“Gaining Organisational Acceptance of a Data Analytics Programme in Eli Lilly”

This paper describes how Eli Lilly overcame barriers to enable new use of data. This was achieved by adopting a deep understanding of end-user needs and the support of site leaders and end-users to standardise process monitoring. A standard approach of ‘Contexting’, ‘Data-Extraction’, ‘Model build’, ‘On-line Config’, ‘Deploy’, was utilised, using a commercial off-the-shelf software. The paper describes proof of concept demonstrations undertaken and discusses the ingredients to make the journey a success

Graduate Work-Readiness in the 21st Century

The term ‘graduateness’ is beginning to be used, nationally and internationally, to describe a range of competences thought to match the demands of the workplace. There is no accompanying unifying definition, nor framework for formal recognition, rather it is used to imply a combination of attributes that varies between types of Higher Education Institutions across the World. In Ireland, the desirable characteristics of 21st century graduates variously include qualities of being ‘Creative and Enterprising, Solution-Orientated, Effective Communicators, and Globally Engaged Active Leaders’ (DCU 2014). Similarly, they should be engaged, enterprising, enquiry-based, effective and expert in their chosen field (DIT, 2013). While the value of these qualities is not contested here, they may be more appropriate to individuals who are growing in their professional maturity, but less so in their first encounter with work. This paper argues that 21st century graduates should be supported in their transition to the world of work by being equipped with the resources to assimilate the activities of their host rapidly, to assess how their particular role is situated, supplied, and constrained, and appreciate its associated expectations, risks and consequences. Graduate success in the workplace could be underpinned by a methodology that guides formative reflection and develops their ability to evaluate work experiences, both actual and vicarious, within a framework that captures, recognises and reinforces the depth of their tacit learning. This approach may help create a solid foundation for long-term employability, enable the realisation of 21st Century Graduate attributes, and presage their formal recognition, at home and beyond, in the fullest sense. The authors offer a comprehensive workplace-specific protocol and an accompanying methodology that enables graduates not only to assert that they are work-ready, but to provide the evidence

Exploring to Bangkok Chaay Rak Chaay (Gay Men) Accessing Health Services in Thailand

Health services are central to the provision of services for those affected by HIV including, prevention, health promotion and treatment. Access to health services for gay men is significant in increasing their knowledge associated with issues relevant to HIV so that they can better protect and care for themselves. Aim: This ethnographic study sought to clarify and further understand the experience of Bangkok’s gay men and their access to health services relevant to HIV issues. Methods: The data collection was conducted between May and August, 2014. 45 to 60 minutes Face to face interview and digital audio recording were utilised for the data collection processes. Semi structured in-depth interviews undertaken at the Thai Red Cross Research Centre, Bangkok. All interview transcripts were translated from Thai to English. The NVivo program version 10 was utilised to organise the data coding and theming. Result: This study identified that there are few specific clinics for gay men with HIV in Thailand. Additionally, information associated with HIV and other related concerns are required to be more accurate and specific to men living with HIV. Many chaay rak chaay face difficulties accessing services, including a lack of information, privacy concerns and inadequate provision of services. Conclusion: the specific clinic and information relevant HIV issues need to be more readily available and widely circulated. Moreover, health care services should be aware of the privacy issues and personal confidentially issues. Such approaches toward providing services for gay me in Bangkok may assist in eliminating some of the many barriers faced by gay men when accessing health services in the city

Assessment of Student Problem-Solving on Ill-Defined Tasks

Investigations of formal problem-solving are conducted with the expectation that they will predict or at least help understand informal or everyday problem-solving. For instance, if a student scores well on a multiple-choice physics exam, the expectation is that the student will also do well on an everyday physics problem. Traditionally the evaluation of problem-solving skills in educational testing and cognitiw psychology has been dominated by formal, objectively scored tests, for example, multiple-choice tests (Garnham & Oakhill, 1994; Hambleton & Murphy, 1992). The relationship between formal and informal processes is questionable, however (Galotti, 1989). Formal tests may not elicit the same cognitive processes as informal tasks because they lack the process authenticity of informal tasks (Royer, Cisero, & Carlo, 1993). To address the lack of process authenticity, problem-solving skills can be directly evaluated using tasks that are "ill defined" and therefore more likely to elicit the cognitive processes associated with informal, everyday tasks. The purpose of the present study was to construct informal, performance tasks to evaluate both junior and senior high school students' problem-solving in mathematics. The task for students was to evaluate other students' solutions to two questions in mathematics. Results indicate that higher-achieving students generally preferred responses reflecting multiple approaches to problem-solving. A smaller number of students were also interviewed individually and asked to think aloud as they evaluated the solutions. Results indicate that students found multiple approaches to problem-solving desirable, while at the same time exhibiting problem-solving biases.Les études sur la résolution formelle de problèmes sont entreprises dans l'attente qu'elles prédiront, ou du moins aideront à comprendre, la résolution quotidienne ou informelle de problèmes. Par exemple, si un élève réussit bien à un examen de physique à choix multiples, on s'attend à ce que sa performance soit aussi positive lors de la résolution d'un problème quotidien concernant la physique. Traditionnellement, l'évaluation des habiletés de résolution de problèmes dans les tests de rendement et dans la psychologie cognitive a été dominée par des examens formels et objectifs tels ceux à choix multiples (Garnham & Oakhill, 1994; Hambleton & Murphy, 1992). Cependant, le rapport entre les processus formel et informel est discutable (Galotti, 1989). Les examens formels, n'ayant pas l'authenticité procédurale des tâches informelles, pourraient ne pas faire appel aux mêmes processus cognitifs que les examens informels (Royer, Cisero, & Carlo, 1993). Pour parer au manque d'authenticité procédurale, on peut évaluer les habiletés de résolution de problèmes en employant des tâches qui sont "mal définies" et donc plus aptes à faire appel aux processus cognitifs associés aux tâches informelles de tous les jours. Le but de la présente étude était de créer des tâches informelles pour évaluer la capacité de résolution de problèmes en mathématiques d'élèves de la 7e à la 12e année. La tâche des élèves était d'évaluer les solutions que les autres élèves avaient fournies à deux questions de mathématiques. Les résultats indiquent qu'en général, les élèves les plus performants préfirent les réponses impliquant des approches multiples à la résolution de problèmes. Lors d'entrevues individuelles avec un plus petit nombre d'élèves, on leur a demandé de réfléchir à haut voix en évaluant les solutions. Les résultats indiquent que les élèves jugent désirables les approches multiples à la résolution de problèmes, tout en démontrant des préjugés quant au processus de résolution

Characterization of microwave absorption in carbon nanotubes using resonance aperture transmission method

A new method to characterize microwave electromagnetic absorption of a bulk carbon nanotube material is proposed and experimentally evaluated in this paper. The method is based on the measurement of microwave transmission through a capacitive-resonator aperture in a conductive screen loaded with a CNT sample under test. This method allows to measure microwave permittivity and absorption of thin samples, several atomic layers to few micrometers thick, with linear dimensions much smaller than the wavelength of radiation in free space. This minimal sample requirement restricts the application of conventional microwave characterization methods such as free-space or waveguide permittivity characterization. It is demonstrated that the resonance E-field enhancement inside the CRA leads to strong EM interaction of the microwave E-field with the CNT sample under test thus enabling high sensitivity and dynamic range of the measurement procedure. Another advantage of the proposed technique over conventional non-resonance characterization methods is that in the resonance transmission band, the CRA operation is reflection-less which leads to a relatively simple qualitative algebraic de-embedding procedure of the material parameters based on the principle of energy conservation. The experimental microwave absorption data of the multiwall CNT samples are presented in the S frequency band (2-4GHz), demonstrating microwave absorption properties of the multiwall CNT ribbons