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Last chance to apply for ECRN/RKEDF Funding. Closes 10th March

Funding opportunities

The BU ECRN & RKEDF are delighted to offer funding to organise an event, roundtable, meeting, training, or workshop in support of research at BU. 

This funding supports BU Early Career Researcher Network members to organise and facilitate an event that can be thematic, subject/discipline based, foster community engagement, knowledge exchange or networking and does the following; 

 – Brings ECRs and others together to share ideas, knowledge and learning. 

– Provides a space for intellectual discussion. 

– Helps to facilitate collaboration and future opportunities.  

– Enables an opportunity for networking.  

 BU ECRN members can access up to £500 to organise and host an event, roundtable, meeting, training, or workshop at BU. Please see the requirements below.  

Read about past successful applicants here: BU Research Blog | Early Career Researcher networking funding outcomes: A Tabletop Discussion on Cyber Signatures in Human Trafficking | Bournemouth University

BU Research Blog | Early Career Researcher Network funding outcomes: Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) workshop | Bournemouth University

 – Please note all requests are subject to approval by the RKEDF Team and must be made at least 3 weeks in advance of the event date. No reimbursements for payments will be made without prior authorisation from the team. 

 – All expenses must be paid by the end of the BU financial year (July 2025) 

 – You will need to receive written confirmation from RKDEF that your request has been successful before you can proceed with organising the event.   

 – The event cannot have taken place prior to submitting your application. 

 Eligible costs  

  • Event space 
  • Travel bursaries for attendees 
  • Catering and refreshments (Tea, Coffee, Water, Light snacks, Lunch) 
  • Av (projector, screen, laptop, tech support on the day, microphones)  
  • Printing costs (meeting handouts) 
  • Speaker fee (up to £500) 

Ineligible Costs  

  • Software or hardware. 
  • International event, speaker, or travel costs.  
  • Costs for dependants or spouses to attend events.  
  • Research costs.   

How to apply: 

Please download and complete all of the sections of the EOI for BU ECRN Funding 2425 (500 words max per section) and email your completed application to: RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk by 10th March 2025. Successful applicants will be notified by 17th March 2025. 

If you have any questions or queries, please contact BU ECRN Academic Leads Ann Hemingway (aheming@bournemouth.ac.uk) and Sam Goodman (sgoodman@bournemouth.ac.uk) or RKEDF Advisor Joelle Fallows (jfallows@bournemouth.ac.uk).

RKEDF March digest

Training

Book now for RKEDF training in March 2025 

Click on the titles to find further details and book your place 

ECRN: Intellectual Property and Your Research 

Tuesday 4th March 14:00-15:30 – online 

Intellectual Property underpins academic research, as it is through Intellectual Property protection that we can protect, commercialise, and own our research & creative outputs.  As researchers, we are constantly engaged in the works and products of others, all of which are underpinned and protected by Intellectual Property. We are also constantly creating our own outputs that can be protected by Intellectual Property.  This workshop will explain the key areas of Intellectual Property that relate to academic research; how to protect your own Intellectual Property; and how to avoid infringing on the Intellectual Property of others. 

Research Data Management: An introduction 

Wednesday 5th March 12:00 – 13:00 – online 

Attendance is recommended for any academic wishing to maximise the impact of their research data, and to learn how it can be managed through the research life cycle in a way that complies with research best practice and any legal, ethical or commercial requirements.  It aligns with BU’s Research Data Policy, which closely reflects many funder and journal requirements.  

Writing for The Conversation interactive workshop 

Wednesday 5th March 14:00-16:00, in person, Talbot Campus 

Learn how to consider the news potential of your expertise, how to look for story hooks and angles from the news, how to write a quality story pitch to section editors, and other advice.  In this interactive session, you’ll find out more about communicating your research to the public, what The Conversation is looking for, and have the chance to discuss your research with a Conversation editor and pitch potential story ideas. 

BRIAN – drop-in surgery – no booking required

Tuesday 11th March 14:00-16:00, F203, Fusion Building, Talbot Campus 

This is a 2 hour drop in surgery for any questions or issues relating to BRIAN.  No question is a stupid question so pop in and ask.  

ECRN – Imposter Syndrome 

Wednesday 19th March 13:00-14:00, in person, Talbot Campus 

This session is aimed at colleagues dealing with feelings of imposter syndrome in academia. The session will offer a space to discuss this growing issue as well as offer advice, guidance and support on how to manage, avoid and overcome such feelings. At the end of the session attendees will have achieved greater confidence in developing their career and profile.  This workshop aimed at: All staff – Academic, teaching, research, professional services. 

Principal Investigation – Post Award for RKE 

Wednesday 19th March 13:00-14:30, in person, BGB, Lansdowne  

This session is aimed at any researcher who is or plans to be a Principal Investigator for an externally funded research or knowledge exchange project.  By the end of the session, attendees will have a strong foundation of what to expect when being responsible for their awarded projects. Topics covered include: 

  • What is post award? • Roles and responsibilities • Systems
  • Key policies • Starting your awarded project • Making changes to your project and reporting • Hints and tips

KTP Development  

Wednesday 19th March 13:00-14:00, in person, Talbot Campus 

Sometimes organisations can see an opportunity for growth, something that will supercharge their business, but they don’t quite know where or how to start. That’s when a Knowledge Transfer Partnership could help.  We are hosting a series of developmental sessions for staff (and businesses) to debunk myths, provide insights, and forge connections.  This session will focus on Fiduciary Responsibility and Evaluation of Company Accounts, Demonstration of Financial Strength, Suitability of Company Finances & Eligibility for KTP Scheme. 

Links for further RKE information and support are below: 

RKE SharePoint page: RKE – Home 

RKEDF SharePoint for development opportunities: Research and Knowledge Exchange Development Framework RKEDF – Home 

RKEDF Brightspace: Homepage – Research & Knowledge Exchange Development Framework  

Please help us in avoiding any waste of resources; make sure you can attend or cancel your booking prior to the session. For any further information, please contact RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk   

Next CWLTH Research Seminar and Centre Meeting

The Centre for Wellbeing and Long-Term Health‘s next Research Seminar and Centre meeting will be 13:00-14:00 on Wednesday 19th March. Dr Chris Long (Principal Academic on Healthcare Statistics) with be speaking about ‘Avoiding the common statistical pitfalls when planning a research project.’ For more information contact CWLTH@Bournemouth.ac.uk.

Recruiting Participants for International Students Project

Awarded & submitted bids

Andrew M’manga and colleagues are seeking international students in the UK to participate in a British Academy Leverhulme-funded project. This research investigates and models the dimensions of contactless transaction literacy, focusing on key principles such as security, privacy, trust, risk awareness, and wellbeing. By conducting focus groups at at least 16 universities across the UK, the study aims to develop approaches that help international students integrate successfully into the UK’s academic and societal environment. Kindly share this with your university networks outside BU. As a token of appreciation, participants will receive a £15 voucher. Click here for more information.

 

Conversation article: Fossil footprints reveal what may be the oldest known handcarts – new research

Professor Matthew Bennett and Dr Sally Reynolds write for The Conversation about their research at White Sands National Park, where they have found the earliest evidence of prehistoric transport…

Fossil footprints reveal what may be the oldest known handcarts – new research

Matthew Robert Bennett, Bournemouth University and Sally Christine Reynolds, Bournemouth University

If you’re a parent you’ve probably tried, at some point, to navigate the supermarket with a trolley, and at least one child in tow. But our new study suggests there was an ancient equivalent, dating to 22,000 years ago. This handcart, without wheels, was used before wheeled vehicles were invented around 5,000 years ago in the Middle East.

Recently our research team discovered some remarkable fossil traces which might give a hint. These traces were found alongside some of the oldest known human footprints in the Americas at a place called White Sands in New Mexico.

In the last few years, several footprint discoveries at this site have begun to rewrite early American history – pushing back the arrival of the first people to enter this land by 8,000 years.

There is some controversy around the age (23,000 years old) of these footprints, with some researchers unhappy with our dating methods. But they provide a remarkable picture of past life on the margins of a large wetland at the end of the last ice age.

The footprints tell stories, written in mud, of how people lived, hunted and survived in this land. Footprints connect people to the past in a way that a stone tool or archaeological artefact never can. Traditional archaeology is based on the discovery of stone tools. Most people today have never made a stone tool but almost all of us will have left a footprint at some time, even if it is only on the floor of the bathroom.

Today, modern shopping trolleys can be found rusting in canals, rivers or abandoned in shrubbery. But ancient versions would have probably been of wood and simply rotted away. We know that transport technology must have existed.

Everyone has stuff to transport, but we have no record of it until written histories. At White Sands, we found drag-marks made by the ends of wooden poles while excavating for fossil footprints. Sometimes these appear as just one trace, while at other times they occur as two parallel, equidistant traces.

A pole or poles used in this fashion is called a travois. These drag-marks are preserved in dried mud that was buried by sediment and revealed by a combination of erosion and excavation. The drag-marks extend for dozens of metres before disappearing beneath overlying sediment. They clip barefoot human tracks along their length, suggesting the user dragged the travois over their own footprints as they went along.

To help interpret these features, we conducted a series of tests on mud flats both in Dorset, UK, and on the coast of Maine, US. We used different combinations of poles to recreate simple, hand-pulled travois.

In our experiments the pole-ends dragged along the mud truncate footprints in the same way as the fossil example in New Mexico. These features in the fossil examples were also always associated with lot of other human footprints travelling in a similar direction, many of which, judging by their size, were made by children.

We believe the footprints and drag-marks tell a story of the movement of resources at the edge of this former wetland. Adults pulled the simple, probably improvised travois, while a group of children tagged along to the side and behind.

The research team has benefited from the insight of the Indigenous peoples we work with at White Sands, and they interpret the marks in this way as well. We cannot discount that some of the marks may be made by dragging firewood, but this does not fit all the cases we found.

Travois are known from historical documents and accounts of Indigenous peoples and their traditions. They were more commonly associated with dogs or horses, but they were pulled by humans in our tests.

As such they represent early examples of the handcart or wheelbarrow, but without the wheel. The earliest record of a wheeled vehicle dates from Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq), in 2,500BC. We think the travois were probably improvised from tent poles, firewood and spears when the need arose.

Maybe they were created to help move camp, or more likely, transport meat from a hunting-site. In the latter context the analogy with the shopping trolley comes to the fore, as does the pained expression of the adults faces as they quest for resources with a gaggle of children in tow.The Conversation

Matthew Robert Bennett, Professor of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Bournemouth University and Sally Christine Reynolds, Associate Professor in Hominin Palaeoecology, Bournemouth University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Participants Needed for Low Back Pain Research Study

Do you experience low back pain? Researchers at Bournemouth University are conducting a study to explore how posture and movement throughout the day relate to low back pain.

We are seeking participants who experience low back pain triggered by prolonged sitting or standing. The study involves wearing small sensors on your lower back and thigh to monitor posture and movement during daily activities. You will also complete a short pain diary and receive a routine physiotherapy assessment, including personalised posture advice.

By taking part, you will contribute to important research that aims to improve low back pain management. Participation is entirely voluntary, and you can withdraw at any time.

If you are interested or would like more information, please contact fmcclintock@bournemouth.ac.uk

BU-Lush Cosmetics Ltd collaboration to Develop Renewable Zero Carbon Emissions Energy Technology

Awarded & submitted bids, conferences, Industry collaboration, innovation, Knowledge Exchange, PG research, REF Subjects, Student Engagement, student research

This is a landmark collaborative initiative between BU’s NanoCorr, Energy and Modelling (NCEM) Research Group led by Professor Zulfiqar Khan and team members including Dr Adil Saeed, Dr Mayank Anand and Aerk Dimri and Lush Cosmetics Ltd a major stakeholder in the conurbation. “Born in Poole, Lush offers a range of quirky and unique handmade bathing and cosmetic products with signature ‘Lush’ scents. The brand boasts an extremely ethical promise to consumers with all products being cruelty free, vegetarian and ethically sourced.” [Source]. “Lush Limited is a British cosmetics retailer which is headquartered in Poole, England. It was founded in 1995 by trichologist Mark Constantine, his wife Mo Constantine and five other founders.” [Source].

 

“We laid the foundation for capitalising on tidal energy sources and providing clean energy solutions for local and regional domestic and commercial applications through Community Interest Company (CIC) / Standard Industrial Classification (SIC), Poole Tidal Energy Partnership (PTEP), more than a decade ago, said Professor Zulfiqar Khan, one of the founding directors of PTEP.

This work led to UK based energy company collaboration in BU’s energy research: capture, conversion and storage through full funding of two PhDs, two Post Docs, one PhD in-kind support, industrial labs resources and funding patent applications, a three quarter of a million pound sterling research portfolio led by Professor Zulfiqar Khan. This has yielded in commercial patents in the US and GB, covering novel nano fluids, energy systems (capture, conversion and storage).

“This recent collaboration with LUSH is a testament of our full commitments to UNSDGs, UK and EU clean energy directives, initiatives which has led to emergence of BU as a global leader in Clean Energy Systems,” Professor Zulfiqar Khan added.

Dr Saeed said, “we provide opportunities for our UG/PGT courses to benefits from our research collaborations to enhance students learning and teaching experience through research informed educational provisions.” Dr Saeed, the Programme Leader of Mechanical Engineering course, said, we currently have three final year projects in energy systems which have been inspired and are linked to BU-LUSH collaborative project.

LUSH Creative Technologist Jim Woodward said, “We look forward to starting this journey with Professor Khan, his colleagues and students at Bournemouth University, researching the potential tidal energy in our beautiful Poole Harbour. We welcome the newly appointed PGR and wish him good luck in this exciting PhD project with us. What a force – Lush a local Poole company working with a fantastic local University.”

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition

PG research

1 week till applications close for the 3MT competition!

Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to develop your presentation skills, share your research and be in with a chance of winning a prize.

We are excited to host the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition at BU for the very first time! Originally developed by the University of Queensland in 2008, 3MT® is an internationally renowned research communication challenge. It challenges doctoral researchers to condense their thesis into a compelling three-minute presentation, communicating its originality and significance to a non-specialist audience.

On Wednesday 26 March we will have four parallel sessions, one for each Faculty, to select the 2 finalists to advance to the final round, which will take place in the afternoon. The winner will take part in the national competition run by Vitae.

More information about the history of 3MT® can be found on the Vitae and 3MT® websites.

Eligibility

Active PhD and Professional Doctorate Research candidates who have successfully passed their Probationary Review (including candidates whose thesis is under submission/examination) by the date of their presentation (26 March 2025) are eligible to participate. Graduates are not eligible.
Please Note: MRes/MPhil students and students on interruption are NOT ELIGIBLE to enter the 3MT Competition.

Competition Rules

Make sure you read the international 3MT® rules before applying.

In order to allow all our P/T and remote PGRs to take part, if unable to attend in-person a pre-recorded video will be accepted, in line with the 3MT® rules.

Prizes

  • 1st prize: £150 voucher
  • 2nd prize: £100 voucher
  • 3rd prize: £50 voucher
  • People’s Choice winner: £50 voucher

Key dates

  • Applications close 28 February 2025 (midnight)
  • 3MT Competition: 26 March (10:00-12:00: First round and 13:00-14:30: Final round – timing TBC)

Why should I take part?

  • Develop your presentation and public speaking skills.
  • Networking opportunities.
  • Raise your own researcher profile.
  • Prizes to be won.
  • The winner will represent Bournemouth University at the National Vitae 3MT competition.

Apply here

Further information available on Brightspace.

Registration to attend will open in March.

Please do contact us if you have any questions: pgrskillsdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk

Best wishes,

The RDP Team

Consider starting M.Res. at Bournemouth University

NHS, PG research, student research

Bournemouth University is delighted to be working with UWE Bristol as one of the NIHR INSIGHT hosts providing funded postgraduate M.Res. research training for health and social care professionals.  BU provides excellent training, development, and teaching for the postgraduate community across disciplinary and interdisciplinary research fields.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) INSIGHT programme is a unique opportunity designed to inspire and equip the next generation of health and social care researchers. As part of its commitment to fostering a world-class research workforce, the NIHR INSIGHT programme offers a transformative experience with numerous benefits:

  • Exposure to Research Opportunities: Gain invaluable insight into health and social care research.
  • Hands-On Experience: Engage directly with researchers and practitioners, acquiring real-world skills.
  • Mentorship: Receive guidance from experienced professionals, helping to shape your research career and development.
If you are health or social care professional you may want to have a look at the experience of midwifery researcher and current M.Res. student Susara Blunden (click here!).   For a more informal discussion email INSIGHTSWCC@bournemouth.ac.uk
Applications Open until 31st March 2025 (for September 2025 entry).
Links: – NIHR INSIGHT Programme for the South West Central Collaboration

Pilot studies methods paper cited 500 times

Publishing, writing

This morning ResearchGate alerted us that our paper ‘The importance of pilot studies’ [1] had reached 500 citations.  Profs. Vanora Hundley and Edwin van Teijlingen, both in BU’s Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH) have published several methods papers [1-6] on the importance of (a) conducting pilot studies, but also (b) reporting on their outcomes and lessons learnt.  It started more than two decades ago with lessons learnt from the Scottish Birth study [2]. Followed by a methods paper in a sociology journal [3], one in a midwifery journal [4] and one in a family planning journal [5].  The icing on the pudding was an encyclopedia entry in 2003 [6].

 

References:

  1. van Teijlingen E, Hundley, V. (2002) ‘The importance of pilot studies’ Nursing Standard 16(40): 33-36. Web: nursing-standard.co.uk/archives/vol16-40/pdfs/vol16w40p3336.pdf
  2. van Teijlingen, E., Rennie, AM., Hundley, V., Graham, W. (2001) The importance of conducting & reporting pilot studies: example of Scottish Births Survey, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 34: 289-95.
  3. van Teijlingen, E., Hundley, V. (2001) The importance of pilot studies, Social Research Update Issue 35, (Editor N. Gilbert), Guildford: University of Surrey. Web:  http://www.soc.surrey.ac.uk/sru/SRU35.html
  4. Hundley, V., van Teijlingen E. (2002) The role of pilot studies in midwifery research RCM Midwives Journal 5(11): 372-74.
  5. van Teijlingen, E, Hundley, V. (2005) Pilot studies in family planning & reproductive health care, Journal of Family Planning & Reproductive Health Care 31(3): 219-21.
  6. van Teijlingen E, Hundley, V. (2003) Pilot study, In: Encyclopaedia of Social Science Research Methods, Vol. 2, Lewis-Beck, M., Bryman, A. & Liao, T. (eds.), Orego, Sage: 823-24.

 

From CyberASAP to Cyber Innovations Ltd.: A Journey in Cybersecurity Education

As we approach CyberASAP Demo Day for Cohort 8 on Wednesday 26th February at Level 39, Canary Wharf, and the Alumni Conference and House of Lords Reception on Tuesday 25th February, I find myself reflecting on an incredible journey—one that started with an idea and has now grown into Cyber Innovations Ltd., a Bournemouth University pre-spin-out leading the way in cybersecurity education.

Back in Cohort 6, we entered CyberASAP—an Innovate UK programme—with an early concept: CyGamBIT, a game-based cybersecurity learning tool designed to make security awareness engaging and impactful. At the time, I never imagined that this project would evolve into a fully-fledged company, nor that I would find myself as the CEO of a cybersecurity education organisation. Yet, here we are, preparing to showcase Cyber First Aid (CFA), a flagship training programme designed to tackle human cyber risk by combining technical response training with psychological resilience strategies.

From the very beginning, Dr. Jane Henriksen-Bulmer played a key role in shaping CyGamBIT, ensuring that privacy, data protection, and real-world application were embedded in its design. The project demonstrated the power of interactive learning in cybersecurity training, paving the way for our next phase—turning research into scalable, practical solutions for businesses.

This evolution led us to Cyber First Aid (CFA), a programme that builds on years of academic research at Bournemouth University to deliver practical, real-world cybersecurity resilience training. Professor Vasilis Katos has been at the forefront of developing CFA, applying his expertise in cyber threat management and response to create a training programme that goes beyond awareness and builds lasting behavioural change.

“With the proliferation of AI-enabled attacks and the speed and frequency of system compromises, we need to rethink how we approach cybersecurity awareness and education. CFA aims to relieve some of the burden on cybersecurity teams by democratizing cyber incident response”, said Prof. Katos.

CFA also aligns closely with my own research into financial fraud and scamming, reinforcing the urgent need for organisations to prepare not only for cyber incidents but also for the psychological and operational impact of cybercrime.

While we are excited to attend the Alumni Conference and House of Lords Reception on Tuesday 25th February, we are especially looking forward to showcasing Cyber First Aid at Demo Day on Wednesday 26th February. Presenting alongside fellow alumni and the next wave of cybersecurity innovators is an honour, and we are grateful to Innovate UK’s CyberASAP programme for the ongoing mentorship, opportunities, and support that have helped us transform our research into a commercially viable training programme that strengthens cyber resilience across industries.

I am also incredibly excited that Bournemouth University’s own Research Commercialisation Manager, Lesley Hutchins, will be speaking at the Alumni Conference. Lesley has been pivotal in the spin-out process, providing invaluable guidance as we navigate the transition from academic research to commercial success. Her support continues to be instrumental as we take Cyber Innovations Ltd. forward, and it is fantastic to see her contribution to research commercialisation being recognised at this event.

If you had told me when we started this journey that I would be leading a cybersecurity education company, I wouldn’t have believed you. Yet here we are—thanks to CyberASAP, an incredible team, and the opportunity to take our research beyond the university and into the real world.

As we prepare to take Cyber Innovations Ltd. to the next level, I feel incredibly proud of what we have achieved and excited about what’s ahead. Our work in cyber resilience training is only just beginning, and I look forward to sharing this moment with fellow alumni, industry leaders, and potential partners.

Innovate UK’s CyberASAP programme gave us the opportunity to turn research into reality, and now, we are ready to make a real-world impact.

We look forward to seeing you at the Alumni Conference on the 25th and Demo Day on the 26th—come and see what’s next for Cyber Innovations Ltd.

Supporters will see the dream, and detractors will say you’re mad. Maybe they have a point—after all, not every cybersecurity CEO turns up with pink hair and a vision for revolutionising cyber education. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

If you would like to find out more about our work, email me at emily@cyberinnovations.co.uk or find me on teams at elanng@bournemouth.ac.uk.

Emily Rosenorn-Lanng
Part-time PhD Student, and CEO

BA/Leverhulme Small Research Grants June 2025 round

Funding opportunities

The call for the next round of BA/Leverhulme Small Research Grants will be opening soon, expected 9th April.

We are welcoming your proposals for the upcoming BA/Leverhulme Small grants call.

The below deadlines will be in place to ensure that the pre-award team can provide all interested academics with optimal support.

26th February 2025

 

 

 

 

 

26th Feb – 9th April

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Guidance Session –  follow the link below- 

Join us on the in person session, book a space here

—————————————————————————————-Work on your proposal between the allotted time- things to accomplish during that time by the 9th April:

-Brainstorm idea with peers/mentors and discuss the design, methods and approach you are planning to take

-Consider if you require additional funding development support, ie Research Facilitator support, External Application Reviewers, Bid writing – speak to RDS

-Organise your team, will you have a coi or the max of two at hand, do you need any further wider team (panel).

-Start a Flexi-Grant account and start an application in the system

-Submit your ITB and attach your  draft proposal
9th April 2025 Call Opens -expected-
9th April 2025

 

9th -25th April

 Latest date to submit your ITB   Remember to advise your referee that you will be sending them your completed application on Flexi-Grant and that their expected statement to be submitted by the 23rd May

Internal Peer review taking place
25th April 2025 If you are Grade 8 or below and you wish to use the support of an External Application Reviewer (EAR), you must submit your quality approved by the Faculty draft application to RDS by this date.
23rd May 2025 Nominated referee supporting statement to be completed via Flexi-Grant
24th May 2025 Your final application must be submitted on Flexi-Grant  by this date at the latest.Click ‘submit’ and the form will be sent to BU’s accounts for RDS checks.
24th May – 4th June 2025 Institutional checks to take place by RDS and final submissions. – submission final dates estimated currently till call opens.
If you have any queries, please contact Eva Papadopoulou or your Funding Development Officer. 

New labour migration and storytelling paper from Nepal

Two days ago BMJ Open published our latest article on Nepalese migrant workers ‘Coproducing a culturally sensitive storytelling video intervention to improve psycho-social well-being: a multimethods participatory study with Nepalese migrant workers’ [1]. This paper reports on an interdisciplinary feasibility study conducted in a Dhading, Nepal.  The paper is Open Access and hence freely available to anybody across the globe with internet access.  The authors claim the project is testament to the value of participatory methods in the development of culturally sensitive public health interventions for marginalised groups, and points to the utility of co-produced storytelling formats in migrant health contexts. The authors further highlight that future research is needed to evaluate feasibility and acceptability of the intervention as well as the outcomes and experiences of migrant workers who engaged with the video. 

This latest paper in the field of the health and well-being of Nepalese migrant workers has Prof. Priya Paudyal from the University of Keele as its first author, and is co-authored by FHSS Visiting Faculty Prof. Padam Simkhada and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen in BU’s Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH).  Previous research on migrant workers from Nepal from the BU team in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences has resulted in three dozen academic papers [2-35].

 

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

 

References:

  1. Paudyal, P., Wasti, S.P., Neupane, P., Sapkota, J.L., Watts, C., Kulasabanathan, K., Silwal, R., Memon, A., Shukla, P., Pathak, R.S., Michelson, D., Beery, C., Moult, A., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Cassell, J. 10, (2025) Coproducing a culturally sensitive storytelling video intervention to improve psychosocial well-being: a multimethods participatory study with Nepalese migrant workers, BMJ Open 15:e086280. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-086280
  2. Mahato, P., Bhusal, S., Regmi, P.,  van Teijlingen, E. (2024). Health and Wellbeing Among Nepali Migrants: A Scoping Review. Journal of Health Promotion, 12(1): 79–90. https://doi.org/10.3126/jhp.v12i1.72699
  3. Paudyal, A.R., Harvey, O., van Teijlingen, E., Regmi, P. R., Sharma, C. (2024). Returning Home to Nepal after Modern Slavery: Opportunities for Health Promotion. Journal of Health Promotion, 12(1): 125–132. https://doi.org/10.3126/jhp.v12i1.72713
  4. Simkhada, P.P., van Teijlingen, E., Gurung, M., Bhujel, S., Wasti, S.P. (2024) Workplace harassment faced by female Nepalese migrants working aboard, Global Health Journal 8(3): 128-132. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S241464472400040X
  5. Regmi, P., Aryal, N., Bhattarai, S., Sedhain, A., KC, R.K. and van Teijlingen, E. (2024) Exploring lifestyles, work environment and health care experience of Nepalese returnee labour migrants diagnosed with kidney-related problems, PLoS ONE 19(8): e0309203. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0309203
  6. Regmi, P., Aryal, N., van Teijlingen, E., KC, R.K., Gautam, M. and Maharjan, S. (2024). A Qualitative Insight into Pre-Departure Orientation Training for Aspiring Nepalese Migrant Workers. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 9 (7).
  7. Chaudhary, M.N., Lim, V.C., Faller, E.M., Regmi, P., Aryal, N., Zain, S.N.M., Azman, A.S. and Sahimin, N. (2024). Assessing the basic knowledge and awareness of dengue fever prevention among migrant workers in Klang Valley, Malaysia. PLoS ONE, 19 (2).
  8. Aryal, N., Regmi, P., Adhikari Dhakal, S., Sharma, S. and van Teijlingen, E. (2024). Moral panic, fear, stigma, and discrimination against returnee migrants and Muslim populations in Nepal: analyses of COVID-19 media content. Journal of Media Studies, 38 (2), 71-98.
  9. Chaudhary, M.N., Lim, V.C., Sahimin, N., Faller, E.M., Regmi, P., Aryal, N. and Azman, A.S. (2023). Assessing the knowledge of, attitudes towards, and practices in, food safety among migrant workers in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 54.
  10. Adhikari, Y., Regmi, P., Devkota, B. and van Teijlingen, E. (2023). Forgotten health and social care needs of left-behind families of Nepali migrant workers. Journal of Health Promotion, 10, 1-4.
  11. Regmi, P., Simkhada, P., Aryal, N., van Teijlingen, E. (2022) Excessive mortalities among migrant workers: the case of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Europasian Journal of Medical Sciences, 4:31-32. https://doi.org/10.46405/ejms.v4i0.455
  12. Regmi, P., Dhakal Adhikari, S., Aryal, N., Wasti, S.P., van Teijlingen, E. (2022) Fear, Stigma and Othering: The Impact of COVID-19 Rumours on Returnee Migrants and Muslim Populations of Nepal, International Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health 19(15), 8986; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19158986
  13. Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. and Regmi, P. (2022). Migrant Workers in Qatar: Not just an important topic during the FIFA World Cup 2022. Health Prospect: Journal of Public Health, 21 (3), 1-2.
  14. Simkhada, B., Sah, R.K., Mercel-Sanca, A., van Teijlingen, E., Bhurtyal, Y.M. and Regmi, P. (2021). Perceptions and Experiences of Health and Social Care Utilisation of the UK-Nepali Population. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 23 (2), 298-307.
  15. Aryal, N., Sedhain, A., Regmi, P.R., KC, R. K., van Teijlingen, E. (2021). Risk of kidney health among returnee Nepali migrant workers: A survey of nephrologists. Asian Journal of Medical Sciences, 12(12), 126–132. https://doi.org/10.3126/ajms.v12i12.39027
  16. Aryal, N., Regmi, P.R., Sedhain, A., KC, R.K., Martinez Faller, E., Rijal, A., van Teijlingen, E. (2021) Kidney health risk of migrant workers: An issue we can no longer overlook. Health Prospect 20(1):15-7
  17. Aryal, N., Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Trenoweth, S., Adhikary, P. and Simkhada, P., (2020). The impact of spousal migration on the mental health of Nepali women: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17 (4).
  18. Regmi, P., Aryal, N., van Teijlingen, E., Adhikary, P. (2020) Nepali migrant workers and the need for pre-departure training on mental health: a qualitative study, Journal of Immigrant & Minority Health https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10903-019-00960-z.pdf
  19. Adhikary, P., Aryal, N., Dhungana, R.R., KC, R.K., Regmi, P., Wickramage, K.P., Duigan, P., Inkochasan, M., Sharma, G.N., Devkota, B., van Teijlingen, E. and Simkhada, P. (2020). Accessing health services in India: Experiences of seasonal migrants returning to Nepal. BMC Health Services Research, 20 (1), 992.
  20. Regmi, P., van Teijlingen, E., Mahato, P., Aryal, N., Jadhav, N., Simkhada, P., Zahiruddin, Q.S., Gaidhane, A. (2019) The Health of Nepali Migrants in India: A Qualitative Study of Lifestyles and Risks. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16 (19). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16193655
  21. Adhikary P, van Teijlingen E. (2019) Support networks in the Middle East & Malaysia: A qualitative study of Nepali returnee migrants’ experiences’ – International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health  9(2): 31-35.
  22. Aryal, N., Regmi, P.R., Faller, E.M., van Teijlingen, E., Khoon, C.C., Pereira, A., Simkhada, P. (2019) Sudden cardiac death and kidney health related problems among Nepali migrant workers in Malaysia. Nepal Journal of Epidemiology, 9 (3), 788-791. https://doi.org/10.3126/nje.v9i3.25805
  23. Adhikary P, van Teijlingen E., Keen S. (2019) Workplace accidents among Nepali male workers in the Middle East and Malaysia: A qualitative study, Journal of Immigrant & Minority Health 21(5): 1115–1122. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10903-018-0801-y
  24. Dhungana, R.R., Aryal, N., Adhikary, P., Kc, R.K., Regmi, P.R., Devkota, B., Sharma, G.N., Wickramage, K., Van Teijlingen, E. and Simkhada, P. (2019). Psychological morbidity in Nepali cross-border migrants in India: A community based cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health, 19 (1).
  25. Aryal, N., Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P. and Mahat, P. (2019). Adolescents left behind by migrant workers: a call for community-based mental health interventions in Nepal. WHO South-East Asia journal of public health, 8 (1), 38-41.
  26. Simkhada, P.P., van Teijlingen, E.R., Gurung, M., Wasti, S. (2018) A survey of health problems of Nepalese female migrants workers in the Middle-East & Malaysia, BMC International Health & Human Rights 18(4): 1-7. http://rdcu.be/E3Ro.
  27. Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Sharma, A., Bissell, P., Poobalan, A., Wasti, S.P. (2018) Health consequences of sex trafficking: A systematic review, Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences, 4(1): 130-49.
  28. Adhikary P, Sheppard, Z., Keen S., van Teijlingen E. (2018) Health and well-being of Nepalese migrant workers abroad, International Journal of Migration, Health & Social Care 14(1): 96-105.  https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMHSC-12-2015-0052
  29. Adhikary, P, Sheppard, Z., Keen, S., van Teijlingen, E. (2017) Risky work: accidents among Nepalese migrant workers in Malaysia, Qatar & Saudi Arabia, Health Prospect 16(2): 3-10.
  30. Simkhada, P.P., Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Aryal, N. (2017) Identifying the gaps in Nepalese migrant workers’ health and well-being: A review of the literature. Journal of Travel Medicine, 24 (4). https://doi.org/10.3126/nje.v9i3.25805
  31. Aryal, N., Regmi, PR., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Adhikary, P., Bhatta, YKD., Mann, S. (2016) Injury and Mortality in Young Nepalese Migrant Workers: A Call for Public Health Action. Asian-Pacific Journal of Public Health 28(8): 703-705.
  32. Aryal, N., Regmi, PR., van Teijlingen, E., Dhungel, D., Ghale, G., Bhatta, GK. (2016) Knowing is not enough: Migrant workers’ spouses vulnerability to HIV SAARC Journal of Tuberculosis, Lung Diseases & HIV/AIDS 8(1):9-15.
  33. Adhikary P., Keen S., van Teijlingen E. (2011) Health Issues among Nepalese migrant workers in Middle East. Health Science Journal 5: 169-75.   www.hsj.gr/volume5/issue3/532.pdf
  34. van Teijlingen E, Simkhada, P., Adhikary, P. (2009) Alcohol use among the Nepalese in the UK BMJ Rapid Response: www.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/339/oct20_1/b4028#223451
  35. Adhikary, P., Simkhada, P.P., van Teijlingen E., Raja, AE. (2008) Health & Lifestyle of Nepalese Migrants in the UK BMC International Health & Human Rights 8(6). Web address: www.biomedcentral.com/1472-698X/8/6.

C.A.I.R.E.E.S. Conference: Harnessing AI for a sustainable future

PG research

C.A.I.R.E.E.S. Conference – Climate action through AI for Resilient Manufacturing, Energy and Environmental Sustainability

Harnessing AI for a Sustainable Future: Insights from Global Experts

BU is hosting the C.A.I.R.E.E.S. Conference – Climate action through AI (Artificial Intelligence) for Resilient Manufacturing, Energy and Environmental Sustainability – on Thursday 13 and Friday 14 March, in-person and online.

Through this conference, you’ll hear from global experts about how to harness AI for a sustainable future. It will explore how AI can support climate action in manufacturing, energy, and environmental sustainability.

This event, supported by the Doctoral College Research Culture and Community Grant, will bring together experts from academia, industry, and policy to discuss AI’s role in key areas, including energy, pharmaceuticals, green technologies, diplomacy, and life sciences.

The conference is open to all, whether you’re an AI researcher, industry professional, student, policymaker, or simply someone curious about how AI is tackling climate challenges.

Where and when

You can attend the conference in-person on Thursday 13 March, from 11am to 5pm in FG06 (Fusion Building). You can also participate online on Friday 14 March, from 1pm to 6pm.

During the event, attendees will have the chance to take part in a hands-on workshop, featuring a deep learning model applied to a real-world wildlife dataset. This is a great opportunity to explore AI applications in conservation and sustainability.

To book your place for either day, please complete this online form.

Keynote speakers and industry experts

The conference features speakers from the UK, US, Mexico, Ecuador, and beyond, reflecting the global nature of AI-driven sustainability efforts:

  • HM Ambassador Chris Campbell: UK Ambassador to Ecuador
  • Professor Scott Wright: Deputy Dean, Bournemouth University
  • Professor Xiaosong Yang: Deputy Head of NCCA, Bournemouth University
  • Dr Szilvia Rusev: Chair of Bournemouth University’s AI Network
  • Professor Federico Galvanin: – Professor of Chemical Engineering, University College London
  • Professor Clarissa Busch: Professor of Philosophy of AI, Illinois Institute of Technology, USA
  • Marco Quaglio: Industry expert in the pharmaceutical sector (PolyModels Hub Ltd)
  • Brian Cresswell: Specialist in AI-powered wildlife tracking (Lotek UK Ltd)
  • Additional speakers from universities in Mexico and Ecuador (to be announced)

If you have any questions, please contact Kavisha Jayathunge: kjayathunge@bournemouth.ac.uk or Maria Alexandra Sandoval msandoval2@bournemouth.ac.uk.

Writing for The Conversation interactive workshop – Wednesday 5th March

Training

Would you like to build a media profile and take your research to a global audience by writing for The Conversation?

Join Conversation editor Grace Allen for an in-person workshop at Talbot Campus on Wednesday 5th March to find out more about working with The Conversation and share your article ideas.

The Conversation is a news analysis and opinion website with content written by academics, researchers and PhD candidates working with professional journalists.

Since we first partnered with The Conversation, articles by BU authors have had over 11 million reads and been republished by news outlets across the world.

In this interactive session, you’ll find out more about communicating your research to the public, what The Conversation is looking for, and have the chance to discuss your research and pitch potential story ideas.

It runs from 2pm – 4pm in the Fusion Building on Talbot Campus.

Sign up via Eventbrite

Find out more about our partnership and the benefits of working with The Conversation

Congratulations on new paper by BU PhD graduate

Guidance, PG research, Publishing, Research Ethics, writing

Congratulations to Dr. Karim Khaled on the latest paper from his BU Ph.D. research.  This article ‘Ethical Issues and Challenges Regarding the Use of Mental Health Questionnaires in Public Health Nutrition Research‘ [1] was published earlier this month in the international journal Nutrients. 

Karim is currently based at Birmingham City University, and the paper is co-authored with his  Ph.D. supervisors Dr. Fotini Tsofliou and Prof. Vanora Hundley in BU’s Faculty of Health & Social Sciences.  This paper addresses the potential burden of completing mental health questionnaires on (a) participants and (b) researchers. This examines ethical issues and challenges of using such scales and questionnaires, providing a real-life case study where the Beck’s Depression Inventory-II was used.
The ethical considerations raised by using mental health questionnaires in epidemiological research include incorrectly identifying participants as depressed or non-depressed; inability to identify participants for referral procedures due to the anonymous nature of some research studies; an increased burden on participants through depression and suicidal questions; and the high expectation of participants towards the researcher. Preventative measures to reduce these challenges include choosing appropriate cut-off scores for correctly identifying participants; highlighting whether mental health questionnaires used may elicit negative emotional or psychological reactions related to suicide ideation; specifying the criteria for referral to clinical services; detailing the intended referral processes; including approaches where the researcher directly connects participants with a psychological service provider; and including a passive referral method such as contact details for participants to initiate their own referrals to clinical care.  The authors offer a guide for researchers aiming to collect data on mental health through questionnaires, and they conclude that ethical challenges should be considered and reviewed at all stages of the research project.

Well done!

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

 

Reference:

  1. Khaled, K., Tsofliou, F., Hundley, V. (2025). Ethical Issues and Challenges Regarding the Use of Mental Health Questionnaires in Public Health Nutrition Research Nutrients 17 (4): 715. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17040715