University Updates
15 May 2009
News
Bath hits Guardian’s top ten
The University of Bath has been ranked ninth in The Guardian newspaper's University Guide. Glynis Breakwell, Vice-Chancellor, said: “This is excellent news and follows on from our recent ninth place position in the Complete University Guide 2009 published in The Independent. Colleagues across the University can feel rightly proud of our top ten position in this table. It clearly reflects the commitment of everyone to provide a high quality education for our students. Thank you all.”
University of Bath takes English language testing abroad
The University’s English Language Testing (UBELT) is helping European people gain the qualifications they need to work in the UK by hosting the test in Romania and Poland.
Research news
Microwave technology successfully treats liver cancer
A technique that uses microwaves to destroy liver tumours, based on technology pioneered by a team of scientists led by Nigel Cronin (Physics), has treated more than 100 patients in the UK and is now being used worldwide.
Professor recognised for contribution to genetics research
Laurence Hurst, Professor of Evolutionary Genetics (Biology & Biochemistry), has been awarded the 2010 Genetics Society Medal for his outstanding contribution to genetics research.
Science students needed to help boost UK economy
Research by Hugh Lauder (Education) has shown that the UK urgently needs more students to take courses in science, maths and technology to provide a skilled workforce to compete with other countries.
Bath scientists uncover new clues in dementia mystery
A team led by David Brown (Biology & Biochemistry) has published new research on the role of the protein alpha-synuclein in causing Lewy Body disease, a common cause of dementia.
SWORD wins innovation award
The Simple Web-service Offering Repository Deposit (SWORD), led by Adrian Stevenson and Julie Allinson (UKOLN), was named most innovative project at the recent JISC Repositories and Preservation conference at Aston Business School, as voted for by 100+ delegates from across the whole Programme.
Research volunteers wanted: earn £5 (x2)
Two researchers are currently recruiting volunteers to help them with experiments. Both are willing to pay participants £5.
Win an iPod in exchange for 15 minutes
Researchers in the School of Management are looking for participants (whose origin is the UK) to complete a 15 minute paper-and-pencil questionnaire on the use of words.
To thank you for your participation, chocolate and sweets are on offer and your name will be entered in a raffle for an ipod shuffle. Please drop by if you want to participate:
Monday 18 May - Room 3E 2.2 at 1.15pm until 6pm | Tuesday 19 May - Room 3E 3.8 at 12:15pm until 6pm.
Information
Student drowns in River Avon
The University regrets to announce the death of 21-year-old Kharunigan Jayanantham, an undergraduate in the Department of Mathematical Sciences.
Kharunigan’s body was recovered from the River Avon on Tuesday 12 May.
Greener computing - Reduce your carbon footprint when home-working
BUCS greener computing initiative has introduced Wake on LAN (WoL) a service that enables you to boot your work computer from any remote location. You no longer need to leave your work PC turned on if you want to remote access; WoL enables you to boot your computer yourself whenever you need to and, once you have finished, you can also close the computer down.
Santander is pleased to be able to offer staff and University of Bath alumni ten free shares when a new product is taken out with Abbey.
New starters in April 2009
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.
Improving catering services on campus
Hospitality is currently looking at ways to improve the service they provide on campus. Please take part in the Claverton Rooms and Wessex Restaurant surveys. Thank you for your participation.
A lunch offer from our neighbours at the American Museum
From now until November, staff members (on production of their University card) will get free entry into the grounds and gardens, so they can make use of the Orangery Café.
University Pocket Diary 2009/10 - Sold out
All the pocket diaries have now been allocated and a reserve list is in operation.
Visit Monet's Garden, Versailles & Paris 26-29 June
This UBSA trip is open to all staff and students and at £196 represents great value for a four-day tour.
Jobs
Vacant posts: www.bath.ac.uk/job
Consultations
The potential for academic re-organisation 
Campus only
A discussion paper has been prepared in order to inform an internal consultation on the potential for academic re-organisation. Comments should be submitted by email to N.J.Kemp@bath.ac.uk by Wednesday 20 May
Forthcoming lectures & conferences
View all University Public Lectures
Rediscovering the common wealth Wednesday 20 May
What motivates us towards sustainable behaviour? Professor Geof Wood, University Research Adviser and professor in the Department of Economics & International Development, will examine this question in a free lecture on Wednesday 20 May at 5:15pm in 8 West 3.22.
Back to the Future -
The Holburne Museum and its treasures Thursday 21 May
The Holburne's curators will present a light hearted re-staging of a lecture given at Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution in 1915 with the original glass slides from 95 years ago.
Using academic expertise in public policy-making Wednesday 27 May
The way in which government uses academic research expertise to inform public policy will be discussed at a free public lecture by Professor Dame Janet Finch DBE, Vice-Chancellor of Keele University.
Researcher to speak at philosophy festival Saturday 30 May
Alex Prichard (ESML) will be speaking this month at How The Light Gets In, the UK’s first ever philosophy and music festival. In the discussion “Dreams of Utopia”, Alex will speak with philosopher A.C. Grayling, author and broadcaster Kenan Malik and sociologist Ruth Levitas. The debate will be chaired by Susan Neiman, Director of the Einstein Forum.
Invitation to celebrate the launch of a pioneering pain research centre Tuesday 2 June
Staff from the new Bath Centre for Pain Research will give presentations on their work into controlling pain and relieving pain-related suffering. There will also be an opportunity to meet the research team and view an exhibition of more of the centre’s projects.
Equality Forum 17 June
This event aims to involve others in the preparation of a single equality scheme for the University. Simon Fanshawe, a writer, broadcaster and a non-exec director in the public and private sector, will be the keynote speaker.
Sustaining future ecosystem services – From understanding to action - Friday 26 June
This is the fifth and final conference in the series of interdisciplinary conferences organised by the Institute for Sustainable Energy and the Environment (I-SEE), held at the National Liberal Club, Whitehall Place, London. Speakers will review our understanding from the four seminars to date, and explore policy and practical implications. The conference is being sponsored by a grant from ESRC/NERC and is free to all participants.
In the media
- Ekant Veer (School of Management) was interviewed on City Talk alongside Max Clifford about how celebrities are used in politics
- David Brown (Biology & Biochemistry) was invited to speak on BBC Radio Bristol and Bath FM about his research into a protein that causes dementia.
- Brian Neve (ESML) discussed the role of the monarchy in politics on Radio Somerset.
- ICIA has been named as one of Bath's 'arty' highlights by Venue Magazine.
- Brian Kelly (UKOLN) commented in The Guardian on a recent report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Changing Learner Experience (CLEX) entitled Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World about how universities are making use of virtual technologies and social networking.
Training & development
- Academic tutoring 21 May
- Enhancing student learning through motivation 28 May
- Appraisal skills and process: support staff (For appraisers) 4 June
- An intro to HE - A programme for new managers and administrators 2-4 September 2009
- Agresso familiarisation courses
- IT courses
- Content Management System (CMS) courses
- Summer e-learning staff development programme
What's on next week
More details about events below
Monday 18
09:30 AM Agresso 5.5.3 User familiarisation
11:00 AM Agresso 5.5.3 User familiarisation
19:30 PM Biological weapons. How can we reduce the threat?
Tuesday 19
12:15 PM Midweek Eucharist/Holy Communion
12:45 PM Oxfam lunch
13:15 PM CNM seminar: Fracture evolution & locality
19:30 PM Squaring the circle
19:30 PM Moliere & Racine
Wednesday 20
13:15 PM Open meeting: The potential for academic re-organisation
17:15 PM Rediscovering the Common Wealth
Thursday 21
14:30 PM Agresso 5.5.3 User familiarisation
18:30 PM Back to the future: The Holburne & its treasures
Friday 22
15:30 PM Muhammad - His teachings & the modern world
19:30 PM Candidates panel - European Parliamentary Election (June 2009)
Arts
Concerts and Performances
- Bath Dance Forum SHIFT 09 | ICIA Arts Theatre | Saturday 23 May, 7.30pm
Bath Dance Forum presents its annual platform of professional work created by various companies and individual artists from across the south west region. - Kilter Roots- A tale of love & vegetables | Bath Organic Group, Lower Common Allotments, Royal Victoria Park, Bath | Thursday 28-Sunday 31 May, Thursday 4-Sunday 7 June
Kilter invites you to grab a spade and elope to the allotment for a theatrical contemplation on the future of food. Kilter, Bath’s unique outdoor theatre company, plants the seeds of change with a playful, engaging show.
Exhibitions
- Tea Brown Fields, Blue Skies ICIA Art Space 1 | Until Friday 12 June, 10am-5pm
Tea is a collaborative group of visual artists who search for the unfamiliar in familiar places. In this project they document their ‘occupation’ of a wasteland, Widnes Waterfront poised for regeneration. - Pam Skelton Dwelling in the Space of Conspiracy ICIA Art Space 2 | Wednesday 29 April - Friday 5 June, 10am-5pm
Using video, photography and mapping, Skelton plots out patterns of surveillance to retrace the stasi spy network in the last decade of the German Democratic Republic. She constructs an unsettling portrait of a city with 483 spy cells for monitoring citizens.
Sport
Sports scientists support proud Lion Lee
Sports scientists have been helping Bath and England rugby player Lee Mears ensure he arrives in South Africa in top shape for the forthcoming British Lions tour.
Mears has been preparing for the challenge with training sessions in a hypoxic chamber at the STV.
Student lands Buccs ladies seconds a win
A last-gasp winner from student Jessica Cremin ensured Team Bath Buccaneers ladies seconds ended their season on a high note by winning the England Hockey 2nd XI Trophy.
Sports Technology graduate Sam Weale just missed out on the medals in the third Modern Pentathlon World Cup of the year, finishing fourth.