Community Psychology in the Community College Setting: Strengths and Challenges

Within the field of community psychology there is growing recognition of the role of undergraduate education in community psychology training as a primary introduction to the field. In this [recent] discourse however, the unique position of the community college has been rendered invisible. This omission is critical given that approximately half of all undergraduate students in the U.S. are educated through the community colleges (CCRC n.d.). The community college mission also reflects the foundational principles of community psychology as it prioritizes open access to education, responsiveness to community need, and equity in higher education for individuals to achieve social mobility (Dougherty, Lahr, & Morest, 2017). In this article, the author used the development and implementation of a community psychology course at a two-year Hispanic-Serving Institution as a case example of the utility of the community college to advance community psychology goals. Distinct strengths and challenges of a two-year college setting are presented. Recommendations for undergraduate faculty teaching community psychology are presented

Community Psychology in the Community College Setting: Strengths and Challenges

Within the field of community psychology there is growing recognition of the role of undergraduate education in community psychology training as a primary introduction to the field. In this [recent] discourse however, the unique position of the community college has been rendered invisible. This omission is critical given that approximately half of all undergraduate students in the U.S. are educated through the community colleges (CCRC n.d.). The community college mission also reflects the foundational principles of community psychology as it prioritizes open access to education, responsiveness to community need, and equity in higher education for individuals to achieve social mobility (Dougherty, Lahr, & Morest, 2017). In this article, the author used the development and implementation of a community psychology course at a two-year Hispanic-Serving Institution as a case example of the utility of the community college to advance community psychology goals. Distinct strengths and challenges of a two-year college setting are presented. Recommendations for undergraduate faculty teaching community psychology are presented

Community Transformation and Collective Healing: Lessons from Pakistan, Brazil, and Zambia

Community psychology has long sought to be global in its scope and focus, particularly having liberation as a primary and overarching goal of the field. Despite seeking to stand in solidarity with marginalized and disadvantaged persons, the field has been criticized as remaining largely western-centric in its worldview and epistemology. The historic disconnect between systems of mental health –as traditionally defined within a western context – and the experiences of marginalized and indigenous peoples around the world necessitates greater consideration of local methods of healing with greater accessibility, cultural credibility, and sustainability within local communities. In this article, the authors utilize traditional mechanisms of healing in Pakistan, Brazil, and Zambia as case studies to advocate for a community based mental health promotion model that weds: 1) prevention and health promotion; 2) professional allopathic service providers partnering with paraprofessional and traditional health practitioners; and 3) community engagement and political literacy as a transformative and empowering mental health system of care that targets the individual and the community as source and location of intervention and healing. Results are aligned with community psychology goals and intended outcomes and suggest an action-oriented model in which the community serves as actors in and agents of their own collective health and healing

Community Transformation and Collective Healing: Lessons from Pakistan, Brazil, and Zambia

Community psychology has long sought to be global in its scope and focus, particularly having liberation as a primary and overarching goal of the field. Despite seeking to stand in solidarity with marginalized and disadvantaged persons, the field has been criticized as remaining largely western-centric in its worldview and epistemology. The historic disconnect between systems of mental health –as traditionally defined within a western context – and the experiences of marginalized and indigenous peoples around the world necessitates greater consideration of local methods of healing with greater accessibility, cultural credibility, and sustainability within local communities. In this article, the authors utilize traditional mechanisms of healing in Pakistan, Brazil, and Zambia as case studies to advocate for a community based mental health promotion model that weds: 1) prevention and health promotion; 2) professional allopathic service providers partnering with paraprofessional and traditional health practitioners; and 3) community engagement and political literacy as a transformative and empowering mental health system of care that targets the individual and the community as source and location of intervention and healing. Results are aligned with community psychology goals and intended outcomes and suggest an action-oriented model in which the community serves as actors in and agents of their own collective health and healing

Concorde noise-induced building vibrations John F. Kennedy International Airport

The outdoor and indoor noise levels resulting from aircraft flyovers and certain nonaircraft events were recorded at six home sites along with the associated vibration levels in the walls, windows, and floors of these test homes. Limited subjective tests conducted to examine the human detection and annoyance thresholds for building vibration and rattle caused by aircraft noise showed that both vibration and rattle were detected subjectively in several houses for some operations of both the Concorde and subsonic aircraft. Preliminary results indicate that the relationship between window vibration and aircraft noise is: (1) linear, with vibration levels being accurately predicted from OASPL levels measured near the window; (2) consistent from flyover to flyover for a given aircraft type under approach conditions; (3) no different for Concorde than for other conventional jet transports (in the case of window vibrations induced under approach power conditions); and (4) relatively high levels of window vibration measured during Concorde operations are due more to higher OASPL levels than to unique Concorde source characteristics

Noise-Induced Building Vibrations Caused by Concorde and Conventional Aircraft Operations at Dulles and Kennedy International Airports

Outdoor and indoor noise levels resulting from aircraft flyovers and certain nonaircraft events were recorded, as were the associated vibration levels in the walls, windows, and floors at building test sites. In addition, limited subjective tests were conducted to examine the human detection and annoyance thresholds for building vibration and rattle caused by aircraft noise. Representative peak levels of aircraft noise-induced building vibrations are reported and comparisons are made with structural damage criteria and with vibration levels induced by common domestic events. In addition, results of a pilot study are reported which indicate the human detection threshold for noise-induced floor vibrations

Concorde Noise-Induced Building Vibrations, Montgomery County, Maryland

A series of studies are reported to assess the noise induced building vibrations associated with Concorde operations. The levels of induced vibration and associated indoor/outdoor noise levels resulting from aircraft and nonaircraft events in selected homes, historic and other buildings near Dulles International Airport were recorded. The building response resulting from aircraft operations was found to be directly proportional to the overall sound pressure level and approximately independent of the aircraft type. The noise levels and, consequently, the response levels were observed to be higher for the Concorde operations than for the CTOL operations. Furthermore, the vibration could be closely reproduced by playing aircraft noise through a loudspeaker system located near the vibration measurement location. Nonaircraft events such as door closing were again observed to result in higher response levels than those induced by aircraft

Concorde noise-induced building vibrations: John F. Kennedy International Airport

Outdoor and indoor noise levels resulting from aircraft flyovers and certain nonaircraft events were recorded at eight homesites and a school along with the associated vibration levels in the walls, windows, and floors at these test sites. Limited subjective tests were conducted to examine the human detection and annoyance thresholds for building vibration and rattle caused by aircraft noise. Both vibration and rattle were detected subjectively in several houses for some operations of both the Concorde and subsonic aircraft. Seated subjects more readily detected floor vibrations than wall or window vibrations. Aircraft noise generally caused more window vibrations than common nonaircraft events such as walking and closing doors. Nonaircraft events and aircraft flyovers resulted in comparable wall vibration levels, while floor vibrations were generally greater for nonaircraft events than for aircraft flyovers. The relationship between structural vibration and aircraft noise is linear, with vibration levels being accurately predicted from overall sound pressure levels (OASPL) measured near the structure. Relatively high levels of structural vibration measured during Concorde operations are due more to higher OASPL levels than to unique Concorde-source characteristics

Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Spectroscopic Thermometry in a Supersonic Combustor

An experiment has been conducted to acquire data for the validation of computational fluid dynamics codes used in the design of supersonic combustors. The flow in a supersonic combustor, consisting of a diverging duct with a single downstream-angled wail injector, is studied. Combustor entrance Mach number is 2 and enthalpy nominally corresponds to Mach 7 flight. The primary measurement technique is coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy, but surface pressures and temperatures have also been acquired. Modern design of experiment techniques have been used to maximize the quality of the data set (for the given level of effort) and to minimize systematic errors. Temperature maps are obtained at several planes in the flow for a case in which the combustor is piloted by injecting fuel upstream of the main injector and one case in which it is not piloted. Boundary conditions and uncertainties are characterized

Use of Defined Competitive Exclusion Cultures to Enhance Colonization Resistance to Enteric Pathogens

During the past several years our laboratory has conducted research towards developing defined competitive exclusion cultures that enhance colonization resistance against salmonellae in baby chicks. Previously in our laboratory it was shown that 10-day-old broiler and layer chicks that were fed diets containing 5-10% lactose provided either in the feed or in water from day-of-hatch were significantly more resistant to Salmonella typhimurium, and S. enteritidis cecal colonization than control chicks not provided a diet supplemented with lactose. Additionally, resistance against salmonellae cecal colonization was further enhanced in treatment groups provided dietary lactose in combination with an undefined mixture of anaerobic bacteria (i.e. undefined competitive exclusion culture or Nurmi culture) originally obtained from the ceca of adult broiler chickens maintained on a diet containing lactose. In order to make a defined competitive exclusion culture that was efficacious in enhancing colonization resistance against salmonellae, we cultured cecal contents obtained from adult broilers maintained on a unmedicated diet containing 5% lactose in a continuous-flow (CF) culture apparatus (i.e. chemostat), that was maintained at parameters that would best represent the cecal environment