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BU Research Conference 2024: Powerful partnerships – book your place

BU research, Featured, Knowledge Exchange, Research communication, research opportunities, Research Training, RKE development framework

Collaboration is at the heart of excellent research – whether it’s building relationships with international partners, co-creating research with communities, or working across disciplines to find fresh perspectives.

The BU Research Conference is back for 2024 and this year’s event will explore the power of partnerships, showcasing how working with others can enhance your research.

It will take place in the Fusion Building (Talbot Campus) on Wednesday 26th June, with a mix of speakers, panel sessions, and practical workshops.

The conference will run from 9.30am to 1.15pm, with refreshments included. It will be followed by a networking lunch to help start conversations and build new connections.

The keynote speaker for the conference will be Isabella Pereira, Head of the Institute for Community Studies – a research institute with people at its heart. Engaging with people across the UK, they work to influence societal change, bridging the gap between communities, evidence, and policymaking.

Following this will be the Building partnerships panel, with academics from across BU talking about their experiences of working with partners regionally, nationally, and internationally – as well as across different sectors and disciplines – and sharing their insights and advice on effective research collaboration.

We’ll also have a range of practical workshops, covering topics including working with business, building international partnerships, and public involvement in research.

The conference is open to all researchers and those involved in research across BU and other universities in Dorset.

Book your place via Eventbrite

Funded MRes Studentships starting September 2024

BU research, Research news, research opportunities

Please join us online to find out more about this opportunity – (see flyer INSIGHT SWCC flyer version 1).

The NIHR INSIGHT programme for South West Central Collaboration (SWCC) provides an opportunity for new graduates in nursing, midwifery, AHP, pharmacy, health scientists, public health,  social care and chiropractic to engage in a research programme.

This will be through funded master’s in research (MRes)programmes at either UWE-Bristol or BU.

 

Studying for M.Res. in CMWH

Featured academics, international, PG research, research opportunities, Research Training, Student Engagement, student research

Now accepting research students in the Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH)

A Master’s by Research (M.Res.) is a great introduction to the research process, enabling the student to explore a specific area under the supervision of experienced researchers. It contains little or no formal taught component. This type of study gives you the chance to explore a research topic over a shorter time than a more in-depth Ph.D.  M.Res. students can undertake a one year full-time or two years part-time Master’s degree.  For more details see here.

CMWH is currently accepting MRes (and PhD) applications in the following areas:

Early / latent phase labour (Prof. Vanora Hundley)

Infant feeding (Asso. Prof. Catherine Angell)

Pain management, pain education, musculoskeletal and pelvic pain,  pelvic floor muscle dysfunction, women’s health (Prof. Carol Clark)

Women’s health in a changing global climate (Dr. Becky Neall)

Drowning prevention in  low-and-middle-income countries (Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen)

Cardiometabolic health during pre-conception and pregnancy (Dr. Sumanto Haldar)

Exercise and pregnancy (Dr. Malika Felton)

Chronic musculoskeletal pain, lifestyle factors, human metabolism, and the use of data science in the pain field (Dr. Omer Elma)

Women’s alcohol consumption and nutritional status (Dr. Chloe Casey)

Nutrition in women’s health (including LGBT+ populations) (Dr. Sarah Hillier)

PGR Research Culture and Community Grant

BU research, Doctoral College, PG research, Postgraduate Research, research opportunities

Reminder the Second Call for Applications is Open 

The Doctoral College is delighted to offer a second round of funding of the PGR Research Culture and Community Grant. This grant is intended to support PGR-led activity across researcher development, research culture and research community building initiatives.

We are committed to fostering a cohesive and collaborative community of PGRs and we have dedicated grants aimed at supporting PGR-led social and/or academic events: this may be a social event, training activity or other initiatives to enhance the PGR student experience. In addition to community building, the purpose of the funding is to enable PGRs to gain transferable skills and experience in planning, organising, promoting and implementing PGR engagement activities.

Stream 1: PGR Researcher Development

  • Supports the organisation of skills focused workshops, events, or initiatives.
  • Grants of up to £500 per activity are available.
  • Examples: analysis workshops, guest speakers, digital skills sessions, writing sessions.

Stream 2: PGR Research Culture and Community

  • Supports the delivery of PGR research culture and community building, well-being or social activities.
  • Grants of up to £300 per activity are available.
  • Examples: cultural events, get togethers, wellbeing enhancing activities.

Applications close Monday 4 March 2024 (midnight)

Full details on how to apply, including the application form can be found on the Doctoral College Brightspace.

 

If you would like to discuss your ideas before submitting your application please contact:

pgrskillsdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk

ECRN open session for all BU ECRs and PGRs

BU research, ECR Network, research opportunities, research staff

Early Career Researchers Network (ECRN) Surgeries

This is an open session for all BU ECRs and PGRs, to discuss any issues around career development, or the ECR experience with the peer network, and receive advice and guidance from the network’s academic leads.

This month’s session will also include tips and advice as highlighted at the recent ECR and Interdisciplinarity in Medical Humanities BA ECRN event.

ECRN: Surgeries – 13/03/2024, hybrid session

Book your place here– under “ECRN: Surgeries – 13/03/2024 ” in the drop-down menu

For any queries regarding this workshop, please contact RKE Dev Framework

Bid-generating Sandpit: Interdisciplinary Research towards Sustainable Development Goals

BU research, ECR Network, research opportunities, Research Training

Illustration of a lightbulb with a group of people inside around a circular table, with computers and papers. They are clearly working together.

Register here

Calling early career researchers (including practice-led) for two days of sparking ideas, discovering new project partners, and developing interdisciplinary funding bids!

30 April – 1 May 2024

Bournemouth

Day 1 begins at 1230, Day 2 finishes at 1630, to enable travel from external universities.

The British Academy Early Career Researcher Network and Bournemouth University’s Centre for the Study of Conflict, Emotion, and Social Justice invite applicants for a two-day research collaboration, networking, and grant development event.

Participate in dynamic and interactive sessions to develop innovative research concepts addressing any of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), leading to funding bids across institutions and disciplines. Your goal is to form an interdisciplinary project team and build a funding proposal in only two days.

This two-day sandpit will be supplemented with two online follow-up sessions (summer and autumn 2024) to share your project progress and experiences.

We welcome any South West-based early career (as you choose to define it) researcher, artist, practitioner or anyone with a general interest in sustainability and emerging interdisciplinary projects. You must be based at one of the South West Cluster Universities. You should be keen to work in a multidisciplinary team, and willing to commit to attending the full sandpit, on both days. No prior experience of research funding is required.

To secure your spot in the Sandpit, please complete and submit the following application – note that all participants must commit to attending both full days:

APPLY HERE BY 8 MARCH 2024: https://forms.office.com/e/AkaeieQHKx

The event is facilitated by Dr. Catalin Brylla and Dr. Lyle Skains, with advisors to be drawn from senior Bournemouth University staff based on participant disciplines and interests.

If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Call for Papers: The 10th International Conference on Virtual Reality 2024

conferences, Events, research opportunities

BU will be hosting the 10th International Conference on Virtual Reality (ICVR), which takes place from 20-22 July 2024.

As a forum for the knowledge-sharing of cutting-edge advances and developments in Virtual Reality (VR) and related fields, ICVR 2024 will bring together an international community of experts to present the latest research results, future development outlooks, and innovative applications, encompassing not only VR, but also augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), 3D user interfaces (3DUIs), and their cross-cutting areas.

The sponsors and organisers of ICVR 2024 are inviting submissions of high-quality research papers describing original research and innovation, covering a wide array of topics, including but not limited to the following:

  • Topic Area #1 – Technologies and Applications (e.g. VR, AR, MR and XR applications; computer graphics techniques, immersive video streaming, analytics and data visualisations; software architectures, toolkits and engineering) 
  • Topic Area #2 – Multi-sensory Experiences and Techniques (e.g audio interfaces; virtual humans and avatars; haptics and tactile interfaces; teleoperation and telepresence)
  • Topic Area #3 – Interaction (e.g. affective computing and design; ethical and moral issues; usage research, evaluation methods and empirical studies) 

The closing date for submission of full papers is Friday 1st March 2024. 

For more information and guidance, visit the ICVR 2024 website.

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

Awarded & submitted bids, BU research, research opportunities

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. 

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

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.

New PGR network – SPROUT – connecting sustainability to our research

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

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  

Wellcome trust ECR award

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

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

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

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.

NIHR Be Part of Research platform

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

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

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

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

Application

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.

Application
  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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]