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This article describes the implementation of a new student partnership across a large and diverse STEM faculty and the impact this four-year partnership had on enhancing students’ experience. This innovative partnership recruited and employed students, termed student experience champions (SEC), to inform and develop inclusive educational initiatives in response to their educational experiences. This partnership enabled the faculty to develop a dynamic and agile working relationship with their students, creating an environment where students informed the strategic direction of the student experience and leading faculty and departmental educational projects that resulted in institutional changes. The breadth of the SEC projects enabled the benefits of student partnerships to be appreciated across the faculty, leading to a culture change where SEC are now viewed as partners in programme enhancement.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) delivered to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) can improve mobility among people with Parkinson's disease (PD). Previous studies suggest that delivering tDCS during task performance might be beneficial. However, only a few studies explored the effect of combining tDCS with task. We investigated the effect of stimulating the DLPFC using anodal tDCS while performing a timed up and go (TUG) test and its sustained effects. In this sham-controlled, cross-over, and double-blind study, twenty participants with PD (age = 67.8 ± 8.3 years and 6 females) completed two sessions (anodal or sham tDCS), conducted in the randomized and counterbalanced manner, with at least a 1-week gap. Stimulation involved transferring 2 mA current through the DLPFC for 30 min. Single-trial of TUG test was performed under single- and dual-task conditions before, during, immediately after, 15 and 30 min after stimulation ceased. We estimated durations of completing different components of TUG. Phoneme verbal fluency task was given as the cognitive distractor during the dual-tasking. An improvement was observed in cognitive performance due to the tDCS condition (d = 0.7, p 0.01) over time. However, we found no effect of tDCS condition on iTUG related outcomes under single- or dual-task conditions. In conclusion, DLPFC stimulation combined with task improved cognitive performance only, and the improvement was sustained after tDCS ceased. Future studies may investigate stimulating multiple brain regions to improve motor and cognitive performance.

Administration of fluid is a cornerstone of supportive care for sepsis. Current guidelines suggest a protocolized approach to fluid resuscitation in sepsis despite a lack of strong physiological or clinical evidence to support it. Both initial and ongoing fluid resuscitation requires careful consideration, as fluid overload has been shown to be associated with increased risk for mortality. Initial fluid resuscitation should favor balanced crystalloids over isotonic saline, as the former is associated with decreased risk of renal dysfunction. Traditionally selected resuscitation targets, such as lactate elevation, are fraught with limitations. For developing or established septic shock, a focused hemodynamic assessment is needed to determine if fluid is likely to be beneficial. When initial fluid therapy is unable to achieve the blood pressure goal, initiation of early vasopressors and admission to intensive care should be favored over repetitive administration of fluid.

Magnetostrictive Terfenol-D was examined as a prime-mover for bulk motion in a microforming system. Careful design and analysis led to the creation of a Terfenol-D transducer capable of 3.8 kN of blocked force and 212 μm of displacement. A linear model of the Terfenol-D transducer to simulate its output as a function of displacement under saturation magnetic field was created that matched both force and displacement within 10%. Thermal drift occurred at a rate of 2 μm/oC. A flextensional lever system was designed to amplify the displacement of the Terfenol-D transducer to levels sufficient for microforming. Sub-micron displacement resolution was observed, with no perceivable effects from friction or backlash. The full system provided 365 N of blocked force and 1.6 mm of displacement. A linear model of the full system was also created that used the linear model of the transducer’s output which matched experimental results for displacement with a 2% error and force with an 11% error, which was found to be useful for selection of design parameters. In ultrasonic-assisted punching, a circular punch of 3.2 mm diameter that vibrates transversely at 9.6 kHz was used to punch samples of 1100-O at several punching speeds and vibration intensities. Higher speed punching tests showed up to a 30% reduction in punching force accompanied by an apparent elimination of adiabatic strain rate effects. Lower speed punching showed a smaller degree of softening, but an increased burnished-to-fractured area ratio.

Catheter-associated bacteriuria (CAB) and urinary tract infection (CAUTI) are important clinical problems in catheterized humans and dogs. A variety of methods to reduce CAB and CAUTI have been investigated, and in humans, silver coating of urinary catheters has been shown to reduce CAB and CAUTI in randomized prospective clinical trials. The objectives of the studies reported in this thesis are to evaluate adherence of clinical isolates of E. coli to a silver coated urinary catheter, evaluate the potential association of E. coli urovirulence factors to E. coli biofilm formation in vitro, and assess the efficacy of the silver coated urinary catheter in canine patients in a randomized clinical trial. Clinical isolates of E. coli were incubated with silver coated and standard (uncoated) urinary catheters. Significantly fewer bacteria were adhered to the silver coated urinary catheter at 24, 48, and 72 hours of incubation, and following subjective analysis using SEM analysis. Clinical isolates of E. coli were investigated for the presence of urovirulence factors and the association between these urovirulence factors and biofilm formation in vitro. Prevalence of urovirulence factors were similar to what has been reported, and cnf1 was associated with biofilm formation. A prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial was performed to assess the ability of silver coated urinary catheters to reduce CAB and CAUTI in hospitalized dogs requiring catheterization. Catheterized dogs were assessed for bacteriuria, positive culture, and urinary tract infections following catheterization. No significant differences were noted between groups in regard to CAB, CAUTI, and positive culture incidence in the two groups. We have shown that clinical E. coli isolates adhered less to a silver coated urinary catheter compared to a non-silver coated urinary catheter in vitro, and that cnf1 is associated with in vitro biofilm formation. We were unable to detect a significant difference in CAUTI or CAB in hospitalized dogs, most likely due to low study numbers. Further clinical studies are required to determine the utility of these catheters in hospitalized patients. Pet Trust Fund, Covidien Technologies, Ltd.

Surface finishes for copper on printed wiring boards play an important role in the reliability of electrical interconnects. Electroless Nickel/Electroless Palladium/Immersion Gold (ENEPIG), developed in the mid-1990s to alleviate the "black-pad" problem created by Electroless Nickel/Immersion Gold (ENIG) surface finish, has gained interest for critical system applications. This thesis investigates the effect of palladium layer thickness and extended isothermal aging on the reliability of both tin-lead and tin silver copper solder interconnects under temperature cycling, vibration cycling, and drop loading conditions. Chip array ball grid array (CABGA) packages soldered onto ENEPIG-finished PCBs are subjected to the three previously listed conditions. Reliability and failure analyses are conducted to determine the overall effect of palladium layer thickness and isothermal aging on the reliability of these solder interconnects.