Identifying the needs of communities in rural Uganda: A method for determining the ‘User-Perceived Value’ of rural electrification initiatives

This research paper describes the use of a ‘User-Perceived Value Game’ to explore the value of development initiatives as perceived by villagers in 119 interview settings in seven Ugandan villages. Based on the findings from the game, a ‘User-Perceived Value Framework’ is developed, consisting of 64 value categories. This is depicted graphically as a ‘User-Perceived Value Wheel’ supported by a ‘Key Phrase Wheel’, both can be modified using computer-assisted software developed by one of the authors. The aim is to understand the reasons why something is perceived by the end user to be important. This will lead to an improved understanding of how a development initiative can be better tailored for lower-income markets. The initiative can then be marketed appropriately, which will result in user acceptance because the initiative will be perceived to have personal value to the user and therefore the user will care for its upkeep. The paper concludes with a brief application of the ‘User-Perceived Value Wheel’ to demonstrate how this tool can be used to better understand the true sustainability drivers behind rural electrification development initiatives.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (Grant ID: EP/K503009/1), Qualcomm European Research Studentships in Technology (Grant ID: 1068

Resonant spin amplification of hole spin dynamics in two‐dimensional hole systems: experiment and simulation

Spins in semiconductor structures may allow for the realization of scalable quantum bit arrays, an essential component for quantum computation schemes. Specifically, hole spins may be more suited for this purpose than electron spins, due to their strongly reduced interaction with lattice nuclei, which limits spin coherence for electrons in quantum dots. Here, we present resonant spin amplification (RSA) measurements, performed on a p-modulation doped GaAs-based quantum well at temperatures below 500 mK. The RSA traces have a peculiar, butterfly-like shape, which stems from the initialization of a resident hole spin polarization by optical orientation. The combined dynamics of the optically oriented electron and hole spins are well-described by a rate equation model, and by comparison of experiment and model, hole spin dephasing times of more than 70 ns are extracted from the measured data

Categorical generalisations of quantum double models

We show that every involutive Hopf monoid in a complete and finitely cocomplete symmetric monoidal category gives rise to invariants of oriented surfaces defined in terms of ribbon graphs. For every ribbon graph this yields an object in the category, defined up to isomorphism, that depends only on the homeomorphism class of the associated surface. This object is constructed via (co)equalisers and images and equipped with a mapping class group action. It can be viewed as a categorical generalisation of the ground state of Kitaev's quantum double model or of a representation variety for a surface. We apply the construction to group objects in cartesian monoidal categories, in particular to simplicial groups as group objects in SSet and to crossed modules as group objects in Cat. The former yields a simplicial set consisting of representation varieties, the latter a groupoid whose sets of objects and morphisms are obtained from representation varieties.Comment: 46 page

Scanning Raman spectroscopy of graphene antidot lattices: Evidence for systematic p-type doping

We have investigated antidot lattices, which were prepared on exfoliated graphene single layers via electron-beam lithography and ion etching, by means of scanning Raman spectroscopy. The peak positions, peak widths and intensities of the characteristic phonon modes of the carbon lattice have been studied systematically in a series of samples. In the patterned samples, we found a systematic stiffening of the G band mode, accompanied by a line narrowing, while the 2D mode energies are found to be linearly correlated with the G mode energies. We interpret this as evidence for p-type doping of the nanostructured graphene

A Manifesto for Decolonial Subversions

While decolonisation has in recent years become increasingly popular in everyday and academic discourses, it has thus far failed to deliver the radical ruptures and revolutionary transformations of the world order envisioned by anticolonial practitioners and intellectuals. In great part, this is because exploitative politico-economic relations reminiscent of imperialism are upheld under the guise of globalisation, the free-market and development. This Decolonial Manifesto is a call for action to dismantle current power structures and bring about fairer and decentred processes of producing, legitimising and distributing knowledge over and above challenging western hegemony in general. While a series of pragmatic points of action aim to directly overcome the deep-rooted issues pervading academic publishing (including rotational editorship, open access publishing, multilingual written, audio and visual contributions among others), these are to be collocated within larger narratives challenging race- and class-informed marginalisations, capitalist and neoliberal market-structures, unethical patriarchal setups, ableist discourses and the relentless destruction of planet Earth. Such a project is necessarily open-ended, collaborative and disruptive, and promises subversive and enriching spaces for change