Yearly Archives / 2017

The Compound Eye of Calliphora Vomitoria (Bluebottle fly)

Business Engagement, HEIF, Info Days, international, Knowledge Exchange

“Blood feeding activity of flies at crime scenes can be confounding. Experiments were conducted to investigate the blood feeding activity, and blood artefact patterns created by flies following a blood meal. The trials were undertaken in a staged environment where over 500 flies were exposed to 500ml of horse blood in a sealed gazebo for a period of 72 hours. The resulting patterns, a total of 539,507 fly blood artefacts, were then compared to recreated bloodstain patterns commonly encountered during instances of violent assault. These comparisons focused on overall pattern shape, total stain numbers, stain density per cm2 and the zone where they were deposited. Informal observations and recordings were also made of individual stain colour and stain alignment, but were not measured.”

This was the abstract submitted to accompany Christopher’s recent submission to the Research Photography Competition, where he won second prize.

Christopher Dwen  is currently working as a Research Assistant on an innovation funded (HEIF) project called: “Sherlock’s Window”. This  HEIF-funded project at BU  aims to produce an odourless growth medium that can be rolled out internationally for use in forensic investigation. Find out more about the project in the latest edition of the Bournemouth Research Chronicle featured in the section:  “Innovation in industry:how researchers and the wider community are working together.” –
Follow HEIF on Instagram to find out more about the innovation projects taking place at BU: https://www.instagram.com/heif_at_bu/

 

 

 

Why victims and survivors of atrocities need a right to the truth

Knowledge Exchange

Melanie Klinkner, Bournemouth University and Howard Davis, Bournemouth University write for The Conversation. For more information about writing for The Conversation, contact rbowen@bournemouth.ac.uk or newsdesk@bournemouth.ac.uk.

When heinous atrocities and human rights violations are committed, knowing the truth about what happened to the victims matters. The Conversation

In many conflicts raging around the world today, among them those in Syria, Yemen, and Nigeria, legal norms meant to protect civilians are being utterly disregarded, with brutal consequences for thousands of people. When the dust settles on gross human rights violations, victims of these crimes should have the right to know who and what caused their suffering, and what happened to family members who went missing. Societies should also have the right to know and understand what happened to them as a whole.

Documenting patterns of violence not only serves as a record of human rights abuses, it may also lead to information on victims who may still be alive. Survivors need to mourn their dead, and they also have pressing practical needs; they often need formal evidence of what happened to file insurance claims, reparation schemes and other benefits.

These are urgent moral imperatives – and they are increasingly being acknowledged.

March 24 marks the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims. The date commemorates the 1980 assassination of Óscar Romero, human rights advocate and archbishop of San Salvador. He campaigned for justice and peace for his fellow citizens against a repressive regime and during a brutal conflict; he was assassinated by a paramilitary unit.

The right to the truth is being advocated and shaped by various actors, from governments to NGOs and civil society groups. The UN officially deems it essential to recognise the memory of victims of gross and systematic human rights violations. International law recognises the right of victims and survivors to know about the circumstances of serious violations of their human rights. Initially conceived as the right of families to know the fate of their loved ones, the idea has since evolved into a more-encompassing right that extends to society.

Archbishop Óscar Romero.
Wikimedia Commons

When confronted with a history of human rights violations, states are obliged to undertake, on their own initiative, effective, independent investigation to provide victims, their next of kin and the public with a full and detailed understanding of what happened, why it happened, and who was responsible, both directly and indirectly. The purpose is not only to satisfy the need to know, but also to provide the basis on which victims and others can obtain whatever reparation the law permits for these violations of fundamental rights.

The right to the truth also forms a central and necessary element in efforts to combat impunity for human rights violations. On the basis of a proper understanding of the facts, victims, prosecutors and others can then pursue the right to justice against perpetrators as well as the right to reparation, and guarantees of non-repetition.

Mechanisms that can help achieve the right to the truth are truth commissions, official inquiries and courts of law. But they have their detractors and often face serious obstacles.

Uphill struggles

Any government or organisation charged with seeking the truth may clash with political forces seeking to protect their own interests, whether or not those same forces were involved in the crimes being investigated. In societies transitioning from dictatorship or conflict to a less violent future, some people imagine that silence, forgetting and even impunity are needed to keep all sides on board with the process of peace.

Then there’s the problem of multiple, contested and unacknowledged truths; if these are downplayed or overlooked, the result can be an incomplete or unsatisfying process of truth-seeking and truth-telling that leaves deep problems and grievances unresolved.

These are all understandable complications, but they should not deter truth-seeking efforts. The need for truth is seemingly universal; what is required is a clarification in international law whether a right to it can be articulated and upheld as a right in itself, rather than as an aspect of other rights. A standalone right has to be robust and convey some real force, not just aspiration or rhetoric.

But no matter what the legal basis, truth-seeking and truth-telling carry moral weight regardless of what mechanism is used. In an era marred by post-truth politics and blatant contempt for the actual facts, finding and telling the truth is all the more urgent.

Melanie Klinkner, Senior Lecturer In Law, Bournemouth University and Howard Davis, Reader in Public Law, Bournemouth University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Research Drove Me to Murder

Business Engagement, HEIF, innovation, international, Knowledge Exchange

“As reported by National Policing Improving Agency, the most frequently encountered evidence at the scenes of a crime is footwear impressions and marks. Unfortunately, recovery and usage of this kind of evidence has not achieved its full potential. Due to the cost benefit ratio (time consuming casting procedures, expensive scanners) footprints are often neglected evidence. As technology changes, the capabilities of forensic science should continue to evolve. By translating academic research and technical ‘know-how’ into software (www.digtrace.co.uk) the authors have placed 3D imaging of footwear evidence in the hands of every police force in the UK and overseas.”

This was the abstract submitted to accompany Dominika’s recent submission to the Research Photography Competition.

Dominika Budka is currently working on an innovation funded (HEIF) project called: “Dinosaurs to Forensic Science: Digital, Tracks and Traces”. BU alumni, Dominika,  graduated last year  (2016) having completed an MSc Forensic and Neuropsychological Perspectives in Face-Processing.  Find our more about her role on the HEIF project.
Follow HEIF on Instagram to find out more about the innovation projects taking place at BU: https://www.instagram.com/heif_at_bu/

 

 

Writing a Justification of Resources Session 4th May 2017

As part of the Research and Knowledge Exchange Development Framework, RKEO are holding a session on ‘Writing a Justification of Resources’. The session will provide an overview of the Justification of Resources document, and will offer tips for writing this section of the application form. Examples of effective Justifications of Resources will be provided.

Date: Thursday 4th May

Time: 10:00-11:30

Venue: Talbot Campus

Book your space via the RKE Development Framework page for this event.

For further information, please contact Lisa Gale-Andrews, RKEO Research Facilitator.

Writing Days

Publishing, Research assessment, writing

Imagine… dedicated time and space to write away from every day distractions.

Sounds great? Then you’ll be glad to hear that as part of the Writing Academy we are busy scheduling a number of Writing Days for BU authors to book on to.

Watch. This. Space.

EURAXESS – new video released

international

Further to the recent blog post outlining the information available via EURAXESS, there is now a new video providing an introduction to the service available. Other videos are available on the EURAXESS You Tube channel, including case studies, where researchers have benefited from the services offered by EURAXESS.

Find out more about how EURAXESS can help your career development or locate the best researchers for your team!

If you would like to discuss using EURAXESS as a researcher,  in order to promote BU’s research activity, supporting incoming researchers to BU or other related purpose, please contact Emily Cieciura, RKEO’s Research Facilitator: EU & International and BU’s EURAXESS Institutional Contact.

EURAXESS is also included as one of the highlighted resources within the Research Toolkit > Research Staff pages on this blog.

 

International Olympic Committee World Conference on Prevention of Injury and Illness in Sport 2017

Last week I was lucky enough to be able to present at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) World Conference on Prevention of Injury and Illness in Sport in Monaco. The conference is held every three years and the setting was very prestigious. There were over 1,200 participants there from all corners of the globe and a lot of the major figures in sports medicine and sports physiotherapy were there. On the first day I was part of a panel presenting called “Tweeting, liking, following, sharing: enhancing the protection of athletes’ health now and in the future”, for which I summarised my PhD research and expanded upon its implications. Day 2 of the conference saw myself and my co-authors present the poster shown in the photo, which relates to my work conducted in the field of disability football.

Overall it was a fantastic experience to be able to present at a conference such as this and I felt very fortunate to be able to connect with some very experienced and knowledgeable clinicians and researchers at the event. Hopefully this will lead to further research collaborations!

 

Our poster on concussion knowledge and opinions of medical staff working in disability football

Reasons to be cheerful as Liberty Media era dawns in Formula One

Knowledge Exchange

Image 20170320 9108 1n0jm3c
PJMixer/Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA

Dr Bruce Grant-Braham writes for The Conversation. For more information about writing for The Conversation, contact rbowen@bournemouth.ac.uk or newsdesk@bournemouth.ac.uk.

The new Formula One season offers some reason for optimism. When the green lights flash for the opening race in Melbourne at the end of March, we will get our first glimpse of the new promised “Super Bowl-style” Grand Prix. If its recent history is any guide, Liberty Media, the group which now owns F1, should have the ability, experience and resources to revitalise the sport, and deliver on promises they’ve made. The Conversation

John Malone’s Liberty is a vast media conglomerate, and a rival of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. Both, at various times, have eyed each other’s share holdings. Liberty controls big name brands such as Virgin Media and the shopping channel QVC. It is anticipated that the organisation’s media pedigree will be used to recruit younger Formula One fans, and attempt to keep a tight hold of them through improved interaction.

For an idea of how this might go, we can look at Liberty’s ownership of the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball (MLB) team in the US. The former World Series Champions were bought a decade ago from Time Warner in what was described rather unromantically as a “tax driven transaction”. Since then, performance on the field has not lived up to expectations. Two years ago, attendance slumped to the lowest level in 25 years, which affected revenue badly. Not good signs for Formula One you might say.

Renovation

However, many of the problems for the Braves were caused by essential renovations of their home ground, Turner Field. This had been the 1996 Centennial Olympic Stadium and was in need of substantial upgrading to improve the experience for fans. There was no solution that didn’t involve a significant outlay.

What Atlanta is getting is a new stadium complex – Sun Trust Park, which opens in April and involves a deal to bring in Comcast’s high-speed voice and video services. An agreement like this could have potential in F1 where Liberty has suggested both virtual reality and gambling opportunities might be developed.

For the Atlanta Braves, the prospect of this new venue bolstered confidence and led to a sharp increase in the value of the MLB franchise. There is fresh optimism around results on the field too if forecasts are right about the good young players that Liberty has assembled.

Sun Trust Park is not just a sports stadium, and as such, it doesn’t have to rely entirely on MLB games for revenue. It includes a shopping mall which will have up to a million square feet of retail space, as well as a hotel and sponsorship involvement from other local blue chip companies including Coca-Cola and Delta Airlines. The prospect of year-round entertainment is a message for many Formula One tracks: investment in infrastructure could pay off.

MLB makeover. Turner Field in 2006.
Gregor Smith/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

Liberty are well placed to advise. Another Liberty company, Live Nation Entertainment, is a partner in Sun Trust Park, and describes itself as the largest live entertainment company in the world. Billy Joel will headline the first concert at the sports stadium, opening a schedule that is expected to see 40 music and comedy shows each year.

Brains and Brawn

The Liberty team has some strong leadership in place, but they haven’t played it flawlessly so far. CEO of the parent group Liberty Media Corporation is Greg Maffei, who also acts as Live Nation’s chairman. Maffei is a former Microsoft chief financial officer (CFO) and was once chairman and CFO of technology group Oracle. He described Liberty as “happy owners” of The Atlanta Braves but came in for criticism from loyal fans when he referred to the team as an “asset” and wouldn’t give a long term commitment.

This is noteworthy because Liberty Media Corp chairman, John Malone, has a reputation for building and selling business empires. At the time of writing he has not yet visited a Formula One race.

Liberty’s Formula One Group, however, is being led by Chase Carey – a former executive vice-chairman at 21st Century Fox. He claimed to be “awed” when he visited the 2016 Monaco Grand Prix and was impressed that the race managed to captivate the whole city. He drew that comparison with the Super Bowl.

But the really crucial part of the leadership team must be Ross Brawn. He was hired by Liberty to act as managing director for motor sports and called the Formula One deal an “almost unprecedented opportunity to work together with the teams and promoters for a better F1.”

There is little that Brawn doesn’t know about Formula One having delivered no less than 20 world titles. He has worked with Williams, Benetton and Ferrari, notably with Michael Schumacher. In 2009 he won one title with his own team’s Brawn GP Formula One car driven by Jenson Button. And Brawn has many educated opinions about the competitiveness of the racing and the show expected by spectators.

These were no doubt expressed during his time as a consultant to Liberty before the company purchased Formula One. Brawn also introduced Virgin Media to Formula One in 2009, a company now absorbed in to Liberty. He too knows the media ropes and the expectations of such sponsors.

Brawn’s involvement, alongside the long-term game played with the Atlanta Braves, offers every indication that Liberty has the potential to improve Formula One for all concerned – and to do so not just with an accountant’s eye, but with some understanding of the glorious romance attached to this global sport.

Bruce Grant-Braham, Lecturer in Sport Marketing specialising in motorsport, Bournemouth University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Sherlock’s Window: In search of an odourless growth medium

Business Engagement, HEIF, innovation, Knowledge Exchange

“A key aspect of forensic investigation is the assessment of the ‘window of opportunity’ during which death took place. Estimations using insects (e.g. blowflies) increase accuracy. Using blowflies to determine post-mortem period requires an understanding of the temperature dependent growth patterns that they develop through their life cycle. In order to understand this, blowfly larvae are reared on growth media in the laboratory.

Sherlock’s Window is a HEIF-funded project at BU which aims to produce an odourless growth medium that can be rolled out internationally for use in forensic investigation. Illustrated here is the head of a third instar blowfly larva. Maggots have no eyes, but the protrusions at the tip of the mouth area are palps, used for feeling and manipulating food particles. The rows of black barbs that are visible are used to pull the maggot forward through the food substrate.”

This was the abstract submitted to accompany Dr Andrew Whittington’s recent submission to the Research Photography Competition.

Find out more about the project in the latest edition of the Bournemouth Research Chronicle featured in the section:  “Innovation in industry:how researchers and the wider community are working together.”

Follow HEIF on Instagram to find out more about the innovation projects taking place at BU: https://www.instagram.com/heif_at_bu/

 

 

 

BU alumni working on serious gaming project

Business Engagement, HEIF, innovation, Knowledge Exchange

Joshua (Josh) Cook graduated in 2016  with a first in BSc Games Programming.  He is currently working on an innovation project being led by Professor Wen Tang. ” PLUS”   is a gamified training application funded by HEIF,  in collaboration with the Dorset, Devon and Cornwall (Strategic Alliance) Police forces in order to provide a virtual learning environment that teaches trainees in a more engaging manner than traditional paper based learning.

As a project team member Wen commented “Josh has been a pro-active and key member of the project team working with both academics , the College of Policing and police forces around the UK to develop this training application.”

Key areas of focus for Josh have included:

  • Making the system more generic, so that the project can later be expanded to multiple areas and more situations with ease
  • Improve the visual environment (of the game) with shaders and animations
  • Include data analytics in order to obtain an understanding as to how trainees are using the game, how long they take, how many mistakes they make etc

Josh didn’t take a placement year during University, so aside from a summer position in a local games position he  did not have much work experience. On being given this opportuntity to work on the projetc Josh commented ” The PLUS project seemed like an interesting project to work on, and when I found out a position was open to work on it I applied. I’ve learned some useful things on this project, such as working from and improving upon an existing code base, what it’s like working directly with clients, implementing and using data analytics, and I’m sure I’ll learn more throughout the duration of my employment.”

This project has received funding from August 2015 with the funding ending in July 2017. (HEIF 5+1 and HEIF 5+1+1)

Read more about this project in full: Serious Games for Police Training. 

College of Policing Research Map

Come along to 14:Live on Tuesday 21 March

PG research, Student Engagement

14live

14:Live- Festival Fear of Missing Out (FoMO): What is it and how can you manage it?

Come along on 21 March at 2-3pm on Floor 5, Student Centre, Talbot Campus for the March edition of 14:Live.

Spring is fast approaching and festival season is just around the corner. Over the next few months you will be subjected to intense marketing campaigns from festival promoters, such as Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds, who will be telling you not to miss out on this year’s music festivals.

Many of your friends will be sharing their excitement about going to these festivals on social media. Social media has heightened the sensation that everyone but us appears to be having fun and many people have become more sensitive to FoMO appeals.

In this 14:Live, Dr Miguel Moital will discuss the psychology of ‘Fear of Missing Out’. What emotions come with FoMO? What marketing tricks are used to heighten FoMO? How can these emotions be managed?

With drinks and snacks provided, this will be a session you won’t want to miss!

All staff and students are welcome!

New projects in the Student Project Bank!

There are new projects in the Student Project Bank from Acts Fast, Civic Media Hub and the Diversity Trust in the following subject areas:

  • Accounting, finance and economics
  • Business, management and marketing
  • Computing and information technology
  • Health and social care, Social studies
  • Tourism, hospitality and events

Short briefs are listed below and full project briefs are available upon request.

SPB051: Social media strategy for Acts Fast

Design a social media strategy that will enable Acts Fast (Abused Children’s Trauma Support, Family Advice & Strategy Team) to promote their support services to parent/carers and children under 16. Create a user guide that Acts Fast can use to train volunteers to carry out the strategy.

SPB052: Marketing strategy for Acts Fast

Create a marketing strategy that will enable Acts Fast (Abused Children’s Trauma Support, Family Advice & Strategy Team) to promote their support services to parent/carers and children under 16. Assist Acts Fast in the creation of strap lines for promotional materials and a core message that makes it clear who their support services are aimed at.

SPB053: Financial management plan for Acts Fast

Acts Fast (Abused Children’s Trauma Support, Family Advice & Strategy Team) is planning to expand in the future. Design a financial management plan that will enable them to plan for this expansion and allocate resources accordingly.

SPB054: Fundraising event for Acts Fast

Acts Fast (Abused Children’s Trauma Support, Family Advice & Strategy Team) is planning to run a fundraising gala. Work with them to plan and run the event – establish the best time of year, format and location.

SPB055: Build a database on housing in London

The Civic Media Hub at Bournemouth University is currently working with various housing organisations and groups in London that all record and store data in different ways. These stakeholder partners would like to share their resources more easily. Co-develop a database prototype with the project supervisors and stakeholders from a set of stakeholder’s user stories and a preliminary data infrastructure report.

SPB056: Trans Health Matters research project

Since 2012 the Diversity Trust has been researching the health needs of LGBT+ people and has found evidence to support national findings on trans experiences. To continue this work the Diversity Trust plans to carry out a research project into the specific health needs of trans people across Avon, Swindon and Wiltshire. Assist with data collection and analysis, and contribute to a report and final presentation.

Apply now

Projects are available to all undergraduate and postgraduate students at BU and can be used for their dissertation, assignment, unit or group work. Members of staff may also choose a project to set to their students. A complete list of projects is available here.
If you would like to find out more and apply for one of the above projects, email spb@bournemouth.ac.uk to request a project brief and an application form.

Applying for funding from NIHR – Patient and Public Involvement Session 5th April 2017

RKEO dev logo - banner

As part of the Research and Knowledge Exchange Development Framework, RKEO are holding a session on Applying for funding from NIHR – Patient and Public Involvement (PPI). At this session, you’ll hear from a Research Fellow / former PPI Senior Programme Manager at the NIHR about what is meant by PPI, and to understand how this can be applied to your research. You’ll also hear from the NIHR Research Design Service South West PPI Lead on the importance of involving the public and patients in research.

Date: Wednesday 5th April 2017RKEO RKE NIHR

Time: 14.00-16.00

Venue: Lansdowne Campus

Book your space via the RKE Development Framework page for this event.

For further information, please contact Lisa Gale-Andrews, RKEO Research Facilitator.

HE policy update w/e17th March 2017

Research assessment

Brexit:

  • Research Professional illustrates the Brexit threats to research positioning and job losses by highlighting the difficulties facing an EU astronomy consortium. The consortium represents seven countries, led by the UK, but will move headquarters to an EU member state from January 2021. The move means the UK will lose the project’s leadership and the 12 UK universities may not continue post-Brexit. Research Professional notes that while access to research infrastructures is available to non-EU states, the EU membership plays a significant role in decisions on where to locate facilities. Gerry Gilmore (the consortium leader, from University of Cambridge) stated:
    “The UK will lose substantial scientific leadership and influence in the EU. There is going to be bad news all around. I don’t think people realise how many new jobs and new opportunities have just been destroyed.”
  • The EU (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill has survived the parliamentary process and received Royal Assent on 16th March (BBC). This bill allows the Prime Minister to notify the EU of the UK’s intention to withdraw from the EU. The Lords made two amendments to the Bill – one relating to Parliament having a “meaningful vote” on the final arrangements and one requiring a guarantee for EU citizens to remain in the UK. The bill was approved by the House of Commons, which rejected the Lords bill and then went back to the Lords under what is called “ping-pong”. The Lords voted again on both issues but the House of Lords majority backed down and the bill was passed. The PM is expected to trigger article 50 later in March.
  • 2018/19 EU student and staff guarantees: During oral questions in the Lords Baroness Royall of Blaisdon pressed the government spokesperson (Viscount Younger of Leckie) when announcements would be made regarding fees and access to loans for 2018/19 EU student starters. Leckie gave a side stepping response: “The noble Baroness makes the important point that there are uncertainties arising from Brexit, but the Government have moved rapidly to give assurances to this sector… “We have also provided similar assurances that EU nationals starting courses in 2016-17 and 2017-18 remain eligible for Research Council postgraduate support. As I have said, we will ensure that students starting in 2018-19 have the information well in advance”

International students:

  • The debate over the inclusion of international students in the long-term migrant numbers continues. Even senior ministers are rebelling – Boris Johnson, Phillip Hammond and Liam Fox have all protested, although Jo Johnson continues to toe the party line backing the PM’s stance to include international students within the original immigration statistics. Liam Fox spoke out this week about the value of overseas campuses.
  • On Monday the House of Lords defeated the government on the Higher Education and Research Bill (HERB), approving an amendment to prevent international students being counted as long-term migrants. The government have responded that “the proposed amendment would create a situation where we were potentially unable to apply basic visa checks, or impose conditions on a student visa. It would also mean that fresh primary legislation were needed just to make minor, technical changes to immigration rules.” (Wonkhe)
  • HERB is scheduled to have its third reading in the Lords on 22 March 2017 and then will go back to the Commons. The PM’s stance on international students seems rock solid (Financial Times) and Theresa May is not expected to waiver – the parliamentary ping pong regarding international students will surely make headlines over the coming weeks.
  • Meanwhile there are worries about student recruitment. Politics Home quotes an Office for National Statistics release stating the number of students coming to the UK dropped by 41,000 in 2016.

Higher Education and Research Bill:

  • The HE and Research Bill has finished its third reading in the House of Lords (although it will have to go back if the House of Commons makes any changes, as seems likely).  The report stage in the Lords is on 22nd March – usually only technical or minor amendments are made at this stage.  The current version of the bill as amended by the Lords is here.
  • The surprise amendment on international students is referred to above.
  • The government won the final vote on the proposed amendment that would have required UKRI and OfS to jointly revoke research degree awarding powers, the amendment was defeated. Wonkhe report that Lord Mackay made an impassioned speech noting that it was “extraordinary” that the OfS was not required to have any expertise or experience regarding research, and yet had the unilateral power to revoke research degree awarding powers, but to no avail. The Bill continues to say that research degree-awarding powers should be made by the OfS with advice from UKRI.

With long debates, late nights and a large number of amendments, it is fair to say that HERB has received an excellent level of scrutiny within the Lords. Lord Prior of Brampton notes: “Everyone who has contributed [to the Bill debates] can take some credit for having improved it considerably. For me, it is a good example of the value this House can bring to a Bill of this kind.”

HEFCE 2017/18 funding to universities: The grant letter details the overall funding to the sector for 2017/18. It includes doubled funding for the National Collaborative Outreach Programme (£60m pa), an additional £17m increase for mainstream quality-related research, a reduction of £40m for teaching (including a reduction in PGT FTE funding rate), maintaining the disabled students premium at the 2016/17 level, the inclusion of nursing, midwifery and allied health professions (£32m), cuts to the student premium budget for full time UG of £20m (part time UG funding remains static). Institutions will receive individual allocations in April although with a publication embargo in force until May. Capital allocations will be announced in March.

Student Loans Sale: A parliamentary question tabled by Steve McCabe requested publication of the ‘in-depth market testing exercise associated with the same of the student loan book. Jo Johnson has responded: “The Government ran a market testing process with a cross-section of potential investors in the student loan book from the end of September into November 2016. This sought feedback on potential sale structures and key features of the transaction and informed the design of the sale. This was a commercial rather than a public process and was conducted under non-disclosure agreements. We do not intend to publish a report of the details. Protecting the details of the conclusions of market testing will help the ongoing sale process achieve value for money for taxpayers.”

Student Fees: On Thursday 16th the Petitions Committee released its latest decisions regarding recent petitions with a high number of signatures. This included a petition to government to change the University fees from £9250 back to the £3000 fee. The Committee agreed to wait for the Higher Education and Research Bill to complete its passage through Parliament before deciding whether to schedule a debate – effectively this was a dismissal of the petition.

Research Excellence Framework  The responses to the REF2021 consultation were due in by midday on 17th March.

  • There has been a lot of focus on one area, the definition of “research active staff” for the returns – there are some interesting views:
  • HEFCE blog (and BU’s reply) – HEFCE are proposing a negotiated definition for each university, BU is proposing all staff should be returned, including teaching only
  • Royal Society blog on Research Professional – they say staff shouldn’t be returned at all, it should be institutional
  • The PVC (Research and Enterprise) from Hertfordshire says on Times Higher Education that the solution is flawed and that clarity is needed

There are many other issues in the REF consultation, including the portability of outputs, which will have important consequences for institutions and their staff. The HEFCE REF consultation on the implementation of the REF 2021 closed on 17 March 2017.  You can read BU’s response here.

Latest Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities

The following is a snap-shot of funding opportunities that have been announced. Please follow the links for more information:

Scoping group for designing future landscapes for biodiversity and ecosystem services – meeting

Natural Environment Research Council, GB

NERC invites applications to join a scoping group that will develop the science case for a potential strategic research programme on designing future landscapes for biodiversity and ecosystem services.

This is one of two potential strategic programme areas (SPAs) which have emerged from the ideas process for strategic research. Any potential SPA must meet NERC’s criteria for a strategic programme, so it is possible that neither will result in a funded programme.

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: 27 Mar 17 Closing soon

Invitation to quote for the development of an assessment template to monitor sector progress towards open access (OA) compliance with funder policies

Higher Education Funding Council for England, GB

HEFCE, RCUK, Jisc and Wellcome require an understanding of how the higher education sector is progressing towards OA compliance in relation to funder policies. We require further understanding of the tools and systems being utilised by HEIs to fulfil OA compliance needs.

We require a contractor to work with HEFCE, RCUK, Jisc, Wellcome and the HE sector to develop a method to collect appropriate quantitative data on HEI compliance. This must not be unduly burdensome for the institutions to complete and should draw upon existing mechanisms and data where possible. Further detail on the tender requirements can be found in the specification section below.

We anticipate that the eventual data collection will be in the form of an assessment framework (survey) which HEFCE, RCUK, Jisc and Wellcome will deliver in summer 2017.

Maximum award: £25,000

Closing date: 28 Mar 17 Closing soon

LARIA annual conference bursaries

Economic and Social Research Council, GB

The Local Area Research and Intelligence Association (LARIA) and the ESRC invite applications from academic researchers based at UK universities to receive a bursary to attend the LARIA annual conference. The conference will be held on 23-24 May 2017 in Sheffield.

ESRC and LARIA would like to increase the level of attendance by ESRC supported researchers and social scientists generally at the conference. It is the highlight of the research calendar for those researching local areas and is the ‘must go’ event for such analysts. In 2016, over 100 delegates attended from the public sector including local authorities, fire and rescue services, health, and housing. The majority of attendees are from local authorities and the sector is known for its commitment to collaboration and innovation.

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: 03 Apr 17 (recurring)

University of Sheffield/English Heritage/AHRC – the evolution of Audley End collaborative PhD studentship

Arts and Humanities Research Council, GB

These studentships are based on research areas we have identified because they will:

  • Advance the protection of the historic environment
  • Advance understanding and interpretation of the nationally important sites in the care of English Heritage
  • Are in areas we would not otherwise be able to carry out research on by ourselves alone.

They are supervised by both Historic England and English Heritage experts in partnership with University academics.

The CDP programme provides the perfect opportunity to align practical research with heritage protection outcomes. It also provides skills-sharing to students planning careers in heritage research and management; and by doing that, it helps to address skills shortages in the heritage profession.

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: 17 Apr 17

Accelerating innovation in rail

Innovate UK, GB

The rail industry is transforming the way it manages innovation and introduces new technologies. The Rail Capability Delivery Plan 2017 outlines the industry’s vision for using technology to create a better railway. This competition aims to provide direct support and encourage collaboration between rail industry clients and innovative businesses.

The focus of this competition is industrial research. To be in scope proposals must demonstrate how they meet specific industry challenges. Proposals should contribute to the high-level programmes developed by the rail industry, as outlined below. Future exploitation is a key priority. Applications should provide evidence of a market need for specific solutions and engagement with potential rail industry customers.

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: 10 May 17

Research institute in hardware security

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, GB

Reflecting the aims of the National Cyber Security Strategy, the UK Government and its delivery partners are working to increase the UK’s academic capability in all fields of Cyber Security. EPSRC and NCSC are inviting proposals from academic researchers to form a Research Institute in Hardware Security. The Research Institute will be jointly funded by NCSC and EPSRC, with an indicative budget from the sponsors of £5 million over five years. In order to establish the institute there are two concurrent calls – one to identify a director of the institute and one to support initial research projects.

Working in conjunction with NCSC whilst undertaking research to be published in the public domain, the Research Institute will identify and address key issues that underpin our understanding of Hardware Security.

This call will identify a number of research projects to form the core research activity of the institute. The concurrent call ‘Research Institute in Hardware Security – Call for Director’ will invite proposals for the Director.

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: 10 May 17

UK-Philippines – joint health research initiative

Medical Research Council, GB

The UK Medical Research Council (MRC), and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through the Philippine Council for Health and Research Developmentopens in new window (PCHRD) invite concept proposals to the second UK-Philippines Joint Health Research Call.

This initiative will provide funding for high quality 3-year collaborative research projects focusing on Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases of relevance to the Philippines. This exciting initiative builds on the MRC-PCHRD Call launched in 2015 through which 6 proposals addressing research needs in Infectious Diseases were funded.

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: 11 May 17

Productivity network plus

Economic and Social Research Council, GB

The ESRC is pleased to invite applications for a Productivity Network.

Productivity has a major bearing on sustainable economic growth. The UK’s ongoing low levels of productivity, especially in comparison with international competitors, are of critical concern and require affirmative action on the part of both government and business. To aid progress, the UK needs research to help understand and explain the factors affecting productivity levels, and to provide robust evidence to inform policy and practice. The complex nature of the productivity challenge requires a multi-perspective, interdisciplinary approach.

To this end, the ESRC will fund an interdisciplinary ‘Network Plus’ as a first step to developing the capacity needed to sustain a substantive multidisciplinary and policy-orientated research programme. The network will include representatives from the policy community and the private sector, as well as academics from a range of disciplines. It will connect interdisciplinary research groups and networks from academia, policy and business; complement and collaborate with existing capacity and current research agendas (whether or not ESRC-funded); and develop an understanding of the current state of productivity research. It will promote methodological innovation and develop a series of small-scale studies. The Network Plus will also play a role in co-ordinating the ESRC’s data strategy for productivity, including by encouraging the exploitation of existing data resources and feeding into the development of new data infrastructure.

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: 17 May 17

COMING SOON: Industrial CASE studentships

Medical Research Council, GB

*** This opportunity will be available soon. The next call is expected to open in April and close in July 2017. The following information is subject to change. These studentships aim to provide students with research training experience by facilitating collaborations with academic and non-academic partner organisations. ***

Driving innovation and collaborating with industry remains at the heart of MRC strategy and delivery plans.

Our industrial CASE (iCASE) PhD studentship scheme has for many years played a key role in this by helping develop partnerships and enabling students to benefit from a broad and unique training experience.

Given this previous success and the enormous potential that industry-academic collaboration has to offer for UK society and the economy, we wish to enhance the flexibility of the MRC iCASE studentship scheme.

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: Not known

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If you are interested in submitting to any of the above calls you must contact your  RKEO Funding Development Officer with adequate notice before the deadline.

For more funding opportunities that are most relevant to you, you can set up your own personalised alerts on Research Professional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s/Faculty’s Funding Development Officer in  RKEO or view the recent blog post here.

If thinking of applying, why not add notification of your interest on Research Professional’s record of the bid so that BU colleagues can see your intention to bid and contact you to collaborate.

BU alumni supporting innovation projects at BU

Business Engagement, HEIF, innovation, Knowledge Exchange, Student Engagement, student research

Dominika Budka is currently working on an innovation funded (HEIF) project called: “Dinosaurs to Forensic Science: Digital, Tracks and Traces”. She graduated last year  (2016) having completed an MSc Forensic and Neuropsychological Perspectives in Face-Processing

Forensic technology and tools are advancing across the board, with the analysis of digital trace evidence being an exception. The techniques and tools used to capture and analyse footwear evidence have not changed in over a hundred years. This project is already changing the status quo by translating academic research on human and dinosaur tracks into tools for forensic practitioners to use. The product that has been  developed, DigTrace, is an integrated software solution for the capture and analysis of 3D data whether in a forensic context (footwear evidence) or in the study of vertebrate tracks and footprints. One of the  recent successes is the exhibit  the project team are  organising at the very prestigious Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition, to be held in London in July.

 The project team were looking for a dissemination officer to help spread the word about the software and engage user groups both within the UK and overseas.  Dominika’s role involves working with external stakeholder groups, organising dissemination events, developing training materials and events for academics, crime agencies, forensic specialists, and UK police forces.

About working on the project, Dominika comented,  “I’m thrilled to be able to contribute to the project, which is not only well-aligned with my interests, but has also a huge potential for impact in terms of improving societal security. I’m working with a unique product set which can enhance global security by improving forensic practice, as well as criminal intelligence gathering and ultimately prosecution. The forensic context of the project is what I find most interesting as it links directly to my MSc”

To find out more about the project – click on the link: Dinosaurs to Forensic Science: Digital, Tracks and Traces