A paper led by BU’s Dr Theo Akudjedu, exploring the impact of Covid-19 on radiographers, has been named as Radiography journal’s Editor’s Choice for 2021.
Each year, the journal presents an award for the Editors’ Choice paper, selected from the five issues which make up the current volume.
Dr Theo Akudjedu
Dr Akudjedu, a Senior Lecturer in Medical Imaging and MRI Radiography at BU, was lead author of the winning paper – a systematic literature review examining the global impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on clinical radiography practice.
The paper was chosen from a shortlist of 12 papers which were selected for their topicality, important messages and sound research methodologies.
Dr Akudjedu brought together collaborators from across the world, as well as colleagues from the Institute of Medical Imaging and Visualisation at BU, to investigate the pressures facing radiography departments as key teams in the treatment of Covid-19 across the globe.
Published in Issue 4 of 2021, the article brings together available evidence to provide a comprehensive summary of the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on diagnostic and therapeutic radiography practice.
He said: “In the initial acute phase of the pandemic, medical imaging emerged as one of the key diagnostic tools for the management of COVID-19 patients. This altered the work pattern and load of the clinical radiography workforce. We explored the impact of the pandemic on the radiography workforce independently in regional studies including the UK.
“We employed a robust methodology to systematically review and integrate the available evidence in our research to provide a comprehensive summary of the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on diagnostic and therapeutic radiography practice to serve as a one-stop-shop to practitioners in the field.”
He added: “It is exciting for this important piece of work conducted by colleagues at the Institute of Medical Imaging & Visualisation at Bournemouth University with its global partners to be recognised. We are very grateful to our international partners and the Editors of the Radiography Journal for the recognition”
Naming the paper as their Editor’s Choice winner, J. M. Nightingale, Editor-in-Chief of Radiography journal, said: “With so many COVID-19 related articles published within radiography and radiology journals in the last two years, it has been challenging for practitioners, managers and educators to keep up to date with the latest evidence.
“This review was timely and much needed as a valuable reference resource for policy formulation and to inform developments in the radiography workforce, education and training.”
We’ve all heard of the psychotherapy couch, and the dynamic between a client and their human therapist. But perhaps less well known is the increasingly popular pet therapy. And no, that’s not therapy for your pet – it’s the relatively new phenomenon of therapy for humans, which involves animals.
These animal assisted interventions (AAIs) – which also include a trained human professional – are proving beneficial to people of all ages, leading to significant reductions in physiological responses to stress – such as heart rate – and associated emotions, such as anxiety.
It’s a longstanding and widely accepted fact that people of all ages can benefit from partnerships with animals as pets. From the joy of the human-animal bond, to companionship and improved mental health, there is no doubt that cats, dogs and other pets enhance our lives immeasurably.
But over the last ten years or so, animals have started to help humans in settings away from the home – such as hospitals and care homes for the elderly, as well as schools, universities, prisons and rehabilitation services.
The Royal University Hospital Emergency Department in Saskatchewan, Canada, for example, has been welcoming therapy dogs (and their handlers) since 2016.
A recent study based at the hospital set out to investigate whether canine therapy had any impact on the wellbeing of patients – the majority (around 70%) of which had been admitted and were waiting for a hospital bed, and all of whom were experiencing pain.
They each received a ten minute visit from a St John Ambulance therapy dog in addition to the usual hospital care. Using a detailed psychometric survey, the researchers assessed patients immediately before the visit, immediately afterwards and 20 minutes afterwards. They were encouraged to find that the patients reported a significant reduction in pain, anxiety and depression following the visit by the therapy dog – and an increase in general wellbeing. If you’re curious about the cost of dog sitting in the UK, you can find out how much it typically costs on householdpets.co.uk.
Therapy involving dogs can also reduce blood pressure and heart rate. As dogs get older, they are more susceptible to cancer and could benefit from taking fermented turmeric.
Cats and horses also help
Over the last ten years, cats have also joined the AAI movement – and have been used in settings such as schools and care homes to improve wellbeing. Just being in the presence of a cat has been shown to improve mood and reduce feelings of loneliness. Playing with a cat, and physical contact through stroking and hugging, can induce a sense of calm, especially for children and frail elderly patients in long term care.
In fact, even a cat’s purr can bring emotional relief, especially when we’re feeling stressed.
One study – with patients living with chronic age-related disabilities in a nursing home – found that those who were assigned a cat therapy session three times a week, for six weeks, had improved depressive symptoms and a significant decrease in blood pressure.
Horse assisted therapy is particularly useful for young people experiencing mental health and behavioural issues. In many cases, those who have not benefited from traditional, talk-based therapy, may experience benefits – particularly an increased feeling of calm and emotional control – when participating in horse therapy, during which they learn how to communicate with and care for the horses.
Similarly, therapeutic horse riding therapy provides physical and emotional benefits to children with disabilities, helping to improve their balance, posture and hand-to-eye coordination. It can also help children to learn to trust and become more socially aware.
Therapeutic horse riding has been shown to improve symptoms of PTSD in adults, too. And equine therapy, where there is no riding – but instead feeding, grooming and leading the horse – can help people to process and change negative behaviours, such as those associated with addiction.
Why pets are good therapists
Building relationships and social connections through socialising and human interaction is a key part of maintaining and improving our mental health.
Animals, when left to their own devices, also make and work to maintain and enhance emotional relationships and connections with others. We are extremely lucky that – when it comes to dogs, cats and horses – this tendency also extends to humans, as long as we behave in a way that is comfortable for the animal.
And science has shown that they can understand what is happening in our interactions with them, too.
Horses can read and tune into human emotions. They can even learn about a person from watching them interact with another horse, and adjust their behaviour accordingly – such as approaching and touching the person more if they appear to display discomfort around the other horse.
Research with dogs and cats has found that they too can read and respond to our body language, facial expressions and voices.
Part of the joy of building a connection with an animal is discovering who they are and what they enjoy – and it goes without saying that their welfare must always be a top priority. But if think you have a superstar therapy pet in the making, then do consider reaching out to a pet therapy organisation in your area, such as Pets As Therapy in the UK. They’d be glad to meet you and your animal companion.
Have you had a total hip replacement? If so, you could participate in a new BU research study which aims to determine whether walking over a measured distance is beneficial after total hip replacement surgery.
We are looking for adults who are 3-6 months past their hip replacement surgery and currently don’t wear an activity monitor (such as a Fitbit).
You’ll need to visit BU for a series of tests and wear an activity monitor (which will be provided) for five weeks while undertaking a series of outdoor walking. You’ll also need to keep an activity diary and take part in a group discussion.
This year’s theme is building impact, celebrating our REF 2021 submission and exploring practical ways to create impact and share your research.
The half-day conference will take place in the Fusion Building on Talbot Campus from 1pm – 5pm on Tuesday 7 June, with internal and external speakers and workshops. Light refreshments will be provided.
The conference is open to all BU staff and postgraduate research students.
It will be followed by a drinks reception from 5pm to celebrate BU’s REF submission.
We’ll be sharing more details around the schedule, sessions and speakers shortly.
To register your interest and receive further updates, book your place via Eventbrite.
Welcome to The Friday Prof-ile – a chance to get to know some of our recently appointed Professors and Associate Professors a little better. Every Friday, we’ll be asking a different person the same set of questions to get an insight into their life, work and what makes them tick.
This week, we’re chatting with Associate Professor in Film and Television, Christa Van Raalte…
Christa Van Raalte
What are your research interests? What made you want to study these areas?
I have two distinct areas of research interest. I’m interested in strategies of narrative and representation in film and television texts – particularly, though not exclusively, the representation of women in popular action genres. For me analysing these texts is a kind of cultural archaeology, helping us understand something about the culture that has produced them – and is, in turn, informed by them.
I’m also interested in working conditions in the film and television industries, a more recent development that springs directly from involvement with students who are ambitious to work in those industries and graduates who find themselves facing unexpected challenges.
What has been your career highlight to date?
Seeing work published in two leading journals and an important new book series as well as two well-received industry reports all within a few months – the cumulation, of course, of work over the past three years.
What are you working on at the moment?
An article on bullying as a systemic issue in the U.K. television industry, a book chapter on the return of a septuagenarian Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor in Terminator: Dark Fate, and an AHRC funding bid…
If you weren’t an academic, what would you be doing?
Probably running a regional theatre
What do you do to unwind?
Garden and walk.
What’s the best thing about Bournemouth?
Our vibrant research culture and enthusiastic students
If you could pick any superpower, what would it be and why?
The ability to clone myself so I can do three jobs at once – because there is never enough time!
If you were stranded on a desert island, what one luxury item would you take with you?
A giant box of teabags – I can’t function without tea.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Carry yourself with the confidence of a mediocre white man (Sarah Hagi)
The National Institute for Health Research changed its name yesterday (6th April 2022). To emphasise the enduring commitment to social care research, from today the NIHR will officially become the ‘National Institute for Health and Care Research’. The acronym ‘NIHR’ will remain unchanged.
This will bring them in line with the Department of Health and Social Care, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Health and Care Research Wales and others.
Linked to this announcement are a range of investments and commitments to future work designed to deepen and broaden the range of social care research the NIHR supports.
An increase in spending of £5m a year has been dedicated to social care research, some of which will go towards funding an additional call run through the Research for Social Care programme. They will now be running two calls a year.
More good news – the RfSC will also start to fund research in the area of social care for children and young people, working in partnership with the Dept of Education.
There are also increases in funding to RfSC, HSDR and HTA for Social Care research.
Prof. Lucy Chappell, Chief Executive of the NIHR, said:
“It is our hope that today’s name change will inspire not just current and future generations of social care researchers, whose talent and expertise can revolutionise the social care sector, but also people who need care and support, carers, the public and those working in social care. The involvement of all these groups will be key to getting the right research to the right places in the right way.”
We can help with your grant application. We advise on all aspects of developing an application and can review application drafts as well as put them to a mock funding panel (run by RDS South West) known as Project Review Committee, which is a fantastic opportunity for researchers to obtain a critical review of a proposed grant application before this is sent to a funding body.
Contact us as early as possible to benefit fully from the advice
The call for applications for this year’s ESRC Festival of Social Science is now open – deadline Fri 29 April.
What is the ESRC Festival of Social Science?
The ESRC Festival of Social Science is an annual, UK-wide, free celebration of the social sciences, planned to take place from 22 October – 13 November 2022. BU have been involved in the festival for over a decade, running our own internal selection process and delivering up to ten activities per year.
The festival aims to encourage, support and create opportunities for social science researchers to engage with non-academic audiences.
Why should I take part?
The festival is a prestigious initiative by a major research funder, and BU’s continued involvement is justified by the quality of our events and activities. Being part of this festival is an achievement worth citing and celebrating.
It is an excellent opportunity to engage people outside of academia with your research and with the benefit of co-ordinated support and promotion from RDS and the ESRC.
You can apply for up to £1000 to deliver your project.
Are there rules about topics, or target audiences?
The theme set by the ESRC for this year’s festival is ‘my local area’.The ESRC want to see at least a quarter of festival events on this theme.
Although encouraged, adhering to this theme is not essential for your proposal. Other social science themes are still welcome.
The ESRC expect to see the majority (>80%) of events targeted at ‘general public’ and youth audiences. This means people attending out of a personal interest in the topic, rather than in a professional capacity.
There is scope for a small minority (<20%) of activities targeting professional stakeholder audiences, for example, people whose work uses your research. Bearing in mind the limited capacity and higher competition for such proposals aimed at professional audiences, your application would need to be outstanding to merit inclusion.
What if I’ve never done any public engagement before?
Everyone has to start somewhere, and this is the ideal place. You’ll have access to comprehensive support, advice and training throughout. If you’re unsure, seek out a more experienced colleague to collaborate with.
Can I apply if I’m not a social scientist?
The ESRC says that events must “feature social science (ideally with a social scientist involved in the event)”. If this doesn’t clearly apply to you, consider these options;
Does your research have clear implications for society that could be explored from a social science perspective?
Could you collaborate with a social scientist, combining your resources and creativity to explore the impact of your research? If you’re looking for a collaborator, the Research Blog or BU website are great places to start or contact us for help.
What will I be expected to do?
You’ll be expected to;
Familiarise yourself with best practice for public engagement with research. Whether you’re new to this or experienced, there’s always room to improve.
Apply to our internal panel
If successful, attend an initial training session to start out right
Plan, deliver and evaluate your activity or event, working with the public engagement team to shape your project into an impactful, professional and fascinating experience.
What support will I get?
Being part of this festival means a higher level of support and reach than we are normally able to provide.
Before applying, you’ll have access to:
A dedicated session of the Public Engagement with Research (PER) Network, featuring previous event holders.
Bookable one-on-one advice slots with BU’s Engagement Officer.
Detailed applicant guidance to help you apply.
When your application is successful, you’ll get:
A half-day training session from an expert external public engagement trainer
Continuing advice and support from BU’s public engagement team on all areas of planning, promoting delivering, evaluating your activity.
The promotional boost from being part of a huge national festival.
What next?
If you’re interested in applying, here’s what to do next;
Start brushing up on how to make public engagement work for you and your audience. A great place to start is BU’s own video guide to getting started in public engagement with research (Brightspace). You can also browse guidance and case studies from the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE).
We’ll provide more information on applying to the ESRC Festival of Social Science on this blog and the PER Network over the coming weeks. If you have a question in the meantime, please email the team.
Elsevier and Jisc have established an agreement to enable continued reading access for UK researchers and to enable open access publishing. When publishing in eligible Elsevier journals, authors will be able to choose to publish open access at no additional cost to the author.
This agreement is effective until the end of December 2024.
This agreement supports corresponding authors affiliated with a Jisc participating institution (which BU is), regardless of the department in which they work.
Authors who publish under this agreement can:
Publish their peer-reviewed research open access in hybrid journals, at no charge to the author.
Publish their peer-reviewed research in fully gold open access journals at a discount on the list price APC.
Publish eligible articles in a wide variety of participating Elsevier journals across disciplines.
Rely on high-quality peer-review and experienced editorial support.
You can search for whether the intended journal falls under the agreement here.
Eligibility criteria
The author must be the submitting corresponding author affiliated with an eligible institution
Articles must have an acceptance date between 1.1.2022 and 31.12.2024
Instructions for corresponding authors
Once your article has been accepted for publication in a participating journal, you will receive an email containing a link to the “post-acceptance author journey”. Upon selecting your publishing options, your affiliation will be validated by your institution, and you will be informed if the APC will be covered by the agreement.
Upon publication, your final published open access article will be made freely available on ScienceDirect, the world’s largest publishing platform.
Other open access publishing options for authors
Authors can continue to choose to publish under the subscription model and self-archive their manuscript (Green Open Access) in line with Elsevier’s sharing policy.
Details of this agreement and others which BU holds with publishers such as Wiley and Springer, can be found here. Any queries, please contact openaccess@bournemouth.ac.uk
Welcome to The Friday Prof-ile – a chance to get to know some of our recently appointed Professors and Associate Professors a little better. Every Friday, we’ll be asking a different person the same set of questions to get an insight into their life, work and what makes them tick.
This week, we’re chatting with Associate Professor in Bioanalytical Chemistry, Richard Paul…
Richard Paul
What are your research interests? What made you want to study these areas?
I’m a bioanalytical chemist and my particular focus is the study of biomarkers for forensic and medical applications. Essentially, I apply chemistry and instrumentation to solve problems. What I love most about this discipline of chemistry is the variety. I could be developing techniques for forensic casework, searching for traces of drugs in the environment, or using chemistry to contribute to the early detection of cancer – it can be very diverse!
What has been your career highlight to date?
A couple of years ago I was asked to design and implement an analytical protocol that would be capable of detecting traces of psychoactive drug fumes in indoor air in UK prisons.
There have been increasing complaints from staff working in prisons of secondary exposure to psychoactive drug fumes, and our work is contributing to the evidence base on this issue. The technical challenges the research presents are very significant. Drug fumes from smoking are diluted within the air of a large building, and so are at very low concentrations. There are also issues of thermal degradation, and complicated logistics of deploying the technology within prisons that have made the project exceptionally challenging.
Working with the various organisations involved on this complex, high pressure commission has been very rewarding.
What are you working on at the moment?
I lead a project researching skin cancer metabolomics. We’ve developed a non-invasive technique to capture and identify volatile chemicals released from skin cancer sites. We’ve just completed a trial to assess the viability of the technique on cancer patients, and are now wading through the results. Developing and testing the technique was tricky, but the results are quite exciting. We’re seeing a lot of interesting biomarkers, some of which could be quite significant.
If you weren’t an academic, what would you be doing?
I’d probably be an analytical chemist working in industry, but really nothing motivates me more than the variety and opportunities of the job as an academic.
What do you do to unwind?
I’m fairly obsessed with guitars so if I’m not playing guitar, I’m reading about guitars. Music in general is important to me.
What’s the best thing about Bournemouth?
If we’re talking about the town, then I’d say the beach. I’m not a local, so it still feels like a holiday destination sometimes! In terms of the university itself, I’d say the culture here and my colleagues across the faculty.
If you could pick any superpower, what would it be and why?
The ability to control time and space. Surely the most useful on the superpower wish list!
If you were stranded on a desert island, what one luxury item would you take with you?
A 1959 Les Paul and a Marshall stack, plus some kind of everlasting power supply.
Elsevier and Jisc have established an agreement to enable continued reading access for UK researchers and to enable open access publishing. When publishing in eligible Elsevier journals, authors will be able to choose to publish open access at no additional cost to the author.
This agreement is effective until the end of December 2024.
This agreement supports corresponding authors affiliated with a Jisc participating institution (which BU is), regardless of the department in which they work.
Authors who publish under this agreement can:
Publish their peer-reviewed research open access in hybrid journals, at no charge to the author.
Publish their peer-reviewed research in fully gold open access journals at a discount on the list price APC.
Publish eligible articles in a wide variety of participating Elsevier journals across disciplines.
Rely on high-quality peer-review and experienced editorial support.
You can search for whether the intended journal falls under the agreement here.
Eligibility criteria
The author must be the submitting corresponding author affiliated with an eligible institution
Articles must have an acceptance date between 1.1.2022 and 31.12.2024
Instructions for corresponding authors
Once your article has been accepted for publication in a participating journal, you will receive an email containing a link to the “post-acceptance author journey”. Upon selecting your publishing options, your affiliation will be validated by your institution, and you will be informed if the APC will be covered by the agreement.
Upon publication, your final published open access article will be made freely available on ScienceDirect, the world’s largest publishing platform.
Other open access publishing options for authors
Authors can continue to choose to publish under the subscription model and self-archive their manuscript (Green Open Access) in line with Elsevier’s sharing policy.
Details of this agreement and others which BU holds with publishers such as Wiley and Springer, can be found here. Any queries, please contact openaccess@bournemouth.ac.uk
The call for applications for this year’s ESRC Festival of Social Science is now open – deadline Fri 29 April.
What is the ESRC Festival of Social Science?
The ESRC Festival of Social Science is an annual, UK-wide, free celebration of the social sciences, usually taking place during November. BU have been involved in the festival for over a decade, running our own internal selection process and delivering up to ten activities per year.
The festival aims to encourage, support and create opportunities for social science researchers to engage with non-academic audiences.
Why should I take part?
The festival is a prestigious initiative by a major research funder, and BU’s continued involvement is justified by the quality of our events and activities. Being part of this festival is an achievement worth citing and celebrating.
It is an excellent opportunity to engage people outside of academia with your research and with the benefit of co-ordinated support and promotion from RDS and the ESRC.
You can apply for up to £1000 to deliver your project.
What if I’ve never done any public engagement before?
Everyone has to start somewhere, and this is the ideal place. You’ll have access to comprehensive support, advice and training throughout. If you’re unsure, seek out a more experienced colleague to collaborate with.
Can I apply if I’m not a social scientist?
The ESRC says that events must “feature social science (ideally with a social scientist involved in the event)”. If this doesn’t clearly apply to you, consider these options;
Does your research have clear implications for society that could be explored from a social science perspective?
Could you collaborate with a social scientist, combining your resources and creativity to explore the impact of your research? If you’re looking for a collaborator, the Research Blog or BU website are great places to start or contact us for help.
What will I be expected to do?
You’ll be expected to;
Familiarise yourself with best practice for public engagement with research. Whether you’re new to this or experienced, there’s always room to improve.
Apply to our internal panel
If successful, attend an initial training session to start out right
Plan, deliver and evaluate your activity or event, working with the public engagement team to shape your project into an impactful, professional and fascinating experience.
What support will I get?
Being part of this festival means a higher level of support and reach than we are normally able to provide.
Before applying, you’ll have access to:
A dedicated session of the Public Engagement with Research (PER) Network, featuring previous event holders.
Bookable one-on-one advice slots with BU’s Engagement Officer.
Detailed applicant guidance to help you apply.
When your application is successful, you’ll get:
A half-day training session from an expert external public engagement trainer
Continuing advice and support from BU’s public engagement team on all areas of planning, promoting delivering, evaluating your activity.
The promotional boost from being part of a huge national festival.
What next?
If you’re interested in applying, here’s what to do next;
Join the next PER Network session on Thursday 31 March 12-1pm, on Teams. To join this meeting and find out about future ones, join our BU Public Engagement with Research Network. Check under ‘Meetings’ for upcoming sessions.
Start brushing up on how to make public engagement work for you. A great place to start is BU’s own video guide to getting started in public engagement with research (Brightspace). You can also browse guidance and case studies from the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE).
Book an advice slot – once available.
How to apply
After following the previous steps, read the application guidance to support you in completing an effective application.
Submit your application using the online form. You can save your progress and return later, though it’s advisable to keep a backup elsewhere. There is a pdf version of the whole form for drafting purposes only.
We’ll provide more information on applying to the ESRC Festival of Social Science on this blog and the PER Network over the coming weeks. If you have a question in the meantime, please email the team.
Welcome to The Friday Prof-ile – a chance to get to know some of our recently appointed Professors and Associate Professors a little better. Every Friday, we’ll be asking a different person the same set of questions to get an insight into their life, work and what makes them tick.
This week, we’re chatting with Professor in Consumer Culture & Behaviour, Janice Denegri-Knott…
Janice Denegri-Knott
What are your research interests? What made you want to study these areas?
My main research focus is the intersection between digital media and everyday living – in particular consumption. I have studied the role of platforms in stimulating desire for digital and material goods, and the value that people derive from their ongoing interactions with digital media. In particular, I have been very keen to understand why there should be demand for digital goods and why people would form attachments to them – something that when I first began my studies, was deemed unorthodox, and even foolish. Throughout my career I have been a keen observer of transformations (positive and negative) happening at the very porous, or leaky, points of that intersection, where people and digital media come together.
My initial interest in the area came about as a result of an animated seminar I held with C&J students back in the early 2000s where we avidly discussed why somebody would ever buy a virtual chair that they couldn’t physically sit on. From there on the examples became more extreme. Today, we have grown more accustomed to the idea that under certain conditions (uniqueness and scarcity), a digital piece of art like Pak’s ‘The Merge’ could have a transactional value of $91.8 million, or why 30,000 people across the world would want to pitch in together to buy it. Evidence of this shift abounds. Today, we have a vibrant market for Non Fungible Tokens (NFTs) which have become very desirable investments. Just in the first four months of 2021 NFTs had been traded over 2 billion times, an increase of ten-fold from 2020.
What has been your career highlight to date?
I am immensely proud of the many projects that I have carried out over the years in close collaboration with colleagues in the C&J Department in the Faculty of Media and Communication – Dr. Rebecca Jenkins, Dr. Chris Miles, Dr. Mel Gray, Dr. Sae Oshima and Stuart Armon. We have delivered high impact research, supporting positive transformation in the promotion and media industries. In particular in areas to do with the monetisation of digital content (for ITV), and metrics to measure advertising effectiveness and rethinking recall and recognition as measures of attention. Of note is work undertaken for Exterion Media (now Global) and Transport for London (TfL) that helped Exterion Media secure a £2,000,000,000 contract to manage the TfL advertising estate, improved advertising effectiveness by format, location and time by 70%-80% and making advertising during travel journeys more relevant and enjoyable for 1,300,000,000 TfL users annually.
What are you working on at the moment?
Right now I am working on two projects. I am writing a couple of papers reporting findings from a British Academy/Leverhulme funded intergenerational study into the value parents, children and their grandparents ascribe to their digital possessions. Thanks to this study we have found that value is not wedded to meaning only – in terms of sentimental associations that remind people of loved ones or expresses aspects of their identity- as is the case for material possessions. Value is also firmly rooted in affordances – what people anticipate their digital possession will enable them to achieve. I am also working with a key player in the NFT market on a study of people’s desire for and attachment to NFTs across a diverse group of users.
If you weren’t an academic, what would you be doing?
I would be working with food – possibly running a Peruvian restaurant with the help of my husband and daughters.
What do you do to unwind?
Long walks, meditation, long distance calls with family and impromptu dances in my kitchen with my daughters.
If you could pick any superpower, what would it be and why?
Tele-transportation, so that I could beam myself to Peru and back (where my parents and family live)
If you were stranded on a desert island, what one luxury item would you take with you?
My silk kaftan.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
To be less concerned in anticipating all that can be wrong with your research, and focus more on all that is good.
Welcome to The Friday Prof-ile – a chance to get to know some of our recently appointed Professors and Associate Professors a little better. Every Friday, we’ll be asking a different person the same set of questions to get an insight into their life, work and what makes them tick.
Hywel Dix
This week, we’re chatting with Associate Professor in English, Hywel Dix…
What are your research interests? What made you want to study these areas?
Since an early age I have been interested in the relationship between literature, culture and political change in contemporary Britain, and this is the main focus of my work. I have published on this topic very extensively, most notably in Postmodern Fiction and the Break-Up of Britain (2010), After Raymond Williams: Cultural Materialism and the Break-Up of Britain (Second Edition, 2013) and Multicultural Narratives: Traces and Perspectives, co-edited with Mustafa Kirca(2018). My broader research interests include modern and contemporary literature, critical cultural theory, authorial careers and autofiction. My monograph about literary careers entitled The Late-Career Novelist was published by Bloomsbury in 2017 and an edited collection of essays on Autofiction in English was published by Palgrave in 2018.
What has been your career highlight to date?
Being invited to give the keynote address at the annual conference of France’s Société d’Etudes Anglaises Contemporaines, Paris Diderot University, in 2013. This might have been trumped by my invitation to give the keynote at a conference on Paulo Freire and Raymond Williams Centenary: Sparks of Transformation, held by UNICAMP, Sao Paulo in Brazil in 2021 – but this could only be given online due to the pandemic, so it was a bit less glamorous.
What are you working on at the moment?
I recently completed a study entitled Compatriots or Competitors? Welsh, Scottish, English and Northern Irish Writing and Brexit in Comparative Contexts for publication this year. I am currently working on a project about autofiction and cultural memory.
If you weren’t an academic, what would you be doing?
Before working at Bournemouth University I was a Development Officer at Wales Millennium Centre, the largest theatre and arts centre in Britain outside London, and if I were not an academic I would probably still be working in arts development in some capacity.
What do you do to unwind?
The 3 Rs: reading, writing and running. A number of BU colleagues sponsored me in the London Marathon in 2018.
What’s the best thing about Bournemouth?
Before I was interviewed at the university, I had never been to Bournemouth in my life and was as guilty as anyone of holding the stereotyped view of it as a place of retirement. The university has really helped change that image and made the population here much more diverse.
If you could pick any superpower, what would it be and why?
I don’t really get the super hero genre. There’s no replacement for working hard. I wouldn’t mind being able to run a bit faster though.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what one luxury item would you take with you?
My collection of football memorabilia of the past 100 years or so – but it might need dust covers.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
I was very serious and introverted when I was younger and would probably say: lighten up.
We are delighted to announce that we have successfully retained the HR Excellence in Research Award, recognising our support for the career development of researchers.
The award demonstrates our commitment to aligning process and practice to the UK Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and thereby improving the working conditions and career development for research staff. In turn this will improve the quantity, quality and impact of research.
We have held the HR Excellence in Research Award since 2013 and successfully retained the award following a rigorous external review.
Dr Rebecca Edwards, Senior Research Development and Support Manager and Co-Chair of the Research Concordat Steering Group, said: “I am delighted that BU has retained this prestigious award, which recognises the achievements of the cross-University team comprising colleagues in HR, OD, RDS, academics across all Faculties and our amazing Research Staff Association.”
BU is one of two universities to retain the award following their eight-year review and is one of 96 Vitae UK member institutions with the award.
As part of the review process, institutions need to demonstrate that they have completed a gap analysis of their existing policies and practice against the Concordat, developed a robust action plan for implementation, and taken into account the views of researchers.
Key achievements and progress highlighted in BU’s eight-year review submission include:
Dedicated support and development opportunities for research staff and Early Career Researchers (ECRs), such as through the Research & Knowledge Exchange Development Framework (RKEDF) which offers upwards of 100 training and development events per year
Investment in the Academic Targeted Research Scheme to recruit talented early career researchers in targeted research areas, with dedicated time to develop their research interests
The availability of bridging funding to provide continuous employment for research staff for short periods between externally funded contracts
We have also committed to investing in the creation of fifteen new post-doctoral researcher fellow positions through the Research Capacity Transformation Scheme.
A new action plan, taking us to 2023, has now been developed – driven by our community of researchers.
The plan focuses on supporting research careers through appropriate management, appraisal and development opportunities.
This includes the creation of a virtual hub with the full programme of opportunities available to research staff; a new career development framework; and for all researchers to receive annual appraisals, regular performance reviews, careers guidance and development opportunities.
Professor Mike Silk, Deputy Dean for Research and Professional Practice in the Business School and Co-Chair of the Research Concordat Steering Group, said: “At BU, we are committed to nurturing the supportive and healthy culture required to ensure all of our research staff have the opportunity to grow, develop and thrive.
“Working with the Research Staff Association, individual researchers and those who have responsibility for managing researchers, the Research Concordat Steering Group aims to ensure all researchers have the opportunity to realise their potential, deliver high quality outcomes whilst at BU, and be equipped with multiple skill-sets that will enable success in future careers.
“The award recognises the steps we have made at BU to create the very best culture and environment possible for our researchers to thrive.”
We will shortly be launching the call for applications for this year’s ESRC Festival of Social Science.
What is the ESRC Festival of Social Science?
The ESRC Festival of Social Science is an annual, UK-wide, free celebration of the social sciences, usually taking place during November. BU have been involved in the festival for over a decade, running our own internal selection process and delivering up to ten activities per year.
The festival aims to encourage, support and create opportunities for social science researchers to engage with non-academic audiences.
Why should I take part?
The festival is a prestigious initiative by a major research funder, and BU’s continued involvement is justified by the quality of our events and activities. Being part of this festival is an achievement worth citing and celebrating.
It is an excellent opportunity to engage people outside of academia with your research and with the benefit of co-ordinated support and promotion from RDS and the ESRC.
You can apply for up to £1000 to deliver your project.
What if I’ve never done any public engagement before?
Everyone has to start somewhere, and this is the ideal place. You’ll have access to comprehensive support, advice and training throughout. If you’re unsure, seek out a more experienced colleague to collaborate with.
Can I apply if I’m not a social scientist?
The ESRC says that events must “feature social science (ideally with a social scientist involved in the event)”. If this doesn’t clearly apply to you, consider these options;
Does your research have clear implications for society that could be explored from a social science perspective?
Could you collaborate with a social scientist, combining your resources and creativity to explore the impact of your research? If you’re looking for a collaborator, the Research Blog or BU website are great places to start or contact us for help.
What will I be expected to do?
You’ll be expected to;
Familiarise yourself with best practice for public engagement with research. Whether you’re new to this or experienced, there’s always room to improve.
Apply to our internal panel
If successful, attend an initial training session to start out right
Plan, deliver and evaluate your activity or event, working with the public engagement team to shape your project into an impactful, professional and fascinating experience.
What support will I get?
Being part of this festival means a higher level of support and reach than we are normally able to provide.
Before applying, you’ll have access to:
A dedicated session of the Public Engagement with Research (PER) Network, featuring previous event holders.
Bookable one-on-one advice slots with BU’s Engagement Officer.
Detailed applicant guidance to help you apply.
When your application is successful, you’ll get:
A half-day training session from an expert external public engagement trainer
Continuing advice and support from BU’s public engagement team on all areas of planning, promoting delivering, evaluating your activity.
The promotional boost from being part of a huge national festival.
What next?
If you’re interested in applying, here’s what to do next;
Look out for the next PER Network session. It’ll be promoted here on the blog, or join the Network now in a couple of clicks to stay up to date.
Start brushing up on how to make public engagement work for you. A great place to start is BU’s own video guide to getting started in public engagement with research (Brightspace). You can also browse guidance and case studies from the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE).
Book an advice slot – once available.
We’ll provide more information on applying to the ESRC Festival of Social Science on this blog and the PER Network over the coming weeks. If you have a question in the meantime, please email the team.
‘Staycations’ are more popular than ever, with restrictions on foreign travel throughout the Covid-19 pandemic meaning more holidaymakers chose to stay in the country and visit British resorts.
But what does the future hold for the Great British seaside, and how have seaside resorts adapted over the years?
That’s the topic of the next event in our online public lecture series, which is showcasing BU research and expertise as part of the #ourBUstory campaign.
The event will explore the heritage of the British seaside, their heyday and decline, and the creative and cultural regeneration of resorts.
Our speakers are:
Dr Anya Chapman, Principal Academic in Tourism Management
Dr Duncan Light, Principal Academic in Tourism
Dr Tim Gale, Principal Academic in Tourism Management
Dr Sam Goodman, Associate Professor in English and Communication
There will also be a panel discussion and the opportunity to ask questions to the speakers.
This event is the second in BU’s online public lecture series. Future events will explore topics including the wildlife of Poole Harbour, and how humans have adapted to crisis and disaster through the ages.
Welcome to The Friday Prof-ile – a chance to get to know some of our recently appointed Professors and Associate Professors a little better. Every Friday, we’ll be asking a different person the same set of questions to get an insight into their life, work and what makes them tick.
This week, we’re chatting with Associate Professor in Archaeological Sciences, Fiona Coward…
Fiona Coward
What are your research interests? What made you want to study these areas?
I’m interested in how humans evolved – not just our physiologies, but also our brains and behaviour. In particular, I’m interested in how human social lives have evolved; all primates and especially Great Apes, our closest living relatives, are highly social animals, but human social lives are global in scale, and I study how the way our ancestors made a living have shaped our sociality and cognition. I’m particularly interested in the role material culture – aka stuff, or objects – plays in this process. Are practices such as crafting, technology, trade, exchange and gifting a key part of what makes us human?
What has been your career highlight to date?
Getting to walk casually through a door in the Natural History Museum marked ‘staff only’ and wander through the ‘backstage’ areas going through drawers!
What are you working on at the moment?
I’m looking at the origins of urban living. Humans as a species have been around for about 300,000 years and for most of that time we lived in very small groups that moved frequently across the landscape to find food by hunting and gathering. Why, then, in just the last 20,000 years or so (the blink of an eye in evolutionary terms!), have we suddenly become a majority urban, agricultural species? What were the implications of this change in lifeways for the wider ecosystem, and are there lessons we can learn from understanding how and why early villagers and farmers lived that might help mitigate our impact on the world today, and hence help us face the current climate crisis?
If you weren’t an academic, what would you be doing?
I would probably be a data analyst in the civil service – they offered me a job right after Bournemouth University did!
What do you do to unwind?
Reading, writing and watching fantasy and science fiction, and singing along (badly but loudly) to unfashionable music.
What’s the best thing about Bournemouth?
The seafront! Also, it’s a small, friendly community with lots of beautiful landscape easily accessible, but also in easy reach of bigger cities if required. Perfect!
If you could pick any superpower, what would it be and why?
An everlasting notebook and pen. OK, I cheated there a bit. If I’m not allowed to cheat, then a bar of Divine milk chocolate and gingerbread.
An unsuccessful grant application can be demoralising so make your next bid successful!Remember, there can be many reasons for the lack of success! Some beyond your control others not! Funders feedback will help to evaluate why your bid was unsuccessful and along with training via the Research Methods Training Fund you can look forward to future success!
The Research Knowledge Exchange Development Framework has announced this fund specifically targeted at academics who have submitted unsuccessful bids! The aspiration is that by reinvigorate the research methodology via a training workshop successful recipients will aim to resubmit their bid within a 12-month period!