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Feeling Imposter Syndrome and Burnout? Time to Burn It Down and Get Back to Basics
No full textMany librarians’ self-doubt is arguably at a high point, leading to a distorted self-image and low morale. Beginning with the foundational problems of impostor syndrome and burnout, this chapter proposes a return to basics as a strategy for overcoming these problems. Librarians and other information professionals besieged by uncertainty around their abilities and status can find a way back to professional fulfillment through “burning it down and starting over” – in essence, demolishing one’s received understanding of one’s role by taking conscious stock of one’s duties, setting reasonable personal goals, recalibrating expectations of oneself, and reconstituting one’s professional identity on the basis of an accurate perception of one’s attributes. Overcoming impostor syndrome and burnout ultimately requires a recognition that library work is a process in which one plays a role as an individual – with all one’s individual strengths in play – not a destination
The Power of Preference: How Assignment Choice Shapes Learning in Statistics
No full textAssignment choice is an increasingly explored instructional strategy in undergraduate education, particularly in courses where students often struggle to find personal relevance or maintain motivation. In statistics education, where conceptual abstraction and perceived difficulty are common barriers, offering structured choices in group formation and dataset selection may enhance engagement and learning outcomes. This study investigates the effects of assignment choice on student self-efficacy, performance, and group behavior within a large introductory statistics course. Using a one-way ANOVA design, the study compared academic outcomes across three conditions: randomly assigned groups, self-selected groups, and independent work. Students completed six scaffolded projects over a semester, each offering varying levels of autonomy in group and topic selection. Quantitative analysis revealed that group work, whether randomly assigned or self-selected, resulted in higher average performance and greater score stability compared to individual assignments. Student feedback also indicated strong perceived value in collaborative project experiences. These findings suggest that offering structured choice in collaborative formats supports both student autonomy and academic success. The results have implications for instructional design in statistics and other quantitative disciplines, highlighting the pedagogical benefits of flexible group structures and the need for targeted support for students who choose to work independently
Florida Frontiers Radio Program #589
No full textSEGMENTS | John T. Foster on T. Frederick Davis | The Evolution of Tourism in Key West | Public History and the Memory of Negro For
Prime Factorization and Unit Calculations of Quadratic Integer Rings
Get PDFThe failure of unique factorization in a ring leads to the investigation of the closest algebraic structure, which are prime ideals. Using generalizations that have helped solve questions such as Fermat\u27s Last Theorem, there is interest to study the elements with a multiplicative inverse (units) via the geometry and arithmetic patterns that arise in quadratic integer rings, since they provide tools for other questions in mathematics, ranging from pure algebra to applications in cryptography, and more. Overall, the following thesis provides a small exposition on the theory of integral domains and some specific calculations
A Case Study Of Florida: Understanding The Relationship Between Book Banning And Censorship
No full textThis thesis examines book banning and censorship within Florida’s educational system, with a focus on two legislative measures: the Parental Rights in Education Act (HB-1557) and the Individual Freedom Act (HB-7). Through a case study analysis of three Florida counties: Escambia, Orange, and Miami-Dade, this research study explores the sociopolitical and cultural dimensions driving book bans and their broader implications for intellectual freedom. Using qualitative methods, including legislative analysis and literature review, the study identifies patterns of censorship targeting works that address race, gender, and LGBTQ+ identities. Findings reveal that these legislative actions exacerbate systemic inequalities, erode critical thinking opportunities, and diminish access to diverse perspectives in education. This research argues that the ideological framework underpinning these policies represents a deliberate effort to curtail civil liberties, particularly freedom of speech. Policy recommendations include establishing transparent review processes, ensuring equitable parental involvement, and fostering protections for intellectual freedom. By contextualizing Florida’s legislative measures within broader national trends, this thesis underscores the urgent need for policy interventions to safeguard democratic values in education while still protecting students
Archival Stellar Flare Follow-up in Evryscope Observations
Get PDFM dwarfs, the most abundant stars in the galaxy, are prime targets in the search for habitable exoplanets. However, their high flare activity may compromise planetary atmospheres, with Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) increasing this risk. Despite this, the relationship between M dwarf flares and CMEs is not well understood. This study uses archival data from Evryscope North and South, crossmatched with Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and Gaia data, to investigate this relationship. This crossmatching demonstrated an abundance of stars within the 20 arcsecond Evryscope uncertainty. The analysis also revealed a modest excess of K1 and F9 type stars but is lacking in conclusive evidence of M dwarf counterparts. The methods developed will be used in future observations with the Original PolyOculus Array (OPA) at Mount Laguna Observatory, which aims to spectroscopically observe live flares from M dwarfs and determine whether they are accompanied by CMEs, with implications for exoplanet habitability
Fanfiction as a Reflection of Available Representation: A Critique on Mass Media
Get PDFWith the lack of reputable disability representation in popular superhero media, fans turn to fanfiction to write the representation they long for. This absence of proper representation in media can feel like the erasure of disability, and in compensation, fanfiction paves the way for authentic representation in media. Fanfiction authors do this by reacting to specific choices made by the mass media outlets through their creations. Fan studies scholars have examined fan reactions for decades, categorizing them into two groups: affirmative (agreeing with the source material) and transformative (disagreeing with the source material). Affirmational fans interpret the canon text without challenging its ideologies, expanding upon it in ways that remain consistent with the original narrative. Transformational fans challenge and shift the canon text into something different. Fanfiction is considered a transformative reaction. Informed by disability studies and fan studies, this research aims to study fan reactions around disability to understand what it is they affirm/transform from the source material. When a disabled identity is explored in the canon, do the fanfictions respect it? Or do they choose to alter it? What about an able-bodied identity? What facets of identity are the ones that receive alteration as opposed to approval? By analyzing 2,000 fanfictions within the MCU and DCU, this rhetorical critique will encourage future rhetoricians to think critically about the realities they affirm/transform from media representations. This methodology, as part of a broader project, will lay the foundation for a more comprehensive rhetorical critique of the representational choices made by mass media outlets. This analysis will reference models of disability, such as the medical, social, and identity model, to deepen our understanding of these representational dynamics. In doing so, this research will contribute to the ongoing conversation regarding the responsibility of artist and audience
A Survival Horror Video Game\u27s Impact on Visual Attention
Get PDFThe current study’s main research question was whether playing a survival horror video game increases the visual selective attention of a player. This project examined how visual attention and anxiety levels differ after playing a survival horror video game and whether an individual’s gaming preferences affect these concepts. The research consisted of the preliminary evaluation of participants’ visual attention abilities and anxiety levels through psychological tasks. Participants then played Resident Evil 4: Chainsaw Demo, the selected survival horror video game for this study. After playing the demo, participants repeated the previous psychological tasks, and their results were assessed. Results indicated that there was a statistically significant increase in anxiety level (p = \u3c 0.001) and accuracy level of the flanker task (p = \u3c 0.001) after playing a survival horror video game. There was a statistically significant decrease in average response time for the flanker task (p = \u3c 0.001) and visual search task (p = \u3c 0.001) after playing a survival horror video game. However, there was no statistically significant increase in accuracy level of the visual search task (p = 0.068) after playing a survival horror video game. Additionally, there was no statistically significant difference in gaming cluster on anxiety level (p = 0.316) and visual selective attention (p = 0.795, 0.603, 0.747, 0.879). For those who struggle with the cognitive function of visual attention, video games could be implemented in a psychological or educational sphere to improve the functioning of the affected individuals creatively and appealingly
Facilitation Of Chemotherapy Efficacy Through Targeted Drug Delivery In Lung Cancer Cells Via Ultrasound And Implications On Health Interventions
Get PDFLung Cancer (small cell and non-small cell) is the leading cause of cancer death in the US, accounting for about 20% of all cancer deaths. Paclitaxel (PTX) is a chemotherapeutic agent commonly used to treat lung cancer. It works by slowing and stopping cancer growth by stiffening microtubules within cells, promoting mitotic halt and cell death. Carboplatin (CP) is another agent given to lung cancer patients containing platinum and works via direct damage of oncolytic DNA. The exact mechanism of how PTX and CP cause cell death is still an under-studied area. This thesis aims to provide insight into how PTX and CP induce cell death via rupture of the nuclear envelope, leading to cell leakage and, eventually, death. NCIH1650 is a cell line derived from the lung tissue of a 27-year-old male smoker with stage 3B bronchoalveolar carcinoma (BAC), a form of non-small cell lung cancer. BAC is characterized by unpredictable growth with a high probability of developing into a rapidly growing tumor. I hypothesize that if the NCIH1650 cell line is treated with PTX and CP in combination, then the treatments will have a synergistic effect, causing micronucleation and quantifiable nuclear rupture, resulting in cell death and lowered proliferation. I approached by grouping the NCIH1650 cells into 4 sections, Control, PTX, CP, and Combination, and either imaged via immunofluorescent staining or analysis of cell number via Water-Soluble Tetrazolium (WST) assay. Additionally, one group of cells was sonicated, and cell counts were measured in 4, 24, and 48-hour intervals. Relative cell counts dropped by 60% with combined treatments applied over a 5-day period but by 70% with combined treatments and sonication when measured 24 hours after sonication. Rupture sites via immunofluorescent imaging were clearly visible in addition to areas of frequent laminopathy, signifying weak structural integrity of the nuclear envelope and subsequent nuclear rupture. Furthermore, approximately 60% of nuclei imaged in treated cells were rupture sites. These findings provide clinical evidence that combining chemotherapy and ultrasound can be effective, minimally invasive treatment. Further in vitro and in vivo studies will be performed to assess better translational possibilities for therapies for patients suffering from lung cancer