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Only 2 Weeks to Go! Annual Postgraduate Conference Abstract Deadline

Doctoral College – 10th Annual Postgraduate Conference

Are you a PGR or do you know a PGR looking for an opportunity to share their research with peers and academic colleagues? If so, then the 10th Annual Postgraduate Conference hosted by the Doctoral College is the opportunity for you.


With only 2 weeks to go The 10th Annual Postgraduate Conference abstract deadline is soon approaching. BU PGRs are invited to submit oral, poster or photography abstract to pgconference@bournemouth.ac.uk by Thursday 4 January 2018 in order to be considered.  

Please ensure you follow the how to apply guidance (pdf 253kb) and you can download the Application Form (docx 545kb) here.


Oral Presentation: 1st Prize £150;   2nd Prize £100;   3rd Prize £75
Poster Presentation: 1st Prize £100;   2nd Prize £75;   3rd Prize £50
Photo Presentation: Winner £50

*All prizes will be in the form of Amazon Vouchers


Successful oral presentations will be supported by a one day masterclass in presentation skills and successful poster presentations will be supported by a masterclass in creating an academic poster.

PGRs at all stages, on all research degree programmes, can apply.


Registration to attend the conference will open on Monday 8 January 2018.

Introduction to Normalization Process Theory (NPT) – 7 February 2018

Half day seminar
open to BU Staff, Clinicians, PGRs and PGT Students

Implementing service development in healthcare – an introduction to Normalization Process Theory (NPT)

On Wenesday 7 February 2018 in B317, Bournemouth House, Lansdowne Campus at 13.00, there will be a half day seminar introducing an approach to exploring implementation of service developments in healthcare.

To book your place and/or to find out more information please contact
Dr Mike Bracher 
mbracher@bournemouth.ac.uk

BU researchers win Media Research Award at the Market Research Society

Researchers in the Department of Corporate and Marketing Communication received the Media Research Award at the Market Research Society (MRS) Awards on 4 December 2017.

The research explored how travellers on the London Underground pay attention to advertising and actively welcome it in this environment, seeing it as a journey enhancer.

The MRS Awards celebrate research’s ability to drive innovation, inspire change and deliver results. Stuart Armon (Project Leader and Programme Leader of BA (Hons) Advertising) said, “it means so much to know that the research we do here in the Department of Corporate and Marketing Communications has impact and relevance in the commercial world of advertising and media.”

The research study, developed in collaboration with COG Research and Exterion Media utilised various research methods including eye tracking and skin conductance response data, in-depth interviews and surveys. The research found that advertising on London Underground is more engaging than online video advertising.

Key findings in the research included:

  • Almost all travellers are favourable to London Underground advertising
  • 80% of those who don’t like social media ads or TV ads like London Underground ads
  • 6 out of 10 notice when new ads appear on London Underground.

Find out more about the BA (Hons) Advertising course. 

End of year ADRC Christmas Seminar – PhD Student presentations

Six of  the ADRC PhD students gave short presentations of their plans and findings  at the end of year ADRC  Christmas seminar held on 12th  December. They included the following:

Yolanda Barrado-Martin : Process evaluation of a Tai Chi exercise intervention to prevent falls among older people with dementia.

Raysa El Zein : Dietary intervention study using coconut oil to evaluate effects of ketone metabolism in older adults.

Christopher Hilton : The role of attention in spatial (dis)orientation in people with early signs of dementia.

Joanne HolmesAn exploration of the factors that affect the extensive meal experience for cognitively active elderly living in residential care.

Mananya Podee : Improving holiday accommodation and service provision for people with dementia: An exploration of needs and expectations.

Vladislava SegenHow does ageing affect ability to recognise places, stay oriented & navigate successfully?

It was a highly successful afternoon with lots of good discussion and challenging questions posed for our students.  Well done to everyone who presented and we look forward to hearing more about your great work in due course!

Update to the RCUK Research and Training Grant Terms and Conditions

The Research Councils have reviewed the current grant terms and conditions and are making changes to include additional information on up and coming legislative changes and additional clarity on the guidance provided these changes will start on Monday 15 January 2018.

The aims of the changes are to clearly communicate and clarify the responsibilities which are part of holding a Research Council Grant.

The changes include:

  • Compliance with Modern Slavery Act 2015
  • General Data Protection Regulation changes coming into effect May 2018
  • Transfer of grant assets to UKRI
  • Adding NHS Clinical sessions to the list of approved tasks
  • Clarity of training grants

Links to the full terms and conditions can be found in the press release.

How Brazil’s sex workers have been organised and politically effective for 30 years

Sex work is a controversial form of income. It is a subject much discussed by experts in feminism, religion, law and politics. And its popular portrayal is often left to people far removed from the realities of sexual commerce. Those who (wrongly) conflate sex work with human trafficking and exploitation would like to see it abolished.

In Brazil, sex work remains politically and socially contentious. But thanks to a staunch sex worker movement in the country, the people who actually do the work have made themselves key contributors to the debate. It is a movement which has informed political policy, affected legislation in urban reform and sexual healthcare and fought tirelessly for the full recognition of sex work as a profession.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of that movement. As part of the celebrations, an international exhibition is being held which features photographs taken by sex workers. Entitled “O Que Você Não Vê” (What You Don’t See), it centres on sexual commerce during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. But it also provides an opportunity to reflect on the lessons that can be learned from three decades of an organisation representing the best interests of sex workers.

Standing together

As in many countries around the world, the legal status of prostitution in Brazil is vague. The criminal code issued in 1940 criminalised prostitution-related activities such as recruitment and facilitation, but not the direct sale of sex.

In the late 1970s, police raids on sex-related businesses in places such as São Paulo forced many sex workers to find work on the streets. A more precarious and isolated environment, it increased the need and appetite for some kind of organisation among the people working there.

In July 1987, Gabriela Leite and Lourdes Barreto, two São Paulo-based sex workers held the first national meeting for Brazil’s prostitutes. It resulted in the Brazilian Network of Prostitutes (BNP) as well as the publication of a newsletter “Beijo da Rua” (Kiss from the Street). The BNP’s mission was to build a new discourse of prostitution, not tied to crime or victimisation.

Conversation focused on state repression, health, collective identity and female sexual desire. Working with the Brazilian Ministry of Health, the BNP became instrumental in the creation of internationally applauded strategies to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS.

The Beijo da Rua (Kiss from the Street) newsletter is displayed on a bed.
Amanda De Lisio, Bournemouth University

Then in 2002, a group led by Leite influenced the Brazilian government to issue “Ordinance 397” – which recognised sex work as an “official” occupation. Those registered as “sex professionals” would be taxed as autonomous workers and entitled to regular employment benefits including maternity pay, a state pension fund and medical care. It was a crucial moment of increased social tolerance.

Some years later, in the lead up to two huge sporting events due to be held in the country – the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games – Brazilian public discourse once again focused on anti-trafficking strategies, which further conflated forced migration and sexual exploitation with adult, consensual sex work – and served to reignite the abolitionist agenda.

A window into a sex worker’s world

After the closure of several sex-related businesses, a report entitled “Human Rights Violations of Sex Workers in Brazil” was compiled by sex worker support groups and submitted to the United Nations. The photographic project, “O Que Você Não Vê” was also launched as a platform to present a counter-narrative to the sensationalist stories of sex work during the Olympics.

Visitors watching Laura Murray’s documentary on Gabriela Leite, founder of the prostitution movement in Brazil.
Amanda De Lisio, Bournemouth University

The exhibition (which is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council) provides an insight into the mundane, everyday experiences of those working far away from the slick and glamorous portrayal of an international sporting spectacle. The exhibits reveal sarcasm and humour, and play on the mythologies that surround the sex worker’s profession. There is a dominatrix in her “pain” room, a woman posing with her “puta” family.

Exhibition selfies.
Amanda De Lisio, Author provided

The ConversationEach photographic perspective is unique. But collectively, there is a clear appreciation of the chance for their voices to be heard (albeit in visual form). The exhibition represents yet another step forward for this historic workers’ movement. It is a reflection of resilience, a commitment to civic involvement. It is another attempt to reframe stigmatised bodies as human – worthy of non-exploitative labour, self-expression and care.

Amanda De Lisio, Post-Doctoral Research Assistant, Bournemouth University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Final chance to submit an abstract to BU’s undergraduate research conference

There are only a few days left for current undergraduate students and recent graduates to submit their abstract to SURE – our undergraduate research conference.  We have already received a high number of applications, but would welcome further submissions, as it’s great opportunity for students to share their research in a supportive environment.

If you’re in contact with your students over the next few days, please do encourage them to apply.

How to apply

To apply to present at SURE 2018, students will need to submit an application form, which includes a 250 word abstract, to sure@bournemouth.ac.uk.  Please read our ‘how to apply’ guidance first.

Abstracts will be accepted for oral or poster presentations.  If a student would like to present your research through another medium – a film, art exhibition or performance – please contact sure@bournemouth.ac.uk initially.

The deadline for submitting abstracts is Thursday, 21 December, 2017.

 


Prizes

Best overall contribution – a fee waiver to any BU Master’s

Best original research via oral presentation – 4 x £350 funding (1 per Faculty) for students to attend and present their research at the British Conference of Undergraduate Research

Best poster, demonstration or art installation: 4 x £25 Amazon voucher (1 per Faculty)

 


Conference attendance

SURE 2018 will take place on Wednesday 7 March 2018.  Registration for the conference will open in January 2018.

Staff and students from across BU are encouraged and welcome to attend.


 

For any queries, please contact sure@bournemouth.ac.uk or visit www.bournemouth.ac.uk/SURE2018.

Katie Thompson (SciTech) becomes an expert for Global Animal Protection (World Animal Protection Charity)

Katie’s recent work in Africa is driven by her passion for African wildlife, where her research focuses on ecosystem level conservation, environmental education and sustainable development. She was honoured to be personally invited by the Science Diplomat of the U.S. Embassy to represent Bournemouth University as a subject matter expert at the London Zoohackathon 2017, hosted by the Zoological Society of London. She advised coders how to identify technological solutions to the illegal wildlife trade from her experience in the field. Following this, Katie recently published an article for the U.S. Embassy (read here) and is now delighted to join a team of experts on the Global Animal Protection, as part of the renowned wildlife charity, World Animal Protection (find out more here). Katie works with Professor Genoveva Esteban as a Research Associate in the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (SciTech).

Only 3 Weeks to Go! Annual Postgraduate Conference Abstract Deadline

Doctoral College – 10th Annual Postgraduate Conference

Are you a PGR or do you know a PGR looking for an opportunity to share their research with peers and academic colleagues? If so, then the 10th Annual Postgraduate Conference hosted by the Doctoral College is the opportunity for you.


With only 3 weeks do go The 10th Annual Postgraduate Conference abstract deadline is soon approaching. BU PGRs are invited to submit oral, poster or photography abstract to pgconference@bournemouth.ac.uk by Thursday 4 January 2018 in order to be considered.  

Please ensure you follow the how to apply guidance (pdf 253kb) and you can download the Application Form (docx 545kb) here.


Oral Presentation: 1st Prize £150;   2nd Prize £100;   3rd Prize £75
Poster Presentation: 1st Prize £100;   2nd Prize £75;   3rd Prize £50
Photo Presentation: Winner £50

*All prizes will be in the form of Amazon Vouchers


Successful oral presentations will be supported by a one day masterclass in presentation skills and successful poster presentations will be supported by a masterclass in creating an academic poster.


Registration to attend the conference will open on Monday 8 January 2018.

 

BU’s Professor Tim Darvill nominated for Archaeologist of the Year 2018

Professor of Archaeology Tim Darvill has been shortlisted for Archaeologist of the Year 2018 by Current Archaeology magazine.

It is the 10th annual Current Archaeology Awards, celebrating the projects and publications that have been in the magazine over the past 12 months.

Professor Darvill, who is also Director of the Centre for Archaeology and Anthropology at BU, said: “It is a real honour to even be shortlisted for such an award and, of course, wouldn’t be possible without the colleagues I’ve worked alongside.”

Tim has directed many projects, including an excavation in 2008 at Stonehenge together with Geoff Wainwright. Today, Timothy is the only person alive who’s directed an excavation inside the monument’s stones.

Outside of the UK, he has led projects in Germany, Russia, Greece, Malta and the Isle of Man.

Tim has also published widely on archaeology and has given local, regional and national TV and radio interviews on the subject.

Voting closes on 5 February 2018 and the winners will be announced on 23 February.

You can find out more information and cast your vote for Archaeologist of the Year here.

NHS Research Ethics Committee Members day 2017

Tuesday saw the annual NHS Research Ethics Committee (REC) members training day in London. The learning outcomes of the day were:

  • To provide overview of the pilot work being undertaken in preparation for EU Clinical Trials Regulation
  • To introduce the REWARD Alliance and,
  • To consider how ethics committess can encourage researchers to engage more fully with the scientific literature both before and after studies are conducted

The morning focussed on updates on ethics regulatory procedures, the EU (see link below for slides) and changes in the Data Protection Act (but not the law of confidentiality) that have implications beyond healthcare research. There is also movement for a Public Involvement in Ethical Review (PIER) service, as well as adopting ‘e-consent’ for participation in health research.

EU Regulation_UK Research Ethics Service

The afternoon focussed on the REWARD Alliance and how ethics committees (and researchers) can help reduce waste in research. This group was established to promote a series of articles on research published in early 2014 in The Lancet.

Figure: Stages of waste in producing and reporting of research evidence (Chalmers & Glasziou, The Lancet 2009).

As a researcher and ethical reviewer, the day was insightful, interesting and relevant. Knowledge of the REWARD Alliance, particularly how researchers should diligently plan and prepare projects with clear pathways to dissemination. Although publishing demands differ between academia and industry (including pharmaceutical companies), all research should be designed fom the outset with clear outputs to communicate the findings.

If you would like further information from the day, send me an email.

James

Funding opportunities : Industrial Collaboration

IF you currently have a good working relationship with an industry partner and you are seeking funding opportunities for future/further collaborations, you and your industry partner might find the funding opportunities below useful. Please note that some of these will require working with industry with some of the funders specifically targeting the industry partner as the lead.

Food Innovation Network innovation vouchers

Innovate UK, GB

This new fund is aimed at helping support small businesses with a bright idea to develop their concepts in partnership with researchers or academic institutions. These support small food and drink business innovators with an idea to develop their concepts in partnership with researchers or academic institutions. The competition, run on behalf of Defra by the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN), will support projects of three to six months.

Maximum award: £5,000

Closing date: 12 Jan 18

Industrial fuel switching market engagement study

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, GB

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is calling for tenders for its industrial fuel switching market engagement study. The tenderer will focus on the potential for low carbon fuel switching across industry, identifying a range of potential technologies that through fuel switching can reduce the carbon intensity of industry and should include a review of the existing evidence, starting with the 2050 Roadmaps; identifying the types of process technologies that require a fuel (energy) and determine the potential for fuel substitution to a low carbon fuel; develop a list of technologies with future market potential and support the technology developers in detailing the potential carbon saving.

 

The contract is worth £200,000.

Maximum award: £200,000

Closing date: 12 Jan 18

 

Preparatory action – digital transformation of European industry

Digital Single Market, EU

The European Commission is launching a Call for proposals for a preparatory action in the field of digital transformation of European industry for a maximum amount of €1.494.000

The European Commission is launching a Call for proposals for a preparatory action in the field of digital transformation of European industry for a maximum amount of €1.494.000

The aim of the preparatory action is to develop a coherent, coordinated and sustainable approach to enhance the engagement of all relevant stakeholders interested in the digitisation of European industry (business, academia, research organisations and civil society) and to inform, prepare and help them develop projects designed to face the new transformations.

Maximum award: €1,494,000

Closing date: 31 Jan 18

Please do get in touch with Ehren Milner (emilner@bournemouth.ac.uk) at RKEO for further queries.

New projects in the Student Project Bank

Here is a roundup of the latest projects submitted to the SPB:

SPB085: Website redevelopment for a national healthcare society

The current website has limited functionality, is unattractive and paid members get limited benefits for their money. Benefits for paid members such as access to a confidential discussion forum and free webinars are underused. Carry out a baseline assessment of the organisation and members’ needs in order to make recommendations for adjustments to the website. Propose and implement changes to the website based on this assessment.

SPB086: Internal communication strategy to increase the use of a national healthcare society’s website by its members

The organisation is looking to encourage members to more effectively utilise the online content provided with their membership. Benefits for paid members include access to a confidential discussion forum and free webinars. Create an internal marketing strategy to increase the usage of the website by their members. This project can be undertaken in conjunction with SPB087: Marketing plan for a national healthcare society.

SPB087: Marketing plan for a national healthcare society

The organisation is looking to increase the usage of their website by non-members. Create a marketing strategy to increase the usage of the website and raise awareness of the organisation. This project can be undertaken in conjunction with SPB086: Internal communication strategy for a national healthcare society.

SPB088: Online marketing plan for a local charity

Based in Poole, Dorset, Harbour Challenge Outdoor Adventure Centre is a registered charity offering affordable access to a wide range of land and water based outdoor adventure activities to people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. As a charity, the organisation relies on income from the activities they provide. Identify social media marketing opportunities to enable the charity to reach a wider audience and maximise their internet presence. Provide a list of recommendations on how this can be achieved as well as relevant marketing materials.

SPB90: Marketing plan for a local charity

The Leonardo Trust is a registered charity set up to make life a little easier for those who care full-time for others. Presently, The Leonardo Trust benefits 250 carers in Dorset per year. Their aim is to double this reach through paid advertising and marketing. Develop a marketing strategy to expand the reach of The Leonardo Trust to increase community engagement.

SPB91: Explore funding opportunities for The Happiness Course

The Happiness Course is an 8 hour course based on positive psychology and delivered over 2 or 4 weeks (or a weekend). Explore ways The Happiness Course can raise fund or attract investors in order to be able to offer the course to those who need it for a low cost.

SPB92: Marketing plan for The Happiness Course

The Happiness Course is an 8 hour course based on positive psychology and delivered over 2 or 4 weeks (or a weekend). Compile a low-cost marketing plan to enable The Happiness Course to reach a wider audience in the local area. Include recommendations on how to implement the plan.

SPB93: Promotional videos for a digital print company 

RPM Digital Print was started in 1991 and has grown into a fully integrated print and multi-channel marketing communications service provider. Create two short videos (2 minutes each) to showcase the work of the company. The first video will introduce the company, their location and printing products. The second video will be based around their marketing technology. These videos will be featured on the website and on social media.

Apply now:

Projects are available to all undergraduate and postgraduate students at BU and can be used for dissertations, assignments, unit, or group work. Send us an email to request a project brief and application form.

Inaugural lecture: #hashtags, handhelds and handbags: enabling students to blend life and learning

In this public lecture Professor Debbie Holley will explore the impact of technology as an enabler as our students navigate their way through increasingly complex and ‘messy’ lives, juggling debt, work, caring responsibilities and study. Technology is not only a tool, but offers insights into the lives of others, and possibilities of building networks and studying in different spaces. What should our response as educators be?

This interactive lecture will be preceding by a one hour ‘suite of innovation’ where attendees will be able to try out some of the innovations in learning BU offers its students, including Oculus Rift, Google Cardboard, augmented reality, Mentimeter and BU’s new Virtual Learning Environment ‘Brightspace’ . Our Learning Technology team will be on hand to help you get set up to tweet the event (#TalkBU), to download Google Cardboard App, Zappar App and chat about their work.

Professor Holley is the Professor of Learning Innovation and the Head of our Centre for Excellence in Learning at Bournemouth University. A passionate educator, she is a National Teaching Fellow and Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. A JISC ‘Digital Expert’, she leads on digital innovation to encourage students to blend and personalise their learning inside and outside the formal classroom. Internationally her work is acknowledged through her research into the student experience and education futures.

You can book your free tickets here.

Lifting the Lid on the Future of Food – STEAMLab 25th January 2018

On Thursday 25th January 2018, BU’s Research and Knowledge Exchange Office (RKEO) will be hosting a Food STEAMLab.

Which means…?

We’re seeking to come up with novel research which addresses challenges in the future of food. With increasing pressure on food sources and the food industry, we need to consider how food security can be guaranteed for the future. Potential areas to address this challenge may include but are not limited to, malnutrition/nutrition, agriculture, logistics, robotics, supply chain, new forms of food, sustainability, political/economic problems, food policy, food waste & recycling, and climate & the environment.

So, who should attend?

STEAMLabs cover broad themes to ensure that they are open to everyone from all disciplines. So if you think you have something to contribute then come along.  If you think that they don’t include you then please have a chat with your RKEO Facilitator who can explain how your research could make a vital contribution to new ideas and approaches. In order to encourage wider partnerships, each STEAMLab will include academics from other universities, as well as representatives from industry and other sectors.

What do I need to prepare in advance? What will the STEAMLab entail?

Absolutely nothing in advance. During the session, you’ll be guided through a process which results in the development of research ideas. The process facilitates creativity, potentially leading to innovative and interdisciplinary research ideas. These ideas will be explored with other attendees, and further developed based on the feedback received.

What if I don’t have time to think about ideas in advance?

You don’t need to do this but it will help. Attendees will come from a range of backgrounds so we expect that there will be lively conversations resulting from these different perspectives.

What about afterwards? Do I need to go away and do loads of work?

Well… that depends! The interactive day will result in some novel research ideas. Some of these may be progressed immediately; others might need more time to develop. You may find common ground with other attendees which you choose to take forward in other ways, such as writing a paper or applying for research funding. Your Research Facilitator will be on hand to support you as you develop bids for funding.

What if my topic area is really specific, and doesn’t really relate to food?

Your contribution will be very welcome! One of the main benefits of this type of event is to bring together individuals with a range of backgrounds and specialisms who are able to see things just that bit differently to one another.

So, is this just networking?

Definitely not! It is a facilitated session with the primary intention of developing innovative research ideas, which also enables the development of networks. It gives you the opportunity to explore research ideas which you may develop over time, together with the chance to find common ground with academics from across BU and beyond.

How do I book onto this event?

To take part in this exciting opportunity, BU staff should request a place by emailing RKEDevFramework as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

This event will be held in the EBC, Lansdowne Campus.

If you have any queries prior to submitting your application, please contact Lisa Gale-Andrews, RKEO Research Facilitator.

This event is part of the Research Knowledge Exchange Development Framework.

 

SURE 2018 – applications for BU’s undergraduate research conference close on 21 December

Bournemouth University’s annual undergraduate research conference – Showcasing Undergraduate Research Excellence (SURE) – returns for a third year in March 2018

As well as giving students a supportive platform to showcase the quality of work they do, it gives others at BU an insight into the excellent research undertaken by our undergraduates.  Not only is it a unique opportunity to further develop skills, prizes will also be available which include a fee waiver for a Master’s course at BU for the best overall contributor.

All undergraduate students at BU are eligible to apply, as are recent graduates.  Examples of research could be anything from preparing for a dissertation or an essay to work carried out during a placement year to volunteering or work with academic societies.  The key criteria is to be able to evidence critical thinking through the work.

The submission deadline for abstracts is 21 December.  Please do encourage your students to apply.

You can download two lecture slides showing the benefits of taking part in SURE here..


How to apply

To apply to present at SURE 2018, students will need to submit an application form, which includes a 250 word abstract, to sure@bournemouth.ac.uk.  Please read our ‘how to apply’ guidance first.

Abstracts will be accepted for oral or poster presentations.  If a student would like to present your research through another medium – a film, art exhibition or performance – please contact sure@bournemouth.ac.uk initially.

The deadline for submitting abstracts is Thursday, 21 December, 2017.

 


Prizes

Best overall contribution – a fee waiver to any BU Master’s

Best original research via oral presentation – 4 x £350 funding (1 per Faculty) for students to attend and present their research at the British Conference of Undergraduate Research

Best poster, demonstration or art installation: 4 x £25 Amazon voucher (1 per Faculty)

 


Conference attendance

SURE 2018 will take place on Wednesday 7 March 2018.  Registration for the conference will open in January 2018.

Staff and students from across BU are encouraged and welcome to attend.


 

For any queries, please contact sure@bournemouth.ac.uk or visit www.bournemouth.ac.uk/SURE2018.

BU Briefing – Exploiting temporal stability and low-rank structure for motion capture data refinement

Our BU briefing papers are designed to make our research outputs accessible and easily digestible so that our research findings can quickly be applied – whether to society, culture, public policy, services, the environment or to improve quality of life. They have been created to highlight research findings and their potential impact within their field. 


In recent years, motion capture data (mocap) have been widely used in computer games, film production and sport sciences. The great success of animated and animation enhanced feature films, such as Avatar, provide compelling evidence for the values of mocap techniques. However, even with the most expensive commercial mocap systems, there are still instances where noise and missing data are inevitable.

This paper examines the motion refinement problem and presents an effective framework to solve it, demonstrated by extensive experiments on both synthetic and real data. The experiment shows that the proposed method outperforms all competitors not only in predicting missing values but also in de-noising most of the time.

Click here to read the briefing paper.


For more information about the research, contact Dr Xiaosong Yang at xyang@bournemouth.ac.uk or Professor Jian Jun Zhang at jzhang@bournemouth.ac.uk.
To find out how your research output could be turned into a BU Briefing, contact research@bournemouth.ac.uk.

Fact Check: does the north of England now get as much transport spending as the south?

File 20171201 10116 1fabz7e.jpg?ixlib=rb 1.1

Shutterstock

When you include those centrally funded and locally delivered projects, this government is spending more per head on transport in the northwest than we are in the southeast.

Chris Grayling, Sectary of State for Transport, 21 September 2017

There is a widely held view, fuelled by the media, that the north of England is hard done by when it comes to transport spending. Over 70,000 people recently signed a petition to the transport secretary, Chris Grayling, calling for more investment in transport in the north. Grayling has responded by saying the figures used to make this assessment are misleading, and that the northwest region now receives more transport spending than the southeast.

The issue of transport spending is awash with statistics. A recent House of Commons document confirmed that public spending on transport in absolute, per person and modal average terms is higher in parts of the north than in the southeast region outside London but not in the capital itself. In the 2015/16 financial year, transport spending per person was £401 in the northwest, £380 in Yorkshire and the Humber, and £299 in the northeast. For the southeast, it was £365 per head, while for London it was £973.

The think tank IPPR North has estimated that from 2016/17 onwards, the figures will be £680 for the northwest, £190 for Yorkshire and Humber, and £220 for the northeast. The southeast will get £226 and London £1,040.

So Grayling is right to say the northwest is doing well right now compared to the southeast (not including London), which is receiving similar amounts to the other northern regions. But this ignores the fact that London still receives far more than any other part of the country.

The problem with these kind of figures for individual years is that they can skew the overall picture of spending. For example, money for large infrastructure projects such as Crossrail in London and the southeast, and Manchester’s Metrolink programme, tend to be allocated to the particular years when the projects are completed.

Looking at all the spending data over a longer period of time is a better indicator of the gap between north and south. In terms of total transport spending, the southeast has actually received 13% more than the northwest since 2011/12. And looking at bus and rail services, London has received over five times more public spending in the last five years than the northwest.

But the real picture is even more complicated than this. Transport infrastructure in London is not just for Londoners. Many people in the southeast benefit hugely from London transport spending, especially those who commute in every day. Yet people from elsewhere in Britain also benefit when they visit, as do millions of international tourists.

London is very different from the other English regions, with much greater population density and a more mobile workforce. Its transport serves a different, wider purpose and also benefits from local government funding because of devolution. So a like-for-like comparison is inherently misleading.

The government’s recent budget has also gone some way to further reducing the north-south divide. The northeast will receive £337m for new rolling stock on the 40-year-old Tyne and Wear Metro network. Greater Manchester has been promised £240m to ease road congestion. A £1.7 billion fund will improve links between city centres and suburbs across the country. But the lack of news about the much-needed modernisation of the Manchester to Leeds transPennine route put on hold earlier this year is very disappointing, and Leeds still desperately needs a new mass transit system.

Verdict

It might come as a surprise for those in the northwest and Yorkshire to hear that they get about the same amount of transport spending (or more) than the southeast, but at the moment it is technically true. The northeast, meanwhile, remains the poor relation in every measurement of spending. But these simple facts don’t take account of the much higher spending in London or the very different circumstances by which this money is allocated.

Review

Derek Robbins, Senior Lecturer in Transport and Tourism, Bournemouth University

This is a comprehensive review of current transport investment and expenditure, well illustrated by published data. It can be difficult to separate data from political spin and government PR, which have the unnerving tendency to portray funding that has already been allocated as if it were newly announced. But the underlying premise of this article that transport investment in the northwest and Yorkshire has increased is well made.

I take greater issue with the conclusion that recent announcements have gone some way to further reducing the north-south divide. As the article illustrates, long-term investment is a better indicator, and the north still has some considerable catching up to do. The new projects are only a first step. I would also describe the lack of progress towards a modernised and reliable transPennine rail route as more than disappointing, given that it is an essential investment for future economic growth in the north.

While I also accept that London is different, I think the benefits of the capital’s transport links to the other English regions can be easily overstated.

 

Colin Bamford, Associate Dean, Business School, University of Huddersfield

Reviewed by Derek Robbins, Senior Lecturer in Transport and Tourism, Bournemouth University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.