Research Scholarship Individuals

Subject: Linguistics

University: Bangor University

Start date: 1 October 2024

Research title: Confidence in teaching and learning pronunciation: developing pronunciation training in the field of Welsh for Adults

More information: Language learners can face communication and assimilation challenges in the community as first language speakers correct their pronunciation, do not understand them, or turn to English. This is a project that investigates the impact of pronunciation and phonetics training for tutors and learners in the Welsh for Adults field. The project will use quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate the needs of tutors in terms of phonetics training and look at what type of phonetics training can improve learners' production, considering the individual's background in terms of first language or dialect of the language.

Subject: Welsh

University: Aberystwyth University

Start date: 7 May 2024

Research title: Together stronger? The power of film poetry

More information: William Wees described the poetry film as 'a synthesis of poetry and film that generates associations, connotations and metaphors neither the verbal nor visual text would produce on its own' (1999). This research project will ask how combining poetry and film affects the reading of either element, and to what extent both elements enrich or limit the creative process. There will be two parts to the project, namely a critical essay and a creative exploration (a body of poetry films in the Welsh language).

Subject: Business  

University: Bangor University

Start date: 1 February 2024

Research title: International Lending for Wales

More information: The research will examine the characteristics of Sub-Sovereign lending across the U.K. and Europe. At the moment, Wales has limited borrowing methods, but devolution of powers could lead to more capacity in the future.

Many Sub-Sovereign regions in Europe have years of experience in lending in the international bond markets and Credit Status plays a key role in this process. In the U.K., it is only a recent development that Sub-Sovereign regions can borrow in the bond markets. The objective of this research is to seek a better understanding of sub-sovereign loans to Wales by analyzing lending in experienced regions of Europe.

Subject: Health and Social Care Studies

University: Swansea University

Start date: 1 January 2024

Research title: The impact of language on health indicators in primary health care and care homes

More information: In Wales, independent contractors such as many surgeries in Wales are not required to provide consultations through the Welsh language. Deficiencies in the use of appropriate language can compromise a patient's health chances, misdiagnosis and misunderstanding. This is a mixed method research that examines the impact of care through the medium of the preferred language of patients with chronic condition/s within primary care provision and care homes. We will look specifically at biological and health indicators of blood pressure and HbA1c. In addition, we will collect the experiences of users and providers of the services, namely the qualitative data, through questionnaires and interviews.

Subject: Education

University: Cardiff Metropolitan University

Start date: 1 October 2023

Research title: Developing a new measurement resource and approach to self-assessing the well-being of teenagers (aged 14-16)

More information: Poor Mental Health and Wellbeing (MHW) is an unprecedented problem among adolescents, where half of all mental health conditions have started by the age of 14 and 75% by the age of 24, but most of them are undiagnosed. Pupils can face challenges that affect their MHW, particularly at the time of starting external examination courses (e.g., GCSE) and during early adolescence, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made this worse. There is no resource for secondary schools to regularly measure the levels of MHW among pupils (recommended by the Children's Association) to identify those who are most at risk and enable preventive measures. The aim of the research is to develop a new and comprehensive measuring resource and method of self-assessing the well-being of Welsh-speaking teenage learners (aged 14-16). While working and studying towards a PhD degree in this field, I intend to edit and publish the work to add to research into mental health and well-being.

Subject: Biomedicine

University: Cardiff University

Start date: 1 October 2023

Research title: Discovering treatments for neurological diseases through the methods of biophysics and crystallography

More information: Krabbe disease is a rare neurological condition that affects 1 in every 100,000 births, with a short life expectancy of around 2-4 years of age. It is the result of genetic inheritance, and its main characteristic is toxic molecules that accumulate within cells. We focus on a protein called Acid Ceramidase, which produces additional toxic molecules. We are trying to treat this serious disease by crystallizing acid ceramidase, and imaging it using complex equipment. By analysing this data, we can reveal its molecular structure, which will enable us to discover which drugs can prevent the protein from producing harmful molecules.

Subject: Sports science

University: Cardiff Metropolitan University

Start date: 1 October 2023

Research title: Adventure Sports Tourism (AST) in Wales: Assessing the role, impact, and development of the use of the Welsh language

More information: The aim of the project is to identify and evaluate how the Welsh language is currently used, and will examine the possible social, cultural, and professional contribution that the language can make in this area. This project will benefit planning and implementation AST related to the integration of culture, identity, and the Welsh language within the AST community. I will investigate opportunities to develop the use of the Welsh language in AST workplaces and professions and how the AST environment can best foster a sense of Welsh culture. I will do this by developing a critical understanding of how the Welsh language is / is not used among AST stakeholders (providers, employers, employees, clients, and customers). Therefore, the intended hope is to bridge the gap in a field as interesting as this.

Subject: Criminology

University: Aberystwyth University

Start date: 1 October 2023

Research title: From Aberfan to Tylorstown: A green criminology case study of the coal mine disasters, its victims and safeguarding in Wales.

More information: Climate change has had a serious impact on the stability of coal tips in Wales by increasing their risk of falling. This could endanger people's lives, harm communities, and affect local wildlife. The aim of the research is to use a green criminology perspective to look at the Aberfan disaster and the Tylorstown landslide. By researching these case studies, insights can be provided into victims of this type of harm and into current coal tip safety in Wales. I believe that this research could contribute to understanding and developing current legislation and examine who is responsible, morally, legally, and financially for the restoration of the coal tips.

Subject: Psychology

University: Cardiff Metropolitan University

Start date: 1 October 2023

Research title: Developing linguistic skills in the field of Further Education: understanding the language choice of post-16 students in Wales

More information: Evidence suggests that the number of pupils leaving Welsh-medium education to complete their studies through the medium of English in Further Education Colleges is increasing. The evidence regarding the side effect of choosing English-medium further education on the medium of language within Higher Education is limited, and the effect this will ultimately have on the language use of the future workforce. The aim of the research will be to gain a better understanding of the decision making process to study through the medium of Welsh or not in the pre and post-16 sector, and use this information to develop a toolkit that educators and learners can use to understand bilingualism and the benefits of Welsh-medium education at a higher level in accordance with the objectives of the Welsh Government's policies towards 'Welsh 2050'. It is hoped that the project will help to increase the number of students who choose to continue studying through the medium of Welsh at a post-compulsory education level, thereby contributing towards the Welsh Government's aim to reach one million Welsh speakers by 2050.

Subject: Education

University: Aberystwyth University

Start date: 1 October 2022

Research title: Experiences, motivation, and progression of Welsh learners between 16 and 20 years of age. How do we strengthen the linguistic progression for 16-18 year old learners and over 18 year old learners?

More information: The Welsh Government aims to secure one million Welsh speakers in Wales by the year 2050. The Welsh language is promoted through the compulsory education system (i.e., up to the age of 16) but, despite the successes, many young people move on to post-compulsory education period without the confidence to speak Welsh. The area of the research project is Welsh as a second language among young people aged 16-20. The hope is that accessing data from participants at this age will help to strengthen their linguistic progression - and the linguistic progression of future generations.

Subject: Biomedicine

University: Swansea University

Start date: 1 January 2023

Research title: Does activation of the ghrelin pathway regulate pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine profiles?

More information: The stomach hormone ghrelin which is released during food restriction stimulates food intake, the release of growth hormone and promotes fat deposition. The close relationship between nutritional status and cognitive performance has been investigated for many years, recently highlighting the importance of the hormone ghrelin on neurogenesis through mechanisms such as calorie restriction. Indeed, circulating levels of both forms of ghrelin, acyl-ghrelin (AG) and unacylated ghrelin (UAG), act in opposition to hippocampal neurogenesis and cognition. Building on this, we will examine what effect the hormone ghrelin has on the pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine profiles of circulating and tissue-resident CD4+ T-lymphocyte cells in individuals with dementia.

Subject: Welsh for adults

University: Bangor University

Start date: 1 October 2022

Research title: Factors that influence the success of language acquisition in the workplace

More information: The Welsh Government, setting a goal of reaching one million speakers by 2050, is placing increasing emphasis on the use of the Welsh language in the workplace. Several factors influence the success of some individuals and the failure of others to learn and use the Welsh language in their work, either with the public and customers or with colleagues. This research tries to find out what those factors are, considering reasons such as background in the Welsh language, the linguistic environment of the workplace, personal or professional motivation, attitudes, the behaviour of Welsh speakers towards new speakers, and others.

Subject: Business

University: Cardiff Metropolitan University

Start date: 1 October 2022

Research title: What is a Welsh Community Business: A Phenomenographic Approach

More information: The aim of the research will be to enable the recognition of community business as a legitimate form of business within the Welsh economy, as defined by those businesses which prioritize their relationship with their community, and which identify as a community business. This research will use, and work to normalize, phenomenographic research methods in an effort to develop our understanding of who and what contemporary Wales is, our communities and their economies.

Subject: Welsh

University: Swansea University

Start date: 1 October 2022

Research title: Women’s voices in our literary platforms: a study of the value of diversity and inclusiveness for the future of Welsh literature

More information: In 1986, there was a radical spirit and message associated with a special edition of the journal Y Traethodydd which stated bluntly that the Welsh literary tradition is a male tradition. More recently in 2020, at a time of increasing calls to decolonize syllabuses and ensure that they are more representative and diverse, the lack of diversity in GCSE poetry and what can be seen on the Welsh literature syllabuses has been lamented anew. Therefore, the aim of this research is to look at the value of diversity, inclusivity and representation on literary platforms and consider how they can extend the horizons of the field in Wales.

Subject: Agricultural sciences

University: Aberystwyth University

Start date: 1 October 2022

Research title: Future agricultural strategies in Wales: market led, ecosystem service providers or specialist innovators?

More information: The research focuses on the survival of Welsh farms over the period of massive changes the industry is currently experiencing in terms of financial support, market demands, and climatic changes, and how to ensure the success of Welsh farms in the future. I will examine the types of different strategies and their frequency within the industry as well as examining how the dynamics of family relationships influence decisions within the business. There is an ecological emphasis on the project when examining the use of geographical and climatic features and found on the farm when making decisions on behalf of successful strategies.

Subject: Welsh for adults

University: Swansea University

Start date: 1 October 2022

Research title: Towards a bilingual dictionary of Welsh prepositional collocations

More information: Prepositional collocations are one of the types of collocations that Welsh learners come across most often during their learning process. But there is a lack of suitable resources for Welsh learners, particularly in terms of the tendency of Welsh words to be collocated. In an attempt to fill a gap in the provision of resources for the Welsh language, I decided to set about trying to find an appropriate method of creating a bilingual dictionary of Welsh prepositional collocations. My project hopes to offer a useful and accessible resource to assist learners and speakers on their journey with the Welsh language.

Subject: Welsh

University: Cardiff University

Start date: 1 October 2022

Research title: Creativity and the curriculum

More information: With the new curriculum, Curriculum for Wales, coming into force, it is an exciting time in the world of education in Wales. The curriculum wants to ensure that Welsh pupils develop into 'enterprising and creative contributors' as they cultivate creativity as a skill in the classroom. At the heart of this project is to examine 'creativity' as a concept before considering its implications for the world of education in Wales. This interdisciplinary project presents a strong theoretical element when considering international theories related to creativity as well as offering a working definition. There will also be an opportunity to implement the research to offer new activities that develop pupils' creative skills.

Subject: History

University: Cardiff University

Start date: 1 October 2022

Research title: Secretly and publicly: The role, impact, and portrayal of women during the Great Penrhyn Quarry Strike 1900–1903

More information: My research focuses on the dynamic and important role of women during the Great Penrhyn Quarry Strike between 1900 and 1903. I am keen to bring inspiring and forgotten stories about the women who stood alongside the quarrymen at the forefront and reveal their contributions to the strike. Women in the history of the Great Penrhyn Quarry Strike have historically been marginalized and their stories neglected. Through this study, there is an opportunity to increase their voices, recognize their struggles, and give appropriate recognition to their resilience and contributions, as well as analysing the impact of the strike on the women.

Subject: Welsh

University: Swansea University

Start date: 1 October 2021

Research title: Culture, Language and Legal Operations: Swansea 1870–1914

More information: The period in question is significant in the development of the port of Swansea as an industrial centre that has experienced significant population growth and socio-linguistic changes. In 1891, a third of the population of Swansea and the surrounding area spoke Welsh, but this was a time of cultural-linguistic change, and this research aims to explore this change through legal sources. Using legal sources such as Swansea court records, the research will collect data and report on experiences of the use of the Welsh language and attitudes towards the Welsh language and its speakers in the courts of law and other legal institutions in Swansea and the surrounding area.

Subject: Geography

University: Swansea University

Start date: 1 October 2021

Research title: Welsh coal tips: old waste or new risk?

More information: The project aims to increase our understanding of how the risk of disasters affecting post-industrial communities in Wales is managed and perceived. This will be done by studying the ways in which communities remember past disasters, and it is hoped that the research will prepare us for the dangers of the present and the future. The research focuses on natural and human hazards, such as coal mound landslides and floods. There is a core interdisciplinary approach to the project, with a goal and subject that spans the Sciences and Social Sciences using interviews, archival research, and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) software  to create risk maps

Subject: Pharmacy

University: Cardiff University 

Start date: 1 October 2021

Research title: Developing and characterising nanomedicines to target breast cancer

More information: Despite advances and new drugs to diagnose and treat breast cancer, over 10,000 women (mostly) die from the disease each year in the UK. New treatments are needed. The main objective of this study is to use nanoparticles decorated with antibodies or other proteins to target receptors on the surface of breast cancer cells and use them to enable traditional and new anticancer drugs to gain entry to kill them. It is hoped that these nanomedicines will only kill cancer cells and reduce effects on the rest of the body.

Subject: Youth work

University: University Cymru Trinity Saint David  

Start date: 1 October 2021

Research title: Community Language Leadership

More information: The research will explore strategic aspects of developing community language leadership, focusing on the young population (under 25), youth work, community development, digital communication, and the expressive arts. Active and participatory research methodologies will be used, addressing the research questions through a series of case studies that will be designed and implemented in formal partnership with the Urdd and Canolfan S4C yr Egin. The research will be implemented mainly in the south west. It is hoped that the results of the research will provide a model for implementation elsewhere in Wales and internationally.

Subject: History

University: Aberystwyth University

Start date: 1 October 2021

Research title: The impact of the 1918 Pandemic on Wales

More information: Covid-19 has shed light on how past pandemics have been handled, especially under the media umbrella and social policy context. More than a century ago, one of the most horrific pandemics of the twentieth century, known as the 'Spanish Flu' occurred, but little attention was paid to it. To a certain extent, there was no clear structure to defeat the virus, and in the shadow of the effects of the Great War, that pandemic had a far reaching impact on different communities in Wales. Therefore, in this research project, the intention is to bridge the gap in an interesting and timely area.

Subject: Biosciences

University: Cardiff University 

Start date: 1 July 2021

Research title: Discovering new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases in children

More information: The project aims to investigate treatments for CLN3 disease, the most common neurodegenerative disease in children. While studying in Emyr Lloyd-Evans' lab at the School of Biosciences, I'm trying to understand more about what's happening in CLN3 cells, such as changes in protein or sugars levels. After discovering the effects of CLN3 on the cell, I will screen for drugs that cure the disease. The hope is to find a treatment that adapts to the disease rather than treating symptoms

Subject: Music

University: Bangor University 

Start date: 1 January 2022

Research title: Grace Williams (1906–1977) and her only opera, ‘The Parlour’

More information: The study will focus on the comic opera 'The Parlour' (1961) based on the story of En Famille by Maupassant. Grace Williams's contribution to the growth and development of music in Wales has been significant but she is seen as a neglected composer, and as a result, her works have rarely been published, recorded, or broadcast. While working and studying towards a PhD in this field, I intend to edit and publish the work to add to the opera repertoire in Wales and highlight the work that is so unique in the output of this notable composer.

Subject: Welsh

University: Bangor University 

Start date: 1 October 2021

Research title: A critical study of the pedagogy of Welsh poetry

More information: The aim of this project is to undertake pedagogical research that deals with alternative methods of presenting Welsh poetry to secondary school pupils. I am looking forward to the opportunity to combine traditional and theoretical research methods with fieldwork among teachers and pupils. The aim is to develop resources or strategies that are practical in the context of the classroom, and to enthuse and engage the pupils of years 7 to 11 in Wales’ wealth of literature.

Subject: Education

University: Cardiff Metropolitan University 

Start date: 1 October 2021

Research title: Dyslexia and the Welsh language

More information: Dyslexia can have a significant impact on an individual's academic progress as education places a great deal of emphasis on developing literacy skills. Children attending Welsh-medium schools do not receive formal instruction in English until Year 3 in primary school. This means that the diagnosis process for children in Welsh-medium schools is delayed as all diagnostic assessment tests are conducted in English. The aim of this research is to design an assessment that can be used to formally diagnose dyslexia for 7–18-year-olds, considering children's level of exposure to the Welsh language.

Subject: Biomedicine

University: Cardiff University 

Start date: 1 October 2021

Research title: Developing a new treatment for lysosomal storage diseases

More information: Lysosomal storage diseases (e.g., Gaucher, Fabry, Krabbe) are rare but cruel diseases that most commonly affect young children. There are currently no feasible and practical treatments available to treat these diseases. The research will use biological and chemical approaches to try and develop a chemical that targets the acid ceramidase protein, a protein that plays an important role in the development of lysosomal storage diseases. I hope that this research will help discover a suitable drug to treat and combat these diseases.

Subject: Biomedicine

University: Swansea University

Start date: 1 October 2020

Research title: Analysing ghrelin using Mass Spectrometry, new biomarkers for the diagnosis of dementia?

More information: 50 million people worldwide suffer from dementia, which causes memory loss and the decline in the ability to perform everyday activities. At present, there are no biomarkers for diagnosing dementia. As ghrelin (stomach secretions) and calorie restriction have been linked to protecting nerve cells in dementia models, we are researching whether ghrelin facilitates the beneficial effects of calorie restriction. At present, the measurement of ghrelin depends on techniques with limited sensitivity. To address this, we aim to develop a mass spectrometry approach to identify ghrelin.

Subject: Veterinary science

University: Aberystwyth University

Start date: 1 October 2020

Research title: Quantifying livestock behaviour to identify diseases using precision livestock monitoring technology

More information: Identifying diseases early is essential to improve animal health and wellbeing and increase production. Precision farming technologies have the potential to change the way in which farmers, scientists and vets identify and treat diseases in the future.

Subject: Criminology

University: Aberystwyth University

Start date: 1 October 2020

Research title: Policing vulnerable people

More information: I will be looking at the policing of vulnerable people, and the challenges relating to policing people with mental health issues, re-offenders and individuals involved with solvent abuse. This research project will involve creating a case study of the role of the Police in Wales in relation to policing vulnerable people. 

Subject: Business

University: Bangor University

Start date: 1 October 2020

Research title: The promotion of entrepreneurship in Welsh language strongholds

More information: The aim of the doctorate is to identify the factors that assist or discourage Welsh-speaking graduate entrepreneurs from Welsh-speaking areas in setting up businesses in these areas. The research project will highlight associated economic, linguistic and community implications, with the aim of being useful to those creating educational policies, strategies and programmes that influence the resilience of Welsh speaking areas. The project will focus on three sectors; craft, food, and drink, and digital, and will include a mix of self-employed individuals and founders of small or medium-sized businesses as part of the research. 

Subject: Music

University: Bangor University

Start date: 1 October 2019

Research title: Dr Meredydd Evans and Phyllis Kinney Archive - A study of collections and unfamiliar and unpublished folk songs of north and mid Wales in the period 1850 - 1950

More information: In this research, the focus will be on specific aspects of the significant archive by Dr Meredydd Evans and Phyllis Kinney. It is anticipated that the research findings will be the basis of three different pieces, i.e.: 

1) scholarly study of both of their contributions to folk music in Wales,  

2) musical outputs (e.g., collection of un-published folk songs) which will be a means of bringing the archive to the attention of the public,

3) public activity (exhibitions and performances) which will promote these manuscripts and both of their exceptional contributions in bringing all this information together.   

Subject: Sports science

University: Cardiff Metropolitan University

Start date: 1 October 2020

Research title: A critical review of the use of Welsh in sports social media

More information: The aim of this project is to analyse how different sports use Welsh in their social media and what we can learn from this practice. I will evaluate the influence of the real and potential benefits of using Welsh social media in and through sport. This will also be an analysis of the behaviours, perceptions, and attitudes of those involved in social media through the medium of Welsh. I hope the research will be useful in demonstrating the potential effectiveness of sports social media in promoting the Welsh language.

Subject: Modern languages

University: Swansea University

Start date: 1 October 2019

Research title: The true significance of the untranslatable in relation to the Welsh Language: A holistic approach from theory to the workplace

More information: Do the things that make a translator’s work difficult go to show that every language offers its own unique interpretation of the world and that we have no choice but to accept that there is no match? Or rather, are these the features that show the true depth, individuality, and flexibility of language? In this research paper, the translation process will predominantly be considered from a practical aspect, seeking feedback and comments from working translators. This will be a comparative piece of work that will consider the Welsh language alongside French, with the aim of ascertaining whether translators in both languages face the same kind of challenges.

Subject: Midwifery

University: Bangor University

Start date: 1 October 2019

Research title: Mother tongue in the delivery room: The experience of women and midwives

More information: The ideal situation would be that every woman in Wales is given the opportunity to speak in their first language during the birth of her child without the need to ask or apologise, and that this provision is equal to any other provision offered through the maternity services within the NHS. This project will be based on qualitative research into the experiences of Welsh-speaking women, in terms of receiving the Active Offer when giving birth and will look at how language can influence the quality of the experience. It is anticipated that there will also be benefits for Welsh speaking midwives, as job satisfaction depends on the communication relationship with the mother.  

Subject: Art and Design

University: University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Start date: 1 October 2019

Research title: What effect could augmented reality have on the interpretation of intangible cultural heritage such as stories based on a place in Wales

More information: The research project aims to use Augmented Reality as a way of interpreting untouchable cultural heritage and to trial it as a method of delivering images based on a particular space and location, with the aim of making the abstract concrete. Using medieval Welsh narrative such as the Mabinogi will be the foundation to consider the relationship between story and location, focusing on the locations mentioned in these stories to offer opportunities to develop augmented imagery that can be overlaid over locations in Wales as they are today.

Subject: Medicine

University: Swansea University

Start date: 1 January 2020

Research title: Developing hemorheological methods to advance the diagnosis of sepsis and its treatment

More information: Sepsis contributes extensively to the continuing burden of disease worldwide and affects an excess of 30 million people across the world. Sepsis has recently replaced cancer as being the biggest cause of deaths from hospitalisation/pre-existing disease annually. Diagnostic methods are very outdated and there remains a necessity for a streamline and rapid detection process. At present, a high number of patients unfortunately die before a definitive diagnosis is obtained. As a result of current diagnostic methods, it is too late to implement accurate and specific treatment regimes, saving patients. The major aim of this project is to explore innovative methods of making a firm and quick diagnosis, achieved in hours instead of days. The main objective is to exploit existing and revolutionary rheological methods alongside medical engineering to improve the survival of patients and improve life quality. 

Subject: Education

University: Cardiff Metropolitan University

Start date: 1 October 2019

Research title: Interpreting, implementing, and contextualizing 'health and well-being' in the Curriculum for Wales in a Welsh-medium context

More information: Significant reform will be seen within the educational curriculum in Wales over the coming months, where six Areas of Learning and Experience (AoLE) will be formed, of which Health and Wellbeing is the least familiar. The aim of the research is to discover how schools implement the curriculum, with a specific focus on Health and Wellbeing and the Welsh dimension. The first study will look at schools across Wales and the second will look at the role of Initial Teacher Training to prepare trainee teachers to facilitate the new curriculum. It is anticipated that the outcomes of the research will help schools, educational consortia, policy makers and academics to implement the Health and Wellbeing AoLE. 

Subject: Environment and Agriculture

University: Aberystwyth University

Start date: 1 January 2020

Research title: Digital Farming in Wales: Finding value in agricultural waste.

More information: Agriculture is facing numerous novel changes and to cope with these Welsh farmers need to find innovative ways to meet demand for produce while also reducing their environmental impacts. This project hopes to fill in the gap in knowledge which currently exists in the understanding of wastes generated by agriculture in Wales. By understanding more about waste in Welsh agriculture it is hoped that new technologies could be developed to help farmers tackle waste generation on farm. If farmers can reduce/change the way the generate waste, there is hope that there will be dual benefits to the agriculture economy and the environment. 

Subject: Education

University: Bangor University

Start date: 1 October 2019

Research title: Use of bilingual books, mixing languages and vocabulary lists to support reading in Welsh among children aged 9-11 in a Welsh medium School context

More information: As a result of the Government’s attempt to reach a million Welsh speakers by 2050, an increasing emphasis is being placed on schools to produce pupils that are confident and bilingual. This challenge is at its greatest in Welsh medium schools, predominantly in situations where most children come from a non-Welsh speaking background. Opportunities are therefore rare in such situations to use the Welsh language with peers and parents. The aim is that it could be possible to find and develop bilingual strategies/reading materials that will increase the children’s confidence, improve their understanding of the Welsh text, and develop their dual literacy skills as they develop their interest and enjoyment of Welsh literature. All of this supports several of the Government’s policy aims. 

Subject: Law

University: Bangor University

Start date: 1 October 2018

Research title: Mercy Killing: Changing the way we see mercy killers within Homicide Law

More information: There is a need to reform Homicide Law defences to murder. Currently, Duress, Necessity and Mercy and Consensual Killings are not defences to murder. The aim of the project is to critically assess whether there is a place for these defences as defences to murder in the modern English and Welsh legal system. The research will touch upon morals of individuals and of the law in general circumstances and in medical contexts. The result of the research, if appropriate, will be to create draft legislative bills for each defence which contain the parameters of each defence.

Name: Meinir Williams

Subject: Linguistics

University: Bangor University

Start date: 1 October 2018

Research title: Welsh Pronunciation by adults learning the language: Attitudes, Experiences and Aspirations

More information: One of the main difficulties for people who learn languages as adults is learning to pronounce sounds that do not exist in their first language. This can lead to uncertainty and lack of confidence when speaking, especially to native speakers. This research will analyse the pronunciation of adults who are learning Welsh and consider which learning methods are the most effective in terms of developing a natural pronunciation. 

Subject: Engineering

University: South Wales University

Start date: 1 June 2018

Research title: Dispute resolution: A Welsh approach to Wales

More information: The aim of the research will, in the first instance, be to understand why the number of Dispute Resolution Boards is increasing, especially in projects that involve the public sector. One objective of the legal side will be to analyse situations where the courts are prepared to intervene in the work of the Dispute Resolution Boards and supervise the way the boards operate. I will look at the categories of cases that come before the court and see if there is an argument to create grounds for appeal in cases that are of public interest. Finally, the research will look at how dealing with issues through a Dispute Resolution Board has affected the development of the Technology and Construction Court in Wales.

Subject: Social Work                                     

University: Swansea University

Start date: 1 October 2018

Research title: Vicarious Trauma and Social Worker Turnover

More information: There is evidence on a global and multi-disciplinary level showing that workplace trauma can affect people’s behaviour, beliefs, and attitudes within the support professions. The term ‘vicarious trauma’ includes conceptual changes regarding trust, intimacy, and respect. There is no research stemming from the Welsh context; however, anecdotal evidence suggests that social workers suffer the symptoms of vicarious trauma because of their work. Turnover rates have increased by 48% in 2018, so the aim of the research is to estimate the frequency of vicarious trauma and to establish whether there is a link between turnover and vicarious trauma.

Subject: Psychology

University: Bangor University

Start date: 1 October 2016

Research title: What factors influence the language use of passive speakers, and how can they be changed into active speakers?

More information: Literature in the field of bilingualism explains the factors that influence the behaviour of language learners when there are several choices available. The choice could be encouraged or stifled by social factors, or because the context of the atmosphere, behaviour, experiences, and motivation influences them at that time. The Willingness to Communicate theory has researched and highlighted these factors, as they can cause frustration to learners in the context of majority languages. To date, there is limited research focusing on the use of minority languages, and that research is solely on learners. Therefore, this research will investigate the factors that hinder and encourage those who use the Welsh language as a first or second language within different situations. The aim is to research the differences between unwilling and reluctant learners specifically. The research focuses on adults in different workplaces. The focus is on schools and leisure centres, the linguistic dynamic within these organisations, and the rationale for language behaviour. The research is undertaken in an area which has a large population of Welsh speakers, but where those speakers do not use the language from day to day.