This website aims to provide an overview on the wide range of research undertaken within the College of Social Science. It contains details of events, current studies, community resources and information on how you or your organisation can become engaged with research within the College.
If you are interested in collaborating or discussing potential research ideas with our academics you can visit the Contact Us page.
Featured Research
Future advances in UK marine fisheries policy: Integrated nexus management, technological advance, and shifting public opinion
Having left the European Union, the UK Fisheries Act (hereafter referred to as the Act) provides a framework that may advance sustainable marine resource management. This requires the bias towards social-economic concerns to be recognised, and greater emphasis to be placed on securing the natural capital to support fisheries. A Joint Fisheries Statement (JFS) to be published in 2022 by the UK’s devolved fisheries authorities will set out how the objectives of the Act will be achieved. While recognising the value of principles of the Act, this article challenges the current management framework in light of the wider challenges in fisheries practice. It argues for more emphasis on ecological and fisheries regeneration, and maximising societal benefits rather than yields. Three recommendations are provided: (1) an integrated and more holistic Fisheries-Energy-Environment Nexus resource management approach would better utilise systems thinking to optimise trade-offs and synergies between competing domains to achieve fisheries, conservation and other environmental goals (e.g. delivering the national net zero strategy); (2) the use of best available technologies as is reasonably practicable to monitor compliance and facilitate enforcement should be a regulatory requirement under the JFS; (3) the fisheries and marine conservation science community should work with other stakeholders to change the media narrative, public opinion, and political direction away from a “business-as-usual” model that risks long-term degradation of the marine fisheries resource.
Latest News
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Effect of wheat roasting conditions and wheat type on short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectral data of whole and milled wheat by ANOVA-simultaneous component analysisANOVA-simultaneous component analysis (ASCA) was used to investigate the effect of roasting and wheat type on shortwave-infrared (SWIR) spectra of whole wheat and flour through assessment of statistical significance and characterisation of the contributing spectral features. The full factorial experimental design included two wheat types, three roasting temperatures and three roasting frequencies. SWIR spectral images were collected from the two roasted wheat types and their two milled samples. Three ASCA models, one for each wheat conformation (kernel, whole wheat flour, white flour) were investigated. It was evidenced that all factors and interaction in the whole wheat flour model had a significant (p ≤ 0.05) effect on spectral data. Only the factor roasting frequency was not significant in white flour model and only the interaction between roasting frequency and wheat type was not significant for the kernel model. The main variations in the loading line plots were identified and characterised by chemical structural differences that occur within the sample. The effect of roasting frequency had a more adverse effect on protein stability, moisture evaporation, water soluble carbohydrates and aromatic amino acids, compared to roasting temperature. A Rapid Visco-Analyser (RVA) was used to further investigate difference in wheat type as almost all spectral data sets differed significantly. The most prominent difference between the two wheat types was observed as differences in amylase activity and presence of lipids. ASCA applied to SWIR whole wheat and flour spectral data effectively characterised the significant effect of roasting on wheat starch and protein structures....
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International Think Tank on Gambling Research, Policy and PracticeThe Think Tank is an international network of researchers, policy makers, service providers and interested others collaborating to advance the understanding of gambling and to reduce gambling-related harm. It is led by the AUT Gambling and Addictions Research Centre. The very first International Think Tank meeting held in Europe was held on 26th and 27th June 2023 and was hosted by Amanda Roberts and Steve Sharman. The venue was the historic Royal Society of Medicine, London and the meeting was opened with an address by Think Tank member Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones OBE, Vice President of the Royal Society of Medicine. The event was a huge success and the network plan to submit papers/ work on an international level for work across countries/ jurisdictions....
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International Think Tank on Gambling Research, Policy and PracticeThe Think Tank is an international network of researchers, policy makers, service providers and interested others collaborating to advance the understanding of gambling and to reduce gambling-related harm. It is led by the AUT Gambling and Addictions Research Centre. The very first International Think Tank meeting held in Europe was held on 26th and 27th June 2023 and was hosted by Amanda Roberts and Steve Sharman. The venue was the historic Royal Society of Medicine, London and the meeting was opened with an address by Think Tank member Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones OBE, Vice President of the Royal Society of Medicine. The event was a huge success and the network plan to submit papers/ work on an international level for work across countries/ jurisdictions....
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Routine screening for gambling disorder and gambling-related harm within mental health and drug and alcohol services: A feasibility and pilot studyThe project funded by the NIHR Policy Research Programme aims to ascertain the feasibility of introducing gambling screening in mental health and drug and alcohol services and what the facilitators and barriers are in both screening and referral. It will also test if screening will identify substantial proportions of individuals who are experiencing harmful gambling. The 2-year project starting in January 2024 will run in full partnership with individuals from GamLEARN. The Gambling Lived Experience and Recovery Network (GamLEARN) supports and empowers those who have experienced gambling related harm. ...
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Routine screening for gambling disorder and gambling-related harm within mental health and drug and alcohol services: A feasibility and pilot studyThe project funded by the NIHR Policy Research Programme aims to ascertain the feasibility of introducing gambling screening in mental health and drug and alcohol services and what the facilitators and barriers are in both screening and referral. It will also test if screening will identify substantial proportions of individuals who are experiencing harmful gambling. The 2-year project starting in January 2024 will run in full partnership with individuals from GamLEARN. The Gambling Lived Experience and Recovery Network (GamLEARN) supports and empowers those who have experienced gambling related harm. ...
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Gambling and suicide: a psychological autopsy and qualitative inquiryUsing a psychological autopsy method, this 2-year project funded by Greo will fully examine the events and circumstances leading to gambling-related suicide including an in-depth exploration of significant risk factors, environmental factors, contextual factors and behaviours to provide a detailed socioecological understanding. A psychological autopsy study investigates suicide through a fully comprehensive review of a deceased person's history leading up to the suicide by interviewing people who knew them and fully assessing contextual information. Partners on the project include six other Universities, as well as GamLEARN, Gambling with Lives, and GamFam. The charities will be instrumental in facilitating and fully supporting the active participation of the wider Lived Experience community at all stages of the project. https://www.greo.ca/en/index.aspx, https://www.gamlearn.org.uk/, www.gamblingwithlives.org, https://gamfam.org.uk/...
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Outcomes of psychological support skills training for cancer care staff: Skill acquisition, work engagement, mental wellbeing and burnoutNima has published a new practice-based evidence paper with colleagues in the East Midlands Cancer Alliance (EMCA) Centre for Psychosocial Health: Malins, S, Boutry, C, Moghaddam, N., et al. Outcomes of psychological support skills training for cancer care staff: skill acquisition, work engagement, mental wellbeing and burnout. Psychooncology. 2023; 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.6200
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Widespread retreat of coastal habitat is likely at warming levels above 1.5 °CSeveral coastal ecosystems—most notably mangroves and tidal marshes—exhibit biogenic feedbacks that are facilitating adjustment to relative sea-level rise (RSLR), including the sequestration of carbon and the trapping of mineral sediment1. The stability of reef-top habitats under RSLR is similarly linked to reef-derived sediment accumulation and the vertical accretion of protective coral reefs2. The persistence of these ecosystems under high rates of RSLR is contested3. Here we show that the probability of vertical adjustment to RSLR inferred from palaeo-stratigraphic observations aligns with contemporary in situ survey measurements. A deficit between tidal marsh and mangrove adjustment and RSLR is likely at 4 mm yr−1 and highly likely at 7 mm yr−1 of RSLR. As rates of RSLR exceed 7 mm yr−1, the probability that reef islands destabilize through increased shoreline erosion and wave over-topping increases. Increased global warming from 1.5 °C to 2.0 °C would double the area of mapped tidal marsh exposed to 4 mm yr−1 of RSLR by between 2080 and 2100. With 3 °C of warming, nearly all the world’s mangrove forests and coral reef islands and almost 40% of mapped tidal marshes are estimated to be exposed to RSLR of at least 7 mm yr−1. Meeting the Paris agreement targets would minimize disruption to coastal ecosystems....
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Group psychological intervention for emotional distress in haematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A feasibility randomised clinical trialMichael Baliousis, Dave Dawson, along with the NUH clinical psychology team have just published a paper describing the results of their feasibility study in group psychological preparation for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The study highlights what clinicians and researchers should pay attention to when designing RCTs and group interventions to support patients' psychological readiness. The paper is available here: Group psychological intervention for emotional distress in haematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A feasibility randomised clinical trial - European Journal of Oncology Nursing (ejoncologynursing.com)...