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Category: Universities

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Offshore trade unionist and community archaeologist to be recognised with honorary degrees A trade unionist and offshore health and safety campaigner and a community archaeologist and will be recognised with honorary degrees from the University of Aberdeen.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Jake Molloy (left) and Colin Shepherd (right)A trade unionist and offshore health and safety campaigner and a community archaeologist and will be recognised with honorary degrees from the University of Aberdeen.
    Jake Molloy and Colin Shepherd will receive Master of the University (MUniv) awards during the 2024 Winter graduations.
    Jake Molloy is a trade unionist and offshore health and safety campaigner. Jake spent almost two decades working offshore in the North Sea’s oil and gas industry, an experience which led him to actively campaign for improvements to health and safety in the offshore industry.
    In 1997, he assumed the role of General Secretary of the Offshore Industry Liaison Committee (OILC), an independent trade union for offshore workers. OILC was founded in 1989 in response to a series of high-profile incidents, including the Piper Alpha disaster.
    After merging with the RMT Union in 2008, he became the RMT Regional Organiser with responsibility for all offshore energy activity and has served on a number of industry forums including the Oil Spill Prevention Recovery Advisory Group (OSPRAG) which reviewed the impact of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, the Helicopter Safety Steering Group (HSSG) looking into helicopter safety in the sector after a number of fatal accidents, the Step Change Leadership Group which engages workers in offshore health, safety and environmental matters, and the Energy Jobs Task Force, and the Strategic Leadership Group, for Scottish Government as well as the UK Government’s North Sea Transition group.
    Since 2022, he has served as a Commissioner on the Scottish Government’s Just Transition Commission, an independent advisory body which provides advice and scrutiny on how to deliver Scotland’s just transition to a low carbon economy. In 2023, Jake retired from the RMT Union after a twenty-five-year career as a senior trade union official but continues to participate in the climate change debate, with a particular interest in how to deliver a just transition for workers and society.
    Colin, who is also an honorary research fellow at the University, has been a leading figure in the Bennachie Landscapes Project, jointly developed by the Bailies of Bennachie, a community group dedicated to the conservation and interpretation of the hill of Bennachie, and the University of Aberdeen, across a twelve-year period.
    He holds a PhD from the University of Exeter which examined the role of iconography in the development of early medieval kingship in North-west Europe, and his research interests focus on landscape and the changing patterns of ideological thought and its effects upon socio-economic change in the later middle ages.
    Colin has authored, co-authored and edited numerous publications on the history and archaeology of North-east Scotland and his work has helped to extend our understanding of the history and archaeology of North-east Scotland.
    His work has also nurtured a team of community researchers working on the historic and current management of the landscape of North-east Scotland.
    Professor George Boyne, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen said: “Master of the University degrees are awarded to those who have made important contributions to the success of the University, to the local community, and to the region.
    “Both Jake Molloy and Colin Shepherd exemplify this, and their achievements will inspire our graduands as they begin their own career journeys.
    “We look forward to presenting them with their honorary degrees at our Winter Graduation ceremonies.”
    Jake Molloy will receive his award on Monday November 25 at 10.30am while Colin Shepherd’s will be presented during the morning ceremony on Tuesday November 26.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Universities – New genetic web tool to help restore climate-resilient marine ecosystems – Flinders

    Source: Flinders University  

    Australians love their coastal and marine environments but much of the world’s ecosystems are in various stages of decline and in urgent need of restoration.
    In the face of increased human pressures and climate change, a team of Australian scientists led by Dr Georgina Wood at Flinders University have launched a new online tool to assist marine managers and restoration experts to bolster the resilience of marine habitat-forming species. (ref. https://www.reefadapt.org/ )
    The ‘Reef Adapt’ initiative, developed by experts from the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW DPIRD), Flinders University and The University of Western Australia (UWA), aims to expand the tools available to promote diverse, adaptable and resilient ecosystems.
    Described in a new article in Communications Biology, Reef Adapt harnesses genetic data from diverse marine species – including key reef-building corals and habitat-forming kelps, but with scope to expand to other taxa – to map out areas likely to harbour populations adapted to current and future environmental conditions.
    The innovative web platform is designed for the rapid inclusion of genetic, biophysical and environmental data into planning of marine restoration and assisted conservation initiatives.
    The tool provides users with maps that identify areas with populations suited to their specific restoration sites under current and future climate scenarios. The platform will initially house data for 27 species collected from 420 sample locations across the globe. Users will also be able to upload their own data to the site, further supporting the conservation of other species and areas.
    While guidelines for terrestrial ecosystem restoration seed-sourcing exists, for example, the US National Seed Strategy and Australia’s Florabank, Reef Adapt is one of the first tool of its kind for marine environments.
    The project follows similar projects on land, such as Australia’s NSW Restore and Renew program, to remove barriers of access to genetic data and improve restoration and assisted gene flow.
    Dr Georgina Wood, an Australian Research Council Early Career Industry  Fellow with Flinders University and Adjunct Research Fellow at UWA, says global efforts to restore ecosystems are intensifying, including the Convention on Biological Diversity’s recent adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework which aims to put 30% of degraded ecosystems under effective restoration by 2030.
    “Alongside the increase in scale of marine restoration projects, there is a need ensure that restoration practices keep up with the latest available science, including the use of cutting-edge genomic information to make informed decisions about where to source restoration stock material,” says researcher Dr Wood.
    “Our world is changing now more rapidly than ever before. Ideally, every restoration project would incorporate climate adaptation into their design, but the data needed for this are typically difficult to access. Reef Adapt puts this information directly into the hands of both managers and practitioners,” she says.
    The easy-to-use web platform hosts vital genetic information for government, not-for-profit and community organisations – removing barriers of access to vital information that the team hopes will improve both immediate and long-term restoration outcomes.
    Dr Melinda Coleman, NSW DPIRD Senior Principal Research Scientist, says the Reef Adapt online webtool will help guide marine restoration and assisted adaptation programs now and into the future.
    “The revolutionary new Reef Adapt tool will use cutting-edge genomic data and seascape analyses to help marine managers, restoration practitioners and other stakeholders including aquaculture make informed decisions about where to source stock for restoration or aquaculture as well as help select climate proof stock that will withstand future ocean conditions,” explains says Dr Coleman.
    “We hope that this webtool will be used broadly across marine and conservation managers, community groups or anyone embarking on marine restoration as well as aquaculture proponents.”
    Dr Wood says the new Nature article and user manual give examples, with several case studies of ecologically and evolutionarily diverse taxa, including the staghorn coral (Acropora kentii), cauliflower coral (Pocillopora damicornis), golden kelp (Ecklonia radiata) and crayweed (Phyllospora comosa).
    Development of the tool required collection of almost 10,000 reference data points from published population genetic literature, as well as a suite of environmental data and oceanographic models.
    The article, ‘Reef Adapt: A tool to inform climate-smart marine restoration and management decisions’ (2024) by GV Wood (Flinders), KJ Griffin (UWA), M van der Mheen (UWA), MF Breed (Flinders), JM Edgeloe (UWA), C Grimaldi (UWA / Australian Institute of Marine Science, Perth), A Minne (UWA), I Popovic (University of Queensland), K Filbee-Dexter (UWA / Institute of Marine Research, Norway), MJH van Oppen (Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville / University of Melbourne), T Wernberg (UWA / Institute of Marine Research, Norway) and MA Coleman (UWA / NSW DPI, Fisheries) has been published in Communications Biology DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06970-4 (link to come).
    Dr Georgina (‘George’) Wood will present on the use of digital tools to progress marine restoration at the 10th Western Society of Naturalists’ annual meeting in Oregon, US next month.  Dr Wood and Dr Coleman also presented on Reef Adapt at the Adapt NSW 2024 conference in Sydney this week.
    Acknowledgements: The researchers received support from an ARC Linkage grant and ARC Industry Fellowship to GV Wood, the NSW Marine Estate Management Strategy and NSW DPIRD, as well as the Norwegian Research Council GecoKelp Project.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn, EPA Launch Regional Environmental Justice Center

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    A multi-disciplinary team of researchers at UConn has received a five-year $10 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to lead a New England regional center focused on environmental justice.

    On Wednesday, Oct. 30, UConn launched the Environmental Justice Thriving Community Technical Assistance Center (EJ-TCTAC). In close partnership with the EPA, the University will provide critical support to communities throughout New England.

    The center will benefit cities, towns, and recognized Tribes throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, offering assistance with navigating the federal grant process, engagement efforts, and identifying funding opportunities as the region embraces evolving environmental challenges.

    “As Connecticut’s flagship university, UConn takes pride in service to our communities and helping to prepare them for the environmental challenges they face in the present and the future,” says Pamir Alpay, UConn Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. “With the EPA’s generous support, we are proud to extend our expertise and resourcefulness to support environmental justice throughout the cities, towns, and Tribes of New England.”

    UConn won the grant through a competitive process among other universities in the region. UConn is well-positioned to lead the Center thanks to the expertise of faculty working in various areas related to environmental justice and existing connections with community organizations.

    “Too often, communities with the most pressing environmental justice concerns have been left behind due to barriers in accessing federal funding,” says EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “UConn’s technical assistance center is a game-changer for New England and will provide greater access to services to ensure overburdened and underserved communities and our Tribal nations can access historic investments to address generational environmental and health disparities.”

    The center became operational with the launch of its website, environmental-justice.program.uconn.edu.

    Carolyn A. Lin, professor in the Department of Communication, leads the team as the director of the EJ-TCTAC. The team includes associate directors Rupal Parekh, assistant professor in the School of Social Work; David Chacon-Hurtado, assistant research professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering; Diego Cerrai, assistant professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering; and Chris Newell, the director of Native American Cultural Programs as the tribal liaison.

    “We have a very large group of talented faculty and researchers who have been working on environment-related projects and a lot of them have an environmental justice focus as well,” Lin says. “We hope to excel and do even more than is anticipated successfully.”

    Environmental justice highlights that certain communities, typically lower-income and communities of color, are more likely to be at risk of suffering from environmental harms like pollution and vulnerability to climate change-related impacts like flooding.

    “The need for environmental justice work is very high,” Lin says. “Climate change does not wait for us. The problems are here, and the consequences are obvious. They may not all manifest all at once, but people who live in those communities understand those consequences and they have suffered from them.”

    The Center will support urban, rural, and Tribal communities throughout New England, helping organizations access funding from federal and state agencies to complete environmental justice projects.

    Community organizations will be able to submit requests for free support with tasks like needs assessment, identifying funding sources, grant preparation, grant applications, and grant management. The team will engage partners directly and create digital informational resources, including webinars, podcasts and videos.

    Through this technical assistance, the Center will support projects aimed at improving the quality of life and economic development of communities most affected by environmental injustices.

    “My hope for the Center is that we can use our combined talent and resources, not to mention our passion for this line of work, to truly make a difference in the New England region across urban, rural, and tribal communities,” Lin says.

    The Center is partnering with the EPA; the Institute for New England Native American Studies at the University of Massachusetts, Boston; the New England Environmental Finance Center at the University of Southern Maine; the New England Rural Health Association; Groundwork USA, and the Environmental Protection Network. These partnerships will help the team strengthen its connection with communities and better understand their needs.

    “The only purpose of our Center is to serve the needs of communities across New England,” Lin says. “We have a very strong commitment to pulling together any kind of resources we can and building coalitions with communities and state governments and tribal nations. Because if you unite you are much bigger and much stronger in what you can do.”

    For example, one environmental justice concern in Connecticut is transportation equity. Expanding public transit networks is not only good for the environment, as it cuts carbon emissions by reducing dependence on cars, but it also increases mobility for people who do not own a car.

    “How do we improve our transportation system so that disadvantaged communities who don’t have good access to public transportation will be able to travel more efficiently in terms of time and cost to actually have better educational and economic opportunities,” asks Lin.

    Other initiatives may tackle health disparities related to pollution exposure and toxic infrastructures, helping community organizations combat sources of pollution, develop educational resources, or connect community residents to healthcare services.

    “Environmental issues are directly relevant to our health,” Lin says. “The air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil beneath us all affect our well-being.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn Reads Announces ’24-’25 Selection: ‘All We Can Save’

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    There is a renaissance blooming in the climate movement: leadership that is rooted in compassion, connection, creativity, and collaboration. But while it’s clear that women and girls are vital voices and agents of change for this planet, they are too often missing from the proverbial “table.” More than a problem of bias, it’s a dynamic that sets us up for failure. To change everything, we need everyone. 

    With this in mind, UConn Reads invites all members of the UConn community to join in an engaging discussion around this year’s book selection: “All We Can Save.” 

    Since 2011, UConn Reads has gathered students, staff, alumni, faculty, and community members who share an interest and sense of pride in the University, who relish intelligent, respectful debate, and who bring their own individual perspectives and personal experiences to a thought-provoking and engaging conversation. 

    “All We Can Save” is a collection of provocative and illuminating essays from women on the front lines of climate change, as those most at risk, and those most likely to solve it. Edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine Wilkinson, the book is a bestselling collection of writings by 60 women and offering abundant wisdom and solutions to lead humanity forward.  

    Intermixing essays with poetry and art, this book is a guide for knowing and holding what has been done to the world, while bolstering our resolve never to give up on each other or our collective future.  

    A national bestseller and named one of the best books of the year in 2020 by Smithsonian Magazine, the editors have curated a collection of “hope-filled perspectives on the climate crisis that has inspired many to think on the side of action rather than being paralyzed with worry about the future of the planet.” The publication has also sparked the All We Can Save Movement, to nurture future leaders of the climate community and encourage meaningful action.  

    The book was selected in collaboration with UConn for Women’s Herstory Month, being celebrated by the Women’s Center in March 2025.

    If you would like to be involved with this year’s programming, please reach out to UConn Reads.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: InspireSemi Announces Annual General and Special Meeting and Appointment of Director

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia and AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Inspire Semiconductor Holdings Inc. (TSXV: INSP) (“Inspire” or the “Company”), a chip design company that provides revolutionary high-performance, energy-efficient accelerated computing solutions for High Performance Computing (HPC), AI, graph analytics, and other compute-intensive workloads, is pleased to announce that the Annual General and Special meeting (the “AGSM“) for the year ended December 31, 2023 will be held in person at the Company’s offices at 11305 Four Points Drive, Suite 2-250, Austin, TX 78726 at 9:30 a.m. (Austin time) on November 20, 2024.

    The Notice of AGSM, Management Information Circular (the “Circular”), Financial Statements Request Form, Form of Proxy and Voting Instruction Form (the “Materials”) will be mailed to shareholders and posted on the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca not later than the date of this release. The Materials can also be found on the Company’s website at www.inspiresemi.com, investors tab.

    Shareholders of record as of October 11, 2024 are entitled to vote their shares of the Company at the AGSM. The Company encourages its shareholders to vote in advance of the AGM using the instructions on the Voting Instruction Form or the Form of Proxy that were mailed to them with the Materials. Shareholders are reminded that proxies must be received by 9.30 a.m. (Austin Time) on November 18, 2024.

    In addition to the usual matters presented to shareholders at an annual general meeting, the Company will be seeking the approval of its shareholders to delist its subordinate voting shares from the TSX Venture Exchange. For reasons further explained in the Circular, the Company deems the delisting to be an extremely important matter for the Company. The Company encourages all shareholders to review the information in the Circular and to vote in favour of the delisting at the AGSM.

    If any shareholder has not received their voting instructions by mail by mid November and wishes to vote at the AGSM, the Company encourages those shareholders to contact the Corporate Secretary by email to secretary@inspiresemi.com who will be happy to assist with retrieving your individual voting instructions.

    Advance Notice

    This press release is deemed notice, in accordance with the Company’s Advance Notice By-Law (the “By-Law”), which amongst other things, includes a provision that requires advance notice to the Company in circumstances where nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors are made by shareholders of the Company other than pursuant to: (i) a requisition of a meeting made pursuant to the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the “Act”); or (ii) a shareholder proposal made pursuant to the provisions of the Act.

    In the case of an annual meeting of shareholders, notice to the Company must be made not less than 30 nor more than 65 days prior to the date of the annual meeting; provided, however, that, in the event that the annual meeting is to be held on a date that is less than 50 days after the date on which the first public announcement of the date of the annual meeting was made, notice may be made not later than the close of business on the 10th day following such public announcement. Therefore, in this case of the AGSM notice of any nomination must be received by the Company by November 9, 2024.

    Shareholders must provide notice of any nomination for director to the Corporate Secretary by email to secretary@inspiresemi.com and in proper written form and including all the details required in accordance with the By Law, a copy of which can be found on the Company’s website at www.inspiresemi.com, investors tab.

    Appointment of Director

    The Company is also pleased to announce that it has appointed Mr. Jeff Brown to its board of directors effective October 29, 2024.

    Mr. Brown has had a long and successful career in the media industry, with extensive experience in distribution, digital marketing and brand management. He currently owns and runs JB & Associates, a strategic and business building consulting firm and is a Faculty Lecturer in Entertainment Media Management, Cinema and Television Arts at California State University.

    Previously he was with Warner Bros for over 26 years as a prominent executive in the Home Entertainment division, ending as Executive Vice President in January 2023. He helped lead Warner Bros. with its move into streaming, digital (VOD/EST) and physical media (DVD/Blu-ray). He managed P&L for distribution of television content, including WBTV, HBO, Turner productions and third-party partner brands such as the BBC and Peanuts, leading to Warner Bros. holding the top placed market share for nearly 20 years. He
    oversaw the implementation of new customer acquisition strategies and adherence to best-in-class data driven analytics. He also previously worked in brand management and finance for other large brands including Nestle, General Mills and the Gap.

    Mr. Brown holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, a BSE in Finance from Wharton, University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Political Science from University of Pennsylvania.

    The Company welcomes Mr. Brown to the board and looks forward to his future contributions to the success of Inspire.

    Mr. Brown was nominated as a director by Humanitario Capital LLC pursuant to nomination rights granted to it under the Convertible Loan Agreement between it and the Company dated September 23, 2024. Further information regarding the Convertible Loan Agreement can be found in the Company’s press released dated September 23, 2024.

    About InspireSemi

    InspireSemi (TSXV: INSP) provides revolutionary high-performance, energy-efficient accelerated computing solutions for High-Performance Computing (HPC), AI, graph analytics, and other compute-intensive workloads. The Thunderbird I ‘supercomputer-cluster-on-a-chip’ is a disruptive, next-generation datacenter accelerator designed to address multiple underserved and diversified industries, including financial services, computer-aided engineering, energy, climate modeling, cybersecurity, and life sciences & drug discovery. Based on the open standard RISC-V instruction set architecture, InspireSemi’s solutions set new standards of performance, energy efficiency, and ease of programming. InspireSemi is headquartered in Austin, TX.

    For more information visit https://inspiresemi.com
    Follow InspireSemi on LinkedIn

    Company Contact
    Ron Van Dell, CEO
    (737) 471-3230
    rvandell@inspiresemi.com

    Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information
    This press release contains certain statements that constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (“forward-looking statements”). Statements concerning InspireSemi’s objectives, goals, strategies, priorities, intentions, plans, beliefs, expectations and estimates, and the business, operations, financial performance and condition of InspireSemi are forward-looking statements. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” (or other variations of the forgoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or come to pass.

    Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, information regarding: (i) the business plans and expectations of the Company including expectations with respect to production and development; and (ii) expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Forward-looking information is based on currently available competitive, financial and economic data and operating plans, strategies or beliefs as of the date of this presentation, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of InspireSemi, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors may be based on information currently available to the Company including information obtained from third-party industry analysts and other third-party sources and are based on management’s current expectations or beliefs. Any and all forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

    Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflect management’s expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Forward-looking information reflects management’s current beliefs and is based on information currently available to them and on assumptions they believe to be not unreasonable in light of all of the circumstances. In some instances, material factors or assumptions are discussed in this news release in connection with statements containing forward-looking information. Such material factors and assumptions include, but are not limited to: (i) statements relating to the business and future activities of, and developments related to, the Company after the date of this press release; (ii) expectations for other economic, business, regulatory and/or competitive factors related to the Company or the technology industry generally; (iv) the risk factors referenced in this news release and as described from time to time in documents filed by the Company with Canadian securities regulatory authorities on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca; and (v) other events or conditions that may occur in the future. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this news release and, other than as required by law, the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

    Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law.

    Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Entrepreneurial Holidays at the State University of Management” will be held for schoolchildren

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On October 28, the Career Guidance Center launched the project “Entrepreneurial Holidays at the State University of Management”.

    The opening of the event was attended by Nikolai Mikhailov, Advisor to the Rectorate of the State University of Management, Elena Likhatskikh, Director of the Center for Career Guidance, and Andrei Kolchin, Head of the Career Guidance Department.

    During the first days of the holidays from October 28 to 30, more than 200 10th grade students from Moscow schools visited the State University of Management.

    The children learned about the basics of entrepreneurship and project activities, became familiar with modern marketing tools, learned how to create a successful business and tested their strength in the game “The World of Digital Money”.

    For two years, the State University of Management has been working with partner schools that have opened entrepreneurship classes. This academic year, there are eleven such schools.

    The work is being carried out within the framework of a grant from the Department of Education and Science of the City of Moscow.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 10/30/2024

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Behind the craze for creative cultural products

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    After a nine-day tour in north China’s Shanxi Province, one man is determined to “bring home” the grand pagodas and exquisite sculptures that took his breath away.

    “I have spent more than 1,000 yuan (140 U.S. dollars), which is about a tenth of my holiday budget, on souvenirs!” said the 30-year-old visitor surnamed Ma.

    Shanxi is renowned for its ancient architecture and is home to over 28,000 ancient structures. Its popularity has been boosted recently by the phenomenal video game “Black Myth: Wukong,” which is based on the Chinese classic novel “Journey to the West.”

    “I was fascinated by the ancient architecture, and the fridge magnets were equally amazing,” Ma said. “Each city has its unique creative cultural products. They are like miniatures of the attractions. For me, buying these keepsakes is like preserving the beauty of this trip forever.”

    Shanxi Province launched “Following Wukong to visit Shanxi” this summer, an activity that encourages tourists to “check in” at the filming locations of the video game. It is due to end on Thursday.

    Shortly after the launch, a Monkey King creative product shop opened on the business street in the heart of Taiyuan. It has since been packed with enthusiastic customers vying for products like fridge magnets, notebooks and playing cards.

    Yang Liu, with the shop, told Xinhua that their intention of opening the shop was to take a chance and promote the culture and tourism of the province. Since September 27, their sales have reached 200,000 yuan.

    Shanxi is not alone. Across China, various cultural and creative products are now sought-after mementos or gifts for friends, with their images going viral on social media: necklaces that draw inspiration from traditional brush painting in the Palace Museum; wooden combs in the shape of traditional Chinese musical instruments; vanity mirrors bearing patterns resembling the one on display in the Luoyang Museum of central China; keyboards with the colors of the famous Dunhuang murals and the nine-colored deer image…

    According to a report by Zhiyan Consulting, the market size of China’s cultural and creative products reached 16.38 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 13.09 percent. In 2020, the sector’s market size accounted for 10.67 percent of the global total, and by 2023 it had risen to 11.56 percent.

    One fridge magnet capturing the elaborate details of a superbly delicate empress crown from ancient China, a treasured piece from the National Museum of China (NMC), has emerged as an internet sensation and sparked a buying spree.

    Aspiring collectors even start queuing from 6 a.m. outside the museum for their chance to snag the memento. Many exchange tips on how to obtain the popular magnet on social media.

    In just three months since its launch, nearly 80,000 magnets have been sold, boosting sales of the entire series of empress crown memorabilia including key chains, furry toys and popsicles, with a total revenue exceeding 10 million yuan, even when facing production capacity constraints. The current daily production capacity for magnets has reached 3,000 units, with potential for further increase to meet growing market demand.

    Liao Fei with the management and development department of NMC disclosed that the design was inspired by social media, where they saw a lot of visitors posting photos of the empress crown.

    Head of a seven-member team, he said: “We always watch the exhibitions and search on social media to see what tourists like.”

    They are also constantly improving the products. Liao found that while there were tips on social media on how to obtain such a fridge magnet, few talked about its unique features. So they decided to make it more innovative.

    On September 27, an AR fridge magnet featuring the empress crown was released, which could be “worn” by the buyer on a mobile phone screen after a scan of the QR code. More than 2,300 such magnets were sold within two hours after its release.

    “In recent years, there has been a boom in the number of such creative products that are of use in various aspects of people’s life,” said Song Yanli, a saleswoman at the official gift shop of the Dunhuang Museum in northwest China’s Gansu Province.

    Noting that buyers today are knowledgeable enough to discern all the cultural elements adopted in the design, the 32-year-old said that they must develop more products to keep pace with public demand.

    “With the improvement of people’s living standard, the consuming behavior of youngsters is changing,” said Mao Jinhuang, a professor with the School of Economics at Lanzhou University. “They are no longer satisfied with simple material consumption but pay more attention to the purchase experience.”

    He believed that while the creative cultural products could offer emotional value to the customers, the craze for them also reflected young people’s love for and interest in Chinese traditional culture.

    According to China’s National Bureau of Statistics, the added value of cultural and related industries in 2022 stood at 5.38 trillion yuan, more than 15 fold of that in 2004, with the share of that in GDP increasing from 2.13 percent to 4.46 percent in the 18 years.

    Bu Xiting, associate researcher with the School of Cultural Industries Management at the Communication University of China, noticed that creative cultural products are becoming a new growth point of tourism consumption. “They have increased the income at tourist attractions, propelled the development of relevant industries and become a driving force to promote local economic growth.

    In the first half of this year, China’s domestic tourist trips reached 2.72 billion, with total tourism expenditure amounting to 2.7 trillion yuan, marking year-on-year increases of 14.3 percent and 19 percent, respectively.

    “With the deepened integration of creative cultural products and the tourism industry, it is expected that such products could play a more important role in boosting the high-quality development of the industry in the future,” Bu said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Abortion and marijuana ballot measures may bring out Florida Democrats, but the GOP has 1M more active voters in the Sunshine State

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Daniel A. Smith, Professor of Political Science, University of Florida

    Could ballot initiatives bring more Democrats to the polls in Florida? Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

    The number of voters registered as Democrats has tumbled in recent years in Florida, effectively removing the Sunshine State as a battleground and placing it firmly in the red column.

    At least that’s the dominant narrative found in many media outlets. And it is true that Republican Donald Trump won the state in both 2016 and 2020.

    Still, Nikki Fried, the Florida Democratic party chair, thinks Florida Democrats are making a “clear resurgence.”

    Buoyed by broad support for two statewide initiatives on the ballot – the legalization of recreational marijuana and the establishment of a constitutional right to abortion up to viability – Fried is predicting robust turnout of Democratic voters this November despite concerns hurricanes Helene and Milton may suppress turnout.

    Fried suggests that Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Debbie Mucarsel-Powell will benefit from the two hot issues on the ballot. A ban on most abortions after six weeks went into effect in Florida on May 1, 2024, with the state Supreme Court at the same time deciding to put the issue to voters.

    The marijuana ballot measure looks likely to pass, while support for the abortion access measure is more uncertain. But the point is that these are the types of issues that bring Democrats – and unaffiliated voters – out to the polls.

    I’ve written extensively on direct democracy and Florida politics. My research shows how ballot measures can have what I call “educative effects,” not only bolstering turnout but also priming voters to choose candidates who support the same initiatives they do.

    This goes a long way to explain Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ efforts to thwart both measures, going so far as to use taxpayers’ dollars to oppose the abortion amendment.

    Florida’s abortion amendment needs to pass with 60% of the vote, so turnout is key.
    Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo

    Active voters

    But Fried and the Democrats face a major hurdle – a widening voter registration gap – as Florida Republicans are quick to point out. Over the past several years, the GOP steadily narrowed the Democratic Party’s lead in voter registrations in the Sunshine State, finally surpassing Democrats’ plurality of active registered voters in 2021.

    Fried thinks the widening gap between registered Republicans and Democrats is a mirage. She claims that the Republican advantage is an artifact of a shift in state law that more aggressively reclassifies voters as being “inactive” if they don’t vote in two general election cycles or keep their information on file with local supervisors of elections.

    There is no question that the law, which went into effect in 2022, has deflated Democratic registration numbers. Here are the stats.

    According to the Florida secretary of state’s website, updated on Oct. 7, 2024, there are more than 1 million more registered Republicans (5,455,480) than Democrats (4,400,561) in Florida, followed by no party affiliation (3,584,982) and those registered with minor parties (404,890). That is, Republicans appear to account for more than 39% of registered voters in the Sunshine State, while Democrats make up less than 32%.

    However, the numbers posted on Florida’s official website, which amount to nearly 13.7 million registered voters, are misleading: They tally only active voters in the state.

    There are more than 2.5 million inactive voters on the rolls as of Aug. 1, 2024, according to my calculation of publicly available raw voter files. This brings the total number of registered voters in Florida to more than 16 million people.

    Inactive and unaffiliated voters

    Inactive registered voters have every right to cast ballots just like active voters. The main difference between the two groups is that inactive voters didn’t vote in 2020 or 2022.

    There are hundreds of thousands more inactive Democrats and unaffiliated voters than Republicans on the rolls. This is likely the result of lackluster campaigns in the state for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in 2020 and for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist in 2022. Uninspired Democrats and unaffiliated voters didn’t show up to the polls, particularly in 2022.

    Currently, according to the publicly available Florida voter rolls, there are over 900,000 inactive Democrats and over 921,000 inactive unaffiliated voters, compared with fewer than 643,000 inactive Republicans. So, while Republicans account for 39% of active voters, they account for only 25% of inactive voters.

    To sharpen the point: 1 in 10 Republicans are currently inactive, whereas nearly 2 in 5 of all registered Democrats and more than 1 in 5 unaffiliated voters in Florida are inactive. These inactive voters tend not to receive the same attention from parties and groups trying to mobilize registered voters to the polls.

    There’s no question that the fortunes of the Florida Democratic Party have tumbled over the past decade. Twelve years ago, just prior to the 2012 general election, Democrats accounted for 40% of all active registered voters. It’s been a sharp decline down to 32%.

    But the difference has not been made up by Republicans. From 2012 to 2024, the share of active voters registered as Republicans increased by only 3 percentage points, from 36% to 39%.

    The biggest increase in the share of active voters over the same period is with unaffiliated voters, whose share jumped 5 percentage points, from less than 21% in 2012 to 26% in 2024. These unaffiliated voters in Florida tend to be younger and Hispanic, many of whom likely have been turned off by the toxic political landscape in the state.

    But back to the November election and Fried’s prognostications.

    Will the two statewide ballot measures – Amendment 3 on recreational marijuana and Amendment 4 on reproductive rights – offset the rise in Republican voter registration in Florida? Is the sizable lead of Republican active voters a mirage, only to disappear as Election Day nears?

    It will come down to turnout and whether inactive Democratic and unaffiliated voters’ support for Amendment 3 and Amendment 4 primes them to back the Democratic ticket.

    Daniel A. Smith does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Abortion and marijuana ballot measures may bring out Florida Democrats, but the GOP has 1M more active voters in the Sunshine State – https://theconversation.com/abortion-and-marijuana-ballot-measures-may-bring-out-florida-democrats-but-the-gop-has-1m-more-active-voters-in-the-sunshine-state-239538

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Misinformation is more than just bad facts: How and why people spread rumors is key to understanding how false information travels and takes root

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Kate Starbird, Professor of Human Centered Design & Engineering, University of Washington

    Spreading rumors is problematic but understandable. H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/Archive Photos via Getty Images

    On Sept. 20, 2024, a newspaper in Montana reported an issue with ballots provided to overseas voters registered in the state: Kamala Harris was not on the ballot. Election officials were able to quickly remedy the problem but not before accusations began to spread online, primarily among Democrats, that the Republican secretary of state had purposefully left Harris off the ballot.

    This false rumor emerged from a common pattern: Some people view evidence such as good-faith errors in election administration through a mindset of elections being untrustworthy or “rigged,” leading them to misinterpret that evidence.

    As the U.S. approaches another high-stakes and contentious election, concerns about the pervasive spread of falsehoods about election integrity are again front of mind. Some election experts worry that false claims may be mobilized – as they were in 2020 – into efforts to contest the election through tactics such as lawsuits, protests, disruptions to vote-counting and pressure on election officials to not certify the election.

    Our team at the University of Washington has studied online rumors and misinformation for more than a decade. Since 2020, we have focused on rapid analysis of falsehoods about U.S. election administration, from sincere confusion about when and where to vote to intentional efforts to sow distrust in the process. Our motivations are to help quickly identify emerging rumors about election administration and analyze the dynamics of how these rumors take shape and spread online.

    Through the course of this research we have learned that despite all the discussion about misinformation being a problem of bad facts, most misleading election rumors stem not from false or manipulated evidence but from misinterpretations and mischaracterizations. In other words, the problem is not just about bad facts but also faulty frames, or the mental structures people rely on to interpret those facts.

    Misinformation may not be the best label for addressing the problem – it’s more an issue of how people make sense of the world, how that sensemaking process is shaped by social, political and informational dynamics, and how it begets rumors that can lead people to a false understanding of events.

    Rumors – not misinformation

    There is a long history of research on rumors going back to World War II and earlier. From this perspective, rumors are unverified stories, spreading through informal channels that serve informational, psychological and social purposes. We are applying this knowledge to the study of online falsehoods.

    Though many rumors are false, some turn out to be true or partially true. Even when false, rumors can contain useful indications of real confusions or fears within a community.

    Rumors can be seen as a natural byproduct of collective sensemaking – that is, efforts by groups of well-meaning people to make sense of uncertain and ambiguous information during dynamic events. But rumors can also emerge from propaganda and disinformation campaigns that lead people to misinterpret or mischaracterize their own and others’ experiences.

    University of Washington’s Kate Starbird explains rumors as collective sensemaking.

    Evidence, frames and (mis)interpretations

    Prior research describes collective sensemaking as a process of interactions between evidence and frames. Evidence includes the things people see, read and hear in the world. Frames are mental schema that shape how people interpret that evidence.

    The relationship between evidence and frames flows in two directions. When people encounter novel events or new evidence, they try to select the best frame from their mental filing cabinets. The selected frame then determines what evidence they focus on and what evidence they exclude in their interpretations. This evidence-frame view of collective sensemaking can help researchers understand rumors and disinformation.

    Everyone has their own ways of interpreting events based on their unique experiences. But your frames are not yours alone. Frames are shaped, sometimes intentionally, by information from media, political leaders, communities, colleagues, friends, neighbors and family. Framing – the process of using, building, reinforcing, adapting, challenging and updating frames – can be a deliberate strategy of political communication.

    Frames play a role in generating rumors, shaping how people interpret emerging events and novel evidence. False rumors occur when sensemaking goes awry, often due to people focusing on the wrong piece of evidence or applying the wrong frame. And disinformation, from this perspective, is the intentional manipulation of the sensemaking process, either by introducing false evidence or distorting the frames through which people interpret that evidence.

    In 2020, we saw these dynamics at work in a rumor about Sharpie pens in Arizona. In the lead-up to the election, President Donald Trump and his allies repeatedly alleged that the election would be rigged – setting a powerful frame for his followers. When voters noted that the Sharpie pens provided by election officials were bleeding through their ballots, many interpreted their experiences through the frame of a “rigged election” and became concerned that their ballots would not be counted.

    A Maricopa County, Arizona, election worker counts ballots in the 2020 election as false rumors that Sharpie pens were ruining ballots spread online.
    AP Photo/Matt York

    Some people shared those experiences online, where they were soon amplified and given meaning by others, including online influencers. Concerns and suspicions grew. Soon, members of Trump’s family were repeating false claims that the bleed-through was systematically disenfranchising Republican voters. The effect was circular and mutually reinforcing. The strategic frame inspired misinterpretations of evidence – real bleed-through falsely seen as affecting ballot counting – that were shared and amplified, strengthening the frame.

    Social media sensemaking

    Collective sensemaking is increasingly taking place online, where it is profoundly shaped by social media platforms, from features such as repost and like buttons to algorithmic recommendations to the connections between accounts.

    Not so long ago, many people hoped that the internet would democratize information flows by removing the historical gatekeepers of information and disrupting their ability to set the agenda – and the frames – of conversation. But the gatekeepers have not been erased; they have been replaced. A group of newsbrokering influencers have taken their place, in part by gaming the ways online systems manipulate attention.

    Many of these influencers work by systematically seeking out and amplifying content that aligns with prevailing political frames set by elites in politics and media. This gives creators the incentive to produce content that resonates with those frames, because that content tends to be rewarded with attention, the primary commodity of social media.

    These dynamics were at work in February 2024, when an aspiring creator produced a man-on-the-street video interviewing migrants to the U.S. that was selectively edited and captioned to falsely claim to show undocumented migrants planning to vote illegally in U.S. elections. This resonated with two prominent frames: the same rigged-election frame from 2020 and another that framed immigration as harmful to the U.S.

    The video was shared across multiple platforms and exploded in views after being amplified by a series of accounts with large followings on X, formerly Twitter. X CEO Elon Musk commented with an exclamation point on one post with the embedded video. The creator soon found himself on Fox News. He currently has hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok and Instagram and continues to produce similar content.

    Interactions between influencers and online audiences result in content that fits strategic frames. Emerging events provide new evidence that people can twist to fit prevailing frames, both intentionally and unintentionally. Rumors are the byproducts of this process, and online attention dynamics fuel their spread.

    Collective sensemaking and election 2024

    Heading into the 2024 election, false and misleading claims about election integrity remain widespread. Our team has tracked more than 100 distinct rumors since the beginning of September. The machinery for quickly converting perceived evidence from elections into widely shared rumors and conspiracy theories is increasingly well oiled.

    Experts discuss election integrity and efforts to undermine voter confidence.

    One concerning development is an increase in so-called election integrity organizations that seek to recruit volunteers who share the rigged-election frame. The groups aim to provide volunteers with tools to streamline the collection and amplification of evidence to support the rigged-election frame.

    One worry is that these volunteers may misinterpret what they see and hear on Election Day, generating additional rumors and false claims about election integrity that reinforce that increasingly distorted frame. Another is that these false claims will feed lawsuits and other attempts to contest election results.

    However, we hope that by shedding light on some of these dynamics, we can help researchers, journalists, election officials and other decision-makers better diagnose and respond to rumors about election integrity in this cycle. Most importantly, we believe that this collective sensemaking lens can help us all to both empathize with well-meaning people who get caught up in sharing false rumors and see how propagandists manipulate these processes for their gain.

    Kate Starbird receives funding from the National Science Foundation, Knight Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, and Craig Newmark Philanthropies.

    Stephen Prochaska has received funding from the National Science Foundation, Knight Foundation, and Hewlett Foundation.

    – ref. Misinformation is more than just bad facts: How and why people spread rumors is key to understanding how false information travels and takes root – https://theconversation.com/misinformation-is-more-than-just-bad-facts-how-and-why-people-spread-rumors-is-key-to-understanding-how-false-information-travels-and-takes-root-241748

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Sharing the stories and lessons of witch-hunting in Scotland The University of Aberdeen is introducing people around the world to the history of witch-hunting and the witch trials in Scotland.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    North Berwick witchesThe University of Aberdeen is introducing people around the world to the history of witch-hunting and the witch trials in Scotland.
    With wide-brimmed hats, black cats, broomsticks and crooked noses, witches in popular culture are instantly recognisable a staple of Halloween events.
    But in previous centuries changes in attitudes and approaches to magic led to suspicion and accusations which spread through Scottish communities as paranoid hunts sought to root out those thought to derive powers from the Devil.
    The University has created an online short course ‘Scottish Witch-Hunting and the Rise of a Protestant Culture 1590-1690’ which provides an opportunity for anyone with a professional or personal interest in the history of Scottish witchcraft to take an in-depth look at Scottish attitudes and approaches to magic, the preternatural and the supernatural.
    Professor Bill Naphy, Emeritus Professor of History, said: “Witches may been seen by guisers today as a bit of fun but in the middle of the 16th century, they were seen as conspirators trying to destroy society.
    “This wasn’t unique to Scotland but the ripples of panic it caused were far reaching with Scotland’s execution rate per head of population about five times the European average.
    “It means this is a really important area for study, not just in understanding about witchcraft and the brutal investigations, trials and often executions of those accused but in piecing together the wider issues and changes facing society at this time.”
    The course explores the involvement of King James VI and I who in 1591 became convinced that a group of North Berwick witches tried to kill him and his wife when their vessel was caught in storms as they attempted to travel to Denmark.
    As a result he becomes the only reigning monarch to ever serve as a judge in a witch trial and writes a book about witchcraft titled ‘Daemonologie’. This originally circulates in manuscript form and Professor Naphy says it was ‘clearly aimed at his sons so they will know when they become powerful how to find witches’ but is published widely following a panic which begins in Aberdeen in January 1597.
    Professor Naphy explains: “The North Berwick witch trials of 1591 are notorious because of the sheer number of ‘witches’, widely agreed to be around 70 most of whom were women, executed in one hunt in a small Scottish town.
    “But the lesser-known Aberdeen witch hunt in 1597 demonstrates how far panic swept across Scottish society, even prompting the demand for the publication of the King’s book.
    “City leaders in Aberdeen became convinced that they had such a serious problem on their hands that they were able to secure a five-year commission to find and try all witches in the north-east.
    “Once the idea took root that there was a witch plot or ‘cell’ the threshold for evidence necessary to prove guilt decreased and investigators become increasingly concerned with finding wider connections.
    “In Aberdeen this saw accusations levied against the Leys family and at his trail Thomas Leys confessed, undoubtedly under coercion, to having led a coven of witches in a dance at the fish cross the previous Halloween – a satanic party right in front of the tollbooth.”
    This soon led to extensive witch hunts across not only the north-east but many parts of Scotland.
    “Thomas implicated a number of women that took the commissioners from Aberdeen to the tiny village of Lumphanan in their hunt for conspiratorial cells,” Professor Naphy added.
    “In total 24 ‘witches’ were executed in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, including a significant proportion of the adult female population of Lumphanan and this little known 1597 hunt triggered panic across many regions of Scotland that resulted in many more deaths through execution.
    “This is an important period to highlight dangers of a moral panic and study of these events serves as a timely reminder that while today witches are seen as part of the fun of Halloween, we should not forget brutal treatment and execution of those accused of so-called crimes of dark magic.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Simple science summaries written by AI help people understand research and trust scientists

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By David Markowitz, Associate Professor of Communication, Michigan State University

    Smoothing out the complexity can help with comprehension. kislev/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    Artificial intelligence-generated summaries of scientific papers make complex information more understandable for the public compared with human-written summaries, according to my recent paper published in PNAS Nexus. AI-generated summaries not only improved public comprehension of science but also enhanced how people perceived scientists.

    I used a popular large language model, GPT-4 by OpenAI, to create simple summaries of scientific papers; this kind of text is often called a significance statement. The AI-generated summaries used simpler language – they were easier to read according to a readability index and used more common words, like “job” instead of “occupation” – than summaries written by the researchers who had done the work.

    In one experiment, I found that readers of the AI-generated statements had a better understanding of the science, and they provided more detailed, accurate summaries of the content than readers of the human-written statements.

    I also investigated what effects the simpler summaries might have on people’s perceptions of the scientists who performed the research. In this experiment, participants rated the scientists whose work was described in the simpler texts as more credible and trustworthy than the scientists whose work was described in the more complex texts.

    In both experiments, participants did not know who wrote each summary. The simpler texts were always AI-generated, and the complex texts were always human-generated. When I asked participants who they believed wrote each summary, they ironically thought the more complex ones were written by AI and simpler ones were written by humans.

    It can feel like you need a Ph.D. to understand science research published in a journal.
    R.Tsubin/Moment via Getty Images

    Why it matters

    Have you ever read about a scientific discovery and felt like it was written in a foreign language? If you’re like most Americans, new scientific information is probably hard to understand – especially if you try to tackle a science article in a research journal.

    In an era where scientific literacy is crucial for informed decision-making, the abilities to communicate and grasp complex ideas are more important than ever. Trust in science has been declining for years, and one contributing factor may be the challenge of understanding scientific jargon.

    This research points to a potential solution: using AI to simplify science communication. By making scientific content more approachable, this work demonstrates that AI-generated summaries may help to restore trust in scientists and, in turn, encourage greater public engagement with scientific issues. The question of trust is particularly important, as people often rely on science in their daily lives, from eating habits to medical choices.

    What still isn’t known

    As AI continues to evolve, its role in science communication may expand, especially if using generative AI becomes more commonplace or sanctioned by journals. Indeed, the academic publishing field is still establishing norms regarding the use of AI. By simplifying scientific writing, AI could contribute to more engagement with complex issues.

    While the benefits of AI-generated science communication are perhaps clear, ethical considerations must also be considered. There is some risk that relying on AI to simplify scientific content may remove nuance, potentially leading to misunderstandings or oversimplifications. There’s always the chance of errors, too, if no one pays close attention.

    Additionally, transparency is critical. Readers should be informed when AI is used to generate summaries to avoid potential biases.

    Simple science descriptions are preferable to and more beneficial than complex ones, and AI tools can help. But scientists could also achieve the same goals by working harder to minimize jargon and communicate clearly – no AI necessary.

    David Markowitz does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Simple science summaries written by AI help people understand research and trust scientists – https://theconversation.com/simple-science-summaries-written-by-ai-help-people-understand-research-and-trust-scientists-241105

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Fighting antibiotic resistance at the source – using machine learning to identify bacterial resistance genes and the drugs to block them

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Abdullahi Tunde Aborode, Mississippi State University

    Current methods of identifying resistance mutations in microbes can miss other ways resistance can develop. koto_feja/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    Antibiotic resistance is a growing public health problem around the world. When bacteria like E. coli no longer respond to antibiotics, infections become harder to treat.

    To develop new antibiotics, researchers typically identify the genes that make bacteria resistant. Through laboratory experiments, they observe how bacteria respond to different antibiotics and look for mutations in the genetic makeup of resistant strains that allow them to survive.

    While effective, this method can be time-consuming and may not always capture the full picture of how bacteria become resistant. For example, changes in how genes work that don’t involve mutations can still influence resistance. Bacteria can also exchange resistance genes between each other, which may not be detected if only focusing on mutations within a single strain.

    My colleagues and I developed a new approach to identify E. coli resistance genes by computer modeling, allowing us to design new compounds that can block these genes and make existing treatments more effective.

    Identifying resistance

    To predict which genes contribute to resistance, we analyzed the genomes of various E. coli strains to identify genetic patterns and markers associated with resistance. We then used machine learning algorithms trained on existing data to highlight novel genes or mutations shared across resistant strains that might contribute to resistance.

    E. coli is one of many bacterial species developing resistance to common antibiotics.
    National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/National Institutes of Health via Flickr, CC BY-NC

    After identifying resistance genes, we designed inhibitors that specifically target and block the proteins these genes produce. By analyzing the structure of the proteins these genes code for, we were able to optimize our inhibitors to strongly bind to these specific proteins.

    To reduce the likelihood that bacteria would evolve resistance to these inhibitors, we targeted regions of their genome that code for proteins critical to their survival. By interfering with how bacteria carry out important functions, it makes it more difficult for them to develop mechanisms to compensate. We also prioritized compounds that work differently from existing antibiotics to minimize cross-resistance.

    Finally, we tested how effectively our inhibitors could overcome antibiotic resistance in E. coli. We used computer simulations to assess how strongly a number of inhibitors bind to target proteins over time. One inhibitor called hesperidin was able to strongly bind to the three genes in E. coli involved in resistance that we identified, suggesting it may be able to help combat antibiotic-resistant strains.

    A global threat

    The World Health Organization ranks antimicrobial resistance as one of the top 10 threats to global health. In 2019, bacterial antibiotic resistance killed an estimated 4.95 million people worldwide.

    By targeting the specific genes responsible for resistance to existing drugs, our approach could lead to treatments for challenging bacterial infections that are not only more effective but also less likely to contribute to further resistance. It can also help researchers keep up with bacterial threats as they evolve.

    Some microbes can transfer resistance to other microbes.

    Our predictive approach could be adapted to other bacterial strains, allowing for more personalized treatment strategies. In the future, doctors could potentially tailor antibiotic treatments based on the specific genetic makeup of the bacteria causing the infection, potentially leading to better outcomes.

    As antibiotic resistance continues to rise globally, our findings may provide a crucial tool in the fight against this threat. Further development is needed before our methods can be used in the clinic. But by staying ahead of bacterial evolution, targeted inhibitors could help preserve the efficacy of existing antibiotics and reduce the spread of resistant strains.

    Nothing to disclose.

    – ref. Fighting antibiotic resistance at the source – using machine learning to identify bacterial resistance genes and the drugs to block them – https://theconversation.com/fighting-antibiotic-resistance-at-the-source-using-machine-learning-to-identify-bacterial-resistance-genes-and-the-drugs-to-block-them-237919

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: US candidates neck-and-neck a week before elections

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The race for the White House is neck and neck just a week before Americans cast their ballots for the next president.

    Republican candidate Donald Trump leads Democratic candidate Kamala Harris by an average of 0.4 percentage points in national polls as of Tuesday, according to the U.S. election information website Real Clear Politics.

    Trump leads by just a hair in many swing states, including Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and North Carolina, while Harris leads by half a point in Michigan.

    The swing states are likely to determine the election outcome, and both candidates have been actively campaigning there, attending rallies to present their case to voters.

    “The presidential race remains tight, but Harris has been outspending Trump by a 2 or 3 to 1 margin in advertising,” Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua.

    Inflation and the economy are among the main issues. While President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris have overseen an economy with low unemployment, many voters are outraged over the high prices that have taken hold during the current administration.

    Besides, Trump’s campaign has been accusing the Biden-Harris administration of leading to a major increase in crime in urban areas.

    Stores are now locking up their merchandise, as shoplifters brazenly fill up garbage bags full of goods and simply walk out of the store without paying. Drug addicts shoot up heroin and other hard drugs in broad daylight in many cities. They harass and physically assault passersby, and urinate and defecate on sidewalks in downtown areas.

    At the same time, Trump has ruffled several feathers, as he is known to do, with what critics call incendiary rhetoric.

    Critics also blasted Trump for his plan to launch the mass deportation operation of millions of immigrants who illegally poured over the border since the current administration took office. Trump’s critics fear this could lead to problems including breaking up families and giving law enforcement too much power.

    It remains unknown what undecided voters will do.

    “Many undecided voters will not vote at all,” Clay Ramsay, a researcher at the Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland, told Xinhua, adding that the people who are unlikely to vote, based on past elections, accounts for a large percentage of adults. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Survey “Socio-psychological well-being”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –

    The research and communication platform “Caring Person” is conducting a sociological survey “Socio-psychological well-being” from October 25 to November 17.

    Students, teachers, and administrators of higher education institutions can share their feelings about their university and what areas need to be changed. Students can also assess their employment prospects after graduation.

    Your opinion is important and directly influences the future development of the university!

    Link to the survey

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Biographical note

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Michael Callan becomes High Commissioner in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Mr. Callan replaces Arif Keshani.

    Michael Callan (BA Hons [Political Studies], Queen’s University, 2000; MSc Econ [International Security], University of Wales, Aberystwyth, 2002). Prior to joining Global Affairs Canada, Michael Callan served in the Canadian Armed Forces and worked with the Aga Khan Foundation in Bangladesh and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Moscow. Upon joining the Canadian International Development Agency in 2004, Mr. Callan took on assignments with the Humanitarian Assistance Division and the Afghanistan Task Force. Abroad, Mr. Callan was the Government of Canada’s first civilian deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, where he served as director, development, for Canada’s Provincial Reconstruction Team (2005 to 2006). His subsequent deployments included assignments as head of aid in Khartoum (2008 to 2010) and director, development, for the Middle East and North Africa in Cairo and Amman (2012 to 2016). He was then seconded to the Privy Council Office (2016 to 2017) before taking up a fellowship with the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University (2018). Mr. Callan served as director of conflict prevention, stabilization and peacebuilding (2019 to 2021) prior to his most recent assignment as ambassador to Algeria (2021 to 2024).

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ghost forests: Learn more as Halloween sneaks up!

    Source: US Geological Survey

    These eerie forests, filled with standing dead trees, tell a story on the effects of sea level rise and extreme flooding. And scientists with the USGS are investigating!

    When coastal forests are inundated with salt water or frequently flooded, trees can be stressed to levels they can’t withstand. If trees don’t survive, coastal forests can transform into different types of settings such as marshes or open water, creating ghost forests and leaving behind remnants of the ecosystems that once were.

    What the USGS knows…

    Coastal ghost forests typically occur in low-lying areas, and USGS scientists are studying how and where these shifts are happening across the nation. The USGS and partners are also working to forecast what areas might be impacted in the future, considering various sea level rise scenarios. 

    Changes can lead to potentially positive or negative impacts. Healthy coastal forests provide numerous benefits such as supporting wildlife habitat, filtering pollutants and offering flood protection along coastlines, while marshes also provide species habitat, improve water quality and absorb floodwaters, among many other purposes.

    A ghost forest stands in Goose Creek State Park in North Carolina. This is an example of a freshwater forested wetland that is transitioning to open water. Photograph by Melinda Martinez, USGS.

    USGS science can be used by decisionmakers such as land and wildlife managers as they consider the costs and benefits of conservation and restoration.

    An example: The Chesapeake Bay

    The eastern U.S. is a particular concern, as these transitions are taking place up and down the Atlantic coast. The USGS has projects in several areas, including, for example, ongoing research in the Delmarva Peninsula within the Chesapeake Bay. This region consists of several low sloped landscapes, which allows for rapid change to occur.

    Drilling into the trees

    Here’s where it gets even more interesting! The USGS and partners recently drilled into trees to see what’s inside. Why? To understand the role of ghost forests in greenhouse gas fluxes.

    Trees are known to naturally absorb and release gases, but there’s limited research on whether and how that process changes when coastal forests die. A recent study finds that standing dead trees in ghost forests have tiny organisms that actually convert methane, a potent greenhouse gas, to carbon dioxide, which is less potent.

    This insight is another piece of the puzzle as officials consider the trade-offs for how to manage these landscapes.

    The USGS is a coauthor on that study, which was led by Hollins University. 

    Share the tale

    Don’t forget to share what you learned with friends! Do they know ghost forests are real?

    Ghost forest on the Delmarva Penninsula. Photograph by Kyle Derby, USGS.
    A ghost forest stands in Goose Creek State Park in North Carolina. This is an example of a freshwater forested wetland that is transitioning to open water. Photograph by Melinda Martinez, USGS.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Time to freak out? How the existential terror of hurricanes can fuel climate change denial

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jamie Goldenberg, Professor of Psychology and Area Director, Cognitive, Neuroscience and Social Psychology, University of South Florida

    Hurricane Milton flooded parts of the Tampa Bay region just days after Hurricane Helene made landfall nearby. Bryan R. Smithy/AFP via Getty Images

    As TVs across Florida broadcast the all-too-familiar images of a powerful hurricane headed for the coast in early October 2024, people whose homes had been damaged less than two weeks earlier by Hurricane Helene watched anxiously. Hurricane Milton was rapidly intensifying into a dangerous storm, fueled by the Gulf of Mexico’s record-breaking temperatures.

    Many residents scrambled to evacuate, clogging roads away from the region. Officials urged those near the coast who ignored evacuation warnings to scrawl their names on their arms with indelible ink so their corpses could be identified.

    The two hurricanes were among the most destructive in recent memory. They are also stark reminders of the increasingly extreme weather events that scientists have long warned would be the consequence of human-driven climate change.

    Still, many people deny that climate change is a worsening threat, or that it exists at all. As its impacts grow more visible and destructive, how is this possible?

    Views of Hurricane Milton’s damage across Florida.

    One answer lies in a unique facet of human psychology – specifically, in how people manage the fear aroused by existential threats. For many people, denying the existence of a climate crisis is not only convenient, but may feel psychologically necessary.

    Terror management theory

    The Pulitzer Prize-winning anthropologist Ernest Becker put it this way: “The idea of death, the fear of it, haunts the human animal like nothing else … to overcome it by denying it in some way is the final destiny for man.”

    In plain terms, he was saying that most people struggle to accept their mortality and take pains to distort their perception of reality to avoid confronting it.

    In the 1980s, social psychologists developed “terror management theory,” showing the lengths people go to deny death. Hundreds of experiments have tested its implications. In a common method, participants reflect on their own death, while control groups consider less threatening topics, like dental pain. The key question: What does death awareness do to people?

    After writing about death, people tend to quickly move on, pushing thoughts of it from consciousness with distractions, rationalizations and other tactics. Health care professionals see this every day. For example, people often dodge screenings and diagnostic tests to avoid the frightening possibility of discovering cancer.

    Skidmore College psychologist Sheldon Solomon discusses Ernest Becker’s ‘The Denial of Death’ and terror management theory in the context of humanity’s history of brutal behavior.

    But here’s the rub: Terror management theory suggests that when people are not thinking about death, it nevertheless holds influence. The unconscious mind lingers on the problem even after people have used strategies to quiet the fear by pushing it from awareness.

    Social psychology experiments show that people often cope with the specter of death by attaching themselves to cultural ideologies, such as religious, political or even sports fandom. These worldviews imbue life with meaning, values and purpose. And that can ease the terror of mortality by connecting people to an enduring and comforting web of ideas and beliefs that transcend one’s own existence.

    When people are made aware of death, those systems of meaning become even more critical to their psychological functioning. Existential threats make us cling even tighter to the meaning systems that sustain us.

    Climate denial as a defense mechanism

    Much like a terror management lab experiment – or the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic – natural disasters like hurricanes Helene and Milton trigger death anxiety.

    Rising sea levels, warming oceans and intensifying storms – all tied to global warming fueled by human actions – represent an existential threat.

    From our perspective, it is not surprising that climate-related disasters disappear from the public consciousness almost as soon as they have passed. Google Trends data exemplifies this: Incoming storms instigated an uptick in searches for “climate change” and “global warming” in the days before Hurricane Helene made landfall on Sept. 25, 2024, and Hurricane Milton on Oct. 9, 2024. Then those searches quickly declined as people shifted their focus away from the threat.

    Unfortunately, climate change isn’t going away, no matter how hard anyone tries to deny it.

    While climate denial allows people to protect themselves from feelings of distress, terror management theory suggests that denying death is just the tip of the iceberg. For some people, accepting the reality of climate change would necessitate reevaluating their ideologies.

    Terror management theory predicts that individuals whose ideologies conflict with environmental concerns may ironically double down on those beliefs to psychologically manage the existential threat posed by climate-related disasters. It’s similar to how mortality reminders can lead people to engage in risky behavior, such as smoking or tanning. Hurricanes may reinforce denial and commitment to a worldview that rejects climate change.

    A path forward: Building new worldviews

    Although denial may be a natural psychological response to existential threats, the U.S. may be getting to a point where even deniers can’t ignore the existential threat associated with climate change.

    Again and again, Americans are gobsmacked by the devastation – from hurricanes to severe flooding, wildfires and more.

    A terror management analysis suggests that overcoming this crisis requires weaving a solutions-focused narrative into the ideologies that people rely on for comfort. As psychologists who work on terror management, we believe the fight against climate change should be framed not as an apocalyptic battle that humanity is destined to lose, but as a moral and practical challenge that humanity can collectively overcome.

    Tampa, Florida, meteorologist Denis Phillips had the right idea as the two hurricanes headed for his community: His fact-based social media updates eschew partisan critique, encourage neighbors to support one another and emphasize preparedness and resilience in the face of incoming storms.

    As Milton approached, Phillips told residents to remember his Rule #7: Don’t freak out. That doesn’t mean do nothing – it means evaluate risks without letting emotion interfere, and take action.

    Shifting the narrative from helplessness to collective empowerment and action can help people confront climate change without triggering the existential anxieties that lead to denial – offering a vision for a future that is both secure and personally meaningful.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Time to freak out? How the existential terror of hurricanes can fuel climate change denial – https://theconversation.com/time-to-freak-out-how-the-existential-terror-of-hurricanes-can-fuel-climate-change-denial-242390

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Assistant Secretary of the Navy Emphasizes National Call to Maritime Service and Education During Visit to California

    Source: United States Navy

    Each institution is essential to promoting the National Call to Maritime Service by building the Department of the Navy’s civilian maritime workforce and enhancing the Navy’s warfighting capability by equipping service members through education opportunities.

    “Our Navy is committed to building a diverse warfighting team of not only Sailors and Marines, but also talented civilians to bolster warfighting capabilities across the Department of the Navy that operates around the globe,” said Parker. “This begins by seeking motivated students who take interest in maritime service, in or out of uniform.”

    Mr. Parker began the trip by visiting Cal State Maritime Academy and highlighting the opportunity for maritime service at a pivotal point in their education. The school offers a unique pathway to maritime service and underscores the importance of U.S. Maritime Heritage, Military Sealift Command and Military to Mariner transition.

    The visit comes at a fundamental time as the Department of the Navy seeks to encourage civilian commitment to the maritime service. The Navy aims to educate Americans on the careers available to them across a broad range of industries and government agencies that directly support the United States global standing as a maritime nation.

    Mr. Parker also visited the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) highlighting the school’s recent successes and progress implementing the Secretary of the Navy’s Naval Education Strategy, such as the efforts modernizing education programs, and enhancing partnerships. One example of the Department taking action to implement the Secretary of the Navy’s guidance is the Department’s Naval Innovation Center at NPS, which is a collaborative academic facility, applied research, and innovation capability that will bring industry, academia, and the Department together to develop technological talent throughout the total Naval Force and accelerate the creation of relevant defense solutions at speed and scale. The Naval Innovation Center at NPS will provide a venue for NPS

    students and faculty to further hone innovative research and an intellectual edge that will permeate the fleet.

    The trip culminated with a visit to the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation at Stanford University. In a partnership with the Office of Naval Research, the center features a network of national security professionals, all dedicated to mentoring and nurturing the future generation of leaders.

    Education is a critical warfighter enabler and the Department of the Navy is committed to providing a range of learning opportunities for service members and the Department’s civilian workforce across the fleet.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Hydropower engineers discussed new developments and technologies at the Polytechnic

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    On October 30, the Polytechnic University opened the 16th RusHydro scientific and technical conference “Hydropower. Hydraulic engineering. New developments and technologies.” Over 600 experts from 200 Russian and foreign organizations will discuss the most important problems of the industry over three days. The event was organized by PJSC RusHydro, JSC VNIIG im. B. E. Vedeneyev, and SPbPU.

    The conference “Hydropower. Hydraulic engineering. New developments and technologies” is the largest industry event in our country for specialists in the field of hydropower and hydraulic engineering.

    The event is attended by specialists from RusHydro hydroelectric power plants and other hydroelectric power plants in the country, representatives of hydraulic engineering construction industries, as well as employees of Russian universities, research institutes in the construction field, marine and port facilities, and transport infrastructure. Experts from other countries also speak at the conference.

    At the opening of the conference, the greeting from the Chairman of the Board – General Director of PJSC RusHydro Viktor Khmarin was read by his First Deputy – Chief Engineer of RusHydro Sergey Kondratyev.

    Hydrotechnics and hydropower engineering respond to the challenges of the time and develop in accordance with the course taken on technological registers. In the conditions of growing demand for electric energy, we are faced with even more ambitious tasks today. The construction of modern power plants requires new solutions. This gives scientists and engineers an incentive for development and creates a wide field for research activities, the application of innovations. I am confident that a constructive exchange of opinions will allow us to develop practical recommendations and proposals that will contribute to the successful development of the country and the industry as a whole, said Sergey Kondratyev.

    The first projector of SPbPU, Vitaly Sergeev, gave a welcoming speech.

    This conference always arouses great interest. And it has already become a good tradition that such a large-scale event is regularly held at our university. The Polytechnic University has always been famous for its great scientists in the field of hydropower and hydraulic engineering. The Civil Engineering Institute is now the legal successor of the hydrotechnical faculty and maintains its reputation, interacting with RusHydro and other organizations. I hope that the energy that is at the Polytechnic, the aura of new knowledge, innovative developments and youthful spirit will contribute to your work, – noted Vitaly Sergeev.

    The conference started with a plenary session, where experts discussed issues of design, construction and operation of hydroelectric power plants and hydraulic structures for various purposes. Top managers of PJSC RusHydro made reports. The winners of the competition for the best research work in the field of hydropower were also awarded at the session.

    The work continued with scientific sections and round tables, where scientists and engineers discuss the most pressing issues of industry development, exchange experiences and build professional contacts. The conference’s thematic areas include: equipment for hydroelectric power plants and hydraulic structures, scientific and practical issues of hydraulics and hydrology, concrete and reinforced concrete structures of hydraulic structures, environmental issues in energy and hydraulic engineering, new materials and technologies in construction, ensuring the safety of hydraulic structures, small hydropower, hydraulic engineering construction in the Arctic, personnel training, etc.

    Representatives of SPbPU actively participate in the conference. The co-chairman of the section “Scientific and Practical Issues of Hydraulics and Hydrology” was Professor of the Higher School of Hydraulic Engineering and Power Engineering Alexander Bolshev. Director of the Higher School of Hydraulic Engineering and Power Engineering Galina Kozinets, Associate Professors Vita Belousov and Irina Frolova presented the report “Analysis of the Environmental Monitoring System of the GTS Safety”. Also Galina Kozinets, Leading Engineer of the Higher School of Hydraulic Engineering and Power Engineering Viktor Chechevichkin, Engineers Leonid Yakunin and Alexey Chechevichkin spoke about the possibilities of using nature-like technology for cleaning surface wastewater at hydropower facilities. Professors of the Higher School of Hydraulic Engineering and Power Engineering Viktor Elistratov, Vladimir Maslikov and Mikhail Shilin presented the results of a study related to the impact of the Kolyma Hydroelectric Power Plant on the ichthyofauna of the reservoir. Associate Professor of the Higher School of Hydraulic Engineering and Power Engineering Armen Girgidov presented the report “Improvement of End Devices of Bottom Spillways”. Associate professors of the Higher School of Hydroelectric Power Engineering Andrey Chusov and Svetlana presented a forecast of the water quality of the Svetlinskaya hydroelectric power station reservoir based on forest clearing options.

    An important part of the conference will be the youth day, which will take place on November 1. Participants will share their work experience, discuss current tasks and future challenges.

    Following the three-day work, collections will be published, including plenary reports, section reports, and the final decision of the conference.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Nationalism is not patriotism: 3 insights from Orwell about Trump and the 2024 election

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Mark Satta, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Law, Wayne State University

    Donald Trump hugs an American flag as he arrives at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Feb. 24, 2024, in Baltimore. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

    Shortly after Donald Trump was inaugurated as president of the United States in January 2017, George Orwell’s 1949 novel “Nineteen Eighty-Four” shot to the top of Amazon’s bestseller list. Apparently, lots of people thought Orwell had something relevant to say in that political moment.

    Nearly eight years later, the United States once again faces the prospect of a Trump presidency.

    In 2016, many Americans were caught off guard by Trump’s win, leading them to grapple with the potential consequences of a Trump presidency only after he was elected. But this time, more people seem to be thinking about the ramifications of such an outcome in advance.

    In my work as a professor of philosophy and law, I’ve spent a lot of time studying Orwell’s writing. I think people were correct eight years ago to conclude that Orwell could provide insight into a Trump presidency.

    Here are three such insights that I think are useful for Americans to keep in mind as they prepare to vote for their next president.

    Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as they try to storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C.
    Brent Stirton/Getty Images

    Nationalism is not patriotism

    In his 1945 essay “Notes on Nationalism,” Orwell distinguishes between the terms nationalism and patriotism.

    For Orwell, nationalism was “the habit of identifying oneself with a single nation or other unit, placing it beyond good and evil and recognizing no other duty than that of advancing its interests.”

    He was quick to point out that this was distinct from the concept of patriotism, which he defined as “devotion to a particular place and a particular way of life, which one believes to be the best in the world but has no wish to force on other people.”

    To understand Orwell’s conception of patriotism, I find it useful to consider an analogy. Many parents think that their kids are the best kids in the world. This doesn’t mean that they think there are objective metrics that could be used to rank children. Most parents recognize that there is no such thing, and they don’t go around saying other children aren’t as good as theirs. Yet there is still a real sense in which they see their own kids as the very best.

    There is something similar in the attitude of Orwell’s patriot. They may think that their country or their way of life is the best, but – and this may be the most important part – they have no wish to force their views or way of life on others.

    Not so with the nationalist. Orwell claims, “Patriotism is of its nature defensive, both militarily and culturally. Nationalism, on the other hand, is inseparable from the desire for power.” The nationalist is like a parent who goes around tearing other people’s kids down in order to lift theirs up.

    Mere love of country is not inherently dangerous. Making advancement of one’s nation or culture one’s top priority is extremely dangerous. Patriotism sticks to the former. Nationalism goes in for the latter.

    Orwell insightfully recognizes that when the nationalist makes advancement of their way of life their top priority, they inevitably end up placing that goal “beyond good and evil.” This makes the nationalist susceptible to endorsing unethical means for advancing their own way of life.

    A prime example of such a nationalist mentality was Trump’s response to losing the 2020 presidential election. He sought to subvert the election results by lying and by encouraging insurrection.

    Similarly, Trump’s supporters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 were embracing a nationalist mentality. They engaged in an unethical means of trying to advance their own political agenda.

    Donald Trump does exactly what Orwell predicts the nationalist will do. He conceptualizes everything, as Orwell put it, “in terms of competitive prestige” and “his thoughts always turn on victories, defeats, triumphs and humiliations.”

    Fixation on competitive prestige is not patriotic. It’s unadulterated nationalism.

    An autocrat is easy to underestimate

    In a 1942 essay written during the middle of World War II and reflecting on his experiences as a volunteer soldier in the Spanish Civil War, Orwell wrote that “our traditions and our past security have given us a sentimental belief that it all comes right in the end and the thing you most fear never really happens,” and that “we believe half-instinctively that evil always defeats itself in the long run.”

    Orwell was worried by these optimistic instincts because he thought they ran counter to the evidence. The evidence, on the contrary, suggested that things typically don’t turn out right on their own. Rather, social improvements normally require concerted effort and vigilance against backsliding.

    In another essay from the same year, Orwell criticized various intellectuals who treated Hitler as “a figure out of comic opera, not worth taking seriously.” And he criticized many English-speaking countries for being places where it was “fashionable to believe, right up to the outbreak of war, that Hitler was an unimportant lunatic and the German tanks made of cardboard.”

    As numerous commentators and news outlets have noted, Trump routinely speaks like an autocrat.

    Yet many Americans excuse such talk, failing to treat it as the evidence of a threat to democracy that it is. This seems to me to be driven in part by the tendency Orwell identified to think that truly bad things won’t happen – at least not in one’s own country.

    Orwell thought it was worth taking the possibility of bad outcomes seriously. This is one way to understand what he was up to in his most famous books, “Animal Farm” and “Nineteen Eighty-Four.” Americans would benefit from taking potential threats to U.S. democracy seriously, too.

    George Orwell, whose writings from the middle of the 20th century have relevance in 2024.
    Ullstein Bild/Getty Images

    Nationalism can attack within

    You can read “Nineteen Eighty-Four” as Orwell’s attempt to think about what a ruling political party completely captured by nationalism might look like.

    In “Nineteen Eighty-Four,” orthodox party members in the fictional nation of Oceania are obsessed with “competitive prestige” and “the desire for power.” Activities such as the Two Minutes Hate, where party members were encouraged to scream and jeer at a video of a political opponent, prompt party members to focus their thoughts on “victories, defeats, triumphs and humiliations.”

    A notable feature of the party is how often it turns on its own members through kidnapping, torture and murder. The occurrence was so frequent in Oceania that it had a name: being “vaporized.” Nationalists are a threat not only to those outside the nation but also to those inside the nation who don’t fully support the nationalist’s pursuit of power at any cost.

    From this perspective, Trump’s threats against those whom he views as “the enemy from within” reveal his own nationalistic desire to turn on Americans who threaten his pursuit of power.

    Orwell’s writing suggests that voters should take such threats seriously.

    Mark Satta does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Nationalism is not patriotism: 3 insights from Orwell about Trump and the 2024 election – https://theconversation.com/nationalism-is-not-patriotism-3-insights-from-orwell-about-trump-and-the-2024-election-241883

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: People with blindness and low vision are squeezed by high costs of living − new research

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Zachary Morris, Associate Professor of Social Welfare, Stony Brook University (The State University of New York)

    A young blind man prepares to board a Denver RTD light rail train in 2019. Robert Alexander/GettyImages

    Colin Wong, a blind Ph.D. student, can’t forget having to pay US$100 for an Uber when he needed to take a standardized test. There was no testing center in San Francisco, where he lived, that could accommodate his disability.

    That kind of expensive hassle isn’t unusual. It costs nearly $7,000 more per year to live in the U.S. with his disability, according to research I, a social work scholar, conducted with four experts at the American Foundation for the Blind – a nonprofit dedicated to promoting equality and inclusion for people with blindness or low vision.

    For our research, we looked at survey data from a representative sample of Americans, focusing on how people with visual impairments answered. We considered anyone who said they live with a vision disability – or said that they have a lot of trouble seeing or can’t see at all, even with glasses – as a person with low vision or blindness.

    We calculated that people with blindness or low vision spend, on average, 27% of their household income on expenses related to their disability – about $7,000 per year.

    Low-income Americans with disabilities are shouldering an even bigger burden. The people who took this survey and were earning less than $25,000 per year said they spent about 40% of their income on costs related to their disability, on average, compared with 16% for those with higher incomes.

    That leaves them with less money for other essentials such as food and housing. About 1 in 4 of the people we surveyed said they spent less on food to cover their expenses associated with their disability.

    And about 2 in 3 of the people we surveyed said they frequently go without goods and services they need, including medical care, assistive technologies and transportation to get to school or go to work.

    Why it matters

    Cost-of-living issues rank at the top of all Americans’ concerns, according to a recent Gallup survey. And people with disabilities, including those with physical or mental health conditions, tend to have more trouble making ends meet than the average person.

    That includes the roughly 7 million Americans with blindness or vision loss who are among the more than 1 in 4 people in this country with a disability.

    One reason for the higher costs of living is that people with disabilities tend to incur many other extra expenses, such as spending more on transportation, prepared foods and grocery delivery services. Others struggle to afford the prescription and over-the-counter drugs and supplements they need.

    Politicians and policymakers appear to be paying more attention to this problem, which my research team calls the “disability squeeze.” Vice President Kamala Harris, for example, announced in October 2024 a proposal to expand Medicare to cover the long-term care needs for older adults and people with disabilities.

    Denise Chamberlin and her guide dog, Ridley, emerge from a Toronto subway station.
    AP Photo/Business Wire

    What still isn’t known

    Our survey included 288 people with blindness or low vision. Studies with larger numbers of participants could greatly expand upon what’s known about this problem and what can be done about it.

    Expanding accessible public transit, making assistive technologies more affordable and increasing disability benefits might be enough for some people with disabilities to have an opportunity to thrive, but not for others.

    Future research could shed a brighter light on the cracks in the U.S. health and social welfare systems. For example, researchers could look into why people with health insurance from Medicaid or Medicare told us they had more unmet needs rather than fewer than those with coverage through private insurers. Other studies could examine how the disability squeeze affects the health and employment of people with disabilities over the long term.

    The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.

    Zachary Morris’ research presented here is funded from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents of this survey do not necessarily represent the policy of the federal government or any government agency.

    – ref. People with blindness and low vision are squeezed by high costs of living − new research – https://theconversation.com/people-with-blindness-and-low-vision-are-squeezed-by-high-costs-of-living-new-research-241752

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Religion in the workplace is tricky – but employers and employees both lose when it becomes a total taboo

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Christopher P. Scheitle, Associate Professor of Sociology, West Virginia University

    Many offices make a point to celebrate diversity, but what does that look like when it comes to faith? FatCamera/E+ via Getty Images

    Since we spend so much of our lives at our jobs, it’s only natural that conversations with colleagues go beyond the work in front of us. People share interests and hobbies, family struggles, health concerns, and hopes or goals, from the silly to the serious.

    The topic of religion, however, can provoke anxiety. Many people might second what the Muslim CEO of a technology company told us: “If you want to express faith, do it! Just do it on your own time.” Uncertainty surrounding religion’s role in the workplace tends to lead to silence. Even among researchers who study workplaces, religion is often ignored.

    Yet for many people, faith is a core component of their identity – part of the “whole self” that employees are increasingly encouraged to bring to work. It’s an important piece of diversity but one that managers often tiptoe around. And for many Americans, faith is part of why they show up at their job each day: 1 in 5 consider their work a spiritual calling.

    We are social scientists who spent the past five years conducting research on the role of faith at work. Our findings – from more than 15,000 surveys with a nationally representative population, and nearly 300 in-depth interviews with some of those workers – confirm that there are many challenges when religion comes into the workplace. However, the costs of ignoring or suppressing workers’ faith often exceed those risks and challenges.

    Conflict and discrimination

    The most common concern we heard about bringing up religion in the workplace is that it will lead to conflict – including conflict from people trying to change each other’s beliefs. A Catholic woman who works in eldercare told us, “I think we shouldn’t talk about religion at work because that’s when the problems arise. I’m going to defend what I think, and they will defend what they think, their way of being, their religion.”

    Several other people we interviewed also expressed concerns that some forms of religious expression could make people uncomfortable, or even turn into harassment. A nonreligious security guard noted that during Christmas and Easter some of his Christian co-workers will say, “‘God bless,’ ‘Let’s pray,’ and stuff like that. It becomes very uneasy for me, uncomfortable.”

    Asking workers to bottle up their faith when they start the workday may seem like the easiest way to avoid these problems. Some workers we interviewed agreed with this sentiment. As one Muslim federal employee told us, “If I wear my religion as a badge on my shoulder, it will rub somebody the wrong way. So, why do that?”

    What’s more, silence around religion may seem like a neutral request. If no one expresses their faith, after all, then no one can be discriminated against, no one can be offended, and no one is seen as getting special treatment for their religious beliefs.

    Not so neutral

    There are a few problems with this logic, however.

    First, employers are legally required to provide reasonable accommodations tied to workers’ religion. Under most conditions, this includes things such as providing time off for religious observances. It also generally includes accommodating dress and grooming practices tied to one’s religion, such as wearing Sikh turbans or Christian crosses.

    What’s more, vague expectations about not acknowledging faith at work aren’t necessarily so neutral and often tend to disproportionately harm minority groups.

    In our survey, we asked individuals whether they “conceal their religious beliefs at work for fear of others’ perceptions.” Nineteen percent of Jewish workers, 51% of Hindus, 29% of Muslims and 28% of Buddhists said they did. By contrast, only 9% of evangelical Protestants, 15% of nonevangelical Protestants and 13% of Catholics reported that they conceal their faith at work.

    A Jewish project manager at an engineering firm told us how she has tried to conceal her faith from others: “The times that I did have to pray, I actually walked outside into a closed corner in the hallway to do it.”

    In the same survey, we asked individuals if they “have been treated unfairly” at work due to their “religion or non-religion.” Overall, 31% of U.S. adults agreed, and such experiences are most common among Muslim and Jewish workers.

    One Muslim woman we interviewed described how her colleagues made life extremely difficult for her, calling her names that were derisive, and said she’s received little support from her employer. Indeed, during one meeting her boss “got up and talked a lot about me being Muslim, and it was all negative.”

    Satisfaction and belonging

    Whether their co-workers or managers like it, many U.S. adults do see their work and faith as interwoven.

    One of our surveys, for example, asked workers whether they “turn to faith for support through stressful times in their work life.” Nearly half agreed.

    For many Americans, faith is also part of why they do their work in the first place. According to another one of our surveys, 20% of U.S. adults “see their work as a spiritual calling.” This percentage is higher among certain groups, such as evangelical Protestants and Muslims: 33% and 30%, respectively. Viewing work in spiritual terms is also more likely among women, at 24%, and Black workers, at 31%.

    And it is not just workers in explicitly religious jobs who view their work this way. One marine biologist explained to us, “I think that all truth is from God and, as a scientist, I try to understand and reveal the truth of how the world works.”

    Importantly, our research finds that individuals who feel a sense of spiritual connection to their work report greater job satisfaction, find more meaning in their work and better manage negative experiences they encounter in the workplace.

    Social science research has found that people’s well-being, social interactions and performance are harmed when they feel the need to suppress an important part of themselves within a group or organization. In other words, everyone suffers when individuals are not allowed to bring their whole selves to work.

    Welcome at work

    Despite such evidence, our research finds that many organizations are not taking even basic steps to accommodate individuals’ religious lives.

    In one survey, we asked workers whether their “workplace provides accommodations that allow people to practice their religion.” Almost one-fifth of workers disagreed. This percentage was highest among Muslim workers: 54%.

    Workers appreciate when their employers take active steps to let employees know that religious accommodations are available and that religious expression in general is not forbidden. Having upfront conversations about what is or is not appropriate – not only legally but socially – can go a long way toward setting boundaries.

    A Muslim optometry technician we interviewed, for example, recounted how appreciative she was when her boss told her, “If you ever do prayers or anything, feel free to go to that room – it can be your space, you can leave your mat in there.”

    Ideally, however, organizations would take active steps to establish and communicate policies to all employees, rather than reacting to situations as they arise.

    While we recognize the challenges when it comes to addressing individuals’ faith in the workplace, proactively engaging in conversations about the appropriate role of religion at work is better for workers and workplaces.

    Christopher P. Scheitle receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation.

    Denise Daniels receives funding from the Lilly Endowment.

    Elaine Howard Ecklund receives funding from the Templeton Religion Trust and the Lilly Endowment.

    – ref. Religion in the workplace is tricky – but employers and employees both lose when it becomes a total taboo – https://theconversation.com/religion-in-the-workplace-is-tricky-but-employers-and-employees-both-lose-when-it-becomes-a-total-taboo-239996

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What the presidential candidates have done − and where they stand − on education

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Robert Shand, Assistant Professor of Education, American University

    Donald Trump and Kamala Harris present dueling platforms for U.S. education. Getty Images

    When it comes to education policy, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris not only have mostly distinct visions but also distinct track records.

    Harris is calling for a wider role for the federal government and larger investment to improve educational opportunities. Trump is focused on reducing the federal role in education and relying upon states, localities and parents to make educational decisions and investments.

    At the same time, there are some commonalities, including the growing importance of career and technical education. What follows is a review of what the two candidates have done in the world of education while in office.

    On higher education

    The candidates share a concern about the high cost of higher education. But they have different visions for how to address those costs. As California’s attorney general, Harris secured a US$1.1 billion judgment against Corinthian Colleges for false advertising. The judgment provides refunds for students who were misled by claims about job placement rates, program offerings and military affiliations.

    Whereas Harris has pursued for-profit colleges for fraud, Trump has focused on promoting innovation by reducing regulation and expanding alternatives to traditional higher education. This includes making it easier for online, faith-based and for-profit institutions to be accredited.

    As part of the Biden administration, Harris has pursued student loan debt forgiveness. She has also strongly signaled her support for expanding access to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. This follows her having co-sponsored legislation for debt-free college as a United States senator.

    The administration has faced challenges to the constitutionality of the loan forgiveness initiative on the grounds that the president does not have the authority under present law to unilaterally cancel debt. Opponents have also said any debt forgiveness would have to be authorized by Congress. Critics say further that loan forgiveness does not address the root causes of rising costs of higher education. Loan forgiveness could cause further price increases if institutions thought that students would care less about the cost of college in anticipation of having their debt forgiven.

    Trump created two entities to advise the federal government on workforce development and training needs: a council of federal officials and an advisory board of business leaders.

    In 2019, Trump signed a bipartisan bill to make permanent $250 million in annual federal funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or HBCUs, that was previously subject to annual renewal.

    Harris has called for reducing degree requirements for federal jobs. She also promoted job training programs as an alternative to incarceration in her Back on Track initiative as attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017.

    As attorney general and then a U.S. senator from California, she called for greater oversight of advertising by for-profit colleges and debt forgiveness for former students of for-profit colleges. She also supported expanding federal aid to public and nonprofit colleges, including free community colleges and large grants to HBCUs.

    On K-12 education

    The 2024 Trump campaign platform calls for sweeping changes to K-12 education policy. This includes universal school choice and more parental control over schools, which would entail allowing parents across the country to use educational funds to pay for private school through vouchers or tax credits if they chose. It also features a drastically reduced federal role in education. In fact, Trump wants to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education. Many of these plans, such as direct election of school principals by parents, are unlikely to come to fruition due to the fact that schools in the United States are mainly under state and local control.

    Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, Trump expanded college savings 529 plans to allow parents to save up to $10,000 per year tax-free for K-12 private school tuition.

    While president, Trump made several other proposals that could foreshadow his future plans. These proposals include creating a $5 billion federal tax credit for private school tuition, cutting the budget for the U.S. Department of Education in annual budget requests and turning the Title I allocation for supplemental services for students in poverty, such as smaller classes or tutoring, into a block grant to states.

    The Biden administration has sought to expand federal funding for full-service community schools.
    Full-service community schools are public schools that receive additional funding and staffing to help address the academic needs of students as well as factors outside of school, such as access to health care and healthy food, that affect learning.

    The Biden administration also expanded Title IX gender discrimination protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

    As a candidate for the presidential nomination in 2019, Vice President Harris also called for federal funding to provide teachers with an average of a $13,500 raise, though she has not made a similar call in this campaign.

    As California attorney general, Harris made reducing chronic absenteeism a signature issue when she led the In School and On Track anti-truancy initiative. This initiative included additional funding to districts and schools to use data to better understand and monitor absenteeism and to communicate with parents about the importance of school attendance.

    The data and communication-focused approach was an evolution from her initial approach as San Francisco district attorney, which placed more emphasis on prosecuting parents for truancy.

    On early childhood learning

    Neither Trump nor Harris has a significant record of tangible actions when it comes to early childhood education. Project 2025, which Trump has disavowed but was written by close allies of the former president, calls for eliminating Head Start, a federally funded, locally run, early childhood learning program to support low-income families.

    Although Trump made several similar proposals to cut funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant by about 5%, they were not passed into law by Congress.

    Harris has made calls for free, universal prekindergarten for all 4-year-olds, but the Biden administration was not able to get its early childhood proposals through Congress.

    More recent studies of some universal pre-K programs have raised questions about how long the academic gains from early childhood programs persist. On net, however, the evidence from the highest-quality studies for high-quality early childhood programs in general, and the Head Start program in particular, suggests that they improve cognitive skills among children.

    Robert Shand does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. What the presidential candidates have done − and where they stand − on education – https://theconversation.com/what-the-presidential-candidates-have-done-and-where-they-stand-on-education-239555

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Scholar’s new rap album seeks to turn the tables on the ‘masters’ from the Old South

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By A.D. Carson, Associate Professor of Hip-Hop, University of Virginia

    Could the path to the Ph.D. run through the recording studio? Ratchapon Supprasert via iStock / Getty Images Plus

    Usually when a rap artist comes out with a new album, it’s released by a record label as part of their career as an entertainer. For Dr. A.D. Carson, a professor of hip-hop at the University of Virginia, his latest album – “Owning My Masters (Mastered): The Rhetorics of Rhymes & Revolutions” – represents a capstone in his academic career.

    Published and released in October 2024 by University of Michigan Press, the album and digital archive features two volumes of hip-hop music, an annotated timeline, several videos and a digital book. The album – originally submitted to Clemson University in South Carolina as Carson’s doctoral dissertation – has been mastered. In the following interview with The Conversation U.S., Carson explains the significance of the project and what it means for hip-hop in the world of academe.

    ‘Owning My Masters’ seems like a deep play on words. Is it?

    Yes. The Latin word “magister” was used to describe a master or teacher in ancient Rome. I earned a master’s degree before enrolling in my doctoral program, so I own that. People probably know that the final step in the process of composing an album is called mastering. In that process, a master version of the recording is created. This is what gets duplicated and released on streaming services, vinyl or whatever way you receive music.

    It’s not always guaranteed that an artist owns the rights to those recordings, but I own all of my music.

    Also, the album was written in South Carolina at Clemson University, which is located on a former plantation owned by the slaveholding U.S. politician John C. Calhoun. Buildings there are named for people who had owned, enslaved and trafficked people; fought in the Civil War to preserve the right to traffic people; and lynched Black people. Earning a terminal degree from a place with that kind of reprehensible history seemed like a way to figuratively own those so-called slave masters and so-called masters and teachers.

    Who is your audience for this album?

    I’m always thinking about multiple audiences. For lovers of hip-hop, the album demonstrates the power and promise I feel listening to albums that have influenced me. For academics, I believe it is the future of research. Academic credentials have been used by folks to perpetuate the idea that expertise looks and sounds a certain way, and this project infiltrates that system to disprove that idea.

    If you’re interested in learning about hip-hop, academia and how arguments are made, the album can be instructive, challenging, entertaining and educational.

    The album had to pass through a doctoral dissertation defense committee and then academic peer review. But before then, I posted drafts on SoundCloud to get feedback from regular folks who use that site to listen to new music.

    What kind of themes does the album address?

    My Ph.D. is in rhetorics, communication and information designs, so it’s also about rap rhetorics – including emphasis on the local and how hip-hop can preserve information like histories and counter-histories.

    Since I had moved to Clemson, and was feeling anxiety about leaving home in Illinois, I wrote “Dissertation (Part 1: The Introduction)” early on in the process. And because I lived in that South Carolina college town, “See the Stripes” is a song about Clemson’s history and its present. The song and its video moved through Clemson’s communities, but then, as protests were happening on campuses across the world, it found national and global audiences with whom the subject matter resonates. When students were finally able to get Calhoun’s name removed from the honors college in 2020, they acknowledged their work was continuing efforts since “See the Stripes.”

    More generally, the album is about form and content. With its form, it demonstrates knowledge production using hip-hop creative and compositional practice. The contents interrogate ideas of home, history, historical imagination, citizenship, political contradictions, race and humanness.

    The album is presented in chronological order from the time I arrived on campus in 2013 until I finished my coursework and submitted the 34-song project to my dissertation committee.

    Owning My Masters (Mastered) Vol. One by A.D. Carson

    Owning My Masters (Mastered) Vol. Two by A.D. Carson

    How would you measure its success?

    I would say earning a Ph.D., earning tenure and having the album count as my academic work qualify as success. Those are things that sound kind of selfish, but I think are incredibly significant for hip-hop and for the ways we think about expertise and success in the culture.

    To me, success is being able to make a living creating challenging and thought-provoking music that doesn’t have to abide by traditional notions of success like sales charts or commercial music awards. I also measure success by the inquiries and applications of students who want to do similar kinds of critical thinking and making. When those people are able to launch and sustain careers, that’s a measure of success in my eyes as well.

    Why haven’t we seen more albums in academia?

    Change in academia comes at a glacial pace, it seems.

    Audiences associate expertise, especially regarding subjects that are considered academic, with how people have demonstrated their understanding of the matters in writing, like traditional theses, dissertations, books and essays. I believe this is connected to the histories in the U.S. that link credibility with formal education and literacy. This is difficult to separate from the history of Black folks being legally prohibited from learning to read.

    While music has long been one of the ways information is recorded and passed from one generation to the next, in my experience, music itself is still not taken as seriously as a form of scholarship as writing books or essays about music.

    These previously excluded forms of scholarship can change the ways people regard academia. In my mind, music sits alongside other scholarly forms that emphasize academic prose. I believe universities should make space and resources available for students to explore it the same way. More generally, I think citing more albums as scholarship – the same way journal articles and academic monographs are cited – would also be transformative.

    A.D. Carson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Scholar’s new rap album seeks to turn the tables on the ‘masters’ from the Old South – https://theconversation.com/scholars-new-rap-album-seeks-to-turn-the-tables-on-the-masters-from-the-old-south-241895

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Head of the Kirov Military Medical Academy Evgeny Kryukov became an Honorary Doctor of the Polytechnic University

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    At the meeting of the Academic Council of the Polytechnic University on October 30, a ceremony was held to present the diploma and mantle of the Honorary Doctor of SPbPU to the head of the S. M. Kirov Military Medical Academy (VMedA), Lieutenant General of the Medical Service, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Evgeny Kryukov.

    The decision to award the honorary title to Evgeny Kryukov was made unanimously by the members of the Academic Councilmeeting on May 24 this year.

    Evgeny Vladimirovich graduated with a gold medal from the military medical faculty of the Gorky Medical Institute, served in the Black Sea Fleet as a doctor and head of the medical service of a submarine. He was a senior resident and head of the therapeutic department, chief therapist, and since 2009 – head of the Naval Hospital named after Academician N. I. Pirogov. From 2014 to 2020, he headed the Main Military Clinical Hospital named after Academician N. N. Burdenko. In 2020, he was appointed to the post of head of the Military Medical Academy named after S. M. Kirov.

    Evgeny Vladimirovich is a legendary man who has visited all the hot spots, a doctor with a capital letter. In our difficult times, he heads the Military Medical Academy named after Sergei Mironovich Kirov, famous for the names of outstanding scientists and healers. It is the highest honor for us to accept you, Evgeny Vladimirovich, into our ranks as an Honorary Doctor of the Polytechnic University, – the rector of SPbPU, chairman of the St. Petersburg branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences Andrei Rudskoy opened the ceremony.

    The new Honorary Doctor of the University was presented by the University Scientific Secretary Dmitry Karpov: Today, the large family of Polytechnicians welcomes a man for whom caring for the lives of others has become his life’s work. Often, saving lives. Evgeny Vladimirovich is a military doctor: from the Crimean Medical Institute and the Military Medical Faculty of the Gorky Medical Institute, which he graduated with honors, to the title of Honored Doctor of Russia and veteran of military service. Evgeny Vladimirovich is a scientist: since 1994 – Candidate of Medical Sciences, since 2004 – Doctor of Sciences, since 2016 – Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the Department of Medical Sciences, since 2022 – Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the specialty of “military field therapy”. The author of more than six hundred scientific papers, prepared eleven candidates and doctors of science.

    Dmitry Karpov noted that Evgeny Kryukov contributed to the formation of a system for providing troops in armed conflicts, the creation of principles for interaction between military and civilian healthcare, and the adjustment of the scientific process to the needs of the army and navy.

    Dmitry Anatolyevich also said that Yevgeny Vladimirovich made a significant contribution to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and participated in the trials of the Sputnik V vaccine. As the head of the Main Military Clinical Hospital at the time, Yevgeny Kryukov put on a protective suit and carried out procedures in the red zone himself to understand the operating conditions of medical personnel. For his dedicated work during the pandemic, he received the specially established Pirogov Order. Yevgeny Vladimirovich’s awards also include the Certificate of Honor of the President of the Russian Federation (2021), the Order of Honor (2022) and “For Military Merit” (2024).

    Evgeny Kryukov significantly strengthened the ties of the Military Medical Academy with the Russian Academy of Sciences and relevant international organizations. In conclusion of the presentation, Dmitry Karpov expressed confidence that such a connection will also be strengthened with the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.

    After all the welcoming words, the rector of the Polytechnic gave the command: Bring in the Honorary Doctorate Diploma, the mantle and the medal!

    According to tradition, the doctoral gown and cap were brought into the hall of the Academic Council by students dressed in the uniform of polytechnics of the early 20th century. The ceremony was accompanied by the Gaudeamus anthem performed by the Polyhymnia choir. Yevgeny Vladimirovich was also presented with a book about the Honorary Doctors of the Polytechnic — his page is already in it.

    In his response, Evgeny Kryukov thanked the members of the Academic Council for the honor of being elected as an Honorary Doctor of the country’s leading engineering university.

    Our cooperation in medicine dates back about sixty years, when the Department of Biophysics was created at the Polytechnic University. In 1997, the outstanding professor of the Military Medical Academy Vladimir Olegovich Samoilov headed the faculty of medical physics at your university, – said Evgeny Vladimirovich. – Over this time, more than a hundred people have been awarded the high honor of becoming Honorary Doctors of the Polytechnic University, mainly representatives of engineering and exact sciences. Today’s event is especially valuable for me, because for the first time a doctor has been elected Honorary Doctor of the Polytechnic University. First of all, this is, of course, the merit of scientific schools, professors of the Military Medical Academy, the merit of all military medicine. Your decision demonstrates the unity of science, the army and society. Probably, it was this unity that allowed our country to win victories over enemies in all historical periods, preserve its cultural identity and gave a powerful incentive to the scientific and technical development of the country. It is symbolic that this event is taking place on the eve of the great holiday of National Unity Day.

    At the end of the ceremony, the rector of the Polytechnic invited Evgeny Kryukov, as an Honorary Doctor, to support the tradition and give a lecture to the students.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: ChargeUp Accelerator for Battery Startups Opens Application Period for Cohort 2

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BINGHAMTON, N.Y., Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — New Energy New York (NENY) has opened applications for the second cohort of ChargeUp. The six-month accelerator program is designed to support startups working on battery innovations to help them advance their technology development and their business. Early-stage U.S. companies that are working on battery innovations anywhere in the supply chain are encouraged to apply. Companies accepted into the accelerator will receive $25,000, connections to investors, and opportunities for follow-on investment, including up to $100,000 in vouchers for technical development. Each month, participation in the Binghamton-based accelerator includes one week of in-person instructional workshops and regional tours of supply chain partners and three weeks of virtual activities, such as instruction provided by industry and business experts, pitch coaching, regional showcases, and building out each company’s data room so they are ready for investment.

    The program follows the success of the inaugural cohort of companies that includes Ateios Systems, Fermi Energy, MITO Materials and Standard Potential.

    “ChargeUp stands as a flagship accelerator for battery startup companies. Completing the program, we emerged with significant tasks ahead but equipped with essential know-how. Additionally, the ChargeUp network proved tremendously beneficial, enabling us to establish pivotal business relationships. I strongly recommend this program to any battery startup considering joining an accelerator to enhance their growth and success,” said Ray Xu, Co-Founder and CTO of Fermi Energy.

    The initiative is part of a $4.5 million grant awarded to NextCorps from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF-2334103) to test an accelerator model focused on technology commercialization for early-stage, deep-tech businesses, and strengthen economic development within region-specific technology hubs located across the U.S. The accelerator is based on curriculum and learnings from two of NextCorps’ proven accelerators: Luminate, the world’s largest accelerator for startups developing technologies enabled by optics, photonics and imaging, and the Manufacturing Accelerator, which helps early-stage companies reduce the risk, waste, and cost associated with getting hardware from prototype to mass production. The methodology used by both programs leverages university, community, and industrial involvement to guide and speed the delivery of emerging technologies.

    ChargeUp will follow a similar format, and will be run by Binghamton University’s Koffman Southern Tier Incubator. During the program, companies will receive over 200 hours of curriculum that will prepare them to become investment-ready by mastering business due diligence, design for manufacturing, complex supply chains, product pricing, and other topics. The accelerator also will connect them to resources within the region’s rapidly growing battery industry cluster, which has been federally designated as a battery tech hub, and New York State’s efforts to pioneer critical energy storage technologies through the NENY project.

    “The Binghamton region and our network of partners are internationally recognized for its expertise in energy storage. This accelerator will continue to attract the best startups and talent to the region, and connect them to the benchmark assets and expertise available here to change the trajectory of their business and technology commercialization. We had a very successful inaugural cohort and plan to build off the first year of running this program,” said Bandhana Katoch, Assistant Vice President, Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Partnership at Binghamton University.

    Since 2017, the Southern Tier Clean Energy Incubator program has fostered over 60 startup companies. Binghamton University, through its Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Partnerships, is leading the NENY initiative, with the cornerstone project, Battery-NY, for the development of a battery technology and prototyping center in the Southern Tier of NY.

    Startups applying to ChargeUp must be incorporated, have at least two people working full time on the business, and should have proven their core technology, preferably having developed a working prototype. ChargeUp Cohort 2 begins in April 2025 and concludes in October 2025. Virtual info sessions will be held November 13 and December 10, 2024 and on January 8, 2025, to help companies assess if the program is right for their business.

    To apply to ChargeUp, go here.

    “Our world is facing energy storage issues that are affecting almost every industry. Testing our proven accelerator methodologies within battery innovation to solve these pressing challenges, and doing so within a rich, industry-leading battery ecosystem makes perfect sense,” said Dr. Sujatha Ramanujan, Managing Director, Luminate NY. “We’re eager to support the ChargeUp accelerator and to assess the impact it has on improving success rates for bringing novel technologies to market.”

    For more information on ChargeUp, visit https://newenergynewyork.com/programs/chargeup-accelerator/

    For more information about Binghamton University’s Koffman Southern Tier Incubator, visit thekoffman.com.

    For more information on NextCorps, visit nextcorps.org.

    For more information about Binghamton’s New Energy New York initiative, go to newenergynewyork.com.

    For more information about NSF grants, visit nsf.gov.

    Media Contact
    Kari Bayait
    kbayait@binghamton.edu
    607-725-5975

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9af0d78d-54d3-4f3b-8e9c-da6eedf25490

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Oxford set to mark Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day

    Source: City of Oxford

    Oxford will remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice to secure and protect our freedom at Remembrance services next week.

    Remembrance Sunday 

    The Lord Mayor of Oxford, Councillor Mike Rowley, in partnership with the Oxford City branch of the Royal British Legion, is set to host a Remembrance Sunday service at the War Memorial in St Giles’ on Sunday 10 November. The Lord Mayor will be joined by military units, uniformed organisations, community groups, civic dignitaries, residents and visitors from across the county to mark Remembrance Sunday. 

    Remembrance Sunday takes place on the second Sunday in November and honours those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to secure and protect our freedom. Military units, organisations and community groups will gather for 10am at the junction of Beaumont Street and St Giles’. They will then march up St Giles’ from 10.30am. 

    The service will start at 10.45am, with a two minute silence at 11am. 

    Comment 

    “Every year Oxford observes Remembrance Sunday to commemorate those who have lost their lives in war and conflict. In this 80th anniversary year of D-Day, we think of the sacrifices that were made to free Europe from the most murderous of tyrannies, honour all who defend us today, and recommit ourselves to the pursuit of peace here and throughout the world.” 
    The Lord Mayor of Oxford, Councillor Mike Rowley 

    The order of service is: 

    • Welcome: Councillor Mike Rowley, Lord Mayor of Oxford, and The Revd Anthony Buckley, City Rector 

    • Hymn: Abide With Me 

    • The Last Post, the Great Silence and the Reveille: Phil King, Bugle Major of the Quirinus Band & Bugle Corps 2011 e.V. 

    • The National Anthem 

    Representatives from Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Thames Valley Police, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, the University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University, Help for Heroes, and Oxford’s twin cities will be present. If members of the public require British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation, the interpreter will be located on the junction of St Giles and Woodstock Road to the west of the dais. 

    Members of the public are welcome to put tributes on the monument before the service. 

    Armistice Day 

    There will be a service marking Armistice Day on Monday 11 November, starting at 10.55am, on the landing area at the top of the stairs in Oxford Town Hall. The service will be led by the Lord Mayor and all are welcome to attend. There will be a two-minute silence at 11am. 

    Wreath laying at Leiden Square, Westgate 

    A wreath laying ceremony by the Oxford-Leiden twin city link group will take place in Leiden Square, Westgate Oxford, on Saturday 9 November. The Lord Mayor of Oxford will be in attendance. The Oxford-Leiden link was Oxford’s first twin link and was established immediately after the Second World War in 1946. 

    Flying the flag 

    The Royal British Legion flag will be flown above Oxford Town Hall in the run up to Remembrance Sunday from Monday 4 November to 10 November, when the flag will be changed over to the Union Jack on Sunday 10 November until after King Charles III birthday on 14 November. 

    Road closures and parking suspension will be in place from 12.01am to 2pm on Sunday 10 November as follows: 

    • The pavement on Banbury Road, opposite the war memorial, will be closed. Members of the public are advised to follow pedestrian diversions or use Woodstock Road 

    • Keble Road 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Murphy Announces Kate McDonnell as Chief Counsel

    Source: US State of New Jersey

    TRENTON – Governor Phil Murphy today announced that Kate McDonnell, currently serving as Deputy Commissioner for the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, will be his next Chief Counsel. McDonnell will assume the role in mid-November following the departure of Parimal Garg, who is leaving to pursue an opportunity in private practice.

    “I am thrilled to welcome Kate McDonnell back to the Governor’s Office as my new Chief Counsel,” said Governor Murphy. “Her decades of service to the Garden State and her strong background in public policy demonstrate the ideal skillset to excel in this role. I look forward to working alongside Kate as we continue working to advance the goals of our Administration and build a stronger, fairer New Jersey.”

    “I want to thank Governor Murphy for his confidence in me, and for giving me the opportunity to serve as his next Chief Counsel,” said incoming Chief Counsel Kate McDonnell. “I would also like to thank Parimal Garg for his valuable support over the years and through this transition. I look forward to returning to the Governor’s Office and continuing to build upon the great work and tremendous accomplishments of the Murphy Administration.”

    “I served with Kate McDonnell in the Governor’s Counsel’s Office for five years, and continued to work with her as she assumed senior roles in the Attorney General’s Office and the Department of Community Affairs,” said outgoing Chief Counsel Parimal Garg. “Kate is brilliant, deeply versed in public policy, and the consummate team player. Her entire career has been dedicated to public service and her contributions to this state are already immeasurable. I know Kate will do an outstanding job as Governor Murphy’s chief counsel and solidify the Murphy Administration’s legacy of historic achievements.”

    Kate McDonnell first began her career in public service in 2006, serving the New Jersey Assembly Democratic Office for nearly 12 years, including nine years as General Counsel under Speakers Joe Roberts, Sheila Oliver, and Vincent Prieto.

    Following Governor Murphy’s inauguration in 2018, McDonnell served for nearly five years as his Deputy Chief Counsel and then later Senior Deputy Chief Counsel.

    In November 2022, McDonnell took on the role of Chief Counsel to New Jersey’s Attorney General Matt Platkin. In January 2024, McDonnell moved to the Department of Community Affairs to serve as Deputy Commissioner under Commissioner Jacquelyn Suarez.

    McDonnell received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame, magna cum laude, and earned her Juris Doctor from Rutgers School of Law, Camden. She also holds a Master’s degree from Rutgers New Brunswick’s Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Africa’s flagship universities have a proud history – but are they serving local communities?

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By James Ransom, Researcher: societal challenges, UCL

    Universities play a number of crucial roles in society. They educate students, research solutions to problems and serve as spaces for national debate. This is especially true for large public institutions, often referred to as flagship universities. A number were launched with great fanfare around the time of a country’s independence from colonial rule. They were tasked with driving national development by training skilled graduates to fill workforce gaps and conducting applied research to address societal challenges. Many have done well in their historic national missions. But how are they performing today when it comes to serving their local communities?

    Higher education researcher James Ransom set out to answer this question in his new book, Revisiting Africa’s Flagship Universities: Local, National and International Dynamics. He analysed local engagement at ten African flagship universities: Ethiopia’s University of Addis Ababa; Makerere University in Uganda; the universities of Ghana, Namibia, Rwanda, Mauritius, Zambia and Zimbabwe; the University of Cape Town in South Africa and Nigeria’s University of Ibadan. He tells The Conversation Africa what he learned.

    What is a flagship university?

    They are pillars of the nation: their campuses are intertwined with history as sites of protest and revolution; their researchers lead the way in publications and research; their students are tomorrow’s leaders.

    Sometimes there is one flagship in a country. Sometimes a country will be home to several. In Nigeria, the University of Ibadan is joined by the University of Nigeria at Nsukka.

    A map showing the ten flagship universities the author studied. Dr James Ransom, Author provided (no reuse)

    Small, specialist institutions and private universities all play important roles in national higher education systems. But flagships are the trendsetters. They often mentor new universities by seconding senior staff to lead them, and helping design the curricula. Their staff sit on government committees. They have international partnerships and projects.

    The term “flagship” has been used elsewhere in the world, not just in post-colonial countries. In the book I focused on Anglophone sub-Saharan Africa, including countries that were not traditional colonial states, such as Ethiopia.

    Read more: The untold story of how Africa’s flagship universities have advanced

    What made you write this book and why now?

    In the UK, where I live, we have seen a shift in the expectations placed upon universities.

    The “redbrick” universities, such as Birmingham and Liverpool, are a good example. They were founded in the 19th century to meet local needs. Then they developed strong global ambitions over the next hundred years, excelling in world-leading research and innovation.

    During the past couple of decades, the local question returned: what are you doing to serve your local community? The redbricks (and many others) have responded – nudged along by national policies and frameworks – with serious programmes of civic engagement. These include projects designed with communities, seconding staff into local planning organisations, and opening up their campuses to communities – from 5-a-side football pitches to photography exhibitions.

    The shift I witnessed in the UK, and mirrored in my work across Europe and Canada, made me wonder: has a similar shift, from a historic national mission to a local one, taken place for African universities?

    The question is timely. Societal challenges may be national or global in scale. But they need local knowledge and local partnerships to solve at the local level. This means universities working with local government, which is a key focus of my work. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has calculated that 100 of the 169 UN Sustainable Development Goal targets can only be achieved if local governments are involved. Universities can play an important supporting role.

    What did you find?

    It is clear that flagship universities’ local work is growing and will continue to grow. For instance, Addis Ababa University established a railway engineering centre to train engineers to maintain the city’s light rail transit system, with students employed by the Ethiopian Railway Corporation. The University of Ghana runs satellite campuses in all ten regional capitals. This allows it to reach remote areas and to establish a local presence in different regions.

    Successful projects often emerge from deep links with local communities. Ibadan has worked closely with a few communities over many decades. These “field laboratories” include a community health programme in the village of Ibarapa, which began in the early 1960s with funding from the Rockefeller Foundation and technical support from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

    The programme has trained hundreds of medical students in community medicine through practical work in rural areas, while also improving health services and conducting research on health issues in the Ibarapa community. An example is studying and addressing neglected tropical diseases such as onchocerciasis (river blindness) and guinea worm.

    In 2020 the University of Ibadan signed a memorandum of understanding with the local government on the Ibarapa programme. Over half a century after it began, local partnerships continue to sustain the programme.

    However, a national focus continues to dominate at all ten institutions I studied. This is perhaps best illustrated by the University of Rwanda. Local engagement activity is secondary to the nation’s development strategy spearheaded by its Vision 2050, an ambitious effort to become an upper-middle income country in the next 25 years.

    There is some local activity, of course. Students provide health services to the community, staff run community workshops on informal housing, and there are plans to open model farms to showcase irrigation and agricultural mechanisation. But all of this ultimately serves the national vision.

    Rwanda is a small country, but this finding – of national priorities dominating at the expense of local programmes – was consistent across all the flagships I studied, in large countries like Nigeria as well as in other small countries like Mauritius and Namibia.

    What can other universities on the continent learn from your findings?

    Flagships are complex institutions, with rich histories and often complicated relationships with government. They are survivors, skilled at balancing multiple roles. There is much that other universities can learn from flagships, and that flagships can learn from each other – and more of these partnerships are needed.

    But one senior staff member at a flagship university told me that many African university heads

    feel rather oppressed by the narratives from higher education leaders in other parts of the world

    They were talking about international benchmarking, unequal research partnerships, and models of “best practice”. These constrain the local role of flagships, creating identikit institutions. The result is a race to local irrelevance. Relevance can only emerge from an approach that reflects the local and national context.

    Universities that capture the work they do locally, effectively communicate this, and can demonstrate how it is relevant to society, will be in a good place to chart their own path as a pillar of the nation.

    – Africa’s flagship universities have a proud history – but are they serving local communities?
    – https://theconversation.com/africas-flagship-universities-have-a-proud-history-but-are-they-serving-local-communities-240813

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Mining must become more responsible and sustainable. Where hi-tech solutions fit in

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Rennie Naidoo, Professor of Information Systems, University of the Witwatersrand

    If you visit a commercial mining operation anywhere in the world today, some sights and sounds – workers descending in elevators to underground shafts, the roar of truck engines – will be much the same as they have been for decades.

    But, like many other industries, mining is changing. Digital mining involves the use of digital technologies to make mining operations more efficient, safer, and sustainable. This industry emerged about a decade ago and has developed quickly over the past few years. This uptick is the result of recent advances in sensor technology, data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI), including machine learning.

    However, while technology improves, old problems persist. Large-scale mining causes massive deforestation in regions like the Amazon. It also threatens and displaces communities, as in the case of Brazil’s Xikrin and Kayapó people. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the mining of cobalt, copper and coltan (all crucial for modern technology) contaminates local water supplies and puts workers – including children – in danger.

    Read more: What coltan mining in the DRC costs people and the environment

    Is it time to make mining obsolete? This is not a realistic solution, at least not in the near future. Many modern technologies, like smartphones, electric vehicles, solar panels and wind turbines, depend on minerals extracted through mining. The global move towards renewable energy and low-carbon technologies means demand for minerals like lithium and cobalt is rising.

    So, while mining has environmental costs, it’s also critical in the shift to a greener economy. And mining is economically important in many parts of the world. In African countries it supports millions of jobs and contributes significantly to GDP.

    This is why sustainable mining is crucial. I am a professor of information systems. I investigate the complex interactions between technology, people and organisations in achieving sustainability goals. In a recent paper with a co-author, I examined how digital technologies could help mining operations to balance economic objectives with environmental and social sustainability.

    The findings make it clear that digital technologies can transform mining practices and achieve sustainability goals at the same time.

    Economic outcomes

    Our paper took the form of a case study. We interviewed professionals from a leading digital mining solutions company. It has operations in South Africa, Australia, Brazil, Chile and the United States. The interviewees were engineers, senior managers and executives. They offered a glimpse into how their large-scale mining clients were using digital technologies like automated haul trucks and collision avoidance systems.

    We wanted to know how their clients saw the role of digital technology in balancing business and other goals. They outlined some successful cases and others where companies were struggling to align all their aims.

    It was clear that the company and its clients recognised the importance of safety and environmental issues in their work. But they saw these issues through the lens of business sustainability. For instance, while some mining companies pursued safety improvements, they did it primarily to boost productivity and bring down costs.

    One interviewee gave the example of collision avoidance systems. Companies valued these because they reduced downtime and improved productivity. They focused on immediate business needs.

    A balancing act

    It’s time for mining companies that are serious about sustainability to shift their focus. Rather than simply looking to make immediate profits, they need to consider environmental and social impacts – and the role digital technology can play.

    As a simple example, AI can predict when machinery is likely to fail. This allows companies to carry out timely maintenance. Equipment lifespan is extended. Downtime and repair costs are reduced. And worker safety is improved because there are fewer unexpected breakdowns. This is the kind of sustainable approach, underpinned by digital technology, that can help mining companies tick all the right boxes.

    Mining leaders must not exclude employees and stakeholders when considering these issues. Environmental advocates have a role to play, too: companies must work with these groups and with local communities. A shared understanding of how digital technologies can meet both financial and sustainability targets is key.

    Mining companies are more likely to change if there are clear financial benefits or penalties tied to sustainability. Governments can help by introducing stricter environmental regulations and offering incentives to adopt sustainable digital technologies. In South Africa, for instance, there are tax incentives and subsidies to encourage the use of renewable energy in mining. These measures, expanded recently in response to the country’s energy crisis, have sparked significant investment in solar power.

    Read more: Africa doesn’t have a choice between economic growth and protecting the environment: how they can go hand in hand

    When paired with digital monitoring systems, renewable energy solutions can enhance efficiency by optimising energy consumption and reducing carbon emissions. Technologies like AI-driven energy management systems can help mines integrate renewable sources with less energy wastage. Thus, tax breaks or subsidies for digital solutions that support green energy adoption could motivate companies to embrace greener and more tech-driven mining practices.

    Consumers and investors, meanwhile, should invest in those mining companies that demonstrate responsible practices. Ethical investment funds need to support companies with strong environmental, social, and governance credentials.

    – Mining must become more responsible and sustainable. Where hi-tech solutions fit in
    – https://theconversation.com/mining-must-become-more-responsible-and-sustainable-where-hi-tech-solutions-fit-in-240558

    MIL OSI Africa –