Ian joined the University of Bath in 1985. He was promoted directly from lecturer to a personal chair (the only time the University has done this) and soon became a head of department and then Dean. He oversaw the University’s very successful submission to the 1996 Research Assessment Exercise.

As Pro-Vice-Chancellor he has been responsible for all aspects of the student experience, working very closely with the Students’ Union. His leadership in this crucial area was commended in the University’s recent outstanding assessment from the Quality Assurance Agency.

He has spearheaded Bath’s commitment to the Academy programme and has led on the University’s widening participation initiatives.

His contribution to education has extended well beyond the University throughout his career.

In the early 1980s Ian co-directed the Industry Project, in which most work-related activities in schools today have their origins. He also founded and edited the Journal of Education and Work for 13 years – now the leading international journal in the field.

More recently, he has worked very closely with secondary schools in Swindon and has been a School Governor for many years.

As a consequence of the high regard in which he is held, Ian has chaired or served on a wide range of local, regional and national committees.

Professor Glynis Breakwell, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath, said: “Ian has made an outstanding contribution to education nationally throughout his career, as well as all that he has done within the University. It is a sign of his professionalism and commitment that even in his last week he was continuing to progress new initiatives that will further improve the excellent experience our students receive.”

Commenting on the honour, Professor Jamieson said: “I am delighted to receive this honour and although it is personal to me, it also reflects the enormous support I have received from the University of Bath over the years in developing my work in education at every level.”

Dr Peter Long and Professor Tamás Székely, from the University’s Department of Biology & Biochemistry, have transformed a previously empty room at the University of Toliara into a Geographical Information Science (GIS) lab.

Supported by The Leverhulme Trust and the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) Ralph Brown Expedition Award, they have created the specialist lab by providing laptops, internet access and GPS receivers.

The pair also collaborated with Dr Sama Zefania at the University of Toliara to run courses to train Madagascan biology graduates to analyse satellite images for projects ranging from environmental conservation to planning and forestry management.

Dr Peter Long teaches a GIS workshop

Dr Long explained: “We’ve been working with colleagues at the University of Toliara for several years, studying the use of wetlands in Madagascar for farming and fishing, and looking at how these activities will be affected by future climate change, deforestation and human population growth.

“We noticed that the local biology graduates have quite an old-fashioned education at university. So they don’t have the transferable skills they need to be able to work in environmental impact jobs such as park management, geographical planning and the mining industry. This means that companies employ foreign workers to do these jobs instead.

“So we decided to set up a lab there and run workshops to teach these specialist skills to lecturers and students at the university.”

Professor Székely said: “It was an interesting challenge – the lab didn’t have any furniture, or even a door, let alone internet access. We had to transport all the books, laptops, printers and field equipment using rickshaws!

“We’re hoping to continue running workshops and help the students into the careers they want to do.

“It’s very satisfying to see the progress of the students. We’ve met some good friends with whom we hope to be able to collaborate academically in the future.”

Kafosay Felestin is a postgraduate student in Geography at the University of Toliara. As part of his course he must undertake an extended piece of field research and write a dissertation, but for many students in Madagascar fieldwork costs are prohibitively expensive.

Kafosay Felestin

The Leverhulme-funded project, a collaboration between Bath, Toliara and Cardiff University-based scientists Professor Mike Bruford and Dr Edward Brede, has funded Kafosay to spend two months doing fieldwork in the lower Mangoky region in order to understand how rural people use wetlands.

“I was really happy to be able to work with the Bath team,” said Kafosay. “This project was an opportunity for me to learn how to perform the latest GIS analysis, get into the field with all the equipment I needed, and improve my English by working closely with the British team.”

Dr Long said: “It was great to work with some really enthusiastic Malagasy students in Toliara. I’m confident that this small project has given valuable training to the students we worked with and it was great to be able to leave the legacy of a small library, laptops and field equipment so that Toliara students in future will be able to do high quality field research in their local environment.”

Kafosay hopes to continue to do a PhD on conservation of wetlands in Madagascar. He feels that working with the two UK universities has helped him towards this goal.

“I now know how to plan scientific research and compete for grant funding from international agencies,” he said.

Dr Long added: “Working with students in Universities is an important aspect of doing research in Madagascar. The Malagasy students’ perspectives are often very valuable and it is possible to make a real difference to higher education in Madagascar by taking the time to understand the students’ needs.”

Researchers from the Sport & Exercise Science Research Group, based in the University’s School for Health, are looking for 20 volunteers to take part in the three-week trial starting in the New Year.

They are seeking men and women between the ages of 45 and 64 who are currently inactive and overweight.

The researchers will assess each volunteer before and after the trial with the aim of finding out whether moderate or vigorous exercise is more successful in reducing heart disease risk factors.

Dr Dylan Thompson, from the Sport & Exercise Science Research Group, said: “We want to be able to tell people whether exercise at a moderate intensity for longer will achieve the same health gains as those who exercise vigorously but for a shorter time period.”

“Part of our interest is in fat tissue and we are trying to understand how loosing some weight and becoming more active can benefit our health and what contribution the fat tissue has.”

Potential participants will be asked to fill in a health questionnaire to assess whether they are eligible to take part. During the three-week intervention, they will be required to visit the University’s gym several times a week and reduce their food intake. They will be assessed at the beginning and at the end of the three-week period.

Jean-Philippe Walhin, the PhD student conducting the research added: “Both groups will receive the same dietary advice and all participants are expected to lose about a kilo a week, which is a healthy rate to lose weight.”

There are lots of benefits of taking part in the trial. Not only is it a good way to kick start a healthier lifestyle in the New Year, it is also a chance to enjoy six months free gym membership.

Jean-Philippe added: “We will also give each volunteer feedback on results, such as their fitness, diet, cholesterol, blood pressure and body composition.”

Those who are currently on medication or who suffer from heart disease are not able to take part in the trial.

For more information on taking part in the trial contact Jean-Philippe Walhin on 01225 386478 or email jpw23@bath.ac.uk

The project by artist Katie Paterson, called Streetlight Storm, will transform Deal Pier in Kent into a monitoring system for global lightning activity.

Supported by Vauxhall Motors and Albion Gallery, in partnership with Turner Contemporary and Whitstable Biennale, the artwork runs from 21 December – 30 January 2010.

Dr Martin Fullekrug, from the University’s Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering, was the academic consultant on the project.

Every minute there can be between 1,000 and 3,000 lightning flashes happening around the world. By using sensitive radio measurements the art installation, along the length of the pier, will flicker simultaneously with each of these lightning strikes.

With the help of Dr Fullekrug’s knowledge, Katie was able to set up radio measurements to detect the lightning and link it to the installation.

Lightning signals from as far away as Central Africa and South America are then received by an antenna on the pier and translated into light.

Dr Fullekrug said: “Scientists are trying to measure lightning in the Earth’s atmosphere with sophisticated instruments to understand it better. Katie is using similar instrumentation to demonstrate the power of lightning in this breathtaking installation.

“The power of lightning is small but it is so enjoyable seeing the lights of Deal Pier flashing in tune with the powers of nature, it is a delightful experience.”

The installation opens on the winter equinox, Monday 21 December, and runs until Saturday 30 January 2010 – making the most of the dark winter nights.

Collaboration is central to Katie’s practice, as is being multi-disciplinary, cross-medium and conceptually driven.

She said: “I am interested in the way the ordinary and the otherworldly stuff intersect; I hope the work’s universal content will ignite the imagination of many.”

Stephen, aged 48, who has ten years of experience at Board and Chief Executive level in sport, will take up his new post in February 2010.

His appointment follows a global search for this pivotal role which will see him head up one of the leading university sports departments in the UK.

Stephen has a very impressive sporting background, both on and off the field of play.

As a professional badminton player he won numerous Commonwealth, European and national titles in a career than spanned between 1982 and 1990.

He then became Britain’s team manager for badminton’s first appearance as a full Olympic sport in Barcelona in 1992 before taking up similar coaching roles in Scotland and then Switzerland. 

In 1996 Stephen became performance director for the Badminton Association of England before moving to the role of Chief Executive, aged just 36, two years later. 

In 2004 he took the role of Director of National Sport for Sport England – the body that distributes Lottery and Government funding to national and local associations. 

His four years there included holding the position of interim Chief Executive during which time he developed, agreed and communicated a new vision and strategy for Sport England. 

Stephen said: ” The University of Bath has an outstanding sports development system underpinned by world class facilities and it is an immense privilege to be taking on this exciting role, especially during the run up to 2012. The challenge is to build on what is already a great set-up by taking it one step further.”

Professor Kevin Edge, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath, said: “We are delighted to have appointed someone with such a wealth of sporting experience – both as a professional sportsman and coach, and as a Director and Chief Executive with Sport England.

“Stephen’s passion for sport will help to harness the energy and dynamism within the Department of Sports Development and Recreation to ensure our students and other University-based athletes continue to deliver outstanding results in the sporting arena and beyond.

“He will also lead the department’s efforts to continue providing first-class recreational facilities for all our students and staff, and the local community.”

Stephen can expect to be very busy in what is a particularly exciting time for sport at the University.

The University’s sporting success, under its TeamBath brand, has been based on the expertise and dedication of staff and its world class facilities which are used by students, staff, the community and Olympic medal winners alike.

Together this has created a truly inspirational environment in which students can fulfil their sporting potential alongside some of the nation’s sporting elite.

Bath has already been chosen as the venue to host the ParalympicsGB team’s preparations in the run up to London 2012, and discussions are still ongoing about hosting an Olympic team.

A number of sports have their national or other high performance bases at the University including modern pentathlon, bob skeleton, badminton, beach volleyball and judo as well as the University being one of only five Intensive Training Centres for British swimming.

Stephen added: “I look forward to working with colleagues and stakeholders to maintain the University as one of the most important sporting hubs in the UK. I can’t wait to get started.”