Reflections on the Adaptation of DIT’s RoboSumo Robot-Building Initiative within ITB’s Module on Professional Development for Engineers

This paper details a pilot initiative within the Engineering Department at Ireland’s Institute of Technology Blanchardstown (ITB) where a competitive, team-based robot-building activity has been embedded within the first year module Professional Development for Engineers. As part of the 2015 programmatic review process at ITB, an existing first year module Personal Development was significantly re-designed. The resulting module Professional Development for Engineers was delivered to Engineering students in semester 1 of year 1 of the 2015/16 academic year. A core aim of this initiative is to enhance the first year engineering student experience. The initiative is an adaptation of a robot-building activity run within the School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering at the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) for the past twelve years. The two lead authors, as part of a larger ITB programme design team, partnered with DIT to deliver a series of workshops that equipped ITB staff to deliver RoboSumo to their students at ITB. Arising from this preparatory work, ITB have implemented a slimmed down version of RoboSumo within ITB’s Professional Development for Engineers module. This paper outlines the curriculum design approach taken and then discusses challenges that encountered before and during implementation. An action plan for improvement of the next iteration is identified; it has been informed by the evaluation and analysis of the initial pilot project discussed here

First Year Checklist for Student Success Infographic

This infographic explores six dimensions from TU Dublin\u27s First Year Checklist for Student Success. The six dimensions are: Early Orientation; Extended Orientation; Peer Mentoring; Assessment and Feedback; Learning Spaces; and Graduate attributes. The infographic links to resources and good practice in each dimension

Supporting Women In Engineering and Technology Through A Collaborative Practice And Support Network Using Targeted Interventions

Despite ongoing efforts to recruit and retain women in third level engineering programmes in Ireland, there is still a lack of diversity in these programmes with typically fewer than 20% of students being female. This paper will describe the evolution of a female focused university wide network called WITU (Women in Technology United), which aims to retain female students in engineering and technology programmes, and to increase the number of gender minorities coming onto these programmes. It is also a response to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly, SDG 4 (quality education), and SDG 5 (gender equality), and addresses actions highlighted in a recent Athena Swan review in our University. The network was formed in 2020 and extended to become University wide during lockdown, which in itself presented specific challenges. This paper describes the activities of the WITU network which runs events and celebrations for female students on our engineering and technology programmes such as ‘Meet & Greet’ events for incoming year one students, scholarship workshops, coding camps and International Women’s Day celebrations. The events are run collaboratively with students, academics and employer networks, with participation from recent female graduate role models, who are contributing to the wider engineering community. This paper describes these events and their impact on participants. Outcomes and feedback from participants show the critical role of these types of targeted interventions in supporting women and gender minorities and address some of the most pressing global challenges relating to the abovementioned SDGs

First year Checklist for Success

The checklist is designed for staff involved in supporting first year student success and provides an opportunity to recognise and map out the range of activities in place on their programme(s) that can enrich the first year experience. The resource can also be used as a tool to plan for development to consolidate and extend current activities. The focus is on maximising what is effective in their context, not identifying deficits or gaps. This version was prepared in consultation with students, first year tutors and other staff involved in teaching and supporting first years from City, Tallaght and Blanchardstown campuses. The original checklist was developed under the auspices of the DIT Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategies committee

Vertebroplasty for acute painful osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: an update

Vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) are a common cause of back pain and disability and are usually osteoporotic in nature. Therapy aims to adequately control pain and allow early mobilisation and return of function while preventing additional fractures. A proportion of patients do not achieve adequate pain relief using conservative measures alone. Unwanted adverse effects from medications may also ensue. Vertebroplasty represents an alternative treatment option for VCFs. Patients with acute VCFs (≤6 weeks old) may gain the most benefit from vertebroplasty as healed fractures are not as amenable to cement injection. High-quality studies have reported conflicting results regarding the use of vertebroplasty in the treatment of acute VCFs. Despite high-quality evidence, varying study designs and heterogenous patient cohorts make interpretation of this data difficult. Only one sham-controlled randomised controlled trial (RCT) has evaluated vertebroplasty exclusively in patients with acute VCFs, reporting favourable results. Pooled data from RCTs also suggest vertebroplasty to be safe. This article provides a concise and critical review of the current literature regarding vertebroplasty for the treatment of acute VCFs

Factors Associated With Systemic Immune Activation Indices in a Global Primary Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Cohort of People With Human Immunodeficiency Virus on Antiretroviral Therapy.

BackgroundAmong antiretroviral therapy (ART)-treated people with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH), persistent systemic immune activation contributes to atherogenesis atherosclerotic, cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, and mortality. Factors associated with key immune activation indices have not previously been characterized among a global primary CVD prevention cohort of PWH.MethodsLeveraging baseline Randomized Trial to Prevent Vascular Events in HIV (REPRIEVE) data, we evaluated factors associated with soluble CD14 (sCD14) and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL).ResultsThe primary analysis cohort included 4907 participants from 5 global-burden-of-disease regions (38% female, 48% Black, median age 50 years). In fully adjusted models for sCD14, female sex and White race (among those in high-income regions) were associated with higher sCD14 levels, while higher body mass index (BMI) and current use of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor + integrase strand transfer inhibitor ART were associated with lower sCD14 levels. In fully adjusted models for oxLDL, male sex, residence in high-income regions, White race (among those in high-income regions), and higher BMI were associated with higher oxLDL levels. In a subanalysis cohort of 1396 women with HIV, increased reproductive age was associated with higher sCD14 levels but not with higher oxLDL levels.ConclusionsFactors associated with sCD14 and oxLDL, 2 key indices of immune-mediated CVD risk, differ. Future studies will elucidate ways in which medications (eg, statins) and behavioral modifications influence sCD14 and oxLDL and the extent to which dampening of these markers mediates CVD-protective effects.Clinical trials registrationNCT0234429