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British Academy announce call closing dates

british_academy_logoThe British Academy have released their latest call closing date information for various schemes.  Details of these can be found on the ‘Standard Funder Calls’ page of the research blog.

More detail on each of the calls is shown below:

  • Mid-Career Fellowships Outline Stage
  • http://www.britac.ac.uk/british-academy-mid-career-fellowships
  • Scheme Opens: 10th August 2016
  • Deadline for Applicants: 14th September 2016
  • Deadline for Institutional Approval: 15th September 2016
  • Deadline for Referees: 22nd September 2016
  • Result of Outline Stage Announcement: December 2016

 

  • BA/Leverhulme Senior Research Fellowships
  • http://www.britac.ac.uk/baleverhulme-senior-research-fellowships
  • Scheme Opens: 12th October 2016
  • Deadline for Applicants: 16th November 2016
  • Deadline for Institutional Approval: 17th November 2016
  • Deadline for Referees: 24th November 2016
  • Final Award Announcement expected: 31st March 2017
  • Earliest Award Start Date: 1st September 2017
  • Latest Award Start Date: 1st January 2018

 

  • Wolfson Research Professorships
  • http://www.britac.ac.uk/wolfson-research-professorships
  • Scheme Opens: 28th September 2016
  • Deadline for Applicants: 23rd November 2016
  • Deadline for Institutional Approval: 24th November 2016
  • Deadline for Referees: 1st December 2016
  • Final Award Announcement expected: 31st March 2017
  • Earliest Award Start Date: 1st September 2017
  • Latest Award Start Date: 1st January 2018

 

  • Postdoctoral Fellowships Outline Stage
  • http://www.britac.ac.uk/british-academy-postdoctoral-fellowships
  • Scheme Opens: 24th August 2016
  • Deadline for Applicants: 5th October 2016
  • Deadline for Institutional Approval: 6th October 2016
  • Deadline for Referees: 13th October 2016
  • Result of Outline Stage Announcement: January 2017

 

  • BA/Leverhulme Small Research Grants (Autumn 2016)
  • http://www.britac.ac.uk/baleverhulme-small-research-grants-0
  • Scheme Opens: 1st September 2016
  • Deadline for Applicants: 12th October 2016
  • Deadline for Institutional Approval: 13th October 2016
  • Deadline for Referees: 27th October 2016
  • Final Award Announcement expected: 31st March 2017
  • Earliest Award Start Date: 1st April 2017
  • Latest Award Start Date: 31st August 2017

 

  • BA/Leverhulme Small Research Grants (Spring 2017)
  • http://www.britac.ac.uk/baleverhulme-small-research-grants-0
  • Scheme Opens: 12th April 2017
  • Deadline for Applicants: 24th May 2017
  • Deadline for Institutional Approval: 25th May 2017
  • Deadline for Referees: 8th June 2017
  • Final Award Announcement expected: 31st August 2017
  • Earliest Award Start Date: 1st September 2017
  • Latest Award Start Date: 31st March 2018

Please note that this is not a final list of all the schemes that will be opening this year.  Timetables for other schemes are being finalised by the British Academy.  If you are interested in applying for any of these calls then please contact your RKEO Funding Development Officer in the first instance.

BU’s Dr Inventor team to present their research at SIGGRAPH

Dr I A5_Flyer

A team of researchers from BU’s National Centre for Computer Animation will soon be presenting ‘Dr Inventor’ at SIGGRAPH in California.  Dr Inventor is the first web-based system that supports the development of scientific creativity via a computational approach.

The project stemmed from the idea that new technologies have real potential to increase scientific creativity and to overcome some human limitations.  When considering ways around an issue, we often get stuck on the problem rather than solution and tend to be limited by our own perceptions, biases and memories.  By harnessing the power of technology and existing research information available on the web, Dr Inventor overcomes some of these issues by acting as a personal research assistant.

Dr Inventor can provide researchers with a report of a variety of relevant concepts and approaches by drawing on information from web resources, allowing a researcher to take into account a much wider range of perspectives.  The programme can even assess the quality and novelty of these resources by analysing these against recognised research approaches and established quality metrics.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of Dr Inventor is its ability to replicate human creativity – to a degree – and suggest new research ideas.  By trawling through huge amounts of resources and ideas, Dr Inventor can generate new concepts and angles for research.

The project was funded by the European Commission and has seen the team work with partners from all over Europe to develop the concept. For more information about the project, please visit project website (http://drinventor.eu​)

Dr Inventor Exhibition at SIGGRAPH 2016  ( 26th – 28th July) Booth 255Dr I logo
Dr Inventor Tech Talk – (Wednesday, 27 July 2016; Time: 10:30am to 11:30am)
Dr Inventor Fast Forward – (Monday 25th July) Ballroom B, 3:45-5:15 pm

Transforming the Printing Industry with Cutting-Edge Technology

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, flatbed printers have emerged as a prominent trend in the printing industry. These advanced printing machines offer unparalleled capabilities, versatility, and efficiency, revolutionizing the way businesses and individuals approach printing. In this article, we will explore the features and advantages of flatbed printers and their impact on various sectors. And in case your printer runs out of ink, you may just call a local company that offers ink refill services.

The Rise of Flatbed Printers:
Flatbed printers have gained significant popularity due to their ability to print on a wide range of materials, including rigid substrates like wood, metal, glass, and acrylic, as well as flexible media such as fabric and vinyl. And to preserve and secure these flexible materials after printing, it is advisable to place them in custom paper cores, especially during transport. Unlike traditional printers that require paper or specific media, flatbed printers like grand format flatbed printers have a flat printing surface where the material is placed directly. This allows for greater flexibility, creativity, and customization in printing applications.

Versatility and Wide Range of Applications:
Flatbed printers excel in their versatility, offering the ability to print on diverse surfaces and materials. This makes them suitable for various industries and applications. In the signage industry, flatbed printers are used to create eye-catching and vibrant displays on rigid boards and panels. In the packaging industry, they enable high-quality printing directly onto corrugated boxes, cartons, and even three-dimensional objects. Additionally, flatbed printers are widely used for creating promotional materials, personalized gifts, interior decor, and even fine art prints.

High Precision and Quality Output:
One of the key advantages of flatbed printers is their ability to produce high-resolution prints with exceptional detail and color accuracy. These printers utilize advanced printing technologies, such as UV-curable or solvent inks, coupled with precise printhead technology, to achieve stunning print results. The flatbed design ensures precise registration, allowing for sharp and accurate printing on various materials. Whether it’s intricate graphics, text, or high-resolution images, flatbed printers deliver impressive print quality that meets the demands of professional printing applications.

Efficiency and Productivity:
Flatbed printers offer significant advantages in terms of efficiency and productivity. Their ability to print directly on substrates eliminates the need for additional mounting or lamination processes, saving time and resources. The flatbed design also allows for simultaneous printing of multiple items, increasing throughput and reducing production time. Moreover, flatbed printers often incorporate automated features, such as automatic media loading and unloading, as well as advanced print management software, optimizing workflow and enhancing overall productivity.

Flatbed printers have emerged as a trend in technology, transforming the printing industry with their versatility, precision, and efficiency. With the ability to print on various materials and deliver exceptional quality output, these printers have found applications in diverse sectors, from signage and packaging to personalization and art. As technology continues to advance, flatbed printers are expected to further revolutionize the printing industry, enabling businesses and individuals to unleash their creativity and meet the growing demands of the digital age.

Sensor-integrated urometer for measuring real-time urine output (HEIF funded project)

File 29-06-2016, 18 24 05

The project team from the Faculty of Science & Technology has received Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF) to undertake a series of activities aimed at encouraging university and the public sector to harness the benefits of advanced assistive technologies. (The HEIF  project started last year and is due to finish at the end of July.)

The nature of HEIF funding encourages knowledge exchange and support to develop a broad range of knowledge based interactions between universities and colleges and the wider word, which result in economic and social benefit to the UK.  In current clinical practices, urinary output measurement and supervision are prevailing medical intervention treatments for patients suffering from critical illness, aging bladder, post-surgery urination difficulties and long-term bedridden. However, the urinary output is still measured and monitored manually by healthcare staff, which is extremely time-consuming and prone to undesirable human errors commonly, arose in these repetitive and monotonous tasks. The project aims to invent an automatic device for remotely monitoring of urinary output, which features real-time remotely wireless catheter fall-off and flow rate monitoring, urinary output minute-by-minute monitoring and real-time states visualization.

The project team is made up of a number of researchers and students from multidisciplinary domains in addition to academics. The team (Prof Hongnian Yu, Mr Arif Reza Anwary; Mr Daniel Craven, Mr Muhammad Akbar, and Mr Pengcheng Liu) has recently presented their three developed prototypes at the collaborator’s site (Royal Bournemouth Hospital). The feedback and comments from the hospital staff are very positive. Dr Simon McLaughlin, the project collaborator from the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, said ‘The project looks to have progressed well. The work is excellent and the one of the prototypes is almost ready to deploy.’

The team  hope to continue to consolidate the current developed prototypes and build on top of them to invent the commercially acceptable products.

Eurostars? – Celebrities, footballers or EU funding scheme for SMEs?

If you are working with SMEs, you may know that Eurostars is a scheme which assists small businesses to access funding.

eurostarsEurostars supports international innovative projects led by research and development- performing small- and medium-sized enterprises (R&D-performing SMEs). With its bottom-up approach, Eurostars supports the development of rapidly marketable innovative products, processes and services that help improve the daily lives of people around the world. Eurostars has been carefully developed to meet the specific needs of SMEs. It is an ideal first step in international cooperation, enabling small businesses to combine and share expertise and benefit from working beyond national borders.

Eurostars is a joint programme between EUREKA and the European Commission, co-funded from the national budgets of 36 Eurostars Participating States and Partner Countries and by the European Union through Horizon 2020. In the 2014-2020 period it has a total public budget of €1.14 billion.

The role of SMEs for the economy has never been so important. Eurostars aims to bring increased value to the economy, higher growth and more job opportunities.

If you are working with a research-active business or have the opportunity to contact a potential industrial partner undertaking research, this site and the explanatory video found there, might just be the good news they have been waiting to hear!

N.B. As universities are not eligible to be funded through this competition in the UK, such partners must be in a position to self-fund. In addition, to be an eligible project, an SME has to do at least 50% of the work and no one partner or country can do more than 75% of the work. The university input, therefore, is limited and the partnering activity may be approved through benefits in kind, such as reputational, access to SME and relationship building, further joint funding strategy with the company, and academic experience of working with an industrial partner. These factors will need to be considered alongside the 0% fEC return.

 

Thinking of working with a applicant SME? Please contact Emily Cieciura and Jayne Codling in RKEO so that you can access our support and assistance.

Conservation Research?

Public engagement opportunity for academics and PGRS!

On September 14th we are running a lecture day in the EBC with a conservation theme, open to the public and members of the U3a (University of the 3rd Age). We are looking for speakers to present an hour long lecture. It’s a brilliant opportunity to share your research/area of expertise to the public and can open some thought provoking discussion.

If you’re interested in being a part of the lecture day, please contact Katie Breadmore: kbreadmore@bournemouth.ac.uk/61356

 

 

UKRO Conference Report – important EU funding updates

UKRO logoThe UK Research Office (UKRO) is the European office of the UK Research Councils. It delivers a subscription-based advisory service for research organisations (in the main UK HEIs) and provides National Contact Point services on behalf of the UK Government. UKRO’s mission is to maximise UK engagement in EU-funded research, innovation and higher education activities. One way UKRO supports this mission is through the annual conference.

The slides are publicly available via the UKRO website. To access further subscriber-only information, including events notifications and news, BU staff members can register today!

The 2016  UKRO Annual Conference took place at Glasgow ​Caledonian University in Glasgow on Thursday 30th June and Friday 1st July 2016.​​ Please follow the links below to access slides and other information from the event:

Conference Programme​​

Biographies of Speakers

Presentations:

Thursday 30 June 2016

Opening plenary session

Horizon 2020: Are We On the Path to Success?
Mr Wolfgang Burtscher (DG RTD, Deputy Director General)

European Research Council: An Update and Future Directions
Mr Theodore Papazoglou (ERCEA, Head of Unit, Support to the ERC Scientific Council)

Parallel sessions 1

A) Horizon 2020 Health Challenge: Zika, Ebola & Antimicrobial Resistance
Ms Line Matthiessen (DG RTD, Head of Unit, Fighting Infectious Diseases and Advancing Public Health)

B) Being Ethics Ready and Compliant
Ms Maria Filipa Ferraz De Oliveira (ERCEA, Head of Ethics Sector)

C) Horizon 2020 Funding for Research into Migration and Mobility
Ms Elisabeth Lipiatou (DG RTD, Head of Unit, Open and Inclusive Societies)

Parallel sessions 2

A) Marie Skl​odowska-Curie Actions Reporting: IT’s That Time of the Year Again…
Ms Cathy Souto Enriques (REA, MSCA Project Advisor)

B) Funding Research for a Secure Society
​Mr Graham Willmott (DG HOME, Head of Unit, Innovation and Industry Security)​

Friday 1 July 2016

Open Innovation: The Future of EU Innovation Funding? Ideas for Creating a European Innovation Council
Ms Sophie Laurie (NERC, Associate Director of Innovation and Translation)
Mr Matthew King (DG RTD, Head of Unit Open Innovation)​​

Parallel sessions 3

A) Open to the World: Co-Funded Calls and How it Works in Practice
Mr Diego Sammaritano (DG RTD, Policy Officer, R&I Cooperation with China)

B) Open Science: Opening Up Scientific Information in Horizon 2020
Ms Joy Davidson (Collaborative Research & Services Provision Manager, University of Glasgow)

Parallel sessions 4

ELO Profiles for the Future of EU Funding
Ms Angela Noble (University of Edinburgh, Manager – Europe)
Ms Philippa Shelton (University of the West of England, Bristol, Senior Research Business Development Manager)
Ms Kimberly Cornfield (UCL, Head of EU Proposal Management)

Managing Intellectual Property in Horizon 2020
Mr Jakub Ramocki (EU IPR Helpdesk, Intellectual Property Advisor)

If you would like to discuss potential EU funding activity, please contact Emily Cieciura, RKEO’s Research Facilitator: EU & International. To see related articles, just search for ‘UKRO’ on the BU Research blog.

 

UK companies getting the message on innovation

innovation
Growing numbers of UK companies are investing in research into new products and services, according to a study by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. (BIS)
The UK Innovation Survey 2015 Main Report, published by BIS on 12 July, collates the results of telephone interviews and a postal questionnaire completed by nearly 30,000 businesses around the UK.

It characterises innovation as any activity involving the introduction of a new product or process; engagement in on-going innovation projects; changes to the company structure or practices; and investment in research, training or technology.

The proportion of innovators increased across the UK, with the introduction of new computer software and ghardware were the most common forms of innovation investment reported.

Click on the links below for more information:

Useful summary: UK innovation survey 2015: infographic

Background: UK innovation survey 2015

Full report to download: UK innovation survey 2015: main report

 

Retaining Special Constables…Myth v Reality!

Hard at Work...Analysing Interview Data!

Hard at Work…Mapping Interview Data!

Dr Lois Farquharson is working on an exciting research project for Dorset Police and Devon & Cornwall Police which focuses on the lived experience of Special Constables and its impact on retention.  This research is being undertaken jointly with Dr Iain Britton and Dr Matt Callender from The Institute for Public Safety, Crime and Justice (IPSCJ) at University of Northampton.  We are also delighted to have a BU MBA student, Steven Kueberuwa, involved in the project.

Key areas which the project delves into in detail are:

  • Motivations and expectations when joining the force
  • Recruitment and training
  • Knowledge translation, development and pathways to independence
  • Worklife balance and impacts on ‘being’ a Special Constable
  • Relationships, support and morale
  • Organisational culture and environment
  • Job satisfaction and future intentions

Individual in-depth interviews have taken place with Special Constables across both constabularies from May through July.  Today was our first workshop focusing on mapping the data – intense, but very enjoyable – watch this space for more info on findings and outputs in due course.

The Graduate School visits Liverpool

On the2016-07-04-PHOTO-00000001 4th and 5th of July, three members of the Graduate School attended the annual UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE)  Conference in Liverpool. Dr Julia Taylor presented a co-authored paper on the ‘Development of a New Model for Doctoral Supervisory Training at Bournemouth University’. The Conference attracted delegates from more than 75 Higher Education Institutes from across the UK. The presentation was delivered in the prestigious Council Chamber of Liverpool Town Hall and generated an interesting discussion around BU’s innovative approach to supervisory training and how other higher education institutes can implement similar methods.

 

 

Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing: The Challenges for Public Health, Law & Ethics

A one-day Workshop on 20 July 2016, hosted by the Centre for Conflict, Rule of Law and Society at Bournemouth University and exploring recent developments in prenatal screening and the resulting challenges for public health, the law and ethics.

Aims of the Workshop:
The UK already operates a fairly comprehensive prenatal screening programme. The discovery of cell-free fetal DNA in maternal blood has made it possible to undertake additional, accurate and reliable tests that present minimal risk to mother and the developing fetus. The UK RAPID evaluation study1 has recently reported on the contingent use of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for Down’s syndrome and the UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) will shortly have to make a decision about the public provision of these tests within the NHS.
This event will draw upon contributions from speakers from a wide range of disciplines and will explore a variety of medical, social, ethical and legal perspectives. The aim of the day will be to identify benefits, challenges and possible outcomes for this new technology.
We are pleased to announce that the workshop will be chaired by Professor Roger Brownsword of Kings College London & Bournemouth University. Contributors will include speakers from UKNSC and the Nuffield Council on Bioethics.

Date : 20th of July 2016

Location: Bournemouth University, Executive Business Centre (7th Floor, EB708), 89 Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth, BH8 8EB

More information can be found here. 

Lunchtime Seminar: CBT for MS Fatigue – from individual to technology-based interventions – 29th July 2016

bucru identity

 

Dr Kirsten Van Kessel a clinical psychologist from the Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand is visiting Bournemouth University Clinical Research Unit as part of study leave

You are cordially invited to a lunchtime research seminar she is presenting which is open to all students and staff. (Please feel free to bring your lunch).

“Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis Fatigue: from individual to technology-based interventions”

by Dr Kirsten van Kessel

Friday 29 July 2016

13.00 – 13.50pm

Create Lecture Theatre, Fusion Building, Talbot Campus

Abstract:

There have been promising findings of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) approaches delivered by health professionals for the management of Multiple Sclerosis fatigue, including one-on-one and group based delivered CBT. However, such health professional delivered interventions for fatigue management can be impractical due to a shortage of trained therapists, limited access to rehabilitation and funding constraints. As such, exploring and evaluating alternative delivery mechanisms for CBT is an important area in clinical intervention research. This presentation will focus on how evidence based individual and group delivered CBT protocols have been used to develop technology based interventions for Multiple Sclerosis fatigue.

Presenter:

Dr Kirsten van Kessel is a Clinical Psychologist and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand.  She has particular interest and expertise in CBT and its application to mental and physical health problems. Her doctoral thesis was a randomised controlled trial assessing the efficacy of CBT for people with multiple sclerosis fatigue. Current research interests include evaluating CBT for psychological and/or physical health issues, as well as the development and evaluation of eHealth interventions.

Seminar: Blog Writing to Build Bigger Audiences with Kip Jones

WED 20 JULY 11 am – 12:30 pm venue TBA

Please mark your diaries and do let Kip know via email if you are planning to attend and to receive details about what to bring with you. Staff and students welcome!

A recent two-day workshop, ‘Creative Writing for Academics’ was a big success. The Blog Seminar will be based on some of that material.

Much of what is becoming routine in many fields, including academia, is now web-based, magazine style publications.

Jones said, “Blog writing is an important place for those academics with ‘writers block’ to start to get some experience with writing for publication. I like to talk about how blog publications can sometimes develop into full academic articles.  I think there is a particular reluctance by some to start right off by perhaps being rejected by academic journals. Writing for the web offers an opportunity for a bit of success first before going in to the deeper waters”.

Inspiration: http://blogs.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/2013/08/21/the-blogosphere-creative-solutions-to-reaching-bigger-audiences/

BOOK TODAY! Email Kip Jones at kipworld@gmail.com

Best Paper Award, Academy of Marketing Conference 2016

The Best Paper Award for the Marketing of Higher Education Track was presented to Helen O’Sullivan, Elvira Bolat and Chindu Sreedharan, for their work entitled Radicalising the Marketing of Higher Education: Learning from students-generated social media data.
Helen O’Sullivan presented their paper at The Academy of Marketing Conference 2016 in Newcastle last week.