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This part of the blog features news and information for postgraduate research students and supervisors

A Cloud Based Intelligent Safety Transport Framework for Schools

PG research

We would like to invite you to the latest research seminar of the Creative Technology Research Centre.mano

 

Speaker: Manoharan Ramachandran (PhD student within the Creative Technology Department).

 

Title:     A Cloud Based Intelligent Safety Transport Framework for Schools

 

Time: 2:00PM-3:00PM

Date: Wednesday 26th October 2016

Room: PG11, Poole House, Talbot Campus

 

Abstract: Safety in school transportation systems is a critical issue which involves children who are the most vulnerable users of them. Statistics show that in Great Britain (GB) alone 1191 children were injured in 371 coach crashes between 2005 and 2015. Though coach journeys are considered as the safest mode of transport for children, the coach accidents are the one which resulted in a high number of fatalities per accident. England has more than 25000 schools and each school at least make 2 trips per year which is equivalent to 50000+ trips made every year. Schools rely on coach operators to provide vehicles for school trips and home to school services. In the last eight months alone (Jan – Sept 2016), 102 coach operators’ licenses have been revoked without public inquiry in England due to operator’s non compliance. Around 8.3 million pupils are enrolled in England schools. There are no specific safety models available to ensure the safety of children who travelling through coaches. Parents have to spend a considerable amount of time on the streets and making phone calls seeking information about the coach whilst waiting for it, due to the unpredictable nature of the traffic, particularly during the winter months. Proper selection of coach operator, vehicle and real time vehicle tracking & monitoring can considerably mitigate safety risks and the problems of school transport. Most of the existing literature so far has focused on the economy and the shortest routes to transport children, but they do not consider the safety aspects of the coach operator, vehicle and the driver. In this research, two case studies have been conducted in four sectors of stakeholders to identify their problems and needs in school transportation. The outcome will be discussed at this seminar.

 

 

We hope to see you there.

BU 9th Postgraduate Conference 2017 – Call for Abstracts

PG research

pg-conference-2017The BU Postgraduate Annual Conference, Wednesday 8 March 2017  showcases the best of BU’s postgraduate research. It provides a unique opportunity for Postgraduate researchers and Masters’ students to present their work.

Call for Abstracts is open from 24 October 2016 Closes: midnight, 24 November 2016

Abstracts are invited for oral, poster and photography presentations from Postgraduate Research and Taught students at any stage of their degree. Please download and complete the Abstract Form with reference to the guidance notes for Oral, Poster and Photography presentations. Visit www.bournemouth.ac.uk/pg-conference for further information.

Please note, the number of oral presentations is limited and therefore the selection process is competitive – abstracts will be shortlisted by a Faculty academic panel and you will be advised if your abstract has been successful 2 weeks after the deadline date.

Postgraduate Researcher Experience Survey (PRES)

PG research

The Graduate School would like to remind all PGRs (on behalf of SUBU) that the BU/SUBU Postgraduate Researcher Experience Survey (PRES) is now open. It is an opportunity for PGRs to tell us about their experiences as a PGR student, which will help us identify areas of good practice and areas in which we could improve.  The closing date is 1 November 2016 – see link below.

PRES is an important anonymous survey which speaks out for BU PGRs only, and has been developed in consultation with BU PGR students to make it relevant to PhD, MPhil and MRes students here.

Feedback from last year’s survey helped us to, amongst other things:

  • Improve the processes for administrative support
  • Explore how to make the faculty research environment more stimulating
  • Improve communication about how to apply for funding for specialist resources

The more responses we receive, the more we can do for PGRs.  If you are a BU PGR, please help us by sparing a few moments to fill in the survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/BU_PGR_Student_Experience_2016

EU award for PhD student Preeti Mahato

international, PG research, Publishing, student research

FHSS PhD student Preeti Mahato in the Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health (CMMPH) has been awarded a funded place on the COST Action Training School BEYOND BIRTH COHORTS: from study design to data management.  This training school will run from 23-15 November in Spain.

eu-flagCOST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a unique platform where European researchers can jointly develop their ideas and initiatives across all scientific disciplines through trans-European networking of nationally funded research.  Preeti pal has been awarded the sum of 500 euro to cover the cost of attending the Training School and travel and accommodation costs.    Preeti’s PhD project is on maternity care provision in  Nepal. Preeti’s research focuses on the quality and equity of service available at birthing centres. In Nepal, birthing centres act as first contact point for the women seeking maternity services especially the basic obstetric care. She is supervised by Dr. Catherine Angell, Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen and BU Visiting Faculty Prof. Padam Simkhada (based at Liverpool John Moores University).

Preeti has already published the first PhD paper ‘Birthing centres in Nepal: Recent developments, obstacles and opportunities’ in the Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM) [1], whilst another was published in the Nepal Journal of Epidemiology [2].  Furthermore, a more general health and development paper was published this year in Health Prospect [3].

Congratulations!

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

 

References:

  1. Mahato, P., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Angell, C. (2016) Birthing centres in Nepal: Recent developments, obstacles and opportunities, Journal of Asian Midwives 3(1): 17-30.
  2. Mahato, P.K., Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Angell, C., Sathian, B. (2015) Birthing centre infrastructure in Nepal post 2015 earthquake. Nepal Journal of Epidemiology 5(4): 518-519. http://www.nepjol.info/index.php/NJE/article/view/14260/1157
  3. Regmi, P., van Teijlingen, E., Hundley, V., Simkhada, P., Sharma, S., Mahato, P. (2016) Sustainable Development Goals: relevance to maternal & child health in Nepal. Health Prospect 15(1):9-10. healthprospect.org/archives/15/1/3.pdf

The Graduate School presents … the Researcher Development Programme

PG research

At the start of the academic year, the new and improved Researcher Development Programme (RDP) was launched by the Graduate School. The programme, aimed at postgraduate researchers, now consists of an annual programme of 145 diverse training workshops, online video resources and podcasts in addition to 31 online training programmes. Click the following link to access thecapture 2016/2017 RDP brochure

The RDP aims to increase the academic and professional skills and knowledge of BU’s PGR’s, assisting them throughout their PhD journey, whilst also enhancing their employability after completion of their research. Now, don’t take my word for it, here is what PGR students say about the programme …Click Here

Are you involved in a research project related to policing or crime reduction.. read on !

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

Magnifying-Glass

If you’re involved in a research project related to policing or crime reduction, you can share your work on the College of Policing website. (You will need to make sure that you have permission from your project/ research collaborators/ partners are aware of your intention and you have their agreement. )

The College of Policing website has a research tool that enables you to share  research using  the Policing and Crime Reduction Research Map. Criteria for use includes:

  • relevant to policing and crime reduction
  • of Masters degree level or above (and can include work/professional based project work)
  • ongoing and not completed can be included ( aswell as completed projects).

This tool has been trialled as part of the Higher Education Innovation Funded projects (HEIF 5+1 that were funded from August 2015 – July 2017) that were relevant to this sector. Check out these projects here:

Dr Sarah Bate: The identification of superior face recognition skills. Sarah’s research was also included on the website’s news pages.

Professor Wen Tang: Police training using gamification technology

This is a great tool to promote your research and develop opportunities for further collaboration and networking there-by extending the reach and potential impact. Both Sarah and Wen have very quickly received enquiries from members of the police force (from other parts of the UK), external collaborators and other institutions.

The map can be found here and information on how to add details of the research can be found using this link.

 

 

 

CQR lunchtime seminars “In Conversation …” continue with “Social Work as Art” this Wednesday!

PG research

Following the first very successful (and jam packed!) Centre for Qualitative Research Seminar “In Conversation …” the series continues with

“Social Work as Art”

presented by Lee-Ann Fenge and Anne Quinney

Wed., 5 Oct., Royal London House 201 at 1 pm.

Give these two some arts materials or a dressing-up box, who knows what will transpire!  Mark your diaries now and join us for an intriguing conversation!

Because CQR is keen to make information available to students and staff about qualitative METHODS, the seminars are arranged somewhat differently than the typical lunchtime seminar.

We are asking TWO (or more) presenters to agree to present each research method as a CONVERSATION…first, between each other, and then with the audience.  We are also asking that no PowerPoint be used in order that it is truly a conversation and NOT a lecture. The conversations will be about a particular research method and its pros and cons, NOT research projects or outcomes.

Many of us then move next door to RLH to Naked Cafe to continue the conversations and network. Faculty and Students invited to attend!

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See you Wednesday at Royal London House 201 at 1 pm.  ALL are Welcome!!

Fusion Investment Fund – BU research collaboration with the University of Utah

Fusion, Fusion Investment Fund, international, PG research

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This year, I was awarded the Fusion Investment Funding which sponsored me and my research team to establish the collaboration between National Centre for Computer Animation (NCCA, BU) and Simulation & Electronic Animation Lab (SEALAB, the University of Utah). The purpose of this collaboration is to publish high quality papers, exchange innovative ideas and explore the potential of improvement and commercialization of our surgery simulator.

Throughout the year, the collaboration progressed smoothly and obtained significant results. We kept in touch regularly with our partners, shared various interesting and inspiring ideas on the topic of physically based soft tissue simulation, collision detection and the development of surgery simulator. Inspired by the insightful discussion with our partners, we have published two journal papers and two conference papers. My PhD student Kun Qian, as the main participant of this project, has benefited a lot from it. His work was awarded the winner of British Computer Society Animation and Games Development 2016 Competition. We have also exchanged ideas on funding application, teaching and research team management. The most impressing experience was the attending of their internal computer graphic research seminars which aims to promote the idea exchange and potential cooperation between different research groups. It is quite useful for us to improve the efficiency and quality of the similar seminar we held at BU. Besides SEALAB, we also visited the world leading medical visualization research group of the University of Utah: Scientific Centre of Visualization (SCI) and University of Utah Medical Centre. Those two organizations demonstrated the state of art of medical visualization and simulation, provided practical and valuable suggestion on the future direction of surgery simulator.

Although this fusion project finished, our collaboration has never stopped. We are continuing working on the topic of biomechanical based soft tissue simulation and exploring potential opportunities for joint research funding application. The following are selections of some pictures of the beautiful view of the state of Utah, main campus of University of Utah and the award we achieved.

Dr. Xiaosong Yang

National Centre for Computer Animation, Faculty of Media and Communication

bcsaward img_20160830_145313 img_20160816_085632 img_20160815_091353

BU’s PhD Isabell Nessel at the Human Milk Bank in Southampton, Princess Anne Hospital

PG research, student research

human-milk-bank-southamptonMost of you have probably heard/read about human milk banking by now from me or my previous posts, if not read here more about it. This week, I had the opportunity to meet Anita Holloway-Moger, the Human Milk Bank Nursery Nurse at the Princess Anne Hospital Human Milk Bank in Southampton.

It was a great opportunity to finally visit and see a milk bank and speak to the person responsible to gain more practical insight into human milk banking in the UK, instead of only reading about it for my research.

human-donor-milk
Human donor milk comes from mothers who have had several blood tests and is collected from the mothers’ homes by the milk bank staff and/or the blood bikes. The frozen milk then gets processed in the milk bank, which means it is tested for microbiological contamination and pasteurised (heat treated) to make it save for the premature or sick babies to receive. This has been shown to increase their chance of survival and help their development.
Thank you Anita for taking all the time to answer my questions and for showing me around, as well as Bournemouth University for the funding which made my trip possible!

 

UKAMBIf you would like to find out more about human milk banking in the UK or want to become a human milk donor visit the UK Association for Milk Banking website at http://www.ukamb.org/.

 

If you would like to learn more about our research, please feel free to contact me at inessel@bournemouth.ac.uk

Isabell

BU PGR Research into the effects of diet and exercise on mobility and brain function – Call for participants.

PG research, student research

bike-pictureWe are often reminded that we should be paying attention to what we eat and making sure we exercise regularly. These recommendations are based on years of research into how diet and exercise can impact our health and well-being throughout the lifespan. However, it’s rare that these two crucial elements are studied together.

  • Can combining different lifestyle interventions produce an even more profound effect than each individually?
  • Are people able to adapt to two changes in lifestyle?
  • Is one element of lifestyle modification better than the other?

We have designed a study that will hopefully give an insight into these questions by looking at the effects of a dietary supplement and exercise classes on a spinning bike in adults aged 60+. The supplement contains fish oil (1000 mg DHA, 160 mg EPA), 20 µg B12, 1 mg folic acid, 124 mg phosphatidylserine, 240 mg gingko biloba standardized leaf extract and 20 mg vitamin E.

We are seeking to recruit healthy adults aged 60+ to take part in the study.  Volunteers will be split into four groups.

  • Supplement and exercise classes
  • Placebo and exercise classes
  • Supplement
  • Placebo

We will ask volunteers to take part in tests related to walking ability and brain function and a blood sample will also be required.  These will be done at the beginning of the study and after 24 weeks.

All testing and the exercise classes will take part at SportBU at Bournemouth University Talbot Campus, Fern Barrow, Poole, BH12 5BB.

  • Inclusion criteria: Aged 60+ and able to walk 50 metres without a walking aid
  • Exclusion criteria: Vestibular impairments (balance disorder), diagnosed neurological disorder e.g. dementia or depression, previously received lower limb surgery, diagnosis or receiving treatment for pernicious anaemia, allergy to seafood, regular consumption of multivitamin/fish oil supplements in the last six months, have been advised not to take part in exercise by a doctor

Due to a number of advances in medicine and healthcare, life expectancy has steadily increased in the UK meaning we have an ever expanding population of people aged 60+.  For this population it’s not just about living longer, it’s about living better for longer.  This can mean being able to take part in leisure activities like sports, gardening or visiting friends right down to more vital activities like being able to climb stairs or rise from a chair.  Mobility and brain function play a pivotal role in the quality of life of the older generation, yet it’s common to see declines in both of these areas as we get older.

I stumbled upon a website called Shoppok while browsing for a Honda 70 bike, and it offered a variety of listings. It’s always fascinating to discover new platforms where people can buy and sell items, including vehicles like motorcycles.

If you or anyone you know would be interested in taking part of would like more information about the study or our research please contact

Paul Fairbairn

PhD Student Bournemouth University

07871 319620

pfairbairn@bournemouth.ac.uk

chair-old-lady

Postgraduate Short Course Opportunities!

PG research, student research, Training

PhD and MSC students! Are you looking to develop additional laboratory skills or about to undertake your own research work? Then now is your chance to get involved in some upcoming short courses at Liverpool Science Park. By working in a laboratory setting, these courses give you a chance to attain or further practical skills. With a high staffing level, this doesn’t just bring a wealth of experience, this also gives you a chance to discuss, interact and ask questions with researchers working both in academia and within the field. Please see below and follow the links for more information on how to book.

24 September- Discovering Practical Microbiology

30 September- Laboratory Skills 

1 October- Introduction to Mammalian Cell Culture 

3 October- Practical Skills in Drug Discovery 

8 October- Genomics and Bioinformatics

5 November- Skills in Analytical Science 

Accommodation? They’ve got you covered with bed and breakfast available for £32-£47 a night at Hatters Hostel

For more information email BioGrad.

CQR Kicks Off “In Conversation” Seminars this Wed 7 Sept

Knowledge Exchange, PG research

Centre for Qual ResearchThe Centre for Qualitative Research is kicking off its new seminar series on Wednesday 7 September at 1 pm in Royal London House RLH 201 Masterclass Suite.

New to BU and FHSS, Prof. Sam Porter (Head of Social Work & Social Sciences Dept. at FHSS) will join CQR’s Kip Jones and Caroline Ellis-Hill “in conversation” about “The Relationship between the Arts and Healthcare”.

Because CQR is keen to make information available to students and staff about qualitative METHODS, the seminars will be arranged somewhat differently than the typical lunchtime seminar.

We are asking TWO (or more) presenters to agree to present each research method as a CONVERSATION…first, between each other, and then with the audience.  We are also asking that no PowerPoint be used in order that it is truly a conversation and NOT a lecture. The conversations will be about a particular research method and its pros and cons, NOT research projects or outcomes.

The “In Conversation with …” Seminar Series will be held on the FIRST WED of each month for nine months beginning in September. They will run from 1 pm until 1:50.

We are then hoping that many will join us for a CQR ‘KoffeeKlatch’ following at Naked Cafe next to RLH after the seminar.

We anticipate that by making the CQR Seminar Series really unique and exciting that they will inspire students and academics alike to investigate the wide range of qualitative methods and expertise available at CQR, and enrich their research projects by doing so.

See the list of all nine CQR Seminars over the Academic Year.

RCUK Policy Internships Scheme

Funding opportunities, PG research

PhD students! An exciting internship opportunity has come up. RCUK Policy are looking for PhD students, funded by the UK Research Councils, to work for three months in one of a selected group of highly influential organisations relevant to UK policy. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to work on one or more policy topics of interest. This will give you the chance to participate in a policy inquiry, organise a policy event and produce at least one briefing paper.

The internship is open to all Research Council-funded students. All applicants must be funded until 31 December 2017, to be eligible for the scheme.

Interested? All applications must be submitted by 4pm on Tuesday 1 September 2016. You’ll be notified by the end of September 2016 on the success of your application. If you’re successful, then you’ll be interviewed sometime in October or November.

Click here to find out more information and submit your application.