Executive Committee Research Articles

Building a Physician-Scientist Pathway for Underrepresented Medical Students Through a Summer Research Experience.

There is a need to increase the number of physician-scientists from underrepresented in medicine (URiM) groups. To engage URiM medical students, a committee of pediatric departmental leaders at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia created the Summer Underrepresented in Medicine Medical Student Research program. This 8-week, onsite research and clinical experience takes place during the summer between students' first and second years of medical school. Applications were solicited between 2019-2023 through nationwide outreach to medical school deans and members of URiM student organizations. Accepted students were assigned a mentor to lead their research and clinical exposure. A curriculum highlighting aspects of academic medicine was developed. Students received a $3,000-$5,500 stipend for in-person participation. In 2020 and 2021, adjustments were made (e.g., virtual programming) to avoid interruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the 2019-2023 application cycles, 298 students applied. Of 128 students who participated, 78 (61%) completed a postprogram survey. Students' survey feedback was positive. They indicated the program met expectations (mean rating = 1.3; scale: 1 = strongly agree to 5 = strongly disagree). Students reported they learned valuable information/skills (mean = 1.3) and that participation was worth time spent away from other responsibilities (mean = 1.3). The 2019 cohort (n = 12) achieved a 100% residency match rate. In addition, 4 (33%) of these students reported they are obtaining additional degrees or are performing research. After the program, many mentors continued to include students in their research projects. Next steps include incorporating a standardized, scored rubric for selecting applicants; adding 3 lead mentors, an executive committee, and a faculty advisory board; establishing earlier pathway programming (e.g., at elementary and middle school levels); continuing to track/support alumni throughout their careers; and pursuing federal funding to expand the program.

Transformation of digital government services in the public sector in South Africa

Background: It is well-documented that the 21st century is providing digital technologies in an alarming rate. Their emergence promotes effectiveness, efficiency, accountability and transparency of public services and internal governance. This study was conducted within the government departments and state-owned agencies of South Africa.Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the transformation of digital government services in the public sector in South Africa.Methods: This case study used qualitative approach where data were collected through semi-structured interviews from the national government departments and state-owned entities. The target population comprised information technology officers, investigators or analysts and administrative officers. Data collected were thematically analysed preceding the transcription of audio-recordings.Results: Some of the significant results of this study showed that the executives avoid playing their role to drive Information and communications technology (ICT) through Corporate ICT Strategy.Conclusion: Some of the challenges of adopting digital transformation are associated with low digital literacy, poor digital infrastructure, unreliable power supply, among others.Contribution: This study establishes that if the senior managers from ICT section become members of the executive committee, the government can have successful implementation of ICT projects without scepticism. This study also contributes to the awareness of considering digital literacy skills to support digital transformation.

299 Building and maintaining an engaged undergraduate equine research team

Abstract An objective of the equine science program at Penn State is to provide the training and knowledge students need to solve problems in their lives and careers. The Equine Research Team at Penn State (PSERT) is a novel approach to meeting this objective, inspired by Dr. Max Kleiber’s “Tracer Team”, a group of faculty and graduate students that successfully studied kinetics of phosphorus and calcium metabolism in dairy cows at the University of California, Davis in the 1950s and 60s. The team allows us to address several objectives that are not easily approached using more traditional teaching environments found in the classroom or laboratory. These include 1) satisfying the demand for research experience from a large number of students, who come to research with an enormous range of ability and enthusiasm, 2) providing the hand on practice utilizing the scientific method to solve problems in the equine industry, 3) building a sense of personal responsibility and simultaneously cooperation by approaching research as a team, 4) creating an environment of academic and creative achievement outside the traditional grading system, and 5) blurring the lines that traditionally separate academic and social life at a university to create an environment much closer to what students will experience as graduates. In spring 2008, 10 undergraduate students sought formal research experience opportunities in the area of equine science. Students were organized into a team that met biweekly. Project leaders registered for independent study course credits and conducted 3 research studies in yr 1, while the rest of the team participated as volunteers. Fourteen years later, the team is still an important student organization with between 40 to 60 members on an annual basis. Over the years, the team has traveled to universities and important equine industry locations throughout the United States. Members have conceived, conducted, analyzed and presented research studies on a wide range of topics within the sphere of equine science. The team has two faculty advisors, an executive committee analogous to most student organizations, a group of research project leaders, and approximately 60 dues paying student members. The biweekly meeting is organized and led by the executive committee and generally contains the following components: update of activities, seminar provided by an outside speaker from industry or academia who has expertise in the area of equine research, presentation by one of the research project leaders, and group discussion of the project, planning of future research projects. This Equine Research Team has been and continues to be a model that can be utilized by others to successfully facilitate undergraduate student engagement in research.

SELA Officers and Executive Committee, SELA State Representatives

SELA Officers and Executive Committee, SELA State Representatives

Political Mobilization of Farmers in India: A Case Study of Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) in Punjab

Growing agrarian contradictions and peasant protests globally are seen as outcomes of the commercialization of agricultural production systems. The Indian Punjab is one such site that has also witnessed a high degree of agricultural commercialization, and farmers’ movements and protests are attributed to growing discontentment among peasantry due to the emergence of agrarian crises. This has led to massive farmers’ movements and protests through their unionization over time. These protests received global limelight during the introduction of three farm laws by the union government of India in 2020, which were repealed in 2021. This necessitates understanding the organizational structure and functioning of unions; their social composition, mobilization strategies and role of gender. This article examines the evolution and strategies of Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan, ekta meaning united), which is the largest farmers’ union in Punjab and one of the largest in India. Using a mixed-method approach of research, which included interviewing union member farmers and agricultural workers through a semi-structured schedule and conducting focused group discussions with block presidents and executive committee members, the study finds that the unionization of farmers has accelerated the process of rural democratization. However, active persuasion of social reforms along with other agrarian issues in rural society by the unions is needed to bring social inclusiveness to make rural development process pro-poor and inclusive.

The (in)visibility of deafness: Identity, stigma, quality of lifeand the potential role of totally implantable cochlear implants.

The disclosure of deafness is complex, given the historic and on-going stigma associated with being deaf. The aim of this study was to explore how identity, stigma, and quality of life may be impacted when using cochlear implants (CIs) and totally implantable cochlear implants (TICIs). The physical difference between these two assistive listening devices is significant, given many CI users opt to hide their sound processor behind hair or headwear, in contrast to TICIs (an emerging technology) whereby all components are implanted internally and thus invisible. This qualitative study involved semistructured interviews and demographic questionnaires with 12 adult participants with more than 1 year of experience using their CI. Participants were recruited Australia-wide through community organisations that support deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. Interview transcripts were analysed thematically, with the themes generated through an inductive process, with consensus generated through group working with three members from the research team. Four major themes were identified: (1) CI challenges; (2) The importance of social and support networks; (3) Identity and disclosure and (4) Concerns about TICIs. The underlying finding was centred around the construction of deaf identity. Participant attitudes were generally categorised as 'Loud and proud', with the recognition that displaying the CI was an extension of self, something to be proud of, and a means to normalise deafness; or 'Out of sight and out of mind', which sought to minimise the visibility of deafness. While both identities differed in how deafness is disclosed, they are fundamentally related to the same ideas of self-agency and empowerment. TICIs present a novel opportunity-the ability for CI users to control the visibility of their deafness and thus control disclosure. This study explored the impact of stigma and categorised two core identities that CI users construct. Future directions include investigating potential CI candidates, to explore if TICIs may be a facilitator to CI uptake. The semistructured interview guide was developed in consultation with adults with CIs. Feedback led to adjustments and improvement to the interview guide. In addition, F. R. has a lived experience with hearing loss, and C. Y. L. is an executive committee member for a nonprofit charity organisation that supports families that are D/deaf and hard-of-hearing.

THE EFFECT OF LOCAL REVENUE COLLECTION ON IMPLEMENTATION OF UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION IN KIBOGA DISTRICT. A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.

Background: The study intended to investigate the effect of local revenue collection on the implementation of universal primary education in Kiboga district. Methodology: The study targeted a population of 71 respondents comprising of 6 district Technical Planning Committee Members, 5 Sub-county Executive Committee members, 6 Sub-county Technical Planning Committee Members, 6 head teachers, and 48 School Management Committee Members. Simple random sampling was used to select School Management Committee Members who were the main respondents. The analysis was conducted in SPSS. Results: In the study it was found that the majority of the respondents represented by 62% were male respondents whereas 38% of the respondents were found to be females with ages ranging from 20 years and above the study was carried out on a 5 Likert scale where 4.47 strongly agreed that schools do budgeting and 4.65 also agreed that schools constitute finance committees, 4.31 strongly agreed that school finance committees are fully functional 2.45 disagreed that budgeting in schools is participatory, 4.01agreed that schools implement budgets,4.39 strongly agreed that that school budgets are monitored in schools, and finally 4.21 agreed that schools evaluate budget performance. This totals an average mean of 4.10 strongly agreeing to the study. Conclusion: The study revealed that sub-counties in their local revenue budgets don’t cater to schools at all. Recommendation: District and sub-county councils should consider allocating local revenue to schools to supplement the capitation grant which is always inadequate to meet the school needs. This will help to solve the problem of lack of pupils’ lunch that has led to defying the UPE policy and presidential directive which criminalizes collection of any fee from parents.

Advancing critical heritage studies: the next 10 years

ABSTRACT Advancing Critical Heritage Studies: the Next 10 Years, which focuses on the growth of the Association of Critical Heritage Studies (ACHS) since 2012, and the development of and challenges facing critical heritage studies in general. The special issue is a collection of short articles that, rather than present academic debates written in expected academic uses and conventions, offers a glimpse into the discussions that define the growing field of heritage studies today. Minimally referenced but rich in archival information, the contributions are records of past and present motivations, solutions, and oversights that drove the first ten years of work by different members of the ACHS Executive Committee, ACHS Chapters, and other contributors. As the issue’s editors, we offer these discussions as a companion to the growth of critical heritage studies, and to encourage both support and critique for the ways in which an organization navigates the complicated landscapes of heritage expertise.

Gender quotas for corporate boards: do they lead to more women in senior executive management?

Purpose The European Union (EU) has recently adopted gender quotas for corporate boards (CBQ), anticipating ripple effects on women’s careers in the companies concerned, as well as throughout the economy. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether CBQ has spurred ripple effects and discuss mechanisms hindering or facilitating women’s occupancy of top executive positions. Design/methodology/approach Norway was the first country in the world to introduce CBQ in 2003, with full effect from 2008. The policy requires company boards to be composed of 40% of each gender. Drawing on original data mapping boards and executive committees in Norway’s 200 largest companies, the authors analyze the association between CBQ and the gender composition of executive management almost 15 years after the full implementation. The data include both companies covered by the CBQ and large companies not covered. Findings The investigation does not find a positive association between CBQ and more women in executive positions. Thus, the ripple effect hypothesis of CBQ is not supported. CBQ may have contributed to an increased awareness of gender imbalances, yet these findings indicate that to achieve more gender balance in executive positions, scholars and practitioners may need to focus more on gendered conditions and processes in organizations and society throughout executive careers than on the gender composition of boards. Originality/value This paper provides empirical analyses of original data 15 years after the implementation of CBQ. The authors further contribute to scholarly debate by identifying and discussing possible mechanisms that explain how requiring more women on corporate boards may – or may not – have ripple effects on executive management.

Привлечение женщин в аппарат волостных исполнительных комитетов Коми автономной области в 1920-е годы

The paper deals with the study of the activities of government bodies to attract women to the grassroots management apparatus in the 1920s, as well as consideration of the implementation of this work using the example of the Komi Autonomous Region. The study considers certain normative legal acts concerning the involvement of female workers and peasants to work in Soviet government bodies. They legislated gender equality between men and women and proposed to select the most capable delegates to work in the grassroots authorities. The most important aspects of the functioning of the Volost Eexecutive Committees are revealed, including a description of the directions of socio-economic and cultural work. Data on the number of women in the grassroots Soviet apparatus are considered. In general, women’s social activity increased: from 1922 to 1927 their number in the Volost Executive Committees of the country increased from 0.3% to 10.1%, participants in the elections to the Soviets of the Komi Autonomous Region per 100 people from 1924 to 1927 - from 8% to 45% and members of the Presidium of the Volost Executive Committee from 1925 to 1927 – from 0.7% to 2.1%. In the 1920s, the prerequisites were laid for increased activity and a gradual increase in the number of women in government.

‘Understanding socialism from the outside and from the inside’ – Interview with Alberto Chilosi

Alberto Chilosi is a former Professor of Economic Policy in the Department of Economics at the University of Pisa, Italy. After obtaining a degree in Law at Pisa, he earned a scholarship to Warsaw, receiving a Diploma in Economic Planning in 1968 and a Doctorate in Economics in 1972. He has been mainly active in the area of Comparative Economics, the Economics of Socialism, and the Economics of Transition. As a chairman of the Italian Association of Comparative Economic Studies, he has cooperated to organise the founding of the European Association of Comparative Economic Studies, serving as a member of its first Executive Committee. As a Senior Associate Member of St Antony’s College, University of Oxford (UK), he has taken part in its research in the area of Economics of Eastern Europe. He has also contributed in the areas of Macroeconomics and Growth Theory. While there are numerous examples of Western scholars who have studied the socialist system from the outside, as well as Eastern scholars who have studied it from the inside, Chilosi represents a rare case of a scholar who has managed to study the system from both perspectives simultaneously.

The Military-Civilian Partnership Quality Improvement Program Concept: A Process to Improve Data Collection and Outcomes Assessment.

Military-Civilian Partnerships (MCPs) are vital for maintaining the deployment readiness of military health care physicians. However, tracking their clinical activity has proven to be challenging. In this study, we introduce a locally driven process aimed at the passive collection of external clinical workload data. This process is designed to facilitate an assessment of MCP physicians' deployment readiness and the effectiveness of individual MCPs. From March 2020 to February 2023, we conducted a series of quality improvement projects at the Wright Patterson Medical Center (WPMC) to enhance our data collection efforts for MCP physicians. Our methodology encompassed several steps. First, we assessed our existing data collection processes and their outcomes to identify improvement areas. Next, we tested various data collection methods, including self-reporting, a web-based smart phone application, and an automated process based on billing or electronic health record data. Following this, we refined our data collection process, incorporating the identified improvements and systematically tracking outcomes. Finally, we evaluated the refined process in 2 different MCPs, with our primary outcome measure being the collection of monthly health care data. Our examination at the WPMC initially identified several weaknesses in our established data collection efforts. These included unclear responsibility for data collection within the Medical Group, an inadequate roster of participating MCP physicians, and underutilization of military and community resources for data collection. To address these issues, we implemented revisions to our data collection process. These revisions included establishing clear responsibility for data collection through the Office of Military-Civilian Partnerships, introducing a regular "roll call" to match physicians to MCP agreements, passively collecting data each month through civilian partner billing or information technology offices, and integrating Office of Military-Civilian Partnership efforts into regular executive committee meetings. As a result, we observed a 4-fold increase in monthly data capture at WPMC, with similar gains when the refined process was implemented at an Air Force Center for the Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills site. The Military-Civilian Partnership Quality Improvement Program concept is an effective, locally driven process for enhancing the capture of external clinical workload data for military providers engaged in MCPs. Further examination of the Military-Civilian Partnership Quality Improvement Program process is needed at other institutions to validate its effectiveness and build a community of MCP champions.

Strengthening the Red army in the proceedings of the all-russia central executive committee and the council of people’s commissars during the Civil war

This article presents the contribution of the All-Russia Central Executive Committee and the Council of People’s Commissars as the highest state authorities in the formation of the military power of the young Soviet Republic. The first experience of making military decisions in the documents of the All-Russia Central Executive Committee and the Council of People’s Commissars on the creation and strengthening of the armed forces of the country is considered. According to the results of the study, the conclusion is made about the role of the All-Russia Central Executive Committee and the Council of People’s Commissars in the development of military issues in the structures of public authorities of the Soviet state in the period of its formation. When writing the article, the author used a number of new, previously unknown to researchers documents stored in the State Archive of the Russian Federation.

PACMNET, V2, CoNEXT1, March 2024 Editorial

The Proceedings of the ACM on Networking (PACMNET) series present the highest-quality research conducted in the areas of emerging computer networks and their applications. We encourage submissions that present new technologies, novel experimentation, creative use of networking technologies, and new insights made possible using analysis. The journal is strongly supported by the ACM Special Interest Group on Communications and Computer Networks (SIGCOMM) and involves top-level researchers in its Editorial Board. This issue contains four papers submitted for the June '23 deadline that were revised by their authors based on the extensive feedback provided by the reviewers. We would like to thank the many individuals who contributed to this issue of PACMNET, in particular the authors, who submitted their best work to PACMNET, and the Associate Editors, who provided constructive feedback to the authors in their reviews, participated in the online discussions and the Editors' meeting. We would like also to thank the SIGCOMM Executive Committee Chair and the CoNEXT Steering Committee members who supported and guided us as usual.

Accounting Practices in the Barapan Kebo Custom in Sumbawa Regency

Traditional accounting practices in the context of the Barapan Kebo tradition in Sumbawa Regency have not yet been widely researched. This research seeks to fill this gap in the literature by focusing on how buffalo breeders and traditional actors in this tradition record, measure costs and determine profits. Using an ethnographic approach, data was collected through observations and interviews for days in the field. The results show that the concept of profit and loss is not only seen from a material perspective, but is also influenced by spiritual beliefs and local beliefs. Even though financial recording practices tend to be informal, the importance of financial monitoring is still reflected through simple recording carried out by the executive committee. The emphasis on non-material aspects in assessing profits, such as happiness and gratitude, illustrates that spiritual cultural values play a key role in accounting practices in the Barapan Kebo tradition. Accounting is understood as financial management that is not only practical, but also closely connected to the cultural and spiritual values of society.

Telestroke activity across Europe; The results of a European Stroke Organization survey

IntroductionTelestroke care is likely not inferior to face-to-face care in acute stroke management while it also provides rural sites with access to specialist expertise. However, little is known about the distribution and activity of telestroke networks across Europe. Consequently, the European Stroke Organization (ESO) Telestroke Committee aimed to address this through an online questionnaire.MethodsThe questionnaire was developed through an unstructured consensus process, ratified by the ESO Executive Committee, and emailed to ESO members.ResultsOf 2,147 ESO members contacted, complete data sets were submitted on 25 networks from 10 countries. Among the 25 networks, the mean number of hubs per network was 1.6 (SD 1.2), and the mean number of spokes was 9 (SD 6.7), with considerable variability observed (range 2–24 spokes/network). All sites used audiovisual communication. The mean telemedicine consultations per year per site was 197 (SD 164). The primary reason for consultation was “diagnostic and triage purposes” in all but one network. The median number of strokes per site was 175 (interquartile range 192), and the mean intervention rate was 12.3% (SD 10; thrombolysis or thrombectomy).ConclusionAt 25 networks, this survey probably underrepresents telestroke activity across Europe, yet it is still the first study to provide a continent-wide geographical footprint and report on activity within the networks. There was considerable variability in network size and activity. Spoke sites reported an acceptable intervention rate of 12.3%. This percentage compares favorably with national data from European countries and suggests telestroke care supports reasonable intervention rates.

Consistency of data reporting in fluid responsiveness studies in the critically ill setting: the CODEFIRE consensus from the Cardiovascular Dynamic section of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine.

To provide consensus recommendations regarding hemodynamic data reporting in studies investigating fluid responsiveness and fluid challenge (FC) use in the intensive care unit (ICU). The Executive Committee of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) commissioned and supervised the project. A panel of 18 international experts and a methodologist identified main domains and items from a systematic literature, plus 2 ancillary domains. A three-step Delphi process based on an iterative approach was used to obtain the final consensus. In the Delphi 1 and 2, the items were selected with strong (≥ 80% of votes) or week agreement (70-80% of votes), while the Delphi 3 generated recommended (≥ 90% of votes) or suggested (80-90% of votes) items (RI and SI, respectively). We identified 5 main domains initially including 117 items and the consensus finally resulted in 52 recommendations or suggestions: 18 RIs and 2 SIs statements were obtained for the domain "ICU admission", 11 RIs and 1 SI for the domain "mechanical ventilation", 5 RIs for the domain "reason for giving a FC", 8 RIs for the domain pre- and post-FC "hemodynamic data", and 7 RIs for the domain "pre-FC infused drugs". We had no consensus on the use of echocardiography, strong agreement regarding the volume (4ml/kg) and the reference variable (cardiac output), while weak on administration rate (within 10min) of FC in this setting. This consensus found 5 main domains and provided 52 recommendations for data reporting in studies investigating fluid responsiveness in ICU patients.

A news update from the students and new professionals group of the International Society of Biometeorology.

An update from the new Chair and Executive Committee of the Students and New Professionals Group of the International Society of Biometeorology.

The triple glass ceiling: FinTech gender inequalities

Abstract While FinTech gets promoted as an innovative and progressive solution to meeting financial needs globally, it is afflicted by pervasive gender inequalities, only recently noticed in research. To explore these gender inequalities at the core of FinTech, we use a mixed-methods approach, combining data on 100 leading FinTech firms and 15 interviews with FinTech professionals, collected in the latter half of 2021. We argue that women in FinTech face the ‘triple glass ceiling’ at the intersection of financial, technological, and entrepreneurial gender inequalities. Our sample shows that women account for only 7.69% of (co-)founders, 18.2% of executive committee members, and merely 4.04% of FinTech companies are led by a woman. Gendered stereotypes and a privileging of masculine performances produce significant barriers to women entering and progressing within FinTech. Discriminatory practices are overt and implicit, everyday and exceptional, micro and acute. Shattering the ‘triple glass ceiling’ in FinTech represents an immense challenge.

RAS Welcomes the 2024–2025 Executive Committee [Society News

RAS Welcomes the 2024–2025 Executive Committee [Society News