Bournemouth University Clinical Research Unit Newsletter
Category / Research themes
BU Undergraduate Research featured in Houses of Parliament
BU was well represented at BCUR’s Posters in Parliament Event in February. Karolina Tamauskaite of the Faculty of Management and Susan Girvan of the Faculty of Science and Technology presented their undergraduate research.
Sponsored by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Higher Education Academy (HEA), undergraduate students from 24 universities visited Westminster to unveil research findings from a wide range of fascinating subject areas. Among them uni’s included: London School of Economics, London Metropolitan University, Universities of: Aberdeen, Nottingham, Leeds, Reading, Sussex and Exeter. Research topics ranged from cyber-bullying, medicinal properties in wheatgrass juice, climate models, and deprivation in mixed communities, etc.
Susan Girvan is studying a BSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences said “… it was great to meet other undergraduate students from from universities across the country about their research and to see such a wide range of subject matter being represented. Everyone at the event was really approachable and friendly and feedback on my own research was always encouragingly positive”. Susan’s dissertation supervisor Kevin McGhee, Senior Lecturer in Health Sciences was also on hand. Kevin notes that Susan was quizzed by 3 of the Posters in Parliament eminent judges, chaired by Sir Anthony Cleaver, on her research that is funded in part by the BU alumni fund, working with NUI Galway and within a larger international Fusion Project. Her poster on one specific gene, showed the methods employed by geneticists to identify how genes work together to make someone susceptible to schizophrenia.
Susan Girvan and Dr Kevin McGhee take questions from judging panel
Presenting these results at Parliament definitely has an impact nationally, as many MPs also attended the event.
For final year International Hospitality Management student Karolina Tarnauskaite from the Faculty of Management, “Posters in Parliament was a perfect external platform and opportunity for me to present my research, to the public. It was a great and very successful event as I had an opportunity not only to present the hospitality sector issues that I have interest in, but I had an opportunity to have an informed discussion with people from a variety of different backgrounds and disciplines”.
Karolina Tarnauskaite from the Faculty of Management presents her research on the adoption of tapas concept in other cuisines in the hospitality sector
The judging panel was led by UCLan Honorary Fellow Sir Anthony Cleaver, Chairman of the Natural Environment Research Council, and Professor Mick Healey, a leading expert of undergraduate research, and Professor Philippa Levy, Deputy CEO of the Higher Education Academy.
Deputy Vice Chancellor, Tim McIntyre-Bhatty was equally pleased to have BU’s presence in Parliament “It’s great for the students and staff involved, and for BU. Excellent to see all involved in such a high profile event and in good company”.
The event gives BU and other UK universities a stage to present high quality work being produced by undergraduates and also demonstrated how research-informed teaching can enhance the overall student experience. It also is a platform to promote student and staff collaboration on research outputs and publications, with links to BU Fusion.
BU’s presence is precursor to its involvement in the national BCUR (British Conference in Undergraduate Research) taking place at the University of Winchester in April, but also for BU’s inaugural SURE (Showcasing Undergraduate Research) conference being held on March 4th. SURE is the product of a successful fusion bid and first showcase of its kind at BU where undergrad research and coursework is profiled and promoted to internal and external audiences.
BCUR has made a significant contribution to the success of undergraduate research and continues its work to promote it in all disciplines by providing students with an opportunity to share their research through poster presentations, spoken papers, or through creative outputs such as performances and film.
UCLan’s Professor Stuart Hampton-Reeves, Chair of the BCUR Steering Group, said: “This is our third Posters in Parliament and the event is clearly going from strength to strength demonstrating the vitality and quality of undergraduate research. MPs and other policy-makers have today had the opportunity to see the next generation of academics performing at a level that is already of an international standard.
Posters in Parliament in Jubilee Room - February 2015
“It shows that UK higher education is in good health. We need to continue to protect and nurture our undergraduate research base. By providing more opportunities for our young researchers to develop through inquiry, we can help them grow as academics to confront some challenging topics. The range of issues discussed here today shows that this generation of students is already making a real and valuable contribution to understanding the world around us.”
Two BU authored chapters in new book on childbirth
BU Ph.D. student and Consultant Midwife Kathryn Gutteridge and Hannah Dahlen Associate Professor of Midwifery at the University of Western Sydney contributed a chapter to the book ‘The Roar behind the Silence: Why kindness, compassion and respect matter in maternity care’. Kathryn Gutteridge and Hannah Dahlen wrote under the title ‘Stop the fear and embrace birth’. BU’s Dr. Jenny Hall also wrote a chapter called ‘Spirituality, compassion and maternity care’.
The volume edited by
Sheena Byrom and Soo Downe was published this week by Pinter & Martin (London). I received my copy of the book yesterday, but didn’t have a chance to look at it until today. The Roar Behind the Silence is both a practical and inspirational book, which likely to be of interest to people working in maternity care (midwives, doctors, managers), local and regional maternity-care policy-makers as well as politicians and funders and, of course, to many pregnant women and maternity-care pressure groups. The book highlights examples of good practice, and offers practical tools for making change happen, advice on how to use evidence and real-life stories.
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
CMMPH
Taylor & Francis one of the most read publications
Corrosion in large vehicles in the museum environment
Sustainable Design Research Centre recent publication “Modelling of metal-coating delamination incorporating variable environmental parameters” by Hammad Nazir (PhD student), Dr Zulfiqar Khan and K Stokes (Defence Science & Technology Laboratory Ministry of Defence industrial partner) has made it to the most read articles list on the Taylor & Francis website.
This research is co-funded by BU and Defence Science & Technology Laboratory Ministry of Defence, with in-kind support from The Tank Museum at Bovington and other industrial partners.
This paper has been available online since December 15th 2014 with 338 downloads/views recorded on Feb 28th 2015.
Keywords
cathodic delamination, coating delamination, degradation, mathematical modelling, diffusion, adhesion
BU academic gives invited lecture at University College Leuven-Limburg
Professor Jonathan Parker was invited to present a lecture on the paradoxical relationship between concepts of civil society and state-sponsored social work, calling for a radical departure from current neoliberal iterations and performances of social work across European societies, especially England, and mimicked elsewhere in the world.
Professor Nol Reverda from the University of Maastricht also presented a lecture concerning the need for critical and analytic thinking in contemporary welfare in the Netherlands as a means of count ring the uncritical acceptance of neoliberal agendas in Europe.
Professor Parker addressed a packed lecture theatre of academics from University of Leuven, University College Leuven-Limburg, student groups and workers from Belgian NGOs. He introduced the concept of the ‘Big Society’ as promoted by the Conservative Party prior to the 2010 election and quietly laid to rest in policy terms following the entrenchment of austerity methods within the Coalition Government. Rescuing some of the core concepts of civil and communitarian action from misguided ideas of ‘Big Society’, Professor Parker contrasted these with the increased surveillance, monitoring and control of social work in England underpinned by a restrictive and stultifying curriculum. He called for a reflexive criticality in which socially-minded academics, social workers and NGOs challenge the power structures that have led to disillusionment, a focus on social policing and a barren dehumanised approach that increasingly pervades European State social work.
The lecture added impetus to the development of a critical and radical challenge to social work education and practice in Belgium, and Professor Parker has ben invited to contribute to the development of analytic and critical thinking on social issues and civil society over future years.
Thought leadership on welfare information and advice
The charity Elderly Accommodation Counsel, who run the national FirstStop information and advice network (that enables older people to become informed about housing and care issues and whom my PhD research is with), are in the latter stages of designing a ‘thought leadership’ blog.
As I’m sure you can all imagine, welfare is an area defined by information asymmetries and imperfect levels of information. In other words, it can be hard to make choices around welfare! However, despite this, over the last two decades or more, successive UK governments have pursued consumerist welfare policies that position consumer like choices as the means to access and engage with welfare. However, a great deal of people are relatively or very flawed welfare consumers. On this basis, seeking and being imparted with information and advice is an important mechanism toward making good quality and informed choices. The importance of information and advice around welfare has been acknowledged in the recent Care Act, which has made it mandatory for local authorities to provide information and advice on welfare issues (including housing). Yet, although information and advice is being positioned centre stage, it is a policy area that is devoid of much discussion or debate.
The aim of the blog is for it to become a vibrant place and forum for discussion, comment and analysis around key information and advice issues. The site is still under construction, but if anyone would be interested in contributing short blog pieces, on areas that you think are important, please do get in touch. We hope to get contributions from all sorts of people including academics, policy makers, practitioners etc…
My email address is aharding@bournemouth.ac.uk
Working towards research impact in Nepal
BU’s Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health has a long history of working Nepal. Last month (January 7th) BU’s partner Green Tara Nepal led the dissemination of the findings of our evaluation of key health promotion initiatives in Nepal. The evaluation was conducted in collaboration with the Government of Nepal, Green Tara Trust, a UK-based charity, several national and international non-governmental organisations and three UK universities, namely Liverpool John Moores University, Bournemouth University and the University of Sheffield. The evaluation identified key government, bilateral, UN agencies national and international non-governmental organisations working in health promotion in Nepal. Their health promotion activities and approaches were documented and gaps were identified.
As a follow up to both the evaluation and dissemination event we were asked by the journal Public Health Perspectives to write an editorial on our work.1 Our editorial ‘Health Promotion: A review of policies and practices in Nepal’ highlights the research we conducted and the state of health promotion we uncovered. We also used our editorial to explain the UK notion of impact as formalised in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF). To explain to our non-academic readers the REF is a nation-wide system to assess the quality academic research in all academic disciplines. 2-4 One key part of the REF is measuring the ‘impact’ that a UK university has on society and/or the economy. This REF requires UK universities to write and submit a number of case studies that show societal impact.5 The dissemination of the health promotion research in Nepal is the beginning of a REF impact case study for Bournemouth University and our UK partner Liverpool John Moores University. The editorial is a further stepping stone in the dissemination especially since it was co-authored between UK academics, health promotion practitioners as well as a member of the Constitutional Assembly (the Nepali equivalent of Parliament). Working with policy-makers at an early stage increases the chances of our research being incorporated in national policy-making in Nepal.
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
CMMPH
References:
- Sharma, A, Tuladhar, G., Dhungel, A., Padmadharini, van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P. (2015) Health Promotion: A review of policies and practices in Nepal, Public Health Perpective 5(2): http://phpnepal.org/index.php?listId=941#.VO4Qvn9tXkd
- Parker, J., van Teijlingen, E. (2012) The Research Excellence Framework (REF): Assessing the impact of Social Work research on society, Practice: Social Work in Action 24(1): 41-52. http://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/20511/2/REF%20paper%20JPEvT.pdf
- van Teijlingen, E., Ryan, K., Alexander, J., Marchant, S. (2011) The Research Excellence Framework (REF): new developments to assess research in higher education institutions and its impact on society. MIDIRS 21 (3): 298-301.
- Hartwell, H., van Teijlingen, E., Parker, J. (2013) Nutrition; Effects of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) Nutrition & Food Science 43 (1): 74-77.
- Research Councils UK (2015) RCUK Review of Pathways to Impact: Summary http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/RCUK-prod/assets/documents/documents/PtoIExecSummary.pdf
3rd World Sustainable Development Teach-In Day 26th March – participation is free
I have participated twice as a member of the Scientific Committee in the WSSDU (World Symposium in Sustainable Development at Universities) Conferences, first in Rio (Rio+20) then last year in Manchester. These are led by my colleague Walter Leal Filho.
Following the conferences academics from across the world particpate on a designated day to engage with education for sustainable development.
As an outcome of the WSSD-U-2014: http://www.haw-hamburg.de/en/wssd-2014.html preparations have now been completed for the ‘Teach-In Day
All the presentations from the conference are now on-line at:
http://world-sustainability-day.net/presentations.html.
These can be visited and used as a basis for lectures, to be held as part of the Teach-In Day on 26th March. In this context, a student group in Australia can discuss sustainability at Mexican universities, or a group of US students can debate about sustainability initiatives in Malaysia, using the presentations provided. They may also contact the named experts, who authored the presentations, to ask questions or seek further details.
The 3rd World Sustainable Development Teach-In Day aims to unite the global sustainability community, and thousands of people can take part on it. As a truly global event, the Teach-In Day will cater for all time zones.
Participation is open to anyone interested, and is free of any charges. However, in order to allow the organisers monitor the level of participation and impact of the event, interested persons need to register at:
http://world-sustainability-day.net/
The 25th March 2015 will be a very special day. A day devoted to sustainability. Please consider participation.
Digital Briefing is out now!
The February/March edition of the Digital Business Briefing is now live. This is a monthly publication that provides a digest of useful information about funding, financing, support and events to assist digital businesses with their innovation and growth strategies. This includes public funding calls, financing mechanisms, support, reports and events from leading organisations including Innovate UK, IC tomorrow, Nesta and Tech City UK.
This has been combined into one briefing document published monthly. A quick and easy way to keep up to speed with what is happening in the digital, creative and design sector.
Lunchtime Seminar with Zoe Sheppard on 4th March
Lunchtime Seminar on the Findings from Research Impact Scoping Exercise, Wednesday 4th March in R302
Research should make a difference, and as the Faculty’s strapline is ‘helping to make people’s lives better’, it is of relevance to us all. Our forthcoming Seminar series will showcase some of the excellent work of the Faculty to inspire other academics and PhD students.
No need to book, just turn up. Contact Zoe on zsheppard@bournemouth.ac.uk for more information.
Future Impact Seminar dates can be found by clicking on the link below.
We look forward to seeing you there.
£4M Protecting Data in Industry
Innovate UK is to invest up to £4 million in collaborative research and development (R&D) projects that tackle the growing risks of disruption to internet-enabled businesses and their digital supply chains.
With the Internet of Things providing new sources of data and end-users’ ever-increasing digital footprint, it is difficult to adequately protect the interests of a business, industry or sector. There is also a lack of understanding of the effects disruption may have. Desired proposals would address the challenge of protecting a business, industry or sector from digital disruption that could compromise data across the digital supply chain.
A series of briefing events are being run during March and April:
Belfast: 25 March 2015 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/protecting-data-in-industry-briefing-belfast-registration-15751274486
Cardiff: 30 March 2015 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/protecting-data-in-industry-briefing-cardiff-registration-15751564353
London: 31 March 2015 – https://www.etouches.com/118529
Edinburgh: 01 April 2015 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/protecting-data-in-industry-briefing-edinburgh-registration-15751602467
Congratulations to PhD student Sarah Price for her award
Congratulations!
Well done to PhD student Sarah Price who has been awarded a grant from Sawtooth (worth approximately 5,000 US dollars) to use their software MaxDiff and CiW in conjoint analysis. They will highlight her research and BU on their web page which is great for impact and for dissemination of her work.
Sarah is collecting data in the UK and Germany where her research looks at eating out and aims to evaluate the type of information that consumers value when selecting food particularly in a work site canteen. Past food scares have created a great interest in information about food and so this is a hot topic of interest.
The grant will allow her to now progress with the primary data collection and analysis.
GeoNet climate change event and next seminars
GeoNet, the fusion-funded interdisciplinary seminar project, held our first lunchtime session ‘A conversation about climate change’ recently. We were really pleased to see the Coyne so packed out (come early next time to be sure of getting a cookie!) with a wide range of students, PGRs and staff from across the university. Short talks to introduce the panel members (covering both the impacts of climate change and how these are communicated) were followed by a very interesting discussion. We considered how terms are often used out of context or incorrectly (for example the ‘Anthropocene’ in the geological sense of the word would be classified after the fact). It was also interesting for me personally to discover why there is often false balance in the media when climate change is discussed – the reporters have to use a political template (because climate change is a politicised subject) and this template calls for equal representation of the views of all sides. Of course this results in a poor representation of the state of scientific knowledge.
We also discussed the right of non-scientists to enter the debate – this is based on a democratic right to have an opinion but not necessarily on knowledge. The cult of celebrity was an interesting topic, not something that I expected to be discussing in the context of climate change, but perhaps we need more celebrities to support David Attenborough in representing environmental change. Leading on from this, we discussed whether scientists should have more media coverage. Whilst this might seem an obvious way of increasing public knowledge, it could backfire because scientists have a general lack of media training, lack of experience in delivering ‘soundbites’ and have to acknowledge uncertainty, which can negatively affect the public perception of them as experts. We decided that social media might be the answer, as it is not bound by the politicised template and can provide a platform for scientists to talk about their findings, as well as allowing discussions to enable understanding of what uncertainty actually means.
Our next two events are The Hero’s Journey of Alfred Russel Wallace in Southeast Asia from 18.00-19.30 on the 10th March in Barnes Lecture Theatre and Low carbon cities: why and how from 12.00-13.00 on the 17th March in TAG02. Tea, coffee and cookies will be provided at both and active participation is encouraged!
Booking is necessary for the 10th March via http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-heros-journey-of-alfred-russel-wallace-in-southeast-asia-tickets-13409922439 (free to BU staff and students)
Financial technologies funding
Attend the Fintech Innovation Contest Assembly – 25 Feb 2015
This facilitated knowledge sharing and networking event, organised by IC tomorrow, a digital programme for Innovate UK, and the Knowledge Transfer Network brings together leading industry experts to explore the challenges and opportunities around innovation in financial technologies. There will also be the chance to find out about the upcoming launch of IC tomorrow’s funded ‘Financial Technologies Innovation Contest.
If you have technology or expertise relevant to the financial services industry, or if you are interested to find out about how to navigate this expanding market, then this free evening event is for you. This session provides the opportunity to meet with entrepreneurs, brands, academics, technologists, designers, and thought leaders across a range of financial services sectors.
Register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fintech-assembly-registration-15426001586
£175K Financial Technologies Innovation Contest
The IC tomorrow Financial Technologies innovation contest will offer a total of £175k to businesses to encourage innovation within Financial Technologies. Through a range of challenges, including themes of Education, Cyber Security, Transactions, Personal Finance Management, Compliance and Regulation, IC tomorrow are looking for innovative proposals from companies with digital solutions relevant to these themes within the financial sector.
The briefing event will provide an opportunity to get insight about the challenges from our challenge partners and all you need to know about the application process for the Financial Technologies Innovation Contest.
London: 04 March 2015 – https://www.etouches.com/118520
Online Webinar: 04 March 2015 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-webinar-financial-technologies-innovation-contest-briefing-registration-15794522843
Cardiff: 05 March 2015 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/financial-technologies-innovation-contest-briefing-cardiff-registration-15749448023
Edinburgh: 10 March 2015 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/financial-technologies-innovation-contest-briefing-edinburgh-registration-15749741902
Belfast: 11 March 2015 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/financial-technologies-innovation-contest-briefing-belfast-registration-15749951529
Up to £10M Worth of Funding Available for Digital Innovators
Register now for the upcoming events below which will highlight and provide information about Innovate UK funding competitions opening in March 2015.
Digital Business Drop-in – 19 February 2015
Come along to an informal and short Digital Business Drop-in session for an opportunity to meet the representatives of the Innovate UK and the organisations working in partnership to hear about upcoming funding and support available for digital companies and also the chance to showcase your business in a 5 minute presentation.
Register at: https://www.etouches.com/115025
Attend the Fintech Innovation Contest Assembly – 25 Feb 2015
This facilitated knowledge sharing and networking event, organised by IC tomorrow, a digital programme for Innovate UK, and the Knowledge Transfer Network brings together leading industry experts to explore the challenges and opportunities around innovation in financial technologies. There will also be the chance to find out about the upcoming launch of IC tomorrow’s funded ‘Financial Technologies Innovation Contest.
If you have technology or expertise relevant to the financial services industry, or if you are interested to find out about how to navigate this expanding market, then this free evening event is for you. This session provides the opportunity to meet with entrepreneurs, brands, academics, technologists, designers, and thought leaders across a range of financial services sectors.
Register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fintech-assembly-registration-15426001586
£175K Financial Technologies Innovation Contest
The IC tomorrow Financial Technologies innovation contest will offer a total of £175k to businesses to encourage innovation within Financial Technologies. Through a range of challenges, including themes of Education, Cyber Security, Transactions, Personal Finance Management, Compliance and Regulation, IC tomorrow are looking for innovative proposals from companies with digital solutions relevant to these themes within the financial sector.
The briefing event will provide an opportunity to get insight about the challenges from our challenge partners and all you need to know about the application process for our Financial Technologies Innovation Contest.
London: 04 March 2015 – https://www.etouches.com/118520
Online Webinar: 04 March 2015 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-webinar-financial-technologies-innovation-contest-briefing-registration-15794522843
Cardiff: 05 March 2015 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/financial-technologies-innovation-contest-briefing-cardiff-registration-15749448023
Edinburgh: 10 March 2015 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/financial-technologies-innovation-contest-briefing-edinburgh-registration-15749741902
Belfast: 11 March 2015 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/financial-technologies-innovation-contest-briefing-belfast-registration-15749951529
Using Personal Data to Improve User & Customer Experience
London: 17 March 2015 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/using-personal-data-to-improve-user-customer-experience-briefing-london-registration-15750410903
Manchester: 19 March 2015 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/using-personal-data-to-improve-user-customer-experience-manchester-registration-15750960547
Edinburgh: 20 March 2015 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/using-personal-data-to-improve-user-customer-experience-briefing-edinburgh-registration-15750770980
£4M Protecting Data in Industry
Innovate UK is to invest up to £4 million in collaborative research and development (R&D) projects that tackle the growing risks of disruption to internet-enabled businesses and their digital supply chains.
With the Internet of Things providing new sources of data and end-users’ ever-increasing digital footprint, it is difficult to adequately protect the interests of a business, industry or sector. There is also a lack of understanding of the effects disruption may have. Desired proposals would address the challenge of protecting a business, industry or sector from digital disruption that could compromise data across the digital supply chain.
Belfast: 25 March 2015 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/protecting-data-in-industry-briefing-belfast-registration-15751274486
Cardiff: 30 March 2015 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/protecting-data-in-industry-briefing-cardiff-registration-15751564353
London: 31 March 2015 – https://www.etouches.com/118529
Edinburgh: 01 April 2015 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/protecting-data-in-industry-briefing-edinburgh-registration-15751602467
Innovation in Retail Speed Networking – 31 March 2015
If you are an SME or start-up with an innovative product in the Retail space then this free evening event is for you.
The event will offer chosen companies a series of one-to-one sessions with major retail brands including Argos, John Lewis, Snow & Rock and Liberty of London. The speed networking format has been designed to help connect start-ups and SMEs with larger commercial partners to fuel understanding and enable partnerships. We have up to 15 places available for the most innovative digital companies working in this space.
The aim of this event is to explore opportunities for innovation throughout the Retail industry, from ecommerce & payment through to aspects such as data analytics & personalisation & supply chain management.
Apply here: https://ictomorrow.innovateuk.org/innovation-in-retail-networking
Following on from the MDGS- the SDGS
I have been working in the area of educating global citizens who understand the need for sustainable development for almost fifteen years. As the Decade for Education for Sustainable Development (2004-2014) has drawn to a close, and we have seen a review of progress against the Millennium Development Goals (insufficient progress essentially), I have been watching with interest as the strategy for taking actions forward emerges.
Essentially the MDGS will be replaced by the SDGs – will more sustainable development and social justice be achieved as a consequence?
An international report which has just been released by the International Council for Science provides an expert commentary on the proposed 2015 Sustainable Development Goals. My colleague (Professor Stephen Sterling – aka the ‘Godfather’ of ESD) was asked to write the section on Goal 4 and its associated targets. He has warned that the proposed Goal and targets are strong on access to education but weak in terms of viewing education and learning as a key part of engaging and helping address the 16 other SDGs.
If you are interested in follwoing this up, the full report may be found here (see p27 for Education):
and news coverage is here:
http://roadtoparis.info/2015/02/12/science-building-perfect-world/
Science http://www.sciencemag.org/content/347/6223/702.full.pdf?sid=1ba9e0a0-ced6-4a81-b008-30829c2dec43
Reuters Alert Net http://www.trust.org/item/20150212190135-jmtes/?source=fiTheWire
The report will now be used as part of the UN backed process of refining the SDGs before they are agreed and launched later this year.
If we are to prepare BU graduates who are able to make a significant contribution to the world, it seems valuable to keep abreast of such developments.
How well are we enabling our students to work towards sustainable development and a better world? How might we do that better?
Development of novel low noise Switch-mode power supply designs for high fidelity audio power amplifiers
We would like to invite you to the next research seminar of the Creative Technology Research Centre.
Speaker: Nasir
Title: Development of novel low noise Switch-mode power supply designs for high fidelity audio power amplifiers
Time: 2:00PM-3:00PM
Date: Wednesday 25 February 2015
Room: P335, Poole House, Talbot Campus
Abstract:
Nowadays, linear power supplies are widely used to provide the supply voltage rail to an audio amplifier and are considered bulky, inefficient and expensive due to the presence of various components. In particular, the typical requirements of linear designs call for physically large mains transformers, energy storage/filtering inductors and capacitors. This imposes a practical limit to the reduction of size and weight in audio power systems. In order to overcome these problems, Switch-mode Power Supplies (SMPS) incorporate high speed switching transistors that allow for much smaller power conversion and energy storage components to be employed. In addition the low power dissipation of the transistors in the saturated and off states results in higher efficiency, improved voltage regulation and excellent power factor ratings. However, the use of SMPS in audio amplification is not novel in itself, the contribution will arise from design optimisation to achieve the lowest possible harmonic distortion in the audio output stage. Therefore, the primary aim of this research project is to develop the novel low noise switch mode power supply for an audio power amplifier. It will also strive to elevate the reliability of SMPS through stability analysis and enhance the efficiency of power supply through high speed switching transistors. As a result, the research will aim towards changing the way industrial manufacturing of power supplies for audio amplifiers are carried out. It will also provide a new path for researchers in this field to utilize the SMPS in all other audio devices by further enhancing its efficiency and reducing system noise.
We hope to see you there.
Serendipitous Impact and the Power of No: lessons from CEMP’s Research Away Day
On Friday February 13, 2015 eighteen researchers across all stages of their careers came together for our CEMP Research Away Day. Hosted at the Old School House By the Sea in Boscombe, the day focused on how we can foster our media & education research culture, from REF strategy to collaboration building, both at BU and beyond.
Kicking us off with REF and Impact, Rebecca Edwards from RKEO spoke about key issues including the new Open Access Guidelines and how we can work to evidence our impact. She summed up 8 key points to takeaway:
1. Know your Open Access
2. Go Gold when possible – use RKEO fund
3. Collaborate with other institutions and international colleagues
4. Identify and developing Impact Case Studies
5. Evidencing your Impact as you go along (testimonials, visitor counts, etc)
6. Promote your research on the BU research website
7. Aim to increase research income
8. Focus on PhD registrations and completions
Sound like a gigantic task for just one person? These goals are not for individuals to accomplish alone. Working in teams and groups is key for doing innovative research, producing outputs and building successful bids. Making connections between our work is a necessary beginning.
Isabella Rega’s Making Connections session got the group talking about where our interests intersect. Using three different coloured post-it notes, we wrote down the issues (green), methods (pink) and stakeholders (yellow) that we work with. Participatory research methods, HE teaching and learning, and Education and Social Change emerged as key overlaps.
Out of these connections some concrete plans emerged, including turning fusion project output into educational resources and a participatory methods workshop day.
From project plans to project afterlife, we shifted to speak about documenting and evidencing impact. We looked at four case studies of research projects including ETAG and Copyrightuser.org, their significance and who they reached. Rebecca Edwards provided advice on how we evidence, measure and track our project’s impact. Sometimes these impacts can be anticipated, but more often there is serendipity and surprise.
Tracking Impact
-Tiers of influence
-Is influencing an organisation enough? How do we understand what this was?
-Testimonials
-Formal letters from key institutions
-If you’ve done research at another institution it doesn’t count at our institution. Impact stays at institution. Reason is because it is usually about groups.
-Entire groups can be rewarded for impact
-Demonstrate the evidence of impact on policy —> Following the story
-Distinct contribution of the University
-Can’t always see the impact from the outset —> serendipity involved, not always
-visitors counts and the result of them
After a tasty, if unidentifiable food-filled lunch from Bosconova, we ran a reflection session on barriers to research bidding and publishing. Designed to get us thinking about the personal and structural constraints on our research, the session helped us room-source practical solutions to common challenges.
Richard Wallis got us back up on our feet with a enthusiastic round of Research Speed Dating. Partnering up with colleagues for short bursts of time, we quickly exchanged project ideas offering feedback and fostering more research connections. Julian McDougall and Richard Berger rounded out the afternoon with a go-around. Everyone shared their upcoming plans and outlined the support they would need to achieve them.
Described by participants as a “fantastic day,” we left feeling the best kind of inspired: more excited and less exhausted about the research plans that lay ahead for CEMP’s growing educational research community.
Anna Feigenbaum is a CEMP Fellow. To find out more about CEMP and how to get involved, check out the website: http://www.cemp.ac.uk/
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