Rachelle D. Castonguay, 1953-1985

Rachelle Castonguay, Research and University Affairs Analyst, Office of the Northern Research and Science Advisor, Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, died tragically in the Air India plane crash on 23 June 1985 at the age of 32. ... While many of her colleagues and friends involved in northern studies remember Rachelle for her outstanding role in administering the Northern Scientific Training Program and, in particular, her dedication and contribution to university development of scientific expertise in the North, Rachelle's northern scientific focussed career was nonetheless diverse and extensive. Throughout her successful completion of a variety of research assignments, including a widely acclaimed study of land occupancy in Fort Good Hope, N.W.T., Rachelle demonstrated her deep knowledge of the Canadian North and sensitivity to the background and lifestyles of native people. On graduating with a B.A. (Geography) from the University of Ottawa in the spring of 1975, Ms. Castonguay began with the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development as a research assistant to prepare an inventory of the social content of the hearings of the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry. ... Prior to her enrollment in the Master's program in geography at the University of Ottawa, in 1977 Rachelle spent her summer in the Yukon working for the Alaska Highway Pipeline Inquiry .... In her own field of toponymic research, Rachelle subsequently undertook a study of historical and actual land occupancy ... using place names as a tool to illustrate land use occupancy. ... Complementary to this compilation and analysis of toponymic data, Rachelle's fieldwork to Fort Good Hope, N.W.T. (1979), supported by the Northern Scientific Training Program, was undertaken to gather actual place names as well as other information to obtain an insight on understanding the toponymic system of native people of the area. This material subsequently formed the basis of her Master's thesis .... Finally, prior to her appointment as Research and University Affairs Analyst, Rachelle's knowledge of the North and its people was enhanced during the course of her duties with the Northern Research Information and Documentation Service. ... While Rachelle was captivated by the North and the lifestyles of its culturally diverse population, she was also keenly interested in applying her northern experience and knowledge to problem solving in other plural societies, particularly Third World countries. ... and looked forward to a future career in the delivery of educational programs addressing such issues as under-development, cross-cultural communications and language. Rachelle's openness, tolerance and acute cultural sensitivity emerged, in part, as a result of her rural Franco-Ontarian upbringing and daily exposure to English and French cultures. Furthermore, her heightened sense of compassion and social consciousness drew her to actively participate in local and regional citizens' and women's advisory groups, as well as in African famine relief efforts. ..

The power of storytelling and video: a visual rhetoric for science communication

This research develops a conceptual framework for telling visual stories about science using short-format videos, termed SciCommercial videos, that draw upon marketing communication. The framework is illustrated by an exemplar, the Good Whale Watching video, which is explained using a visual rhetoric keyframe analysis. Finally, the effectiveness of the video is evaluated as a science communication tool using an empirical online survey with 1698 respondents. The results highlight the benefits of using video for storytelling about science by using our framework formula, modified from marketing practices, to produce videos that are Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional, Science Storytelling (SUCCESS)

Results of the 2016 Indianapolis Biodiversity Survey, Marion County, Indiana

Surprising biodiversity can be found in cities, but urban habitats are understudied. We report on a bioblitz conducted primarily within a 24-hr period on September 16 and 17, 2016 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. The event focused on stretches of three waterways and their associated riparian habitat: Fall Creek (20.6 ha; 51 acres), Pleasant Run (23.5 ha; 58 acres), and Pogue’s Run (27.1 ha; 67 acres). Over 75 scientists, naturalists, students, and citizen volunteers comprised 14 different taxonomic teams. Five hundred ninety taxa were documented despite the rainy conditions. A brief summary of the methods and findings are presented here. Detailed maps of survey locations and inventory results are available on the Indiana Academy of Science website (https://www.indianaacademyofscience.org/)

Global Ethics and Nanotechnology: A Comparison of the Nanoethics Environments of the EU and China

The following article offers a brief overview of current nanotechnology policy, regulation and ethics in Europe and The People’s Republic of China with the intent of noting (dis)similarities in approach, before focusing on the involvement of the public in science and technology policy (i.e. participatory Technology Assessment). The conclusions of this article are, that (a) in terms of nanosafety as expressed through policy and regulation, China PR and the EU have similar approaches towards, and concerns about, nanotoxicity—the official debate on benefits and risks is not markedly different in the two regions; (b) that there is a similar economic drive behind both regions’ approach to nanodevelopment, the difference being the degree of public concern admitted; and (c) participation in decision-making is fundamentally different in the two regions. Thus in China PR, the focus is on the responsibility of the scientist; in the EU, it is about government accountability to the public. The formulation of a Code of Conduct for scientists in both regions (China PR’s predicted for 2012) reveals both similarity and difference in approach to nanotechnology development. This may change, since individual responsibility alone cannot guide S&T development, and as public participation is increasingly seen globally as integral to governmental decision-making

Structural Attributes and Photodynamics of Visible Spectrum Quantum Emitters in Hexagonal Boron Nitride

Newly discovered van der Waals materials like MoS2, WSe2, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), and recently C2N have sparked intensive research to unveil the quantum behavior associated with their 2D structure. Of great interest are 2D materials that host single quantum emitters. h-BN, with a band gap of 5.95 eV, has been shown to host single quantum emitters which are stable at room temperature in the UV and visible spectral range. In this paper we investigate correlations between h-BN structural features and emitter location from bulk down to the monolayer at room temperature. We demonstrate that chemical etching and ion irradiation can generate emitters in h-BN. We analyze the emitters' spectral features and show that they are dominated by the interaction of their electronic transition with a single Raman active mode of h-BN. Photodynamics analysis reveals diverse rates between the electronic states of the emitter. The emitters show excellent photo stability even under ambient conditions and in monolayers. Comparing the excitation polarization between different emitters unveils a connection between defect orientation and the h-BN hexagonal structure. The sharp spectral features, color diversity, room-temperature stability, long-lived metastable states, ease of fabrication, proximity of the emitters to the environment, outstanding chemical stability, and biocompatibility of h-BN provide a completely new class of systems that can be used for sensing and quantum photonics applications

Infotainment may increase engagement with science but It can decrease perceptions of seriousness

We presented 867 participants with one of two videos about climate change that differed only in terms of whether they had an infotainment or expository narration. They were available in either English or Spanish. The participants consisted of two distinct clusters: one in which all were over 30 with a university degree, and another dominated by younger participants without a university degree. The infotainment version produced a significantly reduced perception of the seriousness of climate change for the planet in the latter cluster. Furthermore, viewers of the English versions, who were predominantly residents in countries with low-context cultures, perceived the risk of climate change for the planet to be significantly higher after watching the video with the expository narration. Using infotainment for science communication is a two-edged sword: while it may help engagement, making light of a topic can reduce perceptions about its seriousness. We suggest that the use of infotainment should be determined by the aims of the communicators and the nature of the target audience. If the purpose is simply to convey information, then infotainment is likely to be the most effective and it has the additional benefit of engaging recipients that lack a university education. However, if the purpose is to affect attitudes and persuade an audience, then an expository narration is likely to be most effective

Understanding preventive behaviors among mid-Western African-American men: a pilot qualitative study of prostate screening

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jomh.2011.03.00

Real-time adaptive estimation of decoherence timescales for a single qubit

Characterizing the time over which quantum coherence survives is critical for any implementation of quantum bits, memories, and sensors. The usual method for determining a quantum system’s decoherence rate involves a suite of experiments probing the entire expected range of this parameter, and extracting the resulting estimation in postprocessing. Here we present an adaptive multiparameter Bayesian approach, based on a simple analytical update rule, to estimate the key decoherence timescales (T1, T ∗2, and T2) and the corresponding decay exponent of a quantum system in real time, using information gained in preceding experiments. This approach reduces the time required to reach a given uncertainty by a factor up to an order of magnitude, depending on the specific experiment, compared to the standard protocol of curve fitting. A further speedup of a factor approximately 2 can be realized by performing our optimization with respect to sensitivity as opposed to varianc

Cost-effectiveness of stereotactic large-core needle biopsy for nonpalpable breast lesions compared to open-breast biopsy

This paper demonstrates that the introduction of large-core needle biopsy (LCNB) replacing needle-localised breast biopsy (NLBB) for nonpalpable (screen-detected) breast lesions could result in substantial cost savings at the expense of a possible slight increase in breast cancer mortality. The cost-effectiveness of LCNB and NLBB was estimated using a microsimulation model. The sensitivity of LCNB (0.97) and resource use and costs of LCNB and NLBB were derived from a multicentre consecutive cohort study among 973 women who consented in getting LCNB and NLBB, if LCNB was negative. Sensitivity analyses were performed. Replacing NLBB with LCNB would result in approximately six more breast cancer deaths per year (in a target population of 2.1 million women), or in 1000 extra life-years lost from breast cancer (effect over 100 years). The total costs of management of breast cancer (3% discounted) are estimated at £4676 million with NLBB; introducing LCNB would save £13 million. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of continued NLBB vs LCNB would be £12 482 per additional life-year gained (3% discounted); incremental costs range from £-21 687 (low threshold for breast biopsy) to £74 378 (high sensitivity of LCNB)