Spotlight

December 3rd, 2010

New ‘app’ ranked best in UK

An innovative internet and smart phone ‘app’ that will allow passengers to electronically hail their nearest taxi has won the UK round of a major competition to develop the latest in satellite navigation technology. TaxiZapp, developed by Rosemary McClenaghan, was crowned UK winner at the awards ceremony at the Munich HQ for the European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC). The win has netted TaxiZapp a £10,000 prize, three years’ membership to the Royal Institute of Navigation (RIN) and six months’ business incubation support from the GNSS Research & Applications Centre of Excellence (GRACE) at The University of Nottingham, which hosted the UK round of the competition. The project will also benefit from a free UK patent submission, business plan advice and introductions to technology partners and funding opportunities.

Creative writing with a difference

A unique post-graduate degree in creative writing, just launched at The University of Nottingham, could give budding writers a head start on the notoriously competitive road to literary success. The University’s School of English Studies has developed a kind of MA programme which offers students a way of becoming more meaningfully engaged with the creative and intellectual process of writing and more knowledgeable about the literary business world. It’s aimed at people who have serious ambitions and who feel that a supportive, structured environment giving sympathetic creative input and encouragement would help them. It is led by Nottingham-born award-winning poet, Matthew Welton (The Book of Matthew) and novelist and playwright Thomas Legendre, author of The Burning

Community spirit

More than 50 students met residents over a cup of tea and a slice of cake at the Dunkirk Tea Party at the Dunkirk and Old Lenton Community Centre (DOLCA) in an event to foster community relations. The University of Nottingham Brass Ensemble provided entertainment. Local MP Lillian Greenwood attended, as did local councillors and representatives from Off Campus Student Affairs at the University, who made a donation from the Community Chest Fund. The event was organised by the Tenants and Residents Association of DunkirkCreative cartographers from across the UK descended on The University for a two-day event aimed at pushing the boundaries for the development of new mapping ‘apps’ and software. WhereCamp UK, on November 19 and 20, allowed participants to showcase their work and develop collaborations on a range of mapping applications from mobile device apps to web 2.0. The event was been organised by Dr Hanif Rahemtulla, Research Fellow in Horizon Digital Economy Research, a research hub and doctoral training centre based at The University of Nottingham Innovation Park (UNIP), and by Christopher Osborne of ITO World, a transportation and data intelligence company. and the Dunkirk and Old Lenton Partnership Forum. It was further supported by The University of Nottingham and DOLCA. Volunteers from the Students Union also joined DOLCA, Nottingham City Council and the police in a Morning of Action, tidying up Dunkirk.

Mapping out future

Creative cartographers from across the UK descended on The University for a two-day event aimed at pushing the boundaries for the development of new mapping ‘apps’ and software. WhereCamp UK, on November 19 and 20, allowed participants to showcase their work and develop collaborations on a range of mapping applications from mobile device apps to web 2.0. The event was been organised by Dr Hanif Rahemtulla, Research Fellow in Horizon Digital Economy Research, a research hub and doctoral training centre based at The University of Nottingham Innovation Park (UNIP), and by Christopher Osborne of ITO World, a transportation and data intelligence company.

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