RESEARCH MATTERS - University of Wolverhampton
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RESEARCH
MATTERS
Celebrating research success and opportunities
at the University of Wolverhampton
ISSUE 7
Tackling cybercrime through
expertise and innovation
With data now considered to be one of the most valuable
assets for modern society, cybercrime is a huge global
Professor Pillai said: “We are in a digital
problem – and so research into this complex area is more economy where data is key to the smooth
important than ever. functionality of everything from the
government to private companies.
Increased use of smart technology The WCRI team investigates the use of
“However, collecting and securely
brings with it increased threats of cyber- multi-disciplinary concepts to develop
distributing data in a controlled manner
attacks and the insights and innovations innovative end-to-end security solutions
is a growing global challenge and we are
of the University’s Wolverhampton Cyber to close the loop of prevention, detection
looking to find solutions which work for
Research Institute (WCRI) are increasingly and recovery from security attacks,
large businesses.”
being called on to find solutions. helping to improve the resilience
and reliability of the critical national
Dr Epiphaniou added that it is hoped
Comprising a team of more than 20 infrastructure and to reduce societal
a University of Wolverhampton spin-
academic staff, the Institute incorporates impact of cyber-attacks.
out could be created at the end of the
extensive knowledge of network and
process.
communication security, artificial Members are working on several high-
intelligence, big data and cyber physical profile projects, one of which looks at
Cyber security research is being further
systems. creating innovative new technology to
strengthened by a joint venture between
support large organisations in securely
the University and Herefordshire Council:
Experts work collaboratively with sharing and regulating their data.
the new multi-million pound Hereford
academic, industrial and governmental
Centre for Cyber Security (HCCS).
organisations to support all aspects of For this project, WCRI’s Dr Gregory
security and privacy, and their opinions Epiphaniou and Professor Prashant Pillai
The University has approved £1.5 million
have recently been sought by national have been awarded more than £125,000
to contribute to the Centre as well as
media, including the BBC, Forbes and funding over three phases to develop and
successfully securing grant funding
Daily Express. test their Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
of £4 million from the Marches LEP
Local Growth Fund and £1.16 million of
European Regional Development Fund.
Herefordshire Council has approved
further funding of £3.5 million.
HCCS, which will be located on Skylon
Park in the Hereford Enterprise Zone, will
offer high quality research facilities as
well as office space for cyber businesses
and advanced training facilities.
Together, WCRI and HCCS aspire to be
at the forefront of tackling threats in
cyberspace on a global scale.
Find out more about our research at: wlv.ac.uk/research
EDITOR’S
WELCOME
The summer period was a
busy one for many colleagues.
On July 23, funding bodies
produced the draft guidance
documents on Submissions,
Panel Criteria and Working
Methods, and the Code of
Practice for REF2021.
A significant change has been the August 2018 saw the introduction of new ones. I thank you for all the
proposal to re-introduce individual staff the new doctoral loans. Colleagues hard work and I hope many will be
circumstances, and there is much debate in Registry, the Doctoral College and successful.
about this in the sector. Our institutional the faculties did much work behind
response to the consultation on the the scenes to ensure our readiness. Finally, at the recent graduations,
draft documents has been discussed Enrolments to our doctoral programmes we celebrated a number of internal
in various fora and I am grateful for the have already increased compared to promotions. Many congratulations to:
input that colleagues have provided. The the same time last year. If you have any
final guidance and criteria are expected questions about the new loans, please • Professor Meena Dhanda –
in January 2019 and we will update contact the Doctoral College or faculties’ Professor of Philosophy and
you on the outcome. Meanwhile, we postgraduate research tutors. Cultural Politics
will be launching a number of training
sessions on REF2021 to help familiarise Early September is deadline time for • Professor Jackie Dunne –
colleagues with the new guidance and to many Horizon 2020 programmes, and Professor of Lifelong
fine-tune our submission. Find out more colleagues worked hard over the summer Learning and Skills
at: wlv.ac.uk/ref to revise previous bids or put together • Professor Gary Hix –
Professor of Materials Chemistry
• Professor Megan Lawton –
Professor of Learning and
Teaching in Academic Practice
WORLD • Professor Iza Radecka –
Professor of Biotechnology
NUMBER • Professor Rachel Slater –
Professor of International
ONE Development
• Dr Niall Galbraith –
Reader in Health Psychology
University of Wolverhampton • Dr Paraskevi Goggolidou –
mathematicians have been ranked A combined ranking includes three Reader in Molecular Genetics
number one in the world for their size-related measures, placing
Wolverhampton 19th in the world • Dr Jenni Jones –
research for the second year running.
ranking and highest in the UK for this. Associate Professor
in Coaching and Mentoring
They were officially placed first in the world
for the average quality of their research in Professor of Information Science • Dr Wen Wang –
the Academic Ranking of World Universities Mike Thelwall said: “We are very Reader in HR Management
(ARWU), also known as Shanghai Ranking, proud… [This] reflects the hard and Employee Relations
published in the summer. work and innovative research of
our small but dedicated team." Professor Silke Machold,
The research was done by the Statistical Dean of Research
Cybermetrics Research Group, Research The ARWU is the world’s oldest University of Wolverhampton
Institute of Information and Language university ranking system and is
Processing (RIILP), and is categorised regarded as one of the three most
as Library & Information Science. influential university measures.
INTERNATIONAL WWI
CONFERENCE SUCCESS
The University cemented its position
as one of the world’s leading centres for
Is laughter the
historical research with an international
conference to mark the centenary of
best medicine?
the end of the First World War.
Telford Innovation
The Centre for Historical Research Campus hosted the 18th
(CHR) hosted 1918-2018: The End International Summer
of the War and The Reshaping of the School and Symposium on
Century in September, which was themed Humour and Laughter, which
on 1918 and the global significance, was a resounding success.
consequences and legacies of this
watershed year. Academics from around the world
attended the event, which was
The event drew 170 delegates and organised jointly between the Faculty slapstick, comedy and pain explored
featured seven keynote speakers of Arts and Faculty of Education, through an interdisciplinary arts
including Professor Laura Ugolini and Health and Wellbeing. practice; and a performance of
Professor Gary Sheffield from the Medieval French and English Tales.
University of Wolverhampton, while 61 The programme aimed to provide an
overview of the interdisciplinary nature The summer school was supported
further speakers took part in themed by the Cogito Foundation, Switzerland.
parallel sessions and discussions. of humour research, by considering
theory and empirical evidence, The University’s organisers Josiane
The prestigious event, marking the addressing special research issues, Boutonnet and Dr Tracey Platt wish
beginning of events taking place across discussing findings and considering to thank all participants and also
the world in the lead-up to the Armistice’s some of the applications of humour Mouton de Gruyter for their support
centenary anniversary, was termed “the and laughter. and sponsorship of prizes for the
major World War One Conference in best presentation awards, which were
2018” by an attending delegate. Topics included: modern history of won this year by: Kassandra Pineault
assessing humour, logic in jokes, Savard and Oumaïma Krita.
University postdoctoral research fellow
and organiser Dr Oliver Wilkinson said:
“The event played an important role in
raising new debates and interpretations
about the war, and its ending, with far-
reaching impacts on how the conflict
will be understood and remembered.” Update: Current Research Information System
Aftermath, a public digital exhibition
focusing on issues that arose after the A new Current Research Information tracking and enabling its research
war for ex-services, was developed by System (CRIS) will be introduced to the efforts.
Professor Yvonne McEwen (Honorary University over the next year to support
its research ambitions and vision. Following a rigorous procurement
Researcher at the University of process, ‘Elements’ will bring a host of
Wolverhampton) and held in conjunction One of the University’s strategic goals advantages to our research operations
with the conference. is to transform lives through research, going forward: reducing the amount
The conference attracted regional and which it continues to do through its of manual data inputting, allowing
national sponsorship and was held in world-leading efforts, as recognised by researchers better controls over their
collaboration with the Western Front the most recent Research Excellence research profiles, and supporting Open
Association (WFA) and the First World Framework (REF). Access compliance and assessment
War Network for Early Career and One area that the University is exercises, including REF.
Postgraduate Researchers. aiming to improve is the access The implementation comes as part
Recorded talks will be hosted for and availability of its publication of the Digital Campus transformation
free on the WFA podcast and at: data, which will make future REF programme which sees £30 million
wlv.ac.uk/chr in coming months. submissions much easier and allow investment in the University’s
For more on the conference, follow: greater control and visibility over its operations and aims to maximise
@1918to2018 on Twitter. research outputs. opportunities through knowledge,
Working alongside WIRE, the current innovation and enterprise.
repository for the University’s research Work to embed the system will
outputs, the new system: ‘Elements’, continue throughout 2018 and it will
from Symplectic, will further the be available for use in March 2019,
University’s capability in reporting, with training to follow.
Find out more about our research at: wlv.ac.uk/research
New book
examines
concepts of
‘filth’ and ‘dirt’
Dr William Pawlett, senior lecturer in
Media, Communications and Cultural
Studies, is exploring concepts of dirt
and impurity for a new book.
Dr Pawlett’s work was recently
publicised in humanities journal
Theory, Culture and Society. His latest
research examines why some things,
and some people, are treated like dirt,
and looks at the difference between
EXPLORING THE SMELLS OF THE BLACK COUNTRY
‘dirt’ and ‘filth’ in society. The University secured over £2,000 funding to conduct pioneering
He said: “In a sense, we prize and research into the past and present smells of the Black Country.
even venerate the filthy, as well as
being somewhat afraid of it, whereas In partnership with Black the British Academy, and the School of
we generally eliminate and reject Country Living Museum, Advanced Study, University of London.
the dirty. It is as if filth and dirt exist Wolverhampton Art Gallery
in two different worlds, in religious Sebastian Groes, Professor of English
and the Black Country
terminology the world of the sacred, Literature in the School of Humanities,
Chamber of Commerce,
and the world of the profane.” said: “Smell is unique because it has
the University undertook
the ability to take us right back to our
this exciting project during
childhood. Snidge Scrumpin’ maps the
two community research events.
specific smells that belong to the Black
Snidge Scrumpin’ was held at Country, from Banks’s Brewery’s hoppy
Black Country Living Museum and stink to groaty pudding and spicy curry.”
Wolverhampton Art Gallery as part of the
Snidge Scrumpin’ is a pilot project
Being Human Festival, the only national
for nationwide research into the
festival of the humanities in the UK.
creation of a UK map of smell
The events, themed around ‘origins and and memory. In Black Country
endings’, were selected to be part of dialect, ‘Snidge’ means
Being Human by the festival organisers, ‘nose’ and ‘Scrumpin’’
the Arts & Humanities Research Council, is ‘foraging’.
EU PRAISE FOR INNOVATIVE ICT PROJECT
A project led by the University to and supporting professional development
develop innovative ways of using opportunities for teachers.
technology in education has been
hailed as a success story by the LSL was identified by the European
European Commission. Commission’s Innovation Radar, which
highlights excellent innovations in
The Living Schools Lab (LSL) created EU-funded research and innovation
a network of primary and secondary framework programmes.
schools of more than 500 teachers
across 12 European countries, Project lead investigator Diana Bannister
with 15 partners, to showcase and MBE, Assistant Director of Pedagogic
demonstrate best practice and bridge Partnerships and Head of Postgraduate
technological skills gaps. Taught Provision in Education, visited She also developed a common
schools across all 12 countries and kept framework for the teachers to use
It promoted a whole-school approach a blog of her visits, attracting over 250,000 to support their school vision and
to ICT use, scaling up best practices views during the course of the project. professional development.
Find out more about our research at: wlv.ac.uk/research
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