Issues

From Neurons to Leaders: A Brain‑Targeted Framework for Leadership Education

Mariale Hardiman

Johns Hopkins University

The rapidly evolving fields of neuroleadership and neuroeducation hold immense potential for transforming our understanding of effective leadership and learning. While neuroleadership delves into the neural underpinnings of leadership behaviors and decision-making processes (Rock & Schwartz, 2006), neuroeducation bridges the gap between neuroscience and education to optimize learning and cognitive performance (Hardiman, 2012). Despite their distinct origins and focal points, these two fields converge in their shared objective of translating neuroscience research into practical strategies for enhancing human performance and development. In this article, we propose a unified framework that synergizes insights from both domains, leveraging Dr. Mariale Hardiman's Brain-Targeted Teaching (BTT) model to optimize learning and leadership development across organizational and educational contexts. We aim to represent a comprehensive approach to fostering environments that nurture continuous improvement and innovation in leadership by integrating principles from neuroleadership, such as emotional intelligence (Goleman, 1998), transformational leadership (Bass & Riggio, 2006), adaptive leadership (Heifetz et al., 2009), and authentic leadership (Avolio & Gardner, 2005), Ultimately, this article seeks to arm leaders with a brain-targeted approach to leadership and learning, helping them to create impactful experiences that empower individuals to thrive and realize their full potential.

Standing Steady in Shifting Ground: Why Leadership Education Matters for International Students

Francella Ochillo, Clara Ma

International students in U.S. higher education face increasing uncertainty, not only due to shifting immigration policy and rising xenophobia, but also due to systemic failures in institutional support. This article argues that leadership education—when centered on ethics, creativity, and resilience—is no longer a curriculum enhancement. Drawing on narrative, policy context, and global ethics scholarship, the piece calls for a reimagining of leadership development as a core element of higher education and an essential navigational tool for future leaders. A global moral compass, as defined by Thompson (2010), offers an essential framework for international students navigating complex and inequitable systems.

Religion, Ethics, and Medicine at End of Life: When It Is Acceptable for Physicians to Refuse Care?

Guanxi Adam Luo

In this article, the author considers physicians' right to refuse to participate in or offer end-of-life care that includes medically assisted death. The author argues that physicians, like patients, are guided by religious and more beliefs, and they do have a right to refuse medically assisted death services if they violate their religious beliefs or moral convictions. To make this case, the author reviews the historical relationship between religion and medicine, looking at how the modern medical system came to be. This helps set the stage for understanding how these two aspects of society affect end-of-life care. Landmark cases in the Right-to-Die movement are presented to further illustrate how religious beliefs affect the care that a person receives at the end of life. After reviewing possible reasons that a physician may object on religious grounds, the author then provides recommendations that honor both the free will of the patient and the physician.

Meet Your Therapist: Exploring the Promise and Drawbacks of AI for Treating Digital Addictive Behavior among Adolescents

Ray Gao

Within the public health domain, one of greatest concerns is the rise of addictive behavior among adolescents and young adults. Questions have been raised as to how excessive video gaming, social media overuse of misuse, and online gambling, for instance, present deleterious effects to this population's psychological well-being as well as their overall development. In light of these concerns, public health officials, policymakers, and mental health professionals have set out to explore effective interventions designed to address this issue and improve this population's quality of life and health outcomes. Due to its widespread accessibility, low-cost, relative anonymity, and room for personalization and user engagement, artificial intelligence (AI) is one such intervention currently being explored. This paper therefore joins the ongoing conversation on the potential of AI as a mental health tool used to treat addiction behavior, but is also careful to consider areas of concern in its application. Reviewing and synthesizing the existing literature on this topic thus allows this paper to offer the view that although AI should not be used in lieu of human mental health providers, it can serve as an auxiliary resource that complements existing approaches to provide more comprehensive care to those in need.

Making Our Seas Sustainable: Examining Iceland’s Maritime Sector through a Commercial, Legal, and Ethical Lens

Jiahong Julia Fu, Siyi Lisa Feng

Through the introduction of a tri-part framework focused on commercial, legal, and ethical considerations, this article examines the case of Iceland’s fishing industry to explore key concepts of sustainability. The article focuses on the fishing sector, specifically, as it is poised to grow exponentially in the coming years, as the world looks to more eco-friendly alternatives for land-based meat (e.g., beef, pork). Iceland was selected as the ideal case study for exploring these concepts because not only is the fishing sector well-established within the nation, but because the country’s industry has incorporated environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards into its operations. Iceland’s fisheries demonstrate ecological stewardship through the use of a monitoring system that collects data on the total number and type of species caught, utilizing all parts of the fish and minimizing waste, and employing responsible harvesting methods. They exemplify social responsibility by adopting fair labor laws at the federal level that protect temporary and foreign workers and engaging in responsible marketing and ecolabeling. While Icelandic fisheries are presented as pioneers in sustainable business, this discussion also attends to areas for improvement, including issues pertaining to equal access to fishing rights among smaller or newer companies and concerns for animal welfare in farm-raised fishing and open-water catches. However, both the areas where Iceland’s fishing industry excels and falls short represent key considerations that can ideally be applied to a variety of other cultural contexts and economic sectors so that true sustainability is no longer seen as bound by region or industry.

The Plastic Problem: The Ecological and Epidemiological Implications of Bacteria‑Plastic Relationships

Albert Zhou

This article reviews scholarly literature examining bacteria-plastic interactions to provide insights into the global plastic pollution crisis. Using a PRISMA approach, this review identified and analyzed peer-reviewed studies across multiple databases, including Web of Science, Science Direct, and Google Scholar.

Foul on the Play: Legal Discretion in Cases Brought Against Professional Athletes

Cole Shuster

This article offers an in-depth look at three high-profile legal cases in which professional athletes were charged with a crime. By examining the cases of football players Henry Ruggs III and Rashee Rice, as well as Olympic wrestler Kyle Snyder, this comparative analysis explores how social and financial capital, institutional response, and media framing all influence the legal process for such elite athletes. Through this exploration, it aims to provide an implicit answer to the question, “Is justice really blind?” By comprehensively investigating the details of each case, this study explores the degree to which the confounding variables of material resources, severity of the resulting harm, and prospect of rehabilitation influences legal outcomes. It furthermore argues that there is another parallel punitive system at play, as relevant institutions and professional sports associations administer their own set of consequences, which may or may not align with legal proceedings and public opinion. It concludes by offering recommendations for the development of a more equitable justice system, one which is more evenly applied across social strata.

Combat Sports: Friend or Foe to Youth’s Socioemotional and Physical Development?

Shane Shuster

Combat sports, such as wrestling, boxing, and martials arts, have increased in popularity in recent years, particularly among young people. This increased attention has been mirrored within the scholarly literature on combat sports and their effects on young people’s physical and socioemotional development. The verdict as to whether these impacts have been largely positive or negative, however, remains mixed. This article details the purported benefits of combat sports for youth athletes, citing evidence of value cultivation, protective effects against bullying, and interpersonal competency development. It then proceeds to outline how these competencies connect to improved academic and professional outcomes. At the same time, however, the article is careful to acknowledge the negative impacts of youth participation in combat sports. By examining the physiological and psychological effects of the rapid weight loss often implicitly promoted by combat sports, this article frames these impacts as decidedly mixed. To sway the effects more towards the side of benefits than risks, it concludes with concrete recommendations for intervention. These interventions will ideally guide both policy and practice to help ensure that combat sports continue to be a positive presence in the lives of young athletes throughout the world.

Beyond the Fairway: Access, Equity, and Inclusion in the New Golf Economy

Aaron Xu

This article examines how shifts in golf’s business model and cultural profile are reshaping access to the sport, with particular attention to affordability, public infrastructure, and who benefits from the industry’s growth. It evaluates barriers to entry, the role of municipal courses and youth programs, and the impact of new capital on community access. The piece argues that expansion alone is insufficient without intentional equity and inclusion strategies that ensure the new golf economy serves a broader and more diverse public.

A Quantitative Analysis of Natural Resource Economics on Global Wealth

Andrew Leibowitz

Cornell University

This paper presents a quantitative analysis of the implications of natural resource economics on global wealth, encompassing an extensive observational study of growth models from 1970 to 2022 across a diverse set of countries. It scrutinizes the relationships between natural resource rents (as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product) and natural resource depletion (relative to Gross National Income), and their correlation with Gross Domestic Product per capita. The primary aim is to assess whether increased economic prosperity, as derived from natural resources, aligns with sustainable resource management or exacerbates environmental degradation. The study utilizes data from The World Bank and employs logistic regression analysis to explore these relationships. Despite the broad temporal and geographic scope, preliminary results suggest weak correlations, as indicated by low R² values, which imply that only a minimal portion of the variance in GDP per capita can be explained by changes in natural resource rents and depletion percentages. This outcome challenges the efficacy of current economic models in balancing economic development with environmental stewardship and suggests a need for further research using more granular data and advanced analytical models. The findings emphasize the complexity of natural resource economics and the critical role of innovative policies and management strategies in fostering sustainable economic growth without compromising environmental integrity.