Because they recognized us : Triangulated perspectives of Syrian mothers\u27 resettlement experiences in the Eastern United States.

Research indicates that post-resettlement experiences can be particularly challenging for people with refugee status. Despite finding safety in and adjusting to their new home, former refugees have indicated that this time can be stressful and even traumatic. The current Syrian crisis has created the largest wave of refugees ever known, and Syrian women are amongst the most vulnerable. However, women’s needs and preferences are often not taken into consideration during the resettlement journey and when they are, there is no distinction between mothers and their childless counterparts. As social workers strive to empower the individual person within their environment, it is beneficial to understand the perspectives and preferences of Syrian mothers with refugee status regarding their post-resettlement experience. This qualitative study provides insight into factors affecting two Syrian mothers post-resettlement and triangulates the perspectives of these women with those of local resettlement workers and state agency workers to understand similarities and differences in their views. The outcomes provide overarching themes and recommendations for change in both policy and practice from the participants responses, as well as implications for future research

Improving the High School and College Classroom Experience for Learners with Refugee Status: Theory, Practice, and Change.

Refugee populations are increasing globally, and children make up more than fifty percent of those displaced. Unique experiences that come with forced migration including fragmented education, trauma, family separation, grief, and adverse other effects can impact learning in the classroom for refugee students. Existing data indicates that schools lack sufficient protocols to meet the needs of students with refugee status who consistently face risks associated with ill-prepared learning environments, and therefore must rethink possibilities to address this. By adopting strategic decolonized approaches, educational leaders can create supportive environments which improve instructional methods and learning outcomes for these students as they navigate colonized educational institutions to attain academic achievement. This conceptual paper utilizes decolonizing educational theory grounded within the context of recognizing intersectionality to identify the challenges faced by refugee students in secondary education and their transitions to college. The authors offer theoretical and practical recommendations to school leaders in order to support students who are refugees towards their educational goals

Cleareye In-Ground and In-Concrete DIV Inspections: FY11 Final Report

This report summarizes the results of a series of feasibility testing studies for in-ground and in-concrete imaging/detection technologies including radar imaging and acoustic time-of flight method. The objectives of this project are: (1) Design Information Verification (DIV) Tools for In-Concrete Inspections - To determine the feasibility of using holographic radar imaging (HRI), radar imaging, and acoustic time-of-flight (TOF) non-destructive evaluation technologies to detect, locate and identify pipes and voids embedded in standard-density and high-density concrete walls that typify those the IAEA will need to verify during field inspections; (2) DIV Tools for In-Ground Inspections - To determine the feasibility of using HRI and radar imaging non-destructive evaluation technologies to detect, locate, and identify objects buried at various depths made of various materials (metal, plastic, wood, and concrete) and representing geometries that typify those the IAEA will need to verify during field inspections; and (3) Based on the results of the studies, recommend the next steps needed to realize fieldable tools for in-concrete and in-ground inspections (including detection of deeply buried polyvinyl chloride [PVC] pipes) that employ the technologies shown to be feasible

Sacred Connections: Using Faith-based Narratives to Create Matricentric Empowerment Spaces for Syrian Refugee Women

Christian social workers are called by both faith and professional ethics to welcome refugees. The Syrian conflict has created the largest refugee crisis the world has ever known, and while women and children are extremely vulnerable, the unique needs of refugee mothers are often overlooked in both policy and practice. Great importance is placed on motherhood roles in both Western and Arabic cultures, and providing targeted support to uplift refugee mothers can have significant positive ramifications as Syrian refugees resettle into their new lives. Guided by Brené Brown’s insights on empathy and drawing parallels from crossover stories of Biblical women in both Christian and Islamic traditions, the author uses sacred connections to build empathy and enact social change. This paper highlights ways that Christian social workers can adopt a matricentric (mother-focused) approach and provides a recommended interfaith model for intervention with Syrian refugee mothers

The intersection of social work and Syrian women with refugee status : a transnational matricentric feminist perspective.

Social workers have a history of engagement with refugees since the inception of the profession. However, many social workers engage with clients without knowing about their refugee status, and globalization and forced displacement is causing this to be a more frequent issue at this time. The Syrian war has created the largest refugee crisis the world has ever known, and yet the United States has had a lackluster response to welcoming Syrian refugees despite a strong record of previously welcoming refugees. With the recent change in presidential administration, it is expected that Syrian refugees will soon be welcomed in this nation. As such, social workers need to be prepared to support them effectively. Within the population of Syrians with refugee status, women (particularly mothers) are most at risk; therefore, this dissertation seeks to understand more about the relationship between Syrian mothers with refugee status and the social workers who support them. To accomplish this, a qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to gain insight into the dynamics between two resettled Syrian mothers, the refugee resettlement workers, and the state refugee office workers in Chapter Two. The following chapter, Chapter Three, looks at a quantitative survey of social workers in North Carolina to understand more about their perceptions towards Syrian women with refugee status in order to help the field become more prepared for future arrivals. From there, Chapter Four presents a conceptual article which creates a model for social workers who identify as Christian to welcome Syrian women with refugee status by creating a deeper and more empathetic understanding of each other through the use of crossover texts from the Holy Bible and Holy Qur’an. Altogether, this dissertation offers recommendations for social workers to improve their work with Syrian women with refugee status from a transnational feminist perspective which stands in solidarity with Syrian women on their journey and urges social workers to critically reflect upon their own perceptions in the process

The intersection of social work and Syrian women with refugee status : a transnational matricentric feminist perspective.

Social workers have a history of engagement with refugees since the inception of the profession. However, many social workers engage with clients without knowing about their refugee status, and globalization and forced displacement is causing this to be a more frequent issue at this time. The Syrian war has created the largest refugee crisis the world has ever known, and yet the United States has had a lackluster response to welcoming Syrian refugees despite a strong record of previously welcoming refugees. With the recent change in presidential administration, it is expected that Syrian refugees will soon be welcomed in this nation. As such, social workers need to be prepared to support them effectively. Within the population of Syrians with refugee status, women (particularly mothers) are most at risk; therefore, this dissertation seeks to understand more about the relationship between Syrian mothers with refugee status and the social workers who support them. To accomplish this, a qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to gain insight into the dynamics between two resettled Syrian mothers, the refugee resettlement workers, and the state refugee office workers in Chapter Two. The following chapter, Chapter Three, looks at a quantitative survey of social workers in North Carolina to understand more about their perceptions towards Syrian women with refugee status in order to help the field become more prepared for future arrivals. From there, Chapter Four presents a conceptual article which creates a model for social workers who identify as Christian to welcome Syrian women with refugee status by creating a deeper and more empathetic understanding of each other through the use of crossover texts from the Holy Bible and Holy Qur’an. Altogether, this dissertation offers recommendations for social workers to improve their work with Syrian women with refugee status from a transnational feminist perspective which stands in solidarity with Syrian women on their journey and urges social workers to critically reflect upon their own perceptions in the process

Direct access to dithiobenzoate RAFT agent fragmentation rate coefficients by ESR spin-trapping

The β-scission rate coefficient of tert -butyl radicals fragmenting off the intermediate resulting from their addition to tert-butyl dithiobenzoate-a reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agent-is estimated via the recently introduced electron spin resonance (ESR)- trapping methodology as a function of temperature. The newly introduced ESR-trapping methodology is critically evaluated and found to be reliable. At 20 °C, a fragmentation rate coefficient of close to 0.042 s-1 is observed, whereas the activation parameters for the fragmentation reaction- determined for the first time-read EA = 82 ± 13.3 kJ mol-1 and A = (1.4 ± 0.25) × 1013 s-1. The ESR spin-trapping methodology thus efficiently probes the stability of the RAFT adduct radical under conditions relevant for the pre-equilibrium of the RAFT process. It particularly indicates that stable RAFT adduct radicals are indeed formed in early stages of the RAFT polymerization, at least when dithiobenzoates are employed as controlling agents as stipulated by the so-called slow fragmentation theory. By design of the methodology, the obtained fragmentation rate coefficients represent an upper limit. The ESR spin-trapping methodology is thus seen as a suitable tool for evaluating the fragmentation rate coefficients of a wide range of RAFT adduct radicals.(Figure Presented). © 2014 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA

Enhanced spin-capturing polymerization and radical coupling mediated by cyclic nitrones

A series of cyclic nitrones have been tested for their spin-trapping activity in the enhanced spin-capturing polymerization of styrene and in nitrone-mediated radical coupling reactions. rac-2-Isopropyl-2,3-dimethyl-1-oxy- 2,3-dihydro-imidazol-4-one was found to be the most efficient nitrone. The specific polystyrene macroradical addition rate to this nitrone was determined to be 8.010 3Lmol -1s -1, which is by a factor of 10 higher than for previously studied compounds. Via enhanced spin-capturing polymerization, polymers in the range of oligomers to 30000gmol -1 were obtained. A strong dependence of molecular weight on monomer conversion was observed, which can be explained by the high trapping rate. In nitrone-mediated radical coupling, almost ideal coupling of bromine-functional polymers was obtained and the successful introduction of the residual alkoxyamine functionality confirmed. © 2012 CSIRO

Insights from Parents about Caring for a Child with Birth Defects

Birth defects affect 1 in 33 babies. Having a child with a birth defect impacts the whole family. Parents of children who have birth defects face unique challenges and desire to make life better for their kids. They also want to help to prevent birth defects in the future. Some of the challenges parents face involve communication with healthcare professionals, quality of life issues, creating awareness and advocating for research and funding, finding resources and support, and helping teens transition to appropriate, specialized adult care. This paper addresses these issues and their sub-issues, provides examples, and makes suggestions for improvement and research

Evaluation of Non-Nuclear Techniques for Well Logging: Technology Evaluation

This report presents an initial review of the state-of-the-art nuclear and non-nuclear well logging methods and seeks to understand the technical and economic issues if AmBe, and potentially other isotope sources, are reduced or even eliminated in the oil-field services industry. Prior to considering alternative logging technologies, there is a definite need to open up discussions with industry regarding the feasibility and acceptability of source replacement. Industry views appear to range from those who see AmBe as vital and irreplaceable to those who believe that, with research and investment, it may be possible to transition to electronic neutron sources and employ combinations of non-nuclear technologies to acquire the desired petro-physical parameters. In one sense, the simple answer to the question as to whether petro-physical parameters can be sensed with technologies other than AmBe is probably "Yes". The challenges come when attention turns to record interpretation. The many decades of existing records form a very valuable proprietary resource, and the interpretation of subtle features contained in these records are of significant value to the oil-gas exploration community to correctly characterize a well. The demonstration of equivalence and correspondence/correlation between established and any new sensing modality, and correlations with historic records is critical to ensuring accurate data interpretation. Establishing the technical basis for such a demonstration represents a significant effort