Laura Wurm | Queen's University Belfast (original) (raw)
Papers by Laura Wurm
Die vorliegende Arbeit behandelt die Präsenz und Wahrnehmbarkeit des arabischen Spracheinflusses ... more Die vorliegende Arbeit behandelt die Präsenz und Wahrnehmbarkeit des arabischen Spracheinflusses in Südspanien. Ausgehend von einer historischen Perspektive soll ein Bogen zu gegenwärtigen sprachlichen Phänomenen gespannt werden, deren Wurzeln im arabisch-spanischen Sprachkontakt liegen. Die zwischen 711 und 1492 im arabischen Herrschaftsgebiet Al-Andalus auf der iberischen Halbinsel fortwährende Mehrsprachigkeit und deren historischer Stellenwert für Translation und Kulturtransfer werden näher beleuchtet, um in der Gegenwart identifizierbare Charakteristika des Sprachkontakts feststellen und analysieren zu können. Der empirische Teil der Arbeit befasst sich mit einer im Sommer 2016 in Cádiz und Málaga initiierten Forschungsarbeit zur Identifikation und Bedeutung von Arabismen im täglichen Sprachgebrauch. Dazu wurde eine Feldstudie mit 27 TeilnehmerInnen durchgeführt, im Rahmen derer die Verwendung von Arabismen sowie das Bewusstsein über deren Herkunft näher analysiert werden sollt...
Synergistic effects at metal/metal oxide interfaces often give rise to highly active and selectiv... more Synergistic effects at metal/metal oxide interfaces often give rise to highly active and selective catalytic motifs. So far, such interactions have been rarely explored to enhance the selectivity in the electrochemical CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR). Herein, Cu/CeO 2-x heterodimers (HDs) are synthesized and presented as one of the prime examples where such effects promote CO 2 RR. A colloidal seeded-growth synthesis is developed to connect the two highly mismatched domains (Cu and CeO 2-x) through an interface. The Cu/CeO 2-x HDs exhibit state-of-the-art selectivity towards CO 2 RR (up to ~80%) against the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and high faradaic efficiency for methane (up to ~54%) at-1.2 V RHE , which is ∼5 times higher than that obtained when the Cu and CeO 2-x nanocrystals are physically mixed. Operando X-Ray absorption spectroscopy along with other ex-situ spectroscopies evidences the partial reduction from Ce 4+ to Ce 3+ in the HDs during CO 2 RR. A Density Functional Theory (DFT) study of the active site motif in reducing condition reveals synergistic effects in the electronic structure at the interface. The proposed lowest free energy pathway utilizes O-vacancy site with intermediates binding to both Cu and Ce atoms, a configuration which allows to break the CHO*/CO* scaling relation. The suppression of HER is attributed to the spontaneous formation of CO* at this interfacial motif and subsequent blockage of the Cu-sites.
The aim of this contribution, building a bridge between education and migration, is to assess how... more The aim of this contribution, building a bridge between education and migration, is to assess how and to what extent investment in and improvement of education can contribute towards more effective migration management and mobilities, a partial prevention of emigration in countries of origin, selection and support of migrants in countries of transit and destination and a better integration. Three spotlights will be presented with regard to the fruitful prospects investments in education can bear: a) the importance of equal access to and quality of education according to the findings of UNESCO and OECD reports, b) the significance of fostering human capital, and c) the prospects of mobility programmes. Accordingly, the first part of this contribution will outline the shortcomings of global education in terms of equal access to and quality of education, analysing references made to migration populations in the UNESCO's 2017 Global Education Monitoring Report (GEM) and the OECD's Education at a Glance: Indicators 2017. The second part will provide insight into the analysis of knowledge, competencies and skills of migrants, especially post-2015 refugees in Austria, explaining the backgrounds of selective migration. The third part will examine the backgrounds of student mobility and selective international education offers, providing a case study of mobility programmes between Europe and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), being the origin of a significant part of immigrants in Europe. Regional approaches will be presented on the example of Egypt after the Arab Spring. Migration flows of our time are strongly related to differences in education and socioeconomic opportunities. It is, among others, Europe's task to enable higher education to all citizens, especially to more vulnerable groups. Enhancing both the access to and the quality or effectiveness of education can be pursued in host countries as well as in countries of origin, provided that Europe recognises its role in this complex challenge.
The cooperation between Europe and the MENA region dates back to the 1970s and 1980s. As a first ... more The cooperation between Europe and the MENA region dates back to the 1970s and 1980s. As a first step towards trade agreements, the European Community started concluding cooperation agreements (CAs) with Mediterranean partners in the 1960s (Al-Khouri, 2008, 10). In 1977, Egypt as an "early starter" was granted custom free access of its industrial products to the European market by means of a cooperation economic and financial agreement. Accessing the WTO, the cooperation agreement with Egypt was to be amplified towards a free trade agreement, or association agreement, which came to pass in the course of the Barcelona process (Mohamadieh, 2006, 10). There were, however, other profound reasons rooted in sociopolitical history that required cooperation agreements (CAs) to be replaced by association agreements (AAs), aiming more at trade liberalization. One reason was the attempt to contribute towards Arab-Israeli peace (Al-Khouri, 2008, 10). The Barcelona Process, also known as the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EMP), played a significant role within the framework of EU-MENA trade liberalization. Growth, economic reform, and foreign direct investments (FDIs) were to be driven forward. The agreements, however, did not include liberalization for the agricultural sector or free movement of persons (Mohamadieh, 2006, 9-11). Euro-Med AAs foresaw the establishment of free trade over a transitional period of up to twelve years, complying with WTO requirements and setting standards on sector-wise cooperation, intellectual property rights, public procurement, competition and monopolies, as well as state aid, political dialogue on democracy and human rights and migration.
Die vorliegende Arbeit behandelt die Präsenz und Wahrnehmbarkeit des arabischen Spracheinflusses ... more Die vorliegende Arbeit behandelt die Präsenz und Wahrnehmbarkeit des arabischen Spracheinflusses in Südspanien. Ausgehend von einer historischen Perspektive soll ein Bogen zu gegenwärtigen sprachlichen Phänomenen gespannt werden, deren Wurzeln im arabisch-spanischen Sprachkontakt liegen. Die zwischen 711 und 1492 im arabischen Herrschaftsgebiet Al-Andalus auf der iberischen Halbinsel fortwährende Mehrsprachigkeit und deren historischer Stellenwert für Translation und Kulturtransfer werden näher beleuchtet, um in der Gegenwart identifizierbare Charakteristika des Sprachkontakts feststellen und analysieren zu können. Der empirische Teil der Arbeit befasst sich mit einer im Sommer 2016 in Cádiz und Málaga initiierten Forschungsarbeit zur Identifikation und Bedeutung von Arabismen im täglichen Sprachgebrauch. Dazu wurde eine Feldstudie mit 27 TeilnehmerInnen durchgeführt, im Rahmen derer die Verwendung von Arabismen sowie das Bewusstsein über deren Herkunft näher analysiert werden sollt...
Synergistic effects at metal/metal oxide interfaces often give rise to highly active and selectiv... more Synergistic effects at metal/metal oxide interfaces often give rise to highly active and selective catalytic motifs. So far, such interactions have been rarely explored to enhance the selectivity in the electrochemical CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR). Herein, Cu/CeO 2-x heterodimers (HDs) are synthesized and presented as one of the prime examples where such effects promote CO 2 RR. A colloidal seeded-growth synthesis is developed to connect the two highly mismatched domains (Cu and CeO 2-x) through an interface. The Cu/CeO 2-x HDs exhibit state-of-the-art selectivity towards CO 2 RR (up to ~80%) against the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and high faradaic efficiency for methane (up to ~54%) at-1.2 V RHE , which is ∼5 times higher than that obtained when the Cu and CeO 2-x nanocrystals are physically mixed. Operando X-Ray absorption spectroscopy along with other ex-situ spectroscopies evidences the partial reduction from Ce 4+ to Ce 3+ in the HDs during CO 2 RR. A Density Functional Theory (DFT) study of the active site motif in reducing condition reveals synergistic effects in the electronic structure at the interface. The proposed lowest free energy pathway utilizes O-vacancy site with intermediates binding to both Cu and Ce atoms, a configuration which allows to break the CHO*/CO* scaling relation. The suppression of HER is attributed to the spontaneous formation of CO* at this interfacial motif and subsequent blockage of the Cu-sites.
The aim of this contribution, building a bridge between education and migration, is to assess how... more The aim of this contribution, building a bridge between education and migration, is to assess how and to what extent investment in and improvement of education can contribute towards more effective migration management and mobilities, a partial prevention of emigration in countries of origin, selection and support of migrants in countries of transit and destination and a better integration. Three spotlights will be presented with regard to the fruitful prospects investments in education can bear: a) the importance of equal access to and quality of education according to the findings of UNESCO and OECD reports, b) the significance of fostering human capital, and c) the prospects of mobility programmes. Accordingly, the first part of this contribution will outline the shortcomings of global education in terms of equal access to and quality of education, analysing references made to migration populations in the UNESCO's 2017 Global Education Monitoring Report (GEM) and the OECD's Education at a Glance: Indicators 2017. The second part will provide insight into the analysis of knowledge, competencies and skills of migrants, especially post-2015 refugees in Austria, explaining the backgrounds of selective migration. The third part will examine the backgrounds of student mobility and selective international education offers, providing a case study of mobility programmes between Europe and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), being the origin of a significant part of immigrants in Europe. Regional approaches will be presented on the example of Egypt after the Arab Spring. Migration flows of our time are strongly related to differences in education and socioeconomic opportunities. It is, among others, Europe's task to enable higher education to all citizens, especially to more vulnerable groups. Enhancing both the access to and the quality or effectiveness of education can be pursued in host countries as well as in countries of origin, provided that Europe recognises its role in this complex challenge.
The cooperation between Europe and the MENA region dates back to the 1970s and 1980s. As a first ... more The cooperation between Europe and the MENA region dates back to the 1970s and 1980s. As a first step towards trade agreements, the European Community started concluding cooperation agreements (CAs) with Mediterranean partners in the 1960s (Al-Khouri, 2008, 10). In 1977, Egypt as an "early starter" was granted custom free access of its industrial products to the European market by means of a cooperation economic and financial agreement. Accessing the WTO, the cooperation agreement with Egypt was to be amplified towards a free trade agreement, or association agreement, which came to pass in the course of the Barcelona process (Mohamadieh, 2006, 10). There were, however, other profound reasons rooted in sociopolitical history that required cooperation agreements (CAs) to be replaced by association agreements (AAs), aiming more at trade liberalization. One reason was the attempt to contribute towards Arab-Israeli peace (Al-Khouri, 2008, 10). The Barcelona Process, also known as the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EMP), played a significant role within the framework of EU-MENA trade liberalization. Growth, economic reform, and foreign direct investments (FDIs) were to be driven forward. The agreements, however, did not include liberalization for the agricultural sector or free movement of persons (Mohamadieh, 2006, 9-11). Euro-Med AAs foresaw the establishment of free trade over a transitional period of up to twelve years, complying with WTO requirements and setting standards on sector-wise cooperation, intellectual property rights, public procurement, competition and monopolies, as well as state aid, political dialogue on democracy and human rights and migration.