BU Research Blog

24 July 2017

Modern Creative Technologies and Their Applications in VR Based Laparoscopic Surgery Simulation

BRIAN, Festival of Learning, Fusion, innovation, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer, open access, PG research, Public engagement, Publishing, Student Engagement, student research xyang

Kun Qian is a PhD candidate in the National Centre for Computer Animation, Faculty of Media and Communication. He has been working on computer graphics, game, vfx and virtual reality technologies for more than 10 years. He will deliver a talk on his research of surgery simulation at 7pm, 25th July at K103, as part of the BCS Animation and Game Development SG event. The detail can be found at http://www.bcs.org/content/ConWebDoc/58181 . It is free for all the attendees, everybody is welcome. Please register at the link above, because we will bring some refreshment based on the number of registrations.

Abstract: With the development of computer graphic and haptic devices, training surgeons with virtual reality technology has proven to be very effective in surgery simulation. Due to the various unsolved technical issues, the laparoscopic surgery simulation has not been widely used. Such issues include modelling of complex anatomy structure, large soft tissue deformation, frequent surgical tools interactions, and the rendering of complex material under the illumination. A successful laparoscopic surgery simulator should integrate all these required components in a balanced and efficient manner to achieve both visual/haptic quality and a satisfactory refreshing rate. In this talk, we propose an efficient framework integrating a set of specially tailored and designed techniques, ranging from deformation simulation, collision detection, soft tissue dissection and rendering. This framework can be used as a low level engine for surgery simulation by integrating and optimizing modern creative technologies.

Dr. Xiaosong Yang, MBCS

Associate Professor of Computer Animation
National Centre for Computer Animation
Faculty of Media and Communication
Bournemouth University
http://staffprofiles.bournemouth.ac.uk/display/xyang

19 July 2017

Guest talk by Prof. Marina L. Gavrilova from University of Calgary on Biometric Recognition to be held Wednesday 26th of July at 14:30PM in CREATE LT, Fusion Building.

Fusion, international, PG research xyang

We have the honor to have Prof. Marina L. Gavrilova here on our campus to deliver a talk on Biometric Recognition, recognizing a person by determining the authenticity of a specific characteristic – biometric features, such as Physiological Biometrics (face, fingerprint, hand, ear, Iris, palm print, hand vein, tooth, retina etc.), Behavioural Biometrics (voice, gait, signature, key-stroke dynamics, etc) and Social Biometrics (Twitter, Flickr, etc). The talk will discuss various problems in biometric data acquisition, feature matching, multi-modal fusion, pattern recognition, etc.

Title: The Social Aspects of Biometric Recognition through Human Perception

Speaker: Prof. Marina L. Gavrilova, Department of Computer Science, University of Calgary

Venue: CREATE LT, Fusion Building, Talbot Campus, Bournemouth University, Fern Barrow, Poole, Dorset, BH12 5BB

Time: 14:30-15:30 Wednesday 26th July 2017

Abstract: Our society continues to undergo tremendous growth with respect to all aspects of information access and sharing. It had a profound effect on the way we, humans, and the whole society lives, works and interacts in business and social settings. The information being shared through social networks, on-line communities, games, software development tools, e-mails, blogs, posts, etc. is enormous. It also ranges in type: text, images, hyperlinks, likes, network connections, etc. What’s more, human social, behavioral and even cognitive traits are becoming more and more visible through interlinking of heterogeneous communications in on-line and off-line settings and even in our visual preferences. This phenomenon gave rise to the rise of a new concept: Social Biometrics, that attempts to understand and extrapolate trends related to all aspects of human social activities. The talk is devoted to definitions, examples, case studies and very recent research trends in this domain. The introduced concepts will be further illustrated through two case studies: establishing identity of Twitter users through social networks analysis, and gender recognition of Flickr users based on human aesthetic preferences.

Marina L. Gavrilova is a Full Professor in the Department of Computer Science, University of Calgary. Dr. Gavrilova’s research interests lie in the areas of biometric security, cognitive sciences, pattern recognition, social networks, and cyberworlds. Prof. Gavrilova is the founder and co-director of the Biometric Technologies Laboratory and SPARCS lab, with over 200 publications, including the World Scientific Bestseller (2007): Image Pattern Recognition: Synthesis and Analysis in Biometrics and IGI (2013) book Multimodal Biometrics and Intelligent Image Processing for Security System. She is a Founding Editor-in-Chief of Transactions on Computational Science journal, Springer, and an Associate Editor of the Visual Computer and the International Journal of Biometrics. Prof. Gavrilova has given invited lectures at leading international conferences (3AI, CW, WSCG, GRAPHICON, PSC, ICCI*CC, MIT, ICBAKE, etc), and appeared as guest at DIMACS Rutgers University/Bell Labs, USA; Microsoft Research, Redmond, USA; Samsung Research, South Korea; SERIAS Purdue University, USA, among other universities.

http://pages.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/~marina/HomePHP/index.php

Thanks.

Dr. Xiaosong Yang

http://staffprofiles.bournemouth.ac.uk/display/xyang

16 July 2017

Dr Tim Breitbarth presents social responsibility and social media research to UEFA

Business Engagement, Fusion, international, Knowledge Exchange, REF Subjects tbreitbarth

Sport management researcher Dr Tim Breitbarth (Department of Sport & Physical Activity) was one of only six awardees of the prestigious UEFA Research Grant Programme 2016/17, which supports all 55 UEFA member associations to further develop their own activities and projects. Tim’s project entitled “#SocialResponsibility in #Football: Mapping Perceptions and Expectations through Social Media Conversations across Europe”, is a longitudinal, large-scale analysis of social media across ten languages.

Besides delivery of interim and final reports, Tim was invited to the House of European Football (UEFA’s headquarter) in Nyon, Lake Geneva to present his project’s findings to the UEFA Research Grant Jury chaired by Dr Michel D’Hooghe (amongst other, current chairman of the Medical Committee of FIFA and UEFA and an ex-member of the FIFA Council). The audience comprised of renowned academics, UEFA managers interested in the topic and representatives of the European football federations, so that Tim – for example – has been invited to present to the Croatian Football Association.

Creating more impact

Next will be to promote the new knowledge throughout academia and practice, and to create further impact on the level of international and national federations as well as club level. Set avenues include:

Providing a synopsis of his research and managerial implications to be sent to all 55 national federations;
Contributing an article in UEFA’s official magazine UEFAdirect, a monthly magazine which gets distributed all across Europe and online;
Convening a special workshop and presenting own research findings at the 25^th European Association for Sport Management Conference in September;
Delivering a full-day CSR workshop to Bundesliga managers in November;
Discussing findings with individual national associations throughout the upcoming months/year, such as the German Football Association (the single largest sports federation in the world) since they officially supported his grant application building on earlier reported engagement:
- “Impacting on policy and process: BU Corporate Social Responsibility expert informs discussions at German Football Association’s annual congress”, http://blogs.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/2015/12/17/impacting-on-policy-and-process-bu-corporate-social-responsibility-expert-informs-discussions-at-german-football-associations-annual-congress
- “BU management academic advises German Football Association on CSR”, http://blogs.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/2015/10/26/bu-management-academic-advises-german-football-association-on-csr-2

Tim is a leading expert in corporate social responsibility in sport and, amongst other, the lead guest editor of the European Sport Management Quarterly (ABS 3***) upcoming 2019 special issue “Social Responsibility and the European Sport Context” (http://explore.tandfonline.com/pages/cfp/resm-cfp-social-responsibility-and-the-european-sport-context )

Dr Tim Breitbarth (Principal Academic and Global Engagement Lead, Department of Sport & Physical Activity) is available at tbreitbarth@bournemouth.ac.uk

14 July 2017

Keynote from BU higher education reform expert on non-academic staff mobility

Fusion, international, Knowledge Transfer tbreitbarth

End of June, management academic Dr Tim Breitbarth (Department of Sport & Physical Activity) was invited to Berlin to provide an opening keynote as part of his EU-funded advisory role to the German Ministry of Research and Education, respectively the German Academic Exchange Service. The one-day seminar on innovative ways to promote and facilitate non-academic staff mobility was attended by 65 mostly German university representatives managing internationalisation. The title of his speech was “Non-academic mobility in the light of higher education strategies, management and organisational culture”. Tim’s input provided a frame and reference point for subsequent presentations, discussions and workshops.

Despite the crucial backbone non-academics (should) provide to support both scientific excellence and students’ global citizenship, their role has been widely neglected in higher education internationalisation strategies and operations across Europe. This is indicated by the fact that only maximum 7% of all mobilities are by non-academic staff (excluding staff from international offices).

Based on Tim’s visibility during this event, BU might be able to take part in a European research project looking at the impact of a university’s global engagement on the respective region along social, cultural and economic dimensions. Also, Tim brought back an inspiring practical example of how global mindset can be inspired and developed amongst non-academics in particular through an organisational development scheme.

Dr Tim Breitbarth (Principal Academic and Global Engagement Lead, Department of Sport & Physical Activity) is available at tbreitbarth@bournemouth.ac.uk

13 July 2017

Santander Staff Mobility project – Research capacity building and networking to tackle the issues of food waste management and poverty alleviation in Latin America

Fusion, international, Knowledge Exchange vfilimonau

I have recently returned from a BU Santander Staff Mobility sponsored trip to Lima (Peru) where I visited Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Peru (PUCP). PUCP is one of the oldest, largest and most prestigious private institutions of higher education in Peru which offers circa 50 undergraduate and over 70 postgraduate degrees with the total student population of around 22,000 (Figure 1). The purpose of the visit was to enhance existing and establish new contacts with Peruvian academics whose interests revolve around the remits of sustainable urban development, food waste management, and poverty alleviation.

As part of my visit, I delivered a series of guest lectures to the student and academic staff communities at PUCP. The content of these lectures was shaped around the topic of food waste management as applied in the context of household consumption, grocery retail, and hospitality. The lectures highlighted the outcome of the case studies that have recently been carried out by academics in the Faculty of Management at BU in the UK sectors of interest. The lectures were well attended and attracted numerous questions given the growing magnitude of food waste generation in Lima which is in part due to inefficient managerial practices adopted by the local hospitality and grocery retail operators alongside irresponsible consumer behaviour.

A research seminar was also organised for members of the CONURB (Urban Development, Governance and Social Housing) research group at PUCP where the issues of urban poverty and food security as applied to the realm of Lima, a large and rapidly growing metro area in Latin America with substantial levels of societal inequality, were discussed. The research seminar was supplemented with a study visit to one of the largest slum areas of Lima. These are usually located on the city slopes (Figure 2), poorly regulated and characterised by the prevalence of severe issues of socio-economic (for example, malnutrition, poor hygiene and limited access to education) and environmental (for instance, restricted water supply) nature. A number of research contacts were made and a number of promising research directions were identified during the visit and it is envisaged that these will be sustained and explored in more detail in the future.

The visit has enhanced research capacity and research reputation of BU in Peru and outlined a number of potential collaborative opportunities to pursue with academics at PUCP / CONURB. Furthermore, the visit has already generated some tangible outcome as a joint application for seed research funding has been submitted to Ecoinvent, a Switzerland-based consultancy which collates environmental impact related data on various industrial and societal processes, both in developed and developing economies, and subsequently approved (total value of the grant is £35,823). Another application for research funding with academics from CONURB has been submitted to Ecoinvent and is currently awaiting a decision.

For more information about this project, please contact Dr Viachaslau Filimonau, Senior Lecturer in Hospitality Management in Faculty of Management, at vfilimonau@bournemouth.ac.uk

Figure 1 Figure 2

6 July 2017

Why Yawning is Important in Studying Multiple Sclerosis by Dr Simon Thompson

BRIAN, conferences, Fusion, innovation, international, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer, Public engagement, Research themes, staff profile pages Simon Thompson

What is MS?

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic debilitating and progressive condition that affects the fatty tissue sheath surrounding nerves. Loss of the myelin sheath is largely responsible for uncoordinated movements because the nerves cannot transmit signals smoothly across the complex neural circuitry. A common symptom of MS is excessive yawning together with fatigue.

Research study

Following recent completion of a study at the Osborne Centre, West Parley, we found that people with MS had higher cortisol levels when yawning compared with healthy participants.

Previous research at Bournemouth University

This research follows several years of research by the author at Bournemouth University with the first report on the “yawning envelope”, identifying the electrical trace during yawning (Refs. 1-2), and the first report on the association between yawning and cortisol levels following provoked yawning (Refs. 3-6).

Yawning “envelope”

“Contagious” yawning is seen in animals as well humans; it may involve empathy to perceived social cues in humans.

Yawning: (clockwise) Fox, Pig, Human, Hippopotamus

A series of 3 Q and A events with talks about findings was held at the MS Society local branch which facilitated an interesting and lively debate among participants, researchers and staff at the Centre.

Further research planned

We believe that threshold levels of cortisol trigger the yawn response which lowers brain temperature, particularly important in MS where brain temperatures can be elevated considerably following fatigue. A funding bid is in preparation to examine early detection of MS using these findings.

About the author

Simon B N Thompson is Associate Professor, Bournemouth University; and Visiting Professor, Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense, France. He has presented to His Excellency Bernard Emié, the French Ambassador at the French Embassy, signalling formation of the Anglo-French International Scientific Council for Research into Multiple Sclerosis.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to all volunteers; Alister Coleman and Nicola Williams for assisting in data collection and analysis; Rod Slip, Group Co-ordinator and Kay Bundy, Fundraising Co-ordinator of the MS Society Osborne Centre for providing free facilities.

References

1. Thompson, S.B.N., 2013. How to catch a yawn: initial observations of a randomised controlled trial. WMC Neurology, 4(8), doi: 10.9754/journal.wmc.2013.004371.
2. Thompson, S.B.N., Frankham, C., & Bishop, P., 2014. The art of capturing a yawn using the science of nerve impulses and cortisol levels in a randomized controlled trial. Thompson Cortisol Hypothesis as a potential predictor of neurological impairment. International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 7(3), 529-543.
3. Thompson, S.B.N., 2011. Born to yawn? Cortisol linked to yawning: a new hypothesis. Medical Hypotheses, 77, 861-862.
4. Thompson, S.B.N., & Bishop, P., 2012. Born to yawn? Understanding yawning as a warning of the rise in cortisol levels: randomized trial. Interactive Journal of Medical Research, 1(2), e4, 1-9, doi: 10.2196/ijmr.2241.
5. Thompson, S. B. N., Daly, S., Le Blanche, A., Adibi, M., Belkhiria, C., Driss, T., de Marco, G., 2016. fMRI randomized study of mental and motor task performance and cortisol levels to potentiate cortisol as a new diagnostic biomarker. Journal of Neurology & Neuroscience, 7(2); 92: 1-8.
6. Thompson, S.B.N., 2017. Hypothesis to explain yawning, cortisol rise, brain cooling and motor cortex involvement of involuntary arm movement in neurologically impaired patients. Journal of Neurology & Neuroscience, 8(1); 167: 1-5.

30 June 2017

‘Working Across Boundaries’: National MUPI Match Event

conferences, Funding opportunities, Fusion, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement, Student Engagement Natt Day

Are you interested in getting involved in a museum and university partnership? Do you want to meet and develop potential collaborators in museums, or other institutions and organisations across the UK? Then why not look at signing up for the final Museum-University Partnership Initiative (MUPI) Match Event in London.

There are many benefits to museums and universities working together, from improving audience understanding to developing more effective collections knowledge or interpretation; from inspiring museum audiences with cutting edge research to developing new exhibits and exhibitions; the opportunities are endless.

However, finding a partner and having the resources to explore how you might work together can be challenging. This final MUPI match event draws upon a tried and tested methodology to bring people together to develop new partnerships. Each session involves museum staff, volunteers, and academics working together to find mutually beneficial ideas that they would like to develop together.

This event focuses specifically on some of the most popular themes from our regional Matches that explore the idea of ‘Working Across Boundaries’ in different ways:

Using new technologies in cultural heritage settings e.g. mapping, 3D modelling, big data, innovative ways to animate and rethink collections
Engaging new audiences – from student placements to non-traditional specialist audiences
Migration, politics, activism

Details:

The Cinema Museum, London

26 July 2017, 11am-4.30pm

Registration link: https://www.publicengagement.ac.uk/national-mupi-sandpit-working-across-boundaries-london-26-july-2017

Open to: postgraduate students, postdoctoral and established researchers from any discipline; all museums which are Accredited, Provisionally Accredited, or Working Towards Accreditation; across England.

Funding:

MUPI Match events provide an opportunity for teams formed at the event to bid for funding (of between £500-£1500) from the MUPI Match fund. A pot of £6000 is available for this event. This ‘thinking funding’ will enable people to do desk research; have conversations; travel and attend site visits/meetings; test ideas; and work together to plan their potential project. This thinking funding provides a critical part of the process, helping people to work out if and how to work together and refine their ideas. Teams will be supported to develop their partnership, and find effective ways to fund their project in the future.

How to get involved:

If you work or volunteer in an ACE Accredited museum, or if you are an academic who is keen to develop new partnerships with museums then a MUPI Match event is just what you are looking for! The event is focused on bringing together museums and academics from across England; it is free to participate in; and interactive. Bring your ideas, your energy, and your expertise and prepare to be challenged and inspired. Who knows this could be the beginning of something very special!

MUPI Match events are delivered through the Museum University Partnership Initiative, funded by Arts Council England’s Museum Resilience Fund and developed in partnership with the Share Academy project and Paddy McNulty Associates.

27 June 2017

Multiple Sclerosis Research in Bournemouth – Dr Simon B N Thompson

BRIAN, BU Challenges, conferences, Fusion, Grants Academy, innovation, international, Public engagement, Research assessment, Research Integritiy, Research themes, staff profile pages Simon Thompson

MS is a chronic debilitating and progressive condition that affects the fatty tissue sheath surrounding nerves. Incomplete innervation due to loss of the myelin sheath is largely responsible for uncoordinated movements. Brain temperature fluctuations are also often seen in people with MS together with fatigue when carrying out mentally or physically demanding tasks. These are commonly associated with excessive yawning yet the cause of fatigue in MS is not well understood.

A recently completed study asked participants to produce saliva into a small tube so that their cortisol levels could be analysed. They were also asked to look at presentations that provoked a yawning response. Results revealed that all of the participants had elevated cortisol levels after yawning and that there was a marked difference in cortisol levels between the healthy participants and those with MS.

Yawning: Pynq Thompson aged 28 days

Thompson Cortisol Hypothesis (Ref.1) proposes threshold levels of cortisol trigger the yawn response which lowers brain temperature. Correlation between brain temperature and cortisol is to be further examined together with comparison between UK and Norwegian participants with MS since the incidence of MS is greater in Scandinavian countries (and Canada and Scotland) possibly due to vitamin D and K reduction with reduced sunlight.

Previous studies have examined electromyograph (EMG) activity during yawning and manipulation of conditions to provoke yawning (Refs. 2,3). Brain regions and cortisol activity has been identified in MS in an international study (Ref. 4); and a new understanding proposed of communication between the motor cortex and brain-stem (Ref.5).

Yawning EMG “envelope” of activity

We have recently completed a trial in Bournemouth that recruited over 80 healthy participants and over 30 people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

A funding bid is being prepared to examine the feasibility of producing the early detection of MS and cortisol-insufficiency syndromes using observed yawning frequency and cortisol levels.

Simon B N Thompson is Associate Professor, Bournemouth University; Visiting Professor, Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense, France. Member of International Scientific Council for Research into Multiple Sclerosis following presentation to French Ambassador, His Excellency Bernard Emié, French Embassy.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to all volunteers; Alister Coleman and Nicola Williams for assisting in data collection and analysis; Rod Slip, Group Co-ordinator and Kay Bundy, Fundraising Co-ordinator of the MS Society Osborne Centre for providing free facilities.

Note

The author would welcome interest in collaborating in writing bids for funding international work.

References

1. Thompson, S.B.N., 2011. Born to yawn? Cortisol linked to yawning: a new hypothesis. Medical Hypotheses, 77, 861-862.
2. Thompson, S.B.N., & Bishop, P., 2012. Born to yawn? Understanding yawning as a warning of the rise in cortisol levels: randomized trial. Interactive Journal of Medical Research, 1(2), e4, 1-9, doi: 10.2196/ijmr.2241.
3. Thompson, S.B.N., Frankham, C., & Bishop, P., 2014. The art of capturing a yawn using the science of nerve impulses and cortisol levels in a randomized controlled trial. Thompson Cortisol Hypothesis as a potential predictor of neurological impairment. International Journal of Arts & Sciences, 7(3), 529-543.
4. Thompson, S. B. N., Daly, S., Le Blanche, A., Adibi, M., Belkhiria, C., Driss, T., de Marco, G., 2016. fMRI randomized study of mental and motor task performance and cortisol levels to potentiate cortisol as a new diagnostic biomarker. Journal of Neurology & Neuroscience, 7(2); 92: 1-8.
5. Thompson, S.B.N., 2017. Hypothesis to explain yawning, cortisol rise, brain cooling and motor cortex involvement of involuntary arm movement in neurologically impaired patients. Journal of Neurology & Neuroscience, 8(1); 167: 1-5.

15 June 2017

BU to present to Members of Qatar Armed Forces and Qatar Embassy

Fusion, Public engagement sbachmann

Dr Sascha Dov Bachmann, Associate Professor in International Law and Extraordinary Associate Professor in War Studies (Swedish Defence University) will speak to Members of Qatar Armed Forces and Qatar Embassy in London about Hybrid Warfare within the GCC context. He will be joined by Brig (rtd) Anthony Paphiti (UK) and Prof Hakan Gunneriusson from the Swedish Defence University. The event will touch upon various fields of interest associated with Hybrid Warfare such as Lawfare, Information Operations and how particular vulnerabilities can be exploited. This activity is taking place as part of the wider project on Hybrid Warfare by Sascha Dov Bachmann in collaboration with colleagues from the UK, NATO, Sweden, South Africa and Qatar.

14 June 2017

Santander funded Trip to Shanghai: Students Perceived Leisure Constraints

Fusion, Fusion Investment Fund, Post-award moregan

Thanks to the Fusion Investment Fund (Santander), I was able to visit Shanghai China during April 2017, to explore the research topic:

What demotivates Chinese Students attending Universities Abroad: The role of perceived leisure constraints?

I visited both Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Donghua University to understand the importance, if any, of leisure to Chinese students, and any impact on perceived attractiveness of the United Kingdom as an overseas destination for further study. As the UK and its universities consider the factors to market the UK as an international student destination, this visit found there is a need to create some programs to assess, observe and serve better the leisure needs of the current and potential Chinese student market. From being more proactive about helping Chinese students engage in on-off campus leisure and community life to providing staff instruction on how to correctly pronounce Chinese names, the leisure needs of current and future current Chinese students may need to be assessed to help newly arrived students in the process of adjusting and familiarizing to new leisure patterns.

My first visit was to a public research university in Shanghai, China. Established in 1951, Donghua University is a member of China’s Project 211 group of national key universities, with a heavy focus on high level technological and scientific research. I gave a guest lecture on how the UK leisure sector sees Chinese consumers, and how the events industry is seeking to facilitate as well as communicate to them. The lecture also looked at leisure trends taking place in China. I discussed with students how specific constraints at home and in specific countries abroad might prevent them seeking further study both in China and abroad

Picture: Much thanks to Dr. Chun-zhang Liu for the welcome.

Pictures: Guest Lecture

I also visited Shanghai Jiao Tong University to talk to students, about their perceptions of constraints to leisure in the UK vis-a visa other important markets such as the USA and Australia. Jiao Tong University is a public research university in Shanghai, China. Established in 1896. As the UK Government seeks to increase the number of international students, many Chinese students worry about moving to the UK for higher education and noted challenges such as psycho-social stress, including the possibility of social isolation. The students also noted other barriers, such as the accessibility of ethnic foods in the UK, joining clubs/societies, and possible changes in their leisure patterns.

Qian_Xuesen_Library,_Shanghai_Jiao_Tong_University_04

Picture: Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Based on connections made to staff at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Donghua University, quantitative data will be collected from 200 sampled students to explore leisure activity preferences and the perceptions of constraints to leisure if considering studying abroad. The results will also help policy makers and administrators understand the importance of understanding perceived life constraints when students consider the study abroad experience.

I wish to thank Santander for the mobility grant to visit Shanghai, and engage in a research project.

Michael O’ Regan, PhD

Faculty of Management

twitter.com/michealoregan

2 June 2017

Event! 7th June. Kindness Matters

Fusion, Knowledge Exchange Rachel

Following on from the successful Service Excellence Conference held in April, we are holding a further event to build on the theme of kindness. If you are an academic interested in kindness or undertaking research which is linked to kindness please come along to a follow up event on 7^th June 10-3 to share your interests and to explore ways in which we can work across the university to develop the theme of ‘kindness’ further.

The event will explore kindness and self-kindness and will include a holistic appreciation of self and others. Alongside practical sessions to explore the concepts of kindness and self-kindness, the day will provide a creative space for academics and professional service staff to come together to explore synergies in research and practice development activities linked to kindness. We hope the event will provide a springboard for future co-creation around kindness across the university.

To book your place, please contact od@bournemouth.ac.uk

1 June 2017

Erasmus Staff Mobility – International Staff Training Week

Fusion Alice Brown

Participation by Alice Brown, Research & Knowledge Exchange Office

This was my very first time on an exciting International Staff Training Week, hosted by Kristianstad University in Sweden. The 4 day training programme from 8 to 11 May 2017 was divided into Groups reflecting the professional service areas of: (A) Student Services, (B) Library, (C) Information Technology, (D) Finance and (E) Research & Innovation. The Week was attended by 40 participants from Universities all over Europe (Germany, Spain, Portugal, France, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Turkey), of which three, besides for myself, were from the UK (Durham, Staffordshire).

On the first day, the Host via their International Office’s staff introduced themselves to the cohort, including the history of Kristianstad as formerly a military town with the University grounds and buildings being infantry premises. The Host was a young University, initially offering nursing and teaching courses, but has now expanded to offer many more, such as agriculture, food sciences and engineering.

It has this year become the most popular University for school-leavers in Sweden. After this introduction, the Host’s Vice-Chancellor welcomed us. We were given brief introductions of all participants, elements of Swedish culture such as a fikka (coffee/tea break with snacks, usually delectable Scandinavian pastries), a campus tour and then a tour of the town.

On the second and third days, we split into our Groups. I was in Group E – the Research & Innovation Group, which had 9 participants, of which 3 officers were from the Host and the others were from Universities in Germany, Romania, Portugal, Turkey and the UK (Durham). We all gave presentations about our Universities and engaged in intensive workshops about the issues, challenges and possible solutions to engage students and academics in research/innovation.

We were taken on excursions to visit the Kristianstad Krinova Incubator Science Park and two knowledge exchange business projects – an innovative Swedish fusion food restaurant, Sotnosen’s and a sustainable aquaculture farm, Gardsfisk. We attended a one hour crash course in Swedish and emerged feeling we could say the common niceties like “hej” (hello) and “tak” (thank you).

The Host invited the cohort to a welcome lunch at Metropol, their campus food hall on the first day and a finger-food lunch prepared by their international students on the second day. At this lunch, I discovered my new-found Swedish favourite – the smogastarte and a traditional sweet – the Spettekaka. We were all taken out by the Host to a smorgasboard dinner at Aptit, a restaurant in town that second evening when we had sparkling conversations about Swedish arts and culture.

On the fourth day, we gathered back as a cohort and had a wrap-up session on what each Group had learned and what we would take back to our respective Universities. We exchanged contacts and raised ideas of possible future collaborations. I had a great experience meeting new people working in similar professional service areas and engaging in Swedish culture and history.

I will be taking back a few practice ideas that will continue to feed into Bournemouth University’s internationalisation and innovative partnerships journey.

18 May 2017

Calling all academics interested in kindness

conferences, Fusion, Knowledge Exchange Rachel

Following on from the successful Service Excellence Conference held in April, we are holding a further event to build on the theme of kindness. If you are an academic interested in kindness or undertaking research which is linked to kindness please come along to a follow up event on 7^th June 10-3 to share your interests and to explore ways in which we can work across the university to develop the theme of ‘kindness’ further.

The event will explore kindness and self-kindness and will include a holistic appreciation of self and others. Alongside practical sessions to explore the concepts of kindness and self-kindness, the day will provide a creative space for academics and professional service staff to come together to explore synergies in research and practice development activities linked to kindness. We hope the event will provide a springboard for future co-creation around kindness across the university.

To book your place, please contact od@bournemouth.ac.uk

16 May 2017

RKEDF – Working with Business Pathway – Influencing and Persuading

Business Engagement, Fusion, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer Rachel

As part of the Research and Knowledge Exchange Development Framework, RKEO are hosting a one-day workshop for academics who are interested in working with business audiences.

Held off-site in Bournemouth from 9am-4.30pm on Thursday 22nd June, this workshop aims to focus on developing your personal skills where key learning outcomes are: communication, persuasion, influence and engaging with business.

This workshop is ideal for academics who wish to work with industry on projects such as contract research or KTP.

To find out more, please contact Rachel Clarke, KE Adviser (KTP and Student Projects) on 01202 961347 or email clarker@bournemouth.ac.uk

To book your place, please email od@bournemouth.ac.uk

15 May 2017

RKEDF – Working with Business Pathway – Engaging with a Business Audience: Communication and Networking

Fusion, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer Rachel

The Research and Knowledge Exchange Office, together with the Service Excellence team, have put together a half-day development event for academic colleagues who wish to engage with organisations.

This activity takes place daily across the Institution, however if you are interested in learning about how to communicate and network with a business audience including developing relationships, this half-day development event will provide you with tools to

Refreshments and lunch is included.

Venue: Fusion Building, Talbot Campus

Date: Thursday 1st June

Time: 9am-1pm

For further information, please contact Rachel Clarke, Knowledge Exchange Adviser (KTP and Student Projects) on 61347 or email clarker@bournemouth.ac.uk

To book your space, please contact od@bournemouth.ac.uk

25 April 2017

Update on the Migrant & Refugee Leisure Spaces and Community Well-being post Brexit project

BRIAN, Festival of Learning, Fusion, Public engagement jchoe

The ‘Migrant & Refugee Leisure Spaces and Community Well-being’ research project is focused on building research capacity to respond to social and cultural shifts in Dorset following Brexit with regard to migrant and refugee wellbeing. – See more at: http://blogs.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/2017/01/27/we-love-eu-migrant-refugee-leisure-spaces-and-community-well-being-project/

The project brings together academics and community partners, including b-side Arts Organisation, Poole Museum, Dorset Race Equality Council, Bournemouth & Poole City of Sanctuary and Bournemouth University STAR (Student Action for Refugees). In particular, we are interested in past and present migration flows and the inclusion of displaced peoples in Dorset, and we are keen to explore and document the positive ways individuals and groups make connections through leisure, including sport, art, heritage and culture.

One of the projects related to this research is this socially-engaged art work entitled: Shahre Farang by Farhad Berahman produced by b-side. Farhad and his art work will appear at Bournemouth University Festival of Learning in July as well as Refugee Week (June 19th – 25th) events and b-side Outpost Art Festival.

“If you could never return home, what would you do and where would you go if you were granted just one minute to be there?”
Iranian photographer Farhad Berahman presents the memories of 20 Iranian asylum seekers who are unable to return home. Look into the beautiful Shahre Farang (an Iranian peepbox used by wandering storytellers) and see their memories made real, meet the artist and join in with discussion and activities.

The Shahre Farang piece is touring Dorset visiting Bridgeport and Dorchester markets, Portland, Poole and Bournemouth University Festival of Learning:

Outpost, Portland 17 – 22 June
Poole Museum 24 June
Dorchester Market 28 June
Bridport Market 01 July
Bournemouth University 08 July

While we are very excited for the upcoming socially engaged art events, we are currently discussing how we can encourage members of Dorset refugee or migrant communities to attend the Festival of Learning at Bournemouth University. We are working with members of the newly formed network of community partners to extend invites to as many groups as possible.

Later this year, core academic members will attend the Leisure Studies Association (LSA) annual conference (July) and the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) annual conference (August/September) to present work and chair sessions. The details are as follows:

Associate Prof. Jayne Caudwell and Dr. Katherine King are presenting in the ‘Leisure and Social Justice’ session at the LSA International Conference in Leeds. They will reflect on the development of the co-created, socially engaged arts event. In framing their critical reflection, they discuss the role of leisure spaces and practices in building connections between previously disconnected groups of people living in Dorset.

Dr. Jaeyeon Choe and Prof. Janet Dickinson are session organisers for ‘Migrant Leisure Spaces and Community Wellbeing’ at RGS-IBS International Conference in London. The session includes a number of diverse papers from the UK, Mexico, Canada and Australia addressing key issues surrounding migration, leisure and space. http://blogs.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/2016/12/22/cfp-rgs-ibg-annual-conference-2017-migrant-leisure-spaces-and-community-wellbeing/

If you are interested in our project, please follow us:
Project web-page: https://research.bournemouth.ac.uk/project/migrant-refugee-leisure-wellbeing/
Facebook: Migrant Leisure Spaces
Twitter: @migrantspaces

6 April 2017

Student Research Assistant – awarded projects

Awarded & submitted bids, Fusion, Fusion Investment Fund, student research Rachel

The following is a list of current awarded projects, complete with live job links, for the summer round of the Student Research Assistantship (SRA) scheme:

Prof Alan Breen – Spinal Image Processing Assistant

Prof Alison McConnell – Cardiorespiratory Physiology Research Assistant: Development and evaluation of a mobile device App to lower blood pressure

Dr Anita Diaz – Enhancing public engagement with co-creating science through our science co-creation website

Dr Ann Bevan – Understanding behaviour change towards healthy diet patterns in women of childbearing age

Dr Ann Luce – Student Research Assistant: Media and Midwifery

Dr Anna Feigenbaum – Building a Database on Housing in London

Dr Anya Chapman – Climate Change and Seaside Piers: Student Research Assistant

Prof Barry Richards – Research support for a book and for teaching on the psychology of politics

Dr Brad Gyori – Mobile Application Research Engineer

Dr Carol Clark – Exploring the evidence relating to intrinsic factors that predict falls

Dr Christa van Raalte – ‘Understanding Media Careers’ – Student Research Assistant

Dr Darren Lilleker – Post-Truth: the challenge to liberal democracy

Dr David Botchie – Gender and SME finance in Ghana

Dr Debbie Sadd – Digitisation of Volunteer Stories

Dr Desiree Tait – Exploring data relating to a pain beliefs questionnaire

Dr Desiree Tait – Self-monitoring in pregnancy: women’s views

Dr Donald Nordberg – Governing the BBC

Dr Elvira Bolat – ‘Investigating Forms of Leadership in a Digital Age’ – Student Research Assistant

Dr Elvira Bolat – Marketing industry competitions and their role in fusing research, education & professional practice

Prof Iain MacRury – Research Assistant: Global University Advertising Survey Data Project 2000-2017

Dr Ishmael Tingbani – SME Finance, Investment and Performance: Typology and Impact

Dr Jae Yeon Choe – Migrant and Refugee Leisure Spaces Research Assistant

Dr James Gavin – Daily Activities as Training Exercises for Orthopaedic Patients

Dr Janet Scammell – To co-create a systematic literature review for publication to support funded research study

Dr Janet Scammell – Qualitative data analysis from an education evaluation project and co-create project publication

Dr Jian Chang – Research Centre Web Developer

Dr Jian Chang – Virtual and Augmented Reality Content Developer

Prof Julian McDougall – Digital Outreach Research Assistant

Karen Thompson – Carbon Reduction Programme Analysis

Dr Katherine Curtis – A review of literature on the availability, use and impact of health Apps among an older people

Dr Lorraine Brown – Female Muslim tourists in the West

Dr Lucy Lu – Global Engagement Assistant

Dr Marcin Budka – Public engagement assistant

Mathew Charles – Digital Research Programmer

Dr Mehdi Chowdhury – Research Assistant: International migration and the trade in cultural goods

Dr Mel Hughes – Evaluating models of Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) in research

Dr Michael O’Regan – Dietary acculturation and Food Cultures at BU project

Dr Michele Board – ‘Evaluation of dementia training designed for hospital care staff’

Dr Michele Board – Student Research Assistant to review the literature on ‘What factors enable a more humanised approach to care in a residential setting

Dr Milena Bobeva – Research Assistant

Dr Milena Bobeva – Research Assistant in exploring the value of project-based experiential learning

Dr Nan Jiang – Optimising a web based decision making tool for cancer care

Dr Neelu Seetaram – An investigation of the types of tourism taxes imposed at destinations worldwide

Dr Nigel Williams – A visual tale of 3 Cities

Dr Rosie Read – From fieldwork to published article: Turning student ethnographic research co-produced publications

Dr Sangeeta Khorana – UK Trade Policy Post Brexit

Dr Shamal Faily – CAIRIS

Sharon Docherty – Visual perceptions and falls

Dr Shelley Thompson – Women, Science and Journalism Student Research Assistant

Simon Thomas – An investigation of the placement year on student’s career expectations

Dr Steven Trenoweth – A literature review of the factors affecting mental distress of Post-Graduate Research (PGR) student

Dr Tim Breitbarth – Sport and Society: Public Perceptions and Social Media Conversations about the Social Value of Sport

Dr Vanessa Heaslip – Mobile Web App for Migrants Project – Student Research Assistant

Dr Vanessa Heaslip – Supporting Educational Attainment, Progression and Aspiration of young, white disadvantaged males

Dr Viachaslau Filimonau – Food donations in the UK grocery retail sector – The role of local charities

Dr Viachaslau Filimonau – Tourism and (food) waste – a systematic literature review of an emerging research domain

Please promote these vacancies to students where applicable. All jobs are live on MyCareerHub, our Careers & Employability online careers tool. You will need to use your staff/student credentials to login.

Please do look out for SRA updates on the BU Research Blog.

If you have any questions about this scheme, please contact Rachel Clarke, KE Adviser (KTP and Student Projects) on 61347 or email sra@bournemouth.ac.uk

5 April 2017

Masterclass: Developing Interdisciplinarity

Fusion, innovation kstanton

Thursday 4th May 2017, 9.30-11.00 at Talbot Campus

In this session Professor Barry Richards will take us through the story of how intellectual and political interdisciplinarity established across both education and research, defined a new academic specialism which now has courses and departments in several universities, journals and a book series with major publishers and growing connections with professional practices.

This is part of the Leading Innovation Masterclasses series.

There are two other masterclasses in May: ‘Benchmarking your students’ digital experience’ with Jisc’s Sarah Knight, and ‘The clinical doctorate model – Enabling Practitioner Research’ with Professor Vanora Hundley.

Find out more about these and book a place at the following link:
Leading Innovation – Masterclasses

Category / Fusion