University Updates
22 January 2010
Research
Loft insulation more important than wind turbines for reducing carbon emissions, say engineers
Doug King, (Architecture & Civil Engineering), has written a report on how carbon emissions from the built environment should be tackled. In the Royal Academy of Engineering report, he argues that it is more important to make buildings energy efficient before considering technology such as roof-mounted wind turbines.
New technique to track transmission of super-bug MRSA
Ed Feil (Biology & Biochemistry) is part of a world-wide collaboration of scientists who have developed a new technique that can pinpoint the source of infections such as the super-bug MRSA to a single hospital ward. Their results have been published in the prestigious journal, Science.
Cancer drug passes clinical development milestones
An anti-cancer drug designed by researchers at Bath, which is being developed by the pharmaceutical company Ipsen, has made important clinical progress.
News
New Staff Representatives on Committees
Staff members, Vasanta Subramanian, Marie Morley, William Megill and Graham Mott, have been elected unopposed as staff representatives on University Committees for the period ending 31 July 2012.
New suite is the perfect prescription for pharmacy students
A new teaching lab that uses state-of-the-art technology to teach future pharmacists how to prescribe and dispense medicines safely was officially opened by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Glynis Breakwell, on Tuesday 19 January. The laboratory, situated on Level 1 of 5 West, is set up like a real pharmacy, with a dispensary and patient consulting rooms.
Swap sandwiches for languages at lunchtime
New lunchtime language classes run by the University will offer city centre workers something different to do at lunchtime.
Essential skills for starting your own business
The Division for Lifelong Learning is running a new essential skills course to help people realise their dreams about starting their own business. Self Employment Essentials will be run between 6pm and 9pm, from 11 February, at Carpenter House.
Staff news
Bath Academics help Bangladeshi government address extreme poverty
Joe Devine and Geof Wood ( Social & Policy Sciences), have returned from Bangladesh where they helped set up a parliamentary group to address extreme poverty.
Sino-Indian Interface: Retrospect and Road ahead
Yukteshwar Kumar (European Studies & Modern Languages) delivered a lecture on "Sino-Indian Interface: Retrospect and Road Ahead" at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London on January 19. In the talk he spoke about the bilateral relation between the two nations of the past and gave his opinion about the trend of the relationship in future.
Professor's expedition across the South Pole
Fed up with the wintry conditions? Spare a thought for Cathryn Mitchell (Electronic & Electrical Engineering), who is currently in the South Pole. She is travelling by small aircraft to several sites in Antarctica to set up a network of Global Positioning System (GPS) recievers. The recievers will monitor changes in the ionosphere which can adversely affect the performance of satellite navigation and timing systems. Once set up, data will be collected for a year and used to create a model of the ionosphere for the region. This can then be used to help ice monitoring from space and improving the accuracy of GPS.
Information
Pay negotiations for 2009-10 result in 0.5% increase
The University & Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) have notified the University that the pay negotiations for 2009-10 have resulted in a 0.5% increase in pay, effective from 1 August 2009.
Future of the USS – Employers Pensions Forum Briefing
We have recently received a briefing pack from the Employers Pensions Forum, which explains the background to the current funding position of pension schemes in the higher education sector. We are passing this information to you at the earliest opportunity and we will continue to keep you briefed as further updates become available.
Employers Pension Forum briefing: USS and related Q&As for Higher Education Institutions
Questions & answers about proposed possible changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS).
Implementing proposals for re-organisation: Transfer to Faculty-focused administrative model - Completion of Phase One
Phase One of the transfer to the faculty-focused model for administration has been completed. The Deans have been asked to start work on preparation for transition to the new model (Phase Two).
2008/09 University Annual Report available to view online
The University of Bath Annual Report for 2008/09 is now available to view online and in hard copy.
Swap Shop wiki
Save on your departmental budget by asking others for furniture and equipment that they may no longer need.
Jobs
Vacant posts: http://www.bath.ac.uk/jobs/
Deadlines & nominations
Second call for nominations - staff reps wanted
There are still three vacancies for staff representatives to serve on the Equalities & Diversity or Health & Safety Committe until 31 July 2012. Deadline: 2 February
Final call for bids to Continuing Professional Development Fund
The University is pleased to announce the third call for bids to the CPD Development Fund. The fund seeks to encourage staff to work with external employers to investigate and develop CPD opportunities which meet the needs of their staff. [Deadline extended till] 29 January
Last chance: Times Higher Education Leadership & Management Awards
These awards are designed to celebrate the sector's leadership, management, financial and business skills. They showcase the extraordinary innovation, teamwork and commercial acumen of UK higher education institutions. Deadline: 29 January
Do you know someone worthy of an honorary degree?
Staff and students are being encouraged to nominate people for honorary degrees. The University is accepting new nominations for consideration by the Honorary Degrees Committee from any member of the University or person associated with it. Deadline: 19 February
Nominations now open for University Teaching Awards
Let us know who you think has made a significant contribution to an aspect of teaching at the University by nominating a member of staff for a teaching award. Nominations are welcome from both staff and students and eligible candidates may be teaching and/or learning support staff. Deadline: 12 March
Times Higher to change their rankings methodology - have your say
Times Higher has signed an agreement with Thomson Reuters, the world’s leading research data specialist, to provide all the data for their annual World University Rankings from 2010 and beyond. You can tell them what you think about the change.
In the media
- Chris Budd (Mathematical Sciences) was featured in the Guardian on how maths can help towards finding rewarding, fulfilling and sometimes unusual jobs.
- The University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Glynis Breakwell, was mentioned in an article in the THE about universities being recognised for different strengths.
- Doug King's (Architecture & Civil Engineering) report on how carbon emissions from the built environment should be tackled was featured in The Times, The Guardian, BBC, Daily Mail. He was also featured on BBC Radio Scotland.
- Katherine Smith (School for Health) spoke to a Danish radio station about research into how tobacco companies can influence EU laws that are designed to protect public health.
- Ed Feil (Biology & Biochemistry) was interviewed by Heart radio station about his research into tracking MSRA transmission.
- Ken Bray (Mechanical Engineering) was interviewed by Portuguese daily newspaper Publico on how footballers deliver the perfect free kick.
- Mike Threadgill (Pharmacy & Pharmacology) was mentioned in the Times of India after being a main speaker at the meeting of the Indian Society of Chemists & Biologists.
Training & development
- Grant Applications workshop (run by Research Design Service - South West) - 18 Mar
- SW Institutions' Middle Managers (Deadline: 20 January) - 24 - 26 March
- Introduction to Project Management (Manchester) - 29 Apr /17 June
- Staff: Improve your IT skills, new timetable available
- Training for Technical Staff - HEaTED
- CMS training courses
- Staff Development programme | PDF to print
- e-Learning staff development programme
- Monthly learning & teaching paper lunches
Lectures, seminars & workshops
Two-day workshop: Health, wellbeing & productivity of workforce
David Wainwright (School for Health) would like to invite individuals to take part in a project that aims to improve the health and wellbeing of workers in the South-West. Applicants should have an active interest in this and, ideally, already be in a role concerned with such issues. The workshop will comprise two day long meetings held on 27 January and the 10 February.
Professor Ray Land to speak at Annual Learning and Teaching Enhancement Seminar
This year’s seminar is entitled ‘Overcoming barriers to student understanding: threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge’. The Seminar will take place on Wednesday 24 February, 13.30 - 3.30, 6 West 1.1. To book a place please email acdev@bath.ac.uk or telephone extension 4086.
Public lectures
The programme of free lectures open for staff, students and the general public is available online.
Podcasts
Catch up on any lectures you may have missed.
What's on
Tuesday 26
12:15 PM Mid week Eucharist/H C Service
Wednesday 27
14:00 PM Holocaust Memorial Day
Saturday 30
02:30 AM The European Parliament
Arts
Concerts and Performances:
Bonachela Dance Company - The Land of Yes and The Land of No | ICIA Arts Theatre | Sunday 7 February, 7pm
Bonachela delves into the world of signs and symbols that rule our everyday lives and spark our hidden memories. Award-winning Bonachela is renowned for his instinctive, dynamic and highly physical movement.
Exhibitions:
Alex Pearl - Goodbye to most of the daydreams | ICIA Art Space 1 | Until Friday 19 February, Monday - Saturday 10am-5pm
Alex Pearl applied to the British Antarctic Survey proposing not to go to the South Pole. He then documented his non-journey. Both haunting and humorous, his mini epic films, texts, drawings and sculptures carry an acceptance of failure and disappointment as important parts of the human condition.
Swindon College - Lines of Enquiry | 6 ICIA Art Space 2, 3WN 2.1 | Thursday 21 January – Friday 19 March
The sixth in a series of exhibitions showing work by graduates of the BA Fine Art Drawing at Swindon College’s School of Art & Design.
Booking now open for all ICIA classes and events - Spring 2010
Booking is now open for all ICIA classes and events.
ICIA runs classes and workshops in music, dance and visual arts for all levels. Classes open to all include:
Music:
DJ Skills, Samba Drumming, String Workshops
Dance:
Contemporary, Street Dance, Jazz Dance, Ballet, Flamenco, Tap
Visual Arts:
Ceramics, Drawing, Painting, Life Drawing, Stained Glass, Creative Sculpture, Botanical Illustration, Digital Art, Photography, Portrait Studies
Classes start the week of 8 February.
Check out www.bath.ac.uk/icia for further details.
Sport
Young athletes bid for places at Schools Biathlon Championships final
Young athletes from across Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and the former Avon county area will be battling it out for places in the national final of the British Schools Biathlon Championships at the final regional qualifier at the University on Sunday (24th January).
TeamBath’s netball coaches will be aiming to help steer England teams to victory at this year’s Netball Europe Championships
Jess Garland, head coach of TeamBath’s Co-operative Superleague team and University of Bath head coach will be assistant coach of the England under-19 squad. Anna Mayes, assistant head coach of TeamBath’s Co-operative Superleague team, will be assistant coach of the England Open squad.
Love netball? Play in our Valentine’s tournament
Love netball? Then why not take part in TeamBath’s Valentine’s Fastnet netball tournament. The competition takes place on Saturday 13th February and is open to mixed teams, featuring players of both genders.