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Arguments, debates and protests have been taking place across America with regard to monuments and statues memorializing historical figures from the Confederate army. It’s a topic that has captured the attention of Americans from across the country and especially those from the America’s Southern states. Recently, Georgia Southern University’s Christopher Hendricks, Ph.D., was featured in the news giving his expert perspective on the topic and how America might provide the context behind these moments representing American history. “I think that telling the full story always is a good idea,” said Dr. Christopher Hendricks, a history professor at Georgia Southern University. Hendricks studies early American history and historic preservation. He suggested that we should put the monument into context rather than remove it. “It’s really important to put these things into context,” Hendricks said. “Particularly if you are going to leave them here.” He said that he believes signage explaining the origin and evolution of the memorial would help to establish the monument as a more neutral historical artifact. July 11 – ABC News This is an important topic and if you are a journalist looking to know more about this subject – then let us help. Christopher Hendricks, Ph.D., history professor at Georgia Southern University, is an expert in the areas of early American history and historic preservation. Hendricks is available to speak with media about this topic – simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
Aston University secures £2.2m grant to reduce carbon footprint
“The projects that we are investing in at Aston University are expected to save in the region of 2.2 million kWh annually, which will save around 430 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.” Andrew Bryers, Sustainability Manager Aston University £2.2m funding awarded to Aston University by Phase 2 Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Public sector being supported in taking a whole building approach to decarbonisation Aston University projects will save around 430 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent Aston University has been successful in its bid for a government grant of over £2 million to reduce its carbon emissions. The £2.2m funding has been awarded by the Phase 2 Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) managed on behalf of the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) by delivery partner Salix Finance. The scheme supports the public sector in taking a 'whole building' approach to decarbonising their estates. It puts the sector at the forefront of decarbonising buildings in the UK, placing it in a leadership role to create exemplar projects in communities that pave the way to help the country meet its carbon budgets and net zero commitments. The grant funding secured by Aston University will be invested in a variety of carbon reduction projects including: Andrew Bryers, sustainability manager at Aston University, said: “One of the greatest challenges today in meeting the UK’s 2050 net zero target is decarbonising the way buildings are heated. In fact, most of the buildings in the public sector still rely on fossil fuel-based heating and as these heating systems approach the end of their working lives it is an ideal opportunity to transition to low carbon heating.” “The projects that we are investing in at Aston University are expected to save in the region of 2.2 million kWh annually, which will save around 430 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.”
Aston University celebrates launch of first wave of Institutes of Technology
"There remains a significant national skills shortage for engineering and we are pleased to be helping to address this through the provision of courses for young people wanting to progress to higher technical education, adult learners and people who want to develop their engineering skills." Professor Sarah Hainsworth Pro-Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean of the College of Engineering & Physical Sciences Aston University Institutes of Technology (IoTs) are collaborations between further education (FE) providers, universities and employers IoTs focus on the specific technical skills needs required in their local area They provide employers with a skilled workforce and students with a clear route to technical employment Aston University is joining in a nationwide celebration to mark the launch of the first wave of 12 Institutes of Technology on Thursday 8 July. Institutes of Technology (IoTs) are collaborations between further education (FE) providers, universities and employers. They specialise in delivering higher technical education (at Levels 4 and 5 – equivalent to the first and second year of a degree) with a focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects, such as engineering, digital and construction. IoTs focus on the specific technical skills required in their local area. They will provide employers with a skilled workforce and students with a clear route to technical employment. By bridging skills gaps, these new institutions will drive growth and widen opportunity. Gillian Keegan, minister for apprenticeships and skills, said: “Institutes of Technology are the pinnacle of technical education, helping to develop the highly-skilled talent pipeline employers will need for the future. “By bringing together Further Education colleges, universities and businesses, Institutes of Technology are unique partnerships which will help to tackle skills shortages in vital sectors, from marine engineering to healthcare, cyber security to agri-tech. “Institutes of Technology are also playing a vital role in our multi-billion Plan for Jobs, which is helping to level up opportunities and support people to get the skills they need to get good jobs as we recover from the pandemic.” The Greater Birmingham and Solihull IoT has brought together the most innovative education providers within the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership area with leading industry stakeholders to create a powerhouse for advanced manufacturing and engineering. The consortium is led by Solihull College & University Centre, Aston University and Birmingham City University, working alongside South and City College Birmingham as a core partner and supported by BMET College, University College Birmingham and the University of Birmingham. The partnership will jointly design, develop and widen education and training opportunities aligned to the latest skills needs of leading-edge employers and the local, regional and national economy. The group will target under-represented learners, facilitating clear opportunities for progression from school to high-level occupations. In this new video, partners and employers explain what the IoT means to them: The following passage was included in the recent Government Skills for Jobs white paper, with the GBS Institute of Technology highlighted as an example of good practice: Government Skills for Jobs white paper Building work has started on the GBSIoT Hub at Aston University. It will be completed at the end of 2021 and will be an innovative hub, providing a fabulous resource for students and learners from across the region. Andy Street, mayor of the West Midlands, said: “The Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology is all about two things: economic growth and prosperity. The Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology is going to give us wonderful new skills in the sectors of the economy that are really growing fast here.” Professor Sarah Hainsworth, pro-vice chancellor and executive dean of the College of Engineering & Physical Sciences at Aston University, said: “We are delighted to be working with our partners on the Greater Birmingham and Solihull IOT for Advanced Manufacturing. It has been really exciting to see the work progressing on delivering the new Hub for students and learners on the campus at Aston University. "There remains a significant national skills shortage for engineering and we are pleased to be helping to address this through the provision of courses for young people wanting to progress to higher technical education, adult learners and people who want to develop their engineering skills. "The Hub will be home to a new cyber physical manufacturing rig which will create a simulated working environment linked to advancing Industry 4.0 technology and state of the art digital facilities and I really look forward to when it becomes the new home for our IoT students.” Find out more about the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology at www.gbsiot.ac.uk
Aston University graduates among highest paid in the country, new data reveals
"We continue to regularly meet with industry to ensure that the content of our courses meets the needs of the labour market, which is reflected in these findings." Saskia Loer Hansen, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Engagement Median earnings of employed Aston University graduates are £33,400 five years after graduation - the 20th largest in the UK Range of subject disciplines offered at Aston University have high median salaries Graduates from allied health subjects had the 5th largest median salary five years after graduation at £37,200. Graduates of Aston University are among the highest paid in the country five years after graduating, according to new data released by the Department for Education. The 2021 Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) data shows that employed Aston University graduates have the 20th largest median salary overall five years after graduation at £33,400, compared with £24,900 sector average Subject level data in the LEO reveals that graduates from allied health subjects at Aston University had the fifth-largest median salary five years after graduation at £37,200, which is over £11,000 more than the sector average. It’s also good news for sociology and social policy graduates, with the median earnings in those subjects at £32,500 five years after graduation, the fourth largest in the country. Graduates from the materials and technology courses at Aston University earn a median salary of £42,000 five years after graduation which reflects the performance of the University’s logistics graduates. Speaking on the LEO data, Saskia Loer Hansen, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Engagement at Aston University, said: “We are delighted to see this recognition that our graduates are highly employable and go on to secure fulfilling and well-paid jobs once they have graduated. “It is fantastic to see the University appearing in the top 20 when it comes to median salaries five years after graduating, with an increase of £200 compared to last year’s results. “This is the 5th year of LEO and Aston University has always fared well and is among the top 20 largest median salaries five years after graduation for the 2nd year in a row. “We continue to regularly meet with industry to ensure that the content of our courses meets the needs of the labour market, which is reflected in these findings. It once again shows Aston University offers great value for money when it comes to employability. “We also work hard to ensure that students have a positive learning experience when they study with us and I am confident that the quality of this experience contributes to the great longer-term employment outcomes for Aston University graduates as measured by LEO.” The LEO analysis also shows that the University’s new graduates quickly earn good incomes with a median salary of £23,000 one year after the end of their courses, which is £4,400 higher than the sector average of £18,600.
Aston University cyber security experts shape government policy around resilience of supply chains
"Cyber security of any organisation, inclusive of its supply chain, should be promoted in conjunction with other organisational targets, such as profitability, productivity and financial/operational risk management" Professor Vladlena Benson, Aston University Researchers from Aston University’s Cyber Security Innovation (CSI) Research Centre have been invited to respond to the call for evidence by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) The centre works with businesses to help improve resilience to cyber attacks It comes after a series of high-profile attacks on managed service providers affecting thousands of firms and compromising government agencies. Experts from the Cyber Security Innovation (CSI) Research Centre at Aston University have responded to a call for evidence by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on cyber security in supply chains and managed service providers. The CSI centre works with businesses to help improve their security posture and develops state-of-the-art solutions for supply chain resilience and business continuity. Recent research1 from the centre explored organisational approaches to supply chain management in the West Midlands, specifically in the times of remote arrangements and when traditional business continuity practices in supply chain management have been challenged. It comes as two high profile attacks (SolarWinds and Kesya) on managed service providers threatened the world and brought to a standstill credit card processing for major retail chains in Sweden, while US government officials' personal data was compromised. The €6.9m TRACE project, an EU-funded scheme of which Aston University is a key partner, addresses these issues and kicked off on Friday 9 July 2021. Professor Vladlena Benson, director of the CSI at Aston Business School, recently attended a round table by the Minister of Digital Infrastructure. She said: “Based on the conclusions of our research, we make a recommendation that cyber security of any organisation, inclusive of its supply chain, should be promoted in conjunction with other organisational targets, such as profitability, productivity and financial/operational risk management. “The identification and promotion of synergies between cyber security, profitability and productivity is a strong driver to ensure that, at a senior level, organisations take responsibility and accountability for effective cyber risk management. Dr Donato Masi, from the CSI Centre at Aston University, said: “Profitability or productivity are close to the competitive advantage of the firm and security of the supply chain of any organisation underpins its longevity on the market it operates in. “Investment in cyber security measures, including supply chain risk assessment and counter-threat controls, should be viewed as a ‘cost of doing business’ and business success and/or longevity.” 1Find out more about the research of the CSI Centre here
Clean, Silent Energy Whenever You Need It
Sitting on the dock on a quiet evening, it’s easy to take electricity for granted. It’s silent, odourless, and always available… until the power goes out. Francois Byrne is an engineer who has spent years developing power backup and replacement systems that work silently and with no fumes, supplying power when the hydro grid goes down, and even replacing that grid entirely with a solar- or wind-powered battery system. He is the owner of Hybrid Power Solutions. “We’re a Canadian manufacturer, specializing in attractive, easy-to-use power systems that work seamlessly and supply as much power as our customers need, no matter where they are,” says Francois. That might mean powering tools and equipment on a construction site or a mine located far from the electrical grid, or a military site or a film shoot where the noise of generators is unacceptable. And it can mean powering a bunkie that’s beyond reach of hydro lines, or providing silent backup power for homes and cottages. Power Tower For whole-home power supplies, Francois recommends the Power Tower. “Our Power Tower is a scalable system that’s incredibly easy to use,” says Francois. “There’s no maintenance, no fuel to buy. You simply wire it in to your home and forget about it.” Solar panels allow the Tower to supply power regardless of whether the electrical grid is operating. “It’s a great way to help offset the cost of hydro or get completely off the grid,” Francois explains, adding that wind turbines can also feed in to the Power Tower. “And when the power grid goes down because of a storm or some other reason, the system just keeps on supplying energy.” “It’s a power backup system that actually pays for itself over time.” Whole home or portable options The Power Tower is capable of offering 6,000 watts of continuous power and up to 18,000 watts of surge power at 120- and 240-volts, plenty of power to make true off-grid living a reality. As many as 15 lithium-ion batteries can be connected to the wall-mounted control unit. “We work directly with our customers to help them find the best power solution for their situation,” says Francois. Hybrid Power Solutions also offers smaller, more portable units that are suitable for boats and trailers and RVs, as well as smaller cabins and bunkies. “You still want power when you’re at the lake or in the woods, but you want it to be silent,” says Francois. “That’s what we supply. No fumes, no noise, no fuss – just clean, reliable electricity wherever you need it to be.” Originally published in Muskoka Life Magazine.
Social class has a significant role to play in career success in the United States. A growing body of research is shedding disquieting light on the extent to which working class Americans face discrimination in recruitment, pay and promotion – despite having a college degree. This demographic is up to four times less likely to get hired, 34% less likely to accede to leadership roles, and earns around 17% less on average than counterparts from middle or upper-class backgrounds. But while research is starting to document how class can impede or accelerate professional success, it remains unclear why these discrepancies exist. What are the mechanisms or dynamics at play that make it so much tougher for working class people to succeed than others? Goizueta Business School Assistant Professor of Organization & Management Andrea Dittmann has an interesting hypothesis. She believes that employees from different backgrounds can bring inherently different strengths and weaknesses to the workplace; advantages and disadvantages that speak to certain norms governing how we think about work and leadership. And it boils down, she says, to the way we work with others. “People from working-class backgrounds—those with blue-collar parents, who might be the first in their family to get a college degree—typically relate a certain way to other people. They are better connected to others, more team-like in their approach, than their middle-class counterparts who see themselves as more independent or unique,” says Dittmann. This team spirit could be working against lower-class employees, she says, in the sense that they see themselves or are perceived by bosses as being less adept at working autonomously or as individuals within organizations; and are therefore viewed by others as less poised to advance into roles of greater responsibility. On the flip side, this very capacity to work well with other people could actually give working class employees an advantage in team-based activities or cultures; an advantage that might translate into concrete benefits for organizations. To put this to the test, Dittmann conducted a series of studies aimed at unpacking how individuals perceive themselves within the context of work, and at the interactions that occur between employees and the workplace. Among these studies were qualitative interviews with MBA students from different social class backgrounds about their experiences navigating white-collar workplaces after graduating from college. She also ran a number of experiments to assess how well working-class people performed in teams and individually, and how environments that prioritize collaborative dynamics or interdependence might produce better experiences and outcomes for employees than environments geared to working individually or independently. A full article detailing Dittmann’s work is attached here and offers very compelling research showing how social class plays out in the workplace. It covers important aspects such as: The Catch-22 of Working Well with Others “It’s a kind of catch-22. Working class kids don’t make it into the gateway settings of school or college as much as middle-class kids in the U.S. They are significantly underrepresented in leading business schools like Goizueta, at roughly 15% of the student population,” she notes. “So, the higher-educational context—the talent pool for corporate America—is very much geared to a different social demographic and dynamic; one that inherently favors independent work ethics and approaches and sees them as the norm. Other ways of working, collaborating, and contributing risk are being undervalued as much as they are underrepresented.” When Considering Diversity, Companies Stand to Benefit “We know that companies that are more diverse perform better than others, and diversity needs to extend to social class. What my research and others are showing is that people from a working-class background tend towards behaviors that are more relational, that they are better at working together. If they fail to make it into the workforce in a more representative fashion, companies are basically missing out on opportunities to form better teams.” Faculty research like Dittmann’s is a critical element in Goizueta Business School’s drive to develop principled leaders who are better prepared to engage in the business of tomorrow. If you are interested in learning more, then let us help. Andrea G. Dittmann is an Assistant Professor of Organization & Management at the Goizueta Business School. She is an expert in the areas of diversity and inequality, particularly employees' social class backgrounds, aiming to promote equity and inclusion at work. Dr. Dittmann is available to speak with media about this research – simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.
Crossing Space and Time at Japan Society's 2021 Annual Dinner
On June 22, Japan Society celebrated its 2021 Annual Dinner, raising over $1.3 million to take us into the next year and beyond. It was—literally and virtually—a star-studded evening at the intersection of science, art, culture, business, and the U.S.-Japan alliance. After a special message from Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, the program included a conversation between former JAXA astronaut Naoko Yamazaki, the second Japanese woman to fly in space, and Ambassador Caroline Kennedy—marking the 60th anniversary of President Kennedy's Moonshot Address, followed by a performance from Japan's Ryoma Quartet. The keynote Fireside Chat brought together two titans of industry, our very own Chairman Joseph Perella, Chairman Emeritus, Perella Weinberg Partners and private equity pioneer Henry Kravis, Co-Chairman and Co-CEO of KKR—also the recipient of this year's Japan Society Award. Mr. Kravis underscored the value of investing in long-term relationships throughout his talk with Mr. Perella, noting, "You have to be patient. You have to set your mission. You have to have a focus on ESG (environmental, social, and governance). Any company today that is not focusing on their ESG and on diversity of their workforce is not going to have much of a future. Today, it's not all about making money. That's a part of it. But it's also very important to ask, 'What are you doing for society, what are you doing to help your country?'" In her conversation with astronaut Naoko Yamazaki, Ambassador Caroline Kennedy cited her father's famous Moonshot Address at Rice University in 1962: "We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too." Yamazaki, who is working to inspire the next generation in aerospace, among other initiatives, is "thrilled to be able to witness the Artemis Program, which is sending the first woman and the first person of color to the moon, with international cooperation. Japan is in charge of the cargo transfer to the Lunar Gateway, the station [that will orbit the moon], and also Toyota and JAXA are developing a pressurized lunar rover to explore the surface of the moon." For Japan Society, the next 50 years will be our own Moonshot, as we move forward into a new post-pandemic inflection point—a significant reopening full of energy and excitement this fall that embodies the best of American and Japanese spirit. It's time to reach beyond the physical space of our landmarked building, which opened to the public 50 years ago in September 1971, re-imagining our enduring mission of connecting American and Japanese people, cultures, and societies across time and space for the next half century. Sixty years ago, President John F. Kennedy's Moonshot Address inspired a generation of Americans to look to the moon in the spirit of adventure, patriotism, and freedom. Today, under new leadership in the United States and Japan, Japan Society starts a new chapter in building our kizuna, our forward-facing energy and deeply interwoven connections, between New York and Japan – and beyond. How do we continue to inspire the next generation of leaders in U.S.-Japan relations? As we think about the next 50 years at Japan Society, much has changed, yet many of the foundations remain the same from our starting point 114 years ago. There's a lot to look forward to as we celebrate significant milestones in 2021-22 and beyond. As Mr. Kravis said, in order to grow and to survive, "You have to keep innovating, you have to keep moving." Japan Society is a convener for the future. With your support, we, too, will overcome the tough challenges facing this world and the U.S.-Japan alliance, together. See you at Japan House and on the far side of the moon! If you missed out on our 2020-21 season, below are some of the highlights. Stay tuned for more exciting events coming this summer and fall, in person and online! Published on June 22, 2021 on Japan Society’s new Watch & Read page.
England’s identity: fans sing football’s coming home, but what is home?
Sport matters to national identity. The pageantry of flags, emblems and anthems (both official and unofficial) load sport with symbolism and imagery of the nation. One of the key reasons governments spend billions of dollars to host sporting mega events is to build or reinforce a sense of national identity. However, national identity is fluid, not fixed. Sport offers an arena in which national identity can adapt and change. In England, where many civic institutions represent Britain as a whole, the men’s national football team is particularly important to English identity. In 1996, the country hosted the European Championships tournament. This coincided with the so-called awakening of English national identity, symbolised by the supplanting of the union flag with the waving of the Saint George’s cross at Wembley football stadium and the singing of a new fans’ anthem, Three Lions (Football’s Coming Home). In recent years, celebrating Englishness has often been linked to a narrow and exclusive imagery, which is said to marginalise ethnic minorities and those with a more socially liberal perspective, and has been tied to a football culture often associated with hooliganism. Yet now, as England have reached the finals of the Euros for the first time, the team and its manager, Gareth Southgate, have put football at the centre of a debate about English identity for the opposite reason. Is a more proud, inclusive version of Englishness emerging? Multicultural teams in a globalised world A recent graphic promoted by the UK’s Museum of Migration shows a stark picture of what England’s starting 11 would look like without immigration over the past two generations. With only three players without a parent or grandparent born overseas, the national team is held up as a microcosm of a diverse, multicultural population (although the absence of England’s significant Asian communities is glaring). To paraphrase historian Eric Hobsbawm, the imagined community of multicultural England seems more real as a team of eleven named people. As Southgate said before the 2018 World Cup: “In England we have spent a bit of time being a bit lost as to what our modern identity is. I think as a team we represent that modern identity and hopefully people can connect with us.” In many ways, this is old news. Sport in England and the UK (akin to national identity) has always been a multinational affair, owing to its colonial ties with the countries of the former British Empire. Whether it was Jamaican-born John Barnes scoring against Brazil in 1984, Kevin Pietersen (South African born) winning the Ashes in 2005, or Greg Rusedski (Canadian born), Johanna Konta (Australian born) or, more recently, Emma Raducanu (Canadian born) performing at Wimbledon, British sport has long reflected its colonial history and the tensions and contingencies that brings. Nor is this issue unique to England or the UK. In 1998, the French World Cup-winning team was both celebrated and attacked by pro- and anti-migrant voices for the multiracial makeup of their “rainbow team”, as a large proportion of its players – including its star Zinedine Zidane – had ethnic backgrounds in former French colonies in Africa and the Caribbean. The imperial legacies of Belgium, Netherlands and Portugal are also evident in the diversity of their respective squads. Beyond former colonial powers, most national teams are now more ethnically diverse than they were 30 years ago, due to globalisation and the naturalisation of foreign athletes. England’s quarter-final opponents Ukraine have fielded Brazilian born players Júnior Moraes and Marlos this year, and their captain Andriy Yarmolenko was born in Russia. In addition to historical, cultural and linguistic connections, there is a clear performance imperative: teams that embrace ethnic diversity often outperform teams that don’t. ‘Englishness’ and immigration What is significant about this moment is the wider political context in the UK – particularly the uncertainty over what is “English” national identity and, critically, what should it be. All this comes amid the fray of polarised debate over the issues of immigration and race in England, and the UK more generally. The prospect of a tighter, points-based system of immigration, which has now been introduced, was one of the key themes of the Leave campaign in the 2016 EU referendum. Had such a system been installed several decades ago, the graphic about the English team’s immigration history may well have been approaching reality. And without the talents of Raheem Sterling, Kalvin Phillips, Kieran Trippier and others, England fans may well have been lamenting another disappointing tournament campaign. Amid the euphoria of reaching a final, there remains much soul-searching, as well as division, among the English on the key questions of “who are we” and “what exactly do we want to celebrate”? Fans, quite rightly, are celebrating the achievements of the whole English team, as well as the activism of individual heroes like Sterling and Marcus Rashford. Yet while many fans embrace the diversity of the team, the booing of their own players taking the knee against racism – a gesture that originated in the US – shows that identity politics can still divide, on and off the pitch. In spite of the positive image of diverse modern England projected by this group of players and manager, it is unrealistic to expect football to navigate the current “culture war” and be able to consolidate a more progressive, inclusive vision of Englishness – at least on its own. Other civic, and possibly political, institutions are needed if England is going to mean more than “the 11 men in white shirts at Wembley”. Notwithstanding how people identify themselves in terms of their nationality, research shows that both hosting a football tournament and making successful progression through it can have a positive impact on national feelings of happiness and well-being. If England beat Italy at Wembley on Sunday and win Euro 2020, a feel-good factor will inevitably abound, which may be a springboard to unite a country that is still deeply divided.
Experts explore the gap between research and practice in disaster management
The COVID-19 pandemic has attracted public attention to crisis management globally, writes Aston University's Oscar Rodriguez-Espindola. Although authorities and international organisations are still actively and diligently trying to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, some of the attention is shifting towards understanding the decisions made and learning from our experience. Indeed, this experience has inadvertently shown different areas for improvement for emergency management systems. The experience gained during the pandemic should lead governments and organisations to refine crisis management processes to prepare for challenges ahead. Leveraging research and specialist groups have been essential to support and inform decisions, as these can provide key insights guiding policy decisions. However, the integration of research and practice should not take place at the response stage only, but as part of the core crisis management system at every stage. It is crucial to maintain and strengthen the relationships between research and practice forged during the pandemic for different emergencies in the future. With the increasing number of different disasters happening and the threats stemming from climate change, it is not surprising that between 1994 and 2013 around 1.35 million lives have been claimed annually by natural disasters. Therefore, the value of partnerships between research and practice needs to be strengthened and implemented globally. Academics from Aston University in the UK and the Universidad Autónoma de Occidente in Mexico have investigated the current status of the integration of research and practice for crisis management. A systematic literature review of decision models for humanitarian logistics has been used to understand the way these models have reflected the real conditions experienced by decision-makers and catered to their priorities. Afterwards, interviews with two civil protection authorities of the state of Sinaloa, Mexico, have been undertaken to understand the conditions faced by them for crisis management, their processes and their view of decision models to support crisis management in the country. Next, a multicriteria decision analysis was used to capture their preferences regarding the objectives set for humanitarian operations to develop an analysis of their priorities. Practice needs to be informed by research, but for that guidance to be impactful, research needs to have a thorough understanding of the conditions and challenges faced by practice. The literature focused on models for humanitarian logistics has shown that the engagement of academics with practitioners in the design of solutions to support decision-making has been declared in less than a quarter of the contributions, as shown in Table 1. That means the design of solutions is based on prior secondary information or founded on a theoretical basis, which is not necessarily reflecting the current reality faced by authorities. It is noteworthy that there is an increasing trend in the number of articles involving practitioners in recent years, with more than half of them published in the previous three years. Despite that growth, however, the relative percentage of contributions incorporating practitioners has never been beyond 40% of all the models published in any year, which highlights that there is still a long way to go to support research development. Table 1: Involvement of practitioners in the design of models for humanitarian logistics Our interviews highlighted that authorities perceive the potential of systems to improve information management forecasting and decision-making, but they also unveiled the concerns about these systems providing unrealistic or unfeasible solutions. Optimisation models are formulations in which a metric is maximised or minimised subject to a series of constraints. If the objective does not reflect the objectives and priorities of decision-makers, then results can be less relevant for decision-makers. For instance, models solely aiming to minimise cost would struggle to give useful solutions to authorities focused primarily on providing support to all the victims equally. Therefore, the lack of involvement from decision-makers can lead practitioners to be cautious about using decision-making models. To examine the link between contributions in the literature and the objectives and priorities of authorities, data about them was gathered and analysed using a technique known as Fuzzy-TOPSIS. The purpose was to identify the importance given to different objectives by authorities for different activities in order to rank them based on importance as shown in Table 2. Although humanitarian logistics are characterised by a focus on the overarching ideas of saving lives and reducing suffering, it is still surprising to note that cost was the least important objective for authorities. Conversely, more than three-quarters of the models surveyed are using cost as the main objective function, which makes it the most prominent objective in humanitarian logistics. As preferences from authorities seem considerably more focused on maintaining a reliable flow of support, with high levels of service and ensuring to reach the most affected population, our findings suggest a misalignment between research and practice. Hence, neglecting to incorporate practitioners in decision-making models for humanitarian logistics can lead to omitting their needs and priorities, rendering the models less effective to provide workable solutions. Table 2: Ranking of objectives from civil protection authorities Additionally, it is important that research guides and influences practice in relevant aspects for further development. For instance, understandably, the chaotic and urgent conditions faced by authorities in humanitarian logistics force them to prioritise response over any other considerations. Our interviews confirmed this, as they mentioned that even though sustainability is becoming a crucial element in regular times, it is undermined by the urgency of the response and only included in recovery activities. This is an aspect worth looking into because research has shown that sustainability can be integrated into crisis management, even with the potential to provide improvements in terms of efficiency. Hence, a more thorough integration between research and practice would allow to positively influence activities on the field based on findings and results proposed and tested by cutting-edge investigations. Overall, our findings suggest that despite the increasing remarks about the intention of joining research and practice, there is still a significant divide between them. Reducing that divide can be beneficial for both sides. More practice-informed research can allow to development of feasible solutions that can enhance the support provided to disaster victims in practice, whereas more research-informed practice can provide stronger foundations for effective decision-making and guide research to focus on key aspects to make it more impactful. Therefore, it is essential to put more emphasis on integrating research and practice from the roots, to make their interaction more fruitful. Current trends seem to be going towards that direction, especially with the current focus on the impact on research, but further efforts are required to motivate researchers and practitioners to work together to improve crisis management. This article was co-written by Oscar Rodriguez-Espindola, Pavel Albores, Hossein Ahmadi, Soumyadeb Chowdhury, Prasanta Dey from Aston University and Diego Chavira and Omar Ahumanda from the Universidad Autónoma de Occidente. This work was supported by an Institutional Links grant, ID 527666998, under the Newton UK-Mexico partnership. The grant is funded by the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and delivered by the British Council. For further information, please visit www.newtonfund.ac.uk