What we can learn from Meghan Markle about updating resumes

What we can learn from Meghan Markle about updating resumesWhat we can learn from Meghan Markle about updating resumesWe are only a few days away from The Royal Wedding there is so much information out there about anything and everything having to do with the upcoming nuptials of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. From her dress to the food being served at the wedding to the flowers in her bouquet but we want to focus on something really sexy How Markle will be updating her resume as she transitions from being an actress to an official Royal. This is what everyone has been dying to knowAmanda Augustine, career advice expert forTopResume, told Ladders, Meghans done one of the best things any career-changer can do during such a transition She pursued opportunities that have helped her build relevant experience and skills to support her new career goal.If youd like to change careers, do your research online and talk to professionals in your chosen field to find out what skills are most pri zed and what experience is required to make you a desirable candidate.Then, see what you can do to start filling those skill gapsbeforeyou leave your current job. Look for side gigs or skill-based volunteer opportunities that would allow you to demonstrate your skills and knowledge - not only are these opportunities great resume builders, but they may also lead to valuable networking connections.But in case you dont meet a royal prince, here are just some good tips from Augustine for updating your resume for a career change and if you find yourself moving abroad and need to build a European CV.The first stepAugustine says take a step back and reevaluate your resume with your new career goal in mind. Your resume is a marketing document, and its job is to prove to employers that youre a desirable candidate who is worthy of a job offer.Consider which aspects of your previous positions, current skills, and professional development are most relevant to your new career. Then, reframe you r resume to highlight this information. Also, consider what youve excluded from your resume in the past, such as a seemingly unrelated volunteer opportunity or an area of expertise that didnt support your previous career track. Now that your goals have changed, this information may be worthwhile including on your career-change resume.Review several job listings to see what employers are seeking, which can help determine which skills are transferable to this new field. Also, coordinate informational interviews within your network with those who have experience in your target area they can help identify the information to highlight on your resume. Informational interviews are also helpful in identifying what roles will best suit you in this new field, if there are skills-based gaps youll need to fill, and how to translate your experience into terms your target employers will understand and appreciate.How to reflect your career change on your resumeCrystallize your new career goal.If p utting a brand-new job title on top of your resume is making you uncomfortable, consider adding Objective next to the professional title to provide clarity. Use your professional summary section below your professional title to articulate your relevant qualifications. Explain how your previous work experience and personal interests have prepared you for the role youre currently pursuing.Translate your experience into terms an employer will appreciate.Each industry has its own set of terminology. Immerse yourself in relevant online publications and trade magazines to better understand your target fields lingo, so you can frame your experience and skills in a way that resonates with your target audience.Optimize your resume with keywords.Most resumes are scanned by recruiting software known as an applicant tracking system - or ATS, for short. Pay attention to the terms that routinely pop up on the job descriptions that interest you. If you possess those skills, be sure to incorporate those words as they appear in the job description, throughout your resume.How to turn your resume into a European CVEuropean CVs tend to delve deeper into a candidates experience and education than a typical professional resume. While most resumes for senior-level professionals dont exceed two 8.5? x 11? pages, its not uncommon for a European CV to take up three A4 (8.27 11.69) pages.Details such as birth date, nationality, marital status, and hobbies are often standard on a European CV, whereas a resume avoids including such personal information unless one is applying for a federal government role.While we didnt have access to all ofMeghans education details, a true CV often includes information on the modules, projects, and assignments a candidate completed during his or her university education. On a resume, this information would only be included if the professional graduated in the past few years and the projects were considered major accomplishments or provided proof of the candidates qualifications.If youre converting your resume to a CV (and beyond an entry-level job search), locate your transcripts from college and include your GPA and some notable college activities on your resume. Reevaluate the list of hobbies and activities youve likely stripped from your resume, and add ones that provide insight into your personality. Avoid generic hobbies like reading and traveling which dont offer any color to your candidacy.In addition, be prepared to provide additional details about each position youve held. Instead of simply summarizing your role and highlighting your major accomplishments and contributions, look for opportunities to expand upon your role description and explain where youve utilized certain skill sets or areas of expertise.

Renewable Energy Experts Shine Light on Solar Farms and Grids

Renewable Energy Experts Shine Light on Solar Farms and Grids Renewable Energy Experts Shine Light on Solar Farms and Grids Renewable Energy Experts Shine Light on Solar Farms and GridsWelcome to the fifth episode ofASME TechCast, a new podcast brought to you by the editors of ASME.org andMechanical Engineeringmagazine that brings you the innovators, innovations, and issues that push the envelope of engineering.In this weeks show, Chitra Sethi, managing editor of Mechanical Engineering magazine, speaks with Frank Bergh, the former vice president of grid engineering at Sigora International and current CEO of Beyond the Grid, a renewable energy consulting company, and Alison Kling, a project specialist at Con Edison. The three talk about the challenges and benefits of creating solar farms in New York City and a solar grid in Haiti, as well as the current andfuture states of renewable energy sources. But first, Jeffrey Winters, Mechanical Engineering magazines senior editor, talks about the bad climate berichterstattung that dominated 2018, which just may be a reason to create more renewable energy sources in 2019.Listen to More ASME TechCastsEvelyn Wang, the new head of MITs Department of Mechanical EngineeringTalks About New Educational ModelsRobert Giasolli on How Engineers Close Communication Gaps with New ColleaguesChristopher Jewell on the New World of Biomaterials

Lessons on Finding the Career of Your Dreams from Stephen Hawking

Lessons on Finding the Career of Your Dreams from Stephen Hawking Lessons on Finding the Career of Your Dreams from Stephen Hawking When youre  seeking the ideal career for your talents, skills, and interests, it can be challenging to amass the necessary motivation and experience to succeed. Following your dreams isnt easy, especially if you run into physical and mental obstacles along the way. However, no matter the challenges you face, you can look to the world-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking as an example of what is possible when youre pursuing your dream. Shortly after graduating from college, Hawking was diagnosed with ALS, a degenerative disease that weakens the muscular and nervous systems over time. He was confined to a wheelchair and given less than three years to live. This prognosis was delivered in the 1960s, yet Hawking has survived to the age of 75 years old today. Hawking may be confined to a wheelchair, and he may have lost his ability to speak, but neither has prevented him from making significant contributions to the field of  physics. Hawking has written several books and has won many awards for his work. This man pursued his dream career despite obstacles that would have made a weaker person quit. Anyone who is chasing an ideal job can learn a thing or two from Hawking: Use Your Tools and Resources When Hawking lost his ability to walk, move, and speak, he turned to  tools and resources to compensate. Hawking uses a state-of-the-art wheelchair and speech synthesizer,  which can  move and talk for him based on the movement of his cheek muscles. Though you may not experience in your life exactly what Hawking did, the lesson is clear: Even if it feels like everything is working against you, there are tools and resources out there to help. All you have to do is find the right ones and use them smartly. Find Ways Around Obstacles Thanks to his determination to overcome the obstacles in his way, Hawking  has been able to pursue  his dream career in physics. My advice to other disabled people would be, concentrate on things your disability doesnt prevent you doing well, and dont regret the things it interferes with,  Hawking has said. Dont be disabled in spirit as well as physically. When you pursue a job that sets your soul on fire, dont focus on what you cant do. Instead, focus what you can do. For example, you may only have a few minutes a day to hone a special skill, but you  should that time that to its greatest potential. Obstacles are but a stepping stone on the path to what you want. Stick With Your Passion Rather than get caught up in bureaucracy and pageantry, Hawking chooses to focus only on whats important to him. For example, he turned down an offer of knighthood over concerns about how the U.K. government handles scientific funding. No one undertakes research in physics with the intention of winning a prize,  Hawking said  when he received the Fundamental Physics Prize in 2012. It is the joy of discovering something no one knew before. If you have a passion for something, dont let it be swayed by money, fame, or other outward temptations. Talent and passion should be the motivating factors that keep you happy on your career path. Passion will carry you to success. Maintain  a Positive  Attitude However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at,  Hawking once said. These words constitute  something of a theme for Hawkings life. Despite the heartache, disappointments, and obstacles, Hawking derives satisfaction from what he  has been able to accomplish. When youre searching for the job youve always wanted, dont dwell on facets of the effort that get you down. Instead, revel in the talents and abilities you have. Focusing on the positive got Hawking through some of the most difficult periods of his life; you, too, will find that you thrive more on positivity than pessimism. Larry Alton is an independent business consultant specializing in tech, social media trends, business, and entrepreneurship. Follow him on  Twitter  and  LinkedIn.

5 things that will give you the confidence to accomplish anything

5 things that will give you the confidence to accomplish anything 5 things that will give you the confidence to accomplish anything Confidence is attained when we’re prepared and self-aware enough to appreciate who we are, faults and all. Confidence is desired in all kinds of relationships, and it’s the ingredient that colors our view of ourselves, as well as how we are perceived by society. So, it is confidence that is worth cultivating and being, in order to live in each moment of the day.What are the values that matter most to you? I think about this consciously and I recognize that subconsciously, my values structure is the core of my decision-making. As we continue moving forward in life, we should become more shrewd and selective with how we use our time. When we do, we become more confident in who we are and have a much greater idea of what we want.The centerpiece of most values-based structures is confidence. A major component of confidence is the value you place on yourself. Confidence is about the faith you have in your abilities, the person you are, and how you view your most important relationship - the one with yourself.Confidence gives us the strength to pursue our romantic partner, it psyches us up to get the job or opportunity we’ve prepared and dreamed about. Confidence tells the story of who we truly are in the most authentic way possible. It is our representation of the way we want to be seen and how we want to see ourselves.I’ve been tremendously blessed to have parents as role models who instilled confidence in me from a very early age and always told me, “The sky is the limit.” I’ve always believed that I’m destined for great things, not out of conceit, but because I believe in myself and I have the confidence to pursue building the relationships, and accomplishing the goals I desire.I wanted to share five things that I truly believe will give you the confidence to accomplish anything you desire. Here they are:1. Don’t pick apart every mistake or foolish thing you’ve done. Laugh at them and realize life isn’t always a “repair job” of everythi ng you did wrongOn your path to becoming more confident, self-assured and successful, please make one promise to yourself: Stop beating yourself up over past mistakes and failures. Per Eric Barker, there’s tremendous value in being kind to yourself in an effort to build your confidence: “In fact, one study, “Self-Compassion and Reactions to Unpleasant Self-Relevant Events: The Implications of Treating Oneself Kindly,” showed that people high in the trait had increased clarity. They saw themselves and the world more accurately but didn’t judge themselves as harshly when they failed.” Source:  Eric Barker I am the person I am because of the experiences I lived through. I don’t live with regret. I’ve learned from mistakes and failures but I’m completely at peace with all that has come and gone in my life. To the times I had fun, to the times that I suffered, it’s all good.What about you? How do you make sense of your mistakes? How do you move on from defeat and forward to victory?Learning about our pasts, making sense of our experiences, both good and bad, offers us a treasure trove of knowledge, wisdom and insight that will carry us throughout our lifetimes. Keep maturing, keep growing and don’t forget to laugh sometimes. Life is funnier that way.2. You haven’t (yet) become what you thought you would. That’s OK. Accept it and make a difference.Start with these three principles which will help you redefine your perception of yourself: Be happy with what you’re working on and doing. How you look is so little of what should have to do with your confidence Focus on the positive feedback you get and don’t harp on the negative It’s not about how anyone else sees you - it’s about how you see yourself Realize that successes and failures will come and go all throughout your life. It’s what you take from BOTH experiences that truly makes a difference. A Stanford University professor did the following study that showed:After people succeed at something, it is especially important to have them focus on what things went wrong. They learn more than if they just focus on success (so, don’t just gloat and congratulate yourself about what you did right; focus on what could go even better next time). When failure happens, the most important thing is to have an after event review to provoke sufficiently deep thinking - whether you talk about successes or failures is less important.3. Surround yourself with one inspirational story every dayIf you want to build confidence, you have to find inspiration and motivation every day. I hope you’re able to find it in an article like this and other great articles here on Personal Growth. We all need something to lift our spirits that will positively influence our thoughts and lead us to greater confidence and belief.For example, let the people close to you know that you love them - this reciprocal relationship of love and confidence engenders belief in self and one another. It inspires us to do great things for others.There’s a reason why some of the world’s most successful people begin their days with an inspirational story. It fires up their imagination and emboldens them to continue forward with ambitious plans for success. When y ou’re more inspired, you’re more confident. You believe anything is possible.4. Keep a mental journalSure, written journals are important. But what about the dialogue we play back to ourselves from our own inner voice? The power of speaking positively to ourselves - and finding the positive in our experiences will elevate us to a higher, more encouraging mental plain. So what do I mean by keeping a mental journal?When you make out your daily and weekly schedule, have a reminder for yourself literally every hour. Remind yourself to speak positively over your life. To take a break from whatever you’re doing and tell yourself that you’re giving your best, focusing on the moment and future with optimism, faith and confidence. We become what we say and do, but one of the hidden factors of success is our ability to manifest positive thought encouragement to ourselves through the power of autosuggestion.5. Plan to celebrate. Celebrate your winsCreate a moment. Cultivate the circum stances that surround the end of your journey, which is when you get to enjoy the victory. Whatever you’re working for, focus on the journey. But have the victory parade in sight. We all need something to look forward to and while we shouldn’t dwell too long in the past, it’s imperative that we celebrate our accomplishments.This provides a sense of closure and helps lead to a breakthrough on our next step to becoming an even more confident person.Bill Carmody, a successful CEO says the following: “When you celebrate, endorphins are released inside your body and you feel incredible. When you accomplish something and don’t take the time to celebrate, you are robbing yourself of an important feeling that reinforces your success. Celebrating your wins not only feels great physically, but it reinforces the behavior you want to show up when you face a new challenge or opportunity.” Keep going on your journey and take chances to keep building up your confidence. You’ll find this powerful spirit re-energize and supercharge your human engine, leading you to awesome new opportunities.You can do thisI’m helping thousands of people each day build their life on values and put together their personal game plan. Join me! Check out The Value of You, my Amazon bestseller. The e-book is available for a limited time for just $2.99! Order the e-book HERE!Join my newsletter if you’d like, Follow my Facebook Page and join me on your journey. Let’s GO!This article first appeared on Medium.close dialogAdvertisement close dialog/* effects for .bx-campaign-1012255 *//* custom css .bx-campaign-1012255 */.bx-custom.bx-campaign-1012255.bx-type-agilityzone .bx-close { z-index: 2;}@-ms-keyframes bx-anim-1012255-spin { from { -ms-transform: rotate(0deg); } to { -ms-transform: rotate(360deg); } } @-moz-keyframes bx-anim- 1012255-spin { from { -moz-transform: rotate(0deg); } to { -moz-transform: rotate(360deg); } } @-webkit-keyframes bx-anim-1012255-spin { from { -webkit-transform: rotate(0deg); } to { -webkit-transform: rotate(360deg); } } @keyframes bx-anim-1012255-spin { from { transform: rotate(0deg); } to { transform: rotate(360deg); } } #bx-close-inside-1012255 { top: 0; right: 0; } /* KD - Remove padding from video wrapper and set height to 100% */.bx-custom.bx-campaign-1012255 .bx-row-video .bx-video-wrapper { padding-top: 0!important; height: 100%;}.bx-custom#bx-campaign-1012255 #bx-creative-1012255 .bx-wrap { height: auto;}/* KD - Change positioning to static as that was not necesaary and here you can adjust the height of the video element */.bx-custom.bx-campaign-1012255 .bx-row-video .bx-video-wrapper video { position: static;}/* rendered styles .b x-campaign-1012255 */.bxc.bx-campaign-1012255.bx-active-step-1 .bx-creative *:first-child {width: 100%;}.bxc.bx-campaign-1012255.bx-active-step-1 .bx-creative {background-color: transparent;border-style: none;max-width: 900px;}.bxc.bx-campaign-1012255.bx-active-step-1 .bx-close {stroke: white;background-color: black;border-style: solid;border-color: white;border-width: 1px;}.bxc.bx-campaign-1012255 .bx-group-1012255-AFvXBOB {padding: 10px;display: block;width: auto;}.bxc.bx-campaign-1012255 .bx-element-1012255-J0EiS8Y {width: auto;}.bxc.bx-campaign-1012255 .bx-element-1012255-J0EiS8Y *:first-child {padding: 2px 4px;font-size: 10px;color: rgb(255, 255, 255);text-transform: uppercase;background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.34);}

Smartphone separation anxiety The science behind the panic

Smartphone separation anxiety The science behind the panic Smartphone separation anxiety The science behind the panic If you have ever been forgetful enough to leave your phone at home for the day, or god forbid loose it completely, then you know the feeling of smartphone separation anxiety. Being without your mobile device can leave you feeling anxious and lost, and as if you have no connection with the outside world.In 2017 it was reported that a whopping 96% of UK residents between the ages of 16-34 owned a smartphone of some kind, and the typical user touches their smartphone 2,617 times every single day. With this in mind, it is no surprise that people are heavily affected by losing their smartphone. Bontag, suppliers of security smartphone tags, explain the science behind the panic of misplacing your mobile device.What is nomophobia?The anxiety and feeling associated with losing a mobile phone has become so commonplace that it has been given its own name; nomophobia. Nomophobia is referring to the feeling of panic and stress that many people experience when they don’t have access to their sm artphone. Recent studies reveal that 53% of mobile phone users in the UK feel anxious without their phone, even if it is just out of battery. This fear has little to do with not being able to make and receive phone calls, and much more to do the fact that mobile phones have become a sort of extension of ourselves.Smartphones give us access to an unthinkable number of apps, resources, and services, as well as storing all our photos, videos and messages. We have become reliant on them for everything from directions and maps to managing our diaries, and when we suddenly don’t have access to all this information anymore, it causes us to panic. Whilst nomophobia is not currently recognized as a legitimate illness, it is certainly a real feeling that thousands of us experience on a regular basis.Who is affected by nomophobia?Different individuals often suffer from different levels of nomophobic tendencies, depending on how they value and perceive their smartphones. Those who are less de pendent on the device will be less affected by it being missing, whereas those who are glued to their phones 24 hours a day, will suffer more severe symptoms of nomophobia. It is linked to the fear of missing out (FoMo) and the fear of being offline (FoBo), which are also anxieties that have come about thanks to our high-tech lifestyles and always-on culture.Nomophobia symptomsNomophobia can be interpreted as either a fear or an anxiety, and different individuals may suffer in different ways. Some people have been reported to experience physical pain when being without their mobile device; neck pain has been a common complaint in recent studies. Others complain of more psychological symptoms such as a feeling of being lost and disconnected. Studies have shown that individuals who are without their mobile phones suffer from an increased heart rate and blood pressure, proving there are real physical impacts of nomophobia on the human body.Why do we experience nomophobia?Mobile devices allow us to be always connected to the rest of the world and keep tabs on what is going on in our friends and families lives, as well as keeping them updated with our daily routines. One in three adults in the UK check their phones during the night, and one in ten reaches for their phone as soon as they wake up in the morning. When the handheld gadgets are lost or removed from the routine, users are filled with a sense of uncertainty and panic.Some psychologists claim that it is not the loss of the device itself that causes nomophobia, but what is on the phone that really counts. The internet-connected devices allow us to deal with a lot of different aspects of our day-to-day lives, with many peoples’ entire lives engrained into one single device. It has been suggested that because these phones hold so much information and so many details about our lives, we have developed an emotional dependency on them.How can nomophobia be prevented?Nomophobia can be controlled by deliberately separating yourself from your device for a set period of time every day.Turning a device off or leaving it at home for a while can reduce the dependency and anxiety associated with losing your phone. For many, a mobile device is the most important thing in their lives, and actively trying to withdraw from it can be a real struggle. Although taking the time to reduce your dependency on your smartphone might be worthwhile, if you should ever be unfortunate to lose your phone, your separation anxiety will be much more manageable if it doesn’t feel like you have just lost one of your limbs.This article first appeared on Yourcoffeebreak.co.uk.

Re-engineering Houston

Re-engineering Houston Re-engineering Houston Re-engineering Houston Editors Note: This article was in press before Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas. The Bolivar Peninsula stretches across the mouth of Galveston Bay like a forearm raised to ward off a blow. Indeed, that is more or less its function. The peninsula and Galveston Island to the south separate the bay and the low-lying land to the northwest from the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the hurricanes that periodically blow up there. The Bolivar Peninsula (shown in a satellite image) was virtually wiped clean by the storm surge of Hurricane Ike in 2008. Image: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers As storm barriers go, it leaves a bit to be desiredthe highest ground on the peninsula rarely breaks 10 feet above sea leveland in September 2008, it was tested. Hurricane Ike made its final landfall between Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula as a strong Category 2 storm, with a 15-foot- high surge to the east of the hurricanes center equal to that of a typical Category 3 hurricane. The Bolivar Peninsula, taking the brunt of the storm, was inundated with water between 12 and 16 feet high. Almost every structure on the Peninsula was destroyed by the storm surge; aerial photos in the storms aftermath showed a landscape stripped down to the sand. The City of Galvestons south side, which faces the Gulf and has a 17-foot-high, 10-mile-long seawall, suffered minor damage. Yet water surged around the seawall and flooded the north side, which fronts on Galveston Bay and has no seawall or other protection. The winds from Ike were strong enough to blow out the windows of high-rises in Houston, about 50 miles inland, but the Bolivar Peninsula and Galveston Island blunted the storm surge enough to protect the citys low-lying infrastructure. Experts caution that it wouldnt have taken much in the way of bad lucka some- what stronger storm or one that hit slightly further to the westto have inundated the 52-mile-long Houston Ship Channel (HSC) and several thou- sand cylindrical storage tanks along the HSC and at the Port of Houston. Those tanks would be exposed to both lifting forces that could float them off their bases, spilling whatever they contain, and horizontal crushing forces that could split the tanks open. If you leave the Houston Ship Channel unprotected, 60 million to 90 million gallons of crude oil and/or hazardous materials could be released, said Jim Blackburn, co-director of the Severe Storm Prediction, Education, and Evacuation from Disasters (SSPEED) Center, located at the Rice University. It could be the worst environmental crisis in U.S. history, affecting Galveston Bay, other connecting bays in the area, and the Gulf. Theres no telling how long recovery would take or if it would even be possible. Ike showed Houston just how vulnerable it is to a large storm. Leaders of the city and the surrounding area realized they needed to re-engineer the storm defenses, a far-ranging infrastructure project that will ultimately cost billions of dollars. Now, nine years later, they are still debating, exactly, will be done and who, exactly, will pay the bill. ;custompagebreak; Where to Draw the Line The Port of Houston is the second-largest in the U.S. and one piece of Houstons nationally important infrastructure. Image: Visit Houston Houston is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the United States and has an outsized impact on the U.S. economy. More than 90 percent of U.S. offshore oil and gas production takes place in the Texas Gulf Coast area, and the Houston region contains the largest concentration of energy, petrochemical, and refining industries in the United States. Houston is home to 25 percent of the countrys petroleum refining capability, 40 percent of the nations capacity for downstream chemical production, and the fastest-growing liquefied natural gas industry in the nation. The region is important beyond energy, too. One-third of the United States seafood harvest is taken from the Texas coast, and the NASA John- son Space Centerthe home of Space Station Mission Controlis located there. The area includes the Port of Houston, which ranks second in the nation, Beaumonts port, which ranks fourth, and Texas Citys port, which ranks tenth. With so much activity in Houstonand with so much of that activity vulnerable to storm surgesregional planners and government officials wanted to know exactly how much of an upgrade the regions coastal defenses needed. That required advanced fluid dynamics models and time on state-of-the-art supercomputers. The model utilizes the latitude, longitude, and the elevation of the ground, both above and below the water, said SSPEED Center project manager Larry Dunbar. The model encompasses thousands of square miles of the Gulf of Mexico, Dunbar said, and there are a couple of million points in the model to represent all the ground. The model can simulate normal tides based on the phase of the moon and wind direction, showing how the water flows in and out of the complex geography of the bay, both above the surface and below. But when the modelers want to run a storm surge scenario, they start by placing a hurricane- force wind field in the model, along with a storm track, the air pressure in the storms eye, and the hurricanes overall size. The model calculates how high the water gets as a result of a wall of water pushed by the wind and the movement of the storm, Dunbar said. It just takes a couple of hours to run SSPEEDs model on the supercomputer at the University of Texas in Austin, but because theres a queue for supercomputer time, it takes about 24 hours to get results back. Other groups studying Houstons vulnerability to storms are using other models on different supercomputers, and comparing calculation results with each other to ensure they get the same answers from the same data from their respective models. For each set of starting parameters, the models calculate how high the water gets in Galveston Bay and other locations. When you know how high the water rises, then you know how high a barrier must be built to protect against it. The so-called 100-year storm, which has a 1 percent chance of occurring in any given year, would require barriers as high as 15 feet. Rarer storms would overtop that, however, and expected sea level rise throughout this century would make storm surges relatively higher decades from now. With those simulation results and the fresh memories of Ike, as well as such storms as Katrina and Sandy, engineers and architects started planning out what would be needed to protect the Houston area from inundation. The first proposal that attempted to address storm surge, put forth in 2014 by the SSPEED Center, was a levee system with a floodgate at the point where the Houston Ship Channel meets Galveston Bay. This upper-bay gate concept was designed with the sole intent of protecting the HSC, and it quickly became obvious to everyone that while any town inside the projects levees would be protected from storm surge when its floodgate closed, anyone outside the gate would be utterly exposed. That did not sit well in the many small towns dotting the coast around Galveston Bay. The SSPEED Center still considers the Upper-Bay Gate concept to be feasible for protecting the HSC, but it would be a hard project to build by itself, considering the opposition to it. Estimates of its cost are about $2.8 billion. The SSPEED Center began expanding its storm surge study and came up with other concepts that would protect more of the region. One would place a barrier and gate across the middle of Galveston Baya mid-bay gate conceptand connect to some existing levees. That would protect the northwest part of the bay but still leave many towns exposed. Another concept would build a floodgate across Bolivar Roads, the two-mile gap between Galveston and the Bolivar Peninsula, connecting coastal barriers facing the Gulf itself and protecting the lower bay. The mid-bay gate, like the upper-bay gate, would cost about $2.8 billion, whereas the lower-bay gates preliminary cost estimate is about $7.6 billion. At Bolivar Roads, there is a 2-mile section of open water between the Peninsula and Galveston Island, Dunbar said. There we would have a navigation gate that is about 850 feet widethe width of the Ship Channeland about 60 feet deep that could close off the navigation channel. In addition, there would be a series of vertical environmental gates that can lift up out of the water. When a hurricane comes, you would close all of the gates. SSPEED now leans toward a multiple barrier system combining the mid-bay and lower-bay gate concepts. The combination plan would provide some protection to the towns along Galveston Bays coast, while providing additional protection to the HSC and its critical infrastructure, as well as to the heavily developed west side of the bay. That sort of staged defense system leaves a bad taste in some peoples mouths. If the storm surge gets into Galveston Bay, youll have winners and losers, said Bill Merrell, professor of marine sciences at the Texas AM University at Galveston, director of the Center for Texas Beaches and Shores, and chairman and principal scientist of the Institute for Oceans and Coasts. Merrell has instead proposed a 60-mile barrier system along the entire stretch of the Bolivar Pen- insula and Galveston Island. This system would cost $6 billion to $10 billion. The beaches in the area could be used as foundations, and the barriers that make up the levee system would have hard cores covered with beach sand. The result would be a series of fortified sand dunesa coastal spine 17-feet highthat keeps the storm surge out of Galveston Bay, protecting not only the high-value infrastructure along the Houston Ship Channel but also the small towns along the bay shore. The coastal spine would place a swing-type navigation gate across Bolivar Roads, and it would also place environmental gatessmaller, vertical- lift devicesat the smaller San Luis Pass (which is at the southwest tip of Galveston Island). Both the navigation gate and the environmental gates would remain open most of the time to allow water to flow throughout the bay, thus protecting the bays delicate ecology. When all are closed, the gates would provide a continuous barrier against storm surge getting into the bay. Merrell says that the barrier system could be built using existing, proven technology developed in the Netherlands. It shortens and strengthens the coast, and it allows storm surge to be stopped at the coast, Merrell said. As a nod toward the Dutch, who have built similar extensive coastal barriers, Merrell calls his proposal the Ike Dike. Another group, the sprawling Gulf Coast Com- munity Protection and Recovery District, which grew out of a commission studying the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, released a report in June 2016 recommending a coastal spine similar to the Ike Dike protecting Houston and the counties on either side of Galveston Bay, plus a new levee encircling the city of Galveston. For counties further out, the GCCPRD endorsed building new conventional levees. We would rework the ends of the new levees to seamlessly join the ends of existing levees, said GCCPRDs Chris Sallese, who was formerly Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Galveston. When you build a levee, youre keeping water in, but then you have rain that falls from the sky and cant get out, so you have to have pump stations to pump that water out and keep the levees from flooding. The costs, according to Sallese, would be about $111 million for the pump station, and around $816 million for the levees. ;custompagebreak; How High is High Enough? While its hoped that the federal government would help provide funds for Houstons storm surge protection, much as it did for Louisiana after Katrina, its also expected that local sales taxes would pay for much of the construction. If you took storm surge protection construction from Houston down to Galveston, that could be five billion to eight billion dollars, and it could be funded by a one-penny sales tax, said Stephen Costello, an expert in Houstons need for storm surge protection. He works for the Houston Mayors Office. The only entities in Texas that can levy sales taxes are cities, towns, and the state, Costello said. Houstons sales tax is already spoken for. We could let the voters decidewe can fund the work with a one-cent state sales tax or let local cities and towns increase their sales taxes by one cent, he added. Other flood prevention methods put the onus on individual property owners. For instance, buildings on or near the coast in the Houston-Galveston area must be elevated to keep them safe from flooding. No new construction can occur near the coast that doesnt include elevation. In addition to its various floodgate concepts, the SSPEED Center at Rice also has proposed a non- structural alternative or supplement. The Texas Coastal Exchange would involve restoring the native coastal prairie and marsh to withstand hurricane storm surge. The rising water simply remains in the prairie or marsh, and after the storm has passed, the water flows back into Galveston Bay. The economic concept behind the Exchange is ecological service, which puts a dollar value on the natural benefits of the land. We would restore the coastal prairie and develop income for the land owners, said SSPEEDs co-director Jim Blackburn. We must provide enough income to landowners so they dont build on the land. One concept being looked at is creating a carbon market that would pay landowners for the carbon dioxide that a marsh pulls out of the air and locks in the soil. Its a partial solution to climate change, Blackburn said. Its also the commodity most likely to generate significant income for landowners. The projected value of carbon dioxide is $40 to $60 per ton. Up to three tons per acre can be removed by landowners, integrating ecology and economy. We use ecosystems and economics instead of building technological systems for removing car- bon. The natural systems do it naturally, Blackburn said. Using natural ecological systems that pay the landowners addresses several issues: sea level rise, carbon reduction, and climate change. We would not use regulations; instead, wed use a market sys- tem, Blackburn said. In many parts of the world, they use regulations. That wont work in Texas. Of course, getting people to pay for soft defenses rather than high walls may be difficult, too. The wall-builders dont even agree among themselves as to how high is high enough. The federal government will typically cost- share up to the 100-year point, Sallese said. It will cost-share for more than the 100-year storm, even up to the 500-year storm, but you have to prove the benefits. That extra protection is worth it, others say, given the critical infrastructure built along the Houston Ship Channel. We dont want nuclear plants to flood, so they are designed to be protected from a one in a million event, Dunbar said. The industrial complexes at the HSC are generally protected to about 15 feet, which is equivalent to a 100-year storm. But 200-year or 500-year events are not protected by the 15-foot barrier. SSPEEDs mid-bay barrier would place a 25-foot-high barrier and gate across Galveston Bay to protect against the 200-year or even 500-year events. It would be ludicrous to build a $10 billion barrier and then have a Category 3 or 4 storm come and destroy the HSC, Dunbar said. Figuring out which approach is the right one may not even be the right question to ask. When you include sea level rise, it gets more complicated, Dunbar said. Think dual barrier systemmultiple lines of defense. Thats what the Netherlands does to protect itself from sea level rise and storm surge. Multiple lines of defense would work for Houston and Galveston Bay, too. The hard part is reaching an agreement on where to draw those lines of defense and then finding the money to build them. The clock is ticking. Its been nine years since Ike, and Houston could face another hurricane at any time. BRIDGET MINTZ TESTA is a freelance writer based in Houston. Readthe latest issue of theMechanical Engineering Magazine. 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This is what people all over the world would do if they had more time

This is what people all over the world would do if they had more time This is what people all over the world would do if they had more time Whether you had the opportunity to work less, or the hours in the day just magically expanded, everyone has had the opportunity to daydream about what they would do with more time.For the “What Would You Do With More Time?” survey by the Workforce Institute at Kronos Incorporated and Future Workplace, 2,772 employees living in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Mexico, the U.K., and the U.S. were surveyed.Follow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders’ magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!The top five things people would do with more time: Spend time with family (44%) Travel (43%) Exercise (33%) Spend time with friends (30%) Pursue hobbies (29%) Other findings Of course, nearly a third (27%) wanted to sleep more. Interestingly, workers in the U.S. craved more sleep (33%) than any other country surveyed, and workers in India wanted it the least â€" a mere 16% voted for more snoozing with their extra time. Mexican workers are apparently bookworms: they were the only workers who had “read more” in their top five. 62% of all workers responded that their job gave them the flexibility to have work-life balance But what if you had more time … at work? Personal development, like learning new skills, was the top choice for both employees (44%) and managers (40%) worldwide. By country, India led the way in desiring personal development skills by 66%, followed by the U.K. by 49% and Australia by 47%. Both employers (23%) and managers (27%) wish they could spend more time on long-term, important projects 23% of employees wish they had more time to innovate, brainstorm new ideas, or invent a better way of doing things French workers are naughty: 25% of them would spend their extra time at work looking for a new job. Given that there’s never enough time, especially extra time, how do you balance work and leisure? Dan Schawbel, Future Institute researcher, says it’s not exactly about seeking balance, but integration.“Workers worldwide clearly see the benefit to stay relevant in their jobs by investing time in training, yet also desire more time with their family, to travel, and get fit,” said Dan Schawbel, bestselling author and research director of the Future Workplace. “Instead of trying to have a balanced lifestyle, which is especially difficult in today’s highly connected, technology-driven world, workers should seek integration, ensuring they allocate time to their biggest professional and personal priorities each day. There’s more of a need today to work smarter and be more efficient to free up time to invest in things that matter most, inside and outside of work.”You might also enjoy … New neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happy Strangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds 10 lessons from Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule that will double your productivity The worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs 10 habits of mentally strong people