Category Archives: Lectures & seminars
PhD Transfer Seminar – Rethinking the Robinsonade…
Dear all,
You are all cordially invited to attend Bochra Benaissa’s PhD Transfer Seminar at 2.15pm on Wednesday 4 October in room MY120 (Maidwell Building, Avenue Campus)
Please see Bochra’s synopsis:
Rethinking the Robinsonade: Self and Environment in Twentieth-Century Desert Island Narratives
Bochra Benaissa
My research explores the ways in which modern Robinsonades can be read in the light of an alternative approach to island narratives, bringing to light ways in which the earliest Robinsonades seek to marginalize the specificity of environment and geography, whilst the modern ones depend upon them as the dominant themes. Although it might seem that all desert island stories are similar since they all address the question of an autonomous human nature, the first two chapters of this study show how the self can more productively be viewed through a study of the protagonist’s interaction with other creatures existing on the island. It also explores the relation that the protagonist builds with his or her surroundings and how in the more recent Robinsonades, this suggests a new ecological understanding of the self.
The objective of the introductory chapter is to situate the research in the context of the genre’s development since the early eighteenth century, demonstrating how the values which it embodies have changed historically. The second chapter then focuses upon texts from the twentieth-century Robinsonades and their preoccupation with transformations of the self in relation to non-human animals. Using an eco-critical approach informed by the work of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, particularly their notion of ‘becoming animal’, it examines literary constructions of man and the environment and explores how twentieth-century desert island narratives are often used to understand and critique man’s dominance over nature.
Open Access Week – 23rd to 29th October 2017
The theme for this year’s 10th International Open Access Week is “Open in order to…”
There are many benefits to open access, including greater visibility of research, increases in citations, and ensuring far greater access to research. HEFCE’s open access policy for REF2021 has seen the greatest shift in practice in terms of open access within the UK, and there are few of you who will not have been asked about uploading your accepted manuscripts to NECTAR! Whilst we realise this can sometimes be an arduous task for some, it is necessary. Rather than presenting to you once again the benefits of open access, we’d like to hear from you!
We are holding a competition for the best examples of where open access has benefited your research, if open access has made a difference to your work or research then we’d love to hear from you! All that’s required is a few minutes of your time, a short paragraph will suffice… though please don’t be limited by this!
The best judged entry will rewarded with a lovely bottle of champagne… and will featured on the staff intranet research page! All entries will also go into a draw for a further bottle of champagne! If champagne is not to your liking, then a £20 amazon voucher will be awarded instead!
Dawn Hibbert, Head of Research Support will also be presenting a seminar on Research Data Management – Making your data count – maximising impact (All this research… All this Data… Use it.. Preserve it… Make a Difference.. Make an Impact! – warning – this presentation uses images from the genocide memorial in Kigali, Rwanda that may be upsetting).
Key Dates:
Deadline for applications for “How Open Access has benefited your Research” 5 pm Monday 23rd of October
Seminar – Research Data Management :
Avenue Campus – 27th October 11 am – 12 pm – Avenue Boardroom
Park Campus – 24th October 11am – 12 pm – Venue to be confirmed
Seminar – Criminology – 21 September
Paula Bowles; Criminology – Faculty of Health and Society, will be holding the following seminar
Thursday 21st September, 14.00-14.45, Park Campus, S138
“Patriotism is not enough”: Reframing the criminal ex-serviceman[1]
The narrative of the dangerous and criminal ex-serviceman is well established. In such accounts, men go to war, (the fortunate ones) return home disillusioned and angry and erupt into violence. Such travails are explained through the rhetoric of patriotism and heroism as soldiers “falling” into crime. Attempts are then made to pathologise their violent behaviour through Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (with or without a medical diagnosis). The problem, as this thesis seeks to demonstrate is, despite recent attempts to demonstrate the overrepresentation of ex-servicemen in prison, there is no empirical data to support such a narrative.
[1] ‘Patriotism is not enough. I must have no bitterness or hatred for anyone’ (Edith Cavell, 1915 inscribed beneath her memorial, St. Martin’s Place, London).
“One Health: linking humans, animals and landscape, a case study from Ethiopia” – Research Seminar – Prof. Nikolaus J. Kuhn
Come along to Newton Building (room NW205) at 12:00 on Wednesday 7th June for a research seminar by Prof Nikolaus J Kuhn.
The One Health approach originally linked human to animal health. Moving from prevention of transmission of diseases between humans and animals, the scope widened to improving human health through that provided food of sufficient quality to avoid malnutrition and disease. This approach can reduce health costs significantly in rural areas developing countries, including rangelands. Recognizing land degradation as a major cause of poor animal health, the inclusion of rangeland ecology was a logical expansion of the One Health approach. In this presentation, the concept of One Health is presented, in particular with regards to dryland pastoralism. The recently started Jijiga One Health Initiative (JOHI) in south-eastern Ethiopia is used as a case study to illustrate the contribution of One Health to sustainable land use and the improvement of health and livelihoods of the rural population.
Short biography:
Nikolaus J. Kuhn got his first degree in Physical Geography (1990-1995) in his native country Germany from the University of Trier, completing a thesis on Holocene climate change and dryland lake hydrology in NE-Spain. Winning the Government of Canada Award to undertake PhD research, he moved to the University of Toronto in 1996. There he completed a PhD in Geography (1996-2000), studying the effects of varying weather patterns on soil erosion in Canada and Mexico. The PhD was followed by postdoctoral research in Israel (2001) on the role of rainfall-surface interaction for landscape development in the northern Negev. In 2002, he started academic teaching as Visiting Assistant Professor at Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts. He joined the University of Exeter as Lecturer for Geography in July 2003. In 2007, he was appointed Honorary Professor at the University of Exeter.
The research interests of Nikolaus Kuhn and his group focus on the physical geographic dimension of environmental change, in particular the interaction of surface processes and climate on geomorphology and associated biogeochemical cycles. Their key aim is to identify the functioning of landscape systems, their spatial extent, reaction to change and mutual effects on each other. Current major projects include the reconstruction of Carbon and nutrient cycles in rangelands, the role of agricultural dust emissions on climate and health in southern Africa, the ecological impact of the land reform on communal land in Namibia, and a grant by the Swiss Space Center supporting the search for life on Mars.
All welcome!
Faculty of Education and Humanities: Theory for Research Seminar
Led by Dr Cristina Devecchi, Associate Professor (SEN)
If you are engaged in research or use research in your teaching, this seminar is for you. In this informative seminar, Dr Cristina Devecchi will explain what is theory and the role of theory in research, policy and practice. Whether theory can result in better policies and improvements to practice.
Tuesday 6th June 2017 at 1-4pm, Room C107, Cottesbrooke, Park Campus,
All welcome
Facilitated by the Centre for Education and Research. For more information please e-mail jane.murray@northampton.ac.uk
Research Impact: Faculty of Education and Humanities Research Seminar
Led by Liz Bonnett ~ REF Officer for Research Impact (De Montfort University – DMU)
The term ‘impact’ is used increasingly, not least in research. What is research impact? How is research impact measured? What does research impact mean for researchers? Why is the impact of research an important consideration for those working in universities? In this informative seminar, Liz Bonnett, DMU’s Research Excellence Framework (REF) Officer for Research Impact will explain research impact and why it matters to you.
Thursday 25 May 2017 ~ 3-4pm ~ Sulgrave 138, Park Campus, University of Northampton, NN2 7AL
All welcome
Facilitated by the Centre for Education and Research
E-mail jane.murray@northampton.ac.uk for more information
Research Excellence Framework (REF)
In order to provide support to our staff in relation to the REF, a dedicated email account has been created.
If you have any questions in relation to the REF please email REF@Northampton.ac.uk
If you have not yet signed up for the REF and Impact Workshop for your panel of assessment please email SDBookings@Northampton.ac.uk
24th May – 09:30 am to 12:30 pm – Mechanical Engineering, Art and Design, Geography, Computing – Avenue Campus – MY120
7th June – 1 pm to 4 pm Allied Health & Psychology – Park Campus – C317
9th June – 9:30 am to 12:30 pm – English and History – Park Campus – C317
9th June – 1 pm to 4 pm – Education, Business and Law – Park Campus – C317
Impact & the REF – Introductory Session
Thank you to all who attended the sessions today on Impact & the REF. If you were unable to attend today’s sessions, please take the time to have a look over the slides. If you haven’t yet booked for the 3 hour workshop session relevant to your unit of assessment please do as soon as possible (email SDbookings@northampton.ac.uk).
Impact and the REF Standard Sized Screen
If you have any questions please email dawn.hibbert@northampton.ac.uk
Note: Recommendations from Lord Sterns Review in the REF: (Final guidelines to be published in Summer 2017)
- Impact – Proposal for impact in REF 2021 is to remain consistent with REF 2014 process
- Impacts are submitted by the institution or institutions in which the underpinning research has been conducted.
- Impacts are submitted by the institution or institutions in which the underpinning research has been conducted.
- Aspects captured by the impact template should be incorporated into the environment statement.
- Propose to take account of the unit’s approach to supporting and enabling impact as an explicit section of the environment element of assessment – impact template would no longer be required.
- 100% of the impact sub-profile would be attributed to the impact case studies.
- Case study ratio should be based on HESA data on research active staff.
- All institutions should be required to submit some institutional-level case studies which arise from multi- and interdisciplinary and collaborative work.
- Proposed that case studies are submitted via a web form in REF 2021 that will include a number of mandatory fields.
- Case studies should continue to be based on research of demonstrable quality, but could be linked to a research activity and a body or work as well as to specific research outputs.
- Proposed that examples of impact in REF 2021 must be underpinned by excellent research, research activity, or a body of work produced by the submitting unit in the period from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2020.
Butterflies and other animals: Tom Brereton inaugural professorial lecture
Kleiner Fuchs (Nymphalis urticae)
CC BY-SA 3.0
John Sinclair, The Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Science & Technology has pleasure in inviting you to the Inaugural Professorial Lecture entitled
Butterflies and other animals:
40 years of adventure in ecology and conservation
The lecture will be delivered by Professor Tom Brereton, on Tuesday 16 May 2017 at 6 pm in The Grand Hall, Newton Building, St George’s Avenue, Northampton, NN2 6JD
Coffee & biscuits will be served on arrival at 5.30 pm. Following the lecture there will be an opportunity for networking and discussion over drinks & nibbles. For catering purposes, please advise Val Howe if you are able to attend.
Inaugural Research Ethics Seminar
The Research Ethics Committee has established a series of seminars to bring researchers together to discuss current and best practice in research ethics. The seminars are for any staff or postgraduate research students. Each seminar will discuss paper related to research ethics. The first meeting will take place on 1st June 2017, from 12:00 to 13:30 in Top Lodge Conservatory, Park Campus.
This inaugural meeting will discuss the following paper:
Reubi, D. 2012. The human capacity to reflect and decide: Bioethics and the reconfiguration of the research subject in the British biomedical sciences. Social Studies of Science. 42(3): 348-368.
Please come along prepared to discuss the selected paper with others from a diverse range of academic disciplines.
