{"id":111,"date":"2021-12-11T19:19:59","date_gmt":"2021-12-12T02:19:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/daveborrel\/?page_id=111"},"modified":"2021-12-11T19:49:29","modified_gmt":"2021-12-12T02:49:29","slug":"highlights","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/daveborrel\/highlights\/","title":{"rendered":"Highlights"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is a collection of my best work throughout the term. I wrote many different documents ranging from definitions, resumes, letters and many other useful forms that can be used in the workplace.<\/p>\n

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Revised Definition Assignment<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Situation<\/strong>
\nA Computer Science student is explaining the concept of Machine Learning to a non-technical audience. Although the audience is composed of fellow university students, they may not have the technical knowledge about this concept. The students are assumed to have basic computer literacy.<\/p>\n

Parenthetical Definition<\/strong>
\nMachine Learning (mathematical models that use sample data) is a tool that allows computers to make new predictions about unseen data.<\/p>\n

Sentence Definition<\/strong>
\nMachine Learning is a type of technology that aims to mimic human cognition by using past data to make models that can form independent conclusions. These models can help to solve problems for unseen data and can be seen to have multiple real-world applications.<\/p>\n

Expanded Definition<\/strong><\/p>\n

What makes it different from Artificial Intelligence?<\/strong>
\nArtificial Intelligence (AI) is the study of giving intelligent machines the ability to mimic human cognition and problem solving (IBM Cloud Computing, 2020). AI encompasses many different subfields that make connections between the structure of the brain and computers. Ultimately, these connections are used to give computers the ability to learn information. Machine learning is just another subset of AI that is more focused on the development of mathematical models from data to make predictions and conclusions.<\/p>\n

Can Machine Learning be Truly Independent?<\/strong>
\nAlthough it may seem like these models are self sufficient, human intervention is required for instances when drastic deviations occur. For example, when the pandemic first began, many of the top suggestions for Amazon\u2019s website changed to toilet paper and wet wipes (Vishnoi, 2020). There are instances where machine learning could be biased toward certain ethnicities, or display the wrong results. Close supervision by researchers is necessary for properly functioning models.<\/p>\n

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Figure 1<\/strong>. What\u2019s the Difference Between Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Deep Learning? (Source: Copeland, M \u201cThe Official NVIDIA Blog\u201d 2016).<\/p>\n

When did Machine Learning begin?<\/strong><\/p>\n

In its earliest years, a scientist from IBM was experimenting with a program that could play checkers against humans (IBM Cloud Education, 2020). He modeled the way that these programs learned after humans, and coined the term \u201cMachine Learning\u201d. Fast forward several decades later, and this technology is seen in everyday use. As the world becomes more reliant on the analysis of data, Machine Learning can help in decision making for several different industries.<\/p>\n

How does it work?<\/strong>
\nAt its core, Machine Learning is heavily dependent on data. Computer scientists wanted to transition from explicitly instructing computers, to giving them the ability to learn from past experience and solve complex problems (Bisong, 2019). In order to make these decisions, the computer takes in \u201ctraining\u201d data (numbers, photos, faces, etc) and then it creates a predictive model. It is then evaluated by giving it some \u201cunseen\u201d data, and then producing results (Brown, 2021). These results are then further evaluated and the model can be tweaked further.<\/p>\n

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Figure 2<\/strong>. 6 Jars perspective of Machine Learning. (Source: Ramalingam, V \u201cMedium\u201d 2019)<\/p>\n

What is it used for?<\/strong>
\nMachine Learning has several real-world uses (IBM Cloud Education, 2020). One use is for image recognition in a wide variety of settings from hospital clinics, tagging friends on social media, to recognizing handwriting. It is also used in speech recognition to translate speech to a text. Recommendation engines use Machine Learning to curate your Amazon shopping lists, suggest YouTube videos, and arrange your Instagram feed, among many other things.<\/p>\n

References<\/strong>
\nBisong, E. (2019). What is machine learning? In E. Bisong (Ed.), Building Machine Learning and Deep Learning Models on Google Cloud Platform: A Comprehensive Guide for Beginners (pp. 169\u2013170). Apress. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/978-1-4842-4470-8_13<\/p>\n

Brown, S. (2021, April 21). Machine learning, explained. MIT Sloan. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https:\/\/mitsloan.mit.edu\/ideas-made-to-matter\/machine-learning-explained
\nCopeland, M. (2016, July 29). The difference between ai, machine learning, and deep learning?: Nvidia blog. The Official NVIDIA Blog. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https:\/\/blogs.nvidia.com\/blog\/2016\/07\/29\/whats-difference-artificial-intelligence-machine-learning-deep-learning-ai\/.<\/p>\n

IBM Cloud Education. (2020, July 15). Machine Learning. IBM. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https:\/\/www.ibm.com\/cloud\/learn\/machine-learning#toc-real-world-Lyja9GSr.<\/p>\n

IBM Cloud Education. (2020, June 3). What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https:\/\/www.ibm.com\/cloud\/learn\/what-is-artificial-intelligence<\/p>\n

Ramalingam, V. (2019, February 10). 6 Jars perspective of Machine learning \u2013 venkatachalam ramalingam. Medium. https:\/\/medium.com\/@venkatachalamramalingam\/6-jars-perspective-of-machine-learning-35ace2c9442f<\/p>\n

Vishnoi, L., 2021. Why Do AI Systems Need Human Intervention to Work Well? – KDnuggets. [online] KDnuggets. Retrieved October 8th 2021. https:\/\/www.kdnuggets.com\/2020\/06\/ai-systems-need-human-intervention.htm.<\/p>\n

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Revised Peer Review of the Definition Assignment<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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To: Catherine Yu, Student ENGL301 Technical Writing UBC<\/span><\/p>\n

From: Dave Borrel, Student ENGL301 Technical Writing UBC<\/span><\/p>\n

Date: October 5th 2021<\/span><\/p>\n

Subject: Review of Your Assignment: 1.3 Definition of Immune Imprinting.<\/span><\/p>\n

Definition under review:<\/b>\u00a0https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/engl301-99a-2021wa\/2021\/09\/30\/definition-of-immune-imprinting\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Thank you for sharing your definition of Immune Imprinting. This is an interesting topic that many other students in the class will enjoy reading more about. Below contains my thoughts while reading your definitions along with suggestions for improvement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Initial Impressions: <\/b>This definition meets all the requirements listed in the assignment. The expanded definition was detailed and became most clear once the comparison and contrast was used. The examples mentioned help to show how immune imprinting is studied in the real world for pandemic response.<\/span><\/p>\n

Situation and Jargon<\/b>: The purpose of the assignment is well written and succinct. Although the situation assumes that the student has a background in immunology, it may be worth directing the content to a more non-technical audience. Terms like \u201cantigenically-similar\u201d and \u201chemagglutination\u201d could be accompanied with a short description.<\/span><\/p>\n

Definitions: <\/b>The sentence definition was only clear after a few re-reads, perhaps reducing the number of times \u201cimmune\u201d is mentioned in the introductory paragraph may increase clarity. The parenthetical definition is well done, and could potentially be used as a guide to make the sentence definition more clear.<\/span><\/p>\n

Expansion Strategies Used: <\/b>The Etymolygy of the term was helpful to see how the words related to the phenomenon itself. Learning about the history of immune imprinting highlights the progress made in this field. The comparison and contrast section used lay language to help paint a clear picture of what immune imprinting means. This section is very strong and clearly illustrates how this process works. The examples help to further convince the reader that this is an important term to know about. Overall, these strategies are laid out in a clear and concise manner, meeting the requirements for the assignment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Visuals: <\/b>The diagram included at the end of the document clearly demonstrated the body’s immune response to viruses. One suggestion would be to make the image slightly larger, or make the graph larger to make the x and y axis more clear.<\/span><\/p>\n

Language:<\/b> The document is well written, along with varied sentence structure. There are little to no technical errors that I could find.<\/span><\/p>\n

Strengths: <\/b>The most effective portion of this document was the comparison and contrast, and the real life applications of where this concept can be used, namely vaccine research. The connection that “immune imprinting” has with the ongoing pandemic points to the importance of this topic and keeps it engaging. As a reader, I came away with a better understanding of immune imprinting and how it can be used to advance Medical Science.<\/span><\/p>\n

Suggestions for Improvement: <\/b>One element I suggest making a change to, is the assumed level of technical knowledge that the reader has. Although a new co-op student may not have the same technical knowledge as the clinician, this student could still fall under a technical audience. There may be some room to make the document even more readable for a non-technical audience outside the field of immunology. As I mentioned above, a few minor changes to the sentence definition and reducing the use of jargon would be helpful to increase clarity as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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It was a pleasure to read through your document, and I hope my suggestions are useful as you continue to work on this project. Please let me know if you have any other questions about my review.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Revised Formal Report Proposal and Progress Report with Surveys<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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To: Dr. Erika Paterson<\/p>\n

From: Dave Borrel, Student ENGL301 Technical Writing UBC<\/p>\n

Date: October 15th 2021<\/p>\n

Subject: Assignment 2:1 Research Proposal for a Centralized Mental Health Support Service in Surrey BC.<\/p>\n

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Introduction<\/b><\/p>\n

As Canadians re-adjust to life post-pandemic, there has been an epidemic of loneliness that is prevalent in young adults today. During this time many life changes can occur such as social isolation, job loss, and changing relationships. For some, online communication cannot substitute face to face human contact. Consequently, these factors can exacerbate mental health issues for young adults, ranging from 20 to 29 years old. This can be detrimental to Canadian society as a whole by reducing productive work, increasing health care costs, and could potentially damage families and communities. From my experience working at the Fraser Health Crisis Line, there are still many young adults who do not know where to seek support in times of crisis. In the Fraser Health Region (Surrey to Hope), language barriers, and socioeconomic status, all have significant impact on the discrepancy of knowledge regarding mental health. If there are no services in a specific language, certain ethnic communities may not be able receive support. Additionally, differences in income can prevent individuals from physically seeking support by needing to work often. Differences in education and upbringing may empower some while also hindering others. These factors combined contribute to a large population of young adults who do not know where to seek support.<\/p>\n

Statement of the Problem<\/b><\/p>\n

Although individuals with severe mental illness are almost guaranteed to get support, many young adults in the Fraser Health Region with less severe mental health illness are still ambivalent about seeking help. This hesitancy is the problem that I want to focus on for this research proposal. Over the last decade, there has been a gradual reduction of stigma tied to seeking mental health support. From the conversations I heard at the Fraser Health Crisis Line, the main factors that lead to this hesitancy is a lack of culture specific resources, and becoming overwhelmed with information. For those that do end up seeking professional help, waitlists can also be a deterrent and can make individuals feel more discouraged leading to cancelled appointments. In summary, young adults who are ambivalent towards seeking mental health support they face obstacles before reaching out and even face a new set of obstacles during the help seeking process as well.<\/p>\n

Proposed Solution<\/b><\/p>\n

One potential solution would be to create a centralized point of contact for users to point them in the right direction. This point of contact can either be in the form of a website, an app, or a service delivered by mental health professionals. From my own experience working at the Fraser Health Crisis Line, simply redirecting the young adults who phone to the correct support services helps to empower those younger adults. It is important to note that even getting to the point of calling a crisis line can take an enormous amount of courage. Creating a single service can help to reduce the perceived barriers for those younger adults in terms of reaching out for support. For an initial prototype, this service should compile all the mental health resources in Surrey BC, contain estimates for waitlists, and mental health services in different languages. Depending on how an individual answers a questionnaire, that result should cater to their answers. Although this service could be used by anyone, it would suit younger adults as they are more familiar using technology.<\/p>\n

Scope<\/b><\/p>\n

To assess the feasibility of developing a market for a centralized mental health service, I plan to pursue the following areas of inquiry.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Which resources do you use if you want to find out more about mental health either for yourself or another loved one?<\/li>\n
  2. What is the biggest barrier for you while seeking support for mental health?<\/li>\n
  3. If you have tried seeking support before, what made you stop?<\/li>\n
  4. If you have tried to seek help already, do you know what to do during that wait time?<\/li>\n
  5. Would you be interested in using a centralized service to help you find the resources relevant to your own mental health?<\/li>\n
  6. What would be the most you would pay for a service like this?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Methods<\/b><\/p>\n

    My primary data sources will involve surveys with young adults that range from ages 20 to 30. I will attempt to interview an employee from the Surrey Mental Health Office and get insight into the process of getting mental health support. Additionally, I will reach out to past colleagues who are now clinical counsellors and get their input on what else is available.<\/p>\n

    My Qualifications<\/b><\/p>\n

    I have been closely involved with the Fraser Health Crisis Line both as a volunteer and a former employee for a total of 5 years combined. I have had many conversations with callers in this target age group with requests ranging from finding a counsellor, what to do while on a waiting list, and many other issues. Since I do foresee this becoming a website or an app, my current degree will help me with the technical insight for deploying this into a real solution.<\/p>\n

    Conclusion<\/b><\/p>\n

    Clearly, action needs to be taken in order to prevent the rising number of mental illnesses that are causing so much distress for hundreds of thousands in the Fraser Health Authority. Difficulty in finding mental health resources is a complex issue and being able to help even a small subset of young adults can make a difference.<\/p>\n

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    Revised LinkedIn Best Practices Memo<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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    MEMORANDUM\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    To: Dr. Erika Paterson, Instructor ENGL 301 Technical Writing\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    From: Dave Borrel, <\/span>Student ENGL 301 Technical Writing UBC<\/span><\/p>\n

    Date: October 29th, 2021<\/span><\/p>\n

    Subject: 301 Progress Report : Centralized Mental Health Support Service in Surrey BC.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Please find the updated progress report below for the formal research proposal. Attached to this memo is a link to the survey questions along with the copy of interview questions.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Intended Audience For Report<\/b><\/p>\n

    Dr. Victoria Lee, President and CEO of the Fraser Health Authority. Dr. Lee is a member of the Senior Executive Team and will work with the Board of Directors to review the findings of this report further.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Purpose and Significance of the Report<\/b><\/p>\n

    The aim of this report is to evaluate the perceived interest in developing a centralized mental health support service for young adults aged 20 to 30 living in Surrey, BC. This investigation of the perceived interest in a centralized service could be the first step towards a more centralized mental health support service in BC. This report can also provide insight for ways to integrate technology with healthcare.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Formal Report Outline<\/b><\/p>\n

    Attached is a link to the outline for the formal report:\u00a0https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/engl301-99a-2021wa\/2021\/10\/29\/23-formal-report-outline\/<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

    Research Plan<\/b><\/p>\n

    To fully evaluate the interest in a centralized mental health service within Surrey, the research process will involve:<\/span><\/p>\n