Have you had a chance to watch the new video series from the Scholarly Communications Committee? Located on the Scholarly Publishing libguide, the new micro lecture series covers a range of topics related to scholarly publishing and promotion. One video titled The Researcher Profile Audit Service at the Himmelfarb Library, focuses on the new, free service offered by Himmelfarb Library to help faculty and staff manage their various researcher profiles.
If you're a researcher with profiles spread across different databases, such as ORCiD, Scopus or Google Scholar, then you may not have the time to maintain each individual profile. Having a good researcher profile will not only differentiate your work from others with a similar name, but it may also be a requirement for research funding. If you feel overwhelmed by the amount of time it takes to update your different profiles, then let us help you! The Researcher Profile Audit Service is available to students and faculty who are a part of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Public Health or the School of Nursing.
If you’re interested in learning more about this new service, please explore our Researcher Profile Audit Service guide or watch The Researcher Profile Audit Service at the Himmelfarb Library video. To sign up for the audit service, click the link at the bottom of the Researcher Profile Audit Service guide page and fill out the form. Someone will contact you in 2-3 business days.
Have questions about scholarly publishing outside of managing your researcher profiles? Then explore the library of videos from the Scholarly Communications Committee. Whether it’s setting up your Google Scholar account or learning more about predatory journals, our videos are here to help you navigate the publishing and communications landscape!
Cells in brain organoids made from human stem cells can mature to resemble those of a postnatal brain. S. Pasca - Pasca Laboratory/Stanford University.
In a recent article in the American Journal of Bioethics, Henry T. Greely explores the ethical implications of improved human brain models used in research. Mr. Greely identifies challenges with using human and animal subjects for brain research, and explores the ethics of improved simulacrum of living brains created and used in research:
The dilemma? When we avoid unethical research by making living models of human brains, we may make our models so good that they themselves deserve some of the kinds of ethical and legal respect that have hindered brain research in human beings. If it looks like a human brain and acts like a human brain, at what point do we have to treat it like a human brain—or a human being?
Mr Greely identifies four types of human brain surrogates: genetically edited non-human animals, human/non-human brain chimeras, human neural organoids, and living ex vivo brain tissues. For each surrogate type, Mr. Greely describes the science behind the surrogates and current directions of the research. Mr. Greely also discusses potential problems with each of these surrogates including welfare of the surrogates, consent and welfare of the “human parts” of the surrogates, possible non-research implications of the research, possible non-research uses of the surrogates, humanization of non-humans, and the rights of the surrogates.
Drawing on references from both science and science fiction to illustrate both technologies and applications, the article is a fascinating read!
If you're interested in reading more about genetics, check out GW's Genetics Journal Club led by Dr. Chuck Macri.
In an effort to remain accountable to communities who have been negatively impacted by past and present medical injustices, the staff at Himmelfarb Library is committed to the work of maintaining an anti-discriminatory practice. We will uplift and highlight diverse stories throughout the year, and not shy away from difficult conversations necessary for health sciences education. To help fulfill this mission, today's blog post will cover Mabel Keaton Staupers, R.N.
Mabel Keaton Staupers was an African-American nurse who, through her relentless advocacy, was successful in ending segregation practices in the military during World War II. She also worked within her community to provide African-Americans access to adequate healthcare within their neighborhoods. Born in Barbados in 1890, Staupers immigrated to the United States with her mother in 1903 and her father joined them several years later. They lived in New York City, but in 1917, Staupers studied at the Freedmen's Hospital School (which is now part of Howard University) in Washington DC where she earned her R.N. degree.
As a registered nurse, Staupers immediately began to work to meet the needs of the African-American communities in New York City and Washington D.C. Together with Dr. Louis T. Wright and Dr. James Wilson, she helped establish the Booker T. Washington Sanatorium in Harlem, which treated tuberculosis patients. She also performed a study on the health care needs of Harlem residents. This information eventually led to the creation of the Harlem Committee of the New York Tuberculosis and Health Association, where she served as the organization’s first executive secretary for twelve years. Staupers advocacy work extended beyond issues that affected her neighborhood and into issues that impacted African-American nurses throughout the country. Staupers served as the Executive Secretary for the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses (NACGN), a professional organization for African-American nurses at the time. Though the NACGN was eventually dissolved in the 1960s when African-American nurses were allowed to enroll in national, state and local nursing organizations that previously excluded them, NACGN and Staupers played a role in addressing the concerns of Black nurses at the time.
Mabel Keaton Staupers continued her advocacy work and her efforts eventually led to the ending of a discriminatory practice within the military. During World War II, nurses were allowed to enroll in the military, but the Army and Navy set a quota for the number of African-American nurses who were allowed to enlist. Staupers organized a letter writing campaign that encouraged President Franklin D. Roosevelt and other political leaders to eliminate the quota policy for Black nurses. Staupers also met with the president’s wife, Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to bring awareness to her cause. The discriminatory policy was repealed in 1945 and Black nurses were allowed to freely enlist in the military.
Because of her advocacy work, in 1951, Mabel Keaton Staupers was awarded the Spingarn Medal from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The award recognizes African-Americans who have significantly contributed to uplifting the needs of the African-American community. Staupers also documented her experiences with ending the discriminatory practices in the military in a book titled, No Time for Prejudice: A Story of the Integration of Negroes in Nursing in the United States. Staupers eventually returned to Washington DC, where she lived until her death in 1989 at the age of 99.
Mabel Keaton Staupers is an excellent example of using your knowledge and expertise to directly address the needs of your local community. Staupers understood that the medical needs of the African-American community was not being addressed by the broader medical community, but through collaboration and dedication to her cause, she not only provided medical care to her local community, but also fought against the discriminatory practices that prevented Black nurses from serving in their full capacity. Her story highlights the importance of uncovering your interests and seeing where those interests intersect with a need within your community. By working with others, you can greatly improve the conditions of your community. If you’re interested in learning more about Mabel Keaton Staupers, R.N. visit our catalog for articles relating to this important woman. And be sure to read her book, No Time for Prejudice, to hear about her experiences in her own words.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Mabel Keaton Staupers | American Nurse and Executive.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Feb. 2021, www.britannica.com/biography/Mabel-Keaton-Staupers.
“Mabel Keaton Staupers, R.N., 1890-.” Journal of the National Medical Association, vol. 61, no. 2, 1969, pp. 198–99, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2611696/?page=1.
The Health Sciences Research Commons is GW's online repository for gathering, archiving, and disseminating the research output of the Milken Institute School of Public Health, the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the School of Nursing, and the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library.
The Health Sciences Research Collection tracks all health sciences education research from 2009 through the present. Citations are identified by routine database searches and literature scans, and you can also submit your research publications directly.
To get an idea of the breadth of this collection, check out the GW health sciences educational research that's already been published in 2021:
GW MINDFULNESS DROP-IN: CONNECTING TO YOUR BODY Online Event:Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Time: 3:00 PM This group is a great fit for students who want to learn skills to reduce their anxiety and increase their capacity for acceptance via mindfulness and breathing techniques. Each group session will focus on a specific skill to better manage anxiety/stress.
SHARE YOUR STORY NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY “STORIES OF 2020” Be a storyteller. Historians will remember 2020—a time of the pandemic, economic crisis, police violence, and protest. But how does it feel to be part of history? The National Museum of American History is assembling a digital time capsule filled with messages to future generations about life today, and want to hear your story, big or small.
NATIONAL CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL March 20 –April 11, 2021, The 2021 Festival will bloom this spring with an innovative format that honors the tradition of the Festival while prioritizing the health and safety of participants amidst the pandemic.
THE 30 BEST IRISH MOVIES TO WATCH ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY From Good Housekeeping Spend the day with Ireland’s most celebrated filmmakers. Whether on St. Patrick’s Day or any other day, try some of these films. Among the list of favorites, you can find movies in every genre.
