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Bournemouth Academics attend Popular Culture Association conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, and conduct archival research in US.

In April, Faculty of Media & Communications lecturers Dr Julia Round and Dr Sam Goodman presented research papers at the Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association national conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. Held this year at the Marriott Hotel in downtown New Orleans, the PCA/ACA conference is one of the annual highlights of the contemporary cultural studies community, as well as popular culture throughout history. It features a variety of research strands, including Comics, Gaming, British Culture, Science Fiction, Craft Beer culture, Sports, Gender and Sexuality and many more, and often hosts over 3000 delegates over four (very long – 8am-9.30pm) days. Sam and Julia’s attendance of this event represents the international reach of research at BU, and offered them both a number of opportunities for networking and engaging in critical discussions with an international community of like-minded scholars. Julia’s paper, entitled Revenant Landscapes in The Walking Dead, builds on her recent research into zombies and adaptation and she will be developing it into an article for publication over the following year. Sam’s paper, entitled Made Safe From Time’s Iniquity: Genre, Identity and Post-Millennial Tension in Alan Moore’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, was presented in the British Culture strand, and dealt with the expression of resurgent British nationalism expressed in popular media during the early 2000s. He plans to develop this paper into a longer article on the subject in conjunction with further research into how British identity changed after the end of the Cold War, with a view to submitting it to the Journal of Popular Culture in early 2016. Sam, Julia and colleagues Dr Peri Bradley and Dr Richard Berger, who also attended the conference, will present their papers at BU in a specially convened session in June 2015 (details to follow). Next year’s PCA/ACA conference will take place between March 22nd-26th in Seattle, Washington; more information can be found on their website: http://pcaaca.org.

Further to the event in New Orleans, Sam also took the opportunity to engage in archival research whilst in the US. Generously supported by the Faculty of Media and Communication’s Narrative Research Group, Sam visited Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, in order to inspect the personal papers and manuscripts of Salman Rushdie, acquired by Emory in the last five years. He said ‘though it may seem unusual for a literary scholar to be inspecting archives, it is a growing trend among my colleagues as they pursue interdisciplinary research in the humanities. Examining the evolution of a text through its various influences and rewritings enables deeper insight into its possible meanings’. Sam spent five days in the archive where he mainly examined the original typescript of Rushdie’s Booker Prize winning novel, Midnight’s Children (1981), however, he also had a chance to read through preparatory notes on this novel and its follow-up, Shame (1983), as well as various fragments and relevant personal correspondence. Sam further commented that ‘the archive holdings are extensive and a lot to manage in only a few days, however, the staff in the MARBL library were very helpful, and it was a very productive visit’. Sam is currently working on an article that reads Rushdie’s use of alcohol within the narrative of Midnight’s Children as an allegory for the legacy of Empire; combining post colonial and medical humanities approaches and informed by this archival research, Sam intends to submit the completed article to Wasafiri journal of Postcolonial Studies later this year.

Leverhulme Trust visit, 29 April, now open for bookings

Funding opportunities

The Leverhulme Trust visit on 29 April is now open for bookings – please visit the Staff Development & Engagement Pages to book.

Are you interested in bidding to Leverhulme Trust for research funding or finding out a bit more about what they expect to see in an application? If so, come along to our visit from Jean Cater of the Leverhulme Trust on 29 April, 12-2pm. 

In the meantime, if you’d like to find out more about the Leverhulme Trust, see http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk.

Investigating and Visualising the Effects of Environment on Prey Detection Rates: A Key Variable in Human Evolution

PG research

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

 

Speaker: Pete AllenInvestigating and Visualising the Effects of Environment on Prey Detection Rates: A Key Variable in Human Evolution

 

Title: Investigating and Visualising the Effects of Environment on Prey Detection Rates: A Key Variable in Human Evolution.

 

 

Time: 2:00PM-3:00PM

Date: Wednesday 22 April 2015

Room: P302 LT, Poole House, Talbot Campus

 

Abstract: This project utilises interactive 3D virtual worlds in order to determine the effect which the composition of the environment has on the ability of humans to detect prey animals within it.

The research focuses on the environments found in Europe prior to the Last Glacial Maximum, during the time period known as Oxygen Isotope Stage 3 (circa 30-55K years ago). By recreating various OIS3 environments virtually, we can investigate the effects of “openness” (degree of forestation), light levels, terrain and many other factors on prey detection rates.

 

Data is collected via experiments in which participants are able to navigate realistic 3D environments to search for prey animals. The search strategies they employ and the effect the environment is having on them can be recorded both from the software itself and via sophisticated eye-tracking technology. This data will inform us of the hunting strategies utilised by early human societies as they reacted to the changing landscape during OIS3.

 

This project makes use of Unreal Engine 4, a technology well suited to the creation of large, complex, interactive virtual worlds. UE4 is mostly associated with large-scale games development projects, but has the flexibility for use in this kind of research, often referred to as serious games.

 

 

We hope to see you there.

CEMP / CEL Research Bulletin April 2015

Funding opportunities, Publishing, REF Subjects, Research assessment

 

               

 

The latest CEMP bulletin, now combined with the Centre for Excellence in Learning, is now available as a PDF  CEMP CEL bulletin April 15  or word doc  CEMP CEL bulletin April 15

The bulletin provides a ‘top 20’ of research funding opportunities related to education, learning and pedagogy research and grouped into the the three BU learning research sub-themes: Media and Digital Literacies, Practitioner Enquiry and (Higher) Education Dynamics.

To follow up any of these opportunities, please contact Julian or Richard in CEMP or Marcellus Mbah in CEL.

Last Week’s Policy Update

Monday

Labour Manifesto

Labour’s manifesto gave further insight into their plans to reduce tuition fees to £6000. The manifesto revealed the policy would be funded by restricting tax relief on pension contributions for the highest earners and clamping down on tax avoidance. Labour alters funding proposal for fees plan (THE).

Horizon 2020

More than 50 UK University leaders have travelled to Brussels to lobby against the EU diverting some Horizon 2020 research money to a more broadly based strategic investment fund. UK university leaders lobby Brussels on research cuts (BBC).

Pensions

An annual survey of university pension costs showed that costs rose slightly last year to 10.2% of total staff costs, but may increase significantly in 2016 as USS reforms take effect. Pension cost rise looming for universities (THE).

Tuesday

Tory Manifesto

The Conservatives have unveiled a number of policies with potential impact on HE, including a fresh toughening of student visa rules and an apparent goal for a teaching research excellence framework. Tory manifesto promises ‘framework on teaching quality’ (THE).

GuildHE

GuildHE’s next Chief Executive will be Gordon McKenzie, currently deputy director for higher education strategy and policy at BIS. Mr McKenzie will take up his post in early July. BIS civil servant to be new GuildHE chief (THE).

Medical Education

Experts from across the sector have written about how universities can improve medical training and what impact the election may have on the subject. Training future doctors: how does medical education need to adapt? (Guardian).

Wednesday

Green Manifesto

The Green Party has committed to a policy to abolish tuition fees, as well as to cancel student debt. Green Party commits to abolishing fees and student debt (THE).

Liberal Democrat Manifesto

The Liberal Democrats have pledged in their manifesto to hold a review of higher education and to introduce legislation on the sector’s regulation. Lib Dem manifesto pledges regulation and review for higher education (THE).

UKIP Manifesto

UKIP’s manifesto has pledged that the party would waive tuition fees for students in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine. The manifesto also reveals the party would review which educational institutions are eligible to enrol international students. UKIP would make STEM tuition-fee free, and revise net migration count (THE).

Thursday

NUS

The NUS have launched a ‘payback time’ campaign against the MPs who broke their 2010 election promise over tuition fees. Students warn tuition fees pledge MPs of ‘payback time’ (BBC).

Friday

Leadership Foundation

The new Chief Executive of the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, Alison Johns, will prioritise addressing the structural barriers that stop more women reaching senior roles in higher education. Leadership Foundation targets hurdles stopping women (THE).

Participating in 13th BNAC Study Day – 16th and 17th April

BNAC Study DayThe 13th BNAC Study Day was organised by SOAS at the University of London on 16th and 17th April 2015. The conference focused on presentations of work conducted in Nepal in many different academic fields: health, education, politics, art and so on. A variety of participants took part in the conference including academicians, students, researchers and artists not only from Nepal but also from UK and other European countries. The aim of this conference was to establish a forum to present the research conducted in Nepal which focussed to discuss about Nepalese lifestyle, tradition, culture, politics, education, art, health and other aspects of Nepal.

BU visiting fellow Prof. Padam Simkhada and BU Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen presented a paper ‘Health and Welfare of Nepali Female Returnees from Gulf Countries: A Mixed-methods Study’ in collaboration with two Nepal based co-authors. I also had submitted my abstract to this conference and was accepted to discuss my proposed research project with a dedicated ‘Study day Tutor’, Dr. Ben Cambell from Durham University. It was a great opportunity for me to attend this conference and meet other PhD students, researchers, peers including one of my supervisors Prof.Edwin van Teijlingen and external supervisor Prof. Padam Simkhada. Besides it was very helpful to meet Dr. Campbell and get feedback regarding my proposal. This experience was helpful for me in many ways as I found myself benefited from the variety of presentations which gave idea on how to present before a mass of audience and also I got a chance to interact with many researchers from various fields. In addition I was able to meet a researcher at the conference whose article I quoted in my literature review.

Preeti Mahato

PhD student, CMMPH, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences.

International conference in Copenhagen

Ann Hemingway Professor of Public Health (BU, Chair of the European Academy of Caring Science) was co convener of an international conference in Copenhagen in March. The two organisations who came together to run the conference were the European Academy of Caring  Science and the Nordic College of Caring Science. The conference venue was the beautiful Diakonissestiftelsen Education Centre for health and philosophy students in Copenhagen (see photo) which provided a relaxing and  comfortable environment for the 90 delegates and speakers. Our excellent thought provoking key note speakers included Professor Kate Galvin (University of Hull) and Professor Les Todres (Emeritus Professor BU) and their session, Exploring care: Directions for the head, hand and heart of dignity. Associate Professor Maria Kristiansen (Danish Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity and Health, University of Copenhagen) and her session, Opinions of care in a multicultural perspective  – Caring Science in multicultural Europe, and Professor Elisabeth O C Hall (Emeritus Professor Aarhus University Denmark, Adjunct Professor University of the Faroe Islands) and her session A Big Picture of Caring Science. Several BU staff presented papers at the conference including Dr Liz Norton, Dr Ann Hemingway, Dr Maggie Hutchings, Dr Anne Quinney, Dr Caroline Ellis Hill and Dr Carol Pound. Many thanks to everyone involved particularly those on the organising and scientific committees.

Caring Science is the study of the health and wellbeing of humans in different life situations, and has as it’s basis respect for human dignity and integrity. Both these organisations are working to improve the quality of health and social care provision. For more information please contact aheming@bournemouth.ac.uk.

Fusion Investment Fund

Fusion, Fusion Investment Fund

The next round of the Fusion Investment Fund launches on 11th May.

The Fusion Investment Fund provides staff with the opportunity to develop and pursue their fusiongoals by bidding for and drawing on these ‘pump-priming’ resources. FIF is part of BU’s investment in intellectual capital.

Fusion is central to BU2018 and with this in mind we are embedding fusion within our Global Agenda as we enter the next exciting phase of shaping BU’s global footprint. Taking our internationally respected fusion of education, research and professional practice to a global audience increases BU’s global profile and underscores the excellent performance already achieved and recognised through the recent QAA and REF 2014 results. To drive our vision forward the competitive strands of Fusion (Co-creation and Co-production, and Staff Mobility and Networking) have been aligned to help staff (particularly those new to bidding, or new to BU) make BU become a truly global institution.

Watch out for more details soon about how the fund can support your work.

Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities

Kan Tong Po visiting fellowships

Royal Society, GB

This scheme is for scientists in the UK who want to stimulate new collaborations with leading scientists overseas through either a one-off visit or bilateral travel. This scheme is not intended to support continued research between a UK applicant and co-applicant who was a former colleague or PhD student or to support other existing or recent collaborations between the applicant and co-applicant. Rather, the scheme is intended to stimulate new collaborations between scientists in the UK and overseas.

Eligibility requirements

The scheme covers all areas of the life and physical sciences, including engineering, but excluding clinical medicine.

Both the UK applicant and overseas applicant must:

  • have a PhD, or be likely to have a PhD by the time the funding starts
  • hold a fixed or permanent contract at an eligible organisation for the duration of the project (ineligible organisations include industrial, private and commercial organisations, university spin-out companies, government bodies and research institutes and research councils)
  • be based in the respective countries at the time of the application

The funding available is dependent upon the length of the visit. Applicants may request:

  • up to of £3,000 for one-off travel lasting up to 3 months
  • up to £6000 for multiple visits to be completed within 1 year (including a maximum of £1000 for research expenses)
  • up to £12,000 for multiple visits to be completed within 2 years and cost share projects fixed at 2 years (including a maximum of £2000 for research expenses)

Closing Date: 01/June/2015

 

Newton mobility grants

Royal Society

The Royal Society offers Newton International Exchanges as mobility grants to provide international researchers with funding towards travel, subsistence and research expenses for either a one-off short visit to explore opportunities for building lasting networks or for bilateral visits to strengthen emerging collaborations. Successful candidates may wish to consider subsequently applying for a Newton International Fellowship or Newton Advanced Fellowship to consolidate partnerships.

The skills and knowledge gained should lead to changes in the well being of communities and increased economic benefits.

This award is currently available to international researchers that want to strengthen the research and innovation capacity by visiting or sending staff and students to the UK. The aims are to:

  • Strengthen research capacity of the partner countries – by facilitating training and skill transfer from the UK to partner countries.
  • Support excellent research – by linking the best researchers in the UK with the best researchers and their groups in partner countries and providing support for initial exploratory research.
  • Establish long term research links – between both partners to ensure sustainable research capacity in partner countries and benefit to the UK research community in the longer term.

This scheme is funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills as part of the Newton Fund.

Applicants must have a PhD or equivalent research experience and hold a permanent or fixed-term contract in an eligible university or research institute, which must span the duration of the project. Collaborations should focus on a single project involving overseas-based scientist (“the Applicant”) and UK-based scientist (“the Co-applicant”).

The funding available is dependent upon the length of the visit and the partner country.  Applicants may request:

  • up to £3,000 for one-off travel lasting up to 3 months
  • up to £6,000 for multiple visits to be completed within 1 year (including a maximum of £1,000 for research expenses)
  • up to £12,000 for multiple visits to be completed within 2 years (including a maximum of £2,000 for research expenses)

Closing Date: 3/June/2015

 

National Centre for Research Methods call for methodological research projects

Economic and Social Research Council

We are pleased to invite proposals for projects that will undertake cutting-edge methodological research development, within the context of substantive research problems. Projects must be focused in one or more of the following strategic areas:

  • Digital devices and mobile technologies for data collection
  • Participatory approaches
  • Analysis of online digital and Big Data
  • Bio-social data analysis
  • Policy relevant research synthesis
  • Small area estimation

The call is issued in partnership with the Department for International Development (DFID) which will co-fund in the Policy Relevant Research Synthesis area.

The aim of the call is to increase the quality and range of methodological skills and techniques used by the UK social science community, to enable new or existing social science research questions to be addressed more effectively. A total of £5 million (100 per cent fEC, ESRC contribution £4 million) is available. The maximum budget for an individual Research Project is £825,000 (100 per cent fEC, ESRC contribution £660,000) over a maximum of 36 months. Projects will need to commence on 1 January 2016.

Closing Date: 16/June/2015

 

Early-career fellowships for researchers in India

Wellcome Trust

This scheme provides a unique opportunity for the most promising postdoctoral researchers to carry out research in India. Applicants are expected to identify an important biomedical research question and design a project that would help answer this question. The proposal would also suggest how the proposed work would help develop the applicant’s future independent research program. Submitted proposals are expected to be globally competitive. Applicants may wish to set up long term training or collaborative visits (work outside Host Institution) for up to 24 months. These visits may be to other leading laboratories, anywhere in the world.

The fellowship is for five years, full time and provides:

Personal Support for the fellow.
Research expenses (materials and consumables; animals; support to attend scientific meetings; and small items of equipment, e.g. laptop)
Additional allowances (travel and overseas subsistence) for work outside the Host Institution; these are scientifically justified visits of up to 24 months to an external laboratory either in India or abroad.

Support funds for research staff or large equipments are not typically provided. It is expected that applicants will choose appropriate laboratories/ environments where majority of the necessary equipment and facilities are already available. To complete a preliminary application use our online system, IASys. Please ensure that the form is submitted by the published deadline.

Your preliminary application will normally be assessed within one month of the submission deadline. If successful, you will be invited to submit a full application. Your full application will be peer reviewed and considered by the appropriate Selection Committee and, if successful, you will be short-listed for interview. Short-listed candidates will be notified two weeks before the interview date. Applicants are not permitted to apply to multiple Fellowship schemes within the India Alliance in parallel. Only one application to one scheme will be entertained, at a time.

Preliminary application deadline: 15/June/2015

 

Supply chain integration in construction

Innovate UK

Innovate UK is to invest up to £2 million in feasibility studies to explore new ways of increasing collaboration and improving the flow of information throughout the construction supply chain. Our aim is to address problems arising from the fragmented nature of the industry. With so many layers of sub-contractors and suppliers, construction clients too often find themselves divorced from those who deliver projects on-site.

This lack of integration within the supply chain is leading to lost opportunities for innovation. We are therefore seeking proposals that will encourage the creation of more integrated, collaborative supply chains in this sector. These feasibility studies must be business-led. Projects are open to companies of any size working in collaboration. Small businesses could receive up to 70% of their eligible project costs, medium-sized businesses 60% and large businesses 50%.

We expect projects to last 6 to 12 months with total costs ranging from £50,000 to £150,000, although we may consider larger projects. This competition opens on 9 March 2015. The deadline for registration is at noon on 22 April 2015and the deadline for applications is at noon on 29 April 2015. A briefing day for potential applicants will be held in Bristol on 19 March 2015.

 

Collaborative doctoral awards

Arts and Humanities Research Council

Collaborative Doctoral Awards (CDAs) provide funding for doctoral studentship projects, proposed by a university based academic, to work in collaboration with an organisation outside of higher education.  They are intended to encourage and develop collaboration and partnerships providing opportunities for doctoral students to gain first-hand experience of work outside the university environment and enhance the employment-related skills and training a research student gains during the course of their award.

The projects also encourage and establish links that can have long-term benefits for both collaborating partners, providing access to resources and materials, knowledge and expertise that may not otherwise have been available and also provide social, cultural and economic benefits to wider society.

The AHRC are keen to see innovative applications that build diverse relationships with the non-HE sectors and would like to encourage further proposals to work with businesses, regional museums, regional arts organisations and community groups.  Any topic within the AHRC’s subject domain is eligible. Selection of successful applications will not be subject to quota systems and there are no priority areas, however, PhD proposals which address AHRC’s research themes are encouraged. In 2013 AHRC named 12 Collaborative Doctoral Partnership (CDP) organisations through which a fixed number of CDAs are also available.

Closing Date: 7th/July/2015