BU Research Blog | Research communication

December 17, 2020

Discovering the World’s First Farmers – looking back at Café Scientifique Dec 2020

BU research, Events, Impact, Public engagement, Research communication Adam Morris

Sarah Elliott below shares her experience of presenting at a BU Café Scientifique event on 1 December 2020. Note – the recording below includes only Sarah’s talk and not the Q&A session that followed. We chose not to record the Q&A in the hope that it would encourage questions, but we may review this policy in future.

I recently participated in Café Scientifique which, because of the current pandemic, has moved on-line. I think this is a great opportunity to be involved in and for viewers across the country to engage in scientific research.

I presented some of my PhD results that form the basis of my current postdoctoral research fellowship, which I hold in the Archaeology & Anthropology department at Bournemouth University. My research sits within the discipline of Environmental Archaeology – I study microscopic signatures of human and animal activity from the soils and sediments in farming villages dating from 12,000-7,000 years ago in the Middle East. These villages and the people who resided in them were the first farmers in the world, domesticating plants and animals in an area called the Fertile Crescent.

My research takes a novel approach to identifying animal domestication and human activities/signatures. There is so much on archaeological sites that we cannot see, but which we are able to pick apart microscopically, I examine microscopic faecal spherulites which are produced in the animals’ gut during digestion and are a key indicator of animal dung. Evidence from the animal dung can help with identifying management and domestication of animals, in addition to identifying the use of ‘secondary products’, for example dung being used for fuel and within building materials. Furthermore, I examine geochemical signatures from the sediments as well as identifying microscopic plant remains, in the form of silica phytoliths. Studying animal dung as a specialism is an unusual topic, but presenting in this Café Sci environment makes people (I think) look at things in a different way.

I participated in Café Sci because I enjoy sharing my research, and more importantly I think it is key for people to know why this topic, and this major transitional period, is significant. During this period, people shifted from mobile hunter-gatherers to sedentary farmers – this was a major change in human history; with the advent of food production and farming came the development of villages, towns, civilisations that led us to where we are today.

Academics spend a lot of time presenting their research to each other and publishing their data, but through Café Sci as a platform you are able to reach a wider audience and facilitate discussions about your research in an informal and friendly environment.

The event had a good turn out and very positive feedback, the questions asked in the discussion were all thought provoking and important points were highlighted upon which I could expand my explanations. Academics always have so much to say, and not enough time to say it, so the ample time given for discussion at a Café Sci event provides a real opportunity to focus on the aspects of the talk which the public were most interested in.

Visit my website and blog.

Sarah Elliott

December 16, 2020

UK-China partnership event promotes new expertise and techniques in health economics

BU research, conferences, Events, Featured academics, Global engagement, innovation, Research communication, Research news Theresa

A masterclass was held at Shandong University on 17 and 18 November 2020, overseen by the British Council, with the aim of creating measurable benefits for Chinese patients and the economy by generating new health economics expertise.

The UK-China Health and Economy Partnership (UK-CHEP), led by Bournemouth University, promotes long-term collaboration between UK and Chinese universities by focusing on the economics of healthcare for the mutual benefit of the two countries. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) assisted in the development of the partnership and has provided funding to ensure its success.

Professor Darrin Baines, from Bournemouth University, gave an introduction to the partnership. Academic leads from the University of Sheffield, Leeds University, University of York and three Chinese universities – Zhejiang University, Fudan University and Shandong University – joined the masterclass.

The event involved knowledge transfer of research-led technical advice that supports the reform of Chinese Health Technology Assessment (HTA) processes and builds in-country capacity in health economics.

The masterclass will:

Support UK-CHEP participating universities so they can work together to create significant impact for both the British and Chinese people and economy by engaging in long-term projects and knowledge collaborations that generate new expertise in health economics and health policy, and
Help build mutual understanding and deepen and broaden collaboration between participating universities by sharing research and educational opportunities that help deliver the goals of China’s “Double First Class” programme.
Promote international collaboration between world-class academics in China and the UK uninterrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic

Professor Darrin Baines, Professor in Health Economics at Bournemouth University, said: “This masterclass will help secure significant impact upon health and economic outcomes by improving patient quality of life through better and faster access to cost-effective medicines and promoting world-class research and education in keeping with China’s ‘Double First Class’ programme.”

Professor Simon Dixon, Professor of Health Economics at the University of Sheffield, said: “I am grateful that colleagues in the UK and China have come together to deliver an excellent masterclass programme at Shandong University and online. I am confident this will mark the start of lasting research and teaching collaborations. I also thank GSK for their contributions to the partnership.”

Professor Sun Qiang, Professor of Health Economics at Shandong University, said: “UK-China Partners overcome COVID-19 pandemic and work together to deliver this masterclass programme again to strengthen the development of health economics and evaluation in China. I believe this work will also contribute to the overall collaboration between UK and China universities.”

This partnership was originally launched in Jinan, Shandong province in November 2017 by GSK.

https://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/projects/uk-china-health-economy-partnership

December 14, 2020

Conversation article – Tackling in children’s rugby must be banned to curb dementia risks

BU research, Research communication, the conversation Rachel Bowen

Rugby World Cup winners have joined a chorus of voices calling to reduce tackling in the sport in a bid to stop the growing number of brain injuries afflicting many of its former players.

When the likes of 42-year-old Rugby World Cup winner, Steve Thompson, announced that he could not remember the tournament because his brain was left too damaged from his career, he highlighted that rugby, in its current state, is not fit for contemporary society.

Invented in the 1800s, when safety was far less of a concern, rugby has been resistant to change. But this week, Thompson and 80 other high profile former rugby players announced that they are living with dementia, with many experiencing as early as their 40s.

Another former England player, Michael Lipman, said:

If I knew then what I know now, in terms of how I’m feeling, and what my wife and family go through on a daily basis, I definitely would have been a hell of a lot more careful.

Players are suing several governing bodies, including World Rugby and the Rugby Football Union. The law suit, which is in its infancy, will no doubt grow in claimants.

World Rugby responded to the lawsuit with a statement, saying it “takes takes player safety very seriously and implements injury-prevention strategies based on the latest available knowledge, research and evidence”.

Professional rugby will have its reckoning in the courts. But if the impact of tackling on the brain is strong enough that devoted rugby heroes are suing their former employer, policies need to be drastically revised and soon, particularly for children. The first thing the sport must do is protect young players by banning tackling for under 18s and transitioning to touch rugby.

In denial

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is not new. It was first described in the 1920s in boxers (it was called “punch drunk syndrome” at the time). But now research is proving what scientists, players and their families have long claimed – that repeated collisions are causing permanent damage to the brain.

When England’s 1966 World Cup-winning football heroes began to be diagnosed with dementia, the football world took notice. Now it is England’s World Cup rugby heroes that are suffering – and suffering younger. The FA banned heading the ball in training for children up to the age of 12, and severely restricted it after. It’s time for the rugby unions to react in the same way.

But whereas football can remove heading from the game, rugby is predicated on collision. As noted by one journalist, the only way to make rugby safe in its current format is to stop playing it. And earlier this year, researchers linked with England’s Rugby Football Union found that their sport offers more head trauma than other sports.

The case of rugby is more reminiscent of what happened to the National Football League in the US after the discovery that players were at increased risk of long-term neurological conditions, particularly CTE. Scores of players sued the NFL and received a US$1bn pay out.

The NFL has, for now, survived. World Rugby has insurance, so it might too. Yet surviving this lawsuit is only one threat to the sport. The fear over children playing the game will no doubt be rugby’s biggest threat.

No more half measures

Sporting bodies can no longer take half measures and policy must evolve to protect the huge numbers of children playing rugby. Children receive legal protection from other known harms, the list for which is very long (smoking and alcohol use, for example).

Both football and rugby are regularly played by children, and particularly in school PE. But whereas children under 12 are not permitted to head the ball in practice, they can tackle another player in rugby training. And where children over 12 are permitted to only head the ball five times a month in football, they can be tackled by a player twice their size as often as the PE teacher decides.

Experts are now calling for tackling to be removed from the sport for children – and curtailed in practice for adults. This means that children should play touch rugby until they are 18. They can then make an informed decision to transition to tackle rugby or continue with touch when they are old enough.

Research shows that touch rugby is rising in popularity and has better health outcomes for children. But calls for bans on tackling in compulsory school rugby have gone unheeded for many years.

History shows that industries respond to health crises when they are forced to do so – either through legal cases or government legislation. A key example is how the tobacco companies were forced to stop denying the harmful effects of smoking in the 1990s. Rugby is no different. Public pressure and court cases may drive change at some level but legislation is needed to protect players, particularly children.

In the US, the Concussion Legacy Foundation has launched the “tackling can wait” campaign for American Football. It’s time for the UK to follow and protect its children from brain injury by banning tackling in youth rugby. It will be for the courts and the players’ unions to determine how much tackling adults can do – but if they have any sense, they will heed the warnings of those World Cup heroes.

Eric Anderson, Professor of Masculinities, Sexualities and Sport, University of Winchester; Adam John White, Lecturer, Oxford Brookes University, and Keith Parry, Deputy Head Of Department in Department of Sport & Events Management, Bournemouth University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

December 11, 2020

PGR Virtual Poster Exhibition | Kevin Davidson

BU research, conferences, Doctoral College, Events, Featured, PG research, Postgraduate Research, Research communication, student research nstewart

Poster Exhibition | The 12th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference

Kevin Davidson, MRes student in the Faculty of Science & Technology with this poster entitled:

Mindful Resilience: supporting young people at risk of gaming and gambling-related harms.

Click the poster below to enlarge.

There is increasing evidence of gambling-type behaviour in young gamers and associated harms to their health and wellbeing. This issue is being addressed by a project to develop the educational resources for healthcare practitioners in this field, with Bournemouth University partnering with the Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM), Betknowmore, the Responsible Gambling Council, and Playtech. Within this project an MRes has been funded to draw upon literature on Mindfulness and Resilience in outlining a working concept of Mindful Resilience. This concept of Mindful Resilience will be applied to digital contexts, such as those where young gamers engage in gambling-type behaviour, to foster digital resilience. This poster will describe and outline a working concept of Mindful Resilience and demonstrate how it applies in the digital context.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

If this research has inspired you and you’d like to explore applying for a research degree please visit the postgraduate research web pages or contact our dedicated admissions team.

December 10, 2020

PGR Virtual Poster Exhibition | Raksha Thapa

BU research, conferences, Doctoral College, Events, Featured, PG research, Postgraduate Research, Research communication, student research nstewart

Poster Exhibition | The 12th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference

Raksha Thapa, PhD student in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences with this poster entitled:

Caste exclusion and health discrimination in South Asia: A systematic review

Click the poster below to enlarge.

The caste system is a three millennia old social stratification system in the world. This review investigates caste- based inequity in health care utilisation in South Asia, particularly focusing those at the bottom of the caste hierarchy, the so-called Dalit communities. A systematic methodology was followed, key databases (including CINAHL, Medline, SocINDEX, PubMed, Nepjol, JSTOR and ASSIA ) were searched using the PRISMA. Out of 15,109 papers nine selected papers were included in the review. The papers focused on studies in India (n=7) and Nepal (n=2) and using methods including qualitative (n=2), quantitative (n=3) and mixed method (n=4) approaches. The review identified four main themes; stigma, poverty, beliefs/cultures and healthcare. Caste-based inequality impacts upon all aspects of individual’s well-being, violence and people’s opportunities to access education, employment and healthcare. Dalits appear to experience this significantly due to their lower caste and socioeconomic position which also increases their vulnerability to health.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

If this research has inspired you and you’d like to explore applying for a research degree please visit the postgraduate research web pages or contact our dedicated admissions team.

December 10, 2020

PGR Virtual Poster Exhibition | Bronwyn Sherriff

BU research, conferences, Doctoral College, Events, Featured, PG research, Postgraduate Research, Research communication, student research nstewart

Poster Exhibition | The 12th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference

Bronwyn Sherriff, PhD student in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences with this poster entitled:

Coping with Covid-19: reflecting on the process of modifying methods midway.

Click the poster below to enlarge.

Background: Few PhD students wish to be faced with the task of adapting their research methods, especially midway, when timelines and project plans have been painstakingly prepared, revised, and scrutinised. Following the realisation that Covid-19 was unlikely to be a passing pandemic, this poster summarises the process taken to address the crucial question: Are the proposed methods still feasible considering the change in context? Approach: Although problem-solving and flexibility are important characteristics of any researcher, in the postCovid-19 research milieu, the role of collaboration and stakeholder engagement are likely to become increasingly pivotal. Both represent invaluable tools for (re-)planning and (re-)designing healthcare research by informing essential research decisions. Contribution: The impact of Covid-19 remains an ongoing challenge to student researchers. This poster provides a pragmatic guide, particularly for healthcare research students, by explaining the approach used to modify the initial research design and presenting key considerations which may be useful.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

If this research has inspired you and you’d like to explore applying for a research degree please visit the postgraduate research web pages or contact our dedicated admissions team.

December 9, 2020

Policy Influence Opportunity – Forestry, land management & environmental

Impact, parliament, Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, policy, Research communication, Uncategorized carters

Call for potential oral witnesses for EFRA Committee tree planting inquiry

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee secretariat is looking for potential oral witnesses for the Committee’s inquiry into Tree Planting and Woodlands. please see the background to the inquiry and Call for Evidence for further information.
The Committee would be particularly interested to hear from researchers with expertise in forestry relating to some of the following issues: woodland management, land management, agroforestry, climate change mitigation and adaptation, biosecurity, biodiversity, economics and/or policy analysis of UK Government and Devolved Administrations’ policies and funding on forestry and tree planting.
Researchers who are interested must nominate themselves by 15 December. Please inform your BU Impact Officer and the BU policy team (policy@bournemouth.ac.uk) if you nominate yourself.
The Committee is committed to improving the diversity of the witnesses it hears evidence from because this provides a broader evidence base for its inquiries, so would also particularly want to hear from women researchers and researchers from minority ethnic communities.
The secretariat currently expects the evidence session to take place in early February.
Please complete your nominations on this form.

December 9, 2020

PGR Virtual Poster Exhibition | Mashael Alsufyani

BU research, conferences, Doctoral College, Events, Featured, PG research, Postgraduate Research, Research communication, student research nstewart

Poster Exhibition | The 12th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference

Mashael Alsufyani, PhD student in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences with this poster entitled:

Exploring the Usage of Social Media by Female Saudi Nursing Students for Personal and Academic Purposes.

Click the poster below to enlarge.

The simulation model used while undertaking the Structural Health Management (SHM) task to predict the response of the system/structure(s) to disturbances, got phase-out when the real system/structure material properties changes in non-uniform and complex way. In order to accurately predict future states of a system/ structure, which can change its behaviour to a large degree in response to environmental influences, the existence of precise models of the system and its surroundings is demandable. For this, simulation modelling within DT paradigm concept is proposed, with DT encompassing continuous and automatic model updating framework, reducing the computational (parametric) uncertainties that arises with time in the process and ultimately having a lifetime reliable prognosis tool for the structural behaviour. The solver (algorithm/framework) will be tested with a real-world problem by setting a DT environment integrated with an ultra-high-fidelity simulation model (for eg: cathodic protection (CP) model built for the prediction of the corrosion status of a seastructure).

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

If this research has inspired you and you’d like to explore applying for a research degree please visit the postgraduate research web pages or contact our dedicated admissions team.

December 9, 2020

PGR Virtual Poster Exhibition | Vanessa Bartholomew

BU research, conferences, Doctoral College, Events, Featured, PG research, Postgraduate Research, Research communication, student research nstewart

Poster Exhibition | The 12th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference

Vanessa Bartholomew, PhD student in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences with this poster entitled:

RETHINK – Can we reduce hospital admission in latent labour?

Click the poster below to enlarge.

Background: Women experiencing an uncomplicated pregnancy are at increased risk of obstetric intervention if admitted to hospital during latent labour. Pain and fear are significant factors in early hospital admissions. Pain catastrophising (PC) is a strong predictor of childbirth pain. Studies have yet to consider whether PC influences the timing of hospital admission. Aim: To examine whether PC is a predictor for early hospital admission when in labour and subsequently birth outcomes. Design: A pragmatic, quasi-experimental study. Sample: Primigravid women who are experiencing an uncomplicated pregnancy, will be recruited between 25-33 weeks gestation. Target sample size is 384. Data Collection: Participants will complete two online questionnaires; one antenatal, the second three weeks postnatal. Birth outcomes will also be collected. Analysis: Logistic regression, will be used to assess if PC is a predictor of early hospital admission. Other explanatory factors (e.g. socioeconomic variables) will be considered. Significance level will be p≤0.05.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

If this research has inspired you and you’d like to explore applying for a research degree please visit the postgraduate research web pages or contact our dedicated admissions team.

December 8, 2020

PGR Virtual Poster Exhibition | Sara Stride

BU research, conferences, Doctoral College, Events, Featured, PG research, Postgraduate Research, Research communication, student research nstewart

Poster Exhibition | The 12th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference

Sara Stride, PhD student in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences with this poster entitled:

Taking time to explore appropriate methods.

Click the poster below to enlarge.

The first phases of my doctorate work used mixed methods to increase my understanding of midwives’ beliefs and attitudes regarding birth trauma. I identified five key themes; one of these was that midwives felt “ashamed” when women sustain severe birth trauma. Methods: Taking time to read and attend workshops this year has clarified the methods that I intend to use to now explore individual midwives’ experiences in more depth. Interviews will be facilitated using an online platform, as face to face contact needs to be minimised during the current Covid-19 Pandemic. Grounded theory will be used, so sampling, collection of data, analysis and theory construction will occur concurrently. Initial Findings: The study will provide data on midwives’ experiences whenwomen sustain severe birth trauma. Contribution to knowledge: Understanding midwives’ experiences will enable me to identify the support midwives need.

You can also listen to an audio recording exploring the poster on zoom (Passcode:66cU#RNB).

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

If this research has inspired you and you’d like to explore applying for a research degree please visit the postgraduate research web pages or contact our dedicated admissions team.

December 8, 2020

PGR Virtual Poster Exhibition | Katie Thompson

BU research, conferences, Doctoral College, Events, Featured, PG research, Postgraduate Research, Research communication, student research nstewart

Poster Exhibition | The 12th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference

Katie Thompson, PhD student in the Faculty of Science & Technology with this poster entitled:

Impacts of African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana) on large trees within a small, fenced reserve in South Africa.

Click the poster below to enlarge.

African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana) can have detrimental impacts on trees due to their feeding habits including debarking, uprooting, and breaking branches off trees. The aim of this study is to assess whether introduced elephants have caused significant damage on various tree species in the small fenced Karongwe Private Game Reserve (KPGR). Thirty-two different tree species were recorded, with 5 species accounting for 80% of the total dataset and used for further analysis. Tree height was not shown to correlate with the overall level of damage. Trees close to the fence line were not more damaged than trees near the centre of the reserve. However, trees in highly used areas had a higher level of damage; these damaged trees showed low levels of recovery. We suggest exclusion areas for Combretum apiculatum and Sclerocarya birrea in high use areas, to reduce damage and enable recovery on these highly damaged species.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

If this research has inspired you and you’d like to explore applying for a research degree please visit the postgraduate research web pages or contact our dedicated admissions team.

December 7, 2020

PGR Virtual Poster Exhibition | Kelsie Fletcher

BU research, conferences, Doctoral College, Events, Featured, PG research, Postgraduate Research, Research communication, student research nstewart

Poster Exhibition | The 12th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference

Kelsie Fletcher, PhD student in the Faculty of Haealth & Social Sciences with this poster entitled:

The history of disaster nursing: developments from Nightingale to the 21st century.

Click the poster below to enlarge.

Background: Nurses have a rich history in performing their duty both domestically and internationally in response to a disaster. Comprising the largest proportion of the healthcare workforce, nurses can inform disaster planning and management. With continuing conflict, humanitarian and natural disasters, epidemics and ongoing threat from covid-19, nurses’ roles and capacity to respond to global health needs is critical. Aims: The aim of this poster is to demonstrate key developments in the field of disaster nursing. Methods: A qualitative historical review was conducted to examine core developments in the history of disaster nursing. Results: A total of 10 articles refer to disaster nursing specifically, of which 4 of these are reports/policy. Conclusions: The complex but rich history of disaster nursing is interwoven throughout the historical literature. Understanding the developments of this newly recognised specialty field can inform future research agendas and this can inform the mitigation, prevention, response and recovery phases of disaster management.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

If this research has inspired you and you’d like to explore applying for a research degree please visit the postgraduate research web pages or contact our dedicated admissions team.

December 7, 2020

PGR Virtual Poster Exhibition | Madhu Sapkota

BU research, conferences, Doctoral College, Events, Featured, PG research, Postgraduate Research, Research communication, student research nstewart

Poster Exhibition | The 12th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference

Madhu Sapkota, PhD student in the Faculty of Science & Technology with this poster entitled:

Adaptive Simulation Modelling using the Digital Twin Paradigm.

Click the poster below to enlarge.

The simulation model used while undertaking the Structural Health Management (SHM) task to predict the response of the system/structure(s) to disturbances, got phase-out when the real system/structure material properties changes in non-uniform and complex way. In order to accurately predict future states of a system/ structure, which can change its behaviour to a large degree in response to environmental influences, the existence of precise models of the system and its surroundings is demandable. For this, simulation modelling within DT paradigm concept is proposed, with DT encompassing continuous and automatic model updating framework, reducing the computational (parametric) uncertainties that arises with time in the process and ultimately having a lifetime reliable prognosis tool for the structural behaviour. The solver (algorithm/framework) will be tested with a real-world problem by setting a DT environment integrated with an ultra-high-fidelity simulation model (for eg: cathodic protection (CP) model built for the prediction of the corrosion status of a seastructure).

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

If this research has inspired you and you’d like to explore applying for a research degree please visit the postgraduate research web pages or contact our dedicated admissions team.

December 4, 2020

PGR Virtual Poster Exhibition | Jessica Doherty

BU research, conferences, Doctoral College, Events, Featured, PG research, Postgraduate Research, Research communication, student research nstewart

Poster Exhibition | The 12th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference

Jessica Doherty, PhD student in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences with this poster entitled:

A Pilot Study to Improve emotional well-being of Early Career Midwives: A Modified Dialectical Behavioural Therapy Skills Training Group Intervention.

Click the poster below to enlarge.

Early career midwives are at the highest risk of leaving the profession in the first 5 years of practice. Targeting the emotional labour and burnout relationship may alter this trajectory by equipping them with emotional toolkit and skills to manage their relationships in practice and improve their resilience to workplace-adversity. This pilot is a non-randomised two-phased sequential mixed-method design comprising of pre, post-test and three-month follow-up to explore the preliminary effectiveness of the intervention via standardised-measures of emotional labour, difficulties of emotional regulation, Mayer, Salovey and Caruso’s emotional intelligence, resilience at work and Maslach’s Burnout Inventory in the first phase. Qualitative semi-structured interviews will be conducted in the second phase to explore the feasibility, acceptability, applicability of the intervention and DBT skills in practice. This study is the first to test DBT Skills training in the midwifery profession.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

If this research has inspired you and you’d like to explore applying for a research degree please visit the postgraduate research web pages or contact our dedicated admissions team.

December 4, 2020

PGR Virtual Poster Exhibition | Chloe Casey

BU research, conferences, Doctoral College, Events, Featured, PG research, Postgraduate Research, Research communication, student research nstewart

Poster Exhibition | The 12th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference

Chloe Casey, PhD student in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences with this poster entitled:

Initiatives to promote the wellbeing of postgraduate researchers at Bournemouth University.

Click the poster below to enlarge.

In relation to wellbeing support, in the past there has been the assumption that what works for undergraduate students will also work for postgraduate researchers (PGRs). As a result, a lack of interventions published in the literature have been designed and evaluated specifically with PGRs in mind. Due to this, universities have previously embedded support provisions that may not have been relevant for PGRs. There is a need to investigate the type of interventions that will be best aligned to the specific needs of PGRs. Therefore, this Doctoral College supported PhD project aims to design, trial, and evaluate evidence-based initiatives that are co-produced with PGRs. This poster provides an overview of the initiatives that have been trialled as part of this project, including a peer-support area on Brightspace and a series of workshops (project planning, mindfulness and mentoring) focusing on methods to help PGRs cope with the stresses of research.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

If this research has inspired you and you’d like to explore applying for a research degree please visit the postgraduate research web pages or contact our dedicated admissions team.

December 3, 2020

PGR Virtual Poster Exhibition | Natalie Stewart

BU research, conferences, Doctoral College, Events, Featured, PG research, Postgraduate Research, Research communication, student research nstewart

Poster Exhibition | The 12th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference

Natalie Stewart, PhD student in the BU Business School with this poster entitled:

Promoting a positive and cohesive research culture for postgraduate researchers.

Click the poster below to enlarge.

Research culture is thought to be a substantive influencer in the overall student experience for postgraduate researchers (PGRs) in the UK Higher Education sector. In consecutive AdvanceHE Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES), findings highlight over a third of responding PGRs are expressing dissatisfaction with their experience of the research culture at their own university (AdvanceHE 2019). Research culture is reported to be less positively experienced in seven core areas measured which includes, supervision, resources, progress and assessment, responsibilities, research skills and professional development. The aim of this research is to explore ways in which higher education institutions can actively create and influence more positive research cultures for their PGRs, who are working across a wide range of potential discipline areas. This poster outlines the rationale for this research and anticipated approach.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

If this research has inspired you and you’d like to explore applying for a research degree please visit the postgraduate research web pages or contact our dedicated admissions team.

December 3, 2020

PGR Virtual Poster Exhibition | Sulochanan Dhakal-Rai

BU research, conferences, Doctoral College, Events, Featured, PG research, Postgraduate Research, Research communication, student research nstewart

Poster Exhibition | The 12th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference

Sulochanan Dhakal-Rai, PhD student in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences with this poster entitled:

Factors contributing to rising caesarean section rates in South Asian Countries: a systematic review.

Click the poster below to enlarge.

Background: Caesarean Sections (CS) can save a mother’s life in childbirth but can also be an unnecessary medical intervention in a natural process. This systematic review investigates factors/indicators affecting increasing Caesarean Section rates in South Asia. Methods: Quantitative studies published from 2010 to 2018 were found on electronic databases. Critical Appraisal Skill Programme checklists were used for assessing the quality. Narrative synthesis of the indications/factors associated with CS was divided into distinct categories using content analysis. Results: Sixty-eight studies were included and both CS indications and significant associated factors were explored. The most common medical indications of CS were foetal distress and previous CS. Higher maternal age was the most common associated factor followed by higher education and urban residency. Maternal request was the most common non-medical indication of CS. Conclusion: Modifiable indicators/factors reflect global trends, suggesting we need a global strategy to stem the rise of unnecessary CS.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

If this research has inspired you and you’d like to explore applying for a research degree please visit the postgraduate research web pages or contact our dedicated admissions team.

December 2, 2020

PGR Virtual Poster Exhibition | Greg Tansill

BU research, conferences, Doctoral College, Events, Featured, PG research, Postgraduate Research, Research communication, student research nstewart

Poster Exhibition | The 12th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference

Greg Tansil, MRes student in the Faculty of Science & Technology with this poster entitled:

Study to identify risk factors that predict which children will repeatedly go missing.

Click the poster below to enlarge.

Missing children face significant risks and those who frequently go missing are particularly vulnerable to dangers such as abuse and sexual exploitation. Using data from one UK police force from June 2018 to July 2019 (N = 909), the research found; (1) over 80% of all missing child reports are repeat disappearances; (2) a small proportion of children who go missing repeatedly (8.3%) account for over half of all missing person episodes; (3) the likelihood of a child going missing on multiple occasions is associated with being criminally exploited, being a perpetrator of violence, adverse childhood experiences, being arrested and being in care; and (4) by combining these factors it is possible to predict the probability of a child going missing repeatedly. Understanding of the correlates of repeat disappearances allows the police and partner agencies to target preventative resources to those individuals most at risk of going missing again.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

If this research has inspired you and you’d like to explore applying for a research degree please visit the postgraduate research web pages or contact our dedicated admissions team.

Category / Research communication

In denial

No more half measures

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

You can view the full poster exhibition on the conference webpage.

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