University of the Aegean

About: University of the Aegean is a education organization based out in Mytilene, Greece. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 2818 authors who have published 8100 publications receiving 179275 citations. The organization is also known as: UAEG.

Adaptation to Five Metres of Sea Level Rise

Abstract: There is an unknown but probably small probability that the West- Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) will collapse because of anthropogenic climate change. A WAIS collapse could cause a 5-6 metre global sea level rise within centuries. In three case studies, we investigate the response of society to the most extreme yet not implausible scenario, a five-metre sea level rise within a century, starting in 2030. The case studies combine a series of interviews with experts and stakeholders with a gaming workshop. In the Rhone delta, the most likely option would be retreat, with economic losses, perhaps social losses, and maybe ecological gains. In the Thames estuary, the probable outcome is less clear, but would probably be a mix of protection, accommodation and retreat, with parts of the city centre turned into a Venice of London. A massive downstream barrier is an alternative response. In the Rhine delta (the Netherlands), the initial response would be protection, followed by retreat from

Research needs for incorporating the ecosystem service approach into EU biodiversity conservation policy

Abstract: Using a range of different methods including extensive reviews, workshops and an electronic conference, 70 key research recommendations and 12 priority research needs to integrate the ecosystem services approach into biodiversity conservation policy and funding were identified by a cross-disciplinary group of over 100 scientists and 50 stakeholders, including research funders and policy-makers. These recommendations focus on the ecological underpinning of ecosystem services, drivers that affect ecosystems and their services, biological traits and ecosystem services, the valuation of ecosystem services, spatial and temporal scales in ecosystem service assessment, indicators of ecosystem services, and habitat management, conservation policy and ecosystem services. The recommendations in this paper help steer the research agenda on ecosystem services into policy-relevant areas, agreed upon by funders, researchers and policy-makers. This research agenda will only succeed with increased collaboration between researchers across disciplines, thereby providing a challenge to the research community and research funders to work in new, interdisciplinary ways.

A progressive fracture model for carbon nanotubes

Abstract: An atomistic-based progressive fracture model for simulating the mechanical performance of carbon nanotubes by taking into account initial topological and vacancy defects is proposed. The concept of the model is based on the assumption that carbon nanotubes, when loaded, behave like space-frame structures. The finite element method is used to analyze the nanotube structure and the modified Morse interatomic potential to simulate the non-linear force field of the C–C bonds. The model has been applied to defected single-walled zigzag, armchair and chiral nanotubes subjected to axial tension. The defects considered were: 10% weakening of a single bond and one missing atom at the middle of the nanotube. The predicted fracture evolution, failure stresses and failure strains of the nanotubes correlate very well with molecular mechanics simulations from the literature.

Rediscovering the use of chatbots in education: A systematic literature review

Abstract: Chatbots have been around for years and have been used in many areas such as medicine or commerce. Our focus is on the development and current uses of chatbots in the field of education, where they can function as service assistants or as educational agents. In this research paper, we attempt to make a systematic review of the literature on educational chatbots that address various issues. From 485 sources, 80 studies on chatbots and their application in education were selected through a step‐by‐step procedure based on the guidelines of the PRISMA framework, using a set of predefined criteria. The results obtained demonstrate the existence of different types of educational chatbots currently in use that affect student learning or improve services in various areas. This paper also examines the type of technology used to unravel the learning outcome that can be obtained from each type of chatbots. Finally, our results identify instances where a chatbot can assist in learning under conditions similar to those of a human tutor, while exploring other possibilities and techniques for assessing the quality of chatbots. Our analysis details these findings and can provide a solid framework for research and development of chatbots for the educational field.