Latest research and knowledge exchange news at Bournemouth University
Funding available for researchers from partner institutions to become Global Visiting Fellows of BU
Fellows must be nominated by a member of academic staff at BU, and approved by the relevant Executive Dean.
Visit a drop-in session to find out more. Further info is also available in the guidelines.
16/03/2020 12:30 – 13:30 Lansdowne
To book , please contact Organisational Development. No authorisation is required.
If you have any queries, please contact ResearchFellowships@Bournemouth.ac.uk.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that…” a famous line from 2001: A Space Odyssey, in which the AI software HAL rebels to take control of the spaceship. We are now far beyond the year 2001 and we already have our own AI-supported voice recognition devices in our pockets, houses, and cars. Luckily, they don’t rebel against our commands – yet. These devices bring advantages in convenience and accessibility, playing a song has never been easier, but at what cost?
At this month’s Café Scientifique, Ediz Akcay, Lecturer in Digital Marketing at BU discussed the ethics of the many new ways companies listen to, track and store information about us using voice recognition and AI. Ediz explained his interest in marketing ethics started after his PhD research in brand alliances. His views about the topic were previously covered in Campaign Turkey magazine. After presenting his research to the digital marketing agency about the ethical considerations in brand alliances at various conferences, he decided to move the topic into the digital marketing field in which he is now teaching.
Marketing Ethics
Ediz has collected data which includes examples of potential breaches of marketing ethics principles by companies. While collecting the data, the aim was to check if the companies were in line with the main principles of marketing ethics (Elegido 2016) in their digital marketing activities.
Main principles:
Companies use several tools and technologies in their digital marketing activities to increase their conversion rates and return on investment. Personalisation is one aspect of the digital marketing activities companies’ conduct in which personal data collected from different sources is used to improve the targeting of consumers.
Ediz explained; ‘the data showed that companies violate the principles such as consumer sovereignty, which assumes the consumer will have the control during the interaction in the marketing activities. However, the companies create an information asymmetry about how they collect, process and store the consumer data. The consumers learn about the potential problems only after an event which reveals the ways companies use in their digital marketing activities. While there are new regulations such as GDPR to protect the consumer, the pace of technology makes it harder to adapt the regulations accordingly.’
The examples Ediz presented in his talk were how AI and voice recognition technologies are used to collect, process and store the personal data from consumers for personalisation purposes. Ediz also discussed potential problems and the ways to secure personal data, explaining that the next step in the research which will be collecting data from consumers about their experiences while using digital marketing tools and technologies such as voice recognition devices. The data will reveal how consumers perceive the companies in regard to marketing ethics.
Ediz reflects on his experience of speaking at Cafe Scientifique; ‘It was a great opportunity to present my research about marketing ethics in which I am looking at the data protection practises of companies. In this talk at Cafe Scientifique, I aimed to create awareness about how voice recognition and artificial intelligence are used by companies; the audience was very interested in this research.
‘The questions from the audience ignited more thoughts about this subject matter which will be used to investigate further. I also had the opportunity to see how the perception of the audience towards the topic changed with a live poll before and after the talk. Café Scientifique was the first opportunity to present these examples to understand the perception of the public around this.’
For access to the presentation slides please click here
If you have any questions please do get in touch
Find out more about Café Scientifique and sign up to our mailing list to hear about other research events: www.bournemouth.ac.uk/cafe-sci
The Health Research Authority have released guidance for clinical researchers, sponsors and sites with regard to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) – please read this guidance if you are currently conducting your project or are in the planning stages/set-up of the study (so you are aware of the current situation).
This guidance is subject to change and will be updated as and when required by the HRA.
You can read the guidance in the link provided above, but for convenience, these are the most likely situations BU clinical researchers may face. Please ensure that in planning amendments that these do not create additional burden to NHS staff or resources.
How this should be handled – these are non-substantial amendments that do not require HRA/HCRW approval or NHS R&D agreement. Where the study involves the NHS, they will be marked by the sponsor as a category C amendment not requiring assessment, and sent directly to the sites. The site should implement the amendment on the date specified by the sponsor.
How this should be handled – these are non-substantial amendments that do not require HRA/HCRW approval or NHS R&D agreement. The same procedure as the first example should be followed.
How this should be handled – these are non-substantial amendments that do not require HRA/HCRW approval or NHS R&D agreement. The same procedure as above should be followed.
How this should be handled – for studies not involving provision of treatment to participants, a notification to the REC or study-wide review (for non-REC studies) should be provided, and an end of study report should subsequently be provided.
For any studies involving provision of treatment to participants, careful consideration should be given to post-study care. If this cannot be in line with the information provided in the participant-information sheet, a substantial amendment should be submitted.
To support sites in implementing the amendments it is important that:
There may be some instances in which the site may raise issues or changes that need to be made. If they do, please inform the Sponsor as soon as possible.
If you think that you may need to implement any changes or amendments to your study due to COVID-19 please get in touch with us as soon as possible. If you have any concerns or queries then please also get in touch to discuss these.
Notice for those who currently employ or who need to employ researchers on projects.
There is a new Code of Practice for the Employment of Researchers available on the staff intranet.
This document provides guidance on the University’s expectations for the recruitment, support, management and development of research staff in line with the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers.
If you have any queries, please contact RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk.
Congratulations to Dr. Preeti Mahato in the Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health (CMMPH) on the acceptance of her latest academic paper in the journal Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare. [1] Contraceptive use is one of the most effective methods for reducing the number of pregnancies and thus benefiting the health and survival of women and children, especially in low-income countries such as Nepal. Increased contraceptive use and thus decreased fertility results in decreased obstetric risk mainly by reducing unwanted pregnancy in women with high parity. This paper reports of factors that act as barriers to contraceptive use or that act as facilitators of its use.
Reference:
The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) and the British Academy are inviting applications for early career researchers in the humanities and social sciences to attend a research collaboration symposium on the broad theme of ‘security’.
This will explore varied understandings and experiences of security, and how security can be and has been conceptualised, represented, lived and addressed. The symposium aims to encourage international engagement and collaboration between early career researchers from Canada and the UK from a broad range of disciplines, encouraging the exchange of ideas across both disciplinary and national boundaries. The event will take place in Montebello, Quebec, Canada from 08/12/20 – 10/12/20 .
Deadline for applications Wednesday 6 May 2020 at 17.00.
For details on how to apply please see here.
If you have any queries, please contact RDS on RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk
Monday 9th March RKEDF: Global Visiting Fellowship – Drop in sessions
12:30 – 13:30 Talbot Campus
For those who are thinking of nominating an applicant for the GVF fund, to come along with their idea and seek advice on the joint application process from panel members.
Wednesday 11th March RKEDF: Getting started in public engagement with research
10:00 – 12:00 Lansdowne Campus
An intensive introductory session covering why Public Engagement is important, what it can do for your research, how to identify audiences and target their needs, designing public engagement activity and the logistics of public engagement – from securing funding through planning, developing skills and the support offered at BU. Also the evaluation of engagement activity.
Friday 6th March RKEDF: Research Outputs – Writing Day
Dedicated time and space, free from everyday distractions with a collaborative focus on productive writing with other BU authors.
FULLY BOOKED
Next dates: 14th May and 14th July
If you have any queries, please contact mailto:RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk?subject=Research Event Query.
The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), working in collaboration with other Research Councils within UKRI, is planning to announce a new funding call in early 2020 for Partnership Development awards under the Global Challenges Research Fund’s Collective Programme. This call will support the development of equitable partnerships and an interdisciplinary community to explore the intersections between conflict and fragility (SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions & GCRF Conflict portfolio) and wider development challenges (and other SDGs and GCRF portfolios) such as health, environmental resilience, sustainable cities and food systems, as well as cross-cutting development issues such as gender, inequalities, poverty reduction and sustainable livelihoods.
The call will launch in early March 2020 with a closing date in late spring 2020 and projects expected to start from autumn 2020. Approximately 20 awards of varying sizes up to £200,000 (fEC) and between 12 and 24 months duration will be supported.
Further details can be found in this Pre-Call Announcement Document (PDF, 172KB)
Timescale
| Call opens | February/March 2020 |
| Call Close | May 2020 |
| Panel | July 2020 |
| Expected grant start dates | September/October 2020 |
If you require further information, please don’t hesitate to contact Alex Pekalski. She’s happy to have a chat with prospective applicants.
To mark World Cancer Day, patient advocate Richard Stephens has shared his experience about the importance of incorporating good public involvement in cancer research.
The blog post has been published on the Health Research Authority (HRA) website here and details Richard’s journey first as a clinical trial participant to his role as a patient advocate. He has worked on patient advisory groups and various committees to help improve the information given to participants so they can fully understand the implications of their involvement in clinical research.
‘My first trial involved testing a new chemotherapy drug against standard treatment. I asked to be “randomised” to the new drug. I hadn’t understood what was meant by ‘randomised’ trial. My consultant told me later that she thought I had been joking when I’d asked for the new drug. But the randomisation did put me on it anyway, which was what I thought I’d consented to….
My own misunderstanding made me wonder why patients weren’t involved in writing the information that would be given to other patients.‘
There is guidance published on ‘PPI’ (Patient and Public Involvement) here on the Clinical Governance blog which incorporates guidance available from the HRA website and the National Institute for Health Research’s site.
Conducting PPI is a good way to seek the opinions and recommendations of the public, and can help to ensure that your study is designed and set-up in a way that will be relevant to participants, and of good quality. PPI can also help to avoid any setbacks once the project is underway.
‘Every year more patients are taking part in clinical trials. Evidence shows that cancer patients who take part in clinical research are more likely to report higher levels of satisfaction with their overall care, and are more likely to have better outcomes in research-rich hospitals, even if they don’t take part in trials themselves.
Research participation is good for patients, patient involvement is good for research, and good research produces better treatments and care for all of us.’
Remember that support is on offer at BU if you are thinking of introducing your research ideas into the NHS – email the Research Ethics mailbox, and take a look at the Clinical Governance blog.
Tuesday 13th April – Thursday 15th April
The three-day Writing Academy will enable you to develop the skills required to improve the quantity and quality of your publications and to develop a publication strategy which best represents you as an academic.
The academy is a great opportunity for academics who are new to publishing or would benefit from some additional direction and coaching.
You’ll have access to an external consultant who will advise you on techniques and style. You will also have the opportunity to discuss your ideas and issues with your peers.
The program and objectives for Writing Academies are as follows:
You will also have the opportunity to discuss your publishing goals and prepare a plan to accommodate writing within your day to day routines.
The trainer for the Writing Academy is Patrick Brindle.
Patrick divides his time between his training and consultancy business – Into Content – and his work for City, University of London. At City he is Programme Director on the Publishing MA and International Publishing MA. Patrick has a PhD in History from Cambridge University, and has worked in editorial positions across the social sciences at Pearson Education, Oxford University Press and SAGE Publications. Patrick provides staff and PhD level training on book and research paper writing, and on general publishing strategy, to a range of universities, including Oxford, UCL, Leicester, Royal Holloway, the SRHE and the ESRC’s National Centre for Research Methods. He also has a specialism in helping academics in writing about methodology.
If you are interested in booking a place, please contact RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk.
Early Career Conference Grants fund emerging researchers who have not yet had the opportunity to travel internationally beyond their region to present at overseas conferences. Applications for the Early Career Conference Grants are now open. 25 grants of up to £2000 are available in 2020.
To apply, researchers must:
How to apply
Full details and the application form can be found on the ACU website
Applicants are required to complete four short personal statements, upload their conference proposal, and attach a letter of reference from their line manager or head of department.
The closing date is 23:59 GMT on Wednesday 25 March.
If you have any queries, please contact RKEDF@Bournemouth.ac.uk
The latest podcast in the Health Research Futures series comes from Professor Julie Lovegrove. Professor Lovegrove is from the University of Reading and talks about the challenges of conducting nutritional research and overcoming them.
Before agreeing to participate in your study, your participants should receive all the information they require in order to make an informed decision. Once they wish to participate, then an informed consent form should be completed and filed appropriately.
Although the process sounds complex, there are currently a great training opportunities to help familiarise yourself with the background to, and process of informed consent in clinical research.
The Wessex Clinical Research Network are hosting the following training sessions at University Hospital Southampton and at Wessex CRN’s office –
If you’re interested in attending, get in touch with the Wessex CRN to book your place.
Are you interested in running your own research project within the NHS or healthcare? Good Clinical Practice, or ‘GCP’, is a requirement for those wishing to work on clinical research projects in a healthcare setting.
GCP is the international ethical, scientific and practical standard to which all clinical research is conducted. By undertaking GCP, you’re able to demonstrate the rights, safety and wellbeing of your research participants are protected, and that the data collected are reliable.
The next GCP full day session is scheduled for Tuesday 17th March, at Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester – 8:45am – 4:30pm.
The day will comprise of the following sessions:
If you’re interested in booking a place, please contact Research Ethics.
Remember that support is on offer at BU if you are thinking of introducing your research ideas into the NHS – email the Research Ethics mailbox, and take a look at the Clinical Governance blog.
Dr Samuel Nyman, Department of Medical Science & Public Health, has recently had an article published in The Conversation on the health benefits of Tai Chi. This includes reference to his recently completed NIHR-funded Tai Chi study, The TACIT Trial.
The Conversation article can be found here.
Being Human is the UK’s national festival of the humanities, led by the School of Advanced Study, University of London in partnership with the Arts & Humanities Research Council and the British Academy.
About the festival
Being Human is a national free festival geared towards public engagement with humanities research.
Every year the festival features around 300 events across the country, working with an average of around 80 universities and research organisations in 50 towns and cities.
The seventh annual festival is taking place on Thursday 12 – Sunday 22 November 2020.
This year’s festival theme is New Worlds. Echoing previous festival themes, ‘New Worlds’ conjures ideas about how discoveries, developments and research have changed the world around us. The aim of the festival is to take research in the humanities and share it in creative, fun and engaging ways with non-specialist audiences.
How to get involved
There are three main pathways to taking part in the festival:
1. Open Call: organise an activity that does not require funding from Being Human
Application deadline: Friday 12 June 2020, 5pm
2. Small Awards: apply to Being Human for funding of up to £2,000 to enable activities.
Application deadline: Friday 24 April 2020, 5pm
3. Hub Awards: apply for a larger institutional grant of £2,000- £5,000 to coordinate multiple activities as a festival Hub. (Only a small number of these awards are made every year).
Application deadline: Friday 24 April 2020, 5pm
More details about how to apply can be found here.
For more information please email beinghuman@sas.ac.uk
If you would like advice on developing ideas or submitting your application, please contact Adam Morris (Engagement Officer) publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk
Thursday 27th February 14:00 -15:00 Talbot
BRIAN (Bournemouth Research Information And Networking) is BU’s publication management system.
BRIAN is also used to capture information regarding outputs to be submitted to the REF2021, and to the mock exercises related to REF2021.
This usage of BRIAN is the focus of this training session.
See here to book. Contact RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk if you have any queries.
Last week migration researchers in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences were awarded two competitive grants through GCRF funding to Bournemouth University. The first project Nepal-Malaysia-UK partnership on Nepali migrants’ health research is led by Dr. Pramod Regmi (lecturer in International Health) and Dr. Nirmal Aryal (Post Doctoral Researcher) and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen. The second GCRF-funded project focuses on Investigating sudden cardiac death of Nepali labour migrants in Malaysia. The project is the brain child of Dr. Nirmal Aryal who is supported by Dr. Pramod Regmi and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen.
In the same week the International Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health (IJERPH) accepted our latest migration and health paper: ‘The Impact of Spousal Migration on the Mental Health of Nepali Women: A Cross-Sectional Study‘. [1] This paper was part of the journal’s Special Issue ‘The Health & Wellbeing of Migrant Populations’ and it is Open Access and hence freely available online. The international authors are all related to Bournemouth University, Dr. Nirnal Aryal and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen are both in the Centre of Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health (CMMPH) and Dr. Pramod Regmi and Dr. Steve Trenoweth are based in the Department of Nursing Sciences, whilst Dr. Pratik Adhikary was awarded his PhD from Bournemouth University and Prof. Padam Simkhada based at the University of Huddersfield is Visiting Professor at in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences. The editor emailed us today to say “Thank you very much for your nice paper …. We are pleased to see it has raised a lot of interest since its publication in IJERPH. The article metrics show: in the first week alone we had 474 views and 133 downloads.”
Last, but not least, today we were informed by the review committee that our submission, ‘Workplace Harassment Faced by Female Nepali Migrants Working in Abroad’ has been accepted by the CESLAM (Centre for the Study of Labour and Mobility) Kathmandu Migration Conference 2020.
Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen
CMMPH
Reference:
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MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025
Update on UKRO services
European research project exploring use of ‘virtual twins’ to better manage metabolic associated fatty liver disease
BU Professor has been invited to a series of plenary and invited lectures.
Research Information Network
3MT Competition – register to attend
Promoting South-South collaboration and learning
We can help you engage more people in your public engagement event
Calling all PGRs! Apply for the May Research Café by 14 March
Horizon Europe info days 2025