Unlocking Geographical Information from Academia: an Open Source WebGIS Solution

Los Centros de Investigación de Geografía son por lo general productores de un gran volumen de Información Geográfica (IG), los cuales generan tanto proyectos financiados como iniciativas de investigación individuales. El Centro de Estudos de Geografia e Planeamento Regional (e-GEO) ha estado involucrado en varios proyectos a escala local, regional, nacional e internacional. Recientemente, dos cuestiones fueron objeto de debate. Una de ellas fue el hecho de que la información espacial obtenida a partir del desarrollo de tales proyectos de investigación no ha tenido la visibilidad que se esperaba. En la mayoría de las veces, la IG de estos proyectos no estaba en el formato adecuado para que los investigadores -o incluso el público en general o grupos de interés- pudieran pesquisar fácilmente. La segunda cuestión era sobre cómo hacer que estos resultados pudieran ser accesibles al alcance de todos, en todos los lugares, fácilmente y con los mínimos costes para el Centro, teniendo en cuenta el actual contexto económico portugués y los intereses de e-GEO. Estas dos cuestiones se resuelven con una sola respuesta: la puesta en marcha de un WebGIS en una plataforma Open Source. En este trabajo se ilustra la producción de un instrumento para la difusión de las indicaciones geográficas en el World Wide Web, utilizando únicamente software libre y freeware. Esta herramienta permite a todos los investigadores del Centro publicar su IG, la cual aparece como plenamente accesible a cualquier usuario final. Potencialmente, el hecho de permitir que este tipo de información sea plenamente accesible debería generar un gran impacto, acortando las distancias entre el trabajo realizado por los académicos y el usuario final. Creemos que es una óptima manera para que el público pueda acceder e interpretar la información espacial. En conclusión, esta plataforma debería servir para cerrar la brecha entre productores y usuarios de la información geográfica, permitiendo la interacción entre todas las partes así como la carga de nuevos datos dado un conjunto de normas destinadas a control de calidad

Supply, demand and a failure of understanding: addressing the culture clash between archaeologists' expectations for training and employment in 'academia' versus 'practice

A university degree is effectively a prerequisite for entering the archaeological workforce in the UK. Archaeological employers consider that new entrants to the profession are insufficiently skilled, and hold university training to blame. But university archaeology departments do not consider it their responsibility to deliver fully formed archaeological professionals, but rather to provide an education that can then be applied in different workplaces, within and outside archaeology. The number of individuals studying archaeology at university exceeds the total number working in professional practice, with many more new graduates emerging than archaeological jobs advertised annually. Over-supply of practitioners is also a contributing factor to low pay in archaeology. Steps are being made to provide opportunities for vocational training, both within and outside the university system, but archaeological training and education within the universities and subsequently the archaeological labour market may be adversely impacted upon by the introduction of variable top-up student fees.

Are gay rights Islamophobic? A critique of some uses of the concept of homonationalism in activism and academia

The concept of ‘homonationalism’ refers to deployments of gay rights for racist and Islamophobic ends, resulting in the consolidation of more sexually inclusive, but racially exclusionary, ideas of citizenship. This article critiques some of the analyses that the concept has inspired in both activist and academic contexts. The critique concentrates on two texts, showing that they make inappropriate rhetorical moves and inaccurate or unsubstantiated claims, and that rather than unearthing structural undercurrents of racism from certain texts or events, they project such structures onto them. While the validity of ‘homonationalism’ as an analytical category is not disputed, some of its propounders assume its explanatory power to be greater than it appears to be. The implications of this critique for gay rights activism and reform are explored.

Towards (more) integrity in academia: transcending neo-liberal assumption of research and knowledge creation and the “rules” supressing academic freedom

European researchers across heterogeneous disciplines voice concerns and argue for new paths towards a brighter future regarding scientific and knowledge creation and communication. Recently, in biological and natural sciences concerns have been expressed that major threats are intentionally ignored. These threats are challenging Europe’s future sustainability towards creating knowledge that effectively deals with emerging social, environmental, health, and economic problems of a planetary scope. Within social science circles however, the root cause regarding the above challenges, have been linked with macro level forces of neo-liberal ways of valuing and relevant rules in academia and beyond which we take for granted. These concerns raised by heterogeneous scholars in natural and the applied social sciences concern the ethics of today’s research and academic integrity. Applying Bourdieu’s sociology may not allow an optimistic lens if change is possible. Rather than attributing the replication of neo-liberal habitus in intentional agent and institutional choices, Bourdieu’s work raises the importance of thoughtlessly internalised habits in human and social action. Accordingly, most action within a given paradigm (in this case, neo-liberalism) is understood as habituated, i.e. unconsciously reproducing external social fields, even ill-defined ways of valuing. This essay analyses these and how they may help critically analyse the current habitus surrounding research and knowledge production, evaluation, and communication and related aspects of academic freedom. Although it is acknowledged that transformation is not easy, the essay presents arguments and recent theory paths to suggest that change nevertheless may be a realistic hope once certain action logics are encouraged.

One step forward, and two steps back: women and career progression in academia during times of uncertainty

While there is an extensive and still growing body of literature on women in academia and the challenges they encounter in career progression, there is little research on their experience specifically within a business school setting. In this study, we attempt to address this gap and examine the experiences and career development of female academics in a business school and how these are impacted by downsizing programmes. To this end, an exploratory case study is conducted. The findings of this study show that female business school academics experience numerous challenges in terms of promotion and development, networking, and the multiple and conflicting demands placed upon them. As a result, the lack of visibility seems to be a pertinent issue in terms of their career progression. Our data also demonstrates that that, paradoxically, during periods of downsizing women become more visible and thus vulnerable to layoffs as a consequence of the challenges and pressures created in their environment during this process. In this paper, we argue that this heightened visibility, and being subject to possible layoffs, further reproduces inequality regimes in academia.

With an eye to academia or vocation? A draft to a research plan

There is a profound need to increase the quality and status of vocational education and train-ing (VET) and vocational education and training education – Teacher training (VTE-TT). As a consequence of several reforms the requirements of academic achievements in these different education systems are distinctly higher than before. These high ambitions cause problems and the actors in school and teacher education has got new challenges. Furthermore, vocational education teachers are supposed to prepare their pupils both to a pro-fessional career and to future academic studies. Accordingly, Vocational Education Teacher Trainers are supposed to prepare their students both to a career as vocational teachers and for further academic studies. This makes imprints in the field of VET and VTE-TT. The aim of this paper is to present a coming study about how actors in VET and VTE-TT think and act in relation to their changed assignment.

Sabadoyle: uma academia literária alternativa?

A presente dissertação se propõe, fundamentalmente, a refletir sobre a identidade de um grupo literário, denominado sabadoyle, que existiu entre os anos de 1964 e 1998. Para tanto recorremos, basicamente, aos depoimentos escritos e às atas que integram o arquivo privado pessoal de um de seus mentores, Plínio Doyle, sob a guarda do Arquivo-Museu de Literatura Brasileira-AMLB, da Fundação Casa de Rui Barbosa-FCRB. O trabalho em questão parte do pressuposto de que os arquivos privados pessoais se constituem em importantes fontes de pesquisa, principalmente quando se registra, como no caso do sabadoyle, a quase ausência de fontes secundárias sobre um determinado tema.

Fábricas de software e a academia: análise da formação acadêmica em informática no município do Rio de Janeiro

As Brazil wants to be perceived as a competitor in providing computer applications and system development services in the global market, the concept of Software Factory gains importance. The metaphor for the 'Factory', when applied to the activity of software development, is used to describe organizations which produce software with a minimum quality standard and at competitive costs. However, the term 'Factory' recalls Fordist concepts, which have been challenged for a few decades in the manufacturing industry. This study analyzed university curricula and how students and teachers perceive the concept of Software Factory and assessed them in relation to the Fordism ------------ post-Fordism /continuum/. It was observed that some of the teachers who have influence over curricula define Software Factories according to Fordist concepts. It was also observed that, despite opportunities for improvements, curricula are adequately structured with regards to the skills a professional at these organizations must possess. We conclude that education provided at the programs being analyzed is adequate, but that it must be supplemented by companies or by the professionals themselves so that the knowledge acquired in the programs may be put in practice.

Abordagem da análise conjunta no processo decisório de compra do serviço de academia de ginástica

The wellness, physical activity and health club market is in great expansion and grownth in the national and worldwide cenarium. In a growing competitive environment, the prediction of of consumer preferences over a product, for its innumerous attributes, is a critical aspect for any marketing administration. Determining customer perception of value in the form of utilities can provide the marketing administration of a company with a functional tool to evaluate the usefulness of a product or service. This thesis investigates the motivational attributes of decision making process when choosing a health club / gym center service. Data was collected through a web survey with 376 participants from Rio de Janeiro and Distrito Federal. The data was analysed through the conjoint analysis method. Resultados demonstraram que as importâncias relativas dos atributos ¿estrutura física¿ e ¿atendimento¿ obtiveram valores maiores do que os demais atributos testados. O atributo ¿preço¿ foi o terceiro em grau de importância, seguido de ¿proximidade¿ e ¿indicação¿. Results demonstrated that the relative values of the attribute regarding ¿gym facilities¿ and ¿attendance¿ obtained greater values than the other tested attributes. The ¿price¿ attribute was the third degree in the scale of value, followed by ¿proximity¿ and ¿indication¿.

Abordagem da análise conjunta no processo decisório de aquisição do serviço de academia de ginástica

The wellness, physical activity and health club market is in great expansion and grownth in the national and worldwide cenarium. In a growing competitive environment, the prediction of of consumer preferences over a product, for its innumerous attributes, is a critical aspect for any marketing administration. Determining customer perception of value in the form of utilities can provide the marketing administration of a company with a functional tool to evaluate the usefulness of a product or service. This thesis investigates the motivational attributes of decision making process when choosing a health club / gym center service. Data was collected through a web survey with 376 participants from Rio de Janeiro and Distrito Federal. The data was analysed through the conjoint analysis method. Results demonstrated that the relative values of the attribute regarding ¿gym facilities¿ and ¿attendance¿ obtained greater values than the other tested attributes. The ¿price¿ attribute was the third degree in the scale of value, followed by ¿proximity¿ and ¿indication¿.

A memória dos imortais no Arquivo da Academia Brasileira de Letras

Esta dissertação apresenta uma análise dos arquivos pessoais sob o olhar do titular do arquivo, buscando subsídios que possibilitem o melhor desempenho das atividades do profissional que lida com esse tipo de acervo, apresentando o estatuto arquivístico dos arquivos pessoais dentro da Arquivologia e discutindo princípios e métodos aplicados no tratamento desses acervos. Possibilita ainda, uma discussão sobre os conceitos fundo e coleção através da apresentação da formação do arquivo dos acadêmicos da Academia Brasileira de Letras, além de analisar a lógica de acumulação dos arquivos pessoais de Marcos Vilaça e Nélida Piñon e suas estratégias de perpetuação, assim como a destinação que pretendem dar aos seus acervos. Será apresentado também um breve histórico da ABL, além da origem e evolução do seu Arquivo.