 A rendering of the planned library and housing project at 55 Hudson St. in Chinatown – credit, Stantec Set to begin development in Boston’s historic Chinatown, an affordable housing complex will perch atop a branch of the Boston Public Library system. It’s been 60 years since Chinatown had a BPL branch, and activists see it as the full-circle closure of a saga that began when it lost that branch all those years ago. Demolished as part of a plan to thread Interstate 93 through town, the Chinatown library was located on Tyler St., near stretches of brick rowhouses inhabited by immigrants. A temporary library was opened nearby. The rowhouses were demolished as part of an urban renewal project around the same time, which drove up rents and forced many residents to relocate to cheaper neighborhoods. Now however, the interstate artery was demolished in 2008, and since 2021, the city has aimed at following New York City and Chicago’s lead of building affordable housing atop libraries—a community service at the very feet of the community that uses it. “Families who live here will not only have affordable homes, they will also have a library just steps away, a place for children to learn, for elders to connect, for workers and students to find opportunity and to do so in community together,” said BPL President David Leonard, according to the Boston Globe. Designed by Italian architecture firm Stantec, the 12-story mixed-use development project on 55 Hudson St. will include rental and subsidized condominium units on the top 10 floors. “Seventy years ago, Hudson Street was a vibrant and tightknit immigrant community,” said Angie Liou, executive director of the Asian Community Development Corporation. “If it were not for the organizing of long time activists … we would not have reclaimed these parcels for community uses.” Furthermore, BPL’s West End branch, on Cambridge Street near Mass. General Hospital, will be built over with an additional 13 floors containing 111 apartments. “An essential function of modern libraries is to be a gathering space for residents of the neighborhoods we’re in,” Leonard said in 2023. “By building housing and libraries together, we’re dramatically improving the overall benefit that we’re having on the community.”Upham’s Corner is the third library location being proposed. Boston to Open Series of Affordable Housing Developments Atop City's Public Libraries |
Boston to Open Series of Affordable Housing Developments Atop City's Public Libraries (2025-09-24T11:39:00+05:30)
Stylish Prefab Home Can Be ‘Dropped’ into Flooded Areas or Anywhere Housing is Needed (2025-09-17T13:25:00+05:30)
 Drop Pod tiny homes – Courtesy of Inspiral Architecture and Design StudiosCreated for our changing climate and rising sea levels, architects in the island nation of Indonesia designed the Drop Pod, a modular structure that is “quick to distribute and easy to install.” The futuristic prefabricated homes developed by Inspiral Architecture and Design Studios are designed to be both stylish and expandable, with the ability to be placed on a variety of terrain and deployed rapidly. “Whether it’s an urban area in a wealthy country or a developing country battling climate change, the Drop Pod provides the solution,” says the company’s website. “Nowadays, we see ourselves more and more confronted with issues of constant population growth and major changes in our climate.” For decades, sea levels have risen about 8 millimeters per year, according to a video report shot in Indonesia by Al Jazeera. This has caused major flooding and tidal surges that have consumed thousands of homes. Drop Pod saw the need for a house that is quick to distribute and easy to install. Their goal was to provide a tiny house that is both user and environmentally friendly.  Courtesy of Inspiral Architecture and Design Studios Courtesy of Inspiral Architecture and Design Studios“The design provides a quality space that can be built in one week,” claims the firm. And, the stone foundation, which elevates the home above potential floodwaters also allows the structure to be placed on sloped terrain with ease.  Inspiral Architecture and Design StudiosThe shell of the structure stands on a footing of 1.2 meters high (about 4 feet), allowing for flood resistance and is easy to add-on additional wings for more space. Despite its diminutive size, the home emits a light and airy feeling with its light wood finish and mirrored wall. Built-in shelving helps solve storage issues, while steps lead to a bedroom loft overlooking the living space. The glass front can be fitted with large curtains to provide privacy. The bathroom and bedroom follows the same principle, combining practical layouts with design detail such as rounded windows and integrated cabinetry.  Courtesy of Inspiral Architecture and Design StudiosThe first Drop Pod prototype has been installed in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, and, if nothing else, it shows us that “prefab doesn’t have to mean boring”. We’ve reached out to Inspiral to inquire about the price, because it’s not listed online. See more photos of the home on their website… Stylish Prefab Home Can Be ‘Dropped’ into Flooded Areas or Anywhere Housing is Needed |
CES 2025: AI-powered tech to dominate world's biggest electronics trade show (2025-06-14T11:38:00+05:30)
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What’s the difference between probiotics and prebiotics? A dietitian explains (2025-05-24T17:14:00+05:30)
If you walk through your local pharmacy or supermarket you’re bound to come across probiotics and prebiotics. They’re added to certain foods. They come as supplements you can drink or take as a pill. They also occur naturally in everyday foods. You might have a vague idea that probiotics and prebiotics are healthy. Or perhaps you’ve heard they’re good for your “microbiome”. But what actually is your microbiome? And what’s the difference between probiotics and prebiotics anyway? First, some definitionsThe UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, and the World Health Organization, define probiotics as “live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit”. These microorganisms are the bacteria and yeasts in food such as yoghurt, sauerkraut and kombucha, and in supplements. But prebiotics refer to the “food” probiotics need to survive and replicate. Prebiotics are better known as dietary fibre. They include specific types of fibres called inulin-type fructans, galacto-oligosaccahrides, resistant starch and pectin. Prebiotics occur naturally in plant foods, are added to foods (such as bread and breakfast cereals) and come as supplements. Dietary fibre remains undigested in your stomach and small intestine until it reaches the large intestine. There, microorganisms (probiotics) break down (or ferment) the fibre (prebiotics), converting it into metabolites or nutrients linked to better health. How are they related to your microbiome?Both probiotics and prebiotics are said to encourage a healthy microbiome. That’s a healthy community of different microorganisms that live in or on your body. This includes those in the mouth, gut, skin, respiratory system and the urogenital tract (which handles urine, and has reproductive functions). Everyone’s microbiome is different and varies throughout your life. For instance, changing your diet, physical activity, hygiene, taking antibiotics or having an infection all affect your microbiome. These factors can change the diversity of your microbiome, that is how many different types of microorganisms you have. These factors can also alter the ratio of healthy microorganisms to unhealthy ones. When your microbiome is less diverse or when the number of unhealthy microorganisms outgrow the number of healthy ones, this is known as dysbiosis. This can lead to problems including diarrhoea or constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, bleeding gums, atopic dermatitis (eczema) or acne.
Probiotics and prebiotics are marketed as ways to support a healthy, diverse microbiome, and help to reduce the chance of dysbiosis. As taking antibiotics can alter your microbiome, they’re also marketed as a way of improving its microbial diversity when taking antibiotics or afterwards. Do probiotics work?The microbiome plays a crucial role in our health. For instance, a healthy microbiome has been linked to reduced risk of cancers, cardiovascular (heart) diseases, allergy diseases and inflammatory bowel disease. But how about taking probiotic supplements to boost your microbiome? A review of clinical trials looked at probiotic supplements in healthy people. It found no increase in the diversity of their microbiome. Another review of clinical trials looked at the impact of probiotic supplements while people were taking antibiotics. The diversity of their microbiome did not improve. Another study not included in these two reviews found probiotics could make microbial diversity worse in the short term. It found probiotic supplements delayed restoring the microbiome after taking antibiotics. What about prebiotics?
There have been few studies on the impact of healthy people just taking prebiotic supplements. However, there are studies of people taking prebiotics with probiotics on particular aspects of health. For instance, one large review looked at various neuropsychiatric outcomes, including dementia, Parkinson’s disease and mild cognitive impairment, when people took prebiotics and probiotics (together or separately). Another review looked at the effect of prebiotics, probiotics or synbiotics (supplements that contain both prebiotics and probiotics) on people with diabetes. But their findings are not conclusive. So we need more research to routinely recommend these supplements. They are also no replacement for standard medication and a healthy, balanced diet. So how do I keep my microbiome healthy?Naturally occurring probiotics and prebiotics are in everyday foods.
Probiotics are found in fermented foods such as cheese, sauerkraut, yoghurt, miso, tempeh and kimchi. Prebiotics are in the foods that contain fibre – all plant foods. It is important to have a variety of plant foods in your diet. This will ensure you get all the different types of fibre needed to keep your healthy bacteria alive, and to increase the diversity of your microbiome. Eating foods rather than consuming supplements also means you get the extra nutrients in the food. The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating recommends a diet rich in plant foods, and promotes eating fermented foods (in the form of cheese and yoghurt). This combination is ideal for maintaining a healthy microbiome. Evangeline Mantzioris, Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Accredited Practising Dietitian, University of South Australia This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. |
What are Veblen and Giffen goods? (2025-03-19T11:53:00+05:30)
This article is part of The Conversation’s “Business Basics” series where we ask experts to discuss key concepts in business, economics and finance. In economics, goods and services can be classified in different ways. You might be surprised to realise you already knew this, even without knowing their classification names. Most goods and services are what we call normal goods. Normal goods are those that you purchase more of as your income increases. For example, you might put healthier and more nutritious food in your trolley, buy more shoes and clothes, or spend more on outings at restaurants and events. Normal goods still abide to what’s called the law of demand, which might feel like common sense: as the price of something goes up, the quantity of or frequency with which it is demanded will fall. But there are some categories that violate our intuitions around supply and demand. And they do so for very different reasons. Meet Veblen and Giffen goods, the products that “break the rules”. Needs and wantsNormal goods can be further divided into two types: necessity goods and luxury goods. Broadly speaking, necessity goods are all those things we require for everyday life – food, housing, electricity and so on. Luxury goods, on the other hand, are those things we don’t necessarily need but are nice to have. Luxury houses, fancier cars, more expensive clothes and so on. We become more able to afford luxury goods as we earn more. But as a result, they are also the first things we tend to cut when our income tightens. For most of these products, something called the “law of demand” applies. That is, if their price increases, people buy less of them than they did before. Demand for them shrinks. However, some types of good defy this “natural” principle. Symbols of status and wealthThe first type are Veblen goods, named after American economist Thorstein Veblen. Sometimes they’re also called “snob” goods. When these goods go up in price, demand for them actually increases. Clear examples of Veblen goods are some forms of art, high-end designer clothes, exclusive cars and watches. The more expensive the good is, the more exclusive it is, and the more the consumers (who are attracted to it) want to purchase it. It all centres on signalling status. Being seen to be able to purchase them can indicate someone has exquisite taste, or lots of money to spend. Most times, Veblen goods are an example of what economists call “positional” goods. These are goods that are valued according to how they are distributed among people, and who exactly has them. The satisfaction of purchasing a Veblen good comes from the sense of having it and being able to show it off, not necessarily from how useful it is. Inferior goodsOn the opposite side of normal goods are inferior goods. As our income increases, we tend to consume less of these goods. Think, for example, of two-minute noodles or the bus service. As your income increases, you may be able to afford more nutritious and healthier food and stop consuming cheaper food. You may be able to purchase a car or a bike and stop using public transport. But within inferior goods, one rare kind offers another exception to the law of demand – Giffen goods. Why does a rise in price cause demand to go up? Because for people on limited incomes, this limits their ability to buy substitutes. Take examples such as wheat, rice, potatoes, or bread. If the price of any of these goes up, a consumer on low income may have less to spend on higher quality goods like meat and fresh vegetables, increasing their demand for the inferior good. MarÃa Yanotti, Lecturer of Economics and Finance Tasmanian School of Business & Economics, University of Tasmania This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. |
The Australian idea of a university (2024-12-26T14:45:00+05:30)
Glyn Davis, The University of Melbourne
This is a transcript of the 2013 Newman Lecture delivered on Wednesday at Monash University’s Mannix College. Let me quote a much-respected contemporary Australian scholar and philosopher, Raimond Gaita.
So philosopher Raimond Gaita argued the case for the unworldly university in his lecture “To Civilise the City?”. His deeply felt evocation of the purpose of a university proposed an institution that engages critically with the world, enriching both students and their society. Professor Gaita, of course, understands well the reality of contemporary campus life:
Not quite, I will suggest in this lecture. The unworldly university has always been rare. Professional training dominated Australian universities from their earliest expression. Students enrolled in the liberal arts and academics engaged in public debate have always been important on campus, but the dominant tradition is pragmatic and vocational. It was a path chosen early and reinforced by national policy, student choice, and academic values. Origins of an ‘Australian’ universityAlong with parliaments and police, literature and language, the idea of a university was imported to Australia with the first European settlers. This colonial inheritance was expressly British in character. Colonial records suggest little interest in developments such as the new research universities of Germany or the land grant institutions of the United States. Instead, local debate circled around a smaller set of concerns – which British traditions would work best for an Australian university? There were relatively few graduates in the colonies to guide discussion, and much scepticism about whether a university was required. People could always sail home to England for higher learning as William Charles Wentworth did in 1816 to attend Cambridge. Yet practical considerations pressed as the prosperous new colonies faced shortages of trained professionals in engineering, law, medicine and other specialist fields. Largely organised by Wentworth, from the 1840s, a group of Sydney notables pressed for a campus. The model they proposed reflected British arguments of the era. The ancient universities of Oxford and Cambridge, with their focus on literary, philosophical and Mathematical “Greats’ of the Western canon argued for a liberal education. Yet the Oxbridge ideal held significant drawbacks: it would not provide the professionals required in the colonies, while the close links between the ancient universities and the established church made the model unacceptable in a colonial society riven by tension between Protestants and Catholics. There were other models to consider. British debate about higher education focused on expanding the subjects offered in universities, and opening the institutions to a broader spectrum of society. As John Stuart Mill would tell graduates at St Andrew’s University in 1867, until recently the old English universities "seemed to exist mainly for the repression of independent thought, and the chaining up of the individual intellect and conscience”. Yet within a few years, noted Mill (in language idiomatic of that era), these universities had been transformed into “the great foci of free and manly inquiry”. This transformation was led by the establishment in 1826 of the University of London, under the intellectual influence of Jeremy Bentham and James Mill. London University offered higher education to those excluded from Oxbridge by faith or low income, particularly Nonconformists, Catholics and Jews. The new institution taught in fields other than classics and ancient languages, and stressed the importance of education for the legal and medical professions. It broadened the traditional formulations of a liberal education by allowing female students to study “modern science, modern languages, the major branches of philosophy, and political economy”. In addition, the University taught engineering, mechanics and chemistry. Only one popular branch of higher learning was excluded: there would be no classes in theology. Soon enough, London University spawned a competitor, set up by dignitaries such as the Duke of Wellington who opposed the idea of a “godless university”. Established in 1829 as an Anglican institution, King’s College London accepted the logic of a broader curriculum, though not one that excluded religion. The rivalry did not last long; in 1836 London and King’s joined under the umbrella of University College London to offer a wider variety of instruction, with a prominent role for professional education in a largely secular setting. The example of University College London would influence Australian practice. Even more significant were developments in Scotland and Ireland. In Edinburgh, the Scottish Enlightenment crafted universities as non-residential and non-sectarian institutions, with provision of education on merit. The Scottish universities differed from their English counterparts with large classes rather than the individual teaching provided at Oxford and Cambridge, and attention to a broader group of disciplines than the classics. Scottish innovations such as the honours year would be imported to Australia. In Ireland, three new institutions were created in 1845 as Queen’s College Belfast, Queen’s College Cork and Queen’s College Galway: all were established as secular institutions with a strong focus on the professions. Though both Catholic and Protestant leaders condemned these “godless colleges”, the institutions drew enthusiastic students from across Irish society. For Irish Catholics, long discouraged back then from attending Trinity College in Dublin, the new institutions provided opportunity and new intellectual horizons. However, not all Catholic academics welcomed the development. In 1852, John Henry Newman published his influential The Idea of a University. Newman’s ideal institution is collegiate, literary, residential and liberal. It is a vision hostile to the new Irish and British universities, and opposed to research as an element of higher learning, as embodied by Wilhelm von Humboldt’s University of Berlin. Newman spoke against the spirit of his times. The college he established to implement his ideas proved a financial failure, and eventually it was absorbed into University College Dublin. More influential voices of the era were pressing hard the case for expanding access and curriculum, and for introducing research into higher education. Herbert Spencer published Education in 1861, and FW Farrar his Essays on a Liberal Education in 1867, the year John Stuart Mill presented the inaugural address at St Andrew’s University. In 1868 Thomas Huxley produced his essay A Liberal Education, and where to find it. Not at Oxford and Cambridge apparently. Huxley dismissed both as “simply "boarding schools” for bigger boys". British universities, he argued, must embrace research as the basis of great university education. At present, he lamented “a third rate German university turns out more produce of that kind…in one year, than our vast and wealthy foundations elaborate in ten”. Colonial legislators in New South Wales framed local proposals for a university in the mould of liberal reformers such as Spencer and Mill. William Charles Wentworth, now a barrister, newspaper proprietor and politician, pressed the case in the Legislative Council. He and his allies conceived of a local university as a secular institution outside the direct control of both the colonial state and church. It would be a public institution, established by government and funded both with state money and private donation, levelling fees from students but offering scholarships for deserving candidates who could not afford a place on campus. Proponents were optimistic that the fledgling university could produce:
Legislation creating the University of Sydney was passed in 1850. It adopted the principle of institutional autonomy. A senate would govern the institution, initially with 16 appointed Fellows. All were men, and their educational background was richly suggestive of the mix of influences underpinning the first Australian university - five foundation Fellows had no university education, five were Cambridge graduates and one from Oxford. Three had attended Trinity College Dublin, and two Edinburgh. From inception the University of Sydney borrowed from across British and Irish tertiary practice. In appearance and early curriculum, the influence of Oxford and Cambridge was clear. Yet Sydney drew also from the newer universities in curriculum and aspiration. The University offered entry without religious qualification to those who passed an examination.14 Classes were organised around the lecture and tutorial model familiar in Scotland and Ireland, with professors rather than tutors as the principal teachers. As in Scotland, the University opened admission to a wider social demographic, typically living at home and travelling to campus for classes. As in Ireland, the new institution would develop in time strong professional programs in medicine, law and engineering. The model informing the University of Sydney offers an amalgam of universities from Edinburgh and London to Dublin, with architectural hints of Oxford and Cambridge in its design and a motto (sidere mens eadem mutato) to stress continuity with British origins. This new institution would become the model for all later Australian higher education – an autonomous, professional, comprehensive, secular public and commuter university. In 1853, the University of Melbourne followed Sydney. The idea for a second university on the Australian continent grew in part from inter-colonial rivalry. Victoria had just separated from New South Wales, as Melbourne boomed following the discovery of gold. Championed by Redmond Barry, a judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria and a leading member of fledgling Melbourne society, the new university would add to the esteem and civility of a newly wealthy colony. The university was established without much pomp or procession. A bill was drawn up for the Legislative Council in January 1853, and received royal assent within weeks of drafting. The University Council, announced by Governor La Trobe in April 1853, was populated with graduates of Oxford, Cambridge, Trinity and Edinburgh. Again, university governance emphasised professional skills found among the local political and social elite. Clerics were few and far between, though the Council adopted an ecumenical approach to governance by inviting the Anglican and Catholic bishops of Melbourne to join the governing body. As at London University, religious instruction was excluded. The Act to establish the University of Melbourne required the institution be “open to all classes and denominations of Her Majesty’s subjects”. The University would be a state-initiated entity, required to report to parliament each year. There were some differences between the new institutions. Melbourne University’s founders would choose more austere architecture – sombre Scottish ecclesiastical stonework against the exuberant gothic revival of Sydney’s original building. Legislation differed in detail, and while both universities quickly embraced professional studies, Melbourne moved with greater speed to create vocational faculties, with Law (1857), Engineering (1861) and Medicine (1862) all operating within a decade of foundation. Yet taken overall the governance, funding, and role in society of the two institutions was strikingly similar. The new universities reflected analogous influences and adopted a similar organisational form and mission. In turn, they would influence the next generation of institutions. The Province of South Australia established the University of Adelaide in 1874 using the same model. The Act of Incorporation for the University of Adelaide mimicked key tenets from legislation in Sydney and Melbourne, creating a non-sectarian institution governed by an independent council empowered to award degrees. Hobart gained a university in 1890, Brisbane in 1909 and Perth in 1911. Each university was established by an act of parliament based on the now dominant Australian model. The new institution would be given land and funding by the state to support a non-sectarian and self-governing institution. Though residential colleges would be established in time, most students would commute to campus, complete a single undergraduate degree, and leave for a life in the professions. A standard model does not imply a static, stable world. On the contrary, universities proved lively places. Arguments on governing boards found their way into the metropolitan media. The role and rights of professors provided rich copy; an exasperated Sir John Monash, after serving as Vice-Chancellor at the University of Melbourne, declared bitterly that he found it easier to organise an army on the Western Front than to run a university. Through their first century, Australian universities grew as new disciplines found a place in the curriculum. This was often a controversial journey, with long arguments over whether dentistry or nursing, media studies or creative writing, deserved a place on campus. From the late 19th century, research became an established part of the university mission. Australia may have adopted predominantly British notions of a university, with an academic career focused on teaching, but in time the important technological innovations of German and American institutions, and a rising international interest in scientific research, proved influential. Research laboratories appeared around campus from as early as the 1870s, and over time a research qualification would be required for academic employment. Research would become universal, adopted by every institution as part of the standard Australian model. Difficulties leaving the pathAs the first Australian universities approached their centenary anniversaries, voices argued for more diversity. There were calls for further institutions in Sydney and Melbourne, a growing interest in creating regional universities, and advocates for a national university based in Canberra. Argument for a federal university began in the 1920s influenced by American research institutions such as Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, which did not teach but focused on high quality research. Implementation would be delayed by economic depression and war, but by 1944 a substantive proposal for the university was complete. It became the Australian National University (ANU) in 1946. The new institution would be very different from existing universities, with a specific mission to “encourage, and provide facilities for, post-graduate research and study, both generally and in relation to subjects of national importance to Australia”. However, within a decade ANU had merged with the undergraduate Canberra University College. It acquired the familiar arts, science and professional programs of other Australian universities. The ANU was the first of several attempts to create new institutions with a unique mission. During the long boom following the Second World War, science and technology became policy priorities. Politicians talked of new universities specialising in research and training of scientists, technicians and engineers. The New South Wales University of Technology was the first commitment to a tertiary institution with an explicit science and technology character. As with ANU, the new institution retained many of its founding features but moved toward the wider Australian university tradition. The exclusive focus on science and technology lasted only a few years. A Faculty of Arts and a Faculty of Medicine began in 1960 following recommendations in the Commonwealth Government’s Murray Report, which observed that “it must be expected that the NSW University of Technology will assume many of the features of a traditional university”. With a new name (the University of New South Wales) and a faculty complement that now included law, a distinctive original mission was replaced with a more comprehensive, traditional profile. A similar story played out in Victoria. Again, the state government embraced the idea of a new technically focused institution. The idea faced both political and bureaucratic opposition. As Member for Albert Park, Mr Sutton, told the Victorian Parliament:
He urged instead the establishment of an institution focused on “the pursuit and passing on of wide general knowledge and for research animated by a passion for truth.” In 1961, Monash University enrolled the first 347 students but just five year later it had over 6,000 students across in a wide variety of disciplines. Strong in science and engineering, as originally promised, Monash had also become another comprehensive institution in the Australian mould. The lack of genuine differentiation disappointed many who championed a different approach. At a 1965 seminar on the future of higher education, the first Vice-Chancellor of Monash, J.A.L Matheson, is rumoured to have said the following:
There are, of course, worse disappointments in life. The 1960s provided further opportunities to challenge the Australian idea of a university. A sustained period of founding new universities began with Macquarie in 1964, and within 20 years included La Trobe, Newcastle, Griffith, Deakin and Murdoch. As foundation Vice-Chancellor of Flinders University, Peter Karmel, told a meeting at the Adelaide Town Hall: “we want to experiment and experiment bravely”. Yet over time familiar patterns returned. What began as radical departures began to take on the degree structures, teaching practise and governance structures of Australian orthodoxy. The past and the future of Australian universitiesThis lecture offers a historical note about a commonly encountered narrative of decline and loss in universities. It suggests significant continuity in Australian tertiary institutions, and argues the power of foundation ideas in shaping that pattern. Institutional choices adopted by the original founding communities are reinforced by policy, by student preferences and by academic values. Over more than a century and a half, the incentive to remain close to the original idea has proven compelling, defeating even legislated initiatives to create diversity. As a result, Australian higher education is dominated by autonomous, professional, comprehensive, secular, public and commuter universities sharing very similar missions. More than 150 years in the making, this model has a powerful hold on the public imagination. Yet we may be approaching the end of its influence. The new element is the market – exactly the pervasive influence that Professor Gaita fears – turning students into customers and universities into enterprises. For the Australian model to date has relied on public funding to sustain institutions. As student contributions rise, and government funding falls as a percentage of overall income, so universities are forced to make market decisions. This introduces a new logic into the choice of disciplines, selection criteria for entry, even the economics of commuter versus residential students. In a market, increased numbers of private players can open campuses, some with an explicitly religious character. For 20 years, Australian universities have worked simultaneously in two worlds – one public, highly regulated, and deeply constrained, the other international and more like a private market. The first is the world of domestic undergraduates, where Canberra sets strict rules about price and entry. The second is the market for international students, where universities can make choices about where to recruit, what to charge, whether to operate within Australia or set up offshore. Not surprisingly, the world of domestic students remains largely undifferentiated. Australian universities offer a very similar array of programs to domestic students, with no price competition allowed. Only in the global market has real and important difference emerged. Required to make independent strategic choices, universities differ greatly in their approach. A number prefer large offshore operations, as teaching programs or with an overseas campus that reproduces the ambiance and values of the home institution. Others run an on-shore strategy, working with feeder schools, international agencies, foundation colleges and other players to build significant international revenue. A few universities have changed their entire curriculum in an effort to orientate themselves toward graduate education for Australian and global students. Pressures for change necessitate urgent reflection on the role and purpose of a university. Professor Gaita has expressed eloquently his concerns about the trajectory of Australian institutions. His call to 10 arguments is timely. For though the Australian tradition has endured with little change to date, stately progression along a deep path may halt abruptly under commercial pressures. Markets end the incentives to uniformity. They require diversity, since not every institution can occupy the same niche. Markets reward innovation and punish the slow-moving. They destroy and build simultaneously. On current Commonwealth funding rates no Australian public university can survive without a strong international cohort. As a result, innovation is transforming the singular Australia idea of a university. As the market approaches, the familiar road comes to an end. An extended version of this argument will be published in a forthcoming edition of Meanjin. Glyn Davis, Professor of Political Science and Vice-Chancellor, The University of Melbourne This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. |
World’s largest Miyawaki forest in Hyderabad to be expanded (2024-06-17T19:51:00+05:30)
Hyderabad, June 10 (IANS): The world’s largest Miyawaki forest at Shamshabad on the outskirts of Hyderabad will be expanded by an additional 100 acres.
Startup Stonecraft Group, a leading biophilic developer and eco-realty conglomerate, on Monday, announced that it will expand its successful flagship project ‘Stonecraft Woods Shamshabad’.
The world's largest Miyawaki forest integrates an innovative Japanese ecological restoration technique with a unique concept for daily living. As a net-zero emission and climate-responsive measure, it offers farm units encased by the Miyawaki forest.
The first phase of Woods Shamshabad comprises a three-year-old man-made forest that is already self-sustaining. The second project will encompass over 100 acres of total project land, offering 150 individual units sized 1800-3500 square yards.
“Woods Shamshabad Phase 1 exceeded all expectations, validating the growing demand for our most desirable sustainable living model. This expansion marks a significant step forward in our commitment to creating sustainable and net-zero communities," said Kirthi Chilukuri, Founder and CEO at Stonecraft Group.
"Phase 2 will provide even more opportunities for individuals and families to experience a unique daily living environment that prioritises well-being and conservational responsibility,” he said.
Woods Shamshabad Phase 2 will deploy a fast-growing forestation technique that fosters the rapid development of a thriving native ecosystem. Reiterating the existing 4,50,000 trees and plants, over 150 native trees and new plants will be cultivated, spawning an expanded, vibrant natural habitat for more than 141 species of birds and 126 native fruiting and flowering trees.
Beyond its stunning aesthetics, Woods Shamshabad is designed to act as a natural filter, cleansing the air and water within the village and surrounding areas. It actively sequesters carbon footprints, promoting energy efficiency and mitigating the impact of climate change. This dedication to sustainability extends to the diverse native plant life, which attracts a variety of pollinators and wildlife, further enriching the local ecosystem, Stonecraft said.
“We will continue to push boundaries of biophilic-driven sustainable development in more cities in India. The ongoing expansion aims to create a green future where economic growth and ecological conservation go hand-in-hand in urban and neighbouring urban regions.” Kirthi added.
Woods features sustainable housing options constructed using eco-friendly materials and incorporating green energy-efficient design principles. Residents enjoy access to fresh, locally grown produce through on-site organic farming initiatives, fostering a sense of self-sufficiency and a direct connection to their food source.
According to a CBRE survey, the growing demand for sustainable housing has seen a significant surge. The report also highlighted that green buildings have the potential to reduce emissions by 40 per cent and lower maintenance costs by 30 per cent.
Phase 1 of the project has 60 acres with 110 farm units built to cherish Woods Shamshabad as an heirloom property. The three-year-old forest has fully matured 4.50 lakh Indian trees and over 141 species of migratory and resident birds, World’s largest Miyawaki forest in Hyderabad to be expanded | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com
Conceptualising inquisitive summer vacation activities (2024-05-17T14:16:00+05:30)
 New Delhi, (IANSlife) Children love vacations and yearn for a break from studies to get into the larger world to learn a lot more things. Hence, vacations need to be productive and here is where parents can help by devising and conceptualising inquisitive activities that kids like and learn from. Summer camps provide a great opportunity for kids to try new activities, develop confidence, teamwork and leadership skills, physical fitness and make lifelong memories as outlined by Niru Agarwal, Trustee, Greenwood High International School. Here are the different things they can do during vacation, check out the list... Building a routine for children Ensure that the kids have a schedule, especially during the holidays, and that they have something to look forward to each day. Lack of routine could lead to the development of habits that are not conducive to learning, Children could wake every day with the excitement that they will learn things they haven’t before. A new day every day Is highly fulfilling for them. The Need to Learn Multiple Skills Parents’ hectic work schedule and the active school life of kids may not allow them to focus on other skills and parents may not find the time to teach crucial life skills to their kids during the academic calendar. Learning skills other than routine work will help students handle the larger world better. Hence summer holidays assume great importance as both children and teachers can spare time for learning things other than academics. Striking a balance between Home and Outside Children should realise that life can be diverse and heterogeneous and that they need not remain staid. Sometimes children would stick to just one kind of task which may stunt their growth. Hence, they need to be active both within and outside their homes and balancing their activities would help in their intellectual growth and make them more confident individuals. Too much of either would result in the growth of a unidimensional personality. Encouraging children to be creative Encourage your kids to express their creativity by enrolling them in a local art or craft class where they can freely paint, draw, and make things. They will be able to think logically and express their creativity while being engaged in art classes. Enroll your kids in music lessons so they can learn how to play an instrument, sing, or even write songs on their own. Participating in social work Volunteering is a great way for kids to give back to their community, develop empathy and compassion, and learn about social issues. They can also get to know the skills involved in social work and replicate the same, which will help them in the future. Look for opportunities at local food banks, animal shelters, or charity organizations. Learning hobbies will widen horizons Training in certain activities would help in developing a consistent approach to one’s outlook. There’s also a hobby you’ve always wanted to do and summer vacation can be a perfect time to learn new ones. Children can take summer classes to clear their concepts on a variety of subjects, which will give them a head start and enable them to develop an interest in the subjects they find interesting. How learning a language matters During the language learning process, you will explore a whole different culture and maybe even make new friends who are also learning the same language. In the current scenario, communication skills are extremely important and learning a new language during your free time would enrich you. You can try to find something that you have always wanted to try - you can join organized classes, e-learning, or watch videos and self-study language or similar other domains. This opens a whole new world. Set technology boundaries While technology can be a great tool for learning, it can also be addictive and detrimental to kids' mental and physical health. Thus, there is an immediate need to teach technology to children in a healthy way. Set boundaries on screen time and encourage your kids to engage in other productive activities.In conclusion, it can be said that the best way to help children spend a productive summer is by finding out new things to learn. This creates excitement and the will to learn. A healthy balance between a variety of activities to engage in is necessary to assist children in whatever activity they prefer as well as in discovering new interests. This will go a long way in ensuring the holistic development of children and a fruitful and productive summer time, concludes Niru Agarwal. Conceptualising inquisitive summer vacation activities | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
Teaching Teens How to Understand Their Feelings is Key to Helping Them Grow and Mature (2024-04-29T12:11:00+05:30)
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Parents who solely focus on ‘fixing behavior’ will leave their teenager feeling misunderstood, according to a new book, How Do You Hug a Cactus?, which advocates for ‘Reflective Parenting’ and understanding what goes on in the teenage brain. Teaching teenagers how to understand their feelings is “key” to helping them mature into resilient and independent adults, says the author, Dr. Sheila Redfern, a London-based clinical child psychologist. Gleaning insight from 30 years of work, she says: rather than focusing on stamping out difficult behaviors, parents should teach their kids to manage their feelings and relationships in safe ways. “Understanding the neuroscience of the changing teenage brain can really help parents to empathize and connect with their teenage children,” said Redfern. Although parenting teenagers is uniquely challenging—with concerns about social media use, self-harm, and risk-taking—this stage can be very fulfilling for all. Reflective parenting allows parents to support teenagers in coming up with their own ideas about how they are going to meet challenges when these arise. “The focus is on keeping a connection with your teenager and helping them to manage, sometimes overwhelming and unwanted, feelings. This is one of the most important skills for life you can teach your teenager. “By drawing out from your teenager how they are planning to solve difficulties—without pointing out flaws but simply offering another perspective of any potential downsides—you will help them to gain independence and develop skills for life while staying connected to you.” One key concept of reflective parenting is for parents to check in with themselves: if they are experiencing strong emotions they should take some time and reflect, before launching a conversation. Then the parent can approach a teen’s emotional distress using validation and empathy, by describing how they are feeling and avoiding putting their own opinion across. “You take this self-reflective step first, then you can give your full attention and curiosity to your teenager’s perspective, and they will experience you as somebody steady, consistent and trustworthy,” explained Redfern. “This can be extremely hard for parents as we worry a lot about our teenagers and regulating emotions (of our own) is difficult sometimes.” She notes that the teenage years are an extremely crucial time for mental development, and teens are much more at risk of mental illness. “This is not just a time of physical and neurological change, but also of great vulnerability. It’s during this period of development that teenagers are much more likely to engage in risky behavior and develop a mental illness.” Research suggests that there are three basic bio-behavioral systems that enable humans to adapt to a complex social environment: the reward system; the ‘mentalizing’, or ‘social cognition’ system, which is our capacity to understand ourselves and others in terms of our feelings, desires, and values; and finally stress and threat system. Redfern says that during adolescence, these three bio-behavioral systems are being reorganized in the brain and this reorganization of the systems leads to patterns of thinking, behavior and responses to others that may be difficult to understand, seem illogical, highly reactive, or self-destructive. This is because teens process information with the amygdala—the emotional part of the brain, leading them to be preoccupied with their own emotions, and less able to tune into other people. “When we look at brain development, it’s factually inaccurate to describe an 18-year-old as an adult. Our brains haven’t fully developed until we’re in our mid-twenties. From the age of 18 until around 25 years old, sometimes even later, our brains are still developing.” She describes that this emotionally charged brain can make assumptions that feel like fact, and become a mindset—thoughts like ‘no one likes me, I am alone’. When teens lose their ability to be reflective because of changes in their brains—resulting in frequent states of high emotional arousal—parents can step in and help guide the process. While reflective parenting may bring about a greater connection between you and your teen, and hopefully even a calmness and enhanced understanding of your relationship – it is important to maintain strong boundaries. “Reflecting on thoughts and feelings alone is not the type of parenting being advocated here. Boundaries still count, and so does parental authority,” concludes Redfern, whose website has many articles that explain more. None of us can be a reflective parent all of the time, because our emotions rise and fall along with events, but we can try to do better next time by learning some of these best practices.NOTE: If parents have serious concerns about their teen’s mental health, please seek professional help, or call 911. You could try calling Parents Anonymous, a 50-year-old helpline for moms and dads in the US (at 1-855-427-2736) In England and Wales, you can try Family Line by calling 0808 800 2222.Teaching Teens How to Understand Their Feelings is Key to Helping Them Grow and Mature. |
Beautiful Homeless Shelters Get Radical Redesign to Impact Residents (2024-04-16T12:02:00+05:30)
 Path Home Family Village – credit Aaron Leitz for Path Home Attempting to get a grip on the homeless epidemic, homeless shelters are making conscious choices to employ trauma-informed designs to make those who are sheltering feel calm, more autonomous, and safe. For example, at Path Home Family Village in Portland, Oregon, natural bamboo wood roofs sit above a naturally lit area pained in seafoam green, turquoise, and grey. Windows open out onto a garden with flowers and vegetables, and there are privacy walls between beds with soft personal reading lamps. This is all part of the trauma-informed design; one that uses science and close relations with the homeless to establish a set of best practices for shelter construction. Path Home used to be three homeless shelters in one—founded in an abandoned warehouse and church basements. $250,000 of pro-bono work was donated to Family Village from the influential non-profit Design Resources for Homelessness, founded by Jill Pable, a professor at Florida State University. Pable has consulted for other trauma-informed shelters before—in Georgia for example, and her work shows that aspects like acoustics, color, and furniture arrangement, or rooms specifically constructed for family visits can reinforce the mental states that trauma often clashes with—community, privacy, and a sense of welcome. Other aspects, such as installing glass doors, ensuring there are enough windows to allow residents to see outside, and open spaces to ensure they don’t feel they can be snuck up on, are important for a sense of security as well. “You can come home [to the shelter], you can do what you want, you don’t feel like anyone is looking at you. There’s a sense of relief, privacy, and wholeness,” Pable told The Guardian. Last year, the shelter hosted 524 families. The average length of stay is 85 days. Recently, a previous resident asked Brandi Tuck, the executive director, if he and his partner could get married there.That’s as good an indication as any that the principles Path Home was founded upon are working. Beautiful Homeless Shelters Get Radical Redesign to Impact Residents |
Fluor to design laser fusion power plant (2024-03-21T13:44:00+05:30)
.jpg?ext=.jpg) A rendering of a laser fusion power plant (Image: Longview)California-based Longview Fusion Energy Systems has contracted US engineering and construction firm Fluor Corporation to design the world's first commercial laser fusion power plant. "Fluor will leverage its global experience in developing and constructing complex, large-scale facilities to provide preliminary design and engineering to support the development of Longview's fusion-powered plant," Longview said. The company noted that, unlike other approaches, it does not need to build a physics demonstration facility, and, with its partner Fluor, "can focus on designing and building the world's first laser fusion energy plant to power communities and businesses". This is enabled, it says, by the historic breakthroughs in fusion energy gain at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility (NIF). Nuclear fusion is the process by which two light nuclei combine to form a single heavier nucleus, releasing a large amount of energy. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has been pursuing the use of lasers to induce fusion in a laboratory setting since the 1960s, building a series of increasingly powerful laser systems at the California lab and leading to the creation of National Ignition Facility, described as the world's largest and most energetic laser system. The facility uses powerful laser beams to create temperatures and pressures similar to those found in the cores of stars and giant planets - and inside nuclear explosions. On 5 December 2022, the National Ignition Facility achieved the first ever controlled experiment to produce more energy from fusion than the laser energy used to drive it. The experiment used 192 laser beams to deliver more than 2 million joules (MJ) of ultraviolet energy to a deuterium-tritium fuel pellet to create so-called fusion ignition - also referred to as scientific energy breakeven. In achieving an output of 3.15 MJ of fusion energy from the delivery of 2.05 MJ to the fuel target, the experiment demonstrated the fundamental science basis for inertial confinement fusion energy - or IFE - for the first time. Longview says it is the only fusion energy company using this proven approach. Its power plant designs incorporate commercially available technologies from the semiconductor and other industries to ensure the delivery of carbon-free, safe, and economical laser fusion energy to the marketplace within a decade. "We are building on the success of the NIF, but the Longview plant will use today's far more efficient and powerful lasers and utilise additive manufacturing and optimization through AI," said Valerie Roberts, Longview's Chief Operating Officer and former National Ignition Facility construction/project manager. Edward Moses, Longview's CEO and former director of the National Ignition Facility, added: "Laser fusion energy gain has been demonstrated many times over the last 15 months, and the scientific community has verified these successes. Now is the time to focus on making this new carbon-free, safe, and abundant energy source available to the nation as soon as possible." In April last year, Fluor signed a memorandum of understanding with Longview to be its engineering and construction partner in designing and planning laser fusion energy commercialisation. Longview's plan is for laser fusion power plants, with capacity of up to 1600 MW to provide electricity or industrial production of hydrogen fuel and other materials that can help to decarbonise heavy industry. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Fluor to design laser fusion power plant : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News |
US scientists introduce new fusion reactor concept (2024-03-13T14:17:00+05:30)
.jpg?ext=.jpg) Scientists at the US Department of Energy's (DOE) DIII-D National Fusion Facility have released a new concept for a compact fusion reactor design they say can help define the technology necessary for commercial fusion power. The Compact Advanced Tokamak (CAT) concept enables a higher-performance, self-sustaining configuration that holds energy more efficiently, allowing it to be built at a reduced scale and cost. The CAT concept is described in an article published on 19 March in the journal Nuclear Fusion, and was developed from first-of-a-kind reactor simulations. The physics-based approach combines theory developed at the General Atomics (GA)-operated DIII-D facility with computing by Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists using the Cori supercomputer at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center, and is based on development and testing of the underlying physics concepts on DIII-D. "The key to our approach is to raise the pressure inside the tokamak," the project's lead, Richard Buttery, said. "This makes more fusion occur, allowing us to reduce the current, which in turn makes the plasma easier to sustain and more stable. Our simulations show that by carefully shaping the plasma and moving the current toward its edge, we can suppress turbulent heat losses and support higher pressures at lower currents, to reach a state where the plasma sustains itself. This enables a device that can simply be turned on, generating electricity continuously in a steady state." Two US bodies - the DOE Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (FESAC) and the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) - have recently released reports calling for action to develop fusion energy in the USA. FESAC's report sets out a decade-long strategic plan to accelerate the development of fusion energy and advance plasma science, while NASEM's report calls for urgent investment by the government and private sector to enable a pilot fusion plant to be operational in the 2035-2040 timeframe. A key recommendation of both reports is developing the science and engineering basis for a low-capital-cost fusion pilot plant that will lay the groundwork for commercial fusion reactors, GA said. "As a national strategy for fusion energy takes shape in the United States, this new design helps identify the technologies needed, and alleviates critical design challenges," it added.Researched and written by World Nuclear News. US scientists introduce new fusion reactor concept : New Nuclear - World Nuclear News |