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Research Professional – all you need to know

Funding opportunities

Research-Professional-logoEvery BU academic has a Research Professional account which delivers weekly emails detailing funding opportunities in their broad subject area. To really make the most of your Research Professional account, you should tailor it further by establishing additional alerts based on your specific area of expertise. The Funding Development Team Officers can assist you with this, if required.

Research Professional have created several guides to help introduce users to ResearchProfessional. These can be downloaded here.

Quick Start Guide: Explains to users their first steps with the website, from creating an account to searching for content and setting up email alerts, all in the space of a single page.

User Guide: More detailed information covering all the key aspects of using ResearchProfessional.

Administrator Guide: A detailed description of the administrator functionality.

In addition to the above, there are a set of 2-3 minute videos online, designed to take a user through all the key features of ResearchProfessional. To access the videos, please use the following link: http://www.youtube.com/researchprofessional

Research Professional are running a series of online training broadcasts aimed at introducing users to the basics of creating and configuring their accounts on ResearchProfessional. They are holding monthly sessions, covering everything you need to get started with ResearchProfessional. The broadcast sessions will run for no more than 60 minutes, with the opportunity to ask questions via text chat. Each session will cover:

  • Self registration and logging in
  • Building searches
  • Setting personalised alerts
  • Saving and bookmarking items
  • Subscribing to news alerts
  • Configuring your personal profile

Each session will run between 10.00am and 11.00am (UK) on the fuorth Tuesday of each month. You can register here for your preferred date:

26th April 2016

24th May 2016

28th June 2016

These are free and comprehensive training sessions and so this is a good opportunity to get to grips with how Research Professional can work for you.

RKEO Drop-in sessions

Guidance

flyingIn response to positive feedback from academics about how much you benefit from face-to-face meetings with staff from RKEO, we have set up drop-in sessions for 2016.

These sessions will be held on a monthly basis and anyone can attend with any queries for RKEO. RKEO staff will be available for two hours each session and so come along and have a chat. These are also great opportunities for us to gather feedback from you on the service that we deliver for you.

The planned sessions for this year are as follows:

Date Time Where
Wed. 20/04/2016 2-4pm Talbot – Atrium café
Tues. 17/05/2016 2-4pm Bournemouth House café
Wed. 15/06/2016 2-4pm Talbot – Atrium café
Thurs. 14/07/2016 2-4pm Bournemouth House café
Wed. 10/08/2016 2-4pm Talbot – Atrium café
Thurs. 08/09/2016 2-4pm Talbot – Atrium café
Wed. 05/10/2016 2-4pm Bournemouth House café
Thurs. 03/11/2016 2-4pm Talbot – Atrium café
Wed. 07/12/2016 2-4pm Talbot – Atrium café

Blog posts will be issued for each session, reminding you of the date, time and place and also informing you of who will be at the session from RKEO. If there is a specific member of RKEO that you would like to meet with at the sessions then please contact them in advance and see if they are available for a chat.

RKEO look forward to seeing you.

Drop-in sessions – use them or lose them

Guidance

research lifecycleA couple of months ago, RKEO introduced monthly drop-in sessions for academics to turn up and ask us anything, knowing that members of RKEO would be on hand to help.  Unfortunately, despite lots of advertising, no one has taken up the opportunity to attend at the first two drop-in sessions.  Therefore, operating a three strikes and we’re out policy, if no one attends the next drop-in session then we will cancel those organised for the rest of this year.

The next drop-in session is scheduled for 20th April, between 2-4pm in the Talbot Atrium cafe.

The following RKEO staff will be available for the session:

Ehren Milner – Funding Development Officer for Management

Eva Papadopoulou – Funding Development Officer for Media and Communication

Kerri Jones – Funding Development Officer for SciTech

Philip Leahy-Harland – Project Delivery Officer for Management

Nimisha Prajapati and Sara Mundy – Project Delivery Officers for SciTech

PengPeng Hatch – Research Outputs Advisor

Jenny Roddis – Research Facilitator for HSS and SciTech

You don’t need to be from these faculties as staff will help with any queries you have and if they’re not able to answer your query then and there, they’ll ensure you receive a timely response from RKEO. Basically, come along and have a chat. These are also great opportunities for us to gather feedback from you on the service that we deliver to you.  Come and find out about upcoming calls such as the British Academy’s small grants scheme, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships, find out about Open Access, and how we can support you in your research career.

RKEO look forward to seeing you.

Research Blog Survey

Here at RKEO we are always trying to improve the services and information we provide to our audience and the research blog has been our main tool for communicating news to our audience. The research blog has been running since its first post back in March 2011, which makes it 5 years old this month!

With this historic achievement of age it doesn’t  mean that there isn’t room for improvement. If you have the time it would be greatly appreciated if you could fill out this quick survey about the research blog. This will allow us to improve the site and in turn provide a better service for you!

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Standard calls for funding opportunities

Funding opportunities, Guidance

map of scienceAbout six months ago, RKEO created a page on the Research blog of standard calls from the major external funders’.  The closing dates have recently been updated and the page can be found on the Research Toolkit under the Research Funders’ Guide here.

Have a look to see what calls are coming up in the research councils, the EC, NIHR, British Academy, Royal Society, Leverhulme Trust, Wellcome Trust, and Innovate UK.  If you’re unfamiliar with some of these funders’ then you can find their strategic and delivery plans, what they fund, success rate data, impact guidance, call deadlines and much more in the Research Funders’ Guide.

Finally, don’t forget to look at the Research Lifecycle to see how RKEO can support you with your research activities.

Research culture at BU

Guidance

cultureI have recently read a couple of interesting reports on research cultures within universities and what makes a high-performing research unit.

The first of these is a King’s College London report commissioned by HEFCE issued in November 2015 ‘Characteristics of high-performing research units‘ and the second is a BIS report issued in 2014 ‘Economic Insight: Growing the best and the brightest‘.

Both analysis identify the following:

  • High-performing research units (HPRUs) have more staff with PhDs, professorial postitions, international experience and externally funded salaries (mainly from external research funding agencies);
  • HPRUs focus on recruiting the best and retaining them;
  • HPRUs provide training and mentorship programmes to develop staff;
  • Activities supporting the recruitment, development and motivation of researchers are critical drivers of research excellence;
  • Staff within HPRUs display a distinct ethos of social and ethical values;
  • Leaders of HPRUs have earned ‘accountable autonomy’;
  • HPRUs receive more income per researcher than the average research unit;
  • HPRUs enable and encourage researchers to initiate collaborations organically as opposed to a top down approach;
  • Activities relating to collaborating with others, creating and implementing research strategies, securing a mix of funding and responding to competitive pressure are important;
  • ‘On-the-ground’ or ‘day-to-day’ initiatives by individual researchers can be at least as important as the ‘high-level strategic’ initiatives instigated by institutions.

Please do read the documents above if you would like more information on how the key factors were determined.

RKEO’s Delivery Plan is currently being finalised with UET.  The plan identifies that research funding is crucial for building a sustainable research base and enhancing the vitality and sustainability of the research environment.  We will be working with the Faculties to support the development of high-performing research teams and to support BU with mechanisms and requirements for building a successful research culture.  This will also be supported by the new and improved RKE Development Framework (to be launched this summer). A variety of opportunities will be available, which will include greater access to targeted bid writers, proof-reading services, and stronger direction to strategically important funding options. We will organise activities to facilitate collaboration and networking both internally and externally with academic and non-academic partners. Keep an eye on the research blog for further information.

In the meantime, don’t forget it is BRAD week next week.  Click here to see what training and development opportunities are available to you.Research

 

 

RKEO Academic and Researcher Induction

Guidance

The Research and Knowledge Exchange Office (RKEO) invite all ‘new to BU’ academics and researchers to an induction.

Signpost with the words Help, Support, Advice, Guidance and Assistance on the direction arrows, against a bright blue cloudy sky.This event provides an overview of all the practical information staff need to begin developing their research plans at BU, using both internal and external networks; to develop and disseminate research outcomes; and maximising the available funding opportunities.

The primary aim of this event is to raise participants’ awareness of how to get started in research at BU or, for more established staff, how to take their research to the next level. The induction will also provide participants with essential, practical information and orientation in key stages and processes of research and knowledge exchange at BU

The fourth induction will be held on 5th April 2016 on the 4th floor of Melbury House. The format of the day is as follows:

9.00-9.15 – Coffee/tea and cake/fruit will be available on arrival

9.15 – RKEO academic induction (with a break at 10.45)

11.25 – Organisational Development upcoming development opportunities

11.30 – Opportunity for one to one interaction with RKEO staff

12.00 – Close

There will also be literature and information packs available.

If you would like to attend the induction then please book your place through Organisational Development here. We will directly contact those who have started at BU in the last five months.

We hope you can make it and look forward to seeing you.

Regards,

The RKEO team

RKEO

NERC standard grants (July deadline) – internal competition launched

Funding opportunities

NERC

 

NERC introduced demand management measures in 2012. These were revised in 2015 to reduce the number and size of applications from research organisations for NERC’s discovery science standard grant scheme. Full details can be found in the BU policy document for NERC demand management measures at I:\R&KEO\Public\NERC demand management 2016.

As at March 2015, BU has been capped at one application per standard grant round. The measures only apply to NERC standard grants (including new investigators). An application counts towards an organisation, where the organisation is applying as the grant holding organisation (of the lead or component grant). This will be the organisation of the Principal Investigator of the lead or component grant.

BU process

As a result, BU has introduced a process for determining which application will be submitted to each NERC Standard Grant round. This will take the form of an internal competition, which will include peer review. The next available standard grant round is July 2016. The process for selecting an application for this round can be found in the process document in I:\R&KEO\Public\NERC demand management 2016 – the deadline for internal Expressions of Interest which will be used to determine which application will be submitted is 8th April 2016.

NERC have advised that where a research organisation submits more applications to any round than allowed under the cap, NERC will office-reject any excess applications, based purely on the time of submission through the Je-S system (last submitted = first rejected). However, as RKEO submit applications through Je-S on behalf of applicants, RKEO will not submit any applications that do not have prior agreement from the internal competition.

Appeals process

If an EoI is not selected to be submitted as an application, the Principal Investigator can appeal to Professor Tim McIntyre-Bhatty, Deputy Vice-Chancellor. Any appeals must be submitted within ten working days of the original decision. All appeals will be considered within ten working days of receipt.

RKEO Contacts

Please contact Jennifer Roddis, RKEO Research Facilitator – jroddis@bournemouth.ac.uk or Jo Garrad, RKEO Funding Development Manager – jgarrad@bournemouth.ac.uk if you wish to submit an expression of interest.

 

Introduction to Research Professional – 5 April 2016

Funding opportunities

Research-Professional-logoResearch Professional will be delivering training at Bournemouth University between 12.30 – 2.00pm on 5/4/16 as part of Bournemouth Researcher Academic Development (BRAD) week.

Research Professional is a search engine designed to help researchers find potential funding calls, keep researchers up to date with developments in the higher education sector and can bring researchers together to compete for a funding call.

From this session you will be able to:

  • Register an account
  • Learn how to search for funding calls
  • Understand to search for articles
  • How to set up searches and personal alerts
  • How to use the Expression of Interest feature
  • How to find and use the pre-set BU workgroups

To book onto this session, please follow the link here.

The Research Blog – a new look!

In an effort to improve the research blog, we have added a few updates including a brand new face lift.

  • Home page
    Posts are now grouped by category, rather than as displayed as a full list. If you’d still like to see the full list of blog posts in date order, there is a link to the full blog at the top of the home page.
  • Individual blog posts
    Adding a blog post works in the same way, but the published post has a slightly different look to reflect the new brand.

    You can attach images as normal to your blog post.  However, if you want this image to appear next to the summary of your post shown on the blog homepage and on the daily digest then you also need to click on ‘set featured image’ (from the menu options, normally under ‘tags’) and select the image.

    Please do continue to share information, experiences, successes, advice and news with colleagues, and to promote your research both internally and externally through regular blog posts.

  • Daily digest
    The daily digest also has a new improved look.  Make sure that you are subscribed to receive the daily digest emails; this is the best way to keep up to date with research and knowledge exchange information at BU.

If you experience any problems with the updated blog, then please email research@bournemouth.ac.uk.

We are still looking to make further improvements, so if you have any comments please do complete our Research Blog Survey.

Please note, if you are using an older version of Internet Explorer and are having issues with the blog layout, please ensure that ‘compatibility view’ is disabled via the icon in the address bar.

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Research Blog Survey

Here at RKEO we are always trying to improve the services and information we provide to our audience and the research blog has been our main tool for communicating news to our audience. The research blog has been running since its first post back in March 2011, which makes it 5 years old this month!

With this historic achievement of age it doesn’t  mean that there isn’t room for improvement. If you have the time it would be greatly appreciated if you could fill out this quick survey about the research blog. This will allow us to improve the site and in turn provide a better service for you!

21FD6083B5F5C05F6562C774DBE189B9

FHSS paper in Journal of Neonatal Nursing

international, Publishing, writing

Cover image volume 22, Issue 2The April issue of the Journal of Neonatal Nursing will publish the latest article written by a combination of Faculty of Health & Social Sciences staff and Visiting Faculty.  The paper ‘Experiences of fathers with babies admitted to neonatal care units: A review of the literature’ offers a systematic narrative review on issues affecting fathers, whose babies are admitted to neonatal units. [1] The authors include Visiting Faculty Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust midwife Jillian Ireland and Prof. Minesh Khashu (consultant neonatologist) and FHSS staff Jaqui Hewitt-Taylor, Luisa Cescutti-Butler, and Edwin van Teijlingen.  Twenty-seven papers in this interesting review highlighted four key themes: (1) stress & anxiety; (2) information (or lack thereof); (3) gender roles and (4) emotions.  This paper adds to the growing literature (and understanding) of the role and place of men in maternity care generally and for fathers of babies in neonatal care in particular.

 

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

 

References:

  1. Ireland, J., Khashu, M., Cescutti-Butler, L., van Teijlingen, E., Hewitt-Taylor, J. (2016) Experiences of fathers with babies admitted to neonatal care units: A review of the literature, Journal of Neonatal Nursing [pre-published]

Public Engagement Opportunity: Speaker needed for April Cafe Scientifique

Cafe-Scientifique

We are looking for a speaker to present a talk at Cafe Scientifique on the 5th April.

Café Scientifique is held at Café Boscanova in Boscombe from 7.30-9pm and involves presenting your chosen topic/area of research and then opening up to the audience for questions. It is a popular, relaxed event and a great platform for public engagement. See here for a video of the set up, and idea of the sort of thing that goes on at Cafe Scientifique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzXAdr3RCUs

Please see the website for more information https://cafescibournemouth.wordpress.com/

If you’d like to be involved or if you have any questions, please contact Katie Breadmore on 61356/kbreadmore@bournemouth.ac.uk

 

 

 

 

Rewilding Dorset Meeting

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A one-day discussion meeting to explore the application of rewilding concepts to Dorset.

Date: Thursday 5th May

Meeting commences: 10:00 am

Meeting finishes: 5.30 pm

Venue: Charlton Down Village Hall, near Dorchester, Dorset. DT2 9UA

In recent years, rewilding has become a major theme in conservation, stimulated by publications such as George Monbiot’s Feral and the launch of rewilding organisations both in the UK and at the European scale. While a number of rewilding initiatives have been launched in the UK, most of these are predominantly located in upland areas in the north and west of the country. Elsewhere in Europe, many rewilding initiatives are seeking to encourage ecological recovery on agricultural land that has been abandoned. This raises the question of whether rewilding concepts are applicable to intensive agricultural landscapes such as Dorset, and if so, how they might best be implemented.

The aim of this meeting is to examine concept of rewilding: how it is defined, which approaches can be used, and whether such concepts and approaches might be relevant to Dorset.

We are delighted to be able to welcome a number of speakers who will present at the meeting, including leading researchers with expertise in rewilding, and practitioners with experience in implementing rewilding projects. The meeting will also involve representatives from a number of conservation organisations in Dorset, who will be invited to share their perspectives on rewilding. We hope to provide an opportunity to learn about what rewilding entails and to examine its strengths and weaknesses as a concept, and also to discuss its potential application in Dorset.

Speakers:

  • Dr Paul Jepson, Oxford University – “Rewilding policy: risk and opportunities”
  • Dr Christopher Sandom, University of Sussex – “Putting rewilding into practice”
  • Dr Matthew Heard, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology – “Ecological impacts of rewilding using extensive grazing: the case of Knepp Estate”
  • Fiona Bowles, Poole Harbour Catchment Initiative – “Is there space for Dorset Rivers to run wild?”
  • Helen Meech, Rewilding Britain – “Why Rewild Britain?”
  • Professor Richard Brazier, Exeter University – “Quantifying the ecohydrological impacts
  • of reintroducing Eurasian Beaver to intensively managed, lowland agricultural landscapes”
  • Alison Turnock, Dorset AONB – “The Wild Purbeck Nature Improvement Area – towards bigger, better, more, joined”

 

It is essential you book a ticket if you wish to attend, please visit: rewilding-dorset.eventbrite.co.uk.

For all enquiries email Arjan Gosal (agosal@bournemouth.ac.uk)

Photo credit:

European beaver (Castor fiber) by Per Harald Olsen/ NTNU (CC BY)

 

New Publication

Congratulations to Dr Jonathan Williams and colleagues for his recent publication on Rugby Scrummaging published in BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine.

Title: Does the new rugby union scrum sequence positively influence the hooker’s in situ spinal kinematics?

http://bmjopensem.bmj.com/content/2/1/e000064.full

 

Latest Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities

money

The following is a snap-shot of funding opportunities that have been announced. Please follow the links for more information:

ESRC

ESRC-NRF Newton call for collaborative research – Higher education in Africa

The funder invites proposals which address the following themes:

  • Organisation of higher education systems, higher education institutions (HEIs) and alternative providers
  • Equity in higher education access and participation
  • Curriculum, pedagogy and modes and levels of provision
  • Higher education for the public good
  • Higher education and the labour market

Maximum Award: GBP415,000 – 630,000 & R1.67m to 2.5m
Deadline: 3 May 2016

Wellcome Trust

Society Awwards

This scheme aims to:

  • stimulate interest, excitement and debate about biomedical science and/or the history of medicine
  • support formal and informal learning
  • reach audiences of all ages and from all walks of life and inform, inspire and involve them
  • encourage high-quality interdisciplinary practice and collaborations
  • investigate and test new methods of engagement, participation and education.

Maximum Award: GBP40,000 – 180,000 Deadline: 16 September 2016

European Defence Agency, EU

Pilot project on defence research

The European Defence Agency invites proposals for its pilot project on defence research. This supports two technological development projects in the area of defence and one research and development project linked to certification for military and civil use.

Maximum Award: 475,000 euros
Deadline: 20 May 2016

Reta Lila Weston Trust

Microbiome & neurodegenerative disease programme

The Reta Lila Weston Trust is delighted to issue a request for proposals for novel research with respect to the microbiome that will accelerate the development of therapeutics, identify preventative strategies for neurodegenerative diseases and neurocognitive decline or understand the resilience against such conditions or decline in elderly individuals as a result of the microbiome.

Maximum Award: GBP200,000
Deadline: 29 April 2016

Society for Endocrinology

Equipment grant

This grant is to support members who are principal investigators wishing to establish a lab. The grant is aimed at those in a first lectureship or those holding a charity fellowship and who are not in receipt of a substantial fellowship.

Applications can be for pieces of equipment, part pieces of larger equipment or basic lab items. Equipment service or maintenance costs can be included if justified appropriately.

Maximum Award: GBP10,000
Deadline: 27 May 2016 & 27 November 2016

The Palaeontological Association

Research grants

Grants should support a single research project, or a ‘proof of concept’ proposal with an aim of supporting future applications to national research funding bodies. Field-based projects are also eligible, but the scientific objectives and outcomes of the research must be made clear.

Maximum Award: GBP10,000
Deadline: 1 March 2017 recurring

ICT Innovation for Manufacturing SMEs, EU

Feasibility studies of regional digital manufacturing innovation hubs

This aims to expand the coverage of I4MS technologies to regions that show limited activity in the field of digital manufacturing. The feasibility studies will present a solid plan for creating a RDMI hub in the regions by a consortium of relevant organisations and should include a plan for financing such a hub.

Consortia of organisations that show expertise, infrastructure and a preliminary network in the domain of digital manufacturing in regions where there is no or limited competence centres planned or present are eligible to apply.

Maximum Award: 50,000 euros
Deadline: 28 April 2016

European Commission H2020

ECSEL Key Applications & Essential technologies

Proposals may address the following topics:

  • key applications, including smart mobility, smart society, smart energy, smart health and smart production;
  • essential capabilities, including semiconductor manufacturing, technology, equipment and materials, design technologies, cyber-physical systems, and smart integration systems.

Maximum Award: total budget of 65m euros available
Deadline: 24 May 2016

Canada Council for the Arts

Cultivate: Creative Development Grants

Cultivate: Creative Development Grants program provides support to individual artists who are Deaf, have disabilities and/or are living with mental illness to pursue research, creation and production projects in dance, inter-arts, media arts, music, theatre, visual arts and/or writing/literary arts, leading to a new artistic work or body of work intended for public presentation, exhibition, publication or distribution. Research/Creation Grants provide artists the time and resources to explore, develop and/or create a new artistic work or body of work. This may include the research and development of ideas, concepts, themes or techniques. A completed work or public presentation is not required.

Maximum Award: $10,000
Deadline: 15 September 2016

If you are interested in submitting to any of the above calls you must contact your  RKEO Funding Development Officer with adequate notice before the deadline.

For more funding opportunities that are most relevant to you, you can set up your own personalised alerts on Research Professional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s/Faculty’s Funding Development Officer in  RKEO or view the recent blog post here.

If thinking of applying, why not add notification of your interest on Research Professional’s record of the bid so that BU colleagues can see your intention to bid and contact you to collaborate.

RKEO Academic and Researcher induction

Guidance

The Research and Knowledge Exchange Office (RKEO) invite all ‘new to BU’ academics and researchers to an induction.

Signpost with the words Help, Support, Advice, Guidance and Assistance on the direction arrows, against a bright blue cloudy sky.This event provides an overview of all the practical information staff need to begin developing their research plans at BU, using both internal and external networks; to develop and disseminate research outcomes; and maximising the available funding opportunities.

The primary aim of this event is to raise participants’ awareness of how to get started in research at BU or, for more established staff, how to take their research to the next level. The induction will also provide participants with essential, practical information and orientation in key stages and processes of research and knowledge exchange at BU

The fourth induction will be held on 5th April 2016 on the 4th floor of Melbury House. The format of the day is as follows:

9.00-9.15 – Coffee/tea and cake/fruit will be available on arrival

9.15 – RKEO academic induction (with a break at 10.45)

11.25 – Organisational Development upcoming development opportunities

11.30 – Opportunity for one to one interaction with RKEO staff

12.00 – Close

There will also be literature and information packs available.

If you would like to attend the induction then please book your place through Organisational Development here. We will directly contact those who have started at BU in the last five months.

We hope you can make it and look forward to seeing you.

Regards,

The RKEO team

RKEO