title: Evaluating return-to-work programmes after critical incidents: a review of the evidence

authors: Sutton, Anna

abstract: In most countries, employers have a responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of their employees, including those who work in hazardous occupations. Policing can be a hazardous occupation and officers can face physical threats to life. Yet in the police service, there appears to be a dichotomy between treating officers involved in critical incidents solely in terms of serious clinical issues (e.g. PTSD) whilst simultaneously setting a strong expectation that these officers will return to work quickly and with little effect on their work performance. We review the research literature on return-to-work programmes to establish how much the effect of critical incidents on officers’ work performance is being considered and to identify future research directions. Findings indicate an emphasis on improving mental health but a lack of research into occupational outcomes. They also reveal distinct promise for peer-led reintegration programmes.

text: Evaluating return-to-work programmes after critical incidents: a review of the evidence In most countries, employers have a responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of their employees, including those who work in hazardous occupations. Policing can be a hazardous occupation and officers can face physical threats to life. Yet in the police service, there appears to be a dichotomy between treating officers involved in critical incidents solely in terms of serious clinical issues (e.g. PTSD) whilst simultaneously setting a strong expectation that these officers will return to work quickly and with little effect on their work performance. We review the research literature on return-to-work programmes to establish how much the effect of critical incidents on officers’ work performance is being considered and to identify future research directions. Findings indicate an emphasis on improving mental health but a lack of research into occupational outcomes. They also reveal distinct promise for peer-led reintegration programmes.

year: 2022-07-22

title: Preparation of phosphinate-based ionic liquids for rare earth recovery

authors: Sanders, Sinead

subjects: Rare earth elements

abstract: The rare earth elements are vital components in many modern technologies, including  green energy technology such as wind turbines and electric vehicles, however the  extraction and separation of these elements remains a problem. Due to the similar  chemical properties of these elements, achieving pure single elemental concentrations of the REEs is difficult, often requiring multiple steps in the separation process, as well as the use of large volumes of harmful organic solvents. With the demand of these elements projected to grow in the coming decades, greener and more efficient extraction and separation methods need to be developed. 

In this work, a series of hydrophobic ionic liquids were prepared through simple neutralisation and protonation reactions. The successful synthesis and characterisation of camphyl phenyl phosphinic acid is also described and used as an anion precursor in IL preparation. Five phosphinate-based ionic liquids were successfully prepared and tested for the separation of the rare earth elements, as well as for cobalt/nickel separations. Both liquid-liquid extraction methods using a neat IL, and column chromatography methods using supported ionic liquids were tested. Results showed selectivity towards the heavy rare earth elements, achieving a La/Yb separation factor as high as 55.3. For the liquid-liquid extraction experiments, La extraction efficiencies of 99% were achieved for a majority of the tested ILs. For the Yb column extractions, high extraction efficiencies were also achieved, ranging from 85.5 - 99.9%. Repeated extractions of cobalt and nickel showed the stability of the column, with minimal decrease in extraction efficiencies over 10 repeated runs, and an average separation factor of 2.79 across these runs.

text: Preparation of phosphinate-based ionic liquids for rare earth recovery The rare earth elements are vital components in many modern technologies, including  green energy technology such as wind turbines and electric vehicles, however the  extraction and separation of these elements remains a problem. Due to the similar  chemical properties of these elements, achieving pure single elemental concentrations of the REEs is difficult, often requiring multiple steps in the separation process, as well as the use of large volumes of harmful organic solvents. With the demand of these elements projected to grow in the coming decades, greener and more efficient extraction and separation methods need to be developed. 

In this work, a series of hydrophobic ionic liquids were prepared through simple neutralisation and protonation reactions. The successful synthesis and characterisation of camphyl phenyl phosphinic acid is also described and used as an anion precursor in IL preparation. Five phosphinate-based ionic liquids were successfully prepared and tested for the separation of the rare earth elements, as well as for cobalt/nickel separations. Both liquid-liquid extraction methods using a neat IL, and column chromatography methods using supported ionic liquids were tested. Results showed selectivity towards the heavy rare earth elements, achieving a La/Yb separation factor as high as 55.3. For the liquid-liquid extraction experiments, La extraction efficiencies of 99% were achieved for a majority of the tested ILs. For the Yb column extractions, high extraction efficiencies were also achieved, ranging from 85.5 - 99.9%. Repeated extractions of cobalt and nickel showed the stability of the column, with minimal decrease in extraction efficiencies over 10 repeated runs, and an average separation factor of 2.79 across these runs.

year: 2023

title: "It's the controlling still". Power effects in the implementation of the bicultural/bilingual early childhood curriculum in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

authors: Ritchie, Jenny

subjects: racism

abstract: Racism is an undelying current within educational practice in Aotearoa/New Zealand. This paper discusses some of the data from a doctoral study that explored a particular teacher education context. In Aotearoa, the early childhood curriculum, Te Whariki, has a bicultural paradigm that requires a degree of bicultural and bilingual competence on the part of educators. This paper explores some of the issues around preparing teachers to deliver this curriculum, with a particular focus on racism.

text: "It's the controlling still". Power effects in the implementation of the bicultural/bilingual early childhood curriculum in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Racism is an undelying current within educational practice in Aotearoa/New Zealand. This paper discusses some of the data from a doctoral study that explored a particular teacher education context. In Aotearoa, the early childhood curriculum, Te Whariki, has a bicultural paradigm that requires a degree of bicultural and bilingual competence on the part of educators. This paper explores some of the issues around preparing teachers to deliver this curriculum, with a particular focus on racism.

year: 2005