My e -portfolio 5 is on my own group roundtable discussion. Actually I would like to have a summary on other groups. Since I have missed that lesson, I would have no choice but to stick to my group.
Our group roundtable is of a topic of renewable energies. Nowadays, most of energy is provided by burning of coal and fossil fuel. However, since these resources are finite and are going to run out in hundred years, we have to find some energy to replace them. I believe that the most crucial reason for us to search a substitution for coal and fossil is due to the fact that there are running out soon instead of our concern for environment. Nevertheless, our group discuss about some renewable energies like hydropower, solar power and nuclear power.
According to our research, hydropower is the most widely use renewable energy. About 17% of world energy is produced by hydropower. Hydropower is pollution-free. That is one feature which most of renewable energy has. Despite from that, many of countries around the world can adapt to hydropower as long as there are big streams and rivers. In addition, the efficiency of hydropower station is rather high which means the amount of money needed to invest in hydropower station is quite low as compare to that of wind power. Recently, there is a moveable hydropower dam being created. It increases the efficiency of hydropower evermore. However, the downside of it is rather clear. Countries with limited water resource would not embrace hydropower.
Another renewable energy we discussed is solar energy. It is especially relevant in Singapore. Being a tropical country, we do have sufficient solar energy. However, only a small amount of solar energy is used. It is simply because the cost of setting up a solar energy system is quite high. The solar panel is very expensive and not everyone can afford it. Some may argue that why the government do not subsidize for it. Well, that is the question I also want to know. I think may be that our government also think that the solar energy panel is so economically feasible to set up.
Last but now least, nuclear power is one energy that is most power and efficient. It is clear that the economic benefit of it is higher than all the other known renewable energies. The only and utmost concern is how to deal with the nuclear waste. The radioactive nature of the nuclear waste makes it highly unfavourable. No one like to have radioactive substance around them as there may result in cancer.
2009年3月8日星期日
2009年3月2日星期一
summary for two articles
The first article is about a British team who trek to the North Pole to measure how fast he Arctic sea-ice is melting. The famous Arctic explorer Pen Hadow and his teammates arrived at the northern coast of Canada on Saturday. They schedule to measure the thickness of the ice and provide the most detailed survey in this season. The thickness of ice is measure by a mobile radar unit. This expedition provides scientists with a better understanding of how fast the ice is shrinking. Many people believe that the sea-ice is melting at a faster rate due to the increase in air temperature above the ice and also because of warmer waters underneath it. The majority of scientific institutions and agencies who study the Arctic believe that global warming is responsible for the changes. Back to a few years, researchers foresee that all the ice could have molten in summer by the end of this century. Mr Hadow and his Survey group are trying to collect crucial up to date data about the status of the ice in winter and early spring. It is the period when the amount of ice is at its maximum. This can provide scientists the most recent data of Arctic ice.
The second article is about the US nuclear relic found in bottle. According to scientists the bottle contains the oldest sample of bomb-grade plutonium made in nuclear reactor. The source of nuclear waste is identified by a team from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory used nuclear forensic techniques. The insights can be found in the latest edition of the journal Analytical Chemistry. The mysterious bottle was found in a burial trench at the Hanford nuclear site in Washington State, north-western US. The sample was produced at the Hanford site in Trinity. In order to retrieve bomb-grade plutonium, used nuclear fuel was moved from a reactor to a chemical reprocessing plant. A large scale environmental cleanup is carried out at the Hanford site due to highly radioactive nature of the waste. The process of identifying the age of sample is quite complicated. The researchers study the different isotopes of plutonium and uranium and conclude that it originated from the spent fuel in 1944. The researchers concern that the current nuclear renaissance and high access to these material by the public could encourage smuggling of fissionable materials in future.
Article 1 is from BBC news, Sunday,1 March 2009, Explorers begin epic Arctic trek.
Article 2 is from BBC newsMonday,2 March 2009，by Paul Rincon, US nuclear relic found in bottle.
The second article is about the US nuclear relic found in bottle. According to scientists the bottle contains the oldest sample of bomb-grade plutonium made in nuclear reactor. The source of nuclear waste is identified by a team from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory used nuclear forensic techniques. The insights can be found in the latest edition of the journal Analytical Chemistry. The mysterious bottle was found in a burial trench at the Hanford nuclear site in Washington State, north-western US. The sample was produced at the Hanford site in Trinity. In order to retrieve bomb-grade plutonium, used nuclear fuel was moved from a reactor to a chemical reprocessing plant. A large scale environmental cleanup is carried out at the Hanford site due to highly radioactive nature of the waste. The process of identifying the age of sample is quite complicated. The researchers study the different isotopes of plutonium and uranium and conclude that it originated from the spent fuel in 1944. The researchers concern that the current nuclear renaissance and high access to these material by the public could encourage smuggling of fissionable materials in future.
Article 1 is from BBC news, Sunday,1 March 2009, Explorers begin epic Arctic trek.
Article 2 is from BBC newsMonday,2 March 2009，by Paul Rincon, US nuclear relic found in bottle.
2009年2月7日星期六
summary for lecture 2
I am rather impressed during lecture 2. All lectures have emphasized the consequences of global warming and how to ease global warming.
There are many consequences of global warming. Due to global warming, the temperature of earth increases tremendously. The melting of iceberg has resulted in increase in sea level. Hence, coastal areas are easily flooded. Countries like Singapore can be flooded if we keep on ignoring global warming. Apart from that, many new-founded viruses are also the result of global warming; such as avian flu and SARS. The damage of these viruses is well-known. Thousands of family are broken. Children are orphaned. In addition, the frequency of natural disasters across the world has reached an unprecedented high. All these problems are the result of global warming. That leads us to a serious question; how to ease global warming both as individual and as group.
According to Prof Andrew Palmer, global warming can be eased by increasing fuel efficiency and propagate conservation of energy. This can be achieved if government play his role well. Government can implement policies which help to reduce green house effect. Such as, increasing tax for vehicles that produce more carbon dioxide and reducing tax for environment friendly vehicles such as hybrid vehicles. There are many ways government could do to ease global warming, however, government alone cannot achieve it, not without the support people. We as individual should do our part. We should switch off electrical appliance when we are away. Not only that, we should also recognize new 4 Rs; refuse, reduce, reused and recycle. Refuse means that refusing purchasing cars and electrical appliances which are luxury.
Climate change is increasingly recognized as one of the most serious threats to humankind. However, there are still quite a number of people who either deny the fact of global warming or feel extremely hopeless for global warming. I believe that these kinds of attitude should not be encouraged. We should accept the world as it is, not as we might like it to be and do our best to make it a better place to live.
I believe that the solutions are in our hands, we can do and should do thing about global warming before it is too late.
There are many consequences of global warming. Due to global warming, the temperature of earth increases tremendously. The melting of iceberg has resulted in increase in sea level. Hence, coastal areas are easily flooded. Countries like Singapore can be flooded if we keep on ignoring global warming. Apart from that, many new-founded viruses are also the result of global warming; such as avian flu and SARS. The damage of these viruses is well-known. Thousands of family are broken. Children are orphaned. In addition, the frequency of natural disasters across the world has reached an unprecedented high. All these problems are the result of global warming. That leads us to a serious question; how to ease global warming both as individual and as group.
According to Prof Andrew Palmer, global warming can be eased by increasing fuel efficiency and propagate conservation of energy. This can be achieved if government play his role well. Government can implement policies which help to reduce green house effect. Such as, increasing tax for vehicles that produce more carbon dioxide and reducing tax for environment friendly vehicles such as hybrid vehicles. There are many ways government could do to ease global warming, however, government alone cannot achieve it, not without the support people. We as individual should do our part. We should switch off electrical appliance when we are away. Not only that, we should also recognize new 4 Rs; refuse, reduce, reused and recycle. Refuse means that refusing purchasing cars and electrical appliances which are luxury.
Climate change is increasingly recognized as one of the most serious threats to humankind. However, there are still quite a number of people who either deny the fact of global warming or feel extremely hopeless for global warming. I believe that these kinds of attitude should not be encouraged. We should accept the world as it is, not as we might like it to be and do our best to make it a better place to live.
I believe that the solutions are in our hands, we can do and should do thing about global warming before it is too late.
2009年2月1日星期日
Global warming
Global warming has become one of most challenging problems for mankind. We can either ignore it and suffer the consequences or pay attention to it and make sure that the problem is addressed. There are many ways to ease global warming as an individual or a group. Government plays big role when tackling global warming. Policies have to be implemented to reduce the problem of global warming.
One policy that should be implemented is to increase car tax for those cars which produce too much emission. Car emission is a major contributor to global warming. By putting more tax on these kinds of cars will then make hybrid cars and electrical cars cheaper by comparison. In this case, people are encouraged to drive cars which are more environmental friendly which could result in less care emission. By doing so it could help to reduce the problem of global warming.
Another policy that could contribute to reduce the problem of global warming is to increase the efficiency of fuel. Reason being simple, increase the efficiency of fuel could reduce the usage of fuel which ultimately result in less emission of carbon dioxide.
The most fundamental policy that should be implemented is to educate people world widely. Because everyone is responsible for global warming and it can be solve if we are all willing to do so. So if all individuals do his part, the problem can be solved. There are many things we can do to ease global warming as individual. For example, use more efficient light bulb. Close all electrical appliances when they are not in used. Practices the four Rs which are refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle. Refuse means that refuse to buy cars and foods which require long transportation.
In conclusion, the solutions of global warming are in our hands, we only need determination. If we choose to ignore global warming, we could witness a collision between civilization and earth in not far future. Who will win, we all know.
One policy that should be implemented is to increase car tax for those cars which produce too much emission. Car emission is a major contributor to global warming. By putting more tax on these kinds of cars will then make hybrid cars and electrical cars cheaper by comparison. In this case, people are encouraged to drive cars which are more environmental friendly which could result in less care emission. By doing so it could help to reduce the problem of global warming.
Another policy that could contribute to reduce the problem of global warming is to increase the efficiency of fuel. Reason being simple, increase the efficiency of fuel could reduce the usage of fuel which ultimately result in less emission of carbon dioxide.
The most fundamental policy that should be implemented is to educate people world widely. Because everyone is responsible for global warming and it can be solve if we are all willing to do so. So if all individuals do his part, the problem can be solved. There are many things we can do to ease global warming as individual. For example, use more efficient light bulb. Close all electrical appliances when they are not in used. Practices the four Rs which are refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle. Refuse means that refuse to buy cars and foods which require long transportation.
In conclusion, the solutions of global warming are in our hands, we only need determination. If we choose to ignore global warming, we could witness a collision between civilization and earth in not far future. Who will win, we all know.
2009年1月24日星期六
afterthought of reading Prof.Ramakrishna's article
According to Prof. Ramakrishna’s article about “The Expanding World of Engineers”, he state that “an engineer’s training helps to systematically analyze complex information and apply a holistic (systematic) approach in designing solution, I was wondering how an engineer accomplishes this.
As a year-one engineer student in NUS, I have already come across with many aspects in NUS that help an engineer accomplishes this.
All engineering students in NUS have to take CS1101C (module code in NUS), which is a computer engineering module. That is training which helps engineer to get used to the idea of systematically analyze complex information and apply a systematic approach in designing solutions. Despite the fact that this module being extremely time consuming and difficult, it does fulfill its purpose to a great extend. To me, the gist of this module is to help us build up confidence to analyze and solve complex problems. Actually, most of the problems we encounter can be broken into many fractions. By solving them systematically which means part by part, problems no longer exist. Having similar training in university prepares an engineer accomplishes this.
Having Internship program is another element that enables an engineer accomplishes this. As an engineering student, he is flooded by all kinds of internship program offered by school. Ever since year one, there are some many internship program offered. Such as Work and Travel in US which is very well known, Work and Travel in Europe etc. once I thought that is too early for engineers to participate these programs, anyway we are year one students, why bored to start having internship program so early. After reading Prof. Ramakrishna’s article, I then realize that it is to prepare us with necessary skills such as systematic thinking to join work force in future. I believed that by having train for systematical analysis as early and as many as possible equip an engineer accomplishes this.
Last but not least, being able to take modules outside engineering faculty also helps to accomplish this. Some may feel that it is not relevant, well you are wrong. I believe that as an engineer he or she must not only have knowledge on one specific field. When interpreting complex problems, the first thing he or she should think is in which field should we approach them instead of how to approach them. I believe that interpreting information from economic point of view is very much different from engineer point of view. Hence, being able to take modules of other faculty broaden our mindset and enable us to apply systematical analysis better.
As a year-one engineer student in NUS, I have already come across with many aspects in NUS that help an engineer accomplishes this.
All engineering students in NUS have to take CS1101C (module code in NUS), which is a computer engineering module. That is training which helps engineer to get used to the idea of systematically analyze complex information and apply a systematic approach in designing solutions. Despite the fact that this module being extremely time consuming and difficult, it does fulfill its purpose to a great extend. To me, the gist of this module is to help us build up confidence to analyze and solve complex problems. Actually, most of the problems we encounter can be broken into many fractions. By solving them systematically which means part by part, problems no longer exist. Having similar training in university prepares an engineer accomplishes this.
Having Internship program is another element that enables an engineer accomplishes this. As an engineering student, he is flooded by all kinds of internship program offered by school. Ever since year one, there are some many internship program offered. Such as Work and Travel in US which is very well known, Work and Travel in Europe etc. once I thought that is too early for engineers to participate these programs, anyway we are year one students, why bored to start having internship program so early. After reading Prof. Ramakrishna’s article, I then realize that it is to prepare us with necessary skills such as systematic thinking to join work force in future. I believed that by having train for systematical analysis as early and as many as possible equip an engineer accomplishes this.
Last but not least, being able to take modules outside engineering faculty also helps to accomplish this. Some may feel that it is not relevant, well you are wrong. I believe that as an engineer he or she must not only have knowledge on one specific field. When interpreting complex problems, the first thing he or she should think is in which field should we approach them instead of how to approach them. I believe that interpreting information from economic point of view is very much different from engineer point of view. Hence, being able to take modules of other faculty broaden our mindset and enable us to apply systematical analysis better.
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