University Updates
21 January 2011
Research news
Satellite technology used to monitor great bustards
Tamás Székely & PhD student John Burnside (Biology & Biochemistry), working as part of a consortium, are using satellite transmitters to track the world’s heaviest flying bird as part of a conservation project to reintroduce great bustards to Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire.
New world class training centre will change landscape of social science
The University of Bath has come together with the Universities of Bristol & Exeter to form one of the UK’s largest centres of postgraduate research training for social scientists in a range of disciplines including innovative new programmes in Health & Wellbeing; Security, Conflict & Justice; Environment, Energy & Resilience; and Global Economic Performance. As part of the successful bid, Roger Eatwell and colleagues at Bath worked with the University’s Research & Development Support Office (RDSO) to secure a number of accredited ESRC PhD studentships for its social sciences.
The VC’s Research Day is an annual event which showcases and celebrates research being carried out by early career academics across the University. This year’s event was held on 18 January and included ten presentations, ranging from the mathematics of weather prediction to nanofluidics, via biofuels, daffodils and drugs, eye gaze in autism, community arts, energy performance of buildings, organisational change, the genetic basis of complexity, and reputation in markets.
Awards & grants
Mechanical Engineers awarded EPSRC KT funding for hybrid research
Chris Brace, Sam Akehurst & Andrew Plummer (Mechanical Engineering) have been awarded a Partnership Development Award from the EPSRC Knowledge Transfer Account to match fund investment from Ashwoods Automotive Ltd. The aim of this KTA project is to redesign the second generation of Ashwoods Automotive’s existing hybrid systems for diesel vans.
New KTA project in piezoelectric aero-engine control systems
Andrew Plummer, Nigel Johnston, Chris Bowen and Michael Schlotter (Mechanical Engineering) have been awarded a Partnership Development Award from the EPSRC Knowledge Transfer Account. This has been match-funded by Aero Engine Controls, a Rolls-Royce plc and Goodrich Corporation Joint Venture.
Pain researcher wins prestigious science award
Pain Research Centre member Geert Crombez (Health) has been awarded the National Francqui Chair 2010-11; he received the prestigious science award, which has been in existence since 1933, for his contributions to psychology.
Visiting professor helps young people recover lives blighted by pain
The Centre for Pain Research recently welcomed Lindsey Cohen to spend a year, as award winner of the 2008-09 David Parkin Award Visiting Professorship. Dr Cohen’s stay was very productive, resulting in four publications to high quality journals. Dr Cohen will be able to take back his findings and develop treatment programmes at Georgia State University, USA.
Information
New call for bids to CPD Development Fund
The fund seeks to encourage University staff to work with external employers to investigate and develop CPD opportunities which meet the needs of their workforce.
EPSRC to stop new project studentships
EPSRC have taken the strategic decision to stop supporting project studentships on research grants. No research proposals will be accepted with project students on them after 31 January 2011.
SciQuest Inc to provide the University’s first eMarketplace
The University of Bath's first eMarketplace is to be provided by SciQuest Inc. This will make the process of staff buying goods and services on behalf of the University much more intuitive and mean the experience will become considerably more like buying from other web suppliers, such as Amazon.
Car Share permits & spaces
The Care Share Permit scheme is designed for members of staff who car/lift share with others. Six reserved Car Share spaces have been created in both the East and West car parks in order to encourage car share users.
Advice to staff supporting students
Student Services is conducting an Equality Impact Assessment on the advice the Student Health & Well-Being team provides to staff supporting students. If you work with students, please could you find a few minutes to complete a brief survey. Thank you.
Volunteers needed to take part in diet and exercise study
James Betts & Dylan Thompson (Health) are looking for volunteers, aged 21-60, to take part in a project designed to explore how diet and exercise affects health.
Sign up as a Holburne Challenge Runner for the Bath Half
The Holburne Museum is this year’s Bath Half Marathon’s Featured Race Appeal. Our involvement in the race will raise money for the Holburne Challenge which is aiming to raise £300,000 for the final phase of the Museum’s development project.
Appointments
New temporary Director of BUCS
Andrew Lee has been appointed as temporary Director of Computing Services for the next six months.
New University Treasurer
Peter Wyman became Treasurer of the University on 1 January 2011 and has been appointed to serve for three years until 31 December 2013.
Jobs
Vacant posts: www.bath.ac.uk/jobs/
In the media
www.bath.ac.uk/news/bathinpapers/
- Tamas Szekelly and John Burnside (Biology & Biochemistry) were interviewed about the great bustard project on ITV and BBC Points West [Watch again at 15min 23sec]. The research also featured in the Guardian, the Independent, and Sky news.
- BBC Radio 4s Today programme and BBC Breakfast talked to Kate Woodthorpe (Social & Policy Sciences) about whether graves are public places. It was also featured in the Guardian.
- Paul Salkovskis (Psychology) was quoted in a BBC online story about the fear of going to the dentist or having an injection.
- Richard Guy (Pharmacy & Pharmacology) denounced the claims of the makers of collagen facecreams in an article in the Times; it was also picked up by the Daily Mail and many national and international publications in China, India, the Netherlands, Belgium, Romania and Italy.
- Richard Whitman (European Studies & Modern Languages) commented on BP's energy exploration deal in the Russian Arctic on Reuters.
Training & development
- Advanced video conferencing (AGN) demo - Book now! Wednesday 26 January
- Manager's Forum Friday 28 January
- Symposium: Catalysis & sensing for health 31 January-2 February 2011
- Ideas Sandpit: Exciting opportunity for collaborative research Wednesday 2 February 2011
- Engaging with policy: Strategies, successes & traps Tuesday 15 February 2011
- KTA seminar: Practical networking Tuesday 29 March
- Training opportunities for researchers
- IT skills
- e-Learning staff development programme
What's on
www.bath.ac.uk/whats-on
Tuesday 25
12:15 PM Eucharist/Holy Communion
12.30 PM Calling all school governors!
19:30 PM French film: Huites hommesThursday 27
12:15 PM L&T paper lunch
Arts
www.bath.ac.uk/icia
Exhibitions:
Bobby Baker & Charlie Whittuck - Mad gyms & kitchens: A work in progress | ICIA Art Space 1 | Till Friday 28 January
Based on Bobby’s experiences of recovery from serious physical & mental ill health, Mad Gyms and Kitchens: A work in progress investigates the benefits of exercise and nutrition in the pursuit of ultimate well-being.
Guy Debord’s The Game of War - presented by Class Wargames | ICIA Art Space 2 | Till Saturday 26 February
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.
Classes & Workshops:
Booking is now open! www.bath.ac.uk/icia
Sport
Netball Superleague 2011 tickets now on sale
Team Bath’s netballers will commence their bid to retain the Superleague title with a trip to Team Northumbria in January followed by home games against Celtic Dragons, Loughborough and Leeds Carnegie in February.
Snowboarder Jamie prepares for World Winter University Games
Twice British junior snowboard cross champion Jamie Barrow (Sports Performance) is preparing for his World University Winter Games debut in Turkey later this month.
TeamBath judo players head to British trials
Bath graduates Jan Gosiewski, (Mechanical Engineering) and Tom Reed (Business Administration) will aim to make their mark at the British Judo trials, taking place in Sheffield over the weekend.
Bath alumna stars for England netball
Graduate Stacey Francis (Sports Performance) was named player of the match as England lost by just two goals in their international netball match against New Zealand, the side ranked second in the world.