The Portal of the Administrative Data Liaison Service (www.adls.ac.uk/padls) is a new online development designed to hold methods, models and code used in administrative data research.  The aim of P-ADLS is to improve the consistency, quality and quantity of administrative data related research by allowing researchers to view, replicate and develop existing resources.

There are currently over fifty resources in the P-ADLS Bank.  As examples, recent submissions shared by researchers include code to help define avoidable mortality and code to distinguish disabling and limiting health conditions.

The ADLS are keen to continue to expand  the resources already held in the P-ADLS Bank.   As it is recognised that the preparation and sharing of code requires goodwill, time and effort, the ADLS are currently offering a £20 Amazon gift token for code submissions that are subsequently published.  Full details on how to submit resources and offer terms are available from the link above.

The P-ADLS Bank is also a useful way to highlight your research work amongst the academic community.  All new resources added by you to the P-ADLS Bank will be tweeted by the ADLS.  You can sign up to receive these tweets by following ADLS at  http://twitter.com/#!/adlstweet.

Evolution Behaviour & Environment Subject Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex
Organizer: Professor Francis L. W. Ratnieks F.Ratnieks@Sussex.ac.uk

Seminars will take place in the seminar room on the ground floor of the Genome Damage Building, on Thursdays from 1100 to 1200. All are welcome to attend. Afterwards, we generally have lunch in the JMS tea room in the John Maynard Smith Building. All are welcome to join us there to meet the speaker. If you would like to invite an outside speaker to meet you, please contact the host to set up a time.

Wk 3: 26 January Why We Study Insect Navigation: Ants, Umwelts and Morgan’s Canon
Paul Graham, Neuroscience Subject Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex
p.r.graham@sussex.ac.uk

Wk 4: 2 February Exploring Ecological and Social Knowledge Acquisition in Wild African Elephants
Graeme Shannon, School of Psychology, University of Sussex
G.Shannon@Sussex.ac.uk

Wk 5: 9 February The Biophilia Hypothesis: An Evolutionary Perspective for Nature Preservation
Joe Hinds, Faculty of Development & Society, Sheffield Hallam University
Host: M. Peck, m.r.peck@sussex.ac.uk

Wk 6: 16 February Helping Honey Bees and Insect Pollinators in Urban Areas
Mihail Garbuzov, Laboratory of Apiculture & Social Insects, Evolution, Behaviour & Environment Subject Group, School of Life Sci., Univ. of Sussex
M.Garbuzov@sussex.ac.uk

Wk 7: 23 February To be arranged (please make suggestions to Prof. Ratnieks)

Wk 8: 1 March To be arranged (please make suggestions to Prof. Ratnieks)

Wk 9: 8 March No seminar. School of Life Sciences seminar this week

Wk 10: 15 March The Molecular Basis of Developmental Evolution
Claudio Alonso, Evolution, Behaviour & Environment Subject Group, School of Life Sci., Univ. of Sussex
C.Alonso@sussex.ac.uk

http://www.elsin-2012.org

The ELSIN conference for 2012 will have a strong focus on the theme of psychology of education and learning.

ELSIN 2012 invites submissions related to though not necessarily restricted to the following themes:

• Individual differences in learning, (theory and practice)
• The role of individual differences in teaching and management
• Workplace learning
• Methodological aspects of research on individual differences
• E-learning style
• The utility focusing on individual differences in learning

All accepted articles for the conference will be published as full papers (10 pages max) in the conference refereed proceedings.

Timescales

• Deadline for submission of abstracts:     1 February 2012
• Feedback on abstracts and notification of acceptance:     21 February 2012
• Deadline for early registration:     2 April 2012
• Deadline for submission full paper:     1 May 2012
• Deadline for registration:     1 May 2012
• Conference date:     26 June – 28 June 2012
• Please forward this Call for Proposals to colleagues you think may be interested.

All events are held at the University of Surrey, Guildford, UK, unless otherwise stated.

The CAQDAS Networking Project has no commercial ties with any software developer or distributer and provides completely independent advice on the use of qualitative software for analytic purposes.

Day Course in Social Research also runs a range of other courses, including Qualitative Interviewing, Focus Groups, Introduction to SPSS, Research Management etc.

For further info see http://www.fahs.surrey.ac.uk/daycourses/

For further information on CAQDAS events and to book a place see http://www.surrey.ac.uk/sociology/research/researchcentres/caqdas/

• 1st & 2nd February – ATLAS.ti 6 workshop
• 8th February –  Methodological Seminar – Integrating geographical information with qualitative analyses using CAQDAS packages. This event is free, funded by the National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM).
• 1st March – Software Planning Seminar – choosing the right package for your qualitative analysis, University of Manchester, in association with Methods @ Manchester. This event is free, funded by the National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM). To book visit http://www.methods.manchester.ac.uk/events/2012-03-01/
• 14th March – Transana workshop
• 16th March – Methodological Seminar – Visual analysis using qualitative software. This event is free, funded by the  National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM).
• 28th March – Nvivo 9 intermediate/advanced workshop
• 12th & 13th April – NVivo 9 workshop
• 18th April – ATLAS.ti intermediate/advanced workshop
• 25th & 26th April – MAXqda 10 workshop
• 8th & 9th May – NVivo 9 workshop
• 11th May – Software Planning Seminar – choosing the right package for your qualitative analysis. This event is being held at the Medical Research Council, London. The event is free, funded by the National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM).
• 16th May – Introduction to Qualitative Interviewing
• 24th May – Research Management
• 30th & 31st May – ATLAS.ti workshop
• 27th & 28th June – NVivo 9 workshop
• 5th July – Introduction to Qualitative Data Analysis
• 11th & 12th July – Transana workshop
• 25th & 26th July – NVivo 9 workshop

Illustration by Jaime Huxtable, Brighton www.jaimehuxtable.com

Want to find out more about the REF and what it means for you as a Sussex researcher? Concerned about your own intellectual property and how it’s affected by the move to digital? Keen to engage the public with your research but not sure where to start?

The lunchtime seminars will take place fortnightly from 31st January 2012, and there will be a further opportunity to continue the discussion in sessions facilitated by the Research Hive Scholars the week after each seminar

The seminars are held in the Library meeting room on the second floor and include a sandwich lunch and some time to meet other researchers before the speakers begin.

Presentations from previous seminars are available to listen to here.

31st January 2012 - REF 2014: the Sussex perspective

The introduction of the REF  has caused controversy and concern amongst the UK research community. What do quality, impact and environmentreally mean and how will they be assessed? This seminar will update you on Sussex’s progress and provide an opportunity to discuss some of the issues with researchers from across campus.

Chair: Jackie Cassell, Professor of Primary Care Epidemiology, Brighton and Sussex Medical School

Speakers:

• Ian Carter, Director of Research and Enterprise
• Cynthia Weber, Director of Research and Knowledge Exchange, School of Global Studies
• Rupert Brown, Director of Research and Knowledge Exchange, School of Psychology

Book now for this session.

14th February 2012 - Copyright in the digital age and what it means for you as a researcher

Are copyright restrictions hindering your research? Confused about what is and isn’t legal? Interested in how you can share and collaborate using Creative Commons licenses? Naomi Korn, an expert in copyright in Higher Education, will provide an overview of copyright issues and discuss ways in which researchers stay informed.

Chair: tbc

Speaker:

• Naomi Korn, Copyright expert and consultant

Book now for this session.

28th February 2012 - Increasing the impact of your research through public engagement

The research impact agenda raises important issues about the relevance of university research, although research byUniversities UK (UUK) in 2011 showed that fewer than one in five people appreciated universities’ wider social impact.

How can we demonstrate the relevance and importance of our research to the public? Hear two high profile Sussex researchers talk about their experiences and discuss this with others from across campus.

Chair: Jon Mitchell, Reader in Social Anthropology, Global Studies

Speakers:

• Sally Jane Norman, Director of the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts
• Winfried Hensinger, Reader in Quantum, Atomic and Optical Physics

Book now for this session.

13th March 2012 - Terraforming: the changing landscape of our research environment

Three researchers at different stages of their research careers will give their own perspectives on the current and future research environment before we invite everyone to join the discussion. How far do different generations of researchers agree in their view of the research environment?

Chair: Liz Thackray, Research Hive Scholar and doctoral researcher

Speakers:

• Bob Allison, Pro-vice Chancellor (Research) and Professor of Geography
• Further speakers tbc

Book now for this session.

‘New Energy Security Challenges’ is a two-day workshop aimed at post-graduates, post-doctoral researchers and early-career scholars (up to 2 years post-PhD). Focussed on emerging energy security challenges and their implications for the UK, the workshop will provide a critical and supportive forum in which new and early career researchers can discuss their work. The workshop aims to include participation by industry, government and established academics, and includes a public lecture by Prof. Michael Klare (Amherst College, Massachusetts) on the evening of May 10th. The workshop is organized by the Energy Geographies Working Group of the Royal Geographical Society-Institute of British Geographers with support from the ESRC/EPSRC Energy Security in a Multipolar World research cluster.
Participants will be expected to prepare a paper for circulation in advance, to present a summary of their work, and to discuss the papers of other participants. Researchers from any disciplinary background are encouraged to apply. The workshop’s emphasis on ‘new’ energy security challenges reflects both an interest in understanding contemporary political, economic and environmental contexts of energy security, and a desire to encourage work that extends or problematises conventional framings.

Funding is available to support participation (travel and accommodation) of 20-25 researchers. Applications should be submitted to the Organising Committee by January 30th 2012. Applications should include a full CV and an abstract of the proposed paper. Successful applicants will be notified by February 15th 2012. To submit applications and for further information, please contact either Dani Gent (D.K.Gent@lboro.ac.uk) or Andres Luque (andres.luque@gmail.com) of the RGS-IBG Energy Geographies Working Group www.energygeographiesworkinggroup.wordpress.com

The New Year sees many of us making resolutions about things we want to do, often surrounding our health, such as start a diet, be more healthy etc., but it’s the ideal time to think about your well-being as a researcher too.

February marks the beginning of a series of events designed to provide you with advice and suggestions on ways to effectively balance your many work and research demands.  All the sessions are open to doctoral researchers and staff, so come along to one or all of them, and start your New Year as you mean to go on…

The Balanced Researcher – Tuesday 7^th Feb, 9.30-12.30

Internationally recognised researcher, educator and public speaker, Hugh Kearns, describes the most useful strategies that thousands of researchers have found helpful in balancing the many demands on their time.  Covering areas such as being effective with your time, coping with email overload, and dealing with distractions and interruptions.

The Seven Secrets of Highly Successful Research Students – Tuesday 7^th Feb, 1.30-4.30pm

In his second session, Hugh Kearns discusses how to increase your effectiveness and outcomes in a number of key areas including, dealing with your supervisor, your attitude to your research and dealing with writer’s block.

Developing Academic Confidence: A workshop for doctoral researchers and those involved in their learning journey – Weds 8^th Feb, 2.00-4.00pm

This session from Charlotte Morris, Research Officer in the Centre for Learning & Teaching at the University of Brighton, identifies the key challenges of researcher well-being and introduces strategies that can help with issues such as, identity and status, isolation and lack of confidence and self-esteem.

Getting the Better of Technology – Thurs 9^th Feb, 2.00-5.00pm

This workshop introduces the technology available to help you better manage your time and research and deals with managing email overload, backing up your work, managing bibliographic data and organising your research.

Managing Professional Relationships – Weds 15^th Feb, 10.30-12.30

This introductory workshop is suitable for anyone who would like to be able to communicate more clearly, listen more effectively and be more confident in building and maintaining their professional and academic relationships.

19/01/12 Week 2  - Host: Prof Pete Clifton
Dr Aldo Badiani, Sapienza University of Rome
“Choice of heroin versus cocaine: it is all about the location”

26/01/12 Week 3 Host:  - Dr David Reby
Prof Sophie Scott, UCL, University of London
TBA

02/02/12 Week 4 – Host: Dr Alison Pike
Prof Essi Viding, UCL, University of London
“Conduct problems and callous-unemotional traits: Using different methodologies to find out more”

09/02/12 Week 5
Dr Vivian Vignoles, University of Sussex
“Identity motives as culturally flexible universals”

16/02/12 Week 6 - Cancelled

23/02/12 Week 7 - Host: Prof Rupert Brown
Prof Manuela Barreto, University of Exeter
TBA

01/03/12 Week 8 - Host: Prof Robin Banerjee
Prof Dale Hay, Cardiff University
TBA

08/03/12 Week 9 - Host: Prof Jane Oakhill
Dr Lisa Irmen, Universität Heidelberg
“Language-based representations of gender”

• How digitally literate are researchers and researcher development professionals?
• How is digital technology being used for research and to develop researchers?
• At what rate are higher education institutions embedding digital literacies in researcher development?

…In order to answer some of these interesting questions, and to ensure that higher education institutions and their members are fully supported in becoming digitally literate, please take five minutes to share this invitation with friends or colleagues and participate in this short questionnaire.

Vitae invites researchers (doctoral and research staff) and staff involved in researcher development to complete a short online survey that focuses specifically on the digital literacy of researchers and institutional staff in researcher development roles. This significant cross-institutional baseline study is part of the Developing Digital Literacies programme, funded by JISC and supported by Vitae along with a number of other professional associations.

The purpose of Vitae involvement in the Developing Digital Literacies programme is to promote the development of coherent, inclusive and holistic institutional strategies and organisational approaches for developing digital literacies in higher education.

Results will be made anonymous, then published in an aggregate public report in February 2012. The results will enable Vitae to refine sector activities that focus on digital literacy such as the extremely popular Digital Researcher event (#dr12vitae) for researchers and research staff, and will be used to support the researcher development community to establish new approaches for developing digital literacy for researchers and the researcher development community in higher education.

The closing date for submissions is 24 January 2012.

Please support us and complete this short survey.

• Did you know social media can be used to enliven your career and not just your social life?
• Do you blog & tweet and would like to know more about online tools which can help with your research?
• Whether you’re social media savvy or social media shy this one day workshop will give you an opportunity to explore how new technologies can enhance your research and your career. This course is a hit so book now!

Following our very successful Go Digital workshop last year Vitae and The British Library are running:

The Digital Researcher 2012, February 20^th, London

audience: postgraduate researchers and research staff

In addition to registering for the event, there will be plenty of opportunities to get involved online. We’ll be posting details about what’s happening shortly. In the mean time, why not check Vitae out on Twitter using the #dr2012vitae hashtag, through Facebook, or alternatively, write a blog post about your experiences with technology and tell everyone about it through your favourite social media!

Something to start the conversation: Michael Nielsen’s TED talk on Open Science