Personal Account Research Articles

13 Awardee Talk: Goals, methods, and philosophy of graduate mentoring in reproductive physiology

Abstract Successful graduate and postdoctoral training programs in reproductive physiology are reciprocal relationships that, by default, benefit both trainee and mentor. Ideally, goals are for the mentor to facilitate and guide the long-term educational and professional aspirations of the trainee, while simultaneously creating an important member of the research team capable of meaningful contributions to the scientific enterprise. When this partnership fails to develop and flourish in a transparent and collaborative manner, the resulting disequilibrium leads to negative and costly impacts. Over the last 50 yr, I have observed the importance of several principles that, in my opinion, have a major influence on this process. The first of these begins at student recruitment and during the early part of a program after acceptance. Here, a clear understanding of any academic deficiencies and a commitment to rectify these deficiencies is essential. Academic programs of promising M.S. level candidates are sometimes heavily encumbered by this task. In contrast, Ph.D. programs are usually the final opportunity to take advantage of cutting-edge courses related to or supportive of reproductive biology and should be encouraged. Second, early development of a functional advisory committee is important and contributes broad experience and wisdom to the unique strengths and weaknesses of every student. Third, the trainee must learn early on the value of a mature attitude, a strong work ethic, and personal accountability. As an animal scientist, I want every student to be well-versed with hands on training/experience in basic animal physiology, nutrition, reproduction, experimental (surgical) techniques, and husbandry. Concurrently, they must learn to ensure that the well-being and ethical treatment of research animals always comes first. The foregoing is accomplished through personal example and never asking a student to do something you cannot or will not do yourself. Fourth, pursuing modern, cutting-edge techniques in the laboratory, regardless of long-term personal goals, should be an educational and experiential requirement. Fifth, development of meaningful and sound research projects requires hours of reading, thought and discussion. Students, particularly at the M.S. level, are often completely lost relative to the path forward. Allowing trainees to adopt pre-planned experiments within existing projects in the lab, with the mandate of developing new hypotheses and expanding beyond initial objectives, is a common theme. Pragmatically, this is also essential for maintaining laboratory focus and to service federal, state, and industry-funded projects effectively. Nonetheless, learning to develop and test new and sound hypotheses using appropriate experimental designs remains essential. Finally, no other factor has a greater impact on trainee success than the ability to communicate effectively using the English language. Unfortunately, this topic and problems associated with it usually form the caboose of most graduate training programs when it should have formed the engine.

Non-legal forms of financial activity in the context of the development of the concept of a “service state”

Taking into account the development of the concept of the “service state”, it is proposed to analyze the possibility of defining illegal forms of financial activity of the state. Foreign and domestic science consider the organizational activities of the state by building client relations between the state and society using various information technologies that allow providing state and municipal services. In this regard, it is appropriate to talk about the services provided related to the financial sector. The author concludes that: a) although the legal forms of financial activity of the state are predominant, nevertheless, non-legal forms are developing in the context of digitalization of public administration; b) non-legal forms of financial activity of the state should include: the portal of public services of the Russian Federation; a unified information system in the field of procurement; personal account of the taxpayer; unified portal of the budget system of the Russian Federation “Electronic budget”.

Leadership and mentorship of Professor Lynne S. Taylor: A personal account from former mentees

This article highlights the profound impact of Professor Lynne S. Taylor, Retter Distinguished Professor of Pharmacy at Purdue University, on her mentees in terms of scientific and professional experience. The former students summarize some of her important contributions, including her emphasis on critical thinking, collaboration, and work-life balance, which have shaped her students into dedicated scientists advancing the pharmaceutical sciences. This acknowledgment recognizes her valuable impact on both her students and the broader scientific community.

Championing student participation in co-designing digital education resources: A student experience

The aim of this contemporary piece is to discuss the student experience of co-design and the process involved in the co-creation of developing digital educational resources. A discussion of the need for digital educational resources in the era of pre-registration nursing students being digital natives is explored and the potential benefits or barriers for nursing education and practice are outlined. The need for co-design as a methodology in nurse education which is inclusive of the student-led role is discussed and a personal account of student experience will be detailed. By focusing on the student voice this article aims to provide a first-hand experience of working alongside academic and educational research teams, whilst also promoting student participation within co-design projects further than simply tokenistic involvement, highlighting the comprehensive benefits associated for all. The importance of support, knowledge sharing, and effective communication will be detailed to allow other students to gain insight and empower them to participate in a co-designed project should it arise in their university education.

Rethinking Assessment: Community-Engaged Experiential Learning and Complex Environments in Business from a Student Perspective

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the academic landscape profoundly, prompting a shift toward new learning environments and evolving pedagogy, including a notable increase in experiential community-engaged learning (CEL) projects within business curricula. Despite these innovations, traditional assessment practices often neglect the development of critical skills, focusing instead on outdated knowledge certification. This study examines the integration of student voice in assessment practices, particularly within CEL projects. It aims to explore student perceptions of the opportunities provided by CEL, offering insights into specific elements that should be assessed to measure student success, accomplishment, and growth. Using a qualitative approach, data were collected through end-of-term reflections, focus groups, and interviews with 52 undergraduate business students engaged in CEL projects. Thematic analysis revealed three key themes that can impact the design, selection, implementation, and interpretation of assessment methods: Adaptation, Balancing Teamwork with Individual Accountability, and Creativity and Innovative Problem-Solving. Students emphasized the importance of flexibility and proactive problem-solving in dynamic project environments. They also valued effective collaboration and personal accountability, preferring individual assessments within team projects. Creativity and innovative solutions were highlighted as essential competencies, suggesting the need for assessment tools that recognize these skills. The research indicates that incorporating student voice in the assessment process enhances engagement and relevance, aligning evaluations with students' actual experiences while fostering essential life skills. The study recommends the development of assessment rubrics that measure these competencies along with longitudinal studies to examine the impact of revised assessment processes on student experience and satisfaction over time.

The (vice) presidential pivot? Examining Kamala Harris's messaging before and after the 2022 midterms

AbstractAspirational vice presidents need to continuously support the president yet still make a name for themselves for future elections. To understand how US VP Kamala Harris attempted to communicatively enact this balance, this study content‐analyzed Harris's official VP and personal Twitter/X accounts leading up to and following the 2022 midterms to determine how she shifted her message emphases before and after the elections and across officeholder and personal accounts. Results indicate she played her “party role” pre‐midterms and “executive branch role” post‐midterms, championed Joe Biden and Democrats but not herself, and used her personal account for campaigning.

Embraced: On hands and nerves

AbstractIn 2001, I experienced severe radial neuropathy, leading to permanent dysfunctions in the fingers of my left hand. In this personal account of nerve damage, medical and surgical treatment, and adaptation, I first describe the sequence of neuropathies, then turn to how through serendipity, the brace enabled other connections—nervelines—with individuals and places. The brace is a metonym of a severed nerve with its associated loss of movement and capacity; it is also both a functional orthotic and an affordance. It carries me forward, activating other nervelines and networks to make things happen. I write of literal and metaphoric nerves, evolving connectivities, and fiber lines, thought lines and collaborations. I then extend the idea of nervelines and networks to global connnections; I emphasize how the organization of labor, the distribution of goods and services, and the expectations of workers shape body histories and life outcomes.

Social and Psychological Effects of Tennis on Disabled Individuals

Disability has traditionally been mainly conceptualized individually or medically. In a social perspective disability can be identified as a 'disadvantage or limitation of activity' caused by a contemporary social organization that takes little or no account of persons with physical disabilities and excludes them from participation in social activities. This study focuses on the effects of sports, specifically tennis, on disabled individuals. In this respect, the research purposes to examine the social and psychological impacts of tennis on disabled individuals. The phenomenology technique, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. 17 wheelchair tennis players, 10 men and 7 women, who played in the International Wheelchair tennis tournaments held in Antalya between 16 November and 5 December 2023, participated in the research. The data obtained from the interviews were analyzed using the thematic analysis. The data obtained from the study were themed under the umbrella of life routine, social and psychological impact, with the coding made as a result of the interviews. Under the theme of life routine, it was seen that issues such as personal development, sense of accomplishment, getting life in order, holding on to life, accepting disability, and health literacy were emphasized. Socialization, social support, commitment, new friendships, and communication skills stand out as values coded under the social impact theme. Self-confidence, happiness, coping with pressure and stress, controlling emotions, focusing, and feeling valuable are the subheadings of the psychological impact theme.

Enhancing cervical cancer cytology screening via artificial intelligence innovation

A double-check process helps prevent errors and ensures quality control. However, it may lead to decreased personal accountability, reduced effort, and declining quality checks. Introducing an artificial intelligence (AI)-based system in such scenarios could effectively address the risk of oversights. This study introduces an innovative AI-integrated workflow for cervical cytology screening that substantially improves efficiency and reduces the burden on cytologists. The AI model prioritizes cases for review based on anomaly scores and streamlines the first screening process to approximately 10 s per case. The model enhances the identification of high-risk cases via detailed microscopic observation, high anomaly scores cases, and a targeted review of low-score cases. The workflow highlights its capability for rapid, accurate, and less labor-intensive evaluations, demonstrating the potential to transform cervical cancer screening. This study highlights the importance of AI in modern medical diagnostics, particularly in areas with a high demand for accuracy and efficiency.

‘A home to dream love into’ – An autoethnographic analysis of mothering with mental illness

This paper examines the links between mothers, mental illness, estrangement from children, and systemic power and control, through a critically creative autoethnographic methodology. A historical and contemporary discursive analysis of two kinds of documentation is made. Firstly, my great-grandmother’s psychiatric hospital records from almost one hundred years ago are analysed, incorporating parts of my own story, as well as the personal account of a family member. These are then contrasted against four Family Court Judgement, where mothers have been found to be incapable of caring for their children. ‘Found poetry’ is then created from the documents presented, to elucidate the argument that a century since my great-grandmother’s forced separation from her children, women with mental illness still face stigma, marginalisation, and hopelessness in the face of outdated, narrow constructions of mothering. Implications for those who work in forensic social work fields are noted in terms of addressing systemic abuses of power against mothers.

A Tale of Terror: Autoethnography and the Study of Terrorism

ABSTRACT Although terrorism is the only form of violence named after an emotion, terror, there appears to be negligible attention paid to comprehending and analysing this core emotion. Due in large part to the unique subjective factors of terror, there is immense difficulty in quantifying the emotion. Similarly, attempts to qualify emotions using qualitative methodologies are underexplored. This paper presents autoethnography as a legitimate, viable, and ethical research method for the study of terror in terrorism. The author advances a first person account of the experience of terror from a recognised terrorist attack in Istanbul in 2016. The intention is to provide a starting point for understanding the emotional complexities of terror, its unique qualities, and the inherent problems of researching and analysing such an emotion. The paper argues for the need to understand the emotion of terror, the unique characteristics that make the study difficult, how autoethnography can overcome such obstacles, and illustrates the point with a detailed accounting of personal experience of a terrorist attack.

What motivates social workers to become field instructors: Perspectives from Canada

The field education component of social work education is critical to the overall development of social work students’ readiness for practice. Field instructors assume great responsibility for the emotional, theoretical, administrative, and clinical development of students who enter field education at either the undergraduate or graduate levels of their social work education. This role is generally subsumed on a voluntary basis concurrent with their occupational responsibilities. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that motivate social workers to take on the field instructor role. Canadian Field Instructors completed an online survey which included a qualitative question to elicit their perspectives on their motivation for becoming a field instructor. Responses (N=58) were grouped into four themes: mentor social work students, give back to the profession, memories of field instruction, and personal and organizational accountability. Implications for field education and social work education are offered.

Reflections on the aftermath of the Whittingham Hospital inquiry

Peter Nolan details the history of Whittingham Hospital and provides a personal account of concerns expressed by staff and students following the first public inquiry into the psychiatric hospital.

Making a difference.

This is a personal account of one academic scientist who founded two biotechnology companies. Both companies were initially incubated within the walls of the university under a creative student incubator program whereby biology students could pursue their graduate academic degrees while gaining valuable biotechnology experiences. After the companies transitioned out of the university environment, the professor and his students pursued diagnostic and therapeutic drug development resulting in the completion of several clinical trials. The value of international scientific collaborations with colleagues at the University of Padova (Italy) is also described.

Recovering the Written Traces of Hernando de Soto’s Voyage to La Florida

In 1539, Hernando de Soto arrived in Cuba expecting to colonize the North American territory for Spain within four years. Even though he did not leave a personal account, several survivors of this expedition wrote about this journey. In addition to the official accounts of Rodrigo Rangel and Luis Hernández de Biedma, there were other anonymous accounts told and penned by common men, which were later used in canonical works. This is the case of Inca Garcilaso de la Vega’s The Florida of the Inca (1605), which is based on a story that a Spanish cavalier related to the author, also corroborated by forgotten short accounts written by Juan Coles and Alonso de Carmona. Likewise, a Portuguese man, who accompanied de Soto, wrote Relaçam Verdadeira, published in 1557 in Portugal. Relaçam was translated into English in 1609 by the English writer Richard Hakluyt (1553-1616) under the title Virginia Richly Valued. This essay focuses on these collective testimonies, oral and written, that kept and shaped the story of failure in La Florida. I analyze how these intellectuals not only appropriated the previously dismissed memories of these common men, but also adapted them according to their imperialistic purposes.

COVID-2019—A Personal Account of an Academic Institute’s Response to the Pandemic

The unprecedented introduction and spread of SARS-CoV-2, responsible for the COVID-19 epidemic, had many varied and unanticipated consequences for the United States and other countries. In addition to the direct effects of human infection, multiple industries, commodities, and jobs were impacted. This review describes the impact on an academic institution, with a chronological account of events related to constantly changing perceptions and understanding of the pandemic. Although a personal account, the objective is to document how leadership was able to adjust to circumstances in order to support research activities, student education, and the academic goals of our land grant university. It is hoped that these examples will inspire and better prepare us for a subsequent event and avoid what for the COVID-19 situation might be summarized as a progression from procrastination-pandemic-panic-pandemonium-endemic

Analysis of Safety Climate in Construction of Coal Fired Steam Power Plant (CFSPP) X with Capacity 2x1000 MW

Introduction: Power plant construction process is complex with a lot of labor, machines and flammable materials, and the work carried out has high risk such as lifting, working at height, hot work such as welding, grinding, cutting and other activities that have a high risk. Objective: The objective of the research is to find out the overall picture of Work Safety Climate at CFSPP X and picture of Safety Climate at the Work and Personal level. Method: The design of this research is quantitative method, 58 questions by Zou & Sunindijo's Safety Climate framework in research of Fatma Lestari, et, al. 2020. Result: The description of the working Safety Climate of CFSPP X from 6 Dimension of Safety Climate are, Management Commitment mean is 3.92, Communication mean is 3,91, Training mean is 3,89, Personal Accountability mean is 3,87, Rule and Safety Procedure mean is 3,92, Supportive Environment mean is 3,90. The description of the Safety Climate at work and personal levels is good, with scores for all dimensions more than >3.30. There were 3 statements that received disagree answer from several respondents, which are: I report people who ignore safety procedures, 23 respondents, my responsibility is to work safely, including reporting colleagues who are not working safely, 5 respondents. There are punishments for unsafe behavior, 14 respondents. The Safety Climate dimension with the highest score is Management Commitment and Roles & Safety Procedure. Conclusion: The description of the Work Safety Climate, both at work and personal level, is good with score of more than >3.30. Disagree answer from several respondents was related to not wanting to report people who ignore safety procedures because there is punishment for unsafe behavior. The Safety Climate dimension with the highest score is Management Commitment, and for work attributes, both work and personal, Management Commitment and Rule & Safety Procedure dominate the highest average score.

The Regulations of the Supervisory Officer Personal Data Protection-Based Accountability Principle

<div><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left"><tbody><tr><td align="left" valign="top"><p>This study examines The Model of Regulations Supervisory Officer Personal Data Protection-Based Accountability Principle: Lessons from Sweden. This study is a qualitative approach by reviewing and analyzing legal aspects and comparing laws. Even though Indonesia has a personal data protection law, misuse of personal data is still excessive. Owing to accountability basis PDP supervision arrangements have not been properly implemented. Meanwhile, Sweden was chosen as a comparison country since it was one of the first countries to have a personal data protection law. The result shows that in Sweden, personal data is regulated in the General Data Protection Regulation and the personal data supervisor well implemented the principle of accountability therefore it worked effectively. Meanwhile in Indonesia, given that a data protection supervisor has not been established, Protection of personal data is still carried out by each agency appointed by law on a sectoral basis and it deemed less effective in providing personal data protection. Therefore, the personal data supervisor with a single rule and direct responsibility to the president is the perfect model for Indonesia.</p></td></tr></tbody></table></div>

Incontinence: living with a stigmatised health condition.

This article shares the personal account of the author who is living with double incontinence, and the impact this condition can have on the individual and their carers.

Were the Cretulae (Clay Sealings) from the Indus Port Town of Lothal Part of an Administrative Archive? Contextual, Interpretive, and Comparative Evidence

Clay sealings (cretulae) have traditionally been assumed to have been used in ancient administrative systems to secure the shipment of commodities and to account for their receipt. However, research in Western Asia has revealed that they were primarily used as a complex administrative tool in the management of storehouses and the goods they contained, ensuring the personal accountability of the individuals under whose seal or combination of seals particular items were stored. Although stamp seals are relatively common finds in the Indus Civilization, clay sealings are not as numerous as in contemporaneous sites throughout Western Asia. This rarity has led to speculation about the actual use of seals in the Indus Civilization. However, the study of an exceptional assemblage of clay sealings found at the Indus site of Lothal in Gujarat, India, has shed light on the function and use of these objects in the Indus Civilization. In particular, the stratigraphic analysis of the discovery context has made it possible to consider the existence of an administrative archive comparable to those excavated in Western Asia.