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New research published on Artificial Empathy in the Metaverse

Dimitrios Buhalis new research published on Artificial Empathy in the Metaverse

Assiouras, I., Laserer; C., Buhalis, D., 2025, The Evolution of Artificial Empathy in the Hospitality Metaverse Era, International Journal of Hospitality Management, Volume 126, April 2025, 104063 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2024.104063

Highlights

  • Artificial empathy of intelligent agents can be strengthened in the metaverse.
  • The experimental nature can hinder the development of artificial empathy.
  • The interoperability is critical for the development of artificial empathy.
  • Enhanced empathy of AI agents in metaverse will improve customers’ reactions.
  • Opportunities and challenges arise in the development of human empathy.

Abstract

As hospitality enters the metaverse era, artificial empathy becomes essential for developing artificial intelligence (AI) agents. Using the empathy cycle model, computational empathy frameworks and interdisciplinary research, this conceptual paper proposes a model explaining how artificial empathy will evolve in the hospitality metaverse era. The paper also addresses customer empathy and responses towards AI agents and other human actors within the hospitality context. It explores how metaverse characteristics such as immersiveness, sociability, experiential nature, interoperability, blended virtual and physical environments as well as environmental fidelity will shape computational models and the evolution of artificial empathy. Findings suggest that the metaverse enables AI agents to form a seamless cycle of detection, resonation, and response to consumers’ affective states, facilitating the evolution of artificial empathy. Additionally, the paper outlines conditions under which the artificial empathy cycle may be disrupted and proposes future research questions that can advance our understanding of artificial empathy.

 

 

 

BU Professors appointed to REF People, Culture and Environment (PCE) pilot panels

REF Subjects, Research assessment

Professor Kate Welham and Professor Vanora Hundley have been appointed as members of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) People, Culture and Environment (PCE) pilot panels.

REF 2029 logo

The next REF exercise, due to take place in 2029, will deliver an expanded definition of research excellence – recognising the wide range of research, roles, and people that are essential to the UK’s research system.

A key part of this is the development of the PCE element – assessing the research culture and environment of institutions and how research and researchers are supported.

The PCE pilot panels will explore the practicality of submission and assessment of the various elements of PCE.

In the pilot, a broad sample of 40 HEIs will produce submissions for assessment in a selection of REF Units of Assessment (UoAs). These submissions will be assessed by eight UoA-level pilot panels, with institutional-level submissions examined by a separate panel.

Professor of Midwifery Vanora Hundley, who will sit on the UoA 3 (Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy) panel, said: “People, the research culture and the environment in which researchers work are vital to supporting excellent research.

“I am delighted that REF have made People, Culture and Environment (PCE) a focus for REF2029 and I look forward to working with the panel to develop robust processes to support the PCE element.”

Professor of Archaeological Sciences Kate Welham, who will sit on the pilot panel for UoA11 (Computer Science and Informatics) said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the development of fair and transparent approaches that recognise how quality research is created across the UK. I am really looking forward to working with everyone taking part in the exercise.”

The experience and feedback of the panels will be included in the final pilot report, which will inform the REF 2029 guidance on PCE.

To find out more about the PCE pilot and REF 2029, please visit the REF website

Appreciating Appreciative Inquiry

international, Publishing, Women's Academic Network, writing

Prof. Gabriele Bammer, the editor of the i2Insights blogs, highlighted in her ninth annual review that a post created by Bournemouth University academics was one of the website’s  most popular contributions in 2024.  This BU contribution ‘Learning to use Appreciative Inquiry‘ by Dr. Rachel Arnold is in the top eight most viewed this year – in fact it’s the second most viewed blog!

Dr. Rachel Arnold has been lead author on several research papers in the field of Appreciative Inquiry [1-2], in collaboration with current and former Bournemouth Academics, Professor Emerita Sue Way, Dr. Preeto Mahato (now at Royal Holloway, University of London) and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen.   Rachel has also been a contributor to a major textbook in the field [3-4].

References:

  1. Arnold, R., Way, S., Mahato, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2024) “I might have cried in the changing room, but I still went to work”. Maternity staff managing roles, responsibilities, and emotions of work and home during COVID-19: an Appreciative Inquiry, Women & Birth 37: 128-136. 
  2. Arnold, R., Gordon, C., Way, S., Mahato, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2022) Why use Appreciative Inquiry? Lessons learned during COVID-19 in a UK maternity service, European Journal of Midwifery 6 (May): 1-7.
  3. Hodgkiss, D., Quinney, S., Slack, T., Barnett, K., Howells, B. (2024a)  Appreciating Health and Care: A practical Appreciative Inquiry resource for the Health and Social Care sector, Forres: Appreciating People; ISBN: 978-1-9160267-6-6
  4. Hodgkiss, D., Quinney, S., Slack, T., Barnett, K., Howells, B. (2024b) Appreciating Health and Care: AI in practice, Forres: Appreciating People.

 

BU academics interviewed for major Greek newspaper on their research on political campaigning and populism

In light of the widespread use of populism by politicians across the world, BU academics Anastasia Veneti and Savvas Voutyras were interviewed by  the Greek newspaper I Epohi on their research on political campaigning and populism.

The front page of a Greek newspaperIn the interview, the researchers explained that there is no single definition of populism. However, there is general consensus that populism comprises a view of politics as a fundamental antagonism between ‘the people’ and ‘the elites’, favouring the interests of the people.

Dr Voutyras argued that, in practice, it is anti-populists who define opponents as populists, regardless of whether they fit any definition. This initially seems to have some strategic advantages, since it categorises opponents as a singular problem and, in this sense, rallies supporters. In the long run, however, this tactic has facilitated the growth of the radical right. Parties that used to be labelled as neo-fascist, racist or authoritarian, have acquired new a label (i.e., ‘populist’) that is easier to manage.

Dr Veneti explained that there is a strand of studies that approach populism as a communication style. In such cases, the main dimensions of populist political actors’ communication are (a) people-centrism, (b) anti-elitism, (c) and reference to outgroups, and we can see these dimensions built in the political message both discursively and visually.

The whole interview can be found here.

Advancing Gender Equality in Higher Education: A Collaborative Initiative

Awarded & submitted bids

Bournemouth University (BU), in partnership with the University of Port Harcourt (UPH) in Nigeria, is leading a transformative project to address gender disparities in higher education institutions (HEIs). Funded through the British Council’s Gender Equality Partnerships Grant, with a project value of £24,869.20, this initiative seeks to foster inclusivity and tackle systemic barriers such as underrepresentation of women in leadership and STEM disciplines, work-life balance challenges, and limited access to opportunities.

The project is led by Dr. Anthony Ezenwa (Bournemouth University) as the Principal Investigator, with Professor Huoma Worlu (UPH) leading the partner institution team and Professor Olufemi M. Adesope (UPH) serving as the Project Manager. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research combines surveys, focus groups, interviews, and institutional analysis to identify gender disparities and co-create actionable policies. Capacity-building training sessions will empower faculty, staff, and students to promote gender sensitivity, inclusive leadership, and advocacy within their academic and professional spaces.

As Dr. Anthony Ezenwa and Team reflect, “This initiative provides an opportunity to close critical gaps in leadership, STEM participation, and institutional inclusivity while driving meaningful, scalable change for HEIs in the Global South.”

The project, expected to run until December 2025, will deliver a robust Gender Equality Policy, pilot implementation frameworks, and practical recommendations to improve gender equity in UPH. The findings aim to inform similar HEIs in developing societies globally, offering a replicable model to advance gender inclusivity in higher education.

Stay tuned for updates on this collaborative effort as we progress towards a more inclusive and equitable academic environment.

Spotlight on the Menopause: A Recap of the Women’s Health Symposium

On the evening of Wednesday, November 20, 2024, Bournemouth University hosted at the Centre for Midwifery and Women’s Health at Bournemouth University shining a Spotlight on the Menopause. This event was an opportunity to better understand the menopause, including a discussion on the latest treatment options and menopause in the workplace. This event was intended for the general public, staff, students, researchers, charity partners and local organisations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJtnwGylQjQ

The symposium featured an impressive lineup of speakers:

  • Tim Hillard: Consultant Gynaecologist and Menopause Specialist, University Hospitals Dorset, Poole
  • Dr Abbie Laing: GP and Menopause Specialist, University Hospitals Dorset, Poole
  • Kathy Abernethy: Menopause Specialist Nurse and BMS Menopause Specialist, Director “The Menopause Course”
  • Dr Sarah Hillier: Senior Academic in Nutrition, Centre for Midwifery and Women’s Health, Bournemouth University.

https://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/centres-institutes/centre-midwifery-womens-health


Left to Right – Sarah, Tim, Carol, Emma, Abbie. Photo by Jakob Rossner 20 11 2024, Wolfson Theatre

and photo of Tim presenting below. Photo by Jakob Rossner 20 11 2024, Wolfson Theatre.

As part of the event, the CMWH showcased the fantastic research we are doing in this area at BU in a series of elevator style presentations from colleagues Dr Hyun-Joo Lim Principal Academic in Sociology, Psychology PhD researcher Eunhee Kim, as well as an overview of Nutrition related projects from PhD researcher Rebecca Owen (ANutr) and staff Dr Reena Vijayakumaran, Senior Lecturer in Nutrition, Dr Fotini Tsofliou, Principal Lecturer in Nutrition, Dr Sumanto Haldar, Lecturer in Nutrition Sciences and Dr Chloe Casey, Lecturer in Nutrition.

Special thanks to the BSc Nutrition and MSc Nutrition and Behaviour students who volunteered to support the event and to Jakob Rossner, Learning Technologist who helped with the smooth technology running of the event. 

#BUMenopause #BUHealthSymposium

Decoding Research Conferences: Unveiling the ROI

conferences, international, Knowledge Exchange

Hello, fellow PhD researchers! 🌟

Picture this: You, a PhD student, presenting your research at your first academic conference. It’s an exhilarating experience! I just returned from the three-day Complex Networks 2024 conference in Istanbul, Turkey, where I had a chance to present poster on our published paper on spread of congestion on urban road networks. Here, I’d like to share why attending academic conferences is a valuable experience.

Building Connections

Conferences are vibrant hubs buzzing with experts in your field. They provide the perfect opportunity to network, exchange ideas, and establish relationships that could shape your career. I had the privilege of meeting researchers from leading institutes, departments, and labs focusing on Complex Networks, including the Complexity Science Hub (CSH), Vienna, and the Centre for Complexity and Complex Networks, City University of Hong Kong.

Exploring New Ideas

Attending conferences gives you access to the latest research trends and cutting-edge findings, sparking fresh ideas for your own work. I participated in fascinating sessions on road network dynamics and emerging trends in Urban Systems, Mobility & Networks, and Machine Learning & Networks. These sessions offered valuable insights and broadened my research perspective.

Meeting Academic Heroes

One of the most inspiring aspects of conferences is the chance to meet the scholars who have shaped your research journey. I was thrilled to meet my academic hero, Professor Piet Van Mieghem from Delft University of Technology. His work greatly inspired my supervisor and me to do our research on congestion spread in road networks. Meeting him in person and discussing his work was truly exciting and motivating.

Personal Growth

Conferences are about more than just academics—they’re also a chance to grow personally. Traveling to Istanbul allowed me to experience Turkish culture, delicious Turkish cuisine, and enjoy the renowned hospitality.

Pro Tip

Preparation is essential! Perfect your presentation, research the speakers, and connect with participants ahead of time to maximize your conference experience.

     
Acknowledgements

My journey to this conference was made possible by the Scholarship for Events on Complex Systems (SECS) from the Young Researchers of the Complex Systems Society. 🌐✨ Special thanks to my supervisor Dr Wei Koong Chai.

With respect,
Assemgul Kozhabek

BU academics’ paper read 170,000 times!

NHS, Publishing, Training, Women's Academic Network, writing

This week ResearchGate notified us that our methods paper ‘The Importance of Pilot Studies‘ [1], published 22 years ago in The Nursing Standard, has now been read 170,000 times!  Prof. Vanora Hundley and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen wrote this more elementary paper after  publishing an in-depth academic paper on a pilot study into assessing  maternity care in Scotland [2].  The latter paper described their learning from a pilot study which we conducted prior to a cross-national study of births in Scotland.

The methods paper in the Nursing Standard is also their most highly cited paper.  Today Google Scholar lists it with 2,035 citations, interestingly this is not the case on SCOPUS as The Nursing Standard is not listed on SCOPUS.  Researchers seem to be quoting this paper in their research methods section when they have done pilot or feasibility study for a larger-scale study.

 

 

References:

  1. van Teijlingen E, Hundley, V. (2002) The importance of pilot studies, The Nursing Standard 16(40): 33-36. Web: nursing-standard.co.uk/archives/vol16-40/pdfs/vol16w40p3336.pdf
  2. van Teijlingen E, Rennie, AM., Hundley, V, Graham, W. (2001) The importance of conducting & reporting pilot studies: example of Scottish Births Survey, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 34: 289-95.

AHRC call – New Generation Thinkers 2025 – webinar reminder, Thurs 12th December, 2:30pm

Funding opportunities

This scheme offers five early career researchers the opportunity to be ‘researchers in residence’ where they will work with programme makers at BBC Radio 4 and produce a piece of writing to be recorded for radio.

 

If selected, you’ll also take part in learning and development opportunities with AHRC around working with the media, engaging the public with research and how to work with policy makers.

You’ll be an up-and-coming early career researcher with a passion for sharing ideas with the largest possible audience.

For further details: AHRC’s New Generation Thinkers 2025

Scope

AHRC are looking for applications from a diversity of backgrounds, research disciplines and institutions, particularly candidates who can demonstrate:

  • how one area of their research could make a strong, clearly expressed and engaging piece of writing for BBC radio. The scheme will match researchers with programmes or BBC units, so we are looking for discussion ideas for those programmes which draw upon your own research or your knowledge of trends in your subject area
  • how this research could have the potential to either change public opinion or influence policy
  • creativity, originality and the potential to talk and write about other areas within the arts and humanities in an accessible and interesting manner, particularly to a wider audience
  • that they are comfortable talking and writing about ideas from beyond their own research area in an accessible and interesting way
  • a wide range of interests through their review and description of their current research
  • high standards of scholarship: clear explanations in interesting, well-written, jargon-free language, that is editorially and stylistically suitable for a BBC audience

To get a good idea of what we’re looking for, we recommend you listen to work by previous New Generation Thinkers on the BBC website before you apply.

Who is eligible to apply

To apply for the New Generation Thinkers scheme, you must be:

  • a UK resident
  • over the age of 18
  • currently working or studying at a UK research organisation that is eligible to receive funding from UKRI. See Eligibility of your organisation
  • studying a relevant area of research. See ‘Your research history’

You must also be either:

  • currently studying for your first PhD and having made considerable progress on your research, for example within one year of submission
  • within eight years of the award of your first PhD, excluding any period of career break such as parental leave, caring responsibilities, health reasons, or reasons consequent upon the COVID-19 pandemic
  • within six years of your first academic appointment at an organisation that is eligible to receive funding from UKRI, excluding any period of career break such as parental leave, caring responsibilities, health reasons, or reasons consequent upon the COVID-19 pandemic. This must be a paid contract of employment, either full-time or part-time, which lists research or teaching as the primary function, including research assistantships

You do not need to have a permanent contract of employment to be eligible, provided you meet the conditions at the time of your application.

If you have applied to the scheme before, you may apply again provided you have never been selected as a new generation thinker in any given year.

Each person is allowed to submit only one application. The application will ask how your research aligns with one of the programmes or units. The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and BBC may then match you to any one of the five programmes or units.

Who is not eligible to apply

You cannot apply if:

  • you work for the BBC, AHRC or UKRI
  • you are a senior academic

Webinar for potential applicants

AHRC will hold a webinar on:

These will provide more information about the funding opportunity and a chance to ask questions.

We ran a workshop at BU late last academic year, slides available- give us a shout and if needed, we can run this workshop again at BU.

Let Eva Papadopoulou know if you are interested via email please.

Compelling narratives for funding success

Training

Struggling to effectively communicate the potential impact of your research in funding applications? This training session on Tuesday, 28 January 2025 from 10am to 12noon, will equip you with the practical tools and knowledge to develop effective plans of impact, articulate these in proposals and increase your success rates.

 

This session is intended for academics working on a proposal at the time of the session. It could be an early-stage idea, or a specific proposal for a funder. Please bring your proposal with you to the session to work on.

 

Key benefits:

  • Maximise your impact: Learn how to identify, measure, and communicate the real-world significance of your research in funding proposals
  • Write more competitive proposals: Master the art of crafting compelling impact plans that resonate with funding panels.
  • Save time and effort: Discover efficient strategies to integrate impact considerations into your research process and proposals
  • Gain actionable insights: Apply your newfound knowledge to your current or future funding bids.

Where: Fusion building. In-person only, not hybrid.

Book here

Last chance to book for ‘Journeys through Research’

Training

Journeys through Research

Last chance to book the final place for a one-off event

Are you curious about the stories behind successful research at BU? Want to hear from our academics about their journeys, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the role the Research Development and Support (RDS) team has played in their success? This is your chance to gain invaluable insights, ask questions, and discover how RDS can support your own research aspirations.

Chaired by Jeff Bray, our speakers include Tom Wainwright, Jane Henriksen Bulmer and Alain Simons who will share their research experiences and discuss how RDS has helped them along the way. Get the inside scoop on top tips, common pitfalls, and how to find funding opportunities, plus what’s coming up in the research landscape.

To wrap things up, we’ll be hosting a relaxed networking lunch, giving you the chance to meet the RDS team in person, chat with fellow researchers, and connect those final dots in your own research journey.

Book here

Wednesday 11th December 2024 09:45-14:00

Tea and coffee from 9:45am, event starts at 10:00.

RKEDF: ECRN – Work/Life balance for ECRs and PGRs

This in-person session on Wednesday 12 February 2025, 1pm to 2pm, is aimed at Academics, Researchers and PGRs with an interest in discussing work/life balance within Academic roles and careers.

The session aims to discuss approaches to setting and maintaining healthy work/life balance whilst also managing the demands of their role. It will follow an open, discursive model and invite responses from ECRs with input from the Academic leads.

By the end of the session, attendees will have acquired knowledge of models and techniques to healthy professional practice with regards to time management, wellbeing and working practices, and have had the opportunity to discuss their specific circumstances with peers and experienced Academic mentors.

Book here

For further information on this event please contact RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk

London Universities Bid-generating Sandpit designed and facilitated by Catalin Brylla and Lyle Skains

30 early career academics from ten London universities came together on the 26-27 November at Greenwich University for a two-day interdisciplinary sandpit funded by The British Academy Early Career Researcher Network and facilitated by Dr. Catalin Brylla (Centre for the Study of Conflict, Emotion, and Social Justice) and Dr. Lyle Skains (Centre for Science, Health, and Data Communication Research). The participants specialised in a variety of disciplines such as psychology, anthropology, policy studies, performance, media, tourism, environmental sciences, architecture and law. They brought their interests in a sustainable world and society (as represented by the UN Sustainable Development Goals) to the sandpit for networking, team-building, funding and project development workshops, many of which were based on the successful and innovative NESTA-developed ‘Crucible’ programme (no longer online, but see the Welsh Crucible).
The success of the sandpit’s activities was highlighted by the culmination of four projects proposed to a panel of subject experts: Prof. Andrew Clark (lifecourse development), Prof. Gianluca Tozzi (industrial engineering), Prof. Jin Chan (entrepreneurship), Prof. Thomas Evans (psychology), Prof. Georgios Samakovitis (financial management), Dr Damian Poulter (psychology), Dr. Zheng Liu (operations management), Dr. Lyle Skains (arts practice and interdisciplinarity) and Dr. Catalin Brylla (media practice and stigma reduction). These experts provided mentorship and feedback on the projects as they developed toward funding proposals. Two sandpit follow-up sessions will also aid the participants in developing their funding proposals.
To receive news of further sandpits and development opportunities, join the BA ECRN.

Successful first session in the ADRC seminar series

We were thrilled to host the first of our new ADRC seminar series last Wednesday and welcomed a range of attendees including academics, practitioners, students and community members.

Dr Michele Board begun the seminar by outlining the project and subject area, its aims and key findings for risk factors for dementia in military veterans. Following this, Rebecca Dew presented the collaborative literature review being carried out by the project team, which also was a great opportunity to hear valuable contributions from project team members. We were then pleased to present the project work undertaken with veterans living dementia and their carers during our creative workshops series which aimed to explore the research priorities for veterans living with dementia. During the seminar session, our documentary film was also presented, and we were thrilled to take part in engaging discussion with attendees around current research for veterans living with dementia, next steps for our upcoming work and the session finished with a thought-provoking Q&A section.
We look forward to welcoming both new and previous attendees to our next session on Wednesday 29th January 3-4pm!

Leverhulme Visit- 4th December

Last Wednesday we had the pleasure of hosting the Director of Leverhulme at Bournemouth.

Professor Anna Vignoles talked to us about the small but mighty team she leads (one of the most responsive funder teams), the Trust’s approach to funding and all the various funds they offer, gave us valuable insights and tips on making our cases heard at the applications and left us all inspired to think big.

Really important to hear from Funding leaders such as Anna during these difficult times for the sector and the high number of attendance made that very clear as well.

Please get in touch with the Research office if you have any ideas you wish to discuss, no matter how much out there your idea might be, you will get a sympathetic ear from us and support to find the most fitting funder.

Thanks to Anna and those who attended our session,

Eva

Dr Julia Round awarded 2024 Comics Education Kinnard Award

Dr Julia Round of the Faculty of Media and Communication has been awarded a 2024 Comics Education Kinnard Award for outstanding work with comics and education. 

The Kinnard Awards are named in honour of pioneering queer cartoonist Rupert Kinnard. The brown, yellow and red represent Rupert’s iconic character the Brown Bomber. The awards were founded in 2022 and are presented by Laneha House, a family run small press from Breena Nuñez and Lawrence Lindell. Laneha House is built on the foundation of family, love of comics, zines and coffee. Projects include comics, graphic novels, art books, zines, music and cartoons.

The Kinnard Awards are an annual celebration of the community who make, contribute to and love comics. Each category honors 5 awardees. Dr Round was nominated for her work in comics education alongside international scholars such as Professor Charles Hatfield, Ana Merino, Lauren McCubbin and Paul Karasik.