Campus News
UoN electric superbike achieves podium finish at Isle of Man TT
July 5th, 2018
The University of Nottingham’s race team recently entered a bike into the Isle of Man TT Zero race for the fourth year in a row, achieving a podium finish.
The bike, along with professional rider Daley Mathison, achieved an average speed of 119.294mph, beating the previous lap record, finishing in second place and splitting the Mugen (Honda) machines.
The race took place in early June and the podium awards were given by Prince William. Himself a keen biker, Prince William also met the team after the race had finished to chat about the bike.
The UoN TT Zero race team, which includes members of academic staff, technicians, researchers and students all from the Faculty of Engineering, was delighted with the success.
They are looking forward to returning next year and improving on the position, and would like to thank all sponsors, supporters, friends and family for their continued encouragement and contribution towards achieving our podium position this year.
Find out more about the project at www.facebook.com/UoNSuperBike.
Tags: Electric superbike, engineering, Race team
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NHS at 70: Professor Dame Jessica Corner is celebrated among its most influential nurses and midwives
July 5th, 2018
Today the NHS is 70 – and Professor Dame Jessica Corner, our Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange, has been named as one of the most influential nurses in its history.
The Nursing Standard publication, 70 NHS years: a celebration of 70 influential nurses and midwives from 1948 to 2018, recognises Dame Jessica’s work to improve the care of people with cancer.
She was among the first students to graduate with a degree in nursing from London University and went on to specialise in cancer nursing at the Royal Marsden Hospital, gaining her PhD from Kings College London.
She was Director of the Centre of Cancer and Palliative Care Studies and Deputy Dean (Nursing) at the Institute of Cancer Research at the Royal Marsden Hospital for 12 years, and was the first nurse to be appointed to a Chair at the Institute. She later joined Macmillan Cancer Support to work as Director of Improving Cancer Services.
Dame Jessica said: “I’m delighted – and humbled – to be included in this celebration of nurses and midwives who have contributed to 70 years of the NHS.”
Jane Cummings, chief nursing officer for England, said: “As we celebrate 70 years of the NHS, it is important to take this opportunity to pay tribute to some of the inspirational and ground-breaking leaders who have worked tirelessly to shape nursing and midwifery over many years.”
Dame Jessica’s research has focused on improving care and support for people with cancer, and outcomes for people following treatment, reflecting a growth in survival rates thanks to improved treatments.
Reflecting on her nursing career, she said: “The pioneering environment at the Royal Marsden was extraordinary, and a huge influence on me. The hospital put patients at the centre of care in a very humane, person-centred way. Its clinical nurse specialists were seen as the equal of doctors and scientists. Cancer care nursing is highly technical – it is nurses who deliver the drugs and manage the side effects.”
Pioneering therapies at the Royal Marsden, for example for testicular cancer and bone marrow transplants for leukaemia, were meanwhile having an impact on survival rates. These breakthroughs and the Royal Marsden’s patient-centred ethos informed Dame Jessica’s PhD into care and support for people with cancer and subsequent career combining research with a clinical setting.
Her research includes managing difficult symptoms and promoting earlier diagnosis of cancer, trials of the effectiveness of nurse led-care and long-term health outcomes after cancer treatment.
Dame Jessica has also championed the NHS annual cancer patient experience survey for all hospitals in England as a means of improving care.
Dame Jessica was awarded a DBE in 2014 for services to healthcare research and education. She is Chair of HEFCE UK Health Education Advisory Committee and was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2015. She is a former Chair of the Council of Deans for Health.
“We’re changing the way we think about cancer in this country,” she added. “We’ve moved away from the idea that cancer is a disease that is only life-threatening. I’m very much behind the cancer survivorship movement, looking at the long-term health and well-being outcomes for people with a cancer diagnosis, and feeding this back into treatments and the idea that actually people can get back to a normal, functioning life.
“That is totally different to how it was when I started out, and is part of the story of how the NHS has adapted, offering more holistic, person-centred care to complement our huge advances in delivering precision medicines and therapies to patients. This shift is a key narrative in the 70-year story of the NHS. It involves countless thousands of patients and many, many nurses, midwives, health professionals and researchers, and I’m proud to have played a part.”
Former Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Nottingham, Karen Cox, is also in the list of 70 influential nurses and midwives. A registered nurse and professor of cancer and palliative care, Karen Cox held a number of clinical posts in oncology and community health. She completed her PhD at the University and was successively a lecturer, senior lecturer and professor. Professor Cox is also a council member of the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Tags: NHS at 70, professor dame jessica corner, Professor Karen Cox
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University of Nottingham to become a Disability Confident employer
July 4th, 2018
The University of Nottingham is to become a Disability Confident employer.
Disability Confident is a scheme designed to help organisations improve how they attract, recruit and retain disabled staff and staff with health conditions.
The University is committed to the aims of Disability Confident and as part of the scheme, we will:
- Ensure that our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible
- Communicate our vacancies through a range of channels
- Offer an interview to applicants with a disability who meet the minimum essential requirements of the role (as detailed within the role profile)
- Anticipate and provide reasonable adjustments as required
- Support any existing employee who acquires a disability of long-term health condition, enabling them to stay in work
During August/September 2018 members of the HR team will be running a number of hour-long briefing sessions which will cover the following:
- Overview of the ‘Disability Confident Employer’ government scheme
- How the scheme will support the University’s strategic aims
- Level 1 – Disability Confident Committed – The Requirements
- The benefits of the scheme
- Offering an interview to disabled people who meet the essential criteria – Changes to the Vacancy Manager Recruitment system
- Providing the opportunity to ask questions and seek clarification
If you are interested in attending any of these sessions, please access the following link to view more details and book your place: https://training.nottingham.ac.uk/Guests/GuestCourse.aspx?CourseRef=DISUPDATE&dates=
Tags: Disability Confident, edi, Equality Diversity and Inclusion, human resources
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Professor Sam Kingman announced as the new Pro-Vice Chancellor for Engineering
July 4th, 2018
As PVC, Professor Kingman will have strategic responsibility for the Faculty, leading 800 staff across six departments with more than 4,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Professor Kingman, who is currently Associate PVC, Deputy Head of the Faculty and Professor of Process Engineering, joined the University of Nottingham in 2000 as a Lecturer in the School of Chemical, Environmental and Mining Engineering.
He was awarded a personal chair at Nottingham in 2006, which at the time made him one of the youngest Professors in the UK.
Since then he has held the role of Director of Research within the School of Chemical, Environmental and Mining Engineering, and taken on the roles of Head of Research Division for the Faculty, Head of Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering and Associate Dean for Research for the Faculty of Engineering.
He is has also established Nottingham as one of the world leaders in the field of industrial microwave processing. He has published over 170 journal papers and he holds a significant number of patents in the field of industrial microwave processing.
President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nottingham Professor Shearer West said: “I’m delighted to announce that Professor Sam Kingman has been appointed to the role of Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Engineering. For the last 18 years Professor Kingman has applied his extensive academic expertise to help enhance the reputation of Engineering in Nottingham. More recently he has provided leadership support in his APVC role and I have no doubt he will continue this, building on the successes of fellow staff and students, and navigating the challenges ahead.”
The Faculty of Engineering ranks in the top ten engineering faculties in the UK (QS World University Rankings), and the most recent Research Excellence Framework rated more than 98% of its research as of international quality and 89% as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent.’
Looking ahead to taking up his new role, Professor Kingman said: “It is a great honour to be appointed to the role of Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Engineering at Nottingham and I look forward to leading our great Faculty forwards. The students and staff of the Faculty have produced some incredible work and it will be a privilege to collaborate with such talented people to further enhance Nottingham’s reputation for the highest quality teaching and learning and research and knowledge exchange.”
Tags: Faculty of Engineering, Professor Sam Kingman, PVC
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Managing publications through the Research Information System (RIS)
July 4th, 2018
The next phase of implementing the Research Information System (RIS) — the Outputs module — will be rolled out across all schools and faculties from Monday 30 July 2018.
First showcased at the spring RIS roadshows, the Outputs functionality will simplify the process of making research open access and make it easier to meet REF requirements.
Publications that are currently held in the ePrints system are being transferred into RIS. This will be followed by the transfer of other outputs held in the eStaff Profile system. The data harvesting functionality within RIS will then be switched on to import publications from external databases such as Scopus and Web of Science.
Pending the phased introduction of the Outputs module at the end of July, researchers should continue to deposit their papers in ePrints as normal. More detailed information about the planned switch over to RIS as well as the support that will be available locally from Library staff will be provided over the next few weeks.
Wherever possible RIS will automatically link publications to authors. The main way that RIS will do this is through the use of ORCID iDs. Over 850 ORCID iDs have already been input into RIS and work is taking place within schools and faculties to increase this number prior to the roll out of the Outputs module.
Researchers without an ORCID ID are encouraged to obtain one as soon as possible by clicking here. You should then advise library staff of your new ORCID ID by emailing UA-Digital-Library@exmail.nottingham.ac.uk to ensure that it is included in RIS before the Outputs module is launched at the end of July.
Tags: project management, Research Information System, RIS
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2018/19 leadership and management programmes available for application
July 2nd, 2018
You can now apply or register interest for the 2018/19 Leadership and Management Academy (LMA) programmes.
Are you interested in enhancing your leadership and management practice? Do you want more flexibility in your leadership style? Whether you are leading large teams across multiple sites, a small team or project, or even if you are thinking of applying for a leadership position in the future, there’s something for you in the LMA.
With a mix of workshops, coaching, 360° analysis, and the application of learning in practice through a work based project, you’ll be learning and working with people from your peer group from across the University.
The first programmes open for application are:
- Leadership for High Performing Teams, Departments and Research Groups. Learn to deal more effectively with the challenges and dilemmas of being a senior leader at the University of Nottingham, review and reflect on your own leadership style and learn how to shape it, and explore and enhance aspects of leadership that are important for you and our University. In broad terms, this programme will be right for you if you are in a senior role that might have cross-University connections, although is more likely to have breadth across a Faculty or Department. Your role is likely to be at L6 or L7. This programme is designed for staff from all job families at these levels. The deadline for applications is Wednesday 1 August 2018.
- Leadership for High Performing Teams. Explore aspects of leadership that are important to your role, and really understand your leadership style. Workshops will focus on four specific leadership themes: change leader, organised/effective leader, motivated leader and future-proof leader. We’ll look at the leadership skills needed to motivate and engage your staff, to deal with conflict, to support them through change, and to handle difficult conversations. Bringing these leadership skills together, we’ll enable you to consider the application of these skills in an organisational context. This programme is ideal if you’re leading teams at an operational level – whether it’s in an academic, research, or professional services context. It’s likely that LHPT will be the right programme for you if you’re already leading – whether that’s a team of people, or a project, or a programme – and in doing so you’re engaging with a wide range of stakeholders. Your role is likely to be at L4, L5 or L6, and staff from all job families at these levels are invited to apply. The deadline for applications is Wednesday 1 August 2018.
Find out more
Each of these programme combines blended learning, personal diagnostics, group coaching, the application of learning in practice through a work based project, and the opportunity to learn with your peers from across different areas of the University. Find out more by looking at the programme pages of the LMA Hub on Moodle, or contact a member of the Leadership and Management Team.
There’s also a raft of on-line learning resources and diagnostic tools available for all staff to access on the Learning and Resources page of the LMA Hub. From performance management and emotional intelligence to personal impact and managing stress, there’s a range of topics to choose from. You can also discover more about what’s available from the Leadership and Management Academy by downloading the prospectus. If you’d prefer a hard copy, please email a member of the LMA team.
Tags: Leadership and Management Academy, Leadership for High Performing Teams, LMA, Professional Development
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Provide your feedback — and travel by bus for free
July 2nd, 2018
Local bus company Trent Barton is seeking a car driver interested in swapping their car journeys for the bus for 28 days.
Trent Barton is providing one free 28 day pass for travel on its buses. In return, the person who receives the ticket will need to use the buses for as many journeys as possible during the month, plus provide honest feedback about the experience — both good and bad.
If you’d like to take part, please send your name, home address and University email address to sustainability@nottingham.ac.uk by midday on Wednesday 4 July 2018. A name will be selected at random following this deadline.
The ticket giveaway is offered as part of Trent Barton’s support for Catch The Bus Week 2018 — a nationwide campaign encouraging people to enjoy the benefits of taking the bus.
Tags: bus, commute, driving, travel
Posted in News, Opportunities, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
A52 maintenance work
June 29th, 2018
Essential maintenance work begins on the A52 between the QMC and Clifton Lane from Sunday 1 July 2018.
The work, carried out by Highways England, is being carried out to improve road safety, and will take place on both eastbound and westbound carriageways. It will include resurfacing, replacing roadstuds, vehicle safety barriers, road markings and some traffic signs.
To mimimise inconvenience and disruption to drivers, Highways England will be carrying out the majority of the work overnight from 8pm to 6am, Sunday to Thursday. Closures and diversions will be in place.
All carriageways will remain open as usual between 6am and 8pm.
The work is expected to be completed towards the end of October 2018.
Tags: A52, commute, roadworks
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Research Vision: celebrating a remarkable year
June 28th, 2018
Professor Dame Jessica Corner, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange, writes:
More than 120 people – including researchers and colleagues from professional services – celebrated our progress and achievements in the first year of the University’s refocused Research Vision.
At the event, Research Vision: one year on, we heard from some of our inspiring people and learned how we are working together to better support the delivery of our exceptional research.
I was delighted to share a snapshot of our achievements over the course of the last year, including:
- 18 of our researchers and their teams have been granted £1m-plus awards
- Our BBSRC funding portfolio has moved up to 3rd in the UK
- Recruitment of 30 Nottingham and Anne McLaren Research Fellows
- The Nottingham Impact Accelerator has awarded £2.5m to 75 projects across the University
- 80 projects have been funded since the launch of the International Collaboration Fund
These and many other achievements, together with information on how we are continually investing in support for researchers, are captured in the brochure, Research Vision: one year on. Please download a copy.
We also heard from two of our remarkable fellows, Dr Frankie Rawson, who won almost £1m from EPSRC to develop new bioelectronic devices that will use electrochemical-based wireless technology to avoid invasive surgery, and Dr Tanya Monaghan, who combines a clinical career in gastroenterology with research into Clostridium difficile infection in urbanised and tribal communities in central India.
Ellen Townsend, Professor of Psychology, gave an insight into how the University’s International Collaboration Fund has supported the creation of an international network of experts working together on suicide prevention for Global Challenges Research Funding (GCRF).
We heard about the new Institute for Policy and Engagement, and welcomed its director, Stephen Meek, who takes up the role in September.
Dr Richard Masterman, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research Strategy and Performance, also unveiled Vision, the University’s new research magazine. The magazine is available in print and online – please take a look here.
The event also featured interactive displays showcasing how our investment in digital services is supporting research in innovative and exciting ways. Preparing and serving burgers in the Virtual Reality Corrupt Kitchen (a collaboration between the schools of Politics, Law and Computer Science and facilitated by the Digital Research Team) was particularly popular!
Thank you once again for your remarkable support and achievements, as we look to the year ahead, build on our successes and further empower our researchers in the delivery of world-class discoveries, and research that transforms lives.
I look forward to future initiatives and events where researchers and colleagues from across the University can come together to share ideas, spark collaborations and continue to input into our evolving Research Vision.
To receive Discover, our bi-monthly research and knowledge exchange newsletter, please contact Sophie.moyses@nottingham-ac.uk.
Tags: Jessica Corner, one year on, professor dame jessica corner, research, research vision, vision
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New director appointed to lead Nottingham Institute
June 28th, 2018
A senior civil servant has been appointed as the Director of the University of Nottingham’s new Institute for Policy and Engagement to deliver a step change in awareness, perception and policy impact of the University’s world-leading research among influential policymakers and politicians across the globe.
Stephen Meek will be joining the University from the Cabinet Office where he is currently a Director responsible for improving how government policymakers collaborate with universities to ensure that policy and legislation reflects cutting-edge, evidence-based research.
Stephen’s previous roles include Board level positions at both the Departments for Education and Communities and Local Government. His career began at HM Treasury, and has included spells at the Local Government Association and helping Cambridgeshire and Peterborough develop their successful devolution proposals.
A key element of the University’s Research Vision, one of the most concentrated and comprehensive research programmes in the University’s history, the Institute for Policy and Engagement will drive further improvements in the reputation of the University’s research amongst influencers and practitioners in the UK and internationally.
The Institute will provide the University with a hub of expertise in global policy engagement and research impact, as well as coordinating the University’s approach to supporting wider public engagement with research.
At the heart of the Institute will be a cohort of the University’s many exceptional researchers and research communicators, ensuring that the University harnesses the expertise, enthusiasm and advocacy of our academic community in our efforts to improve the global reputation of our research.
Visiting the University to join celebrations for the first anniversary of the Research Vision, Stephen said:
“I am delighted to have been appointed to such an exciting role at a leading Russell Group university. Exceptional research informing government policy and expert academic opinion in our public debate is as essential now in our complicated, uncertain and fast changing world as it has ever been.
“The University of Nottingham is renowned for its exceptional research and I will be bringing my experience in Whitehall and elsewhere to ensure that its research and academics are at the forefront of shaping global policy and thinking.”
Professor Dame Jessica Corner, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange said:
“One year on and our Research Vision is beginning to deliver real impact and transform lives in our community, the UK and across the globe. I am very pleased that Stephen is able to join us at this critical time to ensure that the wealth and variety of Nottingham’s research reaches new and influential audiences to deliver ever greater impact on the world around us.”
Reporting jointly to Professor Dame Jessica Corner and Kerry Law, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Stephen will take up role in September 2018.
Tags: Institute for Policy and Engagement, Research and Knowledge Exchange, research vision, Stephen Meek
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