Campus News

Bulletin board

June 10th, 2013

Praise for team as Kate gets set for new Australia role

Kate Robertson, Director of Development and Alumni Relations, is leaving the University for a new post as Chief Engagement Officer at the University of Adelaide in Australia.

In the four years she has been at Nottingham Kate has launched the University’s largest ever fundraising campaign. Under her leadership, Impact: The Nottingham Campaign has so far raised over £94m, including a gift of £12m, the largest corporate gift for higher education in the UK outside Oxford and Cambridge. The University also received the biggest single gift from one of its graduates amid a significant increase in donors generally.

Kate said: “None of this would have been possible without the hard work, dedication and commitment, not only from a wonderful team in the Campaign and Alumni Relations Office, but also from the wider University community. I am positive that the Impact campaign will continue to celebrate yet more successes and achievements.”

Kate, who will be moving with her family to South Australia, takes up her new role in September.

“I have learned so much from my time at Nottingham that will stand me in good stead for the challenges ahead but right now there’s lots still to do before I go, not least of which is LifeCycle 3 in support of our Stroke Rehab work.”

Sports communications and marketing: Just ask Lee!

Lee Chrimes has joined the University as Sports Marketing and Communications Officer. In the new post, Lee will handle the Sports Department’s marketing needs across all platforms: online, digital and social as well as print, display and communications.

Medicine and Health Sciences in shake-up

From 1 August, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences will reform into four distinct Schools.

A new School of Life Sciences will bring together the Schools of Biology and Biomedical Sciences and most courses from the School of Molecular Medical Sciences.

The School of Medicine will draw together Clinical Sciences, Community Health Sciences, Graduate Entry Medicine and Health with the Oncology, haematology and pathology courses and activity from Molecular Medical Sciences.

The School of Nursing, Midwifery and Physiotherapy will become the School of Health Sciences. The School of Veterinary Medicine and Science will be unchanged.

Dean of the Faculty, Professor Ian Hall, said: “I firmly believe that the plans we have will bring greater clarity and robustness to teaching, learning and research and bring great benefits to students, staff and partners.”

Faculty spaces, including a student hub and informal learning spaces in the Medical School, a new Clinical Skills Centre, a student study and social space and office in the Clinical Sciences Building at the City Hospital, are also being redeveloped.

Rich experience as athletes compete in Malaysia

More than 200 students from the University’s UK, China and Malaysia campuses are competing in the fifth annual Tri Campus Games. Teams will compete across 19 events, before taking on local clubs, while soaking up life at UNMC.

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May Fest 2013

June 10th, 2013

Thousands joined us for May Fest 2013, with the University welcoming its friends and the community for its 5th free, interactive community day.
May Fest again offered fun for all ages while showcasing learning and life at the University, and our commitment to working with the wider community.

As one visitor, Kate, put it: “So much to see and do! Entertaining and interesting to all of us: two 40-year-olds, a seven-year-old boy and five-year-old girl. I can’t remember the last time that happened!

“The staff and students were enthusiastic and helpful, masses of hands-on stuff!”

As well as the return of more brain games and the ever-popular thunder and lightning sessions, this year’s varied line-up included everything from engineering innovations to experiencing the universe at your fingertips in an inflatable planetarium.

While the sun did not shine as brightly as we might have hoped, many visitors still enjoyed picnics in the beautiful grounds of University Park or tours of its gardens.

University of Nottingham alumni were also invited to attend a free lunch at The Hemsley Restaurant on University Park.

More photos from May Fest 2013: http://tiny.cc/UoNMayfest

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The people’s green spaces

June 10th, 2013

The social history of the green open spaces that ring Nottingham’s city centre is to be explored as part of a new research project being led by the University.

The Social World of Nottingham’s Historic Green Spaces is a one-year project that will centre on the open spaces that were protected from the urban sprawl under the 1845 Enclosure Act and which are still popular recreation spots today.

Dubbed ‘green lungs’ by the Victorians, these areas include the site of Nottingham’s historic Goose Fair, the Forest Recreation Ground, the city’s oldest public park, the Arboretum, and Robin Hood’s Chase, which borders on to St Ann’s.

The project will also include the city’s two cemeteries; the Canning Circus cemetery and the Rock Cemetery, just off Mansfield Road.
The study has been funded with a £97,000 grant from the Connected Communities Programme, led by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, which aims to help us understand the changing nature of communities in their historical and cultural contexts and the role of communities in sustaining and enhancing our quality of life.

The project will be led by John Beckett, Professor of English Regional History in the University’s Department of History, in collaboration with Dr Paul Elliott, a Reader in Modern History at the University of Derby.

Professor Beckett said: “One of the key requirements of this project will be to encourage the involvement of the general public and we are especially keen to hear from people who may have old photos or ephemera — or even their own memories — from these open spaces that they would be willing to share.”

As part of the project, the academics will be working closely with the Friends of the Arboretum, Friends of the Forest, Nottingham Women’s History Group and Nottingham City Council’s Department of Communities, Sport, Culture and Parks on researching the history of Nottingham’s green spaces, the role they have played in the social fabric of the city and safeguarding these areas of interest and beauty for future generations.

This includes providing academic support and expertise to groups in developing their research skills and making full use of local resources including the Nottinghamshire Archives and the Local Studies Library.

The local community groups are also taking a lead in deciding the outcomes of the project, including the production of new information boards outlining the history of the sites and developing a fuller understanding in the role that women played in protecting and conserving these areas.

The project was launched at the Annual Arboretum History Talk at Nottingham Arboretum, where Dr Elliott and women’s historian Rowena Edlin-White looked at the Sherwood Forest Group of writers, radicals and artists who campaigned for new forms of popular rational recreation during the nineteenth century including the establishment of public parks such as the Nottingham Arboretum.

More information about the Social World of Nottingham’s Green Spaces project is available online at http://nott.ac.uk/greenspaces

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Award for advancing women in science

June 10th, 2013

The University has been awarded a Silver Athena Scientific Women’s Advancement Network (SWAN) Award.

The Athena SWAN Charter, launched in June 2005, recognises commitment to advancing women’s careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) disciplines in higher education, and aims to ensure that women are adequately represented in traditionally male-dominated subjects.

Nottingham is only the third university to achieve this award, joining Queen’s University Belfast and Imperial College London.

Dr Marion Walker MBE, Professor in Stroke Rehabilitation, said: “The Athena SWAN Silver Award is excellent news for the University. This prestigious award demonstrates our commitment in addressing gender inequalities, changing cultures and attitudes at all levels of the University. We have set ourselves clear objectives for future development and it’s imperative that we deliver these as promised.”

To obtain the award, the University demonstrated progress and its ability to deliver a three-year action plan with four strategic themes, which are:
– Attract and Inspire female undergraduate and postgraduate SET students
– Recruit and Retain more female early career researchers
– Develop and Promote more women in senior academic posts
– Foster Fairness in culture and practices.

Dr Tony Stevens, Athena Swan Project Officer for the University, said such goals were in the interest to all. “Good working practices benefit everyone. But women will tend to benefit proportionately more,” he said. “Poor working practices impinge on all staff but tend to disadvantage women to a greater degree.”

The School of Mathematical Sciences and the School of Community Health Sciences both hold Athena SWAN Bronze Awards. The Schools of Physics and Astronomy, Biosciences, Pharmacy and Psychology, and the Faculty of Engineering, hold Silver Awards.

By 2014, all SET schools and faculties at the University will have undergone the Athena Awards process. The Medical School will apply for a Silver Award in 2014; Dame Sally Davies, the Chief Medical Officer for England, says Medical Schools must hold a Silver Award to be eligible for National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funding. As other funders may follow, the University is well-placed to cope with the challenge.

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Professor Nabil Gindy

June 10th, 2013

Tributes have been paid to Professor Nabil Gindy, who has died at the age of 62.

Professor Gindy played a key role in the Faculty of Engineering for two decades, and had worked since 2009 at The University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) where he was Vice-Provost for Research and Dean of the Graduate School.

He joined the University as a Professor in Manufacturing Engineering in 1993.

Professor Nick Miles, Provost and Pro-Vice Chancellor at UNNC, said: “Nabil’s sudden passing has been felt deeply here at UNNC. Nabil was a great colleague to work with, always innovative and inspiring. His passing is a great loss to us all and I offer my deepest sympathy to his family.”

Professor Andy Long, Dean of the Engineering Faculty at The University of Nottingham UK, said: “Nabil came to Nottingham with an international reputation for expertise in advanced manufacturing research, and undoubtedly raised our profile in this area which is now one of the most successful in the Faculty and a University research priority.

“He was a hard taskmaster, but one of the kindest and most generous of people you could wish to meet. He was a lovely man, and I shall miss him very much.”a

Professor Gindy was responsible for leading UNNC’s research agenda and closer cooperation with government and business.

He was also the founder of the Sino-UK Low Carbon Manufacturing Consortium, a research and educational partnership between academia, industry and government in the UK and China.

More tributes to Professor Gindy at http://nott.ac.uk/gindy

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Gold at Chelsea

June 10th, 2013

Nottingham academics won a gold medal at the 100th RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Researchers from the School of Biosciences — exhibiting for the first time  — won the Best RHS Environment Exhibit Award.

Food for the Future showcased plant and crop research by Nottingham bioscientists to meet the challenges of feeding a growing world population.

Dr Sean Mayes said: “We are delighted to be awarded the gold — it shows that the judges have appreciated what we are trying to do to communicate our research to the public by putting the science into plain English.

“It’s my first time at Chelsea and it’s quite an eye-opening experience. We have met lots of people and visitors to our stand have been so enthusiastic and interested in learning more about the work we are doing at Nottingham.”

Celebrity gardener Alan Titchmarsh presented the University team, which also included Dr Katie Mayes and research fellow Saoirse Tracy, with their gold medal.

He said: “Ten exhibits made up the environmental display reflecting the fact that gardeners have become more environmentally aware.

“The category winner was The University of Nottingham and its Food for the Future stand, which showcases the latest plants and crops research including visions for the future of global food security.

“Gardening isn’t just about watering, mowing and getting wet in the winter, it’s about research and making sure we have food to eat and that we continue to produce food and to understand and control pests and disease.”

David Hazelgrove, RHS Council member and a member of the judging panel, said: “The stand relayed a very important message by clear and easily accessible means and people will take something away from their visit to the show.”

Professor Neil Crout, head of the School of Biosciences, said: “Achieving global food security is the one of the most pressing issues facing the world today. Through sustained research our work is focused on developing crops that will feed our growing world population, using fewer of the earth’s precious resources. This project is an excellent opportunity to showcase the School of Biosciences significant contribution to ensuring food for the future.”

More on Food for the Future
http://nott.ac.uk/foodforfuture

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Zombie Apocalypse!

June 10th, 2013

The undead were unleashed when a zombie apocalypse came to University Park.
It wasn’t the end of the world as we know it but a fundraiser for The Nottingham New Theatre production of Frankenstein. The game was simple: pay for clues to reach checkpoints; avoid being eaten by zombies.
Frankenstein producer Jennifer Kohnhorst applied the make-up while director Jake Leonard suggested what kind of zombie to be — a walker (think Dawn of The Dead) or a runner (think 28 Days Later).
Slow and creepy was popular, but runners had a chance of catching people. Toby Stevens was hoping for some old-school zombie scares: “If I get the chance to sneak up on people I will.”
But since this was a light-hearted apocalypse, no brains were consumed that evening.

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Spotlight

June 10th, 2013

Research to help protect children from risk of scalds

Toddlers living in socially-deprived areas are at the greatest risk of suffering a scald in the home, researchers have found.

The study, published in the journal Burns, showed that boys aged between one and two and those with multiple siblings were more likely to suffer a hot water-related injury, while children born to mothers aged 40 and over were at less risk than those with teenage mums.

The results could help GPs and health visitors identify those children most at risk of a scald and prevent injuries.

Dr Elizabeth Orton, co-author of the study in the University’s Division of Primary Care, said the research “would enable GPs to deliver targeted interventions to patients during clinical consultations and hopefully reduce the pain and misery of scalds for many children”.

The study found boys were 34% more likely to have a scald injury, while children living in deprived households were 80% more likely to have a scald than those in least deprived households.

Read more: http://nott.ac.uk/scalds
The paper is available at http://tiny.cc/UoNBurns

Helpers needed to welcome prospective students 

Would you like to welcome prospective students to the University? Staff helpers are needed for open days on Friday 29 and Saturday 30 June, and Friday 14 and Saturday 15 September.  To volunteer, email Nina.Taggart@nottingham.ac.uk

Orchard leads way in awards success for University 

University Park’s stunning new eco-friendly hotel has received a tourism and leisure award from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

The Orchard, which opened in November 2012 and is entirely funded by the University, picked up the regional award because of its outstanding contribution to tourism and leisure facilities in the region.

The University is also celebrating after being shortlisted for RICS awards in eight projects out of 32, covering four of the seven categories. Highfield House and the Energy Technologies Building were highly commended; the Si Yuan Centre was commended.

Chris Jagger, Chief Estates and Facilities Officer, said: “We are immensely proud of The Orchard because of its beautifully unique and environmentally thought-out design, and so to be recognised by industry professionals for its contribution to leisure and tourism in the region is a fantastic achievement.”

‘Fantastic achievement’ in world subject rankings

The University features among the best in the world in a new subjects ranking.

Nottingham now appears among the world’s elite institutions (top 200) in 29 out of 30 disciplines. The QS World University Rankings by Subject also features 21 Nottingham subjects in the top 100, compared to 14 last year, and five in the top 50, compared to two last year. Pharmacy and Pharmacology (15th), Education (26th), Law (34th), Geography (50th), and Agriculture and Forestry (50th), all ranked highly.

Deputy-Vice-Chancellor Professor Karen Cox said: “To see five of our subject areas reach the top 50 is a fantastic achievement and is testament to the teaching and research excellence of our academic colleagues.”

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Sherpas star in hit video

June 10th, 2013

No location is too remote or idea too far-fetched for the team behind the University’s award-winning Periodic Table of Videos.

Film-maker Brady Haran has used Bondi Beach as a location to examine ozone, recorded the etching of the Queen’s portrait onto a diamond to mark the Jubilee and made a rare descent into the vaults of the Bank of England as Research Professor in Chemistry, Martyn Poliakoff, mused on the nature of gold.

So it seems completely natural that Brady should head to the Himalayas to illustrate water’s capacity to boil at lower temperatures as altitude increases.

Brady’s video of a three-week trek to Everest base camp, in which he filmed Sherpas using a kerosene stove to boil a kettle of water at ever-increasing altitudes, is another hit on the Periodic Table of Videos YouTube channel.

Brady bought a thermometer in Kathmandu — “admittedly quite a ropey one” — and roped in Sherpas Buddhi Rai and Chandra Rai to perform the boiling experiments while he filmed them.

At Monjo (2850m), Buddhi tellers viewers the water boiled at 95ºC. By the time the team reach Everest base camp at 5365m, the boiling temperature has fallen to 79ºC.

On the way, Brady discovers mountain trekkers use different methods to heat water and cook — from solar cookers (giant reflective dishes in which cooking pots sit, absorbing the sun’s heat) to the more traditional burning of dried yak dung for fuel.

Brady admits his methods — while making an entertaining and informative film — perhaps didn’t meet the highest standards of scientific rigour.

He says: “Since returning I have subjected the kettle and thermometer to scrutiny by the team in the School of Chemistry. The have, in the friendliest terms, pointed out a few deficiencies with the equipment and methods.

“That in itself has made a nice sequel video.”

Brady’s film can be viewed at http://tiny.cc/UoNWater

Or visit the Periodic Table of Videos website
http://www.periodicvideos.com, where Professor Poliakoff explains the science behind the Everest video — and points out where Brady’s experiment could be improved.

Last year, the Periodic Table of Videos beat shortlisted rivals such as Getty Images Music, Discovery Communications and Yahoo! to bag the gong in the reality online film category of the Webby Awards, regarded as the internet’s Oscars.

http://tiny.cc/UoNWater

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Sir Steve inspires potential

June 7th, 2013

Olympic rowing hero Sir Steve Redgrave demonstrated  his support for Nottingham Potential by visiting the IntoUniversity Nottingham East Learning Centre in St Ann’s.

The five-time gold medallist visited the centre before being the guest of honour at a black-tie dinner, hosted by consultancy firm Gleeds, for whom Sir Steve is an ambassador.

The dinner raised money for Nottingham Potential, which helps less-advantaged young people reach their academic potential through programmes, including attending learning centres such as the one in St Ann’s.

Nottingham Potential builds on the University’s successful Widening Participation work over the past decade within less-privileged communities and aims to provide earlier, broader interventions for young people to raise attainment and encourage progression to university. The programme has been made possible by a £2.1m donation from the David Ross Foundation.

Kate Robertson, Director of Development and Alumni Relations, said: “It is fantastic that Sir Steve Redgrave and Gleeds are supporting the vital work we do through Nottingham Potential. By working in partnership with organisations such as Gleeds, we are able to support young people in the local communities and give them the opportunity to reach their academic potential. Without their support, these types of centres would not be possible and we are also delighted that they have lent us the support of Sir Steve, who will undoubtedly inspire the children and show them how to get results from hard work and commitment.”

Sir Steve already has links with Nottingham, having previously been given an honorary degree by the University.

Stuart Senior, Main Board Director for Gleeds Nottingham, added; “Both Gleeds and our ambassador, Sir Steve Redgrave, are delighted to be able to offer support for this impressive and worthwhile initiative. Nottingham Potential encourages young people across the city to realise their true potential, regardless of their background and therefore plays a vital role in nurturing the talent of tomorrow. We are proud to play a part in ensuring that this fantastic campaign can continue to develop.”

The black-tie dinner, held at the King’s Meadow Campus, was an opportunity to celebrate the success of Nottingham Potential with the University’s partners and stakeholders. A charity auction was held to raise money for the project.

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