BU Research Blog

Professor Bronwen Thomas – Reading on Screen Today’s technology means we can access reading material and other readers as never before. Yet many of us still prefer ‘proper books’. This talk will report on a project based at BU that set out to capture the experiences of a wide range of readers as they negotiate the transition from page to screen. You will be able to view some of the digital stories produced for the project and take part in a discussion of some of the issues raised.

Dr Darren Lilleker – What is Fake News and how to avoid being taken in The phrase ‘Fake News’ is everywhere and it even won word of the Year in 2017. But what actually is fake news? Who are the ones creating fake news and why are they doing it? And why is fake news so capable of manipulating people? Get to the heart of the problem and learn tips on how to build up skills that will help stop you being taken in.

Dr Claudy Op Den Kamp – What do the Mona Lisa, a Lego brick, and the Elstar Apple have in common? The book ‘A History of Intellectual Property (IP) in 50 objects’ provides a look at objects that have stories illustrating the unrecognised, but significant, effect IP has on historical events and society. In this talk we will be exploring some of the objects and stories from the book in more detail, looking at how the IP system has evolved over time and why it matters so much to all of us today.

Dr Tim Slattery – Eye tracking as a window to the mind Ever wondered what movements your eyes make when completing everyday tasks? Come learn how and why researchers use eye movement records to understand the mental processes of the tasks. See what the state of the art in eye tracking technology is capable of. There will be interactive demos where you will have a chance to be involved in mini activities that will shed light on the reasons why the eye tracking technology is so beneficial for the research at BU.