Oxford Brookes students showcase their research at Get Published! 2024
Dozens of students from across the University presented their research at the annual Get Published! showcase on Tuesday 16 April.
Get Published! gives undergraduate and taught master’s students the chance to show their work to an audience of students, staff, employers and the general public.Event organiser Professor Louise Taylor, Project Lead for the Student Research Launch Pad at Oxford Brookes, says: “Sharing and publishing your research helps develop invaluable graduate skills such as communication and critical thinking, as well as attributes including confidence, creativity and independence. Being able to communicate complex ideas to a wide audience in simple and interesting ways is a crucial stand-out skill in the digital age.”
The Student Communications team went along to speak to some of the participating students about their research and why they decided to showcase their work at the event.
Mihaela Carina Ciobaca, BA (Hons) Urban Design, Planning and Development - Playground design for children with autism
Tell us about your research
My dissertation research project is about designing playgrounds for children with autism spectrum disorder because I’m a mother of a child with autism and I’ve learned that one in 57 children now have autism - and that’s just those with a diagnosis. I looked at the sensitivities of children with autism and how playground design could reduce the impact of those sensitivities, interviewing parents, nursery staff and speech and language therapists. I have eight findings or recommendations, including creating quieter “escape spaces” for children who become overwhelmed by noise. I’m now in the final phase of the project, which involves creating a design guide for UK playgrounds so that children can have better experiences.Why did you decide to showcase your project?
We are encouraged to submit a proposal to Get Published! as part of our course. It’s a great opportunity to gain presenting skills and practise talking to people about your research. I’m looking forward to going round and looking at other students’ projects too when I get the chance.Chinwendu Nkwocha, Master’s in Public Health - Effectiveness of telemonitoring in reducing glycated haemoglobin among diabetic adults in the United States
Tell us about your research
Monitoring the blood glucose levels of people with diabetes is very important in managing the condition. I carried out a review of existing studies into the effectiveness of telemonitoring, which involves monitoring people’s symptoms remotely through phone calls, video calls and digital apps. I looked at the United States because cases of diabetes are increasing there and found that video conferencing was the most effective method of telemonitoring, followed by digital apps. Phone calls were less effective. Next, I’m hoping to look at the differences in effectiveness between age groups, and between people who live in urban and rural areas.Why did you decide to showcase your project?
I saw Get Published! taking place last year when I was still in the process of choosing my dissertation topic. It looked like something I would want to do this year. I’m really happy to be here and I’m hoping to improve my research skills and network with people who are interested in researching chronic diseases like I am.Simon Raivid, BSc (Hons) Politics and Sociology - Changes in forms of political participation in Western democracies
Tell us about your research
I’m looking at whether people are becoming more apathetic to voting or apathetic to politics as a whole. After conducting some initial research I picked two countries - the UK and Australia - with very different voting systems. I also picked a couple of case studies of alternative ways of becoming involved in politics, such as Jamie Oliver’s healthy school meals campaign. I found that people are generally becoming more apathetic towards attending the polls while at the same time becoming more open to finding different ways of supporting political causes.Why did you decide to showcase your project?
I saw Get Published! advertised in the Student News email and thought “why not?” It’s been really enjoyable so far and I’ve had lots of interest in my poster. I’m hoping to improve my public speaking skills by having lots of different conversations with people about my project.Emily Burke, BA (Hons) Architecture - How did colonisation affect tsunami resilience in indigenous communities in Hawaii?
Tell us about your research
For my final-year dissertation I’ve studied how colonisation affected Hawaii’s resilience to natural disaster, both positively and negatively. Hawaii has been heavily colonised over the years - particularly in a military context as it’s in a very sought-after strategic spot. While some aspects of tsunami resilience were improved, such as the early-warning systems that were introduced, colonisation had mostly negative effects because of the replacement of natural infrastructures and vernacular architecture with less suitable materials like concrete, and buildings placed in risky areas right next to the sea.Why did you decide to showcase your project?
I heard about Get Published! in an email and decided to sign up - if an opportunity comes my way, I generally try to take it. It’s an opportunity to get my name out there a bit, improve my skills and get feedback on my work. I will take a break from studying after finishing my undergraduate degree but would like to come back at some point to do a master’s.Student Research Launch Pad prize-winners
A judging panel from across the University awarded prizes to 11 participating students for the quality of their research projects and their presentation delivery.Poster awards:
- Abi Baldwin - BSc Psychology
- George Easton - BA Urban Design, Planning and Development
- Emily Farley - BSc Biological Sciences
- Erhan Isik - MSc Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management
- Charlotte Masclet - BSc Psychology
- Elizabeth Pinkney - BA English Literature
- Christie Roberts - Master’s in Public Health
- Jasmin Sadler-Ladell - BSc Adult Nursing
- Bryn Townshend - BA Urban Design, Planning and Development
- Laura Mugambi - Master’s in Public Health
- Charlotte O'Neill - MSc Primate Conservation