Lubin-Tate Deformation Spaces and Fields of Norms

We construct a tower of fields from the rings $R_n$ which parametrize pairs $(X,\lambda)$, where $X$ is a deformation of a fixed one-dimensional formal group $\mathbb{X}$ of finite height $h$, together with a Drinfeld level-$n$ structure $\lambda$. We choose principal prime ideals $\mathfrak{p}_n \mid (p)$ in each ring $R_n$ in a compatible way and consider the field $K'_n$ obtained by localizing $R_n$ at $\mathfrak{p}_n$, completing, and passing to the fraction field. By taking the compositum $K_n = K'_n K_0$ of each field with the completion $K_0$ of a certain unramified extension of $K'_0$, we obtain a tower of fields $(K_n)_n$ which we prove to be strictly deeply ramified in the sense of Anthony Scholl. When $h=2$ we also investigate the question of whether this is a Kummer tower.Comment: 23 pages; title changed (from "Lubin-Tate Deformation Spaces and $(\phi, \Gamma)$-Modules"); paper significantly reorganized; some expository material removed; many arguments re-writte

Analyzing youth engagement and gender roles in the groundnut value chain in Uganda using the Photovoice Research Methodology

In regions of East Africa, groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is cultivated as a common cash crop in areas of food insecurity and agricultural-dependent communities. Groundnut, also known as peanut, is a legume with a variety of important uses. This crop is especially popular with small-scale farmers and youth, who seek to harvest a crop which is affordable. As an expected 440 million young people enter the global labor market by 2030, those living in rural areas are at a disadvantage when searching for job opportunities. In Africa, this rural-urban divide has impacted the economic sector and the activities in which youth engage. Despite the importance of agriculture to both rural and urban communities, youth seldom engage in production agriculture or other types of agribusinesses. In addition to barriers for youth involvement, gender plays a role in the groundnut value chain by creating unequal responsibilities for labor. The question then remains as to whether there are ways to empower and equip youth to remain in rural areas, particularly through provision of opportunities for youth in the agriculture sector. Viewing agriculture in terms of value chains from “farm to fork” is a beneficial approach to reframing agriculture as not simply “plows and cows.” The importance of this research is to understand the areas for improvement within value chains and reengage youth back into agriculture. This study used a mixed methods approach to survey research participants and interviewed two groups of groundnut farmers in the Ugandan districts of Nwoya and Tororo. An innovative visual methodology, Photovoice, was used to facilitate additional qualitative research through the duration of the project. The research results indicate that gender is a key determinant for the tasks within the groundnut value chain that each person is expected to complete. Men typically participate in earlier stages of the value chain, like preparing the land. Women are heavily involved in the middle stages and end stages of the value chain, such as weeding, harvesting, shelling, sorting, and drying. Youth are at a disadvantage when accessing land and capital resources, with women facing additional societal biases. These disadvantages and biases create barriers for farmers to enter and remain engaged within the agricultural industry

A note on the cohomology of pp-adic analytic group actions

We prove that given an analytic action of a compact $p$-adic Lie group on a Banach space over a field of positive characteristic, one can detect either the simultaneous vanishing or the simultaneous finite-dimensionality of all of the continuous cohomology groups from the corresponding statement for the restriction to a pro-$p$ procyclic subgroup. We also formulate a conjecture generalizing this result, in which the base field is allowed to have mixed characteristic and the subgroup is allowed to be nilpotent. Finally, we formulate an analogous conjecture about Lie algebra cohomology and relate this to a theorem of Kostant.Comment: 11 page

Introducing a portfolio assessment in a pre-professional osteopathy program

Portfolios are used in the education of health professionals across numerous professions including medicine, nursing, dentistry and physiotherapy. Portfolios are a collection of evidence of learning and reflection, both of which are required to be a capable healthcare professional. The current paper describes how a portfolio is to be introduced into the assessment of the final year of a pre-professional osteopathy program. A discussion of the introduction, structure, mentoring and assessment of the portfolio is provided, along with how the implementation of the portfolio will be reviewed

Exploring Recreational Opportunities Along the Androscoggin River

Historical industrialization along the banks of the Androscoggin River from the 18th to the 20th century has given the river a public image of decay and pollution. As a result, the Androscoggin River became one of the main reasons the Clean Water Act of 1972 was successful. After more than forty years, limited development and strict waste management regulations have helped begin the process of restoring the river back to its natural beauty. Maine’s growing nature-tourism industry is largely limited to the deep backcountry and coast, as well as its major rivers. As one of the last large rivers in Maine to remain largely unfriendly to boating and general recreation, communities along the Androscoggin have the potential to promote recreation on the river and help bring additional income and awareness of the natural beauty of the region. In conjunction with Maine Rivers and Jen Deraspe, this project presents a six-phase plan to establish a water trail along the Androscoggin River