Campus News
Food for the Future at Chelsea Flower Show
May 1st, 2013
World-leading research into global food security by the School of Biosciences is being showcased at the centenary RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The Food for the Future exhibit is based in the Great Pavilion, where visitors can talk to University researchers and find out what they are doing to help feed the world’s growing population.
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 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.”
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show takes place at the Royal Hospital, London, from Tuesday 21 May to Friday 25 May.
For more on the show visit http://tiny.cc/ChelseaFlower
Tags: global food security, Professor Neil Crout, RHS Chelsea Flower Show, School of Biosciences
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Latin American women exhibition
April 17th, 2013
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New Chancellor’s installation
April 17th, 2013
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Chancellor’s proud day
April 17th, 2013
Sir Andrew Witty has been officially installed as the seventh Chancellor of The University of Nottingham.
Sir Andrew, Chief Executive Officer of GlaxoSmithKline, graduated from the University in 1985 with a BA in Economics.
Sir Andrew said: “I never expected to become Chancellor of the University. I was shocked and honoured two years ago to be given an honorary degree, which was far in excess of anything that I thought would happen to me.
“To then get a phone call a couple of years later and be asked to undertake this role was breathtaking and I was super-honoured to be asked and regard it as a great privilege.
“Universities are truly remarkable institutions and I think in Britain we are very lucky to have a few of the world’s greatest universities and I always felt I was lucky to be a student at one of them. Now, to have the chance to hopefully give a little more back, and to help the Vice-Chancellor and the Council to think about things to help the University to continue to be so successful is a real honour and a great opportunity and I look forward to it enormously. I never thought it would happen and it didn’t take me long to say yes as I have such a strong affinity to the institution.”
Sir Andrew became Chief Executive Officer of GSK in 2008 and was knighted for services to the economy and to the UK pharmaceutical industry in the 2012 New Year Honours.
Professor David Greenaway, Vice-Chancellor, said: “All of the qualities Sir Andrew brings will help us as a University to address the challenges we face in a pretty rapidly changing education environment. He will bring new contacts, he will bring new qualities and he will bring a set of leadership skills that have been developed in a global environment, which will be a real asset to our University.
“He was a student of this University and he will now be the Chancellor and I am thrilled and excited at the prospect of working with him, to not only cherish the heritage we have, but most importantly to look to the future that beckons.”
Sir Andrew succeeds the previous Chancellor, distinguished Chinese physicist and Academician Professor Yang Fujia, who served from 2000 to 2012.
The Chancellor’s key roles including ceremonial duties and acting as an ambassador and advocate of the University. He also advises on matters of strategic importance to the University. It is an unrenumerated role.
Watch: http://tiny.cc/UofNSirAndrew
More pictures: http://tiny.cc/UoNInstallation
Tags: Chancellor of The University of Nottingham, Chief Executive Officer GlaxoSmithKline, Installation, Sir Andrew Witty
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Bulletin board
April 17th, 2013
Rolls-Royce patent award for aerospace technology
The University’s Professor Dragos Axinte and colleagues at Rolls-Royce have received the prestigious Rolls-Royce Best Patent award.
The University has been working with Rolls-Royce since 1998, developing a range of technologies at the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre (UTC).
Professor Axinte and his team worked with Dr James Kell and Dr Clive Grafton-Reed from Rolls-Royce on innovative methods to control a component restoration system for in-situ aero-engine repairs.
The collaboration came about after Dr Kell asked Professor Axinte to help adapt a miniature machine tool known as a Free-leg Hexapod or FreeHex, developed at UTC for repairs in confined areas.
The Professor of Manufacturing Engineering said: “We have been able to prove to Rolls-Royce that we can accurately control the component restoration system and to smartly move the beam so that in-situ repairs can be performed. We have also developed a unique delivery system which enables the end-effecter of the restoration technology to undertake repairs to parts of the aircraft that are normally inaccessible.”
Ric Parker, Director of Research and Technology at Rolls-Royce, said: “I am very pleased to be presenting the Best Patent award to Professor Axinte for the work that he and his team have done on the component restoration control system.
“This patent is one of a number of exciting cutting edge technologies being developed in our University Technology Centres across the UK which are enabling us to stay at the forefront of aerospace research.”
Chris Rudd, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Business Engagement at the University, added: “Receiving this award is a testament to the outstanding innovative work which Professor Axinte and his team have been undertaking on behalf of Rolls-Royce.”
Visit: www.nottingham.ac.uk/aerospace
Dedication to widening participation is recognised
Dr Penelope Griffin, Head of Widening Participation, has been appointed to the Office for Fair Access’ advisory group.
The Office for Fair Access (OFFA) is an independent public body promoting fair access to higher education. Dr Griffin (pictured) will advise the Director of Fair Access Professor Les Ebdon.
Dr Griffin has devoted much of her career to increasing access to higher education for people from less advantaged backgrounds. The University has a number of outreach programmes at primary and secondary school level, as well as bursaries and a flexible admissions policy. Intake of students from low income backgrounds has risen over six percentage points since 2004.
Dr Griffin said: “I would like to help make OFFA policy even more effective in terms of influencing what happens in universities. I would also like to be able to influence broader services and policies nationally so that students from less advantaged backgrounds have a better experience of the whole higher education process. And I’m really keen to learn more about the sector and about Government thinking.”
UK leader in sexual health services for students
Sexual health services for students at Nottingham have topped a league table of 24 elite universities in the UK.
Dr Ed, an online medical service, placed the University top after compiling a sexual health report card of services at Russell Group institutions.
Tags: Chris Rudd, Dr Clive Grafton-Reed, Dr Ed, Dr James Kell, Dr Penelope Griffin, Dragos Axinte, Free-leg Hexapod, FreeHex, Head of Widening Participation, OFFA, Office for Fair Access, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Business Engagement, Professor Les Ebdon, Ric Parker, Rolls-Royce Best Patent award, Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre, Sexual health services, UTC
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April 17th, 2013
Lysistrata
The Nottingham New Theatre and Lakeside
Date: Tuesday 23 April to Saturday 27 April
Time: 7.30pm except 2pm and 7.30pm on Saturday 27 April
Venue: Nottingham New Theatre, Cherry Tree Hill, University Park
Admission: Tuesday preview £9, £7 concessions, all other performances £10, £7.50 concessions
Entertaining Angels
New Perspectives in association with Lakeside
Date: Thursday 2 May to Saturday 4 May
Time: Thursday and Friday 8pm, Saturday 2pm and 8pm
Venue: Djanogly Theatre, Lakeside Arts Centre, University Park
Admission: £15, £12 concessions, £9.50 restricted view
Rumpelstiltskin
Hiccup Theatre
Date: Sunday 5 May
Time: 1pm and 3.30pm
Venue: Djanogly Theatre, Lakeside Arts Centre, University Park
Admission: £6.50 all tickets
The Price of Everything
Daniel Bye
Date: Thursday 9 May
Time: 8pm
Venue: Djanogly Theatre, Lakeside Arts Centre, University Park
Admission: £12, £9.50 concessions, £7.50 restricted view
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April 17th, 2013
Angela Hewitt (piano)
Chamber
Date: Thursday 25 April
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: Djanogly Recital Hall, Lakeside Arts Centre, University Park
Admission: £22, £20 concessions
The Bad Plus
Jazz
Date: Wednesday 15 May
Time: 8pm
Venue: Djanogly Theatre, Lakeside Arts Centre, University Park
Admission: £16, £13 concessions, £10 restricted view
Dervish
Folk
Date: Thursday 23 May
Time: 8pm
Venue: Djanogly Theatre, Lakeside Arts Centre, University Park
Admission: £15, £12 concessions, £9 restricted view
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April 17th, 2013
Water! The University’s Water Archives
Date: Until Sunday 19 May
Venue: Weston Gallery, Lakeside Arts Centre, University Park
Admission: Free
Barbara Walker
Date: Until Monday 6 May
Venue: Angear Visitor Centre, Lakeside Arts Centre, University Park
Admission: Free
Callum Kirkwood
Date: Until Sunday 19 May
Venue: Wallner Gallery, Lakeside Arts Centre, University Park|
Admission: Free
The First Cut: Paper at the Cutting Edge
Date: Until Sunday 9 June
Venue: Djanogly Art Gallery, Lakeside Arts Centre, University Park
Admission: Free
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Poetry of the Vikings
April 16th, 2013
They are most famous for being violent invaders of foreign shores but a new book by a University of Nottingham Viking expert shows they were also poetry lovers with a wicked sense of humour.
Viking Poetry of Love and War by Professor Judith Jesch, of the University’s Centre for the Study of the Viking Age, is the first collection in English with extracts from the full range of Viking poetry published in the UK.
The colourful volume, published by the British Museum, is an accessible introduction to the broad poetry ranges of the Vikings, from the highly formal to the light-hearted and bawdy. The selection is taken from a variety of sources from the 10th to the 13th centuries, from runes (carvings on wood, bone and stone), oral tradition and medieval manuscripts.
Professor Jesch, who translated the poems from the original Old Norse, said: “The Vikings are not often thought of as poets, though they came from a culture that valued poetry highly and rewarded poets handsomely. The themes of my selection are largely mythological, military and memorial although there is also some distinctive love poetry which encompassed both native traditions and literary influences from further south. The language is colourful, intricate and steeped in mythological knowledge.”
The new book includes short explanations of the ‘kenning’ in Viking poetry, a complex form of metaphorical diction that introduces new and often incongruous imagery. The narrative is also an informative guide to the contexts and forms of this large and varied body of unique ancient writing.
Viking Poetry of Love and War is illustrated with more than 50 full colour images of Viking art and runes from the British Museum collection.
Judith Jesch is Professor of Viking Studies. Her expertise focuses on the variety of texts composed and written in Old Norse-Icelandic. She has extensive research experience in the culture and history of the Viking Age and the relationships of language, texts and contexts during this period.
Viking Poetry of Love and War is available from the British Museum website and other online booksellers, ISBN 978 0 7141 2830 6 PB £9.99.
Tags: British Museum, Centre for the Study of the Viking Age, ISBN 978 0 7141 2830 6, Professor Judith Jesch, Professor of Viking Studies, Viking Poetry of Love and War
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