BU Research Blog

May 10, 2024

Funded Public Engagement Opportunity – ESRC Festival of Social Science 2024 -Deadline for Applications Thursday 16 May

BU research, ESRC, Events, Impact, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Funding of up to £1,000 per event is available, and BU’s Public Engagement with Research team offers continuing advice and support on all areas of event development, planning, delivery and evaluation.

The 22nd annual ESRC Festival of Social Science will take place this year Saturday 19 October – Saturday 9 November, with the theme ‘Our Digital Lives’

This national festival offers the chance to create an inspiring event to connect your research in an engaging way with a broad public audience and take your research off campus.

For the second year, BU is partnering with the University of Southampton (UoS) and we are particularly keen to hear from researchers who have already established collaborations with UoS colleagues and may wish to run a joint event. This collaboration enables us to run an extended programme of events, broadening our impact reach and expanding our networks across Dorset and Hampshire.

About the Festival of Social Science

The Festival of Social Science is an annual celebration of research and knowledge about humans and society. It is an opportunity for anyone to explore topics relating to social science – from health and wellbeing to crime, equality, education and identity – through events run by researchers from UK universities. There’s no cost to attend, and most are open to everyone, though some are aimed at specific groups.

What if I’ve never done public engagement before?

Everyone has to start somewhere, and this is the ideal place. You’ll have access to support, advice and training throughout. If you’re unsure, seek out a more experienced colleague to collaborate with.

Explore previous events from BU and examples from around the country
Start brushing up on how to make public engagement work for you. A great place to start is BU’s own video guide to getting started in public engagement with research (Brightspace). You can also browse guidance and case studies from the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE)

Can I apply if I’m not a social scientist?

The ESRC says that events must “feature social science (ideally with a social scientist involved in the event)”. If this doesn’t clearly apply to you, consider these options;

Does your research have clear implications for society that could be explored from a social science perspective?
Could you collaborate with a social scientist, combining your resources and creativity to explore the impact of your research? If you’re looking for a collaborator, the Research Blog or BU website are great places to start or contact us for help

What support will I get?

Being part of this festival means a higher level of support and reach than we usually provide.

Before applying, you’ll have access to:

Advice on request from BU’s Public Engagement Team
The ESRC’s Festival Event Leader pack

When your application is successful, you’ll get:

Funding of up to £1,000 managed by RDS
Training provided by the ESRC Festival of Social Science
Continuing advice and support from BU’s public engagement team on all areas of planning, delivering, evaluating your activity
Wide-scale promotion and marketing of your event by BU, UoS and the ESRC

How to Apply

Apply to take part in the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2024 by completing the online application form,

Deadline for applications: midnight at the end of Thursday 16 May 2024.

ESRC’s Festival Event Leader pack

Apply here

Should you require any more information, or if you would like to arrange a chat with the Public Engagement Team to discuss your application, please contact: publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.

May 2, 2024

Apply for up to £1,000 to deliver an event and take part in a national festival of public engagement with research

BU research, ECR Network, ESRC, Events, Funding opportunities, Impact, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Funding of up to £1,000 per event is available, and BU’s Public Engagement with Research team offers continuing advice and support on all areas of event development, planning, delivery and evaluation.

The 22nd annual ESRC Festival of Social Science will take place this year Saturday 19 October – Saturday 9 November, with the theme ‘Our Digital Lives’

This national festival offers the chance to create an inspiring event to connect your research in an engaging way with a broad public audience and take your research off campus.

For the second year, BU is partnering with the University of Southampton (UoS) and we are particularly keen to hear from researchers who have already established collaborations with UoS colleagues and may wish to run a joint event. This collaboration enables us to run an extended programme of events, broadening our impact reach and expanding our networks across Dorset and Hampshire.

About the Festival of Social Science

The Festival of Social Science is an annual celebration of research and knowledge about humans and society. It is an opportunity for anyone to explore topics relating to social science – from health and wellbeing to crime, equality, education and identity – through events run by researchers from UK universities. There’s no cost to attend, and most are open to everyone, though some are aimed at specific groups.

What if I’ve never done public engagement before?

Everyone has to start somewhere, and this is the ideal place. You’ll have access to support, advice and training throughout. If you’re unsure, seek out a more experienced colleague to collaborate with.

Explore previous events from BU and examples from around the country
Start brushing up on how to make public engagement work for you. A great place to start is BU’s own video guide to getting started in public engagement with research (Brightspace). You can also browse guidance and case studies from the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE)

Can I apply if I’m not a social scientist?

The ESRC says that events must “feature social science (ideally with a social scientist involved in the event)”. If this doesn’t clearly apply to you, consider these options;

Does your research have clear implications for society that could be explored from a social science perspective?
Could you collaborate with a social scientist, combining your resources and creativity to explore the impact of your research? If you’re looking for a collaborator, the Research Blog or BU website are great places to start or contact us for help

What support will I get?

Being part of this festival means a higher level of support and reach than we usually provide.

Before applying, you’ll have access to:

Advice on request from BU’s Public Engagement Team
The ESRC’s Festival Event Leader pack

When your application is successful, you’ll get:

Funding of up to £1,000 managed by RDS
Training provided by the ESRC Festival of Social Science
Continuing advice and support from BU’s public engagement team on all areas of planning, delivering, evaluating your activity
Wide-scale promotion and marketing of your event by BU, UoS and the ESRC

How to Apply

Apply to take part in the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2024 by completing the online application form,

Deadline for applications: midnight at the end of Thursday 16 May 2024.

ESRC’s Festival Event Leader pack

Apply here

Should you require any more information, or if you would like to arrange a chat with the Public Engagement Team to discuss your application, please contact: publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.

April 17, 2024

ESRC Festival of Social Science 2024 Open Call – Deadline for Applications Thursday 16 May

BU research, ESRC, Events, Impact, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Thank you to everyone who attended our ESRC Festival of Social Science 2024 Information Session, in collaboration with the University of Southampton.

The slides from the session are available here, and if you weren’t able to attend, you can watch the recording here.

The 22nd annual Festival of Social Science will take place this year Saturday 19 October – Saturday 9 November, with the theme ‘Our Digital Lives’

This national festival offers the chance to create an inspiring event which enables you to connect your research in a creative and engaging way with a broad public audience.

For the second year, BU is partnering with the University of Southampton (UoS) and we are particularly keen to hear from researchers who have already established collaborations with UoS colleagues and may wish to run a joint event. This collaboration enables us to run an extended programme of events, broadening our impact reach and expanding our networks across Dorset and Hampshire.

Funding of up to £1,000 per event is available, and BU’s Public Engagement with Research team offers continuing advice and support on all areas of event development, planning, delivery and evaluation.

What is the ESRC Festival of Social Science?

The ESRC Festival of Social Science is an annual, UK-wide, free celebration of the social sciences. The festival consists of a series of events run each autumn, delivered by ESRC’s ‘festival partners’, higher education institutions from across the UK. Events range from exhibitions, lectures, panel debates, performances, and workshops. Bournemouth University has been involved in the Festival for over a decade.

What if I’ve never done public engagement before?

Everyone has to start somewhere, and this is the ideal place. You’ll have access to support, advice and training throughout. If you’re unsure, seek out a more experienced colleague to collaborate with.

Explore previous events from BU and examples from around the country
Start brushing up on how to make public engagement work for you. A great place to start is BU’s own video guide to getting started in public engagement with research (Brightspace). You can also browse guidance and case studies from the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE)

Can I apply if I’m not a social scientist?

The ESRC says that events must “feature social science (ideally with a social scientist involved in the event)”. If this doesn’t clearly apply to you, consider these options;

Does your research have clear implications for society that could be explored from a social science perspective?
Could you collaborate with a social scientist, combining your resources and creativity to explore the impact of your research? If you’re looking for a collaborator, the Research Blog or BU website are great places to start or contact us for help

What support will I get?

Being part of this festival means a higher level of support and reach than we usually provide.

Before applying, you’ll have access to:

Advice on request from BU’s Public Engagement Team
The ESRC’s Festival Event Leader pack

When your application is successful, you’ll get:

Funding of up to £1,000 managed by RDS
Training provided by the ESRC Festival of Social Science
Continuing advice and support from BU’s public engagement team on all areas of planning, delivering, evaluating your activity
Wide-scale promotion and marketing of your event by BU, UoS and the ESRC

How to Apply

Apply to take part in the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2024 by completing the online application form by midnight at the end of Thursday 16 May 2024.

ESRC’s Festival Event Leader pack

Apply here

Should you require any more information, please contact the team: publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.

July 10, 2023

FINAL REMINDER – ESRC Festival of Social Science Application Deadline: Midnight Monday 10 July

BU research, ESRC, Events, Impact, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Funding of up to £1,000 is available to deliver your event or activity. Apply to take part in the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2023 by completing the online application form by midnight at the end of Monday 10 July 2023.

What is the ESRC Festival of Social Science?

The ESRC Festival of Social Science is an annual, UK-wide, free celebration of the social sciences. The festival consists of a series of events run each autumn, delivered by ESRC’s ‘festival partners’, higher education institutions from across the UK. Events range from exhibitions, lectures, panel debates, performances, and workshops. Bournemouth University has been involved in the Festival for over a decade.

This year’s partnership with the University of Southampton

The ESRC have changed their rules this year around which institutions can take part in the festival. As a result, instead of being a standalone contributor to the festival, BU will be collaborating with the University of Southampton (UoS). This is a great opportunity for us to collaborate where relevant, on events, planning, promotion and sharing networks. We will still be selecting, organising and running most events ourselves.

What if I’ve never done public engagement before?

Everyone has to start somewhere, and this is the ideal place. You’ll have access to support, advice and training throughout. If you’re unsure, seek out a more experienced colleague to collaborate with.

Explore previous events from BU and examples from around the country
Start brushing up on how to make public engagement work for you. A great place to start is BU’s own video guide to getting started in public engagement with research (Brightspace). You can also browse guidance and case studies from the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE)

Can I apply if I’m not a social scientist?

The ESRC says that events must “feature social science (ideally with a social scientist involved in the event)”. If this doesn’t clearly apply to you, consider these options;

Does your research have clear implications for society that could be explored from a social science perspective?
Could you collaborate with a social scientist, combining your resources and creativity to explore the impact of your research? If you’re looking for a collaborator, the Research Blog or BU website are great places to start or contact us for help

What will I be expected to do?

Familiarise yourself with best practice for public engagement with research. Whether you’re new to this or experienced, there’s always room to improve
Submit an event proposal using the instructions below
Events will be selected by our internal panel
Plan, deliver and evaluate your activity or event, working with the public engagement team to shape your project into an impactful, professional and fascinating experience

Timeline (approximate)

Open call for applications	20 June – 10 July
Application deadline	23:59, 10 July
Decisions shared	by 21 July
Event planning	24 July onwards
Festival period	21 October – 17 November

How will the collaboration with University of Southampton work?

As this is the first year we have collaborated on the festival, we will learn as we progress. However, where possible we will be looking for opportunities to collaborate with UoS on events, sharing networks and promotion. If you collaborate with UoS researchers, this could be a great opportunity to hold an event together

Is there a theme?

The theme is ‘lifelong wellbeing’, but this is not compulsory. The ESRC want to see at least 25% of events on this theme.

Events can be on any aspect of health and wellbeing
The theme has been chosen so that you can include events on the 75th anniversary of the NHS if you wish to, but this is not essential

What support will I get?

Being part of this festival means a higher level of support and reach than we are normally able to provide.

Before applying, you’ll have access to:

Advice on request from BU’s Engagement Officer, Adam Morris
The detailed applicant guidance provided

When your application is successful, you’ll get:

Funding of up to £1,000 managed by RDS
Training provided by the ESRC Festival of Social Science
Continuing advice and support from BU’s public engagement team on all areas of planning, delivering, evaluating your activity
Wide-scale promotion and marketing of your event by BU, UoS and the ESRC

How to Apply

Apply to take part in the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2023 by completing the online application form by midnight at the end of Monday 10 July 2023.

If you would like to prepare your application ‘offline’ you can download a copy of the form. This is for planning purposes only, you may not submit it.

Find out more about the resources available to help plan and support your application

Apply here

If you have any questions, please email the team: publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

July 3, 2023

Open Call Reminder: ESRC Festival 2023 – Deadline for Applications Monday 10 July

BU research, ESRC, Events, Impact, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Funding of up to £1,000 available to deliver your event or activity

What is the ESRC Festival of Social Science?

The ESRC Festival of Social Science is an annual, UK-wide, free celebration of the social sciences. The festival consists of a series of events run each autumn, delivered by ESRC’s ‘festival partners’, higher education institutions from across the UK. Events range from exhibitions, lectures, panel debates, performances, and workshops. Bournemouth University has been involved in the Festival for over a decade.

This year’s partnership with the University of Southampton

The ESRC have changed their rules this year around which institutions can take part in the festival. As a result, instead of being a standalone contributor to the festival, BU will be collaborating with the University of Southampton (UoS). This is a great opportunity for us to collaborate where relevant, on events, planning, promotion and sharing networks. We will still be selecting, organising and running most events ourselves.

What if I’ve never done public engagement before?

Everyone has to start somewhere, and this is the ideal place. You’ll have access to support, advice and training throughout. If you’re unsure, seek out a more experienced colleague to collaborate with.

Explore previous events from BU and examples from around the country
Start brushing up on how to make public engagement work for you. A great place to start is BU’s own video guide to getting started in public engagement with research (Brightspace). You can also browse guidance and case studies from the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE)

Can I apply if I’m not a social scientist?

The ESRC says that events must “feature social science (ideally with a social scientist involved in the event)”. If this doesn’t clearly apply to you, consider these options;

Does your research have clear implications for society that could be explored from a social science perspective?
Could you collaborate with a social scientist, combining your resources and creativity to explore the impact of your research? If you’re looking for a collaborator, the Research Blog or BU website are great places to start or contact us for help

What will I be expected to do?

Familiarise yourself with best practice for public engagement with research. Whether you’re new to this or experienced, there’s always room to improve
Submit an event proposal using the instructions below
Events will be selected by our internal panel
Plan, deliver and evaluate your activity or event, working with the public engagement team to shape your project into an impactful, professional and fascinating experience

Timeline (approximate)

Open call for applications	20 June – 10 July
Application deadline	23:59, 10 July
Decisions shared	by 21 July
Event planning	24 July onwards
Festival period	21 October – 17 November

How will the collaboration with University of Southampton work?

As this is the first year we have collaborated on the festival, we will learn as we progress. However, where possible we will be looking for opportunities to collaborate with UoS on events, sharing networks and promotion. If you collaborate with UoS researchers, this could be a great opportunity to hold an event together

Is there a theme?

The theme is ‘lifelong wellbeing’, but this is not compulsory. The ESRC want to see at least 25% of events on this theme.

Events can be on any aspect of health and wellbeing
The theme has been chosen so that you can include events on the 75th anniversary of the NHS if you wish to, but this is not essential

What support will I get?

Being part of this festival means a higher level of support and reach than we are normally able to provide.

Before applying, you’ll have access to:

Advice on request from BU’s Engagement Officer, Adam Morris
The detailed applicant guidance provided

When your application is successful, you’ll get:

Funding of up to £1,000 managed by RDS
Training provided by the ESRC Festival of Social Science
Continuing advice and support from BU’s public engagement team on all areas of planning, delivering, evaluating your activity
Wide-scale promotion and marketing of your event by BU, UoS and the ESRC

How to Apply

Apply to take part in the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2023 by completing the online application form by midnight at the end of Monday 10 July 2023.

If you would like to prepare your application ‘offline’ you can download a copy of the form. This is for planning purposes only, you may not submit it.

Find out more about the resources available to help plan and support your application

Apply here

If you have any questions, please email the team: publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

November 10, 2022

ESRC Festival of Social Science 2022 – Medical monsters: reducing medical anxiety through play and gamification. Saturday 12 November

BU research, ESRC, Events, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

ESRC Festival of Social Science 2022

Using gamification and play to reduce anxiety related to patient medical appointments and hospital admissions

What’s on offer?

A playful workshop aimed at children aged 7-11 and their guardians, to explore strategies to reduce patient (children) anxiety around medical appointments and admissions. Featuring specially designed sessions of Jenga, LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and virtual reality experiences to explore and address personal anxieties around medical appointments.

What is it about?

Anxiety around medical appointments and admissions can affect children in different ways, from preventing them from seeking the medical attention they need to causing distress and worry. It can be difficult to know how to help these anxieties.

Evidence shows that structured play can empower people to discuss and examine their feelings, to help understand and address them. Virtual reality can help ease anxiety through providing an immersive distraction, or by creating a virtual ‘practice run’ for appointments. In this session, you and your child/ren will try out these fun techniques, led by expert facilitators and hopefully leave with a few new tricks and strategies.

Participants will receive a bag of LEGO® to take away with them, along with a google cardboard headset.

Please note, this is an opportunity to explore new techniques for managing mild anxiety, this is not a medical or psychiatric intervention or treatment.

Who is leading the event?

Dr Holly Henderson, Lecturer and LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® facilitator
Dr Heidi Singleton, Lecturer in Children and Young Peoples Nursing
Professor Debbie Holley, Professor of Learning Innovation

Who is this event open to?

Children aged 7-11 years to be accompanied by an adult (parent or carer) at all times.

Event details

Saturday 12 November, 10am

Bournemouth University Gateway Building

Book your free place here

For enquiries about the activities and ‘medical monsters’ project please contact: medicalmonsters@bournemouth.ac.uk

If you have any questions about the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2022 series, please contact the Public Engagement with Research Team: email the public engagement team.

November 3, 2022

ESRC Festival of Social Science 2022: Demystifying NFTs: Understanding the law and technology

BU research, ESRC, Events, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Exchange and Impact Team, Public engagement ballen

ESRC Festival of Social Science 2022

What is an NFT, what does it mean to ‘own’ one? Join this online talk as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2022 to learn about technology, law of ownership & how they’re being used

NFTs or non-fungible tokens have captured the public imagination over the past year. But what are they and what does it mean to ‘own’ one?

Join this online talk to learn more about this new frontier from experts on their underlying technology, the law of ownership and how they’re being used. We’ll also explain how a limited edition NFT collection was created, that you’ll have the chance to win and own.

Who is leading the event?

Professor Dinusha Mendis, Professor of Intellectual Property and Innovation Law

Book your free place here

If you have any questions about this event, or any of the other events in the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2022 series, please contact the Public Engagement with Research Team: email the public engagement team.

October 11, 2022

ESRC Festival of Social Science 2022: Bookings now open

BU research, ESRC, Events, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Exchange and Impact Team, Public engagement, Research communication, UKRI ballen

We’re excited to launch our series of free events online and in-person, as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2022.

What can research tell us about our society? We’ll be holding events for the public featuring discussions on how young people can build an entrepreneurial mindset and discover how play and gamification can reduce anxiety in children around medical appointments. Find out more about our fascinating programme of events.

The ESRC Festival of Social Science 2022

Which one of us is human?
Saturday 22 October
Bournemouth Library, Bournemouth

Imagine a future where robots and humans looked identical: how would you know who is human? Join this interactive event to identify the ‘robot’ from live performers. Discuss your tactics and explore the mystery behind the experience.

Find out more

How to become a young entrepreneur
Tuesday 25-Thursday 27 October
The Old School House, Boscombe

Not everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, but entrepreneurial skills can not only help young people to start their own businesses, but they can also help boost their employability. Join this event to find out how young people can build an entrepreneurial mindset.

Find out more

Demystifying NFTs: Understanding the law and technology
Tuesday 8 November
Online

NFTs or non-fungible tokens have captured the public imagination over the past year. But what are they and what does it mean to ‘own’ one? Join this online talk to learn more about this new frontier from experts on their underlying technology, the law of ownership and how they’re being used. You’ll discover how a limited edition NFT collection was created and have the chance to win and own it.

Find out more

Medical monsters: reducing medical anxiety through play and gamification
Saturday 12 November
Bournemouth Gateway Building, Bournemouth

Anxiety around medical appointments and admissions can affect people in different ways, from causing distress and worry to preventing people seeking the medical help they need. Join this interactive session to explore how play and gamification strategies can reduce patient anxiety in children. Featuring specially designed sessions of Jenga, LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and virtual reality experiences.

Find out more

Closed-group activities as part of the Festival of Social Science

Some activities are organised with partner organisations or particular groups and are not open for general registration.

Are drones the future of delivery?

If predictions about the future of deliveries are correct, we might start seeing a lot more drones in our skies. But how do you feel about this? How much do you actually know about drones and how they will be used?

Join us to learn more and play a custom-designed board game, to explore how we’ll make decisions about drones in our future.

Youth in nature: escaping to the outdoors

Social science evidence suggests nature exposure benefits mental and physical health, yet teenagers have low rates of access to nature and levels of nature connectedness. Research shows youth nature engagement requires a sense of purpose; therefore, this event invites young people to experience activities centred on ‘being’ or ‘doing’ in outdoor space.

Don’t get scammed online

Being scammed online is often seen as a problem for older people, but young people can fall victim to scams too. This workshop helps young people think about their online experience and learn how to avoid being scammed.

If you have any questions about these events, or if you would like to know how you can get involved in one of our Public Engagement with Research events, please email the public engagement team.

Tagged / ESRC FoSS

What support will I get?

How to Apply

Deadline for applications: midnight at the end of Thursday 16 May 2024.

ESRC’s Festival Event Leader pack

Apply here

What support will I get?

How to Apply

Deadline for applications: midnight at the end of Thursday 16 May 2024.

ESRC’s Festival Event Leader pack

Apply here

What support will I get?

How to Apply

ESRC’s Festival Event Leader pack

Apply here

What will I be expected to do?

Timeline (approximate)

How will the collaboration with University of Southampton work?

Is there a theme?

What support will I get?

What will I be expected to do?

Timeline (approximate)

How will the collaboration with University of Southampton work?

Is there a theme?

What support will I get?

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Tagged / ESRC FoSS

About the Festival of Social Science

What if I’ve never done public engagement before?

Can I apply if I’m not a social scientist?

What support will I get?

How to Apply

Deadline for applications: midnight at the end of Thursday 16 May 2024.

About the Festival of Social Science

What if I’ve never done public engagement before?

Can I apply if I’m not a social scientist?

What support will I get?

How to Apply

Deadline for applications: midnight at the end of Thursday 16 May 2024.

What is the ESRC Festival of Social Science?

What if I’ve never done public engagement before?

Can I apply if I’m not a social scientist?

What support will I get?

How to Apply

Funding of up to £1,000 is available to deliver your event or activity. Apply to take part in the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2023 by completing the online application form by midnight at the end of Monday 10 July 2023.

What will I be expected to do?

Timeline (approximate)

How will the collaboration with University of Southampton work?

Is there a theme?

What support will I get?

How to Apply

Funding of up to £1,000 available to deliver your event or activity

What will I be expected to do?

Timeline (approximate)

How will the collaboration with University of Southampton work?

Is there a theme?

What support will I get?

How to Apply

Other services

Don’t miss a post!

Recent posts

Search by Category

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