Moving on Up

This article shows how a practical approach, developed at Cranfield School of Management, can shift the dials on the numbers of women executives in organizations. We illustrate how we have used our Inclusive Talent Management template to guide our partnership with HSBC’s 80,000-strong global Operations, Services and Technology division (HOST). The HOST Executive Committee (ExCo) established a programme called Accelerating for Difference to create a strong pipeline of female talent and achieve greater female representation, particularly at the most senior levels

Indigenous perspectives on integrating learning technologies in a tertiary enabling program

The Centre for Aboriginal Studies at Curtin University offers an Indigenous Tertiary Enabling Course designed to equip Indigenous students for entry into mainstream university degree programs. While the program is highly regarded, it is argued that opportunities offered by incorporating contemporary learning technologies to allow more effective student engagement can deliver more successful outcomes. With this in mind the Centre has undertaken to introduce the use of tablet devices (iPad) and notebook computers (MacBook Air), which will enable a strategic shift towards a more student-centred, technology, integrated model of student engagement with anticipated enhanced outcomes. The Centre has undertaken to trial the use of online teaching and learning strategies in semester 1, 2014. At this pre-tertiary level, it is anticipated the advantages of a student-centred experience will become evident as the trial moves through the year. This paper describes the current conditions and staff perceptions after the first year of implementation as well as comparing outcomes from the most recent ITEC cohort

Mechanisms of grain refinement by intensive shearing of AZ91 alloy melt

The official published version of the article can be accessed at the link below.It has been demonstrated recently that intensive melt shearing can be an effective approach to the grain refinement of both shape casting and continuous casting of Mg alloys. In the present study, the mechanisms of grain refinement by intensive melt shearing were investigated through a combination of both modelling and experimental approaches. The measurement of the cooling curves during solidification, quantification of grain size of the solidified samples, and image analysis of the MgO particle size and size distribution in the pressurized filtration samples were performed for the AZ91 alloy with and without intensive melt shearing. The experimental results were then used as input parameters for the free growth model to investigate the mechanisms of grain refinement by intensive melt shearing. The experimental results showed that, although intensive melt shearing does not change the nucleation starting temperature, it increases the nucleation finishing temperature, giving rise to a reduced nucleation undercooling. The theoretical modelling using the free growth model revealed quantitatively that intensive melt shearing can effectively disperse MgO particles densely populated in the oxide films into more individual particles in the alloy melt, resulting in an increase in the MgO particle density by three orders of magnitude and the density of active nucleating MgO particles by a factor of 20 compared with those of the non-sheared melt. Therefore, the grain refining effect of intensive melt shearing can be confidently attributed to the significantly increased refining efficiency of the naturally occurring MgO particles in the alloy melt as potent nucleation sites.Financial support under Grant EP/H026177/1 from the EPSRC

On the existence of supersolid helium-4 monolayer films

Extensive Monte Carlo simulations of helium-4 monolayer films adsorbed on weak substrates have been carried out, aimed at ascertaining the possible occurrence of a quasi-two-dimensional supersolid phase. Only crystalline films not registered with underlying substrates are considered. Numerical results yield strong evidence that helium-4 will not form a supersolid film on {any} substrate strong enough to stabilize a crystalline layer. On weaker substrates, continuous growth of a liquid film takes place

Bis(3-methyl­pyridinium) tetra­(chlorido/bromido)cuprate(II)

The structure of the title salt, (C6H8N)2[CuCl3.4Br0.6], consists of two 3-methyl­pyridinium cations and a distorted tetra­hedral [CuCl3.4Br0.6]2− dianion. Substitutional disorder with Br is exhibited for three of the Cl atoms of the anion, giving a mixed chloride/bromide cuprate(II) anion. In the crystal, inter­molecular N—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds link two cations to one anion, forming a three-ion aggregate. These are connected into a supra­molecular chain along the b axis via π–π inter­actions between the pyridinium rings [centroid–centroid distance = 3.743 (3) Å]