Category / Knowledge Exchange

BU alumni working on serious gaming project

Business Engagement, HEIF, innovation, Knowledge Exchange

Joshua (Josh) Cook graduated in 2016  with a first in BSc Games Programming.  He is currently working on an innovation project being led by Professor Wen Tang. ” PLUS”   is a gamified training application funded by HEIF,  in collaboration with the Dorset, Devon and Cornwall (Strategic Alliance) Police forces in order to provide a virtual learning environment that teaches trainees in a more engaging manner than traditional paper based learning.

As a project team member Wen commented “Josh has been a pro-active and key member of the project team working with both academics , the College of Policing and police forces around the UK to develop this training application.”

Key areas of focus for Josh have included:

  • Making the system more generic, so that the project can later be expanded to multiple areas and more situations with ease
  • Improve the visual environment (of the game) with shaders and animations
  • Include data analytics in order to obtain an understanding as to how trainees are using the game, how long they take, how many mistakes they make etc

Josh didn’t take a placement year during University, so aside from a summer position in a local games position he  did not have much work experience. On being given this opportuntity to work on the projetc Josh commented ” The PLUS project seemed like an interesting project to work on, and when I found out a position was open to work on it I applied. I’ve learned some useful things on this project, such as working from and improving upon an existing code base, what it’s like working directly with clients, implementing and using data analytics, and I’m sure I’ll learn more throughout the duration of my employment.”

This project has received funding from August 2015 with the funding ending in July 2017. (HEIF 5+1 and HEIF 5+1+1)

Read more about this project in full: Serious Games for Police Training. 

College of Policing Research Map

BU alumni supporting innovation projects at BU

Business Engagement, HEIF, innovation, Knowledge Exchange, Student Engagement, student research

Dominika Budka is currently working on an innovation funded (HEIF) project called: “Dinosaurs to Forensic Science: Digital, Tracks and Traces”. She graduated last year  (2016) having completed an MSc Forensic and Neuropsychological Perspectives in Face-Processing

Forensic technology and tools are advancing across the board, with the analysis of digital trace evidence being an exception. The techniques and tools used to capture and analyse footwear evidence have not changed in over a hundred years. This project is already changing the status quo by translating academic research on human and dinosaur tracks into tools for forensic practitioners to use. The product that has been  developed, DigTrace, is an integrated software solution for the capture and analysis of 3D data whether in a forensic context (footwear evidence) or in the study of vertebrate tracks and footprints. One of the  recent successes is the exhibit  the project team are  organising at the very prestigious Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition, to be held in London in July.

 The project team were looking for a dissemination officer to help spread the word about the software and engage user groups both within the UK and overseas.  Dominika’s role involves working with external stakeholder groups, organising dissemination events, developing training materials and events for academics, crime agencies, forensic specialists, and UK police forces.

About working on the project, Dominika comented,  “I’m thrilled to be able to contribute to the project, which is not only well-aligned with my interests, but has also a huge potential for impact in terms of improving societal security. I’m working with a unique product set which can enhance global security by improving forensic practice, as well as criminal intelligence gathering and ultimately prosecution. The forensic context of the project is what I find most interesting as it links directly to my MSc”

To find out more about the project – click on the link: Dinosaurs to Forensic Science: Digital, Tracks and Traces

 

Tracks in the sand: tracking criminals

HEIF, innovation, Knowledge Exchange

“Within our lives we leave thousands of individual footprints – in the snow, on the beach, in the park and sometimes even muddy prints on the kitchen floor!  Tracks are more numerous than any other form of trace evidence, and record a unique snap shot in time about the track-maker.  Not only do they record details of the shoes worn, but information about our body mass, style of walking and the specific wear on the soles of our shoes that record information about the history of our footfall.  Reading these clues digitally provides an important forensic tools and HEIF-funded BU research (www.DigTrace.co.uk) in this area is shaping forensic practice both in the UK and overseas. “

This was the abstract submitted to accompany Professor Matthew Bennett’s  recent submission to the Research Photography Competition.

This is the first image to go live on the new Instagram account for HEIF. What not follow to find out more obout the exciting innovations projects past and present at BU.

It can be found here: https://www.instagram.com/heif_at_bu/

 

Innovation funding now featured on Instagram !

Business Engagement, HEIF, innovation, Knowledge Exchange, student research

Forming part of a media package to support innovation funding at BU, a new Instagram Account is now live. Oliver Cooke a third year student on the BA Honours Media Production course is developing a number of different media channels to showcase the range of Higher Education Innovation Funded (HEIF) projects at BU.

It can be found here: https://www.instagram.com/heif_at_bu/

This first image to go live comes from Matthew Bennett’s submission to the Research Photography Competition. (Read more about the HEIF project Matthew is leading on here: Dinosaurs to Forensic Science: Digital, Tracks and Traces

(Research Photography Competition now in its third year.)

Ollie is also working on a short video documentary and website as part of this project.

Ollie’s  experience with HEIF came from the time on his  work placement last year.  He worked within the Research and Knowledge Exchange Office (RKEO) as the Student Engagement Co-Ordinator and had the chance to be involved in a number of initiatives including HEIF. Whilst reflecting on his time in RKEO and ideas for his Graduate Project, it was clear  that there are many interesting projects at BU.

Commenting on his chosen topic Ollie comented “It also struck me that here was an ideal opportunity to create some really engaging media content in order to showcase the innovation journeys and provide more information about innovation and knowledge exchange at BU. This will aim to highlight the people involved with HEIF at BU, as well as the research.”

Ollie has just started filming and the first footage has been shot involving Andrew Whittington (PI)  and BU student Christopher Dwen who are working on the project: “Sherlock’s Window: improving accuracy of entomological forensics at post-mortem criminal investigation using combined cuticular hydrocarbon and internal metabolite analysis.”

(Sherlock’s Window was also featured in the latest edition of the Bournemouth Research Chronicle: Edition 6, January 2017, Page 22.)

Latest Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities, Knowledge Exchange

The following is a snap-shot of funding opportunities that have been announced. Please follow the links for more information:

EXTENDED DEADLINE: MRC Harwell genome editing mice for medicine grant

Medical Research Council, GB

*** The closing date for this opportunity has been extended. The previous deadline of 10 March has been extended to 17 March 2017. All other call details remain unchanged. This grant supports the production of genetically modified mouse lines that advance knowledge of human disease or are of widespread use in biomedical science. ***

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: 17 Mar 17 Closing soon

UK-Thailand workshop on infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases

Medical Research Council, GB

This enables UK researchers to meet researchers from from Thai institutions and explore opportunities for research collaboration in Bangkok between 17 May and 19 May 2017. The grant covers costs for the UK attendees.

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: 21 Mar 17 Closing soon

Scoping group for enhancing resilience of UK peatlands – meeting

Natural Environment Research Council, GB

The scoping group will develop the science case for a potential strategic research programme on enhancing resilience of UK peatlands. NERC will cover all reasonable travel and subsistence costs associated with attending the scoping group meeting.

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: 23 Mar 17 Closing soon

Diagnostics, prosthetics and orthotics to tackle health challenges in developing countries

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, GB

This supports internationally leading programmes of research, centred around innovative healthcare technologies, to tackle the challenges faced by developing countries. The total budget is worth £7.5 million, and six to eight projects will be funded.

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: 20 Apr 17

Innovation Caucus PhD intern opportunity

Economic and Social Research Council, GB

This enables PhD candidates to undertake research to inform the strategy and practice of Innovate UK and the ESRC.

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: 20 Apr 17

Cabinet Office high level knowledge exchange fellowship

Natural Environment Research Council, GB

This aims to improve the impact from NERC science within national resilience policy making, and enable the Civil Contingencies Secretariat to be a better user of science and better able to showcase the value of science in policy. The fellowship is paid at 80 per cent full economic costs, and will be for a two-year period initially, with a possibility of extension.

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: 27 Apr 17

Insurance knowledge exchange fellowship

Natural Environment Research Council, GB

This aims to foster collaborations between the insurance and reinsurance industry and academia to accelerate the uptake and impact of environmental science. The fellowship is paid at 80 per cent full economic cost, and financial support includes but is not limited to travel and subsistence, and events such as workshops, seminars, open days or user training.

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: 27 Apr 17

Antarctic logistic support

Natural Environment Research Council, GB

This provides logistic support for Antarctic fieldwork including the use of British Antarctic Survey infrastructure.

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: 28 Apr 17

International Journal of Social Research Methodology seminar competition

Economic and Social Research Council, GB

This supports the development of critical and innovative approaches to ongoing and emerging methodological debates across a range of approaches, both qualitative and quantitative, including mixed and comparative methods, as these relate to philosophical, theoretical, ethical, political and practice issues. £3,500 is available and covers costs of room and equipment hire, hospitality, consumables and travel for speakers.

Maximum award: £3,500

Closing date: 30 Apr 17

Environmental science impact programme

Natural Environment Research Council, GB

These enable research organisations to collaborate with business, policy bodies and other actors that contribute to the economic development specific to their location, in order to deliver significant regional impact from NERC environmental science. The total budget is worth between £2.5 million and £4m over a period of four years.

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: 22 Jun 17

Industrial CASE studentships

Natural Environment Research Council, GB

This promotes collaboration between the research community and the end users of research. Each studentship is worth up to £84,392 over maximum 4 years.

Maximum award: £84,392

Closing date: 06 Jul 17 (recurring)

COMING SOON: Infectious diseases call

Medical Research Council, GB

*** This opportunity will be available soon. The next call is expected to open shortly. The following information is subject to change. This supports research on infectious diseases of relevance to Thailand and the Thai population. Projects are tenable for three years. ***

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: Not known

COMING SOON: Non-communicable diseases call

Medical Research Council, GB

*** This opportunity will be available soon. The next call is expected to open shortly. The following information is subject to change. This supports research on non-communicable diseases of relevance to Thailand and the Thai population. Projects are tenable for three years. ***

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: Not known

Clinical scientist fellowships

Motor Neurone Disease Association, GB

These provide support to laboratory based studies in the field of motor neurone disease. Funding provides support for four years.

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: 05 Apr 17 (recurring)

Senior clinical fellowships

Motor Neurone Disease Association, GB

These support clinical researchers wishing to pursue research into the pathogenesis and treatment of motor neurone disease. Funding provides support for five years.

Maximum award: Not known

Closing date: 05 Apr 17 (recurring)

COMING SOON: Breast radiology professorship

Royal College of Radiologists, GB

*** This opportunity will be available soon. The next call is expected to open in January 2018. The following information is subject to change. This professorship enables a fellow to undertake six to eight visits to training programmes to deliver lectures, and undertake appropriate workshops or small group teaching, with the aim to foster high quality breast imaging throughout the UK. The professorship is worth up to £10,000 over one year. ***

Maximum award: £10,000

Closing date: Not known

Find more funding opportunities

Search all the latest calls

If you are interested in submitting to any of the above calls you must contact your  RKEO Funding Development Officer with adequate notice before the deadline.

For more funding opportunities that are most relevant to you, you can set up your own personalised alerts on Research Professional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s/Faculty’s Funding Development Officer in  RKEO or view the recent blog post here.

If thinking of applying, why not add notification of your interest on Research Professional’s record of the bid so that BU colleagues can see your intention to bid and contact you to collaborate.

Chancellor announces first round of Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund funding in Spring Budget

Funding opportunities, innovation, Knowledge Exchange

money and cogs

The first tranche of challenges supported by the Industrial Strategy Challenge fund (ISCF) has been welcomed by research and innovation leaders. The spring budget announced an initial investment of £270 million in 2017 to 2018. This is to kick-start the development of disruptive technologies that have the potential to transform the UK economy.

First announced by the Prime Minister at the 2016 CBI Annual Conference, the ISCF will help identify and develop UK industries that are fit for the future, driving progress in technologies where the UK can build on our existing areas of industrial and research strength.

In his Budget speech  earlier this week, the Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond announced funding for the first three competitions in the ISCF:

  • Leading the world in the development, design and manufacture of batteries that will power the next generation of electric vehicles, helping to tackle air pollution
  • Developing cutting-edge artificial intelligence and robotics systems that will operate in extreme and hazardous environments, including off-shore energy, nuclear energy, space and deep mining
  • Accelerating patient access to new drugs and treatments through developing brand new medicine manufacturing technologies, helping to improve public health

Read in full.

 

Graduate Project – Supporting innovation at BU

Business Engagement, Fusion, HEIF, innovation, Knowledge Exchange

Oliver Cooke filming compressedMy name is Oliver Cooke and I am currently in my third year of study on the BA Honours Media Production course. As part of my Graduate Project, I am developing a media package in order to showcase a number of projects that have been awarded Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF).

My experience with HEIF comes from the time on my work placement that I undertook last year. I worked within the Research and Knowledge Exchange Office (RKEO) as the Student Engagement Co-Ordinator. I learnt about many initiatives at BU including HEIF; so whilst reflecting on my time in RKEO and ideas for my Graduate Project, it was clear to me that there are many interesting projects at BU. It also struck me that here was an ideal opportunity to create some really engaging media content in order to showcase the innovation journeys and provide more information about innovation and knowledge exchange at BU.

The media content I will be producing will include a short video documentary, web content that can be integrated with the BU Research Website and a social media campaign. This will aim to highlight the people involved with HEIF at BU, as well as the research.

I have just started filming and the first footage has been shot involving Andrew Whittington (PI)  and BU student Christopher Dwen who are working on the project: “Sherlock’s Window: improving accuracy of entomological forensics at post-mortem criminal investigation using combined cuticular hydrocarbon and internal metabolite analysis.”

(Sherlock’s Window was also featured in the latest edition of the Bournemouth Research Chronicle: Edition 6, January 2017, Page 22.)

 

Working in partnership with businesses: how research can provide solutions

Knowledge Exchange

This year’s Bournemouth Research Chronicle explores the ways in which our academics are working with students, our local community and with partners abroad.  In the latest edition Shelley Ellis, Lecturer in Performance Analysis, shares her story of working with South Coast Canoes to tackle the problem of adapting sporting equipment to fit women.  Below, Simon Rham, owner of South Coast Canoes explains his company’s involvement in the project.

“I first got to know more about this subject after Shelley applied to become a South Coast Canoes Team Paddler. Shelley represents us on and off the water and has helped grow our profile with her coaching and expertise,” explains Simon.

“Shelley told me about the subject she was researching and to help her with this we have held talks both at the shop and at a charity paddling event in Devon which we run. These talks were extremely interesting and helped to increase the awareness within the paddling community of what Shelley is trying to achieve.  We’ve given Shelley access to our social media accounts to help her raise the profile of her research area.”

“One of the other ways we’ve been able to help Shelley is by supporting her to find particular pieces of equipment which she needs for her research.  For example, Shelley was trying to purchase paddle shafts from New Zealand, which have power meters built in.  These are great for measuring performance and are a good tool for Shelley’s research.”

“She needed some blades to go with the paddle shafts, so I put her in touch with AT Paddles, who are based in the USA.  They kindly sent over some samples for her to use as part of her research.  With this equipment, Shelley has been able to gather more data out on the water to help her better understand how subtle differences in seat height can affect paddling performance.  We will continue to work with Shelley on this as it is an extremely interesting area of research.”

To find out more about Shelley’s research and her work with South Coast Canoes, take a look at the latest edition of the Bournemouth Research Chronicle.

The 2017 Bournemouth Research Chronicle can be seen in full here.

Getting involved in conservation in Indonesia: an undergraduate perspective

Knowledge Exchange

Photo credit: Ewan Hitchcoe

Photo credit: Ewan Hitchcoe

In July 2016, a group of undergraduate students travelled to Indonesia as part of the ‘Landscape Ecology and Primatology’ (LEAP) research project.  For many it was their first experience of living and working in the tropics.  Below, Ecology and Wildlife Conservation student, Ewan Hitchcoe shares some insights into the trip.

For more information about the LEAP project, take a look at the latest edition of the Bournemouth Research Chronicle.

The first part of the trip was based at the Ketambe Forest research centre, located in Aceh province. The forest here is part of the network of forests that makes up the Gunung Leuser National Park. The Ketambe research centre was built by Dr. Herman D. Rikjsen, a Dutch researcher, in 1971 and was the first Orang-utan research station in the world.  Since its inception, the station has provided a base for many scientific studies carried out by well-known Orang-utan field researchers and their collaborators.  The long-term nature of the station means that it’s been possible to carry out studies that help both the public and scientific community with an understanding of adaptive strategies, life history variables and social behaviour of animal populations.

Our group of BU students spent a total of 4 days at Ketambe, one half of the group staying at the research station for two days and the other half staying across the nearby river at a guesthouse, before swapping over. Ketambe was our first introduction to the rainforest and much of our time was spent on extended treks through the forest where we were lucky enough to experience a multitude of flora and fauna including many old growth trees, insects, birds and primates, as well as stunning forest landscape features such as rivers and waterfalls.  Both groups were lucky enough to see wild Orang-utans at Ketambe – a mother and a young infant.

Here at Ketambe, we learned field skills, such as how to use the audio array method (spatial explicit capture-recapture) for assessing primate population density. This involved a 4am start and trekking into the forest, where we set up 3 different listening stations from which to record the morning calls of Orang-utans, Siamangs, Gibbons and Thomas leaf monkeys.  We took note of the time, species, bearing and approximate distance, so that we could triangulate primate group positions later back at camp. We also learned some other techniques for monitoring bio diversity such as butterfly trapping and handling under the instruction of MRes student and LEAP team member Emma Hankinson.

After a pit stop back at Medan our next destination was at Serbajadi Aceh Timur to meet with Tezar Pahlevie and the elephant handlers of the Aceh Conservation Response Unit (CRU). Here we learned how this dedicated team use low tech methods such as fireworks or planting citrus crops to try to dissuade elephants away from people and crop plantations. We also learned how as a last resort the CRU uses trained elephants (taken from the wild as ‘problem’ elephants that would have most likely come to harm from farmers trying to protect their crops) to fight and effectively scare off wild herds. We were also privileged enough to be able to engage with the elephants by helping to wash and feed these magnificent creatures, becoming acutely aware of how truly powerful they are.

The next day we were invited to Leuser Conservation Forum offices, where Rudi Putra and Tezar Pahlevie gave us a presentation about the excellent work being carried out in Aceh and beyond. The presentation stressed the importance of and many reasons for protecting the rain forest. We learned about their success stories, as well as some of the problems that hinder the team’s progress.  The biggest recurring theme is a severe shortage of and sometimes misappropriation of government funds.  In a developing nation often struggling to provide housing, water, healthcare and education for its citizens, habitat and wildlife conservation is understandable not at the top of the government’s priority list.  It quickly became clear that the issues faced here and throughout Indonesia are daunting and are not going to be resolved easily.

The full story of Ewan’s trip to Indonesia can be read here on LEAP’s project website.

To see more of Ewan’s photos, visit his website.

The 2017 Bournemouth Research Chronicle can be seen in full here.

Access to Music: Music Technology in Special Educational Needs Settings

HEIF, Knowledge Exchange

Tom Davis project photo 0217

Access to Music is a HEIF funded project situated in the department of Creative Technology and the Emerge Research Group.

The aim of this project is to work collaboratively with local schools for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) to increase access to music technology.

UK SEN schools face multiple barriers when using music and music technology to engage and improve the wellbeing of children with Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD), Profound, Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD) or issues such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This project will explore and identify these barriers in order to develop a suitable solution to promote and unlock new avenues for music technology for both children and music specialists in the surrounding SEN schools.

So far we has initiated links with Montacute & Linwood schools to establish collaborative projects working with a range stakeholders within these settings.  Each school has its own unique barriers to content with, so the main challenge is to come up with bespoke solutions for each setting.

Key people involved in the running of this project are Dr Tom Davis, PI,  Phil Hallet Co-I (CODA music coda.org.uk) & Dr Ane Bevan Co-I.

The project is supported by Dan Pierson who has been employed as a research assistant.

Recent activity has been a 2 day hackathon (see photo) to prototype possible technical solutions to issues identified by stakeholders.

Outcomes from this project will be presented in a number of settings including a Festival of Learning event on 8th July 2017.