BU Research Blog

BU engages:

• Dr Andrew Mayers, Senior Lecturer in Psychology (DEC), took part in a live radio interview last Thursday with Hot Radio (a community station operating from AFC Bournemouth’s stadium complex). In a series of discussions during the lunchtime show, he talked about his work in postnatal depression, improving sleep for adults, and tackling children’s sleep problems. You can listen to the interview with Andy here.
• Dr Dinusha Mendis interviewed by BBC on her research into 3D Printing and IP Law, more details can be found here
• Dr Darren Lilleker spoke last Friday at the Bournemouth Housing Forum conference (part of the Bournemouth 2026 partnership) on political communication and localism. You can watch a clip here
• Prof Jian Zhang and Dr Richard Southern have had their work on the Bystander Effect featured by Reuters News

Forthcoming events at BU

• Interfacing with older LGBT citizens and challenging discrimination: 17th and 18th April. Register for the event, here. Who should attend? Representatives from both statutory and voluntary groups are invited to Bournemouth for two days—to learn about our research, view the award-winning film, Rufus Stone, and take part in exercises drawn from the Method Deck-Methods to Diversity, a learning tool to inspire agencies, practitioners and communities to think about diversity within their ageing population. The two days will feature stimulating activities and informal discussions, the potential damage of discrimination experienced by many older gay and lesbian citizens, and what can be done about it. What you will gain by attending? Participants will go away from the two days of activities with new knowledge about growing older as gay or lesbian. They then will be equipped to return to their groups with training in organising their own meaningful exercises around interfacing with older gay and lesbian citizens in their organisations and reducing discrimination in their communities. Participants will receive a complimentary copy of the Method Deck – Methods to Diversity and a DVD of the award-winning film, Rufus Stone, upon completion of the two-day training.
• Register for Festival of Learning updates here and encourage your friends and family to do so also!

Interesting things to read and watch

• British Science Association What’s on South newsletter, including details of Reading Science Festival, can be found here
• The LSE simple guide to podcasting series continues here
• David Willetts praises public engagement in science. You can read more here
• Bogged down by your REF impact case study? You can read more about the bigger picture here
• UCL Lunch Hour Lecture: What has the King’s Speech done to improve public awareness about stuttering
• British Science Association: Science News Digest – including “scientists attacked over claims that ‘junk DNA’ isn’t junk after all”
• Not sure when to go public with your research findings? Read this blog post by our Prof Matthew Bennett for his reflections.

Training and conferences

• You can register now for the British Science Festival, Science Communication Conference 2013 taking place on 16/17 May.
• If you are thinking about building creative partnerships, the NCCPE have developed a great set of sources from their Engage 2012 conference, which you can find here

Public engagement events to attend

• The Cambridge Science Festival is nearly with us! They have a fantastic programme of events from the 8th-26th March which you can check out here – if you go to anything, let Becca know what you think worked well and what.
• Oxfordshire Science Festival is also fast approaching! Taking place from the 9th-24th March. Full details can be found here – again let Becca know what you think
• If you’re in Bristol on 20th March, Bristol University has an event on Representing Alzheimers’s: exploring Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia through films and science

Public engagement opportunities

• The British Science Association is offering Media Fellowships, which would allow you to spend 3-6 weeks working with a media host. This is a fantastic opportunity to develop invaluable communication skills. For more details, click here
• Get involved in citizen science with the Bournemouth Naturally . Project co-ordinator Heather is looking for colleagues at BU to get involved, click here to email her or learn about the exciting forthcoming events on the project website. The next event is a walk taking in the varied habitats Kinson Common has to offer on Wed 13th March, 10am. Meet entrance off Kinson Road (Opposite Brook road, BH10 5ES, SZ070957)
• Get your students enthused with public engagement! The British Science Association is offering a student bursary scheme for students to attend the British Science Festival
• Get involved in the London Science Festival, 2013 – see how to apply here

Funding opportunities

• The Biochemical Society is offering Scientific Outreach Grants of up to £1000 for outreach events that communicate the excitement of bioscience to young people and the community. For more details, click here
• The Institute of Physics, is offering up to £1500 for Public Engagement Grants. For more details, click here
• Impact awards from Praxis Unico. Check our more details here
• For details of both the People and Society Awards from the Wellcome Trust, please click here