Spin it to win it: A comparison of constraints-led versus traditional coaching approaches

This thesis aimed to compare the effects of constraints-led and traditional coaching approaches on young cricket spin bowlers, with a specific research focus on increasing spin rates (i.e., Revolutions per Minute). Participants were 22 spin bowlers from either an Australia state youth squad or an academy in England. Results indicate that adopting a constraints-led approach can benefit younger, inexperienced bowlers, whilst a traditional approach may assist more skilled, older bowlers. The findings are discussed with regards to how they may inform the learning design of training programs by cricket coaches.

The Relationship Between University Culture and Climate and Research Scientists’ Spin-off Intentions

Over the past decades, universities have increasingly become involved in entrepreneurial activities. Despite efforts to embrace their 'third mission', universities still demonstrate great heterogeneity in terms of their involvement in academic entrepreneurship. This chapter adopts an institutional perspective to understand how organizational characteristics affect research scientists' entrepreneurial intentions. We study the impact of university culture and climate on entrepreneurial intentions, thereby specifically focusing on intentions to spin off a company. Using a sample of 437 research scientists from Swedish and German universities, our results reveal that the extent to which universities articulate entrepreneurship as a fundamental element of their mission fosters research scientists' spin-off intentions. Furthermore, the presence of university role models positively affects research scientists' propensity to engage in entrepreneurial activities, both directly and indirectly through entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Finally, research scientists working at universities which explicitly reward people for 'third mission' related output show higher levels of spin-off intentions. This study has implications for both academics and practitioners, including university managers and policy makers.

Highly efficient spin-conversion effect leading to energy up-converted electroluminescence in singlet fission photovoltaics

Free charge generation in donor-acceptor (D-A) based organic photovoltaic diodes (OPV) progresses through formation of charge-transfer (CT) and charge-separated (CS) states and excitation decay to the triplet level is considered as a terminal loss. On the other hand a direct excitation decay to the triplet state is beneficial for multiexciton harvesting in singlet fission photovoltaics (SF-PV) and the formation of CT-state is considered as a limiting factor for multiple triplet harvesting. These two extremes when present in a D-A system are expected to provide important insights into the mechanism of free charge generation and spin-character of bimolecular recombination in OPVs. Herein, we present the complete cycle of events linked to spin conversion in the model OPV system of rubrene/C60. By tracking the spectral evolution of photocurrent generation at short-circuit and close to open-circuit conditions we are able to capture spectral changes to photocurrent that reveal the triplet character of CT-state. Furthermore, we unveil an energy up-conversion effect that sets in as a consequence of triplet population build-up where triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) process effectively regenerates the singlet excitation. This detailed balance is shown to enable a rare event of photon emission just above the open-circuit voltage (VOC) in OPVs.

Uncoupled surface spin induced exchange bias in α-MnO 2 nanowires

We have studied the microstructure, surface states, valence fluctuations, magnetic properties, and exchange bias effect in MnO2 nanowires. High purity α-MnO 2 rectangular nanowires were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method with microwave-assisted procedures. The microstructure analysis indicates that the nanowires grow in the [0 0 1] direction with the (2 1 0) plane as the surface. Mn3+ and Mn2+ ions are not found in the system by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The effective magnetic moment of the manganese ions fits in with the theoretical and experimental values of Mn4+ very well. The uncoupled spins in 3d3 orbitals of the Mn 4+ ions in MnO 6 octahedra on the rough surface are responsible for the net magnetic moment. Spin glass behavior is observed through magnetic measurements. Furthermore, the exchange bias effect is observed for the first time in pure α-MnO2 phase due to the coupling of the surface spin glass with the antiferromagnetic α-MnO2 matrix. These α-MnO2 nanowires, with a spin-glass-like behavior and with an exchange bias effect excited by the uncoupled surface spins, should therefore inspire further study concerning the origin, theory, and applicability of surface structure induced magnetism in nanostructures.