News
Institute for Social Sciences Research (ISSR) newsletter - May 8 2020
Our ISSR newsletter from May 8 2020, including a message from the ISSR co-directors, items on ISSR engagement, research, impact
Published on 8 May 2020
Message from the ISSR co-directors
Due to coronavirus (Covid-19), many of the events we were looking forward to hosting were cancelled/postponed. We have had to rethink the extensive programme of activity for this semester.
This is unfortunate, because there was a real sense that ISSR was taking off before the lockdown. We hope to re-activate the annual ISSR Forum, Global Scholar Programme and IIG funded events as soon as we can and will keep you informed.
We are also working with web and marketing colleagues on a re-design of the webpage, providing more space for content and better navigation making it easier to find information. We hope to share this with you soon.
In the meantime, we are working to ensure that ISSR maintains its momentum online and continues to act as a forum that brings together researchers across the member schools: Business, Education and Social Work, Health Sciences, and Social Sciences. Already, we have arranged a number of events:
- Social Sciences Research in the time of coronavirus (Covid-19): Challenges and ways forward
- Positioning urban policy at the foreground of innovation in urban studies/science, Professor Sue Parnell, University of Bristol
- Funding panel with RIS – Connecting with the current funding landscape
- Immigration and Refugee Issues – a View of/from Germany, Prof Philip Anderson, Regensburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany.
These have been attended beyond expectations with people across our research community adapting well to the new mode of delivery and engagement.
This communication sets out news and forthcoming events so please do look out for and try and support these if you can. And, if there is anything ISSR can do to support you, your ideas, over this period then please let us know.
We are looking forward to seeing you at future events.
ISSR co-directors
Professors Mark Smith; Volker Roeben; Judith Sixsmith; Dr Ed Hall and Stephanie Schreven
ISSR Seminar Series
You can now revisit recent seminars in Stream
High profile speaker recommendation for next session 20/21. We invite speakers in October and early December 2020 and Feb to May 2021.
If you have a suggestion, please send in your recommendations by COMMS channel, email or DM.
Having an Impact on Policy: A Practical Guide
The next panel is on Wednesday 20 May at 2pm, led by Nick Bibby, Director Scottish Policy and Research Exchange.
Researchers have an opportunity to influence the world of government policy in a number of ways but often it seems as if doing so is restricted to a select few.
This session will scotch a few myths and offer a few suggestions on how to get you research noticed by policymakers. The discussion will be led by Nick Bibby, director of the Scottish Policy & Research Exchange.
ISSR Engagement
ISSR Channel on Teams
Join the ISSR community on MS Teams where you will have access to information on your research related activities
To join, simply click on 'create or join team' and enter the code e2wv1jf
The next drop in session will be :
21 May 2-4pm
Whilst there is no face to face activity at present, I am available to facilitate and arrange online events. Please contact ISSR via [email protected] on Teams anytime on the above dates for a chat and find out how ISSR can support you.
Research and Impact
Fascinating research on the impact of making art together with young children age 0-3
Art at the Start. This project led by Josephine Ross and Vicky Armstrong, Psychology, looks at the impact arts participation can have upon the social well-being of young children and how shared art experiences may help to build strong attachment relationships. Find out more about the project.
£9.5m Healthy Ageing Social, Behavioural & Design Research Programme
Dr Orla Kelly (RIS), received confirmation from Research Director (Prof Judith Phillips in Stirling), that the above call is going live on 14th May.
The focus of the call is not changing in relation to COVID, however this is a really good opportunity to define the new and improved normal post-COVID, with so many relevant themes.
The call is shaped around the Healthy Ageing Challenge Framework, covering the following seven themes:
- Sustaining physical activity
- Maintaining health at work
- Designing for age-friendly homes
- Managing common complaints of ageing
- Living well with cognitive impairment
- Supporting social connections
- Creating healthy and active places
Feminist Researchers & Teaching Network - University of Dundee
A new network has been established. Please read the brief below. If you are interested please express your interest by emailing [email protected]. We have already had an extraordinary response which is heartening for the profile of feminist research and teaching at Dundee.
The Feminist Researchers & Teaching Network is an independent network that brings together researchers, teachers and PhD students at the University of Dundee working across the arts, health sciences, education, social work, medicine, design, law, life sciences, humanities, social and political sciences. The Network provides a platform for debate on sex and gender, feminist politics, including intersecting power relations such as race, global peripheries, class, age, disability/ableism, religion and sexuality through hosting seminars, supporting visiting scholars, doctoral scholarship and curriculum development. We are committed to viewpoint diversity.
The Feminist Researchers & Teaching Network aims to develop a stronger feminist research and teaching presence at the University of Dundee along with increased visibility and collegiality through promoting teaching and research collaborations that centre feminist analysis and the status of women and girls in the work that we do.
British Academy COVID-19 Funding Call
The British Academy announced a call for humanities and social sciences researchers to bring their specific insights to bear on the global health pandemic resulting from COVID-19.
Across health, social, economic, cultural and environmental impacts, the COVID-19 pandemic affects individuals, communities, and society in the UK and globally. The economic, social and cultural effects are far reaching. Deadline 27 May 2020.
UKRI have developed a list of research questions which they are particularly interest in seeing addressed, these will be regularly updated.
SPRE are launching a KE Networkhttps://www.ukri.org/files/research-questions-for-covid-19/
The Brokerage is a network of academic and administrative staff at Scottish HEIs who have an interest in policy engagement.
Calling knowledge brokers at Scottish universities & research centres. Its aims to respond to urgent requests from policymakers and equip researchers to work with the policy community.
More on the Scottish Policy and Research Exchange
Publishing news
Latest blog for SGSSS by Roeland Hempsteede (PhD candidate Geography and Environmental Sciences)
If you are thinking about doing an internship during your PhD, read Roeland's experience of working as a consulting intern in Nepal.
Prof Colin Reid, Law participated in a 1st meeting of the Demystifying Decoupling Advisory Group by Zero Waste Scotland
'How to achieve a stronger economy & society without ever-increasing degradation of natural resources and the environment'.
Prof Nick Fyfe tells us more about how the School of Social Sciences and University of Dundee work with Dundee City to make key decisions.
The video can be seen on YouTube.
Newly announced
COVID-19 and its impact in Latin America
The Latin American Society (LAS) at the University of Dundee and the Centre for Research and Teaching in Economics (CIDE) in Mexico warmly invite you to the academic talk via ZOOM "COVID 19 and its impact in Latin America: Experience in Mexico"
Friday 15 May | 17:00- 16:15 BST, 11:00- 12-15 UTC-5.
This event will be in English.
ESW Peripheries Research Seminars 2020
Wed 27 May 1- 2.30pm
Ableism – New Ways of Thinking about human difference, New methodologies, New Insights
Please contact Prof Fiona Campbell for more details on the Peripheries research programme.
We are always happy to share and promote information from our research community so don't hesitate to contact ISSR if you think we can help. Send your content by 4pm on Thursdays or upload in the ISSR Comms channel.
If you know anyone who would like to receive information please ask them to contact ISSR to be added to the distribution list.