Yearly Archives / 2012

ECCG @ the IPA, Trying to ‘Make commercial sense of scholarly research’

Uncategorized

We tried to see how much value might be placed on our scholarly work – PhD work mainly – by those in industries that are linked closely to our subject. In this case that meant talking to people from advertising agencies and our investigations into consumer culture. A series of brief introductory talks each followed by a seminar based discussion led by one of the academic team took place following this format:
The commercial value of academic research: insightful processes and findings
Dr Janice Denegri-Knott PhD work – virtual consumption
Dr Rebecca Jenkins PhD work – consumer imagination
Dr Mike Molesworth PhD work – consumer play
Dr Richard Scullion PhD work – consumer choice
Dr Carrie Hodges – cultural impacts on consumption
Some fascinating insights emerged from the day and I share them in no particular order of importance here.
Industry people are just as likely to say they will turn up and then not do so as our students!
They are locked firmly in the now, in their own practices and many resist being challenged on this
Despite our efforts to ‘talk business language’ it still felt a little impenetrable to our audience ‘for the sake of being clever’
Seeing things in ‘Black and white’ is still very much valued, the complexity and nuances are acknowledged but they want us to iron them out not explain why we shouldn’t, can’t, or are in danger of missing the essence of the material by doing so
More ‘positively’ they sort of know they need to break out of the now mode and the counting mentality but narrow definitions of ROI is currently a major block
Want to know more check this out
http://eccg.wordpress.com/2012/03/01/event-eccg-the-ipa-london-making-commercial-sense-of-scholarly-research-about-consumer-culture/

BBSRC/FSA joint call for Early Career Research Fellowships

BU research, Funding opportunities

Application deadline: 20 September 2012

Background

BBSRC, in partnership with the Food Standards Agency (FSA), encourages applications for early career research fellowships (analogous to the David Phillips fellowships scheme) in areas of science that are of strategic and scientific interest and importance to the funders. For more details see:Visit the Food Standards Agency website

They welcome proposals within the BBSRC/FSA remit. The FSA particularly encourages proposals which can demonstrate potential for significant leaps forward in providing the evidence needed to underpin its objective of safer food for the nation. These may be on current/new areas of interest where building research capability/capacity/new approaches would be helpful, for example:

  • on foodborne disease organisms such as Listeria
  • on emerging/new issues for which a compelling case can be made

Number of awards

They anticipate two 5-year fellowships will be awarded, in addition to the standard BBSRC David Phillips fellowships awarded annually, and subject to the usual excellent quality expected.

BBSRC and FSA have allocated up to £2M to fund these additional fellowships.

How to apply

Application to these fellowships is through the David Phillips fellowship scheme (see related links).

Applicants should submit a covering letter indicating that they wish to be considered for the BBSRC-FSA fellowships scheme.

Please note that only one application to both schemes is required.

Applications submitted which are considered out of remit will automatically be considered for a standard David Phillips fellowship, so long as they fall within the broader BBSRC remit.

Assessment

Applications to both schemes will be assessed in the same way through BBSRC’s Research Committee E (supplemented by appropriate expertise as required).

Application assessment will run concurrently with that of David Phillips fellowships.

Engagement with policy

As part of successful fellowships, each Fellow will be allocated a mentor from the FSA (in addition to the mentor assigned from BBSRC) to foster collaboration and interaction between the Fellow and the FSA.

Each Fellow will also be expected to spend approximately one to two days per month working with FSA staff to:

  • develop understanding of the science into policy environment
  • contribute to the strategic development of the Agency’s evidence base to underpin the formulation of FSA policies

Further information

Potential applicants are encouraged  to contact BBSRC/FSA to discuss their proposals’ fit to remit, see contacts below.

External contact

Alisdair Wotherspoon, FSA (scientific remit)
alisdair.wotherspoon@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Contact

Anuj Bhatt (scientific remit)
anuj.bhatt@bbsrc.ac.uk

Administrative enquiries
postdoc.fellowships@bbsrc.ac.uk

 The RKE Operations team can help you with your application.

Summarised Work Programmes now available!

EU

Well, as I promised last week when the Work Programmes were released, I have taken the pain out of reading these for you and created summary documents. These are bookmarked so you can jump straight to the section you are interested in, see the call aims and objectives and deadline and the type of project it is without trawling through the Work Programme.

You can then look up more specifics such as the assessment criteria in the Work Programme for those calls you are interested in.

Over 1, 000 pages have been compressed in to these documents which are in subject order and on our I drive. We are the only university to offer this service so hopefully you will find this a useful one.

The Work Programme Summaries can be found in the folder: I:\R&KEO\Public\RDU\Final Work Programme Summaries 2012

 

Joint Programming: Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life Strategic Research Agenda Published

EU

The Joint Programming Initiative (JPI) on A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life (HDHL) has published its Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) at a recent conference in The Hague. The JPI HDHL has also announced some pilot activities to be undertaken. This area will be really important in furture EC calls, so it would be useful for you to get a flavour of what the EU’s thinking is, so you can see if you are able to fit in anywhere with it.

The SRA is built around three main areas:

  • determinants of diet and physical activity;
  • diet and food production; and
  • diet-related chronic diseases.

The three pilot actions are as follows:

  • a project on determinants of diet and physical behaviour;
  • a roadmap initiative for biomarkers for nutritional/health claims; and 
  • a European nutrition phenotype data sharing initiative.

You can read more on the JPI website.

Tender from Creative Care Dorset

Funding opportunities

Creative Care Dorset is working in partnership with Arts and Health South West to build a more comprehensive overview of the arts and health activity taking place inDorset.  Funding for this project comes from Arts Council England and Dorset County Council.  The information gathered from this research project will feed into a larger research project that is taking place across the South West as well as support the arts and health development work taking place inDorset.

 Creative Care Dorset are seeking an experienced and self motivated researcher with the skills to gather the information we seek efficiently as well as the ability to present the information generated in a user friendly manner. For further details about this commission and how to apply please read the Research Brief . Deadline for applications is: 13th August 2012.

Erasmus Student Network (ESN) Survey 2012 “Exchange: Creating Ideas, Opportunities and Identity” now open for responses

EU

The focus of this year’s edition is to investigate the employability of mobile and non-mobile students and show the beneficial effects of going abroad. The survey also explores the impact of student mobility on entrepreneurship and European citizenship, and gives insight into students´ satisfaction with ESN and other student organisations.

The survey will stay open until the 30th of September and takes no more than 15 minutes to fill in. All participants who complete it have the chance to win a two week intensive language course including 32 lessons in the exclusive Education First school in Manchester (with a total value of more than EUR 1,000).

Accommodation in a host family or residence and a meal plan are included as well as the flight and transfer are included.

AHRC European Proposal Support Fund

EU, Funding opportunities

The European Proposal Support Fund (PSF) provides funding to enable researchers to network with potential partners and support the putting together of a proposal to the European Commission.

The fund is primarily aimed at encouraging UK arts and humanities researchers to engage with the European Commission Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities (SSH) Work Programme, however we are open to considering other European Commission Funding sources. In these cases please contact the AHRC prior to submission and we will advise if you can apply (note: European Research Council (ERC) and Marie Curie Actions are not eligible).

Funding is for up to £10,000 for travel, subsistence, meeting costs etc to enable the researchers involved in the proposal to meet and put together their commission application. Investigator time, overheads etc cannot be included. Applicants must be Arts and Humanities Researchers based in the UK who would ordinarily be eligible for AHRC funding. The application form is very short and needs to be emailed to p.henly@ahrc.ac.uk by the closing date. Deadline: 21st August 2012

 

Beyond REF2014

BU research, Uncategorized

Attending a recent course on ‘Researcher development, the environment and future impact’, there seems to be a recurring theme across all sessions – the importance of adopting a long term view into research.

You reap the seeds you sow. This rings true in many aspects of life. It certainly is the common mantra sung by many of the speakers on the course. ‘Investment in the future’, ‘future impact’, ‘vitality and sustainability’ are just some of the buzz words thrown into the mix in that context.

And all that, has a direct and indirect link to the ‘impact’ element in the context of the Research Excellence Framework. Naturally, if you’re at the stage of planning your research and thinking about the impact, you’re too late for REF2014.

Yes, the speakers were referring to REF2020,  even though there isn’t an official REF2020 yet.

Isn’t it a bit too early to start thinking about that, I heard you say. When should you start thinking about ‘impact’? Colleagues from other HEIs talked about ‘impact’ at the PhD stages; others even mentioned ‘impact’ during undergrad. So, is there a ‘right’ time to start thinking about impact? Yes. The answer is, as early as possible.

How far wide will your research reach?

How many people will benefit from it?

What significance will it have on the society at large?

How many lives will it change?

Your research is like the stone that creates ripple in the water – how many ripples will it create? How long will the ripples last for? Will it create a beautiful wave? How many people will see those ripples and appreciate their beauty? It’s all to do with the way you cast that stone. You aim, you calculate and you plan.

Free image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

With proper planning of your research career path comes the evaluation and identification of the relevant ‘impact’. Along the way, other elements like obtaining funding and support, peer review processes and publications will slot into place, piece by piece.

 

JRF call in Poverty and Ethnicity: Social Networks

BU research, Funding opportunities

In Spring 2011, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation launched a major new 5 year programme across the UK which aims to increase understanding of the relationship between poverty and ethnicity. Details of the programme can be viewed here.

A considerable amount of research has been undertaken which has highlighted the positive impact that participation in social networks can have. However, their role in enabling people to escape poverty and the way in which they operate for people in different minority ethnic groups is not fully understood. As part of the first phase of this programme of work, we are inviting proposals for a research project which aims to address this important gap in our understanding.

This research aims to develop our understanding of how the experience of accessing social networks differ across a range of people in different ethnic groups and how this impacts on their ability to escape from poverty.

Further information

The submission must contain two attachments: 

For more information about the programme please refer to our poverty and ethnicity page. Proposals should be submitted by 23.59pm on 30 August 2012.

 
 The RKE Operations team can help you with your application.

HEA Workshop and Seminar Series Thematic seminars, 2012-13

BU research, Funding opportunities

The Higher Education Academy is inviting HEIs to host thematic workshops and seminars that disseminate findings from research or evaluation work, or share evidence-informed policy and/or practice. A grant of £750 is available from the HEA to support each workshop run by the HEI.   This is an excellent opportunity to disseminate outcomes from your Education Excellence projects.

The next call for proposals for workshops in 2012/13 opens 01 October 2012 and closes 29 October 2012.  Workshops or seminars should be held during the spring and summer (February – July 2013).

The three thematic areas for this call are:

•  Employability – includes integrating work experience; addressing employer perspectives.

•  Flexible learning – includes using technology to support flexibility in the pace or place of delivery; engagement with employers to promote flexibility of pace, place or mode of delivery.

•  Internationalisation – includes student mobility; internationalising the curriculum; integration of home and international students; promoting intercultural understanding. 

Further details, a proposal form and details of past workshops are here: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/seminar-series#themes

 The RKE Operations team can help you with your application.

New Submission System for 2013 FP7 Calls

EU

Just as a reminder to any of you who have submitted previously to the EC, but a new system is being introduced for the 2013 calls. The new system is going to replace the Electronic Proposal Submission System (EPSS). Currently, all open calls under the 2013 Work Programmes apart from the European Research Council (ERC) calls require submission of proposals via the new system. Don’t worry if you are going for this year’s Marie Curie’s however as calls still open under the 2012 Marie Curie Work Programme will use the old EPSS system.

The new system is integrated into the Participant Portal; so you need to make sure you have a European Commission Authenticated Service (ECAS) account (and make sure you do this in plenty of time). There is a user guide for the system on the EC website.
In short, to start a proposal submission, go via the link provided on the specific Call page in the Participant Portal. In the section Electronic Proposal Submission, the call topic is selected from a drop-down menu. Applicants will have to input their ECAS account information in a separate window before they can continue with their application. Once logged into ECAS, applicants are automatically directed to the Participant Portal submission system screen, and then have to complete “Step 3” (with Step 1 being the login and Step 2 the selection of the funding scheme).

In order to progress from Step 3, the Participant Identification Code (PIC) of the co-ordinating institution is absolutely needed. From here, proposal submission is quite similar to the previous EPSS system. It is important to note however, that a PIC code is now needed for every partner in the consortium in order to be able to add their data. There are also a number of technical requirements details of which you can find in the Commission guide.

Once the first registration is completed, you can go back into the system via the Participant Portal. As in EPSS, it is possible to resubmit drafts of proposals until the deadline. Our resident EU submission experts Paul Lynch and Alex Peirce in RKEO are on hand to give you further advice if you need it.

At an early stage in your research career? Then come to one of our ECR Forums! First one next week!

Uncategorized

Over the next six months we are running a series of forums for academic colleagues who are at an early stage in their research career. The forums will be open, informal sessions where you can meet with a group of experienced academics and Julie Northam and Julia Taylor from the R&KEO to discuss anything you like to do with research. From publications to projects to funding to research strategy we will be on hand to help and advise. Lunch / refreshments will be provided.

The forums will be held at the following times and you will need to book to confirm your attendance (this is so we can order enough food and refreshments in advance)

25 July 13:30 – 15:00 in Casterbridge, Thomas Hardy Suite Talbot Campus

17 September 12:30 – 15:00 on the Talbot Campus (Room to be confirmed)

19 November 12:30 – 15:00 on the Lansdowne Campus (Room to be confirmed)

11 December 12:30 – 15:00 on the Talbot Campus (Room to be confirmed)

BUCRU – Seminar presenting Breaking News!

BU research, Post-award, Publishing, Research news, Uncategorized

 

BREAKING  NEWS…

We would like to invite you to an afternoon seminar by one of our Visiting Faculty, Professor Mike Wee, presenting some exciting new research findings to come out of a recently completed Research for Patient Benefit funded study comparing two methods of pain relief during labour (abstract and biography below).  This paper was just voted best paper of the conference at the Obstetric Anaesthetists Association Annual Conference in Liverpool and was featured recently in the Bournemouth Echo http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/9770928.Pain_relief_in_labour__study_at_Poole_hospital_makes_important_discovery/

The seminar is scheduled for Thursday 19th July 2-3pm in BG10 Bournemouth House (after the HSC end of term lunch and next door for your convenience).

We hope you can make it and look forward to seeing you then.

BUCRU

Website: http://microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk/bucru/

Administrator: +44 (0)1202 961939 / wardl@bournemouth.ac.uk

Title: The IDvIP Trial: A two-centre double blind randomised controlled trial comparing i.m. diamorphine and i.m. pethidine for labour analgesia

Research team and affiliations: MYK Wee, JP Tuckey,* P Thomas,† S Burnard,* D Jackson.

Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Poole, UK, *Royal United Hospital, Bath, UK, †Bournemouth University Clinical Research Unit, Bournemouth, UK.

Abstract:

Background: Intramuscular pethidine, the commonest parenteral opioid analgesic used in obstetrics and more recently diamorphine usage has increased in the UK.  The maternal, fetal and neonatal side effects are well known for pethidine but there are no sufficiently powered large RCTs comparing pethidine with diamorphine. The aim of this trial is to address this.

Methods: After ethical approval, informed consent was obtained from 484 women randomised to receive either 7.5mg diamorphine i.m. or 150mg pethidine i.m. for labour analgesia. The sample size calculation derived from a small RCT giving 90% power (at the 5% significance level) is based upon the maternal primary outcome measure of pain relief at 60mins and the neonatal primary outcome measures of Apgar Score of <7 at 1min and neonatal resuscitation. Secondary outcome measures include verbal pain intensity at 60mins and over 3hrs post-analgesia, pain relief over first 3hrs, maternal oxygen saturation, sedation, nausea and vomiting and maternal satisfaction with analgesia. Fetal and neonatal secondary outcomes include CTG trace, meconium staining, UApH, UVpH, time of delivery to first breath, Apgar Score at 5mins, naloxone use, neonatal oxygen saturations, sedation and feeding behaviour for the first 2hrs after delivery.

Results: Reported using CONSORT guidelines. At 60mins post-administration and over a 3hr period, diamorphine is better at reducing pain scores than pethidine (p<0.001). There were no statistical differences between the two groups regarding Apgar Scores of <7 at 1min and the need for neonatal resuscitation.  The time between first dose administered and delivery is on average 82mins longer with the diamorphine group compared to pethidine (p<0.001). The vast majority of women experienced moderate to severe pain at all times. Women receiving diamorphine were more satisfied with their analgesia. There were no statistically significant differences in maternal sedation, nausea and vomiting or oxygen saturations over the 3hr period. There were no statistically significant differences in the fetal and neonatal outcomes including feeding behaviour between the two groups within 2hrs of birth but neonates in the pethidine group were more likely to be moderately or severely sedated at delivery.

Discussion: Intramuscular 7.5mg diamorphine gives significantly better analgesia than 150mg pethidine but prolongs delivery by approx. 82mins.  Women given diamorphine are more likely to be satisfied with their analgesia.  The mechanism for the prolongation of delivery time in the diamorphine group should be investigated further.

Acknowledgement: This research was funded by the NIHR Research for Patient Benefit Programme (PB-PG-0407-13170).

References

1. Tuckey JP, Prout RE, Wee MYK. Prescribing intramuscular opioids for labour analgesia in consultant-led maternity units: a survey of UK practice. International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia 2008, 17(1):3-8.

2. Fairlie FM, Marshall L, Walker JJ et al. Intramuscular opioids for maternal pain relief for labour: a randomised controlled trial comparing pethidine with diamorphine. British  Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 1999; 106(11): 1181 -1187.

Biography of speaker:

Michael Wee is a consultant anaesthetist from Poole Hospital and Royal Bournemouth Hospitals.  He has a special interest in obstetric anaesthesia and is the lead obstetric anaesthetist at Poole Hospital.  He is chair of the Research and Innovations Group at Poole Hospital and is a Board member of the Western Comprehensive Local Research Network.  He was awarded a visiting professorship at Bournemouth University in 2009.  He is a referee for several medical journals.  His research interests include patient information, safety in anaesthesia, maternal analgesia and simulation in epidural anaesthesia.  He is a co-supervisor of a PhD student at BU and chief investigator of the MObs study investigating early warning scores in obstetrics.

Arthritis Research UK – Educational Project Grants

BU research, Funding opportunities

Arthritis Research UK seeks to fund a number of projects aimed at investigating innovative approaches to enhance the education of health care professionals and the public on musculoskeletal disorders. They are pleased to issue a call for expressions of interest in research in this area. This call will be in relation to particular questions and research topics – please make sure you read the document, Call for research proposals in the education of health professionals and the public 2012, before you apply.

The application process is in three stages, as follows:

Stage 1: Submission of an intent form via our on-line application system, deadline Wednesday 19 September 2012

Stage 2: Shortlisted applicants from Stage 1 may be invited to attend a review/mentoring workshop in January 2013. Those subsequently invited to submit a full application will be informed of this by 27 February 2013.

Stage 3: Submission of a full application form, for those invited to submit only, again via our online application system, deadline Wednesday 17 April 2013. Provisional notification of final awards will be made by 26 July 2013.

Those interested in submitting an intent form are advised to speak beforehand to Keir Windsor, Education Manager, on 01246 558033. Technical queries relating to the application process or timing should be directed to Rowan Roberts, Education Awards Administrator, on 01246 558033 or r.roberts@arthritisresearchuk.org

The RKE Operations team can help you with your application.

Centre for Nursing Studies – Patients First Studies

BU research, Funding opportunities

The Patients First Programme provides support and facilitation to clinically based nurse-led teams to help them to develop, implement and evaluate locally focused innovations that improve patient care in any healthcare setting across the UK.

Over a period of 12 months, the Patients First Programme provides:

  • Help to keep a central focus on the patient and/or service users and the issues that matter to them the most
  • Advice on developing effective project plans/proposals
  • Encouragement to identify and make links with people who may be able to offer support locally
  • Access to practice development tools and resources
  • A workshop programme of support and development that will bring together the nurse-led teams to explore and enable effective strategies for developing and changing practice and provide opportunities for networking and sharing
  • Facilitation in the workplace to enable the development of knowledge and skills in leading and facilitating sustainable changes in practice and improvements in care
  • Peer mentorship linking up team leaders with those who have completed similar initiatives
  • Support with publishing and active dissemination
  • Bursary of up to £5000

Who can apply?

Clinically based nurses and nurse-led teams who have identified with patients an aspect of care that needs to be improved and who can demonstrate a commitment to:

  • Using a variety of approaches to inform and evaluate the development of practice leading to sustainable improvements in care
  • Working in ways that enable the inclusion and participation of patients and other key stakeholders in all aspects of the project
  • Using a collaborative and systematic approach to development and improvement

Find out more

To date, 40 project teams have been recruited;  (7 in autumn 2009, 8 in February 2010, 15 in November 2010 and 10 in November 2011). You can find out more about the current Patients First Projects by clicking on the link. A number of project teams have now completed their final reports; to read the summaries of their work, view Volume 6 of the Dissemination Series by clicking on the link.

An evaluation of Year One of this programme that identifies outcomes for patients, participants and practice is available by clicking here.

Closing date 19 September 2012

The RKE Operations team can help you with your application.