This workshop will offer an engaging introduction to the what, why and how of public involvement in research. It is co-designed and facilitated by Rachel Jury and Tim Worner, who have extensive experience of sharing their lived experience expertise in research studies, Dr Mel Hughes, Academic Lead for the BU PIER Partnership and Angela Warren, PIER involvement coordinator.
The session cover the different approaches to public involvement; the public contributor role; the benefits of public involvement and what pitfalls to avoid. It will also provide an opportunity for researchers to learn about public involvement and to consider this from the perspective of experts by experience and in relation to their own research.
This will be interactive with opportunities for researchers to share and discuss ideas and plans.
Intended outcomes
Develop a knowledge and understanding of different models of public involvement
Consider the benefits of public involvement for a research study and all those involved
Identify best practice in designing and conducting public involvement in research
Workshop
Date
Time
Location
Public and Patient Involvement in Research
Tuesday, 24th January 2023
14:00 – 15:30
Lansdowne Campus
To book a place on this workshop please complete the Booking Form.
Each session will cover the latest major funding opportunities, followed by a brief Q&A session. Sessions will also include a spotlight on a particular funding opportunity of strategic importance to BU. Sessions will be on Wednesdays, from 12 pm for half-an-hour. The same link can be used each week to join here.
Next Weds 25 January 12:00-12:30, we will cover the Horizon Europe Guarantee.
Sessions will be recorded and made available after the session for those who cannot attend.
***DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 6 FEBRUARY 2023*** The Studentship Funding Panel is responsible on behalf of the Research Performance and Management Committee (RPMC) for providing internal funding and support to ensure the University maximises opportunities for investing the University’s QR RDP Supervision grant in match funded studentships, in line with the BU2025 Research Principles.
We are seeking expressions of interest (EoIs) for the Chair, Deputy Chair and Panel members for the new panel.
Chairs should be members of the Professoriate – this is extended to Associate Professors for the Deputy Chair role. Applications from underrepresented groups (minority ethnic, declared disability) are particularly welcome.
EoIs for Panel members are open to the wider academic community, not just the Professoriate.
Application: EoIs will be reviewed against selection criterion which includes knowledge and experience of knowledge exchange, innovation and impact, experience of chairing meetings and plans for leading the research agenda across the university.
EoIs for the Chair and Deputy Chair roles should consist of a short case (maximum length of one page) on the form provided outlining suitability for the role. These should be submitted to the Doctoral College mailbox by the deadline of 5pm on 6 February 2023.
EoIs for Panel member roles should consist of a short case (maximum length of half a page) on the form provided outlining suitability for the role. These should be submitted to the Doctoral College mailbox by the deadline of 5pm on 6 February 2023.
Please note: EoIs should specify to which role the applicant is applying.
There will be a delay in response to Panel member applications until the Chair and Deputy Chair roles are appointed by6 March 2023. After this the Panel Members will be contacted about their appointment.
There will be an orientation meeting on at 10am on 9 March 2023 for the Chairs and Deputy Chairs. This will be with Deputy VC Tim McIntyre-Bhatty.
We would like to cordially invite you to the 2nd symposium of the BU’s Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Research Centre on next Monday the 16th of January 2023 from 9:00-13:00 at the Inspire Lecture Theatre, Fusion Building first floor (room updated).
The symposium is entitled “New Frontiers in Neuroscience: Neuroimaging and Integrative Multi-Sensing Methods”. We will focus on these two themes from a cross-disciplinary angle, leveraging synergies between different departments at BU and our collaborators in other universities, industry, charities, and at the NHS. We think that this is a good opportunity to have informal discussions on grant proposals, also to explore shared interests with our external guests.
The schedule is:
9:00-9:15 Welcome and coffee.
9:30. Keynote talk: Prof. Mavi Sanchez-Vives, Biomedical Research Institute IDIBAPS, Barcelona (Leader of Human Brain Project Work Package 2 -Networks underlying brain cognition and consciousness-). “Brain States and Consciousness Studies in the Human Brain Project”. This talk will be online, projected on the screen. All the rest of the talks will be presential.
10.20-10:40. Coffee.
10:40-11:40. Session I. Integrating Multi-sensing approaches and Industrial Applications.
Prof. Fred Charles (Creative Technology, FST, BU). “Multimodal Immersive Neuro-sensing approaches -introduction to the MINE cluster”.
Dr. Ifigeneia Mavridou (EmteqLabs, Sussex Innovation Centre). “Investigating affective responses to VR environments”.
Dr. Federica Degno (Psychology Department, FST, BU). “Co-Registration of Eye Movements and EEG”.
11.40 -12.00. Coffee and grants discussion.
12.00-13:00. Session II. Neuroimaging and Clinical Neuroscience. Concluding remarks.
Dr. Ruth Williamson (Deputy Chief Medical Officer, UHD; Consultant Radiologist). “The effect of cold-water immersion on brain function”.
Prof. Carol Clark (Rehabilitation and Sport Sciences, HSS, BU). “Measuring the brain structure, function and cognition of women currently engaged in sporting activities”.
Prof. Brigitte Vollmer (Southampton General Hospital, Southampton University). “Neurodevelopmental trajectories and neural correlates in children with neonatal Hypoxic Ischaemic Encephalopathy”.
Please, feel free to forward this email to any colleague/students who may be interested. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact any of us (Ellen Seiss, eseiss@bournemouth.ac.uk, Emili Balaguer-Ballester eb-ballester@bournemouth.ac.uk). For those of you who cannot make it, we will use Zoom, and it will be recorded (please see the Zoom link below this post).
After the event and having some lunch (can be bought in the same building) there are follow-up activates, if you wish to:
In the same lecture theatre, at 14h, there will be a very interesting talk, sponsored by the MINE cluster-Department of Psychology seminars, by Dr. Benjamin Schoene (Universität Osnabrück), entitled “The Brain in Virtual Reality: A Novel Perspective on Psychological Science”.
The talk will be followed by a visit to the Multimodal Immersive Neuro-sensing lab for natural neuro-behavioural measurement, which is just next to the Fusion Building (MINE lab, Tolpuddle Annex 1, TAG02) .
Thank you very much, we are looking forward to seeing you on Monday.
Kind regards,
Ellen and Emili
Emili Balaguer-Ballester is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Join Zoom Meeting
We would like to invite you to the 2nd symposium of the BU’s Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Research Centre on Monday the 16th of January 2023 from 9:15-13:00 at the Create LT, Fusion Building (ground floor).
The symposium is entitled “New Frontiers in Neuroscience: Neuroimaging and Integrative Multi-Sensing Methods”. We will focus on these two themes from a cross-disciplinary angle, leveraging synergies between different departments at BU and our collaborators in industry, charities, and at the NHS. We think that this is a good opportunity to have informal discussions on grant proposals, also to explore shared interests with our external guests.
The schedule is:
9:15. Welcome and coffee.
9:30. Keynote talk by Prof. Mavi Sanchez-Vives, Biomedical Research Institute IDIBAPS, Barcelona. Human Brain Project Task Leader.
10.20-10:40. Coffee and grants discussion.
10:40-11:40. Session I. Neuroimaging and clinical applications.
11.40 -12.00. Coffee and grants discussion.
12.00-13:00. Session II. Integrating Multi-sensing approaches and industrial applications. Concluding remarks.
Thank you very much and we are looking forward to seeing you there. If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact any of us (Ellen Seiss, eseiss@bournemouth.ac.uk or Emili Balaguer-Ballester eb-ballester@bournemouth.ac.uk).
With the men’s FIFA football world cup starting on Sunday in Qatar it important to remember the human costs of those who build the infrastructure. The media coverage on the number of workers dying during the building of the football stadiums has highlighted the plight of foreign workers in the Middle East more generally. For example, BU’s researcher Dr. Nirmal Aryal was cited in The Sunday Times in an article with the title ‘Qatar 2022: Dying for the World Cup”, see the BU Research Blog published this time last year.
Here at BU we have conducted several studies into Nepali migrant workers, including those working in Qatar and elsewhere in the Middle East [1-13]. In the Middle East working conditions for foreign labourers are often Dirty, Dangerous and Difficult (commonly referred at as the 3Ds). Migrant workers often perform physically demanding work in a hot unprotected environment, suffer dehydration and/or exposure to chemical, excessive use of pain killers, and unhealthy lifestyle factors (such as restricted water intake and a high intake of alcohol/sugary drinks) which may precipitate them to acute kidney injuries and subsequent chronic kidney disease [1]. Dr. Regmi and colleagues in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences are currently conducting a study into the kidney health of Nepalese migrant workers. This study is funded by the Colt Foundation.
From our work, we can say that in addition to the 3Ds, migrant workers are likely to experience a series of other challenges ranging from language and other cultural barriers, socio-economic problems and issues to do with their legal status, to a lack of health and safety training, difficulties in gaining access
to health services. If you have limited injury compensation in your line of work, a work injury attorney can answer commonly asked questions like “can employer make employee pay for accident?”
Aryal, N., Sedhain, A., Regmi, P., KC, R. K.,van Teijlingen, E. (2021). Risk of kidney health among returnee Nepali migrant workers: A survey of nephrologists. Asian Journal of Medical Sciences 12(12), 126–132.
Aryal, N., Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Trenoweth, S., Adhikary, P., Simkhada, P. (2020) The Impact of Spousal Migration on the Mental Health of Nepali Women: A Cross-Sectional Study, International Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health 17(4), 1292; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph1704129
Regmi, P., Aryal, N., van Teijlingen, E., Adhikary, P. (2020) Nepali migrant workers and the need for pre-departure training on mental health: a qualitative study, Journal of Immigrant & Minority Health 22, 973–981.
Adhikary, P. van Teijlingen, E. (2020) Support networks in the Middle East & Malaysia: A qualitative study of Nepali returnee migrants’ experiences, International Journal of Occupational Safety & Health (IJOSH), 9(2): 31-35.
Aryal, N., Regmi, P.R., Faller, E.M,, van Teijlingen, E., Khoon, C.C., Pereira, A., Simkhada, P. (2019) ‘Sudden cardiac death and kidney health related problems among Nepali migrant workers in Malaysia’ Nepal Journal of Epidemiology9(3): 755-758. https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/NJE/article/view/25805
Adhikary P, van Teijlingen E., Keen S. (2019) Workplace accidents among Nepali male workers in the Middle East and Malaysia: A qualitative study, Journal of Immigrant & Minority Health 21(5): 1115–1122. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10903-018-0801-y
Simkhada, P.P., van Teijlingen, E.R., Gurung, M., Wasti, S. (2018) A survey of health problems of Nepalese female migrants workers in the Middle-East & Malaysia, BMC International Health & Human Rights 18(4): 1-7. http://rdcu.be/E3Ro
Adhikary P, Sheppard, Z., Keen S., van Teijlingen E. (2018) Health and well-being of Nepalese migrant workers abroad, International Journal of Migration, Health & Social Care 14(1): 96-105. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMHSC-12-2015-0052
Adhikary, P, Sheppard, Z., Keen, S., van Teijlingen, E. (2017) Risky work: accidents among Nepalese migrant workers in Malaysia, Qatar & Saudi Arabia, Health Prospect 16(2): 3-10.
Simkhada, P.P., Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Aryal, N. (2017) Identifying the gaps in Nepalese migrant workers’ health and well-being: A review of the literature, Journal of Travel Medicine 24 (4): 1-9.
Aryal, N., Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Adhikary, P., Bhatta, Y.K.D., Mann, S. (2016) Injury and Mortality in Young Nepalese Migrant Workers: A Call for Public Health Action. Asian-Pacific Journal of Public Health28(8): 703-705.
Adhikary P, Keen S and van Teijlingen E (2011). Health Issues among Nepalese migrant workers in the Middle East. Health Science Journal.5 (3):169-i75 DOI: 2-s2.0-79960420128.
The next meeting of the Public Engagement with Research Network will be a bit different.
Instead of our usual structured meetings we’re holding a social networking gathering to provide the opportunity to meet and connect with other network members.
The PER Network has so far been a great way of sharing experience and best practice with you, its members, but the real strength of a network is in how its members work together.
There is a wealth of experience, skills, and possibilities for collaboration amongst our members, but we know it’s difficult to keep up with the work happening in your own department, let alone across faculties, especially when opportunities to meet other academics are rarer than they used to be.
NIHR Grant Applications Seminar
Tuesday 22nd November 2022
Places are still available on our popular grant applications seminar. Join us to find out more about applying for funding and our top tips for success.
We will also be hearing from Jane Fearnside about the NIHR Invention for Innovation (i4i) programme. She will be giving an overview of the programme, the assessment process and what the funding panels are looking for.
We also have a limited number of 20-minute 1-to-1 appointments available after the seminar should you wish to discuss your proposed study with an RDS adviser. Find out more and book a place.
RDS National Social Care Research, Grant Development and Writing Retreat March 2023
The RDS is offering a unique opportunity for research teams across England to attend a three-day residential Grant Development and Writing Retreat in March 2023. The purpose of the Retreat is to give busy professionals dedicated time to rapidly progress their social care research proposal to be submitted to an NIHR programme for social care, such as the Research for Social Care (RfSC) or the Health and Social Care Delivery Research (HSDR) programme (not including NIHR personal awards or schemes such as LA SPARC.) Find out more.
Your local branch of the NIHR RDS (Research Design Service) is based within the BU Clinical Research Unit (BUCRU) should you need help with your application. We advise on all aspects of developing an application and can review application drafts as well as put them to a mock funding panel (run by RDS South West) known as Project Review Committee, which is a fantastic opportunity for researchers to obtain a critical review of a proposed grant application before this is sent to a funding body or if you’re hoping to resubmit the panel can provide some excellent tips and feedback.
Contact us as early as possible to benefit fully from the advice
– Do you have a great idea for research in health, social care or public health?
– Are you planning to submit a grant application to NIHR?
Our popular seminar continues online and will take place on Tuesday 22nd November 2022 from 10.00am – 12.30pm.
The seminar provides an overview of NIHR funding opportunities and research programme remits, requirements and application processes. We will give you top tips for your application and answer specific questions with experienced RDS South West advisers.
We will also be hearing from Jane Fearnside about the NIHR Invention for Innovation (i4i) programme. She will be giving an overview of the programme, the assessment process and what the funding panels are looking for.
We also have a limited number of 20-minute 1-to-1 appointments available after the seminar should you wish to discuss your proposed study with an RDS adviser.
We can help with your application. We advise on all aspects of developing an application and can review application drafts as well as put them to a mock funding panel (run by RDS South West) known as Project Review Committee, which is a fantastic opportunity for researchers to obtain a critical review of a proposed grant application before this is sent to a funding body.
Contact us as early as possible to benefit fully from the advice
The next session will take place via Microsoft Teams on the 11th October 2022. Registration for the webinar is possible here.
This session will provide an introduction to the *Research Professional platform, demonstrate how to locate funding opportunities matching research interests, and show how to set up email alerts to stay informed of new developments.
Dr Henry Ngenyam Bang writes for The Conversation about the potential dangers associated with crater lakes located in a region of volcanic activity in Cameroon…
Cameroon’s ‘exploding’ lakes: disaster expert warns deadly gas release could cause another tragedy
The waters of Lake Nyos, Cameroon, turn a murky brown following a deadly release of toxic gas. Photo by Thierry Orban/Sygma via Getty Images
A sudden change on 29 August 2022 in the colour and smell of Lake Kuk, in north-west Cameroon, has caused anxiety and panic among the local residents. Fears are driven by an incident that happened 36 years ago at Lake Nyos, just 10km away.
On 21 August 1986, Lake Nyos emitted lethal gases (mainly carbon dioxide) that suffocated 1,746 people and around 8,300 livestock. It wasn’t the first incident like this. Two years earlier, Lake Monoum, about 100km south-west of Lake Nyos, killed 37 people.
Desolation around Lake Nyos on 1 August 1986. Photo by Eric Bouvet via Getty Images
Research into the cause of the Lake Nyos disaster concluded that carbon dioxide gas – released from the Earth’s mantle – had been accumulating at the bottom of the lake for centuries. A sudden disturbance of the lake’s waters due to a landslide resulted in a sudden release of around 1.24 million tonnes of carbon dioxide gas.
Survivors briefly heard a rumbling sound from Lake Nyos before an invisible gas cloud emerged from its depths. It killed people, animals, insects and birds along its path in the valley before dispersing into the atmosphere where it became harmless.
Both Kuk and Nyos are crater lakes located in a region of volcanic activity known as the Cameroon Volcanic Line. And there are 43 other crater lakes in the region that could contain lethal amounts of gases. Other lakes around the world that pose a similar threat include Lake Kivu at the border of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lake Ngozi in Tanzania and Lake Monticchio in Italy.
After Lake Nyos erupted, its water turned a deep red colour and survivors reported the smell of rotten eggs. These are the same characteristics to have recently manifested at Lake Kuk. The change in colour of Lake Nyos was only noticed after the gas burst.
In an official press release, heavy rainfall was linked to the odour and change in colour of Lake Kuk. The tens of thousands of people living around the lake were urged to “remain calm while being vigilant to continuously inform the administration of any other incident noted”.
As a geologist and disaster management expert, I believe that not enough is being done to address and manage the potential danger from crater lakes in the region.
To start with, it’s important to know which lakes are at risk of “exploding”.
Initial checks in some of the lakes were done more than 30 years ago and not thoroughly – it was just one team and on one occasion. Further investigations and regular monitoring are required.
Currently it’s believed that, of the 43 crater lakes on Cameroon’s Volcanic Line, 13 are deep and large enough to contain lethal quantities of gases. Although 11 are considered to be relatively safe, two (Lakes Enep and Oku) are dangerous.
Map showing the Cameroon Volcanic Line and other hazards in Cameroon.
Research has revealed that the thermal profile (how temperature changes with depth), quantity of dissolved gases, surface area or water volume and depth are key indicators of the potential for crater lakes to store large quantities of dangerous gases.
The factors that lead to the greatest risk include: high quantities of dissolved gases, held under high pressures, at great depths, in lakes with large volumes of water. They are at an even greater risk of explosion when the lakes sit in wide or large craters where there are disturbances.
The two lakes that caused fatalities (Nyos and Monoum) are deep and have thermal profiles that increase with depth. Other lakes are too shallow (less than 40 metres) and have uniform thermal profiles, indicating they do not contain large amounts of gases.
Investigating all the crater lakes in Cameroon would be a logistical challenge. It would require significant funding, a diverse scientific team, technical resources and transportation to the lakes. Since most of the crater lakes are in remote areas with poor communication network (no roads, rail or airports), it would take a couple of years for the work to be completed.
Since Cameroon has many potentially dangerous crater lakes, it is unsatisfactory that 36 years after the Lake Nyos disaster, not much has been done to mitigate the risks in other gas-charged hazardous lakes.
Managing dangerous lakes
Lake Kuk was checked shortly after the 1986 Lake Nyos disaster and found not to contain excess carbon dioxide. Its relatively shallow depth and surface area means the risk of gas being trapped in large quantities is low.
Nevertheless, authorities should have immediately restricted access to Lake Kuk pending a thorough onsite investigation. The official press release urging calm was sent just one day after the incident was reported. It’s not possible that a scientist could have carried out a physical examination of the lake. The release said that rainfall was responsible for the changes, but this will be based on assumptions.
Lake Kuk might be considered safe, but due to the dynamic and active nature of the Cameroon Volcanic Line, there is a possibility that volcanic gases can seep into the lake at any moment.
An onsite scientific investigation would determine with certainty the abnormal behaviour of Lake Kuk. Keeping people away from the lake until a swift and credible investigation had been done would be the most rational decision.
An additional step would be for a carbon dioxide detector to be installed near Lake Kuk and other potentially dangerous crater lakes. This would serve as an early warning system for lethal gas releases.
A carbon dioxide early warning system is designed to detect high concentrations of gases in the atmosphere and to produce a warning sound. Upon hearing the sound, people are expected to run away from the lake and onto higher ground. After the Lake Nyos disaster, carbon dioxide detectors and warning systems were installed near Lakes Nyos and Monoum. Nevertheless, no simulation has been conducted to determine their effectiveness.
The Directorate of Civil Protection is the designated agency responsible for coordinating disaster risk management in Cameroon. The agency should liaise with other stakeholders in the government and private sector to ensure the safety of Cameroon’s dangerous lakes. If the authorities are not proactive, the Lake Nyos disaster scenario may repeat where thousands of people and livestock are suddenly killed.
Funding Development Briefings are back from the 14th of September 2022.
What are Funding Development Briefings?
Each session will cover the latest major funding opportunities, followed by a brief Q&A session. Sessions will also include a spotlight on a particular funding opportunity of strategic importance to BU. Sessions will be on Wednesdays, from 12 pm for half-an-hour. The same link can be used each week to join here.
Date
Spotlight Funding Opportunity
Briefing Research Facilitator Lead
14/09/2022
Innovate UK SMART Grants
Innovation & Infrastructure
21/09/2022
NERC Standard Grants
Life Sciences
28/09/2022
23/24 Horizon Europe Work Programmes
EU & International
05/10/2022
ESRC
Humanities & Social Sciences
12/10/2022
EPSRC
Innovation & Infrastructure
19/10/2022
Wellcome Trust
Life Sciences
26/10/2022
HALF TERM
02/11/2022
MSCA Overview of Actions
EU & International
09/11/2022
AHRC
Humanities & Social Sciences
16/11/2022
Regional Funding
Innovation & Infrastructure
23/11/2022
NIHR Overview
Life Sciences
30/11/2022
Horizon Europe Societal Challenges
EU & International
07/12/2022
Leverhulme Trust
Humanities & Social Sciences
14/12/2022
KTPs (Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange Managers)
Innovation & Infrastructure
Sessions will be recorded and made available after the session for those who cannot attend.
Funding Development Briefings are back from the 14th of September 2022.
What are Funding Development Briefings?
Each session will cover the latest major funding opportunities, followed by a brief Q&A session. Sessions will also include a spotlight on a particular funding opportunity of strategic importance to BU. Sessions will be on Wednesdays, from 12 pm for half-an-hour. The same link can be used each week to join here.
Date
Spotlight Funding Opportunity
Briefing Research Facilitator Lead
14/09/2022
Innovate UK SMART Grants
Innovation & Infrastructure
21/09/2022
NERC Standard Grants
Life Sciences
28/09/2022
23/24 Horizon Europe Work Programmes
EU & International
05/10/2022
ESRC
Humanities & Social Sciences
12/10/2022
EPSRC
Innovation & Infrastructure
19/10/2022
Wellcome Trust
Life Sciences
26/10/2022
HALF TERM
02/11/2022
MSCA Overview of Actions
EU & International
09/11/2022
AHRC
Humanities & Social Sciences
16/11/2022
Regional Funding
Innovation & Infrastructure
23/11/2022
NIHR Overview
Life Sciences
30/11/2022
Horizon Europe Societal Challenges
EU & International
07/12/2022
Leverhulme Trust
Humanities & Social Sciences
14/12/2022
KTPs (Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange Managers)
Innovation & Infrastructure
Sessions will be recorded and made available after the session for those who cannot attend.
Most analysis of Cameroon’s Anglophone crisis has been skewed towards the socioeconomic, cultural and political ramifications of the conflict.
But, based on my work on natural, environmental hazards and disaster management in Cameroon over the past two decades, I would argue that the environment in the Anglophone region is a silent casualty of the conflict. And it has largely been ignored.
Our recently published research on the crisis showed that over 900,000 people had been internally displaced. Eighty percent of the inhabitants of villages that were conflict hot spots had fled into adjacent forests. The research investigated the consequences of the Cameroon Anglophone crisis and determined it to be an acute complex emergency.
These developments are leaving huge environmental footprints and causing serious damage. This will get worse if the armed conflict escalates into a “complex disaster emergency”.
I have identified six environmental consequences of the Cameroon Anglophone crisis. These range from failures in environmental governance to increases in deforestation, unmet measures in Cameroon’s climate action plan, poor municipal waste management, the effects of scorched earth tactics and the impact of improvised explosive devices.
There is a need to address these environmental oversights and build them into resolving the crisis. This would prevent the environmental legacies of the armed conflict from haunting the region’s population after the crisis has ended.
The fallout for the environment
One of the effects of the fighting since 2016 was that it brought conservation activities to a halt in the country’s biodiversity hot spots in the Anglophone regions. Cameroon has around 14 national parks, 18 wildlife reserves, 12 forest reserves and three wildlife sanctuaries hosting rare and threatened species.
Before the crisis, many of these protected areas were still in a pristine condition because Cameroon had less tourism than other regions of Africa.
But the crisis has stalled several environmental projects.
For example, violence forced environmentalists and NGOS operating in the Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary in Lebialem to flee. The Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary is home to the critically endangered Cross River gorillas and other endangered wildlife like the African chimpanzee and elephant.
These gorillas are also under increased threat from militias such as the “Red Dragons” which have set up camps within the sanctuary (see Figure 1).
Likewise, efforts to protect the Mount Cameroon National Park, which hosts endangered primates, have been hampered. This poses a threat to the Nigerian-Cameroon chimpanzee, which already faces extinction.
Figure 1: Landscape of the Lebialem Highlands hosting the Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary. GSAC (2022)
Insecurity in areas hosting wildlife has led to a rise in uncontrolled illegal hunting. Poaching of endangered chimpanzees (see Figure 2) and elephants increased in the Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary and the Takamanda and Korup National Parks after state rangers and eco-guards fled.
Figure 2: Endangered ape species in Cameroon’s protected reserves. Photo by Julie Langford courtesy of the Limbe Wildlife Centre.
The rise in the number of internally displaced people has had a number of consequences.
Deforestation has risen as relocated communities have cut down trees to provide shelter and firewood.
They are also putting pressure on access to water. Toilet facilitates are inadequate in areas hosting large numbers of people. Drilling of wells, sometimes in unhygienic surroundings, and defecation in streams are also responsible for the poor water quality in the region.
The southwest region has recently experienced a cholera epidemic.
Thirdly, measures in Cameroon’s climate action plan have been halted by the crisis. The measures include providing fertilisers and improved seeds to farmers; installing renewable energy in rural areas; and restoring mangrove forests along the Limbe coast.
Fourthly, the crisis has worsened the problem of municipal waste management.
Separatists have threatened to burn the garbage collection company, HYSACAM. Some of its workers have been attacked. This has affected the collection of municipal waste in Bamenda and Buea, capitals of the Anglophone northwest and southwest regions.
Fifth, military forces are using scorched earth tactics that could create serious environmental harm. The military has destroyed houses, crops and livestock in several villages perceived to be strongholds of militia groups.
Likewise, militias have destroyed property owned by the state and that of civilians suspected to be colluding with security forces.
Satellite images from February and March 2021 confirm the destruction of multiple villages in the northwest region.
Lastly, the use of improvised explosive devices by militia groups against Cameroon’s military vehicles has been increasing and getting more sophisticated.
Explosive remnants and munitions can make the land uninhabitable, severely harm wildlife, and contaminate the soil and watercourses. Clearance of devices can also cause localised pollution, soil degradation and negative land use consequences.
Figure 5: Military vehicle destroyed by IED. Photo courtesy of SBBC (2022).
Next steps
Contingency plans being put in place by the Cameroon government for a potential complex disaster emergency should consider the environmental aspects of the conflict.
First it’s necessary to empirically diagnose the environmental ramifications and how they can be resolved.
When seeking political solutions to the crisis, stakeholders should also incorporate measures to mitigate the environmental consequences.
The last funding RDS Funding Development Briefings for the academic year will be on Wednesday, the 27th of July at 12 noon. These will restart again with a new programme in September.
Each session covers the latest major funding opportunities, followed by a brief Q&A session. Some sessions also include a spotlight on a particular funding opportunity of strategic importance to BU.
Next Wednesday 27th July, there will be a spotlight on the Horizon Europe: Searching for funding opportunities and finding a call.
We will cover:
Overview of Horizon Europe Funding 2023-2024
Internal process
Q & A
For those unable to attend, the session will be recorded and shared on Brightspace here.
Please join the briefing by clicking the link below.
The E-Drone project is exploring this using virtual reality (VR) and you are invited to try this out on the Talbot Campus on the 27th and 28th June.
The project is investigating how drone logistic fleets can be successfully integrated and managed to improve customer service, reduce energy demand and also address urban traffic congestion. Part of our work involves helping stakeholders, including the general public, understand the environmental and governance implications of introducing logistics drones. The challenge is helping people envisage logistics drones when this transport future is yet to exist beyond discrete trials. This is where VR comes in.
The project team has created a VR experience to show what delivery drones will look and sound like as they fly over the Talbot Campus. We will be in the space between Dorset House and the Library on Monday 27th 1.30pm onwards and Tuesday 28th 10am onwards. We’re seeking volunteers to try the VR and provide feedback. Please join us by either dropping by or booking a slot by contacting Angela Smith (avsmith@bournemouth.ac.uk).
Thematic Research Leads: Climate/Environment; International Affairs/Defence; Parliament, Public Administration and Constitution | 1 August 2022
Some very exciting news from Parliament – the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), POST and Parliament’s Knowledge Exchange Unit have launched new (paid!) roles for researchers keen to be involved in policy. The new Thematic Research Leads (TRLs) are aimed at mid-career university researchers who will work for three days per week (0.6 FTE) to place research evidence at the heart of UK Parliament through a pilot thematic policy hub of parliamentary staff. Colleagues undertake this role whilst retaining their substantive academic post for the remaining two days per week.
Thematic Research Leads will work alongside POST, library and select committee staff at UK Parliament to help ensure the best available research evidence feeds into scrutiny, legislation and debate. They will also strengthen and diversify connections between Parliament and the research community. The roles are funded by ESRC, appointees are expected to commence their role in January 2023. Details:
This webpage contains more information on the Thematic Research Lead Call, the shared ambitions of POST and the ESRC for this activity, and information on how to apply.
POST state: We really encourage applications from everyone regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status or whether or not they have a disability.
Colleagues who would need flexibility or hybrid working are encouraged to apply – POST are a flexible employee, are committed to support diversity and their employees, and will consider a range of requests to support colleagues to take up a post. Deadline: 1 August 2022
BU process for this opportunity
Because this is a funded position, RDS will need to treat your application in the way we normally would for any grant bid. With a submission deadline of 1 August, we look forward to receiving the completed e-ITBs by 4 July (for the costing request please attach an outline of how often you would want to travel, as this attachment is required).
You will need your Head of Department to agree in principle that you are able to commit 0.6FTE of your time if the application is successful and that we can arrange teaching replacement and funding, so please approach them as a first step. Full internal approvals will need to be completed by 26 July.
For guidance on the process please contact Beth Steiner and for any queries relating to the positions please contact Sarah Carter.
Finally the KEU outline why you should apply for this role:
“These roles, if proven, could become highly influential prestigious roles at the heart of Parliament, somewhat akin to the Government’s Chief Scientific Advisers, but shaped for a parliamentary context. The role offers an exciting opportunity for you to see first-hand how research feeds into policy, through shaping parliamentary work with your research expertise and participating in core parliamentary processes. You will be uniquely placed to build connections with parliamentary and government stakeholders to take forward through your career, and participation will provide you with rich and varied experiences to support you on an upward professional trajectory.”
Today, Nature Communications published a long-expected Matters Arising in response to a 2021 paper in the same journal: “A new hypothesis for the origin of Amazonian Dark Earths“. The new paper, involving more than 50 leading scholars involved in research on prehistoric Amazonia, affirms a human origin for the dark earths found throughout the central and eastern Amazon basin.
Amazonian Dark Earths (ADEs) are distinguished by their exceptional fertility and richness of archaeological remains. Evidently produced by various kinds of human activity, including but not limited to manuring, rubbish deposition, and biomass burning, they are a distinctive feature of later indigenous settlement of the Amazon river basin.
The paper synthesises diverse archaeological, palaeoenvironmental, and historic data to demonstrate the human origin of ADEs. Source: Lombardo et al. 2022
For more information see: Lombardo, U., Arroyo-Kalin, M., Schmidt, M. et al. Evidence confirms an anthropic origin of Amazonian Dark Earths. Nat Commun13, 3444 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31064-2
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The last funding RDS Funding Development Briefings for the academic year will be on Wednesday, the 27th of July at 12 noon. These will restart again with a new programme in September.
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