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NASA NTRS2017

How Engineers Negotiate Domain Boundaries in a Complex, Interdisciplinary Engineering Project

Engineering educators have an essential role in preparing engineers to work in a complex, interdisciplinary workforce. While much engineering education focuses on teaching students to develop disciplinary expertise in specific engineering domains, there is a strong need to teach engineers about the knowledge that they develop or use in their work (Bucciarelli 1994, Allenby Sarewitz, 2011; Frodeman, 2013). The purpose of this research is to gain a better understanding of the knowledge systems of practicing engineers through observations of their practices such that the insights learned can guide future education efforts. Using an example from a complex and interdisciplinary engineering project, this paper presents a case study overviewing the types of epistemological (or knowledge-acquiring or using) complexities that engineers navigate. Specifically, we looked at a discussion of the thermal design of a CubeSat that occurred during an engineering review at NASA. We analyzed the review using a framework that we call 'peak events', or pointed discussions between reviewers, project engineers, and managers. We examined the dialog within peak events to identify the ways that knowledge was brought to bear, highlighting discussions of uncertainty and the boundaries of knowledge claims. We focus on one example discussion surrounding the thermal design of the CubeSat, which provides a particularly thorough example of a knowledge system since the engineers present explained, justified, negotiated, and defended knowledge within a social setting. Engineering students do not get much practice or instruction in explicitly negotiating knowledge systems and epistemic standards in this way. We highlight issues that should matter to engineering educators, such as the need to discuss what level of uncertainty is sufficient and the need to negotiate boundaries of system responsibility. Although this analysis is limited to a single discussion or 'peak event', our case shows that this type of discussion can occur in engineering and suggests that it could be important for future engineering education research.

ethnography↗

NASA NTRS2024

Integrated (Physical and Digital) Collaborative Experimentation: Advancing Dialog and Leveraging by Aerospace Researchers and Developers

This paper 1) documents findings and observations from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Ground Test Technical Committee (GTTC) Future of Ground Test Working Group and the Applied Aeronautics Technical Committee (APATC) Collaborative Experiments & Computation Discussion Group, and 2) develops a more focused approach for sharing and advancing integrated development and use of physical experimental and computational capabilities for aerospace research and development. The GTTC and APATC are engaging with the larger AIAA technical community by creating a Focus Group on this topical area that will support working together on common interests in the public domain. This paper summarizes the knowledge capture from the last ten+ years and proposes a structure and scope going forward for the new, combined Focus Group.

ground testing↗

DOE OSTI2019

It Starts with a Plan: How to Embed Inclusive Diversity into the Fabric of your Organization

Organizations want to be more diverse, but that doesn’t happen with a snap of the fingers. It’s a strategic process. It takes time to lay the foundation and gradually build momentum. For several years at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), a Department of Energy national laboratory headquartered in Idaho Falls, Idaho, numbers of underrepresented employees had remained stagnate despite efforts to increase inclusive diversity. But things began to change in October 2015 when Dr. Mark Peters became INL’s director. Culture changes like increasing diversity and inclusion in an organization take time, but Dr. Peters didn’t want to wait. He wanted to do it faster and better than ever before. Dr. Peters recognized the value an inclusive workforce brings to organizations, and particularly in scientific research and development, it’s not something just to aspire to, it’s a necessity. Research shows that workplaces with high inclusion and diversity elements perform better. A 2013 Deloitte University study of 10 industries with over 3,000 respondents of different ages, genders, races/ethnicities and orientations found inclusion not only drives business performance and market share, but also increases individual performance. People do their best work when they’re able to be their best selves; when they are celebrated, not simply tolerated. In the past, the laboratory had valued diversity, but only in recent years has the organization moved from having an affinity with diversity to incorporating strategic inclusive diversity into fundamental laboratory goals. Why the change? When Toni L. Coleman Carter became INL’s Inclusion and Diversity strategy director in October 2016, her first task was to review INL’s demographic data and to create an Inclusion and Diversity (I/D) strategy. From this process, she created a comprehensive I/D strategy aligned to our Laboratory Plan and Agenda (business strategy) and embedded it into our People Strategy. The I/D primary focus is to widen our talent circle and develop employees by fostering an inclusive environment where everyone can develop, grow and maximize their potential. Our enhanced I/D strategy is embedded in everything we do, including requisitions and job postings. Here for instance we’ve added language to our job postings to include “Women and People of Color are strongly encouraged to apply.” In working through the strategy elements, four keys for success emerged: 1) Get executives on board. Convert executives from lukewarm supporters to visible advocates. 2) Reinforce inclusion with targeted internal and external branding. 3) Change the way you think about recruiting. Everyone at your company can be a brand ambassador and recruiter. 4) Communicate, communicate, communicate. Use communications to educate employees about inclusion and get everyone on the same page. 5) Measure everything. Use transparent demographics and intentional action.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

DOE OSTI2015

Feasibility studies to improve plant availability and reduce total installed cost in IGCC plants

The main purpose of this project is to look at technologies and philosophies that would help reduce the costs of an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) plant, increase its availability or do both. GE’s approach to this problem is to consider options in three different areas: 1) technology evaluations and development; 2) constructability approaches; and 3) design and operation methodologies. Five separate tasks were identified that fall under the three areas: Task 2 – Integrated Operations Philosophy; Task 3 – Slip Forming of IGCC Components; Task 4 – Modularization of IGCC Components; Task 5 – Fouling Removal; and Task 6 – Improved Slag Handling. Overall, this project produced results on many fronts. Some of the ideas could be utilized immediately by those seeking to build an IGCC plant in the near future. These include the considerations from the Integrated Operations Philosophy task and the different construction techniques of Slip Forming and Modularization (especially if the proposed site is in a remote location or has a lack of a skilled workforce). Other results include ideas for promising technologies that require further development and testing to realize their full potential and be available for commercial operation. In both areas GE considers this project to be a success in identifying areas outside the core IGCC plant systems that are ripe for cost reduction and ity improvement opportunities.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

DOE OSTI2020

Using Digital and Web-Based Platforms to Enhance Nuclear Power Plant Knowledge Transfer - 20203

As the workforce ages, the loss of experienced personnel can result in a loss of important knowledge. Updating Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) research and guidance with the latest technology developments and operating experience is an important method to transfer knowledge between the retiring and incoming workforce. Studies suggest that the incoming workforce is accustomed to using digital and/or internet-based platforms to find information and may have a higher comfort with these types of platforms than they have with static, written reports. Additionally, the ease and speed of updating and delivering content through digital formats may offer an effective method for knowledge transfer and combining information from multiple reports into a single access point. EPRI has recently produced an online Decommissioning Hub available to members and is working on replicating the effort in the area of radioactive waste management called the Radwaste Web References. EPRI has extensive guidance in both disciplines. The Decommissioning Hub uses a wiki format to provide a platform that allows for both the updating of that guidance resulting from new research and new operating experiences, and combining related topical information from multiple reports. It also allows users to access the information based on key words and topical searches, and can be a tool for users to input experience to share with others. The Decommissioning Hub is accessed via a web-based portal and includes topical pages; experience summaries; a question and answer capability; and a smart search function of all EPRI decommissioning reports. Use of a wiki format allows users to input new experiences or modify existing experience summaries to add additional detail. EPRI moderates all content. The experience data base has been initially populated with information available in published EPRI reports and unpublished information currently available within EPRI. Moving forward, population of the database will continue with information available within the open literature, new information developed from current decommissioning projects, and user inputs. The web site became active in late 2017, and a major update will be issued in early 2020. Larger scale updates are planned biannually, and smaller-scale updates will occur continuously. Capturing and applying lessons learned from industry experiences is a hallmark of the global nuclear industry. This is even more important in the decommissioning technology area since very few plant staff have relevant experience and thus there is a steep learning curve. Moreover, decommissioning involves a number of complex, non-routine and specialized tasks. The web-accessible and searchable experience database provides an easy-to-use resource for capturing and disseminating practical experiences from completed and ongoing decommissioning projects. The EPRI Radwaste Web References will build upon the philosophy and objectives of the Radwaste Desk References that were published in the 1990's. The purpose of the original Radwaste Desk References was to provide nuclear power plant professionals with a how-to manual for managing radioactive waste. The Radwaste Web References will adopt this original purpose and will be a wiki type web site that provide fundamental practical and theoretical information, operating experience (OE), and information about advanced technologies and methods. As much as practicable, features that allow for interaction between users to share OE, best practices, and benchmarking will be added. Where they exist and are appropriate, the various EPRI Guidelines documents on radwaste topics will be updated and incorporated into the Radwaste Web References. The first Radwaste Web Reference will be on Low Level Waste Characterization and will build upon the EPRI Low Level Waste Characterization Guidelines (EPRI Report TR-107201, 1996) and will be available in 2020. The next Radwaste Web Reference will be on the topic of liquid radioactive waste processing and management, tentatively set for unveiling in 2021. This paper summarizes the EPRI's previous experiences with web-based platforms and future plans in this area. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2017

The Value of Wind Technology Innovation: Implications for the U.S. Power System, Wind Industry, Electricity Consumers, and Environment

Improvements to wind technologies have, in part, led to substantial deployment of U.S. wind power in recent years. The degree to which technology innovation will continue is highly uncertain adding to uncertainties in future wind deployment. We apply electric sector modeling to estimate the potential wind deployment opportunities across a range of technology advancement projections. The suite of projections considered span a wide range of possible cost and technology innovation trajectories, including those from a recent expert elicitation of wind energy experts, a projection based on the broader literature, and one reflecting estimates based on a U.S. DOE research initiative. In addition, we explore how these deployment pathways may impact the electricity system, electricity consumers, the environment, and the wind-related workforce. Overall, our analysis finds that wind technology innovation can have consequential implications for future wind power development throughout the United States, impact the broader electricity system, lower electric system and consumer costs, provide potential environmental benefits, and grow the U.S. wind workforce.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2018

At the Core: Fundamental Building Science Education Matters More Than Building Type

As building technologies become more advanced, the need for highly skilled and qualified workers has increased. Both residential and commercial building industries struggle to capture the full benefit of these new technologies because of the limited building science knowledge base of the professionals researching, designing, building, and selling these structures. To help address this need, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Residential Building Integration (RBI) program initiated the Guidelines for Building Science Education (GBSEs). These guidelines provide guidance on the fundamental building science knowledge base that is helpful for a wide range of building industry jobs. This effort provides a mechanism for training organizations to align core curriculum that can be applied to any building type. At the same time, DOE’s Commercial Building Integration (CBI) program has been spearheading a full suite of impactful initiatives including the Better Buildings Workforce Guidelines (BBWGs), which provide voluntary national guidelines from which select stakeholders can develop high-quality and nationally recognized training and certification programs. The BBWG framework helps to improve quality and scalability issues for five energy efficiency-related jobs: Building Energy Auditor, Building Commissioning Professional, Building Operations Professional, Building Operations Journey-Worker and Energy Manager. The residential and commercial building programs are both interested in helping to create better buildings through an improved workforce. The two program initiatives complement each other in many ways. The GBSEs pave the way for more specialized training and education offered by industry and academia, which lead to credentials that signify competency. The BBWGs cover credentialing for energy efficiency jobs—a critical area that DOE believed could benefit from incentives for credentialing bodies and building operators that would improve the energy efficiency of commercial buildings. This paper summarizes the steps DOE programs have taken to work together and the outcome of this symbiotic relationship.

Metzger, Cheryn E.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Gerischer Electrochemistry Today

Semiconductor photoelectrochemistry is a dynamic and interdisciplinary field at the forefront of research in solar fuels, energy conversion, and catalysis. Here, this Perspective captures the collective insights from the second Gerischer Electrochemistry Today Symposium, held at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO, in August 2024, which convened leading researchers, early-career scientists, and industry partners to define the critical next steps for the field. Through interactive sessions, technical talks, panel discussions, and training initiatives─including a Semiconductor Electrochemistry Bootcamp─the symposium emphasized three pillars of advancement: (i) facilitating the exchange of new ideas in semiconductor electrochemistry and charge separation; (ii) fostering the development of future researchers, research topics, and participation in the semiconductor workforce; and (iii) building community. This Energy Focus distills key themes from the meeting and identifies major knowledge gaps in the following areas: mechanisms of charge separation and recombination, role of defects and disorder, dynamic and operando characterization methods, interfacial chemistry and surface passivation, theoretical and modeling limitations, and standardization and benchmarking. The inclusive and collaborative structure of the symposium enabled the generation of this comprehensive report that will serve as a roadmap for fundamental and applied research in the rapidly evolving field of semiconductor electrochemistry over the next decade.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2025

A Regional Approach to Offshore Wind Energy Manufacturing in the Central Atlantic: Supply Chain

Growth of the offshore wind industry in the United States is likely to require growth in the nation's manufacturing capacity and additional resources and investments to meet energy project demands. Such growth has the potential to provide positive economic impacts for local communities, workers, and entire states. To realize the benefits of developing a domestic offshore wind supply chain, the states of Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia are working together under the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Regional Transformative Partnership for Offshore Wind Resources (SMART-POWER) regional collaboration to advance the industry, with Delaware as a supporting state. This report is part of the SMART-POWER Workforce and Supply Chain Analysis study, funded by the National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium. The study assesses challenges and opportunities for the four Central Atlantic states to understand key regional strengths and identify supply chain investments that could effectively leverage their resources and provide benefits to both the member states and the offshore wind sector as a whole.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2017

Collaboratory=Collaborate+Laboratory: The Mid-Columbia STEM Education Collaboratory

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory created a network focused on collaboration in STEM education to design and deliver projects, resources, and professional learning opportunities in a testbed environment. How do you uncover and fill gaps in equitable access to high-quality science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education offerings in your local region? Where might you deploy strategies to improve STEM workforce preparation and increase public understanding of STEM-oriented issues? And how can you help to ensure that students, educators, parents, and the community are aware of these programs and know how to access them in schools, colleges, and community venues? If you are the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), you take on the huge goal of designing and implementing an innovative STEM education collaboration project that impacts all levels of local education, both inside and outside of school settings. PNNL is one of the 17 national laboratories funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. Operated by Battelle, PNNL has a vested interest in preparing the next generation of scientists and engineers for their future careers, thus building a STEM-capable workforce and creating a STEM-literate community. One of Battelle’s core principles is a commitment to STEM education and its role in business competitiveness and quality of life. PNNL has been active in STEM education for decades, providing internships for future scientists, giving educators in-house lab experiences, and engaging its researchers in STEM outreach activities in classrooms and the community. The Collaboratory is a relatively recent outcome of Battelle’s longstanding efforts in STEM education. The original Collaboratory planning documents, developed by PNNL’s Office of STEM Education (OSE), state the objective to “design, implement, and mature a local STEM education collaboration zone that highlights the power of PNNL and Battelle to impact the educational ecosystem and serve as a model for amplifying and accelerating progress in addressing our STEM education and workforce challenges” (PNNL 2013). In other words, we (the OSE) sought to create a zone of collaboration in which members co-design and deliver STEM education programs, share findings and lessons learned from their experiences, and co-manage and sustain the organization. We started by identifying possible collaborators located nearby in the largely rural southeast corner of Washington State. Recognizing that our potential collaborators had differing norms, values, and relationships within the community, as well as their own areas of expertise and purpose, we convened representatives from K–12 public and private schools, higher education, community-based learning providers, and local business and industry to brainstorm a unified vision to resolve gaps in local STEM education needs. Through discussions with these collaborators, we started hunting for gaps where STEM efforts were lacking but a desire to improve existed. We gave ourselves permission to try things out and built a testbed space where we could experiment with new ideas, gather evidence of feasibility, and treat failures as constructive learning opportunities. Through this generative process and with seed funding from Battelle, inter-organizational teams now work together, both virtually and in real time, to develop, test, and deploy resources to support student success, educators’ effectiveness, and community engagement in STEM. Thus, the Mid-Columbia STEM Education Collaboratory (Collaboratory) was born. This is the story of our beginnings: our challenges, our lessons learned, and emerging indicators of success. For those interested in launching an education–business–community STEM learning ecosystem, we share our story.

Collaboratory↗

DOE OSTI2015

SPSP Phase III Recruiting, Selecting, and Developing Secure Power Systems Professionals: Behavioral Interview Guidelines by Job Roles

The Secure Power Systems Professional Phase III final report was released last year which an appendix of Behavioral Interview Guidelines by Job Roles. This new report is that appendix broken out as a standalone document to assist utilities in recruiting and developing Secure Power Systems Professionals at their site. The complete list of knowledge, skills, and abilities required in each of the studied job roles was assembled into the Behavioral Interview Guidelines. The guidelines were developed to apply the results of Phases I and II in a format that can be used in part or in whole to align workforce capabilities with the strategic goals and tactical focus of a power grid organization. These guidelines may 1) be applied to develop performance reviews or to produce individual professional development programs for existing staff; 2) assist in specifying learning objectives for a training or education program; and 3) be easily incorporated into most human capital software to facilitate development of job descriptions that comply with guidelines established by the Society of Human Resource Management. The guidelines can be immediately applied by human resources professionals, recruiters, and hiring managers to assist in recruiting and interviewing candidates for new SPSP position openings.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2019

I Asked 30,000 People in the Nuclear Industry About Safety Culture; This is What I Learned - 19204

Organizations in the nuclear industry place a high value on maintaining the safety of the workforce and community. Some of these organizations do a better job than others when it comes to developing and sustaining a healthy safety culture. We spent six years studying nuclear organizations to better understand the factors that influence safety culture. We used mixed methods to evaluate perceptions of safety culture in these organizations including administering a valid and reliable safety culture survey, conducting one-on-one interviews with managers, and facilitating focus groups with members of the workforce. We analyzed the quantitative and qualitative data collected from more than 30,000 workers in U.S. based organizations. All of the organizations had a nuclear component to their operations. They operated nuclear reactors, processed nuclear materials, decontaminated and decommissioned buildings with radiological contamination, cleaned-up hazardous/mixed waste, and conducted basic science research and development. We talked to craft workers, technicians, engineers, scientific professionals, support personnel, production workers, supervisors and managers. We conducted extensive statistical analysis and learned that, with rare exception, there is a gap between the perceptions of managers and the workforce that they manage. Managers almost always have a more positive perception of safety culture than the people that are actually performing the work. It is not a question of whether there will be a gap; it is simply a matter of the magnitude of the gap. We also learned through exploratory factor analysis that there is one dominant factor that accounted for almost all (75%) of the variance in the perceptions of safety culture. It was the behavior of the leaders, the decisions they made, and the systems they implemented that most influenced the workforce's perception of safety culture. Personal accountability for safety accounted for 14% of the variance, communication and reporting accounted for another 6%. Everything else accounted for the remaining 5%. Management systems, decision making and behavior is the dominant factor and managers almost always have a more positive perception than the people that work for them. People that work in organizations where management exhibits positive decision-making and safety-related behaviors tend to have more positive perceptions of safety culture. Based upon these results, we developed a theory that there were a few important factors on which management could focus on if they sought to influence the safety culture in their organization. Our experience and research suggests that management often fails to recognize five root causes of employee discontent. Employees seek: - To be recognized as an individual; - To be respected; - A sense of stability; - Fairness; - To make a difference. Understanding the perceptions of the workforce is critical because perceptions influence attitudes, which contribute to behaviors that determine individual performance. An organisation's performance is simply the sum of the performance of all of the members of that organization. To change an organisation's safety culture, interventions should target management behavior and decision making for the greatest return on investment. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2025

Capability Building Progression of an Insider Threat Mitigation Program at an International Research Reactor

The nuclear industry recognizes the difficulties involved in developing effective managerial and leadership skills in a highly technical and proficient workforce such as that found in nuclear facilities. Implementing an insider threat mitigation program (ITMP) within the nuclear industry is a complex and ongoing process that demands a comprehensive understanding of human behavior, an organization’s security culture, and rigorous regulatory requirements yet also accounts for facility characteristics, physical security, material flow, and activities involving nuclear material. Given the high-consequence nature of research reactor operations, even minor lapses can lead to safety, security, and reputational risks. An effective ITMP requires a defense-in-depth approach that incorporates behavioral analysis, robust vetting procedures, continuous monitoring, and cross-disciplinary coordination. It must also promote a culture of vigilance and accountability at all levels up to and including executive leadership but be flexible enough to adapt to evolving global threats and technological advances. Insider threat mitigation is not a one-time effort but rather a sustained commitment to excellence in safety and security. Establishing a culture in which personnel proactively report incidents and issues that could affect nuclear safety and security is vital to maintaining a safe and secure operational environment. This document was developed to guide senior management and research reactor organizations in creating comprehensive programs to effectively manage and mitigate insider threat behaviors and actions. It focuses on the key pillars of an effective ITMP, including the national legal framework, security culture, preventive and protective measures, cyber security, and performance evaluation. By using a systematic approach during implementation, facilities can foster environments conducive to insider threat detection and support long-term program sustainability. The document also provides strategies for improving communication across all levels of an organization, helping to eliminate barriers that hinder the development of robust ITMPs and enhance overall security culture. In today’s organizations, the concept of leveraging safety and security culture lessons to facilitate knowledge transfer is rapidly evolving to expedite insider threat management and security culture improvements. This document outlines the rationale for evaluating an ITMP based on national customs, culture, and stakeholders. The elements are all germane to reliability and trustworthiness and relate to security concerns that states may encounter. The document focuses not only on individual perceptions regarding security issues and capability building but also on team building and how to resolve concerns. The implementers of a facility’s ITMP may zero in on indicators of insider threats within their enterprise. This material will benefit organizations when it is applied using a systematic and structured approach as demonstrated throughout the document.

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗

NASA NTRS2011

Autonomous Aerobraking: A Design, Development, and Feasibility Study

Aerobraking has been used four times to decrease the apoapsis of a spacecraft in a captured orbit around a planetary body with a significant atmosphere utilizing atmospheric drag to decelerate the spacecraft. While aerobraking requires minimum fuel, the long time required for aerobraking requires both a large operations staff, and large Deep Space Network resources. A study to automate aerobraking has been sponsored by the NASA Engineering and Safety Center to determine initial feasibility of equipping a spacecraft with the onboard capability for autonomous aerobraking, thus saving millions of dollars incurred by a large aerobraking operations workforce and continuous DSN coverage. This paper describes the need for autonomous aerobraking, the development of the Autonomous Aerobraking Development Software that includes an ephemeris estimator, an atmospheric density estimator, and maneuver calculation, and the plan forward for continuation of this study.

Prince, Jill L. H.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Nuclear waste Educator's workshop: What and how do we teach about nuclear waste?

A workshop was held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on July 25th and 26th, 2022. The objective was to develop a blueprint for educating next-generation engineers and scientists about nuclear waste management and disposal, which requires knowledge from diverse disciplines, including nuclear, chemical, civil, environmental, and geological science and engineering. The 49 participants included university professors, researchers, industry experts, and government officials from different areas. First, we have developed a list of key fundamental knowledge on waste management and disposal across the nuclear fuel cycle. In addition, we discussed strategies on how to teach students with diverse backgrounds through innovative teaching strategies as well as how to attract students into this area. Through the workshop, we identified the critical needs to (1) develop community resources for nuclear waste education; (2) synthesize historical perspectives, including past contamination and the management of general hazardous waste; (3) emphasize a complete life-cycle perspective, including proper waste management as the key component for energy sustainability; (4) teach students how to communicate about the key facts and risks to technical and non-technical audiences; and (5) accelerate the use of the state-of-art-technologies to attract and retain a young workforce. Furthermore, we aim to build a diverse, inclusive community that supports students in developing their own narratives about nuclear waste, particularly in recognizing that antagonistic views have been important to improving safety and protecting public health and the environment.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2015

Evaluation of a performance appraisal framework for radiation therapists in planning and simulation

Constantly evolving technology and techniques within radiation therapy require practitioners to maintain a continuous approach to professional development and training. Systems of performance appraisal and adoption of regular feedback mechanisms are vital to support this development yet frequently lack structure and rely on informal peer support. A Radiation Therapy Performance Appraisal Framework (RT-PAF) for radiation therapists in planning and simulation was developed to define expectations of practice and promote a supportive and objective culture of performance and skills appraisal. Evaluation of the framework was conducted via an anonymous online survey tool. Nine peer reviewers and fourteen recipients provided feedback on its effectiveness and the challenges and limitations of the approach. Findings from the evaluation were positive and suggested that both groups gained benefit from and expressed a strong interest in embedding the approach more routinely. Respondents identified common challenges related to the limited ability to implement suggested development strategies; this was strongly associated with time and rostering issues. This framework successfully defined expectations for practice and provided a fair and objective feedback process that focussed on skills development. It empowered staff to maintain their skills and reach their professional potential. Management support, particularly in regard to provision of protected time was highlighted as critical to the framework's ongoing success. The demonstrated benefits arising in terms of staff satisfaction and development highlight the importance of this commitment to the modern radiation therapy workforce.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

DOE OSTI2017

Travel patterns and characteristics of foreign-born sub-population in New York state

According to the 2010 Census, over 22% of total New York State (NYS) residents were foreign-born and over one in three persons living in New York City (NYC) were foreign-born. Foreign-born and their dependents impact local economies in many different ways, including purchasing power, transportation service needs, business sales and receipts generated, and workforce. To allow better policy decision making and program planning of transportation developments and investments in NYS, a clear understanding of the foreign-born population’s travel characteristics and behaviors, as well as their unique transportation service needs, are necessary. This report documents the characteristics of the foreign-born population and identified differences in travel behaviors and mobility issues between foreign-born residents of NYS and their U.S.-born counterparts.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2022

Artificial Intelligence Strategy and Implementation [Slides]

LANL strategic activities for AI center on this goal: accelerate development of AI-enabled capabilities for science and security, with focus on developing and applying mission-relevant core AI technologies, creating an AI workforce pipeline and training opportunities, and building AI partnerships and community.

42 ENGINEERING↗