BU Research Blog

Tagged / Research Café

17 February 2025

Calling PGRs – Take Part in Our First Annual Research Café PGR Session

Knowledge Exchange, PG research, Public engagement yokselferraris

Are you a Postgraduate Researcher at Bournemouth University? Do you want to share your research with a public audience in an engaging way and enhance your communication skills? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you!

After more than 12 years, our Café Scientifique series has come to an end. Building on its success, we are launching a new Research Café series, which will showcase research from across BU—including arts, humanities, science, health, technology, business, and more.

We are looking for 3–4 Postgraduate Researchers to take part in our first annual PGR session of the Research Café series.

What’s Different About This Event?

We’re moving away from traditional slide-based presentations to create a more engaging and interactive experience. Instead, this session will feature:

A short talk about your research.
An interactive discussion where you can engage with a diverse audience and answer their questions.

It’s a fun and informal way to share your research with the public while gaining valuable feedback and new perspectives.

Why Take Part?

Improve your public engagement and communication skills.
Receive training and support from our experienced Public Engagement Team.
Develop confidence in presenting your research in an accessible and engaging way.
Get feedback from a varied audience with different perspectives.

We strongly encourage interactive elements to make your talk engaging and accessible.

Event Details

📅 Date: Tuesday, 6 May
🕡 Time: 6:30–8:00 pm
📍 Venue: Bournemouth University Gateway Building (BGB) Café

How to Get Involved

Complete a short form to express your interest and tell us a bit about your research.
If selected, you will receive guidance on developing an engaging talk for a public audience. We will ask you to prepare and practise a draft version of your talk.
Attend a training session on Tuesday, 8 April, where you will present your talk to the organisers and fellow speakers. You will receive constructive feedback and be encouraged to support other speakers with their presentations.
The Public Engagement Team will organise and promote the event to local public audiences. We will support you every step of the way—from refining your talk to helping with logistics on the day.

Apply Now

If you’re interested in taking part, please complete this form.

🕔 Application deadline: Friday, 14 March, 5:00 pm.

Please note: Completing this form does not guarantee a place in the event. We will be in touch to discuss your interest further.

For any questions, please contact the Public Engagement with Research Team at publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk.

17 February 2025

Explore BU’s Research: Introducing our new Research Café series

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Get inspired at our new Research Café event series – where research comes alive. Ask questions, share ideas, and connect with a community of curious minds.

After more than 12 years, our Café Scientifique series has come to an end. Building on its success, this new series will showcase research from all areas at BU—including arts and humanities, alongside science, health, technology, business, and more.

Meet the Researcher

At each event, you will have the chance to meet the researchers behind the project. Gain insights into their research journey, challenges, and discoveries, and enjoy the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about their area of expertise.

In the first talk in our new series, Bournemouth University cybersecurity expert Professor Vasilis Katos will explore how we might help to defend our towns and cities from cyber threats.

How can we help protect our towns and cities from cyberattacks?

Smart cities bring together residents, technology and infrastructure, creating a complex system. With the rise in AI-enabled cyberattacks, which can compromise energy or phone networks for example, it’s becoming increasingly clear that ordinary residents need to help protect smart city services from such cyberattacks.

Event Details

BU’s Research Café will be held at Bournemouth University Gateway Building Café

Tuesday 4 March from 6:30-8pm

While the talks start at 6:30pm, the BGB Café will open earlier—arrive from 6pm to grab a drink or a bite to eat before the event begins.

Come for the research, stay for the conversation

If you have any questions about this event, or if you’re interested in getting involved with a future Research Café, please email the Public Engagement with Research Team: publicengagement@bournemouth.ac.uk

13 February 2025

Share your research with a public audience at BU’s new Research Café

Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement ballen

Make an impact: engage the community with your research

Get involved with our new Research Café series—an excellent opportunity to share your research with the public in a relaxed setting. Move away from conventional slide-based presentations and connect with the community in a meaningful way.

After more than 12 years, our Café Scientifique series has come to an end. Building on its success, our new event series will open up to all areas of research. In the first talk in our new series, Bournemouth University cybersecurity expert Professor Vasilis Katos will explore how we might help to defend our towns and cities from attack – Find out more

Our event in May will showcase post-graduate researchers – more information coming soon.

For our upcoming July event, we are especially interested in hearing from arts and humanities researchers.

Why share your research with a public audience?

Sharing your research with members of the public builds understanding, trust, and support. It makes your research more relevant, encourages learning, improves communication, and strengthens the connection between research and society. The questions you receive from attendees may also help you think differently about your own research and even inspire new areas to explore.

Introduction to public engagement and available resources

The National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) highlights the value of public involvement in research and provides resources to help researchers engage with the public effectively, making research more impactful and accessible. Learn more about public engagement and access resources here

Can you present your research in a simple and engaging way?

We encourage you to share your research in 10 slides or fewer. The challenge of keeping it brief will help you focus your message and keep your audience engaged. The event format will involve delivering a short talk about your research, followed by a discussion where you can answer questions from a varied audience. We strongly encourage interactive methods to keep your talk engaging.

Event details

Location: BGB Café

Event times: 6:30-8pm. Attendees will be able to arrive from 6pm to purchase drinks and food before the event begins.

We are now inviting expressions of interest for speakers for our event on Tuesday 1 July.

Who can get involved?

This is an excellent training opportunity, especially if you are new to public engagement. The friendly audience and relaxed environment will provide a great setting to build your confidence. Whether you are just starting out, or looking to improve your skills, we welcome academics at all career stages, with a focus on those beginning their public engagement journey. We encourage collaboration between experienced and newer speakers to help provide support and gain a rewarding learning experience.

What support can you expect?

Organised by BU’s Public Engagement with Research team, part of Research Development and Support, the team will support you every step of the way—from brainstorming your ideas, developing interesting and interactive ways to help you connect your research with a public audience, to event set-up and promotion. We will be there on the day to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Evaluating your event

To help you get the most out of this experience, we will also support you in evaluating your event. By gathering feedback from your audience, you will gain valuable insights into how well your research was understood and received, and how you can refine your public speaking and engagement skills for future events.

Ready to get involved?

Complete our expressions of interest form to register your interest.

Please note completing the form does not guarantee a spot. We will reach out to discuss your potential participation.

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

Tagged / Research Café