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Excellence in Research and Knowledge Transfer at the University of Central LancashireSpring 2012Excellence in Research and Knowledge Transfer at the University of Central LancashireSpring 2012

Breaking NewsFeaturesConferences & EventsBook Launches

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IntroductionWith the Research Excellence Framework (REF) fast approaching, research impact hasbecome a key issue in research communities across the United Kingdom. The REF will beusing the impact that research has outside of academia as a partial measure of researchexcellence. Whatever one may think about this approach, it certainly has researchersthinking about how their research improves the world in which we live. UCLan’sstrategic objective is to engage in “World leading research with real world impact”. In this Spring Issue of BreakThrough we are highlighting how we are doing this. For example, we look at the research of fire scientist Anna Stec, who is working toimprove the fire safety standards of every day materials in say our buildings, ships orplanes. Then if they catch fire they will not poison the people living and working withinthem. Our engineering professor, Lik Kwan Shark is applying digital and imageprocessing to such diverse fields of aircraft manufacture through to diagnosing earlyonset of knee joint problems.

Each in their own way illustrates not only original and innovative research but alsoresearch that impacts upon the community by producing better, safer materials andproducts or by helping to improve people’s health.

Dr Robert WalshUniversity Director of Research

At UCLan we have an obligation to make sure that our graduates are equipped with the tools, experience and support they need to help them realise their dreams andaspirations both on a local and global platform. A critical component in helping themrealise these ambitions is by ensuring that we build close links and relationships withindustry. UCLan is rooted in this region and we believe we have an important duty tocontribute to its workforce and future entrepreneurs. As a University, we are extremelyproud of our partnerships with large organisations such a BAE Systems, Cisco and SonyComputer Entertainment Europe but equally, we take great pride in the work that wedo with locally-based businesses.

We must also remember the value of practical university research which has a trueimpact on the real-world. Such work adds value, not only to the Higher Educationexperience, but to the economy as a whole. An example of this is EvoFIT, a facialrecognition system that helps victims and witnesses of crime generate an image of acriminal’s face. Due to this innovative technology EvoFIT won the University ExcellenceCompetition at London’s TechWorld event in 2011.

Bede Mullen Director of Knowledge Transfer Service

Breaking News 4

Feature Articles

> Toxicology – Burning Questions 6

> Finding Faults in Aircraft Wings and Human Knees 10

> Promoting Normal Childbirth 12

> Protecting Your Identity 14

> Detecting Deception: Researching the Lies 16

Funding, Awards and Recognition

> UCLan’s Innovation Voucher Scheme Inspires Next Generation Running Shoe 18

> Lancashire Crime Case Aide Wins UKTI Award 19

> UCLan Secures £1.4m ERDF Support to Help Local Industry Embrace Advanced Technology 20

> UCLan Receives Funding to Help Rejuvenate North West SMEs 21

Professors in Profile

> A Career in Catalysis: Exceptions That Prove Dowden’s Rule 22

Conferences - Up and Coming

> The Dark Tourism Symposium 2012 26

Conference Reviews

> An Astounding Success for UCLan: The International Astronomical Union Symposium 284 28

Events - Up and Coming

> Forthcoming Events and Conferences 29

Book Launches 30

Editorial Team 35

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Contents

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Breaking News

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A Truly International Experience UCLan has not only announced exciting plans to establish the UK’s first privateuniversity campus in Bangkok, Thailand, but it has also revealed plans to open the first UK-led university in Cyprus.

In an official agreement between the University and Thai-based entrepreneur Mr SitichaiCharoenkajonkul both parties pledge to work in close collaboration to create a full-scaleuniversity campus, located within the Bangkok metropolitan area, and in which UCLan willinvest £7.5 million in the venture. Built to an exacting UCLan specification, and subject to thegranting of an educational licence, the new facility plans to open the doors to its first cohort of students in June 2014.

The development in Cyprus has been officially sanctioned by the Cypriot Ministry of Educationand Culture through the awarding of an educational licence. The building of the UK-stylecampus will start immediately and is due to open in October 2012.

The Thailand campus will offer full-time and part-time undergraduate, postgraduate andfoundation degree courses in subject areas that include business, built and naturalenvironment, engineering, creative and performing arts and languages. The Cyprus campus willoffer a broad range of academic subjects, taught in English and building on UCLan’s strengthsand local demand. Initially, these will be clustered in three groupings: Business andManagement, Law, Computing and Mathematics.

Dr Annemarie McAllister has beensuccessful in securing £50,000 in fundingfrom the Heritage Lottery Fund for anexciting project, ‘Temperance and theWorking Class’, working with thePeople’s History Museum in Manchester.

What is Freight Crime: Changing Attitudes Freight crime is a serious problemwhich has proven to significantly affectthe UK economy. The theft of largegoods vehicles and their loads causessubstantial economic and logisticalharm to manufacturers, operators andretailers alike.

Funding secured from the Economicand Social Research Council (ESRC) hasenabled UCLan’s Crime Reduction Unitto bring together a wide range oforganisations to tackle the problem ofroad freight crime. Workshops havebeen held throughout the UK,including locations such as Bristol and Kent, to cover four key themes;recognising, reporting, recording andreducing freight crime.

The workshops have helped to driveforward knowledge exchange throughthe facilitation of dialogue betweenstakeholders in and beyond the socialscience community. In addition it hasfurther developed the connections andunderstanding of security issues withinthe road freight industry whilst alsoidentifying and sharing good practice.The findings from these events andsubsequent activities will widen thedebate with the results feeding intopolicy and practice at a national level.

The latest event is part of the biggerTruckwatch North West scheme co-ordinated by UCLan’s CrimeReduction Unit. The next event, entitledCSI TruckwatchNW, will be opened byLord Henley, Minister for CrimePrevention and Anti-Social Behaviour,and will further assist in the reductionof impact and incidence of freightcrime in the North West.

Preston is often considered the birthplace ofthe Temperance Movement and this projectwill involve volunteers from localcommunities in collecting memories aboutTemperance and then help to mountexhibitions on this movement which soughtto persuade people to abstain from alcohol.

The major exhibition will be at the People’sHistory Museum in Manchester from July2012 - February 2013. Accompanied by an online public access virtual exhibition, public lectures, family activities, debates, and recreations of Temperance evenings.

A local exhibition will be held in Preston’s St George’s Shopping Centre from the 24 August - 8 September and will form partof the Preston Guild celebrations.

Heritage Lottery Fund Support for Temperance History Project

Entrepreneur in Residence Appointed Philip Dyer, chairman of NXO and regional president of Lancashire’s Chartered Institute of Marketing, has been appointed as the first ever entrepreneur in residence at UCLan.

The voluntary role has been created to further enhance the University’s strong links with UK industry and tosupport and encourage entrepreneurial education to students, with Philip becoming a key student mentor.

Philip started his first business in 1986 and has since founded NXO, the UK’s first strategic marketingfranchise with offices across the UK. Philip is an excellent choice for this role as he has had close links with

UCLan since starting his further education there in 1981. He has since gone on to study for an HNC inBusiness and Finance and post-graduate diploma, all at UCLan.

In the role, he will provide students and start-up businesses with support sessions, seminars andone-to-one advice clinics, working closely with UCLan’s Lancashire Business School.

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UCLan and IT company, Cisco Systemshave teamed up to deliver cutting edgedigital technology to manufacturers.

Cisco has invested in the provision ofspecialist equipment and expertise toenhance the industrial networkingenvironment in the world’s first Tele-immersive Digital Manufacturing (TiM) Laboratory, developed by UCLan’sCentre for Advanced Digital ManufacturingTechnology (ADMT) at the University’sBurnley Campus.

As a distinctive lab-based miniature factoryof the future, TiM represents UCLan’svision to improve manufacturingcompetitiveness. It utilises digital sensingtechnologies to acquire a range ofmanufacturing data such as processperformance, product deviation and energyconsumption. Its digital data processingtechnologies execute manufacturing

Sony Computer EntertainmentEurope Teams Up With UCLan

UCLan is one of the only UK universitiesto incorporate 3D technology into itsgames development and teachingthrough a unique industry partnershipwith the Stereoscopic 3D group at SonyComputer Entertainment Europe (SCEE).

Three recent UCLan gamesdevelopment graduates included 3Dstereoscopic rendering in their final yearproject and returned to the University topresent their work to senior developersfrom the technology giant.

They worked closely with thePlayStation® 3D technology experts toincorporate the latest gamingdevelopments into their work withresounding success. All of the projectsused stereoscopic techniques to enhancethe realism of graphics within a game.

UCLan’s relationship with SonyComputer Entertainment Europe hasalso enabled 40 games developmentstudents from the University to take partin a stereoscopic user trial looking intothe 3D gaming experience. SonyComputer Entertainment Europe willpresent the students’ findings at the 3DEntertainment Summit in Los Angeles.

adaptively based on data and its digitalcommunication technologies means thatmanufacturing can be controlled remotely.

The investment will enable UCLan to workmore closely with companies across a rangeof sectors, including aerospace, automotiveand energy, which can use the DigitalManufacturing Lab to improve theircompetitiveness.

UCLan is also a Cisco Academy and alignssome of its teaching with the training armof the organisation that provides industrytraining courses for networkingprofessionals. This activity will also exposestudents to industrial networking to givethem a broader experience of networkingscenarios and technologies. A number ofstudents were lucky enough to shadowCisco Systems engineers during theinstallation of the equipment in order tomaximise the learning opportunities.

Digital Manufacturing Innovation

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Toxicology – Burning QuestionsAn interview with Dr Anna StecSchool of Forensic & Investigative Sciences

Professor Mike Holmes, Head of the Graduate Research School, and Emma Sandon-Hesketh went to meet with Dr Anna Stec, to talkabout her research and work internationally in the field of toxicology.

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Could you give a brief outline of what your research is about?

My research is about combustion and firetoxicology, which is a multi-disciplinary area. Itstarts from the physical aspects of combustionsuch as how much heat is released in fires. It isthen about understanding how differentmaterials, such as polymers burn underdifferent fire conditions. A polyurethane foamsofa will burn differently to a plastic coatedcable, with different combustion productsbeing released. We use analytical chemistry toidentify and quantify fire products or effluentsreleased. Using existing hazard assessmentmodels, it is possible to estimate the mainhazards to humans, incapacitation or lethality,which can prevent a safe escape. Althoughmy research focuses on the whole cycle, themain question I am always trying to answer is,“What is released from fires and howhazardous is it to humans?”. Many peoplebelieve that the biggest killer in a fire is carbonmonoxide. In fact, it is more likely, particularlyif nitrogen containing materials are beingburnt, to be hydrogen cyanide, which is 25times more toxic than carbon monoxide.

Do the chemicals released depend uponthe temperature of the burning?

Fire toxicity is closely related to the material,which is being burnt, and to the ventilationconditions such as temperature and oxygen.Smouldering or oxidative pyrolysis i.e.decomposition or transformation of acompound caused by heat in an oxygencontaining atmosphere, is a non-flaming firescenario related to a gradual increase in thelocal concentrations of smoke and toxicgases over a long period, such as carbonmonoxide from smouldering furnishings .Once flaming starts, the effluent toxicity of awell-ventilated fire decreases briefly, until thefire grows rapidly to consume the availableoxygen. If we look at the fire statistics, which

are very well established in the UK, most firedeaths are from under-ventilated fires in theroom of fire origin. In the US, there are morefire deaths outside the room of fire origin oron a different floor as the homes tend to bebigger with more open layouts, hence thefire can spread more easily. Under-ventilatedfires are the most dangerous for humansbecause the fires are usually large, and thetoxicity is very high. If we look at the yield oftoxic products such as carbon monoxide,hydrogen cyanide, organo-irritants, andsmoke, they increase by a factor between 10 and 50 as the fire changes from wellventilated to under ventilated.

Has this changed the way in which wedesign and build buildings?

I am a UK Principal Expert with theInternational Standards Organisation (ISO)"Fire Threat to Human and Environment"group, which gives me insight into what ishappening with the regulations. What we aretrying to change are the regulations regardingthe flammability and the toxicity of materialsused in buildings. A problem for the fire safetyengineer is that whilst all fire stages need tobe considered to address different scenariosfor fire hazard analysis, well-ventilated flamingis well understood and quantified, whilst themore toxicologically significant under-ventilated flaming is often oversimplified orignored. Although no bench-scale test can re-create exactly the decomposition conditions ina full-scale fire, we have been developing,over the last five years, in the fire laboratory atUCLan, an ISO standard to generate andquantify fire effluents under the full range offire conditions. The steady state tube furnacemethod has been developed specifically toreplicate a range of large scale fire stages,characterising the fire behaviour of materialsunder controlled and well-defined laboratoryconditions. The other standard that I am

leading now is for the analytical measurementof fire toxicity and the analysis of gases andvapours in fire effluents. This involves sixcountries, and around 52 participants. I amalso taking forward a standard for thecharacterisation of nano-particles in fires.

So nano-particles are things like smokeparticles, are they?

Fire smoke is associated with visualobscuration, and with the toxicity of the gasesand particles. Nano-particles are the particles,which have the size smaller than 100nm.There are three threats to humans fromparticles. First they are the major source ofheat radiation from flames, resulting in flamespread and fire growth. Second when inhaledthey are transported into the respiratory tractand depending on their shape or size, candamage the lungs. Finally, they can act asvehicles for the transport of other noxioussubstances into the lungs, e.g. acid gases.

Can you tell from an autopsy fromsomeone who has died in a fire, whetherit is nano-particles that have killed them?

If you look at the fire statistics, most of thepeople who die in a fire do so throughinhalation of toxic gases. In the UK andelsewhere, the remit of the forensicpathologist does not extend to considerationof the toxicants present in a fire. It is toestablish the cause of death, and not theagents responsible. At present, it is almostimpossible for the pathologist to form anyuseful opinion about the effects of individualcomponents of fire effluents, since the onlyanalysis carried out is the examination of theairways and lung and blood-carbon monoxidelevels. We have a very strong collaborationwith Warsaw Medical University where theyare doing post mortem analysis and looking atwhat the toxicants are. If you have particles orsmoke found in the respiratory tract, then it

Stages of fire growth.

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will be visible, demonstrating the person wasinhaling the particles during the fire. So hopefully, I will have soon more results toprovide a better answer.

Can I go back to a point you made earlierabout your research changing some ofthe standards for buildings. What sort ofchanges are they?

We have a large diversity in the testing ofmaterials and products commonly found inhouses or used in transportation such asthose used on ships, or trains or planes. Oncewe set the standard, it becomes a regulationthat has to be met. A major example of this isthe heat release rate standard, whichindicates material flammability. The argumentI am having now, is that if a material does notignite, it does not mean it cannot be toxic; itcan still produce high levels of toxicants.Twenty years ago there were few publicationson fire toxicity. Now there is a big increase inthe topic and, through the standards we aremaking, people are becoming aware that thistopic is important.

I know there are things like fire retardantpaints, that when heated, bubble,protecting the under-lying surface fromthe fire. Can you tell me about these?

China is extremely good in terms ofdeveloping new fire retardants and creatingnew products, but they do not check theirflammability and toxicity. For fire retardants,there is starting to be a change because themost common flame retardants arechlorinated or brominated which generatecorrosive gases when heated. Now, they aregoing for an approach based on alumina,silica or phosphorus, which is a much moreexpensive approach.

That brings us nicely to China. Could weexplore your involvement in the newInstitute for Nano-technology andBioengineering based there?

We have established a collaboration with theUniversity of Science and Technology of China(USTC) in Hefei, which has the only Chinesenational laboratory of fire science. The goodthing is that they have six differentdepartments, including Fire Chemistry, Fire Analysis, Fire Building and ComputerModelling Section. They have around 250post graduate students, and areinternationally leading in terms of firechemistry. The project started in November2011 with six professors there; each is head ofa different department: Fire Combustion andChemistry, Fire Retardancy, AnalyticalChemistry, Large Scale Testing, Fire Modelling,

and High Altitude Low Pressure Test Methodslocated in Lhasa. Therefore, given theirproductivity, and these facilities, it is awonderful opportunity to exploit the uniqueexpertise of UCLan in fire toxicity andmechanisms of fire retardancy, with thecomplementary expertise of China’s leadingfire laboratory.

In terms of testing, do they have largescale facilities?

They have a lot of large scale test methodsthat we are not able to have here because ofthe space and the cost. They have a full-scaleroom connected with a corridor, which is thestandard test method for testing theflammability and toxicity of any product. Theyalso have a five-floor building where we canlook at the smoke, fire gases and particledistribution, and how this relates to aspects oftoxicity. They also have a high altitude, lowpressure test environment to enable testing

for fires in such things as aircraft. We havetwo post doctoral research fellows, and fourresearch assistants each of whom work on anindividual project within the team. One of theaspects of the collaboration is to correlatesmall-scale tests, which we have in UCLan,with the large scale burning at USTC. Theother aspects are the analytical measurementsand particle assessments on a large scale withthe particle size distribution and identificationof toxicants present on nanoparticles. Thiscollaborative research will establish fire toxicityas a key requirement in fire safety, developnew products of low fire toxicity and developmodels to predict the fire behaviour ofmaterials. This places UCLan in a uniqueposition to lead on rapid prototyping of newfire safe materials. In addition, it will increasethe fire safety of general consumer andbuilding products, and provide industries withthe know-how to meet the new stringentenvironmental and fire hazard regulations.

“Many people believe that the biggest killer in a

fire is carbon monoxide. In fact, it is more likely,

particularly if nitrogen containing materials are

being burnt, to be hydrogen cyanide, which is

25 times more toxic than carbon monoxide.”

Centre for Fire and Hazards Science.

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Professor Mike Holmes, Head of the GraduateResearch School, and Alison Naylor went tomeet with Professor Lik-Kwan Shark to talkabout the work currently going on in theApplied Digital Signal and Image ProcessingResearch Centre & the Centre for AdvancedDigital Manufacturing Technology.

Can you give me a brief outline of yourarea of research?

My area of work is very much cross-disciplinary; mainly applying signal and imageprocessing for different disciplines, sectors anddomains. Lancashire is one of the mostimportant high value manufacturing regionsin the UK and therefore we are working onsignal and image processing withmanufacturing industry. In addition, we havea number of leading hospitals in the area –Christies, Blackpool and Preston hospitals –with whom we work on new medicaldiagnostic methods, derived from signal andimage processing. Essentially the problems ofsignal and image processing are the same inboth areas because it is all data. These twoareas are our main source of funding.

It is data from a variety of differentsources and then processing it to extractinformation about that system or process?

It could be processing, or it could be thevisualisation of the data and then makingintelligent decisions based on the data. The other area is more on the interactive andimmersive digital environment using our 3-Dvisualisation cave display technology. This isparticularly useful for environmentalmonitoring, and remote sensing, becausethey are all dealing with huge data sets thatrequire processing.

Can you illustrate this by someexamples; maybe from the industrialengineering side?

On the manufacturing side, my research hasa strong focus on ‘non-destructive testing’,which means evaluating and analysing astructure's integrity without destroying it inthe process. You cannot cut through acomponent to see if it has any holes becauseit will no longer function as a serviceablecomponent. The whole idea is to “see”inside the structure without destroying it sothat it is still usable after testing. This isimportant in high value manufacturingwhere the parts are safety critical. For

example in industries such as aerospace,submarines, nuclear, or even in the foodindustry. It is to do with the quality control of the product that will go on to be used.

If you take, for example, an aircraftframe where you want to see whetherthere are any cracks in the frame; wouldyou be using X-rays, ultrasonics orcombination?

The aircraft frame is a primary structure of anaircraft and its integrity is critical! Typically,ultrasonics, X-rays and a variety of inspectionmethods are used in order to detect defects.Obviously, such a structure is huge. You needto be able to examine it in a rapid mannerotherwise, the manufacturing process will beslowed down. For example you make a wingand it takes you maybe a week, to gothrough each pixel of the ultrasound imageor each pixel of the X-ray image to saywhether it is sound or not. That is too long,because by this time another aircraft wingwill be in line and it might have the samemanufacturing error. You not only need toknow the quality of the finished product butyou also want to feedback to the productionline so you can refine of the process andmake the next one better.

Finding Faults in Aircraft Wings and Human KneesAn interview with Professor Lik-Kwan SharkSchool of Computing, Engineering and Physical Sciences

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Are you interested then in taking a wingand applying algorithms that can identifythings like cracks or defects in the frame,so you don’t have to search through pixelby pixel? The algorithm is doing theanalysis for you.

That is correct. This is automatic analysis. The other thing is to do what we call datafusion; mixing data from several differenttechniques or modalities. For example wemight acquire an X-ray and a ultrasoundimage of a component, apply our algorithmto overlay the two images and to comparethe two images and from that you couldidentify more easily and quickly a defect inthe structure.

Another technology we use is calledshearography. When you examine acomponent there are two ways you canexamine it. The “unloaded situation” meansthat you take an image of the component butit is not under load or stress. Shearographyputs the component under load or stress. Anoptical interference pattern is then taken ofthe surface deformation of the component.

So you are looking for surface ratherthan volume defects?

No, it can pick up sub-surface defects as well,because some materials such as compositematerials have known elasticities and it ispossible to identify sub-surface defects. Wecan also look at the temperature distributionon the surface of the component. Regionscontaining a defect will have non-uniformdistributions and can be detected.

You can essentially overlay data from avariety of modalities and use youralgorithm to identify areas where thereare potential failures or problems?

Yes. We can also use CAD (Computer AidedDesign) data. CAD data is another modalitybecause CAD data also tells us what the idealcomponent should be like. The whole idea isthat different data sets can be superimposedon top of each other to reveal defects..

So somebody presses a button and a lotof analysis and comparison happensautomatically and then you are lookingat an image of an aircraft wing and itcould be highlighting where there issomething wrong?

Yes. That is the whole idea. The inspectionprocess is speeded up, so manufacturers canhave a higher throughput and identify ifthere are problems in the componentmanufacture. This also reducesenvironmental impact by eliminating scraps.

Moving on to your work in medicalresearch, how does signal and imageprocessing improve medical treatment?

Most people think that hospitals and aircraftmanufacturing are two totally differentbusinesses but from my point of view theyhave a lot of similarities. One is looking atcomponents in aircraft and the other islooking at components of the peoples'bodies. They are both trying to identifystructural problems. Some of the equipmentused is very similar, in terms of modality;manufacturers and hospitals both useultrasound and X-rays. For us dealing withthese two sectors together whilst unique,results in cross fertilisation, not just in signaland image processing but even in inspectionmethods, the processes involved, and theregulatory aspects.

We have applied our techniques to themonitoring of human knee joints. The ideacame from a technique used generally in theengineering industry, called acoustic emission.Acoustic emission uses a microphone-likesensor attached to the structure you want toinvestigate and when the structure is loaded itwill generate sound. The sound generated isin the ultrasound range. In the engineeringsector it has been used for monitoringstructures such as bridges, water tanks,buildings, aircraft engines, etc. We are tryingto translate this particular technology for usein humans. The idea is that you mount thesame sensor on a joint and, when the joint isloaded by moving, sounds are generated. Wedid some trials comparing the healthy kneejoints of students with those of OA

(osteoarthritis) patients. We observed thedifferences between a very young knee and a very old OA knee based on the amount ofsound emitted. We can now track thedeterioration of knee health with age. If you know knees are degenerating thentreatment can start at an earlier stage.

I want to ask you about the Centre forAdvanced Digital ManufacturingTechnology – what is happening there andhow is your expertise feeding into that?

Our advanced manufacturing researchfocuses on data-driven digital manufacturingexecution. By working with the localmanufacturing sector, we have establishedthe world first Tele-immersive DigitalManufacturing platform at the Burnleycampus. It consists of reconfigurable plug-and-play work cells linked by conveyer belts,it is equipped with various digital trackingand sensing technologies to provide multipledata threads such as process performance,product deviation and energy consumption,and it is supported by Cisco industrialnetwork to allow remote control andmonitoring. It represents our vision for theaffordable factory of the future.

Tele-immersive digital manufacturingexecution stems from my research in applyingsignal and image processing to aerospace andmedical sectors and development ofimmersive and interactive digitalenvironments. It provides a new and excitingarena for us to explore the power of dataprocessing by dealing with much more datamodalities and much larger data sets.

“Previously people thought that hospitals and aircraftmanufacturing were two totally different businesses butfrom my point of view they have a lot of similarities.”

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Professor Stuart Hampton-Reeves, Head ofthe Graduate Research School, and AlisonNaylor went to meet with Professor SooDowne to talk about her research and recentinternational collaborations in the area ofnormal childbirth.

What is the focus of your research?

There is a lot of research on the pathology ofchildbirth (as there is in health in general) butvery little on how things go well. I havebecome really interested in how the normalphysiology of labour and birth can bepromoted. The main genesis of this researchwas a study conducted by a group ofresearch midwives in 5 different hospitals inthe Trent region, which was published in2001. We looked at births that were called“normal” in the notes, and at what actuallyhappened to those women during thosebirths. We found that, conservatively, onlyabout 25% of women overall actually hadnormal births without technical interventions.The response rate to the survey was nearly100%, and we had over 1000 participants.The hospitals covered the whole range ofmaternity care provision available at the time,so we were fairly sure that the findings couldbe generalised across the country. Thisresearch generated a lot of professional andpolitical interest, as there are importanthealth consequences for mother and babyconsequent on how childbirth takes place.The work led directly to the foundation of theRoyal College of Midwives Campaign forNormal Birth (for which I was thefoundational chair). That was really aboutpromoting the concept of, and skills in,normal birth among midwives. TheCampaign has been taken up internationally,partly because there is international concern

about rising rates of Caesarean Section. Forexample in China, in some hospitals thecaesarean section rate is 80%, and acrossEurope it ranges from 13% approximately inDemark to 35% Italy. This variation cannot bejustified by case mix, and it has importantclinical and psychosocial consequences, forthe mother, baby, and family.

What brought you into research in thefirst place – what got you started off on aresearch career?

I had a degree before I came into midwifery(in literature and linguistics) so I came with anenquiring mind. In the middle of my degree, I spent some time in Bophuthatswana, South Africa, when apartheid was still active.I happened to end up on a mission stationwhere there were white nuns who wereacting as midwives to black African women inthe homelands. It was at that point that Ithought, if we get birth right we get theworld right. I knew then that midwifery wasmy vocation. Although I then practisedclinically for about 15 years after I qualified asa midwife, I started undertaking researchalongside that clinical practice, as I feltstrongly that maternity care was notsupporting women effectively in achievingthe optimum birth for them, their babies, andtheir future health and wellbeing.

So there is a political dimension to yourwork then?

Absolutely – definitely. That’s right. I am not a neutral scientist. I have a definite agenda. I get invited across the world to talk aboutnormal birth, because this is also an agendathat resonates internationally: for example,this year, I have been invited to talk aboutnormal birth and the importance ofmidwifery, or planning/running related

research studies with colleagues, in the US(Hawaii, California and Michigan), TheSudan, China, Sweden, Switzerland, andMalta. There is not country in the worldwhere this does not matter!. Locally, wehave also been working to maximise normalchildbirth, most recently in supporting thedevelopment of the new birth centre thathas been set up in Blackburn, which isprobably the biggest birth centre in thecountry at the moment.

What specific projects are you involved in now?

We’ve been awarded €400,000 from the EUfor a project called Childbirth Concerns,Consequences & Challenges, which is lookingat what could make child birth better acrossEurope. There are 21 countries engaged inthis and over 50 people, mostly in Europe butalso in South Africa, China, Israel andAustralia. We are also being funded by theDepartment of Health NIHR to do arandomised control trial, teaching women tohypnotise themselves when they are pregnantso that they can use that in labour to helpthem with labour pain. We are about halfway through that project at the moment.

We also have funding (from Wellbeing ofWomen) for a midwife, Jo Holleran, who isbased in the East Lancashire Hospitals’ Trust.She is undertaking an ethnography ofcomputerisation on a specific labour ward,and the consequent social dynamics betweenthe midwife, the mother/partner, andobstetric and anaesthetic colleagues, to seehow this supports or hinders optimalchildbirth. Internationally, I am doing somework with Professor Hannah Dahlen inAustralia looking at how woman in labouruse different spaces and places, and I am co-supervising a PhD student with ProfessorMarie Berg at the University of Gothenburg,as part of an Action Researc h study that isexamining the social interactions that occurwhen women first enter a hospital in labour.

Naturally your work involves the NHS –could you comment on the impact ofyour work on the way that NHSmidwives work?

Promoting Normal ChildbirthAn interview with Professor Soo DowneSchool of Health

Soo (far right) in Hawaii with colleagues from the epigenetic group.

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I run a masters module, titled ‘normal birth,evidence and debate’, which is based on ourresearch programme. It is usually localmidwives who attend the face-to-facesessions, but we also have students fromacross the UK, and (by distance learning)international students. The primary focus oflearning for that module is around storytelling. As well as direct teaching on theoryand evidence, each midwife has to tell a criticalstory of a birth they were involved in. As theytell it in front of the rest of group we write iton the board and at each point the rest ofstudents or myself can ask questions like: “OK, how did you feel here?”; “how do youthink the obstetrician/partner felt?”; “what isthe evidence for this procedure or approach”;“what kind of theoretical framework mightexplain this”. As these various layers areunpacked, the students re-engage withemotions and values as well as with evidenceand theory. The student evaluations suggestthat they go away with a much morecomprehensive understanding of why peoplebehave the way that they do, particularlyaround normalising or not normalisingchildbirth. It is a reflexive module which helpsthem to think through the consequences ofhow things are. Some students have alsoreported that they believe the module hasequipped them to argue the case for changingthe service for the better where they work.

Are there any other ways in which yourresearch feeds into your teaching?

All the undergraduate teaching I do is basedon elements of our research programme.Apart from our normal birth researchfindings, which is the basis of a session that Iteach to all the undergraduate students, andof the masters module described above, wehave also developed and published a newmethodological approach to metasynthesis ofqualitative evidence, so I teach a session onsystematic review and meta-synthesis to themasters and PhD students. I also introducethe undergraduates to the science ofknowledge – why we know what we know,why positivism is currently supervalued, andhow to get beyond ‘normal science’ thinking.

I am fascinated by the different disciplinesthat underpin your work including science,social policy, psychology and even culturalpolitics. How do you think of yourself and asacademic, where do you place yourself?

I’m a polyglot! The great thing about being aclinical academic is you don’t necessarily haveto have a specific methodological allegiance.For example, we have just written a book on

phenomenology, but we are also conductingrandomised trials, ethnographies, surveys,and basic interview and focus group studies.I believe in integrating all of these particularways of looking at the world. I suppose atheart I am an interpretivist: I think that youcan accommodate all these various ways ofseeing to get at a good enough version ofthe truth through different lenses. This view isborne out in the composition of our researchteam: across mine and Fiona Dykes’ group(the midwifery research cluster) there arecurrently 2 midwives (Fiona and I) a historian,two psychologists, a physiologist, abiochemist, a complimentary therapist, and a social scientist.

Last year saw the Sixth Normal Labourand Birth Research Conference - can youtell us about that & what future eventsare planned?

We held the first one here at UCLan in 2001and since then we’ve held it biennially atGrange-over- Sands, because we wanted tobring people right out of academia, right outof cities and have an event which was almostsuspended in time. The conference providesan opportunity for junior and seniorresearchers (midwives and others) from acrossthe world to talk together. It is very informal.We mix art and science – so we have dramaand we have music, but we also have reallyhigh level science as well. By request fromoverseas midwives and others involved inmidwifery practice and research, we now holdit internationally on alternate years, so in 2010it was held in Vancouver; this year it is in HangZhou in China; in 2014 it will be in Brazil.

I understand you have recently returnedfrom a trip to Honolulu to work with ateam on childbirth and epigenetics – can you tell me about this work?

We are increasingly aware that just saying,‘routine intervention childbirth iseconomically a problem and women don’tlike it, and it causes some morbidity’ is notenough. We have begun to look atsomething much more profound. There isincreasing evidence that there is anassociation between the mode of birthand autoimmune diseases such as Type1 Diabetes in the under 5’s, multiplesclerosis, bronchiolitis, asthma andeczema. We don't yet know whythis might be. Our hypothesis is thatchild birth affects the epigenetics ofDNA and that is passed down throughgenerations. So there could potentiallybe damage caused by different ways of

doing child birth and different interventions in child birth that not only might affect theinfant of that mother but might then bepassed down to that infant’s child. If ourresearch supports our hypothesis, we thinkthat health policy makers will sit up and takea bit more notice. However, I alsoacknowledge that we may find that ourhypothesis is disproved, or even thatintervention in childbirth has long-termbenefits for some mothers and babies, and, if this is the case, I will be very happy topromote these interventions for the specificgroups that need them.

14 Feature Articles

Identity theft costs the UK economy an estimated £1.7bn per year according to theHome Office Identity Fraud Steering Committee and there is no denying that it is oneof the fastest growing crimes in the UK. Identity theft can be described as the theftand use of personal identifying information of an actual person, as opposed to the use of a fictitious identity.

Identity theft can range from somebodyusing someone else’s credit card detailsillegally to make purchases over the internetor telephone; from having an entire businessidentity assumed by another person; toopening bank accounts and taking out loans;from making tax returns to conducting otherbusiness illegally in a company name.Anyone can be a victim of identity theft andthe people committing the crimes can belocated anywhere across the globe.

Both identity theft and identity fraud canpose a real threat to the financial health ofan organisation and its business reputation.Unfortunately many smaller organisations failto fully recover from this type of fraud and anumber cease trading altogether.

Protecting Your IdentityAn interview with Dr Mahmood ShahLancashire Business School

“Consumers are overloaded with having to

remember too many passwords and pin

numbers that many don’t take the safety of

their personal data seriously….as we have

seen, no one is immune to identity fraud.”

15Feature Articles

Crime Prevention

UCLan has been working in the field of crimeprevention since 2004 when the CrimeSolutions initiative was launched to provideknowledge, support and expertise for thosefighting crime in the business community.Co-ordinated by UCLan and in partnershipwith the University of Portsmouth, theinitiative received funding from the formerNorth West Regional Development Agency,the Higher Education Funding Council forEngland (HEFCE), and Government OfficeNorth West. As a result, 50 business-ledprojects were funded and the CrimeSolutions initiative was designated a HEFCECentre for Knowledge Exchange for the anti-crime sector.

This initiative led on to a European RegionalDevelopment Fund (ERDF) project whichpartnered UCLan and Bolton MetropolitanCouncil to support small businesses in theNorth West in reducing the impact of crimeon their business and future development.Businesses were assisted in low-cost and easyto apply methods of crime preventiontogether with the development of severalbusiness-watch groups and cluster networks.As a result, more than 120 regional jobswere reported to be safeguarded, along with£13m worth of increased sales and morethan £9m sales.

UCLan’s Crime Reduction Unit continues tolead the way and has recently delivered anumber of UK-wide workshops on freightcrime (see page 4), a problem which isestimated to cost the UK economy up to anadditional £250 million per year. Supported byfunding from the Economic and SocialResearch Council (ESRC), organisations havebeen brought together to discuss the rangeand scope of road freight crime, culminating inan inaugural conference held in January 2012.

Research at UCLan

Dr Mahmood Shah, a Senior Lecturer inBusiness Systems at UCLan, is an expert inthe field of identity theft and fraud. He tookhis PhD in e-banking and security and he hasadvised many businesses, consumers andpolicy makers about the impact of identityfraud and prevention strategies, not only onthe individual or the business, but on the UKas a whole.

Research at UCLan began with identifying theextent of the problem and losses, not only inthe UK but worldwide. This was followedwith a review into common methods andapproaches businesses use to address andreduce the impact of the problem. Much ofthe fraud in recent years has taken placewithin the on-line retail sector, withbusinesses and individuals becoming morereliant, and seemingly more confident with e-commerce and on-line communication.However, as technology becomes moresophisticated, so too do the fraudsters.

Dr Shah has been investigating how seriouslycompanies are taking consumer safety. Hedoesn’t feel it is top of the agenda: manyorganisations bury their heads, or rather theirpolicies, in the sand, perhaps feeling that ifthey inform customers too much about theirpolicies on identity fraud, consumers will loseconfidence and stop doing business withthem. This is a risk in the current climate thatorganisations are not willing to take. However,Dr Shah argues, being open about this issuecan actually help increase buyer confidenceand educate the consumer in the part theyneed to play in protecting their identity.

Working with one of the largest UK-basedon-line retailers Dr Shah’s research team hasinvestigated the issue of consumercarelessness. He comments, “Consumers areso overloaded with having to remember toomany different passwords and pin numbersthat many don’t take their personal dataseriously. They use information close to themsuch as a spouse or child’s name, and with

the increase of social media this informationcan be easily found out. As we have seen, no one is immune to identity fraud.”

By working with UCLan, on-line retailers andother companies who handle sensitive datacan implement strategies and policies toinform the consumer of the issues. This isone way of tacking the fraudsters. Dr Shahhas also seen evidence of organisationsworking together to look at best practicemodels across sectors.

The research team has also been studyingwhat is happening internationally, as this givesUK businesses collateral to manage thesituation and minimise losses as best they can.Dr Shah adds, “This issue is not going to goaway, and in some cases it is getting worsethrough the issue of internal fraud and theselling of data. This is an area which we arecurrently working on. Businesses that handlesensitive data need to ensure recruitment andmonitoring policies are in place to prevent andtackle this growing issue.”

Research has shown that in countries such asFrance and Germany, businesses frequentlyuse third-party interventions that are betterequipped to handle secure information. Dr Shah understands that this may not be anoption for some UK companies as it maydeprive them of the data they use to sellmore products and services. However, DrShah feels strongly that “the very existence ofe-communications is under threat if we don’tcontrol this issue. Businesses need to takeidentify theft as seriously as they are takingother Corporate Social Responsibility issues.”

Research team includes: Dr Matthias Meckel, Dr Marion Schulz,Romanus Okeke, Ahmed Usman andSandeep Sadyamarayan.

16 Feature Articles

Times are tough for everyone, not justfor businesses but individuals as well.People are finding more inventive waysto try and make money and sometimes,unfortunately, it crosses the line intofraudulent behaviour.

Take the infamous ‘crash for cash’ scandal asan example, believed to cost the insuranceindustry approximately £2 billion every singleyear, with 1,500 new claims submitted perday. ‘Crash for cash’ is just one area of manywhere deception is a growing trend. This isleaving the legal profession with a realheadache with more and more solicitorsconcerned that detecting lies is a big part ofthe job and one that is becoming more andmore important.

With this in mind, UCLan has worked inpartnership with North West-based law firm,Birchall Blackburn, to develop an accreditedlegal course called: ‘Managing Deception inthe Legal Profession’.

It all started with senior psychology lecturersat UCLan, Sandi Mann and Paul Seager, whoused their knowledge and expertise to writea book in 2008 entitled: Would I Lie To You:Deception detection in relationships at workand in life. They saw this growing trend at anearly stage and quickly pinpointed thepotential effect it would have on a numberof professions, not least the legal sector.

Sandi used her existing relationships withBirchall Blackburn to create a jointlydeveloped course that could help the

industry detect deception. Throughconsultation, the course decided to focus onlegal professionals that deal with family &matrimonial law, property and personalinjury compensation claims.

It was trialled to over 100 Birchall Blackburnemployees first to gauge feedback and helpmake enhancements to the course, beforebeing accredited and rolled out to the industry.

Feedback from industry representatives proveda priceless source, with additions made toinclude interactive aspects such as video andgroup discussions. What has been developedis one four-hour session that involves videorole play presentations, questionnaires, groupdiscussions and practical seminars based onthe issues raised by employees who areconcerned by possible money-laundering,fraudulent claims or how to manage the clientrelationship whilst trying to detect deception

Commenting on the course, senior lecturer at UCLan, Sandi Mann, said: “Detectingdeception in the legal profession is a real worryand with the trial, we saw first hand howdifficult the professionals found it to spot.”

“The course is much more than simplypointing out ways of detecting deception; it covers how to maintain the clientrelationship throughout this process andgives solicitors confidence to cope withissues of deception management.”

Detecting Deception: Researching the LiesAn interview with Dr Sandi Mann and Dr Paul SeagerSchool of Psychology

Sandi Mann Paul Seager

“About 100 of Birchall Blackburn's staff, including myself,have attended this course and I highly recommend it to otherlaw firms. We learned useful techniques to help detect whena client may not be being truthful and, as well as beingeducational, the course is highly interactive and entertaining."

17Feature Articles

“We’ve known the employees at Birchall Blackburnfor a number of years and found their inputinvaluable. It’s great to be in a position where wehave a course which has been fully accredited bythe Law Society and where we can offer the serviceto other legal firms throughout the UK.”

Research and findings

Interestingly, the very basis of the course wasconfirmed after reviewing the questionnaires thatwere given to the employees at Birchall Blackburnat the start of the course. The vast majority, 95 percent of those questioned, stated they were betterat detecting lies than they actually were.

The questionnaire asked them to indicate on ascale of 0 – 100 how good they thought theywere at lie detection at the start of the courses,with 95 per cent rating themselves at 60 per centor higher. The actual figure, after being tested,was that most of them, again 95 per cent, scored50 per cent or below.

Further revealing statistics were identified from thequestionnaires when asked, as legal professionals,when do they need to detect deception at work.The most popular answer, given by 40 per cent ofrespondents, was when dealing with claims forpersonal injury, when people could be exaggeratinginjuries or lying about how they got injured.

Nearly a quarter (24 per cent) also statedthat they needed deception detectionskills when first meeting a new client,while 18 per cent needed to detectlies when dealing with potentialmoney laundering cases,emphasising how importantthe training would be andhow the skills are vital in theirday-to-day roles.

Paul Pickering, Partner and atBirchall Blackburn, gave his view on thecourse: “About 100 of Birchall Blackburn'sstaff, including myself, have attended this courseand I highly recommend it to other law firms. We learned useful techniques to help detect whena client may not be being truthful and, as well asbeing educational, the course is highly interactiveand entertaining."

Feedback from other employees at BirchallBlackburn was unanimously positive, withcomments praising the format of the course andrevealing how eye-opening the course has beenin identifying their weaknesses in spottingdeception. After receiving accreditation in March,the next step is for more and more legal firms totake advantage of the knowledge and expertisegained at the course, while helping employeesspot this deception.

Yorkshire-based Spinks Springs have a longhistory of manufacturing their unique lowheight pocket springs; Posturfil, Flexecoreand HD Micro Pocket Springs for productsranging from bedding to automotive seating.When progressing into exploring the latest infootwear technology, Spinks Springs realisedthe potential of partnering with leadingacademics in biomechanics at UCLan.

Since embarking on the scheme thecompany has benefited from the abundanceof knowledge and expertise from theacademic community at the University.UCLan’s Professor Jim Richards and StevenLindley have worked closely with themanufacturing company to extensively testthe prototype running shoe that incorporatesSpinks Springs most advanced springtechnology into its design.

The research conducted by UCLan expertsaimed to illuminate biomechanical questionsaround the product such as whether themodified shoe reduced the impact on thefoot during heel strike running and the shoespotential to reduce sports injury and improverunning performance.

By working with UCLan the company hasreceived the independent scientific dataneeded to move to the next stage ofdevelopment. This data will also help pushfuture evidence based purchasing, greatlyimproving the market potential of the product.Spinks Springs believe that the joint project hasgiven them a fresh direction into the area ofsport footwear and protective equipment.

UCLan’s Innovation Voucher SchemeInspires Next Generation Running Shoe

As a result of working with UCLan aKnowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) hasbeen secured between Harrison Spinks andUCLan, aiming to continue the innovativeresearch and successful relationship formedfrom the Innovation Voucher Scheme.Spinks Springs commented that theInnovation Voucher funding was extremelyvaluable as it allowed them to explore thisrelationship with UCLan that was ultimatelyinstrumental in developing and improvingtheir product.

18 Funding, Awards and Recognition

A scheme designed to promote engagement and innovation between the knowledge base found atUCLan and business, has recently seen Spinks Springs, part of the Harrison Spinks family of businesses,working closely with UCLan academics to complete biomechanical testing of a prototype running shoe.

By working with UCLan the company hasreceived the independent scientific data neededto move to the next stage of development.

EvoFIT, which helps victims and witnesses ofcrime generate an image of a criminal’s face,unanimously won the University ExcellenceCompetition category at the TechWorldevent after competing against 15 othershortlisted universities from around the UK.

The software system, created by theUniversity of Central Lancashire (UCLan) andthe University of Stirling, requires witnessesand victims to repeatedly select from screensof complete faces, with breeding, to evolve acomposite of the criminal’s face and ishelping to solve crime investigationsthroughout the world.

The TechWorld event focused on theinternational technology market, welcomingover 400 industry leaders from over 50countries, as well as the UK’s Secretary ofState for Business, Innovation and Skills, Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable MP.

The EvoFIT team developed an informationposter which was judged by a panel made upof four professors from universities in Oxford,Nottingham, Southampton and Sheffield.They commented on the enormous potential

of the project and the impact it could haveon solving crime around the world.

Research and development of EvoFIT hasspanned over 12 years, evolving as computersoftware updates occur. Latest laboratoryresearch indicates that the correct namingrate of an EvoFIT composite is 45 per cent,following the construction of a two day oldmemory of a face.

This compares to 5 per cent for the widely-used traditional E-FIT system, where peopleselect features such as eyes, nose andmouth type.

EvoFIT is currently being used by 11 policeforces around the UK including Lancashire,Manchester, Derbyshire and Cumbria, as wellinternationally in forces in Romania, Israel andthe United States of America. One of themost recent cases was in Manchester, wherea serial rapist was arrested and convictedfollowing two attacks in 2009 and 2010,following an appeal using an EvoFIT image.

The current arrest rate for forces that useEvoFIT is approximately 50 per cent, followingconstruction of a criminal face image.

Lancashire Crime CaseAide Wins UKTI Award

19Funding, Awards and Recognition

“Police forces around the world arestarting to use our system to help solvecrimes and it’s a great achievement for theregion that something built in Lancashire ishaving such a dramatic affect globally. This is fantastic recognition and reallyextends the reach of the EvoFIT system toa much wider audience.” Dr Charlie Frowd, School of Psychology at UCLan

A revolutionary facial composite system developed in Lancashire and usedby police forces around the world has won global acclaim after picking upa prestigious award at a UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) event in Londonand finalist in the Times Higher Education Awards 2011.

With the increase of global competitionthere is some evidence to suggest that anumber of small to medium enterprises(SMEs) in the North West are strugglingto grow due to a lack of understanding,and in some cases reluctance on how toembrace advanced technology.

There is a perception that higher valuemanufacturing technologies such as digitalmanufacturing is solely for larger companiesand this perception is hampering growthwithin the regional economy.

Supported by the European RegionalDevelopment Fund (ERDF), the UCLan-ledDigital Integrated Manufacturing Execution(DigitME) initiative will help demystify newmanufacturing technologies for SMEs byproviding in-depth intelligence. The initiativewill enable organisations to investigate howto incorporate these new technologiesallowing them to make informed decisionson future growth through innovation.

More than 120 regional SMEs will be assistedthrough personalised advice and supportenabling them to gain an insight into theirown potential to adopt specific digitaltechnologies, and therefore helping boost themanufacturing sector in the region.

UCLan Secures £1.4m ERDF Support to Help Local Industry Embrace Advanced Technology

20 Funding, Awards and Recognition

There is a perception that higher valuemanufacturingtechnologies such asdigital manufacturing issolely for largercompanies and thisperception is hamperinggrowth within theregional economy.

Through £2.3M of funding support fromthe European Regional DevelopmentFund (ERDF), UCLan will assist SMEs inthe North West region to embrace newapproaches in the use of creative design,new media and ICT technology.

Taking advantage of UCLan’s expertise innurturing entrepreneurship and aidingestablished SMEs to grow and develop, the initiative will help organisations realisethe potential in adopting these approachesto further develop their business.

Businesses will be assisted in reviewing andauditing their current use of digital designand technology, followed by investigationinto the possibility of attracting new businessthrough the deployment of innovativesolutions such as cross-platform mobilephone solutions, virtual learningenvironments, search engine optimisation,viral marketing and on-line communicationsincluding social media networks.

By developing these higher education tobusiness connections the North West will notonly benefit from an increased skill base butalso from the retention of creative industriesgraduates in the region.

UCLan Receives Funding to Help Rejuvenate North West SMEs

21Funding, Awards and Recognition

Businesses willbe assisted inreviewing andauditing theircurrent use ofdigital designand technology.

22 Professors in Profile

A Career in Catalysis: Exceptions That Prove Dowden’s RuleAn interview with Professor Gary BondSchool of Forensic & Investigative Sciences

Gary Bond is Professor of Materials Chemistry in the School of Forensic & Investigative Sciences at UCLan. Gary joined the academic staff at the University of Central Lancashire in 1995 after having spent a brief period at Leeds Metropolitan University. He is the Academic Lead & Principal Lecturer in Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry.

Following Gary’s Inaugural Professorial Lecture which was based around “Dowden’s rule” –Dennis Dowden is commonly regarded as being one of the most eminent catalytic chemists ofthe 20th Century, his observation led him to suggest that the greater the activity that a catalystdisplays then the lower will be its selectivity towards the desired product. Professor Bond’s workhas centred on a range of catalytic reactions that do not obey Dowden’s rule; the exceptionsthat prove the rule. Mike Holmes joined Gary in his office in JB Firth Building to find out more.

23Professors in Profile

24 Professors in Profile

“Since the start of my research career, I have been interested in catalysis, which is the acceleration of a chemicalreaction or enabling a chemical reactionto take place at a lower temperature.”

Can I start by asking you what yourresearch is about? I know it is aboutcatalysis, but can you tell me in a bitmore detail.

Since the start of my research career, I havebeen interested in catalysis, which is theacceleration of a chemical reaction orenabling a chemical reaction to take place ata lower temperature. Catalysis is of hugecommercial and environmental importance,not only providing financial savings to thechemical industry but also enabling theclean-up of environmental pollutants in, forexample, vehicle exhaust emissions. Initially I worked with ICI Polymers Division on thehydrogenation of nitriles (a nitrile is acompound that contains the chemical group-CN), which is important industrially in theproduction of nylon and a variety of othercommon chemical products.

Can I interrupt and clarify what happensin catalysis? For catalysis to occur youneed a material, such as platinum to bepresent, to enable the reaction to gofaster or take place at a lowertemperature?

That is right. The active catalyst, we aretalking generally about metal catalysts suchas platinum, needs to be present but youdon’t have a big solid piece of platinum. It isjust not effective. The catalyst is produced bydispersing the metal in atomic or very smallensembles of atoms on the surface of aninert substrate, such as silica or alumina. By dispersing them, you increase the surfacearea and the effectiveness of the catalyst.

How did your interest in microwavecatalysis develop?

It was through our work with ICI that Ideveloped an interest in microwave catalysis.There was a lot of early work, and earlyreports in the literature, of microwaves beingused to give rapid reactions and vastlyenhanced rates. There appeared to be thiswonderful microwave effect! Therefore, we

set about a programme of work involving ICI and EPSRC to look at the possibleadvantageous effects of microwaves oncatalysts. Since those initial studies, I havehad a number of EPSRC awards in the areaof microwaves. I have developed thetechnique of microwave thermal analysis inconjunction with Professor Phil Barnes fromthe University of Huddersfield, and haveworked with groups throughout the UK. I have had visiting professorship at theUniversity of Technology of Compiègnewhere we have developed specialisedreactors for studying catalysts undermicrowave conditions. Currently I am amember of the AMPERE Committee – the Association for Microwave Power inEducation and Research in Europe.

I know a few years ago you wereworking with companies like Jaguar onmicrowave catalysis of exhaust fumes.Can you tell me about that?

We have a strong track record of workingwith industry. With Jaguar we had anextensive research and developmentprogramme. What we were looking at weresystems for the removal of diesel particulatematter from vehicle exhaust streams. Thismaterial is mainly made up of carbon, whichis deposited in the exhaust filter leading tothe filter eventually becoming ineffective.The idea was to design a system, which usedmicrowaves to oxidise the carbon particles tocarbon dioxide and water so the filter had amuch longer life. Whilst allowingcombustion, it could not produce any backpressure in the exhaust system, and had tohave a very minimum size in terms of theeffect on the floor pan of the vehicle. Westarted developing a microwave inducedplasma to perform the oxidation reaction.While we took this to vehicle trials, it wasapparent at a relatively early stage that theexhaust velocities required and the availablepower on board the vehicle wereincompatible. We therefore changed tactic

slightly, and started to look at systems forthe re-generation of diesel particulate filters.We developed two patents on a prototypesystem, which Jaguar currently holds. Thesehave been vehicle tested but given thecurrent legislation, it is not cost effective forthem to change the system they have.

Microwaves give a clean and efficientalternative, but it is a case of whether or notthe consumer will pay the extra cost that isrequired. Currently manufacturers can staywithin current EU legislation for emissionsusing existing technologies. It is all based onfinance, and not always using the besttechnology that is available.

What is currently engaging you in your research?

Currently I am looking at microwave inducedplasma. I am part of a European partnership,which is looking at its beneficial effects inthe production, and regeneration ofheterogeneous catalysts. A microwaveinduced plasma is what is known as a“cold” plasma; it has a high energy but lowthermal temperature. You can produce veryreactive species in that plasma, so in terms ofpreparing catalysts, we can de-composecatalyst pre-cursors at very low thermaltemperatures. This means that effects suchas the sintering of catalytic particles intolarger clumps is reduced. Usually you wantto keep your active particles as far apart aspossible giving the maximum catalyticsurface area. We already have companiesinterested in this process.

For efficient catalysis to occur, you wantthe catalytic surfaces to be separatedfrom each other?

The very small particles of catalytic materialsuch as platinum are active and can migrateacross the surface of the substrate, thesupport, very easily. Therefore, you want toexpose your catalyst to the lowest possibletemperature during preparation to reducesintering or clumping. A cold plasma allowsyou to do that.

Can I ask you about a cold plasma,because it won’t be a concept that many people are familiar with. What is a cold plasma?

Most people describe plasma as probably thefourth state of matter. In a plasma, generatedfrom a gas, the atoms have been ionised intotheir component charges i.e. electrons andatoms carrying an electric charge. Argon isan easily ionised gas so it is a good base, butthen we also need a reactive component, so

25Professors in Profile

we would put some oxygen in there, tomake oxygen radicals. These will effectivelyoxidise the organic component at a very lowtemperature leaving us our single atom ofmetal on the support.

What other projects do you have activeat the moment?

I am working with Professor Harry Eccles inthe John Tyndall centre. We have projectslooking at irradiated graphite, both in termsof the radioactive C14 content, and itsselective removal from the radioactivegraphite. If we succeed, then we canprobably have that graphite changed frombeing an intermediate level waste, whichneeds deep repository disposal, into a lowlevel waste which could be in a shallowdeposit. We are also interested in developingsome technology for the separation ofmetals, metal ions, and particularly radionuclides which has potential applications fornuclear clean up, and de-commissioning.

“We have a strong track record ofworking with industry. With Jaguar we had an extensive research anddevelopment programme.”

The Dark Tourism Symposium 2012

26 Conferences - Up and Coming

The first ever dedicated academic centre to dark tourism research willsoon open at the University of Central Lancashire.

Dark tourism (or thanatourism) can be referred to as travel to sites of death, disaster or theseemingly macabre. It is a subject that has received increasingly academic and media attentionover the past decade so. Yet, despite this increased attention, the subject area remains eclecticand theoretically fragile.

The Institute for Dark Tourism Research (iDTR) aims to become the global hub for dark tourismscholarship, and will be made up with a number of national and international partners. The iDTR will be based at the University of Central Lancashire. The iDTR aims to advanceknowledge about the contemporary nature and consequences of visitation to tourist sites ofdeath, disaster or the seemingly macabre. It will bring together scholars who seek to deliverinternationally recognised research that contributes to the ethical and social scientificunderstanding of dark tourism and heritage, as well as to the appropriate development,management, interpretation and promotion of dark tourism sites, attractions and exhibitions.

The iDTR has several key objectives:

> Build research capacity in the area of dark tourism in order to publish highquality outputs.

> Enhance, influence and inform industrypractitioners to ensure the ethicalimplementation and management ofdark tourism/heritage sites, attractionsand exhibitions.

> Establish a global reputation as a centreof excellence for developing innovativeinterdisciplinary approaches to darktourism research.

> Increase the level of local, national andinternational research collaborations withindustry, academia and the media.

> Update and improve knowledge thatinforms the curriculum and the teaching ofdark tourism as well as research methods.

27Conferences - Up and Coming

Dark tourism (or thanatourism)can be referred to astravel to sites ofdeath, disaster or theseemingly macabre.

To formally launch the iDTR, the University of Central Lancashire will host a specialone-day symposium on 24 April 2012 in Preston.

The event will also provide an excellent opportunity to showcase recent dark tourism research,as well as providing a supportive forum in which to discuss current themes, issues andconsequences of dark tourism.

The event will comprise of seven internationally renowned keynote speakers on dark tourism:

Dr Philip Stone (University of Central Lancashire, UK)"Mediating Mortality: Dark Tourism and the Significant Other Dead at Ground Zero"

Dr Gilly Carr (The University of Cambridge, UK)"Self and Other: neglected dark legacies and accepted dark heritage in the Channel Islands"

Dr Tony Johnston (Kings College, London)"The Dominion of the Dead: Thanatourism and (Other) Worldly Encounters"

Prof. Tony Seaton (University of Limerick, Ireland / University of Bedfordshire, UK)"Flags of Convenience, Rocks of Reification, and Quicksands of Theory: Charting Thanatourism in 2012"

Prof. Richard Sharpley (University of Central Lancashire, UK)"Shining Light on Dark Tourism: an introduction of themes, issues and consequences"

Major and Mrs Holt (Major and Mrs Holt's Battlefield Guides and Maps)"Pioneering the Modern Battlefield Tour"

Tony Openshaw (Director of Marketing - Lancashire & Blackpool Tourist Board)"Dark Tourism: a visitor economy perspective"

This event is aimed at academics and researchers, the media, students, as well as industrypractitioners who have an interest in dark tourism concepts and practices.

28 Conference Reviews

In September 2011, UCLan hosted theprestigious International AstronomicalUnion (IAU) Symposium 284. Members of the IAU attended the four-day event,which was called "The spectral energydistribution of galaxies (SED2011)". The symposium was chaired by UCLan’sDr Cristina Popescu, from the JeremiahHorrocks Institute (JHI) for Astrophysicsand Supercomputing, and Dr RichardTuffs from the Max Planck Institute forNuclear Physics in Heidelberg, Germany.

The IAU Symposium 284 was one of 10Symposia held around the world andsponsored each year by the IAU. It was agreat privilege for UCLan to have beenselected to run this event, which it won inthe face of fierce international competition.Scientists from all over the world attended,many of them from world-leadinginstitutions such as Oxford, Harvard andStanford. The conference committee wastruly international: its 14 members includedrepresentatives from Europe, Asia, North andSouth America, and Australasia.

For Professor Gordon Bromage, director of JHI,the conference was an “astounding success”because it brought together “researchers from

a number of different sub-disciplines, andfulfilling the interdisciplinary aims and world-linking mission objectives of the IAU."

Professor Jay Gallagher, from the Universityof Wisconsin-Madison, USA, and a memberof the Scientific Organising Committee ofthe conference, said: "This conference hadthe ambitious goal of bringing togetherastrophysicists working on all spectral ranges,from gamma-rays to radio wavelengths.There was actually a high risk that theconcept would not work, as it is so difficultto bring together specialists working in somany different fields and make them sharetheir views and interact in a constructive way.But the chairs of the conference, Dr CristinaPopescu and Dr Richard Tuffs managed toachieve this goal and the conference was agreat success. Everybody was intellectuallyenhanced. It was not only a forum for thetop specialists, but also a major opportunityfor the PhD students and young scientiststhat were brought from all over the world,thanks to the IAU grants. I was delighted tohear from the three PhD students from theUniversity of Wisconsin that theirparticipation had given them a newperspective and understanding of how each

others' work fitted together. This is due tothis symposium."

Enthusiastic comments regarding the IAUSymposium 284 came from all the participantsto the conference: professors, seniorastronomers and physicists and also early-career researchers, from all over the world.

PhD student, Noelia Jimenez, from theUniversity of La Plata, Argentina, remarked:"This wonderful symposium has been a veryenriching experience in all senses. It hasmade me think in a completely different wayabout galaxies themselves. At the moment Iam finishing my PhD, working in the field ofgalaxy formation with numerical methods.The interaction with colleagues doingobservational work, as well as modellers, is crucial for the understanding of all theprocesses involved in the formation andevolution of galaxies. For the wise vision andenormous work of the organisers thatbrought to life such a scientific congress, I am in deep debt."

Professor Gordon Bromage concluded, "I knowthat the JHI's and indeed UCLan's reputationand visibility were greatly enhanced by thegreat scientific impact of the symposium."

An Astounding Success for UCLan:The International Astronomical Union Symposium 284

“This conference hadthe ambitious goal of bringing togetherastrophysicistsworking on all spectral ranges, from gamma-rays toradio wavelengths.”

Participants of the IAU Symposium 284 gather for the conference photograph.

29Events - Up and Coming

Small Firms’ Summit 16th May 2012 UCLan Burnley Campus, Princess Way, Burnley, BB12 0EQ

This event will address some of the key issues facing smallbusinesses today. A range of guest speakers and workshop sessionswill enable participants to identify ways to implement best practicewithin their organisation.

Undergraduate Research Conference 29th May 2012 UCLan campus, Preston

The multidisciplinary conference will provide final year students theopportunity to present their dissertation, final year project or any otheroriginal research they have developed through the course of their studies.

International Institute of Nutritional Sciences & Applied Food Safety Studies 31st May 2012 UCLan campus, Preston (launch event)

This new teaching and research centre will provide undergraduatecourses in Nutrition and Exercise Sciences, Postgraduate courses inHACC and Food Safety Management, Nutrition and Food Science,Maternal and Infant Nutrition. Research will cover a range ofnutritional and food safety topics including international nutritionsupport, micronutrient deficiencies, effectiveness of food safetymanagement systems.

Creative Focus Week 15th - 22nd June 2012 UCLan campus, Preston

A series of events to celebrate the achievements of UCLan’s final yearstudents who are ready to embark on their careers in art, design,performance, fashion, architecture, film and media.

Survive and Thrive: Maximising Opportunitiesin the Health and Social Care Sector26th June 2012 Westleigh Conference Centre, Lea Road, Preston, PR4 0RB

The NHS is changing rapidly and the challenge for all operating in this new environment is how to adapt, how to survive, and mostimportant of all, how to thrive. This event will offer practical,commercially-focused support and services to social enterprises andThird Sector organisations.

Lancashire Science Festival28th - 30th June 2012 UCLan campus, Preston

The inaugural three-day Lancashire Science Festival will featurestand-up mathematician Matt Parker, Titan the Robot, Dr MarkLewney, ‘the rock doctor’ and a science show-floor of interactiveexhibits. Open to the public on 30th June this event will enablepeople to share real-world applications of science, technology,engineering and maths.

Business Enterprise Day, in conjunction with UK Corporate Games Friday 13th July 2012 Darwin Building, UCLan campus, Preston

UCLan’s Business Enterprise Day will showcase innovative, practical products developed by the University. This includesbiomechanical facilities, 3D games development work in partnershipwith Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and EvoFIT; a revolutionaryfacial composite system used by police forces around the world tocatch criminals.

Supporting Internationalisation through Languages and Culture in the 21st Century University19th - 20th July 2012 Greenbank Building, UCLan campus, Preston

This conference, sponsored by UCLan’s School of Languages andInternational Studies, aims to explore how language teaching andlearning strategies and cross-cultural understanding support thecause of internationalisation in the modern Higher Education arena.This will be of interest to a wide audience of practitioners working inHigher Education Languages Departments whose work embracesinstitutional strategies of internationalisation.

Forthcoming Events and Conferences

30 Book Launches

Book Launches

Author

Anne LomaxUniversity of Central Lancashire

Wiley-Blackwell

ISBN 978-1-4051-9774-8

Year 2011

Examination of the Newborn: An Evidence Based Guide is a practical and comprehensive guide for practitioners to enable them to undertake physical examination of neonates safelyand competently. Incorporating the current UK Screening Committee NIPE Standards andCompetencies, this book brings into focus what 'good practice' should look like against current national standards.

A valuable resource for midwives, advanced neonatal nurse practitioners, and health visitors, aswell as all other health professionals involved in the examination of the newborn, this text covers:

> Neonatal examination and history taking

> Development of the heart and lungs and transition to extrauterine life

> Cardiovascular and respiratory assessment of the baby

> Assessment of the neonatal skin and jaundice

> Examination of the eyes head and neck

> Examination of the abdomen and genitalia

> Abnormalities of the lower extremities including developmental dysplasia of the hip

> The dysmorphic infant and common congenital abnormalities

> Behavioural issues

> Professional issues in practice

> Safeguarding Children

Examination of the Newborn provides essential reading for all health care professionals who arecontinually striving to update their knowledge and contribute to the standardisation of care ona national scale.

"The approach of clearly describing the development processes of the Heart and Lungs andTransition to Extrauterine Life followed by the Cardiovascular and Respiratory Assessment isexcellent and really enhances knowledge and understanding... The book is very well illustratedwith tables, graphs, photographs and competencies." (Nursing Times.net, 12 December 2011)

Examination of the Newborn: An Evidence Based Guide

31Book Launches

Author

Professor William KaufmanUniversity of Central Lancashire

University of Illinois Press

ISBN 978-0-252-03602-6

Year 2011

Woody Guthrie, American Radical reclaims the politically radical profile of America's greatestballadeer. Although he achieved a host of national honors and adorns U.S. postage stamps,and although his song "This Land Is Your Land" is often considered the nation's secondnational anthem, Woody Guthrie committed his life to the radical struggle.

Will Kaufman traces Guthrie's political awakening and activism throughout the Great Depression,World War II, the Cold War, the Korean War, the Civil Rights struggle, and the poison ofMcCarthyism. He examines Guthrie's role in the development of a workers' culture in the contextof radical activism spearheaded by the Communist Party of the USA, the Popular Front, and theCongress of Industrial Organizations. Kaufman also establishes Guthrie's significance in theperpetuation of cultural front objectives into the era of the "New Left" and beyond, particularlythrough his influence on the American and international protest song movement.

Utilizing a wealth of previously unseen archival materials such as letters, song lyrics, essays,personal reflections, photos, and other manuscripts, Woody Guthrie, American Radicalintroduces a heretofore unknown Woody Guthrie: the canny political strategist, fitful thinker,and cultural front activist practically buried in the general public's romantic celebration of the"Dust Bowl Troubadour."

"Overdue rediscovery of folk music’s great agitator."Kirkus Reviews

"As Will Kaufman argues in his wonderful and uncompromising book, Woody Guthrie,American Radical, the folksinger was not driven by some abstract commitment to justice alone,but by the vision of a cooperative planned economy, one that could meet people’s needsdirectly and foster meaningful social, economic, and racial equality."Monthly Review

“Guthrie committed himself to radical political struggle. Discover more in this handsome,innovatively compiled tome.”NME

Woody Guthrie, American Radical

“I cannot deny that in my search for the radical Guthrie I learnedsome things that I would rather not have learned; but they neverobliterated what I still consider to be the core of his being and thereason why I continue to broadcast his voice as the representativevoice of my America ….”

Extract from Introduction [pg xxv] of Woody Guthrie, American Radical

32 Book Launches

The Textbook of Non-medical Prescribing addresses all the key issues relevant to non-medicalprescribing, bringing together essential knowledge, key issues, and skills in a single text.

This accessible, engaging and comprehensive resource explores: the history of non-medicalprescribing; prescribing in context; ethical, legal and professional issues in relation to prescribingpractice; factors influencing prescribing; effective consultations; essential pharmacology; therole of the multi-disciplinary team; clinical skills; prescribing for specific groups; and the futureof nurse prescribing. With case studies throughout, The Textbook of Non-medical Prescribingwill be essential reading for all students on non-medical prescribing courses. It will also be ofuse to qualified health professionals, be they prescribers themselves or interested in theconcepts of non-medical prescribing.

Key features:

> An essential core text for students on non-medical prescribing courses

> Accessible, lively and interactive in style

> Student-friendly, including learning objectives, activities, and case studies, enabling readers to apply prescribing principles to practice

The Textbook of Non-medical Prescribing

Authors

Dilyse Nuttall & Jane Rutt-HowardUniversity of Central Lancashire

Wiley-Blackwell

ISBN 978-14051-9935-3

Year 2011

Author

Dr Cath SullivanUniversity of Central Lancashire

Sage

ISBN 978-0857027450

Year 2012

This book is for students who are about to embark on a qualitative research project as part oftheir psychology degree. While there are a number of books on qualitative psychologicalresearch, this book is unique as it leads you step-by-step through the process of doing yourproject and writing your report. The book will be of use to students using qualitative methodsfor their dissertation project, as well as for those carrying out smaller scale projects. The focusthroughout is on how to make your project excellent!

The book focuses on the steps involved in completing a qualitative dissertation and on thedecisions that you'll need to make as you go along. The book will lead you through:

> designing your project

> ethical considerations

> collecting your data

> analysing your data

> writing your dissertation.

In addition, the book will help you with time management and working with your supervisor,as well as providing guidance on how you can use your projects as the basis for publication orfurther study.

[extract from Sage Publications website]

Doing Your Qualitative Psychology Project

33Book Launches

Editors

Dr Chris KingUniversity of Nottingham

Dr Duncan SayerUniversity of Central Lancashire

Boydell & Brewer Ltd

ISBN 978-1-8438-3693-3

Year 2011

The post-medieval period was one of profound religious and cultural change, of sometimesviolent religious conflict and of a dramatic growth in religious pluralism. The essays collectedhere, in what is the first book to focus on the material evidence, demonstrate the significantcontribution that archaeology can make to a deeper understanding of religion. They take abroad interdisciplinary approach to the spatial and material context of religious life, usingbuildings and landscapes, religious objects and excavated cemeteries, alongside cartographicand documentary sources, to reveal the complexity of religious practices and identities in varied regions of post-medieval Britain, Europe and the wider world. Topics covered include the transformation of religious buildings and landscapes in the centuries after the EuropeanReformation, the role of religious minorities and immigrant groups in early modern cities, the architectural and landscape context of eighteenth and nineteenth-century nonconformity,and the development of post-medieval burial practices and funerary customs. Offering a unique perspective on the material remains of the post-medieval period, this volume will be of significant value to archaeologists and historians interested in the religious and culturaltransformation of the early modern world.

The Archaeology of Post-Medieval Religion

Author

Dr Gayle BrewerUniversity of Central Lancashire

Palgrave MacMillan

ISBN 978-0230279209

Year 2011

Cover reproduced with permission

of Palgrave Macmillan

This edited textbook brings together broad and cutting-edge coverage of the core areas inmedia psychology for undergraduate, introductory-level students. Covering persuasion andinfluence, interaction with the media, and representation, the authors draw on specificcampaigns and studies to introduce readers to key issues in this fascinating field.

The text was edited by Gayle Brewer, Senior Lecturer in Psychology. In addition to contributionsfrom authors outside UCLan, Media Psychology features a number of chapters authored or co-authored by members of the School of Psychology (Dr Sarita Robinson, Dr Jo Bryce).

Media Psychology

‘This is a much-needed and integrative introductorytextbook. It provides a succinct overview of thedifferent psychological theories that ground mediapsychology research, without sacrificing thecomplexity of the field or the many questions thatarise in a rapidly evolving media landscape. I willdefinitely incorporate it into my Introduction toMedia Psychology courses.’

Dr Pamela Rutledge, Fielding Graduate University and Director of the Media Psychology Research Center, USA

34 Book Launches

Authors

Dr Isobel FaircloughUniversity of Central Lancashire

Emeritus Professor Norman FaircloughLancaster University

Routledge

ISBN 978-0-415-49922-4

Year 2012

Political Discourse Analysis integrates analysis of arguments into critical discourse analysis andpolitical discourse analysis. The book is grounded in a view of politics in which deliberation,decision and action are crucial concepts: politics is about arriving cooperatively at decisions aboutwhat to do in the context of disagreement, conflict of interests and values, power inequalities,uncertainty and risk.

The first half of the book introduces the authors’ new approach to the analysis and evaluation ofpractical arguments, while the second half explores how it can be applied by looking at examplessuch as government reports, parliamentary debates, political speeches and online discussionforums on political issues. Through the analysis of current events, including a particular focus onthe economic crisis and political responses to it, the authors provide a systematic and rigorousanalytical framework that can be adopted and used for students’ own research.

This exciting new text, co-written by bestselling author Norman Fairclough, is essential reading forresearchers, upper undergraduate and postgraduate students of discourse analysis, within Englishlanguage, linguistics, communication studies, politics and other social sciences.

'This is exactly the book we were waiting for: a clear and thorough method for analysing politicaldiscourse, written from a critical perspective and paying due attention to practical arguments.Isabela and Norman Fairclough have done a great job.' Frans H. van Eemeren, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

'An innovative and important extension of the reach of research into political language anddiscourse. Sure to become an essential reference point, this book will make possible newcollaborations (not to mention arguments) involving scholars of linguistics, political theorists ofdeliberation, discourse or ideology, and political scientists.' Alan Finlayson, Swansea University, UK

Political Discourse Analysis. A Method for Advanced Students

Authors

Dr Gillian Thomson, Professor Fiona Dykes & Professor Soo DowneUniversity of Central Lancashire

Routledge Press

ISBN 978-0-415-57501-0

Year 2011

Qualitative research, particularly phenomenology, is increasingly popular as a method formidwifery and health-related research. These approaches enable rich and detailed explanationsto be uncovered and bring experience to life. Important recommendations and practice- basedimplications may then be raised and debated for future use. This book brings together a rangeof phenomenological methods and insights into one accessible text. Illustrated with plenty ofexamples of successful phenomenological research, Qualitative Research in Midwifery andChildbirth keeps the focus applied to midwifery and childbirth and makes clear the links topractice throughout. The book introduces three key phenomenological approaches –descriptive, interpretive and the life world – and includes a comparative chapter which discussesthe differences between these varied perspectives and methods. Each chapter focuses on howthese approaches are used within midwifery research. The remaining chapters present anumber of different research projects. These demonstrate how different phenomenologicalapproaches have been used to explore and uncover experiences of childbirth and midwiferycare as well as offering important insights into how women experience different facets of thebirth experience during the antenatal, intra-partum and postnatal period.

Designed for researchers and students undertaking research projects on midwifery andchildbirth, this text includes contributions from a range of international and highly regardedphenomenological authors and researchers.

Qualitative Research in Midwifery and Childbirth:Phenomenological Approaches

35

Editorial TeamProfessor Mike HolmesHead of Graduate Research School/[email protected] 01772 893561

Emma Sandon-HeskethResearch Development Manager/Co-Editor Graduate Research [email protected] 01772 892735

Professor Stuart Hampton-ReevesHead of Graduate Research [email protected] 01772 894280

Alison Naylor Senior Administrative Assistant – ResearchGraduate Research [email protected] 01772 892728

Sarah WarrenCommunications ManagerKnowledge Transfer [email protected] 01772 895377

Carolyn StanleyMarketing Manager - PR and [email protected] 01772 894441

Maggie MacleanSenior Advancement Officer Advancement: Alumni & [email protected] 01772 894107

Clare SuttieGraphic DesignerAdvancement: Marketing [email protected] 894119

University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HETel: 01772 892735 Email: [email protected] www.uclan.ac.uk/research

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