Salem State University

Sedimentary records retrieved from Walden Pond, Concord, MA and Sluice Pond, Lynn MA show evidence of mass wasting likely triggered by strong historic and prehistoric groundshaking. The two lakes of glacial origin form steep-sided basins of 30 m and 20 m maximum water depth with Walden Pond being divided into three distinct subbasins. Because of the visually homogeneous nature of the organic-rich lacustrine muds we employed a combination of sedimentological, geophysical, geochemical, and palynological proxies to characterize background sediments and the fingerprint of the M=5.9 1755 Cape Ann earthquake, the largest historic earthquake in New England. We then used a similar multiproxy approach to investigate the longer record of Sluice Pond as well as the individual records of the three basins of Walden Pond extending the paleoseismic record about 800 years back in time. Robust age models using a combination of radioisotopes, industrial contaminants, and pollen stratigraphy allow for dating of event horizons as well as correlation between different lake basins. Deposited before the arrival of Europeans settlers, sediments in both lakes are composed of organic-rich mud reflecting a forested landscape. The rise of non-arboreal pollen including Ambrosia record the widespread logging practices of European settlers in New England starting in the mid-17th century. Subsequent erosion of soils is marked by grain size decrease, lower organic matter content, and elemental compositions characteristic of local soils. Separate from these long-term trends we identified sediment horizons that mark sudden-onset events. These are typically characterized by larger grain size, influx of nearshore palynomorphs, higher bulk densities, and/ or lower organic matter content. We interpret these horizons as underwater mass wasting events. For Sluice Pond, we were able to identify two event horizons, one associated with the M=5.9 1755 Cape Ann earthquake, and another one dated to between 1390 -1510 CE. For Walden Pond, sediments show synchronous mass wasting in at least two subbasins potentially related to the historic 1755 earthquake, as well as two older events dated to between 1380-1520 CE and 1050-1320 CE. Interestingly, a cluster of landslides in southern Maine within geotechnically sensitive clays dates to 1220-1450 CE and could correlate with the disturbed lake sediments. We analyzed the spatial distribution of event horizons in the two lakes in Massachusetts and landslides in Maine and identified possible source areas and magnitudes of prehistoric earthquakes with one possible source area within the Littleton, MA seismic zone. Our analysis suggests that the seismic hazard in the Boston area might be higher than previously appreciated.

ABSTRACT Background Schools play an important role in child and adolescent suicide prevention efforts and many states have begun to mandate suicide prevention education for school staff. Objective This study explored school staff’s (N = 1509) perceptions of the impact of a brief virtual suicide prevention course titled: SOS for School Staff. Method This study used an online posttest and three-month follow-up to explore school staff’s (N = 1509) perceptions via a posttest and follow-up measuring preparation, confidence, and knowledge. Results In this study, most school staff agreed that the training increased their preparation (85.4%), confidence (86.2%), and knowledge (89.7%) about responding to a suicide disclosure. Approximately one-third of the respondents used the training content three months after the training, but there was a low response rate for the follow-up. Conclusion This is a promising suicide prevention training for school staff, who report it improves preparation to identify youth in distress, confidence at engaging youth in caring conversations, and knowledge of how to respond to a student’s disclosure of suicidal thoughts and behaviors; however, larger follow-up studies are required.

Background: Identity development is an important aspect of human development that extends from adolescence through late adulthood. Recent research found how Outdoor Adventure Education (OAE) programs influence identity development in adolescents and emerging adults, however, less is known about how OAE programs can be developmentally beneficial for older students. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to understand the specific events on courses that are most important for adult identity development. Methodology: This study utilizes a narrative identity approach and collected turning point narratives from 60 NOLS alumni. Narratives were analyzed to identify event-types and self-event connections. Findings: The majority of narratives focused on relationship events (e.g., peer support, instructor support, conflict) or environmental events (e.g., challenging weather and terrain). Nearly half of all narratives contained self-event connections, suggesting that OAE experiences contain a plethora of moments that can influence a person’s identity. Conclusions: Overall, OAE programs can serve as a positive developmental space for adults and influence identity development in older students. Implications: Programs seeking to support adult development should consider how to create programs that emphasize relationship events and environmental events.

Objective: This study examines collaborative autoethnography as a strategy for mitigating the personal and political risks of engaging in critical social work scholarship amid increasing political suppression in the United States. Method: Collaborative autoethnography is both a research process and a product. We use it to explore the following question: How can collaborative autoethnography mitigate the personal and political risks of engaging in critical scholarship? This research question emerged from a primary project in which five social work scholars across four U.S. states conducted a collaborative autoethnography to examine how critical scholars navigate and sustain antioppressive scholarship within neoliberal higher education. Results: Findings suggest that collaborative autoethnography functioned as a counterspace that fostered authenticity, reflection, and belonging; deepened community and praxis through collaborative inquiry; and strengthened critical scholarship through collective care. By prioritizing relationships and processes alongside outcomes, this approach creates a space for critiquing systemic oppression while sustaining critical social work scholars, cultivating epistemic safety. Conclusions: Collaborative autoethnography fosters the development of critical antiracist scholarship in social work, even amid and potentially because of political adversity. These findings have implications for preparing social work scholars and shaping leadership within the field.

Background: Nurse faculty routinely balance many caregiving roles in their work duties. Approximately 61% of the workforce is also an unpaid caregiver, adding to the possibility that nurse faculty have caregiving roles associated with the classroom, clinical area, and at home. Purpose: The aim of this article is to determine the state of the literature on compound caregivers and determine a definition in the context of nurse faculty. Methods: The method used for this study was a concept analysis by Walker and Avant's framework. CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, ERIC, and Complementary Index databases were searched from 2004 to 2024. Results: Nine peer-reviewed articles were examined for this discussion. Implications for Practice: A concept definition was proposed for compound caregivers in the context of nurse faculty. Defining this concept helps administrators recognize factors that place nurse faculty at risk for negative consequences from caregiving and may improve retention in the faculty workforce.

In today's increasingly diverse academic landscapes, fostering a sense of belonging among students has become a critical determinant of academic success, well-being, and retention in higher education.This is particularly relevant in multicultural institutions, where students from varying racial, ethnic, linguistic, and socio-economic backgrounds often face unique challenges in social integration and academic engagement.Inclusive residential programming structured initiatives within campus housing environments has emerged as a powerful tool for addressing these disparities and promoting equity.From multicultural floor assignments to identity-affirming events, such programs can create intentional spaces that validate diverse experiences while cultivating cross-cultural understanding.This paper examines the broader sociocultural context of student belonging within higher education and narrows its focus to the role of residential life programming in shaping inclusive, supportive communities.Drawing upon empirical studies in student development theory, intersectionality, and retention models (e.g., Tinto's and Strayhorn's frameworks), it analyzes how tailored programming enhances students' academic self-efficacy, reduces isolation, and fosters peer-to-peer mentoring in residence halls.Case studies from U.S. universities with established multicultural residence initiatives are used to illustrate best practices in inclusive program design, staff training, and feedback mechanisms.Additionally, this study investigates the measurable impacts of inclusive residential programming on GPA, persistence, and campus involvement among historically underrepresented student populations.The findings underscore the strategic potential of residential life as a site for advancing institutional commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).The paper concludes with recommendations for scalable, evidence-based residential program models that align with broader student affairs and academic success goals in multicultural education contexts.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is very prevalent in older adults and causes several cardiovascular diseases as well as neurological conditions such as cognitive impairment. These consequences of OSA can be prevented by treatment with a continuous positive airway pressure machine (CPAP). Even though CPAP is effective, not all older adults with OSA purchased it for personal use. This study aimed to evaluate why older adults with OSA denied purchasing CPAP by using a qualitative study. This was a qualitative study among older adults diagnosed with OSA, participated in the CPAP titration trial for at least three nights, and denied purchasing the CPAP. An in-depth interview was performed in eligible patients until data saturation to find factors or themes whether older adults did not purchase CPAP. There were 15 older adults with OSA who did not purchase CPAP and participated in the study. The average (SD) age of all patients was 67.73 (5.84) years with a proportion of male patients of 46.67% (7 patients). There were three themes on why the older adults with OSA did not purchase CPAP including financial constraints, lack of family financial support, and OSA perspectives. Older adults with OSA who did not purchase CPAP did not want to treat OSA, though they already had several consequences of OSA. They believed that they had OSA for a long time and wanted to live with OSA resulting in denying CPAP therapy. Conservative treatment with other options was justified for them. Additionally, they were not afraid of death and expected to die peacefully. Older adults who did not purchase CPAP for their personal use may be mainly due to unaffordability to CPAP by any reason. Universal health insurance coverage for older adults with OSA may enhance CPAP acceptability.