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The True Danger of Colors: Injury Probability during Turnaround Phases in a Refinery
Get PDFIntroduction Safety incidents during turnaround phases represent 50% of overall incidents occurring at a refinery. This study aims to understand the different phases, the incident occurrence during such phases, and determine where to have more observations happen during such phases (Ludwig & Laske, 2022). Methods Our team took data from the turnaround phases of an oil refinery in between the years of 2022 to 2023. This involved taking data from the plant and each individual subdivision and pulling only the ones that went through a turnaround phase in the timeframe provided. Out of the fifty-four departments that we gathered information on, there were only five that were in an active turnaround. We had to manually parse the data out per turnaround phase in each department and then process it. A logistic regression was then used to pull results and make conclusions based on what we knew before and what we got from the data. Results The analysis from the two-year sample (2022-2023) resulted in a 9.38% incident probability occurring over any seven-day span across the five departments. One additional observation per shift over a 3-day period was shown to reduce incident probability by 1.21%. This was predicted to lower the number of incidents from 25 to 23 per year, resulting in two fewer incidents annually for the five departments studied. When extrapolated to the entire facility, with over 50 departments, one additional observation per shift could prevent at least 20 incidents annually. Discussion With how many incidents occur during turnarounds, we hope that our findings of adding another observation per shift can mean less overall incidents throughout the turnarounds (Granowsky, 2023). We hope this research can inform further studies because we know that we can go deeper into the research on how to reduce incident probability during these phases, and consider increased safety intervention during the turnaround periods (Ludwig, Leslie, 2023). One limitation that I can see is that we did our analysis on a manufacturing plant during a specific period of time, so it may not transfer that well into other environments that may not have a strict cleaning schedule
Authenticity in Recruitment: Assessing the Accuracy of Career Websites in Representing Organizational Cultures
Get PDFJob seekers frequently use career websites and third-party platforms, such as Glassdoor, Indeed, or Great Places to Work, to learn about an organization’s values and culture (Smith et al., 2022). This behavior, called organizational anticipatory socialization, is the process by which individuals gather information that shapes expectations and influences employment decisions. Research indicates that organizations use their own websites to convey culture, yet little is known about how these portrayals align with employees’ actual experiences (Smith et al., 2022). Career websites are a primary tool for employer brand development, using visuals, messaging, and design consistency to shape job seekers’ perceptions of organizational culture (Cober et al., 2004; Gunesh & Maheshwari, 2019). When websites present cohesive designs, job seekers respond more positively, but inaccurate portrayals risk misrepresenting employees and weakening trust (Gunesh & Maheshwari, 2018). Despite their importance, research on the authenticity of career website messaging remains limited. This study addresses a critical gap between how organizations present values on their own career websites and how effectively these representations reflect authentic culture. Misalignment between online messaging and workplace reality can create dissatisfaction and misfit (Gunesh & Maheshwari, 2019; Human Resource Management International Digest, 2019). Experimental studies further highlight how website design and messaging significantly influence applicant perceptions (Lee et al., 2020), while person–environment fit research stresses that both objective and perceived alignment matter for decision making (Kaur & Dubey, 2014). New job seekers often turn to these sites to clarify uncertainties and gauge culture, so accuracy is crucial for aligning values and expectations (Smith et al., 2022). Accuracy is key to improving recruitment, retention, and organizational culture practices. To examine this issue, this study will be piloted with college students and faculty at a mid-size university in the Southeastern U.S. After viewing company websites, the study will ask the students to evaluate the culture. After doing so, the study will seek to compare the perceptions with those who are part of the organization as reported on third-party sites such as Glassdoor. Once the survey is piloted and validated, the study can be tested with a wider range of participants. Keywords: Organizational culture, recruitment, career websites, employer branding, talent attraction, online recruitment strategies, culture communication, organizational authenticit
Predicting continuous hand pose from wearable EMG sensor data using transformer-based deep-learning models
Get PDFThis thesis investigated Transformer-based deep-learning models for predicting continuous hand pose from electromyography (EMG) signals collected with a low-cost, eight-channel wearable armband. A modular software laboratory was developed to support data acquisition, synchronization, visualization, model training, and inference. A single-subject, three-hour dataset of synchronized EMG and hand-tracking data was collected, with hand pose represented both as 15-dimensional joint flexion angles and 84-dimensional finger-bone orientation quaternions in a hand-centered frame. Compared with a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM)-based model, the Transformer-based model reduced whole-hand median prediction error from 3.6° to 3.3° for a joint angle model and from 17.4° to 15.1° for a bone orientation model. Experimental results demonstrated that Transformer models outperformed LSTM models in both median and 90th-percentile prediction error, particularly for angle-based outputs. These findings support the use of Transformer architectures for accurate, continuous hand-pose estimation with wearable EMG, relevant to applications in prosthetics and human-machine interfaces
Artificial wetlands provide hope for municipal sewage effluent treatment and biodiversity declines
Get PDFWetlands provide habitat for a multitude of species worldwide and exist on almost every continent. They act as water filtration systems, cycle organic and inorganic nutrients, prevent flooding and mitigate storm damage. As the human population continues to expand and cities continue expanding, more infrastructure is needed for water treatment and providing green spaces for citizens to enjoy. This literature review analyzes the current data on the effectiveness of constructed wetlands in the treatment of sewage effluent and how they impact the biodiversity of the local ecosystem. The databases Web of Science, ProQuest and Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment were utilized. The key words “constructed or artificial wetlands”, “effluent treatment”, “biodiversity”, “land development”, and “agricultural runoff” yielded 100 articles and were selected based on relevance and publish date of 2010. Most studies support the notion that constructed wetlands efficiently treat wastewater through biotic and abiotic nutrient cycling, decreasing water temperature and decomposition of solid waste. Constructed wetlands provide habitat for aquatic, terrestrial and amphibian species and may be utilized to re-establish native populations if a thorough history of the desired ecosystem is understood and considered during planning
Composite Coatings for Magnesium-Based Implants with Enhanced Corrosion Resistance
Get PDFBone fractures are increasingly common nowadays, with innovative surgical solutions emerging, such as the utilization of biodegradable metallic implants instead of permanent fixation implants. Failure to remove the currently in-use permanent implants may lead to problems such as infection, bone resorption, or stress concentration on the fixation locations. Magnesium and its alloys exhibit a biodegradable nature in aqueous environments, rendering them appealing for diverse biomedical applications where permanent existence in the body is not advisable. In addition, magnesium alloys offer superior biocompatibility and mechanical properties, which resemble those of natural bones compared to other biodegradable metals. The main challenge facing the utilization of magnesium for bone fracture repair appears in maintaining its mechanical integrity due to its rapid corrosion rate and, hence, the release of corrosion byproducts in the physiological environment. In this study, we have formulated a Micro-Arc-Oxidation coating and conducted a comprehensive assessment of its corrosion rate using electrochemical tests, pH measurements, and weight loss calculations against uncoated magnesium samples. The results showed how the Micro-Arc-Oxidation coating would result in decreasing the corrosion rates of magnesium in an aqueous environment, making it a suitable alternative for biomedical implants
The Role of Personality and Feedback Acceptance
No full textPrevious research has identified links between the Big Five traits of openness to experience, conscientiousness, and agreeableness, and employees\u27 receptivity and feedback acceptance. Most studies examined these traits independently, which offers only a partial view of how personality influences feedback acceptance. The unexplored relationship of how these traits interact with psychological resilience may explain why some employees constructively engage with feedback and others disengage. The current study proposes to investigate the combined influence of personality traits and psychological resilience on feedback acceptance in the workplace. Employing a correlation design, researchers will recruit full-time employees from various industries in the United States to complete measures of personality, resilience, and feedback acceptance. It is hypothesized that employees with higher scores on openness to experience, conscientiousness, and agreeableness, as well as greater levels of resilience, will report greater feedback acceptance. Findings will provide valuable insights into how individual differences affect feedback processing, with implications for organizational practices in performance management and employee development. By integrating personality and resilience factors, organizations can better foster a culture of continuous learning, improve retention, and enhance overall organizational effectiveness
Is fair lovely?: A cross-cultural comparison of the impact of colorism on mental health in South Asian women
Get PDFColorism, a preference for lighter skin tones within and between racial or ethnic groups, impacts many non-White communities, especially those with a history of colonization (Rondilla & Spickard, 2007). I aimed to extend upon perceptions of colorism by exploring the intensity and frequency of colorism messages and how it affects the mental well-being of South Asian women in the U.S. and South Asia. Using Objectification Theory (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997), I hypothesized that these messages are associated with self-objectification processes (e.g., skin tone surveillance, skin color satisfaction, internalization of skin color beauty ideals) predicting skin-lightening product use. Results of my structural equation model with South Asian women, as well as implications for interventions and clinical practice, will be discussed
Differences in experiences among LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ faculty on university campuses
No full textResearchers have found LGBTQ+ college students report discrimination based on their sexuality (Kosciw et al., 2022; Tetreault et al., 2013); however, there is little research into how discrimination on campus impacts LGBTQ+ faculty and staff. I addressed this gap through a survey that analyzes differences in LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ faculty and staff on perceived organizational support, burnout, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intentions. Through conducting a series of Independent Samples t-tests, I found that LGBTQ+ faculty and staff report significantly lower perceived organizational support, higher levels of burnout, lower levels of job satisfaction, lower levels of organizational commitment, and higher levels of turnover intention than non-LGBTQ+ faculty and staff. Through a multiple regression I found that burnout and job satisfaction are significant predictors for turnover intentions in LGBTQ+ faculty and staff, over and beyond job satisfaction, perceived organizational support, and organizational commitment. Implications for organizations will be discussed
Perception, pain, and prejudice: misunderstanding and contemporary maternal health inequality
Get PDFPain is a universal experience that we human beings experience daily, whether mentally, physically, or emotionally. Encountering pain is a fundamental aspect of the human experience, serving as a universal reminder of our shared humanity. It operates as an internal alarm system, alerting us to disruptions in both external and internal equilibrium, thereby highlighting the importance of maintaining homeostasis. With this universal sensation felt by all of humankind for millions of years, in a more modern context, there exists a need to understand how a universal connection is measured. As pain is felt on a universal scale such as the 1-10 Measurement systems seen through the medical sector, the perception of pain and treatment for its varying degrees is not universal. It is essential to recognize that each person’s experience of pain is unique, even when faced with similar injuries. This subjectivity in pain perception is shaped by intricate interactions among biological, psychological, and social factors. Like many systems and policies in place in the United States and countries abroad, there are racial ideations interwoven into how social institutions - Medicine, Education, and Politics – influence the treatment of minority communities systematically. In the examination of racial ideations in the development of pain scale systems within the medical field, as well as their contribution to continued mistreatment and malpractice, the focus of this dissertation seeks to examine the combination of historical and contemporary perspectives to explore how racial bias has impacted pain assessment practices and exacerbated disparities in pain management among African American men and women
“How close to the edge we are”: Ecologically reading the frontiers of Joan Didion’s early nonfiction
Get PDFJoan Didion’s work is heavily regional and rooted in place, whether that be the place about which she writes or, by contrast, the place she leaves in order to do her writing. This place-based context takes root in many American ideologies and mythos, like that of the frontier mentality and golden dream. For this reason, exploring Didion’s use of natural metaphor and description as she discusses various cultural phenomena is essential to understanding the layers of her social critiques of 1960’s and 1970’s American culture, especially as they reflect on the failures of the frontier ideology. Further, looking at her implementation of ecological imagery and metaphor in her nonfiction writing provides readers with another lens through which to interpret Didion’s nonfiction reporting. The natural details she layers into her places and people in place reinforce her representation of social order and disorder, and with this, her representation of American culture, and thus her criticism of it is made ever powerful and prevalent