Research impact stories
Themes
Society and economy
Understanding the brain’s role in obesity
16 August 2013
The world’s growing obesity crisis is rarely out of the headlines, given the increasing burden on the healthcare system and the livelihoods of those affected. The abundance of highly calorific foods and aggressive marketing is often blamed. A new study hopes to find out the truth, using neuroimaging techniques to measure the neural, hormonal and behavioural responses to food consumption.
Vietnamese reform influences design of government interventions
5 February 2013
Since 1986, Vietnam has been undergoing economic reform with the goal of creating a socialist-oriented market economy. The ruling Communist Party has overseen this reform, known as Doi Moi, working with the international donor aid community since 1993 to instil major changes within its governance systems.
The lessons of multilevel modelling
8 May 2012
Multilevel statistical models developed by Professor Harvey Goldstein and Dr George Leckie show school league tables to be unreliable guides to school choice.
Making sense of those vital statistics
18 April 2012
Behind every quantitative research project, there’s a statistician waiting to make sense of the data, and more than 18,000 users worldwide are working with software developed at Bristol’s Centre for Multilevel Modelling to do it.
Changing heads in Ghana: From bureaucrats to inspiring educational leaders
13 March 2012
Ghana’s government is investing in new leadership training across the country’s primary schools thanks to the combined energies of 20 inspiring Ghanaian headteachers and the expertise of a Bristol-led research programme known as EdQual.
Tackling teen relationship violence on TV
12 February 2012
“Do you make your girlfriend weak at the knees ...because she’s scared you’ll hit her?” This was one of several tough questions directed at teenagers in two recent government-funded media campaigns incorporating TV, cinema, outdoor and online adverts. The powerful campaigns reached nearly 3 million 13 to 18 year old TV viewers1, challenging their attitudes and helping them to recognise abuse in their relationships.
Bringing classics to (Second) life
12 February 2012
Shelley Hales, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Classics and Ancient History, teamed up with e-learning specialist Nic Earle from the Education Support Unit to develop an exciting educational tool that helps people to understand and engage with history.