Category / Research communication

Council for Allied Health Professions Research

BU research, Clinical Governance, Research communication, Research Ethics, Research news, Research Training, RKE development framework, Training

CAHPR is an organisation which aims to help Allied Health Professionals get involved in research and to develop AHP research whilst enhancing healthcare.

Although too short notice, but as an example of how CAHPR could benefit AHPs, the organisation is running a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style event tomorrow, 16th May, where colleagues working within AHP clinical research are invited to pitch for £250 funding in support of their clinical research activities (e.g. presentations, conferences, travel etc.).

The CAHPR website acts as a good source of information for AHP students, and signposts where and who to contact if you’re interested in getting involved, alongside a list of upcoming events – http://cahpr.csp.org.uk/

Photo of the Week: Surviving the advertising apocalypse with RAISA

BU research, Research communication, student research

Surviving the advertising apocalypse with RAISA (Robotics, Artifical Intelligence, Service Automation)

Our Photo of the Week series has returned and we’re kicking off with Elizabeth Falkowska’s research photo in collaboration with Dr Elvira Bolat (Senior Lecturer in Marketing) for this project.

This weekly series features photo entries taken by our academics, students and professional staff for our annual Research Photography Competition, which gives a glimpse into some of the fantastic research undertaken across the BU community.

A 2016 World Economic Forum report has predicted that more than five million jobs will be lost to automation and robots by 2020. This causes unease for people within marketing and creative firms who are already struggling to survive an ‘advertising apocalypse’ due to digital transformation of business, consumption and communication. This project founds that to avoid disruption and enable creative agencies focus on doing what they are great at – creative idea generation – relationship resources are critical to RAISA complex ecosystems where companies like Microsoft become an important partner for creative agencies for successful deployment of RAISA.

Elizabeth Falkowska is a final year undergraduate student in BA (Hons) Business Studies with Marketing. For more information about this research, please contact Dr Elvira Bolat.

Dr. Regmi on Editorial Board Journal of Global Health Reports

Featured academics, international, open access, Publishing, Research communication, Uncategorized

Dr. Pramod Regmi, FHSS Lecturer in International Health has been appointed as an Editorial Board Member for the Journal of Global Health Reports.   This journal is affiliated with the Journal of Global Health (www.jogh.org).   The Journal of Global Health Reports focuses on “Promoting local research to improve global health”  It is open to all local, small-scale, context-specific studies in global health, both qualitative and quantitative, as long as they are conducted in a rigorous and replicable way and report their results properly.

 

Congratulations!

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

 

 

 

Congratulations to Dr James Gavin on his position at the British Council Researcher Links Workshop

BU research, Research communication, Research news

Congratulations to Dr James Gavin, BU Lecturer in Exercise Physiology, on recently being awarded a funded position at the British Council Researcher Links Workshop, which will be taking place from 11 – 15 June 2018 in Botucatu, Brazil.

The Researcher Links programme provides opportunities for early career researchers from the UK and internationally to interact, learn from each other and explore opportunities for building long-lasting research collaborations. The 5 day workshop will provide a unique opportunity for sharing research expertise and networking.

“I’m immensely excited (the closest I’ve come to South America was working in a Brazilian restaurant as an undergraduate) to be able to spend dedicated time working with, and learning from, international ECRs across the health sciences,” says Dr Gavin.

During the workshops ECRs will have the opportunity to present their research in the form of a poster with short oral presentation and discuss this with established researchers and mentors from the UK and partner countries.

“I will present work on my current projects, including: i) Community-based exercise programmes for recovery self-management after orthopaedic surgery: a development study and, ii) the feasibility of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) in reducing falls risk in older adults”, says Dr Gavin.

There will be a focus on building links for future collaborations and participants selected on the basis of their research potential and ability to build longer term links.

“Aside from the prestige of the University of Sao Paulo (THE World University Rankings top 150), I hope to learn cross-cultural skills, particularly in developing and sustaining international research partnerships”, he says. “On return, I look forward to sharing my experiences with my colleagues in Sport, Physical Activity Research Centre (SPARC) and the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, and seek opportunities for supporting a partner ‘international ECR’ to visit BU.”

 

For more information, contact Dr James Gavin (jgavin@bournemouth.ac.uk).

Are you interested in testing an App developed at BU and designed to lower blood pressure?

BU research, Research communication

We are continuing to recruit for 2 studies involving our Brythm App, designed at BU. Brythm is based on the principles of slow and deep breathing that have been found to lower blood pressure. Our previous research supports the idea that changing the way you breathe has an impact upon your heart rate and blood pressure. We have developed an App (called Brythm) to exploit the beneficial influence of breathing, which guides users to a personalised, optimal breathing frequency.

We are currently conducting one study on healthy women in a laboratory setting to test the cardiovascular responses to slow and deep breathing, which would require approx 2 hours of your time. The other study involves using the App daily at home for 8 weeks to test the feasibility of using the App. For both studies participants will receive information about their current blood pressure.

Lab Based Cardiovascular Responses Study

Participants must be female non-smokers of reproductive age (18-49 years) who are not currently pregnant. They must also have no prior medical diagnosis of cardiovascular or respiratory disease (including asthma). The entire study requires a single visit to the Cardiorespiratory Research Laboratory in Bournemouth House (3rd floor) lasting approximately 2 hours. During this visit you will be asked to undertake a number of 5-minute sets of slow and deep breathing, guided by our App, while a series of non-invasive and painless cardiovascular measurements are made. The App will be installed on our iPad in the lab and you will not be required to use your own device.

At Home 8-week Feasibility Study

Participants must be aged 40 or over and you must have access to an iOS or Android device capable of downloading and running the Brythm App. More details on device specifications available on request. You will be expected to complete daily 10-minute sessions using the Brythm App for 8 weeks and will have an initial meeting with our Project Manager prior to commencing the study, where you will be given a demonstration of the Brythm App and be given an opportunity to try it for a few minutes. You will also receive an automated blood pressure monitor to take home with you for the duration of the study; you will be asked to use it to make two measurements each day, which will be recorded via the Brythm App. Following the intervention we will ask you to attend a focus group where you will be invited to share your experiences of using the App.

For more information, and to receive a participant information sheet outlining either study in more detail, please contact Malika Felton at mfelton@bournemouth.ac.uk or 01202 961845.

10th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference Winner Profiles

BU research, conferences, Doctoral College, Events, Featured, PG research, Research communication, Research news

On Wednesday 7 March 2018 the Doctoral College hosted the 10th Annual Postgraduate Research Conference which brought together and recognised the excellence of BU’s postgraduate research.

Meet this year’s winners:

  Mark Stevens, Faculty of Management

Research topic: A social identity approach to understanding physical activity.

Why I chose this research topic: As a regular runner, and someone who engages in a lot of physical activity myself, I am a strong believer that being active should be a priority for us all. Having also seen first hand the issues being inactive can cause, and being aware of the scale of the inactivity crisis we are facing on a global scale, I am passionate about understanding the factors that influence people’s physical activity levels and devising effective ways of getting—and keeping—people more active.

Example of how research at BU has changed things for me: My PhD has given me the opportunity to learn a wide variety of new skills and develop my existing skills in several areas. For example, working closely with my supervisors, collaborating with researchers around the world, and working to publish journal articles has helped me learn several advanced methods of statistical analysis and develop my academic writing.

Quick quote:  Following on the physical activity theme, but also a good thought about working hard: “Nobody ever drowned in their own sweat!”
  Stephen Allard, Faculty of Media & Communication

Research topic: When does Page become Stage: Exploring Evolving Poetic Practices in Digital Spaces.

Why I chose this topic: The growth and popularity of social media sites, especially within the last decade, has arguably forever changed the way that we imagine, interact with, and relate to, each other. With increasing cynicism towards these new social worlds of words, with terms such as ‘fake news’ ingrained in the public consciousness, I am fascinated by how poets might add their voices to these new social frontiers. If a search for truth about online interaction is currently only revealing something increasingly seen as fake, then can perhaps poets, using something fictional, reveal new truths about ourselves, and each other, online?  

Example of how research at BU has changed things for me: Bournemouth University has a rich, diverse, and interactive postgraduate research community, that actually feels like a community. Through events, workshops, and talks, I have gained the opportunity to work with a range of talented and passionate researchers, working across many fields and in many disciplines. This has not only pushed the boundaries and possibilities of my own research, but also opened up new opportunities, and completely new ways of thinking about the postgraduate experience.

Quick quote: Oscar Wilde: ‘Everything in moderation, including moderation’
Louise Oliver, Faculty of Health & Social Sciences

Research topic: Family Narratives of Child-to-Parent Violence and Abuse: Lifting the Veil of Secrecy

Why I chose this topic:  I have worked within Children’s Social Care for over a decade, with a focus on working with family violence and abuse.  As part of my practice, it became apparent that there was a dearth of research about children who are controlling, aggressive and/or violent towards their parents, as well as limited targeted support for families experiencing child-to-parent violence and abuse.   This motivated me to study this form of family violence and abuse in order to further prevent, intervene and support families experiencing this.

Example of how research at BU has changed things for me: ​This research has helped in many ways, it has helped develop my practice by improving my theoretical understanding of family violence and abuse, and I have been able to incorporate this within my practice.   I am also in a position that I am able to offer advice and guidance to my colleagues.

Quick quote:  “…a moment of silence, a question without answer, provokes a breach without reconciliation where the world is forced to question itself” (Foucault 1967)
Amal Musa Almoualed, Faculty of Media & Communication

Research topic: Saudi Women Journalists—An Exploration of Their Role and Practice in an Age of National Transformation

Why I chose this topic:  The advancement, development and empowerment of women is a lifelong interest of mine, something I wish to study and achieve in my personal and professional life. This motivated me to approach my research from both sides—‘journalism’ and ‘women’—in order to combine my joint passions for journalism research and the advancement of women.

Example of how research at BU has changed things for me:  Being a researcher in Women and Journalism at Bournemouth University has developed my personal and professional skills and exposed me to other cultures. This has helped broaden my horizons and also helps me communicate more effectively with professionals and colleagues from different cultures.

Quick quote:   These are two of my own quotes, which I always recall whenever I need to encourage myself to continue pursuing my dreams:

‘Being a woman means to have patience, determination, enthusiasm and confidence as you challenge any barriers that limit your success in your personal and professional life.’

‘Some women seek to be pretty and work hard to remain pretty their entire life; however, I believe my prettiness is determined by being mindful, ambitious, and successful in achieving my goals.’
  Ejike T. Ezeh, Faculty of Health & Social Sciences

Research topic: Shared decision-making: investigating the potential of an interactive, web-based information tool to support treatment choice of people with advanced pancreatic cancer

Why I chose this topic:  I have always been interested in the impact of information technology in healthcare, and when the opportunity became available, I applied and was selected. Also, being able to help people in making important decisions about their health is a rewarding experience for me.

Example of how research at BU has changed things for me:  Research has taught me that you have to be very thorough and systematic even in the most basic things in life. Someone may build on your work in the future. I am more careful in my utterances as well. There must be sufficient evidence to support them.

Quick quote:  When the going gets extremely tough, then you are close to a breakthrough.
 Nurist Surayya Ulfa, Faculty of Media & Communication

Research topic: I am undertaking a PhD on ‘the digital virtual consumption practices and commercial enculturation among Indonesian Muslim girls’. In particular, the work aims to account for how Indonesian Muslim girls’ engagement with DVC in Girls games shapes both their literacy of and desire for Western consumer culture and the role of Islam in the process. By doing this, enables me to shed light on the interplay between market and religion under the consumer culture theory traditions.

Why I chose this topic:  Since 2009, as an academia in Diponegoro University Indonesia, I have been interested in studying children and marketing communication themes in Indonesia. My PhD problematization derived from my previous finding on Muslim children engagements with local and global media practices.

Example of how research at BU has changed things for me:  Undertaking PhD in Bournemouth University is a journey that I have thoroughly enjoyed so far. The reliable and supportive supervisory team is obviously the best part of my PhD journey. By way of their guidance, I have learned a lot about my research area and had valuable opportunities to develop myself.
Giulia Levi, Faculty of Health & Social Sciences

Research topic: Between silence and agitation. Coping strategies and third-party interventions in divided societies: a comparison between post-conflict Bosnia and post-referendum UK.

Why I chose this topic:  The Brexit referendum has favoured the emergence of new lines of division in the British society. After years working in civil society organisations operating in divided contexts I have seen how initiatives to bridge societal divisions often apply standardised models overlooking the specificities of the contexts and of the people they work with. My project looks at how such initiatives are experienced by beneficiaries in order to develop a more socio-culturally sensitive approach.

Example of how research at BU has changed things for me:  Since I started my PhD I’ve had the chance to participate in workshops and conferences, meeting researchers I could discuss my ideas with. As part of my research I am exploring the cultural diversity of Dorset collaborating with civil society organizations on the ground that work on hate crime prevention and victims’ support.

Quick quote:  ‘Every culture is always on a nomadic path’ (M. Engelke)

Combating economic crime

BU research, Research communication

We report here on a successful programme of research, involving engagement with public policy, aimed at reducing the scourge of economic crime. If accepted the proposals made would have a substantial impact on frauds involving major companies, especially those in the financial services sector.

 Economic crime takes many forms: from traditional manifestations of fraud, bribery, money-laundering and tax evasion to modern slavery and human-trafficking offences providing forced labour. Striking at the heart of global security, funding terrorism and political espionage, it also inflicts direct costs to businesses and economies, nationally and world-wide. Fraud alone is calculated to have cost the UK economy c. £190 billion (2017) while global estimates reveal a loss of £2.75 trillion (2013).

Focusing on corporate criminality, in March 2017, we responded to the Ministry of Justice Call for Evidence on Corporate Liability for Economic Crime. We argued that the current preference for corporate liability premised on the company’s failure to prevent criminal misconduct, as exemplified in the Bribery Act 2010, has little application in the context of widespread frauds emanating from “criminogenic” corporate cultures. Central to our proposals were a unique approach to attributing corporate dishonesty, through the adoption of a Criminal Practice Direction, and a shift of resources from regulation and compliance to investigation and prosecution of serious fraud.

In March and April 2018, we went on to publish our full results in a series of two articles in the Company Lawyer: New models of corporate criminality: the development and relative effectiveness of “failure to prevent” offences; and New models of corporate criminality: the problem of corporate fraud – prevention or cure? The General Editor of The Company Lawyer is Professor Barry Rider, Cambridge University, who was honoured in 2014 with the award of an OBE for services to the prevention of economic crime.

The research for these articles was wide-ranging with many questions that needed to be asked, from the definition of fraud itself and the scale of economic crime to the relative effectiveness of models that could be employed to tackle corporate fraud. Traditional “black letter” law research was useful for some aspects, for example, the analysis of the Bribery Act 2010 and its extension in the Criminal Finances Act 2017 in relation to offshore tax evasion. Other questions required substantial historical research, such as the law’s response to the particular problem of bribery and the precedents for the successful use of a “failure to prevent” model of criminality. The impact of reforms and potential reforms required a detailed analysis of recent prosecutions and the use of deferred prosecution agreements.

On Sunday 18th March 2018, the Independent reported Solicitor-General Robert Buckland MP as saying there is a “strong case” for a new corporate economic crime offence. We anticipate that our timely research will prove valuable in shaping the debate as to what the law should be and how it can be made to work.

Dr Stephen F Copp, Associate Professor, Law Department

Dr Alison Cronin, Senior Lecturer, Law Department

Make your meetings magical

Events, Post-award, pre-award, Research communication, Research Training, RKE development framework, Training

None of us can avoid meetings…

Then think how magnificent it would be if every single one was purposeful and powerful – sharing information, making decisions, identifying actions – but just without there being so many of them, or them taking so long!

In this session, we’ll use the 9 Characteristics of the Productivity Ninja™ to inspire change in your meeting skills, and you’ll identify specific ways your team can implement each of them, providing the opportunity to think about what makes effective, productive and fun meetings, and gives you the ideas and tools to make that happen.

Find out more and book your place now for the afternoon of Wednesday, 18th April 2018. This session, for BU Staff, will be at the Lansdowne Campus, with the location given in your booking confirmation.

Please also take a look at the external facilitator’s video, which introduces this workshop.

Find out about further events from the RKEDF and other Organisational Development workshops on the Staff Development & Engagement Events Calendar.

 

CMMPH lecturer Daisy Wiggins’ paper published

BU research, Featured academics, open access, PG research, Publishing, Research communication, Research news, student research, Women's Academic Network, writing

Congratulations to Daisy Wiggins in the Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health (CMMPH) on the publication of her paper ‘The effect of a birthplace decision support tool on women’s decision-making and information gathering behaviours during pregnancy: mybirthplace study protocol’.  The paper is published in the Open Access journal Journal of Innovation in Health Informatics and can be accessed by clicking here!  The paper is co-authored by CMMPH’s Prof. Vanora Hundley, Dr. Carol Wilkins, as well asProf. Carol Bond (University of Wolverhampton) and the Chief Executive of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Gill Walton.

 

Congratulations to all!

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

 

Reference:

Wiggins D, Hundley VA, Wilkins C, Bond C, Walton G. The effect of a birthplace decision support tool on women’s decision-making and information gathering behaviours during pregnancy: mybirthplace study protocol. J Innov Health Inform.2018;25(1):001–006.

 

Congratulations to the winners of the 2018 Research Photography Competition

BU research, Events, Featured, Research communication, Research news, Student Engagement, student research

This year marks the forth year of our annual Research Photography Competition at BU. We received 31 submissions from BU academics, students across all levels and professional services.

Sharing research through photography is a great opportunity to make often complex subjects much more accessible to all.  This year over 1,500 people from all over the world voted in the competition, showing the power of images to engage and inspire.  The research behind photos this year included areas such as archaeology, dementia and forensic science, among others.

The photography theme this year was people.  The theme was open to interpretation, with photographers choosing to take an image of their research team, show people who might benefit or be affected by the research or even take a point of view shot.  This year’s winners were announced in the Atrium Art Gallery on Tuesday 20 March, with prizes presented by Professor John Fletcher, Pro-Vice Chancellor of Research and Innovation.  Details of the winners can be found below.

The photos are currently displayed in an art exhibition in the Atrium Art Gallery which demonstrates the creativity of our BU researchers and the diversity of research being undertaken. It’s a really enjoyable way to find out about research in areas within and outside your discipline or interests, and value the work and efforts.   Do drop in and see the images, if you have a few minutes to spare!

The winners of the 2018 Research Photography Competition are:

1st place: Virtual Reality: The best way to train surgeons of the future?

By Shayan Bahadori (Orthopaedic Project Manager) and Mara Catalina Aguilera Canon (Postgraduate Researcher, Faculty of Media and Communication). 

In recent years we have seen a decline in theatre operating training time for junior surgeons. Simulators have subsequently been increasingly integrated as training, selection and evaluation tools. To fully formally integrate simulation into orthopaedic training we require evidence that the simulators are valid representations of the operations they seek to replicate. This is one the current research focus at Orthopaedic Research Institute (ORI) and we pursue to validate and develop virtual reality orthopaedic simulators so that they may be adopted into mainstream clinical practice.

2nd place: Soil micro-organisms

By Hai Luu (Postgraduate student, Faculty of Science and Technology).

Ciliates protozoa are a distinct group of unicellular organisms. They are abundant phagotrophic micro-organisms in soil, playing important role in food webs by controlling the abundance of smaller microbes and recycling organic matter. Ciliates are characterised by some specific traits. Firstly, ciliates are dikaryotic organisms due to having two different cell nuclei; one is responsible for reproduction; the other one carries out cell functions. Secondly, they use cilia for locomotion and feeding. Interestingly, ciliates can reproduce asexually and sexually. From an ecological and functional point of view, ciliates can be used as bioindicators of soil quality – and this is the aim of our research. We are investigating the species richness and abundance of ciliated protozoa in natural and agricultural soils in order to assess their potential as bioindicators of soil quality. Soil quality plays an important role  in agricultural production in terms of both quantity and quality, this links closely to quality of human life. This image shows Colpoda cucullus, a terrestrial ciliate commonly found in soils around the world, which was taken as a point of view shot through a microscope.

Research group: Hai Luu, Professor Genoveva Esteban, and Dr Iain Green (Senior Lecturer in Biological Science). Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology.

3rd place: The birth of Carnival U

By Dr Nicole Ferdinand (Senior Lecturer in Events Management) and her MSc Events Management student researchers: Diane Nthurima (pictured on the left), Cindy Chen (pictured on the right), Rui Bao, Yi-Hsin Chen, Simona Georgieva,  Amelie Lonia, Anh Thu Pham, Taylor Treacy and Sharif Zandani.

The photo is a joint entry by the co-creators of the Carnival U which consists of 10 enthusiastic and one BU academic. Together they are embarking on a journey to create a unique a fusion project. The students are working together with BU academic, Dr Nicole Ferdinand, CEL Learning and Teaching Fellow 2017/18, to create 4 workshops which target other university students interested in Carnival. They will engage in action research as part of the development of their workshops as well as evaluate the overall effectiveness of their co-creation efforts which will form the basis of an academic research paper. The project will also leave an educational legacy for other students wishing to develop event management, marketing and digital literacy skills.

The exhibition will be open until Thursday, 29 March at 2pm, in the Atrium Art Gallery on Talbot Campus. Please do fill in one of our feedback cards in the gallery after visiting the exhibition.