Faculty Members Research Articles

An Innovative, Collaborative, and Transformative Program to Enhance Off-Campus Clinical Faculty Engagement.

Off-campus (volunteer, community-based) clinical faculty, upon whom medical schools heavily depend, are an integral component of medical education. However, challenges hinder their involvement in medical school governance and other activities, including inadequate communication, lack of recognition, high clinical demands that may preclude teaching, and time-consuming non-clinical tasks. While faculty appointments offer benefits like free CME, access to library resources, and email communications, faculty often prioritize potential contributions to their teaching roles over these benefits. Our medical school launched a new initiative to tackle these issues head-on. We established an Office of Faculty Engagement (OFE) that leverages engagement strategies to enhance communication, broaden access to campus resources, and provide tailored rewards for clinicians. We rebranded volunteer clinical faculty as Off-Campus Faculty (OCF) to foster a more interactive relationship and innovative measures, including personalized welcome emails, a dedicated point of contact for OCF, a user-friendly website, regular orientations, faculty development programs, recognition and appreciation events, and exclusive awards. From August 2021 to December 2023, we contacted 587 OCF members; 85 faculty members experienced improved communication. This innovative approach streamlines and personalizes interactions with OCF, enhances their satisfaction, and represents a transformative opportunity to engage and involve OCF in medical education.

Underrepresented minority faculty in the USA face a double standard in promotion and tenure decisions.

Underrepresented minority (URM) faculty face challenges in many domains of academia, from university admissions to grant applications. We examine whether this translates to promotion and tenure (P&T) decisions. Data from five US universities on 1,571 faculty members' P&T decisions show that URM faculty received 7% more negative votes and were 44% less likely to receive unanimous votes from P&T committees. A double standard in how scholarly productivity is rewarded is also observed, with below-average h-indexes being judged more harshly for URM faculty than for non-URM faculty. This relationship is amplified for faculty with intersectional backgrounds, especially URM women. The differential treatment of URM women was mitigated when external reviewers highlighted candidates' scholarship more in their review letters. In sum, the results support the double standard hypothesis and provide evidence that different outcomes in P&T decision-making processes contribute to the sustained underrepresentation of URM faculty in tenured faculty positions.

A qualitative study exploring graduated medical residents’ research experiences, barriers to publication and strategies to improve publication rates from medical residents

BackgroundIn Kenya, postgraduate medical residents must complete a research dissertation for their Master of Medicine studies. However, the subsequent publication rate is lower than in higher-income settings, limiting the availability of population-specific data. This study explored residents’ experiences with research, reasons for the low publication rate, and strategies to improve publication rates.MethodsIn-depth interviews were conducted with 9 faculty members and non-academic support staff, as well as 18 Master of Medicine graduates who had successfully completed their research projects, to investigate their experiences with conducting, supervising, and publishing research. The interview data was analysed using inductive thematic analysis. The study also explored strategies to improve publication rates.ResultsThe graduates (former medical residents) described difficult research journeys – from concept development to final submission of dissertation – which discouraged them from seeking publication. Many faculty and staff lacked time or sufficient expertise to successfully guide residents to publication. Departmental research culture, faculty expertise as supervisors and prioritisation of clinical work over research and lack of dedicated research time impacted both residents’ and faculty capacity for research. Strategies to improve publication rates focused on developing faculty research expertise, more protected research time, and a more structured approach to teaching research methodology, including academic writing skills.ConclusionsResidents in low- and middle-income countries such as Kenya encounter systemic and personal challenges to successful publication of research. The ease or difficulty of a resident’s research journey influences their attitudes to subsequent publication. Strategies to improve publication rates can improve the dissemination of relevant research data in such settings.

Illana Gozes: From the pivotal discovery of activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP) through its investigational drug davunetide: brain molecular medicine providing hope for autism, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's disease

Professor Illana Gozes, Ph.D., is a faculty member at Tel Aviv University. Formerly holding the Lily and Avraham Gildor Chair for the Investigation of Growth Factors, she now directs the Dr. Diana and Zelma Elton Laboratory for Molecular Neuroendocrinology. A world-renowned neurochemist, Professor Gozes currently serves as the President of the European Society for Neurochemistry and Vice President of Drug Development at ExoNavis Therapeutics Ltd. Her groundbreaking research began in the late 1970s and early 1980s when she discovered multiple tubulin forms within a single neuron. She demonstrated that these forms evolve with brain development, play a crucial role in synapse formation, and can be identified using monoclonal tubulin antibodies. At the forefront of molecular neuroscience in the 1980s, Professor Gozes became the first to clone the gene encoding vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), a key regulatory neuropeptide in the brain. Her research revealed increased VIP expression during synapse formation. In her quest to identify proteins activated by VIP and facilitate neuro-glial interaction, the Gozes laboratory discovered and cloned a novel protein: activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP). Subsequent research established ADNP's essential role in brain formation and function. Through a series of highly cited articles, Professor Gozes demonstrated that ADNP regulates thousands of essential genes during brain development in a sex-dependent manner and associates with an intricate array of vital proteins. She uncovered ADNP's key role in autophagy and schizophrenia, revealed a fundamental shared mechanism in autism involving critical binding of ADNP with SHANK3 and actin, and showed ADNP's regulation of microtubule dynamics and Tau interaction, which protects against tauopathy. Furthermore, she discovered somatic mutations in ADNP and related genes in Alzheimer's disease, paralleling tauopathy. Her pioneering work on ADNP-deficient mouse models predicted the ADNP syndrome, an autistic/intellectual disability syndrome driven by de novo mutations in ADNP and presenting with tauopathy. Professor Gozes took a reductionist approach to discover an active site in ADNP, leading to the development of the investigational drug davunetide (NAP). This compound has shown promise in protecting against ADNP deficiency/mutations in animal models and in clinical trials. It has been tested in women suffering from progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a pure tauopathy, and in individuals with prodromal Alzheimer's disease, demonstrating effects in a sex-dependent manner. Further promise was shown in schizophrenia patients, suggesting improvement in real-world problem solving and task performance. We are honored that Professor Gozes has agreed to share her life's journey with our readers in this Genomic Press Interview.

Are faculty members capable of finding the needed information? A study of selected universities of Jammu and Kashmir

We all need information and there is so much of it available in both physical and digital media. However, to find the needed information, capability of searching; knowledge of retrieval tools like catalogue; knowledge of Boolean operators, wildcards and truncations; and knowledge to different sources of information like bibliography, encyclopaedia, journals, etc. are equally important. The current study set out to investigate the faculty members’ searching capabilities in four of Jammu & Kashmir's top institutions. The study used questionnaire as a tool to gather data from randomly identified population. After applying appropriate statistical techniques, the study revealed that the faculty members are not able to cross the half mark of correct answering for some basic questions posed to them. Eventually, the study suggests to conduct user awareness programmes since these programmes are significantly associated with the correct responses given by the faculty members in the universities studied.

The Role of the Digital Library in the Development and Encouragement of Scientific Research During the Corona Pandemic

The study aimed to shed light on the impact of using the digital library in encouraging and developing scientific research from the point of view of graduate students at the College of Business at King Khalid University during the COVID-19 crisis. The descriptive analytical approach was used to achieve the objectives of the study. A questionnaire was used to collect data and information, and the SPSS program was used to analyze the data. The study reached several results, including the fact that the digital library helps detect plagiarism, forgery, copying, and imitation in scientific and technological research and facilitates communication between academic researchers from faculty members and students by logging in. The digital library and the exchange of ideas and information contribute to the development of scientific research. Graduate students use the resources in the digital library to efficiently complete their assignments and scientific research. The use of the digital library contributed to saving time and effort for graduate students. It was recommended that the culture of digital awareness be spread by preparing workshops for graduate students to introduce them to digital libraries and teach them how to use and activate them in the service of scientific research.

“A lifelong journey:” a phenomenological exploration of faculty perceptions about coach training at an academic medical center

BackgroundCoaching in academic medicine may help learners develop lifelong learning skills. Studies typically evaluate the impact on coachees and program outcomes. Limited information is available about educating faculty to integrate the role of coaching. We explored a faculty coach training program at an academic medical center in the southern region of the United States.MethodsTwenty faculty members in the college of medicine completed the 34-h training program meeting alternate weeks from May to November 2021. We collected data from reflections during training, a post-training survey, and three post-training focus group discussions making this a qualitatively driven mixed methods research. We used a transcendental phenomenological approach for the qualitative analysis entailing deriving essential meaning of the participants’ training experiences and perceptions about coaching.ResultsWe identified 3 themes (1) perceptions, skills, and understanding of coaching, (2) perceived additional benefits from coach training, and (3) effective instructional practices to teach coaching. Under the first theme, participants expressed improved understanding about the process of coaching in academic medicine, noted the importance of listening to the whole person without judgment, questioning with curiosity, vulnerability, self-awareness, and reflection for building trust. Perceived additional benefits included personal development and illuminating discoveries. Sub-themes for effective instructional practices were learning community encompassing mindfulness, psychological safety, social cohesion, experiential and interactive learning, and suggestions. Faculty experienced internal transformation while learning coaching and felt they had the capacity to influence personal and professional development of learners and colleagues. The concepts reflection, awareness, growth, and relationship were threaded throughout the three themes.ConclusionsThe training evoked self-awareness and opportunities for personal growth. The newly trained coaches expressed the beginning of an internal transformation to embody being a coach and demonstrated willingness to influence personal and professional development of learners and colleagues. Effective instructional practices to teach coaching included mindfulness practice, psychological safety, social cohesion, and experiential and interactive learning. Based on these findings, it may be summarized that in the process of training to be a coach, the faculty not only recognized the benefits of coaching for learners but also realized individual personal benefits.

Reframing and Advancing Academic Mentorship to Support New and Early Career Faculty Members

Reframing and Advancing Academic Mentorship to Support New and Early Career Faculty Members

Reducing mental health stigma in academia: Assessing the acceptability of a first-person narrative program.

Academics are more likely to experience mental health difficulties like depression and anxiety. However, stigma remains a key barrier to help-seeking, and limited data exists on stigma reduction for academics. This study examines the acceptability of a first-person narrative-based antistigma program conducted by Dragonfly Mental Health at a large public university. This intervention used a multitiered approach that leverages education and contact strategies to reduce stigma among graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, staff, and faculty. Personal stories of six local faculty with lived experience of mental health struggles were shown in a short film during three separate departmental retreats, followed by moderated large and small group discussions. This study presents descriptive survey data from academics (N = 149) who attended one of these three programs. A thematic content analysis was conducted on open-ended responses from 86 participants. Overall, the Dragonfly Mental Health program was well-received: 95% of participants found the film beneficial, and over 92% felt the film and discussions reduced stigma. Qualitative analysis highlighted several themes on participants' experiences. Participants appreciated the open, honest disclosures of faculty members in the film but reported that the vague disclosures perpetuated stigma. Participants liked the normalization of mental illness but desired more representation from the mental health spectrum. Participants expressed frustration over an academic work culture that is defined by overwork and burnout. These findings suggest that sharing faculty stories is a powerful mechanism to build connectedness among academics, promote open communication, and foster change in academic culture around mental health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Predictive Analysis of Students’ Learning Performance Using Machine Learning

Several researchers and educational institutions got attracted to the domain of predicting the performance of the students to classify the educational level of student performance. Though the educational sector uses several techniques for extracting useful information about them and the measures to be undertaken in the learning process, it is necessary to develop a student performance assessment model to assist the students as well as faculty members to improve their performance to the next level. This research work majorly concentrates to examine and identify useful rules and patterns to motivate the students for handling their education as well as career in a better way and also to improve the functioning of academics to supervise the policies for students’ benefit. Here, EDM is employed to identify the effective data which helps in applying the active learning in technical applications. Initially, a review of different DM, machine learning (ML), and meta-heuristic models to assess the performance of the students. the proposed models can be employed as an appropriate tool for mining educational data to achieve effective performance assessment of the students.

Examining the impact of online service convenience on user engagement and intention to continuously use e-resources: mediating role of attitude

Purpose This study aims to analyze the mediating role of attitude in understanding the impact of online service convenience on user engagement and intention to continuously use e-resources. Five components of online service convenience have been adopted for the present study: These are access convenience, search convenience, evaluation convenience, transaction convenience and possession/ post-possession convenience. Design/methodology/approach A total of 500 PhD scholars and faculty members from two different states of India were approached to provide their responses through a structured questionnaire, which resulted in 224 complete responses. These responses were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The statistical analysis has been performed with the help of Smart-PLS 3. Findings The study findings have proven the proposed conceptual model by showing a significant relationship between all the variables. Furthermore, it has been identified that the attitude of the users also positively impacts intention to continuously use e-resources. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature on e-resources by providing implications for students, faculties, managers and society.

“D-III students deserve better”: strategic communication with college stakeholders

Research methodology This case is based solely on secondary, publicly available information. Sources include the X social media platform, Anna Maria College’s (AMC) website and the Massachusetts-based Spectrum News. Case overview/synopsis AMC administrators knew student-athletes held a stake in the institution’s success. After all, over 40% of the College’s students played on its 13 Division-III (D-III) teams, which meant a significant portion of the private institution’s tuition and student fees were paid by student-athletes. But student-athletes were not AMC’s only stakeholders. In Spring 2024, this came to a head when the College found itself intervening as a faculty member and his student-athletes struggled to communicate with one another. AMC administrators were left wondering: How should they reconcile the competing needs of their diverse stakeholder groups? Complexity academic level This case and its accompanying teaching note are appropriate for lower-level undergraduate organizational communications classes that explore how stakeholder theory can drive messaging development. The case was tested in the classroom with upper-level undergraduate students in a strategic managerial communication course. It was embedded in a unit that focused on stakeholder management and communication, and it should be a prerequisite to a unit in which students build on the case’s content to develop full, multi-touch communication campaigns.

Navigating techno-stress: A qualitative exploration of university faculty's experiences and perspectives in the Peruvian context amidst the return to classes and the post-COVID-19 era

Background: Technology serves as a potent tool that enhances the quality of teaching and learning experiences. However, when educators lack proficiency in utilizing technology, it leads to obstacles in providing effective education, resulting in emotions of frustration, diminished self-assurance, and uncertainty regarding their teaching abilities. This study aims to investigate the experiences of university faculty members in relation to the impact of technology on their mental well-being. Methods: For this qualitative study, ten professionals engaged in university-level teaching, encompassing research domains, were selected for interviews. Inclusion criteria were based on teaching experience, tenure, specific courses or subjects taught, and active involvement during the research phase. The guiding question for the study was framed as follows: "What are the experiences and perceptions of university faculty members concerning techno-stress?" Additionally, the study identified four subcategories: work overload, social and emotional interaction, adaption to new technologies, and expectations and teaching quality. Results: Techno-stress is a composite of emotional and physical reactions triggered by the improper use of technology. Faculty members’ encounters with techno-stress have substantial implications for their quality of life. The subcategories shed light on different aspects of the faculty’s experiences, including the burden of excessive workload, the influence of social and emotional interactions, the process of adapting to evolving technologies, and the connection between expectations and the quality of their teaching. Conclusions: This research underscores the significance of technology in higher education, highlighting its potential to positively impact teaching and learning. Nevertheless, faculty members’ struggles with techno-stress indicate a pressing need for effective training and support. Establishing limits on connectivity with technology and others emerges as a crucial step in maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Ultimately, addressing techno-stress and providing appropriate guidance are essential for safeguarding the well-being of university faculty members and, consequently, enhancing the overall educational experience.

Teachers' professional journey: Charting achievement recognition, career adaptability, and task performance

The rapid technological advancement in higher education necessitates understanding the factors influencing university teachers' professional growth and task performance. This study investigates the relationships among Achievement Recognition, Career Adaptability, and Organizational Seniority, focusing on their impact on the task performance of Chinese university teachers. A longitudinal, time-lagged survey design was employed, collecting data from 1444 Chinese university teachers over three waves, each one month apart. The survey included Achievement Recognition, Career Adaptability, and Task Performance measures, with Organizational Seniority as a moderating variable. Achievement Recognition significantly predicted Career Adaptability. The interaction between career adaptability and organizational seniority was significant, indicating that the positive effect of career adaptability on task performance varied with levels of organizational seniority. Conditional Effects were substantial. Career Adaptability positively affected Work Performance for individuals with less than five years of seniority but had a weaker effect for those with 11–15 years and an adverse effect for those with >21 years of seniority. The indirect impact of Achievement Recognition on Work Performance through Career Adaptability was significant for newly employed workers but non-significant for experienced workers. The study underscores the importance of Achievement Recognition in enhancing Career Adaptability and, subsequently, Work Performance. The moderating role of Organizational Seniority suggests that interventions to boost Career Adaptability and Work Performance should be tailored to different career stages. Academic institutions should implement recognition programs, adaptability training, and mentorship schemes that consider faculty members' career stages to foster a high-performing, adaptable workforce.

A Dedicated Research Rotation Increases Orthopaedic Residency Scholarly Activity.

Although clinical research has traditionally been a part of orthopaedic residency, there are now certain core requirements created by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), which outline the type of research activities to be completed during residency. However, there are no specific details included in the ACGME guidelines regarding how these milestones are to be met. Nor is there specificity regarding expectations of scholarly activity to be completed by the time of graduation. There is a paucity of literature demonstrating the effectiveness of implementing a dedicated research block in an orthopaedic surgical residency, especially in the community setting where limited research-related resources are available. We implemented a dedicated research rotation along with a set of research milestones and guidelines at our single orthopaedic surgery community residency program. A search was performed through PubMed using residents' and faculty members' names to find publications included a 7-year period from 2015 to 2022 to determine number of publications by residents and faculty. Scholarly activity of faculty was analyzed and quantified using self-reported annual surveys. The average annual number of resident publications (by all 25 residents) increased from 2 to 26 after implementation of a dedicated research rotation. Faculty's scholarly activity, as measured by the following criteria, increased as well: number of publications (from 22 to 55), conference presentations (from 51 to 83), and other presentations (from 43 to 72). Implementation of a dedicated research rotation in a community orthopaedic residency program is associated with an increased publication rate in major academic journals among residents and faculty. There is also an observed association with implementation of a dedicated resident research rotation and an increase in faculty scholarly activity satisfying ACGME faculty requirements.

UP-CLOSE AND SOCIAL RISKS IN DISTANCE HIGHER EDUCATION: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF EMERGENCY REMOTE TEACHING EXPERIENCES

Education is both an institutional process and a set of conscious actions. Since its institutionalization, education has been viewed not only as an act of acquiring knowledge, but also as a socialization process. The traditional understanding of education, which views socialization as the its main purpose in addition to acquiring knowledge and shapes education policies accordingly, has emerged as a multi-dimensional sphere of discussion within “distance education”, which has become almost mandatory today with Covid-19. This study aims to examine the problem areas of distance education experienced with Covid-19 by using an interdisciplinary approach in a psychological, sociological, and socio-psychological framework. To examine the subject in-depth and make analytical generalisations, the research reflects the opinions of the main actors, students, and faculty members, as well as the researchers’ observations, in addition to the experts on the subject. The data analysis was conducted through the subjective evaluation of the researchers’ own experiences and the content analysis of teacher and student opinions. The results reflect that education is not only an activity of acquiring knowledge but also a socialization process, the educational bureaucracy and environment make a significant contribution to the socialization of students, and that distance education can only be used as a supportive model. Education isolated from real life that does not contribute to the socialization processes of students may bring important psychological and social problems.

Artificial intelligence in education: implications for academic integrity and the shift toward holistic assessment

This study examines the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the field of education, with particular focus on its implications for academic integrity and the adoption of comprehensive assessment approaches. This research fits within the specific setting of university students and faculty members in the Kingdom of Bahrain.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was designed to examine the impact Artificial Intelligence (AI) in field of education, with particular focus on its implications for academic integrity and the adoption of comprehensive assessment approaches. A total of 218 participants were randomly selected from 250 employed in this survey study.ResultsOut of 250 invited participants, 203 responded to the survey. This study evaluated the influence of Educational Impact (EI), Policy and Ethics (PE), and Pedagogical Implications (PI) on Academic Outcomes (AO). Results revealed a significant association between EI → AO with a beta of 0.490, t-value of 4.504, and p < 0.001. PI also showed a significant relationship (β = 0.454, t = 2.330, p = 0.010) with more variability. PE’s impact on AO was modest (β = 0.243, t = 1.977, p = 0.024). Overall, EI was the strongest AO predictor. The R2 value was approximately 39%, indicating a good fit.ConclusionThe research reveals a strong link between the Educational Impact (EI) of AI and academic success in Bahrain’s universities, with EI being the primary predictor. Both Policy and Ethics (PE) and Pedagogical Implications (PI) play crucial roles in this relationship.

Academic Radiology Physician Financial Compensation in the United States: Trends and Distribution.

Background The overall trends in academic radiology physician compensation are not well studied. Purpose To assess recent trends in academic radiology financial compensation and distribution based on rank, gender, race/ethnicity, and geography in U.S. medical schools. Materials and Methods This secondary analysis used deidentified data from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Faculty Salary Report, which collects information for full-time faculty at U.S. medical schools. Financial compensation data for full-time academic radiology faculty was collected from 2017 to 2023, stratified by rank, gender, race/ethnicity, and geography. The faculty salary report includes median, 25th, and 75th percentile compensation values for each rank, which were used to analyze trends with linear regression. Median compensation values were used to compare groups based on gender, race/ethnicity, and region. Results The AAMC Faculty Salary Report data for 2023 included responses for 5847 faculty members across all radiology departments, including 306 instructors, 2758 assistant professors, 1409 associate professors, 1004 full professors, 226 chiefs, and 144 chairs. On average, median faculty compensation increased by 2.6%-4.4% per year from 2017 to 2023, with the greatest increase (by 4.4% per year) at the instructor level and smaller increases (3.4%-2.6%) at the more senior ranks. Male faculty members were consistently compensated more than women at all ranks throughout the study period. The overall salary gap remained at 6% ($455 000 for women vs $483 000 for men) throughout the study period but increased numerically from $24 000 in 2019 to $28 000 in 2023. Black/African American faculty had a lower median compensation compared with White faculty (by 4% overall; $452 000 for Black/African American faculty vs $472 000 for White faculty) at all ranks except at professor rank. Instructor compensation in the Northeast region was substantially higher (by $278 000) than other regions, but this geographic differential did not exceed $35 000 at other ranks. Conclusion This study summarized the trends of full-time academic radiology faculty compensation and showed persistent salary inequities that should be addressed as part of a broader drive to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion. © RSNA, 2024 Supplemental material is available for this article.

Perspectives on Inclusion in Physical Education From Faculty and Students at Three Physical Education Teacher Education Programs in Chile

Discourse about, and the preparation of teachers regarding, the inclusion of all students has been lacking in Latin America broadly, including Chile. The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives of physical education teacher education (PETE) faculty members and undergraduate students on inclusion and social justice in Chile. Grounded in social constructionism, the research design of this qualitative inquiry was descriptive multiple case study. The 16 participants were PETE faculty—that is, two assistant professors and one adjunct faculty member (n = 3) and three heads of programs (n = 3)—as well as undergraduate students (n = 10) across three PETE programs in Chile. The primary data sources were 12 individual semistructured interviews with heads of the program and faculty and three focus group interviews with undergraduate students across programs. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis to draw on different themes capturing the perspectives on inclusion and social justice within the Chilean physical education curriculum. Findings were presented through themes and subthemes across PETE programs. Three major discussion themes are presented: (a) disability framed within a deficit model, (b) inclusion as an adapted pedagogical practice, and (c) inclusion as a rights-based model for equality of opportunities. We conclude, analytically, that a lack of critical critique of the deficit model of disability, adapted pedagogical practices alone, and sameness manifests forms of marginalization to students with disabilities in physical education.

Echoes of violence: experiences of Palestinian Arab students in Israeli academia during the violent events of May 2021

AbstractThis paper investigates the challenges faced by Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel (PAI) who are students in Israeli higher education institutions amidst periods of national turbulence and violence, particularly focusing on the violent events of May 2021. Using interviews with students, academics, and members of civil society organisations, the paper puts forth a constructivist grounded theory model that charts the impact of the violent events of May 2021 on PAI students. It reveals that students’ experiences of violence, in various forms, give rise to a host of emotional, social, and political processes that heighten their awareness of the structural violence of the broader Israeli-Palestinian struggle. In response, PAI students withdraw both physically and mentally from their campuses and concurrently mobilise within their communities to address unmet needs neglected by official authorities. The perceptions of PAI students regarding their institutions’ responses to political issues are marked by intense cynicism—a sentiment that is mitigated by individual supportive initiatives by faculty members. Based on the findings, the paper argues that periods of political escalation are not to be viewed as fleeting events that heighten emotions but rather as critical junctures where identities and perceptions are formed, leaving an impact that lasts long after the immediate turbulence subsides.