Training Competences in Industrial Risk Prevention with Lego® Serious Play®: A Case Study

This paper proposes the use of the Lego® Serious Play® (LSP) methodology as a facilitating tool for the introduction of competences for Industrial Risk Prevention by engineering students from the industrial branch (electrical, electronic, mechanical and technological engineering), presenting the results obtained in the Universities of Cadiz and Seville in the academic years 2017–2019. Current Spanish legislation does not reserve any special legal attribution, nor does it require specific competence in occupational risk prevention for the regulated profession of a technical industrial engineer (Order CIN 351:2009), and only does so in a generic way for that of an industrial engineer (Order CIN 311:2009). However, these universities consider the training in occupational health and safety for these future graduates as an essential objective in order to develop them for their careers in the industry. The approach is based on a series of challenges proposed (risk assessments, safety inspections, accident investigations and fire protection measures, among others), thanks to the use of “gamification” dynamics with Lego® Serious Play®. In order to carry the training out, a set of specific variables (industrial sector, legal and regulatory framework, business organization and production system), and transversal ones (leadership, teamwork, critical thinking and communication), are incorporated. Through group models, it is possible to identify dangerous situations, establish causes, share and discuss alternative proposals and analyze the economic, environmental and organizational impact of the technical solutions studied, as well as take the appropriate decisions, in a creative, stimulating, inclusive and innovative context. In this way, the theoretical knowledge which is acquired is applied to improve safety and health at work and foster the prevention of occupational risks, promoting the commitment, effort, motivation and proactive participation of the student teams.Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities / European Social Fund: Ramón y Cajal contract (RYC-2017-22222

Training Competences in Industrial Risk Prevention with Lego (R) Serious Play (R): A Case Study

This paper proposes the use of the Lego (R) Serious Play (R) (LSP) methodology as a facilitating tool for the introduction of competences for Industrial Risk Prevention by engineering students from the industrial branch (electrical, electronic, mechanical and technological engineering), presenting the results obtained in the Universities of Cadiz and Seville in the academic years 2017-2019. Current Spanish legislation does not reserve any special legal attribution, nor does it require specific competence in occupational risk prevention for the regulated profession of a technical industrial engineer (Order CIN 351:2009), and only does so in a generic way for that of an industrial engineer (Order CIN 311:2009). However, these universities consider the training in occupational health and safety for these future graduates as an essential objective in order to develop them for their careers in the industry. The approach is based on a series of challenges proposed (risk assessments, safety inspections, accident investigations and fire protection measures, among others), thanks to the use of "gamification" dynamics with Lego (R) Serious Play (R). In order to carry the training out, a set of specific variables (industrial sector, legal and regulatory framework, business organization and production system), and transversal ones (leadership, teamwork, critical thinking and communication), are incorporated. Through group models, it is possible to identify dangerous situations, establish causes, share and discuss alternative proposals and analyze the economic, environmental and organizational impact of the technical solutions studied, as well as take the appropriate decisions, in a creative, stimulating, inclusive and innovative context. In this way, the theoretical knowledge which is acquired is applied to improve safety and health at work and foster the prevention of occupational risks, promoting the commitment, effort, motivation and proactive participation of the student teams

Transaction Propagation on Permissionless Blockchains: Incentive and Routing Mechanisms

Existing permissionless blockchain solutions rely on peer-to-peer propagation mechanisms, where nodes in a network transfer transaction they received to their neighbors. Unfortunately, there is no explicit incentive for such transaction propagation. Therefore, existing propagation mechanisms will not be sustainable in a fully decentralized blockchain with rational nodes. In this work, we formally define the problem of incentivizing nodes for transaction propagation. We propose an incentive mechanism where each node involved in the propagation of a transaction receives a share of the transaction fee. We also show that our proposal is Sybil-proof. Furthermore, we combine the incentive mechanism with smart routing to reduce the communication and storage costs at the same time. The proposed routing mechanism reduces the redundant transaction propagation from the size of the network to a factor of average shortest path length. The routing mechanism is built upon a specific type of consensus protocol where the round leader who creates the transaction block is known in advance. Note that our routing mechanism is a generic one and can be adopted independently from the incentive mechanism.Comment: 2018 Crypto Valley Conference on Blockchain Technolog

Gender diversity in STEM disciplines: a multiple factor problem

Lack of diversity, and specifically, gender diversity, is one of the key problems that both technological companies and academia are facing these days. Moreover, recent studies show that the number of female students enrolled in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related disciplines have been decreasing in the last twenty years, while the number of women resigning from technological job positions remains unacceptably high. As members of a higher education institution, we foresee that working towards increasing and retaining the number of female students enrolled in STEM disciplines can help to alleviate part of the challenges faced by women in STEM fields. In this paper, we first review the main barriers and challenges that women encounter in their professional STEM careers through different age stages. Next, we focus on the special case of the information theory field, discussing the potential of gendered innovation, and whether it can be applied in the Information Theory case. The working program developed by the School of Engineering at the University of Valencia (ETSE-UV), Spain, which aims at decreasing the gender diversity gap, is then presented and recommendations for practice are given. This program started in 2011 and it encompasses Bachelor, Master and PhD levels. Four main actions are implemented: Providing institutional encouragement and support, increasing the professional support network, promoting and supporting the leadership, and increasing the visibility of female role models. To assess the impact of these actions, a chi-square test of independence is included to evaluate whether there is a significant effect on the percentage of enrolled female students. The percentage of graduated female students in the information and Communications Technology Field is also positioned with respect to other universities and the Spanish reference value. This analysis establishes that, in part, this program has helped to achieve higher female graduation rates, especially among Bachelor students, as well as increasing the number of top-decision positions held by faculty women

An Iberian Heritage: Hispano-Moresque architectural tiles in Portuguese and Spanish collections

This is the first archaeometric study comparing Hispano-Moresque tiles from different Portuguese and Spanish collections, no other published one being known at the time of writing. Despite the increasing interest in the Iberian ceramic cultural heritage, a specific study dedicated to architectural tiles was lacking. With this in mind, this thesis offers a first approach on the technological features of these impressive – although somehow undervalued – architectural tiles. With this work, important Portuguese and Spanish Hispano-Moresque tile collections are characterised, compared and studied: National Palace of Sintra (Portugal) (PNS), Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha (Coimbra, Portugal) (SCV), archaeological site of Santo António da Charneca (Barreiro, Portugal) (SAC), Instituto Valencia de Don Juan (Madrid, Spain) (IVDJ), Casa de Pilatos (Seville, Spain) (CPS) and Museo de Cerámica y Artes Sumtuarias “González Marti” (Valencia, Spain) (MCV). The aim is to provide a physicochemical characterisation of both the glazes and the ceramic bodies of the tiles to better understand the production technology. The methodology proposed for this study had the main purpose of developing a minimally invasive and essentially non-destructive approach with complementary analytical techniques that will allow for replication in future studies with other Hispano-Moresque tile collections. The techniques chosen were: Micro-Particle Induced X-Ray Emission (μ-PIXE), Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), Scanning Electron Microscopy with X-ray Microanalysis (SEM-EDS), μ-Raman spectroscopy, Micro-X-ray diffraction (μ-XRD) and Synchrotron Radiation Micro-X-ray diffraction (SR-μ-XRD). The archaeometric study concluded that calcareous clays were the standard material used for the ceramic bodies of the tiles. Lime content is frequently higher than 20 wt.%, which is a high value among the typical calcareous clays analysed in the literature, although within the expected results for tinopacified ceramic bodies. The glaze technology employed in Hispano-Moresque tiles followed the Islamic tradition that was introduced in the Iberian Peninsula from the 8th century onwards. High-lead glazes (ca. 30-50 wt.% PbO) were identified in all analysed samples. Two types of high-lead glazes were identified: “transparent” and tin-opacified. Besides the disparity in tin contents, the two glaze types also evidence differences in sodium and lead values. A sodium compound (most likely NaCl) may have been added to compensate the lower PbO content in tin-opacified glazes. The pictorial layer is composed of five colours: white (SnO2), blue (SnO2 + CoO), green (CuO), amber (Fe2O3) and brown (MnO). These colours exhibit different shades depending on the glaze recipe, its thickness and the influence of the underlying ceramic body. White and blue are consistently tin-opacified, whereas most green, amber and brown glazes are transparent. The results of the archaeometric study identify a widespread ceramic technology. Nevertheless, it is still visible a higher proximity between the CPS, IVDJ-Seville, SCV and PNS collections – although with differences among them – whereas the MCV and IVDJ-Toledo groups display distinct features that attest for their different provenance

Protected Areas and Rural Depopulation in Spain: A Multi-Stakeholder Perceptual Study

Protected areas (PAs) are thought by some to contribute to local wellbeing and socioeconomic development, whereas for others PAs remain a regulatory burden that hampers rural development. Here, we sought to ascertain the perceived causes of rural depopulation and the potential impact of four Natura 2000 sites on the wellbeing and depopulation figures of four protected rural municipalities in Spain that were selected as extreme case studies. We used phone surveys to elicit experts’ views (n = 19) on the topic and convened eight in-person workshops to garner local residents’ insights (n = 40) using structured questionnaires. We complemented perceived wellbeing data from PAs with surveys to residents in neighbouring unprotected municipalities (n = 28). Both experts and workshops’ attendees from protected municipalities overwhelmingly attributed depopulation figures to structural causes linked to transport accessibility, basic service provision and the existence of job opportunities, which they perceived to be unrelated to the PAs’ regulations or management. Local residents did generally not perceive any impact on their collective or individual wellbeing from those PAs, and most who did, expressed a negative impact chiefly due to socioeconomic restrictions. Four-fifths of the experts and half of the workshops’ attendees from protected municipalities, however, expressed that PAs’ administrations could help improve depopulation figures in their towns mainly through promoting tourism and greater compatibility of land uses, including housing and infrastructure development. While the assessed Natura 2000 sites certainly have scope for tourism promotion, their lenient legal regimes make it largely unfeasible to broaden land use compatibility without damaging protected featuresThis study was funded by the University of Malaga through its Research Plan 2020, Research Grant Number B3-2020-04. Partial funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málag

Changing horizon of climate science: from scientific knowledge towards demand based, integrated climate services

Els Serveis Climàtics (SC) tenen un rol addicional en la ciència del clima, amb l’objectiu de proporcionals als diferents tipus d’usuaris informació útil y processada sobre variabilitat climàtica, els impactes i riscos del canvi climàtic, així com les oportunitats i incerteses. Per tant, per reduir la distancia entre dades fiables i la seva usabilitat, la investigació de SC és de gran importància. Aquesta tesis d’investigació interdisciplinària aborda el desafiament de sintetitzar la informació climàtica. El seu objectiu general és facilitar la integració d’informació climàtica a escala regional dels SC per donar justificació a la planificació i formulació de polítiques d’adaptació al canvi climàtic. La novetat és què reflecteix l’enfoc orientat als usuaris dels SC, és a dir, a més de l’anàlisi climatològic quantitatiu, també utilitza dades socials qualitatives per entendre millor les necessitats dels professionals i acadèmics involucrats en la co-producció del coneixement relacionat amb el clima. Aquesta tesis utilitza diversos conjunts de dades, incloent dades remotes de la temperatura de la superfície terrestre, dades meteorològiques mesurades en superfície i simulacions de temperatura obtingudes d’un model climàtic regional d’alta resolució (12.5km). Les recomanacions se suporten en l’experiència pràctica. L’estudi de cas a escala local afavoreix nous resultats sobre el risc del calor urbà a la ciutat de València. Revelant un considerable efecte d’illa de calor urbana nocturna juntament amb un confort tèrmic desfavorable a les zones densament urbanitzades. Això subratlla la necessitat d’una planificació urbana resilent amb el canvi climàtic, especialment considerant la tendència d’escalfament gradual projectada per a finals del segle XXI a tota la Península Ibèrica. Per explorar els factors que influeixen en l’eficiència de les col·laboracions transdisciplinaries en els estudis de planificació i adaptació al clima urbà, es realitzaren entrevistes amb acadèmics i professionals. Concloent que la integració de diferents disciplines i perspectives es vital per a l’eficiència dels SC. Una major compressió de les necessitats i motivacions dels actors de les comunitats científiques i professionals contribueix a millorar les prestacions dels SC.Los Servicios Climáticos (SC) desempeñan un rol adicional en la ciencia del clima, con el objetivo de proporcionar a los diferentes tipos de usuarios información útil sobre variabilidad climática, los impactos del cambio climático y sus riesgos, así como las oportunidades e incertidumbres. Por lo tanto, para salvar la brecha entre los datos fiables y su usabilidad, la investigación SC es de gran importancia. El objetivo general de esta tesis de investigación interdisciplinaria es facilitar la integración de información climática a escala regional y local de los SC que apoye la planificación y formulación de políticas de adaptación al cambio climático. La novedad es que refleja el enfoque orientado al usuario del SC, es decir, además del análisis climatológico cuantitativo, también utiliza datos sociales cualitativos para entender mejor las necesidades de los profesionales y académicos involucrados en la co-producción del conocimiento relacionado con el clima. Esta tesis utiliza varios conjuntos de datos, incluyendo datos remotos de la temperatura de la superficie terrestre, datos meteorológicos medidos en superficie y simulaciones de temperatura obtenidas de un modelo climático regional de alta resolución (12,5 km). Las recomendaciones se apoyan en la experiencia práctica. El estudio de caso a escala local ofrece nuevos resultados sobre el riesgo del calor urbano en la ciudad de Valencia. Revelando un considerable efecto de la isla de calor urbana nocturna junto con un confort térmico desfavorable en las zonas densamente urbanizadas. Esto subraya la necesidad de una planificación urbana resiliente al cambio climático, especialmente considerando la tendencia de calentamiento gradual proyecta para finales del siglo XXI en toda la Península Ibérica. Para explorar los factores que influyen la eficiencia de las colaboraciones transdisciplinarias en los estudios de planificación y adaptación al clima urbano, se realizaron entrevistas con académicos y profesionales. Concluyendo que la integración de diferentes disciplinas y perspectivas es vital para la eficiencia de los SC. Una mejor comprensión de las necesidades y motivaciones de los actores de las comunidades científicas y profesionales contribuye a mejorar las prestaciones de los SC.Climate Services (CS) assign an additional role to Climate Science, aiming to provide different kinds of users with usable and actionable information on climate variability, climate change impacts and its related risks, opportunities and uncertainties. Thus, to bridge the gap between reliable data and their usability, CS research is highly important. This interdisciplinary research thesis addresses the climate information distillation challenge. Its overall aim is to pave the way for the integration of regional and local climate information into CS that support climate adaptation planning and policy-making. The novelty of this thesis is that it reflects on the user-oriented approach of CS, i.e., as well as quantitative climatological analysis, it also uses qualitative social data to better understand the needs of practitioners and academics engaged in climate-related knowledge co-production. The thesis uses various datasets, including remotely sensed land surface temperature data, ground-measured meteorological data and temperature simulations obtained from a high resolution (12.5 km) regional climate model. The recommendations are supported by practical experience. The local scale case study offers valuable new insights into the urban heat hazard in the city of Valencia (Spain), revealing the considerable nighttime urban heat island effect along with unfavourable thermal comfort in the densely built-up urban areas. This underlines the need for climate-resilient urban planning, especially in light of the projected gradual warming trend over the entire Iberian Peninsula towards the end of the 21st century. To explore the factors that influence the efficiency of transdisciplinary collaborations working on urban climate adaptation and planning, in-depth interviews were conducted with academics and practitioners. This thesis demonstrated that integrating different disciplines and perspectives is vital for efficient CS. An improved understanding of the needs and motives of stakeholders from science and practice communities greatly contributes to the development of CS