Category / BU research

Congratulations to Dr. Shanti Farrington & colleagues

international, open access, writing

Today ResearchGate announced that the paper ‘The Interdisciplinary Research Team not the Interdisciplinarist’ [1] has been read 3,000 times.  The paper, with psychologist Dr. Shanti Farrington (previously Shanker) as lead author, was written with colleagues from (a) the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences, namely Dr. Pramod Regmi and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen; (b) the NHS, Ms. Jillian Ireland, Professional Midwifery Advocate in University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust; (c) the University of Huddersfield, namely Prof. Padam Simkhada, who is also Visiting Professor at BU; and (d) the University of Greenwich, in the person of Dr. Sharada P. Wasti (previously based at the University of Huddersfield).

This methods paper addresses some of the pitfalls and barriers to being an interdisciplinary researcher. Being involved in interdisciplinary research is not an easy option for an individual discipline expert. It requires individual skills, ability to see beyond one’s discipline and perhaps personality characteristics such as a great team player. Interdisciplinary research may involve a mixed-methods approach underpinned by conflicting, and according to some, incommensurable research philosophies.

This paper on working interdisciplinary is part of a suit of academic papers on the topic written by some of the same authors [2-3].  All papers are fully open access and hence freely accessible across the globe to anyone with an internet connection.

 

References:

  1. Shanker, S., Wasti, S.P., Ireland, J., Regmi, P., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2021) The Interdisciplinary Team Not the Interdisciplinarist: Reflections on Interdisciplinary Research, Europasian Journal of Medical Sciences 3(2): 1-5. https://doi.org/10.46405/ejms.v3i2.317
  2. van Teijlingen, E., Regmi, P., Adhikary, P., Aryal, N., Simkhada, P. (2019). Interdisciplinary Research in Public Health: Not quite straightforward. Health Prospect, 18(1), 4-7. https://doi.org/10.3126/hprospect.v18i1.19337
  3. Wasti, S. P., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P. (2020) Public Health is truly interdisciplinary. Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences, 6(1):21-22.

 

 

 

 

 

20th Anniversary of Nobel Prize novelist’s classic science fiction novel – World Literature Podcast YouTube episode

To mark the Twentieth Anniversary of Nobel Prize-winning British author Kazuo Ishiguro’s modern classic Never Let Me Go, BU Principal Academic Dr Yugin Teo from the Faculty of Media and Communication participated in a three-part edition of the World Literature Podcast on YouTube, together with Prof Laura Colombino from the University of Genova, hosted by Dr Ivan Stacy.

World Literature Podcast logo

World Literature Podcast logo

 Part 1 of the podcast examines the cultural impact the novel has had since its publication in 2005, and its importance as a work of dystopian and science fiction: https://youtu.be/Ttsz-Vt2MbE?si=6pSX_jfu5FAwJNDq 

Part 2 discusses how the novel deals with memory and how it speaks to contemporary politics: https://youtu.be/1vILMft2DkQ?si=e6EKu33CFFuMOAyZ

The final part features recommendations for further reading and predictions for Ishiguro’s next novel: https://youtu.be/C8Ox0nSeB_0?si=sQYF3Sj5xRyoEVuD

Alzheimer’s Awareness Week – join us in BGB tomorrow

Join us in learning more about Alzheimer’s and Dementia!

As part of Alzheimer’s Awareness Week, we are excited to invite you to our event on Tuesday 20th May at Bournemouth Gateway Building (BG115/116), hosted by the ADRC, including a variety of sessions open to public, staff and students all around dementia awareness and current research.
We will be holding various dementia-related sessions and talks between 11:00-14:00 open to all, including research on VR and dementia, working with the veteran community and the Time for Dementia programme.
Following this, we are delighted to host our Insight Dementia resource launch event at 15:00-16:30 (further information available via calendar invite). This resource has been designed as an educational tool for hospital staff and can be used alongside our Insight Dementia virtual reality film to maximise learning opportunities. We will also be demonstrating the Insight Dementia virtual reality film in this session, so we warmly welcome you to come and view via the VR headset for a fully immersive experience.
Please do feel free to share details of this event or forward to any relevant contacts you have and let us know if you are available to join us!
Date: Tuesday 20th May 2025
Time: 11-2pm and 15:00-16:30
Location: Bournemouth Gateway Building, Room BG115/116
This free event is open to staff and students to attend. If you are planning to attend the Insight Dementia session later in the afternoon, please book a free ticket on our Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1355078198369
For more information, please contact Becky Dew rdew@bournemouth.ac.uk

PhD supervision is good for you

BU Challenges, international, Publishing, REF Subjects, student research, writing

Some people in academia (and many outside it) don’t appreciate the importance of PhD supervision .  An academic supervising PhD students is not merely for the educational purposes, or in other words, for the benefits of the postgraduate student.  The value of postgraduate supervision lies in pushing the boundaries of knowledge, about testing new ideas, new approaches or even new methods.

Interestingly, enough it means that PhD supervision for an academic is also about developing their own ideas, expanding one’s CV, and developing one’s career.  Whilst for the university it is also for the wider benefit of research for the wider society.  The latter means that PhD students help improve the REF (Research Excellence Framework) scores for a university, through metrics such as number and proportion of PhD completions, but also through papers based on PhD research co-authored with staff.  It always amazes me how some outsider regard PhD supervision as simply more of the same, i.e. not that different from supervising an undergraduate student.

Looking at my ow CV, some of my best papers have been co-written with PhD students, including my most cited paper on SCOPUS [1]. Moreover, as the graph of my h-index [checked SCOPUS for May 19th 2025] shows four of my top eight highest cited papers were co-authored with postgraduate students [1-4].  Papers that would not have been written without the postgraduate student conducting knowledge-advancing research!

Not surprisingly, three of the four former PhD students who co-authored these highly-cited papers are now in academic positions across the UK (the fourth one has retired).  These four highlighted papers are not just looking good on my CV, they are also highly ranked within their respective journals.  The first paper [1] is the 28th most cited paper in the Journal of Advanced Nursing, an impressive 28th position out of 12,762 articles ever published by this international journal.  Similarly, the paper ‘Women’s autonomy in decision-making for health care: Demographic study in Nepal’ [2] is the 10th most cited paper in Reproductive Health, whilst ‘ To tell or not to tell: Barriers and facilitators in family communication about genetic risk’ [3] is the 20th most article in Clinical Genetics.  Last, but not least, ‘Risk, Theory, Social & Medical Models: critical analysis of the concept of risk in maternity care’ [4] is the 17th most cited article (out of 3,910) in the international journal Midwifery.

 

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health

 

 

References:

  1. Simkhada, B., van Teijlingen E., Porter, M., Simkhada, P. (2008) Factors affecting the utilisation of antenatal care in developing countries: a systematic review of the literature, Journal of Advanced Nursing 61(3): 244-260.
  2. Acharya, D.R., Bell, J., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E, Regmi, P.R. (2010) Women’s autonomy in decision-making for health care: Demographic study in Nepal. Reproductive Health 9(15) reproductive-health-journal.com/content/pdf/1742-4755-7-15.pdf
  3. Forrest, K., Simpson, S., Wilson, B.J., van Teijlingen E, McKee L, Haites, N., Matthews E. (2003) To tell or not to tell: Barriers and facilitators in family communication about genetic risk,Clinical Genetics, 64: 317-26.
  4. MacKenzie Bryers H., van Teijlingen, E. (2010) Risk, Theory, Social & Medical Models: critical analysis of the concept of risk in maternity care, Midwifery 26(5): 488-496.

 

 

 

Pioneering Research to Tackle Maternity Disparities: BU Academics Lead Major NIHR Initiative

Women's Academic Network

We’re thrilled to announce that Bournemouth University (BU) is at the forefront of a significant national effort to address inequalities in maternity outcomes. Two distinguished professors from across our faculties, Professor Huseyin Dogan and Professor Vanora Hundley, have been appointed to lead crucial workstreams within the prestigious National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Maternity Disparities project over the next five years.

This vital initiative aims to make a tangible difference in the lives of mothers and babies by tackling the complex factors that contribute to disparities in maternity care and outcomes.

Professor Huseyin Dogan will co-lead the Digital, data, monitoring, evaluation and implementation science workstream. His expertise will be instrumental in leveraging innovative digital tools and robust data analysis to better understand and address existing inequalities. This workstream will focus on developing effective strategies for monitoring progress and ensuring that evidence-based interventions are successfully implemented in practice. Prof Dogan has also played a pivotal role in curriculum innovation at BU, co-founding several innovative MSc programs, including the UK’s first MSc Digital Health.

Professor Vanora Hundley has been appointed as a Capacity Training and Development Lead. As part of the Capacity Development Group, she will be responsible for developing an ambitious programme to inspire, develop and support the next generation of maternity disparities researchers. Vanora will also oversee the capacity development programme within the MIHERC collaboration. She is an experienced mentor for career young researchers and has received international recognition for her work in mentoring clinical academics: Sigma Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame (2020) and a European Recognition award (2023).

Adding further strength to this ambitious project, Professor Edwin van Teijlingen and Dr Deniz Cetinkaya will also be integral members of the team, providing their expertise and support over the next five years.

This significant involvement in the NIHR Maternity Disparities project is also anticipated to bring substantial research funding to BU, with projections estimating over one million pounds will be secured over the next five years through their respective roles and internal consortium project proposals. This investment will further fuel their research and impact in this critical area.

In a proactive move to lay the groundwork for the NIHR project, the BU team has collaborated with Sheffield Hallam University to establish the Maternal & Infant Health Equity Research Centre (MIHERC). This dedicated centre will serve as a hub for cutting-edge research, collaboration, and knowledge sharing in maternal and infant health equity. We encourage you to explore the centre’s website for more information: https://miherc.org/.

MIHERC is already actively engaged in shaping the discourse around these critical issues. The team has commenced the organisation and chairing of impactful events, including the upcoming Artificial Intelligence for Maternity and Women’s Health and Wellbeing session at the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare (AIiH 2025). Further details about this exciting session can be found here: https://aiih.cc/maternity-and-women-health-wellbeing/.

Locally, the project will benefit from strong collaborations within Dorset. The team is working closely with NHS Dorset and Dorset Women CIC to address inequalities in women’s health.

This collaborative effort has already seen the launch of a valuable Women’s Health resource this month, demonstrating the immediate impact of this work.

The BU team is deeply committed to this crucial research and will continue to keep the wider community informed of their progress and key milestones over the next five years. This initiative represents a significant step forward in our collective efforts to ensure equitable and positive maternity experiences for all. Stay tuned for further updates!

The whole team at Bournemouth University 08.01.25

The whole team at Bournemouth University 08.01.25

Upcoming 3C Event – Culture, Community & Canapés

PG research

The Doctoral College 3C event is approaching! All PGRs and Supervisors are invited.  

Following feedback we received at the PGR Engagement Champions meetings, we will be hosting this 3C event at the later time of 16:00-17:30.

For this 3C event, we have swapped out the usual cake for something a little fancier — canapés! Join us and enjoy delicious bites and mingle with colleagues in an informal setting.

Whether you are new to the university or a seasoned researcher, this is the perfect opportunity to:

✨ Catch up with peers

🤝 Meet new faces

🧠 Share ideas and experiences

🥂 Enjoy some tasty food and drinks!

Join us Tuesday 20 May 16:00-17:30 on the fifth floor in the Student Centre, Talbot Campus.

Register here

Let’s foster collaboration, support and networking!

Keep an eye on the Doctoral College Brightspace to stay up to date on all future 3C events.

Postgraduate Research Summer Social – tickets on sale

PG research

Tickets are now on sale for the Doctoral College Summer Social for the Postgraduate Research community at the delightful Branksome Dene Room. Situated in a stunning location that overlooks the beach, with amazing views of the sea to Old Harry Rocks.

We’ve booked this unique location for the exclusive use of PGRs and Supervisors for the afternoon to unwind and catch up with your fellow researchers and academics.

The Doctoral College PGR events at Branksome Dene Room are always a hit so we hope you can join us!

We are pleased to offer a Greek style lunch menu including a pita with your choice of filling (chicken souvlaki, vegetarian or vegan) served with chips, a salad bar, teas, coffees and soft drinks! You are also welcome to bring your own refreshments to enjoy.

Booking and event details can be found here.

Ticket: £5

Please note there are limited spaces available, so please book as soon as possible if you would like to attend. 

If you have any questions, please do get in touch: pgrskillsdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk

LinkedIn: Doctoral College – Bournemouth University

X: @BUDocCollege | #BUDoctoralCollege

Bridging the Digital Divide: How Older Adults Navigate a Digital Society

On 7th May 2025, we hosted an event focused on the theme “Ageing in a Digital World”. Attendees were local older adults, stakeholders including staff from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, and academic researchers from the ADRC. During the event attendees explored the research project photo exhibition    before taking part in round table discussions on the topic.

 

The photo exhibition featured a series of photographs and quotes from older adults to showcase how technology is reshaping the lives, identities, and social connections of older generations. Whilst the round table discussions provided an opportunity for attendees to reflect on the exhibition and tackled critical questions focused on digital inclusion for older adults. Together with the research findings, the responses will contribute to a toolkit focused on digital inclusion of older adults.
Thank you to everyone who attended, contributed, and supported this event. If you missed the photo exhibition don’t worry you can still catch it at Kinson Library from 26th May to 21st June 2025.
For more information, please see the project webpage http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/centres-institutes/ageing-dementia-research-centre/adrc-research-participation-group or contact Dr Michelle Heward mheward@bournemouth.ac.uk
This project is funded by the British Society of Gerontology (BSG) Averil Osborn Award for Participatory Research. The views expressed and discussed may not represent the views of the BSG.

ADRC launches new DEALTS2 train-the-trainer video series

Researchers at Bournemouth University have launched a new video-based dementia training series designed to support anyone wishing to use the Dementia Education And Learning Through Simulation 2 (DEALTS2) training materials in their own dementia training.

DEALTS2 is a simulation-based dementia toolkit to support the delivery of dementia education across health and social care. The Ageing & Dementia Research Centre were commissioned by Health Education England (HEE) (now NHS England) to develop the DEALTS2 resources, including the video series designed with five videos focused on:
1. Overview of the DEALTS2 programme
2. Risk reduction and prevention module
3. Person centred-care module
4. Communication and interaction module
5. How to evaluate sessions and ideas for ongoing support staff after the training
There are several simulation activities that form part of the DEALTS2 training. The video series is designed to enable those who deliver dementia training to see how these simulations work so that they can decide if they would like to use them in their own training.
To access the DEALTS2 train-the-trainer video series, you will need to complete this form.
DEALTS2 Training Toolkits
The video series is designed to be used alongside the DEALTS2 toolkits (i) DEALTS2 for face-to-face delivery and (ii) e-DEALTS2 for online delivery. The DEALTS2 Toolkits are free to download, use and adapt.
To access the toolkits please visit:
|https://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/projects/dementia-education-learning-through-simulation-2-dealts2-programme
For more information, please contact Dr Michelle Heward mheward@bournemouth.ac.uk

ADRC launches new DEALTS2 train-the-trainer video series

Researchers at Bournemouth University have launched a new video-based dementia training series designed to support anyone wishing to use the Dementia Education And Learning Through Simulation 2 (DEALTS2) training materials in their own dementia training.

DEALTS2 is a simulation-based dementia toolkit to support the delivery of dementia education across health and social care. The Ageing & Dementia Research Centre were commissioned by Health Education England (HEE) (now NHS England) to develop the DEALTS2 resources, including the video series designed with five videos focused on:
1. Overview of the DEALTS2 programme
2. Risk reduction and prevention module
3. Person centred-care module
4. Communication and interaction module
5. How to evaluate sessions and ideas for ongoing support staff after the training
There are several simulation activities that form part of the DEALTS2 training. The video series is designed to enable those who deliver dementia training to see how these simulations work so that they can decide if they would like to use them in their own training.
To access the DEALTS2 train-the-trainer video series, you will need to complete this form.
DEALTS2 Training Toolkits
The video series is designed to be used alongside the DEALTS2 toolkits (i) DEALTS2 for face-to-face delivery and (ii) e-DEALTS2 for online delivery. The DEALTS2 Toolkits are free to download, use and adapt.
To access the toolkits please visit:https://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/projects/dementia-education-learning-through-simulation-2-dealts2-programme
For more information, please contact Dr Michelle Heward mheward@bournemouth.ac.uk

Sarah Morton, PhD student short listed for Nursing Times Award.

Awarded & submitted bids, BRIAN, BU Challenges, Centre for Excellence in Learning, Fusion

Congratulations to Sarah Moreton, PhD student at Bournemouth University, who was nominated and shortlisted for her research into the challenges faced by the nursing workforce in implementing the COVID-19 vaccination programme during the pandemic. A great achievement Sarah – very well done.

The awards bring together the nursing community to celebrate the brightest talent in the profession and to recognise innovation, inclusivity, and patient-centred care. The event aims to honour individuals who go above and beyond to inspire excellence across the nursing and midwifery community, contributing to the advancement of patient care and the healthcare profession as a whole.

The awards showcase innovation, perseverance, and outstanding contributions across 25 categories, spanning a diverse range of nursing specialties—including mental health, community care, inclusivity, and sustainability in nursing and midwifery.

Insight Dementia educational resource: now available!

We are delighted to share with you the new Insight Dementia resource.

Developed in collaboration with students, staff, healthcare professionals, carers and individuals living with dementia, this resource has been designed as an educational tool for hospital staff and is full of useful information, advice and exercises to aid reflection and learning on how to best care for people living with dementia.

View the new resource:
The resource is designed to be used with the Insight Dementia virtual reality film. Further information on the resource and this work, alongside the link for the film, can be found on our project page: www.bournemouth.ac.uk/insight-dementia
Huge thanks to all involved in the creation of these materials, including Tracey Webb and Jakob Rossner in the filming of the VR film, as well as Caroline Hemmings (Creative Design and and Administrative Support Officer) for her support and creativity in putting the content together.

NIHR Global Health Research Academy 2025

international, PG research

The 2025 NIHR Global Health Research Academy Member event will take place on Tuesday 13th and Wednesday 14th May.  The NIHR recognizes that career progression is a common challenge for early-career researchers. This year the event’s theme is ‘Empowering Early-Career Researchers: Navigating Careers in Global Health’. This two-day online event aims to equip participants from across the globe with the skills and knowledge to navigate and build a career in global health research.

Bournemouth University staff and students participating in the NIHR Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation Call 4: Drowning Prevention for newly mobile infants under 2 years in Bangladesh programme have been invited.  This NIHR-funded project is called Sonamoni and BU’s student Md. Shafkat Hossain, whose PhD assessed the work in Bangladesh, is one the participants, as is our colleague from Bangladesh Notan Dutta.  In the afternoon BU’s Edwin van Teijlingen who will be chairing a session on ‘Funding & Grant Writing’.

Sonamoni is being coordinated by Bournemouth University in collaboration with the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research (CIPRB) in Bangladesh as well as the University of the West of England, Bristol, the University of Southampton, Design Without Borders (DWB) in Uganda, and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). This project, with Prof. Dr. Aminur Rahman (at CIPRB) as Bangladesh lead,  includes the above mentioned BU-based PhD project.  The interdisciplinary team at Bournemouth University covers three faculties through: Dr. Mavis Bengtsson, Dr. Kyungjoo Cha, Dr. Mehdi Chowdhury, Dr. Yong Hun Lim, Mr. John Powell, and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen.

Targeted workshops for REF 2029 impact case study teams

REF 2029 impact case studies

Limited places available – sign up now for May and June!

DATES & TIMES

Friday 30th May, 9.30am-1pm, F306, Fusion Building, Talbot Campus
Developing Policy Engagement for Impact BOOK HERE

Wednesday 11th June, 9.30am-1pm, online via Zoom
Developing Policy Engagement for Impact (same content) BOOK HERE

Thursday 26th June, 9.30am-12.30pm, FG04, Fusion Building, Talbot Campus
Getting your REF Impact Case Study off the Ground BOOK HERE

KEY DETAILS

Developing Policy Engagement for Impact
Facilitated by BU’s policy consultant Carys Davis, this provides expert advice on navigating the policy landscape to ensure your research reaches and informs decision makers. Topics covered:

  • The purpose of influencing, the role of evidence and what it means for you 
  • Writing elevator pitches and key messages 
  • Principles of communicating with policy and decision makers 
  • Effective policy writing 
  • Understanding the policymaking landscape. 

Getting your REF Impact Case Study off the Ground
Research impact consultant Bella Reichard delivers this workshop, which she describes as “part training, part retreat” to help provide clarity in developing a polished impact case study for REF 2029. This includes:

  • Creating a narrative arc
  • Guidance writing your own summary of impact
  • Devising an action plan
  • Focus on evaluation and evidence of impact.

Who are these workshops for?

  1. All sessions are aimed primarily at researchers considering, or in the process of, preparing an impact case study for submission to REF 2029.
  2. They are not limited to a single person per potential case study – it can be useful for teams and/or relevant impact champions to attend together.
  3. If you are not sure if they are suitable for you, please contact your UOA impact champion.