The duo, who had met through mutual friends in Perth when they were 12, had never discussed the possibility of working together before, and most of the Italiano experience in F1 stemmed from Ricciardo’s rise through the motorsport ranks over the years.

“Did I know the story behind it? No. Did I know the sports science behind it or how to train a Formula 1 driver? No. So 2018 was a lot of work.”

The learning process involved picking the brains of those around him in the F1 paddock, as well as scouring Google Scholar for any available information on the physical demands of driving headlong down a track for two hours.

But Italiano’s responsibilities don’t end with crafting fitness sessions for 32-year-old Ricciardo.

An F1 performance coach is responsible for ensuring his driver is in peak physical and mental condition at the start of each race, meaning the pair spend 250 days a year together.

Italiano takes responsibility for massage, nutrition, sleep, jet lag, mindfulness and everything in between to keep race weekends running smoothly.

“It could be making sure his laundry is done, or even making sure he gets his breakfast on time, or just cleaning the room and making sure his bag is back is packed and ready to go,” says Italiano.

“Little things like that really add up […] give him a schedule so he doesn’t have to think […] sort of run his week so he can just focus on running.”

neck strength

The duo have now completed a three-month pre-season in preparation for the first race of the season in Bahrain on Sunday.

Italiano worked on building Ricciardo’s neck strength – a crucial requirement for riders to resist the G-force of tackling high-speed tight corners.

And as the sport progresses, engines get bigger and cars get faster, putting more strain on the driver’s body every year, according to Italiano.

“It’s not just about hitting the markers with the strength of their necks; every year they have to hit PBs [personal bests] pretty much,” he says.

“A typical corner on an F1 course can see drivers battling four to five Gs, which is like pulling around 35 kilos [77 pounds] on your neck – quite a big load.

“You might think, ‘Okay, it’s a corner, it only lasts a second or two.’ But you do it for two hours, so it can add up quickly.”

In an attempt to boost Ricciardo’s neck strength, Italiano says he studied other sports like the NFL, boxing and rugby for inspiration, while he also wears a neck harness with him while throughout the season for flexion and extension exercises.

“These guys are energized in the body for about two hours. They’re fighting the car and the vibration of the car, the resistance of the car,” says Italiano.

This means that full-body strength and cardiovascular fitness also become an important factor.

“These guys are wearing fireproof suits, they don’t breathe,” Italiano continues. “All of a sudden, the body’s thermoregulation – the body’s ability to cool itself – is severely restricted.

“They are low to the ground, the asphalt is so hot; they have an engine behind them, which brings more heat.

“The ability to calm down is simply non-existent […] You start to get dehydrated, you start to run out of fluids, you start to get tired.

“And if you start to tire, your reaction time starts to slow down. It starts to happen, you start to lose a tenth or two per lap in a Formula 1 race. It could be the difference between a podium and a finish. in the top 10.”

At the gym during pre-season, Italiano tasked Ricciardo with cardio sessions (running, rowing and cycling), strength exercises (deadlifts, squats and bench press) and core stability training.

“We also focus on training the posterior chain [muscles on the backside of the body] because a lot of the braking loads – when they step on that brake with their left foot – go through the calves, hamstrings and glutes,” says Italiano.

mental preparation

Italiano’s influence extends to Ricciardo’s diet during race weekends – meeting with McLaren team chef to provide advice on meal times, recipes and portion sizes – s adapting to hot climates and high altitudes, and aiding recovery after travel and jet lag.

“We’ve hired a bit of a jet lag guru and we also have a jet lag app, which helps a lot with caffeine timing, light exposure, time zone adaptation,” he says.

“Timing meals on a flight is important, and timing exercise when you land can help sleep and get you in the right time zone. There are a lot of factors that affect jet lag. the first thing we really did, I really tried to refine.”

Then there is also the mental preparation during a race weekend.

“One thing we talk about a lot is getting to that state of flux on a Sunday,” says Italiano. “Wednesday or Thursday is a day where it’s all good, where it’s like, ‘OK, man, what’s bothering you? What do you have in mind? ‘ Just take it off your chest.

“In qualifying, I like to put Daniel in a very calm state of mind because qualifying is just about perfecting a lap. And Daniel, he behaves very well in a relaxed state for qualifying.

“While running, we want it at an intensity level of around seven out of 10, we don’t want it too intense because being too excited can actually make your reactions worse if you get too excited.”

When the checkered flag falls at the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday, Italiano will hope his careful preparation – from calf strength to cardio, squats to sleep schedules – pays off.

Ricciardo, who finished eighth in the drivers’ standings last season, tested positive for Covid-19 last week but recovered in time to take part in this weekend’s race.

Italiano juggles his work coaching Ricciardo’s performance with his own online coaching platform, MI Coaching, which aims to make elite-level performance training accessible to the public.

But F1 remains the priority. He predicts there will be a lot of nervousness at the start of the season on Sunday, but also excitement and curiosity.

“There’s an element of uncertainty and the unknown,” Italiano explains, “not knowing which teams have made gains and which teams are behind. I find that quite intriguing.”

These emotions are always accompanied by a sense of pride as he watches Ricciardo take to the circuit.

“It’s been a huge inspiration to see a guy from the same city as me on the world stage,” said Italiano. “It’s just inspiring to be with him and help him too. It also gives me confidence as a coach.”

Organizations around the world took to social media last week to show their support for International Women’s Day. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, for many companies, attaching a concise #IWD2022 or #BreakTheBias hashtag to a carefully curated Instagram post or tweet is the start and end point of their commitment to women.

In the United States and elsewhere, the gender pay gap persists. Today, March 15, is Equal Pay Day in the United States – so chosen, according to the National Committee on Pay Equity, because “this date symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what the men earned the year before”. Data from the Pew Research Center reveals that in 2020, women earned 84% of what men earned, and that gap widens even more for some women of color.

A British couple decided to call out organizations that literally don’t put their money where they say it does. Francesca Lawson, a writer and social media manager in Manchester, England, and her partner Ali Fensome, a software consultant, have created a Twitter bot, @PayGapAppthat retweets posts from businesses, schools, and nonprofits with specific International Women’s Day keywords or hashtags, along with a rating revealing women’s pay vs. people within the organization.

Unlike US companies, those in Britain with 250 or more employees have been required to publish information on gender pay differences every year since 2018. The large amount of data, publicly available on a website government searchable, reveals that men who work women full-time in the country earned 7.9% more than women in April 2021.

Naturally, Twitter users and retweeted organizations had a lot to say about the Gender Pay Gap Bot revelations (or at least those who didn’t delete the tweets calling them out did).

Related: How you can close the pay gap on #EqualPayDay

Where women are paid less than men

Message after message from Gender Pay Gap Bot demonstrates the stark disparity between women’s and men’s salaries. At leading management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, women’s hourly wages are 22.3% lower than men’s. The statistic appears above the company’s retweeted post, which reads “Meet Francesca, ‘I believe no mountain is too high to climb!'” and includes a video of a woman stepping on a rocky terrain.

Twitter users didn’t hold back.

“Keep climbing Francesca.. to another company,” one user wrote. Another joked: “Watch your head at the top – there is a glass ceiling up there! Yet another commented: “It’s not like they tell other companies how they should be run or anything. That’s probably fine.” Inevitably, one user tried to claim that the gender pay gap was a myth propagated by different lifestyle choices, but another user was quick to set the record straight: “You can very easily search ‘gender pay gap’ on Google Scholar and find out how it’s actually not a myth.”

In this organization, the median hourly wage of women is 22.3% lower than that of men. https://t.co/TsZvQFJhZd

– Gender Pay Gap Bot (@PayGapApp) March 14, 2022

Additionally, the message from lingerie company Boux Avenue, which includes an image of a lacy purple bra and reads: “Anyone obsessed with wearing purple atm? The official color of International Health Month We’ve got the perfect set for YOU! Say hello to Mackenna: super cute, comfy and totally seasonal, what’s not to love?”, received particularly pointed remarks when the bot revealed that the organization pays women a 31.4% lower median hourly wage than men.

“I am obsessed with equality and I pay women what they are worth”, commented a user. Another wrote: “Funny how International Women’s Day has become a marketing opportunity for companies that exploit women. “What’s not to like is that you underpay women,” someone else added.

In this organization, the median hourly wage of women is 31.4% lower than that of men. https://t.co/OyHcEx8XrO

– Gender Pay Gap Bot (@PayGapApp) March 12, 2022

Some organisations, like Save the Children UK, where women’s median hourly earnings are 5% lower than men’s, have opted to block the bot’s account, but that hasn’t stopped the comments from pouring in. “Deleted for 5%? one user wrote. “It’s a very bad look.” Another added: “They didn’t delete but blocked the bot’s account, which makes the tweet disappear from the quote tweets created by the blocked account. If you go to their page, it’s still there. To my humble opinion, it’s even worse.”

Related: Why leadership is central to closing the gender pay gap

On the other side of the coin, some organizations have used the bot retweet as an opportunity to express their commitment to do better. The bot retweeted financial institution GoCardless’ #IWD post highlighting the company’s director of security and privacy risk, noting that women’s median hourly earnings are 19.9% ​​lower than men’s in the organization.

One user wrote: “Oh wow so many ways@GoCardless could do better by highlighting their 19.9% #GenderPayGap. If the statistic is correct, the feedback is truly a gift, and the action on #EquityPayelle #Equal pay #PayParity would be even better to #BreaktheBias. GoCardless responded to the user, admitting, “We need to close this pay gap. We are making progress and our average and median pay gaps show a downward trend since 2019 with a sharply declining median pay gap. We have also increased the proportion of women in our leadership population from 16% to 28% since 2019.”

In this organization, the median hourly wage of women is 19.9% ​​lower than that of men. https://t.co/aM9rSQQcjH

– Gender Pay Gap Bot (@PayGapApp) March 13, 2022

Similarly, when it was revealed that women’s hourly wages were 3.9% lower than men’s at English Heritage, a charity that runs historic sites like Stonehenge, the organization was quick to express support for transparency. “This is based on April 2020 data,” the English Heritage account wrote. “Since then, we have worked hard to close our pay gap and it is narrowing. But no matter how small, a gap is a gap and the charity is committed to closing it. Read more https: //bit.ly/3KsRNPG.”

In this organization, the median hourly wage of women is 3.9% lower than that of men. https://t.co/E8K9xNqi9T

– Gender Pay Gap Bot (@PayGapApp) March 8, 2022

Related: The Gender Pay Gap Is Driving More Women to Create Their Own Paycheck

Where the wages of men and women are equal

A much smaller sample of publications featured organizations that have already prioritized equal pay for women and men. For example, hourly wages for men and women are equal at Richmond and Hillcroft Adult Community College – a rare case reported by users. “Honestly one of the first I’ve seen,” one person wrote. Another commented, “Hooray!!”

In this organization, the median hourly wage of men and women is equal. https://t.co/Sx30sf2RUy

– Gender Pay Gap Bot (@PayGapApp) March 11, 2022

Where women are paid more than men

Although the majority of posts highlight the higher incomes of men, there are a few surprising points. At Nottinghamshire Healthcare, women’s median hourly earnings are 6.5% higher than men’s, prompting a flurry of enthusiastic responses from Twitter users: “finally a win for women”, “Hey Well, that’s good news. I’ve been waiting for this one!” and “Finally. Is this the only one. Well done Notts Healthcare.”

In this organization, the median hourly wage of women is 6.4% higher than that of men. https://t.co/XMQdUVzoOo

– Gender Pay Gap Bot (@PayGapApp) March 9, 2022

Similarly, at Marylebone Cricket Club, women’s median hourly wages are 15.5% higher than men’s, prompting positive comments such as “It surprised me given their historical sexism, misogyny, etc. and the most skeptical: “It’s a women’s cricket club.” again for that.”

In this organization, the median hourly wage of women is 15.5% higher than that of men. https://t.co/JaIyIfG5Ed

– Gender Pay Gap Bot (@PayGapApp) March 9, 2022

Finally, at Barnet Council, the median hourly wage for women is 25.5% higher than for men. “I’ll be honest, it wasn’t something I expected,” one user wrote. “Shit yeah! said another.

In this organization, the median hourly wage of women is 25.5% higher than that of men. https://t.co/HTwlrBRTrK

– Gender Pay Gap Bot (@PayGapApp) March 9, 2022

Researchers Klaus Greff, Google AI researcher François Belletti, Google Scholar Lucas Beyer and several others have published a paper around a scalable dataset generator, Kubric. It is an open source Python framework that uses both PyBullet and Blender to create high quality images. PyBullet is used to train the model to physically simulate interacting with other objects, while Blender is used for rendering images. The tool was designed to reduce the costs and resources associated with generating mature and unbiased real data.

The research paper demonstrated the effectiveness of Kubric using a series of 13 separate data sets that were generated for tasks involved in unsupervised multi-object video detection. The datasets covered several tasks ranging from 3D NeRF models to optical flow estimation. Kubric has released photorealistic scenes that are heavily annotated and can be easily scaled up for larger tasks performed by thousands of machines. The tool is capable of generating huge volumes of such synthetic data.

Even with the urgent need for cheaper, well annotated and unbiased data, there is a lack of software tools that generate efficient and usable data. Synthetic data has become more preferable in the recent past due to its many advantages – cheaper costs, rich annotations, giving researchers full control over their data, and avoiding risks associated with licensing and privacy.

The inventor of the lithium-ion battery honored.

One of the pioneers of lithium-ion battery research beginning in the 1970s and continuing today, Michael Thackeray, materials scientist emeritus at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, was named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI).

The NAI Scholars Program highlights academic inventors who have demonstrated a spirit of innovation by creating or facilitating exceptional inventions that have had a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development, and well-being. of the society. Election as an NAI Fellow is the highest professional honor bestowed only on academic inventors.

Thackeray has made significant contributions to the advancement of battery science and technology over a distinguished career spanning 49 years. His career began in South Africa, where he led early-stage battery research at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) from 1973 to 1994.

Moving to Argonne in 1994, Thackeray worked as a Group Leader in the Electrochemical Energy Storage Department, Director of the Electrical Energy Storage Center, Deputy Director of the Electrochemical Energy Science Center, and Argonne Distinguished Fellow. and senior scientist.

Through his studies and understanding of structure-electrochemical relationships, Thackeray has pioneered the discovery, design and development of new and improved battery materials for industry, particularly metal oxide electrode structures. of lithium for lithium-ion battery systems. He is the author of 230 scientific articles and holds 65 patents. Eight of his scientific articles have received more than 1000 citations in Google Scholar. He is also the author of a memoir, “Running with Lithium – Empowering the Earth”.

Thackeray earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

“My thanks to the National Academy of Inventors for this unexpected honour, to my early mentors, Luigi Nassimbeni at the University of Cape Town, Johan Coetzer of CSIR and John Goodenough at the University of Oxford for their inspiration led to lithium-ion battery science and technology and to the many colleagues who have accompanied me throughout my journey,” said Thackeray.

This systematic review was conducted based on the Preferred Reporting Items for a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies (PRISMA-DTA)⁹ (Additional annex). The protocol of this systematic review has been registered on PROSPERO, the international prospective register of systematic reviews (registration number CRD42019118822).

Sources of information

A comprehensive literature search was undertaken in search engines which included PubMed, Cochrane, EBSCO, EMBASE and Google Scholar.

Search Strategy

The search terms used to retrieve published information specifically for each database are provided in Supplementary Table A1. The number of articles obtained and further filtering according to the eligibility criteria are provided in Table A1.

PICO-elements

PICO

The PICO criteria for the systematic review are shown in Supplementary Table A2.

Population

Studies performed in the over 18 age group.

Intervention trial

Digital blood pressure monitoring devices.

Comparator test

A mercury sphygmomanometer was used manually.

Results

The sensitivity and specificity of digital and mercury sphygmomanometer-based blood pressure measurements.

Eligibility criteria

Types of studies

Cross-sectional and observational cohort studies assessing the diagnostic accuracy of blood pressure measured by mercury sphygmomanometer and digital devices.

Language and period

Journal articles published in English between January 1, 2000 and April 3, 2021 with full-text accessibility were included.

Reference standard

A mercury sphygmomanometer was used as a reference standard.

Exclusion criteria

Diagnostic accuracy studies that considered digital blood pressure monitoring devices using a standard mercury-free sphygmomanometer as a comparator, and studies in children, special populations, and specific disease groups were excluded.

Study selection process

Studies were reviewed individually by two reviewers, and any discrepancies raised in the selection process were resolved with the third reviewer. Duplicates were removed from shortlisted studies after title and abstract selection. A full selection of articles was performed for the pre-selected studies. Studies that did not meet the selection criteria did not have relevant information for inclusion and required data were excluded. The remaining eligible studies were included in the review.

Quality and risk assessment

The quality of the included studies was assessed using the QUADAS-2 questionnaire (Table A3 in supplement)^ten, a standard tool used for quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies. This questionnaire measures risk of bias and applicability issues.

Index test and standard

The index test studied was a digital blood pressure monitor, which is a cuff-based device used to measure blood pressure by oneself or by trained personnel. The cutoff used for hypertension or high blood pressure was ≥140 for systolic blood pressure and ≥90 for diastolic blood pressure or as defined by the included studies. A mercury sphygmomanometer was the gold standard test used.

Data Extraction

Data were extracted from included studies using the data extraction form. We collected information on the screening instrument used, the reference standard employed, indices of diagnostic accuracy, statistical and methodological considerations. Data on study characteristics such as year, setting, population, design, comparator, and sample size were also collected.

Data synthesis and analysis

The data collected was entered into the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. We qualitatively described the characteristics of the studies included in the review. Diagnostic accuracy indices, including true positive, true negative, false positive, false negative, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated. The diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and the 95% confidence interval were estimated. For quantitative meta-analysis, RevMan (version 5.4) and R studio software were used. A forest plot was used to represent pooled estimates for DOR, sensitivity, and specificity. The heterogeneity of the included studies was also assessed by the I² statistics for all the parameters evaluated.

When people joke about getting old, it’s quite common to hear the age-old phrase, “You’re only as old as you feel.” Well, if you feel like you’re getting older, either mentally or physically, it’s time to start taking action. It’s always a good idea to take a walk every day and make sure you’re feeding your body with nutritious food. Reading and all kinds of mental exercises are also beneficial habits to adopt. But we suggest getting active with something that will empower your body, mind, and soul a healthy workout. According to science, there’s a type of cardio that sharpens your brain fast, and we’ve got the scoop.

Get excited, because this type of workout will help you look and feel younger while having fun. Recent research reveals physical activity/a type of cardio that sharpens the brain and promotes an overall healthier life. Read on to find out what it is, and then check out The 6 Best Exercises for Strong, Toned Arms in 2022, Trainer Says.

Whether you fancy salsa, tango, or listening to the best 70s tunes and disco at your leisure, you can help sharpen your brain and maybe learn some new moves on the dance floor. And that’s not all: you’ll be the envy of all your friends when you show them your sophisticated footwork!

This recent research found that dancing improves the general well-being of older adults with respect to their aging process, and the benefits are substantial. According to research done by the Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases and published in the National Library of Medicine, dancing stimulates your brain and improves intellectual peripheries more than other types of exercise or none. doing none. You can benefit from it physically, even after a short dance session. Positive developments noted in research significantly improve physiological, motor and cognitive abilities.

Related: The Best Cardio Exercises to Burn Fat Fast, Without Equipment

According to an article published via Harvard Medical School, synchronizing movement with music, i.e. dancing, establishes a “double play of pleasure”. Dancing activates the motor and sensory circuits of the brain, and music excites the reward centers of your brain.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Previous research done by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and published in the New England Journal of Medicine discovered that dancing can improve your brain condition. Scientists observed the relationship between recreational activities and dementia in participants over the age of 75. They searched for a total of 11 activities, including swimming, tennis, cycling, bowling, walking and golf. One of the observed activities resulted in a decreased risk of developing dementia in the individuals studied. Can you guess what it is? Dancing!

Social Dancing at Stanford took this study one step further by addressing the question “why can the type of dancing lead to an increase in mental intelligence?” They examined the group of participants studied (people aged over 75). They concluded that the main form of dance these older people likely practiced in retirement was “free social dancing” – something they did when they were younger. Examples of “freestyle social dancing” include the basic waltz, swing, and foxtrot.

Yet another previous study documented by scientists at Minot State University in North Dakota found that Zumba can be a mood booster and improves the brain’s ability to make decisions, in addition visual recognition.

Still, dancing in general is a great form of cardio, and cardio can improve your brain health (in addition to decreasing inflammation, reducing stress, and improving blood flow to your brain). So if you’re feeling inspired to put on your dancing shoes, turn on the music, and fuel your body with some fun fitness, we can’t say we blame you!

For more on Mind + Body, check out The Best Outdoor Cardio Exercises to Get Toned Fast, According to the Trainer and Get Killer Abs Fast with These 3 Effective Exercises, According to the Trainer.

Tribune press service

Amritsar, February 14

Guru Nanak Dev University was ranked 19th by AD (Alper-Doger) Scientific Index-2022, among 2,146 universities surveyed by them nationwide. The university was also indexed at the 155th position out of 6,569 universities in Asia. Globally, the university was ranked 824th out of 14,339 universities worldwide surveyed by Google Scholar.

Ninety-one scientists from the university have also been listed in AD-Scientific Index-2022 in various fields including medical and health sciences, natural sciences, engineering and technology, agriculture, business management, economics, education, social sciences, etc. The index additionally covers 16 GNDU scientists in the Top 100,000 Scientists list.

The AD Scientific Index (Alper-Doger Scientific Index) is a ranking and analysis system that shows the total and coefficients of productivity of scientists for the past five years based on the h-index, scores of the i10 index and citations in Google Scholar. Such analyzes also make it possible to reveal the medium and long-term results of several policies implemented by the institutions, in particular those of employment and retention policies for academic staff, salary policies, academic incentives and working environments. scientists. “AD Scientific Index” shows the ranking of individual scientists in 112 subjects (agriculture and forestry, arts, design and architecture, business and management, economics and econometrics, education, engineering and technology, history, philosophy, theology, law / law and law studies, medical and health sciences, natural sciences, social sciences and others). It covers 256 branches and 14,153 institutions in 215 countries in 10 regions (Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, Arab League, BRICS, Latin America and others).

Recently, Stanford University in the United States also identified 13 scientists from the university in the list of top 2% scientists in the world. The prestigious Nature Index also identifies the university among the top four institutions in Punjab and among the top 10 institutions in North India.

Vice Chancellor Jaspal Sandhu informed that the h-index (Hirsch index) of the university is also the 2nd highest among all institutions in Punjab. To boost research, the university has also established the Golden Jubilee Incubation Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

The key step in an academic career is the acquisition of tenure. Tenure was created to foster academic freedom, protecting faculty who venture into controversial territory from dismissal. As it stabilizes an academic’s position, tenure is a major university commitment that is not taken lightly. Those who assess professors preparing to become tenured rely heavily on letters of reference from the candidate’s colleagues.

When evaluating faculty members whose primary focus is research, universities typically solicit at least six external tenure review letters, usually from established members in the applicant’s research area. Despite the importance of these letters in the tenure process and their strong influence on a colleague’s future, little guidance is provided on what the reviewer should write. Tenure-track faculty should also be aware of what is in these letters for career development purposes.

Am I eligible to write the letter?

If you have been asked to write a tenure review letter, either the candidate has suggested you or the departmental tenure review committee has identified you as an active researcher in the candidate’s field. If you feel that your area of ​​expertise does not match that of the candidate, you should consider declining the application.

Your assessment of the candidate must be fair and unbiased. You should decline the application if you have a relationship with the candidate that could be perceived as a conflict of interest. Parents, close friends, significant others, and former supervisors or mentors of the candidate should not be involved in the assessment of the candidate’s tenure.

Other conflicts of interest include past or planned research collaborations, such as co-authored articles or grants. If you have a long-standing disagreement or personal conflict with the candidate that may skew your assessment, you should consider declining.

Some universities are more flexible regarding the candidate’s past collaborations. For example, a letter from someone who co-authored an article more than five years ago may be acceptable. If you’re unsure whether your relationship or qualifications prevent you from writing the letter, it’s a good idea to explain the situation to the person who made the request.

Finally, make sure you have enough time to complete the letter before the deadline. Depending on how well you know the candidate, reviewing their resume, research papers, and academic activities may take some time. Advise the committee if this is a concern, as it may delay or jeopardize consideration of the candidate’s tenure application.

What should I include in the letter?

Along with the candidate’s resume, the tenure committee chair will likely send information about what should be included in your cover letter. (If not, feel free to ask.) If the requested items are not listed below, be sure to address them.

Generally, you don’t want to burden the tenure committee with redundant or irrelevant information. Try to limit the letter to one or two pages and avoid summarizing the candidate’s CV, as it will be included in the candidate’s file.

Your letter should explicitly state whether you support the candidate for tenure and provide a concise rationale for this decision. As universities differ in their rigor for tenure, your recommendation should be based on the criteria used by the candidate’s university.

To simplify the structure of the letter, divide it into three main blocks. Use the first block to briefly introduce yourself, highlighting how you know the candidate and why you are qualified to assess their impact on the ground.

The second block is an objective assessment of the candidate’s contributions to the field. This may include discussions highlighting key publications, presentations or grants.

Avoid making a long list of accomplishments; instead, give your expert opinion on the candidate’s work. Is it high quality? Is it pioneering or innovative? Has he changed paradigm? Have they developed a new technique or model system? Will their work have a lasting impact that will move the field forward? Is there anything special that makes this candidate stand out from their peers?

Keep in mind that the various committees and stakeholders that review the nominee’s file are not experts in the nominee’s field, and some may not be scientists. A tenure letter is not the place to go into technical details regarding the candidate’s area of ​​research. Additionally, reviewers may not be familiar with the importance of the work, the quality of the journals, or the prestige of presenting at scientific conferences, so be sure to add context to their accomplishments.

If applicable, the second block is also a good place to mention the nominee’s achievements in other areas relevant to academia, namely teaching and service. Letter writers can highlight signature contributions to teaching and mentoring. Areas of service that are particularly important to mention include editorial boards or grant review committees, as a strong reputation in the field is a prerequisite for these positions.

It may also be useful to include modern measures (alternative measures or altmetrics) of the candidate’s performance to highlight their growing stature as an academic. These altmetrics could include social media platforms, media appearances, Google Scholar citations, page views/downloads, and number of articles written “beyond journals” in publications like ASBMB Today.

The third block should discuss the candidate’s future prospects. If you feel it is necessary, start this block with constructive comments that mention areas the candidate should focus on for improvement. Well-meaning advice not only helps the candidate’s future endeavours, but also underscores the authenticity of the positive remarks in your letter. End this block with your expert prediction of the candidate’s ability to succeed and remain productive.

Universities want to be sure that granting tenure will not foster complacency; they want to hear that the nominee has a genuine passion and enduring drive to innovate and become a world-renowned leader in their field.

Be sure to conclude your letter with a clear statement indicating whether you support the tenure candidate. If not, it would be helpful to provide an additional sentence indicating what would change your mind.

Tenure review letters should be kept confidential, but keep in mind that the candidate will likely be made aware of the contents of your letter either in redacted form or as part of a summary prepared by the tenure committee. It’s a good idea to stay professional and avoid writing reviews that you wouldn’t be comfortable telling the candidate in person.

OCHSNER HEALTH: Cardiologist Carl “Chip” Lavie was recently ranked among the world’s most cited scholars according to the Google Scholar Citations Database. Dr. Lavie is recognized as the world’s leading expert on obesity by Expertscape and had his 1,000th article registered with PubMed in December. His research focuses on exercise, obesity, cardiac rehabilitation and other areas of preventive cardiology. He is Medical Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Prevention at the John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute.

FREE OVERDOSE RESCUE PACKS: Jefferson Parish has partnered with University Medical Center of New Orleans, Spirit of Charity Foundation, St. Bernard Parish, and Orleans Parish to provide free overdose relief packs to anyone over the age of 18. The packs include a dose of intranasal naloxone, along with instructions. on how to identify an overdose and how to administer the drug, which is designed to quickly reverse the life-threatening effects of an opioid overdose. Packs can be obtained Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at these locations:

• Fire station no. 13: 4642, rue Calumet, Métairie
• Fire Station #26: 115 Hickory Ave.
• Fire Station #31: 10423 Jefferson Highway, River Ridge
• Fire Station #39: 401 Vintage Drive, Kenner
• Fire Station #76: 4040 US 90, Avondale.

USL HEALTH: The precision medicine laboratory at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine has been fully accredited by the College of American Pathologists. The $2 million lab, designed to bring next-generation sequencing technologies to the clinical realm, was built and launched over the past two years. The co-directors are doctors Gordon Love and Lucio Miele. The lab sequenced samples from positive coronavirus patients to determine which strains of the virus are circulating in the New Orleans area.

HOUSE OF HOPE: The clinical director of the Children’s Advocacy Center-Hope House is the 2021 Mental Health Counselor of the Year for the Louisiana Mental Health Counselors Association. Stacy Faulkner was chosen for demonstrating clinical excellence while maintaining the highest degree of ethical standards. Children’s Advocacy Center-Hope House offers forensic counseling and ongoing therapy to all victims of child abuse in St. Tammany and Washington Parishes.

DRIVE FOR IMMUNITY: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana are sponsoring free blue bike rides for people traveling for COVID-19 vaccine and booster appointments. Runners can use code BoostUpNola for free, 30-minute rides to and from their appointments through February 15. Download the Blue Bikes NOLA app and tap your name in the top left corner and go to account options. Tap “promo codes” which will take you to the redeem code screen.

AUTISM INDICATORS: People with autism now have the option of having an autism indicator added to their driver’s license, appearing under the driver’s photo. Autism diagnosis verification by a mental health professional is required. LA Wallet users can view the autism flag on their license in the LA Wallet app. The purpose of the indicator is to facilitate interactions between law enforcement and people with autism.

AL-ANON: People whose lives have been affected by someone else’s drinking can find help through an Al-Anon family group. These family groups bring together relatives and friends of alcoholics who share their experiences to solve their common problems. For more information on support groups in the New Orleans area, visit www.neworleansafg.org.

ALATEEN: Teens whose lives have been affected by someone else’s drinking can find help through an Alateen support group. For more information on support groups in the New Orleans area, visit www.neworleansafg.org.