Research
Our Research
Overview
Dr Pinchbeck’s experimental and award-winning game design dear-esther.com.
Our cosmologists collaborate with their colleagues from around the world on the Dark Energy Survey.
Our scientists work to understand the ageing brain and diseases such as dementia and multiple sclerosis.
The University’s Centre for Counter Fraud Studies is the largest in the UK dedicated to researching and countering fraud.
Research at Portsmouth is flourishing and this is demonstrated by the strength and variety of the research collaborations in which the institution is engaged. Our research ranges from the purest sciences - investigating the evolution of galaxies - to the most economically and technologically applied ones - computer games design. Through studies of history, literature and society, our researchers develop and communicate new insights on topics ranging from Charles Dickens to the European Union, and from the challenges of ageing to new methods of fraud-prevention.
The University of Portsmouth is ranked among the top 400 universities in the world and the top modern university in the United Kingdom in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Our world-class research is further validated by the outcome of the most recent national Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), with an average 40 per cent of the research rated internationally excellent or world-leading and 78 per cent rated internationally recognised or above.
Strategy and Governance
Our research strategy enshrines our core values which are to support the highest quality research and develop collaborations, to support and develop excellent researchers within a sustainable research culture and to promote and publicise the contributions that our research makes to the advancement of knowledge.
We are committed to the delivery of growth and development for our research staff through the application of consistent research governance.
Research Council Concordat to Support Career Development
The University subscribes to the Research Council’s Concordat on staff development. We value the expertise of our staff and students, and are committed to supporting them to reach their full research potential. We aim to attract, retain and reward high quality academic and research staff who are able to make a significant contribution to our research profile.
As part of our continuing commitment to reviewing the career development options available to staff, the University has recently published a gap analysis, to guide our future activity.
Athena SWAN charter for the advancement of careers for women in research
The University of Portsmouth is a member of the Athena SWAN charter and is committed to the advancement and promotion of careers for women in the disciplines of science, engineering and technology in both higher education and research. In 2011 the University joined the Athena SWAN charter and made a commitment to the six charter principles. Among these was a commitment by the University to achieve a significant increase in the number of women recruited to top posts in the areas of science, engineering and technology (SET). Active University members maintain a blog promoting Women in Science and there is more information for staff on our internal pages.
Ethical Review
The University Ethics Policy provides a general framework for professional practice and decision making on ethical issues as they arise in the work of the University. University policy requires that all research undertaken by staff is subject to ethical review. Research involving human participants must be ethically reviewed by a Faculty Ethics Committee. This requirement extends to other research which might be regarded as sensitive or raising material ethical concerns, including those relating to the integrity of the environment. More information for staff is on our internal pages.
Open Access
The University is committed to the principles of open access, providing public access to its research and expertise wherever possible. The Universities Institutional repository allows access to thousands of research works and free public outreach events are organised on a regular basis.
Research Environment
The University has a number of forums that foster an active and inclusive research environment. The Research staff forum engages research staff at all levels and the Professoriate provides a voice for the senior research management team at the University. Information on these two initiatives is available on our internal pages.
Research groupings
Thematic Networks
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The University of Portsmouth Environment Network (UPEN)
UPEN was established in 2010 to coordinate and promote the diverse array of environmentally relevant teaching and research from across the University. Understanding interactions between the environment (natural, managed and built) and human populations is a global priority. The University is keen to build on its existing contribution to this agenda, through its research and educational activities.
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The University of Portsmouth Ageing Network (UPAN)
The University of Portsmouth Ageing Network (UPAN) is a support system, bringing together a broad scope of knowledge and expertise to address the ‘Active Ageing’ agenda. Healthy active ageing is now a global concern; with the continuing increase in life expectancy, the demographic make-up of society at local, national and international platforms is changing, providing new challenges and many new and exciting opportunities for collaborative and interdisciplinary projects. UPAN hopes to make the most of these opportunities to make an impact on society, the economy, and to academia.
Institutes
Biomedical and Biomolecular Science
IBBS concentrates on multidisciplinary research, both fundamental and applied, in biomedical and molecular bioscience. In the latest Research Assessment Exercise, IBBS was rated in the top 3 English universities in Unit of Assessment 12, Allied Health Professions and Studies.
Cosmology and Gravitation
Research at the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation (ICG) covers theoretical and observational cosmology and astrophysics under three broad categories: early universe and particle cosmology, structure formation in the universe and galaxy evolution.
Criminal Justice Studies
ICJS is involved in an extensive range of research activity, pure and applied. Their research is organised under four interrelated clusters: Comparative and International Crime and Justice; Policing, Crime and Investigation; Risk, Security and Counter Fraud; and Youth, Crime and Social Justice.
Centres
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Centre for Art, Architecture and Design (CAAD)
The Centre for Architecture, Art and Design represents the research of the Schools of Architecture and Art and Design. There are strong common interests in terms of professional practice, design culture, visual representation and practice based research in our Schools.
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Centre for Applied Geosciences (CAG)
CAG specialises in the investigation and management of natural and man-made hazards and the conservation of our geo-heritage. Research and consultancy is focused on four themes: disaster risk reduction; environmental monitoring and modelling; geoconservation and heritage science and volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunami.
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Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology
The Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology aims to better understand human and animal behaviour and cognition through comparison with other animals and consideration of evolutionary processes. We collaborate with international scientists and animal institutions and we have recently opened a primate behaviour study centre in collaboration with Marwell Wildlife.
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Centre for Cultural and Creative Research (CCCR)
CCCR advances research across the cultural industries and creative arts. Membership of the Centre is drawn from staff and research students in the School of Creative Arts, Film and Media. The Centre is also currently home to the AHRC-funded Channel 4 Television and British Film Culture project.
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Centre for Cultural and Industrial Technologies Research (CiTECH)
CiTech was established in 2009 to focus the computer-based research activities of the School of Creative Technologies (CT) and the Institute of Industrial Research (IIR). The research in CiTech covers two main areas: the application of advanced computer-based technologies in a wide range of domains (e.g. healthcare, manufacturing, defence and security etc.); and research into creative technologies and their impact on society.
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Centre for the Economics and Management of Aquatic Resources (CEMARE)
CEMARE is a specialised research centre within Portmouth Business School at the University of Portsmouth. It was established in the early 1960s to promote research into marine resources, with an emphasis on the economic analysis of fisheries. Since then it has developed into an international centre for the multi-disciplinary research of aquatic resources.
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Centre for European and International Studies Research (CEISR)
CEISR is a major interdisciplinary centre for research on Europe and the wider world: examining human cultures, conflicts, diasporas and inter-relations, past and present. It is the largest interdisciplinary research centre for European studies in the UK and was ranked first in the 2008 RAE.
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Centre for Research in Forensic Psychology
ICRFP has an established international reputation for conducting a broad range of criminological and forensic psychology research. The Centre’s work has been funded by: ESRC, Home Office, British Academy, Nuffield Foundation, US Government, Leverhulme Trust, British Psychological Society and Prison Service. Several members of the Centre regularly serve as Expert Witnesses.
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Centre for Situated Action and Communication
The Centre has at its core a commitment to studying psychological phenomena in relation to the contexts and situations in which they emerge. Its work covers a multitude of areas – such as developmental psychology, animal behaviour, understanding of object functions, autism and psycholinguistics.
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Centre for Studies in Literature (CSL)
The CSL brings together scholars from different fields within literary studies. Our areas of special interest are Early Modern Writing; Nineteenth-Century Literature and Culture and Twentieth and Twenty-First Century British and American Literature. CSL is also affiliated with the Dickens Project at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Faculty-level research
In addition to all the above research of our Centres and Institutes, all of our faculties foster a developing research culture among academics in their departments and schools.
Publications and seminars
Access our research
You can search PARADE, our digital Institutional Repository, by subject, department or author. Our research community also runs a series of seminars and lectures, both public events and others for University staff. Contact rkts@port.ac.uk for more details.
Research newsletter
You can read all about the latest research news, projects, funding awards and other successes in our quarterly newsletter. Download here to learn more: Research and Knowledge Transfer News.
Director of Research’s blog
Our Director of Research, Tara Dean, has recently started blogging on research issues. Get an inside perspective and more personal view about Research at Portsmouth here.
Forthcoming seminars
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Risk research
Sara Thorne (University of Portsmouth)Portsmouth Business School, Strategy, Enterprise and Innovation
07/05/2013 - 9:30-10:30 Burnaby Terrace, BT1.05 -
Picturing minority life: Hungarian Gypsies and the barriers to participation
Annabel Tremlett (University of Portsmouth)Faculty of Humanities and Social Science, Centre for European and International Studies Research (CE
07/05/2013 - 17:00-18:30 Milldam Building, LE 1.01 -
Unnecessary research in bacteria and bio-art
Anna Dimitriu (University of Hertfordshire)Centre for Art, Architecture and Design (CAAD) with School of Art, Design and Media
08/05/2013 - 15:30-17:00 Eldon Lecture Theatre 0.20 -
Making new neurons in the postnatal brain: molecular regulation of the neuroblast migration
Dr Giovanna Lalli (King's College, London)Faculty of Science, Institute of Biomedical and Biomolecular Science
08/05/2013 - 16:00 onwards King Henry Building, Lecture Theatre 0.01 -
Phytoplankton - staying in the light and sharing genes
Professor Paul Hayes (University of Portsmouth)Faculty of Science, School of Biological Science
08/05/2013 - 18:00-19:00 Portland Building, Portland Street
