RESEARCH STAFF PROJECT FUND
Name: Virginia Gould, Vikki Wylde
Email: v.c.gould@bristol.ac.uk
Department: Academic Rheumatology, CSNB
Telephone no: 959 6187
Project Title:
Research for beginners: a series of seminars aimed at disseminating research and scientific
principles to non-scientists, health care staff and junior researchers.
Project Aim:
To disseminate knowledge of research methods, statistical terminology, critical analysis of research
and the basic concepts specific to various disciplines amongst researchers, health care professionals
and support staff. To give researchers early in their careers the opportunity to present their work to
non-experts, and practice communicating their research to a lay audience.
Method:
A series of bi-monthly lunchtime interactive workshops conducted by research staff and/or PhD
students and open to all university and NHS staff, to be held at the Department of Clinical Science @
North Bristol. In the first two sessions, Wendy Bertram will address how to interpret information from
clinical and scientific research, including understanding of statistical terms and study designs in
‘Assessing information about scoliosis treatments found on the internet’, while Martin Figgitt will talk
about ‘Genetics and orthopaedic research’, and will impart basic understanding of genetics and cell
signalling. Further meetings will cover other subjects offered by researchers willing to present
workshops and/or requested by the participants. Feedback on the workshops will be sought by the
use of questionnaires to be completed by participants at the end of each session.
Outcome:
For researchers and other presenters, a chance to gain experience of communicating science to
non-scientists and to specialists in other fields. For everyone, an opportunity to learn about scientific
methodology and ways of analysing information, and a grounding in clinical and biological
fundamentals in specialisms other than their own. Support staff and health care professionals can
benefit from increased understanding of research methods and interpretation of results. Initial
enquiries among research nurses, physiotherapists and administrative staff have shown that there is
a lot of interest in these sessions..
Expenditure:
We would anticipate holding 6 meetings over the course of a year, at a total cost of £1390
How will the project fit around your current workload? Will you need assistance from Staff Development?
Inviting members, dealing with email lists and creating contact lists will take no longer than a couple of hours to set up
and will be regularly updated. This can easily be managed by current research staff (GG, VW), with the help of an
administrator (0.5 days/meeting). These meetings will be of substantial benefit to us, so the meeting time would be
considered part of our usual research activities.
The project will probably aim to achieve some of the following. Please indicate which ones are applicable to
your project and the benefits:
Develop transferable skills of RS:
Research staff would be encouraged to present sessions on their own subjects, therefore gaining experience in
communicating their work to a non-scientific audience. This would also encourage reflective learning and revisiting basic
concepts that may be taken for granted. esearch staff would also gain the benefits of gaining understanding of methods
and background knowledge in fields other than their own.
Improve morale/motivation of RS:
Research staff will benefit from communicating their work to a non-expert audience, and from the increased
understanding of what other research staff are achieving in their projects.
Improve communication within the department:
This will lead to increased contact between both researchers and other staff and an increased understanding and
awareness of the roles played by research staff. Engaging NHS health care staff in research would be advantageous to
the department as it is a clinically based department.
Benefit a group of RS instead of an individual:
Meetings would be open to all, and all research staff, particularly those in the early stages of their careers, would be
encouraged to actively participate in presenting sessions.
Is there any inter-departmental collaboration?:
Potentially – members of other departments would be welcome to attend meetings, and we would strongly encourage
researchers from other departments to take part in presenting sessions. Information about these sessions, and
invitations to present sessions will be disseminated to other departments and research groups via email and networking.
Are there other benefits and if so what are they?:
This could potentially lead to increased job satisfaction amongst support staff and healthcare workers through an
increased awareness of why and how research is performed.
Rationale for funding request:
Administrator –6 x 0.5 days = £400
Advertising the meetings – no cost for email using existing UoB and NHS channels. Printing posters and flyers £30.
Meeting space – no cost; University rooms, such as the seminar room in the Lifeline Centre, Southmead, would be used.
Light lunch for attendees for estimated 30 people @ £150 per meeting £900 total
Photocopying of notes and handouts from presentations – per meeting estimate 30 people@ £10 = £60
Total £1390
APPLICATION MUST NOT BE LONGER THAN THIS A4 PAGE. PLEASE DO NOT ADJUST FONT SIZE
APPLICATION MUST NOT BE LONGER THAN THIS A4 PAGE. PLEASE DO NOT ADJUST FONT SIZE