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£5,000 business funding available – Innovation Vouchers

Business Engagement, Funding opportunities, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer

Are you working with business?

Innovation Vouchers are open to all kinds of small businesses.    Businesses  can claim up to £5,000 towards the cost of expert advice if they classify as a start-up, micro or  SME . The funding encourages SMEs and start-ups to seek out fresh knowledge that can help their business to grow and develop. This could include advice on an innovative idea, learning more about using design within the  business or how to make the most of intellectual property.

Business challenge

Innovation Vouchers  have in the past been available only in specific technology areas. Now a business can apply if  they  just meet these simple tests:

• you need specialist help to meet a business challenge

• it’s the first time you have worked with the university (a great first rung on the ladder before a KTP  perhaps?)

You can apply at any time with around 100 vouchers being awarded every 3 months – for 2015 this is April and July. 

For more information, visit the website  Innovation Vouchers .

Innovation Vouchers are funded by Innovate UK. A short guide to  help make clear what an assessor for Innovate UK competitions is looking for has been produced. All of the Innovate UK funding programmes follow a similar pattern and you should bear in mind that the questions are designed to help rather than trip you up. It is important that you answer the questions asked and cover all aspects the Guidance for Applicants describes.

 

 

 

Social science research at BU

During the consultation on Faculty structures it became evident that there is an interest across the University in closer cross-Faculty collaboration amongst those whose work is based in or influenced by the social sciences. To this end, Prof. Barry Richards of FMC and Prof. Jonathan Parker of HSS are convening a meeting at 2.30 (note start time) on Tuesday 17th March (in PG11, Talbot Campus) to discuss cross-Faculty collaborations in social science-based research. There are already a number of such collaborative projects underway, and the aim of this meeting would be to explore the prospects for developing existing links and shared activities in a more strategic way. This could create new synergies, raise BU’s profile as a place where ‘4*’ social research and thought leadership can be found, and strengthen our hand in funding bids. It could also have implications for research organization and REF planning.

So if you are engaged in or planning some research which you think might benefit from an environment with stronger inter-Faculty links and a richer interdisciplinary context, or would just like to know more about SS research across BU, do put this meeting in your calendar.

Working towards research impact in Nepal

Knowledge Transfer, Research assessment

BU’s Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health has a long history of working Nepal.  Last month (January 7th) BU’s partner Green Tara Nepal led the dissemination of the findings of our evaluation of key health promotion initiatives in Nepal. The evaluation was conducted in collaboration with the Government of Nepal, Green Tara Trust, a UK-based charity, several national and international non-governmental organisations and three UK universities, namely Liverpool John Moores University, Bournemouth University and the University of Sheffield. The evaluation identified key government, bilateral, UN agencies national and international non-governmental organisations working in health promotion in Nepal. Their health promotion activities and approaches were documented and gaps were identified.

As a follow up to both the evaluation and dissemination event we were asked by the journal Public Health Perspectives to write an editorial on our work.1  Our editorial ‘Health Promotion: A review of policies and practices in Nepal’ highlights the research we conducted and the state of health promotion we uncovered.  We also used our editorial to explain the UK notion of impact as formalised in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF).  To explain to our non-academic readers the REF is a nation-wide system to assess the quality academic research in all academic disciplines. 2-4  One key part of the REF is measuring the ‘impact’ that a UK university has on society and/or the economy.  This REF requires UK universities to write and submit a number of case studies that show societal impact.5   The dissemination of the health promotion research in Nepal is the beginning of a REF impact case study for Bournemouth University and our UK partner Liverpool John Moores University.  The editorial is a further stepping stone in the dissemination especially since it was co-authored between UK academics, health promotion practitioners as well as a member of the Constitutional Assembly (the Nepali equivalent of Parliament).   Working with policy-makers at an early stage increases the chances of our research being incorporated in national policy-making in Nepal.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

 

References:

  1. Sharma, A, Tuladhar, G., Dhungel, A., Padmadharini, van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P. (2015) Health Promotion: A review of policies and practices in Nepal, Public Health Perpective 5(2): http://phpnepal.org/index.php?listId=941#.VO4Qvn9tXkd
  2. Parker, J., van Teijlingen, E. (2012) The Research Excellence Framework (REF): Assessing the impact of Social Work research on society, Practice: Social Work in Action 24(1): 41-52.  http://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/20511/2/REF%20paper%20JPEvT.pdf
  3. van Teijlingen, E., Ryan, K., Alexander, J., Marchant, S. (2011) The Research Excellence Framework (REF): new developments to assess research in higher education institutions and its impact on society. MIDIRS 21 (3): 298-301.
  4. Hartwell, H., van Teijlingen, E., Parker, J. (2013) Nutrition; Effects of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) Nutrition & Food Science 43 (1): 74-77.
  5. Research Councils UK (2015)  RCUK Review of Pathways to Impact: Summary http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/RCUK-prod/assets/documents/documents/PtoIExecSummary.pdf

 

NERC Demand Management measures – Important changes

Funding opportunities, Guidance

NERC is implementing new demand managment measures designed to raise discovery science standard grant success rates.

This is to reduce the number and size of applications from research organisations for NERC’s discovery science standard grant scheme, and ensure research excellence, efficiency and value for money for the taxpayer.

Following an update on demand management measures in November 2014, NERC consulted with advisory boards and research organisations to determine the detailed mechanisms it will apply to reduce demand for discovery science standard grants.

From the July 2015 standard grants scheme, there will be a reduction in the maximum standard grant award size, from the current £1·2m to £800k (100% Full Economic Costing, £640k at 80% FEC).

At the same time, demand management measures in the form of a new institutional-level submission policy will take effect. This will be based on historic application and award data and will limit the number of applications an individual research organisation can make, where that organisation fails to meet a 20 per cent success rate quality threshold.  Research organisations that fail to meet the 20 per cent success rate threshold will have the number of applications the organisation can make in each standard grant round restricted, until the organisation meets the threshold. The data will be re-calculated annually using the most recent six grant rounds.  Restrictions will be calculated on a sliding scale with the most limiting restriction that will be applied to any research organisation being one application per grant round.

Any BU academics requiring further information on the cap should contact the RKEO Funding Development Team.  All BU academics intending to apply to the NERC Standard Grant scheme must contact the RKEO Funding Development Team in the first instance.  For the foreseeable future, there will be an internal competition for NERC standard grant applications in order to ensure that the highest quality applications are submitted.

The measures only apply to NERC standard grants (including new investigators); likewise the data used to calculate research organisation restrictions is only based on NERC standard grants (including new investigators).

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.  Any lead or component application from another research organisation linked to the rejected application will also be rejected. If any applications are subsequently rejected based on rule adherence or remit, a research organisation cannot submit alternative applications.

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 (component meaning where BU is the non-lead partner submitting our own application form through Je-S to accompany the lead application and case for support).

As said above, if you require further information then please contact the Funding Development Team (FDT) and if you intend to apply to future rounds then you must contact FDT as early as possible (it is advised that this is four months before a closing date).

Researcher Development Evaluation Toolkit

Training

Are you aware of the new unveiling of the Researcher Development Evaluation Toolkit? This could be a fantastic opportunity for you. The aim of the toolkit, which is developed by the Vitae Impact and Evaluation Group, is to provide researcher developers, policy and decision makers with access to a range of useful evaluation resources including evaluation template shared by our member institutions, case studies, papers, presentation and links.

This toolkit is a great addition to resources on impact and brings together the significant body of work Vitae and the Vitae Impact and Evaluation Group have developed since the original researcher development sector impact framework document first published in 2008. This resource should prove a great support to those evaluating impact whether new to the area or experienced in evaluation.

These resources can help with focusing on what is important when planning and implementing researcher development evaluation projects.

Impact levels for researcher development evaluation – The Impact Framework establishes a clear and robust focus for evaluation of researcher development initiatives and activity. It takes you through five levels of evaluation

Planning your evaluation – A step by step approach to help plan a successful evaluation study.

Evaluation templates – These are useful templates to help in the design of researcher development evaluation surveys.

Evaluation case studies – These researcher development impact case studies are written by higher education institutions in the UK.

Papers and Presentation – These give you access to recent papers and presentations with useful references to help develop successful evaluation studies.

Useful Links – There is additional information available to members on specific topics linked to researcher development evaluation.

There is huge encouragement for the members to contribute more examples of evaluation templates – join the Vitae Member Community for future updates.

Digital Briefing is out now!

Business Engagement, Funding opportunities, Knowledge Exchange

 

 

 

The February/March edition of the Digital Business Briefing is now live. This is a monthly publication that provides a digest of useful information about funding, financing, support and events to assist digital businesses with their innovation and growth strategies. This includes public funding calls, financing mechanisms, support, reports and events from leading organisations including Innovate UK, IC tomorrow, Nesta and Tech City UK. 

This has been combined  into one briefing document published monthly. A quick and easy way to keep up to speed with what is happening in the digital, creative and design sector.

Learn how to target high impact journals!

Guidance, Info Days, Publishing, Training

My Publishing Experience: Prof. Matthew Bennett

Wed 11 March 13:00-14:30 , TAG03, Tolpuddle Annexe, Talbot Campus, Bournemouth University.

On Wednesday 11th March, Prof. Matthew Bennett will be hosting a Writing Academy lunchbyte session at TAG03, Tolpuddle Annexe, Talbot Campus, Bournemouth University.

In this session, Matthew will talk about his personal publishing experience, his approaches to research and writing, how to develop a publication strategy and the challenges of working with colleagues and dealing with both reviewers and editors.  He will talk about all type of publishing from journal articles, to books via edited compilations.  Drawing on personal experience he will also focus on how you target high impact journals.   After the presentation, attendees are invited to stay and discuss the topic with the speaker over lunch.

To book a place on either of these workshops, please email staffdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk

If you have any questions relating to these sessions then please contact Pengpeng Hatch.

 

Matt Bentley’s Fusion Fund Research in South Africa

Here in South Africa kicking off the Fusion Fund project on controlling pest infestations in abalone aquaculture. I arrived safely in Stellenbosch yesterday after the overnight flight from Heathrow. It was nearly two hours late but actually arriving at 08.30 rather than 06.30 local time is not a bad thing. I met up with Carol (Dr Carol Simon) in the Botany and Zoology Department of Stellenbosch University today. Two BU students will be here on the Fusion Fund project early this summer so sorting out the details for their visit are the first priority. We need to plan all the experimental work carefully to make sure we don’t lose time and get everything done (I should say achieve all the objectives!) that we need to during their research visit.

Dr Simon is the SA lead on the project

Lunchtime Seminar with Zoe Sheppard on 4th March

Fusion, PG research, student research

Lunchtime Seminar on the Findings from Research Impact Scoping Exercise, Wednesday 4th March in R302

Research should make a difference, and as the Faculty’s strapline is ‘helping to make people’s lives better’, it is of relevance to us all. Our forthcoming Seminar series will showcase some of the excellent work of the Faculty to inspire other academics and PhD students.

No need to book, just turn up. Contact Zoe on zsheppard@bournemouth.ac.uk for more information.

Future Impact Seminar dates can be found by clicking on the link below.

Impact Seminar dates 2015

We look forward to seeing you there.

Bournemouth & Poole Sustainable Food City Partnership achieve Sustainable Fish City Award – a great outcome from partnership working.

I have reported previously on BU’s engagement as a partner in the Bournemouth & Poole Sustainable Food City Partnership (SFC) http://blogs.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/2014/05/21/getting-on-board-with-the-bournemouth-and-poole-sustainable-food-cities-partnership/

It is now exciting to provide a further update – as part of the project Bournemouth and Poole have become the first towns in the world to achieve Sustainable Fish City status.  Some of the most important caterers and restaurant locally have committed to serving only verifiably sustainable fish, impacting upon over 3.6 million fish meals a year throughout the towns.

The campaign, run by the partnership, has been asking businesses and organisations across the two towns to make a pledge and commit to only using sustainably sourced fish in their menus.  Institutions involved include nearly all primary schools, leisure centres, theatres, Bournemouth Pavilion, large workplace restaurants, Bournemouth University, all major hospitals and some of the most iconic and best-loved restaurants including the Highcliff Marriot Hotel and A.F.C. Bournemouth. Despite hot competition from a number of other cities across the UK we are the first to receive the prestigious five star Sustainable Fish City award.

It is a truly extraordinary achievement which will have a huge impact on the local and national supply chain for fish.

Already we are seeing the impact of the campaign beyond Bournemouth and Poole – Harrison Catering Services, one of the UK’s top education and workplace caterers have recently taken the Fish Cities pledge on behalf of their UK-wide operation, and a major inspiration was the pledge of their Poole-based customer, the Jordans and Ryvita Company.

Molly Scott Cato, South West Green MEP, presented the award to Matt Budden, the Executive Chef of the Highcliff Grill at the Marriott Hotel on behalf of Sustainable Fish Cities at her recent visit to the area.

Ruth Westcott, Co-ordinator of Sustainable Fish Cities said:

“We are absolutely delighted to crown the world’s first Sustainable Fish City in Bournemouth and Poole – this campaign began back in 2011, inspired by the sustainable fish on the menu at the London 2012 Olympics, and it has taken a lot of hard work to get here.

Many of the world’s fish stocks are in a worryingly depleted state, but there are still shockingly few places in the UK that you can eat out safe in the knowledge that you are not eating an endangered or unsustainably caught species. Bournemouth and Poole’s most important and iconic institutions have proven that it is possible for any kind of caterer or restaurant to take action on this issue. I am sure they will be an inspiration to many other towns and cities in the UK to follow suit.”

Sarah Watson, Manager of the Sustainable Food City Partnership for Bournemouth and Poole said:

“We were determined that Bournemouth and Poole would be the first area to achieve this award.  We not only have some of the best places to eat out in the country but we also have an important fishing industry around Poole Quay which is a significant part of our local culture.”

£4M Protecting Data in Industry

Funding opportunities, Knowledge Exchange

 

 

Innovate UK is to invest up to £4 million in collaborative research and development (R&D) projects that tackle the growing risks of disruption to internet-enabled businesses and their digital supply chains.

With the Internet of Things providing new sources of data and end-users’ ever-increasing digital footprint, it is difficult to adequately protect the interests of a business, industry or sector. There is also a lack of understanding of the effects disruption may have.  Desired proposals would address the challenge of protecting a business, industry or sector from digital disruption that could compromise data across the digital supply chain.

A series of briefing events are being run during March and April:

Belfast: 25 March 2015 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/protecting-data-in-industry-briefing-belfast-registration-15751274486

Cardiff: 30 March 2015 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/protecting-data-in-industry-briefing-cardiff-registration-15751564353

London: 31 March 2015 – https://www.etouches.com/118529

Edinburgh: 01 April 2015 – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/protecting-data-in-industry-briefing-edinburgh-registration-15751602467

Talk BU Live this Tuesday in Dylan’s

 

Paola Palma will be talking about “Shipworms, shipwrecks and global ‘worming'” on Tuesday 24 February in Dylan’s bar at 5:30pm.

Join us for a fascinating insight into maritime archaeology and find out how we can save historical shipwrecks from being eaten by shipworms.

The talk lasts just 20 minutes and is followed by a short Q&A. To find out more or get to involved check out the Talk BU pages.

Please note this talk will be filmed and made available online.

Congratulations to PhD student Sarah Price for her award

Congratulations!

Well done to PhD student Sarah Price who has been awarded a grant from Sawtooth (worth approximately 5,000 US dollars) to use their software MaxDiff and CiW in conjoint analysis. They will highlight her research and BU on their web page which is great for impact and for dissemination of her work.

Sarah is collecting data in the UK and Germany where her research looks at eating out and aims to evaluate the type of information that consumers value when selecting food particularly in a work site canteen. Past food scares have created a great interest in information about food and so this is a hot topic of interest.

The grant will allow her to now progress with the primary data collection and analysis.

Europe needs Post-Docs!

PG research, Training

You can apply to the Call for Expressions of Interest  if you are from the EU Member States and from Associated Countries: Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Faeroe Islands, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, Norway, Republic of Moldova, Switzerland, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey.

You will also need to meet the following educational requirements:

A level of education corresponding to completed university studies of at least three (3) years attested by a diploma and

  1. at least five (5) years of professional experience in one of the fields listed below:
    – OR –
  2. a doctoral diploma in one of the fields listed below (see sections II and VI of the call):

Biology, Chemistry, Natural Sciences, Life Sciences, Biochemistry, Oceanography / Marine Sciences, Nanotechnology, Nanobiotechnology, Veterinary, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Computer Sciences, Statistics, Material Sciences, Economics, Political Sciences, Social Sciences, Educational Sciences, Psychology , Geography, Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Engineering, Meteorology, Ecology, Forestry, Geology, Hydrological Sciences, Medical Sciences, Pharmacy, Nutritional Sciences

If this does not apply to you but you have a colleague who would benefit from this opportunity, please pass this information on to them.

New research institute launched at BU: Institute for Studies in Landscape and Human Evolution

I am pleased to announce the launch today of the Institute for Studies in Landscape and Human Evolution (ISLHE) following agreement of UET in January of this year.  We are grateful for the support of Professor John Fletcher and the initial investment to get this initiative underway.  The new institute will focus on some of the most fundamental questions about our own species using a multidisciplinary approach.

What drove the evolution of our species?  Why did some species in the human family tree become extinct while others did not?  What role did climate change and landscape processes play in guiding this evolution?  These are fundamental questions about our own origins and what drove our evolution.  The Institute’s research agenda is focused on tackling these questions from a landscape-based perspective integrating palaeoanthropology, ecology and remote sensing with earth and computer sciences.  Additionally, a key part of our mission is to collaborate with computer animators to bring our science alive in the imagination of both scientific and popular audiences.

We are focusing initially on agent-based models of hominins within landscapes and we have a number of funding applications pending to drive this forward.  The Institute will be led by me in association with Sally Reynolds (Sci-Tech) who joined the university last summer and is an expert in hominin palaeoecology.  We are pursuing an open and inclusive agenda with the aim of collaborating with anyone interested in getting involved.  The initial proposal was supported by Adrian Newton, Amanda Korstjens, John Stewart, Bogdan Gabrys and Peter Truckel.

We are planning a formal launch later in the year, with a keynote speaker, and will be holding an open meeting for all those interested in finding out more and getting involved on the 25 March and details of this will follow shortly.

From a personal point of view it is great to be back focused on my research and teaching – life after the suit is good and long may it continue!

 

Professor Matthew Bennett