University Updates
17 July 2009
University news
University to host British team preparation camps ahead of London 2012 Paralympic Games
The University has been chosen to host the British Paralympic team’s preparation camps in the build-up to the London 2012 Paralympic Games. ParalympicsGB athletes, coaches and support staff will attend the preparation camps at the University of Bath’s Claverton campus between now and London 2012, as well as in the immediate lead up to the Games.
Bath Hon Grad wins Asian equivalent of Nobel Peace Prize
Honorary graduate Dr Krisana Kraisintu, a pharmaceutical consultant who pioneered local production and increased access to AIDS medicines in Africa has been named as a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay award for public service this year. The highly prestigious award is considered to be Asia’s equivalent of the Nobel Peace Prize. Dr Krisana, an alumna of Bath, was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree by the University in this year’s summer graduations.
Bath professor elected to prestigious European Academy
Barry Potter (Pharmacy & Pharmacology) has been elected a member of the prestigious Academia Europaea, Europe’s Academy of Sciences, Humanities and Letters. He is joining other eminent scientists such as the physicist Stephen Hawking, the inventor of the world-wide web Sir Timothy Berners-Lee, and the 2007 Nobel Prize winner for stem cell work Sir Martin Evans.
US Cleantech mission targets Bath
The University’s Bath Ventures Innovation Centre hosted a Mission of US Clean Technology executives today (Friday, 17 July), as part of a roadshow which will take in London, Oxford, Cambridge and Bath. The aim of the Mission is to open opportunities for collaboration within the United States Cleantech and Energy markets.
Research news
University has grand designs to build a house of straw
A team of University researchers and industrial partners is building an eco-friendly house made of straw to investigate straw bales as a low carbon building material. Researchers from Architecture & Civil Engineering will be collecting data on thermal insulation, sound insulation and humidity levels to determine its performance as a building material.
Cystic fibrosis treatments may have unseen long-term benefits
A new study by researchers at Bath, Edinburgh and Oxford shows that cystic fibrosis medicines that help to break down mucus in the lungs may carry an unexpected long-term benefit. The research suggests that treatments not only help breathing in the short term, but may also make lung infections less harmful in the long run.
Robot fish to help understand how real fish swim against the flow
Researchers from the Department of Mechanical Engineering are part of a consortium of five European research institutions that is building a robot to help understand how fish can swim upstream. The project has been awarded a major EU grant worth €1.8M.
Community news
Bath pupils join University chemistry camp
Bath pupils will find out what makes jellyfish glow in the dark next week, in a chemistry camp for schools from across the south of England, hosted by the University.
Free filming course for teenagers
A free film-making workshop for teenagers on shooting, directing and acting is being held at Swindon College from 27 to 31 July.
Student news
Watch former SU president review the year in a new film
Alex Nicholson-Evans, the outgoing president of the Students’ Union, talks about the highlights of the past 12 months for the SU at Bath in a new film. Topics covered by Alex include plans for a new student centre, improvements to the bus services on campus, and a plan for improvements to the coming fresher’s week.
Architecture students show work in London
The Architecture Year Show ‘Pride in Prejudice’ took place on Friday 3 July at The Village Underground in Shoreditch, London, featuring work from graduating architecture students from Bath.
Study China: one student reports on his Chinese experiences
Dominic Povey (Mechanical Engineering), one of seven students to be selected for the programme, reports back from his three weeks in China.
Grants
Alumni Fund gives £25K to special projects
The Alumni Fund has awarded grants totalling £25,037 to 17 projects. The fund exists to enhance the student experience at the University and has been supported by thousands of former graduates.
New money available for EPSRC funded research
The University has been awarded over £3 million to spend over the next three years to maximise the economic, financial or social impact of EPSRC funded research. Any EPSRC projects (past and current) might be eligible for support.
Information
Swine Flu - Emergency Management team exercise
The Emergency Management Team yesterday took part in an exercise to simulate the University experiencing significant numbers of cases of swine flu affecting its staff and students. The exercise was set initially in Freshers' Week and members of the Emergency Management Team considered a number of scenarios aimed to increase understanding of the possible impact such a pandemic might have on the University community.
New Research website beta launched
Web Services is seeking feedback from the University community about their new “beta version” of the external Research webpages before the site goes live later in the year.
Appointment of new Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Teaching)
Professor Ian Jamieson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Teaching), will be retiring from the University in December 2009. A Search Committee has therefore been convened to begin the process of appointing his successor.
Claverton Rooms open for packed lunches
The Open University will be using 6 West South for their lunches in July and August and during this period the space will not be available to staff and students from 12 noon till 2.30pm. Therefore, those wishing to use a social space to eat their own lunch will be able to use the Claverton Rooms during the period up to 14 August.
RICE Memory Trail - 20 September
Take part in the 16th annual Memory Trail and help support research into Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Starting in the pretty village of Rode and following the River Frome as far as Tellisford the two longer routes then take you to Farleigh Hungerford and its 12th century castle and as far as the weir at Avoncliffe.
Jobs
Vacant posts: www.bath.ac.uk/jobs
Research volunteers wanted
- Marketing research survey - a chance to win £25
- Are you looking forward to a positive event in the near future?
- The effects of different thoughts and emotions on the experience of pain
- Do you Twitter?
- Smokers wanted
- Could everyday situations pose privacy concerns?
- How we relate to our thoughts
- Relationships between attention and pain experience
- How people respond to the use of mental visualisation
In the media
- Semali Perera (Chemical Engineering) was interviewed by New Scientist about her research on nanoporous fibres with n-psl
- William Megill (Mechanical Engineering) spoke to BBC Radio Bristol, Radio Somerset, Heart FM and Bath FM about a collaborative project to design a robotic fish that has been awarded a major EU grant.
- The BaleHaus at Bath project to build a low carbon house out of straw bales on campus was featured in the Daily Mail.
- The Vice-Chancellor Professor Glynis Breakwell was interviewed, along with Paralympic athletes Ben Rushgrove and Katy Grey, by BBC Points West, ITV Westcountry, Radio Bristol, Bath FM and Heart FM about the announcement that the University has been chosen to host the British Paralympic Team's preparation camps for 2012. Ged Roddy, Director of Sport, was interviewed by BBC Radio Somerset.
Training & development
- Theory & practice of grant writing - Optimising the approach 22 July
- An intro to HE - A programme for new managers and administrators 2-4 September 2009
- An introduction to project management 29 September (off-site at Marriott Airport Hotel, Manchester)
- Agresso familiarisation courses
- IT courses
- Content Management System (CMS) courses
- Summer e-learning staff development programme
- Opportunity to be involved in project to integrate Intute with Moodle
Forthcoming Lectures, conferences & exhibitions
Former President of Ireland to give lecture at Bath Abbey Wednesday 16 September
Staff and students are invited to attend a lecture by the Honourable Mary Robinson, former President of the Republic of Ireland, in Bath Abbey. The lecture, entitled ‘Realising Rights: the role of religion in human rights in the future’, is part of the 1100th anniversary celebrations of the Diocese of Bath & Wells.
Promote your research at the Royal Society’s Summer Exhibition
2010 is the Royal Society’s 350th anniversary and to celebrate the Society is holding its annual Summer Science Exhibition at the Southbank Centre in London, from 26 June-4 July 2010. The call for proposals for the 2010 Exhibition is now open. Closing date 31 July 2009.
What's on next week
More details about events below
Monday 20
19:30 PM Marine Ecological Surveys - Research for Environmental Impact Assessments
Tuesday 21
19:30 PM Exile, loss, memory: the life & work of W G Sebald (1944-2001)
Wednesday 22
19:30 PM The Problem of Venice - To Find the City Behind the Myth
Saturday 25
08:00 AM UBSA trip: The GWR Steam Railway & Cheltenham
UBSA trips - open to everyone
- Trip to Cotswold steam railway & Cheltenham 25 July | £20
- Four-day tour of Ireland through County Cork/County Kerry/Killarney & the Ring of Kerry 4 September | £269
Sport
Bath athletes win first medal for women's football at World Uni Games
Three University of Bath athletes won medals at the World University Games, which have just drawn to a close in Belgrade. Grace McCatty and Lauren Wells both featured for the Great Britain women’s football team that won bronze at the Games.
Gemma Gibbons, a 22-year-old Sports Performance graduate, took bronze in the under-70kg judo competition.
University of Bath-based Katrina Hart produced two fine performances at the German Open in Stuttgart. The Beijing 2008 Paralympian took a full 10th of a second off her personal best for the T37 100m as she finished second in 14.38 seconds. She followed that up by comfortably winning the T37 200m in a season’s best of 30.92 seconds.