BU Research Blog | Events | Bournemouth University

26 September 2023

Café Scientifique Tuesday 3 October 2023 – Reconnecting Europe’s rivers: how can citizen scientists help monitor the results?

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

At Café Scientifique, 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.

Barriers such as dams and weirs alter a river’s natural flow, severely affecting aquatic ecosystems and leading to a decrease in water quality. Researchers in Europe have been working to address this issue – with the goal of reconnecting 25,000km of rivers by 2030. However, with funding for long-term monitoring decreasing, how do they track the success of this rewilding process?

Join Bournemouth University’s Dr Demetra Andreou, an expert in environmental science on Tuesday 3 October to discover how citizen scientists might play a role in the collection of such vital long-term data.

This event will be held at The Black Cherry in Boscombe, Bournemouth. Although the talks start at 6:30pm, the café will be open early so we encourage you to arrive early for a drink and a bite to eat before the talk starts.

If you have any questions about this event, or you’re interested in getting involved with a future Café Sci event, please email the Public Engagement with Research Team: publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

20 September 2023

Announcement: Research Café

PG research, student research lskains

Announcing a new “Research Café”: twice-monthly informal and open-format online sessions for all things research (including practice-related research), starting in October. These sessions are hosted and supported by BU academic staff members, for staff and research students.

2nd Tuesday of the month, 1300-1400, Zoom (first Tues session will be 10 Oct)
4th Thursday of the month, 1300-1400, Zoom (first Thurs session will be 26 Oct)

The sessions are open to all—academic staff, student, professional support staff, ECRs, profs, whoever!

Each session will be a drop-in; no need to RSVP unless a special session has been announced. You can pop in for 5 minutes or the full hour, have your lunch and/or a cuppa, and talk about research at Bournemouth.

Where requested, we can set up dedicated sessions on topics of interest. Some suggested areas include (but are not limited to!):

Networking, making connections for collaborations
Sharing experiences on projects and committees
Exchanging support and advice
Applying for grants
Publication strategies
REF strategies

Keep an eye out for calendar invitations; if you don’t receive an invitation and you’d like to, please contact Lyle at lskains at bournemouth.ac.uk.

The Research Cafe is hosted by Lyle Skains and sponsored by the Centre for Science, Health, and Data Communications Research.

8 September 2023

Final call to share details of your external events: Deadline Friday 29 September 2023

HEIF, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Tell us about your social, cultural & community events for the period between 1 August 2022 – 31 July 2023

This information forms part of BU’s annual Higher Education – Business & Community Interaction survey and it is vital we provide a full and accurate picture of all our public engagement activity.

The form will stay open for you to add your activities until the end of Friday 29 September 2023

Which events do I need to report?

Public lectures & talks
Performance arts (music, dance, drama etc)
Exhibitions (galleries, museums etc)
Museum education
Media engagement (TV/radio interviews, podcasts etc)

If you’re not sure if your event is eligible for inclusion, the SharePoint site includes further details and guidance.

What data do I need to provide?

For the purposes of the HE-BCI survey, please record the following:

event dates – to ensure eligibility
whether the event or activity was free or chargeable
the number of attendees (or views/visitors)
the amount of staff time in hours needed for delivery.

Without this specific data, we will not be able to include your event in the survey.

Click here to add your events

The site contains further guidance about eligible activities and a set of FAQs.

If you have any further questions about the HE-BCI return, please contact publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.

30 August 2023

Postdoc Appreciation Week 2023 – celebrating our postdoctoral researchers

Katerina Kakaounaki

Postdoc Appreciation Week(PAW) takes place each year to celebrate, showcase and recognise the contribution that postdoctoral researchers make towards research and academic life.

Originally an initiative from the National Postdoc Association in the USA (National Postdoc Appreciation Week), it is now also celebrated in the UK, and this year will take place from Monday 18th – Friday 22nd September.

To mark Postdoc Appreciation Week, we are holding an appreciation event on Monday 18 September for postdoctoral researchers and their managers.

The event will be a chance to celebrate all the hard work that postdocs and researchers dedicate to research, teaching, outreach and so much more, as well as an opportunity to catch up with our Research Staff Association (RSA) representatives over coffee and cake.

We will also be profiling the amazing work and research undertaken by our post-doctoral research staff community.

If you would like to attend the event, or find out more about our Postdoc Appreciation Week activity, please contact RKEDF@bournemouth.ac.uk

You can also get involved on social media during Postdoc Appreciation Week by using #LovePostdocs and #NPAW2023 on Twitter and Instagram and tagging us @BU_Research or @UK_NPAW.

2 August 2023

Keep telling us about your social, cultural and community events

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

We are collecting details of all events for external audiences that took place between 1 August 2022 – 31 July 2023

Thank you to everyone who has already provided information via the SharePoint site. The form will stay open for you to add your activities until Friday 29 September 2023.

This data forms part of BU’s annual Higher Education – Business & Community Interaction (HE-BCI) survey and is used to calculate our Higher Education Innovation Funding grant. It also feeds into our submission to the Knowledge Exchange Framework so it is really important for us to provide a full and accurate picture of all our public engagement.

Which events do I need to report?

Public lectures & talks
Performance arts (music, dance, drama etc)
Exhibitions (galleries, museums etc)
Museum education
Media engagement (TV/radio interviews, podcasts etc)

If you’re not sure if your event is eligible for inclusion, the SharePoint site includes further details and guidance.

All events that were part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2022, Online Public Lecture Series and Café Scientifique have been collated on your behalf centrally, so there is no need to add these.

What data is collected?

We collect a wider range of data than is required for HE-BCI, for additional external and internal reporting, e.g. HEIF Annual Monitoring Statement and Athena Swan. For the purposes of the HE-BCI survey, you must record the following:

Event dates – to ensure eligibility
Whether the event or activity was free or chargeable
Number of attendees (or views/visitors)
Amount of staff time in hours needed for delivery.

Without this specific data, we will not be able to include your event in the survey.

Contact us

If you have any further questions about the HE-BCI return, please contact publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.

31 July 2023

Café Scientifique: Voices for the Future – Tuesday 5 September 2023

Knowledge Exchange, PG research, Public engagement ballen

At Café Scientifique, 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.

How can we shape a better future for ourselves and the planet? Join us on Tuesday 5 September 6:30-8pm for an evening of inspiring talks and discussions with postgraduate researchers from Bournemouth University, all currently working towards their PhDs, who will share their insights and perspectives.

From patient safety and experience, to medical device reprocessing and recycling, these speakers will challenge you to think critically and creatively about the future we want to create. This event is free and open to all, and you will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage with the speakers and other attendees.

Patient feedback for improving NHS care by Sarah Chessell, PhD researcher in Health and Social Care. How can we ensure that patients receive the best possible care and experience in health and social care settings? Sarah will discuss how near-real time patient feedback can be used to create a culture of responsibility and challenge, with staff being able to respond and act positively to patients’ needs and preferences.

Reprocessing single use medical devices: a sustainable solution for the NHS? by Matthew Edge, PhD researcher in Bournemouth University Business School. How can we reduce the environmental impact of medical devices that are used once and then thrown away? Matthew will present research on reprocessing single use medical devices, a practice that involves re-sterilising, repairing and repackaging them for reuse.

This event will be held at The Black Cherry in Boscombe, Bournemouth. Although the talks start at 6:30pm, the café will be open early so we encourage you to arrive early for a drink and a bite to eat before the talk starts.

If you have any questions about this event, or you’re interested in getting involved with a future Café Sci event, please email the Public Engagement with Research Team: publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

19 July 2023

Being Human Café: Application Deadline – Friday 25 August 2023

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Being Human Festival 9⁠–⁠18 November 2023

Being Human is the UK’s national festival of the humanities, a celebration of humanities research through public engagement. Led by the School of Advanced Study at the University of London, the UK’s national centre for the pursuit, support and promotion of research in the humanities. The festival works in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and British Academy to support humanities public engagement across the UK.

About the festival

Each November, Being Human Festival presents hundreds of free events across the UK and beyond. Festival events aim to celebrate and demonstrate the ways in which the humanities inspire and enrich our everyday lives, help us to understand ourselves, our relationships with others, and the challenges we face in a changing world. Every year, humanities researchers and other staff from universities and research organisations are invited to apply to take part in the festival by organising a public engagement event, activity or project.

About Being Human Café

A Being Human Café is a simple and fun way to get involved in the festival. It takes some of the key features of the Being Human festival, such as sharing fantastic humanities research with communities across the UK. This series of festival programming will take place across the country and all you’ll need to put on a café is an intended audience, a researcher, a community space (which can be online) and some tea!

Below you will find a step by step guide on how to bring a Being Human Café to life;

Submit your Being Human Café application online by 5pm on Friday 25 August 2023

Apply here

Contact

If you have any questions that are not answered in the information provided, please contact: apply.beinghuman@sas.ac.uk

Alternatively, if you would like advice on developing ideas or submitting an application, please contact Adam Morris BU Engagement Officer at: publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

Please note: Funding will not be provided by the Public Engagement with Research Team, but may be available through your faculty.

11 July 2023

We can help promote your public engagement event or activity

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

At BU we promote and celebrate the work done to engage public audiences with our research. The Public Engagement with Research team in Research Development and Support can help promote your event to relevant audiences through our monthly newsletters and via our social media channels.

To be considered for inclusion, your event or activity must be;

Focused on BU research, either solely or as part of a wider programme. Events or activities that do not involve BU research, such as marketing or recruitment events, will not be accepted.
Intended for and open to non-academic audiences, either entirely or as a portion of the audience.
Submitted, at the latest, in the first two weeks of the month preceding the event. For example, an event taking place in June should be submitted via the form any time before 14 May.

Event descriptions may be edited for consistency in style with other content.

Share your upcoming public event or activity

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

10 July 2023

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

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

3 July 2023

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

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

26 June 2023

Spaces still available: “The Way of the Productivity Ninja”

Post-award Katerina Kakaounaki

The ThinkProductive Team will be visiting BU next Thursday to deliver a practical, interactive and fun 2 hour online workshop and there’re spaces still available.

They will share with us how to utilize the mindset and tactics of the 9 Characteristics of the Productivity Ninja.

Are you battling information overload? Email deluge? Wrestling with procrastination, interruption or distraction? Constantly feel like you are in reactive, “juggling” and “plate spinning” mode? Find it hard to maintain energy and focus, to properly unplug and switch off, or to make space for what really matters – or for yourself?

If any of that sounds familiar, we’ve got you some information here!

Thursday 29th June 2023, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm

To book a place on “The Way of the Productivity Ninja” workshop please complete the Booking Form

26 June 2023

Here are some great RKEDF training events coming up in July

NHS, Post-award, Training Katerina Kakaounaki

A picture containing text, screenshot, font, graphic designDescription automatically generated

Here are some great RKEDF training events coming up in July

Repurposing Your Unsuccessful Grant Applications

Tuesday, 4 July 09:30-11:00 Online book here

The session is aimed at ECR’s and will cover best practice for repurposing unsuccessful applications for external funding

RedCap system training

Thursday, 13 July 11:00-16:00 Lansdowne Campus book here

RedCap system training is aimed at HSS academic and researchers conducting clinical research where clinical data is being collected and needs to be stored in a central place during the conduct of the study.

Preparing for External Audits – An Academics Perspective

Wednesday, 12 July 10:00 – 11:00 Talbot Campus book here
Thursday, 13 July 13:00-14:00 Talbot Campus book here

This session is aimed at all academics and researchers wanting to gain a better understanding of their role and responsibilities in preparing their externally funded research projects for external audit.

Budget Management for RKE Projects

Wednesday, 12 July 13:00 – 14:00 Talbot Campus book here
Thursday 13^th July, 10:00 – 11:00 Lansdowne Campus book here

By the end of the session, all academics and researchers will have a good foundation in what funders look for when carrying out audits and how best to prepare proactively over the project period.

*If there are any sessions that are already fully booked, please make sure you add your name to the waiting list.

If you have any queries, please get in touch

The RKEDF Team

26 June 2023

World Wellbeing Week 2023 – Free PGR activities

PG research amoyse

This week is the international awareness event World Wellbeing Week!

To celebrate, the Doctoral College has teamed up with SportBU to deliver some fun and relaxed FREE activities for PGRs including:

Yogalates – yoga and Pilates combined! Increase your flexibility, reduce stiffness and increase muscle strength!
Badminton – come along and have a hit, no experience necessary.
Spinning – get your heart pumping in this high-energy indoor cycling workout.
SportBU inductions – have a tour of SportBU facilities and find out how you can get involved in sports at BU.

These activities are a great opportunity to unwind and look after your mental, physical, and social wellbeing!

See Brightspace for more information and to BOOK YOUR PLACE

Spaces are limited so please only book if you plan on attending.

You are not limited to just one activity, book on as many as you like!

Faith and Reflection

This is the perfect week to check out what Faith & Reflection has to offer, including free vegan soup and soul care on Mondays, and free cookies and drinks Wednesdays for international students!

Open Monday-Friday 8am-8pm, their gorgeous space on the first floor of Talbot House is open to anyone who would value a space to come and simply be.

Any questions, please get in touch doctoralcollege@bournemouth.ac.uk

Arabella [Doctoral College Marketing & Events Coordinator].

22 June 2023

Have you been involved with an event for the external community?

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

BU is compiling data for the annual Higher Education–Business & Community Interaction (HE-BCI) survey. Please tell us about the social, cultural and community events that you have been involved with.

What is HE-BCI?

The HE-BCI survey is a mandatory annual return that the University makes to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Table 5 of the HE-BCI return captures activity in terms of social, community and cultural events intended for the external community. This data is part of the information used to determine the allocation of Higher Education and Innovation Funding (HEIF) for BU.

What activities can be included?

Please include details of any relevant events that you have been involved in which took place between 1 August 2022 – 31 July 2023. Events must have been open to the public or intended for an external (non-academic) group and have included an exchange of knowledge.

Events may take place in the UK or overseas.

Eligible events

Public lectures or talk
Performance arts
Exhibitions
Museum education
Festival activity
Events for school / youth group
Events for other external (non-academic) groups
Media engagement

All events that were part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2022, Online Public Lecture Series and Café Scientifique have been collated on your behalf centrally, so there is no need to add these.

Click here to add your events

Deadline: Friday 29 September 2023

We would encourage you to add your new data regularly throughout the year, while the details are easily recalled.

Further information

The SharePoint site provides details about what data is collected, including calculating attendee numbers, staff time, reporting online activities and multiple related events.

If you have any further questions about the HE-BCI return, please contact publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.

22 June 2023

World Wellbeing Week 2023 – next week!

PG research amoyse

Next week is the international awareness event World Wellbeing Week!

To celebrate, the Doctoral College has teamed up with SportBU to deliver some fun and relaxed FREE activities for PGRs including:

Yogalates – yoga and Pilates combined! Increase your flexibility, reduce stiffness and increase muscle strength!
Badminton – come along and have a hit, no experience necessary.
Spinning – get your heart pumping in this high-energy indoor cycling workout.
SportBU inductions – have a tour of SportBU facilities and find out how you can get involved in sports at BU.

These activities are a great opportunity to unwind and look after your mental, physical, and social wellbeing!

See Brightspace for more information and to BOOK YOUR PLACE

Spaces are limited so please only book if you plan on attending.

You are not limited to just one activity, book on as many as you like!

Faith and Reflection

This is the perfect week to check out what Faith & Reflection has to offer, including free vegan soup and soul care on Mondays, and free cookies and drinks Wednesdays for international students!

Open Monday-Friday 8am-8pm, their gorgeous space on the first floor of Talbot House is open to anyone who would value a space to come and simply be.

Any questions, please get in touch doctoralcollege@bournemouth.ac.uk

Arabella [Doctoral College Marketing & Events Coordinator].

21 June 2023

REMINDER Being Human Festival 2023: Application Deadline Friday 23 June

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Being Human Festival returns 9⁠–⁠18 November 2023 with the theme Rhyme or Reason.

Being Human is the UK’s national festival of the humanities, a celebration of humanities research through public engagement. Led by the School of Advanced Study at the University of London, the UK’s national centre for the pursuit, support and promotion of research in the humanities. The festival works in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy to support humanities public engagement across the UK.

About the festival

Each November, Being Human Festival presents hundreds of free events across the UK and beyond. Festival events aim to celebrate and demonstrate the ways in which the humanities inspire and enrich our everyday lives, help us to understand ourselves, our relationships with others, and the challenges we face in a changing world

The festival aims to:

demonstrate the value and relevance of humanities research to society in the UK and globally;
encourage, support and create opportunities for researchers to engage with non-specialist audiences;
embed and join together public engagement activities in the humanities across the higher education sector.

Every year, humanities researchers and other staff from universities and research organisations are invited to apply to take part in the festival by organising a public engagement event, activity or project.

If you’re interested in taking part, please read through the Being Human 2023 – Application Guidelines

Pathways

The Open Call – organise an activity that does not require funding from us. Submit your Open Call application online by 5pm, Friday 23 June 2023.

A Being Human Café is a simple, off-the-shelf activity that does not require funding from us. Submit your Being Human Café application online by 5pm, Friday 25 August 2023.

Applying to Being Human 2023

Find out more about applying to the festival by watching the recording of ‘Applying to Being Human 2023’ webinar that took place on Wednesday 29 March. Before putting together your application, please ensure you refer to the relevant further information document, case studies, planning toolkits and FAQs.

This funding is subject to the same internal processes as external research funding. Before applying, interested PIs (Principle Investigators) should submit a completed e-ITB form (Intention to Bid) by 4 weeks before each deadline.

New online application process

All applications must now be submitted via the online system Survey Monkey Apply. Please follow the step-by-step instructions on how to set up your account and submit an application. Application form templates have been provided to assist with preparing answers for submitting online.

Contact

If you have any questions about applying to the festival that are not answered in the FAQs, please contact apply.beinghuman@sas.ac.uk.

If you would like advice on developing ideas or submitting your application, please contact Adam Morris (Engagement Officer) publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

20 June 2023

Take part in the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2023

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

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

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 and panel debates through to performances, guided walks and workshops. Bournemouth University has been involved in the Festival of Social Science for over a decade.

When and where will it take place?

The 2023 festival will run from Saturday 21 October to Friday 17 November 2023. Events will take place in the local area, largely off-campus, and online.

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.

Why should I take part?

The festival is a prestigious initiative by a major research funder, and BU’s continued involvement is justified by the quality of our events and activities. Being part of this festival is an achievement worth citing and celebrating. It is an excellent opportunity to engage people outside of academia with your research and with the benefit of co-ordinated support and promotion from RDS and the ESRC.

You can apply for up to £1,000 to deliver your project.

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.

To support your application, we’re holding an online information session on how to apply on Thursday 29 June 11am-12pm

This session will explain more about the festival and how to apply through our open call for proposals. We’ll hear from Dr Maxine Gee who held a successful event as part of last year’s festival and who will share experience and advice. We’ll explain how this year’s collaboration with the University of Southampton will work, and how you might find collaborators for your projects.

Register here

(please try a different browser if you are having any issues accessing this link)

Before applying, you’ll have access to:

An information session from BU and UoS, featuring previous event holders.
Advice on request from BU’s Engagement Officer, Adam Morris.
The detailed applicant guidance provided on this page.

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.

19 June 2023

Café Scientifique Tuesday 4 July 2023 – Forest resilience in the face of climate change: Lessons from the New Forest

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

At Café Scientifique, 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 Elena Cantarello on Tuesday 4 July from 6:30 – 8:00pm.

Forest resilience in the face of climate change: Lessons from the New Forest

The New Forest is a beautiful and diverse landscape that has been around for centuries. It is home to ancient woodlands, heathlands, wetlands, and a traditional way of life. But it is also under threat from climate change and other factors that are killing its trees.

How can we protect the resilience of the New Forest and other forests around the world?

Join us to hear from Dr Elena Cantarello, who will explain forest resilience, why it matters and how we can measure and improve it. We’ll also explore how protecting forests could be a nature-based solution to tackle climate change.

This event will be held at The Black Cherry in Boscombe, Bournemouth. Although the talk starts at 6:30pm, the café will be open early so we encourage you to arrive early for a drink and a bite to eat before the talk starts.

If you have any questions about this event, or you’re interested in getting involved with a future Café Sci event, please email the Public Engagement with Research Team: publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

Tagged / Events

Tell us about your social, cultural & community events for the period between 1 August 2022 – 31 July 2023

Which events do I need to report?

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

What is HE-BCI?

What activities can be included?

Eligible events

Deadline: Friday 29 September 2023

Further information

About the festival

Pathways

Applying to Being Human 2023

New online application process

Contact

What is the ESRC Festival of Social Science?

When and where will it take place?

Partnership with the University of Southampton

Why should I take part?

What if I’ve never done public engagement before?

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

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?

Before applying, you’ll have access to:

When your application is successful, you’ll get:

How to Apply

Other services

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