Innovative librarians: Harnessing passion and involvement for library metamorphosis

During 2010 the RMIT University Library formed the 'Innovative Librarians Group' (ILG). The idea for the ILG was conceived from a debrief meeting with the University Librarian and acting Staff Development Librarian for the group's leader on her return from the Aurora leadership course. The ILG combined her interests in shifting the library staff mindset toward innovation and forward thinking, and integrating a technology focus into the library environment

A vision for an effective principalship: A reflective essay

One question I have often been asked is why did you decide to teach? My answer to this question often varied because there is no single reason for my making such an important decision. The initial reason for my choosing to teach was that I had several very positive role models who were teachers and I felt that I too could be such a role model. I also enjoyed school and was successful both in the classroom and with extra-curricular activities. I believed that I could make a difference through teaching. For these reasons I felt that teaching was a natural choice for me

Adaptation of an evidence-based cardiovascular health intervention for rural African Americans in the Southeast

Background: African Americans (AA) living in the southeast United States have the highest prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and rural minorities bear a significant burden of co-occurring CVD risk factors. Few evidence-based interventions (EBI) address social and physical environmental barriers in rural minority communities. We used intervention mapping together with community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles to adapt objectives of a multi-component CVD lifestyle EBI to fit the needs of a rural AA community. We sought to describe the process of using CPBR to adapt an EBI using intervention mapping to an AA rural setting and to identify and document the adaptations mapped onto the EBI and how they enhance the intervention to meet community needs. Methods: Focus groups, dyadic interviews, and organizational web-based surveys were used to assess content interest, retention strategies, and incorporation of auxiliary components to the EBI. Using CBPR principles, community and academic stakeholders met weekly to collaboratively integrate formative research findings into the intervention mapping process. We used a framework developed by Wilstey Stirman et al. to document changes. Results: Key changes were made to the content, context, and training and evaluation components of the existing EBI. A matrix including behavioral objectives from the original EBI and new objectives was developed. Categories of objectives included physical activity, nutrition, alcohol, and tobacco divided into three levels, namely, individual, interpersonal, and environmental. Conclusions: Intervention mapping integrated with principles of CBPR is an efficient and flexible process for adapting a comprehensive and culturally appropriate lifestyle EBI for a rural AA community context

Double cascade erbium fiber laser at 1.7 µm, 2.7 µm, and 1.6 µm

The output power of the erbium laser at 2.7 um (4I11/2 -> 4I13/2) is enhanced due to simultaneous laser action at 1.7 um (4S3/2 -> 4I9/2) and 1.6 um (4I13/2 -> 4I15/2) in an Er3+-doped fluorozirconate fiber. The laser cascade overwhelms the saturation effect for the transition at 2.7 um by suppressing the laser transition at 850 nm (4S3/2 -> 4I13/2) with lasing at 1.7 um [1]. The population of the level 4S3/2 occurs for pump wavelengths around 800 nm due to strong pump excited state absorption (ESA). A fluorozirconate fiber (core diameter: 6 um, N.A.: 0.4, 3000 ppm Er3+, length: 1.1 m) fabricated be Le Verre Fluoré was used for the measurements. The fiber laser set-up was of the Fabry-Perot type. The mirrors used as input and output mirror had reflectivities of 99% at 1.7 um, 98% at 1.6 um, 32% at 2.7 um and approximately 10% at 850 nm. Transmissivity at 792 nm was 84%. It was estimated that 70% of the impinging pump power was launched into the core. Using the pump wavelength at 792 nm, the laser at 2.7 um was the first initiated. The transition at 1.7 um had a higher threshold power at about 300 mW launched pump power. Figure 1 shows the laser spectra for the cascade lasers at 1.6 um and 1.7 um. The maxima are located at 1.6 um and 1.72 um. [1] M. Pollnau, Ch. Ghisler, G. Bunea, M. Bunea, W. Lüthy, H. P. Weber: Appl. Phts. Lett. 66, No. 26, (June 1995), p. 3564-3566. [2] J. Schneider, D. Hauschild, Ch. Frerichs, L. Wetenkamp: Int. J. Infrared and Millimeter Waves 15, No. 11, (November 1994), p. 1907-1922

Delocalization in the Anderson model due to a local measurement

We study a one-dimensional Anderson model in which one site interacts with a detector monitoring the occupation of that site. We demonstrate that such an interaction, no matter how weak, leads to total delocalization of the Anderson model, and we discuss the experimental consequencesComment: 4 pages, additional explanations added, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Stochastic simulations of the quantum Zeno effect

Published versio

Dynamics of Quantum Collapse in Energy Measurements

The influence of continuous measurements of energy with a finite accuracy is studied in various quantum systems through a restriction of the Feynman path-integrals around the measurement result. The method, which is equivalent to consider an effective Schr\"odinger equation with a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian, allows one to study the dynamics of the wavefunction collapse. A numerical algorithm for solving the effective Schr\"odinger equation is developed and checked in the case of a harmonic oscillator. The situations, of physical interest, of a two-level system and of a metastable quantum-well are then discussed. In the first case the Zeno inhibition observed in quantum optics experiments is recovered and extended to nonresonant transitions, in the second one we propose to observe inhibition of spontaneous decay in mesoscopic heterostructures. In all the considered examples the effect of the continuous measurement of energy is a freezing of the evolution of the system proportional to the accuracy of the measurement itself.Comment: 20 pages with figures, compressed and uuencoded ps fil

Effect of the measurement on the decay rate of a quantum system

We investigated the electron tunneling out of a quantum dot in the presence of a continuous monitoring by a detector. It is shown that the Schr\"odinger equation for the whole system can be reduced to new Bloch-type rate equations describing the time-development of the detector and the measured system at once. Using these equations we find that the continuous measurement of the unstable system does not affect its exponential decay, $\exp (-\Gamma t)$, contrary to expectations based on the Quantum Zeno effect . However, the width of the energy distribution of the tunneling electron is no more $\Gamma$, but increases due to the decoherence, generated by the detector.Comment: Additional explanations are added. Accepted for publications in Phys. Rev. Let

Demonstration of quantum Zeno effect in a superconducting phase qubit

Quantum Zeno effect is a significant tool in quantum manipulating and computing. We propose its observation in superconducting phase qubit with two experimentally feasible measurement schemes. The conventional measurement method is used to achieve the proposed pulse and continuous readout of the qubit state, which are analyzed by projection assumption and Monte Carlo wave-function simulation, respectively. Our scheme gives a direct implementation of quantum Zeno effect in a superconducting phase qubit.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure