Category / BU research

Postgraduate Research Showcase

Did you miss the the latest PGR Conference? Do not worry you can now visit the Atrium Gallery on Talbot Campus to view a selection of the posters that were exhibited on the day as part of the Postgraduate Research Showcase.

Half of the posters are now on display. These will then be swapped out for the remaining posters halfway through the exhibition, which will be displayed until Friday 23 February. Just visit the Atrium when it suits you to see some of the amazing research that is taking place at BU.

To mark the occasion, on Wednesday 7 February 15:00-16:00, we will be hosting the Showcase Celebration! This is a social event and is a great opportunity to support the PGR community, with cheese and wine on offer. Check out the Doctoral College Brightspace for more information and to book.

A Virtual Exhibition of the posters is also available via the BU website.

Any questions please email: pgconference@bournemouth.ac.uk

Best wishes,

The Doctoral College

Intellectual Property for Academics

      Wednesday 24th January 10:30 - 12:00

This workshop will deliver essential knowledge and know-how from an industry expert, enabling you to gain a deeper understanding of IP that will support development of your research outcomes, prepare you for knowledge exchange activities and help with achieving lasting research impact.

Presented by Dr Nicholas Malden, Partner at D Young & Co, a leading top-tier European intellectual property firm and Bournemouth University’s preferred patent firm.

Nick Malden has more than 18 years’ experience in intellectual property specialising in patents, in particular those concerned with electronics, physics, materials, medical devices, and software. Prior to joining D Young & Co he was a research associate at Manchester University, though based at the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), in Hamburg, Germany, where his research included searches for exotic particle production in positron-proton and electron-proton collisions.

Today, he is primarily focussed on the preparation of new patent applications and guiding these through the examination process before patent offices around the world. His clients range from SMEs, to academic and research institutions, to global multinationals. A particular passion is sharing knowledge of IP in all its guises with individuals and smaller corporate entities, such that it can enhance and support their technological and commercial growth journeys.

Wednesday 24th January10:30-12:00 at Talbot Campus

To book onto this session, please complete the booking form 

For any queries regarding the content of this session, please contact lhutchins@bournemouth.ac.uk, for any other information please email RKEDF @ RKE Development Framework

Dr Svetla Stoyanova-Bozhkova participates in UNWTO.TedQual event in Japan

Dr Svetla Stoyanova-Bozhkova recently participated in the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific event organised with the UNWTO.TedQual programme in Beppu, Japan, 14-17 December 2023.

A group of people in kimonos in a restaurantThe theme of the three-day event was “Conservation and Value Addition of Regional and Touristic Resources through Collaboration with the Community”.

Svetla contributed to the Open Panel Discussion: “What is Currently Needed for Sustainable Tourism in the Oita Region” and delivered a keynote talk on UNWTO.TedQual and HE commitment to excellence in education and practice, showcasing the good practice of BU in addressing the SDGs and the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism.

Participants in the event included over 200 guests from national and local authorities, businesses, local community, academics from UNWTO.TedQual certified universities and APU students.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) TedQual programme aims to improve the quality of tourism education, training and research programmes.

New paper on Digital Nomads and Smart destination strategies, innovation and competitiveness for regional development

New paper on Digital Nomads

Zhou, L., Buhalis, D., Fan, D., Ladkin, 2024, Attracting digital nomads: Smart destination strategies, innovation and competitiveness, Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, Volume 31, March 2024, 100850, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2023.100850

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2023.100850

Highlights

Digital nomads are an attractive market segment for global destinations
Smart destinations cater for the work, leisure & lifestyle needs of digital nomads
Digital nomad destinations innovate at structural and agency levels
International, destination-based & institutional stakeholders involve in innovation
Digital nomad visa regimes reinforce the global north and global south divide
Destinations assertively portray digital nomads as a homogenous group

Abstract

Digital nomadism, as a new form of tourist mobility, brings opportunities and challenges for destination management. To attract this new market, smart destinations need to innovate to develop readiness and competitiveness. This research examines 225 digital nomad destination web articles, from multiple sources and different continents. The study aims to identify innovative strategies and practices using semantic content analysis and hierarchical network analysis. It explores relevant stakeholders and their importance, and pinpoints digital nomad trends. Findings suggest that smart destinations cater for the work, travel, social, financial and basic-living needs of digital nomads. These are different from those of short-term leisure and business tourists. Destinations tend to portray digital nomads as a homogenous group, although different segments have been identified. The long-term impacts of digital nomads on local economies and societies have yet to be fully explored. The theoretical significance of this study lies in the provision of an agency-structural perspective of destination innovation and competitiveness. Practically, the study contributes to digital nomad management and marketing within smart tourist destinations.

 

ECR and Interdisciplinarity in the Medical Humanities

Early Career Researcher Network

This ECR-focused event brings together researchers in Medical and Health Humanities at Bournemouth from across the faculties of Health & Social Science, Media & Communication and Science & Technology, inviting them to highlight and address the main challenges of working within this varied and interdisciplinary field.

It will feature an expert roundtable and open discussion, followed by breakout groups and opportunity for networking activity for ECRs.

Roundtable participants will be invited to speak for 5 minutes, drawing on their experience of research partnerships across disciplines. Suggested topics for speakers to address include, but are not limited to:

  • Research and knowledge exchange in MH
  • Publishing (choosing the right journal for MH research, collaborative writing)
  • Bidding (where to bid, what for and how to construct productive teams and partnerships)
  • How to work effectively together but also maintain a sense of disciplinary identity
  • What experiences have participants had and how has this affected your research career to date?
  • Imposter syndrome
  • Work/life balance

ECR and Interdisciplinarity in the Medical Humanities

Wed 21 Feb 2024 11:30 AM – 3:30 PM at Talbot Campus

This event is for BA ECR Network members only. You can join the network here  and book your place through the following link Tickettailor

ECR attendees will be invited to write and submit their questions for the panel in advance of the session, sending them by email to: RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk

In the second phase of the event, ECR attendees will be put into breakout rooms to discuss how their own practice might address these challenges, identify areas of future support they require and reflect on their professional identity as an interdisciplinary researcher in this field.

 

For any further information please contact RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk

 

New PGR network – SPROUT – connecting sustainability to our research

Bournemouth University is working with University of Newcastle and University of Cardiff to provide opportunities for Postgraduate Research (PGR) students to connect with each other and learn about how sustainability can enhance their doctoral research. 

Our mission is to connect and nurture PGRs, aspiring PGRs (perhaps currently studying their master’s degree) and Early Career Researchers who are interested in developing their understanding about how sustainability can enhance the rationale for and impact of their research.  

We launch the network in February 2024 and would love you to encourage your PGRs to join. We will be holding a programme of monthly online events with the following aims: 

  • To build confidence amongst PGRs, aspiring PGRs and ECRs in engaging with SDGs. 
  • To provide opportunities within a community of practice to develop peers’ understanding about sustainability. 
  • To increase awareness of sustainability’s contribution to employability and funding opportunities.  
  • To provide collaborative opportunities for PGRs and ECRs to develop a range of competencies applicable to their own research and personal/ professional contexts. 

The network is a legacy of SustainaWHAT?! a series of events held during 2023 which connected PGRs to the sustainability agenda and sought to facilitate a cross-institution PGR network for ongoing support and inspiration of SDG-informed research.  

Want to know more? Then email Professor Fiona Cownie (fjcownie@bournemouth.ac.uk) or PGR lead Jack Olley  (jolley@bournemouth.ac.uk)

We’d love to welcome your PGRs to SPROUT. 

Prof Fiona Cownie and Jack Olley 

Bournemouth University Network Leads  

The last BU blog of 2023

First of all: Happy New Year!

One of the first message I received this morning was that our editorial ‘Addressing the inequalities in global genetic studies for the advancement of Genetic Epidemiology’ [1] had been published yesterday.  If I had know this in time it would have been the proper last Bournemouth University Research Blog of 2023 published yesterday.  Interestingly, we only submitted the draft editorial on Christmas Day, got it back for revisions on Boxing Day and resubmitted it and had it accepted on December 28th.   It dis, of course, help that both editors-in-chief of the Nepal Journal of Epidemiology are co-authors on this editorial!

 

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH)

 

 

Reference:

  1. Sathian, B., van Teijlingen, E., Roy., B., Kabir, R., Banerjee, I., Simkhada, P., Al Hamad, H. (2023) Addressing the
    inequalities in global genetic studies for the advancement of Genetic Epidemiology. Nepal Journal of Epidemiology, 13(4):1292-1293.
    DOI: 10.3126/nje.v13i4.61271

Discovering Causal Relations and Equations from Data

Discovering equations, laws, or invariant principles underpins scientific and technical advancement. Robust model discovery has typically emerged from observing the world and, when possible, performing interventions to falsify models.

Recently, data-driven approaches like classic and deep machine learning are evolving traditional equation discovery methods. These new tools can provide unprecedented advances in computer science, neuroscience, physics, philosophy, and many applied areas.

We have just published a new study discussing concepts and methods on causal and equation discovery, outlining current challenges and promising future lines of research. The work also showcases comprehensive case studies in diverse scientific areas ranging from earth and environmental science to neuroscience.

Our tenet is that discovering fundamental laws and causal relations by observing natural phenomena is revolutionised with the coalescence of observational data and simulations, modern machine learning algorithms and domain knowledge. Exciting times are ahead with many challenges and opportunities to improve our understanding of complex systems.

This study is a collaborative work between eight universities in Europe and the United States (Valencia, Berlin, Tübingen, Jena, Stockholm, New York, and Bournemouth Universities).

Camps-Valls, G., Gerhardus, A., Ninad, U., Varando, G., Martius, G., Balaguer-Ballester, E., Vinuesa, R., Diaz, E., Zanna, L. and Runge, J., 2023. Discovering causal relations and equations from data. Physics Reports, 1044, 1-68 (Impact Factor=30).

 

NEW RESEARCH PAPER PUBLISHED Fan, X. F.; Buhalis, D., Fragkaki, E., Tsai, YR, 2024, Achieving Senior Tourists’ Active Aging through Value Co–creation: A Customer-Dominant Logic Perspective, Journal of Travel Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/00472875231214733

New Research published on Helping people live better, for longer

Fan, X. F.; Buhalis, D., Fragkaki, E., Tsai, YR, 2024,
Achieving Senior Tourists’ Active Aging through Value Co–creation: A Customer-Dominant Logic Perspective,
Journal of Travel Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/00472875231214733

Senior tourists have their own travel behaviors and preferences and require specific resources from the tourism industry and the broader society. This study adopts customer-dominant logic to understand how participating in tourism activities can support seniors in co-creating values toward active aging. Interviews were conducted with 31 senior tourists and 16 tourism and hospitality service providers. Six value themes were identified from the interviews, namely, enjoyment, connectedness, mental vitality, independence, sense of belonging, and self-esteem. The six values were categorized into functional, social, and spiritual dimensions. A value co-creation nexus was developed with continuum- and development-oriented active aging as the two extremes. This nexus highlighted the differentiated efforts exerted by co-creators to create value and identified the value co-creation routines of stakeholders, their corresponding values, and their facilitators. Value co-creation activities were introduced into active aging with tourism as the context. The findings of this study can support the management of tourism services, promote inclusiveness in society, and aid in government policy-making.

Paper published on ‘living evidence’

The Nepal Journal of Epidemiology published today carries an article on so-called ‘living evidence’ as an on-going synthesis approach that provides up-to-date rigorous research evidence [1].  This short research methods paper argues that living evidence is particularly useful in rapidly expanding research domains, uncertain existing evidence, and incorporating new research evidence that may impact policy or practice, ensuring that health worker, managers and health-policy makers have access to the best, i.e. the most recent evidence.

The Nepal Journal of Epidemiology is an Open Access journal, and hence freely available to researchers across the globe.  The paper has been co-authored by researchers from the Denmark, Qatar, Mauritius and the UK.

 

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH)

 

Reference:

  1. Sathian B., van Teijlingen E., do Nascimento I.J.B., Khatib M.N., Banerjee I., Simkhada P., Kabir R., Al Hamad H. (2023) Need for evidence synthesis for quality control of healthcare decision-making. Nepal Journal of Epidemiology 13(3):1288-1291.  DOI: 10.3126/nje.v13i3.61004

Horizon Europe News – December 2023

Last Horizon Europe update this year and also the last one we were not associated to the programme. As stated previously, from 1 January 2024 the UK will be fully associated to almost all parts of the HEU programme.

Now to the news. The European Commission has adopted the European Innovation Council (EIC) Work Programme for 2024, an area BU has not been involved before. Perhaps, worth to explore it in 2024? The European Innovation Council, officially launched in March 2021, provides a coherent and connected system of innovation funding that supports projects with market potential. Its schemes, piloted at the end of Horizon 2020, are principally targeted at Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and industry, but also have opportunities for academic involvement. You can find more information about EIC funding opportunities and upcoming online information days on the UKRO webpage (UKRO login details required).

It has been announced that the ESRC and the AHRC, in their capacity as the UK National Contact Point for the Horizon Europe Cluster 2 (Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society), are holding an online session to support applicants in writing successful proposals for Cluster 2 calls. The Zoom event will take place on 17 January 2024 (13:00-16:00 UK time). Please note that prior registration is required. More information and registration forms are available here.

On this note, I am finishing and wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Updated information about EIC funding (03/01/2024): the UK entities take part in this pillar, with a small exception of one stream under the EIC – the EIC Fund, which provides equity funding for SMEs. So far, the UK universities have been particularly keen on EIC Pathfinder calls and also use the other mechanism – the EIC Transition.

European Innovation Council online Info Day dedicated to Work Programme 2024 is scheduled for 15 January 2024. There is no need for registrations as the event will be web streamed live – watch the event live following the link. Programme of the event is available here.

For more information you can also refer to the EIC’s frequently asked questions section.