Latest research and knowledge exchange news at Bournemouth University
Wednesday 4 December 2024 at 13.00-14.00
This is an open session for all BU ECRs and PGRs, to discuss any issues around career development, or the ECR experience with the peer network, and receive advice and guidance from the network’s academic leads.
For further information on this event please contact RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk
BU Economics professor received intriguing email – Read the report then watch the launch of our latest Transition Report live!
Special Invite From: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Watch the launch live online! Navigating Industrial Policy EBRD Transition Report 2024/2025
www.youtube.com/live/jrTqDu9FFAI broadcast from 16.00 – 1730, Canary Wharf, London (26 November) with over 150 participants attending the prestigious launch event live online link up.
The EBRD transition reports are one of the leading rigorous gold standard sources that are well read reporting tools for financial economists, investment market, media, economic departments, universities, researchers and policy makers worldwide.
The launch discussion was moderated by Richard Porter, EBRD Managing Director of Communications, featured:
Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel laureate in economics and Professor at Columbia University. USA link up.
Rana Foroohar, global business columnist and associate editor at the Financial Times
Jeromin Zettelmeyer, Director of Bruegel, the European Union’s economic think tank
Beata Javorcik, EBRD Chief Economist
“In a world of rapid geopolitical and economic shifts, the discussion on industrial policy has never been more critical. This report takes an extensive look at industrial policies in the EBRD regions and beyond. Such policies, which are aimed at changing the sectoral composition of production in an economy, have seen a resurgence in recent years, seeking to address increasingly pressing market failures such as environmental degradation.” EBRD 2024
“Their track record is mixed, with their growing popularity being shaped primarily by domestic political economy considerations and rising geopolitical tensions. While industrial policies are typically employed by higher-income economies, they are also being seen more frequently in economies with less administrative and fiscal capacity to implement them.” EBRD 2024
Other attendance highlights included discussions on: implications of the president-elect Trump of USA and his concerning new tarifs to hike imports into USA from rest of world, with implications for costs, trade wars and economic growth, likely to impact economic growth especially for large exporters to USA such as Canada, China, parts of Europe like UK; that sustainability should include the word environment; furthermore that since GFC 2008/9 majority of special economic zones had seen flattening of exports, FDI and productivity (especially related to manufacturing sector), whereas some areas in south east Europe/Asia borders had seen an upturn and what factors determine achieving this?
Professor Dr Jens Hölscher has published in over 140 academic publications and is a leading economist and spokesperson for Bournemouth University for multi-media, media interviews and broadcasts on Economic and Finance matter e.g. Bank of England comment
To address these topical themes, I am truly proud and feel honoured to be part of BU’s visionary impactful research contributions and I have personally actioned:1A) an abstract poster presentation for the BU Conference [27 November] in person attendance all warmly welcomed, BU Talbot Campus, Fusion FG06 Posters on show viewing and Share theatre (oral presentations), 9-4pm and incorporated into it: 1B) my own very original topical preprint article [12 November] ii) attended (after last year see my RDS Blog ‘BU live with USA, Germany and Kyiv’) the 3rd International IZA/OECD online workshop [21 November] of top international themes alongside 101 zoom participants from USA, UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, France and more.
1A) poster abstract presentation (BU Conference and Researchgate link)
Poster and Abstract – Fiona Vidler
Abstract
Financial Constraints and Bribery Impact upon SME Firm Productivity in Economic Crisis and Conflict
Do economic destabilisation factors link to conflict even war? Only now in the explosive mid2020s are finance economists breaking the silence, raising this critical question. The author proposed early 2022, a ‘turning point’ notion of 2019 – thirty years after the Berlin Wall fell, seventy years after NATO formed; pre-covid 2020; before ‘Zeitenwende’ 240222 – seeking missing descriptive and empirical regression evidence beyond speculation for predictive indicators: financial constraint and bribery incidence within financialisation, competitivity and corruption. Findings demonstrate significant negative heterogenous effects across 27 Eastern European countries upon SME firm productivity outcomes with co-operative alliances adding business transformation value.
1B) Preprint Abstract and Article Download
Preprint Abstract and Article Download – Fiona Vidler
Vidler, Fiona,
Keynes World War, Prophecies And Productivity Growth In Economic Crisis -A Critical Review (November 12, 2024).. A review style paper that links current relevant themes in a novel readable socio-economic scholarly critique relating to a resurgent interest in Keynes’ original work and finishing with elements of the author’s own original research – so debating Keynes’ own predictive words even prophecies with words from a hundred years ago in 1919 to a 2019 proposed ‘turning point,’ leading into consequences for the current 2020s and future. Available at Elsevier SSRN:
https://ssrn.com/abstract=5018719 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5018719
Also available on research gate with poster and abstract files (note preprint article first available 13 November 2024 although categorised 2024 on Researchgate itself). Also, already additionally early listings (featured) so far early days in other more general ejournals- European Economics: Macroeconomics & Monetary Economics eJournal and Development Economics: Microeconomic Issues in Developing Economies eJournal with interest from The Journal of Research Development.
ii) 3rd OECD/IZA Workshop
3rd OECD/IZA International Workshop
Link to IZA/OECD program with group photo shot (BU top right corner of image), where it was a great opportunity to this time, listen participate seek first to understand and find out what the IMF (International Monetary Fund), OECD, ILO United Nations, IZA (Institute of Labour Economics, HQ Germany – with its links to EACES) latest news is and more – where researchers linked face to face with policy makers on the 21 November.
Furthermore, to ask one’s own question related to productivity and received an answer too. A lateral one as hot topics were related to productivity intrinsic factors ‘within firms’; a consideration different but relevant to my own theme considering 10,000 SME firms as entities and their extrinsic productivity outcomes in measures of output per worker in SME firms. Intriguingly, 2019 was also a turning point down turn found by IMF researchers in Europe beyond relative prosperity of 2015-2018.
On the theme of publishing research that makes a difference and gaining inspiration to keep writing further articles (how does one do it one may ask): A leading publications ranked world class esteemed BU Professor (Marketing Strategy Innovation and Tourism), Dimitrios Buhalis, far greater than myself, recently circulated for reflection by colleagues: 'the attributes of distinguished scholars' (McKercher, 2024) where consensus was that inquisitiveness, insights, passion were top criteria, followed by other criteria including: connections, taking a risk with a joined up 'whom, what, how, why' strategy for truly original research with relevant impactful publications that make a difference or reach the target audiences – linking themes of topical current real interest in an intellectual scholarly manner often with practitioner or policy maker relevance, on the leading edge, meeting needs, connections, collaborations, often interdisciplinary considerations to expand thinking – inspiring and enabling memorable research publications as opposed to churning or common mediocre scholarly research which is common.
Making a (real) difference in the world with recognition in many fields is one of BU's themes and forte in the 2020s. I personally find these criteria inspiring for researchers publishing, would also add return on investment or with relevance or benefits with solutions towards solving issues in the economy/economies (from a finance economic perspective of the world is a reality of how we live today, where sustainability the flipside of economic destabilisation is the golden elixir matrix required). So gratitude and thank you so much for reading as always.
So Let us All be NICE = Noteworthy Inspiring Connecting Energising for yourself, others, and the world!
Fiona ‘Stewart’ Vidler MBA MSc MLIBF
Former MIPR (media) and financial advisor, Decision-Making Business Strategy (Corporate and SME Director roles) and Financial Times Business Winner
Corruption and Financial Constraints Impacts upon SME Firm Productivity – European Transition Economies in Crisis (Finance Economics – Advanced Researcher and British Author)
Bournemouth University Business School (BUBS) – Catalyst Growth Fusion 2022-26
MSc Green Economy – Bournemouth University, UK, 2021-2022
MBA Finance Macroeconomics (One of best dissertations 2020 – joint Oxford Magna Carta/New Bucks. Universities)
PLUS Level 7 – Accounting, Auditing, Strategic Financial Management and Investment Strategies
Driver Award – Highest Achiever (Faculty) Cognitive Psychology (RHUL,UK)
Financial Times Business Award Winner
– ‘ROI + media publishing success made us stand out win’
Previously Senior Researcher (over decade experience), RHUL, Defra (as prior MAFF), DSTL (as prior MOD), International Crisis Management Researcher (Burson-Marsteller A-team) and Director Education/ Marketing/ Research /Media/Conference/Round-table programs for professors leading lights networks creation and bidding team budgets writing programs £10K to £3M.
The ESRC Festival of Social Science 2024 has come to an end, successfully bringing together diverse audiences to explore, learn, and engage with BU’s research.
The 2024 festival, which included 324 nationwide events, had ‘our digital lives’ as a central theme. Many of the events examined the relationship between humans and digital technology, exploring current threats and opportunities, as well as imagining what life might be like in the future.
For the 13th year, BU took part in the festival, drawing over 250 attendees to five engaging events, two of which were also featured in the University of Southampton’s Arts and Humanities Day on Saturday 9 November. In partnership with the University of Southampton for the second consecutive year, the festival showcased a programme of events, ranging from discussions on well-being and cybersecurity to an exhibition highlighting the voices of young LGBTQ+ individuals.
Avonwood Primary School
Our festival programme began with ‘Underwater Farms – The Magic of Seaweed’ an exciting opening event for 61 year 3 students at Avonwood Primary School.
Activities with pupils at Avonwood Primary School
BU researchers Anastasia Vayona and Kirthana Pillay visited two classes, where they introduced children between the ages of 7-8 to the wonders of seaweed as a food source and highlighted how underwater farming could play a crucial role in creating a more sustainable future for agriculture. The children were particularly keen to try the seaweed scones!
“…a really informative and fun event that was perfectly pitched for the age of participants…it gave them a chance to explore food and nutrition in a fun, interactive context” feedback from a teacher at Avonwood Primary School
The next event in our programme, ‘Take a Meno(pause)’ exploring well-being through yoga for mid-life -was an interactive session at Pavilion Dance, focusing on the benefits of yoga during the menopause years.
Yoga practice led by Dr Hecquet
Dr Juliette Hecquet’s research looks at yoga’s effectiveness in managing the physical and emotional symptoms of perimenopause, menopause, and beyond. By integrating body and mind, yoga promotes health, strength, and overall well-being during this life stage.
Yoga breathing exercises
Participants learned how yoga can enhance physical and mental health and how mindfulness can support the transition through mid-life. The session also included a guided yoga practice led by Dr Hecquet, with poses and breathing exercises designed to deepen relaxation and improve well-being throughout the menopause journey.
“…very professional and I thoroughly enjoyed it.” feedback from an attendee
Board game activities at Cybersecurity Family Fun day in Poole Dolphin Centre
BU’s CyGamBIT Team hosted a ‘Cybersecurity Family Fun Day’ at Gather, the hub for community events at the Dolphin Centre in Poole. During half term, this interactive cybersecurity day gave participants of all ages the opportunity to discover practical tools to enhance digital safety, with hands-on activities that made learning about cybersecurity both fun and accessible
Guided by BU computer science researcher Dr Jane Henriksen-Bulmer and CyGamBIT co-founder and BU PhD student Emily Rosenorn-Lanng, families left with practical takeaways to help keep their information secure and a better understanding of how digital safety affects everyone.
“…granddaughter loved how it taught her about safety online” feedback from an attendee
The ‘Communities of wellbeing: the digital lives of LGBTQ+ young people’ exhibition was displayed at the Lighthouse in Poole from 26 October – 16 November. The artwork highlighted the powerful stories of young LGBTQ+ individuals, who shared their experiences of creating inclusive online spaces where they feel safe, joyful, and have a sense of belonging.
Exhibition displayed at the Lighthouse in Poole
Dr Jayne Caudwell and Dr Francesca Gaunt hosted a series of workshops with LGBTQ+ youth. Through these group discussions, six key themes emerged, including topics like the experience of coming out as LGBTQ+ in online spaces. These conversations inspired the creation of artwork reflecting the themes explored.
The exhibition images and content from the workshops will also be used to create a digital version of the exhibition, coming soon!
“…inspiring – we all have far more in common than our differences – we all need respect and acceptance” feedback from an attendee
Our online workshop, ‘Teaching for Wellbeing: Connecting Practice with Socio-Emotional Support’, led by Dr Esther Anwuzia, covered effective teaching practices to support students’ well-being in today’s challenging environment.
Former teachers Elaine Baker-Smith and Jerry Whitton with a combined 55 years of experience also participated in the session, offering their perspectives on effective teaching practices, and promoting student well-being.
Dr Anwuzia’s research explores how heavy workloads restrict teachers’ ability to reflect beyond teaching and grading. Since the pandemic, an increasing number of students with social and emotional difficulties are absent from school. Focused teaching can help build students’ confidence and support responsible decision-making.
Teacher Zoom Event
The workshop provided an opportunity for teachers to connect, exchange insights, reflect on their experiences, and explore strategies for making a positive impact on students’ lives.
“… I remember having a teacher who explained information in lots of different ways to help with our understanding”
“…really brilliant presentation!” feedback from attendees
A Special Feature – Southampton Arts and Humanities Day
For the first time, BU researchers were invited to participate in the University of Southampton’s Arts and Humanities Day, which took place on Saturday 9 November in the city’s Cultural Quarter. The day offered a range of free interactive activities, workshops, talks, performances, and exhibits.
Attendees had the opportunity to engage with the Young LGBTQ+ stories exhibition, which attracted more than 90 viewers, while Dr Esther Anwuzia hosted a drop-in session on Connecting teaching with student wellbeing, making her own connections with more than 30 educators and members of the public.
Southampton Arts and Humanities Day
Thank you
A big thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to this year’s ESRC Festival of Social Science. Your involvement helped make our events a meaningful celebration of the positive impact social science has on our communities.
Applying for the ESRC Festival – what you need to know
Event leads were chosen through a competitive internal application process, with selections determined by a panel of researchers and professional services staff. BU’s Public Engagement Team provided support to help bring their creative and engaging event ideas to life.
If you would like to start discussing your ideas, please get in touch with the public engagement with research team at publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.
The festive break is fast approaching and with that, there will be reduced staffing across the University. To ensure we can maintain comprehensive pre-award support and to help with forward planning, 29th November will be the latest date an ITB can be submitted for any bid with a deadline before 8th January.
For bids due before 8th January for which an ITB is received after 29th November, a Facilitator will work with you to find a suitable alternative call.
In some cases BU’s Fast Track route may be an option. Please check if your activity meets the Fast Track requirements and if it does, you are encouraged to use it.
The Ageing and Dementia Research Centre (ADRC) at Bournemouth University, with funding from Dementia Research UK, launched a 2023/4 project focused on ex-military veterans—a typically underserved group in dementia research. The project explores veterans’ experiences through collaborative creative workshops, culminating in a documentary-style short film that amplifies their voices and personal stories. During this seminar we will share our film, highlight implications for practice and discuss the next stages of our project.
The seminar is open to all Bournemouth University staff, students, community organisations, and anyone interested in the topic.
Please keep an eye out for upcoming seminars throughout the new year!
Key Details:
• Date: Wednesday 4 December 2024
• Time: 3pm -4pm
• Topic: Veterans and Dementia: A Collaborative Research Project
• Speaker: Dr. Michele Board, Associate Professor Nursing Older People and Co-Lead Ageing and Dementia Research Centre ADRC
See you there!
Microsoft Teams
Scan the QR code below or click on this link:
Meeting ID: 364 666 916 013
Passcode: wJyC7U
This conference is a celebration of the incredible work being carried out by our postgraduate researchers, and we are proud to provide this platform for sharing knowledge, fostering collaboration and building connections. Whether you are presenting, exhibiting, or attending, this is a wonderful opportunity to network with fellow PGRs, colleagues from across the university and external visitors.
This conference is open to external participants, please share this invite with companies and organisations you are cooperating with.
We look forward to meeting you on Wednesday 27 November. Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate research and collaboration!
Best wishes,
The PGR Conference Team
Enrica Conrotto – Doctoral College Programme Manager
Arabella Moyse – Doctoral College Marketing & Events Coordinator
Zoe Leonard – Postgraduate Research Administrator
As part of our long-standing Memorandum of Agreement between Bournemouth University and Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences (MMIHS) in Nepal, Dr. Pramod Regmi taught a postgraduate class in Kathmandu last week. Pramod, who is Principal Academic in International Health in the Centre for Wellbeing and Long-term Health (CWLTH) in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences, 
addressed M.Sc. students about the finer aspects of research methods. Tomorrow (Sunday 24th November) I have been invited to speak to the same MMIHS postgraduate students about research theories and paradigms.
The process of internationalising higher education institutions through collaborative partnerships like this one between BU and MMIHS, brings benefits to both institutions’ staff and students. This collaboration has led to many BU staff and students visiting Nepal, and many MMIHS staff and student visiting Bournemouth. The collaboration has also led to several successful grant applications and nearly twenty academic publications [1-17].
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
References (BU + MMIHS authors in bold):
As you may already know, BU has been a successfully applying for the Horizon Europe MSCA Staff Exchanges (MSCA SE, previously Horizon 2020 MSCA RISE). The 2024 call of the MSCE SE action is open for applications until 5 February 2025.
We would appreciate it if all academics considering applying for this call submit their ItB by 9 December 2024.
This is not a formal deadline, however, given the number of bids we support and the extended Christmas break, we may not be able to support your application if your intention to bid comes in too late.
This is the Horizon Europe 2024 call, so all eligible UK institutions can apply as beneficiaries and lead a consortium. Please note that competition for Horizon Europe grants is significantly increasing this year and you must ensure the highest quality of your proposal to be successful.
Here are some useful links for those who are less familiar with MSCA Staff Exchanges call or willing to explore more about this funding scheme:
All necessary documents and guidance may be found on the call page. With any questions related to Horizon Europe funding opportunities feel free to get in touch with me and we can discuss your ideas and specific questions individually.
Yesterday I had the pleasure to delivery two research capacity building workshop sessions in Dhaka with staff at CIPRB (Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh). I was in Bangladesh as part of our Sonamoni project, this interdisciplinary project is jointly coordinated by Bournemouth University and CIPRB, in also includes the University of the West of England, Bristol, the University of Southampton, Design Without Borders (DWB) in Uganda, and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). We are working to reduce drownings among newly-mobile children, generally those under two years old. This £1.6m project has been made possible by a grant from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) through its Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation programme.
Two sessions covered qualitative research approaches in the morning and academic writing and publishing in the afternoon. The sessions were attended by staff involved in the Sonamoni project but we made it open to other CIPRB staff and in total 18 people attended. BU’s contributions to capacity-building initiatives aim to develop our collaborators’s research staff’s skills and increase their confidence in conducting qualitative research as well as publishing it.
Professor Edwin van Teijlingen
Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health
Congratulations to Faculty of Health & Social Sciences (FHSS) PhD student colleagues Dr. The effectiveness of couples’ lifestyle interventions on weight change: A systematic review and meta-analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials‘.
Iro is a PhD student and this systematic review and meta-analysis is the first to investigate the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions targeting couples on weight loss, compared to interventions focused on individuals or standard care. The findings suggest that interventions aimed at couples lead to greater weight loss, though the results should be interpreted with caution due to the wide heterogeneity among the studies. The authors conclude that further research is needed with evidence-based study designs, targeting younger participants, and incorporating intervention of longer duration, and longer follow-up periods.
The conference commences with our poster exhibition followed by a Welcome from Professor Alison Honour, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer. We look forward to hearing the Keynote ‘Research integrity in the age of AI’ from Professor Mary Davis, introduced by Professor Sarah Bate, Interim Associate Pro Vice Chancellor Research and Knowledge Exchange.
The programme of the day will be as follows:
This conference is a celebration of the incredible work being carried out by our postgraduate researchers, and we are proud to provide this platform for sharing knowledge, fostering collaboration and building connections. Whether you are presenting, exhibiting, or attending, this is a wonderful opportunity to network with fellow PGRs, colleagues from across the university and external visitors.
Poster and oral presenters do not need to register as their participation has already been confirmed.
This conference is open to external participants, please share this invite with companies and organisations you are cooperating with.
We look forward to meeting you on Wednesday 27 November. Don’t miss this chance to celebrate research and collaboration!
Best wishes,
The PGR Conference Team
Enrica Conrotto – Doctoral College Programme Manager
Arabella Moyse – Doctoral College Marketing & Events Coordinator
Zoe Leonard – Postgraduate Research Administrator
This November, supported by a BU Women’s Academic Network Small Research Grant and a BUBS QR grant, I presented my paper on Refugee Women, Entrepreneurship and Acceptance and Legitimacy at the Institute of Small Business Entrepreneurship (ISBE) Conference 2024 at Sheffield, UK.
The conference, titled ISBE 2024- Research, Policy and Practice for a More Equitable World, is one of the most significant occasions annually for academics in the UK and beyond whose contributions to the domain of small business entrepreneurship is not only limited to the academic journals but are strongly influential in policy design. The ‘More Equitable World’ in the conference title alludes to the changing nature of the world we inhabit- one where we are recognising more and more every passing day, that the existing economic models are not relevant anymore. Most of the discussions at the conference were connected to the wider global challenges underpinned by UN Sustainable Development Goals.
In the subject domain of entrepreneurship, we talk of the entrepreneurial process- one marked by dealing with uncertainty (Knight, 1921), uncertainty of the perfect kind- one that is not just unknown but unknowable. One might argue- but all uncertainty is like that isn’t it? Not if you look at our own human propensity to ambiguity aversion and risk taking- we are much more likely to contend with known risks then unknown risks. We engage in behaviour most of the time to lower our risks; we like clarity, we like to reduce ambiguity ( Ellsberg, 1961). But expert entrepreneurs, as Saras Sarasvathy suggests, are those who accept the perfectly unknowable nature of the future and yet they are comfortable with the uncertainty that comes with it because they remain open to opportunities, remain flexible, adaptable and open to change.
The Covid-19 pandemic brought with it an acceptance that we cannot, for the best of all the risk assessments undertaken, foresee the future. The smallest of mircoorganisms became the biggest disruptor in the marketplace and for humankind. Overnight, digital transformation was the demand of the marketplace. The acceleration of digitisation expected and demanded of smaller enterprises meant business survival was nigh impossible. But the human spirit, seen through the lenses of entrepreneurial spirit, prevailed. The world witnessed a (re)emergence of entrepreneurial leadership through creation of startups globally, focused on the taking small incremental steps to solving the grand challenges facing the planet and humanity. This had happened before when the 2008-2010 financial crisis occurred– as traditional for-profit businesses took a major hit, we saw in their wake, a growth in startups channelling their energies into creating economically sound business models which support communities and causes.
I reflect on this continually through my taught units in Entrepreneurship at BU and through my research. And I see this reflection in the world of academia and business around me. At ISBE 2024 this year, I had the privilege of engaging with individuals who are making profound impact on policy and society (economy after all must serve the needs of the society- it is not decoupled). Some of the discussions were on Inclusivity in entrepreneurship with focus on neurodivergence and the path of entrepreneurship; gender gap in entrepreneurship; focus on how to make finance equitable for all in the context of business startups; focus on newer economic models relevant to our current times.
My research focus is on marginalisation and entrepreneurship- gender bias in entrepreneurial finance; gendered roles and entrepreneurial experience; refugee crisis and integration into society through entrepreneurship. It was a breath of fresh air to witness how openly policy makers and highly influential academics are talking about how it is high time to stop talking about the problem e.g. Gender Bias and work to a solution that is real. There is no dearth of evidence on the problem of the gender gap in entrepreneurship. The last I checked it was a 3-6% loss to global GDP to the region of nearly USD 5 trillion. Inclusivity, just in the context of the binary gender gap here, is not just an argument of social justice and fairness (which would be a very strong argument) but an economic one.
My participation at the conference was facilitated by funding from the Women’s Academic Network at Bournemouth University (BU) and BU Business School QR funds. The value of the grants was not just limited to the paper presentation at the conference but is poised to lead to bigger outcomes in the form of collaborative research, joint external bid applications and public engagement.
Although I have had papers accepted at conferences in the last few years but this was the first conference I had physically attended (barring an online one in 2023) after a hiatus of nearly 4 years. Those 4 years began with the pandemic lockdown year of course and then life took over. The context of gender issues in entrepreneurship is not dissimilar to that of women or mother academics* or women in other industry sectors. Recently, I came across an interview with Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo, who said that the work-life ‘balance’ is problematic; we ought to strive for work-life juggle. Not sure what you make of it, but I hear it from the perspective of a woman academic who wishes to make a positive impact through her work and also create a positive family experience. And in that process, relying on support network(s) and grants such as the ones I had are critically important. As I found through one of my recent research studies, social relationships (within family or externally) provide the much needed ‘propping up’ allowing women ( entrepreneurs) to work towards their (business) aspirations.
Participation at conferences is not just limited to academic feedback on papers; it is way beyond that- it becomes a supportive network; it is inspiration; intellectual stimulation; professional networking; creating a collaborative space for future projects; creating opportunities of PhD candidates; connecting with policy makers and ultimately, human connectedness that we all crave. For women academics like me, I feel it is a priceless experience. One that I would be looking forward to repeating more often.
We’re excited to share updates about our groundbreaking Augmented Wildlife Experiences (AWE) project created by a team of academics from the Department of Life and Environmental Science. The project uses digital technology to create immersive experiences along walking trails, helping people connect with nature in new and meaningful ways while supporting their well-being. Wildlife sounds, camera trap footage, and educational information are accessible on our custom-built website, www.awetrails.co.uk.
BU HEIF funding allowed us to complete our proof-of-concept trail at Holton Lee, owned by Shaftesbury Millie College – by Livability. Over the past months, we have actively shared our work and built connections with diverse audiences. Various organisations have asked us to develop an AWE trail on their lands to enhance their public engagement activities.
Sharing Our Vision
On the 11th of November, Amanda Korstjens and Anastasia Vayona presented AWE for BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, titled: “Augmented Wildlife Experiences (AWE) trails to support nature connection”. The talk reflected on the challenges faced during the setup of the first trail at Holton Lee, located on private land with restricted access owned by Shaftesbury Millie College – by Livability, compared to the unique opportunities and issues anticipated with new trails being established on public land. We also discussed how AWE can be a tool to allow less mobile people to immerse themselves in local nature online.
Join us for more public events:
January 14th 2025 Webinar for Bournemouth Natural Sciences Society: “Using IT to make wildlife trails more interesting and accessible – Augmented Wildlife Experiences ( AWE) trails to support nature connection”.
In February, 14-23rd 2025, as part of “A Heathland Celebration” exhibition at the Gallery Upstairs in Upton Country Park (led by Julia Jennings), we will hold a panel discussion.
June 3rd, 2025, we will showcase AWE at Café Scientifique with Bournemouth University’s Public Engagement team. In a relaxed setting, we’ll explore how AWE merges conservation with technology.
Building Momentum
AWE is a collaborative multi-disciplinary project led by BU academics working with local organisations Dorset Electrical Solutions, Shaftesbury Millie College, and Talbot Village Trust.
With these activities and accomplishments, AWE is paving the way for a future where technology and conservation work hand in hand.
Stay tuned for more updates and join us at www.awetrails.co.uk
We are currently recruiting for an Output Champion to help support preparation for our next REF Submission to Geography and Environmental Studies. The deadline for expressions of interest is 11 December 2024.
This role is recruited through an open and transparent process, which gives all academic staff the opportunity to put themselves forward. Applications from underrepresented groups (e.g. minority ethnic, declared disability) are particularly welcome.
We are currently preparing submissions to thirteen units (otherwise known as UOAs). Each unit has a leadership team with at least one leader, an output and impact champion. The leadership team are supported by a panel of reviewers who assess the research from the unit. This includes research outputs (journal articles, book chapters, digital artefacts and conference proceedings) and impact case studies. We currently have vacancies in the following roles:
Output Champion – UOA14 – Geography and Environmental Studies
All roles require a level of commitment which is recognised accordingly with time to review, attend meetings, and take responsibility for tasks.
Undertaking a UOA role can be enjoyable and rewarding as two of our current champions testify:
“As UOA Outputs Champion you develop a detailed knowledge of all the great work that colleagues are doing related to the subject, and the different outlets used for disseminating their work. As an outputs committee member, you also get to know what research is going on across BU, and it’s interesting to see the differences between disciplines. It’s a good way develop your knowledge of the bigger picture of BU’s research, and also to understand the importance of REF and how it works in practice. You do spend quite a bit of time chasing colleagues to put their outputs on BRIAN for REF compliance but hopefully they forgive you!”
Professor Adele Ladkin – UOA 24 Output Champion
“As a UoA 17 impact champion, I work closely with the UoA 17 impact team to encourage the development of a culture of impact across BUBS. I try to pop into Department / research group meetings when I can to discuss impact, and I’ve enjoyed meeting people with a whole range of research interests. Sometimes it can be tough to engage people with impact – understandably; everyone is busy – so it’s important to be enthusiastic about the need for our BU research to reach the public. Overall, the role is about planting the seeds to get researchers thinking about the impact their work might have in the future (as well as the impact they have already had, sometimes without realising!)”
Dr Rafaelle Nicholson – UOA 17 Impact Champion
How to apply
All those interested should put forward a short case (suggested length of one paragraph) as to why they are interested in the role and what they think they could bring to it. These should be clearly marked with the relevant role and unit and emailed to ref@bournemouth.ac.uk by 5pm on 11 December 2024.
Further detail on the role and the process of recruitment and selection criteria can be found here:
Process and criteria for selection
For further information please contact ref@bournemouth.ac.uk, a member of the current UOA Team or your Deputy Dean Research and Professional Practice with queries.
We are pleased to announce the publication of U.S. Election Analysis 2024: Media, Voters and the Campaign
Bournemouth University Emeritus Professor, Jonathan Parker, now Health Services University, UK, former BU academic Professor Vanessa Heaslip, now Salford University and Professor Sarah Hean and Pravin Tembjerg from the University of Stavanger, Norway, are pleased to announce the publication of their edited international research collection Rebuilding Family Relations for Children and Youth Separated from Family. This edited volume is published by Palgrave Macmillan.
This edited volume explores a range of causes for separation of children and young people from family, the impact of these causes, and methods that both professionals and families may employ to build or rebuild these relations. In particular, contributions focus on six high priority crises through which children and young people become either permanently or temporarily separated from their families: removal by child welfare services, migration, family breakdown, placement into institutional care, incarceration and/or the death of a parent. Contributors include scholars in social work, psychology, health, sociology, social policy, and political science and the work develops co-production participatory research methods and tools in addition to empirical research to enhance professional practice.
Congratulations!
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
CMWH
In room BG315 on 20th November 2024, 13:00 – 15:00
REF for ECR’S: A beginners guide!
This session will introduce you to what the REF is, where it came from, where it’s going, and how it may impact you as an early career researcher. We will also discuss any questions you have around expectations and processes at BU and experiences will be shared by academics with previous and current involvement in REF.
For any queries regarding this workshop, please contact RKE Development Framework
BU staff can login below:
Dr. Ashraf cited on ‘Modest Fashion’ in The Guardian
NIHR-funded research launches website
Academics write for newspaper in Nepal
New paper published on disability in women & girls
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025 Call
ERC Advanced Grant 2025 Webinar MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025
Update on UKRO services
European research project exploring use of ‘virtual twins’ to better manage metabolic associated fatty liver disease
Research Information Network
Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025 Published
Horizon Europe 2025 Work Programme pre-Published