Tagged / funding

The Month in Research: February 2024

A cartoon image of black and white hands clapping on a yellow background

The Month in Research

The Month in Research is our monthly round-up sharing research and knowledge exchange successes from across the previous month, showcasing the amazing work taking place across BU.

Your achievements

Thank you to everyone who has used the online form to put forward their achievements, or those of colleagues, this month.

  • Dr Luciana Esteves (Faculty of Science and Technology) is part of a team of coastal scientists, artists and educators who worked on the writing/production of Coasts for Kids, a series of videos narrated by 6-8 year old children about coastal processes. Coasts for Kids won 1st place at the Climate Creatives Challenge #04 (Coastal Change), which received submissions from 56 countries. A video about the challenge and the winning entries can be found here: https://youtu.be/7fWiRj8pq48

Funding

 Congratulations to all those who have had funding for research and knowledge exchange projects and activities awarded in January. Highlights include:

  • Professor Janice Denegri-Knott (Faculty of Media and Communication) has been awarded c.£200,000 by Horizon Europe: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions for their project Mapping the full scope of consumer engagement on social media
  • Dr Richard Wallis (Faculty of Media and Communication) has been awarded c.£111,000 by the British Academy for their project Supportive offboarding: Developing new practices to support sustainable freelance careers in TV
  • Dr Anna Metzger (Faculty of Science and Technology) has been awarded c.£70,000 by the Royal Society for their project Perception of objects’ 3D shape – from active sensing to multisensory representations
  • Dr Simant Prakoonwit (Faculty of Science and Technology) has been awarded c.£35,000 by Innovate UK for their project Artificial Intelligence Content Moderation project

Publications

Congratulations to all those who have had work published across the last month. Below is a selection of publications from throughout February:

Content for The Month in Research has been collected using the research and knowledge exchange database (RED), the Bournemouth University Research Online (BURO) repository and submissions via The Month in Research online form. It is by no means intended to be an exhaustive list. All information is correct as of 28.2.24.

Please use The Month in Research online form to share your highlights and achievements, or those of colleagues, for the next monthly round-up.

 

The Month in Research: November 2023

A cartoon image of black and white hands clapping on a yellow background

The Month in Research

The Month in Research is our new monthly round-up sharing research and knowledge exchange successes from across the previous month, showcasing the amazing work taking place across BU.

Your achievements

Thank you to everyone who has used the online form to put forward their achievements, or those of colleagues, this month.

Funding  

Congratulations to all those who have had funding for research and knowledge exchange projects and activities awarded this month. Highlights include

  • Dr Kathryn Collins (Faculty of Health and Social Science) has been awarded c.£186,000 by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) for their project Exploring the feasibility of using neuromuscular electrical stimulation for lower limb weakness after stroke
  • Professor Anna Feigenbaum (Faculty of Media and Communication) has been awarded c.£24,000 by the NHS for their project Co-creating storytelling artefacts on the Secure Data Environments project
  • Dr Alex Fry (Faculty of Health and Social Science) has been awarded c.£30,000 by the Church of England for their project Understanding the Wellbeing of Disabled Clergy

Publications

Congratulations to all those who have had work published across the last month. Below is a selection of publications from throughout November:

Content for The Month in Research has been collected using the research and knowledge exchange database (RED), the Bournemouth University Research Online (BURO) repository and submissions via The Month in Research online form. It is by no means intended to be an exhaustive list. All information is correct as of 27.11.23.

Please use The Month in Research online form to share your highlights and achievements, or those of colleagues, for the next monthly round-up.

The Month in Research: October 2023

A cartoon image of black and white hands clapping on a yellow background

The Month in Research is our new monthly round-up sharing research and knowledge exchange successes from across the previous month, showcasing the amazing work taking place across BU.

Your achievements

Thank you to everyone who has used the online form to put forward their achievements, or those of colleagues, this month.

  • Dr Rounaq Nayak, Senior Lecturer in Sustainability, has been awarded the prestigious UKRI (ESRC) Policy Fellowship. They will be hosted by the Wales Centre for Public Policy for 18 months where they will explore the utility of using evidence from people with lived experience in informing public policy. Read more.
  • Dr Jan Lewis, Visiting Fellow in the Faculty of Media and Communication, was awarded the MeCCSA (Media, Communication and Cultural Studies Association) Outstanding Achievement Award, Doctoral Research of the Year, for their PhD thesis entitled “Mediating the Past: BBC Radio Archaeology Broadcasting, 1922-1966”
  • Mike Scott, Postgraduate Researcher in the Centre for Excellence in Media Practice (CEMP) presented at the Neurodiversity in Higher Education (NDinHE) conference at Bristol University with a talk about Virtual Communities of Practice. Watch the talk.
  • Professor Darren Lilleker, Professor of Political Communication, participated in a live and streamed debate on the topic: Citizens or Spectators
  • Professor Zulfiqar Khan, Professor of Engineering, has received research exchange funding by Tsinghua University in Beijing, China to collaborate with Professor Yonggang Meng of Tsinghua University to explore the question of how to achieve super low friction in water-based ultralow or super low friction experiments. This has the potential to improve the efficiency of mechanical components and reduce energy consumption in various industries.
  • Professor Dinusha Mendis, Professor of Intellectual Property and Innovation Law, had their research cited as part of a Parliamentary report published by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee around cryptoassets and intellectual property rights. Read more.

Funding

Congratulations to all those who have had funding for research and knowledge exchange projects and activities awarded this month. Highlights include:

  • Dr Hongchuan Yu (Faculty of Media and Communication) has been awarded c.£287,000 by Horizon Europe MSCA for their project Affective Computing Models: from Facial Expression to Mind-Reading
  • Dr Kate Terkanian (Faculty of Media and Communication) has been awarded c.£47,000 by the Heritage Lottery fund for their project Coastal Communities, Coastal Stories
  • Dr Pramod Regmi (Faculty of Health and Social Sciences) has been awarded c.£426,000 by the US Federal Government for their project Modern Slavery and kidney disease in migrant workers in Nepal. Read more.
  • Professor Marcin Budka (Faculty of Science and Technology) has been awarded c.£220,000 by Innovate UK for a Knowledge Exchange Transfer partnership with Bluestar Software Ltd for their project Investigative Assistance Module for Police Forces.
  • Dr Mili Shrivastava (Business School) has been awarded c.£29,000 by Innovate UK for their project Local Industrial Decarbonisation Plans (LIDP), Innovate UK Poole Harbour Commissioners
  • Professor Mel Hughes (Faculty of Health and Social Sciences) has been awarded c.£84,000 by the NHS for their project Dorset ICS engaging homeless and vulnerably housed in research
  • Dr Catherine Talbot, Dr Xin Zhao and Dr Tabitha Baker were all awarded seed funding from the British Academy as part of the BA Early Career Researcher Network. Read more

Publications

Congratulations to all those who have had work published across the last month. Below is a selection of publications from throughout October:

 Content for The Month in Research has been collected using the research and knowledge exchange database (RED), the Bournemouth University Research Online (BURO) repository and submissions via The Month in Research online form. It is by no means intended to be an exhaustive list. All information is correct as of 27.10.23.

Please use The Month in Research online form to share your highlights and achievements, or those of colleagues, for the next monthly round-up.

Rollout of the online SoECAT and wording for funders guidance – FAO funders (and info for others)-This is really important for PI’s who are submitting an NIHR bid

The NIHR have released and fully tested a new online SoECAT over the last year and have already rolled it out across a number of funding streams. Following on from this rollout, it has been determined that the Excel SoECAT will no longer be made available for new applications beyond the end of March 2023 and that, for all phase 2 applications commencing after 1st April 2023, we would like you to help us encourage applicants to use the online system and to use the following wording within your application guidance:

Please be aware that if your planned project includes the recruitment of participants, your application should be accompanied with the Funder Export from the online SoECAT, obtainable via the NIHR Central Portfolio Management System (CPMS).

In order to create a SoECAT, you will need to create an account in CPMS. After creating the account, you will need to login to CPMS to activate this account. If any assistance is required in creating the account, please refer to our user guide. Once your account has been created and is active, you can proceed.

Guidance for the completion of the SoECAT by the applicant is present in the online tool to assist at each page and stage of the application process and further details can be found on the Online SoECAT Guidance page.

There is also an Online SoECAT Guidance Module which includes video tutorials and linked resources (an NIHR Learn account is required to access and enrol onto the module) and a helpful Study Representative – Online SoECAT Top Tips infographic.

 Please note that completion of the SoECAT may not be necessary when applying for funding to support: overarching programmes with no specific research study protocol, infrastructure, fellowships, anything where the grant is to be used for direct employment of a member of staff or purchase of an asset, and data or diagnostic reviews where recruitment data is not collected. Such applications should be submitted with supporting documentation to explain why a SoECAT was not submitted in this instance.

Knowledge Exchange & Innovation Funding Panel – call for Chair, Deputy Chair and Panel Members

The Knowledge Exchange and Innovation Funding Panel is responsible on behalf of the Research Performance and Management Committee (RPMC) for providing internal funding and support to ensure the University maximises opportunities for investing internal funds in projects that support knowledge exchange (KE) in line with the BU2025 Research Principles. 

We are seeking expressions of interest (EoIs) for the Chair, Deputy Chair and Panel members for the new panel. 

Chairs should be members of the Professoriate – this is extended to Associate Professors for the Deputy Chair role. Applications from underrepresented groups (minority ethnic, declared disability) are particularly welcome. 

EoIs for Panel members are open to the wider academic community, not just the Professoriate.

Application: EoIs will be reviewed against selection criterion which includes knowledge and experience of knowledge exchange, innovation and impact, experience of chairing meetings and plans for leading the research agenda across the university. 

EoIs for the Chair and Deputy Chair roles should consist of a short case (maximum length of one page) outlining suitability for the role. These should be submitted to the  KE & Innovation Fund mailbox by the deadline of 5pm on 23rd January 2023. 

EoIs for Panel member roles should consist of a short case (maximum length of half a page) outlining suitability for the role. These should be submitted to the  KE & Innovation Fund mailbox by the deadline of 5pm on 23rd January 2023. 

The successful candidates for the Chair and Deputy Chair roles will be required to attend an orientation meeting with Deputy VC Tim McIntyre-Bhatty on Thursday 9th March at 10am. 

Please note that applications for Panel members will be processed following the successful recruitment of the above role- this is likely to be after 6th March 2023. 

Full details are available here:

KE Innovation FP Chair and Deputy Chair role descriptor.docx

Process and criteria for KE Funding Recruitment.docx

KEI Panel Member Role Description.docx

Impact and Funding Bids workshop -Thursday 7th November

There are still places available for this online workshop, facilitated by Eva Papadapoulou, Research Facilitator and Amanda Lazar, Impact Advisor.

Writing about impact in a grant application can be challenging. However, a strong description of the benefits you hope your project will have on society and the economy, and the means you will take to get there, can make all the difference between getting funded or not.

The RKEDF online training session will help you understand what you need to include for the best chance of success and look at the different ways impact may be considered within each call.

Since the UKRI removed the Pathways to Impact sections of grant applications, they actually expect impact to be even more embedded within funding bids. So, how do you write about impact in grant applications? And what counts as impact?

This session is aimed at researchers at all stages of their careers but is likely to be especially useful for ECRs preparing their first funding bids.

Book your place

 

July update on Horizon Europe

According to UK Research Office (UKRO), ​the UK Government has announced a new package of measures to support applicants to Horizon Europe affected by the delays in association. The measures aim to ensure the stability for UK researchers and businesses and their European partners.

The measures will only come into force if the UK is unable to associate to Horizon Europe and will ensure that there is no funding gap. The UK government remains committed to a strong research collaboration with Europe and has reiterated that association remains its preferred outcome. The UK Government is ready to formalise association to EU programmes at the earliest opportunity.

Full details about the new measures are available on the dedicated page of the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) website.

The main message from the Government to the UK academics and research institutions remains the same – UK organisations can continue to apply to Horizon Europe in line with the European Commission’s ‘Q&A on the UK’s participation in Horizon Europe’ document.

The General Annexes attached to the main Horizon Europe work programme (2021-2022) ensure that UK applicants are treated as if the UK is an associated country throughout the process, from admissibility and eligibility to evaluation, up until the preparation of grant agreements. However, grant agreements can only be signed by UK participants if the association has come into force. Before that, normally, UK organisations will receive grant funding from the UK Government.

To finish this update and the whole academic year on an optimistic note, I am glad to tell you that in July 2022 BU academics have been awarded two Horizon Europe collaborative grants. This is amazing – congratulations!

UPDATE: just after publication of this blog we received information the from European Commission that the third Horizon Europe grant has been awarded to BU in July.

I wish all academics to enjoy the rest of the summer and keep promoting their research ideas in way of developing and submitting external grant applications. Majority of RDS pre-award staff will also be enjoying summer holidays in August to continue providing support after their return.

P.S. the recording and presentation from this year’s last funding briefing (Horizon Europe: Searching for funding opportunities and finding a call) is available on Brightspace. See you in September funding briefings again!

My Turing Scheme experience in Nepal

My name is Sulochana Dhakal-Rai. I am a final-year PhD student at Faculty of Health and Social Sciences (FHSS). My PhD research is related to factors affecting the rising rate of CS in urban hospitals in Nepal. There are several reasons to choose BU to do PhD study. Firstly,  this university offers strong professional orientation with focus on academic excellence and employability to multinational students from multicultural background. Secondly, it provides opportunities to students for undertaking  different activities, for example – international student exchange programme. I am always keen to be involved in such types of activities for my personal and professional development.

I applied for Turing Scheme Fund to do research activities in Nepal. The application process was very easy. I had received positive support from my supervisors and team of international grants. I was delighted to participate in international mobility, because I had a chance not only  sharing my research experience to student and teachers at Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences (MMIHS), Kathmandu, but also to do my own research activities (secondary data verification and analysis).

Although, it was hot weather, polluted and over-crowded  in Kathmandu, I enjoyed eating Nepali cuisine, meeting own people and speaking Nepali language. For me, there was not any problem in local language and culture. However, it was uncomfortable using public transport at times. I had suffered from of an episode of indigestion problem as well.

I loved meeting students and teachers of MMIHS. During my stay in MMIHS, I had the opportunity to share experience about my research study, using mixed methods in research study and my experience working as a foreign nurse in UK to relevant teachers and students. They were really good and inspiring people. I always received respect and support from them while I was there.

After this international activity, I have learnt how to work with people from different organisation and different place. I have developed my confidence in employability and career skills. I would like to express my thanks to Bournemouth University for providing me such a golden opportunity. I strongly recommend to other student at Bournemouth University to participate these kinds of international mobility programmes.

Sulochana Dhakal-Rai.