BU Research Blog

14 May 2025

May’s Research Café – Showcasing tomorrow’s researchers

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Postgraduate researchers took the spotlight at BU’s latest Research Café

We had a packed house at the BGB Café for a fascinating evening engaging conversation.

Three passionate postgraduate researchers from Bournemouth University took the stage to share their work. Each speaker gave a short talk on their research, sparking plenty of interest and questions from the audience. We covered everything from what drives our travel choices, to how nostalgia shapes our experience of video games, to the links between alcohol and eating habits in women.

Anna Preece Thesis: Disordered eating behaviours as a barrier to recovery in women with alcohol dependence | Rehabilitation and Sports Sciences (HSS)

Anna presented research on the behavioural links between food and alcohol, exploring how drinking habits and eating behaviours are connected in women. The talk highlighted the implications of these connections for mental health and well-being and discussed ways to improve support for individuals facing these challenges.

Jordan King presenting at Research Café

Jordan King Thesis: Exploring Nostalgic Experiences in Video Games | Psychology (FST)

Jordan explored the emotional power of video games, examining how they evoke memories from the past and create a sense of nostalgia. The talk focused on how digital play connects us to both personal and cultural memories, highlighting the deep emotional impact of gaming.

Wookjun Lee talking at Research Café

Wookjun Lee Thesis: Tourists’ use of public transportation in urban destinations: An experiential perspective | Marketing, Strategy and Innovation (BUBS)

Wookjun examined the factors influencing tourists’ travel choices, focusing on the role of public transport and how to encourage more eco-friendly travel habits. The talk highlighted strategies for promoting greener, more sustainable options for tourists.

It was a great chance to explore topics that affect our everyday lives and get a glimpse into the real-world impact of research happening at BU.

Attendees shared “It was a lovely event. A great time to learn and bond with other researchers” “It was inspiring to see the next generation of researchers sharing their work”

“I found it really interesting to hear directly from postgraduate researchers about the work happening at BU. The range of topics and the enthusiasm behind them made it a really engaging event”

Anna Preece speaking at Research Café

As one of the evening’s speakers, Anna Preece reflected on the experience

“I wanted the opportunity to share my research and hear people’s thoughts and questions about the project. It’s so important in research to hear different perspectives, especially those outside of academia, as they can challenge our thinking, or bring in new ideas… When you’re deep in the research, it’s easy to get lost in the data, so being reminded of the real-world context was invaluable… I hope attendees found the evening thought provoking and enjoyable and it helped them start to recognise the overlap between food and alcohol behaviours and consider what that might look like for themselves or someone they care about.”

Enrica Conrotto, Doctoral College Programme Manager at Bournemouth University, attended the evening and said

“a fantastic event showcasing the work of our Doctoral College PGRs. Congratulations to Anna Preece, Jordan King and Wookjun Lee for their engaging presentations, and a big thank you to the Public Engagement Team for organising the evening. An inspiring evening filled with engaging discussion”

Next up in our Research Café series

Tuesday 1 July, 6:30-8pm at BGB Café

More details coming soon

Contact 

If you have any questions about this event or the Research Café series, please contact the Public Engagement with Research Team at publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

12 May 2025

Targeted workshops for REF 2029 impact case study teams

REF 2029 impact case studies Amanda Edwards

Limited places available – sign up now for May and June!

Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash

DATES & TIMES

Friday 30th May, 9.30am-1pm, F306, Fusion Building, Talbot Campus
Developing Policy Engagement for Impact BOOK HERE

Wednesday 11th June, 9.30am-1pm, online via Zoom
Developing Policy Engagement for Impact (same content) BOOK HERE

Thursday 26th June, 9.30am-12.30pm, FG04, Fusion Building, Talbot Campus
Getting your REF Impact Case Study off the Ground BOOK HERE

KEY DETAILS

Developing Policy Engagement for Impact
Facilitated by BU’s policy consultant Carys Davis, this provides expert advice on navigating the policy landscape to ensure your research reaches and informs decision makers. Topics covered:

The purpose of influencing, the role of evidence and what it means for you
Writing elevator pitches and key messages
Principles of communicating with policy and decision makers
Effective policy writing
Understanding the policymaking landscape.

Getting your REF Impact Case Study off the Ground
Research impact consultant Bella Reichard delivers this workshop, which she describes as “part training, part retreat” to help provide clarity in developing a polished impact case study for REF 2029. This includes:

Creating a narrative arc
Guidance writing your own summary of impact
Devising an action plan
Focus on evaluation and evidence of impact.

Who are these workshops for?

All sessions are aimed primarily at researchers considering, or in the process of, preparing an impact case study for submission to REF 2029.
They are not limited to a single person per potential case study – it can be useful for teams and/or relevant impact champions to attend together.
If you are not sure if they are suitable for you, please contact your UOA impact champion.

12 May 2025

Take part in the 2025 ESRC Festival of Social Science: Application Deadline Extended to Friday 23 May 2025

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Up to £1,000 per event available to engage the public with your research in a national prestigious festival

The 23rd annual ESRC Festival of Social Science (FoSS) takes place Saturday 18 October – Saturday 8 November 2025, with the theme of ‘Our Working Lives’.

About the Festival of Social Science

The festival is an annual UK-wide celebration of research and knowledge about people and society, organised and funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). It provides a platform for researchers from UK universities to engage the public in a wide range of topics, from health and wellbeing to crime, equality, education, and identity, through engaging events such as exhibitions, lectures, panel debates, performances, and workshops.

The festival is free to attend, with most events open to everyone, though some may target specific groups. It offers researchers a unique opportunity to take their work beyond the university, connect with diverse audiences, and present their research in creative and accessible ways. Funding of up to £1,000 per event is available.

What are the festival aims?

Encourage, support & create opportunities for social science researchers to engage with the public and young people
Promote & increase awareness of the social sciences and ESRC-funded research, & the contribution social science makes to the UK
Enable the public to engage with social science research
Engage with teachers and young people and raise their awareness of the social sciences

Training to run a great event

The national FoSS team is coordinating public engagement training with Engagement Trainer and Consultant Jamie Gallagher in June (repeated in September). Attendance at these sessions is mandatory for all event leads to attend and further details will be shared upon successful application.

Applications will be assessed on these 5 key areas

Motivation for taking part – Show you have thought carefully about why you are applying e.g. to pilot an idea, reach a new audience, or develop public engagement skills, and what you hope to gain.

Target audience identified – Events must be aimed at a non-academic audience. Clearly define who your audience is (e.g. a specific public group, community, or professional sector). If you are proposing an event for professionals, businesses, policymakers, or third sector organisations, please note that ESRC rules only permit up to 20% of our events to be targeted at these groups. As we often receive many proposals in this category, selecting one of these audiences may reduce your chances of taking part.

Audience motivation – Show why your chosen audience would be interested in your activity, and how and when they might engage.

Content & format – Demonstrate initial ideas for what the activity will involve, why the format suits the goal (e.g. in-person, online), and considerations for timing and location.

Appropriate costing – Budget should be realistic, clear, and fit the scale and type of activity.

How to apply

We are particularly keen to receive applications from PGRs and early to mid-career researchers and encourage groups/teams to apply. If you have a supervisor, they will need to endorse your application by emailing publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.

If you are considering applying, we strongly encourage you to get in touch with us directly as early as possible.

Apply to take part by completing the online application form.

Deadline for applications EXTENDED to: 5pm  FRIDAY 23 May 2025 

You can view the slides from the Information Session here. If you weren’t able to attend, or if you would like to revisit what was covered, you can also watch the session here.

Please read before applying

Before submitting your application, please make sure you meet both the ESRC eligibility criteria and our key requirements. This is essential for your proposal to be considered. Applications that reference academic or undergraduate audiences, or propose campus-based venues, will not be eligible. This opportunity is focused on public engagement beyond academic settings.

Festival Event Leader Pack this practical guide supports researchers in planning and delivering events for the festival. It covers the festival’s aims, event criteria, useful planning tips, audience engagement, and evaluation. It also details the funding, training, and promotional support available from the ESRC, making it a key resource for aligning events with the festival’s goals.

Contact us

Please contact the Public Engagement Team to discuss your application publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

7 May 2025

BA ECRN: Impact and Engagement Workshop

Public engagement jfallows

5^th June 2025, Impact & Engagement Workshop in Bath, including AHRC & British Academy

Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, Bath, 1000-1600 (optional to 1700)

The impact and public engagement agenda in the UK and internationally are rapidly changing the nature of academic work across disciplines and affecting the shape of academic careers and post-doctoral research opportunities more widely.

It is important to understand how the opportunities and requirements produced by this shift can help Early Career Researchers strengthen their research portfolios, networks, and ultimately help secure an interesting and meaningful research career.

Join us for a day of workshopping, discussions and networking where we’ll benefit from the insights of experts and peers on impact and public engagement in humanities and social sciences research.

We will be guided towards fruitful ways of (re)imagining our research, extending its reach, building academic and non-academic collaborations, and strengthening our standing in the national and international research space.

Book your place here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/earlycareerresearchernetwork/1676717

Tentative agenda:

09:15-10:00	Registration and Networking
10:00 – 10:05 10:05 – 10:15	Welcome – Bath Spa University Aims for today & framework
10:15 – 10.45	Temperature check Interactive check-in – how is everyone feeling about their professional identity, current and future career? – what are the issues of concern? – what is going well?
10.45 – 12.00	Building professional integrity through impact and engagement in a dynamic research environment and shifting culture (tentative title) – Tracey Stead, Leadership Development Consultant, Facilitator & Coach
12.00 – 13:00	Lunch
13:00 – 14:30	Public Engagement: an overview of the PE landscape with a presentation of case studies demonstrating the value and impact of PE (tentative title) – Mike Collins, Head of Public Engagement, Arts and Humanities Research Council
14:30 – 14:35	Comfort Break
14:35 – 15:30	Public engagement and impact: what does it mean for your career going forward?– a set of facilitated interactive sessions tbc
15:30 – 16:00	Temperature re-check and moving forward Check back to points raised at the start of day Plan: where to go from here?
16:00 – 17:00	Afternoon Tea and Networking (optional)

6 May 2025

Take part in the 2025 ESRC Festival of Social Science – Deadline for applications: Thursday 15 May 2025 

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Up to £1,000 per event available to engage the public with your research in a national prestigious festival

The 23rd annual ESRC Festival of Social Science (FoSS) takes place Saturday 18 October – Saturday 8 November 2025, with the theme of ‘Our Working Lives’.

About the Festival of Social Science

The festival is an annual UK-wide celebration of research and knowledge about people and society, organised and funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). It provides a platform for researchers from UK universities to engage the public in a wide range of topics, from health and wellbeing to crime, equality, education, and identity, through engaging events such as exhibitions, lectures, panel debates, performances, and workshops.

The festival is free to attend, with most events open to everyone, though some may target specific groups. It offers researchers a unique opportunity to take their work beyond the university, connect with diverse audiences, and present their research in creative and accessible ways. Funding of up to £1,000 per event is available.

What are the festival aims?

Encourage, support & create opportunities for social science researchers to engage with the public and young people
Promote & increase awareness of the social sciences and ESRC-funded research, & the contribution social science makes to the UK
Enable the public to engage with social science research
Engage with teachers and young people and raise their awareness of the social sciences

Training to run a great event

The national FoSS team is coordinating public engagement training with Engagement Trainer and Consultant Jamie Gallagher in June (repeated in September). Attendance at these sessions is mandatory for all event leads to attend and further details will be shared upon successful application.

To help you develop your application, you can sign up to attend the Introduction to Festival of Social Science 2025 webinar on Thursday 8 May, 12pm via Teams.

Applications will be assessed on these 5 key areas

Motivation for taking part – Show you have thought carefully about why you are applying e.g. to pilot an idea, reach a new audience, or develop public engagement skills, and what you hope to gain.

Target audience identified – Events must be aimed at a non-academic audience. Clearly define who your audience is (e.g. a specific public group, community, or professional sector). If you are proposing an event for professionals, businesses, policymakers, or third sector organisations, please note that ESRC rules only permit up to 20% of our events to be targeted at these groups. As we often receive many proposals in this category, selecting one of these audiences may reduce your chances of taking part.

Audience motivation – Show why your chosen audience would be interested in your activity, and how and when they might engage.

Content & format – Demonstrate initial ideas for what the activity will involve, why the format suits the goal (e.g. in-person, online), and considerations for timing and location.

Appropriate costing – Budget should be realistic, clear, and fit the scale and type of activity.

How to apply

We are particularly keen to receive applications from PGRs and early to mid-career researchers and encourage groups/teams to apply. If you have a supervisor, they will need to endorse your application by emailing publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.

If you are considering applying, we strongly encourage you to get in touch with us directly as early as possible.

Apply to take part by completing the online application form.

Deadline for applications: 11:59pm, Thursday 15 May 2025 

You can view the slides from the Information Session here. If you weren’t able to attend, or if you would like to revisit what was covered, you can also watch the session here.

Please read before applying

Before submitting your application, please make sure you meet both the ESRC eligibility criteria and our key requirements. This is essential for your proposal to be considered. Applications that reference academic or undergraduate audiences, or propose campus-based venues, will not be eligible. This opportunity is focused on public engagement beyond academic settings.

Festival Event Leader Pack this practical guide supports researchers in planning and delivering events for the festival. It covers the festival’s aims, event criteria, useful planning tips, audience engagement, and evaluation. It also details the funding, training, and promotional support available from the ESRC, making it a key resource for aligning events with the festival’s goals.

Contact us

Please contact the Public Engagement Team to discuss your application publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

25 April 2025

Apply now to take part in the 2025 ESRC Festival of Social Science

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Up to £1,000 per event available to engage the public with your research in a national prestigious festival

The 23rd annual ESRC Festival of Social Science (FoSS) takes place Saturday 18 October – Saturday 8 November 2025, with the theme of ‘Our Working Lives’.

How to apply

We are particularly keen to receive applications from PGRs and early to mid-career researchers and encourage groups/teams to apply. If you have a supervisor, they will need to endorse your application by emailing publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.

If you are considering applying, we strongly encourage you to get in touch with us directly as early as possible.

Apply to take part by completing the online application form.

Deadline for applications: 11:59pm, Thursday 15 May 2025 

You can view the slides from the Information Session here. If you weren’t able to attend, or if you would like to revisit what was covered, you can also watch the session here.

About the Festival of Social Science

The festival is an annual UK-wide celebration of research and knowledge about people and society, organised and funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). It provides a platform for researchers from UK universities to engage the public in a wide range of topics, from health and wellbeing to crime, equality, education, and identity, through engaging events such as exhibitions, lectures, panel debates, performances, and workshops.

The festival is free to attend, with most events open to everyone, though some may target specific groups. It offers researchers a unique opportunity to take their work beyond the university, connect with diverse audiences, and present their research in creative and accessible ways. Funding of up to £1,000 per event is available.

Training to run a great event

The national FoSS team is coordinating public engagement training with Engagement Trainer and Consultant Jamie Gallagher in June (repeated in September). Attendance at these sessions is mandatory for all event leads to attend and further details will be shared upon successful application.

To help you develop your application, you can sign up to attend the Introduction to Festival of Social Science 2025 webinar on 8th May, 12pm via Teams.

Please read before applying

Before submitting your application, please make sure you meet both the ESRC eligibility criteria and our key requirements. This is essential for your proposal to be considered. Applications that reference academic or undergraduate audiences, or propose campus-based venues, will not be eligible. This opportunity is focused on public engagement beyond academic settings.

Festival Event Leader Pack this practical guide supports researchers in planning and delivering events for the festival. It covers the festival’s aims, event criteria, useful planning tips, audience engagement, and evaluation. It also details the funding, training, and promotional support available from the ESRC, making it a key resource for aligning events with the festival’s goals.

Contact us

Please contact the Public Engagement Team to discuss your application publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.

17 April 2025

Share your involvement – contribute to the HE-BCI survey on BU’s social, community, and cultural events

HEIF, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Contribute to the HE-BCI survey: Share your involvement in BU’s social, community, and cultural events

BU is required to report on a range of knowledge exchange activities for the HE-BCI survey, which is collected by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). It is essential that we provide a comprehensive overview of these activities, as Research England uses the HE-BCI data to inform the allocation of the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) each year.

For 2024-25, BU received £549,064.

Data collection period

The SharePoint site collects details about all the social, community and cultural engagement events BU delivers between 1 August 2024 and 31 July 2025. Information about all events delivered during this period need to be uploaded by Friday 17 October 2025.

Find your faculty table

Please ensure you complete all the columns in the individual table for each faculty, especially Number of Attendees and Academic Staff Time for Delivery.

This year, for the first time, we will not be able to include information uploaded to the public engagement records on BRIAN as these do not provide all the data HESA requires.

If you have added data to BRIAN for the relevant time period, please also upload full details here or we will not be able to include your event in the survey.

Further support

For more guidance on what you must include, please refer to the FAQ section.

If you have any questions about the data collection or process, please contact publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.

16 April 2025

European Migration Research and Impact – Invitation to a Roundtable Discussion

awimbledon

Date: Wednesday, 7^th May, 10am-12pm

Venue: K101 Talbot Campus

Ticket booking: European Migration Research & Impact – Invitation to Roundtable Discussion Tickets, Wed 7 May 2025 at 10:00 | Eventbrite

As part of our recently awarded, British Council-funded “Springboard” project, titled ‘Between vulnerability and resilience: gendering anti-migrant nationalism and migrant responses’, we would like to invite colleagues and PGRs from across BU and AUB with related research interest to a Roundtable discussion on European Migration Research & Impact on 7^th May, from 10am to 12pm.

The panel will feature European and BU colleagues actively involved in researching migration across the continent and in the UK, bringing together both internal and international, cross-disciplinary expertise and experience of how to build impact into their projects from scratch. It will also benefit from specialised RDS/REF insights on building research impact. We plan to critically explore different types of potential impact, how to develop impactful research, and discuss both opportunities as well as limitations in achieving meaningful impact through migration research. We hope this panel will aid, inform, and inspire both early and advanced academics interested in migration research, including and beyond Europe, and we welcome lively contributions and discussions. The event will also provide an opportunity for academics across disciplines, working on or interested in related topics, to network with colleagues within and beyond the university.

The Springboard grant awarded by the British Council aims at deepening, specifically, German-UK academic collaborations and developing research projects together. The project is led by Stephanie Schwandner-Sievers (PI), Dilvin Dilara Usta and Anna Wimbledon (Co-Is), all of BU’s Centre for Seldom Heard Voices (CSHV). Beyond British Council funding, project development has kindly been supported by BU’s Global Engagement, RDS, and the FHSS faculty teams as well as the CSHV. Our current international partners include (international lead team only) Carolin Leutloff-Grandits from the B/Orders in Motion research centre at the European University Viadrina (EUV), Frankfurt (Oder), Germany; our long-term partner Linda Gusia of the Sociology Institute and Gender Studies Programme of the University of Prishtina, Kosovo; and Emma Shercliff of the Arts University Bournemouth.

This international team, including further senior researchers, ECRs and PGRs from all the involved partners, is coming together in early May for a dedicated workshop to develop its collaborations, links, and future project plans. (To avoid confusion: the Springboard project and workshop is both complementary to and separate from, Dilvin’s and Anna’s current British Academy-funded project on Crimmigration, which runs in parallel and aims at building collaborative networks, specifically, amongst UK-ECRs and with local non-academic partners; see recent announcement for this associated event, taking place on 16^th May).

International Springboard team members Carolin Leutloff-Grandits, co-editor of Migrating Borders and Moving Times (2017) and author of Translocal Care Across Kosovo’s Borders; and Dr Marija Grujić, currently co-leading a project on Gendering asylum infrastructures in Germany and the UK, both of the B/Orders in Motion research centre at EUV, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany, have kindly agreed to speak on the European Migration Research & Impact roundtable. Furthermore, we are delighted to welcome Dr Ingrida Kerusauskaite-Palmer of the Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences (Institute of Law), Vilnius, on the panel, who recently completed policy-relevant research on the local, societal impact of Ukrainian migration to Central Europe, and who also is a Visiting Fellow at FHSS. Finally, we are particularly pleased to confirm attendance of BU academics and migration experts, Alina Dolea (who has studied and advised on Romanian migrations) and Nicola De Martini Ugolotti (who has worked with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Italy and the UK), as well as of RDS impact manager, Amanda Edwards, as panellists. Stephanie Schwandner-Sievers will chair the panel discussion who, herself, has a long history in studying, specifically, Albanian migrations and societal responses.

14 April 2025

BU research on road network efficiency reported in Times of India

international wchai

BU research , led by PhD graduate Dr. Assemgul Kozhabek and Dr. Wei Koong Chai, on characterising efficiency of road networks in big populous cities around the world was covered by the Times of India, the world’s largest selling English-language daily in the world. The article reported the findings from BU’s work, specifically highlighted its insights into the structure, properties and efficiency of road networks in relevant cities in India.

Article: “Study rates ‘efficiency’ of city road network” March 17 2025, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/study-rates-efficiency-of-city-road-network/articleshow/119086477.cms.

14 April 2025

BU collaborates with University of Exeter on modelling innovation adoption

innovation, open access, Publishing wchai

Bournemouth University (BU) has collaborated with the University of Exeter on modelling innovation adoption diffusion. The work, led by Dr. Wei Koong Chai in BU, draw on the epidemic theory and model the diffusion dynamics considering (1) the role of network structures in dictating the spread of adoption and (2) how individual’s characteristic/capability influences the path of diffusion (e.g. an individual may have different attitude or ability towards adopting a new innovation). A positive adoption decision is related to the number of neighbors adopting the innovation. The neighbors decisions are, in turn, dependent on their own neighbors and so, it forms a complex cascading inter-dependent relationship between the different individuals in the network. As such, each node in the network is unique and its relevant adoption rate must be considered separately conditioned with the activities occurring in the network over time.

The model offers insights into how the network spectrum affects the innovation exposure rate and spreading of innovation individually and across communities with different adoption behaviours. It also illustrates the effects of the embedded social structure and the characteristics of individuals in the network on the path of innovation diffusion via two use cases: (i) innovation adoption of EU countries in a Single Market Programme and (ii) innovation adoption of specific class of technology (specifically financial technologies (FinTech)).

Reference:

Duanmu, JL., Chai, W.K. Modelling innovation adoption spreading in complex networks. Appl Netw Sci 10, 10 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41109-025-00698-8

10 April 2025

Register your interest in co-development of new REF2029 Engagement & Impact element

Public engagement Amanda Edwards

The REF central team has announced registration is open to take part in the co-development of the policy and guidance for the Engagement and Impact (E&I) element of REF2029. This is in addition to the current recruitment to panels and subpanels.

Deadline for registering interest: Tuesday 6 May 2025
Co-development workshop: Thursday 5^th & Friday 6^th June 2025, London

Topics likely to be covered include (but are not limited to):

the definition of engagement and its role in the assessment framework
the definition of rigour
the content and weighting of disciplinary statements
the number of case studies required.

Click here for full details on the E&I deep dive two-day session and how to apply. Please email the BU REF team to let us know if you do apply.

9 April 2025

Promote your public engagement event to wider audiences

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

At BU, we celebrate and support efforts to engage the public with our research.

The Public Engagement with Research team in RDS can help promote your event to relevant audiences through our monthly newsletter and social media channels.

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

intended for and open to non-academic audiences
focused on BU research, either solely or as part of a wider programme (events that do not involve BU research, such as marketing or recruitment activities, will not be accepted)
submitted no later than the first two weeks of the month before the event. For example, for a June event, submit by 14 May.

Please note: event descriptions may be edited for consistency with other content

Share your upcoming public event or activity

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

4 April 2025

Research Café: Showcasing Tomorrow’s Researchers – Tuesday 6 May 6:30-8pm

Knowledge Exchange, PG research, Public engagement ballen

Get inspired at BU’s Research Café – where research comes to life

Join a community of curious minds to ask questions, share ideas, and explore research at Bournemouth University. Enjoy thought-provoking talks followed by lively discussions, where you can engage directly with guest speakers and fellow attendees.

Our next event features talks from Bournemouth University postgraduate researchers, all currently working towards their PhDs and eager to share their work with the public.

We are excited to welcome three researchers who will present their work and discuss how their research might address the following questions:

What influences tourists when using public transport, and how can we encourage more eco-friendly travel habits?
How do video games bring back memories from the past, and what makes them feel nostalgic?
How are drinking habits and eating behaviours connected in women, and how can we improve support for those facing these challenges?

Taking place at BGB Café on Tuesday 6 May, the talks will begin at 6:30pm. The café opens at 6pm, so arrive early to buy a drink and a bite to eat before the event begins.

If you have any questions about this event, please email the Public Engagement with Research Team: publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

1 April 2025

Update: ESRC Festival Info Session Rescheduled to Wednesday 23 April 11am-12pm

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

ESRC Festival Info Session Rescheduled to Wednesday 23 April 11am-12pm

Online information session

Join our online information session to enhance your chances of a successful application and learn how to make the most of this exciting opportunity.

BU’s Public Engagement Team will co-host this session with the University of Southampton Impact Funding Team. During the session, you will hear about past festival events at both universities, learn first-hand experiences from previous participants, and gain an understanding of the application process. You will also receive guidance on how to get involved in this year’s festival.

Wednesday 23 April 2025
11am – 12pm
Online (via Teams)

To attend, please register and we will be in touch with further information

Register here

Find out more about how you can take part in the 23rd Annual ESRC Festival of Social Science

If you have any questions, please get in touch publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

24 March 2025

Join our online info session to find out how you can apply for the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

The ESRC Festival of Social Science (FoSS) is back, running from 18 October to 8 November 2025.

Partnership with the University of Southampton

For the third consecutive year, Bournemouth University is partnering with the University of Southampton (UoS) to deliver a programme of social science events across Dorset and Hampshire. This collaboration enables BU researchers to organise joint events with UoS colleagues and share impactful research with a broader community.

Funding available for your social science event

Apply for up to £1,000 and join the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025 to showcase your research.

Online information session

Join our online information session to enhance your chances of a successful application and learn how to make the most of this exciting opportunity.

BU’s Public Engagement Team will co-host this session with the UoS Impact Funding Team. During the session, you will hear about past festival events at both universities, learn first-hand experiences from previous participants, and gain an understanding of the application process. You will also receive guidance on how to get involved in this year’s festival.

Wednesday 2 April 2025
11am – 12pm
Online (via Teams)

To attend, please register and we will be in touch with further information

Register here

Get inspired about planning your event

The 2025 open call will launch soon. In the meantime, explore these resources from last year to gather ideas and see which events resonated with public audiences while aligning with the festival’s goals:

To help with planning and audience engagement, check out these useful guides from last year’s open call:

If you would like to start discussing your ideas, please get in touch publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

17 March 2025

We want to hear from you – Tell us about your involvement in Social, Cultural, and Community events

HEIF, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Your involvement matters – Please share details of BU’s social, community, and cultural events for the annual Higher Education Business & Community Interaction (HE-BCI) survey

Bournemouth University reports on a range of knowledge exchange activities for the HE-BCI survey, collected by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Providing a comprehensive view of these activities is crucial, as Research England uses HE-BCI data to allocate the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) annually. For 2024-25, BU received £549,064.

Data collection period

The SharePoint site collects information on all social, community, and cultural engagement events delivered by BU between 1 August 2024 and 31 July 2025.

Please ensure all event details are uploaded by Friday 17 October 2025.

Find your faculty table

Complete all the columns in your faculty’s table, paying particular attention to the Number of attendees and Academic staff time for delivery.

Please note that this year, we cannot include data solely uploaded to the public engagement records on BRIAN, as they do not capture all the information required by HESA. If you have already added data to BRIAN, you must also upload full details to the SharePoint site to ensure your event is included in the survey.

Further support

For detailed guidance on what to include, please refer to the FAQ’s

Please contact the Public Engagement Team should you have any additional questions publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

17 March 2025

March’s Research Café – How can we help protect our towns and cities from cyberattacks?

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

BU’s Research Café kicks off exploring cybersecurity in smart cities

Our new Research Café series launched last week at the BGB Café with a thought-provoking discussion on smart cities and cybersecurity. The event brought together members of the public, researchers, and local businesses to exchange ideas, ask questions, and connect with BU’s research community.

Professor Vasilis Katos speaking at Research Café

Leading the conversation was BU’s Professor Vasilis Katos, who explored how residents, businesses, and policymakers can work together to protect smart city infrastructure from growing cyber threats. Professor Katos highlighted the increasing reliance on digital systems in urban environments and the need for proactive security measures to prevent attacks that could disrupt essential services.

Joining the conversation was Emily Rosenorn-Lanng, PhD student and CEO of BU pre-spin-out Cyber Innovations Ltd, who shed light on the often-overlooked psychological impact of cyberattacks. Emily emphasised how cyber incidents can leave individuals and small businesses feeling vulnerable, highlighting the need for greater awareness, resilience, and support systems.

Professor Vasilis Katos & Emily Rosenorn-Lanng with Research Café attendees

The session sparked a lively discussion, with audience members including local business owners sharing their concerns and experiences. Attendees described the event as “exceptionally engaging,” “eye-opening,” and “a fantastic opportunity to learn from experts.”

Emily Rosenorn-Lanng reflected on the event “Cybersecurity isn’t just about technology – it’s about people. When attacks happen, they don’t just affect data; they impact lives, trust, and livelihoods. Protecting our digital world means understanding the human side of cybersecurity too.”

Next up in our Research Café series

Showcasing Tomorrow’s Researchers – Tuesday 6 May, 6:30-8pm at BGB Café

We are excited to announce the next event in our Research Café series will feature postgraduate researchers from Bournemouth University, who will share insights into their innovative research.

Come along to hear about their work, ask questions, and gain a glimpse into the future of research.

More details coming soon

Contact

If you have any questions about this event or the Research Café series, please contact the Public Engagement with Research Team at publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

17 March 2025

Take part in the 23rd Annual ESRC Festival of Social Science

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

The ESRC Festival of Social Science (FoSS) returns from 18 October to 8 November 2025. This is a fantastic opportunity for researchers to showcase their work in the UK’s largest celebration of social science research.

Partnership with the University of Southampton

For the third consecutive year, Bournemouth University is partnering with the University of Southampton (UoS) to deliver a programme of social science events across Dorset and Hampshire. This collaboration enables BU researchers to organise joint events with UoS colleagues and share impactful research with a broader community.

Why get involved?

Engage with non-academic audiences and make a meaningful impact in the community
Showcase your research beyond the university to reach wider audiences
Gain valuable public engagement experience while enhancing your communication skills
Expand your professional network through collaborations with fellow researchers

Online information session

BU’s Public Engagement Team will co-host an online information session with the Impact Funding Team (Research and Innovation Services, UoS). During the session, you will learn about past FoSS events at both universities and hear first-hand experiences from previous participants. The session will also explain the application process and guide you on how to get involved in this year’s festival.

Wednesday 2 April 2025
11am – 12pm
Online (via Teams)

To attend, please register and we will be in touch with further information.

Register here

Thinking about applying?

The call for applications will open soon. In the meantime, if you are considering applying, we recommend reviewing the 2024 festival open call to gain a clear understanding of the expectations and festival criteria. Understanding the ESRC’s guidelines and expectations is key to submitting a strong application.

If you have colleagues at the University of Southampton who might be interested in running a joint event, consider reaching out to explore collaboration opportunities. Joint events can strengthen your application and broaden your impact, so they are strongly encouraged.

Get inspired by past festival events. For ideas and inspiration, take a look at:

These resources can help you better understand the types of events that resonate with public audiences and align with the festival’s goals.

Helpful guides

These guides from last year’s open call are valuable resources to help you understand and support event planning and audience engagement.

Funding and Support

Funding of up to £1,000 per event is available to support your event. BU’s Public Engagement team will offer ongoing advice and guidance at every stage – from application and event development to planning, delivery, and evaluation.

New drop-in surgery for application support

In addition to the information session, the Public Engagement Team will be hosting a drop-in surgery on campus, providing you with the opportunity to meet the team and receive additional support for your application.

This will:

Offer guidance on festival requirements and application criteria
Assist researchers in refining event ideas to ensure alignment with ESRC guidelines
Provide one-to-one support to strengthen applications and improve the chances of success
Share insights on best practices for engaging diverse audiences
Help refine event formats and maximise impact

Take advantage of this support to enhance your proposal and perfect your event plans.

If you would like to start discussing your ideas, please get in touch with the team at publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

Tagged / impact

May’s Research Café – Showcasing tomorrow’s researchers

Targeted workshops for REF 2029 impact case study teams

Limited places available – sign up now for May and June!

DATES & TIMES

KEY DETAILS

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BA ECRN: Impact and Engagement Workshop

Share your involvement – contribute to the HE-BCI survey on BU’s social, community, and cultural events

BU research on road network efficiency reported in Times of India

BU collaborates with University of Exeter on modelling innovation adoption

Register your interest in co-development of new REF2029 Engagement & Impact element

Promote your public engagement event to wider audiences

Research Café: Showcasing Tomorrow’s Researchers – Tuesday 6 May 6:30-8pm

We want to hear from you – Tell us about your involvement in Social, Cultural, and Community events

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BU’s Research Café kicks off exploring cybersecurity in smart cities

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