WINTER 2021 | ISSUE F I VE
RESE ARCH NOTES
PG 3 Submission to REF2021 reflects very significant progress in research and innovation at BNU
INSIDE THIS EDITION
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Joint Research Centre to estimate regional variation in air transport connectivity across the EU, UK and EEA regions
Providing greater understanding of Advanced Clinical Practice roles
A proactive approach to neurodegenerative disease management
Research Notes
FOREWORD It is hard to speak of the future without reflecting on the unprecedented year we have all experienced. This was a year in which we have all had to make significant changes to how we live and work, and one, for me, in which the importance of BNU Research and Enterprise solutions has never been greater. At a time which has challenged us all, I have never been so proud to see the response and remarkable achievements of our staff and students. We open with news on BNU’s submission to the Research Excellence Framework and Knowledge Exchange Framework. Next, Professor David WarnockSmith reports on his collaborative research project which is aiding policy makers in the air transport industry to understand inequalities in connectivity and access. Associate Professor Dr Ricardo Khine explores advanced clinical practice in therapeutic radiology. Further policy recommendations on a proactive approach to neurodegenerative disease then follow as Ruth Trout advocates targeting the general public, health professionals, policymakers and regulators. Our Knowledge Exchange work is particularly impressive in the way that we are able to respond to significant issues around health and social care when they arise and apply our expertise in genuinely impactful ways, changing lives in the process, guiding policy changes, and transforming the way we look at the world through a number of projects funded under the ERDF programme. This work also has huge benefits for our students as it underpins our mission to support entrepreneurship and enrich student experience. It means that our students have direct access to some of BNU’s leading academics, and an exclusive preview of the knowledge that will inform the workforce of tomorrow. We then follow with a profile of the new Head of Graduate School, Associate Professor Dr Fiona McCormack and the announcement of a series of inaugural professorial lectures, headed by Professor Phil Wood.
Far from standing still, our University has embraced and adapted to the challenge. Universities are often seen as slow-moving, but from my perspective I see that out of an awful situation is coming impactful research that will help to drive recovery and innovation for years to come. Our new KTP manager, Francesca Martin, and Impact and Knowledge Exchange manager, Dr Lisa McGinty, are already pushing ahead, and soon we will be able to see how KE can make a difference and deliver the most effective innovation district in Buckinghamshire and beyond. The drive to provide solutions to key challenges shines through. We continue to perform strongly in key areas including skills, enterprise and entrepreneurship; public and community engagement; and working with the public and third sector. We close on an optimistic note with an exciting new feature, Researcher Spotlight, in which we showcase some of the research being undertaken by current BNU research students. We begin with the work of Louisa Berry, Lisa Jones and Uchenna Nweke. I am delighted to also highlight an impressive list of new publications that celebrates BNU’s impactful research. In what has truly been a year of global challenges, I can see BNU solutions that will help shape our future.
PROFESSOR FLORIN IORAS Director of Enterprise and Research
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Research Notes
CELEBRATING A SUCCESSFUL RESE ARCH E XCELLENCE FRAMEWORK PROFESSOR FLORIN IORAS Director of Enterprise and Research On 29 March, the University successfully submitted to the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021. That submission, which comprises 6 Units of Assessment (UOAs), is the result of an enormous amount of work by staff across the University over a period extending back to 2014. It was very much a team effort, shaped by a spirit of mutual support. In particular, I would like to thank our University Executive Team, the members of the University’s REF Steering Group, and our UOA REF Coordinators and their REF working groups.
We will receive the results of our submission in spring 2022. In the meantime, the University will be seeking to ensure that we support research and innovation across the institution as strongly as possible, reflecting our commitment to BNU as a research informed university with an impactful research and innovation profile. Our Schools have exciting plans to develop their research and innovation activities, in which public engagement with research and the importance of BNU’s civic mission play a very significant role.
Our submission to REF2021 reflects very significant progress in research and innovation at BNU over the past seven years. The submission was designed to be as inclusive as possible, and it is very pleasing to be able to report that we submitted 100% of eligible staff. The submission also included three new UOAs: Social Work and Social Policy; Education; and Earth System and Environmental Science.
You can find out more about the Research Excellence Framework here ref.ac.uk
The high quality of the research submitted by our staff was complemented by some outstanding research environment statements and impact case studies that demonstrated the very significant social, cultural and economic contribution that our research has made, both nationally and internationally. That impact has been achieved across a wide range of areas, including those that address the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and our commitment to the Oxford Cambridge ARC University Group themes: health, social care and wellbeing; human rights, equality and conflict; sustainability, natural resources and food; and culture and creativity.
REF
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Research Excellence Framework
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Research Notes
UNIVERSITY SCORES HIGHLY IN FIRST KNOWLEDGE E XCHANGE FRAMEWORK RESULTS PROFESSOR FLORIN IORAS Director of Enterprise and Research Buckinghamshire New University has scored highly in sharing knowledge with wider society in the first Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) results. Announced last March, we performed strongly against other similar institutions in three key areas: skills, enterprise and entrepreneurship (top 30%); public and community engagement (top 40%); and working with the public and third sectors (top 50%). Led by Research England, the purposes of the KEF are to provide: • Universities with new tools to understand, benchmark and improve their individual performance; • Businesses and partners with information on universities’ strengths in KE; • Greater public visibility and accountability of university KE activities. Each institution’s performance in the KEF is represented through seven perspectives across which universities typically exchange knowledge with wider society. Research England has clustered English universities into broad types, to enable fair comparisons between them and there are eight such clusters. Buckinghamshire New University is in a cluster of smaller universities, often with a teaching focus,
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including Solent, Winchester, Bath Spa, Edge Hill and West London. The KEF, announced in 2020 as part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy, forms the third pillar of assessment of universities’ activities, alongside the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) and the Research Excellence Framework (REF). Examples of the University’s knowledge exchange activities include: • Membership of the Arc Universities Group (AUG), a network of universities to foster collaboration, research, skills and innovation to support the economic growth of the Oxford - Cambridge Arc region. We are actively involved with the Environmental Partnership and Sustainable Aviation boards. • Buckinghamshire New University is taking a lead in developing the county’s skills agenda, working closely with regional and national employers to address the skills gap in STEM areas, including digital health, creative and media skills. • GLIDE (Graduate Links to Developing Enterprise), a European Regional Development Funded entrepreneurs programme for graduates thinking of starting a business or becoming self-employed.
You can read a project update on GLIDE in this edition of Research Notes. Professor Nick Braisby, Vice-Chancellor, said: “Buckinghamshire New University engages with the wider world in many different ways and Knowledge Exchange has long been at the heart of our research and innovation activities. We are passionate about working collaboratively with industry and our local communities to benefit both the economy and society. I am proud to see BNU performing so highly across three important areas. We will continue to work tirelessly to expand our KE activities at a local, national, and international level.” I am hugely grateful to Greta PaaKerner, who acted as KEF coordinator, and all colleagues who have worked so hard to ensure our KEF submission reflected all our great work at BNU. The assessment result gives our partners confidence that our Knowledge Exchange is undertaken through effective partnerships with funders, businesses, the public sector and charities. Find out more about the framework here re.ukri.org
Research Notes
KNOWLEDGE E XCHANGE CONCORDAT Professor Florin Ioras has recently been invited to join a team of Knowledge Exchange (KE) professionals who collaborate to form the Knowledge Exchange Concordat (KEC) evaluation panel. The KEC facilitates the improvement of the processes and approaches to KE in higher education (HE) and allows higher education institutions to demonstrate their values, commitments, and pathways they are working towards in order to enhance their sharing of good practice. Buckinghamshire New University is one of 126 institutions that acts as a signatory to the Concordat, and one of the 113 institutions who have also chosen to participate in the development year which runs from October 2020 to October 2021. The KEC recognises the needs of external partners, stakeholders and government bodies, and its implementation is actively supported by UK HE funding bodies. It is designed to: • Provide HE providers and research institutions, along with their staff and students, a clarity of mission and support for the KE activities they engage in; • Give partners, the government, and other relevant stakeholders an accurate representation of the approach that individual organisations are taking to develop and support KE; • Provide clear indicators which enable improvement; • Encourage institutional collaboration to strengthen KE across the sector; • Provide partners, the government, and other relevant stakeholders confidence in the institutional KE activity taking place. Professor Ioras is joining a team of five evaluators who will provide feedback on universities’ action plans to inform the overall evaluation of the Concordat. Professor Ioras said “I’m pleased to be involved in this important exercise to explore how best we can work together as academics, as part of our commitment to develop our KE activity and drive economic, social and cultural recovery and growth within Buckinghamshire and beyond. Our University will continue to support post-Covid recovery to further increase the impact of our KE activities and both influence and shape regional economic growth.”
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Research Notes
ASSESSING INEQUALITIES IN AIR TRANSPORT SERVICE ACCESS IN EUROPE PROFESSOR DAVID WARNOCK-SMITH Professor David Warnock-Smith, from the School of Aviation and Security, has collaborated with the European Commission Joint Research Centre to estimate regional variation in air transport connectivity across the EU, UK and EEA regions. The work involved developing and using a new set of airport inequality-based connectivity indicators at the sub-regional level along with developing and using a new regional air transport vulnerability and dependence index to estimate the impact of disparities in air transport access and mobility in the postpandemic period. It aimed to develop a policy framework for assessing air access inequality, vulnerability and dependence at a sub-regional level across Europe. The project analysed sub-regional air access inequality across 13,883 N3 regions in Europe. Professor Warnock-Smith’s project will aid policy makers and industry in their immediate understanding of the changing levels of disparity
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in air transport connectivity and access across the EU, EEA and UK regions, before, during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. It is expected that future benefits based on any policy and support mechanisms adopted will be in the estimation of future levels of ongoing disparity in air transport connectivity. This will assist policy makers in understanding whether their interventions would have any effect and whether any further corrections may be needed to reduce disparities. Research may also be undertaken in conjunction with regional stakeholders with the aim of reducing the vulnerability of airports located in those regions and the economies of those regions to changes in service levels. This activity was funded by Research England’s Quality-Related Research Strategic Priorities Funding (QR SPF). The Fund is designed to support universities undertaking research with local, regional, national and
international structures, including parliament, central government, devolved administrations, local government, health and education bodies, the justice system and other regulatory organisations. Grants are an investment in multi- and interdisciplinary research across 34 themes. This funding aims to increase high quality research and innovation, respond to priorities and link investment with government research and innovation. Find out more about Strategic Priorities Funding at ukri.org/our-work/ our-main-funds The full research article is available from the BNU repository bucks. repository.guildhe.ac.uk/ id/eprint/18356/
Research Notes
AN E XPLORATION OF ADVANCED CLINICAL PRACTICE (ACP) IN THERAPEUTIC RADIOGRAPHY ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DR RICARDO KHINE School of Health Care and Social Work Recent NHS England policies have acknowledged approaches to delivering new models of care to include expanding health and care roles and ensuring a flexible workforce that can provide high-quality care. One area identified for development was advanced level practice for clinical staff (termed Advanced Clinical Practice), where practitioners would gain advanced clinical skills and specialisms, in order to enhance the ability of the profession and/or department/service. Advanced Clinical Practice is defined as a level of practice characterised by a high level of autonomy and complex decision-making, with demonstration of core and area-specific clinical competence, underpinned by a Master’s level award or equivalent that encompasses the four domains of: • Clinical practice • Management and leadership • Education • Research Therapeutic radiographers play a vital and changing role in the delivery of radiotherapy services treating patients with cancer. They are extensively involved at all stages of the patient’s radiotherapy journey. It is their significant contribution to cancer care delivery that makes them an ideal contender for role development. Opportunities for skill mix and new roles for therapeutic radiographers have been highlighted as key to streamlining and focussing care and supporting patients across the radiotherapy pathway. Situated within this institutional context, the research aimed to define the opportunity and potential for Advanced Clinical Practice (ACP) roles in therapeutic radiography, with specific objectives to explore local profiles, role development and opportunities for standardisation of ACPs in therapeutic radiography and to determine resource requirements to roll out and ensure continuation of the existing and new roles. The research was undertaken through a qualitative study design using focus groups. Convenience sampling was used to recruit therapeutic radiography advanced and consultant practitioners from the respective radiotherapy departments in England to participate in regional focus groups. Four regional areas identified for inclusion were South, Midlands and the East, London and North. Data generated was analysed thematically. The focus groups enabled participants to tell their stories and share experiences, capturing both the meaning and the context of advanced and consultant practice, thus producing useful knowledge that will help guide the development of Advanced Clinical Practice roles. Four primary themes emerged: ‘‘ownership of professional identity”, ‘‘desire for standardisation”, ‘‘drivers for role development” and ‘‘education and development”.
The key findings from the focus groups demonstrated that the professional identity of the advanced and developing consultant practitioner is acknowledged by independent, autonomous working. However, several clear challenges were also revealed which could be addressed through the implementation of training and the creation of support structures. For example, while practitioners were aware of the four domain areas recognised within the definition of Advanced Clinical Practice, they were not able to clearly outline how and when they undertook these respective roles. Most of their time and responsibilities were associated with their clinical role and the patient pathway; while they saw the respective domain areas as one, they were not able to articulate specific areas of practice for education and leadership. Educational pathways are also not clearly defined and even though practitioners accept the need for a higher-level education they continue to question the validity of a full MSc and PhD to enable them to undertake the role. Practitioners recognise clinical competence and skill development as the most important aspect of their role but are required to demonstrate this at different levels. The research also showed that there is a clear lack of standardisation of advanced and developing consultant practitioner roles. Practitioners are continuously challenged with finding information to support their own professional and development needs within oncology. Key driving forces associated with role development are the lack of clinical consultants and registrars within site specific areas which has resulted in the development of these roles. Lastly, the research demonstrated that the role of advanced and consultant practitioners is not clearly understood by patients or other health professionals and more can be done to raise the profile and highlight the necessity of the role to demonstrate the impact on patient pathways and service delivery. Indeed, there are no clear examples of how the impact of the role was measured or acknowledged within the respective cancer centres. Variations across regions clearly highlight the need for standardisation of the roles to enable transparency and transferability of a skilled workforce. The research has thus provided a greater understanding of Advanced Clinical Practice roles and has led to a number of recommendations for service commissioners, employers and education providers in order to address these ongoing challenges. Read the full research article at www.tipsro.science/article/ S2405-6324(20)30033-0/fulltext
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Research Notes
TIME MAT TERS IN THE BRITISH JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE NURSING RUTH TROUT Ruth Trout, Senior Lecturer in the School of Health Care and Social Work, has recently authored an article that summarises the content of a policy report recommending a proactive approach to neurodegenerative disease management. In 2018, Ruth was invited to join a working party, made up of an independent group of international scientists, clinicians and health provision professionals, to develop a policy report calling for a more proactive approach to the detection and management of neurodegenerative disease. The intention was to develop a set of recommendations proposing a preventive approach to neurodegenerative disease, targeting the general public, health professionals, policymakers and regulators. The article, titled ‘Time matters: a call to prioritize brain health’, was published in the British Journal of Neuroscience Nursing. Ruth, who is also a key member of the steering committee for Think Brain Health Global, wanted the article to convey the importance of the contribution of nurses to policy making and implementation of policy. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) are the focus of the report as they are the two most common neurodegenerative diseases. PD affects more than 6 million people worldwide, AD is the most common cause of dementia, which affects approximately 50 million people. However, the principles underlying the recommendations can be applied to the majority of long-term neurodegenerative conditions. The report calls for individuals, health practitioners and policymakers to promote brain health, consider the judicious use of risk assessments and conduct research that will inform healthcare service design and delivery, in order to optimise diagnosis and management of people with, or at risk of, neurodegenerative diseases. Strong nursing leadership is needed to embrace forward-thinking and innovative ideas that will positively affect services and patients, which must be fought for at local and national levels with the same passion with which nurses care for their patients every day. The report is supported by a campaign website thinkbrainhealth.org The full article is available from the BNU Repository bucks.repository.guildhe. ac.uk/id/eprint/18195/
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Research Notes
GLIDE A EUROPE AN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUNDED PROGRAMME NADINE FRISK Head of Programme GLIDE is a European Regional Development Funded programme for those thinking of starting a business or becoming self-employed. The programme will see a range of activity supporting those who are dreaming of working for themselves and who want to prepare themselves for a career of self-employment.
For those who go on to set up their own enterprise/business, we are planning a follow-up business bootcamp for registered businesses and self-employed individuals. This is scheduled for March and will again be facilitated by our partner agency Always Possible. There will also be an opportunity to apply for £1,000 - £2,000 worth of startup funding.**
GLIDE will launch with a five-day Creative Entrepreneurs Bootcamp starting on 13 September. With an estimated 32%* of the creative workforce being self-employed this is a chance for our creative students to take charge of their own story.
GLIDE is an exciting opportunity for those who are looking to set up on their own and a perfect start to taking charge of their own story.
The bootcamp will be virtual and will run over the course of five consecutive days. Topics will include business planning, pitching, pricing, customer profiling, marketing, working with data, business structures, tax, legal requirements and finances. The bootcamp is facilitated by experienced creative entrepreneurs from our partner agency Always Possible. Later in the year, GLIDE will also launch a series of in-depth workshops on business-related topics such as law, tax and finances, all hosted and facilitated by Buckinghamshire New University’s Business School.
If you would like to attend our virtual Creative Entrepreneurs Bootcamp starting 13 September please register your interest on the Always Possible website here alwayspossible.co.uk/ building-business *
www.pec.ac.uk/policy-briefings/freelancers-in-the-creative-industries
Glide has 34 grants ranging from £1,000 - £2,000 it can allocate to businesses. These are 2:1 grants (meaning for every £2 the business puts in they will get £1 back). **
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Research Notes
KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER PARTNERSHIPS AT BUCKINGHAMSHIRE NEW UNIVERSITY Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) offer an exciting opportunity for the University to apply its latest research and knowledge to real-world scenarios by working in collaboration with businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity.
Running since 1975, KTP is front and centre of the government’s strategy to grow the UK economy. It’s a win-win-win partnership offering:
A KTP is a three-way partnership between the University, a business and a highly-skilled graduate. Innovate UK will fund up to 67% of the project costs for the KTP with the business supporting the rest. A typical KTP project runs for 12-36 months and has a lasting impact on the business where the benefits of the partnership continue to be realised long after the project is complete.
• Partly funded by Innovate UK, it’s a cost-effective way to access new knowledge and share the risk of innovation;
It works as follows:
To find out more about how Buckinghamshire New University works with businesses through the KTP scheme contact Francesca Martin, KTP Manager: Francesca.Martin@bucks.ac.uk
• A company has a problem to solve or an innovation project to deliver; • A Graduate (or ‘Associate’) is employed by the University and embedded in the company to deliver the project; • The University (or ‘Knowledge Base’) provides expertise and the latest research to support the Associate.
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• Increased profitability and competitive edge for the business;
• It creates a job to accelerate career development for the graduate • The University has the opportunity to apply research and knowledge in a commercial setting.
Research Notes
INAUGURAL PROFESSORIAL LECTURE Starting this autumn, the University will annually host a series of inaugural lectures delivered by appointed Professors, covering a variety of subjects focused around the University’s leading research. The lecture series is an opportunity to showcase our innovative research, ideas and fascinating topics. Anyone is welcome to attend. The first of four lectures in the series will begin in October 2021. It is hoped this will be an in-person evening event and that it will also be streamed online. To find out more contact ResearchUnit@bucks.ac.uk
NEW HE AD OF GRADUATE SCHOOL We are delighted to welcome Buckinghamshire New University’s inaugural Head of Graduate School: Associate Professor Dr Fiona McCormack. Fiona has worked at Buckinghamshire New University since 1993 and has substantially contributed to the university’s research environment and PhD supervision. As Head of Graduate School, Fiona will be leading the enhancement of research degree provision and research student experience.
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Research Notes
RESE ARCHER SPOTLIGHT We are proud to showcase the work of three BNU Postgraduate Researchers working on their MPhil/doctorates. Louisa Berry, An Investigation and Critical Review of the Efficacy of Prevent as a Strategy for Countering Radicalisation in the United Kingdom The Prevent Duty, implemented in 2015, imposes a legal duty on certain ‘specified authorities’ to undertake a risk assessment and implement policies and procedures to support the UK national counterterrorism strategy, known as CONTEST. This duty applies to two of the areas I am closely associated with: health and education. My background is in nursing, where I primarily focused my practice in intensive care, trauma and then public health, before moving into emergency planning. During this time, Prevent and associated training came under my remit of emergency planning and security. It was challenging to engage staff with attending training; questions were raised as to why healthcare staff needed to know how to recognise someone who could be at risk of being radicalised into supporting terrorism and they felt this would be a breach of patient confidentiality. The Prevent Duty then switched from sitting under emergency planning to safeguarding, alongside other safeguarding issues, such as abuse. My growing interest in the theory and practice of Prevent led me to make further contact with the wider Prevent stakeholders, notably police and other security contacts. It was evident that there did not seem to be any underpinning theoretical basis for the move to safeguarding and this made the roll out of training much harder, as staff did not understand the connection.
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My research is therefore focusing on an investigation into the effectiveness of the programme in the UK. This has certain additional complications, as much of the data of those helped under Prevent is held under national classification and not available to the public; as part of the research, I am also undertaking a critical review of the determinants of programme success. I am additionally investigating the positioning of Prevent in the safeguarding dimension and endeavouring to critically analyse this, and the relationship with other safeguarding areas. Prevent is heavily criticised in the public domain and in the literature I have reviewed so far. The original Prevent attention was only focused on a single ideology of radicalisation and did not consider other ideologies or drivers. Although this has changed since this first publication, all the literature harks back to this original perspective and the published literature has not moved on. This results in a very biased perspective and one that requires balance in terms of research and objective investigation. My plan is also to focus on a better understanding of the drivers of those drawn into radicalisation, as well as strengthening the theoretical basis of the subject matter, as this currently appears to be lacking, in addition to addressing the need for additional feedback on those supported by the programme as markers of the efficacy of the programme.
Research Notes Lisa Jones, Examining Conceptual Complexity in Personal Theories of Loneliness: Mixed Methods Research into the Concept of Loneliness in Middle Adulthood My initial interest in this topic stemmed from recognising that there were increasing media references to loneliness. Initially I focused on identifying the ‘antidote’ by exploring how complex emotions might shape healthier personal connections, as was indicated in the literature. However, when I inspected the loneliness literature more closely, I began to ask questions of it. A key question was “Who defined what loneliness was?” The definition did not appear to be tested and challenged in research, yet it was becoming clear from expanding my reading that only a minority of the interventions which aimed to alleviate loneliness through increased social connections were effective. Furthermore, there were a small but growing number of articles which criticised the definition as too narrow, homogenous and not reflecting the broader experiences of loneliness. I had already positioned myself in my research as a psychological and social constructionist, meaning that individuals conceptually construct their emotions, perceptions, and experiences from prior knowledge built from past experiences. To guide my research I am applying two central theories which are scaffolded by complexity theory, cognitive and developmental psychology. These are the theory of constructed emotions (TCE) and personal construct theory (PCT) which I am using
Uchenna Nweke, Effectiveness of Religious Legitimating Agencies in Enhancing Accountability and Organisational Performance of Independent Churches in the Face of Rising Secularism and Public Scrutiny My personal background is in the academic and independent church sectors, this combined gives me a spark for this research area. Religious Legitimating Agencies (RLAs) in the UK Independent Church Sector (UKICS) are registered faith-based umbrella and resource bodies that offer voluntary association and support to independent (non-denominational/autonomous/ self-governing) churches, and provide accreditation to their ministers. They perform roles and employ strategies aimed at enabling independent congregations to collaborate and relate interdependently, enhance their legitimacy and operations, and maximise their growth potentials. RLA activities have become even more vital because the UKICS currently operates in the backdrop of a contemporary British society characterised by a declining enthusiasm for religion and growing calls for better accountability, greater transparency, and more reforms to the leadership frameworks of churches. So, the purpose of this exploratory research is to analyse the functions of UK-based RLAs by assessing how effective they have been (since the outset of the 21st century) in enabling independent churches to enhance their social legitimacy, improve their organisational performance, and meet the accountability demands of their stakeholders in areas such as
to propose loneliness is formed from conceptual knowledge based on personal meaning and prior experience. This suggests loneliness is a personal theory that is different from the stereotypical version we recognise in the media. Importantly, by examining these theories through the way an individual conceptually constructs it, I aim to ascertain whether the level of complexity in loneliness concepts predicts the way loneliness is experienced. I am proposing that being lonely or feeling loneliness is more like a verb than a noun or adjective. It is something we ‘do’ rather than something we are. This takes away the stigma and puts power and control back into the hands of each individual where there is potential to learn the ‘skill’ of ‘doing’ lonely in a healthy way, rather than feel as though loneliness is out of their control and ‘happens’ to them externally. I am focusing on middle adulthood (40-60 years of age). This is for two reasons. Firstly, there is little data on this age group as assumptions have been made that this age group are the least likely to feel lonely so have had little attention. However, data is inconsistent on this. Secondly, I am examining psychological processes, such as cognition which neurological research indicates begins to decline during middle age. Developmental psychology posits when cognition declines, feelings of loneliness increase. It is therefore a useful age group to explore the relationship between conceptual complexity and loneliness, where there should be a good spread of cognitive functionality.
leadership, safeguarding, and finance. Considering the highly monitored and secular-leaning socio-cultural environment in which they exist, the study seeks to investigate the interactions between independent churches and their diverse stakeholders, and how these interactions are affected when independent churches voluntarily establish working relationships with RLAs. This research will adopt a constructivist-interpretive approach in conducting this qualitative research. The constructivist approach will involve interacting with research participants from the UKICS to understand and describe their perspectives on the issue being investigated. The interpretive approach will entail analysing and making meaning of the constructed subjective perspectives and communicating this as new knowledge. In recognition of the impact made by both the Christian biblical worldview and the social structure of contemporary British society on the issue under examination, paradigmatic complementary insights from three theories (stakeholder theory, legitimacy theory and Christian theological theory) will be triangulated and utilised as a guiding lens for the interpretive process. An intended benefit of the research is that it will attract recognition to the role of RLAs and encourage their inclusiveness in contemporary management, accounting, and social science discourse. Additionally, it is expected that the findings will enable these agencies to become better positioned as they work with independent congregations in enhancing their social legitimacy, accountability, and growth.
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Research Notes
PHD NEWS AND AWARDS We congratulate our Research Student Mohanad Dahlan for his accepted doctoral thesis Diverse Workgroup Functioning and Transformational Leadership. Buckinghamshire New University (awarded by Coventry University). bucks.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/18307/ Congratulations to Andalina Kadri for passing her viva on 11 June with minor amendments. Professional Doctorate Viva Voce date: 11th June 2021 Title: “Local Authority Targeted Family Support Services: The Experience Of A Sample Of Women Who Had Experienced Domestic Abuse.” Supervisor: Professor Susan Procter
SUCCESSFUL RESE ARCH UPGRADES Well done to Uchenna Nweke who successfully upgraded from MPhil to PhD on 14 May 2021.
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Research Notes
RESE ARCH STUDENT COLLOQUIUM We were delighted to hold our summer Research Student Colloquium on 23 June 2021. The event was well attended by both students and staff, with our research students delivering five fascinating papers on a range of topics which prompted lively discussion. We thank our speakers and everyone who contributed to the colloquium’s success. The afternoon began with Diane Herbert’s presentation outlining the ‘MERMAID’ model which she has developed to consider how organisations may enable their staff to be creative. Diane gave a useful overview of positive psychology before explaining each aspect of MERMA: motivation, emotions, relationships, meaning and accomplishment. She argued that while it is possible to explore creativity in relation to each area respectively, it is more effective to consider them together from a systemic point of view, highlighting the interconnected and dialectic nature of creativity. This was followed by Chai Ho’s paper on his Action Research into the impact of interventions on the quality of life of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Chai described the early stages of his studies including his rationale and methodology drawing upon his own personal and professional experience as a teacher. The second session commenced with Lisa Jones’ summary of her literature review on loneliness, a very timely subject given our collective recent experiences in lockdown and you can read more about Lisa’s work in this month’s Researcher Spotlight above. One of our newest students, Imran Khan, then introduced his research on the dilemma of low testosterone in males for the NHS. Imran made the compelling argument that due to several factors the NHS is not effectively prescribing testosterone, and this leads men to source their own which can be a dangerous alternative. His research will seek to address this problem by presenting data on usage and harm with the aim of influencing policy. Lastly, Uchenna Nweke presented his work assessing the effectiveness of Religious Legitimating Agencies in enhancing the accountability and organisational performance of independent churches in the UK, and you can again read more about his research in the Researcher Spotlight feature above.
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Research Notes
CONFERENCES
( VIRTUAL AT TENDANCE)
Buckinghamshire New University hosted its annual autism conference to give parents, siblings, professionals, academics, and students the opportunity to learn more about autism through the latest research, practice and experience The conference was organised by students and academics from Buckinghamshire New University, plus colleagues from Central and Northwest London NHS Trust, all of whom have an interest in people with autism. The event allowed delegates to attend twelve online workshops run by autism specialists and academics, and those with lived experience of autism. The workshops ranged from ‘Autism - The early years’, ‘Emotion, routines, senses and ASD’ to ‘Dogs for development, Dogs for autism’. We delivered an exciting conference welcoming more than 400 people. We express thanks to those that took part sharing presentations and stories. To find out more contact David.Rawcliffe@bucks.ac.uk or visit https://www.autism-j2s.com/ PopMeC CFP. 50+ Shades of Gothic: The Gothic Across Genre and Media in US Popular Culture. April 2021 Taryn Tavener-Smith, in the School of Nursing and Allied Health, presented Lacunas, orisons, and attics: David Mitchell’s Slade House (2015) as Gothic locus.
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British Psychology Society Division of Forensic Psychology Conference. June 2021 Dr Claire Machan, in the school of Human and Social Sciences, has presented a poster at the BPS Division of Forensic Psychology Virtual Conference 2021. The BPS Forensic Division Annual Conference is a nationally renowned crossdisciplinary conference with academics and practitioners who are on the frontline of research and practice within the field of Forensic Psychology. Dr Nicola Mallowan, in the school of Human and Social Sciences, presented a poster titled An investigation into how the youth may be drawn into criminality: An exoffenders’ perspective. Second-hand Cultures in Unsettled Times. June 2021 Brigitte Stockton, in the School of Art, Design and Performance gave a presentation on Second hand clothing and young adults in Dalian, Northern China. This research paper focused on the habitus between second-hand clothing and young adults in Dalian, Northern China. Previously with the majority of Chinese clothing production going to export the associated waste or surplus would become another nation’s problem. However, China is a country that is still undergoing a cultural shift, whereby it has become both manufacturer and consumer, and a visible outcome of this is the range and extent of consumer environments that are available but also the growing problem of waste.
Research Notes International symposium on logistics/International Journal of Logistics Management. July 2021 Obinna Okeke, Dauda Hamzat and Professor David WarnockSmith, in the School of Aviation and Security, presented A content analysis of the barriers and challenges associated with third party logistics: a comparison of the UK and Nigeria. 81st Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management. August 2021 Dr Kevin Maher, Dr Ali Bakir and Dr Mohanad Dahlan, in the School of Creative and Digital Industries, presented Diverse Group Effectiveness: Co-occurrence of Task and Relationship Conflict, and TFL. The study developed a theoretical integrated model examining the role the cooccurrence of task and relationship conflict has as a mediator in the relationship between diversity and group effectiveness. The model also examines transformational leadership (TFL) as a moderator in this relationship. Data was collected from 354 people in 56 workgroups from three private universities in the Middle East and findings expanded understanding of how, and under what conditions, diversity influences group effectiveness.
Professor David Warnock-Smith, in the School of Aviation and Security, will also be presenting at the Royal Geographical Society Annual International Conference. Professor WarnockSmith will present A disaggregated analysis of airlines and airports serving the Chinese market before and since the Covid-19 pandemic. COVID-19 is an unprecedented situation and its impacts are significant, especially for the travel and tourism industry. This study contains a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of air transport capacity, traffic and revenue changes in domestic and international markets involving China with a focus on airlines, route networks and airports during the Covid-19 pandemic. Gypsy Lore Society Annual Conference. September 2021 Dr Carol Rogers and Professor Margaret Greenfields, in the School of Human and Social Sciences, will be presenting Gypsy, Roma and Traveller experiences of hate crime in the UK and the psychological ‘ripple effect’ on mental health”. The presentation showcases work undertaken in relation to a research report.
Royal Geographical Society Annual International Conference. August 2021 Dr Jem Kelly, in the School of Art, Design and Performance, will give a presentation on Performing Virtual Borders and Acts of Intersubjectivity: interrogating Station House Opera’s telematic performance At Home In London and Gaza. Deleuzian theories of the rhizome correspond closely to virtual networks and resonate with telematic performances, in which remote bodies and distant spaces are brought together via Internet connections. This paper interrogates Station House Opera’s telematic performance, At Home In London and Gaza, in which performers co-located in a theatre in Gaza and Battersea Arts Centre are brought together in a palimpsestic image on screens in each geographical location (2018)
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Research Notes
NEW PUBLICATIONS Latest additions of all our publications can be found on Bucks repository: bucks.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/ Williams, Mary and Addis, Gulen (2021) Addressing patient sexuality issues in cancer and palliative care. British Journal of Nursing, 30 (10). S24-S28. ISSN 2052-2819 Mawuli, Yawuli and Addis, Gulen (2021) An Audit of British Thoracic Society Asthma Discharge Care Bundle in a Teaching Hospital. British Journal of Nursing. ISSN 0966-0461 (In Press) Arya, Farid, Hyde, Trevor, Henshall, Paul, Eames, Philip, Moss, Roger, Shire, Stan and Uhomoibhi, James (2021) Fabrication analysis of flat vacuum enclosures for solar collectors sealed with Cerasolzer 217. Solar Energy, 220. pp. 635-649. ISSN 0038092X Bandara, Indrachapa, Balakrishna, Chitra and Ioras, Florin (2021) The Need For Cyber Threat Intelligence For Distance Learning Providers And Online Learning Systems. In: INTED2021 Proceedings. 15th International Technology, Education and Development Conference, pp. 93129321. ISBN 978-84-09-27666-0 Dahlan, Mohanad (2021) Diverse Workgroup Functioning and Transformational Leadership. Doctoral thesis, Buckinghamshire New University (Awarded by Coventry University). Blujdea, Viorel N. B., Viskari, Toni, Kulmala, Liisa, Gârbacea, George, Dutcă, Ioan, Miclăuș, Mihaela, Marin, Gheorghe and Liski, Jari (2021) Silvicultural Interventions Drive the Changes in Soil Organic Carbon in Romanian Forests According to Two Model Simulations. Forests, 12 (6). e795. ISSN 1999-4907 Otekunrin, Adegbola Olubukola, Eluyela, Damilola Felix, Nwanji, Tony Ikechukwu, Faye, Sainey, Howell, Kerry E. and Tolu-Bolaji, Jemima (2021) Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and Firm’s Performance: A Study of Listed Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria. Research in World Economy, 12 (1). p. 31. ISSN 1923-3981
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Humberstone, Barbara (2021) Ageing, agers and outdoor re-creation: being old and active outdoors in the time of COVID: an autoethnographic tale of different wor(l)ds. ‘I’m not vulnerable?’. Annals of Leisure Research. pp. 1-16. ISSN 2159-6816 Ratnasingam, Jega, Ioras, Florin, Liat, Lim Choon, Ayenkaren, J, Yan Yi, Lee and Ab Latib, Hazirah (2021) Digital technology application among Malaysian value-added wood products manufacturers. BioResources, 16 (2). pp. 2876-2890. ISSN 1930-2126 Cruz-Pérez, Noelia, Rodríguez-Martín, Jesica, García, Celso, Ioras, Florin, Christofides, Nicholas, Vieira, Marco, Bruccoleri, Manfredi and Santamarta, Juan C. (2021) Comparative study of the environmental footprints of marinas on European Islands. Scientific Reports, 11 (1). ISSN 2045-2322 Lee-Price, Simon (2021) Dark Home. In: Night Terrors Vol. 14: Short Horror Stories Anthology. Scare Street, pp. 131-142. ISBN 9798503031560 Nathoo, Sanj, Shaw, David G. and Sandy, Peter Thomas (2021) Determinants of compassion in providing care to older people: Educational implications. Nurse Education Today, 101. p. 104878. ISSN 02606917 Gregory, Anne, Nichols, Bill and Underwood, John M. (2021) The lived experience of UK health communication professionals during the Covid-19 pandemic. Journal of Communication Management, 25 (2). pp. 105-124. ISSN 1363-254X Kujawski, Sławomir, Bach, Anna M., Słomko, Joanna, Pheby, Derek F. H., Murovska, Modra, Newton, Julia L. and Zalewski, Paweł (2021) Changes in the Allostatic Response to WholeBody Cryotherapy and Static-Stretching Exercises in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients vs. Healthy Individuals. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10 (13). e2795. ISSN 2077-0383
Friedman, Kenneth J., Murovska, Modra, Pheby, Derek F. H. and Zalewski, Paweł (2021) Our Evolving Understanding of ME/CFS. Medicina, 57 (3). e200. ISSN 1010-660X Cullinan, John, Pheby, Derek F. H., Araja, Diana, Berkis, Uldis, Brenna, Elenka, de Korwin, Jean-Dominique, Gitto, Lara, Hughes, Dyfrig A., Hunter, Rachael M., Trepel, Dominic and WangSteverding, Xia (2021) Perceptions of European ME/CFS Experts Concerning Knowledge and Understanding of ME/ CFS among Primary Care Physicians in Europe: A Report from the European ME/CFS Research Network (EUROMENE). Medicina, 57 (3). e208. ISSN 1010-660X Brenna, Elenka, Araja, Diana and Pheby, Derek F. H. (2021) Comparative Survey of People with ME/CFS in Italy, Latvia, and the UK: A Report on Behalf of the Socioeconomics Working Group of the European ME/CFS Research Network (EUROMENE). Medicina, 57 (3). e300. ISSN 1648-9144
Research Notes
Pheby, Derek F H, Araja, Diana, Berkis, Uldis, Brenna, Elenka, Cullinan, John, de Korwin, Jean-Dominique, Gitto, Lara, Hughes, Dyfrig A, Hunter, Rachael M, Trepel, Dominic and Wang-Steverding, Xia (2021) The Role of Prevention in Reducing the Economic Impact of ME/CFS in Europe: A Report from the Socioeconomics Working Group of the European Network on ME/ CFS (EUROMENE. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), 57 (4). ISSN 1648-9144 Sandy, Peter T., Meyer, John T., Oduniyi, Oluwaseun S. and Mavhandu-Madzusi, Azwihangwisi H. (2021) Paramedic students’ confidence and satisfaction with clinical simulations of an emergency medical care programme in South Africa: A cross-sectional study. Health SA Gesondheid, 26. ISSN 1025-9848 Sims, Ceri and Morton, John (2021) Remembering breakfast: How do preschoolers represent an everyday event? Cognition. p. 104654. ISSN 18737838 (In Press) Sims, Ceri M. and Thompson, Paul (2021) Pupils as leaders - It is not all about wearing a badge. Independent Schools Magazine. p. 33. Worth, Piers and Smith, Matthew D. (2021) Clearing the Pathways to SelfTranscendence. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. p. 648381. ISSN 1664-1078 Warnock-Smith, David, Graham, Anne, O’Connell, John F and Efthymiou, Marina (2021) Impact of COVID-19 on air transport passenger markets: Examining evidence from the Chinese market. Journal of air transport management, 94. p. 102085. ISSN 1873-2089 WarnockSmith, David (2021) Assessing Inequalities In Air Transport Service Access In Europe (EEA+UK). [Report] Hickey, Simona and Williams, Mary (2021) The nursing management required to provide effective end-of-life care in a care home setting: a case study. Nursing and Residential Care, 23 (2). pp. 1-7. ISSN 2052-2932
Research Notes is produced by the Research and Enterprise Development Unit at Buckinghamshire New University. Please direct any responses to any of the articles within this issue of Research Notes to ResearchUnit@bucks.ac.uk or contact tel: 01494 522141 ext. 4008. All items are accurate at the time of going to press. This publication is available in alternative formats if required. © Buckinghamshire New University 2021
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