Category / Research news

Photo of the week

BU research, Research news, Uncategorized

The photo of the week series is a weekly series featuring photos taken by our academics and students for our Research Photography Competition, which provides a snapshot of some of the incredible research undertaken across the BU community.

 

This week’s photo of the week, ‘A quiet moment at my local, but I can’t relax. How am I going to find the dream placement?’ is by Vianna Renaud, a placement development advisor and postgraduate researcher from the faculty of media and communications.

Each year second year university students prepare for their sandwich placement search. Whilst a variety of both academic and support staff promote employability activities to help students gain a better idea of what is out there, student engagement can be quite low. Given the success of peer assisted learning initiatives across the HE sector, I am researching the potential impact of an employability coaching and mentoring programme on both first year and final year students.

Breastfeeding paper published today

BU research, Featured academics, NHS, PG research, Publishing, Research news, student research, Uncategorized, writing

The journal Women and Birth (by Elsevier) published the latest academic paper by Dr. Alison Taylor today.  Alison’s paper ‘The therapeutic role of video diaries: A qualitative study involving breastfeeding mothers’ had been online as a pre-publication for a while but today in appeared officially in print [1].  Alison is a Senior Lecturer in Midwifery in the Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health (CMMPH) and this scientific paper is part of her completed PhD research project. 

 

 

The paper is based on a large number of video clips recorded by new mothers.  The total recording time exceeded 43 hours. This paper focuses on one theme, the therapeutic role of the camcorder in qualitative research. Four subthemes are discussed highlighting the therapeutic impact of talking to the camcorder: personifying the camcorder; using the camcorder as a confidante; a sounding board; and a mirror and motivator.  Dr. Taylor and colleagues conclude that frequent opportunities to relieve tension by talking to “someone” without interruption, judgement or advice can be therapeutic. Further research needs to explore how the video diary method can be integrated into standard postnatal care to provide benefits for a wider population.

This is the second paper originating from Alison’s PhD research, the first one appeared in Midwifery (also published by Elsevier) [2].   Dr. Taylor’s PhD thesis was supervised by Prof. Emerita Jo Alexander, Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen (in CMMPH) and Prof. Kath Ryan at the University of Reading.

[Drawing of Breastfeeding Woman by Allison Churchill.]

 

REFERENCES:

  1. Taylor AM, van Teijlingen E., Alexander J, Ryan K. (2019) The therapeutic role of video diaries: A qualitative study involving breastfeeding mothers, Women & Birth 32(3):276-83. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1871519218300064
  2. Taylor A, van Teijlingen E, Ryan K, Alexander J (2019) ‘Scrutinised, judged & sabotaged’: A qualitative video diary study of first-time breastfeeding mothers, Midwifery 75: 16-23.

NEW: Research England delivery plan 2019

BU research, Research news

Today sees the launch of Research England’s delivery plan for 2019.

Their funding allows HEIs to work effectively and efficiently with business and charities. They help universities seize fast-moving opportunities to work with business partners independently, and enable them to collaborate with businesses, charities and other funding bodies that pay less than the full economic cost of research.

 

NEW: Innovate UK delivery plan 2019

BU research, Research news

Today sees the launch of Innovate UK’s delivery plan for 2019.

Innovate UK will take a thought-leadership role around business-led innovation, providing leadership through their expertise, being recognized as a trusted voice, and setting the direction for innovation in the UK and beyond. They have already introduced new ways of working with innovative businesses through world-class programmes and processes. These include building up the UK’s innovation infrastructure with the Catapult network and introducing new forms of innovation finance such as Innovation Loans and their Investment Accelerator. But they now need to move further and faster to make the most of public funding, ensuring maximum impact as an investor in business innovation, and not just as a funder.

 

NEW: STFC delivery plan 2019

BU research, Research news

Today sees the launch of the Science and Technology Facility Council’s delivery plan for 2019.

STFC supports research in particle physics, astronomy, nuclear physics, and space science, most of which is undertaken as part of international collaborations. They also plan, design, construct and operate world-class multidisciplinary facilities used by academic and industrial researchers across the remit of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Their national facilities (the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, the Central Laser Facility and Diamond Light Source) are the powerful ‘microscopes’ of the 21st century, imaging matter at the atomic scale. They also drive innovation, leading to the creation of new businesses, supporting the delivery of the UK’s Industrial Strategy and generating wider social and cultural impacts. Their national research and innovation campuses at Harwell and Sci-Tech Daresbury bring together world-leading facilities, academia and business, providing a coherent focus for this activity.

 

NEW: BBSRC delivery plan 2019

BU research, Research news

Today sees the launch of Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council’s delivery plan for 2019.

BBSRC has identified three key elements as fundamental to achieving their plan and vision:

Firstly, for BBSRC to be strategic and forward-looking, building on their strong foundations and developing the talent and infrastructure that are key to a vibrant research ecosystem; supporting discovery research and transformative technologies to advance the frontiers of knowledge; building the bioeconomy and ensuring bioscience contributes to addressing strategic 21st-century challenges relating to sustainability of resources, food and agriculture, and health.

Secondly, to build strong partnerships as an open, collaborative, collegiate council. They already partner in many different ways, within UKRI, nationally and internationally, and will use their catalysing and convening power to seize new opportunities to work across traditional boundaries.

Thirdly, to invest in people by continuing to support research careers through studentships and fellowships, as well as nurturing the talent within BBSRC (the people who provide the vital links to our research community and stakeholders), whilst embedding equality, diversity and inclusion in everything they do.

 

NEW: MRC delivery plan 2019

BU research, Research news

Today sees the launch of the Medical Research Council’s delivery plan for 2019.

MRC’s mission is to improve human health through world-class medical research, from fundamental science to early clinical trials and preventive medicine. For the good of society, they strive to find better ways to treat and prevent disease and to advance people’s health worldwide. Working in partnership with other UKRI councils, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and devolved administrations, the NHS, charities and industry, they are a dynamic organisation continually evolving and embracing new opportunities to achieve a mission first framed over a century ago.

 

NEW: NERC delivery plan 2019

BU research, Research news

Today sees the launch of Natural and Environmental Research Council’s delivery plan for 2019.

NERC science is essential to forming and delivering policy that makes it possible for the environment, people and businesses to succeed together. The UK public recognise this work as critically important and in their consciousness it is only matched by future health challenges, to which environmental considerations are increasingly linked. According to NERC’s 2017 Public Attitudes survey, 76% of the public want to understand more about the science they fund.

 

NEW: ESRC Delivery Plan 2019

BU research, Research news

Today sees the launch of Economic and Social Research Council’s delivery plan for 2019.

All the key opportunities and challenges for the UK have people and behaviour at their core. Raising productivity, realising the full potential of medical and technological advances, coping with an ageing population, addressing climate change and improving public services will all require a rich understanding of how individuals, firms, markets, communities and governments behave and interact.

ESRC supports social science that generates this rich understanding.

 

NEW: EPSRC Delivery Plan 2019

BU research, Research news

Today sees the launch of Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council’s new Delivery Plan.

To realise their vision, this delivery plan (DP) identifies three complementary high-level objectives. First, they aim to generate economic impact and social prosperity by exploiting their existing and future research base to deliver a productive, connected, healthy, resilient nation. Second, they will unlock the potential of engineering and physical sciences research by stimulating and challenging the research community to open up new areas of science, as well as by supporting talented people and strengthening engagement with research users and business. Third, they aim to enrich the engineering and physical sciences landscape by providing the foundations for world-class research, which means attracting the most talented researchers, providing state-of-the-art research infrastructure at laboratory and national scale, and managing their portfolio so they can rapidly position themselves in new, ground-breaking areas. They have also identified four priorities associated with each of these three high-level objectives and developed a suite of near-term actions for each priority.

 

NEW: UKRI Delivery Plan 2019

BU research, Research news

Today sees the launch of UK Research and Innovation’s new Delivery Plan. This is an overarching delivery plan and you can find here individual delivery plans for all of the nine funding bodies that come under UKRI.

UK Research and Innovation has unveiled how it will spend £7.46 billion in 2019-20, while it continues to roll out ambitious plans on interdisciplinary research, open access, research integrity and skills. You can find an overview of the delivery plans on the new site for Research Professional.

Research & Knowledge Exchange Development Framework – updated flyer!

Research news, Research Training, RKE development framework, Training

Please look out for your copy of the updated Research & Knowledge Exchange Development Framework flyer which will be delivered to you over the next week by your faculty’s Funding Development Officer.

On the staff intranet, the RKEDF is arranged to align with your current situation and researcher development needs:

I am an ECR / new to research 
I want to know more about External funding 
I am new to BU 
I want to fund and build my research team
I need to disseminate my research 
I need to know about the REF 
I need help with BU research systems and polices
I want to increase the impact of my research
I need help with my research career
I want to work internationally
I want to share my research more widely
I need to meet with Research Development and Support staff 

You can see all the Organisational Development and RKEDF events in one place on the handy calendar of events.

Please note that all sessions are now targeted, so look closely at the event page to ensure that the event is suitable for you. In addition, RKEDF events now require the approval of your Head of Department (or other nominated approver). Please follow the instructions given on the event page and the template email for you to initiate the booking request.

If you have any queries, please get in touch!