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RoboNet-II uses a global network of robotic telescopes to perform follow-up observations of microlensing events in
the Galactic Bulge. The current network consists of three 2m telescopes located in Hawaii and Australia (owned by
Las Cumbres Observatory) and the Canary Islands (owned by Liverpool John Moores University). In future years the
network will be expanded by deploying clusters of 1m telescopes in other suitable locations. A principal scientific aim
of the RoboNet-II project is the detection of cool extra-solar planets by the method of gravitational microlensing. These
detections will provide crucial constraints to models of planetary formation and orbital migration. RoboNet-II acts in
coordination with the PLANET microlensing follow-up network and uses an optimization algorithm (“web-PLOP”) to
select the targets and a d...
This session consitutes an investigation of heteronormative discourse and early childhood education in Aotearoa New Zealand, the discursive construction of
heteronormativity in early childhood
education through the 20th century, and the shaping of practices in early
childhood education through
heteronormative discourses in the present
day.
• To develop & administer a questionnaire that
collects unique information which would assist
in the development of a training program for
improving CI user’s music perception &
appreciation.
• Questionnaire differed in its approach and
focus to existing questionnaires.
Damage scenario and seismic risk analysis, along with the use of a GIS-environment to represent the results, are helpful tools to support the decision making for planning and prioritizing seismic risk management strategies. The common framework for developing seismic risk analysis and damage scenarios is based on the traditionally accepted definition of the seismic risk as a convolution of hazard, exposure and vulnerability. This paper focuses on the importance of an appropriate geotechnical hazard representation within a seismic risk analysis process. After an overview of alternative methods for geotechnical zonation available in literature, with a different level of refinement depending on the information available, examples of their implementation are provided with reference to a case study. Significant differences in terms of the r...
The recent Italian seismic decrees (OPCM 3274/2003 and OPCM 3431/2005) have strongly
modified the safety concept for existing buildings. This code introduces the idea of design and
verification through performance-based analysis. Unfortunately, in case of monumental heritage,
the OPCM 3431 decree does not propose a specific methodology. For masonry historical
structures, the available literature on this topic generally deals with the out-of-plane overturning
mechanism, considering the wall as an oscillating rigid block (e.g., façades or bell towers). As a
matter of fact, for these structures or macroelements, the fundamental periods are large, even for
the initial elastic range, and they can increase because of cracking in masonry, typically
considered as no-tension material. The effects of these features on the dynamic respons...
The Italian heritage building stock is dominated by unreinforced masonry
buildings widespread on the whole territory with rammed earth buildings peculiar of
some regions. A major effort is given to strengthen or retrofit these buildings in order to
improve their safety under seismic loading as well as to preserve them as memory of the
ancient art of builders and as constitutive elements of the anthrop-environment. This
paper describes traditional seismic retrofit interventions adopted in Italy. These
retrofitting interventions, revised according to the modern technologies, derived from
historical concept of aseismic devices (i.e. metallic tie-rods, circumferential tie-rods,
buttresses, “diatoni”, wall connections, partial reconstruction of walls) suggested to the
builders’ crafts by observation of earthquake damage and imposed...
Vulnerability and damage assessment at a territorial scale according to a macroseismic approach coherent with EMS- 98 European Macroseismic Scale, (English title)
Purpose: The paper challenges agency and stewardship theories’ straw person conceptions of human behaviour and discusses how the board of directors can use accounting and control systems to effectively moderate a realistic model of the CEO’s behaviour.
Design/methodology/approach: The paper uses a pragmatic approach in reconciling agency and stewardship theory.
Findings: As well as a framework for implementing strategy, Robert Simons’ levers of control can be used to regulate the behaviour of the CEO. Beliefs and interactive control systems encourage pro-organisational behaviour, whereas boundary and diagnostic control systems constrain self-interested (or opportunistic) behaviour.
Originality/value: Assuming people are opportunistic leads to accounting and control systems which encourage opportunistic behaviour and discou...
Reviewed based on 2 page (2 column format) abstract. Full 5-page paper published. 40% acceptance rate. Oral presentation given.
This paper introduces the conceptualization and application of a method to analyse the
decision making process of New Zealand’s State Highway Organisations (SHO) during
extreme events. The aim is to obtain an unbiased and complete overview of the strengths
and weaknesses of the current decision making. Procedures and metrics to analyse the
Quality of Decision Making (QDM) are proposed, based upon the study of theoretical and
practical concepts of decision making processes. QDM analysis was applied to 3 real events
and 4 exercises, which have been observed since 2005. The results of the QDM analysis
indicate that SHO are capable, experienced and competent in dealing with major disruption
or crises that may affect the State Highway Network of New Zealand. SHO have achieved
High and Regular levels of resilience in terms of decisi...
