University Updates
12 September 2008
Research news
Sustainable Energy & the Environment Research Showcase 17 September 2008
Next Wednesday the Shadow Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities & Skills David Willetts MP will launch the University’s new Institute for Sustainable Energy & the Environment and, at the same time, open the Research Showcase taking place in Founders Hall.
Academic invited to join Wellcome Trust Funding Board
In recognition of his research in the field of inflammatory cell biology and pharmacology, Professor Steve Ward has been invited to join the Wellcome Trust Physiological Sciences Funding Board. The appointment runs for three years.
Maths model helps to unravel relationship between nutrients and biodiversity
The level of nutrients in soil determines how many different kinds of plants and trees can thrive in an ecosystem, according to new research published by biologists and mathematicians this week in Nature.
News about students
NSS results show increase in student satisfaction at Bath
The overall satisfaction level of our students is higher than ever before, according to the results of the 2008 National Student Survey.
Army of volunteers help Bath freshers feel at home
The Students' Union has enlisted 390 student volunteers to assist with the smooth running of Freshers’ Week this year (22-28 September). The volunteers will be guiding new undergraduates on a cultural tour through Bath city centre and will organise a whole host of alcohol-free activities.
Identical twins to study for identical degrees at Bath
Identical twins, Thomas and Matthew Stankowski, have been accepted to study for degrees in integrated mechanical and electrical engineering at the University and will start their course this term.
Exciting sporting talent amongst Bath’s new student intake
The University is to welcome three new talented sportsmen in its intake of undergraduates this year. Between them the students excel in the fields of sailing, athletics and rugby: two are medal hopefuls for the London 2012 Games; one has been signed to play for Bath Rugby.
Information
Enrol on a foreign language course - reduced rates for staff & students
The Foreign Languages Centre has started enrolling for its Autumn term language courses on both the community and lunchtime programmes. Courses cater for complete beginners to proficient polyglots!
New starters in August 2008
The new starters update gives the name, job title and department of all new members of staff at the University who started in the previous month.
University launches website to report on campus Masterplan consultation
The University has launched a new website to publish the collated results of its recent discussions with staff and students, local residents, key stakeholders and consultants on the development of its campus. The next step for the University is to produce a draft campus Masterplan for public consultation later in the year.
New mailing lists created for Directors of Studies
Three new mailing lists have been created for different DoS groups. The original Directors of Studies Postgraduate email address are no longer available so you will need to use the new ones.
Jobs
Vacant posts: www.bath.ac.uk/jobs
Volunteers wanted
Would you pass a sports drugs test?
Researchers in the Department of Chemistry and the School for Health are currently recruiting volunteers to investigate the link between various dietary/lifestyle practices and the potential for a positive drugs test according to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list of prohibited substances.
Active volunteers needed - how does your body respond to exercise?
Researchers are investigating the effect of exercise on food intake and energy expenditure and are looking for active young men aged 18-34 who are willing to come to the laboratory to undertake an exercise trial and a rest trial.
Conferences, workshops, courses
Twenty years on: Remembering the GDR and Germany's unification process 14-16 September
The autumn of 2009 will see the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the beginning of the transformation process that led to the formal act of German unification on 3 October 1990. The approach of these milestones provides a good opportunity to take stock of how life, politics and culture in divided Germany have been remembered since the demise of the East German state and to consider the status of competing memory discourses on the GDR and the unification process in today’s Federal Republic.
Parallel programming with MPI September 17-19
MPI (Message Passing Interface) is the de facto standard for parallel programming, defining how concurrent processes can communicate and hence work together to complete a given task in a shorter time. This course will introduce the concepts and terminology of High Performance Computing (HPC), before providing a comprehensive and detailed introduction to programming HPC machines using MPI. For more details, please contact James Davenport.
Towards a framework convention for biochemical controls 18 & 19 September
The core idea underlying the workshop is to investigate the utility of a new tool to reconfirm existing principles and norms and expand them in a way that prevents all hostile use of biology and chemistry in a terrorist or warfare context. The workshop is funded by the British Academy and will be attended by experts from the UK, Europe and the USA.
Metals in Synthesis 15 October
As well as speakers from Bath, Oxford and Birmingham, Professor Masakatsu Shibasaki from the University of Tokyo will deliver an RSC Endowed Lecture entitled "Recent Progress in Asymmetric Two-Center Catalysis". Enquiries to John Fossey.
In the media
- Brian Neve (ESML) was interviewed live on WNYC radio, USA about the Hollywood depictions of the presidency of Richard Nixon as part of an election related series.
- Ken Bray (Health) was featured in The Telegraph discussing his chaos theory on the flight of new footballs. The item was also picked up by the press in India, Thailand and the USA.
Training opportunities
In-house:
- Writing for the web 16 September
- Email: Resolving information overload 19 September
- The monthly Introduction to the University of Bath for new staff has been updated and improved and now includes sessions targeted at specific staff groups.
External:
- Free training at Science Media Centre: Monday 29 September, 1-5pm, Royal Institution in London
A beginner’s guide to the way the UK news media works. Much of the tension between scientists and journalists is caused by a lack of mutual understanding and this event will give you an insight into a day in the life of a journalist. You will get a whistle-stop tour of news media, hearing from journalists, scientists and press officers. - Leadership Foundation course: Intro to project management 21 October
What's on next week
Tuesday 16
12:30 PM UBSA autumn windfall bingo
19:30 PM Inventing memory - The relationship between fiction & autobiography
Arts
Workshops and Classes
Classes start the week of 6 October 2008. Further details at: www.bath.ac.uk/icia
- Classes and workshops in music, dance and visual arts for all levels:
Music: DJ Skills, Bath University Big Band, Pop Choir
Dance: Contemporary, Street Dance, Jazz Dance, Ballet, Flamenco, Tap
Visual Arts: Ceramics, Drawing, Painting, Life Drawing, Stained Glass, Creative Sculpture, Botanical Illustration, Creative Digital Art, Photography, Portrait Studies, Pastel, Watercolour, Gouache & Oils. - Ceramics Taster Sessions Studio 2, ICIA Arts Complex | Saturday 4 October, 11am-1pm or 1.30pm-3.30pm
Learn some basic techniques, such as hand building and how to throw clay on the wheel to make pots.
Concerts and Performances
- Choral and Orchestral Society Freshers’ Concert ICIA Arts Theatre | Sunday 28 September 7.30pm
The University of Bath’s Philharmonic Orchestra, Concert Band and Choir join forces to welcome freshers to campus life. - Bath University Student Theatre My Mother Said I Never Should ICIA Arts Theatre | Thursday 2nd - Saturday 4th October, 7.30pm
One of the most popular plays of the 80s, this is an insightful look at four generations of women from the same family, as they try to cope with different problems of their own times.
Exhibitions
- Alison Marchant Charged Atmospheres | ICIA Art Space 1 | Till Friday 31 October
Alison Marchant’s fading photographs of once grand interiors, now abandoned and decaying, emphasise the passing of time.
Sport
Team Bath’s Rushgrove takes silver in Beijing
Bath student Ben Rushgrove stormed to 100m silver in the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing when he powered to second place in the T36 100m behind Ukraine’s Roman Pavlyk.
Late goal decides local derby
Team Bath FC went down 2-1 at home to Bath City in the Setanta Shield at Twerton Park on Tuesday night.