Pastoral Care on Remand and the Role of the Prison Chaplain

How do prisoners experience life on remand in England, and how do prison chaplains offer them pastoral care in this setting? This thesis explores the question of how prison chaplains deliver pastoral care in a remand prison, and how this care is received and experienced by prisoners. With my own experience as a remand prison chaplain as a catalyst, I engage with literature around practical theological approaches to exploring prison experience, criminological studies of remand, and prison chaplaincy. Using a grounded theory methodology, I explore the challenges of being on remand and the role of prison chaplains in meeting the needs of remandees, as well as chaplains’ own understandings of their vocation and ministry. Chaplains and prisoners were interviewed at three Local prisons in the North of England, and the major themes from these interviews explored thematically and theologically. I discuss issues of trust building and the precarious nature of the prisoner-chaplain relationship, and the core theme of liminality in the role of the chaplain and the experience of the remand prisoner. Liminality is explored as a key theme linking the limbo-like nature of remand life, the challenges of navigating the prison environment, and the status of the chaplain on the thresholds of prison life and ministry. The liminality of the chaplain is considered as a positive characteristic that enables a flexible ministry in a remand context. This leads to a theological analysis of remand chaplaincy through the lens of Walter Brueggemann’s concepts of the disorientation of lament and the notion of prophetic imagination. Remand chaplaincy is explored through the lens of a ministry of presence as ‘being with’ in conversation with the work of Samuel Wells. The thesis concludes with new understandings of remand chaplaincy in light of the liminality of the role and of the remand prisoner, and considers the challenges of the practical and theological aspects of providing pastoral care in this complex context

Geogenic nitrogen as a nutrient source to subglacial microbial ecosystems

Glacial runoff often contains nitrate far in excess of nitrogen (N) concentrations in snow. ‘Excess’ nitrate is likely produced by nitrifying bacteria in subglacial environments, yet the source of the additional N has not been identified. In this thesis, rocks are investigated as an N source to subglacial microbial ecosystems following their comminution by glacial erosion and leaching with meltwater. Weathering processes involving the release of N and micronutrients, iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn), from rock to glacial environments were evaluated using a combination of field studies in Adventdalen (Svalbard) and rock weathering experiments. Attempts were also made to constrain isotope fractionation during weathering to improve the use of stable isotopes to trace N provenance. The sedimentary geological succession underlying glaciers in the study area contained significant N (up to 0.21 wt. %), particularly in organic rich, siltstones and shales. Fe and Mn were largely found within oxide and carbonate minerals while significant pyrite bound Fe (max. 5.2 wt. %) was present in organic rich sediments. In simulated glacial weathering experiments, nitrogen was almost entirely liberated as ammonium with much of it absorbed to mineral surfaces rather than dissolved in solution. Pyrite oxidation liberated Fe and generated acidity which drove i) silicate dissolution releasing N and ii) carbonate dissolution yielding dissolved Mn. The largest N yields were associated with rocks containing abundant organic N which may have been liberated via oxidative weathering, protonation of amines and/or organic matter degradation by free radicals produced during crushing. Liberated ammonium was partly lost as ammonia gas when the solution pH exceeded 8 and also absorbed to sediment, particularly when clay minerals were abundant. Further experiments demonstrated an isotope enrichment in adsorbed ammonium of up to 10‰ δ15N relative to bedrock N, caused by fractionation from a combination of adsorption and volatilisation processes. In Svalbard, up to 89% of nitrate in glacial runoff was derived from non-snowpack sources. Solute was acquired into snowmelt via chemical weathering of rock talus in ice marginal moraines largely via coupled sulphide oxidation and silicate dissolution. When oxygen was available, ammonium released from rock was converted to nitrate via microbial nitrification. This assertion is supported by nitrate δ18O values of close to 0‰, vastly different from atmospheric oxygen. However, when flowpaths were anoxic, nitrate was absent likely due to microbial denitrification. Geological variations may control the magnitude of nutrient export by weathering in glacial catchments. For instance, N and Mn were particularly enriched in water from the Longyearbreen catchment which overlies shales enriched in these elements. Furthermore, clay minerals in bedrock significantly influences the distribution of N (as ammonium) between dissolved and particulate phases through ion exchange reactions

Public Health Informatics in Local and State Health Agencies: An Update From the Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey

OBJECTIVE: To characterize public health informatics (PHI) specialists and identify the informatics needs of the public health workforce. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: US local and state health agencies. PARTICIPANTS: Employees from state health agencies central office (SHA-COs) and local health departments (LHDs) participating in the 2017 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS). We characterized and compared the job roles for self-reported PHI, "information technology specialist or information system manager" (IT/IS), "public health science" (PHS), and "clinical and laboratory" workers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Descriptive statistics for demographics, income, education, public health experience, program area, job satisfaction, and workplace environment, as well as data and informatics skills and needs. RESULTS: A total of 17 136 SHA-CO and 26 533 LHD employees participated in the survey. PHI specialist was self-reported as a job role among 1.1% and 0.3% of SHA-CO and LHD employees. The PHI segment most closely resembled PHS employees but had less public health experience and had lower salaries. Overall, fewer than one-third of PHI specialists reported working in an informatics program area, often supporting epidemiology and surveillance, vital records, and communicable disease. Compared with PH WINS 2014, current PHI respondents' satisfaction with their job and workplace environment moved toward more neutral and negative responses, while the IT/IS, PHS, and clinical and laboratory subgroups shifted toward more positive responses. The PHI specialists were less likely than those in IT/IS, PHS, or clinical and laboratory roles to report gaps in needed data and informatics skills. CONCLUSIONS: The informatics specialists' role continues to be rare in public health agencies, and those filling that role tend to have less public health experience and be less well compensated than staff in other technically focused positions. Significant data and informatics skills gaps persist among the broader public health workforce

Messiah College Symphony Orchestra Family Concert 2017

The annual Family Concert given at Homecoming by the Messiah College Symphony Orchestra. Directed by Dr. Timothy Dixon

The Application of Statistical Sampling Techniques to the Operational Readiness Inspection

A Blue Ribbon Commission report to the Air Force Chief of Staff in February 1997 makes several specific recommendations on the conduct of Operational Readiness Inspections. This thesis develops a solution to one of the recommendations of that report; utilize scientifically based sampling techniques to reduce the footprint of the inspection on an evaluated unit. Acceptance sampling, common in industry, is developed for use in the environment of the Operational Readiness Inspection. The time saved from this more efficient sampling practice reduces Inspector General time at an evaluation, decreases the footprint, and answers the specific recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Commission. This thesis explains the construction of acceptance sampling plans and procedures. The changes to the Operational Readiness Inspection for effective application of acceptance sampling are defined and the automatic computation of acceptance plans through a computer spreadsheet application is accomplished. A validation is provided with the results from applying these techniques to an actual Operational Readiness Inspection at Cannon AFB, NM. Acceptance sampling has proven itself in the world of industry in international and military standards. This proven practice, simple in concept, can produce more credible and convincing results in any inspected area selected for sampling

Penrose conference report: Kinematics and geodynamics of intraplate dextral shear in eastern California and western Nevada

This conference provided a forum to discuss the range of geological and geophysical datasets from the eastern California shear zone (ECSZ) and Walker Lane belt (WLB) that bear on how intraplate deformation is accommodated and how to integrate the data into a comprehensive, spatially and kinematically coherent view of intraplate deformation through time

Acceleration and evolution of faults: An example from the Hunter Mountain-Panamint Valley fault zone, Eastern California

We present new space geodetic data indicating that the present slip rate on the Hunter Mountain–Panamint Valley fault zone in Eastern California (5.0 ± 0.5 mm/yr) is significantly faster than geologic estimates based on fault total offset and inception time. We interpret this discrepancy as evidence for an accelerating fault and propose a new model for fault initiation and evolution. In this model, fault slip rate initially increases with time; hence geologic estimates averaged over the early stages of the fault\u27s activity will tend to underestimate the present-day rate. The model is based on geologic data (total offset and fault initiation time) and geodetic data (present day slip rate). The model assumes a monotonic increase in slip rate with time as the fault matures and straightens. The rate increase follows a simple Rayleigh cumulative distribution. Integrating the rate-time path from fault inception to present-day gives the total fault offset

Sustainable urban futures and sustainable urban systems in the built environment: towards an integrated urban science research agenda

Today the built environment (or the human-made spaces and related infrastructures in which we live, work and play) is a vitally important element of our urban-oriented world. Increasingly we also see a closer focus on long-term ‘sustainable urban futures’ research, as both academics and national and international interest groups frame their discourses, policy and practice guidance, and current research agendas not only on the best and most effective ways of transitioning to a sustainable future, but also recognising the inherent complexity in existing ‘urban systems’. This perspective paper aims to trace the evolution of such thinking, drawing on both scholarly work and previous national and international high-level publications from relevant research programmes to identify key themes and commonalities of approach. The paper focuses on highlighting the importance of two interconnected research themes within the wider context of built environment research: (i) ‘sustainable urban systems’ (SUS) and (ii) ‘sustainable urban futures’ (SUF). In doing this the paper aims to synthesise the literature, distil emergent research findings from a range of publications to develop an integrated research agenda positioned at the nexus between these themes, and to explain what these and other key related concepts mean, and why they are important to understand. Adopting an international perspective and drawing on previous research from the ‘Global North’ and ‘Global South’, the paper concludes by highlighting the emerging lessons and challenges for research practice and suggests areas for future transdisciplinary research in what is termed ‘urban science’

Designing and implementing effective campus sustainability in Saudi Arabian universities: an assessment of drivers and barriers in a rational choice theoretical context

Saudi Arabia is a developing country that is experiencing a rapid growth in its population and level of urbanisation. Higher education (HE) in the country has developed rapidly over the last ten years, and it is still moving through numerous major reforms. Largely, the concept of sustainability has not yet been formally adopted in public institutions in a way that could sufficiently remedy the range of activities that currently impact negatively on the environment. The central aim of this paper is to examine the extent to which planning and action for sustainability is currently being taken on university campuses in Saudi Arabia, and to review the opportunities and challenges for encouraging and enabling further progress to this end. The research that the paper draws on specifically investigated the influence of decision makers’ personal knowledge and perceptions within Facilities and Project Management (FPM) departments at selected Saudi universities, and the constraints faced by FPM decision makers with regard to the promotion of sustainability on campus. This exploration was supported by the development of a theoretical framework that draws on rational choice theory (RCT). The research revealed mixed levels of prevailing knowledge and awareness towards sustainability among FPM decision makers within the case study university campuses. Cost notably came across as a dominant influence on FPM decision makers’ choices and decisions, and it undoubtedly plays an important role in shaping the decision-making process alongside other key organisational factors. A number of barriers facing the incorporation of sustainability emerged with clarity, such as the lack of supportive leadership, the lack of sustainability knowledge and awareness among senior management and an absence of sustainability-related legislation policy or strategic direction in the HEIs concerned

Refined kinematics of the Eastern California shear zone from GPS observations, 1993-1998

Global Positioning System (GPS) results from networks spanning the Eastern California shear zone and adjacent Sierra Nevada block, occupied annually between 1993 and 1998, constrain plate margin kinematics. We use an elastic block model to relate GPS station velocities to long‐term fault slip rate estimates. The model accounts for elastic strain accumulation on the San Andreas fault, as well as faults of the Eastern California shear zone. South of the Garlock fault, 14 mm/yr of dextral shear is distributed across the Eastern California shear zone. Some of this slip penetrates eastward into the Basin and Range, and a collective budget of 13 mm/yr is observed to the north at the latitude of Owens Lake. Model slip rates for two important faults, the Garlock and Owens Valley faults, significantly misfit geologic estimates. By referencing station velocities to stable North America we observe northward‐increasing deformation east of our regional GPS network. At the latitude of Mojave Desert, however, some of this deformation is ascribed to elastic strain accumulation due to a locked San Andreas fault and thus does not represent additional fault‐related, permanent deformation