Our Fusion mural has taken pride of place on a wall of Poole House on our Talbot Campus since 2016. Its latest iteration – new for autumn 2021 – brings together a range of projects and graduate achievements that embody our fusion of research, education and practice, and our focus on improving the world around us.
Created by local studio and gallery Paintshop Studio Ltd, the mural represents how our community is tackling modern and age-old problems to both secure the future of the planet and to improve the lives of everyone on it. By advancing knowledge and developing professional practice in health, the environment, global security, culture, society and business, we’re making the world a better place for future generations.
Find out more about the projects, partnerships and issues highlighted in the mural.
Our work with para-athletes
The depiction of a cyclist to the far-left of the mural represents the university’s work in developing and optimising prosthetic limbs for para-athletes. Dr Bryce Dyer, Associate Professor and Deputy Head Of Department Design and Engineering, has worked with athletes such as Irish World Paracycling Track Championships silver medalist Colin Lynch and Invictus Games gold medalist Craig Preece.
His recent work has included working with the Polish Paralympic Committee to support their preparations for the Paralympic Games hosted in Tokyo in 2021. This work involved the optimisation of equipment as well as advising on aerodynamics.
From our investment in, and delivery of, Health & Social Care courses to our engagement with local health authorities and research – ranging from nutritional care for people with dementia, to cycling programmes that battle hip pain, to working to improve nurse retention – we’re committed to helping people live better lives, for longer.
Our partnership with AFC Bournemouth
Our long-standing working relationship with AFC Bournemouth was formalised in 2013 through the signing of a partnership agreement, which increased opportunities to collaborate, and highlighted further opportunities for student development, and to work on community projects.
Every year, our two organisations celebrate their partnership with the BU Big Match – a specially selected fixture in AFC Bournemouth’s season which raises the profile of the work that we do together in the community. This work includes standing together to tackle discrimination of any kind, a variety of outreach programmes aimed at helping more children get involved in sport, and community-based initiatives to improve the lives of local residents.
In addition, we are also very proud to be the official shirt sponsors of the AFC Bournemouth women’s team, who compete in the Women’s National League Division One South West.
Saving the iconic hump-backed mahseer from extinction
The hump-backed mahseer population has decreased by 90% in the last 15 years. But due to a case of mistaken identity, the fish disappeared unnoticed from South India’s River Cauvery until research led by Adrian Pinder, director of Bournemouth University’s Global Environmental Solutions and director of The Mahseer Trust, highlighted the giant carp’s plight.
Now on the brink of extinction, the humpback’s hopes rely on actions such as its inclusion as Critically Endangered on the IUCN’s (International Union for Conservation of Nature’s) Red List, to which it was added in November 2018. “When we think of endangered species, we often think of ‘flagship’ species such as the giant panda and Bengal tiger, which are currently and respectively assessed on the IUCN Red List as ‘Vulnerable’ and ‘Endangered’,” Adrian says. “However, with the hump-backed mahseer, we are talking about a creature which is actually more imperilled than these better-known icons.”
Pride and inclusivity
BU is home to a vibrant, diverse and inclusive community, where we celebrate the things that make us different all year round.
From an annual Pride event in partnership with AFC Bournemouth, to celebrating Black History Month, championing wellbeing during Mental Health Awareness Week and much more, we’re committed to creating a positive, welcoming environment for everyone.
Helping to prepare for and recover from crisis
BU is leading governments and organisations across the world in preparedness for, and recovery from, crises – with people at the heart. From the work of our Disaster Management Centre to research focused on building resilience and cyber security, BU manages situations, makes systems and operations safe and secure, and works for the protection of the world we live in.
The storm depicted in the mural represents the devastating effect of adverse weather, a subject matter in which BUDMC provides training internationally, helping nations to deal with disasters such as hurricanes, including working with Caribbean Islands during Hurricane Irma.
Award-winning animation graduates
Our National Centre for Computer Animation (NCCA) has a proud history of graduates working on award-winning films. This includes BA (Hons) Computer Visualisation and Animation graduate Jude Brownbill, who was the Supervising Animator for the Pixar Animated Movies film Soul, released in 2020 and represented to the right of the mural.
Other Oscar-winning BU graduates include Andrew Lockley – who was recognised for work on Interstellar in 2012, Inception in 2015 and Tenet in 2021 – and Mark Ardington, who won the Best Visual Effects award for the 2014 science fiction film Ex Machina.