University Updates
2 May 2008
Information
No internet or network services: 7-9am Tuesday 6 May
Users of the University campus network and ResNet will experience disruption (periods of inability to connect to University computing services, or to the internet) during the agreed "At Risk" period from 7am on Tuesday 6 May 2008. Full service will be resumed by 9am.
BUCS apologises for any inconvenience.
In line with the national Pay Agreement 2006-2009, we are pleased to confirm that pay for substantive staff will increase in May 2008 by three per cent or £420 (whichever is the greater). The pay rise will be implemented in the May pay slip.
Save the planet! Let us recycle your carrier bags
Message from Christine Allgood, Union Shop Manager: "The Union Shop runs a 'use a recycled plastic bag' rather than opting for a new one when shopping in the Union Shop. It's a hugely popular scheme which sadly I have to keep withdrawing due to lack of second hand bags. Please could I ask more people to bring in your old plastic shopping bags so we can recycle them for you? Thanks."
Foreign languages - Get ready for summer
The Foreign Languages Centre has started enrolling for its summer term language courses on both the community programme and the lunchtime programme. Members of staff who work at least 0.5 FTE are entitled to a 75 per cent discount which means the six-week summer term evening classes cost £17 and lunchtime courses cost only £8.25.
Changes to Waterstones and other campus retail outlets
The University's senior management has recently made a number of space allocation decisions on and around the Parade which will include the closure of Waterstones, Endsleigh Insurance and the hairdresser.
Hospitality's monthly newsletter
The latest news about the different eateries on campus plus information about a special eastern food lunch and a recipe for low-fat pork teriyaki.
Expressions of interest sought: Research showcase - Sustainable energy & the environment
The University will stage its first Research Showcase event on 17 September 2008 under the theme of ‘Sustainable energy & the environment’, to demonstrate and publicise the breadth and depth of our activity within this area to industry, service providers, local government and other stakeholders across the South-West. Please register your interest to take part with Gary Hawley as soon as possible.
Proposed revision to the academic appraisal system
A second consultation document is available proposing changes to the academic appraisal system. The suggested model takes into account the cross-University consultation undertaken during autumn 2007, the principles of the framework agreement on pay modernisation, and the needs of the University to make the most effective use of its people's skills and abilities. Any comments should be sent to Simon Inger by Friday 16 May, please.
Advance Notice of the 2008 Supplier Expo
The Purchasing Services Team is pleased to give all members of staff advance notice of the 2008 Supplier Expo, which is due to be held on Wednesday 4 June in the Founders Sports Hall, Norwood House.
Are you keen to play a part in enhancing the whole student experience for both undergraduates and postgraduates during their vital and challenging years here, whilst developing your own leadership skills? We are looking for an enthusiastic, committed member of staff with the relevant skills, aptitude and motivation to undertake the role of Senior Resident Tutor. Closing date for applications: 14 May.
Jobs
Vacant posts: www.bath.ac.uk/jobs
News
Guardian ranks Bath best in South West
The 2009 Guardian University Guide has ranked the University of Bath 14th in the UK, the highest ranked university in the South West.We were also judged "best in the South West" by the Good University Guide published recently in The Independent.
NHS anti-smoking adverts might be controversial but are still effective, says study
A recent study by Ekant Veer (School of Management) has shown that the NHS anti-smoking campaign Get unhooked was effective, despite being named this week as the UK’s most controversial advert in 2007.
Research by the University's Centre for Research in Education & the Environment has encouraged British Gas to launch Generation Green - an environmental programme that empowers teachers, schools and their local communities to lead the UK in tackling climate change through the adoption of green behaviours.
Academy honour for Bath medicinal chemist
Barry Potter (Pharmacy & Pharmacology) has been recognised as one of the UK's leading medical researchers by his election to a Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences.
Academic gives evidence before The Health Select Committee at the House of Commons
Ken Judge (School for Health) was invited to give oral evidence to the Health Committee of the House of Commons, which is conducting an inquiry about health inequalities.
Bridge engineering paper wins prestigious award
A paper published by Jon Shave, Tim Ibell and Steve Denton (Architecture & Civil Engineering) has won the 2008 Husband Prize for the best paper published on bridge engineering in The Structural Engineer. The Structural Engineer Journal is one of the most prestigious journals of its kind worldwide, and is the face of the 23,000-member-strong Institution of Structural Engineers.
Postgraduate student receives the prestigious Vitali Parkhutik Award
Sergej Polisski (Physics) was awarded the Vitali Parkhutik Award for an outstanding contribution to the 6th International Porous Semiconductors - Science & Technology Conference held in Mallorca recently. His poster, entitled “Hybrid silicon/metal nanocomposites for catalytic applications”, based on collaborative work with Bath colleagues Bernhard Goller, Simon Fairclough, Alexei Lapkin and Dmitry Kovalev, was selected for first prize from a list of 170 nominees.
Chemical Engineering graduate presented with Salter's Prize
Bath alumnus Martin Clark was one of only six Chemical Engineering graduates in the UK to be awarded a prestigious Graduate Prize by the Salter’s Institute. The £1,000 prize is awarded to students earning a 1st class honours degree who demonstrate commitment and leadership potential in the chemical engineering profession. Martin follows in the footsteps of two other Bath graduates: Kristoff Beanlands won a Salter's Prize in 2006, and Phil Fuhrmann received one in 2002.
Student completes Marathon des Sables and raises £5,000 for charity
Final year Sport & Exercise Science student Tim Manton completed the infamous Marathon des Sables earlier this month, raising £5,000 for the charity, Facing Africa. The six-day race through the Sahara is considered to be the toughest footrace on earth.
Nuclear post for Bath alumnus
Andy White who studied electrical & electronic engineering at Bath has been elected chair of the World Nuclear Association.
Lord Sainsbury launches SPark, a new £300 million science park
This week Lord Sainsbury launched SPark, a new £300 million science park based at Emerson's Green, Bristol, which is a joint initiative involving the University of Bath, the South West RDA, the Universities of Bristol and the West of England and specialist developer Quantum Property Partnership.
Careers Advisory Service sails through Matrix Accreditation audit
The Careers Advisory Service has passed the three-day audit process for university careers services, with many of their initiatives being commended.
East looks South West
Carpenter House Innovation Centre, the University's incubation facility for high tech/high growth start-up companies here in Bath, hosted a study group of senior Vietnamese delegates from Ho Chi Minh City. The group were on a fact-finding tour of the South West to find
out how to encourage high technology companies through the incubation phase.
ICIA Arts Awards 2008
The University celebrated the achievements of its arts and cultural life over the last year at its annual ICIA Arts Awards hosted by the Vice-Chancellor last week. Seven students received awards before more than 120 guests.
Free arts and advice week in Swindon
Local people are being invited to a free confidence-boosting Creative arts & advice week running from 19-23 May at the Oakfield Campus in Swindon. Through a series of art workshops coupled with advice and information sessions, the event aims to empower and enable participants to move on with their lives.
Funding opportunities
Funding opportunity for new academics
EPSRC wishes to encourage new academics to build industrial collaborations early in their research career. Although CASE for new academic appointees was discontinued on 1 April 2008, this financial resource has been transferred to the Industrial CASE scheme. Deadline: 5 September.
Grants for groundbreaking health research
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is now accepting grant proposals for Grand Challenges Explorations, a US$100 million initiative to help scientists pursue innovative ideas for solving major global health problems. Deadline: 15 May.
Funding opportunities
The latest set of new grants, fellowships, travel bursaries and studentship opportunities taken from the current ResearchResearch listings can be viewed online.
In the media
- Ekant Veer (School of Management) was interviewed on Bath FM about why the controversial Unhooked quit-smoking ad campaign was effective.
- The Centre for Death & Society (CDAS) was referred to in an article about the undertaking profession in The Independent.
- Bath alumnus Justin King, who is chief executive of J Sainsbury, was featured in an article in The Times.
Training & development opportunities
- New programme of free IT training courses for staff
- Wiki workshop - 7 May
- Admissions & funding - 21 May
- Appraisal training for support staff - 30 May
Forthcoming lectures
Defeating the enemy within - cancer drug design for the new millennium
Cancer is probably the most important disease of modern western society, and, despite many advances, much remains to be done in the development of new treatments. The public lecture will explain what cancer is, how cancerous cells differ from normal cells and how these differences can be exploited for the development of more effective drugs. The lecture will take place on Wednesday 7 May from 5.15-6.15pm in 8 W 1.1.
Former Chairman of HM Revenue and Customs to talk in Bath
Sir David Varney will be discussing the social and economic challenges facing the UK in a free public lecture at the University on Tuesday 13 May at 6.15pm (lecture theatre 3 WN 2.1).
What's on next week
Monday 5
12:05 PM
University Chamber Choir Concert
15:00 PM Annual Duckrace in aid of wateraid
19:30 PM Encore - A Musical Review
Tuesday 6
13:15 PM Cultures, politics & territories: Remapping identities. Concluding session
13:15 PM CNM seminar
14:30 PM School for Health research students' seminar
Wednesday 7
12:15 PM Adolescents who defy the trends and choose to exercise
Thursday 8
16:15 PM Europe as a global security actor
19:30 PM Gardening Club: The Tulip
Friday 9
Team Bath Volley Ball Camp
09:00 AM Wind power: Policy instruments - financing and support mechanisms
19:30 PM Greenwashing and corporate deceit
Saturday 10
Bath Buccaneers President Day
Wing Athletics
14:30 PM Artist's talk: Dan Gretton
19:30 PM Pigeon Theatre - The Rehearsal
Sunday 11
South West Regional Netball
Arts
Concerts and Performances
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Pigeon Theatre The Rehearsal (a trilogy) Claverton Rooms Bar | Saturday 10 May, 7pm
Performed live in the bar - first drink free!
In a bar, at the end of a long night's drinking, two performers get together with the audience to plan and rehearse a theatrical event. This unique trilogy, with its three versions, is performed by a different ‘couple’: two 20-something women, two 50-something men and a 70-something year old couple.
Exhibitions
- Polly Gould Peninsular ICIA Art Space 1 | Till Friday 20 June
Peninsular documents Gould’s journey to the Antarctic Peninsular taking with her the drawings she made of her father as he lay dying among the white expanse of bed sheets. - Tim Brennan Great Northern Coalfield ICIA Art Space 2 | Till Friday 1 August
A series of atmospheric photographs taken on a low-resolution mobile phone camera depict the North Sea, where most of the north's un-mined coal still resides. Enlarged beyond clear definition, the images become hazy, impressionistic, glowing with colour.
Talks
- Artist’s Talk: Uriel Orlow BRLSI, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath | Saturday 26 April, 2.30-4pmUsing a wide variety of media, from video and sound to photography, billboard posters, text and drawing - Uriel Orlow's work explores different ways in which histories and memories are embedded in architectural spaces, landscapes or the human body.
Sport
Bath and Loughborough to go head-to-head in a 30-day running challenge
The rivalry between Bath and Loughborough is legendary across many sports. Now two of the giants of University sport are set to go head to head in a 30-day distance running challenge.
Halesowen are the team to beat - we need YOU
On Saturday at 3pm at Twerton Park, Team Bath FC is fighting for a place in the Conference South for the second successive season having reached the play-off final of the British Gas Business Football League Premier Division. The team is looking for the support of the whole University to roar them across the line in this final game of the season!