Category / Research news

EU Radar – Societal Challenges – Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy

BU research, EU, Funding opportunities, Research news

The following EU Horizon 2020 Societal Challenges’ calls  are all closing after April 2015. If you are thinking of applying to any of these calls, please contact RKEO Funding Development Team as soon as you are able, so that we can help you with your submission.

The date given is the deadline with all closing at 17:00 Brussels local time unless stated otherwise

Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy

 Innovative, sustainable  and inclusive  bioeconomy – 11/06/15

Sustainable food security – 11/6/15

Blue Growth: unlocking the potential of the seas and oceans – 11/6/15

 

General / Multiple Topics

Horizon 2020 dedicated SME instrument phase 1 and phase 2 –  deadlines – 17/6/15, 17/9/15 and 25/11/15

Please check the specific topics within this call which may meet your research funding needs.

 

For more information on EU funding opportunities, contact Paul Lynch or Emily Cieciura, in the RKEO Funding Development Team.

EU Radar – Excellent Science

BU Challenges, BU research, Research news

The following calls have been announced on the Participant Portal, within the Excellent Science pillar of Horizon 2020:

ERC Advanced Grant – this call is open and closes on 2/6/15 at 17:00 (Brussels local time)

Advanced Grants are designed to support excellent Principal Investigators at the career stage at which they are already established research leaders with a recognised track record of research achievements. Applicant Principal Investigators must demonstrate the ground-breaking nature, ambition and feasibility of their scientific proposal.

MSCA Individual Fellowship – this call is open with a deadline of 10/9/15 at 17:00 (Brussels local time)

The goal of Individual Fellowships is to enhance the creative and innovative potential of experienced researchers. Please see information about BU’s workshop and external training provided by UKRO

Future and Emerging Technologies (FET)

FET-Open – novel ideas for radically new technologies (Research & Innovation Action)  – this call is open with a closing date of 29/9/15 at 17:00 (Brussels local time)

Supporting a large set of early stage, high risk visionary science and technology collaborative research projects is necessary for the successful exploration of new foundations for radically new future technologies. Nurturing fragile ideas requires an agile, risk-friendly and highly interdisciplinary research approach, expanding well beyond the strictly technological disciplines. Recognising and stimulating the driving role of new high-potential actors in research and innovation, such as women, young researchers and high-tech SMEs, is also important for nurturing the scientific and industrial leaders of the future.

FET-Open – novel ideas for radically new technologies (FET Take-Up Coordination and Support Activities) – this call is open with a closing date of 29/9/15 at 17:00 (Brussels local time)

The challenge is to make Europe the best place in the world for collaborative research on future and emerging technologies that will renew the basis for future European competitiveness and growth, and that will make a difference for society in the decades to come, by actions for stimulating take-up of FET research results towards impact and innovation, in ways that are complementary to and beyond the capacity of single research projects. Examples include outreach to investors and entrepreneurs, use of unconventional channels (like NGOs or artists), or targeting of new audiences and purposes (e.g. for social innovation, global development or peace).

FET-Open – novel ideas for radically new technologies (FET Exchange Coordination and Support Activities)

The challenge is to make Europe the best place in the world for collaborative research on future and emerging technologies that will renew the basis for future European competitiveness and growth, and that will make a difference for society in the decades to come. Applicants should address structuring an emerging FET-relevant topic and the interdisciplinary communities around it. This shall include research roadmapping, stimulating learning and exchange (possibly with related initiatives worldwide) involving the appropriate range of disciplines and actors such as young researchers and high-tech SMEs, and broader stakeholder engagement.

ERC Proof of Concept – this call is open with two forthcoming deadlines – Intermediate deadline: 28/5/15 and Final deadline: 1/10/15, both due at at 17:00 (Brussels local time)

Frontier research often generates unexpected or new opportunities for commercial or societal application. The ERC Proof of Concept Grants aim to maximise the value of the excellent research that the ERC funds, by funding further work (i.e. activities which were not scheduled to be funded by the original ERC frontier research grant) to verify the innovation potential of ideas arising from ERC funded projects. Proof of Concept Grants are therefore on offer only to Principal Investigators whose proposals draw substantially on their ERC funded research.

COFUND Doctoral Programme – the call will open on 14/4/15 and has a deadline of 01/10/ 2015 at 17:00 (Brussels local time)

Doctoral programmes address the development and broadening of the research competencies of early-stage researchers. The training follows the EU Principles on Innovative Doctoral Training (http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/pdf/research_policies/Principles_for_Innovative_Doctoral_Training.pdf). Collaboration with a wider set of partners, including from the non-academic sector, which may provide hosting or secondment opportunities or training in research or transferable skills, as well as innovative elements of the proposed programme, will be positively taken into account during the evaluations. Each researcher must be enrolled in a doctoral programme. Attention is paid to the quality of supervision and mentoring arrangements as well as career guidance.

COFUND Fellowship Programme – the call will open on 14/4/15 and has a deadline of 01/10/ 2015 at 17:00 (Brussels local time)

Proposed fellowship programmes are encouraged to cover all research disciplines (“bottom-up”), but can also focus on specific disciplines. In this case the range of covered disciplines should allow reasonable flexibility for the researchers. Programmes that prioritise specific research disciplines based on national or regional Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation (RIS3 strategies) will also be supported.

For further information on EU and International funding calls, please contact Paul Lynch or Emily Cieciura in the RKEO Funding Development Team

Presentation on Achieving and Demonstrating Research Impact from Leading Sociologist!

BU research, REF Subjects, Research assessment, Research news, Research themes

Organised by Professor Ann Brooks, Bournemouth University hosted a workshop on Thursday 26th March 2015 around ‘Achieving and Demonstrating Research Impact’ from Professor John Scott, a leading figure in British Sociology.   The PowerPoint presentation is available here as well as the Flyer for the day here.

CLiMB Research Update

BU research, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Exchange and Impact Team, Research news

CLiMB Research Update

CLiMB is based within The National Centre of Post-Qualifying Social Work at Bournemouth University and operates an independent and expert research team who are able to provide bespoke and tailored programmes of evaluation to meet local and unique requirements.

We provide skilled expertise, ensuring that ethical considerations are discharged correctly; that the tools used will appropriately measure what they need to measure; and that the data analysis, interpretation and presentation is suitable and will withstand scrutiny.

Evaluating impact of any leadership development is integral to the concept of a learning culture, continuously improving the potential of all individuals to make a positive difference in the quality of their interventions with others. Too much leadership development has been about input rather than assessing the impact and learning that takes place. Our approach is about supporting the workforce to adapt and improve their services through sound leadership development.

We evaluate the impact of what we do in the workplace, and this provides evidence for commissioners and purchasers of the value of our contribution to achieving positive change. Our main point of differentiation from other universities and development providers is the way we design, deliver and assess our work drawing on our deep knowledge of ‘what works’. It is not a surprise that our knowledge, experience and excellence in this area has resulted in CLiMB being the first port of call for many organisations’ development and research needs.

Some of our most recent research includes:

The Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care

NIHRWe have been commissioned by CLAHRC (The Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care, part of the National Institute for Health Research) to provide our expertise and support their project team in the East of England. We are assisting in the design and implementation of a fully triangulated impact evaluation of the two GP Mental Health Leadership programmes over the East of England and the Southern Region. Working with our experience and knowledge of the Leadership Framework, we have been able to provide step-by-step consultancy and support to both guide and facilitate the process.

Centre of Workforce Intelligence

CWFI We have been commissioned by the Centre of Workforce Intelligence funded by the Department of Health, to model the future demand of the health and social care workforce over the next 30 years. Professor Keith Brown and Emily Rosenorn-Lanng were invited to participate in the Elicitation workshop facilitated by DoH with a host of Social Care Workforce leaders and specialists to look at the current and future impacts on the workforce and what this may be more care planning in the future. Emily in particular sourced and analysed the national data for the level of demand and availability of the current workforce.

London Borough of Enfield

EnfieldWe were commissioned by the London Borough of Enfield to evaluate their Making Safeguarding Personal Strategy in order for them to apply for Gold Standard status from the Local Government Association. Dr Gary Barrett and Sarah Wincewicz were invited to spend time with the teams at Enfield to explore safeguarding practice. As part of this work we are collaborating with Enfield and other local authorities to create a Safeguarding App, which will allow practitioners to access the most current safeguarding information on a mobile device.

Research, Innovate, Grow – RCUK’s vision for future investment in the UK research base

Funding opportunities, Research news

Research Councils UK  (RCUK) has articulated its vision for future investment in the UK research base, adopting the slogan “Research, Innovate, Grow” as an encapsulation of its current and future purpose.

RCUK, the UK’s biggest investors in public sector research, are committed to ensuring the UK remains the best place in the world to do research, innovate and grow business.  “Strong, sustained investment in the UK research base is essential to strengthen and let fly the excellence, creativity and impact of the UK’s world leading researchers, innovators and businesses. Only by doing this will we be able to address the challenges facing our society today and create the opportunities for business growth in the future,” said Professor Rick Rylance, Chair of RCUK.

Going forward RCUK will:

  • shape a world-leading research base with strength across disciplines
  • accelerate innovation and impact from this excellent research base
  • collaborate and co-invest with Innovate UK and other partners in the research and innovation ecosystem
  • drive new multidisciplinary research programmes
  • work together to maximise impact and further drive efficiency

“The world-leading UK research base attracts and retains global businesses in the UK and establishes the positive environment to generate new businesses and enable them to grow. This drives industrial sectors and enables national and regional economic growth,” Prof  Rylance said. “The breadth, quality and richness of the UK research base is unique. It enables us to address society’s challenges and business opportunities across the spectrum. It is a very precious resource and a superb advantage for the UK. We need to invest now to secure its future. We will be investing not just for now but for our children.”

RCUK is determined to build on this position through: 

  • sustained long-term investment in the research base
  • leveraging the UK’s position at the centre of the global research network
  • realising the full potential of the UK innovation ecosystem

“RCUK will continue to invest in the creation of new knowledge and drive innovation,” said Professor  Jackie Hunter, RCUK Impact Champion. “The collective ambition of the Research Councils is to maintain and further enhance the UK’s leading position as THE best place in the world to do research, innovate and grow a business. Only by doing this can the benefits of the research investment already made be secured, maximizing the UK research base’s contribution towards the creation of a strong economy and societal benefit now and in the future.”

The UK has 1% of the global population and only 3% of global funding for research yet produces 16% of the world’s most highly cited papers. Almost half of research articles published by UK researchers have international co-authors. Four of the world’s top 10 universities are in the UK. The Research Councils drive and enable researchers, business and partners to create knowledge and innovation for society, industry, Government and the third sector. RCUK funded researchers are more likely to collaborate with business than those funded through any other route.  The Research Councils co-deliver research and innovation with more than 2,500 businesses.

If you would like to contribute to the Nurse review of research councils, please see the blog post setting out BU procedure and deadlines.

ResearchKit: Apple harnesses the power of iPhone for medical research

BU research, Research news

For those of you who have an interest in Medical Research, there has been a very exciting development made in the field by Apple.

ResearchKit is Apple’s opt-in program for users to share their HealthKit data with medical researchers hoping to tackle a wide array of diseases.

ResearchKit will be an open source effort that pulls data from multiple sources including the Apple Watch and iPhone. It officially launches next month, but the first five applications are available today for interested users.

Apple’s launch partners for ResearchKit represent some of the premier medical institutions today, places like Penn Medicine, Stanford Medicine, and the Michael J. Fox Foundation. For an example of one of the partnerships manifesting in the first five apps, Williams explained mPower. This allows anyone with an iPhone to contribute to Parkinson’s research by turning their device into a diagnostic tool. mPower includes a tapping test to evaluate hand tremors, a microphone “ahh” test to assess vocal chord variations, and a walk-test where the iPhone precisely measures a user’s gait. Other initial apps address medical initiatives such as breast cancer, asthma, and diabetes.

ResearchKit could offer scientists a sample size that was previously a rare occurrence. Apple CEO Tim Cook believes ResearchKit will change medical research in a way which is truly profound.

MRC removes PhD eligibility criteria for fellowships and launches career framework

Funding opportunities, Guidance, Research news

Until now, the period within which someone could apply for an MRC fellowship has been different for different fellowships. The restrictions will be removed on 18 March, coincident with the launch of the career framework.

The MRC Interactive Career Framework was constructed following broad consultation with medical research groups and a review of medical research careers comprising interviews with nearly 400 non-clinical medical researchers, the MRC said. 

The interviews were conducted with MRC award winners, and focused on the ten to 20 years following their receipt of funding. One finding of the review was that 44 per cent of interviewees finished their PhD “with either no idea or only a general idea of what they wanted to do next”, the MRC said. In addition, 60 per cent said they had not received enough careers advice. 

The removal of the restriction on when researchers can apply for a fellowship was an outcome of the review. “Many of those who contributed to the review spoke of the lack of flexibility in making research career choices resulting from the fact that researchers have only a certain number of years after their PhD in which to apply for fellowships, after which point they’re ineligible,” the MRC said. 

The MRC is seeking feedback on the framework, which it says will be developed further with additional career routes, case studies and tools.

Nurse review of research councils: call for evidence

BU research, Research news

BIS (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) have launched a formal consultation on reviewing the research councils.  The deadline for responses to BIS is 17th April 2015 and BU will be submitting an institutional response that reflects the views of the majority of staff.

To facilitate the production of the institutional response the Deans of Faculty have been invited to each submit a Faculty-based response taking into account the views of academic colleagues.  It is of paramount importance that academic and research staff engage with this consultation for two reasons:

  1. Evidence is required on the balance of the funding portfolio and so potentially affects disciplines differently.
  2. Evidence is required on integrating with agencies and organisations and so would affect Faculties differently.

The call for evidence focusses on four areas: strategic decision-making, collaborations and partnerships, balance of the funding portfolio, and effective ways of working.

The full consultation document  can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/nurse-review-of-research-councils-call-for-evidence

The consultation refers to the triennial review of the research councils which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/triennial-review-of-the-research-councils

How to contribute

To contribute to the consultation please send your comments using this form (Faculty response-Nurse-review-of-research-councils-call-for-evidence-form) to your Faculty contact by 27th March as follows:

HSS – Prof Gail Thomas

Management – Prof Keith Wilkes

Media – Stephen Jukes

SciTech – Prof Richard Stillman

Timeline

19th March         Launch consultation internally

27th March         All individual feedback to be sent to the Deans

1st April               Each Dean to send a Faculty response to Jo Garrad

9th April               Jo Garrad to send a draft institutional response to John Fletcher

14th April            All final feedback to be sent to Jo Garrad

16th April            Deadline for submitting final institutional response to BIS

Location-based, mobile Augmented Reality Games: Creating Engaging Game Experiences with Tourism Urban Environments

BU research, PG research, Research news

Location-based, mobile Augmented Reality Games: Creating Engaging Game Experiences with Tourism Urban EnvironmentsWe would like to invite you to the next research seminar of the Creative Technology Research Centre.

 

Speaker: Jessika Weber

Title:          Location-based, mobile Augmented Reality Games: Creating Engaging Game Experiences with Tourism Urban Environments

 

 

Time: 2:00PM-3:00PM

Date: Wednesday 25 March 2015

Room: Stevenson LT, Poole House, Talbot Campus

 

Abstract:

Increasing usage of mobile devices has changed the way we perceive and connect with our environment. Location-based Augmented Reality games turn urban spaces into playgrounds in which stories and playfulness unfold their potential and create unique experience based on existing physical and historical elements mediated by mobile technology. Introducing these games into the context of travel and tourism, not much is known by game designers of how to address the requirements of tourists in order to create engaging experiences with the urban physical environment.

This study explores the game experience of tourists with two location-based, mobile AR games during playtests by combining mobile HCI, game design and tourist experience theory in order to understand the interaction with these games in a tourism context. The study applied a triangulation of qualitative methods to develop a theoretical framework for location-based, mobile AR games to create engaging experiences with the tourism urban environment.

 

We hope to see you there.

 

MIDWIFERY: Top five most down-loaded articles for 2014

BU research, Publishing, Research news, Uncategorized

 Today academic publisher Elsevier sent round an email with the top five most downloaded articles from the international journal Midwifery.

We were pleased to see that the fifth paper on that list is a BU paper jointly written with Dr. Helen Bryers, Consultant Midwife in Scotland. 

 

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH