computing tables of data by evaluating Datalog-like definitions, a process that parallels the calculation of numerical formulas. Each row in the calculated relation is a tuple of values satisfying the definition for this relation, so that the evaluated table lists all such solutions, without repetitions. This linguistic extension significantly enriches the expressive power of the spreadsheet paradigm. Yet, it is provided to the user through a natural extension of the mostly excellent interfaces of modern spreadsheet applications.

The Re-Wiring of History

The Re-Wiring of History

Conferences as organizations

While most of us are involved in organizing conferences in some way, we probably do not pay too much attention to the organizational model of these events. This is somewhat surprising, given that conferences are probably the most visible activity of most professional societies, and also entail significant expenditures of money and volunteer labor. While the local square dance club with a $500 annual budget probably has bylaws and statutes, most conferences with hundred thousand dollar budgets operate more by oral tradition than by formal descriptions of responsibilities. In almost all cases, this works just fine, but this informality can lead to misunderstandings or problems when expectations differ among the volunteers or when there is a crisis. Thus, I believe that it is helpful to have clearer models, so that conferences and volunteers can reach a common understanding of what is expected of everybody that contributes their time to the conference, and also who is responsible when things go wrong. For long-running conferences, the typical conference organization involves four major actors: the sponsoring professional organization, a steering committee, the general chairs and the technical program chairs. However, the roles and reporting relationships seem to differ rather dramatically between different conferences.

Rocketships, Rayguns and UFOs

Rocketships, Rayguns and UFOs

Size, Stability and Incremental Budgeting Outcomes in Public Universities

This paper examines the influence of relative size in the analysis of both total dollar and manpower budgets and changes in total dollar and manpower budgets when correlationallregression methods are used. Data presented suggest that size dominates the analysis of total budgets, is less important when dollar increments and discretionary manpower increments are analyzed, and is not afactor at all when the discretionary dollar increments are analyzed. Our research suggests that analyses of budget increments may provide the basis for more detailed explanations of budgetary decisions than do analyses of total budgets.

Photographing Aquatic Organisms

PHOTOGRAPHY OF AQUATIC organisms poses special problems-and rewards-to the biologist. Details of their structure, behavior and environment can be documented clearly. Yet water is a demanding medium to penetrate and to retain in place, and the interface between water and air refracts and reflects light, causing special problems to the photographer. The small size of many aquatic organisms calls for the use of modern techniques of photomicrography and macrophotography. In contrast to photography of organisms on dry land, or in the air, photography of aquatic organisms in their element often requires special equipment. This equipment can range from modest, homemade aquaria to elaborate watertight housings for cameras, flash and lightmeter, remote controlled underwater television cameras, and even specially equipped submarines. Don't get scared off. Much can be achieved in photographing aquatic organisms without having to resort to million dollar budgets. After all, there isn't room in the world for too many Jacques Cousteaus. It is practically impossible to give a full visual record of any organism in just one picture. So, when considering the photography of an organism it is good to keep three H's in mind: the Habitat, the Habitus, and the Habits. Many photographers try to include an impression of the habitat with a careful portrait of the organism (habitus). The results are often charming and interesting, but as often the picture is somewhat confused because of the dominance of the background over the main object. Although inclusion of the organism in a visualization of the habitat is fine when possible, it is important to present the organism clearly in its own right. When it comes to the portrait, I personally prefer the surroundings as unobtrusive as possible. Beyond this, and to demonstrate the habits (general movements, feeding, courting, mating and so forth) a series of photographs is usually needed, sometimes with long intervals between the exposures. The choice of photographic technique depends critically on the dimensions of the organisms, and also varies depending on whether they are static or dynamic, and the light conditions (is the ambient light satisfactory or should it be supplemented or replaced with floodlamps or flash?) The term static refers to any non-moving organisms, dynamic, to the organism in movement, whether the motion is made by the organism itself or is caused by wind or current. In the following discussion, it is assumed that we are dealing only with dynamic, living organisms and that they are freely moving (often under controlled conditions). Means for anesthetizing invertebrates, fish, and other aquatic organisms exist (Behringer 1973; Morholt, Brandwein and Joseph 1966). In order to bring the photographic record as close as possible to real life, I try to avoid using such methods.

INDEX OF LAKE BASIN LAND USE FOR LAND USE PLANNING PURPOSES1

ABSTRACT: In order to plan for land use in a lake basin to maintain or improve lake water quality, municipal planners need a method of evaluating lakeshore and watershed land use that is technically sound, objective, reasonably quick, and cheap enough to be incorporated into their time and dollar budgets. Such a system is presented. It consists of measuring and rating four lakeshore land use characteristics (type of sewage disposal system, lot size, road proximity, and intensity of public use areas), and three upland watershed land use characteristics (intensity of development, forest cover, and agriculture and open space). These seven characteristics are measured, rated, and then combined to provide a two‐digit index number. This number, when compared with the indexes of other lakes in the region and interpreted with assistance from officials of the State Health and Water Resources Department, indicates on a relative basis the degree to which various land uses are contributing to accelerated, cultural eutrophication. Interpretation of the index suggests land use controls necessary to improve lake water. It supplements, and should be used with, an index of lake vulnerability to accelerated eutrophication and a comparative measure of present water quality.