New Releases by Ryan W

Ryan W is the author of Clinician's Guide to Validity Assessment and Management in Neuropsychology (2025), Beyond the Build (2025), Dispatches from Mormon Zion (2025), A Guide to Monster Hunter Wilds Game 2025 (2025), Questioning Beneficence (2024).

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Clinician's Guide to Validity Assessment and Management in Neuropsychology

release date: Jun 30, 2025
Clinician's Guide to Validity Assessment and Management in Neuropsychology
This unique hands-on guide walks neuropsychologists through the process of validity assessment and management in real-world clinical settings. Emphasizing the medical necessity of evaluating validity, the authors provide detailed examples, procedural tips, and downloadable practical tools. Step-by-step guidelines are presented for managing potentially complicated referrals, using the clinical interview to gain awareness of possible concerns, choosing and administering performance and symptom validity tests, and providing feedback and treatment recommendations when invalidity is identified. Clinician–patient relationship issues are sensitively addressed. The book concludes with a chapter-length case example.

Beyond the Build

release date: Apr 17, 2025
Beyond the Build
Whether you''re grinding your way through MyCAREER, stacking VC to max out your build, assembling a MyTEAM God Squad, or running the courts in The Park and Rec, Beyond the Build: NBA 2K25 Guide to Gameplay Mastery and VC Hustle is your all-in-one playbook to dominate every aspect of NBA 2K25. Designed for both newcomers and seasoned players, this comprehensive guide dives deep into everything you need to know to rise above the competition and become a true 2K legend. Inside, you''ll discover the best builds for every position, badge tier breakdowns, advanced scoring strategies, and animation setups used by elite players. Learn how to optimize your controller settings, use the Auction House like a pro, and master Rec Center chemistry-even when running with randoms. From understanding MyTEAM''s pack economy to crafting high-IQ gameplay for Pro-Am competition, every chapter is filled with actionable insights backed by community-tested data and expert tips. Want to grind VC faster without spending real money? We''ve got you covered with proven VC farming methods, Season XP tricks, and daily objectives that get you paid. Need help locking in that perfect jump shot or defending top-tier dribble gods? This guide breaks it all down with real in-game examples, position-specific advice, and plug-and-play setups for success. Packed with resources like animation charts, badge stacking blueprints, camera and meter tips, plus recommended YouTube channels, Discord communities, and build-testing tools, this is more than a guide-it''s your 2K25 survival kit. Whether you''re going for your Legend grind, hunting trophies in MyTEAM, or just trying to win more games in The City, Beyond the Build gives you the knowledge, tools, and edge to take your game to the next level. Master NBA 2K25. Stack your VC. Build your legend.

Dispatches from Mormon Zion

release date: Mar 13, 2025
Dispatches from Mormon Zion
In today’s deeply divided world, how can people find common ground with each other? One of the earliest goals of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was to build a modern Zion—a community where people would share one heart and one mind. That vision raises questions that are profoundly relevant in today’s divided society. Is unity of feeling and belief desirable or even possible? If so, what does it look like? Ryan Davis explores these questions by reflecting on personal stories from his life and work in the present-day Latter-day Saints faith community. The stories that Davis is interested in are ones in which relative strangers or mere acquaintances catch a glimpse of each other’s humanity. Within that liminal space—which Davis calls “Mormon Zion”—they are able to listen to each other, learn from each other, and find common ground, qualities that are sorely needed in today’s public square. Combining gifted storytelling with keen analysis, Davis illuminates people’s lived experiences within the Latter-day Saints community and offers thoughtful reflections on what it might mean to share one heart and one mind in today’s polarized world.

A Guide to Monster Hunter Wilds Game 2025

release date: Feb 04, 2025
A Guide to Monster Hunter Wilds Game 2025
Enter the vast, untamed world of Monster Hunter Wilds with Master the Hunt: The Definitive Handbook to Weapons, Monsters, Armor Builds, and Expert Hunting Strategies. Whether you''re a seasoned hunter or a newcomer, this ultimate guide is your key to unlocking the full potential of the 2025 installment of the legendary franchise. Dive into the most comprehensive monster compendium ever compiled, featuring in-depth statistics, elemental weaknesses, and behavior patterns of every creature lurking in the Wilds. Master weapon special moves and advanced combos, optimize your armor builds for maximum efficiency, and learn expert hunting strategies that will give you the edge in every battle. Explore the stunning open-world landscapes, from scorching volcanic caverns to icy tundras, with detailed maps highlighting key locations, resource hotspots, and hidden secrets. Discover rare crafting materials, optimize your gear upgrades, and gain insider knowledge on the best ways to track, trap, and slay the most formidable beasts. With step-by-step guidance for solo and multiplayer hunts, an Appendix filled with essential reference materials, and a beginner-friendly quick-start guide, this book is your ultimate survival companion. No matter your playstyle-whether you prefer heavy-hitting Greatswords, precision-based Bows, or versatile Sword and Shield tactics-this book ensures that you hone your skills, maximize your efficiency, and conquer the Wilds like a true elite hunter. If you want to dominate Monster Hunter Wilds, this is the only guide you''ll ever need!

Questioning Beneficence

release date: Sep 30, 2024
Questioning Beneficence
Effective Altruism is a movement and a philosophy that has reinvigorated the debate about the nature of beneficence. At base, it is the consistent application of microeconomic principles to beneficent action. The movement has exposed that many forms of giving do little good (or do active harm), but others do tremendous good. Questioning Beneficence uses Effective Altruism as a launch pad to ask hard questions about beneficence more generally. Must we be Effective Altruists, or are Effective Altruism and the ideas driving the movement a mistake? How much should we give—if anything— and how should we give it? What are the respective roles of different kinds of institutions? Is charity anti-democratic and do billionaire philanthropists have too much power? Is Effective Altruism just utilitarianism in disguise? Questioning Beneficence is written by four philosophers, each with distinct points of view. It introduces a new standard for debating ideas in philosophy as each author poses and answers three questions and each of his three co-authors responds to those questions in turn. Finally, the first author replies to his co-authors’ responses. Throughout the book, there is a spirit of curiosity, intellectual risk taking, and truth-seeking, rather than point-scoring and one-upmanship. This book demonstrates what open-minded, real dialogue on an important issue can be at its very best. Key Features: Introduces a new roundtable format for philosophical debates: each of four authors takes the lead in constructing and answering three questions, each co-author then responds, and the first author then replies to the others’ responses. Explores salient philosophical questions raised by beneficence, like Can philanthropy be undemocratic? Why are people so bad at charity and what can we do about it? How important is beneficence compared to other values? Can Effective Altruism be part of a meaningful moral life? Consistently written in a clear and engaging style, suitable for both undergraduate students and curious general readers

Unleash the Power of Wukong

release date: Aug 13, 2024
Unleash the Power of Wukong
A Black Myth: Wukong Game Guide and Strategy Book. Whether you''re a seasoned gamer or new to the legendary tales, this comprehensive guide is your ultimate companion for mastering the game. Explore the rich lore and history of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, as you embark on an epic adventure filled with challenging quests and formidable foes. This guide provides detailed walkthroughs, in depth strategies, and expert tips to enhance your gameplay. Learn how to master combat mechanics, harness magical abilities, and execute flawless combos. Discover hidden secrets, unlock powerful upgrades, and tackle boss battles with confidence. With step by step instructions and tactical insights, this book will help you navigate every twist and turn of the game. In addition to gameplay strategies, Unleash the Power of Wukong offers a comprehensive look at character progression, crafting, and resource management. Unlock the full potential of Wukong''s abilities and customize your playstyle to suit your strengths. The book also includes a detailed list of achievements and trophies, a glossary of terms, and links to valuable resources and community forums. Whether you''re playing solo or engaging in multiplayer modes, this guide equips you with the knowledge and skills needed to conquer the challenges that await. Immerse yourself in the world of Wukong and become a true legend. Embark on your journey today with Unleash the Power of Wukong: A Black Myth: Wukong Game Guide and Strategy Book-the ultimate resource for mastering the game. Disclaimer Please note that this book is an unauthorised game guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the original production of Black Myth.

A New Player's Guide to Men of War Game

release date: May 18, 2024
A New Player's Guide to Men of War Game
Disclaimer Please note that this book is an unauthorised game guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the original production of " Men of War" Are you new to the world of Men of War and feeling overwhelmed? Are you struggling to navigate the game''s complex mechanics and strategies? Do you wish you had a comprehensive guide to help you improve your gameplay and dominate the battlefield? Men of War can be a daunting game, especially for beginners. With its intricate gameplay mechanics, complex maps, and intense multiplayer modes, it''s easy to get lost and frustrated. You may find yourself wondering: - How do I effectively manage my troops and resources? - What are the best strategies for success in different game modes? - How can I improve my chances of winning in multiplayer? A New Player''s Guide to Men of War Game is here to help! This comprehensive guide is designed specifically for beginners, providing you with the tips, tricks, and strategies you need to succeed. Inside, you''ll find: - A thorough introduction to the game''s mechanics and basics - Detailed strategies for success in single-player and multiplayer modes - Expert advice on troop management, resource allocation, and map navigation - Tips for improving your gameplay and dominating the competition This book is your ultimate solution to mastering Men of War. With its easy-to-follow guidance and expert insights, you''ll be able to: - Improve your gameplay and win more matches - Develop effective strategies for success in different game modes - Dominate the competition and become a top player Don''t let frustration hold you back from enjoying Men of War any longer! Get your copy of A New Player''s Guide to Men of War Game today and start playing like a pro! With this comprehensive guide, you''ll be well on your way to becoming a top player and enjoying the game to its fullest.

A Comprehensive Guide to Prison Architect 2

release date: May 01, 2024
A Comprehensive Guide to Prison Architect 2
Disclaimer Please note that this book is an unauthorized game guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the original production of "Prison Architect" Are you struggling to design and manage your prison efficiently in Prison Architect 2? Do you find yourself constantly facing setbacks, unable to overcome the challenges thrown your way? Are you worried about not reaching your full potential in the game? Prison Architect 2 presents players with a myriad of challenges, from maintaining security and managing resources to keeping prisoners content and preventing riots. Understanding the intricate mechanics and optimizing your strategies can be daunting, especially for newer players. In this comprehensive guide, you can expect detailed insights into every aspect of Prison Architect 2 gameplay. From planning and constructing your prison layout to implementing effective security measures and managing inmate needs, each chapter is packed with valuable information and advanced strategies to help you excel. Discover proven tactics for maximizing efficiency in your prison operations, including tips for optimizing staff deployment, streamlining prisoner intake procedures, and mitigating potential risks. Learn how to design secure facilities, allocate resources wisely, and maintain a balance between punishment and rehabilitation to foster a stable and prosperous prison environment. Don''t let frustration hold you back from enjoying Prison Architect 2 to its fullest potential. With the strategies and insights provided in this guide, you''ll gain the confidence and skills needed to master the game and build the ultimate correctional facility. Take control of your prison, overcome every challenge, and become a true architect of justice!

Why It's OK to Own a Gun

release date: Sep 29, 2023
Why It's OK to Own a Gun
Why It’s OK to Own a Gun explores the right to self-defense, but also looks beyond it to what gun ownership fundamentally means in American life. Guns can provide a source of meaning that doesn’t depend on how much money you have or how important your job is. Guns can offer a sense of shared identity that’s not hung up on intellectual credentials or ideological orthodoxy. For many responsible gun owners, owning a gun is a way of positively reclaiming one’s own agency in the world. It’s true that guns matter to only a minority of Americans, but the same could be said for many important political liberties. Like freedom of religion and freedom of expression, guns should be on the list of basic rights. In fact, they are: as some in America’s founding generation anticipated, gun rights have offered a bulwark for republican freedom. Because there is nothing morally wrong with any of these values, owning a gun is OK. Key Features: Discusses the grounds of the political rights of gun ownership Connects the debate over guns with the sociology of gun ownership Describes genuinely worthwhile features of a way of life that’s unfamiliar to many readers Considers empirical and normative aspects of the gun debate Thinks about individual rights in the context of state power

Pound of Flesh

release date: Dec 22, 2022
Pound of Flesh
Pound of Flesh has everything you could ask for in a great military scifi story: well-developed heroes, a terrific villian, pulse pounding action, exciting space battles, and a layer of emotional depth. An unforgettable novel in which its hardware, as awesome as it is, never outshines its characters. A must-read for anyone who loves military science fiction. -Nate Timberlake, Captain USAF The mission is simple: escort Dr. Nadir and her team of aid workers through insurgent-held territory to a remote village on Idun-3. Veteran Lieutenant Ralph Hague and his platoon have completed far more dangerous assignments fulfilling the Berserker''s contract with Biodyne Industries. When an army of radical cultists, The Immortals, arrive in search of Biodyne''s research on a life-extending drug, Hague and his troops are redirected into the heart of a war-torn planet to rescue Biodyne personnel and their data from a secret research facility called Outpost 16. There he witnesses horrors that shock him to his very core. Surrounded by hostile forces, he must choose between his duty and his conscience. Barely escaping the outpost, Hague''s platoon and the civilians in his charge trek through the deadly jungle, pursued by fanatical Immortal troops and local insurgents hell bent on killing them. Outgunned and outmanned, Hague must outwit his enemies to escape. Even his superior training and extensive experience might not save him. The Immortal leader won''t leave without his Holy Writ-and he will annihilate every Berserker on Idun-3 to get it. The mission has changed. Hague''s only objective is survival. Pound of Flesh is a thrilling stand-alone novel set in the gritty War''s Edge universe. Warning: This book contains graphic violence, profanity, and sexual content. It is intended for a mature audience. Reader discretion is advised.

Quantitative Analysis of the GRL Variable Focal Length GmAPD Lidar System

release date: Jan 01, 2022

Learning Or Playing?

release date: Jan 01, 2019
Learning Or Playing?
Gamified training is a novel management control system in which companies use gamification techniques to engage and motivate employees to learn. This study empirically examines the performance consequences of gamified training by conducting a field experiment in a professional services firm. We find that the main effect of adopting the gamified training platform on performance is not statistically significant at conventional levels. However, we also find that the effect is moderated by employee engagement, such that the gamified training platform improved performance in offices with high employee engagement and worsened performance in offices with low employee engagement. In offices with high levels of employee engagement—with above-median rates of employee retention and willingness to log onto the training platform—each additional minute of average platform engagement per employee led to an additional 0.28 new clients per month. In offices with below-median rates of employee retention and willingness to log onto the training platform, each additional minute of average platform engagement per employee resulted in 0.78 fewer new clients per month. Taken together, these results suggest that gamified training, which, in part, is intended to help engage and motivate employees to learn, may only yield performance benefits among those who are already highly engaged and motivated.

The Age of Wonderful Nonsense

release date: Jul 27, 2018
The Age of Wonderful Nonsense
Being in your 20s is like losing your parents at Disneyland, but for the rest of your life. Sure, its all fun and games because at least Mickey Mouse is there and cotton candy is flowing. Then you realize, Wait, what the heck am I supposed to do now? MOM, DAAAAAAD!?! ANYBODYYYY!?! Some people are lucky. They know exactly what they want out of life early on and are relentless in attaining it. Good for them they deserve it. Most of us, however, are forced to continuously alter our path, always striving to reinvent ourselves and find our passion somewhere along the way. Whichever category you fall in, at one point or another, we all find ourselves lost, trying to navigate our way through the storms of life. Whatever walk (or storm) youre on, theres no doubt in my mind that you seek more out of this life. I wrote this book for one reason - to serve as a roadmap for those searching to live a successful, peaceful, and purpose-filled life. Will we allow our past to alter our present? Or will we decide to find our Purpose, Escape our past, take Action, Change our autopilot, and become Empathetic to our surroundings? Yes, for those of you paying attention - those five steps I just listed off spell P.E.A.C.E. See, not as dumb as I look crouching in that field below.

Self-understanding of Executive Functions in Individuals with Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum

release date: Jan 01, 2018
Self-understanding of Executive Functions in Individuals with Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum
Researchers have associated agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC) with a range of mild cognitive deficits, especially involving higher order executive functions. In this study, I investigated the self-understanding of executive functions in individuals with ACC by comparing laboratory-controlled, self-report, and observer-report measures. I achieved this by gathering self- and observer-reported data of executive functions and comparing these data to each other and to a normative distribution. I also examined how strongly observer-perceptions of executive functions correlate with laboratory measurement. My results indicated (a) individuals with ACC self-report fewer problems with executive functions in their daily life than observers on the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function–Adult Version (BRIEF-A), (b) several significant correlations exist between observer ratings on the BRIEF-A Metacognition Index and the performance of individuals with ACC on aspects of the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS), and (c) the BRIEF-A appears to demonstrate greater sensitivity for poor executive functions associated with complex novel problems than the D-KEFS. These findings raise questions about the ecological validity of executive function instruments used for clinical assessment in the ACC population, provide evidence for a lack of self-understanding or insight in individuals with ACC, and support previous research demonstrating higher-order cognitive deficits in the clinical profile of ACC.

Longevity, the Current and Recent Antiaging Medicine, and Clinical Trials

release date: Dec 02, 2017
Longevity, the Current and Recent Antiaging Medicine, and Clinical Trials
Current health strategy has usually concentrated on the treatment of diseases after its start within a general health-care system. The way is harsh for the people. The trend of expenditures in health care will nearly undoubtedly lead to massive rises in medical expenses, likely failing the national health insurance system. The flow of healthcare would be set to change, with more critical rank involved in preventive medicine. Thus, with its focus on aging, anti-aging medicine might play a vital character in preventive medicine. For example, there are two antiaging drugs (USA) and one antiaging nutraceutical (Japan) for the human clinical trials under the approvals by Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and these tests are ongoing. The term for anti-aging clinical trials is the first time to be used approved by FDA for the clinical trial using metformin. The first example of this standard change is approval by FDA of the clinical trial for deciding the efficacy of metformin, in reducing the risk for aging-associated diseases. This book is intended to introduce these messages to ordinary people. Hopefully, people will have a better future.

Shades of Green

release date: Aug 08, 2017
Shades of Green
Drawing on records of about 5,500 soldiers and veterans, Shades of Green traces the organization of Irish regiments from the perspective of local communities in Connecticut, Illinois, and Wisconsin and the relationships between soldiers and the home front. Research on the impact of the Civil War on Irish Americans has traditionally fallen into one of two tracks, arguing that the Civil War either further alienated Irish immigrants from American society or that military service in defense of the Union offered these men a means of assimilation. In this study of Irish American service, Ryan W. Keating argues that neither paradigm really holds, because many Irish Americans during this time already considered themselves to be assimilated members of American society. This comprehensive study argues that the local community was often more important to ethnic soldiers than the imagined ethnic community, especially in terms of political, social, and economic relationships. An analysis of the Civil War era from this perspective provides a much clearer understanding of immigrant place and identity during the nineteenth century. With a focus on three regiments not traditionally studied, the author provides a fine-grained analysis revealing that ethnic communities, like other types of communities, are not monolithic on a national scale. Examining lesser-studied communities, rather than the usual those of New York City and Boston, Keating brings the local back into the story of Irish American participation in the Civil War, thus adding something new and valuable to the study of the immigrant experience in America’s bloodiest conflict. Throughout this rich and groundbreaking study, Keating supports his argument through advanced quantitative analysis of military-service records and an exhaustive review of a massive wealth of raw data; his use of quantitative methods on a large dataset is an unusual and exciting development in Civil War studies. Shades of Green is sure to “shake up” several fields of study that rely on ethnicity as a useful category for analysis; its impressive research provides a significant contribution to scholarship.

Pediatric Amplification

release date: Jun 30, 2017
Pediatric Amplification
Pediatric Amplification: Enhancing Auditory Access is a comprehensive resource that focuses specifically on the process of fitting children with hearing aids, a population that is underrepresented in the scientific and clinical literature. The text is based on a theoretical framework that posits that well-fit, consistently worn hearing aids can optimize the auditory access of children with hearing loss. This theoretical framework serves as the basis for providing clinical care to children with hearing aids and their families. The content is organized around using best practices to provide aided audibility, promote consistent hearing aid use, and engage in high-quality linguistic input for children who wear hearing aids. The text is unique in its focus on the clinical management of amplification in the pediatric population using cutting-edge research based on the needs of children who are hard of hearing. It includes chapters dedicated to hearing assistance technology and case studies to illustrate the concepts presented. Pediatric Amplification is a professional resource for clinicians and audiologists who serve children who wear hearing aids and their families and can also be used in graduate courses for students in audiology, deaf education, and speech-language pathology.

Identifying the Problem

release date: Jan 01, 2017

Judicial Code Supplement

release date: Aug 01, 2016
Judicial Code Supplement
The Judicial Code -- Title 28 of the United States Code -- contains the primary statutes relating the power and organization of the federal judiciary. It accordingly provides the framework for any study of Federal Courts. But the Judicial Code is not a static compilation; in almost every session, Congress makes one or more changes to its provisions. Some of the changes are minor, like realigning the judicial districts within a state or conforming a statutory provision to a change in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. But other amendments establish new ground rules for litigation or raise constitutional questions that are of interest from a Federal Courts perspective. For example, in 2011, Congress made significant revisions to the Code sections that govern removal of cases from state to federal court under the general removal statute. A year later, Congress amended the federal officer removal statute in a way that arguably goes beyond the scope of Article III. This edition of the Judicial Code Supplement incorporates the amendments to Title 28 signed into law through May 2016. Footnotes and textual notes flag substantive changes in the Code since the book''s initial appearance in 2005. This feature, unique to our Code Supplement, enables teachers as well as students to trace the evolution of the Code over a period of years. The first edition of this Code Supplement was published in 2005, along with the first edition of our casebook, Federal Courts: Cases and Materials on Judicial Federalism and the Lawyering Process. The second edition of the casebook was published in 2009, and the third edition was published in 2013. Like its predecessors, this compilation can of course be used with any Federal Courts casebook.

Birds of Lore

release date: Apr 07, 2016
Birds of Lore
A modern, fully-illustrated bestiary, and a mixed-genre anthology all-in-one! Join the time-traveling Mythologist as he explores world-wide legendary birds throughout history. Birds of Lore is the closest you can get to mythological bird watching (without losing a finger).

Surfacing the Submerged State

release date: Jan 01, 2016
Surfacing the Submerged State
As Americans'' trust in government nears historic lows, frustration with government performance approaches record highs. We propose that Americans’ views of government can be reshaped by increasing government’s operational transparency--that is, the extent to which citizens can see the often-hidden work that government performs. Across three studies using laboratory and field data, increasing operational transparency improves citizens’ views of and increases engagement with government. In Study 1 (N=554), viewing a five-minute computer simulation highlighting the work performed by the government of an archetypal American town--from building roads to ensuring food safety--increased trust in government and support for government services. In Study 2 (N=125), Boston residents who interacted with a website that visualizes both citizens’ service requests--such as potholes and broken streetlamps--and efforts by city government to address them became more trusting and supportive of government. Study 3 (N=21,986) was a natural experiment using data from a mobile phone application through which Boston residents submit service requests to their city government. Users who viewed photos of the city workers responding to their service requests were more likely to continue using the app over the ensuing 13 months, demonstrating that operational transparency led to sustained engagement with government.

Nothing But the Dead and Dying

release date: Dec 02, 2015
Nothing But the Dead and Dying
A woman flees the hospital even as her infant son is breathing his last breaths. An aging construction worker comes to grips with the end of the only life he''s ever known. A deadbeat father meets his son for the first time, only to be blindsided by the boy''s birth defect. A man steals a corpse in order to give his father the burial he wanted. In Nothing but the Dead and Dying, Ryan W. Bradley takes listeners into the world of blue-collar Alaska, reflecting on all that is unique about the rough and untamed state while touching on the basic truths about what it means to be human. The twenty-plus stories in this collection are tied together by the Alaskan landscape, exploring the diverse ways in which people manage life''s difficulties. The characters are laborers in a harshly beautiful environment, something that is echoed in their relationships with friends, family, and lovers.

Lift

release date: Jul 31, 2015
Lift
Just as the Wright Brothers combined science and practice to finally realize the dream of flight, Ryan and Robert Quinn combine research and personal experience to demonstrate how to reach a psychological state that elevates us and those around us to greater heights of achievement, integrity, openness, and empathy. It''s the psychological equivalent of aerodynamic lift, and it is the fundamental state of leadership. This book draws on recent advances in positive psychology and organizational science to describe four questions that, when asked in any situation, will help us experience the fundamental state of leadership. Engaging personal stories illustrate how the Quinns and others have applied these concepts at work, at home, and in the community. --

Mixed-effects Location-scale Models for Conditionally Normally Distributed Repeated-measures Data

release date: Jan 01, 2015
Mixed-effects Location-scale Models for Conditionally Normally Distributed Repeated-measures Data
In sum, this dissertation provides information useful to empirical scientists as they progress from study design through analysis, interpretation, and reporting for publication.

Optical Communications for Small Satellites

release date: Jan 01, 2015
Optical Communications for Small Satellites
Small satellites, particularly CubeSats, have become popular platforms for a wide variety of scientific, commercial and military remote sensing applications. Inexpensive commercial o the shelf (COTS) hardware and relatively low launch costs make these platforms candidates for deployment in large constellations that can offer unprecedented temporal and geospatial sampling of the entire planet. However, productivity for both individual and constellations of CubeSats in low earth orbit (LEO) is limited by the capabilities of the communications subsystem. Generally, these constraints stem from limited available electrical power, low-gain antennas and the general scarcity of available radio spectrum. In this thesis, we assess the ability of free space optical communication (lasercom) to address these limitations, identify key technology developments that enable its application in small satellites, and develop a functional prototype that demonstrates predicted performance. We first establish design goals for a lasercom payload archi- tecture that offers performance improvements (joules-per-bit) over radio-frequency (RF) solutions, yet is compatible with the severe size, weight and power (SWaP) constraints common to CubeSats. The key design goal is direct LEO-to-ground downlink capability with data rates exceeding 10 Mbps, an order of magnitude better than COTS radio solutions available today, within typical CubeSat SWaP constraints on the space terminal, and with similar COTS and low-complexity constraints on the ground terminal. After defining the goals for this architecture, we identify gaps in previous implementations that limit their performance: the lack of compact, power-efficient optical transmitters and the need for pointing capability on small satellites to be as much as a factor of ten better than what is commonly achieved today. One approach is to address these shortcomings using low-cost COTS components that are compatible with CubeSat budgets and development schedules. In design trade studies we identify potential solutions for the transmitter and pointing implementation gaps. Two distinct transmitter architectures, one based on a high-power laser diode and another using an optical amplifier, are considered. Analysis shows that both configurations meet system requirements, however, the optical amplifier offers better scalability to higher data rates. To address platform pointing limitations, we dene a staged control framework incorporating a COTS optical steering mechanism that is used to manage pointing errors from the coarse stage (host satellite body-pointing). A variety of ne steering solutions are considered, and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) tip-tilt mirrors are selected due to their advantage in size, weight and power. We experimentally validate the designs resulting from the trade studies for these key subsystems. We construct a prototype transmitter using a modified COTS fiber amplifier and a directly-modulated seed laser capable of producing a 200mW average power, pulse position modulated optical output. This prototype is used to confirm power consumption predictions, modulation rate scalability (10 Mbps to 100 Mbps), and peak transmit power (e.g., 24.6W for PPM-128). The transmitter optical output, along with a simple loopback receiver, is used to validate the sensitivity of the avalanche photodiode receiver used for the ground receiver in the flight experiment configuration. The MEMS fine steering mechanisms, which are not rated for space use, are characterized using a purpose-built test apparatus. Characterization experiments of the MEMS devices focused on ensuring repeatable behavior (+/-0:11 mrad, 3-[sigma]) over the expected operating temperature range on the spacecraft (0°C to 40°C). Finally, we provide an assessment of the work that remains to move from the prototype to flight model and into on-orbit operations. Space terminal packaging and integration needs, as well as host spacecraft interface requirements are detailed. We also describe the remaining ground station integration tasks and operational procedures. Having developed a pragmatic COTS-based lasercom architecture for CubeSats, and having addressed the need for a compact laser transmitter and optical ne steering mechanisms with both analysis and experimental validation, this thesis has set the stage for the practical use of lasercom techniques in resource-constrained CubeSats which can yield order-of-magnitude enhancements in communications link eciency relative to existing RF technologies currently in use.

The Brilliant Brush-Strokes of Autism

release date: Dec 29, 2014
The Brilliant Brush-Strokes of Autism
Ryan W. Tracy hadnt said a word in almost forty years when his family discovered hes a remarkable artist and poet. He had been diagnosed with autism at age seven and lived in a world of his own until the day he picked up a paint brush, which gave him the gift of words. Those words came out in a flood of art and poetry that celebrate landscapes, flowers, ribbons of color, valleys of hope, and the power of love. His poems are just as remarkable as his artwork. In The Wild Me, he celebrates his spirit, writing: The wildness of my soul finds its grace in the most creative ventures The singular blowing tree bends but never breaks Autism seeks to break my wild spirit from within I stand strong in hurricane force trials that place storms at my branches I refuse the call to quit Infused with wonder, talent, and beauty, youll be inspired to keep reaching for the heavens no matter what obstacles stand in the way with The Brilliant Brush-Strokes of Autism.

Federalism of Wetlands

release date: Jul 17, 2014
Federalism of Wetlands
This book investigates the consequences of redundant state and federal environmental regulations in the United States. Drawing on the most exhaustive statistical analysis of US federal wetland permits ever constructed, the book uncovers the disjointed world of wetland regulation. The author starts by examining the socioeconomic and environmental factors driving individuals to apply for environmental regulatory permits and the regional inconsistencies encountered in federal environmental regulatory program performance. The book goes on to demonstrate that states have more power in federal relationships than scholars often believe and that individual state policies are important even in a time of strong federal governance. Evidence shows that such intergovernmental redundancy serves to increase overall regulatory program effectiveness. This book breaks new ground in the subjects of federalism and environmental regulation by rejecting the traditional approach of picking winners and losers in favour of a nuanced demonstration of how redundancy and collaboration between different levels of governance can make for more effective governmental programs. The book is also innovative in its use of the perspectives of regulated citizens not as a point of judgment, but as a means of introducing a constructive new way of thinking about political and administrative boundaries within a federalist system of governance. The book provides relevant context to wider political debates about excessive and duplicative regulatory oversight and will be of interest to Environmental Policy students and administrators.

The Memory of Planets

release date: Apr 22, 2014
The Memory of Planets
Ryan W. Bradley''s third full-length poetry collection finds a fresh combination of muses from his first two. Whether about love or concussions, his poems arrive with confidence, taking everyday moments and spinning them for the reader to experience from a unique vantage point.

The Technical Writing Internship Experience

release date: Jan 01, 2014
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