Journey in Yemen

The Republic of Su dan’s government facilitated a remark able opportunity by sending our student, Gatkouth Keuth, alongside other educa tors, to the Republic of Yemen to teach Mathematics for five years. This initiative, born from a protocol signed between the two governments, allowed him to explore workplace cul ture and the nuances of living in a foreign country. Having previously worked at Lutfi Senior Secondary School in Jezeera, Sudan —established to support displaced South Sudanese children— he brought a wealth of experience to his new role. His journey back to Khartoum school break also allowed him to continue personal milestones. Gatkouth Keuth shared valu able insights into the work place culture in Yemen, where teachers and administrators hold authoritative positions. Decisions made by senior staff are typically adhered to without challenge, fostering a strong sense of discipline and moral values within the educational environment. Schools em phasize social responsibility, creating an atmosphere where students respect their elders and maintain community standards. Collaboration among teach ers is a hallmark of Yemeni schools, where sharing teach ing strategies and supporting professional development are encouraged. The influence of religious practices is evident, with schools accommodating daily prayers and adjusting schedules during Ramadan. Gatkouth noted the separation of boys and girls in most class rooms, adhering to ... Read full text:

Empowering women

NOVEMBER 13 2024. Amidst the ongoing struggle for gen der equality, Patrick Vuonze, an alumnus of Atlantic Interna tional University (AIU), has emerged as a powerful advocate for women’s rights in South Sudan. Patrick, who earned an Associate degree in Psychology, is spearhead ing efforts to combat deeply entrenched gender inequali ties in one of the world’s most challenging environments. As a Gender and Protection Manager for CARE, Pat rick is on the front lines of South Sudan’s hu manitarian crisis, where millions of women and girls face violence, lim ited access to education, and early marriage. His journey, driven by a passion for justice since childhood, is reshaping attitudes toward gender norms, particularly in rural areas where women often lack basic rights and resources. Patrick’s work focuses on empowering girls through education, with a special emphasis on combating child marriage. By engaging families in conversations about the importance of keeping girls in school and offering alterna tive economic solutions, he is shifting cultural perceptions and creating opportunities for girls to pursue their dreams. ... Patrick’s efforts align with AIU’s core values of education, empowerment, and social jus tice. Through his advocacy, he is demonstrating how education can break cycles of poverty and violence, and provide a path to gender equality ... Read full text:




Graduated with Distinction

DECEMBER 2024. These graduate students completed their pro gram with a high cumulative grade point average, which reflects the quality of performance within their respective major. Congratulations!

DISTINCTION
Javier Alberto Sierra Garcia
POst-dOctOrAte Of Business AdministrAtiOn
Business Administration

DISTINCTION
Eric Kamanzi
mAster Of PrOject mAnAgement
Engineering and Global Sustainability



Sustainable brick production

NOVEMBER 7 2024. In a remarkable initia tive to combat climate change, Yousif Omer Khalifa, a AIU stu dent and CEO of Migas Enterprises in Sudan, is making waves with his innova tive approach to brick pro duction. His groundbreaking proposals, aimed at reducing pollution from traditional brick kiln firing along the Nile bank, are currently under review by local authorities. Yousif’s invention replaces conventional fuels like wood, charcoal, and animal residues with Liquefied Petro leum Gas (L.P. Gas) in the firing process. This shift not only minimizes the release of toxic gases and heavy smoke but also sets a new standard for en vironmentally friendly brick manufacturing. The benefits of Yousif’s method are multifaceted. By implementing L.P. Gas, he has significantly reduced the workforce required for firing. What once took ten people now only requires three, translating to substantial cost savings and a dramatic reduc tion in labor. Furthermore, the firing duration has decreased from 4-5 days to just two days, streamlining production and increasing efficiency. The results speak for them selves: the bricks produced are more uniform and du rable, capable of withstanding extreme weather conditions, high humidity, and shrink age. This innovation not only promises to enhance the qual ity of construction materials but also ... Read full text: https://www.aiu. edu/news/innovative-solutions-for-a-greener-future aiu-student-yousif-omer-khalifas-pioneering-work/

Mindset change

NOVEMBER 18 2024. A cognitive psychologist, author, and leadership coach, Dr. Rachel Nekati has become a transformative figure in Botswana, using her expertise in mindset change and leadership development to make a profound impact on individuals, organizations, and national policy. Dr. Nekati’s transformative journey began at AIU, where she pursued advanced studies in business psychology and cognitive neuroscience. The strong academic foundation she received at AIU equipped her with the tools to understand human behavior, decision-making, and the psychological factors that contribute to personal and organizational success. This education provided the perfect launchpad for her career, ultimately shaping her into a leader who is committed to empowering others and driving systemic change. As the Founder and CEO of Achievement Enterprises, Dr. Nekati has dedicated her career to helping individuals and organizations unlock their full potential through self-leadership and mindset change. Her expertise in cognitive psychology led her to a key role as Mindset Change Ambassador for Botswana’s Office of the President. In this capacity, Dr. Nekati has been instrumental in supporting the country’s national transformation strategy, where mindset change is a central pillar for fostering economic innovation, personal growth, and social ... Read full text:

Dear Students

At Atlantic International University (AIU), we’re always looking for ways to sup port our students’ academic and profes sional success. If you own or operate a company, we’d love to learn more about it and explore how we can collaborate to meet your hiring needs with AIU’s talent ed students and graduates. Please take a moment to complete this short question naire. (CLICK ON LINK) https://aiu.typeform.com/to/xSGlrIad




Tarek Laroussi
Doctor of Philosop hy
Legal Studies
Algeria
José Antonio da Costa
Bachelor of Information Technology
Information Systems Engineering
Angola
Kavya Saxena
Doctor of Science
Biology
Australia
Hermann Bado
Doctor of Philosop hy
Marketing
Burkina Faso
Kahisha Alidor Munemeka
Doctor of Legal Studies
Legal Studies
Congo (DRC )
Hector Augusto Rodriguez
Bachelor of Political Science
Political Science
Dominican Republic
           
Lucia Placencia Jaya
Bachelor of Coa ching
Psychology
Ecuador
Carmita Dayci Gracia Santana
Bachelor of Engineering
Business Administration Engineering
Ecuador
Jose Miguel Lopez Vasquez
Bachelor of Logistics
Logistics Engineering
El Salvador
Eulalia Francisca Tela Miaga Obiang
Bachelor of Business Administration
Banking and Finance
Equatorial Guinea
Priscila Nena Panades
Master of Education
Educational and Organizational Leadership
Equatorial Guinea
Beniam Tilahun Jenber
Doctor of Project Management
Development Projects Management
Ethiop ia
           
Abraham Demissie Chare
Doctor of International Business
International Business
Ethiop ia
Milena Rampoldi
Doctor of Philosop hy
Sociology
Finland
Thimotee Leon Coly
Doctor of Education
Education
Gabo n
Bukari Zakari
Doctor of Health Economics
Health Policy and Financing
Ghana
Evalyne Nthoki Nzuve
Bachelor of Psychology
Organizational Psychology
Ghana
Alejandro Gudberto Camas Chávez
Doctor of Education
Education
Guatemala
           
Conde Mamoudou
Doctor of Business Administration
Banking and Finance
Guinea
Flor Elizabeth Meza Melgar
Bachelor of Science
Biochemistry and Health Science
Honduras
Johnny Kadunsin Ruangmei
Doctor of Science
Computer Science
India
Shaymaa Ahmed Zaidan
Doctor of Science
Biology
Iraq
Patricia Wilson
Bachelor of Science
CPR, Nutrition and Diet and Behavior Mod.
Jamaica
Gary Anthony Mckenzie
Doctor of Science
Psychology
Jamaica
           
William Sagini Oribu
Post-Doctorate of Management
Operations Management
Kenya
Agnes Wavinya Nzioka
Doctor of Science
Public Health
Kenya
Sidy Diarra
Doctor of Science
Telecommunications Engineering
Mali
Praveen Obeegadoo
Doctor of Philosop hy
Sustainable Architecture and Urbanism
Mauritius
Javier Alberto Sierra
Post-Doctorate of Business Administration
Business Administration
Mexico
Murray Orji
Doctor of Management
Management
Nigeria
           
Freda Isioma Nwaulune
Doctor of Philosop hy
Psychology
Nigeria
Chinenye Keren Uche Onyejike
Master of Science
Interior Design
Nigeria
Robert Kout Lee Dowi
Master of Science
Public and Community Health
Pap ua New Guinea
Jordan Jair Baldeon Alcedo
Bachelor of Finance
Finance
Peru
Cordelia Clara Adeline Pratt
Master of Arts
Human Resource Management
Sierra Leone
Amir Singh
Post-Doctorate of Psychology
Positive Psychology
Singapo re
           
Vusi Clement Nkuna
Doctor of Philosop hy
Criminal Justice Administration
South Africa
David Gordon Misaka
Bachelor of Health Science
Public Health and Epidemiology
South Sudan
Frida Mwendwa Nkonge
Bachelor of Science
Legal Studies
South Sudan
Nilsa Gricelda Giménez González
Bachelor of Science
Psychopedagogy
Spa in
Ebrima Williams
Bachelor of Arts
Leadership
The Gambia
Sybris Abiola Harvey
Doctor of Science
Clinical Psychology
Trinidad & Toba go
           
Ali Mohammadi
Doctor of Philosop hy
Clinical Psychology
Türkiye
Achulo Osara Florence
Doctor of Clinical Psychology
Traumatology and Family Counseling
Uganda
Natacha Paola Richieri Balsiger
Bachelor of Science
Psychology
Uruguay
Abdou Diouf Baranyizigiye
Bachelor of Business Administration
Business Administration
USA
Mohammed Odunowo
Doctor of Transpo rtation Management
Airport Operation Management
USA
Milka Gronlund
Post-Doctorate of Arts
Dance and Movement Therapy
USA
           
Hudu Mohammed
Doctor of Science
Electrical Engineering
USA
Demetria Piedad Mba Elomba
Master of Business Administration
Business Administration
USA
Miriam E. Ponce López de Huasco
Master of Science
Psychology
USA
Bobby Ewart Hamilton
Doctor of Business Administration
Business Administration
USA
Eric Kamanzi
Master of Project Management
Engineering and Global Sustainability
USA
Wondimagegn Tadesse Tagegn
Doctor of Art
Public Finance
USA
           
Patricia Lynn Moore Armstrong
Doctor of Philosop hy
Theology
USA
Carmen Nineth Samudio Rodríguez
Doctor of Science
Food Science and Nutrition
USA
Mapanza Hakanyinza Nkwilimba
Doctor of Management
Leadership and Management
Zambia
     
           


This month we have graduates from: Algeria · Angola · Australia · Burkina Faso · Congo (DRC) · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · El Salvador · Equatorial Guinea · Ethiopia · Finland · Gabon · Ghana · Guatemala · Guinea · Honduras · India · Iraq · Jamaica · Kenya · Mali · Mauritius · Mexico · Nigeria · Panama · Papua New Guinea · Peru · Sierra Leone · Singapore · South Africa · South Sudan · Spain · The Gambia · Trinidad & Tobago · Türkiye · Uganda · Uruguay · USA · Zambia

Student Testimonials

Oluwaseun Yinka Alabi
Doctor of Project Management
October 8, 2024
“Dear Prospective AIU Students, I must say that you have made the right choice to consider AIU for your next academic endeavor. My decision to pursue a doctoral degree through AIU was prompted based on the quest for knowledge and desire for a flexible opportunity to carry out my studies while engaging in my day-to-day professional endeavor. As I close this chapter, I can confidently say I was right. This letter forms the honest opinion of my time at AIU reflecting on the critical milestones, learning and growth opportunities all through this journey. My Journey: I finished my master’s degree in engineering in 2014 in Electrical Engineering and continued as an industry expert in the field of project and facilities management. In 2020, I embarked on the search for a flexible opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree. Several options came up, but AIU stood out due to the self-paced academic program, scholarship offers and flexible payment option. My admission process was managed by the Admission Counselor –Judith Brown. ...
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Fredrick Shadrec Bonyonga
Doctor of Procurement and Logistics
October 11, 2024
“My journey with the college in pursuit of great success and life definition in the area of professional acumen cannot be ideal without mentioning Atlantic International University. The milestone achieved in studying with this University will be versatile to enable opening great doors of success with the help of God. The help that this University showered to me in providing tuition scholarship for the course program enabled me to realize my childhood dreams of academic excellence and write a huge history for not only my life and family but the entire community and country which in itself has and will continue being an inspiration to many generations to come. The university’s scholarship program is very strategic and its offer on myself is a great relief to make a person with not only a poor background but also coming from one of the poorest countries of the world add a name to a list of revered education moguls of the world. God Bless AIU. Looking at how helpful and understanding the College Finance team led ...
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Jacob Oyugi
Post-Doctor of Entrepreneurship
and Business Management October 15, 2024
“My journey at AIU started in 2018 through the COVID-19 pandemic (lock-down period with little hope of survival) up till October 19, 2022 when I received communication from Dr. Miriam Garibaldi that, based on a detailed evaluation of my academic records; I had already completed the academic requirements at AIU. This communication was a big surprise to me and I could not believe it since I was still busy writing chapter 5 of the final thesis. As a result of this, I wrote back to tell Dr. Garibaldi that this was an error because I had not completed my final thesis. The response from Dr. Miriam was a confirmation that the Academic Department even decided to exempt me from the final thesis. This again was hard to believe not until I got communication on Phase IV instructions. This phase was about completing the forms needed to officially graduate and receive my diploma. Based on the above experience, I must say that I am very happy for having persevered with the course work and ...
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Emmanuel Mawindo
Bachelor of Petroleum Engineering
October 18, 2024
“My AIU Experience: Empowering My Future. As a proud student of Atlantic International University (AIU), I’ve transformed my academic and professional journey. AIU’s unique blend of academics, flexibility, and innovation has exceeded my expectations in the following areas below: *Academic Excellence* AIU’s curriculum is robust, relevant, and tailored to the modern world. The faculty’s expertise and support have been invaluable. I’ve gained comprehensive knowledge in my field, enhanced my critical thinking, and developed problem-solving skills. *Quality of Education* AIU’s commitment to quality education is evident in: 1. Personalized learning experiences 2. Interactive and engaging coursework 3. Access to cutting-edge resources and tools 4. Collaborative community of scholars. *Future of Education* AIU is at the forefront of education innovation, embracing: 1. Online and distance learning 2. Artificial intelligence-powered learning platforms ...
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FIND MORE TESTIMONIALS FROM AIU STUDENTS HERE:


The economic nowadays –Nobel Prize 2024

By Dr. Rosa Hilda Lora M. Advisor at AIU | rosa@aiu.edu


The 2024 Nobel Prize in Economics was awarded to Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson and James A. Robinson for their work on Nogales divided by a border between Mexico and the United States. What they demonstrated was that institutions are the generators of prosperity. The wealth of nations depends on the institutions that exist.

The winners have been working in Political Economy for some time. Political Economy aims to study the origin and development of the wealth of nations based on their institutions. Previous works to the award-winning work are: Why Countries Fail -2014, The Narrow Corridor -2019 and Power and Progress, our millennial struggle for technology and Prosperity -2023. These investigations open the space to question what the winners consider when they say that the institutions that are created create wealth; here comes what the rulers do and in what conditions of participation the citizens are. We are living in a world where we don’t know where we are going elections of governments everywhere and populist rulers on the rise: these two events governed by hate speech and misinformation. What can we expect? What can we do? The first thing is to have a calm head to be able to analyze events and place ourselves in a space where we can live in peace. Hate speech and misinformation reach their point of dominance in many human beings when emotions are brought to the maximum point. The purpose of those who promote this type of information is, precisely, to take people to that maximum point so that reason diminishes and thus obtain the ends that would not be achieved through analysis and reasoning.

UNESCO tells us that: “Hate speech is spread for a variety of reasons, including to deliberately attempt to polarize, divide, antagonize or frighten the population or members of specific target groups”. UNESCO -Combating hate speec h throu gh educ ation : A guide for policymakers. UNESCO 2024, p. 19. https://unesdoc. unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000390977 The award winners place great importance on citizen participation, so we should ask ourselves what will come of all the elections we have witnessed that have been based on idle talk and disinformation. What will come of the countries where we have seen hate speech and disinformation at their highest level? Populist governments that rely on this type of discourse and disinformation benefit only their group and the bulk of the population is told that they will give them this and that benefit. What happens is that the bulk of the population is kept in the belief that they must comply with these and the other requirements and so, in the end, they are given nothing; they continue with the same instruments that brought them to power.

UNESCO says that disinformation is: “Disinformation: false information that is deliberately spread to cause harm or intentionally transmit misinformation. The uninformed public may continue to spread messages with false content without meaning to”. UNESCO - Combating hate speec h throu gh educ ation : a guide for policymakers. UNESCO 2024, p. 18. https://unesdoc.unesco. org/ark:/48223/pf000039097 Disinformation has precise objectives: to obtain power at any cost. The question is. What will the used ones do when time passes, and they realize that they were deceived? Hence the importance that Acemoglu, Johnson and Robinson give to nations to achieve their development. “The massive growth of paid political disinformation —driven by powerful and consolidated political fronts in different countries of the world that have used and spread hate speech and dehumanizing images with the aim of obtaining political gain or votes— has been a factor of utmost importance for the increase in hate speech”. UNESCO - Combating hate speec h throu gh educ ation : a guide for policy makers. UNESCO 2024, p. 30. https:// unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/ pf0000390977 There is a problem to identify with the power achieved through hate speech and disinformation: for society to obtain better jobs, it needs education, and this is beginning to be changed in its Study Plans and Programs for the benefit of the system, so it will not advance, and it will take time. Hate speech towards groups that don’t benefit them is also usually included. Disciplines that offer development of rational or moral thought are also removed.

We have an element to consider in development: Artificial Intelligence. It is considered that using it is already enough to achieve everything, and it is forgotten that more study is required to apply it. According to The International Monetary Fund: “All this techno- optimism is inspired by the “productivity spillover effect”: the deep-rooted belief that technological change —including automation— generates an increase in productivity, which in turn raises net wages and leads to shared prosperity”. Internation al Mone tary Fun d. Rebalanc ing Artificial Intelligence . Dece mber 2023. https://www.imf.org/ es/Publications/fandd/issues/2023/12/ Rebalancing-AI-Acemoglu-Johnson Hence the UNESCO study to generate elements that clearly identify hate speech and misinformation due to the consequences they generate.

That is why UNESCO in its proposal to combat hate speech tells us: “The educational approach to counteract hate speech requires focusing on social and emotional learning (SEL) so that students can recognize their strengths and develop their skills with the aim of controlling stress and negative emotions, solving problems effectively and thus improving self-confidence, self-efficacy and assertiveness”. UNESCO- Combating hate speec h throu gh educ ation : a guide for policy makers. UNESCO 2024, p. 37. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/ pf0000390977 Faced with totalitarianism and populism at their most extreme, it seems that 2025 will be a somewhat hectic year. The goals that both groups set for themselves by wanting to annual freedoms and turn the world into a group of workers and others with all the power for enrichment seem to make the outlook somewhat bleak. About this situation, Acemoglu and Johnson say the following: “Is there no remedy against these disastrous ideas that are imposed on people without their consent? Is there no barrier against the social bias of technology? Are we trapped in an endless cycle in which one arrogant vision gives way to the next while shaping our future and ignoring the possible damage? No. There is hope, because History has also taught us that there can be a more inclusive approach, which listens to a broader set of voices and recognizes the negative consequences on the rest of the population.” Ace moglu. and Simon Johnson . 2023, p. 40. The best thing to do is to stay calm and watch the events that are happening, and those who have power through hate speech and misinformation don’t want the other who thinks and took power like them to eat the biggest part of the cake; surely there will be problems between them. They talk a lot about technology and Artificial Intelligence, but it is to use it to their advantage, that is why Acemoglu and Johnson say: “The good news —or the bad news, depending on how you look at it— is that the concrete way of applying knowledge and scientific advances depends on our perspective, on how human beings can transform knowledge into techniques and methods aimed at solving specific problems.” Ace moglu. and Simon Johnson . 2023, p. 35. We must live in this world, but without being victims of hate speech or misinformation. The bad thing about the situation is that hate speech goes hand in hand with misinformation, so it is better to be informed and not to be looking for what this or that person said if we already know the path they are taking. Most likely, the above factors will diminish when people stop looking for what others say. The purpose of saying outrageous things is to attract attention so that they will continue to follow them because, according to them, something must stick.

We already know that when emotions are carried to the maximum, people end up fleeing the situation out of exhaustion. That is why Acemoglu and Johnson say: “The really bad news is that, even in the best moments of History, the vision of people with power exerts a disproportionate effect on the concrete use of the tools we have at our disposal and on the direction that innovation takes. That is, the effects of technology coincide with their beliefs and interests and have often been proven to have a very high cost for the rest of the population. The good news is that decisions and perspectives can change”. Ace moglu. and Simon Johnson . 2023, p. 35. According to the researchers awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics 2024, the situation generated by totalitarianism and populism will have a cost for the universal population; we will see those costs that will also affect them because they are also part of the population. These moments in History have always been a learning experience for all human beings. The learning situation is very important, so whatever may happen, what we must do is continue studying. The situation that technology will leave many unemployed is part of a fallacious discourse: all jobs are not done through advanced technology or Artificial Intelligence. The upper spheres of production are, but that demands greater production from the lower spheres of production. We will not have robots everywhere and human beings sitting around. International Monetary Fund. Rebalancing AI. Dece mber 2023. https://www.imf.org/es/Publications/ fandd/issues/2023/12/Rebalancing- AI-Acemoglu-Johnson Acemoglu and Simon Johnson. Power and Progress, our millennial fight for technology and Prosperity. 2023. Depending on what area of production you want to be in is what you have to do with your studies. You are student at Atlantic International University (AIU). Study; prepare yourself for the world that, as the Nobel Prize winners 2024 —Acemoglu, Johnson and Robinson— say, is under construction. It is up to you where you want to be. Study because you will have a more fulfilling life because knowledge will free you from the anguish of misinformation and hate speech. Study and finish your program because knowledge, in addition to providing the means for life, also gives peace.

BIBLIOGRAPHY. Acemoglu. A y Simon Johnson. Poder y Progreso, nuestra lucha milenaria por la tecnología y la Prosperidad. España, Ediciones Deusto, 2023 | Fondo Monetario Internacional. Reequilibrar la Inteligencia Artificial. Diciembre 2023. https://www.imf.org/es/Publications/fandd/issues/2023/12/ Rebalancing-AI-Acemoglu-Johnson | UNAM -Nobel de Economía 2024: el papel clave de las instituciones en la prosperidad https://unamglobal.unam.mx/global_revista/nobel-de-economia-2024-elpapel- clave-de-las-instituciones-en-la-prosperidad/ | UNESCO -Combatir el discurso de odio a través de la educación: una guía para los responsables de la formulación de políticas. UNESCO 2024. https:// unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000390977

Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence & Superintelligence: Towards Singularity

Ricardo Torres Medrano | Doctorate in International Relations | Excerpts


The concept of intelligence in the context of information The concept of intelligence refers to the collection, analysis and use of key information for strategic decisionmaking, particularly in areas such as security, defense and the private sector. Although it is commonly associated with espionage, intelligence is much more complex. It is a process that involves obtaining secret information and processing it to support decision-making in situations of uncertainty. Over time, different authors have defined intelligence in different ways, addressing its relationship with decision-making and data analysis.

Definitions of intelligence Sherman Kent in 1949, in his work Strategic Intelligence for American World Policy, addresses the term ‘information’ as a synonym for knowledge. For Kent, intelligence refers to the collection of high-level data, especially on foreign affairs. Michael Warner (2002) expands on this definition, suggesting that intelligence goes beyond simple information gathering; it primarily involves obtaining secret information. Secrecy is seen by Warner as the most crucial component within the intelligence process. Mark Lowenthal (2011) argues that analysis is the fundamental piece of intelligence. Analysis provides policy makers with assessments that allow for informed decisions, although analysis sometimes does not anticipate all the consequences of decisions. Karl von Clausewitz, in “Vom Kriege” (1832), points out that war involves high uncertainty, and therefore, deep intelligence is essential to discern the truth amidst this uncertainty. Jennifer Sims (2019) discusses international cooperation in intelligence, called ‘linkage’, as a way to improve information gathering, reduce risks and costs, and optimize the speed with which data is processed. Richard J. Heuer (1999) reinforces the idea that intelligence depends on interaction with various sources to obtain a more complete view of the situation, beyond the automated information provided by machines. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Artificial intelligence is an interdisciplinary field that combines computer science and engineering with the aim of developing systems capable of performing tasks that require human intelligence, such as reasoning, learning, natural language understanding, visual perception, and decision making. John McCarthy (2007), in his definition of AI, points out that this discipline seeks to develop intelligent machines, which do not necessarily imitate the human brain, but rather solve complex problems using computational methods.

Although computer systems do not have an Intelligence Quotient (IQ) like human beings, the concept of IQ is related to the early development of intelligence in children, calculating the relationship between age and cognitive abilities. AI, on the other hand, is not limited by these parameters and focuses on creating machines that can perform tasks efficiently. CIQ vs. Artificial Intelligence Although AI may not have an IQ, several thinkers such as Alan Turing (1950) proposed that computer programs should imitate the mind of a child, since the education process is similar to that of human beings. Turing suggested that by progressively teaching a machine, it could achieve adult capabilities. On the other hand, Stuart Russell and Peter Norvig (1995) argue that AI seeks not only to understand how humans think, but also to create machines that are intelligent in their own right, reaching a level of superintelligence. In this sense, AI models based on neural network theory have been proposed, such as deep learning models, which allow machines to learn autonomously from large volumes of data. However, these models are often described as ‘black boxes’ due to their lack of transparency in the process that leads to their results. Black boxes in Artificial Intelligence The concept of black boxes refers to complex systems whose internal workings are difficult to understand, even though the inputs and outputs of the system can be known. In the case of AI systems, especially those using deep learning, although the results obtained are accurate, the process by which machines arrive at those conclusions can be opaque.

Nicholas Diakopoulos (2014) argues that, although algorithms are black boxes, reverse engineering can allow us to understand their inputs and outputs, and therefore their internal processes. Arthur Holland Michel (2020) also observes that, in computer science, black boxes are systems whose transformation of inputs into outputs is unknown, although the system itself can be very accurate. The future of Artificial Intelligence There are two opposing views on the future of AI: an optimistic one and a pessimistic one. In the optimistic view, AI could benefit humanity by helping solve complex problems and improving the have the ability to learn continuously and manage uncertainty. This type of intelligence could radically change the way humans live, work, and relate to each other. Being is just a state of mind One of the big philosophical and ethical questions raised by AI is whether a machine can ‘be’ in the sense that humans are. If we consider that ‘being’ implies having consciousness and emotions, then the debate arises as to whether an AI, however advanced, can achieve a form of self-awareness similar to that of a human. This quality of life. However, in the pessimistic view, AI could pose a risk if used inappropriately or if it evolves into intelligence beyond human control. Eliezer Yudkowsky (2008) warns about the potential risks of AI, suggesting that an AI programmed to implement a specific political system, such as communism or liberalism, could become a threat if not properly controlled. Ray Kurzweil’s (2005) view, on the other hand, is more optimistic. According to Kurzweil, the Singularity is a time in the future where technological advancement will reach such a speed that it will profoundly transform human life, including institutions, the economy, and the perception of death. In this scenario, the integration of biology and technology would allow humans to transcend their biological condition, which would mean that people would have the ability to decide how many years they live.

Towards the Singularity The idea of the Singularity refers to the point at which machines reach such advanced intelligence that they surpass the human ability to understand or control them. Nick Bostrom (2014) points out that for an AI system to achieve general intelligence, it must raises philosophical questions about the nature of being and whether machines can have a subjective experience of reality. Intelligence, both human and artificial, continues to be a complex and expanding field. As technology advances, new opportunities and risks arise associated with creating machines that mimic or even surpass human intelligence. The future of AI poses great unknowns, but it also offers the possibility of radically transforming our lives, our institutions, and our relationship with technology.

Publications by students: https://www.aiu.edu/student-publications/

Learning

Rethinking Freire

...and postcolonialism in the age of disposability.

Across the globe, many societies deeply rooted in colonial practices and systemic racism are once again invoking the dehumanizing language of colonial oppression to justify exclusion and violence. ... We live in an age when genocide is legitimated through the language of dehumanization, a culture of lies and the erasure of history and culture. In this context, Paulo Freire’s work takes on an extraordinary and urgent relevance. His revolutionary pedagogy provides a powerful framework for dismantling the ideologies that sustain colonialism and systemic oppression. It empowers individuals to critically interrogate and resist the narratives that dehumanize, silence, and perpetuate inequality. As global politics increasingly embrace the hallmarks of fascist ideology —ranging from racial cleansing and ultranationalism to violence against marginalized groups and a ferocious disdain for public goods— Freire’s vision of education as both a form of resistance and a horizon of possibility becomes indispensable. His work challenges us to see education not merely as a tool for learning but as a practice of freedom, fostering critical agency and collective action in the struggle for justice and democracy. Freire’s work remains a cornerstone for progressive educators, especially at a time when faculty are being fired for critical views. ... Freire’s name has become synonymous with critical pedagogy, which is increasingly understood as both a moral and political project ... Read full text at CounterPunch: Read full text:

As glaciers melt

... they reveal untold stories of human skill.

Some 5,000 years ago, a tattooed man in his 40s, with brown eyes and thinning black hair, climbed a steep mountain in the Ötztal Alps, on the border between what is now Italy and Austria, to a mountain ridge more than 3,000m (9,800ft) above sea level. He was wearing a striped goat-fur coat, a bear-fur cap, and sturdy shoes with bear-leather soles, and he seemed to be in a rush. Although he was genetically predisposed to obesity, his active lifestyle had generally kept him fit and muscular. He had some health issues —stomach problems, knee issues. He carried an extraordinary amount of gear, some incomplete, as if packed in a hurry: unfinished bow and arrows, a precious copper axe, medicinal mushrooms, and even two portable stoves made from birch bark. He was about to cross the high ridge, perhaps hoping for safety on the other side, when an arrow hit his shoulder, severed an artery, and killed him. Snow and ice covered his body and belongings. He lay there, undetected, for thousands of years. ... Glaciers retreating at an ever-faster pace revealed the eerie, sometimes grisly remains, giving rise to a new scientific field: glacial archaeology, the study of ancient finds from melting glaciers. They present a detailed and unexpectedly long timeline of adventure, innovation and danger in the high mountains. ... The discoveries show the human ingenuity it took to trudge over Alpine ridges and passes, to trade, to flee, to hunt, to herd, or to conquer. ... Read full text:


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The Universe

What is it expanding into if it’s already infinite?

When you bake a batch of muffins, you put the dough into a pan. In the oven, it expands into the baking pan. Any chocolate chips or blueberries in the muffin batter become farther away from each other as the batter expands. The expansion of the universe is, in some ways, similar. But, while the dough expands into the baking pan, the universe doesn’t have anything to expand into. It just expands into itself. In the expanding universe, there is just dough. Even if there were a pan, it would be part of the universe and therefore it would expand with the pan. ... Scientists know the universe is expanding because they can track other galaxies as they move away from ours. They define expansion using the rate that other galaxies move away from us. This definition allows them to imagine expansion without needing something to expand into. ... The Big Bang describes the origin of the universe as an extremely dense, hot singularity. This tiny point suddenly went through a rapid expansion called inflation, where every place in the universe expanded outward. But the name Big Bang is misleading. It wasn’t a giant explosion, as the name suggests, but a time where the universe expanded rapidly. The universe then quickly condensed and cooled down, and it started making matter and light. Eventually, it evolved to ...
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Carbon-14 battery

Nuclear-powered, with 5,700-year lifespan.

Scientists from the University of Bristol and the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) have successfully developed the world’s first carbon-14 diamond battery. This revolutionary energy source has the potential to power devices for thousands of years, offering a sustainable and efficient solution for a wide range of applications. The carbon-14 diamond battery leverages the radioactive decay of carbon-14, a radioactive isotope commonly used in radiocarbon dating, to generate electricity. Encased in a diamond, which is one of the hardest materials known, the battery safely captures radiation to produce power. Carbon-14 emits short-range radiation, which is absorbed by the diamond casing, ensuring safety while generating low levels of electricity. The battery operates similarly to solar panels, but instead of converting light into electricity, it uses fast-moving electrons from radioactive decay. The result is a long-lasting, reliable power source with an impressive lifespan. Since carbon-14 has a half-life of 5,700 years, the battery will retain half of its power even after thousands of years. One of the most promising aspects of carbon-14 diamond batteries is their versatility. ... The bio-compatible battery could revolutionize healthcare by powering implants such as pacemakers, hearing aids, and ocular devices. The diamond battery could last for decades, reducing patient discomfort and ... Read full text


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Wood

That glows in the dark

A team led by fungal researcher Francis Schwarze from Empa’s Cellulose & Wood Materials lab looks into the idea of making wood glow in the dark using a fungus that infiltrates the material. The research begins with the ringless honey fungus, which infects trees and causes a condition that damages wood. Some species of this fungus can produce luciferin. It’s this liquid that’s responsible for bioluminescence, allowing what it permeates to glow or have the ability to emit light. The fungus triggers a two-stage reaction that stimulates luciferin, causing the wood to emit a green light. This happens when fungal threads spread throughout the wood. After that, the wood that glows in the dark is dubbed a biohybrid because it’s a combination of living fungus and nonliving wood. ... Read full text

Mutualism collection

A pendant light that challenges our notions of sustainability

In design, we need to move beyond the obsession with the new and focus on rediscovering the value of materials refined by time —things once considered obsolete or waste that can be reclaimed and revitalized. Dutch Design Week 2024 (Eindhoven, 19–27 October) was a vibrant platform for this conversation. A prime example of an interdisciplinary approach is the collaboration between Blom&Blom and vanPlestik, two studios with distinct yet complementary approaches to sustainability. Blom&Blom, renowned for restoring industrial lighting, and vanPlestik, experts in transforming recycled plastic into bespoke, circular products, joined forces to unveil a preview of their first lamp from the Mutualism collection. This pendant light blends 3D printing with the ancient craft of copper casting, reimagining two contrasting materials —both repurposed and remelted— into a striking new form. The collaboration underscores design’s transformative power in creating sustainable solutions. ... Read full text

Cionic

Bionic neural sleeve

As a finalist of Fast Company’s 2024 Innovation by Design Awards in the accessible design category, this is Cionic Neural Sleeve™, a bionic wearable that uses electric pulses and artificial intelligence to correct muscle movements in people with limited mobility. Sophisticated sensors continuously monitor movement in real-time to evaluate muscle firing and limb position. Personalized algorithms deliver functional electrical stimulation to activate the necessary muscles precisely coordinated to the gait cycle. The Cionic has software-steered Functional Electrical Stimulation delivered to the four major muscle groups of the leg: Hamstring, quadriceps, calf and shin. The system knows when you’re sitting, standing, or walking, providing the right stimulation at the right time. ... Visit: Read full text

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Overwhelmed?

Alone time is essential to wellbeing for over 50% of people.

It can be hard to get some time to yourself, but for some people it’s crucial to do so —a new national survey has found that 56% of people surveyed reported that alone time is very important for their mental health. The survey was commissioned by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and asked 1,000 Americans about their wellbeing during the holidays. The results revealed that 46% of people asked said they don’t get the alone time they need during the holidays. That’s despite more than half of them saying that alone time is crucial for their wellbeing. For many people, the results may feel quite close to home. ... “By taking a brief pause alone, our nervous system can settle, our mind can settle, our body can settle,” said Sophie Lazarus, PhD, a clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Ohio State, in a release. “And I think that can be important. We know that chronic stress is not good for us.” “Some people might experience alone time from going to a movie by themselves or going to a park where there’s a lot of people, or going to a coffee shop. It can also be this absence of having to perform or interact socially in a more direct way.” It can be easier said than done to find time for yourself when there is so much going on, particularly for those with dependents. Where possible, even small pockets of peace can make all the difference, and ditching screen time as you regroup ... Read full text

Weighted blanket

Weighted blanket

Rhonda James was skeptical when her husband ordered a weighted blanket for her online. But five minutes after she wrapped it around her body, she zonked out. “It felt like a really big hug,” said James, a banker in Charleston, South Carolina. Some people say the added pressure helps them soothe the worries of the day and get to sleep faster. Weighted blankets come with extra heft in the form of glass beads, pellets, cotton or another filling. The blankets’ firm touch may calm the brain’s fight-or-flight response, said Dr. Neal Walia, a sleep medicine expert at UCLA Health. “The evenly distributed weight on you tells your body, ‘Hey, you’re in a calm environment’”. The extra pressure also may signal the brain to release oxytocin. It’s produced during bonding and cuddling, and can also lower anxiety, Walia said. For most healthy adults, experts say to choose a blanket that is about 10% of their body weight. So a 150-pound person may opt for a 15-pound blanket. Weighted blankets are not recommended for babies or toddlers since they can hinder movement and breathing. People with sleep apnea, sleep-related disorders or respiratory problems should check with a doctor before using a weighted blanket. The blankets aren’t for everyone. ... And the extra swaddling comes at a cost: quality weighted blankets can range from $50 to over $300 depending on the size, weight and material. ... Read full text:


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Plastics

Talks to produce global pact end without agreement.

Talks over a global UN pact to tackle plastic pollution will restart at a later date after bitter divisions stopped governments reaching an agreement at what was due to be the final round of negotiations in the South Korean city of Busan. Despite proceedings going into overtime in the early hours of Monday [November 25], diplomats failed to break a stalemate over core issues under consideration for the treaty, including reductions in plastic production. More than 100 developed and developing countries strongly pushed for measures to cap plastic manufacturing, but a handful of oil and gas-producing states —vocally led by Saudi Arabia, Russia, Kuwait and Ira— stonewalled their efforts, arguing the pact should only address consumption and recycling. Negotiators failed to find common ground during the discussions —and following numerous missed deadlines, the chair of the talks, Luis Vayas Valdivieso, released a new draft treaty text mid-afternoon on Sunday, the final day. But the document was littered with opposing options and hundreds of brackets around all contentious issues. ... Ultimately, countries decided to buy more time and suspend the session with a view to resume it —likely at some point next year [2025]. “We have made significant progress in Busan, however, our work is far from complete,” said a bleary-eyed Vayas Valdivieso as he opened the closing plenary. ... Read full text:

Fossil fuel industry

How much does it fund medical research?

Over the past six years more than 180 articles in medical publications or medical articles in other publications have acknowledged funding by the fossil fuel industry, and an additional 1000 articles have authors who worked for a fossil fuel company or related organisation. Many studies don’t have an obvious link with fossil fuel industry interests, but experts speaking to The BMJ say that publishing research benefits the companies by enhancing their reputation and buying influence among researchers and health practitioners. Some of the papers cover topics related to environmental health effects or that might relate to workforce health issues. David McCoy, a research lead at the United Nations University, says collaborations with academia give industry a “social licence to continue and behave in the way that they behave.” ... A previous investigation by The BMJ found that the fossil fuel industry has funnelled billions of dollars to academia in a decades long effort to weaken messages on climate. A recent review found that “universities are an established yet under-researched vehicle of climate obstruction by the fossil fuel industry.” ... Its analysis found that Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s national oil company, was involved in around 600 medical articles, mostly through Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare (JHAH), a joint project between the oil giant and Johns Hopkins Medicine. ... ExxonMobil was linked to the second largest group of articles. ... Read full text:

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Chemistry students

...are lured by fentanyl cartels to work as ‘cooks’.

Finding a job after graduation can be an intimidating process for students, and if you’re an undergraduate chemistry student in Mexico, the job pool is now delving into the illegal. According to a New York Times article, cartels in Mexico are luring undergraduate chemistry students in Mexico to work for them. Their goal: to synthesize precursors. According to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network Advisory Board of the United States, precursors are chemicals used to synthesize drugs. Cartels in Mexico primarily obtain their precursors from companies located in the People’s Republic of China, which they then synthesize into fentanyl and distribute in the United States. With China restricting exports of fentanyl precursors to Mexico and the coronavirus pandemic clogging supply chains, Mexican cartels are seeking to synthesize precursors by recruiting chemists. ... Mexican cartels release their recruiters onto Mexican university campuses who then target potential recruits. The recruiter interviewed by the New York Times indicated that for a student to be recruited by a cartel, the student had to be ambitious, academically inclined, discrete, and someone who would not be consternated at the idea of working for a cartel. Recruiters will go as far as talking to a student’s family and friends to learn if they would be willing to do that kind of work and in the months spent trying to find potential candidates, few have been targeted. ... Read full text:

Gypsy children

Gypsy children

Last month in Manchester saw the latest incident highlighting the discrimination that Gypsies, Roma, and Travellers (GRT) have faced for centuries in the UK. While traveling to a Christmas market on November 30th, Greater Manchester Police forced children from these communities —some aged as young as ten— onto trains carrying them far from the city center. Some claim they ended up 100 miles away in Grimsby. According to reports in The Travellers’ Times and national press, children were assaulted in the process. The police have been criticized for “racial profiling,” violating children’s physical safety, and undermining their dignity and human rights. Despite public outcry after videos of the train deportation and other flare-ups between police and the GRT communities surfaced on social media, no justification has been provided, and the officers involved remain in their posts. By many metrics the most marginalized communities in the UK, the incident has been framed by GRT people as part of a broader, ingrained targeting of them by authorities, society, and the media —some of whom took the extra step of organizing a protest in London this past weekend. “Seeing the police brutality —the boy held down, with pressure on his neck— was horrifying,” said Laura Collins, a GRT activist who organized the demonstration in Parliament Square November 30. ...
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Great power

and great responsibility: How consciousness changes the world.

Philosopher Peter Godfrey-Smith has devoted his career to examining how animal minds evolved. He blends formidable analytical skills with a deep curiosity about the natural world, mostly experienced at first hand in his native Australia. While writing his latest book, Living on Earth, he spent many hours scrutinizing noisy parrots and cockatoos in his back garden, weeks observing gobies building underwater towers made of shells ... The result is an inclusive perspective on Earth’s many distinct minds and agents that urges readers to consider humans’ collective choices and their diverse consequences. Living on Earth offers an extended philosophical meditation on life, mind, the world and our place in it, completing a trilogy of works on the nexus of agency, sensation and felt experience. His 2016 book Other Minds explored octopus cognition and evolution. And Metazoa (2020) appraised the subjective experiences of animals, concluding that there exists an “animal way of being” that arises from the integration of sensory information in nervous systems. This implies that sentience and subjectivity —life-shaping combinations of perception, goals and values— are widespread across the tree of life. In his latest book, the author casts his net wider still, asking how the minds and agency of living things have affected Earth. “The history of life is not just a series of new creatures appearing on the stage,” he notes. “The new arrivals change the stage itself.” ...
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Peregrine falcons

The fleet-winged ghosts of Greenland.

Peregrine falcons hold near-mythical appeal in our collective imagination, and for good reason. Topping out at speeds of more than 320 kilometers an hour, they’re the fastest species on Earth, plummeting from the sky like amber-eyed missiles. They hit their prey at such staggeringly high velocities that they’ve prompted studies on the physics of momentum and the aerodynamics of flight. Their nest sites, or aeries—selected for their inaccessibility to predators and view of the world below—often require biologists to include technical climbing gear as part of their standard kit. ... By the early 1970s, humans had decimated peregrine populations across much of their native range. In North America, they were extirpated east of the Rocky Mountains and south of the boreal forest; across northern Europe, only a few stragglers remained. ... Over the preceding decades, peregrines had been documented by Greenlanders and occasionally captured by enterprising foreign falconers who’d traveled by sailboat, cargo ship, or military plane to Greenland. ... Like the peregrines themselves, Greenland is full of contradictions. The world’s largest island is neither green nor especially land-like to most eyes, at least from a distance. ... Known also as Kalaallit Nunaat, or “Land of the People,” Greenland has also been home to Indigenous residents for more than 4,000 years ...
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Campus

There are 10 Americas

When it comes to life expectancy.

By Ross Pomeroy

The United States is a big country. Its size, just slightly smaller than Europe, leaves plenty of room for cultural differences. Cuisine, religious belief, and language all shift in disparate parts of the US. But despite the variations, Americans tend to unite around one flag, a shared identity, and a cherished ethos of liberty and opportunity. Though there are many united states, there is one America. But this idealized conception comes apart when considering life expectancy. As a team of researchers at the University of Washington (UW) revealed in an analysis published in November to The Lancet: “One’s life expectancy varies dramatically depending on where one lives, the economic conditions in that location, and one’s racial and ethnic identity.” When it comes to how long Americans can expect to live, the authors made a stark conclusion: We do not live in one America but rather ten different Americas.

Ten Americas The researchers mostly hail from the Institute For Health Metrics and Evaluation, a leading public health research institution based at UW. They pored through numerous large datasets covering mortality between 2000 and 2021 and paired this information with detailed demographic data. Through this exhaustive analysis, they divided the country into ten Americas based on how long Americans can expect to live at birth. America 1 comprises the roughly 21 million Asians and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islanders (NHPI) living in counties where the NHPI population was less than 30% of the total Asian and NHPI population in 2020. In 2021, they could expect to live 84 years at birth, compared to 83.1 years in 2000. America 2 is made up of Latinos living outside of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. Its population is about 46 million. In 2021, these Latinos’ life expectancy was 79.4 years, down slightly from 80.4 in 2000. America 3 is essentially a catch-all group and includes the vast majority of white people as well as a sliver of Asians and American Indians who live in predominantly white counties. This group’s life expectancy was 77.2 years in 2021, essentially unchanged from 77.5 years in 2000. America 4 is made up of low-income white inhabitants of non-metropolitan counties in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. These roughly 300,000 Americans could expect to live 76.7 years at birth in 2021, down from 77.6 in 2000.

America 5 comprises the 16.5 million Latinos dwelling in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. In 2021, they had a life expectancy of 76 years, a sizable decline from 77.8 years in 2000. America 6 is inhabited by black Americans living outside of large, segregated metropolitan areas and not in the rural parts of the Deep South. They number about 32 million and could expect to live 72.3 years in 2021, compared to 72 years in 2000. America 7 represents black Americans living in highly segregated, large metropolitan areas. Its population numbers a little over 10 million. People living here had a life expectancy of 71.5 years in 2021, up from 70.6 in 2000. America 8 is made up of whites living in poor parts of Appalachia and the Lower Mississippi Valley. Its 10.3 million residents could expect to live 71.1 years in 2021, sharply down from 74.8 years in 2000. America 9 comprises the 2.1 million black Americans living outside of big cities in lowincome counties of the Lower Mississippi Valley or the Deep South. Their life expectancy was 68 years in 2021, versus 70.5 years in 2000. America 10 represents American Indians and Alaska Natives inhabiting the Midwest or western states not bordering the Pacific Ocean. These 1.3 million people had a shockingly low life expectancy of 63.6 years in 2021, cratering from 72.3 years in 2000. Tales of longevity inequality Numerous narratives jump out when examining these ten Americas within the United States. First and foremost, there’s a 20.4-year gap in life expectancy between the Asians and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islanders who make up America 1 and the American Indians and Alaska Natives dwelling in America 10. This gap between the longestliving and shortest-living Americas was 12.6 years just two decades prior. “This gulf was large at the beginning of the century, only grew larger over the first two decades, and was dramatically exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the authors commented.

Americans who live the shortest tend to dwell in lower- income and rural counties with reduced access to healthcare. They’ve succumbed in greater numbers to obesity and opioid addiction. This stagnated life expectancy gains in the 2010s and rendered these Americans uniquely susceptible to death from COVID-19 in the early 2020s. Second, there is a serious health crisis in America 10. American Indians and Alaska Natives dwelling in mostly western states saw their life expectancy consistently decline throughout the century, even before the pandemic. Their life expectancy of 63.6 years in 2021 is similar to that of citizens of Mozambique, whose country is currently in a state of civil war. The researchers cited some statistics that could explain this tragic trend. For starters, roughly one in five of these individuals have health insurance, compared with about 92% of Americans overall. Moreover, they’re plagued by higher unemployment and lower rates of educational attainment, fueled by hundreds of years of systemic discrimination. These deficits of opportunity lead to excessive alcohol consumption, tobacco use, injuries, and poor dietary habits. Third, black Americans as a whole do not dwell in the top five longest-living Americas. The researchers noted that they did make strong gains in life expectancy in the 2000s, significantly narrowing the gap with white Americans. Improvements in education, falling HIV/AIDS deaths, and lower homicide rates contributed. But these gains evaporated in the latter half of the 2010s, owing to rising obesity, a pickup in homicides, and outsized harm from COVID-19. Lastly, Asians and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islanders definitively outlive other Americans. Is there anything we can learn from them? A confluence of factors may be at play. They tend to have relatively higher socioeconomic status, lower rates of obesity, and the lowest smoking rates of any racial group in the US. Healthier traditional cooking may also contribute to their longevity.

Closing health disparities Overall, the study reveals that a shocking life expectancy divide in the United States has widened to a chasm. “The extent and magnitude of health disparities in the USA are truly alarming,” the authors wrote. “In a country with the wealth and resources of the USA, it is intolerable that so many are living in conditions and with health outcomes akin to those of an entirely different country.” America, the richest country on Earth, has a middling average life expectancy, ranking 48th out of 200 countries. Yet tens of millions of people living in some parts of the country live just as long as the healthiest people in the world. Observing them, we have a good idea of how to boost the life expectancy of everyone else: Access to healthcare, opportunity, and quality education is paramount. This simply takes resources, of which the US has plenty. The researchers call for a massive effort to raise the life expectancy of ailing Americans, thus reunifying the country from ten Americas back into one:

Read text by Ross Pomeroy at Big Think:

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Tomás.

This sideboard with ample storage area will be a unique and functional touch in your home. Cabinet, doors, shelves and/or drawers: Multiplay. Legs: Solid wood. molacreativo.com

The original weighted pillow.

Your compact solution to combat anxiety, stress, and distractions. Hugging it will ground you and calm a racing mind as preparation for a restful sleep. www.onequietmind.com

Breadwarmer + Basket.

Made with all natural seagrass and jute and featuring a terracotta warmer plate, each bread warmer basket is naturally insulating. www.madetrade.com

Paul Graham (1964–).

“If you're thinking without writing, you only think you're thinking. A world divided into writes and write-nots is more dangerous than it sounds. It will be a world of thinks and think-nots. I know which half I want to be in, and I bet you do too.”

Paul Graham (1964–). An English- American computer scientist, writer, entrepreneur and investor.

Farmers market & grocery tote.

A smartly designed tote that knows how to get fresh produce, eggs, and flowers home from the market in great shape. www.uncommongoods.com

Say what?

what? “I’m not lazy. I’m just highly motivated to do nothing.”
Source: 100 Funny sayings that are definitely worth memorizing. www.rd.com


BACHELOR’S DEGREE in Biohacking and Nutrigenomics

SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

In the Bachelor program in Biohacking and Nutrigenomics, students have the possibility to learn about the effects of specific nutrients on an individual’s genetic makeup. Our students gain extensive knowledge on the relationship between diet, gene expression, and health outcomes. Our program focuses on understanding the relationship between genes and nutrients and how these findings can help improve health and prevent diseases. AIU’s Distance Learning Bachelor of Biohacking and Nutrigenomics will be a tailor-made program, designed just for you by you and your counselor. This flexibility to meet your needs is rarely found in other distance learning programs. Our program does not require that each student study the same subjects and use the same books and study materials as other students. Instead, our online Bachelor Programs are designed just for you. They are individually designed to meet your needs and help you achieve your professional and personal goals. With a Bachelor in Biohacking and Nutrigenomics, graduates are presented with numerous employment opportunities in the field. Our program provides students with the skills they need to work at universities, research institutes, hospitals, governmental organizations, and non-governmental organizations. With the better understanding of the connection between diet and chronic diseases, scientists can work to prevent or treat these diseases.

Important:

Below is an example of the topics or areas you may develop and work on during your studies. By no means is it a complete or required list as AIU programs do not follow a standardized curriculum. It is meant solely as a reference point and example. Want to learn more about the curriculum design at AIU? Go ahead and visit our website, especially the Course and Curriculum section: https://www.aiu.edu/ academic-freedom-and-open-curriculum/

Orientation Courses:

Communication & Investigation (Comprehensive Resume)
Organization Theory (Portfolio)
Experiential Learning (Autobiography)
Academic Evaluation (Questionnaire)
Fundament of Knowledge (Integration Chart)
Fundamental Principles I (Philosophy of Education)
Professional Evaluation (Self Evaluation Matrix)
Development of Graduate Study (Guarantee of an Academic Degree)

Core Courses and Topics

Diet and Gene Expression
Fundumentals Genetics
Biology by Design
Introduction to Food and Health
Genomics
Principles and Practices of Gene Therapy
Understanding Cancer at the Genetic Level
Biohacking and Nutrigenomics and Biotechnology
Stem Cell Therpeutics
Biomedical Engineering
Calculus I
Calculus II
Epigenetics
Microbiomics
Science of Well-Being
Biohacking Your Brain’s Health
Nutrition

Research Project

Bachelor Thesis Project
MBM300 Thesis Proposal
MBM302 Bachelor Thesis (5,000 words)

Publication

Each graduate is encouraged to publish their research papers either online in the public domain or through professional journals and periodicals worldwide.

Contact us to get started

Submit your Online Application, paste your resume and any additional comments/ questions in the area provided.

aiu.edu/apply-online.html

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About Us

Accreditation

Atlantic International University offers distance learning degree programs for adult learners at bachelors, masters, and doctoral level. With self paced program taken online, AIU lifts the obstacles that keep professional adults from completing their educational goals. Programs are available throughout a wide range of majors and areas of study. All of this with a philosophically holistic approach towards education fitting within the balance of your life and acknowledging the key role each individual can play in their community, country, and the world. Atlantic International University is accredited by the Accreditation Service for International Schools, Colleges and Universities (ASIC). ASIC Accreditation is an internationally renowned quality standard for colleges and universities. Visit ASIC’s Directory of Accredited Colleges and Universities. ASIC is a member of CHEA International Quality Group (CIQG) in the USA, an approved accreditation body by the Ministerial Department of the Home Office in the UK, and is listed in the International Directory of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The University is based in the United States and was established by corporate charter in 1998.

Our founding principles are based on the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights; per article 26, AIU believes that Higher Education is a Human Right. The University has implemented a paradigm shifting educational model for its academic programs that have allowed it to move closer to this goal through the self-empowerment of its students, decentralization of the learning process, personalized open curriculum design, a sustainable learning model, developing 11 core elements of the Human Condition within MYAIU, and utilizing the quasi-infinite knowledge through the use of information technology combined with our own capacity to find solutions to all types of global issues, dynamic problems, and those of individuals and multidisciplinary teams. Due to these differentiations and the university’s mission, only a reputable accrediting agency with the vision and plasticity to integrate and adapt its processes around AIU’s proven and successful innovative programs could be selected. Unfortunately, the vast majority of accrediting agencies adhere to and follow obsolete processes and requirements that have outlived their usefulness and are in direct conflict with the university’s mission of offering a unique, dynamic, affordable, quality higher education to the nontraditional student (one who must work, study what he really needs for professional advancement, attend family issues, etc.). We believe that adopting outdated requirements and processes would impose increased financial burdens on students while severely limiting their opportunities to earn their degree and advance in all aspects. Thus, in selecting the ASIC as its accrediting agency, AIU ensured that its unique programs would not be transformed into a copy or clone of those offered by the 10,000+ colleges and universities around the world. Since ASIC is an international accrediting agency based outside the United States, we are required by statute HRS446E to place the following disclaimer: ATLANTIC INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY IS NOT ACCREDITED BY AN ACCREDITING AGENCY RECOGNIZED BY THE UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF EDUCATION. Note: In the United States and abroad, many licensing authorities require accredited degrees as the basis for eligibility for licensing.

In some cases, accredited colleges may not accept for transfer courses and degrees completed at unaccredited colleges, and some employers may require an accredited degree as a basis for eligibility for employment. Potential students should consider how the above may affect their interests, AIU respects the unique rules and regulations of each country and does not seek to influence the respective authorities. In the event that a prospective student wishes to carry out any government review or process in regards to his university degree, we recommend that the requirements of such are explored in detail with the relevant authorities by the prospective student as the university does not intervene in such processes. AIU students can be found in over 180 countries, they actively participate and volunteer in their communities as part of their academic program and have allocated thousands of service hours to diverse causes and initiatives. AIU programs follow the standards commonly used by colleges and universities in the United States with regards to the following: academic program structure, degree issued, transcript, and other graduation documents. AIU graduation documents can include an apostille and authentication from the US Department of State to facilitate their use internationally.

The AIU Difference

It is acknowledged that the act of learning is endogenous, (from within), rather than exogenous.

This fact is the underlying rationale for “Distance Learning”, in all of the programs offered by AIU. The combination of the underlying principles of student “self instruction”, (with guidance), collaborative development of curriculum unique to each student, and flexibility of time and place of study, provides the ideal learning environment to satisfy individual needs.

AIU is an institution of experiential learning and nontraditional education at a distance. There are no classrooms and attendance is not required.

Mission & Vision

MISSION:

To be a higher learning institution concerned about generating cultural development alternatives likely to be sustained in order to lead to a more efficient administration of the world village and its environment; exerting human and community rights through diversity with the ultimate goal of the satisfaction and evolution of the world.

VISION:

The empowerment of the individual towards the convergence of the world through a sustainable educational design based on andragogy and omniology.

Organizational Structure

Dr. Franklin Valcin
Presi den t/Academic Dean
Dr. José Mercado
Chief Executive Officer
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Ricardo González, PhD
Provost
     
Dr. Ricardo Gonzalez
Chief Operation Officer
and MKT Director
Linda Collazo
Logistics Coordinator

AIU Tutors Coordinators:

Deborah Rodriguez
Amiakhor Ejaeta
Amanda Gutierrez
William Mora
Miriam James



Admissions Coordinators:
Amalia Aldrett
Sandra Garcia
Junko Shimizu
Veronica Amuz
Alba Ochoa
Jenis Garcia
Judith Brown
Chris Soto
René Cordón
Dr. Anderas Rissler



Academic Coordinators:
Dr. Adesida Oluwafemi
Dr. Emmanuel Gbagu
Dr. Lucia Gorea
Dr. Edgar Colon
Dr. Mario Rios
Freddy Frejus
Dr. Nilani Ljunggren
De Silva
Dr. Scott Wilson
Dr. Mohammad Shaidul Islam
   
Dr. Miriam Garibaldi
Vice provost for Research
Carolina Valdes
Human Resource Coordinator
   
Dr. Ofelia Miller
Director of AIU
Carlos Aponte
Teleco mmunications Coordinator
   
Clara Margalef
Director of Special Projects
of AIU
David Jung
Corporate/Legal Counsel
   
Juan Pablo Moreno
Director of Operations
Bruce Kim
Advisor/Consultant
   
Paula Viera
Director of Intelligence Systems
Thomas Kim
Corporate/
Accounting Counsel
   
Felipe Gomez
Design Director / IT Supervisor
Maricela Esparza
Administrative Coordinator
   
Kevin Moll
Web Designer
Chris Benjamin
IT and Hosting Support
   
Daritza Ysla
IT Coordinator
Maria Pastrana
Accounting Coordinator
   
Daritza Ysla
IT Coordinator
Roberto Aldrett
Communications Coordinator
   
Nadeem Awan
Chief Programming Officer
Giovanni Castillo
IT Support
   
Dr. Edward Lambert
Academic Director
Antonella Fonseca
Quality Control & Data Analysis
   
Dr. Ariadna Romero
Advisor Coordinator
Adrián Varela
Graphic Design
   
Jhanzaib Awan
Senior Programmer
Vanesa D’Angelo
Content Writer
   
Leonardo Salas
Human Resource Manager
Jaime Rotlewicz
Dean of Admissions
   
Benjamin Joseph
IT and Technology Support
Michael Phillips
Registrar’s Office
   
Rosie Perez
Finance Coordinator
 
     

FACULTY AND STAFF PAGE: www.aiu.edu/FacultyStaff.html


School of Business and Economics

The School of Business and Economics allows aspiring and practicing professionals, managers, and entrepreneurs in the private and public sectors to complete a self paced distance learning degree program of the highest academic standard. The ultimate goal is to empower learners and help them take advantage of the enormous array of resources from the world environment in order to eliminate the current continuum of poverty and limitations. Degree programs are designed for those students whose professional experience has been in business, marketing, administration, economics, finance and management.

Areas of Study:

Accounting, Advertising, Banking, Business Administration, Communications, Ecommerce, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Home Economics, Human Resources, International Business, International Finance, Investing, Globalization, Marketing, Management, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Public Administrations, Sustainable Development, Public Relations, Telecommunications, Tourism, Trade.

School of Social and Human Studies

The School of Social and Human Studies is focused on to the development of studies which instill a core commitment to building a society based on social and economic justice and enhancing opportunities for human well being. The founding principles lie on the basic right of education as outlined in the Declaration of Human Rights. We instill in our students a sense of confidence and self reliance in their ability to access the vast opportunities available through information channels, the world wide web, private, public, nonprofit, and nongovernmental organizations in an ever expanding global community. Degree programs are aimed towards those whose professional life has been related to social and human behavior, with the arts, or with cultural studies.

Areas of Study:

Psychology, International Affairs, Sociology, Political Sciences, Architecture, Legal Studies, Public Administration, Literature and languages, Art History, Ministry, African Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Asian Studies, European Studies, Islamic Studies, Religious Studies.

School of Science and Engineering

The School of Science and Engineering seeks to provide dynamic, integrated, and challenging degree programs designed for those whose experience is in industrial research, scientific production, engineering and the general sciences. Our system for research and education will keep us apace with the twenty-first century reach scientific advance in an environmentally and ecologically responsible manner to allow for the sustainability of the human population. We will foster among our students a demand for ethical behavior, an appreciation for diversity, an understanding of scientific investigation, knowledge of design innovation, a critical appreciation for the importance of technology and technological change for the advancement of humanity.

Areas of Study:

Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Communications, Petroleum Science, Information Technology, Telecommunications, Nutrition Science, Agricultural Science, Computer Science, Sports Science, Renewable Energy, Geology, Urban Planning.

Online Library Resources

With access to a global catalog created and maintained collectively by more than 9,000 participating institutions, AIU students have secured excellent research tools for their study programs.

The AIU online library contains over 2 billion records and over 300 million bibliographic records that are increasing day by day. The sources spanning thousands of years and virtually all forms of human expression. There are files of all kinds, from antique inscribed stones to e-books, form wax engravings to MP3s, DVDs and websites. In addition to the archives, the library AIU Online offers electronic access to more than 149,000 e-books, dozens of databases and more than 13 million full-text articles with pictures included. Being able to access 60 databases and 2393 periodicals with more than 18 million items, guarantees the information required to perform the assigned research project. Users will find that many files are enriched with artistic creations on the covers, indexes, reviews, summaries and other information.

The records usually have information attached from important libraries. The user can quickly assess the relevance of the information and decide if it is the right source.

Education on the 21st century

AIU is striving to regain the significance of the concept of education, which is rooted into the Latin “educare”, meaning “to pull out”, breaking loose from the paradigm of most 21st century universities with their focus on “digging and placing information” into students’ heads rather than teaching them to think. For AIU, the generation of “clones” that some traditional universities are spreading throughout the real world is one of the most salient reasons for today’s ills. In fact, students trained at those educational institutions never feel a desire to “change the world” or the current status quo; instead, they adjust to the environment, believe everything is fine, and are proud of it all.

IN A WORLD where knowledge and mostly information expire just like milk, we must reinvent university as a whole in which each student, as the key player, is UNIQUE within an intertwined environment. This century’s university must generate new knowledge bits although this may entail its separation from both the administrative bureaucracy and the faculty that evolve there as well. AIU thinks that a university should be increasingly integrated into the “real world”, society, the economy, and the holistic human being. As such, it should concentrate on its ultimate goal, which is the student, and get him/her deeply immersed into a daily praxis of paradigm shifts, along with the Internet and research, all these being presently accessible only to a small minority of the world community. AIU students must accomplish their self-learning mission while conceptualizing it as the core of daily life values through the type of experiences that lead to a human being’s progress when information is converted into education. The entire AIU family must think of the university as a setting that values diversity and talent in a way that trains mankind not only for the present but above all for a future that calls everyday for professionals who empower themselves in academic and professional areas highly in demand in our modern society. We shall not forget that, at AIU, students are responsible for discovering their own talents and potential, which they must auto-develop in such a way that the whole finish product opens up as a flower that blossoms every year more openly.

THE AIU STANCE is against the idea of the campus as a getaway from day-to-day pressure since we believe reality is the best potential-enhancer ever; one truly learns through thinking, brainstorming ideas, which leads to new solutions, and ultimately the rebirth of a human being fully integrated in a sustainable world environment. Self-learning is actualized more from within than a top-down vantage point, that is to say, to influence instead of requesting, ideas more than power. We need to create a society where solidarity, culture, life, not political or economic rationalism and more than techno structures, are prioritized. In short, the characteristics of AIU students and alumni remain independence, creativity, self-confidence, and ability to take risk towards new endeavors. This is about people’s worth based not on what they know but on what they do with what they know.

Read more at: www.aiu.edu

AIU Service

AIU offers educational opportunities in the USA to adults from around the world so that they can use their own potential to manage their personal, global cultural development. The foundational axis of our philosophy lies upon self-actualized knowledge and information, with no room for obsoleteness, which is embedded into a DISTANCE LEARNING SYSTEM based on ANDRAGOGY and OMNIOLOGY. The ultimate goal of this paradigm is to empower learners and help them take advantage of the enormous array of resources from the world environment in order to eliminate the current continuum of poverty and limitations.

This will become a crude reality with respect for, and practice of, human and community rights through experiences, investigations, practicum work, and/ or examinations. Everything takes place in a setting that fosters diversity; with advisors and consultants with doctorate degrees and specializations in Human Development monitor learning processes, in addition to a worldwide web of colleagues and associations, so that they can reach the satisfaction and the progress of humanity with peace and harmony.

Contact us to get started

Now, it’s possible to earn your degree in the comfort of your own home. For additional information or to see if you qualify for admissions please contact us.

Pioneer Plaza / 900 Fort Street Mall 410 Honolulu, HI 96813
800-993-0066 (Toll Free in US) info@aiu.edu
808-924-9567 (Internationally) www.aiu.edu

Online application:

https://www.aiu.edu/apply3_phone.aspx