Campus News
Public engagement has never been more important
February 26th, 2021
Professor Susan Anderson discusses her new role with the university’s Institute for Policy and Engagement.
You are the Institute’s new academic lead for public engagement. Why you?
I’ve been an advocate for public engagement for many years. We do an awful lot of public engagement as a university but some of this work by researchers goes under the radar and our staff, students and the wider community are not always aware of the impact our research has locally, nationally and globally. These are worthy things to celebrate and can make us all proud of our University. The Institute does a great job of connecting and supporting great policy and public engagement and I have been inspired by the stories behind the nominees for the Public Impact and Policy Engagement Awards – I would like to celebrate and reward public engagement more and I think my role will help to translate and connect what the academic community is doing to the wider community and help them, in turn, to shape and impact our research.
Why public engagement?
The university is a genuine force for good. I want to inspire the public, our staff and our students by showing them what is possible when we involve the wider community in our research and our teaching.
Public engagement has perhaps never been more important. We are aware that we’re funded by the tax payer or by charities and it’s important that they are informed and can influence research. It is right that we are accountable to the public, who ultimately fund our research. I think people are also more aware, because of the Covid pandemic, of the complex challenges we face and the importance of clear interpretation and communication of scientific data in an accessible way. Thanks to Government scientific advisors like Chris Whitty and Jonathan Van Tam, expert opinion is sought and the link to our daily lives is much clearer.
Tell us about your experiences
My journey started as a consultant with the Nottingham-based charity Ignite!. I helped inspire children to be creative with science in schools. With the Lab 13 project we enabled children at six primary schools to set up and run their own creative science space, even bringing in builders and hiring scientists-in-residence. The first was at Dovecote School in Clifton and more than 10 years on children are still running their own lab.
I was then asked by the Royal Microscopical Society to lead their education and outreach activities. I created microscope activity kits (MAKs) that were loaned to schools, free of charge for a term complete with a range of activities, samples and plans for teachers. The kids loved them, proudly recording what they’d observed as proper scientists and solving real science problems! Since 2009, we’ve reached hundreds of thousands of kids, from Ireland to Israel, and it has made a positive impact in helping local schools and the refugee community at our Malaysia campus. The MAK was even the recipient of a Point of Light award from the Prime Minister. I’m now the Vice President of the Royal Microscopical Society.
I’m now the Chair of the Festival of Science and Curiosity (FOSAC) in Nottingham. We’ve achieved charitable status and grown from 3,500 participants to 10,000 last year. Last year, we had a live heart dissection in a pub on Valentine’s Night, we had neuroscience students share knowledge and learn from the experiences of carers of people with dementia. Last year, we gave out air quality monitors to kids at schools. They detected higher emissions at drop off and pick up times, and successfully lobbied their council for parking restrictions. It showed that with science you can make a real difference to the world around you. The festival is run for everybody, by everybody. It doesn’t have a hub, but is community-based. We’re a collective, focused on citizen science and engaging people in understanding that they can change their world. This year the Festival has been online, which was both challenging and full of new opportunities from online forums to live streaming TV! Our researchers have helped created some fantastic resources linked to the festival.
What next?
Many colleagues are already involved with public engagement and love it; it is so rewarding! Others feel they just don’t have time for it. I think one of the keys is to share and celebrate the successes more widely, and to bring people who are already engaged together and help increase their impact. As we develop and share successes, others more broadly can be encouraged by seeing what is possible. I’d like to see a structure for valuing and rewarding public engagement. And I’d like to see people developing beyond outreach to more impactful engagement, with a pipeline of activities that could eventually become KEF (Knowledge Exchange Framework) case studies. I will also work to facilitate and enable more dialogue with the public in its broadest sense and work closely with our external stakeholders to ensure our engagement makes a positive difference to those around us and is informed by their needs, locally, nationally and globally.
I do understand that the pressures that colleagues are under. But by making public engagement more visible and valued – both to the people that work here and also the public – it will begin to fly.
Anybody wanting to embark on public engagement, develop what they do or maximise their impact, please get in touch and we will work together and support you.
Susan Anderson began her University of Nottingham career as a technician in 1995. She is now a Professor in Anatomy in the School of Life Sciences.
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Gradual but significant steps towards national recovery
February 26th, 2021
Update from Professor Dame Jessica Corner
England now has roadmap for the gradual easing of coronavirus restrictions. As the days grow longer and spring is on its way, we can also look forward to the prospect of more colleagues returning to campus and seeing more of friends and loved ones.
For now, and for the coming weeks, the advice for researchers remains the same – continue to work on campus if it cannot reasonably be done from home. All other researchers should remain working from home where possible, in line with government guidance.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Andy Long has set out what the Prime Minister’s announcement means for our university and for postgraduate research students.
Our world-class innovation continues
As we review our recovery and prepare for further guidance from the government after Easter, our research continues to make progress on many fronts. I was delighted to be invited to participate in a crucially important new trial of different vaccine combinations in Nottingham, which is one of eight centres researching alternating doses and intervals of approved vaccines for Covid-19. It was a privilege to observe this world-first trial in action ‘from the inside’.
In Italy, we are establishing a research base that will strengthen our alliances with Europe’s aerospace leaders and our position at the forefront of revolution in green air travel.
Regular Covid-19 testing
A reminder that all staff and students should take asymptomatic Covid-19 tests at least once a week. These tests are highly accurate and can tell if you are in the early stages of infection, whether or not you are showing symptoms. By taking part in regular testing, our community shows our campuses and facilities are Covid-secure and enables them to be kept open. Find out where to take a test.
UKRI and support for PhD students
Professor Andy Long has written to our postgraduate research students following UKRI’s announcement of further action to support PhD students whose studies are being affected by Covid-19.
PGRs and their supervisors are encouraged to comment on these proposals, and we welcome such continuing conversations on how the university can best support its postgraduate research community.
Please use this form to give your views. Your thoughts and suggestions will help inform our university’s response. Following its consultation, UKRI will provide further guidance in early spring.
Read Dame Jessica’s full update
Tags: COVID-19 update, professor dame jessica corner, research, Research Exchange, UKRI
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Professor Dick Geary, 1945-2021
February 25th, 2021
Following the sad news of the passing of Professor Dick Geary on Sunday 21 February, Professor Ross Balzaretti and colleagues at the University of Nottingham Department of History remember his life and works.
Dick Geary was born in December 1945 in Leicester. He studied at King’s College Cambridge and, before coming to Nottingham in 1989, he worked at Lancaster University where he was Head of German Studies. While at Nottingham he was Head of History in the early 1990s and for some years Director of the Institute for the Study of Slavery (ISOS).
He was a remarkable scholar and intellectual whose research for much of his career encompassed the history of Marxism, modern German social and political history, in particular the history of unemployment and labour protest in twentieth-century Germany, and comparative European labour history. He not only made key contributions to the field of comparative labour history in the UK and further afield; he also encouraged and facilitated the work of other scholars. Latterly his work took a notable new turn into comparative global labour history, and he added Portuguese to his other languages so that he could research the history of slavery in Brazil, a country he got to know firsthand.
Dick published at least ten books including on Karl Kautsky, a Marxist philosopher, his pathbreaking European Labour Protest, and a very well-known book on Hitler and Nazism in 1993, which was much used in sixth forms across the country and translated into many languages. His international reputation for shrewd work in comparative history, written concisely and based on wide knowledge, bore fruit in a very popular comparative labour history course he ran for many years with Chris Wrigley.
Professor Dick Geary, 1945-2021
He was an inspiring teacher, encouraging hard work and much thought, and helped many students in difficulties. He was a spellbinding lecturer, much in demand for public events, and a wonderful colleague who was always very encouraging to younger members of staff.
For many years he could reliably be found in the University Club at lunchtime with his friend Nick Hewitt, where he captivated many with sparkling conversation, thoughts about the state of the University and unforgettable anecdotes.
He had played at Junior Wimbledon and captained the Blues at football at Cambridge. He was a lifelong Leicester City Football Club supporter, checking that team’s result in internet cafes when in Brazil. Dick is sorely missed by his colleagues at Nottingham.
Tags: Department of History, obituary, Professor Dick Geary
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University celebrates WHO World Hearing Day with brand new course
February 24th, 2021
The University is delighted to launch its first ever CPD course on Managing Hyperacusis in Adults and Children – a hearing condition where patients experience a reduced tolerance or increased sensitivity to everyday sounds to the point where they become intense and overwhelming.
The Hearing Sciences group at the University has a rich history of innovative and transformational research in this area. Its researchers and clinical academics contribute to courses and conferences around the world, but until now they have not made their own offering in terms of courses and structured teaching.
David Baguley, Professor in Hearing Sciences at the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, explains:
“We are embarking on an exciting programme of CPD courses addressing topics where there is a clear need, using interactive and modern teaching techniques. It is hoped that delegates will engage and find inspiration to improve the outcomes of patients. The first topic, Hyperacusis is challenging in everyday life, and a clinical enigma, but substantial progress has recently been made in understanding the who and why of this condition, and treatment strategies.”
The course will be available entirely online and delivered across four weekly afternoon sessions, starting 28 April. It is suitable for audiologists, otolaryngologists, hearing therapists, ENT doctors, audiovestibular physicians, research and industry colleagues, clinical trainees, postgraduate students, and members of professional bodies.
This masterclass will equip professionals and trainees with comprehensive, current perspectives and contemporary research evidence on the effective management of hyperacusis in adults and children. It will be delivered in collaboration with world-leading colleagues, and speakers include professors, research fellows and doctoral students from the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre as well as Claire Benton, Head of Audiology at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, and Don McFerran, British Tinnitus Association Trustee, and recently retired Consultant ENT Surgeon.
World Hearing Day is held on 3 March each year to raise awareness on how to prevent deafness and hearing loss and promote ear and hearing care across the world. This year’s theme is “Hearing Care for all! Screen, Rehabilitate, Communicate” and it will mark the launch of the WHO’s first-ever World Report on Hearing.
If you would like to find out more about Managing Hyperacusis in Adults and Children, visit: www.nottingham.ac.uk/Medicine/Events/2021/Managing-Hyperacusis-in-Adults-and-Children.aspx or contact the Professional and Work-based Learning Team.
Tags: Biomedical research, Hearing sciences, Hyperacusis, NiHR Nottingham Hearing Biomedical Research Unit, who, World hearing day
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Help share the messaging for regular Covid testing
February 24th, 2021
The University has launched a new campaign to remind all students, and staff working regularly on campus, to take regular (at least once a week) asymptomatic Covid-19 tests via the University Testing Service.
Regular testing will help keep us safe as individuals, protect our university community, and the communities around us, and ensure that our University can remain open for essential teaching and research.
As banners, posters and digital screens bring the message to life across our campuses and social media campaigns begin, staff and students are invited to get involved and help share the message that simple and swift asymptomatic testing needs to become a part of everyday university life for the time being.
The toolkit (Sharepoint login required) is designed to give colleagues at all levels and in all Schools and Departments, ideas and tools to use to play their part in encouraging regular testing.
This could be as simple as highlighting ‘test to protect’ messages on social media accounts, flagging information at the end of teaching sessions or ensuring that your working environment displays campaign materials encouraging students and colleagues to take the test.
Professor Chris Denning, Director of the University’s Biodiscovery Institute and part of the Asymptomatic Testing Service since its inception, explains the reasons for regular testing.
He said: “Testing protects everyone around you – it is quick and easy and leads to quick identification of cases and immediate isolation to prevent the spread. It also helps to identify anyone who came into contact with people who are infected, so they can take action.
“It gives peace of mind and multiple snapshots in time – a single test tells you whether or not you were infected when you donated the sample but you may become infected soon after. So, the more frequently you test, the safer you will be.”
Proof our community takes part in regular testing shows our campuses and facilities are Covid-secure and enables them to be kept open. It also helps control the strains of the virus.
Prof Denning said: “If people test positive, they will have the chance to provide more samples so the testing team can genome sequence the virus to identify which strain it is. This will help the global effort to control the virus and any new variants.”
It’s important for everyone to remember that if you test negative, you need to continue to protect yourself and others by washing your hands frequently, physically distancing, and wearing a face mask. If you feel you’ve been in contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19, you should isolate immediately.
Those who test positive will be supported and the testing team will work closely with them to determine whether they are likely at the start or end of an infection, or have become re-infected.
Our measures are most effective when we work together and follow the rules to keep everyone safe.
Tags: COVID-19, COVID-19 testing, Test to protect
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Teaching and Learning Conference 2021: last week for contributions
February 24th, 2021
This is the last week in which staff and students can submit contributions for this year’s annual Teaching and Learning Conference, scheduled for Wednesday 14 April 2021.
The Conference will be hosted online via Microsoft Teams, from 10am-3pm GMT.
Contributions can take the form of papers or digital posters and should fit with the conference title ‘Teaching and Learning in 21st Century Higher Education: out with the old, in with the new?’ or one of the following sub-themes:
- Creative pedagogy
- Assessment
- Student voice
- Addressing awarding gaps
- Educational partnerships
UNUK colleagues can submit their abstracts here.
UNNC and UNM colleagues can submit their abstracts here.
The deadline for submissions is Sunday 28 February 2021.
Key Dates:
| Deadline for contributions (abstracts): | Sunday 28 February 2021 |
| Reviews completed: | Friday 12 March 2021 |
| Notification of review outcome: | Monday 15 March 2021 |
| All revisions (if appropriate) submitted | Friday 22 March 2021 |
The book “Meeting the Teaching and Learning Challenges in 21st c. Higher Education: Universal Design” edited by Dr Tina Byrom is now available, based on papers from the Teaching and Learning Conference 2019.
Tags: Teaching and Learning Conference, teaching and learning conference 2021
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Functional breathing for stress relief: Fri 19 Mar, 11am
February 24th, 2021
This workshop will introduce breathing techniques to reverse unhealthy patterns, manage stress and anxiety, support functional movement and enhance wellbeing.
Participants will have the opportunity to try safe and accessible breathing techniques grounded in traditional yoga pranayama practices and the scientifically grounded Oxygen Advantage® method that can be used to support your teaching work. Open to all levels of fitness, no prior experience required.
As we go through our daily lives, we rarely stop to think about how we breathe. Our breathing patterns at rest have a profound impact on our anxiety levels, our ability to focus and be productive and our health. Those of us in professions that require us to speak for a living (teaching, meetings, presentations) are particularly vulnerable to developing breathing pattern disorders such as chronic hyperventilation.
Over time, this can have a profound and detrimental impact on our quality of life and lead to serious health conditions – symptoms associated with dysfunctional breathing include anxiety and panic attacks, asthma, COPD, insomnia, sleep apnea, TMJD, sinusitis and hay fever, migraines, allergies, depression, skin rashes, chronic fatigue, bloating, constipation, PMS and many more.
Functional Breathing for Stress Relief: free online workshop for all staff.
Friday 19th March 11am – 12 noon
Registration link: https://training.nottingham.ac.uk/Course?courseref=FBSR&dates=0
About the Instructor: Dr Xenia Pestova Bennett is an internationally active concert pianist and lecturer in musical performance at the University of Nottingham. She combines her research and experience in performance anxiety with extensive accredited training as a yoga, breathwork and meditation instructor.
Xenia’s wellbeing training includes completion of a 200-hour Hatha Yoga Teaching qualification led by Eleonora Ramsby-Herrera in 2019, Yin/Yang Yoga and Mindfulness (primary and secondary levels amounting to 100 hours certified by Yoga Alliance) with Sarah Powers in 2018 and Oxygen Advantage® functional breathing instructor training with Patrick McKeown in 2021. www.xeniapestovabennett.com
Tags: breathing, mindfulness, staff wellbeing, wellbeing, yoga
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Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Q&A events
February 23rd, 2021
Alongside the Diversity Festival which is running during March 2021, Professor Sarah Sharples, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and People will be hosting a series of Question and Answer (Q&A) events.
These will comprise a short presentation which provides an overview and update of progress on the EDI strategic delivery plan to date, but will dedicate the majority of time to answering questions.
These events are open to all, and are particularly targeted at people who are not currently working closely with our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion programmes, but who are interested in finding out more about how this impacts on them and their work, and how they can get more involved.
Find event details below:
| Date | Time | Faculty / Department |
| Thursday 4 March | 10am – 10:50am | Faculty of Arts |
| Monday 15 March | 11am – 11:50am | Technicians |
| Thursday 18 March | 12pm -12:50pm | Faculty of Science |
| Tuesday 23 March | 3pm – 3:50pm | Faculty of Social Sciences |
| Wednesday 31 March | 10:30am – 11:20am | Faculty of Medicine & Health Science |
| Thursday 1 April | 10:30am – 11:20am | Faculty of Engineering |
These events will be set up via Teams and diary invites will be sent out to all staff for each Faculty/Technician team.
Dates for Professional Services members of staff will be announced as soon as possible.
Tags: edi, Professor Sarah Sharples, PVC EDI, Q&A
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Prime Minister’s Roadmap – what this means for our staff
February 23rd, 2021
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Andy Long wrote recently to colleagues outlining what the Prime Minister’s Roadmap means for our staff.
Dear colleagues,
Last night the Prime Minister set out a roadmap for the gradual easing of national coronavirus restrictions in England including within education settings. I am writing to let you know how this will apply to our University community and support the further return of students for in-person teaching.
I have also written to all students today setting out how these changes affect them and the support available. You can read a copy of this communication here.
Further resumption of in-person teaching
While education continues to be a government priority and there is limited evidence of virus transmission in teaching environments, mass movements of people remains a concern for the government, especially while new variants of the virus continue to emerge.
The Department for Education has therefore updated its plan for a phased return to in-person teaching in addition to courses that were allowed to resume in-person teaching in January, including those in Medicine, Education and Veterinary Science.
From Monday 8 March, undergraduate and postgraduate students who are studying practical or practice-based subjects and require specialist equipment and facilities can return to campus to resume in-person teaching.
By the end of the Easter holidays, the government will review the options for timing the return of remaining students. This review will take account of the latest data and will be a key part of the wider roadmap steps. Students will be given at least one week’s notice ahead of any further return.
Professor Sarah Speight, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education and Student Experience, will write to Heads of School and Departments with advice on contacting their students to confirm the detailed arrangements for their return.
Government advice remains that students should stay where they are currently until shortly before the dates outlined above, unless they meet the exceptional circumstances listed in Department for Education guidance which permit earlier returns to campus where, for example, students are unable to study from home, need to sit exams on campus, do not have alternative accommodation, or for mental or physical health reasons.
To limit transmission risks, the guidelines also make clear that students who return to Nottingham should expect to remain at the University and only travel home where they have a legally permitted reason to do so.
Staff access to campus
The University remains open and there is no change to the advice for staff who need to attend campus, for example to deliver or prepare in-person teaching, to support students or provide other campus services. Given the expansion of students resuming in-person teaching from 8 March, we will support a safe, gradual expansion of the number of staff working in Covid-secure environments aligned to support these students.
Staff and students engaged in research activities can continue with their work on campus if it cannot reasonably be done from home. All other staff should remain working from home where possible, in line with government guidance.
Looking ahead, a number of working groups continue to consult Schools and Departments to plan for a wider return of staff to our campuses during the summer term, as far as the ‘roadmap,’ national restrictions and social distancing requirements will permit at that time.
We know that many colleagues have now been working from home for an extended period, frequently managing home-schooling and the many other challenges resulting from the national lockdown. Many will want to see our campuses again, whilst others may be anxious about returning while the vaccination programme continues to roll out. At this time, in line with continuing government advice, we do not anticipate significant change to the numbers on campus beyond those required to deliver and support teaching and other services for the new groups of students returning on 8 March. Decisions on who returns and when will continue to be the responsibility of relevant managers.
Covid-19 testing
Returning students are asked to book a Covid-19 test from the University Testing Service here to confirm that they are not carrying the virus so that we can keep our community and those around us safe. Thereafter, we expect all students to take our asymptomatic Covid-19 test at least once a week.
The University will continue to offer all staff asymptomatic Covid-19 testing on demand and we expect those staff working on campus to take these tests each week. These measures will help identify and isolate any positive cases early and help to reduce onward transmission of the virus. Staff do not need to book tests and can take these during work time.
Mental health and welfare
Please do continue to support your physical and mental wellbeing during these challenging times. If you need any sort of support or advice, please do ask for help from your line manager in the first instance and they can direct you to more specialist services if required.
A dedicated set of activities and services to support staff mental health and wellbeing, ranging from self-help, counselling and mental health services to the free and confidential employee assistance programme are listed at staff wellbeing.
Additional measures
We have taken significant steps to provide a Covid-secure environment on our campuses and the wellbeing of our community remains our priority.
Please remember to Isolate, Notify, Test if you do start to experience Covid-19 symptoms and let the University know so that we can support you. Within our University the number of active cases of Covid-19 remains low. Our measures are most effective when we work together and follow the rules to keep everyone safe.
Thank you for your continued hard work and patience and I look forward to seeing more of us on campus more often in the months ahead.
Best wishes,
Andy
Professor Andy Long, FREng
Provost & Deputy Vice-Chancellor
University of Nottingham
Tags: COVID-19 update, mental health support, recovery, Test to protect, testing, University Testing Service
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Celebrate International Women’s Day 2021 at UoN
February 23rd, 2021
International Women’s Day (IWD) takes place on Monday 8 March 2021, with celebrations taking place across the university throughout March.
This year’s IWD theme is ‘Choose to Challenge’ and includes the following call to action:
“A challenged world is an alert world.
Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions – all day, every day.
We can choose to challenge and call out gender stereotypes and bias.
We can choose to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements.
Collectively, we can create an inclusive world.
From challenge comes change. Choose to challenge.” IWD 2021
Central Events/Initiatives
A range of central events are taking place to celebrate IWD 2021, including:
Opening Videos – launching on 8 March
To open the celebrations for International Women’s Day, we will be launching four videos, produced by staff and students at the UoN, to recognise and celebrate women.
A reading of ‘Hers for the taking’: a poem about female empowerment by Arshia Agrawal – UoN Staff and Students
Choosing to Challenge through Dance – The SU Dance Society
Celebrating Women in Engineering: Product Design and Manufacture – The Design Society
Celebrating IWD: A video from UoN staff talking about what IWD means to them – UoN Staff
Podcasts – Listen on Spotify
Episode 1 – How we can meet new challenges with a community of women – a conversation with Mel Berry and Holly Woodford
Listen to this podcast chat with Mel and Holly from HerSpirt. They talk about how HerSpirit, an innovative and inspirational initiative has supported women to embark on new challenges to promote physical and mental wellbeing.
Episode 2 – How I’ve challenged myself during lockdown – a conversation with Katharine, Liz and Linda from the University of Nottingham Womens Network
Listen to Katharine, Liz and Linda talk about their experiences of challenging themselves with new ventures that helped them to stay physically and emotionally positive and put a smile on their faces.
Episode 3 – How I have challenged myself to enter a field I love – a conversation with Lukeki Kaindama, alumna and Principal Scientist at Public Health England
Listen to this podcast to hear more from our inspiring alumna Lukeki Kaindama about her story to pursue a career in Public Health, what she had to do on the way to get to the job she loves now and her tips on the challenges she overcame on the way.
Episode 4 – How I challenged myself to take part in a huge physical challenge after a health scare- a conversation with alumna Emma Cole
Listen to this podcast to hear more from our amazing alumna Emma Cole, who although suffering from health problems early last year took on a huge physical challenge during lockdown.
Episode 5 – How I’ve been challenged during the pandemic and how I set up my business as a new graduate – a conversation with alumna Olivia Swift
Listen to this podcast to hear more from our Alumni Laureate Award winner Olivia Swift. Olivia is a trained midwife and entrepreneur who talks frankly about how she has faced challenges during the pandemic and working out how to continue to support her company, Lotus Maternity, during the pandemic and whilst settling up her brand.
Episode 6 – How I challenged myself to progress in a career in microbiology and space – a conversation with alumna Emily P. Seto
Listen to this podcast to hear more from our Alumni Laureate Award winner Emily P. Seto. Hear about Emily’s health issues in childhood and how this solidified her interests in microbiology. Emily has now moved from clinical sciences to aerospace and what challenges she has faced along the way include gender stereotypes around working in science.
Padlet
Open throughout March, the Padlet will provide an opportunity for all members of the university community (staff, students and alumni) to share their thoughts and inspire others on the theme of ‘Choose to Challenge’.
To leave an inspirational quote to be shared with others, please visit the IWD Padlet.
Panel Discussion: Leading the Way: Women’s Stories of Managing and Overcoming Challenge
Wednesday 24 March, 1-2pm
Join us for a panel discussion featuring Professor Gina Higginbottom MBE, Kelly Vere MBE, Charagh (Bibi) Kwakye and chaired by Margaret Monckton, to mark the closing of the UoN celebrations for International Women’s Day. This inspirational group of women will discuss personal experiences of managing and overcoming challenge within their careers, studies and personal life, and share their achievements. A live Q&A will enable audience members to ask questions.
Panelists: Margaret Monckton (Chair): Margaret Monckton is Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and heads up the Finance and Infrastructure Team. As a member of the Executive, Margaret contributes to the corporate and strategic leadership of the University as well as taking the lead on the financial management and sustainability of the University.
Professor Gina Higginbottom MBE: Dr Gina Higginbottom was appointed in 2015 as the Mary Seacole Professor of Ethnicity and Community Health at the University of Nottingham – the first nurse of BME origin to hold a professorial role in a Russell Group university in England and is now Emeritus Professor. Professor Higginbottom was awarded an MBE in 1998 for services to health promotion and young people.
Kelly Vere MBE: Kelly Vere is the Director of Technical Skills & Strategy at the University of Nottingham where she began her career as a junior medical technician in 1999. She now leads an award-winning programme to enable the strategic and professional development of the University’s 700+ technical staff across the UK and Asia. Kelly has written for the Guardian, Times Higher Education and Nature on the role of university technicians. She was awarded an MBE in the 2021 New Year Honours for Services to Higher Education.
Charagh (Bibi) Kwakye: Bibi Kwakye is a final year Geography with Business Student at the University of Nottingham. Bibi is a self-taught Graphic Designer, Photographer and Videographer, and became self-employed during the pandemic and has worked with clients such as Experian, Vintsol and XV Events.
Local Events
Celebrating Women in Chemistry Conference 2021
Monday 8th March 2021, 9:00am – 5:30 pm
We are excited to bring you the 3rd Celebrating Women in Chemistry conference bringing together both delegates and inspiring role models from within the chemistry community on a virtual platform. This online event will celebrate International Women’s Day and showcase the contributions women have made to chemistry within academia, industry and digital communications.
#IWD2021 Pop-up for women in education
Monday 8 March, 11am – 12pm
An online pop-up event for staff and students in the School of Education and beyond to celebrate International Women’s Day 2021. This year’s theme is #ChooseToChallenge. The schedule is being finalised and will include the following speakers:
-
- Dr Kay Fuller – Introduction to IWD and speakers
- Michelle Gladstone – A student’s perspective
- Jo Hancock – Women’s staff network
- Bonnie Erdelyi-Betts – The Sphere Challenge
- Dr Xin Gao – A Chinese perspective on IWD
- Annette Amoa – A student’s perspective
- Dr Andri Georgiadou – A research perspective
Everyone is welcome. Click here to join the meeting.
Researching the Lives of Black Women, Centre for Black Studies, Faculty of Arts
Monday 8 March, 16:30-18:00
Speakers: Dr Leighan Renaud (Bristol) & Dr Francesca Sobande (Cardiff)
Chair: Keisha Bruce
The University of Nottingham Centre for Black Studies invites you to join us for this conversation about contemporary research into the lives of Black women in the UK and in the diaspora. Join Dr Francesca Sobande (Cardiff) and Dr Leighan Renaud (Bristol) who will discuss their different interdisciplinary approaches to their research and their positions as Black female academics working in British academia today. This will be a relaxed conversation between Francesca and Leighan chaired by PhD researcher, Keisha Bruce. There will be an opportunity for a Q&A in the later half of the event.
In the Name of Your Daughter, Film Screening.
Monday 8th March, 19:00 – 20:45
Join us for a viewing of the outstanding feature length film ‘In the name of your daughter.’ We hope that this film will inspire change and ignite action in the fight to end FGM.
Rhobi Samwelly, a brave local hero, stands up to her community and provides a Safe House to protect the courageous girls. Although female genital mutilation (FGM) is harmful and illegal, in Northern Tanzania it is widely believed that girls’ clitorises must be cut off to reduce promiscuity. Mutilated girls also demand twice the bride price as uncut girls. The chillingly named ‘cutting season’ runs through the school holidays in December. Now, some of the most courageous girls in the world, some as young as eight, are leaving everyone they love behind to run to a Safe House, not knowing if they’ll ever see their families again. We follow the feisty and courageous 12-year-old Rosie Makore, one of the brave girls who flees from female genital mutilation (FGM) and the child marriage that her parents had planned for her. We meet the charismatic Rhobi Samwelly who protects the girls and fights the thousands-year-old practice. But ancient traditions die hard. In cooperation with the Safe House, Police officer Sijali and her team start cracking down on FGM, arresting parents and cutters while rescuing girls at risk. As the year’s cutting season winds down, in heartbreaking reconciliation meetings, parents must decide if they’ll spare their daughters and take them back.
Trailer: https://inthenameofyourdaughterfilm.com/trailer/
For further details and to register, click here.
Women in Aerodynamics Guest Lecture
Thursday 11 March, 5pm – 6pm
Prof. Aimy Wissa, Assistant Professor at the Mechanical Science and Engineering department at the University of Illinois provides a talk on Avian-Inspired Flow Control: A pathway towards multifunctional wings, jointly as part of the Aerospace Aerodynamics module and FLUTE Research Group in the Faculty of Engineering and is part of an ongoing ‘Women in Aerodynamics’ annual lecture.
Join the meeting here.
UoN Sport International Women’s Day activities
- Moves+ Challenges – get involved with a run (8km), walk (8,000 steps) or cycling (8 miles) and be in with a chance of winning a Posh Nosh treat box.
There will be eight spot prizes available (to tie in with the date) of Posh Nosh hamper boxes (delivered to the winners at an address of their choice). Winners will be contacted directly by email on Wednesday 10 March.
To get involved, students and staff should download the Moves+ app – simply sign up by searching Moves+ in the apple app store or google play store. From Monday 8 March, the challenges will be live and open for users to join. Questions can be sent to BR-moves@nottingham.ac.uk - Daily quote release – Get on to the Engage and Empower social media channels to read daily quotes from female influencers/inspirational women.
- Empower Spotify Playlist – Tunes by female artists to inspire you to be active, to be released from Monday via the Engage and Empower social media channels
- Nomination campaign – your opportunity to nominate inspirational women that have inspired or motivated you. Details to be shared through UoN Sport Instagram on Sunday 7 March.
SoHS RCoP International Women’s Day Special Event
23 March 2021 12.30-14.00
Please join us for an extended RCoP Special Event in honour of International Women’s Day. This 90-minute event will celebrate the diverse offering of research outputs from women, at various stages in their career, within the School of Health Sciences.
Speakers: Professor Heather Wharrad– Chair in e-Learning and Health Informatics, academic lead for the award-winning Health e-Learning and Media (HELM) team and the Digital Innovations in Healthcare Education (DICE) group, will be discussing pathways to impact for digital learning in healthcare.
Stacy Johnson MBE– Is an Associate Professor with practice and research expertise in reverse mentoring for inclusion, critical inclusive leadership, and entrepreneurship. During her talk, she will be demystifying commercialising research.
Dr Eleanor Wilson– Anne McLaren Research Fellow and Chair of the SHS Early Career Researcher Group, will be discussing life as an early career researcher and her work on projects which investigate patient and family experiences of illness, staff roles and service evaluations.
International Women’s Day 2021 at CompSci Online Campaign
To celebrate International Women’s Day 2021, the School of Computer Science will be running an online campaign during the whole month of March.
We have asked all students and staff at the school to tell us about women who have inspired them. This includes women in all fields.
Submissions link: International Women’s Day 2021
Current submissions include women such as Ada Lovelace (first programmer in history), Mariana Enriquez (Argentinian writer), Hypatia (Hellenistic Neoplatonist philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician), Anna Politkowska (Russian independent journalist who exposed Russian’s role in the Chechen War), Catriona Stewart (founder of Scottish Women’s Autism Network), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (first female African Director-Gerneral of the World Trade Organisation), to name a few.
From March 1st until March 31st, we will be posting these submissions via Twitter and Instagram. When participants have given consent, we will also post about them and why they were inspired by this incredible woman.
Choose to Challenge Chair, The School of Health Science and the Medical School
The School of Health Sciences and Medical School in partnership with Nottingham University’s Hospital Trusts are celebrating International Women’s Day 2021 by creating a space for relaxation and reflection and a dedicated Choose to Challenge Chair.
We know that many women working in both the hospital and the University have faced their own challenges this year and we are delighted that the University have supported this initiative with the creation of positive outside environment.
The Blue-Green approach to urban water management
As part of the IWD events, the sustainability team are sharing the work of women leading the way to a more sustainable future at the University of Nottingham.
Emily O’Donnell is a Research Fellow in Urban Flood Resilience in the School of Geography. Emily’s research addresses strategies needed to enable cities to achieve flood resilience and water security that are sustainable, reliable and enduring. In this blog, Emily outlines her work on the role blue-green infrastructure can play as part of transformative change in urban flood risk and water management. Read the blog here.
Tags: International Women's Day, International Women's Day 2021
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