Jefferson State Community College

We present the first mixed-method study to explore the experiences of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) students studying psychology in the UK. We co-created a survey with undergraduate student research assistants, which was completed by 195 students, of which 106 were from BAME backgrounds and 89 were from White backgrounds. All students were studying psychology as undergraduate or postgraduate students at two UK universities. Using the survey, we compared BAME and White students’ experiences and views about their curriculum, delivery of teaching, personal tutoring support, course resources, peer relationships, representation, course community, approaches to study, and their engagement. We found differences in how well represented students felt in the curriculum and amongst their peers according to university and ethnicity. Following the survey, 27 BAME students took part in focus group interviews. Using a thematic content analysis approach, these students reported category themes of issues with representation within the curriculum, pedagogy, and staff representation. Challenges in their sense of belonging to the department and university were also reported. The study indicates that all psychology students are calling for psychology departments to enhance their curriculum’s ethnic representation and anti-racist pedagogy. Meanwhile, BAME students are calling for efforts to enhance a sense of belonging and awareness of BAME-related issues amongst staff and their peers. This bolsters the importance of work to diversify the psychology curriculum and highlights the implications of a lack of diversity in future psychology careers and mental health support.

Purpose: To ensure the accessibility for population groups with reduced mobility of facilities and services in the sphere of railway transport that will provide for their mobility as well as the possibility to access various objects and services (medical, educational, cultural, etc.) Methods: Analysis and evaluation of the requirements of legislative, regulatory and industrial technical documents to provide reduced mobility population groups with equal with other citizens rights on Russian Federation Constitution. Review and analysis of international practices and different use cases of passenger rail cars to transport reduced mobility population groups. Joint study of the subject by JSC "Russian Railways" with scientific organizations of All-Russian Scientific Institute of Railway Transport and Institute of Hygiene on Railway Transport as well as with All-Russian Society of Disabled People. Results: Based on the results of technical and economical studies, decision was made to place specialized compartment for wheelchair users in a staff car. For this purpose, specialized area from unbraked end of a staff car has been organized which includes adapted compartment, adapted toilet, wide corridor and entrance zone equipped with stationary lift for boarding/detrainment of wheelchair users. Minimally necessary list of equipment to tool up adapted compartment and toilet is grounded. All these proposals were included into Technical Task on a new staff car with a body from stainless steel. Analysis of demand for staff cars with specialized area for wheelchair user transportation and annual traffic volume over the last period have been carried out. Based on the analysis of reduced mobility passenger turnover and the assessment of European railways practices, it is recommended to pursue works on increase the seating capacity in staff cars for passengers of pointed category. Practical importance: Based on the conducted research, the necessity to increase the seating capacity for wheelchair users with accompanying persons has been shown. It has been demonstrated that this issue can be solved using staff cars with stainless steel bodies. Even greater prospect for increasing seating capacity for wheelchair users opens up for new cars (Class "2023") which are being developed in accordance with “T” overall dimensions (car width increase from 3100 to 3400 mm) and lengthwise arrangement of sleeping places in compartment.

Engineering calculations in the spatial formulation, as well as the results of field observations, show a significant decrease in lateral displacements of the foundation pit retaining walls in the area of the corner zones. At the same time, in design practice, a large number of decisions are made on the basis of calculations in a flat formulation. For pits with a depth of more than 10 m, the influence of corner zones can make a significant contribution to the reduction of movements and, as a result, internal forces in the retaining walls and restraint systems. The underestimation of the corner effect leads to an increase of the retaining structures construction cost.
 This article presents the results of FEM calculations studies of the monolithic reinforced concrete wall functioning in the corner zones of pit in sandy soils. As a result, it was revealed that the movement of the diaphragm wall in the area of the corner zones of the foundation pit is influenced by such factors as: the pit depth, the angle between retaining walls, and the stiffness of the retaining wall and struts. At the same time, the properties of the sand and the stiffness of the retaining wall and struts do not affect the distribution of displacements in the corner zones.

ABSTRACTWe previously developed and assessed “The Art of Microbiology,” a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) which uses agar art to spur student experimentation, where we found student outcomes related to science persistence. However, these outcomes were not correlated with specific activities and gains were not reported from more than one class. In this study, we explored which of the three major activities in this CURE—agar art, experimental design, or poster presentations—affected student engagement and outcomes associated with improved understanding of the nature of science (NOS). The Art of Microbiology was studied in three microbiology teaching laboratories: at a research university with either the CURE developer (18 students) or a CURE implementer (39 students) and at a community college with a CURE implementer (25 students). Our quasi-experimental mixed methods study used pre/post-NOS surveys and semi-structured class-wide interviews. Community college students had lower baseline NOS responses but had gains in NOS similar to research university students post-CURE. We surveyed research university students following each major activity using the Assessing Student Perspective of Engagement in Class Tool (ASPECT) survey but did not find a correlation between NOS and activity engagement. Of the three activities, we found the highest engagement with agar art, especially in the CURE developer class. Interviewed students in all classes described agar art as a fun, relevant, and low-stakes assignment. This work contributes to the evidence supporting agar art as a curricular tool, especially in ways that can add research to classrooms in and beyond the research university.

On the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, engineers across the country are reflecting on what turned out for many to be the most important, memorable, and influential job they’ve held throughout long and satisfying careers. A number of them who worked on the Lunar Module recall the can-do spirit and sense of urgency that drove them to achieve an engineering milestone.

ABSTRACTConsumers are increasingly eager for healthier food selections, but not at the expense of taste. As the foodservice industry continues to respond to these trends, graduates from culinary and hospitality programs are expected to be trained to meet these changing needs. The aim of the study was to compare industry experts’ and educators’ perceived importance of nutritional competencies in culinary curriculum, as well as the perceived barriers to integrate nutritional competency in accredited culinary programs. The study analyzed data provided by two U.S.-based groups of participants: (1) culinary and industry experts, and (2) educators in culinary and hospitality management programs. Results indicate that experts view nutritional competency as important to a student’s program of study and that success depends on educators meeting these competencies. However, the analysis reveals that educators significantly undervalue the importance of nutritional competency placement in curriculum and overrate how well they are preparing culinary graduates.