/ Full archive

Spaces still available: “The Way of the Productivity Ninja”

Post-award

The ThinkProductive Team will be visiting BU next Thursday to deliver a practical, interactive and fun 2 hour online workshop and there’re spaces still available.

They will share with us how to utilize the mindset and tactics of the 9 Characteristics of the Productivity Ninja.

Are you battling information overload? Email deluge? Wrestling with procrastination, interruption or distraction? Constantly feel like you are in reactive, “juggling” and “plate spinning” mode? Find it hard to maintain energy and focus, to properly unplug and switch off, or to make space for what really matters – or for yourself?

If any of that sounds familiar, we’ve got you some information here!

Thursday 29th June 2023, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm

To book a place on “The Way of the Productivity Ninja” workshop please complete the Booking Form

Here are some great RKEDF training events coming up in July

NHS, Post-award, Training

A picture containing text, screenshot, font, graphic designDescription automatically generated

 

Here are some great RKEDF training events coming up in July

 

Repurposing Your Unsuccessful Grant Applications 

  • Tuesday, 4 July 09:30-11:00 Online book here

The session is aimed at ECR’s and will cover best practice for repurposing unsuccessful applications for external funding

 

RedCap system training

  • Thursday, 13 July 11:00-16:00 Lansdowne Campus book here

RedCap system training is aimed at HSS academic and researchers conducting clinical research where clinical data is being collected and needs to be stored in a central place during the conduct of the study.

 

Preparing for External Audits – An Academics Perspective

  • Wednesday, 12 July 10:00 – 11:00 Talbot Campus book here
  • Thursday, 13 July 13:00-14:00 Talbot Campus book here

This session is aimed at all academics and researchers wanting to gain a better understanding of their role and responsibilities in preparing their externally funded research projects for external audit.

Budget Management for RKE Projects

  • Wednesday, 12 July 13:00 – 14:00 Talbot Campus book here
  • Thursday 13th July, 10:00 – 11:00 Lansdowne Campus book here

By the end of the session, all academics and researchers will have a good foundation in what funders look for when carrying out audits and how best to prepare proactively over the project period.

 

*If there are any sessions that are already fully booked, please make sure you add your name to the waiting list.

If you have any queries, please get in touch

 

The RKEDF Team

Funded Public Engagement Opportunity – ESRC Festival of Social Science 2023 Open Call

The call for applications to this year’s ESRC Festival of Social Science is open – apply for funding of up to £1,000 to deliver your event or activity

The ESRC Festival of Social Science is an annual, UK-wide, free celebration of the social sciences. The festival consists of a series of events run each autumn, delivered by ESRC’s ‘festival partners’, higher education institutions from across the UK. Events range from exhibitions, lectures and panel debates through to performances, guided walks and workshops. Bournemouth University has been involved in the Festival of Social Science for over a decade.

The 2023 festival will run from Saturday 21 October to Friday 17 November 2023. Events will take place in the local area, largely off-campus, and online.

Partnership with the University of Southampton

The ESRC have changed their rules this year around which institutions can take part in the festival. As a result, instead of being a standalone contributor to the festival, BU will be collaborating with the University of Southampton (UoS). This is a great opportunity for us to collaborate where relevant, on events, planning, promotion and sharing networks. We will still be selecting, organising and running most events ourselves.

Why should I take part?

The festival is a prestigious initiative by a major research funder, and BU’s continued involvement is justified by the quality of our events and activities. Being part of this festival is an achievement worth citing and celebrating. It is an excellent opportunity to engage people outside of academia with your research and with the benefit of co-ordinated support and promotion from RDS and the ESRC.

You can apply for up to £1,000 to deliver your project.

What if I’ve never done public engagement before?

Everyone has to start somewhere, and this is the ideal place. You’ll have access to support, advice and training throughout. If you’re unsure, seek out a more experienced colleague to collaborate with.

Can I apply if I’m not a social scientist?

The ESRC says that events must “feature social science (ideally with a social scientist involved in the event)”. If this doesn’t clearly apply to you, consider these options;

  • Does your research have clear implications for society that could be explored from a social science perspective?
  • Could you collaborate with a social scientist, combining your resources and creativity to explore the impact of your research? If you’re looking for a collaborator, the Research Blog or BU website are great places to start or contact us for help.

What will I be expected to do?

  • Familiarise yourself with best practice for public engagement with research. Whether you’re new to this or experienced, there’s always room to improve
  • Submit an event proposal using the instructions below.
  • Events will be selected by our internal panel.
  • Plan, deliver and evaluate your activity or event, working with the public engagement team to shape your project into an impactful, professional and fascinating experience.

Timeline (approximate)

Open call for applications 20 June – 10 July
Application deadline 23:59, 10 July
Decisions shared by 21 July
Event planning 24 July onwards
Festival period 21 October – 17 November

How will the collaboration with University of Southampton work?

  • As this is the first year we have collaborated on the festival, we will learn as we progress. However, where possible we will be looking for opportunities to collaborate with UoS on events, sharing networks and promotion. If you collaborate with UoS researchers, this could be a great opportunity to hold an event together.

Is there a theme?

The theme is ‘lifelong wellbeing’, but this is not compulsory. The ESRC want to see at least 25% of events on this theme.

  • Events can be on any aspect of health and wellbeing.
  • The theme has been chosen so that you can include events on the 75th anniversary of the NHS if you wish to, but this is not essential.

What support will I get?

Being part of this festival means a higher level of support and reach than we are normally able to provide.

To support your application, we’re holding an online information session on how to apply on Thursday 29 June 11am-12pm

This session will explain more about the festival and how to apply through our open call for proposals. We’ll hear from Dr Maxine Gee who held a successful event as part of last year’s festival and who will share experience and advice. We’ll explain how this year’s collaboration with the University of Southampton will work, and how you might find collaborators for your projects.

Register here

(please try a different browser if you are having any issues accessing this link)

Before applying, you’ll have access to:

  • An information session from BU and UoS, featuring previous event holders.
  • Advice on request from BU’s Engagement Officer, Adam Morris.
  • The detailed applicant guidance provided on this page.

When your application is successful, you’ll get:

  • Funding of up to £1,000 managed by RDS.
  • Training provided by the ESRC Festival of Social Science.
  • Continuing advice and support from BU’s public engagement team on all areas of planning, delivering, evaluating your activity.
  • Wide-scale promotion and marketing of your event by BU, UoS and the ESRC.

How to Apply

Apply to take part in the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2023 by completing the online application form by midnight at the end of Monday 10 July 2023.

If you would like to prepare your application ‘offline’ you can download a copy of the form. This is for planning purposes only, you may not submit it.

Find out more about the resources available to help plan and support your application

Apply here

If you have any questions, please email the team.

Research Ethics Panel Meetings in August

Research Ethics

A Reminder for Staff and Postgraduate Researchers

Research Ethics

There are no central Research Ethics Panel (REP) meetings held during August, so if you’re hoping to start data collection activities over the summer and are in the process of completing your research ethics checklist, please keep this in mind when planning your research activities and submit your checklist in time for the final REP meetings to be held in July.  Checklists received during August which need to be reviewed by a full Panel will be deferred until September (dates to be advised).

REPs review all staff projects and postgraduate research projects which have been identified as high risk through the online ethics checklist.  Details on what constitutes high risk can be found on the research governance, research ethics & integrity website.

There are two central REPs:

  • Science, Technology & Health
  • Social Sciences & Humanities

Staff and PGR ‘high risk’ projects are reviewed by one of the central REPs and Researchers (including PGR Supervisors) will normally be invited to Panel for discussions.

Staff Projects which are ‘low risk’

Reviews for low risk projects will continue as normal during August (via email), although turnaround may take longer than normal due to Reviewer availability during this month.

PGR Projects which are ‘low risk’

There are no changes to the review and approval process for low risk PGR projects and reviews will continues as normal throughout August, again subject to the availability of Supervisor and assigned Ethics Champions.

More details about the review process and REP meeting dates can be found on the governance, research ethics & integrity website.  Email enquiries should be sent to researchethics@bournemouth.ac.uk.

Conversation article: Modest fashion – why the UK high street still offers women too little choice

Dr Samreen Ashraf writes for The Conversation about the availability of modest fashion in the UK…

Modest fashion: why the UK high street still offers women too little choice

Samreen Ashraf, Bournemouth University

When Indonesian designer Vivi Zubedi made her debut on the international stage during the New York Fashion Week in 2018, critics gushed at the elevated abayas her models sported. Her high fashion takes on the traditional Muslim full-length garment married velvet and pearls with leather jackets, baseball caps and batik prints.

Some hailed designers catering thus to women wanting to dress modestly as fashion’s “exciting new frontier”. The market for modest fashion was hailed as being on the rise.

Modest fashion encompasses clothing that covers the body in a conservative manner, often in adherence to religious and cultural beliefs and identities. Though most often referred to in a Muslim context, it is not actually limited to one particular region or religion. Instead it is a concept that has been embraced by people of all kinds of backgrounds across the world.

The research my colleagues and I have conducted looks at female Muslim identities and how they are considered – or not – within the UK fashion industry. Despite the fact that the worldwide Muslim fashion market is projected to be worth $311 billion (£251 billion) by 2024, we have found that many women in the UK still have very little choice within their price bracket.

Not enough choice

Between 2017 and 2021, we conducted interviews with 23 Muslim women in the UK, from seven different ethnicities or cultural heritages: Bangladeshi, British, Indian, Iranian, Nigerian, Turkish and Tunisian. We wanted to understand how, as Muslims living in a non-Muslim majority country, their religious identity influenced their fashion consumption.

To our minds, the UK represented an ideal setting for this kind of study, because it has a strong retail sector and liberal values which encourage individual choice. It is also widely considered to be diverse and multicultural.

And yet, the women we spoke to still struggle to find clothing options they can afford, that they feel are appropriate and support them in adhering to their beliefs. As one interviewee, Izma, put it:

I want to wear something within my modest limits but it is so hard to find such clothes. I wish they start making fashionable clothes which are fully covered. Sometimes I see these modest lines, but these are out of my reach.

For these women, being fashionable is important and so is their Muslim identity. But they are still stuck with having to choose between the two.

You see, I don’t want to wear anything revealing because I am Muslim, but also because I come from a conservative family and certain background and ‘modern’ clothes don’t go well with my family image.

Expressing identity

Many non-Muslim women embrace some degree of modesty in their clothing, in a bid to express personal style while maintaining a more conservative appearance. As the writer Sarah Al-Zaher has said:

Modest fashion is for people who just choose to show less. It is also for people who just prefer the ‘relaxed’ or the ‘oversized look’.

In the Muslim world, modest fashion plays a central role in projecting your religious identity. Al-Zaher puts it plainly:

It is not just a short-lived fad; it is a need because it is something that is embedded in our mindset and beliefs that will remain with us for life.

Back in 2018, when London followed New York in showcasing modest runway options, pundits assumed the buzz would push modest fashion into the mainstream and boost the market beyond high-end fashion. However, it still only receives temporary attention from designers and retailers alike.

By 2030, the Muslim population will represent over 25% of the global population. It is growing at twice the rate of the non-Muslim population.

This means that fashion brands have a great opportunity to bridge the gap between fashion and modesty, and properly cater to what is clearly a growing market demographic. However, the gap persists. In 2021, journalist Yasmin Khatun Dewan highlighted the example of Halima Aden, the “trailblazing hijab-wearing Muslim model” who had been hailed in 2017 as an “an icon of inclusivity” only to quit the fashion industry altogether four years later because, as she put it, she had compromised who she was in order to fit in.

Muslim women – and those for whom modesty is a guiding principle in how they choose to dress themselves – shouldn’t have to compromise. They deserve as broad a range of fashion choices as any other. As Ana, another woman I interviewed in 2021, said:

Just because you are Muslim doesn’t mean you can’t have fun wearing what you want to wear. You can still wear really pretty dresses if it’s long, or long tunics or whatever, it can still be fun. It doesn’t have to be just black and drape.The Conversation

Samreen Ashraf, Principal Academic in Marketing, Bournemouth University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

World Wellbeing Week 2023 – Free PGR activities

PG research

This week is the international awareness event World Wellbeing Week!

To celebrate, the Doctoral College has teamed up with SportBU to deliver some fun and relaxed FREE activities for PGRs including:

  • Yogalates – yoga and Pilates combined! Increase your flexibility, reduce stiffness and increase muscle strength!
  • Badminton – come along and have a hit, no experience necessary.
  • Spinning – get your heart pumping in this high-energy indoor cycling workout.
  • SportBU inductions – have a tour of SportBU facilities and find out how you can get involved in sports at BU.

These activities are a great opportunity to unwind and look after your mental, physical, and social wellbeing!

See Brightspace for more information and to BOOK YOUR PLACE

Spaces are limited so please only book if you plan on attending.

You are not limited to just one activity, book on as many as you like!

Faith and Reflection

This is the perfect week to check out what Faith & Reflection has to offer, including free vegan soup and soul care on Mondays, and free cookies and drinks Wednesdays for international students!

Open Monday-Friday 8am-8pm, their gorgeous space on the first floor of Talbot House is open to anyone who would value a space to come and simply be.

Any questions, please get in touch doctoralcollege@bournemouth.ac.uk

Arabella [Doctoral College Marketing & Events Coordinator].

 

Doctoral Summer School

Professor Jens Hölscher has been invited to participate in an international doctoral summer school supported by EU funds and universities in Estonia. He will present a paper ‘Successes and Failures of Economic Transition’ and comment on presentations given by participating PhD students. He has published a graduate textbook and many scholarly articles in this research area.

World Wellbeing Week 2023 – next week!

PG research

Next week is the international awareness event World Wellbeing Week!

To celebrate, the Doctoral College has teamed up with SportBU to deliver some fun and relaxed FREE activities for PGRs including:

  • Yogalates – yoga and Pilates combined! Increase your flexibility, reduce stiffness and increase muscle strength!
  • Badminton – come along and have a hit, no experience necessary.
  • Spinning – get your heart pumping in this high-energy indoor cycling workout.
  • SportBU inductions – have a tour of SportBU facilities and find out how you can get involved in sports at BU.

These activities are a great opportunity to unwind and look after your mental, physical, and social wellbeing!

See Brightspace for more information and to BOOK YOUR PLACE

Spaces are limited so please only book if you plan on attending.

You are not limited to just one activity, book on as many as you like!

Faith and Reflection

This is the perfect week to check out what Faith & Reflection has to offer, including free vegan soup and soul care on Mondays, and free cookies and drinks Wednesdays for international students!

Open Monday-Friday 8am-8pm, their gorgeous space on the first floor of Talbot House is open to anyone who would value a space to come and simply be.

Any questions, please get in touch doctoralcollege@bournemouth.ac.uk

Arabella [Doctoral College Marketing & Events Coordinator].

Navigating the Maze of Research

student research

Earlier this month Elsevier published the 6th Edition of ‘Navigating the Research Maze: enhancing nursing and midwifery practice‘.  Edited by Debra Jackson, Tamara Power and Helen Walthall, this book seeks to demystify some of the complexities in planning, conducting and reading research and draws on a wide range of research leaders from around the world as authors.  This book could be a useful addition to reading lists for students undertaking units focusing on research and evidence-based practice.

It was a pleasure to work on Chapter 6 (Navigating Ethics) with Andrea Donaldson from Massey University in New Zealand.  It was interesting to learn how research ethics is managed differently in different parts of the world but also reassuring to confirm that the underpinning ethical principles are the same wherever research is conducted.

Sometimes it can be hard to see how new editions of books have changed but in developing this edition efforts have been made to add useful resources for both students and lecturers.  Readers can access student challenges, quizzes, resource kits, Powerpoint slides, a test bank and teaching tips for each chapter.

ACORN funded research project presented at the International Food Marketing Research Symposium in Prague

Awarded & submitted bids

Embarking on a research project is an exciting journey that often requires support and funding. Today, I’m thrilled to share my experience of presenting my research project titled “Regional Food Destination Attractiveness: An Exploration of Food Day-Tripper Preferences” at the International Food Marketing Research Symposium (IFMRS) 2023 in Prague, Czech Republic. And guess what? This incredible opportunity was made possible thanks to the funding I received from Bournemouth University’s ACORN scheme. In this blog post, I’ll take you behind the scenes of the conference and explain why securing internal research funds is so crucial for early career researchers (ECRs) like me.


Let’s dive into the ACORN funding scheme. Shortly after joining the university in September 2021, I submitted my research proposal to the ACORN Fund Round 4. To me, ACORN is like a superhero for ECRs, providing the financial support we need to delve deep into our projects. With ACORN backing my research, I conducted an in-depth study on what makes regional food destinations attractive to food day-trippers. The findings have practical implications for local food establishments and offer theoretical insights for further research in spatial food destination design. Findings highlight that there is a need to understand how destination attributes align with the preferences of food day-trippers. Personal values play a significant role in destination branding, as they encompass a wide range of attributes.

The IFMRS 2023 delegates at Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Now, let’s fast forward to the IFMRS 2023 in the picturesque city, Prague. This conference is like the Olympics of food marketing research, where top scholars and industry experts gather to exchange ideas and push the boundaries of knowledge. As an ECR, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in a workshop on “Enabling Future-Proof Food Consumer Science: The Role of BIG(ger) Data in Interlinking Our Efforts” organised by the Community on Food Consumer Science’s (COMFOCUS) the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. This workshop was held before the opening reception of the IFMRS, allowing ECRs to engage in interactive discussions and gain a deeper understanding of the harmonisation of measures and data sharing in the field.

Dr Guljira presenting her research at the IFMRS 2023

Moving on to the actual conference, guess who got the golden ticket to present the research findings? Yes, it was me!

Stepping onto the stage at IFMRS, I felt a rush of excitement and nerves. But you know what? The audience was on fire! They genuinely showed interest in my research and asked thought-provoking questions that pushed me to delve even deeper. It was like being part of a big brainstorming session with the brightest minds in the field. A link to view the presentation snapshots can be found here. After the conference, we had the chance to explore the beautiful town of Prague, taking advantage of the late summer sunset. The city’s incredible foodscape was so inspiring and sparked new research ideas for us!

Let’s not forget the real heroes behind my journey – Bournemouth University’s ACORN funding scheme and Professor Juliet Memery, my ACORN mentor. With her guidance and support, Juliet has played a pivotal role in shaping my research journey.  Her expertise and insights in the field of food marketing have been invaluable, enhancing the quality of my work and boosting my confidence as an ECR – thank you Juliet!

Securing internal research funding like ACORN is a game-changer. It provides financial freedom and opens doors for us to transform our ideas into international conferences like IFMRS. It’s not just about the money, but the opportunities it creates for connecting with experts, exchanging knowledge, and sparking collaborations that shape the future of our field.

Oh, and did I mention that another paper of ours, based on the ACORN funding, has been accepted for presentation at the 7th Annual Conference of the International Place Branding Association (IPBA) in Sweden? The conference will be held from 18th to 20th October 2023 at Lund University Campus in Helsingborg. Sounds like another post is coming in October!

Snippets of Prague


About us:
Hello, my name is Dr Guljira Manimont, an ECR based in the Department of Marketing, Strategy, and Innovation (MSI) at BUBS. I joined the university in September 2021 after completing my PhD in Marketing from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane, Australia. With a background in graphic design, marketing communications, and food photography, my passion lies in visually captivating research in food (tourism) marketing and visual attention. Currently, I am working on exciting projects focused on designing interventions to promote aesthetically imperfect produce, developing optimal assortment layouts for imperfect produce, and exploring food-related lifestyles. Recently, I have submitted one of these projects to the British Academy Small Research Grants scheme, with the support of my mentor, Professor Juliet Memery. Please wish us luck!

Hi there! I’m Juliet, a Professor in Marketing (MSI), and I’m passionate about understanding how people shop for food. It’s like solving a puzzle, unravelling what influences our decisions and how ethics play a role. My research revolves around sustainable food practices, combating food waste, and addressing issues of food access and ‘food security.’

Stay tuned for more updates on our research journey, and feel free to reach out for collaborations on exciting research that addresses societal challenges!

Dr Heidi Singleton receives Sigma Europe’s Emerging Nurse Researcher 2023 Award

Congratulations to Dr Heidi Singleton, who has received Sigma Europe’s Emerging Nurse Researcher 2023 Award.

Heidi Singleton holding a cardboard Google glasses device

Dr Heidi Singleton

The Sigma Emerging Nurse Researcher Award recognises early career nurse researchers whose work has significantly influenced the nursing profession. Dr Singleton won this award for her work combining evidence-based practice with innovative ideas to adapt to the changing nursing landscape.

During her PhD at BU, she researched how technology can improve student nurses’ understanding of complex concepts, such as diabetes. Her work focused on blending real-world practice methods with emerging technologies to develop nursing education in line with how the world is developing and changing.

Other research areas Dr Singleton has explored include how technology can be used therapeutically, for service improvement, mental health and anxiety – especially in children and young people. This includes the psychological impacts of eczema, innovation in nurse-led skin cancer clinics, improving early intervention services, and vaccination and hospital appointment anxiety.

Dr Singleton said: “I feel very honoured to win the Emerging Nurse Researcher Award for the Europe Region. As a new academic, I have looked up to seniors who have demonstrated excellence in their research and publications. It’s a privilege to share my research and that of my brilliant team with the world. Hopefully, this can be a good building block for my future research plans.”