Web Science Summer School 2014
by Alex Hovden via WSI | WSI
Next week sees the University of Southampton Web Science Institute play host to the inaugural Web Science Summer School. It aims to provide comprehensive education and networking opportunities to the next generation of Web Scientists. Official participant registration is closed, but staff and students of the University can still informally attend the keynote speeches for free. Keynote 1 – Professor …
SMMI – EPSRC Summer Bursaries 2014
by Rosie Hoare
Rosie Hoare – ‘Decision-making in Complex, Multi-scale Displays’
I have just completed my second year on the Psychology BSc program. During my second year I worked with my supervisor on a number of eye-tracking experiments through the Psychology department’s Voluntary Research Assistant scheme (VRA). I learnt a great about visual search and attention research during lectures and through the VRA scheme. I found the subject fascinating and I was thrilled when I received the IDR Vacation Bursary and the opportunity to do research over summer.
This summer I am working on a visual search experiment where participants can zoom in and out to search for objects in a complex, cluttered display. I am examining how searching in displays of the type is influenced by target prevalence. Target prevalence refers to how often a target is presented to participants in a visual search, and it has been found that if a target item appears less often, then participants are more likely to miss that item when searching. This is an important factor to consider in complex, real-world displays such as those in the operation rooms of ships, where indicators of danger may be rare and difficult to detect.
Looking to the future, for my third year research project, I am hoping to examine behaviour in an eye tracking task, though I am not quite sure in which specific area, but I am confident that my summer of research in the psychology department will give me some ideas. I have already gained valuable skills in carrying out a literature review and collecting data, and these are skills that will be vital in my next year’s studies and research project. I am also exploring potential routes that will enable me to engage in postgraduate study.
Thunderclap – the social media flashmob!
by Alex Hovden via WSI | WSI
As part of my summer internship here at the WSI I am promoting Web Science in all shapes and forms. Part of that involves promoting our MOOC (Web Science) and I am also helping to promote Dr Lisa Harris’ brand new MOOC in Digital Marketing. I have been investigating the concept of a Thunderclap. A Thunderclap is… if you can …
MOOCs – where next?
by Lisa Harris via WSI | WSI
In a recent post we discussed the background to our MOOC work which has evolved from the Digital Economy Research Group’s emphasis on bringing inter-disciplinary research into education. This has been specifically progressed through curriculum innovation modules and a number of collaborative projects working with students as partners. As the first running of the Portus MOOC comes to an end …
Emergency Data Retention Laws
by Alex Hovden via WSI | WSI
This morning there was breaking news that the Government would be introducing an emergency bill to give powers to police and intelligence authorities that would enable them to continue to access phone and internet records. To the layman, anything involving “emergency” or “data” or “laws” (or a combination) can be alarming. What are they looking for? Are they spying? What …
Complexity USRG – EPSRC Summer Bursaries 2014
by June Lovitt
June Lovitt – ‘Designing structured consortia for novel devices’
I have just completed my second year of Chemistry at the University of Southampton and will continue into my third year of a four-year Master of Chemistry programme after the summer. For my internship I am focusing on the area of complex systems, synthetic biology. My internship project is in collaboration with Professor George Attard. The field of research for this project is 3D microarchitecture.
This internship is focusing on developing 3D thixotropic gels and whether these can be exploited as a 3D growth matrix for bacteria. Thixotropic gels are attractive for the development of novel tissue-like devices as they flow freely when subject to sheer forces and set into rigid gels when not flowing. Gels with different compositions can also be fused together easily forming layers of different bacteria cultures. I have also been investigating the compositions needed for the medium to form a 3D thixotropic gel as well as culturing bacteria and designing minimal media for each. My next stage is to culture the bacteria in the minimal media and to investigate if this forms a gel.
The long term result of this project if it is successful is that the complex tissue like materials can be developed comprising of different species of bacteria organised on/interacting through 3D microarchitecture.
In my third year project I hope to continue with chemical biology. By developing basic skills from culturing bacteria to developing gels and growth mediums and furthering my understanding of histoarchitecture, this will be very beneficial to my further studies within this field. I have also developed a good range of transferable analytical skills to other areas of practical chemistry.
This project is concerned with achieving preliminary results to support a funding bid to EPSRC and might represent the 1st step in developing a new technology.
Open Access
by Alex Hovden via WSI | WSI
So here I am… sat here in Bay 7, Level 3 of building 32. It’s a fairly warm Wednesday afternoon and unfortunately i’m wearing a black t-shirt (black absorbs heat). I’m trawling through the feed of tweets, when I come across one from @OA_Button… Join thousands of researchers in demanding #OpenAccess to research. Use the Open Access Button today: http://t.co/fsl203AgpZ …
Are government workers really more public-spirited than those in the private sector?
by Carolin Bothe-Tews via Work Thought Blog
Authors: Mirco Tonin, Senior Lecturer in Economics at University of Southampton Michael Vlassopoulos, Senior Lecturer in Economics at University of Southampton The following article was originally posted at ‘The conversation‘ blog. A fifth of UK workers are employed in the public sector. Though public sector work is obvious crucial – schools, hospitals, police and so on – measuring performance […]
Next run of the Web Science MOOC!!!!
by Alex Hovden via WSI | WSI
The next running of the Web Science MOOC, run by the University of Southampton in conjunction with FutureLearn, starts on 6th October 2014! We will also be organising a Thunderclap over the coming months to get the word out about this so keep an eye on @sotonWSI and all the blogs for more details on how you can get involved! Remember …
Web Science Institute official launch!
by Alex Hovden via WSI | WSI
Royal Society, London – Thursday 12th June 2014 This was the formal launch of the world leading Web Science Institute. Click the link below to see the full event programme and details: WSI Launch Brochure The day kicked off at 10:30 am with a Web Science Institute in the City of London rooms with various organisations including the Open Data …