Given by Courtney Weatherby of the Stimson Center, this presentation looked at the genesis of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Mechanism and highlighted some opportunities and risks.
This paper presents two models of key determinants in the evolution of the shadow banking system. First of all, a shadow banking measure is built from a European perspective. Secondly, information on several variables is retrieved basing their selection in previous literature. Thirdly, those variables are grouped in: 1) the base model: real GDP, Institutional investors’ assets, term-spread, banks’ net interest margin and liquidity; and 2) the extended model: the former five plus an indicator of systemic stress, an index of banking concentration and inflation. Finally, regression analysis on those models is conducted for different countries’ samples. Both OLS and panel data analysis is undergone. Results suggest important and consistent geographical differences in relations between shadow banking and key determinant variables’ effects. Thus, this essay provides financial authorities with a valuable benchmark to which they should pay attention before designing optimal policies seeking to reduce the financial risk that shadow banking entails.
My Master's Thesis with the title "The Elephant in the Regulator's Room: Estimating the Size of the Global Shadow Banking System" compares different approaches to measuring the true size of shadow banking, for which crucial data is still missing. In addition to official statistics, I propose two further methods of empirically estimating assets in this amorphous system following a recent paper. The findings suggest that the system is larger than assumed and accumulated $96 trillion in 2015.
This document summarizes the objectives, partners, and services of the SERVIR Network, which is a regional partnership that uses earth observation data and geospatial technologies to address issues related to food security, water resources, weather and climate, and land use in Southeast Asia. The SERVIR Network aims to build capacity for using geospatial data and tools, improve access to this information, and support decision-making. It develops products and services through stakeholder engagement and open data sharing. A needs assessment identified priorities like land cover mapping, early warning systems, water resources management, and crop forecasting. The document describes datasets and tools developed by SERVIR, including a dam inundation areas dataset and online and desktop tools for modeling reservoir areas
The Vietnam National Mekong Committee conducted a Mekong Dam Study, the results of which were presented at the Greater Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy in Phnom Penh on Oct. 21, 2015. This is part one of their overview presentation.
This paper presents two models of key determinants in the evolution of the shadow banking system. First of all, a shadow banking measure is built from a European perspective. Secondly, information on several variables is retrieved basing their selection in previous literature. Thirdly, those variables are grouped in: 1) the base model: real GDP, Institutional investors’ assets, term-spread, banks’ net interest margin and liquidity; and 2) the extended model: the former five plus an indicator of systemic stress, an index of banking concentration and inflation. Finally, regression analysis on those models is conducted for different countries’ samples. Both OLS and panel data analysis is undergone. Results suggest important and consistent geographical differences in relations between shadow banking and key determinant variables’ effects. Thus, this essay provides financial authorities with a valuable benchmark to which they should pay attention before designing optimal policies seeking to reduce the financial risk that shadow banking entails.
My Master's Thesis with the title "The Elephant in the Regulator's Room: Estimating the Size of the Global Shadow Banking System" compares different approaches to measuring the true size of shadow banking, for which crucial data is still missing. In addition to official statistics, I propose two further methods of empirically estimating assets in this amorphous system following a recent paper. The findings suggest that the system is larger than assumed and accumulated $96 trillion in 2015.
This document summarizes the objectives, partners, and services of the SERVIR Network, which is a regional partnership that uses earth observation data and geospatial technologies to address issues related to food security, water resources, weather and climate, and land use in Southeast Asia. The SERVIR Network aims to build capacity for using geospatial data and tools, improve access to this information, and support decision-making. It develops products and services through stakeholder engagement and open data sharing. A needs assessment identified priorities like land cover mapping, early warning systems, water resources management, and crop forecasting. The document describes datasets and tools developed by SERVIR, including a dam inundation areas dataset and online and desktop tools for modeling reservoir areas
The Vietnam National Mekong Committee conducted a Mekong Dam Study, the results of which were presented at the Greater Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy in Phnom Penh on Oct. 21, 2015. This is part one of their overview presentation.
The impact of water resources development on water levels of the Mekong tacochrane
The document discusses a study analyzing the impacts of historical and future water resource development in the Mekong River basin. The objectives are to quantify changes from historical development, estimate changes from future development in tributaries, and evaluate impacts on the Tonle Sap's productivity and fauna. It finds that historical development, primarily dams, have significantly changed water levels and the hydrology of the Mekong and Tonle Sap. Future development of dams in key tributaries is projected to further impact downstream flows in the Mekong basin. Hydropower operation rules, cascade dam effects, and climate change uncertainties could also influence energy production and flows.
The Vietnam National Mekong Committee conducted a Mekong Dam Study, the results of which were presented at the Greater Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy in Phnom Penh on Oct. 21, 2015. This presentation overviews their Fisheries Impact Assessment.
1) Smart ICT technologies like mobile phones and web portals can provide smallholder farmers in Africa with weather, water, and agricultural advisories to help improve resilience to climate change.
2) The International Water Management Institute has developed systems to provide near real-time climate, vegetation, and water information via SMS and online to help farmers, irrigation boards, and others make better management decisions.
3) The concept involves monitoring crop conditions in registered farmer fields using high-resolution satellite data and sending simple regular advisories on water and inputs via SMS to optimize farm profits.
Dennis Garrity, UN Drylands Ambassador and former Director General of ICRAF, gave a keynote speech at WLE's side event at the 7th Africa Agriculture Science Week in Kigali, Rwanda on June 14, 2016. It focused on how natural resources could be best managed to ensure the productivity, equity and sustainability of agriculture in Africa, with concrete recommendations for the program and its partners.
Peter-John Meynell of ICEM presented on the work done on biomonitoring of macroinvertebrates on the Nam Ou river in Laos as part of an IFC funded project.
This document summarizes a study on institutions and gender related to sanitation practices in three small towns in Uttar Pradesh, India. It describes the objectives of understanding gaps in formal and informal sanitation practices and their gender dimensions. It then provides details on the methodology used, including site visits and consultations. Next, it discusses the sanitation situations, challenges, and key institutions in each of the three towns: Mughalsarai, Unnao, and Gangaghat. It outlines several gender-related issues around women's roles. Finally, it provides recommendations around improving sanitation regimes through community-based and decentralized models, targeting outreach to women, improving conditions for informal waste workers, and empowering local institutions.
The document outlines a plot for a comedy film titled "Trip to Las Vegas" about a group of people whose flight to Las Vegas is cancelled. They decide to take an old tour bus to Las Vegas instead. During the journey, they encounter misadventures including sex, drugs, a character's death, and nearly driving off a cliff. The main characters are introduced, including a fugitive who convinces the group to take the bus and a depressed man who dies of an overdose. The plot and characters are described to appeal to an R-rated comedy audience over age 18 with crude humor and disasters during the trip to Las Vegas.
This document discusses public-private partnerships (PPPs) for irrigation development in Africa. It describes a collaborative research project assessing PPP models in Ghana and Tanzania. PPPs are promoted as a way to reduce government costs and bring in private expertise, but little is known about their actual impacts. The document examines two case studies of PPP irrigation schemes in Tanzania, finding challenges including land tenure issues, price volatility, and differing perspectives between groups. Key challenges for PPPs identified are balancing profit and development goals and ensuring inclusion of farmers, communities, and markets.
1) The document summarizes findings from field studies on small-scale irrigation in Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Ghana that were conducted to identify constraints and opportunities for smallholder farmers.
2) Preliminary results found that the economic feasibility of irrigation technologies varies by crop, gender, and location, and that there is high variability in irrigation applied and yields between farmers using the same technologies.
3) Shallow groundwater is identified as an untapped potential for sustainable intensification, though site-specific technologies are needed that account for landscape context and recharge rates.
Presentation made to the Panel discussion on ‘Optimizing water infrastructure for smallholder farmers’ All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Agriculture & Food for Development October 11, 2016 by Julie Van der Bliek.
Existing research suggests that investments in small-scale water management technologies generate positive productivity and economic impacts, including increased net farm incomes, improved land and labor productivity, and important indirect bene ts. Farmers directly bene t when they grow more staple and high-value crops. More reliable access to water, and growing domestic, regional and international markets, also give farmers the con dence to invest in productivity-enhancing fertilizers, agricultural management strategies and agrochemical inputs. In addition, investments in water management and irrigation can reduce poverty indirectly by increasing non-agricultural rural and urban employment, and serve as a bu er for farmers from climate variability risks, becoming an essential part of adapting to climate change while supporting food and nutritional security.
This document discusses new approaches and tools for achieving inclusive and gender-equal irrigation. It summarizes research from Ethiopia, Ghana, Tanzania, and Malawi on the different constraints and opportunities men and women face regarding irrigation. Two new tools are presented: a diagnostic tool to measure gender gaps in access to and control over irrigation benefits, and a learning tool to improve gender integration in irrigation planning. The tools involve sex-disaggregated focus groups to understand inequality in access to water, labor, decision-making, and control over income from irrigation. The goal is to ensure both men and women can benefit from expanded irrigation.
Rihanna has transformed her image significantly over her music career. She started as a fresh-faced reggae pop star from Barbados, but her image became increasingly sexualized through shorter hair, skimpier outfits, and raunchier videos. She has expanded beyond music into films, fashion, endorsements, and her own makeup line. While some criticize her for not being a role model for young girls, she has shown women can succeed in traditionally male-dominated industries through hard work.
Presentation by Claudia Ringler, Hartwig Kremer and Cheikh Mbow at the UNEA Science Policy Interface, May 19-20
Presentation focuses on the concept of the water, food and energy nexus and its importance within the development context. It also provides a number of cases highlighting nexus issues.
This document discusses options for sanitation solutions in urban areas. It provides background on the goal of safe collection, treatment and disposal of human waste. It then describes sewerage systems and issues like inadequate treatment. It also covers septage management, including the characteristics and need to empty septic tanks. The document analyzes options for two cities in India and compares costs and factors for treatment options like centralized sewerage, on-site systems, and decentralized systems. It finds that centralized sewerage has the highest capital costs but economic payback after two times, while decentralized can have lower operation and maintenance costs.
This document summarizes the key findings from a river basin profile of the Nam Ou River in Laos. The profile was produced through a collaborative process between the Lao government and IFC to better understand the basin's characteristics and contribute to its planning and management. Key findings include:
- The Nam Ou is an important tributary of the Mekong with diverse landscapes and populations. Over half of residents in the basin provinces live rurally.
- Residents heavily depend on aquatic resources for food and livelihoods. Certain areas have high vulnerabilities like malnutrition and cash income dependence on water.
- Planned hydropower development includes 7 dams in a cascade totaling 1,272 MW of installed capacity.
Win Naing Tun presented on a project that giz is conducting in the upper Ayeyawady River in Myanmar that looks at the impact that hydropower development would have in Kachin state.
The document describes the Network for Sustainable Hydropower Development in the Mekong Countries (NSHD-M), which works to promote more sustainable hydropower development in the Mekong region. The network has over 200 members from universities and research institutions in China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar. It has developed 6 training manuals and 11 case studies on topics like climate change, river basin ecosystems, economic development and social aspects. The network has provided training to stakeholders in the region and worked with universities to integrate sustainable hydropower development into their curricula. Challenges include strengthening coordination and developing the network further.
Floods are natural disasters that occur when there is too much rainwater or overflow from river banks. There are different types of floods such as riverine floods caused by heavy rain, coastal floods caused by tidal storms, and catastrophic floods caused by hurricanes. Floods can cause physical damage, casualties, contaminated water supplies, and damage to crops. However, floods also make soil more fertile by providing nutrients. To mitigate floods, coastal defenses like sea walls and barriers have been constructed. Major flood-prone areas include China, Vietnam, Romania, Netherlands, and Bangladesh. Bangladesh frequently experiences monsoon floods from four major rivers that have killed hundreds and affected millions of people.
Trans-disciplinary science to impact tropical forest landscapes - Jeff Sayer, University of British Columbia. Measuring the Impact of Integrated Systems Research (September 27, 2021 – September 30, 2021). Three-day virtual workshop co hosted by the CGIAR Research Programs on Water Land and Ecosystems (WLE); Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA); Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM); and SPIA, the Standing Panel on Impact Assessment of the CGIAR. The workshop took stock of existing and new methodological developments of monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment work, and discussed which are suitable to evaluate and assess complex, integrated systems research.
Theory-Based Approaches for Assessing the Impact of Integrated Systems Research - Brian Belcher, Royal Roads University. Measuring the Impact of Integrated Systems Research (September 27, 2021 – September 30, 2021). Three-day virtual workshop co hosted by the CGIAR Research Programs on Water Land and Ecosystems (WLE); Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA); Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM); and SPIA, the Standing Panel on Impact Assessment of the CGIAR. The workshop took stock of existing and new methodological developments of monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment work, and discussed which are suitable to evaluate and assess complex, integrated systems research.
The impact of water resources development on water levels of the Mekong tacochrane
The document discusses a study analyzing the impacts of historical and future water resource development in the Mekong River basin. The objectives are to quantify changes from historical development, estimate changes from future development in tributaries, and evaluate impacts on the Tonle Sap's productivity and fauna. It finds that historical development, primarily dams, have significantly changed water levels and the hydrology of the Mekong and Tonle Sap. Future development of dams in key tributaries is projected to further impact downstream flows in the Mekong basin. Hydropower operation rules, cascade dam effects, and climate change uncertainties could also influence energy production and flows.
The Vietnam National Mekong Committee conducted a Mekong Dam Study, the results of which were presented at the Greater Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy in Phnom Penh on Oct. 21, 2015. This presentation overviews their Fisheries Impact Assessment.
1) Smart ICT technologies like mobile phones and web portals can provide smallholder farmers in Africa with weather, water, and agricultural advisories to help improve resilience to climate change.
2) The International Water Management Institute has developed systems to provide near real-time climate, vegetation, and water information via SMS and online to help farmers, irrigation boards, and others make better management decisions.
3) The concept involves monitoring crop conditions in registered farmer fields using high-resolution satellite data and sending simple regular advisories on water and inputs via SMS to optimize farm profits.
Dennis Garrity, UN Drylands Ambassador and former Director General of ICRAF, gave a keynote speech at WLE's side event at the 7th Africa Agriculture Science Week in Kigali, Rwanda on June 14, 2016. It focused on how natural resources could be best managed to ensure the productivity, equity and sustainability of agriculture in Africa, with concrete recommendations for the program and its partners.
Peter-John Meynell of ICEM presented on the work done on biomonitoring of macroinvertebrates on the Nam Ou river in Laos as part of an IFC funded project.
This document summarizes a study on institutions and gender related to sanitation practices in three small towns in Uttar Pradesh, India. It describes the objectives of understanding gaps in formal and informal sanitation practices and their gender dimensions. It then provides details on the methodology used, including site visits and consultations. Next, it discusses the sanitation situations, challenges, and key institutions in each of the three towns: Mughalsarai, Unnao, and Gangaghat. It outlines several gender-related issues around women's roles. Finally, it provides recommendations around improving sanitation regimes through community-based and decentralized models, targeting outreach to women, improving conditions for informal waste workers, and empowering local institutions.
The document outlines a plot for a comedy film titled "Trip to Las Vegas" about a group of people whose flight to Las Vegas is cancelled. They decide to take an old tour bus to Las Vegas instead. During the journey, they encounter misadventures including sex, drugs, a character's death, and nearly driving off a cliff. The main characters are introduced, including a fugitive who convinces the group to take the bus and a depressed man who dies of an overdose. The plot and characters are described to appeal to an R-rated comedy audience over age 18 with crude humor and disasters during the trip to Las Vegas.
This document discusses public-private partnerships (PPPs) for irrigation development in Africa. It describes a collaborative research project assessing PPP models in Ghana and Tanzania. PPPs are promoted as a way to reduce government costs and bring in private expertise, but little is known about their actual impacts. The document examines two case studies of PPP irrigation schemes in Tanzania, finding challenges including land tenure issues, price volatility, and differing perspectives between groups. Key challenges for PPPs identified are balancing profit and development goals and ensuring inclusion of farmers, communities, and markets.
1) The document summarizes findings from field studies on small-scale irrigation in Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Ghana that were conducted to identify constraints and opportunities for smallholder farmers.
2) Preliminary results found that the economic feasibility of irrigation technologies varies by crop, gender, and location, and that there is high variability in irrigation applied and yields between farmers using the same technologies.
3) Shallow groundwater is identified as an untapped potential for sustainable intensification, though site-specific technologies are needed that account for landscape context and recharge rates.
Presentation made to the Panel discussion on ‘Optimizing water infrastructure for smallholder farmers’ All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Agriculture & Food for Development October 11, 2016 by Julie Van der Bliek.
Existing research suggests that investments in small-scale water management technologies generate positive productivity and economic impacts, including increased net farm incomes, improved land and labor productivity, and important indirect bene ts. Farmers directly bene t when they grow more staple and high-value crops. More reliable access to water, and growing domestic, regional and international markets, also give farmers the con dence to invest in productivity-enhancing fertilizers, agricultural management strategies and agrochemical inputs. In addition, investments in water management and irrigation can reduce poverty indirectly by increasing non-agricultural rural and urban employment, and serve as a bu er for farmers from climate variability risks, becoming an essential part of adapting to climate change while supporting food and nutritional security.
This document discusses new approaches and tools for achieving inclusive and gender-equal irrigation. It summarizes research from Ethiopia, Ghana, Tanzania, and Malawi on the different constraints and opportunities men and women face regarding irrigation. Two new tools are presented: a diagnostic tool to measure gender gaps in access to and control over irrigation benefits, and a learning tool to improve gender integration in irrigation planning. The tools involve sex-disaggregated focus groups to understand inequality in access to water, labor, decision-making, and control over income from irrigation. The goal is to ensure both men and women can benefit from expanded irrigation.
Rihanna has transformed her image significantly over her music career. She started as a fresh-faced reggae pop star from Barbados, but her image became increasingly sexualized through shorter hair, skimpier outfits, and raunchier videos. She has expanded beyond music into films, fashion, endorsements, and her own makeup line. While some criticize her for not being a role model for young girls, she has shown women can succeed in traditionally male-dominated industries through hard work.
Presentation by Claudia Ringler, Hartwig Kremer and Cheikh Mbow at the UNEA Science Policy Interface, May 19-20
Presentation focuses on the concept of the water, food and energy nexus and its importance within the development context. It also provides a number of cases highlighting nexus issues.
This document discusses options for sanitation solutions in urban areas. It provides background on the goal of safe collection, treatment and disposal of human waste. It then describes sewerage systems and issues like inadequate treatment. It also covers septage management, including the characteristics and need to empty septic tanks. The document analyzes options for two cities in India and compares costs and factors for treatment options like centralized sewerage, on-site systems, and decentralized systems. It finds that centralized sewerage has the highest capital costs but economic payback after two times, while decentralized can have lower operation and maintenance costs.
This document summarizes the key findings from a river basin profile of the Nam Ou River in Laos. The profile was produced through a collaborative process between the Lao government and IFC to better understand the basin's characteristics and contribute to its planning and management. Key findings include:
- The Nam Ou is an important tributary of the Mekong with diverse landscapes and populations. Over half of residents in the basin provinces live rurally.
- Residents heavily depend on aquatic resources for food and livelihoods. Certain areas have high vulnerabilities like malnutrition and cash income dependence on water.
- Planned hydropower development includes 7 dams in a cascade totaling 1,272 MW of installed capacity.
Win Naing Tun presented on a project that giz is conducting in the upper Ayeyawady River in Myanmar that looks at the impact that hydropower development would have in Kachin state.
The document describes the Network for Sustainable Hydropower Development in the Mekong Countries (NSHD-M), which works to promote more sustainable hydropower development in the Mekong region. The network has over 200 members from universities and research institutions in China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar. It has developed 6 training manuals and 11 case studies on topics like climate change, river basin ecosystems, economic development and social aspects. The network has provided training to stakeholders in the region and worked with universities to integrate sustainable hydropower development into their curricula. Challenges include strengthening coordination and developing the network further.
Floods are natural disasters that occur when there is too much rainwater or overflow from river banks. There are different types of floods such as riverine floods caused by heavy rain, coastal floods caused by tidal storms, and catastrophic floods caused by hurricanes. Floods can cause physical damage, casualties, contaminated water supplies, and damage to crops. However, floods also make soil more fertile by providing nutrients. To mitigate floods, coastal defenses like sea walls and barriers have been constructed. Major flood-prone areas include China, Vietnam, Romania, Netherlands, and Bangladesh. Bangladesh frequently experiences monsoon floods from four major rivers that have killed hundreds and affected millions of people.
Trans-disciplinary science to impact tropical forest landscapes - Jeff Sayer, University of British Columbia. Measuring the Impact of Integrated Systems Research (September 27, 2021 – September 30, 2021). Three-day virtual workshop co hosted by the CGIAR Research Programs on Water Land and Ecosystems (WLE); Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA); Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM); and SPIA, the Standing Panel on Impact Assessment of the CGIAR. The workshop took stock of existing and new methodological developments of monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment work, and discussed which are suitable to evaluate and assess complex, integrated systems research.
Theory-Based Approaches for Assessing the Impact of Integrated Systems Research - Brian Belcher, Royal Roads University. Measuring the Impact of Integrated Systems Research (September 27, 2021 – September 30, 2021). Three-day virtual workshop co hosted by the CGIAR Research Programs on Water Land and Ecosystems (WLE); Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA); Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM); and SPIA, the Standing Panel on Impact Assessment of the CGIAR. The workshop took stock of existing and new methodological developments of monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment work, and discussed which are suitable to evaluate and assess complex, integrated systems research.
Challenges and opportunities for using remote sensing data - Kathy Baylis, University of California, Santa Barbara. Measuring the Impact of Integrated Systems Research (September 27, 2021 – September 30, 2021). Three-day virtual workshop co hosted by the CGIAR Research Programs on Water Land and Ecosystems (WLE); Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA); Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM); and SPIA, the Standing Panel on Impact Assessment of the CGIAR. The workshop took stock of existing and new methodological developments of monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment work, and discussed which are suitable to evaluate and assess complex, integrated systems research.
Reviewing the evidence on implementation and long-term impact of integrated landscape approaches - James Reed, CIFOR. Measuring the Impact of Integrated Systems Research (September 27, 2021 – September 30, 2021). Three-day virtual workshop co hosted by the CGIAR Research Programs on Water Land and Ecosystems (WLE); Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA); Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM); and SPIA, the Standing Panel on Impact Assessment of the CGIAR. The workshop took stock of existing and new methodological developments of monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment work, and discussed which are suitable to evaluate and assess complex, integrated systems research.
Some musings on evaluating the impacts of integrated systems research - Karl Hughes, PIM. Measuring the Impact of Integrated Systems Research (September 27, 2021 – September 30, 2021). Three-day virtual workshop co hosted by the CGIAR Research Programs on Water Land and Ecosystems (WLE); Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA); Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM); and SPIA, the Standing Panel on Impact Assessment of the CGIAR. The workshop took stock of existing and new methodological developments of monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment work, and discussed which are suitable to evaluate and assess complex, integrated systems research.
What makes impact research challenging? What have been done so far? Results from CGIAR research - Natalia Estrada Carmona. Measuring the Impact of Integrated Systems Research (September 27, 2021 – September 30, 2021). Three-day virtual workshop co hosted by the CGIAR Research Programs on Water Land and Ecosystems (WLE); Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA); Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM); and SPIA, the Standing Panel on Impact Assessment of the CGIAR. The workshop took stock of existing and new methodological developments of monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment work, and discussed which are suitable to evaluate and assess complex, integrated systems research.
Use of Qualitative Approaches for Impact Assessments of Integrated Systems Research: Our Experience - Monica Biradavolu, SPIA. Measuring the Impact of Integrated Systems Research (September 27, 2021 – September 30, 2021). Three-day virtual workshop co hosted by the CGIAR Research Programs on Water Land and Ecosystems (WLE); Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA); Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM); and SPIA, the Standing Panel on Impact Assessment of the CGIAR. The workshop took stock of existing and new methodological developments of monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment work, and discussed which are suitable to evaluate and assess complex, integrated systems research.
FTA’s experience in measuring impacts of research on integrated systems - Vincent Gitz, FTA. Measuring the Impact of Integrated Systems Research (September 27, 2021 – September 30, 2021). Three-day virtual workshop co hosted by the CGIAR Research Programs on Water Land and Ecosystems (WLE); Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA); Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM); and SPIA, the Standing Panel on Impact Assessment of the CGIAR. The workshop took stock of existing and new methodological developments of monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment work, and discussed which are suitable to evaluate and assess complex, integrated systems research.
Measuring the impact of integrated systems research
Panel Speakers: Vincent Gitz, Natalia Estrada Estrada Carmona, Monica Biradavolu and Karl Hughes. Measuring the Impact of Integrated Systems Research (September 27, 2021 – September 30, 2021). Three-day virtual workshop co hosted by the CGIAR Research Programs on Water Land and Ecosystems (WLE); Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA); Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM); and SPIA, the Standing Panel on Impact Assessment of the CGIAR. The workshop took stock of existing and new methodological developments of monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment work, and discussed which are suitable to evaluate and assess complex, integrated systems research.
Why does OneCGIAR need Integrated Systems Research? - Holger Meinke, University of Tasmania & ISDC. Measuring the Impact of Integrated Systems Research (September 27, 2021 – September 30, 2021). Three-day virtual workshop co hosted by the CGIAR Research Programs on Water Land and Ecosystems (WLE); Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA); Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM); and SPIA, the Standing Panel on Impact Assessment of the CGIAR. The workshop took stock of existing and new methodological developments of monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment work, and discussed which are suitable to evaluate and assess complex, integrated systems research.
Agronomic advances for understanding soil health
By Job Kihara, Agronomist, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT
Innovations in soil health monitoring for nature and people
From Research to Resilience
WLE webinar series
October 28, 2021
Innovations in Soil Health Monitoring: Combining Systematic Field Assessments with Spectroscopy and Earth Observation
By Leigh Ann Winowiecki, WLE/CIFOR-ICRAF
Innovations in soil health monitoring for nature and people
From Research to Resilience
WLE webinar series
October 28, 2021
This document summarizes a presentation on unpacking systemic gender inequality across institutional landscapes in watershed research. The presentation discusses how gender norms and values of institutional stakeholders remain a "black box" in gender research. It notes that while gender is a cross-cutting theme in CGIAR research, organizations and institutional actors who shape policies are less researched. The presentation describes a study that used interviews to understand the perspectives of watershed scientists and development practitioners regarding gender competencies and inclusion in watershed programs and research. It found evidence of "hydropatriarchies" in watershed institutions and a need to better represent local knowledge and marginalized voices.
By Ermias Betemariam, Land Health Scientist, World Agroforestry (ICRAF)
Securing inclusive land restoration
From Research to Resilience
WLE webinar series
October 25, 2021
By Deepa Joshi, Gender, Youth and Inclusion Lead, WLE (IWMI)
Securing inclusive land restoration
From Research to Resilience
WLE webinar series
October 25, 2021
By Fabrice DeClerck, Science Director, EAT Forum & Senior Scientist, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT
Boosting synergies and managing trade-offs in food systems
From Research to Resilience
WLE webinar series
October 21, 2021
Sustainable management of commons to boost synergies: A case study on India
By Wei Zhang, Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute
Boosting synergies and managing trade-offs in food systems
From Research to Resilience
WLE webinar series
October 21, 2021
Building climate resilience across scales
participatory – farmer-led – community action
By Sander Zwart, IWMI
Managing water for climate adaptation and mitigation
From Research to Resilience
WLE webinar series
October 19, 2021
Lessons learnt towards building pathways for innovation: India
By Apoorve Khandelwal, CEEW India
Innovation investment for impact
From Research to Resilience
WLE webinar series
October 14, 2021
Mining the Gaps: Mapping The Research on Small Farms in the Global South
By Jaron Porciello, Cornell University
Innovation investment for impact
From Research to Resilience
WLE webinar series
October 14, 2021
The binding of cosmological structures by massless topological defectsSérgio Sacani
Assuming spherical symmetry and weak field, it is shown that if one solves the Poisson equation or the Einstein field
equations sourced by a topological defect, i.e. a singularity of a very specific form, the result is a localized gravitational
field capable of driving flat rotation (i.e. Keplerian circular orbits at a constant speed for all radii) of test masses on a thin
spherical shell without any underlying mass. Moreover, a large-scale structure which exploits this solution by assembling
concentrically a number of such topological defects can establish a flat stellar or galactic rotation curve, and can also deflect
light in the same manner as an equipotential (isothermal) sphere. Thus, the need for dark matter or modified gravity theory is
mitigated, at least in part.
Phenomics assisted breeding in crop improvementIshaGoswami9
As the population is increasing and will reach about 9 billion upto 2050. Also due to climate change, it is difficult to meet the food requirement of such a large population. Facing the challenges presented by resource shortages, climate
change, and increasing global population, crop yield and quality need to be improved in a sustainable way over the coming decades. Genetic improvement by breeding is the best way to increase crop productivity. With the rapid progression of functional
genomics, an increasing number of crop genomes have been sequenced and dozens of genes influencing key agronomic traits have been identified. However, current genome sequence information has not been adequately exploited for understanding
the complex characteristics of multiple gene, owing to a lack of crop phenotypic data. Efficient, automatic, and accurate technologies and platforms that can capture phenotypic data that can
be linked to genomics information for crop improvement at all growth stages have become as important as genotyping. Thus,
high-throughput phenotyping has become the major bottleneck restricting crop breeding. Plant phenomics has been defined as the high-throughput, accurate acquisition and analysis of multi-dimensional phenotypes
during crop growing stages at the organism level, including the cell, tissue, organ, individual plant, plot, and field levels. With the rapid development of novel sensors, imaging technology,
and analysis methods, numerous infrastructure platforms have been developed for phenotyping.
The debris of the ‘last major merger’ is dynamically youngSérgio Sacani
The Milky Way’s (MW) inner stellar halo contains an [Fe/H]-rich component with highly eccentric orbits, often referred to as the
‘last major merger.’ Hypotheses for the origin of this component include Gaia-Sausage/Enceladus (GSE), where the progenitor
collided with the MW proto-disc 8–11 Gyr ago, and the Virgo Radial Merger (VRM), where the progenitor collided with the
MW disc within the last 3 Gyr. These two scenarios make different predictions about observable structure in local phase space,
because the morphology of debris depends on how long it has had to phase mix. The recently identified phase-space folds in Gaia
DR3 have positive caustic velocities, making them fundamentally different than the phase-mixed chevrons found in simulations
at late times. Roughly 20 per cent of the stars in the prograde local stellar halo are associated with the observed caustics. Based
on a simple phase-mixing model, the observed number of caustics are consistent with a merger that occurred 1–2 Gyr ago.
We also compare the observed phase-space distribution to FIRE-2 Latte simulations of GSE-like mergers, using a quantitative
measurement of phase mixing (2D causticality). The observed local phase-space distribution best matches the simulated data
1–2 Gyr after collision, and certainly not later than 3 Gyr. This is further evidence that the progenitor of the ‘last major merger’
did not collide with the MW proto-disc at early times, as is thought for the GSE, but instead collided with the MW disc within
the last few Gyr, consistent with the body of work surrounding the VRM.
hematic appreciation test is a psychological assessment tool used to measure an individual's appreciation and understanding of specific themes or topics. This test helps to evaluate an individual's ability to connect different ideas and concepts within a given theme, as well as their overall comprehension and interpretation skills. The results of the test can provide valuable insights into an individual's cognitive abilities, creativity, and critical thinking skills
Authoring a personal GPT for your research and practice: How we created the Q...Leonel Morgado
Thematic analysis in qualitative research is a time-consuming and systematic task, typically done using teams. Team members must ground their activities on common understandings of the major concepts underlying the thematic analysis, and define criteria for its development. However, conceptual misunderstandings, equivocations, and lack of adherence to criteria are challenges to the quality and speed of this process. Given the distributed and uncertain nature of this process, we wondered if the tasks in thematic analysis could be supported by readily available artificial intelligence chatbots. Our early efforts point to potential benefits: not just saving time in the coding process but better adherence to criteria and grounding, by increasing triangulation between humans and artificial intelligence. This tutorial will provide a description and demonstration of the process we followed, as two academic researchers, to develop a custom ChatGPT to assist with qualitative coding in the thematic data analysis process of immersive learning accounts in a survey of the academic literature: QUAL-E Immersive Learning Thematic Analysis Helper. In the hands-on time, participants will try out QUAL-E and develop their ideas for their own qualitative coding ChatGPT. Participants that have the paid ChatGPT Plus subscription can create a draft of their assistants. The organizers will provide course materials and slide deck that participants will be able to utilize to continue development of their custom GPT. The paid subscription to ChatGPT Plus is not required to participate in this workshop, just for trying out personal GPTs during it.
Current Ms word generated power point presentation covers major details about the micronuclei test. It's significance and assays to conduct it. It is used to detect the micronuclei formation inside the cells of nearly every multicellular organism. It's formation takes place during chromosomal sepration at metaphase.
Or: Beyond linear.
Abstract: Equivariant neural networks are neural networks that incorporate symmetries. The nonlinear activation functions in these networks result in interesting nonlinear equivariant maps between simple representations, and motivate the key player of this talk: piecewise linear representation theory.
Disclaimer: No one is perfect, so please mind that there might be mistakes and typos.
dtubbenhauer@gmail.com
Corrected slides: dtubbenhauer.com/talks.html
ESR spectroscopy in liquid food and beverages.pptxPRIYANKA PATEL
With increasing population, people need to rely on packaged food stuffs. Packaging of food materials requires the preservation of food. There are various methods for the treatment of food to preserve them and irradiation treatment of food is one of them. It is the most common and the most harmless method for the food preservation as it does not alter the necessary micronutrients of food materials. Although irradiated food doesn’t cause any harm to the human health but still the quality assessment of food is required to provide consumers with necessary information about the food. ESR spectroscopy is the most sophisticated way to investigate the quality of the food and the free radicals induced during the processing of the food. ESR spin trapping technique is useful for the detection of highly unstable radicals in the food. The antioxidant capability of liquid food and beverages in mainly performed by spin trapping technique.
The cost of acquiring information by natural selectionCarl Bergstrom
This is a short talk that I gave at the Banff International Research Station workshop on Modeling and Theory in Population Biology. The idea is to try to understand how the burden of natural selection relates to the amount of information that selection puts into the genome.
It's based on the first part of this research paper:
The cost of information acquisition by natural selection
Ryan Seamus McGee, Olivia Kosterlitz, Artem Kaznatcheev, Benjamin Kerr, Carl T. Bergstrom
bioRxiv 2022.07.02.498577; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.07.02.498577
PPT on Direct Seeded Rice presented at the three-day 'Training and Validation Workshop on Modules of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) Technologies in South Asia' workshop on April 22, 2024.
Describing and Interpreting an Immersive Learning Case with the Immersion Cub...Leonel Morgado
Current descriptions of immersive learning cases are often difficult or impossible to compare. This is due to a myriad of different options on what details to include, which aspects are relevant, and on the descriptive approaches employed. Also, these aspects often combine very specific details with more general guidelines or indicate intents and rationales without clarifying their implementation. In this paper we provide a method to describe immersive learning cases that is structured to enable comparisons, yet flexible enough to allow researchers and practitioners to decide which aspects to include. This method leverages a taxonomy that classifies educational aspects at three levels (uses, practices, and strategies) and then utilizes two frameworks, the Immersive Learning Brain and the Immersion Cube, to enable a structured description and interpretation of immersive learning cases. The method is then demonstrated on a published immersive learning case on training for wind turbine maintenance using virtual reality. Applying the method results in a structured artifact, the Immersive Learning Case Sheet, that tags the case with its proximal uses, practices, and strategies, and refines the free text case description to ensure that matching details are included. This contribution is thus a case description method in support of future comparative research of immersive learning cases. We then discuss how the resulting description and interpretation can be leveraged to change immersion learning cases, by enriching them (considering low-effort changes or additions) or innovating (exploring more challenging avenues of transformation). The method holds significant promise to support better-grounded research in immersive learning.
EWOCS-I: The catalog of X-ray sources in Westerlund 1 from the Extended Weste...Sérgio Sacani
Context. With a mass exceeding several 104 M⊙ and a rich and dense population of massive stars, supermassive young star clusters
represent the most massive star-forming environment that is dominated by the feedback from massive stars and gravitational interactions
among stars.
Aims. In this paper we present the Extended Westerlund 1 and 2 Open Clusters Survey (EWOCS) project, which aims to investigate
the influence of the starburst environment on the formation of stars and planets, and on the evolution of both low and high mass stars.
The primary targets of this project are Westerlund 1 and 2, the closest supermassive star clusters to the Sun.
Methods. The project is based primarily on recent observations conducted with the Chandra and JWST observatories. Specifically,
the Chandra survey of Westerlund 1 consists of 36 new ACIS-I observations, nearly co-pointed, for a total exposure time of 1 Msec.
Additionally, we included 8 archival Chandra/ACIS-S observations. This paper presents the resulting catalog of X-ray sources within
and around Westerlund 1. Sources were detected by combining various existing methods, and photon extraction and source validation
were carried out using the ACIS-Extract software.
Results. The EWOCS X-ray catalog comprises 5963 validated sources out of the 9420 initially provided to ACIS-Extract, reaching a
photon flux threshold of approximately 2 × 10−8 photons cm−2
s
−1
. The X-ray sources exhibit a highly concentrated spatial distribution,
with 1075 sources located within the central 1 arcmin. We have successfully detected X-ray emissions from 126 out of the 166 known
massive stars of the cluster, and we have collected over 71 000 photons from the magnetar CXO J164710.20-455217.
1. Future of the Mekong: A
Perspec4ve on Transboundary
Water Governance
Courtney Weatherby
The S0mson Center
Washington D.C.
2. What’s the regional context in which the
LMCM emerged?
• Ins0tu0onal Context: How does the Lancang Mekong Coopera0ve
Mechanism compare to previously-exis0ng regional organiza0ons?
• The GMS?
• The MRC?
• The LMI?
• Geopoli0cal Context:
• US Rebalance to Asia
• Previous efforts have been financially and substan0vely limited and have
failed to involve all necessary state actors
• LMCM is poten0ally an avenue for substan0ve and robust engagement, BUT
its design and inten0ons remain vague and largely unknown
3. Op4mis4c Assessment:
• It’s unclear at this point, but the LMCM has the poten0al to do two
things:
• 1) depart from China’s past preference for bilateral engagement towards a
more mul0lateral framework
• 2) support China’s evolu0on into a “responsible stakeholder” and follow-
through on statements that leaders have struggled to implement regarding
sustainability
• If either of these happens, this will be an example of successful
approach to regional rela0ons.
• Virtuous circle
• “Complementary compe00on”
4. What do we know about the LMCM?
• A Brief Timeline: Li Keqiang’s 2014 Fall Statement, LMCM Foreign
Ministers’ Mee0ng November 2015; Sanya China-ASEAN Summit in March
2016;
• Areas of Interest: Broad and vague
• Connec0vity
• Produc0on capacity
• Cross-border economic coopera0on
• Water resources
• Agriculture
• Poverty Reduc0on
• LMCM Fund
• $1.5 in concessional loans
• $10 billion lines of credit for LMCM partner countries, largely for infrastructure and
connec0vity projects
5. Risk: Water may be lost in the mix
• The heart of the LMCM should be the river.
• Significant differences in how Lower Mekong countries and
communi0es connect to and view the river and how China views it
• Based on the focal points from the Sanya Summit, the LMCM
currently appears to be too much of an old approach, which will limit
substan0ve engagement on issues of concern and not properly push
China to take a leadership role
• If another member country was taking the lead, then the lader point
wouldn’t be an issue—however, it’s not clear that any of the LMCM members
are able or willing to take on the role of sustainability champion