28 January 2011
Challenging times - Important issues
Changes to internal homepage
You've probably noticed that the ‘news & information’ column on our internal homepage has changed; this is to ensure that colleagues do not miss important updates on funding and policy issues.
Fees & Access Working Group established
The Vice-Chancellor’s Group has established a Fees & Access Working Group to draft the University’s revised Access Agreement and to make recommendations on an appropriate fee structure.
Work perks
Staff discounts
Check out the latest additions to the list of discounts for staff. Do you have friends or family who have businesses and would like to offer Uni staff a discount? Contact Alison Flindall, HR Manager.
Learn a foreign language
Take advantage of reduced staff rates if you want to learn a language. The Foreign Languages Centre offers over 35 classes in 10 different languages, with beginners' courses requiring no previous knowledge.
Omnibus trip: World War I remembrance & reflection
Omnibus is running a three-night trip (25-28 March 2011) to France to visit some of the most significant & poignant battlefields of the First World War. Highlights of the trip include a visit to see 'Deborah' the WW1 tank registered as a national monument and the opportunity to witness the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres. Art lovers will have the chance to go to the Musée Matisse at Le Cataeu-Cambresis. £280 per person.
Research
Give your research real world impact
A new website, the Research Impact Gateway, offers academics and researchers a single point of access for information about how to maximise the non-academic impact of your research.
Gene discovery shows parents divided over brain and brawn
Andrew Ward (Biology & Biochemistry), working with researchers from Cardiff University, has discovered a gene that defies conventional rules, with the copies inherited from mother and father doing two very different jobs.
Children should design their own school meals, says research
Research carried out by the School of Management recommends a radical rethink of school food to give pupils a central role in designing meals and ownership of issues such as queuing, littering and marketing of menus.
Photonic fibres researcher recognised by Optical Society of America
Fetah Benabid (Physics) has been awarded a fellowship from the Optical Society of America in recognition of his ‘pioneering contributions in developments of hollow-core photonic crystal fibres and their incorporation in scientific and technological applications.’
Learning & teaching/Placements
Grant awarded - Delivering effective group work
Sabina Gheduzzi (Mechanical Engineering) and Christine Edmead (Learning & Teaching Enhancement Office) have secured a mini-project grant from The Higher Education Academy Engineering Subject Centre to fund a pilot research study into effective group work in the engineering discipline. The study aims to identify good practice in group work task design and effective strategies for supporting students in these tasks, with a particular focus on students who have little prior experience of group learning activities.
'Lecture capture' at Bath cited as example of good practice InAVate
An article on an AV website has featured Bath's use of Panopto for recording lectures and delivering the digital content to students remotely. Simon Hillier (Deputy AV Manager) talks about why we chose that particular software-based product.
Placement student wins national award
Final year student David Liptrot (Chemistry) has won a prestigious national award for significant research he completed during a placement with leading pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.
Information
Acting Head of Chemistry
Ian Williams has taken on the role of Acting Head of the Department of Chemistry until April 2011, during the phased return to work of Gareth Price following a serious illness.
Thanks to all who participated in the Agresso user survey
The results of the survey are now out and your comments & feedback will enable areas of need to be identified so the Agresso team can focus future developments on them. Katherine Swainson (Science), Monique Welten (Biology & Biochemistry) and Angela Milsom (Bath Ventures) were the winners in the prize draw.
Swine Flu
There has been a small number of cases of flu and swine flu within the University recently (at least one of which has been very serious). If you suspect you have swine flu, the current advice from the NHS is to stay at home and contact your GP. Please remember the Uni's requirements for reporting sickness to your line manager.
Recycle & save
Purchasing Services' Swap Shop wiki aims to make use of University assets more productively, saving on your departmental budget.
Jobs
Vacant posts: www.bath.ac.uk/jobs/
In the media
www.bath.ac.uk/news/bathinpapers/
- Glynis Breakwell (Vice-Chancellor) was quoted in a Times Higher Education article about academics who take on leading roles at universities.
- The Guardian printed a letter from Geof Wood and Joe Devine (Social & Policy Sciences) asking Sir Peter Gibson to investigate allegations of torture in Bangladesh.
- Andrew Ward (Chemistry) was interviewed by several local radio stations - BBC Radio Bristol, Total Star and Heart - about his discovery of a gene which behaves in an unconventional manner depending on whether it comes from your mother or your father. The research was also published in several online publications across the world including New York Times.
Training & development
Administrative staff required for continuing professional development project
Administrative staff from faculties, professional services and ‘operational’ departments are invited to take part in a Focus Group to explore the generic knowledge, skills and behaviours which underpin all administrative staff roles across the University.
- Accommodation facilities & resident tutor service - Wednesday 16 February
- KTA seminar: Practical networking Tuesday 29 March
- Staff Development programme for semester 2
- Training opportunities for researchers
- IT skills
- e-Learning staff development programme
Conferences
Catalysis & Sensing for Health: 31 Jan-2 Feb
Tony James (Chemistry) is organising a symposium next week:
Catalysis & Sensing for Health. (Tony's article Boronic acid building blocks: tools for sensing & separation was amongst the top ten accessed articles from the online version of ChemComm in December.)
Ideas Sandpit: 2-4 Feb
The aim of the Sandpit is to stimulate research proposals in promising areas of research in Sport & Technology. Thank you to all those who expressed interest in attending; successful applicants have been notified.
Engaging with Policy: strategies, successes & traps: 15 Feb
The event will provide researchers with the skills and strategies to engage with non-academic stakeholders who implement policy on behalf of government, or who lobby those who can influence such policy. It will also assist researchers in considering the best way of getting their research to policymakers in order for it to have policy impact.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Academic plays key role at prestigious Royal Society international seminar
Ravi Acharya (Biology & Biochemistry), who is a Royal Society Industry Research Fellow, recently organised an RS seminar entitled: Engineering toxins for 21st century therapies. The report which he presented on the day has been published by the FEBS journal.
Highlighting research in social & policy sciences
This week, Emma Carmel (Social & Policy Sciences) ran two days of events for students from the Postgraduate Governance Research Network (PGRN) investigating governance, policy and society in the UK and internationally.
What's on
www.bath.ac.uk/whats-on
Monday 31 January
19:31 PM Four men & a fortune: The making & remaking of the American Museum
Friday 4
09:00 AM Orientation Day for exchange & visiting students
Arts
www.bath.ac.uk/icia
Exhibitions:
Jem Finer - Meet artist-in-residence | ICIA Art Space 1 | Thursday 3 February
Jem Finer is a UK-based artist, musician and composer beginning his Artist’s residency in the Department of Computer Science. He will be giving a short presentation, followed by a Q&A and discussion.
University of Bath photography competition
Now open for submissions. Special prize for best staff photo.
Sport
Hart strikes gold at World Championships
Katrina Hart (Sports Performance) has now won three medals at the IPC World Athletics Championships in New Zealand: gold in the T37 100 meter final and two bronze medals in the T37-100 meters and the T35-38 4×100m relay race.
Graduate collects second medal in New Zealand
Ben Rushgrove took bronze in the T36 200m final. His time of 25.27 was enough to secure his second medal of the IPC World Athletics Championships in New Zealand.
England Saxons train on campus
The elite of English rugby have been put through their paces at the Sports Training Village this week as part of a three-day training camp.
Bath half marathon
Uni staff running the Bath Half
Are you running the Bath Half for charity this year? Let us know your name, department and the charity you are raising money for and we'll print a list. Email comms@bath.ac.uk with 'Bath Half' in the subject line.
Mayor training hard for his big challenge
Shaun McGall who works in the Learning & Teaching Enhancement Office as well as being this year's Mayor of Bath is busy training for the Bath Half and has been making use of the excellent facilities at the STV on campus. The Bath Chronicle is following his progress. Shaun is raising money for the Mayor of Bath's Relief Fund.
Become a Holburne runner
The Holburne Museum is this year’s Bath Half Marathon’s Featured Race Appeal. 'The Holburne Challenge' aims to raise £300,000 for the final phase of the Museum’s development project. They have spaces for runners to sign up and provide a good support package to volunteers.
The British Red Cross
Fifty participants are required to raise funds for the British Red Cross by running the Bath Half.