Category / Student Engagement

British Conference of Undergraduate Research – encouraging students to apply

BU research, Research news, Student Engagement, student research

Next spring, Bournemouth University (BU) will be welcoming undergraduates from all over the country to present their research as part of the British Conference of Undergraduate Research (BCUR).  The prestigious annual conference is a chance to celebrate the valuable contribution of research from undergraduate students across a vast array of disciplines and subject areas.

Undergraduates from all disciplines will be invited to submit papers, posters, workshops and performances as part of the conference.  Abstracts will be peer-reviewed and those accepted will be invited to attend the conference, which is taking place in Bournemouth 25 – 26 April 2017.

Abstract submission is currently open and we’d like to see plenty of entries from BU students – it’s a great opportunity for them to share their work and develop confidence in their presentation skills.  Please do encourage your students to submit an abstract.  The deadline is 10 December.

Guidance about abstract submission can be found here and a drop session will take place in PG30a on Monday 5 December 1pm – 2pm for any students who want to talk through their ideas with someone from BU’s BCUR organising committee.

For more information about the conference and details of how to submit abstracts, please visit www.bournemouth.ac.uk/bcur17 or email bcur17@bournemouth.ac.uk.

14:Live with Dr Ashley Woodfall returns on Thursday!

BU research, Events, Featured academics, Research communication, Student Engagement

Do you want to get creative for an hour? Do you have an interest in creative research methods?

14:Live is back tomorrow on Thursday 17 November with Dr Ashley Woodfall!8115-rkeo-14live-digital-signage-v3-0

Join us as we get creative and discuss Mess and Mayhem: Creative/Reflective Methods at Play. This mess and discussion led session will be a space to discuss the use (and abuse) of creative research methods. How can they help trigger meaningful research interactions, and how the outcomes might be understood?

This session will be exploring research in a creative environment from drawing, to molding, to improv’ and beyond. We ask if creative reflective methods can share something of your own life world and whether these methods can help unlock metaphorical insights that are missed through more traditional approaches.

Come along on at 14:00-15:00 on Floor 5 of the Student Centre for an hour of mess and mayhem. There will be free drinks and snacks!

If you have any questions then please contact Hannah Jones

New projects in the Student Project Bank

Knowledge Exchange and Impact Team, Student Engagement

There are new projects in the Student Project Bank for the following subject areas:

  • Business, management and marketing
  • Health and social care
  • Media and communications
  • Computing and information technology

Projects are available to all undergraduate and postgraduate students at BU and can be used for their dissertation, assignment, unit or group work. Members of staff may also choose a project to set to their students. A complete list of projects is available here.

SPB025: Marketing strategy for Pause Cat Cafe

Suitable for: Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Description: Create a marketing strategy for Pause Cat Café. Pause are particularly interested in reaching markets that are not generally aware of the concept of a cat café and markets that could benefit from the therapeutic effects of spending time with cats. They are open to new and innovative ideas. This project can be combined with SPB026 if required.

SPB026: Social media strategy for Pause Cat Cafe

Suitable for: Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Description: Create a social media strategy for Pause Cat Café. Identify new and unusual ways Pause could build upon the current ways cats are featured on social media. The strategy will need to identify ways to approach and resolve negative press that may be directed towards the café. This project can be combined with SPB 025 if required.

 SPB027: Develop a website for Pause Cat Cafe

Suitable for: Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Description: Develop a website for Pause Cat Café to promote their business and share news of their projects.

 SPB028: Research project into the benefits of interaction with cats on mental and physical health and well being

Suitable for: Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Description: Research the benefits of interaction with cats on mental and physical health and wellbeing using quantitative and qualitative methods. Produce a report on your findings.

SPB029: Create a documentary about Pause Cat Café

Suitable for: Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Description: Create a 20 minute documentary about Pause Cat Café that can be used for promotional purposes. The documentary will focus on the welfare and care of the cats that live at the café and the community work the café aims to do in the future.

 SPB030: Create a short documentary about the community living on Bourne estate

Suitable for: Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Description: Create a 6-10 minute video capturing the activities and the voices of the people living on Bourne estate from January-June 2017.  This will be used to demonstrate the success of a six year neighbourhood management project in the area. The film will be shown to the community and local agencies.

 SPB031: Create an app or online platform to increase engagement in the Count On Me community carbon-counting campaign

Suitable for: Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Description: Count On Me (a Transition Bournemouth project) is a community carbon-counting campaign designed to promote and encourage sustainable behaviour. It helps tackle climate change by celebrating the positive steps people are taking. Develop an app for iPhone/Android or an online platform that will capture data from Bournemouth residents about their activities that produce carbon savings such as cycling or eating less meat.

Apply now

If you would like to find out more and apply for one of the above projects, send us an email to request a project brief and an application form.

14:Live with Dr Ashley Woodfall

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

Do you want to get creative for an hour? Do you have an interest in creative research methods?

14:Live is back on Thursday 17 November with Dr Ashley Woodfall.8115-rkeo-14live-digital-signage-v3-0

Join us as we get creative and discuss Mess and Mayhem: Creative/Reflective Methods at Play. This mess and discussion led session will be a space to discuss the use (and abuse) of creative research methods. How can they help trigger meaningful research interactions, and how the outcomes might be understood?

This session will be exploring research in a creative environment from drawing, to molding, to improv’ and beyond. We ask if creative reflective methods can share something of your own life world and whether these methods can help unlock metaphorical insights that are missed through more traditional approaches.

Come along on at 14:00-15:00 on Floor 5 of the Student Centre for an hour of mess and mayhem. There will be free drinks and snacks!

If you have any questions then please contact Hannah Jones

Researching Talbot Campus Biodiversity

Fusion, Student Engagement, student research, Uncategorized

Ever wondered what wildlife we have on campus? Volunteer students and staff from the Dept. of Life & Environmental Science Green team are initiating a series of Student Environment Research Team (SERT) projects to find out and you can join in. We will help monitor the successful use wildlife is making of the habitats, nesting boxes and wild food resources that are being created on campus. The wildlife- friendly work is being spearheaded by the Estates Team, led by Dr Neil Smith and supported by the Biodiversity Action Plan Group.

There is a chance to get involved in a bit of  campus habitat creation yourself this week if you like – join us this Friday at noon to help plant flower bulbs around the Fusion building. The bulbs have been chosen for both their wildlife and aesthetic value. Estates have bought the bulb and the planting design has been developed by a SERT of six students for Ecology & Wildlife Conservation BSc mentored by Damian Evans and Anita Diaz. See which bulbs here – bulbs-for-fusion-building-planting

Join us if you can and if you’d like to get involved with campus biodiversity creation and monitoring in some other way please contact Damian Evans devans@bournemouth.ac.uk

InsideBU – Out Now

BU research, Impact, Research communication, Research news, Student Engagement, student research

insidebu-front-cover-useThe latest issue of InsideBU, the magazine for BU staff and students, is out now.

This issue brings the concept of Fusion to life through a range of features and articles including:

  • Celebrating undergraduate research through hosting the prestigious British Conference of Undergraduate Research (BCUR) next year
  • National research into the scale and impact of financial scamming in the UK, headed by BU’s National Centre for Post-Qualifying Social Work and Professional Practice
  • The research stories behind the Fusion mural on Talbot Campus.

Hard copies are available across both campuses and you can also read it online – simply click the arrows on the bottom right of the screen to expand it to a full page size.

If you use a screen-reader, Word and PDF versions are also available. The current issue – and all back issues – can also now be found on the Staff Intranet, under ‘Find’ on the bottom right of the homepage.

Please email insidebu@bournemouth.ac.uk if you would like hard copies sent directly to you.

We appreciate all feedback and suggestions for future issues. If you have a story for the next issue of InsideBU, email insidebu@bournemouth.ac.uk.

Try something different

Centre for Excellence in Learning, innovation, Student Engagement

With its vast agile space, glass-fronted seminar rooms and buzzing collaborative zones, BU’s new Fusion Building offers the perfect opportunity to reimagine learning scenarios – both inside the new walls and elsewhere on our campuses.

The Centre for Excellence in Learning (CEL) is supporting staff to ‘try something different’ and inspire our students through innovative learning.

  • There are resources on the Try something different pages of the CEL website, looking specifically at how academics can use the spaces for different learning scenarios.
  • The Try something different video includes advice from BU’s Professor Stephen Heppell, who is a world expert in contemporary learning.
  • A series of i:Innovate workshops will help staff explore different technologies to deliver the curriculum, take new approaches to assessment and feedback, reimagine teaching large groups and much more. View the full list of i:Innovate workshops on the Staff Intranet.

Try something different today – and see where it takes you.

New projects in the Student Project Bank

Knowledge Exchange and Impact Team, Student Engagement

There are new projects in the Student Project Bank! Projects are available to all undergraduate and postgraduate students at BU and can be used for their dissertation, assignment, unit or group work. Members of staff may also choose a project to set to their students.

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New projects are below, these will be added to the list of available projects on the website today.

SPB012: Promotional video for The Grove Hotel, part of Macmillan Caring Locally

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Create a 2-3 minute video capturing the people The Grove Hotel supports and promoting the idea of a holiday for people with life limiting conditions that is light hearted and fun.  The Grove Hotel is part of Macmillan Caring Locally, a local charity whose objectives are the relief of cancer and life limiting conditions.

 SPB013: Marketing strategy for The Grove Hotel, part of Macmillan Caring Locally

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Create a marketing strategy for The Grove Hotel that will promote their services to a wider audience in order to attract a broader customer base and increase the potential for repeat visits.

 SPB014: Plan and deliver an event for The Pantry Partnership to raise awareness of their work

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Plan and run an event for The Pantry Partnership to help them raise awareness in the local community of their work and to secure a permanent venue. The Pantry Partnership uses food to create social momentum, helping people out of food poverty, enhancing life skills and reducing social isolation.

 SPB015: Annual report animated showreel for Bournemouth 2026 Trust

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Create an animated showreel of less than four minutes in length presenting key information from the Trust’s annual report. This project has a short turnaround time and the film is required for the Trust’s Annual General Meeting on 23rd November.

 SPB016: Design and implement a marketing strategy for The Fusion Café juice bar

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Design and implement a marketing strategy for The Fusion Café juice bar on the third floor of the Fusion Building that will raise awareness of the café and increase the number of customers.

Apply now

If you would like to find out more and apply for one of the above projects, send us an email to request a project brief and an application form.

Community organisations

Do you have an idea that could benefit the community or society but need some help to make it a relaity? The Student Project Bank is still open for project proposals from community organisations, charities, not-for-profits and corporate partners. Find out more and download a proposal form on our page for external organisations.

Student Research Assistantship – Applications closing 24th October

Student Engagement, student research

The Student Research Assistantship (SRA) programme is closing for academic applications on Monday 24th October.

 

Each academic application will be marked against the following criteria:

  • Student-centred
  • Co-creation and co-production
  • Fusion
  • External engagement
  • Impact
  • Cross-Faculty

We are currently inviting academic applications for the semester-based programme – if you would like to apply for the summer programme now, please do note that in your application.

Semester-based programme

This placement is for successful students to work for 15 hours a week for a total of eight weeks between 16th January 2017 and 7th April 2017. This programme will have the capacity for approximately 45 placements.

The SRA programme is coordinated via RKEO and the Faculties.

Academics will apply for the funding via an application form. A Faculty based panel will review all staff applications and decide which applications to continue to the student recruitment stage of the scheme.  The application deadline for this round is 24th October 2016.

 If you have any queries, please contact Rachel Clarke, KE Adviser (KTP and Student Projects) –  sra@bournemouth.ac.uk

14:Live Returns Tomorrow!

BU research, Events, Research communication, Student Engagement

It’s just one day until 14:Live returns to BU! Join Dr Dinusha Mendis on the 5th Floor of the Student Centre, on Thursday 20 October at 14:00-15:00 for an exciting talk around her research.

What’s it about you ask? Going for Gold! 3D Scanning and 3D Printing of Jewellery and Implications for Intellectual Property Law.

Have you ever seen 3D printing and 3D scanning happen in reality? By allowing physical objects to be replicated, 3D printing is increasing in popularity. However, this can raise questions about intellectual property (IP) laws.

Unfortunately, there can be implications to modifying and replicating someone else’s existing design or Computer Aided Design (CAD) file. Does it infringe the IP rights of the creator? How much ‘modification’ is needed to create a new and non-infringing product? Are we about to see a new wave of file sharing in 3D designs? While the technology has significant potential to expand into various sectors, including jewellery, it raises many issues in relation to ownership and authorship. Can IP law deal with this growing technology or will we see a new wave of piracy and counterfeiting which will be hard to control?

All staff and students are welcome to attend so come down and join us for what is going to be an exciting and engaging session, over lots of free snacks and drinks! So pop it in your calendars and we can’t wait to see you.

If you have any questions about 14:Live or other student engagements events, then send over an email to Hannah Jones.

14:LIve

Student Project Bank: Student projects available!

Knowledge Exchange and Impact Team, Student Engagement

Projects are available to all undergraduate and postgraduate students at BU and can be used for their dissertation, assignment, unit or group work. It is also possible for students to undertake a project for extra-curricular experience. Members of staff may also choose a project to set to their students.

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The following projects are available:

SPB001: Sustainable funding marketing/business strategy for Poole Schools Association

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Create a marketing and business strategy that will enable Poole Schools Association (PSA) to make informed decisions regarding actions to take to secure sustainable funds on an annual basis.

SPB002: Marketing strategy for Volunteer Centre Dorset’s Community Credit Scheme

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Create a marketing strategy to raise awareness of Volunteer Centre Dorset’s Community Credit Scheme.

SPB003: Campaign strategy to raise positive awareness of people with learning disabilities in the community

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Create a campaign to raise positive awareness of people with learning disabilities in the community.

SPB004: Evaluation strategy for The Community Credit Scheme in Christchurch

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Create an evaluation strategy for Volunteer Centre Dorset’s Community Credit Scheme in Christchurch.

 SPB005: Volunteering opportunities for individuals with learning disabilities: engagement and experience

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Research the ways in which individuals with learning disabilities engage with and experience volunteering.

 SPB006: Identify products charities sell to create sustainable income and make recommendations for Volunteer Centre Dorset

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Research the products charities sell to create sustainable income and make recommendations to Volunteer Centre Dorset for a product or line of products they could sell to create income for, and raise awareness of, The Community Credit Scheme.

 SPB007: Investigate fund raising for small business development through the utilisation of crowdfunding

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Investigate fund raising to support the development of a small business through crowdfunding. Examine current crowdfunding platforms and the feasibility of a low-cost DIY approach which does not involve a host platform.

SPB008: Product licensing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Research product licensing and discuss practical approaches, from initial contact to developing joint ventures. Make a list of recommendations.

 SPB009: Using social media platforms as a promotional tool for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Evaluate how a small business could use social media platforms to achieve growth.

 SPB010: What does success look like? Academic women at BU speak

Suitable for:                 Final year undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Use qualitative or mixed methodologies to gain an understanding of what success looks like for academic women at BU. Data gathered will be used for a publication by the Women’s Academic Network.

 SPB011: Development and creation of Poole Schools Association website

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Develop and create a fully functional website for Poole Schools Association.

How it works

  1. A student chooses a project and contacts the Student Project Bank to request an application form.
  2. We will contact them to discuss their requirements and the requirements of the external organisation. For specific projects or those with a number of applications, the student may be asked to an informal interview.
  3. We may schedule a meeting between the student and external organisation to discuss the project, if applicable.
  4. Once the project has been completed the results are shared with the external organisation. The project may be published as a case study on the Student Project Bank website.

Find out more

Visit our webpage or send us an email.

14:Live with Dinusha Mendis

BU research, Research communication, Student Engagement

It’s less than a week until 14:Live returns on Thursday 20 October, at 14:00-15:00! Join Dr Dinusha Mendis on the 5th Floor of the Student Centre, for an exciting talk around her research.

What’s it about you ask? Going for Gold! 3D Scanning and 3D Printing of Jewellery and Implications for Intellectual Property Law.

Have you ever seen 3D printing and 3D scanning happen in reality? By allowing physical objects to be replicated, 3D printing is increasing in popularity. However, this can raise questions about intellectual property (IP) laws.

Unfortunately, there can be implications to modifying and replicating someone else’s existing design or Computer Aided Design (CAD) file. Does it infringe the IP rights of the creator? How much ‘modification’ is needed to create a new and non-infringing product? Are we about to see a new wave of file sharing in 3D designs? While the technology has significant potential to expand into various sectors, including jewellery, it raises many issues in relation to ownership and authorship. Can IP law deal with this growing technology or will we see a new wave of piracy and counterfeiting which will be hard to control?

All staff and students are welcome to attend so come down and join us for what is going to be an exciting and engaging session, over lots of free snacks and drinks! So pop it in your calendars and we can’t wait to see you.

If you have any questions about 14:Live or other student engagements events, then send over an email to Hannah Jones.

14:LIve

Festival of Social Science: widening participation and photography

BU research, Centre for Excellence in Learning, Events, Research news, Student Engagement, student research

esrc_logo

“I want to take a break… stop autopiloting … everything that you do makes you feel”

Student, 10/10/2016

In My Voice, My Story, we explore what it means to be a non-traditional student at university through the participatory photographic and story technique, photovoice. This technique sees students become the researchers of their own lives through taking photos and telling their stories.

The photovoice method is a participatory approach used to inform policymakers, so that meaningful policy changes can be shaped the lived experiences of the communities the policies are intended to serve.

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We focus on students from non-traditional backgrounds because we know how the lived experiences of these students are often marginalised by institutions and that this impacts upon their attainment and degree outcomes. Learning together in this way is a central tenet to our programme of Fair Access Research.

This research contributes to new, more participatory, ways of doing and thinking about widening participation which is a core tenet to BU’s Fair Access Research project.

students-who-bounce-back-exhibition

Students Who Bounce Back, led by Dr Jacqueline Priego

We invite you all to a workshop where we will listen to the students’ voices, learn from the students’ stories, gain insights into different research methods and work together to develop practical responses to what we see and hear.  

Monday 7th November 2016 10:00 -13:00 in the Fusion Building, F105

Book a place here!

You will gain insights into the power of arts-based social participatory research methods for eliciting deep stories and re-represented for social action. Having engaged with storytelling, participants will discuss ways in which the students’ lived experiences could shape policy changes and interventions to better enable students to belong.

 Feel free to share this invitation  with your colleagues or networks.

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For more information about this project or BU’s innovative Fair Access Research, email the Principal Investigators, Dr Vanessa Heaslip (vheaslip@bournemouth.ac.uk) and Dr Clive Hunt (chunt@bournemouth.ac.uk).