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Comedy for racial justice in the climate crisis: leveraging creativity and building community power in Ain't Your Mama's Heat Wave
No full textAs a combined team of engaged researchers, comedians, activists, organizers, music producers and filmmakers, Hip Hop Caucus and the Center for Media & Social Impact (CMSI) began working together in the summer of 2019 to co-create a climate justice entertainment project that centers comedians of color. By sharing the participatory co-creation and production process of Ain’t Your Mama’s Heat Wave, a novel docu-comedy and community mobilization initiative, this report invites social justice organizers, activists, community leaders, and environmental advocates to learn about the power of creativity and comedy to disrupt usual ways of doing business in the climate crisis – and why it matters
Breaking the silence: how documentaries can shape the conversation on racial violence in America and create new communities
No full textCMSI studied why and how documentaries can be used as a platform to organize community events and foster public dialogue about racial violence and injustice. Through a participatory research project funded by the Ford Foundation through the Independent Television Service (ITVS), we employed a multi-method approach of surveys and focus-group discussions with diverse communities across the country who gathered to experience the award-winning film Always In Season, directed by Jacqueline Olive and produced by Multitude Films
The Gatekeeper Project: Obtaining Social Justice
No full text“Defund the police!” In recent months, this phrase has been shouted from city streets throughout America. But, what does it really mean? In fall 2020, professors from American University and Howard University School of Law joined to create courses involving law enforcement, students, legislators, and returning citizens (formerly incarcerated). For the fall academic term, American University students in the Police, Law & Society class worked in teams with Howard University School of Law Students who took the Advanced Legal Research class. Advised by a law enforcement officer, the students worked in groups to perform research on the topic of defunding the police. Learning to use new research techniques, the students accessed various sources to develop action plans and policy papers. Their project proposals were later presented to local legislators who offered guidance on how to move forward. The faculty, students, and collaborators bridged the spectrum by working together to address social justice
Short-term air pollution forecasting based on environmental factors and deep learning models
No full textProceedings of the 2020 Federated Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems, FedCSIS 2020
September 2020, Article number 9222921, Pages 15-22; 15th Federated Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems, FedCSIS 2020; Virtual, Sofia; Bulgaria; 6 September 2020 through 9 September 2020; Category numberCFP2085N-ART; Code 164056.The effects of air pollution on people, the environment, and the global economy are profound - and often under-recognized. Air pollution is becoming a global problem. Urban areas have dense populations and a high concentration of emission sources: vehicles, buildings, industrial activity, waste, and wastewater. Tackling air pollution is an immediate problem in developing countries, such as North Macedonia, especially in larger urban areas. This paper exploits Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) models with Long Short-Term Memory units to predict the level of PM10 particles in the near future (+3 hours), measured with sensors deployed in different locations in the city of Skopje. Historical air quality measurements data were used to train the models. In order to capture the relation of air pollution and seasonal changes in meteorological conditions, we introduced temperature and humidity data to improve the performance. The accuracy of the models is compared to PM10 concentration forecast using an Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model. The obtained results show that specific deep learning models consistently outperform the ARIMA model, particularly when combining meteorological and air pollution historical data. The benefit of the proposed models for reliable predictions of only 0.01 MSE could facilitate preemptive actions to reduce air pollution, such as temporarily shutting main polluters, or issuing warnings so the citizens can go to a safer environment and minimize exposure
W&L Law Journal Rankings: Measuring Scholarly Impact in the Legal Field
No full textAs the only journal ranking tool exclusively in the legal field, the Washington and Lee Law Journal Rankings ("Rankings"; https://go.wlu.edu/lawjournals) provide important metrics for assessing scholarly publications' impact in both legal academia and American courts. The project was launched in 2004 by librarians at the W&L School of Law and has since undergone several significant improvements. Most recently, in 2019, we conducted a comprehensive review of the project in terms of its goals, workflow, and ranking methodology, and have implemented some significant changes to the project and its interface on the open web.
This Briefing intends to discuss the Rankings’ value, methodology, workflow to minimize bias and maintain quality control, as well as challenges and opportunities with the project. We hope that presenting the Rankings to information professionals and scholars outside the legal community will provide opportunities for feedback, ideas, and connections that will benefit the project in terms of its reach and future improvements
Polymer modified carbon fiber microelectrodes for precision neurotransmitter metabolite measurements
No full textJournal of the Electrochemical Society, Volume 167, Issue 16, December 2020, Article number 167507.Carbon fiber-microelectrodes (CFMEs) are considered to be one of the standard electrodes for neurotransmitter detection such as dopamine (DA). DA is physiologically important for many pharmacological and behavioral states, but is readily metabolized on a fast, subsecond timescale. Recently, DA metabolites such as 3-methoxytyramine (3-MT) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (DOPAL) were found to be involved in physiological functions, such as movement control and progressive neuro degeneration. However, there is no current assay to detect and differentiate them from DA. In this study, we demonstrate the co-detection of similarly structured neurochemicals such as DA, 3-MT, and DOPAL. We accomplished this through electrodepositing CFMEs with polyethyleneimine (PEI) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) polymers. This endowed the bare unmodified CFMEs with surface charge, physical, and chemical differences, which resulted in the improved sensitivity and selectivity of neurotransmitter detection. The differentiation and detection of 3-MT, DOPAL, and DA will potentially help further understand the important physiological roles that these dopaminergic metabolites play in vivo
The Society for Cinema and Media Studies' State of Best Practices for Fair Use in teaching for film and media educators
No full textCinema Journal 47, no. 2 (2008): 155-164.This code of best practices in fair use in teaching for film/media educators was designed by The Society for Cinema and Media Studies. It deals with classroom screenings, broadcasts, and derivative works
Syndemic effects in complex humanitarian emergencies: a framework for understanding political violence and improving multi-morbidity health outcomes
No full textSocial Science and Medicine, 2020, Article number 113378.A hallmark of complex humanitarian emergencies is the collective exposure, often over extended periods of time, to political violence in the forms of war, terrorism, political intimidation, repression, unlawful detention, and forced displacement. Populations in complex humanitarian emergencies have higher risks of multiple co-morbidities: mental disorders, infectious diseases, malnutrition, and chronic non-communicable diseases. However, there is wide variation in the health impacts both across and within humanitarian emergencies. Syndemic theory is an approach to conceptualizing disease and social determinants to understand differential patterns of multi-morbidity, elucidate underlying mechanisms, and better design interventions. Syndemic theory, if applied to complex humanitarian emergencies, has the potential to uncover origins of localized patterns of multi-morbidity resulting from political violence and historical inequities. In this paper, we present two case studies based on mixed-methods research to illustrate how syndemic models can be applied in complex humanitarian emergencies. First, in a Nepal case study, we explore different patterns of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression co-morbidity among female former child soldiers returning home after war. Despite comparable exposure to war-related traumas, girl soldiers in high-caste Hindu communities had 63% co-morbidity of PTSD and depression, whereas girl soldiers in communities with mixed castes and religions, had 8% PTSD prevalence, but no cases of PTSD and depression co-morbidity. In the second case study, we explore the high rates of type 2 diabetes during a spike in political violence and population displacement. Despite low rates of obesity and other common risk factors, Somalis in Ethiopia experienced rising cases of and poor outcomes from type-2 diabetes. Political violence shapes healthcare resources, diets, and potentially, this epidemiological anomaly. Based on these case studies we propose a humanitarian syndemic research agenda for observational and intervention studies, with the central focus being that public health efforts need to target violence prevention at family, community, national, and global levels
Application of Ecclesiastical Norms on the Ongoing Formation of Priests for the Archdiocese of Shenyang with the Experiences of the Catholic Church in the United States
No full textThe priestly formation, particularly the ongoing formation of priests, is an important issue in the Catholic Church. Understanding of ongoing priestly formation and proper diocesan policies promote the implementation of ongoing formation in a diocese. This thesis aims to explain the meaning and composition of ongoing priestly formation, discusses the application of ecclesiastical norms on ongoing priestly formation. This thesis analyzes the regulations in 1917 CIC, 1983 CIC, and some important ecclesiastical documents. It discusses the responsibilities, four dimensions (human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral) of ongoing formation, and the application of ongoing priestly formation for priests in different stages. Particularly, this thesis studies the programs, policies, events, and resources for the ongoing formation in the dioceses of the United States according to the Basic Plan for the Ongoing Formation of Priests. Although resources and programs promote priestly formation to gain a better effect, they are not ongoing formation itself. Even without so many resources, ongoing priestly formation still can be practiced in a country or a diocese. This thesis introduces the situation of ongoing priestly formation in China with the example of the Archdiocese of Shenyang and takes out a tentative plan and policies for the ongoing formation in the archdiocese according to the experiences of the Catholic Church in the United States.Canon lawcatholic formation, clerical formation, ongoing formation, ongoing priestly formation, policies on priestly formation, priestly formationCanon LawDegree Awarded: J.C.L. Canon Law. The Catholic University of Americ