The weather forecast is not great, so we have initiated our rain plan! The BBQ will go ahead, now at East Slope Bar, rather than Falmer Bar. East Slope bar will be closed to the public for the afternoon, and the premises entirely used for our BBQ! Plenty of inside space should it be required, and a covered outdoor cooking area – what’s not to like?

Drinks Vouchers exchange rate

Your drinks vouchers can be used at both bars tomorrow, and will also be accepted in Falmer Bar tomorrow evening should you wish to use them there for the Cocktail night.

Pool your vouchers for more! Get together with pals, and for 5 x drinks vouchers you can get either a bottle or Cava or two jugs of Pimm’s. Bargain.

Wed 22 May, 10:00 – 15:15
Lewes Subud Centre, Station Street, Lewes BN7 2DB

In brief, it promises to be a really worthwhile and enjoyable day for anyone interested in the psychological, emotional and behavioural aspects of eating – and food education, research and activism.  The focus of the workshop will be on directly experiencing mindful eating practices and exploring them together.

Explore how mindfulness meditation and cognitive therapy can inform food research, education and activism

Programme

• 10.00 Arrival and refreshments
• 10.30 Welcome and warm up
• 10.50 Introduction to mindfulness
• 11.30 Chocolate meditation
• 12.00 Body scan and mindful movement
• 12.30 Silent lunch gathering
• 1.15 Exploring foods we dislike
• 1.50 Mindful eating in pairs
• 2.20-2.50 Exploring applications to our own work
• 2.50-3.15 Check out and evaluation

Download the Tasting Mindfulness 22-05-13 poster, or take a look at out facebook page.

Tickets are £6 and available from our page on eventbrite

Many thanks,
Rachael

Rachael Durrant, MA Cantab, MA SDA
Doctoral Researcher (Sustainable Lifestyles)
SPRU (Science and Technology Policy Research)
University of Sussex Freeman Centre,

The conference programme is now live, and includes games designer Tassos Stevens (Papa Sangre), Steve Benford from the Mixed Reality Lab, Judith Good and Hugo Critchley from University of Sussex, Alessandro Vinciarelli in Social Signal Processing, Tony Churnside from BBC Research & Development, funding consultants from AHRC and EPSRC, and many more. We are looking forward to a very exciting forum for interaction and engagement research, and hope you have already registered – it is a snip at £25 for students, £40 for faculty/professionals.

Nominate them for the 2013 John Maddox Prize for Standing up for Science.

The John Maddox Prize will reward an individual who has promoted sound science and evidence on a matter of public interest. Its emphasis is on those who have faced difficulty or hostility in doing so. Nominations of active researchers who have yet to receive recognition for their public-interest work are particularly welcomed.

Sir John Maddox, whose name this prize commemorates, was a passionate and tireless champion and defender of science, engaging with difficult debates and inspiring others to do the same. As a writer and editor, he changed attitudes and perceptions, and strove for better understanding and appreciation of science throughout his long working life.

The prize is a joint initiative of Nature, where Sir John was editor for 22 years; the Kohn Foundation; and Sense About Science, where Sir John served as a trustee until his death in 2009.

The prize: £2000. The award is presented in November and an announcement of the winner will be published in Nature.

The deadline for nominations is 11:59pm on 20th August 2013 BST.

Full details and online nomination form are at http://www.senseaboutscience.org/pages/maddox-prize-2013.html

Social scientists from all sectors are invited to participate in a series of webinars designed to introduce the data and resources available through the newly formed UK Data Service.

All webinars are free of charge and open to anyone in the UK and overseas. Spaces are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please reserve your spot by booking at the links below.

An introduction to data available from the UK Data Service

Monday 13 May 2013 at 11.00

An overview of the types of data available, including UK government surveys, cross-national surveys, data from the UK Census and qualitative data. The webinar will include some case studies demonstrating how the data have been used in research.

Attendees are also encouraged to attend the Thursday webinar to learn how to find and access specific data collections.

Broadening access: Improving the impact of social data

Tuesday 14 May 2013 at 16.30

Panel discussion with Keith Dugmore, a private-sector data consultant and owner of Demographic Decisions, and Sharon Witherspoon, Director of the Nuffield Foundation and one of the original researchers on the British Social Attitudes Survey.

The discussion is moderated by David Martin, Deputy Director of the UK Data Service and former coordinator of the ESRC Census Programme.

Looking after and managing your research data

Wednesday 15 May 2013 at 16.00

A practical session for anyone actively creating social science research data. You will learn about practices, resources and support available to create well organised, well documented, high-quality research data through the course of your research so that your data continues to generate impact after you have analysed it yourself.

UnDISCOVERed riches: Finding and accessing data via the UK Data Service

Thursday 16 May 2013 at 15.00

A practical overview, focusing on the service’s new search-and-browse portal, Discover, which allows users to search for datasets, support guides, case studies, ESRC outputs, variables and questions.

A useful follow-up to the Monday webinar introducing data available through the UK Data Service.

An introduction to 2011 census geography

Friday 17 May 2013 at 15.00

An introduction to census output geographies, outlining five key differences between 2001 and 2011 census output geographies.

What is the UK Data Service?

The UK Data Service is a comprehensive resource funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) to support researchers, teachers and policymakers who depend on high-quality social and economic data.

The UK Data Service website provides a single point of access to a wide range of secondary data previously held by the Economic and Social Data Service (ESDS), the ESRC Census Programme and the Secure Data Service. All are backed with extensive support, training and guidance to meet the needs of data users, owners and creators.

Humanities in Human Rights is designed for postgraduate and early career researchers in the arts, humanities and social sciences who are committed to understanding the politics of humanity and human rights today.

Funded by the AHRC, led by Prof. Lyndsey Stonebridge (UEA) and Prof. Les Back (Goldsmiths) the programme opens in October 2013 with a residential weekend taught by CHASE faculty, followed by topic specific work-shops and a showcase of research in London.

Applications are welcome from scholars in the humanities, arts and social sciences currently working on human rights and related fields who are able to participate in the programme across the year.

Application deadline: 15 June 2013.
Successful applicants will receive a stipend to support travel and accommodation.
Apply online:

http://www.uea.ac.uk/hum/gradschool/training/chase/humanities-in-human-rights

We would like to draw your attention to ‘PEOPLE AND PLACES IN LIMBO’, a research workshop organised and sponsored by the Sussex Centre for Cultural Studies and the Global Transformations research theme to be held on Friday, 24 May 2013.

The workshop brings together researchers from across disciplines and research hubs who in various ways are investigating the resilience, transition, transformation and un/making of people and places in an era of emerging crises.

UPDATE 16 MAY: Due to requests from many of you, the Sussex Centre for Cultural Studies will be happy to offer a small bursary to the Sussex University students to attend the research networking workshop on 24th May ‘People and Places in Limbo’. The registration fee for the Students  of Sussex University will be £12. To register please visit http://www.sussex.ac.uk/sccs/activities/inlimbo

Speakers from Sussex and other UK institutions include:

Professor Yvette Taylor,

Head of the Weeks Centre for Social and Policy Research, London South Bank University: “Fitting Into Place & other Queer Encounters”

Dr Rebecca Bryant,

Senior Research Fellow, Anthropologist of politics and law, London School of Economics: “States in Limbo: Sociality and Non-recognition in Cyprus and Elsewhere”

Professor Alan Lester,

Director of Research theme ‘Global Transformations. Historical geographer, Sussex: “Humanitarianism and the In-betweenness of the Colonised: Indigenous Engagements with the Port Phillip Protectorate of Aborigines in Australia”

Dr Monika Metykova,

interests in transnational media, cultural and media policies, and migration, Sussex: “Beyond the Radar: The Roma and Their Media in Europe”

Dr Claire Bennett,

ESRC Centre for Population Change, Southampton University: “Living in limbo’: The experiences of lesbian asylum seekers”

Dr Evi Chatzipanagiotidou,

Anthropologist, Queen’s University: “From ‘no man’s land’ to ‘everyone’s land’: Re-territorialisation of the border in Cyprus among British Cypriots”

Further details are available at http://www.sussex.ac.uk/sccs/activities/inlimbo

There is a £30 fee for the workshop, and registration is required. Due to the limited number of participants we strongly recommend early registration.

Venue: Geography Resource Room, School of Global Studies, University of Sussex

To register please visit http://www.sussex.ac.uk/sccs/activities/inlimbo

Should you have any queries, feel free to contact the workshop organisers: Busra Sultana (us32@sussex.ac.uk) or Mahrokh Hosseini (mahrokh_hosseini2000@hotmail.com)

We look forward to welcoming you to this workshop.

With Best Wishes,
Busra Sultana & Mahrokh Hosseini

On Behalf of ‘People and Places in Limbo’ Organising Team,
University of Sussex

113 researchers have booked their BBQ ticket – have you booked yours yet? The BBQ bookings are open, and you can book a ticket if you are a Sussex:

• doctoral researcher;
• member of Research Staff (postdoc, research fellow, visiting fellow, research assistant);
• Supervisor or Principal Investigator.

Your ticket is free (booking essential, limit of 250 tickets for this event) and includes not just the yummy food, but also a free drink up to the value of £3. The BBQ will be delicious (no horse-burgers here), the company will be delightful, and the weather… well, we’re working on it (you may have noticed our progress over the weekend), and we have a rain-plan, just in case.

Browse the mouth-watering menu and find out more about how to book and collect your ticket at: www.sussex.ac.uk/doctoralschool/internal/bbq2013

The BBQ won’t just be about food though. It will also feature the official announcement of the winners of the final cycle of this year’s Researcher Led Initiative (RLI) Fund (the deadline is 30th April – get your applications in soon!).

And if you’re a doctoral researcher thinking about applying to be one of next year’s SAGE Research Hive Scholars, you can find out more from the Library’s Research Support staff, and chat to this year’s scholars about the realities of the roles.

If you have anything to suggest or request from the BBQ then why not let us know? You can get hold of us on DSevents@sussex.ac.uk and we’d love to hear from you.

Chris Kempshall, Craig Haslop, and Sarah R-H

Mediamorphosis will be held at the Attenborough Creativity Zone, University of Sussex.

Henry Jenkins (2004) describes how digital media potentially incorporates all previous media so that it no longer makes sense to think in medium-specific terms, problematising the concept of authenticity and authentic experience. In this one-day symposium, we are thus interested in questioning what is authentic experience within digital media? And what drives the pervasive cultural desire for an authentic experience? Because digitalisation inevitably alters the original in a mediamorphosis-like transformation, we are interested in exploring the authentic nature of this new object and experience. Mediamorphosis is a collective initiative by the Creative & Critical Practice Research Group.

Keynote speaker: Professor Sally Jane Norman (Director of the Attenborough Arts Centre)

Speakers and participants include (in alphabetical order):
Dr Camille Baker (Brunel University), Dr Caroline Bassett (University of Sussex), Cécile Chevalier (University of Sussex), Evren Eken (University of Sussex),  Kate Genevieve (Artist), Ian Grant (University of West London), Marlene Haring (Artist), Daniel Alexander Hignell (University of Sussex), Dr Birgitta Hosea (University of the Arts London), Aysenur Karabulut (University of Sussex), Simon Morse (Artist), Micheál O’Connell  (aka Mocksim, Artist), Dr Gascia Ouzounian (Queen’s University, Belfast), Joe Stephenson (Artist), James Stevenson (Victoria & Albert Museum).

The Mediamorphosis symposium is co-funded and supported by the Doctoral School’s Researcher-Led Initiative (RLI) Fund, University of Sussex. It is also supported by the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts.

Links to:

• registration
• programme
• speakers

Whilst it might not seem it yet warmer weather is on the way. The slightly cold start to spring is not stopping us making plans so we’ve already begun the process of arranging this year’s Doctoral School Summer BBQ!

Now whilst you might not be quite ready to step outside for a barbecue just yet, come the end of May you will. Trust us. So put Thursday 23 May 15:30-18:00 in your diaries now.

We’ve already held a meeting with Falmer Bar to begin making the arrangements. Last year’s event was such a success that we’re going to replicate the best bits.

Therefore all researchers who register in advance of the event will, once again, receive a voucher for food off the barbecue (including salads and dessert) and one drink at Falmer Bar up to the value of £3.

We’ve already begun building the menu and you can expect to see the following delicious dishes:

Mains:

• Sticky barbeque chicken drumsticks
• Fresh sardines with herb butter
• Char-grilled lentil, spinach and sweet potato vegetable burger with sweet corn relish

Side Salads:

• Mixed leaf salad with toasted tamari sunflower seeds
• Wholegrain mustard and crème fraiche new potato salad
• Chicken Caesar salad
• Tabbouleh salad

Desserts:

• Strawberries & cream served with shortbread
• Chocolate caramel torte

These selections have been chosen based upon several important criteria:

1. Are they tasty?
2. Are they diverse?
3. Are they tasty and diverse?

If, however, you feel that you require some different dietary options then, by all means, get in contact with us and we’ll make sure we arrange something to fit your needs!

The BBQ won’t just be about food though. It will also feature the official announcement of the winners of the final cycle of this year’s Researcher Led Initiative (RLI) Fund. And if you’re thinking about applying to be one of next year’s SAGE Research Hive Scholars, you can find out more from the Library’s Research Support staff, and chat to this year’s scholars about the realities of the roles.

If you have anything to suggest or request from the BBQ then why not let us know? You can get hold of us on DSevents@sussex.ac.uk and we’d love to hear from you.

For now, keep an eye out for further information regarding the Doctoral School BBQ and we’ll get to work on the weather!

Chris Kempshall, Craig Haslop, and Sarah R-H