Center stage this week in the PGR Virtual Poster Showcase:
Varshini Nandakumar, PhD student in the Faculty of Science & Technology with this poster entitled:
‘Design of a functional electrical stimulation device adaptive to walking.’
Click the poster below to enlarge.
Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) is a neuro-rehabilitation technique commonly used to aid walking in individuals suffering from Drop Foot (DF), a condition that limits ankle dorsiflexion leading to drag the foot while walking. FES devices make use of small electrical pulses to generate functional muscle contraction, enabling dorsiflexion to overcome DF. Existing FES devices are aiding mobility significantly, but one limitation in them is the inefficacy to allow the user to walk confidently in different walking scenarios. As reported by users, this is caused due to the inability to lift their foot sufficiently to ambulate on different walking scenarios. Hence this project proposes to overcome this limitation using machine learning algorithms to develop a predictive model to identify steps, ramps, and kerbs. The output of this model will then be used to control the stimulation levels to provide sufficient stimulation to enable the user to overcome the obstacle.
Events Management graduate Sabine Töppig, who received the VC Fusion Prize in 2019, has just seen a paper based on her dissertation published by the International Journal of Event & Festival Management. The IJEFM, an Elsevier Journal, is one of the two top events management journals (Scopus CiteScore 2018 – 1.73; Scopus CiteScore Tracker 2019 (updated monthly) – 2.14).
The paper, jointly authored with her supervisor Dr. Miguel Moital, explored the techniques, outputs, and outcomes of circulation management at exhibitions. For those who are unable to access the full published paper, a word version is deposited here.
Commenting on the process leading to the publication of the paper, Sabine said:
“It was great to continue working with with Miguel beyond the submission of my dissertation, to adapt it to journal standards, carry out additional research and examine circulation management at exhibitions in even greater detail. Collaborating with him helped me refine my academic style, broaden my horizons in terms of research methods, and navigate the peer-review process which requires a lot of expertise and flexibility to meet reviewers’ demands. It was also valuable to gain an understanding of the academic publishing system by experiencing it firsthand.”
From a personal perspective, Sabine said:
“It is an amazing feeling to see this paper published. For me, it represents the journey I have been on and how much I’ve learnt about both academia and events during my time at BU. I am pleased to be able to share my excitement for the exhibition industry with others, who can hopefully use this paper to complement their knowledge and learning. Knowing that this paper may be cited in the future or used by practitioners to inform their circulation management decisions feels surreal but incredibly fulfilling.”
Commenting on the achievement, Dr. Miguel Moital said:
“I am immensely proud of Sabine’s achievement. Sabine did a great piece of research for her dissertation and when challenged to work with me on turning the dissertation in to a paper, she did not hesitate. She diligently navigated the steps and challenges that come with submitting and revising a paper. It has been a pleasure working with her. Congratulations, Sabine!”
Dr. Carly Stewart, Head of Department, said:
“The entire team at the department of Sport & Events Management is delighted at the news that Sabine’s paper has been published in such a high standard journal. Concluding her brilliant academic journey at BU by publishing in such high quality journal for our field is a credit to Sabine’s determination and intellectual capability. On behalf of the department, I would like to congratulate Sabine for her achievement.”
Publishing the article follows from two other activities related to the dissemination of her dissertation research:
Presenting a paper at the annual International Conference of Strategic Innovative Marketing and Tourism (ICSIMAT) , in Chios, Greece.
Sabine received the Fusion Prize from BU’s VC Professor John Vinney at the 2019’s graduation ceremony:
Sabine Toppig, BA (Hons) Events Managanent, receives the VC Fusion Prize for her outstanding contribution to research, education & professional practice during her time @bournemouthuni. Very proud of her 4 receiving this prestigious BU wide prize. @BUDepSEM@BUEventsEd#buproudpic.twitter.com/kJIonRnkn1
Journals have been ranked according to their SJR and divided into four equal groups, four quartiles.
Q1 comprises the quarter of the journals with the highest values.
Today the international sociology journal Sociological Research Online (SAGE) published the paper ‘Dementia as Zeitgeist: Social Problem Construction and the Role of a Contemporary Distraction’ [1]. Using notions of social problem construction and sociologies of legitimacy, this article explores dementia as Zeitgeist that has captured imaginations but as such is contingent and therefore precarious building an edifice that may be limited and may occlude dangers for people living with dementia. This paper is written by two BU academics: Prof. Jonathan Parker (Department of Social Sciences & Social Work) and Dr. Vanessa Heaslip (Department of Nursing Science) and former one BU staff member Dr. Clare Cutler . Clare is now at the Wessex Institute for Health Research & Development.
Congratulations to Dr. Preeti Mahato, Dr. Nirmal Aryal and Dr. Pramod Regmi in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences on their latest COVID-19 publication. Yesterday the Europasian Journal of Medical Sciencesinformed us of its acceptance of the article ‘Effects of COVID-19 during lockdown in Nepal’ [1]. The Europasian Journal of Medical Sciences is a peer-reviewed Open-Accessed journal which is published biannually online as well as in print version. It is an official publication of the Nirvana Psychosocial Care Center & Research Institute.
This is the fifth COVID-19 publication by our team since lock down began (in both the UK and Nepal). Previous publications with colleagues based in the UK and elsewhere across the globe focused on maternity care, public health, Nepal and the apparent effect of COVID-19 on people from ethnic minorities int he UK [2-5].
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
CMMPH (Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health)
References:
Mahato, P., Tamang, P., Shahi, P., Aryal, N., Regmi, P., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P. (2020) Effects of COVID-19 during lockdown in Nepal, Europasian Journal of Medical Sciences (accepted).
Sathian, B., Asim, M., Mekkodathil, A., van Teijlingen, E., Subramanya, S.H., Simkhada, S.,Marahatta, S.B., Shrestha, U.M. (2020) Impact of COVID-19 on community health: A systematic review of a population of 82 million, Journal of Advanced Internal Medicine 9(1): 4-11. https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/JAIM/article/view/29159
Asim, M., Sathian, B., van Teijlingen, E.R., Mekkodathil, A., Subramanya, S.H., Simkhada, P. (2020) COVID-19 Pandemic: Public Health Implications in Nepal, Nepal Journal of Epidemiology 10 (1): 817-820. https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/NJE/article/view/28269
Postgraduate researchers have access to a suite of online modules as part of the Research Skills Toolkit developed by Epigeum.
I am please to announce we have now added an updated version of the Literature Review Programme, now named Undertaking a Literature Review and the BRAND NEW Principles of Research Methods, starring Dr Sally Reynolds and Professor Edwin van Teijlingen both of whom also deliver workshops as part of the Doctoral College Researcher Development Programme.
Postgraduate researchers can access these modules via the Researcher Development Programme unit on Brightspace following the instructions for creating an account on Epigeum. On here you will also have access to extensive modules covering:
The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) has formally launched its Parliamentary Academic Fellowship Scheme, with further details of the application process for expressions of interest and a list of parliamentary offices participating in the scheme.
If you are interested in applying, please follow the guidelines below:
Firstly, inform your Faculty Dean or Deputy Dean of your interest and discuss potential sources of funding.
Identify an idea for a potential project to conduct in a participating Host Office in UK Parliament. A list can be found on p. 10 of the Guidance note for applicants.
Before completing the Expression of Interest Application Form, read the Parliamentary Academic Fellowship Scheme Open Call 2020 – Guidance Note for Applicants. POST strongly recommends applicants also read the Appendix to this document. It contains information about the offices in Parliament participating in the scheme, the kinds of projects you could propose to do with them and any topics they are particularly interested in receiving proposals on.
If successful, you will be asked to submit a detailed application in September, which will also confirm BU budget approval. Interviews are likely to be conducted in October/November and the Fellowship will commence January 2021, following security clearance.
Still plenty to share in this PGR Virtual Poster Showcase:
Chris Williams, PhD student in the Faculty of Management with this poster entitled:
‘Accreditation of higher education in the UK: The rise of PSRBs & potential influence.’
Click the poster below to enlarge.
This poster will provide a graphical illustration and analysis of data collected as part of my PhD. The data collected identifies when Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRB’s) that accredit UK undergraduate degrees began their accreditation programmes. PSRB’s were identified from data held by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and contacted individually to establish when they began accrediting, leading to the collation of a unique set of figures. HESA’s data is used as part of the Key Information Set (KIS) that HE institutions display on their web pages and other printed material. The information is also held by the Office for Students (OfS), the independent regulator of HE in the UK. Further, the poster identifies key events impacting the UK HE sector and provides a brief analysis of any correlation with the commencement of the accreditation schemes that responded.
Children and parents have struggled to adjust to homeschooling. Now, some have to cope with returning to schools which will seem very different to those they left at the beginning of lockdown. One group of children, though, are facing challenges beyond those experienced by the majority.
Children with special educational needs (SEN) make up around 15% of all pupils in mainstream education. Developmental dyslexia is the most common condition in this group, estimated to affect between 10%-16% of the UK population. Autism is much rarer, affecting about 1.1%.
Our research suggests that children with these conditions might find it especially difficult to adapt to changes in their education. We need to recognise the extra challenges homeschooling and online learning have posed for many children – and take this into account as schools reopen.
Extra challenges
Many people think of dyslexia as a language disorder, but it also affects the memory and people’s ability to verbalise ideas and to pay attention. Even in the best of learning environments, struggles in school are likely to lead to low self-esteem for dyslexic children.
These difficulties are also experienced by autistic children, who may perceive the sensory world differently. Sounds can be magnified, for example, making it hard for a child working at the kitchen table to drag their attention away from the ticking of a clock or the dripping of a tap. Their experience of “not fitting in” also affects their self-esteem.
Another aspect of autism is concrete, black and white thinking. Some autistic children struggle with homework because they think school is for work and home is for play. Routine and predictability is crucial for these children. The move to home education has been another change for them in a sea of turmoil caused by the pandemic.
In school, autistic and dyslexic children would often have specialist support in place to help them with these problems. Without this kind of support, problems with attention and self-esteem may make learning at home very difficult.
It’s also important to recognise that dyslexia and autism are often inherited. Educational and emotional support at home may be limited, further disadvantaging the child and reinforcing the parent’s own potential sense of inadequacy. Children with SEN are also more likely to come from poorer families, an additional layer of inequality.
Positive impacts
Recent research has found that while many children with SEN (and their parents) are indeed more anxious and sad than usual, some families actually report minimal or even positive impacts of distance learning under lockdown. For some children, lockdown is a respite. For dyslexic children, it means they are not the child who is taken out of typical lessons to catch up on other work.
Some parents of children with SEN have reported positive outcomes from home learning. MIA Studio
Remote online education may offer children a greater opportunity for personalised learning at their own pace. For these reasons, many parents of SEN children choose to homeschool their children even under normal circumstances. They argue that home-schooling allows teaching to be built upon the child’s interests, while removing them from rigid standardised testing which is focused on the majority of learners and may set children with conditions like autism or dyslexia up to fail.
Back to school
As schools begin to reopen, advice is already emerging around how best to protect and support children. It’s important to make children feel safe and in control as we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic.
Experts suggest that emotional and social development should take precedence over school work. Some children may need special help with this. Autistic children, for instance, may need to be explicitly taught how to play appropriately, and may need adult assistance to make friends.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, teachers were advised to set up small circles of friends for vulnerable children. As such, the current advice, which recommends that children should stay in small groups, may be well suited to those with special educational needs. However, teachers will also need to actively adopt other strategies to foster social bonds between the child and their peers.
As always, it will be important for parents and teachers to collaborate closely to ensure as much consistency as possible. There are things that teachers and parents can do to help children deal with difficult emotions. Children might also be dealing with bereavement and new financial insecurity at home. The involvement of other child specialists, like psychologists and social workers, might therefore be beneficial.
To help build a sense of control, we need to do more to help children with special educational needs succeed in school, respecting their own pace and learning styles. As this situation evolves, we must be mindful of its impact on the already entrenched inequality that hampers these learners. However, the situation also forces us to come face-to-face with the cracks in our previous systems and come up with new ways of doing things which might, in the long term, reap surprising benefits.
This week Dr. Preeti Mahato in the Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health (CMMPH) appeared in several newspapers and new website in Nepal. The media reported both in Nepali [1-4] and in English, the latter in South Asia Time [5] on her recently published paper on birthing centres in Nepal. This latest paper from her PhD was published in the scientific journal PLoS ONE[6]. The paper is co-authored by CMMPH’s Dr.Catherene Angell, Prof.Edwin van Teijlingen and Prof. Vanora Hundley as well as BU Visiting Professor Padam Simkhada (Associate Dean International at the School of Human and Health Sciences, University of Huddersfield.
We are very grateful to BU’s Dr. Nirmal Aryal for engaging with all his media contacts in Nepal to achieve this great coverage.
Mahato, P., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Angell, C., Hundley, V. (2020), Evaluation of a health promotion intervention associated with birthing centres in rural Nepal PLoS One 15(5): e0233607. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0233607
The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) is inviting expressions of interest for its Parliamentary Academic Fellowship Scheme from Monday 8 June.
Securing a prestigious fellowship with POST provides researchers with unique access to Parliament, policy experience and direct potential for impact. It is open to all employed academics with a PhD, and applicants propose their own project for Parliament to conduct. These projects might include contributing to the work of a parliamentary office, filling gaps in expertise, helping to grow Parliament’s academic networks, informing parliamentary scrutiny, analysing and evaluating parliamentary practices, building staff capacity and skills, providing advice and support to a committee, scrutinising a specific area of government policy, providing briefing material or advice, generating data to facilitate effective scrutiny, writing specific papers for parliamentary teams, studying aspects of the parliamentary process or perceptions of that process, or something else!
There is no external funding associated with these fellowships, and the cost will need to be met either by BU internally or by other research funders. The types of cost the fellowship will entail are: cover arrangements, travel, subsistence and accommodation alongside consideration of your time. Do not let concern over costs or other factors hold you back at this stage. Parliament have a keen diversity agenda and applications from all career stages (from PhD onwards) and other equality characteristics are welcomed – you do not have to be a professor!
The fellowship will usually last for 1 year; there may be flexibility over the start date (and this may help to save or manage costs). Fellows will spend some of their time in Westminster and some aspects will be completed remotely. The amount of time spent in Westminster will be dictated by the nature of your project. It could be one day per week, or a week block every six weeks, or another pattern.
Expression of Interest applications will be invited from Monday 8 June, when more information about the scheme, what to cover in your expression of interest, and a list of the parliamentary offices participating will be released by POST. The closing date is Friday 26 June2020. We will update this blog with the new details once they are released.
Process
Now: Inform your Faculty Dean or Deputy Dean , that you are interested in applying
June: Complete the expression of interest and forward before the 26 June deadline, and discuss potential sources of funding with your faculty leadership
September: Submit detailed application for the fellowship which will also confirm BU budget approval
Oct/Nov: Interview
If selected – complete security clearance, complete Fellowship Agreement
Click here for full details from POST, as well as testimonials from previous fellows.
This is also an informative and useful document – it contains some examples of projects successful Fellows undertook and the evaluation of the whole scheme including what needs improvement.
There’s an irony in the fact that the more industry-oriented and practice-based degree programmes thought to be necessary for rebuilding our economy, are among those that present most challenges when it comes to reimagining Higher Education for a post Covid-19 world. In having to review what we teach, and how we teach it, we have inevitably found ourselves returning to more fundamental questions of purpose and value. It’s amazing how recent assertions about “low-value” degrees, based on graduate earnings, seem so strangely anachronistic on a Thursday night in “lockdown Britain”. In a recent post for WonkHE, we discuss what we can learn from how our own graduates’ attribute value to their undergraduate experience, from the perspective of post-university employment.
A new article by Prof. Dinusha Mendis (Department of Humanities and Law, FMC), co-authored with Dr. Ana Santos-Rutschman (St Louis University, USA) and Dr. Rosa Ballardini (University of Lapland, Finland) explores the way in which the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of 3D printing in healthcare. In particular, the article considers the use of 3D printing in the fight against this pandemic and the implications which have arisen in the legal field – as a result of intellectual property laws.
These implications first became apparent in March 2020 in the Lombardy region in Northern Italy, one of the areas which was hit hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic. As the outbreak progressed, a hospital of Chiari (a town in the province of Brescia) came close to running out of valves to connect patients to ventilators. The hospital reached out to the local manufacturers for more, but they could not deliver replacement valves in time – due to their supply chain and restrictions arising from intellectual property laws. However, a local engineering startup heard about the situation and developed three different versions of the valve prototype in a few hours. Within 24 hours, they had used a series of 3D printers to produce 100 valves, by reverse engineering and 3D printing the replacement valves. Furthermore, while a valve from the original manufacturers cost over 10.000 euros, the 3D-printed valves produced by Fracassi and Romaioli were significantly cheaper at around 1 euro.
One of the main reasons for the price disparity between the original valves and the 3D-printed ones, stemmed from the legal framework around technology use. There were also questions raised about the breach of intellectual property laws, by the local engineers.
However, at a time in which there is great legal uncertainty about how 3D printing in general will be regulated worldwide, it is important to think ahead to future scenarios of infectious disease outbreaks, particularly pandemics – where intellectual property laws may appear to stand in the way of critical health issues. In concluding the article, the authors make recommendations for the future and in this context, suggests a carve-out which would become applicable when there is a declaration of emergency by local or national authorities.
>> Read the full article here: https://iprinfo.fi/artikkeli/3d-printing-how-an-emerging-technology-may-help-fight-a-pandemic/
In April 2020, Prof. Mendis, together with partners from UK, Germany, Austria and Finland completed a large scale empirical and legal study on the Intellectual Property Implications of the Development of Industrial 3D Printing. The project was commissioned by the European Commission to Bournemouth University in 2018.
>> Download the full report and executive summary here.
This workshop will introduce you to EndNote, software that saves you time when managing your references and writing for publication.
This session will cover:
The role of EndNote in the research workflow
Reference collation and management
Full text harvesting
Writing for publication; citation and reference creation
Essential Preparation
You must have the correct software loaded onto your machine prior to attending.
If you are using a BU staff machine, EndNote desktop (X9) needs to have been installed by BU IT Services. This includes the toolbar for Word.
If you are using your own device running Windows 10, you can access it via AppsAnywhere from BU. However, please test it before the workshop to make sure that it can run EndNote desktop (X9) and that your version of Word has the EndNote toolbar installed.
If you are using your own Mac, you will need to contact BU IT Service and ask them to install EndNote desktop (X9).
You may find it beneficial (but not essential) to have dual monitors. This could allow you to watch the teaching and try things out at the same time.
As part of the UK Council for Graduate Education’s continued support for research supervisors during the covid-19 pandemic, they have published a Guide to Online Supervision.
The guide shares the benefits of online supervising, outlines the issues and challenges for supervisors and postgraduate researchers, and suggests strategies and practices for supervisors to consider when working with postgraduate researchers engaged in research at a distance.
Webinar: Effective Practices in Supervising Doctoral Candidates at a Distance
Please see below for a recent update from the Health Research Authority with regard to a new amendment tool and the online submission of amendments.
If you have any queries please email Suzy Wignall in Research Development & Support.
Online submission of amendments and a new amendment tool is now live across the UK, as of today Tuesday 2 June 2020.
These new processes for handling amendments are part of our ongoing Research Systems programme to improve services for applicants.
The amendment tool is designed to simplify the amendment process for applicants and
The ability to submit amendments online means that applicants can track the submission history of amendments.
From 2 June, all applicants making an amendment to project-based research will need to complete the amendment tool and submit their amendment online. The tool replaces the Notification of Substantial Amendment (NoSA) and Non-Substantial Amendment forms. Amendments to Research Tissue Banks and Research Databases will also be submitted online from this date.
To help with these changes, we have now published:
For queries on how to complete the tool, questions on the results from the tool, once complete or how to submit your amendment online, please contact amendments@hra.nhs.uk
Amendment Tool
The new amendment tool should be used for all project-based research including amendments being made under the COVID-19 fast-track process, from 2 June. (Research Tissue Banks and Research Databases will continue to use the IRAS generated substantial amendment forms.)
The tool categorises the amendment and provides tailored guidance on how to submit. It will identify any review bodies the amendment needs to be sent to, based on the changes that are being made to the study. It also provides detailed information about the amendment to participating sites.
The Notice of Substantial Amendment/annex 2 form can be generated by completing the tool. This version of the form can then be submitted to the REC and the MHRA (as required) when making a substantial amendment to a trial.
The amendment tool is based in Excel, but in the longer term we plan to fully integrate the tool functionality into IRAS.
The introduction of the amendment tool may require changes to Sponsor’s quality system (e.g. SOPs, guidance documents and templates etc.). Organisations should do this in accordance with the new process in good time. Given the additional demands placed across the healthcare research systems at this time, the MHRA has confirmed that it will adopt a pragmatic approach during inspection.
Submitting amendments online
Once you have completed the amendment tool, you should follow the submission guidance provided in the submission guidance tab of the tool. If the amendment needs to be submitted, then the amendment tool, together with all the supporting documents, should be uploaded into a new part of IRAS and submitted using the online system.
For amendments to Research Tissue Banks and Research Databases the IRAS substantial amendment form should be submitted online in place of the amendment tool.
Applicants will need to set up a new login and password for the new part of IRAS. We are sharing a login process with NIHR systems for the new parts of IRAS that provide online booking, the Combined Ways of Working (CWoW) pilot, and this new amendment system. If you already have a login for any NIHR system or one of these new parts of IRAS you can use the same details. If you do not already have a login for those systems, you will need to set up a new login and password as guided by the system.
Once you have logged in, applications will need to input the IRAS ID for the study as well as some other information regarding the study and amendment, some of which will need to be copied directly from the tool itself. Applicants can upload documents including a pdf of the tool itself. The system will issue an email to confirm the amendment has been submitted.
Hina Tariq, PhD student in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences with this poster entitled:
‘Validation of contracture assessment screening tool.’
Click the poster below to enlarge.
Contractures are a debilitating consequence of prolonged immobility potentially leading to physical impairments, limited functional mobility, decreased independence with everyday activities, and reduced social participation. There is no standard assessment tool available to assess the risk of contracture development or progression. The Contracture Assessment Screening Tool (CAST) was developed by Dorset Health Care University NHS Foundation Trust to address this gap. This project aims to establish the 1) CAST validity and 2) CAST effectiveness in reducing contracture development and progression. Timely identification of those at risk of contracture development or progression may help facilitate contracture prevention and the associated negative sequelae. To evaluate CAST, a mixed methods approach is being utilised including realist review and evaluation. Merging different methodologies and a realist approach will provide a unique perspective on CAST validation and use. This project is ongoing and the poster will present the overall methodology and significance of the project.
All researchers are invited to respond to this government survey.
BEIS has commissioned Vitae, supported by UKRI and Universities UK, to gather evidence to understand the implications of the Covid-19 pandemic on the activities of researchers and research groups. This evidence will inform BEIS’s consideration and design of potential interventions to help protect researchers, research institutions and facilities, and in the longer term reinforce the research base and sustain research and innovation activity in the UK. All researchers employed in UK universities, research institutes, charities and companies are invited to respond to the survey. They are particularly interested to hear from principal investigators and leaders of research groups.
The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) is inviting expressions of interest for its Parliamentary Academic Fellowship Scheme from Monday 8 June.
Monday 8th June 10:00 – 12:00
All researchers are invited to respond to this government survey.
Read and sign up to BU’s Policy Influence Digest
Upcoming opportunities for PGRs – collaborate externally
BU involved in new MRF dissemination grant
New COVID-19 publication
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2024
Horizon Europe News – December 2023