Exploring The Impact Of Problem-Based Learning On Student Learning Outcomes: Findings From The PBL South Asia Project

This paper presents the results of surveys conducted among students and teachers / mentors in Nepal, Bhutan, and India, regarding the impact of implementing Problembased learning (PBL) methodology in engineering and multidisciplinary projects. The surveys were carried out under the Erasmus+ funded project, Strengthening Problembased learning in South Asian Universities (PBL South Asia). The project aimed to address the issues of education quality, employability, and sustainable development in the region by enhancing students’ practical experience, communication skills, teamwork abilities, as well as academic knowledge through PBL-adapted courses. As a result, South Asian higher education institutions have implemented PBL courses in their curriculum. The surveys were designed to evaluate how specific competences or learning outcomes were perceived by different stakeholder groups, e.g., which learning outcomes were expected to be achieved by the faculty, and whether they were achieved by students. Several methods were used for the assessment – open questions with tracking the keywords that the respondents use, as well as “EntreComp” framework which looks into how students assess their abilities to be curious and open, think sustainably, behave ethically, and cope with uncertainty and ambiguity. Results of the survey showed that student participants have identified teamwork, communication and presentation skills as those most associated with PBL methodology. Among the self-assessed improvement in abilities, students have indicated their increased abilities to assess the needs of different stakeholders, combining different contexts, setting up strategies

Opportunities for small-scale anaerobic digesters for hotels and restaurants in Kathmandu, Nepal

Approximately 83% of total energy consumed in Nepal comes directly from the solid fuels. The import of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) is also growing at an exponential rate. The hospitality sub-sector (hotels and restaurants), one of the key economic sub-sectors in the country, consumes most of the energy within the commercial sector primarily for cooking purposes. The bio-waste generated from growing hospitality subsector and other sectors in Kathmandu is poorly managed. On the other hand, Nepal has an extensive knowledge and experience of manure based anaerobic household biogas systems mainly in rural areas. Based upon this situation, this thesis investigates the opportunities for anaerobic biogas production for cooking at hotels and restaurants by utilizing their own organic waste. Currently available biogas technologies, important parameters affecting the biogas yield, policy and financial supports and case studies of various stakeholders employing the biogas technologies in the hotels and restaurants in Nepal were considered. The most applicable technology for the purpose was then chosen. The organic waste sampling study from randomly selected 4-star hotel (Yatri Spa and Suites), tourist standard hotel (Hotel Bliss International) and restaurant (Fren’s Kitchen) in Thamel, the tourist zone of Kathmandu was conducted. Similarly, various data especially focusing on the current cooking energy need, demand, supply, cost, organic waste management of the hotels and the restaurant was collected through questionnaires and series of interviews. The average amount of daily organic waste and organic waste fraction for Yatri, Bliss and Fren’s was found to be 61.3 kg and 63.0%, 18.4 kg and 82.7%, and 16.3 kg and 81.8% respectively. Similarly, the variations in weekly organic wastes and waste generated per guest was also determined. Based upon the amount and characteristics of organic waste from the sampling survey, the theoretical biogas potential of the organic waste at digester output rate of 0.27 kWh/kg/day for JUAS digesters, the technology selected for the biogas conversion, was found to be 16.6 kWh/day, 5.0 kWh/day and 4.4 kWh/day equivalent to 4.4%, 2.7% and 4.8% of the current daily energy need for Yatri, Bliss and Fren’s respectively. Similarly, the economic implications of the small-scale biogas technology if employed in the hotels and the restaurant was scoped out. It was found that the recommended Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) based 3000 l sized JUAS bio-digesters had positive Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and payback time for all the eateries under study. The monthly life cycle cost of the integrated LPG-JUAS system is found be cheaper for all eateries as compared to the current LPG system. Levelized Cost of Energy (LCoE) of the JUAS digesters is competitive as compared to energy from other renewables in the country. There is, however, need to improve the digester conditions to get higher biogas yields. For the wider adoption of the digesters across urban sectors, the subsidies amount should also be increased together with information dissemination regarding biogas uses and its potential among the stakeholders. The digesters at restaurants could also function as local communal waste centres thereby locally managing the bio-waste. However, further study into the matter is required to tackle the challenges and concretely scope out its feasibility

The present and future of QCD

This White Paper presents the community inputs and scientific conclusions from the Hot and Cold QCD Town Meeting that took place September 23-25, 2022 at MIT, as part of the Nuclear Science Advisory Committee (NSAC) 2023 Long Range Planning process. A total of 424 physicists registered for the meeting. The meeting highlighted progress in Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) nuclear physics since the 2015 LRP (LRP15) and identified key questions and plausible paths to obtaining answers to those questions, defining priorities for our research over the coming decade. In defining the priority of outstanding physics opportunities for the future, both prospects for the short (~ 5 years) and longer term (5-10 years and beyond) are identified together with the facilities, personnel and other resources needed to maximize the discovery potential and maintain United States leadership in QCD physics worldwide. This White Paper is organized as follows: In the Executive Summary, we detail the Recommendations and Initiatives that were presented and discussed at the Town Meeting, and their supporting rationales. Section 2 highlights major progress and accomplishments of the past seven years. It is followed, in Section 3, by an overview of the physics opportunities for the immediate future, and in relation with the next QCD frontier: the EIC. Section 4 provides an overview of the physics motivations and goals associated with the EIC. Section 5 is devoted to the workforce development and support of diversity, equity and inclusion. This is followed by a dedicated section on computing in Section 6. Section 7 describes the national need for nuclear data science and the relevance to QCD research