Category / research opportunities

February 12, 2024

We still need ‘YOU’ – Call for research participants – be part of our food waste revolution

Awarded & submitted bids, BU research, research opportunities gmanimont

Remember the British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grant that we recently secured in September 2023? It is turning into a super cool project, and we want YOU in on the fun!

Calling all UK residents aged 18 and above to jump into the action
by participating in our consumer product evaluation research study

Visit a link and book a slot today

What’s the scoop for you? A £5 voucher, just for spending a quick 10 minutes on a fun online survey in our lab. And here’s the best part – you can cash in that voucher at BU’s food spots on both the Talbot and Lansdowne campuses.

Hold up, there’s more! After the 10-minute experiment session, you get to snag some free fruits and veggies to take home. It’s like a mini grocery haul, just for being a research rockstar!

Participation is a simple three-step process:

Attend ONE experiment session at a Bournemouth University lab. Our lab is situated in the Fusion Building on the Talbot Campus. On Wednesdays, the lab is located at FG07, while on Thursdays, it relocates to F204. The lab opens from 1 pm to 3 pm, with the last session starting at 2:45 pm.
Explore fresh produce items up close, observing their presentation.
Complete a quick 10-minute online questionnaire in the lab.

Your contribution is a game-changer for us, and we can’t wait to see the impact we make together. This isn’t just research; it’s your chance to be a superhero in the battle against food waste. Your opportunity to contribute is now, and we can’t wait to have you on board!

Interested in being a research participant?

Simply scan the QR code to register or visit a link and book a slot or drop our research team to express your interest: Dr Guljira Manimont gmanimont@bournemouth.ac.uk or Professor Juliet Memery jmemery@bournemouth.ac.uk.

February 5, 2024

Embedding Fairtrade in teaching and research: a panel discussion with the Fairtrade Foundation

BU research, BU2025, Business Engagement, Fusion, Fusion themes, Impact, research opportunities, Student Engagement Roberta Discetti

Dear all,

As part of our BU Fairtrade weeks 2024, we are delighted to invite you to a panel discussion dedicated to academics with an interest in sustainability, to explore connections with Fairtrade through collaboration with the Fairtrade Foundation.

Date: February 27th at 2 pm – Fusion Building, room F305 (in-person only event).

BU is a Fairtrade University; we received the accreditation in 2022 with the highest possible score (3 stars out of 3) and we are among a very small group of universities worldwide to have achieved this. There are plenty of ways for academics to get involved with Fairtrade that will be explored in a panel discussion with the following speakers:

Elena Fernandez-Lee, Education Campaigning Manager at the Fairtrade Foundation: Elena will talk about the Fairtrade University scheme, discussing best practices to embed Fairtrade in teaching and research, and highlighting potential areas of collaboration with BU academics. Elena will also share about the Foundation’s new campaigns about climate justice and decolonization of the curriculum, and outline ways for BU academics to get involved.

Izzy Chalk, BU Sustainability Officer: Izzy will talk about BU’s journey to becoming accredited as a 3-star Fairtrade university, outlining best practices in embedding Fairtrade in the curriculum and emphasising further areas of collaboration between the Sustainability team and BU academics.

Dr Roberta Discetti, BU Fairtrade academic representative: Roberta will share some research-informed practices related to Fairtrade engagement, including NGO/academics cooperation, student co-creation, and multi-stakeholder collaborative initiatives.

The panel discussion will be followed by an optional 30-minute networking where we will have the opportunity to connect with our guest speaker Elena and discuss different ways of expanding the integration of Fairtrade in sustainability teaching and research. This event is open to all BU and AUB academics, to maximise opportunities for collaboration across departments and faculties.

January 2, 2024

New PGR network – SPROUT – connecting sustainability to our research

BU research, Doctoral College, Featured, Postgraduate Research, research opportunities ematthews

Bournemouth University is working with University of Newcastle and University of Cardiff to provide opportunities for Postgraduate Research (PGR) students to connect with each other and learn about how sustainability can enhance their doctoral research.

Our mission is to connect and nurture PGRs, aspiring PGRs (perhaps currently studying their master’s degree) and Early Career Researchers who are interested in developing their understanding about how sustainability can enhance the rationale for and impact of their research.

We launch the network in February 2024 and would love you to encourage your PGRs to join. We will be holding a programme of monthly online events with the following aims:

To build confidence amongst PGRs, aspiring PGRs and ECRs in engaging with SDGs.
To provide opportunities within a community of practice to develop peers’ understanding about sustainability.
To increase awareness of sustainability’s contribution to employability and funding opportunities.
To provide collaborative opportunities for PGRs and ECRs to develop a range of competencies applicable to their own research and personal/ professional contexts.

The network is a legacy of SustainaWHAT?! a series of events held during 2023 which connected PGRs to the sustainability agenda and sought to facilitate a cross-institution PGR network for ongoing support and inspiration of SDG-informed research.

Want to know more? Then email Professor Fiona Cownie (fjcownie@bournemouth.ac.uk) or PGR lead Jack Olley (jolley@bournemouth.ac.uk)

We’d love to welcome your PGRs to SPROUT.

Prof Fiona Cownie and Jack Olley

Bournemouth University Network Leads

September 10, 2023

Wellcome trust ECR award

BU research, Funding opportunities, pre-award, research opportunities, Research Training, RKE development framework Katerina Kakaounaki

The Wellcome trust ECR award is for researchers from any discipline with up to 3 years post-doctoral experience doing research that has the potential to improve human life, health and wellbeing. This session is aimed at research leads, Early Career Researchers and mentors.

The scheme has three rounds per year and so the session is also open to those interested in applying in future rounds.

Professor Sam Goodman will be sharing his experience of being on Wellcome’s Early Career advisory group in Medical Humanities, and in reviewing applications for the ECR award.

Professor Goodman has also successfully received funding from Wellcome.

Please check eligibility for the scheme: https://wellcome.org/grant-funding/schemes/early-career-awards

Friday 22nd September 2023

at Lansdowne Campus, from 11.00 – 12:00

To book a place on this workshop, please complete the Booking Form.

For any information about the content of this session, please contact Kate Percival – Research Facilitator kpercival@bournemouth.ac.uk

September 7, 2023

Russell-Coates Gallery & Museum – BU Partnership Explorer Event

BU research, ECR Network, Events, Featured, Friday profile, Global engagement, Industry collaboration, innovation, international, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Exchange and Impact Team, Knowledge Transfer, Knowledge Transfer Partnership, Public engagement, R & KE Operations, Research communication, Research news, research opportunities, research staff wmorrison

This Monday, 11^th of September, BU is running a Research and Knowledge Exchange Explorer Event at the Russell-Cotes Gallery and Museum as part of a developing partnership between the two institutions.

Event Details:

Book your place on Eventbrite: Russell-Cotes Partnership Explorer Event Tickets, Mon 11 Sep 2023 at 16:00 | Eventbrite

The Explorer Event is an opportunity to discuss and develop possibilities for collaborative research and knowledge exchange connected to the Russell-Cotes’ world-class anthropological, archaeological and art collections from across the globe, as well as:

– exploring possibilities for cultural heritage management;

– local seaside tourism;

– Digital and virtual heritage;

– diving into the archives (inc. theatre, local history and beachfront tourism history of Bournemouth);

– wellbeing connections to arts and heritage,

– investigating heritage tourism potential.

With the guidance of Russell-Cotes staff you will have the opportunity to see some of the collections on display, including a number of collections from across Asia, as well as hidden in the stores, in more detail and discuss with Russell-Cotes experts. It’s also an opportunity to make connections with other BU academics to develop potential cross-disciplinary projects over coffee and cakes.

The History of the Russell-Cotes Collection

I caught up recently with Sarah Newman, the Manager, to find out a little more about this hidden gem on the cliffs of Bournemouth Beach:

Coastal view from the balcony at the Russell-Cotes

‘It’s an is a very special place because it’s a very personal collection, so you get from the sublime to the ridiculous’ said Sarah. ‘It captures a moment in time, with the collection exhibited in the context for which it was bought and collected for, which is very unlike other museums. There are some small houses where historic collections survive, but here it is a much larger collection, drawn from around the world. Where else do you walk out of a Heavily Victorian grand house out on to the spectacular beach-cliffs with a view out to sea! Until you experience it you can’t understand it, the atmosphere here is so special, the house itself is also a precious ‘object’, and the eclectic nature of our collections really makes it sparkle’.

The collection was created, and then gifted to Bournemouth, by a couple who travelled the world as tourists and this makes it entirely unique. Sarah told me more about how the collection came together: ‘Merton Russell Cotes was a self-made man, yes he was rich, but he was just an average person who became an entrepreneur, someone from relatively humble origins in Victorian society; but the society allowed people to develop socially through love and interest, which is what he and his wife Annie did.’

The Drawing-Room Collection

But there is another very interesting aspect to the Russell-Cotes that is different from other collections, as Sarah explained: ‘In many collections nowadays people are addressing empire in relation to Victorian world travels, as a museum we are very transparent about how things were paid for, and how they were collected by Merton and his wife as tourists. There are few contested pieces here, and there is certainly some ‘cultural bling’ items created for the ‘tourist market’, as well as some truly special pieces, including objects in our Japanese collection. At the time the couple were visiting Japan it was the end of the ‘isolation’ period and people wanted to get rid of the old and were happy to give things away. There are also pieces that the Russell-Cotes’ were given on their travels – there are so many different stories and some real hidden treasures. You can’t pigeon-hole the collection…there are no grand colonial narratives here.’

Monks – One of the photographs from the extensive photographic archive

‘But what you do have is the story of Merton and Annie as a couple, and how they created their dream home. How inspiring is that – what would you do? It’s family story and of how they expressed their philanthropy and love of global cultures. But it’s also a story about how Bournemouth was developed as a tourist resort, with the narratives of the people who live here and the people who visited here. You can see that Merton was right on that and made a virtue out of necessity with the art that he was buying and selling he was definitely wheeling and dealing. He thought about things in terms of ‘Yes this is a wonderful piece of art I can let you buy, and of by the way it comes from Bournemouth and I happen to have a hotel there did you know?

‘Venus Verticordia’, the iconic Pre-Raphaelite work by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828 -1882)

He was opening Bournemouth up to the world at a time when people wouldn’t necessarily have had access to information about it. But is was a kind of enlightened view, yes he was doing things for himself as a businessman, but there was also the philanthropy aspect, where he wanted to share what his family loved and had. So we also have wonderful little collections like theatre history, costumes, musical instruments, which are completely untapped. There is so much that would benefit from further examination.’

Contact:

With the BU Partnership we are are just at the start, and the Explorer Event is a great way to open up opportunities and inspire academics. It’s all about the conversations now, so join us at the Event on Monday – go to the Eventbrite link at the top of the blog to book your place!

Any queries, please contact the Knowledge Exchange Manager: wsmorrison@bournemouth.ac.uk

September 7, 2023

Time for Something New?

BU research, ECR Network, ESRC, Funding opportunities, Fusion, Global engagement, HEIF, Impact, innovation, international, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Exchange and Impact Team, Knowledge Transfer, PG research, Postgraduate Research, R & KE Operations, REF Subjects, Research Centres, Research communication, research integrity, research opportunities, Uncategorized wmorrison

Front image of The Diamond Sutra manuscript

The Diamond Sutra manuscript from Mogao Caves

It’s been a couple of months since I started in my new role as Knowledge Exchange Manager at BU and while I’ve been getting to know people and how things work, I’ve also been reflecting on something which has come up a lot – innovation. It’s something I’ve had a wonderful opportunity to work with across my career in the Higher Education sector and in Whitehall, and innovation is also important in my ongoing my research. Some people might think this is surprising considering my research focus is the Ancient Silk Road… however the ‘Library Cave’ in the Taklamakan Desert of Dunhuang, NW China (where my research is based) contained the first known, dated, (11th May, AD 868), printed book in the world – the Diamond Sutra – which tells you all you need to know!

Virtual books: images only – The Diamond Sutra: Introduction (bl.uk)

This academic year, as well as having the pleasure of working across all faculties, with a range of academics to enhance research knowledge exchange culture, capabilities and capacity, I am joining Professor Lee Miles and Assoc. Professor Elvira Bolat on the Knowledge Exchange Innovation Funding Panel (starting in September). Further details are to follow, so keep an eye on the Research Blog for announcements…

The way I see it, Bournemouth University has something unique to offer the world of Higher Education. How it has developed as an institution, has meant that is has a particularly creative, exploratory and applied perspective. This means that as an academic community we have the potentiality – the various elements which can be brought together – to generate some real innovation. So what exactly do I mean by innovation…what does it mean to me?

Innovation is one of those words that gets bandied about in Higher Education and in Government, but its meaning has almost become an anathema – it’s lost its true essence and joined the ranks of other words co-opted by frameworks and means of measuring, such as ‘impact’ and ‘evaluation’, to become something often considered as arduous ‘add-ons’ to research. But to me, innovation is not just doing something a little bit different to the way it’s usually done and trying to make it sound special. Innovation is something truly new.

So does this make it harder to do innovation in our research? Because in reality, we could choose not to innovate. We could just do things the way they have always been done; stay nice and safe without taking any calculated risks, not challenge the status quo and forget about the creative, lively, curious, experimental, exploratory, and adventurous parts of our minds, hearts and lives.

Universities exist because of all these aspects of who we are. They are places to not only meditate on the great questions in our hearts and minds about the world we live in, what it is to be human, and how to go beyond limitations, but also to have the space to play, explore, discuss and put our answers to the test. In other words we have the opportunity to really see things anew, the way they have never been thought of, seen or done before, even when it feels both risky, and exciting. Innovation is the juice that drives us as researchers.

So where is she going with this? I hear you say…

Well, doing things differently is a risk worth taking, because the result, if it is successful, could make a real difference. The important factor in my mind is to remember that research is the foundation, and the checks and measures are only a means of sharing them to benefit the institution as a whole – which means sustainability for our research going forward and recognition of our work and efforts to make a difference in the world. Innovation in research helps to create the structure of Higher Education, it offers us the space to explore, muse, and collaborate with others who are as passionate about research and discovery as we are, inside, and outside of the University.

However, when doing research and deciding it’s time to bring our innovative ideas, materials, development, technology, way of seeing the world, interpretation, or story, to the light

Wild Rhododendrons in Kashmir – by Major Edward Molyneux

of day, taking a moment to reflect is important. It is human nature that people may think of similar answers or solutions to certain problems. It’s important to check that an idea really is innovative. To ask if it truly is new, and not just a little different from something someone else has done somewhere else in the UK, or in the world. It’s less common than you might think that two people can come up with the same entirely new and brilliant idea at the same time. Look at Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace – and if you want to take an actual look at the co-emergent development of the theory of natural selection by these two biologists, here’s a link to a discussion from Berkley, University of California.

Natural Selection: Charles Darwin & Alfred Russel Wallace – Understanding Evolution (berkeley.edu)

Innovation is brought to life by us and the research that inspires us. Once we have generated a research outcome that is new, publish, take on a proof-of-concept opportunity, trial or pilot it…all of these options offer a chance for us to check, tweak, discover something we weren’t expecting, or prove to ourselves that we’ve got something truly innovative to share with the world.

As well as my Knowledge Exchange role, I keeping going with my research independently – and with a young family I’m not saying it doesn’t have its challenges – but researchers do what we do because we love it. We are passionate about our subject, our questions and what we can do to bring new knowledge and ideas into being through our work, and to share and exchange this. Even when hitting an inspiration slump, something, somehow, always lights the fire again, and again, and again…even when we fail. No failure, no learning, and no learning, nothing new.

https://dorsetchamber.co.uk/bournemouth-university-ranked-in-top-7-of-universities-globally-in-times-higher-education-the-impact-rankings/

At BU we have an opportunity to bring our innovative research to life – so whether you’ve got something you’ve come up with from your research that is ready to roll, or you’ve got the seed of something creative, exploratory or ‘not quite formed or acceptable because it doesn’t follow the rules, but you always felt it might be completely awesome‘, that’s been hidden away in the bottom drawer of your mind while you get on with the ‘real work’ – stop ignoring it and come and have a chat with me in the Fusion Café, you can usually find me working there on a Monday; or drop a message in my inbox or Teams chat wsmorrison@bournemouth.ac.uk

Links to give context and inspiration for Innovation:

A UKRI template for a brilliant approach to creating powerful Research Resumes, rather than the traditional CV, which evidences a wider range of skills and experience for individuals and teams for applying for UKRI funding opportunities:

Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) guidance – UKRI

UKRI-210223-ResumeResearchInnovationTemplate2023.docx (live.com)

Industry and Innovation at the Royal Society, Supporting innovation, promoting collaboration and recognising innovative scientists, including some case studies: Industry and innovation | Royal Society

An interesting post on the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ from the World Economic Forum ‘Why the Arts and Humanities are Crucial to the Future of Tec’; inspiring us to collaborative insight and research:

Why the arts and humanities are key to the future of tech | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)
…and a useful reference on innovation in the arts from a developing research funding proposals perspective:
Innovation in the Arts: Concepts, Theories, and Practices – 1st Editio (routledge.com)

Back to basics with the R&D People and Culture Strategy from Whitehall, take a look for things you don’t expect, like information on public dialogue, community-led research and innovations, research leadership and talent: R&D People and Culture Strategy (publishing.service.gov.uk)

And if you are interested in funding social innovation like Climate Resilience or Equality research, have you seen the Global Innovation Fund? There are calls for bids and consultancy calls advertised in their News section. Worth a look even for the brilliant dancing on the current home-page!:

Global Innovation Fund | Improving lives through social innovation

…and if going global with your research is new for you, you can always discuss your ideas and questions with the BU Global Engagement Team GlobalBU@bournemouth.ac.uk.

September 6, 2023

Introduction to Patient and Public Involvement

BU research, Clinical Governance, Guidance, nhs, NHS, Research communication, Research Ethics, research governance, research integrity, research methods, Research news, research opportunities, Research Training, Training Suzy Wignall

This half day course is an introduction to PPI and will:
1. Define PPI and why it matters
2. Explore the links between PPI and health equity
3. Explain how to deliver PPI and support those involved

It will be an interactive session, including input from someone with lived experience, talking about their involvement in research.

It will be delivered by Sue Bickler from the Involving People team at Help and Care, an organisation that ‘helps people and communities live the lives they choose’.

Sue has worked in the voluntary sector, local authorities, and health, and has substantial experience engaging with people and communities to ensure that services meet their needs. Her current role brings together the four Healthwatch in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight (HIOW), ensuring that patient voice is central to decision making in the HIOW Integrated Care System and that people are equipped to support effective Patient and Public Involvement (PPI).

The session is funded by Clinical Research Network Wessex and is open to all health and care researchers working in Wessex including public contributors and community organisations.

Book your place here. A link to the online training will then be sent to you.

September 5, 2023

NIHR Be Part of Research platform

The NIHR Be Part of Research platform is an online service that makes it easy for research participants to find and take part in health and social care research. Participants may search for trials and studies taking place looking at certain health conditions and in locations accessible to them.

Clinical researchers may also make use of the service to extend their recruitment and widen their recruitment methods, as the platform has been designed to make it easier for researchers and potential study participants to find each other.

Using Be Part of Research to recruit participants

To use the service for your recruitment, the study must meet the following requirements:

Be funded or supported by the NIHR. This includes studies on the NIHR Clinical Research Network Portfolio.
Have Research Ethics Committee approval to use the service as a recruitment tool.
Have a dedicated point of contact such as a pre-screener or website for interested volunteers to engage with your research team.

Getting your study onto the Be Part of Research platform

Once your study has been registered on either ISRCTN, ClinicalTrials.gov, or on the NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) Central Portfolio Management System (CPMS), your project will then appear on Be Part of Research. Given those visiting the site are mostly patients and members of the public, medical and scientific terminology should be omitted when writing your study summary, with plain English used to ensure the information is accessible to a broad audience. In order to do this, you should:

Keep it short – but don’t oversimplify it. The reader must understand what the study is trying to achieve.
Imagine you are talking to the reader.
Take out any jargon.
Make sure you cover the what, why, when, where and how so they have the basics of your study.

Additionally, to make sure that participants contact the appropriate person, the contact details provided on ISRCTN or ClinicalTrials.gov should be up to date and accurate. In general, the registry record should be monitored continuously so that any changes are reflected on Be Part of Research as soon as possible.

Further support/contact

If you have any questions regarding the platform or regarding clinical research in general, please email Suzy Wignall, Clinical Governance Advisor: swignall@bournemouth.ac.uk or clinicalresearch@bournemouth.ac.uk

September 3, 2023

Revolutionising Industries: The Significance, Impacts, and Reliability of Nanocoatings

BU research, BU2025, Impact, Info Days, innovation, research opportunities, the conversation, writing Zulfiqar Khan

Introduction:

Nanocomposite coatings, a ground-breaking development in materials science, have emerged as a transformative force across various industries. These coatings, with their unique properties and applications, hold immense promise for enhancing performance, reducing maintenance costs, and addressing critical global challenges. In this comprehensive review, we delve into the key significance of nanocoatings in a range of industries, their substantial impacts, and their reliability [1–4]. Furthermore, we explore how Professor Zulfiqar Khan is collaborating with generative AI and predict the potential benefits of this partnership for industry and contributions to new knowledge. This narrative aims to influence UK science and technology policy, attract funding, and foster new partnerships to drive innovation and competitiveness.

The Multifaceted Significance of Nanocoatings:

Nanocoatings in Cavitation and Beyond:

Nanocomposite coatings have brought transformative advantages to industries grappling with issues such as cavitation, corrosion, tribology, and fluid dynamics. They provide enhanced protection and resilience in the face of harsh operational conditions, including extreme temperatures, high pressures, corrosive environments, and minimal lubrication. The significance of nanocoatings lies in their ability to extend the lifespan and reliability of vital components and systems across multiple sectors.

Nanocoatings Addressing Global Challenges:

Industries today are confronted with pressing global challenges, such as energy efficiency, sustainability, and system durability. Nanocoatings offer innovative solutions to these challenges by optimising surfaces and interfaces through surface modifications and coatings. They play a pivotal role in enhancing energy efficiency, ensuring the reliability of systems, and promoting sustainability. These benefits are invaluable in the context of UK science and technology policy, which emphasises the transition to greener technologies and sustainable practices.

The Impact of Nanocoatings:

Academic and Industrial Benefits:

The development and application of nanocoatings have not only enriched academic research but have also provided tangible industrial advantages. Researchers worldwide are actively engaged in studying several types of nanocomposites to create durable and energy-efficient coatings. This collaboration between academia and industry fosters innovation, encourages knowledge exchange, and accelerates the adoption of innovative technologies. It aligns with the UK’s vision of becoming a leader in innovation and technology development.

Experimental Advancements:

Professor Khan’s work exemplifies the impact of nanocoatings on the industry. His experiments with alumina, silicon carbide, zirconia, and graphene nanocomposite coatings have displayed their robustness under different conditions, including exposure to seawater. Such empirical evidence guides industry practitioners in selecting the right coatings for their specific applications, reducing maintenance costs, and ensuring system reliability.

III. Reliability of Nanocoatings:

Advanced Modelling and Predictive Tools:

One key aspect of nanocoatings’ reliability lies in the advanced modelling and predictive tools developed by researchers like Professor Khan. His cathodic blistering model (Khan-Nazir I) [5] and coating failure model (Khan-Nazir II) [6] offer a deeper understanding of coating behaviour under stress, wear, and corrosion. These models enable precise predictions of coating performance, which is crucial for industries seeking dependable solutions.

Lubrication Modelling:

Furthermore, lubrication modelling, which incorporates wear-corrosion and mechano-wear equations, investigates the influence of microstructural properties like porosity and surface stresses on the coefficient of friction (CoF). This is vital in ensuring the reliability of systems operating under various conditions, as reduced friction leads to increased durability.

Collaboration with Generative AI:

Harnessing AI for Materials Discovery:

Professor Zulfiqar Khan’s collaboration with generative AI represents an exciting frontier in materials science. Generative AI can accelerate materials discovery by simulating and predicting the behaviour of nanocomposite coatings with unmatched speed and accuracy. By leveraging AI, researchers can design coatings tailored to specific industry needs, further enhancing their reliability and performance.

Predicted Benefits and Contributions:

Industry Advancements:

The partnership between Professor Khan and generative AI holds the promise of revolutionising industries. Predictive modelling and AI-driven materials discovery will enable the creation of coatings that are not only more reliable but also more cost-effective to produce. This will stimulate innovation, reduce downtime, and boost competitiveness across sectors such as aerospace, automotive, energy, and manufacturing.

Contribution to New Knowledge:

The collaboration will undoubtedly contribute to new knowledge in materials science, computational modelling, and AI-driven materials discovery. This research can inform policy decisions and attract funding for initiatives aimed at harnessing AI for materials development. As the UK government seeks to position the nation as a global innovation hub, investments in cutting-edge research of this nature will be pivotal.

Influencing UK Science & Technology Policy:

Nurturing Technological Leadership:

To influence UK science and technology policy, it is imperative to underscore the role of nanocoatings and AI-driven materials discovery in nurturing technological leadership. Emphasising the potential economic and environmental benefits of these innovations can encourage policymakers to prioritise investments in research and development.

Supporting Sustainable Practices:

Aligning nanocoatings with the UK’s sustainability goals is crucial. Highlighting how these coatings enhance the sustainability and reliability of systems can resonate with policymakers keen on promoting sustainable practices and technologies.

VII. Forging Partnerships:

It is essential to articulate the transformative impact of nanocoatings and AI collaborations on industry and the potential for significant contributions to knowledge. Presenting a clear roadmap for how investments will yield tangible results can attract the attention of funding bodies interested in fostering innovation.

Industry-Academia Synergy:

Lastly, forging partnerships between academia and industry is fundamental. Collaborations that integrate academic research with industry needs can ensure that innovations like nanocoatings find practical applications and drive economic growth.

In conclusion, nanocomposite coatings represent a pivotal advancement with far-reaching significance and impacts across industries. Professor Zulfiqar Khan’s collaboration with generative AI holds immense promise for further enhancing their reliability and performance. This partnership aligns with UK science and technology policy objectives, attracting funding and fostering collaborations that will drive innovation and competitiveness, positioning the UK as a global leader in materials science and technology.

Acknowledgement: This article is written in collaboration with GAI.

References

[1] Nazir, M.H.; Khan, Z.A.; Saeed; Bakolas, V.; Braun,W.; Bajwa, R. Experimental analysis and modelling for reciprocating wear behaviour of nanocomposite coatings. Wear 2018, 416, 89–102. [CrossRef]

[2] Nazir, M.H.; Khan, Z.A.; Saeed, A.; Siddaiah, A.; Menezes, P.L. Synergistic wear-corrosion analysis and modelling of nano composite coatings. Tribol. Int. 2018, 121, 30–44. [CrossRef]

[3] Abdeen, D.H.; El Hachach, M.; Koc, M.; Atieh, M.A. A Review on the Corrosion Behaviour of Nanocoatings on Metallic Substrates. Materials 2019, 12, 210. [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[4] Nazir, M.H.; Khan, Z.A.; Saeed, A.; Bakolas, V.; Braun,W.; Bajwa, R.; Rafique, S. Analyzing and Modelling the Corrosion Behavior of Ni/Al2O3, Ni/SiC, Ni/ZrO2 and Ni/Graphene Nanocomposite Coatings. Materials 2017, 10, 1225. [CrossRef]

[5] Nazir, M.H.; Khan, Z.A.; Saeed, A.; Stokes, K. A model for cathodic blister growth in coating degradation using mesomechanics approach. Mater. Corros. 2016, 67, 495–503. [CrossRef]

[6] Nazir, M.H.; Khan, Z.A. A review of theoretical analysis techniques for cracking and corrosive degradation of film-substrate systems. Eng. Fail. Anal. 2017, 72, 80–113. [CrossRef]

August 17, 2023

PTHP advert for a Research Assistant ( TANGERINE)

Research communication, Research news, research opportunities, research staff ngkounta

Do you have experience in quantitative data analysis and analysing large datasets?

We have an exciting opportunity for a part-time research assistant role to undertake secondary data analysis of UK Biobank and Understanding Society data using statistics software (e.g. Stata, R).

We have secured prestigious funding from UKRI (MRC) for a project starting 30^th September 2023. The project is a collaboration between Bournemouth University as lead, Loughborough University and University of Chester that aims to develop a food-based intervention to improve nutrition in UK South Asian and Black African and Caribbean older adults.

There is up to 240 hours of funded work to be delivered between a 6-12 month period and can be undertaken through secure remote working.

If you would like to know more about the opportunity, please send your CV and email (no later than 25^th August 2023) to Professor Rebecca Hardy, Professor of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics r.j.hardy@lboro.ac.uk. or Professor Jane Murphy, Professor of Nutrition jmurphy@bournemouth.ac.uk. Please contact Professor Hardy if you have any queries about the skills required for the post.

We welcome expressions of interest from people from a Black, Asian or other Minority Ethnic background but accept applications from all groups.

August 2, 2023

Development fund from the British Academy ECRN

BU research, ECR Network, Funding opportunities, research opportunities, research staff, RKE development framework Katerina Kakaounaki

We are excited to announce that theDevelopment fund from the British Academy Early Career Research Network in the South West is now open.

Development fund (rolling call): This fund provides the opportunity for ECRs to hold an event, roundtable, meeting or training activity, which promotes networking, collaboration, knowledge sharing or develops skills throughout the region, and can be extended to the wider ECR network if appropriate.

ECRs can claim a total of £3000 towards their activities which will need to be paid for by their institution and then expensed back to the BA.

Please be aware that to be eligible to apply for these you will need to sign up to the British Academy Early Career Rersearcher Network via this link

If you have any questions, please contact: talentandskills@gw4.ac.uk

May 30, 2023

RIPEN Hub Funding Calls Live

Funding opportunities, Research Integritiy, research integrity, Research news, research opportunities, research staff ngkounta

The RIPEN Hub will receive £250,000 per annum from the BBSRC (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council) – Diet and Health Open Innovation Research Club to fund research across three streams. The three streams are:

Feasibility Award, each with a maximum value of £100,000 with match funding from industrial partner

Mobility Award, each with a maximum value of £100,000

Progression Award, each with a maximum value of £50,000

Project applications should align with the 2023/24 priority areas listed below:

a. Food structure (matrix effects, bioavailability)

b. Food processing (degree and type of processing)

c. Chemical constituents in foods (fibre, vitamins, additives, sweeteners)

d. Alternative food sources (plants, insects, algae)

e. Targeted nutrition (individual/grouped)

To be able to apply, you have to be a member of the RIPEN Hub.

Join the RIPEN Hub:

https://www.ripenhub.co.uk/membership

May 16, 2023

British Academy Funding for public engagement for humanities and social sciences

BU research, Events, Funding opportunities, humanities, Impact, innovation, Knowledge Exchange, pre-award, Public engagement, Research communication, research opportunities Adam Morris

The British Academy has launched a pilot funding scheme to support ambitious projects to engage the public with the humanities and social sciences. It is called SHAPE Involve and Engage.

Key Information

Level of award – up to £8,000

Scheme opened date – 10 May 2023

Deadline date – 28 Jun 2023 – 17:00 BST (ITB must be submitted 4 weeks prior)

Duration of award – Any length, provided activity is delivered between October 2023 and October 2024

How to apply – see below

About the scheme

These awards, up to £8,000, offer an exciting opportunity for humanities and social sciences researchers to push boundaries and seek imaginative new ways to engage with the public. They are looking for researchers from across the UK to deliver innovative public engagement projects working in partnership with a gallery, archive, library or museum (GLAM organisation).

This pilot programme offers the opportunity to think outside the box, test a new approach and be ambitious in your approach to engaging a public audience with your research.

As part of the programme, a ‘community of practice’ workshop will be hosted for successful applicants in early September. Alongside sessions on evaluation and working with your audiences, award holders will have the opportunity to share their plans with other workshop attendees. You will act as critical friends and sounding boards, sharing ideas, giving feedback and troubleshooting possible challenges, and forming a network of support through the duration of the project development and delivery.

Why should you apply?

The programme will:

Act as a catalyst to get a project or idea up and running.
Be an opportunity to try a new approach or work with a new audience to gain new perspectives on your research.
Offer the chance to build a new partnership with the cultural sector or try a new idea with an existing collaborator. The chance to work with a partner who truly adds value and makes a meaningful contribution to your project through their expertise, connections, skills or collections.
Allow you to make contacts and find networking opportunities with others in the research community who are interested in exploring new and innovative approaches to public engagement.

About you

The British Academy are searching for creative academics who want to experiment with their engagement work and find new ways to share their research with a public audience.

The call is open to any researcher based in the UK who meets the conditions of the call. You do not have to have received funding from the British Academy previously. Successful award recipients are expected to have some prior public engagement experience, but we welcome applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds, experiences, expertise and career stages.

Please note that if you will hold a Mid-Career Fellowship or Wolfson Fellowship which will be active between October 2023 and October 2024 you are not eligible to apply, because these awards include support for public engagement and your engagement activities should be delivered using the funding from your existing award.

Level of award

Up to £8,000.

This is a pilot programme with funding from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and is funded for 2023-24 only.

Funding provided through this scheme cannot be used to cover the cost of replacement teaching, payment in lieu of salary or computer equipment or hardware. The scheme is not covered within the FEC regime – the £8,000 awards are available to the award holder only for direct expenses to deliver the public engagement project. For full details of eligible costs, please see the scheme guidance notes, Flexi-Grant application instructions and terms and conditions.

Duration of award

The duration of the award is flexible. Proposed activities could range from a one-off event, to an ongoing series of engagement activities taking place over a number of months. However, all activities should take place between October 2023 and October 2024.

Application process

Please refer to the scheme guidance for more information about the awards scheme. You can also find detailed instructions for completing the application form in the Flexi-Grant application instructions. Further details about the terms of scheme, including eligible costs, can be found in the scheme terms and conditions.

This funding is subject to the same internal processes as external research funding. Before applying, interested PIs (Principle Investigators) should submit a completed e-ITB form (Intention to Bid) by 4 weeks before the deadline.

Application deadline: Wednesday 28 June 2023, 17:00 GMT

May 10, 2023

Deadline extended: Zinc and Dunhill Medical Trust Innovation Fellowships in Healthy Ageing

BU research, Industry collaboration, Research communication, Research news, research opportunities Suzy Wignall

Please see below for the following fellowship opportunity for researchers working in ageing that are looking to branch out into industry.

Zinc and Dunhill Medical Trust Innovation Fellowships in Healthy Ageing

The Innovation Fellowships in Healthy Ageing comprise a 6-9 month programme, starting in September 2023, which will allow UK-based researchers the opportunity to experience first-hand what it takes to build a mission-focussed start-up from scratch, and to build science-rich products and services to improve outcomes for people in later life. Researchers will also have the opportunity to engage in training, support and mentoring to help them translate their skills, explore new career opportunities, and connect with other talented researchers.

This opportunity is open to researchers at any career stage post-PhD, but we particularly welcome applications from early career researchers (you must have submitted your PhD thesis by September, 2023). The deadline for submission of applications is 12 noon 17th May. Interviews will be held in mid-May with decisions being communicated at the end of May.

For more details and to apply, see the full advert here

April 13, 2023

Free online masterclass: How can I involve patients and the public in literature reviews?

BU research, Events, Postgraduate Research, Public engagement, Research communication, Research Integritiy, Research news, research opportunities, Research Training, Training ngkounta

Patient and public involvement (PPI) is now widely accepted to be a standard requirement in health and social care research. While guidance on involvement in primary studies is available from organisations such as the National Institute for Health Research, researchers are often less clear regarding how PPI in systematic reviews and other forms of evidence synthesis might work, and exactly what to do during meetings. This presentation will look beyond the guidance to offer practical suggestions on when, how, and why patients and the public can be involved in reviews of literature.

When: Wed, 19 Apr 2023 13:00 – 14:00 BST

Bio: Sue Baxter is a Senior Research Fellow who has been carrying out qualitative research, service evaluations and evidence synthesis in the field of health and social care for over 20 years. This presentation will draw particularly on learning from PPI in two evidence synthesis centres in ScHARR, which carry out reviews of research relating to Health Services Delivery, and Public Health.

Book: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-can-i-involve-patients-and-the-public-in-literature-reviews-tickets-536016207907

April 13, 2023

Organisational Development workshops – 17 – 21 April

BU research, Research news, research opportunities ngkounta

Please see below for the links to next week’s Organisational Development workshops.

Monday 17th April	Line Manager Immigration Clinic
Tuesday 18th April	Using Parabilis
Tuesday 18th April	Management Essentials: Managing Change
Tuesday 18th April	Pay Progression and Promotion Processes For Academics
Wednesday 19th April	Management Essentials: Managing Absence
Wednesday 19th April	Articulating Excellence in Pay Progression for Professional Support
Wednesday 19th April	Pay Progression and Promotion Processes For Academics Women only session
Friday 21st April	New Managers @ BU

April 12, 2023

BU-UHD 2nd Research Event – May 24-Invite for Abstracts

BU research, Events, nhs, NHS, Research news, research opportunities ngkounta

BU-UHD 2nd Research Event – May 24-Invite for Abstracts

NHS Research Research news

We are delighted to announce that bookings are now open for our 2^nd research event: Collaborative Research: A Time For Action!

The BU-UHD partnership exists for the benefit of staff, students, patients, and the local community. This joint event will act as a catalyst for discussion around research collaboration and a perfect opportunity for networking.

To book your tickets, visit:https://atimeforaction.eventbrite.co.uk

The event starts with a keynote presentation from Professor William Rosenburg, newly appointed chair of Wessex Health Partners.

With facilitated discussions on developing future research in health inequalities; workforce and people; sustainable futures; digital futures and medical sciences this event is likely to be of interest to a wide range of BU and NHS staff.

Posters and presentations provide a chance to view and talk about collaborative research already underway.

Light refreshments will be served during the event.

Please, find the Abstract Submission form here: BU- UHD 2nd Research Event May 24 – Abstract Submission Form

All applications to be submitted to BU-UHD Research Steering Committee by 30 April 2023

Via bupartnership@uhd.nhs.uk

April 3, 2023

#StepForward and become an NHS Research Ethics Committee member

BU research, Clinical Governance, nhs, NHS, Research communication, Research Ethics, research integrity, Research news, research opportunities, Research Training Suzy Wignall

The Health Research Authority are inviting people to #StepForward and become a Research Ethics Committee (REC) member.

REC members meet virtually to review exciting new research studies for some of the biggest challenges in health and social care, including cancer, dementia and COVID-19.

It’s important that committees have insight from different perspectives so that we can all trust their decisions. The HRA are particularly looking for people with no healthcare or research experience.

You’ll be provided with regular training and support and it’s a great opportunity to work with people from a range of backgrounds and learn new skills.

You can find out more here. Alternatively, if you have any questions about being on a REC, please get in touch with Suzy Wignall, Clinical Governance Advisor, and Alternate Vice Chair of the West Midlands – Black Country Research Ethics Committee.

BU Research Blog

Category / research opportunities

We still need ‘YOU’ – Call for research participants – be part of our food waste revolution

Embedding Fairtrade in teaching and research: a panel discussion with the Fairtrade Foundation

New PGR network – SPROUT – connecting sustainability to our research

Wellcome trust ECR award

Friday 22nd September 2023

at Lansdowne Campus, from 11.00 – 12:00

Time for Something New?

Introduction to Patient and Public Involvement

NIHR Be Part of Research platform

Using Be Part of Research to recruit participants

Getting your study onto the Be Part of Research platform

Further support/contact

Revolutionising Industries: The Significance, Impacts, and Reliability of Nanocoatings

Development fund from the British Academy ECRN

RIPEN Hub Funding Calls Live

British Academy Funding for public engagement for humanities and social sciences

Key Information

About the scheme

Why should you apply?

About you

Level of award

Duration of award

Application process

Deadline extended: Zinc and Dunhill Medical Trust Innovation Fellowships in Healthy Ageing

Zinc and Dunhill Medical Trust Innovation Fellowships in Healthy Ageing

Free online masterclass: How can I involve patients and the public in literature reviews?

Organisational Development workshops – 17 – 21 April

BU-UHD 2nd Research Event – May 24-Invite for Abstracts

BU-UHD 2nd Research Event – May 24-Invite for Abstracts

#StepForward and become an NHS Research Ethics Committee member

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Friday 22nd September 2023

at Lansdowne Campus, from 11.00 – 12:00

Using Be Part of Research to recruit participants

Getting your study onto the Be Part of Research platform

Further support/contact

Key Information

About the scheme

Why should you apply?

About you

Level of award

Duration of award

Application process

Zinc and Dunhill Medical Trust Innovation Fellowships in Healthy Ageing

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