Globally, researchers are being asked to plan for and demonstrate the impact that their research has on culture, society, health, and the economy. Higher education is changing, moving away from rewarding academics primarily for peer-reviewed academic publications and asking academics to report on how their work contributes to society more broadly. For many academics, impact poses a worrisome proposition. Impact has not generally been integrated into PhD training and many universities have been slow to respond to the emerging impact agenda, leaving a knowledge, training, and support gap. The Impactful Academic offers a holistic, all-of-career approach to impact aimed at active researchers and those who support research impact. It ruminates on the question of what an academic with impact looked like in the past, and what it will look like going forward as concepts around impact are solidified by government and granting agencies. The authors come from various backgrounds including engaged scholars who are generating impact, and impact professionals who have been critical to supporting academics across disciplines on their impact journeys. The reader will emerge with more than an impact plan for a single research project or grant, but rather a holistic, career-centric approach to impact.

Educators all over the country are waking to a collective realisation: The hope and compassion they have for their students is not enough to counteract the inequitable policies and practices of the school system. Students and communities who have been historically disenfranchised along lines of race and disability continue to face predictable barriers to opportunity and independence. In Build Equity, Join Justice, the authors present a new path forward that leads away from deficit-focused policies and toward strengths-based practices. The authors' ten equity-advancing principles, based on the ground-breaking work of the SWIFT Education Center in multiple school districts, are designed to address the learning needs and social concerns of all students without requiring them or their advocates to "ask permission" to be included. Complete with practical tools and reflective activities throughout, this book empowers educators at every level to transform their schools into equity-advancing, justice-centred institutions.

What if sexuality wasn't a definable thing and labels merely got in the way? Nick Jones can't remember a time when he wasn't part of the in crowd. Everywhere he goes, he stands out as the best looking guy in the room, and women practically fall into bed with him. Then, after kissing Corey on a dare led to much more and on many occasions, Nick's "screw anything" reputation escalated, but he didn't care. When Nick meets RC at the restaurant where he works, it throws his whole life out of whack. RC lives up to his dubbed nickname "Scruffy Dude." He seems Nick's complete opposite, but Nick can't get him out of his head. Because of peer-pressure and his fears about defining his sexuality, Nick struggles with stepping out of his comfort zone and caring about someone different than himself. If he's lucky, somewhere between arrogance and ignorance, Nick might find out what it means to be an adult, but if he's wrong, he could lose everything.

La série JOCK, tome 1 Il est facile de devenir cynique quand la vie ne va pas comme on veut. Cole Reid mène une vie de reclus depuis ses quinze ans, âge auquel son homosexualité a été révélée au grand jour par son équipe de baseball. Depuis, son comportement obsessionnel compulsif et sa nature sarcastique ont fait fuir une bonne partie de la population. Quant aux autres, ils le détestent parce qu'il est homosexuel. Selon lui, il est voué à faire fuir n'importe quel ami potentiel - ne parlons même pas d'un petit ami -, alors à quoi bon faire des efforts ? Quand Cole entre à l'université, il est devenu un homme solitaire et maniaque. Cela ne lui cause aucun problème jusqu'au jour où son colocataire décroche son diplôme et que le service des logements annonce à Ellis Montgomery qu'il peut prendre sa place. Ellis est bordélique, magnifique, hétérosexuel et encore pire un sportif ! Pendant une année universitaire où se côtoient les amis bruyants, les mésaventures en camping et les parents intrusifs, Cole et Ellis développent un lien amical qui change la vision de Cole sur la vie. Ellis est bien plus qu'un sportif qui aime s'amuser - et l'attirance que Cole ressent pour lui ravive son espoir de trouver chaussure à son pied.

The JOCK Series: Book Three Defining his sexuality didn't make sense until his best friend spelled it out. Doug Archer did some pretty idiotic things in the first eight weeks of his junior year of college. First, he kissed his gay best friend, and second, he kissed a guy he'd mistaken for a girl. Not stellar moments for Doug. If he isn't careful, he'll lose his spot on the soccer team to the new freshman, or worse, he might misconstrue his new friend Rob's overly affectionate tendencies for flirting. But if Doug isn't bothered by another guy's attention, and he normally dates girls, does that mean he's gay or bisexual? Sam Garber suppressed his same-sex attraction his entire life. His father told him it was immoral, and Sam did everything he could to bury his feelings. However, after meeting Doug at a party and kissing him, Sam can't think of anything else. He decides dating girls is the best way to keep his secret hidden. With playoffs in sight, this is no time to think about guys in any other context than soccer. Only neither boy anticipates the difficulty in suppressing his attraction for another jock!

Even though bankers' hours leave long weekends for romance, cosmic intervention is Grant's only option when money doesn't buy happiness and he's got virginity in spades. Grant Adams is a twenty-six-year-old bank teller who's unlucky at love, yet hopelessly hopeful. After years of horrific first dates, he's convinced he's saving himself for true love. Surely he has bad taste in men because it couldn't possibly be his persnickety nature that's sent them packing. Tristan Carr has been in a holding pattern since his daughter was born fifteen years ago, which suits his workaholic lifestyle just fine. This ex-naval officer turned auto mechanic never wanted anyone interfering with being a weekend dad. For Tristan to rearrange his carefully orchestrated life, a guy will need to be special. Or in the case of the newest employee at his bank, the guy will need to be adorable, shy, and open to the prospect of forever when it shows up at his window.

The JOCK Series: Book Two What is a sexy soccer stud supposed to do when "following family tradition" falls 180 degrees opposite his closeted ideal? From birth, Chris Jackson has been schooled on how to land a cheerleader. After all, his father married one, and his father's father before him. Heck, even his older brother married a stereotypical cheerleader the summer before Chris went off to college. For two years, Chris dodges invasive questions about relationships by blaming his lack of female companionship on grueling practices and heavy course loads. But his lack of interest in girls should've given his family a clue. It isn't until Chris mentions meeting a boy that his father's synapses short-circuit. Alonzo Martin is anything but a buxom blond. From his black hair, combat boots, and trench coat to his nail polish and guyliner, the mysterious introvert isn't easily persuaded to date. Alonzo's insecurities keep Chris at arm's length, but Alonzo's painful past might meet its match in the charismatic jock's winning smile and sense of humor. When opposites attract, only cheerleaders and gummy bears can help overcome fear and family tradition.

"Unconditional Love: Book Two"

Matt Dixon, a young firefighter, is the golden child of his family, and he never dreamed that coming out would challenge more than the way his church sees him.

For years, Matt has led a double life hoping to avoid ridicule. When a self-righteous pastor s statements provoke him to defend his recently deceased best friend s honor and subsequently out himself, he suffers the brutal aftermath of his revelation. Everyone in his life, including his family and his new lover, Darian, must deal with the ramifications as Matt struggles to come to terms with guilt, shame, and his very belief in God.

Darian Weston lost his fiance when Jamie took his life, and his feelings for Matt added guilt to his burden of grief. Confused and lonely, Darian clings to Matt despite his inner strife. But small-town realities keep intruding, and if Matt and Darian hope to make a life together, they must first take a stand for what they believe in, even if they fear the cost.

It's easy to become cynical when life never goes your way.

Cole Reid has been a social recluse since he was fifteen, when he was outed by his high school baseball team. Since then, his obsessive-compulsive behavior and sarcastic nature have driven away most of the population, and everyone else hates him because he's gay. As he sees it, he's bound to repulse any prospective friends, let alone boyfriends, so why bother?

By the time Cole enters college, he's become an anal-retentive loner-but it's not a problem until his roommate graduates and the housing department assigns Ellis Montgomery to move in with Cole. Ellis is messy, gorgeous, straight, and worst of all, a "jock"

During a school year filled with frat buddies, camping expeditions, and meddling parents, Cole and Ellis develop a friendship that turns Cole's glass-half-empty outlook on its head. There must be more to Ellis than a fun-loving jock-and maybe Cole's reawakening libido has rekindled his hope for more than camaraderie.

A six-year downward spiral into a world of lies and deception leads to the end of one man's life when self-discovery crosses the line between being the perfect son or following his heart.
Jimmy Miller never intended to lead a double life starting the day he fell in love with Darian, but his parents' divorce, fighting in school, and constantly keeping secrets for his closeted best friend and protector Matt force his hand. Jimmy finds the demands too great to withstand and ends it all prematurely, leaving behind an angry best friend and a shattered lover.
Matt and Darian cling to one another in the aftermath of their loss, forging a new friendship immediately tested by the truths of their relationships with Jimmy that are hidden in the pages of Jimmy's journals. Will Matt and Darian discover what truly happened to their friend? And will this tragedy birth something beautiful between them as they learn the balance between life, family, and friendship when love is simply not enough?
A Bittersweet Dreams title: It's an unfortunate truth: love doesn't always conquer all. Regardless of its strength, sometimes fate intervenes, tragedy strikes, or forces conspire against it. These stories of romance do not offer a traditional happy ending, but the strong and enduring love will still touch your heart and maybe move you to tears.