UK Archives

21st century philosophy: An introduction to information ethics

Written by

Artificial intelligence and information technology are part of our everyday lives; from the way we carry out our work, to the ways in which we spend our leisure time or communicate with others. It is becoming increasingly important then that we understand not just the way that this technology works and how it is developed, but also how our individual […]

Creating social value in online communities through digital activism

Written by

Researchers have examined how the Internet and social media create and enable digital activism.

Dr Petros Chamakiotis, Associate Professor of Management at ESCP Business School, Dr Dimitra Petrakaki, Reader in Information Systems at the University of Sussex Business School, and Prof Niki Panteli, Professor of Digital Business at Royal Holloway University of London, investigate social value creation in online communities. They explore the types of social value emerging from the online health community MedicineAfrica […]

Classism in education still exists: Here’s what to do about it

Written by

Distinguished Research Professor in the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University, Valerie Walkerdine has spent four decades studying class-related issues. In particular, her interests lie in exploring classism within higher education and finding ways to increase inclusivity, especially on the most well-respected courses, at elite universities, and at higher levels of study. Professor Walkerdine is also chair of the […]

Making an impact: How Altmetric tells researchers more about their work

Written by

Founded in 2011, Altmetric is the data and metrics tool that begins to measure the impact of research from the moment it is published, allowing researchers to see how, why and where their work is being used, discussed and expanded upon. CEO Kathy Christian told us how Altmetric works, why it is so important and who is already using it. […]

Predicting treatment resistance in schizophrenia patients

Written by

Schizophrenia is a severe and often debilitating mental disorder. While antipsychotic medications aim to alleviate the symptoms, about a third of patients with schizophrenia are treatment-resistant. Dr Olesya Ajnakina, a Research Fellow at King’s College London, combines state-of-the-art methods in statistical analyses, such as machine learning, to develop prediction models aiming to identify patients at risk of developing treatment-resistant schizophrenia, […]

Optimising well-being and development through music

Written by

Professor Graham Welch and the music education research team at University College London have conducted extensive work to evaluate and document the benefits of music for children. Their research has included large-scale studies of music programmes sponsored by governments and charities. The outcomes of these studies have shown clear benefits of music in supporting optimal health, well-being and development in […]

Genetically modified cotton: How has it changed India?

Written by

The aim of introducing Bt cotton to India was to reduce the amount of insecticide needed in farming cotton.

Nearly two decades ago, a genetically modified type of cotton, known as Bt cotton, was introduced to India to reduce farmers’ insecticide use. Today, researchers want to understand the effects that the introduction of this new cotton crop has had on Indian farmers. Using advanced statistical methods, Professor Ian Plewis from the University of Manchester investigates the effect of Bt cotton on […]

Converting to terahertz communications

Written by

The amount of data we generate globally is now accelerating at a breakneck pace. As this transformation occurs, exchanges of terahertz signals could become a crucial aspect of future communication systems, yet without a way to efficiently convert these waves to and from optical signals, such a prospect has remained unfeasible so far. In his research, Professor Cyril Renaud at […]

Talking about dying: How doctors and patients talk about life expectancy

Written by

When patients have life-limiting conditions, doctors need to talk with them about dying. These conversations can be difficult for doctors, patients, and patients’ family members. Professor Ruth Parry and Dr Marco Pino, from Loughborough University, analyse recordings of conversations during which patients request life expectancy estimates. They then use the findings from this research to develop training resources that can […]

The Wales Adoption Cohort Study: Childhood Risk and Resilience

Written by

Prof Shelton and Dr Paine’s research examines the mental health of adopted children.

Professor Katherine Shelton and Dr Amy Paine from the School of Psychology at Cardiff University have been conducting research examining the mental health of adopted children in Wales. This research tracks the children across a four-year period and assesses emotional, behavioural, and cognitive factors at different points in time. It also examines how parenting impacts adopted children’s mental health problems. […]