Colorblind ideology in education

Abstract. While most white Americans believe race to be irrelevant in the present-day United States, severe racial disparities between groups suggest otherwise. Instead, most white Americans endorse a colorblind ideology which disavows the existence of systemic racism and is rooted in individualistic perceptions of equal opportunity. This thesis employs a literature review analysis on the ways in which colorblind ideology appears in institutionalized education and the possible effects it has on equity at school. Due to the available research data, United States is being used as an example on how colorblind ideology permeates institutionalized education. Afterwards, the context of Finnish education will be examined and comparisons on how colorblind ideology appears in these two countries’ education systems will be made. Recent studies suggest that colorblind ideology is commonly endorsed by teachers in both countries. Furthermore, students seem to posit similar views, as the social atmosphere holds race as a taboo. Thus, the ideology may cause normalization of racial disparities and hide systemic racism that may be reproducing unequal conditions at school

Double resonant absorption measurement of acetylene symmetric vibrational states probed with cavity ring down spectroscopy

A novel mid-infrared/near-infrared double resonant absorption setup for studying infrared-inactive vibrational states is presented. A strong vibrational transition in the mid-infrared region is excited using an idler beam from a singly resonant continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator, to populate an intermediate vibrational state. High output power of the optical parametric oscillator and the strength of the mid-infrared transition result in efficient population transfer to the intermediate state, which allows measuring secondary transitions from this state with a high signal-to-noise ratio. A secondary, near-infrared transition from the intermediate state is probed using cavity ring down spectroscopy, which provides high sensitivity in this wavelength region. Due to the narrow linewidths of the excitation sources, the rovibrational lines of the secondary transition are measured with sub-Doppler resolution. The setup is used to access a previously unreported symmetric vibrational state of acetylene, $\nu_1+\nu_2+\nu_3+\nu_4^1+\nu_5^{-1}$ in the normal mode notation. Single-photon transitions to this state from the vibrational ground state are forbidden. Ten lines of the newly measured state are observed and fitted with the linear least-squares method to extract the band parameters. The vibrational term value was measured to be at 9775.0018(45) $\text{cm}^{-1}$, the rotational parameter $B$ was 1.162222 $\text{cm}^{-1}$, and the quartic centrifugal distortion parameter $D$ was 3.998(62)$\times 10^{-6} \text{cm}^{-1}$, where the numbers in the parenthesis are one-standard errors in the least significant digits

The Continuum Linear Polarization Signature of Classical Be Stars

Classical Be stars are rapidly-rotating, massive stars that exhibit distinct observational characteristics due to the presence of enveloping, equatorial disks of gas. While diligent observation of these objects has established a reliable description of their geometric and kinematic properties, our understanding of classical Be stars remains distressingly limited on the dynamical front. Principally, we lack a satisfactory characterization of the physical process(es) through which the gaseous disks form and dissipate. In order to understand the mechanisms that govern the development of these enigmatic stars, we use computational codes to produce theoretical models of these objects and their environments. We compare the predicted observables to astronomical observations of classical Be stars. By interpreting the results of these comparisons, we can place important constraints on the parameters of the models, and thus determine fundamental properties of the circumstellar disks. The intrinsic continuum linear polarization signature is a distinguishing feature of classical Be stars. Arising from electron scattering in the non-spherically symmetric distribution of gas, this signature provides a unique means for directly probing the physical and geometric properties of the circumstellar environment. In this thesis, we assess the potential role of polarimetry in investigating the dynamical nature of classical Be star disks. We present our implementation of a Monte Carlo computation of the Stokes intensities using the self-consistent thermal solution of a non-LTE radiative transfer code. We highlight the relative importance of multiple-scattering and disk temperature in predicting the fraction of linearly polarized light emerging from classical Be stars. We also demonstrate that gas metallicity has a minimal effect in the determination of the degree of linear polarization. Finally, by demonstrating that the principal features of the polarimetric signature originate from different parts of the disk, we illustrate how these properties can have an important role in characterizing both the geometric nature and the evolution of the disk. This work establishes a critical understanding of how the continuum linear polarization signature forms and how we can interpret it in the context of the dynamics of classical Be star disks

Changes in drinking as predictors of changes in sickness absence: a case-crossover study

BACKGROUND: We investigated whether changes in alcohol use predict changes in the risk of sickness absence in a case-crossover design. METHODS: Finnish public sector employees were surveyed in 2000, 2004 and 2008 on alcohol use and covariates. Heavy drinking was defined as either a weekly intake that exceeded recommendations (12 units for women; 23 for men) or having an extreme drinking session. The responses were linked to national sickness absence registers. We analysed the within-person relative risk of change in the risk of sickness absence in relation to change in drinking. Case period refers to being sickness absent within 1 year of the survey and control period refers to not being sickness absent within 1 year of the survey. RESULTS: Periods of heavy drinking were associated with increased odds of self-certified short-term (1–3 days) sickness absence (multivariable-adjusted OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.38 for all participants; 1.62, 95% CI 1.19 to 2.21 for men and 1.15, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.33 for women). A higher risk of short-term sickness absence was also observed after increase in drinking (OR=1.27, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.52) and a lower risk was observed after decrease in drinking (OR=0.83, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.00). Both increase (OR=1.38, 95% CI 1.21 to 1.57) and decrease (OR=1.27, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.43) in drinking were associated with increased risk of long-term (>9 days) medically certified all-cause sickness absence. CONCLUSION: Increase in drinking was related to increases in short-term and long-term sickness absences. Men and employees with a low socioeconomic position in particular seemed to be at risk

Seven exercises planned to stimulate the flow of ideas in creative composition

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

Changes in drinking as predictors of changes in sickness absence: a case-crossover study

BACKGROUND: We investigated whether changes in alcohol use predict changes in the risk of sickness absence in a case-crossover design. METHODS: Finnish public sector employees were surveyed in 2000, 2004 and 2008 on alcohol use and covariates. Heavy drinking was defined as either a weekly intake that exceeded recommendations (12 units for women; 23 for men) or having an extreme drinking session. The responses were linked to national sickness absence registers. We analysed the within-person relative risk of change in the risk of sickness absence in relation to change in drinking. Case period refers to being sickness absent within 1 year of the survey and control period refers to not being sickness absent within 1 year of the survey. RESULTS: Periods of heavy drinking were associated with increased odds of self-certified short-term (1–3 days) sickness absence (multivariable-adjusted OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.38 for all participants; 1.62, 95% CI 1.19 to 2.21 for men and 1.15, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.33 for women). A higher risk of short-term sickness absence was also observed after increase in drinking (OR=1.27, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.52) and a lower risk was observed after decrease in drinking (OR=0.83, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.00). Both increase (OR=1.38, 95% CI 1.21 to 1.57) and decrease (OR=1.27, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.43) in drinking were associated with increased risk of long-term (>9 days) medically certified all-cause sickness absence. CONCLUSION: Increase in drinking was related to increases in short-term and long-term sickness absences. Men and employees with a low socioeconomic position in particular seemed to be at risk