Dialogue 61 by Durham University

News for Durham University Staff & Students

Jan | Feb 2019

ENCORE LECTURE CAPTURE TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSIGHTS Talking with wolves

DURHAM DRAMA FESTIVAL 2019

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welcome

Welcome to the first issue of Dialogue in 2019. I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable winter break and wish you a Happy New Year. The year has started well with us celebrating the successes of our students and honorary graduates at Winter Congregation. As always, I would like to thank everybody who had a role in making the ceremonies such inspiring events. Following international attention last year, when His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales visited, the Church of St Mary the Less, the chapel of St John’s College, is now open to the public for the first time in decades. You can read more about this ‘hidden gem’ on page 5. This year will also be another exciting year for Durham Student Theatre and Music Durham. The annual Durham Drama

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Festival will take place in February and I am sure it will be another successful one for our talented students.

I am looking forward to welcoming Stephen Willis as our new Chief Financial Officer in April and John Hemingway as our new Chief Information Officer in May. I am sure you will join me in making them welcome as they make their way around the University to meet everyone.

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Tell your story.

With all best wishes

Professor Stuart Corbridge Vice-Chancellor and Warden

Please continue to send your contributions and feedback to dialogue@durham.ac.uk News for Durham University Staff & Students

6 13

Editor Ulrike Klaerig-Jackson Communications Co-ordinator Contributors Yvonne Flynn, Greenspace; Daryl Dowding, Event Durham and Retail; Claire Hall, Karen Frost, Nicky Sawicki and Mark Tallentire, Marketing & Communications; Durham Student Theatre; Student Volunteering and Community Outreach; Music Durham; Colleges; Angela Marciano, CIS; Tom Weston and Will Lewington, JCR presidents; The Student Wellbeing and Community Engagement Office; Maria Towes, University Secretary’s Office; Hannah Shepherd, Student Support and Wellbeing

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Jan | Feb 2019

4 GET SOCIAL 5 HIDDEN GEM WITH ROYAL HERITAGE OPENS ITS DOORS 6 CATCH UP WITH TWO JUNIOR COMMON ROOM LEADERS 7 STUDENT WELLBEING 8 INTRODUCING RUSHFORD COURT: A TEMPORARY NEW HOME FOR JOHN SNOW COLLEGE

12 RESEARCH INSIGHTS – TALKING WITH WOLVES 14 CIS NEWS – ENCORE LECTURE CAPTURE TECHNOLOGY 16 GREENSPACE 17 EVENT DURHAM AND RETAIL 18 DURHAM STUDENT THEATRE 19 COMMUNITY RELATIONS – ROUND UP

9 THE UNIVERSITY SECRETARY’S OFFICE – ENABLING THE UNIVERSITY TO MEET ITS OBLIGATIONS

20 DURHAM DRAMA FESTIVAL 2019

10 OUR COLLEGES

23 AN INSIGHT INTO

11 MUSIC DURHAM

24 WHAT’S ON

22 STUDENT COMMUNITY ACTION

Durham University and Durham University logo are registered Trade Marks of the University of Durham. Unless otherwise stated, all material in this publication is copyright of the University of Durham. The University makes every effort to ensure that the information contained here is accurate. Please note that the University’s website is the most up to date source of information and we strongly recommend that you always visit the website before making any commitments.

social

YOUR VIEW

Our favourite posts, tweets and videos over the past two months to show you what has been happening around the University!

TOP

3 TWEETS

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

As the #UpskirtingBill is debated in @UKHouseofLords @McGlynnClare & @ VeraGrayF argue that this is an opportunity to go further in tackling image-based sexual abuse http://fal.cn/ S7on @DurhamLawSchool pic.twitter.com/DWbNvsajTC

#DURHAMDAYS A stunning picture of the Cathedral, reflected in the River Wear at night, as the scaffolding starts to come down. Captured by student @huw_thomas06 https://www.instagram. com/p/BrpayztFmJN/

HOW SURFACE SCIENCE CAN SOLVE GLOBAL PROBLEMS Surface science could be key in helping to tackle major global challenges such as access to clean drinking water. Watch Professor Jas Pal Badyal explain more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaiuCzS2cgc

It's @ThisGirlCanUK Week, celebrating women's sport, health & fitness. Meet some inspirational female athletes from @TeamDurham and find out how you can get involved in sport, as a competitor or just for fun, here at Durham. #thisgirlcan #fitgotreal

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VIDEO OF THE MONTH

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News for Durham University Staff & Students

‘Hidden gem’ with Royal heritage opens its doors

A HIDDEN GEM

left to right: David Wilkinson, Principal St John's College, Her Royal Higness The Prince of Wales, Anne Allen, Deputy Principal, St John's College

Dedicated volunteers have helped a ‘hidden gem’ church with links to the Royal family open to the public on a regular basis for the first time in decades. The Church of St Mary the Less, the chapel of St John’s College, has been used for College services only since the early 20th century. But now local volunteers acting as stewards have helped to open St John's it to visitors and tourists as a visitor attraction and a quiet space for reflection.

FACTBOX Visit the chapel to see… • A rare 13th century sculpture depicting Jesus Christ • Distinctive woodwork, from the 17th century period, of John Cosin as Bishop of Durham • A memorial to 'Count' Joseph Boruwlaski, a Polish-born Court Dwarf who entertained European courts and lived nearby

Jan | Feb 2019

FACTBOX

The chapel was the focus of international attention last year when His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales visited, to inspect the memorial stone of his ancestor Dame Elizabeth Bowes (1651-1736).

A bit of history…

Situated opposed the College on South Bailey, it is now open from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm, and Saturdays between 10am and 4pm. Entry is free. Booking is not required.

• Its name is believed to have been chosen to distinguish it from Durham Cathedral, which is also dedicated to the Virgin Mary

Much of this is thanks to dedicated volunteer stewards Jim and Pat Francis, long-standing members of the College’s Senior Common Room. But more volunteer stewards are required. If you are interested, please call 0191 334 3882 or email: johns.bursarials@durham.ac.uk

• It was substantially rebuilt in the 19th century and is now Grade II-listed

• The chapel was founded in the 12th century as a garrison chapel for soldiers stationed on the nearby city walls

• The building ceased to be a parish church in 1917 and St John’s took responsibility for it in 1919

HOWLANDS JCR

Reflections on the relocation Tom Weston, left, is JCR President at Josephine Butler and Will Lewington, right, is JCR President at John Snow.

Last summer saw Stephenson and John Snow Colleges relocate from Queen’s Campus to Howlands, which for 2018/19 they’re sharing with Josephine Butler College. Dialogue caught up with two Junior Common Room leaders to see how the first term went.

Tom, Josephine Butler was already based at Howlands. How did you prepare for Ustinov’s relocation to Sheraton Park, and the arrival of Stephenson and John Snow? Tom: As well as the moves, we’ve grown from 300 to 450 freshers. We began a full-scale review in 2016/17, looking at everything from Induction Week to how we sort our post, to see what could be scaled up and what would need a complete re-think. This helped ensure we had everything in place to cope with both the move and our own growth. Specifically on Snow and Stephenson moving, we talked at length about how to use Howlands Hall. Will, for 2017/18, John Snow and Stephenson were based across both Queen’s and Durham. How did you make that transition year the best experience possible for your students?

Will, what have you learned from the first term that will help you make Epiphany and Easter terms even better for your students? Will: For me, the first term was all about making connections, establishing relationships and finding out what opportunities were available. I’ve learned so much about Durham Students’ Union and Experience Durham. Colleagues have been incredibly helpful with assisting our transition. The JCR Committee has done incredibly well at adapting, and we have lots of events planned for the rest of the year! Will, John Snow will be relocating to Rushford Court for the academic year 2019/20. How will your experience of relocating to Howlands help with this move?

Will: We tried to establish a JCR base in Durham – it was important that students in Durham would be able to access the same facilities as those at Queen’s. We also put on events in Durham for the first time, hired a new sabbatical officer for the year to assist in Durham and JCR Committee officers had office hours at our Durham base. We started hosting Formal Dinners in Durham, using Trevelyan and Castle. These were a great way of introducing our freshers to Durham.

Will: John Snow JCR are now experts in packing! We know exactly what we need and when. Rushford Court offers lots of fantastic and unique facilities. I’m optimistic its location will really help us connect with the living out community. Our freshers should also really enjoy living in College with such great facilities, and we’re hopeful that will help us establish a really good returner community. There’ll always be things we’re not ready for. But I’ve learned that by keeping a cool head and dealing with it straight away, most people won’t even notice!

Tom, how have your students, knowing Howlands, helped your new neighbours settle in?

Tom, what do you hope to improve about the Butler experience for 2019/20?

Tom: Our JCR executives have been in close contact, particularly about how we put on events on site. We’ve also begun to look at developing new traditions, such as our inaugural varsity between Butler and Stephenson – the ‘Battle of Howlands’. It’s important to develop a healthy and good-natured College rivalry to really embed Stephenson into the Howlands site. Hopefully this will be around for years to come.

Tom: We’re still growing. We’ve done so much to ensure we can cope – I want to ensure we can thrive. From putting on bigger and better events, such as last term’s biggest ever Winter Ball, to supporting and encouraging our 30-plus societies, 20 sports teams and 15 committees, my goal is to firmly establish Butler as a vibrant, forward-thinking and flourishing College.

News for Durham University Staff & Students

STUDENT WELLBEING

The Student Wellbeing and Community Engagement Office (SW&CEO) SW&CEO supports supports our students' education and personal development. The work of the team is co-ordinated and developed across the Colleges in partnership with local organisations, students and other University departments with the aim of raising awareness of students' wellbeing on campus and within the local community. Working to bring ‘town and gown’ together The UK Town and Gown Association (UKTGA) strengthens local partnerships by providing a network of practitioners and resources. The 2018 conference in Belfast brought together 100 delegates from across the UK (with representation from the USA) enabling professionals to share best practice in relation to off-campus activity within the context of Higher Education. Durham’s commitment to community partnerships was well represented, with three items on the conference agenda. • Clarissa Humphreys, Student Support and Training Officer (Sexual Violence and Misconduct), presented 'Preventing and responding to sexual violence and misconduct in a university setting'. • Joanne Boyd, County Durham Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service, and Mandy Marlow, Head of Student Wellbeing and Community Engagement Office, presented 'Alcohol Advice: Developed with Students for Students'. • Rebecca Carey, Police University Liaison Officer, and Kay Howarth, Durham City Neighbourhood Police Team, presented 'Anti-social behaviour - whose problem?' It demonstrated that we have developed leading practice in responding to sexual misconduct and violence, and providing alcohol education and support.

‘Have a word’ workshops In collaboration with the County Durham Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service (CDDARS) we provide programme of alcohol awareness-raising activities for students throughout the academic year. ‘Have a Word’ workshops help participants increase alcohol awareness, build confidence to deliver a brief peer intervention and signpost others to support. Around 250 student leaders including Common Room officers, sports captains and FREPs attended workshops in September, with further sessions available for sports teams, welfare representatives and bar staff.

Jan | Feb 2019

Last term nine colleges hosted Alcohol and Drug Roadshows delivered by CDDARS and further events will be scheduled for the remaining seven colleges and at the Graham Sports Centre, Maiden Castle, this year. Specialist substance misuse advisors from CDDARS also provide support for students within the University’s Counselling Service.

‘Chat with a Chaplain’ The University has a diverse and growing network of chaplains including Anglican (C of E), Baptist, Friends International, Humanist, Jewish, Muslim, Orthodox Christian, Quaker, and Roman Catholic representatives. For more information, contact Gavin Wort, the Coordinating Chaplain: gavin.wort@durham.ac.uk

Yoga, Mindfulness Meditation and Relaxation Last term SW&CEO piloted a series of free activities, which contribute to student wellbeing. Flow Yoga and relaxation sessions were offered in colleges. The demand for the lunchtime and evening Flow Yoga classes in the Bill Bryson Library was so high, that additional sessions were scheduled. Trevelyan College hosted Flow Yoga sessions at 8.30am enabling students from across the University to enjoy a healthy start to their day. As a result, in Epiphany Term, these successful activities will be embedded as regular provision and the SW&CEO will pilot new wellbeing activities in the Library, including Pilates, as well as health initiatives in the Botanic Garden such as mindfulness walks. Following positive student feedback on the Mindfulness Meditation session in the Bill Bryson Library, further sessions will now be offered on a weekly basis. For more information on all these activities email wellbeing.swceoffice@durham.ac.uk.

Interfaith Week For National Interfaith Week 2018, the Chaplaincy Network and Interfaith Forum organised three studentled events with the Islamic Society, Jewish Society, and the Joint Anglican-Methodist Society, supported by the Students’ Union. The events brought together students and leaders of differing faiths, and those with no faith affiliation, to share food, learn about Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, and build interfaith friendships across the University community.

JOHN SNOW COLLEGE

Introducing Rushford Court: a temporary new home for John Snow College Our John Snow College community is looking to the future, after its location for the next academic year was confirmed For 2019/20, the College will be based at Rushford Court, which is in the Viaduct area, close to Durham railway and bus stations, the city centre, and a short walk from other Colleges and Departments. This will be the second of three consecutive moves for Snow: the College having relocated from Queen’s to Howlands for 2018/19, and also looking forward to getting into a purposebuilt new home at Mount Oswald for 2020/21 and beyond.

Rushford Court is a Unite Students property, which opened in September 2018 with both new and remodelled facilities. As home to Snow, it will have 358 bedrooms, including 280 in cluster flats and 78 in studios. All will be en-suite. There will also be a gym, games room, cinema room, laundry facilities, JCR space and bicycle storage. It will offer the full Durham Collegiate experience – opportunities for intellectual and

personal development, combined with pastoral and welfare support. And we’re working with our partners and neighbours to ensure that having a College in such a central location benefits both the University and City. Did you know? John Snow College is named after a 19th Century Yorkshire physician, regarded by many as one of the greatest doctors of all time. The College was founded in 2001, and its motto is: “Through knowledge and wisdom strive for the highest”. Rushford Court includes a fully restored Victorian building, and stands behind Durham’s stunning 100ft-high railway viaduct and close to Flass Vale, a local nature reserve. The College’s future home at Mount Oswald is taking shape fast – with steel structures being erected for townhouses and cluster flats.

News for Durham University Staff & Students

THE UNIVERSITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE

The University Secretary’s Office

Have you ever wondered what the University Secretary and her team do? Located on the top floor of the Palatine Centre, the University Secretary’s Office oversees the University’s governance, assurance and compliance framework. Who’s who? Jennifer Sewel is the University Secretary and she joined the University in July 2015 from the University of Aberdeen, where she was Director of Policy, Strategic Planning and Governance. Prior to moving to the higher education sector Jennifer worked in the Financial Services sector and the Civil Service. Jennifer is supported by Kendra Greaves, Personal Assistant, and Maria Towes, Governance and Project Support Officer. The wider University Secretary’s Office comprises Governance and Executive Support, the University Assurance Service (including the Information Governance Unit) and Legal Services, based at Hawthorn Wing, Mountjoy Centre.

What do they do?

The office also deals with issues raised under the Public Interest Disclosure Policy ‘Whistleblowing’ and the Anti-Bribery and Fraud Prevention Policy.

What did they accomplish in 2017/18? During the 2017/18 academic year the team: • Supported 118 governance committee meetings, including over 40 UEC meetings; • Responded to 506 Freedom of Information requests; • Performed 16 audits of processes; • Introduced an electronic committee system (Meeting Squared) to save paper, money and a lot of staff time; • Established the Policy Zone – a web page with all University policies in one place for easy access;

The team works closely with the Chair of Council and Vice-Chancellor to maintain strong and productive relationships between Council, Senate and the senior management of the University.

• Managed the process for GDPR readiness including new policies, training and support for departments;

The team has five key areas of responsibility:

• Supported the delivery of Phase 1 of the Mount Oswald Project;

• Constitutional and corporate governance

• Provided legal advice and services across the University;

• Secretariat support and oversight of senior governance committees

• Appointed a new Chair of Council.

• Managed the University’s registration with the Office for Students;

• Legal services • Internal Audit • Information Governance (policies, records and data) The independent advice and support they provide allows the University to fulfil its statutory and regulatory responsibilities, and supports our governance processes.

Jan | Feb 2019

Want to know more? For more information about what the University Secretary’s Office does, or to ask for their assistance, please visit www.durham.ac.uk/university.secretary

OUR COLLEGES

Our colleges With staff and students in each of our 16 colleges running events, activities and initiatives throughout the year, there is always something exciting happening. Hatfield College College Master Professor Ann MacLarnon has launched the Lioness Fund, which will provide a scholarship at Hatfield College for a female postgraduate student from a developing country where access to higher education for women is limited. The fund will also provide for a lioness sculpture for the College grounds, made by a local female artist.

St. John’s College MA student Sarah Garland has recently launched the John’s Chronicle, an online journal run by members of the College. With the aim of ‘bringing together all things Johnian’, the blog is an extension of the College community, which promotes cohesive working and sharing of ideas across all the Common Rooms. Visit the John’s Chronicle at johnschronicle.org New video for St John’s St John’s has premiered their its college video, created and produced by a group of students working closely with the college staff. The video highlights what makes St John’s special to its students through a series of brief interviews and footage of college events, including some stunning aerial shots of the college location on the Bailey. You can watch the video online at www.durham.ac.uk/st-johns.college

St Chad’s College Last year eight students from St. Chad’s College completed internships with North East businesses and organisations, as part of the College’s new regional graduate retention initiative. This year the scheme will continue with approximately 12 to 15 Chad’s students taking part.

Jonathan Moreland, Partner at Durham-based legal practice Swinburne Maddison said: “If the region is to have a sound economic future, companies must attract and retain as many talented graduates as possible. That begins by working closely with universities"

University College Durham Castle Lecture Series The Durham Castle Lecture Series 2018/19 continues, bringing highprofile speakers to Durham who can contribute to academic and public discussion on issues significant. Each of the specially invited presenters has made an outstanding contribution over a sustained period. Lectures take place in the stunning Durham Castle's Great Hall.

Students encouraged signing up to Electoral Register Following a joint campaign by the University, Durham SU and Durham County Council, almost 4,000 students living in colleges have signed up to the Electoral Register entitling them to vote in local elections. The campaign saw Electoral Officers visiting all 16 colleges to make student registration as easy as possible. The two colleges with the highest percentage of registering students were Trevelyan College, where 63 percent of students registered and St Mary’s College with 56 percent. Each of these colleges won £250.

THE MYTH OF CIVILIZATIONS? UNDERSTANDING ISLAM IN GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE Professor Tamara Sonn, Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani Professor of the History Islam at Georgetown University. DATE: 13 February

WHO DONE IT? RESPONSIBILITY, REVENGE AND RETRIBUTION IN THE 21ST CENTURY: MAKING A NEW MORAL ORDER Professor Mary Evans, LSE Centennial Professor at the Department of Gender Studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science. DATE: 6 March

National Student Survey 2019 Final-year undergraduates at Durham and other universities and colleges across the country have the chance to give feedback about their course in the National Student Survey, which is open until April. The results are made available to future students to help them choose the right course. The easiest way to fill in the survey is online: www.thestudentsurvey.com

News for Durham University Staff & Students

MUSIC DURHAM

Michaelmas Term was an exciting one for Music Durham, with over 25 student-run concerts taking place across ten weeks, plus the first public performance of the staff choir. On top of this, we were pleased to welcome a number of external musicians to Durham for masterclasses in areas ranging from conducting to harp technique. The excitement is set to continue in 2019. LIFE OF ST. CUTHBERT

This year’s festival will also feature the premiere of ‘Life of St. Cuthbert’, written by Solfa Carlile and commissioned by Cantata Dramatica. Starting in Lindisfarne with a shortened version of the piece featuring Durham University Chamber Choir, a week of musical pilgrimage will culminate in a performance of the whole work by Durham University Chamber Choir and Durham and Northumberland Music Service Players in Durham Cathedral.

LUNCHTIME CONCERT SERIES

WHEN: Friday 8 February, 7.30pm

These concerts are always free, no ticket required.

Music Durham lunchtime concerts showcase the talent of individual students and groups in an informal setting, and make for a perfect mid-week musical break. This term’s programme features voice performances in conjunction with the Durham Vocal Festival, as well as instrumental performances from a range of ensembles and soloists. WHEN: Every Wednesday, 1.15pm WHERE: Music Department Concert Room

WHERE: Durham Cathedral Tickets available from www.durhammusic.org

Jan | Feb 2019

For further information about all our events and to book tickets visit www.musicdurham.org 11

RESEARCH INSIGHTS

Elana in Yellowstone (credit S. Jones)

Talking with wolves For as long as she can remember Elana Hobkirk has been fascinated by wolves. As an undergraduate in our Department of Biosciences, she managed to include references to wolves in every one of her essay submissions. Her supervisor, Dr Sean Twiss, encouraged her to take her enthusiasm to post-graduate level, and so she wrote two research proposals in her third year. She is now a research post-graduate in Behavioural Ecology where she is researching the way wolves use facial signalling to communicate (or ‘talk’) with each other, and compares this with the way domestic dogs communicate. What led you to this particular area of research? I grew up with several German shepherd dogs, and I have always instinctively “read” their facial expressions. As a student I discovered a research tool called the Dog Facial Action Coding System (DogFACS), used to capture and quantify dogs’ facial expressions. I thought this tool would work well with wolves too, and until now, no one has ever captured and quantified wolf facial expressions.

How do you carry out your research? I film the facial expressions of wolves as they interact and then play back the video footage in slow motion so each of their intricate facial movements can be observed and quantified using DogFACS. The tool identifies each movement based on the underlying facial musculature that moves specific facial landmarks on the wolf’s face, such as the eyes, ears, browridge, muzzle and lips. Each movement observed is allocated a specific DogFACS code. I correlate the combinations of DogFACS codes for each wolf facial expression, with the social interaction that led to the movements. The context of the social interaction then allows me to allocate a specific ‘emotional’ state to the quantified (decoded) facial expression. Where do you go to film the wolves? Filming wolves in the wild is very difficult due to their elusiveness, so I worked with captive wolves based at the UK Wolf

News for Durham University Staff & Students

RESEARCH INSIGHTS Have you ever observed wolves out in the wild? Yes – in March 2017 I was fortunate enough to spend five weeks in Yellowstone Park observing the wild wolves of Wyoming! I was invited there by Rick McIntyre, the lead field biologist for the Yellowstone Wolf Project. Even though I was with experts who knew exactly where the wolves were located, we spent a lot of time staring through our telescopes at snowy vistas because of a wolf’s ability to remain hidden. With temperatures averaging minus 13 degrees Celsius, and at an altitude of 6278 feet above sea level, when the wind picked up it was bitterly cold no matter how many layers of warm, windproof clothes you wore. I spent up to twelve hours a day out in these conditions but I loved every minute because I had the pleasure of observing 53 wild wolves and witnessed many of their behaviours including the wolves successfully hunting prey! You clearly love your work. Do you get opportunities to share this passion with others? I particularly enjoy talking to prospective students and take part in a lot of outreach work including Supported Progression activities. During a recent open day I got talking to a prospective student and his mum about my research. It turned out that she is a science journalist and she interviewed me for a feature about my work for BBC Focus Magazine. I was also given the opportunity to film with Blink Films for their upcoming documentary series “Animals Decoded”, which allows me to show to the world that wolves are capable of complex communication!

Above Elana Hobkirk and her dogs Conservation Trust near Reading. Even though they were captive wolves it still took time to gain their trust in order to get close enough to film them while they interacted. Over time I have been able to get very close to them and have even experienced a wolf kiss! What have you discovered so far? I have identified nine ‘emotional’ facial expressions in wolves – curiosity, fear, anxiety, friendliness, happiness, interest, joy, anger and surprise. Wolves are able to “talk” to each other essentially, using these facial expressions, and this helps to reduce aggression and build social bonds within wolf packs, as well as maintaining social hierarchies within the pack. Moreover, I have found that the social status of wolves influences their facial expressions, with subordinate wolves using more elaborate facial expressions than the dominant members of the pack. I have used the same model on dogs, and have only identified three ‘emotional’ states – anger, friendliness and joy. Why is this? Dogs are the descendants of wolves, but due to domestication, they have varying facial morphologies to that of their wolf ancestors. Dogs with brachycephalic faces (shorter and flatter faces), flopped ears, pendulous lips and weird hair-do’s have limited facial communication which hinders their abilities to produce ‘emotional’ facial expressions like wolves. Dogs that have been bred for looks, such as pugs, boxer dogs, and Shih Tzu (to name a few) really struggle to use their faces to communicate. However, dogs are much more vocal than wolves, and they seem to compensate for their lack of facial communication with vocal communication!

Jan | Feb 2019

Elana feeding a captive wolf

If you would like to read more about Elana’s research she writes an entertaining and informative blog https://researchwolves.wordpress.com 13

CIS NEWS

ENCORE. LECTURE CAPTURE TECHNOLOGY

Now live at a lecture theatre near you… Just three months into the rollout of Encore and the University’s lecture capture system is now enabled in 111 teaching rooms across campus, recording thousands of lectures every week for students to revisit in their own time. Encore enables our teaching staff to record audio and any content shown on the digital projector during a lecture. Timetabled lectures are automatically captured but ad-hoc recordings can be made too – by default lectures are then made available to students on duo after two working days. Students can use the recordings to replay sections of a lecture, providing an additional study aid for learning and revision. Designed to be inclusive, the new service also supports students whose first language is not English and assists those with particular educational needs and conditions. It is an important step in supporting the University’s commitment to equality and diversity.

News for Durham University Staff & Students

THE ENCORE STORY The University has been working closely with the Durham Students’ Union on the lecture capture project since 2014 and the introduction of the Encore service was widely supported and anticipated by students. So it seemed only fitting that students were involved in the project delivery from the start.

creating a bespoke identity and functionality for Durham which makes it at once recognisable, as well as being a practical aid for both our students and teaching staff. “This was a project that has had strong student support, and so we are delighted that students have been so integral in its development.”

This was a project that has had strong student support, and so we are delighted that students have been so integral in its development.

Bringing light to lectures Engineering students Samuel Armitt and Adam Hizzey, both now in their third year, were challenged to develop a light indicator through which recordings could be started, paused and stopped. The indicator required coloured lights to display the status of the recording to students and staff. They successfully developed a prototype of the button - and bespoke software - that has now been reproduced and installed in all Encoreenabled teaching spaces. Sam and Adam said: “This was a brilliant opportunity to use our skills to contribute to an important project for the University, which many students will directly benefit from. “Whilst there is existing technology which performs this job, it is costly and did not have all the functionality the University required. “The alternative that we developed has a number of benefits. It is cheaper to produce, meaning that a number can be installed in larger Encore-enabled teaching spaces, ensuring clear visibility to staff and students. It is also easy to use – the single button interface is both intuitive and robust. “As the software has been developed here, the University will have complete control of its functionality, and will be able to fix any problems should they emerge.”

Developing the Encore identity Student talent was also captured in the strategic development of the project. Ellen Feng, Milly Atkinson-Handley and Alexander Hewitt were part of a communications working group, undertaking valuable market research which helped to develop Encore’s distinctive visual identity. Professor Alan Houston, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) said: “We are incredibly grateful for the role that students have played in the launch of Encore. They demonstrated real professionalism and technical skill –

Jan | Feb 2019

CIS NEWS

The Future By spring 2019, the Encore recording technology (Panopto) will form part of the standard AV equipment in all centrally managed teaching rooms. Further into the future, plans for the service may include the enabling of video assessments and the ability to capture whiteboard recordings - these possibilities are currently being considered by the Encore Academic Steering Group. Staff and students are already starting to see the benefits of the technology. Dr Grant Ingram, Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering said: “The Encore service has rolled out very smoothly. I rely entirely on the automated system and since I was already using microphones so that people could hear me, it is no extra work on my part. Student feedback has been positive particularly amongst international students, who can go over areas where they found the language challenging.” Saul Cahill, Undergraduate Academic Officer at Durham Students’ Union, said: “I'm thrilled about the success that Encore is already enjoying. With the Students’ Union having worked over the past four years to deliver lecture capture, it's very encouraging to see the enthusiasm from both students and staff for the system. “The opportunities lecture capture offers in ensuring lectures are accessible as well as in enabling teaching innovation are exciting and I'm looking forward to remaining involved in driving lecture capture forward going into the future.”

Useful links Read more from Sam and Adam in their student blog. Visit community.dur.ac.uk/ blogs/ and select 'Departments' For more information about the service, visit the dedicated website at www.durham.ac.uk/encore 15

GREENSPACE

Watch out for Environment Week 2019 Environment Week will take place between Monday, 25 February – Sunday, 3 March. The event celebrates and promotes the fantastic local produce available to us in the North-East. Further details will be announced on the Greenspace website in due course.

Water Awareness Campaign Love Food Hate Waste winners announced Thank you and congratulations to everyone involved in the ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ competition, which took place during the University’s Waste (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) Awareness Week. The competition was a great success, with eight of the nine participating colleges achieving a reduction in plate waste. Specific honours go to Hatfield College. The College showed the biggest improvements in tackling plate waste, with a hefty reduction of 0.16kg per person. Hatfield College received the John Turner Trophy, and has set a challenging target for other colleges to try to beat later this year!

Water Awareness Week took place in November, and featured a campaign to encourage everyone to reduce water consumption from taking shorter showers to reporting dripping taps. You can find watersaving tips, the water quiz and other environment advice at www. durham.ac.uk/greenspace/energy/watersave/wateraware We would like to remind you, that the University has joined the nationwide 'Refill' campaign (www.refill.org.uk), and provides free drinking water across all eleven of its public cafés (www.durham.ac.uk/ yum/csr). The aim is to reduce the proliferation of single-use plastic bottles by encouraging users to bring reusable bottles, and refill them free at publicly accessible sites.

Energy Awareness Week Cycle Campaign During Bike Safety Week, staff and students took advantage of free bike safety checks, joined a lunchtime bike ride, and met members from Durham University Bicycle User Group. Our University Police Liaison Officer, PC Rebecca Carey, was also on hand to offer advice on secure bike marking. The campaign aimed to raise awareness of the essential requirement to wear lights whilst cycling during the winter months.

Energy Awareness Week will run from Monday, 29 January to Sunday, 3 February. During this week we will be promoting and encouraging good energy behaviours amongst all students and staff, and there will be an inter-collegiate energy competition. For energy saving tips, please visit www.durham.ac.uk/resources/greenspace/ local/50EnvironmentalTipsforStaff.pdf

Every small step leads to big change 16

News for Durham University Staff & Students

EVENT DURHAM

Event Durham

Event Durham wins gold

Each year the North East England Tourism Awards showcase the best that tourism has to offer in our region. With a wide range of categories reflecting the quality, performance and innovation of the tourism sector, the awards give businesses the chance to show how they stand out from the crowd. At the recent awards ceremony, Event Durham won gold in the Business Tourism category for the second year in a row, and was the only University team to receive a gold award. Andrea Cairns, Events and Customer Services Manager, said: “I am delighted that Event Durham has been recognised for the second year running as the regional leader in the business tourism sector. This is an excellent achievement and the award certainly reflects the dedication and hard work of our team”. Event Durham, Durham University

Retail Gifts from Durham University Retail Office Here at the Retail Office we strive to provide staff, students and alumni with the best possible merchandise, to commemorate their time at Durham. With stock ranging from stationery and jewellery to clothing and glassware, there is sure to be something for everyone. Why not visit our website at https://shop.dur.ac.uk/ You can purchase gifts at trade prices, provided your department is registered with us. We can also source bespoke gifts for your visit or conference so please contact us and we will be more than happy to help you. We also supply merchandise to our visitor attractions. Each gift shop stocks a wide range of quirky items to suit any occasion, including our new Cityscape range. If you have any queries or would like to provide feedback, please contact us at shop@durham.ac.uk

Don’t forget to follow us on Social Media.

This is an excellent achievement and the award certainly reflects the dedication and hard work of our team.

Jan | Feb 2019

@DURetail @DurhamUniRetail durham_uni_merchandise

DURHAM STUDENT THEATRE

Durham Student Theatre has an exciting programme for Epiphany Term. These are just a few of the student theatre productions taking place in and around Durham. For more information, visit our website www.durhamstudenttheatre.org

Die Fledermaus

THE DURHAM REVUE: COMEDYFEST PRODUCED BY THE DURHAM REVUE

NORTHANGER ABBEY PRODUCED BY CASTLE THEATRE COMPANY

DIE FLEDERMAUS PRODUCED BY DURHAM OPERA ENSEMBLE

DATE: Saturday 9 February and Sunday 10 February

DATE: Friday 22 February and Saturday 23 February

VENUE: Durham Castle (a promenade production)

TIME: 7.30pm

Book-mad Catherine Morland enters the busy, sophisticated society of Bath, an unfamiliar world of etiquette, carriages, and romantic faux-pas. But when love-interest Henry Tilney invites her to his home Northanger Abbey, Catherine is determined to live out her dreams of gothic spooks, scares, and forbidden rooms.

It is New Year’s Eve, Gabriel von Eisenstein is being forced to go to jail for punching a police officer. However, after receiving an invitation to Prince Orlofsky’s extravagant ball he decides to push back his jail sentence for one more evening of fun.

Three universities. Three troupes. One night. The Durham Revue is joined by the worldfamous Cambridge Footlights and esteemed Oxford Revue for a night of rib-tickling absurdity with the three biggest names in student wit. From the groups that bought you Stephen Fry, Rowan Atkinson, Emma Thompson, David Mitchell, Nish Kumar, Phil Wang and many more, this night of cuttingedge student comedy is not to be missed.

Tickets are available at: www.galadurham.co.uk/galapost/ die-fledermaus

Tickets are available at: www.galadurham.co.uk/galapost/the-durhamrevue-comedyfest

Tickets are available at: www.durhamstudenttheatre.org

VENUE: The Gala Theatre, Durham

DATE: Sunday 24 February TIME: 8pm VENUE: The Gala Theatre, Durham

News for Durham University Staff & Students

COMMUNITY RELATIONS

A UNIVERSITY ROOTED IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES – COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ROUND UP As a University, we do lots of great work to support our local communities. You can keep up to date with all the latest community news at www.durham.ac.uk/community, where you can also sign up to receive our monthly Community Newsletter. Here are a couple of stories from recent weeks.

Inspiring the next generation of female technology leaders Staff and students from our Department of Computer Science have been helping primary school-age girls build websites at an event aimed at inspiring the female technology leaders of the future. The full-day event was called STEMettes Hack Durham powered by Atom bank. Some 44 girls, aged nine and ten from nine East Durham schools were introduced to website-building tools and supported to develop their own sites celebrating inspiring women in STEM. They presented their work to expert judges, who awarded prizes for their coding skills, creativity and team working.

Jan | Feb 2019

Museum’s Ancient Egyptian treasures inspire new community art exhibition A new exhibition featuring art inspired by our Ancient Egyptian treasures and created by members of a mental health charity will open in February. Artworks were produced by members of The Art Studio, a Sunderland-based art and mental health charity which provides support to improve the lives of its members through art, during a series of workshops at the University’s Oriental Museum during autumn 2018.

Participants learned about the Museum’s extensive Ancient Egyptian collection through touring the displays and handling the artefacts. They then produced drawings, paintings, ceramics, prints, sculptures and textiles inspired by what they had seen and done, and these artworks form the basis of the 'Behind the Mask' exhibition. The Art Studio members have also co-curated the exhibition, working with University staff to design the gallery space, arrange the artwork, create interpretation materials and publicise the exhibition.

DURHAM DRAMA FESTIVAL

Durham Drama Festival (DDF) 2019

3-10 February 2019 GENERAL PROGRAMME 1:(ALL THREE SHOWS BACK DDF is a fantastic annual festival of new student TO BACK AT THE TIMES AND DATES BELOW) theatre. From script-writing to lighting and sound DATE: Wednesday 6 February (2.30pm), Thursday 7 February (8pm), to music and make up, this is an amazing Saturday 9 February (8pm) opportunity to experience the best that Durham VENUE: Mark Hillery Arts Centre, Collingwood Student Theatre has to offer. Buy your tickets on the Durham Student Theatre website, and get involved. SAVE THE DATE BY OLLIE KIRKWOOD SCRATCH NIGHT DATE: Sunday 3 February VENUE: Mark Hillery Arts Centre, Collingwood DDF 2019 kicks off with a fantastic selection of brand new pieces. The shows involved in our scratch night are as follows: • No Entry, by Alexander Cohen • It’s Not You, by Jenny Pavitt • The Landlord’s Arms, by Charles Edward Pipe • That’s The Way The Kabuki Crumbles, by Charlie Nicholson

This fun and upbeat brand new musical follows the lives of singles all trying online dating! Who struggles to find what they're looking for? Who can't catch a first date? Who's too scared to fall in love?

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO CHRISTOPHER ROBIN? BY CHARLIE WHITEHEAD When Jane's husband commits suicide, the press is intrigued to find out the lives that famous children's author Christopher Robin and his wife lived - including Christopher's childhood in the Hundred Acre Woods.

News for Durham University Staff & Students

DURHAM DRAMA FESTIVAL GENERAL PROGRAMME 3: (ALL THREE SHOWS BACK TO BACK AT THE TIMES AND DATES BELOW) DATE: Thursday 7 February – Saturday 9 February (7.30pm) VENUE: Caedmon Hall, College of St Hild & St Bede

TUESDAY BY ANDREW COWBURN

POSEIDON’S PLAYHOUSE BY ALEX JULIAN-OTTIE Follow the madcap mishaps of the local parish priest, whose pathetic attempts to be loved by others (as much as he loves himself) go wrong. When Ned books a weekend retreat with the church funds and emotionally blackmails the parish into joining him, a huge storm breaks loose, and all pre-existing tensions rise to the surface. The town parish will never be the same again!

GENERAL PROGRAMME 2:(ALL THREE SHOWS BACK TO BACK AT THE TIMES AND DATES BELOW) DATE: Wednesday 6 February (8pm), Friday 8 February (8pm), Saturday 9 February (2.30pm) VENUE: Mark Hillery Arts Centre, Collingwood

RECKONING BY HELENA SNIDER-MARTIN Two students caught having sex in school, face the consequences of their actions - while their teachers discuss their fate.

Daniel returns from school to an empty house, and we watch as the next 40 minutes of his life unfold. Joined by Sophie, they talk, joke and laugh, before he finally decides to answer his Dad's incessant phone calls. Tuesday is a hyper-realistic snapshot of life, and explores how we deal with everyday problems.

THE FIRE ON BEACON HILL BY HARRY JENKINS On Beacon Hill a fire is lit. To the nearby town, this has for centuries meant that witches were celebrating their dark rites upon the hilltop. In more recent times, however, it has been a sign of the practices of a group of local girls, led by their Sister Superior Kyla in a series of self-devised rituals. Now, after a year apart, the group reunites upon the hill, relighting the fire and rekindling old friendships, talking late into the dark. In the glow of the fire, many things will come to light, and these old friends will discover just how much has changed.

KAY AND REX BY MADELINE HORTON A winter evening in 1957. Married actors Rex Harrison and Kay Kendall return home from a party and decide to keep the revelry going with a late nightcap. However, secrets are being kept, testing the boundaries of their marriage.

OPHELIA IS ALSO NOT DEAD BY ALIYA GILMORE Ophelia, in a space for her to talk, for once.

LADIES WHO LUNCH BY NIAMH COLLINS Never talk of religion, sex or politics at the dinner table, but motherhood? What controversy could possibly arise? Vera Littleton invites her ageing ex-colleagues to join her for one last lunch, thirty years after they last clapped eyes on each other, but a new world has evolved since the women left the workplace. With the unexpected arrival of one of their daughters, raw from a recent divorce and angry at the prospect of a life un-lived, a simple catch-up turns into pain-staking revelations on one of the most tasking period in a woman’s life: raising her children.

Jan | Feb 2019

Tickets: www.durhamstudenttheatre.org Keep up to date here: www.facebook.com/ DurhamDramaFestival 21

SCA

STUDENT COMMUNITY ACTION (SCA)

Goodwill Week success December saw the introduction of ‘Goodwill Week’ for SCA. The aim was to spread goodwill in the local community during the festive season, through a range of additional outreach efforts. Our students successfully completed 285 hours of volunteering and new volunteers were recruited for existing projects such as Sixth Form Tutoring. A pub quiz and a bake sale organised by SCA’s student executive committee raised over £200 towards funding SCA’s projects, and helped to achieve the committee’s aim of increasing the profile of SCA within the University. Relationships with new community partners were also established. A group of students spent the day in Seaham volunteering for Outdoor and Sustainability Education Specialists (OASES), creating an outdoor learning space for a school and completing a beach clean. We look forward to working with OASES again soon. Volunteers also supported longstanding partnerships, for example with the local homeless charity DASH. Students worked hard to create vegetable beds for an edible garden, which they will help to plant in the spring.

New Projects for 2019 This year, SCA is establishing youth club projects with two new community partners, Auckland Youth and Community Centre (AYCC) in Bishop Auckland and Durham City Youth Project (DCYP) in Framwellgate Moor. Both AYCC and DCYP offer opportunities for local young people to gain new skills and experiences, and provide support in other areas such as education, employment, and housing. In December, SCA student volunteers travelled to AYCC to meet the staff and learn why community projects like these are so valuable in some of the most deprived areas of County Durham, where ill health, unemployment, and isolation are problems young people face. Both AYCC and DCYP are delighted to have volunteers involved, and are encouraging them to draw upon their own interests and skills to inspire the young people on the projects.

Student Volunteering Week, 11 - 17 February Student Volunteering week 2019 will be held in the week commencing 11 February. It is a great opportunity for Durham students to join thousands of other students across the UK in committing to some extra volunteering efforts. SCA will provide a range of volunteering opportunities to get involved with, whether joining a regular community project or participating in a one-off fundraiser, beach clean, or tea party for older people.

News for Durham University Staff & Students

NAME: Hannah Shepherd JOB TITLE: Community Liaison Officer

What skill or talent would you most like to acquire? I always wished I could play the piano. What achievement are you most proud of? Breastfeeding. I had no idea what I was capable of , emotionally and physically, before doing it. When was the last time you laughed and why?

Any nicknames? My favourite was when an ex-colleague addressed me as Shannah Pepperd in a meeting and it stuck. What’s the worst job you’ve ever done? I had to let someone go once and out of everything I have ever done in my entire career that was the hardest and worst day I ever had. What luxury item would you take to a desert island? Amazon Prime. What’s your greatest indulgence? My social life.

Water Babies. My son burped so loudly the entire class and spectators dissolved into hysterics. He was delighted. What did you want to be when you were a child? Have you got any pets? Amy, ex-rescue dog, nine years old, terrier cross. Looks like a tiny sheep, costs far too much in vets bills, has it good and knows it.

A weather reporter or a tree surgeon. Where will you be going for your next holiday? Thomas World for my son’s 2nd birthday. I’m expecting carnage.

What are you reading at the moment?

Give me a picture of your ideal day:

Catching up on book club reads with 'Educated' by Tara Westover and 'A Life Of My Own' by Clare Tomalin.

I’m at a festival with my other half, all our favourite bands are playing, the sun is shining, and the beer is cold.

What would you like your epitaph to be?

What’s your greatest vice?

Nevertheless she persisted.

It’s a tie between caffeine and IKEA storage solutions.

What was the first record you bought? It will have been something by either Kula Shaker or Cypress Hill.

Jan | Feb 2019

What’s your favourite film? The Shawshank Redemption.

What’s your favourite place in the world? Outside of Durham? Probably Germany. As a friend once said: “It’s like the UK only the public transport and beer are much much better”. 23

what’s on at the University

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@Durham_Uni

DurhamUniversity

January DURHAM VOCAL FESTIVAL 2019 VENUE: Various across County Durham DATES: 26 January – 9 February The 3rd Annual Durham Vocal Festival, promises to be even bigger and more exciting than ever, from world famous artists, thousands of performers and two World Premieres. Enjoy vocal events and concerts organised by Durham County Music Service, featuring Durham University groups and performers. Visit the website for full details of performances www.durhammusic.org.uk

LUNAR NEW YEAR LANTERN FESTIVAL – CHINESE YEAR OF THE PIG VENUE: Oriental Museum, Elvet Hill, DH1 3TH DATE: Tuesday 19 February

February HOMELANDS: DOCUMENTING CENTURIES OF CHAM MIGRATION VENUE: Oriental Museum, Elvet Hill, DH1 3TH DATES: 1 February – 16 September TIME: 10am - 5pm Exhibition by photographer James Sebright on the lives and livelihoods of the Cham diaspora.

TIME: 6pm – 8pm For one night only see the Museum lit only by lanterns as we celebrate the Chinese New Year, Year of the pig. Try fantastic crafts, sample delicious New Year food and drink, listen to stories and enjoy a gallery hunt. First 100 children receive a free lantern.

THE DURHAM REVUE PRESENT: APOCALYPSE... NOW? VENUE: Mark Hillery Arts Centre, Collingwood College, Durham DATE: Sunday 24 February TIME: 8pm – 9pm

THE ART STUDIO PRESENTS: BEHIND THE MASK VENUE: Oriental Museum, Elvet Hill, DH1 3TH DATES: 1 February – 2 June TIME: 10am - 5pm An exhibition of works in a variety of media and styles, by members of The Art Studio charity based in Sunderland, focusing on the Oriental Museum's Ancient Egyptian collections. The Art Studio is a Sunderland-based mental health charity that provides support to improve the lives of members through art.

New Year. New troupe. 100% new material. Award-winning sketch comedy troupe ‘The Durham Revue’ is back. From the group that brought you Nish Kumar, Ed Gamble, Jeremy Vine and many more, this is an hour of cutting-edge student comedy not to be missed.

ADDING SMOKE TO BREATH VENUE: Courtyard Café, Palace Green Library DATE: Thursday 28 February TIME: 6pm – 7.30pm This relaxed evening talk by Dr Andrew Russell, Associate Professor of Anthropology, will focus on the history of tobacco smoking and the consequences, acknowledged and unacknowledged, of adding smoke to breath in this way. This talk is part of the programme of events linked to the current ‘Catch Your Breath’ exhibition.

For more information on University events go to www.durham.ac.uk/whatson