Transformational effects of applying systems engineering in laboratory scientific research

Through case study analysis of physicists working in quantum systems, we establish that knowledge of Systems Engineering (SE) will benefit scientists by ensuring that experimental apparatus is robust and fully meets the experiment requirements. We suggest a significant change to the training of early career research scientists to ensure they have a strong appreciation of the systems approach and experience of applying SE techniques. Two case studies were used: the first was a detailed analysis of increasing levels of SE in the development of a 3Dprinter for fabricating superconducting nano-circuitry. Applying SE techniques improved record keeping, reduced the risk of failure modes and took better account of future development through which scientific discovery may be exploited in practical devices. The second case study focused on a group of 30 quantum physics PhD students undertaking a short-course in basic SE, and used their opinions to check and add confidence to the findings of the first case study. A variety of tools were used in both studies and, in both cases, the Functional Failure Means Effects Analysis (FFMEA) technique was considered to be most useful. Recommendations are made for the future training of early career scientists to include some light-weight Systems Engineering

Fostering gender equality in research institutions through Transformational-Gender Action Plans

"This paper draws upon baseline evidence compiled for the FP7 Project 'INstitutional Transformation for Effecting Gender Equality in Research' (INTEGER) in three very different research and higher education institutions. Despite institutional commitments towards gender equality, there is an under-representation of women at full professorship (Grade A) and equivalent positions. Furthermore, women and men are unequally represented on key committees and other decision-making bodies. INTEGER's task is to address these and other imbalances through the adoption of Transformational Gender Action Plans (T-GAPs). These T-GAPs involve: increasing the visibility and leadership potential of women academics/researchers; monitoring and gender proofing of recruitment/retention and promotion policies and practices; ensuring gender balance on decision-making bodies/committees; providing mentoring programmes and training in gender awareness to overcome unconscious bias at all levels of the institution; setting targets for high level appointments; and promoting gender equality as a core value contributing to research excellence. The T-GAP process is informed by international good practice through peer mentoring with research institutions in the UK/EU and USA and alignment with the Athena SWAN Charter and equivalent award holders. In addition, an external evaluation team assesses progress and impacts of the T-GAPs in each organisation. The paper presents common and different approaches of designing institutional transformation, strategies for building alliances in the institution for effective implementation of the T-GAPs and how the processes can be evaluated." (author's abstract

Decision analysis techniques for adult learners: application to leadership

Most decision analysis techniques are not taught at higher education institutions. Leaders, project managers and procurement agents in industry have strong technical knowledge, and it is crucial for them to apply this knowledge at the right time to make critical decisions. There are uncertainties, problems, and risks involved in business processes. Decisions must be made by responsible parties to address these problems in order to sustain and grow the company business. This study investigates some of the most recognized decision analysis techniques applied by global leaders from 2006 to 2016. Several decision analysis tools are introduced such as heuristic decisions, multi-attribute rating, decision trees, Monte-Carlo simulations and influence diagrams. The theoretical development framework is presented. The approach for this research is Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate (ADDIE), which included cognitive, behavioral, and constructive learning theories. Some of the top decision analysis skills needed for today’s leaders and managers from literature review over the past decade (2006 to 2016), were taught to organization leadership doctorate students. Research scheme, the method chosen for selecting the topic, group of contributors, and the method selected for collecting the data are offered. The learners were in their senior year of a leadership doctorate program and they did not need leadership training along with decision analysis technique training. Older learners had more interest in learning the fishbone and influence diagrams prior to the training. Students with intermediate math were more interested in learning about strategic planning techniques before training. The trainees with more computer skills were interested in learning the Zachman framework technique, which was surprising to the researcher since this tool does not require extensive computer skills. After the training, the researcher observed that learners with higher computer skills showed more interest in learning about group decision-making (consensus versus analytic hierarchy process). That students with intermediate math skills were more interested in top-down induction of decision trees, algorithm decision making (data mining and knowledge discovery), and strategic planning techniques. Spearman correlations with a moderate strength showed that older respondents tended to be more interested in the analytical hierarchy process, fishbone diagram, and risk analysis tool. After the training, students with stronger computer skills showed greater curiosity about learning more about the decision tree analysis, Zachman framework, and risk analysis. It made sense that students with weaker computer skills were less eager to learn about the Monte-Carlo simulation

Can You Hear Me, Major Tom? Open Issues In Extra-Vehicular Activity Communications

High-reliability organizations (HRO) and organizations in isolated, confined environments (ICE) both operate under conditions where reliability is expected, but do not appear to have similar emphases placed on total reliability, based on a brief survey of the literature. A content analysis searched out a stronger relationship between HRO and ICE. Leadership and team size are hypothesized as differences between HRO and ICE, since the literature appears to show HRO as taking place in larger teams with more distinct hierarchies. This dissertation examined this postulation, based on two sub-hypotheses. Hypothesis 1 is that the error rate of a team\u27s actions is inversely related to the size of the team, based on the distinction between HRO and ICE. Hypothesis 2 is that transformational leaders in ICE reduce the number of human errors compared with transactional leaders, since Bass suggests transformational leaders better inspire their teams to improve. Two datasets were gathered to test these hypotheses. The first, in support of Hypothesis 1, was a meta-synthesis of team literature. The second, in support of Hypothesis 2, were new recordings of extra-vehicular activities (EVAs) from two crews at the University of North Dakota Inflatable Lunar/Martian Analog Habitat (ILMAH). The result for Hypothesis 1 is inconclusive, and the result for Hypothesis 2 was rejected

Twenty questions about design behavior for sustainability, report of the International Expert Panel on behavioral science for design

How behavioral scientists, engineers, and architects can work together to advance how we all understand and practice design—in order to enhance sustainability in the built environment, and beyond.https://www.nature.com/documents/design_behavior_for_sustainability.pdfPublished versio

The ‘new normality’ in research? What message are we conveying our medical students?

The impact of COVID-19 on medical education has been mainly viewed from the perspective of the imposed transition from face-to- face to online delivery of information and the inforced stopping of practical teaching in hospitals.1-5 However, unfortunately, the deleterious effects of COVID-19 on how research findings are obtained, communicated and valued needs also careful consideration. Whilst teaching students that it is a genuinely exciting and unique time to be in medicine, as teachers of a subject entitled ‘Introduction to Research’ to second-year medical students, we feel particularly worried about what the handling of the pandemia is transmitting our future physicians. Now, more than ever before, scholars need to reaffirm the importance on how research findings are obtained and communicated

Pathologizing the healthy but ineffective: some ethical reflections on using neuroscience in leadership research

A number of studies seek to integrate leadership research with the field of neuroscience, arguing that neuroscience can aid scholars and practitioners to identify and develop leaders with what I refer to as socially desirable brain characteristics, whereas those leaders not equipped with such characteristics can be subjected to interventions based on neuroscientific principles or methods. Scrutinizing an emerging body of research, I argue that many leadership scholars and practitioners overlook the wider ethical implications of neuroscientific approaches to identifying and developing effective leaders. Given the mounting interest in the topic, I also outline a number of useful sources and debates to better respond ethically to the use of neuroscience in leadership research