Campus News
Laura Knight and the Class of ‘09
October 15th, 2012
Pamela Gerrish-Nunn
Date: Thursday 18 October
Time: 6.30pm to 7.30pm
Venue: Djanogly Art Gallery (Lecture Theatre), Lakeside Arts Centre, University Park
Admission: Free
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Balls, Boots and Players: Celebrating 500 Years of Nottingham High School in its Community
October 15th, 2012
Pure and Constant: Mark Whitmore, Director of Collections and Master Planning, Imperial War Museum
Date: Wednesday 10 October
Time: 1pm to 2pm
Venue: Room A09, Engineering Science Learning Centre, University Park
Admission: Free
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Balls, Boots and Players
October 15th, 2012
Celebrating 500 Years of Nottingham High School in the Community
Friday 28 September to Sunday 13 January at Wallner Gallery. Open 11am to 4pm, Monday to Saturday, and noon to 4pm, Sundays and bank holidays. Admission is free.
The exhibition explores the relationship between Nottingham High School and its community, illustrated through the lives of the people who belong to it. Drawing on material from the school’s archives and from collections at the University, it shows how early efforts to organise education in a small market town helped lay the foundations for a great city driven by learning.
The story touches on the lace industry, international sport, military service, public service and migration. It demonstrates the intelligence and commitment of the people who dedicated their lives to the education of local boys, and whose influence spanned lifetimes. It encompasses the climate of change that blew a Nottingham miner’s son through education to become the most controversial British writer of the 20th century.
The exhibition has been curated by Nottingham High School in collaboration with Manuscripts and Special Collections at the University.
Tags: manuscripts and special collections
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Laura Knight in the Open Air
October 15th, 2012
Runs until Sunday 4 November at Djanogly Art Gallery, Lakeside Arts Centre, University Park. The gallery is open 11am to 4pm, Monday to Saturday, and noon to 4pm, Sundays and bank holidays. Admission is free.
Educated at the Nottingham School of Art in the last decade of the 19th century, Laura Knight went on to become on of the most celebrated artists of her day. In 1968 she presented The University of Nottingham with her group portrait of the artist Lamorna Birch with his two daughters that now hangs in the Djanogly Gallery café at Lakeside.
Dame Laura Knight The Cornish Coast 1914-17, Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales ©Reproduced with the permission of the Estate of Dame Laura Knight DBE RA 2012. All rights reserved.
Tags: Laura Knight
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More than just a gigolo?
October 15th, 2012
Maurice Roëves has a reputation for playing Scottish hardmen. But he admits to feeling a little “scared” by his latest role.
The 75-year-old is the sole star in acclaimed playwright Stephen Lowe’s Just a Gigolo, the third in Lowe’s DH Lawrence trilogy, following on from Fox And The Little Vixens and Empty Bed Blues.
And a one-man show brings its fair share of pressure. “It can be more mentally tiring than physical — it all depends on how you approach the work and the method that you use to absorb the lines so that eventually they come out not just as lines but actual thoughts,” says Maurice.
“This most definitely is not a monologue but a play.”
The star of Damned United — the film about Brian Clough’s disastrous spell at Leeds United before he took the helm at Nottingham Forest — explains: “With this role I am attempting to employ not only my theatre technique but also movie technique.”
He plays Italian soldier Angelo Ravagli, whose affair with DH Lawrence’s wife Frieda inspired Lady Chatterley’s Lover; he is thought to be the inspiration for Oliver Mellors, she, the Lady.
Ravagli was a one-time close supporter of fascist leader Mussolini and met the Lawrences in 1925 at their Italian villa, where the affair with Frieda began. After Lawrence’s death in 1930, at the age of 44, Ravagli left his wife and children to move in with Frieda, marrying her in 1950.
Written and directed by Stephen Lowe, produced by Maurice’s wife, Vanessa Rawlings-Jackson, Assembly and Lakeside Arts Centre, Just a Gigolo has already aired at the Edinburgh Festival earlier this year.
“The festival was hard as audiences were small mainly due, I think, to the Olympics. Edinburgh just did not seem to have that ‘festival air’ about it. Back in the distant past, I performed a one-man play there at the Richard Demarco Gallery which was called There was a Man, about Robert Burns, the Scots poet and philosopher.”
“My wife Vanessa had been pushing me to do another one-man play but I didn’t want to do a production that someone else had already performed; I wanted to do a new play. Working on something else with Stephen, we had got talking and I thought it sad that no one had ever done anything on Angelo Ravagli; it was time to bring him into the limelight too and out of the shadow of Lawrence.
“Vanessa ended up having to produce this escapade and Stephen had the job of writing it. The difficulty of the play is the challenge it presents and that’s therefore the attraction. Theatrical suicide!”
The play tells how Ravagli tries to sell off nine of Lawrence’s Forbidden Paintings, including Rape of the Sabine Women, Holy Family and Nymphs and Fauns, left to him by Frieda after her death in 1956.
Although tame by today’s standards, the paintings were censored in 1929 and Lawrence had them removed from the UK; they are now on display in Taos, New Mexico.
Prints of the paintings — still officially banned from being publicly displayed in Britain — will form the backdrop to the play. So, technically, could Lakeside be prosecuted for displaying them?
“They did not arrest us or attempt to stop the performances up in Edinburgh which is a pity as we could have used the publicity,” says Maurice. “Let’s hope that Lakeside has more luck, huh?”
Maurice has more than a little affection for Ravagli and his love of la dolce vita. His marriage to Frieda was longer and, by all accounts, more fulfilling and passionate than her marriage to Lawrence.
“He was mischievous and he loved life. I think he and Frieda had a much deeper relationship than that of just lovers and indeed I think probably deeper than the one she had with Lawrence; after all they were together twice as long as she was with Lawrence.
“Lawrence and Frieda had a relationship of theory but not very successful practically, whereas Frieda and Angelo had a very healthy physical relationship as well as a full understanding of why, which Lawrence could not grasp in practice.”
Maurice is known for his strong, Glaswegian accent, and has played many a hard man. But he was actually born in Sunderland. “I left Sunderland before I learned to speak! The streets of Glasgow became my Academy of Life.”
So has nailed the Italian accent? “Someone thought I sounded like an ice-cream seller. That’s pleased me as they are not-a-so-good with the English, you know??”
Just a Gigolo, starring Maurice Roëves, is at Djanogly Theatre, Lakeside Arts Centre, from Tuesday 23 October to Sunday 27 October. Tickets are £15, £12 concessions and £9.50 restricted view. The play is suitable for 16 years upwards. Call the box office on: 0115 846 7777 or visit: www.lakesidearts.org
Tags: DH Lawrence, Maurice Roëves, Stephen Lowe
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Potholes? Don’t worry, University researchers are looking into them…
October 11th, 2012
They give motorists a rough ride and cost local authorities millions of pounds every year in repairs.
Now researchers at the University — among the UK’s leading experts in road engineering — are setting their sights on potholes and aiming to make the highways hazard a thing of the past.
Research, being led by Dr Nick Thom in the Nottingham Transport Engineering Centre (NTEC), is examining why roads deteriorate in the form of discrete craters and how more effective design could stop this.
Dr Nick Thom said: “Potholes are public enemy No. 1 and they cost a lot to the economy in terms of repair bills for local authorities, delays while repairs are carried out, vehicle wear-and-tear and even compensation claims made by motorists.
“We are interested in studying why potholes occur in the first place and what can be done about them in terms of the effectiveness of repairs and, eventually, new or better materials to prevent them.”
The academics in NTEC have joined forces with Dr Mujib Rahman in the School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment at Nottingham Trent University for a six-month pump priming project funded by the Institution of Civil Engineers to study potholes.
Potholes are a thorny issue as local authorities and the Highways Agency try to maintain the infrastructure of the nation’s roads in a climate of cutbacks and austerity. The Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey 2012 by the Asphalt Industry Alliance reported that around 1.7m potholes were filled last year, with an average of over 12,000 per local highway authority in England (excluding London). The average number of complaints about potholes each year outside London was more than 13,000.
A Department for Transport review of potholes, Prevention and a Better Cure, contained a raft of recommendations for the prevention of potholes and more effective repairs to existing roads.
Postgraduate student Yawen Liu has chosen the issue of potholes as the subject of her PhD and is using specialist testing equipment in the Nottingham Pavement Engineering building, where NTEC is based, to experiment on pothole formation.
Weather is a major causal factor in potholes. When water seeps through the surface of a road and fills air pockets in the layers beneath, it can loosen the stones and break the bonds of the bitumen holding them together, making the asphalt less stable. And in cold weather, the water can freeze, then expand, pushing the materials apart.
Yawen’s research is examining how road surface materials and the bonds between layers respond to external forces in the presence of water, identifying deterioration mechanisms and isolating those materials that successfully last the distance
Tags: Dr Nick Thom, Nottingham Transport Engineering Centre (NTEC)
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University opens office in Africa
October 11th, 2012
There might be half a century between them but it didn’t stop them comparing notes on The University of Nottingham.
University alumnus Professor Lanre Ogunlana (Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Sciences 1963) and prospective Nottingham Architecture student Yimika Edun were both guests at the Nigerian launch of The University of Nottingham West Africa Office.
Professor Ogunlana, a consultant in pharmaceuticals with Lanpharm Laboratories Scientific Services, studied at the University from 1960-63 and Yimika will start her foundation course at Nottingham in January 2013.
They were just two of the 50 or so guests, including University of Nottingham alumni and partners, who met at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel in Lagos to celebrate the opening of the University’s West Africa Office, which was officially opened in the Ghanaian capital Accra in April.
The event was hosted by Professor Christine Ennew, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Internationalisation at The University of Nottingham, Brigitte Rudram of the University’s International Office and Isaac Adoki, President of Nottingham Alumni Association Nigeria.
Professor Ennew said: “The University has more than 800 alumni in Nigeria and it was a joy to meet so many of our alumni, friends and prospective students at the event. Links between the University and Nigeria stretch back over 50 years and there is a long tradition of Nigerian students coming to study at The University of Nottingham in the UK and more recently at our Malaysia campus. We have also enjoyed strong academic links and collaborative research with many senior academics in Nigeria having been trained at The University of Nottingham.”
The office in Ghana is the first physical presence that the University has established on the continent. It is evidence of Nottingham’s commitment to global reach, partnership development, supporting diversity and widening participation. It also underpins the University’s commitment to supporting development across the region through capacity building, collaborative support and knowledge transfer.
The office is providing a focus for encouraging staff and student mobility between the UK and Africa and supporting alumni and extending links with partners in the region. It is also establishing a regional base for the University’s increasing collaborative work across Africa, encouraging greater staff and student exchange and widening access to the University’s campuses through increased awareness of the its extensive scholarships portfolio.
Tags: The University of Nottingham West Africa Office
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New scheme is just the job
October 11th, 2012
Seventeen young people from across the East Midlands have started work at the University as part of a new apprenticeship scheme.
Working with admin staff, designers — even lab technicians — under the guidance of mentors, the 17 will also attend college to work towards an NVQ.
“Nottingham is not just an international university attracting students from around the world; we are also a major employer in the local area providing a vast range of exciting career opportunities,” said Professor Sarah O’Hara, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Access and Community Relations.
“We are passionate about supporting young people in Nottinghamshire to achieve their full potential and delighted to be involved in an apprenticeship scheme that will enable them to acquire new skills and paid employment while adding to our talented workforce.”
Claire Kempson, Professional Development Officer, added: “The University is committed to building strong links with the local community and recognises that a particular problem in Nottinghamshire is youth unemployment.
“The programme was introduced to provide worthwhile jobs and excellent training for this group, making a significant contribution to the local area in this time of economic hardship. Evidence suggests that apprentices are highly motivated, highly productive and because of the combination of in-house support and external training are able to quickly become productive and valuable members of staff.”
Adele Baron, 18, from Long Eaton, is working as a marketing and communications assistant after completing a BTEC level 3 Extended Diploma course in Art and Design.
“I felt that I’d got everything out of college that I could, but wasn’t ready to go to university,” said Adele. “As there aren’t many jobs near home I saw the apprenticeship as a great opportunity to learn about a working environment.
“I can always study at University later, but this is giving me the chance to learn about working in a communications and marketing department while developing my photography skills; being a professional photographer is something I’d like to do full time in the future. If I was offered a full-time position at the end of my apprenticeship I would definitely take the offer.”
Lewis Stainer, 21, from Beeston, also wants to be a professional photographer, and is working as an audio visual assistant alongside Lisa Gilligan-Lee, image editor in Communications, Marketing and Recruitment.
“There aren’t many photography apprenticeships going. Working with a professional photographer — capturing, editing and uploading images — in a corporate environment, is a brilliant opportunity. Hopefully, if I am good enough, it will result in a full-time position.”
For more information about apprenticeships, visit: www.apprenticeships.org.uk
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Mishaps, missed ways and minor misdemeanours
October 11th, 2012
Day 1: Cape Wrath to Inchnadamph: Karen has developed a squeak, the source of which she cannot track down, so we all took shifts riding with her so she could tell us about it.
Day 2: Inchnadamph to Inchbae: We woke to a glorious morning: bright, sunny and still. Ideal conditions for midges. Swarms of them were out for an early breakfast. The jungle spray I bought at Birmingham airport did not do what it said on the tin and I now have polka dot legs.
Day 3: Inchbae to Spean Bridge: We had to use the A82, a winding single carriageway which is fast and with a high proportion of oversized vehicles. Nick was bumped off the road into roadworks. Fortunately he was unhurt, but disappointing to see such negligence and wanton disregard for safety. Today’s other mishap was with Mike, a spoke snapped and his front wheel immediately buckled. Fortunately it was just a couple of miles from the hotel so he was able to walk his bike in.
Day 4: Spean Bridge to Cairndow: Conditions were atrocious, driving rain and strong winds. And we had 93 miles to do. We were all well prepared in terms of clothing. All garments were high visibility. Since I had a bright yellow jacket and helmet cover, Kate likened me to a Lollipop Lady; note Lollipop Lady not Lollipop Man.
Day 5: Cairndow to Kilmarnock: Another brute of a day: 88 miles, mostly in headwinds, with an exacting start and even more exacting finish.
The Gare Loch was a place I visited regularly as a boy. We were regular visitors to Rhu, courtesy of a paternal grandfather. He would take me, my brother and sister, and an assortment of others there a couple of times each summer. The routine was always the same: he set us off foraging for mussels and went to the pub; when he returned he retrieved a black cooking pot hidden in a bush; we’d then cook and eat the mussels and head home. The beach is still there and judging from the broken shells on the road so are the mussels. The pub is still there. I did not going looking for the pot, it would have broken a spell.
In Glasgow we rode along the side of the Clyde. It is now a very different waterfront and emblematic of the city’s extraordinary regeneration. The bike track runs all the way to Glasgow Green, from where we headed to the east end: first Parkhead, where another wave of regeneration is taking place in preparation for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, then in to Shettleston. It was a trip with great personal resonance. I grew up on Chester Street. The tenement where we lived is now gone, though the Shettleston Town football ground and Social Club at the end of the street is still there. The visit meant a lot to me and was a perfect reminder of why we are doing this ride.
Day 6: Kilmarnock to Annan: 461 miles and 25,000ft. All the riders are creaking, but are in great spirits. They are an outstanding group of people to do this with.
Day 7: Annan to Kirkby Lonsdale: Google Latitude is an app which gives you the location of other riders in real time. When Chris R was leaving Penrith he checked it. To his amazement Chris J had overtaken him. He was about half a mile ahead. Affronted, Chris R set off. After a few miles at full pelt, Chris J was, if anything, stretching the gap between them. Chis R couldn’t work out what was going on. He pedalled harder. After 18 miles, he seemed to have gunned him down in Tebay. When he got there Chris J was nowhere to be seen. However our minibus was, and in the minibus was Chris J’s broken phone with Google Latitude still switched on!
Day 8: Kirkby Lonsdale to Wetherby: Simon’s chair collapsed under him at breakfast. He alleges sabotage on the part of the support team, for a cheap laugh (and it did get a lot of laughs); they have another explanation… A second mishap occurred on Settle Hill; Mike’s momentum became so slow he was more or less stationary and just keeled over. Fortunately Kate is a really fast draw with her camera and got a picture (and Mike is fine by the way).
Around this point on Life Cycle 1, Moves Like Jagger was top of the download charts and it was immediately adopted by the team. There is no equivalent at present, so I have suggested they adopt Summertime by TJ Bilham. He is my nephew and it is his first release.
Day 9: Wetherby to Lincoln: Another 83 miles. Some bodies are hurting, 12 to be precise. Hardly surprising, after 701 miles and cumulative climbs of over 37,000ft. There is also a fair amount of fatigue. That comes partly from the battering our bodies from day after day of 80 or 90 miles on a saddle. There is also the unrelenting daily routine. And it is not just physical fatigue. It is essential to maintain full concentration for six to eight hours on the road.
But, for all that, spirits remain remarkably high. Breaks and dinners are times to catch up with and wind each other up, and despite lengthy and full days, the support team play a vital part in lifting riders when needed. It is also clear that the cause for which we are doing this not only keeps riders motivated, it lifts them.
Day 10: Lincoln to Nottingham: What a fabulous day, better than we could have hoped for. The start was at Lincoln Cathedral. It was a real thrill to see more than 50 leg riders preparing to take on the 54 miles to University Park. Our welcome at the Sports Centre was wonderful. It was really uplifting to see that so many family, friends and colleagues had turned out to welcome us. There was a real party atmosphere.
Day 11: Nottingham to Banbury: After such an uplifting afternoon on University Park, waning enthusiasm could have been forgiven. But, there was none of that. Quote of the day: I called Sarah who runs my office. ‘Anything you need from me?’ ‘No’ she replied, ‘the University seems to be running quite well without you’. Thanks Sarah, I’ll try not to rush back.
Day 12: Banbury to Winchester: Chris J took over wayfinding. I am not sure whether he was using his Garmin or his new iPhone. Either way, he led a pack of riders into a pedestrian zone and then down a one-way street. That double traffic violation has earned him some My Little Pony style streamers on his handlebars to remind him not to do it again. Incidentally, Chris J is getting to grips with his new phone. He has installed a photo of himself as the screen’s wallpaper. It has turned out to be a highly effective security measure. There is absolutely no chance of anyone stealing it now.
Day 13: Winchester to Eastbourne: Chichester is a lovely city with a fine cathedral. We were longer there than planned, partly because I sensed a willingness to dawdle over lunch; partly because Barry lost the van. I know Chichester is not a village, nor is it a metropolis and it is a pretty big van, so that took some doing.
Day 14: Eastbourne to Dover: I was last out, but Gavin and Andy had waited for me. They were not the only thing waiting for me. My bike was adorned with every bit of tat you can imagine: streamers, bells, a pink chicken, even an orange warning bar to stick out from my back wheel. It was a fair cop after the fun I had poked at all and sundry through my blogs over the last two weeks This is a really tough challenge, tougher than Life Cycle 1. The support team have been marvellous, working long days, bearing the responsibility of ensuring bikes are roadworthy, keeping track of riders on the road, and helping keep their spirits up. As for the riders, they put their lives on hold for two weeks and their bodies through the mangle. I have nothing but admiration for their spirit and resilience. On many days, getting to the end was a mind over body triumph, and every rider completed every leg.
Read the Vice-Chancellor’s blog in full at: blogs.nottingham.ac.uk/lifecycle
Tags: Life Cycle
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