18 February 2011
Information
Pay negotiations decision
The University has been advised to implement the 0.4 per cent pay award in February 2011 (with arrears backdated to 1 August 2010), although there has not been unanimous acceptance of the offer by all the unions. For more information, please read the message from Ian Cheetham, Director of Human Resources, which explains the background in fuller detail.
New wireless internet access on campus – eduroam
Eduroam allows internet connectivity in existing wireless zones at the University. What makes eduroam different to other wireless access methods, is that once you are set up to use eduroam, you can log on to the network at any eduroam-enabled organisation without needing to apply for a temporary username and password.
Vouchers wanted
Please collect Sainsbury's Active Kids and Tesco for Schools and Clubs vouchers, and send them to the Westwood Nursery. Thank you very much.
Welcome to all staff who joined the University in January
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. (Have you thought about joining Omnibus?)
Watch your speed on Claverton Hill
If you use Claverton Hill to drive to and from the A36 (past the American Museum), please watch your speed on this narrow stretch of road, taking extra care in icy conditions. Local residents have expressed their concern about the safety of other car drivers and pedestrians
Frome Road to close for three months
A section of Frome Road is now closed until early May.
Recycle & save
Purchasing Services' Swap Shop wiki aims to make use of University assets more productively, saving on your departmental budget.
Protocol for surveying students
If you are planning to survey groups of more than 250 students at the University, please be aware of this protocol.
Jobs
Vacant posts: www.bath.ac.uk/jobs/
Research & Knowledge Transfer
Eating disorders linked with autism in school children
Researchers led by Mark Brosnan (Psychology) have worked with Great Ormond Street Hospital and found that school children who show tendencies towards eating disorders also have traits associated with autism.
New guide helps builders tackle ‘embodied carbon’
A new guide, created in Mechanical Engineering, is set to help the construction industry measure and tackle the full carbon footprint of building materials and reduce negative impact on the environment.
Funding awarded for research into internet & smartphone addiction
Neal Hinvest (Psychology) has been successful in securing funding for his proposal on ‘internet, video-game and smartphone addiction’. The award follows a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style event, in which lecturers from the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences bid for a Graduate School University Research Studentship on a research theme of their choice.
KT Fellowship: Hydrogen – number one element, number one fuel
Tim Mays (Chemical Engineering), has been awarded a part-time Knowledge Transfer Fellowship from the EPSRC Knowledge Transfer Account for one year, starting on 1 January 2011. The aim of Tim's KTA project is to investigate why the massive potential of hydrogen as an energy storage technology has not yet been fully exploited as an essential enabler of low carbon applications such as fuel cell vehicles and storing renewable electricity.
University of Exeter joins expanding SETsquared partnership
The SETsquared Partnership is being expanded by the addition of the University of Exeter which will provide further impetus to the Partnership’s drive to create research-led economic growth.
Postgrad 'Visual Research Stories' competition
A poster entitled 'GPS, the Sun & the Human Race' by Julian Rose (Electronic & Electrical Engineering) won the recent Visual Research Stories competition.
Learning & teaching
New CPD course on photonic crystal fibres is huge success
Delegates from across the globe attended the Physics Department’s first Continuing Professional Development course last month. The two-week non-accredited course was co-ordinated by Dmitry Skryabin and delivered by staff and postgraduate students from the Centre for Photonics & Photonic Materials. For further information on how to bid for CPD funding, see Nominations & Bids section.
Foreign Languages Centre day for local A level students
The Foreign Languages Centre hosted an Open Day on campus for year 12 students who are studying French, Spanish and German at AS or A level. Over 60 students from Bath and surrounding area took part in the day and enjoyed meeting with academic staff and students.
Is engineering a man’s world? We don’t think so!
Rachel Betts, Rebecca Drake, Emma Bennett, Emily Dixon, Charlie Benbow and Rosie Scott, all undergraduate students on Civil Engineering & Civil Architectural Engineering courses, recently attended an Ove Arup event in London aimed at encouraging female students to aim high in sector.
Vice-Chancellor's activities
Fees and access – VC attends meeting with Deputy Prime Minister
The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, called a meeting on Tuesday 8 February 2011 to discuss the issues of fair access and widening participation in the university sector. Our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Glynis Breakwell, along with several other vice-chancellors, was invited to attend. Our own Fees & Access Working Group has now drafted a set of guiding principles for the setting of fees and for access activities.
Vice-Chancellor appointed to West of England LEP Board
Glynis Breakwell has been appointed as the higher education representative on the board of the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). The new LEP is one of a network created across the country to replace regional development agencies.
In the media
www.bath.ac.uk/news/bathinpapers/
- A variety of publications including the Bristol Evening Post & the Bath Chronicle featured Mark Brosnan's (Psychology) discovery of a link between autism and eating disorders; he was also interviewed by BBC Radio Bristol.
- Tony Walter (Social & Policy Sciences) spoke to BBC online about the 'taste wars' occurring in many of Britain's cemeteries.
- Egyptian PhD student Moustafa Kenawy shared his thoughts prior to & following President Mubarak's resignation on BBC Radio Bristol.
Nominations & bids
Chancellor's Prize Deadline - 21 April
If you think you might be teaching the best final year undergraduate student currently studying at Bath, you may want to nominate them for the Chancellor's Prize.
Learning & Teaching Awards Deadline - 11 March
Nominations are now open for the University of Bath Teaching Awards, which encourage and recognise significant contributions by staff to the academic lives of students.
Bids for CPD Development Fund Deadline - 28 February
The fund seeks to encourage University staff to work with external employers to investigate and develop Continuing Professional Development opportunities which meet the needs of their workforce.
Pilot Sabbatical Leave Scheme Deadline - 4 March
Individuals wishing to apply for sabbatical leave commencing 1 February 2012 should submit an application for sabbatical leave via their Head of Department/School.
Work perks
Organic fruit & veg box scheme on campus
Small (£7.50) and large (£10) boxes of organic produce can be ordered from the SU shop. Order by Monday night and your box will be delivered to the Chaplaincy on Thursday for you to collect.
ICIA music tuition scheme for staff
Ever wanted to learn a musical instrument? There are still places available on ICIA’s subsidised instrumental and vocal tuition scheme taught by professional tutors.
Staff discounts
The University has negotiated a number of discounts for staff. If you have family or friends who run a business and they would like to participate in the Staff Discount Scheme, please ask them to contact Alison Flindall, HR Manager.
Omnibus Staff Society
Want to meet other members informally? Omnibus members are welcome to eat their lunch in the Chaplaincy between noon and 2pm on Thursdays. You can use the kettle and microwave in the kitchen if you wish.
Designated Car Share parking spaces
Six reserved Car Share spaces have been created in East and West car parks to encourage car sharing.
Training & development
NVQs awarded to Hospitality & Accommodation Staff
Congratulations to the 45 members of staff from Hospitality & Accommodation who have recently been awarded an NVQ. Head of Department Jane Loveys presented the certificates and Angie Allcock, Staff Development Manager, said a few words thanking staff for completing their qualifications and encouraging them to continue with their professional development.
- Training for the occasional trainer - Thursday 10 March
- Mental Health first aid - Two-day course - Friday 11 & Friday 18 March | Friday 13 & 20 May
- Advanced video conferencing (AGN) demo - Saturday 26 March
- KTA seminar: Practical networking Tuesday 29 March
- IT skills
- Staff Development
- e-Learning courses
- Training opportunities for researchers
- Researchers: Find out what it's like to be a science journalist
Lectures & seminars
Faith forum: What happens when we die | Monday 21 February
The annual Three Faith Forum will explore death and the after-life from the perspective of the three Abrahamic Faiths – Judaism, Islam & Christianity. Refreshments will be served afterwards.
The prehistory of Bathampton Down - Bath's sacred landscape | Wednesday 23 February
There have been a series of significant prehistoric cultures in Bath, with features well represented on Bathampton Down - many of which are unknown to the people of Bath. The talk will consider stone circles, Bronze Age round barrows, the ancient field system, the Iron Age enclosure and a new Iron Age site. Learn more about pre-Roman society and the vulnerable local landscape that needs to be protected.
Mysterious cases of misbehaving molecules! | Thursday 24 February
Ever wondered why chocolate goes white with age? Did you realise that a US pharmaceutical firm recently lost over $250M because the molecules of an anti-HIV drug started sticking together badly? This Millennium Lecture by Chick Wilson will include a discussion of the phenomenon of ‘polymorphism’ and ways we might try to learn to control it.
Creative societies for health & wellbeing | Thursday 24 February
Peter Johnson (Computer Science) is hosting a day-long event held in the City of Bath which will focus on different issues connected with the role creative, social activities play in fostering and preserving health and wellbeing. The aim of the day is to raise awareness of current activities, current issues & challenges and to identify opportunities for achieving greater impact through research, development and application. Harry Daniels (Education) will talk about 'Social cultural perspectives on health & wellbeing' and Hilary Johnson (Computer Science) will give a presentation on 'Creativity support tools'.
Birds & bees - threats & survival | Friday 25 February 2011
This lecture is part of the Bath Lit Fest and will present two stories of how cutting-edge science at the University is helping to protect the natural world. Tamas Szekely (Biology & Biochemistry) will talk about the conservation project aiming to re-introduce the great bustard to Salisbury Plain and Edward Feil (Biology & Biochemistry) will describe a major threat to the UK's bee population.
Jade Goody & the internet: a new way of looking at death | Friday 4 March
Jade Goody’s public death in the tabloids & magazines, and how the internet can make death a less isolating experience, are two of the topics that will be discussed at a seminar which looks at changing perceptions of dying at a seminar on campus next month.
What's on
www.bath.ac.uk/whats-on
Monday 21 February
19:30 PM A failed affair of states? The prospects for a foreign policy for the EUTuesday 22 February
12:15 PM Eucharist/Holy Communion
12:45 PM Oxfam Lunch
13:15 PM Gender & Sexuality Research Network Seminars
16:30 PM Sustainability & learning: What role for the curriculum?
Wednesday 23 February
13:15 PM SPS Placements Conference 2011
Thursday 24 February
11:00 AM Volunteer Fair
12:30 PM Lunchtime workshop: Small group teaching to enhance learning
17:15 PM Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences Graduate School open evening
Saturday 26 February
19:30 PM Practice
Sunday 27 February
10:30 AM Workshop: Introduction to writing for performance
Arts
www.bath.ac.uk/icia
Concerts & performances:
- Choral & Orchestral Society Recital | University Hall | Saturday 19 February, 7.30pm
Featuring solo ensembles and chamber performances, showcasing the talent of students from one of the University’s most popular societies. - ICIA Evening Concert Takafumi Abe | University Hall, Music Room | Wednesday 23 February, 5.15pm
Limited Seating Available. Programme includes Prelude "The Bells of Moscow" by Rachmaninov, Nocturne No.13, 20 by Chopin, Allegro for Concert by Granados. - Bath University Student Theatre Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw | The Mission Theatre, Corn St, Bath | Thursday 24 & Friday 25 February , 7.30pm
This Shaw classic witnesses Professor Henry Higgins' attempt to create an ‘ideal woman’ out of the cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle. Is the notion of a ‘ideal woman’ even possible?
Exhibitions:
- Class Wargames present Guy Debord’s The Game of War | ICIA Art Space 2 | Until Saturday 26 February, Monday -Saturday 10am-5pm
Class Wargames is a collective of artists, academics and activists. Their multimedia exhibition is inspired by The Game of War, the life’s work of French anti-capitalist intellectual, Guy Debord, begun after the riots of May 1968. - Swindon College Lines of Enquiry 7 | ICIA Art Space 1 | Until Friday 18 March , Monday -Saturday 10am-5pm
The seventh in a series showing work by graduates of the BA Fine Art Drawing at Swindon College’s School of Art & Design.
Sport
Netballers aim to bounce back after wafer-thin Mavericks defeat
TeamBath's televised netball fixture against Leeds Carnegie has been moved to the Sports Training Village. Following a wafer-thin defeat away to Hertfordshire Mavericks last time out TeamBath will be hoping this change of venue will provide the boost they need to record another super league win.
Jamieson leads way as Bath finish runners-up at BUCS swimming champs
Commonwealth Games silver medallist Michael Jamieson led the way as Bath finished runners-up at the British Universities & Colleges Sport long course championships.
Bath Half Marathon
Are you running the Bath Half for charity this year?
Let us know your name, department and the charity you are raising money for (with www.justgiving link) and we'll add you to our Bath Half webpage . Email comms@bath.ac.uk with 'Bath Half' in the subject line. Good luck with your preparations!