Join Genoveva Esteban and Katie Thompson from the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences for our virtual event this British Science Week. We have lots of activities for you, your family, and friends to get involved in; everyone is welcome! From wildlife colouring sheets to a live talk with the Linnean Society, there is something for everyone. All details can be found on our event website: https://bubsw.squarespace.com/. If you have any questions, please email me on thompsonk@bournemouth.ac.uk. We look forward to seeing you there!
Category / Events
NERC Impact Development Programme – deadline extended to 9 March
Open to all environmental scientists working in NERC’s remit – you don’t have to be NERC-funded to apply.
If you would like to increase the impact of your environmental science research, and want to improve your skills in using public engagement to achieve this, then the NERC Impact Development Programme could be for you.
In partnership with the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement, the programme will cover the breadth of issues you might encounter, from choosing the best type of public engagement for your specific research; to working through practical issues; to considering how to evaluate your public engagement to find out if it was worth it.
Find out more
The programme
The Impact Development Programme is a dynamic nine-month professional development opportunity for environmental science researchers to work with the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) to develop their skills in delivering high quality engagement with impact. The programme is free for researchers to take part in. The programme components include 2 online events, networking opportunities and peer learning.
Key dates
Date | Activity |
16:00 on Tuesday 9 March | Application deadline |
Thursday 11 March | NERC will be in touch by to confirm whether applicants have been successful in being awarded a place on the programme. Unsuccessful applicants will receive feedback on their application. |
Monday 15 March | NCCPE will be in touch to provide further information and to kick-off the programme (if successful) |
Wednesday 31 March | Event 1 |
Thursday 24 June | Event 2 |
TBC | 3x peer learning group sessions |
September 2021 | Evaluation, recommendations and findings for NERC published |
Café Scientifique next Tuesday – Restoring our Rivers – Removing Barriers to Fish Migration
How removing weirs could help fish to migrate along the River Severn.
At Café Scientifique, you can explore the latest ideas in science and technology in a relaxed online setting. Enjoy listening to a short talk before engaging in debate and discussion with our guest speaker and audience.
We’ll be joined by Dr Catherine Gutmann Roberts on Tuesday 2 March from 7.00pm until 8.30pm.
The barriers that once enabled major industry along the UK’s longest river may pose problems for fish that need to migrate up and downstream. Researchers from Bournemouth University have investigated how these weirs, locks and other infrastructure affect fish migration along the River Severn – and what could happen if they were removed. Join us to find out how our rivers might be restored to let fish to swim freely once more.
Attendance is free but booking is necessary.
Funding Development Briefing – Spotlight on: British Academy Post Doc Fellowships
The RDS Funding Development Briefings now occur weekly, on a Wednesday at 12 noon.
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 3rd March, there will be a spotlight on British Academy Post Doc Fellowships.
We will cover:
- Aims and scope of the programme
- Eligibility criteria
- Q & A
For those unable to attend, the session will be recorded and shared on the Teams site under the ‘Files’ section, and also saved on the I Drive at I:\RDS\Public\Funding Pipeline\Funding Development Briefings.
Please email RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk to receive the Teams invite for these sessions.
Boost the impact of your environmental research – 1 week left to apply
Open to all environmental scientists working in NERC’s remit – you don’t have to be NERC-funded to apply.
If you would like to increase the impact of your environmental science research, and want to improve your skills in using public engagement to achieve this, then the NERC Impact Development Programme could be for you.
In partnership with the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement, the programme will cover the breadth of issues you might encounter, from choosing the best type of public engagement for your specific research; to working through practical issues; to considering how to evaluate your public engagement to find out if it was worth it.
Find out more
The programme
The Impact Development Programme is a dynamic nine-month professional development opportunity for environmental science researchers to work with the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) to develop their skills in delivering high quality engagement with impact. The programme is free for researchers to take part in. The programme components include 2 online events, networking opportunities and peer learning.
Key dates
Date | Activity |
16:00 on Monday 1 March 2021 | Application deadline |
Wednesday 3 March 2021 | NERC will be in touch by to confirm whether applicants have been successful in being awarded a place on the programme. Unsuccessful applicants will receive feedback on their application. |
Monday 8 March | NCCPE will be in touch to provide further information and to kick-off the programme (if successful) |
Wednesday 31 March | Event 1 |
Thursday 24 June | Event 2 |
TBC | 3x peer learning group sessions |
September 2021 | Evaluation, recommendations and findings for NERC published |
Embedding UN SDGs in Teaching Entrepreneurship at BU
A few days ago I noticed a post on the BU Staff Intranet about the Fourth Annual Global Goals Teach In, where, as educators, we can pledge to embed the UN Sustainable Development Goals in our teaching practice for 2 weeks between 22 February and 5 March 2021. It made my heart skip a beat thinking now is the time to make education more holistic! To not just arm our students with the best possible degree for their future careers but to empower them to be change makers.
Education is fundamental to shifting attitudes and make us feel we can be the change we want to see. The term ‘university entrepreneurship‘ is strongly in favour of the school of thought that enterprise development or entrepreneurial action is nurtured within the academic environment, allowing latent entrepreneurial ambitions to flourish! For the last few years I have been privileged to lead the Entrepreneurship and Business Ventures module in the final year at Bournemouth University Business School. Within the constraints of the time, curriculum and resources, we aim to run this module as a mini in-class incubation hub through ideation support; mentoring support through industry connections; guest speakers; networking events and many more. Each year, based on a personal commitment to sustainable collective action for the planet and humanity and spurred on by the encouraging global trends towards start-ups that espouse the triple bottom line (Economic, Social and Environmental), we designed a curriculum to support student entrepreneurship focusing on the economic viability centred around social/environmental sustainability. Because sustainability makes business sense, it is not merely altruism, it leads to competitive advantage, earning newer market segments and creates longevity and legacy for a business.
The UN SDGs make the task of embedding a sustainability agenda in the curriculum easier to do and also easier to understand the trajectory in which our small steps can add to the solutions of the grand problems. Often the discussions on sustainability, from a small business perspective, sounds like a costly goal to achieve and in this difficult economic times, sounds like an absurd suggestion when businesses cannot even survive the external forces. But this is where embedding sustainability within the core values of the business can actually help it weather the proverbial storm better. Sustainability, not as an appendage, but in the core of the business, within its business vision, mission, model, supply chain can ensure longevity. and once we become conscious of the power of responsible, conscious capitalism, the change we hope to see begins to take shape!
What would you do, if faced with a choice of buying a box of chocolates from one that is reliant on a supply chain riddled with historical and existing cocoa plantation slave labour (that you are aware of), and others (priced at a point higher than the former) trying to make that very difficult shift from the norm? As educators we have a huge responsibility of empowering the next generation start-up founders to open their eyes to the strength of action taken in favour of sustainability and the UN SDGs provide us with a toolkit to translate that message more effectively. For me, this journey started in the year 2014-15 with the first Social Enterprise Event day at Bournemouth University which was a networking and opportunity seeking platform for our students on this module to connect with socially focused entrepreneurs. I was not aware of the upcoming UN SDGs then and once I did, the whole action became that much more easy to plan and deliver including student-led projects, 4 Global Entrepreneurship Week events across two academic years- 2019/20 and 2020/21 (focussing on student experience and learning at BU) ; the creation of BU Social Entrepreneurs Forum and many more.
Sure, there are many other excellent frameworks we refer to and discuss including the B-Corps redefining success ( a personal favourite), Circular Economy underpinned by a transition to renewable energy ( a must have) Social Enterprises (another personal favourite), the CSR model and more but none that draw our attention so starkly to the global challenges as the UN SDGs. And recognising, that each incremental step we take, through our education practice and assessment, can add to the solutions to those grand challenges, is in itself a very sobering and empowering feeling.
And this is what I am privileged to witness in my classroom of 100+ students. Last year 2019-20 we worked with business organisations, with a core commitment to sustainable action, designing and developing business plan/business model solutions for them and this year and last, students, individually, worked on developing an original idea for a start-up underpinned by commitment to one or more UN SDGs.
How I wish I could share some of the posters, the pitches they did live/offline and the background research without infringing Intellectual Property! These ideas are needed! They are are time relevant, robustly underpinned by market research, with a clear focus on economic viability and sustainable actions and some of them, disruption of the existing industries they are entering. Some of them, whether they be an app to support Goal 5 Gender Equality; making fashion circular; empowering body image positivity through tech based solutions (Goal 3, Goal 5); sustainable home improvements; reducing food waste (Goals 1 and 2.); ideas stemming from personally recognised unmet needs yet so powerful for a global audience- the pride I feel in my students is not something I can express! Many of them have received prizes in the form of free business consultations with international entrepreneurs who were on the panel of judges listening to the business pitches, so it is only a matter of time before we see some of those ideas turning into registered businesses.
Globally, there is an increasing number of sustainable startups often attributed to the power of the millennials in demanding a change in the marketplace with the strength of future focus, technology, and digital platforms. And perhaps this is what we are seeing at a smaller scale within BU Entrepreneurship and Business Ventures, a group of bright young minds who are capable to assimilating new knowledge and adopting that as a way of life to make the world less individualistic and focus on what is truly important. For, capitalism is not the problem, it is the lack of true social responsibility that older, more archaic capitalistic institutions have shown, which has led to a world of huge chasms between the haves and the have-nots. And I am humbled by what the future will bring, and it seems that with the pandemic, social/environmental sustainability and impact of business on the society has been accelerated manifold…. every grey cloud has a silver lining? With that we say adieu to another grand semester 1 (whilst continuing supporting the ideas into real businesses through consultation) of Entrepreneurship and Business Ventures and look forward to the next cohort in September 2021. And I continue my journey, as an Enterprise Educator at BU, supporting the UN SDGs and supporting colleagues to find ways in which to embed this framework within their disciplines and student-focused initiatives. Thank you.
SHDC-RG Research Series: Public Sessions on Science, Health, & Data Communication
The Science, Health, and Data Communications Research Group invites you to our Spring-Summer 2021 research series. These talks are open to the public, and encompass topics on representations of women scientists in the media, health inequalities and COVID-19, how comics are used for health messages, and how politics drives decisions around health and science.
Register for events on EventBrite.
SHDC-RG is an emerging interdisciplinary, cross-faculty group seeking to explore the ways in which specialised knowledge and information is communicated to the public, including policy-makers and front-line workers, and how mass communication (such as journalism and entertainment media) conveys and represents these areas to audiences.
“We’re saving rich white guys’ history?”: Women scientists, new and imagined pasts, and narratives of science on screenDate: Wednesday, 24 February 2021, 3-4pm GMT |
COVID-19, Health Inequalities, and the Politics of DataDate: Wednesday, 10 March 2021, 3-4pm GMT |
Utilizing temporal framing as communication strategies to promote health behaviorsDate: Wednesday, 24 March 2021, 3-4pm GMT |
Misinformation about COVID-19 and what to do about itDate: Wednesday, 21 April 2021, 3-4pm GMT |
Visual metaphors of ‘frozen’ time in autobiographical comics about depressionDate: Wednesday, 12 May 2021, 3-4pm GMT |
Exploring cartoonists representations of the coronavirus pandemic: a cross national study of Australia, South Africa, and the UKDate: Thursday, 20 May 2021, 3-4pm GMT |
TBADate: Wednesday, 26 May 2021, 3-4pm GMT |
The cost of ideologically driven political decision making in a pandemicDate: Wednesday, 16 June 2021, 3-4pm GMT |
Invitation to VIRTUAL STEAMlab
On Wednesday, 24 February 2021, BU’s Research, Support & Development Office will be hosting our very first, pilot Virtual STEAMlab (Science/Tech/Engineering/Arts/Maths lab) event under the aegis of the strategic investment area (SIA) of Animation, Simulation & Visualisation (ASV). It will also be the first of a series of 2-hour long virtual ASV STEAMlabs to be held in the course of 2021.
This first STEAMlab will introduce and address four core priority areas for the strategic development of ASV cross-faculty, multi-disciplinary collaborations across BU in conjunction with external partners. These 4 areas are:
Virtual Production
Digital Health
Environment in Crisis
Virtual Heritage
This first STEAMlab will focus on these ASV themes in break-out rooms to target specific funding opportunities.
The ideas generated at this event may also be used to help select colleagues for Scramble events at short notice.
Booking onto this event
To take part in this exciting opportunity, all participants should complete the ASV Virtual STEAMLab Application Form V2 and return this to Nicolette Barsdorf-Liebchen at nbliebchen@bournemouth.ac.uk by Friday, 5 February 2021.
By applying, you agree to attend for the full duration of the event on 24 February 2021, 1 – 3 pm. Places are strictly limited and you will be contacted to confirm your “virtual space” by 12 February 2021.
If you have any queries prior to submitting your application, please contact Nicolette Barsdorf-Liebchen.
The Brief
We’re seeking to come up with highly innovative and urgently required research which is ambitious in scope and will require a high level of expertise, commitment and funding. The research must address challenges in the above-mentioned areas, and seek to deploy BU’s considerable ASV expertise and assets.
In short, we anticipate the development of innovative, ground-breaking and ambitious projects which have the capacity to attract significant, high value funding from the public and private sectors.
Who should attend?
We welcome those who wish to contribute to having a positive impact through addressing these challenges, but in particular, we are specifically targeting the following:
- Those academics whose research aligns with one or more of these core areas, or whose research would benefit from the multidisciplinary, collaborative engagement supported by the ASV SIA;
- Who has experience of involvement in medium to large research projects, and finally;
- Who either has the capacity to lead as PI on ideas arising from the STEAMlab in a working group towards development of a substantial grant application of close to or above £1 million, or has the ambition, research track record and commitment to be involved in the same.
We will also be inviting relevant external attendees, such as digital technology companies, to contribute on the day.
Some Answers to your FAQs:
Do I need to do anything in advance?
No, you do not. During the STEAMLab, you’ll be guided through a process which results in the development of research ideas. The process facilitates creativity, potentially leading to grand, innovative and interdisciplinary research ideas. These ideas will be explored with other attendees, and further developed based on the feedback received.
What is the immediate objective?
The objective by the end of the STEAMlab is to have scoped some leading and grand ideas around which a working group or cluster can be formed to take forward towards the development of a large grant application.
What do I need to do afterwards?
Your project idea may be “oven-ready”, but it is more likely than not that, given the level of pioneering innovation sought, you/your group’s project idea/s will require some time to crystallise fully, and for the optimum partners to be found for the bidding consortium, and bringing to fruition a fully-fledged grant application. To this end, it is envisaged that you and your potential collaborators will be committed to meeting on a regular basis, with a firm timetable. Substantial administrative support will be available from both RDS as a whole and the ASV Research Facilitator, Dr Nicolette Barsdorf-Liebchen, to advance your project development and manage working groups.
What if my topic area is very specialised, within fields such as medical diagnostics or environmental science?
Your contribution will be very welcome! One of the main benefits of a STEAMlab 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.
Our first research seminar of 2021 – THIS WEDNESDAY
Seminar 1
Title: Dementia and digital selfhood: Identity formation in the age of social media
Speaker: Dr Catherine Talbot
Date and time: 10th February @ 12.30pm
Abstract: A diagnosis of dementia in mid-life can be challenging, often causing losses or changes in a person’s identity as a worker, partner, or parent. Dementia also continues to be a stigmatised condition, whereby those with the diagnosis are frequently identified as ‘victims’ and ‘sufferers’. In contrast, social media may provide some individuals with a means of reconstructing identity, by facilitating narrative and community membership. In this presentation, Dr Catherine Talbot will discuss the findings of her interview study with 11 people with young-onset dementia who use Twitter. Her findings suggest that people with young-onset dementia are using Twitter to re-establish, communicate, preserve, and redefine their identities. However, there are some risks as Twitter was sometimes a hostile environment for individuals who did not present in a ‘typical’ manner or faced technical difficulties because of their symptoms. These findings have important implications for post-diagnostic support provision and the design of accessible social media platforms.
Seminar 2
Title: Functional and structural plasticity in the ageing brain
Speaker: Prof Hana Burianová
Date and time: 20th April @12.30pm
Abstract: Determining the mechanisms that underlie neurocognitive ageing and facilitating the development of effective strategies for cognitive improvement are essential due to the steadily rising ageing population. One approach to study the characteristics of ageing comprises the assessment of functional and structural connectivity in the brain, delineating markers of age-related neurocognitive plasticity. In this talk, Prof. Hana Burianová will discuss the findings of several neuroimaging studies, which demonstrate evidence of age-related functional alterations, such as compensation and/or dedifferentiation, as well as structural decline, such as reduced white matter integrity. The complex relations between the brain reorganisation and behavioural performance have critical implications for the efficiency of neurocognitive functioning in older adults.
Seminar 3
Title: Interactive Digital Narratives for Health: Approaches to using storygames as intervention and education
Speaker: Dr Lyle Skains
Time and date: 16th June @ 12.30pm
Abstract:
Interactive digital narratives (IDNs) (a.k.a. digital fiction, storygames, hypertexts, interactive fiction) are an emerging form of engaging storytelling adaptable to many devices, platforms, purposes, and audiences. This talk highlights pilot studies in creating and using IDNs as health and science education-through-entertainment on the Playable Comms project (playablecomms.org). As an interdisciplinary network of projects, Playable Comms combines science and arts research and practice to develop a model for creation of health- & sci-comm IDNs, and evaluates their efficacy, attempting to measure message uptake from outright rejection to holistic adoption engendering associated behavioural change. IDNs can be used in schools, GP waiting rooms, on tablets and smartphones; interactivity significantly increases retention, particularly when incorporated into media that audiences voluntarily and eagerly devote attention to.
We hope you will join us at our seminars, if you are interested in attending please email adrc@bournemouth.ac.uk and we will send you the relevant zoom meeting details.
Thank you for your support
Best wishes
The Ageing and Dementia Research Centre
Funding Development Briefing – Spotlight on: EPSRC
The RDS Funding Development Briefings now occur weekly, on a Wednesday at 12 noon.
Each session covers the latest major funding opportunities, followed by a brief Q&A session. Sessions also include a spotlight on a particular funding opportunity of strategic importance to BU.
Next Wednesday 10th February, there will be a spotlight on the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
We will cover:
- Aims and scope of EPSRC
- Schemes available
- Q & A
For those unable to attend, the session will be recorded and shared on the Teams site under the ‘Files’ section, and also saved on the I Drive at I:\RDS\Public\Funding Pipeline\Funding Development Briefings.
Please email RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk to receive the Teams invite for these sessions.
Student Entrepreneurship at Bournemouth University
The nature versus nurture debate has long dominated entrepreneurship discussions in academia. But, globally, across universities and business schools, there is increased recognition of the role of university education as a springboard for entrepreneurial action. This may be in sharp contrast to many entrepreneurs’ stories of dropping out of colleges to pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions but, the role of higher education in shaping entrepreneurship cannot be discounted. Enterprise education, as a tool, can prepare students for coping with changing environments and increase their self-efficacy.
At Bournemouth University Business School, I am privileged to lead the final year Entrepreneurship and Business Ventures, a module in the Entrepreneurship Pathway, which brings in students from 7 programmes on to this pathway- Many of whom join this as they have a latent entrepreneurial ambition; some merely for the curiosity of the subject and some naturally meander into it and find their passion. The strength of this module is in shaping the entrepreneurial dreams of many through in-class incubation support and bringing in expertise from entrepreneurs and industry stalwarts.
The highlight of this year’s culmination of this module was the Annual Entrepreneurship Elevator Pitch competition where students had to present, as individuals, a well researched, well thought out, original business idea, underpinned by the UN SDGs, all in 3 minutes to a panel of external judges. Normally, this is a grand event on campus but this year was no less exciting online. Entrepreneurship is not what you know, it is more ‘Who’ you know. The role of social capital in enterprise development cannot be overstated. lack of financial capital is often cited as a key entrepreneurial barrier but to some extent, developing social capital through engaging with mentors, peers, friends can remove some of those barriers. Supported by Mark Painter, Business Development Manager at BUBS who said, “this event provides an invaluable opportunity for students to learn from a ‘live’ business audience and gain access to their contacts and networks“.
It is also imperative that we encourage entrepreneurship to be more socially and environmentally sustainable, not just focus on the single bottom line. And this is not mere altruism, this makes business sense, it leads to increased competitive advantage. And guess who is leading the way? Our millennials! It’s change in motion through power of collaboration and information sharing by a generation remarkably conscious of their wider environment. Never before has it been more important to think of collective action, as the pandemic and the climate change crises are showing. UN SDGs, as part of the core ethos of start-ups, are becoming the norm in this rapidly changing world which makes me very excited for the future.
A couple of weeks ago, in front of a live online panel of entrepreneurs, our final year Entrepreneurship Pathway students demonstrated their commitment to creating an equitable world, through the power of responsible capitalism and enterprise building, underpinned by actions to achieve the UN SDGs. This year we had Anthony Woodhouse, Executive Chairman of Hall & Woodhouse Pub and Brewery; Olly Whittle CEO of Swarm Social; Jon Thor Sigurleifsson, Content Marketer; and Kevin Whitehouse , Founder of Prime Entry Accountants.
Anthony Woodhouse, Executive Chairman Hall& Woodhouse said, “Really enjoyed the day – many inspirational ideas and great fun. I and the team at H&W look forward to working with the winners on their free day of consultancy provided by us trying to help them on their journey of turning their ideas into reality.” The participation of the panel of judges is the continuation of ‘Meet the Entrepreneurs’ series that we run through the course of this module to allow our aspiring student entrepreneurs to build meaningful networks and relationships. It is also an opportunity to “spot future business ideas“, as Olly Whittle notes.
Each year, we have huge amounts of support from entrepreneurs, business organisations and individuals in helping our students fulfil their entrepreneurial dreams and it is with great sadness we bid final adieu to our mentor, friend, a true example of a global entrepreneur, Damien Lee, who has worked with us closely over a number of years supporting student entrepreneurship at BU. Each year our students have learned greatly from his success story, a story of entrepreneurial resilience, perseverance in the face of adversity and indomitable spirit and who can forget him turning up at our 2019-20 Elevator Pitch event armed with boxes and boxes of Mr. Lee’s Noodles for all our students and guests!
We continue our success story of encouraging student entrepreneurship at Bournemouth University, recognising it as a part of the great reset post Covid, and this is aptly captured in the words of our panelist Jon Thor Sigurleifsson, ”
“Having been part of BU’s pitch event a couple of times now I’ve gotta say there must be something in the water over there! I always walk away feeling inspired and hopeful for the future when I see all the great ideas that come up from the students.
Another reason why I love taking part in this exercise is that I know how valuable it is to get real life insights into the world of startups and entrepreneurship from those who have experienced it themselves. Some of the most common pieces of feedback given are things that, if applied, can change the course of these students’ journeys forever without having to learn them the hard way. There are enough challenges out there without having to go in completely blind.
So huge shout out to everyone responsible for this at BU, you’re going above and beyond in order to give your students the best possible chance at success.I can’t wait to speak to some of this year’s students and offer up my advice and mentorship in order to help them dive into their respective ventures.”
I wish all the Entrepreneurship Pathway students success in their future endeavours and huge congratulations to all the winners.
Join our upcoming research seminars
Seminar 1
Title: Dementia and digital selfhood: Identity formation in the age of social media
Speaker: Dr Catherine Talbot
Date and time: 10th February @ 12.30pm
Abstract: A diagnosis of dementia in mid-life can be challenging, often causing losses or changes in a person’s identity as a worker, partner, or parent. Dementia also continues to be a stigmatised condition, whereby those with the diagnosis are frequently identified as ‘victims’ and ‘sufferers’. In contrast, social media may provide some individuals with a means of reconstructing identity, by facilitating narrative and community membership. In this presentation, Dr Catherine Talbot will discuss the findings of her interview study with 11 people with young-onset dementia who use Twitter. Her findings suggest that people with young-onset dementia are using Twitter to re-establish, communicate, preserve, and redefine their identities. However, there are some risks as Twitter was sometimes a hostile environment for individuals who did not present in a ‘typical’ manner or faced technical difficulties because of their symptoms. These findings have important implications for post-diagnostic support provision and the design of accessible social media platforms.
Seminar 2
Title: Functional and structural plasticity in the ageing brain
Speaker: Prof Hana Burianová
Date and time: 20th April @12.30pm
Abstract: Determining the mechanisms that underlie neurocognitive ageing and facilitating the development of effective strategies for cognitive improvement are essential due to the steadily rising ageing population. One approach to study the characteristics of ageing comprises the assessment of functional and structural connectivity in the brain, delineating markers of age-related neurocognitive plasticity. In this talk, Prof. Hana Burianová will discuss the findings of several neuroimaging studies, which demonstrate evidence of age-related functional alterations, such as compensation and/or dedifferentiation, as well as structural decline, such as reduced white matter integrity. The complex relations between the brain reorganisation and behavioural performance have critical implications for the efficiency of neurocognitive functioning in older adults.
Seminar 3
Title: Interactive Digital Narratives for Health: Approaches to using storygames as intervention and education
Speaker: Dr Lyle Skains
Time and date: 16th June @ 12.30pm
Abstract:
Interactive digital narratives (IDNs) (a.k.a. digital fiction, storygames, hypertexts, interactive fiction) are an emerging form of engaging storytelling adaptable to many devices, platforms, purposes, and audiences. This talk highlights pilot studies in creating and using IDNs as health and science education-through-entertainment on the Playable Comms project (playablecomms.org). As an interdisciplinary network of projects, Playable Comms combines science and arts research and practice to develop a model for creation of health- & sci-comm IDNs, and evaluates their efficacy, attempting to measure message uptake from outright rejection to holistic adoption engendering associated behavioural change. IDNs can be used in schools, GP waiting rooms, on tablets and smartphones; interactivity significantly increases retention, particularly when incorporated into media that audiences voluntarily and eagerly devote attention to.
We hope you will join us at our seminars, if you are interested in attending please email adrc@bournemouth.ac.uk and we will send you the relevant zoom meeting details.
Thank you for your support
Best wishes
The Ageing and Dementia Research Centre
BEAF 2021 Applications now open
Apply to take part in Bournemouth’s independent arts festival.
About BEAF
BEAF aims to support and promote the diverse range of arts and culture happening in Bournemouth and the wider county of Dorset. Now in its third year, BEAF has established itself as the first independent, open access, Bournemouth wide festival. The dates of the festival are Saturday 29 May – Sunday 6 June 2021.
Submissions can be made any time up to 5pm on 31st March 2021.
Find out more and apply
Applying to BEAF could suit you if you’re looking to involve the public in your arts-based project, but could also be a platform for collaborating with an artist to engage the public with your research. BEAF is an independent festival, not affiliated with BU.
IMSET Seminar: Exploring the chaîne opératoire of applied long-term human ecodynamics
Thursday 21st January 4pm – 6pm
Exploring the chaîne opératoire of applied long-term human ecodynamics: examples from the human paleocology of Subarctic and Arctic seas.
Book your place in the seminar with Professor Ben Fitzhugh, Department of Anthropology, University of Washington.
Professor Fitzhugh’s research focuses on human-environmental dynamics and archaeological histories of maritime/coastal hunter-gatherers especially in the North Pacific. His research addresses questions of human vulnerability and resilience in remote subarctic environments.
Researchers studying long-term human ecological histories increasingly promote the relevance of this work to contemporary environmental managers, policy makers, and heritage communities. After all, our case studies and comparative insights capture greater ranges of socio-environmental variation and longer temporal sequences than are available to planners tethered to the short observation scales. These longer time-lines and more varied “completed experiments of the past” make it possible to track dynamic relationships and downstream legacies driving more and less sustainable strategies and relationships. This information should help us to avoid the mistakes of the past and to build policy on robust understandings about the capacities of systems for stability and change. Nevertheless, meaningful engagement remains limited. If we are serious about this effort, we owe it to ourselves to examine the practical challenges and paths to solutions to implementation of applied long-term human ecodynamics. For this talk, Professor Fitzhugh will expand on the need for a “chaîne opératoire of applied long-term human ecodynamics.” Chaîne opératoires are the inferred technical steps perceived to govern the production, use and discard of technological objects like stone tools, and his argument here is that we could stand to investigate the impediments and limitations of practice that keep academic work at arms length from management policy. Using climate, marine ecological and archaeological case studies from the subarctic North Pacific, he will explore key steps involved in forming and bringing compelling human ecodynamic scenarios of the past into dialogue with contemporary management science and policy. These steps involve managing data uncertainties, unequal resolutions and relevance, disparate interpretive constructs, and epistemic and ontological asymmetries.
Professor Fitzhugh is currently Director of the Quaternary Research Center at the University of Washington, and in this role, seeks to promote interdisciplinary scholarship in the evolution of the earth surface (and the role of humans in it) over the past two and a half millions years.
https://anthropology.washington.edu/people/ben-fitzhugh
Professor Fitzhugh will speak for approximately 1 hour, followed by Q&A.
Book a place at this seminar via eventbrite.
Launch Event – The Centre for Applied Creative Technologies (CfACTs)
Thursday 21st January 2021 – 09.00 (Via Zoom)
There is still time to register. Join us for the launch of CfACTs the new BU Post Doctorate Training Centre.
Professor Jian Chang is pleased to inform you about six funded Post Doctorate Research Fellowships via the Centre for Applied Creative Technologies (CfACTs) at Bournemouth University UK. CfACTs is co-funded by H2020 MSCA COFUND, Bournemouth University and Industry Partners; please see: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/900025.
CfACTs, led by Prof Jian Chang and Prof Jian Jun Zhang at Bournemouth University, is recruiting international Post-Doctoral Researchers Fellows (1st cohort starting May 2021) to work on Creative Technology R&D with UK Industry Partners. The candidates will need to apply through a selective process, where they are welcome to propose a research proposal on related themes.
Professor Jian Chang would like to invite you to attend the virtual launch event for CfACTs which will be 9:00am (GMT) 21/01/2021, via Zoom. The aim of the event is to provide information about the CfACTs fellowships and encourage the international academic community to promote the centre to applicants.
Please, if you have not already done so, register to attend the event and feel free to distribute the news by kindly forwarding the invitation to peers/colleagues to join the launch event.
For further information regarding this event please contact:
cfacts-enquiries@bournemouth.ac.uk
or
Prof Jian Chang, CfACTs Director JChang@bournemouth.ac.uk
Help us build our social medial following; Follow us on Twitter @CfACTs_BU
Science/Health/Arts/Comms Interdisciplinary Projects: Collaboration Opportunity
The Science, Health, and Data Communications Research Group will be conducting a series of workshops to start off the new year, designed to help Bournemouth researchers form new networks and collaborative projects around educating and communicating research to the public.
This series will take place from Monday 18 January 2021 to Friday 22 January 2021, each day from 1-3pm, online, and open to any and all researchers across the university. See full details and register on EventBrite.
This “crucible” programme, based on NESTA’s highly successful Crucible-in-a-Box, will focus on activities designed to connect researchers based on mutual interests, and develop those interests into new directions for collaborative research. It will also include interactive sessions on communicating your research to the media, collecting data for impact studies, working in interdisciplinary teams, and communications strategies.
If you are unable to participate in these sessions, we will likely be running them again. Full details are available on the EventBrite link; questions and requests to be notified of future events can be directed to Lyle Skains (lskains@bournemouth.ac.uk).
You are invited to the Ageing and Dementia Research Centre Seminar
You are cordially invited to this seminar which is open to all BU staff and students.
(Please email adrc@bournemouth.ac.uk for the zoom link to access the seminar).
Dementia and digital selfhood: Identity formation in the age of social media.
Dr. Catherine Talbot
10th February @ 12.30pm
Abstract: A diagnosis of dementia in mid-life can be challenging, often causing losses or changes in a person’s identity as a worker, partner, or parent. Dementia also continues to be a stigmatised condition, whereby those with the diagnosis are frequently identified as ‘victims’ and ‘sufferers’. In contrast, social media may provide some individuals with a means of reconstructing identity, by facilitating narrative and community membership. In this presentation, Dr Catherine Talbot will discuss the findings of her interview study with 11 people with young-onset dementia who use Twitter. Her findings suggest that people with young-onset dementia are using Twitter to re-establish, communicate, preserve, and redefine their identities. However, there are some risks as Twitter was sometimes a hostile environment for individuals who did not present in a ‘typical’ manner or faced technical difficulties because of their symptoms. These findings have important implications for post-diagnostic support provision and the design of accessible social media platforms.
Biography: Catherine is a cyberpsychologist specialising in social media, health, and qualitative methods. Her PhD research concerned the use of Twitter by people with dementia to facilitate social connection, self-expression, and a sense of identity. She is interested in positive technology usage by people with stigmatised health conditions and how technologies can be developed to promote wellbeing and social inclusion. Catherine is a committee member of the British Psychological Society (BPS) Cyberpsychology Section.
Please email adrc@bournemouth.ac.uk for the zoom link to access the seminar.
Training for early-career STEM communicators from BIG
Training for STEM ECRs from BIG; the skills sharing network for individuals involved in the communication of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects.
Cost £80 for non-members. Bursary deadline 5 Jan.
LITTLE EVENT 2021
Click here to book the Little Event
Session 1: Thursday 21st January, 3:00 – 6:30pm; &
Session 2: Saturday 23rd January, 9:00am – 1:00pm
Online via Zoom*
The Little Event is BIG’s training session for people who are new to STEM communication, whether you work in a science centre or museum, volunteer for a festival, are involved in university outreach, or do anything else to engage people with science, technology, engineering and maths. The Little Event is crammed with introductory sessions focusing on developing the different skills that are useful in STEM communication; they are delivered by experienced science communicators following BIG’s usual hands-on approach.
The 2021 Little Event will be online and hosted over two days. The days are designed to work together and are booked as a package (i.e. not sold separately). But of course, it isn’t just about the sessions, it’s the people you will meet, too. The Little Event also presents a great opportunity to meet people from across the UK working in similar roles and sharing similar experiences. The 2021 programme includes sessions on Evaluation, Managing Projects, Presenting, Audience Analysis and Careers and will include plenty of networking time as well as short comfort breaks.
BIG members: cost £50 login as a member first to be able to register for the Member rate. To login as a Member, use the email address you used to join BIG. If you can’t remember what this is, please email admin@big.uk.com.
Non-members: cost is £80 and includes BIG Membership for 1 year. Not sure if the Little Event is for you? See more information here: More about the Little Event
*Each Zoom session will have an automated live transcription as well as on screen Closed Captions.
2021 SCHEDULE
Day 1 – Thursday, 21 January
2:45pm-3pm: arrival and registration for a prompt 3pm start
3pm-6:30pm: 2 sessions, 3 networking opportunities and breaks
Day 2 – Saturday, 23 January
8:45am-9am: arrival and registration for a prompt 9am start
9am- 1pm: 3 sessions, 2 networking opportunities and breaks
2021 PROGRAMME
Setting the Scene– Helen Featherstone, BIG and Head of Public Engagement at Bath University
Introducing everybody to everybody, plan for the day and a whistle-stop tour of STEM engagement.
Managing Projects – Hana Ayoob, Freelance Science Communicator and Events Producer
From small events and projects like short videos and table top interactives to podcast series and festivals, managing a project is just as important as creating its content.
Presenting Science– Jemma Naumann, Science Communicator and Presenter
You know the science but how can you make it accessible to others? A chance to develop your presenting skills.
Evaluation – Jamie Gallagher, Engagement Consultant
This session will explore the science behind the survey giving you the skills you need to plan the perfect evaluation without a social science degree in qualitative analysis.
Who is the Audience? – Clio Heslop, US-UK Civic Science Fellow at UT Austin and British Science Association
What is an audience? How much can audiences differ? Why does your audience even matter?
Careers – Helen Featherstone, Hana Ayoob, Jamie Gallagher, Clio Heslop, Jemma Naumann and others.
Some career options, where to look for jobs, and what skills are desirable. Hear from the panel and ask your questions, too.
BURSARY
Little Event Bursary (applications open 15 December, APPLY HERE)
Applications open 15th December 2020 and close at 6pm, 5th January, 2021. Applicants will be notified the week commencing 11th January, 2021 on their application status.
There are 10 bursaries* up for grabs to attend The Little Event 2021.
Each bursary is worth approximately £90 and covers annual BIG membership, registration fees and reasonable expenses if required. Applying for one of the 10 free places is simple.
Click here to apply and tell BIG in no more than 200 words, why you would like the opportunity to attend the Little Event and how you think it will benefit your personal and professional development.
*Eligibility requirements
Applicants must
- be within the first 5 years of their professional career/studies in the STEM or STEM engagement sectors and be based in the UK; and
- not have attended the Little Event or any other of BIG’s events before.