Fall 2014, Clean Water and Deep Learning in Gambia

For UNH students who have an opportunity to engage in overseas development projects, the experience can be life-changing. Andrew Obston ‘14 shares this account of his summer internship in Gambia, working with the global development group Agua Inc

Carsey Perspectives: Local Owners Driving Lasting Solutions, An Innovative Model for International Development and Poverty Alleviation

In this perspectives brief, authors Ilona Drew, Fiona Wilson, Bill Maddocks discuss a case study that was examined as part of the Social Sector Franchise Initiative (SSFI), a project of the Center for Social Innovation and Enterprise at the University of New Hampshire. This case study describes Jibu, a social sector franchise seeking to simultaneously provide lasting access to affordable clean drinking water and to contribute to economic development through a network of locally-owned franchise businesses in East Africa and beyond. First-time social entrepreneurs are equipped with Jibu’s water purification and other equipment, branding, training, and the capital required to launch franchise locations selling drinking water at prices lower than the charcoal it would cost to boil it

Carsey Perspectives: Meeting Farmers Where They Are, Increasing Agricultural Sustainability in Malawi Through Business Format Franchising

In this perspectives brief, authors Ilona Drew, Abraham DeMaio, Bill Maddocks, and Fiona Wilson discuss a case study that was examined as part of the Social Sector Franchise Initiative (SSFI), a project of the Center for Social Innovation and Enterprise at the University of New Hampshire. This case study profiles Ziweto Enterprises, a social venture in Malawi using franchising methodology to scale its growth. Ziweto’s Agrovet Shops are “one-stop” franchised shops run by recent graduates of veterinary medicine and agricultural colleges that offer diverse veterinary and agricultural products and services. Ziweto’s products and services provide key support to the nation’s smallholder farmers, supporting animal husbandry as well as crop output

Platinum(II), palladium(II), nickel(II), and gold(I) complexes of the “electrospray-friendly” thiolate ligands 4-SC₅H₄N- and 4-SC₆H₄OMe-

The series of platinum(II), palladium(II), and nickel(II) complexes [ML₂(dppe)] [M = Ni, Pd, Pt; L = 4-SC₅H₄N or 4-SC₆H₄OMe; dppe = Ph₂PCH₂CH₂PPh₂] containing pyridine-4-thiolate or 4-methoxybenzenethiolate ligands, together with the corresponding gold(I) complexes [AuL(PPh3)], were prepared and their electrospray ionization mass spectrometric behavior compared with that of the thiophenolate complexes [M(SPh)₂(dppe)] (M = Ni, Pd, Pt) and [Au(SPh)(PPh₃)]. While the pyridine-4-thiolate complexes yielded protonated ions of the type [M + H]+ and [M + 2H]²+ ions in the Ni, Pd, and Pt complexes, an [M + H]+ ion was only observed for the platinum derivative of 4-methoxybenzenethiolate. Other ions, which dominated the spectra of the thiophenolate complexes, were formed by thiolate loss and aggregate formation. The X-ray crystal structure of [Pt(SC₆H₄OMe-4)₂(dppe)] is also reported

Considerations in Designing Human-Computer Interfaces for Elderly People

As computing devices continue to become more heavily integrated into our lives, proper design of human-computer interfaces becomes a more important topic of discussion. Efficient and useful human-computer interfaces need to take into account the abilities of the humans who will be using such interfaces, and adapt to difficulties that different users may face – such as the difficulties that elderly users must deal with. Interfaces that allow for user-specific customization, while taking into account the multiple difficulties that older users might face, can assist the elderly in properly using these newer computing devices, and in doing so possibly achieving a better quality of life through the advanced technological support that these devices offer. In this paper, we explore common problems the elderly face when using computing devices and solutions developed for these problems. Difficulties ultimately fall into several categories: cognition, auditory, haptic, visual, and motor-based troubles. We also present an idea for a new adaptive operating system with advanced customizations that would simplify computing for older users

What We Know about the Basic Course: What Has the Research Told Us?

Research in the basic speech communication course is vital to our understanding of what we know about it, how it is administered and taught. The paper examines theoretical as well as empirical literature relevant to the basic course. Our examination suggests that the literature is deplete of a consistent base of knowledge on which to design the basic course. The paper concludes by discussing a proposal for systematic research to help provide a foundation for teaching and administering the basic course

Competitive analysis of online reviews using exploratory text mining

Purpose – This paper explores the usefulness of analyzing text-based online reviews using text mining tools and visual analytics for SWOT Analysis, as applied to the hotel industry. These results can be used to develop competitive actions. Design – The text mining/visualization tool, ReviewMap, was used to transform an archive of reviews spanning multiple suppliers into a hierarchy of data of increasing dimensionality. Visual summaries at each level were integrated to propagate selections at one level throughout the rest of the hierarchy. These visual summaries identify features required for competition at a given level and features that currently discriminate amongst competitors. Methodology – The approach was exploratory, the objective of which was to determine if useable competitive intelligence could be found in a typical collection of online reviews for a set of competing hotels. A publically available collection of reviews was subjected to a set of text mining procedures and visual analyses in order to summarize the features and opinions expressed. Originality – Prior analyses of online reviews relied solely upon numeric “star” ratings. This study utilized text mining to uncover information within the written comments and applied the information in a SWOT Analysis of three competing hotels. Findings – In the set of reviews used in this paper, a common measure of analytical power almost doubled when text mining summaries of the written comments were used in combination with numeric ratings. Visual analytics revealed the dominant features for each hotel, the features required of all hotels competing at a given level, and the features that define specific positions within the competitive landscape. This analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats revealed several promising competitive actions for the hotels in the study

Keithfield Plantation Bluff & Wharf Sites

This 36-page, unpublished document was written by SCIAA Research Associates Steve Howard, William R. (Billy) Judd, and Drew Ruddy for use by SCIAA

Personal Counseling in Academic Programs with Counselor Trainees

Counseling programs are responsible for harm caused by their counselor trainees. This study examined the effect of participating in personal counseling on basic clinical skills using the Counseling Self-Estimate Inventory. This article discusses this study’s inconclusive results and implications for the development of counselors and counseling programs