Tagged / BU research

3C Event: Research Culture, Community & Cherry Blossom

Join BU’s Research Community for an hour of reflection and connection

Inspired by Hanami, the Japanese tradition of cherry blossom season which focuses on reflecting on growth, change. and the beauty of fleeting moments.

Breakthroughs in research, much like cherry blossoms, can be brief but they are always worth celebrating.

The 3C Event offers a relaxed, informal space to recharge and share experiences alongside your colleagues.

What to Expect

  • Creative Crafting: Get involved with paper blossom making and origami
  • Meaningful Connection: A relaxed forum to exchange ideas and discuss your research journey
  • Refreshments: Enjoy a selection of treats while you chat

All members of the BU Research Community welcome

Tuesday 14 April, 4-5pm

SUBU 5th Floor Space, Talbot Campus

Find out more and register here

Boost Your Research Profile: Training Sessions with The Conversation

Knowledge Exchange, Training

The Conversation is a premier news and opinion platform featuring content written exclusively by academics, researchers, and PhD candidates

Backed by professional journalists, it offers a high-impact way to share research with the public, build a media profile, and develop confidence in external communication.

BU’s impact on the platform is already significant: over the last year, BU academics have published 32 articles, reaching nearly 1 million page views. To help more staff get involved, two dedicated training sessions led by editors from The Conversation are being offered. These sessions are a perfect opportunity to learn the ropes and discuss specific article ideas. Writing for The Conversation: Interactive Workshop

In this session, attendees will learn how to translate complex research for a general audience and how to structure articles for maximum engagement. Participants will also have the chance to pitch story ideas directly to a Conversation editor.

Wednesday 22 April, 2-4pm

Online

Please note: Spaces are limited to 20 attendees

Find out more and register here

One-to-One Meetings with the Editor

For those with specific projects in mind, the team is offering eight individual appointments (15–20 minutes each). This is a rare chance to get personalised feedback and expert advice on how to take your article ideas forward. 8 individual appointments available.

Wednesday 20 May, 2-4pm

Online

Book your One-to-One slot here

New HIV paper by BU PhD student

international, PG research, Publishing, student research, writing

The editor of HIV Research & Clinical Practice informed us that the paper ‘Stigma in UK health care: A key barrier to reaching zero HIV transmission by 2030’ has been accepted for publication [1].   This paper is based on the PhD research currently conducted by Mr. Tom Weeks in the Faculty of Health, Environment & Medical Sciences (HEMS).  Tom’s thesis focuses on the perceptions of stigmatisation of People Living with HIV in care settings in the UK and the kind of education health care staff (clinical and non-clinical) receive in relation to HIV.  His long-term aim in the PhD is to help improve education to reduce such stigma.  Tom is being supervised by Dr. Pramod Regmi and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen. 

Both supervisors have a long experience in studying social and health promotion aspects of HIV and AIDS.  Thirty years ago Prof. van Teijlingen worked in the NHS as a researcher in the Centre for HIV/AIDS and Drugs Studies based in Edinburgh.  Whilst Dr. Regmi conducted his PhD research on sexual health and health promotion in young people in Nepal.  Both supervisors themselves have published widely on the topic of HIV and AIDS [2-23].  The first of these many publication was a letter on community care for people living with HIV in the community which was published in the Lancet in 1993 [2]. 

 

 

References

  1. Weeks, T., Regmi, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2026) Stigma in UK health care: A key barrier to reaching zero HIV transmission by 2030, HIV Research & Clinical Practice (accepted).
  2. Huby, G, van Teijlingen E, Porter M., Bury, J (1993) Care for HIV in community (letter) Lancet 342: 1297-1298.
  3. Huby, G, van Teijlingen, E, Robertson J, Porter, AM (1993) Community care & support for women, In: Johnson F & Johnstone M. (Eds.) HIV Infection in Women, Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 123-32.
  4. Bury, J.K., Ross, A., van Teijlingen, E., Porter, AMD, Bath, G. (1996) Lothian GPs, HIV infection & Drug Misuse: Epidemiology, Experience & Confidence 1988-93 Health Bulletin, 54: 258-269.
  5. Huby, GO, van Teijlingen E, Porter, AMD, Bury, J. (1997) Co-ordination of care on discharge from hospital into the community for patients with HIV/AIDS in Lothian, Health Bulletin, 55:338-50.
  6. van Teijlingen, E, Huby, G. (1998) Evaluation within a policy-making and contracting culture: reflections of practice, In: Barbour R.S., Huby G. (Eds.), Meddling with mythology: AIDS & the social construction of knowledge, London: Routledge, 218-33.
  7. Lowis, G, van Teijlingen, E, Sheremata, W. (2000) AIDS in developing countries: A comparative epidemiological analysis, In: Rose, J. (Ed.), Population Problems, Reading: Gordon & Breach Science Publishers: 133-61
  8. Scotland, G., van Teijlingen E., van der Pol, M, Smith, WCS. (2003) A review of studies assessing costs & consequences of interventions to reduce mother-to-child HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa, Aids, 17: 1045-52.
  9. Nicholson, D., van Teijlingen E. (2006) Comparing level of expenditure on HIV health promotion & incidence of HIV in Greater Glasgow & Lothian Health Boards (1988-98), Salusvita, 25(1): 13-22 usc.br/Edusc/colecoes/revistas/salusvita_pdf/salusvita_v25_n.1_2006.pdf
  10. Regmi, P., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen E. (2008) Sexual & reproductive health status among young people in Nepal: opportunities & barriers for sexual health education & service utilisation, Kathmandu University Medical Journal 6(2): 248-256.
  11. Wasti, S.P., Simkhada, P.P, Randall, J., van Teijlingen E. (2009) Issues & Challenges of HIV/AIDS Prevention & Treatment Programme in Nepal, Global Journal of Health Science 1(2): 62-72. http://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/gjhs/article/viewFile/2460/3474
  12. Regmi P, Simkhada PP, van Teijlingen E (2010) “Boys Remain Prestigious, Girls become Prostitutes”: Socio-Cultural Context of Relationships & Sex among Young People in Nepal, Global Journal of Health Science 2(1): 60-72.
  13. Regmi P., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen E. (2010) “There are too many naked pictures found in papers and on the net”: Factors encouraging pre-marital sex among young people of Nepal. Health Science Journal 4(3): 162-174. hsj.gr/volume4/issue3/437.pdf
  14. Regmi, P., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen E. (2010) Dating and Sex among Emerging Adults in Nepal. Journal of Adolescence Research 26 (6): 675-700.
  15. Regmi, P., van Teijlingen, E, Simkhada, P., Acharya, D. (2010) Barriers to sexual health services for young people in Nepal. Journal of Health Population & Nutrition 28: 619-27.
  16. Wasti, SP, Simkhada, PP, van Teijlingen E (Eds.) (2015) Socio-Cultural Aspects of HIV/ AIDS. The Dynamics of Health in Nepal, Kathmandu: Soc Sci Baha/Himal Books: 47-62.
  17. Aryal, N., Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Dhungel, D., Ghale, G., Bhatta, G.K. (2016) Knowing is not enough: Migrant workers’ spouses vulnerability to HIV, SAARC Journal of Tuberculosis, Lung Diseases & HIV/AIDS 8(1):9-15.
  18. Ochillo, M., van Teijlingen, E., Hind, M. (2017) Influence of faith-based organisations on HIV prevention strategies in Africa: systematic review. African Health Sciences 17(3): 753-61.
  19. Sathian, B., Sreedharan, J., Asim, M., Menezes, R.G., van Teijlingen, E., Unnikrishnan, B. (2018) Estimation of burden of people living with HIV/AIDS in Kerala state, India. Nepal Journal of Epidemiology 8(3): 738-44.
  20. Hamidi, A., Regmi, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2021) HIV epidemic in Libya: Identifying gaps, Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care, 20 :1-5 https://doi.org/10.1177/23259582211053964 .
  21. Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, E.R., Silwal, R.C., Dhital, R. (2022) Role of social media for sexual communication and sexual behaviors: A focus group study among young people in Nepal. Journal of Health Promotion, 10(1):153–166. https://doi.org/10.3126/jhp.v10i1.50995
  22. Hamidi, A., Regmi, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2023) Facilitators and barriers to condom use in Middle East and North Africa: a systematic review, Journal of Public Health, 32: 1651-81 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-023-01923-3
  23. Hamidi, A., Regmi, P, van Teijlingen, E. (2024) Islamic perspectives on HIV: a scoping review, Discover Social Science & Health 4:6 https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s44155-024-00063-7.pdf

BU Annual Research Conference: Poster Exhibition Call for Applications

Research & Innovation Services invite submissions for the poster exhibition at the inaugural BU Annual Research Conference, taking place on Tuesday 9 June 2026. This event is a landmark celebration of our Research Excellence and a key step in our collective journey toward BU2035

How to Participate: Poster Exhibition 

The poster exhibition features two distinct categories:

1. Research Excellence

All researchers from PGRs to Senior Academics are invited to submit posters or table presentations highlighting:

  • Innovative methodologies or interdisciplinary work
  • Tangible impacts on society, policy, or industry

To apply, please complete and submit an application form by 5pm on Monday 27 April.

As this is a multidisciplinary conference, please ensure your content is accessible to a broad academic audience.

Find out more and apply here

2. Research Centre 

Each Institute or Research Centre is invited to submit one poster presenting:

  • Mission and focus areas
  • Key projects and achievements
  • Opportunities for collaboration
  • Contact information

No application needed. The Head of each centre will be contacted, please get in touch directly with them to share your ideas about a poster submission.

Submission Process & Guidelines

Abstracts should be strictly no longer than 200 words and include an overview of your research, your approach, and your contribution to the field (references are not required). Submissions will be shortlisted by your Faculty Associate Dean (Research, Innovation & Enterprise), and you will be advised of the outcome following the closing date. We may also consider arranging live table presentations, provided a minimum number of applications are received.

Poster Guidance:

  • Format: A1 size (594mm x 841mm), landscape or portrait
  • Design: Visual clarity and accessibility are strongly recommended
  • Display: Posters will be exhibited on the day of the conference from 9am-4pm

Why Get Involved? 

Participating in the conference allows you the opportunity to increase the visibility of your work within the BU community, help shape the future of the university’s research priorities, and build new interdisciplinary partnerships.

Key Dates 

  • Monday 27 April: Call for abstracts closes
  • Friday 22 May: Deadline for final presentation version
  • May (TBC): General registration for attendees opens
  • Tuesday 9 June: Conference Day

Provisional Programme 

9-9:30am: Registration & Coffee

9:30-11am: Poster Exhibition (FG04 & FG06)

11-11:20am: Opening Remarks & Welcome – Andy Scott & Professor Niamh Downing (Share Lecture Theatre)

11:20am-12:45pm: Symposium: Research Excellence & BU2035 – Chair: Professor Einar Thorsen (Share Lecture Theatre)

12:45-1:30pm: Lunch & Poster Viewings (FG04 & FG06)

1:30-3:45pm: BU Research & Future Challenges – Oral Presentations (FG04 & FG06)

3:45-4pm: Closing Remarks

Contact Us 

If you have any questions, please contact the Researcher Development and Culture Team: researcherdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk

3C Online Social: Thursday 26 March 1–2pm – Research Culture, Community & Can you Guess Who?

Could you describe your research in just 7 words? The Doctoral College’s 3C Event returns this Thursday 26 March, bringing our research community together through Culture, Community, and Connection.

This session offers a playful, online social where we use images and short clues to “Guess Who” is behind the work. It’s a fantastic way to showcase your projects creatively and meet potential collaborators in a relaxed environment.

How it works

  1. Submit an image that best represents your research (think abstract, literal, or symbolic).
  2. Provide a 7-word description of your work
  3. Join us online to see if the research community can match the clues to the right researcher

Whether you contribute, or simply join as an audience member, it’s a great opportunity to share your work and spark new connections.

Event details

Thursday 26 March, 1-2pm

Online

Find out more and register here

We’re looking forward to seeing you there. If you have any questions, please get in touch with the Research Development & Culture Team: researcherdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk

Four BU students at national midwifery conference

conferences, PG research, Women's Academic Network

This week four postgraduate midwifery students from Bournemouth University attended the Royal College of Midwives annual Education & Research conference in London.  Their contributions included studies on: (1) ‘A Unique Approach to Smoking Cessation During Pregnancy’ by Ph.D. student Louise Barton; (2) Investigating how women make decisions about prescribed psychiatric medication use during pregnancy by M.Res. student Jessica Correia; (3) Harnessing midwives’ research delivery expertise to encourage medics’ participation in research’ by M.Res. student Susara Blunden; and (4) ‘Personalised care for women of advanced maternal age, from conception to postnatal care: A mixed-methods study’ by Ph.D. student Joanne Rack. Joanne was also at this conference in her capacity of the newly appointed Editor-in-Chief of The Practising Midwife. 

Congratulations to these postgraduate students and their supervisors.

Profs. Vanora Hundley & Edwin van Teijlingen

 

Prof Marahatta promoting BU-Nepal collaboration

international, Publishing, writing

On Monday 9th March Prof. Sujan Marahatta visited Bournmouth University (BU) to speak about ‘Strengthening BU-Nepal collaboration AND Nepal’s experience of competency-based health professional education’.  Prof. Marahatta is the Director of the Medical Education Commission in Nepal overseeing the education of health professionals in 15 areas including Medicine, Physiotherapy, Nursing and Midwifery. He spoke about long partnership between Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences (MMIHS) and BU.  This partnership is formalised in a Memoradum of Agreement (MoA) and over the years it has included joint research projects, staff-student exchanges (funded by ERASMUS+ and Turing scheme) and offering guest lectures at each others institutions.

One of the jointly conducted studies which Prof. Marahatta highlighted was the work on CPD (Continuous Professional Development) in nursing and midwifery in Nepal.  Research on CPD started a decade ago and culminated in several papers [1-4]. The research was combined with sustained advocacy and stakeholder engagement, and resulted in the Nepal Nursing Council (NNC) formally introduced mandatory CPD as a requirement for nursing and midwifery re-registration earlier this year (15 January 2026).  The National Guideline on Continuing Nursing and Midwifery Education (CNME) CPD for Nurses and Midwives refer to our work conducted by academics based at Bournemouth University.  This is the foundation for one of BU’s REF Impact Case Studies for 2029.

Amongst other studies, Prof. Marahatta also highlighted a recent publication which was  jointly authored between BU’s professors Clark and Hundley and himself on pain catastrophising in nulliparous women in Nepal, the importance for childbirth [5].  Prof. Marahatta’s  visit was held in the Faculty of Health, Environment & Medical Sciences (HEMS) in the Bournemouth Gateway Building.

References:

  1. Simkhada B, Mackay S, Khatri R, Sharma CK., Pokhrel T, Marahatta SB., Angell C, van Teijlingen E, Simkhada P. (2016) Continual Professional Development (CPD): Improving Health Prospect15 (3):1-3.
  2. Khatri, RJ, van Teijlingen, E, Marahatta, SB, Simkhada, P, Mackay, S and Simkhada, B. Exploring the Challenges and Opportunities for Continuing Professional Development for Nurses: A Qualitative Study with Senior Nurse Leaders in Nepal. Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences. 2021 7(1):15-29. 
  3. Simkhada B, van Teijlingen E, Pandey A, Sharma CK, Simkhada P, Singh DR (2023) Stakeholders’ Perceptions of Continuing Professional Development among Nepalese Nurses: A Focus Group Study Nursing Open.10(5).
  4. Simkhada B, van Teijlingen E, Sharma C, Pandey A, Simkhada P. (2023) Nepal needs Continuing Professional Development for Re-registration in Nursing and Midwifery Journal of Nepal Health Research Council, 21(60):541-42.
  5. Clark CJ, Marahatta SB, Hundley VA. (2024) The prevalence of pain catastrophising in nulliparous women in Nepal; the importance for childbirth. PLoS ONE 19(8): e0308129. https://doi. org/10.1371/journal.pone.0308129.

3C Online Social: Research Culture, Community & Can you Guess Who? Thursday 26 March 1-2pm

The Doctoral College invites BU’s research community to a relaxed online social centred on Culture, Community, and Connection

This 3C event offers a playful break from the academic routine with a “Guess Who?” game where your work takes centre stage. Submit an image that best represents your research along with a 7-word description of your work, then join us online to see who can match the clues to the right researcher.

Whether you contribute, or join as an audience member, it’s a fantastic way to share your work creatively and spark new collaborations

Event Details

Thursday 26 March

1-2pm

Online

Find out more and register here

We’re looking forward to seeing you there!

If you have any questions about the event, please get in touch with the Research Development & Culture Team: researcherdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk

Final Call: UKCGE Recognised Research Supervision Programme – Deadline Monday 16 March

The deadline is approaching for BU staff to apply for national accreditation via the UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE) Research Supervisor Recognition Programme

This programme provides a formal mechanism for supervisors to evaluate their practice against the Good Supervisory Practice Framework. To date, over 30 BU supervisors have achieved this recognition, identifying strengths and establishing clear pathways for professional growth.

Key Benefits Include:

Methodological Evaluation: Analyse your supervisory methods and decision-making processes.

National Benchmarking: Map your practice against established UK standards of excellence.

Professional Advancement: Identify clear routes for improvement at both Full and Associate award levels.

Award Level 

The Research Supervisor Recognition Programme offers two levels based on your current experience:

Recognised Supervisor (Full Award): For those who have supported doctoral candidates through to final examination and completion.

Recognised Associate Supervisor (Associate Award): For those who have not yet seen a candidate through to completion, or who supervise in an informal capacity.

Application Requirements

1. Reflective Account

Complete a reflective account of your supervisory practice aligned with the Good Supervisory Practice Framework.

Recognised Supervisor Reflective Account Form 

Recognised Associate Supervisor Reflective Account Form 

Find out more about structured self-reflection

2. References and Documentation

To authenticate your account, you must provide the following:

For the Full Award: A reference from a former doctoral candidate AND a reference from a colleague (e.g., a co-supervisor).

For the Associate Award: A reference from a colleague AND a Supervision Observation report.

Personal Reference Form

Supervision Observation Form (Associate award only)

3. Formal Approval

Along with your application, a formal approval email must be sent from your Associate Dean Research, Innovation and Enterprise directly to researcherdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk

Key Information

Peer-reviewed feedback: Applications are reviewed by a two-person panel; you will receive actionable feedback regardless of the outcome.

Fully funded: The Doctoral College covers the full cost of applications for all BU supervisors.

Support: Access guidance and tips from our recent Supervisory Lunchbite workshop here.

FAQs: UKCGE | Frequently Asked Questions

Deadlines

Internal BU Deadline: 9am Monday 16 March 2026

UKCGE Deadline: Friday 20 March 2026

Expected Outcome: June 2026

Submission

Complete applications should be submitted to Julia Taylor (Doctoral College) researcherdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk

Accessing Sign Language for Better Communication

Awarded & submitted bids, international

We warmly invite you to a two‑day workshop/symposium funded by the British Council’s International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF). The event will open on Monday afternoon (9 March) with two introductory British Sign Language (BSL) taster sessions led by professional BSL teachers from the Wilts & Dorset Deaf Association (WDDA). This will be followed by a full day of talks on Tuesday, featuring academics, professionals, and researchers discussing sign language history, recognition, and the role of AI in supporting inclusive communities.

Venue: Student Hall, Talbot Campus

Event Schedule is as follows:

Monday (9th March)

12:30  Registration

12:50  Opening address

13:00 – 14:30 BSL session – BSL teachers: Lynn Preston & Richard Neale

14:30 – 15:00 Break

15:00 – 16:30 BSL session – BSL teachers: Lynn Preston & Richard Neale

16:30  Closing

 

Tuesday (10th March)

9:30     Registration

9:50     Opening address

10:00 – 11:00 AI Translation between Sign and Spoken Language

Presenter: Richard Bowden is Professor of Computer Vision and Machine Learning within the Centre for Vision Speech and Signal Processing at the University of Surrey. He is also co-founder of Signapse. His research centres on the use of computer vision to locate, track, and understand humans with a specific interest and focus on sign languages. Having worked on many areas of computer vision, including robotics, autonomous vehicles and the tracking and analysis of humans. He has been developing computational approaches to sign language recognition and translation for over 30 years. Over the last few years Richard has refocused his entire research group on Sign Language Translation, with recent funding including a large grant from Google to reduce the cost of translation through AI and SignGPT, which aims to develop the next generation of AI tools for sign languages.

11:00 – 11:15 Break

11:15 – 12:00 A History of the Development and Access to British Sign Language

Presenter: George Raggett has been deaf from the age of eight through a yet undiagnosed hereditary condition. George acquired good speaking and reading skills prior to his hearing loss and prefer to communicate using these methods, supplemented by hearing aids and naturally developed lip-reading skills. George has developed Sign Language skills since 1987 and has been teaching Sign Language and Deaf Awareness & Communication courses to all ages since qualifying as a teacher in 2002. In 2007, George became a trustee of The Wiltshire and Dorset Deaf Association, a charity set up to promote and support the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communities of both counties, in 2004

12:00 – 13:30 Break

13:30 – 14:15 Relevant Annotation for Multimodal Interaction Analysis: AI Bridging Interaction Studies of Gestures and Signs

Presenter: Mayumi Bono is an Associate Professor at the National Institute of Informatics (NII), Tokyo, Japan. She received her Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics from Kobe University in 2005. In her Ph.D. project, she demonstrated how to build a machine-readable model of the ‘Participation Framework,’ initially provided by Canadian-American sociologist Erving Goffman. After receiving her Ph.D., she got a position in informatics at ATR Media Information Science Laboratories, Kyoto University, and the National Institute of Informatics based on fruitful collaborations with engineering and informatics researchers. Currently, she is conducting several research projects of building sharable spoken and sign language multimodal corpora in an open science framework for all academic researchers interested in human communication using artificial intelligence techniques such as machine learning.

14:15 – 14:45 J-Shuwa: A Large-Scale Web-Collected Japanese Sign Language-Japanese Parallel Corpus

Presenter: Junwen Mo is a PhD candidate in the Nakayama Lab at the University of Tokyo. His research focuses on sign language understanding, with an emphasis on Japanese Sign Language translation. Recently, he has also developed an interest in alternative computational paradigms for artificial intelligence.

14:45 – Break

15:00 – 15:30 Between Representation and Embodiment: Perspectives on Sign Language Avatars

Presenter: Yi Wen is a first-year PhD researcher at Bournemouth University, where she previously completed her Master’s in Artificial Intelligence. She has a background in the game industry, working on large-scale production pipelines and collaborative projects. Her current research interests include sign language avatars, particularly exploring how different representational approaches may influence how signing is generated and experienced.

15:30 – 16:00 Continuous Sign language Recognition (CSLR): Feature Extraction from an Image Procesing Perspective

Presenter: Xinyu Zhang is an artificial intelligence researcher working at the intersection of medical imaging, representation learning, and algorithmic alignment. Her research advances contemporary medical AI by promoting approaches that reduce dependence on clinical expert teams and high computational resources, thereby enhancing scalability, reproducibility, and accessibility.

16:30 Closing

From Sustainable Research to Sustainable Research Lives: Reflections from the SPROUT Network Event

Supported by the ECR Research Culture and Community Grant, the SPROUT Network hosted its second collaborative hybrid event at BU’s Fusion Building on Tuesday 17 February 2026. What does it mean to be a “sustainable” researcher? Does it refer to the topics being studied, or the way researchers live their lives while conducting that work? The session brought together PGRs, ECRs, and supervisors from Bournemouth, Cardiff, and Durham Universities to tackle these very questions.

Building Momentum: The Three Pillars

Following the foundation laid during the network’s inaugural session in November, this second event moved the conversation forward. Shifting the focus from what is researched to how researchers work and sustain themselves.

The organisers structured the day around three core pillars:

  1. Sustainability as Practice: Exploring how research is designed and carried out, from initial focus and methodology to eventual impact
  2. Sustainability as Culture: Examining how research environments and institutional structures shape what is possible and what is valued within academia
  3. Sustainability as Research Lives: Focusing on the human element, sustaining the “researcher self” and professional communities over the long term

Keynote Insights: Practice and Resilience

The network was honoured to welcome two keynote speakers who offered unique, complementary perspectives.

Professor Fiona Cownie framed sustainability as an active choice enacted through doctoral work. Introducing the “Sustainability Triangle,” challenging researchers to balance their Choices (topics and methods) against external Constraints (time and resources) and the necessity of Compromise without losing professional integrity.

Professor Emerita Fiona Cownie introducing the 'Sustainability Triangle,' a framework designed to help researchers balance methodology with institutional constraints

Keynote speaker Professor Fiona Cownie discussing the vital role of sustainability in doctoral research practice during the SPROUT Network hybrid event

Professor Sara Ashencaen Crabtree then explored the human realities of academic work, arguing that sustainable research depends on sustainable research lives. Sharing a moving reminder from poet William Stafford: “There’s a thread you follow… While you hold it you can’t get lost,” emphasising the need for a stabilising sense of purpose to navigate the pressures of contemporary research culture.

Professor Sara Ashencaen Crabtree sharing reflections on care, resilience, and the 'researcher self' during her keynote session

Professor Sara Ashencaen Crabtree sharing reflections on care, resilience, and the ‘researcher self’ during her keynote session

A Milestone for Organisers: Leadership and Growth

For the SPROUT team, coordinating a multi-institutional, hybrid event was a significant milestone in professional development.

The session was led by a dedicated team:

PGR/ECR Leads: Mosopefoluwa Akinrinmade, Ibrahim Awawdeh, and Kasongo Shutsha.

Academic Leads: Dr Tahani Mohamed (Bournemouth), Dr Julie Gwilliam (Cardiff), and Rosalind Beaumont (Durham).

Reflecting on the impact of the grant, Dr Tahani Mohamed noted:

“The funding enabled the network to deliver a high-impact event that moved beyond ‘business as usual.’ It allowed the team to create a generous and thoughtful space where ECRs and PGRs felt safe to discuss the structural and personal factors that shape their careers. Facilitating these ‘deep conversations’ has significantly increased our confidence in leading research culture initiatives.”

Managing the grant funds and coordinating across three universities provided the leads with invaluable experience in leadership, multi-site logistics, and cross-university advocacy.

Impact and Future Growth

The event demonstrated a clear interest for community-based research culture initiatives. Feedback from the community highlighted the importance of this space:

“I am so thankful for such a group existing within BU… which focuses on sustainability in research. The meeting was really valuable and the two speakers were inspirational.”

The SPROUT community continues to grow because researchers find value in returning. Future sessions are already being planned to cover sustainable funding strategies, research methods, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Stay Connected

To join the SPROUT mailing list or Teams group, please contact sprout@bournemouth.ac.uk or reach out to Dr Tahani Mohamed at tmohamed@bournemouth.ac.uk

Apply for the ECR Research Culture and Community Grant

Do you have an idea for an event or initiative that could strengthen the research culture at BU? We invite you to follow in the Sprout Team’s footsteps and apply for funding to bring your project to life.

Find out more and submit your application here: Research Culture and Community Grant

Closing Date 4pm, Monday 9 March 2026

If you would like to discuss your ideas before submitting your application, please contact Enrica Conrotto, Researcher Development Manager, at researcherdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk

Final Call for ECRs: Apply for the Research Culture & Community Grant by Monday 9 March

Following the success of our first call, applications for the second round of the Research Culture & Community Grant are open until Monday 9 March

This funding for BU’s Early Career Researchers provides the resources needed to innovate, collaborate, and lead. Whether you are planning a training workshop or a creative networking event, use these grants to empower you to strengthen BU’s research environment and turn your vision into reality.

Explore the two dedicated funding streams

Stream 1: Researcher Development (Grants up to £500)

  • Supports the organisation of skills focused workshops, events, or initiatives.
  • Grants of up to £500 per activity are available.
  • Examples: specific research methods workshops, guest speakers, writing sessions etc.

Stream 2: Research Culture and Community (Grants up to £300)

  • Supports the delivery of research culture and community building, well-being or social activities.
  • Grants of up to £300 per activity are available.
  • Examples: cultural and social events, wellbeing enhancing activities.

Submission Guidelines

To ensure your proposal aligns with our criteria, please note the following:

Inclusivity: Activities must be engaging and accessible to the entire ECR community

Timeline: All initiatives must be delivered and invoiced by 31 July 2026

Originality: Proposals should complement, rather than duplicate, existing BU provisions

Accountability: As a primary organiser, you will be responsible for the promotion, delivery, and evaluation of the project. (Note: ECRs may lead only one activity per cycle)

How the Funding is Being Used

Get inspired by how funds have been used to launch high-impact projects and creative research:

Learn how ECR funding supported the Swash Channel Wreck Book Launch, celebrating a major archaeological milestone.

Explore reflections from the SPROUT Network Event, where funding helped facilitate vital conversations on balancing high-quality research with the long-term well-being and sustainability of the researchers themselves.

Discover the impact of the Body Map Storytelling Workshop & Research Seminar, supported by PGR funding, which explored embodied research through creative practice.

Submit Your Application

Take the lead in shaping the future of community and development at BU.

Access the Application Form Here

Final Deadline: 4pm, Monday 9 March

Refining Your Proposal

We welcome the opportunity to discuss your application before you submit. Please contact Enrica Conrotto, Researcher Development Manager, at researcherdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk for guidance.

The Researcher Development and Culture Team

BU Leads AI-Driven Work Package in EU Horizon SUSHEAS Project

[SUSHEAS logo]Bournemouth University is proud to be a key partner in the EU-funded research project SUSHEAS (Sustainable Production of High Entropy Alloys from Secondary Metals), which aims to enable more sustainable and efficient production of High Entropy Alloys (HEAs) using secondary metals such as scrap and recycled materials.

HEAs are chemically complex multi-component alloys with strong potential for future high-performance applications. However, most current HEA production relies heavily on virgin raw materials, leading to high energy consumption, cost, and environmental impact. SUSHEAS addresses this challenge by developing new sustainable production methods supported by international academic–industrial collaboration and staff exchanges.

Bournemouth University leads Work Package 2 (WP2), which focuses on advancing the state of the art through computational and AI-driven approaches. WP2 aims to develop new alloy composition options that can better tolerate impurities often found in recycled metals, while still meeting desired performance requirements.

This includes the use of advanced tools such as Machine Learning (ML), Artificial Intelligence (AI), CALPHAD modelling, and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to optimise alloy chemistry and processing conditions, supporting more sustainable and scalable HEA manufacturing.

Dr Paul de Vrieze and Dr Lai Xu, as project leader and co-project leader, bring complementary expertise in AI-driven digital twins, smart manufacturing, and enterprise systems integration. Their research contributes the digital intelligence layer needed for sustainable manufacturing, enabling reasoning-based AI models and digital simulations to optimise manufacturing processes, energy use, and material flows—particularly when incorporating advanced or secondary materials.

Through SUSHEAS, Bournemouth University is helping to shape the future of sustainable advanced materials production and supporting the development of greener manufacturing technologies for Europe.

[group foto]

Group foto

 

Evidence Synthesis Centre open at Kathmandu University

Awarded & submitted bids, international, Knowledge Exchange, Publishing, Training, writing

Last week we opened the Evidence Synthesis Centre in the School of Medical Sciences at Kathmandu University in Nepal.  The centre is part of a wider initiative is funded by The British Academy and supported in the field by Green Tara Nepal. Earlier parts of this initiative included online workshop on systematic reviewing and evidence synthesis as well as face-to-face training in Nepal late last year.  The project involved Bournemouth University’s Dr. Pramod Regmi and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen both in the Faculty of Health, Environment & Medical Sciences. 

This capacity-building project is led by Prof. Padam Simkhada from the University of Huddersfield and takes place at Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences (KUSMS). This new Fellowship scheme is an international collaboration led by the University of Huddersfield in the UK, in close collaboration with Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences (in Nepal), the Nepal Health Research Council, and several UK universities: Bournemouth University, the University of Sheffield, Canterbury Christ Church University, Keele University and the University of Chester. The Evidence Synthesis Centre and The British Academy grant grew out of an editorial written four years ago and published in the Journal of the Nepal Health Research Council [1]. The wider British Academy funded project on strengthening evidence  synthesis for health policy-making in Nepal has been described in two recent publications [2-3].

 

 

References:

  1. Simkhada, P., Dhimal, M., van Teijlingen, E., Gyanwali, P. (2022) Nepal Urgently Needs a National Evidence Synthesis Centre,  Journal of Nepal Health Research Council, 20 (3): i-ii.
  2. Simkhada, P., Vaidya, A., Regmi, P. P., Paudyal, P., van Teijlingen, E., Dhimal, M., Kiorala, B., Shrestha, A., Simkhada, B. (2025). Strengthening Evidence Synthesis for Health Policymaking in Nepal: A New Fellowship Initiative. Nepal Journal of Epidemiology, 15(2), 1379–1380. https://doi.org/10.3126/nje.v15i2.88516
  1. Vaidya, A., Simkhada, P., Silwal, R. C., Paudyal, P., Dhimal, M., Simkhada, B., van Teijlingen, E. (2025). Progress of the Unique Fellowship in Health Research Evidence Synthesis in Nepal. Nepal Journal of Epidemiology, 15(4), 1397–1398. https://doi.org/10.3126/nje.v15i4.88535

Expand Your Impact: Collaboration and Networking Workshops for Researchers

Training

Building Partnerships and Strengthening Professional Networks.

Are you looking to turn your research into real-world partnerships or grow your professional circle? This March, we are hosting two practical workshops designed to help researchers at all stages build stronger connections.

Both sessions are actionable; you’ll walk away with the tools to communicate your value and build a support system that fuels your research goals.

Collaborating with External Partners

Thursday 12 March, 10am-12pm

Create Lecture Theatre, Fusion Building, Talbot Campus

Building long-term partnerships with industry and government doesn’t happen by accident. In this cross-faculty session, Rachel Clarke, Matt Desmier, and Finn Morgan will share practical examples of how BU teams have successfully aligned their expertise with external needs.

Why attend?

  • See how successful BU partnerships were actually built
  • Learn how to start conversations that lead to meaningful collaborations
  • Discover how your data and research can fit into wider, high-impact initiatives

Find out more and register on Eventbrite

Developing Professional Researcher Networks

Tuesday 17 March, 9:30am-12:30pm

Online

Networking is a skill, not a personality trait. Join facilitator Margaret Collins for a half-day session focused on the strategy and confidence needed to grow your professional visibility.

Overview of the session

  • Strategic Analysis: Auditing your current network and finding the gaps
  • Confident Communication: Refining your professional introduction and mastering “small talk”
  • Managing Anxiety: Practical tools to handle the stress sometimes associated with networking
  • Body Language: Using non-verbal cues to communicate more effectively

Find out more and register on Eventbrite

The Researcher Development Hub serves as your central resource for all professional growth opportunities. 

If you have any questions, please contact the Researcher Development and Culture Team researcherdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk

3C Event: Research Culture, Community & Can you Guess Who? Thursday 26 March 1-2pm

The Doctoral College invites BU’s research community to a relaxed online social centred on Culture, Community, and Connection

This 3C event offers a playful break from the academic routine with a “Guess Who?” game where your work takes centre stage. Submit an image that best represents your research along with a 7-word description of your work, then join us online to see who can match the clues to the right researcher.

Whether you contribute, or join as an audience member, it’s a fantastic way to share your work creatively and spark new collaborations

Event Details

Thursday 26 March

1-2pm

Online

Find out more and register here

We’re looking forward to seeing you there!

If you have any questions about the event, please get in touch with the Research Development & Culture Team: researcherdevelopment@bournemouth.ac.uk