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Watch Kanye West's 'DONDA' Listening Event In Chicago (Live Stream)
by Akaash
At this point, it's tough to even count how many times that DONDA was supposed to drop and then didn't, but it's been delayed beyond belief. In the past few weeks, there were two listening events in Atlanta where the album was played and tonight, the (supposed) final event goes down in Chicago.
The set this time is a recreation of Ye's childhood home. It's taking place in Soldier Field, where fans have been attendance for a while now. The event was supposed to start a while ago, but the stream only just got put up online.
The idea was that the album was going to be released tonight after the show, but that looks less and less likely with each hour that passes. We'll be happy to be surprised though.
You can watch the stream here.
Freddie Gibbs Shares Music Video for 'Rabbit Vision': Watch
Drake Shares Music Video for 'Jumbotron Shit Poppin': Watch
The Weeknd Releases Music Video for Avatar Song 'Nothing is Lost (You Give Me Strength)': Watch
Lupe Fiasco Releases 'PRECIOUS THINGS' Video — Watch
Watch the Music Video for SZA's Chart Topping Song 'Kill Bill'
New Video: French Montana – 'Project Baby' (Feat. Vory)


What book(s) would you recommend to a complete beginner on magick? Shameless plugs only if genuine.
I now present some of the answers I received.
I absolutely love this book … (it's out of print, so you have to get a used copy). The book is just gorgeous and only deals with "white" magic used for good purposes, but the photography is so beautiful it will make you drool.
I personally am not cognisant with this work, but Titania Hardie, the author, describes it as being within the Wiccan tradition. Whilst on the subject of Wicca, another FB fan, Philip Dean Fox, recommends Witchcraft: A Beginner's Guide by Teresa Moorey, and two books by Susan Bowes: Life Magic – The power of positive witchcraft. and Notions and Potions: A safe, practical guide to creating magic and miracles . Meanwhile, another FB friend, Adrien, recommends Christopher Penczak's The Inner Temple of Witchcraft: Magick, Meditation and Psychic Development (Penczak Temple) .
I still use my own copies for reference, tables, correspondences and other information stored all in one place and easy to find. When I started out I had to have 6 books open at once to find all this stuff.
… plugs to one side, it is a really good question. Where on earth do we start? The milestones like "Complete Golden Dawn " and Crowley's "Magick " are useless to a complete beginner. I would recommend getting a grounding in at least the basics of astrology and setting up a horoscope. It amazes me how many occultists don't know the first thing about astrology.
Indeed! Several months ago I gave myself the task of doing a short ten-minute talk to members of a highly secretive branch of the Illuminati (nb: they are not secretive at all! They just don't want it publicly known that they have a scruff like me as one of their members!) outlining a number of basic reference works for people who might, for all I know, be complete beginners to the mysteries. I remember that many years ago I read a remark by Israel Regardie about the first Knowledge Lecture of the Golden Dawn, recommending to just get any old book on astrology to look up basic terms thereon – so that is exactly what I did, and what I recommended in turn to the members of this order. As it happens, when I went into Waterstones that fateful day, the first book on the subject which I picked up was Teach Yourself Astrology .
Apart from that, there are a few other old favourites that I would personally recommend, e.g.
The Art and Practice of Astral Projection , by Ophiel.


But first, we needed to fuel up for a big day of wandering Regent and Oxford streets. We stopped for breakfast at Natural Kitchen. They advertised fresh, healthy food and after a few days of pub food, I was ready for something lighter. I had the poached eggs, fresh avocado and tomatoes. I can never pass up a poached egg. My friend had the egg Florentine. Both were delicious! And of course we both had Americanos to really jump start our day.
The restaurant was very cozy and decorated with rustic Christmas decorations. In the lower floor, there was a food hall style place with different kinds of hot and cold foods to eat in or take away. My friend mentioned this is a great place to stop in for lunch and if I lived in London, I would definitely stop by all the time!
After a great breakfast, we headed towards Liberty, a department store on Regent Street. I've been to many department stores in my day but few are like this one! This is one of the things I really love about London, everything has a history.
The entire store was stunning but one of the best parts was the Christmas shop. I love the Christmas season and this floor completely transported me to a Christmas wonderland. I picked up a new ornament for my tree back home and I couldn't pass up on all the yummy Christmas treats.
After Liberty, we wandered the streets a bit and hoped on a double decker bus over towards Harrods. During my first visit to London almost 10 years ago, my family visited Harrods and it felt like an exotic and magical place. During this visit with all of the Christmas decorations, it still had that magical feeling.
By this point we were ready for a bite to eat and Harrods has 26 (!) different places to eat. All of the options looked great but for me, this was my chance for my traditional afternoon tea. We headed up to the Tea Room and were seated right away.
There were a lot of great options, from small appetizers to sandwiches and salads. I ordered The Wedgewood afternoon tea.As I've written about before, I love afternoon tea.
It came with a pot of tea, a selection of finger sandwiches, scones and a dessert. All of it was delicious but my favorite part were the scones. There is something special about having tea and scones with clotted cream and jam.
hehe. looks like we're not the only ones who goes food hunting!


Rarely does such thought go into creating a home where the inspiration of its glorious surroundings is brought to life. It takes a certain courage to start from scratch and apply a thoroughly modernistic architectural approach. This fabulous home blends traditional and modern styling to fantastic effect. At the core is a glass stairwell which lets the light shine through all three floors and leads off a magnificent entranceway. Everything is on a grand scale, such as the spectacular chefs kitchen with butlers pantry. The entire top level is devoted to the master suite which includes an opulent dressing room. Mid level living includes separate living areas, an amazing media room and open plan dining, leading to spacious covered and open decks, screened for total privacy. There are four double bedrooms, three plus bathrooms, an elevator, triple car garaging and separate laundry. A truly extraordinary home in a fabulous clifftop location. Experience an exquisite lifestyle in your own personal paradise.


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Universities as Partners in Learning Cities and Communities - 2021 Global Learning Festival
I am forwarding this invitation to a Global Learning Festival event entitled Universities as Partners in Learning Cities and Communities. There will be a range of great speakers, commencing with Professor Bruce Wilson discussing the role of the university in community as part of a broader learning society. Then some diverse examples from Wolverhampton Learning Region, UK; Benin, Africa; and Wollongong, NSW.
Friday, 5 November, 2021
ASEF Call for Applications
Join the ASEF Capacity Building Workshop on Equitable Access and Success in Higher Education which takes place online, from 15 November to 17 December 2021. This is one of the spin-off activities based on the recommendations of the recently concluded 8th Regional Conference on Higher Education in Asia and Europe (ARC8).
Tuesday, 2 November, 2021
Participation needed from STEM students and graduates in India, Rwanda and UK
Are you a student studying a STEM subject or have you recently graduated in STEM? We want to hear from you!
Tuesday, 26 October, 2021
Global Learning Festival - 8-11 November, 2021
We are very pleased that the PASCAL Observatory and its Learning Cities Networks, with their European centre hosted by CR&DALL at the University of Glasgow, are partners in the 2021 Global Learning Festival being organised from 8-11 November by the cities of Wyndham and Melton in Australia. Many of the member cities of the LCN are making contributions, including Medellin, Taipei, Wolverhampton and of course Wyndham itself.
Thursday, 21 October, 2021
Invite to the launch of the FACE and SOAS Access Podcast
This podcast is designed to bring together practitioners and policy makers to discuss the big issues of the day in relation to access, participation, success and social mobility.
Book release | Global Citizenship for Adult Education
We are delighted to announce the release of the Routledge volume on 'Global Citizenship for Adult Education: Advancing Critical Literacies for Equity and Social Justice', edited by Petra A. Robinson, Kamala V. Williams, and Maja Stovanovic. The volume comprises a collection of a groundbreaking projects in the field of youth and adult education, in which 43 scholars from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States, examine how to promote equity and social justice through global citizenship and lifelong learning, that integrates the development of critical literacies as integral to adult education.
Monday, 27 September, 2021
Gender, sustainability and research capacity building in the Global South
Why the world needs more female scientists: panel on how gender and sustainability relate to building research capacity in the Global South.
CR&DALL and the Gendered Journeys project, funded by the ESRC within the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), will be presenting a Gender and Sustainability event as part of the University of Glasgow, School of Education's 'Educating Today to save Tomorrow' series in the run-up to COP-26 in Glasgow.
Thursday, 23 September, 2021
Webinar | Prison education in Latin America (in Spanish)
I would like to draw your attention to a two-day prison education webinar being offered by the University of Guadalajara on 22 September 2021 at 1700 (CDMX)(GMT -5) with some of the best prison education professors and investigators in Latin America.
Open-Access Book: Advances on Global Education and Research Vol 4
We are proud to announce that the fourth volume of Advances in Global Education and Research, an open-access textbook has been published. The chapters in this book are peer-reviewed as part of the 4th Global Conference on Education and Research (GLOCER).
Gendered Journeys: the trajectories of STEM students and graduates through higher education and into employment, in India and Rwanda
Promoting early interest in STEM and role identification for girls, is of urgent interest for many global initiatives (e.g. Organization for Women in Science in the Developing World, 2021). Increasing proportions of girls and women studying and working in STEM would contribute not only to scientific development but to more equitable and sustainable societies, including gendered economic outcomes.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The lots in Unit 1 of this subdivision are ready to be sold. All front parts of the lot are for residential. The back acreage can have a shop or horses. Coop water is in the street and 26th & a buyer will need to get with the Cottonwood Coop for a meter. Electricity is in the street and a pole will need to be brought to each lot. Gas will be available also. A septic system is needed.
Acreage off of US Highway 385 south of Artesia. A pipeline is on part of the property. Seller has an Access Permit from the New Mexico Department of Transportation. Buyer will need to check with Highway Dept to see if it is transferable.


VENEGAS, Osvaldo; RODRIGUEZ, Francisco; OLIVARES-PACHECO, Juan F; GÓMEZ, Héctor W.; BOLFARINE, Heleno. Robust modeling using the generalized epsilon-skew-t distribution. Journal of Applied Statistics, London, v. 39, n. 12, p. 2685\20132698, 2012. Disponível em: < http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02664763.2012.725462 > DOI: 10.1080/02664763.2012.725462.
Título do periódico: Scand. J. Stat.


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Als Tuchmacherbrunnen werden folgende mit Brunnenfiguren aus dem Tuchmachergewerbe ausgestattete Brunnen bezeichnet:

Brunnen mit Berufsmotiv
Geschichte des Textilwesens

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The double metal balloon beater together with the one touch auto button creates fluffy egg whites (up to 600% volume increase) and perfectly whipped cream (up to 200% volume increase). Creating delicious desserts has never been easier!
Together with the strong motor, this metal kneading hook quickly forms a dough ball from your ingredients. Once the dough is formed, the innovative kneading hook works the dough with the right force and power to enable you to make the tastiest bread.
In addition to the manual 12 speed + pulse control, this Avance Food Processor comes with 3 one touch auto buttons. To select them, simply turn the control dial to the "ON" position and press the one touch auto button. The motor then automatically sets the right speed and auto pulse functions for the best results.
All Philips Food Processor accessories included in your box are dishwasher safe.
The extra-large 3.4-liter bowl has a working capacity of 2 liters to handle up to 7 servings of soup, 7 eggs whites or 1.7 kg of dough. A 2.2-liter blender jar handles 1.5 liters of ingredients for up to 5 smoothie portions in one go.
Reliable, simple and beautifully designed, the new Philips Jamie Oliver Food Processor boasts a number of useful accessories useful in creating fresh and healthy breakfasts, lunches and dinners. This accessory is ideal for extracting fresh juice from all types of citrus fruit such as oranges and grapefruit.
Thanks to the XXL discs (18cm), the Philips food processor will provide you a faster performance saving you time and effort while cooking.
The reversible shredding disc (fine and coarse) is suitable for all types of vegetables.


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Atlantic Quality can also add curb appeal and improve energy efficiency by replacing the siding on your home or business, skylight installation and replacing windows and doors as well. Those are commonly noticed items, but other important and sometimes neglected items are the ventilation in the building such as roof ventilation, roof vents, and attic fans and related to the ventilation is the attic insulation. If your home doesn't have proper ventilation, not only is your energy efficiency low, ice dams can also be common which a de-icing cable can solve. Browse our informational website for more knowledge regarding these and other products.
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Type of Visual Impairment
Causes of Blindness
Communication with People
Colour Blindness
Causes of Blindness & Partial Blindness
Refractive errors
genetic defects
age related macular degeneration
corneal clouding
childhood blindness
The most common causes of visual impairment globally are:
uncorrected refractive errors (43%)
cataracts (33%)
glaucoma (2%).
Blindness can occur in combination with such conditions as:
1. Refractive errors
Refractive errors include near sighted, far sighted, presbyopia, and astigmatism. Cataracts are the most common cause of blindness.
Other disorders that may cause visual problems These cases are known as cortical visual impairment. Screening for vision problems in children may improve future vision and educational achievement. Screening adults may also be beneficial. Diagnosis is by an eye exam.
This includes cataracts, the infections river blindness and trachoma, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, uncorrected refractive errors, and some cases of childhood blindness. Many people with significant visual impairment benefit from vision rehabilitation, changes in their environmental, and assistive devices.
2. Cataracts
Cataracts is the congenital and pediatric pathology that describes the greying or opacity of the crystalline lens, which is most commonly caused by intrauterine infections, metabolic disorders, and genetically transmitted syndromes. Cataracts are the leading cause of child and adult blindness that doubles in prevalence with every ten years after the age of 40. Consequently, today cataracts are more common among adults than in children. That is, people face higher chances of developing cataracts as they age. Nonetheless, cataracts tend to have a greater financial and emotional toll upon children as they must undergo expensive diagnosis, long term rehabilitation, and visual assistance. Also, according to the Saudi Journal for Health Sciences, sometimes patients experience irreversible amblyopia after pediatric cataract surgery because the cataracts prevented the normal maturation of vision prior to operation. Despite the great progress in treatment, cataracts remain a global problem in both economically developed and developing countries. At present, with the variant outcomes as well as the unequal access to cataract surgery, the best way to reduce the risk of developing cataracts is to avoid smoking and extensive exposer to sun light (i.e. UV-B rays).
3. Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a congenital and pediatric eye disease characterized by increased pressure within the eye or intraocular pressure (IOP). Glaucoma causes visual field loss as well as severs the optic nerve. Early diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma in patients is imperative because glaucoma is triggered by non-specific levels of IOP. Also, another challenge in accurately diagnosing glaucoma is that the disease has four etiologies:
1. inflammatory ocular hypertension syndrome (IOHS)
2. severe uveitic angle closure
3. corticosteroid-induced
4. a heterogonous mechanism associated with structural change and chronic inflammation.
In addition, often pediatric glaucoma differs greatly in etiology and management from the glaucoma developed by adults. Currently, the best sign of pediatric glaucoma is an IOP of 21 mm Hg or greater present within a child. One of the most common causes of pediatric glaucoma is cataract removal surgery, which leads to an incidence rate of about 12.2% among infants and 58.7% among 10-year-olds.
4. Infections
Childhood blindness can be caused by conditions related to pregnancy, such as congenital rubella syndrome and retinopathy of prematurity. Leprosy and onchocerciasis each blind approximately 1 million individuals in the developing world.
The number of individuals blind from trachoma has decreased in the past 10 years from 6 million to 1.3 million, putting it in seventh place on the list of causes of blindness worldwide.
Central corneal ulceration is also a significant cause of monocular blindness worldwide. As a result, corneal scarring from all causes is now the fourth greatest cause of global blindness.
5. Injuries
Eye injuries, most often occurring in people under 30. Injuries and cataracts affect the eye itself, while abnormalities such as optic nerve hypoplasia affect the nerve bundle that sends signals from the eye to the back of the brain, which can lead to decreased visual acuity.
Cortical blindness results from injuries to the occipital lobe of the brain that prevent the brain from correctly receiving or interpreting signals from the optic nerve. Symptoms of cortical blindness vary greatly across individuals and may be more severe in periods of exhaustion or stress. It is common for people with cortical blindness to have poorer vision later in the day.
6. Genetic defects
People with albinism often have vision loss to the extent that many are legally blind, though few of them actually cannot see. Leber's congenital amaurosis can cause total blindness or severe sight loss from birth or early childhood.
Recent advances in mapping of the human genome have identified other genetic causes of low vision or blindness. One such example is Bardet-Biedl syndrome.
7. Poisoning
Rarely, blindness is caused by the intake of certain chemicals. A well-known example is methanol, which is only mildly toxic and minimally intoxicating, and breaks down into the substances formaldehyde and formic acid which in turn can cause blindness, an array of other health complications, and death. When competing with ethanol for metabolism, ethanol is metabolized first, and the onset of toxicity is delayed. Methanol is commonly found in methylated spirits, denatured ethyl alcohol, to avoid paying taxes on selling ethanol intended for human consumption. Methylated spirits are sometimes used by alcoholics as a desperate and cheap substitute for regular ethanol alcoholic beverages.
8. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease that blurs the sharp, central vision you need for "straight-ahead" activities such as reading, sewing, and driving. AMD affects the macula, the part of the eye that allows you to see fine detail. AMD causes no pain.
In some people, AMD advances so slowly that vision loss does not occur for a long time. In others, the disease progresses faster and may lead to a loss of vision in one or both eyes. As AMD progresses, a blurred area near the center of vision is a common symptom. Over time, the blurred area may grow larger or you may develop blank spots in your central vision. Objects also may not appear to be as bright as they used to be.
AMD by itself does not lead to complete blindness, with no ability to see. However, the loss of central vision in AMD can interfere with simple everyday activities, such as the ability to see faces, drive, read, write, or do close work, such as cooking or fixing things around the house.
9. Diabetic retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is one of the manifestation microvascular complications of diabetes, which is characterized by blindness or reduced acuity. That is, diabetic retinopathy describes the retinal and vitreous hemorrhages or retinal capillary blockage caused by the increase of A1C, which a measurement of blood glucose or sugar level. A s A1C increases, people tend to be at greater risk of developing diabetic retinopathy than developing other microvascular complications associated with diabetes (e.g. chronic hyperglycemia, diabetic neuropathy, and diabetic nephropathy). Despite the fact that only 8% of adults 40 years and older experience vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy (e.g. nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy or NPDR and proliferative diabetic retinopathy or PDR), this eye diseased accounted for 17% of cases of blindness in 2002.
10. Corneal clouding
The cornea, which as the window of the eye is limited to the front of the eye, has to be completely evenly curved and fully clear, so that the light rays coming into the retina produce an accurate image. Congenital corneal clouding as well as corneal clouding which appears in early childhood can, due to a decrease of visual acuity, lead to an insufficient development of the visual apparatus, thereby presenting a reason for visual impairment. When corneal clouding appears in early childhood in only one eye, the other eye takes over all the tasks of learning to see and the affected eye stays behind in its development. If corneal clouding in small children is not treated adequately as well early enough, then as of the time a child starts school, the developmental lag is difficult or not at all possible to make up for. It is therefore exceedingly important to prevent the appearance of this so-called amblyopia (weaksightedness).
Corneal clouding can be congenital or can appear during the course of a separate illness. Further causes can be injuries, chemical burns, inflammations and infections. A very common form of corneal clouding, which seldom occurs in industrial nations and very often occurs in developing countries, is caused by a lack of vitamin A which is a consequence of prevalent malnutrition in these countries.
11. Childhood Blindness
Xerophthalmia, often due to vitamin A deficiency, is estimated to affect 5 million children each year; 500,000 develop active corneal involvement, and half of these go blind.
Retinopathy of prematurity: The most common cause of blindness in infants worldwide. In its most severe form, ROP causes retinal detachment, with attendant visual loss. Treatment is aimed mainly at prevention, via laser or Avastin therapy.
12. Stroke
The type of vision loss after a stroke depends on which part of the brain was affected by the stroke. Vision loss is caused by damage of the blood vessels which supply the nerve pathway as it travels through the brain. Most strokes affect one side of the brain. ... When it does happen it can result in blindness.
13. Prematurity
Amblyopia is a category of vision loss or visual impairment that is caused by factors unrelated to refractive errors or coexisting ocular diseases. Amblyopia is the condition when a child's visual systems fail to mature normally because the child either suffers from a premature birth, measles, congenital nubella syndrome, vitamin A deficiency, or meningitis. If left untreated during childhood, amblyopia is currently incurable in adulthood because surgical treatment effectiveness changes as a child matures. Consequently, amblyopia is the world's leading cause of child monocular vision loss, which is the damage or loss of vision in one eye. In the best case scenario, which is very rare, properly treated amblyopia patients can regain 20/40 acuity.


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« it's a sick sick building but it's never gonna make me insane | Main | current listening - golden rough - provenance »
gigwatch
"once or twice to kill my pain
and once to bring it back again"
The Corner Hotel's finally put a date on the Joe Pernice gig - April 11th. I still remember one mid-uni New Year's Eve, a friend freaking out at a guy in our group with a guitar starting to play (and whistle) a They Might Be Giants track because it was "too depressing" (the song was Road Movie to Berlin if you were wondering how the hell a TMBG song could be "depressing"). We were a bit surprised, but hey, it's a free world I guess. Nevertheless, if you don't like sad music, you really don't want to see Joe Pernice. If, on the other hand, you love sad music, you probably want to get yerself down to see Joe and his band while they're here. Highly recommended for his wonderfully poetic edge to loss and loneliness.
Ed Kuepper's playing on the 12th, so it looks like I'll be down there two nights in a row. I remember, mid-to-late 90's, when Ed seemed to gig in Melbourne once every few months, so if I missed one, it didn't seem so bad 'cause he'd be back soon. Silly me, missing the last time he was here...
Other gigs you may have already heard about are The Saints on the 15th of March (they're down here for the East Coast Blues Festival and, like Steve Earle, are gracing Melbourne with their presence), the Go-Betweens on the 23rd/24th of March, and Jimi Tenor on the 26th of April.


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Cassy – Essential Mix. BBC Radio 1. 2016-06-11
Cassy has taken a place in the hearts of clubgoers and music lovers all over the world. This mix of hers pays tribute to Prince and Michael Jackson, as well as shows her unique knowledge of music and …
Solomun Will Play at Ibiza This Summer
Omri May 9, 2016
After touring the world for the whole year, Solomun is coming back to the best place for DJs, where they can play and rest without having to make 3 flights a weekend. He will bring his +LIVE residency…
May 9, 2016 0 0
Mix: Audion Essential Mix on BBC Radio 1
Omri April 24, 2016
In the dark hours of the night, Matthew Dear turns into Audion and goes into the techno world. Nobody recognises the experimental pop person, and everyone goes crazy about the techno alter ego. This B…
April 24, 2016 0 0
Mix: Ame x Dixon at BBC Radio 1
Omri April 2, 2016
The Innervisions bosses in a DJ-dance on BBC Radio1 The Essential Mix not to miss. Listen HERE…
RA Live – 2015.07.27 Nina Kraviz, RA BBC R1 Dance Radio Takeover
Omri March 4, 2016


Dave MacQuarrie, a dynamic polymath, is deeply concerned about climate change, especially the underlying emotional issues that fuel these problems. He cares deeply about the duplicity of our culture, and the need for cultural maturation.
The current conditions and situation here on Earth emphasize the importance of growth, both in the internal and external world of every human being. Change may seem daunting when the know-how is unavailable. Fortunately, there are tools for anyone willing to use them.


Unlimited recreational uses for this property. Near snowmobile and ATV trails, ride from your property. Wooded property has large trees for private home or camp. Property extends to other side of Bud Lee Pond. Mature hardwoods surrounding the pond sets up nice for your hunting and fishing get away.


Each guitar begins with a one on one consultation with the man-the Luthier-Marc-André Dubosq. Musical style and sound preferences are revealed and in light of each musician's natural, instinctive inclinations, an instrument will begin to take its shape.
By pinpointing a client's individual "sound" I can then suggest a variety of tone woods and speak to their musical properties and sound possibilities. My folk, country and rock customers lean towards the more traditional sound and sustain produced by mahogany and Indian rose wood, while my jazz and bluegrass players may prefer a curly maple, which highlights the fast-paced finger picking often associated with these styles.
Once the tone woods have been carefully selected, clients will then choose the size and shape of their guitar from a variety of models such as dreadnought. OOO, orchestra and jumbo to name a few. Options such as cutaway, double-top and 12 string will also be determined at this point, along with 12 or 14 fret models. Clients will also be choosing their custom inlays and ornamentation that are completely on spec and cater to the customer's every whim. Lastly, clients will select the type of finish they desire.
Then it's nothing more than the simple matter of bringing all these elements together with the skill and craftsmanship of an experienced, professional, master crafter. Each neck is custom carved to accommodate the player's hand for ultimate comfort. I can even replicate the feel of your favorite guitar so your neck truly "fits like a glove".
The braces, soundboard, case and back are each tuned individually and again as a whole – signing in perfect harmony. Not unlike you would tune the strings of your guitar; this process maximizes the character and heightens the richness of the overtones and the droning properties.
The front-runners are cedar and spruce.
Cedar: rich bass that will mature quickly. When played vigorous, overtones will combine to produce a distorted sound like Great Big Sea… As I like to say 'You can hear the Kitchen party in every powerful strum' … a true party instrument.
Spruce (sitka, red): will generate a crisp well balanced sound that works just as well for loud as quiet playing, with sitka and red at either extremity, with ingalman for light to medium strumming and finger picking, rounding out the category. Sitka red are the most versatile options, with a more balanced sound it works well for Red.
**Soloists will prefer a red spruce or a European spruce top with active back woods to accentuate the overtones.


IPCO Power congrats the Holland America Line with it's Green Gateway and Technology Innovator award. The Port of Seattle presented Holland America Line with its sixth consecutive Green Gateway Award. The Port of Seattle also presented Seattle's hometown cruise line with the Technology Innovator award.
Holland America Line also received the Technology Innovator award for investing in its Seattle-based fleet that has resulted in year-over-year reductions in fuel use and resultant greenhouse gases. Port of Seattle also cited the cruise line's installation of IPCO Power Fuel Treatment systems that are designed to enhance combustion, lower emissions, improve fuel economy, extend engine overhaul intervals and lower overall operating costs.


"In vitro imaging and human serum albumin responsive dimeric lanthanide" by Yuen On Fung, Wanqing Wu et al.
Two series of dimeric DO3A (1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclodecane-1,4,7-triacetate) lanthanide complexes (LnL1-LnL2, Ln = Eu, Gd, and Tb) have been synthesized with two different bridged chromophores. The X-ray structures of dimeric LnL1 (Ln = Gd and Tb) complexes show that each metal ion has nine coordination numbers with eight directly bound donor atoms of the ligand and one oxygen donor from the water molecule. Photophysical measurements indicate that the bridged antenna in LnL2 gives a higher efficiency than that of LnL1 and is responsive to the protein Human Serum Albumin (HSA), giving an f-f luminescence signal enhancement with a binding constant log K = 4.84. In vitro imaging of EuL1 and EuL2 in HeLa cells has been recorded, and EuL2 has demonstrated a higher rate of cellular uptake and low cytotoxicity (IC50 = 3 mM). © 2011 American Chemical Society.


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Home Who Are We? 2014 GPP Alumni
Matt Chan
PhD Student – Civil and Environmental Engineering
Matt Chan is a PhD student in the department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He has a chemistry degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, as well as a masters degree in Environmental Science and Engineering from Virginia Tech. Matt is interested in all areas of chemistry and seeks to apply his chemistry knowledge to applications with more immediate impact to the world. This desire brings him to environmental studies, where complex environmental phenomenon are grounded in chemical theories. His undergraduate research investigated how pollutants can be broken down in the water environment. Matt simulated these environmental processes in the lab and gained insights on the underlying chemistry g!overning how these contaminants are broken down.
In his graduate work, Matt is trying to understand how new emerging contaminants from nanotechnology interact with the environment. Nanotechnology refers to applications and theories that exist between the traditional molecular sciences (e.g. chemistry, molecular biology) and macroscopic phenomenon (e.g. classical physics); they are based on very small materials (nanomaterials) but are generally larger than atoms and most molecules. Because of this unique size range, nanomaterials enjoy unique properties that are not found in either traditional chemicals nor in bulk materials. Given these special properties, the interaction of nanomaterials with the environment is currently poorly understood. It is unclear if these materials are persistent in nature, or if they undergo transformation into other materials with different properties. Matt currently investigates how gold nanoparticles – widely used in the biomedical industry for cancer treatment and imaging – behave in the environment.
Matt is also active in university governance at Virginia Tech. As a cabinet member of the Graduate Student Assembly, Matt has sat on campus-wide committees that deliberate and create policies for many aspects of the university. Some of these policies included new conflict of interests policies, new dining hall operations to increase sustainability, and many others. Matt currently sits on the Graduate Curriculum Committee, which reviews, edits, and approves new course and degree proposals before they advance to University Council and the Board of Visitors. Matt believes that student involvement in university governments is crucial. Considering that the majority of a university's population is students, it is critically important that students are involved in governance processes at that their voices are heard. Within the Global Perspectives Program, Matt hopes to engage with the international academic community and to learn from their diverse backgrounds. Specifically, he would like to learn the degree to which students are involved with university governance in different universities, as well as the h!istory and motivations behind such involvement (or the lack thereof).
In his spare time, Matt participates in many music ensembles, including orchestras, bands, and choruses. He also p!articipates in community theater. He is also active in his church, serving as a leader at his church youth group.
GPP Learning Objectives
Identify key similarities and differences between universities within continental Europe. Despite several being in the same country (Switzerland), how are they different?
Examine similarities and differences between European universities and Virginia Tech (or perhaps, US Universities in general). What would work here/there, what wouldn't work? Why?
Key focus: What are the governance and administration structure like in European Universities? Are there any historical or cultural context on how they are set up?
GPP Research Topic
At Virginia Tech we are fortunate that the governance structure includes student involvement. However, the level and amount of student input in the governance structure varies greatly within United States. In Europe, are student input valued in such settings? What are the historical or cultural contexts?
Kevin Geyer
PhD Candidate – Biological Sciences
Kevin Geyer is a 5th year PhD student at Virginia Tech in the Department of Biological Sciences. His research encompasses the intersections of ecosystem ecology, biogeochemistry and microbial ecology. Specifically, his dissertation involves the investigation of soil bacterial communities native to Antarctica's Dry Valleys, a model system where simple foodwebs display distinct responses to environmental gradients and can provide strong evidence as to the primary forces which determine the distribution of ecologically and economically significant microorganisms worldwide.
Kevin is originally from Michigan where he earned a B.S. in Environmental Biology/Zoology at Michigan State University (2006) while working as an aquatic chemist/algal taxonomist. After graduation he worked for the National Park Service, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, taught high school biology, and was a Team Leader for America's primary national service organization (AmeriCorps). In 2009, he began his graduate work at Virginia Tech. Kevin hopes to b!ecome a university professor and be engaged in higher education.
As an AmeriCorps alumn, Kevin strongly values education and community service. He has taught undergraduate biology laboratory classes for six semesters at Virginia Tech and has mentored over a dozen students on independent research projects. Aside from his graduate work, Kevin regularly volunteers both on and off campus for numerous organizations. He enjoys s!pending time hiking, fishing, and learning about military history.
I hope to observe the differences between American and European approaches to biological sciences in universities, particularly with respects to pedagogical practices and research.
I am interested in the value European cultures place on a college education, and ultimately what/where graduates hope to use their degrees. Is the so-called "brain drain" of emigrating graduates a growing issue?
What steps are European universities taking to ensure equal access to college education? What are the largest barriers to enrollment for potential students?
I am a huge lover of different cultures and can't wait to experience the local cuisine, architecture, and history!
The Virginia Tech motto is Ut Prosim (To Serve). In this spirit, combined with my background in community engagement and lifelong service, I am interested in learning more about the common practices and perceptions which European faculty maintain regarding community service and campus/community relations. For example, do u!niversity administrations request faculty to participate in outreach activities?
Katy Gieder
PhD Student – Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Katy Gieder is a 3rd year PhD student in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech. She obtained a MSc in Environmental and Life Sciences from Trent University in Ontario, Canada. Katy's research focuses on understanding the interactions between anthropogenic activities and wildlife conservation needs in coastal ecosystems. She aims to develop a model that will predict the effects of sea-level rise and storm activity on barrier island landscapes. This model is being developed in collaboration the U.S. Geological Survey as part of a nationwide sea-level rise hazards assessment project. Specifically, Katy plan to use this model is to provide a predictive tool that will aid wildlife managers in managing future nesting habitat for the federally-listed Piping plover (Charadrius melodus), a small shorebird that breeds along the Atlantic Coast from N!ewfoundland, Canada to South Carolina in the U.S.
As a child of overly enthusiastic world travelers, Katy was fortunate to have been exposed to a great variety of cultures from a very early age. She spent the first two years of her life in her birthplace (Florida) and then moved to Switzerland until the age of 6. Thereafter, Katy lived in Singapore for a year. After one year of home schooling, Katy then attended a large local school in rural Malaysia (having moved there from Singapore). Katy moved to her parents' native Canada to attend high school and continued her education in Canada until moving back to the United States to obtain a PhD. While living in these different countries, Katy was continually exposed to different cultures and experiences as her parents travelled extensively to neighboring countries and locations. There is no doubt that Katy caught the travel bug and seeks every opportunity to experience different cultures and environments. Most of Katy's hobbies (cooking, hiking, mountain biking, skiing) are centered on the fact that they allow her to experience new places. Katy is very much looking forward to visiting Switzerland, France, and Italy from a completely new perspective of pedagogy, and also making the most of being immersed in rich historical and culinary delights!!
To identify differences in how graduate students in North America and Europe balance work and life. For instance, how do graduate students in Zürich spend their leisure time compared to graduate students in Blacksburg? Is the graduate student body composed of mostly families or single individuals, or is there a mixture of both similar to what is found at Virginia Tech?
To observe the architecture and layout of the university campuses we will visit and compare them to the architecture and layout of North American university campuses that I have visited.
To explore Zürich and enjoy a culture that values bicycling as a main mode of transportation.
I would like to explore the issue of diversity, specifically in relation to faculty and graduate students. Diversity is an important issue within North American universities, is it an important issue in European universities? What are some of the unseen biases that occur in the European universities we will visit? How is diversity promoted in the European universities we will visit? Are there certain departments where promoting diversity is particularly difficult i!n European universities, similar to what I have seen at Virginia Tech?
Jake Grohs
PhD Student – Educational Psychology
Jake Grohs is a doctoral student in Educational Psychology who is fascinated by human learning. With degrees from Virginia Tech in education (MAEd, 2012) and engineering (MS 2009, BS 2008), his current r!esearch interests focus on:
Reflection – the role of critical reflection in making meaning of experiences both in and out of the classroom, particularly in the context of community-engaged learning; creating learning environments in which students develop reflection skills; use of ePortfolios and blogs as !tools to collect, synthesize, and reflect on course material
Problem Solving/Systems Thinking – exploring how individuals reason through "wicked problems" in a community context; exploring how these problem solving skills are taught; developing frameworks to better !understand and teach these reasoning skills.
Student Development – the development of belonging/identity of first- year students and its impact on learning; peer-mentorship and potential learning/growth for both mentee/mentor; the role of living-learning !communities in academic, social, and civic identity development
Jake is a fierce believer in the importance of accessible high quality education and is committed to the study and practice of teaching/learning environments that seek to (a) nurture development of critical liberal education competencies (e.g. leadership, multiculturalism, citizenship); (b) cultivate student skills in self-awareness, critical thinking, reflection, perspective taking, etc.; (c) create a community of co-educators/co-learners; (d) integrate academic, social, and c!ivic realms in order to "educate the whole student"; and (e) encourage individualized assembly of knowledge.
Aside from his role as a doctoral student, Jake serves as Associate Director for Engaged Learning and Scholarship for VT Engage: The Community Learning Collaborative where he is the lead faculty member for the SERVE Living Learning Community at Virginia Tech. He also provides leadership for scholarship and assessment efforts aimed at understanding and measuring outcomes from community-engaged learning experiences. More personally, Jake is a proud father, committed partner, and tennis-ball thrower to family Courtney, Jude (son), and Grady & Kiwi (two lovable fetch-playing seventy-pound dogs). He also is a casual coffee-roaster, pizza-maker, and home-renovator…hobbies that have suffered since beginning a PhD program, though caffeine consumption is a!t an all-time high.
To explore and embrace new cultures
To learn about the role of community engagement in higher education as practiced in the universities we visit
To hear how others in the cohort make meaning of this tremendous experience
To refresh and recharge about why I am passionate about higher education and pursuing a PhD
The driving question for me on this experience (as of now) is to explore the ultimate purpose of higher education as perceived by the institutions, faculty, and students with whom we interact. Is it job training? Economic development and competitiveness? Continued socialization of one's citizens? To better society and address critical issues of our time? Something very different or some combination? I passionately believe in some pretty naïve and lofty purposes of higher education so I am curious to explore this question and compare with our own varied answers here in the United States. Perhaps another way of asking the same question is, what do those with whom we interact see as the identity of their specific institution? And, does that scale to higher ed more b!roadly or is it just an institutional identity. That's what I'm thinking for now 🙂
Jen Henderson
PhD Student – Science and Technology Studies
Jen Henderson is a Ph.D. student in Science and Technology Studies, an interdisciplinary program focused on ways that science, technology, and society mutually constitute each other. She also holds an M.F.A. in creative nonfiction, has published numerous essays, and has taught university courses in creative writing, humanities, and academic integrity.
Jen's research sits at the interface between meteorological science as practiced by forecasters and its interpretation by different publics. Specifically, she focuses on those techniques of definition used by experts to shape representations of disaster risk and the sociotechnical networks used to characterize and map them. In her dissertation, Jen will illustrate how experts in the meteorological community classify, construct, and characterize risk through the case study of the Oklahoma tornadoes of May 2013. She'll do so with a critical eye toward ways that experts represent public experience and often ignore environmental calculations of weather.
Key themes in Jen's work include the ways that ethical considerations come into play at each stage of the forecast and mapping process and how experts frame ethical decisions; how National Weather Service policies, such as the Weather Ready Nation Initiative, get communicated to and rely on different publics; the communication of risk and uncertainty; the public understanding of science; and the history of technology, especially meteorological technologies such as Doppler radar, earth observations satellites, and the EF-Scale. Her methods are ethnographic and historical and are framed by concerns of environmental and social justice.
While weather is her main passion, Jen also loves hiking, Ashtanga yoga, traveling abroad, and writing essays. Originally from Utah, she hopes she can one day move closer to the West so that she can enjoy more time with her family, especially her nieces and nephew. Visit her website at www.jenhenderson.com for more about her research and writing.
Network Opportunities: The majority of success I've gained as a scholar in the weather community comes from networking — online and in person. I'm hoping to make connections with other scholars, not only in my cohort from Virginia Tech but also at the universities we visit.
Interdisciplinarity Skills: One of the skills I value most in higher education is an understanding of and practice in interdisciplinarity. While usually applied in cross-disciplinary circles, I believe it's equally important to understand cross-cultural perspectives in terms of disciplinary practices and knowledge construction.
Ethics Education: One of my roles in weather communities is to function as an ethicist in highlighting issues of responsibility, tacit commitments to different norms, and mechanisms for codifying values. I'm curious how issues of ethics are discussed in graduate education in other countries? In scientific and technological practice? In terms of the responsibility of higher education to the public?
Personal Experience: I'd generally like to feel a little out of my comfort zone, to see the world from a fresh perspective, and to enjoy good food.
As someone interested in definitions of disaster and how institutions and communities conceptualize risk, I would like to learn more about how universities in Europe frame disaster preparation. Is it similar to the Storm Ready program here in the U.S. or is it something completely different? What issues of responsibility and accountability arise in these discussions? How do these conversations extend into the surrounding communities? In what ways (visual, textual, practical)? I'm also curious about the European model that encourages public participation and deliberation in debates over science and technology. I'd like to understand how this plays out in the university classroom and within discourses of disaster itself.
Connie Jones
PhD Student – Counselor Education and Supervision
Connie Jones is a second year PhD student in the Counselor Education and Supervision program in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. She has a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Virginia and a Masters of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University. After practicing in a variety of mental health and community organizational settings, Connie was inspired to pursue her doctorate degree in order to bring her practical field experience into the classroom and conduct research that will contribute to the field of mental health and social justice.
Connie's research interests include: social justice, multiculturalism, African-American mental health, and work with substance-using offenders. She has a passion for teaching and enjoys learning about different pedagogical practices. Connie has co-taught several courses, but her favorite course to teach was, Counseling with Diverse Populations.
Connie feels extremely honored to be a part of the Global Perspectives Program. She is looking forward to expanding her knowledge and examining the differences in academic practices in order to better understand how the global professoriate may learn from one another and work together to solve various issues in higher education and society. On a personal note, Connie enjoys spending time with her family and friends, listening to music and traveling.
To learn about European faculty identity. I am interested in learning how the faculty members at European universities view their roles as teachers, researchers, and how they view service within the community? (i.e., relationships with students, involvement in the community) I also want to examine the differences and similarities between faculty in the U.S. universities and European universities.
To learn about the value placed upon diversity within the universities and explore if there are any diversity initiatives implemented on campus that address the inclusion and achievement of all students and that promote diversity and encourage cultural exchanges on campus.
To examine the different campus cultures of each of the European universities.
To explore the pedagogical practices used at the European universities. I also want to learn as much as I can about higher education in Europe.
Most importantly, I want to be open to new experiences. I want to learn from and reflect on every experience in order to facilitate growth within myself throughout the process and after this wonderful opportunity ends. Through this experience I hope to grow as a person and professional.
Connie is interested in exploring how mental health is perceived on European university campuses. Are there college counseling centers on campus? What services are available at the college counseling centers and how students are connected to the counseling centers? How utilized are the college counseling centers services? Which mental health field degree programs are offered at the different universities (i.e., counseling, social work, psychology)?
Matt Schroeder
PhD Candidate – Food Science and Technology
Matthew Schroeder graduated from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA in 2010 with a BS in Chemistry and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduating, he immediately started his graduate work in the Department of Food Science and Technology at Virginia Tech. In 2012 Matt graduated with his MS in Food Science and Technology. Matt's masters thesis focused on Campylobacter in chicken processing. Realizing his true passion is academia, Matt decided to stay at Virginia Tech and pursue his doctorate in Food Science and Technology. His dissertation research focuses on using pictograms as a way to offer recurring food safety knowledge for non-native English speakers in the poultry industry. As an inaugural member of the Graduate Teaching Scholars program in the College of Agriculture, Matt co-taught and co-created a new Food Science course entitled "Food and War" during the Summer Academy in 2013. He is now the instructor of record for the same course currently offered during the in spring 2014 semester. Matt is finishing his 2nd year of his PhD and hopes to graduate in May 2015.
Aside from his academic responsibilities, Matt coaches the Virginia Tech men's club lacrosse team. During his first 4 year in Blacksburg Matt acted as the assistant and is entering his first season as the head coach. Matt enjoys running, playing sports, and hanging out with his dog, Steele.
I want to immerse myself in the cultures. Interacting with locals, enjoying cultural cuisines, and visiting historical landmarks are crucial to getting the most out of this experience.
In terms of teaching, we as future faculty will experience a variety of different class sizes and pedagogical challenges. I want to evaluate how European faculty members deal with these challenges and how they compare to our current practices.
I hope to gain an understanding of the European education system from (what we call) kindergarten through graduate school. More specifically, when European students choose their major and how that choice influences the university they attend.
In the United States, we think of faculty having teaching, research, and extension responsibilities. I want to investigate these responsibilities in Europe and see how these responsibilities compare to those in the United States. Therefore, my research topic for the trip will involve analyzing the similarities and differences of faculty responsibilities in the United States and Europe.
Maria Stack
PhD Candidate – Educational Research and Evaluation
Maria Stack is a fourth year doctoral candidate in the Educational Research and Evaluation program and graduate assistant in the Office of Assessment and Evaluation at Virginia Tech. She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from The College of William and Mary and a master's degree in education from Harvard Graduate School of Education. Prior to starting her PhD, Maria worked as a research assistant at The Family Center, a family services nonprofit outside of Boston. Currently, Maria's research interests are in the areas of early childhood education and childhood obesity. In particular, she is interested in the underlying family and environmental issues, like parental depression, that can interfere with a child's health and success in school.
Learn about the scope and limits of university administration in European universities as compared to US universities.
Learn about Switzerland's role in the European higher education.
Enjoy the food! And read food labels when possible—as an obesity researcher, I am interested in how European food ingredients compare those found in the US.
Through my assistantship, I have learned a lot about assessment practices in US universities, but very little about approaches in other countries. Thus, for my GPP research topic, I am interested in exploring assessment in European universities. More specifically, I am interested in learning how teacher quality is assessed. I also want to learn about how assessment is incorporated into the Bologna process.
Mallory Taylor
Masters Candidate – Hospitality and Tourism Management
Mallory Taylor was born and raised in Newsoms, Virginia a small, rural town also known as "The Home of the Jumbo Peanut." Before attending Virginia Tech, Mallory completed her undergraduate studies at Ferrum College, a small, private, liberal arts college, tucked in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. During her time at Ferrum, Mallory majored in Recreation Leadership and double minored in Eco-Tourism and Business. Her passion for the outdoors, recreation, and physical activity led her to Virginia Tech where she is a masters candidate in the Hospitality and Tourism Management program. Mallory is currently in the process of writing her masters thesis and will be defending her thesis this spring semester.
Outside of being a graduate student, Mallory enjoys running, weight lifting, hiking, and teaching BodyPump group exercise classes. She is always open to new and exciting adventures and learning experiences. This will be Mallory's third trip outside of the United States as she traveled to Europe during high school and participated in a study abroad trip to Costa Rica during her freshman year at Ferrum College. Mallory is really looking forward to tasting some Swiss chocolate and other desserts, as she has a relentless sweet tooth.
To learn, understand, and appreciate the cultures (including cultural heritage and leisure trends) introduced during the Global Perspectives Program.
To learn, understand and be able to apply the differences in global higher education to the American system. Also, to view the history and inner workings of higher education outside of the United States.
To learn more about and form friendships with my peers in the Global Perspectives Program. To also use these friendships as an opportunity to look outside of my discipline to have a more holistic view of higher education.
To learn more about the chosen Global Perspectives Program research topic. To be able to see and appreciate multiple opinions and possible solutions to the topic.
"The Affects of Changing Waistlines: How Will Higher Education Change to Combat the Obesity Epidemic" — How does the expanding waistlines of the global population affect the future of higher education? What can be done to address the obesity epidemic in global higher education? What alternatives are there to the system used in America? Is America's system a role model for other countries to follow? What can America learn and take away from their more healthy global partners in higher education?
Joy Thompson
PhD Student – Sociology
Joy Thompson is a second year Ph.D. student in Virginia Tech's Sociology department, concentrating in Africana Studies. In addition to Joy's research interest, she enjoys presenting and teaching — both in the classroom and online. Teaching, as Sonia Sanchez, prolific poet, author, and critical leader in the creation of Africana studies, is a profession in which you're able to "make people jump barriers and touch each other" and essentially sums up Joy's motivation for teaching.
In the quest to understand how mass media, historical representations of marginalized cultures, and dominant notions of beauty play a distinct role in the formation of identity for young women, Joy's research focuses on how young women of color retain or reject their natural aesthetic or appearance in a society that overwhelmingly doesn't represent them.
Joy hopes to be an integral part of transforming Africana studies from a peripheral field of study to one that is more rooted and central to worldwide school curriculums.
Joy graduated from Howard University in 2006 with a Bachelors of Arts in Broadcast Journalism and graduated from Morgan State University with a Masters of Science in Media Management, in 2009. After spending three years working in multimedia, public relations, and co-founding Good News Baltimore, a non-profit organization that produces a television show highlighting the positive aspects of the city, Joy entered Virginia Tech in the fall of 2012.
To see how European Universities use technology to enhance the in-class and online experience of teaching and learning.
To become more familiar with research methodological practices used, embraced, and taught in European Universities
To observe how European faculty balance and/or integrate professional and personal life.
To view and possibly partake in student life on the campus of European universities to understand in what ways they are fundamentally similar and/or different to student life at American universities.
Joy's research focuses on learning how Africana or Black Studies is presented or taught in the halls of academia on European campuses, and ultimately comparing and contrasting them with the Africana studies' pedagogical practices, literature, and course offerings on American campuses, specifically Virginia Tech.
Sarah Ulrich
PhD Student – Geosciences
Sarah Ulrich is a second-year Ph.D. student in Geosciences at Virginia Tech. Her research is in Environmental Nanoscience, and focuses on the role of natural nanoparticles in the the transport and transformation of environmental pollutants. Much of her research includes integrating Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) to further our knowledge of natural nanoparticles. In addition, she is interested in the links between nanoparticles and human health, and how alteration of the local environment can create unexpected health hazards.
Prior to arriving at Virginia Tech, Sarah was a field technician at the U.S. Geological Survey in Reston, VA. There, she studied sedimentation and erosion rates in both urban and rural watersheds. In addition, she analyzed floodplain uptake and emissions of greenhouse gases in order to better understand the role that wetlands play in mitigating climate changes.
Sarah received a Bachelor's of Science from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire in 2011. While studying in the geology department she researched the nature of heavy metal-bearing minerals in airborne dusts from California. The project investigated these minerals as an exposure pathway for human inhalation.
Since Switzerland is a country with four official languages, I think it will be interesting to see how universities accommodate different cultures and overcome language barriers.
In the United States, universities frequently lead the charge in implementing more environmentally sustainable practices when compared to other large institutions. I would like to see how sustainability is encouraged and implemented abroad.
I am very passionate about teaching, and would like to learn about teaching techniques that are finding success abroad.
With any luck, learn something about the geology of the Alps!
I will be investigating the changes in educational funding sources and costs, and the resulting effects on educational quality and accessibility. Furthermore, I would like to learn how institutions are coping with these changes, from the university level all the way down to individual classrooms.
Ivette Valenzuela
PhD Candidate – Population Health Sciences
Ivette Valenzuela, is a PhD candidate at the Population Sciences Department at Virginia Tech and prefers to be called Ivy (her nickname since childhood). In 2004, Ivy graduated with a MD degree from the Universidad de El Salvador. After becoming a mom, Ivy's career shifted slightly when she moved to Massachusetts and worked from 2005 until 2010 on implementing standards of care for asthma and diabetes at clinical level. In August 2011, Ivy started her Master of Public Health at Virginia Tech and was part of the first cohort of MPH students graduating after the program acquired its accreditations in July 2013. Both while working in Massachusetts and pursing her MPH in Virginia, Ivy was fascinated the role of nurses in education. Therefore, she decided to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, which she completed in December 2013.
Higher education became Ivy's passion after discovering new ways of teaching through her academic experience in U.S and the Future Professoriate Graduate Certificate (FPGC) program. The FPGC also helped Ivy to see how diversity and technology are important to handle the societies' challenges.
Ivy's research is on Type 2 diabetes prevention and its complications in the Hispanic population. She uses her bicultural, bilingual, medical and public health skills to assess communities and improve their health outcomes. Working with underserved communities has taught Ivy that education is the key to prevent many lifestyle-related diseases, decrease healthcare cost and improve the quality of life of populations.
Ivy's professional goals are to work as a professor, seed innovative ideas in her students, and create a liaison among community and healthcare.
I would love to learn the differences on teaching between Europe and US and if Europe is preparing for the changes in Higher Education.
I have never been in Europe, going to Switzerland where they have four official languages makes me think that they are open to cultural diversity, I would love to see how open they really are.
Technology is a must, therefore I would like to know how accessible is for European students to have access to it.
I love food, I am really looking forward to try the traditional dishes from the places that we will be visiting.
Addressing changes in higher education with technology and diversity.
Michel Vargas
PhD Student – Materials Science and Engineering
Michel Vargas is a doctoral student in the Materials Science and Engineering Department at Virginia Tech. His research is focuses on nanoscale structural/chemical characterization of MnOx(s) (manganese oxides) surface layers and nanoparticles and the associated implications for drinking water treatment. He aims that this work will lead to a scientific breakthrough in terms of understanding how these MnOx(s) structures form and impact the production of high-quality water for human consumption. Furthermore, this knowledge will also transform the current approaches to modeling and designing water filtration systems, enhancing water quality outcomes, and improving water filtration process performance using environmental conscious and inexpensive MnOx(s) surface layers. Therefore, his research effort would contribute to water sustainability by improving water infrastructure and distribution, water remediation, water and health.
In 2007, Michel received a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the National Polytechnic School (Escuela Politecnica Nacional or EPN) in Quito; graduating as Valedictorian of the Investiture of the School of Engineering. During his undergraduate career, Michel was elected Chair of EPN's Student Chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) for two consecutive years and also won first prize at the KIA Advocate Training Camp program held in Seoul, South Korea. Receiving promotions from Process Engineer to Technical Manager at a General Motors dealership, Michel's professional career advanced rapidly in the automotive field after graduation. Then, Michel advanced to General Assembly Superintendent at the AYMESA automobile assembly plant. He has taught several seminars on process management, lean manufacturing, and metals processing at the university level and at his former company. He has also performed research on failure analysis in automotive parts. After all of his experiences, Michel decided to pursue further academic studies to enhance his skills. Applying and subsequently receiving the prestigious International Fulbright Science & Technology Award, Michel became the first and only Fulbright S&T Fellow from Ecuador. Upon completion of his doctoral studies, Michel will pursue an academic career as a faculty member in one of the top engineering universities in his beloved Ecuador, as well as start an engineering consulting company.
To understand how subtle differences in culture can impact higher education systems and their objectives (comparing Ecuador, US, and few European countries that we will visit).
To share and discuss with my peers our ideas and perspectives about a new academia for the 21st century.
To learn about new places and new cultures in order to understand their people better and enrich my life with a global taste of mutual understanding.
I believe education is a public good. Therefore, I am interested in exploring how the universities (that we will visit) understand, prepare, and plan to fulfill their social responsibility in a global community. A question that naturally arises is: "would it be possible for a university to have social responsibility without borders?"
Justin Shanks
Global Perspectives Fellow
PhD Candidate – Science and Technology Studies
Karen P DePauw
Vice President and Dean for Graduate Education


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Q: How to specify a model with spatial correlation AND crossed random intercepts in R (nlme) I want to model repeated measurements (let's say yearly) from multiple sites.  Let's say after modeling these data with random intercepts for site and year we find there remains spatial correlation in residuals between sites.  Here's an example dataset...sorry no actual structure in the data, which I hope is fine because I'm just trying to get the nlme syntax correct.
#set number of sites and years
n.sites=10
n.years=25

#populate dataframe
n.obs<- n.sites*n.years
df<- data.frame(
  site=rep(letters[1:n.sites], each=n.years),
  year=paste("year", rep(1:n.years, n.sites)),
  y=rnorm(n.obs),
  coord.x=rep(runif(n.sites), each=n.years),
  coord.y=rep(runif(n.sites), each=n.years)
)

To my knowledge, lme() in the nlme package is my best option (outside of moving to WinBUGS or similar).
There is a good worked example of how to model spatially correlated data in nlme here, however because my sites all have the same lat-lon in every year I will get the error below if I first try a simpler model without crossed random intercepts.
lme(y~1, random= ~1|site,
           correlation = corGaus(form = ~ coord.x + coord.y|site),
           data=df)
Error in getCovariate.corSpatial(object, data = data) :
  cannot have zero distances in "corSpatial"

Which I believe is because after grouping observations by site, there are still repeated lat lon (i.e., "zero distances") for each year in a given site.  So I clearly need to include the crossed random intercepts as the grouping factor in the correlation= argument.
Specifying crossed random effects in lme() is tricky (at least compared to lme4), but here is how I do it:
df$dummy<- 1
lme(y~1, random=list(dummy=pdBlocked(list(pdIdent(~year-1),
                                     pdIdent(~site-1)))),
data=df)

However, when I try to copy & paste this to the correlation= argument I get an error which believe is telling me my syntax is not correct.
lme(y~1, random=list(dummy=pdBlocked(list(pdIdent(~year-1),
                                                 pdIdent(~site-1)))),
           correlation = corGaus(form = ~ coord.x + coord.y|list(dummy=pdBlocked(list(pdIdent(~year-1),                                                                              pdIdent(~site-1))))),
           data=df)
Error in names(val) <- unlist(lapply(val, function(el) deparse(el[[2]]))) :
  'names' attribute [2] must be the same length as the vector [1]

Any advice on how I can properly encode this?  (I found a related, but unanswered question here).

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