How the USRI Program Has Helped Prepare Me for Graduate School; A Critical Reflection

This poster provides a critical reflection of (a) ways the USRI program encouraged the development of my theoretical & practical research acumen, and (b) how I anticipate these experiences will support my Master of Science (MSc) studies

Surface modification of magnesium alloy AZ31 for improved biocompatibility

Master of Science (MSc) in Chemical Science

Case-Study: An Industry-Academic Engagement Study of the Brewing and Distilling Sector in Ireland

Industry-academic (I-A) engagement models refer to the collaboration between academic institutions and industry partners to co-create and develop educational programmes that are relevant and responsive to industry needs. This study consists of research conducted as part of a 5 month Convene fellowship. It examines aspects such as industry demand, training, competency, knowledge, research projects, and modes of delivery for a proposed Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip, 60 ETS) and Master of Science (MSc, 90 ECTS) in Brewing and Distilling (B&D). This study used an I-A model to capture and collate sector specific feedback and priorities. This was achieved through 40 industry surveys and 28 stakeholder interviews, conducted between February and June 2022. Notably, this engagement model was found to effectively inform curriculum development, clarify industry skill-set expectations, and elucidate sector demands, challenges, knowledge gaps, and opportunities

A Thesis Presented for the degree of Master of science (MSc) in Occupational Heahth Engenering

Background and aim: Loss of balance events has been defined as a primarily contributory risk factor associated with construction workers’ fall injuries. It seems that the anatomical and morphological characteristics of the foot affect the motor fitness of individuals, including balance. So, the purpose of the current study was to the assessment of static and dynamic balance and its relationship with related anthropometric indices in construction worker. Materials and methods: This Descriptive-Analytical study was conducted on 114 construction workers in Qazvin province in 2019-2020. First, the construction workers were asked to complete the demographic questionnaire and the inclusion criteria were determined. Then anthropometric dimensions such as height, sitting height, weight, leg length, foot length, foot surface, ankle width, foot breadth, heel width, ankle circumference, thigh circumference, and hip breadth were measured for each subject. balance of participants was assessed with their open eyes and standing position using a Stabilometer device, Non-instrumental static balance was assessed by the Stork test. Instrumental dynamic balance was measured using a stabilometer and two wooden boards and non-instrumental dynamic balance was measured using a YBT kit in three directions. The obtained data were analyzed using Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Pearson and Spearman correlation, Paired sample t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, multiple nominal logistic regression, and multiple linear regression in SPSS software version 25. Results: Twenty-nine point eight percent of construction workers were in weak and very weak classes in terms of static balance. The Pearson and spearman's correlation coefficient showed a significant relationship between age, weight, and Sway Index of individuals. In addition, multiple linear regression showed that age, weight, and foot surface of construction workers can predict the percentage of the Sway Index from the static balance point among construction workers. The highest average normalized reach distances of YBT were in the anterior direction, and were 92.23 ± 12.43% and 92.28 ± 9.26% for right and left foot, respectively. Both maximal and average normalized composite reach in the YBT in each leg were negatively correlated with leg length and navicular drop and positively correlated with the ratio of sitting height to leg length. Conclusion: The results of the current study indicated that demographic information such as age, anthropometric parameters of weight, and foot surface are effective factors on static balance demographic information such as age, anthropometric parameters of navicular drop, leg length, and foot surface are effective factors on dynamic balance in a healthy construction workers’ community with a normal body mass index

Professional Certifications of a University Master’s Degree and Employability: Impact on Students’ Perception

[Abstract]: Professional certifications represent for many university degrees, especially postgraduate degrees, a recognition of their academic quality and the future employability of the graduates. This article contributes to the analysis of the impact of external accreditations on students’ perception of employability and satisfaction. We offer a case of study, a Master of Science (MSc) in Banking and Finance that became the first academic degree in Spain to obtain the two professional accreditations required for employees in financial institutions since 2019. A survey to a sample of students who graduated two academic years before and two years after the MSc was recognised is used to measure students' motivations for enrolment and satisfaction. The results provide significant evidence that professional accreditation became a key motivation for students to enrol the master, is associated with a more diverse geographical origin of students, and students highlight the higher quality and better coordination of the teaching staff.R&D+i Program Oriented to Society’s Challenges ; PID2019-106273RBI0

Developing computer-based assessment as a tool to support enquiry led learning

A thesis submitted to the University of Bedfordshire in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science (MSc) by ResearchThis research explores the possibility of developing Computer-based Assessment (CBA) as a tool to support enquiry-led learning. In this approach learners explore and unpack thoughts and ideas that help them to learn and solve problems. A critical feature of this is feedback and this research focussed on how to design and supply feedback in CBA. Two lines of research were sourced: Computer-assisted Assessment (CM) and Improving Formative Assessment (IFA). Specifically, performance data was collected, analysed and evaluated from the statistical results of 3 CSA tests (approximately 100 undergraduates per test) and from qualitative feedback, the dialogic question and answer responses of (approximately 30 learners x 100 responses) engaged on level 3 activity of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). The outcome of the research is the development of Kilauea exemplar, a theoretical model of an enquiry led item type applied in a subject specific domain

Forensic Art in Law Enforcement: The Art and Science of the Human Head

Forensic art is a highly specialized career field, but there are very few full-time forensic artists working today. There is only one school in the world that offers a degree in forensic art and it is located in Dundee, Scotland at the University of Dundee. The university’s School of Science and Engineering offers a Master of Science (MSc) in Forensic Art and Facial Identification. However, there have been a variety of training courses and workshops provided for individuals interested in studying forensic art locally throughout the United States. Some people may have heard the term used before, but they still may not fully understand what forensic art is and how it is used in law enforcement. My goal is to spread light on the career field as a whole and explain how the process works. Many times forensic artists are called upon when all other options have been exhausted during a criminal investigation. I hope to educate everyone about the different types of forensic art methods and techniques being used today because they are valuable investigative resources that should not be ignored

Identification of transporter genes from the fungal endophyte Neotyphodium lolii : this thesis is presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science (MSc) in Plant Biology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand /

Neotyphodium lolii is an endophytic fungus that lives in the pasture grass, Lolium perenne. They share a mutualistic symbiotic relationship. N. lolii lives out its life cycle within the plant and produces secondary metabolites, including alkaloids peramine, ergovaline and lolitrem which protect the grass from insect and animal herbivory. In fungi the biosynthetic genes of secondary metabolites are often located in gene clusters. These clusters frequently contain one or more genes that code for transporter proteins responsible for the removal of toxic products from the fungal cells. Plants produce defence compounds, including antifungals to protect themselves from colonising fungi. However endophytes are able to neutralise these host toxins, one mechanism for this is possibly by efflux through transporter channels. The goal of this study was to identify ABC and MFS genes from N. lolii. These two families are the largest and most diverse of transporter families, which transport a variety of substrates, including peptides, toxins, ions and sugars across membranes. Using degenerate PCR primers designed from fungal multi-drug transporter sequences, four unique ABC gene fragments were amplified from N. lolii. A further two ABC sequences and two MFS gene fragments were identified in a database of N. lolii EST sequences. RT-PCR was used to compare expression of isolated ABC and MFS genes in N. lolii, growing in culture and in infected plants. Up-regulation of transporter transcripts in planta could suggest a role in symbiosis. Some genes were seen to have a visibly different expression pattern from others, although all genes were strongly expressed in cultured mycelia. Gene expression in the plant host was most evident in tissues more heavily infected with endophyte. To discover possible roles for the isolated transporter genes in transporting endophyte secondary metabolites a strain distribution study was completed. Five of the putative ABC and MFS genes were compared against 12 Epichloë and Neotyphodium endophytes. Amplified PCR products in the genotypes screened produced a unique pattern of gene occurrence for each of the five transporters. This added to the characterisation of the transporter genes and showed that one gene, gABC 4e, was the most diverse in its distribution, while another ABC gene gABC 4g was present across all genotypes. One ABC gene (gABC 4e) plus flanking DNA was sequenced in full. Bioinformatic analyses suggested that gABC 4c may be a half sized ABC transporter gene of 2 kb with four exons. An orotate phosphoribosyltransferase was identified 2 kb upstream of the ABC transporter. Further work will be needed to confirm that the start and stop codons of this ABC transporter have been accurately predicted, as well as to verify the putative intron/ exon boundaries identified by gene prediction programmes. The role of N. lolii ABC transporter gABC 4c has not been determined, however future research could focus on the nature of the substrate(s) transported, the sub-cellular location of the channel, and the effects of gene knockout or over-expression on the symbiosis between N. lolii and perennial ryegrass

Population characteristics and biology of striped marlin, Tetrapturus audax in the New Zealand fishery : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science (MSc) in Physiology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Striped marlin (Tetrapturus audax) are apex predators in the pelagic ecosystem and are seasonally abundant in the off-shore waters of New Zealand during December through May. Data presented in this thesis were derived from a variety of fishing databases from New Zealand, Australia and United States as well as biological samples collected from east Northland New Zealand. This thesis may be used to help answer questions about growth and size structure, factors influencing conventional tag recoveries, and the trophic dynamics of striped marlin in the New Zealand fishery. Results show that the average weight of striped marlin in the New Zealand recreational fishery has declined between 1925-1944 (117.9 ± 0.6 kg) and 1985-2003 (96.6 ± 0.3 kg) (Means ± S.E.). The root causes of this average size decline are unknown but appear to be related to the expansion of a surface longline fishery in the southwest Pacific Ocean during 1958. Despite the large average size (104.9 ± 0.2 kg) of striped marlin from New Zealand, parameters estimated in the von Bertalanffy growth model (L∞3010 mm, K=0.22 annual and t 0=-0.04) do not show higher growth rates compared to Hawaii or Mexico. During their residency in the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) the condition Wr (relative weight) of striped marlin improves from 95.1 ± 1.2 to 109.4 ± 3.4 and average weight increases from 98.1 ± 2.0 kg to 114.6 = 0.4 kg. These data imply that striped marlin migrate to New Zealand in order to take advantage of the abundant food resources and to improve condition after spawning in warmer waters to the north. Arrow squid (Nototodarus spp.), jack mackerel (Trachurus murphyi) and saury (Scomberesox saurus) comprised a large portion of the diet from (n=20) striped marlin stomachs during March of 2004. Additionally, with a consumption rate of 0.962 to 1.28 kg of prey per day, striped marlin may consume the equivalent of 2.8-3.5% of New Zealand's current commercial catch of arrow squid and jack mackerel respectively. With concerns about declining pelagic fish stocks, tag-and-recovery programmes have become increasingly popular and over 50% of recreationally captured marlin in New Zealand are tagged and released annually. However, low tag recovery rates (<1.0%) have hindered progress in understanding growth, stock structure and migration patterns important for managing this species. Data from this study suggests that tag returns from striped marlin would increase if more fish were captured and released in less than 39 min and a greater number of small (< 89 kg) individuals were released. Tag recoveries and presumably post-release survivorship of striped marlin was reduced by increasing capture time and fish size. Rates of injury were lowest during capture times ranging from 20-29 min and in fish weighing 60-89 kg