Journals@UC (University of Cincinnati)
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Synthesis and Application of Waterborne Polyurethane for the Impregnation Process of Microfiber Synthetic Leather
No full textDeveloping a high-performance waterborne polyurethane for the impregnation process of microfiber synthetic leather is challenging. Conventional waterborne polyurethane has poor alkali resistance at high temperatures. Herein, a series of waterborne polyurethane emulsions were synthesized with varying contents of aminopropyl triethoxysilane (KH550) to improve the high-temperature alkali resistance. The effect of the KH550 concentration on the characteristics of waterborne polyurethane dispersions and films was investigated. Specifically, when the introduction amount of KH550 was 1%, the resulting film exhibited the best overall properties after the reduction process, with a tensile strength of 7.47 MPa and an elongation at a break of 615%. The synthetic leather based on waterborne polyurethane (the amount of KH550 was 1%) exhibited superior properties compared to other synthetic leather. This included a tensile strength (Longitude) of 12.91±0.61 MPa, an elongation at break (Latitude) of 67.34%, a tearing strength (Latitude) of 50.39 N/mm, and a softness of 6.54 mm
Sydney\u27s Story: Experiencing Disconnection
No full textThe field of engineering has been labeled the “last gender-equitable” profession in the United States (Pierrakos, Beam, Constantz, Johri, & Anderson, 2009, p. 1). Although women in engineering have been a research hot topic for decades, the field overall has made little progress in recruiting and retaining women since the mid-1990s (National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, 2023). This single case study explores the co-op experience of a single woman undergraduate engineering student to better understand how relationships and connections impact women’s experiences in engineering. The Listening Guide is utilized as the method of analysis through the lens of Relational Cultural Theory.  
Identifying Implications for Self-Evaluation of Performance in a Project-Based Leadership Course
Full text linkDue to the historical and contemporary underrepresentation of women and non-White people in leadership roles and in academic leadership programs in the United States, gender and racial identity carry implications for leadership education and experience-based learning. Gender differences in self-esteem and self-evaluation have been observed in leadership contexts, including in college and university leadership classrooms. Racial differences in self-esteem exist in a number of contexts and non-White leaders continue to experience discrimination in leadership positions. This quantitative study assessed the impact of gender and race on student self-evaluation scores in an undergraduate leadership minor course. Student self-evaluation scores were compared to supervisor scores during a field experience project to determine accuracy of self-evaluation of performance. Quantitative methods were used to assess the significance of gender and race for self-evaluation accuracy. Results indicated that gender had a medium effect on accuracy and racial identity had a small effect (Cohen’s D). Implications for inclusive leadership pedagogy and equitable use of self-evaluation assignments are discussed. 
Unsettling Cooperative Education: Decolonial Directions
Full text linkHow does decolonization inform co-operative education (co-op)? This question raises complex issues for educators and institutions, especially considering how decolonization is an unsettling journey (Regan, 2010) that involves critical reflexive change. Facing increasing pressures to support 21st century skills and career development—pressures that often mirror neoliberal socio-economic priorities of efficiency, growth, instrumentality, and productivity—it can be hard to know where to begin engaging decolonization in co-op.
This article explores theoretical discussions for how “decolonial praxis” (Gahman & Legault, 2019) can inform an approach to co-op that equips students to engage their integrative career development in holistic and responsible ways. Drawing from the work of curriculum theorist Dwayne Donald (2022), I will suggest that an important starting point involves practices of unlearning and relationality within co-op curriculum and programming. Practices of unlearning involve examining assumptions in co-op and assessing areas for change (e.g. values of neoliberal capitalism). Practices of relationality emphasize ways co-op can support student growth and responsibility within their own workplaces and communities. I conclude with a brief case study discussing how these directions have informed decolonial directions in unsettling co-op at the University of the Fraser Valley (Abbotsford, British Columbia).
From Clickologists to Critical Thinkers: Reimagining learning in an introductory business statistics course
Full text linkAs artificial intelligence and courseware platforms infiltrated higher education, they promised efficiency, adaptability, and seamless integration. However, this reflection on an undergraduate business statistics course reveals a troubling transformation: students once trained in logic and analysis became “clickologists,” mechanically navigating automated systems rather than engaging in genuine intellectual exploration. The shift from textbooks to digital courseware, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, conditioned students to follow prescribed digital pathways rather than critically engage with learning materials. In response, a bold course correction emerged, abandoning courseware, reclaiming textbooks, and reintroducing fundamental study skills. Through structural and instructional shifts, educators began re-centering learning on student inquiry, textual engagement, and cognitive ownership. This narrative is not about rejecting technology but rather about striking a balance: acknowledging AI’s presence while ensuring that education remains a space for thinking, exploring, and reclaiming the soul of learning
No Looking Back: Embracing AI as a Co-Teacher and Thought Partner
Full text linkThis reflection explores how my approach to teaching educational leadership has evolved through the full embrace of AI as a co-teacher, collaborator, and thought partner. Rather than resisting or policing AI use, I designed it, reframing my role from gatekeeper to facilitator of discernment. By embedding AI tools into coursework, creating ethical use policies, and modeling transparent practices, I’ve found that AI doesn’t diminish academic rigor—it deepens it. Students engage more critically, reflect more intentionally, and wrestle with real-world leadership dilemmas in meaningful ways. My classroom has become more adaptive and relevant from branching simulations built on the teach–model–apply framework to rubric-driven editing consults using AI. This narrative shares what worked, where students resisted, and how we co-constructed an AI-friendly learning space. AI is no longer an experiment in my classroom—it’s a catalyst for transformation, helping future leaders learn to lead alongside innovation
Curiosity Put into Practice: Using AI to enhance clarity and engagement in an undergraduate psychology classroom
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Appreciating the Journey: How Roles in the Classroom Influence Undergraduate Teaching Assistants’ Perception of Their TA Experience
Full text linkThe purpose of this study was to gain feedback from our undergraduate teaching assistants on the structure of the teaching assistant practicum and the variety of their duties within their assignments, as well as their appreciation of the experience. As part of a larger program evaluation effort, participating undergraduate teaching assistants responded to a series of questions about the courses they assisted with (e.g., delivery format, number of students enrolled in the course), how many hours each week they dedicated to their role as a teaching assistant, the frequency in which they engaged in 10 teaching related tasks, and their overall appreciation of the teaching assistant experience. The results indicate that there is a wide variety of experiences these students have, from type of course format, how much time is devoted to their teaching assistant work, and activities they engage in as an assistant. The results of the appreciation statements indicated that overall, teaching assistants appreciated the experience, with strongly agreeing as the most common response. Most students strongly agreed that being a teaching assistant has helped them be a better student, and most agreed they enjoyed their experience in this role. We suggest that the current version of our teaching assistant program leads to positive experiences for our more advanced undergraduate students; however, we also see areas for improvement moving forward
Application of Marine Algae for Bio-tanning System: A Sustainable Leather Manufacture Approach
No full textSea weeds are plant-like organisms which are commonly grown in coastal regions. These materials are explored for different industrial applications such as food, cosmetics, chemicals, paint, pharmaceutical, etc. Several studies have been reported on the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of various seaweed. However, utilization of seaweed for stabilization of collagen has been less explored. Recovery and reuse of collagen from tannery waste was found to be more prominent in the waste to wealth mission of the leather industry. Bio-crosslinkers from marine waste would be a new avenue for collagen stabilization. In the present research, phlorotannin, has been extracted and characterized for its tanning ability. Extracted phlorotannin was interacted with collagen at different hierarchical organizations (collagen solution, rat tail tendon and skin) to understand the interaction efficacy. Phlorotannin interacted collagen samples have been physico-chemically characterized through absorption and vibrational spectroscopic techniques. From these experimental studies, it has been found that extracted phlorotannin can act as a potential stabilizing agent, which enhances thermal resistance of the skin matrix. Phlorotannin substantially influences collagen aggregation, by enhancing the rate of aggregation without affecting the architectural ordering of collagen. This study implicates the waste utilization from coastal areas for stabilization of collagen, which is a by-product of meat industry
Insight into the Mechanism of Chemically Stabilizing Collagen
No full textDeveloping chromium-free tanning agents has attracted much attention due to the potential risks of chromium, however, no alternative can endow leather with the same hydrothermal stability as chromium so far. Indeed, the mechanism of chemically stabilizing collagen still remains unclear. This work used collagen fiber as an adsorbent to explore the source of leather stability by the adsorption thermodynamics of typical tanning agents such as Cr(III), Al(III), glutaraldehyde (GA), and polyphenols (epicatechin, EC). The consistency in optimal conditions among tanning reactions and adsorption processes supported the rationality of the adsorption method. The adsorption for Cr(III) has a slightly lower Gibbs free energy change of -35.82 kJ.mol-1 when compared to other tanning agents, confirming its superiority in leather stability. Significantly, the highest entropy increase of 305.60
and enthalpy change of 61.36 kJmol-1 are observed in adsorbing Cr(III). The adsorption processes of Cr(III), Al(III), and GA are endothermic spontaneous reactions, and the main driving force is entropy, whereas that of EC is an exothermic spontaneous reaction driven by enthalpy and entropy together. Obviously, an increase in entropy is particularly important in the tanning reaction for the stability of products. Thus, the binding water released from collagen fibers was identified to play a crucial role in the source of the stability of tanning agents. This work is not only conducive to deepening the understanding of tanning mechanisms, but also beneficial to developing novel chrome-free tanning agents