RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE
NEWSLETTER ISSUE 6
SAVE THE DATE RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE CONFERENCE 2019 FRIDAY 5 JULY, HUXLEY BUILDING
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INTRODUCTION
STRATEGIC PLAN: UPDATES AND OPPORTUNITIES
PROFESSOR TARA DEAN, PRO-VICE-CHANCELLOR (RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE)
NEW ECR AMBASSADOR DR ANNIE OCKELFORD INTRODUCES HERSELF
Welcome to the sixth issue of the Research and Enterprise (R&E) newsletter. We have commenced REF Campus Briefings (page 18) and reflected on how things have changed since the last REF. Introduction of the ‘Impact’ measure exercised the sector 18 months prior to submission of REF2014 and, with 18 months to go until REF2021, it is all about Code of Practice, definition of Significant Responsibility for Research, decoupling of outputs from individuals and the approach to selection of outputs. I am pleased to report that we are making good progress, thanks to the hard work and dedication of many of you. Come along to one of the briefing sessions and hear about our plans and progress.
Do save the date for our next university-wide Research and Enterprise Conference on Friday 5 July 2019 (page 18). In 2017, the conference enabled us to share our recently-launched Research and Enterprise Strategic Plan. Two years on, the event will be used to reflect on the progress we have made against our objectives and, of course, provide plenty of opportunities to network. This issue also highlights some of the amazing achievements of our researchers, brings you an update on the activities of Brighton Futures and features one of our COREs – the Centre for Social, Environmental and Cultural Politics. I hope you find it informative. Professor Tara Dean Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise)
CONTENTS STRATEGIC PLAN: UPDATES AND OPPORTUNITIES
p. 03
EVENTS FOR YOUR DIARY
• New ECR Ambassador Annie Ockelford introduces herself • REF2021 update • Research and Enterprise initiatives • Update from Pure • Research Mentoring Evaluation
• Creative Futures exhibition - Show & Tell: The image in research • Inaugural lectures • R&E Development Programme workshops • REF2021 update meetings (March) • Save the dates
SUCCESSFUL RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE AWARDS p.07
RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE IN FOCUS
RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE UPDATE
p. 08
Research drives the way to zero-emission engines Further success for two of our Rising Stars Shadowing the Natural Environment Strategy Team Cyber security start-up success International project to protect Thailand’s coastal communities • Brighton hosts annual Knowledge Transfer Partnership conference • City backs university health innovation and business network
CENTRES OF RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE EXCELLENCE •
p. 12
p.20
Featured CORE: Centre for Social, Environmental and Cultural Politics
BRIGHTON FUTURES
p. 22
GETTING TO GRIPS WITH RESEARCH SERVICES
p. 24
• Ingrid Pugh talks about the Research Services department
• Helping our academics reach new audiences • The story behind the tweet: 280 characters explained in 280 words DOCTORAL COLLEGE UPDATE
p. 19
• Cryogenic energy and engine efficiency Dr Konstantina Vogiatzaki
• • • • •
COMMUNICATING YOUR WORK
p. 16
SPOTLIGHT ON A RESEARCHER • Professor Andy Hobson
p. 13
• My PhD journey: Akinyo Ola • Festival of Postgraduate Research, May 2019 • PhD student successes
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p. 24
HOW WILL YOU BE FINDING OUT ABOUT WHAT THE ECR COMMUNITY WILL FIND HELPFUL? As ECR Ambassador, I will be working with ECR representatives from each school to ensure that ECRs have a voice within the university. Over the coming year, I hope to meet many ECRs in person and I am keen to hear about what they would find most helpful, either directly or through their representatives. For example, this could be related to training needs, funding or making connections. I would also love to hear about how ECRs like to receive information – whether that is through regular emails, the ECR blog or via social media. In addition, I’ll be exploring how I can make the content really engaging too.
I am the new Early Career Researcher (ECR) Ambassador for the university. Since my PhD Viva in 2012, I have completed two postdocs (at Loughborough University and the University of Hull) and have progressed into an academic position as Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography within the School of Environment and Technology. I can usually be found in a boat researching my interest in rivers and flooding, particularly how we can reduce the risk to humans from contaminants and sediments which are moved during floods.
HOW CAN ECRS FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON? We have a regular ECR email update – so I encourage any ECRs who do not receive this already to email me to register. I am conscious that everyone is busy, and ECRs are the ultimate multitaskers, so I will use as many platforms as possible to keep our community informed. I will write regularly for the ECR network blog and I have reinvigorated the ECR Twitter feed (@ECRBrighton) to send out updates of events at the university. I am working closely with Professor Tara Dean, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) on developing a programme that ECRs should find stimulating and interesting at the Research and Enterprise Conference on 5 July. Finally, at an institutional-level, I would remind all ECRs to keep an eye on messaging through the Staff News email bulletin every Friday and the Research and Enterprise Newsletter published three times each year – both are packed with relevant content for all keen researchers.
WHAT MADE YOU INTERESTED IN THE ROLE OF ECR AMBASSADOR? Being an ECR is such an exciting time where you can begin to forge your own way in academia. It is full of opportunities to work on some exciting research, collaborate and learn from academics from all over the world and share your work across the community. However, it is also a challenging, competitive environment which can be difficult to navigate. I am incredibly lucky to have an amazing set of mentors who have helped guide me through the murky waters of being an ECR. As such, I wanted to become ECR Ambassador to help others as they begin their journey, especially since I have experienced first-hand the hurdles of being an ECR during several temporary contracts while moving around the country, following the jobs! When the ECR ambassador role was advertised, it was an ideal opportunity.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE IN THE ROLE? I am the ECR Ambassador for a year and, although a year is not a long time, I really want to achieve two things during my time in post. Firstly, although there are many opportunities and resources for ECRs at Brighton, I am often surprised to hear that people are not always aware of them. I plan to work with the community to raise awareness, help promote opportunities and signpost resources. Secondly, ECRs at the University of Brighton have an incredibly diverse range of interests with huge potential for collaboration and exploration. I am keen to foster a supportive, collegiate community, enabling researchers to exchange views and ideas.
Watch an introductory video and contact Dr Annie Ockelford by email at: A.Ockelford@brighton.ac.uk Our thanks go to our previous ECR ambassador, Dr Aristea Fotopoulou, for her leadership during the last year. We wish her luck with her upcoming sabbatical completing her monograph, Feminist Data Studies: big data, critique and social justice, at the University of Bergen, Norway.
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STRATEGIC PLAN: UPDATES AND OPPORTUNITIES REF2021 UPDATE
RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE INITIATIVES: INTERNAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT YOU
The purpose of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) is to inform research funding allocations to universities, provide accountability for public funding of research and demonstrate its benefits, and to provide benchmarks and reputational yardsticks. The REF submission will take place in November 2020. REF results will be published at the end of December 2021.
UoA leadership teams have been reviewing the materials collected for 100 potential case studies in order to make recommendations on which should be developed for the full submission. Focused attention will now be given to those which are given approval for full development.
CODE OF PRACTICE The Code of Practice which outlines the processes by which we will make decisions relating to staff in our submission has to be submitted to Research England for approval in June 2019. Sections of the content (ie. the process for determining Significant Responsibility for Research and the management structure for REF) have already been developed. The remainder, including determining researcher independence, processes for output selection and Equality Impact Assessment, is under development and will be circulated in draft form for consultation with the university community before Easter.
UNITS OF ASSESSMENTS (UoAs) We have explored all the potential UoAs and the REF Steering Group have agreed to develop those shown in the table below. Each Unit of Assessment Leader is currently convening a UoA Leadership team who will develop the submission.
OUTPUT ASSESSMENT REVIEW Research outputs that were uploaded to Pure between January 2018 and January 2019 are currently under review by UoA Output Assessment Panels.
PROFESSOR TARA DEAN APPOINTED TO THE REF EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY ADVISORY PANEL Professor Tara Dean, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), has been appointed to the REF Equality and Diversity Advisory Panel. Professor Dean is among seven new appointments to the panel from universities across the
IMPACT CASE STUDIES Early indications based on numbers of eligible staff, indicate that we will require around 50 impact case studies.
UoA A3 B11 B12 C14 C17 C20
Computer Sciences and Informatics Engineering Geography and Environmental Studies Business and Management Studies
• Our Rising Stars initiative assists researchers in gaining experience of managing and leading their own research project. Closing date: 9:00 on 15 March 2019. • Our Impact Development fund aims to develop or accelerate the impact of particular research projects or research areas, especially where the proposal takes research into new areas of impact. Closing date: 9am on Monday 15 April 2019.
This sub-group of the REF Steering Group is overseeing the production of additional information (portfolios) required for certain types of output that are not textual. Up to 70 staff may need to submit a portfolio to REF 2021. Ten portfolios have been drafted as exemplars for staff to follow and a work plan devised to complete drafts for all portfolios by the end of September 2019.
Visit the Research and Enterprise Initiatives staffcentral page for details of all current and past initiatives. The next round of research and enterprise initiatives will be announced in Autumn 2019 and calls for applications take place throughout the academic year. Initiatives are advertised in Staff News, the weekly staff newsletter, as well as announced on Staffcentral. We will publish a round-up of awards in the July issue of the Research and Enterprise Newsletter.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Professor Cyril Crua
Discover more about our preparation for REF2021 by:
Professor David Nash
• visiting the REF section within RESP staffcentral • viewing the film update from Professor Tara Dean (from Big Picture, December).
Research and enterprise initiatives are coordinated by the Research, Enterprise and Social Partnership team. Visit the Research and enterprise initiatives staffcentral page for further information or contact RESPinitiatives@brighton. ac.uk with any queries.
UPDATE FROM PURE The Pure team have taken the system through an upgrade. In March, you will have new features to use:
Professor Marc Cowling
Social Work and Social Policy
• Turn the map off on your personal page if you wish. • Edit your profile directly through your public webpage on the site at research.brighton.ac.uk.
Professor Flis Henwood
Education
Professor Andy Hobson
C24
Sports and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and Tourism
Professor Alan Tomlinson
D32
Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory
Professor Darren Newbury
D34
Communication, Cultural and Media Studies, Library and Information Management
Professor Julie Doyle
C23
Currently open:
PORTFOLIO WORKING GROUP
Professor Anya Belz
Professor Kate Galvin
Our range of research and enterprise initiatives support all aspects of the research and enterprise spectrum including funding for research projects, impact, enterprise innovation and sabbaticals. Initiatives are reviewed annually to ensure we address the most pressing societal challenges and use available funds to stimulate the ongoing development of our rich research and enterprise environment.
EDAP was founded with the aim of advising the UK’s four higher education funding bodies – the Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland; the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales; Research England; and the Scottish Funding Council – as well as the REF team on matters of equality in the REF. The panel offers guidance on measures to promote equality and diversity and to emphasise the UK funding bodies’ commitment to equality and diversity in research careers.
There will be a series of REF update meetings in March. These briefing sessions are an ideal opportunity to hear from Professor Tara Dean and other senior leaders about preparations, including the development of our Code of Practice – and to pose your REF-related questions. Update meetings take place every six months and will continue until the REF submission in November 2020. See page 18 for dates, locations and booking details.
UoA Leader Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy
UK. This cohort join Professor Dianne Berry OBE, who was appointed chair of the Equality and Diversity Advisory Panel (EDAP) in March 2017, and the five existing members of the panel, who have expertise in equality and diversity issues affecting research careers.
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For further information on accessing these and other features, along with news of the plans and progress of Pure, please see the Pure staffcentral page.
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STRATEGIC PLAN: UPDATES AND OPPORTUNITIES
SUCCESSFUL RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE AWARDS
RESEARCH MENTORING EVALUATION
EXTERNAL AWARDS OVER £1,000 (1 OCTOBER 2018 - 31 JANUARY 2019)
The university has three mentoring schemes designed to support staff across the university.
might need tweaking. We are delighted to see that 264 colleagues are being mentored across 12 schools, which is a fantastic achievement. We are grateful to the research mentors for their insight. Overall, the data suggests that research mentoring in schools is valued by many colleagues with a number of important impacts for both research mentees and their research mentors. Please contact your RML for details of school-specific data.
All staff regardless of role or grade can obtain a mentor through the university’s General Mentoring Scheme. For academic and research staff, we also offer a Research Mentoring Scheme to address the particular development needs of researchers across the university. In addition, Fellowship Mentoring is available for those following the Professional Recognition and Development route towards HEA Fellowship status. Details of these schemes can be found on Staffcentral.
Some areas for development have emerged that the Research Mentoring Group are now considering including:
Research mentoring in schools is underpinned by the university’s Research Mentoring Framework which is central to both the university’s Research and Enterprise Strategic Plan 2017-2021 and the Implementation Plan for the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers.
• Increasing visibility of research mentoring in schools; • Encouraging greater take up of the ‘making the most of research mentoring’ training workshops for research mentors and research mentees; • Continuing to support and acknowledge research mentoring in workload planning; • Developing specific guidance on some of the details of the research mentoring process including expectations, how matching works, and how to start/end/change pairings, and; • Continuing to integrate and expand schemes across schools (for example, through induction and recruitment materials).
Since September 2018, each school has its own identified Research Mentoring Lead (RML), who is responsible for implementing a Research Mentoring Scheme in their school that is aligned to the Research Mentoring Framework. The RML oversees the identification of potential research mentors as well as potential pairings with research mentees. In addition to overseeing the pairings, the RML is also responsible for monitoring, reviewing and managing documentation relating to the school’s scheme. The RML normally represents their school as part of the university’s Research Mentoring Group (RMG). The RMLs currently are: • • • • • • • • • • • •
BRIGHTON BUSINESS SCHOOL Dr Ray Bachan Grade Inflation UUK
£20,833
COMMUNITY UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME David Wolff SEE-PER 2018 UKRI
£47,907
SCHOOL OF APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCES Professor Flis Henwood Improving communication between clinicians and LGBT patients NIHR £3,802
SCHOOL OF ART Professor Paul Sermon Out of sight out of mind University of Murcia Mar Menor £1,069
SCHOOL OF COMPUTING, ENGINEERING & MATHEMATICS
School of Art - Professor Charlie Hooker School of Architecture and Design - Dr Sarah Stevens Brighton Business School - Dr Nikos Daskalakis School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics – Professor Anya Belz (Deputy Chair of the RMG) School of Education - Professor Andy Hobson School of Humanities - Dr John Wrighton School of Media - Professor David Anderson School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Science Dr Melanie Flint School of Sport and Service Management Dr Daniel Burdsey School of Applied Social Science - Professor Flis Henwood School of Environment and Technology Professor David Nash School of Health Sciences - Professor Nigel Sherriff (Chair of the RMG)
JOIN THE RESEARCH MENTORING SCHEME
Professor Anya Belz Parafix Innovate KTP
If you have not yet joined the Research Mentoring Scheme in your school and would like to, please contact your Research Mentoring Lead in the first instance.
Professor Haris Mouratidis Pensions Regulator Data Research & Development Consultancy £17,850 and £25,560
If you have any questions or comments regarding the Research Mentoring Framework, please contact Professor Nigel Sherriff (Chair, Research Mentoring Group) or Professor Anya Belz (Deputy Chair, Research Mentoring Group).
£243,127
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Nancy Barclay Benfield Primary NCTL Maths Award £10,000 Dr Rachel Marks Maths No Problem £15,000 Associate Professor Carol Robinson Drinkaware for Education Drinkaware £39,713
In October 2018, the Research Mentoring Group undertook a short and ‘light-touch’ online evaluation of the research mentoring schemes operating in each school. We received a total of 100 responses across all schools and our thanks go to all those who took part. We hope to repeat the survey each year so we can get an idea of what is working and what
SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENT AND TECHNOLOGY Dr Andreas Lampropoulos Zicon Ltd - Geo-polymer Consultancy £20,000 Dr Ian Mayor-Smith Environment Resources Management Catchment Scale Exposition Tool £3,600
SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES Dr Josh Cameron Blackpool County Council Headstart Research Partnership extension £33,633 Professor Jörg Huber Research Design Service 2018 NIHR £1,600,130 Dr Nita Muir PAD project Consultancy £20,000
SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES Dr Harriet Atkinson “The Materialisation of Persuasion”: Modernist Exhibitions in Britain for Propaganda and Resistance, 1933 to 1953 AHRC £173,737
SCHOOL OF MEDIA Donna Close Creative Local Growth Fund ACE £266,610 Dr Peter Day Anti-slavery Knowledge Network AHRC £23,614
SCHOOL OF PHARMACY AND BIOMOLECULAR SCIENCES Dr Bhavik Patel Extracelluar Vesicle Profiling Cancer Research UK £35,434 Dr Bryony Tolhurst Slugs and Snails ASAB
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£7,292
SCHOOL OF SPORT AND SERVICE MANAGEMENT Professor Marina Novelli Namibia Tourism Evaluation Project ABT Associates £42,698
WANT TO KNOW WHERE TO APPLY FOR FUNDING? The university has a subscription to an online research database where you can find out about funding opportunities, policy developments and much more. Research Professional.com is a web-based search engine, useful for finding niche funders searching by disciplines, key words or known funders. The tool can be used to source funding opportunities to fit specific needs of individual researchers; specific searches can be saved and will run automatically as an email alert which delivers new and upcoming opportunities direct to your inbox on a fortnightly basis. The site is also an invaluable source of background information on all matters relating to the research environment. Staff who have a subscription will receive personalised weekly funding alerts based on their research interests. You can register for the service by visiting the Research Professional. com website. Contact the Research Services team for more information at BidSupport@brighton.ac.uk
RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE UPDATE RESEARCH DRIVES THE WAY TO ZEROEMISSION ENGINES
FURTHER SUCCESS FOR TWO OF OUR RISING STARS
Dr Harriet Atkinson
Professor Rob Morgan with CryoPower engine
Groundbreaking new engine technology, based on worldleading research in the Advanced Engineering Centre (AEC), is opening the way to production of the world’s first near zero-emission heavy internal combustion engine.
Dr Marlon Moncrieffe
Two of last year’s Rising Stars award winners have gone on to be successful in securing external recognition with the assistance of the award. Dr Harriet Atkinson and Dr Marlon Moncrieffe were recipients of internal funding through the Rising Stars initiative in 2018. Dr Atkinson has now been awarded a Leadership Fellowship by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Dr Moncrieffe has held the exhibition he was funded to undertake: Made in Britain - Uncovering the life-histories of Black-British Champions in Cycling.
The CryoPower Cool Combustion process enables recovery of otherwise wasted exhaust heat which is then cooled via the injection of a small amount of liquid nitrogen. The liquid nitrogen acts as both a coolant and an additional source of energy, reducing emissions and improving fuel efficiency. Test results, carried out as part of the StepCO2 programme, part-funded by the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, have shown CryoPower to offer a near-zero emissions capability, in some cases offering lower tailpipe emissions than in the surrounding air and with potential to remove pollution in towns and cities.
AHRC Funding for “The Materialisation of Persuasion”: Modernist Exhibitions in Britain for Propaganda and Resistance, 1933 to 1953 will allow Dr Harriet Atkinson to investigate how exhibitions mounted in British public spaces, from church halls to train stations, were designed to communicate messages of propaganda and resistance. This research will connect propaganda exhibitions mounted by an extended network of designers including FHK Henrion and Misha Black. Dr Atkinson will conduct her project from February 2019 to January 2023 and will carry out extensive archival work, including research at the Tate and the Imperial War Museum.
CryoPower was originally conceived as a means of enabling otherwise unachievable improvements in fuel economy and reduced CO2, and aimed to achieve at least 60 per cent brake thermal efficiency. The early development work carried out on the test rig installed at the AEC has not only validated this potential but has also demonstrated the highly impressive low emissions credentials of the CryoPower combustion process.
Dr Marlon Moncrieffe was Rising Stars Research and Enterprise Award Winner 2018 for the exhibition, Made in Britain - Uncovering the life-histories of Black-British Champions in Cycling. The exhibition, held in December at the City Campus, explored the lives and careers of black British champions in cycling over the last 50 years. Dr Moncrieffe selected seven athletes to showcase at the exhibition and placed their histories within a wider sociological context of the cycling boom that has occurred in Britain over the last 20 years, to understand more about representation at the elite level.
Professor Rob Morgan said: “Our research has taken a completely new approach ... focusing on achieving the conditions for ultra-low emissions. This enabled us to unpick the ‘normal’ way of designing an engine and to come up with a different set of answers.” The technology is suitable for use with heavy duty engines running on diesel or a range of other liquid or gaseous conventional, bio- or synthetic fuels ranging from long-haul trucks, to stationary power, off-highway equipment, and self-powered and multi-mode railway traction.
CYBER SECURITY START-UP SUCCESS
INTERNATIONAL PROJECT TO PROTECT THAILAND’S COASTAL COMMUNITIES
Professor Haris Mouratidis
Nakhon-Si-Thammarat, Thailand, photo by Dr Suparee Boonmanun
The government Department for Culture, Media and Sport, together with Innovate UK, held the second Cyber Security Academic Startups Accelerator Programme (CyberASAP) competition earlier this year.
The University of Brighton is joining an international research project to protect Thailand’s coastal communities from natural disasters which cause the loss of 30 square kilometres of shoreline every year.
Set up to support the commercialisation of products or services derived from academic research, the programme is part of the government’s wider £2.2million commitment to support cyber security.
The £592,000 study will improve understanding of Thailand’s vulnerability to storms, floods and coastal erosion which affect 17 per cent of the country’s population – more than 11 million people.
With support from the university’s Enterprise team, Professor Haris Mouratidis’s Privacy Labs made it to the final round of the three-phase competition, where he and Dr Shona Campbell travelled to London to demonstrate the innovative Privacy-by-design toolkit to a room of investors and potential customers.
Thailand’s Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning predicts the sea level will rise one metre in the next 40 to 100 years, which will impact at least 3,200 square kilometres of coastal land at a potential cost to Thailand of almost £70m. The project, financed by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Thailand Research Fund and supported by the Newton Fund (Thailand), aims to boost the resilience of coastal communities and to use scientific research to inform more robust and cost-effective solutions.
The Privacy-by-design toolkit is designed to prevent data breaches, enabling compliance with GDPR by providing an automated and evidence-based software solution that builds privacy into IT services and products. Following the impressive presentation from the University of Brighton, a company has come forward, interested in trialling the product, and discussions are also underway with a potential investor.
The three-year study is being led by Lancashire’s Edge Hill University in collaboration with the University of Brighton and experts from Thailand’s Mahidol, Chulalongkorn and Thammasat Universities; University of Sussex; Brighton environmental assessment company Ambiental Technical Solutions; the National Center for Atmospheric Research, USA, and the Thai Government.
Dr Campbell, Assistant Director, Enterprise Services, said, “The CyberASAP programme has been a fantastic opportunity to develop an idea stemming from 15 years of research, validating the concept in the market, developing a minimum viable product and meeting potential customers and investors. Professor Mouratidis is now poised to spin out a company to take the software toolkit to market.”
Dr Raymond Ward will be heading up physical geography research which will help predict the effects of future expected climate change scenarios. Lead researcher, Edge Hill’s Professor Cherith Moses, said: “We aim to establish the links between climate change, coastal erosion and flooding, and use this information to assess the interaction of natural and social processes to enhance coastal community resilience and future sustainability.
More information can be found on the gov.uk website.
The Rising Stars initiative offers awards of up to £10,000 every year to assist researchers to gain experience of managing and leading their own research projects.
The CryoPower project is being developed through a partnership with Brighton-based engineering firm Ricardo, HiFlux Ltd, and the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, Sheffield.
“Thai coastal research will benefit government and policymakers who need to plan for potential impacts caused by climate change and develop resilient strategies to deal with their impacts on natural-social systems.”
The closing date for this year’s Rising Stars initiative is 15 March 2019.
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RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE UPDATE CITY BACKS UNIVERSITY HEALTH INNOVATION AND BUSINESS NETWORK
BRIGHTON HOSTS ANNUAL KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER PARTNERSHIP CONFERENCE
TELL US ABOUT YOUR WORK
Collaboration between public authorities, private businesses and academia is crucial if we as a city region, stretching from Brighton north to Gatwick, are able to continue to grow and fulfil our potential. For that reason I’m delighted to see this initiative around the very important area of health innovation and research start so promisingly. We already have a number of world leaders in this field and, thanks to initiatives like the entrepreneur café, I’m sure that number will keep on growing in the future.
Professor Matteo Santin (centre left) with networking colleagues
Researchers from Healthy Futures are joining forces with entrepreneurs and community groups to build a social and commercial network tasked with improving health, accelerating innovation and enhancing competitiveness in the city area.
Councillor Garry Wall, Chairman of Greater Brighton.
Healthy Futures will be the platform for new partnerships which will bring new technological solutions in disease preventions, diagnosis and advanced clinical treatments while developing new models for children’s mental health and adult health care. The collaboration of businesses and organisations with the university will also foster high-skill training, student placements and jobs.
It’s exciting to be part of an initiative that will benefit the citizens of Brighton and Hove and deliver excellence.
The first Healthy Futures entrepreneurs’ café in the city was attended by representatives from companies producing biomedical, pharmaceutical and digital health products and innovation as well as leaders of social enterprises on the front line of family therapy, youth mental health and adult primary care.
Dr Arash Moavenian, Head of Research and Innovation, Welland Medical, which designs and manufactures ostomy accessories.
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Over 140 delegates from universities across the UK gathered at the University of Brighton in November 2018 for the Annual Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Conference. Professor Tara Dean, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Dr Shona Campbell, Assistant Director Enterprise Services and Liz Johnson, KTP Programme Officer were delighted to welcome colleagues across the KTP scheme to the university to network and share updates on funding.
Aiming to showcase the best of Brighton and to focus on practical learning, the conference was focused around 12 workshops across three themes: Developing the pipeline, Winning the funding and Managing the project.
This is a great initiative that presents a new window of opportunity for connection and collaboration.
Two further entrepreneurs’ cafés will be held on 17 April and 28 June 2019. For further information on how to get involved visit the Healthy Futures website.
Left to right: Liz Johnson, Professor Tara Dean, Dr Shona Campbell
Activity is not integrated – it’s fragmented and siloed. This will bring organisations together with a common purpose.
Nigel Richardson, CEO, Custom Pharma Services.
Professor Matteo Santin, Academic Lead for Healthy Futures, said, “The first meeting with businesses and organisations proved a great success and I am grateful to all those who attended. I am impressed by the wide range and number of social enterprises, charities, biomedical and digital start-ups and SMEs and large pharmaceutical and diagnostics companies located in our city and surrounding areas.”
ResearchCommunications@brighton.ac.uk
The KTP community voted for the University of Brighton to host the annual conference, acknowledging our strength in this area; the University of Brighton is a leading university in the South-East for KTP and has a 100 per cent success rate for funding applications.
By sharing knowledge and expertise, this initiative has the potential to improve regional business and research.
“The city’s economic strategy aims to bring together pioneering research with entrepreneurial talent to grow the city’s economic potential, include communities in new developments, and improve the lives of all our residents.”
Let the Research Communications team know what you’re working on and who you hope it will influence.
Matthew Jellings of Engie, a leading energy and services group across three main activities: Energy, Services and Regeneration.
Geraldine Desmoulins, Chief Officer, Possability People, which offers advice and support on disabilities.
Afterwards, a spokesperson for the city council said, “This is a great example of how making strong links between research and business will be used to benefit communities and the city.
We want to help you share your academic work with general and specialist audiences.
KEEP UP TO DATE WITH EVENTS
Speakers included Tara Dean, Richard Lamb, KTP Programme Manager at Innovate UK, Fionnnuala Costello, Head of Open Programme, Innovate UK and Steve Welsh, Director of KTN (Knowledge Transfer Network). Representatives from KTP co-sponsors, AHRC and ERSC talked about the types of projects they are interested in funding and Innovate UK provided information on the additional £25million for productivity-focused KTPs announced in the autumn budget statement.
Keep up to date with events and make sure you don’t miss out: check the event calendar on staffcentral, where you can also set email alerts and add your own latest events. Staff News (weekly email on Fridays) also carries selected forthcoming events.
Feedback on the conference has been extremely positive, with one adviser saying that it has changed the way she interacts with universities in her region. The KTN generated 29 new cases studies for them to showcase KTP. This next KTP conference will be held in Aberdeen. Academics interested in working with business via KTP should email: KnowledgeExchange@brighton.ac.uk
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COMMUNICATING YOUR WORK
DOCTORAL COLLEGE UPDATE
HELPING OUR ACADEMICS REACH NEW AUDIENCES
MY PhD JOURNEY: AKINYO OLA
THE STORY BEHIND THE TWEET: 280 CHARACTERS EXPLAINED IN 280 WORDS
Our researchers are getting hands-on, personal help to bring their work to the widest possible audiences. The online newspaper The Conversation regularly prints articles and opinion pieces based on academics’ expertise. Their publications are often re-published by leading media worldwide and they are always looking for more contributions.
The University of Brighton is a partner with the London International Development Centre and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in a global research hub to tackle child stunting. The UKRI GCRF Action against Stunting Hub will aim to reduce child stunting by up to 10 per cent across communities in India, Indonesia and Senegal. It is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF).
To give our staff the best chance possible, we have invited editors to join us for regular workshops and afternoons of one-to-one editorial sessions with our academics. They have visited in December (Moulsecoomb), February (Falmer) and March (City), to give some insights into writing for the publication and will be joining us for a further session in April (Eastbourne).
Stunting affects over 150 million children worldwide. In 2012, the World Health Assembly recognised that child stunting was “one of the most significant impediments to human development.”
Introducing The Conversation, editor Michael Parker described it as a partnership with academics focused on: “Crossing that gap between your research and what we see as news. It is about finding the news value in your academic expertise.”
The UKRI GCRF Action against Stunting Hub is an interdisciplinary team comprising researchers from 18 institutions. Running for a five-year period from March 2019 – March 2024, it aims to transform current research on child undernutrition or stunting by cross-linking understandings across the biological, social, environmental and behavioural context in which stunting occurs. The team are aiming to change the focus of investigation from individual components of the problem to the ‘whole child’, and create a ‘typology’ of different stunting types and solutions. Using this holistic approach, the Hub will undertake a range of child-focused pilot interventions to demonstrate how it can prevent, improve and even reverse some stunting. The Hub will also support new regional platforms on maternal and child nutrition proposed by UNICEF.
They are looking for readable, timely pieces with a current affairs agenda, but can be approached with a broad idea for a piece (you don’t have to have written a complete draft) and will then provide editorial help to shape the article. Academics who attended the one-to-one sessions have already submitted draft articles to The Conversation and are working with editors to refine them for publication. Professor Peter Squires, who has had several articles published in The Conversation, said: “A number of colleagues from the School of Applied Social Science have published articles about their research in The Conversation. All of us who have done so have been pretty impressed by the support you get in turning your research into a cutting edge and compelling topical news story; the production values, instant impact and scope of dissemination you can achieve for your work (many articles are franchised to other media outlets and gain wider global audiences) and the valuable writing experience you gain in producing a clear and concise article.”
Professor Marie Harder, Research Lead for the Values and Sustainability Research and Enterprise Group said: “This is the first major international development project to make use of new generation engagement approaches developed at the University of Brighton, using our strength in eliciting authentic shared values from local people to inform, guide and partly evaluate the science-based stunting work.”
If you are interested in finding out more about the benefits of writing for The Conversation, book your place at the forthcoming session: Eastbourne Darley Road Campus – 1 April 2019 • Introduction Aldro 127 (12.30 - 13:30pm) • One-to-one sessions Aldro 122, 13:50 - 16:00
Akinyo Ola is a PhD student in the Business School supervised by Professor Tim Brady and Steve Reeve. His working title is - Improving project capabilities in the public sector: A case study of the United Kingdom public sector.
In addition to developing the theoretical framework, I explore the landscape of the public sector to identify where capabilities exist and to provide an overview of the activities within the project lifecycle from policy formulation to project implementation. When completed, this research will enable public sector organisations to identify where capabilities exist at each stage of the project lifecycle and how they are developed, managed and transferred within the sector. As an international student in Brighton, adjusting to both living in a big city and the demands of a PhD can be overwhelming. I had to resist the tendency to either become isolated and focus entirely on my research or to be distracted by the numerous activities the city offers. However, over the past three years, I have developed both formal and informal relationships that have proven to be vital to my PhD journey. In addition to academic staff, I found other members of staff who have been able to help me access information about studying and living in Brighton. These relationships have provided me with support that has had a very positive effect on my wellbeing.
It is estimated that there will be over £600 billion invested in infrastructure, in nearly 700 projects, programmes and other investments in the UK over the next 10 years. The scale of these planned investments is set to increase demand for project management professionals significantly within the public sector. The resulting skills and capability shortage will put major projects at risk of having to pay a premium for skilled project management professionals. My research aims to bridge the capability gap by focusing on improving project capabilities in the UK’s public sector. Having discovered a gap in the existing literature, I developed a theoretical framework to identify routine activities, learning mechanisms and factors that facilitate or hinder knowledge management and capability development within the public sector. My research also investigates the effectiveness of existing knowledge management strategies to develop, manage and transfer project knowledge and experience within the public sector. I examine the individual and organisational structures and the impact that formal and informal relationships within the project environment have on the development of processes, skills and techniques within organisations.
I have tried to maximise the professional and personal opportunites offered by being part of the university and the wider community; for example, I joined the PhD hub reading and writing group and entered the Festival of Postgraduate Research 2018 ‘Opposites Attract’ competition. With roughly a year remaining of my PhD journey, the future, post-PhD, looks bright: with peer reviewing, lecturing in Performance Management and membership of professional bodies added to my professional skills profile, I will have gained much more than a PhD during my time here.
Students and supervisors come together to celebrate doctoral research. Join us for Three Minute Thesis, research poster and photo competitions, Opposites Attract collaboration challenge, Bake your Thesis and Doctoral Inaugural mini-lectures. Ticket booking is now open and calls for participation will be circulated to doctoral students in the coming weeks.
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DOCTORAL COLLEGE UPDATE PGR STUDENT SUCCESSES: NOVEMBER 2018 - JANUARY 2019 The following students completed their research degrees between 1 November 2018 and 31 January 2019. We give them our congratulations and wish them all the best with their future plans.
BRIGHTON AND SUSSEX MEDICAL SCHOOL Dr Sophie Betka Relationships between emotional regulation, interoception and alcohol use Supervisors: Professor H Critchley, Professor D Duka, Professor Henrique Sequeira, Dr G Pfeifer Dr George Goodwin The role of axonal transport disruption in the development of mechanical sensitivity along intact C-fibre axons Supervisors: Dr A Dilley, Dr M Mengozzi Dr Laura Hughes An evaluation of the feasibility of the routine measurement of quality of life of people with dementia in care homes using DEMQOL-Proxy Supervisors: Professor S Banerjee, Dr N Tabet, Dr N Farina Dr Sonia Ingram Regulation of oxidoreductase enzymes during inflammation Supervisors: Professor P Ghezzi, Dr M Mengozzi, Dr S Sacre Natalie Loisedelman Derivation of a psychosocial clinical prediction rule to target sexual healthcare among women of reproductive age attending British General Practices Supervisors: Professor J Cassell, Dr RO De Visser, Dr Catherine Mercer Dr Ieva Satkeviciute Contribution of axonal transport disruption to the development of neuropathic pain Supervisors: Dr A Dilley, Professor P Ghezzi Dr Annamaria Witheridge Diagnostic reasoning in primary care: Experiences of medical students and foundation trainees in real and simulated environments Supervisors: Professor G Ferns, Dr W Scott-Smith
BRIGHTON BUSINESS SCHOOL Dr Yousuf Al Mabsali The impact of managerial tools on meeting or beating analyst forecasts, analyst reactions, and information asymmetry: Evidence from the UK Supervisors: Mr RJ Hayward, Dr YAM Eliwa Dr Kamal Mahmes Corporate social responsibility disclosure: theory and empirical insights from the Libyan Extractive Sector (2009-2014) and related accounting education considerations Supervisors: Mr SD Reeve, Ms R Boxer, Professor K D’Silva Dr Nourah Al Shaghdali Quality of women’s learning experiences in digital information systems and learning environment in higher education in Saudi Arabia Supervisors: Dr SL Greener, Mr SD Reeve Dr David Wright Extending working life – Comparing Germany and the UK Supervisors: Dr DR Lain, Professor J O’Reilly
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN Dr Nagham Al Qaysi The judgment process in architectural design competition as a deliberative communicative practice Supervisors: Dr R Southall, Dr AE Piroozfar, Professor AG Tomlinson
SCHOOL OF ART Dr Curie Scott Elucidating perceptions of ageing through participatory drawing: A phenomenographic approach Supervisors: Dr PM Lyon, Prof I Haq, Professor Ann Moore
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SCHOOL OF COMPUTING, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS Dr Eisa Alharbi The relative efficacy of diagrams, textual and symbolic logics on user interpretation of axioms Supervisors: Professor JR Howse, Dr GE Stapleton, Dr AA Hamie, Dr A Touloumis Dr Tariq Almuraziq An investigation of ensemble learning in dust storm prediction using machine learning Techniques Supervisors: Dr S Kapetanakis, Professor M Petridis Dr Safa Elsheikh Computational statistics for human brain diffusion tensor image analysis Supervisors: Dr AG Fish, Dr R Chakrabarti, Dr D Zhou Dr Oluseyi Olarewaju Semantically enhanced cross-domain recommender systems Supervisors: Dr G Uchyigit, Dr AG Fish, Dr J Taylor Dr Fathima Sharmila Satthar An inheritance-based lexical approach to sentiment analysis Supervisors: Dr RP Evans, Dr G Uchyigit Dr Jenny Venton A poroelastic model of spinal cord cavities: the mechanical role of oedema in syringomyelia Supervisors: Dr PJ Harris, Dr GJ Phillips
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Dr Nancy Barclay Mathematical awareness in lower attaining primary pupils: enabling productive mathematical contributions to the progress of mixed attainment pairs Supervisors: Dr N Edmond, Dr Els de Geest
Dr Ozlem Dagman The social construction of teacher identity: an intergenerational comparison of Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot teacher narratives Supervisors: Professor IF Goodson, Dr TP Rudd
SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENT AND TECHNOLOGY Dr Joshua Abadi Hydrocarbon contamination in Ogoniland, Nigeria, and its management via adsorbent-based remediation strategies Supervisors: Professor MP Smith, Professor DJ Nash, Professor AB Cundy Dr Peshawa Al-Jaf Modelling flow and recharge in the chalk unsaturated zone and influence of subsurface geology, Brighton block, South East England Supervisors: Professor MP Smith, Dr FK Gunzel Dr Areej Al-Jwaid Bioremediation of Phenol in water using polymer-supported bacteria Supervisors: Dr JL Caplin, Dr IN Savina, Professor AB Cundy Dr Jeremy Evans Local ecological knowledge, the benthos and epistemologies of inshore fishing Supervisors: Professor AP Church, Dr V Johnson Dr Musa Jato Potential for migration of urban diffuse pollution to groundwater: a case study of the Brighton block chalk aquifer, South East England Supervisors: Professor MP Smith, Professor AB Cundy, Dr NR Moles
SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES Dr Bashayer Alhay An analysis of the kinematics of the elbow and wrist joints and the muscle activity of the arm when using three different computer mice Supervisors: Dr LA Redhead, Dr MP Bailey, Dr DG Covill
Dr Caroline Spence Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy: An exploration of the lived experiences of children with Type 1 diabetes mellitus aged 5-11 years Supervisors: Dr K Aranda, Dr NR Dunne
SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES Dr Toby Lovat Back to the Great Outdoors? A Kantian reply to Meillassoux’s argument Supervisors: Professor B Brecher, Dr MW Devenney
SCHOOL OF MEDIA Dr Lucy O’Brien Express yourself: reframing women’s participation, agency and power in popular music, Supervisors: Professor J Doyle Dr Antigoni Themistokleous Self-regulation by the press in Cyprus, Supervisors: Dr M Sourbati, Professor J Doyle
SCHOOL OF PHARMACY AND BIOMOLECULAR SCIENCES
Dr Kais Shaban Development, characterisation and assessment of chemical stability of fast dissolving oral levothyroxine films Supervisors: Dr ASV Pannala, Dr DK Sarker
SCHOOL OF SPORT AND SERVICE MANAGEMENT Dr William Abbott Monitoring and prescription of GPS training load in elite academy soccer athletes Supervisors: Dr G Brickley, Dr NJ Smeeton Dr Charlotte Coombs An investigation of the effects of human serum, altered by exercise, on mesenchymal stem cell characteristics Supervisors: Dr PW Watt, Professor Y Pitsiladis Dr Marina Garcia Hortal Functional and metabolomics changes during a detraining period following low-load resistance training with and without blood flow restriction, Supervisors: Dr G Brickley, Dr LM Beale, Professor JH Doust
Dr Gennaro Dichello Investigating self-assembling nanomaterials (SANs) within a biological environment Supervisors: Dr ASV Pannala, Professor SV Mikhalovsky, Mr Mo Alavijeh, Dr DK Sarker
Dr Catherine Payne Clinical applications of shear wave elastography to achilles tendon imaging and the monitoring of a rehabilitation protocol for achilles tendinopathy Supervisors: Dr PW Watt, Professor N Webborn
Dr Rob Ingham Physiological mechanisms underlying male Culex quinquefasciatus acoustic mating behaviour Supervisors: Professor IJ Russell, Dr V Lukashkina
Dr Adam Talbot Evictions in the shadows of the stadiums: space and resistance at Rio 2016 Supervisors: Dr TF Carter, Dr M Doidge, Dr K Artaraz
Dr Megi Kamenica Development of a functional pillar[5] arene based electrochemical sensor for lithium ion detection Supervisors: Dr AD Willows, Dr PJ Cragg, Dr BA Patel
Dr Johanna Van Zalen Combining cardiopulmonary exercise testing and exercise echocardiography: understanding the relationship between cardiac contractile function and exercise tolerance Supervisors: Dr G Brickley, Dr LM Beale, Dr G Lloyd
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EVENTS FOR YOUR DIARY
EVENTS FOR YOUR DIARY
CREATIVE FUTURES EXHIBITION - SHOW & TELL: THE IMAGE IN RESEARCH
INAUGURAL LECTURES
R&E DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME WORKSHOPS
We host inaugural lectures throughout the year. These events are free, open to the public and are the first lecture delivered by a newly-appointed professor at the University of Brighton.
Research and Enterprise Development Programme workshops support research and enterprise active colleagues by helping them to enhance their skills, research knowledge and personal development.
Lectures take place on Wednesdays at 18:30 and each is followed by a reception. Book your place for the following lectures using the links below.
Sign up to the scheduled workshops below or consult the Research and Enterprise Development Programme site on staffcentral for more information. You’ll find an up-to-date version of the programme online. The majority of workshops in the programme are also available on request – if you are able to bring together at least six participants who are interested in one of the topics, you can liaise with Research Services to schedule a session tailored to your needs.
Professor Harm van Marwijk How to reinvent primary care from the bottom up: engaging communities Wednesday 6 March Checkland C122, Falmer campus Find out more and book here.
Visit here to book on one of the workshops.
Professor Lizzy Ostler Not aged by time Wednesday 20 March Huxley Lecture Theatre, Moulsecoomb campus Find out more and book here.
Cristina Boscariol, Advanced Engineering Centre: ‘Impact and break-up of a water droplet on a suspended stainless steel mesh.’ The sequence in false colours shows the impact of a water droplet onto a suspended stainless steel mesh. After the impact, the droplet penetrates completely under the porous mesh, generating a spray cone of smaller droplets. Starting from the observation of the images, it is possible to derive the underlying physics of the phenomenon and understand how the initial parameters will influence the outcome [Cristina Boscariol, Dipak Sarker, Cyril Crua, Marco Marengo; abridged from gallery label].
We think of research as an occupation which finds its expression in writing (classically in the research paper published in an academic journal) but it can take many other forms. Think of an old map with its large patches marked ‘Terra Incognita’ or – better – ‘Here be dragons’. By marking what was not known, that made a clear statement of where previous research had stopped – as well as an invitation to go in the future to find out what was there. A university like ours is filled with people using imagery in their research and using it in all sorts of different ways. A pie chart clumps numbers of instances of something in conveniently legible form. An organisation chart might well be the first expression at a time of corporate change: it shows a complex set of relationships in a single sheet, graphically rendering something invisible visible. A moving pointer shows sound levels – or any one of thousands of other variables.
those as output imagery, helpful to transmitting the research process or results with clarity and speed. But a simple taxonomy of this kind does not begin to address the range and scope of possible visual expressions that come into research or come out of it. That’s why, in a modest exhibition, we have brought together a few examples just to begin to suggest the scope of a vast subject. Colleagues around the University of Brighton from every discipline use imagery in an astonishing variety of ways.
Making the most of the research mentoring relationship 6 March 2019, 12.30-14.30, Watts 510, Moulsecoomb campus. Writing a great tender 19 March 2019, 12.30-14.30, Checkland Building B407, Falmer campus.
Professor Toni Hilton The co-created life: meaning, purpose and learning Wednesday 27 March Sallis Benney Theatre, City campus Find out more and book here.
Lunchtime seminar on the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships 21 March 2019, 12.00-13.00, Watts 310, Moulsecoomb campus
Listen out for podcast interviews with each professor prior to their inaugural lecture for a sneak preview of their topic. Podcasts are available on the staffcentral hub, along with our regular podcast interviews with members of staff throughout the university.
Internationalising your research: GCRF and other sources of funding 3 April 2019, AM (tbc), Watts 311, Moulsecoomb campus. Making the most of the research mentoring relationship 16 April 2019, 12.30-14.30, Grand Parade Main Building 202, City campus.
Explore our previous inaugural lectures for insights into a variety of thought-provoking research topics.
Making the most of the research mentoring relationship 21 May 2019, 12.30-14.30, Checkland D510, Falmer campus
This stimulating exhibition aims to show how images and imagination can play a central role in research processes.
If you have any queries, please email Shahena Begum on S.Begum2@brighton.ac.uk or call on ext. 2389.
SHOW & TELL: THE IMAGE IN RESEARCH
We can simplify and say there are two kinds of images in research. There are those that show things which the researcher intends to address. We can think of those as input imagery. A collection of still photographs of broken turbine blades, for example, might be a very valuable beginning of an enquiry. Different in kind are the charts and graphs which show the results of research: this number did that; another number did something else. We might think of
Edward Street Gallery, 29 April - 10 May Open Monday - Friday 10:00 - 16:00 Concurrent digital displays at Moulsecoomb, Falmer and Eastbourne
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EVENTS FOR YOUR DIARY
RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE IN FOCUS
SAVE THE DATES
CRYOGENIC ENERGY AND ENGINE EFFICIENCY - DR KONSTANTINA VOGIATZAKI
REF2021 UPDATE MEETINGS (MARCH)
RADICAL FUTURES
Find out more about REF2021 at update meetings in March. Book now to secure your place:
The Radical Sixties: Aesthetics, Politics and Histories of Solidarity.
6 March 2019: Eastbourne, Hillbrow G41, 12:30 -14:30 11 March 2019: City, Dorset Place 501, 11:00 - 13:00 14 March 2019: Falmer, Bevendean House BE301, 12:30 – 14:30
In partnership with the Centre for Applied Philosophy, Politics and Ethics (CAPPE); Centre for Design History (CDH) and Centre for Memory, Narrative and Histories (CMNH). Friday 28 – Saturday 29 June 2019 – Grand Parade and The Old Courtroom.
For further information about REF2021, see the article on page 4.
For more information, visit the Centre for Design History website.
WRITING FOR THE CONVERSATION Find out more about sharing your research with a global audience. Researchers can book their place on an informative one-hour workshop and/or tailored one-to-one sessions.
RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE CONFERENCE 2019 Save the date for the Research and Enterprise Conference on Friday 5 July.
1 April 2019 – Eastbourne Darley Road Campus Introduction: Aldro127 (12:30 - 13.30) One-to-one sessions: Aldro122 (13.50-16:00)
This biennial event gathers together academics and professional services colleagues who contribute to the research and enterprise activity at the university. At this year’s event, we will reflect on the progress made since the launch of the Research and Enterprise Strategic Plan 2017-2021, have updates on our Brighton Futures and COREs and, of course, share our preparations for REF2021. In addition, plans are in place to host interesting and relevant workshops facilitated by inspiring external speakers.
For further information on The Conversation, see the article on page 12.
HEALTHY FUTURES ENTREPRENEURS’ CAFES Researchers involved in health research might be interested in the following events:
Reserve the day in your diary and look out for an email with more information about the event and the chance to book your place.
17 April 2019 – Stanmer House, Brighton (9:30 – 12.30) 21 June 2019 – Stanmer House, Brighton (9:30 – 12:30)
Friday 5 July 2019 - Moulsecoomb, Huxley Building, 9:30 – 17:00.
For more information, visit the Healthy Futures website. The events are invitation only, so email Susannah Davidson (S.L.Davidson@brighton.ac.uk) if you are interested in attending.
CONNECTED FUTURES DEVELOP:BRIGHTON Join Professor Karen Cham and colleagues at this industry-facing event attracting more than 2000 attendees from across the games industry.
FESTIVAL OF POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH Students and supervisors are invited to celebrate our vibrant doctoral research environment at this annual event. Book here to secure your free place by Friday 17 May.
Tuesday 9 – Thursday 11 July 2019 – Hilton Metropole, Brighton
Wednesday 22 May 2019 – Moulsecoomb, Huxley Building
Visit the Develop:Brighton website to find out more about the Develop:Research track and check the Connected Futures website for more information.
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Dr Konstantina Vogiatzaki
Dr Konstantina Vogiatzaki is a Principal Lecturer, EPSRC Innovation Fellow and member of the Advanced Engineering Centre – a centre dedicated to high-efficiency internal combustion engine (ICE) research. She talks to us here about her EPSRC-funded project, ‘Unveiling injection dynamics of cryogenic energy carriers for zero-emission highefficiency systems.’.
WHAT HAVE BEEN THE MOST REWARDING ASPECTS? Firstly, constant learning: exposure to the amazing world of cryogenic fluid thermodynamics and cryogenic fluid management. Also interesting collaborations: with my team of very enthusiastic and talented PhD students and Post docs, with colleagues from my School and the Advanced Engineering Centre (AEC) and with Professor Andreas Kronenburg and his group at the University of Stuttgart. Thirdly, practical application: this project sits at the interface of generating novel ideas at a fundamental level in the field of thermodynamics and fluid dynamics but also allows me to pursue potential application through collaboration with industrial partners (Ricardo and Libertine).
COULD YOU DESCRIBE THE PROJECT FOR A LAY AUDIENCE? Imagine a new engine that can increase efficiency by 10 per cent in comparison to conventional systems while producing zero emissions. This might sound like wishful thinking but actually it is not if novel technologies based on cryogenic fluids, ie “cool” (liquefied) energy carriers, are successfully developed.
ARE YOU EXPLORING OTHER APPLICATIONS FOR YOUR FINDINGS? Yes, and this is one of the most interesting aspects of the project. For example, the use of cryogenic fluids can be beneficial to cancerous tissue treatment. The modelling tools developed within this proposal can be used to improve the design of new cryosurgery spraying devices.
The primary focus of this project is to explore the use of these cryogenic fluids in future energy systems. These new technologies will enable the use of these fluids instead of polluting hydrocarbons, such as diesel, without compromising efficiency.
WHAT’S NEXT?
This technology will also support the renewable energy market as solar or wind energy can be used to ‘cool’ air or nitrogen to the point where they become liquids. Most importantly, because of the low boiling point of cryogens, low-grade or ambient heat can be used as the energy source, so there is no wasted energy.
I am in the process of submitting a new proposal with the University of Edinburgh in the field of complex sprays for propulsion systems and a larger scale proposal with colleagues from the AEC, Loughborough University, University of Sussex and industrial partners. I am also in discussions with the University of Southampton about a proposal relevant to porous media and cryogenic fluids for medical applications.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE WITH THIS PROJECT?
WHAT DOES AN AWARD OF THIS SCALE MEAN AT THIS STAGE OF YOUR CAREER?
We aim to create new knowledge and advanced modelling tools to unlock the dynamics of cryogenic energy and heat transfer. The findings of this research will be used to guide the development of ‘cool’ technologies to address the challenge of sustainable energy but also to help us improve therapies for skin cancer based on cryosurgery.
This project has come at the right time in my career: it is a great platform to further strengthen my research track record in the field of multiphase flows and energy systems; for example, our recent paper in collaboration with MIT was published in Physics of Fluids as the editor’s pick. It also provides the opportunity to establish myself as a key young researcher in the field of innovative energy modelling.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF THE RESEARCH SO FAR? Establishing the foundations for such a diverse and multidisciplinary project and finding the right team of research associates and post docs to support it. The project is in its first year however, and there have been no major setbacks so far.
Working closely with industrial and international partners contributes to expanding my network and internationalising my research. The project will also enable me to achieve a step change in my academic field from conventional combustion systems to the wider field of low temperature engineering, which has more diverse applications, including space and bioengineering.
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CORES FEATURED CORE: CENTRE FOR SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL POLITICS To facilitate leadership opportunities, this year we appointed Dr Nichola Khan, Reader in Anthropology, as Deputy Director, also bringing a valuable research focus upon migration and mobility, and internationalisation.
CREATING INNOVATIVE RESEARCH COLLABORATIONS From innovative outputs like podcasts, ‘zines and multi-modal research articles, many of our members have also worked collaboratively with each other for the first time as a direct result of SECP. These include funded doctoral studentships, research outputs, funding applications and external events. Collaborating across disciplines, our members push disciplinary boundaries and offer novel critical approaches to understanding and addressing urgent social and ecological challenges.
A significant portion of our annual budget enables CORE members to apply for funding to host activities. Applications need to demonstrate how the activity involves and benefits SECP members and facilitates CORE cohesion. Member generated activities facilitate a sense of belonging, whilst engendering the egalitarian ethos of SECP. We encourage co-sponsorship of events with other COREs, Futures, professional external bodies and the public sector in order to maximise collaborative working and external visibility.
Julie Doyle, Professor of Media and Communication Director of the Centre for Spatial, Environmental and Cultural Politics
NURTURING THE INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY OF PGRS AND ECRS PGRs and ECRs are at the heart of SECP. In 2018 our PGRs organised two external events: ‘Infrastructures for Troubled Times‘ PGR and ECR Symposium; and ‘Collaborative Future Fictions’ Workshops and Symposium, with the ONCA Gallery. PGRs are supported by an assigned mentor from the CORE. This year, our PGRs are working with two senior members of SECP to host a ‘Refugee and Migration Film Festival’ as part of the Brighton Fringe Festival (May 2019). Artist Jacob V Joyce draws visionary fictions at the Collaborative Future Fictions Symposium, ONCA Gallery, co-organised by PGR students from SECP. Photograph by Melina Campos Ortiz
The Centre for Spatial, Environmental and Cultural Politics (SECP) is a collegiate, interdisciplinary research centre that addresses urgent ecological and social challenges through a unique focus upon their interconnected spatial, cultural and political dimensions.
WORKING COLLABORATIVELY ACROSS DISCIPLINES AND CAREER STAGES We are an active group of researchers, comprising over 40 members of staff and over 20 Postgraduate Research students (PGRs) from a range of disciplines, including geography, political ecology, media and communication studies, critical psychology, anthropology, creative arts, politics, criminology, sociology, conservation and ecology. Central to our ethos is the nurturing of individual career development and collaborative research opportunities at all career stages. The CORE management structure ensures formal representation of all career levels and disciplines, including PGRs, Early Career Researchers (ECRs), mid-career and professorial level board members.
Working across a range of disciplines, from the arts and humanities, and natural and social sciences, our critical attention is focused upon four interrelated themes: environmental and climate change; human and non-human migration and mobilities; spatial articulations of power; and emergent ecological and social visions. Working extensively with a range of non-academic partners from across the public and private sectors, our researchers are able to pro-actively identify and respond to real world challenges through collaborative critical practice, producing new knowledge for the creation of more socially just and sustainable societies.
As a senior researcher, I really like the way the centre fosters communication and collaboration between academic staff and postgraduate students at all career stages. Everyone has a say, and some of the best ideas for centre events have come from postgrads.
I am proud to be part of a CORE dedicated to addressing pressing issues utilising inclusive, interdisciplinary and innovative perspectives.
I am so enthused by the sheer creative energy and enthusiasm generated within the centre for new collaborations, and for pushing new interdisciplinary frontiers. This is entirely due to the support and collegiality members extend each other across all career stages and to the inclusive ethos Julie prioritised right from the start.
In March 2019, a group of SECP ECRs are hosting a ‘Criminalising Dissent’ symposium and have also organised workin-progress writing support seminars for CORE members.
Niki Khan, Deputy Director of SECP
As a PGR member I have found SECP hugely supportive and encouraging in terms of both doing my research and organising events. As an interdisciplinary researcher, the centre very much feels like my academic home in the university.
We have 13 Centres of Research and Enterprise Excellence (COREs) and will feature one CORE in each issue of the Research and Enterprise Newsletter.
Kate Monson, PGR student
What I like most about the centre is its PGR community. It gave me something that the school [alone] could not provide - a group of peers that research similar themes and are interested in creating spaces for social and intellectual engagement.
Academic staff, researchers and postgraduate research students are encouraged to align their work with any relevant CORE, REG or Future. It is possible to join more than one research and enterprise structure. Do please feel welcome to approach them as detailed on their websites.
Shai Kassirer, PGR student
Find out more about our CORES online. Details of the outputs and activities completed by members of COREs and REGs are available on our Pure website at research.brighton.ac.uk
David Nash, Professor of Physical Geography
Matthew Adams, Principal Lecturer in Psychology
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BRIGHTON FUTURES INTRODUCTION
As you will see from the information on these key events, all of our Brighton Futures are now fully engaged in disseminating our research and establishing partnerships both within and beyond the university. Networking events have been very successful in highlighting the potential benefits to local businesses, health and social providers and community partners of working with our researchers. Conferences have brought international academics and activists to Brighton, bringing fresh insight to global challenges and a forthcoming exhibition promises to bring a wider audience to images of research. These activities are vital to our mission to co-develop our work with partners nationally and internationally to ensure that our thinking, analyses and findings disrupt accepted ideas and address the most pressing issues facing society. Professor Andrew Church, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise)
CONNECTED FUTURES
CREATIVE FUTURES
In July 2019, Connected Futures will be curating an applied research showcase at influential games industry conference DEVELOP:Brighton.
In April and May 2019, Creative Futures will be hosting an exhibition exploring the use and interpretation of images in research processes.
Working closely with colleagues at Abertay University they will curate critical research presentations, workshops and demonstrations that address the technological, aesthetic and cultural developments that games developers need to be informed of to ensure their continued success in the immersive experience economy.
The exhibition, Show & Tell: The Image in Research, will run from 29 April to 10 May 2019 at the Edward Street Gallery, and will showcase research images produced from workshops, laboratories and studios across all areas of the university.
The aim is to produce a special edition journal to publish the work produced in the field of gaming, serious games, play and gamification research and to consolidate a knowledge transfer relationship with the global games industry to demonstrate our potential for research impact in this future-facing and rapidly evolving field. As an industry-facing event attracting more than 2000 attendees from across the games industry DEVELOP:Brighton is an excellent opportunity to showcase industry-facing research, identify potential collaborators and gain insight into the technical and creative innovation shaping the sector. DEVELOP:Brighton takes place between 9 and 11 July, at the Hilton Metropole on the seafront in Brighton. Find out more on the website at DEVELOP:Brighton.
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The exhibition aims to show how visual images and imagination play a central role in research processes - those that show things which the researcher intends to address, revealing sudden moments of insight leading to research breakthroughs, and those that help to transmit the research process or results with clarity and speed. This is part of a range of cross-disciplinary events which bring together researchers from across the university to explore the role of creativity and the visual in research. For further information see the article on page 16
HEALTHY FUTURES
University of Brighton researchers are joining forces with entrepreneurs and community groups to build a social and commercial network tasked with improving health, accelerating innovation and enhancing competitiveness in the city area. The network will be established through a series of Healthy Futures Entrepreneurs’ Cafés; the first took place in December and was attended by representatives from companies producing biomedical, pharmaceutical and digital health products and innovation as well as leaders of social enterprises on the front line of family therapy, youth mental health and adult primary care. This will be followed by two further cafés: • 17 April 2019, Stanmer House, Brighton, 9.30 - 12.30 • 21 June 2019, Stanmer House, Brighton, 9.30 - 12.30 The initiative has been welcomed by businesses and organisations from the city. Councillor Garry Wall, Chairman of Greater Brighton says ‘Collaboration between public authorities, business and academia is crucial if our City Region, stretching from Brighton north to Gatwick, is able to continue to grow and fulfil its potential.’
RADICAL FUTURES
Radical Futures hosted a landmark conference: ‘Critical Theories in a Global Context’ in January. The conference, which was organised by the International Consortium of Critical Theory (ICCT), the Department of Politics at Boğaziçi University, Turkey, and the University of Brighton heard from scholars from countries around the world including South Africa, Lebanon, and Turkey. Radical Future’s academic lead Dr Mark Devenney said the event took place at an unprecedented time: “The conference examined a range of problems which are global in scale, ranging from refugee crises, inequalities in wealth, sexist, xenophobic and provocative hate speech to the emergence of right wing populist parties and aimed to reinvigorate critical and theoretical approaches.” Dr Devenney interviewed renowned gender theorist Judith Butler at the event. In a wide-ranging discussion, she said “A consortium like this facilitates new forms of dialogue but also new kinds of alliance and even coalition.”
RESPONSIBLE FUTURES
In 2018, Responsible Futures hosted globally renowned Afrogallonism artist Serge Attukwei Clottey as part of our interdisciplinary Arts 4 Community project. In addition, we supported events in both China and the UK focusing on Dr Yang’s research into new ways to extend the life of resource-hungry products. In March 2019, Responsible Futures sponsored the Waste Zone exhibition and symposium at the Futurebuild event held at Excel London. Futurebuild is the leading built environment event for industry professionals where visitors from around the world are urged to take action on the most pressing challenges. Curated by Duncan Baker-Brown, Senior Lecturer – and in partnership with the School of Architecture and Design – the Waste Zone exhibition will show how waste can be a valuable resource for the construction industry. Over 60 speakers have been invited to discuss the opportunities that the circular economy presents. Attracting international key players, the event is an opportunity to showcase our research and enterprise and make a contribution to contemporary debate. For more information, listen to the podcast with Duncan Baker-Brown
For further information see the article on page 10
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GETTING TO GRIPS WITH RESEARCH SERVICES
SPOTLIGHT ON A RESEARCHER
INGRID PUGH
PROFESSOR ANDY HOBSON
Ingrid Pugh is Assistant Director, Research Services, in the Research, Enterprise and Social Partnerships (RESP) department. Ingrid shares responsibility for managing the RESP department with Dr Shona Campbell and Ronit Rose. She manages the research pre-award team and is the University’s Research Excellence Framework (REF) Manager.
TELL US ABOUT THE ROLE OF RESEARCH SERVICES My team support the development of research bids, which includes sourcing funding opportunities and assisting with drafting and costing of applications. We also provide researcher development support through the R&E workshop programme, the development and delivery of the Concordat Implementation Plan and internal research initiatives such as Sabbaticals and Rising Stars. We have a dedicated Impact Manager who supports academics to ensure that their research can make a difference beyond the university sector and we are responsible for Pure, the university’s new Research Information System. Finally, and a huge focus over the next two years, is the REF.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT YOUR ROLE? I really like the fact that we work both on a policy level, ensuring that the university has good frameworks to support staff whilst protecting risk and reputation, but also that much of our work is about supporting individuals to secure funding or to progress their
careers. Research is about the creation of knowledge, which is an exciting environment to be in. We work with academics who are passionate about what they do and that can be extremely rewarding. It always amazes me that, after 20 years at the university, I can still come across areas of research here that I didn’t know we do. I love working with the variety of research and the fact that much of it is designed to make a genuine impact to wider society.
WHAT DO YOU FEEL HAS BEEN THE TEAM’S MOST SUCCESSFUL ACHIEVEMENT AND WHY? Staying almost sane for the development and submission of the three previous RAE/REFs. No matter how well you plan there are always a million last-minute changes to make and bits of checking to do. It’s a massive team effort and everyone pulls together to make sure that we get the submission in.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? It’s really tempting just to keep talking about the REF, but, I am also extremely proud of the Research Services Team who are extremely committed to what they do. I’m really fortunate to work with such a dedicated and enthusiastic group of people. Every time we hear about a successful grant, no matter how big or small, we celebrate. It’s great to think that we’ve played a part in helping an individual to get money to conduct the research that they want to do.
WHAT’S THE BEST BIT OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED? It’s not particularly original, and it’s very hard to do. The advice I always try to remember is to try not to worry about the things that you can’t change or at least influence. Much easier said than done but it’s useful to remind yourself when things feel out of control.
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Peter Tomlinson, who was my PhD supervisor, and Dr Angi Malderez, my co-investigator on several projects. I learned both from Peter’s meticulous attention to detail, and Angi’s fundamental commitment to the emotional and psychological needs of individual people in working for organisational and systemic change and improvement.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES AND PLANS FOR RESEARCH SERVICES? I would hope that we can continue to provide a high-level of professional support for all research-active staff in the university.
RESEARCH SERVICES TEAM Ingrid Pugh – Assistant Director RESP, Research Services Fran Seballos – Research Impact Manager Anne Galliot – Research Policy and Initiatives Advisor Simon Heath – Research Information Officer Francesca Anderson – Head of Research Development Mairead Stickings – European Funding Manager Tiarne Barratt – Research Development Officer (PABS) Daniel Sweet – Research Development Officer (Health Sciences & SASS) Laura Shockley – Research Development Officer (BBS, Art, Media, Architecture & Design) Alice Caryer – Research Development Officer (CEM, Humanities) Sui-Mee Chan - Research Development Officer (SET, SASM, Education)
Contact bidsupport@brighton.ac.uk for enquiries about applications for research funding. See our staffcentral pages for more information on Research and enterprise workshops.
WHY DID YOU BECOME A RESEARCHER? Having taught ‘A’ Level Sociology for several years, I was inspired by some of the research I was teaching about. I’m talking about research such as Laud Humphreys’ Tearoom Trade: Impersonal sex in public places, or William Foote Whyte’s Street Corner Society. I was intrigued by methodological and philosophical debates relating to such research and by the potential for research to have a positive impact on people’s lives. So I became keen to conduct my own research and I chose to focus on people’s experiences of becoming a teacher.
DESCRIBE A TYPICAL WORKING DAY Some working days are largely comprised of meetings, often relating to the leadership of the School of Education, research leadership, research projects, and one-to-one meetings with doctoral students or research mentees. Some days involve research fieldwork, data analysis and/or the development of research outputs of various kinds. On Saturday and/or Sunday mornings I carry out my duties as editor of the International Journal of Mentoring & Coaching in Education, which includes liaising with authors, reviewers and my co- and associate editors, and editing manuscripts.
WHO HAS INFLUENCED YOU MOST IN YOUR CAREER AND WHY? I have been lucky to enjoy 20 years of support, from both Emeritus Professor
WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU HAVE EVER UNDERTAKEN? Attempting to forge harmonious and productive working relationships with human beings who sometimes seem to look for reasons to be in conflict with one another, or who don’t always appear to agree that (all) people (and their emotional and psychological needs) matter.
IF YOU COULD INVITE THREE PEOPLE TO DINNER, WHO WOULD THEY BE? Tough question, but my current thinking is that I would invite: Dian Fossey, to hear about her exceptional work with Rwandan mountain gorillas; Nelson Mandela, to learn more about his remarkable life story; and Marcelo Bielsa, the hugely influential and wonderfully enigmatic current head coach and potential saviour of my beloved Leeds United.
WHAT’S THE BEST BIT OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED? That we learn more by listening than by talking and that, in some circumstances, it is best not to give voice to our opinions. It isn’t always easy to heed this advice but I try my best.
WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT? I would say having a positive impact on the development and wellbeing of teachers. More generally, I feel that one of my greatest achievements is being vegetarian for 35 years and
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counting, which was especially difficult in the early days. I celebrate all efforts to eliminate prejudice and discrimination of various kinds amongst fellow humans, and to stop inflicting pain and suffering on non-human animals who are capable of experiencing pain and suffering in similar ways that we are. But my greatest achievement lies in the part I have played in bringing three wonderful children into the world, just as my greatest pleasure is in watching them grow.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ADVICE TO ANYONE CONTEMPLATING A CAREER IN YOUR FIELD? I’d quote Dr Aidan McGarry’s response to the same question: “Find something that you really love and do that” – if you can. Whatever field anyone is considering for a future career, I would also advise them to do their research, consider the pros and cons of a wider range of options, talk with as many people as possible and try to gain some practical experience of the type of work in question, in more than one place. Don’t assume that being an educational researcher, teacher or whatever in one institution is the same as holding a similar position in another institution. I have interviewed many teachers who’ve been thoroughly miserable in one school before moving and reporting high levels of job satisfaction in another. And vice versa!
WHAT WOULD BE THE RESEARCH PROJECT YOU’D MOST LIKE TO WORK ON? I would love to undertake some covert observation (as participant or non-participant, as appropriate) in relation to various research interests, both for the intrigue and the fact that it can provide more authentic insights into certain forms of social interaction than other methods. But the potential for causing harm is normally too great to make a legitimate case for employing covert methods, and any such proposal would be unlikely to receive ethical approval. these days.