The Mikhail Prokhorov Foundation (also known as the Charitable Foundation for Cultural Initiatives) has summed up the New Role of Libraries in Education competition. A Tomsk project for international students entitled Tomsk: View from Other Side of Earth received the support of the Foundation. The project will be implemented in partnership with Tomsk Polytechnic University and the Tomsk Regional Museum of Local Lore.
Experts of three TPU divisions: the Museum Complex, the Science and Technical Library, and the International Students Office are working on this project. The project starts from September 2021, a beginning of a new study year.
“At TPU, there will be formed groups of international students for which we jointly with colleagues are developing a program of social and cultural, adaptation events based on our Museums, Library and the Tomsk Regional Museum of Local Lore. We are planning to involve the urban museum community in the process of cultural adaptation and integration on the regular basis. In order international students will be able to become familiar with the city and region where they are going to study for a few years,” Lidiia Lozovaya, Director of the TPU Museum Complex, says.
The event program includes excursions, discussion sessions and exhibitions. The organizers hope that the project will help international students to faster become accustomed to a new city and become involved in the cultural life of the university and Tomsk.
Increasing public communication is one of the priority programs of National Police Chief, Listyo Sigit Prabowo. To support the program, students from President University (PresUniv) Communication Studies helped manage the social media content of Polres Metro Bekasi (Metro Police Bekasi).
This effort was realized in the signing of a cooperation agreement between Kapolres Metro Bekasi, Kombes. Pol. Hendra Gunawan, with Cyber Public Relations team, Communication Studies, PresUniv, represented by Mohammad Shihab, Friday, (19/2).
The signing procession was attended by Kasubbag. Humas Polres Metro Bekasi, Kompol. Yulianto, and another Polres Metro Bekasi ranks, also witnessed by the members of the student team and a lecturer of Communication Studies. This social media content management collaboration is part of project-based learning in the Cyber Public Relations subject. This collaboration is expected to be of mutual benefit to both students and Polres Metro Bekasi.
“I warmly welcome this cooperation, because, on one hand, the students from PresUniv has the theory, and we have the practice. Therefore, both theory and practice can be synchronized,” said Kompol. Yulianto.
From this cooperation, the Course Coordinator of Cyber Public Relations subject, Abhirama S.D. Perdana, also expects that students will be more sensitive to issues in society. “This collaboration is a form of project-based learning practice applied in Cyber PR subject. With this practice, it is hoped that students can have direct contact and be sensitive to current issues and problems in their surrounding community,” concluded Abhirama.
Under the pandemic, performing arts universities and conservatories are taking on a
proactive and agile approach in shifting into newer modes of teaching and
learning.
They have to generate innovative strategies and insights to overcome the
new challenges and take into consideration the role of technology in reshaping
performing arts.
The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts will organise a 3-day digital conference
on January 20 to 22, 2022, bringing together global leaders and academics in
the field to explore creative innovations in performing arts and share
pedagogical practices; while providing a platform for performing artists, educators,
practitioners, researchers and students to discuss the way forward in enriching
performing arts education, showcase their works and exchange ideas.
Peeranat Wiwatthawornchai, a first-year student in the Bachelor of Science Program in Data Science and Software Innovation, College of Interdisciplinary Studies, Thammasat University, has won the public choice award at the science communication competition, “Falling Walls Lab”.
At the competition which attracted 800 participants from around the world, Peeranat proposed the concept “Breaking the Wall of Global Aging Problems”.
Falling Walls Lab is a world-class pitch competition, networking forum, and stepping stone that brings together a diverse & interdisciplinary pool of students, researchers, & early-career professionals by providing a stage for breakthrough ideas both globally & locally.
The Green Spot team (Voronezh State University of Forestry named after G.F. Morozov), winners of the Finale of the international competition Urban Greenhouse Challenge: Reforest at TPU, chose an interesting bionic prototype for their concept of an autonomous greenhouse for growing coniferous and deciduous seedlings on multi-tiered shelving units – a sea star.
The team presented a full-fledged concept of SMART Forestry, including three conceptual groups at once: small Growboxes for home use, urban integrated farms and modular greenhouse complexes.
“Why was the starfish shape chosen for the design? Because it is a centrosymmetric organism capable of self-cloning. Each of its rays contains duplicated major organs, can provide independent life support and even grow the entire organism anew. This is very relevant to our concept,” says team leader Maxim Sysoyev.
The winners of the Urban Greenhouse Challenge thought through other details as well. For example, they chose monolithic polycarbonate as the translucent material, which has low thermal conductivity, high strength and light transmission capacity, and steel section, which is durable, cheap and easy to process, can be used as the material for the frame. The architectural lighting was designed using the integrated lighting of the complex facade with linear LED lights.
“For the robotization of the complex we chose the following areas: spraying, monitoring and moving loads. For this purpose, we developed a robotic modular platform with two telescopic manipulators. Its orientation is carried out with the help of floor markings and a set of sensors in the base of the platform. By installing shelves and special grippers on it, it can load and unload trays with smart tags and move them in user-independent or semi-automatic mode. To monitor the condition of crops, the platform is equipped with regular and multispectral cameras. For plant treatment, spraying equipment is installed,” participants say.
They also did use recycling technologies in production. The students suggested using multiple-use trays, smart trays made of recycled ABS plastic, LDS and sodium lamps. Various plant residues, the Green Spot participants said, could be recycled by pyrolysis. The resulting biocoal can be used for soil substrates, and the ash from the pellet boiler can be used as fertilizer for crops.
“One of the areas we have looked at from a different angle is reducing the carbon footprint. Our university and Engineering Center have been already taking steps in this direction by measuring carbon pickup and emission, including total carbon balance, with ground-based sensors, analyzers, and advanced drone technologies. A calibration site for scientific research was set up in the Engineering Center. Our team estimated the annual emissions of the greenhouse complex. After about eight years, our greenhouse complex will achieve breakeven point in CO2 emissions. It was the amount of CO2 emitted by the greenhouse complex that also determined the type of fuel used,” the students explain.
The Green Spot team is confident that their project and the SMART Forestry concept will be further developed and possibly implemented in the future.
Tomsk Polytechnic University launched a massive open online course (MOOC) entitled Introduction to Petroleum Engineering on Coursera, an American massive open online course provider. Over 4,200 attendees from all over the world have already passed the course.
Introduction to Petroleum Engineering was launched in January 2021. The course materials are provided in English, open and free for studying. Since the moment of its launch, over 4,200 students from India, the USA, Nigeria, Iraq and other countries have submitted their applications for the course. Monthly about 700 people sign up for the course. Most of the attendees are Indian residents: 30 percent of the overall students are Indian citizens.
“Coursera allows not only obtaining expertise but also gives opportunities to be involved in the communication with the community and course instructors, with each other. It helps to establish professional communication and share experience in the extractive industry,” Yuliya Barabanova, Leading Manager of the TPU Office of Digital Education Resources, assures.
Introduction to Petroleum Engineering is aimed at attendees interested in the extraction of petroleum and gas. Taking the course, students will be able to form an idea on the overall process of development and exploitation of fields from the theory fundamentals to the demonstration of design of operating facilities of the petroleum industry.
Passing the course is flexible: Coursera fixes approximate dates of assignments, which every attendee can change.
“The TPU experts developed a course in a way that attendees could receive qualitative and engrossing material, tasks would be diverse and course support by the management team would be on time. This method bore its fruits: 79 percent of whose left feedback was the highest mark. They characterized the course as well-balanced, engrossing and educational,” Yuliya adds.
Scientists from St Petersburg University have taken part in a large-scale project to study SARSCoV-2 in surgical patients. One of the findings of the study is that vaccinations will help prevent more than 58,000 coronavirus-related deaths a year. 15,025 researchers from 122 countries have taken part in the work to make a new world record for the number of authors of a scientific article.
The article is published in the British Journal of Surgery.
The researchers’ goal was to determine how COVID affects the results of surgical interventions and how to minimise the risk of infection during elective surgery. The first COVID-19 wave caused about 70% of the world’s operations (28 million) to be postponed or cancelled. It was found that COVID-19 before or after surgery increases the probability of postoperative mortality.
The international team of surgeons and scientists from CovidSurg analysed 140,000 patients’ data from 116 countries. Their aim was to develop clinical guidelines for the surgical treatment of patients with coronavirus and for reducing the risk of infection in the postoperative period.
The study participants were clinicians, residents and students of St Petersburg University. Six research groups worked in the clinical departments of cardiovascular surgery, urology, traumatology, gynaecology, endocrine surgery and general surgery at the Pirogov Clinic of High Medical Technologies at the University.
The goal was to collect clinical data – anamneses, medical histories, COVID status, operation characteristics – of all patients hospitalised for elective surgery within one week. After 30 days, the immediate results of treatment were assessed. The data were recorded in an online individual registration card available to the organisers of the study.
“We have learned more about how covid-19 affects prognosis and overall surgical outcomes. This will enable both our specialists and doctors around the world to better plan surgical interventions and increase the safety of treatment,” said Sergei Efremov, head of the research department, Anaesthesiologist-resuscitator at the Pirogov Clinic of High Medical Technologies, St Petersburg University
One of the main conclusions that scientists have come to is that patients preparing for surgery should be vaccinated as a priority. Among the most vulnerable patients are elderly people above 70 years old. They should be vaccinated first. According to the researchers, priority preoperative vaccination of routine surgical patients will help avoid more than 58,000 COVID-associated deaths a year.
A newly signed partnership between the School of Integrated Innovation (ScII), Chulalongkorn University and the Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology (SCET) of University of California Berkeley will furnish Asian students opportunities to initiate start-up projects to innovate alongside Silicon Valley giants.
This partnership brings ScII students and faculty face-to-face with the Silicon Valley innovation ecosystem. In addition, they will participate in the Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship Bootcamp, Silicon Valley Innovation Leadership Program, and Engineering Leadership Global Hybrid Program.
The partnership also facilitates the transfer of knowledge related to SCET teaching methodologies, such as Innovation Engineering and the Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship (BMoE).
Signing the agreement on September 2, 2021, ScII Executive Director Professor Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai invited SCET faculty members to offer online courses for ScII students as a customized course or to allow our students to take their courses online with credit transfers, which could lead to the development of an international online platform for all SCET’s international partners.
“We are pursuing a long-term partnership because ScII and Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology share the same vision,” Prof. Worsak noted.
“We have the same passion and are two vital forces contributing to the sustainable future of humanity.”
Worsak also noted that both SCET and ScII are founding members of the League of Global Entrepreneurship Programs alongside MIT Legatum, Stanford University, Harvard University, Cambridge University, Mexico’s Tecnológico de Monterrey, and several other higher education institutions.
Screenshot of the Signing of the SCET-ScII Partnership Agreement
“It is my pleasure to be part of this project, and I look forward to the many new things we will develop together in addition to benefiting from this experience,” said Dr. Ilkhlaq Sidhu, Director of SCET at UC Berkeley.
Since its inception, SCET has sought to broaden engineering by encouraging a greater understanding of whether a problem is worth solving, what to do after solving the problem, and how to elevate, lead, and connect engineering with other disciplines.
“At SCET, students participate in a topic while it is still new and growing,” Dr. Sidhu noted as he welcomed the partnership with ScII.
Chulalongkorn University Vice President for Strategic Planning, Innovation and Global Natcha Thawesaengskulthai noted that SCET’s approach to education and building global innovation and entrepreneurship aligns with SCI’s core disciplines and specializations.
“This integrated critical approach to technology and entrepreneurial innovation jointly pursued by SCET and ScII should serve as a polestar for future endeavours,” she added.
Susan L. Giesecke, Director of Global Engagement at SCET, welcomed the SCET-SCII partnership, stating that Chulalongkorn University is a highly regarded institution and that SCET’s agreement with ScII portends to an excellent partnership. She added that students at ScII will have the opportunity to interact and engage with Silicon Valley innovators and UC Berkeley alumni.
The Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology is a premier institution on the UC Berkeley campus for studying and practicing “technology-centric” entrepreneurship and innovation.
Since 2005, SCET has created the foundation of Berkeley’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, including SkyDeck, the Fung Institute, the Engineering Leadership Professional Program, Global Venture Lab, and an extensive ecosystem of Silicon Valley and Global partners.
SCET’s mission has been to equip engineers and scientists with the skills to innovate, productize, and commercialize technology in the global economy. Initially established as CET, it acquired a new name after receiving support from the Sutardja family, the force behind the Marvell Technology Group.
ScII is the newest school at Thailand’s oldest and most prestigious university, Chulalongkorn University. The university currently offers a bachelor’s degree program called the Bachelor of Arts in Science in Integrated Innovation (BASCii).
David Law of Berkeley’s Global and Start-up Semester Operations presented an overview of the opportunities available to students during the start-up semester.
Signatories to the agreement included Dr. Ikhlaq Sidhu, Director, SCET, Eric Giegerich Director, UC Berkeley’s Industry Alliances Office, Vice President for Strategic Planning, Innovation and Global Engagement at Chulalongkorn University Associate Professor Natcha Thawesaengskulthai, and Professor Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai.
Ken Singer and Ricardo Rodríguez, both of the University of California Berkeley, also attended the event. Additionally, ScII students who had recently participated in the SCET Bootcamp shared their experiences. Dr. Pietro Borsano of ScII moderated the online partnership signing event.
A background radiation monitoring system and parameters of colliding beams have been changed at the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS), one of the large general-purpose particle detectors of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The beam condition monitor leakage (BCML) system is one of the most essential parts of the system required for the protection of the CMS separate units and unit electronics from crucial radiation damages.
For the BCML system, scientists of Tomsk Polytechnic University installed eight new diamond sensors, which are the main part of it. It is planned that the new sensors will operate from three to five years, until the next detector renewal. Seamless operation of the BCML system will allow scientists to obtain new data on the structure of matter at the elementary level.
Nowadays, the LHC is the world’s largest and most powerful charged particle accelerator. Hadron beams are a class of particles, including protons, which accelerate and collide. Here at the LHC, scientists from all over the world research what happens as a result of such collisions.
There are large detectors set around the beam collision points. CMS is one of the four main detectors. CMS is 16 m in diameter, 25 m long. It is a large general-purpose particle physics detector and designed for both research and verification of predictions of the Standard Model of Elementary Particles, including the properties of the Higgs boson, and search for physics beyond the Standard Model, additional measurements and dark matter.
The scientists and engineers of the TPU Research School of High-Energy Physics jointly with colleagues from the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the German Electron Synchrotron (DESY), Princeton University (the USA), the University of Canterbury (New Zealand) and other organizations take part in the CMS Beam Radiation Instrumentation and Luminosity (BRIL) project. The TPU scientists are in charge of the development, renewal and maintenance of the system for slow monitoring of proton collision and heavy nuclei and emergency beam loss.
This BCML system allows scientists to change the background radiation from proton collision, to analyze the changes of the background radiation during both short times relevant to the random deviations of individual particles and to record long-term changes. These changes can be related to the deviations in the beam motion or for instance, vacuum loss in the beam transport channel.
In case of critical deviations, a beam has to be stopped, i.e. forcibly lost. Otherwise, long-term exposure to a beam moving with colossal energy can lead to irreversible damages of the complicated and expensive systems of the detector and collider. Every emergency or false beam loss is a true incident that has to be investigated.
The BCML system that the TPU scientists work with is complicated and multicomponent. The most important part of this system is the set of diamond sensors located in the heart of the detector next to the proton collision point. Diamond is the most radiation-resistant material, however, even this material gradually loses its properties due to the ultra-high radiation doses and it has to be changed.
The diamond sensors are plates of synthetic diamonds of the highest quality with metal contacts from chromium and gold deposited on them. Plate crystals are soldered to special boards, which are deposited by gold as well. During the operation of the sensor, over 500 V voltage is applied to it. When a particle flies through the sensor, it obtains an electric current, which can be measured. If current strength surpasses the set threshold during a certain interval, then the system signals about the beam loss.
“The sensors in the system for slow monitoring were changed the last time in 2015. We have just changed eight sensors, which will serve for about the next five years. Preparation for the installation, including overall inspection of the system and calibration of the new sensors, required several months of intense work on site. The installation of the system in the shaft continued for two days and nights.Due to these new sensors, our colleagues from the other CMS research groups will be able to collect new amounts of data for the next period of collider’s operation,” Alexey Shevelev, Research Fellow of the TPU Research School of High-Energy Physics, says.
According to the expert, there is a search for new materials, which will be able to reduce the cost of the sensors and extend their operational life among the tasks of the research team.
“Actually, CERN is preparing to the transition of the LHC project to the High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) project. To implement it, all the systems of the accelerator are reordered. According to the calculations, the number of collisions will increase in dozen times, radiation fields will increase and consequently, the diamond sensors will lose their properties faster and they will have to be changed more often. Therefore, we are actively searching for ways how to reduce the cost of system maintenance and what diamonds can be changed for. In the autumn, in the experimental part of our detector, we are planning to install the samples of Russian manufactured diamonds, which are several times cheaper than the ones which are currently used, and also to install several times cheaper sapphire crystals. We are going to research their radiation resistance and degradation rate,” Vitaly Okhotnikov, Junior Research Fellow of the TPU Research School of High-Energy Physics, adds.
The devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has been seen in hospitals, communities, and economies. The pandemic also forced the world, particularly the education sector, to adapt and change resulting in an uptake of disruptive innovation that forever changes higher education.
At NurseCMU, the Chiang Mai University Faculty of Nursing in Thailand, the in-person clinical practice was greatly limited by the pandemic. Students spent more time in simulation with high fidelity manikins and other activities meant to provide students with clinical skills while observing social distancing.
Finding new ways for students to gain clinical experience suddenly highlighted certain opportunities for nursing education.
Dean Thanee Kaewthummanukul, NurseCMU’s Dean since October 2020, immediately implemented his vision for keeping NurseCMU at the forefront of nursing education and research, building on the vision established by former Dean Wipada Kunaviktikul during her four terms as Dean.
Dean Thanee felt that augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR) could address many of the problems encountered during the COVID pandemic. The use of AR/VR technologies is increasingly part of health professional education. However, content is predominantly geared towards medical students and not appropriate for the Thai context.
NurseCMU is the first faculty of nursing in Thailand to embed AR/VR teaching methodologies into its curriculum, working with programmers to develop tailored nursing content.
AR/VR will be implemented beginning in the second semester of the 2021 academic year. This technology helps to solve longstanding issues in clinical practice: how do you give students the opportunity to practice their skills with vulnerable populations while maintaining the safety of the patient?
Initial development focused on the baccalaureate program with VR simulating work in the neonatal and adult intensive care units. Patients in these units are critically ill and space is limited due to the specialized equipment needed. VR provides a safe environment where students can practice their skills in a VR room identical to one they would see in the hospital.
Each student receives ample time to practice their skills under different scenarios and there is no risk to the patient. In fact, VR will allow students to be more prepared for in-person clinical practice in these settings having practiced their skills virtually.
VR is also being used to allow students to experience various scenarios during labour and delivery, while AR will be used to help students learn how to work with patients suffering from mental health issues through an interactive website. Students will be able to meet and interact with patients with different diagnoses and will learn firsthand how their choices will elicit different emotional responses.
As society becomes increasingly reliant on new technologies, nursing education must continue to embrace these technologies to remain relevant, to maintain the interest of students and to take advantage of the new opportunities offered through innovation. At NurseCMU, the future is now.
