Category / PG research

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

Knowledge Point based annotation for Open Educational Resources

Our next Creative Technology Research Centre Research Seminar will be presented by Xinglong Ma.

Title: Knowledge Points based annotation for Open Educational Resources

Date: Wednesday 15th January 2014

Time: 2 – 3PM

Venue: P302 LT

Linking Open Data Cloud

Abstract:  In recent years, the emergence of open educational resources (OERs), in particularly Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), such as Coursera, Edx, Udacity, are making efforts to enhance openness and reuse regardless of demographic constraints. In 2011, the first course, “Introduction to AI”, from Stanford University reached 160,000 enrolments, and in the following years, millions of learners have been involved in the MOOCs. High dropout rates ensued in this self-regulated and self-controlled learning process. In order to encourage seamless learning under the open and reusable learning environment, an innovative approach is proposed based on semanticized Knowledge Points. This talk will discuss the concept of Knowledge Points and suggest the potential values of the Knowledge Points with semantics by comparing them with other annotation approaches.

BU’s best wishes to Dr. Padam Simkhada (HSC Visiting Faculty)

Dr Padam Simkhada, senior lecturer in ScHARR at the University of Sheffield was awarded the CEA Award of Global Health Research for his contribution to global research at a special ceremony at the Mahatma Gandhi University, India just before last Christmas. Dr Simkhada has been Visiting Faculty at BU in the School of Health & Social Care since 2010. He is involved in various BU projects, including the Fellowship awarded by the charity Wellbeing of Women, in association with the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), for research into Nepalese maternity services and women’s health from an international perspective. The research team consists of Lesley Milne, Senior Lecturer in Midwifery, Vanora Hundley, Professor in Midwifery, Edwin van Teijlingen, Professor of Reproductive Health Research at BU, and BU Visiting Faculty Dr. Padam Simkhada.

 

Dr. Simkhada is also co-supervisor of HSC PhD student Ms. Sheetal Sharma.  Sheetal Sharma’s poster presentation recently won the best poster prize at a conference in Birmingham for the poster Getting women to care in Nepal: A Difference in Difference analysis of a health promotion intervention.   Sheetal is supported by Bournemouth University with a studentship and a Santander grant.

Dr. Simkhada has published over 70 research articles on issues such as reproductive and sexual health, migration and sex trafficking and maternal and child health.  Furthermore, he has been working to improve the quality of health research among higher education institutions in Nepal.

This Global Health Research Award for Dr. Simkhada has been reported widely in the media in India, Nepal and in England.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery, Maternal and Perinatal Health

Sustainable Design Research Centre (SDRC) – Research Seminar

Title

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN NOVEL ALTERNATIVE RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

Sustainable Design Research Centre (SDRC) – Research Seminar

Date: Wednesday 8th Jan

Venue: P 406

Time: 12:00 – 12:30

 

Abstract

Renewable Technology is a BU recognised sub-theme within Technology & Design. SDRC has significant portfolio of research within Renewable Technology, this include Cross-Channel Consortium in Mechanical Current Turbine (MCT) research , working closely with community interest groups such as Poole Tidal Energy Partnership in Tidal Energy, final year design projects in Tidal Energy, Heat Pumps & Retro-Fitted Micro Wind Turbines & cross-school activity within Fusion initiative.

Fossil fuels have become the main energy source for human after the Industrial Revolution. However, with ever-increasing energy consumption, they are not sustainable in terms of their finite reserves, environmental implications and contributions to climate change. Within the Energy 2020A strategy for competitive, sustainable and secure energy, the EU and UK have together set a mutual objective to generate renewable energy as 20% of the total energy supply by 2020, for further details please click here. The current research aims to develop low cost renewable technology systems with competitive efficiency and readily adaptable systems both for domestic and commercial applications. In this seminar, the study will present the project background and experimental methodology employed for recording thermodynamic attributes of the solar thermal system to be used in mathematical analyses. The presentation will also present some results and engineering design of key components for improving the overall thermal efficiency of the solar thermal system.

Biography

Bruce Wen is currently conducting research as a PhD student. This research project is fully funded by Future Energy Source Ltd [Dr Zulfiqar Khan PI]. The proposed programme is a direct response to the needs of developing novel alternative renewable technology solutions capable of converting solar energy into useful clean energy. Bruce has participated in the DEC PGR conference and currently planning to present at the BU Graduate School Annual Conference this month.

If you have interest in this research area or would like further information then please contact

Dr Zulfiqar Khan (Associate Professor)

Director SDRC

Email: zkhan@bournemouth.ac.uk

PG Researcher Development Workshops – January 2014

Welcome to 2014!  Don’t forget we have a full programme of PG Researcher Development workshops available to you throughout the coming academic year.  For the month of January, there are still places available on the following workshops:

  • Monday 13th January 2014 – Presentations Skills – only 3 places remaining
  • Tuesday 14th January 2014 – Peer Mentoring Training (For PGRs who wish to develop their skills further there will be the opportunity during the afternoon to explore the use of simple coaching models to structure practical learning conversations)
  • Wednesday 15th January 2014 – Introduction to SPSS (repeat workshop)
  • Monday 27th January 2014 – Managing working relationships (PGRs & Supervisors) with Dr Margaret Collins
  • Tuesday 28th January 2014 – Creative Thinking and Problem Solving

Full details (including information on how to book onto the workshops) can be found on myBU (Graduate School PGR Community).  If you have any problems accessing myBU, please email pgrskillsdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk

 

Jib Acharya awarded funded place on Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) workshop in Morocco


Congratulations to Health & Social Care PhD student Mr. Jib Acharya who has been offered a funded place at the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) workshop. The SUN workshop will be held in Morocco in early February 2014. The British Council and CNRST have launched a new five-year programme to encourage international research collaboration between ambitious young researchers from the UK and eighteen countries around the world. The forthcoming SUN workshop is a part of this programme. One leading team of researchers from the University of Southampton and from Morocco proposed this bilateral workshop to be held in Morocco to bring together early career researchers to discuss their research and start to build international relationships.

The selection committee wrote to Mr. Acharya: “the selection was challenging. The selection panel (UK and Moroccan coordinators and mentors), has chosen 16 applications that would contribute to and benefit from the workshop most”. The British Council and CNRST will cover the costs related to the participation to the workshop, including: travel (both international and local), visa, accommodation and meals.
Jib is delighted with his award. He commented: “It will give me a chance to build up networks with participants at this workshop. It will help to establish personal and institutional relationships.”

Jib’s PhD thesis is based on A comparative Study on Nutritional Problems in Preschool Aged Children of Kaski District of Nepal. His research applies a mixed-methods approach and he is supervised by a team of three BU supervisors: Dr. Jane Murphy, Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen, and Dr. Martin Hind.

SDRC New Research/Education Resource

SDRC has added a new fluid property research and education resource to its experimental lab. This resource will be deployed in the current on-going research in renewable technology and coupled with the MEng/BEng Level I thermodynamics & heat transfer unit. This will provide opportunity to realise BU Fusion initiative through research informed education.

Description

The F1-30 Fluid Property Apparatus is part of the Engineering Teaching & Research Equipment in SDRC. It consists of a collection of components that demonstrate individual fluid properties:

  • Density and relative density (specific gravity)
  • Viscosity
  • Capillarity – capillary elevation between flat plates and in circular tubes
  • Buoyancy (Archimedes principle)
  • Atmospheric pressure

For education purpose, it can introduce students a clear understanding about the physical properties of fluids that can build the foundation for them to study the behaviour of fluids in static or dynamic applications.

For research purpose, it allows bench tests to be performed for measuring physical properties of fluids from a wide range of applications.

Measuring Capabilities

  • Measuring fluid density and relative density (specific gravity) of a liquid using a universal hydrometer
  • Measuring fluid viscosity using a falling sphere viscometer
  • Measuring fluid density and relative density (specific gravity) of a liquid using a pycnometer (density bottle)
  • Observing the effect of capillary elevation between flat plates
  • Measuring the effect of capillary elevation inside capillary tubes
  • Verifying Archimedes principle using a brass bucket & cylinder with a lever balance
  • Measuring atmospheric pressure using an aneroid barometer

If you would like to know more about the research and education activities within the SDRC themes please contact

Dr Zulfiqar Khan (Associate Professor)

Email: zkhan@bournemouth.ac.uk

PG Researcher Development Programme – New Workshops

New workshops have now been added to the programme for the month of February including:

  • Academic Writing
  • Research Methods (Quantitative; Qualitative & Mixed)

Full details can be found on myBUGraduate School PGR Community.

Please remember to log on with your student username and password.

If you have any questions or require assistance accessing myBU , please email: pgrskillsdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk

Augmented Reality Gaming: A New Paradigm for Tourist Experience?

Our next Creative Technology Research Centre Research Seminar will be presented by Jessika Weber.

Title: Augmented Reality Gaming: A New Paradigm for Tourist Experience?”

Date: Wednesday 4th December 2013

Time: 2 – 3PM

Venue: P302 LT

Abstract:  Location-based Augmented Reality (AR) Games are an innovative way to attract tourists into challenges and interactive gameplay while they are exploring an urban destination or cultural heritage site.  The aim of AR games is to create a deeper level of engagement with the destination by adding a game experience that educates through fun using location-based storytelling, personalised features, and social interaction.  The player location and the context of playing are important dimensions in location-based AR Gameplay.  However, little is known by game designers on how to design location-based Augmented Reality Games in the context of tourism.  This study uses the construct of presence throughout AR gameplay using historical facts and information about a destination and combining them into an interactive engaging gaming experience for tourists.   

6th Annual PG Conference – 22 January and 23 January 2014 – CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

The Graduate SchoolCALL FOR ABSTRACTS. 

The Call for Abstracts from any BU registered postgraduate research student is now open and full details including the necessary forms and guidelines can be found on the Graduate School website or myBU (Graduate School PGR Community).  The deadline for submission is 5 pm on Monday 2nd December 2013.

We are still looking for PGR volunteers to help out over the two days (chairing oral presentations; setting up on the day (possibly evening before); signposting visitors on the day), so if you’re interested in putting your name forward, please email your PGR Rep Ashley Mitchell.

If you have any questions about the conference, please get in touch with the Graduate School Team by emailing : pgconference@bournemouth.ac.uk

Masterclass: Systematic Reviews

One way of collating and assessing the best possible evidence is through a method called ‘systematic reviewing’. Systematic reviewing is a specific research method whereby a structured, rigorous, and objective approach is used to provide a critical synthesis of the available evidence on a particular topic. This masterclass will examine the rationale for systematic reviews and take participants through the various elements of a systematic review: selecting (electronic) databases; literature searching; data extraction; data synthesis; interpretation and reporting.

Date: 9-10 January 2014
Time: 9.30am – 4:30pm
Venue: Executive Business Centre, Bournemouth University, 9 Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth,
BH8 8EB. View on map>>

The course will include:

  • Designing a review protocol
  • Formulating a question
  • Identifying and selecting relevant studies
  • Systematic data extraction and collection
  • Synthesis and analysis of the data
  • Writing up & reporting systematic reviews.

Masterclass facilitators
Prof. Vanora Hundley is a midwifery researcher who has conducted a number of reviews of interventions intended for use in low income countries. She is also a Faculty Fellow with the Cochrane Collaboration College for Policy at George Mason University, USA, which produces and disseminates reviews that are relevant to public policy.
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen is a medical sociologist with extensive experience in conducting systematic reviews. He has run similar workshops on systematic reviews in Nepal, and has published on the importance of systematic reviews.  
The facilitators will be assisted by Dr. Marylin Cash is researcher in the School of Health & Social Care where she recently completed a review on the portrayal of childbirth in the media. 

 

Booking information
Cost: £200 (£150 for Bournemouth University students and staff)
Please book online by midday on 6 January 2014.

Find out more and book your place >>
Or contact wellbeing@bournemouth.ac.uk

eBU papers viewed over 800 times by BU community!

The internal side of eBU has only been live for a matter of months. However, in this time eBU has internally published and reviewed 6 papers. Initially envisaged as a developmental vehicle for early career scholars, submissions are coming (and welcome!) from both senior academics and authorship teams comprising students and staff.

Submissions include original research on the emotional geographies and dynamics of doctoral supervision (Fox), e-learning resources on nutrition for supporting cancer survivors (Murphy et al), and destination management in the creative industries (Long). Review papers have also been submitted on the role of patient choice and older people (Harding et al), banking for the public good (Mullineux) and consumer attitudes toward organic food (Howlett et al).

The breadth of submissions and the extent of author engagement are clearly positive. However, I am pleased to report that I am able to offer a better measure of the success, engagement and coverage that eBU is having. As the headline to this blog states, eBU submissions have been viewed over 800 times. This is a monumental amount of engagement, and shows the value of eBU and the interest it has built up among the BU community.

If you have something to submit for immediate internal publication and open peer review or want to view existing papers, you can access eBU when on campus by typing ‘ebu’ into your web browser address bar. Logging into eBU can be achieved by using your regular BU username and password credentials. When off campus eBU can be accessed via ‘View’ (if you do not have View on your home PC or laptop, it can be downloaded here).

Finally, watch this space for the external side of eBU!

Sustainable Design Research Centre – Research Seminar

Wednesday   20-11-2013

Room:   P302 LT (Poole House, Talbot Campus)

Start: 12:00 Finish: 13:00

APPLICATIONS OF CORROSION MODELLING IN THE PETROLEUM, DEFENCE AND AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES

There have been major developments in computer modelling of galvanic corrosion processes over the last twenty years which have resulted in modelling being widely used to simulate the performance of cathodic protection systems which are used to protect structures from corrosion both offshore and onshore. These physics based models represent the electrode kinetics on the metallic surfaces as well as the current flow through the electrolyte. In recent years similar technology has been developed to simulate galvanic corrosion between dissimilar metals in structures which are exposed to thin electrolyte films. For example aircraft and automobiles subject to humid atmospheres and splashing of de-icing fluids.

The work will present applications of the modelling technology in the Oil & Gas industry and describe recent developments in modelling aircraft structures.

The above work will be presented by Professor Carlos A. Brebbia and Dr Robert A Adey, external speakers from the Wessex Institute of Technology.

Professor Carlos Brebbia is Director of the Wessex Institute. After obtaining his PhD at Southampton, he worked at a major UK Research Laboratory before taking an academic appointment at Southampton University where he rose from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer and Reader.  During his time at Southampton he took leave to become Visiting Professor at many other universities, including Princeton. After having been appointed full Professor of Engineering at the University of California, Irvine, he decided to return to the UK to set up the Wessex Institute in the New Forest.

Professor Brebbia is renowned throughout the world as the originator of the Boundary Element Method, a technique that continues to generate important research work at the Wessex Institute.  He has written numerous scientific papers and is author or co-author of 14 technical books and editor or co-editor of more than 400 volumes. He is also Editor of several journals.

Carlos’ interests span from the analysis of advanced structures such as shells to the modelling of environmental problems, dealing with a wide variety of methodologies.  His most recent efforts have been concentrated on the development of Wessex Institute as an international centre of excellence.

Dr Robert A Adey (Bob) is Director Strategic Development at C M BEASY Ltd.  He has a PhD and MSc from Southampton University. UK.  He has over twenty years’ experience in the development and application of computer modelling software for corrosion and CP applications in the Oil & Gas, Defence and Aerospace industry. He is currently manages BEASY Collaborative R&D projects and major engineering services projects.

INTRODUCTION TO THE WESSEX INSTITUTE

Brief description of the objectives of Wessex Institute as a knowledge transfer organisation. This includes work in the field of computational modelling with a wide variety of applications, training and scientific meetings organisation, and the publication of scientific and technical literature.

 Wessex Institute collaborates with many institutions around the world and acts as a focus for the dissemination of the latest advances in a variety of fields.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about this seminar or any general inquires about research, enterprise or professional practice activities within Sustainable Design Research Centre please contact:

Dr Zulfiqar Khan (Associate Professor)

Director SDRC

e-mail: zkhan@bournemouth.ac.uk

Doctoral Open Days at the British Library

 Students listening

Have you just started your PhD?  The British Library hosts Doctoral Open Days enabling new PhD students to discover the British Library’s unique research materials. From newspapers to maps, datasets to manuscripts, ships’ logs to websites, our collections cover every format and language and span the last 3,000 years.

You will learn about our collections, find out how to access them, and meet our expert staff and other researchers in your field. The events are aimed at first year PhD students who are new to the Library.

29 November Music

2 December Social Sciences

13 December Social Sciences 2

Booking will open in November for the following events. Sign up to our Higher Education newsletter to get an email when booking is available.

13 January – Environmental Science

17 January – Digital Research

20 January – History

31 January – History 2

3 February – English

14 February – English 2

24 February – Media and Communication

A Review of Gaming Technologies for Stroke Patients

Our next Creative Technology Research Centre Research Seminar will be presented by Owen O’Neil.

Title: A Review of Gaming Technologies for Stroke Patients

Date: Wednesday 13th November 2013

Time: 2 – 3PM

Venue: P302 LTCentre For Digital Entertainment

Abstract: Stroke is a global pandemic and the largest cause of severe adult disability in the world. Incidence rates in the UK suggest that over 150,000 suffer a first time stroke, and over 80% of survivors will suffer some form of motor disability. Rehabilitation typically consists of high volumes of motor practice to engage the mechanism of neural plasticity, a form of cortical rewiring that allows the brain to adapt after damage. Meeting the rehabilitation needs for this population through one-to-one physiotherapy care is currently not possible.  There is a growing impetus on research institutions to explore cost-effective methods for increasing access to rehabilitation that may promote improved functional recovery for patients at home and in the clinic. Recent approaches include the use of video game technology as a method of increasing patient engagement and upkeep to rehabilitation programs. Of particular interest is the emergence of low cost commercial off-the-shelf devices such as the Nintendo Wii and Xbox Kinect.  In this presentation we introduce the state-of-the art application of video game technology as a modality of upper limb motor practice. We translate current approaches and technology in the literature that show particular promise to meet the needs of this population.

Congratulations again to Sheetal Sharma!

 

Having won the poster prize at last Friday’s GLOW conference in Birmingham,  Sheetal Sharma found out today that she has also been awarded a travel grant from one of the organisations supporting the ECTMIC 2013 Conference she attended in September. 

Sheetal presented a poster at the 8th European Congress on Tropical Medicine & International Health, 2013 (ECTMIH-2013) which took place 10-13 September 2013 in Copenhagen (Denmark).  Sheetal’s abstract of the poster is officially published see http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/tmi.12163/pdf

The reference is:

Sharma, S., van Teijlingen, E., Hundley, V., Stephens J.,  Simkhada, P., Angell, C.,  Sicuri, E., Belizan, J.M. (2013) Mixed-methods evaluation of a maternity care intervention in rural Nepal: measuring what works, Poster P.2.3.004 (A), Tropical Medicine & International Health  18 (Suppl. 1): 108–231.

 

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health
School of Health & Social Care

CMMPH PhD students steal the show at the GLOW maternal health conference

The second Global Women’s Health Conference, held in Birmingham on November 1st, highlighted the work that still needs to be done to reduce maternal mortality. Prof Wendy Graham from the University of Aberdeen opened the conference outlining the progress to date but reminding us that there was much still to do. Her hard hitting presentation showed the unacceptable conditions of birthing rooms in many countries. She urged the audience to remember that “we do not want universal health care of poor quality.”

Rachel Arnold

This was followed by a short film produced by BU Visiting Professor Gwyneth Lewis, which tells the story of Mrs X and why she died in childbirth.

A number of presenters highlighted hospital conditions and disrespectful staff as a disincentive for women in seeking facility birth. However, Rachel Arnold, PhD student in CMMPH,  reminded the audience that the carers were women too. She noted that it is all too easy to blame health care professionals, forgetting the challenging conditions that they have to work in. In her excellent and moving presentation Rachel presented quotes from midwives and doctors in Afghanistan that brought a number of audience members to tears.

BU Prof Vanora Hundley presented work from Pakistan evaluating a decision tool to support policy makers and programme managers who are considering the potential role of clean birth kits in their strategy for care at birth.

Sheeta;

Sheetal Sharma

While PhD student Sheetal Sharma’s poster presentation Getting women to care in Nepal: A Difference in Difference analysis of a health promotion intervention stole the day winning best poster prize.   Sheetal has a unique international supervisory team led by BU and her PhD is supported by Bournemouth University with a studentship and a Santander grant.

The event was also an opportunity to publicise next year’s international conference on Midwifery and the post-MDG agenda, which will be held at Bournemouth University.