BU Research Blog | impact | Bournemouth University

April 26, 2024

Read and sign up to BU’s Policy Influence Digest

BU research, Impact, policy, Research communication Adam Morris

If you’re looking to have an impact on local, national and international policy with your research, you may find the BU policy influence digest email useful.

Read the latest edition on our Sharepoint site to get a sense of what is included.

The policy influence digest highlights policy influencing opportunities and tips. The digests are usually circulated weekly and contain information on expert calls, specialist or committee advisor opportunities, areas of research interest issued by the Government departments, fellowship opportunities, the notable sector reports and Government announcements from the week, events and training as well as a range of other opportunities to share your expertise (including responding to consultations or select committee inquiries).

If you’d like to receive the digest by email, sign up in two clicks or scan the QR code below (BU login required).

April 22, 2024

BU involved in new MRF dissemination grant

BU research, international, Research communication, Research news, Uncategorized Edwin van Teijlingen

Bournemouth University of part of a research consortium that has recently been awarded a Dissemination Award from the Medical Research Foundation (MRF). Last week the MRF announced that it has granted £30,294 for a project to ‘Strengthening Nepal’s health systems’. This Dissemination Award has been offered to expand the reach and impact of our recently completed study which was funded by the UK Health Systems Research Initiative [Grant ref. MR/T023554/1]. In this larger Nepal Federal Health System Project we studied the effects on the health system of Nepal’s move from a centralised political system to a more federal government structure in 2015. This interdisciplinary project was led by the University of Sheffield in collaboration with Bournemouth University, the University of Huddersfield, Canterbury Christ Church University and two institutions in Nepal: MMIHS (Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences) and PHASE Nepal.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMWH

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.

April 17, 2024

We can help promote your public engagement event or activity

BU research, Events, Impact, 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

April 16, 2024

New Seed Fund for Public Engagement with Research: Last Six Funding Opportunities Available

BU research yokselferraris

Thank you for your interest in our new Seed Fund for public engagement with research. We’ve received a considerable number of applications for the funding so far.

We’re pleased to announce that we still have funding available for up to six projects. The latest we can accept applications for this academic year is 28th June and the application form will no longer be accessible after that date.

What’s it for?

We want to provide small amounts of funding (up to £500) to help researchers develop and incorporate meaningful, two-way engagement with beneficiaries and research users. The aim is to help support a more engaged research culture across BU and accelerate the impact arising from research.

Who can apply?

The scheme is open to researchers at all career stages, whether they have previous public engagement experience.

What are we looking for?

We would like to fund engagement activity that addresses any/all the following:

reaches a new audience or community, or
tests a pilot activity to evaluate what works, with the aim of developing impact from existing research or securing further external funding, or
develops your own engagement skills and understanding of the value of public engagement with research.

Application process

Read the Guidance for Applicants
Complete the online application form.

Support & information

The relevant staff in the Research Excellence Team will provide support to deliver activities and will manage funds centrally. All activity and spend will need to be completed before 31 July 2024.

(Please note that this funding will not be awarded for attending conferences or networking events where the engagement with stakeholders is speculative.)

For all queries, please contact publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.

April 15, 2024

Reminder: Opportunity to get more involved in preparing Social Work and Social Policy REF 2029 submission – impact and engagement

BU research, Impact Adam Morris

We are looking to recruit an impact champion in UOA 20 (the Unit of Assessment for Social Work and Social Policy) to help support preparations for our submission to REF2029. The deadline for expressions of interest is the Tuesday 30th April 2024.

This role is recruited through an open and transparent process, which gives all academic staff the opportunity to put themselves forward. Applications from underrepresented groups (e.g. minority ethnic, declared disability) are particularly welcome.

We are currently preparing submissions to thirteen units (otherwise known as UOAs). Each unit has a leadership team with at least one leader, an output and impact champion. The leadership team is supported by a panel of reviewers who assess the research from the unit. This includes research outputs (journal articles, book chapters, digital artefacts and conference proceedings) and impact case studies.

All roles require a level of commitment which is recognised accordingly, with time to review, attend meetings, and take responsibility for tasks.

This vacancy is for a joint impact champion for UOA 20 Social Work and Social Policy. This role exists as a job share with an existing impact champion, on the basis of a combined total of 0.2 FTE (split to be decided in discussion with the successful applicant).

Undertaking a UOA role can be enjoyable and rewarding, as one of our current impact champions can testify:

“As a UoA 17 impact champion, I work closely with the UoA 17 impact team to encourage the development of a culture of impact across BUBS. I try to pop into Department / research group meetings when I can to discuss impact, and I’ve enjoyed meeting people with a whole range of research interests. Sometimes it can be tough to engage people with impact – understandably; everyone is busy – so it’s important to be enthusiastic about the need for our BU research to reach the public. Overall, the role is about planting the seeds to get researchers thinking about the impact their work might have in the future (as well as the impact they have already had, sometimes without realising!)”

Dr Rafaelle Nicholson – UOA 17 Impact Champion

How to apply

All those interested should put forward a short case (suggested length of one paragraph), explaining why they are interested in the role and what they believe they could bring to it. These should be clearly marked with the relevant role and unit and emailed to ref@bournemouth.ac.uk by Tuesday 30th April 2024.

Further details on the impact champion role, the process of recruitment and selection criteria can be found here:

Role Descriptor

Process and criteria for selection

For more information, please contact ref@bournemouth.ac.uk, or the UoA Leaders Stephanie Schwandner-Sievers and Mel Hughes with queries.

March 28, 2024

Café Scientifique Tuesday 7 May 2024 – Showcasing tomorrow’s researchers

BU research, Doctoral College, Events, Impact, Knowledge Exchange, PG research, Postgraduate Research, Public engagement, Uncategorized 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 four postgraduate researchers from Bournemouth University on Tuesday 7 May 6:30 – 8:00pm.

Come and listen to four postgraduate researchers from Bournemouth University to get an insight into how their research might answer the following questions:

How do Hollywood film-makers create believable fantasy worlds?
What can we do to prevent natural and man-made disasters?
Can we extend the life of Lithium-ion batteries for electric cars?
How do we overcome cultural differences to provide appropriate healthcare?

All the speakers are currently working towards their PhDs and are passionate about sharing their research with the public.

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 please email the Public Engagement with Research Team: publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

March 27, 2024

RKEDF Workshop: Impress the Press: How to talk to Journalists – Wednesday 24 April 2-4pm

BU research, Impact, Knowledge Exchange, RKE development framework, the conversation ballen

A practical session covering tips and techniques for speaking with broadcast media (TV and radio) followed by the chance to put it into practice through mock interviews.

This session is open to all academic staff with an interest in engaging with the media. No previous experience is necessary.

By the end of the session, attendees will:

Have a better understanding of communicating their work with the media
Understand the difference between TV and radio interviews and what is required
Feel confident in undertaking media interviews and dealing with difficult questions

Facilitated by: Emma Matthews – Research Communications Adviser & Stephen Bates – Senior Press Officer

Wednesday 24 April, 2-4pm

Talbot Campus

Book your place here under ‘Impress the Press: How to talk to Journalists – 16/04/2024’ in the drop-down menu

March 27, 2024

RKEDF Workshop: Engaging with Schools & young people – Tuesday 16 April 10-11am

BU research, Knowledge Exchange, RKE development framework ballen

Engaging young people with the world of research can be a worthwhile and enjoyable experience for everyone involved. You can benefit from the opportunity to develop and put into practice your skills, build confidence and widen your research horizons.

In this session we’ll look at how to approach engagement with young people, including;

– How to pitch your research for young people
– How to establish links with schools, colleges, youth groups etc.
– How to develop activities and resources that schools and colleges will actually use.
– What support is available at BU

This session will be delivered by the BU Engagement Officer and the Schools Liaison Team.

Tuesday 16 April 10-11am

Online

Book your place here – under “Impact Essentials: Engaging with Schools and young people – 16/04/2024” in the drop-down menu

March 26, 2024

Opportunity to get more involved in preparing Social Work and Social Policy REF 2029 submission – impact and engagement

BU research, Impact, Knowledge Exchange, REF Subjects, Research assessment, Research communication Adam Morris

We are looking to recruit an impact champion in UOA 20 (the Unit of Assessment for Social Work and Social Policy) to help support preparations for our submission to REF2029. The deadline for expressions of interest is the Tuesday 30th April 2024.

This role is recruited through an open and transparent process, which gives all academic staff the opportunity to put themselves forward. Applications from underrepresented groups (e.g. minority ethnic, declared disability) are particularly welcome.

We are currently preparing submissions to thirteen units (otherwise known as UOAs). Each unit has a leadership team with at least one leader, an output and impact champion. The leadership team is supported by a panel of reviewers who assess the research from the unit. This includes research outputs (journal articles, book chapters, digital artefacts and conference proceedings) and impact case studies.

All roles require a level of commitment which is recognised accordingly, with time to review, attend meetings, and take responsibility for tasks.

This vacancy is for a joint impact champion for UOA 20 Social Work and Social Policy. This role exists as a job share with an existing impact champion, on the basis of a combined total of 0.2 FTE (split to be decided in discussion with the successful applicant).

Undertaking a UOA role can be enjoyable and rewarding, as one of our current impact champions can testify:

“As a UoA 17 impact champion, I work closely with the UoA 17 impact team to encourage the development of a culture of impact across BUBS. I try to pop into Department / research group meetings when I can to discuss impact, and I’ve enjoyed meeting people with a whole range of research interests. Sometimes it can be tough to engage people with impact – understandably; everyone is busy – so it’s important to be enthusiastic about the need for our BU research to reach the public. Overall, the role is about planting the seeds to get researchers thinking about the impact their work might have in the future (as well as the impact they have already had, sometimes without realising!)”

Dr Rafaelle Nicholson – UOA 17 Impact Champion

How to apply

All those interested should put forward a short case (suggested length of one paragraph), explaining why they are interested in the role and what they believe they could bring to it. These should be clearly marked with the relevant role and unit and emailed to ref@bournemouth.ac.uk by Tuesday 30th April 2024.

Further details on the impact champion role, the process of recruitment and selection criteria can be found here:

Role Descriptor

Process and criteria for selection

For more information, please contact ref@bournemouth.ac.uk, or the UoA Leaders Stephanie Schwandner-Sievers and Mel Hughes with queries.

March 15, 2024

Find out how to apply for ESRC Festival of Social Science 2024

BU research, Impact, Public engagement Amanda Edwards

BU partners with University of Southampton for second year!

The 22nd annual Festival of Social Science takes place this year 19th October – 9th November, with the theme of ‘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 (PER) team offers continuing advice and support on all areas of event development, planning, delivery and evaluation. The deadline for applications is Thursday 16th May 2024.

Essential links:

Application form

ESRC’s Festival Event Leader pack

Information Session

Find out how to apply at this online information session and hear from BU and UoS about previous festival events. The session will be delivered by BU’s PER team and the Impact Funding Team from UoS.

Wednesday 17th April 2024
11:00-12:00
Online via MS Teams
Book your place here

For more information, please email publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk. You can also visit BU’s FoSS 2023 webpage for inspiration and the ESRC’s website.

March 14, 2024