Electron Microscope Studies of Organic Crystals

This thesis is arranged in two parts; after an introductory chapter on the theory of image formation in the electron microscope, Chapters 2 to 5 are concerned with the problem of radiation damage to the specimen in the microscope, and Chapters 6 and 7 describe studies of crystalline paraffins by electron microscopy. Radiation damage to the specimen has long been recognised as a major hindrance to image-formation and diffraction studies in electron microscopy, especially of organic and biological material. Changes may occur in the structure of the specimen under the beam, leading to a false picture of the material, or the structure may be destroyed altogether before any detail can be recorded. Among the methods commonly used to counteract radiation damage are: cooling the specimen stage of the microscope in the hope of "freezing in" severed radicals, using minimum dose techniques in combination with image processing to extract information from low-contrast negatives, and coating the specimen with a thin layer of an amorphous conducting material such as evaporated carbon. In this study, the effect of combining some of these techniques is investigated, in particular the protective effect of an encapsulating carbon coat at various temperatures - room temperature down to 10K. A group of compounds which is highly sensistive to radiation damage is that of the crystalline paraffins. An understanding of the behaviour of long-chain paraffins may be important to the elucidation of the structures of some polymers and biological lipids, especially when the effect of the presence of chains of more than one length is taken into account. In the second section of the thesis, high resolution images have been taken of crystals of pure paraffins and of their solid solutions, in two orientations: the long axis may be viewed directly at room temperature, but image processing has been applied to the projection of the small (ab) unit cell face. Defects in the crystal lattice planes have been observed, and the variation in the interlamellar spacing according to the composition of solid solutions has been measured

Partnership through the lens of doctoral studies

This workshop will offer participants an overview of select methodologies and conceptual frameworks that can encourage deep reflection and critical analysis in two areas: student voice, and student-staff partnership. Firstly, we will discuss the conceptual and discursive constructions of the student-university relationship, questioning the drivers, actors, and decision-makers involved, through a combination of critical theory and post-structuralism. We will then consider the use of Situational Analysis (Clarke, 2003) which posits that understanding can be deepened through the use of three kinds of analytic maps: situational maps, social worlds/ arenas maps, and positional maps. This approach has potential to draw together studies of discourse and agency, action and structure, and other material elements, to analyse the complexity of partnership situations

The ‘Partnership Identity’ in Higher Education: Moving From ‘Us’ and ‘Them’ to ‘We’ in Student-Staff Partnership

Student-staff partnerships in higher education re-frame the ways that students and staff work together as active collaborators in teaching and learning. Such a radical re-visioning of the relationships between students, staff, and the institutions within which they function is both potentially transformational and a significant challenge given the deeply entrenched identities, and attached norms, that form a part of the institutional culture. Explicit examination of the ways in which identity formation and navigation influences, and is influenced by, student-staff partnership is an important but under-explored area in the partnership literature. Drawing on structured reflective narratives focused on our own partnership experiences, we employ collaborative autoethnographic methods to explore this nexus through a social identity lens. Results highlight the need to move away from the labelling of dichotomous student/staff roles and identities in the context of partnership to a more nuanced conception that embraces the multiplicity of identity and diverse dimensions of meaning. We highlight the power of the normative conceptions that we attach to different identities, particularly where dissonance arises should those norms conflict. We discuss how this dissonance was particularly salient for us as we crossed the partnership threshold, only to find that the ethos underlying our new partnership identities contradicted the traditional hierarchical structure of the institutions within which we continued to function. Finally, we highlight the implications of these results for those engaging in student-staff partnerships in higher education and point the way toward potentially fruitful avenues of future research

Reflecting on practice: embedding student engagement through interdepartmental partnership

This case study will reflect on the approach that the University of Brighton Student Engagement Group (SEG) has taken towards embedding student engagement across the University and through working together on the national REACT project.The SEG comprises colleagues from Engagement and Information (Quality), the Centre for Learning and Teaching and the Students Union. Working together - and bringing individual areas of specialism to this partnership - has provided both a productive approach to a range of aspects of student engagement and connected three areas of the university that previously did not have a joined-up approach. The types of activities the group has focused on include: recruiting School-based Student Engagement Champions; holding a Student Engagement staff away-day; attending local meetings with Champions to establish rapport and get a good idea of the context of student engagement and who the hard-to-reach students are within each School. This paper situates the engagement of students in co- and extra-curricular activities, towards improving opportunities for students active participation, and student-staff collaboration

Igniting social pedagogy through learning and teaching partnerships in a higher education context

Partnership as an approach to pedagogic practice and co-creation in higher education is an orientation towards relationship-centred education. There is little exploration of social pedagogy in the higher education (post-secondary) context, yet recent research studied the similarities between the guiding principles underpinning learning and teaching partnerships and those of social pedagogy. This article presents the results of this empirical research, which explored the complexities of engaging ‘students as partners’ in learning and teaching in a UK university. This research found that partnership was used as an approach to democratise entrenched power relations in faculty–student relationships, empower a diverse student body to become co-creators of knowledge and foster inclusive learning communities that respect diversity and social inclusion. The three key concepts of democracy, agency and community are pillars of social pedagogy. Through this exploration of social pedagogy within the higher education context, there is significant potential for knowledge exchange between disciplines traditionally allied to social pedagogy, such as social work, K-12 education, youth work and higher education. The article develops a unique definition and conceptual framework for the case of learning and teaching partnerships, utilising social pedagogy as a guiding theoretical lens. An overview of the novel methodological approach of situational analysis is given, followed by a discussion of the key implications for higher education that: (1) learning and teaching partnerships are situated, relational and inherently complex; (2) ‘trajectories’ provide a helpful metaphor to conceptualise individuals’ unique journeys through the process of partnership; and (3) relationship-centred higher education practices involve heightened awareness of the role of emotions