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We Don\u27t Have A Word For “Chief”: An Examination Of Leader and Follower Fluidity In The Distribution Of Leadership
Full text linkFor nearly 20 years, researchers have studied distributed leadership—the interactive web of leaders, followers, and situation—as it occurs in schools around the world. Their studies have primarily focused on the interactions of leaders and followers in task-centric situations, highlighting distributed delegation, in which, upon task completion, leaders and followers return to their traditional roles. However, very few studies have focused on the reinterpretation of leader and follower roles through distributed leadership or how this reinterpretation can dismantle traditional hierarchical power paradigms in schools. By centering on distributing leadership as leaders and followers co-initiate leadership tasks to improve teaching and learning in an urban school, this qualitative study examined the agency needed to significantly shift traditional leader and follower mindsets as they move more fluidly between their roles while fully enacting distributed leadership rather than distributing tasks and delegations. Findings from participants’ written narratives and semi-structured interviews point to three “C’s”—culture, contributions, and challenges—and suggest a framework for what the author refers to as emancipatory distributed leadership: sets of interconnected practices, beliefs, and values necessary for reimagining traditional leader and follower roles and dismantling traditional power paradigms through distributed choice and decision making
Choked: How Decades of Failures to Address Air Pollution and Housing Shortages Exacerbated Mortality in Pittsburgh During the Influenza Pandemic of 1918
Full text linkPittsburgh experienced the highest death rate of all major U.S. cities during the 1918 H1N1 influenza pandemic. This record mortality was not due to inadequate, absent, or ignored nonpharmaceutical interventions and mandates. Instead, for decades prior, city officials prioritized industry at the expense of the collective health of the laboring class. They were especially egregious in permitting industrial smoke pollution and overcrowded housing to persist in immigrant-heavy working-class wards, leaving residents susceptible to respiratory disease incidence and mortality. As a result, Pittsburgh’s annual influenza and pneumonia death rates were drastically the worst in the nation to such an extent that nonpharmaceutical interventions during the 1918 outbreak would not have significantly abated the death rate. An analysis of over 3,300 influenza/pneumonia deaths in Pittsburgh between October 1 and November 5, 1918, reveals the virus most viciously attacked polluted, overcrowded working-class wards (Strip District and South Side) and ethnic enclaves (Chinatown and Polish Hill). Male foreign-born unskilled and skilled laborers were especially victimized by the pathogen.
Pandemic preparedness officials should utilize this research to understand how historical roots of collective health can leave marginalized sectors of the population more susceptible to disease incidence and mortality in future pandemics
SYMP25S: A Multi-View Feature Construction and Multi-Encoder-Decoder Transformer Architecture for Time Series Classification
Full text linkTime series data plays a significant role in many research fields since it can record and disclose the dynamic trends of a phenomenon with a sequence of ordered data points. Time series data is dynamic, of variable length, and often contains complex patterns, which makes its analysis challenging especially when the amount of data is limited. In this paper, we propose a multi-view feature construction approach that can generate multiple feature sets of different resolutions from a single dataset and produce a fixed-length representation of variable-length time series data. Furthermore, we propose a multi- encoder-decoder Transformer (MEDT) architecture to effectively analyze these multi-view representations. Through extensive experiments using multiple benchmarks and a real-world dataset, our method shows significant improvement over the state-of-the-art methods
The Implementation of a Blended Learning Course to Enhance Leadership and Management Capabilities in Liberian Student Nurse Anesthetists
No full textBACKGROUND: Leadership plays a crucial role in the functioning of a health system, particularly in resource-constrained settings like Liberia. Effective leadership is essential for identifying solutions and leading teams towards achieving important objectives. Improving leadership competencies among emerging Liberian nurse anesthetists is key to enhancing anesthesiaoutcomes in Liberia. The delivery of high-quality, safe anesthesia in Liberia is contingent on this.
METHODS: This quality improvement project (QI) implemented a transnational blended learning leadership andmanagement course to increase the knowledge, skills, and confidence of Liberian student nurse anesthetists. We used quantitative methods to organize and describe selected outcomes. We also used qualitative surveys and interviews to assess the course’s value and feasibility.
INTERVENTION: The intervention implemented was a competency-based transnational blended learning leadership and management course embedded in a nurse anesthesia program in Liberia. The course consisted of four modules; each module was three weeks in length and covered leadership and management topics tied to core competencies. The course was co-taught by a US-based and a Liberian-based faculty member and involved in-class and online pedagogy.
RESULTS: Eighty-six percent of the students were able to open, read, view, hear, and understand course materials eachweek over the 12-week semester. The Liberian co-instructor was able to open, read, listen to, and share the course material 100% of the time. Either both or one of the co-instructors was able to participate in synchronous sessions 100% of thetime. Students did not achieve the threshold score of ≥ 80% on their exams; however, they did achieve a mean score of ≥ 90% on the evaluation of the active learning activities and leadership group project.
CONCLUSION: Overall, the project successfully achieved its process-oriented aims. The course demonstrated its ability to deliver content, and the model facilitated a smooth semester; however, it did not meet the quantitative learning outcome (exam scores). This project provides valuable insights into how to implement transnational teaching with attention to meeting the needs of the training institution\u27s faculty and students; however, we need to do more work to ensure that the learning outcomes are adequately addressed and assessed
COP30: A Climate Overview
No full textThis overview situates the accelerating climate crisis at a pivotal historical moment, as global emissions and political inaction converge ahead of COP30 in Belém, Brazil. Increasing heat is driving planetary instability, with cascading impacts such as sea level rise, droughts, wildfires, disease emergence, and permafrost thaw.
Despite pledges under the Paris Agreement and subsequent Glasgow Pact, most nations are far off track: 2024 marked the hottest year in recorded history, CO₂ reached 429 ppm by mid-2025, and fossil fuel combustion continues to rise. Under the Trump administration, the United States withdrew again from the Paris Agreement, dismantled environmental agencies, and reversed clean-energy incentives. This regression contrasts with Europe’s relative progress and China’s dual trajectory of accelerating its clean-tech leadership while expanding coal capacity. In the Arctic, amplification effects are destabilizing global weather systems and accelerating ice loss in Greenland and Siberia, triggering methane emissions and sea level rise. In the Southern Hemisphere, Brazil is experiencing record heat, drought, and wildfires despite modest deforestation gains, while Argentina faces its worst drought in six decades and rapidly retreating Patagonian glaciers.
International climate governance stands paralyzed amid escalating disasters. Without a renewed multilateral framework and rapid decarbonization, the planet’s trajectory will soon surpass thresholds beyond human control
Multilateralism in Climate Change Negotiations: Progress, Pitfalls, and Prospects
No full textThis article examines the evolving dynamics of multilateral climate governance in the context of growing disaffection with the slow pace of negotiations. It identifies two emerging responses: renewed efforts to reinforce established multilateral frameworks and growing support for alternative governance models shaped by contemporary geopolitical realignments. At the center of this evolution is an incipient form of neo-multilateralism that is fragmented and unsettled, yet reflects shifting global power configurations. The analysis focuses on three core challenges: the implications of rising multipolarity, the declining efficacy of multilateral institutions in managing divergent interests, and enduring tensions embedded in the principles of sovereign equality and diffuse reciprocity. While repudiating predictions of imminent collapse of multilateralism, the article argues that the growing divide between negotiating parties may require more agile, interest-clustered negotiation platforms to sustain collective climate action
Time to Pay for Nature-Based Solutions
No full textViewing nature as ‘common goods’ results in under-valuating of natural capital and assets. As a consequence, budget allocations for environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, and climate action are considerably insufficient. Another result is opting for unsustainable and destructive land and resource uses, which provide immediate and tangible monetary revenues. This article emphasizes the need to valuate natural assets and nature-based solutions (NBS), and their contribution. It further explores optional solutions, including national and global policy, and legislative and taxing instruments, to translate this value into substantive tangible financing for coordinated and synergetic approaches to address the critical global climate and biodiversity loss crisis, while strengthening the resilience of human societies and economies, and remunerating the local custodians. Such optional solutions are showcased. It is our call to make them a reality, even if they do not seem realistic—yet
Exploring Mental Health Disorders Among Hispanic Immigrants in Boston: Barriers, Challenges, and Opportunities for Care
No full textIncreasing Housing Stability Through State-Funded Community Mediation
No full textThe Massachusetts Housing Mediation Program (HMP), administered by the Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration (MOPC) at the University of Massachusetts Boston (UMass Boston), remains a critical resource for addressing housing instability and homelessness across the Commonwealth. By offering free mediation services to tenants and landlords/property managers at every stage of a housing dispute, the program plays a pivotal role in fostering housing stability.
Established in FY2021 as part of the Eviction Diversion Initiative (EDI) to mitigate housing crises during the COVID-19 pandemic and coordinated through the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC), the HMP has continued to operate in response to sustained demand. Leveraging the expertise of 11 Community Mediation Centers (Centers), the program delivers both remote and in-person mediation services while connecting parties to essential resources. It also fosters collaboration with housing counseling and resource agencies, local housing authorities (LHAs), and other stakeholders. In FY2024, HMP expanded its reach with a pilot initiative through Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency’s (MassHousing) Tenant Assistance Program (TAP), addressing upstream housing disputes and stabilizing tenancies further.
In FY2024, the HMP handled 1,611 referrals, of which 1,513 were screened, leading to 1,487 cases. Mediation services were provided for 462 cases through 535 sessions. Additionally, 355 tenancies were preserved and 103 housing subsidies maintained. These interventions delivered significant economic benefits, including 2.3 million in avoided trial costs and recovered rent. Across Massachusetts, the Centers served 1,188 landlords/property managers and 1,376 tenants, addressing a broad spectrum of housing-related disputes
Youth Program FY2025 Evaluation Report
No full textA School Climate Needs Assessment completed by 57 administrators evaluated both overall school climate and the key components that contribute to it. Administrators revealed low satisfaction with overall school climate (25%) and with students’ SEL skills (19%), and most considered these areas important to improve (77% and 79%) and expressed a desire for support (60% and 53%). Similar patterns emerged for academic performance (28% satisfied; 86% considered improvement important; 44% desired support), disciplinary actions (19%; 54%; 49%), and conflict levels—student-student (21%; 79%; 60%) and student-teacher (26%; 49%; 47%). Across these domains, a substantial proportion of respondents—often 40–50%—selected “undecided,” suggesting that many administrators may lack sufficient information or clarity about current school climate conditions to form a definitive judgment. Program visibility was high, with 72% of administrators aware of or referring students to the Youth Program. Satisfaction with the Program’s influence on school climate was modest across all domains: overall school climate (27%), SEL (29%), academics (15%), discipline (22%), and conflict reduction (24% for student-student; 17% for student-teacher). Even so, the few administrators who were satisfied praised the mediators’ contributions, noting that they were “the best,” had improved school climate, and had eased demands on admin and counselors. Others pointed to cultural benefits, explaining that the Program reinforces positive and prosocial behavior and has had “a huge impact” on the school environment. Administrators noted that the Program aligns with other school initiatives and provides students with additional avenues to resolve conflicts. Among administrators familiar with the Program (41), key areas for improvement included teacher time (41%), training support (39%), data collection (39%), and awareness of Program benefits (51%).
The Youth Program demonstrated strong SEL outcomes. The School Administration Evaluation, completed by 19 administrators, reported improvements for both trained students delivering services and parties receiving services across all five SEL domains: social awareness (84% for trained students; 79% for parties), self-awareness (89%; 84%), self-management (89%; 84%), responsible decision-making (84%; 79%), and relationship skills (84%; 79%). Similarly, of the 117 students completing the Training/Workshop Evaluation, the majority reported growth in social awareness (94%), self-awareness (79%), self-management (85%), responsible decision-making (94%), and relationship skills (86%). Among 90 students completing follow-up questions, 91% reported improved active listening, 89% learned to identify positions and interests in conflict, and 97% learned to speak kindly. Administrators strongly supported Program participation, with 89% (17 of 19) recommending it, highlighting its effectiveness in helping students navigate conflict, develop social skills, and strengthen their sense of belonging and community.
Peer mediation training also produced substantial gains. Among 218 students completing pre-training and 78 completing post-training evaluations, foundational skills improved, including conflict understanding (93% → 95%) and active listening (89% → 94%). Students also showed marked growth in mediation-specific skills: understanding the peer mediator role (72% → 96%), understanding mediation values (73% → 96%), introducing mediation to parties (49% → 91%), and managing conflict effectively (80% → 92%). Pre-training goals focused on improving communication, emotional regulation, and understanding the mediation process, and post-training feedback indicated these goals were largely met. Engagement was high, with 82% of post-training respondents rating the sessions 8 or higher on a 10-point scale