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The importance of justifying yourself! Writing a Justification of Resources Session 12th October 2017

Funding opportunities

Many people see the ‘Justification of Resources’ document as another thing to quickly pull together and tick off the list, after having already completed a 70+ page funding application. As a result, it often doesn’t get the prior consideration needed to write a good one – even though applications are often rejected due to insufficient justification of resources.

As part of the Research and Knowledge Exchange Development Framework, RKEO are holding a session on ‘Writing a Justification of Resources’. The session will provide an overview of the Justification of Resources document, and will offer tips for writing this section of the application form. Examples of effective Justifications of Resources will be provided.

Date: Thursday 12th October

Time: 09:30-11:00

Venue: Lansdowne Campus

Book your space via the RKE Development Framework page for this event.

For further information, please contact Lisa Gale-Andrews, RKEO Research Facilitator.

Special Edition Policy Update: Sir John Bell report on Life Sciences and the Industrial Strategy

Funding opportunities, international, PG research

Following our Industrial Strategy update last week, as expected Sir John Bell has published his report for the government on Life Sciences and the Industrial Strategy. There are 7 main recommendations under 4 themes, which are summarised below.

Some interesting comments:

  • “The key UK attribute driving success in life sciences is the great strength in university-based research. Strong research-based universities underpin most of the public sector research success in the UK, as they do in the USA and in Scandinavia. National research systems based around institutes rather than universities, as seen in Germany, France and China, do not achieve the same productivity in life sciences as seen in university-focussed systems.” (p22)
  • “The decline in funding of indirect costs for charity research is coupled to an increasing tendency for Research Councils to construct approaches that avoid paying indirect Full Economic Costs (FEC). Together, these are having a significant impact on the viability of research in universities and have led to the institutions raising industrial overhead costs to fill the gap. This is unhelpful.” (p24 and see the recommendation about charitable contributions under “reinforcing the UK science offer” below)
  • “It is also recommended, that the funding agencies, in partnership with major charities, create a high-level recruitment fund that would pay the real cost of bringing successful scientists from abroad to work in major UK university institutions.” (see the proposal to attract international scientists below).
  • On clusters “Life sciences clusters are nearly always located around a university or other research institute and in the UK include elements of NHS infrastructure. However, evidence and experience suggests that governments cannot seed technology clusters28 and their success is usually driven by the underpinning assets of universities and companies, and also by the cultural features of networking and recycling of entrepreneurs and capital.” And “Regions should make the most of existing opportunities locally to grow clusters and build resilience by working in partnership across local Government, LEPs (in England), universities and research institutes, NHS, AHSNs, local businesses and support organisations, to identify and coalesce the local vision for life sciences. Science & Innovation Audits, Local Growth Funds and Growth Hubs (in England), Enterprise Zones and local rates and planning flexibilities can all be utilised to support a vision for life sciences. “ (see the proposal on clusters under “Growth and Infrastructure” – this was a big theme in the Industrial strategy and something we also covered in our Green Paper response)
  • On skills: “ The flow of multidisciplinary students at Masters and PhD level should be increased by providing incentives through the Higher Education Funding Council for England.2 and “Universities and research funders should embed core competencies at degree and PhD level, for example data, statistical and analytical skills, commercial acumen and translational skills, and management and entrepreneurship training (which could be delivered in partnership with business schools). They should support exposure to, and collaboration with, strategically important disciplines including computer and data science, engineering, chemistry, physics, mathematics and material science.”

Health Advanced Research Programme (HARP) proposal – with the goal to create 2-3 entirely new industries over the next 10 years.

  • Establish a coalition of funders to create the Health Advanced Research Programme to undertake large research infrastructure projects and high risk ‘moonshot programmes’, that will help create entirely new industries in healthcare
  • Create a platform for developing effective diagnostics for early, asymptomatic chronic disease.
  • Digitalisation and AI to transform pathology and imaging.
  • Support projects around healthy ageing.

Reinforcing the UK science offer

  • Sustain and increase funding for basic science to match our international competition – the goal is that the UK should attract 2000 new discovery scientists from around the globe
    • The UK should aim to be in the upper quartile of OECD R&D spending and sustain and increase the funding for basic science, to match our international competitors, particularly in university settings, encouraging discovery science to co-locate.
    • NIHR should be supported, with funding increases in line with Research Councils
    • Ensure the environment remains supportive of charitable contributions through enhancing the Charity Research Support Fund (see above for the context for this).
    • Capitalise on UKRI to increase interdisciplinary research, work more effectively with industry and support high-risk science.
    • Use Government and charitable funding to attract up to 100 world-class scientists to the UK, with support for their recruitment and their science over the next ten years.
  • Further improve UK clinical trial capabilities to support a 50% increase in the number of clinical trials over the next 5 years and a growing proportion of change of practice and trials with novel methodology over the next 5 years.
    • Establish a working group to evaluate the use of digital health care data and health systems; to evaluate the safety and efficacy of new interventions; and to help ICH modernise its GCP regulations.
    • Improve the UK’s clinical trial capabilities so that the UK can best compete globally in our support for industry and academic studies at all phases.
    • Design a translational fund to support the pre-commercial creation of clinically-useable molecules and devices.

Growth and infrastructure – the goal is to create four UK companies valued at >£20 billion market cap in the next ten years.

  • Ensure the tax environment supports growth and is internationally competitive in supporting long-term and deeper investment.
    • Address market failures through Social Impact Bonds and encourage AMR research.
    • Consider how UK-based public markets can be used more effectively in the sector.
  • Support the growth of Life Sciences clusters.
    • Government, local partners and industry should work together to ensure the right infrastructure is in place to support the growth of life sciences clusters and networks.
    • UK’s existing clusters should work together and with government to promote a ‘single front door’ to the UK for research collaboration, partnership and investment.
  • Attract substantial investment to manufacture and export high value life science products of the future. – the goal is to attract ten large (£50-250m capital investment) and 10 smaller (£10-50m capital investments) in life science manufacturing facilities in the next five years.
    • Accept in full the recommendations of the Advanced Therapies Manufacturing Action Plan and apply its principles to other life science manufacturing sectors.
    • A programme in partnership with industry to develop cutting-edge manufacturing technologies that will address scale-up challenges and drive up productivity.
    • Optimise the fiscal environment to drive investment in industrial buildings, equipment and infrastructure for manufacturing and late-stage R&D.
    • Consider nationally available financial incentives – grants and loans, or capital allowances combined with regional incentives – to support capital investment in scale-up, and prepare for manufacturing and related export activity.
    • Make support and incentives for manufacturing investment and exporting available to business through a single front door, provide a senior national account manager accountable for delivery and simplify the customer journey.

NHS collaboration – the Accelerated Access Review should be adopted with national routes to market streamlined and clarified, including for digital products. There are two stated goals:

  • The NHS should engage in fifty collaborative programmes in the next 5 years in late-stage clinical trials, real world data collection, or in the evaluation of diagnostics or devices.
  • The UK should be in the top quartile of comparator countries, both for the speed of adoption and the overall uptake of innovative, cost-effective products, to the benefit of all UK patients by the end of 2023.

The recommended actions are

  • Utilise and broaden the Accelerated Access Review to encourage UK investment in clinical and real-world studies. Deliver a conditional reimbursement approval, for implementation as soon as licensing and value milestones are delivered.
  • Create a forum for early engagement between industry, NHS and arms-length bodies (e.g. NICE, MHRA) to agree commercial access agreements.
  • Use the recommendations from the AAR to streamline the processes and methods of assessment for all new products.
  • Value assessments should be evolved in the long-term with improved patient outcome measures, affordability and cost management data beyond one year timeframes.
  • NICE’s funding model for technology evaluation should be set up in a way that does not stifle SME engagement

Data – Establish two to five Digital Innovation Hubs providing data across regions of three to five million people.

  • The health and care system should set out a vision and a plan to deliver a national approach with the capability to rapidly and effectively establish studies for the generation of real world data, which can be appropriately accessed by researchers.
  • ePrescribing should be mandatory for hospitals.
  • NHS Digital and NHS England should set out clear and consistent national approaches to data and interoperability standards and requirements for data access agreements.
  • Accelerate access to currently available national datasets by streamlining legal and ethical approvals.
  • Create a forum for researchers across academia, charities and industry to engage with all national health data programmes.
  • Establish a new regulatory, Health Technology Assessment and commercial framework to capture for the UK the value in algorithms generated using NHS data. A working group should be established to take this forward
  • Two to five digital innovation hubs providing data across regions of three to five million people should be set up as part of a national approach and building towards full population coverage, to rapidly enable researchers to engage with a meaningful dataset. These regional hubs should also have the capability to accelerate and streamline CTA and HRA approvals. One or more of these should focus on medtech.
  • The UK could host 4-6 centres of excellence that provide support for specific medtech themes, focussing on research capability in a single medtech domain such as orthopaedics, cardiac, digital health or molecular diagnostics.
  • National registries of therapy-area-specific data across the whole of the NHS in England should be created and aligned with the relevant charity.

Skills

  • A migration system should be established that allows recruitment and retention of highly skilled workers from the EU and beyond, and does not impede intra-company transfers.
  • Develop and deliver a reinforced skills action plan across the NHS, commercial and third sectors based on a gap analysis of key skills for science.
    • Create an apprenticeship scheme that focuses on data sciences, as well as skills across the life sciences sector, and trains an entirely new cadre of technologists, healthcare workers and scientists at the cutting-edge of digital health.
    • Establish Institutes of Technology that would provide opportunity for technical training, particularly in digital and advanced manufacturing areas.
    • There should be support for entrepreneur training at all levels, incentivising varied careers and migration of academic scientists into industry and back to academia.
    • A fund should be established supporting convergent science activities including cross-disciplinary sabbaticals, joint appointments, funding for cross-sectoral partnerships and exchanges across industry and the NHS, including for management trainees.
    • High quality STEM education should be provided for all, and the government should evaluate and implement additional steps to increase the number of students studying maths to level 3 and beyond

BU Briefing – It was only a mild concussion

Our BU briefing papers are designed to make our research outputs accessible and easily digestible so that our research findings can quickly be applied – whether to society, culture, public policy, services, the environment or to improve quality of life. They have been created to highlight research findings and their potential impact within their field.

Sports concussion has been the subject of much discourse in the scientific literature and mainstream media for many years. Major national and international sporting events are extensively covered by the media, with vast numbers of column inches and webpages dedicated to summarising these events. The frequency of concussion in some of the world’s biggest sports such as soccer, football, and rugby means that many of these concussive events which occur in high-profile competitions are also the focus of this reporting.

This paper analyses the descriptions of online sports concussion news on a global scale, using a search engine to retrieve news stories, and evaluates the media’s role in shaping public perception and misconception regarding concussion in sport. Further analysis sought to identify geographical patterns associated with different descriptions of sports concussion.

Click here to read the briefing paper.

For more information about the research, contact Dr Osman Ahmed at ahmedo@bournemouth.ac.uk.
To find out how your research output could be turned into a BU Briefing, contact research@bournemouth.ac.uk.

Bournemouth Air Festival: what have we got in store for you?

Bournemouth Air Festival this year is a brilliant opportunity for you to come along and get involved at our Science tent! You will find us on the promenade towards Boscombe pier. We have many different free activities happening, from 3D printing to the VR of past landscapes where students have been collaborating with the New Forest National Park Authority to create virtual reality visuals of past landscapes.

These activities will give you an insight into the research Bournemouth University are doing in technology, whilst giving you the opportunity to get involved and have a go with the tech they are using!

We will also have other activities for people to get involved with, ranging from learning everything about the brain and all of its amazing secrets, to making your own model lung and slimy snot. You will be able to learn all about the amazing aspects of the body whilst having fun doing it.

If the 3D printing is something you really want to have a go at, make sure to come down and join us on the Thursday! Oleg Fyrazinov will be joining us at the air festival for one day only so make sure you don’t miss out. We will also have the pleasure of working with the University of Southampton over the weekend at our stand so come and see what they will have in store… certainly not something to miss if you’re a learning fanatic.

We look forward to seeing you get involved with our jam packed schedule! Check out our Twitter and Facebook for more regular updates on what we are doing!

Read on below to see the full range of activities on offer throughout the weekend…

VR of Past Landscapes – Students on the Games Technology course at BU have been collaborating with the New Forest National Park Authority to create virtual reality visualisations of past landscapes. The New Forest want to engage the public and raise awareness of the heritage of the forest, and BU staff and students are able to perform research into issues related the virtual reality (immersion, navigation aids, comparison of presentation platforms, etc.). The students have created a number of different virtual reality environments of archaeological sites (including first and second world war airfields that may be of particular interest to the air festival visitors) that could be used as interactive exhibits. Users will be able to explore the environments by controlling their own path and interacting with objects in the environment.

Financial Scamming – Sally Lee will be helping the audience understand the risk of financial scamming and how to protect themselves through a ‘Scams and Ladders’ game to get people thinking whilst having fun. It is a way for the researchers to get the public aware of the risks of scamming (affecting more than 3.25 million people in the UK) whilst in a format that is readily accessible and will get people engaged at the Air Festival

3D Printing/SHIVA – BU’s SHIVA software was developed to assist disable children to use their artistic talents and create their own 3D models. New software allows children and young people to use touch screen and eye-tracking technology to create their own shapes, which are then brought to life by 3D printers. Stop by and see the 3D printer in action, giving you an idea of how the changes in technology are helping make all activities accessibly for all ages and abilities.

Brilliant Brain – Brains: your personality, your memories, your feelings and the words you speak – they’re all wrapped up in the squishy grey matter between your eyes. Come down and explore to model brain, ask your most baffling questions to a scientist and learn the brain’s amazing secrets.

Microbiology and Wildlife Conservation – Have you ever met a microbe? They are all around us as well as inside of us, but invisible to the naked eye! Stop by and try out our high definition microscopes and see if you can spot the creatures. You will be able to find out why microbiology is such an important part of our daily lives and vital for the functioning of our natural world. We have several different types of microbiology for you to explore; so far we have the following sections: 1 – Microbial life forms; 2 – Invertebrates 3 – Shells, fossils and skulls; 4 – African wildlife endangered species/ conservation; 5 – Conservation craft corner

Maths Games – BU researchers have developed two new and exciting computer games that get your brains ticking over to solve maths problems as part of the fun. Try your hand at the quick and easy Maths Run game and enter your high score on our leader board to be in with a chance of winning a prize at the end of the day!

Maritime Archaeology – There will be a small display on the aviation used during the First World War, as well as showing you the local marine archaeology around Bournemouth and how shipwrecks are attacked by the biology in the sea.

Heathland Management – Britain is home to around 20% of the world’s lowland heath, which humans created by clearing woodlands in the past. Our local heaths are popular for recreation and are home to many archaeological features. This activity will consider how these landscapes have changed over time, as well as what the best way to manage and preserve them is for future generations                                                       

Falls Prevention – Balance is the body’s ability to stay upright and in control of the movement. It is necessary for all daily activities, but over time, adults lose this ability. The interactive drop-in session will show the importance of falls prevention, testing your balance with simple by fun tests. Come and learn more about your balance and what you can do to avoid a fall.

Madagascan Mysteries – The rainforests of Madagascar are filled with Special species. Come to the tent to find out what we have learnt on a joint expedition between staff and students from BU and the Bournemouth Natural Science Society. See displays showcasing the images of some of the wonderful wildlife found and get involved with our exciting, hands-on, all ages interactive learning activities for the full experience!

Slimy Snot and Breathing lungs – This activity will be fun for all the ages! Come along and make your own model lung and unlock the mysteries of how they work and learn the secret life of your snot and how it helps keep your lungs healthy.

University of Southampton – The University of Southampton will be joining us to get the public engaged with what the researchers at their University have been working on and the benefits it will bring to society! These activities consist of: The Circular Bio economy who are looking at how to use living processes to turn our rubbish into energy and useful products; the Centre for Population Change who are discussing ‘migration through the nation’ via giant puzzles and connect4; Sustainable Infrastructure Systems who are showing how they are creating sustainable, clean resolutions to tackle and solve environmental issues. We’re also joined by Cancer Research UK who are doing  make a cell out of air dough and a targeted therapy game and the Barclays Digital Eagles who are bringing along their Raspberry Pi Game.

 

The 5 W: My experience as a Research Assistant explained

Fusion Investment Fund, Knowledge Exchange, Student Engagement, student research

My name is Teodora Tepavicharova and I will be in my second year in September 2017. I have always been interested in Digitalisation and when I found out about the opportunity to work as an assistant for ‘Investigating Forms of Leadership in the Digital Age’ research project, I couldn’t be happier and more excited to apply for it. I knew that working on something like this is a big responsibility but being able to be part of a team of professionals from the area you are passionate about is definitely worth it!  Let me explain you more about my experience as an Student Research Assistant.

What? The Student Research Assistant job role is a great opportunity no matter of the year of study. Every student who meets certain criteria can apply for it. My role for this project was to conduct literature reviews, collect data and make conclusions upon it. It was a challenge to find new information that hasn’t been researched before but working on the project, we found very interesting theories that may be a game changer for the way the Digital World has been looked up at until now. I found the foundation needed for the creation of an evaluative research paper on NVivo 11.

Why? The advantages of working this are many – make new contacts within the university and the environment where you are working, meeting new people, gaining new skills etc. In my opinion, one of the best things that you can learn is the information that you are looking for. I wanted to meet and work with tutors who will be teaching me in future and URA gave me this opportunity. Being able to dive so deep into a topic is a great way to learn new things, theory and real-life examples about something that you are passionate about. I found it very interesting to read and observe different papers, websites and get in touch with people who can give you inside of a brand-new topic is amazing experience for a student.

Where? The job is extremely flexible. Depending on you and the Project Leaders, you may choose to work from home, local web café, university or any other place where you can be productive. I worked from home and in the university depending on the amount of work I had. For me this was very useful because sometimes I needed much more time to work in the office rather than at home. Being able to choose makes the work pleasurable. I had my own desk, computer and needed materials for working productive.

Who? Every undergraduate and postgraduate taught student who is studying in the university and whose grades are 70 and above can apply for the position. At the end of my first year, I decided to work at least a month during the summer. The unique opportunity is great for everyone because no matter of your year of study, you always need experience in your CV. If you are curious, reliable, focused and enthusiastic, then definitely go for it!

When? I worked from the beginning to the end of June which again was my preferable time. This is another advantage of the job – you can spread the hours depending on your free time. Of course, it depends on the amount of work you have, the amount of time you spent working and the arrangements with your Project Leaders. The job was greater than my expectations as it was dynamic and I was able to learn how to work with NVivo 11.

I think that the most amazing thing about working as a SRA is that you are very welcomed to the team. My Project Leaders are wonderful, intelligent women who made me feel very calm, welcomed and helpful since day one. Being able to work in such cohesion, gives you the motivation and at the same time you are enjoying every moment of this journey. Working with NVivo 11 was a pleasure because it is easy to navigate and manage. I will certainly use the software again for my assignments and dissertation! So, if you are driven and ready to show what you are capable of, apply for Research Assistant!

What happens when things go wrong in medicine?

1-day BU conference/workshop examining what happens when things go wrong in surgery, Friday 8th September 2017 

Please make sure you book your place by Friday 1st September.

Every day we make mistakes; we pick up the wrong set of keys from the kitchen drawer, pick up the wrong identical suitcase from the airport carousel, or, in the case of the Oscars, we give the wrong near identical envelope to Warren Beatty.  What happens when things go wrong in surgery where the consequences can be much more serious?  While attention, quite rightly, focuses on patient need when things go wrong, the aim of this event is to examine how medical professionals can be better supported and trained to cope with these adverse events.

Eminent speakers from around the UK will present the latest research in the area and will consider the personal impact when complications and errors arise in surgery, dealing with stress and maintaining wellbeing, and what can be done when things go wrong.

While the focus is on surgeons, it is clear that those in other medical professions (e.g. nurses, midwives, GPs) face similar issues in the workplace. Anyone with an interest in the topic is welcome to attend.   Attendance is free for BU staff.   For further details please visit www.surgeonwellbeing.co.uk or contact Professor Siné McDougall (smcdougall@bournemouth.ac.uk; ext. 61722) with any queries.

JPICH Heritage in Changing Environments pre-call announcement

Funding opportunities

The Joint Programming Initiative in Cultural Heritage and Global Change is pleased to announce a new funding opportunity for transnational proposals. The Heritage in Changing Environments call will support the development of new, research-based ideas and knowledge in response to the rapidly and widely changing context with which heritage and heritage practice is faced. It invites research projects that help cultural heritage to meet societal challenges and contribute to the development of society. The call aims to fund excellent research that is collaborative, transnational, interdisciplinary and innovative. The total budget for the call for transnational projects is approximately 4.5 million Euros.

Detailed Eligibility Requirements for each country are published alongside the Heritage in Changing Environments Call for Proposals on the JPICH website.

The Call for Proposals will open on 4 September 2017 and the deadline for submission of proposals will be 30 November 2017, 14:00 CET.

Topics for the Changing Environment joint call

Three broad categories of the changing environments of heritage are addressed in this call:

  1. changing (physical) environments
  2. changing social and economic environments
  3. changing political and cultural environments.

Projects funded through this call will use cultural heritage to address global challenges such as:

  • the impacts of climate change
  • environmental deterioration
  • migration
  • demographic and social change
  • diasporic change
  • urbanisation and de-ruralisation
  • economic inequity
  • changing perceptions and sustainability.

Further details can be found in the JPICH Heritage in Changing Environments pre-call announcement. (PDF, 110KB) Full details of the call will be available through the AHRC funding pages and the JPICH website on the 4 September 2017.

New HERA funding Call ‘Public Spaces: Culture and Integration in Europe’

Funding opportunities

The Arts and Humanities Research Council, 23 humanities funding organisations and the European Commission are pleased to announce a new €20 Million Joint Research Programme (JRP) for arts and humanities researchers in Europe.

Organised by HERA (Humanities in the European Research Area), and facilitated in the UK by the AHRC, this joint research programme will fund innovative and exciting international research projects on ‘Public Spaces: Culture and Integration in Europe’.

The beneficiaries of this Call are eligible researchers located in the HERA JRP PS countries: Austria, Belgium (Wallonia), Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom, irrespective of their nationality.

The research programme will fund new and exciting humanities-centred projects involving researchers from four or more participating countries. Proposals can be up to €1 Million in value, and 24-36 months in duration. The deadline for the submission of Outline Proposals is Tuesday 24 October 2017, 14:00 CEST (Central European Summer Time).

If you are looking for partners, you can use the HERA partner search tool .

Further information on eligibility, call guidance and application process is available on the HERA website

The AHRC will be running a Webinar on the HERA application process and UK eligibility rules on Thursday 7th September 1.30 – 2.30 pm. To participate please follow this link.

If you are interested in applying, please contact your RKEO Funding Development Officer in the first instance.

Cafe Scientifique – Flashback to the past

In the run up to our next Café Scientifique event, we wanted to remind you of some of the brilliant speakers we have had in the past. Check out the video below to watch the fantastic Dr John McAlaney explaining our addiction to anything digital.

Our next event has Professor Jessica Teeling from the University of Southampton, sharing the impact of age on the immune system and how this damages tissue in our retinas, consequently making us lose our sight. It is an interactive Café Scientifique that definitely shouldn’t be missed!

We look forward to seeing you at Café Boscanova on the 5th September.

ARE YOU A DIGITAL ADDICT?

For more information on our Café Scientifique events –  check out our page, or find us on Facebook and Twitter to hear the latest news.

 

REF & TEF: the connections – 11th October 2017

BU Challenges, Centre for Excellence in Learning, conferences, Guidance, Info Days, Publishing, REF Subjects, Research assessment, Training

The outcomes of this year’s Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) and the direction for the Research Excellence Framework (REF) as set out in the 2017 consultation response are likely to have significant implications for the higher education sector.  The links between research and teaching are likely to become ever more important, but set against the context of increasing emphasis on student experience, how should the sector respond and where should it focus?

REF & TEF: the connections will be hosted at Bournemouth University and will bring together some of the leading experts in higher education in both research and teaching policy.  During the morning, attendees will have the opportunity hear from experts from across the higher education sector, as they share their insights into the importance of the links between teaching and research.  The afternoon will feature a number of case studies with speakers from universities with a particularly good record of linking research and  teaching.

Speakers confirmed to date include Kim Hackett, REF Manager and Head of Research Assessment, HEFCE and John Vinney Bournemouth University, William Locke University College London, Professor Sally Brown Higher Education Academy.

For more information or to book on visit: https://reftef.eventbrite.co.uk

ADRC at ICT4HOP’17 workshop in Bradford

Dr Michelle Heward represented the Ageing and Dementia Research Centre (ADRC) at the ‘Employing Information and Communications Technologies in Homes and Cities for the Health and Well-Being of Older People’ (ICT4HOP ’17) workshop in Bradford on 14-16 August 2017. Michelle received funding from the British Council Researcher Links scheme within the Newton Fund to attend this 3-day multidisciplinary workshop.

The workshop provided Early Career Researchers from the UK and China a unique opportunity to network and share their research expertise. Michelle presented her research on ‘the significance of lived experience when developing technological innovations to support health and well-being in later life’. Researchers were also treated to dinner with the Mayor of Bradford in the Town Hall and fish and chips at Bolton Abbey.

Thanks to the workshop co-ordinators Prof Ray Sheriff of University of Bradford and Prof Xiaohai He of Sichuan University, and to all those who contributed in making the event informative and enjoyable. This Workshop was funded under the UK-China Research and Innovation Partnership Fund, a part of the Newton Fund, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Building on a previous Workshop in Chengdu, China, ICT4HOP’16, held in August 2016.

Michelle Heward

British Academy Bid Writing retreat 7/9/17

Funding opportunities

The BA/Leverhulme Small Research Grants scheme opens on the 6th of September 2017.

A workshop, the “Bid Writing retreat- British Academy small grant” will be held Thursday September 7th, 2017 (9:30-16:30). The workshop will offer helpful tips from past British Academy Small Grant winners as well as focused support from team members of the Research & Knowledge Exchange Office.  Participants are asked to have a draft application for the British Academy Small Grant in preparation in advance of this workshop that they can develop during the day.  Workshop places are limited so please book your place here.

Members of BU interested in discussing this workshop opportunity please contact Ehren Milner, Research Facilitator (emilner@bournemouth.ac.uk).

New BU scheme to encourage research projects with prestigious funders

Guidance

We recently advertised that BU is introducing a new scheme which encourages submissions to externally-funded research projects.  The below is a reminder of what the scheme entails with a few clarifications following on from queries received.

The aim is to:

  • demonstrate BU’s commitment to supporting research undertaken with prestigious research funders;
  • build research capacity and capability in areas of strategic importance;
  • enhance the sustainability of the University’s research culture and environment;
  • recognise and reward the research grant successes of academic staff.

The scheme has two pathways: i) PGR studentships; and ii) postdoctoral research staff. Each of these, and the relevant procedures and eligibility, are set out in the scheme document, which can be found here.

For the PGR studentship pathway, academics will need to make a case for a studentship to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (R&I), but with authorisation sought in advance from the Faculty Executive Dean. The second pathway for postdoctoral research staff will be automatically applied by RKEO to all eligible applications (following discussion with and consent by the PI).

Please read through the Scheme document (it is only two pages and answers most of your queries) and if any clarification is required then contact Jo Garrad, Funding Development Manager, RKEO.

Clarifications

The scheme notes have been amended to clarify that BU must be the lead institution and have a BU Principal Investigator.

The prestigious funders listed have been chosen as they carry added benefits, for example, provision of additional funds to BU, such as the RCUK open access fund; fellowships to academies, which open the door to greater peer review opportunities; and greater weighting in the REF submission and the HE-BCI report, which leads to HEFCE funding.  Whilst our aim is to strongly encourage you to submit larger applications to these funders, this shouldn’t stop you from applying to other funders.  BU is proud of all our academic successes.

There have been some comments that this scheme is only available to a few people.  This is not true.  The point of the scheme is to support you in applying for longer and larger applications to the prestigious funders so that this becomes the greater proportion of our submissions for funding.

What happens when things go wrong in medicine?

1-day BU conference/workshop examining what happens when things go wrong in surgery, Friday 8th September 2017 

Please make sure you book your place by Friday 1st September.

Every day we make mistakes; we pick up the wrong set of keys from the kitchen drawer, pick up the wrong identical suitcase from the airport carousel, or, in the case of the Oscars, we give the wrong near identical envelope to Warren Beatty.  What happens when things go wrong in surgery where the consequences can be much more serious?  While attention, quite rightly, focuses on patient need when things go wrong, the aim of this event is to examine how medical professionals can be better supported and trained to cope with these adverse events.

Eminent speakers from around the UK will present the latest research in the area and will consider the personal impact when complications and errors arise in surgery, dealing with stress and maintaining wellbeing, and what can be done when things go wrong.

While the focus is on surgeons, it is clear that those in other medical professions (e.g. nurses, midwives, GPs) face similar issues in the workplace. Anyone with an interest in the topic is welcome to attend.   Attendance is free for BU staff.   For further details please visit www.surgeonwellbeing.co.uk or contact Professor Siné McDougall (smcdougall@bournemouth.ac.uk; ext. 61722) with any queries.

SAVE THE DATE: Building a low-carbon, climate resilient future – 18/10/17

Funding opportunities, Info Days

On Wednesday, 18th October 2017, the National Contact Points for two of the Horizon 2020 Societal Challenges will be visiting BU.

Topics will include:

  • Mobility for Growth
  • Autonomous Road Transport
  • Green Vehicles
  • Sustainable Food Security
  • Rural Renaissance
  • Blue Growth

Arrival will be 10:00 for 10:15 and the event is scheduled to close at 16:15. The venue will be at the Lansdowne Campus, Bournemouth, with the room location confirmed after booking.

The day is open to all within both the academic and non-academic sectors, with an interest in applying for calls forthcoming in Horizon 2020, with a particular emphasis on those from the South East and South West.

To book your place – BU staff and external attendees should contact Dianne Goodman via our RKEDF email account. To ensure a balanced audience, registrations will be assessed and places confirmed by 11th October 2017.

About the National Contact Points:

Ian Holmes is the National Contact Point for Societal Challenge 2:  Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry, Marine, Maritime and Inland Water Research and the Bioeconomy

Louise Mothersole is the Horizon 2020 UK National Contact Point for Societal Challenge 4: Smart, Green and Integrated Transport

Helen Fairbairn is the National Contact Point for Societal Challenge 3: Secure, Clean and Efficient Energy    (N.B. Helen is unable to attend this event but is providing materials for attendees and is happy to be contacted by attendees wishing to apply for SC3 calls).

National Contact Points (NCPs) provide impartial advice regarding EU Funding within their specialist area of Horizon 2020. The advice is free and confidential and tailored to your needs.  This is an excellent service for drawing on the experience and knowledge of someone who deals exclusively with a particular scheme or work programme.  If you are interested in testing out project ideas, checking scheme eligibility, discussing the direction of travel of a particular funding stream or just asking some questions on the practicalities of applications they are a great source of help. You can find all of them listed here along with their contact details.

Save the Date: Energy Info Days 2017

Info Days

 

This year the Energy Information Days will present the new funding opportunities and innovative schemes offered by Horizon 2020’s Work Programme 2018-2020. Applying for funding is a competitive process, and only the best project proposals will be selected. If you would like to know more about the type of projects we will be looking for, save the date and join us in Brussels next 23, 24 and 25 October 2017.

 This year’s Information Days will:
•    update you on the European Energy Efficiency policy;
•    present you the Energy priorities of the H2020 Energy 2018-2020 calls for proposals;
•    provide you with guidance on how to apply for funding;
•    offer you dedicated workshops for each funding area e.g. Energy Efficiency, with the opportunity to meet the EASME energy team and receive answers to your questions;
•    give you an opportunity to network and find project partners through the National Contact Points Brokerage event.

Opening of registrations

Registrations will open in September 2017. A link will be published in this page after the summer and a notification via the EASME Energy Newsletter.

Who should attend?

More than 700 participants coming from SME associations, businesses, European and national trade associations, chambers of commerce, European institutions, universities, financial institutions, etc. are expected.

Agenda

A detailed agenda with the topics and sessions will be published in September 2017.

Event date and venue

From Monday 23 to Wednesday 25 October 2017 in the European Commission Charlemagne Building, Rue de la Loi 170, 1000 Brussels.  Please read the Privacy statement before registering.

Recordings and presentations

N.B You will be able to watch the sessions live on your computer as well as the recordings. The presentations will also be available for download