BU Research Blog

November 9, 2017

BU’s Sascha Dov Bachmann presents on Hybrid Warfare at UNG, USA

international, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement sbachmann

Dr Sascha Dov Bachmann, Associate Professor in International Law (BU) and War Studies (Swedish Defence University – FHS), Research Fellow at CEMIS, Stellenbosch University and Director of BU’s Centre for Conflict,Rule of Law and Society presented his work on Hybrid Warfare at the University of North Georgia, USA.

Its Institute for Leadership and Strategic Studies hosted an international symposium on on “Civil-Military Cooperation and International Collaboration in Cyber Operations”.

The Institute for Leadership and Strategic Studies (ILSS) was formed in September, 2015 on UNG’s Dahlonega Campus. The vision of the Institute is to make the Corps of Cadets a nationally-recognized program of choice for students pursuing careers as successful leaders in the U.S. Army, government and non-government agencies, and corporations with global interests, in support of U.S. national security. Graduates of the Corps of Cadets are highly sought after.

Sascha was invited to share the findings of his ongoing work (see BU Research News) on

Hybrid Warfare (see Interview in Remote Control Project by Oxford Research Group: Sascha Dov Bachmann) and NATO/US approaches to Hybrid Threats/Warfare (such as human trafficking, poaching and terrorism and cyber).

Sascha reflected on his work with various organizations and security actors such as US CENTCOM, NATO and national academic partners such as the Swedish Defence University, the Austrian Ministry of Defence as well as the UK Parliament’s Defence Select Committee.

November 6, 2017

ESRC Festival – Weekend fun outdoors

Public engagement hcrossen

On Sunday BU and RSPB staff along with volunteers from SUBU enjoyed hearing what young people under 12 years old thought about about being outdoors.

The research team welcomed over 60 children to the KingFisher Barn to take part in this ESRC Festival of Social Sciences event. There were various outdoor activities for the young people to try including den building in the woods. Many of the fun activities also gave young visitors the opportunity to share their ideas about the importance of spending time outdoors playing with friends or family. Many of the young visitors added their ideas to the event’s ‘Big ideas Trees’. There was also the chance for them to suggest how green spaces could be improved to make them more attractive as places to play. Not all the data has been analysed yet but it would seem for the under 5’s one popular enhancement to any green space would be more muddy puddles!

November 3, 2017

ESRC Festival event: Me and my green space

Public engagement hcrossen

On Sunday the Kingfisher Barn, Muscliffe will be the venue for an ESRC Festival event. BU staff from the Faculties of Health and Social Sciences and Media and Communications have developed the event in collaboration with the RSPB and Bournemouth Borough Council Parks. The event called Me and my green space is aimed at young people aged 12 years and under. There will a range of activities to help open a dialogue with younger visitors about what they think green spaces are, do they use them during play and if so what type of activities they like to do in the green spaces they visit. The research team is also interested in whether the young people have ideas about improving access to green spaces or any thoughts about how these areas could offer more enjoyment to younger visitors. The activities on offer will be den building, arts and crafts based on natural materials, an arboretum trail and river dipping. SUBU are helping to support the delivery of several of these activities. The event will end with a lantern trail to light up the woodland area around the Kingfisher Barn. All the research team – Holly Crossen-White, Angela Turner-Wilson (HSS), Annie East and Nathan Farrell (FMC) – invite you to come along and enjoy some outdoor fun – and the weather is going to be good too!

November 2, 2017

BU Senior Academic Appointed As Research Fellow In The Centre For Military Studies, Faculty of Military Science at Stellenbosch University, RSA

BU Challenges, Fusion, international, Knowledge Exchange, PG research, Public engagement, REF Subjects, Research themes sbachmann

Dr Sascha Dov Bachmann, Associate Professor in International Law (BU) and War Studies (Swedish Defence University – FHS) and Director of BU’s Centre for Conflict,Rule of Law and Society has been appointed (Professorial) Research Fellow in The Centre for Military Studies – Faculty of Military Science at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.

The Centre for Military Studies (CEMIS) was established in 1990 under the aegis of Stellenbosch University and the SANDF as an integral part of the contractual agreement between Stellenbosch University and the South African National Defence (SANDF) as approved by the US Senate and Board since 1996. CEMIS is housed within the Faculty of Military Science at Saldanha.

Sascha was invited to share the findings of his ongoing work (see BU Research News) on Hybrid Warfare (see Interview in Remote Control Project by Oxford Research Group: Sascha Dov Bachmann) and to work on a Southern African approach to Hybrid Threats/Warfare (such as human trafficking, poaching and terrorism) as well as develop his present project of election meddling and information operations further.

The relevance of his work has been recognised in South Africa and was highlighted by his invitation to address the military audience at the The 1st International Conference on Military Law in South Africa, hosted by the South African National Defence Force and the Defence Legal Services Division over the period 31 October to 4 November 2016 in Pretoria.

The overall aim is to strenghten the existing collaborative ties between BU and Stellenbosch University in conjunction with the Swedish Defence University with the further goal of joint research bids, publications and exchange of personnel.

October 31, 2017

REMINDER – Cross-Research Council Mental Health Network Plus call Meeting

Funding opportunities, Guidance apekalski

Just a quick reminders…

We will be holding a networking event for BU academics who are interested in the Cross-Research Council Mental Health Network Plus call on 1^st November 09:30-11:30 in PG140. It will be a chance to get like-minded people in one space to identify possible collaborations and differences.

No preparation is necessary for the meeting; however we would ask you to read the call guidance see here.

Refreshment will be provided, if you would like attend please contact Alexandra Pekalski or Lisa Gale Andrews.

October 17, 2017

Resurrecting your unsuccessful grant application – book on now!

Lisa Andrews

With Halloween just around the corner, it’s a good time to think about how to resurrect those old grant applications that you’ve long since forgotten about.

But what do you do after hearing your application was unsuccessful? As part of the Research and Knowledge Exchange Development Framework, RKEO are holding a session on ‘Confronting your Unsuccessful application’. This one-day event will combine:

information about how individuals deal with rejection
advice and guidance on how this can be turned into something positive
advice on how feedback can be approached
the opportunity for individuals to work on revising their bids, using the above as a basis for doing so.

The afternoon session will comprise of 1-2-1 sessions with the external facilitator, to get specific advice relating to your application.

There are 15 spaces available for academic staff whose funding application has been rejected and wish to re-submit to another funder, within the next 12 months.

Date: Wednesday 15^th November 2017

Time: 09:00-13:30 with opportunities for a 1-2-1 appointment in the afternoon session

Venue: Lansdowne Campus

Book your space via the RKE Development Framework page for this event.

For further information, please contact Lisa Gale-Andrews, RKEO Research Facilitator.

October 16, 2017

Cross-Research Council Mental Health Network Plus call is now open

BU Challenges, Funding opportunities Lisa Andrews

The research councils are pleased to announce the cross-disciplinary mental health network plus call.

The aim of the call is to encourage the creation of multi-disciplinary networks that cross the remit boundaries of the research councils. These networks will address important mental health research questions that require an innovative, cross-disciplinary approach to accelerate progress; to build cross-disciplinary research capacity in the field; and to strengthen the UK mental health research base.

The call for network plus proposals closes at 16:00 on 22 March 2018.

If you are interested in applying to this call, please contact your Research Facilitator. We will be holding a networking event for BU academics who are interested in this call. Details of this event will be announced on the BU Research Blog shortly.

For further information and to apply see here.

October 12, 2017

SAIL Project Team Meeting

Knowledge Exchange hcrossen

Last week, Prof Ann Hemingway, Prof Adele Ladkin and Dr Holly Crossen-White joined European research colleagues in Ostend, Belgium for a SAIL Project bi-annual team meeting. Over two days all research partners from four different European countries had the opportunity to share their initial research data from pilot projects being developed within each country for older people. The BU team will be undertaking the feasibility study for the SAIL project and will be drawing together all the learning from the various interventions created by the other partners.

October 11, 2017

New CMMPH midwifery publication

international, Publishing, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Congratulations to Dr. Sue Way and Prof. Vanora Hundley in BU’s Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health (CMMPH) on their latest publication on the latent phase of labour. Their paper ‘Defining the latent phase of labour: is it important?’ appeared in Evidence Based Midwifery and was written with midwifery colleagues across the UK, Germany and Canada [1].

Congratulations

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

Reference:

Hundley V, Way S, Cheyne H, Janssen P, Gross M, Spiby H (2017) Defining the latent phase of labour: is it important? Evidence Based Midwifery 15 (3): 89-94.

October 10, 2017

Food Security: What’s on your Plate? CHANGE OF DATE – Tuesday 14th November 2017

Lisa Andrews

On Tuesday 14th November 2017, BU’s Research and Knowledge Exchange Office (RKEO) will be hosting a STEAMLab on Food Security.

Which means…?

We have renamed ‘Sandpits’ to the new name of ‘STEAMLab’. This demonstrates the purpose of the STEAMLabs as being open to all disciplines and encouraging truly interdisciplinary research ideas. The ‘Lab’ part demonstrates the working environment that leads to the creation of novel research ideas and partnerships. In a nutshell, the STEAMLabs offer the opportunity to meet new people from all disciplines and sectors, and to spend dedicated time developing novel ideas for research projects.

For this STEAMLab, we’re seeking to come up with novel research which addresses challenges in food security. With increasing pressure on food sources and the food industry, we need to consider how food security can be guaranteed for the future. Potential areas to address this challenge may include but are not limited to, malnutrition/nutrition, agriculture, logistics, robotics, supply chain, new forms of food, sustainability, political/economic problems, food policy, food waste & recycling, and climate & the environment.

So, who should attend?

STEAMLabs cover broad themes to ensure that they are open to everyone from all disciplines. So if you think you have something to contribute then come along. If you think that they don’t include you then please have a chat with your RKEO Facilitator who can explain how your research could make a vital contribution to new ideas and approaches. In order to encourage wider partnerships, each STEAMLab will include academics from other universities, as well as representatives from industry and other sectors.

What do I need to prepare in advance? What will the STEAMLab entail?

Absolutely nothing in advance. During the session, you’ll be guided through a process which results in the development of research ideas. The process facilitates creativity, potentially leading to innovative and interdisciplinary research ideas. These ideas will be explored with other attendees, and further developed based on the feedback received.

What if I don’t have time to think about ideas in advance?

You don’t need to do this but it will help. Attendees will come from a range of backgrounds so we expect that there will be lively conversations resulting from these different perspectives.

What about afterwards? Do I need to go away and do loads of work?

Well… that depends! The interactive day will result in some novel research ideas. Some of these may be progressed immediately; others might need more time to develop. You may find common ground with other attendees which you choose to take forward in other ways, such as writing a paper or applying for research funding. Your Research Facilitator will be on hand to support you as you develop bids for funding.

What if my topic area is really specific, and doesn’t really relate to food?

Your contribution will be very welcome! One of the main benefits of this type of event is to bring together individuals with a range of backgrounds and specialisms who are able to see things just that bit differently to one another.

So, is this just networking?

Definitely not! It is a facilitated session with the primary intention of developing innovative research ideas, which also enables the development of networks. It gives you the opportunity to explore research ideas which you may develop over time, together with the chance to find common ground with academics from across BU and beyond.

How do I book onto this event?

To take part in this exciting opportunity, BU staff should complete the Food Security Application Form and return this to RKEDevFramework by Friday 3rd November. As places are limited, this will be assessed to ensure good mix of attendees with different perspectives. Places will be confirmed w/c 6th November 2017.

By applying, you agree to attend for the full duration of the event on 14th November 2017 (c. 9:30 – 16:00). This event will be held in the EBC, Lansdowne Campus.

If you have any queries prior to submitting your application, please contact Lisa Gale-Andrews, RKEO Research Facilitator.

This event is part of the Research Knowledge Exchange Development Framework.

September 20, 2017

The importance of justifying yourself! Writing a Justification of Resources Session 12th October 2017 – last chance to book!

Funding opportunities Lisa Andrews

Many people see the ‘Justification of Resources’ document as another thing to quickly pull together and tick off the list, after having already completed a 70+ page funding application. As a result, it often doesn’t get the prior consideration needed to write a good one – even though applications are often rejected due to insufficient justification of resources.

As part of the Research and Knowledge Exchange Development Framework, RKEO are holding a session on ‘Writing a Justification of Resources’. The session will provide an overview of the Justification of Resources document, and will offer tips for writing this section of the application form. Examples of effective Justifications of Resources will be provided.

Date: Thursday 12th October

Time: 09:30-11:00

Venue: Lansdowne Campus

Book your space via the RKE Development Framework page for this event.

For further information, please contact Lisa Gale-Andrews, RKEO Research Facilitator.

September 19, 2017

Have you been unsuccessful with a grant application and don’t know what to do next? Don’t give up! Come to our session on ‘Confronting your unsuccessful application’ 15th November 2017

Lisa Andrews

Rejection is always hard to deal with, and with success rates for research grant applications as low as 10% for some funders, many of us can expect to face rejection at some point in our careers.

But what do you do next when you hear your application was unsuccessful? As part of the Research and Knowledge Exchange Development Framework, RKEO are holding a session on ‘Confronting your Unsuccessful application’. This one-day event will combine:

information about how individuals deal with rejection
advice and guidance on how this can be turned into something positive
advice on how feedback can be approached
the opportunity for individuals to work on revising their bids, using the above as a basis for doing so.

The afternoon session will comprise of 1-2-1 sessions with the external facilitator, to get specific advice relating to your application.

There are 15 spaces available for academic staff whose funding application has been rejected and wish to re-submit to another funder, within the next 12 months.

Date: Wednesday 15^th November 2017

Time: 09:00-13:30 with opportunities for a 1-2-1 appointment in the afternoon session

Venue: Lansdowne Campus

Book your space via the RKE Development Framework page for this event.

For further information, please contact Lisa Gale-Andrews, RKEO Research Facilitator.

September 18, 2017

New collaborative work published by Stephanie Schwandner-Sievers (FHSS)

international, open access, PG research, Publishing, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Dr. Stephanie Schwandner-Sievers in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences has just co-published a comprehensive study on state-building in Kosovo. The study has be co-created with colleagues and postgraduate students from the wider region and funded by the Open Society Foundation, Kosovo.

The report is freely available here! This study critically explores the background to success and failure of different aspects of international policy interventions and local civic capacities for development. Aspects covered included: unintended consequences and dilemmas around the internationally facilitated processes of institution-building and ‘good-governance’ reform; reconciliation; cultural heritage protection; and educational reform.

Congratulations!

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

September 13, 2017

Food Security: What’s on your Plate? Wednesday 25th October 2017

BU Challenges Lisa Andrews

On Wednesday, 25^th October 2017, BU’s Research and Knowledge Exchange Office (RKEO) will be hosting a STEAMLab on Food Security.

Which means…?

We have renamed ‘Sandpits’ to the new name of ‘STEAMLab’. This demonstrates the purpose of the STEAMLabs as being open to all disciplines and encouraging truly interdisciplinary research ideas. The ‘Lab’ part demonstrates the working environment that leads to the creation of novel research ideas and partnerships. In a nutshell, the STEAMLabs offer the opportunity to meet new people from all disciplines and sectors, and to spend dedicated time developing novel ideas for research projects.

For this STEAMLab, we’re seeking to come up with novel research which addresses challenges in food security. With increasing pressure on food sources and the food industry, we need to consider how food security can be guaranteed for the future. Potential areas to address this challenge may include but are not limited to, malnutrition/nutrition, agriculture, logistics, robotics, supply chain, new forms of food, sustainability, political/economic problems, food policy, food waste & recycling, and climate & the environment.

So, who should attend?

STEAMLabs cover broad themes to ensure that they are open to everyone from all disciplines. So if you think you have something to contribute then come along. If you think that they don’t include you then please have a chat with your RKEO Facilitator who can explain how your research could make a vital contribution to new ideas and approaches. In order to encourage wider partnerships, each STEAMLab will include academics from other universities, as well as representatives from industry and other sectors.

What do I need to prepare in advance? What will the STEAMLab entail?

Absolutely nothing in advance. During the session, you’ll be guided through a process which results in the development of research ideas. The process facilitates creativity, potentially leading to innovative and interdisciplinary research ideas. These ideas will be explored with other attendees, and further developed based on the feedback received.

What if I don’t have time to think about ideas in advance?

You don’t need to do this but it will help. Attendees will come from a range of backgrounds so we expect that there will be lively conversations resulting from these different perspectives.

What about afterwards? Do I need to go away and do loads of work?

Well… that depends! The interactive day will result in some novel research ideas. Some of these may be progressed immediately; others might need more time to develop. You may find common ground with other attendees which you choose to take forward in other ways, such as writing a paper or applying for research funding. Your Research Facilitator will be on hand to support you as you develop bids for funding.

What if my topic area is really specific, and doesn’t really relate to food?

Your contribution will be very welcome! One of the main benefits of this type of event is to bring together individuals with a range of backgrounds and specialisms who are able to see things just that bit differently to one another.

So, is this just networking?

Definitely not! It is a facilitated session with the primary intention of developing innovative research ideas, which also enables the development of networks. It gives you the opportunity to explore research ideas which you may develop over time, together with the chance to find common ground with academics from across BU and beyond.

How do I book onto this event?

To take part in this exciting opportunity, BU staff should complete the Food Security Application Form and return this to RKEDevFramework by Friday 13^th October. As places are limited, this will be assessed to ensure good mix of attendees with different perspectives. Places will be confirmed w/c 16^th October 2017.

By applying, you agree to attend for the full duration of the event on 25^th October 2017 (c. 9:30 – 16:00). This event will be held on BU’s Talbot Campus.

If you have any queries prior to submitting your application, please contact Lisa Gale-Andrews, RKEO Research Facilitator.

This event is part of the Research Knowledge Exchange Development Framework.

August 31, 2017

The importance of justifying yourself! Writing a Justification of Resources Session 12th October 2017

Funding opportunities Lisa Andrews

Many people see the ‘Justification of Resources’ document as another thing to quickly pull together and tick off the list, after having already completed a 70+ page funding application. As a result, it often doesn’t get the prior consideration needed to write a good one – even though applications are often rejected due to insufficient justification of resources.

As part of the Research and Knowledge Exchange Development Framework, RKEO are holding a session on ‘Writing a Justification of Resources’. The session will provide an overview of the Justification of Resources document, and will offer tips for writing this section of the application form. Examples of effective Justifications of Resources will be provided.

Date: Thursday 12th October

Time: 09:30-11:00

Venue: Lansdowne Campus

Book your space via the RKE Development Framework page for this event.

For further information, please contact Lisa Gale-Andrews, RKEO Research Facilitator.

August 22, 2017

SAVE THE DATE – Food Security: What’s on your Plate? Wednesday 25th October 2017