Visiting Holocaust: Related Sites in Germany with Medical Students as an Aid to Teaching Medical Ethics and Human Rights

Some doctors and nurses played a key role in Nazism. They were responsible for the sterilization and murder of people with disabilities. Nazi doctors used concentration camp inmates as guinea pigs in medical experiments that had military or racial objectives. What we have learnt about the behaviour of doctors and nurses during the Nazi period enables us to reflect on several issues in present-day medicine (research limitations, decision making at the beginning and the end of a life and the relationship between physicians and the State). In some authors' opinions, the teaching of the medical aspects of the Holocaust could be a new model for education relating to professionalism, Human Rights, Bioethics and the respect of diversity. Teaching Medicine and the Holocaust could be a way of informing doctors and nurses of violations of Ethics in the past. Moreover, a Study Trip to Holocaust and Medicine related sites has a strong pedagogical value. Visiting Holocaust related sites, T4 centres and the places where medical experiments were carried out, has a special meaning for medical students. Additionally, tolerance, anti-discrimination, and the value of human life can be both taught and learned through this curriculum. The following article recounts our experiences of organizing and supervising a study trip with a group of medical students to some Holocaust and medicine-related sites in Berlin and Hadamar (Germany). The study tour included lectures at universities in Düsseldorf and Berlin

Metodología de evaluación de la sostenibilidad de proyectos de electrificación rural

Tesi amb diferents seccions retallades per drets de l'editorPremi Extraordinari de Doctorat, promoció 2018-2019. Àmbit d’Enginyeria IndustrialCurrently, around 1.2 billion people remain without access to electricity in rural areas of Africa, Asia and Latin America. To date, rural electrification programs have been carried out mainly using conventional technologies based on fossil fuels and/or expanding the coverage of transmission and distribution networks. In addition, in recent years, rural electrification with renewable energy or alternative energy sources has begun to be considered technically feasible. However, it is necessary to improve the evaluation methods of implemented programs and projects in order to know with certainty under which determining one or another technology becomes more convenient. Thus, the participation regional and national governments is expected to be promoted in long-term rural electrification programs, to increase universal access to electricity. In this context, the main objective of this PhD thesis is to propose an evaluation methodology of rural electrification programs to promote their continuous improvement, in terms of design and implementation. In this sense, a formative approach is sought, since ongoing programs require elements for continuous improvement. In addition, a management perspective is assumed, as the results are presented in an appropriate manner for program leaders so as the implementation can be improved by applying the appropriate modifications, when and where needed. The proposed methodology considers a complete evaluation in 4 sustainability dimensions: environmental, technical, socioeconomic and institutional; in turn organised in 15 criteria that allow to analyse in detail the design and implementation of the program. The criteria are evaluated through some indicators that consider the specific characteristics of each project within the program to be studied. The results of the application of the methodology allow weighting, on an objective basis, the effectiveness of electrification programs based on renewable energy technologies (RET) in comparison with the conventional electricity grid extension and/or diesel generators. In order to develop the evaluation methodology proposed in this PhD thesis, from 2016 to 2018, visits have been made to 24 rural communities in Venezuela, electrified with renewable energy or diesel generators, from the extreme southeast (rainforest), on the border with Brazil, up to the extreme northwest (desert), on the border with Colombia, going through the Andean Cordillera (frozen mountain), in a journey of more than 2,200 kilometres that has allowed to consider different social and climatic contexts. The visits have been useful to clearly identify the dimensions that define projects sustainability, as well as the criteria and indicators to be considered for their evaluation. Subsequently, the proposed methodology has been applied to the electrified communities with renewable energy of the Venezuelan program “Sembrando Luz” (Sowing Light) that has reached 900 rural communities to date, and is expected to benefit 2,020 more in the near future, using renewable energy. In this regard, the evaluation methodology promotes continuous improvement in favour of universal access to electricity in the rural communities of Venezuela, and the lessons learned can be useful for the development of similar initiatives in other developing countries.En la actualidad, alrededor de 1.200 millones de personas permanecen sin acceso a la electricidad en zonas rurales de África, Asia y América Latina. Hasta la fecha, los programas de electrificación rural se han desarrollado mayoritariamente utilizando tecnologías convencionales basadas en combustibles fósiles y/o la ampliación de la cobertura de las redes eléctricas de transmisión y distribución. Además, en los últimos años se ha comenzado a considerar técnicamente factible la electrificación rural con energías renovables o fuentes alternativas de energía. Sin embargo, es necesario mejorar los métodos de evaluación de los programas y proyectos implementados, con la finalidad de conocer con certeza bajo qué condicionantes es más conveniente una u otra tecnología. Así, se espera favorecer la participación de gobiernos regionales y nacionales en programas de electrificación rural a largo plazo, para incrementar el acceso universal a la electricidad. En este contexto, el objetivo principal de esta tesis doctoral es proponer una metodología de evaluación de programas de electrificación rural para promover su mejora continua, en términos de diseño e implementación. En este sentido, se busca un enfoque formativo, ya que los programas en curso requieren de elementos para la mejora continua. Además, se asume una perspectiva de gestión, ya que los resultados se presentan de forma adecuada para los líderes del programa de modo que se pueda mejorar la implementación aplicando las modificaciones adecuadas, cuando y donde sea necesario. La metodología propuesta considera una evaluación completa en 4 dimensiones de sostenibilidad: ambiental, técnica, socioeconómica e institucional; a su vez compuestas por 15 criterios que permiten analizar en detalle el diseño y la implementación del programa. Los criterios se evalúan mediante unos indicadores que consideran las características específicas de cada proyecto dentro del programa a estudiar. Los resultados de la aplicación de la metodología permiten ponderar, sobre una base objetiva, la efectividad de los programas de electrificación basados en tecnologías energéticas renovables (Renewable Energy Technologies, RET) en comparación con la extensión de la red eléctrica convencional y/o los grupos electrógenos. Para el desarrollo de la metodología de evaluación propuesta en esta tesis doctoral, entre 2016 y 2018, se han realizado visitas a 24 comunidades rurales en Venezuela, electrificadas con energías renovables o grupos electrógenos, desde el extremo sureste (bosque tropical lluvioso), en la frontera con Brasil, hasta el extremo noroeste (desierto), en la frontera con Colombia, pasando por el Cordillera de los Andes (montaña congelada), en un recorrido de más de 2.200 kilómetros que ha permitido considerar diferentes contextos sociales y climáticos. Las visitas han servido para identificar con claridad las dimensiones que definen la sostenibilidad de los proyectos, así como los criterios e indicadores a considerar para su evaluación. Posteriormente, la metodología propuesta se ha aplicado a las comunidades electrificadas con energías renovables del programa venezolano "Sembrando Luz" que hasta la fecha ha llegado a 900 comunidades rurales, y se espera que beneficie a 2.020 más en un futuro cercano, utilizando energías renovables. En este sentido, la metodología de evaluación promueve una mejora continua en favor del acceso universal a la electricidad en las comunidades rurales de Venezuela, y las lecciones aprendidas pueden ser útiles para el desarrollo de iniciativas similares en otros países en vías de desarrollo.Award-winningPostprint (published version

Renewable microgrid projects for autonomous small-scale electrification in Andean countries

Nowadays, 84% of the world population without access to electricity is located in rural areas of developing countries. In particular, in the Andean countries, about 10.4 million people lack of access to electricity, mainly in isolated poor regions. Considering the relevance of electricity in overcoming poverty and promoting socioeconomic development, local-regional-national governments, supported by international organizations, are making efforts to achieve full rural electrification. In this regard, renewable microgrid projects are an effective alternative where the national grid extension has limitations. The literature on the design of such projects is significant. However, when evaluating experiences, most works focus on an analysis of projects’ performance from a technical and/or economical point of view. In contrast, very few literature has been reported on the comparison of such experiences from the perspective of the design process itself and how decisions are taken by project developers. In this article, five rural electrification experiences in Andean Countries (Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela) are reviewed, analyzing the decisions taken across the design process and showing the suitability of these technologies to extend access to electricity. In the target projects, first, a preliminary analysis is carried out to estimate the energy resources and demand. Next, the system is designed and implemented to meet the demand using the available resources. The five projects illustrate different options for the electrical generation (single, hybrid or combination of technologies), storage (battery or diesel backup) and distribution (microgrid or individual systems), as well as different methods for data gathering and systems design. In addition, a comparison of projects’ real behavior is carried out and their technical performance in terms of energy production and suitability of the technologies implemented is analyzed. These projects can be a good reference for the dissemination of such technologies in future projects in the Andean countries and abroad.Postprint (author's final draft

Long-term sustainability assessment of micro-hydro projects: case studies from Venezuela

In 2016, 1,100 million people lack access to electricity, mainly in developing countries in Africa, Asia and South America. In these countries, there is a large potential for hydroelectric production through off-grid microgrids, although not fully exploited. This work assesses the long-term sustainability of off-grid microhydro projects operating in rural indigenous communities. More specifically, four sustainability dimensions are analyzed: environmental, technical, socioeconomic and institutional, and specific indicators are proposed for each one. In particular, 6 micro-hydroelectric power plants in southern Venezuela are used as case studies. The data gathering includes surveys, technical visits and interviews with technicians, engineers and beneficiaries. Results show that the institutional dimension and, in particular, alignment between involved institutions has been fundamental for the long-term sustainability. Indeed, appropriate institutional alignment is the key to strengthening the impacts on: (i) the environmental dimension, minimizing emissions and impacts on local ecosystems; (ii) the technical dimension, improving adequacy and reliability of technologies; and (iii) the socioeconomic dimension, making efficient use of electricity to enhance education, health and productivity. Lessons learned and conclusions of this research can significantly contribute to improve future projects, in particular to the 22 included in the electrification plans of Venezuela in coming years.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Sustainability and design assessment of rural hybrid microgrids in Venezuela

Nowadays, 1.2 billion people lack access to electricity, mainly in rural areas of developing countries. In particular, 22 million people do not have electricity in Latin America and many governments are developing rural electrification programs to deal with this situation. Off-grid hybrid microgrids based on renewable energy are an efficient option for providing dispersed rural populations with access to electricity. However, microgrids are still a minority option, as governments of developing countries generally consider them expensive and not effective. In this context, the evaluation of projects based on hybrid microgrids is required in order to improve the knowledge about these technologies. In this paper, 13 microgrid projects in north-western Venezuela are presented and their environmental, technical, socioeconomic and institutional dimensions of sustainability are evaluated. For this purpose, an evaluation methodology based on some ad hoc criteria is developed, assessed by means of technical visits, semi-structured interviews and 106 surveys of technical operators and beneficiaries. The results show that microgrids can satisfy the energy needs of the population, while promoting technological change towards the use of more sustainable technologies. In addition, the key aspects for strengthening projects’ sustainability are highlighted.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Formative evaluation of sustainability in rural electrification programs from a management perspective: A case study from Venezuela

Nowadays, around 1.2 billion people remain without access to electricity in rural areas of Africa, Asia and Latin America. In order to achieve universal access, a wide range of institutions must be involved in long-term rural electrification programs within a regional and national scope. In this context, the main objective of this research is to propose an evaluation methodology which aims to promote continual improvement of the programs underway, by undertaking the appropriate modifications in terms of their design and implementation. In this regard, a formative approach is sought, as the programs underway require from elements for continual improvement. In addition, a management perspective is also sought, as the results focus on program leaders for the implementation of suitable modifications, as and when needed. The proposed evaluation methodology considers 4 sustainability dimensions: environmental, technical, socioeconomic and institutional, in turn composed of 15 criteria that allow the design and implementation of the program to be analyzed in detail. The criteria are assessed by means of indicators dealing with the specific conditions of each program. As a case study, the Venezuelan programPeer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Social Movements in Politics and the Media: The case of the Pro-underground railway Platform of Murcia in the 2019 local elections

15M was the first reaction by some of the most important social movements in recent years in Spain. It was the impetus behind the emergence of the ‘tides’ or movements dedicated to education and health issues. However, after a few years of social inaction, citizen movements seem to have revived thanks to the feminist demonstrations of 8th March 2018 and the pensioners’ protests because of their loss of purchasing power. In these times, when parliamentary majorities are in decline, it seems that citizen platforms are emerging as an alternative means of making their demands known to institutions. In the case presented in this study, the citizens of Murcia created a platform to demand that the Government comply with the plan for building the AVE railway tracks underground, as they had promised. Since then, the Citizen Pro-Underground Railway Platform has held several demonstrations and thanks to social networks it has developed a successful mass communication strategy. This study has been carried out in two phases and presents a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the Platform’s communication strategy. In addition, it aims to determine its level of participation in the political and media Twitter conversation ahead of the 2019 local and regional elections in Murcia