BU Research Blog

28 March 2024

Café Scientifique Tuesday 7 May 2024 – Showcasing tomorrow’s researchers

Knowledge Exchange, PG research, Public engagement ballen

At Café Scientifique, you can explore the latest ideas in science and technology in a relaxed setting. Enjoy listening to a short talk before engaging in debate and discussion with our guest speaker and audience

We’ll be joined by four postgraduate researchers from Bournemouth University on Tuesday 7 May 6:30 – 8:00pm.

Come and listen to four postgraduate researchers from Bournemouth University to get an insight into how their research might answer the following questions:

How do Hollywood film-makers create believable fantasy worlds?
What can we do to prevent natural and man-made disasters?
Can we extend the life of Lithium-ion batteries for electric cars?
How do we overcome cultural differences to provide appropriate healthcare?

All the speakers are currently working towards their PhDs and are passionate about sharing their research with the public.

This event will be held at The Black Cherry in Boscombe, Bournemouth. Although the talks start at 6:30pm, the café will be open early so we encourage you to arrive early for a drink and a bite to eat before the talk starts.

If you have any questions about this event please email the Public Engagement with Research Team: publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

21 March 2024

Dr Mili Shrivastava awarded Outstanding Women Researcher Award

Awarded & submitted bids, BRIAN, BU Challenges, Fusion, Fusion themes, international, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement, staff profile pages, Women's Academic Network mshrivastava

Dr Mili Shrivastava received an Outstanding Women Researcher Award for her impactful research and contribution to policy briefings on women entrepreneurship and technology for sustainable business and society.

Dr Mili Shrivastava’s research delves into pivotal inquiries concerning gender dynamics, specifically focusing on women’s entrepreneurship and their presence in the tech industry. Driven by a passion for fostering sustainable business practices and societal progress, her work sheds light on pressing issues in these domains.

She has made contributions to the UK Parliament Committee’s examination of enhancing diversity in STEM fields, drawing on insights from her research.

The VIWA Awards Foundation honours and spotlights exceptional women researchers from across the globe.
Expressing her gratitude, Dr Mili Shrivastava remarked, “I’m deeply honoured and energised to see the impact of my research initiatives and endeavours in the realm of women and technology, as they serve to inspire and empower other women.”

20 March 2024

Q&A event: applying for the ESRC Festival of Social Science

Funding opportunities, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement Amanda Edwards

A fantastic opportunity to showcase your social science research!

Date: Wednesday 17th April

Time: 11:00-12:00

Where: Online (via Teams)

To register, please complete this form.

If you’d like to apply to be part of this year’s ESRC Festival of Social Science, and stand the best possible chance of being accepted, come to our online information session. You’ll get essential tips on applying, find out what the ESRC are looking for, and hear from researchers who have previously run successful festival events.

This session is being run jointly by BU’s Public Engagement with Research (PER) team and the University of Southampton’s Impact Funding Team. For more information about what being an event holder involves, have a look at the Event Leader Guidance. You can also contact publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.

20 March 2024

Celebration of the Family Science Day in Dorchester

BRIAN, Fusion, Public engagement Genoveva Esteban

The annual Family Science Day in Dorchester on Sunday, 17th March 2024, was a vibrant celebration of the British National Science Week. This free event aims at making science accessible and engaging for families, providing a platform for learning and discovery in a fun and interactive way. With an attendance of 800 enthusiastic visitors, the event showcased 20 hands-on science stalls. BU was represented by staff, undergraduate and postgraduate students, and postdoctoral researchers. Contributors included Demetra Andreou (Fish Through Time), Amanda Korstjens (Voices in the Jungle), and Genoveva Esteban (Hidden World of Microbes), alongside Kirthana Pillay (postdoctoral researcher) and undergraduate students Dan Stevens and Jacob Tate from the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences. Xun He (Head of MINE Research Cluster, Psychology) and Fred Charles (Head of Department for Creative Technology) led a stall on Measuring Social Behaviour with VR & Brainwaves, with assistance from PhD student Damla Kuleli, research assistant Charlie Lloyd-Buckingham, and BU alumnus Rianna Green. BU Student Ambassador Lily Bater provided exceptional support throughout the day.

Prof Genoveva Esteban annually organises this event in collaboration with Dorchester Town Council, Dorset County Museum, and the Institute of Physics. The success of this event was made possible through sponsorship from the Royal Society of Biology, Dorchester Town Council, the Institute of Physics, and Pilot Regional Funding from Research England. Special thanks are extended to Dr Blanca Pérez-Uz from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain, for her valuable contribution to the “Hidden World of Microbes” activity. The assistance and support provided by BU’s Marketing & Communications (Hollye McKenzie and Sabine Turner), along with Events and Communications (Beverly Allen), are also gratefully acknowledged.

18 March 2024

We can help promote your public engagement event or activity

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

At BU we promote and celebrate the work done to engage public audiences with our research. The Public Engagement with Research team in Research Development and Support can help promote your event to relevant audiences through our monthly newsletters and via our social media channels.

To be considered for inclusion, your event or activity must be;

Focused on BU research, either solely or as part of a wider programme. Events or activities that do not involve BU research, such as marketing or recruitment events, will not be accepted.
Intended for and open to non-academic audiences, either entirely or as a portion of the audience.
Submitted, at the latest, in the first two weeks of the month preceding the event. For example, an event taking place in June should be submitted via the form any time before 14 May.

Event descriptions may be edited for consistency in style with other content.

Share your upcoming public event or activity

If you have any questions, please contact the team publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

15 March 2024

Find out how to apply for ESRC Festival of Social Science 2024

Public engagement Amanda Edwards

BU partners with University of Southampton for second year!

The 22nd annual Festival of Social Science takes place this year 19th October – 9th November, with the theme of ‘Our Digital Lives’. This national festival offers the chance to create an inspiring event which enables you to connect your research in a creative and engaging way with a broad public audience.

For the second year, BU is partnering with the University of Southampton (UoS) and we are particularly keen to hear from researchers who have already established collaborations with UoS colleagues and may wish to run a joint event. This collaboration enables us to run an extended programme of events, broadening our impact reach and expanding our networks across Dorset and Hampshire.

Funding of up to £1,000 per event is available, and BU’s Public Engagement with Research (PER) team offers continuing advice and support on all areas of event development, planning, delivery and evaluation. The deadline for applications is Thursday 16th May 2024.

Essential links:

Application form

ESRC’s Festival Event Leader pack

Information Session

Find out how to apply at this online information session and hear from BU and UoS about previous festival events. The session will be delivered by BU’s PER team and the Impact Funding Team from UoS.

Wednesday 17th April 2024
11:00-12:00
Online via MS Teams
Book your place here

For more information, please email publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk. You can also visit BU’s FoSS 2023 webpage for inspiration and the ESRC’s website.

14 March 2024

New seed fund for public engagement with research: apply now

Funding opportunities, Public engagement Amanda Edwards

What’s it for?

We want to provide small amounts of funding (up to £500) to help researchers develop and incorporate meaningful, two-way engagement with beneficiaries and research users. The aim is to help support a more engaged research culture across BU and accelerate the impact arising from research.

Who can apply?

The scheme is open to researchers at all career stages, whether or not they have previous public engagement experience.

What are we looking for?

We would like to fund engagement activity that addresses any/all of the following:

reaches a new audience or community, or
tests a pilot activity to evaluate what works, with the aim of developing impact from existing research or securing further external funding, or
develops your own engagement skills and understanding of the value of public engagement with research.

Application process

Read the Guidance for Applicants
Complete the online application form.

The reviewing panel assesses applications on a rolling basis and aims to respond within one week. The latest we can accept applications for this academic year is 28th June and the application form will no longer be accessible after that date.

Support & information

The relevant staff in the Research Excellence Team will provide support to deliver activities and will manage funds centrally. All activity and spend will need to be completed before 31 July 2024.

(Please note that this funding will not be awarded for attending conferences or networking events where the engagement with stakeholders is speculative.)

For all queries, please contact publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.

14 March 2024

RDS Academic & Researcher Induction

Post-award, Public engagement jfallows

RDS Academic & Researcher Induction – Weds 27th March

This event provides an overview of all the practical information staff need to begin developing their research plans at BU, using both internal and external networks; to develop and disseminate research outcomes; and maximising the available funding opportunities.

Objectives

The primary aim of this event is to raise participants’ awareness of how to get started in research at BU or, for more established staff, how to take their research to the next level
To provide participants with essential, practical information and orientation in key stages and processes of research and knowledge exchange at BU

Indicative content

The induction day will be interactive and give you the opportunity to meet your faculty-facing RDS support, as well as those responsible for strategy, outputs, ethics, impact, public engagement and knowledge exchange. The videos will provide:

An overview of research at BU and how RDS can help/support academic staff
The importance of horizon-scanning, signposting relevant internal and external funding opportunities and clarifying the applications process
How to manage an awarded project and the BU processes
How to develop internal and external research networks
Key points on research ethics and developing research outputs

Book your place here under ‘RDS Academic & Researcher Induction 27/03/2024’ in the drop-down menu.

12 March 2024

RKEDF: Evaluation of Engagement training with an award winning professional

Public engagement, Training jfallows

Good public engagement benefits both researchers and the public – but what is the best way to measure its success?

Workshop 1: Evaluation of Engagement, Monday 18 March, 1-4pm, F110, Talbot Campus

Workshop 2: Advanced Evaluation, Tuesday 19 March, 9am-12pm, S108, Lansdowne Campus

One of the most experienced public engagement trainers in the UK, Dr Jamie Gallagher, is coming to BU to deliver two training sessions on how to evaluate your public engagement activity.

These in-person workshops will highlight how to demonstrate success for funders, record impact, help you improve your processes and give you a better understanding of the people you are connecting with.

Workshop 1 guides you through the best evaluation processes, showing you when, why and how to use evaluation to provide clear, reliable data.

Workshop 2 builds on the learning, taking a more in-depth look at developing evaluation plans for even the most complex topics. You will explore data capture, analysis and reporting and also learn how to write evaluation reports for funders or the REF.

Book on Evaluation of Engagement here and Advanced Evaluation here, selecting the appropriate session from the drop down menu. NOTE: This is a two-day evaluation training workshop. Although you can choose to do either of the workshops, we highly recommend you do both – you need to sign up for them separately.

Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided at both sessions.

For any queries, please contact publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.

12 March 2024

Appreciative Inquiry Resource

innovation, NHS, Public engagement, Publishing, Training, Women's Academic Network, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Today we received a copy of the book Appreciating Health and Care in the post. This book has a sub-title ‘A practical appreciative inquiry resource for the health and social care sector’ and refers to the work led by Bournemouth University’s Dr. Rachel Arnold. Appreciative Inquiry values people’s expertise and vision and can motivate people to see the world differently and instigate positive change. Rachel been the lead author on several publications around Appreciative Inquiry [1-3].

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH)

References:

Arnold, R. (2024) Learning to use Appreciative Inquiry, i2Insights, 16th January.
Arnold, R., Way, S., Mahato, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2024) “I might have cried in the changing room, but I still went to work”. Maternity staff managing roles, responsibilities, and emotions of work and home during COVID-19: an Appreciative Inquiry, Women & Birth 37: 128-136.
Arnold, R., Gordon, C., Way, S., Mahato, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2022) Why use Appreciative Inquiry? Lessons learned during COVID-19 in a UK maternity service, European Journal of Midwifery 6 (May): 1-7.

11 March 2024

Recent paper – the conflict between research impact and traditional ‘excellence’ in ECR careers

innovation, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement, Research assessment Adam Morris

A recent paper looks at the difficulty and conflict that ECRs experience around achieving impact outside academia – something that they feel passionate about – while meeting more traditional and narrow ideas of ‘research excellence’ in academia.

The paper also looks at ‘publish or perish’ pressures, confidence and imposter syndrome in presenting your research as an ECR, and how focusing on impact can affect careers.

Read the paper (open access) at The conflict of impact for early career researchers planning for a future in the academy.

7 March 2024

Coming soon – apply to be part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2024!

Public engagement Amanda Edwards

An illustrated image of people doing different activities in a field with text saying 'Exploring society together'

Are you a social sciences researcher looking for a high-profile opportunity to put on a public engagement event as part of a national festival?

Would you like the chance to receive up to £1,000 funding for your project?

We will shortly be opening the call for applications to take part in this year’s ESRC Festival of Social Science, which runs from 19^th October to 9^th November, under the theme ‘Our Digital Lives’.

Key dates:

17 April, 11:00-12:00: online information session for potential applicants (platform TBC)
16 May: deadline for applications

For the second year, BU is partnering with the University of Southampton (UoS) and we are particularly keen to hear from researchers who have already established collaborations with UoS colleagues and may wish to run a joint event.

The festival and our partnership with UoS offers the chance to create an inspiring event which enables you to connect your research in a highly-accessible and engaging way with a broad public audience.

At this stage, we encourage you to familiarise yourself with the ESRC requirements for the festival, and get in touch with any colleagues at UoS who may be interested in running a joint event.

You can also contact the PER Team in RDS to discuss your idea.

For inspiration, have a look at BU’s 2023 festival events and the ESRC’s festival page.

Essential reading:

7 March 2024

Space Youth Project to present at Community Voices webinar March 13th 12-1pm

Public engagement kjupp

March’s webinar welcomes Space Youth Project. Space Youth Project aims to support young people who are or may be LGBT+ and empower them to have positive self-esteem, know they are supported, have a sense of community and to overcome issues caused or intensified by prejudice in order to facilitate freedom of expression.

The team at Space Youth Project are keen to share their amazing work and explore ideas for research collaboration around trans identities and neurodivergence and the need for specific LGBT+ groups.

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….

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join on your computer, mobile app or room device

Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 397 765 953 34
Passcode: ohbzTW

Download Teams | Join on the web

Learn More | Meeting options

7 March 2024

BU resources to support research impact, communications and engagement

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement Adam Morris

A reminder that the BU Research Impact, Communications & Engagement sharepoint site contains resources, news and opportunities across the spectrum of connecting external stakeholders and audiences to your research. Unlike the Research Blog, sharepoint sites feature content that’s only visible to BU accounts.

Try visiting the site at Research Impact, Communications and Engagement and, if it looks useful, click the little star in the top right to follow and receive updates. The site is continually updated, so if there’s something you’d like to see, email us to let us know.

On the site, you will find resources for communicating your research, increasing its impact and engaging the public with your research.

You’ll find links to RKEDF training sessions, guides to impact, public engagement and research communications along with information about useful contacts within RDS and news about the REF.

The site is easily navigable and is divided into three sections:

Research Impact:

This section outlines how we can help you to plan, accelerate and evidence the impact of your research and includes resources, contact details of our Impact Advisers and links to useful information on impact pathways, the REF and impact training.

Public Engagement with Research:

In this section, we explain how we can help when you want to engage with the public to share your research. The ways to do this are many and varied but ultimately, high quality public engagement has huge benefits for BU, for society and for you – the academic. Here you can find links to advice, training and funding along with the contact details of our Public Engagement team and details of how to join the thriving BU Public Engagement Network.

Research Communications:

Here, we offer you support and guidance on the different ways of sharing your research with different audiences. This includes working with the media (including our partnership with The Conversation), writing for the web and using social media.

The site will be updated regularly and has been designed to be as user friendly as possible. Please make sure you bookmark and keep checking back regularly for updates and news.

5 March 2024

Café Scientifique Tuesday 2 April 2024 – Should we help machines understand and respond to our emotions?

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

At Café Scientifique, you can explore the latest ideas in science and technology in a relaxed setting. Enjoy listening to a short talk before engaging in debate and discussion with our guest speaker and audience

We’ll be joined by Dr Roya Haratian on Tuesday 2 April from 6:30 – 8:00pm.

Assistive technology in the home is increasingly part of everyday life. To improve the experience for people who use it, researchers are looking at ways to improve machines’ ability to adapt to human emotions. But does this also have its disadvantages?

Join Dr Roya Haratian, electronics scientist from Bournemouth University, to explore how research in this area can improve the way machines adapt to users’ experience, and also address the concerns it raises.

This event will be held at The Black Cherry in Boscombe, Bournemouth. Although the talks start at 6:30pm, the café will be open early so we encourage you to arrive early for a drink and a bite to eat before the talk starts.

If you have any questions about this event please email the Public Engagement with Research Team: publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

Get involved with Café Sci in May

Are you a Postgraduate Researcher at Bournemouth University? Do you want to share your research with a public audience and improve your communication skills? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you.

We are looking for 3-4 postgraduate researchers to take part in a special edition of our Café Scientifique public event series to deliver a short talk about your research to a friendly public audience. The event will take place from 6:30-8:00pm on Tuesday 7 May 2024 at The Black Cherry in Boscombe.

Deadline for applications Friday 8 March

Find out more and apply here

4 March 2024

cancer early detection workshop

Public engagement lagyemang

Breast cancer workshop flier

29 February 2024

Public Engagement Opportunity: Share your research with the public at Café Scientifique in June & July

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Would you like to share your research with a public audience? Get involved with our Café Scientifique series

Café Scientifique is a public event that takes place at The Black Cherry in Boscombe on the first Tuesday evening of the month (excluding January & August), and is organised centrally by the BU Public Engagement with Research Team, part of Research Development and Support.

The format involves delivering a short talk, followed by the opportunity for discussion and questions from a varied public audience. It is a fantastic opportunity for you to gain experience in engaging with the public in a friendly relaxed atmosphere.

We welcome academics at all career stages, although this opportunity is particularly valuable for those getting started in engaging with the public. We encourage collaboration between less experienced and more experienced public speakers to help provide support and gain a rewarding learning experience.

The team will support you every step of the way. From developing your ideas to engage with a public audience, to setting up and promoting your event. We will also be on hand on the day to help your event run smoothly.

Complete our form to Register your interest

Please note: Completing this form does not guarantee you a space. We will be in touch with you to discuss your interest.

If you have any questions about getting involved with Café Sci, please get in touch with the Public Engagement with Research Team: publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.

28 February 2024

The Centre for Sustainable Business Transformations (CSBT) Hosted The “Powering Innovation” Event

Fusion, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer, Public engagement eakay

🚀🌱 The Centre for Sustainable Business Transformations (CSBT) at Bournemouth University hosted the “Powering Innovation” event, bringing together industry, academia, and government to explore the impact of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) on business innovation. 🌍

🎓 Professor Marcjanna Augustyn, Head of CSBT, highlighted the Center’s interdisciplinary expertise and commitment to supporting businesses in developing sustainable models, technologies, and strategies through collaborative research and KTPs.

🎤 Inspiring insights flowed from Professor Marcin Budka, a CSBT member, who shared firsthand experiences and tangible benefits of academic-industry collaborations via KTPs. Rachel Clarke, Business Engagement & Knowledge Exchange Manager at BU Business School, provided a comprehensive overview of the Knowledge Exchange (KE) landscape, emphasising its strategic importance to academics and industry, signalling potential growth. 📊

A deep dive into KTPs, especially Management KTPs, led by Stephen Woodhouse from Innovate UK: Business Connect, illuminated the intricacies of forming partnerships, the application process, and key factors that make a KTP project stand out to assessors. The vibrant Q&A and networking session that followed sparked exciting discussions on potential collaborations and project ideas. 💡

Professor Marcjanna Augustyn commented: “With a fantastic turnout from BU and local industry, we look forward to taking conversations further.” 🚀

📧 Businesses eager to explore sustainable business transformations for impactful change, please reach out: csbt@bournemouth.ac.uk.

Category / Public engagement

Café Scientifique Tuesday 7 May 2024 – Showcasing tomorrow’s researchers

Dr Mili Shrivastava awarded Outstanding Women Researcher Award

Celebration of the Family Science Day in Dorchester

We can help promote your public engagement event or activity