Early Engagement Research Articles

Early engagement: The value of MRIT student externs in supporting recruitment, retention, and the future of the medical imaging professions

The healthcare system faces critical challenges in recruitment and retention due to increased patient volumes, post-pandemic recovery needs, and a departing experienced workforce. The concept of an ‘extern’ role, increasingly explored in professions such as nursing, allows healthcare students to take on paid employment in assistive roles in settings relevant to their future profession. The cornerstone of such an initiative is to bridge academic learning with practical clinical support, engaging the future of the workforce in a safe and meaningful way. MethodsAn extern program was piloted at a major urban multi-site medical imaging department beginning in 2022. Over three cohort years, it has explored two types of extern roles (junior and clinical) across three entry-to-practice MRIT disciplines – radiological technology, nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, and ultrasound. In developing roles, compliance with legislative regulations, considerations in defining roles and eligibility criteria, and aligning work commitment with student learning schedules were paramount in informing the program's structure and success.Seventy-three candidates applied to related roles and 34 externs were hired. Benefits/ChallengesBenefits to the program include engagement in clinical and administrative tasks, facilitation of departmental efficiency, and support for the existing workforce. Specific tasks for clinical externs included supporting staff in patient transfers and positioning, cleaning and restocking rooms, triaging patients and demands, calling inpatients and coordinating porters, and monitoring patients and schedules. For junior externs, tasks involved record-keeping, curating teaching cases, and supporting billing code reviews and quality control exercises like lead apron testing. Impacts/OutcomesThe program's value in shaping the future of healthcare professions has been recognized, particularly in enhancing student transition into practice and increasing recruitment opportunities for the host site. Staff overtime hours were reduced, and new graduates who had worked as externs were more quickly able to work autonomously following hire. The program was mutually beneficial to existing staff and future professionals, reinforcing the workforce without sacrificing the higher level learning achieved through university-based preparation for practice.

Evaluation of a community-based, hybrid STEM family engagement program at pre-kindergarten entry

IntroductionThis article investigates an early STEM family engagement program offered during the pre-kindergarten (pre-k) year. Pre-k is an important juncture for community organizations to support children’s STEM engagement and parental involvement in informal STEM learning. We evaluated a program called Teaching Together STEM, which offers a series of museum outreach and family events at schools with the aim of broadening access to early STEM for children experiencing poverty. We replicated program content previously delivered using in-person events but shifted to a hybrid delivery approach that combined two virtual and two in-person events with linguistically diverse families of 3- and 4-year-olds. We evaluated whether attending events improved parent outcomes, such as involvement in STEM activities at home, and child outcomes, such as engagement in a STEM task.MethodsThe analytic sample included 59 families—35 randomly assigned families took part in the treatment and 24 families were assigned to a waitlist control group. Developed in Spanish and English, the informal STEM program was hosted by local children’s museum educators for 21 pre-k classrooms using these components: (a) a series of four family education “funshops;” (b) parent tips and reminders via text message; (c) nine thematically related, take-home STEM extension activity kits; and (d) a family museum field trip for each school, as well as individual family museum passes.ResultsThere were no significant impacts on primary outcomes of parent involvement (effect size [ES] = −0.03) or child STEM engagement/enthusiasm (ES = −0.73). There were improvements in some aspects of parents’ STEM attitudes (e.g., math expectancy ES = 0.58), but other distal parent and child outcomes were not significantly changed.DiscussionThe hybrid delivery approach showed promise in terms of attendance and parent satisfaction but likely was not intensive enough to increase parent involvement. We discuss implications for other community-based family engagement programs focused on broadening participation in informal STEM.

Integrating Cardiovascular Engineering and Biofluid Mechanics in High School Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education: An Experiential Approach.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education workshops and programs play a key role in promoting early exposure to scientific applications and questions. Such early engagement leads to growing not only passion and interest in science, but it also leads to skill development through hands-on learning and critical thinking activities. Integrating physiology and engineering together is necessary especially to promote health technology awareness and introduce the young generation to areas where innovation is needed and where there is no separation between health-related matters and engineering methods and applications. To achieve this, we created a workshop aimed at K-12 (grades 9-11) students as part of the Summer Youth Programs at Michigan Technological University. The aim of this workshop was to expose students to how engineering concepts and methods translate into health- and medicine-related applications and cases. The program consisted of a total of 15 h and was divided into three sections over a period of 2 weeks. It involved a combination of theoretical and hands-on guided activities that we developed. At the end of the workshop, the students were provided a lesson or activity-specific assessment sheet and a whole workshop-specific assessment sheet to complete. They rated the programs along a 1-5 Likert scale and provided comments and feedback on what can be improved in the future. Students rated hands-on activities the highest in comparison with case studies and individual independent research. Conclusively, this STEM summer-youth program was a successful experience with many opportunities that will contribute to the continued improvement of the workshop in the future.

Adaptation through knowledge coexistence: insights for environmental and sea lamprey stewardship

ABSTRACT Strategies for tackling environmental issues, including the consequences of invasive species and corresponding control efforts, are frequently approached through a Western scientific lens that often overlooks Indigenous rights and Indigenous knowledge systems. This can cause numerous issues from costly delays in implementing control programmes, overlooking vital ecosystem information and alternative options, legal action due to infringement on rights, and perpetuating systems of oppression. This research uses social science and Indigenous methodologies to understand the Denny’s Dam rehabilitation (DDR) as a case study for relationship-building and knowledge coexistence between the Saugeen Ojibway Nation and the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission in controlling sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), an invasive species in the Laurentian Great Lakes. To evaluate the successes and shortcomings of the project, virtual semi-structured interviews (n = 14) were conducted with key decision-makers and others involved in the rehabilitation of Denny’s Dam, a sea lamprey barrier. Analysis of these interviews identify four main factors that were crucial in the success of the DDR partnership: meaningful communication, funding and capacity, going beyond duty to consult requirements, and early engagement. The DDR shows how knowledge coexistence approaches, including Two-Eyed Seeing, can lead to equitable decision-making, foster collaboration, and contribute to addressing challenges like climate change, invasive species, and various environmental degradation.

Young Professionals in Neuroradiology: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Directions.

The Young Professionals Committee of the American Society of Neuroradiology identifies and serves the interests of young professionals in neuroradiology, defined as those still in training or within 5 years of its completion. Being a young professional is an exciting, dynamic, and demanding stage of one's professional career. As the landscape of neuroradiology practice changes, new opportunities and challenges occur for those in the early stage of their career. It is important to recognize and support the needs of young professionals because an investment in their professional development is an investment in the future of our specialty. In this article, we aimed to address the most notable developments relevant to current and future young professionals in neuroradiology as well as highlight the work done by the Young Professionals Committee of the American Society of Neuroradiology in serving the needs of these young professionals, focusing on early neuroradiology engagement, flexible work arrangements, private practice, social media, artificial intelligence, and international collaborations.

Multisectoral action to address noncommunicable diseases: lessons from three country case studies.

Multisectoral action is a central component of the global response to the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). In this paper we aimed to unpack the definition of multisectoral action and provide an overview of the historical context, challenges, and recommendations alongside three country case studies: salt reduction in the UK, tobacco legislation in Nigeria, and regulation of edible oils in Iran. We used an iterative review process to select three country case studies from a list of 20 potential cases previously identified by WHO. At our third round of review we unanimously agreed to focus on salt reduction in the UK, tobacco regulation in Nigeria, and edible oil regulation in Iran as these represented rich cases on diverse risk factors from three different world regions that we felt offered important lessons. We conducted literature reviews to identify further data for each case study. Across the three studies a number of important themes emerged. We found that multisectoral approaches demand the often difficult reconciliation of competing and conflicting values and priorities. Across our three chosen cases, commercial interests and free trade agreements were the most common obstacles to successful multisectoral strategies. We found that early consultative stakeholder engagement and strong political and bureaucratic leadership were necessary for success. The complex multi-rooted nature of NCDs requires a multisectoral approach, but the inevitable conflicts that this entails requires careful navigation.

Towards co-design of rehabilitation technologies: a collaborative approach to prioritize usability issues.

Early stakeholder engagement is critical to the successful development and translation of rehabilitation technologies, a pivotal step of which is usability testing with intended end-users. To this end, several methods employ end-user feedback to identify usability and implementation issues. However, the process of prioritizing identified issues seldom leverages the knowledge and expertise of the range of stakeholders who will ultimately affect the demand and supply of a device. This paper describes a novel method to prioritize end-user feedback using transdisciplinary stakeholder consultation and address it in subsequent product development. The proposed approach was demonstrated using a case study relating to the development of a novel technology for neural recovery after spinal cord injury. Feedback from five individuals with chronic spinal cord injury was collected during two-hour usability evaluation sessions with a fully functional high-fidelity system prototype. A think-aloud and semi-structured interview protocol was used with each participant to identify usability and acceptability issues relating to the system in a 3-phase approach. Phase 1 involved extracting usability issues from think-aloud and semi-structured interview data. Phase 2 involved rating the usability issues based on their significance, technical feasibility, and implementation priority by relevant internal and external stakeholders. Finally, Phase 3 involved aggregating the usability issues according to design and implementation elements to facilitate solution generation, and these solutions were then raised as action tasks for future design iterations. Sixty usability issues representing nine facets of usability were rated. Eighty percent of issues were rated to be of moderate to high significance, 83% were rated as being feasible to address, and 75% were rated as addressable using existing project resources. Fifty percent of the issues were rated to be a high priority for implementation. Evaluation of the grouped issues identified 21 tasks which were mapped to the product roadmap for integration into future design iterations. This paper presents a method for meaningful transdisciplinary stakeholder engagement in rehabilitation technology development that can extended to other projects. Alongside a worked example, we offer practical considerations for others seeking to co-develop rehabilitation technologies.

Application of Ginni’s mean analysis for identifying the stationary driver enhancing modular construction adoption in the building industry

Modular construction (MC) is recognized as an environmentally friendly and sustainable building method, and it is mandatory for assessing project sustainability. In developed countries, MC is acknowledged as a crucial approach for sustainable development, leading to increased adoption in these nations. However, implementing and incorporating MC in developing nations is a multifaceted task due to infrastructure limitations, economic inequalities, and resource constraints, which limit its widespread adoption. This study aims to find the stationary driver that increase MC usage in developing nations, especially in residential projects. To achieve this objective, a total of 120 building professionals participated in the questionnaire. Following this, the Relative Importance Index and Gini’s Mean analyses were employed to assess the significance of the top 5 ranked drivers and to pinpoint the stationary driver. According to the study results, the five major MC drivers are as follows: Determining the correct weights and dimensions of modules by optimal design; Considering the detailed survey of fabricators’ MC experience and competency; Early screening tests during the selection of fabricators and factories; Early engagement of the heavy lift team in relevant research; and Avoiding suboptimal modular equipment sizes that might restrict transportation options. Additionally, the Gini’s Mean analysis revealed the stationary driver that promotes MC adoption is the need for expert advice for equipment specifications, scheduling, and sequence. The research findings pave the way for the Egyptian construction industry to adopt MC, which will improve the construction sector, particularly residential construction. Furthermore, the results address a knowledge gap about the drivers that enhance the adoption of MC in developing nations.

Deployment of vaccine cold chain equipment in resource-limited settings: lessons from the Gavi Cold Chain Optimization Platform in Cameroon.

Lack of or use of suboptimal cold chain equipment (CCE) is a major barrier to optimal immunization coverage and equity. Gavi established the CCE optimization platform (CCEOP) in 2015 to help eligible countries modernize their cold chain systems. However, there are limited data on CCE deployment at country level. We present lessons learnt from deploying CCE from the Gavi CCEOP in Cameroon. This cross-sectional study collected data on the number of days items of CCE spent at each point on their trajectory from the entry port to 62 randomly selected health facilities in Cameroon. Once equipment arrived at the entry port, it took 10 d for customs clearance, 2 d from customs clearance to warehousing and 257 d (>9 mo) from the warehouse to facilities. Upon arrival at the facilities, it took a median of 53 (range 0-395) d from installation to final commissioning: most of the days (median=210) were spent between installation and final commissioning. The major causes of delays included insufficient coordination and communication across all levels, poor documentation and final commissioning. Early engagement on customs clearance, strengthening coordination and communication, ensuring proper documentation, as well as eliminating final commissioning, could significantly improve implementation of the program.

Between Rhetoric and Reality: Real-world Barriers to Uptake and Early Engagement in Digital Mental Health Interventions

Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) have potential to provide effective and accessible care to entire populations, but low client uptake and engagement are significant problems. Few prior studies explore the lived experiences of non-engagers, because reaching this population is inherently difficult. We present an observational inquiry into the barriers to sign-up and early use of a DMHI, along with reasons for initial interest in the DMHI. We collected 205 online questionnaire responses and 20 interviews from self-referring participants across four healthcare ecosystems in the UK and US. Questionnaire results revealed that uncertainty about DMHI usefulness and usability were the main barriers to uptake, whereas forgetting about it, not finding time for it and not finding it useful were the main barriers to early engagement. Participants reported multiple reasons for considering the DMHI, reflecting the contextual, subjective nature of mental health. Our thematic analysis generated themes around (1) the need for human connection, (2) the impact of self-stigma on help-seeking, (3) the lack of knowledge around DMHIs and psychological therapy, (4) the desire for personally relevant care, and (5) the fluctuating, perennial nature of mental health. We discuss implications for DMHI design, implementation and future research, as well as transdisciplinary opportunities.

A Brief History of Pak-China Political and Economic Relations

This research paper delves into the intricate history of Pakistan and China's political and economic relations, spanning over seven decades. Beginning with early diplomatic engagements in the 1950s, it traces the evolution of this alliance from initial agreements to a comprehensive strategic partnership. It examines the era of security and strategic alignments during the 1970s and 1980s, influenced by Cold War dynamics and geopolitical shifts. The paper also provides an overview of present-day Pak-China relations, highlighting key 21st-century developments such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), shared security interests, and cultural exchanges. Analyzing the driving factors behind this enduring partnership, the study emphasizes shared interests, trust, mutual respect, and the mutual economic and strategic benefits. This research provides insights into the trajectory and dynamics of Pak-China relations, offering a deeper appreciation of its role in shaping the contemporary geopolitical landscape. The enduring nature of this alliance stands as a testament to the possibilities of cooperation and shared objectives in international diplomacy.

Learning from failures in knowledge exchange and turning them into successes

While the evidence base on successful practices in knowledge exchange is rapidly growing, much less attention has been given in the academic literature to documenting and reflecting on failures in trying to exchange different types of evidence between academics, practice partners and policymakers. However, learning from failures is just as important, if not more crucial, than celebrating successes. Therefore, in this introduction to the special issue on learning from failures in knowledge exchange, we discuss crosscutting themes across the seven papers. We start by comparing and theorising different definitions of failures, and by exploring the relational barriers and structural stressors underlying these failures. We argue for the creation of a ‘failure culture’ in organisations, in which failures are no longer avoided but actively encouraged. To turn failures into successes, we identify a need for more sharing and publishing of failures, early engagement with stakeholders in the knowledge exchange process, and illustrate the importance of boundary spanners. We conclude with recommendations for future work, related to promising theoretical approaches, such as system thinking, the re-addressing of power imbalances through leadership, and highlight art-based approaches as a mechanism for rebalancing power.

Factors influencing public health engagement in alcohol licensing in England and Scotland including legal and structural differences: comparative interview analysis.

Greater availability of alcohol is associated with higher consumption and harms. The legal systems, by which premises are licensed to sell alcohol in England and Scotland, differ in several ways. The 'Exploring the impact of alcohol licensing in England and Scotland' study measured public health team activity regarding alcohol licensing from 2012 to 2019 and identified seven differences between England and Scotland in the timing and type of activities undertaken. To qualitatively describe the seven previously identified differences between Scotland and England in public health approaches to alcohol licensing, and to examine, from the perspective of public health professionals, what factors may explain these differences. Ninety-four interviews were conducted with 52 professionals from 14 English and 6 Scottish public health teams selected for diversity who had been actively engaging with alcohol licensing. Interviews focused primarily on the nature of their engagement (n = 66) and their rationale for the approaches taken (n = 28). Interview data were analysed thematically using NVivo. Findings were constructed by discussion across the research team, to describe and explain the differences in practice found. Diverse legal, practical and other factors appeared to explain the seven differences. (1) Earlier engagement in licensing by Scottish public health teams in 2012-3 may have arisen from differences in the timing of legislative changes giving public health a statutory role and support from Alcohol Focus Scotland. (2) Public Health England provided significant support from 2014 in England, contributing to an increase in activity from that point. (3) Renewals of statements of licensing policy were required more frequently in Scotland and at the same time for all Licensing Boards, probably explaining greater focus on policy in Scotland. (4) Organisational structures in Scotland, with public health stakeholders spread across several organisations, likely explained greater involvement of senior leaders there. (5) Without a public health objective for licensing, English public health teams felt less confident about making objections to licence applications without other stakeholders such as the police, and instead commonly negotiated conditions on licences with applicants. In contrast, Scottish public health teams felt any direct contact with applicants was inappropriate due to conflicts of interest. (6) With the public health objective in Scotland, public health teams there were more active in making independent objections to licence applications. Further in Scotland, licensing committee meetings are held to consider all new applications regardless of whether objections have been submitted; unlike in England where there was a greater incentive to resolve objections, because then a meeting was not required. (7) Finally, Scottish public health teams involved the public more in licensing process, partly because of statutory licensing forums there. The alcohol premises licensing systems in England and Scotland differ in important ways including and beyond the lack of a public health objective for licensing in England. These and other differences, including support of national and local bodies, have shaped opportunities for, and the nature of, public health engagement. Further research could examine the relative success of the approaches taken by public health teams and how temporary increases in availability are handled in the two licensing systems. This article presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Public Health Reseacrh programme as award number 15/129/11.

Evaluating Effectiveness of Telerehabilitation Services Among Injured Workers Treated in a Canadian Workers' Compensation System: A Population-Based Study.

To evaluate the effectiveness of telerehabilitation for promoting return-to-work (RTW) among injured workers. We conducted a pragmatic, quasi-experimental study comparing telerehabilitation, in-person, or hybrid services. Descriptive statistics analyzed demographics, occupational factors, and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). Kruskal-Wallis tests investigated differences between mode of delivery and changes in PROM scores. Logistic and Cox-proportional hazard regression examined associations between mode of delivery and RTW status or days receiving wage replacement benefits in the first-year post-discharge, respectively, while controlling for potential confounders. A slightly higher percentage of the 3,708 worker sample were male (52.8%). Mean (standard deviation (SD)) age across all delivery formats was 45.5 (12.5) years. Edmonton zone had the highest amount of telerehabilitation delivery (53.5%). The majority of workers had their program delivered in a hybrid format (54.1%) and returned to work (74.4%) at discharge. All PROMs showed improvement although differences across delivery formats were not clinically meaningful. Delivery via telerehabilitation had significantly lower odds of RTW at discharge (Odds Ratio: 0.82, 95% Confidence Interval: 0.70-0.97) and a significantly lower risk of experiencing suspension of wage replacement benefits in the first year following discharge (Hazard Ratio: 0.92, 95% Confidence Interval: 0.84-0.99). Associations were no longer significant when confounders were controlled for. RTW outcomes were not statistically different across delivery formats, suggesting that telerehabilitation is a novel strategy that may improve equitable access and earlier engagement in occupational rehabilitation. Factors such as gender and geographic location should be considered when deciding on service delivery format.

“I always felt like I wasn't supposed to be there”. An international qualitative study of fathers’ engagement in family healthcare during transition to fatherhood

ObjectiveEngagement of fathers in family health services confers benefits for the health and wellbeing of the whole family. The childbirth continuum is traditionally considered a feminine event, however, commensurate with the changing paradigm of gender equity in family healthcare worldwide, the role of fathers is in transformation. The aim of the study is to explore father's perceptions and experiences of healthcare engagement during pregnancy and early infant care. DesignQualitative free-text questions were embedded in a large multi-country, cross-sectional survey, to explored fathers’ attendance, participation, and experience of health care during appointments with their pregnant partner and/or baby. Setting and participantsExpectant and new fathers were recruited through Prolific®, an international paid online survey platform. FindingsQualitative responses (n=889) were provided by fathers from 28 countries, with experiences of a range of contexts and models of care; 46.8% of whose partners were pregnant and 53.2% had given birth since 2020. The findings suggest that although most fathers wanted to attend and participate in maternity and early parenting-related healthcare, multiple barriers were identified at the individual father, organisational context, and societal levels. Fathers reported negative social factors such as gender bias and restrictive gender norms as barriers to their healthcare engagement. In contrast, factors that enabled fathers to overcome barriers included the fathers’ feelings of confidence in their partner's autonomy and decision-making skills, trusted professional relationships with clinicians, and clinicians with good interpersonal skills. Key conclusionsMultiple barriers restrict the participation of fathers in healthcare for childbearing and early parenting. Knowledge of these barriers can inform healthcare redesign to include more successful engagement strategies for fathers, to benefit fathers, mothers, and infants alike. Implications for practiceHealth professionals consulting with the mother, father and infant triad are ideally placed to address the healthcare needs of both parents. Early engagement of fathers in family health care by use of inclusive interpersonal skills and the development of a trusted relationship has potential to improve paternal mental health, and may be associated with benefits for the health, wellbeing and safety of the whole family.

1706 Introducing geriatrics to medical students through film

Abstract Introduction There is an urgent need to increase the workforce of geriatricians. Geriatrics is not a popular specialty amongst medical students due to limited education and training opportunities in this discipline. Nurturing positive attitudes towards ageing, and early engagement with older people and their social networks could address this challenge. Film can be creatively employed to introduce the lived experience of older generations to medical students. Methods An 8-weeks film-based educational intervention, a student-selected module (SSM) was offered by a clinical-academic geriatrician to 11 first year medical students at Brighton and Sussex Medical School to enable them: to appreciate the diversity of older people, to understand the bio-psycho-social model of ageing, to develop skills in history taking, and present a focused narrative learning from film aesthetics, and to learn how to analyse a life narrative in a non-judgemental, compassionate, and empathic manner. Over 6 weeks, students watched and discussed a selection of short films, and a feature ‘Radiator’ with its director Tom Browne, all films depicted ‘old age’. During the last 2 weeks, students delivered a short presentation on a film they choose and gave feedback on the module. Results In their presentations, students discussed short, feature, and animated films portraying successful ageing, institutionalisation, dementia, and terminal illness. Examples included ‘Ikiru’ (Japan, Akira Kurosawa, 1952), ‘Drving Miss Daisy’ (Bruce Beresford, USA, 1989), ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ (Hayao Miyazaki, Japan, 2004), ‘Amour’ (Michael Haneke, France, 2012), ‘Echoes’ (Ben Bradbury, UK, 2018), and ‘The Father’ (Florian Zeller, UK, 2020). Students demonstrated insight into the heterogeneity of senior citizens, and the burden experienced by carers of dependent adults. The module, as a platform for interactive learning, was positively perceived by students. Conclusions Conversations with medical students around films portraying ‘old age’ could enhance the possibilities of them choosing ‘Geriatrics’ as a future career.

Identifying Individuals With Early Psychosis in Jail: Lessons Learned for Coordinated Specialty Care Services.

This study sought to establish the feasibility of a two-component intervention embedded within a jail setting that would detect detainees with early psychosis and connect them to coordinated specialty care (CSC) in the community upon release. The two components of the intervention were a targeted educational campaign for correction officers and a specialized early engagement support service to facilitate jail discharge planning. Jail detainees with early psychosis were referred to the project and assessed for positive and negative symptoms, substance use, and duration of untreated psychosis (DUP). During a 24-month period, 25 individuals were referred, of whom eight were eligible and interviewed. The sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the jail detainees were similar to those of individuals in hospital settings. The median DUP was 36 weeks. One of the eight detainees with early psychosis was successfully referred to CSC; for the other detainees, social or criminal legal factors precluded referral. A targeted educational campaign for correction officers and a specialized early engagement support service can be implemented in a jail setting, and referrals can be facilitated. Success of the campaign may depend on having dedicated liaisons within the jail setting (e.g., among correctional health staff) as well as liaisons in local CSC programs and leadership. Changes in the law and policy environments (e.g., criminal legal system reform) and changes in organizational practices and processes for corrections, correctional health, and local CSC programs (such as those made during the COVID-19 pandemic) require ongoing collaborations.

Constructing a Hellenic modernism: Aeschylus at the ancient theatre of Syracuse (1914–30)

Abstract This article examines the aesthetic means employed in classical performances produced by the Institute of Ancient Drama (INDA) in Syracuse between 1914 and 1930, with a particular focus on performances of Aeschylus’ tragedies. The first part of this study traces the influences of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century modernist and avant-garde movements on the Syracusan project, including the experiments pioneered by the radical French gauche, the German productions directed by Hans Oberländer with Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Mollendorf in the role of dramaturg and translator, as well as Max Reinhardt’s early engagements with ancient Greek drama and his vision of theatre (particularly his Theatre of the Five Thousand). It then discusses the aesthetic trajectory that productions of ancient Greek drama, and more specifically those of Aeschylus’ plays, underwent from INDA’s beginnings in 1914–30, when an all-fascist governing body was installed at its helm.

What role can ‘public switching’ play in researching public perceptions of controversial issues?

ABSTRACT This short article reflects on ‘public switching’ as a methodology for research on public perspectives on potential responses to the climate crisis. There have been recent calls for early public engagement with potentially controversial science and technology. Such ‘upstream’ engagement is often conducted by those close to the science, presenting challenges associated with informing without advocating and deferral to scientists on non-scientific matters. The method we propose – public switching – involves engaging a public (here, young people) with emerging technologies through social science priming, independent research and the creation of questions which are presented to scientists and policymakers working in the field. We argue that this approach provides a mechanism for the public to connect with science and policy and to be heard, with question creation depolarising and deepening discussion. We reflect on methods of public switching, question creation and analysis, and discuss the limits and limitations of this approach.

Humanitarian-Development Nexus: strengthening health system preparedness, response andresilience capacities to address COVID-19 inSudan-case study ofrepositioning external assistance model andfocus.

The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic and the establishment of a new transitional government in Sudan with rejuvenated relations with the international community paved the way for external assistance to the EU COVID-19 response project, a project with a pioneering design within the region. The project sought to operationalize the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, perceiving the nexus as a continuum rather than sequential due to the protracted nature of emergencies in Sudan and their multiplicity and contextual complexity. It went further into enhancing peace through engaging with conflict and post-conflict-affected states and communities and empowering local actors. Learning from this experience, external assistance models to low- or middle-income countries (LMICs) should apply principles of flexibility and adaptability, while maintaining trust through transparency in exchange, to ensure sustainable and responsive action to domestic needs within changing contexts. Careful selection and diverse project team skills, early and continuous engagement with stakeholders, and robust planning, monitoring and evaluation processes were the project highlights. Yet, the challenges of political turmoil, changing Ministry of Health leadership, competing priorities and inactive coordination mechanisms had to be dealt with. While applying such an approach of a health system lens to health emergencies in LMICs is thought to be a success factor in this case, more robust technical guidance to the nexus implementation is crucial and can be best attained through encouraging further case reports analysing context-specific practices.