THE NEWSLETTER FOR OUR RESEARCH COMMUNITY RESEARCH FORUM Volume 8 Issue 1, March 2012 REF 201 4 What it means to you

PLUS TACKLING GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY GAUGING GREEN PROGRESS | SHELTER AFTER DISASTER RESEARCH FORUM VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1

CONTENTS 3 Welcome 4 Research news 6 Research fast forward REF Knowledge transfer achievements 10 A nation’s human rights 201 4 responsibilities versus its What it means to you economic interests 15 Rebuilding higher education in Iraq and Kurdistan 11 The Brookes contribution 16 Gauging green progress 7 8 in the built environment Tackling global Providing 21 Are carbon emission responsibility shelter after assessments as accurate Start small, think big disaster as we think? Time for a re-think 22 Meeting the information needs of charity trustees This issue and back 18 copies of Research 23 Exploring our responsibility Forum are available at to the natural environment Electric vehicle www.brookes.ac.uk/ development about/publications/ through art research Meeting an auto industry responsibility

Research Forum , the research magazine The University accepts no responsibility for Co-ordinated by Louise Wood, Research of Oxford Brookes University, is published the content of any material in Research Forum . and Business Development Office. twice a year. Readers should note in particular that the Edited, designed and published by inclusion of news and editorial items does Contributions are welcome from all sections Creative Services, not imply endorsement by the University of of the University and should be sent to: Oxford Brookes University. the matters reported or the views expressed. [email protected] We reserve the right to edit contributions before publication and to refuse editorial items.

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Hello and welcome ... To March 2012’s edition of Research Forum , the University’s magazine that showcases our current research.

n this issue we explore how the fourth of our green issues (p16 and 21). The Sustainable research themes, Global Responsibility , Vehicle Engineering Centre is working towards is being tackled at Brookes. Protecting the bringing electric cars to the mass market Iworld’s resources and safe-guarding our (p18), while the School of Art is using art to planet for future generations is a huge shed light on our responsibilities towards the collective responsibility - for individuals, the natural environment (p23). world of business and academia amongst Finally, we feature a guide to the impact others. But what does Global Responsibility assessment element of the forthcoming really entail? Research Excellence Framework 2014 (p11). Brookes’ researchers are leading the way This will provide you with useful information in answering this central question. Two articles for this vital assessment which will help to here illustrate how our Centre for Development determine our research funding allocation and Emergency Practice is exploring how for years to come. to improve the world’s response to humanitarian disasters (p8) as well as the I hope you find this issue a stimulating read. art of using small steps to bring about big change (p7). Crucial research taking place here at Brookes is looking at various ways in which the Alistair Fitt, Pro Vice-Chancellor, built environment is measuring progress on Research and Knowledge Transfer

3 RESEARCH FORUM VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1 4RESEARCH NEWS Medal for Brookes scientist bringing biology to a wider audience Dr Anne Osterrieder (pictured) has been awarded the prestigious President’s Medal for Education and Public Affairs by the Society for Experimental Biology in recognition of her work in increasing public understanding of biology. Anne will become only the fourth scientist in the world to have received this accolade from the leading international society promoting experimental research in biology. The Society’s President's Medals are awarded annually to young scientists of outstanding merit, normally within 10 years of obtaining their PhD. Anne, who is a Postdoctoral Research Assistant working on Plant Cell Biology is outreach co-ordinator for Oxford Brookes’ Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. She is involved with a large number of public and online activities to raise interest and awareness of plant cell biology and said, “It is a real honour to receive this medal. I am very Professor Diana passionate about making our research more accessible, understandable and interesting for everyone.” Woodhouse View Anne’s educational videos on plant cell biology online at www.youtube.com/user/ awarded OBE in plantendomembrane/videos New Year’s Honours Former Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and In 1998 she became a professor and Knowledge Transfer at Brookes, Professor established the Centre for Legal Research and Diana Woodhouse (pictured), has been Policy Studies. She was made head of the awarded an OBE for services to Legal Department of Law two years later and in 2002 Scholarship and Higher Education in the was appointed Assistant Dean for Research in New Year’s Honours list. the School of Social Sciences and Law. Diana enjoyed a long career at Brookes. Diana was appointed Pro Vice-Chancellor Enrolling as a mature student at Oxford for Research and Knowledge Transfer in 2005 Polytechnic in 1985 to study for a degree in and oversaw a period of significant growth in Law and Politics, a PhD on the topic of research activity at Brookes and a steady ministerial responsibility followed, awarded in increase in research quality, impact and 1991. Specialising in research into ministerial reputation. accountability, Diana was then appointed a An Emeritus Professorship was conferred graduate teaching associate in Law and in November last year. became a lecturer, both also in 1991.

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NEWS IN BRIEF Bamboo bike goes the extra mile A commercially available bamboo bike, designed by Brookes, is being used by a local rider on a long distance ride from Africa to Oxfordshire. The bike, a bamboo-framed Cross Country Mountain bike, was unveiled at the Cycle Show last October and is now on sale priced at £1,000. For more information, please visit www.bamboobike.co.uk Tackling alcohol education New Brookes support service for lawyers in Alcohol misuse by young people in the UK is Liverpool, Queen’s University Belfast and the amongst the highest in Europe. David Foxcroft, Clinical Research Support Centre in Belfast. small countries Professor of Community Psychology and David said “We don't have much high quality A new support service, launching Public Health at Brookes is co-leading with research evidence from the UK so this is a this year, will help lawyers in small Dr Harry Sumnall from Liverpool John Moores very significant development for alcohol countries with small legal systems who University on a £1 million project to study the research and prevention.” are frequently under-supported despite effectiveness of a classroom based intervention Up to 10,000 pupils in 100 schools based often having as much law to deal with as to reduce alcohol-related harms. This is in across Northern Ireland and Glasgow will take larger countries. The School of Law will collaboration with leading researchers from part in the four year study, funded by the provide help including documentary Liverpool John Moores, the University of National Institute for Health Research. support, continuing professional development and academic consultancy. For more information, please contact [email protected]

Brookes academic joins green think tank Dr Pritam Singh, Reader in Economics at The Faculty of Business, has been invited to join the advisory board of the Green House think tank, which seeks to influence debate on environmental issues. Pritam’s work focuses the sustainability implications of the shift of global capitalism to the East as well as Indian capitalism. For more information, please visit www.greenhousethinktank.org See Pritam’s article on p10.

Medical research – from Facebook boosts autism social skills the participants’ perspective A two-year, pioneering study examining A new, collaborative project aims to provide a medical experiments, the expansion of medical whether social media can help young fresh perspective on the history of medical research tended to place scientific knowledge people with autism build stronger research by focusing on the experience of the above informed consent and the welfare of the friendships has ended – with positive participants themselves. Led by medical research subject. results. Participants showed awareness historians in the Centre for Health, Medicine Running from January 2012 to 2016, and improvements in social skills and a and Society, the study will analyse the life the work will source and analyse the views of general measure of psychological ‘well- stories of those who took part in European both willing and unwilling subjects of European being’. The two-year programme was medical research from the 1940s to 2001, medical research. Researchers, led by Principal led by Dr Johnny Lawson with and also explore the ethics of accountability Investigator Professor Paul Weindling, have participants from four different countries. in medical research. been granted unique access to archives of For more information, please visit The participants’ perspective is under- international importance enabling them to take http://psych.brookes.ac.uk/ace/ researched in European medical humanities, a trans-European perspective of the period. project.php as are cases of suffering and trauma, and the The work is made possible by a major health implications of being involved in programme grant (£530,000) from the experiments. Despite the gruesome Nazi Wellcome Trust.

5 RESEARCH FORUM VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1 8 RESEARCH FAST FORWARD Brookes research to look out for in the future New research Storing Building links centres the nation’s with the Gulf approved research data universities

Two new research centres have been Research councils are calling on all Delegates from universities in Bahrain, approved to facilitate research and universities to devise a means of making Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were among knowledge transfer: widely accessible all the data used those hosted on a research study tour or produced by researchers in their by Oxford Brookes International recently. n The Institute of Public Care publicly funded studies. The Gulf countries are investing heavily Market Development Centre will A steering group will be considering to increase research capacity and new focus on social care, supported how Brookes can meet the challenge partnerships with UK universities will housing, community health and by designing a storage system that is help them achieve this. disseminating information on the suitable for a wide range of data types, The tour provided an insight into how care market to policy makers, as well as metadata that accurately research is conducted both at Brookes commissioners, service managers explains the material stored. and the UK in general. Topics included and providers. Anyone with any suggestions approaches to building research

n The Centre for Ecology, should contact the Research and capacity, the UK research culture, how Environment and Conservation Knowledge Transfer Committee at best to work collaboratively with UK will provide continuing professional [email protected] higher education institutions, research development in environmental change, and knowledge transfer, and how these quality of life, biodiversity, ecosystem link to government policy and practice. services and food security. It will offer a multi-disciplinary scientific approach to both government and EU biodiversity and environmental policies and targets.

¬ KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER ACHIEVEMENTS

Four Brookes Knowledge Transfer 2011 by the Institute of Environmental n Lisa Pasquale has been appointed Partnership associates won Management and Assessment for measurement, monitoring and national acclaim in 2011: providing his company with a framework evaluation expert with the Institute for for its five year sustainability strategy. Sustainability having successfully n Catia Guimaraes was named as a completed a sustainable architecture business leader of tomorrow for her n Jonathan Biddulph achieved a top- evaluation project with the company work on business continuity and three place in The Engineer Technology Architype. Her work also helped disaster recovery with InterContinental and Innovation Awards 2011 for his Architype win the 2011 Building Hotels Group. project on materials and joining Awards ‘Cut the Carbon’ award. technology with Oxford YASA Motors. n Charlie Symonds has been working on sustainability and was announced as runner-up for graduate of the year

6 RESEARCH FORUM VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1 Tackling global responsibility Sta rt small, think big Jeni Burnell , Chair of the Small Change Forum, argues that to tackle the seemingly overwhelming issue of global responsibility we need to start small and be strategic to bring about big change.

In a world of globalisation, increasing urbanisation Small Change in action and poverty it is easy to become overwhelmed by Launching the idea of global responsibility, says Jeni, research Last year, CENDEP teamed up with UK-based the Small associate at the Centre for Development and community arts organisation, Multistory, to create Change Forum Emergency Practice (CENDEP) in the Faculty of the Small Change Forum. Technology, Design and Environment. Indeed the The aim of the forum is to promote Small A one-day conference magnitude of the issues can leave many of us Change learning and practice both in the UK and hosted by CENDEP and stifled by their complexity. internationally. Within the partnership, CENDEP leads Multistory was the launch This in part is what makes the Small Change on the research and learning while Multistory is pad for the new forum. approach to community development so powerful. putting the theory into practice. The event, ‘The Small It turns global responsibility into a local challenge by Creative pilot projects are currently underway Change Forum: ingenious starting with a common sense assumption: if you around the world, from the Midlands (UK) to Ladakh people make better places’ want to achieve something big, you start with in India, led by Multistory. The partnership makes the focused on the role of something small and you start where it counts. most of Multistory’s extensive experience of working cultural action – specifically Small Change explores how small, practical and with people to tell their stories through art in order the participatory arts - mostly low budget interventions, if carefully targeted, to bring about change. as a tool for achieving act as catalysts for bigger, long-lasting change - Culture was chosen as an aspect of The Forum’s small change. change that is designed to improve people’s lives work because historically the arts and culture have The role of culture and and their life opportunities. remained marginalised within the international the arts was explored This development approach was pioneered by development process, despite the fact that all under three themes - doing, thinking and “If you want to achieve something sustaining. Delegates’ backgrounds included non-governmental big, you start with something small organisations, universities, the public and private and you start where it counts.” sector. First Annual Professor Nabeel Hamdi, CENDEP Emeritus human beings exist within a set of cultural norms, Professor, and has been championed by him values and beliefs. Attempts are now underway to Hamdi Lecture throughout his 40 years of practice. address this imbalance. The inaugural Hamdi Based on the assumption that all people, no At a time of austerity the time is right to question lecture will feature the matter how impoverished or socially excluded, our global responsibility and how we fulfil it in order to journalist and BBC News are the experts of their own experiences, the ensure change that benefits the vast majority, not just presenter, George Small Change approach can be applied to many the privileged few. Alagiah , a specialist on emergency and development situations - such as For information about this project, read Small Africa and the developing post-disaster reconstruction, conflict resolution and Change: about the art of practice and the limits of world. The event is on 22 micro-finance schemes. It promotes the concept that planning in cities by Professor Hamdi or contact: March 2012 and open all individuals have invaluable knowledge and skills, [email protected] to all. drawn from their own lives, to contribute to improving For further information the situation they find themselves in. Within the please visit: development sector this valuing of a person’s assets www.brookes.ac.uk/ - their knowledge and skills - is defined in the well- events/ known development framework, the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach.

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Providing shelter after disaster Time for a re-think Providing shelter after a humanitarian disaster is costly, complicated, fraught with problems and frequently falls short, say CENDEP’s Professor David Sanderson and Jeni Burnell .

Despite it being over two years since the shelter is the United Nations agency, UN- approach is that taken after the Gujarat devastating earthquake in Haiti of January Habitat. It advocates instead the ‘safe return’ earthquake last year by SEEDS India, an Indian 2010, well over half a million people are still of affected dwellers to their original location, NGO. They trained local masons to rebuild living in tents, with solutions of what to do still assuming it is safe to do so. houses for, and with, local village communities. seemingly far off. Despite costing vast sums, But safe return also has its problems and The process took longer, but the outcome – frequently the provision of shelter after a limitations. If, before the earthquake, you houses designed and built using local practices disaster is largely inadequate. lived in a four-storey block as a tenant, with real people in mind – was appropriate What though is ‘shelter after disaster?’ where, and what, do you return to? Or if you accommodation costing roughly half the price The phrase is used to describe temporary were a squatter, or a renter, what rights do for houses twice the size, compared with structures beyond tents, but also the broader you now have? other nearby NGO-built housing. efforts by aid agencies to construct permanent In urban areas post-disaster shelter post-disaster housing. The term can therefore problems are compounded by such problems Further information also extend to reconstruction and, at times as density, confusion over land ownership, In September last year a special edition of resettlement, of people living in vulnerable high-rise living and the presence of squatter ‘Environmental Hazards: Human and Policy situations, often on marginal land, in cities settlements. Dimensions ’, was published, guest edited and towns. by Jeni Burnell and David Sanderson from The UK Humanitarian Emergency What can be done differently? CENDEP. The edition published peer-reviewed Response Review (see opposite) defines A recent publication, Strategy for meeting papers generated from a conference, transitional shelter as a broad term for housing humanitarian challenges in urban areas , by the Improving learning and practice in the NGO that is something better than a tent, that is Inter-Agency Standing Committee outlines key shelter sector , hosted by CENDEP at Brookes not intended to be a permanent structure objectives for making humanitarian responses in 2010. and is usually designed to last between in urban areas more effective. It also identifies For further information, please contact three and five years. 90 tools and approaches suitable for urban [email protected] Transitional shelter has become the areas, that are applicable to a range of themes response ‘of choice’ for nearly all large aid and sectors - not just shelter. Jeni Burnell and Professor David Sanderson agencies in recent years. However its use is The committee highlighted the fact that are in the Centre for Development and raising questions. Critics argue that too often almost all of the aid community’s tools and Emergency Practice (CENDEP), School of it becomes permanent, uses up valuable aid understandings are rural in origin – we still talk Architecture, Faculty of Technology, Design resources, and expends political will and of working ‘in the field’, even when that ‘field’ is and Environment donors’ cash on short-term solutions that a densely packed neighbourhood! do little to address long-term problems. One example of an alternative successful Strong among the critics of transitional

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Findings of the The Case of Haiti Humanitarian Following the earthquake, there have What lessons were learnt? Emergency been real difficulties in implementing Response Review transitional shelter in Haiti. An independent study, commissioned by the UK Disasters Emergency Committee, Why? examined the first year of operations of A UK government commissioned 13 of the member agencies. review* examined how our government Reasons include: It found almost no support, within could respond better to disasters. n underlying problems with poverty agencies or elsewhere, for transitional Launched in March 2011, it reached and governance that existed before shelter as a useful solution. Criticism the conclusion that “providing the earthquake included it being described as “a total adequate shelter is one of the most waste of money”, “counter- intractable problems in international n at least one large agency cancelling developmental” and “suiting NGO humanitarian response.” Reasons its programme outright, while timeframes and marketing needs rather for this include: others have found progress to be than people’s needs”. extremely slow n sorting out land ownership Recommendations included that n procurement of materials n the Haiti government’s resettlement agencies should rethink their use of n organising engagement with those of large numbers of people several transitional shelter during the recovery affected by disaster miles out of town has been criticised stage after a disaster to ensure that n for urban areas, density and as creating new, un-serviced pockets provision of permanent housing takes rubble clearance of poverty. priority over that of short-term shelter. n governmental involvement (or the lack of it) n space n co-ordination. Towns and cities are growing by some one million people a week according to UN-Habitat *by the Department for International Development

9 RESEARCH FORUM VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1 A nation’s human rights responsibilities versus its economic interests

Nations have enormous power in the global campaign for human rights. Yet often they prioritise economic interests over human rights when pursuing their international relations. Human rights campaigners should turn this to their advantage, argues Dr Pritam Singh . When the bargaining power of a human rights human rights agencies can significantly emphasises the presentation of human rights agency acquires a high international profile, the transform political cultures - from human-rights victims as the main campaigning strategy balance of priorities is disrupted as the issue of hostile to becoming human-rights friendly. against oppressive regimes. While this strategy human rights is forced into the economic and Sustained human rights campaigning has may capture media attention, human rights diplomatic relationship between nations. shown us that any nation state that views activism needs instead to harness the For instance, a state may face a boycott on human rights unfavourably, for the sake of transformative power that human rights can its products or risk other economic sanctions if promoting short-term economic gains, runs have in the broader aim of building a more it is perceived as a consistent violator of human the risk of damaging its interests, including secure and just society. rights, which can adversely affect exports and economic ones. Embedding human rights Communicating this transformative power GDP. Consequently, human rights issues then considerations into domestic policy, as well will enable those rights to become more become of economic interest and a matter of as in foreign policy, is therefore in the long-term acceptable to wider sections of the population responsible global governance. interests of building a more sustainable, and to reach beyond the narrow confines of Economic interests and human rights conflict-free society. human rights advocates. become further entwined in relation to societal The globalisation of the economy, and An effective campaigning strategy should be responsibilities towards marginalised and the flow of labour power between countries, constantly aware of this potential when seeking vulnerable sections of society. For the adds further weight of argument to a nation’s to make nations more willing to embed human under-privileged - such as the homeless, responsibility to include human rights in rights in their governance strategies. unemployed, famine and disaster victims, their international relations. immigrants, and environmental and political Dr Pritam Singh is a Reader in Department of refugees - economic interests and human Transforming human Accounting, Finance and Economics and can rights are not in conflict at all. The defence of rights campaigning be contacted at [email protected] human rights is absolutely critical to the furthering of their economic interests. This economic/human rights dynamic His book, Economy, Culture and Human Rights The relationship of political culture to human highlights the need for human rights activists (2010), can be found at: rights is in continual flux. The intervention of to alter their approach. Currently it usually www.threeessays.com

10 REFRESEARCH FORUM VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1 201 4 What it means to you The Research The REF requires an ‘impact’ submission, outlining the effect Excellence that your research has had Framework (REF) on the wider world over the period being assessed (January is the system for 2008 – December 2013). It will assessing the contribute 20 per cent of Brookes’ overall quality profile, quality of research in and the assessment sub-panels UK higher education will examine the ‘reach’ and ‘significance’ of any impact institutions (HEIs) we claim. and replaces the Research REF assessment criteria Assessment Exercise (RAE).

The primary purposes of the REF are to: Outputs 65% Impact 20% n inform the selective allocation of research Environment 15% funding to HEIs from 2015 –16

n provide accountability for public investment in research and demonstrate its benefits

n provide benchmarking information and establish reputational yardsticks.

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Dr Emily Brown, REF Impact Officer, answers the all- important questions surrounding your REF impact submission

Emily is a member of the Research and Development Office. The Research Support Office, responsible for co-ordinating the data collection for the next REF, is based in the same office.

What is ‘impact’? How is it assessed? What can impact For REF2014 ‘impact’ is defined as the The assessment consists of the include? ‘effect on, change or benefit to the completion of an impact template Examples of impact include an effect, economy, society, culture, public along with the submission of case change or benefit to activities, policy or services, health, the studies. attitudes, awareness, behaviours, environment or quality of life, beyond The underpinning research for the opportunities, performance, policy, academia.’ It is a purposefully broad case studies must be at least two star practice or understanding. It can definition designed not to limit the (international) or equivalent. The include impact on an audience, range or type of submissions. impact template should outline your beneficiary, community, constituency, unit’s approach to supporting and organisation or individual - and can be enabling impact from its research. local, national or international. Impact can also include the reduction or prevention of harm, risk, cost or other negative effects. Impact within the higher education sector, including on teaching and students, is also accepted provided they extend significantly beyond the submitting higher education institution (HEI).

KEY DATES *

January 2008 31 July 2012 January 2013 Start of Final deadline for HEIs Launch of submissions publication to submit their codes of system period practice on the selection of staff

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What does impact What sorts of things What is a case study? exclude? could I consider Case studies illustrate specific Research, or the advancement of including? impacts that are underpinned by excellent research. academic knowledge, within higher There are a number of ways of Submissions are not expected education is excluded. Equally, impact demonstrating the benefits of to provide case studies that show on students, teaching or other research, depending on the nature the volume of research activity activities within the HEI itself does of the study and its outputs. across your unit, but should be your not qualify. Examples include consultancy, strongest examples. contract research, forming a spin-off company, or activities to transfer or exchange knowledge to a wider, non-academic audience, such as blogging and tweeting.

What is meant by What is ‘underpinning What if my research ‘reach’ and research’? has no impact? ‘significance’? It is important that the research that Not all individual academics have ‘Reach’ and ‘significance’ have underpins the impact claimed is to demonstrate impact within their separate definitions for each main responsible for it taking place - to the submission. The number of case assessment panel, but are extent that without it the impact would studies required is proportional to examined together. not have occurred, or would have the number of full-time staff in a unit. Reach is broadly defined as the been significantly reduced. At Brookes we expect to submit two spread or breadth of the influence or The underpinning research or three per unit. effect while significance is its depth must have been undertaken or intensity. during the period 1 January 1993 – 31 December 2013* and the onus is on the submitting HEI to provide evidence of the quality of the research.

*apart from Architecture, Built Environment and Planning which extends to 1 January 1988

31 October 2013 29 November 2013 31 December 2013 December 2014 Census date for Closing date for End of publication period Publication of staff eligible for submissions outcomes selection

USEFUL SOURCES OF INFORMATION n www.brookes.ac.uk/ref2014 n REF: www.hefce.ac.uk/research/ref/ n REF timetable: www.hefce.ac.uk/research/ref/timetable/ For further information, please contact Dr Emily Brown – n FAQ’s: www.hefce.ac.uk/research/ref/faq/ [email protected]

* please note, all dates are correct at time of going to press 13 RESEARCH FORUM VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1

14 RESEARCH FORUM VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1 Rebuilding higher education in Iraq and Kurdistan The Brookes contribution Professor Munira Kadhim , together with the Genomic Instability research group she leads at Brookes, has been active in helping to retrain Iraqi academics.

Over the past three decades the Iraqi with universities and research institutions education system has suffered greatly as internationally. These plans are yet to mature a result of long periods of wars, isolation in parts of Iraq, but in Iraqi Kurdistan there and successive conflicts. has been steady progress. Professor Munira Kadhim, who is of Iraqi The Genomic Instability (GI) Research Kurdish origin, is actively involved in helping Group, part of the Department of Biological to rebuild and reform higher education (HE) and Medical Sciences, has developed a in Iraq. She is a member of the Network of Iraqi special programme of research training for Scientists and Academics (NISA) which such Iraqi academics. is working in partnership with Iraqi HEIs and Professor Kadhim said, “As a Kurdish Iraqi, the UNESCO* Iraq Office on the task. I feel privileged to be involved in such an Iraqi universities have suffered from a huge important programme to contribute to the ‘brain drain’ and many academics were forced development of higher education and research “...the development of higher education and research in Iraq and Kurdistan is essential for Professor Munira Kadhim rebuilding the economy and Experts unite A workshop was held in Beirut modernising healthcare.” last September, entitled ‘Scientific Research in Iraq – situation and to flee or chose voluntary exile. In addition, in Iraq and Kurdistan which is essential perspectives’ to initiate a UNESCO- generations of new Iraqi academics have been for rebuilding the economy and modernising funded project to reform research trained in Iraqi Universities in total isolation, healthcare.” in Iraq. without access to adequate resources, Currently the GI group has one PhD student Attended by NISA experts and a expertise or training. in his final stage of study and also delivered a high-level Iraqi delegation from the However, as the security situation has month-long training programme last year for Iraqi and Kurdish Ministries of HE, the started to improve, the Iraqi government has two academics. The programme was later workshop discussed a programme of turned its attention to the challenging task of extended and formalised to meet the needs collaboration to develop the research reconstruction and recognises the importance of other groups of academic and students in capacity in Iraqi universities. of reforming the HE system. Since 2003, Life Sciences. Professor Kadhim was able to contact and discussion between Iraqi At a related workshop (see box) the head advise on priorities for scientific academics working in the UK, US and EU, of the Iraqi delegation expressed strong research, as well as outline scholarship and Iraqi HE authorities and universities has interest in further collaboration with Oxford programmes and training academies helped to develop the beginnings of a Brookes, providing new opportunities to host for developing research skills. strategy for reform. postgraduate students and post-doctoral Cancer and radiation research has A prominent part of this strategy is to retrain scientists through Iraqi-funded scholarships been identified by the Iraqi authorities existing academics at English-speaking and training programmes. as a top priority. universities for short periods. The aim is to For further information, please contact: refresh and modernise their scientific [email protected] knowledge, as well as reconnect them

*United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization 15 RESEARCH FORUM VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1 Gauging Green progress in the built environment The Oxford Institute for Sustainable Development carries out a unique and independent annual survey – the Green Gauge – on behalf of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) to track ‘green’ progress within the profession. With the built environment contributing 40 per proactive in promoting sustainability through Worldwide, the building and construction cent of global carbon emissions, Professor information, education and training sector is worth 10 per cent of global GDP and Tim Dixon, Director of the Oxford Institute programmes for its members. Sustainability employs 111 million people, of whom 75 per for Sustainable Development (OISD) in the competencies have also now become a cent are in developing countries. In addition the Faculty of Technology, Design and mandatory requirement for professional total global ‘investible’ property is worth Environment, argues that the professional membership. approximately $16 trillion and many chartered advice that surveyors and built environment The role of built environment professional surveying firms practice internationally. professionals provide has a huge potential bodies in promoting sustainability cannot be But Green Gauge shows we should not to influence climate change and low carbon underestimated, both in their ability to influence be complacent. New challenges are being agendas globally. pedagogy, as well as wielding direct sway with presented in climate change and carbon The latest findings from the 2010 global Green Gauge survey show that sustainability remains high on RICS members’ agendas, with “Becoming aware of 75 per cent of respondents saying it is ‘highly relevant’ to their work. environmental issues is a moral Sixty-five percent of respondents had had requests from clients for sustainability advice, including on issues of energy efficiency and imperative for all property supply, waste management, transport and natural resource consumption. As one respondent, in an earlier Green professionals. It probably never Gauge survey commented, “Becoming aware of environmental issues is a moral imperative was, and certainly no longer is, a for all property professionals. It probably never was, and certainly no longer is, a minority issue. We must change along with the rest minority issue. We must change of society.” According to Green Gauge 2010, the along with the rest of society.” leaders in sustainability promotion within the surveying industry are those professionals their clients. Furthermore, leading by example emission reduction in the UK as the working in project management, management both by ‘greening’ your own business and implications of recent government policy and consultancy and environment. Similarly those responding to global and corporate guidance unfolds. The need to retrofit some working in Canada, Australasia, USA, UK and responsibility agendas, is essential when 80 per cent of our existing buildings in order the rest of Europe are more likely to promote offering sustainability advice to clients. to achieve carbon reduction targets raises green issues, the survey showed. The reach of surveyors’ advice on significant challenges for the sector - a The RICS Sustainability Index, contained in sustainability is vast. Land and property challenge other Brookes researchers are the Green Gauge report, puts the UK in fourth are key assets for most organisations, addressing (see box). place globally (see chart), trailing whether global, multi-million corporate For further information, please visit behind the rest of Europe in adopting owners and occupiers, large scale public http://ricsgreengauge.org/ or contact: sustainable practices. sector bodies, international pension funds, [email protected] In response, RICS has continued to be or SME businesses.

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10 Home energy consumption reduced by 85 per cent 0 RICS sustainability index 2010 An Oxford 'pilot’ home has had its energy usage cut by 85 per cent thanks to a School of Architecture project.

Worldwide, the building and Findings from the Low Carbon Building Group, led by Professor Rajat Gupta, will influence government decisions on ways to make large-scale construction sector carbon reductions to existing UK housing stock to meet their target of an 80 per cent reduction in emissions by 2050. is worth There are some 26 million homes in the UK and it is estimated three-quarters will still be in use by 2050. Their energy use accounts of global for 27 per cent of total UK CO 2 emissions. The energy-saving measures 10% GDP installed at the Nelson Street property include: n advanced levels of internal and external insulation, employs including 42cm thick loft and 28cm wall

n advanced airtightness membranes and tapes to reduce 111 m people air leakages and draughts n triple glazing of which n a highly efficient gas fired boiler for central heating with integrated controls

n a device allowing natural light and ventilation into the 75% centre of the house are in developing countries n low energy lighting and appliances n a solar hot water system

The total global ‘investible’ n a heat recovery system to reclaim waste heat while property is worth approximately providing tempered fresh air. Councillor John Tanner, Board Member for the Cleaner, Greener Oxford campaign, said, “This is a fantastic project where we worked $16 trillion with our partners to produce a house that is now environmentally and carbon efficient.” For further information, please visit www.brookes.ac.uk/about/news/ecohouse

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Electric vehicle development Meeting an auto industry responsibility The Sustainable Vehicle Engineering Centre (SVEC), part of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, was involved in two major projects, completed in 2011, to study the needs and wishes of both industry and consumers.

18 RESEARCH FORUM VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1 60 million vehicles being scrapped to landfill annually over 950 million vehicles on the road globally

Bringing electric vehicles recommendations, along with their Vehicle Partnership from the core members of to the European market dissemination to policy makers and industry the project. The new partnership’s aim is to technologists. contribute towards the development of a self- Three electronic brochures have been sustaining market for electric vehicles in SVEC was one of five partners in a European produced that address these objectives, as Oxford. This includes devising a membership project on electric vehicle mobility, funded by well as six short videos about the business scheme providing the general public with a the EU, which ended in September 2011. The cases. Dissemination has included showing range of e-mobility transport options. The E-Mobility Accelerator Project lasted for 19 the video clips (http://bit.ly/nhgW6Z) at scheme proposes to subsidise the cost of months, was led by BOM in The Netherlands LCV2011, the principal UK low carbon electric vehicles by taking advantage of the and included partners from Sweden, Spain vehicle conference. current preferential tariffs for low carbon and Poland. generation of electricity using solar panels. The overall aim was to create some Longer-term, the aim is to incorporate a public common strategy and policy recommendations Studying how real drivers transport network into the scheme to build truly to accelerate successful market use their electric vehicles sustainable transport system. implementation of electric vehicles in the participating countries. In particular the project The second project was the two-year MINI E examined the attitude of the public towards project, completed last summer and based in The role of SVEC electric vehicles which is key to successful Oxfordshire and the South East. SVEC, along The SVEC team studies the whole life of a adoption. Without consumer acceptance there with colleagues from the Department of vehicle, from the design and new technologies will be very few electric vehicles on the road. Psychology, co-ordinated the research on needed for future vehicles to end-of-life, The project had four objectives. Firstly, the behalf of BMW. The aim was to understand including such issues as legislative incentives, identifying of the key success factors that take real-world use of electric vehicles in the hands forecasting and education. pilot projects to market implementation. Next, of ordinary drivers. For further information, including the the development of regional business cases for In addition to informing the development of three downloadable brochures, please contact: market implementation. Finally, making regional new electric BMW models, a further outcome [email protected] and international policy and strategy was the formation of the Oxfordshire Electric

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Are carbon emission assessments as accurate as we think? Dr Bridget Durning , Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Planning in the Faculty of Technology, Design and Environment is currently leading two studies exploring how greenhouse gas emissions are evaluated and addressed. Whilst the argument for carbon emission Our first, comparative study examines a decision-makers in this process. The study constraint has become increasingly embedded variety of proposed developments - anything concentrates particularly on Portugal, often in global consciousness, many believe change from wind farms to airport extensions and considered to be more advanced than the is not happening fast enough. hotels - from a number of countries, including UK in carbon emission reduction. According Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand to the UK Department for Business and Skills, a well-established procedure for assessing the and South Africa. 43 per cent of Portugal’s energy is generated environmental impact of proposed new builds. The findings show that the practice of from renewable sources such as wind and However, a developing body of evidence accounting for carbon, and the rigour with hydropower. It has also already rolled out a suggests that the evaluation of carbon which it is carried out, is highly variable. This national network of public charging stations emissions within the EIA process lacks raises great concerns about understanding for electric vehicles. The study seeks to assess whether this advanced Portuguese thinking includes all “Approximately one third of aspects of the country’s development, and the lessons that can be learnt for both policy and the 40 assessments examined practice in EIA. Specifically, the study aims to: did not consider greenhouse n explore the decision-making process in Portugal, including the role of EIA gas emissions in any way.” n identify the status of climate change mitigation and adaptation both at national methodological rigour or consistency. the impact on climate change of any new and local level Although EIA is a legislated process in development. most parts of the developed world, addressing Approximately one third of the 40 n identify how greenhouse gas reporting is greenhouse gas emissions is not a legislated assessments examined did not consider currently undertaken in Portugal. requirement within the process, and greenhouse gas emissions in any way. In the The study, which is being undertaken in consequently other policy drivers are influential. remainder, a range of tools and methods were collaboration with colleagues at the University Anecdotal evidence suggests that in the used, with assessment being undertaken in at Oporto, is funded through the Santander UK the motives for accounting for carbon a variety of ways. Mitigation was also very minimal. Scholarship Scheme. It aims to be completed emissions in EIA depend as much on the The second study focuses on the motives by summer 2012. body undertaking the assessment (usually a for including greenhouse gas emissions in For further information, please contact consultant) as they do on policy prompts. the assessment process, and the role of [email protected]

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Meeting the information needs of charity trustees Can Enterprise Performance Management Systems help? UK charities have complicated regulatory structures and their trustees are accountable to a wide range of stakeholders. The Accounting, Finance and Economics department is developing a way of improving reporting systems.

An inter-disciplinary study is examining the diverse sources as well as analyse and The way trustees use information and IT potential that computerised Enterprise present data in formats in line with will then be studied, using flow diagrams, Performance Management (EPM) systems organisational needs. the ‘DIKAR’ model (Data, Information, could offer for improving charity reporting and With preliminary work funded by an internal Knowledge, Action, Result) and Soft Systems performance management. Brookes research grant, external funding is Methodology, to identify both shortcomings Charities often have complicated regulatory now being sought by Cathy Knowles, Dr Diana and how EPM systems might improve their structures and are accountable, via their Limburg and Maureen McCulloch who are information provision. trustees, to regulators, funders, employees, running the study. This will enable further The study will also examine how information beneficiaries and the public amongst others. qualitative research, interviewing trustees and can be managed in publically accountable One common challenge is the dispersed managers of six charitable organisations. organisations to improve the ability of networks and partnerships many larger The six organisations will be chosen for accountants to act in the public interest. The charities operate within, whether internationally, study in discussion with funders and bodies findings may also benefit EPM software nationally or locally. In addition, many charities already engaged in related research. Interviews providers, as well as for-profit organisations are now moving from direct funding to bidding with managers will aim to map the flow of seeking to streamline their financial and for contracts with governmental departments information and identify: other reporting. and, increasingly, commercial firms. For further information, please contact: n the type of decisions trustees need to make The study aims to examine to what extent [email protected] n the information they need charities currently provide accurate, relevant, n their sources of information timely, user-friendly information - and how they n their perceptions of the adequacy might benefit from applying Enterprise of existing IT systems Performance Management. n the existing use of IT. The benefits of EPM systems include being able to accommodate data from multiple,

22 RESEARCH FORUM VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1 Exploring our responsibility to the natural environment through art The research of Dr Tracey Warr , Senior Lecturer Outlandia: in Art Theory, has taken her up mountains, into a tree house forests and wild swimming along rivers, in order Tracey is Associate Curator for a to shed light on our global responsibilities tree house artists’ studio created by artists, London Fieldworks, as a towards natural environments. space for other artists to generate The artistic investigation of the river is one owned, often controlling and restricting access. work and carry out research. Called theme Tracey is exploring. Contemporary rivers Port Meadow in Oxford, for instance, is one of Outlandia, it is an artist-led project have a variety of often conflicting agendas. the few remaining areas of common land in built to foster links between creativity They are simultaneously sources of food and England. And access is only one issue. Water and the environment. water, sites of property development, industry, consumption, for example, has gone up 30 per Looking out across the glen to agriculture, habitation, sport and leisure, cent in the UK since the 1970s. Ben Nevis in the Scottish Highlands, transport, and wildlife habitats. The project space at Modern Art Oxford will Outlandia echoes the ruined and rimed weather observatory on the summit of Ben Nevis. The old division between “Only two per cent of England’s humans and nature is challenged now by human ecology research, seeing thousands of miles of rivers the human as part of nature instead, and work at Outlandia reflects this approach. have public right of access.” There have been six artists’ A forthcoming project, Riparian Territories become a temporary research and design residencies since Outlandia’s launch will open up these issues for debate and centre, building on a workshop at MIT with in 2010, responding to its immersion engagement through art and is being funded artists Nomeda & Gediminas, focused on the in an extraordinary forest and by Arts Council England. It will examine how river Charles in Boston, USA. mountain landscape. rivers define our sense of individual and The research will be reflected in fabrication, A book series, Future Fictions , collective belonging, Riparian meaning ‘of or on inspired by boats, islands, and boathouses. is planned to capture Tracey’s work on a river bank’. The project will explore: Nomeda & Gediminas’ works often have a the intersection between contemporary central sculptural platform, a ‘device for art practice and Future Studies. Four n river ecosystems and histories action’. Tracey will act as the ‘embedded writers will produce fictional narratives n how the river has a different pace to writer’ for the project and edit a publication. set in the future, inspired by that of the land Nomeda & Gediminas have established an residencies at Outlandia. n how it is a lateral and border space, with its international reputation for socially interactive The tree house was designed own rules and regulations, differing from the artworks. Gediminas is Associate Professor by award-winning practice, Malcolm land it is flowing through. and Acting Chair for Art, Culture and Fraser Architects and shortlisted for The project will work with experts from various Technology at MIT. Nomeda is a researcher the Architects Journal Small Projects fields and will involve discussions, an at the Norwegian University for Science and Prize. Funding to develop Outlandia exhibition, workshops, and facilitating Technology, Trondheim. They examine the came from the Highland Council, the encounters between different groups of river production of public space and develop Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and users, focusing on citizenship and public space devices and models to inspire the cultural and the Scottish Arts Council amongst in relation to the river. political imagination of local communities. others. Only two per cent of England’s thousands Riparian Territories continues their interest in For further information, please visit www.outlandia.com of miles of rivers have public right of access. the defence of public space. The water is in public ownership, but the For further information, please contact: riverbanks and riverbed are frequently privately [email protected]

23 COMING UP The latest research focused events to look out for in 2012

A selection of forthcoming open lectures designed to appeal to staff, students and the general public alike. They provide an opportunity to learn more about the work of colleagues and departments across the University.

22 March 24 May Inaugural Hamdi lecture with Movement prints George Alagiah Speaker: Speaker: Professor Helen Dawes, George Alagiah, BBC news presenter Head of the Movement Science Group

26 April 24 May International law and international Seventh annual ‘John Wesley’ lecture relations: towards transnationalism Speaker: and transdisciplinarity Isabel Rivers, Professor of Eighteenth-Century Speaker: English Literature and Culture, Queen Mary, Math Noortmann, Professor of International University of London Relations and Public International Law Venue: Lincoln College, University of Oxford 2 May Economic uncertainty: leadership teams 15 June rediscover market analysis Software engineering in the 21st century Speaker: Speaker: Lyndon Simkin, Professor Rachel Harrison, Head of Professor of Strategic Marketing Empirical Software Engineering Group

All events are held at the Main Lecture Theatre, Gipsy Lane Campus unless otherwise stated. New events are constantly being added to the calendar. To keep abreast of all events and make bookings please visit www.brookes.ac.uk/events

Your research career: the help you need 28 March: 13 June: I’ve won my award! What do I do next? Research induction and networking Advice and tips on managing your research An introduction to conducting research at project – including the role of Principal Brookes - including policies, procedures, Investigator, finances and managing key contacts and support available. contract staff.

Both events are from 1-4pm at Room BG11, Buckley Building, Gipsy Lane For details and bookings please contact [email protected]

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