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Upcoming webinars on children’s palliative care

Dr Duncan Randall from Nursing Sciences has been invited to contribute to three Webinars.
He has already delivered one on 14th of January for the re formed education group of Together for Short Lives. One of the main children’s palliative care organisations in the UK. Over 50 people attended to hear about Duncan’s work with Dr Sue Neilson of the University of Birmingham on education standards for the Children’s Palliative Care Education and Traning Action Group and their follow up work on advance care planning for children. Coming up are a webinar for the Association of British Paediatric Nurses on 14th February and one for the International Children’s Palliative Care Network on 20th February. These will be delivered with Dr Neilson and Professor Julia Downing Duncan’s co editors from the new Children’s Palliative Nursing Care book. Each of the webinar will discuss children’s pallaitive care and the lessons learnt from editing a textbook with 30 authors from 13 countries. Link to ABPN Webinar below
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/childrens-palliative-care-frameworks-an-interactive-workshop-for-nurses-tickets-1051966529207?aff=oddtdtcreator.

European research project exploring use of ‘virtual twins’ to better manage metabolic associated fatty liver disease

A €10 million research project is exploring how digital duplicates called ‘virtual twins’ could help in managing and treating metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD).

MAFLD is the leading cause of chronic liver disease in Europe, surpassing viral hepatitis and alcohol-related causes. It can also play a role in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease.

Bournemouth University is one of the partners on ARTEMIs, a four-year research project funded by the European Union’s Horizon programme.

The project will explore how ‘virtual twins’ – digital duplicates of the liver, heart and other organs – can be used to track the development of the disease, leading to better and more personalised diagnosis and management of the condition.

This could help enable early detection of the disease, better prediction of the disease’s progression and more effective management of MAFLD and associated conditions.

The ARTEMIs project consortium group gathered in front of a buildingThe ARTEMIs project consortium

22 institutions from across Europe and beyond – ranging from hospitals to SMEs, academic partners and a patients’ association – are working together on the project.

Experts in data science and medical imaging at Bournemouth University are developing AI-based digital tools to support the digitisation and personalisation of the virtual twins.

“Through AI, we will investigate various clinical questions such as the progression of liver disease in MASLD patients and cardiovascular complications,” said Professor Hamid Bouchachia, Professor in Data Science and Intelligent Systems, who is the principal investigator for BU

“We will also develop the machine learning and AI tools to recognise and analyse patterns in patients and related factors, using data from various sources – including clinical data, imaging, and biological molecules.

“The outcome of such investigations will be integrated in a multi-scale computational virtual twin to facilitate the diagnosis and management of patients with MALFD. Such research will undoubtedly benefit patients suffering from this prevalent disease.”

To find out more about the project, please visit: www.bournemouth.ac.uk/ARTEMIS

ECRN – Work/Life balance for ECRs & PGRs

Training

RKEDF & ECRN are hosting an in person work/life balance session for ECRs & PGRs, on Talbot Campus, Weds 12th Feb, 13:00 – 14:00. 

This session is aimed at Academics, Researchers and PGRs with an interest in discussing work/life balance within Academic roles and careers.

The session aims to discuss approaches to setting and maintaining healthy work/life balance whilst also managing the demands of their role. It will follow an open, discursive model and invite responses with input from the Academic leads.

By the end of the session, attendees will have acquired knowledge of models and techniques to healthy professional practice with regards to time management, wellbeing and working practices, and have had the opportunity to discuss their specific circumstances with peers and experienced Academic mentors.

Book your place here

For further information on this event please contact RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk

Dipping into pond life with Dr George McGavin and Prof Genoveva Esteban

George McGavin and a lens

Image Copyright Dorset Wildlife Trust. Dr George McGavin (President of the Dorset Wildlife Trust) during a visit to a local school.

Join Dr George McGavin https://www.georgemcgavin.com/, one of the UK’s leading entomologists and authorities on the natural world, as well as an acclaimed TV and radio presenter, along with Prof Genoveva Esteban (microbial ecologist from SciTech in Life and Environmental Sciences), at the Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Kingcombe Visitor Centre. Together, they will examine the captivating world of pond life, including microbes. Find full details about the event and location here: Dipping into Pond Life | Dorset Wildlife Trust

Date: Saturday 8th March 2025. Two drop-in sessions: 10:30am to 12:30pm; and 1:30pm to 3:30pm

The event is free. No booking required. Everyone is welcome. Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

We will meet at Kingcombe Visitor Centre, Kingcombe Rd, Toller Porcorum, Dorchester DT2 0EQ. Parking is available on site.

This event is organised by Prof G. Esteban in collaboration with the Dorset Wildlife Trust as part of the Dorchester Science Festival https://discoverdorchester.co.uk/dorchester-science-festival/, an exciting programme of events to celebrate British Science Week, 7 – 16 March 2025.

ECR Networking Event

Join us for our ECR Networking event!

The Centre for Midwifery and Women’s Health invites you to a fantastic opportunity to meet fellow researchers, share ideas, and start meaningful collaborations!

Pop along for a cuppa and some exciting brainstorming.

Centre for Wellbeing and Long-Term Health (CWLTH)

The next Centre for Wellbeing and Long-Term Health (CWLTH) Research Seminar and Centre Meeting will be 13:00-14:00 on Tuesday 25/02/2025. Dr Jonny Branney and Dr Katey Collins will be leading a discussion about the Centre’s newest work stream ‘Rehabilitation and Prevention’. All are welcome to join this meeting … click HERE to join the meeting on Teams. Contact CWLTH@bournemouth.ac.uk for more information about the Centre.

New research paper published on DIGITAL NOMADS’ work-leisure management practices, Annals Tourism Research

New research paper published on DIGITAL NOMADS

Rainoldi, M., Buhalis, D., Ladkin, A., 2025, Digital nomads’ work-leisure management practices, Annals Tourism Research, Volume 111, March 2025, 103904, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2025.103904

The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly advanced digital technology adoption, transforming the knowledge work market and mainstreaming digital nomadism. While digital nomads often enjoy autonomy in choosing when, where, and how they perform their work, they face unique challenges in managing the intersection of work and leisure. Yet, literature on the practices digital nomads use to manage the boundaries between work and leisure is limited. This study combines the sociomaterial lens within practice theory and border theory to explore digital nomads’ workleisure management practices, analyzing 224 digital diary entries and 32 semi-structured in-depth online interviews to identify 25 practices. This study offers insights into digitally mediated workleisure practices of digital nomads, highlighting key aspects and implications for the tourism sector.

 

 

Postgraduate Research Showcase & Celebration

PG research

Get ready for the Postgraduate Research Showcase and Celebration! All PGRs and Supervisors are invited! 

The Doctoral College Postgraduate Research Showcase is scheduled to take place at the Atrium Gallery from 3 to 28 February 2025. This exhibition will showcase a selection of the posters presented at the 16th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference.

To launch the showcase, we are hosting the PGR Showcase Celebration event, as part of our 3C event series (Culture, Community & Cake). PGRs and Supervisors are invited to this social gathering and this time we are swapping out the cake for cheese and wine!

Date: Wednesday 5 February

Time: 15:00-16:00

Location: Atrium Galley, Poole House, Talbot Campus

Meet fellow researchers and academics, support your PGR community and celebrate some of the amazing research that is taking place at BU!

Don’t miss out, book your place below:

Showcase Celebration – register here

Any Questions please contact pgconference@bournemouth.ac.uk

Best wishes,

The Doctoral College

RKEDF February Digest

Training

Book now for RKEDF training in February 2025 

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

ECRN: Demonstrating Research Impact  

Monday 3rd February 14.00-16.00 – in person, online 

Are you hopeful that you research is going to make a difference?  Have you considered the variety of ways your research can have an impact?  This session will help you consider the ways in which you can demonstrate the impact your research is having and start you off on planning an impact strategy.  Facilitated by RDS expert Adam Morris. 

Konfer training 

Thursday 6th February 14:00 – 15:30 – in person, Talbot Campus 

We invite you to an in-person training session, featuring Anna Dent-Davies and Shivaun Meehan from the National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB). They will introduce Konfer, a powerful platform for navigating the UK innovation ecosystem.  For those unfamiliar, Konfer connects users with resources and potential collaborators perfectly aligned with their research or innovation projects. 

RKEDF: ECRN – Work life balance 

Wednesday 12th February 13:00-14:00, in person, Talbot Campus 

This session is aimed at Academics, Researchers and PGRs with an interest in discussing work/life balance within Academic roles and careers.  The session aims to discuss approaches to setting and maintaining healthy work/life balance whilst also managing the demands of their role. It will follow an open, discursive model and invite responses from ECRs with input from the Academic leads. 

Horizon Europe 

Wednesday 12th February 13:00-14:30, in person, Talbot Campus 

Looking to secure European funding? Then this Horizon Europe event is for you! 

This session will cover: 

  • Introduction to Horizon Europe 
  • Where and how to find EU funding opportunities 
  • Panel discussion – What are the most effective ways of building international partnerships and getting involved with peers across Europe? 
  • Q&A session 

KTP Development – Public Sector KTPs 

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

Public Sector KTPs: Developing the ‘Business Case’ – Providing Persuasive Evidence of Impact 

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.  As part of ongoing work to grow our KTP numbers and to coincide with their milestone birthday, we are hosting a series of developmental sessions for staff (and businesses) to debunk myths, provide insights, and forge connections. 

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   

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  

 

2025 Bid-generating sandpit: Interdisciplinary research towards sustainable development goals

Funded by the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network and organised by the Centre for the Study of Conflict, Emotion, and Social Justice, we are inviting applications for the:

2025 Bid-generating Sandpit: Interdisciplinary Research towards Sustainable Development Goals

26 – 27 March 2025

Bournemouth University, Executive Business Centre (TBC)

Participate in dynamic and interactive sessions to develop innovative research concepts addressing any of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), leading to funding bids across institutions and disciplines. Your goal is to form an interdisciplinary project team and build a funding proposal in only two days. You will then be allocated a mentor and have two online follow-up sessions to share your project progress and experiences.

We welcome early career (as you choose to define it) researchers, artists, practitioners or anyone with a general interest in sustainability and emerging interdisciplinary projects. You must be based at one of these universities: Bournemouth University, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff University, University of Exeter, University of Bath, Bath Spa University, University of Bristol, University of Gloucestershire, University of Plymouth, University of the West of England or University of Wales Trinity Saint David. You should be keen to work in a multidisciplinary team, and willing to commit to attending the full sandpit, on both days. No prior experience of research funding is required.

To secure your spot in the Sandpit, please complete and submit the following application by 6th February 2025 – note that all participants must commit to attending both full days in person: https://forms.office.com/e/AQiAsf5Wxn

The event is facilitated by Dr. Catalin Brylla and Dr. Lyle Skains, with advisors and mentors to be drawn from senior Bournemouth University staff based on participant disciplines and interests.  If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Writing for The Conversation – upcoming training opportunities

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

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 close to 11 million reads and been republished by news outlets across the world.

Find out more about working with The Conversation and have the chance to pitch your ideas directly to one of their editors in our upcoming training sessions:

Writing for The Conversation interactive workshop

2-4pm, Wednesday 5th March (Fusion Building, Talbot Campus) 

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.

Sign up via Eventbrite

One-to-one session with an editor from The Conversation

Between 2pm – 4pm (20 minute bookable slots), Wednesday 2nd April (online)

This one-to-one session with one of The Conversation’s editors is tailored to you and your research.

You’ll have the chance to discuss potential pitches and receive personalised advice and feedback on communicating your research to a general audience and turning your expertise into articles.

Book your 20 minute one-to-one session via Eventbrite.

Places on each training session are limited so please cancel your place via Eventbrite if you are no longer able to attend.

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

Horizon Europe News and Leaked 2025 Work Programmes So Far

Before I dive into the work programmes, please note that there will be an in-person event dedicated to Horizon Europe funding on 12 February 2025 at 1 PM.

The session will begin with an introduction to Horizon Europe, showcasing where and how to find EU funding opportunities, followed by a panel discussion on the most effective ways to build international partnerships and engage with peers across Europe. The event will conclude with a Q&A session.

Although the event is primarily aimed at those who are relatively unfamiliar with Horizon Europe funding, even more experienced academics will have the opportunity to ask questions to the hosts — Horizon Europe expert Ainar Blaudums and Prof Hamid Bouchachia with a strong track record of successfully applying for EU funding.

For more details, please read this announcement or book your place HERE in advance, as space for this event, held in the Fusion Building, is limited.

And now, back to the topic.

It’s time to start planning and aligning your research with Horizon Europe’s potential opportunities. Many of you may already know that we are still waiting for the Horizon Europe 2025 work programme to be finalised and officially released.

Apart from the European Innovation Council’s 2025 work programme, which was published earlier, the official final versions of other work programmes are expected to be released by March/April 2025. In the meantime, we continue to keep an eye on the European Commission’s website and other sources for updates.

Some 2025 draft work programmes have been leaked, and the Science Business portal has collated them. Please note that these draft Horizon Europe work programmes for 2025 are subject to change, possibly significantly. However, they provide an early look at the research topics, timing, and budgets that the European Commission is considering, offering valuable insight into upcoming funding opportunities. For now, here’s what we know so far:

  • Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society

The available version appears to be from October 2024. This draft work programme outlines opportunities in areas such as social cohesion, digital culture, and the role of creative industries.
Link to the document: HORIZON-CL2-2025_10_29_2024.pdf

  • Digital, Industry and Space

The available version is from October 2024. Focusing on AI, space research, and industrial innovation, this cluster will be highly relevant for researchers in engineering, technology, and cybersecurity.
Link to the document: HORIZON-CL4-2025_v3[77].pdf

  • Climate, Energy and Mobility

This version was available in April 2024. This draft work programme focuses on green technologies, climate action, sustainable energy, and mobility solutions.
Link to the document: HORIZON-CL5_WP 2025_PC version_2024-04-29.pdf

  • Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area

The October 2024 version. This part of the programme aims to increase research excellence across all EU regions, particularly focusing on less-represented areas.
Link to the document: HORIZON-WIDERA-2025_10_04_2024_Advanced draft.pdf

  • Health

The available version is from December 2024. With a focus on healthcare innovation, disease prevention, and mental health, the Health cluster will remain highly competitive and provide many new opportunities for research.
Link to the document: HORIZON-CL1-2025_12_20_2024.pdf

  • Civil Security for Society

The November 2024 version. This part of the work programme covers public safety, security technologies, and disaster management.
Link to the document: Cluster 3 Draft

  • European Innovation Council (EIC)

The EIC continues to fund high-risk, innovative technologies and support start-ups and entrepreneurs. This work programme has already been officially released.
Link to the document: European Innovation Council (EIC) Work Programme

If you have any EU funding-related questions, feel free to get in touch with me – Research Facilitator International. For general pre-award or non-EU queries, please email them to the Pre-award Enquiries mailbox.

Thinking about interdisciplinary research

international, PG research, Publishing, writing

Thank you very much for all those who attended last Wednesday’s monthly online session organised by BU’s Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH).  This event featured PhD student Mr. Shafkat Hossein who spoke about his thesis research ‘Using Human-Centred Design (HCD) to develop community-led interventions to prevent drowning among children under the age of 2 in rural Bangladesh’.  His work is part of an interdisciplinary study called ‘Sonamoni’ in which BU collaborates with CIPRB (Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh), the University of the West of England (in Bristol), the University of Southampton, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), and Design Without Borders (DWB) in Uganda.  Sonamoni aims to design and develop interventions to reduce the number of  young children drowning in Bangladesh.

This public health project is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) through its Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation programme. For more information, visit the NIHR website.

The second speaker at the CMWH event was Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen, who spoke about trials and tribulations of conducting, running and managing interdisciplinary studies.  His talk was largely based on three three published papers co-written with BU academic and Faculty of Health & Social Sciences Visiting Faculty members on interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary working [1-3].  There are, of course, differences between multidisciplinary, and interdisciplinary and the even more integrated level of working called transdisciplinary.  At the same time the individual member of an interdisciplinary team needs to have individual field-based expertise in their own discipline, e.g. sociology, nursing, chemistry or law to bring required knowledge and skills to that team.

 

 

References:

  1. Shanker, S., Wasti, S.P., Ireland, J., Regmi, P., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2021) The Interdisciplinary Team Not the Interdisciplinarist: Reflections on Interdisciplinary Research, Europasian Journal of Medical Sciences 3(2): 1-5. https://doi.org/10.46405/ejms.v3i2.317
  2. Wasti, S. P., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P. (2020) Public Health is truly interdisciplinary. Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences, 6(1):21-22.
  3. van Teijlingen, E., Regmi, P., Adhikary, P., Aryal, N., Simkhada, P. (2019). Interdisciplinary Research in Public Health: Not quite straightforward. Health Prospect, 18(1), 4-7. https://doi.org/10.3126/hprospect.v18i1.19337

An inspiring visit to Türkiye! Towards gender equality in research and academia

conferences

On January 20-21, 2025, the VOICES in Action: International Event on Gender Equality in Science and Research took place at Izmir University of Economics (IEU). Organised and funded by COST Action VOICES, this two-day conference brought together a group of experts and researchers from across Europe to exchange knowledge and experiences on issues related to gender equality in academia and research. The event featured a lineup of speakers, including Dr Ola Thomson from BU Business School.

Day one set the scene with topics such as implementing Gender Equality Plans (GEPs) in universities and research institutions, integrating gender perspectives in research, and exploring the global challenges faced by women in STEM careers.

Ola, who is a management committee member and co-lead of VOICES, delivered a talk focusing on the activities of her working group in promoting inclusive mentoring as a strategy to advance gender equality in academia and research. Ola shared insights from the Mentoring Mapping in Europe project, which involved identifying and analysing existing mentoring programmes to better understand their impact and gaps. Additionally, she presented the outcomes of the Inclusive Mentoring Summer Training held in Bilbao in 2024, which had utilised art-based and co-creation techniques to enable mentees, mentors and programme managers to share their experiences of mentoring and create ten guiding principles on inclusive mentoring.

Day two was an interactive and hands-on experience for attendees, featuring co-creation workshops for early-career researchers. Ola and her two VOICES colleagues Dr Jennifer Dahmen-Adkins from Germany, and Şerife Durna from Türkiye co-led a World Café session, which explored the challenges impacting early researchers’ careers. Themes included the gendered nature of institutions and the impact of systemic inequalities, addressing the tension between professional demands and societal gender roles, examining gendered access to opportunities and critiquing notions of “meritocracy” and “excellence”, and lastly, sharing personal and institutional experiences to understand the prevalence and impact of bias.

This event was a rewarding opportunity to engage with a Turkish community of researchers and academics committed to shaping the future of gender equality in science and research. It underscored the importance of collaboration across Europe and Inclusiveness Target Countries such as Türkiye, where challenging socio-political systems operate and influence gender equality efforts and outcomes.

This work links to three UN SDGs: Gender equality,  Decent work and economic growth, and Reduced inequalities within and among countries.

New book by Dr Duncan Randall, DNS

Nursing is an essential component of children’s palliative care and palliative care is an essential aspect of nursing. Yet the complex inter-disciplinary nature of palliative care brings into sharp focus the work nurses undertake with others in delivering palliative care. This is, however, a book by nurses for nurses.
This comprehensive text presents the essential knowledge and skills required by nurses providing this invaluable care to a growing number of children. The chapters are mapped to the Children’s Palliative Care Education and Training standards. These are endorsed by the International Children’s Palliative Care Network, a major partner with the World Health Organization in the push to make children’s palliative care a universal health right. In its three Parts, Children’s Palliative Nursing Care covers public and universal care, core nursing and specialist care. The chapters can be read individually or cumulatively to move from engagement in public health and public understanding of palliative care through to delivering nursing care. Topics range from managing symptoms and end-of-life care, to education, research and issues of quality and leadership.
Uniquely each chapter has been written by a team of authors who come from both high-income and low-/middle-income countries. This makes this not just a book by nurses for nurses but a global book for global nursing practice.
It is now available through the University library:
https://bournemouth.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1474642910
Dr Randall researches as part of the Centre for Wellbeing and Long-Term Health at Bournemouth University

RKEDF ECR development opportunities – book now!

Training

ECRN: Demonstrating Research Impact – Mon 3rd Feb, 14:00-16:00, online 

Are you hopeful that you research is going to make a difference?  Have you considered the variety of ways your research can have an impact? This session will help you consider the ways in which you can demonstrate the impact your research is having and start you off on planning an impact strategy.  Open to ECRs & PGRs. Book your place HERE

Konfer training – Thurs 6th Feb, 14:00-15:30, in person – Talbot campus

Featuring Anna Dent-Davies and Shivaun Meehan from the National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB). They will introduce Konfer, a powerful platform for navigating the UK innovation ecosystem.  For those unfamiliar, Konfer connects users with resources and potential collaborators perfectly aligned with their research or innovation projects.

You’ll also have the chance to discuss your specific research projects or areas of interest and even begin drafting your own collaboration call during the session.  Don’t miss this opportunity to explore how Konfer can support your research and innovation goals!

Ahead of the session, we kindly ask attendees to:

  • Sign up to Konfer.
  • Come prepared with an innovation challenge or collaboration opportunity in mind.

Find out more and book your place HERE

RKEDF: ECRN – Work life balance – Weds 12th Feb, 13:00-14:00, in person – Talbot campus

This session is aimed at Academics, Researchers and PGRs with an interest in discussing work/life balance within Academic roles and careers.  The session aims to discuss approaches to setting and maintaining healthy work/life balance whilst also managing the demands of their role. It will follow an open, discursive model and invite responses from ECRs with input from the ECRN Academic leads.  For further details and bookings, click HERE

Please contact RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk if you have any queries.