Northumbria Research Conference 2015
#NUresearch15
Foreword by Professor George Marston
I am delighted to welcome you to the annual Northumbria Research Conference which offers us a fantastic
opportunity to promote the variety of research activity across the University. As you will know, this year we
took a major step towards our vision, with our excellent performance in the Research Excellence Framework,
which saw us nearly triple our share of research rated as ‘world-leading’ and ‘internationally excellent’ while
achieving the biggest rise in the entire sector in terms of our ‘research power’ ranking and, subsequently, the
fourth largest rise in Quality-Related research (QR) funding.
While today’s event is the sixth such gathering in its present form, our REF result has altered the way in which
research is positioned within the University; we now see research at the heart of everything we do as a
University and I can therefore be confident of an excellent turn-out.
Today’s Conference sees no let-up in the broad range of activities offered at previous conferences; indeed,
alongside the posters, papers, Pecha Kucha presentations and practical presentations, this year also sees
innovative new ‘Coffee Shop Doctorate’ sessions, where post-graduate students explain their research to each
other in under two minutes over a coffee.
Importantly, the event both demonstrates and symbolises our ‘One University’ approach. I am particularly
indebted to the academic lead, Professor Alan Reed, who, with his small but excellent team led by Professor
Edoardo Ongaro, has designed a programme that accommodates all this activity.
At lunchtime, I will host an informal prize-giving ceremony for our postgraduate students; may I urge you to
support this short session.
I hope sincerely that you all enjoy the whole event.
Professor George Marston
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation)
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
#NUresearch15
Welcome by Professor Edoardo Ongaro
On behalf of the Conference Committee, I am delighted to welcome you to the Northumbria Research
Conference 2015. This is an extremely significant opportunity for us to share the results of our research work
and further build up our scientific and professional community.
Northumbria is a collegiate and supportive institution, and I am sure we'll all want to support colleagues in our
teams and disciplines by attending their presentation. I'd also encourage you to 'cross the disciplinary borders'
and attend sessions that you might not normally attend: I am sure you will find them extremely interesting and
inspiring for your research work.
The inter-disciplinary themes are:





Health and Disease
Heritage and Culture
Human Rights and Judicial Processes
Organisations and Business
Pedagogical and Research Techniques
Posters will also be exhibited, and I warmly invite you to go through the wealth of fascinating projects that are
'on display' at our conference.
An enormous amount of work has gone into preparing and organising this conference over the last few
months, and I'm very grateful to our colleagues in Research and Business Services who have enabled us to get
to this point. A special thank you to Gill Drinkald and Simon Smith for their fantastic support and attention to
all aspects of conference organisation.
Following on from the Conference and as part of the Public Lecture series, colleagues are also invited to
attend Professor Tom Lawson’s lecture: ‘Britain and Genocide – History, Memory and Morality’ which is taking
place in City Campus East, 002 from 6.30pm – 7.30pm.
To find out more information about the lecture and to register your free place, please visit
www.northumbria.ac.uk/publiclectureswww.northumbria.ac.uk/publiclectures
Enjoy the conference.
Professor Edoardo Ongaro FAcSS
Professor of International Public Services Management and
Academic Chair, Research Conference Committee
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Conference Programme ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…. 3 - 12
Keynote Speaker………………………………………………………………………..…………….……………………….…..……….. 13
Conference Stands………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 13
Prize Giving Session…………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………….. 14
Interactive Demonstrations………………………………………………………………………………...…………….…………… 14
Overviews of Additional Sessions………………………………………………………………………..…….….……….… 15- 20
Northumbria University Approved Research Centres……………………………………..……..….……….……..….. 20
Northumbria University Faculty Approved Research Interest Groups…………………………………….. 21 - 24
Conference Abstracts (alphabetical order)………………………………………………………………….……………. 25 - 47
Pecha Kucha Abstracts (alphabetical order)………………………………………………………….………………….. 48- 57
Poster Abstracts (alphabetical order by Faculty) ......................................................................................
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences…………………………………………………………..………….. 58 - 62
Faculty of Business and Law…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 63 - 66
Faculty of Engineering and Environment……………………………………………………………………….... 67 - 80
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences…………………………………………………………………………………. 81 - 111
Exhibit Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 112
Information for Delegates…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 114
Notes………..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..… 115 - 117
1
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Conference Programme Overview: Wednesday 20th May 2015
City Campus East Building 1: Ground floor
09.00 - 09.30
09.30 - 09.45
09.45 - 10.30
Registration and coffee in foyer area
City Campus East Building 1: Lecture Theatre 001
Welcome and Introduction
Professor George Marston, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation)
Keynote: “Let’s Talk”
Dr Vincent Deary, Senior Lecturer, Northumbria University
CONFERENCE PAPERS
Lecture theatre 001
Session 1 Welcome
Theme: Health and Disease
Chair: Prof Nicola Adams
City Campus East Building 1: Ground floor
Lecture theatre 002
Session 1 Welcome
Theme: Pedagogical and Research Techniques
Chair: Neil Percival
Lecture theatre 003
Session 1 Welcome
Theme: Human Rights and Judicial Processes
Chair: Dr Victor Toom
Dr Michael A. Smith
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Doctor-patient relationship as a predictor of
diabetes-related distress: Mediation by personal
control beliefs
Dr Alison Pearce
Faculty of Business and Law
Going and coming back again: the transformative
effects of international experience on students as
global citizens
Paul Biddle
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Closing the Revolving Door? The role of diversion services
in supporting offenders with mental health issues and
learning disabilities.
11.10
Dr Tamsin Saxton
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
A lover or a fighter? Men’s masculinity might be a
trade-off between two evolutionary goals.
Neil Percival
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Scholarship, or just social media? Creating an
online community to support student engagement
and development through group work
Dr Mark Brewer & Susan Turner
Faculty of Business and Law
Capturing investor conscience: from conflict minerals to
stateless children?
11.25
Prof Nicola Adams
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Health Interventions for Long Term Conditions
within the Department of Sport, Exercise and
Rehabilitation
Lucy Hatt
Faculty of Business and Law
Staff perspectives of threshold concepts in the
context of an undergraduate entrepreneurial
business degree programme
Dr Victor Toom
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
The postmortal life of human remains in the aftermath of
the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City
10.45
10.55
2
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
11.40
Coffee break
12.00
Session 2 Welcome
Theme: Health and Disease
Chair: Prof Maia Angelova
Session 2 Welcome
Theme: Pedagogical and Research Techniques
Chair: Dr Tina Cook
Session 2 Welcome
Theme: Human Rights and Judicial Processes
Chair: Dr Peter Glaves
12.10
Prof Piers Cornelissen
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Time sensitive network dynamics for visual word
recognition
Dr Victoria Ríos Castaño
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Missionaries' methodology of data collection in
colonial Mexico
Dr Jamie Harding
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Care Leavers, Homelessness and the Role of Services
12.25
Dr Andriy Myachykov and Joanna Greer
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Phonologically typicality and dyslexia
Dr Elaine Hall & Cath Sylvester
Faculty of Business and Law
Beyond theory/ practice turf wars: where theory is
considered a practice and practice is theorised
Emma Piasecki, Gemma Davies & Adam Jackson
Faculty of Business and Law
Expert Evidence, rule changes and reliability: Can more
effective training for the legal profession prevent
miscarriages of justice?
12.40
Prof Maia Angelova
Faculty of Engineering and Environment
Markers of health based on complexity metrics
derived from human physiological signals
Dr Tina Cook
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Assessing Participatory Research Impact and
Legacy: mining complexity
Dr Peter Glaves
Faculty of Engineering and Environment
Can environment help change young offenders behaviour
13.00
Lunch, networking, exhibition viewing and poster viewing
Lunch can be collected from the Ground Floor, City Campus East, building 2.
Coffee Shop Doctorate Sessions for Post-Graduate Research Student participants
th
4 floor, Newcastle Business School Corporate Hub, City Campus East building 1
Prize Giving for Post-Graduate Research Students Poster Competition
Presented by Professor George Marston, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation)
Foyer Area, City Campus East building 1
Note: Posters will be available on the conference web page before the event
13.15
14.00
Lecture theatre 001
Lecture theatre 002
3
Lecture theatre 003
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
CONFERENCE PAPERS
Lecture theatre 001
City Campus East building 1: Ground Floor
Lecture theatre 002
Lecture theatre 003
14.30
Session 3 Welcome
Theme: Health and Disease
Chair: Prof Andrew Collins
Session 3 Welcome
Theme: Organisations and Businesses
Chair: Dr Neill Thompson
Session 3 Welcome
Theme: Human Rights and Judicial Processes
Chair: Dr Michael Stockdale
14.40
Dr Lee Shepherd
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
The Role of Emotions in Promoting and Deterring
Healthy Eating
Tony Conner
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Stop Blaming Organisational Culture
Tony Storey & Adam Jackson
Faculty of Business and Law
Non-fatal offences against the person, the Law
Commission’s reform proposals and the “correspondence
principle”
14.55
Prof Andrew Collins
Faculty of Engineering and Environment
Health Centred Disaster Risk Reduction (HCDRR)
and recent findings from HIV/AIDS related
behaviour in Mozambique
Dr Sanjay Bhowmick
Faculty of Business and Law
Roles Psychic Distance and Cultural Distance Play
in Foreign Market Entry Decisions by Technology
Entrepreneurs
Carole Southall
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
The application of mental capacity legislation by social
workers – issues of autonomy
15.10
End of session
Dr Neill Thompson
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Using Discursive Psychology as a qualitative
approach for analysing workplace bullying
Dr Michael Stockdale
Faculty of Business and Law
Expert Evidence Reliability: the Criminal, Civil, Family
Trichotomy
15.40
Coffee break in foyer area
4
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Lecture theatre 001
Lecture theatre 002
Lecture theatre 003
16.00
Session 4 Welcome
Theme: Heritage and Culture
Chair: Christopher Reeves
Session 4 Welcome
Theme: Organisations and Businesses
Chair: Dr Alex Hope
Session 4 Welcome
Theme: Pedagogical and Research Techniques
Chair: Dr Geoff Walton
16.10
Dr Hans-Christian Andersen
Faculty of Business and Law
Returning the dead author to the “real” world: Mark
Akenside as Literary Attraction
Helen Nicholson
Faculty of Business and Law
Corporate Philanthropy: The Decision Making
Process and Employee Involvement. A SingleCase Study - The John Lewis Partnership.
Caroline Burns
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Moving towards transformative Intercultural learning:
understanding the home student experience of
Internationalisation
16.25
Dr Perla Innocenti
Faculty of Engineering and Environment
Food heritage in a digital world: rethinking
information curation, access and reuse
Dr M. Naveed Anwar
Faculty of Engineering and Environment
Exploration of Digital Entrepreneurship (Online
Home Based Businesses (HBBs)) Trough
Empirical Analysis
16.40
Prof Gabriel Moreno-Esparza
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Visualizing the environmental public sphere on
Twitter in the context of the British General Election
Dr Sergio Gonzalez Sanchez
Faculty of Engineering and Environment
Drastic influence of minor Fe or Co additions on the glass
forming ability, martensitic transformations and
mechanical properties of shape memory Zr–Cu–Al bulk
metallic glass composites
Robert C. Moehler
Faculty of Engineering and Environment
Employer strategies to develop skills in
projectified work of mega infrastructure renewal
Dr Geoff Walton
Faculty of Engineering and Environment
AMORES - Discovering a love for literature through digital
collaboration and creativity
16.55
Christopher Reeves
Faculty of Engineering and Environment
Conservation of listed signal boxes made redundant
under the Network Rail ‘Network Operating Strategy
Dr Alex Hope & Jennifer Stephens
Faculty of Business and Law
Environmental Sustainability in UK Legal Firms: A
Review of Progress, Challenges and
Opportunities
End of session
17.30
Conference ends
5
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
SYMPOSIA
City Campus East building 1: Ground floor
Room 007
Room 025
10.45
Welcome
Theme: History in the US and Britain
Chair: Dr Avram Taylor
Welcome
Theme: Migration and Diaspora
Chair: Dr Ian Fitzgerald
10.55
Dr James McConnel
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
First World War Memorials at Northumbria University
Dr Joe Hardwick
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Special days of prayer, national religion and the empire of British settlement, 1800-1900
11.10
Dr Randall Stephens
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
From Abolitionists to Fundamentalists: The Transformation of the
Wesleyan Methodists in the 19th and 20th Centuries
Prof Steve Taylor
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Indian Punjabi Dalit Transnationalism and Religious Conversion: An Autonomous Anti-Caste
Tradition?
11.25
Dr Joe Street
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Dr Huey P. Newton: Solitary Confinement, Cocaine, and Psychological
Decline
Nisha S Thomas
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Changing Notions of Home for Young Nepalese and Nigerian Diaspora in the UK and its
implication for globalising discourses on diaspora-development nexus
11.40
End of session
Tom Vickers & Lucinda Hudson
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences & Faculty of Business and Law
Methodological challenges and opportunities of co-production and inter-disciplinary
collaboration: Insights from a research project on the position and experiences of ‘new
migrants’ in the North East England workforce
6
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
SYMPOSIA
City Campus East building 1: Ground floor
Room 007
Room 025
14.30
Welcome
Theme: Centre for International Development
Chair: Dr Katy Jenkins
Welcome
Theme: Emotion
Chair: Charlotte Bilby
14.40
Jane Arnfield
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Suitcase of Survival SOS
Adele Irving & Oliver Moss
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Sensing (and finding room for) the emotional in policy-relevant research: the case of
homelessness?
14.55
Dr Sarah Coulthard
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
How can a focus on Social Wellbeing support better working lives –
insights from South Asian fisheries
15.10
Barbara Tully
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
English for Specific Purposes (ESP): Access & workers’ rights In Sierra
Leone
Prof Michael Rowe
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Rediscovering Emotion and Passion in Criminal Justice Research
15.25
Dr Katy Jenkins
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Life history methods, civil society activists and vulnerability in South
India: reflections on the relational politics of development research
Charlotte Bilby & Dr Jacky Collins
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
I'm scared that I'm not myself in here, and I'm scared that I am’: The role of emotion in
depictions of prison cultures in Orange is the New Black
Dr Mary Laing & Prof Matt Baillee Smith
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Emotional impact: co-produced research and precarious positionalities
7
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
PECHA KUCHA PRESENTATIONS: SESSION 1
10.45 – 12.15
Chair: Prof John Dean
City Campus East building 1: Ground floor, Room 009
RUNNING ORDER
1.
Rebecca Casey, Faculty of Business and Law
Benefits realisation from IT enabled innovation: A capability challenge
for NHS English Acute Hospital Trusts?
2.
Lara Dodd, Faculty of Engineering and Environment
Using social media to capture the information seeking behaviour of
aspiring undergraduates
3.
Rachel Dunn, Faculty of Business and Law
Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend - and a Great Data Collection Tool
4.
Gerrit Kotzur, Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
The Journey of Life: Biographic Paths of Restitution, Quest and Chaos
in Narrative Research
5.
6.
7.
Sara Mohammadzadeh, Faculty of Business and Law
Exploring Dirty Research in Academia: Is my research dirty?
8.
Charles Oppon, Faculty of Engineering and Environment
Application of Additive Manufacturing Technology for Lightweight
Medical Scaffold using Polyurethane foam
9.
Tena Patten, Faculty of Business and Law
Exploring creativity and entrepreneurship
10. Karle Simone Prime, Faculty of Business and Law
Innovation and Economic Growth in Comparative Perspectives
11. Gill Telford, Faculty of Engineering and Environment
Towards a better understanding local authority community asset
transfer (LA CAT)
Xiaoxu Liu, Faculty of Engineering and Environment
Real time monitoring and fault diagnosis for wind turbine energy
systems
12. Mojtaba Mansourabadi, Faculty of Engineering and Environment
Adaptation of Majority-Logic Combining Method for Receive-Diversity
FSO Systems
Siti Nabilah Misti, Faculty of Engineering and Environment
Development and Optimisation of Precision Trimming Process for
Manganin Shunt Resistor
8
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
PECHA KUCHA PRESENTATIONS: SESSION 2
14.40 – 16.10
Chair: Prof John Dean
City Campus East building 1: Ground floor, Room 009
RUNNING ORDER
1.
Jackie Adamson, Faculty of Engineering and Environment
The PEDaLL Model for Teaching in Higher Education
2.
Carol Boothby, Faculty of Business and Law
Assessment and feedback in authentic learning environments –
doctors and lawyers
3.
Ashley James Chapman, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Understanding cognition: That rug really tied the room together,
man
4.
Katri Cornelissen, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Using CGI technology to measure distorted body image in
anorexia nervosa
5.
Jane E Else, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Modern art and arousal: Visual, emotional and cognitive
processes in response to art, and the effect of expertise, using
EEG
6.
Andrew Fletcher, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Community music and mental wellbeing; an ethnographic/realist
evaluation
7.
Alexander Mario Papiez, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Using 3D manufacturing processes to create low cost, custom
chemistry equipment
8.
Dr Norman Rickard, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
The Involvement of Older People in their Physical Rehabilitation
9.
Teri Taylor, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Colliding concepts in interdisciplinary research: Mind the gaps!
10. Dr Gary Wells, Faculty of Engineering and Environment
Leidenfrost Rotation and a Sublimation Heat Engine
11. Heather Yoeli, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
What is health?
9
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
COFFEE SHOP DOCTORATE SESSIONS FOR RESEARCH STUDENTS
City Campus East building 1: 4th floor
Corporate Hub, Newcastle Business School
13.15 – 13.45
Cole, Sophie
Group 1
Facilitator: Professor Allan Ingram
HLS Education and Lifelong Learning
Group 2
Facilitator: Dr Charlotte Alston
Bradley, Alexandria
ADSS Social Sciences & Languages
Allen, Sarah
HLS
Psychology
Hare, Olivia
HLS
Psychology
Allerton, Dean
HLS
Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation
Brown, Laura
EE
Architecture & Built Environment
Almarzouqi, Ibrahim
EE
Geography
Charlton, Helen
HLS
Education and Lifelong Learning
Barnabas, Sylvanus
BL
Law
Yoeli, Heather
HLS
Public Health & Well Being
Bone, Celia
HLS
Education and Lifelong Learning
Clifford, Tom
HLS
Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation
Clough, Amanda
Group 3
Facilitator: Dr Ray Arthur
BL
Law
Ridley, Angela
Group 4
Facilitator: Dr Michael Smith
HLS
Public Health & Well Being
Cooper, Christina
HLS
Public Health & Well Being
Sajidah, Hasan
HLS
Applied Science
Croft, Emma
HLS
Social Work and Communities
Shobnom, Sharmin
BL
NBS
Cutter, Richard
HLS
Psychology
Smith, Gabrielle
ADSS
Media & Communication Design
Dargue, Paul
BL
Law
Ramshaw, Adam
BL
Law
Else, Jane
HLS
Psychology
Ozoemena, Matthew
EE
Mechanical and Construction
10
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
COFFEE SHOP DOCTORATE SESSIONS FOR RESEARCH STUDENTS
City Campus East building 1: 4th floor
Corporate Hub, Newcastle Business School
13.15 – 13.45
Group 5
Facilitator: Professor David Greenwood
Harvey-Golding, Louise
HLS
Psychology
Parker, Chris
Keane, Karen
HLS
Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation
Patten, Tena
BL
Business and management
Kotzur, Gerrit
ADSS
Humanities
Pizycki, Lara
HLS
Social Work and Communities
Misti, Siti Nabilah
EE
Mechanical and Construction
Preece, Clair
HLS
Applied Science
Okumu, Jecinta
HLS
Public Health & Well Being
Prime, Karle
BL
NBS
Straughair, Colette
HLS
Healthcare
Qu, Yongtao
EE
Physics and electrical engineering
Eschle, Tim
Group 7
Facilitator: Dr Karim Sorour
HLS Psychology
Clayton-Helm, Lauren
Group 6
Facilitator: Dr Milutin Jovanovic
ADSS Social Sciences & Languages
Group 8
Facilitator: Dr Mark Wetherell
BL
Law
Everest, Francesca L. Claire
HLS
Fletcher, Andrew
HLS
Public Health & Well Being
Fathia, Jaat
HLS
Applied Science
Mitchell, Jill
HLS
Healthcare
Ford, Claire
HLS
Adult Nursing
Boudewijn, Inge
ADSS
Social Sciences & Languages
George, Karen
EE
Information Management
Yarovaya, Larisa
BL
NBS
Brown, Jane
BL
MTTM
Adamson, Jackie
EE
Maths & Info Sciences
Stewart, Justine
HLS
Social Work and Communities
11
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
ADDITIONAL SESSIONS
Room 008
Research and Business Services
10.45
Understanding research impact
11.05
Getting your research into Parliament
11.25
Making sense of Open Access
11.45
Top tips for writing a funding bid
12.05
Funding opportunities and how to find them:
for final year PhD students & Early Career
Researchers
12.25
End
14.30
Understanding research impact
14.50
Getting your research into Parliament
15.10
Making sense of Open Access
15.30
Top tips for writing a funding bid
15.50
Funding opportunities and how to find them:
for final year PhD students & Early Career
Researchers
16.10
End
City Campus East building 1: Ground Floor
Room 012
Graduate School,
Research and Business Services
Room 011
University Library
12.20
I’m new to Doctoral research session for staff only
10.45
Maximising your research profile: How
to be seen better
13.00
End
11.45
End
14.30
Running your own Research Event
for PGR students
14.30
Maximising your research profile: How
to be seen better
15.30
End
15.30
End
Further information relating to the above sessions can be found on pages 16 - 19
12
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Keynote Speaker: Dr Vincent Deary, Northumbria University
Title: “Let’s Talk”
Vincent Deary is a senior lecturer in health psychology and Penguin published author of How We Are which
is the first part of the How To Live trilogy which brings scientific and theoretical knowledge of human
suffering and its alleviation to a lay audience.
He is also a practitioner health psychologist and a practicing cognitive behavioural therapist. His research
work draws upon his clinical experience to develop new psychosocial interventions for physical and
emotional health complaints. He is a founding member of the Northern Association for Persistent Physical
Symptoms, a clinical network aimed at supporting the care of people with long term physical symptoms.
“Human suffering is a complex phenomenon, to understand and alleviate it our work and thinking will have
to reflect and engage with this complexity. As researchers working within a multi-disciplinary research
community, we are in a unique position to do this work. Talking with each other may be all it takes. The talk
takes a close look at a variety of people struggling with difficulty, drawn from the clinic and from ongoing
research projects. It will show how understanding and intervening in their lives can only be done effectively
when there is a dialogue between different professions and disciplines. It will also show how some of the
most creative ideas can come from the least likely inter-disciplinary dialogues, and make some suggestions
for how this dialogue can be enabled at the institutional level”. Dr Vincent Deary
____________________________________________
Conference Stands
These will be located in the foyer area of City Campus East building 1.
The Library’s Research Support Team will have a stand promoting collections and resources to support your
research. Staff will be on hand to provide details of the Library’s Research Support services, particularly the
extensive Library Collections. Find out about new collections 2014-15, how to request new resources and
information on special collections. Delegates will also have the opportunity to ask questions about the
University’s new Open Access Policy. A £50 Eldon Square voucher will be awarded to one lucky researcher
who visits the Library stand before the lunchtime prize-giving.
The Research and Business Services Business and Engagement Team will be promoting business and
enterprise opportunities and will engage delegates by sharing targeted case studies. These will be illustrated
further by exhibits / products which accompany the case studies.
The Early Career Researcher Forum’s Working Group will be available to talk about the work of the Forum
and to share their plans and ideas for future ECR activities. They would also welcome suggestions from ECR
colleagues for events and issues to consider.
____________________________________________
13
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Prize Giving for Research Students
This will take place at 2pm in the foyer area of City Campus East building 1. Prizes will be presented by
Professor George Marston, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation).
____________________________________________
Interactive demonstrations
Come along and engage with interactive demonstrations being delivered by your fellow researchers. These
will take place over the lunch period in the foyer of City Campus East building 1.
Title: Outreach activities from Think Physics
Presenters: Think Physics staff
Think Physics works with young people from pre-school to post-16, as well as their parents, teachers and the
general public. Our aim is to show that studying physics, at A-level and beyond, opens up a wide range of
career possibilities. We have a strong focus on careers and linking the curriculum to real-life uses of physics.
Come along and take a ‘Thermal Selfie’ and find out why we use Infra-red radiation to look at the Earth and
stars.
Title: The Leidenfrost Effect and the remarkable properties of water droplets on very hot surfaces
Presenters: Dr Gary Wells and Think Physics staff
On very hot surfaces something remarkable happens to a droplet of water. One would expect that when a
droplet of water comes into contact with a hot surface it boils away. The hotter the surface, the faster it
boils. But, on a very hot surface, a layer of vapour acts as insulator and causes the droplet to levitate.
In this demonstration we show how levitating droplets can be propelled in a linear direction and how, in
collaboration with Edinburgh University, we have developed a method to impart rotational motion to
droplets, metal plates supported by droplets and Blocks of Dry Ice.
____________________________________________
14
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Research and Business Services Sessions
All are welcome to attend the sessions, regardless of experience.
UNDERSTANDING RESEARCH IMPACT
This session will focus on how to develop effective pathways to impact so that
you explore, from the outset and throughout the life of your project and
beyond, who could potentially benefit from your research and what you can
do to help make this happen. Find top tips and best practice to realise the
impact of your research.
Duration: 20 minutes
GETTING YOUR RESEARCH INTO PARLIAMENT
Engaging with politicians and policy makers is an important way of
raising awareness and eliciting positive views of your scientific field at the
highest level of decision-making. During this session we will look at the routes
to getting your research into Parliamentary debate and discussion.
Duration: 20 minutes
MAKING SENSE OF OPEN ACCESS
Open Access is about making your research freely available to all. This session
will present Northumbria’s new policy on open access, the different routes to
achieving it, how to comply with funder policies and how to access
institutional support.
Duration: 20 minutes
15
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Research and Business Services Sessions
All are welcome to attend the sessions, regardless of experience.
TOP TIPS FOR WRITING A FUNDING BID
This session will give some hints and tips on bid writing and how to write a
research funding application that grabs the attention of reviewers. It will
provide some guidance on the different things to think about and how to
address them in a bid.
Duration: 20 minutes
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AND HOW TO FIND THEM: FOR FINAL YEAR
PhD STUDENTS & EARLY CAREER RESEARCHERS
Finding research funding is an important issue for final year PhD students
and early career researchers. This session will present some of the main
funding streams available and how to apply for them. It will also present
practical ways to keep up to date with funding opportunities.
Duration: 20 minutes
____________________________________________
16
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Graduate School Sessions
I’M NEW TO DOCTORAL RESEARCH – STAFF ONLY SESSION
This session is for academic members of staff who will be applying to
study for a Northumbria doctorate in line with Vision 2025’s aim to
increase the number of doctorally qualified staff.
A short presentation will introduce staff to the key facts of research
degrees at Northumbria. Time for a question and answer session is
provided at the end.
Duration: 40 minutes.
RUNNING YOUR OWN RESEARCH EVENT
This session provides an opportunity for postgraduate research students
and early career researchers to begin to plan their own research event or
conference. Be it a conference, symposium or seminar, this session will
help to navigate how to run an event from start to finish. It will explore
avenues for funding.
Duration: 45 minutes.
____________________________________________
17
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Library Session
Driving Excellence: How the University Library can support your research
The Library is driving excellence through a portfolio of services for the University’s researcher community.
Our Research Compass provides a navigational tool for researchers which maps specialist library services to
the research lifecycle. We can support you at every stage of your research – please contact us for further
information, guidance and advice www.northumbria.ac.uk/resources-for-researchers.
Maximising your research profile: How to be seen better
We are delivering two one-hour briefings during the conference which will showcase one of the sessions we
provide in the successful Library Researcher Development Programme, and provide opportunity for
questions and discussion.
Everyone wants to see their research make an impact, whether it’s publicly, socially, economically or within
academia. We will illustrate how a few simple steps and some self-promotion can mean the difference
between being seen by a few and being seen by many. We will cover:
•
•
•
•
Author identification
Enhancing discoverability with titles, abstracts and keywords
Boosting your digital footprint
Evidencing the impact of your social media activity
The session maps to the Vitae Researcher Development Framework sub domains of Professional and career
development (B3) and Communication and dissemination (D2) www.vitae.ac.uk/rdf.
Duration: 1 hour (two sessions)
____________________________________________
18
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Rivers of Enterprise Session
In collaboration with Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums (TWAM) and the North East Chamber of
Commerce (NECC), Professor Tony Webster is helping to organise a series of events in 2015/16 to celebrate
the historic and contemporary success of the North East in the field of enterprise. The programme is called
‘Rivers of Enterprise’ and will involve:
•
•
•
A series of major speakers on the theme in the North East
The creation of learning materials aimed at school students utilising the business archives held by
the NECC and TWAM
A major inter-disciplinary conference on historical and contemporary aspects of NE enterprise in
June 2016, to coincide with ‘Business Week’. The aim will be to reach academics and beyond the
academic community with the event, and one of the objects will be to generate a variety of
publications.
The aim of the session at the Northumbria Research Conference is to discuss these ideas, and to set up a
cross university working party to make the best of what should be a fantastic opportunity to promote the
university, and its Business Engagement, research and impact agendas. It will be an open meeting, and all
are welcome!
Time: 5.30pm
Venue: City Campus East building 1, 1st floor, room 116
____________________________________________
19
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Northumbria University Approved Research Centres
Faculty
Name of Research Centre
International Development
Contact Name(s)
Prof Irene Hardill
Prof Keith Shaw
Dr Jamie Harding
Dr Matthew Jones
Prof Matt Baillie Smith
Dr Katy Jenkins
Email Address(es)
irene.hardill@northumbria.ac.uk
keith.shaw@northumbria.ac.uk
jamie.harding@northumbria.ac.uk
matthew.jones@northumbria.ac.uk
matt.baillie-smith@northumbria.ac.uk
katy.jenkins@northumbria.ac.uk
Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Civil Society and Citizenship
Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Offenders and Offending
Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Arts, Design and Social Sciences
International Public Policy and Management
Prof Edoardo Ongaro
edoardo.ongaro@northumbria.co.uk
Business and Law
Centre for Evidence and Criminal Justice Studies
Dr Michael Stockdale
m.w.stockdale@northumbria.ac.uk
Health & Life Sciences
Brain Performance and Nutrition Centre (BPNRC)
Prof David Kennedy
david.kennedy@northumbria.ac.uk
Health & Life Sciences
Northumbria Centre for Sleep Research
Northumbria University Centre for Forensic
Sciences (NUCFS)
Prof Jason Ellis
jason.ellis@northumbria.ac.uk
Prof Martin Evison
martin.evison@northumbria.ac.uk
Health & Life Sciences
Page | 20
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Faculty Approved Research Interest Groups: Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Name of Research Interest Group
American Studies
Arts, Design and Medical Cultures
British and Irish Worlds
BxNU Institute of Contemporary Arts
Creative Writing
Cultural Histories
Documentary Theatre/ Performance and Identity
Early Modern
Eighteenth Century Literature
Film and Television Studies
Histories of Activism
Linguistics Research
Making Connections (Design Issues; Making)
Making Changes –Ways of innovating (Design)
Media Studies
Medieval and Early Modern History
Modern and Contemporary
US History Group
Visual and Material Cultures
Contact Name(s)
Dr Julie Taylor
Prof Christine Borland
Prof Chris Dorsett
Dr Colin Reid
Prof Christine Borland
Prof Michael Green
Dr Matthew Potter
Steve Gilroy
Prof David Walker
Prof Clark Lawlor
Prof Peter Hutchings
Dr Daniel Laqua
Dr Nicole Robertson
Prof Ewa Dabrowska
Prof Paul Rodgers
Prof Mark Blythe
Prof Peter Hutchings
Anja-Silvia Goeing
Prof Ian C Davidson
Prof Brian Ward
Prof Ysanne Holt
21
Email address(es)
julie.taylor@northumbria.ac.uk
christine.borland@northumbria.ac.uk
chris.dorsett@northumbria.ac.uk
colin.w.reid@northumbria.ac.uk
christine.borland@northumbria.ac.uk
michael.m.green@northumbria.ac.uk
matthew.potter@northumbria.ac.uk
steve.gilroy@northumbria.ac.uk
david5.walker@northumbria.ac.uk
clark.lawlor@northumbria.ac.uk
peter.hutchings@northumbria.ac.uk
daniel.laqua@northumbria.ac.uk
nicole.robertson@northumbria.ac.uk
ewa.dabrowska@northumbria.ac.uk
paul.rodgers@northumbria.ac.uk
mark.blythe@northumbria.ac.uk
peter.hutchings@northumbria.ac.uk
anja-silvia.goeing@northumbria.ac.uk
ian.c.davidson@northumbria.ac.uk
brian.ward@northumbria.ac.uk
ysanne.holt@northumbria.ac.uk
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Faculty Approved Research Interest Groups: Faculty of Business and Law
Name of Research Interest Group
Digital Economy
Employment Relations, Law and Employability
Entrepreneurship
Gender, Identity, Leadership and Diversity
Gender, Sexuality and the Law
Information Rights
Law and Development
Law and Society
Learning and Teaching Pedagogy
Legal Education and Professional Skills (LEAPS)
Organisational and Business Excellence
Public Policy and Management
Risk, Responsibility, Ethics and Governance
Sports Law and Business
Contact Name(s)
Prof David Wainwright
Dr Ian Fitzgerald
Dr Lee Pugalis
Dr Sandra Corlett
Prof Chris Ashford
Susan Wolf
Prof Sue Farran
Dr Richard Craven
Dr Diane Sloan
Cath Sylvester
Prof Teresa Waring
Prof Fraser Mcleay
Prof John Fenwick
Prof Ron Beadle
Prof Mark James
22
Email address(es)
david.wainwright@northumbria.ac.uk
ian.fitzgerald@northumbria.ac.uk
lee.pugalis@northumbria.ac.uk
sandra.corlett@northumbria.ac.uk
chris.ashford@northumbria.ac.uk
susan.wolf@northumbria.ac.uk
sue.farran@northumbria.ac.uk
richard.craven@northumbria.ac.uk
diane.sloan@northumbria.ac.uk
cath.sylvester@northumbria.ac.uk
teresa.waring@northumbria.ac.uk
fraser.mcleay@northumbria.ac.uk
john.fenwick@northumbria.ac.uk
ron.beadle@northumbria.ac.uk
mark.james@northumbria.ac.uk
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Faculty Approved Research Interest Groups: Faculty of Engineering and Environment
Name of Research Interest Group
Architecture and Urban Design
Construction Economics and Management
Sustainability and Society (URBaNE)
Computer and Electronic Security Systems
Computer Vision and Artificial Intelligence
Computer Games and Visual Effects
Advanced Materials and Manufacturing
Tele-communications, Controls and Instrumentation
Sustainable and Renewable Energy Systems
Cold and Palaeo Environments
Social and Cultural Geographies
Disasters, Development and Resilience
Environment and Ecology
Digital Consumers, Behaviour and Literacy
Digital Libraries, Archives and Records
Digital Socio-technical Design
Biomathematics
Magnetohydrodynamics
Non-linear Waves and Integrable systems
Building Information Modelling
Photovoltaic Applications
Virtual Reality and Visualisation
Contact Name(s)
Prof Bob Giddings
Prof Srinath Perera
Dr Paul Greenhalgh
Prof Ahmed Bouridane
Prof Ling Shao
Dr Paul Vickers
Prof Khamid Mahkanov
Prof Krishna Busawon
Prof Chris Underwood
Prof Ulrich Salzmann
Dr Michael Barke
Prof Andrew Collins
Dr Mike Deary
Dr Geoff Walton
Prof Julie McLeod
Prof Gobinda Chowdhury
Prof Maia Angelova
Prof Valentina Zharkova
Dr Sara Lombardo
Prof Steve Lockley
Prof Nicola Pearsall
Prof Ruth Dalton
23
Email address(es)
bob.giddings@northumbria.ac.uk
srinath.perera@northumbria.ac.uk
paul.greenhalgh@northumbria.ac.uk
ahmed.bouridane@northumbria.ac.uk
ling.shao@northumbria.ac.uk
paul.vickers@northumbria.ac.uk
khamid.mahkanov@northumbria.ac.uk
krishna.busawon@northumbria.ac.uk
chris.underwood@northumbria.ac.uk
ulrich.salzmann@northumbria.ac.uk
michael.barke@northumbria.ac.uk
andrew.collins@northumbria.ac.uk
michael.deary@nolrthumbria.ac.uk
geoff.walton@northumbria.ac.uk
Julie.mcleod@northumbria.ac.uk
gobinda.chowdhury@northumbria.ac.uk
maia.angelova@northumbria.ac.uk
valentina.zharkova@northumbria.ac.uk
sara.lombardo@nlorthumbria.ac.uk
steve.lockley@northumbria.ac.uk
nicola.pearsall@northumbria.ac.uk
ruth.dalton@northumbria.ac.uk
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Faculty Approved Research Interest Groups: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Name of Research Interest Group
Applied Chemistry Group
Cognition, Language & Development [CoLD]
Evolution, Perception and Behaviour
Health in Action (HiA)
Mammalian Cell Biology & Immunology Group
Microbiology Group
Nursing and Public Health
Psychology & Communication Technology Lab [PaCTLab]
Contact Name(s)
Prof Steven Stanforth
Prof John Dean
Prof Piers Cornelissen
Dr Tamsin Saxton
Dr Mark Wetherell
Prof Jason Ellis
Prof Steve Todryk
Prof Iain Sutcliffe
Prof Amanda Clark
Prof Mima Cattan
Prof Pauline Pearson
Prof Sue Carr
Prof Lynne Coventry
24
Email address(es)
steven.stanforth@northumbria.ac.uk
john.dean@northumbria.ac.uk
piers.cornelissen@northumbria.ac.uk
tamsin.saxton@northumbria.ac.uk
mark.wetherell@northumbria.ac.uk
jason.ellis@northumbria.ac.uk
stephen.todryk@northumbria.ac.uk
iain.sutcliffe@northumbria.ac.uk
amanda.clark@northumbria.ac.uk
mimi.cattan@northumbria.ac.uk
pauline.pearson@northumbria.ac.uk
sue.carr@northumbria.ac.uk
lynne.coventry@northumbria.ac.uk
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Parallel Sessions Abstracts
Health Interventions for Long Term Conditions within the Department of Sport, Exercise and
Rehabilitation
Name(s): Professor Nicola Adams*, Professor John Saxton and Dr Nick Caplan.
In response to governmental policy and research initiatives such as the Public Health White Paper, the
Medical Research Council (MRC) Framework for Complex Interventions and in line with University initiatives,
our Department has developed a pillar of research activity entitled, ‘Promoting and Preserving Health and
WellBeing. ’ This focuses on community interventions using physical activity, self management and other
health promotion and rehabilitation interventions for long term conditions and has two sub-themes. The aim
of this presentation is to illustrate selected cross Faculty and other national collaborative studies that sit
within our sub- theme of ‘Health interventions for Long Term Conditions. ’ Our studies include nationally
and European funded randomised controlled trials in the area of falls prevention, Parkinson’s Disease,
prostate cancer, multiple sclerosis , musculoskeletal pain management and orthopaedics and diabetes.
Several national and European guidelines have resulted from our work. We will present some specific
nationally funded studies with the implications for policy and practice. We are seeking further cross Faculty
opportunities to collaborate in areas of shared excellence in order to maximise funding potential and
national reputation as a leader within the field of community health interventions and rehabilitation
research.
Returning the dead author to the “real” world: Mark Akenside as Literary Attraction
Name: Dr Hans-Christian Anderson
Heritage tourism is the strongest element in the tourism offer of North East England, whether the heritage is
cultural or natural. Mark Akenside (1721-1770) is a known name in early literary tourism in Newcastle and
Gateshead but his presence and status as part of the region’s living literary heritage is now at best peripheral
and his work forgotten. Cultural heritage helps the tourism planner and the tourist by putting markers on
the town map, turning it into the visitor or tourist map which can be followed, thematically, by the visitor
and making sense of the destination for the visitor as (part of) a structured “experience”: a product, which
can be marketed to and consumed by the visitor. This paper takes a new view of Mark Akenside, exploring
the sites associated with his time in Newcastle and placing him in the context Newcastle and Gateshead’s
literary heritage. Specifically, it explores how cultural heritage, as it is now being presented through the
recently-opened “Old Newcastle” project, can be made to serve both the city’s “own” identity and its image
as a tourist destination with a modern offer to an appropriate segment of contemporary tourism.
25
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Markers of health based on complexity metrics derived from human physiological signals
Name: Professor Maia Angelova
The last decade demonstrates the growing success of mathematical modelling of physiological processes,
based on dynamical systems approaches. This work shows methods for investigation of the complexity of
physiological time series data. Two case studies illustrate the effect of : (a) sleep disorders and (b) cognitive
stress on performance. Fractal analysis and empirical mode decomposition techniques have been used to
study the dynamics of the signal. In the first case study, fractal analysis techniques were implemented to
study the correlations present in sleep actigraphy for individuals suffering from acute insomnia in
comparison with healthy controls. The analysis detected the onset of adverse health-related conditions. The
subjects with acute insomnia displayed significantly higher levels of complexity, possibly a result of too much
activity in the underlying regulatory systems. The second case study investigated the effect of cognitive
stress on the physiological performance after an Ironmen competition. The case studies demonstrated that
spectral analysis techniques provide effective tools for the investigation of markers of health and onset of
disease, optimal performance, and change of physiological function. This work demonstrates the
achievements of the multidisciplinary research funded by the European FP7 project MATSIQEL.
Exploration of Digital Entrepreneurship (Online Home Based Businesses (HBBs)) Trough Empirical Analysis
Name: Dr Muhammad Naveed Anwar
Digital entrepreneurship is a broad domain and includes businesses predominantly operating online, such as
online retailers, portals, community sites and also businesses providing services to enable other businesses
to operate online, such as web designers, platform providers and operators. This research focused online
home based businesses on any stage of business development, for example start-up or grown, and focus on
any aspect, such as raising finance, establishing networks or developing marketing approaches. This research
uses systematic review and empirical analysis considering the theoretical lens of effectuation as research
methods.
The outcomes of this research are:
Characteristics of online home based entrepreneurs and businesses, and developed a model of
entrepreneur-venture fit
Certain challenging demands, such as engendering feelings of isolation
Entrepreneurial opportunities to groups and individuals who may be otherwise excluded
This study is important since it provides empirical evidence and a theoretically grounded understanding of
how online businesses offer the opportunity to break out of the low growth, low margin and enter high
growth, high margin, post-industrial sectors. In future, we plan to work on grey literature related online
home based businesses.
26
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Suitcase of Survival SOS
Name: Jane Arnfield
Live witness testimony is an integral tool to accessing further testimony. Working with host, testimonial
witnesses seeking to uncover new and engaging ways to demonstrate how testimony can continue to have a
living presence through a series of surrogates. Through physical and intellectual exercises Suitcase of Survival
investigates and excavates how resilience is formed and how resilience is maintained. The work of SOS
depends on defining core values - personal, individual core values which contribute to building of personal
resilience, helping both the development of the individual and the individual operating with a group.
Utilising drama based approaches, the participants activate a personal opportunity to reflect on their life,
explore their own decision making and construct or deconstruct their own value systems with the single aim
of developing and nurturing themselves as active citizens - as citizens of activism. The multimodal creative
programme Suitcase of Survival not only provides participants with the tools to meet the challenges and
responsibilities of active citizenship and an awareness of global communities but its themes provide a fertile
ground for innovative art making. Central to Suitcase of Survival (SOS) is the exploration of memory and
personal history, diversity, human rights, empathy, identity and interdependence.
Life history methods, civil society activists and vulnerability in South India: reflections on the relational
politics of development research
Name(s): Professor Matt Baillie Smith and Katy Jenkins*
Biographical methods have gained growing popularity in development research, linked to attempts to
capture biographies, subjectivities and narratives marginalised by dominant accounts of development. In this
paper, we reflect on using life histories to understand the lives of Indian NGO activists. We explore how we
constructed our subjects’ vulnerability, and what implications this had for the research process and the
knowledges it produced. We explore how our initial focus on individual biographies failed to capture the
ways in which these were interwoven with institutional narratives, complicating but also enriching our
understanding of the activists’ experiences of development and the vulnerabilities this produced. This
highlights ethical questions around the use of life history methodologies across the spaces and places of
development research. Secondly, we analyse the relationality of our subjects’ vulnerability and our own
positionality as development scholars from the global North. We reflect on the ways our engagement with
development actors we consider as vulnerable takes place through and against the relational histories and
presents that brought us together. We think through the implications of this for the ways the research
created both discursive and physical spaces for meeting and talking, and what this means for foregrounding
hitherto marginalised voices.
27
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Roles Psychic Distance and Cultural Distance Play in Foreign Market Entry Decisions by Technology
Entrepreneurs
Name: Dr Sanjay Bhowmick
Psychic distance, regarded as the individual’s propensity to defer entry into less familiar foreign countries, is
now considered different from aggregate level cultural distance between those countries. Characterisation
of psychic distance in recent literature as an individual psychological factor affecting foreign market entry
decisions is supported in this paper through cross-sectional empirical data of internationalisation decisions
by technology based entrepreneurs. However, the paper examines longitudinal data and brings out the
relationship between individual psychic distance and macro level cultural distance. It makes a specific
contribution in exploring entrepreneurial psychic distance in a natural experiment setting, during a recent
five year period that saw economic recession in some countries and growth in others, to elucidate how
psychic distance relates more closely to cultural distance in times of greater uncertainty. Further research in
qualitative operationalisation of psychic distance as an individual level construct is proposed.
Closing the Revolving Door? The role of diversion services in supporting offenders with mental health
issues and learning disabilities.
Name: Paul Biddle
The presentation will present findings from the evaluation of three Big Diversion Project (BDP) pilots that
were designed to reduce repeat-contact made by offenders with mental health issues or learning disabilities
with the criminal justice system by improving identification, interventions, management and outcomes for
these client groups. The evaluation critically explored the development, delivery, management of and
outcomes achieved by the pilots to inform future policy and practice in light of the ‘rehabilitation revolution’
desired by government. The presentation will describe the number of clients engaged, their needs, activities
delivered, service-delivery models, outcomes achieved, challenges faced and key lessons identified by the
evaluation that should inform the future development delivery of services, so they can most effectively meet
needs of those with mental health issues or learning disability and so reduce repeat contact with the
criminal justice system. The presentation should appeal to a diverse audience including criminologists,
academics with an interest in social exclusion, rehabilitation, partnership working, those undertaking applied
research or consultancy with policymakers and practitioners who commission and deliver services for those
with mental health issues or learning disabilities, and post-graduate students employed or considering
employment in criminal justice or mental health services.
28
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
‘I'm scared that I'm not myself in here, and I'm scared that I am’: The role of emotion in depictions of
prison cultures in Orange is the New Black.
Name(s): Charlotte Bilby* and Jacky Collins*
The role that emotion plays in representations of criminal justice systems is often very different from the
way in which it is experienced in reality. Orange is the New Black, a Netflix US women’s prison drama, helps
us to explore these differences, as it is based on the personal memoir of former prisoner, Piper Kerman. In
the drama, groups are drawn together through cultural identities, and shared, histories outside the prison
walls. These ties are strong; taking a perceived tremendous threat to personal security – both emotional
and physical – to break them. In this paper we will consider Piper’s role in three ways. Her privilege means
that she is not well understood by other prisoners or staff. She neither understands how to be in prison, nor
finds a group that mirrors her privilege. Piper’s bi-sexuality sets her apart from others. She does not identify
as a lesbian, but neither are her sexual relationships with women confined to prison. She has neither the
useful strength, nor vulnerability to afford a role in a pseudo-family. Piper does not fit neatly into the
traditional tropes explaining the emotional management of groups and self in prison, rather she mirrors
disruption that incarceration brings to lives.
Capturing investor conscience: from conflict minerals to stateless children?
Name(s): Dr Mark Brewer* and Susan Turner*
In response to an “emergency human rights situation” in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (the “DRC”),
the US Congress implemented Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Act (the “Act”) in May 2014. The Act requires
companies operating in, or whose supply chains extend into, the DRC and adjoining countries to disclose the
origin of conflict minerals from the DRC and adjoining countries. The dichotomy between increased social
awareness by multinational corporations and heightened consciousness of consumer behaviour regarding
human rights, supply chain issues, and labour standards provides an opportunity for increasing corporate
social responsibility. Against these considerations, this paper will examine whether the time is ripe for
exploiting the conscience of investors and governments and applying measures taken in response to the
conflict minerals situation in the DRC to another human rights abuse: the plight of stateless children.
Despite decades of international efforts accompanied by a proliferation of international law, child
statelessness remains a persistent and growing problem. This paper will examine whether disclosure
requirements or other private law initiatives could contribute to a solution.
Moving towards transformative Intercultural learning: understanding the home student experience of
Internationalisation
Name: Caroline Burns
It is often assumed that students will develop Intercultural capability and global perspectives as a result of
the Internationalisation of Higher Education. However, research shows a gap between the rhetoric and the
reality on the ground, with a persistent lack of integration between International and ‘home’ students (Leask
and Carroll , 2011). This study explores the ‘home’ student experience of internationalisation with a view to
developing practice and policies which might, within a holistic values-led approach, enhance the
29
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
opportunities for intercultural interaction for the benefit of all concerned. I set out to explore the
experiences of two undergraduate students over the course of their degree programme, seeking evidence of
a change in their sense of ‘self-in-the world’ (Mezirow, 1991;Killick, 2013). Narrative inquiry is considered a
useful tool for analysing the concept of the self, and how that changes or develops over time (De Fina and
Georgekopoulou, 2012). During narrative interviews, stories were co-constructed between myself and my
participants, and I am now turning the lens on own learning in what Alvesson (2003) calls a ‘selfethnography’. This presentation will discuss some of the initial findings of the study.
Missionaries' methodology of data collection in colonial Mexico
Name: Dr Victoria Rios Castaño
This paper looks at the manner in which confession manuals, inquisitorial techniques, and royal
cosmographers' questionnaires provided friars like Fray Andrés de Olmos, Fray Bernardino de Sahagún, and
Fray Diego Durán with a fertile ground for the creation of a remarkable methodology of data collection in
sixteenth-century New Spain.
Health Centred Disaster Risk Reduction (HCDRR) and recent findings from HIV/AIDS related behaviour in
Mozambique
Name: Professor Andrew Collins
Health Centred Disaster Risk Reduction (HCDRR) is the manner in which improved health impacts disaster
risk, such that healthy people experience fewer crises. Our programmes have over the years developed this
concept through empirical research and engagement for a variety of disaster and development contexts,
involving collaboration with multiple partners including the World Health Organization. The approach is here
further informed by recent findings from behavioural monitoring of HIV/AIDS in Mozambique. Findings
suggest that to focus on high risk groups, such as long distance truck drivers and sex workers, may be of
limited strategic value when this type of infectious disease risk has entered society as a whole. Not for the
first time in studies of health and disaster reduction an intricate trade-off exists between people’s
knowledge and capacity on the one hand and their rights and responsibilities on the other. This data rich
study lends insights for health resilience strategies more widely.
Stop Blaming Organisational Culture
Name: Tony Conner
Preventing avoidable harm and death in hospitals is an issue or global concern, however despite this
awareness, there are approximately 25,000 deaths from preventable patient safety incidents each year and
around 10% or 850,000 patients admitted to hospitals will experience an adverse event. Aim: To examine
perceptions at all levels of an organisation concerning organisational culture and explore its potential effects
on patient. Methods: Naturalistic inquiry was used to examine culture and how this was perceived in three
organisational layers (case studies) Results: The results of the data reflect that there is congruence of
30
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
understanding of organisational culture at the different organisational levels. Two themes that were
identified during interviews, one being falls, and the other the deteriorating patient were used to analyse
the permeation of information throughout the layers of the Trust. The falls theme was congruent through all
layers, the deteriorating patient travelled only one layer down to the management layer. Discussion:
Permeation of organisational culture can exist but it needs substantial investment from all the staff,
leadership is a key element with investment and belief in safety and managing the staff at the ‘coal face’.
Assessing Participatory Research Impact and Legacy: mining complexity
Name: Dr Tina Cook
The term participatory research (PR) is now widely used as a way of categorising research that has moved
beyond researching "on" to researching "with" participants. The theory, conceptual underpinning and
practice of PR is, however, complex and diverse internationally, nationally and locally. The wide and
imprecise use of the term ‘participatory’ has led to difficulties in understanding the nature of such research
and in articulating expected impact. It is rational to expect that research that has participatory practices at
its centre is likely to have different types of impact on knowledge creation and learning compared with
research where people/the public are more distanced from the process. To date there has been no means of
categorising PR in a way that articulates and connects the depth of participatory practices and its
relationship to possible impacts. This presentation will report the findings of a project, Assessing
Participatory Research Impact and Legacy (APRIL), that sourced published papers, self-reported by authors
as participatory, to mine these papers for descriptions of impact. It offers ways of articulating dimensions for
participation and discusses the issues of articulating impact when it remains poorly recognised, not well
understood, and poorly documented in research papers.
Time sensitive network dynamics for visual word recognition
Name: Professor Piers Cornelissen
Visual word recognition is a complex task which is critically dependent on efficient interactions between
visual and non-visual processes. Previous coherence analyses between source estimates derived from
Magentoencephalography (MEG) data have identified a widely distributed and densely interconnected
network of brain regions that are associated with reading (Kujala et. al. Cerebral Cortex 2007; 17:14761485). The present study develops these findings by investigating the direction of information flow within
the reading network and how this changes over the first 500ms after a word is presented. During a high
resolution (kHz) MEG recording, seven participants completed 1500 trials of a single word, silent reading task
(using high, medium or low word frequency words)which was configured as a one-back task.
Delay and dimensionality parameters for a time delay embedding were objectively assessed across source
current flow estimates within the reading network within short, densely overlapping time-windows spanning
the stimulus presentation time. This embedding was subsequently used as a predictor for future activity in a
MultiVariate AutoRegressive (MVAR) model. Separate models were fitted for the low and high frequency
words before Partial Directed Coherence(PDC)was used to characterise interactions within the network in
31
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
the frequency domain. Non-parametric permutation analyses were used to establish connections which
were significantly different when reading high versus low frequency words.
Overall, our results confirm that visual word recognition is subserved by a complex pattern of interactions
which vary over both time and frequency. Moreover this network demonstrates extremely rapid
parallelization throughout the network from its entry point at the occipito-temporal cortex.
How can a focus on Social Wellbeing support better working lives – insights from South Asian fisheries
Name: Dr Sarah Coulthard
The concept of wellbeing has made significant inroads into the world of policy. Many countries, including the
UK, are now using a focus on wellbeing to help shape their public policies and practices across a wide range
of different applications. The current question of debate however, is how an understanding of people’s
wellbeing can really be used to ‘do things differently’ and support better lives for people. This talk will
discuss a recent project which applied a wellbeing approach to unpack the lives of fishermen and their
families in India and Sri Lanka. A concept of ‘3D wellbeing’ was used which explores a person’s wellbeing
according to a combination of three dimensions: i) material things that people have, ii) social relationships
that people engage in, and iii) a psychological /cognitive dimension which accounts for how people feel
about the lives they lead. This latter dimension in particular empowers people to include their own
perspectives and priorities in the assessment of wellbeing. The paper describes the nature of wellbeing in
the context of fisheries, and explains how new insights are being used to help fisheries managers tackle a
wide range of issues ranging from marine park conflicts to domestic violence and alcoholism.
Expert Evidence, rule changes and reliability: Can more effective training for the legal profession prevent
miscarriages of justice?
Name(s): Gemma Davies*, Adam Jackson* & Emma Piasecki*
In its 2010 Report, Expert Evidence in Criminal Proceedings, the Law Commission noted that courts are
reluctant to exclude expert evidence on the ground of evidentiary unreliability and have adopted a “laissezfaire” approach to admissibility. It was assumed that the reliability of an expert’s opinion was effectively
challenged by cross-examination, the adduction of contrary expert evidence and directions to the jury. In its
report, the Commission doubted this assumption and suggested that these are insufficient safeguards to
prevent miscarriages of justice. The Government’s response did not tackle the inadequacy of the presumed
safeguards. Most of the Commission’s proposals were rejected and no statutory reliability test will be
introduced. Instead, changes have been made to Part 33 of the Criminal Procedure Rules. This position,
alongside recent comments from the Lord Chief Justice, demands further consideration of the training
provided to law students, practitioners and the judiciary in respect of expert evidence and the means by
which the gap can be bridged, ensuring further miscarriages of justice are avoided. In discussing this issue
the authors will draw on a range of academic literature, case law and the ongoing work of the Northumbria
Centre for Evidence and Criminal Justice Studies in this field.
32
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Can environment help change young offenders behaviour
Name: Dr Peter Glaves
Much work has been done into how the environment can affect criminal behaviour but such research has
tended to focus on environment as an underlying cause of criminal behaviour. But can contact with the
environment and working on environmental projects be used to help criminals change their behaviour
(desistance). For the last year young ex-offenders in Newcastle have been given the opportunity of sixmonth work experience and training in environmental and land management. The Skill Mill scheme works
with young people with a track record of offending. The scheme has won several national awards and is
designed to benefit the individuals on the scheme, through practical training, a chance to earn money and to
explore the causes of their behaviour. The scheme also provides benefits to the local environment, through
creation of nature reserves, restoring damaged parks etc. and for the local community through flood
management. Skill Mill initiatives based on the Newcastle model are currently being developed in Cumbria,
Leeds and Manchester. This paper provides presents the results of the research into the impact of the Skill
Mill scheme in terms of economic, social and environmental costs and benefits.
‘Beyond theory/ practice turf wars: where theory is considered a practice and practice is theorised'
Name(s): Dr Elaine Hall and Cath Sylvester
This paper was prompted by the question: To what extent can CLE incorporate legal theory as well as legal
practice? and our instinctive reaction that this is the wrong question, a question that reinforces unhelpful
ideas about how knowledge is conceptualised and taxonomised and limits the conversation to who holds 'it'
or its' (Mode 1/2) subdivisions. Michael Eraut notes that theory practice debates and the creation of
academic/ practitioner divisions are particularly prevalent in contexts where 'professionalism' is a factor
(such as, for example, education or law) and he suggests that these divisions serve apparently to soothe
anxieties about the legitimacy of the discipline in academic/ practice constituencies. We contend that these
divisions actually preserve the anxiety and prevent the mature integration of different 'ways of knowing':
this split is experienced within departments between academics and practitioners and intra-psychically for
those of us who are both academics and practitioners. Crucially, it leads to a confused communication to
students about what it is to be a lawyer and how the skills and attributes of practice are linked to the big
disciplinary questions and the discourse and epistemology of the discipline. Leaning for support on Aristotle,
Peirce and Dewey we engage with the potential of clinical education to make the practice of theory and the
theory of practice explicit to ourselves and our students. Finally, we reflect on the limitations of
communicating this complexity and invite discussion about the priorities currently in play in each of our
contexts.
33
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Care Leavers, Homelessness and the Role of Services
Name(s): Dr Jamie Harding
Young people who have been in the care of the local authority have consistently been found to be overrepresented among homeless people, as well as other socially excluded groups, in studies in the UK and
elsewhere. Data collected from professionals working with young people in care demonstrated that the
favoured explanation for this phenomenon was emotional immaturity arising from abuse and/or neglect
within the birth family: an explanation that fits well with the ‘child’ model of youth homelessness.
Immaturity clearly creates major difficulties when young people who have been in the care of the local
authority are expected to live independently at an earlier age than most of their counterparts who move to
independence from the family home. A service developed in Newcastle sought to help overcome some of
these difficulties by employing housing support workers to work intensively with care leavers. These
workers seemed, on occasions, to take a role similar to that of parents and achieved some notable successes
in enabling young people with severe difficulties to maintain their own housing.
‘Special days of prayer, national religion and the empire of British settlement, 1800-1900’
Name: Dr Joe Hardwick
If you lived in the British Empire in the eighteenth, nineteenth or twentieth century, the chances were that
at some point in your life you would have been invited to observe a special day of worship at a moment of
national crisis or celebration. Hundreds of days of thanksgiving, humiliation and fasting were called in
Britain’s overseas territories between the 1780s and the First World War. Special days of worship were rare
instances when diverse colonial populations were expected to meet together—in this case to acknowledge
divine providence, repent their sins, and to plea for God’s mercy and favour. This paper will explore the
meaning and significance of a form of colonial worship that has received only fitful coverage in existing
imperial history.
Staff perspectives of threshold concepts in the context of an undergraduate entrepreneurial business
degree programme.
Name: Lucy Hatt
This paper explores staff perspectives of threshold concepts in the context of a newly developed, innovative
undergraduate entrepreneurial business management degree programme (EBM). Students work in teams to
set up and manage real businesses, and learn together through identifying commercial opportunities,
developing plans to exploit these, and managing the resulting activities. The data is drawn from interviews
with the four Coaches which constitute the Coaching team (in addition to the author), an alumni and a
current student of a similar programme in Finland. Findings suggest that entrepreneurship cannot be
“taught” and threshold concepts are better characterised as ways of thinking and practising, and as
paradigm shifts. It is suggested that there might be differences between threshold concepts at the levels of
the individual, the group and the community, and key outcomes of the programme could be said to be as
much about personal development as the development of entrepreneurial proficiency. Initial suggestions of
34
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
potential threshold concepts in entrepreneurial education are made. Further research to explore possible
threshold concepts in entrepreneurial education from multiple perspectives is indicated. This research is
potentially significant as it provides initial insights into an innovative, experiential learning model and
pedagogical developments in entrepreneurial education.
Environmental Sustainability in UK Legal Firms: A Review of Progress, Challenges and Opportunities.
Name(s): Dr Alex Hope* & Jennifer Stephens* & Amanda Carpenter* & Jim Haywood*
The threat of climate change and other global sustainability challenges has prompted organisations of all
types to consider their impact on the environment. In the legal sector, law firms are beginning to recognise
that there is a need to reduce their carbon footprints whilst developing strategies to capitalise on the cost
savings and other opportunities environmental initiatives can create. Despite this little is known about the
response of the legal sector to the challenge of climate change and sustainability in general. Whilst there are
a number of academic studies that examine the environmental performance of organisations by sector,
there are none that are focus solely on legal firms. This paper seeks to address this gap in the literature by
reporting on the efforts of the legal sector to respond to sustainability challenges. Using data acquired from
the Legal Sector Alliance, an inclusive movement of law firms and organisations committed to working
collaboratively to take action on climate change, it reviews progress on environmental performance. The
paper also comments on the unique opportunities and challenges that the sector faces in attempting to
reduce its impact on the environment and develop a strategy for embedding wider principles of sustainable
development.
Food heritage in a digital world: rethinking information curation, access and reuse.
Name: Dr Perla Innocenti
Cultural heritage today includes significant buildings, people and objects, industrial buildings and sites,
landscape and natural heritage, intangible heritage (including food traditions) and native digital resources.
Millions of digital heritage resources are increasingly being made available online (for example through the
Europeana portal), with a variety of content types, quality and rights. But so far a number of issues
associated with digital cultural heritage information systems and services are yet to be adequately
addressed, for example in relation to content organization and access, users outreach and sustainability. In
the context of food heritage, can digital technologies preserve and represent authentic food information
with all its material multisensory richness and its histories? How can we codify food qualities and contexts
into computer binary code language? This is not just about digitizing cookbook pages, but in capturing how
we relate to food with our senses and our experiences and bring that into our contemporary world, across
cultures and communities. What methodologies and approaches could be used to gain richer interpretations
of European heritage and cultural identity in the digital arena? How can intangible food heritage traditions
be curated, made accessible and reused in digital environments?
35
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Sensing (and finding room for) the emotional in policy-relevant research: the case of homelessness?
Name(s): Adele Irving and Oliver Moss
In the wake of recent increases in non-statutory homelessness and rough sleeping, as well as austerity and
welfare reform, the spaces and places of homelessness are of increasing public and policy concern.
Traditionally, the spatial governance of homelessness has been largely punitive; a consequence of the
prevailing conception of homelessness as ‘individual failing’. In Newcastle-upon-Tyne, however, this
conception has been challenged, with the management of homelessness characterised by high levels of
inter-agency coordination and provision, such that research points to Newcastle as a ‘city of care’. The
project – a participant-led mapping of the spaces and places of homelessness in Newcastle, involving
Northumbria University, five homelessness charities and 30 homeless people – sought to: further local
understanding about routes into homelessness and the embodied experiences of homelessness; and give
voice to a population still largely marginalised from mainstream decision-making processes. This paper
considers some of the project’s insights for policymakers involved in homelessness prevention, but also
offers a series of remarks on our approach and commitment to valorising the ‘emotional’ and ‘subjective’. In
doing so, we hint at some of the potential limitations of ‘evidence-based’ policy-making and speculate as to
the kinds of emotions and affects this might suppress.
Emotional impact: co-produced research and precarious positionalities
Name(s): Dr Mary Laing & Professor Matt Bailie-Smith
This paper considers the emotional implications for research in the context of the UK’s Research Excellence
Framework (REF) driven ‘impact agenda’. It will tentatively explore the ways in which the prioritisation of
‘impact’ can (re)position scholars in the context of partnership work, and, in terms of the knowledge they
(co)produce. Research has considered how impact has been constructed, the degree to which it can be
measured, and ways to maximise it. There is also a considerable literature on emotionality in social science
research, as well as the precarious emotional positionalities of academics within the neoliberal university.
We will explore how the ‘impact agenda’ positions academics for whom ‘impact’ is intrinsic to the
conception of their research; and how researchers can be simultaneously ‘validated’ as doing worthwhile
work, whilst being placed in new and sometimes difficult positions. We draw on recent research on emotion
and affect to explore this; and suggest that the prioritisation of impact can produce particular vulnerabilities
and contradictions that place researchers in precarious positions. We consider the emotions of such
precariousness and think through some of its methodological, ethical, personal and policy implications whilst
presenting an agenda for potential research.
36
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
First World War Memorials at Northumbria University
Name: Dr James McConnel
This paper will consider a number of WWI memorials on Northumbria’s campus. Although Northumbria did
not exist between 1914 and 1918, several of its predecessor institutions did and played a role in war.
Moreover, since the 1990s, the University’s estate has expanded to include a number of older buildings
which include war memorials. This paper will consider the form that these memorials take, what they tell us
about post-WWI cultures of memorialisation, and how people today interact with them.
Employer strategies to develop skills in projectified work of mega infrastructure renewal
Name: Dr Robert C Moehler
In the last six month employer representing organisations are starting to react to an impeding skills crisis. As
major reparations and maintenance work for infrastructure and power supply have been neglected in the
past 50 years, increased workloads have placed both public and private sectors, clients, consultants and
contractors, in a position of reduced capacity to deliver a timely response, to the required quality of product
or service. The traditional leavers that allowed a swift response are routed in the development of new
institutionalised practice to recruit (in the past semi-skilled) staff with the “specific exchange value”. Most
interesting examples have included the recruitment from groups that have previously not been considered
in traditional recruitment and either delivers value due to their general exchange or the more specific
exchange. The current agenda focus on “acquiring people capability cost-effectively” in the background of
the upcoming referendum on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). Not surprisingly,
the price plea is made in recognition of “global talent market”, “innovate industrial approaches to optimise
the use of people” and “funding commitment to National Infrastructure Plan”. The primary research sheds
light on the labour process, supply of skills implications, the Build, Borrow, Buy Model and implications for
the skills and underlining knowledge. Here traditional consultation, negotiation and protected “skills” model
has been replaced against new leavers that favour new models of employment. This phenomena observed
can be mirrored with the projectification of society by (Sloterdijk, 2014) when traditions and democracy as
the "inhibitors" meet capitalism as "accelerators".
Visualizing the environmental public sphere on Twitter in the context of the British General Election.
Name: Professor Gabriel Moreno-Esparza
The presentation will be based on a project in development that aims to analyse the nature of the public
debate about environmental issues in the context of the British General Election. Using Twitter as platform
of analysis, this intervention will suggest that microblogging channels alternative public conversations that
were hitherto invisible, given the historical role of mainstream national and local media to showcase the
voices of political, cultural and economic elites. Consequently, the presence of permanent conversations
that run against the grain of hegemonic discourses problematize the study of public opinion as well as of
agenda-setting theory. The approach in question will rely on an open software platform calibrated to identify
participants in conversations about environmental subjects flagged as located in the UK; such a stage that
37
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
will be followed by conversational analysis of subject-specific hashtags like climate change in the weeks prior
to the electoral ballot.
Phonologically typicality and dyslexia
Name: Dr Andriy Myachykov and Joanna Greer
Theories of dyslexia relate associated reading problems to impaired phonological processing (Stanovich &
Seigel, 1994). This deficit affects eye movements of dyslexic readers (Heiman & Ross, 1974). We
hypothesized that dyslexic readers may rely on sentential context to obviate phonological-access difficulties.
If so, then dyslexic readers should have higher expectations (or predictions) of upcoming words in a
sentence. To test this hypothesis, we manipulated the phonological typicality of words embedded within a
sentence (Farmer et al., 2006). Dyslexic and control participants read sentences with phonologically typical
and atypical nouns and verbs with their eye movements simultaneously recorded. Crucially, performance in
the incongruent condition was expected to reveal greater processing difficulty in dyslexics compared to
controls. Our analysis showed that sensitivity to a mismatch between word class and expectation was
limited to non-dyslexic readers. These results suggest that dyslexics may be partially sensitive to word-class
typicality cues; however, unlike controls, they are not able evaluate physical form with respect to
expectation. This can be due to the diminished sensitivity due to perceptual noise or due to impaired ability
to generate form-based predictions, possibly as a result of the weakened link between perceptual word form
and grammatical class in long-term memory.
Corporate Philanthropy: The Decision Making Process and Employee Involvement. A Single-Case Study The John Lewis Partnership.
Name: Dr Helen Nicholson
This research explores how corporate philanthropy decisions are made within The John Lewis Partnership, a
British retailer with a long history of co-ownership in which employees’ are Partners and profits are shared.
This study focuses on employees’ as a stakeholder group and their involvement in the giving activities,
examining employees’ understanding of the purposes, processes and outcomes of philanthropy. In this
context philanthropic activity is understood to be integral to the organisation’s identity, reputation and
image as a co-owned business. Decision making around the causes and organisations are evaluated in terms
of recipient and Partner impact in which employees’ freedom to choose involvement results in attachment
and commitment. This evidence is consistent with recent studies that demonstrate the behavioural impact
of involvement in pro-social activities. Thematic analysis was used to interpret transcripts from eight
employee focus groups involving 52 participants across two major outlets. The main contributions to
knowledge are two-fold. First it demonstrates an intimate relationship between employees’ shared
understanding of philanthropic activity and organisational identity. Second it suggests a relationship
between co-ownership and sustainable philanthropic activity which raises questions for future research.
Significant to introducing new discussions, this is a single-case study with a special organisation.
38
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Going and coming back again: the transformative effects of international experience on students as global
citizens
Name(s): Dr Alison Pearce* & Dr Angela McGrane
Our ongoing research into a highly successful international, multilateral collaboration (shortlisted ‘Best
International Collaboration’ THES Awards 2014) which has transformed students’ ambition to study in an
unexpected country, now one of the most popular exchange destinations in the university. ‘Blended
professionals’ (Whithurch, 2009) are conducting a 5 year study into student engagement with the
opportunity to work and study in this foreign country and the effects on postgraduate employability.
The session will present our early findings from the first 2 years:
1.
Persuasion and preparation study and work abroad (inertia in behavioural engagement
(Krause/Blumenfeld & Paris)
2.
Support while away (emotional engagement & scaffolding (Bruner 1960))
3.
development after returning (cognitive engagement for employability and global citizenship)
Emerging elements of a new theoretical framework for student mobility will be presented. Attendees will
gain insight from a “warts ‘n’ all” honest presentation of implementation challenges, pitfalls and mistakes, as
well as successes that challenge assumptions, while also being invited to comment on and contribute to
emergent theory and practice developed specifically as part of Northumbria’s internationalisation. Outgoing
and incoming students will take part in a Q&A at the end of the presentation to provide a platform for the
authentic ‘student voice’.
‘Scholarship, or just social media? Creating an online community to support student engagement and
development through group work’
Name: Neil Percival
Group work, especially where it is assessed, can be of great benefit for student engagement, in terms of the
valuable interpersonal and organisational skills it develops, and the quality of collaborative work which it
enables them to produce; but it can also be a cause of dissatisfaction and disengagement for students,
especially if the specific skills required to negotiate groupwork successfully are not taught, enabled and
supported within the module or programme. In 2014 the presenter created an online community at
www.groupwork.ning.com as an interactive hub to enable colleagues to share guidelines for good practice,
and their personal experiences of group work, as well as to enter into discussion about those experiences
through a forum and blog. The site also includes a repository of academic literature on the subject. The
paper introduces this community, describes its creation, and examines the potential role of such an online
community as a modern means of contributing to the scholarship of teaching and learning. The paper argues
that such an online community challenges existing conventions of dissemination and peer review, but can
indeed contribute to such a scholarship, enhance staff practice, and thereby improve student engagement
through group work.
39
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Conservation of listed signal boxes made redundant under the Network Rail ‘Network Operating Strategy’
Name: Christopher Reeves
Network Rail owns a declining number of signal boxes, of which many are listed as being of architectural or
historic interest. Most of the signal boxes are due for replacement within the next ten years by 14 Regional
Operating Centres (ROC) as part of the Network Operating Strategy. While almost invariably designed as
purely functional buildings, Signal boxes are an integral part of the railway history and heritage, so there is
currently a tremendous interest in the future of these historic buildings.
This research is to identify the issues with conserving historic signal boxes. There are often significant
difficulties conserving signal boxes, including the utterly functional nature of the buildings preventing many
changes of use, often of timber construction requiring intensive maintenance and location within
operational railway land. While alternative uses are sometimes possible, the programme for replacement
risks many listed signal boxes becoming redundant and out of use for extended periods of time, with the
danger that many historic single boxes will, while on a minimum maintenance regime, inevitably appeared
on the ‘Buildings at Risk’ register. The expected outcome is developing a methodology to identify those
signal boxes most at risk and evaluating possible preservation options.
Rediscovering Emotion and Passion in Criminal Justice Research
Name: Professor Michael Rowe
Using examples from desistance research and ethnographic work with police services, the paper explores
how researchers can capture and represent emotion and passion in relation to crime. Classical criminological
studies often did this much more effectively than contemporary scholars. Offenders and victims often reflect
on their experiences in emotive terms that are not easily captured in quantitative methodology.
Understanding this, and presenting it in findings, is a challenge for researchers and raises important
questions about the standpoint of researchers and their ethical conduct.
Drastic influence of minor Fe or Co additions on the glass forming ability, martensitic transformations and
mechanical properties of shape memory Zr–Cu–Al bulk metallic glass composites
Name: Dr Sergio Gonzalez Sanchez
The microstructure and mechanical properties of Zr48Cu48 − xAl4Mx (M ≡Fe or Co, x = 0, 0.5, 1 at.%)
metallic glass (MG) composites are highly dependent on the amount of Fe or Co added as microalloying
elements in the parent Zr48Cu48Al4 material. Addition of Fe and Co promotes the transformation from
austenite to martensite during the course of nanoindentation or compression experiments, resulting in an
enhancement of plasticity. However, the presence of Fe or Co also reduces the glass forming ability,
ultimately causing a worsening of the mechanical properties. Owing to the interplay between these two
effects, the compressive plasticity for alloys with x = 0.5 (Zr48Cu47.5Al4Co0.5 and in Zr48Cu47.5Al4Fe0.5) is
considerably larger than for Zr48Cu48Al4 or the alloys with x = 1. Slight variations in the Young’s modulus
and significant changes in the yield stress are also observed depending on the composition. The different
microstructural factors that have an influence on the mechanical behaviour of these composites are
40
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
investigated in detail: (i) coexistence of amorphous and crystalline phases in the as-cast state, (ii) nature of
the crystalline phases (austenite versus martensite content), and (iii) propensity for the austenite to undergo
a mechanically-driven martensitic transformation during plastic deformation.
A lover or a fighter? Men’s masculinity might be a trade-off between two evolutionary goals.
Name: Dr Tamsin Saxton*
Co-Authors: Lauren Mackey, Kris McCarty, Dr Nick Neave, Phil Capewell.
Some of our physical features evolved to intimidate and dominate social rivals, and to attract potential
mates. These might include male lower-pitched voices, and male beard growth. However, it is not clear
whether the optimum level of a masculine trait such as beard growth or voice pitch might differ, depending
on whether males wish to optimise rival intimidation or mate attraction. In our study, using a unique set of
video stimuli, we measured people’s perceptions of the dominance and attractiveness of men who differed
both in terms of voice pitch (from low to high pitched) and beard growth (from clean shaven to a month’s
hair growth). We replicated existing findings that men are considered more attractive when they have lower
pitched voices, or when they have some level of beard growth. However, the effects of voice pitch interact
with the effects of beard growth, such that a very masculine (i.e. low-pitched) voice combined with very
masculine (i.e. extensive) beard growth is considered less attractive than an intermediate level. In contrast,
perceptions of men’s dominance simply increase with increasing masculinity. Together, these results suggest
that the optimal level of physical masculinity may differ depending on whether the aim is social dominance
or mate attraction. These dual selection pressures may have led to some of the documented variability in
male physical masculinity that we see today.
The Role of Emotions in Promoting and Deterring Healthy Eating
Name: Dr Lee Shepherd
With the worldwide rise in obesity and the cost of treating this, there is an urgent need to assess the factors
that promote healthy eating. Across two studies we assessed the role of emotions in promoting and
deterring healthy eating. In Study 1 we assessed the extent to which emotions predict people’s intention to
have a healthy diet and the amount of unhealthy foods eaten over the last week. We found that people who
expected to feel pride had greater intentions to eat a healthy diet. However, perceived control over healthy
eating was the only variable to predict the amount of unhealthy food eaten. Study 2 extended this research
to assess the role of food warning labels on people’s perceptions of and emotions towards the food, and
their willingness to eat and buy the food product. Food warning labels altered the perceived healthiness of
the food. However, they did not have an effect on the emotions and people’s intention to eat or buy the
product. Interestingly, people’s emotions towards the food were the strongest predictor of eating and
buying intentions. This research enhances the literature by demonstrating the positive and negative effects
of emotions on healthy eating.
41
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Doctor-patient relationship as a predictor of diabetes-related distress: Mediation by personal control
beliefs
Name(s): Dr Michael A. Smith & Harriet A. Bridges
The quality of the doctor-patient relationship has been shown to impact upon a number of health outcomes
in diabetes, including psychological wellbeing. However the mechanisms underpinning this relationship
remain uncertain. The present study investigated illness perceptions as mediators of the association
between the doctor-patient relationship and diabetes-related distress. In this quasi-experimental study, 189
individuals with diabetes completed questionnaires which measured i) their perceptions of their relationship
with their doctor, ii) diabetes-related distress and iii) illness perceptions. Doctor-patient relationship
significantly predicted diabetes-related distress following adjustment for age, sex and type of diabetes.
Several illness perceptions also predicted diabetes-related distress, with better doctor-patient relationships
being associated with patient beliefs that i) they have greater capacity to control their diabetes symptoms,
and ii) their symptoms will be less unpredictable. Mediation analyses revealed that the association between
doctor-patient relationship and diabetes-related distress was fully explained by Personal Control. These
findings have implications for diabetes healthcare practitioners, in terms of the extent to which a better
relationship with their patients can improve perceived personal control and in turn, reduce diabetes-related
distress. Further studies in this area should investigate possible mediation by illness perceptions of the
associations between doctor-patient relationship and clinical outcomes in diabetes.
The application of mental capacity legislation by social workers – issues of autonomy
Name: Carole Southall
The Mental Capacity Act (2005) was introduced in England and Wales to provide a framework for assessing
mental capacity and making best interest decisions on behalf of those unable to make decisions for
themselves. This legislation coupled with recent government policy has seen a focus upon promotion of
autonomy for the individual with greater choice and control over the delivery of social care services. This
presentation will explore the effectiveness of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) in promoting the autonomy of
individuals subject to assessment of capacity and best interest decision making by social workers in adult
care services. Using a phenomenological methodology social workers from three Local Authorities were
interviewed .Follow up focus groups were used to clarify interview findings. Results revealed a complex
picture. The status of an individual’s capacity was a significant factor in how autonomy was promoted under
the Act. In addition the dynamic between the wider policy context in adult care services and the Act was
influential in how autonomy was considered.
From Abolitionists to Fundamentalists: The Transformation of the Wesleyan Methodists in the 19th and
20th Centuries
Name: Dr Randall Stephens
“From Abolitionists to Fundamentalists: The Transformation of the Wesleyan Methodists in the 19th and
20th Centuries,” will analyze the cultural trajectory of a small but influential American denomination that
formed in 1843. It first took root as an abolitionist protest against the American Methodist compromise with
42
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
slavery and drew in members who championed a range of antebellum social reforms. By the early 20th
century Wesleyans would become closely identified with separatist fundamentalists, waging war against
modernism and maintaining a militant protestant orthodoxy. It was a shift not unlike that which Thomas
Frank described in his bestselling What’s the Matter with Kansas (2004). The paper then will ask what
accounts for this significant transition and will look at how early-20th century Wesleyans looked back on
their church’s development in order to understand and contextualize the denomination’s history and
contemporary stand. The Wesleyans were part of a larger religious trend that would lead to the emergence
of modern fundamentalism. After the carnage of the Civil War and the disruptions of the second industrial
revolution, ministers, laypeople, and religious editors increasingly turned inward, shunning much of the
moral reform they had advocated in previous decades, and turning to an apocalyptic theology through which
they interpreted the chaotic changes of the modern era.
Expert Evidence Reliability: the Criminal, Civil, Family Trichotomy
Name: Dr Michael Stockdale
The reliability of expert evidence has become a major problem for the criminal, civil and family courts in
recent years. First, the admission of unreliable expert evidence has the potential to result in miscarriages of
justice if the courts fail to identify the limited probative value of such evidence. Secondly, even where the
limited probative value of such evidence is eventually identified by the tribunal of fact, its admission may
have already imposed financial burdens upon the increasingly limited funding available in the criminal, civil
and family justice systems. Reforms have taken place in all three jurisdictions but have not been consistent
and academic analysis of them tends to concentrate on one specific context rather than adopting a global
approach. This paper will identify the principal causes of unreliability, contrast and compare the reforms that
have taken place in the three jurisdictions and consider whether there are lessons to be learned from each
that can be transferred to the others.
Non-fatal offences against the person, the Law Commission’s reform proposals and the “correspondence
principle”
Name(s): Tony Storey* & Adam Jackson*
According to the “correspondence principle”, where a criminal offence requires proof of a particular
consequence, the mental element should correspondingly refer to that consequence. Where the mental
element refers to a lesser consequence instead, this amounts to constructive liability. In the context of nonfatal offences against the person, constructive liability has been adopted by the courts in preference to the
correspondence principle (Mowatt [1968] 1 QB 421); Savage [1992] 1 AC 699). The Law Commission’s
Consultation Paper No. 217 – Reform of Offences against the Person: A Scoping Consultation Paper (2014),
however, adopts the recommendations of the Home Office, Violence: Reforming the Offences against the
Person Act 1861 (1998) that the correspondence principle should replace constructive liability (see para
5.66). In this paper, the authors contend that it would be a mistake to abandon constructive liability in any
reform of non-fatal offences against the person. The danger inherent in the correspondence principle is that
it could lead to significant under-charging of defendants. The paper will draw on academic literature
43
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
(primarily the work of Horder (1995) and (1999)) and case law in support, whilst addressing the work of
supporters of the correspondence principle (including Campbell & Ashworth (1991) and Mitchell (1999)).
Dr Huey P. Newton: Solitary Confinement, Cocaine, and Psychological Decline
Name: Dr Joe Street
Dr. Huey P. Newton remains one of the most divisive and controversial figures in African American history.
Founder and leading theoretician of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, Newton is feted as one of the
great African American leadership figures of the twentieth century, an icon of rebellion against a corrupt and
racist American government. He was also an alleged murderer, sexual criminal and fraudster, and has been
lambasted as a self-interested hustler with a barely concealed violent streak. For some he was a ‘crazy
nigger,’ prepared to die in a blaze of police gunfire; for others an inspirational reincarnation of the folk hero
Stagger Lee Shelton.This paper seeks to probe Newton’s psyche using a different model, in order to
speculate on what made Newton into such a dualistic figure. Using diagnostic models drawn from clinical
psychology, penology and pharmacology, alongside more traditional historical analysis the paper probes
Newton’s mental geography in innovative fashion. Using this approach enables a potentially more
sophisticated analysis of Newton’s character which moves beyond the dualism of hero-thug or
revolutionary-criminal. The paper argues that the experience of prison irreparably damaged Newton and led
directly to his later drug addiction, paranoia, and psychological collapse.
Indian Punjabi Dalit Transnationalism and Religious Conversion: An Autonomous Anti-Caste Tradition?
Name: Professor Steve Taylor
This paper broadly focuses upon the relationship between South Asian international migration and caste
inequality. While it has been clearly demonstrated by previous research that the majority of South Asian
international migrants over the past two centuries have originated from dominant castes, there has been a
more recent trend of Dalit (formerly ‘untouchable’, scheduled/lowest caste) overseas migration. This has
been witnessed particularly from the Indian state of Punjab, with the UK a particular destination. Drawing
upon ethnographic research amongst Punjabi Dalit communities within the UK and India, I specifically
examine the phenomenon of post-transnational migration religious conversion from Sikhism to neoBuddhism and Christianity, assessing the extent to which this process is simultaneously one of Dalit assertion
and resistance to caste-based oppression, thereby facilitating social change within the Punjabi transnational
community Analysing the meanings and implications of religious conversion from Sikhism amongst
communities of UK Punjabi Dalits, I evaluate whether these processes are part of a transnational
‘autonomous anti-caste tradition’ (Hardtmann 2009). It is argued that the Punjabi Dalit transnational
community studied are simultaneously involved in both caste reform, a continued engagement with the
caste order in order to assert an enhanced status within it, and anti-caste practices.
44
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Changing Notions of Home for Young Nepalese and Nigerian Diaspora in the UK and its implication for
globalising discourses on diaspora-development nexus
Name: Nisha Susan Thomas
This paper is drawn from my PhD research on ‘Diaspora volunteering and its connection with homeland
development in Nigeria and Nepal’. The study adopts a qualitative case study methodology, and draws
mainly on field work data collected in the UK, Nigeria and Nepal, and comprises interviews with diaspora
volunteers, diaspora organisations in the UK, and local host organisations and participants in Nigeria and
Nepal. The research was conducted as part of a collaborative studentship with Northumbria University,
Newcastle University and Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO), UK. This paper argues that the tendency to use
‘home’ as the place of volunteer destination in many established and formal diaspora volunteering
programmes in the UK creates a simplistic notion and geography of ‘home’ that fails to acknowledge the incountry differences or heterogeneity in diaspora. The thesis argues that instead of treating diaspora as
bounded entities, diaspora volunteering programmes organised by informal networks, charities and
associations in the Nigerian and Nepalese diaspora in the UK offers an opportunity for different members of
diaspora communities to have a negotiated encounter with their countries of origin, wherein they can
negotiate their position, identity and belonging in relation to home and host states, and re-conceptualise
home.
Using Discursive Psychology as a qualitative approach for analysing workplace bullying.
Name: Neill Thompson
Workplace bullying causes significant cost to individual victims (Einarsen & Mikkelsen, 2003). Discourse
analysis is increasingly being adopted in bullying research (Lieffooghe, 2003 ) as interactional features are
reported to being significant in bullying experiences (Dzurec et al, 2014). However, limitations exist; only a
single study has reported an ‘accused’ perspective (Jenkins, 2012) and retrospective accounts have been
solely used (e.g. Lutgen-Sandvik and Tracey, 2011). To date, naturalistic data has not been used to examine
bullying interactions. Therefore, any understanding of the influence of interactional features remains limited
to participant recall, from the perspective of the victim. In the paper presented, Discursive Psychology
(Edwards and Potter, 1992) is used to explore bullying events drawn from naturalistically recorded data. A
focus on the talk used by those accused of bullying will be presented. Emergent insights into the way those
accused of bullying respond to allegations (such as the management of the threat to their identity) and
patterns of prosody will be highlighted. This paper remains grounded in real world practice and offers
consideration both for new directions in bullying research and lessons for organisational practitioners.
45
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
The postmortal life of human remains in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City
Name: Dr Victor Toom
Based on a 3-year research project funded by the Leverhulme Trust, I shall provide a social scientific account
of the forensic identification of victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center. In particular, I
will attend to the various realities that forensic scientists, human remains and surviving relatives are
confronted with or move through in efforts to ‘bring back home’ the remains of 9/11 victims. By providing
some empirical snapshots, the paper will ask how to live, act and do research in a world full of
contradictions.
English for Specific Purposes (ESP): Access & workers’ rights In Sierra Leone.
Name: Barbara Tully
This paper will consider the role that universities and other education providers can play in providing access
to English language development for less traditional learners who may not have had the opportunities to
develop such skills through formal education. Governments and education providers have a responsibility to
develop the employability skills of the entire workforce, which requires them to consider issues such as
access to training and to develop strategies for widening participation. At the same time, organisations such
as trade unions are striving to improve the working conditions of their members and need to build
leadership capacity for their representatives to enable them to articulate the demands of their members to
management. The paper will demonstrate how a critical pedagogy was employed in the development of an
ESP programme that aimed to address a socio-political gap in the training needs of trade union
representatives in Sierra Leone. It will also highlight the transformational impact of the programme on the
participants, the Sierra Leone Labour Congress, the University of Sierra Leone and the ESP and subject
specialist professionals who designed the programme.
Methodological challenges and opportunities of co-production and inter-disciplinary collaboration:
Insights from a research project on the position and experiences of ‘new migrants’ in the North East
England workforce
Name(s): Tom Vickers* & Lucinda Hudson* & John Clayton & Hilary Davison
For inclusion in the ‘Migration and Diaspora Panel’ This paper presents methodological reflections from an
ongoing programme of empirical research, which involves an inter-disciplinary team across four
departments at Northumbria University and is being co-produced with voluntary sector organisations that
involve and support migrants in North East England. The methodology includes a survey to establish
quantifiable dimensions of their position in the workforce such as working hours, pay and prevalence of
perceived discrimination, and in-depth qualitative interviews to examine experiences seeking and
undertaking paid work before and after arrival in Britain. We focus on migrants from the Eastern European
countries that joined the EU in 2004 and 2007, and refugees and asylum seekers from countries in Africa and
Asia. These groups are disproportionately concentrated in lower paid and less secure posts, yet represent a
diversity of countries of origin, employment backgrounds, ethnicities, languages and migration routes. This
diversity creates distinct methodological challenges for sampling, access, data collection and analysis, and
46
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
contributes to a lack of research on this topic, particularly within the North East. The paper explores the
benefits and difficulties involved in inter-disciplinary collaboration and co-production as a way of meeting
these challenges, and proposes lessons for future research.
AMORES - Discovering a love for literature through digital collaboration and creativity
Name: Dr Geoff Walton
Teachers find it challenging to interest children in reading literature, but agree that the use of ICT could help
raise the level of students’ interest. The aim of the EU Comenius Multilateral funded AMORES project is to
use ICT to enhance literature teaching and learning across Europe. Objectives are:
(1)
to increase students’ love of reading through an innovative methodology based on online crossborder interactivity and collaboration
(2)
(2) To improve the digital literacy of both students and teachers through the creation of eartefacts (for example videos to share with each other), critical reflection on their production
and their use in social participation.
This is a two year project which ends in November 2015 and is a collaboration between schools from Croatia,
Denmark, Poland, Sweden and the UK, led by CARNet (Croatia) and three UK HEIs (Coventry University,
Northumbria University and Staffordshire University.
A participatory methodology is employed which deliberately places teachers and pupils at the centre of the
process and treats them as experts in this context. This paper will show how the participatory approach was
employed and how it shaped the online teacher training materials. How pupils are involved and the eartefacts they have created will also be presented.
47
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Pecha Kucha Abstracts
The PEDaLL Model for Teaching in Higher Education
Name: Jackie Adamson
One of the challenges in Higher Education is to prepare students to meet the needs of employers and be
part of a global and economic society. Implementation of the HEAR (Higher Education Achievement Report)
is high on the agenda for institutions, providing an opportunity to support students in maximising their
employability potential. A pedagogical steer is needed to provide guidance on best practice delivery
approaches that embed the ideologies of employability and personal development within an established
degree programme. PEDaLL is a newly developed capability model for informing new and existing staff
(lecturers) how to plan and deliver an enhanced curriculum that explicitly embeds the needs of
employability within established degree programmes. It comprises of 4 main elements – Personal,
Development (planning), Employability and Lifelong Learning. Within each element are a number of
constructs that give guidance, skills and attributes to provide insight and clarity. PEDaLL also offers
opportunities for tailored CPD and staff development, potential HEA membership support for staff through
awareness and analysis mechanisms for capacity building and portfolio compilation, and a vehicle for
assisting the development and deep implementation of the HEAR for students.
Assessment and feedback in authentic learning environments – doctors and lawyers
Name(s): Carol Boothby
Assessment of more complex teaching and learning environments such as live client clinics can be seen as
challenging. The authentic setting and lack of a ‘standard experience’ can lead to attempts to break down
the experience and the programme into ‘bite sized’ areas of competence, in an attempt to achieve what is
perceived as reliability. This paper draws on the medical model, and in particular , the work of Van der
Vleuten and Schuwirth , in advocating a more holistic approach, arguing that , with some checks and
balances in place, it is possible to rely on the holistic professional judgment of assessors, and indeed, that all
forms of assessment involve some compromise. Using Van der Vleutens utility model, we can draw analogies
from the field of medical training to defend the value and rigour of our current assessment of our legal clinic
program, whilst considering whether any areas of our current assessment in the live client program are ripe
for review.
48
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Benefits realisation from IT enabled innovation: A capability challenge for NHS English Acute Hospital
Trusts?
Name(s): Rebecca Casey* and Professor Teresa Waring and Dr Andrew Robson
Within the UK National Health Service (NHS) acute hospital trusts are relatively independent entities with
their own boards of directors and governors. They are expected to develop business as well as information
management and technology strategies that demonstrate commitment to efficiency of operation as well as
effectiveness of patient treatment. Nevertheless they still receive funding from central government and in a
period of fiscal austerity must deliver the government’s health agenda with fewer resources but through an
increasing use of information technology (IT). Benefits realisation of IT and systems innovation is seen as the
approach through which many of the reforms will be delivered. New systems such as nurse-rostering, bed
management and patient flow are essential to a more efficient and effective NHS but significantly involve
clinical staff in the delivery of any benefits from them. Ashurst and Hodges (2010) have argued that in order
to deliver benefits from IT enabled innovations organisations must develop a benefits realisation capability
that is multi-disciplinary and is not just situated within the IT function. This paper aims to explore the state
of the benefits realisation capability within English NHS hospitals in order to assess whether this type of
approach can work and deliver the substantial change needed to address the challenges of faced.
Understanding cognition: That rug really tied the room together, man
Name: Ashley James Chapman
Making sense of the world involves complex processes occurring and interacting within the brain.
Traditionally, cognitive scientists think of this as analogous to the processes in a computer, with strict rules
that encapsulate obligatory and domain specific processes within the brain. Here, it is the aim to show that
this may not be the case. Embodied theories of cognition propose that sensorimotor simulation forms a
necessary basis of abstract and concrete knowledge (Vigliocco et al., 2004). These theories view cognition as
taking place not only in the brain, but in interaction with bodily form and the wider environment. Previous
research has shown that understanding action-related (Meteyard, et al., 2007) and spatial (Richardson, et al.,
2003) language involves simulating sensorimotor experiences. Here, we present three studies investigating
simulated representations formed online for remembered and perceived objects and words. Study 1
examines verbs ability to displace attention, while study 2 and 3 examine representations of manipulable
and non-manipulable objects. Our findings suggest that object representations are simulated both during
direct perception and recall (Gallese, 2007) and that these representations compete for activation. We
discuss this in terms of bottom-up and top-down effects of attention, and provide support for grounded
theories of cognition.
49
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Using CGI technology to measure distorted body image in anorexia nervosa
Name(s): Katri Cornelissen
Body image distortion (BID) is a key feature of Anorexia Nervosa (AN). Its persistence after treatment is a
strong predictor of relapse. Therefore, in order to treat AN more effectively, we need a clearer
understanding of BID. Previous studies of BID have used the Video Distorting Technique (VDT) to produce
stimulus images of women with varying body mass index (BMI). However, this method is problematic
because it introduces distortions in the image which do not occur in reality as BMI changes. To produce
ecologically valid stimuli, in a recent study, we used Computer Generated Image (GCI) technology for
stimulus generation in order to investigate the influence of personal BMI on body size estimation in 42
women who currently have AN, or a history of AN, and 100 non eating-disordered healthy controls. The low
BMI control participants over-estimated their size and high BMI controls under-estimated. Control
participants’ sensitivity to size change declined as their BMI increases. The responses of women with AN
were very different. Low BMI participants who have AN were extremely accurate at estimating body size and
were very sensitive to size changes in body size. As BMI rose in the AN participant group, there was a rapid
increase in over-estimation concurrent with a rapid decline in sensitivity to size change. One remaining
problem is that this study used BMI dependent shape variation in a standard model, therefore ignoring the
underlying shape variation in individual participants. In our most recent study therefore, we combined GCI
modelling together with 3D laser scans of participants body shapes to create individualized stimuli for 15
control participants, 15 participants with a history of AN, and 11 AN participants. The results show that both
control and history of AN participants were extremely accurate at estimating their own body size. However,
in AN participants, the lowest BMI individuals were extremely accurate, and this accuracy gradually
decreased as the individual’s BMI increased. We discuss the results in the context of varying methodology.
Using social media to capture the information seeking behaviour of aspiring undergraduates.
Name: Lara Dodd
Using the popularity and prevalence of social media amongst young people the study examines the
information behaviour of aspiring undergraduates as they begin to make decisions about their UCAS
application. It considers, for example, what the information needs of aspiring undergraduates really are, how
they are searching and sharing information, and, critically, whether they have the self-efficacy and the skills
necessary to effectively meet those needs.This research is timely because less than 1/5th of young people
now receive adequate advice and guidance (Ofsted, 2014) and many national support structures such as
Connexions have disappeared altogether. This is itself a result of marked changes made from 2012 for
potential undergraduates; these included not only the increase in tuition fees, but also the decision to put
schools/colleges in charge of their own careers advice and guidance. The proposed research will develop and
employ a qualitative methodology whereby thousands of publicly accessible posts/tweets will be retrieved,
analysed and modelled using NVivo 10 software. Data collection will take place during three key time slots;
the period leading up to the UCAS deadline, exam results day (the start of clearing), and freshers’ week to
mark the before, during and after stages of the transition that new students pass through.
50
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend - and a Great Data Collection Tool
Name: Rachel Dunn
My research focuses on clinical legal education, exploring the data I will collect on whether and, if so, how
live client clinics can be a benefit to law students and produce more competent lawyers. To collect some of
my data I have designed a Diamond 16 board. I provide participants with 11 ‘lawyer skills’ and with 5 blank
cards to create their own skills that they think a competent lawyer needs to practice. They are then asked to
place these skills on the Diamond in order of importance. There are usually 4-6 participants in each study
and they are encouraged to discuss the skills with each other. The way in which the Diamond works is very
interactive. I record which skills participants move places on the board and their conversations surrounding
skills. It is an extremely effective way to collect data, whilst also an interesting activity for the participants. I
am now half way through this particular study, which will last approximately 8 months. It has been
conducted with students in the Student Law Office, tutors and external law firms. It will then be produced
electronically and distributed to law firms throughout Europe to complete.
Modern art and arousal: Visual, emotional and cognitive processes in response to art, and the effect of
expertise, using EEG
Name: Jane E Else
Art can be beautiful or ugly, shock and amaze, yet we know little about how the brain responds, its impact
on cognition and emotion. In order to explore the effect of modern art on emotional and cognitive
responses a series of studies were conducted, with artists and non-artists. We began by investigating the
time course of the visual, emotional and cognitive responses to twentieth century art, with an EEG/ERP
study. Art rated as having least affect elicited larger ERP components associated with attention in both
groups, were highest for artists than non-artists, with the greatest difference in response to abstract art.
Next, the ecological validity of using reproductions of art (on a computer, in a lab) to study the effect of art
on the brain was queried. Differences the impact that viewing context (art gallery) and status of the art
(original or reproduction) may have on the visceral affect, aesthetic response and memory for contemporary
art were investigated. As a result, a combined EEG and behavioural study was conducted in an art gallery to
explore functional and topographical differences between cortical regions during contemplation and
imagery of original and reproduced contemporary artworks, and effect on mood, in artists and non-artists.
Community music and mental wellbeing; an ethnographic/realist evaluation
Name: Andrew Fletcher
It has long been tacitly acknowledged that ‘the arts’ provide a critical contribution to the socio-cultural and
economic fabric of any society. Further, it is now increasingly recognised that participation in the arts can
yield benefits to both personal and community wellbeing. The rising tide of awareness is occurring against a
backdrop of economic austerity with attendant funding cuts. In spite of these cuts, public arts organisations
continue to make a valuable contribution, which can be broadly defined in terms of expanding ‘cultural or
social capital’ and/or wider health benefits. Music can profoundly affect human emotion and by extension,
mental wellbeing. This phenomenon forms the basis for music therapy interventions. The role of the arts as
51
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
a therapeutic medium is well documented (and institutionalised) in clinical settings. However, the role of
music in promoting personal and community wellbeing is less established and generally under-researched.
This thesis is focussed on exploring the potential of community music participation as a vehicle for
empowerment, enhancing social inclusion and promoting mental health. An ethnographic approach will be
taken and data will be analysed using a realist evaluation method to identify mechanisms and contexts in
which positive outcomes can be achieved through participatory musical activity.
The Journey of Life: Biographic Paths of Restitution, Quest and Chaos in Narrative Research
Name: Gerrit Kotzur
In order to make sense of our life experiences, especially in times of serious illness or crisis, we frequently
draw on narrative models and metaphors. In narrative research, three general models and associated
metaphors have been distinguished: restitution, quest and chaos narratives (Frank 1995). In this
presentation, I will explain the impacts of the different narrative models and their aptness by shedding light
on the underlying conceptual and metaphorical mappings of light and darkness, repair, paths, journeys and
quests. This also has important ethical implications for dealing with service users in a medical context. While
the restitution narrative views the change in circumstance as a temporary disruption and is founded on the
belief that it will “get better again”, even back to normal, the person who lives a chaos narrative faces utter
hopelessness and loss of all control. Finally, the quest narrative emphasises that something can be gained
from the pain in the course of (re)forming a positive identity. People with different conditions and
impairments (often unconsciously) favour one or another narrative type. However, we usually find mixed
forms of those narratives. Moreover, the suitability of a narrative can undergo changes throughout a life
journey.
Real time monitoring and fault diagnosis for wind turbine energy systems
Name(s): Xiaoxu Liu* and Zhiwei Gao
The research studies fault detection problems for wind turbines subject to sensor faults, actuator faults as
well as extra disturbances. The aim is to develop innovative observer to estimate the shapes and sizes of
fault signals while minimize the influence of unknown inputs. Through representing the concerned faults as
auxiliary vector, an augmented system is obtained. An unknown input observer (UIO) is then designed to
estimate the augmented state vector which includes the original system state and faults simultaneously. A
part of unknown inputs are decoupled and the conditions to ensure such an observer exists are obtained.
Prior to previous results, the complete decoupling condition is extended. A more general form of unknown
inputs can be handled in this way. For disturbance that cannot be decoupled, Linear matrix inequality (LMI)
algorithm is combined to guarantee the performance of the robust estimator. In order to satisfy the
condition, joint efforts of two or more observers are considered to estimate all possible faults in the
systems. Finally, the application to wind turbines based on benchmark model is to demonstrate the
effectiveness of the proposed method.
52
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Adaptation of Majority-Logic Combining Method for Receive-Diversity FSO Systems
Name: Mojtaba Mansourabadi
In this paper, we address turbulence mitigation in free space optical communication systems employing
spatial diversity. As an extension to our recent work based on the log-normal turbulence channel model, we
study the performance of FSO link employing the majority-logic combining (MLC) scheme, which is used in
in radio frequency (RF) systems, first ever to optical wireless technology. Then MLC is compared to the
classical diversity schemes like equal gain combining (EGC) and selection combining (SelC) for the general
case of Gamma-Gamma turbulence model. Paper presents closed-form bit-error-rate expressions for EGC,
SelC and MLC schemes, considering the typical case of a multiple receive-aperture system while taking into
account the aperture averaging effect. We investigate the BER performance of the combining schemes for a
range of aperture sizes under the moderate turbulence condition and show that by increasing the number of
receivers or for lower turbulence strength, MLC displays improved performance compared to EGC and SelC.
Also the paper outlines the possibility of MLC being implemented in the network layer which makes it a
suitable as a candidate for various single-input-multiple-output schemes.
Development and Optimisation of Precision Trimming Process for Manganin Shunt Resistor
Name: Siti Nabilah Misti
As electrical energy prices continue rising throughout the year, accurate energy consumption monitoring
becomes increasingly important. Therefore, there is a growing demand for high precision, low value shunt
resistors in order to measure the flow of electrical current in applications such as smart energy meters and
electric vehicle charging stations. This research investigates the possibility of trimming 100µΩ Manganin
shunt resistors to improve their accuracy and performance for use in smart energy meters. Theoretically, by
trimming the resistive material into a tolerable and symmetrical shape, the standard ±5% tolerance of the
shunt resistor can be reduced. The aims of this project are to research manufacturing processes and testing
procedures which can be used to develop a novel trimming process and improved the tolerance precision.
Simulation and experimental work has been done to find out the optimum way to remove the resistive
material from the shunt resistors.
Exploring Dirty Research in Academia: Is my research dirty?
Name: Sara Mohammadzadeh
My research looks into BDSM and the law, and specifically why the law looks to criminalise BDSM sex.
Through this my research has led me to look into stigma and dirty work. Dirty work refers to occupations
that are viewed by society as physically (jobs that include dangerous elements or jobs that are physically
dirty), socially (work linked to stigmatized populations), or morally (work that is seen as morally
compromised by society) tainted (Ashforth et al, 2007, p.2). The stigma of dirty work is transferred to those
who perform dirty work, and in turn they are treated as dirty workers (Grandy, 2008, p.179). While academia
may not seem like dirty work, researching certain ‘unloved groups’ within ‘ certain academic environments
may be problematic for researchers, leaving them vulnerable to being socially tainted, and in some cases
rendering them ‘dirty workers’ within their field’ (Sanders-McDonagh, 2014, p.242). This presentation aims
53
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
to explore some of the issues surrounding conducting dirty research and how this can lead for the need to
negotiate a positive identity and managing the relationships between researcher and participants.
Application of Additive Manufacturing Technology for Lightweight Medical Scaffold using Polyurethane
foam.
Name: Charles Emmanuel Oppon
Additive Manufacturing (AM) is an innovative idea to fabricate complex, net-shaped components in
successive layers. The technologies are used for rapid prototyping technique enabling short lead-times and
design changes can easily be incorporated. By omitting extensive machining, material costs and scrap can be
reduced, leading to a lower environmental impact with a good economic balance. The AM technologies offer
the potential to fabricate organised tissue constructs to repair or replace damaged or diseased human
tissues and organs. Using these techniques, spatial variations of cells along multiple axes with high geometric
complexity in combination with different biomaterials can be generated but still with limited material
application. Most of these tissue constructs are one off which is among the major positive characteristics of
AM. Even though Polyurethane foam has the properties to support soft tissues (e.g. breast implants), and
less expensive compared to other materials, its potentials have not been fully exploited by AM technology.
This presentation reviews the economic balance of AM and reports on the effects of mechanical properties
of polyurethane foam by varying the mixing ratio and pre-heated temperature of the main constituents
(polyol and diisocyanate) in its application by AM to manufacture lightweight medical scaffolds for implants.
Using 3D manufacturing processes to create low cost, custom chemistry equipment
Name: Alexander Mario Papiez
Chemists working at the laboratory scale (e.g. from <0.1-10g) are typically reliant on a standard set of
equipment (either plastic or glassware) which has seen little change since its introduction. Production of new
equipment is a time and resource intensive process and in the past has been the preserve of a small number
of well-funded research groups. In the past decade advances in 3D modelling and manufacturing techniques
have brought affordable bench-top 3D printers to market. These printers open a new route to rapid, low
cost, in house production of plastic objects with a well defined 3D structure. In the chemistry lab, such
objects have a diverse range of uses from sample holders to flow cells and are particularly useful in
situations where the shape of an object can have a direct impact on a chemical project. Described herein is
the application of 3D design and bench-top manufacture for the construction of a small scale flow cell for
microwave flow synthesis studies. In-house design and manufacture of this cell resulted in significant cost
reductions and allowed rapid design modifications leading to a ”tailor-made” product at a fraction of the
normal cost.
54
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Exploring creativity and entrepreneurship
Name: Tena Patten
The focus of this study is the creative individual who is also an entrepreneur in Ireland. The aim is to examine
why and how creative people become entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs in the creative industries may need to
negotiate conflicting pressures between creative expression and commercial gain. The current research will
produce findings which seek to understand this process for creative industry entrepreneurs in Ireland.
Studies in entrepreneurship in Ireland, and particularly entrepreneurship in the creative industries, are
timely and worthwhile. Policy-makers and educationalists ascribe significant value to the development of an
entrepreneurial society, and the creative industries are seen as an engine of growth within the Irish
economy. The current study will contribute directly to this knowledge base by scrutinising the experiences of
nascent and experienced entrepreneurs, as defined by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, within the
creative industries, based on the classification developed by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport in
the United Kingdom. Much research is available on both creativity and entrepreneurship as distinct bodies of
literature but there have been few studies on how the two relate. The current research will contribute to
this theoretical debate. The research question which guides the process is: How do creative industry
entrepreneurs combine artistic and entrepreneurial creativity for success? The paper explores this by
examining the extrinsic and intrinsic motivations that drive the process and attempts to add an
understanding of the interplay between artistically creative behaviour and entrepreneurially creative
behaviour. The study is underpinned by a social constructionist philosophy, which acknowledges the varied
experiences of individual entrepreneurs in the creative industries. It accepts that individuals are best placed
to describe their own experiences and a qualitative methodology is employed.
Innovation and Economic Growth in Comparative Perspectives
Name: Karla Simone Prime
A striking feature of the global economy is the vast disparity in output per worker across countries. While
emerging and developing economies achieve stronger productivity growth rates than mature economies,
their overall output underperforms in terms of economic growth. This is indicative of less efficient use of
factor inputs. This cross-country comparison examines the interdependent relationship between economic
factors (capital, labour and technological progress) and noneconomic factors such as local history, values and
institutional and power structures. By setting both informal and formal constraints on the productive activity
of individuals and firms, these noneconomic variables help explain the variation in cross-country long-run
economic performance. The patterns of cross-country growth will be examined using a standard neoclassical
approach to decompose output per worker by differences in input and productivity. Secondly, the formation
of the state and its institutions that promote socioeconomic development will be compared through a
narrative framework. Unlike recent empirical growth literature this framework will not assume that the
nature of the state is a given but take into account endogeneity in the examination of the sequencing of
state and institutional development. It will consider whether this sequence is path-dependent and take
account of whether this sequencing is reversible.
55
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
The Involvement of Older People in their Physical Rehabilitation
Name: Dr Norman Rickard
As populations, over 65, increase and welfare systems move from collectivist, towards consumerist systems,
involving older people in their rehabilitation becomes important. The aims of this research were to develop a
theory, which explains the meaning of involvement for older people in their physical rehabilitation and
facilitates health care practice development. Grounded theory was employed to collect and analyse
longitudinal data from four older people, their practitioners and support staff, during the participants’
rehabilitation. The findings suggest that involvement in rehabilitation operates through an Involvement
Attribute Set consisting of two interdependent groups (psychologically-based and action-based) mediated
through therapeutic relationships. Collectively, the Involvement Attributes are: the possession of a Vision,
Incentive and Goals, a positive Disposition; a propensity for Cognitive Development; Goal planning, setting
and achievement; and Risk Management. To be maximally involved the Involvement Attribute set has to be
strong, balanced and aligned between the two groups. Improvements in Involvement Attribute sets require
a move away from paternalistic healthcare relationships towards the collaborative, partnerships. In this way,
involvement of older people in rehabilitation is: “A joint commitment within therapeutic relationships to
determine and be determined in the pursuit of an Involvement Attribute set that is strong, balanced and
aligned”.
Colliding concepts in interdisciplinary research: Mind the gaps!
Name: Teri Taylor
Interdisciplinary research, whilst a “buzz” word in many institutions, requires a full appreciation of the
differences associated with it, compared with uni-disciplinary studies. From issues over “REFability” to
definitions of PhD subject area, the interdisciplinary researcher suffers from being different from the
traditional approach to research areas. For the lone researcher, these issues become increasingly troubling
as they are compounded by a lack of expertise in single subject areas. This presentation uses a case study of
one researcher’s journey to illustrate the pitfalls, obstacles and problems associated with this research
approach, whilst also highlighting the potential benefits. For those engaged in interdisciplinary research, the
lessons and experiences are likely to resonate. For those leading research, the presentation offer an insight
into research that is not “the norm” and that may require a different approach to support and development.
Towards a better understanding local authority community asset transfer (LA CAT)
Name: Gill Telford
When the Coalition government came to power, in its efforts to rebalance the economy, it cancelled almost
all central government regeneration initiatives. Given the continued need to reverse physical, economic and
social decline, how are local authorities to respond? Community asset transfer is a mechanism which allows
the transfer of publicly owned land or buildings to the management or ownership of a community based
organisation, at less than full market value, provided the transfer achieves a public benefit. Can community
asset transfer facilitate regeneration for cash poor, but asset and people rich, local authorities? Whilst a
systematic tour of local authority websites suggests some engagement with community asset transfer,
56
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
central government does not collect LA CAT statistics. My research will provide a national audit of current LA
CAT activity; from that I will be able to identify the characteristics that lead to sustainable community asset
transfer. As humans we constantly interact and interpret, however, each of us can interpret things in
different ways. In LA CAT, where a wide range of people interact, the exact nature of what will emerge is
unpredictable, in other words, it is complex; my research is consequently underpinned by a complexity
informed approach.
Leidenfrost Rotation and a Sublimation Heat Engine
Name: Dr Gary Wells
Heat engines are designed to convert Heat into mechanical work via a thermodynamic cycle, such as the
Rankins cycle which involves a liquid vapour phase tansfromation. These engines often involve several steps
when coverting the stored chemical energy of the fuel into mechanical work and need to be carefully
designed to minimise friction losses. Here we present new heat engine which harvests thermal energy from
a rotating block of dry ice, using sublimation as a phase-change mechanism via the Leidenfrost effect. This
system has the added advantage of a friction- free bearing created by the Leidenfrost vapour layer and the
use of alternative, non-traditional fuels can circumvent the complications posed by extreme temperature
and pressure conditions of exotic landscapes. By fabricating aluminium turbine like structures, using
standard CNC machining, and placing solid CO2 discs on top of the turbines at different temperatures, we
show that rotation can be achieved above a critical temperature, or, equivalently, below a critical disc mass.
Using a hydrodynamic model, we are able to predict such a transition, which is controlled by the competition
between gravity and the lift provided by the Leidenfrost vapour layer. Furthermore, we find that the
rectification of the vapour flow caused by the underlying turbine-like surface leads to a net viscous drag that
can sustain the rotation of the dry-ice blocks. Coupling the Leidenfrost rotors to an electromagnetic
generator allows us to illustrate the potential application of the novel sublimation-based cycle as a means of
low-friction energy harvesting.
What is health?
Name: Heather Yoeli
What is health? We contribute a significant proportion of our salaries towards it, watch our colleagues
undertake a great deal of research into it, and sometimes have a bit of a moan about the aches, pains and
indignities of it with our friends. But what is it? This (hopefully) creative and (aspiringly) philosophical
presentation will consider what health is, or what it might be.
57
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Abstracts
Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Poster Title: Intersecting victim identities and hierarchies of victimisation and vulnerability
Name: Alexandria Bradley
Poster Abstract:
This research investigates the intersections between victimhood and offending behaviour; by analysing the
over simplistic, stereotypical gendered expectations and ‘ideal’ characteristics of a victim. The aim is to
incorporate the victims who are often hidden and viewed as second-class victims, because they have
offended. An examination of traditional victimological literature has shown that both societal and political
sympathy’s, largely rest with those who display the ‘ideal’ victim characteristics; which subsequently,
neglects and overlooks the experiences of prior victimisation within our offender population. This
presentation will outline my PhD proposal; my reflections of my first year and the anticipated future
directions of my research.
Poster Title: Exploring the Impact of the NHS Health and Justice ‘Health Trainers and Lay-Practitioners’
Initiative on Prisoner Engagement and Health-Related Behaviour Change
Name: Kara Danks
Poster Abstract:
The health of prisoners is a growing concern evident both in current literature and social policy. Prisoners
tend to come from socially disadvantaged communities and compared to the general population are at
greater risk of non-communicable and communicable diseases, including smoking related issues. The prison
environment serves as a unique situation providing an opportunity to engage individuals with high levels of
needs in health-related behaviour change. NHS ‘Health Trainers’ emerged from the 2004 White Paper
‘Choosing Health: Making Healthier Choices Easier’ with the aim of engaging disadvantaged communities in
health promotion, as the ‘Health Trainers’ are members of the same communities. This research aims to
develop the role in four of the North East prisons and evaluate effectiveness in relation to key health
outcomes linked primarily to smoking, diet and exercise; also exploring acceptability and prisoner
engagement. A mixed method longitudinal approach will be used including a qualitative developmental
phase followed by an evaluation of the initiative at three time points. This research provides an opportunity
to explore the offender ‘Health Trainer’ role within a range of prison settings in the North East, develop a
standardised model and provide a robust evaluation filling an identified gap in the literature.
Poster Title: The Push and Pull of Sub-State Government Policies and Practice. How different is the
Generalitat of Catalonia from other Autonomous Governments of Spain and why is this the case?
Name: Jill Dixon
Poster Abstract:
Many have argued that there is an inherent difference between Catalonia and the rest of Spain, based on a
distinct political identity rooted in its own history, language, culture and institutions. This paper explores
whether the way in which the sub-state organ of government in Catalonia is distinct, by determining some of
the reasons – the pull and the push factors – for any similarities or differences. The paper’s opening section
will briefly cover sub-state identity and public administrative traditions and developments as they pertain to
Spain. It then sets out a range of ‘push’ factors – forces which could explain why the Generalitat might be
expected to be distinct. Using a comparative case study of the Generalitat of Catalonia and the Junta of
58
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Andalusia, the paper will reflect on evidence gathered from recent field work on these institutions’ policies,
practices and budgetary priorities. It will also consider the impact of administrative traditions, political
cultures and the national contemporary constitutional context – forces which can be described as ‘pull’
factors, which may tend to promote greater homogeneity amongst sub-state governments. The paper
concludes by applying these findings to the specific case of the response of the Generalitat and Junta to the
current economic crisis.
Poster Title: ‘Metaphors we design by’: How to ‘aim’ a citizens’ designing to change unsustainable
lifestyles to sustainable and enabled lives
Name: Paul Emmerson
Poster Abstract:
We acknowledge the world is experiencing interconnected environmental, economic and social problems
and that to substantively address these issues, our existing ways of living need to significantly change.
Design as a discipline is recognised as being capable of aiding this change (Fuad-Luke 2009, Walker 2006). To
provide context, this paper briefly introduces our study to-date before arguing how design may assist this
change through shared social practice of communities (Shove 2010) – a ‘political’ practice of citizens.
However, design is an amoral discipline (Jonas 2008). It possesses no ethical position to govern its practice.
Consequently it ‘supports’ today’s unsustainable environmental, economic and social problems. Therefore,
to develop a multidisciplinary approach to help remedy design’s amoral nature, we integrate the discoveries
of cognitive science and linguistics. These expose how we construct our understanding of the world through
the use of metaphors and frames (Lakoff 2002).
This paper will discuss how to utilise these insights to define a ‘metaphor’ for use as a ‘tool’ to enable
citizens’ to collectively and ethically ‘aim’ their designing – to recognise their interconnectedness with the
world when problem defining, and for designing community-led solutions – to change unsustainable
lifestyles to sustainable and enabled lives.
Poster Title: Cross-cultural or intercultural metaphors and why it matters in the clinical environment: the
case of pain
Name: Sondos Ibrahim
Poster Abstract:
This paper evaluates the role of culture in the construction of metaphors by immigrant patients in the clinical
environment. Since the 1970s, Western clinical practice has moved from a ‘biomedical’ model of health to
the now dominant ‘biopsychosocial’ model – foregrounding holistic patient care and opening new research
avenues in the medical humanities. Today, Anglo-American pain management is truly interdisciplinary, with
clinical practice well-informed by the metaphor theories of cognitive linguistics. Though often used
interchangeably, the terms ‘cross-cultural’ and ‘intercultural’ communication are not synonyms; whilst the
former refers to the shared discourse of a particular group, the latter focuses on different communicative
strategies in a single environment.
In this theoretical context, I cast doubt over the feasibility of cross-cultural research in the clinical
environment. Instead, I argue that interactions between clinicians and immigrant patients in the clinical
environment are always ‘intercultural’, even if these interlocutors share a common cultural background. This
paper builds on past research in arguing that metaphor translation in an institutional environment modifies
the cultural status of that metaphor. In the case of pain management- a field which is now so reliant on
metaphor- acknowledging the intercultural nature of clinician-patient interactions is vital for effective
research-based practice.
59
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Diaries in the Dark: what miners’ journals can tell us of life in the 1800s
Name: Mia McCabe
Poster Abstract:
The archives of Newcastle’s Mining Institute contain numerous journals written by colliery viewers and their
colleagues, detailing the life under and above ground from the 1600s onwards. Besides offering us
invaluable insight into the daily workings and dangers of coal mines, they are also a trove of observation and
paraphernalia relating to the life of mining communities and cities in the North East, particularly in terms of
cultural and scientific events.
This paper focuses on the journals of William Oliver - apprentice to the famous viewer and entrepreneur
John Buddle, and later an industrialist and inventor in his own right – chosen for their intimate portrayal of
life and death in a mining community of the mid-19th century, and also to highlight an underused repository
of primary source material for this region and historical study.
Poster Title: Predicting the variation of techniques of neutralisation used by Climate Counter Movement
Organisations.
Name: Ruth McKie
Poster Abstract:
This PhD research aims to demonstrate how techniques of neutralisation are used by climate counter
movement organisations to influence public perceptions about climate change. Techniques of Neutralisation
(Sykes and Matza, 1957) are disseminated into the public sphere by these organisations as a tool to prevent
social change. It is the proposal of this research to identify variation in these techniques of neutralization
and characterise what organisational characteristics are more likely to use specific techniques. Research
both within criminology and sociology has yet to apply this specific theory and in particular into its actions
that prevent social changes as a selling technique. Therefore this particular presentation will review previous
literature on climate change denial organisations, techniques of neutralisation and how they can be used
together to expand the scope of sociology and criminology to explore climate change denial.
Poster Title: Reception conditions of asylum seekers in the Netherlands and Germany – Uniform standards
in the EU?
Name: Klaudia Mierswa
Poster Abstract:
In many parts of the world, refugees flee their home countries due to violence, war or the fear of
prosecution. Their search for shelter and a life without fear often leads them to Member States of the
European Union, as those countries are considered as safe haven respecting human rights.
In this respect, the EU has acknowledged that it is one of the main destination regions for asylum seekers
and therefore the Member States (MS) of the EU have decided to create a Common European Asylum
System (CEAS) in 1999, in order to tackle the growing asylum challenges at the European level, and to
streamline and harmonise the national asylum systems of the MS guaranteeing an equal and fair treatment
of asylum seekers. Over the years, the EU has adopted a variety of crucial legislative measures establishing
common standards for asylum, one of them being minimum standards of reception conditions.
As one of the main aims of the creation of the CEAS was to harmonize the varying national systems, one
assumes that the Member States should have similar approaches to the provision of reception conditions to
asylum seekers. The presentation will examine living conditions of asylum seekers in Germany and the
Netherlands and point out similarities as well as differences in the provision of reception conditions to
asylum seekers.
60
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Exploring the role of choice and autonomy in achieving long term outcomes of health and
wellbeing for multiply excluded homeless people
Name: Chris Parker
Poster Abstract:
Individuals facing repeated periods of homelessness and multiple exclusion have presented a policy issue for
successive governments across North America, Australia and Europe. Housing First has been widely
promoted as a solution to the problem of multiple exclusion homelessness and has seen widespread
adoption due to its success in moving individuals into sustained, independent housing and enabling access to
support through a high degree of consumer choice and autonomy. However, whether Housing First brings
positive longer term outcomes related to health and wellbeing has not been established. The available
evidence of positive short term outcomes, albeit narrowly defined, seems to contradict the widely argued
critique that marginalised groups are less able to exercise consumer choice as fully as others in society.
Through a case study of a UK Housing First service this project employs mixed methods to identify how
multiply excluded homeless individuals interact with choice and which factors influence how they are able to
exercise control and autonomy over support and behaviour. As well as objective measures of health and
wellbeing the study will incorporate measures of successful outcomes based on the priorities of homeless
consumers to explore if and how they are able to guide their support towards these priorities.
Poster Title: Practice of Human Rights Journalism and constructing options for R2P Intervention
Name: Senthan Selvarajah
Poster Abstract:
This study is about examining the nature and extent of the practice of Human Rights Journalism (HRJ) in the
international media during the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka in the wake of the overrunning of the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam by government forces in 2009, and thereby to scrutinise the extent to which
these media constructed options for R2P intervention.
The scope of this presentation will focus on the following:
Research Significance
Media, Humanitarian Crises and HRJ
Problems of traditional journalism
Responsibility to Protect (R2P)
Cosmopolitan characteristics of HRJ and R2P
Research Questions
Methodology
Research Design
61
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: British children’s television presenters: the contemporary in context.
Name: Gabrielle Smith
Poster Abstract:
This short paper connects to the wider themes of my overall research into the role of the British children’s
presenter. In highlighting how performance operates within unique spaces of television, this research
applies the intricate issues of gender, race, and disability whilst reflecting on the contemporary experience
of what it means to be a ‘post-modern performer’.
In focusing on the changing landscape of children’s television, the key figure of the presenter is pivotal. This
can be noted in bodies and behaviours on screen, the articulation of presentational formats and the British
tradition of the personas associated with BBC Children’s identities seen for example in programming such as
Blue Peter (1958-) and Newsround (1972-).
In the current academic field, the critical analysis regarding the role of the presenter in children’s
programming is limited. Therefore, this research seeks to navigate the wide breadth of material available
and provide a historical narrative that vitally links the past with the present(er).
Poster Title: Anti-chick literature and the construction of the Collage Grrrl.
Name: Megan Sormus
Poster Abstract:
In 2009, Sarah Gamble identified the emergence of anti-chick literature: an alternative genre that works to
transgress the mainstream facets of the irrefutably popular genre of chick lit. Her examination provides an
invaluable insight into contemporary women’s writing that attempts to subvert generic feminine stereotypes
from within their imposed boundaries. Despite this however, a comprehensive exploration of the impact of
anti-chick lit is missing from critical analysis.
With this, my paper will explore the way in which anti-chick lit distorts the generic ‘chick’ image. Instead, it
replaces it with a sense of the unconventional and manifestation of an alternative image emerging from
inside conventional and popular women’s writing. It will examine the way in which the female authors of
anti-chick lit create paradoxical protagonists with the traditional bits and pieces of the chick lit heroine
(fashion, dieting, dating) combined with the darker personality of the anti-chick lit subject (self-harming,
mental illness, and prostitution). In doing so, this paper will identify the formation of the collage grrrl to
account for the way in which anti-chick lit layers facets of the mainstream with the subversive in order to
fully interrogate the complexities of female experience.
62
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Abstracts
Faculty of Business & Law
Poster Title: Fighting talk and indebtedness: Individual perspectives of UK payday loan consumption
Name: Jane Brown
Poster Abstract:
The aim of this poster is to present an aspect of the research findings of a study exploring contemporary
consumers’ emotions and irrationality in attitudes towards indebtedness, using the UK payday loan industry
as a focus point. UK consumers’ have recently experiences a significant financial crisis, the result of which is
expected to be altering consumers’ spending, saving and borrowing habits. By using existentialphenomenological interviews to discuss individual’s experiences of these activities, we observe some of the
key issues emerging from this context. A primary theme is the influence of emotions on decision making, and
how this shapes ‘irrationality’. In particular, defensive ‘fighting talk’ used by the participants and associations
with indebtedness. This poster aims to draw attention to this emotive thinking, which may be significant in
thinking about how payday loans are communicated to users in the future.
Poster Title: The place of loss of self-control in modern homicide law - a comparative analysis of avenues,
reasons and rationales for change
Name: Amanda Clough
Poster Abstract:
The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 saw the abolition of the long-plagued doctrine of provocation; replacing it
with a new partial defence to murder based upon loss of self-control. The most problematic cases, and
perhaps the instigators for such change, were those of battered women who, after years of suffering, killed
their abuser.
The change in the law to accommodate a range of emotions rather than merely those of jealous or angry
men is a step forward, but the constraints of the loss of self-control concept are an unnecessary barrier to
justice for battered women who kill. There are specific exclusions as to what kind of conduct can negate the
defence, such a considered desire for revenge, so why is it that we need the loss of control concept with
such safeguards in place.
Poster Title: Embedding Sustainability within Organizations
Name: Lara El Mouallem
Poster Abstract:
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has gained much attention in recent years since companies are very
much concerned with generating long term sustainable value, which preserves both business and
community welfare (Mallin, 2013). Therefore, companies that want to thrive in this globalization era need to
consider the “triple bottom line” (Elkington, 1997) within their sustainability and social responsibility
strategies (Fisher, 2010). Partnerships, considered to be a method of stakeholder engagement, are targeted
as one of the main tools for achieving sustainability (Hartman et al., 1999). This study aims to focus on the
deep level of stakeholder engagement in establishing NGO partnerships, which goes beyond the traditional
philanthropy more commonly used in practice; these deep engagement partnerships are typically described
as being transformational since they aim at creating strategic value for both NGO and business partners
(Gjerdrum Pedersen and Pedersen, 2013). The proposed collaborative research study with Northumbrian
Water Group (NWG) will investigate the organization’s stakeholder engagement approach through its
63
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
partnerships with NGOs, and how these partnerships can help deliver the firm’s core values maintaining
focus on the material sustainability issues. The research will also explore how NWG can measure the impact
of these strategic NGO partnerships on their material sustainability issues.
Poster Title: Internationalisation Strategies Within the Mobile Telecommunications Industry: The Case of
Africa
Name: Arakpogun Ogie Emmanuel
Poster Abstract:
Although the liberalisation of the telecommunications industry in Africa has boosted mobile operators’
activities and mobile penetration across Africa, some locations are still underserved. It has been observed
that operators are in the habit of providing services in and around major cities while the rural areas and
other remote locations are largely unserved.
This study will attempt to investigate and understand the reasons behind this trend by looking at how
regulations and market mechanisms combine to address this issue in Africa with particular focus on East
Africa.
Poster Title: The Gender Dilemma: Barriers for Female Researchers in Male Dominated Environments
Name: Katherine Parker
Poster Abstract:
In recent years there has been a notable increase in literature exploring the benefits of being a female
researcher within male dominated environments (Gurney 1991, Sampson and Thomas 2003, Palmer 2010,
Reeves 2010). Indeed, the heavily gendered notions of women being perceived as unthreatening, warm and
indeed nurturing thus rendering them in a positive position for accessing male research participants features
prominently within this literature. However, the realities for women conducting research in such
environments can often mean impossible choices between data collection and the lowering of personal and
ethical standards. This poster aims to explore some of the barriers faced by women attempting research in
such environments and how this unavoidable gender dynamic has the potential to not only shape the data
collected but also the researcher herself.
Poster Title: A quantitative investigation into the changing composition of U.K boards and its relationship
with performance
Name: Princess Rutendo Murefu
Poster Abstract:
The board of directors of a company has a fiduciary duty to provide oversight and protect shareholders’
interests, however not every board is well suited to perform this duty. The 2007/8 financial crisis highlighted
the problems encountered with a ‘groupthink’ where directors made decisions as a group with no one to
challenge them. Therefore this study examines the changing composition of UK boards and its relationship
with financial performance by looking at different board characteristics such as age, gender, expertise and
cultural background of directors in order to identify an ideal board structure for UK companies. The findings
of this research will add to the existing body of knowledge on board composition by identifying the most
desirable features of a successful board that will maximise shareholders’ wealth.
64
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: The impact of External Business Environment on Compensation of Bangladeshi Public
Hospitals
Name: Sharmin Shobnom
Poster Abstract:
The emerging environmental pressure on business has drawn attentions from both academics and
practitioners to investigate its impact on HRM activities. The primary aim of this study is to examine the
extent to which the choice of reward practices of Public Hospitals in Bangladesh is influenced by the external
environment. The reason for choosing external business environment as the focus of this study is that
business has no significant control over the external environment. Therefore external environment is more
complex comparing to internal environment and requires further investigation.
Additionally this study attempts to investigate the external business environment of a particular country for
2 reasons: (1) the complex nature of external environment changes rapidly based on its context and (2) there
is a significant gap in the empirical study that investigates the impact of external environment of Bangladesh
on business.
The study has adopted the qualitative methodology in order to collect and investigate rich data. Data will be
collected using Unstructured interviews in March 2015 as a part of pilot study for researcher’s Doctoral
thesis. The data will be analysed using the Thematic technique.
Poster Title: A Balanced Diet: Clinic for Sustainable Communities?
Name: Chris Simmonds
Poster Abstract:
This paper was inspired by a call for papers by the Global Alliance for Justice Education. One of the
conference streams was the content of social justice education and suggested that papers should consider
‘the roles an obligations of the legal profession to support low income individuals and vulnerable members
of society’.
Yet according to John Rawls, social justice is much wider than that and involves the distribution of social
goods and basic liberties in order to address social and economic inequalities.
The overlap between Rawls’ theories and current definitions of sustainability are striking. Sustainability is
about achieving a balance between social, economic and environmental factors. While Rawls’ does not
specifically refer to the environment, this paper argues that the reference can be inferred.
Having reached the conclusion that social justice and sustainability are the same thing, the paper asks
whether law clinics should only help low income individuals and vulnerable members of society or should
they also support local businesses and environmental causes to promote sustainable communities.
Poster Title: Return and volatility transmission in developed and emerging stock markets
Name: Larisa Yarovaya, Janusz Brzeszczynski and Chi Keung Lau.
Poster Abstract:
Paper provides evidence of return and volatility spillovers across emerging and developed stock markets.
The ARCH methodology employed to test “meteor shower” and “heat waves” hypotheses introduced by
Engle et al. (1990). Established evidence of volatility transmission from one geographical zone to another
provides the opportunity to use the foreign information for forecasting stock markets returns, supporting
findings by Ibrahim and Brzeszczynski (2009). Paper contributes to existing literature by presenting analysis
of return and volatility spillovers across 10 developed and 11 emerging markets, using the evidence from
both indices and futures markets. The main findings show that it is more practically significant to use futures
data in analyses of international information transmission.
65
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Abstracts
Faculty of Engineering & Environment
Poster Title: Disaster Resilience of the Built Environment: Framework for enhancing Private investment
Name: Onaopepo Adeniyi
Poster Abstract:
Although, a reduction in the number of human casualties from disasters has been achieved as a result of
increased financial and non-financial investment in disaster risk reduction, economic loss is still increasing at
an alarming rate. While several events contribute to economic loss from disasters, the worth of damages
incurred to the built environment (property) and the ripple effects of these damages are significant. This is
evident from the fact that recent studies by UNISDR indicate that the least performing aspect of the Hyogo
Framework for Action (HFA) is the priority 4 – Reduce the underlying risk factors – this concern minimising
losses from disasters by reducing causal or potential drivers of disasters. Several strategies can be adopted in
reducing the risk factors in the built environment but its cost in terms of initial or opportunity cost has been
among the main barriers to impressive adoption. Therefore, the need to encourage investment in building
resilience through the use of established strategies despite their cost implications becomes important. The
aim of this research work is to develop a framework that encourages investment in disaster resilience of the
built environment for the business sector through the analysis of disaster resilience maturity level and risks
associated with each level. This study is engaging series of case studies and expert forum towards the
development of the framework. The framework will thereafter be validated accordingly. Capability Maturity
Model Methodology is being employed and it is being anchored on the principles of self-evaluation and selfimprovement. Issues relevant to private sector investment in disaster resilience has been identified from
literature and will be engaged at appropriate stages of the research.
Poster Title: Adolescent girls’ lifeworlds in the wake of trauma
Name: Seema Ahmed
Poster Abstract:
“It’s the day of judgement and the world is about to end now.”
When disasters seem to represent the end of the world, how do adolescent girls cope and adapt to a new
reality? This poster presents research on the relationship between adolescent girls’ lifeworld’s and their
psychosocial wellbeing in the context of gendered disaster risk reduction (GDRR). The lifeworld components
are defined here as: The Self, The Home, The Community, and Beyond Community. This conceptualisation
emerged as relevant to a discussion of the situated selves of adolescent girls following the 2005
Pakistan/Kashmir earthquake.
The research is based on qualitative interviews and participatory observation in villages in earthquake-hit
north-west Pakistan, and key informant interviews with NGOs. It provides an empirically based
understanding of their psychosocial resilience which emerged over time in this rural location where girls and
adolescent girls in particular, already lack personal and professional growth opportunities. Indeed,
adolescence is a problematic concept in the rural Pakistan context where this imaginary boundary is not
clearly defined.
The research findings suggest different coping mechanisms were adopted by the young adolescent girls in
the wake of trauma to deal with a range of psychosocial issues. It provides evidence in support of a multilayered understanding of adolescent girls’ resilience and their psychosocial wellbeing nearly ten years after
the earthquake in Pakistan (2005). Appropriate interventions at family, community and beyond community
levels provide adolescent girls with improved psychological and social wellbeing and yet they were then and
still remain a largely invisible social group.
66
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: A modified battery charger for Electrical Vehicles: Managing Power Flow to EV
Name: Ahmed Al-Karakchi
Poster Abstract:
Interest is growing in Electric Vehicles (EV) as one of the solutions to minimize the damage to the
environment, caused by burning fossil fuel. EV charging will create an additional load on the electricity grid.
Research has shown that meeting future EV charging requirements may be a challenge for the grid unless
charging is appropriately managed and controlled (smart charging). This poster describes the initial work
conducted of a PhD research to develop a controller for charging EV batteries in proportion to the
availability of energy, at a rate decided by the demand on the grid and availability of renewable energy as
well as the state of health of the battery. In this way, the stability of the electrical system is maintained while
providing additional services in terms of reducing carbon emissions and battery degradation. This will also
lead to reduced charging cost for the EV owner by using low electric tariff.
Poster Title: Experimental Analysis of EVM and BER for Indoor Radio-over-Fibre Networks using Polymer
Optical Fibre
Name: Hassan K. Al-Musawi
This paper presents a theoretical investigation and experimental implementation of indoor radio-over-fibre
(RoF) using polymer optical fibre. We characterise the system based on the error vector magnitude (EVM),
bit error rate (BER), and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). We consider two modulation formats of quadrature
phase shift keying and 16-quadrature amplitude modulation. The results show the effect of modulation
order on the higher acceptable EVM limit that can be linked with the BER estimation process. Furthermore,
the analysis of input signal power penalty for both modulations indicates the advantage of higher order
formats. We conclude that even with linear increment of the power penalty, higher orders modulation can
offer a higher bandwidth without a significant difference compared to lower orders.
Poster Title: Towards Disaster Resilient Community: A Case Study from the United Arab Emirates UAE
Name: Ibrahim Almarzouqi
Poster Abstract:
Since last decades, the trend of disaster occurrence is rising. This could be as a result of human interaction in
the environment which produces more risks and hazards. Various regions in the world have suffered
enormous disruption to daily life systems and huge number of fatalities as devastating disasters occurred.
The most impacted element was the human wellbeing and welfare which comprises of different
communities.
Therefore, community resilience is a crucial element in disaster management in order to mitigate the
situation and eliminate the potential impacts. In addition, the most resilient communities are the most to be
survived in extreme phenomena.
This study is aiming to assess the level of vulnerability in the communities in dealing with disasters especially
in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This process will emerge the sort of required intervention. Likewise, this
will specify the factors that will lead to community resilience in the UAE.
The researcher will use different methods and techniques in order to obtain the appropriate data to be
analysed such as Distance Decay method and Snowball sampling. Hence, the qualitative data is seemed to be
the most appropriate technique for data collection.
67
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Dielectrophoresis driven spreading of droplets
Name: Zuzana Brabcova
The wetting of solid surfaces is an essential mechanism for many applications where the good contact of the
liquid and solid phase is desired. There are many ways how to modify it, all based on altering the energy
balance between the solid, liquid and vapour phase. It can be achieved either by changing the properties of
the liquid or solid surface or by introducing the electric field. It was recently shown how this electric fields
generated by interdigitated electrodes could convert L-DEP into an interface localized form and obeyed the
similar equation to that for electrowetting – it is then called dielectrowetting. It can be used for spreading of
droplets of non-conducting liquids and the saturation of contact angles is significantly lower than in the case
of electrowetting.
While applying the AC voltage on interdigitated electrodes, the non-uniform periodic electric field is
obtained with maximum values located above the electrodes. This energy barrier causes that the drop tends
to spread rather along the electrodes and not across them. Thus, the new ambition is to find a way for
axisymmetric spreading of a droplet by controlling the voltage of non-uniform electric field.
Poster Title: Leidenfrost effect on rough surfaces
Name: Nicasio R Geraldi
The Leidenfrost effect was first noticed by Johann Gottlob Leidenfrost in 1756. He commented that when a
water droplet came into contact with a surface significantly hotter than its boiling point, a vapour layer
would form under the droplet, insulating it from the surface and allowing it to skate over the surface. To
date the usefulness of this phenomenon has not been fully exploited. This may be due to the energy needed
to create it or the issue of explosive droplets from the instant vaporization of the water. If the skating
properties of the water droplet can be safely utilized it may be possible to harness the low friction of a
Leidenfrost surface for drag reduction purposes. One idea is to look at the properties of porous surfaces and
their capability as a safe way of harnessing this effect. Different metallic meshes were tested for their
Leidenfrost properties as their structure would allow for the transfer of gas without the loss of liquid. The
transition temperature was recorded for the different materials and compared to that for a smooth surface
in order to determine the effect of the added roughness and varying structure.
Poster Title: Towards a 'holistic' method for recording and representing existing architecture and ruins.
Name: Christopher W Brown
Globally, urban centres are increasing in density, resulting in reduced opportunities for 'new build'
construction projects, this places significant emphasis on the value of adaptive reuse of
existing buildings and inevitably the renewal of architectural heritage. As part of the architectural design and
construction process, traditional methods of documenting ruins and existing architecture,
such as orthographic survey drawings, and photographic surveys, represent places in a clear, organised yet
limited way. The true aesthetic and experiential qualities of places are abstracted; Place is described as an
orthographic representation. This research explores alternative methods for recording and representing
places, aiming to produce a 'holistic' account of the aesthetics of architectural heritage and ruination. The
research utilises a practice-led methodology in which findings are disseminated through a collection of
creative artefacts. The combines the 'emerging' technology of 3D scanning, with video, photography and
architectural model-making to produce a holistic representation of one case study site of a controlled ruin in
Newcastle Upon Tyne. Ultimately the research questions the ability of these representations to offer new
interpretations of place and opportunities to architects and designers.
68
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Understanding the construct of legacy in Olympic Design
Name: Laura Alexandra Brown
Olympic Buildings are designed to challenge Architectural and Structural archetypes; pressing the
boundaries of form and material technology, and constructing iconic structures that serve both as a record
of time and, according to legacy planning ideals, benefit the wider community. Whilst Architectural legacy is
a critical concept, it is also an arduous construct both to define and appraise. According to Sebastian Coe,
(2005), “legacy is probably nine-tenths of what the process is about: not just 16 days of Olympic sport”; but
key researchers in the field have identified legacy as problematic, and there have been few conclusive
studies evidencing and interpreting connections between Architectural design and legacy outcome. This
paper presents an overview of the development of the Post War Olympic Games with a specific focus on
Europe; charting the historical evolvement of Olympic Legacies through the era of the Modern Olympics as a
pre-cursor to further research that is integral to developing and understanding the most prominent
examples of successful post-games legacy and the contributing factors that led to this realisation, thus
improving the potential for positive urban regeneration, creating regional distinctiveness, and enhancing
community facilities through further research.
Poster Title: Chaotic encryption with application to secure communications
Name: Josep Canyelles-Pericas
Poster Abstract:
Nowadays, with the ever increasing transactions carried out over the internet - such as online banking,
shopping and travel booking - where sensitive personal information are exchanged, the issue of cyber
security has become of paramount importance. Additionally, with the rise of the Internet of Things the
number of devices requiring Internet connexion is increasing exponentially. In this context, the encryption of
information using chaotic systems/oscillators is seen as a viable option to secure data protection and
privacy. In effect, chaos based encryption methods can provide an additional level of enhanced security in
communication systems due to the fact the security occurs the physical layer of communication. Essentially,
chaotic oscillators can be seen as true random generators engines that can be synchronised in a transmitterreceiver configuration. In principle, these schemes can offer unbreakable security protocols. The downside
of such encryption methods is that it is not easy to derive a general decryption methodology to recover the
transmitted information due to the nonlinear characteristics of the chaotic oscillator. This research
addresses these points from a control theory approach, bridging the fields of electronics, communications
and mathematics.
Poster Title: Sentiment analysis via ensemble learning
Name: Chalothorn Tawunrat
Poster Abstract:
Twitter has become a popular microblogging tool where users are increasing every minute. It allows its users
to post messages of up to 140 characters each time; known as ‘Tweets’. Tweets have become extremely
attractive to the marketing sector, since the user can either indicate customer success or presage public
relations disasters far more quickly than web pages or traditional media. Moreover, the content of Tweets
has become a current active research topic on sentiment polarity as positive or negative. Our experiment of
sentiment analysis of contexts of tweets show that the accuracy performance can improve and be better
achieved using ensemble learning, which is formed by the majority voting of the Support Vector Machine,
Naive Bayes, SentiStrength and Stacking.
69
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Linking Lean Six Sigma and Life Cycle Assessment to Enable Sustainable Manufacturing
Name: Haitem Fargani
Poster Abstract:
The pressure to be sustainable is increasing as governments worldwide commit to reducing emissions and
protecting the environment. Sustainability covers the economic, environmental and social aspects of
business. The manufacturing industry is particularly concerned with sustainability because of its high
contribution to pollutant emission and energy consumption. This research proposes a novel strategy that
links two techniques; Lean Six Sigma and Life cycle assessment, to transform traditional manufacturing into
sustainable manufacturing. A review of the two techniques is presented and a framework to strategically
connect them is developed. A survey has been conducted to improve the practicality of the framework and
preliminary results are discussed.
Poster Title: Buckling Induced Surface Morphology Transition Of Drying Polymer Based Droplet
Name: Iman Frozanpoor
Poster Abstract:
Drying of complex liquids to form structural solids, as a conventional and cost-effective technique, has been
widely used in the fabrication of many industrial products, such as membranes, bio-scaffolds, cell substrates
and drug carriers. The challenge arising from this drying process is how to control the morphologies of the
formed solids. The current strategy is to design and establish the desired surface chemical/physical
equilibrium during the evaporation of the solvent, by adjusting the droplet ingredients and environmental
conditions. Understanding of the process is based on the thermo-dynamic equilibrium of the
surface/interface when forming the elastic shell and the mechanics of the subsequent shell deformation.
In this project, we are investigating the formation of the morphology and the transition/evolution in a
Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) based droplet. Our experiments consider various inputs such as chemical
composition of the droplet, the solvent, the molecular weight of polymer, evaporation temperature and
surface wettability. The morphology has been investigated using fluorescence microscopy and Laser
Scanning Confocal Microscopy (LSCM). In this study, the controllable morphology formation/transition are
discussed in terms of a phase diagram as a function of the system variables. This provides an understanding
of how to controllably form structures when drying a polymer droplet. These results have potential
applications in the fabrication of bio-scaffolds.
Poster Title: Complexity, Wellbeing and Community Participation
Name: Karen George
Poster Abstract:
Community Organisations are being tasked to manage community assets due to reduced funding which calls
for a new breed of specialist community participants. This additional pressure may have a detrimental
impact on individuals’ wellbeing. Community Organisations often struggle to attract capable community
participants. Entrance into community participation involves a series of local social interactions which
culminating in a tipping point where the decision is made to participate. A similar process also takes place
when participants decide to terminate their participation role. This process is complex with varying sources
of information linking into decision making. Coupled with the needs of community organisations
necessitates careful management to ensure the wellbeing of both. The aim of this research is to develop a
frame of reference for effective community participation which could be exploited through ICT, applying
both complexity and design perspectives to recognise the role of local interactions and enhance wellbeing in
community participation. The research uses reflective practice and encourages virile tipping points. The
70
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
contribution to knowledge acquired is the development of a sustainable, effective, efficient and time saving
framework for online communication mediation for community participation.
Poster Title: Leidenfrost effect on rough surfaces
Name: Nicasio R Geraldi
Poster Abstract:
The Leidenfrost effect was first noticed by Johann Gottlob Leidenfrost in 1756. He commented that when a
water droplet came into contact with a surface significantly hotter than its boiling point, a vapour layer
would form under the droplet, insulating it from the surface and allowing it to skate over the surface. To
date the usefulness of this phenomenon has not been fully exploited. This may be due to the energy needed
to create it or the issue of explosive droplets from the instant vaporization of the water. If the skating
properties of the water droplet can be safely utilized it may be possible to harness the low friction of a
Leidenfrost surface for drag reduction purposes. One idea is to look at the properties of porous surfaces and
their capability as a safe way of harnessing this effect. Different metallic meshes were tested for their
Leidenfrost properties as their structure would allow for the transfer of gas without the loss of liquid. The
transition temperature was recorded for the different materials and compared to that for a smooth surface
in order to determine the effect of the added roughness and varying structure.
Poster Title: Droplet Evaporation on a Slippery Liquid Infused Porous Surface
Name: Jian Hui Guan
Poster Abstract:
Slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS), where micro/nanotextured surfaces are impregnated with
lubricating liquids, have recently been shown to exhibit superior non-wetting performance compared to
superhydrophobic surfaces that rely on stable air-liquid interfaces. In this study, we fabricate surfaces
consisting of square pillars (10 – 90 µm) of SU-8 photoresist arranged in square lattice patterns such that the
center-to-center separation between pillars is 100µm, on which a hydrophobic coating was deposited to
allow the impregnation of the lubricating liquid. These types of surfaces show generally low sliding angles
with some achieving as low as 0.33 degrees indicating low adhesion to the surface. We examine the
fundamental hydrodynamics that arise when droplets, immiscible with the impregnated liquid, are placed on
these surfaces and evaporation process for small (approximately 2mm in diameter) droplets of water from
SLIPS is followed and characterised. Experiments show that on surfaces with sliding angles below 1 degree
water droplets evaporate in a constant contact angle mode due to the lack of resistance to the droplet
mobility induced by the surface structures. It is shown that a simple quantitative analysis based on the
diffusion of water vapour into the surrounding atmosphere can be performed.
71
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Thermodynamic analysis of an organic Rankine cycle plant operating with the lowtemperature solar heat source
Name: Khaled Hossin and Khamid Mahkamov
Poster Abstract:
The continuous increase in the energy demand and the adverse environmental impact of fossil fuels are the
main drives behind the ongoing intensive R & D activities on application of renewable energy resources.
However, the renewable energy resources such as solar, geothermal, biomass and waste heat are
characterized by low to moderate temperature levels. The organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is considered as one
of the most promising technologies in the field of small and medium scale combined heat and power (CHP)
production because of its potential to be driven using these low/medium-temperature heat sources. This
paper presents the performance study of a small-scale solar ORC system for power generation. Evacuated
tube solar collectors are deployed to generate heat and R134a is used as a working fluid for the ORC plant. A
mathematical model of the solar ORC power system components has been developed to evaluate its overall
performance. Thermolib Toolbox which works within Matlab/Simulink platform is used to simulate and
evaluate the energetic performance of the proposed ORC power plant under the UK climate conditions. The
preliminary results showed encouraging indications for such a solar ORC power system in the UK. The
obtained results will be used in the ORC plant designing process.
Poster Title: A Novel Solar Cooling system Based on a Fluid Piston Convertor
Name: Gamal Hashem and Khamid Mahkamov
Poster abstract:
Solar energy has been actively used to actuate cooling cycles for domestic and industrial applications,
especially in remote areas where there is lack of electricity supply for running conventional refrigeration or
air-conditioning systems. Although several types of solar cooling systems have been proven to be feasible,
their market penetration level is relatively low due to the high capital cost and long pay-back period.
Extensive R & D activities are underway at a number of Universities and industrial companies to reduce
these costs.
Operational principles of the systems for solar water pumping and dynamic water desalination were
developed at Northumbria University and described previously. These systems are built around the fluid
piston converter with a simple design and made of low cost materials. In water pump and desalination
systems, the fluid piston converter works as an engine driven by solar thermal energy accumulated by flatplate or evacuated tube collectors. If in the same design the fluid piston is driven using external source of
energy without heat input then such a converter works as a cooling device.
In this study, the solar fluid piston converter/engine is coupled with the cooling unit and the fluid
piston of the latter is driven by the solar fluid piston converter/engine. The resulting effect is producing
cooling effect using solar energy. The operation of such system has been investigated theoretically and
experimentally. The thermodynamic model, consisting of a system of ordinary differential equations, was
developed in MATLAB/Simulink environment to simulate the operation of this thermal auto-oscillation
system. The theoretical results confirm that it is possible to achieve the temperature of the working fluid in
the cycle which is considerably below the ambient temperature and that the cooling effect depends on the
operational parameters of the engine part of the system. Currently, experimental tests are being conducted
on the developed test rig in the Energy Laboratory of the Faculty. Experimental facilities allow estimating
the instantaneous parameters of the cycle in the engine and cooling machine sides (pressures and
temperatures) and also the cooling effect. The obtained experimental data will be used to evaluate the
accurateness of the developed mathematical model and for its improvement.
72
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Extended Security model for Client side databases
Name: Stefan Kimak
Poster Abstract:
HTML5 provides new functionalities, such as storing large amount of data on client side. The problem with
the current client side databases is that there is concern of reading offline data that another application has
stored on client side.
This paper will focus on the security of this new browser-based storage capability, and a series of
experiments will show how vulnerable the IndexedDB API is to attacks. These attacks will be described in
more detail later, after which we will propose methods of protecting against such attacks. This paper will
also propose new security model for client side databases and evaluate the effectiveness. We will outline
current security measures, which are available in web browser.
Poster Title: Design and Developing a Soft Gel Robot
Name: Christopher Kwok
Poster Abstract:
Polyelectrolyte gels have become a field of great research with possibilities of biomedical and minute robotic
applications. This thesis explains the design and fabrication of a soft gel robot. Due to the properties and
characteristics ionic, polyelectrolyte gels possess, these polymerised monomers are able to be actuated by
relatively low DC voltages (5-15V).
This phenomenon could lead to various shape transformation or motions produced by the gel. To determine
the gels response to this external stimuli certain properties will be looked at using experimental tests like
responsive volume change testing, comparing swell ratios of gels with different weight percentage ionic
constituent Sodium Acrylate (0%, 5%, 10% 15%, 20%, 25%). The topology of the gels constituents will be
investigated further to understand effects of electrical external stimuli and responsive properties.
Poster Title: Real-time rail-track monitoring system using Distributed Optical Fibre Sensor (DOFS) based on
stimulated Brillouin scattering
Name: Nageswara Lalam
Poster Abstract:
Distributed Optical Fibre Sensor [DOFS] system based on stimulated Brillouin scattering is an innovative
technology to monitor rail-track in real-time. DOFS can reveal the information of local physical parameters
such as strain, temperature from any point along the rail-track through Brillouin scattering. An installed
DOFS along the rail-track can continuously monitor deformations in rail-track before it is visible. Thus
reduces the train delays/accidents and costly track maintenance actions. In addition, we can also monitor
the train speed, weight, misalignments in rail wheels, train position when the train passes through the railtrack installed with DOFS. In this experiment, Brillouin optical time domain analysis (BOTDA) based on
stimulated Brillouin scattering techniques was considered due to its high sensing range, high spatial
resolution, and high SNR value at receiver. The experimental research results shows, DOFS system based on
stimulated Brillouin scattering have capable of distributed monitoring of rail-track conditions such as
corrosion, buckle rail, track points failure, broken rail and extreme loads on track in real-time. The results
indicate that DOFS technology represents a valuable technique in railway traffic and safety monitoring.
73
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Researching Communities As They Really Are
Name: David Large
Poster Abstract:
The application of complexity concepts to community analysis can give rich and accurate results. These may
differ from those delivered by standard approaches. To demonstrate this, an innovative approach to
researching community interactions is presented that builds on previous work on complexity in the public
realm.
The research developed uses techniques from complexity science to emphasise the community, giving value
to those involved. Emergent factors, such as trust and willingness, are highlighted as determining the success
or failure of community interactions.
In doing this the presentation shows how communities can be understood in their own terms and become
open to productive interventions. This would be done in a way that engages local people and local
organisations in actions to invigorate their area and stimulate further participation.
In these ways the presentation shows that complexity considerations produce a better understanding of
communities for academics and policy-makers than that given by traditional approaches.
Poster Title: High-quality Chaos Syncronization in VCSEL polarization modes under Optical Feedback
Name: Salam Ahmed Nazhan
Nowadays, we are witnessing a wide used of communications technologies at home, offices and in
industries, and it is not difficult to predict that this trend is going to be further increased in the future. This
will inevitably imply that security of transmitting data will be central to support these technologies. In this
context, chaos-based optical communications have attracted intensive research interest due to its
encryption capabilities. A popular optical source adopted in such systems is the vertical cavity surface
emitting lasers (VCSELs) because of their unique features including high data rates, low power consumption
and lower manufacturing costs. The information is intensity modulate the VCSEL, which is set to operate in
the chaotic oscillation of the polarization mode, and can be retrieved at the receiver upon synchronization
with another VCSEL at receivers. To achieve chaotic behaviour in VCSELs requires an external optical
feedback.
In this paper we experimentally show how the rotating polarisation optical feedback (RPOF) influences the
optical chaotic regime and the correlation between the two orthogonally polarization modes of VCSEL. Our
results show that high-quality anti-phase polarization chaos synchronization is achieved between the two
polarization modes when subjected to RPOF. The quality of the chaotic synchronization is depending on
polarization angle of the optical feedback
Poster Title: Examining the practice of information literacy teaching and learning in upper secondary
schools in Vietnam
Name: Huyen Thi Ngo
There is lack of information literacy (IL) studies in the Vietnamese context. This research will address the gap
by investigating the practice of IL teaching and learning in Vietnamese upper secondary schools. Various IL
standards have been generated and are utilised in a numerous institutions across the world. If adapting
these models to schools in Vietnam, it may be necessary to modify models due to the diverse educational
environments between the West and the Far East. Therefore, the research proposes a model to help to
develop IL for schools in Vietnam based on Standards for the 21st-Century Learner introduced by the
American Association of School Librarians and driven by study programme as well as current educational
initiatives in the country. The research employs a mixed methods approach to assist the researcher in
74
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
providing a rich picture of the practice of IL in the Vietnamese educational context. A pilot questionnaire
survey was conducted to measure IL level of students. The preliminary findings indicate that most students
achieved an average score in IL. Furthermore, the best score was using foreign language to engage with
information effectively. Meanwhile, students obtained poor scores at some items which mainly fell into
evaluating sources and information. Additionally, there was a significant difference between females and
males in IL level.
Poster Title: Performance analysis of tri-hop all-optical free space optical communications under the
atmospheric turbulence channel.
Name: Norhanis Aida Mohd Nor, Jan Bohata , Zabih Ghassemlooy, Matej Komanec, Stanislav Zvanovec,
and Jiri Libich
In recent years, all optical relaying techniques for free space optical (FSO) communications have drawn
substantial attention. This path routing approach seems to be a reliable technique to improve the
performance of the FSO link under atmospheric conditions such as fog, rain, turbulence clouds, snow, and
smog. The all-optical relay scheme reduces the system complexity by avoiding electrical-to-optical (E/O) and
optical-to-electrical (O/E) conversion, increases the propagation distances, and ensures link availability at all
times. Considering all previous works based on analytical findings, this paper will experimentally investigate
the performance of tri-hop all-optical FSO relay systems under the influence of turbulence. We present the
FSO link performance indicators such as the eye diagrams for the channel with/without turbulence. Also
presented are simulation results for the system Bit Error Rate (BER) performance for single, dual, and triple
hop links based on the same models as in experimental works. The results show that the Q-factor of the eye
diagram reduces under the turbulence regimes and as the number of hops increases, thus resulting in
increased link BER.
Poster Title: The Potential Influence of the English Garden City Movement on Social Housing in Brazil
Name: Joao Roberto Ortale
The social housing estates developed in the city of Campo Grande, and indeed all over Brazil, has shown to
be inadequate to meet residents’ needs. These developments are located at the periphery of the city,
without the services that a community needs. A study of the history of the development of housing for lower
income people in Brazil has pointed to cheapness of construction and lack of effective regulation for the use
of land as some of the principal causes. As they are located in the periphery, it has been investigated about
the principles of the garden cities. The concept of garden cities is applicable for this scenario as it presents
forms of developing self-sustaining communities in the suburbs, independent of their main urban cores.
Parker, one of the pioneering architects of the garden cities movement, worked in Brazil in the 1910s. His
presence in the country has been fundamental to influence the Garden City`s concept to be adopted in
different developments, from upper class neighbourhoods to entire cities in Brazil. This work discusses the
influence that the English Garden City Movement has had on Brazilian housing in the past, and its potential
to be revived for future social housing.
75
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Micro and Nano fluidics – from Sensing to Actuation
Name: Yifan Li
Poster Abstract:
Micro and Nano fluidics technologies using electro-static, electro-mechanical as well as liquid-solid-gas
surface tension forces in micro and nano scales have been employed to control and manipulate liquid in
micro-, nano- and pico-litre volumes. Research in advanced applications such as droplet microfluidics (DMF)
biomolecule analysis platform as well as micro-swimming robotic device have been demonstrated.
DMF devices employing Electro-Wetting on Dielectrics (EWOD) and Surface Acoustic Wave Nebulisation
(SAWN) were implemented to produce a Lab-on-a-Chip solution for biomolecule measurement by mass
spectrometry. Application has resulted in a complete protein measurement workflow including automated
sample preparation, purification and ionisation for mass spectrometry detection. The EWOD component
facilitates nano-litre protein handling processes. Magnetic bead antibody binding technology has been
incorporated for protein purification on chip. Using the combination of SAWN technology, an integrated
novel ionisation source, the liquid droplet to ionised gas phase transfer of suspended target proteins was
achieved creating a nebulised spray.
Meanwhile a millimetre swimming robot has been demonstrated. It floats on liquid surfaces using surface
tension and is capable of movement using EWOD based propulsion which displays trapping air bubbles on
device-water interface. This low voltage-EWOD device powered by wireless power, is believed to be the
world’s smallest swimming MEMS device that has no mechanical moving parts.
Fault Diagnosis Improvement For Wind Turbine
Name: Sarah Odofin
The advanced development of the model-based fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) techniques has been
motivated by the modern industrial demand for a high reliable system, cost effectiveness, efficient energy
production and system availability. The online condition monitoring system has been improved by various
contributions of researchers to increase the work standard performance of the monitored system. In this
research, an intelligent robust observer algorithm designed by a Genetic algorithm (GA) is employed to solve
the multi-objective optimization problems of fault diagnosis (FD) issues against disturbance and modelling
error. A 5MW wind turbine system has been utilized to test the integrity of the system behaviour in
achieving a robust residual generation and robust fault estimation. The simulation results have
demonstrated the efficiency of the proposed robust residual generation and fault estimation algorithms with
the property sensitive to the fault but robust against disturbance and modelling errors.
Poster Title: Thin film solar cells made from Cu2ZnSnS4 nanoparticle inks
Name: Yongtao Qu
Poster Abstract:
Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) is a promising photovoltaic material and experiencing rapid improvements in
recent years. Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) nanoparticle inks are fabricated by hot injection of sulphur into a solution of
metallic precursors. Using different cooling rate, reaction temperature and time, the phase and crystal
structure of CZTS nanoparticles can be controlled. The CZTS precursor films are then deposited using the
nanoparticle inks and annealed into Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) with the presence of Se. The nanoparticle inks
have significant influence on the device performance and an encouraging efficiency of 6.3% is observed.
76
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: An Integrated Framework for Evaluation of Wellbeing and Wellbeing Interventions
Name: Dr Petia Sice, Dr Kushwanth Koya & Dr Edward Bentley
Poster Abstract:
The purpose of this poster is to exhibit scientifically grounded trans-disciplinary research into wellbeing.
Wellbeing is here defined as a way of being, individually and collectively, for achieving our full potential, i.e.
living with Health, Emotional Resilience, Sense of Meaning and Purpose, Enhanced Awareness and Quality
of Experience, Insight and Creativity, Positive Intent, Confidence and Trust. Through the lens of complexity
sciences and advances in interpersonal neurobiology, we are looking into the organisation that gives rise to
the emergence of wellbeing. Bringing into focus the correlation between physiological, mental and social
processes, is fundamental to our worldview. The poster presents an integrated framework for evaluation of
wellbeing and wellbeing interventions, and research outcomes of application of the framework, including
qualitative and quantitative measures of coherence in the physiological, mental/emotional and social
domains. Measures include: resilience attributes; characteristics of emotional and social intelligence; heart
rate variability as an indicator of physiological coherence. The research data was gathered by staff and PhD
researchers working in a variety of contexts: compassionate leadership; community wellbeing; emotional
and social intelligence in learning environments; physiological, emotional and social correlates in mental
health. Partner organisations are: Corpus Media labs; X-Systems; Rickter Company; Tyneside Mind and Sage
Gateshead.
Poster Title: Particulate emissions from major incident fires.
Name: Simon D. Griffiths & Dr Michael E. Deary
Poster Abstract:
In December 2005 the Buncefield Oil Storage and Transfer Depot in Hertfordshire, UK, suffered a number of
explosions and a prolonged fire. A subsequent review by the Major Incident Investigation Board identified
the need to develop a robust mechanism for the monitoring of air quality in such incidents. DEFRA tasked
the Environment Agency with coordinating Air Quality Cells (AQCs) which provide the mechanism for
delivering modelled and monitored air pollution data for human health impact analysis. AQCs were first
deployed in May 2009 and up until the end of 2014, 20 AQCs had been initiated in England and Wales. In this
research, a descriptive statistical analysis was carried out on all of the AQC data, showing for the first time
the range of particulate concentrations across the life-time of major fires and the implications this has for
the environment and human health. Maximum concentrations for PM10 and PM2.5 were 6528 and 653 µg
m-3 respectively. Future research investigate the contribution these major fires make to local air quality
through an analysis of time-series air pollution data held by local authorities and the impact of these
pollution events on human health through the use of existing health syndromic surveillance datasets.
Poster Title: Solar Chromospheric Seismology
Name: Ben Snow
Poster Abstract:
This work proposes a new indirect measurement of chromospheric depths above sunspots and starspots. A
sunspot is a concentration of magnetic field on the visible surface (photosphere) of the sun. The
temperature above the sunspot is at a minimum of approximately 4000K. There are large temperature
gradients at the photosphere and transition region. In the transition region the temperature rapidly rises to
over a million Kelvin. Below the photosphere the temperature increases linearly towards the convection
77
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
zone. These temperature gradients form the boundaries of a resonating chromospheric cavity. Waves are
partially transmitted and partially reflected at each of these boundaries. The magnetic field above sunspot
umbrae is modelled numerically in 1.5D with slow magnetoacoustic wave trains propagating along magnetic
field lines. The resonances are driven by applying random noise of three different colours, white, pink and
brown, as small velocity perturbations to the upper convection zone below the photosphere. Energy escapes
the resonating cavity and generates upwards propagating wave trains moving into the corona. The spectra
of these wave trains are analysed at a point in the corona. It is found that the shape of the spectra directly
correlates with the chromospheric temperature profile. Line of sight integration is performed to show the
observable spectra through SDO/AIA, Hinode/EIS and SOHO/SUMER satellites.
Poster Title: Smart Mini Breaker, an amazing invention to open the door for Smart Control in Smart Home
Name: Yao Tan
Poster Abstract:
Smart Mini Breaker successfully integrates Smart Functions (Measure/Control/Communicate) into mini
breaker, then can realize meticulously end-to-end control to each smart home equipment. It solves all the
previous problems in power meter, thus make smart home really close at hand.
Poster Title: Developing a Decision Support System for Early Stage Carbon Management
Name: Michele Florence Victoria
Poster Abstract:
Regulatory move towards zero carbon buildings (zero operational carbon) by 2019 in the UK necessitates
controlling of Embodied Carbon (EC) as there are no regulatory measures to control it. Reduction of EC
requires quantification and it is believed that the carbon reduction potential is high in early design stages.
However, quantification becomes difficult with the amount of information available at very early stages of
design. Therefore, this research tries to develop a model to predict EC at early design stages by correlating
EC to its building design parameters (e.g. plan shape, storey height, no. of storeys, level of finishes, quality of
services etc.). Nevertheless, design parameters also have an impact on cost. Moreover, clients now are not
likely to be satisfied with sustainable option alone and there is always a concern on cost. Consequently, the
research aims at developing a decision support system that predicts EC and cost of early stage building
designs. The output of the decision support system will enable decision maker(s) to choose an optimum
building design among alternatives in terms of the main two currencies of construction projects, cost and
carbon.
Poster Title: Smart surface for tuning the shape and controlling the motion of the droplet
Name: Ding Wang
Poster Abstract:
A patterned surface with stimuli responsive properties attracts considerable interest for its importance in
advanced engineering, partly due to its reversibility, easy design and control, good compatibility and
responsive behaviour to external stimuli. In this research, we have designed and fabricated a bilayer
structure with a patterned surface which is capable of a dynamic on/off switching of a pattern responsive to
the external compressive/tensile strain. A deformation map for describing the on/off switching of the void
78
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
has been generated as a function of voids geometries (diameter, depth, density) and the applied strain. The
critical strains have been determined for the extreme closure state of the void at a strain of 0.4 - 0.6.
Furthermore, we characterize the corresponding changes in the static and dynamic contact angles.
Depending on the external mechanical inputs, we show that it is possible to control the droplet shape, its
critical sliding angle, as well as its dynamics. The control kinetics will be discussed by considering the surface
condition and system variables. The results provide a strategic solution on how to mimic the preferred
pattern on a soft surface and to apply it in a microfluidic environment, indicating a potential application as a
liquid optical switch in a microfluidic device.
Poster Title: Collaborative ventures from the teaching perspective of a Northumbria partner institution.
Name: Ian Watson
Poster Abstract:
This research investigates the thoughts, feelings and experiences of five members of teaching staff at a
Northumbria CV partner college in Malaysia. The staff are native to the Far East and have been teaching on
a Northumbria programme for between two and ten years. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
(IPA) the research uncovers the difficulties that these staff have faced in teaching Western designed modules
to students in the Far East who have been educated in a different learning style to that they encounter on
their the Northumbria programme. How the staff bridge this gap between the two dissimilar learning styles
is detailed in their own words. The research also uncovers influences on those staff that are derived from the
educational and social culture that is part of life in Malaysia.
Poster Title: Electro-actuating buckling instability patterns on polyelectrolyte gel surface
Name: Dr Ben Xu
Poster Abstract:
Stimuli responsive mechanical instabilities on polymer surface provide high adaptability for their soft and
elastic nature with wide applications in electronics, robots and therapeutic medical devices. A stimuliresponsive hydrogel based surface actuator was developed and the buckling instability can be triggered on
the designed micro-structural electrodes. The electrically actuated buckling pattern show a large out of
plane electromechanical deformation (up to 400%), fast switching response (less than 1 sec), and low
triggering voltage (3-6 V). The thermally accelerated recovery helps to achieve a robust and good
reproducibility. Additionally, we show the programmable feature of stepwise deformation and pattern
actuation dedicated to the electrode and system design. The electromechanical actuations could be used to
generate complex multistep motion, which can be promising in variable applications such as bio-microfluidic system, MEMS/NEMS, etc.
Poster Title: Low temperature growth of hybrid ZnO/TiO2 nano-sculptured structure for dye-sensitized
solar cells
Name: Chao Zhao
Poster Abstract:
ZnO/TiO2 hybrid nanostructures were fabricated using two sequential processes combining hydrothermal
growth of ZnO nanorods (NRs) and plasma ion assisted evaporation of crystalline TiO2 nanostructures. The
ZnO NRs were homogeneously covered with a thin layer of anatase TiO2 nanostructure to form the hybrid
79
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
foxtail-like patterns. Conversion power efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) made from these
hybrid ZnO/TiO2 structures was improved after using ZnO/ TiO2 hybrid structure. Measurement using
electrochemical impedance spectroscopy shows the hybrid structures have good electron transport
capability as the hybrid foxtail nanostructures can provide a direct pathway for charge transport and prevent
the formation of Zn2+/dye complex (thus reducing the recombination centers in the structure), and increase
surface area (thus higher dye loading).
80
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Abstracts
Faculty of Health & Life Sciences
Poster Title: Metabolomics profiling and molecular analysis of probiotics in the preterm gut
Name: Bashir Abdulkadir
Poster Abstract:
Probiotics are live microbial supplements that colonize the gut and potentially exert health benefit to the
host. We use high-throughput techniques to analyses probiotic (Infloran: Lactobacillus acidophilus and
Bifidobacterium bifidum) functional diversity and the impact in the gut of preterm infants, with its possible
effects on necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and late onset sepsis (LOS).
Samples underwent analyses of their bacterial community composition, utilizing 16S rRNA gene profiling and
quantitative PCR (qPCR), as well as metabolomics profiling with liquid chromatography mass spectrometry
(LCMS).
qPCR analysis showed a significant difference of B. bifidum in infants who received probiotic treatment
compared to controls (p<0.01), but no significance was observed L. acidophilus (p=0.575). 16S profiling
indicated greater Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus during supplementation (15.1% and 4.2%) compared to
the control group (4.0% and 0%). Metabolite profiling showed each group to cluster separately, with distinct
metabolites associated with probiotic administration.
Probiotic strains found to colonize the gut of preterm infants with different level of abundance and they all
increase with probiotic supplements. Our findings also suggest that probiotics have some systemic functions
and play significant role in the gut microbial communities.
Poster Title: Service Users and Service Providers Views and Experiences of Chronic Widespread Pain
Conditions (fibromyalgia): Practice and Participation
Name: Sedik Abokdeer, Professor Nicola Adams and Dr Paul Davis
Poster Abstract:
Chronic widespread pain conditions such as fibromyalgia (FM) are prevalent and costly to the economy.
Diagnosis is based upon symptoms and although its existence as a distinct clinical entity is debated, it causes
great suffering and distress for those affected.
Due to the unclear pathophysiology, controversy regarding its existence as a clinical entity and variability in
diagnosis, clinical management if often difficult, and frequently employs heterogeneous interventions The
purpose of this research study is to describe current practice for fibromyalgia in the UK. It also aims to
capture service users’ and service providers’ views and experiences of fibromyalgia and its management.
A mixed methods approach will be used. In Phase 1 an online, specifically designed survey will be distributed
to rheumatologists, pain management and physiotherapy clinics in all regions of UK using extant databases.
In the second phase semi-structured interviews will involve a sample of people suffering from FM recruited
from the fibromyalgia self-help group in the North East.
From this study, current practice for fibromyalgia in the UK will be elucidated. Implications in terms of
current practice, and participants’ experiences will be explored including their emotional and lived
experience, information seeking and experiences of seeking and receiving health care.
81
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Transition for Health Care Assistant to Student Nurse
Name: Fiona M Adair
Poster Abstract:
The overall aim of the study is to investigate the journey that student nurses on the pre-registration nursing
programme undertake to make the transition from previously being a Health Care Assistant to Student
Nurse. The study will take into account experiences in both their academic work and clinical practice. The
study will identify when this transition takes place, in first second or third year.
A qualitative methodology was chosen because the author wants to examine the thoughts and experiences
of Health Care Assistants in making the transition to becoming a student nurse.
Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data.
Data will be thematically analysed. The themes identified for further discussion were related to such issues
as accountability and responsibility, evidence based practice and knowledge underpinning practice and role
issues.
All the participants in the study were very positive about the input that their HCA experience had
contributed to their training. programme so far.
Poster Title: Studying the Conformational Flexibility of the Antibiotic Synthesising Enzyme MoeO5.
Name: Jon Ainsley
Poster Abstract:
The enzyme MoeO5 catalyses the first step in the biosynthesis of Moenomycin A, a potent antibiotic
compound that prevents bacterial cell wall synthesis. This makes it an important target for the discovery of
new antibacterial agents and the study of its role in bacterial transglycolase inhibition; it is the only known
natural product to do this. In addition to this the enzyme exhibits a unique reaction mechanism for the
barrel type prenyltransferase class of enzymes, study of this so far unique mechanism could help to further
our scientific understanding of enzyme catalysis.
The structure of the enzyme has previously been elucidated by experimental techniques however its various
dynamic properties have not been studied. Much of an enzyme’s structure/activity relationship cannot be
explained without taking into account its movements and flexibility, these properties cannot easily be
studied through experimental methods alone. Using computational simulation techniques the protein
structure can be simulated at the atomistic level in near physiological conditions. The analysis of the
simulations created lead to a greater understanding of the unique mechanism of this enzyme.
Poster Title: Investigating the association between Type D personality and subjective health complaints
within the general population
Name: Sarah Allen
Poster Abstract:
Type D (distressed) personality is characterised by the combination of high levels of negative affectivity and
social inhibition. Type D individuals are at greater risk for a range of negative health outcomes. Research has
demonstrated associations between Type D and ill health in clinical populations and healthy individuals, via
biological and behavioural mechanisms; however these pathways are not fully understood. Type D
personality is also linked to increased psychological distress and stress reactivity, poor sleep, increased selfreported symptoms of ill-health and maladaptive health behaviours, any of which may mediate the
relationship between Type D and physical health problems. The current study comprised a comprehensive
investigation of the relationships between Type D personality and aspects of subjective health as well as
potential mediating factors. A cross-sectional online questionnaire-based study was implemented with a
82
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
large sample of healthy adults aged 18-65 to assess Type D personality and self-reported physical and
psychological health and wellbeing. Preliminary analyses suggest relationships between Type D and
increased subjective health complaints and perceived stress reactivity, as well as decreased levels of social
support, coping, and poorer sleep. These findings will inform the design of further studies which aim to
elucidate the mechanisms underpinning the relationship between Type D personality and health.
Poster Title: An exploration of the Inclusive Practice in Mainstream Schools in Saudi Arabia
Name: Fozah Alzemala
Poster Abstract:
Saudi Arabia enacted a specific legislation regarding disabilities that describes programs for prevention and
intervention and procedures of assessment and diagnosis to determine eligibility for special education
services. The field of education in Saudi Arabia is undergoing a rapid period of improvement, but more
efforts should be made to improve the quality of special education services. Most children with Special
Education Needs (SEN) in the country are educated in special schools, which prevents them from interacting
with typically developing peers in public school settings and thus developing social, communication and
academic skills. A major barrier in the face of the inclusion of children with SEN in mainstream schools is the
teachers’ attitude. As Saudi Arabia is planning to expand its inclusion agenda, it is important that teachers
have a positive attitude towards this initiative to ensure the success of inclusion programs.
Up to date, there are no in-depth studies in Saudi Arabia on inclusive practice and the role teachers’
attitudes play in this issue. This research seeks to evaluate the negative attitude of teachers in Saudi Arabia
towards the inclusion of students with disabilities in mainstream schools. This will be in the aim of
developing insights from teachers’ experience in the context of the inclusion agenda in Saudi Arabia. This
entails an examination of the factors that can influence teachers’ attitudes towards students with SEN.
Moreover, the study will test whether teachers’ attitudes can be changed through training interventions,
professional development and support from the government.
This study will assess whether teachers’ attitudes are a barrier or facilitator for implementing the policy of
special education needs and inclusion in Saudi Arabia. This research will test this proposition using
theoretical frameworks on inclusive education and advocacy / attribution models of care.
Poster Title: Identification of Pyrethroid Metabolising P450s in Poultry Red Mite using Bioinformatics
Name: Joanne Atkinson
Poster Abstract:
The poultry red mite (PRM), Dermanyssus gallinae, is an ectoparasitic, haematophagous pest that represents
a significant threat to poultry production throughout the UK. Infestation can lead to heavy production losses
through downgrading of eggs and reduced laying. The welfare of hens and poultry workers can also be
affected, with PRM serving as a vector for numerous poultry pathogens. Control of PRM is typically achieved
through programs incorporating biosecurity measures, cleaning and the use of synthetic acaricides. Despite
the importance of the use of acaricides in controlling populations, poultry farmers are faced with several
problems such as the growing incidence of pesticide resistance, tighter legislation and restrictions on the
chemicals that can be used.
To increase the efficacy of both natural and synthetic acaricides and combat the development of resistance a
greater understanding of acaricide detoxification mechanisms (mainly P450s) is required. The isolation and
characterisation of such P450s and their redox partners will allow for the development of more targeted
approaches to pesticide treatments, and eventually for the development of a rapid test kit for PRM
83
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
resistance. Also, creating a UK map of PRM resistance/susceptibility will provide a baseline against which
future resistance/susceptibility can be compared.
Poster Title: An exploration of factors influencing decisions made by Chartered Physiotherapists regarding
the selection and delivery of interventions to treat hemiplegia of the upper limb following stroke.
Name: Gill Bamborough
Poster Abstract:
Method
A pragmatic, practice based, mixed methods approach in three sequential phases; phase 1 employed a
questionnaire, (n=143), phase 2 used semi-structured interviews with physiotherapists (n=10)) and phase 3
semi-structured interviews with physiotherapists (n=5) and service users (n=5).
Data analysis
Phase 1 data were analysed using SPSS®. Themes generated from data collected during phases 2 and 3
described influences on decisions around physiotherapy treatment.
Results:
Results of phase one supported existing work: clinical decisions were primarily influenced by clinical
experience and theoretical knowledge.
Phase 2: Five themes were derived: beliefs about assessment, influences on treatment, perspective during
assessment/treatment, holistic overview, and therapists’ view of their role.
Phase 3: Three themes emerged from analysis of physiotherapist data: treatment rationale, structure of the
treatment session and collaboration.
Three themes emerged from analysis of client data: client observations about treatment, client physical
awareness and collaboration.
Conclusions: The study has generated insight into some influences on decisions made during the selection
and delivering of physiotherapy for the upper limb post-stroke. However the findings are limited by the small
size of the participant groups, and restriction of the study to treatment of the upper limb.
Poster Title: Next Generation DNA Sequencing of ancient Roman and degraded Brazilian skeletal remains
Name: Victoria A Barlow
Poster Abstract:
The use of Next Generation (NGS) or Massively Parallel (MPS) DNA Sequencing technology represents a stepchange for genetic analysis. With the promise of more information from low-template and degraded DNA
samples, the fields of forensic science and bioarchaeology are looking to benefit from the new techniques.
This project aims to test the ability of both commercial and in-house methods of NGS for the analysis of both
nuclear and mitochondrial DNA from extremely challenging samples. Skeletal material from the Roman
archaeological site Vindolanda located near Hadrian’s Wall, Hexham, England dating between 110-220AD,
and Brazilian samples buried in extremely harsh environmental conditions, excavated from the municipal
cemetery of Bom Pastor, have been have been processed in this study.
All submitted samples were extracted using a silica based method, quantified using Quantifiler Trio (Life
technologies) and analysed using either the ForenSeqTM DNA Signature Prep kit (Illumina) or mitochondrial
D-loop sequencing on the MiSeq (Illumina).
84
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Acute adaptation to damaging dance and sport-specific exercise in females.
Name: Megan A. Brown Glyn Howatson & Emma J. Stevenson.
Poster Abstract:
Purpose: This investigation aimed to determine whether two different sport-specific exercise bouts would
elicit a repeated bout effect in females. We hypothesised that an initial bout of each activity would result in
acute adaptation and reduced damage following a subsequent bout.
Methods: Twenty-one healthy females (19 ± 1 years) completed either a dance-specific protocol (DPFT;
n=10) or sport-specific repeated sprint protocol (SSRS; n=11). Muscle soreness (DOMS), limb girths, creatine
kinase (CK), countermovement jump height, reactive strength index, maximal voluntary contraction and 30
m sprint time were recorded pre, 0-, 24-, 48-, and 72 h post-exercise. An identical exercise bout was
conducted four weeks following the initial bout.
Results: Compared to the initial bout, DOMS and 30 m sprint time decreased following a second bout of
exercise (P < 0.05). A bout*time*group interaction (P = 0.01) for DOMS showed that the decrement in a
subsequent bout was significantly larger following the DPFT compared to SSRS. Circulating CK was also lower
following the second bout compared to the first, independent of group.
Conclusions: These data demonstrate that dance and sport-specific activity resulting in exercise-induced
muscle damage in females confers a protective effect against muscle damage following a subsequent bout.
Poster Title: Impacts of transformational leadership within sport: a systematic review of current literature
Name: Claire Bruce, Dr Louise Davis & Dr Calum Arthur.
Poster Abstract:
The purpose of the present review was to synthesise the current range of literature on transformational
leadership in sport coaching using a systematic review methodology. The review was conducted in order to
outline current theoretical and practical knowledge and to identify future directions. A comprehensive
protocol including searches of eight electronic data bases was conducted. Studies published since 1985
were considered for inclusion. The results revealed associations between transformational leadership
qualities and positive/negative outcomes including well being, motivation and performance. However, the
studies identified have predominantly focused on athletes’ perceptions and the impact on athlete outcomes
only. There appears to be a lack of research that has focused on how coaches’ transformational leadership
behaviours might influence athlete and coaches outcomes over a period of time. Furthermore, there has
been a lack of research that has identified the impact upon the organisations within which both coaches’ and
athletes’ operate. With this in mind the findings from the systematic review offer opportunity to progress
new and distinctive lines of research to further enhance coach education processes and support the
professionalisation of sport coaching.
85
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Improving student statistical skills
Name(s): Gill Case, Karen McKenzie, Briony Dawson.
Poster Abstract:
Background: Many students experience anxiety about, and problems with, using statistics, despite these
skills being a key requirement for many graduate jobs. These difficulties can also impact on retention and
degree classification [1]. There are many excellent external online resources that are available to students,
but currently the students must find these themselves and evaluate whether they are good and reliable
sources of information.
Aims: The project aimed to create a suite of high quality online statistics resources by collating and
integrating existing external resources, which have been tailored by the project group to meet identified
student needs. These resources can be made available to the wider student body at the university, thereby
positively influencing teaching practices and the student learning experience at an institutional level. This
approach is consistent with the good practice recommendations made in the recent Higher Education
Academy report ‘Mathematical Transitions’ (2014) [2] and wider government policy to improve
mathematical and statistical skills of students [3].
Methods & Results: Quantitative (comparing student confidence in using statistics before and after accessing
the resources) within participant design, and Qualitative (evaluating student feedback about the resources).
Preliminary findings and themes emerging from the data will be discussed.
Poster Title: Being a practitioner and a student; Compartmentalised? Corresponding? Conflicting?
Understanding the lived experience of mature professional post-graduate students of HRM and their
parallel work and study roles.
Name: Helen Charlton
Poster Abstract:
This poster highlights emergent research into the experiences of a part-time Human Resource Management
postgraduate students whilst also a full-time HRM practitioner. This study aims to highlight the complexity
within managing ongoing transitions between higher education and professional practice.
Part-time postgraduate professional students form an interesting segment of the higher education
community, having parallels with mature, part-time, post-graduate and work-based student communities,
but research into these typologies fails to address the combined effect, and as such represent a gap in
existing research. Therefore this research may prove informative for anyone working with students engaged
in employment relating to programmes of study.
Using a focus group framed around a consensus workshop and subsequent interviews, the study explores
how the activities of practice and academia interact, and the ways in which this impacts upon students,
drawing upon work from Lea & Street (1998) and Northedge (2003a; 20003b) regarding academic discourse
practices, and from Hallier & Summers’ (2011) exploration of work/study experiences in undergraduate HRM
students.
This study is ongoing, and this poster will highlight the emergent themes and issues from this research to
date, and invite discussion and reflection on the possible implications for practice.
86
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: The Influence Of Beetroot Juice On Recovery From A Single Bout Of Strenuous Exercise.
Name: T. Clifford, O. Bell, D.J. West, Dr G. Howatson, and E.J. Stevenson.
Poster Abstract:
We investigated whether an antioxidant rich beetroot juice drink could facilitate recovery following a bout of
muscle damaging exercise. Thirty healthy males were randomly allocated to consume a high dose beetroot
juice (250 ml), a low dose beetroot juice (125 ml), or an isocaloric placebo immediately, 24 and 48 h
following 100-drop jumps. Muscle function (maximal voluntary contraction: MVC, countermovement jump:
CMJ, reactive strength index: RSI), muscle soreness (visual analogue scale: VAS, pressure-pain threshold:
PPT) and blood indices of muscle damage (creatine kinase: CK) were measured pre, post, 24, 48 and 72 h
following the drop jumps. CMJ performance recovered quicker with high beetroot juice vs. placebo at 48 (8.3 ± 12.4% vs. -25.6 ± 13.14% of baseline value; P = 0.008) and 72 h post exercise (-6.6 ± 7.7% vs. -14 ± 5.9%
of baseline value; P = 0.046). PPT was reduced in the placebo vs. both the high and low beetroot juice groups
at 24, 48 and 72 h post exercise (P <0.001). No group differences were detected for the VAS, RSI, MVC or CK
(P >0.05). These findings suggest that beetroot juice supplementation might serve as an effective strategy to
attenuate muscle soreness and detriments in muscle function following damaging exercise.
Poster Title: Risky behaviour prevention in adolescents: What works, for whom, in what circumstances,
and why? A realist enquiry.
Name: Christina Cooper
Poster Abstract:
Adolescents comprise one quarter of the world’s population. Despite typically being considered a healthy life
stage, rates of adolescent morbidity and mortality are increasing, making this critical transitional period a
key focus for public health programmes. Research suggests that these worrying trends are a result of
increased engagement in risky health behaviours, such as; substance misuse; alcohol consumption; smoking;
and risky sexual behaviours. Current risk behaviour prevention strategies are moderately effective at best,
with little success in repetition. It is unclear at present why these variations in efficacy occur.
The present research aims to produce a refined program theory of causal mechanisms and contextual
factors which operate within strategies to facilitate change across short, medium and long term outcomes.
The research will utilise realist methodologies to explore how, when, and in what circumstances complex
prevention strategies and behavioural interventions succeed (or fail) in reducing multiple risk behaviours in
adolescents. The research consists of two phases; A realist synthesis, allowing extraction and formulation of
initial program theories; and, Realist evaluation of services to facilitate development and refinement of
identified theories. Consultation with an expert advisory panel will occur throughout the research.
Findings from the research will inform future policy and practice.
87
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: A longitudinal study mapping changes in narratives, self-reports and implicit measures of
gambling behaviour.
Name: Richard Cutter
Poster Abstract:
The study is longitudinal mixed methods using multiple measures. 60 regular gamblers have been
interviewed at 3 month intervals over two years. As well as the interviews, the participants complete self
reports questionnaires and two implicit tasks on each occasion.
The overall aim has been to see how the different methods relate to each other and if they reveal predictors
of problem behaviour (explicit, implicit and qualitative – following an IPA methodology), as we follow
gamblers movement in and out of problem levels of gambling. Another key aim was to examine how the
findings from the different approaches correspond with dual processing, addiction and behaviour change
theory.
There are some promising findings regarding the implicit tasks and themes have emerged in the interviews
that correspond with participants self reported problem gambling, providing a coherent understanding of
the behaviour in relation to the theories examined.
Poster Title: The effect of breakfast macronutrient content or skipping breakfast on 24 hour glucose
profiles
Name: Dean M. Allerton, Matthew D. Campbell, Javier T. Gonzales, Daniel J. West and Emma J. Stevenson
Poster Abstract:
The macronutrient composition of a meal influences the glycaemic response to a subsequent meal, however
the response over a longer period is less established. This study compared 24 hour glycaemic responses
following consumption of breakfasts differing in macronutrient composition (high carbohydrate versus high
fat), to breakfast omission.
Nine healthy males (age 25±2 years, BMI: 24.4±2.2kg/m2) completed three trials consuming one of two
isocaloric breakfasts (high carbohydrate [CHO] or high fat [FAT]; 430kcal), or no breakfast (NB). After 180
minutes, participants consumed a standardised mixed-macronutrient lunch (819kcal) and rested for a
further 180 minutes. Continuous glucose monitoring captured interstitial concentrations for 24 hours
following breakfast. Participants replicated dietary intake across trials.
Following breakfast, glycaemia increased under CHO, but decreased similarly under FAT and NB (incremental
area under the curve (iAUC); CHO: 0.60±0.15 vs FAT: -0.21±0.06 vs NB: -0.15±0.15mmol/l/hour, p<0.001).
Following lunch, acute (<180 min) postprandial iAUC (CHO: 0.19±0.09; FAT: 0.37±0.14; NB:
0.21±0.23mmol/l/hour, p=0.682) was similar between trials. Glycaemic responses remained similar beyond
this time (p>0.05), with comparable glycaemic variability (%CV; CHO: 15.8±1.7; FAT: 17.1±1.7; NB:
13.0±1.2%, p=0.196) over the following 18 hours.
Neither breakfast composition, nor omission of breakfast influenced glycaemic response following
subsequent feeding for 21 hours under free-living conditions.
88
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Addition of whey protein to a fat-based breakfast has detrimental effects on satiety following
subsequent feeding
Name: D. Campbell, Javier T. Gonzalez, Daniel J. West and Emma J. Stevenson
Poster Abstract:
Previous studies have investigated the effects of whey protein consumed with a carbohydrate or mixedmacronutrient meal on subsequent appetite, but not following a second meal. This study investigated the
effect of adding whey protein to a fat-based breakfast on subjective appetite following subsequent feeding.
Healthy males (n=10; age 24±2 years, BMI 24.5±2.1kg/m2) consumed fat-based breakfast meals (430kcal;
87% energy from fat) with (FAT+WP) or without (FAT) 20g whey protein isolate. At 180 minutes postbreakfast participants consumed a mixed-macronutrient lunch (819kcal) and rested for a further 180
minutes. Visual analogue scales captured subjective appetite responses throughout.
Postprandial ratings of hunger, fullness, satisfaction and prospective consumption were similar after
breakfast between trials (p>0.05). Following lunch, prospective consumption was higher under FAT+WP
(time-averaged AUC; FAT+WP: 62±7 vs FAT: 54±6 mm, p=0.024). Perceived satisfaction was greater under
FAT at 120 (FAT: 52±5 vs FAT+WP: 38±7 mm, p=0.017) and 180 (FAT: 41±5 vs FAT+WP: 30±6 mm, p=0.009)
minutes post-lunch. No differences were observed in post-lunch hunger or fullness between trials (p>0.05).
Whey protein did not confer beneficial effects on appetite suppression when added to a fat-based breakfast.
Negative effects on responses to a subsequent meal were observed following prior ingestion of breakfast
containing whey protein.
Poster Title: Nepalese women, Pelvic organ prolapse, Quality of life.
Name: Anjana Singh Dongol
Poster Abstract:
Introduction: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) was addressed by initiating free surgical camps in Nepal. However,
issues related to the management raise questions about effectiveness since POP has physical, mental, social
and economic impacts for achieving a successful outcome the management needs to be treated considering
all these domains.
Objectives: This study explores the views of women who experienced POP together with those from
clinicians involved in management of POP. The impact of POP, on quality of life (QOL) before and after its
management forms the central focus. Factors needed to improving outcomes for women undergoing POP
management are also reflected.
Methods: A qualitative approach, with a narrative method, is used to illuminate the experiences of women
after the development. Similarly, narrative accounts of POP management were obtained from clinician
participants. Data collection was via focus group discussions and one to one interviews. The narratives were
analysed using Framework analysis technique.
Results: Early resumption of work soon after delivery and frequent child birth were factors developing POP in
Nepalese women. Poverty, lack of education and empowerment together with lack of access to a health
facility are the associated factors for development. POP has been found to hamper the QOL of women
significantly. The favoured clinical initiatives taken for treatment of POP seem successful as it was found
associated with improving QOL for the majority of women.
However, surgery needs to be done in appropriate settings after proper evaluation and according to need.
The findings of the study suggest the need for more focused prevention.
Conclusions: The majority of women experience improvement in their quality of life following surgical
management of POP. However, the identified gaps in the management suggest a need for significant change
in management policies. Integration of preventive aspects of POP, within government health care system, is
a key factor if sustainable improvements are to be achieved.
89
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Facilitating student engagement in the development of the undergraduate curriculum; a case
study approach.
Name: Dr Valerie Larkin, Julie Tennant, Gill Smith.
Poster Abstract:
The prosed poster intends to share the authors’ intentions and work to date concerning a research project
intended to enhance student midwives’ opportunities and experiences of postnatal assessment skills within
the midwifery preregistration curricula. The project will inform the planned curricula and development of
the midwifery programmes in order to enhance student engagement, experience and ultimately
employability. The initiative involves an inclusive and research informed approach to the midwifery
curriculum, in which the students learning needs and experiences will form the basis of curriculum
development.
The data collection is due to commence in spring 2015. Therefore the poster will focus upon the
development of the project, this will include;• The research aims and objectives.
• Evaluation of the research methodology and methods
• Ethical considerations of the intended research
Aim
To enhance student midwives’ experiences of postnatal genital tract assessment skills within the midwifery
preregistration curricula.
Objectives
1. Critique learning opportunities within pre-registration midwifery curriculum, in both university
and practice setting.
2. Explore student midwives perceptions of their abilities to select and undertake a range of maternal
postnatal genital tract assessments.
3. Consider factors potentially impacting upon students’ ability to engage in appropriate opportunities and
experiences.
4. Identify areas for development, with the potential to enhance student experiences and satisfaction.
Poster Title: Mapping the progression and evolution of chronic respiratory diseases using mixed
temperate phage communities isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Name: Francesca Louise Claire Everest
Poster Abstract:
Cystic Fibrosis/CF and non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis/nCFBR are chronic respiratory diseases that have
similar clinical pathophysiological burden including inflammation and the production of a thick mucus that is
difficult to clear from the lung. This dehydrated mucus layer is ideal for the colonisation of opportunistic
bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa). Pa isolated from the chronic lung is infected with multiple
inducible temperate phages. This study investigates how temperate phages can be used to map the
progression of Pa evolution in the chronic lung. The infection profiles of phage communities induced from
adult CF patients are more related to phages induced from nCFBR patients that are > 10 years since clinical
diagnosis. A selection of phages from the clinical strata where used to cross-infect against representative
isolates from each bacterial group as lysogens. We characterise these lysogen-mediated alteration to
bacterial pellicle formation by both phenotype, rate of growth and preliminary pan-metabolomics.
Preliminary metabolomic data has identified an increase in incidence of metabolites related to Quroum
Sensing and increased pellicle formation that may be phage-mediated.
90
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Anti-microbial immune profiling in obstructive lung diseases
Name: Fathia Jaat, Sajidah Hasan, Santosh Murali, Anthony de Soyza, Clare Lanyon, Dr Stephen Todryk
Poster Abstract:
The lungs are vitally important organs of our body, and diseases of the lung can adversely affect our health.
Through inhalation, our lungs are exposed to many elements from the environment including microbes,
pollens, smoke and dust. Infectious microbes can grow in our lungs and cause extensive damage and
disease. Our immune responses against these microbes, which can be generated by natural exposure and
infection or through vaccination, give us a good degree of protection against infectious diseases. However,
some people with physical lung diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder todyr
mostly caused by smoking, are far more susceptible to lung infections which can worsen their illness and
threaten their life. We wish to better understand immune responses against lung-infecting microbes
particularly in people with underlying lung disease. Our clinician collaborators at the Freeman Hospital take
blood samples for this study, which also links up to other studies based on clinical measurements and
microbiological tests. We are mainly studying bacteria including Pseudomonas, and pneumonia-causing
Streptococcus and Haemophilus species. In the laboratory we measure immune responses in the form of
microbe-specific antibodies and white blood cells (T cells), which differ between different disease states, and
which we will describe in this poster.
Poster Title: “Preoperative pain planning”: the path to my PhD research topic and aim.
Name: Claire Ford
Poster Abstract:
Pain is a ubiquitous sensation experienced by all, but unique in its manifestation and multifarious in nature.
It can be extremely difficult to manage and treat, even when predicted, as in the case of surgery or
childbirth. Consequently, pain has been the subject of numerous studies and while some research suggests
that postoperative pain for day case surgery is not always well managed. There is limited research examining
preoperative pain planning for these patients and therefore a gap exists. However, the path to choosing the
topic and research aim is more complex, as who, what, when, and how all need to be addressed. In order to
accomplish this knowledge from various sources has been drawn upon, including my own professional
experiences in perioperative care and midwifery, and existing academic literature. Culminating in a PHD
research proposal which looks to examine the following:
Who – healthcare professionals with regular preoperative contact with day case surgical patients.
What – observations of daily working practices and patient interactions prior to surgery.
When – preoperative assessments undertaken prior to surgery and anaesthetic visits on the day of surgery.
How – preoperative practice using both quantitative and qualitative methods, with an overarching aim of
critical ethnography and cultural exploration.
91
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Recovery from Schizophrenia: Can the concept of remission assist in facilitating a return to
primary care?
Name: Keith Ford
Poster Abstract:
Lots of energy and emphasis has been invested in working towards recovery for people with a diagnosis of
schizophrenia. It has taken time to get people on-board with this ideology of recovery; historically
schizophrenia was viewed as a burdensome and long-lived debilitating disorder. However, it is now generally
accepted that recovery can be achieved in a high proportion of cases. Remission, by comparison, was
synonymous with physical disorders, especially cancer. In 2005 it was proposed that remission may be
introduced and used when working with people with schizophrenia.
This study takes a grounded theory approach to address views of service users, carers and practitioners with
respect to the possible utility of remission. Data was collected via interview and coded and themed. The
findings resulted in a conceptual map of themes; this assisted in devising four possible trajectories for
service users as they progress through mental health services towards recovery. Remission could be
employed as a conduit on the way to primary care, but it must be utilised to address more than symptom
improvement as level of functioning and development of resilience are better indicators of overall recovery,
also highlighted are issues for the transition of service user to primary care.
Poster Title: The kinetics of central and peripheral fatigue during repeated-sprint exercise
Name(s): Dr Stuart Goodall, Dr Kevin Thomas, Miss Kayleigh Charlton, Dr Glyn Howatson
Poster Abstract:
The ability to maximally reproduce short sprints (<10s) with incomplete recovery (<60s) is an important
component of performance in intermittent sports. An inevitable consequence of such activity, however,
results in fatigue, defined as a reversible decline in the ability to produce muscular force (Taylor et al., 2009).
To date, numerous studies have demonstrated the presence of fatigue following repeated-sprint exercise,
with typical performance decrements between 5-25%. The mechanisms of fatigue underpinning these
decrements are not well-understood with previous work being limited to pre- vs. post-exercise comparisons
of neuromuscular function. The aims of the present study were; 1) to quantify the degree of muscle and
central nervous system (CNS) fatigue elicited by repeat-sprint exercise and 2) to assess the kinetics of these
responses during repeated-sprint exercise. These data are the first to demonstrate the pattern of
neuromuscular fatigue in the knee extensors during and immediately after repeated sprint exercise. Muscle
and CNS fatigue was evident after two maximal sprints, and the significant supraspinal fatigue observed
immediately post-exercise indicates that performance decrements during maximal, repeated-sprint activity
stem from reduced CNS and muscle function.
Poster Title: “I’d rather starve than not let my child have anything”: A need for holiday food provision in
the UK
Name: Pamela Louise Graham and Margaret Anne Defeyter
Poster Abstract:
Across the UK 1.3 million children access free school meals for around 38 weeks of the year. However,
during school holidays many families face considerable difficulties in providing a consistent and nutritious
92
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
supply of food for their children, particularly during the extended summer break. In an effort to address this
issue a number of community-based breakfast clubs were set up across the North West of England where
children could access a free breakfast meal during the summer holidays. Qualitative interviews were carried
out with children, parents and breakfast club staff to determine the outcomes associated with breakfast club
participation. Findings highlighted a need for holiday breakfast provision and revealed a multitude of
nutritional, social and educational benefits for children. The findings will be discussed in relation to key UK
policy issues including food poverty and summer learning loss.
Poster Title: Team relationships affect the response of doctors and nurses to a high MEWS score.
Name: Jane Greaves
Poster Abstract:
MEWS is a protocol involving a cascade of responses from the clinical team in the presence of adult patient
deterioration. In practice the cascade often stalls inappropriately . Involving teamwork between different
professional groups and individuals of varying seniority, It has been suggested that human factors critically
influence responses.
Experiences of forty staff that use MEWS in semi-structured interviews included Health Care Assistants,
Registered Nurses, Trainee Doctors and Consultants. Interviews were transcribed adopting a methodology
using the principles of grounded theory.
This study demonstrates that the working of the protocol is significantly affected by personal relationships
between team members.
Poster Title: Attentional lapse and inhibition control in adults with Williams syndrome
Name: Joanna Greer
Poster Abstract:
Research exploring cognitive processing associated with the developmental disorder Williams Syndrome
(WS) has suggested that executive functioning deficits exist across the developmental spectrum; including
dividing attention and inhibiting responses. Within a framework of executive functions, the aim of the
current study was to explore attentional lapse and inhibition skills in older adults with WS (n = 20; aged 36–
61yrs). Participants with WS were compared to typical adults of the same chronological age and typical older
adults (aged 65+yrs) to consider attentional changes seen in the ageing process. The study employed a
sustained attention to response task known to assess inhibition and attentional lapse but which had not
previously been used with this population. Compared to both control groups, the results indicated
atypicalities of attention and inhibition in adults with WS. Specifically, adults with WS failed to withhold a
response (showing inhibition deficits), had problems re-engaging attentional control processes after making
an error and showed a generalised deficit of concentration and task engagement. Further attention should
be paid to these cognitive deficits in older individuals with WS, to consider the everyday challenges faced by
this group and to provide adequate intervention and support for daily living.
93
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: How does the Northumbria learning experience mediate the impact of general ability upon
the final year Psychology research thesis performance?
Name: Dr Colin Hamilton
Poster Abstract:
The Final Year Project may be viewed as the culminating learning experience of the undergraduate program,
(Mateo et al., 2012) and in addition, has a key role in taught postgraduate programmes. Whilst much
research has looked at the contribution of individual differences such as intelligence, motivation, personality
etc. (e.g. de Koning et al., 2012; Mellanby et al., 2013), little research has looked at the combined effects of
individual differences and the student learning experience upon final year research project and MSc thesis
achievement. The long term aim of this research programme is to identify both individual differences and
the learning experience contribution to project/thesis attainment. In this presentation there will be an initial
consideration of the contribution of specific module attainment to project/thesis achievement and how
these module grades may be mediators of student general ability. A secondary data analyses protocol will be
employed to identify proxy measures of general ability, and student performance across a range of Post
Graduate modules with the criterion variable being the project/thesis mark. The discussion will consider the
relative importance of learning experience associated with different modules, and the need for student selfreported experience to be incorporated into future research design considerations.
Poster Title: Investigating The Predictive Factors Of Hoarding Tendencies
Name: Hannah Tyson, Lynn McInnes, Nick Neave.
Poster Abstract:
Little is known about the aetiology of hoarding behaviour. The cognitive-behavioural model posits that a key
aspect in the expression of hoarding tendencies is excessive attachment to objects. Previous preliminary
research indicates that both attachment style and anthropomorphic tendencies are associated with
excessive object attachment and subsequent hoarding. However, these factors provide alternative
explanations for why attachment to objects and resultant hoarding occurs. The current study aimed to
further investigate the association between these predictive factors and hoarding tendencies and, in light of
the alternative viewpoints, determine if sex differences were apparent in the factors which best predicted
hoarding tendencies. Responses from 275 participants (72 male) were assessed across 7 questionnaires
measuring attachment styles, attachment to objects, anthropomorphic tendencies, thoughts and beliefs
associated with hoarding behaviour and severity of hoarding behaviours. Multiple linear regression analysis
revealed that object attachment, anthropomorphic tendencies and anxious attachment, were significantly
associated with at least one aspect of hoarding tendencies. Additionally, sex differences were observed
regarding these factors. These preliminary findings have implications for interventions used to treat
hoarding symptomology, suggesting that treatments should be differentially tailored toward males and
females.
94
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: The development of a laboratory stressor paradigm
Name: Olivia Hare
Poster Abstract:
A number of tools have been developed to elicit stress in controlled laboratory conditions, however, these
are often laborious with regard to execution, and are not representative of the stressors encountered in
everyday life. This study aimed to develop a laboratory stressor paradigm that is easily administered, elicits
robust psychobiological responses and is representative of real-life stress. On the morning of testing, 39
healthy participants reported their levels of anticipation regarding forthcoming testing. They then attended
the laboratory and completed a cognitively demanding multitasking task with either non-direct critical
evaluation (task completed whilst seated and negative feedback given on performance by the experimenter)
or social critical evaluation (task is completed and negative feedback received whilst standing in front of the
experimenter). Participants who were expecting to complete multitasking with social critical evaluation
reported greater levels of anticipation on the morning of testing and demonstrated greater psychobiological
stress reactivity (e.g. cardiovascular responses) to the stressor.
Multitasking with social critical evaluation elicits stress responses in the laboratory and participants can be
primed to anticipate forthcoming demand. This paradigm can therefore be used to investigate research
questions concerning individual differences in the experiences of stress.
Poster Title: An extra time period causes significant perturbations in metabolic and physiological
responses observed during soccer-specific exercise.
Name: Liam Harper
Poster Abstract:
The metabolic and physiological responses to 90-min of soccer-specific exercise have been extensively
reported. However, the responses to an additional 30-min of play (extra-time; ET) are unclear. Therefore,
the aim of this study was to profile the metabolic and physiological responses to 120-min of simulated
soccer match-play. Twenty two university soccer players completed 120-min of a soccer-specific protocol.
Venous blood was collected during exercise for analysis of glucose, lactate, insulin, epinephrine, interleukin6 (IL-6), glycerol and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA). Heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE),
and 15-m sprint velocities were measured throughout exercise. Blood glucose, lactate, and plasma insulin
concentrations were lower and plasma IL-6, epinephrine, glycerol and NEFA were higher in ET compared to
all time points up to and including 90-min (p<0.05). There were no changes in HR during ET compared to 90min. RPE was higher and sprint velocities were lower during ET compared to the first 90-min of exercise.
Metabolic changes may demonstrate a greater reliance on fat oxidation and a likely greater dependency on
endogenous fuel sources in ET compared to a prior 90-min. With reductions in sprint velocities and increased
RPE, interventions that seek to attenuate diminutions in performance provide future research opportunities.
95
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Disease processes in Pigeon Fanciers Lung
Name(s): Sajidah Hasan, Stephen Bourke, Charles McSharry, Stephen Todryk
Poster Abstract:
People who keep pigeons have a 1 in 10 risk of developing lung disease (Pigeon Fanciers Lung [PFL]) due to
an allergic response to inhaled pigeon antigens. The disease manifests itself as chronic breathing problems,
patches on X-ray, and feverishness following heavy exposure. The recommendation by doctors is for
sufferers to cease their hobby, which they are reluctant to do. The precise disease mechanism is unclear but
both antibody and T cell responses specific for pigeon antigens are implicated. In this study our aim is to
investigate whether the characterization of immune responses may give new insight into the disease and
potential means of treatment. All pigeon breeders examined possessed significant antibody and T cell
responses against pigeon serum or pigeon mucin antigen. A range of antibody isotypes were observed but
only IgA appeared to correlate with disease symptom score. T cell responses, focussed against pigeon serum,
were measured in the form of proliferating cells positive for lung-homing receptors, that secreted gammainterferon and large amounts of anti-inflammatory interleukin 10; but there was no relationship with disease
score. We conclude that sensitization to pigeon antigens is necessary but not sufficient to cause PFL disease
symptoms in pigeon breeders, and so other factors require investigation.
Poster Title: Be ready for inclusive education: ‘hardware’ and ‘software’ strategies of early intervention
used by Chinese hearing parents of deaf children in Beijing, China
Name: Xirong He
Poster Abstract:
Aim:
The aim of this study is to explore the strategies of early intervention that Chinese hearing parents used to
support their deaf child to be ready for inclusive education in Beijing, China.
Methodology and Method:
Within the qualitative research methodology, the constructivist grounded theory was applied to this study.
Indepth interviews with 10 Chinese hearing parents were conducted in Beijing, China.
Results:
The results of this study illustrated that how Chinese hearing parents used both ‘hardware’ and ‘software’
strategies of early intervention.
‘Hardware’ strategies: Chinese hearing parents not only searched a cure for their child’s deafness via Chinese
traditional and/or Western medicine, but also they chose hearing aids for their deaf child, and some of them
preferred cochlear implants.
‘Software’ strategies: Chinese hearing parents sought diverse approaches of teaching their deaf child
language and developing their child’s social skill through self-help and/or formal help.
Conclusion:
The results of this study discussed that both ‘hardware’ and ‘software’ strategies of early intervention for
Chinese hearing parents was mainly affected by a medical model of deafness. The results suggest that those
strategies could impact on Chinese hearing parents’ understanding of deafness and indirectly influence their
child’s development in deaf identity.
96
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: The impact of active and passive smoking upon prospective memory: A review.
Name: Dr Tom Heffernan
Poster Abstract:
Prospective memory (PM) is defined as remembering to initiate future intentions/actions and is seen as
critical to independent living. There is a growing body of evidence on the impact persistent smoking has
upon PM, with the majority of the studies showing consistent PM deficits associated with smoking in young
adults, particularly when objective measures are utilised (such as the Cambridge Prospective Memory Test).
A recent focus is that of second-hand smoking (or passive smoking) which refers to a scenario in which nonsmokers are exposed to the tobacco smoke of active smokers, for example in the home or social setting.
What little research there is on passive smoking points to PM deficits being associated with persistent
exposure to second-hand smoke. This review will summarise the current research on what impact active and
passive smoking has upon PM and discuss the implications these findings might have. The review will also
identify limitations within the field and suggest future research paradigms.
Poster Title: Tentative Steps to Changing Teaching for PG Students: Theory, Practice or Both?
Name(s): Merroney Green, Vicki Elsey and Neill Thompson
Poster Abstract:
This presentation aims to discuss the early stage developments of changes to the delivery of an MSc
Occupational and Organisational Psychology Programme to a diverse group of students. Changes in
professional body requirements have increased the focus on the use of practical and applied case studies
which serve to boost the employability and employment opportunities for graduates whilst still maintaining
academic rigour.
Two modules have been identified to be translated from didactic material into Technology Enabled Learning
(TEL) to include asynchronous video lectures, e-learning and other approaches and therefore allow space for
group Problem Based Learning (PBL) to form the focus of classroom activities (Bishop and Verleger, 2013).
This approach is often referred to as ‘flipping the classroom’.
The focus of the presentation will be around establishing an evidence base for classroom flipping, including
relevant literature as well as experiential rationale. It will also outline the steps taken to changing the
delivery of modules and outline the process for evaluating success. This project is still in its infancy therefore
welcomes discussion from colleagues around this approach and sharing experiences.
Poster Title: How the magnitude of effects is (not) communicated in psychology textbooks
Name: Dr Johannes Hönekopp & Joanne Greer
Poster Abstract:
For a long time, statistical analysis in psychology and other disciplines has strongly focused on statistical
significance, i.e. the probability chance alone could produce the pattern of data observed in the research
sample. At the same time, researchers have often ignored more sensible questions, i.e. how large is the
effect observed in the sample (effect size), and how well does it approximate the magnitude of the effect in
the population (confidence interval).
Due to a persistent critique of significance testing and lobbying by the American Psychological Association, more and mor
be trivial if most lay people correctly guess the direction of the effect based on intuition), or do we instead
get some idea how much benevolence deteriorates under time pressure? In order to find out how often (and
in which ways) the magnitude of effects are addressed, we did a content analysis of 10 bestselling
psychology textbooks across five core disciplines. In addition, we tested to what extent non-psychologists
can guess the direction of the effects described.
97
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: The Effects of 120 Minutes of Treadmill Running on Nuclear DNA Methyltransferase
Concentration.
Name: Steven Horsburgh
Poster Abstract:
DNA methylation, the process by which a methyl group is added to a cytosine molecule, is catalysed by a
group of enzymes known as DNA methyltransferases. Currently, there is a lack of literature concerning the
molecular mechanisms by which exercise-induced epigenetic modifications may occur. Utilising 10
recreationally active males, the present study sought to elucidate the response of the de novo DNA
methyltransferases 3A and 3B to 120 minutes of treadmill running at an intensity of 60% of individual
vVO2max, interspersed with 30 second sprints at 90% of vVO2max every 10 minutes - a protocol previously
shown to elicit a transient increase in plasma Interleukin 6 (IL-6). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells
(PBMCs) were incubated with exercise conditioned plasma, followed by nuclear protein extraction and
subsequent quantification of DNMT3A and DNMT3B concentration. Nuclear concentrations of DNMT3B
significantly decreased following the experimental protocol, with no change observed in DNMT3A. ‘High’
levels of rIL-6 stimulation of PBMCs resulted in significantly greater nuclear concentrations of both DNMT3A
and DNMT3B, compared with ‘low’ concentrations of rIL-6. This is the first known study to characterise
response of de novo methyltransferases to an acute bout of aerobic exercise or in vitro stimulation with
rIL-6.
Poster title: Evaluating Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Total Bacterial Burden in non-Cystic Fibrosis
Bronchiectasis Lung Communities using Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction
Name: Hazel Ingram
Poster Abstract:
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is considered to be a major pathogen of respiratory disease and has been shown
to be highly correlated with advanced lung function decline. Investigations were therefore designed to
assess if high abundance of P. aeruginosa or even total bacterial load could be positively correlated with 36
exacerbated versus stable non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis patients. Pseudomonas aeruginosa burden
within the total community ranged between 1-99%. However P. aeruginosa burden was not significantly
correlated against exacerbated patient state. Although 80% of patients with P. aeruginosa burden >75% of
the total community were known as frequent exacerbators, frequent exacerbators were also highly
correlated against the lower P. aeruginosa abundances with no significant associations being made between
antibiotic history, condition at time of sampling, age, gender or aetiology. Samples were however only
collected at a single point in time. The current longitudinal study involving 71 patients (providing 3-5 samples
each) focuses on the comparison of patient health status and the change of bacterial load over 12 months to
assess again if higher P. aeruginosa abundance can be positively correlated with a stable versus exacerbated
condition.
98
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: A Dose-Ranging Study Of The Acute Effects Of 4 Mg And 12 Mg Of Astaxanthin On Cerebral
Blood Flow In The Pre-Frontal Cortex During Cognitive Task Completion In Healthy Young Adults
Name: Dr Philippa Jackson, Laura Botsford & Dr Crystall Haskell
Poster Abstract:
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of two doses of Astaxanthin (Ax), a carotenoid
pigment, on cerebral blood flow during cognitive performance in healthy young adults.
Method: Eleven healthy young adults (18-22 years) took part in this randomised, double-blind, placebocontrolled crossover study. Participants attended the lab on 3 occasions, separated by a week. The three
treatment arms were 4 mg and 12 mg Ax or placebo. During the study visit participants completed a
selection of cognitive tasks (20 mins) and were administered the intervention in capsule form along with
water and a glass of whole milk. Following a 45 minute absorption period parallel versions of the cognitive
tasks were completed. Cerebral oxygenation in the pre-frontal cortex was measured throughout the entire
assessment using NIRS.
Results: A pattern of reduced total and deoxygenated haemoglobin during cognitive task performance was
found following 12 mg Ax, compared to placebo. No effects were found on cognitive performance outcomes.
Conclusions: The mechanism(s) driving this effect on cerebral blood flow is unknown, however as Ax has
been shown to improve mitochondrial function, these results could be interpreted within the context of
increasing neural efficiency, therefore requiring fewer resources to maintain performance.
Poster Title: The involvement of visual and verbal representations within a quantitative and a qualitative
visual change detection task
Name: Laura Jenkins & Dr Colin Hamilton
Poster Abstract:
An original working memory model by Baddeley and Hitch (1974) suggested the separation of visual and
verbal systems in working memory, in which only visual working memory components are used during visual
memory tasks.
In more recent years, a contrasting approach has been developed with the use of an executive resource to
incorporate visual and verbal representations in visual working memory paradigms (Logie, 2011).
The aim of the current research is to investigate the working memory architecture of a quantitative and a
qualitative visual working memory task. Dual task methodologies will be used. Three secondary tasks will be
incorporated which are designed to target specific components within the working memory architecture –
Dynamic Visual Noise (visual components), Visual Attention (spatial components) and Verbal Attention
(verbal components).
A comparison of the two visual working memory tasks will be made to discover if verbal representations are
at use as previous research has suggested (Brown and Wesley, 2013). This direct comparison has not been
made previously in the literature.
Considerations will be made as to whether a domain specific approach could be employed when discussing
visual working memory tasks (Baddeley, 2012), or whether the opposing domain general approach could be
used (Logie, 2011).
99
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Personality and role model effects on career decision-making and career exploration amongst
young adults
Name: Lyndsey Jenkins & Debora Jeske
Poster Abstract:
Social networks play an increasingly important role not only for relationship building but also exploration of
one's career options. In this talk, we discuss the role of personality and role models in shaping and
influencing perceived career support, career urgency and occupational engagement. Using preliminary data
from a set of adolescents and young adults, we found that proactivity and career indecisiveness were
significant predictors of career agency. Having access to information informed career urgency and
engagement. Furthermore, access to role models online played a significant role in perceived career support
(the same was not true for having access to role models in your local area). Available instrumental and
emotional support in the personal environment also influences the likelihood with which individuals will
seek advice from experts online. The results suggest that while dispositional traits may shape career agency,
situational variables (e.g., access to role models online and information, home and online support) may also
play an important role in shaping perceived career support and urgency.
Poster Title: The bioavailability of tart Montmorency cherries (L. Prunus Cerasus) polyphenols and
modulation of vascular smooth muscle cells
Name: Karen Keane
Poster Abstract:
Tart Montmorency cherries are a functional food of growing interest, shown to be high in numerous
phytochemicals. This investigation examined the bioavailability of Montmorency cherries (MC) polyphenols
in humans and their influence on vascular smooth muscle cell behaviour. Twelve healthy males consumed
either 30 or 60 mL of MC in a randomized, crossover, dietary intervention trial. Blood plasma samples were
collected at baseline, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 8 h following ingestion. Plasma polyphenols with the potential to
modulate vascular function were analysed by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography with
diode array and mass spectrometric detection. Cell migration and proliferation were both assessed.
Chlorogenic acid was detected in the MC but not in the plasma. Protocatechuic acid and vanillic acid were
found in tact and most abundant in the plasma 1-2 h post initial ingestion with traces detectable at 8 h.
Despite the two different dosages, there were no differences observed between trials for any of the
compounds (p>0.05). Cell migration was influenced by both a combination of PCA and VA, but not in
isolation. These data show new information that vasoactive phenolic compounds are bioavailable in vivo
following MC consumption, and subsequently can influence cell behaviour.
100
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Sexual health professionals’ knowledge, beliefs and attitudes towards teenagers’ sexual
health: an exploratory study.
Name: Kerry Rylton, Dr Linda Little and Dr Michael Smith
Poster Abstract:
The amount of sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies in females under the age of 16
continues to be a problem in England (Office for National Statistics, 2014). Previous research has identified
that girls from lower socio-economic (SES) areas are more likely to contact sexually transmitted infections
(STIs) and have higher incidence of unplanned pregnancies, than girls from higher SES areas. However,
research on the predictors of risky sexual behaviours has found mixed results, with few studies investigating
the predictors collectively. The aim of this current study is to explore the predictors of risky sexual
behaviours for female teenagers. Sexual health professionals (Sexual health nurses, midwives and teachers)
took part in a semi-structured interview that investigated their knowledge, beliefs and attitudes of teenage
sexual health issues. During the interview, participants were asked to rank order the importance of the
predictors of risky sexual behaviours found from a comprehensive literature review. The results will be
analysed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Preliminary results are in line with the predictors
found in previous studies. The results should indicate which factors sexual health professionals believe are
the most important to predicting risky sexual behaviours and the sexual health issues teenagers are most
affected by. This is vital to understand so intervention programs can be designed effectively and tailored to
the most important predictors of risky sexual behaviours.
Poster Title: "Like" me or not: Impression management on social networks
Name: Alan Kirwan & Ruoyun Lin & Debora Jeske
Poster Abstract:
Social networking sites allow individuals to carefully manage their public persona and tailor how they
present themselves to and interact with different audiences. The current research focused on the extent to
which individuals engage in strategic behaviour on SNS. The study involved a pilot study and a main study. In
the pilot study, several qualitative interviews were conducted with social network users to identify motives
and personality traits that influence strategic behaviours. The results of the pilot study were then considered
in the content and design of a follow-up study. This follow-up study attempts to answer three generic
research questions using an online survey: a) does a social media user’s personality predict how likely s/he
will like controversial posts, b) is strategic liking of posts related to social media users' value and role models;
and c) is the extent to which self-presentation on social media are accurate also influenced by the
personality of users? The poster presents preliminary findings of the online survey and outlines suggestions
for future research.
101
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Working with Teenagers in Research and Participatory Design
Name: Dr Linda Little
Poster Abstract:
Engaging end-users in the research or participatory design process is vitally important. For example,
techniques that can be utilized when designing for and with adult and child populations have been
considered in detail within the field of HCI. However, far less attention has been given to working with
teenage populations throughout both processes. Teenagers will soon become the next generation of adults
and so it is vitally important the research and design communities understand their needs and preferences
when creating new technologies and products. The aims of the present work are to: i) briefly outline each of
the methods and techniques the authors have used when engaging in research and participatory design
sessions with teens; ii) summarise the key features in order to allow comparison between and assist the
method-selection decision-making process. We also reflect critically upon our practical experiences working
with teens and the lessons learned. Tentative guidelines are developed that inform best practice when
recruiting, designing and working with and for this unique population.
Poster Title: The psychophysiological impact of childhood autism on siblings.
Name: Dr Brian Lovell
Poster Abstract:
The negative impact of caring for a child with autism on parents’ psychophysiological functioning has been
widely evidenced. However, siblings, who also face tremendous social, physical and emotional challenges
associated with having a brother/sister with autism, have been less widely studied. This study examined the
psychophysiological impact of childhood autism on siblings with a view to identifying protective and risk
factors. A sample of 25 siblings of children with autism and 20 siblings of neuro-typical children completed
questionnaires assessing depression and social support. Salivary cortisol was collected at several time points,
and estimates of the cortisol awakening response (CAR), diurnal cortisol slope and mean diurnal output were
derived. Data indicated that siblings of children with autism reported greater depressive symptomology;
however, basal cortisol secretion failed to differentiate the groups. Support from parents and close friends
predicted depressive symptomology in autism siblings, as did behavior problems of their brother/sister with
autism. These findings might help inform the decisions of health care professionals as they relate to better
supporting siblings of children with autism, and their families.
Poster Title: Student nurse perceptions and experiences of learning about de-escalation.
Name: Janice MacKnight
Poster Abstract:
This poster reports research in progress, undertaken as part of a dissertation for an MA in Academic
Practice. It sets out to explore the perceptions and experiences of students learning about the subject of ‘deescalation’. Theoretically de-escalation enables students to be able to diffuse potentially aggressive
situations.
Literature indicates an increase in violence and aggression (NHS, 2005) against Learning disability (LD) and
mental health (MH) nurses who are identified as being at particular risk (Drach-Zahavy et al, 2012). Reasons
for this are complex, notably the current philosophy of care results in professionals working with people who
are acutely ill (DoH, 1999 and DoH, 2001). De-escalation is therefore a necessary skill for practitioners and
student nurses within Health and Social Care.
102
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Adopting an Interpretative Phenomenological Approach I have undertaken a small scale qualitative study.
As a practitioner researcher the design included a purposive sample of eight students. Data was collected
using 1-1 taped interviews considering three areas, students understanding and skills, the learning
environment and their feelings about de-escalation.
The poster will present the approach taken and some tentative findings, as well as providing an opportunity
to gain feedback from colleagues from a wider range of disciplines, which will inform the final report.
Poster Title: Student nurse perceptions and experiences of learning about de-escalation.
Name: Janice MacKnight
Poster Abstract:
This poster reports research in progress, undertaken as part of a dissertation for an MA in Academic
Practice. It sets out to explore the perceptions and experiences of students learning about the subject of ‘deescalation’. Theoretically de-escalation enables students to be able to diffuse potentially aggressive
situations.
Literature indicates an increase in violence and aggression (NHS, 2005) against Learning disability (LD) and
mental health (MH) nurses who are identified as being at particular risk (Drach-Zahavy et al, 2012). Reasons
for this are complex, notably the current philosophy of care results in professionals working with people who
are acutely ill (DoH, 1999 and DoH, 2001). De-escalation is therefore a necessary skill for practitioners and
student nurses within Health and Social Care.
Adopting an Interpretative Phenomenological Approach I have undertaken a small scale qualitative study.
As a practitioner researcher the design included a purposive sample of eight students. Data was collected
using 1-1 taped interviews considering three areas, students understanding and skills, the learning
environment and their feelings about de-escalation.
The poster will present the approach taken and some tentative findings, as well as providing an opportunity
to gain feedback from colleagues from a wider range of disciplines, which will inform the final report.
Poster Title: Heartbleed 2014: Studying information sharing and group influence using critical security
incidents
Name(s): Andrew McNeill & Debora Jeske
Poster Abstract:
We selected the “Heartbleed” leak in OpenSSL as a case study to study information sharing and group
influence. Heartbleed represented a critical incident similar to a health pandemic in that it caused a strong
public reaction and spurred people into action. Using a dataset of 91,414 tweets about Heartbleed, we
identified six key communities of influence (legal, financial, entrepreneurial, press, and IT professionals).
These groups participated to different degrees in the debate about Heartbleed, with the involvement of IT
professionals and the press group rising steadily. The network of the entrepreneurs and marketing appeared
to be the largest, suggesting a greater potential of these groups to influence the debate even though they
may be less knowledgeable about the Heartbleed risks. Our analyses further indicated that retweeted
websites were more often than not regular news sites or news sites that emphasised IT news. IT sites were
less often shared, possibly because these sites were aimed at experts rather than the general public. This
suggests that in the absence of international authorities, IT professionals are an important source of
information, although they are not necessarily the most proactive group trying to educate the general
public. The results have implications for which groups may be able to lead but also support future
information campaigns most effectively.
103
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Using Twitter to understand pandemic-flu communications
Name(s): Dr Andrew McNeill, Professor Pam Briggs & Peter Harris
Poster Abstract:
The role of Twitter and social media sites has complicated public health communication during pandemics.
The authoritative voice of public health bodies is increasingly challenged by anti-vaccination campaigners
and there is a democratisation of influence. Taking the case of the 2009-10 H1N1 pandemic in the UK, we
explore the evaluation of health information spread through Twitter at the time. We consider general
content, evaluation of press releases and barriers and facilitators to vaccine and antiviral uptake during the
pandemic. We show the utility of analysing Twitter to understand the spread of influential information, the
main concerns that people have surrounding vaccination and how trust is a key issue.
Poster Title: Using the Child and Adolescent Intellectual Disability Screening Questionnaire (CAIDS-Q) to
estimate IQ in children with low intellectual ability
Name: Professor Karen McKenzie
Poster Abstract:
There are occasions where it is necessary to obtain an estimate of the intellectual functioning (IQ) of a child,
but where completing a full intellectual assessment is not possible or desirable. There has been limited
research in the use of such measures in children with an intellectual disability. The present study aimed to
evaluate whether a quick screening tool, the Child and Adolescent Intellectual Disability Screening
Questionnaire (CAIDS-Q) offered an accurate means of estimated IQ in this group of children. A series of
linear regression analyses were conducted on data from 428 children and young people referred to clinical
services, where FSIQ was predicted from CAIDS-Q total scores. Analyses were conducted for three age
groups between ages 6 and 18 years.
The results indicate that the CAIDS-Q may offer a quick means of estimating intellectual functioning in
children with a below average IQ, but that it should be used with caution in children aged between 6 and 8
years old.
Poster Title: Assessing Organisational Culture within a Federated Model of General Practice
Name: Jill Mitchell
Poster Abstract:
An assessment of organisational culture was undertaken of a newly formed Federation of GP Practices in
West Northumberland using the Denison Organisational Culture Survey. The survey was undertaken as one
strand of data collection within a mixed methods organisational case study. The purpose of the research is to
explore one example of a GP Federated through an organisational development lens, both from a business
perspective and leadership perspective to identify the leadership challenges that present in pursuing this
organisational venture. This research addresses a knowledge gap in relation to how General Practices are
responding to external forces and changing NHS health policy in England by establishing alternative
organisational models to the traditional model of independent practices; and exploring whether a federated
model presents a viable organisational form. The survey assessed organisational culture against four
behavioural Traits aligned to areas organisational performance (Adaptability, Mission, Involvement,
Consistency). Survey results indicated organisational strengths within the areas of Organisational Learning
and Creating Change and development opportunities within areas of Customer Focus (customer
conceptualisation). Further analysis was undertaken of the functional groups of personnel surveyed
104
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
identifying significantly differing perspectives between the Clinician cohort and the Manager cohort. These
findings will be examined further through interview and focus group discussion.
Poster Title: Situational Analysis: Its use in reflexivity, reviewing the literature and preparing for data
collection.
Name: Sarah Morey
Poster Abstract:
Drawing on the experiences of the author this paper will describe and debate the use of situational analysis
as a technique for enhancing reflexivity. Situational analysis as a methodological approach aims to capture
the complexities within data collection and analysis through cartographic representation (Clarke 2005). The
researcher has adapted this cartographic approach to record and to develop her reflexivity through a series
of maps positioning various stages in the research process.
Reflexivity is an essential component of qualitative research, facilitating what is known, but also how we
come to know it (Alvesson &Sköldberg, 2009). Contemporary qualitative research is recognised as co
constituted with participants, researcher and the relationship between (Finlay, 2003). The researcher does
however bring many assumptions and experiences that may have influence on the research process.
Prior to data collection the researcher recognised she had preconceived ideas, beliefs and understanding
gained from prior work, life experiences and from the literature. She then applied a situational analysis
mapping technique to record her initial position. Subsequent mapping continued and will progress as the
literature review develops and the researcher becomes further sensitised to her area of research. The
employment of a software tool (Mind Genius™) has allowed for an auditable trail of the researcher’s
changing position.
This early reflexive activity has helped ensure that the researcher’s thoughts, beliefs and understandings are
opened up prior to and throughout the literature review, data collection and analysis activity. In
concordance with Clarkes (2005) view, the researcher can therefore become more visible and accountable
for, in and through the research process.
Poster Title: What is the perspective of service users on the process of informed consent for participation
in clinical research?
Name: Nwanyieze Nwali
Poster Abstract:
Informed consent is identified as the heart of ethical research (DOH, 2001 & 2005). The UK DOH national
strategy puts patients at the centre of all NHS related activity, including all aspects of the research process.
In particular, the national strategy emphasised the importance of involving patients, carers and the public at
all stages of the research process (DOH, 2006). With the recognition that informed consent is at the heart of
ethical research practice, the process of informed consent deservedly has since attracted utmost
deliberations during the Research Ethics Committee meetings (Snooks et al 2012; Knowles et al, 2009;
Smajdor et al, 2009; Reynolds, 2006; Alshahi, 2005; Hearnshaw, 2004; Maskell et al, 2002; Smith, 1998).
However, despite the rigorous ethics review exercises, there is on-going concern that the unrelenting REC
review process is rather subjecting medical research to unparalleled difficulties resulting to delays in kickstarting valuable research studies. Contrarily, expert opinions assert that most research participants remain
unable to neither understand nor recall essential study information about studies in which they have signed
to take part. However it remains unclear of what component or combinations of components influences
such non-operational outcome. The purpose of this project is to explore the service users’ perspectives on
the process of informed consent for participation in clinical research. Design: This study is a naturalistic
inquiry using constructivist methodology. Data collection & Analysis: Data will be collected by semi105
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
structured individual interviews. Colaizzi Six Stage Model of Qualitative data analysis will be utilized to
analyse data by content and thematic analysis.
Poster Title: Using a constructivist grounded theory to understand Factors that influences young women’s
participation in the cervical cancer screening
Name: Mabel Okoeki
Poster Abstract:
In spite of the success of the cervical screening programme there is still a significant decline in the
proportion of young women attending for screening. Understanding factors influencing participation would
help in creating age specific interventions aimed at increasing participation.
This study aims to investigate participation and non-participation of cervical screening among young women
aged 25-34years living in the North East of England.
Constructivist grounded theory method/techniques were utilized in the conduct of the study. Participants
were recruited purposively and theoretically within a cross section of communities and individuals across the
North East. Data collection was through semi structured face to face interviews and 2 focus groups. A total
of 28 participants took part in the study, 16 in the focus groups and 12 in the interviews
The study is in its analysis stage (early stages) and themes are emerging from cultural factors, personal
factors to practical factors. Analysis are been done by organization of data into codes, themes, and
categories through Nvivo and Mind Genius software.
The findings from this study are expected to inform practice and service provision through specific
recommendations that could be useful in the development of age appropriate interventions to increase
uptake of the screening within the North East of England.
Poster Title: Adherence To ARVS Among Young People Aged 15-24 In Kenya.
Name: Jecinta Okumu
Poster Abstract:
Adherence to anti-retroviral (ARV) is still considered the best option of managing HIV/AIDS. This study looks
at young peoples’ experiences of ARVs within the changing discourse of HIV, as they make transition into
adulthood. The main objective is to explore factors that influence adherence to ARV’s among young people
aged between 15-24 years. The research employs systems thinking and uses the PEN-3 model and social
ecological theory to understand factors that influence adherence to ARVs. An ethnographical study of our
lady of perpetual support organisation (OLPS) was conducted through 10 in-depth interviews with the staff
and 33 interviews with young people accessing services for HIV care.
From the preliminary findings, perceived stigmatisation played a major role in adherence. Similarly,
disclosure of one’s HIV status is fundamental in influencing adherence. Acceptance of one’s positive status
also played a big role in adherence
Issues of violence arising from testing and disclosure also influenced adherence especially among those in
sexual relationships. The need and longing to establish loving relationships and avoiding rejection by the
prospective partner also influenced adherence. In conclusion, factors influencing adherence are numerous
and the need to involve the young people in making a plan for their continued care is crucial.
106
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Inter-Professional Learning in Adult Critical Care
Name: Vikki Park
Poster Abstract:
The main aim of the PhD research is to understand Inter-Professional Learning (IPL) occurring within the
specific culture of Adult Critical Care.
The research is multi-sited and will occur in 3 NHS Hospitals within the North East of England. It will use
focused ethnography, with partial participant observation and interviewing, to develop a rich description of
the Inter-Professional Learning culture in adult critical care clinical practice. To understand in-depth critical
care practitioners’ perceptions and experiences of IPL, and to identify which factors are perceived to
promote or inhibit effective Inter-Professional Learning, health care staff will be observed within the clinical
setting of Adult Critical Care. Four occupational groups have been chosen, as a result of their prominence
within the clinical setting, to also partake in semi-structured interviews.
The research is currently undergoing ethical approval with the R&D departments within the 3 identified NHS
Trusts and the doctorate is scheduled for completion at the end of December 2017.
Poster Title: A novel culture medium for recovery of rapidly-growing mycobacteria from the sputum of
patients with cystic fibrosis
Name: Clair Preece
Poster Abstract:
Background. Isolation of mycobacteria from the sputum of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is challenging due to
overgrowth of other bacteria and fungi. Burkholderia cepacia selective agar (BCSA) has been recommended
as an effective alternative for the isolation of rapidly-growing, non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). A novel
selective culture medium was evaluated for the isolation of rapidly-growing NTM from the sputum of CF
patients.
Methods. A total of 115 isolates of NTM, 98 other bacteria and fungi were inoculated onto RGM medium
and assessed for growth. A total of 502 sputum samples from 210 CF patients, were cultured onto both RGM
medium and BCSA and incubated for 10 days.
Results. Of 115 isolates of RGM all but one grew well on RGM medium, whereas 94% of other bacteria and
fungi were inhibited. A total of 55 sputum samples yielded NTM using a combination of both RGM and BCSA.
NTM were recovered from 54 samples using RGM medium compared with only 17 using BCSA. A total of 419
isolates of non-mycobacteria were recovered on BCSA compared with 46 on RGM medium.
Conclusions. RGM medium offers a simple and effective culture method for the isolation of rapidly-growing
mycobacteria from sputum samples from patients with CF without decontamination of samples.
Poster Title: Glucose and the wandering mind: Not paying attention or simply out of fuel
Name: Dr Leigh Riby
Poster Abstract:
Rationale/Objectives: The impact of raising glycaemia by ingestion of a glucose drink has revealed cognitive
facilitation, particularly for memory and attention. This study aimed to extend current knowledge by
examining, for the first time, whether glucose load also moderates task-related (TRT) and task-unrelated
thoughts (TUT) during activities that vary in their requirement for sustained attention. Method: A 2 (25g
glucose vs placebo) by 2(fast vs slow version of the Sustained Attention to Response Task - SART) repeated
measures, counterbalanced design was used with 16 healthy adults. Self-report questionnaires probed
participants’ levels of TRT and TUT during SART performance. Prior to testing the Short Imaginal Processes
107
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Inventory (SIPI) was also administered to help pinpoint the nature of thought processes during the task
before and after treatment. Results: Analysis of Variance revealed no significant effect of treatment;
however, we report a pattern of results that is consistent with glucose facilitation effects on task accuracy
for more demanding attention tasks (d=0.56). Additionally, glucose improved the monitoring and task
reflection as measured by TRT (d=0.33) in the more demanding task but no effect on TUT. Probing the nature
of thought processes further, we also report two novel correlations (in the placebo) between fears of failure
(indexed by the SIPI) and the number of TUT episodes and perceived poor attention control (indexed by the
SIPI) and number of TUT and speculate that glucose may act to buffer against TUT episodes. Conclusions:
These data extend previous research examining the glucose facilitation effect to the processing of internal
thought processes.
Poster Title: If women are from Venus are they aliens in the Criminal Justice System? A closer encounter
for women with an Intellectual Disability’
Name: Angela Ridley
Poster Abstract:
There are 1.5 million people in Britain with an ID (Emerson, 2011), this is around 2% of the population; an ID
is an umbrella term used to describe individuals with varying degrees of impairment of intellectual and social
functioning (Watson 2012). People with ID are recognised as being at a disadvantage when coming into
contact with the criminal justice system (CJS) (Murphy & Clare, 2009). It is known that between 5 and 10% of
adults who offend has an ID, compared to just over 2% of the general population (DoH 2001). People with an
ID live longer, more fulfilled lives than ever before because of advances in science and care. Whilst this is
welcome we must ensure the English legal system is fit for purpose to those vulnerable in society who may
need to rely on the accuracy and support of the process involved in any legal process/trial.
This study will listen to the lived experiences and make available materials to improve the experience. This
project aims to explore the experiences of women who have (ID) in the criminal justice system (CJS). Mainly
to address any problems that has occurred,then illustrate the shortfall in knowledge that the women may
have, as well as professionals involved.
Poster Title: The use of normalised and non-normalised data for multivariate statistical analysis of textile
fibres in forensic science
Name: Rory Simmons
Poster Abstract:
Textile fibres are often encountered within forensic case work, particularly in crimes such as robbery, sexual
assault and kidnapping. The interpretation of textile fibre evidence is currently a subjective process, which
can occasionally lead to disagreement between experts as to whether or not a particular fibre(s) originated
from a putative source. This work builds on previous work to develop a more objective way of comparing
textile fibres by using statistical multivariate analysis. In this study, the effect of using normalised or nonnormalised data when performing multivariate statistical analysis on spectra obtained by UV-Vis methods
was investigated using principle component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA). This work
was performed using acrylic fibres, which due to their synthetic nature show little variation in colour. Further
work aims to include natural fibres which tend to show larger colour variation to determine if these results
are applicable to both textile fibre types. The results of this study show that when performing PCA that no
difference was observed in the ability of MVA to differentiate groups of textile fibres. However when
performing LDA, using normalised data tended to show a higher correct classification rate compared to using
non-normalised data.
108
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Routine molecular subgrouping of medulloblastoma: Bridging the divide between research
and the clinic using low-cost DNA methylomics
Name: Dr Ed Schwalbe
Poster Abstract:
DNA-methylation patterns allow the subclassification of medulloblastoma, the most common childhood
malignant brain tumour, into four molecular subgroups, which have distinct clinico-pathological features;
their distinction informs treatment decisions and risk-stratification. Current methods to assign subgroup are
limited by expense, sample quality requirements and practicality. We aimed to develop a low-cost, robust
assay suitable for routine subclassification using scant/poor-quality samples. A minimal methylation
signature was derived to assign subgroup using DNA-methylation array data and subgroup calls from 253
medulloblastomas. A cross-validated machine-learning classifier was developed to assign subgroup using
these loci. We next investigated whether bisulfite treatment of DNA could induce methylation-dependent
SNPs suitable for multiplexed interrogation of methylation status, using an adaptation of Sequenom's iPlex
assay. Multiplexed primer-mixes were designed and quantitation validated using molar-ratios of bisulfitetreated methylated:unmethylated DNA. Subsequently, the assay was run on 101 DNA extracts from freshfrozen and paraffin-fixed samples. Subgroup assignments by Sequenom assay were compared to gold
standard methylation-array calls. Validation using molar-ratios of methylated:unmethylated DNA
demonstrated close concordance between methylation-ratios and Sequenom methylation estimates at all
loci. Subsequently, 95/103 (92%) medulloblastomas tested were assigned with high confidence to the same
subgroup by both Sequenom and methylation-array assays.
Medulloblastomas can be routinely subgrouped using minimal DNA-methylation signatures. The assay is
suitable for reliable, robust subgroup assignation from poor-quality, degraded samples and its low-cost and
3 day turnaround demonstrate its potential for routine use. This first demonstration of multiplexed,
methylation-based subtyping holds rich promise for future molecular subclassification and prognostication
across diverse tumour types.
Poster Title: Understanding preferences for internet based food safety information: UK and USA consumer
perspectives on unpasteurised milk
Name: Dr Liz Sillence
Poster Abstract:
The internet has become an increasingly important way of communicating with consumers about food risk
information. However, relatively little is known about how consumers evaluate and come to trust the
information they encounter online. Taking the example of unpasteurised or raw milk this paper explores UK
and USA consumers’ trust factors in relation to online information about the risks and benefits of raw milk
consumption. A total of 41 people (24 in Ohio, USA) took part in a 2.5 hour Internet café style session.
Participants were invited to search freely for information about milk consumption and then to view a
number of pre-determined websites chosen for their different trust markers. All participants then took part
a group discussion. Results indicated that both sets of consumers were interested in the source credibility
and overall balance of the websites. UK participants favoured UK sites over US sites and older consumers
were less concerned about the design look and feel of online information in comparison with other
participants. Overall the results show the importance of consumers’ pre-existing knowledge. The impact of
this on search level sophistication, interrogation of website information and assessment of different trust
markers is discussed.
109
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Learning with physical manipulation
Name: Larry Taylor
Short-sightedness, emotions, and cognitive short-cuts notoriously guide human decision making; this is
especially the case for mathematical and economic thinking, as slow, rational processes are often insufficient
to appropriately guide our decisions (Kahneman, 2011). Our data show that visual and manipulable learning
materials can improve learning and decision making for such abstract domains, relative to more
conventional educational interventions. How do visually-dynamic stimuli and physical manipulation of
materials improve the learning of novel economic concepts?
Poster Title: Mind over muscle? Central and peripheral contributions to fatigue after constant-load cycling
exercise
Name: Dr Kevin Thomas, Dr Stuart Goodall & Dr Glyn Howatson
In the exercise sciences, fatigue is defined as an exercise-induced impairment in the ability to produce force
in the presence of an increased perception of effort. The cause of fatigue can be broadly split into
mechanisms that are central (central nervous system (CNS)) or peripheral (at the muscle) in origin. The type
of fatigue experienced after exercise is dependent, to a large extent, on the nature of the task. For selfpaced exercise modes we recently showed shorter duration, higher intensity exercise elicits greater muscle
fatigue in comparison to lower intensity, longer duration exercise where fatigue of the central nervous
system is exacerbated (Thomas et al., 2015). We hypothesised this difference in the profile of fatigue could
be explained by differences in the intensity of the trials, and this presentation will present data from a
recent study in our laboratory that explicitly tests this hypothesis.
Poster Title: The effects of pre-exercise supplementation with a vitamin and mineral complex with
guaraná on affect, exertion, cognitive performance and substrate metabolism: a randomized controlled
trial
Name: Dr Rachel Veasey
This placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomised, balanced cross-over study examined the effect of a
vitamin and mineral complex containing guaraná (MVM+G) consumed prior to morning exercise on cognitive
performance, affect, exertion and substrate metabolism. Forty active males (age 21.4 ± 3.0 y, BMI 24.0 ± 2.4
kg/m2, V� O2 max 57.6 ± 7.3 l/min/kg) completed two main trials. Supplementation prior to exercise led to a
small but significant reduction in RPE during exercise compared to placebo. The MVM+G combination also
led to significantly increased accuracy of numeric working memory and increased speed of picture
recognition, compared to placebo. There were no significant effects of supplementation on any other
cognitive or mood measures or on substrate metabolism during exercise. These findings demonstrate that
consuming a vitamin and mineral complex containing guaraná, prior to exercise, can positively impact
subsequent memory performance and reduce perceived exertion during a moderate-intensity run in active
males.
110
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
Poster Title: Exploring the Daily Functioning of Older Adults with Chronic Pain; Findings from the
Sensecam.
Name: Dr Gemma Wilson
Chronic pain often interferes with multiple aspects of daily living. This study aimed to explore day-to-day
patterns of functioning and experiences of older adults living with chronic pain. Thirteen older adults (65+
years) living in the community with chronic pain (pain lasting >3 months) took part in the study. Individuals
took part in the study for a period of 7 days in which they completed a daily diary and also wore a Sensecam.
The Sensecam is a wearable camera that continuously captures images during use and is worn on a lanyard,
resting on the user’s chest. Participants also took part in a semi-structured interview in order to gather
contextual information regarding pain, activity and daily functioning. Analysis of the data identified four
important functional domains; household tasks, exercise, travel and spending time with others. These tasks
were often modified, reduced or terminated as a result of chronic pain. The Sensecam allowed novel, indepth data surrounding daily functioning to be gathered, increasing knowledge of the daily
111
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
EXHIBIT
Raising the Profile of Occupational Therapy
Name(s): Dr Dawn Drury, Lelanie Brewer, Stephanie Whittington; Gemma Bradley.
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Abstract:
This exhibit is a composite of the research topics, expertise and potential within the Occupational Therapy
programme team and students. Examples of recent research studies will demonstrate the range and
potential of research projects that benefit from an occupational therapy/science perspective.
Information on work by programme staff will include:
 A systematic review of the evidence of the use of weighted vests to improve attention
and concentration in children with developmental disorders.
 Mental Health Crisis Resolution as Human Occupation – a political & professional discourse.
 Rehabilitation potential of older people admitted to an acute hospital - exploring the decision
making process of health professionals
In addition, an overview of MSc OT (pre-registration) student research topics will illustrate the range and
multi-disciplinary potential of occupational science/therapy focused research.
The whole exhibit will be framed around the recent Guardian Newspaper article 'Punching above their
weight’: the impact of occupational therapists (February 2015).
112
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
CONFERENCE INFORMATION FOR DELEGATES
Badges
Name badges are issued at registration.
Conference Bags
Your Conference Bag includes a copy of the programme, note pad and pen and other research related
materials that you should find useful.
Lunch
Packed lunch for delegates who have registered for the full day. Please collect yours from the Ground Floor
of City Campus East building 2.
Parallel Sessions
The programme is divided into three parallel sessions on each day and will take place in the lecture theatres
on the ground floor. Delegates are kindly requested to proceed to their chosen presentations as quickly as
possible. It is possible to attend a mix of presentations across each session and delegates are not restricted
to remaining for the complete session.
Questions and Debates
There will be plenty of opportunities to pose questions to the speakers and contributors. Please consider
those with hearing difficulties and wait for the microphone to reach you (where used).
Conference Staff
Should you require any assistance of information during the Conference, please speak to a member of
conference staff who will be able to help you. Conference Staff and organisers will be easily identifiable.
Mobile Phones
Out of courtesy to other speakers and delegates, please ensure that your mobile phone and portable devices
are switched to silent.
113
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
NOTES
114
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
NOTES
115
#NUresearch15
Northumbria Research Conference 2015
NOTES
116