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Research Councils demonstrate the impact of their investments in latest impact reports

Research communication, Research news

RCUKlogoYesterday, the Research Councils published their impact reports for the 2014/2015 financial year, demonstrating the impact their investments have made on the economy, on policy and for society.

Each Research Council has produced its own report, showcasing specific examples of the impact of investment through their various awards, programmes and collaborations. The wide-ranging nature of the impact extends from furthering technological advances to combatting disease.

Collectively, the seven Research Councils invest £3 billion in research each year covering all disciplines and sectors, to meet tomorrow’s challenges today and provide the world-class research and skills that are the foundation of a strong and productive UK economy. This helps to achieve balanced growth as well as contributing to a healthy society and a sustainable world. It ensures the UK builds capacity, safeguards the long-term sustainability of research and remains a global leader in research and innovation. Additionally, by working in partnership, the Research Councils combine investments in a multitude of global societal and economic challenge areas to achieve even greater impact.

Highlights from the reports – particularly in boosting the economy, shaping policy and contributing to society – include:

  • Improving family lives and saving the taxpayer £1.2 billion: Secondary analysis of ESRC-funded survey data has helped local authorities in England to target interventions that support families with long-standing problems, turning around their lives and improving the life chances of children. The Troubled Families programme, praised by the Prime Minister after helping an estimated 116,000 families and saving the taxpayer £1.2 billion, was extended for five years from 2015.
  • Shaping international policy making and supporting vulnerable deaf communities: AHRC-funded research has supported the status of endangered sign languages in communities in India, new legislation in Finland, and increased transnational awareness of sign languages risk of endangerment.
  • Improving the UK’s resilience to environmental hazards by informing effective risk management: NERC’s annual investment of £12.8 million generates up to £127 million pa benefit from protecting properties, farmland and infrastructure through earlier warning of floods. Plus further health and cost-saving benefits from forecasting seasonal extremes, extreme weather, effects of volcanic ash on aircraft, protecting fisheries and preparing for climate change.
  • Informing Defra’s National Pollinator Strategy: Results from the Urban Pollinators Project informed Defra’s recommendations linked to the UK’s National Pollinator Strategy; a ten-year plan to tackle the decline in pollinator numbers. The city of Bristol is now developing a local Pollinator Strategy as an exemplar for UK and European cities. The project received £1.2 million in investment from the Insect Pollinators Initiative (funded by BBSRC, NERC, Defra, the Wellcome Trust and the Scottish Government).

The Impact Reports for each Research Council can be accessed from the following links:impact

 

The Graduate School in the Netherlands

conferences, Featured, international, PG research

Professor Tiantian Zhang attended the 9th EUA Council for Doctoral Education (CDE) in the Netherlands on the 20th – 21st January, 2016. The EUA CDE is dedicated to improving and developing doctoral education. This event was attended by approximately 110 international delegates who represented numerous Universities from across Europe. Representing the Graduate School from Bournemouth University, Professor Zhang was able to network and develop international contacts with other UniversitiEUAes. This was a wonderful opportunity for a representative from BU to learn and exchange good practices with others who are dedicated to enhancing the Doctoral Education experience.

Optimal 3D surface reconstruction from few 2D images

BU research, Featured academics, staff profile pages

We would like to invite you to the latest research seminar of the Creative Technology Research Centre.

 

Speaker: Dr Simant Prakoonwit (Associate Professor Of Games Technology at BU)

Title: Optimal 3D surface reconstruction from few 2D images

 

Time: 2:00PM-3:00PMOptimal 3D surface reconstruction from few 2D images

Date: Wednesday 3rd February 2016

Room: P302 LT, Poole House, Talbot Campus

 

Abstract:

The talk will discuss a possible method to use a small number, e.g. 5, of conventional 2D images to reconstruct multiple 3D object surfaces. Each object’s edge contours in images are automatically identified. Sparse optimal 3D landmark points of each bone are automatically reconstructed by pairing the 2D images. The reconstructed landmark point distribution on a surface is approximately optimal covering main characteristics of the surface. A surface growing method or a statistical shape model, dense point distribution model can then be used to fit the reconstructed optimal landmarks vertices to reconstruct a full surface of each object separately.

 

 

We hope to see you there.

 

National Archives – online survey

Research news

Help The National Archives develop services for academics and researchers

Dr Matt Greenhall, Head of Academic Engagement at the National Archives has advised us that they are running an online survey to find out more about the needs of academics and researchers, the ways in which they might work more closely with the academic and scholarly communities, and to help inform the development of our services.

If you are an academic, early career researcher, postgraduate student or independent researcher, they would like to hear from you. The survey takes around 10-15 minutes to complete and will cover, amongst other things:

  • Key changes and challenges in the research and academic landscapes in the next five years
  • Ways in which The National Archives might support and work more closely with academics, research students, research bodies, and the scholarly community
  • Identification of perceptions of The National Archives and its role

This project is part of their wider commitment to advancing knowledge through academic liaison and interdisciplinary research, as set out in their four-year business plan, Archives Inspire 2015-19.

DJS Research, a market research company, has created the survey and will be analysing the results. As an independent market research company, abiding by the Market Research Society Code of Conduct, DJS Research ensures all data and personal details collected remain protected, confidential and unattributed.

Please complete the survey by 12 February.

Pizza, Planning and Postgraduate Research

BU research, Featured, PG research, Uncategorized

The Graduate School would like to welcome 310 new students to BU. Over four days last week, we welcomed these students through a series of inductions. This included 40 new PhD, 15 MRes, 235 Masters and 20 exchange students.  The four days covIMG_1387ered a huge amount of information including how to plan and prepare for your studies, research and what to expect as a student at BU.  In order to help some of the students relax after these busy first few days, the Graduate School invited the PhD and MRes students for pizza and refreshments at Dylan’s Kitchen and Bar. Some students even got involved with a bit of karaoke, although I don’t think there were any Mariah Carey’s amongst us.

To find out more about the Graduate School and what we offer, find us on the BU website under postgraduate research. Also, keep your eyes open for the 8th Annual Postgraduate Conference taking place in March 2016.

 

NERC-Valuing Nature Programme. An opportunity for early stage researchers

Funding opportunities

The Valuing Nature Programme is running a three-day Business Impact School to provide early career researchers with an opportunity to gain insight into producing research with business impact. There will be a number of business speakers, which include Willis Towers Watson, Nestle, United Utilities, National Grid, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Aldersgate Group, Intelligent Health and Satellite Communications Catapult. There will be plenty of opportunity for participants to interact with speakers, including a ‘hands-on’ session on designing research for business impact.

The programme will offer around 25 fully-funded places (school, travel, accommodation, meals and a field trip). Participants must be registered for a PhD at the closing date, or employed as a post-doc researcher and awarded a PhD on or after 1 January 2014.

Deadline: 05/02/16

Undergraduate Research Assistantship Programme – Summer 2016 Applications

Uncategorized

The Research and Knowledge Exchange Office (RKEO) will soon be inviting academics to submit an application for the summer round of the Undergraduate Research Assistantship programme (URA).

The programme is funded by the Fusion Investment Fund and aims to support undergraduates to undertake paid work under the guidance of an experienced academic in a research position that is directly related to their career path and/or academic discipline.

Summer programme

This placement is for successful students to work full-time (37.5 hours per week) for six weeks between 13th June 2016 and 31st August 2016. This programme will have the capacity for approximately 20 placements.

The URA programme is coordinated through RKEO.

Once applications are open, staff will apply for the funding via an application form. A panel of representatives associated with the University Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee will review all staff applications and decide which applications to continue to the student recruitment stage of the scheme.

Approved academic applications will be advertised as URA positions to students with student applications being received, processed and managed centrally within RKEO and distributed to the relevant academics after the closing date. The academics will be responsible for shortlisting, interviewing and providing interview feedback to their own candidates. Successful students will need to complete monthly timesheets, signed by their supervisor and returned to RKEO for payment.

These URA vacancies will be available to undergraduate BU students only, where URA applicants must be able to work in the UK and be enrolled during the time of their assistantship. Staff can only be named as the Lead Researcher on one URA application at any one time.

If you have any queries, please contact Rachel Clarke, KE Adviser (KTP) on 01202 961347 or email clarker@bournemouth.ac.uk

 

EPSRC seeking new SAN members

Research news

EPSRC_logoThe Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has announced that it is inviting nominations for new members of its Strategic Advisory Network (SAN).

The Council is seeking applications from respected industrialists, academics and from individuals working in the third sector and government organisations to join the Network. It hopes to appoint at least ten people and through the recruitment exercise EPSRC holds a particular aspiration to improve the Network’s diversity.

The Strategic Advisory Network provides EPSRC’s Executive with strategic advice to help develop and implement plans, and to make appropriate recommendations to EPSRC Council. The Network is a flexible resource, enabling the Executive to obtain the timely advice it needs, drawing on a range of perspectives from across EPSRC‘s key stakeholder groups including academia, business, third sector and Government.

Professor Philip Nelson EPSRC’s Chief Executive said: “In a world where EPSRC is being pressed to achieve more with less, and where the Research Councils are working closer together, the input from our advisory network will be crucial. We need and value advice that gives us a 360 degree view of the areas we are currently working in or where we plan to make investments. That is why we want to encourage applications from as diverse a group as possible.”

The call for nominations to join the EPSRC Strategic Advisory Network is now open and closes on 07 March 2016 at 16:00.

For full details of the nominations application process, please consult the ‘SAN nominations 2016‘ document.

Resources

Research Professional – all you need to know

BU research, Funding opportunities

Research-Professional-logoEvery BU academic has a Research Professional account which delivers weekly emails detailing funding opportunities in their broad subject area. To really make the most of your Research Professional account, you should tailor it further by establishing additional alerts based on your specific area of expertise. The Funding Development Team Officers can assist you with this, if required.

Research Professional have created several guides to help introduce users to ResearchProfessional. These can be downloaded here.

Quick Start Guide: Explains to users their first steps with the website, from creating an account to searching for content and setting up email alerts, all in the space of a single page.

User Guide: More detailed information covering all the key aspects of using ResearchProfessional.

Administrator Guide: A detailed description of the administrator functionality.

In addition to the above, there are a set of 2-3 minute videos online, designed to take a user through all the key features of ResearchProfessional. To access the videos, please use the following link: http://www.youtube.com/researchprofessional

Research Professional are running a series of online training broadcasts aimed at introducing users to the basics of creating and configuring their accounts on ResearchProfessional. They are holding monthly sessions, covering everything you need to get started with ResearchProfessional. The broadcast sessions will run for no more than 60 minutes, with the opportunity to ask questions via text chat. Each session will cover:

  • Self registration and logging in
  • Building searches
  • Setting personalised alerts
  • Saving and bookmarking items
  • Subscribing to news alerts
  • Configuring your personal profile

Each session will run between 10.00am and 11.00am (UK) on the fuorth Tuesday of each month. You can register here for your preferred date:

23rd February 2016

22nd March 2016

26th April 2016

24th May 2016

28th June 2016

These are free and comprehensive training sessions and so this is a good opportunity to get to grips with how Research Professional can work for you.

Careers guidance resources for researchers

Research news

career-developmentIn October we launched a suite of careers guidance resources for researchers and their managers. The resources include detailed guidance on how to progress from a research career to an academic career as well as information for PhD students on postdoctoral research positions. There is also information on other career pathways including administration/management within HE and research careers outside of HE. The resources have been enhanced over the past few months and now include a number of case studies for different career pathways.

CEMP Research Awarded EPSRC Extension Grant

BU research, student research

EPSRC_logocemp-logo

CEMP Researcher Phil Wilkinson has been awarded a grant by the EPSRC to develop further impact of CEMP’s Digital Capabilities project with Samsung. The grant will fund digital engagement activities with community outreach practitioners, educators, and academics with a focus on ‘Digital Families’.  The seminars will also be live-streamed online through G-Hangouts.

Phil worked with Julian McDougall and Mark Readman on the CEMP / Samsung project and his broader ‘Researcher in Residence’ work at IPACA forms part of his doctoral research in BU’s Centre for Digital Entertainment.

 

 

Launch of the TEL Toolkit

Centre for Excellence in Learning

We are delighted to announce the launch of BU’s TEL Toolkit.

The toolkit – created by academics, for academics – has been developed to support you in the application of TEL, including information on ‘what’, ‘how’ and ‘who’ to approach for more information.

To find out more about how the TEL Toolkit can help enhance your teaching and your students’ learning experience, come along to one of our launch events, taking place during the week commencing Monday 1 February.

Launch Event Dates

Tuesday 2 February, 11am to 1pm – Atrium, Poole House

Thursday 4 February, 11am to 1pm– Ground Floor, EBC

Friday 5 February, 11am to 1pm – Ground Floor, Bournemouth House

TEL Video

Take at look at our video which explains our vision for Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) at BU

We look forward to seeing you there and please encourage your colleagues to attend too.

New paper by Dr. Sarah Collard in Psychology of Sport & Exercise

Publishing, Research news, writing

Collard + Marlow 2016Dr. Sarah Collard (based in FHSS) had her article “It’s such a vicious cycle”: Narrative accounts of the sportsperson with epilepsy accepted in the scientific journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise. [1]  The paper, co-authored with Caroline Marlow, addresses the issues of the psychosocial barriers and benefits of exercising for the sportsperson/people with epilepsy (SWE). Her qualitative research presents the narratives of SWE over time and as a result, offers a deeper understanding of the psychosocial impact of exercising with epilepsy.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

 

Reference:

Collard, S.S., Marlow, C. (2016) “It’s such a vicious cycle”: Narrative accounts of the sportsperson with epilepsy, Psychology of Sport and Exercise 24: 56-64.

  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1469029216300073

FMC Cross-Departmental Seminar Series 2015-16

BU research, Featured

Communicating Research
FMC Cross-Departmental Seminar Series 2015-16

The Faculty of Media and Communication at BU

Venue: CG11, Christchurch House, Talbot Campus, Bournemouth University, Fern Barrow, Poole, Dorset, BH12 5BB

Wednesday 3 February 2016, 3pm-4pm, CG11

Dr Iñaki Garcia-Blanco, Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies

Saving Refugees or Policing the Seas? How the national press of five EU member states frame news coverage of migration

Migration from the Middle East and Africa to Europe has increasingly hit the headlines in recent years as the unprecedented scale of deaths at sea has gradually been recognised as a newsworthy and politically important story. This seminar presents findings from a research project commissioned by UNHCR to measure how the issue of migration to Europe is currently framed in the news media across the EU. We compare the 2014-15 national press coverage of 5 member states: UK, Sweden, Germany, Spain and Italy, examining in particular the main themes of news coverage, how migrants are labelled, which actors have a voice in migration news, and the reasons for and responses to migration outlined. With an evidence base informing our understanding of how the news media as a key site (re)producing dominant public discourses currently articulates migration as an issue, the aim is to better inform the humanitarian interventions of UNCHR and other agencies in media and policy debates.

Dr Iñaki Garcia-Blanco is a lecturer at the Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies. Iñaki is a media scholar interested in the study of the relationships and interplays between media, politics and citizenship. His research appears in international, peer-reviewed journals such as Media, Culture & Society, Journalism Studies, Journalism Practice or Feminist Media Studies. He is the director of Cardiff University’s BA Journalism and Communications, and of its BA Journalism, Communication and Politics (launching in 2016). Iñaki teaches BA modules on journalism, new media and politics, and MA modules on political communication and social research methods.

Wednesday 3 February 2016, 4pm-5pm, CG11

Benedetta Cappellini and Vicki Harman, Royal Holloway, University of London

Disciplining mothers: a Foucauldian approach to unpacking power and classed resistance in children’s packed lunches

Vicki Harman is a Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Royal Holloway, University of London where she teaches courses on sociology of the family, social problems and social policy, social identities and consumption. Vicki’s research interests include family life in contemporary Britain, gender, social class and ethnicity. Recent projects have focused on families and food, including children’s lunchboxes and feeding the family in times of austerity. With Benedetta Cappellini (Royal Holloway) Vicki is the author of ‘Mothers on Display: Lunchboxes, Social Class and Moral Accountability’ published in Sociology. Vicki’s doctoral thesis (2007) explored the experiences and support networks of lone white mothers of mixed-parentage children. Her writing in this area has examined mothers’ social capital, their experiences of racism, social work practice and the identification and social positioning of young people of mixed-parentage. With Ravinder Barn (Royal Holloway) Vicki is the co-editor of Mothering, Mixed Families and Racialised Boundaries (Routledge, 2014).

Benedetta Cappellini is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing and Consumer Behaviour at Royal Holloway, University of London. Her research interests are in food consumption, material culture, family consumption and motherhood and consumption. She has published widely on these issues in a number of academic journals including Sociology, The Sociological Review, Consumption, Markets and Culture, Journal of Marketing Management, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Consumer Behaviour and Advances in Consumer Research. With Elizabeth Parsons (University of Liverpool) and David Marshall (University of Edinburgh) she is the co-editor of The Practice of the Meal: Families, food and the market place (Routledge, forthcoming).

About the series
This new seminar series showcases current research across different disciplines and approaches within the Faculty of Media and Communication at BU. The research seminars include invited speakers in the fields of journalism, politics, narrative studies, media, communication and marketing studies.  The aim is to celebrate the diversity of research across departments in the faculty and also generate dialogue and discussion between those areas of research.

Contributions include speakers on behalf of
The Centre for Politics and Media Research
The Centre for the Study of Journalism, Culture and Community
Promotional Cultures Communication Centre
Public Relations Research Centre
Narrative Research Group
Journalism Research Group
Advances in Media Management Research Group