Tagged / BU research

Institute for Modelling Socio-Environmental Transitions – Launch on Wednesday

conferences

You are invited to attend the online launch event on Wednesday 11thNovember from 14:00 – 15:00. 

The new Institute for Modelling Socio-Environmental Transitions (IMSET) is focused on addressing the most significant global challenge facing humanity today:

 

How can we manage and respond to environmental change in order to prevent societal collapse? 

IMSET is looking at how past societies were affected by environmental change (e.g. climate change, habitat & ecosystem destruction, resource depletion, soil erosion, pollution, wildlife extinction, changing sea-levels), how they responded to these and, therefore, what are the most sustainable options available to present-day societies under similar pressures.

IMSET is bringing together staff and students from across BU to create exciting and innovative research and impact. The institute is led by Dr Emma Jenkins, Dr Fiona Coward and Professor Adrian Newton. They are accelerating collaboration with colleagues with complementary interests such as disaster response, advanced modelling, sustainable heritage economy options and the effects of environmental change on human health and wellbeing.

To learn more about this pioneering institute and find ways to get involved, please attend the online launch event on Wednesday 11th November from 14:00 – 15:00. Please book via Eventbrite or email sia@bournemouth.ac.uk for the diary invitation with online link to be sent to you.

For more information about IMSET, or for further details on how to get involved, please contact sia@bournemouth.ac.uk.

RKEDF: Research Training Events in November

PG research, Research Ethics, Training

 

The following events are coming up this month. These are all online events.

Wednesday 11th November 10:00 – 11:00

British Academy Newton International Fellowships – Information Session

This session provides support for preparing an application to the British Academy Newton International Fellowships. Potential BU mentors and international candidates are welcomed.

You will gain an understanding of the Newton International Fellowship Scheme, and it’s aims and objectives. Support will be provided for those considering applying, but this is also suitable for those who are not sure if this is the right fund to apply to.
Wednesday 11th November 15:00 – 16:00 – ECR Network Meeting

 Calling all ECRs, this is an opportunity to meet other Early Career Researchers and to get advice and support for any research-related queries and concerns. 
Monday 16th November 10:00 – 12:00

Enhancing research impact: understanding and navigating bibliometrics

 Bibliometric analysis uses data to measure the “output” of individuals, research teams, institutions etc., and it is increasingly being used to assess the “impact” of research in order to evaluate and quantify it. This session will cover how research impact is measured, how you can maximise it, and the role of social media in promoting research. 
Tuesday 17th November 10:00 – 12:00 – Navigating the Ethics Checklist

This workshop is designed to assist Researchers in the process of obtaining ethical approval.

The review and approval process will be discussed, including how risk is identified. What makes a good an application and how to create and submit an online ethics checklist.
Wednesday 18th November 10:30 – 15:00 – UK Research Office Update

 This event is comprised of a number of sessions:

·         UK Participation in Horizon 2020. An update on Horizon Europe developments

·         H2020 Evaluation process and proposal writing hints and tips – session for PIs involved in the Green Deal Call proposal submission

·         H2020 implementation matters – informal session with post-award team (based on questions submitted in advance)

·         1-1 sessions if time allows

For further information and to book, contact Ablaudums@bournemouth.ac.uk
Thursday 19th November 10:00 – 11:00 – Royal Society Overview

 This workshop will provide important information for potential applicants applying to the Royal Society, including tips on applying that will increase the likelihood of success.
Wednesday 25th November 10:00 – 11:00

Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships Information Session

This workshop will provide important information for potential applicants applying to this external funding call, including tips on applying that will increase the likelihood of success.

To book, please email OD@bournemouth.ac.uk with evidence of approval from your Head of Department or Deputy Head of Department.

You can see all the Organisational Development and Research Knowledge Development Framework (RKEDF) events in one place on the handy calendar of events.

If you have any queries, please get in touch!

British Academy Newton International Fellowships – Information Session

Funding opportunities, PG research

Wednesday 11th November 10:00 – 11:00

BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW

This session provides support for preparing an application to the British Academy Newton International Fellowships. Potential BU mentors and international candidates are welcomed.

The session will provide an understanding of the Newton International Fellowship Scheme, and it’s aims and objectives, and provides support for those considering applying. This is also suitable for those who are not sure if this is the right fund to apply to.

To book, please email Organisational Development with evidence of approval from your departmental Head or Deputy Head.

For more details see here, and if you have any queries, please contact RKEDF@Bournemouth.ac.uk

Upcoming Funding Information Sessions – November 2020

Funding opportunities

We have three great RKEDF information sessions about Research Funding coming up in November. These sessions are the first of several planned for this academic year targeted at specific funding calls.

Wednesday 11th November 2020, 10am

British Academy Newton International Fellowships Information Session

This workshop will provide important information for potential applicants applying to this external funding call, including tips on applying that will increase the likelihood of success. BU mentors and international candidates welcomed.

By the end of this workshop you will:

  • Have a basic knowledge of the Newton International Fellowship Scheme
  • Understand the aims and objectives of the scheme
  • Be aware whether this funding call is the right one for you

Please book your place here.

 

Thursday 19th November, 10am

 Royal Society Overview

This workshop will provide important information for potential applicants applying to the Royal Society, including tips to increase the likelihood of success.

By the end of this workshop you will:

  • Have a basic knowledge of funding offered by the Royal Society
  • Understand the aims and objectives of the main schemes
  • Understand whether the Royal Society is applicable for your research

Please book your place here.

 

Wednesday 25th November, 10am

 Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships Information Session

 This workshop will provide important information for potential applicants applying to this external funding call, including tips on applying that will increase the likelihood of success. BU mentors and candidates welcomed.

By the end of this workshop you will:

  • Have a basic knowledge of the Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships Scheme
  • Understand the aims and objectives of the scheme
  • Be aware whether this funding call is the right one for you

Please book your place here.

These sessions are part of the Research and Knowledge Exchange Development Framework (RKEDF).

HRA UPDATE: guidance on undergraduate and master’s research projects

Guidance, NHS, Research Ethics, student research

At the beginning of August an update was released by the Health Research Authority with regard to the review of clinical research by undergraduate and master’s students.

The HRA have released a further update – please see below. If you have any queries or concerns please contact Suzy Wignall, Clinical Governance Advisor in Research Development & Support.

‘Back in March the Health Research Authority and devolved administrations announced the decision to stop reviewing applications for individual undergraduate and master’s student projects until further notice while we prioritised the urgent review of COVID-19 studies. This was also due to the significant pressure on the NHS/HSC, limiting its ability to participate in research studies unrelated to COVID-19.

The pause on health and social care research projects for educational purposes has now been extended until September 2021. This decision is in line with national priorities for NHS/HSC to support COVID-19 studies and the restart of clinical trials and studies as well as the continuing pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision has been taken in collaboration with partners in the devolved administrations.

We are not reviewing applications for individual undergraduate and master’s student research projects until September 2021.

Any students with approved studies are reminded to check with the relevant NHS/HSC organisations locally about whether or not their projects may continue.

We have published information about other ways in which students can gain experience of health and social care research and have tips on our website.

We are committed to engaging our stakeholders as part of the development of ongoing guidelines for student research.

To receive updates about student research, please email communications@hra.nhs.uk to sign up.‘

NERC standard grants (Jan 2021 deadline) – internal competition extended

Funding opportunities

**The original EoI deadline of 23rd Oct has been extended to 30th Oct**

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 available here.

As at January 2020, 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 12th January 2021. The deadline for internal Expressions of Interest (EoI) which will be used to determine which application will be submitted is 30th October 2020.  The EoI form, BU policy for NERC Demand Management Measures and process for selecting an application can be found here: I:\RDS\Public\NERC Demand Management.

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 RDS submit applications through Je-S on behalf of applicants, RDS will not submit any applications that do not have prior agreement from the internal competition.

Following the internal competition, the Principal Investigator will have access to support from RDS, and will work closely with Research Facilitators and Funding Development Officers to develop the application. Access to external bid writers will also be available.

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.

RDS Contacts

Please contact Lisa Andrews, RDS Research Facilitator – andrewsl@bournemouth.ac.uk if you wish to submit an expression of interest.

 

 

Doctoral College Newsletter | October 2020

PG research

The Doctoral College Newsletter provides termly information and updates to all those involved with postgraduate research at BU. The latest edition is now available to download here. Click on the web-links provided to learn more about the news, events and opportunities that may interest you.

If you would like to make a contribution to future newsletters, please contact the Doctoral College.

The SciTech Postgraduate Research Conference 2020

PG research

The Sci-Tech PGR conference is an annual conference of oral and poster presentations by postgraduate researchers (PGRs) in the Faculty of Science and Technology at BU. Each year, the conference, organised by PGR representatives from each of the departments in the Faculty, provides a platform for PGRs across the Faculty to meet and share their research with their peers in a welcoming environment. The conference also provides valuable practice for PGRs in presentation and networking skills vital to a successful career in research. This year, the SciTech PGR Conference Committee hosted the Conference virtually via Zoom on Friday 9 October 2020 which saw fourteen PGRs from across the Faculty presenting their research in either oral presentation or digital poster format. To kick things off, Professor Tiantian Zhang, Deputy Dean of Research and Professional Practice, opened and closed the conference with an address to the participants and audience members, noting the importance of the event and praising the quality of the PGR presentations. More than 40 PGRs and Sci-Tech staff also tuned in to listen to the talks, join discussions, and support the presenting PGRs.

The conference had previously been scheduled for May 2020 but was postponed to October 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions. While in previous years the conference was held in-person at BU’s Talbot Campus, this year the conference took place virtually over Zoom. While hosting a virtual conference may have felt like unchartered territory for those on the planning committee, the conference was a great success! During each of the four sessions chaired by PGR representatives,  several PGRs from different Sci-Tech departments shared their screens to deliver fascinating presentations about their research.

Mixing different presentations from different departments in each session encouraged PGRs to tune in to a variety of research talks. During the course of the conference, four PGRs from the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, three PGRs from the Department of Computing and Informatics, two from the Department of Psychology, and one each from the Design and Engineering, Creative Technology, and Archaeology and Anthropology Departments gave overviews of their research during presentations. Additionally, two PGRs from the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology provided digital posters to be viewed by conference participants, which can also be viewed here. At the end of each session, time was devoted to allow the audience to pose questions to the speakers. The presenting PGRs ranged from Master’s students through to first, second, and third year PhD students, allowing an array of research progress to be put on display. The talks ranged from, but were not restricted to, microplastics in fish, mangrove conservation strategies in Kenya, the mechanisms of fake news, ancient ports of trade, threat detection in computer vision, and malicious automotive devices. It was a good day for Sci-Tech PGR research at Bournemouth University!

Although 2020 has been a bit of a crazy year, it is so impressive that the PGR community in the Faculty of Science and Technology have been able to band together to support each other and to continue developing their research. This conference could not have happened without the support of faculty and staff in the Sci-Tech Faculty, and particularly the Research Administrators Naomi, Emily, and Karen. A huge thank-you for all the support! And of course, thank you to the staff and students who made up the audience. And we’d be remiss to not thank the conference presenters for their fabulous contributions!

Here’s to another exciting year of PGR research!

The 2020 Sci-Tech PGR Conference committee

IMIV MRI Pump-Priming Research Scheme

BU Challenges

To celebrate the launch of the Bournemouth University Institute of Medical Imaging and Visualisation, and the opening of the MRI Centre in the Bournemouth Gateway Building, we are pleased to launch an MRI pump-priming scheme to support innovative MRI research projects.

The aim of this scheme is to support projects that will lead to competitive external funding applications for MR imaging studies.  Applications will therefore be required to demonstrate a clear plan for progressing preliminary studies to grant applications and larger studies.

  • All projects must have a Bournemouth University researcher as lead or co-lead applicant (see application form).
  • Up to 4 awards of up to 20 hours’ scanning time will be available. The award will not cover any additional expenses related to scanning, or other aspects of the project.
  • Projects must be deliverable within 12 months, including ethical approvals. Projects with ethical approvals already in place will be prioritised.
  • There will be online information and project development sessions with members of the IMIV team at 3.30pm on Thursday 22nd October and Thursday 5th November. Please email imiv@bournemouth.ac.uk to register your interest and receive the login details. You can view the virtual presentation here.

To register your interest, and receive the application form, please email imiv@bournemouth.ac.uk. The deadline for applications is 13th December 2020.

SciTech Postgraduate Research Conference (9 October 2020) | Virtual Posters

PG research

The SciTech PGR Conference Committee are delighted to showcase the following virtual posters as part of the SciTech PGR Conference on the 9th October 2020:

 

Filling the gap: Validation of 3D point cloud data for the excavation and recording of mass graves

Samantha De Simone, Martin Smith, Andrew Ford, Ellen Hambleton, & Paul Cheetham

Click the image below to enlarge

The application of digital technologies occupies a crucial role in the forensic arena, from the examination of injuries on a victim body and to capture a visual and spatial record of the crime scene. In order to obtain quality data, the analyses need to be performed with robust techniques, that must be able to meet the standard of accuracy, validity and reliably required in a courtroom. Among the novel technologies largely applied both during fieldwork and laboratory analyses is multi-view-stereo structure-from-motion (SfM-MVS) photogrammetry. SfM-MVS allows the generation of three-dimensional point (3D) cloud data from a set of overlapping photographs at different viewing angles, representing an accessible and affordable medium for forensic practitioners. Due to its accessibility and time effective aspect, SfM-MVS has been implemented as a recording tool in situ. Therefore, this study focuses on the validation of SfM-MVS for the recording the excavation and relationships of complex deposits in mass graves, where human remains may have high levels of fragmentation and commingling. The aim of the research is to reconstruct the entire excavation sequence in a single 3D point cloud. A complete sequence of the grave with point cloud data would serve as a permanent record and could fill the gap between experts working in the field and laboratory practitioners, enhancing the re-association of disarticulated and fragmented skeletons and facilitating the identification of individuals from their human remains.

 

The digital advantage: How 3D digitisation can aid in trauma analysis on human remains

Heather Tamminen, Martin Smith, Kate Welham, & Andrew Ford

Click the image below to enlarge

The benefits of recording cultural heritage through digital three-dimensional (3D) media are well-documented; the ability to analyse objects without damage, study items off-site, and compare remains that cannot otherwise be in the same vicinity are all important advantages. Increasingly, human remains are being digitised for respectful preservation and display, however a lot of work still needs to be done to test the quality of these models and their utility for detailed analysis. In 2009, construction of the Weymouth Relief Road led to the discovery of a mass burial with evidence for dramatic events occurring prior to their death. Dating from the 10th Century AD, the individuals were later identified as having originated in Scandinavia and North-Eastern Europe through their isotopic signatures. They had suffered widespread sharp force injuries and whilst these injuries were documented by conventional manual recording methods, more can be done to investigate them, especially with advances in technology. Due to the unique provenance of this collection, it was thought to be an ideal case study to investigate the potential of Multi-View Stereo Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry to generate 3D visualisations of injuries to skeletal remains which are of a quality high enough to study. Current results are promising and indicate that the models can provide detailed replications of the trauma that can be effectively studied without risk of damaging the specimens. The important question then remains of why this is something that researchers would want to spend time and energy doing when studying sharp force trauma. Therefore, this poster delves into the questions of why creating 3D models of sharp force trauma can help our understanding of past peoples and why this has the potential to be an excellent resource for individuals studying trauma both in archaeological and forensic situations.

Academic Targeted Research Scheme (Health & Science Communication): Interactive Digital Narratives for Health and Science Education

Portrait - Lyle SkainsI’m the last of the Academic Targeted Research Scheme appointments; I took up my post last month (September) in Health & Science Communication. My home base is in the Faculty of Media & Communication, though my project will span numerous departments across arts and science disciplines.

My research is centred in an interdisciplinary and ubiquitous communication method that can be employed for multiple UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals: interactive digital narrative (IDN). IDNs can be used in schools, GP waiting rooms, on tablets and smartphones; interactivity significantly increases retention, particularly when incorporated into media that audiences voluntarily and eagerly devote attention to. As a practice-based practitioner/researcher composing IDNs and evaluating their efficacy on multiple projects, I aim to develop a model for health and science communication through reading and writing IDNs that can be implemented in a wide array of scenarios and topic areas.

I came to this work through a serendipitous process, as I earned an undergraduate degree in science and did some postgrad study in evolutionary biology. I quickly discovered, however, that I’m more interested in reading and writing about science than I am in doing it (it was a lot of pipetting DNA!), so I changed tack. Amongst various professional endeavours, I started over, culminating in a PhD in Creative Writing and Digital Media.

You and CO2

My research is largely practice-based, as I compose various creative writing experiments in order to explore how new technologies such as hypertext, scripting, and multimodality affect the creative act and artefact. More recently, I have engaged in two Welsh Crucible-supported projects that brought me back to my science roots, combining interactive storytelling and science communication. You and CO2 examines using interactive digital narratives as bibliotherapy and expressive writing to effect positive attitude and behaviour change regarding the current climate crisis.

Likewise, the Infectious Storytelling project explores the efficacy of interactive digital narratives as persuasive media for educating the public about behaviours that lead to antibiotic microbial resistance. This project incorporates practice-based research, medical humanities, archive research, media analysis, ethnographic research in focus groups, and literary and art criticism, and is based on the historical treatment of tuberculosis in art, media, and literature, using insights Cover image from IDN "Only Always Never"gained from archival research and textual analysis to inform approaches to communicating the importance of proper antibiotic use to patients, farmers, and the general public.

Here at Bournemouth, I’m excited to expand these experiences into a wider “IDNs for SciComm” project. I’m going to be reaching out to colleagues across arts and sciences disciplines at BU, fostering collaborations and new avenues to explore the use of interactive narratives for health and science communication. The aim of this research is to identify and address a number of science and health communication needs through the increasingly ubiquitous digital technology in our lives, including the possibility of ongoing communication about the current COVID-19 pandemic.

If you’re interested in collaborating with me or with others on interdisciplinary arts-science health and science communication, please get in touch!

COVID-19 affects research into other diseases

international, Publishing, Research Integritiy, Training, writing

A systematic review published late last week assesses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on on-going and new clinical trials and research on a range of diseases [1]. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a series of public health policies, including lock down, that have crippled the healthcare systems of many countries. These measures hugely impact on study participants, care providers, researchers, trial sponsors, and research organizations conducting clinical trials. This pandemic has a substantial impact on the trial sites as they experience difficulty in the continuation of trial activities which eventually hampers the progress of the trial and delays study timelines. Most sites are struggling due to delayed subject enrolment, shortfalls in monitoring, and risks of compromised data integrity, and this situation also has a negative impact on the start of future. Researchers are also concerned regarding the delay or cancellations of trials in the pandemic, which will have financial consequences for research organizations/human resources.

According to one survey, about two-thirds of the respondents have stopped or will soon halt subject enrolment in ongoing clinical trials, one-third halted randomization, and fifty percent of respondents are delaying or planning to delay the studies.  Adopting new approaches and understanding the key risk indicators will help managers support trial sites with flexibility and ingenuity. For instance, switching patient site visits to new-trial virtualization, and telemedicine to interact with patients will help manage current clinical trials also beneficial for the post-pandemic era.

 

Reference:

  1. Sathian B, Asim M,  Banerjee I, Pizarro AB, Roy B, van Teijlingen ER, Borges do Nascimento IJ, Alhamad HK.  Impact of COVID-19 on clinical trials and clinical research: A systematic review. Nepal J Epidemiol. 2020;10(3); 878-887

 

New CMMPH nutrition paper published

open access, Publishing, student research, writing

Congratulations to FHSS authors on the publication of their paper “A Priori and a Posteriori Dietary Patterns in Women of Childbearing Age in the UK” which has been published in the scientific journal Nutrients [1].  The authors highlight that a poor diet quality is a major cause of maternal obesity. They investigated investigate a priori and a-posteriori derived dietary patterns in childbearing-aged women in the United Kingdom. An online survey assessed food intake, physical activity (PA), anthropometry and socio-demographics.  A poor diet quality was found among childbearing-aged women; notably in the younger age category, those of white ethnicity, that were more physically inactive and with a lower socioeconomic background.

The article is Open Access and freely available (click here!).

 

 

Reference:

  1. Khaled, K.; Hundley, V.; Almilaji, O.; Koeppen, M.; Tsofliou, F. (2020) A Priori and a Posteriori Dietary Patterns in Women of Childbearing Age in the UK. Nutrients 2020, 12, 2921.