The Department of Events and Leisure (DEL) has a long-standing tradition of contributing their expertise to events and festival organisations throughout the UK. This event/festival season has been exceptionally busy for DEL and has seen staff collaborating with organisations in Northern Ireland, London and in Dorset.

Dr Nicole Ferdinand ( front row, third from left) at project update meeting at Ulster University attended by Fergus Mckay, Operations Manager, International NW200 (back row, 1st from left)
Dr Nicole Ferdinand, Senior Academic in Events Management through a collaborative research project with Ulster University is currently working with the International NW200. Fergus Mckay, Operations Director has been extremely positive about the results of the project so far and the value it has delivered for his organisation. At a project update meeting hosted on August 24, 2018, he provided the following feedback:
“The collaboration with Ulster University and Bournemouth University has enabled us to investigate technology enabled means to create accessible, real-time and personalised event experiences both at the event and throughout our fans visit to the area. Looking for fun and unique experiences for event participants is a critical event objective and the recent twitter bot was a means by which to create and share fun experiences.”
Dr Aaron Yankholmes, VIP at Notting Hill Carnival 2018
Dr Aaron Yankholmes, Academic in Events and Leisure was a VIP at the Notting Hill Carnival on bank holiday Monday August 27th, 2018. He was specially invited by the organising committee to the celebrations this year. DEL staff have a long history with the organization, having collaborated with NHC stakeholders on a research informed strategic visioning project in 2013 entitled Carnival Futures. DEL staff have also published a number of articles and case studies on this event. This year was first time that the organisation has hosted a DEL member of staff at their event.

Dr Caroline Jackson at B-Side Festival Launch
Dr Caroline Jackson and Dr Nicole Ferdinand were also VIP guests at the B-side Festival opening. Dr Ferdinand has also joined the B-side Festival Board of Directors with a view to supporting B-side with implementing a programme of institutional strengthening activities supported by their recently awarded Arts Council Catalyst Fund.










Dr Holly Crossen-White has had a conference paper accepted for National Programmes Conference: Museums and Digital Memory Conference to be held at the British Museum in September. The paper will be presented with Dr Trudie Cole, Head of Access and Participation, The National Museum of the Royal Navy. Trudie and Holly have previously worked on several research projects related to the use of digital archives and this gives them opportunity to apply their findings within the context of collections held by the National Museum of the Royal Navy. Holly’s research interest in digital archives arose through her PhD which explored the hidden history of illicit drug taking during the early twentieth century. Holly has published on the ethical issues of undertaking research using digital archives and has been awarded Faculty Seedcorn Funding with her colleague Dr. Angela Turner-Wilson for some of this research work.



Are you interested in developing the real-world impact of your research? How about increasing your public profile? If you’ve answered yes to any one of those questions, then the Research Communication Day is for you.























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