Category / REF Subjects

Researchers discover huge Neolithic monument on the Isle of Arran

Bournemouth University researcher involved in groundbreaking discovery on Scottish island.


by Stephen Bates

A team of researchers have discovered what is believed to be a complete Neolithic cursus set within a rich prehistoric landscape on the Isle of Arran, Scotland.

This monument type is amongst the first that was built by farmers in Neolithic Britain and is huge – measuring 1.1km long and 50 metres wide.

A cursus is a vast Neolithic monument comprised of one or more rectangular enclosures. The cursus on Arran is defined by a large stone, earth and turf bank running around the entire perimeter of the enclosure. Constructing this monument would have involved staggering amounts of labour, transforming the entire local landscape.

This monument type could date to perhaps as early as 3500 BC, researchers say. It is the most complete example of this site type found in Britain and the opportunity to investigate a cursus bank is very rare and hugely exciting.

Prehistoric field boundaries, clearance cairns and round houses, at least some of which may be contemporary with the monument, have also found in the same landscape, all preserved within peatland, sealing the archaeological layers. Ancient soils representing the original Neolithic land surface, together with cultivated soils from the Bronze Age period, provide an unparalleled opportunity to understand how contemporary farming practice and settlement interacted with the cursus monument and how early farmers transformed this place.

Dr Emma Jenkins, Associate Professor in Archaeology at Bournemouth University, co-led the landscape geoarchaeology and environmental science work at the site, supported by Dr Sarah Elliott, Deputy Head of Department, Life and Environmental Sciences (LES) and Harry Manley, Demonstrator in LES.

This involved excavating areas near the cursus into the Neolithic land surfaces and Bronze Age field systems which will allow samples to be taken for dating and other environmental evidence. This will help the team to understand how people used and managed this important landscape and feed critical information into the rewilding strategy about the landscape history of the area.

Dr Jenkins said, “The Isle of Arran is well known for Machrie Moor with its Prehistoric stone and timber circles; standing stones and burial cairns but the discovery that these may be part of a much larger complex which included this enormous cursus elevates this into a region of global significance on a par with other ceremonial landscapes like Stonehenge. As an environmental archaeologist I am particularly excited by the discovery of well-preserved soils, contemporary with the creation of the cursus which means we can investigate how people used and modified this landscape from the time of the first farming communities in Britain.”

This research will provide invaluable information about landscape history and past ecosystems that will feed into the Rewilding strategy currently being put together by landowner David Bennett and the Northwoods Rewilding Network and wider work by Arran Geopark.  The team also supported participation by members of the local community in the research process and are exploring future learning and creative opportunities responding to the investigations.  Artists from the region were supported by North Ayrshire Council and Arran Theatre and Arts Trust to explore the excavation.

Professor Nicki Whitehouse, Professor of Archaeological Science, University of Glasgow,  said: “The initial discoveries reveal a highly unusual combination of a ceremonial monument within a prehistoric farming landscape. It is part of a continuum that likely linked to the ritual site at Machrie Moor, probably forming part of something much more extensive. The science work will allow us to understand about the animals and plants people farmed, how people impacted the landscape and its ecosystems and transformed their soils for cultivation – and what we may learn from this today.”

The combination of investigating all these elements together is highly unusual and has also involved experts from Universities of Birkbeck, Reading, Coventry, Birmingham, and Southampton as well as archaeologists from Archaeology Scotland and Historic Environment Scotland.


The discovery has seen widespread media coverage, including in The National, The Guardian, The Times (paywall) and The Scotsman (paywall).

Proofreading your article accepted for publication

It is always a pleasure to see your own paper in print.  If all is properly organised at the publisher, the first time you see you paper as it will look in its final version when you receive the proof copy.  It is the authors’ task to proofread this final copy and pick up any mistakes you may have made or the journal has made putting your word file into the journal’s layout.  More and more journals now ask you to do the proofreading and editing online.  The first message here is that proofreading is exact business and most certainly time consuming.  Moreover, feeding back mistakes you may find in the proofs is not without its trials and tribulations.

Yesterday we received the proofs for a paper accepted by BMC Health Research Policy & Systems [1]. The BMC is part of the publisher Springer , and it uses an online proof system eProofing to which the authors get temporary access, to read and correct text.  This system looks good online, but beware the online version you get to edit does not look the same as the version that will appear in print.  The draft print version generated by eProofing has line numbers which don’t appear online when you are editing the proofs.  So we had to write on the online system separately that we found a set of quotes glued together, as the system does not allow authors to change the lay-out (for obvious reasons). In this case,  we had to write details like: “There needs to be a space after first quote line 421.”  What might look okay in the eProofing version didn’t do so  in the print version, where it was it is wrong.  This is illustrated in the example picture below.

 

Last month we battled with the proofs of another BU paper forthcoming in the journal Women and Birth [2], which is part of Elsevier.  Again, it has an online system for proofs.  This system does not allow the authors to correct mistakes in in the line spacing.  So we ended up writing to journal manager, not the editor, things like: “There is a very big gap between the end of section 3.7. and Overview of findings section – please could the text be rearranged to get rid of this big gap.”  We also asked for a summary section to be kept on one page, not having an orphan two words on the next page, but that appeared to be too difficult a request.  We think we a little flexibility, i.e. a human intervention the lay-out could have been improved.  See illustration below with text as it appears in the current online-first version.

We like to stress our advice to set plenty of time aside to read and edit the proofs, and to send details instructions to the journal manager or editor about what needs changing.  Changes include typos, grammar and style, but also lay-out of text and illustrations, boxes in the text, tables and figures.  “It is also important to check tables and figures during the proof-reading as the formatting can often go astray during the typesetting process” as we highlighted by Sheppard and colleagues [3].  Also double check correct spelling of names of co-authors and the final author order in the proofs.  Many years ago, I received the proof of pages of a midwifery article [4].

I dutifully read and edited  the proof of the actual text, but I never check the short introduction with the authors’ names which an editor had added to the final proofs.  When the paper came out in print to transpired that this editor has changed the author order, i.e. my name was first, probably because I had submitted the paper on behalf of my co-author.  This cause some problems with my co-author, made all the worse since I am married to her.

 

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health

References:

  1. Wasti, S.P., van Teijlingen, E., Rushton, S., Subedi, M., Simkhada, P., Balen, J., Nepal Federalisation of Health Team (2023)  Overcoming the challenges facing Nepal’s health system during federalisation: an analysis of health system building blocks. Journal of the Health Research Policy & Systems. (forthcoming).
  2. Arnold, R., Way, S., Mahato, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2023) “I might have cried in the changing room, but I still went to work”. Maternity staff managing roles, responsibilities, and emotions of work and home during COVID-19: an Appreciative InquiryWomen & Birth (online first) 
  3. Sheppard, Z., Hundley, V., Dahal, N.P., Paudyal, P. (2022) Writing a quantitative paper, In: Wasti, S.P., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Hundley, V. with Shreesh, K. (eds.) Writing and Publishing Academic Work, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books, pp.78-87.
  4. van Teijlingen E., Ireland, J.C. (2014) Community midwives on the go. Midwives 1: 54-55.

CuttingGardens2023 conference in Bournemouth

The MINE Research Cluster and EEG Lab are hosting a four-day CuttingGardens 2023 conference in Bournemouth during 16-19 October 2023. CuttingGardens is a distributed conference on cutting-edge methods for EEG/MEG data analysis, with 20+ “gardens” happening simultaneously at several locations across the world. The common global programme, broadcasted to all locations, includes cognitive neuroscience advances, real-time EEG analysis, reproducible research, and deep neural network. Our Bournemouth Garden’s local programme has hands-on #EEGLab and #MNE-Python tutorials, EEG-VR and EEG-eye tracking workshops, exciting talks and tour of state-of-the-art labs!

Key dates:
Abstract submission deadline: 15 September 2023
Registration deadline: 27 September 2023
Conference: 16-19 October 2023

More information can be found at https://cuttinggardens2023.org/gardens/bournemouth/. Please check the webpage if you are interested. This is an ideal event for anyone who is keen to elevate their EEG/MEG research skills. We welcome research students, postdocs, academics and professionals alike.

Bournemouth Garden Organising Committee:
Xun He, Ellen Seiss, Marina Kilintari, Federica Degno, Ruijie Wang, Andrew Hanson, and Biao Zeng (University of South Wales, BU’s Visiting Fellow)

 

Can ‘VOICE’ help with public involvement in your research? Find out more

Could using ‘VOICE‘ – National public involvement in research platform help with public involvement in your research?

Many researchers will already be aware of patient and public involvement (PPI) and the many benefits and the positive impact it can have in their research.  Please read two examples of how Cathy and Louise, both postgraduate researchers, have implemented public involvement in their research and read on for more information on VOICE and how it help with your research.

Cathy Beresford, Full time PhD student – Experiences of care in advanced liver disease

“For my research with people who have liver disease, I found VOICE extremely helpful for my public involvement strategy. Before I accessed VOICE, I struggled to reach people for public involvement. Although I am a nurse, I do not specialise in liver disease, and I did not have established links with the people I was seeking to do the research with. With fantastic support from BU PIER Officer Kate Jupp, I advertised my public involvement opportunity and had eight people come forward to take part in an online workshop. I reached a mix of people from different parts of the UK, four are people with liver disease and four are carers of individuals with liver disease. I found this to be the perfect number for a really constructive meeting where we discussed the findings of my recent systematic literature review and made plans for the upcoming research as part of my PhD project. All of the attendees of the meeting said they wanted to be further involved in public involvement as part of the research. Members of the group have since contributed to the participant information leaflets for the study and we are planning a further meeting in the autumn. For each meeting, individual members are given a £25 voucher for their time, which is part of my PhD funding.”

Louise Ward, Part time PhD student (and PPI adviser within BUCRU) – Online PPI: Perceptions and experiences of public contributors and researchers in health and social care research.

“Given that PPI is my chosen topic, it was essential that I have voices of those with relevant lived experience in my own doctoral research to help shape its planning and design. After some initial struggles acquiring funding to undertake PPI in my PhD, I ran some informal introductory PPI sessions to gauge how people have found online PPI and whether it’s been working for them.  I spoke with 11 people, 9 of which were found via the VOICE platform, they were a broad range of voices from around the UK. 

I posted an ‘opportunity’ on VOICE and was overwhelmed by the response, 38 people applied.  I had included additional questions to aid selection, e.g. length of time people have been involved in research, but you can choose whatever you wish to ask for extra information, e.g. experience of a certain health condition or use of a particular service.  You are also able to state certain criteria, e.g. age, gender etc. Even with the additional information, it was tough to narrow down to a smaller number (within the budget I’d allowed myself), but after reading through each application I reduced numbers to 10 people and approved/declined/added to wait list accordingly. I ran two PPI sessions via VOICE, the first one with three people (I had some non-attendees so it’s good to plan for that) and the second with six people.  Kate from BU PIER also joined the sessions as it’s always good to have a second person to co-facilitate. Both were really useful sessions and all were keen to stay involved in helping with my future research.  I have since contacted a smaller number of them and plan to run a regular public advisory group throughout my PhD at various stages to ensure my research stays relevant to those whom it impacts the most.”

To summarise, researchers can:

  • Easily and quickly register for VOICE
  • Submit an opportunity request to involve members of the public in their research
  • Use the digital tools the platform offers to involve members of the public in research
  • Promote workshops/groups
  • Facilitate online discussions
  • Promote opportunities for the public to join steering groups
  • Online surveys & polls
  • Set up a closed group to communicate, share documents and support an established public involvement group
  • Access and share support and learning resources to help patient and public involvement and engagement activities

You can register with VOICE and explore what is available. Please email Kate Jupp or Louise Ward or on: voice@bournemouth.ac.uk to discuss how we can help get the public involved in your research and/or promote an event or opportunity to VOICE members.

VOICE are running an introductory session for new members on 11 September 2023 to explain what VOICE is, it will mostly be aimed at members of the public but will give a good insight into what VOICE can offer for researchers too.

Advertising BU’s Systematic Review Masterclass

The Faculty of Health & Social Sciences shall be running the two-day ONLINE MasterclassIntroduction to conducting a systematic literature review’.  The aim is to provide participants with an understanding of how to collate and assess the best possible evidence in the form of a systematic literature review. This masterclass will examine the rationale for systematic literature reviews and take participants through the structured, rigorous, and objective approach used to provide a critical synthesis of the available evidence on a particular topic.

The Masterclass is facilitated by (1) Vanora Hundley, Professor in Midwifery with experience of conducting systematic reviews of health care interventions in both low-and-high-income countries; (2) Edwin van Teijlingen, a medical sociologist with extensive experience in conducting systematic reviews. He has run similar workshops reviews internationally and has published on the importance of systematic reviews; and (3) Caspian Dugdale is Research Librarian with considerable experience in running health information literacy workshops for students, academics and postgraduate researchers.

The masterclass is suitable for anyone who wishes to explore the basic principles involved in conducting a systematic literature review. No previous knowledge is required. Attendees include health and social care practitioners, postgraduate students, and academics.  There will be two online days – 8th and 15th November – which will focus on:

  • Designing a review protocol
  • Formulating a question
  • Identifying and selecting relevant studies
  • Systematic data extraction and collection
  • Synthesis and analysis of the data
  • Writing up and reporting systematic reviews.

Booking Information:

The fee of £400 includes two full days with the course facilitators. We are happy to announce that NHS partner organisations are eligible for a reduced fee £200.

You are now able to book on line for our masterclass: https://www.applycpd.com/BU/courses/116678

The application deadline is 11th October 2023.

For more information contact:
Tel: 01202  962184 or email HSSRKEAdministrator@bournemouth.ac.uk

INRC seminar by Dr Jie Sui, Friday the 8th of September at 14.00 h, Share Lecture Theatre (Fusion).

We want to draw your attention to a seminar organized by the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Research Centre on this Friday, the 8th of September, from 14:00 h to 15:00 h at the Share Lecture Theatre (Fusion Building). There will be a networking event after the talk with coffee and biscuits.

Our guest speaker is Dr. Jie Sui (University of Aberdeen), invited by Dr. Ellen Seiss. Prof Dr Sui is renowned for her studies investigating the unique self, self-representation, and social interactions in VR. Her research combines multiple neural recording modalities, such as EEG and fMRI, with computational modelling.

The title of this exciting talk is: “Understanding the Self: Prospects for Translation”. Please find the abstract below.

We warmly invite you to attend this seminar.

Kind regards,

Ellen and Emili, on behalf of all of us.

Abstract:

“An understanding of the self helps explain not only human thoughts, feelings, and attitudes but also many aspects of everyday behaviours. This talk focuses on a particular perspective on self-processes. This perspective highlights the dynamics of the self that best connects with the development of the self over time and its realist orientation. We are using psychological experiments and data mining to comprehend the stability and flexibility of the self in different populations.

In this talk, I integrate experimental psychology, associative learning theory, computational neuroscience, and machine learning approaches to demonstrate why and how self-association affects cognition and how it is modulated by various social experiences and situational factors.”

Revolutionising Industries: The Significance, Impacts, and Reliability of Nanocoatings

Application

Introduction:

Nanocomposite coatings, a ground-breaking development in materials science, have emerged as a transformative force across various industries. These coatings, with their unique properties and applications, hold immense promise for enhancing performance, reducing maintenance costs, and addressing critical global challenges. In this comprehensive review, we delve into the key significance of nanocoatings in a range of industries, their substantial impacts, and their reliability [1–4]. Furthermore, we explore how Professor Zulfiqar Khan is collaborating with generative AI and predict the potential benefits of this partnership for industry and contributions to new knowledge. This narrative aims to influence UK science and technology policy, attract funding, and foster new partnerships to drive innovation and competitiveness.

Application
  1. The Multifaceted Significance of Nanocoatings:

Nanocoatings in Cavitation and Beyond:

Nanocomposite coatings have brought transformative advantages to industries grappling with issues such as cavitation, corrosion, tribology, and fluid dynamics. They provide enhanced protection and resilience in the face of harsh operational conditions, including extreme temperatures, high pressures, corrosive environments, and minimal lubrication. The significance of nanocoatings lies in their ability to extend the lifespan and reliability of vital components and systems across multiple sectors.

Nanocoatings Addressing Global Challenges:

Industries today are confronted with pressing global challenges, such as energy efficiency, sustainability, and system durability. Nanocoatings offer innovative solutions to these challenges by optimising surfaces and interfaces through surface modifications and coatings. They play a pivotal role in enhancing energy efficiency, ensuring the reliability of systems, and promoting sustainability. These benefits are invaluable in the context of UK science and technology policy, which emphasises the transition to greener technologies and sustainable practices.

  1. The Impact of Nanocoatings:

Academic and Industrial Benefits:

The development and application of nanocoatings have not only enriched academic research but have also provided tangible industrial advantages. Researchers worldwide are actively engaged in studying several types of nanocomposites to create durable and energy-efficient coatings. This collaboration between academia and industry fosters innovation, encourages knowledge exchange, and accelerates the adoption of innovative technologies. It aligns with the UK’s vision of becoming a leader in innovation and technology development.

Experimental Advancements:

Professor Khan’s work exemplifies the impact of nanocoatings on the industry. His experiments with alumina, silicon carbide, zirconia, and graphene nanocomposite coatings have displayed their robustness under different conditions, including exposure to seawater. Such empirical evidence guides industry practitioners in selecting the right coatings for their specific applications, reducing maintenance costs, and ensuring system reliability.

III. Reliability of Nanocoatings:

Advanced Modelling and Predictive Tools:

One key aspect of nanocoatings’ reliability lies in the advanced modelling and predictive tools developed by researchers like Professor Khan. His cathodic blistering model (Khan-Nazir I) [5] and coating failure model (Khan-Nazir II) [6] offer a deeper understanding of coating behaviour under stress, wear, and corrosion. These models enable precise predictions of coating performance, which is crucial for industries seeking dependable solutions.

Lubrication Modelling:

Furthermore, lubrication modelling, which incorporates wear-corrosion and mechano-wear equations, investigates the influence of microstructural properties like porosity and surface stresses on the coefficient of friction (CoF). This is vital in ensuring the reliability of systems operating under various conditions, as reduced friction leads to increased durability.

  1. Collaboration with Generative AI:

Harnessing AI for Materials Discovery:

Professor Zulfiqar Khan’s collaboration with generative AI represents an exciting frontier in materials science. Generative AI can accelerate materials discovery by simulating and predicting the behaviour of nanocomposite coatings with unmatched speed and accuracy. By leveraging AI, researchers can design coatings tailored to specific industry needs, further enhancing their reliability and performance.

  1. Predicted Benefits and Contributions:

Industry Advancements:

The partnership between Professor Khan and generative AI holds the promise of revolutionising industries. Predictive modelling and AI-driven materials discovery will enable the creation of coatings that are not only more reliable but also more cost-effective to produce. This will stimulate innovation, reduce downtime, and boost competitiveness across sectors such as aerospace, automotive, energy, and manufacturing.

Contribution to New Knowledge:

The collaboration will undoubtedly contribute to new knowledge in materials science, computational modelling, and AI-driven materials discovery. This research can inform policy decisions and attract funding for initiatives aimed at harnessing AI for materials development. As the UK government seeks to position the nation as a global innovation hub, investments in cutting-edge research of this nature will be pivotal.

  1. Influencing UK Science & Technology Policy:

Nurturing Technological Leadership:

To influence UK science and technology policy, it is imperative to underscore the role of nanocoatings and AI-driven materials discovery in nurturing technological leadership. Emphasising the potential economic and environmental benefits of these innovations can encourage policymakers to prioritise investments in research and development.

Supporting Sustainable Practices:

Aligning nanocoatings with the UK’s sustainability goals is crucial. Highlighting how these coatings enhance the sustainability and reliability of systems can resonate with policymakers keen on promoting sustainable practices and technologies.

VII. Forging Partnerships:

It is essential to articulate the transformative impact of nanocoatings and AI collaborations on industry and the potential for significant contributions to knowledge. Presenting a clear roadmap for how investments will yield tangible results can attract the attention of funding bodies interested in fostering innovation.

Industry-Academia Synergy:

Lastly, forging partnerships between academia and industry is fundamental. Collaborations that integrate academic research with industry needs can ensure that innovations like nanocoatings find practical applications and drive economic growth.

In conclusion, nanocomposite coatings represent a pivotal advancement with far-reaching significance and impacts across industries. Professor Zulfiqar Khan’s collaboration with generative AI holds immense promise for further enhancing their reliability and performance. This partnership aligns with UK science and technology policy objectives, attracting funding and fostering collaborations that will drive innovation and competitiveness, positioning the UK as a global leader in materials science and technology.

Acknowledgement: This article is written in collaboration with GAI.

References

[1]       Nazir, M.H.; Khan, Z.A.; Saeed; Bakolas, V.; Braun,W.; Bajwa, R. Experimental analysis and modelling for reciprocating wear behaviour of nanocomposite coatings. Wear 2018, 416, 89–102. [CrossRef]

[2]       Nazir, M.H.; Khan, Z.A.; Saeed, A.; Siddaiah, A.; Menezes, P.L. Synergistic wear-corrosion analysis and modelling of nano composite coatings. Tribol. Int. 2018, 121, 30–44. [CrossRef]

[3]       Abdeen, D.H.; El Hachach, M.; Koc, M.; Atieh, M.A. A Review on the Corrosion Behaviour of Nanocoatings on Metallic Substrates. Materials 2019, 12, 210. [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[4]       Nazir, M.H.; Khan, Z.A.; Saeed, A.; Bakolas, V.; Braun,W.; Bajwa, R.; Rafique, S. Analyzing and Modelling the Corrosion Behavior of Ni/Al2O3, Ni/SiC, Ni/ZrO2 and Ni/Graphene Nanocomposite Coatings. Materials 2017, 10, 1225. [CrossRef]

[5]       Nazir, M.H.; Khan, Z.A.; Saeed, A.; Stokes, K. A model for cathodic blister growth in coating degradation using mesomechanics approach. Mater. Corros. 2016, 67, 495–503. [CrossRef]

[6]       Nazir, M.H.; Khan, Z.A. A review of theoretical analysis techniques for cracking and corrosive degradation of film-substrate systems. Eng. Fail. Anal. 2017, 72, 80–113. [CrossRef]

UK’s Carbon Emissions Progress

UK’s Carbon Emissions Progress

UK's Carbon Emissions Progress

UK’s Carbon Emissions Progress [stock image]

Advancing Towards a Sustainable Future: Evaluating the UK’s Carbon Emissions Progress and Energy Portfolio

Introduction:

Professor Zulfiqar Khan has been working in Energy Capture, Conversion and Storage for more than a decade which has led to significant outcomes for UK industry in terms of technological innovations to meet UK net zero targets and UNSDGs by agreed deadline.

In addition, energy efficiency in interacting systems and complex machines have been at the heart of Professor Khan’s research at BU. Machines and interacting systems use lubrication and therefore sustainability context is key to be taken forward into design considerations. Both the above themes have provided a platform for interdisciplinary research in collaboration with major UK and International Industry and HEIs partners.

Professor Khan has been collaborating with Generative AI in terms of clean energy and future goals to reduce our dependency on non-renewable energy technologies. Although, unlike his longstanding industry collaboration, his GAI partnership is in its initial stages, Professor Khan believes that there are opportunities to drive clean energy research forward to realise UK targets and UNSDGs in collaboration with GAI.

The United Kingdom has embarked on a transformative journey towards sustainable energy solutions, marked by its commitment to reducing carbon emissions and aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This article presents a comprehensive overview of the UK’s current state of progress in carbon emissions reduction, its contributions to the UNSDGs, and the intricate details of its energy portfolio. The following brief article is written in collaboration with Generative AI.

Progress in Carbon Emissions Reduction:

Carbon Emissions Reduction Targets:

The UK’s resolute commitment to achieve Net Zero by 2050.

Noteworthy reduction of carbon emissions by 51% since 1990 levels by the year 2019.

Renewable Energy Sources:

A remarkable 48% of electricity generated from renewable sources in 2020. Continuous expansion of wind and solar energy capacity.

Energy Efficiency:

Implementing energy-efficient measures in both industrial sectors and households.

Contributions to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7):

The UK’s renewable energy sector has generated over 100 TWh of electricity, making a significant contribution to SDG 7.

Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9):

Substantial investments exceeding £2.5 billion have been directed towards innovative energy capture and storage technologies, fostering economic growth while minimizing environmental impact.

Climate Action (SDG 13):

The UK’s remarkable carbon emissions reduction of 51% surpasses the SDG 13 target to combat climate change.

Challenges and Areas for Improvement:

Transportation Sector:

Electrification and the promotion of alternative fuels remain pivotal for addressing emissions in the transportation sector.

Energy Storage:

Enhancing energy storage solutions is imperative to address the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources effectively.

Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) Technologies:

The development and integration of CCUS technologies for heavy industries are crucial for reducing carbon emissions further and aligning with climate goals.

The UK’s Energy Portfolio (2020):

Energy

Type/Technology

Energy Output

(TWh)

Energy Consumption

(TWh)

Natural Gas 338.6 465.3
Oil 143.8 231.5
Coal 2.3 9.1
Nuclear 55.9 61.8
Renewables

(Total)

132.3 283.1
Imports 7.4 N/A (included in total)

Market Share (2020):

Natural Gas: 38.5%

Oil: 16.4%

Coal: 0.3%

Nuclear: 7.9%Renewables (Total): 18.7%Imports: 3.6%

Interpretation:

Non-renewable sources still dominate the UK’s energy portfolio, comprising approximately 63% of energy output in 2020.

Natural gas is the largest contributor to both energy output and consumption.

The transition to renewable energy sources, particularly wind and biomass, is vital for reducing the UK’s carbon footprint.

Conclusion:

The United Kingdom’s commendable progress in carbon emissions reduction, aligned with UN SDGs, signifies a dedicated commitment to a sustainable future. While substantial headway has been made, addressing challenges in transportation, energy storage, and the integration of CCUS technologies is paramount. The UK continues to lead the path towards a low-carbon future by aligning policies with UN SDGs and promoting sustainable energy solutions.

INRC seminar by Dr Jie Sui, Friday the 8th of September at 14.00 h, Share Lecture Theatre (Fusion).

We want to draw your attention to a seminar organized by the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Research Centre on Friday, the 8th of September, from 14:00 h to 15:00 h at the Share Lecture Theatre (Fusion Building). There will be a networking event after the talk with coffee and biscuits.

Our guest speaker is Dr. Jie Sui (University of Aberdeen), invited by Dr. Ellen Seiss. Prof Dr Sui is renowned for her studies investigating the unique self, self-representation, and social interactions in VR. Her research combines multiple neural recording modalities, such as EEG and fMRI, with computational modelling.

The title of this exciting talk is: “Understanding the Self: Prospects for Translation”. Please find the abstract below.

We warmly invite you to attend this seminar.

Kind regards,

Ellen and Emili, on behalf of all of us.

Abstract:

“An understanding of the self helps explain not only human thoughts, feelings, and attitudes but also many aspects of everyday behaviours. This talk focuses on a particular perspective on self-processes. This perspective highlights the dynamics of the self that best connects with the development of the self over time and its realist orientation. We are using psychological experiments and data mining to comprehend the stability and flexibility of the self in different populations.

In this talk, I integrate experimental psychology, associative learning theory, computational neuroscience, and machine learning approaches to demonstrate why and how self-association affects cognition and how it is modulated by various social experiences and situational factors.”