Fiber optic chip for fully-guided Raman iterrogation of molecular adsorbates.

Planar fiber-optic chips (FOC) take advantage of the evanescent field effects of side-polished fibers, exhibiting usefulness in fluorescence, absorbance, electrochemical investigations, and as presented here Raman spectroscopy. The fabrication of the FOC utilizes a side-polishing process of a multi-mode optical fiber. The fiber core is exposed creating a D-shape when viewed laterally. The cylindrical fiber is mounted in a V-groove of a Si-wafer and side-polished, creating a platform for easier analyte handling with greater control over surface chemistry. A longer path length when compared with end-tip fiber probes results in a larger cross section of analyte signal. This work presents decoupled investigations of excitation and collection of Raman scattering using the FOC, for bulk media and thin films. Realization of a fully in-line system would alleviate the need for alignment of cumbersome bench-top optics, further increasing the utility of this device by allowing for interrogation of remote, hostile environments

Evaluation of the Sustainable Employment in a Green US Economy (SEGUE)

The Rockefeller Foundation's Sustainable Employment in a Green US Economy(SEGUE) initiative has been a central player in green job discussions since 2009, andeven earlier through the Foundation's Campaign for American Workers. In its earliestdevelopmental stages, the initiative sought "to maximize the 'green' growth areas ofthe economy while benefiting low- and moderate-income workers" (RockefellerFoundation, 2009b). SEGUE focused on creating jobs by supporting green economicactivities. Initially, the focus was the building energy-retrofit market in the constructionindustry and, later, on water infrastructure and waste management. The demandfor workers became recognized as the bottleneck that needed to be released, in orderto realize the benefits of the green economy.To document and expand upon the learning and exploration that SEGUE has started,the Rockefeller Foundation provided a grant to the research firm, Abt Associates,Inc., in April 2012, to conduct a short-term, developmental evaluation of SEGUE. Theevaluation focused on three areas: learning for the purposes of determining SEGUE'sfuture direction, documenting SEGUE's grant and non-grant outputs for accountabilityneeds, and providing public knowledge on green jobs and evaluations in general.This report provides the results from the evaluation

THE TREATMENT FEMALE ADMINISTRATORS RECEIVE FROM FEMALE FOLLOWERS AND THE RELATIONSHIP AND AFFECT IT HAS ON THEIR POSITIONS

The barriers and support between female subordinates and female administrators are crucial elements in a successful administrative career. While much research has been conducted on men versus women in leadership positions as well as the treatment subordinates receive from their supervisors, there is little research on the subordinate’s treatment of the leader and how it affects their position. The purpose of this non-experimental mixed methods study was to ascertain the relationship among female administrators and the support and barriers they experience from female subordinates, as well as how it affects their experience and longevity in their leadership positions. Participants included 78 female administrators from the population of 213 female administrators in the state of Montana. A 21 question, 7-point Likert scaled questionnaire was administered through the University of Montana’s Qualtrics survey management system; followed by 6 different phone interviews being conducted with the 3 highest and the 3 lowest quantitative scores. While ratings and responses showed the differences between support and barriers and the ranking of the affects the qualitative portion helped to give reasoning and understanding to the quantitative responses and gives a broader perspective to the effects of support and barriers from female subordinates on female administrators. Future studies should include a random sample that contains a more diverse representation of female administrators from around the country. Future studies should also look at decreasing the number of demographic questions

Trolley Trail: An Assessment of Opportunities and Constraints

In January 2002, Metro Regional Parks and Greenspaces (Metro) and North Clackamas Parks and Recreation District (NCPRD) contacted Portland State University\u27s Planning Workshop class for assistance with a regional trail planning project. Metro is the regional government for the Portland metropolitan area. Within Metro, the Regional Parks and Greenspaces staff administers the parks, open space, natural area, trails and greenways acquisition program for the citizens of the region. NCPRD is a special service district of Clackamas County that provides park and recreation services to communities in the northern portion of the county. When the project was presented to the workshop class, Metro and NCPRD were beginning to plan for the conversion of a former streetcar right ..of-way into a multi-use trail in North Clackamas County. Both agencies were interested in having a student group assist with the early phases of trail planning. In response to this interest, the workshop team completed a work plan detailing tasks and timelines for the workshop project. A part of the work plan was a problem statement that would guide the team\u27s work: What are the opportunities and constraints that should guide the design and development of the Trolley Trail? This report presents the workshop team\u27s findings of opportunities and constraints. This report will assist Metro and NCPRD in future trail planning phases. Itwillalso assist hired professional consultants who will lead future planning and design efforts. The report is divided into three sections for easy reference

Impact Study and Comparative Analysis of the YMCA’s Black Achiever Program

In this study, multiple surveys were designed and administered to program participants in the Central Kentucky chapter of the YMCA Black Achievers Program. The purpose of this project was to collect data on the academic success of these students for comparison to that of students in their geographic area who did not take part in the program. The full project also collected data on individuals’ responses regarding program effectiveness, level of satisfaction, etc., to help the administrators of the BAP continue to update and improve the program to better meet participants’ needs. This research summary focuses only on the quantitative analysis in academic achievement. When compared to academic statistics for Fayette county schools, the respondents in our study were found to have superior performance to their peers. Students who took part in the BAP showed higher levels of academic success than non-BAP African American students in ACT scores and Advanced Placement enrollment. Overall, the Black Achievers Program was found to be a success in academic measures, and also in its overall focus on keeping young African Americans on the path to success in their careers

Self- and cohort-directed design in research training tutorials for undergraduate researchers: Increasing ownership and relevance to improve learning outcomes

This paper describes and analyses a method of self- and cohort-directed design of research training tutorials for final-year research-oriented undergraduate students at the University of Queensland, Australia. The design methodology centered on a research skills self-assessment document used at the university, and utilized Personal Response System (PRS) technology to gather the cohort's design decisions. This paper examines the pedagogical framework for this instructional approach, analyses feedback on the students' experiences and performances, and outlines future further developments for this program

Relationship Reciprocation Modulates Resource Allocation in Adolescent Social Networks: Developmental Effects

Adolescence is characterized as a period of social reorientation toward peer relationships, entailing the emergence of sophisticated social abilities. Two studies (Study 1: N = 42, ages 13–17; Study 2: N = 81, ages 13–16) investigated age group differences in the impact of relationship reciprocation within school-based social networks on an experimental measure of cooperation behavior. Results suggest development between mid- and late adolescence in the extent to which reciprocation of social ties predicted resource allocation. With increasing age group, investment decisions increasingly reflected the degree to which peers reciprocated feelings of friendship. This result may reflect social-cognitive development, which could facilitate the ability to navigate an increasingly complex social world in adolescence and promote positive and enduring relationships into adulthood

Transformation in a changing climate: a research agenda

The concept of transformation in relation to climate and other global change is increasingly receiving attention. The concept provides important opportunities to help examine how rapid and fundamental change to address contemporary global challenges can be facilitated. This paper contributes to discussions about transformation by providing a social science, arts and humanities perspective to open up discussion and set out a research agenda about what it means to transform and the dimensions, limitations and possibilities for transformation. Key focal areas include: (1) change theories, (2) knowing whether transformation has occurred or is occurring; (3) knowledge production and use; (4), governance; (5) how dimensions of social justice inform transformation; (6) the limits of human nature; (7) the role of the utopian impulse; (8) working with the present to create new futures; and (9) human consciousness. In addition to presenting a set of research questions around these themes the paper highlights that much deeper engagement with complex social processes is required; that there are vast opportunities for social science, humanities and the arts to engage more directly with the climate challenge; that there is a need for a massive upscaling of efforts to understand and shape desired forms of change; and that, in addition to helping answer important questions about how to facilitate change, a key role of the social sciences, humanities and the arts in addressing climate change is to critique current societal patterns and to open up new thinking. Through such critique and by being more explicit about what is meant by transformation, greater opportunities will be provided for opening up a dialogue about change, possible futures and about what it means to re-shape the way in which people live