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Digital Health and AI: Paving the Way for Health Equity in Maternal and Infant Care

The long awaited 10-year health plan for England emphasises the use of digital technologies and the aspiration to “make the NHS the most AI-enabled health system in the world”. This requires expertise in artificial intelligence and data science, but interdisciplinary collaboration is also essential if we are to make this a reality.

The Maternal and Infant Health Equity Research Centre (MIHERC) aims to do this by bringing together experts in maternal health, behavioural science, AI and digital health to help drive innovative solutions through co-production and real partnership, ensuring better outcomes for all women and babies. MIHERC is led by Professor Hora Soltani at Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) in collaboration with key partners including Bournemouth University (BU), the City of Doncaster Council and South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub.

Alongside Professor Vanora Hundley, who has been appointed as a Capacity Training and Development Lead, Professor Huseyin Dogan and Prof Alessandro Di Nuovo from MIHERC will be co-leading the cross-cutting workstream titled “digital, data, monitoring, evaluation and implementation science” as part of the NIHR Maternity Disparities consortium. This workstreams aims

– to identify and test trusted, reliable AI technologies for deployment by the NHS to help reduce disparities;

– to develop and refine equity monitoring, real-world evaluation and implementation science methods for use in maternity disparities research, with a focus on enhancing their robustness and practical application;

– to embed advanced analytic and digital tools and implementation frameworks into maternity disparities research to improve the rigor and impact of studies on equity; and

– to build a community of practice within and external to consortium to develop analytical, methodological, and implementation science capacity.

The BU key academics are: Huseyin Dogan, Vanora Hundley, Edwin van Teijlingen, and Deniz Çetinkaya. Please do get in touch with the MIHERC team for further information.

Higher Education and the screen industries in the UK: towards better partnership and collaboration for the talent pipeline

This week Richard Wallis and Christa van Raalte attended the annual ‘Talking Shop’ conference of the National Association for Higher Education in the Moving Image (NAHEMI) as key note speakers. We presented out paper, recently published in Media Practice and Education, in which we explore persistent barriers to effective partnership, identifying and deconstructing six myths that undermine progress in this area. These are that: ‘universities exist primarily to serve the needs of employers’; ‘the screen industries do not require a graduate workforce’; ‘media work specifically requires media graduates’; ‘the value of a media degree is determined by how well it prepares students for entry-level media jobs’; ‘practice-based and “practical” courses exist to produce “set-ready” graduates for specific industry roles’; and ‘universities are a barrier to industry diversity’.

The paper was met with an enthusiastic response and we were invited to propose a NAHEMI Forum later in the year to further debate the implications of moving past these myths to a better informed and more constructive conversation  built on mutual respect and understanding between HEIs and industry, recognizing their distinct roles and challenges.

AI and Academic Identities: Navigating the Future

The RKEDF is excited to announce this ECRN seed funded event:

AI and Academic Identities: Navigating the Future
📅 Thursday, 18th July 2025
🕚 11:00 AM – 3:15 PM
📍 FG06, Fusion Building, Bournemouth University

This interdisciplinary workshop explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping academic identity, challenging traditional roles in research, teaching, authorship, and professional development. Join us to reflect on what it means to be an academic in the age of AI and how to navigate these shifts with clarity and confidence.

Workshop aims:

  • Examine how AI is influencing the academic profession and the nature of scholarly work
  • Share cross-disciplinary perspectives and with me or Samreen experiences
  • Encourage open dialogue around ethical, practical, and professional implications
  • Consider how universities can support identity development in a tech-driven landscape

Click here for more information and to register your place.

(Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis)

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with mconsonirubio@bournemouth.ac.uk  or sashraf@bournemouth.ac.uk

PramaLife to present at the at Community Voices Webinar Wednesday 9 July, 12-1pm

We’re excited to welcome Sue Warr, Manager at PramaLife, to our July Community Voices Webinar. Sue will be sharing insights into the impactful work PramaLife is doing to empower independent lives for older people across Dorset.

For over 40 years, PramaLife has been providing care services throughout Dorset. Their vision is a world where no one is unfairly disadvantaged or excluded due to age or infirmity and where everyone can enjoy life as they age. Learn more about their mission at prama.org.uk.
Community voices is a collaboration between BU PIER partnership and Centre for Seldom Heard Voices to provide a platform and a voice to local community activists.
Please do join us for this webinar
Join the meeting now
Meeting ID: 358 121 945 336
Passcode: h6uD9oU3

Successful BU RSA away day!

On Thursday 19th June, Bournemouth University hosted a Research Staff Association (RSA) away day dedicated to supporting research staff across faculties. The event, themed Getting Started, Securing Funding, and Advancing Careers, brought together a small but engaged group of around 10 research staff members from across the university. While modest in size, the group dynamic created a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere that encouraged open discussion, shared experiences, and deep reflection.

The away day was organised by RSA Rep Dr. Gladys Yinusa (FHSS), with support from RSA Reps Dr. Pooja Shah (FHSS) and Dr. Michael Adjeisah. The agenda focused on practical tools and insights to support early- and mid-career researchers in navigating the complexities of academic funding and career development.

We kicked off the day with a hands-on workshop delivered by BU’s Research Development and Support (RDS) team. This session, Getting Started with Grant Applications, demystified the process of identifying funding opportunities, understanding funder expectations, and developing strong proposals. The RDS team’s practical advice was especially useful for those of us who are still finding our footing in the world of grant writing, and the interactive format gave everyone the chance to ask questions relevant to their own projects.

The second session featured a case study presentation by Dr Michelle Heward from FST. Michelle shared her personal journey navigating funding applications, reflecting on both challenges and successes. Her talk, Experience with Funding Applications: Lessons Learned and Building on Small Pots of Funds, offered a candid look at the realities of funding in academia. She highlighted how starting small—such as with pilot grants or internal funding—can build the credibility and track record needed to apply for larger awards. Michelle’s honesty and encouragement were appreciated by all, and her story resonated with many of the early-career researchers in the room.

Beyond the sessions, the away day sparked rich conversations about the broader research culture at BU. A recurring theme was the sense of isolation often experienced by research staff—working on fixed-term contracts, across departments, and sometimes with limited opportunities to connect with peers. We discussed the need for more visible and accessible research communities within the university and brainstormed ways to build a greater sense of belonging.

There was also discussion around the design of future training opportunities—both inclusive of and separate from the doctoral college—to ensure relevance and usefulness for all research career stages. Participants expressed interest in more tailored sessions that reflect the diverse needs and experiences of researchers across faculties.

The away day was a valuable reminder of the importance of coming together as a research community. It gave us space to share knowledge, learn from each other, and feel seen in roles that are often overlooked. We’re looking forward to building on the momentum from this event to strengthen networks, advocate for researcher needs, and continue creating opportunities for meaningful connection and career development.

Dr Pooja Shah,

Postdoctoral researcher

TANGERINE Project (nuTritional heAlth aNd aGeing in oldER ethnIc miNoritiEs)

Bournemouth University Showcases Defence Innovation at BattleLab’s South West Regional Defence & Security Cluster Event

What a brilliant and absolutely packed South West Regional Defence & Security Cluster showcase event at the BattleLab on July 2nd, 2025! The team, led by Professor Huseyin Dogan, proudly showcased Bournemouth University’s capabilities in the defence sector.

The Bournemouth University team included Finn Morgan, Nigel Davies, Serdar Akar, and Egemen Oner, alongside their client, Dr. Shamal Faily from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). Among the 180 guests and exhibitors, the BU team presented three Dstl-funded projects covering critical areas such as human factors, risk-informed decision-making, and cyber resilience.

   

Featured Dstl-Funded Projects:

  • Tool-support for embedding safety, security, and human factors analysis into Secure by Design requirements.
  • Risk-Informed Decision-Making (RIDM) in Intentional Electromagnetic Interference (IEMI).
  • Towards Productive Cyber Resilience and Safety Analysis in Model-Based System Engineering (MBSE).

Collaboration for Secure by Design Practices

In addition to the BattleLab showcase, Dr. Duncan Ki-Aries and Prof. Huseyin Dogan also partnered with Mima, a human-centred design consultancy. Their collaboration focused on developing and evaluating a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). This MVP demonstrates how safety, security, and human factors analysis can be seamlessly integrated into Secure by Design requirements practices. The tool was successfully demonstrated at the Dstl Portsdown West site in June 2025, further highlighting Bournemouth University’s expertise in developing secure and effective systems for defence applications.

If you’re interested in learning more about these impactful projects, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Prof. Huseyin Dogan and Dr. Duncan Ki-Aries.

 

AI and Visual Anthropology & Sociology

international, open access, Publishing, writing

Scholars worldwide are in dialogue about using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in various fields of research.  Of course, AI can make certain kinds of work more efficient, this is also the case in social science research. Although ethical use of AI is still fuzzy, the use of AI in visual anthropological and sociological research that entails the Interpretive Approach raises several questions. The editorial  team of Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology, including BU’s Professor Edwin van Teijlingen, just published a research note raising three key questions: First, are researchers satisfied with the interpretation (the meaning created) by AI, i.e., the authenticity of the interpretation?; (b) Secondly, can AI reach the depth of the details of the visual object being interpreted? And thirdly, what ethical issues would AI-based research encounter if AI were highly supportive?

They agree that answering these questions is not easy. Since a detailed analysis of these components needs rigorous research work, we consider issues that will be the basis for further research in this editorial note. Hence, the purpose of this editorial note is to bring the research agenda to the forefront of researchers for further investigation rather than answering specific research questions mentioned above.

 

Reference:

  1. Khattri, M. B., Pandey, R., Roy, R. K., Subedi, M., van Teijlingen, E., Parker, S., & Bhandari, P. (2025). Ethical Dilemmas in Visual Anthropology and Sociology in the Era of Artificial Intelligence. Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology, 19(1), i-v. https://doi.org/10.3126/dsaj.v19i1.80819

Academics write for newspaper in Nepal

innovation, international, open access, Publishing, writing

Yesterday the online newspaper Online Khabar in Nepal published an opinion piece in English written by three Bournemouth University academics working with a colleague in Kathmandu.  This interdisciplinary piece ‘Resilient through experiences: Unlocking the entrepreneurial prowess of Nepal’s left-behind women‘ brings together ideas gained from many different studies and disciplines.  The three authors from Bournemouth University are: Dr. Sukanya Ayatakshi-Endow, Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen, and Dr. Pramod Regmi, and they collaborated with Dr. Rashmee Rajkarnikar who is based at Nepal’s oldest and largest university, Tribhuvan University.  The four authors brings insights from economics, business studies, sociology, women’s studies, migration studies and health.

Presentation at the 9th International Visual Methods Conference (Istanbul)

conferences

Adele McMahon, PhD student in the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, presented at the 9th International Visual Methods Conference (IVMC9), held in Istanbul. Her presentation, titled “Tell Me About a Photo You Would Have Liked to Have Taken but Couldn’t: Ethical Implications of a Photo Elicitation Study Exploring Young Parents’ Experience of the UK Child Protection System,” reflected on the ethical issues and challenges encountered during her research.

Presenting to an international audience of visual researchers offered a valuable opportunity to share insights and engage in meaningful dialogue. Adele was able to connect with fellow researchers and participate in rich discussions around the ethical complexity of visual methods, especially in contexts involving marginalised populations.

Adele is thankful to the IVMC9 organisers and attendees for creating such a thoughtful and stimulating conference environment and to Bournemouth University for facilitating her attendance.

Shortlisted for the SWET Scholarship

Adele McMahon (PhD student in the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences) recently applied for the £3,000 scholarship offered by the Social Workers’ Educational Trust (SWET). And although she wasn’t selected for the top award, she was incredibly honoured to be shortlisted as one of the final three candidates.

As recognition of her work and proposal, she was awarded a £500 grant. This funding will go directly towards the dissemination of her research findings, helping to ensure that the insights she’s developed reaches practitioners, educators, and wider communities who can benefit from them.

Adele is deeply grateful to SWET for this opportunity and their support of her research exploring what young people say about their lived experiences as adolescent parents in the child protection system.

New paper published on disability in women & girls

international, open access, Publishing, Women's Academic Network, writing

Yesterday (25 June) the online journal PLoS One published ‘Life-time experience of violence among women and girls living with disability in Nepal‘ our latest study on disability in Nepal [1].  This cross-sectional study was conducted in 28 municipalities representing all seven provinces as well as all three ecological regions of Nepal. A total of 1,294 women and girls with disability aged 15–59 years participated in  2021. We trained local enumerators using the KoBo application on smartphones or tablets. Both written and oral informed consent was sought from all participants. Cross-tabulations were performed in STATA 18 to determine the distribution of the prevalence of violence. Also, bivariable and multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to establish association between the participants’ characteristics and odds of experiencing violence.

Overall, 457 (35.32%) women living with disabilities had ever experienced violence at a point in their lifetime. Psychological/emotional violence was the most prevalent violence (74.40%) followed by physical violence (31.07%) and denial of services (28.67%). Age was positively associated with the likelihood of experiencing violence. Women belonging to the Brahman/Chhetri ethnic group had reduced odds of violence [AOR = 0.56; 95%CI: 0.37–0.85] compared to Hill Dalits. Divorced or separated women showed a markedly higher likelihood of experiencing violence [AOR = 6.69; 95%CI: 2.31–19.40] compared to currently married women. Participants who had not witnessed violence against other women exhibited significantly higher odds of experiencing violence [AOR = 1.86; 95%CI: 1.20–2.89]. Women living in the Koshi province [AOR = 4.04; 95%CI: 2.54–6.42], Madhesh province [AOR = 2.16; 95%CI: 1.15–4.08] and Bagmati province [AOR = 2.21; 95%CI: 1.41–3.46] reported significantly higher odds of experiencing violence compared to those in Karnali.

The paper concludes oncludes that age, ethnicity, marital status, and provincial residence are significant predictors of violence among women and girls living with disability in Nepal. Interventions aimed at addressing violence against women living with disability in Nepal must prioritize older women and those who were previously married. Also, policy-makers may want to consider giving priority must be given to those provinces where the prevalence and risk of experiencing violence is highest.

The study was funded The United Nations Women Trust Fund,  and the paper is freely available in the Open Access journal.  We previously published on research into disability in Nepal in 2023 [2].

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health

Visiting Faculty, Centre for Disability Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India.


References:

  1. Simkhada P, Basnet S, Sharma S, van Teijlingen E, Wasti SP, Dahal T, et al. (2025) Life-time experience of violence among women and girls living with disability in Nepal. PLoS One 20(6): e0326659. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0326659.
  2. Simkhada, P, Shyangdan, D, van Teijlingen E, Kadel, S, Stephen, J., Gurung, T. (2013) Women’s Knowledge & Attitude towards Disability in Rural Nepal. Disability & Rehabilitation 35(7): 606-13. http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09638288.2012.702847

Global Consortium for Public Health Research 2025

international, Publishing, Research themes, writing

This week the 3rd Annual Meeting of the Global Consortium for Public Health (GCPHR) takes place at the University of Huddersfield on June 25th-26th.  GCPHR 2025 was attended by people involved in global health research from the UK, India, Nepal, Qatar, and Ghana.  Building on the success of the 2023 inaugural two-day meeting and the second annual event in 2024, the 2025 meeting brought together a diverse community of health researchers, practitioners, policy-makers and global health leaders. This initiative has as its main aim to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, promote innovation, and strengthen international collaboration.

Bournemouth University academics have been involved since GCPHR’s inception, and this year Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen from the Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH) contributed to a panel discussion on ‘Innovating Tomorrow: National and Global Research in the Age of AI’.  He presented around the pros and cons of Interdisciplinary Research in Global Health. Together with colleagues Edwin has published several papers on interdisciplinary research [1-3] and collaborative writing of research output with a range of colleagues from different disciplines [4-5].

Prof. Padam Simkhada from the University of Huddersfield (and Visiting Faculty in BU’s Faculty of Health & Social Sciences outlined the recently awarded British Academy grant on ‘Evidence-based Policy-Making in Nepal’.  The latter project, which includes BU’s Dr. Pramod Regmi as co-investigator, also has policy-makers in Nepal as collaborators, giving it great potential to become a REF Impact Case-Study.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References:

  1. Shanker, S., Wasti, S.P., Ireland, J., Regmi, P., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2021) The Interdisciplinary Team Not the Interdisciplinarist: Reflections on Interdisciplinary Research, Europasian Journal of Medical Sciences 3(2): 1-5. https://doi.org/10.46405/ejms.v3i2.317
  2. van Teijlingen, E., Regmi, P., Adhikary, P., Aryal, N., Simkhada, P. (2019). Interdisciplinary Research in Public Health: Not quite straightforward. Health Prospect, 18(1), 4-7. https://doi.org/10.3126/hprospect.v18i1.19337
  3. Wasti, S. P., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P. (2020) Public Health is truly interdisciplinary. Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences, 6(1):21-22.
  4. Harvey, O., van Teijlingen, A., Regmi, P.R., Ireland, J., Rijal, A., van Teijlingen, E.R. (2022) Co-authors, colleagues, and contributors: Complexities in collaboration and sharing lessons on academic writing, Health Prospect 21(1):1-3. https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/HPROSPECT/article/view/39320/31432
  5. Hundley, V., Luce, A., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2022) Collaborative Writing for Publication, In: Wasti, S.P., et al. (Eds.) Academic Writing and Publishing in Health & Social Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books: 15-19.

Workshop on Domiciliary Care Worker Training: Virtual Reality for DRA

Event Date and time: Tuesday, 15 July 2025, 1200-1600 GMT

Event Location: Bournemouth Gateway Building, St Pauls Lane, Bournemouth, BH8 8GP Room BG

(Refreshments and Lunch will be provided)

Join us to explore the use of Virtual Reality (VR) for training and evaluating dynamic risk assessment (DRA) in domiciliary care settings.

This stakeholder workshop will seek insights on the following research questions:

  • How does the domiciliary care sector and FE colleges currently train and assess their workforce/students to risk assess in a patient’s home?
  • How can a VR app be used by the domiciliary care sector and FE colleges to improve the learning and evaluation of dynamic risk assessment (DRA) skills?
  • To what extent can VR DRA improve DCWs’ (domiciliary care workers) awareness of risks in a patient’s home?

 Featured Speakers (TBC):

  • Skills for Care, the strategic workforce development and planning body for adult social care in England.
  • Partners in Care BCP Dorset
  • BU Nursing Academics
  • Demo of BU’s VR for DCW DRA prototype

 Who Should Attend?

  • Domiciliary care providers
  • Workforce Educators
  • Tech innovators in healthcare
  • Government Policy / CQC professionals

 About CfACTs+ Project

This project explores how creative technologies like VR can transform training, improve operational efficiency, and support workforce development; see:

https://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/centres-institutes/centre-applied-creative-technologies/centre-applied-creative-technologies-plus-cfacts

 Reserve Your Spot Today!

This event is free, but places are limited.

Register via Eventbrite
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/workshop-on-domiciliary-care-worker-training-virtual-reality-for-dra-tickets-1433020275219?aff=oddtdtcreator

Event Funded by:

BU Early Career Researcher Network (ECRN) & Research Knowledge Exchange Development Framework (RKEDF)

 

World Drowning Prevention Day at BU

international, PG research, Publishing, writing

Next month on July 25th  Bournemouth University will join in with the world-wide celebrations of World Drowning Prevention Day 2025.  The first achievement to highlight is Dr. Jill Nash interesting piece recently published in The Conversation, in which she highlights Five ways to keep teenagers safe by the water [1]. It is also worthwhile to read last year’s contribution to World Drowning Prevention Day by Jill on the dangers of being near water and the role emotions play in making safer decisions [2].

The second major piece of research related to drowning prevention at Bournemouth University is the Sonamoni Project. The Sonamoni Project is working with communities in rural Bangladesh utilizing human-centered design (HCD) techniques.  The research project is identifying solutions to reduce the number of drowning deaths in newly mobile children (6-24 months), developing prototype, and assessing the acceptability and usability of potential  interventions. Sonamoni is coordinated by Bournemouth University in collaboration with the University of the West of England (Bristol), the University of Southampton, and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), Design Without Border (DWB) in Uganda and Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB). The interdisciplinary team at Bournemouth University covers three faculties and six academics: Dr. Mavis Bengtsson, Dr. Kyungjoo Cha, Dr. Mehdi Chowdhury, Dr. Yong Hun Lim, Mr. John Powell, and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen.

This international project funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) through its Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation programme, also includes a BU-based PhD student, Mr. Md. Shafkat Hossein.  He recently published the first article related to drowning prevention in Nepal [3].

References:

  1. Nash, J. (2025) Five ways to keep teenagers safe by the water, The Conversation June 20th.
  2. Nash, J. (2024) Why so many people drown at the water’s edge The Conversation July 25th.
  3. Hossain, M. S., Pant, P. R., van Teijlingen, E., Sedain, B., & Rahman, A. (2024). Drowning Prevention should be a Public Health Issue in Nepal. International Journal of Social Sciences and Management, 11(4): 83–87.

Very last chance to register! Don’t miss out! CWLTH Rehab & Prevention networking and development Wed 25th June!

Centre for Wellbeing & Long-term Health, Rehabilitation & Prevention workstream Networking and Development Event – Wed 25th June! In BG-212. 

Don’t miss out, register now!

Does your research broadly fit the category of “rehabilitation and prevention”? Then join us for this first event of the Rehabilitation & Prevention workstream of the Centre for Wellbeing and Long-term Health!

Whatever the focus of your research is or your professional background, whether it be at population or individual level, public health or rehabilitation of a particular condition in a particular demographic of people, whether you are a PGR or a senior academic, we would like this to be your research home. Come and share the highlights of what you do in a 5-minute Lightning talk, and hear from the highlights of others.

We want this to be a stimulating event and you might just find your next collaborator(s). Dr Jonny Branney and Dr Katie Collins, the workstream leads, will be taking notes with a view to creating a quick reference guide of what the workstream members are working on to make it easier for you to find the expertise you need for your next project. We want the workstream to be a place to talk about the sort of research enquiry that gets you out of bed in the morning, that puts the joy into your working life. A place to share and celebrate in your project successes, and to get a welcome lift when your latest research bid or journal submissions are rejected. A place to learn from those more experienced, from those with alternative expertise, identify a mentor or a coach, and for others to learn from you and benefit from your coaching and mentorship. A place to test out your ideas and get feedback from critical friends. A place to identify collaborators for your next research project. Is your research broadly “rehabilitation and prevention”? Then this is your place. Register here!!

Lightning Talks

Attendees are required to prepare a 5 minute lightning talk – 5 PowerPoint slides maximum to summarise your background as a researcher, what you’ve done, are doing, and plan to do. Nice and concise so we quickly get to know what everyone is about. There will be a timer!

Rough Itinerary

12:30pm Lunch – provided

1pm Welcome from workstream leads

1.05pm 5-minute Lightning talks

2.50pm – 3pm Closing remarks from workstream leads

See you there! Room BG-212.

For further information on this event please contact theme leads, Dr Jonny Branney (jbranney@bournemouth.ac.uk) or Dr Katey Collins (kcollins@bournemouth.ac.uk).