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This article is about the multidisciplinary Community of Practice (CoP) initiative that was implemented in the summer of 2020- summer of the pivot- at a Canadian post-secondary institution to prepare faculty, staff, and students for remote teaching and learning while navigating pandemic conditions created by COVID-19. The CoP as a case study using Critical Theory as a theoretical framework examines the experiences of a collective group of faculty and staff from different disciplines leading a multidisciplinary university-wide initiative and the implications of the approach for promoting effective pedagogies for teaching and learning remotely. Findings based on feedback from workshop attendees, reflections from the CoP facilitators, and comments forwarded to senior administrators about the impact and the effectiveness of the program indicate positive results. It is recommended that although the CoP initiative was originally conceived as a response to the summer of the pivot, it should become an integral approach to promoting dialogue and innovative strategies to advance equitable practices in higher education by cultivating community networks. The findings serve to continue constructive dialogues and discussions about how universities can transition, pivot, and mobilize innovatively and creatively to prioritize equitable teaching and learning conditions that challenge the status quo. This requires a long-term commitment by higher education institutions to break away from historically normalized practices and invest in innovative ways to identify and meet the needs of various stakeholders.

As the demand for sustainable and environmentally conscious practices continues to grow, recycled plastics have become increasingly popular for plastics manufacturers. However, reprocessing these materials can result in inconsistencies in both process and product quality, leading to a loss in mechanical properties. To address this issue, this work investigates the injection molding of recycled and virgin polypropylene (PP). Using a multi-cavity hot runner mold, correlations between processing parameters, such as melt temperature, mold temperature, pack pressure, soak time, and mechanical properties, were systematically investigated. A multivariate analysis approach was used to model the variables for each material. Results indicated significant correlations between processing, mechanical properties, and morphology. In particular, for the PP, the melt temperature affected the formation of [beta]-crystals and their transition to [alpha]-crystals upon tensile testing. Different morphology was observed for the recycled polypropylene (rPP), in which crystallization was affected by polyethylene (PE) contamination. The results discuss the injection molding polymer, structure, and properties, relationship providing an approach to understanding and optimizing the mechanical properties of rPP. Highlights * Polyethylene contamination in polypropylene significantly influences crystallinity. * Recycling contamination reduces the polypropylene's ability to form (3 crystals. * Virgin polypropylene mechanical properties can be tailored through processing conditions. * Recycled polypropylene mechanical properties suffer at higher temperatures and residence times. * Polypropylene [alpha]/[beta] morphologies can be visualized after mechanical testing. KEYWORDS crystallization, hot runner injection molding, recycled polypropylene, 1 | INTRODUCTION Injection molding's ability to mass produce complex parts cost-effectively allowed plastics to become one of the most widely used materials, with injection molding contributing 33% of all [...]