Special Issue of ASME Journal of Mechanical Design to Focus on...

Special Issue of ASME Journal of Mechanical Design to Focus on... Special Issue of ASME Journal of Mechanical Design to Focus on... Special Issue of ASME Journal of Mechanical Design to Focus on Engineered Materials and StructuresNov. 20, 2017 The ASME Journal of Mechanical Design is now accepting manuscripts for a special issue on Design of Engineered Materials and Structures. The deadline for authors to submit a paper for the special issue is March 1, 2018.The konzeption of engineered werkstoffs and structures is an expanding and important field of research that encompasses the areas of materials science, engineering design, engineering mechanics, manufacturing, and data science. The approach is intended to accelerate the discovery of new materials for engineering applications by providing an inverse, requirements-driven method that strategically leverages material databases, simulations and engineering design algorithms and methods to synthesize new materials and structures.The g uest editors of the special issue, which is expected to be published by November 2018, are seeking papers that integrate materials modeling, data collection, simulation, and prediction capabilities with engineering design methods, principles, algorithms, and tools to enable the design of new materials and structures. Papers must demonstrate an intellectual emphasis on engineering design to be eligible for publication in the special issue.Examples of topics that papers could address include simulation-based design methods for enabling accelerated design, development and insertion of engineering materials the integration of theory, simulations and experiments in the design of materials and structures novel design representation in design of materials and structures multiscale and multiphysics modeling and simulation to support the design of advanced materials and structures data-driven design of materials and structures data mining and informatics for material and structural design in tegrated design of products, fabrication processes and materials topology optimization theory and applications with an emphasis on design of materials and/or integrated design of materials and structures stochastic topology optimization and uncertainty quantification and management for materials and structures manufacturing considerations in design, including topology, size and shape optimization rigorous multiscale design geometric modeling for design of materials and structures and novel materials and structures by design, and their applications.The guest editors for the special issue are Carolyn Seepersad, the University of Texas at Austin Raymundo Arroyave, Texas AM University James Guest, Johns Hopkins University Andres Tovar, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and Yan Wang, Georgia Institute of Technology.Papers should be submitted via the ASME Journals Digital Submission Site at http//journaltool.asme.org/Content/index.cfm. Authors should note on their cover pa ges that their papers are intended for the special issue on Design of Engineered Materials and Structures, and notify the journals editor by e-mail, at editorasmejmd.org, that the paper is intended for the special issue.Papers submitted by March 1, 2018 will be reviewed in time for inclusion in the special issue. However, authors are strongly encouraged to submit their manuscripts before that date. Papers received after March 1 may still be considered for the special issue, time and space permitting. Papers that are not ready for production in time for inclusion in the special issue may be considered for a regular issue of the journal.For more information on the ASME Journal of Mechanical Design, visit asmejmd.org. To learn more about the ASME Journals Program, visit https//journaltool.asme.org.

Why rituals have a purpose and how to benefit from them

Why rituals have a purpose and how to benefit from themWhy rituals have a purpose and how to benefit from themPeople who perform at the highest levels put themselves through extreme rituals. Just look at the three-time Olympic gold ice skating duo Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. The two use a ritual hug to sync up their breathing before they skate together. In front of a packed crowd, under huge pressure, they completely focus on a ritual that helps them perform their best.This type of ritualistic behavior extends to all kinds of athletes and performers. Baseball players, for example, are notorious for using strange and intense rituals to get themselves in the zone.All of these rituals are developed as parte of a quest for expertise.The type of expertise is irrelevant. You probably arent going in front of Olympic judges or 95 mph fastballs anytime soon, but you can still landsee the benefit of rituals and use them to vastly improve your performance.Intense rituals distinguish amateurs f rom professionalsTo become an expert at anything, you have to build a routine and stick with it. And as people become better at an activity, their routines tend to become more extreme.The better an athlete or a performer gets, the less room there is for error. Theyre looking for something that will give them an edge- even a tiny one.For instance, the jazz musician Pat Metheny has been playing for decades. Hes won 18 Grammys already. And after every show, he still writes out a lengthy diary entry detailing what went well, what didnt, and what he can do better next time.Or take the South African golfer Bobby Locke, a notoriously slow player. Opponents would complain strenuously about his sluggish pace of play, but he never let it bother him. They probably didnt realize hed spent his entire morning preparing to play that way. From the moment he woke up on the day of a tournament, he would perform every task in agonizingly slow motion. Everything from brushing his teeth to putting on hi s shoes was slowed to a crawl.Experts do whatever it takes to get the slightest edge, even if it seems bizarre or brings criticism.Rituals evolve as people strive for greater performancePeople dont necessarily want to come up with a strange or extreme ritual. They do it because they realize they need something to boost their performance.Their quest for improvement leads them to experiment with something new, change an old routine, or create a new regimen thats more extreme.As people change, grow, and get better at their job, they continue to tweak and experiment with their rituals. Thats why many of these rituals are so specific to the individuals using them.I even noticed this myself. When I first started giving presentations, I would spend hours preparing. Id be in the conference room an hour early, practicing my points and making sure my voice didnt crack. As a beginner, I concentrated on fundamental skills. Am I prepared? Is my presentation clear? Is my voice in good shape this morning?But as my technical knowledge has increased, my rituals have changed. I dont spend as much time questioning whether or not I know the material. Now, I spend time thinking about how engaging and compelling I am as a speaker. I often listen to stand-up comedy on the way to important presentations because comedians have to be engaging in the toughest of situations. It mentally prepares me for what I have to do an hour later.It becomes a constant process of trying different things, keeping what works, and getting rid of what doesnt.Increasingly intense rituals jumpstart your brainTry doing everything in slow motion one morning, and see how long you last.Our brains are great at funneling information in a certain way, getting us into habits and routines that make life easier. The energy needed to get your brain out of its normal thinking and routines is astounding.But breaking out of your lines of thinking is how you come up with new and creative ideas. Its how you push yourself t o give that extra effort.Personally, Im always thinking about how to perform better and get in the best state of mind. That could entail going for a run, getting somewhere half an hour early to prepare, or even taking a cold shower in the morning. I do those things because Im trying to leave my day-to-day thinking behind. Im trying to jar my brain into a different state.Extreme rituals are really about pushing yourself into a different mental state - one that will improve your performance for the task at hand. The more extreme the ritual, the better chance you have of getting into the proper mental state you need to excel.This post first appeared on Quora.

How to Be a Rock Star at an Uninspiring Job

How to Be a Rock Star at an Uninspiring JobHow to Be a Rock Star at an Uninspiring JobAs a recent college graduate, I spent a little over a year learning the ropes in an entry-level position at a thriving grenzberschreitend nonprofit. I believed in the mission and learned so much about the industry by watching others- but as the Grants and Contracts Coordinator, I sometimes felt left out of the action.It was a struggle to feel like the analytical and writing skills I proudly displayed on my perfectly formatted resume rarely crept into my day-to-day routine of responding politely to passive-aggressive emails, entering contact information into databases, and getting intimate with the filing cabinet. There were moments when it took my fruchtwein valiant effort not to throw the stack of papers I was sorting up in the air and head to Pinterest for some therapeutic procrastination.In other words, it wasnt my dream job. But, sticking it out paid off when I was offered a position I could nev er have landed without the experiences and connections I gained in that first job. So, Im here to tell you If youre stuck in an uninspiring gig, dont let it go to waste Use the ideas below to get the most out of yur position now- and launch yourself into your dream job.1. Treat Yourself Like a ProfessionalWhen you dont love your job, it can be easy to get a little lax with professionalism. What does it matter if you show up a few minutes late or if you dont dress quite as nicely as those above you? Its not like youre presenting at an all-staff meeting or having lunch with the CEO, right?Not exactly. No matter how low on the totem poll you are or how jaded youve become by your to-do list, its still important to show up early, wear something sharp, and avoid Facebook like the plague. Ill admit, in my former position I was guilty of getting distracted at work, showing up a few minutes late, or throwing on a wrinkled button-down from time to time, especially on days I was feeling uninsp ired. But I discovered that when I acted like a professional, I suddenly felt like my work was a lot more valuable. Looking the parte boosted my confidence, helped me begin to see myself as a highly capable contributor to the team- and ultimately led the rest of my team to see me in the same light.2. Find Opportunity in the Little ThingsOnce in a while at a boring job, a task that is pretty exciting relative to your usual day-to-day responsibilities comes along. My own personal examples included selecting a new software program for our department, brainstorming a list of titles for an article that somebody else wrote, and drafting a letter for the company President to send out as his own.OK, you might say yawn- but for me, ansicht tasks were an opportunity to let my talents in organization and writing shine. The point is When you get a task thats even moderately related to what you really want to be doing, let your geek flag fly and wear a giddy smile on your face as you throw yours elf into it. By doing a stellar job on these little tasks, your boss will slowly start to trust you with more substantial responsibilities. Sure, today you might just be researching a list of board member meeting venues, but if you do it well, you could wind up with more event planning duties on your plate.3. Volunteer Your TalentsFeeling like you have an outlet for your talents, even if its not part of your actual job description, is essential to your job satisfaction. The reality is, when you join a new team, colleagues can be so engrained in their routines that they dont think to ask for your help or expertise- they may not even be aware of certain abilities or interests you have.At my first job, I was able to step away from the grant management database to write a creative feature article for our magazine and handle communications and event planning for an annual partner conference- valuable experience gained all because I asked if I could help. After discussing my passion for w riting with my supervisor- who supported me branching out as long as I prioritized my current tasks- I was put in touch with our communications department to ask if I could join a meeting for the upcoming publication. It turned out that my help was welcomed by the understaffed department. And though I ended up spending some personal time working on writing projects in order to keep up with my daily responsibilities, it was well worth it because I was finally doing something I loved- and building my professional portfolio.If you see a team youd love to be on or a project you could lend a hand to, dont be afraid to let co-workers know how you could contribute. Remind them. Remind them again. Finding opportunities to help in ways youre excited about will make this job feel more relevant to your future, and it may even get you noticed by someone who doesnt see your work day-to-day.4. Keep Your Eyes on the PrizeWhile you want to be a rock star at your current uninspiring gig, dont lose s ight of why youre doing it in the first place to gain experience, skills, and networks that will put you in reach of that next, more fulfilling job. Read about people who are in positions you admire- I pay special attention to the bio of a professional whose job I want, for example. Ask your colleagues to refer you to contacts with experience in your field of interest and try to meet them for informational interviews. Figure out what types of professional development will position you for your dream job, and make time outside of your 9-to-5 to do it. At check-ins, remind your boss what youre interested in and how youre hoping to grow.No, the leap to your ideal job will not happen immediately. But taking even small steps to move toward it can help you feel empowered about your future.While nobody wants to work an uninspiring job, there is a silver lining. No matter what youre doing, youre growing every day- refining your understanding of what you would and would not want in your next job, expanding your network, and deepening your industry knowledge. Even the very tasks you dread are probably building a foundation of important skill sets for your career, like organization, prioritization, and effective communication. And youll more than likely be thankful for them later, once you have that fast-paced, high-responsibility job youve always dreamed of.Photo of man photocopying courtesy of Shutterstock.