Inside UPS' Worldport: How a shipping titan moves 2,000 packages every 17 seconds (By Alexis Santos)

Online shopping seems like a straightforward process: hunt down the perfect item, trudge through the checkout pipeline and await a package's inevitable arrival. The trip between a warehouse and your doorstep, however, involves meticulous organization on a massive scale. In order to pull off such a feat, United Parcel Service (UPS) relies on Worldport in Louisville, Ky.: a 5.2 million-square-foot processing facility that's capable of sorting up to 416,000 packages an hour. Within Worldport, 70 aircraft docks and 155 miles of conveyor belts await the arrival of packages from over 220 countries and territories. So, what happens when UPS gets ahold of those parcels destined for air delivery? The folks clad in brown took us inside their largest sorting hub to find out.

This video first appeared on Episode 39 of the Engadget Show

UPS trucks are the foot soldiers and the most familiar presence of the outfit, but the real powerhouse in the operation is the firm's aircraft fleet. In total, UPS owns 230 jets ranging in size from Boeing 757s to 747-400s, some of which have ferried everything from a whale shark to an iceberg chunk. The aircraft deliver packages around the globe, but make frequent pit stops at Worldport, where one of them lands roughly each minute during peak operating hours. The facility has a 7.2-mile perimeter and is the largest of UPS' 12 sorting hubs. Though the complex is adjoined to Louisville International Airport and shares its two runways, its size overshadows the passenger terminal. At Worldport alone, more than 2.3 million gallons of fuel are guzzled down by airplanes roughly every three days.

So, why Louisville? Simply put: good weather and short travel times. The Derby City has generally temperate weather and is about a two-hour flight from 75 percent of the US population, and a four-hour flight away from 95 percent of other folks in the nation -- key factors to ensure consistent and speedy deliveries. The surrounding area has become a prime spot for a bevy of companies to set up their own distribution facilities thanks to UPS' presence. Zappos and others have set up camp nearby so they can hand off their goods to the shipping titan quickly and ensure they arrive at their destinations as soon as possible. Nikon and Sprint have even partnered with UPS to handle a good chunk of their shipping duties. For example, The Now Network doesn't lift a proverbial finger when a phone is ordered -- UPS takes care of plucking the right handset from its inventory and shipping it off to a customer.

Work at Worldport is divided into two "sorts," a daytime and nighttime window where packages are unloaded from arriving planes, rerouted to their next ride and sent off again. Two-thirds of the work is done on the latter shift, between 10 PM and 2 AM. However, preparations begin well before aircraft even touch down. At the company's operations center, employees keep constant tabs on coordinating operations across the globe, including everything from world events to weather. UPS even keeps a staff of meteorologists on hand to monitor potential weather hazards -- snow and fog being chief among them in the winter -- and to prognosticate what could foul up operations, while helping the team adjust accordingly. If the weather, mechanical troubles or other mishaps put an aircraft out of commission, the firm often has roughly a dozen "hot" planes in different locales that are ready to take up the mantle.

Roughly 2,000 packages were processed on the very first night the site commenced operations in September 1982. Today, 2,000 packages are processed every 17 seconds. Though some aircraft are serviced out on the tarmac, the majority pull right up to the walls of the sprawling complex. Once sidled up to the building, a crew uses a scissor lift to unload giant enclosures made of Lexan and aluminum, dubbed Universal Load Devices (ULDs), which can weigh up to two tons each. Hundreds of thousands of wheels and ball bearings embedded into the floor of the facility, the lift and even the airplanes make pulling the hefty containers possible for between one and four mortal humans. UPS estimates that Worldport is riddled with approximately 1.2 million wheels and bearings.

As containers are unloaded, they find themselves at the first step in the sort. A worker at one of 325 unloading nodes opens up the ULD and places packages on one of three conveyor belts: one for small packages, one for larger parcels and another for irregularly sized ones. Hardware above the belt scans the "smart" label ubiquitous on the shipping giant's parcels shortly thereafter. Once a package and its destination are identified, the Worldport system routes it to the appropriate place, all while keeping track of where each item is at all times on the 33,245 conveyors and 2.6 miles of tilt-tray sorters. Since the system has a 20 percent redundancy, packages are dynamically rerouted to the right loading area when part of the building's conveyor intestines fail.

If the camera system can't read a label for one reason or another, an image of it arrives at Telecode -- a room lined with desktop stations and employees keeping watchful eyes on screens. As soon as a snapshot appears, workers have 10 seconds to identify the ZIP code so that the parcel finds its way to the appropriate loading area. If neither the scanner nor the Telecode department can appropriately identify the offending label, the package winds its way through the system to be inspected by hand. Just how often is there a kink in the works? UPS prides itself with a 99.9994 percent accuracy rate, but even still, they say that accounts for 15,000 packages that need to be nudged in the right direction for each million. When all goes well, the company likes to say parcels are only touched twice by human hands: upon unloading and loading into ULDs.

Packages eventually file down a chute and into another shipping container, which is weighed to make sure the outbound plane is properly balanced. When rolled into position inside an aircraft, containers lock into place to avoid moving about in flight. UPS crams up to 39 ULDs in their largest-capacity planes, Boeing's 747-400 and the MD-11. The entire sorting process, from unloading to reloading, takes about 45 minutes when all is said and done.

Inside UPS' Worldport

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During the holidays, UPS adjusts to the influx of packages and it has a team of 20 number-crunchers to calculate what it'll take to handle the increased demand. Typically, that means hiring an additional 700 to 1,000 workers, leasing more aircraft and 475 extra daily flights at Worldport alone during the busy season between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The company handles 1.6 million packages at the complex in a typical day, but on December 22, 2011 -- the firm's busiest day that year -- it routed 3.6 million to their destination. On its peak day in 2011, UPS delivered more than 27 million packages in total. And 2012? It was projected to be even more hectic. UPS isn't ready to divulge exact numbers just yet, but it expected to handle 69 million online package tracking requests in a single day, compared to its 2011 record of 57 million.

From: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/03/inside-ups-worldport-sorting-hub/#continued

How to Survive Graduate School

Graduate school can be a rewarding experience for those who make it to graduation. Unfortunately, not every student who aspires to graduate with an advanced degree makes it through graduate school. Many factors affect student attrition, but overall, students who are better informed about the expectations for their individual graduate program, are more likely to succeed. Other factors contribute to graduate school success, such as outside responibilities, work, preparedness, and support, but there are many things that graduate students can control to make the graduate school years as memorable as possible.

Surviving and Thriving in Graduate School

Students who succeed in graduate school, often do more than just survive it. Graduate studies should narrow down a broader field of study to a more defined, advanced area. This makes graduate school very different than what most students have experienced as undergrads. Instead of half the time being spent on core college courses, graduate school courses are typically designed specifically for advanced study in a certain area. Most courses taken in graduate school will be in the field of study that you have chosen. With that in mind, many students rush into graduate programs without thinking about whether the field of choice is a good fit with their interests, abilities, and future career goals.

Choose a Graduate Program Carefully

In order to survive graduate school, it is important to choose the right program. Randomly picking a graduate program, without doing some research about requirements, program details, and campus information, is not advised. Do not apply to a graduate program based on a sudden, new interest, because your friends are in it, or because you heard it was easy. All of these reasons will work against your success in graduate school, and your chances of surviving graduate school are less than those of students who have put some thought into what graduate program would best meet their career goals ahead of time.

If you have chosen a graduate program that you feel will fit your career goals and interests, investigate the program requirements before you begin your studies. Meet with an advisor in the graduate program and ask for details about the program requirements. Printed program information does not always tell the full story. On paper, 400 internship hours might seem fine, but finding out that you will have to quit your current job to complete all of them within one semester, will make a difference. This is one of the setbacks that many graduate students stumble across after starting courses.

Create a Support Network

Student support has consistently been cited in research studies as one of the most important factors for graduate school success. Once you start graduate studies, the demands of school and everyday life may begin to conflict. Many students return to school, and begin graduate school after they have married, had children, or worked for some time. The conflicting demands between graduate school and life roles can feel overwhelming to many graduate students. Starting a support network can help.

Academic support can be found in advisors, college professors, and other students. Keep in touch with your academic advisor and ask for support before you become overwhelmed. Professors may offer academic support for the individual courses that they teach, but you have to ask. Most campuses have tutor lists and study groups to provide extra assistance to students that may need more academic support. Other students can be great sources of academic and emotional support during graduate school. Sharing the struggle of a difficult course together with another student or group of students in your graduate program will lighten the stress load some. Study partners and groups are often very helpful.

Emotional support plays a role in surviving graduate school. Some students have friends or family outside of school who can be a shoulder to lean on when the stress levels rise in graduate school. Other students find that their outside friends and family cannot really understand the demands of graduate school. Finding a fellow student or campus friend to talk to when you feel stressed out or overwhelmed, may be more helpful in such cases. The campus counseling center is another great resource for graduate students. Many campus centers have free counseling services, support groups, workshops, or wellness materials that students can use as resources.

Study Hard, but Give Yourself a Break

Surviving graduate school will require endless hours of study and some determination. If you've been accepted to a graduate program, it is likely that your academic potential has already been assessed. Yet, there are many intelligent, capable, graduate students who do not make it to graduation, despite academic ability. Some of the keys to surviving and succeeding in graduate school involve both academic efforts and personal wellness.

Successful graduate students know where the campus library is because they spend time there when big assignments are due or research is necessary. Get to know what resources are available at the campus library and use as many as you can. Universities often have access to large databases for research that you are entitled to use as a student, but would pay for otherwise. Take advantage of library resources to maximize the quality of your work.

Study time is essential outside of the classroom in graduate school. Graduate students often differ in how and when they study, but successful students generally have a plan for study time that works for them. Treat your study time like you would a job. Schedule yourself the time to complete assignments ahead of time. Faulty planning will leave students feeling more overwhelmed by an assignment due the next day, when it's put off until the last minute.

Personal coping skills are important to surviving graduate school. Identifying healthy coping skills is a key factor in graduate school success. If graduate school stress is combined with long weekends of partying, avoiding school assignments, or missing classes, it is likely that there will be difficulties ahead. Many students find that the golden rule of , "everything in moderation," works well in graduate school. Students who study too much and avoid any personal time away from the books may feel just as stressed as students who head in the other direction. Get a life outside of graduate school, but not at the expense of your success.

The Bottom Line

The truth about graduate school can be found in the stories passed down from one graduate student to another. Some graduate students describe graduate school as an intense academic form of Military Basic Training, or a Survivor episode that will not end. In many ways, graduate school is a challenge not unlike both of those examples. It takes endurance, and strength in all forms to make it to the graduation ceremony. It is unlikely that there are many graduates who did not feel like giving up at one point or another during their graduate studies, and yet they persisted. Graduate school is much like that, just as you feel like giving up, you realize that you have new strengths, new skills, and a new way of looking at the world. You can survive graduate school.


(From: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/155895/how_to_survive_graduate_school.html?cat=4)
 
More information:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2090537_survive-graduate-school.html
http://happylists.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/10-ways-to-survive-graduate-school/
http://www.psychwiki.com/wiki/How_to_survive_in_graduate_school
http://gradschool.about.com/od/survivinggraduateschool/Surviving_and_Succeeding_in_Graduate_School.htm
http://www.gradschools.com/article-category/surviving-graduate-school-203

How To Survive University

Surviving the transition to university can be smoother if you know some of the differences from high school. Here are some differences you’ll need to cope with:

No one to check up on your attendance. Skipping class can be highly addictive and hazardous to your GPA, but attending lectures and actively participating helps you learn the material and the prof’s focus.

Bigger classes, less attention. No one will know you’re floundering unless you ask for help. Take advantage of TA labs and office hours or find a tutor. Smile at the person next to you to find a potential study partner, or join a study group.

No spoon fed notes. Notes on the overhead just aren’t as clear as in high school days so learn to take good notes.

Less in-class time, much more homework outside of class. High school classes often include time for homework and review. University assumes you’ll do the work (review, readings, lab reports, papers) on your own. Plan your time to include a bit of studying every day. And stick to your schedule!

Harder academic work. You’re responsible for more material (and harder assignments!) in a shorter amount of time. Develop strong study habits now. Know your learning style and strengths. Learn to write papers and lab reports well.

More brain power required. Unlike many of your high school classes, university requires active use of your critical thinking skills. Understanding the “why” and being able to discuss the implications or significance of material takes higher priority than memorization and regurgitation.

Longer range assignments. Things can be due even months down the road! Waiting to the last minute can be disastrous. Plan ahead to keep up on readings/labs and start early on larger projects. Give yourself intermediate deadlines.

More electives to choose from. While you’ll still have core courses to take for your chosen major, for the most part (except for maybe Engineering) you’ll have more opportunity for electives. Take courses you didn’t even know existed when you were in high school. Discover what you enjoy. Be well rounded. Take advantage of practical courses.

More opportunities. University gives you more space and experiences to be able to get to know yourself better. There’s more extra curricular opportunities. Get involved on campus, meet new friends. Take advantage of any apprenticeships or internships available.

More freedoms and responsibilities, less time. On top of all the academic stuff, you’re now responsible for housing, food, laundry, cleaning, bills, money and social life. Learning how to prioritize and manage your time well is key to your adjustment and continued success.

More life learning. Develop a positive learning attitude. Though you may have had a “I know everything” attitude in high school, university is an ideal place to remind yourself there’s always room for growth.

(From: http://powertochange.com/students/academics/highschool/)

More related topics:
http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/academicsupport/nav02.cfm?nav02=50367&nav01=59481
http://www.corrupt.org/articles/lifestyle/alex_birch/how_to_survive_university
http://www.adambate.com/2009/05/20/11-step-guide-to-surviving-university/

To Choose an Adviser

As a graduate student, one of the most important decisions you'll make is your choice of dissertation or thesis advisor. This is important because you're going to be working with this faculty member on a detailed piece of writing for a semester, a year, or longer. Another reason why you need to weigh this decision carefully is because your advisor will be the person you work with most closely in graduate school, and therefore his or her letter of recommendation will make a difference. When looking for an advisor, here are some important criteria to consider.

Interpersonal rapport. Find someone with whom you have a comfortable rapport and relationship. This may be the most important criteria. A faculty member may be prestigious, but if you two rub each other the wrong way, so what? Your thesis or dissertation is going to be a major part of your life for a while, so take care of your sanity by finding a director you actually like. In addition, it's important to have a strong relationship with your advisor because he or she will be instrumental in finding you a job in the future. The quality of this relationship will affect your reputation.

Knowledge and expertise. Look for an advisor who has a strong background in the areas relevant to your research topic. Your life is going to be much easier if your advisor can give you solid advice about journal articles and information you need to include. Sure, if your advisor has gaps in knowledge, you can always ask other scholars to be on your committee who have this background. However, it's helpful if your advisor has at least a working background in all or most of the research and information you'll be using in your project.

Enthusiasm. Look for an advisor who's excited about your project In some ways, this is more important than #2. You have a passion for this topic, and it will be a real drag to work with someone who doesn't share this. When you're talking to prospective advisors, try to gauge their level of enthusiasm.

Academic politics. As a graduate student who's been around for awhile, you know that there are certain arguments in your field that can get very heated. Be sure you and your advisor are on the same side of any of these debates that are relevant to your research. In addition, find an advisor who gets along with the other people you want to put on your committee. It's unfortunate that you have to consider this kind of interpersonal drama, but it's reality. Some professors just hate each other and may even refuse to do committee work together.

Availability. Is this faculty member planning a sabbatical? Is there some doubt about whether he or she will get tenure? Is he or she looking for another position? You can't always predict these things, but get as much information as you can about the faculty member's availability. Switching advisors is a pain, as is working with someone long distance.

Ability to make a time commitment. A disadvantage to working with prestigious faculty members is that they may have many other obligations and a heavy load of graduate student advisees. It's very important that you find an advisor who will get your drafts back in a timely manner and spend a considerable amount of time evaluating your work. Find out how many graduate students the faculty member already advises, and whether they will be working on a big project in the near future.

Advising reputation. Ask other students about their experiences. Does this faculty member get drafts back quickly? Does he or she offer lots of excellent feedback? Be sure to ask as many students as you can, as one student's bad experience isn't necessarily representative of everyone's. Another thing that's useful to know: how quickly did the advisees of this faculty member complete their projects? If his or her advisees have taken an excessively long time to finish, this is not a good sign.

Respect for family obligations. If you have a family, find someone who respects this. This is much more important than you might realize. Family obligations, including pregnancy, can increase the time needed to complete a dissertation or thesis. Some faculty members are very understanding about this, but some are insensitive and clueless.

Academic connections. This is where the prestige part comes in. Look for someone with lots of connections and a stellar reputation, and this will help you out immensely in the long run. However, please keep in mind that this isn't the only consideration, and that sometimes you might be much better off working with someone who isn't as famous.

(From: http://graduate-schools.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_choose_a_graduate_advisor)

More articles to read:
http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2007_07_20/caredit_a0700102
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/loui/www/advisor.html

To Choose a Research Topic

It is always challenging to choose a great topic for your doctoral dissertation or master's thesis. The following provides some ideas and critieria to help decision making.

Choose a topic you love. This may be the most important criteria. You're going to be spending so much time with this project, and your quality of life will be much better if these hours are spent enjoyably. What's more, the quality of your research, writing, and arguments will be much better if you feel genuine passion for your work, Choose a topic you find both fascinating and socially significant. Never let someone pressure you into writing about a certain topic!

Pick something your advisor finds interesting and is knowledgeable about. Of course, is this is not possible, you might want to change your advisor instead of changing your topic.

Pick a topic that will be helpful in your career path. If your goal is an academic career, pick a topic that you can easily modify into journal articles or a book, and that will lend itself well to future research. If you want to work at a teaching oriented institution, consider a topic you can use in the classroom. If you are going into industry, choose a topic that will make you more marketable.

Find a topic that establishes your niche in your field. Do your research and find a topic that fits into existing bodies of literature, but that builds upon theory and expands it.

Choose research that is unique. Do significant research to make sure this topic has not been done before. Be creative and choose an idea that stands out from the pack as original and innovative.

Think carefully before you choose a controversial topic. Academics are a sensitive lot, and in every field there are certain topics and positions that will send highly educated people into intellectual temper tantrums. This doesn't mean you should avoid topics that push people's buttons. However, if you choose a controversial topic, think carefully about whether it might restrict your employment, tenure, or publishing opportunities.

Pick a topic that you already have some expertise about. This will help preserve your sanity and get you out the door faster. This isn't the time to explore a brand new area. Along the way, take coursework and write class papers that will help you write your dissertation or thesis.

Pick a manageable topic. This is a huge project, but it isn't your life's research. A good advisor will help you narrow down your topic so that you don't remain in graduate school for many long years.

(From: http://graduate-schools.suite101.com/article.cfm/dissertation_and_thesis_topics)

More related information:
http://library.weber.edu/ref/guides/howto/topicselection.cfm
http://library.ucsc.edu/help/howto/choose-a-research-topic
http://library.nku.edu/research_help/tutorials/basic_tutorials/choose_a_topic.php

Some useful software in IE

AMPL: AMPL is a comprehensive and powerful algebraic modeling language for linear and nonlinear optimization problems, in discrete or continuous variables.

Arena: Simulation software

AutoCAD: Computer Aided Design software

Automod/AutoSched AP: (AutoMOD) Environment for building highly accurate analytical models. (AutoSched) Planning, capacity analysis and simulation software

CPlex/OPL Studio: (CPlex) Optimizers for solving linear, mixed-integer, and quadratic programming problems. (OPL Studio) A set of lightweight C++ and Java objects for representing optimization problems.

Endnote: Software tool for publishing and managing bibliographies.

ExpertFit: Distribution fitting software

Force: Force is a full-featured programming environment for FORTRAN 77 (the engineering programming language). It uses the FORTRAN G77 compiler to create programs in Win32 platform.

GhostScript: PostScript and PDF interpretor

GhostView: PostScript and PDF interpretor

Gnuplot: Gnuplot is a portable command-line driven interactive data and function plotting utility for UNIX, IBM OS/2, MS Windows, DOS, Macintosh, VMS, Atari and many other platforms.

Lindo: LINDO API creates optimization applications. It allows you to plug the power of the LINDO solver right into customized applications that you have written.

Lingo: LINGO is a comprehensive tool designed to help you build and solve linear, optimization models quickly, easily, and efficiently

LogisticsCAD (Lineback, Spiral, Tours): Spiral is an interactive program that quickly creates and evaluates block layouts for manufacturing, warehousing, and service operations. It includes advanced design tools that reduce material handling costs and time by finding optimized locations for departments and machines.

Maple: Mathematical and analytical software

Mathematica: Integrates a numeric and symbolic computational engine, graphics system, programming language, documentation system, and advanced connectivity to other applications.

Matlab: Tool for model-based design of control systems

Microsoft Expression: Web Expression Web is the latest web development tool from Microsoft it is the successor to FrontPage. Expression Web allows you to graphically design websites using XML, CSS 2.1, ASP.NET 2.0, XHTML, XSLT and JavaScript.

Microsoft Visual Studio: Tools to build a wide range of application types, including component libraries, mobility-enabled applications, Web applications, Web services, and Windows applications.

MikTeX: Implementation of TeX and related programs for Windows

Minitab: Statistical software

Netbeans IDE: A tool for programmers to write, compile, debug and deploy programs.

R: R is a language and environment for statistical computing and graphics

Vanguard Studio: Studio will help you make business decisions that are more likely to yield favorable results by providing you with a rich set of techniques for dealing with risk, planning contingent actions, and comparing competing alternatives where future outcomes are uncertain.

WinEDT: Native editor and shell for Win32

Xpress: MP Optimizer and model building tools

Personality Type or Psychological Type (MBTI)

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment is a psychometric questionnaire designed to measure psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions. These preferences were extrapolated from the typological theories proposed by Carl Gustav Jung and first published in his 1921 book Psychological Types (English edition, 1923).

The original developers of the personality inventory were Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers. They began creating the indicator during World War II, believing that a knowledge of personality preferences would help women who were entering the industrial workforce for the first time to identify the sort of war-time jobs where they would be "most comfortable and effective". The initial questionnaire grew into the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, which was first published in 1962. The MBTI focuses on normal populations and emphasizes the value of naturally occurring differences.

CPP Inc., the publisher of the MBTI instrument, calls it "the world’s most widely used personality assessment", with as many as two million assessments administered annually. Some academic psychologists have criticized the MBTI instrument, claiming that it "lacks convincing validity data". Proponents of the test, however, cite reports of individual behavior and have found that the indicator meets or exceeds the reliability of other psychological instruments. Some studies have found strong support for construct validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability, although variation was observed.

The definitive published source of reference for the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is The Manual produced by CPP. However, the registered trademark rights to the terms Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and MBTI have been assigned from the publisher to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Trust.

(From: Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myers-Briggs_Type_Indicator)



Free online Jungian typology assessments:
 
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp
http://www.personalitytest.net/cgi-bin/q.pl
http://similarminds.com/jung_word_pair.html
http://www.personalitypathways.com/type_inventory.html
http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/mmdi/questionnaire/