Category Archives: Research
New Visiting Professor – Learning & Library Services
We are delighted to announce that Professor Susannah Quinsee, Professor of Learning Development and Director of Learning Enhancement and Development; City University of London will be joining us as the new visiting professor for Library and Learning Services.
Susannah leads the Learning Enhancement and Development Directorate which encompasses educational development and technology enhanced learning activity; academic skills, dyslexia and disability support, and student counselling and mental health services for the City University of London.
Susannah was Chair of the Heads of E-Learning Forum (HeLF) Steering Group from 2007-2011 and as a founder member of HeLF still remains on the HeLF Steering Group.
Susannah has worked as a lecturer and in academic support roles at a number of other higher education institutions in the UK as well as leading on large scale institutional change projects.
In 2011, Susannah became a National Teaching Fellow. She has considerable experience in the areas of online learning, student support, implementing learning and teaching strategies and project management in relation to higher education. Susannah’s current research focuses on leadership and change management in relation to learning development, developing communities of practice in higher education and engaging staff in new learning and teaching methodologies, particularly using technology.
Susannah will provide academic leadership and mentoring to LLS staff engaged in research activity and will play an active role in the research life of the department.
“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.
Impact & the REF – English & History; Education, Business & Law – 9th June
I am delighted to annouce that Sarah Hall will be leading the three hour workshops for English and History and Education, Business and Law on the 9th of June. Sarah has been the Research Impact Strategy and Policy Manager for the University of Leicester for the past four years, and supported the delivery of the impact aspect of the institution’s REF2014 submission. Since 2014, she has worked to embed impact into the research culture of the University and to manage preparations for the next assessment exercise. A member of the University’s Research Strategy and Policy team, Sarah works centrally across the institution supporting academic staff from all disciplines to explore, articulate and evidence the economic and societal impact of their research.
The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the system used for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. In order to facilitate preparation for the next REF, two meetings have been scheduled for all staff on the 19th of May.
12 pm to 1 pm – Park Campus – DLT (Delapre Lecture Theatre)
2 pm to 3 pm – Avenue Campus – MR 5
Workshop on REF and the Impact – English and History – C317 – Park Campus – 9th June – 9:30am to 12:30 pm
Workshop on REF and the Impact – Education, Business and Law – C317 – Park Campus – 9th June – 1 pm to 4 pm
To book your place please email SDBookings@Northampton.ac.uk
Impact & the REF
“In the 2021 REF the University of Northampton will submit and celebrate the excellent research it has done, and is doing, to underpin the delivery of the Changemaker Challenges and the University’s mission of Transforming Lives + Inspiring Change. The interdisciplinary nature of much of our research will be made overt. We will particularly focus on the impact our research has had, locally, nationally and internationally, and the ways the implementation of research findings (the application of our new knowledge) has improved the lives of people, and their environments.” Professor Simon Denny (Executive Dean: Research, Impact and Enterprise).
The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the system used for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. In order to facilitate preparation for the next REF, two meetings have been scheduled for all staff on the 19th of May.
12 pm to 1 pm – Park Campus – DLT (Delapre Lecture Theatre)
2 pm to 3 pm – Avenue Campus – MR 5
Further meetings have been scheduled to look deeper at impact and case studies for units of assessment for the next REF. These are 3 hour meetings which will look in detail at what makes a 4 star impact case study and how we can apply that to our own research.
Please ensure that you come along to the meeting that is relevant to you, if you are unsure of which meeting to attend please contact your Research Leader.
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
Note – these are based on units of assessment, not faculty structures.
Please do prioritise these dates, and attend if at all possible.
Please email SDBookings@northampton.ac.uk to book your place.
If you are a PG Student, please contact dawn.hibbert@ed.ac.uk for booking.
The next REF and Open Access
Research outputs that do not meet HEFCE’s open access policy access and deposit requirements will not be able to be submitted to the next REF… this can not be changed retrospectively… Need to know what to do? Tune in to a webinar on the 2nd of May at 3 pm and find out everything that you need to know to ensure your outputs are compliant.
None of the following will make an output eligible for submission…
“I put it in Research Gate”
“I put it in Academia”
“I didn’t know about it”
“I didn’t have the time”
“I don’t know what I am meant to do”
“But I’m not submitting this artilce to the REF anyway”
Finding the Right Funder
Want to Know More about Finding the Right Funder?
This interactive workshop is designed to help you to navigate the funding landscape and will cover topics on identifying the main sources of funding, how to use GRANTfinder effectively and winning tactics on how to increase your chance of success. The session is ideal if you have specific research ideas and would like help in finding external funding for them. Facilitated by Karen Lewis, Bidding Manager for the Research and Strategic Bidding Office.
This workshop will take place on Thursday, 25th May from 10am-12pm in Room S036, Sulgrave Building, Park Campus. To book a place, please click on the Eventbrite link.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/finding-the-right-funder-tickets-33207370138
