Inside Winter 2019 Issue 18
d e p l e h “BU I e r e h w me get � y a d o t am How the four Alumni of the Year Award 2019 winners continue to influence the next generation of graduates
For
students and staff
All the latest news from YOUR university Global opportunities for students and staff Our sustainability success stories Shaping the world through research
Student Services Going to university is a great experience, but there can be difficult times, which is why our support services are on hand to promote wellbeing for all our students. Whatever your needs we have a range of services to help, including the following: • • • • •
AskBU Accommodation Art at BU Careers & Employability Disability & Additional Learning Support • Faith & Reflection • Financial Support
• • • •
Immigration & visas Medical Centre SportBU Student Support & Engagement • Student Wellbeing • University Music
Where can you find support? Your first point of contact when looking for advice and information should be AskBU, who can be found at The Base, on the ground floor of Poole House and in Bournemouth House Library. AskBU can help you with practical things, but can also direct you to all of the above services.
Contact details AskBU are open Monday to Friday Phone 01202 969696 or email askBU@bournemouth.ac.uk www.bournemouth.ac.uk/students/askbu-contact-us www.bournemouth.ac.uk/student-services
Inside
Welcome
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SUBU President’s column
5
News from around BU
6
Volunteering at BU
7
Sustainability success
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Strategic Investment Areas
Welcome to the latest edition of InsideBU – the magazine that shares some of the enriching and inspirational stories from the BU community.
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International mobility
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Building a better future
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Service excellence
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Alumni of the Year Awards winners
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Research impact
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We Meet…Tania Humphries-Smith and Jasmine Minogue
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By day by night with Curie Scott
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#BUProud photo gallery
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Dates for your diary
Winter 2019 | Issue 18
Cover image – BU graduate Councillor Christopher Hammond. Find out more on pages 14 and 15. Credit: Jonathan Beal
from John Vinney
At the start of any new academic year, it is good to reflect on our purpose here at BU. Our purpose is to inspire learning, advance knowledge and enrich society, through our Fusion of education, research and practice. This issue of InsideBU looks at the impact BU, our students and staff are having on both a local and global scale. We are advancing knowledge by developing and implementing realworld solutions to societal challenges; on page 16 and 17 you’ll find some fantastic examples of the impact our staff are having through their quest to shape and change the world around us through research. We want to enrich society by making a contribution globally – one way we can do this is by supporting our students and staff to study, work or volunteer outside of the UK. It’s so important to experience new cultures and discover different ways of learning or working, and on pages 10 and 11 we take a look at some of the experiences our students and staff have had through various funding options. These may be uncertain times but these opportunities will still be available for some time and we encourage students and staff to take them up. We can also have an impact a lot closer to home – and on page 6 you can learn more about the Volunteering Policy that we’ll be launching soon. By volunteering, staff and students can contribute to society as active citizens in the community. When our students graduate, they go on to make a real difference in the world. On pages 14 and 15 you can read about our Alumni of the Year Award winners and find out about the long-lasting impact they are having, and how their experience at BU is helping them to enrich society.
How to submit
As always, we want to hear your feedback so please do continue sharing your stories and successes at insidebu@bournemouth.ac.uk.
If you would like to submit a story for the next issue of InsideBU, please email insidebu@bournemouth.ac.uk. We reserve the right to edit your copy and the editor’s decision is final.
Printed on FSC certified paper from sustainable forests.
Alternative formats are available on request: formats@bournemouth.ac.uk InsideBU | Winter 2019 | 3
News from around BU Meet Ade
President of the Students’ Union Bournemouth University (SUBU) As this issue has a focus on impact, we thought it an ideal opportunity to talk about SUBU’s The Big Give. This initiative has run for a number of years to encourage students to donate their unwanted end-of-year clothing, books, homewares and bric-a-brac to charity before they go home or leave for the summer. You may have previously noticed donation bins and metal boxes at both campuses and halls of residence and even the street collections in Winton and Charminster. This year we collected 5,041 donation bags, more than doubling last year’s figure of 1,768, which raised over £31,000 for the British Heart Foundation. What’s interesting about The Big Give is that it was started by an international student in 2011 as a volunteering project. They had noticed a high number of household items being thrown away by fellow students when moving out of halls and planned a project to take over a room on the ground floor where students could leave donated items, which could then be given to charity. This first project in Corfe House was so successful that staff based in the halls asked SUBU to continue it for future years. The Big Give has grown steadily from one student’s idea, whose impact on SUBU, BU, the local community and other students is now considerable. The project is an excellent example of how SUBU and BU work in partnership with external stakeholders to fundraise and give back to the local community. Find out more about SUBU at www. subu.org.uk. 4 | Spring 2019 | InsideBU
Striving for excellence in the digital space BU’s IT Services is delivering an ambitious seven-year programme of work through the Digital Enablers and IT Investment Programmes that will transform the way services and information is delivered to students, staff and partners. These programmes are made up of a diverse range of projects that will provide a world class digital experience with IT systems and hardware that will change the way we work, study, and interact. A number of projects are underway, including a rolling programme of computer upgrades for students and staff and the introduction of a brand new HR & Payroll system. IT Services is also collaborating with the Estates team to provide a modern and flexible learning and teaching environment in both Gateway Buildings, due to open in 2020. As part of this project, brand new technobooths have been fitted across campus with updated furniture and improved access for wheelchair users. There are also bigger, higher resolution touch-enabled screens and wireless presenting capabilities, allowing students to broadcast content from their own devices. Look out for other exciting changes still to come that will have a wide-reaching and positive impact on the student and staff digital experience at BU.
Innovation and excellence at BU BU’s vision is to be recognised worldwide as a leading university for inspiring learning, advancing knowledge and enriching society through the fusion of education, research and practice. This requires us to innovate and continue to develop excellent teaching practices. To support new approaches in teaching across BU, the Centre for Excellence in Learning (CEL) has been repositioned as the Centre for
Fusion Learning, Innovation and Excellence (FLIE). FLIE will work with staff in the design, delivery and evaluation of excellent and innovative education practice across BU. The team will use bespoke, focused support to meet individual departments’ needs and enable them to further develop their strategies for learning excellence. You can find out more about FLIE at www.bournemouth.ac.uk/flie.
BU purchases Chapel Gate site BU has purchased the Chapel Gate sports site from Bournemouth and District Recreational Charity to allow us to further develop sports for staff, students and the community. Chapel Gate, based near Bournemouth International Airport, houses a wide range of facilities and fields for sports such as football, rugby, cricket, hockey and squash. The site will continue to be used as a community facility and will be managed by BU Community Business Ltd which has been set up to ensure community and university activities continue to thrive. BU has been a user of the site for a number of years, with university clubs and teams training and playing there. The purchase of Chapel Gate will allow us to create deeper links with the community and further develop a sports community around the area, as well as provide a continuing space for staff and students to use.
BU’s TEF Silver award extended BU has had its Silver award in the Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework (TEF) extended to 2021. The Silver award was originally given to BU in 2017 as a part of a Government initiative to provide recognition to universities for the quality of their teaching, learning environment and student outcomes.
Street Support Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Street Support Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) connects people and organisations to try and reduce homelessness in the local area. BU has been instrumental in the development of Street Support BCP, with both student and staff involvement. Ian Jones, Head of Regional Community Partnerships at BU, has been working with local businesses and organisations to encourage them to communicate with
one another to establish effective ways to tackle homelessness. Claire Devaney, a Student Support and Engagement Coordinator at BU, also works as a Project Support Officer for Street Support with assistance from BU student, Charlotte Willis.
The award was granted for an initial maximum three year period and was due to end in 2020. BU, along with a number of other higher education institutions, has been informed that this award will now remain in place until 2021, when a reassessment process will take place. The definition of TEF Silver is that the institution is ‘delivering high quality teaching, learning and outcomes for its students. It consistently exceeds rigorous national quality requirements for UK higher education’.
BU will continue to work closely with Street Support BCP, so please continue to look out for more information. To find out more, please visit www.streetsupport. net/bournemouth. InsideBU | Spring 2019 | 5
Make a
DIFFERENCE! Ahead of launching our staff volunteering scheme, we look at the benefits of getting involved and giving back to our community.
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art of the BU vision is for staff, students and BU graduates to enrich society as active citizens in their communities. We believe that one way to do this is to offer our staff the opportunity to take part in volunteering activities. The benefits of volunteering are wide and varied, not only for those on the receiving end of these activities, but also those taking part and the organisations that empower them to do so. The benefits of individuals giving back to the community include: • Happier, healthier people • A sense of pride in place of work/study • Creation of stronger teams/a feeling of belonging • Opportunities to develop new skills. When people are actively involved in volunteering they are more likely to feel valued, proud of where they work or study and become brand ambassadors for their organisation as a result. We want to build on these feelings of positivity and channel the enormous breadth of knowledge and skills we have here at BU to give back to the community that we are such an integral part of. A fantastic example of staff using their knowledge and skills to benefit our local community is the opportunity our Marketing &
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Communications department had to work with four local charities; Dorset Mind, Dorset Children’s Foundation, Hope Housing and The SAMEE Project. Each charity was looking for advice and inspiration to help them develop new marketing plans. They challenged the various teams in the department to use their expertise to spark new, fresh ideas that they could potentially develop into a tangible project and their feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Derek Hawley, from The SAMEE Project, which helps people with the basics of starting and running their new business ventures says: “Both myself and the Board of Trustees were extremely impressed with the output the team provided. “The voluntary sector has a real challenge in getting resources to maintain and develop the much-needed work in our community. At SAMEE, we can see real opportunities to develop projects to work with BU which will deliver great value for both organisations.”
Are you using your skills in some way to help others? Tell us about any volunteering projects you’re currently involved in by emailing insidebu@bournemouth.ac.uk.
Sustainability success From bees to bikes, BU is determined to make a positive impact on our local environment. Bees Everyone loves bees, and rightly so. Not only do they produce delicious honey, they also pollinate a third of everything we eat, which is why there is serious concern about their rapidly declining numbers. Despite how critical they are to our existence, UK honeybee colonies have halved in the past 20 years. Enter David and Helga Aldersey, who have created a home for honeybees at the heart of BU – on the roof of the Fusion Building on Talbot Campus. David says, “Because of problems that humans have introduced, bees are going to be doomed without our help. It’s vitally important we have beekeepers.” See what the buzz is about at www.bournemouth.ac.uk/sustainability-stories.
Above: David and Helga Aldersey pictured with the hive on the Fusion Building roof. The pair have been keeping bees for nearly 20 years, and are passionate about helping to increase their numbers.
Cycling Cycling is one of the easiest, cheapest and most sustainable ways to get fit and healthy, and environmentally it helps address problems like air quality and pollution – so is it time for you to get on your bike?
Right: BU’s ‘Fusion Honey’ is made by the colony of bees that live on the top of the Fusion Buildings.
If you want to start cycling but you don’t have a bike, the BU Bike Scheme could be of interest to you. Find out more at www. bournemouth.ac.uk/bu-bike-scheme. There are lots of facilities for cyclists at BU including secure storage compounds for your bikes, showers and changing facilities. Head to www.bournemouth. ac.uk/facilities-campus to see where they are.
Take action! We’re fortunate to live in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. From the dramatic coastline to the New Forest, getting out and about in our local area is hugely beneficial for both our physical and mental health; so it’s down to us as individuals to take care of where we live.
“Because of problems that humans have introduced, bees are going to be doomed without our help.”
If you’re interested in having your bike serviced free of charge, the Bike Doctor regularly visits both campuses. Find out when the Doctor is next on site at www.bournemouth.ac.uk/bike-doctor-campus.
Every small action you take can ultimately have a big effect. Whether you leave your car at home one day a week, try a meat-free day or replace your usual disposable coffee cup for a reusable one, you have the power to protect and transform our world.
Find out what you can do to help our local environment: www.bournemouth.ac.uk/sustainability. InsideBU | Winter 2019 | 7
Strengthening our
FUTURE InsideBU takes a look at the four key Strategic Investment Areas (SIAs) that will provide new and exciting opportunities and will be vital to developing BU’s strengths in the future.
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s part of our strategic plan – BU2025 – we have identified four key areas that will help us to grow and develop. Called ‘Strategic Areas of Investment’, we’ve outlined them here and explained what they are.
Animation, Simulation & Visualisation (ASV) This area will see us focus on technical research, development and applications across a range of fields, including: • Computer animation, VFX (visual effects), games technology and film
link our existing expertise in ASV in a truly interdisciplinary way, leading research with tangible impacts for people, and enabling a transformation in our educational programmes.”
• Opportunities for personalisation within health and medical services
Sustainability, Low Carbon Technology & Materials Science (SLCTMS)
• Animation, visualisation and simulation support for assistive technology
This will encompass research from science, social science and humanities in order to look at environmental, social, economic and cultural sustainability. The areas of focus will include:
• The modelling of conservation, heritage, ecology and ecosystems • Data analytics, visualisation, augmented reality and modelling of medical technology and applications. Professor Kate Welham is the convenor for this SIA and comments: “It’s a really exciting time for building this SIA, as it brings together a range of themes which are increasingly touching on many important parts of all our daily lives. We have a real opportunity to
“We will be seeking to build partnerships and invest in fundamental knowledge development to address current and emerging challenges.” Professor Janet Dickinson 8 | Winter 2019 | InsideBU
• Conservation, ecology and ecosystems • Energy science, low-carbon technology and energy network development • Sustainability policy including legal, computing and data privacy, environmental, conservation, materials development and use (including the circular economy), science and energy policy • Computing, Geographic Information Systems and remote sensing modelling and applications • Materials science and applications. Professor Janet Dickinson, who will lead this SIA, says: “The Sustainability, Low Carbon Technology and Materials Science SIA builds on BU’s growing profile of research and education aligned to a more sustainable future, which is a fundamental tenet of our corporate strategy, BU2025. We will be seeking to build partnerships and invest in fundamental knowledge development to address current and emerging challenges.”
A new Institute for the Modelling of Socio-Environmental Transitions (IMSET) has also recently been established to look at how environmental change affected previous societies and how they responded to the change, to aid us to understand the most sustainable options for today’s communities. While much work has been done in this area, it has been based on computer modelling only. IMSET will uniquely use historical data combined with bespoke computer modelling to provide critical insights.
The Medical Science SIA is headed up by Professor Stephen Tee, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences. Professor Tee says: “We already have a very strong portfolio of health and social science research and education programmes and the planned growth of medical science at BU will complement and build on existing networks. This is an exciting development for the university and one with far reaching impact for patients and public health.”
Medical Science (MS)
Assistive Technology (AT)
The Medical Sciences team is looking at the study of the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease.
This focuses on research around improving the lives of people with disabilities or other impairments or frailties. The convener of the steering group for this Strategic Investment Area is Dr Christos Gatzidis. This SIA will include:
This will include research and knowledge exchange in the area of medical imaging and visualisation, orthopaedics, data science and healthy ageing; an expansion of our education portfolio into medical and biomedical science, physician associate studies, advanced practice with exploration of the wider potential for programmes in medicine; and the evolution of our partnership with the NHS through Dorset’s Integrated Care System with the aim of establishing a medical academy. BU has also established a new Institute of Medical Imaging & Visualisation, thanks to £1.4 million in Local Growth Funding. Working in partnership with education, clinical practice and commercial partners, the institute will become a hub for medical imaging and simulation, including for prosthetics and cybernetics. It will be based in the new Bournemouth Gateway Building, which is scheduled to open during 2020.
• The digitalisation and personalisation of secure, connected health and medical services • The design of sensory (cognitive modelling) and remote-sensing developments • Data analytics and adaptive AI for autonomous, interactive and assistive technology • Robotics, non-technology, control systems and cybernetics • Materials science and additive manufacturing applications (for example, 3D printing). To keep updated with the work of the SIAs, please email sia@bournemouth.ac.uk. InsideBU | Winter 2019 | 9
BU students and staff:
Global opportunities at BU Global staff and student mobility brings great benefits, offering invaluable international experience, networking in the relevant professional or academic fields and enhanced student employability. Funding is available to work, study or volunteer in Europe and beyond. We talk to four people who have taken up an opportunity to become part of our global community.
Are you interested in gaining experience abroad? If you’re a student, visit www.bournemouth.ac.uk/studentmobility-opportunities. If you’re a staff member, search for ‘staff mobility scheme’ on the staff intranet.
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Dr Roberts worked with Inland Fisheries Ireland, helping with their salmon and trout management goals
Martha worked on a Greek island, communicating the conservation efforts of different projects
Research training: An ecologist in Ireland
Study abroad: A business student in Canada
Dr Catherine Gutmann Roberts is a postdoctoral researcher in migration ecology who spent a training week in Ireland.
Harry Fountain is a BA (Hons) Business Management student who spent a semester abroad in Canada.
“I had a fantastic week training and networking with Inland Fisheries Ireland, on the River Erriff. I learnt about monitoring done on the Erriff which feeds into evidence used by the International Council for Exploration of the Sea and The North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization.
“I was lucky enough to study abroad at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, Canada. The town is quite small but has incredible views around campus and downtown. I chose to study Advertising, E-Commerce, Human Resources, and Teamwork in Organisations during my semester.
“Inland Fisheries benefitted from having an experienced researcher on their team for the week, helping with their salmon and trout management goals.
“Studying abroad has been one of the best experiences of my life and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I have become much more independent and confident. It’s amazing to be able to travel around the world, meeting great people whilst studying at the same time.”
“Working with Inland Fisheries will facilitate research that might involve students and result in internationally important publications. We are hopeful that the research could increase salmon numbers and lead to more sustainability in life below the water.”
Knowledge exchange: A social media officer in Helsinki Jasmine Connolly is BU’s Social Media Officer and visited Helsinki to learn from a university’s Corporate Communications team. “In June, I undertook Erasmus+ training in Helsinki, Finland’s southern capital city. I arrived just after the Midsummer Festival, which meant there were only four hours of darkness a day. “I spent valuable time with the Corporate Communications team at Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences. I learnt about the way they manage their media relations, social media, internal communications and alumni relations as well as the Finnish education system. I came away with plenty of ideas and inspiration to share with my team. “Helsinki is a fascinating place, so close to Russia and Estonia, and I enjoyed learning about Finns and their culture.”
“Studying abroad has been one of the best experiences of my life and I would do it again in a heartbeat.” Placement: Conservation in the Aegean by a media student Martha Davis is a BA (Hons) Communication & Media student who spent her placement working with a media team on a Greek island. “Last year I moved to Samos, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, joining the media team at Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation. The team’s key role is to communicate the conservation efforts of different projects. “The largest project I worked on was the development of the Aegean Marine Life Sanctuary, a rehabilitation and medical centre for dolphins and other marine mammals located on Lipsi. “The most enjoyable aspect of my placement was working with people from all over the world and from widely different fields. Collaborating with such a range of experts to help protect Greece’s amazing ecosystems and wildlife was really incredible.” InsideBU | Winter 2019 | 11
Gateway T to a better
he Bournemouth Gateway Building (BGB) on Lansdowne Campus will provide specialist equipment for our health and social science students, including a state-of-the-art MRI scanner. It will also be home to the new Institute of Medical Imaging and Visualisation (IMIV). InsideBU spoke to Dr Jamie Franklin, a Consultant Radiologist at Royal Bournemouth Hospital and Head of the IMIV.
FUTURE Due to open in 2020, BU’s Gateway buildings will not only provide state-of-the-art facilities, but will also have a considerable wider impact in the region. Artist’s impression of the Poole Gateway Building
“The IMIV and the MRI Centre are important components of the university’s vision, as BU develops its capacity in medical education and research, and it’s a huge honour to be involved in their development. “For the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, Poole Hospital and the future combined Trust, the IMIV and MRI Centre will provide valuable additional scanning capacity and capabilities, offering exciting opportunities to expand clinical imaging research both within the university and on NHS sites. “BU’s focus on medical sciences will be a major stimulus to clinical engagement in education and research. For radiologists and radiographers in particular, the focus on medical imaging will create fantastic opportunities to diversify and progress their careers locally, helping us to attract and retain colleagues.” BU has a reputation as being one of the leading academic institutions in computer animation, TV and media production. The Poole Gateway Building (PGB) on Talbot Campus will provide the high quality, world-class technical facilities needed to continue to innovate in this area. In 2019, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) announced a new partnership between UK universities and Albert, who are the authority on environmental sustainability for film and TV. This partnership brings universities together with the screen industries to tackle their environmental impact and inspire sustainable living. BU was the lead partner in setting up this collaboration and has been instrumental in establishing a specialist course which will highlight the environmental impact of the film and TV industries, and sustainable production practices that mitigate against this. The building itself will support the ethos behind the partnership as it has been designed to achieve a Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method sustainability rating of ‘Excellent’.
Above L-R: Artist impressions of the BGB and PGB
To find out more about the Gateway buildings, head to www.bournemouth.ac.uk/building-gateway-your-future.
Artist’s impression of the Bournemouth Gateway Building
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Service excellence at BU InsideBU takes a look at the ways people across the university are using the concept of service excellence to improve what they do and how they do it.
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t BU, people are our main asset and it’s up to all of us to ensure students, staff and visitors to our campus gain the best experience possible while they’re here. That’s where ‘service excellence’ takes centre stage. It’s understandable that we may not relate what we do at the university to the concept of ‘service’. We might not obviously call it ‘service excellence’ but as long as we’re passionate about what we do, embrace the BU values and deliver excellence consistently, it doesn’t matter what it’s called. One of the key events in the BU calendar is the Service Excellence Conference. Each year, over 300 members of staff gather to learn from inspiring speakers. Colleagues from all over BU also get the chance to network with one another – and learning from others is a great way to ensure that service excellence continues to evolve and thrive.
experiences (head); the way we do things (hand); and our emotions, empathy and a caring approach (heart) as areas of equal importance interrelated to each other. So next time you’re in a position to offer service excellence to someone, ask yourself
The guidance provided by service excellence has helped the admissions team to feel valued by BU, which ultimately means they are equipped to make our applicants feel valued. This year, the Service Excellence Actions were launched – simple concepts that staff can easily embed in order to achieve great service excellence – based on a ‘head, hand and heart’ principle. This concept means we take into account our knowledge and
To find out more about service excellence, head to www.bournemouth.ac.uk/serviceexcellence.
Always making a great BU impression Consideration, kindness and a caring approach Taking a positive outlook in all we do and all we say
Staff continually feed back that what they have seen and heard during these conferences has filtered into their daily lives. For example, following the last conference, the admissions team created the ‘Admissions Charter’ which helped them understand how BU’s overall values applied to them. This charter developed into twelve key ‘admissions values’ that are used for self-reflection at one-to-one meetings with managers and to steer personal development.
what you can do to make the difference between a great experience, or one they would rather forget.
Inspired to make others feel special Opportunities to make things right
Service Excellence is what we do with our head, hand and heart
Nurture relationships leaving an exceptional lasting BU impression
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t e g e m d e p l e h “BU y a d o t m a I e r e h w ” InsideBU talks to the four Alumni of the Year Award 2019 winners to find out what impact BU had on them – and how they continue to influence the next generation of graduates.
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he Alumni of the Year Awards were new for 2018 and are a celebration of the diverse achievements of BU graduates. They are nominated by BU staff and members of the alumni community. This year’s four winners reflect achievements in each of the areas that make up BU’s core purpose - inspiring learning, advancing knowledge, and enriching society.
Christopher Hammond Studied BA (Hons) Television Production. He is the Leader of Southampton City Council. “Everybody has a different route to the career they end up doing; we tend to compartmentalise ourselves, but the skills and experiences that I honed at BU were eminently transferable and helped me get to where I am today. So my advice to students would be to continue learning and stay open to the different opportunities as they present themselves. “As Leader of the Council, my strategic priorities for Southampton are to become a leading city for sustainability and environmental innovation and to tackle poverty and ensure all our young people get the best start in life. By rising to today’s challenges, we can feel confident that we leave a lasting legacy, before passing on the responsibility to the next generation. “I’ll soon be returning to BU to give a masterclass on the Global Talent Programme and I’m excited to be coming back – albeit on the other side of the lecture hall!”
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Georgina Hurcombe Studied BA (Hons) Television Production. She is the founder of LoveLove Films, an independent animation and video production company which produces content for television, film and web.
“The skills I acquired during my time at BU have been vital to me and continue to have a remarkable impact on my career.” “While specialist skills are undoubtedly important, it’s confidence that allows you to test the limits of those skills and really put them to the test. Everything about BU – from the way the courses are constructed to the endless extra-curricular opportunities – provides students with the self-assurance and composure to try new things and achieve their goals. “As the founder of my company, I seek out BU students where I can. Whenever we take on a BU student for our New Talent Placement Scheme, the enthusiasm they possess for their work is such a great thing to see. In my experience, passion almost always translates to excellent work, and this has been the case with every BU graduate I’ve ever employed.”
Trisha Lewis
Tom Box
Studied BA (Hons) Communication. She is a communications coach and mentor who works with business clients and young people to build confidence, develop presentation, conversation and leadership skills.
Studied BA (Hons) Computer Visualisation & Animation. He is the co-founder of Blue Zoo, which is now one of the largest animation production houses in Europe.
“I graduated two years short of my 50th birthday and my time at BU as a mature student really pushed me out of my comfort zone. The whole experience sparked my self-belief – an essential part of setting up my own business a few years ago and being able to help others increase their confidence – an all-round win. “While at BU, I volunteered as a Peer Assisted Learning Leader, in addition to training as an Aim Higher mentor where I mentored students in a local school who were preparing for their GCSEs. It was amazing to get to know them and to offer some motivation and a bit of wisdom that I’d gained from my own journey, particularly around confidence issues. “This experience in particular had a real effect on me and even today has proved highly valuable in my work as a coach.”
“The day I received my letter of acceptance onto the course at BU was one of the happiest days of my life. It was the only course I wanted to get into, as I thought it would lead me to the career I dreamt of – and it did. “The impact university has had in my life is immeasurable; in my final year – along with my classmates – we started what is now the biggest animation studio in the UK. Through BU friends I met my wife and we have two kids, who are learning to read and count using the animations we make at Blue Zoo. “I’m extremely fortunate that university has taken me to a place where I can pursue sharing my knowledge even further, helping the next generation of animators, and crucially very lucky to be surrounded by friends and colleagues that facilitate my time to do it!”
Read more about our winners at www.bournemouth.ac.uk/alumni-year-awards. InsideBU | Winter 2019 | 15
Shaping the world through research
An art exhibition - based on Professor Silk’s findings - showcased how we see disability and disabled people
Enriching society is one of the key facets of our vision. BU staff are involved in a wide range of research helping to shape the world around us and offering solutions to societal challenges. InsideBU looks at four examples of how we are doing this.
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esearch aims to provide solutions to real-world problems. Here’s just a snapshot of some of the research that’s being conducted across BU that’s having an impact on the world around us.
Promoting responsibility within gambling Gambling is a £14.5 billion industry in the UK (Source: Gambling Commission May 2019) and the online betting, bingo and casino games sector accounts for 38.8% of the market. There is public recognition of the developing problem of digital addiction and Professor Raian Ali is seeking to reduce the harm associated with gambling and addiction by empowering gamblers to make informed decisions about their habit and promote ways in which technology can provide solutions. The team is currently working on three projects: • The EROGamb 2.0 project seeks to use technology to process data about someone’s gambling behaviour and use it to inform them about their habit and make gambling and its marketing more transparent. The aim is to increase the conscious and responsible nature of gambling • The purpose of the GamInnovate project is to co-design with players, creating a knowledge base and repository of interactive 16 | Winter 2019 | InsideBU
and persuasive designs for responsible messages for the gambling industry to use • Responsibility by Design is looking at how gambling sites and apps can be designed from the start to be inherently able to host responsible gambling solutions. Professor Ali and his colleagues recently met with Tom Watson, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, and his team to discuss how their research can support potential policy decisions. Their EROGamb 1.0 project won the best project award at the ICE Totally Gaming Research Exchange event.
Connection and identity Inclusivity is one of our values at BU and this resonates strongly with Professor Lee-Ann Fenge, who has been exploring the importance of identity, connectivity and a sense of place within communities. Professor Fenge is Director of the Centre for Seldom Heard Voices and she uses participative approaches in her research to involve marginalised groups within society. Her projects have used art and performance poetry with groups including older people, young people with disabilities and the homeless. The use of arts-based participation promotes
Professor Ali is seeking to reduce the harm associated with gambling and addiction
Dr Luce has created guidelines and training around how to report suicides
Professor Fenge uses participate approaches in her research
engagement with the lived experience of individuals and aims to promote inclusive approaches to research and dissemination of findings. The impact of this work has included contributions to child and adult social care at both practice and policy levels, including presentations to an invited audience at the House of Commons.
Making an impact creatively A unique art exhibition recently showcased how we see disability and disabled people. The exhibition was based on findings of research led by BU’s Professor Mike Silk with academics from several other universities. The project looked at the representation of disability at the 2016 Paralympics and how attitudes changed due to the increased media coverage of disabled people. The research showed that the Paralympics positively influenced public attitudes towards disability. Despite this outcome, the team found that issues of exclusion and marginalisation of disabled people still exist, especially in relation to less visible or less socially acceptable disabilities. Artists were challenged to present these findings in innovative ways to engage the public and key stakeholders through artworks,
demonstrating how BU’s value of creativity plays a key role in the dissemination of research.
Best practice in media reporting Dr Ann Luce is Principal Academic in the Faculty of Media & Communication and has spent over 15 years researching and writing about suicide and mental illness with a particular focus on the responsible and ethical reporting of suicide. In the USA, her investigation into suicide rates in Florida provided support for the creation of the state’s Office of Suicide Prevention and Drug Control. Here in the UK, Dr Luce works with the NHS, while for the World Health Organisation she has created guidelines and training for journalists around how to report suicides, as well as blogging guidelines for mental health charity SAVE.org. The Welsh, Australian and Norwegian governments have also consulted her on how to reduce suicide rates. In June 2019 Dr Luce was elected to the National Suicide Prevention Alliance Steering Group for a three-year term.
Explore our research at www.bournemouth.ac.uk/research. InsideBU | Winter 2019 | 17
We meet...
Each year, final year Design & Engineering students within the Faculty of Science & Technology take part in BU’s Festival of Design & Engineering (FoDE). We talked to Dr Tania HumphriesSmith, Associate Professor of Design & Engineering and Jasmine Minogue, who studied BA (Hons) Product Design, to find out more about the festival and the opportunities it can create for our students.
Dr Tania Humphries-Smith
Jasmine Minogue
“I’ve been at BU for 25 years in many different roles. However, throughout that time, I’ve taught on the Product Design Programme managing major projects, the outcome of which are exhibited at FoDE.
“My FoDE project was a device that enabled females in developing countries to easily produce their own sanitary pads out of natural and biodegradable material, allowing them to continue with their education whilst reducing the negative stigma of menstruation. I wanted to be amongst the first wave of designers to tackle the problem of period poverty and help make a difference.
“The festival is an annual student-led event, with proactive students working with their peers and BU’s marketing team. It’s an opportunity for students to exhibit their work to a wide audience and to explain and defend their product design solution - an essential skill for a product designer. “Jasmine was a model student. In her final year she brought together a great work ethic and professional skills learnt on placement to identify a real life problem; then through research and design development processes, produced a robust solution to the problem. She undertook this whilst being heavily engaged in the organisation of FoDE.”
“The festival was a fantastic opportunity to gain exposure within the industry and to showcase my product to industry experts, other designers, friends and family. “Off the back of the festival I was one of 15 students selected to attend the prestigious New Designers show in London. Since the show, I’ve had a lot of interest in my product with conversations taking place about further development. “I’ve also been in talks regarding future employment, which links to the connections I made whilst on placement – proving what a valuable experience this is.”
To read more about FoDE, please head to www.bournemouth.ac.uk/fode. 18 | Spring 2019 | InsideBU
By day, by night Dr Curie Scott is Programme Leader for the PG Cert in Education Practice at The Centre for Fusion Learning, Innovation and Excellence (FLIE). She is also a talented painter and origami artist who has held several exhibitions of her work. By day My primary role is Programme Leader for the PGCert in Education Practice at FLIE. Led by Dr Gelareh Roushan, FLIE supports staff in the design, delivery and evaluation of innovative education practice. I run workshops with colleagues interested in integrating creative arts-based approaches into their teaching and research practice. Arts-based approaches are an intrinsic part of society in the same way that technology, words, or nature are. We socialise, debate, and form relationships through and around creative arts; we also use them to design airplanes and buildings, paint inexpressible words, or summarise complex sets of data. I have led workshops using drawing, collage, origami and Lego. Adults often have not participated with ‘art’ materials since childhood so we spend time re-familiarising, or playing, with Lego and pens to make marks. This involves connecting with processes that came easily as children and include curiosity, creativity and imagination – all highly valuable skills for our future workforce.
By night Like most children, I enjoyed drawing and painting but laid this down when I chose science-based subjects at school. I picked art back up when a friend asked me for a painting for her newly decorated house. On the day she collected it another friend requested one! I love nature, so focus on that for inspiration. My first exhibition was with my husband during the Artist Open Houses event of the Canterbury Festival. I was delighted to sell all the origami work I exhibited as well as several large paintings. My husband exhibited his photography and, of course, photographs my artworks beautifully. It helps to have a creative partner in crime and we have many projects planned! In origami, I love the simple hearts that can be taught and enjoyed, but have also made modular pieces of 60 pieces of paper that clip together. With painting, my passion varies. Just now, I have great delight with acrylic pours and painting detailed trees. Tomorrow, it will be something different! InsideBU | Winter 2019 | 19
@bournemouthuni
@bournemouthuni Got your place confirmed at BU? Then MASSIVE congratulations to everyone who will be joining us in September! #belongatbu
@bournemouthuni Good news! Bournemouth University has been named among the top 150 universities in the world in the THE Young University Rankings 2019! #BUproud
@bournemouthuni Poole Gateway Building looking superlative in the sun today! It’s fitted with a host of carbon reduction measures to achieve an excellent BREEAM sustainability rating, so it’s not just pretty, it’s clever too. #sustainability #sustainableliving 20 | Spring 2019 | InsideBU
#BU Proud Gallery
Students from the BSc (Hons) Ecology and Wildlife Conservation course are working on a project to understand Purbeck heathland to support ongoing conservation and management efforts. The project is in collaboration with the National Trust, RSPB and Back from the Brink.
Josie Harris from the Faculty of Management successfully completed the 12 Marathons in 12 Months challenge this year. The gruelling challenge included the Jurassic 50km race, the 100km Race to the Stones, the (29 mile) Lulworth Marathon and the 2019 Paris Marathon.
BU, alongside partners AFC Bournemouth and the Dorset FA, have been chosen to deliver a bespoke training programme to a group of coaches from across China.
BU’s Department of Psychology has achieved the Athena SWAN bronze award, in recognition of their commitment to working towards gender equality in higher education. BU now has three departmental awards in total.
The Big Give campaign run by SUBU received over 5,000 bags of donations, weighing over 40 tons. The items were donated by BU students, staff and local residents and were donated to various local charities.
A team of BU academics showcased some of their research at New Scientist Live – an award-winning and prestigious science festival held annually in London.
BU staff Beryl Grindrod, Erika Parkinson, Helen Langdown and Sara White are part of the Dorset-based Sweet Charity Choir. They were invited to perform at the world-famous Carnegie Hall in New York, after their version of a Foo Fighters song went viral on You Tube via lead singer, Dave Grohl. The choir sang to an audience of 1,500 and all proceeds from the ticket sale were donated to various charities.
BU is helping to develop the talent of some brilliant athletes. This includes Noorin Gulam, who journeyed to Thailand in September to take part in the Senior World Weightlifting Championships and Issa Butrane, who has been representing Team GB in volleyball since 2015.
@bournemouthuni BU students joined participants from across the world in Salzburg, Austria to find ways of combatting disbelief and erosion of trust in media. The 17-day program took place at Schloss Leopoldskron, in Salzburg , Austria—the home of Salzburg Global Seminar.
InsideBU | Winter 2019 | 21
Dates for your diary October
November
December
Annual Careers Fair
University Music Scholars’ Autumn Recital
University Music Christmas Concert
Wednesday 23 & Thursday 24 October Two-day event for BU students and graduates looking for information on graduate opportunities, placements and overseas internships.
Friday 1 November
Sunday 1 December, 7pm, the Royal Bath Hotel
An eclectic evening of vocal and instrumental music performed by our music scholars.
An evening of musical celebration, featuring all your festive favourites performed by University Music ensembles.
Visit MyCareerHub for more information: www.bournemouth.ac.uk/abintegro
www.bournemouth.ac.uk/scholars-recital
Undergraduate Open Days Open Days for prospective students • Saturday 26 October • Saturday 16 November www.bournemouth.ac.uk/open-days
Graduation 2019 The biggest event in BU’s calendar sees students and staff celebrate their hard work on the following dates in the Bournemouth International Centre: • Faculty of Management: Monday 4 and Tuesday 5 November • Faculty of Media & Communication: Wednesday 6 November • Faculty of Science & Technology: Thursday 7 November • Faculty of Health & Social Sciences: Friday 8 November www.bournemouth.ac.uk/graduationceremonies
Café Scientifique First Tuesday of every month. Explore the latest ideas in science and technology in Café Boscanova, 650 Christchurch Road, Boscombe www.bournemouth.ac.uk/cafe-sci
Annual Postgraduate Research Conference Wednesday 4 December, Fusion Building Annual showcase of postgraduate research from across all faculties.
Christmas closure Over the winter break we close down much of our campus to reduce our environmental impact and ensure our buildings are secure at a time when many people leave for the holidays. For those areas we’re closing, we will shut down at 1pm on 24 December and re-open on 2 January 2020. Find out full details at www.bournemouth.ac.uk/ holiday-closure-information.
Vice-Chancellor Staff Awards Thursday 21 November An award ceremony that recognises the achievements of our staff
SUBU’s Speak Week Monday 25 – Friday 29 November Speak Week is dedicated to collecting feedback about the student experience at BU
Well-made craft workshops (students only) Drop in between 12pm and 2pm Thursdays on ground floor of the Student Centre www.bournemouth.ac.uk/well-made
22 | Winter 2019 | InsideBU
Postgraduate Open Day Wednesday 27 November An event for those interested in studying for a Master’s degree at BU. www.bournemouth.ac.uk/pg-visit
For more information about events at BU, please visit: www.bournemouth. ac.uk/events or email buevents@ bournemouth.ac.uk
Yearly Premium
SportBU
memberships With options to suit everyone, why not make the most of our fantastic on-campus facilities and sign up to a gym membership today? *Prices are for BU and AUB students and staff **Only for off-peak bookings ***Valid after two weeks of active member use
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Half-price facility hire**
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Monthly health and fitness support
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14 day advance booking for fitness classes
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Bring a Friend for Free days
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Discounted membership for a referred friend***
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Day pass
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£10* for 10 days Unlimited gym & classes
Find out more and sign up at www.bournemouth.ac.uk/sportbu
Research Development & Support BU’s Research Development & Support team provide support for all stages of the research lifecycle and all research career stages. • • • • • •
Training and support Scoping out research ideas and potential external partners Bidding for external funding Support to manage research projects Impact development External engagement
Find out more about Research Development & Support at
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