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Head of School of Optometry named world expert in contact lenses
Professor James Wolffsohn, head of the School of Optometry at Aston University has been named by Expertscape as a world expert in contact lenses research based on his publications. Expertscape's PubMed-based algorithms placed professor Wolffsohn in the top 0.1 per cent of scholars writing about contact lenses over the past 10 years. He is also ranked by the same organisation as a world expert in presbyopia (the loss of eye focus with age affecting near vision), and is one of the top three scholars in the world. Expertscape is designed to help find the most knowledgeable physicians and health professionals in the world. Expertscape objectively ranks people and institutions by their expertise in more than 27,000 biomedical topics. James’ research focuses of the development, enhancement and validation of ophthalmic instrumentation to optimise contact lens comfort and fitting. He is also pioneering the use of contact lenses as a treatment for dry eyes; and developing methods to restore more natural eye focus through intraocular lenses, that are implanted into the eye as part of cataract surgery; as well as pharmaceutical approaches. Professor James Wolffsohn said: “I am delighted that our research in the field of contact lenses and presbyopia has had the desired impact and is widely read and cited. “Working together with colleagues in industry, we are able to accelerate product innovation, development and validation, leading to enhanced quality of life in patients.” James has published over 280 peer reviewed academic papers and given numerous international presentations. His main research areas are the development and evaluation of ophthalmic instrumentation, contact lenses, intraocular lenses and the tear film. A contact lens is a corrective, cosmetic, or therapeutic lens usually placed on the cornea of the eye. Contact lenses usually serve the same corrective purpose as conventional glasses, but are lightweight and virtually invisible. It has been estimated that about 125 million people use contact lenses worldwide. Presbyopia is the loss of eye focus with age which is usually noticed by ~45 years of age when reading glasses or another form of refractive correction is needed. It has a marked emotional effect being one of the first apparent signs of ageing.
New £2.8 million MRI scanner installed at Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment
Installation of a new £2.8 million MRI scanner is due to start at Aston University in the Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN) to replace the existing ageing unit in the Day Hospital on campus. The state-of-the-art facility will be installed over a period of four months, including work being undertaken to remove the old machine from the building. This will involve several complex crane lifts outside the Day Hospital to remove the existing scanner. The internal spaces will then be refurbished before the new scanner is lifted into the building in February 2022. The new Siemens MAGNETOM Prisma 3T MRI scanner will enhance the world-class neuroimaging research facilities within the Institute. Currently Aston University researchers use advanced neuroimaging techniques to discover biomarkers of brain health in children with neurological disease. By detecting those biomarkers, researchers are able to determine those who are at risk of longer term poor cognitive, behavioural and health outcomes with the goal/vision of providing early support to those children who need it most. The new scanner will also enable the Institute to provide the most recent innovations in MRI for patients visiting through the clinical service: Aston University Imaging. Patients visiting for MRI scans come through private referrals, as well as from local institutions such as the Birmingham Royal Ballet and Aston Villa football club. Professor Jackie Blissett, co-director, Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN), said: “The installation of our new MRI scanner is tremendously exciting. This state-of-the-art equipment is core to our child-focused research programme that delivers a new understanding of development and disease and the interventions that will make a difference.”
ChristianaCare Named a “Most Wired” Health Care Technology Leader for 6th Consecutive Year
ChristianaCare Recognized as one of the Nation’s Best in Both Ambulatory and Hospital Care (WILMINGTON, Del. – Oct. 29, 2021) For the sixth consecutive year, ChristianaCare has earned the “Most Wired” designation from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME), which assesses how effectively health care organizations apply core and advanced technologies to improve health and care in their communities. ChristianaCare was recognized with a Performance Excellence Award for Most Wired’s acute and ambulatory categories. That level is reserved only for organizations that are considered leaders in health care technology who “actively push the industry forward.” The recognition affirms that not only has ChristianaCare implemented advanced technologies, but it leverages those technologies in innovative ways. And it also has encouraged deep adoption of these technologies across the entire health system. “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, patients and providers have experienced the power of virtual care and the ability for data and technology to improve the health care experience,” said ChristianaCare President and CEO Janice E. Nevin, M.D., MPH. “At ChristianaCare, we believe now is the moment to transform our health care system to a new model of care that doesn’t stop between appointments—it’s continuous, data-driven and technology-enabled. We’re proud to be recognized as a leader in health care innovation, as we work to achieve better health at lower costs.” “We are driving digital into the core of our existing operations and simultaneously creating new digital product offerings,” said Randy Gaboriault, MS, MBA, chief digital and information officer at ChristianaCare. “The concept of the visit as the primary point of interaction between patient and doctor is obsolete. Our unique care foundation is continuous, digital and in the home, driving care with data and producing engagement actions between the visits. Our goal is for the care team, supported by artificial intelligence within the workflow, to determine the next best action for each patient.” The recognition is the latest accolade that highlights ChristianaCare’s success in creating exceptional experiences for its patients and consumers through personalized, proactive communication, which enables people to use the channels that they prefer in order to easily access care. This success was recently illustrated through ChristianaCare’s integration of clinical data with its new customer relationship management (CRM) system, which enabled ChristianaCare to scale and automate outreach to patients due for important preventive health checks. Through this effort and the new capabilities, ChristianaCare initiated patient and consumer outreach to address two common gaps in care – annual wellness checkups and breast cancer screenings. Continuous and automatic, the outreach within weeks resolved 11% of the gaps in annual wellness checkups, and 8% of the gaps in breast cancer screenings. “Success here stems from our commitment to continuously look for opportunities to innovate, from which we can more quickly and effectively partner with each individual on their path toward optimal health, even as we explore new ways to push the boundaries of how technology can further improve the health of our community,” said Lynne McCone, vice president of IT Application Services at ChristianaCare. The 2021 Digital Health Most Wired program assessed the adoption, integration and impact of technologies in health care organizations at all stages of development, from early development to industry-leading. Each participating organization received a customized benchmarking report, an overall score and scores for individual levels in eight segments: infrastructure; security; business/disaster recovery; administrative/supply chain; analytics/data management; interoperability/population health; patient engagement; and clinical quality/safety. Participants can use the report and scores to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement. Participants also received certification based on their overall performance. “Digital transformation in healthcare has accelerated to an unprecedented level since 2020, and the next few years will bring a wave of innovation that empowers healthcare consumers and will astound the industry,” said CHIME President and CEO Russell P. Branzell. “The Digital Health Most Wired program recognizes the outstanding digital leaders who have paved the way for this imminent revolution in healthcare. Their trailblazing commitment to rapid transformation has set an example for the entire industry in how to pursue a leadership vision with determination, brilliant planning and courage to overcome all challenges.” About ChristianaCare Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, ChristianaCare is one of the country’s most dynamic health care organizations, centered on improving health outcomes, making high-quality care more accessible and lowering health care costs. ChristianaCare includes an extensive network of primary care and outpatient services, home health care, urgent care centers, three hospitals (1,299 beds), a freestanding emergency department, a Level I trauma center and a Level III neonatal intensive care unit, a comprehensive stroke center and regional centers of excellence in heart and vascular care, cancer care and women’s health. It also includes the pioneering Gene Editing Institute. ChristianaCare is nationally recognized as a great place to work, rated by Forbes as the 5th best health system to work for in the United States and by IDG Computerworld as one of the nation’s Best Places to Work in IT. ChristianaCare is rated by HealthGrades as one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals and continually ranked among the nation’s best by Newsweek and other national quality ratings. ChristianaCare is a nonprofit teaching health system with more than 260 residents and fellows. With its groundbreaking Center for Virtual Health and a focus on population health and value-based care, ChristianaCare is shaping the future of health care.
Clinical trials to combat short sightedness in children underway at Aston University
Clinical trials to treat myopia - or short sightedness - in children are now underway. They are being conducted by researchers from Aston University in partnership with industry and in collaboration with the Universities of Queens, Ulster, Glasgow Caledonian, Anglia Ruskin, Waterloo and TU Dublin, with one of the trials funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The myopia research team in the College of Health and Life Sciences at Aston University is recruiting children between the ages of six to 15 years old, to take part in the clinical studies, which involve a range of different interventions that aim to slow the progression of myopia in children. The interventions under trial include low dose atropine eye drops, contact lenses and spectacle lenses. Myopia is an eye condition where distant objects appear blurry. It typically occurs in childhood and progresses through the teenage years. It can lead to eye disease in later life, as the eye grows longer with myopia, it causes stretching in parts of the eye. Myopia is becoming increasingly prevalent throughout the world and it has been predicted to affect approximately 50 per cent of the world's population by 2050, based on trending myopia prevalence figures. Myopia is an overlooked but leading cause of blindness, particularly among the working age population. At present, different designs of soft contact lenses, orthokeratology contact lenses (lenses worn overnight to correct the myopia), novel spectacle lenses and eye drops are all being used to slow eye growth and myopia progression in children. The aim in this trial is to manage myopia with an intervention at a young age in order to maximise the impact on slowing down the progression of myopia. Lead researcher professor, Nicola Logan, said: “Myopia is often considered benign because the blurred vision is easily corrected with glasses, contact lenses or refractive surgery. Higher levels of myopia are associated with increased risk of pathological complications, but it is important to note that there is no safe level of myopia. Even low levels of myopia increase the risk of sight-threatening eye conditions. “We are at an exciting time whereby we now have interventions based on research evidence that can be used in clinical practice that will help to slow down the rate of progression of myopia. “In these trials we want to find out the impact of different interventions on myopia progression in UK children, as well as look at why myopia develops and how it progresses in children, to see if we can enhance the current interventions. New information may be used to make the myopia control interventions more effective.” The researchers are aiming to recruit around 200 children aged between six and 15 years old across the three trials by 2021. If you are a parent or guardian of children who have myopia and feel this may be suitable for your children, then you can contact the research team at myopia@aston.ac.uk or (+44)121 204 4100 for further information.
How to find a job in Canada and position yourself as an ideal candidate
Whether you’ve just received your Confirmation of Permanent Residence (CoPR) or have recently moved to Canada, finding employment and getting back in your field of work is always top of mind for many. As you begin your job search in Canada, there are a few things that are must-haves: A Social Insurance Number (SIN) – A nine-digit number that you need to work in Canada or to have access to government programs and benefits. Credential assessment for occupations such as teachers, accountants, medical professionals, engineers, social workers, etc. Credential assessment is a process through which you can get certified, registered, or licensed to practice your occupation in Canada. A Canadian-style resume and cover letter. Remember to customize your resume for each job application. Tip: To learn about the scope of your role in Canada and get deeper insights into specific job markets such as Information Technology (IT), Finance, Sales and Marketing, Project Management, Healthcare, Human Resources (HR), and others, download Arrive’s free guide for the Canadian job market. Once you’re equipped with these basic tools and resources, you’re ready to start looking for relevant opportunities. Here are a few ways you can get started with your job search in Canada. 8 ways to find a job in Canada 1. Browse job search websites Most job seekers use job search websites as the starting point while looking for opportunities. In Canada, many locally-popular sites provide more than just job listings. You can get access to employment trends, salary trends, career-planning tools, and industry information. The Canadian government’s Job Bank website is one such exhaustive resource. It is a job-listing aggregator so it pulls listings from multiple job sites which makes it convenient to browse opportunities. You can also check the provincial and territorial websites for more newcomer employment resources. What are the best job sites in Canada? Some popular job search websites are: LinkedIn Jobs, Indeed, Monster, Glassdoor, Workopolis, CareerBuilder, and SimplyHired. If you’re looking for freelancing opportunities or remote work, sites like UpWork, Fiverr, Jobboom, Jobillico, and Jobspresso are good options. 2. Network and volunteer One of the things to know as a job seeker is that Canada has a hidden job market. The hidden job market refers to positions that are filled without the employer advertising for it publicly. It is said that as much as 65-85 per cent of the jobs are not posted online. This is why networking is crucial to finding relevant opportunities – and LinkedIn is an excellent tool to get you started. You can use websites like Eventbrite and Meetup to locate industry-specific networking events near you. These events are excellent forums to find people from your field of work and strengthen your professional network. Giving back to the community (or volunteering) is usually well-regarded and valued in Canadian society. It can help you gain Canadian experience and learn the local culture and serves as a good way to meet other people and build your network. Tip: Volunteering can help you build your network and earn Canadian experience. To discover the importance of volunteering in Canada and learn how to find volunteering opportunities, read The benefits of volunteering as a newcomer in Canada. 3. Enrol with immigrant-serving organizations In Canada, there are various government-funded organizations such as ACCES Employment and COSTI that help newcomers find employment. Some are province and city-specific, so you can look up the government website to find one closest to you. These organizations help newcomers with a wide range of online and in-person career services such as resume building, interview preparation, language assessment, and finding a job. 4. Attend job fairs Many immigrant-serving organizations also organize job fairs. Some of these fairs are virtual and span a couple of days, while others are in-person events. Prepare for Canada, and JVS Toronto are organizations that do online job fairs periodically. One of the benefits of enrolling with a government-funded settlement organization is getting alerts for these job fairs. Following the social media channels for these organizations and browsing sites like Eventbrite and Meetup are also good ways to find upcoming job fairs. 5. Reach out to employment agencies and recruiters There are many employment agencies and specialized recruiters that can help you find a job in your field in Canada. These agencies and recruiters match jobseekers to employer positions. You can search for recruiters from your industry on sites like LinkedIn. Recruitment agencies in Canada may be nationally and/or internationally licensed. Those with a national license are only authorized to assist job seekers within Canada, while those with an international license can recruit overseas employees wanting to work in Canada. Who are the top recruitment agencies in Canada? Some popular employment agencies in Canada are Robert Half, Randstad Canada, and Hays Canada. Employment/recruitment/placement/staffing agencies cannot demand a fee from a jobseeker to help them find work. However, they can charge for additional services such as resume preparation, interview preparation, and job skills training. Tip: Beware of any employment agencies or recruiters asking you to pay a fee in exchange for a job offer, especially if you haven’t moved to Canada yet. Learn more about employment scams in Canada in the article, Common scams that newcomers to Canada should know about. 6. Browse career sections on company websites A good way to go about your job search is to make a list of organizations you would like to work at and then check the career sections on their respective websites. Most websites will let you send a job application for open positions directly through their site. Reach out to current or past employees through LinkedIn for a coffee chat to better understand the organizational structure and learn more about your desired role – this will also help you prepare for your interview. These conversations are also a great way to know about future job openings at the organization. Tip: Check out the list of top 100 employers in Canada and find organizations from your industry. 7. Enrol in bridging programs Bridging programs are designed for internationally-trained professionals and tradespeople who want to work in their field in Canada. They can help you get a licence or certification and integrate into the Canadian workplace. Some of the bridging programs’ services include courses, education and skills assessment, practical or workplace experience, exam preparation for licenses or certificates, language training, and action and learning plans to help you identify the training you may need. These programs may be virtual, or in-person or a combination of both. Usually, classroom training or work experience is part of the program. Depending on the bridging program you choose, there may be a fee associated with it. Contact a newcomer settlement agency near you or check local university or college websites to learn more about enrolment processes and eligibility criteria for specific bridging programs. 8. Look for a mentor Many Canadian professionals and industry leaders provide free advice and coaching to newcomers settling in Canada. This is a good way to learn how to adapt your skills and experience for the local job market and find relevant opportunities. You can look for a mentor through organizations like: Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS) Calgary Region Immigrant Employment Council (CRIEC) Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC) Edmonton Region Immigrant Employment Council (ERIEC) Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (OCISO) How to position yourself as an ideal candidate and get a job offer The job market in Canada is competitive. Once you’ve identified a job position that’s a good fit for your skills and experience, it’s time to stand out from the crowd and market yourself as the ideal candidate. Positioning yourself as a strong candidate to an employer begins with building your personal brand. Here are a few other aspects to keep in mind as you prepare for a job application. Be confident and tell your story Practise responses to basic interview questions and have an elevator pitch so you’ll be more confident during the interview. Elevator pitches are a good way to introduce yourself and make an impression at the start of an interview. They can also serve as an answer to the “tell me about yourself” question. Think of your achievements and use specific examples or stories to demonstrate how you are a good fit for the role. Job interview resources: How to prepare for a job interview 10 common job interview questions and how to answer them The interview process in Canada may seem nerve-wracking. Prepped is an excellent resource for you to practise your interview skills and confidently prepare for the interview process. 6 Tips for improving your job search in the Canadian market 1. Customize your resume and add a cover letter A generic resume and cover letter sent to multiple employers may not yield much success in your job search journey. Be sure to customize your resume to each position that you’re applying for by tailoring your work experience, skills, and any additional information to the role. The cover letter is a good way to justify any gaps in your resume or provide any additional info that your resume can’t. Adding a custom, well-written cover letter to your resume can make you stand out from the competition, thus improving your chances of being approached for an interview. 2.Research the company and the role Be sure to research the company you are interviewing with – this will help you have more meaningful conversations with the employer and ask relevant questions. Look up the company mission, vision, some of its history, and market standing. Align your responses to the organization’s goals. Candid reviews on sites like Glassdoor can help you get insight into the operations and culture of the company. Get the names and titles of people who will be interviewing you and learn a bit about their background – this information can come in handy while making small talk with interviewers. Network with current or past employees through LinkedIn to learn more about the company and identify their needs – it will help you suggest potential solutions during the interview. 3. Polish your LinkedIn profile In Canada, it is common for employers and recruiters to search your name online. Brush up and polish your LinkedIn profile so that it’s up-to-date with your experience and qualifications. Also, ensure your social media or blogs don’t raise any red flags about you or portray you in a negative light. 4.For virtual interviews: Check your connectivity and surrounding environment With the coronavirus pandemic, many organizations have their employees working remotely. There is also a growing trend of candidates being interviewed virtually or over the phone. With this new setup, it is essential to showcase soft skills such as self-motivation and communication and demonstrate your comfort level using technology to connect. Be sure to check your phone reception, internet bandwidth and hardware or software requirements to ensure a smooth audio/video call for your interview. Avoid taking such calls from a coffee shop or a place where background noise levels may be high. 5.Be punctual and dress for the job you want Whether it’s a virtual or an in-person interview, make sure you’re punctual and dress for the job you want. For in-person interviews, plan your journey beforehand and consider the traffic and weather conditions. With the dress code, you can never go wrong with formals – this applies to in-person as well as virtual interviews. 6.Follow-up after the interview After the interview, take the time to send a thank you note to each of your interviewers. While this reflects your enthusiasm for the position, it also ensures the interviewer remembers you while deciding whom to hire. Finding meaningful employment in Canada can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. Preparation, persistence, determination, a positive attitude, and access to the right resources will help you find relevant opportunities. Original article located here, published by Arrive.
Over 2850 people supported by eye health education and vision screening delivered by Villa Vision
“Aston University and Aston Villa Foundation have a strong social purpose and the successful delivery of Villa Vision in our local schools demonstrates this perfectly. Eyesight problems shouldn’t hold any child back.” Jack Dromey, MP for Birmingham, Erdington The Villa Vision initiative is raising awareness of the importance of eye health to children in schools and individuals in local community setting It is a joint project between the Aston Villa Foundation, Aston University’s Optometry School and optical lens supplier Essilor Vision for Life Jack Dromey, MP for Birmingham Erdington, visited Aston University campus to learn more about it Jack Dromey, MP for Birmingham Erdington, visited Aston University campus on Friday July 23 to learn about a unique initiative to deliver good eye health to communities in Birmingham. Villa Vision, a joint project between the Aston Villa Foundation, Aston University’s Optometry School and optical lens supplier Essilor Vision for Life, aims to benefit the local community through the provision of free eye care and to raise awareness of the importance of eye care for all. Pupils from the poorest backgrounds are more likely to suffer from uncorrected vision problems. Left untreated, vision problems may result in the need for more learning support at school and can lead to health and vision consequences in later life. Aston University worked alongside the Aston Villa Foundation and Citizens UK to listen to the local community, which identified that children and adults in the local area face a number of challenges when it comes to accessing eye care, including a lack of parental support, awareness, accessibility, language barriers and a misconception about cost. In addition, it has been shown that children from less affluent areas are nearly 30% less likely to have an eye test than children from more affluent areas, with this number significantly increasing among adults. Funded by the Premier League and the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), the project is designed to fill a crucial lack of knowledge surrounding the importance of having an eye test and how preventative measures can ensure, among a host of benefits, a lifetime of good vision. The Villa Vision team is delivering a programme of eye-health awareness lessons in the classroom, as well as free vision and colour vision screening, followed by a more comprehensive eye test and free glasses to those children who require them, using a fully operational custom-designed mobile eye care unit. So far, the initiative has engaged with over 1750 local children and adults through classroom workshops and have vision and colour vision screened around 1100 local primary aged children. Jack Dromey, MP for Birmingham, Erdington, said: “Aston University and Aston Villa Foundation have a strong social purpose and the successful delivery of Villa Vision in our local schools demonstrates this perfectly. Eyesight problems shouldn’t hold any child back.” “Poor vision can often go unnoticed, particularly amongst children so Villa Vision will provide the opportunity for children to have a free vision screening check at school. In addition to this, for those children requiring further investigation the initiative will also provide a full eye examination and glasses if required for free using a fully equipped mobile eyecare unit.” Nikhil Sonpal, Villa Vision project manager and optometrist said: “Children may not always recognise whether there is something wrong with their vision and it is particularly damaging if vision problems go undetected. “We understand that, particularly in more deprived communities, many children and adults may face a number of significant challenges and barriers when it comes to accessing eye care services,” Mr Sonpal added. Dr Angela Jeffery, director of regional strategy at Aston University, said: “Engaging with communities on Villa Vision has provided insights into the challenges local people face and helped to shape Aston University’s Civic Agreement.” “Our approach to public engagement draws on innovative community-facing activities across the University and we are constantly developing new and exciting ways of engaging with the public and look to the diverse communities around us to contribute, collaborate and coproduce initiatives with us.” Professor Leon Davies, professor of optometry and physiological optics and head of the School of Optometry at Aston University said: “We are delighted to be working with Aston Villa and Essilor to share our clinical and research expertise in providing evidence-based eye care. “Designed for our region, Villa Vision will benefit our local community through the provision of free eye care and by raising awareness of the importance of eye health for all.”
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.
Social Work is Advancing Addiction Science Research
Tens of thousands of Americans die from drug use and addiction every year, with overdoses killing over 63,000 people in America in 2016, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Add in deaths linked to alcohol overuse and tobacco, and the number climbs above half a million Americans. The collective work of several researchers at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, in collaboration with other USC faculty and outside organizations, is advancing knowledge of substance use disorders. Social work has become a hub where researchers and practitioners drive understanding and improve treatment for this disease that impacts millions of families each year. “Either as a cause or consequence, addiction relates to every problem we deal with in social work,” said John Clapp, professor and associate dean for research and faculty development at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. Addiction’s complexity The social work field is uniquely poised to help effect change because of its holistic approach to individual well-being and the public good. According to Clapp, substance use disorder problems are inherently ecological, impacting and being impacted by individuals, families, peers, neighborhoods, communities and public policy in complex and dynamic ways. Untangling those causes and effects and interdependencies is one part of the solution. The other part is understanding that simple solutions may stay out of reach. “We will not find a one-size-fits-all answer,” said Clapp. Looking at addiction as a genetic, psychological or sociological issue only shows one piece of the overall cause. A comprehensive approach is essential, he said, especially when statistics from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) show alcohol use disorders alone as the third leading cause of preventable death in the world. A hub for addiction science The need for a transdisciplinary response to this worldwide crisis was behind the 2018 creation of the USC Institute on Addiction Science (IAS), a joint venture between social work and the Keck School of Medicine of USC, with membership from 10 different schools, colleges and hospitals. Its vision is to strengthen the discipline of addiction science and improve the lives of those touched by the disease. Clapp is co-director of the institute and one of its founding architects. IAS is quickly becoming the foremost place for a broad effort focused on addiction that brings together researchers from the fields of public health, social work, law, public policy, mathematicians, computer engineers and others in recognition of the promise of new approaches to longstanding problems. The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work has eight faculty making substantial contributions to the prevention of addiction-related disorders as members of the IAS: Professor Avalardo Valdez, associate professors Julie Cederbaum and Alice Cepeda, and assistant professors Jordan Davis, Shannon Dunn, Jungeun Olivia Lee, Danielle Madden, and Hans Oh. “Social work brings one of the broadest perspectives on the underpinnings and solutions to the addiction crisis,” said Adam Leventhal, director of IAS and professor of preventive medicine and psychology at Keck. “By approaching addiction as a health condition and a social justice issue, social work brings to the table the opportunity for high-impact, multi-modal intervention and social policy approaches, which are needed to address the addiction epidemic.” A holistic approach Social work faculty are raising the bar in addiction science research, developing new and novel approaches to improving outcomes for those affected by addiction. In a study recently published in Addiction, a multidisciplinary team lead by Davis and Clapp found gender differences in the risk factors for relapse following treatment for opioid use disorder. The study was the first in this field to use machine learning techniques to process large data sets and identify risk factors for relapse, said Davis, who also serves as associate director of the USC Center for Artificial Intelligence in Society (CAIS). The findings may result in more personalized treatment for opioid use disorder with lasting results. This dovetails with additional research Davis is conducting with computer science engineers at CAIS to collect and input neighborhood and census data into their models in an effort to better understand how these macro variables affect relapse. “We are finding that data points such as crime statistics, population density and concentrated poverty tend to be some of the most important predictors of relapse, over and above individual-level predictors such as impulsivity, motivation or gender,” Davis said. These findings echo Clapp’s description of addiction as ecological and point to the need for holistic solutions. “These machine learning techniques are helping us gain an apparent picture of what the most important factors are surrounding someone’s recovery,” Davis said. “Environment matters greatly.” Davis is also collaborating closely with Eric Pedersen, associate professor at Keck School of Medicine at USC, on several research efforts examining substance use among veterans. Most recently, they have assembled a survey group of approximately 1,200 veterans whom they survey quarterly about their well-being. A recently conducted survey of the group found that veterans with PTSD prior to the COVID-19 pandemic were now managing their symptoms with more frequent alcohol and cannabis use. Another joint research endeavor between the two is examining the use of mindfulness smart phone apps to help reduce substance use in Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans with PTSD and alcohol use disorder. Where well-being and inequalities intersect Jungeun Olivia Lee also seeks to decode the network of relationships between socioeconomic status, adverse childhood experiences and drug use. Her experience as a social work practitioner working directly with clients drives her motivation to demonstrate to policymakers what she sees as a linkage between unemployment, economic stress and substance use disorders. She is lead author on a paper published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research that found unemployment may advance nicotine addiction among young adults, rather than the idea that nicotine addiction may lead to unemployment. Lee’s research interests lie at the intersection of substance use and co-occurring mental health, social inequalities (such as poverty and low socioeconomic status), and adverse childhood experiences. She is interested in combining these three areas of inquiry to explore their influence on addictive behavior that can persist over generations of at-risk families, such as adolescent mothers and their children. Her memories of working directly with clients struggling with the impact of addiction remain clear in her mind. When Lee hears policymakers and others suggest that individual willpower will solve substance use disorder problems, she has a straightforward response: “People are not born with addiction.” In her view, many factors contribute to the triggered distress, including socioeconomic status and adverse childhood experiences. Lee is exploring an idea with other IAS researchers to investigate the relationship between financial strain and employment uncertainty and addiction. “Individual circumstances, such as losing a job, certainly influence substance use, but policy-level decisions, such as the generosity of unemployment insurance, can mitigate the impact,” she said. Transdisciplinary collaboration with social scientists, psychologists and medical researchers at IAS and across the USC campus enriches and amplifies her work. “We are breaking down discipline-specific silos and bringing new and valuable perspectives to this work,” she said. “The synergy is both useful and inspiring.” Looking ahead Researchers also hope to spark interest in the field among the next generation. A new minor for undergraduate students in addiction science was introduced at USC in Fall 2020. The minor is an interdisciplinary collaboration of the Keck School of Medicine, the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, the USC School of Pharmacy and the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences. It is designed to provide students with a transdisciplinary approach to understanding and treatment of the broad spectrum of addiction-related problems. The goal of addiction science research and education is to improve the long-term effect of addiction treatment and save lives. As society’s understanding of the cause of addiction grows, researchers like those in the school of social work and the IAS strive to bridge the gap between science, practice and policy to positively impact outcomes for those affected by addiction.
Welcoming 2021: The Year of Resiliency
Happy New Year to all — may 2021 be a better and brighter year for everyone. It has been just over a year since I came to Japan Society as President and CEO, with a mandate to take the Society into the future while preserving its 113-year-old mission of building bridges between the U.S. and Japan. The pandemic has accelerated the pace of change for everyone, globally, nationally, locally, and within our own workplaces and households. Change is hard, but it is also necessary. In a recent email, my friend Parag Khanna wrote, “Our global system evolves the way humanity does, not through grand design or random accident but by adaptation to changing realities. The faster we react to an accelerating world, the better our chances of shaping the future to our benefit.” I’d like to speak to Parag’s point personally rather than geopolitically. The experience of leading a New York nonprofit during this time — an institution that is both deeply and historically embedded in onsite programming and tradition — has both clarified and strengthened my vision for Japan Society’s future. Bending Adversity If 2020 has forced us to prioritize, 2021 will be the year of resiliency. 2021 represents the year of the Ox in Japan, where the ox is considered an industrious, cautious, and faithful friend that is always glad to offer help. After the 2020 we’ve all had, we could use more faithful friends like the ox in 2021. We are looking toward 2021 as a year in which we as a society ultimately overcome COVID-19 through the efforts of scientists, frontline workers, and governments around the globe. We hope to see the world come together in a big way for the first time at the rescheduled Summer Olympics in Tokyo. In some ways, we have already seen the future in Japan and in Asia more broadly, with its successful response to the COVID pandemic. Japan also represents a recent example of how to bend adversity and bounce back, as it did from the Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster of 3/11/2011. The entire country came together in solidarity to support the affected Tohoku region, including concrete measures such as limiting electricity usage at a national level to avoid rolling regional blackouts. A decade on, Japan still remembers, with the Olympic flame set to depart from Fukushima Prefecture in the torch relay that will cross the country before arriving in Tokyo for the Opening Ceremony. Out of Crisis: Opportunity Optimism and positivity are necessary to move forward. I’m optimistic not because I’m naïve about the challenges ahead as we continue to navigate these wild currents, but I am confident that we will find safe passage because of what we have learned collectively and adapted to over the past months. Japan Society’s Language Center had a record year in 2020 despite the pandemic as our teachers reached beyond our physical classrooms to virtual ones; more people joined us than ever before for our first-ever digital JAPAN CUTS, the largest festival of Japanese cinema in North America. We have opened possibilities far beyond our physical building, the original Japan House, designed by Japanese modernist architect Junzo Yoshimura 50 years ago, and named New York City’s youngest landmark in 2011. In crisis comes opportunity, and from opportunity come the possibilities for our collective future. While we are hurting without our physical programs and admissions revenue, we’ve literally been able to connect across the world, and even beyond — from Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi, who is currently on the International Space Station, to countless leading voices in Japan such as Olympics Director Nomura Mansai — to create unique experiences for our members. In this time, I return to the Japanese concept of kaizen (改善), continual self-improvement and change for the better. Regardless of the next challenges on the horizon, I’m committed to ensuring that we continuously improve and adapt in this spirit. I believe that our mission has never been more critical than in 2021 as we strengthen U.S.-Japan relations with new administrations in both capitals and seek opportunities to engage, explore, and educate our societies about our collective resiliency as we welcome the new year. Joshua Walker (@drjwalk) is president and CEO of Japan Society. Follow @japansociety. The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.
Savannah is drenched in history, but many of the city’s stories often go untold. Four Georgia Southern University history students aim to shed light on these untold stories as a part of their project, Savannah History Remix. The project, developed by graduate students Lauren Della Piazza Hartke, R. Dalton Bryant, Noah Prince, and Dalton Blackmon, is a series of walking tours featuring lesser-known stories of Savannah’s history. “The walking tours seemed like the safest bet and a good opportunity to learn some digital skills,” said Assistant Professor of history Alena Pirok, Ph.D., who is overseeing the project. “The tours intend to bring new and useful historical information to the city, its residents and the historical tourism industry.” When the project began, the students identified subjects not found on commercial tours of Savannah, including modern immigration, laborers, common people of Savannah and the LGBTQ community. Hartke created the tour, “A Seat at the Table: A Social History of Savannah’s Foodways,” which revolves around the culinary history of the city. “My goal for this project was to show how Savannah’s food scene today is the product of many years of input and contribution from many different subgroups of peoples,” she said. “I want people to understand how our notion of southern food is the product of English, West African and Native American foodways, combined with regional practices unique to Savannah’s economy and ecology.” Pirok said the Savannah History Remix tours have more freedom than commercial tours. “A non-profit tour like ours does not have to worry about losing customers and money,” she said. “This gives us the freedom to take more risks and to offer new, but academically sound, historical narratives that people do not find familiar or ones that might challenge their vision of the world.” Despite COVID-19, students at Georgia Southern University are combining innovation, technology and creativity to see the projects they want to fulfill come to fruition. If you’re a journalist looking to know more about the Savannah History Remix or similar projects, simply reach out to Georgia Southern Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
