University Updates
22 May 2009
News
Researcher wins Biochemical Society award
Araxi Urrutia, Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Research Fellow in the Department of Biology & Biochemistry, has received an Early Career Research Award from the Biochemical Society for her work on evolutionary genetics.
School for Health to develop postgrad programmes for trainee GPs
The School for Health has been selected to explore the possibility of developing an innovative new postgraduate programme for GPs in training. The project will involve working in partnership with the School of Primary Care in the Severn Deanery to explore the feasibility of a Masters programme in Primary Care, together with intermediate awards and continuing professional development.
Recession-hit businesses offered help
Businesses needing support during the recession can now apply for help from university graduates and academics as part of a Government scheme.
Uni offers guidance on starting a business
The University is running evening and daytime courses offering help and guidance to local people wishing to start their own business. Evening classes start from Tuesday 16 June and intensive day classes start on 8 September.
Textbook breaks new ground
Philippe Blondel (Physics) has just published The Handbook of Sidescan Sonar, the only textbook on the market explaining sidescan sonar and its applications.
Student sets up school for refugee children in Thailand
Student Steve Gomersall is set to transform the lives of young Burmese refugees in Thailand, when he completes plans to set up a new school for them next month.
Alumni Fund gives £10.5k to special student projects
The Alumni Fund, towards which thousands of former graduates have donated, has just awarded grants to eight projects which create opportunities for students, promote enterprise and innovation, and enhance the student experience.
Funding news
Uni awarded £250k HEFCE Revolving Green Fund to reduce carbon footprint
The University has recently been awarded £250,000 under a HEFCE 'Revolving Green Fund' set up to enable HE establishments to radically transform their approach to energy consumption and reduce emissions by investing in energy efficiency projects.
Materials Research Centre wins £118K to develop industrial polymers
A grant of over £118,000 has been awarded to the Materials Research Centre (Mechanical Engineering) to develop expertise in industrial polymers at Pall’s Ilfracombe site. The aim is to optimise the processing of polymeric materials for the manufacture of industrial and pharmaceutical filters.
£129k to develop state-of-the-art processes & machine design capability
An award of over £129,500 has been made to the Innovative Design Manufacturing Research Centre (Mechanical Engineering) to upgrade the machine design capability within Procare UK Ltd. The project will develop ‘state of the art’ processes and machine design capability, enabling Procare to be more agile and versatile in responding to changing opportunities.
Uni secures Royal Literary funding for additional academic writing coach
The University is pleased to have secured funding from the Royal Literary Fund for an additional RLF Fellow for at least a year from September 2009. Author Jeremy Seal will be available two days a week to help students to enhance their academic writing skills.
News for academics
New ESRC postgraduate training framework announced
The ESRC has announced changes to the way it supports postgraduate training in the social sciences for students who will commence study from 2011 onwards. This is a move away from the ESRC’s recognition and award of studentships to departments/subjects towards institutional level accreditation for social science training.
Research Councils UK announces five areas of reprioritisation
RCUK has announced that the efficiency savings of £106 million announced in April's budget will be invested in five priority areas within the cross-Council multidisciplinary programmes: green economy; life science sector (including health and food); digital economy; high-value manufacturing systems and services; cultural and creative industries.
Je-S System maintenance rescheduled 30-31 May
Users of the Je-S System are advised not to attempt to access the Je-S System from 5pm on Friday 29 May until 9am on Monday 1 June 2009.
Pilot Sabbatical Leave Scheme
Individuals wishing to apply for sabbatical leave should submit an application for sabbatical leave via their Head of Department/School by 28 May.
Outcome of Personal Tutorial Review
Following a consultation last November, the Personal Tutorial Review Working Party has made a number of revisions to its original proposals.
Information
East Car Park - part closure
A section of the East Car Park will need to be closed off from 5pm on Thursday 29 May until 8am on Monday 1 June due to the Summer Ball. Apologies for any inconvenience.
Death of Don Bletso
We regret to announce the death of Donald Bletso, who worked as a security officer at the University for 20 years until his retirement in early 2008.
Thank you! Cake sale raises £225 for Macmillan Cancer Support
Sarah Moore would like to thank everyone who helped raise £225 for Macmillan Cancer Support at yesterday’s cake sale.
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.
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.
Research volunteers wanted: earn £5 (x2)
Two researchers are currently recruiting volunteers to help them with experiments. Both are willing to pay participants £5.
Jobs
Vacant posts: www.bath.ac.uk/jobs
Forthcoming lectures & conferences
View all University Public Lectures
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.
Work after globalisation Thursday 28 May
Professor Guy Standing will deliver his inaugural lecture: "The lecture will dwell on the growth of a new dangerous class, the precariat. This consists of many millions of people without a sense of occupation, without economic security, prone to suffer from stress and anxiety, and likely to support political extremism."
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 Wednesday 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
- Malcolm Johnson (Centre for Death & Society) has featured in two articles this week: The Times & BBC Online.
- Chris Brace (Powertrain & Vehicle Research Centre) gave his ten tips on how to improve petrol consumption to Yahoo cars.
- Steve Gomersall, a Psychology student, talked to Bath FM about why he is setting up a school in Thailand for Burmese refugees.
Training & development
- Academic tutoring 21 May
- Enhancing student learning through motivation 28 May
- Appraisal skills and process: support staff (for appraisers) 4 June
- Enhancing learning through feedback 9 June
- Managers' Forum 16 June
- Developing management skills June 2009-May 2010
- 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
Tuesday 26
12:15 PM Midweek Eucharist/Holy Communion
14:30 PM Agresso 5.5.3 User Familiarisation
Wednesday 27
10:15 AM Performance indicators for learning in UK National Parks
13:15 PM Pharmacy & Pharmacology lecture
18:15 PM Academics & public policy: a new alignment?
Thursday 28
10:30 AM Agresso 5.5.3 User Familiarisation
12:00 Noon Agresso 5.5.3 User Familiarisation
18:15 PM Work AFTER globalisation: A progressive agenda
Exhibitions
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Life, Environment and People | First floor landing of Building 3 South | Until mid June
The annual exhibition of artwork submitted by students on the 'Life, Environment and People' course is now on view. -
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.
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.