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Vianna Renaud, CEMP doctoral student and FMC Placement Development Advisor, presents at the HEA What Works – Student Retention and Success Conference

conferences, Student Engagement

It was with great pleasure that I presented at the recent Higher Education Academy ‘What Works – Student Retention and Success’ Conference in London. Discussing successful interventions from across the sector , it was a wonderful time to discuss and explore current initiatives. With key notes given by leading specialists Prof Patricia Broadfoot , Prof Liz Thomas, and Prof Les Ebdon, I found the day to be invaluable in discussing the future of HE particularly against a backdrop of upcoming challenges and increasing pressure to improve retention rates.

My presentation was on the BU Placement PAL programme and how this was our first year in full implementation across the Faculties of Management, Media and Communication, and Science and Technology. Discussing the lessons learned and aims in taking the scheme further, the session was well attended by approximately 50 delegates. From the Q&A session, it was clear that we are one of the first UK institutions to offer such a scheme and as a result, I have had numerous inquiries.

As I am looking at peer to peer coaching and mentoring regarding employability in my doctoral research, one of my highlights of the day was when Professor Patricia Broadfoot attended my session and voiced her support, given that in today’s climate, UK HEIs will need to be creative in how to best support students.

Conference programme:

https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/system/files/downloads/what_works_conference_programme_final_v.5.pdf

For the final What Works report:

https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/individuals/student-success/retention/what-works

 

 

 

Understanding panic attacks

Knowledge Exchange

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week (#MHAW17), which is an opportunity both to increase our knowledge about mental health and learn about ways to improve our well being.  Professor Roger Baker, a clinical psychologist and researcher in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences has carried out extensive research into emotional processing, which includes work to help people overcome trauma and understand panic attacks.  Around 10% of people will experience a panic attack in their lives and understanding what’s happening can help in coping with and overcoming them.  Below he explains what happens during a panic attack and why it’s not a mental illness.

For more information, see Professor Baker’s website.

Public lecture on ‘Getting the message across about Zika’

PG research

Public Lecture by Professor Jane Noyes, Bangor University

Date: Friday 12 May 2017
Time: 10.50 -12:00
Venue: B321, Bournemouth House

Getting the message across about Zika: using qualitative evidence to inform the global WHO risk communication guidelines for public health emergencies, and lessons learned for intervention development.

Jane is the Professor of Health and Social Services Research and Child Health at Bangor University. She specialises in child health and social care research. She is also an expert in methodology, including complex intervention development and evaluation, and qualitative and mixed method systematic review methodology.  Jane is Lead Convenor of the Cochrane Qualitative and Implementation Methods Group and Editor of the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

Jane’s talk will be followed by a short lecture by of Queen’s University Belfast on ‘Social technology solutions to postnatal care in Brazil’.

Fiona is a Lecturer in the School of Nursing and Midwifery and the Centre for Evidence and Social Innovation, Queen’s University Belfast. Her research focuses on enhancing maternal and child health and wellbeing. Her expertise includes conducting economic evaluations alongside intervention-based studies.

Complimentary lunch will be served at 12.30pm

Please RSVP to Sam Porter at porters@bournemouth.ac.uk

This lecture is part of the ‘Social technology solutions to postnatal care in Brazil’ project funded by the British Council through the Newton Fund.

Please share with your networks, this Flyer is available to send out.

Health & Wellbeing in the 21st Century – it’s your responsibility 23rd May 2017 – DEADLINE EXTENDED

On Tuesday, 23rd May 2017, BU’s Research and Knowledge Exchange Office (RKEO) will be hosting a Sandpit event on Health & Wellbeing.

Which means…?

We’re seeking to come up with novel research which addresses challenges in health & wellbeing. With increasing pressure on the NHS, we need to consider how we can take responsibility for our own health & wellbeing. Potential areas to address this challenge may include but are not limited to, digital health & technology (apps, devices), sport, healthy diet & exercise, legal considerations (i.e. your body your choice), media, psychology, social care etc. We will also be joined by representatives from Public Health England, NHS England, and Project Nurture.

So, who should attend?

We want anyone who thinks they might have something to contribute. We will also be inviting relevant external attendees to contribute to the day.

What do I need to prepare in advance? What will the sandpit entail?

Absolutely nothing in advance. During the session, you’ll be guided through a process which results in the development of research ideas. The process facilitates creativity, potentially leading to innovative and interdisciplinary research ideas. These ideas will be explored with other attendees, and further developed based on the feedback received.

What if I don’t have time to think about ideas in advance?

You don’t need to do this but it will help. Attendees will come from a range of backgrounds so we expect that there will be lively conversations resulting from these different perspectives.

What about afterwards? Do I need to go away and do loads of work?

Well… that depends! The interactive day will result in some novel research ideas. Some of these may be progressed immediately; others might need more time to develop. You may find common ground with other attendees which you choose to take forward in other ways, such as writing a paper or applying for research funding.

What if my topic area is really specific, and doesn’t really relate to health?

Your contribution will be very welcome! One of the main benefits of this type of event is to bring together individuals with a range of backgrounds and specialisms who are able to see things just that bit differently to one another.

So, is this just networking?

Definitely not! It is a facilitated session with the primary intention of developing innovative research ideas, which also enables the development of networks. It gives you the opportunity to explore research ideas which you may develop over time, together with the chance to find common ground with academics from across BU and beyond.

So, how do I book onto this event?

To take part in this exciting opportunity, BU staff should complete the Application Form and return this to Dianne Goodman by Thursday 11th May. As places are limited, this will be assessed to ensure good mix of attendees with different perspectives. Places will be confirmed on Friday 12th May 2017.

By applying, you agree to attend for the full duration of the event on 23rd May (c. 9:30 – 16:00). This event will be held in BU’s Executive Business Centre (EBC).

If you have any queries prior to submitting your application, please contact Lisa Gale-Andrews, RKEO Research Facilitator.

This event is part of the Research Knowledge Exchange Development Framework.

CEMP research published by Samsung

Post-award

CEMP’s Digital Capability study has now been published by Samsung.

ABOUT THIS RESEARCH
In 2015, Samsung funded a six-month research project on the Isle of Portland in Weymouth, exploring the
impact of technology on participants’ engagement with community services, schools and family learning.
We partnered with the Centre for Excellence in Media Practice (CEMP) at Bournemouth University.
The project has given us a rich set of findings on which to build further work, and we hope this summary will be
of help to schools, community organisations, policy makers, employers and even parents – anybody
who shares our interest in enabling communities to benefit from the power of digital technology.

Book your place on our AI & Robotics Sandpit: 24/5/17 – 14:30-17:00

Business Engagement

A Sandpit focused on “AI & Robotics”  will take place immediately following the Royal Society visit to BU on 24/5/17 – 14:30-17:00. Don’t delay spaces are limited – book in today!

Speakers will include Vicky Isley and Paul Smith (boredomresearch). They will present a new vision for technological innovation, one that embraces emotion in a-life systems and recognises the fragility of their sustaining environment. boredomresearch will discuss their collaboration with the Artificial Life Lab (Karl Franzens University, Graz Austria), who are employing bio-inspired robots to provide solutions operating in human polluted environments.

So, is this just networking?

Definitely not! It is a facilitated session with the primary intention of developing innovative research ideas, which also enables the development of networks. It gives you the opportunity to explore research ideas which you may develop over time, together with the chance to find common ground with academics from across BU and beyond.

Which means…?

We’re seeking to come up with novel research that could part of a proposal to funding streams such as the Royal Society or the Industrial Challenge Fund that will focus on “AI” and/or “Robotics”.

So, who should attend?

We want anyone who thinks they might have something to contribute. We will also be inviting relevant external attendees to contribute to the day.

What do I need to prepare in advance? What will the programme entail?

Absolutely nothing in advance. During the session, you’ll be guided through a process which results in the development of research ideas. The process facilitates creativity, potentially leading to innovative and interdisciplinary research ideas. These ideas will be explored with other attendees, and further developed based on the feedback received.

What if I don’t have time to think about ideas in advance?

You don’t need to do this but it will help. Attendees will come from a range of backgrounds so we expect that there will be lively conversations resulting from these different perspectives.

What about afterwards? Do I need to go away and do loads of work?

Well… that depends! This interactive day will result in some novel research ideas. Some of these may be progressed immediately; others might need more time to develop. You may find common ground with other attendees which you choose to take forward in other ways, such as writing a paper or developing a new placement opportuntity.

What if my topic area is really specific, such as health and AI/Robotics?

Your contribution will be very welcome! One of the main benefits of this type of event is to bring together individuals with a range of backgrounds and specialisms who are able to see things just that bit differently to one another.

 

So, how do I book onto this event?

This event will take place on Wednesday, 24th May 2017. To book, please contact Dianne Goodman by end Wednesday, 10th May 2017 with your Name, Organisation and Research Interest(s).  All spaces will be confirmed by Monday 15th of May 2017.

This event is part of the new Research Knowledge Exchange Development Framework.

Concordat to Support Research Integrity

The Concordat to Support Research Integrity provides a comprehensive national framework for good research conduct and its governance. It outlines five commitments which the University must be compliant with as recipients of HEFCE funding.

HEFCE’s letter to all the heads of HEFCE-funded higher education institutions explains the requirement for institutions to comply with the Concordat to Support Research Integrity. It sets out HEFCE’s view of compliance with the Concordat, and provides advice for institutions on finding further information. The five commitments are:

  1. Maintain the highest standards of rigour and integrity in all aspects of research;
  2. Ensure that research is conducted according to appropriate ethical, legal and professional frameworks, obligations and standards;
  3. Support a research environment that is underpinned by a culture of integrity and based on good governance, best practice and support for the development of researchers;
  4. Use transparent, robust and fair processes to deal with allegations of research misconduct should they arise;
  5. Work together to strengthen the integrity of research and to review process regularly and openly.

Each commitment outlines the responsibilities of the researcher, the employers of researchers and the funders of research.

Bournemouth University is committed to ensuring that the research conducted at the Univeristy follows appropriate ethical, legal and professional frameworks and obligations.

A link to the Concordat can be found here:

http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/highereducation/Documents/2012/TheConcordatToSupportResearchIntegrity.pdf

PCCC study in collaboration with the University of Southampton sheds light on new brand relationships

A Promotional Cultures and Communication Centre (PCCC) study in collaboration with the University of Southampton using Transactional Analysis (TA) to shed light on new brand relationships has been published in a high-ranking journal.

The paper titled ‘Games people play with brands: An application of transactional analysis to marketplace relationships’ authored by Georgiana Grigore and Becky Jenkins with Mike Molesworth (University of Southampton) is now available online in Marketing Theory: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1470593117706530.

In this paper, the authors use TA as an analytic to understand the complexity of marketplace relationships, and consumer-brand relationships in particular. The article shows how TA can be applied to the relations between different market actors to reveal underlying psychological structures that produce emotional ‘payoffs’, including dysfunctional ones. The benefits of such an approach are threefold. First, TA is more accessible than other psychoanalytic approaches, although it retains a biographical explanation of human motivations that are made absent in cognitive, or behavioural approaches. Second, the focus on ‘transactions’ allows us to examine specific exchanges between market actors that explain dysfunctional aspects of marketplace relationships. Finally, TA can provide both new and critical perspectives, and the possibility of transformation of relationship forms. The authors therefore explain the structural basis of marketplace relationships from a TA perspective, illustrate how TA Game Analysis can be applied to marketplace relationships, and discuss the implications of such an approach for transforming market practices.

 

Abstract

Relationships have been normalized in marketing theory as mutually beneficial, long-term dyads. This obscures their emotional content, ignores critical conceptualizations of corporate exploitation and fails to capture the range of possible marketplace relationship forms, including those that may result from individuals’ biographical psychology and that lead to repeated dysfunctional exchanges. In this article, we offer Berne’s (1964) transactional analysis (TA) as a way to uncover the biographical psychology that informs marketplace relationship structures and their accompanying emotions and to provide a critique of such arrangements. We first explain TA, its origins, its relationship with psychoanalysis, its limitations and contemporary extensions beyond therapy. We then present the structural basis of marketplace relationships from a TA perspective, before illustrating how a game in TA can be applied through an analysis of the iPhone and related mobile phone contracts and the Games If I didn’t Love Apple and Smallprint. Finally, we discuss the implications of such an approach for transforming market practices based on recognition of marketplace Games and their modification.

Intelligent Image Understanding

PG research

We would like to invite you to the latest research seminar of the Centre for Games and Music Technology Research.

Title: Intelligent Image Understanding

Speaker: Jing Wang

Time: 2:00PM-3:00PM

Date: Wednesday 10th May 2017

Room: PG11, Poole House, Talbot Campus

Abstract: Real data are usually complex and contain various components. For example, face images have expressions and genders. Each component mainly reflects one aspect of data and provides information others do not have. Therefore, exploring the semantic information of multiple components as well as the diversity among them is of great benefit to understand data comprehensively and in-depth. However, this cannot be achieved by current nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF)-based methods, despite that NMF has shown remarkable competitiveness in learning parts-based representation of data. To overcome this limitation, we propose a novel multi-component nonnegative matrix factorization (MCNMF). Instead of seeking for only one representation of data, MCNMF learns multiple representations simultaneously, with the help of the Hilbert Schmidt Independence Criterion (HSIC) as a diversity term. HSIC explores the diverse information among the representations, where each representation corresponds to a component. By integrating the multiple representations, a more comprehensive representation is then established. Extensive experimental results on real-world datasets have shown that MCNMF not only achieves more accurate performance over the state-of-the-arts using the aggregated representation, but also interprets data from different aspects with the multiple representations, which is beyond what current NMFs can offer.

We hope to see you there.

Invitation to join ADRC Research Meetings

We cordially invite staff and students with an interest in ageing and/or dementia research to join us at our monthly Ageing and Dementia Research Centre (ADRC) research meetings. The meetings provide an opportunity for those with related research interests to network and hear about the wealth of research in this area across BU.

We kick off our first ADRC Research Meeting on 9th May 2017 from 11-12.30 (S218, Studland House, Lansdowne Campus) with our theme leaders providing an overview of our three research themes:

  1. Ageing and Dementia Friendly Environments – Prof Jan Wiener
  2. Nutrition and Well-being – Prof Jane Murphy
  3. Activity and Social Inclusion – Dr Ben Hicks

Following the success of a recent FHSS research seminar, the presentations will be in the ignite style – which is a short five minute slots using images, narratives, and altmetrics (http://www.ignitetalks.io/).

We look forward to seeing you there.

Anyone wishing to present their ageing or dementia research at a forthcoming research meeting should contact Dr Michelle Heward to discuss further.

Kind regards

Ageing and Dementia Research Centre

PhD student from Creative Technology got a paper accepted in a premium conference

PG research

Jing WANG, a PhD student in the department of Creative Technology, SciTech, just got a paper accepted by 26th International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAi 2017). IJCAi (http://ijcai-17.org/), is a premier AI conference in the world. Jing’s paper, co-authored with Feng Tian (SciTech), Hongchuan Yu (FMC) and Changhong Liu (SciTech), “Multi-Component Nonnegative Matrix Factorization”, is one of the papers accepted, out of 2540 submissions, after going through an extremely selective review (acceptance rate: ~25%).

Congratulations to Jing, who is currently a 3rd year PhD student. Apart from this paper, she has also published several papers in the journals like IEEE Trans. on Cybernetics, Journal of Visual Communication and Image Representation, etc. and the top conferences like IJCNN, ICONIP, etc.

BRIAN Unavailable Today

BRIAN, Guidance

BRIAN is being upgraded and will be unavailable for use on Tuesday 2nd and Wednesday 3rd May.

The main improvements from this upgrade include:

  • New Impact Tracking Module
  • New Homepage
  • More User Friendly Navigation

The new and improved features will make BRIAN easier and simplier to use for everyone, whilst also providing a valuable tool to academics helping them record the impact of their research

All relevant guidance notes and video guides on the Staff Intranet will be updated in due course. If you need any help using the new system or if you encounter any problems after the upgrade, please do send an email to BRIAN@bournemouth.ac.uk and a member of staff will be able to assist you.

BRIAN training sessions are also available:

  • Thursday 15th June 2017

With further dates planned. If you are interested to book on to any of these training sessions, please click here to book on!

In the meantime, if you do have queries relating to the upgrade, please get in touch with BRIAN@bournemouth.ac.uk

ADRC at National Dementia Action Alliance meeting in London

The Ageing and Dementia Research Centre (ADRC) was invited to join the National Dementia Action Alliance (DAA) Innovative Approaches to Dementia Care and Support event on Wednesday 19th April in London. Dr Michelle Heward represented ADRC at the event which provided an opportunity to connect with members of the National DAA and explore innovative approaches to dementia care and support.

The event was as co-chaired by Chris Roberts who lives with dementia, his wife and carer Jayne, and Neil Mapes (CEO of the charity Dementia Adventure). Throughout the event a range of speakers presenting new initiatives including John Craig (CEO of Care City); Dr. Ben Marathappu (Co-founder of the homecare provider Cera); University of Worchester’s peer support centres; SCIE’s augmented reality; and NHS Doncaster CCG innovative approaches to commissioning.

Discussion on the day focused on how these innovations might work in practice, as well as identifying the outcomes for people affected by dementia and their families.