The Impact of Racial Salience on the Perception of Natural Hair

The purpose of this experimental study investigates whether racial salience in Black populations determines one’s liking of Black women’s natural hair through a sample of 33 male and female college students. Racial salience is a predictor of racial identification. Furthermore, racial identity in ethnic minorities is positively correlated with self-esteem. Because racial identity is associated with self-esteem, individuals who do not have adequate self-esteem are less likely to reject imposed Eurocentric beauty standards and will therefore struggle to embrace Afrocentric phenotypes such as natural hair. For these reasons, I hypothesize participants exposed to a Black racial identity stimulus will report greater affinity for natural hair than those exposed to a race-neutral stimulus. The materials included surveys which measured Black racial identity and self-esteem. Half of the sample engaged in the experimental group (N=17), of a Black racial identity stimulus activity which alluded to themes of racial salience such as racial socialization while others in the control group responded to salience of age (N=16). After both groups encountered the stimuli, they evaluated photos of Black women with different hairstyles (some who wore natural hair). Results indicate causality does not occur in racial salience and affinity for natural hair. However, the sample’s data yielded in one new correlation, but demonstrated a lack of significance in correlations previous ethnic identity researchers confirmed such as racial centrality being positively associated with self-esteem. Implications suggest higher private regard positively associates with greater liking for natural hair

Positive Psychology: A Scholar-Practitioner Approach to Evidence Based Coaching

In this thesis, I assert positive psychology is the science at the heart of coaching and argue it is an evidence-based coaching model. I provide a background of positive psychology and briefly discuss its history, evolution, psychological influences and current challenges. I discuss the nature of coaching, varying definitions and common themes. Critical questions surrounding Evidence Based Practice (EBP) and how can it be applied to coaching are also addressed. Examples of single, integrative and cross-disciplinary theoretical approaches to coaching are also explored. In my final chapter, I review and answer my thesis question of whether positive psychology is an evidence based approach to coaching, including an example from a recent client engagement. Coaching considerations for using positive psychology are explored as is the future of positive psychology coaching and research areas

Innovations in the design of an architectural engineering curriculum

This paper introduces a new curriculum, launched in October 2021, in Architectural Engineering, designed out of London, UK for implementation in Giza, Egypt. The developers of this newly formed higher education institution, Newgiza University, sought to introduce more contemporary approaches as well as cutting-edge curricular innovations to the education landscape in Egypt. To achieve this, they enlisted curriculum developers in architecture and engineering from University College London who have expertise in education research, curricular innovation, and the delivery of engineering and architecture modules and degree programs. The team worked in collaboration with experts and educators from Egypt to create a bespoke curriculum, drawing from a range of innovative approaches and educational theories, combining these with many well-established approaches. This paper, which represents the “scholarship of integration”, highlights distinctive aspects of the curriculum, and illustrates how prior research was integrated into the curriculum design, with a focus on the first year. The paper is geared toward design educators as well as curriculum developers

Comparing the meaning of ‘thesis’ and ‘final year project’ in architecture and engineering education

Architectural education shares much in common with engineering, including the use of a culminating capstone experience in the final year. The form of this experience varies, with the research-based thesis and final-year project being most common. This paper explores the literature on traditions of enquiry and the meaning of research in various fields and the evolution of the ‘thesis’ and ‘final year project’ approaches over time. It then briefly summarises empirical research conducted on a case study institution struggling to bridge gaps in understandings of these distinct forms of learning and teaching. Throughout, the paper presents a comprehensive set of diagrams to explain various paradigms and positions on research and design education. These diagrams depict processes used in architecture, engineering, and natural sciences to conduct research and generate designs. A new model is proffered to help unify competing conceptions of the final year project and thesis, for the case study institution and beyond

Stacking simulations in the beta-beam decay ring

The so-called beta-beam concept for accelerator-driven neutrino experiments envisages the production of a pure beam of electron neutrinos (or their antiparticles) through the beta-decay of radioactive ions circulating in a highenergy storage ring. An unprecedented number of ions must be collected in the decay ring and maintained in a few short bunches. Stacking is unavoidable to match the available source rates with this demand. A new stacking method makes use of off-momentum injection into the decay ring to approach the circulating beam without requiring ultra-fast injection elements, rotation in the longitudinal plane to bring the fresh bunches onto the central orbit and asymmetric merging to transport these ions into the centre of the large stack. Simulation results are presented for the repetitive stacking process for two candidate ion species of significantly different charge-tomass ratio

Integrating gender and inclusivity into research planning

Attaining equity across genders is still a challenging concept in many facets of society, but successful engineering for a diverse population requires inclusivity. Engineering teams, engineering design processes, engineering research and output can all improve when gender is considered, and when principles of inclusivity and equality are applied. Gender equality training, guided by research-informed toolkits, can promote positive actions, and encourage institutional change. This paper reports the outcomes of a workshop offered at the 2021 SEFI conference, introducing participants and readers alike to a toolkit for integrating gender-sensitive approaches into research and teaching. The toolkit, developed by Mihajlović Trbovc and Hofman, helps academics integrate gender dimensions into their research and teaching – at undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels – and into new projects and curricula

A phenomenological study of Irish and Portuguese women’s experiences of receiving family support when studying STEM subjects at technical institutes

Comunicação apresentada na 44th SEFI Conference, 12-­15 September 2016, Tampere, FinlandThis paper reports a research study of women’s experiences of receiving family support when studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects at technical institutes in Ireland and Portugal. Specifically, it reports phenomenological analysis of 19 interviews conducted during the 2014-­2015 academic years with female students studying engineering subjects at technical institutes in Ireland and Portugal. It identifies forms of positive support received from family as well as problematic family dynamics and concerns. Parents, uncles, and aunts provide many positive forces, as do surrogates (i.e., adopted family and close mentors). Cousins and brothers also provide role models and information. For our participants, meeting family obligations and being first-­generation college students presents some challenges and stress

Opportunities and barriers faced by early-career civil engineers enacting global responsibility

The term ‘global responsibility’ projects a holistic sense of ethics, sustainability, and obligation. To achieve the long-term viability of human life on Earth, civil engineering must be conducted in increasingly responsible ways, and civil engineers must value and enact global responsibility in their work. Interviews conducted with nine civil engineers in London provide insight regarding engineers’ familiarity with the term, how they learned about it, what opportunities and barriers they face, and what might be done by professional and educational institutions to help them practice more responsibly. Results indicate: the term itself is novel but underlying concepts are not; continuing professional development has played a crucial role in their understanding; material selection and Health & Safety represent primary avenues for contributing responsibly at work. This paper provides advice to professional institutions regarding transparencies, procedures, and metrics to enhance the UK workplace and ideas for educational institutions preparing engineering students for practice

On-command enhancement of single molecule fluorescence using a gold nanoparticle as an optical nano-antenna

We investigate the coupling of a single molecule to a single spherical gold nanoparticle acting as a nano-antenna. Using scanning probe technology, we position the particle in front of the molecule with nanometer accuracy and measure a strong enhancement of more than 20 times in the fluorescence intensity simultaneous to a 20-fold shortening of the excited state lifetime. Direct comparison with three-dimensional calculations allow us to decipher the contributions of the excitation enhancement, spontaneous emission modification, and quenching. Furthermore, we provide direct evidence for the role of the particle plasmon resonance in the modification of the molecular emission.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. submitted to Phys.Rev.Lett. 12/04/200

Mountains of Maize, Persistent Poverty

The past two years are a tribute to Zambian farmers; they have responded admirably to government efforts to promote maize production. But ironically, rural poverty remains stubbornly high despite the fact that the government has spent over 2% of the nation’s gross domestic product in supporting maize production and subsidizing inputs for farmers. Why is it that maize production has increased so impressively without making a serious dent in rural poverty? And what are the lessons for the new government?maize, poverty, Zambia, Agricultural and Food Policy, Food Security and Poverty,