September 2023 round-up

September was about going back to routines and tackling life admin – the kiddo was back to school and training; we are back to spending Sundays by the side of an ice-rink; various medical check-ups were scheduled and attended; and so on. 

This month, I also joined a life drawing group. I hadn’t done any life-drawing in 20 years or so – so, I am very, very, very rusty. But I am also loving revisiting this old hobby of mine. Is there an old hobby that you resumed, or that you would like to restart?

Research

The main event, research wise, was the “launch” of the “The role of consumers in driving UK manufacturing’s digital transformation” project, funded by InterAct. We had our first meeting, in person, at Sussex, and are now making solid progress on the first work-package of the project, which aims to “identify good practice in digitally-enabled manufacturing, its effectiveness in extending the product life-cycle and reducing the negative environmental, social and economic impacts, as well as the characteristics that influence consumer attitudes towards stewardship and usership business models”, via a literature review and expert interviews.

I have also started working on another small grant application for the digital literacy project. Plus, had an exploratory meeting for a large project on AI adoption by SMEs.

Writing

The supplementary materials (class exercises, teaching notes, datasets…) for the Research Methods book have now been submitted. Phew. We also reviewed the proofs. We are getting closer and closer to publication date.

The Metaverse paper was accepted and published. You can read about it, here. 

Also heard that another paper had been accepted; this one from the digital literacy project. I worked and submitted a paper about internationalisation strategies, with some colleagues based in Portugal. And started work on a paper due at the start of November.

Teaching

I am finally done with all the marking from the last academic year: all resits and dissertations are done!

Then, turned to preparing for the new academic year. I recorded a video for the new MSc students presenting the Research Methods module that I am delivering in term 2. Moreover, I set up the virtual learning environment for the undergraduate research project module, that I am overseeing. 

Also had a meeting with my doctoral student.

Service

I reviewed various submissions to the special issue that Luis Martinez and I are guest editing. I also reviewed two papers for another journal.

How was your September?