Virtual fieldtrip to the Esla Nappe (Cantabrian Zone, NW Spain): delivering traditional geological mapping skills remotely using real data

The restrictions implemented to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 and 2021 have forced university-level educators from around the world to seek alternatives to residential physical field trips which constitute a fundamental pillar of geoscience programmes. The field-mapping course for 2nd year Geology BSc students from the Cardiff University was replaced with a virtual mapping course set in the same area as previous years, the Esla Nappe (Cantabrian Zone, NW Spain). The course was designed with the aim of providing the students with the same methodology employed in physical mapping, gathering discrete data in stops located along five daily itineraries. Data included bedding attitude, outcrop descriptions with a certain degree of ambiguity, photographs and/or sketches, panoramic photos and fossil images. Data was provided to the students through georeferenced KMZ files in Google Earth. Students were asked to keep a field notebook, define lithological units of mappable scale, identify large structures such as thrust faults and folds with the aid of age estimations from fossils, construct a geological map on a hard-copy topographic map, draw a stratigraphic column and cross sections, and plot the data in a stereonet to perform structural analysis. The exercise allowed a successful training of diverse geological field skills. In the light of the assessment of reports and student surveys, a series of improvements for the future is considered. Though incapable of replacing a physical field course, the virtual exercise could be used in preparation for the residential fieldtrip.

Polarity Based Model for Guiding Medical School Strategy During Crisis - A Cross Sectional Qualitative Study

Background: Crises like the COVID pandemic in academia can best be dealt with as a polarity that needs to be leveraged rather than a problem that needs to be solved. This work aimed at utilizing the Polarity Approach for Continuity and Transformation (PACT)™ to establish a guide for medical schools during times of crisis to minimize the effect of crisis-driven decisions on strategic growth. Methods: A qualitative study followed the 5-Steps of the PACT process was conducted. A virtual mapping session was held with 108 medical educators from 22 countries to determine the upsides and downsides of strategic orientation and crisis management subsequently. Results: Four polarity maps were generated identifying four tension areas; University reputation, mission, teams, and individuals followed by a 72-item assessment and another mapping session to map the warning signs and action steps. A comparison between private school scores and the whole cohort of respondents showed that private schools had higher scores in all tension areas but still showed the least score for the “teams” tension. Conclusion: This study highlighted the importance of taking measures to communicate the mission and supporting team functions inside universities either by enhancing resources or utilizing time and effort-saving strategies.

Mapping virtual platforms to estimate the population size of men who have sex with men (MSM) who use internet to find sexual partners: implications to enhance HIV prevention among MSM in Kenya

Introduction: Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Kenya face a disproportionate HIV disease burden. Over the last few years, the use of virtual platforms and internet sites to seek male sexual partners has increased manyfold in Kenya. New approaches are required to map, estimate and profile MSM who operate through virtual platforms to design interventions for them. Methods: This study was conducted in three counties in Kenya: Kiambu, Kisumu and Mombasa with MSM who use virtual platforms such as geosocial networking (GSN) and social networking applications to find and connect with male sex partners. The platforms were profiled through a multi-stage approach and the number of MSM associated with these platforms were estimated. In the final stage, 435 respondents randomly selected from the virtual platforms were interviewed in a secure location after informed consent. Data analysis focused on calculating an estimate of MSM for each virtual platform in each site, adjusting for duplicate profiles and multiple registrations. Results: We identified 24 GSN apps, 18 Facebook accounts/pages and 18 WhatsApp groups across the three counties, with Facebook being the preferred platform. Kiambu had the highest number of estimated MSM at 3,635 (95%CI = 3,335 to 3,990) followed by Kisumu at 1,567 (95%CI = 1,480 to 1,665) and Mombasa at 1,469 (95%CI = 1,335 to 1,604) who used virtual platforms to find other male sexual partners. On average, each MSM had 3.7 profiles on multiple platforms, with an average of 2.1 profiles used in the past month. Conclusions: The use of conventional population size estimation approaches that focus on physical sites alone may underestimate the total number of MSM in a geography. Virtual mapping should be used in conjunction with conventional hot spot based size estimation methodologies to estimate numbers of MSM to set programmatic targets.

Mapping virtual platforms to estimate the population size of men who have sex with men (MSM) who use internet to find sexual partners: implications to enhance HIV prevention among MSM in Kenya

Introduction: Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Kenya face a disproportionate HIV disease burden. Over the last few years, the use of virtual platforms and internet sites to seek male sexual partners has increased manyfold in Kenya. New approaches are required to map, estimate and profile MSM who operate through virtual platforms to design interventions for them. Methods: This study was conducted in three counties in Kenya: Kiambu, Kisumu and Mombasa with MSM who use virtual platforms such as geosocial networking (GSN) and social networking applications to find and connect with male sex partners. The platforms were profiled through a multi-stage approach and the number of MSM associated with these platforms were estimated. In the final stage, 435 respondents randomly selected from the virtual platforms were interviewed in a secure location after informed consent. Data analysis focused on calculating an estimate of MSM for each virtual platform in each site, adjusting for duplicate profiles and multiple registrations. Results: We identified 24 GSN apps, 18 Facebook accounts/pages and 18 WhatsApp groups across the three counties, with Facebook being the preferred platform. Kiambu had the highest number of estimated MSM at 3,635 (95%CI = 3,335 to 3,990) followed by Kisumu at 1,567 (95%CI = 1,480 to 1,665) and Mombasa at 1,469 (95%CI = 1,335 to 1,604) who used virtual platforms to find other male sexual partners. On average, each MSM had 3.7 profiles on multiple platforms, with an average of 2.1 profiles used in the past month. Conclusions: The use of conventional population size estimation approaches that focus on physical sites alone may underestimate the total number of MSM in a geography. Virtual mapping should be used in conjunction with conventional hot spot based size estimation methodologies to estimate numbers of MSM to set programmatic targets.