Monitoring Infection Risk for Air and Soil Borne Fungal Plant Pathogens using Antibody and DNA Techniques and Mathematical Models describing Environmental Parameters

Economic losses resulting from disease development can be reduced by accurate and early detection of plant pathogens. Early detection can provide the grower with useful information on optimal crop rotation patterns, varietal selections, appropriate control measures, harvest date and post harvest handling. Classical methods for the isolation of pathogens are commonly used only after disease symptoms. This frequently results in a delay in application of control measures at potentially important periods in crop production. This paper describes the application of both antibody and DNA based systems to monitor infection risk of air and soil borne fungal pathogens and the use of this information with mathematical models describing risk of disease associated with environmental parameters.

The Search for the Operatic: Bridging the Gap Between the Spectatorial and Performer Positions Through Sketch-making and Embodiment Techniques

The exhibition was of sketches and a photograph from my PhD practice research. The practice-research was comprised of observing opera singers in rehearsal and sketching them as they moved. As well as records of body position, and to some degree dynamic flow, the exhibited sketches were regarded as kinaesthetic responses in and of themselves – responses to the environment of the rehearsal, in particular responding to the sounds of the orchestra. These sketches were, in part, generated through an embodiment of the music, which was occurring in the same moment as the singer was engaged in embodying the music. These sketches were then used as tools that therefore contained kinaesthetic information which could be unlocked through a process of Butoh derived embodiment techniques alongside reference to the sketched image. This ultimately allowed me to move from a spectatorial position to a performance maker position, bringing a sense of the operatic into the non-singing body, whether that was my own or the bodies of other performers. In this way, and combined with rigorous observation of the corporeal restrictions of singing operatically, choreographies were created that employed operatic ways of moving in non-singing bodies and the operatic was extracted from opera and employed in movement based practice. The aspect of the practice-research exhibited is the correspondence between sketched documentation of the singers in rehearsal and photographic documentation of the dancer (researcher) in performance.

An Investigation into the Use of Computer-based Simulation Games for Learning and Teaching in Business Management Courses

Computer-based simulation games (CSG) are a form of innovation in learning and teaching. CGS are used more pervasively in various ways such as a class activity (formative exercises) and as part of summative assessments (Leemkuil and De Jong, 2012; Zantow et al., 2005). This study investigates the current and potential use of CGS in Worcester Business School’s (WBS) Business Management undergraduate programmes. The initial survey of off-the-shelf simulation reveals that there are various categories of simulations, with each offering varying levels of complexity and learning opportunities depending on the field of study. The findings suggest that whilst there is marginal adoption of the use CSG in learning and teaching, there is significant opportunity to increase the use of CSG in enhancing learning and learner achievement, especially in Level 5 modules. The use of CSG is situational and its adoption should be undertaken on a case-by-case basis. WBS can play a major role by creating an environment that encourages and supports the use of CSG as well as other forms of innovative learning and teaching methods. Thus the key recommendation involves providing module teams further support in embedding and integrating CSG into their modules.