Loughborough Institute of Advanced Studies Podcast

Professor Ye Zhou - Tactile sensing device

IAS Visiting Fellow Professor Ye Zhou delivers a seminar on their research -
The imitation of tactile perception, synaptic processing, and neural coding functions in human sensory nerves has become an important development direction in neuromorphic electronic technology. The tactile perception system can be applied in multiple aspects and has enormous application prospects in fields such as human-computer interaction systems, intelligent robots, and mobile healthcare. Developing neuromorphic devices with tactile perception and processing capabilities, simulating the functions of biological brains and perception systems at the hardware level, is expected to achieve compatibility with biological neural signals, and build efficient intelligent perception systems and human-computer interaction interfaces. This report will introduce our research work in the field of tactile biomimetic perception, exploring the key influencing factors and structure-activity relationships in the development process of tactile sensing devices from three aspects: material preparation, structural design, and device development.
For more information about the IAS, please visit - https://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/ias

Professor Mariana Araujo Lamego & Professor André Reyes Novaes - Geographical Knowledge Mobilities in Brazil: one exhibition and one conference

IAS Visiting Fellows Professor Mariana Araujo Lamego & Professor André Reyes Novaes deliver a seminar on their research - 
In our presentation, we delve into two compelling case studies that illuminate the mobility of geographical knowledge in Brazil. Our first case study examines how a Portuguese historian navigated geographical imaginations related to exploration and colonialism while curating a historical geographical exhibition in São Paulo in 1954. The second case study focuses on the circulation of academic travellers to the Rio de Janeiro 1956 International Geographical Conference. Our overarching goal is to unveil the intricate process behind the formation of Brazilian geographical knowledge. We argue that scientific knowledge is intricately shaped through a complex web of epistemic and cultural exchanges within a transnational scientific network embedded in power relations, asymmetries, partnerships, and collaborative endeavours.
 
For more information about the IAS, please visit - https://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/ias

Professor Zhen Wen - Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Self-powered Sensing

IAS Visiting Fellow Professor Zhen Wen delivers a seminar on their research -
Tactile sensors have attracted much attention for their potential applications in health monitoring, wearable devices, electronic skin and smart robots, etc. A new generation of self-powered tactile sensor based on triboelectric nanogenerator has been developed in terms of its incomparable advantages in power consumption and potential performance. Based on the coupling effect of contact-electrification and electrostatic induction, it enables to obtain the information on the mechanical input, e.g., magnitude and frequency, by analysing electrical output signals. Intensive efforts have been devoted to improve the sensing performance of triboelectric pressure sensor to meet the demand of the practicality. In this talk, the key advancements in materials, structures and applications of self-powered triboelectric pressure sensors will be systematically introduced. Then, the theoretical basis, impact mechanism and the approaches to optimize the pressure sensing performance will be comprehensively analysed. Afterwards, I will summarize the typical applications of triboelectric pressure sensors in different pressure ranges and working frequencies. Finally, the future perspectives of self-powered triboelectric tactile sensor and self-powered microsystem will also be discussed.
For more information about the IAS, please visit - https://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/ias

Dr Yolandi Burger & Ms Zandile Myeka - 'Named after Nelson' & digital creativity within archival practices

In the lead up to International Nelson Mandela Day (18th July), IAS Visiting Fellow Dr Yolandi Burger & IAS Residential Fellow Ms Zandile Myeka deliver a dual seminar -
Dr Yolandi Burger - Measuring Mandela: Co-designing his legacy and impact on urban places The "Named after Nelson" (NaN) project is a collaborative Global South and Global North project that utilised a co-design approach to integrate contributions from diverse stakeholders to memorialise Nelson Mandela's legacy in the metropolis. This initiative benefitted from the complexities inherent in co-design, including understanding the varied needs of diverse stakeholders, navigating power dynamics, and fostering effective communication within a multicultural and multidisciplinary team. The approach focused on capturing and reflecting the profound influence Mandela knowingly and unknowingly had on placemaking, revealed through the graphic heritage depicting his legacy in locations named after him. The seminar will share the methodological framework employed in the NaN project, highlighting the links between design inquiry and archival practice. The discussion will reveal how, within the context of graphic heritage means, meanings, and measures, impact has been generated through various channels connected to the project. This will draw from research impact theory and practical examples of implementing this towards measurable outputs.
Ms Zandile Myeka - Exploring the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory Archive as a collaborative link with institutional repositories design inquiry and social transformation This seminar explores the use of digital resources to foster digital creativity within archival practices, focusing on the Loughborough Urban Graphic Object Archive and the Nelson Mandela Centre for Memory Archive at the Nelson Mandela Foundation. It reports on how the relationship between these respective institutional repositories has leveraged digital technologies to innovate archival practices, enhance access to archival materials, and engage diverse audiences. Through case studies, the project explores strategies such as digitisation, data visualisation, multimedia presentations, digital storytelling, collaborative projects, and user-centred design. By analysing the collaborative experiences of these settings, the project clarifies the transformative impact of digital creativity on archival practice, emphasising its role in preserving cultural heritage, promoting historical understanding, and fostering social inclusion.
For more information about the IAS, please visit - https://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/ias

Professor Erik P. Bucy - Learning from Media Scandal: How Coverage of Press Crises Primes...

Fulbright Scholarship Fellow Professor Erik P. Bucy delivers a seminar on their research, fully titled "Learning from Media Scandal: How Coverage of Press Crises Primes Accountability and Reaffirms Faith in a Socially Responsible Press" -
Can we learn from media scandal? This talk argues we can, by studying how coverage of scandal in the wake of crisis primes accountability and other press values, shaping attitudes about media performance generally and offending organizations more specifically. The broader project from which this work is derived examines media scandals and news dilemmas in cross-national perspective beginning with disclosures of the News of the World phone hacking scandal in 2010 and continuing with media peccadillos to the present. Unlike political scandals, which have received sustained scholarly examination, the subject of press misconduct has received inadequate research attention and academic analysis outside of articles and tracts about the tabloid press or lapses in journalistic ethics despite significant harms to individuals and costs to information integrity. This project aims to rectify this deficit in understanding and identify how news coverage around media crisis works to reaffirm faith in a socially responsible press.
For more information about the IAS, please visit - https://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/ias

Dr Rudabeh Shahid - Geopolitics and Statelessness in South Asia

IAS Residential Fellow Dr Rudabeh Shahid delivers a seminar on their research -
This keynote speech addresses the issue of statelessness in South Asia, emphasizing the region's geopolitical dynamics. It begins by defining statelessness and discussing its impact on human rights. It continues by exploring historical factors that have contributed to statelessness, including the Partition of India and the legacy of colonialism. The talk additionally presents case studies from Myanmar and Sri Lanka, demonstrating how national policies and ethnic conflicts have resulted in large populations of stateless individuals, leading to severe socio-economic and political challenges. Additionally, the presentation examines the role of major global players such as China, the US, UK, and Japan in shaping the geopolitical landscape of South Asia. The presentation underscores the complex relationship between national security and human rights obligations, thereby calling for coordinated efforts by South Asian nations and international organizations to devise and execute strategies that tackle both the immediate effects and the root causes of statelessness.
For more information about the IAS, please visit - https://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/ias

Dr Alison Barnes - Graphic heritage: Politics, power & placemaking

IAS Residential Fellow Dr Alison Barnes delivers a seminar on their research -
Retail streets are full of graphic communication such as signage, imagery, pattern, and colour. This can be defined as a form of everyday urban graphic heritage that not only enables people to experience or be informed about heritage, but also informs our understanding of, and relationship with, place. This seminar will primarily focus on two very different shopping areas within Walthamstow in London, one of which has, in part, been the recipient of a planned National Lottery funded Townscape Heritage Regeneration scheme. By applying a combination of detailed attention to the visual outcomes of design decisions while situating these in relevant broader theoretical, social, cultural, and political contexts the seminar will discuss how the power and politics inherent in these seemingly mundane design choices can impact on one’s experience of place.
For more information about the IAS, please visit - https://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/ias

Associate Professor Lisanne du Plessis - “Break free, grow tall, reach far” – a systems approach for STUNTING reduction

IAS Visiting Fellow Associate Professor Lisanne du Plessis delivers a seminar on their research, fully titled "“Break free, grow tall, reach far” – a systems approach for STUNTING reduction" -
The nutritional status of young children in South Africa is of great concern. Stunting in a quarter of children under five is particularly alarming, since it poses significant costs on health, cognitive development, schooling, and economic performance in future. Overweight and obesity in this age group is also on the increase. The multiple burdens of malnutrition reflects a food system that is failing. This stems from inequalities of the past with persistent issues of access and agency, but also highlights unscrupulous actions of big food companies. To address these challenges, requires working with government, communities, civil society organisations and researchers to understand the complexities and work collectively to identify innovations and effective interventions to reverse the numbers. The presentation will share a systems approach to understand the multiple burdens of malnutrition and to identify community-based approaches to improving early childhood development, nutrition, and health for the future generation South Africans.
For more information about the IAS, please visit - https://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/ias

Professor Helena D Cooper-Thomas - The trials and tribulations of entering a tournament workplace: The case of new Members of Parliament

IAS Visiting Fellow Professor Helena D Cooper-Thomas delivers a seminar on their research - 
Workplace tournaments are characterized by competitive environments where individuals vie for resources and advancement. Tournaments are particularly prevalent at senior levels, yet little is known about how elite newcomers experience and respond to such adversarial contexts. To address this gap, we conducted qualitative research with new members of New Zealand’s Parliament, drawing on interviews and media case studies. Our findings shed light on both the key tournament challenges faced by elite newcomers and how these newcomers use promote and protect reputational strategies to navigate such challenges. We also show that the most successful tournament newcomers develop sophisticated patterns of reputational strategy use early on. Our research raises intriguing questions about the practical implications of exposing elite newcomers to workplace tournaments. Is “trial by fire” an efficient process for forging effective performers, or does it unnecessarily burn up those who could have contributed?
For more information about the IAS, please visit - https://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/ias
 

Professor Niels Ørtenblad - Muscle failure: the role and mechanisms of energy in skeletal muscle fatigue

As part of the IAS Festival of Failure, IAS Visiting Fellow Professor Niels Ørtenblad delivers a seminar, with an introduction on sporting failure from Pro Vice-Chancellor for Sport, Professor Jo Maher.
Skeletal muscles have an impressive force and power generating capacity. However, with intense or prolonged activation muscle function is reduced, termed fatigue. Despite a broad interest of the scientific community, fundamental questions remain unsolved about how activation per se is affected by exercise or disuse and how metabolism affects muscle regulation. It is herein remarkable how precise skeletal muscle fibers with a high and fluctuating energy-turnover, balance energy utilization with production, preventing loss of energy and thereby cell integrity. With an integrative approach, i.e. combining data from whole body human experiments, including high level athletes, though to more mechanistic models, I will discuss metabolic factors contributing to impaired force generating capacity. I will particularly focus on the role of muscle glucose stores (glycogen), as we and colleagues in the field, have recently demonstrated that the muscle glycogen, serves as an energy sensor, contributing to muscle function and fatigue.
For more information about the IAS, please visit - https://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/ias