BU Research Blog | impact | Bournemouth University

September 18, 2023

RKEDF training: Impact Essentials

Impact Essentials: From public engagement to impact

This session is aimed at researchers at all stages of their careers to find out how public engagement activity can help their research have an impact on the world.

Participants will explore the link between public engagement activity and measurable impact, reflect on their own impact goals, identify potential stakeholders and engagement activity, and learn from high-ranking impact case studies with a significant public engagement pathway.

By the end of the session they will have a better understanding of how impact can be developed from public engagement activity.

Impact Essentials: From public engagement to impact

Tuesday 3rd October

from 14:00 – 15:00 at Talbot Campus

To book your place fror the session, please complete the Booking Form.

For queries regarding the content of this session, please contact Amanda Edwards, Amanda Edwards aedwards@bournemouth.ac.uk

September 1, 2023

Bournemouth University’s top 13 scholars

Delicious links, Fusion themes, international Edwin van Teijlingen

This week Research.com, a leading academic platform for researchers, finished releasing the 2023 rankings of best scientists and universities in the world across all major scientific disciplines. Click here for a quick summary of how Bournemouth University stood in these rankings.

Congratulations go to 13 BU scholars who are listed in this world ranking! Top of the list is Professor Dimitrios Buhalis!

The single largest group of six BU academics belonged to ‘Ecology & Evolution’, two scholars are based in ‘Environmental Science’ and one each fit into six other individual scientific disciplines.

September 1, 2023

Impact Essentials: Creating your impact development plan

Katerina Kakaounaki

Creating your impact development plan is a workshop for researchers at all career stages and at all stages of the project lifecycle – from formulating research questions and preparing grant applications to developing a potential impact case study.

This practical workshop provides the tools, advice and time to start putting together your own plan to achieve impact.

By the end of this session, you will have created a detailed impact development plan, tailored to your particular needs and stage of impact development.

Thursday 7th September 13.00-15.00 Talbot Campus

To book on to the session, please complete the Booking Form.

For queries regarding the content of this session, please contact Amanda Lazar, Impact Adviser impact@bournemouth.ac.uk

August 22, 2023

Creating your Impact Development Plan Workshop – 7th September

Training alazar

As part of the RKEDF Impact Essentials programme, booking is now open for the Impact Essentials: creating your impact development plan 2-hour in-person workshops. There are 4 dates to choose from and they will be delivered on both Talbot and Lansdowne campuses, so hopefully there will be a date and time that is convenient for everyone who would like to attend.

This workshop is for researchers at all career stages and at all stages of the project lifecycle – from formulating research questions and preparing grant applications to developing a potential impact case study. This practical workshop provides the tools, advice and time to start putting together your own plan to achieve impact. By the end of the session, you will have created a detailed impact development plan, tailored to your particular needs and stage of impact development.

The first session is on Talbot campus on 7th September, 13:00-15:00.

You can find a suitable date and book your space here: Impact Essentials – Bournemouth University Intranet.

August 4, 2023

RKEDF Impact Planning Training 7th September

Training alazar

As part of the RKEDF Impact Essentials programme, booking is now open for the Impact Essentials: creating your impact development plan 2-hour in-person workshops. There are 4 dates to choose from and they will be delivered on both Talbot and Lansdowne campuses, so hopefully there will be a date and time that is convenient for everyone who would like to attend.

This workshop are for researchers at all career stages and at all stages of the project lifecycle – from formulating research questions and preparing grant applications to developing a potential impact case study. This practical workshop provides the tools, advice and time to start putting together your own plan to achieve impact. By the end of the session, you will have created a detailed impact development plan, tailored to your particular needs and stage of impact development.

The first session is on Talbot campus (room tbc) on 7th September, 13:00-15:00.

You can find a suitable date and book your space here: Impact Essentials – Bournemouth University Intranet.

August 2, 2023

Masterclass: Writing for Policy and Building your Online Profile – 7th September

Knowledge Exchange alazar

This is a free online event for academics interested in policy engagement, run by Showrunner Communications on 7th September, 13:00-15:00. You can sign up via Eventbrite.

During this session, participants will learn to write for policy stakeholders, including advice on drafting comment articles and blogs, and Select Committee and Government consultation responses.

This session will also focus on building participants’ professional social media profiles and emphasising their expertise online.

Showrunner’s training workshops build the understanding and skills that academics need to effectively achieve policy impact throughout their careers.

This session will be delivered by Nicky Hobbs and Jennifer Harrison, who are communications, policy, and education specialists, in partnership with Showrunner Communications and the Future Leaders Fellows Development Network.

Jennifer Harrison

Jennifer has a distinctive track record within the fields of policy, public affairs, and communications, on behalf of national and local government, the voluntary and community sector, and higher education. Her work has been used by think tanks and policy institutes, directly influenced legislative and policy change, and has represented policy interests at the highest level, including meetings with ministers, in regional and national media, and at parliamentary inquiries.

Jennifer was Durham University’s first policy engagement lead, working with academics to successfully achieve REF and societal impact. This included helping to secure the first ever parliamentary inquiry into urban soil health, securing changes to criminal justice legislation, and campaigning to end irresponsible lending practices that exacerbate poverty. She has been Chair of the Russell Group Political Affairs Network and has contributed widely to thought leadership across the sector, including policy blogs and conference speaking engagements focusing on the nature of policy engagement and research impact.

Nicky Hobbs

Nicky is a communications and engagement leader with over two decades of experience, Nicky has run programmes and led teams for multiple private and public sector organisations.

Nicky has led award-winning communications departments in two Russell Group universities; UCL and Queen Mary and stakeholder engagement at a Government department. At Queen Mary, Nicky led communications for the ground-breaking City of London Institute of Technology which opened in 2022. As a consultant, she has led engagement campaigns for multiple social enterprises and charities and has significant expertise in developing high-impact digital content with a focus on higher and further education.

July 31, 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

July 24, 2023

World Drowning Prevention Day Bournemouth University

international, PG research Edwin van Teijlingen

Worldwide drowning has caused over 2.5 million deaths in the last decade. The overwhelming majority of these deaths (90%) happen in low-middle-income countries. Globally, the highest drowning rates occur among children aged 1–4 years.

To mark this year’s World Drowning Prevention Day, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is raising awareness of drowning interventions such as teaching school-age children basic swimming water safety and safe rescue skills. Drowning is a public health issue, through their World Drowning Prevention Day campaign, WHO will be reminding people that: “Anyone can drown, but no one should.”

In Bangladesh, drowning is the leading cause of death in children over the age of one. Globally, the country has one of the highest rates of drowning, especially among children. Additionally, the risk of drowning in rural areas is twice as likely in comparison to cities. Some of the reasons for this are due to access to hazards, e.g., because there are a significant number of ponds and ditches, creating natural drowning hazards for very young children.

Bournemouth University and the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB) jointly have received funding for research into the number of children drowning deaths in Bangladesh. The project, called ‘Sonamoni’, is being coordinated by Bournemouth University in collaboration with the University of the West of England, Bristol, the University of Southampton, and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). We are working with CIPRB to reduce drownings among newly-mobile children, generally under two years old. The project, with Prof. Dr. Aminur Rahman as Bangladesh lead, includes a PhD project by BU’s Mr. Shafkat Hossain. Shafkat’s thesis focuses on aspects of the Human-Centred-Design element of the Sonamoni project.

This £1.6m project has been made possible thanks to a grant from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) through their Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation programme. For more information, visit the NIHR website.

The interdisciplinary team at Bournemouth University cover three faculties supported by the following academics: Dr. Mavis Bengtsson, Dr. Kyungjoo Cha, Dr. Mehdi Chowdhury, Dr. Yong Hun Lim, Mr. John Powell, and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH)

July 19, 2023

External Training Sessions – Public Engagement for Data Science & AI Research

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement, Training ballen

Has your public engagement gone a bit stale? Do you feel distant from the people your research may affect? These online external sessions will reveal that public engagement with AI research and data science is essential and they will advise you how to plan it well.

Public engagement with AI and data research (Part 1): Why all the fuss?

In this introductory overview, you will learn about the drivers and motivations for engaging with stakeholder communities and the wider public.

Tuesday 5 September, 12:30-2pm

Cost: From £35.00

Find out more

Public engagement with AI and data research (Part 2): Do it!

You will have space to think strategically and about who you need to reach, why their voice is important, and how you plan to involvement. Interaction is the buzzword, and this session will keep you on your toes through learning by doing. Nothing intimidating, nothing embarrassing, just some exercises and tasks to help you think through all the planning processes.

Tuesday 12 September, 12:30-2pm

Cost: From £35.00

Find out more

Public engagement with AI and data research (Part 3): Change for Good!

This session will take your through impact logic models and get you thinking about evaluation and indicators of success.

Tuesday 26 September, 12:30-2pm

Cost: From £35.00

Find out more

Please note: These are external sessions shared for you interest. They not endorsed by or affiliated with Bournemouth University. Funding will not be provided by the Public Engagement with Research Team, but may be available through your faculty.

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

July 10, 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

July 9, 2023

Filming day for the DEALTS2 instructional video for dementia trainers

Fusion, Knowledge Exchange mheward

Try to imagine living with dementia. Now consider how it might feel caring for a person with dementia. Both concepts are challenging to imagine. However, understanding such concepts is key to improving the delivery of care.

On 27th June 2023, the cameras were rolling live on Lansdowne Campus at Bournemouth University. Dr Michelle Heward and Director Jon Nichols (Jon Nichols Video Production) were filming a train-the-trainer video designed to support those wishing to use the Dementia Education and Learning Through Simulation 2 (DEALTS2) toolkit confidentially in their own training. The DEALTS2 programme, commissioned by Health Education England, is a training package that uses simulation-based activities to place staff into the shoes of a person with dementia.

Social care providers including Managers, Support Workers, and Developmental Leads who deliver dementia training to staff in their care homes, day centres, and home care services across Dorset came in to receive training and were filmed for the video. There was a fantastic buzz as everyone arrived welcoming the opportunity to “refresh their dementia knowledge” and were excited to “gain new ideas to deliver dementia training”.

Delivered wonderfully by Dr Michelle Heward, the training was enjoyed by all especially during the simulation activities. These scenario activities included cost-effective and fun tasks such as making origami swans with varying levels of challenging instructions, some deliberately frustrating! Designed to stimulate understanding of living with dementia to inform the care provided, the tasks were considered as “helpful”, “informative”, and “thought provoking and relevant to their service and carers”.

After a reinvigorating day filming, care providers were “excited to go away and use the DEALTS2 training” and felt “confident” in delivery of the “excellent” resources. It was fantastic to hear most organisations are hoping to use the DEALTS2 resources within their own organisations in the next few months.

Thanks to everyone who came along, agreed to be filmed, and helped produce the train-the-trainer video. Everyone did an amazing job and appeared unfazed by the camera during the demands of film production. Thanks also to Harry the boom operator and local actors Alex, Samuel, Rae, Amelia, and Nora who supported the day. The DEALTS2 train-the-trainer video was only possible with all your help. Currently in the editing process, watch this space to see how everyone got on!

For more information or to access the DEALTS2 training programme please visit: https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/dementia-awareness/dementia-education-learning-through-simulation-2

Lyndsey Bradley, BSc final year undergraduate
Research Assistant
Faculty of Health and Social Sciences

July 3, 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

June 26, 2023

Researchers wanted for Community Buddies Programme

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

The British Science Association (BSA) is looking for researchers to take part in their Community Buddies Programme, connecting with Community Leaders to drive innovative community-led science engagement.

The BSA’s Community Engagement Team has been training, connecting, and working with community organisers for the past eight years. More recently, they furthered their offer with the creation of the Community Buddies Programme, which connects Community Leaders with local researchers.

The programme grew in response to community organisers’ interest to partner with local science role models who can help develop their engagement activities and offer insights into research.

The programme aims to:

Create greater empathy and understanding between researchers and communities
Support researchers and communities to create authentic, mutually beneficial relationships with equal sharing of power
Increase the skills and capabilities of both researchers and communities to engage with each other

If you are interested in getting involved, please get in touch via the expression of interest form. Yetminster would be the nearest local partner.

Expression of interest form

Find out more about the Community Buddies Programme in this blog, which synthesised the learning from the first two years of the programme.

You can learn more about the programme of community engagement work here.

If you have any questions, please contact communities@britishscienceassociation.org

June 22, 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.

June 21, 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

June 20, 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.

June 19, 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

June 5, 2023

Anatomy of an impact case study online workshop – 7th June

Training Amanda Edwards

If you’re hoping to write an impact case study in the future, or developing one for the next REF, or you would just like to know more about REF impact case studies, this session is for you.

This two-hour workshop will:

look in detail at the different sections and what is required for each one
examine impact case studies from REF2021 to establish what the panels are looking for
help you think about what you need to do to start building your own impact case study

By the end of the session you will be familiar with the structure of an impact case study, understand what makes an excellent one and what you need to start building an impact case study from your own research.

Please note this session is now taking place online via MS Teams.

Book your place here

Tagged / impact

Impact Essentials: From public engagement to impact

Impact Essentials: From public engagement to impact

Tuesday 3rd October

from 14:00 – 15:00 at Talbot Campus

Thursday 7th September 13.00-15.00 Talbot Campus

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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