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We explore the potential drivers for and barriers to interdisciplinary education in design from the student learning perspective. To achieve this, a series of in-depth student interview studies were conducted at two interdisciplinary design schools in the Republic of Korea and the UK. Results indicated both awareness and synthesis of interdisciplinary perspectives across the two schools. However, these abilities appeared more heavily dependent upon individual student attitudes and interests, compared to the programmes of study themselves. Instructor bias and potential integration issues at school and institutional levels were further cited as challenges to interdisciplinarity. However, results also indicated application as a key driver for the acquisition and synthesis of disciplinary perspectives. Students, within the applied discipline of design, responded well to interdisciplinarity when accompanied by opportunities to integrate disciplinary knowledge through application within their own project works. Implications for interdisciplinary approaches to design education are finally discussed together with suggested avenues for future investigation.

Pumps used in macroscale applications can utilize valves to stop back flow and obtain net fluid displacement. Valves can leak, and long term reliability is affected. The concept of microscale pumping without valves is an appealing goal. The possibility of pumping fluid in micron scale channels with using moving components has been investigated. Two methods to achieve net fluid movement in microchannels were used, a single bubble, and multiple bubbles. Vapor pressure was the dominant force and it was demonstrated that a conduction only model would not be adequate to determine the magnitude of forces present.

Provides information on a study which analyzed the pumping of fluids in microchannels, with the usage of the movement of single or multiple vapor bubbles. In-depth look at the pumping mechanism; Details on a heat and mass transfer analysis; Methodology used to conduct the study; Results of the study.

In this study, the authors report the findings from a study of the contributory factors leading to slips, trips and falls (STFs) amongst elderly passengers at train stations and how these are likely to change in the future over the medium to long term (the period 2035-2050). Their data draws on: stakeholder interviews with rail personnel and elderly passengers; a set of station observations carried out across the UK; and, a survey of the views of station managers. The findings point to a set of 22 contributory factors covering aspects of organisational, station environment and passenger (individual) influence on STFs. Amongst the factors which most concern station managers at the present and over the next few decades are: rushing behaviour on train platforms; the consumption of alcohol by passengers; aspects of station design (e.g. flooring); and, training for station staff as regard the risks of STFs. The authors summarise their findings in the form of a systems model which highlights priorities with regard to STFs in terms of all of the stakeholders taking part in the study. A final section discusses a set of issues which might form the basis for a future agenda for research and practice in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]