This week, the College of Business and Law hosted a research showcase bringing colleagues together under UWE Bristol’s RISE Beacon ‘Enriching Culture, Place and Community’. In his welcome address, Professor Andrew Simpson, Interim Dean for Research and Enterprise and Dean and Head of the Bristol Business School, stressed the relevance of this Beacon to the research conducted within the College. He also pointed out that the broad range of topics reflected how much “we care about the community we live in” and the researchers’ desire to make a positive impact on the private and public sectors.
The event featured rapid five-minute presentations across two panels. It was designed to foster collaboration and share research findings. Its intention was also to give researchers the opportunity to practice communicating projects concisely and clearly, a skill vital to making research accessible and understandable to the general public.
Panel 1: From responsibility to resilience: leadership, community and social transformation
The first panel explored leadership, responsibility and how communities navigate social transformation.
Marketing and psychology: bridging the gap between practice and academia
Dr Tom Bowden-Green opened with his work on marketing psychology and how individual differences shape people’s responses to marketing. He shared insights on social proof, his forthcoming book and the growing interest in turning this knowledge into revenue and commercial training.
Disqualification of directors and education requirements: supporting responsible directorship
Dr Neeti Shikha highlighted the pressures faced by UK company directors who have no formal training despite significant legal responsibilities. Her research uses behavioural economics to explore how targeted education could improve decision-making and reduce over-confidence, especially during periods of financial distress.
Enriching communities: leadership, liminality and liquidity
Professor Gareth Edwards drew on his book Community as Leadership to explore what we mean by community and the interaction between leadership and community. In this context, he stressed the importance of ethics, culture and place for communities. He emphasised the value of linking curiosity-driven and applied research and shared new conversations emerging from international partners.
Fostering community-led problem-solving
Dr Kay Galpin, Professor Carol Jarvis and Professor Hugo Gaggiotti presented a HEIF-funded project working with local authorities to trial new ‘design-thinking’ approaches that place residents, particularly under-represented groups, at the centre of service design. The aim is to shift power dynamics and embed empathy in decision-making despite resource pressures.
Informing justice – the Windrush scandal
Tamara Rundle, Associate Professor Rachel Wood and Professor Gerhard Kemp introduced research on the Windrush scandal. With many elder members of the Windrush community still without status and facing a difficult compensation system, the team is drawing on learning from international justice processes to inform the ongoing People’s Inquiry. Ms Rundle also reflected on the emotional weight of the work and the need for wider public storytelling.
Content creators and social media influencers’ mental health, wellbeing, and job performance
Dr Moya Lerigo-Sampson presented research on the mental health of influencers and content creators. Interviews show blurred boundaries between online and offline life and constant pressure to remain visible. The team is also exploring how digital communities can either support or strain wellbeing.
Panel 2: Justice, inclusion and lived experience: research for social change
The second panel focused on social justice and inclusion across policing, family law, higher education and public events.
Evaluating police responses to sexual violence against sex workers; reflections on multi-agency partnership working, problem solving and co-production
Associate Professor Duncan McPhee discussed a collaborative project with Gwent Police to understand police responses to violence against sex workers. Trust-building was central to the work, which included joint meetings, workshops and a major conference supported by HEIF funding.
Peace for children in our time? Why we need to increase our understanding of domestic abuse and work together
Emma Whewell highlighted the shocking statistic that one in five children experience domestic abuse, often with long-term effects on behaviour and wellbeing. She stressed that domestic abuse is frequently misunderstood, including within the judicial system. Her work has led to the creation of a new advisory group and training for judges and social workers.
The impact of hybrid working on Black women academics: productivity and visibility in post-COVID higher education
Dr Tinkuma Edafioghor shared findings from interviews with Black women academics navigating hybrid working post-Covid. Many described the pressure to hold everything together which feeds into the stereotype of ‘the strong back woman’ and managing cultural expectations and the challenges of visibility and career progression.
Deaf legal studies: how law understands, or fails to understand, deaf people
Dr Rob Wilks introduced his emerging field of Deaf Legal Studies, which explores how law often operates in ways that disadvantage deaf people. His work spans equality law, bilingual education and a recently launched Deaf Legal Association. He described the law as often ‘audist’ and emphasised the need for frameworks rooted in lived experience of deaf people.
Missing migrants: the psychosocial implications for their surviving families through the lens of Kübler-Ross’s five-stagemodel of grief
Dr Luke Eda presented research on families of missing migrants and how they navigate grief of their loved ones in ambiguous circumstances and with no closure. Using Kübler-Ross’s five-stage model, he explores how relatives find meaning and cope with ongoing uncertainty.
Making outdoor events more inclusive
Clare MacKay and Dr Ed Little closed the panel with research carried out on the experiences of people with dietary requirements at outdoor events. Feelings of anxiety and exclusion were common. The team’s work has influenced event organisers and attracted interest from industry press and festivals seeking to improve inclusion.
Future showcases coming up…
The showcase highlighted the breadth of applied and socially engaged research across the College. From director training to festival food, and from digital wellbeing to justice for Windrush families, the projects reflect RISE’s aim to enrich communities and support positive change.
For details of future showcases contact Sarah-Louise Weller or Noelle Quenivet.
