U.S. National Security and Global Health: An Analysis of Global Health Engagement by the U.S. Department of Defense

Despite a broadening consensus that global health care efforts have an impact on national and global security, the U.S. national security community’s efforts to address global health are weak and uncoordinated. The 2006 National Security Strategy states that “development reinforces diplomacy and defense, reducing long-term threats to our national security by helping to build stable, prosperous, and peaceful societies.” While the U.S. government struggles to find the right balance among the “three Ds” of defense, diplomacy, and development, the U.S. military has increased its involvement in global health where it perceives the diplomacy and development to be underresourced—or to achieve its own specific objectives. As efforts to renew the capabilities of civilian agencies proceed, it is an appropriate time to step back and consider the role that the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) currently plays in global health, the impact of its health activities on national and regional security, and the role it could play to support a newly balanced U.S. foreign policy

Implementing Organizational Change in a Multidimensional Community College District: A Case Study

Implementing organizational change within complex organizations involves responding to external forces that impact business operations. Leaders guide their organizations through planned change processes by implementing strategic initiatives that affect the entire organization, impact business operations, and influence organizational values (Nadler & Tushman, 1989; Tushman & Nadler, 2012). Community colleges implement change initiatives on behalf of historically, non-dominant students to address systemic issues through developing more inclusive higher education practices (Harris & Wood, 2016; Tate IV, 2008). The following study investigated a matrix-structured community college district located in the Pacific Northwest that implemented change across multiple dimensions to improve student success outcomes for systemically minoritized populations. The purpose of the study was to investigate perceptions held by leaders and staff associated with change management implementation within a multidimensional higher education organization with a focus on Black male student outcomes. Through a qualitative, case study approach, the study analyzed data collected within six focus group interviews with 12 participants. Analysis of RQ1 established four major themes including high turnover/attrition, effectiveness of change, effectiveness of communication, and cross-functional teams; and RQ2 established three major themes including heightened awareness of opportunity gaps, shared vision, and cross-functional teams. Findings produced primary recommendations (integrate Achieving the Dream (ATD) into the formal structure of the district, clarifying decision-making and processes, improve transparency and communication, and thoughtful collaboration) and recommendations for future research (1) contributes to emerging literature on multidimensional higher education institutions; (2) improving educational experiences for Black male community college students; and (3) understanding organizational change processes on community college campuses

Characterization of Eight Potentially Hazardous Near Earth Asteroids: Rotation Period Analysis and Structure Modeling Via Light Curve Inversion Techniques

The term “homeland security”, seems to have become synonymous with terrorism in the minds of the general public. However, there are other threats to the security of the United States homeland that can be just as, if not more, devastating than terrorism. Included among these other threats is the potential of an asteroid collision with Earth. Historically, asteroid impact events have been responsible for the devastation of our planet and many of the mass extinction events encountered throughout the geologic record. Knowledge of physical parameters such as structure and rotational dynamics of the asteroid are critical parameters in developing interception and deflection techniques, as well as assessing the risk associated with these bodies and mitigation planning in the event of impact. This thesis encompasses the study of eight potentially hazardous asteroids identified in conjunction with NASA’s OSIRIS REX Mission and observed via the Target Asteroid Project, along with observations from the Robotically Controlled Telescope, and the Asteroid Light Curve Database of Photometry. Photometric data was extracted from all observations. Rotation periods of each target were confirmed using Lomb-Scargle time series analysis, with possible secondary periods indicated in the cases of Hathor (2.2169 hours), Bede (161.1501 hours), and Phaethon (4.5563 hours). Shape models for 2002 FG7, 2004 JN13, and Icarus were produced using light curve inversion techniques These are believed to be the first such models for these asteroids

MOFganic Chemistry: Challenges and Opportunities for Metal-Organic Frameworks in Synthetic Organic Chemistry

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous, crystalline solids constructed from organic linkers and inorganic nodes that have been widely studied for applications in gas storage, chemical separations, and drug delivery. Owing to their highly modular structures and tunable pore environments, we propose that MOFs have significant untapped potential as catalysts and reagents relevant to the synthesis of next-generation therapeutics. Herein, we outline the properties of MOFs that make them promising for applications in synthetic and organic chemistry, including new reactivity and selectivity, enhanced robustness, and user-friendly preparation. In addition, we outline the challenges facing the field and propose new directions to maximize the utility of MOFs for drug synthesis. This perspective aims to bring together the organic and MOF communities to develop new heterogeneous platforms capable of achieving synthetic transformations that can-not be replicated by homogeneous systems

Trophic distribution of nutrient production in coral reef fisheries

Coral reef fisheries supply nutritious catch to tropical coastal communities, where the quality of reef seafood is determined by both the rate of biomass production and nutritional value of reef fishes. Yet our understanding of reef fisheries typically uses targets of total reef fish biomass rather than individual growth (i.e. biomass production) and nutrient content (i.e. nutritional value of reef fish), limiting the ability of management to sustain the productivity of nutritious catches. Here, we use modelled growth coefficients and nutrient concentrations to develop a new metric of nutrient productivity of coral reef fishes. We then evaluate this metric with underwater visual surveys of reef fish assemblages from four tropical countries to examine nutrient productivity of reef fish food webs. Species' growth coefficients were associated with nutrients that vary with body size (calcium, iron, selenium and zinc), but not total nutrient density. When integrated with fish abundance data, we find that herbivorous species typically dominate standing biomass, biomass turnover and nutrient production on coral reefs. Such bottom-heavy trophic distributions of nutrients were consistent across gradients of fishing pressure and benthic composition. We conclude that management restrictions that promote sustainability of herbivores and other low trophic-level species can sustain biomass and nutrient production from reef fisheries that is critical to the food security of over 500 million people in the tropics