During the World Technology Universities Congress 2022 hosted by Suranaree University of Technology, Thailand, a group of student volunteers interviewed delegates to learn more about their institutional motivations for membership of the WTUN and what they hoped to achieve during WTUC 2022.
Hear what they had to say here:
The World Technology Universities Network is pleased to announce the inaugural WTUN Annual Lecture.
Coinciding with the WTUN Congress, the first of the WTUN’s Annual Lecture’s will be delivered by Professor Stefan Rahmstorf, Head of Earth System Analysis at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)
10 October 11.00-12.00 (CEST/GMT+2)
Register now- HERE
“The public climate debate is often completely detached from what is known and debated among experts. It is strongly influenced by targeted disinformation, well-paid lobbying, media with political agendas often owned by super-rich people, populist politicians and elderly gentlemen desperately defending their worldview against inconvenient findings.
There is thus a huge disconnect between the expert discussion and the public debate on climate science and climate solutions. With thirty years of experience both in advancing climate science and communicating it to the public at large, I will present some observations and examples from both fronts, ranging from paleoclimate reconstructions (the ‘hockey stick’ curves) to heat pumps.”
Location: World Technology Universities Congress hosted by TU Ilmenau, Erfurt.
Date: Tuesday 10 October 2023
Time: 11:00 – 12:00
Stefan Rahmstorf is Co-Head of Research Department on Earth System Analysis of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and Professor of Physics of the Oceans at the University of Potsdam.
A physicist and physical oceanographer by training, Stefan Rahmstorf’s research focusses on paleoclimate, ocean circulation, sea level, extreme weather events and Earth System modeling.
After working at the New Zealand Oceanographic Institute and the Institute of Marine Science in Kiel, Stefan Rahmstorf joined PIK in 1996. He holds a professorship of Physics of the Oceans at the University of Potsdam since 2000. From 2004 to 2013 Stefan Rahmstorf advised the German government as a member of its Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU).
He is not only an outstanding and highly cited scientist but also a sought-after science communicator and speaker, winning e.g. the Climate Communication Prize of the American Geophysical Union in 2017. He co-founded the award-winning Realclimate and KlimaLounge blogs and is Europe’s climate scientist with the most Twitter followers (2020).
(www.pik-potsdam.de/members/stefan/homepage)
University of Potsdam, Institute of Physics and Astronomy
Head of Earth System Analysis, PIK
Fellow of the American Geophysical Union
Honorary Fellow of the University of Wales/Bangor
Member of the Academia Europaea
Popular books:
Wolken, Wind & Wetter (Die Kinderuni)
The Climate Crisis
Our Threatened Oceans / Wie bedroht sind die Ozeane?
Der Klimawandel
For 2023, undergraduate and postgraduate students from WTUN member institutions were invited to form a multidisciplinary team of up to four members and submit their team idea and/or project to the WTUN Student Competition.
The theme was INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY AND GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP FOR THE 21ST CENTURY and students were given the following challenge:
“The CHALLENGE: Can you form an interdisciplinary team to come together to address one (or more) of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals?
We welcome all undergraduate and postgraduate students of our member universities to enter WTUN’s annual student competition.
All you have to do is produce and present an idea (via a video) to address one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
We are seeking new and innovative solutions to address the goals, and we invite project proposals from student teams (undergraduate, postgraduate or a combination and preferably multi-disciplinary).”
The assessment panel was thoroughly impressed by the student proposals and videos and the final results were very close.
We are delighted to announce our 2023 winner is Team ‘Umbrella Team’ from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.
Students: Gabriel Sebastião do Nascimento Neto, João Pedro Araújo Ramalho, Kiev Luiz Freitas Guedes and João Igor Ramos de Lima.
Congratulations!
In addition to cash prizes awarded to the top three teams, first place also includes an invitation to deliver their winning idea online as part of the World Technology Universities Network’s Annual Congress programme in October.
In second place was Team ‘Team GoodDay’ from King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Thailand.
Well done!
Students: Miss Thamida Parhootit, Mr. Chayanan Srirat, Mr. Pattarapol Sangsunee and Miss Chanikarn Swami.
In third place was Team ‘Yet in the Hoenhain‘ from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.
Nice work!
Students: Yasmim Kamila da Costa Ribeiro, Israel Soares de Castro Filho, Victor Bruno Filgueira Gurgel dos Santos and Gabriel Mendonça De Queiroz
Congratulations to all 19 teams who took part this year.
We wish you all the best and hope to see you taking part in future WTUN competitions and activities.
The eighth World Technology Universities Congress (WTUC2023) will be hosted by Technische Universität (TU) Ilmenau 9-11 October 2023
The Conference will take place in the heart of Germany in the historic city of Erfurt, capital of the State of Thuringia.
Congress Overview: The 2023 Congress will explore global trends via our diverse speakers and explore the role and responsibility of HE institutions in tackling the most complex issues of our time.
What part do technology universities play in the sustainability transition? If we accept that the world needs cutting edge research to address the complex environmental and societal challenges that it poses; to what extent should technology universities be held responsible for the influence and impact, they have in the development of sustainable practices?
What are the unique challenges facing technology universities? What innovations are happening educate the tomorrows workforce of scientists, engineers, and citizens. How does the focus on sustainability influence innovation and entrepreneurship? What factors will inform student decision making and how can HEIs respond to an increasing demand (and scrutiny) to demonstrate their commitment to living the values of sustainability? We invite speakers to demonstrate best practice and successful examples of embedding social responsibility, sustainable entrepreneurship, and a culture of global citizenship amongst their communities.
Delegates are invited to reflect, share and challenge on a range issues related to sustainability, including the impact institutions have on their communities and places, the role of the UN SDGs in institutional strategic plans and the incorporation of green policies, sustainable campus master-planning (green-washing or genuine commitment), embedding sustainability in curriculum, teaching and learning; embedding social responsibility and a culture of local and global citizenship across communities and disciplines.
WTUC2023 sub-themes:
ICYMI:
Watch the replay of the World Technology Universities Network’s event for this year’s International Women in Engineering Day 2023 (InWED 2023)
This year’s InWED theme “Making Safety Seen” and in celebration and recognition of women in engineering, this webinar featured a sharing session by prominent speakers from Science and Engineering of member universities from both Networks, hosted by expert colleagues from the University of Bradford.
We heard from seven speakers across the two-hour session. The programme featured speakers specialising in Architectural, Environmental, Biological, Chemical and Mechanical Engineering from Bahrain, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand & the UK.
Watch the replay:
Name and Position: Dr Elaine Brown, Reader / Associate Dean (EDI) https://www.bradford.ac.uk/staff/ebrown/
Dr Cristina Tuinea-Bobe, RKT Business Development Manager https://www.bradford.ac.uk/staff/ctuineabobe/
Name and position: Dr. May Alsaffar, Assistant Professor/Chairperson of the Department of Interior Design, Ahlia University 
Title: ‘Towards Safe and Comfortable Built Environments: Human Factors and thoughtful Architecture’
Name and position: Dr. Naruemon Intarat , Lecturer of Mechanical Engineering, Thaksin University
Title: Human Factors Influencing Women in Engineering
Name and position: Dr Maria Katsikogianni, Assistant Professor in Biomaterials Chemistry, University of Bradford
Title: ‘Harnessing nano-patterning and incorporation of antimicrobials to manufacture orthopaedic trauma implants that resist microbial colonisation ‘
Name and position: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kwanchanok Viravaidya-Pasuwat, Associate Professor, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi
Title: ‘Transforming Cell-Based Therapy: Utilizing Automated Cell Processing Systems for Enhanced Safety and Efficiency’
Name and position: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Netnapit Tantemsapya, Associate Professor, School of
Environmental Engineering, Suranaree University of Technology
Title: Laboratory Safety in Academic & Schools in Thailand; Current status, challenges, and future directions
Name and position: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Norhayati Abdullah, Associate Director, UTM International Kuala Lumpur & Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia
Title:‘Pivoting Innovative Solutions – Role of Women Wastewater Engineers’
Name and position: Professor Mahendrawathi , Professor and Head of Enterprise Systems Laboratory, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Indonesia
Title: ‘The Key Role of People and Process in Ensuring Workplace Safety and Security.’
Should you have any further enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact the secretariat at wtun@bradford.ac.uk
For details of upcoming all WTUN Webinars click here
The World Technology Universities Network is pleased to announce our incredible line-up of speakers for International Women in Engineering Day 2023 (InWED 2023)
This year’s InWED theme “Making Safety Seen” and in celebration and recognition of women in engineering, this webinar will feature a sharing session by prominent speakers from Science and Engineering of member universities from both Networks, hosted by expert colleagues from the University of Bradford.
We will hear from seven speakers across the two-hour session. The programme features speakers specialising in Architectural, Environmental, Biological, Chemical and Mechanical Engineering from Bahrain, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand & the UK.
Details of the programme are as follows:
Date: Friday 23 June 2023
Time: 11.30-13.30 (BST/GMT+1) / 18.30-20.30 (UTC+8)
Mode: Zoom Webinar
Registration Form: click HERE
Registration Deadline: 23 June 2023 10.00 (am)
Name and Position: Dr Elaine Brown, Reader / Associate Dean (EDI) https://www.bradford.ac.uk/staff/ebrown/
Name and Position: Dr Cristina Tuinea-Bobe, RKT Business Development Manager https://www.bradford.ac.uk/staff/ctuineabobe/
Cristina has two multi-disciplinary PhDs: one in biomedical engineering and one in semiconductors’ electronics. She is now based at the University of Bradford in the Faculty of Engineering and Informatics working as Research & Knowledge Transfer Business Development Manager. Her role is to facilitate academics interaction with government and industrial funding bodies, resulting in high quality proposals and projects. Cristina is promoting our mission to provide superior quality education with a high impact on industry, and on the country’s economy, through our ‘make a difference’ alumni cohort.
Name and position: Dr. May Alsaffar, Assistant Professor/Chairperson of the Department of Interior Design, Ahlia University
Title: ‘Towards Safe and Comfortable Built Environments: Human Factors and thoughtful Architecture’
Abstract: Human factors and architecture are both important considerations for ensuring safety in built environments. Human factors refer to the physical, cognitive, and social characteristics of people that influence their behaviour and performance. Architecture, on the other hand, refers to the design of buildings and other physical structures.
When designing buildings or other structures, it is important to consider human factors to ensure that the environment is safe and comfortable for the people who will use it. Architects and designers need to consider factors such as lighting, acoustics, temperature, and ventilation to create an environment that is conducive to productivity and wellbeing. They also need to consider the needs of people with disabilities, such as wheelchair users, and ensure that the building is accessible to them. factors also play a role in the design of safety features in buildings. For example, emergency exits and fire alarms need to be placed in locations that are easily visible and accessible to people in the event of an emergency. Signs and other visual cues need to be designed to be easily understood by people of different ages, cultures, and languages.
In addition to designing buildings with human factors in mind, it is also important to educate people on how to use the built environment safely. This includes providing training on how to use safety features such as fire extinguishers and emergency exits, as well as educating people on how to navigate the building in a safe and efficient manner. Overall, a combination of careful consideration of human factors and thoughtful architectural design can contribute to creating safe and comfortable built environments.
About the Speaker:
Motivated Assistant Professor with 10+ years of experience specializing in Architecture and Interior Design. Strong background in creating insightful course contents and research papers which increased University exposure and helped students’ learning development. Swiftly establishing strong relationships with pupils, increasing class engagement and enjoyment.
Prior to joining Ahlia University, May served as an Architect, interior designer, and urban designer in well-known design firms in Bahrain such as Ahmed Janahi Architects, Jalal Engineering, Apex Green, and AAA homes.
May also has served as a visiting faculty, Kingdom University (BAH), as a researcher at the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation, Germany, and as a Teaching and Research Assistant at the United Arab University during her Ph.D. studies (UAE). She also participated as an external juror for graduation projects and design studios at the University of Bahrain and abroad.
Name and position: Dr. Naruemon Intarat , Lecturer of Mechanical Engineering, Thaksin University
Title: Human Factors Influencing Women in Engineering
Abstract: “Most females considered engineering to be a male field, hence the low number of female engineering students. Females are underrepresented in engineering cohorts. However, engineering pathways for women are possible. Common influencing factors for female participation in the selection of engineering pathways included parental and teacher influences, self-efficacy, perception and attitude, gender stereotypes, and peer and media influences.
Self-Efficacy, perception, and attitude are important for all humans, everyone is equal “Do whatever you want to do”.”
About the Speaker: B.Eng. (Mechanical Engineering), M.Eng. (Mechanical Engineering), Doc.Eng. (Power Engineering and Engineering Thermophysics)
Name and position: Dr Maria Katsikogianni, Assistant Professor in Biomaterials Chemistry, University of Bradford
Title: ‘Harnessing nano-patterning and incorporation of antimicrobials to manufacture orthopaedic trauma implants that resist microbial colonisation ‘
Abstract: “More than 2 million people/year in the UK suffer a bone fracture that is addressed primarily using metal implants. Such implants facilitate microbial colonisation which can lead to medical device associated infections. Antimicrobial strategies can involve modification of the medical device biomaterial surface rendering it less amenable to colonisation. In this respect, the aim of this study was to evaluate the engineering of biomaterial surfaces at the nanoscale, with or without the addition of antimicrobials, for the preparation of orthopaedic trauma implants that prevent microbial colonisation.
Materials and Methods: VICTREX® PEEK with or without glass fibre reinforcement were micro-injection moulded using a Wittman Battenfeld Micropower moulding system and flat or nano-patterned mould inserts. Polydimethysiloxane (PDMS) and 1% or 10% (w/w) triclosan impregnated PDMS were compression moulded on a flat or nano-patterned mould. The moulded components were physicochemically and mechanically characterised. Their non-fouling and antimicrobial performance was assessed against bacterial adhesion and subsequent biofilm formation of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
Results and Discussion: Geometric characterisation of the moulded surfaces showed excellent replication of the mould inserts at the nanoscale, with the exception of the 10% triclosan impregnated PDMS. Of note was that 1% triclosan killed all tested bacteria on both flat and patterned surfaces within 1 h. In the case of PDMS without triclosan and PEEK, patterned surfaces reduced bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. Reproducible pattern replication was important for ensuring enhancement of the antimicrobial/non-fouling activity. This combined physical and chemical strategy provides a novel approach to generating non-fouling properties to medical device biomaterials.
Acknowledgments: Professor Ben Whiteside is acknowledged for his collaboration in the area of injection moulding. This work was funded by MeDe Innovation, the EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Medical Devices, under a “Fresh Ideas” Feasibility Study Funding Award.”
About the Speaker: I am an Assistant Professor in Biomaterials Chemistry, at the University of Bradford and I contribute to research and teaching in the areas of materials, materials characterisation, materials interactions with biological environments and microscopy. My research aims at understanding how material properties affect bacterial/cell adhesion, so that we get to prepare materials for a range of applications; medical devices, clinical settings, food packaging, amongst others.
With a BSc in Chemistry and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering, I am the first female in my family to study Science and to do a PhD and I am proud of the young generation and the opportunities provided to them.
Name and position: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kwanchanok Viravaidya-Pasuwat, Associate Professor, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi
Title: ‘Transforming Cell-Based Therapy: Utilizing Automated Cell Processing Systems for Enhanced Safety and Efficiency’
Abstract: “Regenerative medicine has emerged as a promising field revolutionizing medical treatments and poised to become a significant contributor to the global economy. The goal of regenerative medicine is to stimulate the body’s repair mechanisms using healthy cells or tissues. Autologous transplantation of stem cells or primary cells represents a widely practiced regenerative medicine therapy. However, manual isolation and culturing of these cells present challenges, including labor-intensive and time-consuming processes, susceptibility to bacterial contamination, limited production capacity and reliance on highly skilled technicians. To address these concerns, automated cell processing systems have been introduced to streamline and standardize cell cultivation. These systems typically employ robot arms within closed, sterile cabinets to handle various cell processing functions.
In light of therapeutic potential, we propose the establishment of a cell manufacturing facility utilizing an automated cell processing system. Our initial focus is on producing autologous chondrocytes and autologous bone marrow-derived stem cells for clinical studies. These studies are essential to evaluate the quality of cells generated using the automated system and assess the efficacy of the cell-based therapies.”
About the Speaker: Dr. Kwanchanok Viravaidya-Pasuwat graduated with honors, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from California Institute of Technology in 1998. She subsequently pursued her M.S./Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at Cornell University, where she received a full fellowship and completed her studies in 2004.
Dr. Viravaidya-Pasuwat joined King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) in 2004 as a lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering. She was promoted to the roles of Assistant Professor in 2008 and Associate Professor in 2013. As one of the pioneering faculty members, she played a vital role in establishing research activities and the curriculum for KMUTT’s Biological Engineering program. From 2013 to 2017, she served as the Director of the Biological Engineering program. Dr. Viravaidya-Pasuwat’s research endeavors revolve around the development of safer, more cost-effective, and easily accessible cell-based therapies, with a particular emphasis on scaffold-free tissue engineering approaches. Her notable contributions include the successful construction of tissueengineered constructs for the treatment of cartilage defects and severe burn injuries. Furthermore, she and her group are actively engaged in leveraging automated cell processing systems for applications in regenerative medicine.
In recognition of her outstanding research work, she was honored with the prestigious L’Oreal-UNESCO “For Women in Science 2014” Fellowship. Through her dedication and innovative research, Dr. Viravaidya-Pasuwat continues to advance the frontiers of regenerative medicine, striving to make significant contributions to the field and enhance the prospects of safer and more accessible cell-based therapies.
Name and position: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Netnapit Tantemsapya, Associate Professor, School of Environmental Engineering, Suranaree University of Technology
Title: Laboratory Safety in Academic & Schools in Thailand; Current status, challenges, and future directions
Abstract: There is a growing awareness on Laboratory Safety in Academic & Schools in Thailand in the past two decades. This talk is about the initiative on establishing Thailand’s university and school laboratory safety system. In addition, the current status, challenges and present future directions to reduce accidents using engineering and administrative controls will be presented.
About the Speaker: Dr. Tantemsapya is an Associate Professor at Suranaree University of Technology. She graduated in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering. She then furthered her study at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, where she received her master’s degree and Ph.D. also in Environmental Engineering and returning to Thailand in 2003 as a Lecturer in the Department of Environmental Engineering at Khon Kaen University and moved to Suranaree University of Technology in 2017.
Her work focuses on pollution prevention, wastewater natural treatment, and Hazardous waste management. Major projects include the fate transport of heavy metals in the environment, water quality modeling, pollution prevention of industries, and designing natural treatment systems. These projects involved collaboration with local/international research institutes and the industrial and governmental sectors.
Name and position: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Norhayati Abdullah, Associate Director, UTM International Kuala Lumpur & Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia
Title:‘Pivoting Innovative Solutions – Role of Women Wastewater Engineers’
Abstract: Resilience of sewerage systems is of paramount importance considering the impact of untreated wastewater may have on the general health and well-being of human, animals as well as living things. Wastewater treatment and engineering is a field seldom treaded by women however the contributions of women wastewater engineers and academics are undeniably significant in transforming the water and wastewater sectors globally. Let’s have a look on the roles of women wastewater engineers on pivoting innovative solutions in #makesafety seen in wastewater engineering.
About the Speaker: Norhayati Abdullah is currently the Associate Director of UTM International Kuala Lumpur and Associate Professor in Environmental Engineering at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). She completed her tenure as a Guest Scholar at the Graduate School of Advanced Integrated Studies in Human Survivability (Shishu-kan), Kyoto University, Japan. Norhayati is recipient of the 2019/2020 ASEAN Science and Technology Fellowship focusing on the strategic recommendations for water sector transformation under the auspices of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia. Norhayati represented UTM and Malaysia at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor for the Fulbright US-ASEAN Visiting Scholar Initiatives in 2016-2017.
In 2018, she received the L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Fellowship. She was Board of Director of the International Water Association (IWA) from 2014-2018, an IWA Fellow and Council Member of the Malaysian Water Association (MWA). At global level, Norhayati has been actively involved with the IWA program and activities since 2000. She received the IWA Young Water Professional (IWAYWP) Award in 2012 in recognition of her outstanding achievements in wastewater research and active involvement in various Professional development programs.
Norhayati is a certified openwater diver, loves reading and indulge herself in outdoor activities.
Name and position: Professor Mahendrawathi , Professor and Head of Enterprise Systems Laboratory, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Indonesia
Title: ‘The Key Role of People and Process in Ensuring Workplace Safety and Security.’
Abstract: “Workplace safety and security are two important aspects that need to be attended to. Particularly, in today’s world where technology is pervasive in every aspect of human life. In one way, technology such as robotics, information and communication technology, and artificial intelligence, offers ample opportunity to help humans in conducting their day-to-day activities. On the other hand, it also creates a lot of challenges. While such technology has improved in unprecedented ways, the role of people and processes remains key.
In this talk, I will focus on the use of Information and Communication Technology in particular social media as it plays a big role in my country. Social media in various forms such as Social Networking Sites, Image-based sites, Video sharing/streaming platforms, Discussion forums, and Blogs and community platforms has grown tremendously. Such social media not only helps people to get connected but also helps them to do their tasks on an individual level and to perform their roles at the workplace. WhatsApp for example, has been used by many employers to discuss work-related issues. However, many individuals are unaware of the safety and security measures that they must follow. This includes personal and privacy protection. For example, what is safe to share over social media? How to ensure that your data is protected? These measures must be embedded in the people. The employer also needs to ensure that the process that the employee must perform meet the safety and security standards. “
About the Speaker:
Mahendrawathi ER is a Professor in Business Process Management and the Head of the Enterprise Systems Laboratory in the Information Systems Department, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Surabaya, Indonesia. She received her Ph.D. from Nottingham University, United Kingdom, in 2004. Her teaching and research interests are in Business Process Management, Enterprise Resource Planning, and Supply Chain Management. She has written books in all three areas. Her research has been published in various academic journals. She is passionate to apply her process-oriented skills to help individuals, organizations, and society achieve their goals.
Details of the programme are as follows:
Date: Friday 23 June 2023
Time: 11.30-13.30 (BST/GMT+1) / 18.30-20.30 (UTC+8)
Mode: Zoom Webinar
Registration Form: click HERE
Registration Deadline: 22 June 2023 (Thursday)
Should you have any further enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact the secretariat at wtun@bradford.ac.uk
For details of upcoming all WTUN Webinars click here
WTUN Secretariat had the pleasure of speaking with Theresa Heering to find out more about her research and what it means to be awarded the WTUN BC Scholarship Prize
Originally from Germany, Theresa first studied Human Movement Science at undergraduate level. Currently a Cotutelle PhD student at WTUN member Coventry University, UK and Deakin University, Australia, the title of her research is ‘The increased prevalence of childhood anterior cruciate ligament injuries – Identifying those at risk’.
Among all proposals, Theresa’s application to the BC Scholarship Prize was highly regarded by the assessment panel who each noted that it “demonstrates global collaboration and aligns with the SDG goals and WTUN vision” and that the accompanying endorsement from industry and academics at both institutions is “indicative of the quality and potential impact”.
During my undergraduate degree (in Germany),I had the opportunity to do an internship with my now supervisor in Australia. Through this and work experience prior to starting my PhD, I had an insight in to the areas she was working on and where our shared interests were. My PhD journey started in 2020 which was a challenge in itself, delayed from January to September due to Covid. Restrictions also meant that we couldn’t do anything in the lab or in-person.
I was just really interested in how to improve, or prevent injuries, because they have a major impact on one’s life. Sources such as the Olympic committee (IOC) have published a consensus statement on prevention, diagnosis and management of paediatric anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. We spoke with experts from different sources and found that they were reporting seeing many more injuries now in young children. It was by speaking to different sources and hearing similar reports that made us think, maybe we need to investigate that a little bit further.
When we first saw that there was a pattern of increased incidence of children presenting with ACL injuries we decided to investigate further. Due to the constraints of Covid-19 restrictions, we decided to first conduct a systematic review to see what was out there already on this subject. After this systematic review we then looked at specific risk factors that could predispose someone to an injury like an ACL injury. The review was a bit inconclusive and so we wanted to dig deeper into why this was and get expert opinion on why the literature that we needed wasn’t available.
I have spoken to experts from a number of different regions including North America, Europe, Japan and Australia. Most of (the experts we spoked to) were saying similar things, that they were seeing increasing numbers of ACL injuries in children. I talked to a couple of surgeons who mentioned that when they started their practice they would operate on older young people, 15 years of age etc but that in the last number of years they’ve seen much younger patients with these injuries, children as young as 5 in some cases.
When you imagine someone as young as 5, with their whole lives ahead of them, an ACL injury is going to impact their overall well being as the knee is used for everything – walking, cycling and being active. This is why this areas is so interesting to me and why now in phase two, my focus is to try and find a way to identify children as early as possible, to be putting them into intervention programmes and making sure that they have good movement, not getting injured. There is not proper strategy for this intervention in place at the moment- what to do, what to look at.
It was really reaffirming to have the expert interviews say that yes, there is this gap and to have others outside of you bubble agree and hear others say that there is a need for more work done in this area.
Currently we are investigating one route to see whether it could be a successful way to identify risk in children as early as possible. This is where the technology comes in.
So for the second phase we went to the lab. We had children coming in and used 3D technology. We put markers on specific anatomical points and using 3D cameras to capture the movements we wanted them to do, and can now use the data to analyse, for example knee joint angles when jumping, r
unning, slowing down, slowing down after sprint. All these different movements that are used for screening in adults or adolescents and older populations. And that’s what I’m doing at the moment, we’ve completed the data collection. I’m just sitting here, at my computer now processing all the data- and it’s a lot of data, to look at to see what we’ve got, what we can use, and then see whether we can put a strategy forward that can be used for children to identify those at increased risk. This is the overall idea of my PhD. I have just over year left before submitting.
I have provided a couple of pictures from my current analysis. We are processing the data with two different software. The first software (pictures named Nexus) show the connected dots recorded during data collection. We then import those dots into Visual3D to create the model that we are then calculating our variables of interest with (e.g., knee flexion at initial toe contact).
The pictures show parts of a jump-landing movement, so called drop-vertical jump, where we asked participants to drop down from a 30cm box onto our force plate (fields forming the floor), and on touching the ground, to jump vertically as high as they can and land a second time on the force plate.
My supervisor (at Coventry University) mentioned it to me as he thought it would be a good opportunity to apply and also get a reach for my research. I saw that one of the requirements was the global engagement aspect and I thought that is one criteria that I definitely cover due to the nature of my programme (being a Cotutelle student)…and also with the expert interviews I have conducted. I have had a global reach there from speaking to so many different people.
And then I decided to go for the ‘cutting edge, challenge led research with direct impact to society’ because we think that by designing a screening tool (for early risk interventions) we will have a major impact on individual level on this specific child, that they don’t get that injury, that they have proficient movement to continue sports that they develop to be healthy adults later on. And then, as ACL reconstructions are very expensive, and the rehabilitation period is really long, up to 2 years, we can potentially save some money by putting children into intervention programs early and hopefully not having this injury.
I had a discussion with my supervisor when I found out that I had won as there are so many options we can do (with the scholarship prize). One area would be further education for myself. Developing more skills to perform my research, to develop more sophisticated data processing knowledge and skills. There are so many tools to support this. This is definitely one potential area that the funding can go towards. The funding offers the opportunity to support other research projects that are related to my topic- moving into different areas that open up new skill sets, I can experience with different devices and technology that I have not been using at the moment.
Thank you, I’ll definitely be able to share the overall findings of my PhD with the Network once the data processing and analysis is complete.
CHALLENGE: Can you form an interdisciplinary team to come together to address one (or more) of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals?
We welcome all undergraduate and postgraduate students of our member universities to enter WTUN’s annual student competition.
All you have to do is produce and present an idea (via a video) to address one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
“…the Digital Health Enterprise Zone (DHEZ) in Bradford, which has trained adult care workers in the latest digital healthcare tech, provided experiential learning for students and hosted vaccine trials in the height of the pandemic. This is a model for how UEZs can help the UK tackle skills shortages in healthcare, and with its focus on AI developments, the UEZ feeds into the government’s ambition for the UK to become a science and technology superpower by 2030.
“The Digital Health Enterprise Zone has brought together local healthcare workers, researchers and SMEs in Bradford, with the shared goal of revolutionising healthcare to improve and save lives.
“We are especially proud of our DHEZ’s role in the pandemic response. Over 700 people volunteered to take part in the Novavax trials which transformed the way we support patients recovering from COVID today and proved the impact of working collaboratively. Our DHEZ is an evergreen solution to growth in Bradford. We hope that the businesses the DHEZ has fostered will go on to share their knowledge and experience with future businesses.”
Professor Liz Breen DHEZ Director at the University of Bradford”
Learn more about University Enterprise Zones:
If you are interested in attending WTUC 2023 or have further questions about the Network, please contact Denise Whitehead, Development Manager, on wtun@bradford.ac.uk.