Academic Technology Research Articles

Employees Digital Experience and Mental Health During Covid-19 in Higher Education in the UK: Understanding the Aftermath

This theoretical study concentrated on comprehending the issues faced by UK employees in higher education becoming accustomed to and familiar with the digital world during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with its repercussions. Additionally, we aimed to explore the difficulties encountered throughout the pandemic and post-pandemic eras, emphasising on distant working, technology readiness and digital competency, and mental health of UK academic and non-academic personnel. The review's objectives are to identify knowledge gaps and provide viable tactics for improving academic technology preparedness. We came to the conclusion that organisations could monitor employee activity more readily and more effectively with the use of digital technology. Additionally, when implemented properly, collaboration and communication tools at workplace can dramatically boost productivity. Furthermore, understanding the barriers to digital inclusion will also make it easier to create equal educational experiences for everyone. The most efficient ways to integrate technology into education and other organisations can be determined by looking into how effectively these improvements’ function. By assessing the impact of digital online experiences on employee well-being, institutions would be guided in implementing ways to counteract burnout and anxiety.

Theatre-based techniques for enhancing creativity in engineering education: An evaluation study of the creativity academy program

In response to the underemphasis on creativity in college engineering education and the limited knowledge and skills of early-career engineering faculty to nurture students’ creativity, the Creativity Academy was designed as a faculty development program. Using theatre-based approaches, the program aimed to train early-career engineering faculty members to incorporate creativity into their classrooms. Two research questions were addressed: how faculty incorporate creativity after participating in the Creativity Academy and how students perceive faculty integration of creativity into their classes. Interviews were conducted with ten early-career engineering faculty members who participated in the training, as well as focus group interviews with each faculty participant’s students. Results indicated that faculty participants mastered at least two creativity-fostering exercises to apply in their teaching, revised their syllabi, and incorporated these exercises to engage students and develop their creativity. Students confirmed the changes in their professors’ teaching practices and expressed excitement. The study concludes that providing more opportunities for engineering students to develop creativity is essential, and the implications of the findings are discussed with suggestions for future Creativity Academy programs.

‘We’re supposed to be at the forefront’: a multiple case study exploring how institutional context shapes engineering diversity and inclusion initiatives

Research suggests the normative culture of engineering perpetuates the marginalization of individuals with excluded identities, contributing to a lack of diversity in academia and the workforce. As evidenced by recent funding opportunities, stakeholders view diversity and inclusion (D&I) as critical to broadening participation, and many engineering units have espoused their commitment to D&I efforts. However, additional research is needed to better understand how institutional contexts shape D&I efforts occurring in academic engineering units. This multiple case study examined engineering units at three U.S. universities that received the same National Science Foundation grant to cultivate an inclusive engineering culture. Drawing from the field of organizational theory, I analyzed data from 11 interviews and 209 pages of documents to understand how university context shaped engineering D&I efforts. The theory of neoinstitutionalism was used as a lens to understand similarities and differences among the cases. Findings suggest D&I efforts were heavily shaped by institutional contexts including the desire for prestige, availability of resources, and pressure from internal and external stakeholders. Implications for policymakers, funding agencies, and engineering leaders point to the need to re-imagine markers of engineering education legitimacy.

Improving Systems Engineering Competency and Capability in an Organization

AbstractHow do you improve the capability of an organization to practice a valuable, disciplined form of engineering that is rarely taught in academic engineering programs and often misunderstood in the workplace? This paper is based upon a multi‐year effort to improve the skills and capabilities of the Systems Engineering (SE) workforce at a Naval Research and Development center. Specific topics to be addressed will include: identifying the systems engineering workforce in an organization, facilitating the development of capabilities of this workforce, motivating and inspiring the workforce to continue improving their skills, and assessing the level of competence developed. Lessons learned from the effort will provide important insights to those pursuing a similar goal.

Does the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect Excellence in Academic Research? a Study of Science and Engineering Faculty Members in China.

Research excellence is one of the key missions of universities and an important engine for socio-economic development. However, the outbreak of COVID-19 has affected academic research in many ways. This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the research performance of science and engineering faculty members in China's top research universities. It is found that the pandemic caused a decline in the numbers and quality of published articles, and the effects persisted over time. The negative effect of the pandemic on research excellence was more pronounced in the older faculty groups and departments of science. In addition, the pandemic has harmed international research collaborations among academics, which is likely to obstruct research excellence in the long run. In the end, this paper proposes several policy recommendations to reinvigorate universities' capacity for research innovation in the post-pandemic era.

Motivations and use of video games in engineering students

The use of video games has increased exponentially worldwide, mainly among the youth population. The main objective of this article is to evaluate the consumption habits and motivations of engineering students to play video games. To this end, an instrument to measure the use of video games and a scale of motivations were administered to 633 students enrolled in different academic engineering programs at a Peruvian public university. It was found that 91.3% of students play video games, compared to 8.7% who have never played them; it was also found that their use is greater among male students (95%) than among female students (73.4%). Likewise, it was found that these students prefer strategy video games, and that they mostly play them for escape and entertainment, and for socioemotional activation. It is concluded that consumption habits and motivations are related, since the greater the consumption of video games, the greater the motivation is for young people to play them.

Strengthening the Competitiveness of Japan's Pharmaceutical Industry: Analysis of Country Differences in the Origin of New Drugs and Japan's Highly Productive Firm.

Improving the new drug discovery and development capability of the Japanese pharmaceutical industry, which shows a huge trade deficit, is an urgent issue. To tackle this issue and propose remedies, this study analyzed the originators and characteristics of new drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from 2017 to 2022 and examined the contributions of Japanese companies. Analysis of the establishment year of the companies that created the approved drugs showed that bio-ventures established in the 1990s and 2000s highly contributed to the creation of the approved drugs in regions other than Japan (particularly in the US), whereas, in Japan, all approved drugs were created by old incumbent pharmaceutical companies. This suggests the presence of an urgent need in Japan to foster start-ups that link scientific discoveries and technologies in academia to drug discovery. The novelty of approved drugs measured by the ratio of first-in-class, orphan drug, and recent drug modalities did not differ between Japan and other countries, suggesting that Japanese pharmaceutical companies follow the technological trends of new drugs. A case analysis of Kyowa Kirin, the Japanese company that created the largest number of the drugs approved by the FDA from 2017 to 2022 among Japanese companies, suggests that focused investment in modality technology development, strengthening collaboration with academia in biology, and the reutilization of small-molecule drug discovery capabilities are important for improving drug discovery productivity.

Negotiating boundaries: an intersectional collaboration to advance women academics in engineering

This paper draws on data from the National Science Foundation (NSF) ADVANCE-funded LATTICE program (Launching Academics on the Tenure-Track: an Intentional Community in Engineering) to examine how a diverse group of women worked across social and professional identities to support early-career women in academic engineering. We used ethnography to elucidate the social dynamics and power relations involved in forming a coherent group identity for the LATTICE leadership team, and the boundaries we negotiated in running the LATTICE program. We identify the processes and behaviors through which we made boundaries between members salient yet porous to build a coherent community across various dimensions of difference. We offer three actionable strategies that impact change agents’ engagement and the group’s coherence across multiple dimensions of difference: (1) intentionally creating a socio-emotional culture in our group, one that spans across group members’ personal and professional identities; (2) validating other group members’ perspectives, and (3) striving to build consensus using storytelling. These strategies of the LATTICE leadership team provide guidelines for others who work across intersecting dimensions of difference.

Thermally cross-linkable fluorene-based hole transporting materials: synthesis, characterization, and application in perovskite solar cells.

Perovskite solar cells are among the most promising photovoltaic technologies in academia and have the potential to become commercially available in the near future. However, there are still a few unresolved issues regarding device lifetime and fabrication cost of perovskite solar cells in order to be competitive with existing technologies. Herein, we report small organic molecules with introduced vinyl groups as hole transporting materials, which are capable of undergoing thermal polymerization, forming solvent-resistant 3D networks. Novel compounds have been synthesized from relatively inexpensive starting materials and their purification is less time-consuming when compared to polymers; therefore this type of hole transporter can be a promising alternative to lower the manufacturing cost of perovskite solar cells.

Blockchain for Science, from Covid-19 towards DeSci: the Implementation of Decentralized Technologies in Young Academia

Objective: This paper explores the evolving landscape of blockchain technology and its applications in the field of science, with a specific focus on the period from 2021 to 2023. It examines the challenges and opportunities posed by blockchain, particularly in the context of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) and the concept of decentralized science (DeSci). Methods: The research draws on a comprehensive review of existing literature, including prior works by the author related to blockchain in science, as well as an analysis of recent developments in the blockchain ecosystem. It discusses the principles of blockchain technology and its potential in academia, addressing both the technical and socio-organizational aspects of its implementation. Results: The paper reveals the shift in focus from blockchain as a tool for transparency and automation in science to its decentralization aspects, such as DAOs. It highlights the application of DAOs in research crowdfunding, decentralized decision-making, and cross-border collaboration, with a special emphasis on the Covid-19 interlude in 2020-2021. The discussion also delves into the role of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in science, which provide new avenues for monetizing research and democratizing funding and organization in the field. Scientific Novelty: The novelty of this paper lies in its examination of the latest wave of blockchain projects in science, particularly the emergence of DAOs and DeSci in the years 2021-2023, an analysis that is still largely absent from scholarly literature. It underscores the evolving blockchain ideologies and controversies within the scientific community, as well as the tensions between transparency and decentralization. Practical Significance: The paper highlights the practical significance of blockchain technology in academia, particularly in facilitating research funding, transparent decision-making, and cross-border collaboration. It discusses how blockchain and NFTs offer innovative ways to monetize research and democratize funding, reducing dependence on traditional funding sources.

A Review on Developing Digital Leadership: Assessing Strategies and Implications to Generate Links for Promoting Digital Leadership in Higher Education Institutions

This review explores the transformative impact of digital technologies in academia and the essential role of educational leadership in fostering innovation and digital transformation. Investigating strategies used by educational leaders, the study examines their effects on university culture, instructional quality, and the overall educational environment in traditional and digital practice. Digital leadership, encompassing mindset, behavior, and skills for technology-driven transformation, emerges as crucial for navigating the challenges of the 21st-century educational landscape. The synthesis of diverse studies focuses the multifaceted nature of digital leadership, advocating for adaptable, visionary leadership approaches to address digital era challenges. Furthermore, the paper emphasizes the need for a structured framework, skill development initiatives, and policy changes to align leadership styles with the demands of the evolving digital environment in higher education.

Faculty Engagement and Performance Improvement in Engineering Students

The concept of faculty engagement has become prominent in engineering education. The faculty members have to act as architects of effective engineering programs to implement efficient student engagement. Fifteen issues have been selected in the student engagement process based on prominent research works. 31 senior faculty members have been selected for this research work and questionnaires have been distributed to them to give feedback on the current status of faculty engagement. Based on their feedback a draft model of faculty engagement has been developed. There is a need for further fieldspecific validation by a large number of engineering faculty members. This is a current limitation of the model. There are many preconditions like strategic planning, availability of needed resources, and need-based faculty development for the implementation of the model. KEYWORDS: Engineering faculty engagement, Factors that affect faculty engagement, Role of trained faculty members, Role of educational administrators

A preliminary strategy framework for an academic technology center

A preliminary strategy framework for an academic technology center

Efficient online resource allocation in large-scale LoRaWAN networks: A multi-agent approach

The recent proliferation of the Industrial Internet of Things has revealed the potential of Low-Power Wide-Area Networks as a complementary solution to cellular technologies. In this context, the LoRaWAN standard has already been consolidated as one of the most extended technologies in academia and industry for lightweight machine-type communications under negligible energy and cost. As LoRaWAN’s Aloha-like nature is known to hinder its reliability, especially under high-traffic and large-scale deployments, numerous time-slotted approaches have been presented as a means to schedule LoRa transmissions accordingly. However, the online allocation of resources based on application constraints has received scant attention in the literature, despite having proved to be significant in real-world deployments. To shed light on this question, this paper proposes a multi-agent approach to efficient resource allocation in multi-SF LoRaWAN networks, addressing architecture design, logic implementation and scalability-oriented evaluation. The integration of agents in the system resulted in network-size improvements of up to 21.6% and 66.7% (for nearby or scatter node distributions within the gateway, respectively). The work provides a set of learned lessons regarding slot-length computation and end-node allocation strategies enabling large-scale collision-free channel access in LoRaWAN networks.

Characterizing Academic Engineering Research Groups

Academic research is a key activity of higher learning institutions, where the knowledge, skills and capabilities of the staff are directed towards scientific activities. The case of academic engineering research groups is quite particular, as they must perform academic research work but still consistently work with industrial partners in problem-solving research activities. Although they appear to be distinct, these aspects are interconnected and combining impactful research work and academic training is highly advantageous to group performance. This paper studies the operation of academic engineering research groups, starting with a literature review on the subject, followed by an analysis of a case study. The target of the case study is the Advanced Joining Processes Unit, part of the Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering and the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, a leading research unit in mechanical engineering, performing research on advanced joining processes. The main lesson drawn is that to achieve lasting success and significant impact on the scientific community and society, a research group must operate with clear and result-oriented leadership, able to provide a work environment with well-defined goals, and which is consistently working towards knowledge generation and dissemination.

Engineering process safety research instrument: Assessing students’ moral reasoning in process safety contexts

Process safety decision making is a key component of undergraduate chemical engineering education. Despite this, there are no existing survey instruments designed to measure students’ moral reasoning in the context of process safety decision making. The Engineering Process Safety Research Instrument (EPSRI) was developed to address this deficit in process safety assessment. The EPSRI was modeled after existing moral reasoning instruments including the DIT2, EERI, and ESIT. The process safety scenarios included were drawn from personal experience and reports from the Chemical Safety Board. Each scenario in the instrument was followed by a decision prompt and 12–15 considerations. The EPSRI went through content validation with chemical engineering industry practitioners and chemical engineering faculty members. Subsequently, three rounds of exploratory factor analysis were conducted to finalize the instrument design before a final confirmatory factor analysis was completed to ensure validity and reliability of the instrument. Completion of the exploratory factor analysis resulted in five dilemmas with 9–12 considerations each that loaded onto pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional reasoning constructs according to Kohlberg’s moral development theory. Confirmatory factor analysis reaffirmed the validity and reliability of the instrument and its ability to measure chemical engineering students’ moral reasoning within process safety contexts.

Evaluating quality management of road construction projects: a Delphi study

PurposeThere are various methods to assess the failure of a road construction project that does not meet quality and performance standards. This study aims to evaluate the factors affecting the quality management of road construction projects in Indonesia by identifying the critical challenges in implementing quality management processes and examining the countermeasures to address these problems.Design/methodology/approachIn this research, the quality management processes in Indonesian road construction projects are evaluated using a mixed quantitative and qualitative approach. Quantitative data obtained from two rounds of Delphi questionnaire surveys as the primary data source, and focus group interviews as the qualitative data are used to achieve the aims of this study.FindingsIt is found that from as early as in the preconstruction stage of a project, the availability of quality standards and documentation is problematic when implementing quality management processes. The critical factor of the quality control activities of a project and the quality management roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders during road construction is the project team. This constraint deals with the interaction of the competency, commitment, and mutual cooperation among the main stakeholders to ensure that quality management processes are implemented. This implementation is a part of controlling the road pavement materials, supervising the project activities according to a specified standard, and reporting the project performance. The findings of this study add parameters relating to quality management and quality processes in a road construction project area.Originality/valueThis study is the first to evaluate the quality management processes in the construction of Indonesian road projects. The investigation identifies and evaluates the causes of the persistence of poor road quality. All revealed constraints are substantial factors that hinder the implementation of quality management processes when delivering quality road products. This study addresses the key influencing factors and scenarios related to quality management during road construction projects in Indonesia and other developing countries as practical examples and provides case-based insights for construction practitioners and civil engineering academics in developed countries.

Living-Learning Communities in the First-year Engineering Experience

This exploratory study investigates the design and impacts of a curated Living-Learning Community (LLC) piloted at a large student residence for a large (1000+ student) first-year engineering design course. Alongside the live-in Faculty-in-Residence (FiR), the research includes surveying first-year engineering students participating in this program and understanding the impacts on the lived student experience, and student motivation. The first-year engineering design, teamwork, and communication course is central to engineering education at this large institution. The course offers opportunities for students to work in multidisciplinary teams, applying term knowledge to authentic engineering applications, in a problem-based learning environment. The goal of the LLC is to create opportunities for interaction and scaffolded connection between like-minded students taking similar courses and inspire learning within the students living environment; an entire floor of the Residence is assigned to be an LLC for the 2022 academic year, with support from the Don, ResLife Office, and the Faculty-in-Residence (an engineering faculty member). The purpose of this study is to observe and report on the student experience throughout the duration of the course. We aim to learn how participating in the Living-Learning community can affect the perception of confidence in students’ learning of course concepts, and inter-team relations. In order to do so, students will be surveyed at multiple check points throughout the semester. Furthermore, additional relevant information will be gathered from the Living-Learning Community Don, teaching assistants, and the course instructors. The outcome of this analysis has the potential to educate us on the positive and negative connotations that come along with close-quarters learning. The applications of the results found with this study can be vast, from influencing future residence programs and the first-year engineering education experience. This study focuses on the student’s perception of their experience. Understanding how the perception of manageability of workload [1] can affect student mental health leads the curiosity of how close-quarters learning can affect the student experience, to what degree, and how this understanding can help influence future programming. A positive experience that improves student confidence of understanding and course material has the potential to positively improve mental health and engagement in education; we hope that this research brings together the academic and lived-experiences of students through this work.

The Application of Field-Flow Fractionation to the Analysis of Nanomedicines

Thecombination of field-flow fractionation with powerful leading-edge detectors canbe applied to the measurement of nanomaterial physicochemical properties, and thecreation of harmonized robust measurement protocols. The Multiscale MetrologySuite (MMS) at the University of Strathclyde is a unique internationallyleading facility combining multiple leading-edge field flow fractionation modalities(electric, asymmetric and centrifugal) with in-line Raman, inductively-coupledplasma (ICP) mass spectrometry and multimodal detector capability. Using exemplarcase studies, we demonstrate the application of various FFF hyphenations forthe analysis of a diverse materials portfolio. One of the goals for the MMS isto raise the standards of traditional academic analytical support underpinningpioneering academic engineering, physical and life sciences research exploringnovel materials as diagnostics and therapeutics.

A Conceptual Framework for Integrating TPB With Context-Relevant Variables to Predict e-Learning Success During the Covid -19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated the digitalization of some aspects of our lives including education. However, as we witness a phenomenal rise in the demand for online learning, the decision to migrate to online learning platforms is dependent on the learner’s preparedness to embrace it. The objective of this study is to conceptualize a framework that measures the tendency of learners to adopt online learning in an era characterised by so many disruptions. To do this, we adopt document analysis on databases such as SCOPUS, Web of Science, EBSCO and Google Scholar using Boolean search engines; AND, OR, NOT, *, (), ‘’’’, +, -, <,>. mainly on current scientific manuscripts through the use of the keywords “e-learning”, “theory of planned behaviour”, “Covid 19”, “distance learning”, “environmental factors” and “academic technology adoption”. Subsequently, we integrate the theory of planned behaviour with other context-relevant variables as the bases of the study, and conceptualise a framework to predict e-learning success in the covid-19 era. This study contributes to the scientific body of knowledge on e-learning, particularly from the perspective of a forced mass adoption of e-learning occasioned by a global pandemic.