News for Staff & Students
65 Research Insights Investigating Bones Growing with logic November December 2019
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Dialogue
November - December 2019
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Welcome Welcome to a new issue of Dialogue magazine, the last for 2019. It has been another busy period around the University and we have a lot to be proud of. We want to ensure that everyone can get around the University safely, so I am pleased to say that work will soon begin on our £8 million Infrastructure Improvements project. This investment will see improvements to existing cycle and footpaths, the creation of new ones and the development of a new car park on-site behind the new Mathematical Sciences and Computer Science building.
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I am delighted that three more of our subjects were recently placed in the world top 100 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject, 2020. Social Sciences, Education and Law at Durham were ranked amongst the very best in the world and our Law School achieved its best ever result in this ranking, being placed 33rd in the world. A huge thank you to everyone who has helped us achieve this recognition. Thirty of our sports students participated in the Lord Mayor’s Show 2019, celebrating the inauguration of alumnus William Russell (General Arts, Grey College, 1987) as the 692nd Lord Mayor of the City of London. Our students’ entry in the show was a great way of celebrating our successes in the sporting arena. Well done everyone.
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Tell your story Please send your contributions and feedback to dialogue@durham.ac.uk
And it’s not just our students who are celebrating their successes; one of our academics Dr Charlotte Adams has been named ‘Energy Champion’ by the UK Energy Institute. This award recognises her work in developing sustainable, low carbon heating which uses water from abandoned former coalmines. A fabulous achievement. Celebrating Science, our annual family-friendly science festival returned during the October school half-term holiday, giving more than 6,000 visitors the chance to encounter some of the outstanding research and knowledge exchange activities within the University. This year was our tenth anniversary, an indication of the popularity and continuing success of this community-focused event. Finally, Lumiere, the UK’s largest light festival, came to Durham for a special tenth anniversary edition in mid-November. We were proud to have been a major partner once again, contributing to and hosting a number of spectacular installations. We are delighted that so many of our staff and students were able to enjoy the unique festival. I’d like to thank you all once again for your hard work and continued support.
Professor Stuart Corbridge Vice-Chancellor and Warden
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Contents issue
65
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November - December 2019
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Editor
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4 Get social
Ulrike Klaerig-Jackson, Communications Co-ordinator
5 Best year ever for staff volunteering
Contributors
6 Bringing our teaching to the world
Daryl Dowding, Museums and Attractions; Andy Cattermole, Staff Volunteering and Outreach; Claire Hall, Karen Frost, Emma Shearer, Angela Gemmill, Izzy Rooke, Becs Grundy, Nicky Sawicki, Marketing & Communications; Mel Earnshaw, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Unit; Danielle Philips, CIS; Yvonne Flynn, Greenspace; Sam Nolan, DCAD; Laura Day, PVC Colleges & Student Experience Office; Claire Hunter, HR&OD, Sophie Johnson, Marketing and Communications
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14 Tackling bullying and harassment, hate incidents and sexual misconduct 16 What’s on in our libraries and museums 17 Growing with logic
7 Our Durham Centre for Academic Development
18 The Big 3 is over the hump
8 Meet our interns
19 CIS News
9 Inspiring speakers and challenging topics
20 Greenspace
10 College round-up 12 Research Insights – Investigating Bones
22 Career Pathways for Professional Services Staff 23 An Insight into 24 What’s on
CUR/10/19/122 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.
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Dialogue
November - December 2019
Social Our favourite posts, tweets and videos over the past two months to show you what's been happening around the University!
Top 3
tweets Newsflash! Our @ArcDurham student Emma Marsh was on @BBCNWT Inside Out discussing her project @ArchaeoBeach. Emma is using her archaeology skills to explore WWII rubble on Crosby Beach, Liverpool. Why not watch on iPlayer? https://fal.cn/34mYn #DUResearch
Massive congratulations to @VikkiBoliver, @harrietbulkeley, @complexcase and Veronica Strang on being elected as new fellows by @AcadSocSciences for their use of social science for public benefit: https:// fal.cn/34j5H pic.twitter. com/IBDViWDnCs
Photo
of the month
The votes have been counted and we have a clear winner. Congratulations to @ericdyh who submitted this amazing photo to the #Durhamdays photo competition.
Video
of the month from YouTube youtube.com/watch?v=lZgr-0raG_ I&list=PL1zMD_ kTXdjx3JL0T63cnie5Kww2kxxpc &index=14&t=0s
Durham Inspired Award Great news that we’ve consistently been ranked in the UK top 10 and the world top 100 for over seven years! pic.twitter. com/1wAqfoU0aY
Find out all about our fantastic new award launching this academic year.
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@Durham_Uni
@DurhamUniversity
@DurhamUniversity
Dialogue
Best year ever for staff volunteering The 2018/19 academic year saw the Staff Volunteering team complete our most successful year yet, with impressive growth both in the numbers of staff getting involved and the impact of that work. Last year, 432 staff contributed nearly 5,000 hours to over 100 community organisations, in addition to the 2,000 hours that staff already contribute inside the University to Matriculation and Congregation, a 24% increase from the previous year. A significant proportion of these hours were contributed through 73 Team Challenge days, where teams of staff work as groups to support a local cause. Other hours were contributed by staff, working individually with a myriad of local causes including Mountain Rescue, Blood Transport, School Governors, Trustees, Food Banks, Environmental causes, Mentors and Veteran Support, to name but a few. Over 1,200 staff are registered with the programme and annually hundreds of them make the effort to support local communities, in work time, fully endorsed by the University. We have a simple mission – that is to make real and positive impacts in the community
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whilst delivering meaningful and rewarding volunteering opportunities for all staff. This means, as well as genuine community benefits, our volunteering delivers significant proven staff wellbeing and skills development benefits. The work that our volunteers undertake, and the impact of that work is immense, and is hugely valued within the community. In a recent survey, 94% of our community partners agreed that our volunteers make a significant positive impact in the community. Although primarily a volunteer support function, the team also support a range of other public engagement activities, including supporting academic departments to deliver real life student experience opportunities. For example, this year, 30 teams of Computer Science (Software Engineering) students will work with around 10 community partners to deliver real life IT project solutions, representing free consultancy for the community groups and invaluable real world client experience for the students. We offer Institute of Leadership & Management accreditation to volunteers, support to the School Governor programme and also deliver commercial volunteering solutions to global organisations such as the NHS and 3M Science. We see volunteering as a central component of a much wider University engagement agenda. The small Staff Volunteering team of Andy, Stacy and Katie are committed to supporting all staff to get involved in volunteering and strive to deliver the best quality service for everyone. If you want to get involved please do get in touch and we will endeavour to find something rewarding for you. Remember, every member of staff can apply to volunteer, in work time, for up to 5 days a year. Find out more at durham.ac.uk/volunteer
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November - December 2019
Bringing our teaching to the world Can you imagine sharing a classroom with 2000 other students, from over 100 different countries? It might make for quite a cramped and noisy lecture theatre, but with digital learning, it’s not just a possibility, it’s a reality.
Photo credits Durham University and North News and Pictures
This year our Department of Archaeology ran their first ever Massive Open Online Course – or MOOC for short. MOOCs are free online courses, available for anyone to join from across the world. Archaeology’s first MOOC was all about the Scottish Soldiers Project. An incredible 2182 learners joined the six-week course, from over 104 countries. Participants were able to engage in discussion with our academics and each other throughout the course. With over 10,000 comments during the 6-week course, it was clear that learners were captivated by the knowledge and training on offer! The course was such a success that the Department of Archaeology plans to run it again in the New Year, as well as making it part of the curriculum for third year undergraduate students – offering a novel, digitally-lead module, supported with seminars to expand on some of the key themes.
a MOOC focused on forensic archaeology and anthropology, which is beginning in November 2019. Professor Alan Houston, Vice-Provost (Education), said: “Technology allows us to open up our research and teaching to the world, and share the exciting work happening here in Durham.
Archaeology joins our Business School in adopting MOOCs as a way of sharing our research with the world. The Business School offers two 3-week long MOOCs focused on Change Management and Open Innovation, which were launched nearly three years ago and have run several times. Meanwhile, Professor Rebecca Gowland, also in Archaeology, has teamed up with colleagues at Teesside University to offer
“MOOCs are an accessible and flexible way for people to learn, at any stage of life. They are just part of a range of digital learning tools we are adopting to provide a 21st century approach to teaching. We also have digital lecture capture to enable students to listen again to lectures, and our new Teaching and Learning Centre is home to the very latest technology, including live lecture streaming and an educational laboratory to develop new teaching and training methods.” Durham University MOOCs are delivered in partnership with FutureLearn. You can find all our MOOCs on the FutureLearn website futurelearn.com
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The DCAD team has been really helpful to academic colleagues, supporting them through DELTA training or applications to the HEA
Durham Centre for Academic Development (DCAD) Here at DCAD we bring together all academic development activities across the University. Our main hub is on the top floor of the new Teaching and Learning Centre at Lower Mountjoy and includes the Education Laboratory, where all staff can explore using the latest in digital technologies to enhance student learning, as well as a staff development space, where staff can engage with a program of workshops to enhance their practice.
strategic aim of enhancing the academic learning and teaching experience of Durham students, and underpinning student success. For more information, see durham.ac.uk/dcad/collaborativegrants
Education Laboratory – Collaboration and Innovation
“The DCAD team has been really helpful to academic colleagues, supporting them through DELTA training or applications to the HEA by the direct route, and providing individual and tailored advice to enable colleagues to enhance their teaching skills, learn new techniques to use in the classroom, and how to integrate the latest technology in their practice.”
In October, we launched our new Collaborative Grant scheme, allowing staff to access funding to enable them to be innovative in their teaching. The exciting grants will develop inclusive learning and teaching approaches to enhance student learning and success. The grants will be given to innovative collaborative scholarship projects that support our
Alongside the new grant scheme, we will launch a video course for staff. Through playful activities, staff will explore ways of using video to enhance learning and teaching. The course will be piloted at the end of November.
Teaching Support and Enhancement
Professor Jennifer Ingleheart, HoD, Department of Classics and Ancient History
We are launching three new initiatives this term: • Our evaluation of teaching initiative is an essential developmental tool that aids reflection and supports a cycle of improvement in pedagogic practice and learner support. This toolkit consists of a set of evaluation ‘recipe cards’ that provide a quick introduction to different approaches to evaluating teaching. • Our teaching resource bank sites.durham.ac.uk/dcadresourcebank offers a range of quick and easy ideas to enhance your teaching practice in four key areas Active Pedagogies, Authentic Assessment, Inclusive Curriculum and Digital Learning. • Our SOTL Forum offers a range of workshops focussed on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) featuring a range of internal and external speakers. More details are available via the DCAD blog sites.durham.ac.uk/ dcad
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November - December 2019
Meet our interns In the Marketing and Communications office we are excited to be working with six new student interns this academic year. They will be sourcing content for our student hub sites.durham.ac.uk/studentblog. Brand new for this year, vlogs! Working four hours a week the interns will be our eyes and ears in the student community, sourcing interesting stories and images. We are really looking forward to sharing lots of this genuine student generated content with current and prospective students. Our interns have all got off to a great start, so follow our channels to see what they get up to.
L-R: Marina, Leon, Carina, Lizzie, Sunita
After a very competitive recruitment process which took place before the end of last academic year, we are proud to introduce you to…. Hi, I’m Sunita, a third-year English Literature student at Castle. I thrive off taking on a dangerous number of extra-curricular activities, so when I’m not creating decorations for our termly college balls, you might find me in my food element as President of the Vegetarian and Vegan Society, mentoring secondary school students across the North East, or dishing out tea and biscuits as a Welfare Officer (to name only a few!) I also run my own blog site meganism.wordpress.com
Hiya, I’m Leon, a fourth-year Mary’s law student who studied abroad in Singapore last year. I like playing and designing games. I’m hoping to become a video game lawyer. Feel free to reach out to me (in English or Chinese) with any questions about studying abroad, volunteering at Lumiere, being stuck in games or anything else! You can find me on Instagram at @lionburrito
Hi, my name is Carina and I’m a secondyear from St Mary’s studying Marketing and Management. Around uni I’m Publicity and Communications Officer for Mary’s, a brand ambassador for Enterprise Rent-A-Car and am involved in arts, dance and yoga as well as sharing my uni experience on my own YouTube channel Carina Mae! Heya! I’m Marina, a Combined Honours fourth year from Grey College. I’m from Barcelona but have a lot of experience living abroad and travelling to random places (which means I know plenty of useless facts). I breathe and bleed coffee, so you’re most likely to find me in town, having some liquid goodness, dancing around or fundraising for charities. If not, check the airport, it’s always a good bet too. Check out my Instagram @wheretofindmarina
Hi I’m Lizzie! I’m a third-year student at St John’s studying for an Integrated Masters in Biosciences. You can often find me trying to take artsy photos of Durham, moaning about walking up Cardiac Hill, or dreaming up new choreography for St John’s College Dance Troupe. You can find me on Instagram @imsobaesic
Hello, I’m Abbie! I’m a second-year, and since starting at Durham I’ve been filming the madness that is my life as a History and French student! Alongside my degree and my YouTube channel Kabs Craic, I also have a radio show on Purple Radio, my own column in Buzz Magazine, and I’m Head of Sponsorship for St Mary’s DUCK! (Unfortunately Abbie was not able to attend the photoshoot).
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Find out more To view photos and video footage of Lady Hale’s lecture and to find out more about the Durham Global Lecture Series, visit: durham.ac.uk/ international/global-lectures
Durham Global Lectures: Inspiring speakers and challenging topics Encouraging discussion, debate and challenge is at the core of our mission. We know the quality of our research and education is reflected in world league tables, but we want to do more to grow our impact globally.
So we have developed and launched a lecture series across key global cities, starting in London during 2019/20, and moving to other global cities in the near future, with the aim of reaching an increasingly international audience. The Durham Global Lectures will be given by eminent, inspiring speakers and thought leaders. We couldn’t have asked for a more distinguished speaker for our inaugural event of the Global Lecture Series than Lady Brenda Hale, President of the Supreme Court, UK.
Presenting to an invited audience from business, public service, academia and the legal profession, Lady Hale spoke on the topic of “The Supreme Court at 10 years old – a time to celebrate?”. Lady Hale shared fascinating insights about her personal experience of the creation and role of the Supreme Court, and inspired listeners with her passion for improving public understanding of the court and justice system. Described by the Chair, Professor Clare McGlynn, as having given “unflinching support and mentoring to other women”, Lady Hale spoke about the need to improve diversity of all kinds within the judiciary and her optimism for improvements in this area.
Her lecture prompted a number of interesting questions and subsequent vibrant conversations during the reception that followed. The lecture series continues with guest speaker Dr Rowan Williams, Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge and further dates of lectures will be announced in the New Year. We extend our thanks to the University of Notre Dame (USA) in England for hosting us at the London Global Gateway, which acts as a centralised location for us to collaborate on our shared scholarly work.
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November - December 2019
College
round-up
and large-scale student events, and have access to our mentor support system.
Summer Pre-Sessional Programme At Josephine Butler, we welcomed around 854 students from China, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, El Salvador and many more on our 2019 Summer Pre-Sessional Programme. The programme is a 10-week or 5-week intensive academic language course to prepare students for their future UG or PG study at Durham. We want to enable each individual to quickly develop a sense of belonging not just within the University, but also the wider community. The Pre-Sessional Programme plays a fundamental part in preparing them for achieving academic excellence in their future studies at Durham. We provide the students with a collegiate home from home immediately on arrival. After a joint induction with the Durham Centre for Academic Development (DCAD), the Student Immigration Office, College staff and the Butler Pre-Sessional Team, the students participated in an authentic, comprehensive Durham College experience. They had the opportunity to try new sports, societies, attend formal
Professor Nic Whitton, Head of DCAD said, “The relationship between DCAD and Josephine Butler College is integral to the success of the Pre-Sessional Programme. As well as providing a full social programme and strong pastoral support, Josephine Butler offers Pre-Sessional students an excellent introduction to life as a fully-fledged Durham student.” Butler’s unofficial motto for students during term-time: “#getinvolved” seemed to thoroughly infiltrate our pre-sessional students too, with over 800 students getting involved with Butler College Boat Club’s Learn to Row Sessions, Werewolf Game Society, Great British Film Nights, Harry Potter Night, weekly trips to Edinburgh, York, and Whitby among others, and finally, not forgetting the undisputed crowd favourite – Butler Bingo. “The Pre-Sessional course is a really good way for me to get ready for my main course. I think the classes about critical thinking and how to develop our academic skills are very helpful and the arrangement of the course is great so I can balance my studies and my social life at Josephine Butler.” – Pre-Sessional Student.
We pride ourselves on the countless personal development opportunities for our students and the partnership of an engaging social programme with stimulating, academic challenges. This summer, like any other at Butler, has been a celebration of the diversity of our student community, the tenacity of our staff, mentors and teachers, to develop enthusiastic, engaged and high-achieving individuals. We wish all of our Pre-Sessional students success in their respective Colleges.
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challenge unacceptable behaviour – as part of the Looking out for others module within the online Consent Matters course. “We have provided stand-alone active bystander training in recent years and for the 2019/20 academic year have expanded this so that more student leaders can participate.”
Junior Research Fellowship (Bystander Education) Van Mildert College was delighted to develop a Junior Research Fellowship (Bystander Education) this year in order to support the University’s long-standing ambition to create a Durham-specific active bystander course. The intention is to create a course which would be tailored towards the context of Durham’s collegiate student experience and therefore provide a relatable and relevant learning platform for participants. The appointed Fellow, John Oliver, is a former Durham University student and Grey College JCR President, who has worked with the University on bystander intervention training for several years. John developed the programme in conjunction with Dr Victoria Brown, Deputy Principal at Van Mildert College, and Clarissa Humphreys, Durham University’s Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Manager. Professor David Harper, Principal of Van Mildert College, said: “I am delighted that our College has taken a leading role in this very timely and important area. The College motto, sic vos non vobis (not for yourselves) is very much about caring and looking out for others and is strongly aligned with the principles of bystander education. I am both grateful and proud that a major part of the programme is anchored within Van Mildert, a College known for its strong tradition of outreach and volunteering in the community.”
In September 2019, the course was used to train peer-facilitators through Durham Students’ Union with whom the University and Van Mildert College have collaborated closely throughout the project. This enabled the delivery of the training to over 400 Freshers’ Representatives and other student leaders. The course will also be available throughout the academic year via the Students’ Union. Jeremy Cook, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Colleges and Student Experience), said: “We’re committed to addressing sexual misconduct and violence in our community and to ensuring survivors get the right support to report allegations, rebuild their lives and stay safe. “Preventative work is fundamental in tackling this important issue. All students have access to bystander intervention training – helping them to interrupt and
In October, Ustinov College hosted a range of activities to celebrate Black History Month, in collaboration with the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Unit, BAME Network, Library and Collections, and Durham Miners’ Association. Events included African Drumming and Art Handling Workshops at Sheraton Park, and family friendly activities at our Dryburn Court site, including dance and craft sessions. Dr Faith Uwadiae presented an engaging seminar on ‘What do scientists look like?’ at the new Teaching and Learning Centre, where she explored her experiences as a black female researcher, as well as providing an overview of her own research on malaria. Our activities were organised as part of Ustinov College’s Global Citizenship Programme, which fosters critical literacy, intercultural communication and debate on the big issues of our times, and provides a space for ongoing exploration of global citizenship across academic disciplines. Further information on the Global Citizenship Programme and our Black History Month activities are available on our website.
Student Wellbeing and Community Engagement Office (SW&CEO) To prepare student leaders for the coming academic year, the team in the SW&CEO organised a number of ‘Have a Word’ alcohol training workshops throughout September. These were attended by 300 student leaders including Common Room officers, sports captains and FREPs. The aim of these sessions is to increase alcohol awareness and build confidence to deliver a brief intervention and signpost to support. ‘Have a Word’ alcohol training workshops are available to staff and student groups throughout the year and the SW&CEO also arrange Alcohol and Drug Roadshows which are delivered in every College by the County Durham Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service. We also organised a Health Roadshow in each college in the first two weeks of term to promote medical registration
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and vaccinations, and to enable students to ask questions about local health care and have confidential conversations with medical professionals. Furthermore, we worked with NHS Sexual Health Services to develop new Sexual Health Roadshows, which will be delivered in each College during the coming year. Specialist advisers will provide C-Card sign up (condom distribution scheme), service information, and general sexual health promotion. We also manage the Meet and Greet service for the University’s International freshers’. Working with an excellent team of student volunteers, we gave a warm welcome to over 750 students who had flown in to Newcastle Airport and provided them with information packs and goody bags.
Recently, we have launched a programme of activities that contribute to Student Wellbeing and are free of charge. Lunchtime and evening yoga, Pilates, and meditation classes in the Library are very popular and there are sessions in the Colleges and the Botanic Gardens also.
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Dialogue
November - December 2019
Investigating
bones RESEARCH INSIGHTS
This month sees the launch of an online course in forensic recovery designed in collaboration with the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC). The course was developed by Professor Rebecca Gowland, from our Department of Archaeology, and will be translated into multiple languages to support the work of local forensic practitioners in post-conflict regions such as the Balkans and the North Caucuses.
We caught up with Becky to find out how she became involved with the ICRC and more about her research as a bioarchaeologist. How did you get into this area of research? I never had any aspirations to become an archaeologist at school. I dreamed of becoming a vet, until some work experience really put me off! At school I always enjoyed history and science and archaeology provides the perfect combination of both. I studied archaeology at Durham where I was given the opportunity to study human skeletal remains from a medieval cemetery. I was hooked! I then when on to Sheffield to do a Masters on the subject and returned to Durham to undertake a PhD on Roman and Early Medieval skeletons.
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We have trained doctors working on the recovery and analysis of skeletal remains from the Balkans conflict and forensic anthropologists working on the identification of the missing from the conflict in Cyprus
The online course I have developed focuses on body location, recovery and analysis. In post-conflict regions, the recovery and identification of victims is of vital importance to family members but is also an essential component of political reconciliation. What other avenues have opened up as a result of your research? There is always a lot of media interest in archaeological material and I am regularly contacted by the media. This year I have been working with a production company who contacted me for information on interesting sites or discoveries. This is for a new series which will use the skeletal remains of people from the past to tell the history of different areas of the UK. Will you be involved in this television series? How has your research led to you working with the ICRC? The techniques I use to excavate archaeological remains are directly applicable to the location and recovery of human remains from crime scenes. Just over ten years ago, my colleague Professor Tim Thompson, from Teesside University, and I developed a training course aimed at regional police forces. The purpose of the course was to train police in what to do when human remains are encountered. The course was funded by OneNortheast Pathfinder and taught officers how to search for and properly recover the bodies of missing people, and how to maximise information from the remains. The scope of the course has developed over the years and we now share cutting edge
research directly with forensic practitioners including Crime Scene Investigators. A number of international delegates have attended the course over the years, which led to invitations to deliver training to practitioners working for the ICRC. The ICRC carries out humanitarian forensic work in post-conflict regions. We have trained doctors working on the recovery and analysis of skeletal remains from the Balkans conflict and forensic anthropologists working on the identification of the missing from the conflict in Cyprus (Committee for Missing Persons). I have been running bespoke courses on the identification and analysis of infant and juvenile remains; unfortunately, children are all too frequently victims of conflicts.
Yes – I will be appearing in an episode which tells the story of children who were pauper apprentices in Leeds, in the 1800s. This information is from my British Academy funded project ‘Children of the Revolution’ which focused on the remains of children living through the industrial revolution in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The remains of these children tell an important story about child labour, living conditions and poverty during this period of rapid social and economic change. If you would like to join Becky’s free, online course, details are available at this web address: futurelearn.com/courses/ forensic-archaeology-and-anthropology. The television series is currently in production and is scheduled to be broadcast in 2020.
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November - December 2019
Tackling bullying and harassment, hate incidents and sexual misconduct We pride ourselves on providing a supportive, inclusive environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community that does not tolerate bullying, harassment, hate and sexual misconduct.
As part of our continuing efforts to tackle these issues, we have launched the Report + Support online tool this October. The introduction of this tool forms part of the Office for Students-funded Hate Crime Project and follows the Hate Experience Survey; which provided invaluable insight on the University community members’ experiences of hate crimes, including their reporting behaviour.
Having recognised the need to address the barriers to reporting incidents, the online tool was set up to provide a centralised platform for students and staff to make an anonymous report and, where contact details are given, obtain support and guidance from a designated staff member or request for the University to take formal action. There are four types of incidents that can be reported: (1) Bullying and harassment, (2) Hate incidents, (3) Sexual misconduct and violence and (4) Domestic abuse.
A user has two clear and quick pathways for reporting an incident—either report anonymously or report with their contact details. When a user chooses to make an anonymous report, we will not be able to offer direct advice or begin any formal complaint or investigation process. Information from the anonymous report will be used to monitor issues across the University community to help identify appropriate prevention and response interventions.
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support available for students and staff. It also provides information on what other support is available from local and national organisations. We know that people don’t always feel comfortable making a report immediately after an incident. The support pages offer information and advice on what options are available to them, even if they then decide not to report. Whatever they decide to do, Report + Support gives every user the opportunity to make an informed choice about the next step that they wish to take.
Did you know you can report this? • verbal abuse like being made fun of, called names, or offensive jokes • inappropriate sexual gestures or touching • physical attacks such as hitting, punching, pushing, spitting • threats of violence • having your things taken or damaged • hoax calls, abusive phone or text messages, hate mail • online abuse (e.g. Facebook or Twitter)
What members of our community are saying
On the other hand, where a user chooses to report with contact details they will be given the option to either contact an advisor or make a formal report. The advisor can offer impartial advice about options and services available to them. If the user opts to make a formal report, the University will take further action where appropriate. Once a report is submitted, the system sends an email notification to a designated member of the Report + Support team. Reports received through this online tool will be dealt with during normal working hours (9.00am to 5.00pm) Monday to Friday. Only authorised members of staff will have access to information shared through the system. Apart from being a reporting platform, Report + Support also contains information on various internal and external sources of
“I am really delighted that this tool has been developed and launched. It will provide a real opportunity for students to share their experiences with the University and more importantly to enable us to provide the ongoing support that they need. We have been concerned for some time that there may be incidents that may not be reported to us.” Sam Dale (Director for Student Support and Wellbeing)
“Sexual misconduct and violence is underreported in universities and in wider society. We know there are so many reasons why individuals subjected to sexual violence and domestic abuse do not disclose what has happened. By offering an online platform, we are breaking down some of those barriers, allowing more people to access support and reporting options which can make our community safer for everyone.” Clarissa Humphreys (Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Manager)
Rachel Archbold, Head of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Unit says: “We want to continue to make Durham University a safe and welcoming place for all members of its community. This tool will help us to better understand people’s experiences and inform the support that they need.” The tool can be accessed through: reportandsupport.durham.ac.uk via the Staff and Student Gateway, DUO and through the MyDurham app. For guidance in using the tool, there is an FAQ document available on the EDI webpage; and there will also be a tutorial video coming out soon. We are keen to continuously improve this tool; hence, we also welcome any feedback. Staff and students are able to send suggestions about the tool to report.support@durham.ac.uk
“The new Report + Support Tool is a key development for reporting harassment, sexual misconduct and hate incidents experienced by members of Durham University. In addition to reporting options, the tool provides important information on the support available to you through your College or from the University’s Bullying and Harassment Network, among others.” Dr Martin Brader (Vice Principal, Ustinov College)
“I welcome the introduction of the University’s new Report + Support tool. Sadly, there has been a recent rise in Faith-related hate incidents in the UK, especially Anti-Semitic and Islamophobic incidents. This online tool is a significant step in ensuring that students and staff of all faiths and beliefs – and indeed everyone – feel safe and any hate incidents are dealt with swiftly and effectively.” The Revd Gavin Wort (Coordinating Chaplain)
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November - December 2019
What's on in our
libraries and museums
Norman Cornish: The Sketchbooks Palace Green Library 16 November 2019 – 23 February 2020 For the renowned north-eastern artist Norman Cornish MBE (1919-2014), sketching was second nature and an inherent part of his everyday life. Simply, it was ‘an itch that he had to scratch’. Through his artwork, he sought beauty in the life and shapes of the everyday, capturing those around him with a spontaneity and an honesty that only one who had experienced it could successfully portray. This exhibition of little seen sketchbooks will present a new dimension to the artist’s practice, focusing on his observations of life, landscapes, and family, revealing the inner artistic processes behind some of his most iconic works.
2,000 Years of Life at 18-29 Claypath In 2016 and 2017, archaeologists moved into number 18-29 Claypath, to carry out investigation work on the site of the old cinema, snooker hall and garage in Durham City Centre. What they discovered was 2,000 years of history in Durham, from the remains of one
of Durham’s first residents in the Iron Age, to medieval rubbish pits and 18th century street front buildings. Come along and learn more at the Museum of Archaeology, Palace Green Library, between 29 November 2019 and 20 May 2020.
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Growing with Logic New scholarships beckon a bright future for our students The North East of England has long been known for its industrial heritage. Now, emerging from this rich history, the region is making waves in the digital and tech sector, with world class innovation happening on our doorstep. At Durham we are well placed to benefit from this success as we attract the brightest students and researchers to the region. Our new Mathematical Sciences and Computer Science Building, due to open next year, will enable both departments to grow. It will provide state-of-the-art facilities enabling groundbreaking research, and will be home to our first ever ‘enterprise hub’ dedicated to student innovation and stimulating studentled enterprise activity.
recognised through the naming of the ‘Scott Logic Lecture Theatre’ in the new building. The fund will be used to establish two new scholarship programmes in the Departments of Computer Science and Mathematical Sciences, enabling future generations of talented students from under-privileged backgrounds - both locally and in the developing world – to come and study core STEM subjects here at Durham.
Gary Scott, Managing Director at Scott Logic said: “I know from my own personal experience of studying at Durham the lasting impact it has had and the doors it has opened. I believe that opportunity should exist for all students, regardless of their background. “I am enormously proud that this lecture theatre will be named after Scott Logic. I hope that through this, students will be inspired to find out more about the opportunities at Scott Logic and to stay in the North East to build a successful career.”
What are the Scholarships? Computer Science A key partner in these exciting developments is Scott Logic, a Newcastlebased IT consultancy which is growing at a rapid rate, attracting an international clientele and opening up a wealth of graduate opportunities. Founded by Gary Scott, a Durham Computer Science alumnus, the company maintains a close relationship with Durham and is passionate about the contribution it makes to the wider region. We celebrated the strength of this partnership on 4 November with the announcement of Scott Logic’s generous donation of £150,000, which will be
The new Durham Inspired Scholarship programme will support students from under-privileged backgrounds, with a particular focus on encouraging more students to join us from the North East. Mathematical Sciences Building on our partnership with African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), we will launch new Masters Scholarships for students from developing countries, enabling talented students to pursue an advanced education in Durham. For more information about these scholarships contact Lauren Bradshaw at lauren.bradshaw@durham.ac.uk
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Dialogue
November - December 2019
The Big 3 is over the hump! Our Big 3 programme to improve our IT infrastructure is into the home straight, with some significant achievements in the last few months. Read on to find out what we’ve achieved and what more we have planned. Improving our network
Storing our data securely
Our 136.5km of new fibre optic network is now complete with work continuing to migrate our buildings onto it.
In addition to the new Personal Research Storage (PRS) and Shared Research Storage (SRS) services launching PRS and SRS storage options for researchers (see Calling all Researchers story), we’re also moving all S Drives across to a new platform, again enhancing our current storage provision.
These cut overs have resulted in over 50% of the University estate now taking advantage of this purpose built infrastructure. We’ve now finished work at Hill Colleges, Elvet and Leazes, and Mountjoy, with work planned for the Peninsula Colleges and Departments over the coming months.
More resilient hosting platform We’ve now moved 93% of our servers from the legacy platform across to a new, more resilient hosting environment.
For information on the Big 3, including the latest buildings to be cutover to the new network, scan this QR code or visit durham.ac.uk/cis/thebig3/ programmeofworks
Increased storage options for academic and research staff.
Dialogue
Calling all Researchers - your new storage solution is ready! You told us that you wanted highly available storage where you could keep your important research findings, data and analysis. This storage needed to be big enough so you didn’t need to keep asking for upgrades. Moreover, you wanted to be able to increase the size and give access to others yourself. Here in CIS, we thought that sounded like a reasonable request, so we set about making it happen. Earlier this summer we were delighted to be able to offer all research-active staff two new storage services to meet these needs. Personal Research Storage (PRS) and Shared Research Storage (SRS).
The new PRS service gives research-active staff an automatic 1TB of storage space for your personal research. You will be able to self-provision increases yourself up to 5TB through our new Storage Manager Tool. SRS will give users the option of additional shared storage beyond the limits of PRS (up to 100TB per share), and research projects.
What are you waiting for? To set up your own PRS or SRS accounts, scan this QR code or visit storage.durham.ac.uk and get started today!
AppsAnywhere Get your Apps Anywhere and Everywhere with AppsAnywhere. AppsAnywhere will replace MDS Anywhere as of 1 December 2019. Scan the code or visit apphub2.durham.ac.uk and start using AppsAnywhere.
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Dialogue
November - December 2019
Meet the
Team ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY
In order to bring all of our environmental initiatives and activities together, we devised ‘Greenspace’ as an overarching concept in 2009.
The University’s Energy and Sustainability Team delivers Greenspace, which promotes our Environmental Vision, Policy and Strategy. We coordinate environmental initiatives across the University, with the help of our Environment Champions, Student Environment Representatives and Steering Groups. We are committed to maintaining, and wherever possible, improving the quality of this environment, both for the people who live and work in the University and for the wider community.
Dialogue
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Sustainability Manager (Travel and Biodiversity) - Yvonne Flynn You may have heard of the £1 bus tickets provided by Arriva, but what you might not know is that this discount is a result of my work on the Sustainable Travel Plan (STP). The plan aims to encourage and promote active travel together with a better lifestyle and assist us to reduce our carbon emissions; you can read the full STP on our website durham.ac.uk/greenspace/travel/ greentravelplans. I’m also responsible for raising the profile of our amazing Biodiversity, that we have on and around campus, and which continues to turn up on our doorstep.
L-R: Simon Park, Ninette Harris, Michael Corner, Yvonne Flynn, Michael Harknes
Meet the Energy and Sustainability Team… Sustainability Managers (Energy and Infrastructure) - Michael Harkness and Mick Corner We have been working to install smart meters for electricity, gas and water supplies so we have detailed information about utility consumption in our buildings. This data is uploaded to an online portal for our Environment Champions and Student Environment Reps to access. This helps us to monitor and reduce our carbon emissions. We also carry out energy audits and produce Display Energy Certificates (DECs).
Sustainability Manager (Waste and Environmental Compliance) - Simon Park I am responsible for developing and improving our waste policy and procedures. I engage with our waste providers and key stakeholders including staff and students to drive performance to achieve our targets, increase recycling and decrease landfill and incinerated waste. I also work to ensure we are compliant with environmental standards and legislation. Sustainability Coordinator (Wider Student Experience) - Ninette Harris I am working with the college environment reps, student groups and the Durham Students’ Union to develop a community of passionate individuals who can help us promote sustainable living and development. I also coordinate awareness weeks around our nine Greenspace Icons, to actively engage staff and students, because ‘every small step leads to big change’.
Coming up… Water Awareness Week 25 November – 1 December 2019 Energy Awareness and College Competition 27 January – 1 March 2020 Look out for the Inter-Collegiate Energy Competition that challenges colleges to reduce their electricity and gas usage as much as possible. We ask everyone to be more energy aware, changing their habits to eliminate energy wastage. The next competition will commence Monday 27 January 2020 and more details will be available on our website. Visit durham.ac.uk/greenspace/ energy/energyawareness
Bike Safety Week We held our Bike Safety Week in October to raise awareness about safe cycling. With the darker nights creeping in, it is extremely important that cyclists are visible. We provided free bike lights and maps and, with Recyke Y’ Bike, offered staff and students 10% off lights, locks and helmets and free bike maintenance checks for students. Further details can be found at durham.ac.uk/greenspace/travel/cycling
Waste Awareness Week Waste Awareness Week took place at the beginning of November, and included trips and presentations to increase understanding of waste issues across the University. We took our Student Environment Reps and staff to a Waste Recycling Centre in Washington, had stalls promoting recycling from Durham County Council and Biffa in Small Island Cafe and student reps organised litter picks and clothes swaps for their college. For more information visit durham.ac.uk/ greenspace/waste-management
Christmas E-Card Did you know… over 1,122 e-cards were sent during December 2018? Sending a Christmas e-card saves both the production and travel associated with sending paper cards. Why not send an e-card for Christmas this year; take a look at durham.ac.uk/greenspace/ecard
How to keep in up to date: Greenspace Website: durham.ac.uk/greenspace Follow and like our Facebook page: @DUGreenspace
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Dialogue
November - December 2019
Career Pathways for Professional Services Staff (PS) The launch of the Job Families framework for PS staff has provided an opportunity to create associated Career Pathways. At Human Resources and Organisation Development (HROD) we have developed a number of resources which provide clarity about the skills, knowledge and experience required in different job roles to help PS staff prepare for career development opportunities across the University. durham. ac.uk/od/strain/careerpath. Career pathways are presented in an interactive format providing links to further information on the requirements of specific roles. Generic pathways for each Job Family have been developed to illustrate the variety and diversity of roles that are available within the University. Example career pathways have also been developed focusing on potential opportunities within specific departments. These are supported by case studies of members of staff showing the career pathway that they have followed during their time at Durham. The pathways are supported by a comprehensive range of training and development opportunities so it is easy to identify what options are available to support skills and personal development requirements. These may be highlighted by working through the Personal Development workbooks that complement this approach. durham.ac.uk/od/strain/ cpd/pdworkbooks Staff who wish to further develop their skills and knowledge within a specialist area of the University will also find information on external qualifications as part of the pathway documentation. Information will continue to be added over the coming months as Job Families continue to be rolled out within Departments. If you have any questions or would like to discuss career pathways in more detail please get in touch with the HR-OD team on hr.od@durham.ac.uk.
Dialogue
An insight into
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On a scale of 1-10, how much do you care what other people think of you? Depends on the day, at the moment a 6. What’s your greatest vice? I’m a worrier. What’s your favourite film? I love animated films, but I’m a big Marvel fan so I’d have to say Avengers: Endgame. It was great to see the scenes they shot at Durham Cathedral! Any nicknames? A few, but Smudge is the one that’s stuck!
Which historical figure would you most like to be? Jane Goodall. What was the first record you bought? Not sure, but probably something by Paramore. What achievement are you most proud of? Completing Dechox and raising over £100 for British Heart Foundation. No chocolate for a month! Only for charity… What was your best subject?
NAME: Sophie Johnson JOB TITLE: Web and Digital Coordinator Have you got any pets? An adorable black and white pug called Riley. What are you reading at the moment? The Women of the Cousins War by Philippa Gregory. I read her historical novels so learning more about the real lives of the people she wrote about is fascinating.
At school, I was always torn between Biology and Art. I hedged my bets and did an Art & Design foundation diploma in case I wanted to do an Art degree; instead, I came to Durham University to study Natural Sciences! When was the last time you laughed and why? Today! I can’t remember why, but I laugh a lot. What did you want to be when you were a child? It changed a few times, but initially I wanted to be a palaeontologist ballerina! Where will you be going for your next holiday? Nothing planned yet, but I would love to go back to Canada someday to whale watch and snowboard, or scuba dive in the Maldives. What skill or talent would you most like to acquire? To be fluent in another language. I’ve been teaching myself Spanish, but my French teacher said I wasn’t a natural linguist so it might take a while! Give me a picture of your ideal day: I love crisp, clear days where I can layer up and be snug. A trip to the coast then a night in with friends and family, playing games and having food, sounds ideal.
What’s the worst job you’ve ever done? A seasonal sales assistant. You miss out on so much family time over Christmas and have to deal with a lot of stressed shoppers! What’s your favourite place in the world? The beach! I love taking Riley for walks along the coast. I’ve yet to see a dolphin from Seaham beach but I’m still hopeful. What luxury item would you take to a desert island? My ukulele What’s your greatest indulgence? Temple Donuts. I’m not a donut fan generally but these are amazing and they’re vegan! Thankfully, they’re based in Leeds or I would need to go to the gym more.
Smudge is the one that’s stuck!
What’s on at the University
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November 2019 – January 2020 Music Durham Lunchtime Concerts Venue: Concert Room, Music Department, Palace Green
Behind the scenes at the Bowes Museum
Christmas around the world
Venue: Gala Theatre, Durham
Venue: Oriental Museum, Elvet Hill, Durham DH1 3TH
Date: Tuesday 3 December
Date: Saturday 21 December
Time: 5.45pm
Times: 1pm – 3pm
Concerts take place every Wednesday, they are completely free and are open to all members of the public, and are a great way to spend your afternoon. Do come along!
The Bowes Museum is one of the jewels in County Durham’s crown. Those who care for and work with its collections discuss their work and share insights into its history and current activities.
Find out how Christmas is celebrated around the world and make your own Christmas decorations to take home.
Winter Wonderland Family Activity
Sita
Venue: Botanic Garden, Hollingside Lane, Durham DH1 3TN
Venue: The Assembly Rooms Theatre North Bailey, Durham
Dates: Until Friday 31 January 2020
Dates: Wednesday 11, Thursday 12 and Friday 13 December
Dates: Every Wednesday lunchtime during term time Times: 1.15pm – 1.45pm
Times: 10am – 4pm Pick up a spotter sheet from the Visitor Centre and see what you can discover as you stroll around the garden (subject to availability of leaflets). This is a self-led activity around the Garden.
Times: 7.30pm In a white dining room a child is bored at a dinner party. The child takes the adult into the magical story of the Ramayana, using household props, coloured lights and paints, the white boring dinner party is gradually destroyed. Performed shortly after Diwali, Sita will take you on a journey of Indian mythology and culture.
Celebrate the Chinese New Year of the Rat Venue: Oriental Museum, Elvet Hill, Durham DH1 3TH Dates: Saturday 25 January 2020 Times: 1pm – 3pm 2020 is the Lunar New Year of the Rat! Get ready for the festivities and make Chinese lanterns and paper cuts to decorate the Museum, ready for our Lantern Festival in February!
For more information on University events go to durham.ac.uk/whatson