Are science students ready for university mathematics?

At UTS students in science courses often struggle with the first year first semester mathematics subject. This year we requested all commencing science students to take a Readiness Survey so that we could advise them of suitable pathways for the maths subjects in their degree. One such pathway includes taking a one-semester subject of introductory calculus before the regular mathematics subject. This paper reports on the practicalities of running such a test before semester starts, and the pathways taken up with varying levels of success by Science students. Insights from a parallel survey and pathway used for some years now with Engineering students in the same institution are offered

National science agency - university collaboration inspires an inquiry-oriented experiment

An initiative involving the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) and Australia's premier science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Agency (CSIRO), connects first year students in a large enrolment physics service subject to research of national standing through a co-developed inquiry-oriented experiment. We describe the background to the initiative which we believe to be the first of its kind, how it was piloted, and our findings from the first running of the experiment with enrolled students. The initiative applies a previously published framework for designing and evaluating new and existing experiments with regard to student engagement and learning, laboratory logistics, and scale. Evidence from focus groups, student surveys, and classroom observations indicates that the experiment is regarded by students as: 1) a worthwhile, very valuable or outstanding learning experience; 2) engaging; and 3) benefitting their learning through group discussions. Student feedback during the development phase highlighted issues to be addressed, including allowing students greater time to design and carry out their own investigations, more explicit assistance for students in the use of supporting technology, and better guidance on the assessed component of the experiment

Experimental Characterization Of The Weakly Anisotropic CN X(2)Σ(+) + Ne Potential From IR-UV Double Resonance Studies Of The CN-Ne Complex

IR-UV double resonance spectroscopy has been used to characterize hindered internal rotor states (n(K) = 0(0), 1(1), and 1(0)) of the CN-Ne complex in its ground electronic state with various degrees of CN stretch (nu(CN)) excitation. Rotationally resolved infrared overtone spectra of the CN-Ne complex exhibit perturbations arising from Coriolis coupling between the closely spaced hindered rotor states (1(1) and 1(0)) with two quanta of CN stretch (nu(CN) = 2). A deperturbation analysis is used to obtain accurate rotational constants and associated average CN center-of-mass to Ne separation distances as well as the coupling strength. The energetic ordering and spacings of the hindered internal rotor states provide a direct reflection of the weakly anisotropic intermolecular potential between CN X-2 Sigma(+) and Ne, with only an 8 cm(-1) barrier to CN internal rotation, from which radially averaged anisotropy parameters (V-10 and V-20) are extracted that are consistent for nu(CN) = 0-3. Complementary ab initio calculation of the CN X-2 Sigma(+) + Ne potential using MRCI+Q extrapolated to the complete one-electron basis set limit is compared with the experimentally derived anisotropy by optimizing the radial potential at each angle. Experiment and theory are in excellent accord, both indicating a bent minimum energy configuration and nearly free rotor behavior. Analogous experimental and theoretical studies of the CN-Ne complex upon electronic excitation to the CN B (2)Sigma(+) state indicate a slightly more anisotropic potential with a linear CN-Ne minimum energy configuration. The results from these IR-UV double resonance studies are compared with prior electronic spectroscopy and theoretical studies of the CN-Ne system. (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3586810

From Ligand to Phosphor: Rapid, Machine-Assisted Synthesis of Substituted Iridium(III) Pyrazolate Complexes with Tuneable Luminescence

A first generation machine-assisted approach towards the preparation of hybrid ligand/metal materials has been explored. A comparison of synthetic approaches demonstrates that incorporation of both flow chemistry and microwave heating, can be successfully applied to the rapid synthesis of a range of new phenyl-1H-pyrazoles (ppz) substituted with electron withdrawing groups (-F, -CF3, -OCF3, -SF5), and these, in turn, can be translated in to heteroleptic complexes, [Ir(ppz)2(bipy)]BF4 (bipy = 2,2’-bipyridine). Microwave-assisted syntheses for the IrIII complexes allows isolation of spectroscopically pure species in less than 1 hour of reaction time from IrCl3. All new complexes have been explored photophysically (including nanosecond time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy), electrochemically and by TD-DFT studies which show that the complexes possess ligand-dependent, and thus, tuneable green-yellow luminescence (500-560 nm), with quantum yields in the range 5-15 %

Polycationic Ru(II) luminophores: syntheses, photophysics, and application in electrostatically driven sensitization of lanthanide luminescence

A series of photoluminescent Ru(II) polypyridine complexes have been synthesized in a manner that varies the extent of the cationic charge. Two ligand systems (L1 and L2), based upon 2,2′-bipyridine (bipy) mono- or difunctionalized at the 5- or 5,5′-positions using N-methylimidazolium groups, were utilized. The resulting Ru(II) species therefore carried +3, +4, +6, and +8 complex moieties based on a [Ru(bipy)3]2+ core. Tetra-cationic [Ru(bipy)2(L2)][PF6]4 was characterized using XRD, revealing H-bonding interactions between two of the counteranions and the cationic unit. The ground-state features of the complexes were found to closely resemble those of the parent unfunctionalized [Ru(bipy)3]2+ complex. In contrast, the excited state properties produce a variation in emission maxima, including a bathochromic 44 nm shift of the 3MLCT band for the tetra-cationic complex; interestingly, further increases in overall charge to +6 and +8 produced a hypsochromic shift in the 3MLCT band. Supporting DFT calculations suggest that the trend in emission behavior may, in part, be due to the precise nature of the LUMO and its localization. The utility of a photoactive polycationic Ru(II) complex was then demonstrated through the sensitization of a polyanionic Yb(III) complex in free solution. The study shows that electrostatically driven ion pairing is sufficient to facilitate energy transfer between the 3MLCT donor state of the Ru(II) complex and the accepting 2F5/2 excited state of Yb(III)

How has Covid-19 affected mental health nurses and the delivery of mental health nursing care in the UK? Results of a mixed methods study

INTRODUCTION: While evidence has emerged concerning the impact of Covid-19 on the general population and the challenges facing health services, much less is known regarding how the pandemic has directly affected the delivery of mental health nursing care. AIM: This paper aims to explore how Covid-19 has affected the ability of mental health nurses to deliver care in community and inpatient mental health services in the UK. METHOD: We investigated staff reports regarding the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on mental healthcare and mental health service users in the UK, using a mixed methods online survey. A total of 897 nurses across a range of inpatient and community settings participated. DISCUSSION: Key themes within the data explore: new ways of working; remote working; risks of infection/infection control challenges; and the impact on service users. Targeted guidelines are required to support mental health nurses providing care and support during a pandemic to people in severe mental distress, often in unsuitable environments. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Service developments need to occur alongside tailored guidance and support for staff welfare supported by clear leadership. These findings identify areas requiring attention and investment to prepare for future crises and the consequences of the pandemic

Adventure revisited:Critically examining the concept of adventure and its relations with contemporary outdoor education and learning

Editorial piece on the impact of mobile technology in a post-Mortlockian era of adventure

An extended computational study of Criegee intermediate - alcohol reactions

High level ab initio calculations (DF-LCCSD(T)-F12a//B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ) are performed on a range of stabilized Criegee intermediate (sCI) – alcohol reactions, computing reaction coordinate energies, leading to the formation of α-alkyoxyl-alkyl-hydroperoxides (AAAHs). These potential energy surfaces are used to model bimolecular reaction kinetics over a range of temperatures. The calculations performed in this work reproduce the complicated temperature dependent reaction rates of CH2OO and (CH3)2COO with methanol, which have previously been experimentally determined. This methodology is then extended to compute reaction rates of 22 different Criegee intermediates with methanol, including several intermediates derived from isoprene ozonolysis. In some cases, sCI-alcohol reaction rates approach those of sCI-(H2O)2. This suggests that in regions with elevated alcohol concentrations, such as urban Brazil, these reactions may generate significant quantities of AAAHs, and may begin to compete with sCI reactions with other trace tropospheric pollutants such as SO2. This work also demonstrates the ability of alcohols to catalyse the 1,4-H transfer unimolecular decomposition of α-methyl substituted sCIs