Aims of the research project

The research project carried out at Eindhoven University of Technology underlying this thesis has the following aims  

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Geochemical data from an urban environment can be elaborated and presented in different ways, depending on the aims of the research project. 

In this introductory chapter first an anecdote will serve to highlight the main features of near miss reporting. Then the aims of the research project underlying this thesis are outlined, followed by a short history of the project itself. The chapter is concluded by presenting an overview of the themes to be found in the remainder of this book, and an explanation of the order in which they are presented,... 

The aims of the research project have been to obtain information on the rates and mechanisms for a range of VOC photo-oxidation reactions under simulated atmospheric conditions. By deriving detailed quantitative kinetic data on the reactions involved in the complex chemistry of the tropospheric photodegradations of VOC, we seek to provide key parameters required in tropospheric modelling. Such mathematical modelling studies will ultimately form the basis for drawing up scientifically sound control strategies for the release of VOC into the atmosphere. 

It is one of the aims of the lUPAC project to qualitatively and quantitatively assess the impact of altered pesticide use on GM crops. Furthermore, otho impacts will also be taken into account, which may include weed eeology and soil conservation. Finally a risk-benefit analysis of these impacts will be made by evaluating the various outcomes of our research, which may provide a tool for further polieies in the area of GM crop cultivation and pest management. This is an important endeavour given the public concerns regarding large scale cultivation of GM crops and its environmental consequences. 

The aim of this research project is the design and synthesis of optimal monolithic reactors and its use in deep desulfurization. In order to do so, state-of-the-art HDS powder catalysts were first prepared and their activity in thiophene HDS compared to the monolithic catalysts. These monolithic catalysts were prepared from cordierite and coated first with two layers of a-AI2O3 followed by one layer of Y-AI2O3. The coated monoliths were then impregnated with NiMo solutions (optimized for the powder catalysts) and some parameters were optimized (such as impregnation time and drying procedure). Finally, monolithic catalysts with the same characteristics as powder catalysts were obtained. 

The major aim of the research during the project was to gather kinetic and mechanistic information on reactions of VOC-derived peroxy radicals, in particular reactions with NO, in order to provide data relevant to the formation of tropospheric ozone. A secondary objective was to determine k(R02 + NO)... 

The aim of the HELENA project was to test if changing the curriculum towards more interdisciplinarity makes engineering degree courses more attractive to women and changes representations. The aim of this paper is to introduce HELENA methodology, to question interdisciplinarity and to provide ideas for future research. 

The aim of the HELENA project was to question or confirm this statement and to provide indications about how to launch such measures and monitor the obtained results. The study is grounded on empirical research about traditional E T curriculum in Europe and compares them to selected pilot degree courses, which successfully integrated societal impacts in their engineering and technology degree course, all over Europe. 

Finally, the aim of this research project is to develop a general method to demonstrate the proven in use of the Functional Safety of existing and new safety-related functions of machine tools. This would help the manufacturers to perform a function—or machine-related verification that complies with the requirements of the standard EN ISO 13849-1. With this study a first quantification of existing safety-related functions with a proven in use approach has been realised. 

To allow for the development of a nniform guideline for selecting the most appropriate VRS performance requirements for the given conditions, a number of the Conference of Enropean Directors of Road (CEDR) members have collaborated to fund the research project Selection of Appropriate Vehicle Restraint Systems (SAVeRS) within the 2012 Transnational Road Research Programme call Safety . The aim of the SAVeRS project is to produce a practical and readily understandable VRS guidance document and a user-friendly Web-based tool that will allow the selection of the most appropriate solution in different road and traffic configurations for all types of VRS safety barriers, crash cushions, terminals and transitions and motorcycle protection devices. 

Full development of the proposed environment to production quality is of course a major undertaking. The overall aim of the CBASS project therefore is to research the requirements for the proposed system, and to prototype key elements of the environment in order to demonstrate its feasibility. In order to demonstrate the true potential of the environment, the deliverables from the project will include actual prototype vehicle systems. It is hoped that these prototype systems will be developed to the status of drivable systems which can be used as demonstrators for the CBASS technologies. 

System Implementation. An aim of this research project was to complement the theoretical development by constmcting a practical synthesis tool which embodies the theory and that can be applied to complex ASIC designs. Towards this objective, we have developed a hardware description language called Hard-wareC and a high-level synthesis system called Hercules and Hebe that are targeted towards synchronous ASIC designs. 

Finally, the book is in the line with the aim of the Basin sub-project of connecting the scientific research to practical research cases and demands of River Basin Managers and associated stakeholders. 

Other, often made distinction in types of research, are between exploration, description, explanation, and testing, van der Zwaan (Zwaan van der, 1990). Exploration is conducted when theoretical knowledge in literature lacks information on which variables are important. Description types of research aim at the relevance of the variables. Explanation types of research aim at identifying the causal links between variables and phenomena. Finally, testing types of research aim at proving the hypotheses derived from the causal links. The research project discussed in this thesis is mainly explorative in nature. The emphasis is to design concepts and a protocol, which increases the understanding of the problem of how and why accidents continue to occur in companies in the chemical process industry. In this way a contribution to the solution of the problem will be made and consequently this research can be typified as applied positivistic exploratory research. 

However, I still think - despite these intrinsic difficulties - that it is important to debate the question of the detiitition of life, both from an intellectual and a practical point of view. Everyone working in the held of the origin of life should be able to provide their own definition (or description) of life, simply because they work experimentally or theoretically on models of minimal life and they should state and define the subject of the inquiry and the final aim of the work. This corresponds already to a kind of definition of life. Considering the number of authors in the held, this may correspond to quite a large number of different research projects, but all should adhere to the same basic constraints. What are these ... 

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