Tagged / PGR research

PGR Research Culture and Community Grant

Reminder the Second Call for Applications is Open 

The Doctoral College is delighted to offer a second round of funding of the PGR Research Culture and Community Grant. This grant is intended to support PGR-led activity across researcher development, research culture and research community building initiatives.

We are committed to fostering a cohesive and collaborative community of PGRs and we have dedicated grants aimed at supporting PGR-led social and/or academic events: this may be a social event, training activity or other initiatives to enhance the PGR student experience. In addition to community building, the purpose of the funding is to enable PGRs to gain transferable skills and experience in planning, organising, promoting and implementing PGR engagement activities.

Stream 1: PGR Researcher Development

  • Supports the organisation of skills focused workshops, events, or initiatives.
  • Grants of up to £500 per activity are available.
  • Examples: analysis workshops, guest speakers, digital skills sessions, writing sessions.

Stream 2: PGR Research Culture and Community

  • Supports the delivery of PGR research culture and community building, well-being or social activities.
  • Grants of up to £300 per activity are available.
  • Examples: cultural events, get togethers, wellbeing enhancing activities.

Applications close Monday 4 March 2024 (midnight)

Full details on how to apply, including the application form can be found on the Doctoral College Brightspace.

 

If you would like to discuss your ideas before submitting your application please contact:

pgrskillsdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk

3C Event – PGR Culture, Community & Cake

The Doctoral College is excited to bring you our first 3C event! This social event is a catch-up opportunity for all PGRs to meet informally with the PGR community, share your research and make new connections.

This is also a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have, particularly for any new starters. This is an informal session and it would be great to see you there.

Register here

Deadline approaching | Call for abstracts | The 15th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference


The deadline is approaching to get your application in to present at the 15th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference 2023. 


The conference will take place on Wednesday 29 November. This is a great opportunity for postgraduate researchers to showcase and promote their research to the BU community whether they have just started or are approaching the end of their journey at BU.

Attending the conference is a great opportunity to engage and network with the postgraduate research community and find out more about the exciting and fascinating research that is happening across BU.

Abstracts are invited from postgraduate researchers to present via oral or poster presentation.

For full details on how to apply please visit the Doctoral College Conference Brightspace.

Closing date 09:00 Monday 23 October 2023.

Registration to attend will open in November, all members of BU are welcome!

For any questions, please email pgconference@bournemouth.ac.uk and a member of the Doctoral College conference team will get back to you.

Call for abstracts | The 15th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference


One week to go till applications close!


The 15th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference 2023 will take place on Wednesday 29 November, and the deadline for applications is fast approaching.

The conference is a great opportunity for postgraduate researchers to showcase and promote their research to the BU community whether they have just started or are approaching the end of their journey at BU.

Attending the conference is a great opportunity to engage and network with the postgraduate research community and find out more about the exciting and fascinating research that is happening across BU.

Abstracts are invited from postgraduate researchers to present via oral or poster presentation.

For full details on how to apply please visit the Doctoral College Conference Brightspace.

Closing date 09:00 Monday 23 October 2023.

Registration to attend will open in November, all members of BU are welcome!

For any questions, please email pgconference@bournemouth.ac.uk and a member of the Doctoral College conference team will get back to you.

Call for abstracts | The 15th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference


The 15th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference 2023 will take place on Wednesday 29 November, and the call for abstracts is now open.


The conference is a great opportunity for postgraduate researchers to showcase and promote their research to the BU community whether they have just started or are approaching the end of their journey at BU.

Attending the conference is a great opportunity to engage and network with the postgraduate research community and find out more about the exciting and fascinating research that is happening across BU.

Abstracts are invited from postgraduate researchers to present via oral or poster presentation.

For full details on how to apply please visit the Doctoral College Conference Brightspace.

Closing date 09:00 Monday 23 October 2023.

Registration to attend will open in November, all members of BU are welcome!

For any questions, please email pgconference@bournemouth.ac.uk and a member of the Doctoral College conference team will get back to you.

Call for abstracts | The 15th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference


The 15th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference 2023 will take place on Wednesday 29 November, and the call for abstracts is now open.


The conference is a great opportunity for postgraduate researchers to showcase and promote their research to the BU community whether they have just started or are approaching the end of their journey at BU.

Attending the conference is a great opportunity to engage and network with the postgraduate research community and find out more about the exciting and fascinating research that is happening across BU.

Abstracts are invited from postgraduate researchers to present via oral or poster presentation.

For full details on how to apply please visit the Doctoral College Conference Brightspace.

Closing date 09:00 Monday 23 October 2023.

Registration to attend will open in November, all members of BU are welcome!

For any questions, please email pgconference@bournemouth.ac.uk and a member of the Doctoral College conference team will get back to you.

The Value of the Integrated Thesis

Bournemouth University offers students undertaking doctoral studies several options for how they might present their work for examination.  One increasingly popular, but sometimes misunderstood, option is the Integrated Thesis.  This thesis format allows students to incorporate papers into their thesis.  These can be published papers, papers accepted for publication, papers submitted, prepared but not submitted papers and other unpublished papers or reports.

Whilst the Integrated Thesis might look a little different, in all other ways the doctorate mirrors the processes and requirements of other doctorates.  Decisions about submitting an Integrated Thesis are usually made during the first half of a student’s doctorate, with the request to submit an Integrated Thesis being made at the point of Major Review.

When contemplating the submission of an Integrated Thesis, the student and the supervisory team need to ensure that this type of thesis will work for the student and the research being presented.  Import issues to consider might include:

  • It is important to reflect on how the published items will demonstrate a coherent body of knowledge that contributes to the thesis, rather than a collection of disjointed and disconnected papers.
  • The papers included in the Integrated Thesis will often be co-authored with supervisors and others, so it is important to demonstrate that the student has contributed most of the work towards the paper.

An Integrated Thesis is much more than simply replacing parts of the thesis with published papers.  For a more comprehensive overview of the requirements for submitting an Integrated Thesis refer to section 10.2 of the Code of Practice for Research Degrees.

The Integrated Thesis has several advantages over the traditional format for a doctoral thesis, including:

  • Getting research into practice as soon as possible is particularly important in the health and social science disciplines. The Integrated Thesis gives students the opportunity to begin publishing and sharing their work sooner.
  • Preparing an Integrated Thesis creates greater opportunities to develop a student’s doctoral work. Papers published and included in the thesis will have been exposed to external and independent peer review.  Reviewer feedback could help students develop their thinking around their research and thesis preparation.  Publishing can also build networking opportunities.
  • Publishing is an important part of the work of all academics so publishing during the doctoral journey will help students to build their CVs and develop their academic profiles. These publications will also have institutional benefits through REF submissions or otherwise contributing to the reputation of the University.
  • Publishing early in this way also puts students in a better position to start bidding for research funding soon after completing their studies.

If you are a PGR student and think an Integrated Thesis might work for you, please discuss with your supervisory team.  If you would like to know more about studying for a doctorate at BU, contact your Department PGR Lead (Professor Vanora Hundley, Dr Steve Trenoweth, Michael Lyne, Dr Liz Norton or Dr Fotini Tsofliou) or Dr Leslie Gelling (Head of the Doctoral School).

Below are examples of four Integrated Theses:

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation to improve muscle weakness in hip osteoarthritis: A feasibility study.

Social media use by midwives: an untapped potential.

A model for managing the variability of care processes – A quality improvement method for introducing Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) within an orthopaedic elective care clinical microsystem.

The influence of pregnancy upon acute cardiovascular responses to slow and deep breathing.

This Blog has been prepared jointly by Professor Vanora Hundley and Dr Leslie Gelling.

FHSS PGR Conference – extension to deadline of abstract submission

We are pleased to announce a one-week extension to the date for submission of abstracts, for the inaugural FHSS PGR Conference, which is being held on Tuesday 6th June from 09:30-13:30, in BGB.

 

The revised abstract submission date is Friday 21st April

 

We welcome abstracts for presentations or posters, from all PGRs in FHSS, no matter what stage of your studies you are at, focusing on the conference theme of ‘doing postgraduate research in health and social care’.  Do get in touch with the conference committee at FHSSPGRConferenceCommittee@live.bournemouth.ac.uk if you are unsure and want to discuss your ideas before submitting an abstract.

 

Don’t forget that we welcome the submission of posters that you have presented elsewhere over the last year – please submit a brief abstract, as outlined below.

 

You can submit your abstract by scanning the QR code, or following this link (https://forms.office.com/e/RK7uhNc7LT)

 

Best wishes

Tanya (on behalf of the conference committee)

UKCGE Route to Recognition for Supervisory Practice: Deadline for Submission 19 June 2023

Are you an established research degree supervisor?

Would you like your supervisory practice acknowledged at national level and join a growing number of BU staff who have gained recognition?

Come to the Supervisory Lunchbite session on Wednesday 10 May 2023 for support about the application process!

The UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE) has developed the Good Supervisory Practice Framework (GSPF) and the Research Supervision Recognition Programme to allow established supervisors to gain recognition for this challenging, but rewarding, role.

  • Acknowledging the Complexity of Your Role
  • Identify your professional development needs
  • Recognition of your expertise by a national body.

Further details and how to apply can be found here.

  • Individuals to complete application form, including 2 supporting statements from a co-supervisor and a PGR.
  • Individuals to submit application to the Doctoral College by Monday 19 June 2023, including email support from your Deputy Dean for Research & Professional Practice
  • Doctoral College to submit applications to UKCGE by Friday 23 June 2023
  • UKCGE to review application and feedback to individuals.

In line with the UKCGE guidance, individuals should send their completed application to the Doctoral College (fknight@bournemouth.ac.uk) before the BU Window Closing date below:

BU Window Closes UKCGE Window Closes Expected Outcome
19 June 2023 23 June 2023 September 2023

Book here to attend the Supervisory Lunchbite on Wednesday 10 May 2023 for support about the application process!

New research paper published by PhD student Hina Tariq

PhD student Hina Tariq, currently undertaking the Clinical Academic Doctorate program at the Department of Social Sciences and Social Work (SSSW), published a new paper titled, “Factors associated with joint contractures in adults: a systematic review with narrative synthesis” Open Access in the journal of Disability and Rehabilitation. This paper is co-authored by her academic supervisors, Professor Sam Porter, Dr Desiree Tait and Dr Kathryn Collins, clinical supervisor, Joel Dunn (Dorset Healthcare University Foundation NHS Trust), and her formal colleague from Pakistan, Shafaq Altaf.

Summary: The review presents latest evidence on factors associated with joint contractures, which are essential to guide clinical practitioners and non-experts in identifying and managing the risk associated with joint contractures. Clinical interventions based on the timely identification of risks related to joint contractures in vulnerable adults can potentially prevent or ameliorate their development or progression.

The review has already crossed over 300 reads. The full text can be accessed by following this link: Full article: Factors associated with joint contractures in adults: a systematic review with narrative synthesis (tandfonline.com)

 

 

Introducing the “Doctoral College Outstanding Contribution Awards”!

 

Recognising the contributions to postgraduate research by our PGR students, academics and professional staff

The Doctoral College are excited to announce the launch of our “Doctoral College Outstanding Contribution Awards”! 

These awards recognise the outstanding contributions to postgraduate research degrees at BU by any PGR, academic or professional staff member. They can be nominated throughout the year by any member of the postgraduate research degree community to anyone that they feel is exceptional, has exceeded expectations, and has had a positive impact on postgraduate research degrees at BU.

Eligibility

You can nominate anyone involved in postgraduate research at Bournemouth University to receive an award certificate. There is no award criteria, as long as the submission falls within the guidelines, whoever you’ve selected will receive a Doctoral College “Outstanding Contribution Award”!

How to nominate

We’ve made it really easy for you to nominate someone for a Doctoral College “Outstanding Contribution Award” – it’s just a short online nomination form!

The SciTech Postgraduate Research Conference 2020

The Sci-Tech PGR conference is an annual conference of oral and poster presentations by postgraduate researchers (PGRs) in the Faculty of Science and Technology at BU. Each year, the conference, organised by PGR representatives from each of the departments in the Faculty, provides a platform for PGRs across the Faculty to meet and share their research with their peers in a welcoming environment. The conference also provides valuable practice for PGRs in presentation and networking skills vital to a successful career in research. This year, the SciTech PGR Conference Committee hosted the Conference virtually via Zoom on Friday 9 October 2020 which saw fourteen PGRs from across the Faculty presenting their research in either oral presentation or digital poster format. To kick things off, Professor Tiantian Zhang, Deputy Dean of Research and Professional Practice, opened and closed the conference with an address to the participants and audience members, noting the importance of the event and praising the quality of the PGR presentations. More than 40 PGRs and Sci-Tech staff also tuned in to listen to the talks, join discussions, and support the presenting PGRs.

The conference had previously been scheduled for May 2020 but was postponed to October 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions. While in previous years the conference was held in-person at BU’s Talbot Campus, this year the conference took place virtually over Zoom. While hosting a virtual conference may have felt like unchartered territory for those on the planning committee, the conference was a great success! During each of the four sessions chaired by PGR representatives,  several PGRs from different Sci-Tech departments shared their screens to deliver fascinating presentations about their research.

Mixing different presentations from different departments in each session encouraged PGRs to tune in to a variety of research talks. During the course of the conference, four PGRs from the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, three PGRs from the Department of Computing and Informatics, two from the Department of Psychology, and one each from the Design and Engineering, Creative Technology, and Archaeology and Anthropology Departments gave overviews of their research during presentations. Additionally, two PGRs from the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology provided digital posters to be viewed by conference participants, which can also be viewed here. At the end of each session, time was devoted to allow the audience to pose questions to the speakers. The presenting PGRs ranged from Master’s students through to first, second, and third year PhD students, allowing an array of research progress to be put on display. The talks ranged from, but were not restricted to, microplastics in fish, mangrove conservation strategies in Kenya, the mechanisms of fake news, ancient ports of trade, threat detection in computer vision, and malicious automotive devices. It was a good day for Sci-Tech PGR research at Bournemouth University!

Although 2020 has been a bit of a crazy year, it is so impressive that the PGR community in the Faculty of Science and Technology have been able to band together to support each other and to continue developing their research. This conference could not have happened without the support of faculty and staff in the Sci-Tech Faculty, and particularly the Research Administrators Naomi, Emily, and Karen. A huge thank-you for all the support! And of course, thank you to the staff and students who made up the audience. And we’d be remiss to not thank the conference presenters for their fabulous contributions!

Here’s to another exciting year of PGR research!

The 2020 Sci-Tech PGR Conference committee

SciTech Postgraduate Research Conference (9 October 2020) | Virtual Posters

The SciTech PGR Conference Committee are delighted to showcase the following virtual posters as part of the SciTech PGR Conference on the 9th October 2020:

 

Filling the gap: Validation of 3D point cloud data for the excavation and recording of mass graves

Samantha De Simone, Martin Smith, Andrew Ford, Ellen Hambleton, & Paul Cheetham

Click the image below to enlarge

The application of digital technologies occupies a crucial role in the forensic arena, from the examination of injuries on a victim body and to capture a visual and spatial record of the crime scene. In order to obtain quality data, the analyses need to be performed with robust techniques, that must be able to meet the standard of accuracy, validity and reliably required in a courtroom. Among the novel technologies largely applied both during fieldwork and laboratory analyses is multi-view-stereo structure-from-motion (SfM-MVS) photogrammetry. SfM-MVS allows the generation of three-dimensional point (3D) cloud data from a set of overlapping photographs at different viewing angles, representing an accessible and affordable medium for forensic practitioners. Due to its accessibility and time effective aspect, SfM-MVS has been implemented as a recording tool in situ. Therefore, this study focuses on the validation of SfM-MVS for the recording the excavation and relationships of complex deposits in mass graves, where human remains may have high levels of fragmentation and commingling. The aim of the research is to reconstruct the entire excavation sequence in a single 3D point cloud. A complete sequence of the grave with point cloud data would serve as a permanent record and could fill the gap between experts working in the field and laboratory practitioners, enhancing the re-association of disarticulated and fragmented skeletons and facilitating the identification of individuals from their human remains.

 

The digital advantage: How 3D digitisation can aid in trauma analysis on human remains

Heather Tamminen, Martin Smith, Kate Welham, & Andrew Ford

Click the image below to enlarge

The benefits of recording cultural heritage through digital three-dimensional (3D) media are well-documented; the ability to analyse objects without damage, study items off-site, and compare remains that cannot otherwise be in the same vicinity are all important advantages. Increasingly, human remains are being digitised for respectful preservation and display, however a lot of work still needs to be done to test the quality of these models and their utility for detailed analysis. In 2009, construction of the Weymouth Relief Road led to the discovery of a mass burial with evidence for dramatic events occurring prior to their death. Dating from the 10th Century AD, the individuals were later identified as having originated in Scandinavia and North-Eastern Europe through their isotopic signatures. They had suffered widespread sharp force injuries and whilst these injuries were documented by conventional manual recording methods, more can be done to investigate them, especially with advances in technology. Due to the unique provenance of this collection, it was thought to be an ideal case study to investigate the potential of Multi-View Stereo Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry to generate 3D visualisations of injuries to skeletal remains which are of a quality high enough to study. Current results are promising and indicate that the models can provide detailed replications of the trauma that can be effectively studied without risk of damaging the specimens. The important question then remains of why this is something that researchers would want to spend time and energy doing when studying sharp force trauma. Therefore, this poster delves into the questions of why creating 3D models of sharp force trauma can help our understanding of past peoples and why this has the potential to be an excellent resource for individuals studying trauma both in archaeological and forensic situations.

SciTech Postgraduate Research Conference 2020

The SciTech PGR Conference Committee are delighted to announce they will be hosting this year’s SciTech PGR Conference virtually via Zoom on Friday 9 October 2020, from 10:00 to 15:00.

PGRs are encouraged to join us, either for the full conference or just for particular sessions, to support their peers and learn about the exciting PGR research in the SciTech Faculty.

 

Conference programme is available!

 

The details for the virtual sessions are as follows:

Session 1: 

Topic: SciTech PGR Conference. Session 1.

Time: Oct 9, 2020 10:00 AM London

Join Zoom Meeting

https://bournemouth-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/87388217262?pwd=c0I4d1FzQVRNU2R5ajYyUUVwaUJsQT09

Meeting ID: 873 8821 7262

Passcode: 9y$u=t6P

 

Session 2:

Topic: SciTech PGR Conference Session 2.

Time: Oct 9, 2020 11:00 AM London

Join Zoom Meeting

https://bournemouth-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/85894954499?pwd=YkF1SGh1NXk4NDRKVS9WZ0phUS9oUT09

Meeting ID: 858 9495 4499

Passcode: 5V@.5X.M

 

Session 3:

Topic: SciTech PGR Conference Session 3.

Time: Oct 9, 2020 01:00 PM London

Join Zoom Meeting

https://bournemouth-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/87814459247?pwd=MHdqUUsvaDNhbHJjRVdveEpaVEZ6UT09

Meeting ID: 878 1445 9247

Passcode: 7z$^9.pi

 

Session 4: 

Topic: SciTech PGR Conference Session 4.

Time: Oct 9, 2020 02:00 PM London

Join Zoom Meeting

https://bournemouth-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/89129286359?pwd=MHJ2WWZoaERLdkxVV3lVSHdQYnNNdz09

Meeting ID: 891 2928 6359

Passcode: 5n#A^u9C

 

We look forward to seeing you all.

All the best,

On behalf of the SciTech PGR Conference Committee,