scholarly journals Partnering with postdocs: a library model for supporting postdoctoral researchers and educating the academic research community

2020 ◽  
Vol 108 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen H. Gau ◽  
Pamela Dillon ◽  
Teraya Donaldson ◽  
Stacey Elizabeth Wahl ◽  
Carrie L. Iwema

Background: A mutually beneficial need exists between postdoctoral scholars (postdocs) who want to grow their science communication, networking, and teaching skills and those in the general health sciences research community who want to learn more about specialized topics. Recognizing this need, interdepartmental teams at two public universities began offering postdocs a teaching opportunity at their health sciences libraries, which serve as discipline-neutral learning spaces for researchers.Case Presentation: At the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), postdocs are invited to submit talk proposals on “how to do something” related to the health sciences. Selected postdoc speakers conduct one-hour talks, get science communication and teaching support, have their talks uploaded to YouTube, and receive feedback from attendees.Conclusions: Postdoc participants appreciated being able to participate in this program, and attendees strongly indicated that the talks are of value. At VCU, surveys of the 25 talks from 2015–2018 showed that 91% of attendees believed they had a better understanding of the topic because of their attendance, and 85% planned to use the knowledge they gained. More than a year after their talks, several postdocs across both institutions informed the coordinators that they were subsequently contacted for advice or further discussion, with 2 postdocs stating that it helped them with job opportunities. This model can be easily adapted at other health sciences libraries to benefit their academic communities.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Negeen Aghassibake ◽  
Lynly Beard ◽  
Jackie Belanger ◽  
Diana Louden ◽  
Robin Chin Roemer ◽  
...  

As part of ARL’s Research Library Impact Framework initiative, the University of Washington (UW) Libraries explored UW faculty and postdoctoral researcher needs for understanding and communicating the impact of their work, with a focus on researchers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and health sciences fields. The project was designed to understand the challenges researchers face in this area, identify how participants in these fields define and measure impact, and explore their priorities for research-impact support. The project team conducted a survey and follow-up interviews to investigate these questions. This research report presents the project team’s methodology, findings, and recommendations for future research.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-267
Author(s):  
Fernanda Da Fonseca Freitas ◽  
Jéssyca Camila Carvalho Santos ◽  
Anna Cecília Queiroz De Medeiros ◽  
Fívia De Araújo Lopes

Este artigo possui como objetivo relatar o desenvolvimento de uma cartilha sobre os benefícios da alimentação para reduzir a ansiedade em tempos de COVID-19. O desenvolvimento do material foi realizado por discentes e docentes da Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde do Trairi e do Departamento de Fisiologia e Comportamento, ambos pertencentes à Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. O material pretendeu abranger a comunidade acadêmica e não acadêmica. As pesquisas que fundamentaram o conteúdo da cartilha foram realizadas nas bases de dados Pubmed, Science Direct, Scopus, Lilacs e PsycINFO e o material foi dividido em três seções. A cartilha foi finalizada e compartilhada no mês de abril de 2020, em formato pdf, e possui 18 páginas. A linguagem utilizada foi coloquial, e partes do texto estão na voz ativa. O projeto de extensão universitária aqui relatado possivelmente auxiliou na promoção da saúde nesse período de pandemia, pois facilitou a disseminação de conhecimentos para a população. Nesse sentido, em tempos de pandemia, ações de extensão realizadas através do desenvolvimento de cartilhas podem ser consideradas uma estratégia benéfica, segura e acessível para a população. Palavras-chave: Saúde Mental; Transtornos de Ansiedade; Coronavírus; Dieta Development of a booklet on the benefits of food to reduce anxiety in times of COVID-19: Experience report Abstract: his article aimed to report the development of a booklet on food benefits to reduce anxiety in times of COVID-19. Students and professors carried out the development of the material at the Faculty of Health Sciences of Trairi and the Department of Physiology and Behavior, both belonging to the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The material was intended to reach the academic and non-academic communities. The research that substantiated the booklet's content was obtained in the databases Pubmed, Science Direct, Scopus, Lilacs, and PsycINFO, and the material was divided into three sections. The booklet was finalized and shared in April 2020, is in pdf format with 18 pages. The language used was colloquial, and parts of the text are in the active voice. The university extension project reported here possibly helped promote health in this pandemic period, as it facilitated disseminating knowledge to the population. In this sense, in times of pandemic, extension actions carried out through the development of booklets can be considered a beneficial, safe, and accessible strategy for the population. Keywords: Mental Health; Anxiety Disorders; Coronavirus; Diet


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
James Blaxland ◽  
Rhys Thomas ◽  
Les Baillie

Challenges faced by schools include how to make science interesting, relevant and engaging for their pupils. This can perhaps be made more difficult by staff members not having direct experience in many areas of the science they are tasked to teach, and therefore lacking the confidence to teach in these areas (Murphy et al., 2007). Within the higher education sector, there is demand for researchers to actively engage with the local community (Linder and Spear, 2003; Wynne, 2006). Working with eight schools, we co-developed a programme that both highlights academic research and complements the Key Stage 2 national curriculum with the aims of improving science aspirations, knowledge and confidence in Key Stage 2 (Year 6) children, supporting teachers in the delivery of areas of the curriculum identified as challenging, and increasing science communication and engagement within the university. We delivered two separate sessions with all eight primary schools, interacting with approximately three hundred and fifty pupils. Overall, the project had a positive impact on teachers, children and academic staff. Key findings indicated that 92.9 per cent of 348 children surveyed felt that they had learned something new, while 85.7 per cent surveyed felt they were more interested in science, and 14.3 per cent reported no change in their feelings towards science. The School Science Club represents a collaborative engagement project which highlights the requirement of accurate co-development and outcome settings from both the university and school in order to have a positive impact on all those involved. Findings suggested improvements in planning and delivery for future such endeavours.


2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Birte Fähnrich ◽  
Claudia Janssen Danyi ◽  
Howard Nothhaft

Purpose – Rising public scrutiny has? brought new demands for science communication. Especially, incidents of falsification, fabrication, and plagiarism have recently come to question academic integrity and legitimacy in Germany. Focussing on a prominent plagiarism case that revolved around the former Minister of Science and Education’s dissertation, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the communication strategies of the Düsseldorf University as it navigated the complex challenges of the crisis situation. Design/methodology/approach – The analysis is based on a rhetorical analysis of the public discourse of the University Düsseldorf in the context of the plagiarism crisis. Findings – The study finds that the university responded to the crisis by focussing on legitimating the legal and administrative process by which it evaluated Schavan’s dissertation and revoked the degree. In turn, this focus neglected restoring the threatened reputation of graduate education and of scholarship itself. Ultimately, the crisis communication of the university worked to undermine the premises and goals of science communication. Research limitations/implications – Future research should focus on case studies of crisis communication by academic and research organizations as well as on investigating the effects of crisis rhetoric on public trust in and on understanding of academic research. The study suggests that it is worthwhile for crisis and science communication scholars to work to develop distinct frameworks for science communication in crisis and crisis communication in science that account for the unique tensions and duality of needs in this arena. Originality/value – The study contributes to the understanding of the intersections between crisis communication and science communication. Especially, it underlines the importance of developing distinct frameworks for science communication in crisis and crisis communication in science that account for the unique tensions and duality of needs in this arena.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
AISDL

Message from the Chairman I am delighted to present the Guidance Document on Good Academic Research Practices (GARP). This document gives information on good practices across the research lifecycle for quality, impactful, and ethical research.It is important to conduct quality research with integrity and focus on publishing the outcomes in high-quality journals. This will help in raising the benchmarks of research performance and enhancing the reputation of individuals, institutions, and the country. The University Grants Commission (UGC) is committed to raising the standards of research at institutions of higher education in India. This document reiterates the values underlying research integrity to help create a culture of responsible and quality research in the academic and research community. It offers practical checklists at each step of the research, which will act as good ready references for the audience. This compilation also covers guidance from several internationally and nationally recognized model documents on best practices and frameworks of research. The guidance will help prepare the Indian academic research community to be at par with international benchmarks for research quality, integrity, and excellence.I congratulate the Vice Chairman, UGC, the knowledge partner Clarivate, and the expert group committee members who have worked tirelessly to conceptualize and compile this document.I hope the academic and research community will find the GARP document helpful to guide them towards quality and ethical research.Prof. D. P. Singh - Chairman, UGC


2012 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 15-20
Author(s):  
Laura Bowater ◽  
Christine Cornea ◽  
Helen James ◽  
Richard P. Bowater

The contributors to this discussion teach in three different Faculties at the University of East Anglia (UEA) – Science, Arts & Humanities and Medicine & Health Sciences. They have each used science fiction to explore learning outcomes in their distinct teaching practices. The discussion below highlights how contemporary science fiction can operate as a touchstone for debate that informs biochemistry teaching. Laura, Helen and Richard have all studied basic sciences, gaining PhDs in various aspects of biochemistry and molecular biology, and each have taught undergraduates and postgraduates at UEA. Helen and Richard are based in the Faculty of Science. Laura is based in the Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, and uses her interest in science communication to explore university teaching practices that involve science fiction. Christine gained a PhD from her research of technology and performance in science fiction film and is based in the Faculty of Arts & Humanities.


2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 333-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doug Brent

Most of the literature on the assignment traditionally called the research paper focusses on first-year students, and often centers on what they don’t know or can’t do. This article seeks to expand the conversation to one about the skills and knowledge displayed by senior students, and about their perceptions of the universe of academic research and their place in it. It does so by means of a qualitative study of 13 senior students at the University of Calgary. Through interviews, I probe their understanding of their own research processes, how they think they learned to do what they do, and, most important, their understanding of what it means to conduct academic research.


1966 ◽  
Vol 05 (03) ◽  
pp. 142-146
Author(s):  
A. Kent ◽  
P. J. Vinken

A joint center has been established by the University of Pittsburgh and the Excerpta Medica Foundation. The basic objective of the Center is to seek ways in which the health sciences community may achieve increasingly convenient and economical access to scientific findings. The research center will make use of facilities and resources of both participating institutions. Cooperating from the University of Pittsburgh will be the School of Medicine, the Computation and Data Processing Center, and the Knowledge Availability Systems (KAS) Center. The KAS Center is an interdisciplinary organization engaging in research, operations, and teaching in the information sciences.Excerpta Medica Foundation, which is the largest international medical abstracting service in the world, with offices in Amsterdam, New York, London, Milan, Tokyo and Buenos Aires, will draw on its permanent medical staff of 54 specialists in charge of the 35 abstracting journals and other reference works prepared and published by the Foundation, the 700 eminent clinicians and researchers represented on its International Editorial Boards, and the 6,000 physicians who participate in its abstracting programs throughout the world. Excerpta Medica will also make available to the Center its long experience in the field, as well as its extensive resources of medical information accumulated during the Foundation’s twenty years of existence. These consist of over 1,300,000 English-language _abstract of the world’s biomedical literature, indexes to its abstracting journals, and the microfilm library in which complete original texts of all the 3,000 primary biomedical journals, monitored by Excerpta Medica in Amsterdam are stored since 1960.The objectives of the program of the combined Center include: (1) establishing a firm base of user relevance data; (2) developing improved vocabulary control mechanisms; (3) developing means of determining confidence limits of vocabulary control mechanisms in terms of user relevance data; 4. developing and field testing of new or improved media for providing medical literature to users; 5. developing methods for determining the relationship between learning and relevance in medical information storage and retrieval systems’; and (6) exploring automatic methods for retrospective searching of the specialized indexes of Excerpta Medica.The priority projects to be undertaken by the Center are (1) the investigation of the information needs of medical scientists, and (2) the development of a highly detailed Master List of Biomedical Indexing Terms. Excerpta Medica has already been at work on the latter project for several years.


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