At Café Scientifique, you can explore the latest ideas in science and technology in a relaxed online setting. Enjoy listening to a short talk before engaging in debate and discussion with our guest speaker and audience.
We’ll be joined by Claudia Tang this Tuesday 6 April, from 7.00pm till 8:30pm.
Is sugar the enemy in your diet? What about sweet-tasting foods in general? The way we think about eating sugary foods can be affected by how we view the alternatives; eating low-calorie sweeteners or avoiding sweet foods altogether. BU researcher Claudia Tang asked the public how they feel about sugar, sugar alternatives and policies like the sugar tax. Join us to explore how we feel about sweet tastes, reveal common (mis)beliefs and discover how you can play a part in new research.
How removing weirs could help fish to migrate along the River Severn.
At Café Scientifique, you can explore the latest ideas in science and technology in a relaxed online setting. Enjoy listening to a short talk before engaging in debate and discussion with our guest speaker and audience.
The barriers that once enabled major industry along the UK’s longest river may pose problems for fish that need to migrate up and downstream. Researchers from Bournemouth University have investigated how these weirs, locks and other infrastructure affect fish migration along the River Severn – and what could happen if they were removed. Join us to find out how our rivers might be restored to let fish to swim freely once more.
Sarah Elliott below shares her experience of presenting at a BU Café Scientifique event on 1 December 2020. Note – the recording below includes only Sarah’s talk and not the Q&A session that followed. We chose not to record the Q&A in the hope that it would encourage questions, but we may review this policy in future.
I recently participated in Café Scientifique which, because of the current pandemic, has moved on-line. I think this is a great opportunity to be involved in and for viewers across the country to engage in scientific research.
I presented some of my PhD results that form the basis of my current postdoctoral research fellowship, which I hold in the Archaeology & Anthropology department at Bournemouth University. My research sits within the discipline of Environmental Archaeology – I study microscopic signatures of human and animal activity from the soils and sediments in farming villages dating from 12,000-7,000 years ago in the Middle East. These villages and the people who resided in them were the first farmers in the world, domesticating plants and animals in an area called the Fertile Crescent.
My research takes a novel approach to identifying animal domestication and human activities/signatures. There is so much on archaeological sites that we cannot see, but which we are able to pick apart microscopically, I examine microscopic faecal spherulites which are produced in the animals’ gut during digestion and are a key indicator of animal dung. Evidence from the animal dung can help with identifying management and domestication of animals, in addition to identifying the use of ‘secondary products’, for example dung being used for fuel and within building materials. Furthermore, I examine geochemical signatures from the sediments as well as identifying microscopic plant remains, in the form of silica phytoliths. Studying animal dung as a specialism is an unusual topic, but presenting in this Café Sci environment makes people (I think) look at things in a different way.
I participated in Café Sci because I enjoy sharing my research, and more importantly I think it is key for people to know why this topic, and this major transitional period, is significant. During this period, people shifted from mobile hunter-gatherers to sedentary farmers – this was a major change in human history; with the advent of food production and farming came the development of villages, towns, civilisations that led us to where we are today.
Academics spend a lot of time presenting their research to each other and publishing their data, but through Café Sci as a platform you are able to reach a wider audience and facilitate discussions about your research in an informal and friendly environment.
The event had a good turn out and very positive feedback, the questions asked in the discussion were all thought provoking and important points were highlighted upon which I could expand my explanations. Academics always have so much to say, and not enough time to say it, so the ample time given for discussion at a Café Sci event provides a real opportunity to focus on the aspects of the talk which the public were most interested in.
You’re welcome to join us at Café Scientifique, a free online public event where you can explore the latest ideas in science and technology in a relaxed setting. Enjoy listening to a short talk before engaging in debate and discussion with our guest speaker and audience.
We’ll be joined by Dr Sarah Elliott on Tuesday 1 December from 7.00pm until 8.30pm.
Around twelve thousand years ago in the Middle East, the course of human civilisation changed forever – human hunter-gatherers became fully-fledged farmers, trading their small campsites for settled villages. But why? Why did it happen there and why then? Archaeological evidence is often limited or poorly preserved, so researcher Dr Sarah Elliott is looking closer, studying the microscopic traces people and animals left behind to try to solve one of the great mysteries of human history.
Join our online Café Scientifique, where you can explore the latest ideas in science and technology in a relaxed setting.
About this Event
At Café Scientifique, you can explore the latest ideas in science and technology. Enjoy listening to a short talk before engaging in debate and discussion with our guest speaker and audience.
We’ll be joined by Carrie Tbaily on Tuesday 3 November from 7.00pm until 8.30pm.
Researcher Carrie Tbaily is bringing her ten years of experience as a physiotherapist into the world of research, as she investigates the potential of hydrotherapy for learning disabilities.Join us to discover what a learning disability really is and how this population is excitingly diverse. We’ll also look at what current research can and can’t tell us about hydrotherapy, and how Carrie’ upcoming research plans to fill those gaps.
“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:
Consumer sovereignty
Preserving the conditions of an acceptable exchange
Paternalism
The perfect competition ideal
The Mutuality Principle (MP)
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
Enjoy listening to a short talk from our guest speaker before engaging in debate and discussion around that topic.
We’ll be joined by Ediz Akcay on Tuesday 3 March 7:30-9pm (doors open at 6:30pm)
No need to book, make sure you get there early though as seats fill up fast!
The Dark Side of Personalisation: AI, Voice Recognition and Beyond
“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, used by adults and children alike. Luckily, they do not rebel against our commands – yet. These devices bring advantages in convenience and accessibility, playing a song has never been easier, but at what cost? Join us to discuss the ethics of the many new ways that companies listen to, track and store information about us using voice recognition and AI.
How we experience the environment around us involves the brain combining information from our different sensory systems. For example, signals from our inner ears and joints tell us how we are positioned compared to gravity. The brain then combines this with what we see around us to help us maintain an upright position (i.e. prevent us falling over). Our perception of upright changes throughout our lifetime and different medical conditions can affect this which may make you reconsider whether your picture frames are straight.
For our first Café Scientifique of 2020, Dr Sharon Docherty switched roles from Cafe Sci’s regular host to this month’s speaker. Outlining some of the research she has conducted in the area of perception of visual vertical, Sharon presented findings from a range of studies to illustrate how our perception changes from childhood through to older age as well as how conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, diabetes and neck pain can affect this.
How is perception of vertical measured?
Sharon has spent years developing a computerised test along with her colleague, Jeff Bagust. The test involves moving a line from an angle of 20 degrees into a position you think is vertical. In some presentations within the test, only the line is on the screen, testing your ability to make the judgement without any visual cues from your environment. In others, there is a square frame surrounding the line providing visual cues for both vertical and horizontal. This is known as the Rod and Frame Test. As well as presenting the frame in an upright position, in some of the tasks the frame is tilted by 18 degrees. Tilting the frame provides a confusing visual signal to your brain that affects people’s perception in different ways. It is a measure of how well your brain can adapt to relying on the other sources of information (inner ears, muscles and joints). All of this is conducted viewing the test through video glasses eliminating clues from the external environment. This means the test can be carried out almost anywhere.
As well as measuring the effect of tilting the frame in terms of degrees of error from true vertical, the system also records the amount of time it takes the participant to make the adjustment. Again, the difference between when the frame is tilted and when it isn’t can be quite remarkable for some people. It doesn’t necessarily mean those who take longer are more accurate in either younger or older adults (see graph). Another important aspect that is measured is the consistency with which people are able to judge the vertical position. A review of studies of different clinical conditions that Sharon and Jeff have conducted show that those participants with possible neurological complications had higher individual variability of error than healthy controls.
What does this mean?
The occurrence of above normal errors and high individual variability in those people with possible neurological complications suggests that the test may be a useful screening tool in other conditions such as falls in older adults.
Where to from here?
“We have recently completed a study comparing a group of 20-35 year old’s with a group 60 years and older. The results showed an increase of 2 degrees or more error in the older group. We plan on looking at how the results of the rod and frame test compare with the purely visual task of detecting contrast between an object and its background. This should help us better understand the part deterioration of the visual system plays in perception of vertical.”
“Another phenomenon we have observed is that some people do not seem to understand the task as soon as the frame is tilted, even after a practice run when they have completed it correctly. Instead of aligning to vertical, they carefully move the line to match the angle of the frame. We are able to distinguish these people from those that have genuinely high errors as they consistently position the line within a few degrees of the frame angle. The plan is to combine this with tests of cognitive function to try to explain what is happening.”
Dr Sharon Docherty reflects on her experience of speaking at Café Scientifique: “Following the talk we had a really interesting discussion around the subject. It certainly left me with lots to think about and quite a few new research ideas. It’s not just the audience who have a great time, presenters have left smiling and commenting on how much they enjoyed the experience… often with a few new research ideas courtesy of the audience!”
Audience members share their comments; “It is a really interesting topic and great location.” “Marvellous & stimulating.”
We’ll be joined by Ediz Akcay who will be discussing;
‘The Dark Side of Personalisation: AI, Voice Recognition and Beyond’
“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, used by adults and children alike. Luckily, they do not rebel against our commands – yet. These devices bring advantages in convenience and accessibility, playing a song has never been easier, but at what cost? Join us to discuss the ethics of the many new ways that companies listen to, track and store information about us using voice recognition and AI.
There’s no need to register, make sure you get there early though as seats fill up fast!
Find out more about Café Scientifique and sign up to our newsletter to hear about our exciting programme of research events for the public; www.bournemouth.ac.uk/cafe-sci
Enjoy listening to a short talk from our guest speaker before engaging in debate and discussion around that topic.
We’ll be joined by Dr Sharon Docherty on Tuesday 4 February 7:30-9pm (doors open at 6:30pm) No need to book, make sure you get there early though as seats fill up fast!
Crooked picture frames and ageing of perception
How we experience the environment around us involves the brain combining information from our different sensory systems. Something as ‘simple’ as staying upright involves signals from our inner ears, joints and eyes. Join us to discover how our perception of upright changes throughout our lifetime, and how different medical conditions can affect this. It may also make you reconsider whether your picture frames are straight.
As we go about our daily lives our hair is recording evidence of what we consume and of the environments we are exposed to. It can record how much you drink, whether you smoke or take drugs, or live in an environment where drug abuse is prevalent. Hair testing for drugs and alcohol provides evidence to the police, assists with family law issues, and is utilised in workplace testing and a variety of other settings. The interpretation of analytical data from hair testing is challenging however, and research is continuing to improve the validity of the process.
At this month’s Café Scientifique, Dr Richard Paul discussed the science behind hair testing for drugs and alcohol, and reviewed some of the applications of the technique. Richard highlighted how hair testing may be used in cases of drug facilitated crime, the use of hair alcohol testing to determine abstinence or chronic excessive consumption, and finally reviewed how hair testing will be utilised in new research to examine second-hand exposure to new psychoactive substances in prisons.
Drug facilitated crime
The term drug facilitated crime refers to when a person is subjected to a criminal act whilst they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Unfortunately in many such cases a victim may experience memory loss caused by certain drugs, or be reluctant or unable to report the crime soon after it has taken place. Certain drugs associated with such crimes are often quickly eliminated from our body through natural processes, rendering blood and urine testing obsolete if too much time has passed following the crime. This is where hair testing has a crucial advantage: once drugs enter our hair they can remain bound and stable for very long periods of time. Richard discussed his research developing new techniques for the investigation of drug facilitated crime and examined cases utilising the technique.
How are drugs incorporated in our hair?
Drugs can enter our hair via three mechanisms;
The bloodstream – every hair on our body has a blood supply, and drugs or alcohol (metabolites) circulating in our bloodstream can access our hair via this system. Once in the hair, compounds can bind strongly to melanin and keratin in our hair.
Sweat and sebum – it has been shown that some drug and alcohol metabolites will be excreted via sweat/sebum, and then re-incorporated in hair that is in contact with sweat/sebum.
External contamination – it has been demonstrated that exposure to drugs that are smoked or snorted can lead to passive incorporation of drugs into the hair of non-drug users. We’ve even shown that some cosmetic hemp-based hair treatments can lead to positive test results for cannabinoids. Laboratories have systems in place to distinguish between drug consumption and passive exposure, but it can be challenging.
Alcohol testing
Alcohol itself (ethanol) is not tested for in the hair, the compound is too volatile. Instead researchers look for metabolites of ethanol in our system, focusing on ethyl glucuronide, and ethyl palmitate. These are biomarkers of alcohol consumption, and when found in hair samples above a certain concentration, provide good evidence of alcohol consumption. Hair alcohol testing is widely utilised in family law cases, often in child custody disputes. If one parent accuses the other of being an alcoholic, a court may request a hair alcohol test to provide evidence. Our research examines the factors that may influence the incorporation of alcohol biomarkers into the hair, as well investigating fingernails as an alternative testing matrix to hair.
New psychoactive substances in prisons
Richard discussed his latest research project investigating second-hand exposure to new psychoactive substances in prisons. NPS are new narcotic or psychotropic drugs many of which pose serious health risks. The abuse of such drugs in prisons (including Spice and similar compounds) is a significant problem and one which is experienced to different levels across many European countries.
Richard’s team are using a range of analytical techniques to assess the prevalence of NPS abuse in UK prisons and will also be assessing the extent to which prison staff are exposed to secondary drug fumes during their employment.
Dr Richard Paul reflects on his experience of speaking at Café Scientifique: ‘Presenting my research at Café Scientifique was an excellent opportunity to engage the public in debate around the applications and validity of hair testing. The audience was lively and focused, and we had a lot of excellent, thought provoking questions.’
We are taking a break in January but we’ll be back on Tuesday 4 February 2020!
Enjoy listening to a short talk from our guest speaker before engaging in debate and discussion around that topic.
We’ll be joined by Dr Richard Paul on Tuesday 3 December 7:30-9pm (doors open at 6:30pm) No need to book, make sure you get there early though as seats fill up fast!
The secret information hidden in your hair
As we go about our daily lives, our hair is recording evidence of what we consume and of the environments we are exposed to. It can record how much you drink, whether you smoke or take drugs, or live or work in an environment where drug abuse is prevalent. Join us to learn about the technology used to analyse hair and how it can be used in criminal cases to investigate drug facilitated crime, monitor alcohol consumption, and assess the exposure of prison guards to new psychoactive substances in UK prisons.
Enjoy listening to a short talk from our guest speaker before engaging in debate and discussion around that topic.
We’ll be joined by Dr Elvira Bolat & Dr Emily Arden-Closeon Tuesday 5 November from 7:30pm until 9pm (doors open at 6:30pm) No need to register, make sure you get there early though as seats fill up fast!
Hidden stories of online gamblers
The stereotype of the problem gambler no longer holds true – digital connectivity means we are all now exposed to online gambling and the risk of addiction. Join researchers from BU to discover how platforms use artificial intelligence, targeted advertising and behavioural science to keep gamblers hooked – and how you can avoid falling prey to these tools.
Facial composites are computerised visual likenesses, created by witnesses and victims of crimes, to resemble perpetrators. These images are released to the public in the course of an appeal, in the hope that someone familiar with the offender will report their identification to the police. While facial composites are only constructed in situations where the offender is unfamiliar to the victim and the offence serious, recent statistics show that upwards of 2,500 criminal investigations have made use of these images since 2013.
In this month’s Café Scientifique, Dr Emma Portch discussed how researchers can work collaboratively with forensic practitioners to improve the recognisability of these images. Emma highlighted that researchers can influence three separate stages of the composite construction process: (1) pre-construction cognitive interview techniques, (2) construction mechanics, and (3) post-production display of images.
Do construction systems mimic the way in which humans recognise unfamiliar faces? Emma detailed the difference between feature-based and holistic computerised composite systems. While feature-based systems require the witness to piece together a likeness, by selecting and editing from a database of individual photographed features (e.g. noses and mouths), holistic systems allow the witness to select whole-face representations, with selections bred together to preserve important configural similarities (i.e. the relative distances between features). Emma described how holistic systems better mirror the way in which we recognise faces in everyday life and demonstrated how further enhancement techniques can be used to boost the accuracy of images created this way (e.g. removing or blurring external facial features).
Are facial descriptions detrimental to subsequent facial recognition? Descriptions of the offender’s face are often critical to the process of composite construction and ACPO stipulate that composites should not be created if the witness cannot provide one. However, Emma revealed that providing a detailed facial description can sometimes make it more difficult to recognise when a composite has reached a good level of visual likeness. This so-called verbal overshadowing effect may arise as providing a verbal description of the face instates a suboptimal feature-based processing style, at odds with the holistic style needed to recognise that a composite well-resembles the offender. Emma discussed ways to alleviate verbal overshadowing, specifically focusing on promising results with a newer type of holistic interviewing.
How can we ensure that facial composites are recognised by those familiar with the offender? Composites are a useful investigative tool insofar as they can be identified by officers and members of the public familiar with the offender. Emma outlined the importance of post-production of images prior to media release, describing how different techniques could be used to occlude commonly error-prone regions of the image, and upregulate distinctive and accurate regions, respectively.
Dr Emma Portch reflects on her experience of speaking at Cafe Scientifique: ‘Public engagement is a vital exercise for communicating research findings to those who benefit from it most. The Café Scientifique team organised an excellent event and the attendees keep me on my toes with interesting and insightful questions and discussion’.
The next Café Scientifique will take place at Café Boscanova on Tuesday 5 November from 7:30pm until 9pm (doors open at 6:30pm)
There’s no need to register, make sure you get there early though as seats fill up fast!
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
Enjoy listening to a short talk from our guest speaker before engaging in debate and discussion around that topic
We’ll be joined by Dr Tim Slattery from theFaculty of Science & Technologyon Tuesday 3 September from 7:30pm until 9pm (doors open at 6:30pm) No need to register, make sure you get there early though as seats fill up fast!
Eye tracking as a window to the mind
The movements of your eyes can reveal a lot about what you’re thinking. Join us to discover how researchers at Bournemouth University are studying eye moment, in order to understand the mental processes behind everyday tasks, like reading and navigation. Alongside a talk, we’ll have interactive demonstrations to show what state of the art eye tracking technology is capable of. We’ll discuss how eye tracking is already being used and what the future may hold when eye tracking becomes more widespread, even embedded in our personal devices.
Have you been doing research that you are itching to share with the public?
Do you want to increase your public engagement and have fun doing it?
We are looking for two academics to fill our Cafe Scientifique spots in June and July. If you would like to get involved please email the Public Engagement team!
We are ready and rearing to go for the first Café Scientifique of 2018!
We will be joined by Dr. Phillipa Gillingham, who will be discussing whether managing protected areas is a wise way of spending conservation resources.
Recent climate change has caused many species to change their distributions to try and track suitable conditions. However, borders of the areas that we are managing and protecting do not move, potentially being a waste of time and money.
What’s your opinion? Come on down to Café Boscanova on Tuesday 6th February to join the discussion. Find out more on our website.
Dr. Gillingham is currently working on the likely impacts of climate change on protected areas in the UK.
Few weeks after Café Scientific (details here: http://blogs.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/?p=64189), I received an email from Devon Biddle and Sacha Gardener regarding the opportunity to be interviewed on the importance of public engagement activities and how my projects had benefited from them, not only during the recruiting process but also in expanding my research horizon and raising awareness on what I am doing (details here: http://blogs.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/?p=53295 )
Therefore, in just a couple of days, thanks to the staff of the Orthopedic Research Institute who provided the location, we started shooting, and here is part of the interview:
I would like to thank Davon, Sacha and all the BU staff for this interview, it was great, and I really hope that helps to have more people involved in public engagement activities.
Following the full script of the interview.
Could you tell us a little bit of your self
My name is Francesco Ferraro, and I am a PhD Student here at Bournemouth University. Currently, I am working on a project which aims to understand the effects of inspiratory muscles training on balance and functional mobility for healthy older adults. The goal is to develop an innovative and effective training for falls prevention.
Before arriving here at BU, I obtained a Bachelor Degree in sports science from University of Rome Foro Italico while in the meantime I was working as a football coach and after I moved to Naples for complete my Master Degree in sports science prevention and wellness. There I worked on motion analysis in young adults, while in the meantime I was a trainer of the Italian Federation of Weightlifting.
Could you tell us your favourite public engagement opportunity at BU?
It is hard to tell, I have enjoyed all the events in which I took part including Pint of Science, Café Scientific, The Festival of Learning, lecturing at University of Third Age and others.I gained something from each of them, and I gave something at each of them. But if I have to pick one, and only one I would say the Festival of Learning. Among all the events FOL is the one who gives you the opportunity to meet all kind of people.
You have the opportunity to explain your research to a very young audience, as well as people with excellent knowledge in your field, while surrounded by members of the BU Staff, BU students and colleagues that are there to help you and motived you.
Why do you find public engagement a good asset to both your research and the community?
My study aims to understand the effect of inspiratory muscle training on balance and functional mobility. My final purpose is to develop a strategy to prevent falls accidents in people over 65.
Therefore it is a research for the community as any other research, especially in health and social science, is done for the people. Hence what would be the point to work for the community and do not explain to them what you are doing? As researchers we have the opportunity to share with others much more than a picture on Twitter, or Instagram, we have the opportunity to share knowledge, ideas and instead of likes, we will have more questions, more curiosity and the chance to give to the audience our ideas.
At Café Scientifique, the public was really engaging in the fact your research was trying to better the wellbeing of the older generation. Why do you think people are so engaged in your research?
At Café Scientifique I was able to give to them my idea. Instead of explaining right away what my research does I told them the idea behind it and why is important to research on it. The reason why we had a great respond must be sought in my past years of work in the public engagement.
Any research is fascinating in is way, but is crucial to share it with others, not only peers and experts but also with the people for which the research is done.
You use your public engagement to advertise the need for participants in your current research, is this an effective way of getting the participants you need?
Yes, it is. But it is not the reason why I do public engagement. I have been introduced to public engagement by my supervisors: Alison McConnell, James Gavin and Thomas Wainwright with the aim to share what learned and discuss it with others.
If you were to advice new researchers about public engagement, what would you say to them?
Do it if you want to do it.
Public engagement is not easy especially if you do it because you “have to”. Do it if you want to share your research if you want to challenge yourself, if you want to meet the community then you will make a great event. You must have the right motivation if you do it just to “hunting” participants it won’t be neither correct or fun, and people will understand, with the result that you and your research will lose trust.
What do you gain most from public engagement?
Motivation – to work more for the community, to help people to learn and understand what we are doing here at the BU and how it helps their wellbeing.
Confidence – have the opportunity to talk to 50, 100 or even 200 people at each event, has grown my confidence inside and outside the University.
Knowledge – I do believe that everyone has a story to tell and you can learn a lot from it. I am always surprised at the questions that I receive.
People curiosity drives my curiosity as well and helps me to think and re-think at my research.
What are you going to do next?
I do have a couple of projects going on, but I will take part in the next Festival of Learning (third year in a row), and I will see what other opportunities the public engagement team will give to us.
We are looking for researchers to come and speak at our Cafe Scientifique events in 2018…
Researching something interesting? Want to share it with the public? We have a brilliant platform for you to do just that on the first Tuesday of every month at Cafe Boscanova!
We have vacancies for:
Tuesday 6th February
Tuesday 3rd April
Tuesday 1st May
Tuesday 5th June
If you would like to learn more about Cafe Scientifique or want to get involved on one of these dates, check out the website or get in touch via email. We would love for anyone who is excited about sharing their research with the community to come along and discuss – especially when there is coffee and the occasional cake involved!
Check out our website to find out about even more Public Engagement opportunities we have at RKEO
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As we go about our daily lives our hair is recording evidence of what we consume and of the environments we are exposed to. It can record how much you drink, whether you smoke or take drugs, or live in an environment where drug abuse is prevalent. Hair testing for drugs and alcohol provides evidence to the police, assists with family law issues, and is utilised in workplace testing and a variety of other settings. The interpretation of analytical data from hair testing is challenging however, and research is continuing to improve the validity of the process.
Dr Richard Paul reflects on his experience of speaking at Café Scientifique: ‘Presenting my research at Café Scientifique was an excellent opportunity to engage the public in debate around the applications and validity of hair testing. The audience was lively and focused, and we had a lot of excellent, thought provoking questions.’
Upcoming 3C Event – Culture, Community & Canapés
Postgraduate Research Summer Social – tickets on sale
May’s Research Café – Showcasing tomorrow’s researchers
Bridging the Digital Divide: How Older Adults Navigate a Digital Society
ADRC launches new DEALTS2 train-the-trainer video series
Horizon Europe 2025 Work Programme pre-Published
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025
Update on UKRO services
European research project exploring use of ‘virtual twins’ to better manage metabolic associated fatty liver disease