Technical Development Program Research Articles

Sustainable Engineering Science for Resolving Wicked Problems

Because wicked problems are beyond the scope of normal, industrial-age engineering science, sustainability problems will require reform of current engineering science and technology practices. We assert that, while pluralism concerning use of the term sustainability is likely to persist, universities should continue to cultivate research and education programs specifically devoted to sustainable engineering science, an enterprise that is formally demarcated from business-as-usual and systems optimization approaches. Advancing sustainable engineering science requires a shift in orientation away from reductionism and intellectual specialization towards integrative approaches to science, education, and technology that: (1) draw upon an ethical awareness that extends beyond the usual bounds of professional ethics or responsible conduct of research to include macroethics, (2) adopt anticipatory and adaptive approaches to unintended consequences resulting from technological innovation that result in more resilient systems, and (3) cultivate interactional expertise to facilitate cross-disciplinary exchange. Unfortunately, existing education and research training programs are ill-equipped to prepare scientists and engineers to operate effectively in a wicked problems milieu. Therefore, it is essential to create new programs of graduate education that will train scientists and engineers to become sustainable engineering science experts equipped to recognize and grapple with the macro-ethical, adaptive, and cross-disciplinary challenges embedded in their technical research and development programs.

Tendências e dilemas da antropologia norte-americana: sobre a história do Instituto de Antropologia Social da Smithsonian Institution e sua presença no Brasil

This paper is about the history of Smithsonian Institution's Institute of Social Anthropology, which was an agency in charge of the cooperation involving North-American researchers and Latin-American institutions in the social sciences, between 1943 and 1952. Taking into account the geopolitical context - marked by the war efforts, Good Neighborhood Policy and Technical Assistance and Development Programs - the Institute's trajectory expresses the interfaces between science and politics and also discloses the tensions between basic and applied research. Besides, the activities, positions and negotiations taken by Institute's staff illustrate some of American Anthropology's trends and dilemmas in the post-Second World War. The research program pursued in that moment tells us about the anthropological agenda in the continent. Smithsonian's anthropologists and sociologists were involved in teaching and researching in Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Brazil, yet this present work focuses on the bilateral agreement with Escola de Sociologia e Politica de Sao Paulo.

The National Security Agency Senior Technical Development Program: An industrial-organizational psychologist’s experience.

This article describes the NSA Senior Technical Development Program (STDP) from the perspective of a program graduate with training and education in industrial-organizational psychology. The author describes his program and uses its elements and outcomes as examples of how the STDP drives organizational transformation and supports the effective management of expertise and the people who possess it.

The national security agency’s senior technical development program: A clinical psychologist’s experience.

This article is based on material from the Presidential Address at the 2009 Society of Psychologists in Management Conference. It builds on an article (Civiello & Welker, 2009) that describes the National Security Agency (NSA) leadership model and the NSA Senior Technical Development Program (STDP). This article provides a practical example of how the STDP was applied for the development of the author as she respecialized as a counterintelligence psychologist. Her role as an embedded consultant is also discussed.

Developing senior technical leaders at the National Security Agency.

This article is based on the Presidential Address at the 2009 Society of Psychologists in Management Conference. It introduces the concept of technical leadership and describes the National Security Agency (NSA) leadership model, emphasizing the role of technical leaders at NSA. NSA's technical leaders function as embedded consultants and the interplay between technical consultation and managerial leadership is critical to effective leadership at NSA. Most of the article will focus on the NSA Senior Technical Development Program (STDP). The STDP is a program focused on developing experts into those who will technically lead at NSA. To provide the context for the program, this article includes a brief introduction to NSA's missions and identifies some of the technical challenges faced by NSA. These challenges drive NSA's managerial and technical leadership development approaches and initiatives.

Pulse Magnet Development Program at NHMFL

In 1989, the NHMFL pulsed magnetic field user facility was set up at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Two programs were initially conceived: 1) The construction of a 60 T long pulse magnet energized by the 600 MJ, 540 MW generator, and 2) a high field magnet program for the 1.6 MJ/32 mF capacitor bank with an operating range of 10 kV. These magnets are designed and built at the NHMFL. Our pulse coil development has its roots in the work accomplished by the group in Leuven which served as a starting point for our technical development programs. After having established the technology, we have focused our efforts on increased reliability. Our present user magnet design is based upon the use of distributed MP35N and Zylon reinforcement. These 60 T short pulse (5.7 ms pulse rise time) and 50 T mid-pulse (40 ms pulse rise time) magnets have become the "workhorse" magnets of the pulsed magnetic field user facility since the failure of the first 60 T long pulse magnet. Coil longevities of 1500 shots, of which half are at full field, are becoming the standard. Presently, the short pulse group is engaged in several programs to increase the science opportunities at our user facility. The development activities encompass fast-cool magnet systems, allowing a shot at least every 20 minutes, the production of a new generation of user coils for higher fields, and a 100 T insert. We present a technical overview of our development programs and new coil designs, including materials development and characterization, identifying those areas critical to progress toward even more reliable and stronger magnetic fields.

Control and systems concepts in the innovation process

The article states that industrial innovation is the study, analysis and design of interacting dynamical processes and that control system methods can be employed to understand and facilitate innovation at three levels. These three levels are the forms of knowledge required to fully master all the aspects of economic needs, science and technology needs, and management and organization needs. These are: knowledge of the social and economic conditions for innovation, knowledge of the organization and facilitation processes in innovating teams, and knowledge of the scientific content of a technical development program. Viewed in this light, control is a true systems technology that has utility far beyond the conventional framework of linear feedback control. The article promotes control systems as a mathematically based overarching systems technology in the hope of repositioning control in a new and rich area of technology. The author recommends the enhancement of the control R&D profession starting with the revision of school curricula, demanding a broader research vision on the part of control professors, and goes further in challenging the practicing control professional.

5.4.2 A Solution to the Risk Management / Innovation Dilemma

AbstractRisk management is a proven, accepted form of control for large, multi‐faceted technical development programs; however, it may be ‘detrimental’ to some or all of these programs due to inaccuracies in its mathematical and cultural basis. We hypothesize that Risk Management is inappropriate for many programs; particularly small projects, technology development and insertion programs, and R&D projects. Risk management can also hinder ingenuity and promote mediocrity in larger programs, especially during the critical concept exploration and preliminary design phases. In short, a modified version of Risk Management is proposed. This new version is directly linked to the strategic goals of the organization; it is designed to foster innovation without sacrificing robust design and good program management. The method is called Strategic Risk Management and is also known as Three Dimensional Risk Management (3DRM“©®, Pat. Pend.). It uses a newly constructed risk consequence chart designed to correct the flaws in today's risk management programs and is easily applied to existing risk programs or developed in new programs. Each point on the likelihood/consequence curve is numerically linked to the organizations goals, tactics, and strategies, and is program phased, hence the third dimension. In effect, 3DRM creates three totally new risk management quadrants organized by phase, and maintains the traditional curve as quadrant three. A powerful graphical summary view is also presented, which highlights the juxtaposition between the risk level and expected return of each item, and overlays the original goals of that item. In the following pages we will attempt to quantify several of the assumptions behind the statements above while proposing a modified form of Risk management for use in all programs, large and small, conceptual and mature.‐Author's note: This paper is written for the risk management professional and assumes a basic knowledge of risk management; including identification, consequence and likelihood setting, mitigation planning and tracking. Our desire is not to dismantle any currently implemented risk management program or preclude a future program, but to offer the possibility of amending and improving the process.

Microwave proton source development for a high-current linac injector (invited)a)

Powerful cw proton linear accelerators (100 mA at 0.5–1.0 GeV) are being proposed for spallation neutron-source applications. A 75-keV, 110-mA dc proton injector using a microwave ion source is being tested for these applications. It has achieved 80-keV, 110-mA hydrogen-ion-beam operation. Video and dc beam-current toroid diagnostics are operational, and an EPICS control system is also operational on the 75-keV injector. A technical base development program has also been carried out on a 50-keV injector obtained from Chalk River Laboratories, and it includes low-energy beam transport studies, ion source lifetime tests, and proton-fraction enhancement studies. Technical base results and the present status of the 75-keV injector will be presented.

The Marketing Oriented Technical Product Development Program

Management has had to endorse huge investment spending programs on new product development to insure market position and profits for the future. This places a tremendous burden upon the New Product Department. This article shows why the responsibilities for communicating and administering the technical development phases should be assigned to the central Marketing Research Department.

The Marketing Oriented Technical Product Development Program

Management has had to endorse huge investment spending programs on new product development to insure market position and profits for the future. This places a tremendous burden upon the New Product Department. This article shows why the responsibilities for communicating and administering the technical development phases should be assigned to the central Marketing Research Department.

Main trends in the development of measurement techniques

We have only dwelt on the most important decisive trends of development in measurement techniques. The above by no means covers all the problems and tasks involved, but is it quite sufficient to convince one of the necessity for a radical expansion of scientific research in measurement technology, the extension of the number of institutes, experimental-design bureaus and specialized plants for the designing and production of precision and special measuring equipment. A general scientific and technical development program for Soviet measurement technology should be worked out. The degisning and production of the measuring equipment urgently required by our science and industry necessitates the establishment of a system which would provide a development of our measurement technology in advance of other industries.