Friday 3 February 2012
News
Bath’s applications are on the up! Message from the Vice-Chancellor
Following the release of UCAS figures this week which show the number of UK university applicants has dropped by 8.7% compared with 2011/12, Bath has bucked the national trend. The Vice-Chancellor talks through the figures.
University appoints new Head of Widening Participation
Annette Hayton has been appointed as the University’s Head of Widening Participation. In this newly created post, Annette will play a central co-ordinating role for all the University’s widening participation and access activities.
Ford provides Bath with ten scholarships of £10k for engineering & science
Ford is providing scholarships of £10,000 per student over a three-year period for ten students to study on a selection of engineering and science programmes at the University.
David Miller joins Social & Policy Sciences
We welcome David Miller who has joined the Department of Social & Policy Sciences as Professor of Sociology.
Michael Finus joins as Professor of Environmental Economics
Welcome to Michael Finus who has joined the Department of Economics as Professor of Environmental Economics.
Please vote and help BIME win a Wizzybug!
The Bath Chronicle together with the BMI Bath Clinic, has launched a community competition where they are giving away £12,000 to nominated community charities. BIME is hoping to raise money for Wizzybugs for disabled children. Please send your forms to BIME through the University’s internal post to “BIME, RUH”. You can also vote online from the 'prideinbath' Facebook page.
Celebrate National Libraries Day 2012 with our Bath Big Reads!
As part of the build-up to National Libraries Day (NLD12) on Saturday 4 February, the University library is pleased to announce the launch of its popular non-fiction collection – Bath Big Reads!
Research
Scientist warns of new MRSA threat
Ruth Massey and Justine Rudkin from our Department of Biology & Biochemistry has warned that a new, more toxic strain of the MRSA disease poses a serious threat to people in Britain as it migrates from the United States.
Bath scientists secure £220k funding boost for dementia research
A major research project, led by David Brown from our Department of Biology & Biochemistry into the role of iron in dementia with Lewy bodies is getting underway at the University, thanks to grants worth £220,500 from two charities dedicated to funding dementia research. Alzheimer’s Research UK, the UK’s leading dementia research charity, and local Alzheimer’s research charity BRACE have teamed up to fund a unique three-year project that could bring new understanding of the disease.
Researchers investigate if state provides enough support for funeral costs
Researchers in the Department of Social & Policy Sciences are investigating whether the Government is giving enough financial support to allow everyone to provide a basic funeral for their loved ones.
Good Practice in research
Our Code of Good Practice in research has been revised and updated.
KT Champion funding continues to support showcasing, secondments and website development
Academics across the University have received funding from the Knowledge Transfer Account. Funding is available for activities aimed at building new collaborative links with external organisations.
Food security: developing disease resistant crops and preventing disease spread
Researchers led by Richard Cooper in the Department of Biology & Biochemistry have been working closely with palm oil producers to combat fungal crop diseases and protect yields and profits.
The deadline for applications for the next round of the researcher led innovation fund is Friday 30 March 2012.
Staff training & development
Building morale and resilience - the key to surviving difficult times? Monday 6 February
This practical and interactive session will provide managers with an insight into their role in enhancing resilience by providing an opportunity to consider different models of resilience and recent research, review their own resilience and identify strategies to develop personal resilience in themselves and in their teams.
Skills development for research supervisors
Internationally recognised expert, Hugh Kearns, will be running a course entitled ‘Creating the seven secrets of highly successful research students’ on Friday 10 February 2012.
ERSC 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.
Chairing Recruitment Panels Monday 13 February
This is an awareness-raising course for anyone chairing a recruiting panel at the University. The associated legal responsibilities will be explained and put into the context of the University's Recruitment & Selection Code of Practice, particularly focusing on those responsibilities held by the panel chair.
Seminar: strategic planning at the University (suitable for HoDs) Thursday 16 February
The session will cover; the changing funding landscape, strategic and annual planning internal resource allocation, understanding and improving our business through programme costing and workload modelling and managing change.
New programme of staff development courses for 2012
Dates for staff development courses throughout 2012 are now available.
HEA STEM plagiarism seminar
The University will be hosting a seminar on plagiarism in the STEM disciplines, sponsored by the Higher Education Academy, on Wednesday 29 February 2012.
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 event 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 contact the Science Media Centre.
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).
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.
Learning & teaching
Vice-Chancellor kickstarts Leadership @ lunchtime
The University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell, was the first of a number of guest speakers invited to contribute to the Researcher Development Unit’s (RDU) workshop series, Leadership @ lunchtime.
Call for teaching development fund bids 2012/13
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. The deadline for bids is Monday 16 April 2012.
Don’t miss this year’s University Teaching Awards!
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. Deadline for nominations is by 5 pm on Friday 16 March.
Information
Change to wireless to improve performance - removal of 802.11b
As a measure to improve the speed of the wireless network and provide a better user experience, BUCS will be phasing out the slower 802.11b wireless standard at the end of Semester 1 (4 February 2012). After the transition is complete, only the faster 802.11g and n standards will be in use.
Reminder! Watch out for cyclists
Motorists and cyclists are reminded to take extra care on the roads surrounding the campus, especially at this time of year when visibility is poor.
Scopus citation database now available via library webpages
Scopus is an abstract and citation database from Elsevier which covers over 19,000 peer-reviewed journals, scientific web pages and data from five patent sources. The search interface is clear, easy to use and suitable for undergraduates. There are advanced search options that postgraduates and staff will find useful.
Sabbatical leave scheme – second call for applications Thursday 1 March
The deadline for applications for leave commencing 1 February 2013 is fast approaching. Applicants and Heads of Department are asked to ensure that all applications conform to the requirements that have been set out.
Following users experiencing a number of issues using Matlab in 2011, we have improved our documentation outlining the most suitable options available for running Matlab. topˆ
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.
- Anna Gilmore presents at an event on the plain packaging of cigarettes, BMJ
- Ruth Massey discusses her research investigating a new strain of MRSA, BBC Radio Bristol
- Deadly strain of MRSA from US 'has spread to UK', warn doctors, Daily Mail (Also in The Sun, Daily Mirror, Daily Express, Scottish Daily Express, Health Canal, World News, MSN News UK, Top News)
- Ellen Henderson discusses online teen health advice, BBC World Service [8:31]
- Chuan Li's virtual trees hailed a 'game changer', New Scientist
- Paul Gregg discusses the increasing list of long term unemployed people, Guardian
Events
Explorer David Hempleman-Adams talks about his record breaking adventures.
World famous explorer David Hempleman-Adams will be speaking of his many adventures that made him a ‘Grand Slam’ record breaker as he returns to the University to give a free public lecture on Wednesday 8 February.
Work perks
- Check out our events programme:
WW1 trip visiting the Somme Battlefields - (4 days / 3 nights) Saturday 31 March 2012
Decennial Floriade Expo - Netherlands (4 days / 3 nights) Friday 6 July 2012
Dublin Tall Ships Festival - (5 days / 4 nights) Thursday 23 August 2012
- New Bristol Hippodrome theatre ticket offers-
Blood Brothers Friday 24 February 2012
Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker Wednesday 18 April 2012
Alumni News
Faizal Mohd contributes to London Olympics architecture
Faizal Mohd (BSc General Arcitectural Studies) has been helping with the architecture of the many stadiums and arenas being built as part of the London Olympics.
Louise Franklin promoted to the managment of Continental Tyre Group
Louise Franklin (BSc Business Administration) has been announced as Continental Tyre Group's new Conti360° network manager.
Tomos Allison features in Farmers Guardian
Tomos Allison's (MEng Electrical Engineering & Applied Electronics) thriving business developing, installing and maintaining computerised dairying systems has seen him feature in the Farmers Guardian.
Death of Patricia Brookes
We are sorry to announce the death of Patricia Brookes (CertEd in Education).
Arts
Spring season 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:
- Wendy McMurdo exhibition: Childhood, fantasy and play | 10am-5pm | ICIA Art Spaces 1, 2 & 3 | Until Friday 27 January |
- Fancy a fun and lively workout? Why not try street or jazz dance (classes start from Monday 6 February)
- Tread the boards with our performance & acting techniques class (classes start Tuesday 7 February)
- Theatre performance by Katherina Radeva 'Fallen Fruit - now here, now gone' | 7.30pm | ICIA Arts Theatre | Saturday 11 February |
- Theatre Workshop with Katherina Radeva | 11am-4.30pm | ICIA Arts Theatre | Sunday 12 February |
- Drawing more your thing? Choose from a wide range of visual art classes from 'life drawing' & 'comic book art' to 'digital photography' (classes start from Monday 13 February)
- Scenography with Katherina Radeva | 11am-4.30pm | ICIA Arts Barn | Saturday 18 February |
- Learn those irresistible samba rhythms at our samba drumming class (classes start Wednesday 22 February)
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
Staff Gold Rush marks six months to 2012 Olympics
University staff took advantage of a free offer to try new sporting activities at the Sports Training Village on Friday 27 January’s opening Gold Rush event of the year.
Learn to Stretch
Team Bath would like to invite you to the Sports Injury Clinic Learn to Stretch event. Whether you work in an office or on an athletics track it doesn’t matter – our active stretching techniques will help everyone.
Level 4 certificate in sports massage launched
The new level 4 qualification marks an exciting opportunity for the industry and learners because it’s one of the highest quality vocational sports massage therapy qualifications in the country. It has been recognised by the Sports Remedial Therapy Council, the UK’s regulator of Sports Therapy Industry.
Tribe half-term holiday camps Monday 13 - Friday 17 February
During the school term breaks, Team Bath Tribe deliver academies and camps for talented, developing, aspiring and novice performers.
Lorraine Kelly prepares for charity pentathlon being held at STV
ITV's Lorraine Kelly has been preparing for an up and coming pentathlon charity challenge which will be held at the STV, with all money raised going to the PiggyBankKids charity.