On the 25th of April 2024, the Global Lounge buzzed with excitement as it hosted the fourth annual BILT Student Research Festival. If you weren’t able to attend, no need to worry! In this blog post, we’ll provide an overview of the day’s highlights and guide you to our digital gallery, where you can explore the research posters crafted by our talented student.
The Presenters:
This year’s Festival centred around the theme of ‘Conflict and Resolution.’ Presenters approached this theme with remarkable diversity, reflecting both the expansive scope of research fostered at the University of Bristol and the array of perspectives within our learning community.
Each presenter embraced the task of creating a poster and delivering a concise ten-minute presentation to encapsulate the findings of their research projects. If you’re curious to explore the posters they’ve produced, visit our digital gallery.
- Jay Liu – Who Values ESG More: Retail or Institutional Investors?
- Zhengyang Wu – Navigating Uncertainty: Economic Development Conflicts for Europe in 2024
- Lakshmi Sailan – The Thought of Action: How Motivated are the Youth to Fight the Crime of Rape?
- Nicolas Mouros –Decommonisation of Water in Divided Cyprus.
- Raisha Rafa & Veronica Deutsch – The Rohingya Crisis Through a Gender Lens.
- Jessica Gould – Conflict in Modelling of Solid Stresses.
- Polly Wickens – Glioblastoma – A Move Towards More Targeted Therapies
- Sophie Wise – What’s ‘the Beef’? Investigating the Ostensible Conflict Between Vegans and Livestock Farmers.
- Sudha Rani Maddala – Empowering Communities to use AI to Tackle Climate Challenges.
- Carla Forster – Resolving Democracy’s Dilemma -The Media’s Relationship with Democracy in Times of Crisis: A Case Study of COVID-19 in Germany
- Chaeyeon Lim – Emotion Representation and Perception in Deepfake.
- Ziyi Wu – Securing the Ledger: Technological Empowerment in Financial Firms’ Data Security and Internal Control Dynamics.
- Sri Lasya Mulagaleti – Broken Security: Why Afghanistan’s Refugee Crisis Needs a Feminist Approach
The Highlights:
The day commenced with Annela Seddon delivering the keynote address. She shared insights from her personal journey into research, underlining the significance of resilience and pushing the boundaries of knowledge. Moreover, she underscored the vital role of promoting research-rich teaching and learning within the University, a principle continually championed by the BILT Team.
The day was structured in two distinct halves, with the morning session dedicated to an exploration of the many ‘Conflicts’ within the world and academia, while the afternoon session pivoted optimistically towards the theme of ‘Resolution,’ focusing on the possibilities of reconciliation.
We were delighted to welcome Sheena Warman, Wayne Holland, and Helen Thomas-Hughes to judge the morning session, where they were thoroughly impressed by the presentations’ depth, rigor of research, and the breadth of topics explored.
Before the afternoon session began, participants, students and judges refuelled courtesy of Papa Johns, predictably popular amongst students. With energy restored, it was time to kick off our second session of the day. We were joined by Peter Brennan, Chris Russell and James Freeman, who kindly volunteered to judge the afternoon session. They were struck by the student researchers’ thorough grasp of their respective research fields and their adeptness in addressing challenging questions.
Before wrapping up the event, Aisling Tierney, hosted a Q&A workshop discussing the changing research landscape driven by the proliferation of AI. Questions regarding the University’s ability to dynamically regulate and respond to an evolving platform, the ramifications on teaching and learning, and the future of skill development demonstrated students’ eagerness to actively engage with and comprehend such pressing issues.
Ros O’Leary brought the event to a close by announcing the recipients of the Research Awards. In her final remarks, Ros commended all the participants for their courage in presenting their work and noted the blend of eloquence in their delivery and academic depth in their presentations. A big congratulations to Polly Wickens, Carla Forster, and Lakshmi Sailan for their outstanding contributions, earning them research awards as determined by our judges.
The Takeaways:
Was this opportunity valued by the participants?
Our presenter feedback demonstrates that students considered the festival a means to enrich their skills and advance their career prospects. Our survey suggests that:
- 100% of the presenters felt the festival was engaging and accessible.
- All the presenters suggested they made a meaningful connection during the festival, particularly during networking sessions.
- All the feedback received indicated that the workshop provided important insights regarding AI.
Comments from presenters included:
What an exceptional view of the research from all different areas of the University. Wholesome, thought-provoking and engaging.”
The festival had a very friendly and welcoming feel…just a wonderful opportunity to showcase some of the research that is taking place across the university!”
My overall experience at the festival was incredibly rewarding, offering valuable insights and networking opportunities that will undoubtedly shape my future in research.”
If you’re intrigued by this recap of the day, be sure to stay tuned for next year’s festival. This event is a must-attend, showcasing Bristol’s vibrant learning environment, the calibre of student research, and the unwavering commitment of both university staff and students to a culture that champions research-enriched learning and teaching.
