Utilising Research ‘Praxis’ to Enhance Teaching Practice in the Domain of Apprenticeship Education: a Report on a Research Capacity Building Pilot Project Run in the School of Construction Skills, Technological University Dublin, Ireland in 2008.

The Technological University Dublin is one of the largest multi-level higher education providers in Ireland, catering for over 22,000 students annually. Under the 1999 Qualifications (Education and Training) Act, DIT became an awarding body in its own right. Programme provision covers apprenticeships, short continuous professional development courses, taught undergraduate and postgraduate, research MPhil and PhDs. While the Institute’s traditional mission1 was focused on teaching and learning in the field of advanced technical vocational education and training (TVET), over the last decade the importance of developing a research informed culture has become prominent in the strategic policy development of the Institute. Within this new emerging research agenda substantial achievements have been made in specific fields such as; science, engineering, ICT, tourism & food. However the research potential of a large portion of staff who work in the apprenticeship and craft area has been underdeveloped. This paper reviews some contextual information relating to the emerging research agenda as expressed in documents produced by the Institutes of Technology in Ireland and the DIT. It sign-posts significant Irish national strategies and notes some European Union initiatives that have relevance to research policy in this sector of higher education. The research then applies a ‘single case study’ (Yin 1996) to describe a new initiative which seeks to unlock the research potential of staff in the apprenticeship and craft area in DIT. Reporting the findings from a pilot Research Capacity Building project, which was run in DIT in 2008. This was a collaborative project between the Head of Department of Construction Skills and the Project Manager of the Skills Research Initiative, offered to Assistant Lecturers in the Wood Skills area. The paper details the emergence of this project and utilises ‘4th generation evaluation’ methodology (Guba & Lincoln 1986) to access the effectiveness and future potential of this type of initiative. Further by adopting a participatory ‘insider’ research approach the ‘lived experience’ and ‘voice’ of staff who participated in the project is captured through in-depth ethnographic interviews. The research demonstrates a willingness of staff working in the apprenticeship and craft area to engage in, and develop skills, competencies and knowledge relating to research ‘praxis’. However there seems to be a ‘cultural gap’ and mismatch between the high level national and sectoral research policy narratives, and the direct research capacity and capability needs of apprenticeship and craft staff. The research recommends that in order for this staff cohort to gain a footprint in the research domain, there is a need for localized and flexible research capacity building initiatives. This type of proactive research capacity building intervention can facilitate the unlocking, production and dissemination of the rich expert knowledge, experience and skills inherent in the apprenticeship and craft areas

How might we create environments that enable aged persons to thrive?

“How might we create environments that enable aged persons to thrive?” This wicked problem has been proposed by the College of Gerontologist Nursing. Researchers from the Centre of Health and Social Practice and Design Factory have used the design thinking process to address this problem. This question was proposed based on the current issues facing New Zealand: an ageing population with increasing comorbidities, an ageing workforce and under resourcing of the aged care sector. Secondary data was collated from a variety of peer reviewed sources. Primary data was collected from interviews done with health professional who work with those aged 65+, families of those who are 65+ and people who are 65+. This research was conducted during the global pandemic of COVID-19 which imposed limitations on the project. To aid the complete collection of data, these interviews were recorded and then transcribed for later use. The key themes and insights from these interviews, through a process of defining, were used to further refine the initial question into more “how might we” statements. We focused on three of these new “how might we” statements to create two different prototypes: a My Wellbeing Book and a Wellness Expo. These low fidelity prototypes were created for user testing. The feedback has been collected and analysed in this report. Due to the time restrictions on this project, we were unable to further refine the two prototypes using the feedback from the users. However, a discussion of the feedback received has been included in this report

Utilizing Additive Manufacturing of Semi-Crystalline Thermoplastics and Topology Optimized Generative Designs for Complex Small Satellite Bus Geometries

Small satellite buses have traditionally been manufactured through subtractive means and ultimately limiting capability in feature, form, and an inability to alter the volumetric density of the material. However, emergent additive manufacturing methods that utilize Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) integrated with soluble support material allow us to print synthetic thermoplastics, such as Polyetheretherketone (PEEK). Consequently, the number of structural parts and hardware components is reduced, along with the cost. Structural strength and dimensional stability of PEEK are comparable to traditional aluminum alloys in the construction of most satellite components. Additive manufacturing further allows the implementation of topology optimization algorithms to develop and produce complex geometries with resolutions up to 5μm in x/y movements and 1μm in z movements. Thermoplastics possess ideal strength to weight ratios and thermal expansion coefficients that can be exploited to design more desirable components of small satellite buses. We believe that topology-optimized, 3D-printed small satellite frames made from PEEK can offer a lighter alternative to their metal alloy counterparts. To show this, we will demonstrate the generative optimization of the SPectral Ocean Color (SPOC) satellite’s 3U frame and compare its structural, thermal, and modal analysis simulations to those of an optimized design

The validity of axisymmetric assumptions when investigating pulsatile biological flows

Computational fluid simulations of biological flows is increasingly popular due to its inexpense and ability to define the flow throughout the entire domain---both common limiting factors for experimental work. A common assumption has been that both the geometry and the flow field through an aneurysm is axisymmetric; however, investigations into non-biological flows have seen that even with an axisymmetric geometry, non-axisymmetric flow may develop. Idealised geometries are used to investigate these biological flows as it simplifies the model to enable an improved understanding of the effect geometry has on the flow. Additionally this simplification allows the implementation of a computationally cheaper axisymmetric code. We test this axisymmetric assumption by applying Floquet stability analysis to investigate the stability of the flow and thus determine when an axisymmetric aneurysmal flow is unstable to non-axisymmetric instabilities. Dimensions of the model are selected to be consistent with a high risk aneurysm in the human abdominal aorta and Reynolds numbers relevant to aneurysms in large arteries are examined. The presence of three dimensional instabilities has a significant impact on the validity of the assumption of axisymmetry. The maximum streamwise vorticity in the perturbation fields is found to occur at the downstream section of the aneurysm, implying that it is in these areas that the results of axisymmetric simulations differ the most from fully three dimensional flow. References Barkley, D. and Henderson, R. D., Three-dimensional Floquet stability analysis of the wake of a circular cylinder. J. Fluid Mech. 322 (1996), 215--241. doi:10.1017/S0022112096002777 Brown, P. M., Zelt D. T., Sobolev B., The risk of rupture in untreated aneurysms: The impact of size, gender, and expansion rate. J. Vasc. Surg. 37 (2003), 280--284. doi:10.1067/mva.2003.119 Cowling R., Soria J., Flow Visualisation through Model Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, Fourth Australian Conference on Laser Diagnostics in Fluid Mechanics and Combustion, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 7--9 December 2005, 33--36. Egelhoff C. J., Budwig R. S., Elger D. F., Khraishi T. A., Model studies of the flow in abdominal aortic aneurysms during resting and exercise conditions. J. Biomech, 32 (1999), 1319-1329. doi:10.1016/S0021-9290(99)00134-7 Karniadakis, G. E. and Triantafyllou, G. S., Frequency selection and asymptotic states in laminar wakes. J. Fluid Mech. 199 (1989), 441--469. doi:10.1017/S0022112089000431 Karniadakis, G. E., Israeli, M. and Orszag, S. A., High-order splitting methods for the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations, J. Comp. Phys. 97 (1991), 414--443. doi:10.1016/0021-9991(91)90007-8 Ku, D. N., Blood flow in arteries, Annual review of Fluid Mechanics, 29 (1997), 399--434. doi:10.1146/annurev.fluid.29.1.399 Lasheras J., The Biomechanics of Arterial Aneurysms, Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics, 39 (2007), 293--319 doi:10.1146/annurev.fluid.39.050905.110128 Salsac, A. V., Sparks, S. R., Chomaz, J. M. and Lasheras, J. C., Evolution of the wall shear stresses during the progressive enlargement of symmetric abdominal aortic aneurysms, J. Fluid Mech., 560 (2006), 19--51. doi:10.1017/S002211200600036X Sheard, G. J., Evans, R. G., Denton, K. M. and Hourigan, K., Undesirable Haemodynamics in Aneurysms, In Proceedings of the IUTAM Symposium on Unsteady Separated Flows and Their Control, Hotel Corfu Chandris, Corfu, Greece, 18--22 June 2007 Sheard, G. J. and Ryan, K., Pressure-driven flow past spheres moving in a circular tube, J. Fluid Mech. 592 (2007), 233--262. doi:10.1017/S0022112007008543 Stedman, 2002, The American HeritageÆ Stedmanís Medical Dictionary, Houghton Mifflin Company, Massachusetts. Steinman, D. A., Vorp, D. A. and Ethier, C. R., Computational modelling of arterial biomechanics: Insights into pathogenesis and treatment of vascular disease, J. Vascular Surgery, 37 (2003), 1118--1128. doi:10.1067/mva.2003.122 Waite, L. and Fine, J. (2007). Applied biofluid mechanics. United Stated of America: McGraw-Hill

The role of the clinical nurse specialist from the perspective of parents of children born with cleft lip and/or palate in the United Kingdom:a qualitative study

This qualitative study explores parents' perspectives of the clinical nurse specialist (CNS) after diagnosis of cleft lip and/or palate and while preparing for/after lip or palate closure and other events on the cleft treatment pathway in the United Kingdom.Parents with children on the "cleft treatment pathway" were recruited from multiple regions across the United Kingdom. In-depth interviews were conducted with 24 parents of children born with cleft lip and/or palate.Thematic analysis identified 4 key themes: relationship with CNS, information provision, preoperative care and multidisciplinary team (MDT), and postoperative support.Clinical nurse specialists are a highly valued point of contact and act as a trusted mediator between parents and other professionals in the MDT. Clinical nurse specialists are important gatekeepers in providing support and information and developing trust after diagnosis and birth and throughout the cleft treatment pathway.The present findings affirm the emotional, social, and informational support that the CNS can offer parents whose children are on a cleft treatment pathway. The CNS is a vital member of the cleft service MDT