BU Research Blog

Well, the first day of the Festival of Learning is very nearly done and dusted (the last events finish at 9pm) and what a day it has been! I would love to hear your reflections on the day, please do email me with your thoughts. Like any day of any event there have been highs and lows, but it has been fantastic to see so many members of the public raving about BU events.

Below, you can learn a bit more about what happened on Festival of Learning day one. But before you read about has has been, why don’t you come along to something to an event on Tuesday? Pop along to the welcome desk in either Poole House (for Talbot Campus events) or the EBC (for Lansdowne Campus events) and we can advise you on where to go.

Events on Tuesday include:

• The myths and facts behind the sustainability agenda
• Café Scientifique: So you think you are what you eat?
• Putting pen to paper
• Cutting through the paperwork to deliver brilliant events
• The campus permaculture project
• An introduction to the Raspberry Pi
• Oh, for a good night’s sleep!
• Ageing well: An interactive and creative event
• It’s good to walk: Have you checked your blood vessels?
• Marketing for SMEs workshop
• Faith-based health promotion: Opportunities and barriers

Also, do come along to our exhibition that is taking place in Poole House Atrium and Kimmeridge House Foyer.

But what happened on Monday? Here are just a few reflections from my colleagues in the Research and Knowledge Exchange office:

Living with a long term condition: Reflections from Paul Lynch:

“For this event, our event organisers were Dr Carol S Bond and Jenny Roddis. In the morning they were joined by co-presenter Dr Jaqui Hewitt-Taylor and in the afternoon Chris Pitt. The morning session was attended by a diverse range of people, with an interesting mix of healthcare professionals and service users (and other folks too!).  The participants joined in a vibrant and informative discussion of the practical application of a theory of well-being and long term conditions.  This was followed by a lively and highly entertaining discussion of information services and their utility.  The afternoon session was a practical workshop demonstrating and implementing techniques for successful internet searching of health related information.  Both sessions offered opportunities for exchanging experiences and information in a positive and supportive atmosphere that was widely appreciated by all of the participants”.

Start local, aim global: Reflections from Emily Cieciura:

“Huiping Xian and invited speakers, Roger Colmar and Peter James gave a detailed and highly practical review of how best to do business with government bodies and companies in China and Japan, summarised as build friendship, build trust, ensure win-win. The UKTI is a key source of information. The cultural differences and similarities were considered with emphasis given to the importance of developing relationships leading to trust, tips for etiquette (including personal space through to giving gifts), awareness of regional differences, and taking time to be comfortable with the country and its people. Regarding legal contracts, Chinese partners favour good faith rather than complex legal relationships. Peter stressed the fast pace of change in China with opportunities such as the ‘green’ agenda, improvements to health and safety, a move away from a ‘saving’ to a ‘spending’ culture and increased entrepreneurship.  The event concluded with a lively discussion with speakers and guests airing their personal experiences of working with Asian business people”.

Nicola King, reflecting on Social Media for the Terrified:

“This 3-hour event was attended by nearly 50 individuals who were all keen to find out more about social media and social networking. Attendees learnt about the main social networks, what social media can actually enable us to do, and that social networks are the latest form of marketing for individuals and businesses alike. LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and others were all discussed, but attendees were also made aware of the potential dangers of social media if not used correctly. After an interesting talk by Debbie Sadd,  who led the event, attendees were then invited to discuss their particular areas of interest with others in small teams. One team focused on Facebook, another on Twitter, and they used their own devices (phones, tablets, laptops) to explore their area of interest, asking any questions of the experts on hand as they went. In summary this was a very interesting discussion focussing on a topical and, judging by the turn-out, popular subject”.

Testing capacity in people with dementia, reflections by Emily Cieciura:

“Prof. Simon Thompson outlined the features of the many forms of dementia, including those relating to head injuries, drug use and exposure to chemicals earlier in life. The legal issues arising from ascertaining mental capacity especially when the person diagnosed with dementia is drawing up a will or when a will is contested after death were aired. Early conversations are needed, soon after diagnosis, along with consulting a solicitor. The GP is normally the starting point for accessing help from social agencies. In planning ahead, a power of attorney, with forms available from The Office of the public guardian or an advanced directive, with advice available from Compassion in Dying may be of help. The Alzheimer’s Society  was highly recommended as a source of information and support. BU’s BUDI website gives information about our research and activities”.

Monday is a very exciting day or BU with the Festival of Learning finally commencing! Don’t forget, the Festival is not only for public, as members of staff you are very welcome to come and attend events. This is a great opportunity for members to learn more about what we do across BU. So what could you go to today? We still have some places for some events on a first come, first served basis so do come and stop by to support your colleagues.

On Talbot Campus today:

• A Fridge Safari, 10.30am-12.30pm in K103. Do you know what’s lurking in your fridge? This session will examine the current position regarding food poisoning in the UK and explain how new pathogens such as E coli O157 and Campylobacter have become such a problem and why organisms such as Listeria monocytogenes poses potentially greater risks for the elderly. Using digital photos of the inside of participants’ kitchens and the insides of their fridges, Philippa Hudson will illustrate the key issues and easy solutions to prevent food poisoning.
• Test capacity in people with dementia: protecting vulnerable people. 10am in KG03. This talk aims to present the difficulties faced when a person with dementia wants to make a will and leave their estate to beneficiaries. There will be an opportunity to share opinion and to discuss this topic. It is hoped that legal representation will be involved in discussions as well as a Consultant in Clinical Neuropsychology and other health professionals.
• Social media for the terrified! (Very limited availability). 10am-1pm in K101.  This interactive workshop is aimed at anyone who wants to find out more about how to use social media. The half-day activity will comprise demonstrations, workshops and tutorials on different platforms of social media as well as the chance to ask any questions you have, in addition to developing personalised plans for using social media. You are encouraged to bring mobiles, tablets or laptops with you to develop their social media usage, although we will have computers and other mobile devices available on the day.
• The ‘I don’t get finance’ introduction to finance (3 part course). 6-9pm: K103. Finance affects everyone’s life and, despite the fact that we all deal with money on a daily basis, many people imagine that it is complicated and laden with maths. This is a ‘painless’ opportunity to discover that understanding business finance is only a very small step from what you already do with your own money. This three-part course provides a user-friendly introduction to finance in for-profit and not-for-profit organisations for complete beginners, dealing with areas such as cash flow, the relationships between profit and worth and why end of year accounts are laid out the way they are.

Also, in the Atrium of Poole House, you will find some interactive exhibition stands. Go and take a look! These include:

• Are you a super recogniser? Our ability to recognise faces resides on a continuum. Some are very poor at this skill (and may have ‘face blindness’), while others are exceptionally good at remembering faces they have only encountered once before. See where you lie on the spectrum by taking part in our ‘live experiment’. In just a…
• Finding your way through complex spaces: Getting lost wastes time and money and often causes stress and anxiety. Our Wayfinding Lab has used knowledge from research into navigation and icon processing to provide consultancy to a diverse range of private and public sector organisations responsible for major facilities (NHS hospital; international airport; multi-national offices; World Heritage Site). We’ve created a systematic, scalable way to improve signage systems in complex, unfamiliar buildings, thus improving organisational productivity and reducing personal inconvenience, anxiety and risk.
• Keeping Upright: How we perceive vertical is an important part of how we function in our environment. It involves the interaction of information we receive from our eyes, inner ears and sensors throughout our body. Come along to this interactive exhibition to find out more about this process and take part in a live experiment that will test your perception of vertical.

In the foyer of Kimmeridge, you will find:

• (Don’t) mention dementia? A public engagement project between Bournemouth University Dementia Institute and Derek Eland, a multi-media artist whose work is primarily focused on engaging with people about what it is like to ‘be human’ in stressful and difficult situations.Eland is interested in the use of the written word, particularly in a digital age, to access real emotions and thoughts. Much of his work is created on location, particularly through the use of ‘Diary Rooms’, and then re-contextualised in a gallery setting. In 2011, he worked as an official war artist embedded with the British Army in Helmand, Afghanistan. The work from the time he spent on the front line has been described in the international press as ‘groundbreaking’. Using similar techniques Eland has worked with BU staff and students to capture the views of the general public about dementia, and also the views of those living with dementia about their experiences.

If today you are on Lansdowne Campus, how about:

• Living with a long term condition: the role of information and decision making. EB202, 9.30am-1.30pm. This event, targeted at health professionals and those with long-term conditions, will consist of two short presentations about living with a longterm condition. It will look at how information and decision-making may contribute to wellbeing and the information needs of those with long-term conditions. Each presentation will be followed by a discussion between healthcare professionals and people with long-term conditions. Be prepared to contribute your ideas!
• Start local aim global: How to do work with Asian business people. 2-5pm, EB302. It is well recognised that expanding to international markets creates new opportunities and is crucial for SMEs’ survival and development. However, entrepreneurs and managers are often confronted with knowledge gaps and cultural barriers when dealing with foreign business partners. This event consists of a three-hour workshop which will be a combination of presentations, discussions and interactive group activities that aim to stimulate thinking and enhance cross-cultural awareness. We will focus on business cultures and practices in China and Japan.
• Ethical decision making in business – theoretical insights and practical applications. 2pm-3.30pm: EB302. Businesses are increasingly interested in exploring the ethicality of their actions. The event will explore frameworks for understanding ethical decision making in layman’s terms and consider how an understanding of ethics can be valuable in the workplace. Come along for the opportunity to learn more about the field of business ethics, and equip yourself with the tools to help make sense of ethical dilemmas in the workplace.
• Waiting for the monsoon: 3-8pm in EB303. Nepal through my lens, a photo and storytelling exhibition: This interactive event will feature photographs, artefacts and storytelling of life in rural Nepal – a fieldwork diary of a PhD student during the summer monsoon! The camera as a research tool is well documented in disciplines such as anthropology and sociology, and the process of photography often leads to uncovering misconceptions. These photographs tell a story of the reality of fieldwork among holy cows, sacrificial goats and cultural practices. Nepal is an ideal setting due to its riot of colour, where the ancient world thrives in the modern one. Photos are available for sale, with proceeds being used to support Green Tara Trust Nepal’s work. This is an exhibition that people can drop in on, if you want to hear Sheetal talk about the exhibition they need to arrive at one of the talk times at 3pm, 5pm or 7pm.
• Designing our future. 7-8pm: EB306. What is design? What makes it good or bad, and is it just poor design leading to poor quality products? In an age where most of our products are produced in Asia, what is the future for the Chinese and Indian economies compared to that of the UK and Europe? This talk will explore these key issues.