Category / Impact

From Clinical Applications to Neuro-Inspired Computation

REF Subjects, Research themes

We cordially invite you to the 4th Symposium of the BU Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Research Centre: From Clinical Applications to Neuro-Inspired Computation on Friday, the 16th of January 2026, 9:30-15:00 at the Lees Lecture Theatre (Talbot Campus, Poole House -outside).

The symposium consists of a journey from clinical case studies to new, emerging experimental and computational methodologies underpinning future translational applications. It is an opportunity for informal discussions on grant proposals and to explore shared interests with our external guests from the NHS and collaborating EU universities. The provisional schedule is:

9:30. Coffee.

9:50. Welcome Address and Keynote talk: Dr Mihalis Doumas, Queen’s University Belfast.

10.45-11:00. Coffee Break and Networking.

11:00-11:50. Session I. Clinical Neuroscience.

11.50 -12.50. Lunch and Grants Discussion.

12.50-13:45. Keynote talk: Dr Andre Rupp, University of Heidelberg.

13:45-14:00 Coffee Break and Networking.

14:00-14:50. Session II. Neuro-Inspired Computation.

14:50-15:00. Concluding Remarks and Invitation to become a member of the INRC network.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Ellen Seiss, eseiss@bournemouth.ac.uk or Emili Balaguer-Ballester, eb-ballester@bournemouth.ac.uk.

Thank you very much, and we are looking forward to seeing you there.

Kind regards,

Ellen and Emili, on behalf of all of us.

Join the 17th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference – Wednesday 3 December 2025

Knowledge Exchange, PG research

17th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference: Register now

Register now to attend the 17th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference, hosted by the Doctoral College.

Join us for a day of showcasing some of the excellent research taking place across BU by our postgraduate research community. This event provides a platform for our postgraduate researchers to present their research, share insights, and engage in meaningful discussions with peers, university colleagues, and external partners.

Date & Time: Wednesday 3 December, 9am-4:30pm

Location: Fusion Building, Talbot Campus

This year, the Poster Exhibition will take place in FG04 & FG06, Fusion Building, with viewings taking place in the morning and during the lunch break. Oral presentations hosted in Share Lecture Theatre in the Fusion Building.

Whether you’re a researcher, academic, colleague, or just interested in the cutting-edge work happening at BU find out more and book your place here 

The detailed programme will be available soon.

Exciting Opportunities for Early Career Researchers

Knowledge Exchange, Training

We are delighted to share upcoming events from the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network (BA ECRN) Southwest & South Wales cluster. These are fantastic opportunities for networking, skill development, and engaging with key topics relevant to ECRs in the humanities, arts, and social sciences.

SWSW Connect Online Community Meeting: Research Culture and Excellence Frameworks

Date & Time: Tuesday 11 November, 12-1pm

This is a monthly online meeting for ECRs in the humanities and social sciences. It is a space to network, share knowledge, and support each other across the region. November’s session will focus on how ECR research can contribute to the research culture environment and to key UK frameworks: Research Excellence (REF), Knowledge Exchange (KEF), and Teaching Excellence (TEF).

Register on the BA ECRN Portal to find out more and book

Reaching Out: Forming Interdisciplinary Connections

Date: Tuesday 18 November, 10am-4pm

Location: University of Exeter

This in-person workshop is for ECRs who want to work together on research projects that cross different disciplines. The goal is to teach ECRs how to find partners, start these interdisciplinary projects, and gain better insights and funding advice from experienced researchers.

Register on the BA ECRN Portal to find out more and book

Development Fund Workshop: The Impact of the ‘Impact Agenda’

Date & Time: Thursday 27 November, 10:30am-5:30pm

Location: The British Academy, London

This workshop will examine the effect of the ‘impact agenda’ on the professional development and career paths of ECRs in the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. It will bring together ECRs, senior academics, and policy actors to develop practical recommendations for improving impact training and career progression.

Register on the BA ECRN Portal to find out more and book

SWSW Webinar Series

The SWSW Webinar Series brings monthly knowledge and skill-based content from engaging expert speakers.

Knowledge Exchange and Commercialisation

Date & Time: Thursday 4 December, 11am-12pm

Directors of the University of Exeter’s SHArD 3D Lab will present an overview of successful Knowledge Exchange initiatives. They provide specialised training, workshops, and research solutions for the heritage and emergency services sectors. The presentation highlights insights from their experience in departmental business engagement and impact leadership.

Register on the BA ECRN Portal to find out more and book

Research Impact Culture: AHRC and ESRC Impact Accelerator Accounts

Date & Time: Friday 5 December, 10am-12pm

This workshop introduces Impact Accelerator Accounts (IAA): research council funds provided to universities to develop a research impact culture. The session will cover the concept of research impact, examples of IAA-supported projects, and the aims of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) IAA programmes. Participants will learn about available internal IAA support and funding to help researchers translate their work into real-world impact.

Find out more and book here

Stay Connected

We encourage all Early Career Researchers to join the BA ECRN Portal and ECRN platform for continuous updates on events, funding opportunities, and other resources relevant to your career development.

Our Researcher Development Hub is now available as your dedicated space to easily find resources and development opportunities for your research career stage.

The Toxic Legacy of a Crisis

Why do so many new CEOs fail to turn around struggling companies, even with a fresh strategy? Maybe it’s not just about leadership.

My new book Corporate Trauma:The toxic legacy of a crisis introduces a powerful new concept – the lasting impact of a past corporate crisis. Drawing from the biological field of Epigenetics, the book argues that a significant organizational shock can embed dysfunctional patterns deep within a company’s cultural DNA that leads to decreased morale and productivity, a breakdown of trust amongst investors, employees, leadership, and a culture of fear, blame, and risk avoidance.

This book offers a new lens to diagnose why companies get trapped in a downward spiral. It goes beyond the classic turnaround playbook to identify and address the root cause of persistent failure, offering an invaluable path to strategic renewal and injecting vitality back into any organization. The book is on AMAZON and now available for pre-order.

The foundational research previously informed the UK Government’s ‘Build Back Better: our plan for growth’ and the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s Committee’s ‘Innovation Strategy’ in 2021.

If any BU research group would like me to present the research findings, please get in touch with me at: joliver@bournemouth.ac.uk

PramaLife to present at the at Community Voices Webinar Wednesday 9 July, 12-1pm

We’re excited to welcome Sue Warr, Manager at PramaLife, to our July Community Voices Webinar. Sue will be sharing insights into the impactful work PramaLife is doing to empower independent lives for older people across Dorset.

For over 40 years, PramaLife has been providing care services throughout Dorset. Their vision is a world where no one is unfairly disadvantaged or excluded due to age or infirmity and where everyone can enjoy life as they age. Learn more about their mission at prama.org.uk.
Community voices is a collaboration between BU PIER partnership and Centre for Seldom Heard Voices to provide a platform and a voice to local community activists.
Please do join us for this webinar
Join the meeting now
Meeting ID: 358 121 945 336
Passcode: h6uD9oU3

AI and Visual Anthropology & Sociology

international, open access, Publishing, writing

Scholars worldwide are in dialogue about using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in various fields of research.  Of course, AI can make certain kinds of work more efficient, this is also the case in social science research. Although ethical use of AI is still fuzzy, the use of AI in visual anthropological and sociological research that entails the Interpretive Approach raises several questions. The editorial  team of Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology, including BU’s Professor Edwin van Teijlingen, just published a research note raising three key questions: First, are researchers satisfied with the interpretation (the meaning created) by AI, i.e., the authenticity of the interpretation?; (b) Secondly, can AI reach the depth of the details of the visual object being interpreted? And thirdly, what ethical issues would AI-based research encounter if AI were highly supportive?

They agree that answering these questions is not easy. Since a detailed analysis of these components needs rigorous research work, we consider issues that will be the basis for further research in this editorial note. Hence, the purpose of this editorial note is to bring the research agenda to the forefront of researchers for further investigation rather than answering specific research questions mentioned above.

 

Reference:

  1. Khattri, M. B., Pandey, R., Roy, R. K., Subedi, M., van Teijlingen, E., Parker, S., & Bhandari, P. (2025). Ethical Dilemmas in Visual Anthropology and Sociology in the Era of Artificial Intelligence. Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology, 19(1), i-v. https://doi.org/10.3126/dsaj.v19i1.80819

World Drowning Prevention Day at BU

international, PG research, Publishing, writing

Next month on July 25th  Bournemouth University will join in with the world-wide celebrations of World Drowning Prevention Day 2025.  The first achievement to highlight is Dr. Jill Nash interesting piece recently published in The Conversation, in which she highlights Five ways to keep teenagers safe by the water [1]. It is also worthwhile to read last year’s contribution to World Drowning Prevention Day by Jill on the dangers of being near water and the role emotions play in making safer decisions [2].

The second major piece of research related to drowning prevention at Bournemouth University is the Sonamoni Project. The Sonamoni Project is working with communities in rural Bangladesh utilizing human-centered design (HCD) techniques.  The research project is identifying solutions to reduce the number of drowning deaths in newly mobile children (6-24 months), developing prototype, and assessing the acceptability and usability of potential  interventions. Sonamoni is coordinated by Bournemouth University in collaboration with the University of the West of England (Bristol), the University of Southampton, and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), Design Without Border (DWB) in Uganda and Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB). The interdisciplinary team at Bournemouth University covers three faculties and six academics: Dr. Mavis Bengtsson, Dr. Kyungjoo Cha, Dr. Mehdi Chowdhury, Dr. Yong Hun Lim, Mr. John Powell, and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen.

This international project funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) through its Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation programme, also includes a BU-based PhD student, Mr. Md. Shafkat Hossein.  He recently published the first article related to drowning prevention in Nepal [3].

References:

  1. Nash, J. (2025) Five ways to keep teenagers safe by the water, The Conversation June 20th.
  2. Nash, J. (2024) Why so many people drown at the water’s edge The Conversation July 25th.
  3. Hossain, M. S., Pant, P. R., van Teijlingen, E., Sedain, B., & Rahman, A. (2024). Drowning Prevention should be a Public Health Issue in Nepal. International Journal of Social Sciences and Management, 11(4): 83–87.

Dr. Catalin Brylla Leads Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives for the Society for Cognitive Studies of the Moving Image

Research Ethics

Dr. Catalin Brylla, Principal Lecturer in Film and TV has chaired the DEI Committee for the Society for Cognitive Studies of the Moving Image since 2022, launching several initiatives.  At this year’s conference at the University of Alberta in Canada he organised three related events:

DEI Roundtable and Workshop: Intersectionality, Bias and Positionality

This roundtable featured international scholars, including Charles Kebaya (Machakos University, Kenya), to explore how intersectionality, bias, and positionality shape our work in film and media research. The session was followed by two facilitated workshop groups: one focusing on teaching (including decolonising curricula and participatory learning methods), the other on research (including de-centralising publishing, engaging with Global South scholarship, and community-led research methods).

The workshops offered a space for critical reflection and practical strategies for fostering equity and inclusion in teaching and research, addressing the following questions.

  • How do we approach research and teaching when we acknowledge the researcher’s and teacher’s partial perspective shaped by their intersected social identities?
  • When the positionality of the researcher differs from that of the research participant, research collaborator, screen character or film viewer, how does this frame our analytic lens and the choice of research methods?
  • What happens when we study marginalised groups without their collaborative participation? Do we risk replicating epistemic hierarchies or social practices that have contributed to this marginalisation? (relates to slogan “Nothing about us, without us.” – disability rights movement)
  • In cross-cultural and cross-ability research and teaching, how do we account for not only difference, but for blind spots in acknowledging and respecting different positionalities?
  • How can we design curricula that properly balance between dominant and underrepresented academic and non-academic knowledge structures?

Mentorship Lunch: Learning from Academic Trial and Errors

This event provided an informal and supportive space where senior scholars shared candid reflections on the mistakes, challenges, and lessons that have shaped their academic journeys. We rarely speak openly about trial-and-error experiences in teaching, research, or media practice. Even more rarely do we celebrate these moments or fully recognise the valuable contributions they make to eventual positive outcomes. As a result, when we engage with the work of other scholars—whether through conversation, presentations, or publications—their research is often presented as a neatly packaged narrative of clear and successful results, with little acknowledgement of the mistakes, missteps, and failures that inevitably occurred along the way.

The session covered topics from research and publishing to teaching, grant-writing, and career development, this session invites open discussion with early career researchers about navigating the ups and downs of academic life.

Paper Presentation on Social Cognition, Bias and Audience Perception of Films

Together with Dr. Tico Romao (University of Alberta), Brylla proposed a framework for audience segmentation that focuses on the mapping of intersecting social identities across viewers and screen characters. This type of spectator segmentation offers a more granular alternative to explain divergent viewer responses and biases. This can reveal the often-overlooked gap between authorial intent and spectatorial reception. This framework is especially useful in comparing responses to structured and formalist narratives, as well as more open or ambiguous narrative forms.

Presenting SERVED at the KCL Veterans’ Mental Health Conference

SERVED – Supporting Evidence-based Research for Veterans Experiencing Dementia

We are pleased to share that Dr Michele Board recently had the wonderful opportunity to present at the Veterans’ Mental Health Conference at King’s College London on 19th May, an event dedicated to sharing research, lived experiences, and innovations aimed at improving mental health outcomes for our veteran community.
Why dementia matters in the veteran community
Dementia is a growing public health concern, and its impact within the veteran population deserves special attention. Military service can expose individuals to unique risk factors — such as traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and heightened stress exposure — which research suggests may influence cognitive health later in life. Despite this, dementia in veterans is still a relatively under-researched and under-acknowledged issue.
Key points from the conference
We were delighted to present some of the work we have been doing with veterans as part of the SERVED project and showcase excerpts of our documentary film, highlighting the need for increased focus on tailored, veteran-specific approaches to dementia care and support.
In the session, Michele shared findings from our research, including the relevance of dementia awareness, as well as findings from the workshops we ran with veterans living with dementia and their carers. One of the striking points Michele raised is that much of the existing research in this field has been predominantly US-based. In fact, a recent literature review found no published studies on UK veterans’ experiences of dementia at the time of searching.
Stigma around dementia remains a challenge within the general public, and it may be even more pronounced in military culture. Combined with increased exposure to risk factors within the military for developing dementia, this makes awareness-raising within veteran communities especially important. Encouraging open conversations about memory concerns and dementia could make a real difference in helping veterans seek support earlier, improving outcomes and quality of life.
What’s next?
Presenting at this conference wasn’t just about sharing our research — it was about starting conversations and building connections. Conversations about how we ensure no veteran feels isolated or overlooked as they age, and how we integrate dementia support into the wider framework of support for veterans. The discussions sparked at the conference led to new interest and increased awareness within the veteran community, highlighting the need to keep pushing this important agenda forward.
Presenting at this conference wasn’t just about sharing our research — it was about starting conversations and building connections. Conversations about how we ensure no veteran feels isolated or overlooked as they age, and how we integrate dementia support into the wider framework of support for veterans. The discussions sparked at the conference led to new interest and increased awareness within the veteran community, highlighting the need to keep pushing this important agenda forward.
Final thoughts
We’re very grateful to King’s College London and the Forces in Mind Trust for providing a platform to shine a light on this important issue, and we look forward to seeing how this conversation continues to grow.

RKEDF June Digest – development opportunities

Training


Book now for RKEDF training in June 2025 

Click on the titles to find further details and book your place 

RKEDF: Principal Investigation – Post Award for RKE 

Wednesday 4th June 13:00-14:30 – in person, Talbot Campus 

This session is aimed at any researcher who is, who plans to be, a Principal Investigator for an externally funded research or knowledge exchange project. By the end of the session, attendees will have a strong foundation of what to expect when being responsible for their awarded projects. Topics covered include:   

  • What is post award? • Roles and responsibilities • Systems
  • Key policies • Starting your awarded project • Making changes to your project and reporting • Hints and tips

Developing Policy Engagement for Impact 

Wednesday 11th June 09:00-13:30 – online 

Are you preparing an impact case study for REF 2029? Do you need expert advice on navigating the policy landscape to ensure your research reaches decision makers? If so, this online workshop is perfect for you.  Carys Davis, a public affairs and policy consultant from The Other Place Public Affairs Ltd., will lead this workshop. RDS’s Impact Team will be present to offer support and guidance.  Gain valuable insights and practical tips to effectively engage with policy makers and highlight your research. 

This workshop is primarily aimed at researchers working on impact case studies for REF 2029, who will be given priority for registration. If you’re unsure whether this is suitable for you, please consult your UOA impact champion.  This workshop will be held online via Zoom. The link will be sent out closer to the date. 

BRIAN drop in surgery 

Tuesday 17th June 13:00-15:00 – in person, BG-315, Lansdowne Campus 

This is an in person, 2 hour drop in surgery for questions or issues relating to BRIAN.  No question is a stupid question so pop in and ask.  No booking required. 

RSA: Getting Started, Securing Funding, and Advancing Your Career 

Thursday 19th June – 10:00 – 14:30 – in person, Talbot Campus 

This in-person event will take place over lunch and is dedicated to providing support, inspiration, and encouraging meaningful connections among research staff across all faculties.  There will be expert advice on getting started and securing funding, along with practical tips from peers who will share case study examples of successful grants and lessons learned. By the end of the session, you’ll have valuable tools to navigate funding opportunities and plan your next steps—whether in academia or beyond. It is also a great opportunity to connect with colleagues and be part of a supportive research community.  Open to all BU research staff, no matter where you are in your research journey. 

Getting your REF impact case study off the ground 

Thursday 26th June – 09:30 – 12:30, in person, Tabot Campus 

This practical workshop gives you the opportunity to plan your impact case study. Starting this process early can help to gain much-needed clarity, both about your impact project(s) and about expectations for the final product for REF2029. In this workshop, Bella Reichard will guide you through creating (1) a narrative arc for your impact case study, and (2) an action plan to progress and evidence your impacts.   

This workshop is for anyone who is considering preparing an impact case study for submission to REF2029. You may have submitted drafts to internal REF mock exercises in 2023 or 2024. You may be new to the process, in which case please let your relevant BU Impact Champion know that you’re interested in preparing a case study.  This workshop is not limited to a single person per potential case study. If several academics are collaborating on a project it can be very useful to attend together. 

Epigeum Research Skills Toolkit 

Do you want to refresh your researcher skills? Have a look at the Epigeum Research Skills Toolkit (on demand online modules).  Further information on how to access Epigeum courses can be found here.
 

Links for further RKE information and support are below: 

RKE SharePoint page: RKE – Home 

RKEDF SharePoint for development opportunities: Research and Knowledge Exchange Development Framework RKEDF – Home 

RKEDF Brightspace: Homepage – Research & Knowledge Exchange Development Framework  

Please help us in avoiding any waste of resources; make sure you can attend or cancel your booking prior to the session. For any further information, please contact RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk   

Policy engagement for impact sessions – last chance to book!

Knowledge Exchange, Training

We have a few places available for our policy engagement training sessions, which are now open to any researchers interested in learning how to get their research in front of decision makers.

DATES & TIMES

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

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

KEY DETAILS

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

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