Jeffrey Cross

Tokyo Institute of Technology | TITech · School of Environment and Society

Iconicity, the perceived relationship between form and meaning, is essential for language learning but remains underexplored in VR. While accurate form representation in VR apps is common in scale-specific fields like telemedicine, it is less prevalent in apps designed for language learning, leading to various graphical representations. This study...

The separation of high-purity hydrogen from mixed gasses using dense metallic alloy membranes is essential for advancing a hydrogen-based economy. Palladium-based membranes exhibit outstanding catalytic activity and theoretically infinite hydrogen selectivity, but their high cost and limited performance in contaminant-rich environments restrict the...

Japanese elementary schools introduced programming education in 2020, but are Japanese educators better equipped to teach this new subject? Most programming education research focuses on children. Unfortunately, educators are often overlooked. In this research, elementary schools in five Japanese prefectures were visited to understand better in-ser...

This study explored the effectiveness of hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) in converting sewage sludge (SS) into high-quality biocrude. It scrutinized the influence of various solvents, including conventional choices like dichloromethane (DCM) and hexane, alongside environmentally friendly alternatives, such as ethyl butyrate (EB) and ethyl acetate (...

It is crucial to find sustainable and renewable fuel sources because traditional fossil fuels are running out and pollution levels are rising. In this context, biocrude derived from biomass emerges as a promising alternative, with hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) playing a pivotal role in this transformation. HTL's versatility in converting a wide r...

Electrochemical conversion of underutilized biomass‐based glycerol into high‐value‐added products provides a green approach for biomass and waste valorization. Plus, this approach offers an alternative to biofuel manufacturing procedure, under mild operating conditions, compared to the traditional thermochemical routes. Nevertheless, glycerol has b...

From June 14 to June 16, 2023, Hasso Plattner Institute, Potsdam, hosted the eighth European MOOC Stakeholder Summit (EMOOCs 2023). The pandemic is fortunately over. It has once again shown how important digital education is. How well-prepared a country was could be seen in our schools, universities, and companies. In different countries, the probl...

In recent years, with the development of massive open online courses (MOOCs) and extended reality (XR), the use of XR within MOOCs is becoming more feasible. Aside from making simulations possible, XR can support learning in domains where spatial awareness can be critical, such as in architecture. An intermediate technology to XR is 360-degree vide...

Both the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to bio-oil (BO) and the upgrading of BO have been the targets of many studies. Due to the large diversity and discontinuity seen in terms of reaction conditions, catalysts, solvents, and feedstock properties that have been used, a comparison across different publications is difficult. In this study, ma...

The circular economy is a strategy that can lead to sustainable consumption and production, which is critical for decoupling development from environmental concerns. Even though the Asia–Pacific area has made rapid economic progress in recent years, there are fundamental challenges that have created bottlenecks in the adoption of a circular economy...

Numerous microplastic-related studies have investigated the impact of plastic materials on the marine food chain. In this study, Manila clams were exposed to microplastic (MP) of various polymer types, shapes, and concentrations to determine the ingestion selectivity and adverse effects caused. Benzo[a]pyrene was introduced as the second stressor t...

Biodiesel, a promising eco-friendly alternative to diesel, faces a major obstacle in the form of high feedstock costs (50%–70%) for production. Sewage sludge (SS) as a viable feedstock for biodiesel production was recognized due to its abundance, consistent availability, and low cost. However, certain limitations, such as pretreatment and drying, a...

Lignin, an abundant component of plant matter, can be depolymerized into renewable aromatic chemicals and biofuels but remains underutilized. Homogeneously catalyzed depolymerization in water has gained attention due to its economic feasibility and performance but suffers from inconsistently reported yields of bio-oil and solid residues. In this st...

The aviation sector is responsible for a significant portion of the world's GHG emissions. In order to attain net-zero carbon emission targets by 2050, a transition to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from traditional fossil jet fuel is crucial. Renewable energy and the bioeconomy are expected to boost “drop-in” aviation biofuel production in the co...

The quest for sustainable and environmentally friendly fuel feedstocks has led to the exploration of green solvents for the extraction of bio-oil from various biomass sources. This review paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the challenges and future research outlooks for different categories of green extraction solvents, including bio-based...

Deep knowledge tracing (DKT) consists of predicting the probability of correctly answering a test or quiz question using the history of a particular learner’s previous question-answer interactions. The probability of a correct answer is computed using a complex recurrent neural network. In this work, an approach similar to Shapley Additive exPlanat...

Despite for-credit distance education existing since the latter half of the nineteenth century, the creditworthiness of massive open online courses (MOOCs), a form of distance education, remains debatable outside a few domains. This may be due to the perceived lack of quality in MOOCs, either due to the wide variety of MOOCs or the difficulty in tr...

Thermal energy storage systems that use composite phase change materials (CPCM), such as paraffin wax and nonbiodegradable high-density polyethylene, are gaining attention in recent years due to the effort to resolve energy issues. There is a need to undertake research and development on how to prepare durable CPCMs from thermo-chemically treated b...

Sewage sludge has potential use as a feedstock source for biodiesel production, but pretreatment such as drying it before the conversion has made it an uneconomical process. In this study, sewage sludge samples were collected from two different wastewater treatment facilities in Tokyo to develop an efficient process for extracting the saponifiable...

Crude glycerol is the main byproduct of biodiesel manufacturing from oleaginous crops and other biomass-derived oils. Approximately 10% crude glycerol is produced with every batch of biodiesel. Worldwide, there is a glut of glycerol and the price of it has decreased considerably. There are real opportunities for valorizing crude glycerol into highe...

Lignin depolymerization has been studied for decades to produce carbon-neutral chemicals/biofuels and biopolymers. Among different chemical reaction pathways, catalytic hydrogenolysis favors reactions under relatively mild conditions, while its yield of bio-oil and high-value aromatic products is relatively high. In this study, the influence of rea...

This Research to Practice Full Paper investigates second language learners' writing output using an online next-word prediction writing tool after exposure to training and metacognitive prompts to improve their critical thinking. Engineering graduates' writing skills are often deemed lacking by industry standards; this can be even more challenging...

The consumption of fossil fuels is one of the main drivers of climate change. Lignin derived from biomass is a carbon-neutral raw feedstock, and its conversion into fuels is gaining much attention. The gasification of biomass aims to transform heterogeneous feedstocks into syngas and heat that could be used for various purposes. Lignin is a biomass...

The world's population, energy demands and waste generation are increasing year by year. In many countries, sewage sludge is disposed of in landfills, but 96.5% of the total sludge produced in Tokyo, Japan, is incinerated. GHG emissions from the Bureau of Sewerage accounted for approximately 37% of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's activities and...

As practitioners introduce new educational technologies into their classrooms, the potential for unintended outcomes from their use might arise. One such potential negative artifact is an increase in the achievement gaps between learners, where high performers tend to benefit more from newly introduced educational technologies than their peers. Thi...

Adaptive learning is provided in intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) to enable learners with varying abilities to meet their expected learning outcomes. Despite the personalized learning afforded by ITSes using adaptive learning, learners are still susceptible to shallow learning. Introducing metacognitive tutoring to teach learners how to be aware...

The increasing use of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) worldwide has brought attention to tools that can assist English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in their journey to fluency. Much research has shown that EFL learners often do not have sufficient latitude to output at a satisfactory level when writing in a second language. In addition, co...

Many tropical islands, including Aruba, Seychelles, Mauritius, and Pacific Island countries, are entirely dependent on importing fossil fuels to meet their energy demands. Due to global warming, improving energy use efficiency and developing regionally available renewable energy resources are necessary to reduce carbon emissions. This review analyz...

Many tropical islands, including Aruba, Seychelles, Mauritius, and Pacific Island countries, are entirely dependent on importing fossil fuels to meet their energy demands. Due to global warming, improving energy use efficiency and developing regionally available renewable energy resources are necessary to reduce carbon emissions. This review analyz...

Tokyo Tech faculty members and staff began developing online courses hosted on the edX website in 2014, by working with student teaching assistants (TAs). In 2016, Tokyo Tech received a grant from Japan′s Ministry of Education (MEXT) to establish a Graduate Student Assistant (GSA) educational training program using both coursework taught for credit...

Metacognition, a set of skills essential to succeed in online learning environments, spans three distinct phases: planning, monitoring, and evaluating. An existing metacognitive tutor for developing knowledge of cognition and regulation of cognition at different problem-solving phases previously shown to be effective in an experimental setting was...

In order to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and global warming, solar hot-water household systems containing thermoelectric generators that generate electricity and also store thermal energy are a partial potential solution. However, few studies have reported on the performance of these hybrid systems that can generate nighttime electrical power...

Heterogeneously catalyzed lignin solvolysis opens the possibility of transforming low value biomass into high value, useful aromatic chemicals, however, its reaction behavior is poorly understood due to the many possible interactions between reaction parameters. In this study, a novel predictive model for bio-oil yield, char yield and reaction time...

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have become an alternative learning platform in recent years and the number of learners has increased recently due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the majority of MOOCs are taught in English, some non-English MOOCs, e.g., those offered in Japanese, usually provide some content in English, such as subtitles, in or...

The 2010s marked a turning point in Japan’s nuclear power’s industry. In fiscal year 2010, nuclear power electricity generation stood at 288.2 terawatt-hours. In 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake triggered a tsunami and a major accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. In 2014, nuclear power electricity generation eventually bottom...

Introduction. This paper examines the information literacy self-efficacy of undergraduate students at provincial universities in Cambodia, and to determine whether there are significant differences in information literacy self-efficacy in terms of sex, academic year, faculty and university. Method. We adapted the information literacy self-efficacy...

Aside from providing instructional materials to the public, developing massive open online courses (MOOCs) can benefit institutions in different ways. Some examples include providing training opportunities for their students aspiring to work in the online learning space, strengthening its brand recognition through courses appealing to enthusiasts,...

Developing highly skilled researchers is essential to accelerate the economic progress of developing countries such as Cambodia in South East Asia. While there is continuing research investigating Cambodia’s potential to cultivate such a workforce, the circumstances of undergraduate students in public provincial universities do not receive ample at...

In order to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy technologies such as wind power and solar photovoltaic power systems have recently become more widespread. However, Japan as a nation faces high reliance on imported fossil fuels for electricity generation despite having great potential for further renewable energy development. Th...

For the development of next-generation protein-based biosensor surfaces, it is important to understand how functional proteins, such as fibrinogen (FBG), interact with polar substrate surfaces in order to prepare highly sensitive points of medical care diagnostics. FBG, which is a fibrous protein with an extracellular matrix, has both positively an...

Increasing use of English as a Lingua Franca worldwide has brought much attention to tools that can assist English language learners (ELLs) in their journey to fluency. Much research has shown that ELLs who struggle with English sentence production rarely have sufficient cognitive resources available to work on higher level writing tasks such as or...

Developing highly skilled researchers is essential to accelerate the economic progress of developing countries such as Cambodia in South East Asia. While there is continuing research investigating Cambodia's potential to cultivate such a workforce, the circumstances of undergraduate students in public provincial universities do not receive ample at...

Recrystallization of Cs2[Mo6X14] (X=Cl, Br) was examined using typical organic solvents, i. e., methanol (CH3OH), acetone (CH3COCH3) and dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) in order to modify crystal structures and optoelectronic properties by promoting purity or inducing insertion of guest molecules. To this context, we performed recrystallization in solvent...

Recyclable catalysts are desperately needed for upgrading pyrolyzed bio-oil which is produced from biomass conversion in order to reduce cost and protect the environment. However, most catalysts used for producing bio-oil from the pyrolysis of biomass cannot be recycled, leading to costly catalyst regeneration or waste if disposed of. In this study...

Carbon neutral bio-oil is needed to replace liquid fossil fuels in order to reduce CO 2 emissions and global warming. However, the quality of bio-oil produced from biomass contains too much sugar, which is undesirable. Investigating a new method to reduce sugar concentration by changing the ratio between cellulose and catalyst is necessary because...

Issues related to food wastage have become a significant threat to sustainable development, particularly in developing countries. Cooked rice, reported as one of the abundant regional food wastes, is a...

Lignin, a component of lignocellulosic biomass, is abundant and is produced extensively as a waste product of the Kraft pulping process, lignin obtained from this process is called Kraft lignin (KL). Lignin’s three-dimensional structure composed of aromatic alcohols (monolignols) makes it a potential source of renewable aromatic chemicals or bio-oi...

A new recyclable catalyst for pyrolysis has been developed by combining calculations and experimental methods. In order to understand the properties of the new cluster designed catalysts, cellulose (a major component of plants) as a biomass model compound was pyrolyzed and catalyzed with different cluster designed catalysts. The NiaFeb (2 ≤ a + b ≤...

In Asia, uneaten cooked rice is the highest portion amongst many forms of food wastes that are thrown away. In order to make use of the thrown-away rice and potentially use it for liquid fuels, steamed Japanese rice was evaluated on biobutanol production through a two-step fermentation by amylase-producing Aspergillus oryzae, and solvent-producing...

Purpose This study is aimed at determining the effect of a short-term information literacy training activity on the self-efficacy of undergraduate students at province-based universities in Cambodia. Design/methodology/approach A three-week training intervention was administered to 461 undergraduate students at three province-based public universi...

Crude bio-oil was upgraded using in situ and ex situ catalysts (Ni2Fe3, ZSM-5, and Ni2Fe3/ZSM-5) in order to reduce the bio-oil oxygen content. The Ni2Fe3 catalyst powder was specifically designed for this research using materials' simulations, and it showed good activity in improving the bio-oil quality by increasing the heating value. Furthermore...

This workshop proposes specifically soliciting contributions and presentations from initiatives, programs, and platforms around the world. While many of these may already be pre-sented at the full conference, we are also interested in more casual experience reports, case studies, and background presentations from individuals more closely acquainted...

Self-efficacy is crucial for producing challenging research results, which in turn may lead to innovations and development that can accelerate a country's economy. Undergraduate research self-efficacy in Cambodia has been of particular interest because graduates form the future pipeline of research professionals, which is important for Cambodia sin...

In many regions, international power system interconnections provide economic, energy-security, environmental, and technical benefits. In contrast, such interconnections remain scarce in Northeast Asia. In 2016, after approving a joint memorandum of understanding between major electric power companies from China, Japan, South Korea, and Russia, rel...

Solar thermal systems, especially solar hot water household heating/storage systems, are considered the most cost-effective alternatives to fossil fuel hot water heating energy systems. Recently, solar hot water systems are combined with a thermoelectric generator, forming hybrid systems. However, these hybrid systems described in the literature ca...

This paper aims to assess the effectiveness of research self-efficacy short-term information technology (IT) skills training intervention administered to 3rd year and 4th year undergraduate students at three provincial Cambodian universities. The training intervention was conducted at the universities' computer centers where the internet could be a...

Effectively utilizing catalytic pyrolysis to upgrade bio-oil products prepared from biomass has many potential benefits for the environment. In this paper, cellulose (a major component of plants and a biomass model compound) is pyrolyzed and catalyzed with different catalysts: Ni2Fe3, ZSM-5, and Ni2Fe3/ZSM-5. Two different pyrolysis processes are i...

In this research, cellulose was impregnated with ionic liquid as a pretreatment and then also used as a catalyst in the subsequent pyrolysis of the cellulose to produce a bio-oil. Impregnating cellulose with ionic liquid is expected to decrease the necessary pyrolysis temperature and improve the liquid bio-oil chemical composition. [bmim][TFSI], [b...

MOOC, the online course that anyone can take on the Internet for free, continues to expand in both the number of courses and the number of students since 2012. Many universities have started using MOOCs as a teaching materials in campus classes, and more universities are recognizing MOOC certifications as course credit after admission to a universi...

The main research questions addressed in this paper are: first, have electricity market reforms achieved lower household electricity prices and, second, has the introduction of renewable energy increased household electricity prices in deregulated markets Answers to the questions were derived using static and dynamic panel data analysis from 1991 t...

p>Following on the 2008-2012 OECD Assessment of Higher Education Learning Outcomes (AHELO) feasibility study of civil engineering, in Japan a mechanical engineering learning outcomes assessment working group was established within the National Institute of Education Research (NIER), which became the Tuning National Center for Japan. The purpose of...