University Of Portsmouth Research Articles

Influence of head-mounted virtual reality (VR) on psychological and physiological responses in the heat

Evidence suggests that vision may play a role in the perception of temperature in humans (Mayes et al., 2023, J Therm Bio, 112, 103488). Virtual reality (VR) has garnered attention for its potential applications in various domains, including sports training and rehabilitation. However, the psychophysiological effects of using VR in hot environments remain relatively unexplored. The present study tested the hypothesis that a ‘cold’ visual environment would decrease thermal perception when compared to a ‘hot’ visual environment during passive heat exposure. Twelve healthy participants (2 females) [mean ± SD, age: 24 ± 5 years; stature: 174 ± 9 cm; mass: 72 ± 8 kg] provided their written informed consent to participate in this study. Ethical approval was obtained from the Faculty of Science and Health’s Ethics Committee at The University of Portsmouth. In a within-participant, randomised, controlled crossover design participants completed a familiarisation visit followed by three experimental sessions in 40°C (50% r.h.). The three conditions were: no virtual reality (NoVR), virtual reality displaying an arid landscape (HotVR), and virtual reality displaying a snow-covered landscape (ColdVR). Thermal sensation, thermal comfort, skin wetness, heart rate, rectal temperature, and four-site skin temperature were recorded. Mean skin temperature and mean body temperature were subsequently calculated. Data were analysed using a 3 (Condition [NoVR, VRHot, VRCold]) × 7 (Time [Pre, 5-, 10-, 15-, 20-, 25-, 30-min post-VR exposure]) repeated measures ANOVA. The main effects of condition, time, and their interaction were explored, with statistical significance accepted at P < 0.05. The use of VR in the heat resulted in increased thermal sensation, skin wetness, mean skin temperature, mean body temperature, and heart rate over time (all P < 0.05). However, the manipulation of the visual environment did not alter perceptual or physiological variables (all P > 0.05). Significant interaction effects were observed for mean skin temperature and mean body temperature; however, these minimal differences were considered not meaningful. In conclusion, these novel data indicate that using VR to manipulate the virtual environment in the heat does not meaningfully alter perceptual or physiological responses. These findings also suggest that VR may be used within settings such as the military and elite-sport without any deleterious effects. Future work should look to examine the effects of using VR whilst exercising on perceptual and physiological measures.

Female manikin for the evaluation of breast support provided by sports bras

Introduction
 The effect of breast support on running biomechanics (Milligan, 2013) and breast pain on upper-extremity kinematics during running (White et al., 2015) is investigated by different research groups. They mostly found a higher implication for females with large breasts and showed that the use of sports bras is generally beneficial compared to regular bras. A well-fitted supportive sports bra can increase an athlete's performance (Fong & Powell, 2022) and reduce the risk of injuries.
 The support properties of bras are conventionally evaluated by human trials. This is expensive and challenging when comparing the results of different studies.
 Methods
 Empa developed a manikin to investigate the load impact on the body (Wettenschwiler et al., 2017). This manikin was reshaped to a female upper body model equipped with breast prostheses for the realistic simulation of defined running conditions. A Polhemus motion tracking system was used to assess the relative movement of the manikin shell and the nipples during two simulated running conditions (8 km/h). A set of 16 sports bras was tested on the manikin regarding the reduction of relative movement of the nipples during running. In a first validation study, 6 of them were tested by human subjects during jogging (8 km/h) in 3 participants. The subjective support assessment was compared to the manikin data.
 Results
 A comparison of manikin measurement data (reduction in relative movement at 8 km/h) and subject data showed an excellent correlation (R2 > 0.95) for the subjective support assessment.
 The sports bra developed in this project reached high marks regarding support, thermal comfort, and fit.
 Discussion/Conclusion
 Preliminary data indicates that the female manikin is able to provide objective data about breast movement in line with the perceived support of sports bras. In combination with additional methods such as sensory and thermal comfort assessment, this new methodology provides a scientific basis for developing improved sports bras meeting specific requirements for various sports.
 References
 Fong, H. B., & Powell, D. W. (2022). Greater breast support is associated with reduced oxygen consumption and greater running economy during a rreadmill running task. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 4, Article 902276. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.902276
 Milligan, A. K. (2013). The effect of breast support on running biomechanics [Doctoral Dissertation, University of Portsmouth].
 Wettenschwiler, P. D., Annaheim, S., Lorenzetti, S., Ferguson, S. J., Stämpfli, R., Psikuta, A., & Rossi, R. M. (2017). Validation of an instrumented dummy to assess mechanical aspects of discomfort during load carriage. PLOS ONE, 12(6), Article e0180069. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0180069
 White, J., Mills, C., Ball, N., & Scurr, J. (2015). The effect of breast support and breast pain on upper-extremity kinematics during running: Implications for females with large breasts. Journal of Sports Sciences, 33(19), 2043-2050. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2015.1026378

Culture(s) on the Margins: An Introduction

Sociologists and those working in related disciplines have often found more of interest on the margins than in the centre. It is where innovation takes place, where the new replaces the outmoded, where ‘outsider’ or heterodox voices challenge the orthodoxy, and where culture creators are most able to follow the laws inherent to their specific region of the cultural field. The margins are where you will find ‘underground’ or ‘cutting edge’ scenes. Moreover, ethnographic traditions in sociological research have produced fine-grained accounts of cultures of subaltern, subcultural, diasporic groups, and the ways in which these groups and individuals engage in counter-hegemonic practices. At the same time, sociologists have also drawn attention to how those occupying the margins of societal fields are characterised in terms of lack: dominated individuals and groups lack the requisite cultural capital or social connections to get on in life. This special issue, which derives from discussions held at the Culture(s) on the Margins mid-term Sociology of Culture Research Network (European Sociological Association) conference at University of Portsmouth in the summer of 2022, contributes to debates on the relatively underexplored topic of culture(s) on the margins through several conceptual and empirical interventions. In doing so, it focuses on three interrelated aspects of marginality: first, marginality as a site of domination; second, marginality as opening up spaces of resistance; and third, marginality as enabling different ways of seeing and thinking.

Preface

The International Conference on Mathematical Physics and Computational Simulation (CONF-MPCS 2023) is an annual conference focusing on research areas including mathematics, physics, theoretical analysis, and computational simulation. It aims to establish a broad and interdisciplinary platform for experts, researchers, and students worldwide to present, exchange, and discuss the latest advance and development in mathematics, physics, theoretical analysis, and computational simulation.This volume contains the papers of the International Conference on Mathematical Physics and Computational Simulation (CONF-MPCS 2023). Each of these papers has gained a comprehensive review by the editorial team and professional reviewers. Each paper has been examined and evaluated for its theme, structure, method, content, language, and format.Cooperating with prestigious universities, CONF-MPCS 2023 organized six workshops in Chicago, Portsmouth, Bath, Abu Dhabi, Adana, and Constantine. Dr. Stavros Shiaeles chaired the workshop “Insider Threat Detection Advances Using AI”, which was held at the University of Portsmouth. Dr. Jie Zhang chaired the workshop “Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning” at University of Bath. And Dr. Yazeed Ghadi chaired the workshop “Enhancing Human-Machine Interaction through Multimodal Interfaces: A User-Centric Approach” at Al Ain University.Besides these workshops, CONF-MPCS 2023 also held an online session. Eminent professors from top universities worldwide were invited to deliver keynote speeches in this online session, including Dr. Achintya Haldar from University of Arizona, Dr. Roman Bauer from University of Surrey, Dr. Stavros Shiaeles from University of Portsmouth. They have given keynote speeches on related topics of mathematics, physics, and computational simulation.On behalf of the committee, we would like to give sincere gratitude to all authors and speakers who have made their contributions to CONF-MPCS 2023, editors and reviewers who have guaranteed the quality of papers with their expertise, and the committee members who have devoted themselves to the success of CONF-MPCS 2023.Dr. Roman BauerGeneral Chair of Conference CommitteeList of Committee Members CONF-MPCS 2023 are availble in this pdf.

Audit of lung SABR treatment concordance with national guidelines, in the first cohort of patients at Portsmouth University Hospital

Audit of lung SABR treatment concordance with national guidelines, in the first cohort of patients at Portsmouth University Hospital

Incel ideology on TikTok may be spurring violence against women

TikTok may be increasing misogynistic violence against women, according to research conducted at the University of Portsmouth in the United Kingdom. Researchers looked at specifically incel (which stands for “involuntarily celibate”) culture on TikTok by analyzing prominent incel accounts and their videos.

Ripping up the keynote rulebook: ALDCon23 guest editorial

The Association for Learning Development in Higher Education (ALDinHE) conference was hosted at the University of Portsmouth in June 2023 (ALDCon23). When planning for the keynotes - both online and in-person - we were guided by our commitments to: students at the centre; playfulness; and working to unmask events that are tacit and seldom discussed yet strongly affect both the student experience and our LD practice.

The impact of communication and proximity on citizens’ sustainable disposal of e-waste

Purpose The purpose of this study is to demonstrate how decision-makers can enhance citizens’ sustainable disposal of e-waste through bin proximity and ad hoc communication. Specifically, the authors discuss a two-year research project that took place in Northern Italy, where the authors documented the number of products disposed of sustainably in four towns. Design/methodology/approach The project involved five main groups of stakeholders: i) four municipalities, ii) one social purpose organisation employing people with disabilities, (i.e. Andromeda), iii) one provider of bins (i.e. PubliCittà), iv) another social purpose organisation entity (i.e. Fondazione CRT) and v) the University of Portsmouth. After conducting three online pilot tests to confirm expectations of this study regarding how to enhance citizens’ sustainable disposal of e-waste, the authors have implemented the field pilot programme in a small municipality and successively in other three towns. Finally, the authors measured the impact of the programme on the actual recycling rate of citizens in the three target municipalities. Findings The authors found that the positioning of drop-off bins in such a way as to reduce the distance from as many households as possible, along with the use of communication that facilitates the understanding of information related to sustainable disposal schemes, can improve the sustainable behaviour of citizens. The sustainable disposal of exhausted batteries after the intervention improved by 135% on average in the three municipalities that adopted the disposal scheme (Saluggia, San Benigno Canavese and Santhiá). The disposal rate of toners and electronics increased by 204.0% and 318.75% (San Benigno Canavese) and 138.7% and 85.4% (Santhiá), respectively. Research limitations/implications The authors believe it would be cautious to consider potential differences in terms of recycling cultures and facilities before implementing the programme in other countries. Practical implications The authors’ contribution shows decision-makers how to effectively design disposal schemes to enhance citizens' sustainable behaviour. The authors demonstrate how the thoughtful and responsible use of marketing levers can affect environmental sustainability and impact social development. Social implications This paper has an actual impact on society by changing citizens’ behaviour, reducing harm to the environment and human well-being and supporting the inclusion of disadvantaged people in sustainability-oriented programmes. Originality/value The structured and equitable engagement of scholars with multiple stakeholders can lead to the co-creation of societal value and knowledge and improve the well-being of multiple stakeholders. The collaboration between academics and practitioners enables the definition of effective strategies by observing the actual behaviour of individuals (i.e. citizens) and offers a direct and measurable impact on society. The involvement of social purpose organisations reinforces the shared primary aim of achieving measurable social and environmental impact.

Colyn Crane-Robinson (20 October 1935–5 March 2023)

Colyn Crane-Robinson, Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Portsmouth, was born on 20 October 1935 and died on 5 March 2023. His death marks the end of a career as a world-leading researcher in the field of chromatin structure and epigenetics.Colyn was born in the Sale area of Greater Manchester to Robin and Marion. After evacuation at the start of World War 2, he returned to Manchester in 1947 and joined Ackworth Secondary School in south-west Yorkshire. At school, he enjoyed cricket, becoming a noted bowler, obtaining the nickname ‘colyncranecricketball’, and later the captain of the first team. He cited his teacher at the time, Mr Harris, as giving him a lasting passion for classical music and secondly, and more critical to his future career, chemistry.In 1954, Colyn joined Christ Church College, Oxford, where his love for research was fostered. After obtaining a first-class degree, he began his DPhil in the laboratory of H.W. Thompson, a renowned infra-red spectroscopist, working on vibrational–rotational spectra studies of gas-phase molecules. This time was noted by having to construct one’s own gas line, meaning a glass-blowing course had to be undertaken, something Colyn managed but, by his own admission, his creations contained many strange shapes and bubbles!After his PhD, Colyn took the unusual step of using a newly arranged treaty between the Royal Society and the USSR, to commence a post-doctoral position in Leningrad at the Soviet Academy of Sciences. Here he became fluent in Russian and studied physico-chemical aspects of polymer synthesis. His time was cut short after he met and proposed to a young woman. Marriages to westerners being unfavourable, he was asked to leave the USSR abruptly. He did successfully get her out of the USSR and they went on to have a family together. Upon his return to the UK, Colyn obtained a job at the polymer firm Courtaulds, but when research there was closed abruptly he looked elsewhere for employment, which brought him to the University of Portsmouth.Colyn arrived in Portsmouth to work in the newly established biophysics laboratory founded by Morton Bradbury. Together they worked on high-resolution NMR studies to investigate conformational changes in biopolymers, producing a series of high-impact Nature publications and leading to an interest in chromatin. Their research moved into detailed studies on the structure of individual histones and then progressed into proposed models of the subunit structure of a eukaryotic chromosome. The group ultimately focused on investigations of histone modifications and their interactions with DNA within the nucleosome, in particular acetylation of the N-terminal tail of histone H4 and its consequential DNA interactions.In 1988, the discovery of the link between histone H4 acetylation and transcriptionally active chromatin was cemented after the group successfully raised an anti-histone acetyl-specific antibody, alongside their development of the ChIP (chromatin immunoprecipitation) assay. These tools were used to show a strong enrichment in active gene sequences versus inactive in antibody-bound fractions, compared to the input material. In Colyn’s own words, he was “the principal midwife at the birth of ChIPs, using antibodies to modified histones”. The publication from this research became highly cited and remains as a critical statement of this fundamental epigenetic control mechanism.I joined Colyn’s research laboratory as a Wellcome Research Fellow in 1995. During my time in his laboratory, the work focused on the role of histone H3 K4 methylation in the control of gene expression, work conducted in collaboration with the Kouzarides laboratory at Cambridge. Indeed, Colyn had collaborative projects across the globe; two of the most prolific and long-standing were with Peter Privalov (Johns Hopkins University, USA) and Doncho Staynov (Imperial College London, UK). The first collaboration was on the principles of the thermodynamics of proteins–DNA interactions; the second focused on interactions of the linker histones with the nucleosome structure.Colyn became a Professor of Biochemistry, taking emeritus status in 2000. His enthusiasm was infectious, and he particularly enjoyed enthusing our younger researchers (PhD, MRes and undergraduates) with his joy for all things scientific. His willingness to communicate his knowledge was continued right to the end; the image shown is from a group research talk given by Colyn only a few months before his passing.

Enhancing research collaboration within a large university department

ABSTRACT As academic research evolves into distinct identities of specialised knowledge, institutional and paradigmatic barriers are formed between research teams, which demand enhanced research collaboration and cross-fertilisation of ideas. Drawing on the concept of cross-fertilisation, this paper adds original contributions to literature on research collaboration in three ways. First, it underlines key barriers facing academics in undertaking research. Second, it demonstrates why research collaboration helps to drive research output and enrich research cultures. Third, it offers valuable insights into technological and social initiatives supporting research collaboration. This paper reports on a study within the University of Portsmouth’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice – the UK’s largest criminology department. It reveals universities must address four key issues to enhance research collaboration. These involve managing researchers’ workload pressures, fostering positive research cultures, improving knowledge of and access to research and funding processes, and exploring collaborative technologies.

Charrettes for success – A case study of a collaborative workshop approach to driving curriculum change to address awarding gaps

This case study presents the ‘charrette model’ based on work undertaken by the University Alliance (UA), but refined and implemented at the University of Portsmouth to address a key university objective to address awarding gaps between graduates of different ethnicities. First the model, and how it can be used to bring staff and students together to co-create solutions to awarding gaps, will be introduced. The model focuses on what happens in teaching spaces and curricula. We first outline how the UA developed and brought to ‘proof of concept’ a ‘sandpit’ focused on innovative curriculum development for the 21st century. Then the model was further developed as a ‘charrette’ for course teams and students to work together to address the awarding gap at university level. The case study goes on to present further development, where charrette participants concentrate on bespoke and tailored changes at course and subject level, and work with student ambassadors in a focused way. Finally, lessons learned from the roll-out of the charrette model are presented, along with plans for future development. The case study is intended to provide insight for how to implement a similar initiative in other institutions.

Is High-Fidelity Important for Human-like Virtual Avatars in Human Computer Interactions?

Survey/review study Is High-Fidelity Important for Human-like Virtual Avatars in Human Computer Interactions? Qiongdan Cao , Hui Yu ,*, Paul Charisse , Si Qiao , and Brett Stevens 1 University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 2UP, UK * Correspondence: hui.yu@port.ac.uk Received: 2 March 2023 Accepted: 6 March 2023 Published: 27 March 2023 Abstract: As virtual avatars have become increasingly popular in recent years, current needs indicate that “interactivity” is crucial for inducing a positive response from users towards these avatars, especially in human computer interactions (HCI). This paper reviews recent works on high-fidelity human-like virtual avatars (e.g. high visual and motion fidelity) and discusses the critical question——“Is high-fidelity a positive choice for virtual avatars to achieve better interactions in HCI”. Furthermore, we summarise current technical approaches to developing those virtual avatars. We investigate the advantages and disadvantages of high-fidelity virtual avatars in different areas focusing on addressing the effect of motion, especially the upper body. Research shows that high-fidelity is a positive choice for virtual avatars, although it may depend on the application.

Church and People in Interregnum Britain, ed. Fiona McCall

There has been a significant uptick in historical interest in the interregnum Church in recent years. While a lot has been said about the various sects which came onto the scene in the 1650s, and the personal religion of the key political players, far less attention has been given to the national system of religious provision centred around the territorial parishes inherited from, and bequeathed to, the episcopal Church of England. Given that this is where the overwhelming majority of the population continued to worship, as Bernard Capp reminds us in a helpful scene-setting introduction, this shift in focus is welcome. As in so many areas of the past, historians tend to focus on the more visible instances of conflict and disagreement, rather than the bigger picture of grudging compliance and muddling through. This volume, edited by Fiona McCall, is further evidence that this might be changing. We have learned from recent work that the idea of a ‘national Church’ remained a powerful unifier throughout the 1650s, notwithstanding vigorous disagreement about the precise form it should take. One of the contributors here, Rebecca Warren, in her doctoral thesis of 2017, examined attempts to reconstruct a national Church during the Protectorate following the disorder of the Commonwealth. Coming at the topic from the perspective of the history of ideas, Anthony Milton’s recent England’s Second Reformation: The Battle for the Church of England 1625–1662 (2021) posited that, following a period of experimentation and fierce debate during the Commonwealth, the Protectorate was marked above all by the impulse towards unity. There have also been numerous conferences, and this collection of essays emerges from one of these, ‘The People All Changed: Religion and Society in Britain during the 1650s’, held at the University of Portsmouth in 2016.

Dr. Banu Lokman: 2022 Recipient of Prestigious Bernard Roy Award

It is great pleasure for us to share with the MCDM/A community that Dr. Banu Lokman was the 2022 recipient of prestigious Bernard Roy (BR) award. Dr. Banu Lokman is a Reader in Operational Research at the School of Organisations, Systems and People, University of Portsmouth, UK. We have known Dr. Lokman as an excellent member of the MCDM community for over 10 years and have always thought that she deserves an award. We are very pleased that she was recognized by the EURO Working Group on Multiple Criteria Decision Aiding (EWG MCDA). The award was given during the EWG MCDA business meeting in Agios Nicolaos, Crete last September by Yannis Siskos, the 2022 Jury Chair. Congratulations Dr. Lokman, we are proud of you!

Gaining experience in genomics to study heavy metal tolerance in bacteria

Gaining experience in genomics to study heavy metal tolerance in bacteria

Freire for twenty-first-century, austerity-driven schools: creating positive educational relations with and among students at the margins

Despite the rhetoric of successive governments in England to engage all students with their learning there has been a substantial increase in suspensions and permanent exclusions from secondary schools since the early 2000s. This removal of students from school is particularly high among underperforming students, most of whom come from low-income families. These concerns, amplified by well-being and mental health issues related to the lockdowns caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, accelerated government calls for new and innovative approaches to re-engage students with education. Particular emphasis is placed on mentoring and tutoring projects. This article discusses a relational pedagogy employed in the initial stages of a mentoring project called Beyond the School Gates that emerged from a research study carried out by the University of Portsmouth in 2018 and was established as a charity association in 2020. Specifically, it analyses the mentoring processes that draw on Freire’s decoding model to create relational spaces within excluded students’ homes in order to facilitate critical dialogue between mentors, students and their parents. Mentors facilitate relational encounters that involve mutual dialogue and a series of relationship-building activities so that students are able to voice their social realities and educational experiences. Students depict their circumstances in image metaphors or art forms, some of which are illustrated. These frame conversations about their educational and social developmental interests, needs and goals. Mentors then facilitate activities that help the students develop confidence and the skills necessary to access resources to meet these needs and realise their goals. This extends to facilitating conversations between students, parents and teachers in order to address social and curricular barriers in school.

Local Excision Versus Total Mesorectal Excision After Favourable Response to Neoadjuvant Therapy in Low Rectal Cancer: a Multi-centre Experience.

The gold standard surgical management of curable rectal cancer is proctectomy with total mesorectal excision. Adding preoperative radiotherapy improved local control. The promising results of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy raised the hopes for conservative, yet oncologically safe management, probably using local excision technique. This study is a prospective comparative phase III study, where 46 rectal cancer patients were recruited from patients attending Oncology Centre of Mansoura University and Queen Alexandra Hospital Portsmouth University Hospital NHS with a median follow-up 36months. The two recruited groups were as follows: group (A), 18 patients who underwent conventional radical surgery by TME; and group (B), 28 patients who underwent trans-anal endoscopic local excision. Patients of resectable low rectal cancer (below 10 cms from anal verge) with sphincter saving procedures were included: cT1-T3N0. The median operative time for LE was 120min versus 300 in TME (p < 0.001), and median blood loss was 20ml versus 100ml in LE and TME, respectively (p < 0.001). Median hospital stay was 3.5days versus 6.5days (p = 0.009). No statistically significant difference in median DFS (64.2months for LE versus 63.2months for TME, p = 0.85) and median OS (72.9months for LE versus 76.3months for TME, p = 0.43). No statistically significant difference in LARS scores and QoL was observed between LE and TME (p = 0.798, p = 0.799). LE seems a good alternative to radical rectal resection in carefully selected responders to neoadjuvant therapy after thorough pre-operative evaluation, planning and patient counselling.

On Two Aspects Of “The Gestalt Revolution”

I am an emeritus professor of theoretical psychology at the University of Portsmouth. I was introduced to Gestalt Psychology as a student back in the 1960s. My professor, Tim Miles, knew Michotte and had translated his book on Causality. Tim once showed us Michotte’s remarkable displays of perceived causality and animal movement based on the simplest of equipment. I liked the way that demonstrations can themselves play an important scientific role in the study of perception. My start with the Gestalt Psychologists led me to the work of James Gibson who although influenced by the Gestaltists was grudging to admit it. In fact, I have spent a large part of my long career commenting on, and sometimes criticising, his radical challenge to mainstream psychology. (Some years ago, a concerned “friend” suggested I took up Scuba diving instead.) Thanks mainly to my students, I have been involved in research across a wide range of topics. These include developmental psychology, autism, children’s drawings, “false memories”, speech perception, community care for schizophrenics, old-age care. What, for me, holds this research together is the “ecological approach” we have taken to these issues.

University of Portsmouth Academic Dress

The University of Portsmouth has its origins in the Portsmouth and Gosport School of Science and Art (1870), the Portsmouth Municipal Technical Institute (1894) and Portsmouth Municipal College (1908), which replaced the earlier Institute. The College also took under its wing the College of Art, Portsmouth Day Training College for teachers and a public library.This article examines the development of academic dress at the University of Portsmouth.

Theory and Applications of AHP/ANP at MCDM 2022

We had a wonderful welcome from the conference organizers Alessio Ishizaka (Chair), Banu Lokman (Co-chair), Dylan Jones (Program Chair), Ashraf Labib, Salvatore Greco, Negar Akbari, Maria Barbati and Salem Chakhar of the 26th International Conference on Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM2022) which was held at the University of Portsmouth, UK from June 26 - July 1, 2022. The purpose of the MCDM conference is to bring together the MCDM community every two years. This year however, there had been a gap of three years since our last meeting because of Covid. Conference organizers did not want us to miss the opportunity to experience face-to-face interaction with students and colleagues in Portsmouth, UK, so they rescheduled MCDM 2021 to 2022. I am sure most of the participants benefited from the discussions after the talks, and enjoyed the social program that brings our community closer together and inspires future collaboration.