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Bournemouth Research Chronicle 2016 – now available

Download a copy of the magazine, or view the articles online.

The fifth edition of the Bournemouth Research Chronicle (BRC) is now available.  This year’s edition focuses on interdisciplinary research taking place at Bournemouth University (BU).

The issues facing our society and the world are becoming increasingly complex, requiring solutions that work across disciplines, taking the best thinking and knowledge from a range of subject areas. Here at BU, we encourage our academics to break down barriers and take an interdisciplinary approach to their research, as we believe that by working together we can create the most innovative ideas and solutions.

This year’s Bournemouth Research Chronicle (BRC) is a celebration of our interdisciplinary research. By connecting experts in different fields, we collaborate on interdisciplinary research, the aim of which is to develop novel approaches and innovative schools of thought that can be applied to complex problems. By taking a holistic view of an issue, more rounded solutions can be developed than would have been possible if a societal challenge was examined through the lens of just one discipline.

The new perspectives developed through interdisciplinary research not only help to give a better understanding of some of the complex problems facing our society, but also help to inform both the teaching and professional practice undertaken by our academics. Our blend of teaching, research and professional practice is at the heart of our Fusion strategy which underpins our work and culture at BU. Introducing different disciplines to our teaching helps to give our students a richer understanding of the world and their subject areas.

Inside this year’s BRC, you can read about BU researchers who are working to make a difference to the world around them. Academics in our Faculty of Health and Social Sciences are working to improve orthopaedic practices, while others in the Faculty of Science and Technology are developing reliable sources of renewable energy.

Meanwhile, academics in the Faculty of Media and Communication have been working with a local college for young disabled people to develop the award winning SHIVA project, which enables children with physical disabilities to design and print their own 3D models.  In the Faculty of Management, researchers have been looking at the effects of terrorism on tourism – a very topical issue.

This is but a small sample of the work that goes on in BU every day. The BRC illustrates how Bournemouth University’s researchers are collaborating and working across subject areas to develop interdisciplinary research projects that are making a real difference to the world.

Download a copy of the magazine, or view the articles online.

Good week for FHSS publications!

Publishing, writing

Hundley Cochrane 2016This first week of March has been a good week for FHSS publications.  On March 1st CMMPH Prof. Vanora Hundley published her collaborative paper  ‘Do Cochrane summaries help student midwives understand the findings of Cochrane systematic reviews: the BRIEF randomised trial’.[1]  With colleagues based across the UK and Ireland she surveyed over 800 midwifery students at nine universities.  This results of the study can be found in the journal Systematic Reviews. This is a Gold Open Access journals, hence the paper is freely available for anybody to read across the globe.  To read this paper click here!

PH curious 2016The second FHSS publication is a chapter in a Kindle book on the Importance of public health in low- and middle- income countries, written by Dr. Puspa Raj Pant,CMMPH’s Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen, and BU Visiting Faculty Prof. Padam Simkhada.[2]  Padam Simkhada is Professor of International Public Health and Associate Dean (Global Engagement) for the Faculty of Education, Health and Community at Liverpool John Moores University.  The chapter is part of the Kindle book  with the long title: Public Health for the Curious: Why Study Public Health? (A Decision-Making Guide to College Major, Research & Scholarships, and Career Success for the College Students and Their Parents) edited by Richard Lee Skolnik from Yale University, USA.

The third paper is by FHSS PhD student Clare Farrance with her supervisors Dr. Fotini Tsofliou and Dr. Carol Clark.  This systematic review ‘Adherence to community based group exercise interventions for older people: A mixed-methods systematic review’ assessed the views and adherence of older participants attending community-based exercise programmes of over six-months duration.  Reporting that evidence is still very limited, although the preliminary limited evidence is positive regarding long-term adherence rates.  This paper is also Open Access, funded by BU’s Open Access fund.Farrance 2016

 

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

 

 

References:

  1. Alderdice, F., McNeill, J., Lasserson, T.,Beller, E., Carrol, M., Hundley, V., et al. (2016) Do Cochrane summaries help student midwives understand the findings of Cochrane systematic reviews: the BRIEF randomised trial. Systematic Reviews 5:40 http://systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13643-016-0214-8
  2. Pant, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P. (2016)  Importance of public health in low- and middle- income countries, In:  Skolnik, R.L. (ed.) Public Health for the Curious: Why Study Public Health? (A Decision-Making Guide to College Major, Research & Scholarships, and Career Success for the College Students and Their Parents) Kindle Edition (for more details click here!) 
  3. Farrance, C., Tsofliou, F., Clark, C. (2016) Adherence to community based group exercise interventions for older people: A mixed-methods systematic review To be published. Preventive Medicine (forthcoming)

Committee inquiries: open calls for evidence

Below is a list of committee inquiries with current open calls for evidence. Please contact Emma Bambury-Whitton if you would like to discuss submitting evidence.

Commons Select Committee inquiries

Lords Select Committee inquiries

Joint Committee inquiries

HE Policy Update

Monday

TEF

The BIS select committee has published its report on The Teaching Excellence Framework: Assessing quality in Higher Education following its recent inquiry. The report recommends that government should provide further detail on the balance between qualitative and quantitative assessment in the TEF. The report also supports the principle of linking differentiated levels between teaching quality and fee level. The report argues that the quality assurance of universities should remain administratively and visibly independent from Government or the new regulator.

Higher Education Bill

The government looks set to introduce a higher education bill, possibly following a White Paper in May, with David Cameron said to be convinced of the need for legislation. Higher education bill ‘odds-on’ after Cameron backs legislation. (THE).

EU Referendum

The Observer has looked at how a Brexit would affect different aspects of society, including HE and research. What would Brexit mean for everyday life in the UK? (The Guardian).

Tuesday

Widening Participation

An article in the Guardian HE network looks at why white working class boys are put off going to university. The article reveals that the large amount of debt they will have is the main reason which is putting them off considering university. What puts working class boys off university? (Guardian Higher Education Network).

Wednesday

EU Students

The government is to make it harder for students from other European Union countries to get financial support for their living costs in England by extending UK residency requirements from three years to five years.

Crackdown on EU students’ support funding (BBC).

Thursday

Women in Higher Education

Many more women are taking leadership positions in universities but still remain heavily outnumbered by men in higher education’s top jobs. More women in senior university jobs, says report (THE).

Friday

International Students

Vivienne Stern, Director of the International Unit, writes for WonkHE about the strengths and weaknesses of the UK HE system from the perspective of international students. We need to keep the UK’s competitive advantage (WonkHE).

Religion at Universities

It has been reported that Jewish students are avoiding universities due to perceived growing campus anti-Semitism. We cannot allow British universities to become bastions of religious segregation (Telegraph).

 

EU Referendum update

On 15 April the official “referendum period” begins and campaigning limits and restrictions are put in place.  The EU Referendum Act also compelled the Government to publish two reports by this date. The first, setting out the renegotiation outcomes and the Government’s opinion of it, was published last week. The second requires the Government to publish a report setting out the rights and obligations of UK citizens as members of the EU and provide examples detailing the arrangements of European countries that are not in the EU.

 

Purdah begins on 27 May. After this date, publically funded institutions are not able to publish any information promoting a view point on the referendum or the issues associated with it. This covers Westminster and Devolved ministers and departments and local authorities.

 

The BBC are televising three live debates on 19 May, 15 June and 21 June with the referendum taking place on 23 June. Results will be announced on 24 June.

Latest Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities

coins money

The following is a snap-shot of funding opportunities that have been announced. Please follow the links for more information:

British Council

Newton Fund: Researcher collaboration workshop – supporting sustainable ecosystems for poverty alleviation in the Amazon

The British Council and FAPEAM will be holding a workshop on the above theme. It is now inviting Early Career Researchers from the UK or Brazil to apply to attend this workshop. All travel and accommodation expenses will be covered by the Researcher Links programme.

Maximum Award: Not specified Deadline: 20 March 2016

Ministry of Defence

CDE enduring challenge competition

The enduring competition is continually open to all highly innovative research ideas that challenge existing conventions and have a high potential benefit for the defence and security end user.

Maximum Award: £40,000 – £150,000 Deadline: 22 March 2016 and recurring through the year

Medical Research Council

Biomedical catalyst – developmental pathway funding scheme

The DPFS scheme is a key part of our Translational Research Strategy and supports the translation of fundamental discoveries toward benefits to human health. It funds the pre-clinical development and early clinical testing of novel therapeutics, devices and diagnostics, including “repurposing” of existing therapies.

DPFS is an ongoing scheme, with outline deadlines every 4 months.

Maximum Award: Not specified Deadline: 27 July 2016

Wellcome Trust

People awards

People Awards are two related schemes supporting projects that encourage the public to explore biomedical science. The schemes are open to a wide range of people, including: mediators, facilitators and practitioners of science communication; science centre/museum staff; artists; educators. Project activities and outputs may include:

  • workshops, events, debates and discussions
  • exhibitions and museum outreach
  • films, games, websites and cross-platform projects.

Maximum Award: £40,000 Deadline: 20 May 2016, with 3 other deadlines in the year

Humanities & Science Small Grants

This scheme is for small-scale humanities and social science research projects, scoping exercises or meetings in any area of human or animal health, including projects relating to research resources.

Maximum Award: £10,000 Deadline: Open

Nuffield Foundation

Grants for research & innovation

This funder has seven programmes that fund research and innovation in areas of social policy and education. These are all open to applications.

The programmes are: Children and Families, Early Years Education and Childcare, Economic Advantage and Disadvantage, Education, Finances of Ageing, Law in Society, and Open Door.

Maximum Award: £350,000 Deadline: 18 April 2016 and other dates

British Tinnitus Association

Large research project scheme

Applications are actively encouraged in the following areas, although all applications will be considered:

  • Mechanisms of tinnitus/identifying potential therapeutic targets
  • Existing and novel practice/treatment
  • Prevention
  • Population/demographic/epidemiology/economic studies

Maximum Award: £75,000 Deadline: 30 April 2016

Fisheries Society of the British Isles

Small research grants

The Research Grant programme provides members of the Society with the opportunity to bid for financial support for carrying out research on any topic that is relevant to fish biology and management.

Maximum Award: £5000 Deadline: 1 May 2016

British Psychological Society

Research Seminar competition

The Competition provides grants to enable institutions to co-operate to hold a series of at least three scientific seminars.

The proposed seminars should have tangible goals and should focus on developing and extending the understanding of a psychological process in any field of scientific psychology.

Maximum Award: £3000 Deadline: 1 July 2016

Sections Initiative Fund

This Research Board fund is for Sections of the British Psychological Society. It provides grants of up to £15,000 to support scientific initiatives that promote or advance psychology.

Examples of initiatives include:

  • innovative or pioneering Conferences, one-off seminars or Workshops
  • research experience – for undergraduates or non-psychologists
  • specific short-term research on a topic falling under one the Society’s thematic priorities

Maximum Award: £15,000 Deadline: 1 September 2016

If you are interested in submitting to any of the above calls you must contact your  RKEO Funding Development Officer with adequate notice before the deadline.

For more funding opportunities that are most relevant to you, you can set up your own personalised alerts on Research Professional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s/Faculty’s Funding Development Officer in  RKEO or view the recent blog post here.

If thinking of applying, why not add notification of your interest on Research Professional’s record of the bid so that BU colleagues can see your intention to bid and contact you to collaborate.

BRAD Week coming soon…..watch out for details!

BRAD wordleJust to advise you details of our next BU Researcher/Academic Development (BRAD) events programme will be coming out very soon….watch out for our announcements on the Research BLOG and BU Intranet and get yourself booked in via Organisational Development.

BRAD  sessions be held from the 4th of April – 11th of April 2016.

Pop these dates in your calendars and get ready!

CfP: Lifestyle and communities: sharing in the digital era

conferences, international

ID-100267211It’s with great pleasure that we invite you to submit an abstract to a special track on “Lifestyle and communities: sharing in the digital era” of the ATLAS annual conference. It will take place in Canterbury, Kent, UK, 14th-16th September 2016.

Please see below for details, or click here… and share!
Led by: Lenia Marques, Jules Hecquet and Dimitrios Buhalis (Bournemouth University, UK)
Supported by: ETourism Lab

The leisure and tourism landscape has been subject to rapid changes in a world where internet and technologies have contributed to shape experiences, relationships, practices and lifestyles. In the network society, the sense of community is also varied and we can interrogate different meanings, values and practices at the heart of changing social interactions. The boundaries between online and offline communities seem to be blurred and they present new societal challenges, which also affect the industry, namely with sharing economy / collaborative consumption practices and communities (such as AirBnB, Uber, Couchsurfing, Meetup, Mealsharing, etc.).

The causes and consequences of such platforms in terms of lifestyle and the sense of community is yet to be studied. Therefore, we welcome papers which may explore, but are not limited to, the following themes:

  • Online/offline communities and lifestyle
  • Sharing economy / collaborative consumption and lifestyle
  • Social interaction in the digital era
  • Leisure digital practices
  • Events as online/offline communities of practice
  • Digital technologies in the tourism experience
  • Lifestyle challenges in leisure and tourism
  • Impacts of sharing economy / collaborative consumption in conventional industry production systems
  • Research methods in the context of sharing economy / collaborative consumption

The convenors are looking at possibilities for publication.

For more details, click  here or contact Dr Lenia Marques, lmarques@bournemouth.ac.uk .

http://www.atlas-euro.org/event_2016_canterbury/tabid/248/language/en-US/Default.aspx#track6

*Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Event Studies – theory, research, and policy for planned events

Professor Stephen Page in the Faculty of Management has just published his 40th book, Event Studies with Routledge, a collaboration with one of the top scholars in the field of events research, Professor Don Getz from the University of Calgary, which is a third edition of this major student text.

Event Studies is the only book devoted to developing knowledge and theory about planned events. It focuses on event planning and management, the experience of events and the meanings attached to them, the dynamic processes shaping events and why people attend them. In essence it is a synthesis of the different disciplines that have contributed to the development of events research, also highlighting important discourses on event management, event tourism, and the study of events within various disciplines that are able to help understand the impacts of events in society.

Dissertations For Good – helping students to pick a research topic that makes a difference

Centre for Excellence in Learning

New opportunity for your students to contribute to environmental, economic and social sustainability

As part of helping our students to make a difference to the world, BU has signed up to an NUS initiative called Dissertations for Good (DfG). The initiative  connects students with external organisations who then work collaboratively to complete research projects into social, economic and environmental sustainability. The outcome is a piece of student work that contributes in a tangible way, a report that is useful for their partnered organisation and a project that forms their dissertation.

DfG helps students to improve their communication, interpersonal, problem-solving and organisation skills, as well as developing their ability to use their initiative and self-motivate. It also provides valuable CV-enhancing experience of working in the outside world.

All students looking to undertake a research project at BU can register at www.nus.org.uk/dfg and create a profile. This allows them to search the organisations participating in DfG. They then request to be partnered with the organisation and organise a planning meeting. The student, their supervisor and a representative from the partner organisation meet to discuss the project and work together to make the project a success.

Details will be circulated to students via the portal. We shall be monitoring and will seek to evaluate engagement.

Science groups gear up for and against Brexit

European IPR webinarsWith just four months to go until the referendum on British membership of the EU on 23 June, academics are lining up on either side of the debate. Scientists’ lobby groups on both sides will register with the government as parties to the vote in the next two weeks.

Research Professional have written an interesting article which sets out both sides of the camp.  Click here to read more.

Research Funding in the words of a 7″ single

Guidance

RecordsI recently received 45 45’s (7” singles or if you’re still too young, small records) for my birthday (guess how old I was?). I thought I would make a shameless attempt to cram some of the records into a research focussed blog post. Here goes!

I fall to pieces (by Patsy Cline) – most funder success rates are lower than 20% and so don’t be disheartened when that rejection email pops in your in-box. Statistically, you only have a one in five chance of being successful and so do ‘try and try’ again. RKEO are here to support you and our Facilitators can review your unsuccessful applications and funder feedback to see how your next application can be stronger and successful.

You don’t miss your water (till your well runs dry) (originally by The Byrds but I have it by The Triffids) – don’t wait until your last grant has finished to apply for your next; start planning your next applications a year before your grant ends. Have a chat about your research plans with RKEO and submit your next intention to bid form to your Funding Development Officer.

Monotony (by Sauna Youth) – it can sometimes seem like you’re on a research funding treadmill but remember why your research excites you and why it should excite others. Think about the impact your research can have to society and find inspiration with the KEIT team.

Dancing in the dark (by Bruce Springsteen) – sometimes it can feel like that as an academic in the competitive world of research funding, but as Bruce said in the song – ‘you can’t start a fire without a spark’ and so make sure you are a ‘gun for hire even if you’re just dancing in the dark’. We have lots of opportunities to interact with other academics and RKEO can help you make those connections and collaborations. We also hold ‘sandpit’ events where you can form interdisciplinary teams to submit new and exciting research ideas for external funding. Check out our research blog for the next sandpit.

Here comes the summer (by The Undertones) – well, it’s almost here and a good time to really think about those research plans as you set your objectives for the next academic year. Have a chat with the RKEO team about how we can support your plans and what development opportunities we have available to you, particularly to support your application writing.

Complete control (by Clash) – you do have control over your research career and RKEO are here to help. Get in touch and see what we can do for you.

Hey ho, let’s go (by Ramones) – as Joey said ‘they’re all revved up and ready to go’. I hope you are feeling this way by now and that this will lead to Success – (by Iggy Pop).ramones

 

Food research? Public Engagement Opportunity – Christchurch Food Festival

Festival of Learning

Are you involved in research around the topic of food?

We are looking for anyone interested in running a food related activity at the Christchurch Food Festival as part of our “Festival of Learning on Tour”. We have a stool booked at the Family Fun day on Sunday 8th May where we’d like to run some food related research activities that families, children, members of the public could get involved with when passing by.

Could this be of interest to you? If so please contact Katie Breadmore (kbreadmore@bournemouth.ac.uk/ 61356)

 

 

BRIAN Upgrade

Guidance, Post-award, Publishing, Training

BU BRIAN logo

 

 

 

 

 

We are happy to inform you that Bournemouth Research Information and Networking System (BRIAN) will be upgrading to a new version. The current system will be offline from 8.00am on Thursday 10th March 2016, and will hopefully be restored and functioning fully on Friday 11th March 2016.

Some of the improvements from this upgrade include:

  • Performance improvements to the list pages
  • Publication summaries
  • Pagination

We do apologise for the inconvenience but we hope that these exciting new features will be up and running for you to use on the 11th March 2016.

All relevant guidance notes 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.

Monthly BRIAN training sessions are also available:

  • Tuesday 8th March 2016
  • Tuesday 5th April 2016
  • Wednesday 25th May 2016

If you are interested to book on to any of these training sessions, please get in touch with OD@bournemouth.ac.uk (dates are subject to change)

Please watch out for announcement on future dates on the RKEO Research blog.

In the meantime, if you do have queries relating to the upgrade, please feel free to get in touch with Pengpeng Hatch at pphatch@bournemouth.ac.uk (01202 961354).

‘Meet the Entrepreneur’ Event

The EBC hosted the second in a series of ‘Meet the Entrepreneur’ events on Wednesday 2nd March.

This seminar featured Peter Czapp, co-founder of The Wow Company, a proactive accountancy practice that advises small creative businesses across the UK. Peter and his team are committed to helping their clients make more profit and pay less tax, whilst at the same time having more fun.

The event attracted staff and students from across the University and they heard Peter share his experiences as an entrepreneur and the valuable insights and lessons he has learned along the way.

Organised by Mark Painter, Business Development Manager for The Business School, this series of events aim to provide students and staff the opportunity to hear about the personal journey of the profiled entrepreneur, learn about their experiences as a business owner and their approach to founding and growing a successful business.

Mark Painter said, ‘as one of our valued Entrepreneurs in Residence I am delighted that Peter has been able to visit us and share his experiences’. Mark added, ‘during his presentation Peter stressed the importance of being focussed, clearly defining your targets, and doing the tasks that really matter – something for us all to think about, regardless of our own personal goals and ambitions.’

The next event in this series will be on Wednesday 20th April and will profile Simon Phelps, founder of Fluvial Innovations Ltd. For more information and to book a place, stuents and staff should follow the link to www.bucfe.com/events

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regional Digital Business Drop-in – Bournemouth

Business Engagement, Funding opportunities, Knowledge Exchange

InnovateUK_LogoA_Interim_RGBx320govuk[1]

The next monthly regional drop in session run by the Knowledge Transfer Network for the creative, digital and design community is to take place in Bournemouth. The event involving the KTN and Innovate UK is aimed at all digital innovation companies across various sectors in the region, looking to access funding and grow. A great networking opportuntity on your doorstep!

Date: Thursday 17 March

Location: Bournemouth

For more information and to register  – check out this link