Dear members of Sigma Network,



I would like to take this opportunity to thanks David to recently accept my subscription to the group and to briefly present my self.

I am Marta Disegna, senior lecturer at Bournemouth University, Faculty of Management, and leader of our "Math & Stat Clinic” support centre (https://microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk/mathssupport/). The centre has been created by one of my colleague almost four years ago thanks to Sigma funds and since I joined Bournemouth University (1 year and a half ago) I am taking care of it.

Unfortunately, Sigma funds, as you know, are not available any more and last year we were able to offer support only to undergraduate students belonging to the Accounting, Finance & Economics framework while this year we are trying, with very few resources, to offer support to students at any levels belonging to the whole Faculty.

This year the centre is made up by two academics (me and another lecturer) and four PhD students (two final year students and two 1st year students who need to be trained). We will offer 6 hours drop-in session per week and some workshop such as on specific econometric modelling and introduction to STATA, Eviews and R. We are trying to collaborate with other Faculties based in Bournemouth but we also welcome collaboration with other centres and/or Faculties of Management, Economics and business school.



Therefore, it will be an honour to host one of the event that you suggested. If you consider Bournemouth University suitable to host one of your event, please let me know data/time and I can start to organise the event.



Thanks to let us part of your group

Kind regards

Marta







Dear sigma Network,



We (the sigma Network Steering Group) are putting together a schedule of meetings and CPD events for the HE mathematics and statistics support community for the coming year, and would like to ask for your help and advice.



We have already decided on three events:



  *   Training on advanced statistical techniques for stats support tutors (to be held in the Midlands area)

  *   Evaluating your maths support provision (to be held in South West)

  *   Employability development for HE mathematics and statistics (tbd)



Details of these will be announced in due course.



We have also identified that there is interest in further events, based around the topics:



  *   Promoting and raising awareness of maths and statistics support

  *   Using social media for maths and statistics support (ideally in the North)

  *   Designing effective learning spaces for mathematics and statistics support



We would like to encourage the wider sigma Network to share the load of hosting and contributing to these events. Could you offer to?



The benefits of hosting a meeting are that it gives visibility to your centre/institution, evidences your commitment (you can add it to your list of achievements) and gives you the chance to "show off" your centre. It also means that your own staff have no travel costs to attend the meeting. All that is required is (a) the availability of a room with standard AV resources to seat up to 25 attendees; (b) the willingness to take bookings (nothing complex), issue "how to find us" information, and keep a list of attendees; (c) it would be appreciated if you could provide simple refreshments, although easy access to a cafeteria would suffice.



Contributing to an event means either offering a "keynote" style presentation/activity (this could be based on a conference presentation you have previously delivered, or a pre-run of a proposed conference presentation?); or you could offer a shorter "show and tell" presentation of your current work/interests in the meeting's theme. In any case, it gives you the experience of presenting to an engaged audience of like-minded professionals.



So if you might be interested in hosting or contributing to future sigma Network meetings, do please email me ([log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>).  Our Steering Group will give you every assistance in getting things up and running.



Finally, if you have suggestions for topics/themes for further meetings or CPD events, do please let me know.



Many thanks - we look forward to hearing from you!



David Bowers

Chair, sigma Network for Excellence in Mathematics and Statistics Support (www.sigma-network.ac.uk<http://www.sigma-network.ac.uk/>)

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_________________________________

Marta Disegna

Senior Lecturer in Statistics & Econometrics



Accounting, Finance & Economics Department,

Faculty of Management, Bournemouth University

Executive Business Centre (5th floor), Landsdowne Campus

89 Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth, BH8 8EB



Email: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>

Phone number: +44 (0)1202965455

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