BU Research Blog

October 16, 2022

Dr Alina Dolea awarded trophy at Romanian RePatriot Gala 2022

BRIAN, international, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer, Public engagement edolea

Dr. Alina Dolea, Associate Professor in Strategic Communication and Public Diplomacy, has been awarded a trophy at the RePatriot Gala organized in Iasi (Romania) on October 7th, 2022, in recognition of her research on Romanian diaspora, nation branding and public diplomacy. Alina was named one of Top 100 Romanians in Diaspora who make a difference, excel and inspire in 10 different fields of activity, top published by Romania’s Newsweek magazine. She was acknowledged for her work and contribution to Education, alongside other 9 Romanian researchers and professors (Categoria Educație | Repatriot). This was the fifth edition of the Gala organized annually by RePatriot, was recorded and is to be aired by the Romanian National Television.

The Gala event was the highlight of the RePatriot Summit 2022 attended by over 200 participants who gathered to find solutions to the economic crisis and the Ukrainian war at the border. Opening remarks were delivered by state secretaries of the Romanian President, the President of the Republic of Moldova and the Romanian Prime Minister. During the Summit, Alina contributed to the discussions within the Education Strategic working group, a format of networking and know-how exchange that will continue with regular meetings throughout the year.

Alina’s insights are all the more relevant as according to the latest UK settlement scheme statistics, Romanians are now the largest national group in the UK (with close to 1,3 million applications), followed closely by Polish and then Italian nationals.

RePatriot is a community of Romanian entrepreneurs and business leaders established in 2015 with the aim to connect Romanians abroad with business, investment and development opportunities in Romania. Currently, over 5 million Romanians (of a total population of around 20 million) live abroad and constitute collectively the biggest investor in Romania through the remittances (money) they sent back. This community aims to act as a networking platform to encourage more business investments in Romania and know-how transfer.

October 14, 2022

ESRC Festival of Social Science 2022: Which one of us is human? Saturday 22 October

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

ESRC Festival of Social Science 2022

Imagine a future where robots and humans looked identical: how would you know who is human? In this 30-minute interactive session, as a group you will enter a space that will act as a time tunnel into the future. There you will meet two actors and face the challenge of making this very decision (the ‘Turing test’), choosing from a set of questions to help you identify the ‘robot’.

You should be wary: not all responses are as they might seem, and there are many kinds of human minds.

What’s on offer? An interactive challenge in which, as a team, you will attempt to identify the ‘robot’ from live performers, using a few questions. This is followed by a ‘debrief’ with Bournemouth University researchers, where you’ll discuss your tactics and explore the mystery behind the experience and what it implies about different kinds of minds.

Who is leading the event? Dr Maxine Gee and Dr Rachel Moseley

Who is this event open to? Adults and children over 12. Particularly for those with an interest in psychology, how we communicate with each other, neurodiversity and autism, artificial intelligence and the future.

Where is this event? Bournemouth Library

Book your free place here

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

October 11, 2022

ESRC Festival of Social Science 2022: Bookings now open

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

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

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

The ESRC Festival of Social Science 2022

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

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

Find out more

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

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

Find out more

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

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

Find out more

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

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

Find out more

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

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

Are drones the future of delivery?

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

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

Youth in nature: escaping to the outdoors

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

Don’t get scammed online

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

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

October 10, 2022

Café Sci: Tuesday 1 November – How volunteering can boost your wellbeing

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 Danni Liang and Dr Daisy Fan on Tuesday 1 November from 6:30 – 8:00pm.

How volunteering can boost your wellbeing

Engaging in community activities not only helps others but can help you too. Bournemouth University researchers Dr Danni Liang and Dr Daisy Fan measured the impact of engaging in the work of Grounded Community, a local Boscombe charity, on volunteers and discovered that being involved in community activities boosted their health and wellbeing.

Join us to learn more about this ongoing research, the Grounded Community project and what engaging in other community projects could do for you.

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.

Attendance is free but booking is required

Should you have any questions about this event, or if you would like to get involved with a future Café Sci talk, please contact the Public Engagement Team; publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

October 3, 2022

REMINDER – RKEDF Workshop: Short Talk, Lasting Impression Tuesday 18 October

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Being able to describe what you do and why is an essential skill for any researcher. This workshop will help you take your communication to the next level. Science Communicator and previous international 3MT winner Dr Jamie Gallagher will show you how to turn your research into the most interesting, engaging and memorable presentation possible.

Discover the hints and tips that will make your talk stand out from the crowd and how to banish nerves to give a confident performance.

Following this workshop, you should be able to:

Understand how to turn research into a compelling narrative
Prepare a high quality, engaging pitch/presentation
Feel comfortable and confident while delivering talks
Understand the use of language, body language and visualisation in presenting

Workshop	Date	Time	Location
Short Talk, Lasting Impression	Tuesday, 18th October 2022	10:00 – 11:00	Online

To book a place on this workshop please complete the Booking Form.

For queries regarding the content of this session, please contact BU’s Public Engagement team: publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

For any other queries, please contact Organisational Development.

September 27, 2022

Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) results published

Knowledge Exchange ematthews

Research England has published the results of the second Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF).

Knowledge exchange is defined as a collaborative, creative endeavour that translates knowledge and research into impact in society and the economy. This, in turn, helps to inform research, enrich education and enhance professional practice.

BU’s performance in the KEF demonstrates a number of areas of strength – including our research partnerships, our work with business, and supporting local growth and regeneration.

About the KEF

The KEF is published annually to allow universities to better understand and improve their own performance in knowledge exchange, and provide businesses and other users with more information on the knowledge and expertise of universities.

Universities are measured across seven perspectives:

Research partnerships,
Working with businesses,
Working with the public and third sector,
Skills, enterprise and entrepreneurship,
Local growth and regeneration,
IP and commercialisation,
Public and community engagement.

These areas have been measured through a combination of data collected through the Higher Education Business and Community Interaction (HE-BCI) survey and three narratives that summarised our institutional context, our contribution to local growth & regeneration and our public & community engagement.

In recognition of the fact that universities have different areas of expertise and work in regions with different needs, all universities in England have been placed into 7 different clusters according to their expertise, size and research activity.

The results are shared in the form of dashboards on the KEF website, with BU placed in Cluster E alongside other large universities with a broad portfolio of research across all disciplines.

Our KEF results demonstrate the breadth of activity across all of these important perspectives.

BU’s performance

Our performance in the latest KEF highlights several areas of strength – including our research partnerships and our work with business. We work collaboratively with organisations locally, nationally and internationally to embed our research in practice and support economic growth and innovation.

For example, the Institute of Medical Imaging and Visualisation (IMIV) is delivering education and professional development programmes to help meet the needs of the local community, the NHS and industry, as well as current global medical imaging workforce demands. Facilities including a 3T MRI scanner are also facilitating joint research opportunities with NHS trusts, primary care, industry and academia – helping to improve health outcomes for the region.

Through our partnership with University Hospitals Dorset, we are working on collaborative research that can make a real difference to patients. This includes a current joint project to explore commercialising a medical device which uses smartphones to screen nerve function in patients at risk of peripheral neuropathy – a condition which affects 2.3 million people in the UK and can lead to loss of sensation in the fingers and toes.

We are also developing new areas of research that have the potential to support industry – such as ADDISONIC, which explores how ultrasonic fatigue testing can quickly and reliably predict how materials will perform and last. This has a range of commercial applications – from jet engines to medical devices – and could help to create more efficient manufacturing processes and reduce global waste.

We share our work, research and expertise through public engagement activities, such as our regular Café Scientifique events and our online public lecture series, which gives audiences around the world the opportunity to learn more about BU research.

Ian Jones, Head of External Engagement at BU, said: “It is good to see an assessment of our progress in knowledge exchange and the impact we’ve made through our work.

“A part of our vision as a university is to enrich society. Our knowledge exchange work takes the knowledge we create and looks to embed it in society, and I’m proud that our work embodies this vision.”

David Sweeney CBE, Executive Chair of Research England, said: “Knowledge exchange (KE) is integral to the mission and purpose of our universities, and its importance in contributing to societal and economic prosperity is strongly supported by the Government.

“Today’s new version of the Knowledge Exchange Framework takes further forward the vision and potential of KE activity, providing richer evidence to demonstrate universities’ strengths in different areas when set alongside their peers.”

For more information about the KEF, please visit: https://kef.ac.uk/

Find out more about BU’s knowledge exchange activities

September 27, 2022

Funding Opportunity – Engage the public with the future of health and care in the UK

Funding opportunities, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Apply for funding to bring the public into dialogue about the future of health and social care.

UKRI are looking for researchers that will work with the public to contribute in imaginative ways to activities and conversations that will help shape future debate and decision-making about the future of health, ageing and wellbeing over the next 25 years.

You must be at a UK-based research organisation that is eligible to receive funding from UK Research and Innovation to apply. Interdisciplinary applications are welcome, though your research must be rooted in the arts and humanities.

The full economic cost of your project can be up to £40,000. Arts and Humanities Research Council will fund 100% of the full economic cost.

Projects can be delivered at any time between June 2023 and March 2024.

Closing date for applications: 4pm, Tuesday 13 December 2022

Interested PIs should submit a completed e-ITB by 4 weeks before the deadline, which is 15/11/2022.

Find out more and apply here

For more information, please email: enquiries@ahrc.ukri.org

If you would like to discuss your application with the Public Engagement with Research team, please contact publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.

September 27, 2022

Online event: Citizen Science for Policy and Practice -Thursday 20 October 2022

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Join this free, online event on citizen science and participatory research – Thursday 20 October 10am–3:30pm

This event aims to inspire and support you to explore what citizen science is and the opportunities it offers, for policymakers, funders and researchers alike. A range of speakers from international research and policy areas will reflect on citizen science as a form of participatory research, and its impact on policymakers and practitioners around the world.

Meet the people behind some of the current projects funded by UKRI and Food Standards Agency, which are exploring ways of embedding citizen science across research, from the safety of infant formula to young people’s mental health. There will be opportunities to explore themes based on your interests in citizen science and its potential impacts, and network with others interested and involved citizen science.

Confirmed speakers include:

Dr Marc J Kuchner, Citizen Science Officer at NASA
Professor Tim Spector, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at Kings College London and director of The Zoe Project
Professor Robin May, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Food Standards Agency
Achla Joshi, Senior Program Officer, Health Canada
Professor Jennifer Gabrys, Chair in Media, Culture and Environment, University of Cambridge
Dr Margaret Gold, Coordinator, Citizen Science, Leiden University
Dr Christian Reynolds, Senior Lecturer in Food Policy, University of London
Sian Whyte Head of Strategic Design and Insight, The Young Foundation
Dr Helena Hollis, Senior Researcher, Institute for Community Studies
Dr Steve Scott, Public Engagement Lead, UK Research and Innovation

Find out more and sign up for the event here

September 22, 2022

RKEDF Workshop: Short Talk, Lasting Impression – Tuesday 18 October 10am

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement, Training ballen

Being able to describe what you do and why is an essential skill for any researcher. This workshop will help you take your communication to the next level. Science Communicator and previous international 3MT winner Dr Jamie Gallagher will show you how to turn your research into the most interesting, engaging and memorable presentation possible.

Discover the hints and tips that will make your talk stand out from the crowd and how to banish nerves to give a confident performance.

Following this workshop, you should be able to:

Understand how to turn research into a compelling narrative
Prepare a high quality, engaging pitch/presentation
Feel comfortable and confident while delivering talks
Understand the use of language, body language and visualisation in presenting

Workshop	Date	Time	Location
Short Talk, Lasting Impression	Tuesday, 18th October 2022	10:00 – 11:00	Online

To book a place on this workshop please complete the Booking Form.

For queries regarding the content of this session, please contact BU’s Public Engagement team: publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

For any other queries, please contact Organisational Development.

September 22, 2022

We need details of all your external events: deadline Friday 7th October!

HEIF, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement Amanda Edwards

Tell us about your social, cultural & community events for the period 1 August 2021 to 31 July 2022 – this is used to calculate our Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF) award

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

Which events do I need to report?

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

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

What data do I need to provide?

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

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

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

Further information

The SharePoint site provides details about which data is collected and how, including calculating attendee numbers and staff time, and reporting online activities and multiple related events. If you have any further questions about the HE-BCI return, please contact publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.

September 21, 2022

Café Sci: Tuesday 4 October – Digital healthcare for LGBTQ+ communities in Africa

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 Festus Adedoyin on Tuesday 4 October from 6:30 – 8:00pm.

Digital healthcare for LGBTQ+ communities in Africa

In Nigeria, LGBTQ+ people are often criminalised and discriminated against, meaning they are less likely to seek medical help despite suffering higher rates of HIV/AIDS, mental health conditions and other problems.

To tackle this problem, Dr Festus Adedoyin is developing a digital solution to provide safer access to healthcare, working with NGOs, social workers and people across the medical field on a confidential and secure online platform.

Join us at Café Scientifique to discover the challenges and rewards of developing a digital solution in a complex social situation.

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.

Attendance is free but booking is required

Should you have any questions about this event, or if you would like to get involved with a future Café Sci talk, please contact the Public Engagement Team; publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

September 6, 2022

We can help promote your public engagement event or activity

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

At BU we promote and celebrate the work done to engage public audiences with BU research.

The public engagement with research team in Research Development and Support (RDS) can help promote your event to relevant audiences through our regular newsletter and social media channels. It also helps us to stay informed on the public engagement work being carried out by BU.

September 6, 2022

Royal Society Partnership Grants scheme – Effective and sustained engagement with schools (online session)

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Working within schools has evolved over the past few years and due to pressures on schools and scientists alike, it is imperative that partnership working is effective, rewarding and sustained.

Join the Royal Society online session to explore what it means to be a ‘STEM partner’ and the benefits via the Royal Society schools’ Partnership Grants scheme.

You will hear examples of successful sustained partnerships, whether that is by supporting a school project or by school students actively contributing to your own research.

The session lasts for 30 minutes and will serve as an introduction to the scheme. It is repeated over several dates for convenience.

Find out more and book here

Please note: the Partnership Grant application must be initiated by the school team, not the STEM partner. For further information about the scheme please see here

For more information, please contact the Royal Society Schools Engagement team: eduication@royalsociety.org

September 5, 2022

Collaborative Futures Academy 2022: Ethics and Equity in Engagement – Open call

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Collaborative Futures Academy 2022: Ethics and Equity in Engagement – Applications open.

Over the past two years, more than 100 researchers and practitioners from across the world have explored how to connect research and the public in innovative and meaningful ways.

Are you ready to push the boundaries of your engagement and join others to shape the future of research dialogue? You can now apply to be part of the Collaborative Futures Academy 2022.

The Academy will empower you to develop a bold, creative and innovative engagement practice with integrity and equity at its heart.

Take a look back at last year’s Academy: CFA 2021

How to apply:

Before you start, please read the applicant commitment found here
Prepare a short 1-minute video on the question of “What does a culture of equitable and ethical research engagement look like to you?” More details, including advice on video recording and possible alternative formats, can be found in the applicant guide.
Complete the application form below and submit it together with your video. For reference, the full form is available here.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: MONDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2022

If you have any questions about the programme or application, please contact BerlinSchool@mfn.berlin

Alternatively, if you would like to discuss your application with the Public Engagement with Research team, please contact Adam Morris at publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.

September 5, 2022

NCCPE online event – Ethics of environmental engagement – 6 September 2022

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

There’s still time to sign up for the NCCPE’s Environmental Engagement in Practice programme: Ethics of engagement and dealing with controversy free, online event on Tuesday 6 September 10am – 4pm.

Join this event for a day of presentations, practical workshops and smaller discussion groups, exploring how to create an ethical engagement practice. Reflect on the role that values play, discuss how to plan thoughtful engagement on controversial research topics and how to engage with the media, and take account of the ethical considerations we need to make along the way.

These events are intended for anyone working with environmental research. This includes researchers, policy makers, artists and community practitioners – if you’re interested in public engagement and knowledge exchange and keen to develop your practice, then please do join.

Find out more and register for this event.

September 1, 2022

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

HEIF, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement Amanda Edwards

Please tell us about all your social, cultural and community events for the period 1 August 2021 to 31 July 2022. The deadline is Friday 7 October 2022.

Thank you to everyone who has already provided information via the SharePoint site. This data forms part of BU’s annual Higher Education – Business & Community Interaction survey and is used to calculate our Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF) grant. It also feeds into our submission to the Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) so it is really important for us to provide a full and accurate picture of all our public engagement.