Understanding Tourist-Host Interactions and their Influence on Quality Tourism Experiences

In response to the rise in visitor harassment in tourist destinations, there is a need to further our understanding of its impacts on the tourist experience. The purpose of this study was to understand tourist-host interactions in the context of harassment and its influence on overall quality of the tourism experience. Tourist attitudes towards hosts is an under researched topic in the academic literature. Thus, this thesis makes use of the social exchange theory, tourism development cycles, and the concept of segmentation (traditionally used to explain residents’ attitudes towards tourism/tourists), to help understand tourists’ attitudes towards hosts. Similarly, there are few studies that investigate tourist harassment by local people. Tourists’ attitudes towards the local people of Jamaica and the island itself were examined generally, and then with reference to the host behavior towards tourists and its potential for causing dissatisfaction with the overall quality of the tourism experience. This thesis utilized mixed methods in the form of surveys (quantitative data) and event-logs (qualitative data) to explore harassments impact on tourists’ perceptions, attitudes, and experiences. Data was collected on the island of Jamiaca, in Montego Bay and Negril. A total of 209 surveys were collected and 15 events were logged via BlackBerries over a weekend period. Both methodological approaches were employed during participants’ tourism experience, with the intent to capture their “in the moment” attitudinal responses towards the island, the local people, and the behavior of harassment. Results suggest that nearly 59% of participants experienced harassment, most often in the form of pestering vendors, and taking place on the street. Generally, participants’ attitudes towards the island of Jamaica and local people were positive. Although, when harassed and non-harassed participants were compared, those who were harassed expressed slightly more negative views. These negative views however, did not deter the majority of harassed participants from recommending or returning to Jamaica in the future. The findings of the present study raised important implications for tourism managers, operators, and planners, as harassment, although deemed an annoying local behavior, did not appear to negatively impact participants\u27 tourism experience of Jamaica. Furthermore, this tehsis advocates the need for continued research on the topics of visitor harassment and host-guest interactions, specifically hosts ability to influence the quality of tourists’ experiences

Are You Satisfied: A Qualitative Study on Job Satisfaction in Rural School Psychologists Roles and Functions

As early as kindergarten, children in rural areas are at greater risk for experiencing emotional, behavioral, social and adaptive problems (Girio-Herrera, Owens, Langberg, 2013). School psychologists are the closest network for children within the school, providing services such as assessments, interventions, and consultations (Reschly, 2000). From the limited research, rural school psychologists face unique barriers in their work such as a lack of resources to support children and experiencing professional isolation (Clopton & Knesting, 2006; McLeskey, et al., 1983). These challenges could negatively affect a rural school psychologist’s professional life and job satisfaction; however, this has yet to be thoroughly researched. Previous analyses of variance suggested a significant difference in self-reported job satisfaction between rural (M= 5.89) and suburban (M=5.4) school psychologists, but not urban school psychologists. The goal of this study is to closely examine the current roles and job satisfaction of rural school psychologists through an in-depth qualitative research methodology. An online survey was completed by 188 school psychologists in rural (n =94) and suburban (n =94) areas in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountain regions of the United States. Participants answered open-ended items that asked about their current and desired roles. Qualitative analyses using Nvivo Software will be used to conduct a content analyses of these open-ended responses; evaluating both common and differing themes in why rural or suburban school psychologists are satisfied or unsatisfied in their roles and functions. Attendees of this presentation will learn about challenges faced by school psychologists in rural schools and communities. It is our goal to identify any differences found between rural and suburban school psychologists’ job satisfaction, as well as recognizing ways to improve their overall perceptions of their roles and functions in rural schools. Improving their job satisfaction may result in more effective services rendered towards Montanan children

BEAMS Lab at MIT: Status report

The Biological Engineering Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (BEAMS) Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a facility dedicated to incorporating AMS into life sciences research. As such, it is focused exclusively on radiocarbon and tritium AMS and makes use of a particularly compact instrument of a size compatible with most laboratory space. Recent developments at the BEAMS Lab were aimed to improve different stages of the measurement process, such as the carbon sample injection interface, the simultaneous detection of tritium and hydrogen and finally, the overall operation of the system. Upgrades and results of those efforts are presented here.United States. National Institutes of Health (grant P30-ES02109)United States. National Institutes of Health (grant R42-CA084688)National Institutes of Health. National Center for Research Resources (grant UL1 RR 025005)GlaxoSmithKlin

Characterisation of the artist John Opie’s pigments, dated 1806

This paper discusses the contents of an artist’s paint box currently in the possession of St. Agnes Museum, Cornwall, UK, containing a selection of historic pigments. On its lid is a metal plaque that reads ‘John Opie 1806’. Very little is known about this paint box, so this piece of research aims to uncover some of the hidden information stored within it through identification of some of the pigments it contains. The main body of this research shows the first results obtained by the identification of a selection of the pigments from the paint box, using Fourier Transform Infra Red spectroscopy (FTIR) and optical microscopy techniques. These findings will be considered in relation to what this tells us about the artist John Opie, the authenticity of the pigments within the paint box, and the use of pigments in the early nineteenth century

Energy conservation for the Euler equations on T2 x R+ for weak solutions defined without reference to the pressure

We study weak solutions of the incompressible Euler equations on T2×R+; we use test functions that are divergence free and have zero normal component, thereby obtaining a definition that does not involve the pressure. We prove energy conservation under the assumptions that u∈L3(0,T;L3(T2×R+)), lim|y|→01|y|∫0T∫T2∫x3>|y|∞|u(x+y)−u(x)|3dxdt=0, and an additional continuity condition near the boundary: for some δ>0 we require u∈L3(0,T;C0(T2×[0,δ])). We note that all our conditions are satisfied whenever u(x,t)∈Cα, for some α>1/3, with Hölder constant C(x,t)∈L3(T2×R+×(0,T))

Remoulding of the Mercia Mudstone Group around CFA pile shafts

A field test has been undertaken to investigate changes to in situ Mercia Mudstone at the pile soil interface after installation of four 5.5 m long 350 mm diameter CFA piles. The test investigated whether a remoulded zone exists, the extent of the zone, changes caused by remoulding and the effect of the installation method. The piles and surrounding soil were excavated after installation to a depth of just under 2 m. The sections of pile and surrounding soil were returned to the laboratory where a variety of detailed observations at both micro and macroscopic scales were undertaken, together with chemical and mineralogical analysis. It was found that a remoulded zone existed in all piles but that this varied in thickness both laterally and vertically around a pile. Across all piles the maximum thickness observed was 55 mm. The average thickness, fabric and texture were all affected by installation method. A distinctive vertically orientated fabric was observed in which up to four vertically orientated layers could be distinguished. There was evidence of changes in texture/fabric, structure, colour, mineralogy and chemistry

Energy conservation for the Euler equations on T2×R+\mathbb{T}^2\times \mathbb{R}_+ for weak solutions defined without reference to the pressure

We study weak solutions of the incompressible Euler equations on $\mathbb{T}^2\times \mathbb{R}_+$; we use test functions that are divergence free and have zero normal component, thereby obtaining a definition that does not involve the pressure. We prove energy conservation under the assumptions that $u\in L^3(0,T;L^3(\mathbb{T}^2\times \mathbb{R}_+))$, $$\lim_{|y|\to 0}\frac{1}{|y|}\int^T_0\int_{\mathbb{T}^2}\int^\infty_{x_3>|y|} |u(x+y)-u(x)|^3\mathrm{d} x\, \mathrm{d} t=0,$$ and an additional continuity condition near the boundary: for some $\delta>0$ we require $u\in L^3(0,T;C^0(\mathbb{T}^2\times [0,\delta])))$. We note that all our conditions are satisfied whenever $u(x,t)\in C^\alpha$, for some $\alpha>1/3$, with H\"older constant $C(x,t)\in L^3(\mathbb{T}^2\times\mathbb{R}^+\times(0,T))$.Comment: 21 page

Carbon Free Boston: Technical Summary

Part of a series of reports that includes: Carbon Free Boston: Summary Report; Carbon Free Boston: Social Equity Report; Carbon Free Boston: Buildings Technical Report; Carbon Free Boston: Transportation Technical Report; Carbon Free Boston: Waste Technical Report; Carbon Free Boston: Energy Technical Report; Carbon Free Boston: Offsets Technical Report; Available at http://sites.bu.edu/cfb/OVERVIEW: This technical summary is intended to argument the rest of the Carbon Free Boston technical reports that seek to achieve this goal of deep mitigation. This document provides below: a rationale for carbon neutrality, a high level description of Carbon Free Boston’s analytical approach; a summary of crosssector strategies; a high level analysis of air quality impacts; and, a brief analysis of off-road and street light emissions.Published versio