Event schedule

Location: Turing, MS Teams

Facilitator: Dr Shini Somara 

During this panel discussion facilitated by our keynote speaker, Dr Shini Somara, here reflections, hints and tips from a selection of staff, including Vice-Chancellor Independent Research Fellows, on how to thrive in a research career.   

Panellists

Dr Sola Afolabi (Senior Lecturer and Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) Development Fellow - Architecture, Building & Civil Engineering). 

Sola obtained a First-Class (Hons.) B.Eng. in Agricultural (now Agricultural and Environmental) Engineering from the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Nigeria, and completed his MSc (with Distinction) and PhD at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ. He is distinguished by prestigious awards, scholarships, and studentship, including Best Graduating Student (Department and School of Engineering, FUTA), DFID/Commonwealth Shared Scholarship, and LU Doctoral Research Studentship. Over the last ten years, he has worked on several research and international development projects, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Re-invent (Phase 2 and 3) Toilet Challenge Projects.  He is leading a prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) Engineering for Development Research Fellowship, awarded in 2019. He is a Chartered Engineer and a Chartered Water and Environmental Manager. He is a STEM ambassador and sits on several school-level, university-level and external professional bodies and committees.  He was recently appointed as one of the º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ International Special Envoy to Sub-Sahara Africa 

Dr Mahsa Derakhshani (Senior Lecturer in Digital Communications - Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering).  

Mahsa has a strong track record in the development and analysis of mathematical optimisations and machine learning solutions for wireless networks and has published 60 journal/conference articles and two books. She received several awards and fellowships, including Royal Academy of Engineering/The Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Postdoctoral Fellowships, the Fonds de Recherche du Québec–Nature et Technologies (FRQNT) Postdoctoral Fellowship, and the McGill Engineering Doctoral Award. Prior to joining º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ, she was an Honorary NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow at Imperial College London (2015-2016) and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Toronto, Canada (2013-2015). She received her Ph.D. in electrical engineering degree from McGill University, Canada in 2013. 

Dr Kate Mathers (UK Research & Innovation Fellow – Social Sciences & Humanities) 

Kate is a freshwater scientist, and her research is at the interface of aquatic ecology, hydrology and fluvial geomorphology with a focus on macroinvertebrate communities. She received her PhD in February 2017 from º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ centred on the effects of invasive signal crayfish on fine sediment dynamics and macroinvertebrate communities. Following this she was employed on a number of short-term contracts before spending 2.5 years in Switzerland working as a post-doctoral researcher at Eawag (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology) investigating the role of sediment dynamics for macroinvertebrate communities. In November 2020 she returned to the UK to pursue her current fellowship.  

Dr Monia Del Pinto (Vice-Chancellor Independent Research Fellow – Architecture, Building & Civil Engineering) 

Monia holds a PhD in Urban Planning and Disaster Risk Reduction from º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ, and an MSc in Architectural Engineering from Universita’ degli Studi di L’Aquila (Italy). Following her professional experience in post-disaster reconstruction, Monia’s cross-disciplinary research falls at the intersections of architecture, urban planning, disaster studies and heritage studies, and aims at innovating methodologies and tools for effective disaster risk reduction at the urban scale. In her current research, she is testing a novel toolkit for multi-hazard vulnerability assessment for UNESCO World Heritage Cities. 

Alongside her research, Monia is active in disaster risk communication within and outside academia: since 2014, she teaches architecture-related disciplines within international and multicultural contexts between Italy, Turkey, and the UK; writes about cities and disaster risk in the online platform ‘Il lavoro culturale’,  and delivers professional training with for an integrated approach to urban Disaster Risk Management, aimed at built environment professionals, heritage professionals, and civil protection. 

Dr Florence Sheen (Vice-Chancellor Independent Research Fellow - Sport, Exercise & Health Sciences)

Florence is a postdoctoral researcher and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy with expertise in the psychology of eating behaviour, the food environment, and public health. Florence joined º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ as a Vice-Chancellor Independent Research Fellow in May 2023. Her overarching goal is to improve health and wellbeing through evidence-based knowledge of behavioural determinants and consequences of human lifestyles. For her 2-year fellowship, Florence will investigate how we can communicate with adolescents about eating and body weight to be most supportive of individual changes, health, and wellbeing during this key developmental period and into adulthood. 

Location: Turing, MS Teams

Facilitator: Dr Shini Somara 

During this panel discussion facilitated by our keynote speaker, Dr Shini Somara, attendees heard reflections, hints and tips from a selection of staff, including Vice-Chancellor Independent Research Fellows, on how to thrive in a research career. 

Location: Stephenson

Facilitator: Professor Karen Coopman 

Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) matters are relevant to all research disciplines. Not only does taking EDI into consideration during the planning, implementation and impact generation phases of any project make research better but funding councils are now expecting EDI to be embedded in proposals. Therefore, it is essential that our current and future researchers are well informed and equipped to incorporate EDI into their research practice. During this interactive workshop, attendees discussed several scenarios that cover a wide range of EDI topics and research areas. Attendees also formulated a list of recommendations that they can apply to their practice.

Location: Pascal

Facilitator: Elizabeth Lovely  

Attendees were invited to a workshop inspired by a Worldwide Cultural Dialogic Practice known as the Way of Council which holds as an underlying principle that of working together in community. An issue affecting the community, is discussed within the whole community. By its very nature of physically sitting together in a non-hierarchical circular structure, and where every single person is given the opportunity to speak without interference or judgement being passed, it means that each member of the community is heard and valued. Any issue raised is therefore approached and discussed through a spirit of cooperation, to reach a level of shared understanding. A carefully chosen object, which is passed from one person to another, is utilised to further develop a cooperative experience. Council also fosters togetherness by encouraging a sense of equity, where there is no way to participate ‘wrong’. Each form of communicating within the circle is classed as a valid contribution to the knowledge as a whole. This way of working fosters both an individual and communal sense of transformation. By following the guidelines of Council, which includes the voices of all participants, with each contribution being equally valid, it allows all participants to actively work in unison whilst still maintaining their individuality. Whilst Council aims to build a sense of the equitable community, it also acknowledges that there are barriers and privileges within contemporary cultures that may challenge this way of being. But by attempting to incorporate Council into everyday life, although conceding that it may never be fully possible, there is the hope that tomorrow may literally be transformed through an act of togetherness. Council is founded upon core principles that can be seen throughout the world, however it is a borrowed practice and we may not always get it right. Full acknowledgement will be given to the communities that work in this way.

A selection of short talks aligned to º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ's 'Climate change and net zero’ Strategic Theme.  

Location: Turing, MS Teams

Chair: Dr Rodolfo Teixeria (Research Associate in Sustainable and Digital Chemical Technologies) 

Judges: Professor John Downey & Dr Kathryn North (Associate Pro-Vice Chancellors - Climate Change & Net Zero)

Speakers

Imoleayomide Ajayi ‘Measuring microplastics: Advancing size quantification through enhanced scanning electron microscopy’ (Science)​

Our world is increasingly permeated by microplastics and nanoplastics found both in the environment and even in our own bodies. These plastics, especially those at the nanoscale (<=100nm), are a growing concern due to their potential ecological and health impacts. A key factor in understanding these impacts is accurately measuring the size of these microplastics. However, size measurement at such small scales is complex and can be skewed by the techniques used in imaging, such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).  In this talk we will discuss how to refine SEM imaging to provide more accurate size measurements of microplastics. By developing a statistical model to better understand and capture secondary electron emissions and detection in SEM, we aim to enhance the resolution and accuracy of microplastic size quantification. This improvement is not just a technical advancement; it is crucial in shaping our understanding of microplastics' role in environmental health and aligning with global efforts towards a net-zero future. Accurately measuring microplastics helps us comprehend their behaviours and potential risks, contributing to informed strategies for managing and mitigating environmental pollution. 

Alex Haydock-Wilson ‘Solar surfaces: Minimising PV losses’ (Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering)​ 

Over the last few decades, significant incremental improvements have been made in the efficiency of solar panels. So much so that solar is the fastest growing renewable energy sector, accelerating progress towards net zero. With the optimisation of monocrystalline silicon cells nearing its limit, cutting down on efficiency loss is the next challenge in furthering the field. Reflectance is a well-documented issue in photovoltaics, with a high volume of research on its reduction. Currently, the most widely used solution is a porous silica coating of ~100nm thick on the cover glass surface. Research shows this to perform poorly in abrasion tests designed to simulate the cleaning process deployed on commercial solar farms. This leads to degradation in anti-reflection properties of solar panels in the first few months of use.  Soiling is an issue only recently receiving academic attention. Glass is inherently hydrophilic, meaning water likes to stick to its surface. Soiling is the deposition of opaque contaminants on the glass cover, causing obstruction of incident light. Over time this build-up of contaminants causes significant efficiency loss. Currently, solar farms tackle this with regular cleaning, which not only incurs cost but increases the degradation rate of antireflective coatings. Our research set out to produce a low-cost coating that addresses both reflectivity and soiling while also being durable enough to guarantee 25+ years of performance benefits. This has not been achieved by commercial coatings as they tend to focus on each component in a singular sense rather than seeking a holistic solution. This can be achieved by laminating a transparent fluoropolymer coating to the PV cover glass. This study aims to execute and demonstrate the viability of this process and its benefits over current state of the art coatings. 

Nurul Islam Mohamed Yusoff ‘A Methodology for sustainable management of household food waste’ (Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering)​ 

Global food waste, around 1.3 billion tonnes yearly, presents significant implications, notably aggravating food insecurity for approximately 768 million people. Households contribute 70% of this waste, underlining the potential for increasing food availability. Despite the significance of household food waste (HFW), the lack of standardized categorization poses challenges in addressing this issue effectively. This study establishes a comprehensive framework for understanding HFW, aiming to enable targeted interventions to reduce specific waste categories. A systematic review of existing literature on food waste and categorization is conducted to provide a background on the HFW problem and the reasons behind it. A nine-stage categorization process for HFW is described, resulting in 37 distinct food waste categories. Results indicate that a significant proportion of HFW consists of edible and avoidable food waste, emphasizing the need for interventions that target these specific waste streams. By utilizing this framework, clarity about the types of HFW could be gained. This improved data granularity would then enable far more targeted interventions to be developed to address the most problematic (e.g., highest cost or environmental impact) HFW streams. Ongoing work is addressing structured reasoning for HFW according to household food management stages and the well-known COM-B model. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the need for a standardized categorization for understanding HFW and designing effective interventions, based on the COM-B behavioral change model. This study offers practical recommendations and provides valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to reduce HFW, promote sustainable consumption practices, and increase global food security. 

Jonathan Randall ‘Cultural challenges in the adoption of data-driven decision making’ (Business)​ 

The railway industry prides itself on its history and has a huge regard for its safety record. Its culture is risk adverse, experience driven and focused on detecting and correcting, for restoration and repair. Anticipation and prevention are not recognised as being valuable in the same way. The Seasonally Agnostic Railway Model (‘the Model’) is being developed to provide better insights into anticipation and prevention, by using weather forecasting data in an operational model of the UK railway system. The development of the Model will yield tangible benefits  but only if a culture, system, and process can be generated in which the value of prevention is recognised at individual, team, business unit, regional and whole railway levels. This research inquiry will need to consider the ways in which that can be achieved in an organisation which is highly distributed, where regions have significant local autonomy and where positional power and functional expertise are the dominant forces in decision making. This PhD is in the earlier stages of the literature survey, from which there are relevant threads in cybernetics, organisational culture and psychology, and cognitive biases. This PhD is part of a trio PhDs which include addressing modelling techniques and data quality challenges. These PhDs support the successful use of the Model to help the UK Railway plan and adapt better to changes in our climate.  This  will help the UK Railway operate more predictably and reliably thus encouraging traveler preference towards rail, which will contribute towards Net Zero. 

Hans-Heinrich Schumann ‘Step by step towards green mobility’ (Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering)​ 

The transportation sector faces challenges transitioning to a more environmentally friendly, safer, and socially beneficial transport system. Understanding better how people use different forms of transportation can help design systems that incentivise sustainable travel. Big data as produced particularly by novel mobility solutions such as shared bikes or e-scooters provide detailed insights into the habits of travellers. The presented research takes advantage of this opportunity and underlines the necessity for the provision of appropriate infrastructure and management systems to design attractive and sustainable transport systems. 

Ashley van Bruygom 'Hydrogen for the future of aviation' (Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering)​ 

Global air traffic is expected to increase substantially over the next 30 years. In order to meet industry and government commitments to reduce the impact of climate change, engine emissions must be reduced. Alternative fuels, such as hydrogen, have been suggested as a solution to this problem, however these are immature technologies and significant research and development is required before they are ready for service. Hydrogen is fundamentally different to what the industry is accustomed to using; as a gas rather than a liquid, hydrogen has vastly different physical characteristics that must be considered. At the National Centre for Combustion and Aerothermal Technology (NCCAT) both experimental and computational work is being undertaken in collaboration with government and industry to develop hydrogen combustion for flight. This presentation will highlight the complexities of computer simulations of hydrogen. By improving methods, these simulations can better our understanding of hydrogen flame behaviour; and can even aid in the design of future jet engine injectors. One of the biggest issues with these types of simulation is that they require a huge amount of computational resource. High-Performance Computing systems are required so that simulations can be completed in a greatly reduced amount of time which is vital for remaining at the forefront of this type of research. 

Dr Jack Wetherell 'Computational modelling of fuel sprays' (Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering)​ 

The aviation industry is under increasing pressure to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, despite predictions that demand for air traffic will increase significantly in that time. Jet engines are currently universally fuelled with fossil fuels, which are burned within the combustion system of the engine. In their liquid state these fuels are difficult to ignite and burn, and so must be evaporated into a fuel vapour before being burnt. To do this, the liquid fuel is first broken down into a fine spray of droplets, tens of microns in size, which speeds up the evaporation process. This spray drives almost all aspects of the engine’s performance, including fuel efficiency, emissions, and noise. The production of this spray must therefore be well understood to enable the design of future, more environmentally friendly jet engines. My work has used computer simulations to predict the spray formation process and explore the physical interactions between fuel and air at a fundamental level. By developing new methods, the computational cost has been significantly reduced, allowing more accurate simulations to be performed. The main outcome of the work is an increased understanding of how the non-uniformities in the air and the fuel interact, and how they propagate through the spray. This allows the development of more accurate correlations and design tools, to improve the combustion system design and reduce the production of emissions harmful to both the environment and to human health. 

Dr Josh Wolstenholme ‘Natural flood management and the importance of a changing river’ (Social Sciences and Humanities) 

When quantifying flood risk, we imagine a stationary river and that its shape does not change, which is not true. While we do this to increase confidence in predictions and improve our understanding of the impact of water on the river, we find that the movement of the river itself can increase flood risk. Natural flood management (NFM) works with nature to reduce flood risk by “slowing the flow”, capturing water during storm events and releasing it back into the river at a slower rate. A popular form of NFM, leaky dams involve the installation of large wood into river systems. With the increasingly common extreme flood events experienced due to climate change, it is vital that we consider the movement of the river in our flood risk models, and its impact on flood risk. While leaky dams can enhance existing processes and encourage changes to the river’s shape and structure, reducing flood risk, these changes can also increase flood risk both locally and downstream. The effectiveness of these structures to reduce flood risk can also diminish following sequences of multiple storm events. It is therefore crucial to consider how drivers of flooding can vary throughout space and time. Using numerical modelling, the influence of various storm scenarios on a series of leaky dams installed in a river section based in North Yorkshire are assessed. They have revealed that the simulation of geomorphic responses and sediment transport drastically increase the total volume of water storage potential within the investigated area. 

It is recognised that not all research will align to the themes within º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ’s 2030 strategy. Therefore, this selection of short researcher talks showcases the breadth of fundamental work conducted across the University.  

Location: Stephenson, MS Teams

Chair: Dr Victoria Wright (Academic Projects & Development Adviser – Enhanced Academic Practice – Organisational Development) 

Judges: Dr Jill Thurman (Doctoral Programmes Development Manager – Doctoral College) & Dr Sarah Turner (Programme Director, Professional Programmes & Pathways – Enhanced Academic Practice – Organisational Development) 

Speakers

Ridzuan A-Rasid ‘Goldfish VS Generation Z’ (Design and Creative Arts)​ 

The university is seen as having a responsibility to play a role in improving the efficiency of teaching and learning activities because it is considered to play a role in enabling the learning of art and design students. Traditional teaching methods such as chalk and lectures are no longer appropriate given contemporary advancements where generation Z struggles to maintain their attention span throughout classroom learning sessions. Educators should realize that every generation, especially generation Z, has various learning styles. Despite the various efforts made by the government to turn the classroom into an interactive learning, motion graphics are seen as one of the undiscovered options in providing more clear explanations compared to conventional methods. This research aim to explore the potential of multimedia technology, especially motion graphics through visual storytelling learning to create an interactive and inclusive learning playground designed specifically for generation Z students by studying its effects on students' attitudes, achievements and attention. This practice-based research uses a mixed method that combines a qualitative approach which is a clinical interview and a quantitative approach which is a questionnaire in the study to ensure that the proposed method is in line with the learning preferences of generation Z. Typography subject was specifically chosen to study the difference between teaching using motion graphics, and conventional teaching methods based on rote-learning. Based on the initial results of the interviews in the Need Analysis process with several typography lecturers, it is acknowledged that Generation Z does indeed have problems in terms of attitude in the classroom. However, there are still disagreements in terms of student attention span, so there is a need for this study to continue to find out whether motion graphics can improve student attention span. The impact of this research not only has the potential to contribute to the field of education but it can also support and inspire educators from all sectors to transform their classrooms through interactive mediums for generation Z in reaching their full potential. 

Deepanshi Birthal ‘Risk resilience and insuring your tomorrow: Insights in property insurance’ (Business) 

This study addresses the intricacies of insurance pricing within the commercial and industrial insurance market by delving into a comprehensive analysis of market competition. Our research underscores the imperative for future studies to incorporate a quantitative assessment of both the incremental impacts of emerging technologies and cost-benefit models. This analytical framework aims to provide substantial support to the industry and furnish organizations with valuable insights for effective decision-making.  By leveraging data sourced from 40 Danish municipalities encompassing building characteristics, loss prevention technologies, insurance claims, and insurance bids spanning the period 2008-2022, our investigation focuses on unravelling the interplay between competition dynamics, the adoption of loss prevention technology, and fluctuations in insurance pricing. The anticipated outcome of this rigorous analysis is expected to yield significant benefits for decision-makers within the industry and policyholders alike.  Ultimately, the insights derived from this research endeavour are poised to enhance the competitive landscape, empowering both industry stakeholders and policyholders with valuable information that can shape strategic choices and foster a more resilient and adaptive insurance ecosystem. 

Yishi E ‘How contemporary Chinese animation is interpreted and understood by audiences in different cultural contexts’ (Design and Creative Arts)​ 

This research delves into how contemporary Chinese animation is interpreted in diverse cultural contexts, particularly examining the recontextualisation of Chinese cultural elements within contemporary Chinese animated feature films and their reception by both Chinese and Western audiences. Additionally, it aims to preserve and reposition Chinese cultural artefacts in the construction of contemporary Chinese animation production. Methodologically, an insight into this field was gained through examining traditional Chinese animated characters, exploring aesthetic styles in contemporary Chinese animated feature films, and comparing these styles to those from the western regions including North America, the United Kingdom, and Europe, via various methods involving literature reviews, analysis of case studies, cross-cultural comparisons, and interviews.  The ongoing case study has compared Nezha conquers the Dragon King (1979) and Nezha: Birth of the Demon Child (2019), through semiotics of Roland Barthes, iconography of Panofsky, and scenography. Aesthetically, the analysis indicates that contemporary Chinese animation in the 21st century represents a fusion of influences from other cultures while also preserving elements of traditional Chinese culture. This fusion is demonstrated through the changes in appearance of characters like Nezha and in the shifting meanings of colours, particularly white, in Chinese culture. Economic globalisation has played a role in silently reshaping the significance of traditional Chinese elements and colours to give them new contemporary meanings.  The next stage involves interviewing animation directors to address issues that cannot be answered by other methods and ultimately constructing a visual system that integrates traditional Chinese aesthetics, thereby forming a unified national identity. 

Shalaka Hire ‘Revolutionising site safety through building information modeling enabled automation’ (Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering)​ 

With developments in Industry 4.0, there is a growing momentum to adopt technology-assisted tools to support existing processes. These processes mainly involve digitised designing, scheduling, and estimating. Along with these aspects, digitised safety management needs special attention, for a safer, more efficient, and productive construction site environment. Current safety practices in India are inefficient, and the rate of onsite accidents is on the increase. For site safety management labour-intensive, error-prone, and ineffective manual and paper-based processes are adopted. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is the digital process of managing lifecycle project and asset information. BIM capability can be leveraged to provide effective site safety practice. The proposed Automated Safety Checking model is enriched with site safety information to virtually detect fall hazards. This study has developed a working prototype that enables early identification of fall hazards by developing BIM enabled automated safety checking model. Different fall hazards are identified in a 3D model. OSHA (Occupational Safety Health and Administration) safety rules and tacit safety knowledge enrich and automate the BIM. By integrating the 3D model with codified safety rules, safety checking is performed to ensure that the design adheres to safety rules and is hazard free. The research contributes to the field of safety management by identifying the hazard at the design stage. The knowledge which usually takes place at construction stage is brought forward at preconstruction stage. 

Yunyi Liao ‘Creating an alternative imagination of the nation?: User-generated nation branding in Japan and China’ (Social Sciences and Humanities)​ 

Existing research on nation branding tends to focus on how the image of a nation is crafted and promoted from a top-down perspective (e.g., campaigns initiated by governments and companies). To address this gap, this study provides a bottom-up perspective by focusing on online users and their promotion of a nation via daily vlogs and photos. The concept of user-generated nation branding is introduced in this study to capture the bottom-up dynamics of this field. Empirically, this study is contextualised in Japan and China, due to their differences in terms of the history of user-generated nation branding (with the phenomenon being pioneering in Japan and more recent in China), the media platforms (with Western social media in Japan and national social media in China), and the political systems (with liberal democracy in Japan and communist rule in China). Two popular social media accounts are examined using quantitative content analysis and qualitative analysis, including ‘Abroad in Japan’, which films the everyday life of a British man living in Japan, and ‘Liziqi’, which records a Chinese woman’s daily activities in rural China. This study asks to what extent online users contribute to promoting an alternative Japan/China that is different from the stereotypical imagery highlighted in official practices. It investigates the strategies used in the two accounts and examines how these are influenced by the brander’s identity, the audience’s identity, and the external support. Additionally, this study has the potential to contribute to the practical implications for promotional industries related to nation branding. 

Finlay Potter ‘Computing with quantum neurons’ (Science)​ 

Neuromorphic computing is a proposed alternative style of computing to traditional, von Neumann, computing which replaces transistors with artificial neuron circuits inspired by biological brains. One proposal for such an artificial neurone circuit uses a nonlinear electrical device called a memristor. In this presentation, I will outline our model for a two-level open quantum system, derived from a diffusive memristor model, and demonstrate that this can suitably generate the effects needed for spiked neuromorphic computing. I will then show that this is a consequence of the dissipation of energy by the quantum system and provide an interpretation of this in terms of Bloch oscillations. 

Georgios Thoma ‘Reinventing the wheel with Laser-cats: Collectible Content, a modular ecosystem of intrinsically integrated gameplay’ (Science)​ 

If making a good game is difficult, making a good learning game might be even harder as it must align the learning content with engaging game elements. This alignment is known as intrinsic integration, and when achieved, leads many games to becoming useful learning tools. In this presentation the unique idea of “collectible content” is showcased as one approach towards intrinsic integration. Think of it like collecting special items or points in a game. But here, these collectibles represent parts of what you're learning, making the game a powerful tool for education. These collectibles follow the characteristics of duality, consistency, and uniqueness/uniformity, allowing the content to be explored through different tasks, evolve and adapt, towards the development of conceptual understanding. To illustrate, a prototype of a fraction learning game is used, showcasing how a game task can evolve to encompass the many aspects of fractions. But why fractions? Research shows that fraction understanding is crucial for future math achievement, and games have been designed and researched to explore this content. Yet, out of the many aspects of fractions, fraction equivalence has been generally neglected in past games. To take advantage of the medium’s affordances, among others, visual animations are used to illustrate the transition from circular part-whole representations (e.g. pie-charts) to magnitudes on a number line. In summary, these innovative approaches highlight the potential of video games as effective educational tools and provide a new way to turn your learning content into a game. 

Ruyu Yun ‘How the seen and heard have influenced watcher’s mind in livestreaming e-commerce: Investigating the streamer’s halo and viewer’s bandwagon effect’ (º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ London) 

Livestreaming has become a new interactive channel for e-commerce globally. However, research on the formation and consequences of influencer-audience and audience-audience interactions in Livestream e-commerce has not been updated. This study anchors two typical causes concerning two critical psychological implications: 1) extending personal worship of the influencer to the brand; 2) snowballing the opinions that empower other watchers. The findings reveal how the two drives impact consumers' attitudes and buying intentions separately and collectively. The sole-factor experiment shows how these two factors can significantly tow consumers' attitudes towards favouring a brand and a higher willingness to purchase. The second stage experiment found strong alleviating effects exist when the audience regularly receives and takes credit for the subsequently amended information that contradicts the earlier statement. The findings enrich the existing literature on online marketing persuasion and convention theory by projection, referencing, and temporal effect.

Location: Brunel/Murdoch

Facilitator: Dr Ian Jones

A paucity of robust measurement tools is thwarting progress across academic disciplines. Measurement is notably unreliable when researching important but hard-to-observe phenomena such as beauty, quality of explanations, or human rights violations. Consequently, there is a pressing need to revolutionise how measurements are made. This workshop introduced a simple, flexible and powerful approach to measurement based on comparative judgement. The scientific and mathematical basis of comparative judgement is long established, and recent technological developments mean it is gaining traction fast. Comparative judgement is already transforming research and therefore is transforming our tomorrow. This workshop gave º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ research colleagues the opportunity to be at forefront of this transformation.

Location: Kelvin

Facilitator: Dr Lennie Foster 

This interactive workshop explored the skills and capabilities researchers need to acquire and advance to become the next generation of leaders, knowledge exchange professionals, and experts in their chosen field. Attendees received guidance and insights on how to create their own bespoke skills development roadmap on what is required to work in academia, industry, the third sector, the creative industries, or any field of their choice.. As well as providing advise, a demonstration was provided on how researchers can engage with and use their peers to help them bridge their skills gaps via a skills speed networking component. Thus showing how by working together we can transform our tomorrow to acquire the skills needed to get our ideal job. 

A selection of short talks aligned to º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ's ‘Vibrant and inclusive communities’ Strategic Theme. 

Location: Turing, MS Teams

Chair: Dr Laura Crawford (Academic Projects & Development Adviser – Enhanced Academic Practice – Organisational Development) 

Judges: Professor Rebecca Cain & Professor Emily Keightley (Associate Pro-Vice Chancellors - Vibrant & Inclusive Communities) 

Speakers

Dr Ahmed Ehab Abdelsalam ‘Enhancing creativity with virtual reality: Empathy and innovation at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ’ (Design and Creative Arts)​ 

Advancements in Virtual Reality (VR) have opened new horizons in user experience, fostering innovative approaches to co-creation and co-design. My research at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ focuses on harnessing VR's potential to create immersive, interactive frameworks that revolutionise how we approach creativity. A significant aspect of my work is 'Design by Empathy' – allowing users to “step into the shoes” of others, gaining a deeper understanding of different perspectives, design limitations, and challenges faced by various groups. This approach is crucial in designing more inclusive and accessible spaces and products. Moreover, I am exploring the impact of VR on mental health, particularly among the elderly. By engaging them in virtual environments, I aim to study the effects on their psychological well-being, social interaction, and cognitive abilities. In addition, I am developing a virtual º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ campus, providing a realistic experience of the university's environment for emerging online communities. This project not only showcases the campus in a unique way but also serves as a model for future educational and organizational spaces.  Lastly, my research extends to artists and designers, offering them virtual studios and galleries - providing a novel platform for showcasing their work and engaging them dynamically in an interactive design process. Through these diverse applications of VR, my research aims to understand user experience, co-creation, and empathy-driven design, demonstrating the significant potential of virtual environments in various domains. 

Ellie Buxton ‘Exploring men’s perspectives on making misogyny a hate crime’ (Social Sciences and Humanities)​ 

This project is inspired by the recent increase in public conversation around what has been referred to as a ‘national epidemic’ of violence against women in the UK. Discussions regarding solutions to this ‘epidemic’ have focused on whether to include misogyny in hate crime policy; but there is limited literature about this in the UK context. Whilst there is significant support for this policy from some women’s rights groups, there is a lack of consensus regarding the use of criminal justice approaches to tackle violence against women. There have also been calls to refocus on men’s role in preventing this violence. This research utilises a feminist rationale for engaging men in the prevention of violence against women, which recognises that men are the main perpetrators of this violence, therefore locating the solution in the practices of men, and the construction of masculinity. The objective of this study is to explore how men perceive the ‘issue’ of misogyny, and the potential influence of misogyny hate crime policy on men’s attitudes towards violence against women and its prevention. This will be achieved by conducting focus groups with men, which will address the following research questions: how do men construct and define misogyny, do men view misogyny as a social problem that needs addressing, and what are men’s perceived implications of making misogyny a hate crime? This thesis aims to inform conversations around the potential inclusion of misogyny as a hate crime, and responses to violence against women in the UK more broadly. 

Ross Ensor ‘Racialised experience for ethnically diverse groups in sports coaching’ (Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences)​ 

Despite the longstanding involvement of minority groups within the broader playing population of sport in the United Kingdom (UK), there continues to be a significant underrepresentation within coaching positions. The presentation will examine the racialised experiences of minority coaches (male) within sport coaching in the UK. It will draw on semi-structured interviews with 31 minority coaches to identify key constraining factors that have limited opportunities for career progression within sports coaching contexts across the sports of Basketball, Rugby Union, Cricket. In doing so, the presentation will outline the most prescient themes identified by the interviewees in explaining the continued underrepresentation of minority coaches across the three sports under review and sports coaching in the UK more broadly. Specifically, the presentation will focus on; the existence of racialised ideologies and stereotypes within sports coaching contexts; and analyse the racialised outcomes of stereotypes for minority coaches’ progression into and through sports coaching. Finally, the presentation will aim to contextualise and draw linkages between the findings within the thesis to broader theoretical and conceptual issues and perspectives. 

Dr Katharine Fry ‘The fur chest: Storytelling, heritage interpretation and family systems’ (Design and Creative Arts)​ 

This talk introduces my fellowship research which examines storytelling as a therapeutic tool for breaking cycles of family dysfunction. I ask if a family system can be re-imagined by changing the story that underpins it.  I ask if a new story can change someone’s perception of their family system and the role they play in it. I explore these questions through The Fur Chest a feature-length artist film which reveals the relationship between a bedridden daughter and caregiving mother over three generations in a one-room dwelling. The daughter’s feet are a focus, acting as a metaphor for developing or restricting autonomy. The Fur Chest will be shot on location in the Museum of the Home, London almshouses with full access to their collections, combining site-responsive performance, live action and stop-motion animation. It will be developed in the Animation Academy in the SDCA. My method for developing The Fur Chest brings together brings together historic collections research and heritage interpretation, auto-ethnography of illness, and family systems theory. I’ll use this method to inform the Digital Storytelling workshops I’ll develop between the Museum of the Home and the Storytelling Academy in the SDCA. Participants with no filmmaking experience will tell their own mother-daughter stories. 

Rhianna Garrett ‘Space, race, and place: How we transform the future of academic identities’ (Social Sciences and Humanities)​ 

In the UK, out of almost 23,000 professors, only 62 are Black female professors, highlighting a significant knowledge gap around employment and retention of diverse talent. This presentation reimagines new approaches to the underrepresentation of racialised minority staff in UK higher education, by focusing on the career trajectories of racialised minority PhDs and early career researchers (ECRs - anyone 8 years out from their viva) into and out of academia.  Previous research and initiatives aimed at enhancing racial diversity in higher education centres the need to increase the presence of racialised minority bodies within institutions. In contrast, this research takes a geographical approach, delving into the historical, cultural, and social dimensions of the spaces navigated by PhDs and ECRs, and how these spaces influence their experiences and perceptions of their career futures. Through original mixed method empirical data from 27 interviews and 191 online survey responses, the research introduces strategies and tactics already being utilised by racialised minority PhDs and ECRs, outlining what researchers require to imagine their intersectional identities in academic environments. The research also presents a new conceptual framework based on bell hooks’ approach to who is ‘marginalised’, and a ‘mixed race’ perspective on the fluid liminal nature of identities and space. This presentation aims to inspire audience members to consider the actionable changes being used by current racialised researchers in their teaching and academic practice and empower researchers and practitioners occupying higher educational spaces to transform academic environments together. 

Dr Karen Jiyun Sung 'We and Me together in the Virtual Space' (Design and Creative Arts)​ 

I have recently completed my PhD on using participatory illustration to tell stories, together. Using a new method called the Sketch Circle, participants who came from socio-centric backgrounds were able to express their sense of self through a communal drawing session. They drew who they were.  Now, as the newly appointed Postdoctoral Researcher within the Digital Creativity Hub (linked to the emerging DigiLab facilities), my speciality as a visual storyteller is merged with the immersive experience of virtual worlds. Through social VR, community storytelling and self-expression can be magnified without the burden of cultural, religious, linguistic and other contextual obligations. In this talk, I will share my findings on how the use of immersive technologies can help bring people together in vibrant/ inclusive communities while protecting the boundary of the self. The Digital Creativity Hub has piloted successful sessions in the last few weeks where the use of avatars and anonymity has provided a safe space for students to engage and express themselves in unique/empowering ways. Through these experiences, virtual Interaction proves the potential to foster a vibrant student experience for the University that builds strong communities while nurturing a healthy development of self-identity. 

Jikun Yin ‘Exploring inclusive design for improving older adults’ internet safety skills and literacy’ (Design and Creative Arts) 

In the context of the 2020 to 2022 pandemic, the UK public services have significantly transferred online. However, 5.6 million (51%) of people aged 65 and over do not qualified foundation level digital skills (Lloyds Bank, 2021), they will be digitally isolated (Friemel, 2016).  Although previous literature had explored the main barriers and factors influenced older adults’ Essential Digital Skills (EDS), there is a gap of understanding the UK older adults' digital skills level in real practice and their needs and ideal method in learning EDS. Thus, the aim of this study is exploring how inclusive design can enhance older adults’ online safety knowledge and skills in practice by creating a learning resource. An exploratory study contained a questionnaire survey with 32 older participants and a semi-structured interview with 13 of them. The study measured older adults’ EDS level based on the UK Government EDS Framework 2018 from five categories of life tasks and investigated effective ways when learning. The results show that most older adults do not understand the basic terminology of the internet, and many of them could not take proactive steps secure their online activities mainly by managing passwords, upgrading computer systems, set privacy settings. Besides, more than half of participants learn digital skills from their families. Furthermore, there is a gap between the EDS some participants think they have and what they could perform. The future work is to identify the range of detailed cyber security knowledge and skills through a further literature review and identify the most effective way that older users gain knowledge and skills for building a foundation of learning resources. 

A selection of short talks aligned to º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ's 'Sport, health and wellbeing' Strategic Theme.  

Location: Stephenson, MS Teams

Chair: Dr Verity Postlethwaite (Vice-Chancellor Independent Research Fellow) 

Judges: Professor David Fletcher & Dr Diwei Zhour (Associate Pro-Vice Chancellors - Sport, Health & Wellbeing) 

Speakers

Jaydeep Bhadra ‘Impact of overheated bedroom on sleep‘ (Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering)​ 

Bedroom and bed-microclimate conditions affects sleep which is vital for a person’s health, wellbeing, and daily working performance. The maximum temperature in bedrooms to avoid discomfort and sleep loss is a function of the bedroom environment and the available adaptive opportunities, including passive or mechanical heating or cooling, sleepwear, and bedding. There is a lack of field studies that investigates the association of thermal comfort during sleep and sleep quality with uncomfortable conditions in the bedroom and bedding. The purpose of this study is to understand the thermal comfort and sleep quality of occupants in UK homes overheated conditions (such as during heatwaves), and their association with environmental discomfort caused by thermal comfort perception and sleep comfort perception in bedrooms. The study investigates the thermal sensation, satisfaction, sleep quality and sleep satisfaction of 10 human participants (3 females and 7 males) in field conditions (bedrooms in student accommodation hall) in º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ, UK in summers. Consensus Sleep Diary and survey questionnaires were used to gather the subjective responses (self-rating) of sleep quality and thermal conditions of the room and bed microclimate, respectively. Objective measurement of bed microclimate was carried out alongside measuring the sleep quality using actigraphy and skin temperature using iButtons. The paper provides empirical evidence based on field study about association of poor sleep quality and sleeping thermal comfort with bedroom environmental conditions and bed-microclimate. It provides an extent of measure to which people’s sleep is disturbed due to bedroom air-temperature, bedding conditions, and bed-microclimate during summer in the UK.   

Zuleikha Chikh ‘Examining the experiences of racialised minority women undertaking sports leadership programmes in the UK and Europe’ (Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences)​ 

In recent years, scholars have drawn attention to the historical and continued under-representation of Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) women in sports leadership roles such as senior governance, operations, and coaching positions. Further qualitative insights have also alluded to the extent and ways in which a series of gendered OR racialised barriers have underpinned and informed these representational trends. However, within academic and policy discourse, such constructs have often been analysed in isolation from one another without full consideration of the intersectional gendered AND racialised experiences of women with multiple marginalised identities. In response, sports organisations have developed a range of targeted sports leadership programmes to address such inequities, however, much less is known about their effectiveness and the experiences of and outcomes for BAME women undertaking programmes of this kind. This research will seek to move beyond ‘majoritarian stories’ to centralise and illuminate the perspectives and experiences of BAME women in the UK and Europe, in order to help overcome their conceptual blind spots in policy and practice. 

James Haley ‘Applying the behaviour change wheel to assess the theoretical underpinning of a novel smartphone application to increase physical activity in adults with spinal cord injuries’ (Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences)​ 

People with spinal cord injuries (SCI) are physically inactive. Smartphone applications (or apps) may prove as one strategy to overcome this. This study examines the theoretical underpinning of a novel mHealth intervention that aims to improve physical activity in people with SCI, namely, the Accessercise smartphone app, using the behaviour change wheel (BCW). Accessercise was evaluated using the BCW in eight steps across the following three stages: (I) understanding the behaviour, (II) identifying intervention options, and (III) identifying content and implementation options. Thirteen target behaviours were identified to improve physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviours in adults with SCI, including goal setting and monitoring, increasing self-confidence, interest and motivation for undertaking physical activity, improving the knowledge/awareness of available physical activity opportunities and resources, and reducing stigma and negative attitudes associated with physical activity. Accessercise incorporates the necessary components for adults with SCI to be physically and psychologically capable of undertaking physical activity, offering social and physical opportunities to reduce sedentary behaviours, and supports automatic and reflective motivation. This systematic approach of assessing the theoretical underpinning of Accessercise in the context of the BCW has revealed potential mechanisms of action for improving physical activity in adults with SCI. This serves as a blueprint to inform further intervention development, as well as high-quality effectiveness studies, namely, randomised controlled trials, assessing whether fitness apps can improve physical and psychological health outcomes in individuals with SCI. 

Taoran Ji ‘Encouraging healthy eating in young adults: Emphasising the immediate benefits instead of those expected in the future’ (Design and Creative Arts)​ 

Young adults have grown up in an era of healthy living where nutritional and health knowledge is far more accessible and advanced than it was when the previous generation grew up. However, despite information being prevalent, there appears to be a gap between ‘knowing’ and ‘doing’ in relation to young adults’ healthy eating behaviours, with many young adults opting for less nutritious, convenience food and often eating few fruits and vegetables. This research aims to understand why current health-promotion information is not always effective in motivating young adults to achieve the societal goals of eating healthily. Ten young adults (mean age 19.5 years) participated in a mixed methods study, comprising a diary study, semi-structured interviews and card sorting tasks to investigate young adults’ opinions of their dietary behaviours and experiences of prior diet-related interventions. The findings uncovered that an awareness of benefits to ‘physical health’ is not a strong enough motivation for young adults to change their dietary behaviours because they are less likely to trade their instant dietary needs of convenience and cost-efficiency for potential health benefits expected in the future. This work concludes with recommendations which suggest that future interventions should emphasise the immediate benefits of dietary choices instead of those expected future benefits to help motivate young adults to start taking steps to change their eating habits and improve their health and wellbeing. 

Huyen Le ‘From deadly surfaces to sustainable solutions: The power of watching paint dry!’ (Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering​) 

What are the serious consequences of dirty surfaces? People can die. Microbes accumulated on surfaces cause problems. An infection occurs when they overgrow and invade your body, going to where they’re not supposed to be. Their resistance to drugs, a global health crisis, is accelerated when these infections are mistreated. In the future, something as simple as a throat infection could end up killing millions and costing the under- pressured NHS lots of resources annually. We keep hospitals safe by frequently disinfecting surfaces. Using waterborne coatings generates more sustainable solutions. Watching paint dry is one of the key strategies we can adopt to reduce surface contamination and combat antimicrobial resistance. This work provides valuable knowledge into optimising the biocide distribution within antibacterial surface coatings. Microscopic data in our research provides macro insights for academics, clinicians, and industrialists to help reduce hospital-acquired infections. 

Dr Tamarin Norwood 'New creative interventions in baby loss bereavement care' (Design and Creative Arts)​ 

Baby loss is too often unsupported by the social rituals, traditions and acknowledgements we depend upon to make sense of death, leaving parents isolated and less likely to heal through grief. In collaboration with baby loss charity Held In Our Hearts, we have created two new resources to support parents bereaved at birth: a creative writing course, and packs of keepsake writing prompts now distributed as part of bereavement care packages by NHS Trusts. These resources are helping parents replenish inadequate social narratives by supporting them to create their own, by capturing, exploring and sharing fleeting impressions and memories. They are making an impact, for instance helping plan a funeral, reducing anxiety, improving sleep, improving concentration, aiding return to work, and helping make sense of grief experience. This presentation will share insights from the process of designing the resources, and insights from the creative writing that resulted, contributing to a wider project of creating and contextualising an inclusive picture of the distinct cultural and symbolic meanings of reproductive loss in the UK. 

Umatur Rehman ' Molecules as detectives' (Science)​ 

The role of human detectives is to investigate and solve crimes. They search for unique information that may be used to solve a particular case. When it comes to chemistry, specific molecules can do the same job for a chemical system. Our body is also composed of several complicated chemical systems, and if some of them do not function as they should, we may need these detective molecules to find out the root cause and solution of the problem (disease). The research work of our group is concerned with finding such detective molecules and tuning their properties so they can do their job in the best possible way.  In our work we use luminescent europium complexes as the detectives. These complexes bind to various biomolecules of interest. In particular, we are interested in the energy carrying molecule ATP and its related molecules. Upon binding the luminescence response is changed providing a signal that we can use to detect the molecules.  My work involves illuminating the structure and binding properties of luminescent europium complexes. We need to compute accurate energies of the complexes as well as searching the space for different conformers. 

Dr Rachel Talbot ‘Applying scientific method to complex real-world problems – an example from road safety’ (Design and Creative Arts) 

We all have some experience with the topic of road safety – as a pedestrian, driver, cyclist or motorcyclist. As a road safety researcher, my job is to gather an evidence-base to guide policy and regulation to improve the safety off all road users.  Understanding the causes and contributory factors associated with road traffic crashes – i.e. understanding the problem, is often the starting point for this. However, road traffic crashes are complex real-world events involving multiple actors. The researcher cannot control the event or manipulate conditions. One approach is to take the view that crashes occur within a road traffic system made up of road users, the road environment (road type, signage, sight lines etc), the conditions (weather, light) and the vehicles. In turn these are influenced by wider factors such as rules, regulations and cultural norms. This presentation will give an overview of how system-based methods have been developed to capture this complexity and minimise bias. A study examining motorcycle crashes at junctions will be used as an illustration. Such methods also have the potential to be applied to emerging topics such as automation and increased use of micro mobility (e.g. electric scooters/bikes). 

Location: Brunel/Murdoch

Facilitators: Andrew Peck & Dr Monalie Bandulasena

This workshop began with a short introduction to adversarial methods derived from cyber security (and before that military war-games) before bringing attendees together into groups and asking them to rapidly collaborate in a trusting circle with each student describing and sharing their own research before passing it sideways to be critiqued and "weaponised" by colleagues. When we break it down in terms of "Transforming our tomorrow. Together", the "Together" is addressed by the multidisciplinary nature of the groups, whilst the “Transforming our tomorrow" is met by mirroring the thought processes of some of history's greatest science fiction authors.

Delegates Choice – Muhammad Hassan ‘5G/6G Radio propagation over and close to the water during severe weather’ (Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering)

Highly Commended - Maddison Onions ‘Saudi Arabia: An emerging democracy?’ (Social Sciences and Humanities)

Runner-up - Rafia Arshad ‘Cousin marriages among Pakistani community in the U.K’ (Social Sciences and Humanities)

Best Poster - Keyi Zhong ‘Building a sustainable knowledge management system from sparse data in industrial maintenance’ (Business) 

Delegates Choice - Nurul Islam Mohamed Yusoff ‘A Methodology for sustainable management of household food waste’ (Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering)

Highly Commended - Alex Haydock-Wilson ‘Solar surfaces: Minimising PV losses’ (Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering)

Best Talk - Ashley van Bruygom 'Hydrogen for the future of aviation' (Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering)

Delegates Choice - Taoran Ji ‘Encouraging healthy eating in young adults: Emphasising the immediate benefits instead of those expected in the future’ (Design and Creative Arts)

Highly Commended - Huyen Le ‘From deadly surfaces to sustainable solutions: The power of watching paint dry!’ (Aeronautical, Automotive, Chemical and Materials Engineering)

Best Talk - Zuleikha Chikh ‘Examining the experiences of racialised minority women undertaking sports leadership programmes in the UK and Europe’ (Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences)

Delegates Choice & Best Talk - Rhianna Garrett ‘Space, race, and place: How we transform the future of academic identities’ (Social Sciences and Humanities)

Highly Commended - Ellie Buxton ‘Exploring men’s perspectives on making misogyny a hate crime’ (Social Sciences and Humanities)

Delegates Choice - Georgios Thoma ‘Reinventing the wheel with Laser-cats: Collectible Content, a modular ecosystem of intrinsically integrated gameplay’ (Science)

Highly Commended - Ridzuan A-Rasid ‘Goldfish VS Generation Z’ (Design and Creative Arts)

Best Talk - Deepanshi Birthal ‘Risk resilience and insuring your tomorrow: Insights in property insurance’ (Business)