Friday 2 March 2012
News
Staff Survey update: workload & bureaucracy
A message from Alison Price, Academic Registrar and institutional lead on workload & bureaucracy.
Vacancies for Heads of Department: invitation for expressions of interest
Expressions of interest are now invited from eligible members of staff who wish to be considered for Head of Department.
Help us tell the Olympic and Paralympic story
In the run up to London 2012 we hope to bring some of the excitement of the Games to the University website by featuring the athletes, staff and students at Bath who will be part of the Olympic and Paralympic story. We need your help!
Biology PhD student Steve Bush has written a play which opens this week at the Rondo Theatre in Bath and runs until Saturday.
Robot Grand Prix
School and college students from all over the south west explored the technology behind robotics and computer games as part of an aspirational workshop run by the University.
Students will pitch for the chance to turn ideas for mobile apps into software reality, at the Finale of the Students’ Union’s Apps Crunch competition on Thursday 8 March (6-8pm East building).
Research
How training gets your fat fit
Researchers at the Universities of Bath, Oxford and Toulouse have been looking at how adipose tissue (fat) plays a dynamic and active role during exercise and physical activity.
Research led by Professor David Coley has helped in the formal certification of the first PassivHaus school in Exeter.
Bath mathematicians join the fight against diabetes
Mathematicians from the University are working as part of a major €45 million pan-European project to help improve the treatment of Type 2 diabetes.
Researchers investigate if state provides enough support for funeral costs
Researchers at the University are appealing to people in Scotland and Wales to help them investigate whether the Government is giving enough financial support to allow everyone to provide a basic funeral for their loved ones.
New research to gauge mental workload of pharmacists
A PhD student from the University’s Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology has been awarded funding of £41,000 to look into the relationship between the mental workload of pharmacists and the rate of dispensing errors.
Bath Research Design Service is here to help you prepare research proposals for submission to peer-reviewed funding competitions for applied health or social care research. If you have a research idea or would like to discuss further please contact Lisa Austin (L.Austin@bath.ac.uk) 01225 386575.
Staff training & development
Internal
Programme of staff development courses for 2012
Dates for staff development courses throughout 2012 are now available.
Don’t miss the Leadership@lunchtime workshops! Tuesday 24 January - Tuesday 15 May
This comprehensive programme of lunchtime workshops looks at aspects of leadership in the context of research or academia in general. Designed as a series of workshops, participants are welcome to attend just one or two sessions or book for the complete series.
Info session: Key Information Sets about undergraduate courses Wednesday 7 March
The session will cover: background to the KIS and Wider Information Set, timescale to publication, information to be included and issues with the data, and strategic use of the KIS for marketing and recruitment.
Engaging with a diverse student population Friday 9 March
This session will consider some of the challenges faced by staff working in a student-facing role when communicating across culture, whether with international students, students for whom English is not a first language, students with mental health needs, students with a disability or indeed any student who is culturally different from yourself!
External
ESRC media training days
The ESRC has organised a series of media training days for ESRC funded researchers who are beyond their first five years as a researcher.
Media Fellowships: Learn how to turn the latest science into news
The British Science Association runs a Media Fellowship scheme for researchers to spend a summer working for media hosts such as the BBC, Guardian or Nature to get communication skills and confidence working with the media. The scheme is open to researchers from PhD level upwards.
Joint Equality Forum 2012 - creating opportunities for success Thursday 15 March
Dr Alun Thomas (Deputy Vice-Chancellor - Bath Spa University) and Mark Humphriss (University Secretary - University of Bath) will give delegates an overview of achievements over the year, and look to the future.
Free beginner’s guide to the media for scientists and engineers
The Science Media Centre is holding a free ‘Introduction to the Media’ event for scientists and engineers on Thursday 22 March at the Veysey Building, Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Exeter from 1.30pm to 6pm with drinks afterwards. To register for this event, please send an e-mail with your name, job title, institutional e-mail address and phone number to introduction@sciencemediacentre.org
Standing up for science media workshop Friday 23 March
This full day event, held at the University of Manchester, is free and for early career researchers in all sciences, engineering and medicine (PhD students, post-docs or equivalent in first job).
Learning & teaching
Are you being watched?The second in a series of articles from the Learning & Teaching's Better@Bath booklet.
Student shadowing project set to continue
The University’s student shadowing project, run jointly with the University of Exeter and funded by the Leadership Foundation, is set to continue.
On Tuesday 20 March, a new special interest group supported by the National HE STEM programme is to be launched.
Don’t miss this year’s University Teaching Awards! Deadline - 5pm Friday 16 March
Nominations for the University Teaching Awards 2012 are now invited from both students and staff to recognise significant contributions by staff to learning and teaching.
Call for teaching development fund bids 2012/13 Deadline - Monday 16 April
The University’s Learning & Teaching Quality Committee is pleased to invite bids for the latest round of teaching development funding for projects in academic year 2012/13.
Information
Kris Shah – Funeral details
The funeral will take place at Haycombe Crematorium on Tuesday 6 March, at 1pm, followed by a gathering at the Bathwick Boatman from 2pm.
THE Outstanding Leadership & Management Awards 2012 Deadline - Friday 16 March
This award will go to the institution that demonstrates the greatest breadth and depth of leadership and management skills, including many of those recognised by other award categories. Apply now!
The Chancellor's Prize 2012 Deadline - noon Friday 20 April
If you feel one of your students deserves the Chancellor's Prize 2012, then make sure you nominate them. The winner of the prize will receive £1500!
Chance to enter the Race for Life
Entries for Cancer Research UK's Bath Race for Life have opened. Organisers are issuing a rallying cry to mums, daughters, sisters, grandmothers and friends, encouraging them to sign up as soon as possible for the event which will take place at the University on Sunday 17 June.
Is one of your students the University’s best research student? If so they could win £1000
The Ede and Ravenscroft Prize is an annual award for the best postgraduate research student awarded for the first time in 1991 and is generously funded by Ede and Ravenscroft, appointed robemakers to HM The Queen.
Excellence in Doctoral Supervision award
The purpose of this award is to promote, recognise and reward excellence in the supervision of doctoral students of all kinds.The award consists of a prize of £1000 to the successful nominee(s).
Please could you make any potential successful nominees aware of this award.
In the media
Would you like to receive a daily email of news stories that feature the University? Please email press@bath.ac.uk and include the word 'Headlines' in the subject box. A selection of HE stories in the national media is also included. For a more comprehensive list of the University's media coverage, visit the bathinthemedia page.
- Niels Vollaard's research into exercise and diabetes features in the Daily Mail
- Tom Reid discusses language change and interpretation on BBC Radio Wiltshire (33.12-36.05)
- RepRap 3D printing technology discussed in The Straits Times
- Dylan Thompson's research into the role of Adipose (fat) tissue features in Health Canal
- Geoff Whitty discusses the issue of post graduate funding in Times Higher Education
Events
Chaplaincy event- three faith forum
The Faith Forum will take place this year on Monday 5 March at 6.30pm in 8 West 3.22. The Subject will be "Faith and the Environment" and will be led by guest speakers Professor Gavin D'Costa, Rabbi Natan Levy and Imam Rashad Azami.
The CRM Open Meetings are a chance to showcase research related to regenerative medicine. The next meeting is Monday 5 March.
'The Green Agenda: will the varied legislative measures introduced since 2008 deliver the UK Government's ambitious emission reduction targets by 2020 and 2050?' Tuesday 6 March
This session will look at a number of the micro generation incentives that have been introduced in the UK following the passing of the Climate Change Act 2008 which set an ambitious target of an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050 from a 1990 baseline.
The past, present and future of public libraries
University of Bath librarian Howard Nicholson will provide an outline of the history of public libraries in a free public lecture at the University on Wednesday 7 March.
Research in the World public lecture: ‘From both sides now’: reflections on poverty research and politics
The Honorary President of the Child Poverty Action Group, Baroness Ruth Lister, will give a unique insight into poverty research in the UK at a free public lecture at the University on Thursday 15 March, as part of our Research in the World lecture series.
Join us for an inspirational evening with a panel of Olympic and Paralympic athletes, holding the torch high for Bath.
Public lectures: Spring term dates confirmed
The full list of the Spring term public lectures is now up so have a look and come along.
Work perks
- Check out the events programme:
WW1 trip visiting the Somme Battlefields - (4 days / 3 nights) Saturday 31 March
Heights Tour of Wells Cathedral Saturday 9 June
Decennial Florida Expo - Netherlands (4 days / 3 nights) Friday 6 July
Dublin Tall Ships Festival - (5 days / 4 nights) Thursday 23 August
Monthly book sale (Last Thursday of each month) Student Centre 12.30 - 13.45
- New Bristol Hippodrome theatre ticket offers-
Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker Wednesday 18 April
Phantom of the Opera Monday 11 June
Alumni News
Clare Beckett-Mcinroy helps people turn their dreams into reality
Clare Beckett-Mcinroy (EdD Education 2006) has been holding workshops, most recently in Bahrain, that help people achieve their goals through motivational techniques.
Dominic Quarrell tackles taboo subject of death
Dominic Quarrell (MSc Death & Society 2007) has founded the website talkingaboutdeath.co.uk to get people discussing the issue that too few people can face and is planning to host an inaugural event, 'Glastonbury Day Of The Dead.'
Arts
Spring season is now open for booking for all classes and events. Classes include: street dance, ballet, illustration, drawing skills, landscape painting, DJ skills and samba drumming. Book now www.bath.ac.uk/icia
Upcoming events:
- Bath University Student Theatre Arsenic & Old Lace By Joseph Kesselring | 7.30pm | The Mission Theatre, Corn Street, Bath | Thursday 1-Saturday 3 March |
- Choral & Orchestral Society Recital | 7.30pm | University Hall | Saturday 3 March |
- Afro-Caribbean Society Showcase | 7pm | ICIA Arts Theatre | Saturday 10 March |
- Jo Longhurst Suspension | Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm | ICIA Art Space 2 | Monday 13 February - Friday 4 May |
- Artist in Residence Peter Anderson | Opening Hours: Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm | ICIA Art Space 3 | Wednesday 15 February - Friday 4 May |
Sign up for the ICIA's e-bulletin for all the latest news or keep up to date on Facebook or on Twitter @iciabath
Sport
Rhythmic gymnastics appeal hearing
A Sports Resolutions arbitrator will decide within the next seven days whether a group of Bath-based rhythmic gymnasts have achieved the standard for the London 2012 Olympic Games as set out by British Gymnastics.
Tyers takes gold at British Universities champs
Sports performance student Sophie Tyers led the way for the University at last weekend’s British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Indoor Athletics championships. The 20-year-old took gold over 800m at the championships in Sheffield in a time of 2:06.85.
Team Bath edged out of Superleague thriller
Team Bath were edged out of a titanic battle by just two goals in their recent match against reigning Fiat Netball Superleague champions Hertfordshire Mavericks. The contest brought together the only two teams who have previously won the Superleague title.
Click here to see the latest offer from the Team Bath gym, including a three month membership with no ongoing contract.