Staff and students at UoB

Thank you for your interest in BDFI. As a University staff member or research student, there are several ways we can work with you.

Become an Affiliate of BDFI

The BDFI has a core professional and academic team, who are here to disrupt digital innovation, contribute to the design and development of new technologies, and help you develop your interdisciplinary work and research in digital futures.

We’re inviting staff and students from across the University to join our growing community of BDFI Affiliates.

Submit your Expression of Interest to join

The ‘offer’

We commit to supporting our Affiliates to:

  • Participate in a connected, curious and disruptive community:  BDFI aims to offer its affiliates participation in a vibrant and connected research community that constantly pushes the boundaries of current thinking and work on digital futures. Through reading groups, external talks, workshops (across a broad range from themed sessions to writing retreats) and ‘future making’ sessions, we aim to help stimulate curiosity, connectedness, and disruption at the margins of current thinking.  

  • Experiment with new ways of working and access world-class facilities: BDFI aims to disrupt linear models of innovation, and through diverse communities and access to world-first sociotechnical facilities, support colleagues to experiment with and learn from new ways of working, contribute to the design and development of new technologies. BDFI has developed cutting-edge research and development facilities based at the new Temple Quarter Enterprise campus. Affiliates will have the ability to discuss use of these spaces (some of which are grant chargeable, and others are free) to support their research. By 2024, our second building will open, providing space large enough to support 250 occupants. This space includes social and hotdesking spaces and bookable meeting rooms which affiliates will also be able to request access for BDFI-related business.  

  • Build the profile and impact of your work: We will assist in profiling the work of our affiliate members in public and amongst our partners. Whether it’s a new paper, event, or research project, we’d be happy to discuss how best to profile your news amongst our newsletter, social media or web audience.  We will also list you as an affiliate on our website and signpost to your work.

  • Help support bids to secure external funding: We are happy to discuss providing support either in the bid writing process, helping you connect with partners or academics of other disciplines, discussing access to facilities, or writing letters of support.  

  • Access partners: BDFI has a diverse network of 28 partners, and we anticipate that this number will continue to grow. We expect to hold several partner-focussed events every year to support interaction with partners.  

‘The ask’

We ask BDFI Affiliates:

  • Participate actively and be proactive in proposing ideas/ opportunities to your BDFI peers 

  • Be open and curious – joining events and other opportunities when possible 

  • Commit to the mission and principles of the institute in the work you do with us 

  • Share your learning, news and projects in order that we can help you promote them 

  • Consider adding BDFI as an affiliation on your publications, slides, and email signature 

  • When bidding for new BDFI related work, consider recognising the project as a ‘BDFI’ project – which means we could offer a Letter of Support, and help to promote the project, it’s events, or it’s outcomes amongst our network.  

Join now.

 

Other ways to work with us 

  • Not ready to make it public? If you are interested in the work of the Institute but don’t feel ready to have a public affiliation with us – that’s fine too! Fill out the expression of interest form, but note you’d like to affiliate ‘internally’ as part of our mailing list and SharePoint community.
  • Co-host events: BDFI is keen to support the development of a vibrant community with stimulating events and opportunities for people to meet and exchange ideas. If you have event idea that you’d like to work with us on, please let us know using our short Event Proposal form, or contact Claire.Parnall@bristol.ac.uk
  • Share your work: As a URI we are keen to promote and share the work of colleagues from across the University. With a strong following across all of our channels, we’d be happy to discuss profiling relevant work across our networks. bdfi-comms@bristol.ac.uk
  • Use our facilities: You can find out more about what facilities we have available, and how you can use them. Some are free to staff and students, and others carry a charge which may need to be costed into your grant proposals.