ÂŁ30m Sports Centre opens
On Message: ten years of PR at Edge Hill Tidy Your Room: our cleaners tell all
Issue Six - Autumn 2015
Screen Queen: working at a film festival The Y Chromosome: women in biology
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Welcome
There’s never been a better time to come to Edge Hill University, University of the Year in 2015. Read all about our brand spanking new £30m sports centre, opened by the prodigiously talented athlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson, and with more on-campus accommodation than ever, our dedicated cleaning crew give us an insight into life behind student lines. Meanwhile, established courses are going from strength to strength. We take a look at our PR programme which celebrates ten years, and talk to those who’ve made a career out of spinning yarns.
Employability is a core feature of our student offer, and we look at some of the opportunities enjoyed by our students, including a film festival work placement for one silver screen addict, and the variety of career options available within the health and social care sector. We also hand out some timely advice to anyone about to tackle their UCAS Personal Statement.
Elsewhere, the regular features will provide food for thought, as well as a little light relief, and inspire you to get in touch, either by paying us a visit during an Open Day, or talking to one of our many student advisers.
We hope you find this edition of Degree a good read, but we welcome your comments, or suggestions for future content: degree@edgehill.ac.uk. Enjoy.
Contents 01° From Croquet to Trampolining
03° New Gold Dreams
05° Personal Statements: the dos and don’ts
07° If You Want to Know Anything, Ask a Cleaner
09° Best of Both Worlds
11° On Message: ten years of PR at Edge Hill
13° What Does It Take to Be a Good PR?
15° Political Player
16° My Life in Music: Phil Jackson
17° Film International
19° My Life in Books: Dr Nicky Tsougarakis
20° The Questionnaire: Dr Peter Leadbetter 21° Healthy Prospects
23° The Y Chromosome
Production Team Nick Lodge (editor) Mark Molloy (design) Sam Armstrong Andy Butler Photography Stuart Rayner, Phil Tragen, Getty
From Croquet to Trampolining: a brief history of sport at EHU
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hen Olympic heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson drew back the green curtain to officially open the University’s new £30m Sports Centre, she began a new chapter in Edge Hill’s well-established sporting pedigree.
Once upon a time, at the back end of the 19th century, sport at the original Edge Hill teacher training college for women consisted solely of compulsory workouts in the gym on a Thursday night. Students endured an hour of Swedish gymnastics in thick blue serge tunics buttoned up to the neck, with long sleeves, bloomers to match, and any hint of an ankle showing was a serious misdemeanour. Transported to the present day, their tutors would no doubt be appalled at the attire worn by men and women getting down to some serious physical exercise.
However, they couldn’t fail to be impressed by the quality of the new facilities, with sporting opportunities that far exceed the original options of tennis, hockey, badminton, croquet and swimming. Our new students are as likely to try their hand at ultimate Frisbee, dodgeball and trampolining, as more traditional activities such as football, netball and rugby.
But how did we get to this point? Progress had been slow until the 1930s and the move to Ormskirk, with the development of a new gym, swimming pool, tennis courts and hockey pitches. Edge Hill even provided a competitor at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles – sprinter Ethel Johnson. The Olympic link was resurrected in 2012 when Olympic hopefuls from Micronesia, American Samoa and the Marshall Islands were based on campus prior to the start of the London Games. Senior lecturer Dean Williams was also Chief Field Referee in the capital, revelling in the atmosphere of the stadium on “Super Saturday”, when GB secured three gold medals.
It was during the second half of the 20th century that sport at Edge Hill was really transformed. The introduction of male students in 1959 expanded the portfolio of sports played on campus – “we are already beginning to hear of their successes on the football field,” commented Principal Dr Bain, and teams became ever more organised, with official kits and occasional sponsorships.
During the 1970s, however, sport was still taking place on the lawn in front of the main building. The introduction of Sports Studies and PE in the 1990s was the catalyst for further expansion, and in 1997 former Lancashire and England cricket captain Mike Atherton opened the £4m Sporting Edge, complete with multi-gym, squash court, floodlit all-weather pitches, and a new running track. A far cry from the facilities a century earlier, Sporting Edge was designed to be used by staff, students and the wider community, and was the base for the England Sports Council’s North West regional training unit.
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From here, development went up a gear, as the charge towards full university status gathered momentum. In 2001, the £4.3m Wilson Centre opened on the site of the old Lancashire Halls, where the first men to be admitted to Edge Hill were accommodated. The Centre features labs for sports psychology, physiology and biomechanics, and a dance studio.
Since then the Department of Sport and Physical Activity has flourished, with the number of students taking sports-related qualifications almost tripling over the last ten years. It appointed its first professor in 2012, and almost half of the research produced by the department is now considered world-leading or internationally excellent.
The department’s growing alumni include: Natalie Walker, international women’s football referee, who officiated at the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada; former England women’s football international and tv commentator Sue Smith, one of our first sports graduates; Joe Rawcliffe, a multiple winner of national and international karate competitions; and Sarah Hutchinson, recipient of a Sporting Excellence scholarship from the University which helped support her international ice hockey ambitions.
The opening of the new Sports Centre will take the student sporting experience to another level – some of the fitness machines have in-built televisions, as well as providing exceptional new resources for the wider community to have a go at badminton, basketball, 5-a-side, futsal, handball, netball, rounders, self-defence, softball, swimming, table tennis, tennis, touch rugby, volleyball, and walking football, amongst other activities. There’s even a relaxation deck with loungers and mini-golf.
I think the phrase is ‘game on’.°
Explore our new facilities at one of our Open days: edgehill.ac.uk/opendays
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he past and the future of British athletics came together at the opening of our fantastic new £30m Sports Centre, when 22-year-old heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson and 50-something (sorry, Steve) middle distance legend Steve Cram arrived on campus.
Accustomed to performing on the big occasion Katarina unveiled the commemorative plaque, alongside philanthropist, entrepreneur and Edge Hill honorary doctorate recipient Barrie Wells, in front of an appreciative crowd.
The state-of-the-art Sports Centre brings an eightcourt sports hall, a 25-metre swimming pool, and an 80-station fitness suite onto campus, along with a running track, part of our international competition standard outdoor facilities.
Katarina is a familiar face on campus, providing advice, guidance and inspiration to the next generation of runners, jumpers and throwers:
“I’ve been to Edge Hill a number of times, including with a group of schoolchildren and also to see my sponsor Barrie Wells awarded an honorary degree by the University, and it’s fantastic to be back for the opening of this amazing facility.”
Barrie identified Katarina’s “incredible” talent early, and knew it needed to be carefully nurtured. People thought he was “mad” sponsoring an athlete at 16, but he recognised her determination and singleminded focus, something he, as a businessman, had needed to succeed. He followed his instincts, and the rest is history. Or will be…
Earlier, Steve Cram had put a group of schoolchildren through its paces in a rigorous track session, before addressing a crowd of people who were clearly in thrall to his legendary exploits of the 1980s: World, European and Commonwealth 1500m gold medals, an Olympic 1500m silver medal (a footstep behind Sebastian Coe in 1984), and 1500m and mile world records at various points during his career.
Noting that, as Chancellor of Sunderland University, he was “very jealous” of our new facilities, he provided an insight into the secret of his success – a heady mixture of chance and working “really hard”. His
success wasn’t about having a super talent, but finding something he liked and sticking with it, through the ups and downs that inevitably impact upon your life.
Performance, he said, is about perseverance, being open to learning, not being knocked back when you realise you’re not going to win every time. Failure is just a staging post on the road to success. It’s a mantra familiar in business, and to entrepreneurs such as Richard Branson, Bill Gates and James Dyson. Cram has also seen the difference real investment in sport and people can make, with lottery funding enabling many to harness their raw talent to quality coaching and facilities. He said the results are undeniable – from being 36th in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games table, by London 2012 the UK had climbed to 3rd, ahead of serial sporting achievers Russia and Germany.
Cram believes “talent is everywhere” (“there’s a Usain Bolt in the UK somewhere – he’s just playing footie, or basketball, or watching telly,”), but the missing vital ingredient is the will to work hard. And there’s never been a better time to test yourself:
“When I was a kid going out in the streets running, people laughed at you. Now it’s much better, everyone wants to have a go,” and he points to the popularity of marathons as evidence that social attitudes have changed. So, Steve, what’s the real secret to winning?
At the elite level, with little between athletes, he says psychology plays a huge part. It could be the most trivial thing, something which just makes you feel everso-slightly more positive. For example, Kelly Holmes told him that getting her hair braided prior to her 2004 Olympic 800m and 1500m triumphs may – may – have given her the edge over her rivals. But “the main message I want to give you is… someone playing rugby for England, Mo Farah, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, they all work really, really hard.” And the new Sports Centre is where the next KJ-T or Steve Cram could well be getting their head down, nurturing new gold dreams. Time to get physical.°
Katarina Johnson-Thompson is patron of the Barrie Wells Trust’s Box4Kids barriewellstrust.org
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our mission is to write a personal statement, as part of your UCAS application, which creates a memorable first impression. However, if you choose to accept this mission you only have 47 lines, or around 4,000 characters, to do it in. Every word counts, so you’ll probably need help to ensure the reader is left in no doubt about your intelligence, wide-ranging interests, wit, talent and ability. Here, then, is our guide to writing a strong personal statement, avoiding the many pitfalls that stand between you and your desired destination.
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The Dos and Don’ts
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DO let us know why you applied for a particular course. Education Liaison Officer Sophie BarrettKai suggests a few things to start you off: Why do you want to study this subject or go to university in general? What are your goals and ambitions? Prove that you have given this consideration before reaching your decision – have you been to Open Days? Why are the course(s) you are applying for more suited to you than others that you have looked at? Show that you’re committed.
DO tell us about your outside interests, but try to remain focused on your ultimate goal – being accepted onto your chosen course. PT: It can be useful for us to get an idea of the applicant’s personality, but don’t dedicate too much valuable space to it. Focus on demonstrating that you are suitable for the subject you’re applying for. And Sophie provides a couple of examples: Playing sport for a team on a regular basis reflects your commitment; being part of a drama group may reflect your personality and confidence.
Business lecturer and admissions tutor Charles Knight: I’m looking for evidence you’ve really thought about the course and that it excites or fires your curiosity!
And Admissions Manager Peter Talbot says you need to give some thought to your motivation – wanting to be a teacher because you enjoyed school is a good start: the statement needs to go a step further and demonstrate that you have also researched the profession and have a decent understanding of it from a professional point of view. DO demonstrate a genuine interest in your chosen subject area. PT: You’d be surprised how many people apply for a particular programme but make no reference to that subject in their personal statement. The statement needs to appeal to the person reading it and convince them that you will be successful on the course.
CK: We don’t expect you to be an expert before you start your degree but it’s great to see evidence that you’ve been reading about the discipline and if a particular area really interests you, tell us!
DON’T think watching television makes you an expert. PT: A common error is those who believe they understand the complex role of, for example, a nurse or midwife because they watch 24 Hours in A&E or One Born Every Minute every week on tv. Research your chosen subject area thoroughly. DON’T be afraid of criticism. Constructive comments from friends and family will help you to fine tune your statement. Yes, your collection of novelty erasers is interesting, but does it really deserve two paragraphs?
DO think twice about how you express yourself: •
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Avoid clichés – a ‘passion’ for something should be saved for your Apprentice/Masterchef interviews. Humour is very subjective so use with caution.
Including quotes can be a nice touch but, especially if you search on the internet, can be risky.
Steer clear of slang, obscure abbreviations, or text-speak. Friends may understand you, but a professor of medieval history may struggle.
Use a spell checker, and ensure your grammar is correct. Your ability to write clearly and accurately will only enhance your application. Misspelling your chosen subject area is unlikely to impress.
Avoid lists, especially of subjects/ grades submitted elsewhere on your application.
DON’T be afraid to sell yourself. PT: Turn anything negative to your advantage, outlining how you overcame obstacles to succeed.
But never stretch the truth, however tempting. More often than not, you will be found out. Far better to focus on what you have done – saying you went camping as part of the Duke of Edinburgh scheme is far better than claiming you taught Bear Grylls everything he knows.
DO be yourself. As with interviews, so with applications. While avoiding the aforementioned stylistic pitfalls, unis are looking to find what makes you different. And Charles Knight believes applicants sometimes don’t do themselves justice: I can spot material cut-and-pasted off the internet from a hundred metres – don’t do it, it doesn’t represent you as a candidate. And the dreaded plagiarism software is always ready to catch you out, if Charles’ sixth sense somehow lets him down. This is your chance to show off the unique person behind the application form.
Closing statements PT: A list of dos and don’ts can make writing a Personal Statement seem quite daunting, but with sufficient planning and preparation you can build a clear, concise portrayal of your suitability for a particular subject and ensure you submit a strong application.” CK: Reading your statement out loud to yourself is a great way to check it makes sense and avoids repetition. And make sure that someone who will give you honest feedback reads it for you and makes suggestions.”
SB-K: Really sell yourself in your personal statement – it will make you stand out in a very competitive market. Workshops and guidance can boost your confidence, and we can offer support: edgehill.ac.uk/studentrecruitment
There’s still plenty of time to dazzle us so get scribbling. Just remember the mantra: research, review, rewrite, reward… and hopefully we’ll see you at freshers’. If you are applying to Edge Hill University and would like advice on writing a UCAS personal statement, please contact us on 01695 657000 or complete our online enquiry form at ehu.ac.uk/enquire
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If You Want To Know Anything...
A Cleaner L R
Ann Hill
Janet Forrest
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hen my kids went to university, I said I know what’s going on because I’ve seen the other side, and I always said to them, get with your cleaners, because the cleaners always know everything that’s going on in the university, and they’ll help you. You go to them if you need any advice.”
So says Janet Forrest, university cleaner and, unofficially, a surrogate mum to our students, a title our cleaners are happy to carry. Yes, they do tidy up after them. Yes, they have to deal with the apocalyptic post-party wasteland that frequently confronts them. Yes, they have to deliver the odd lecture – colleague Ann Hill tells of repeatedly warning a student not to jump the stairs four steps at a time because he’d hurt himself, until the inevitable happened – “crack - his ankle had gone. He went white as a ghost … but I looked after him.” But, like most parents, it’s because they care.
And the feeling’s mutual. This summer’s graduations also saw Janet and Ann receive Student-Led Staff awards for their contribution to campus life. Go onto the University’s Facebook page, and you’ll find a raft of comments praising Janet and Ann. Student-written statements on their certificates contain phrases such as ‘[Ann] talks and listens to me if I feel sad or upset or just need a hug’ and ‘[Janet] is a good listener, a kind-hearted and funny lady…she always comes over to ask how I’m getting on.’
And these ‘lovely ladies’ are representative of the impact our cleaners have on the lives of our students, especially those starting new lives away from home.
“We become surrogate parents, adoptive parents, whatever you want to call us, because we end up helping them with their cooking – some of them haven’t cooked before, their cleaning – what do they clean with? Their ironing, nursing, they come to us when they’ve got problems, and we try to advise them,” says Janet.
How students adapt to life away from home varies, says Janet:
“Some get homesick, and I’m always wary of the quiet students not the boisterous ones, because I think the quiet ones are the ones you have to look after, and bring
them out of themselves because they’re shy. If we’ve got them by Christmas, they’re fine. I always say if they’re homesick, ‘give it one term, and then after Christmas if you still feel the same, at least you’ve tried.’”
Ann and Janet have lived a life of grime for over 27 years, and it’s getting tougher: this year the team will have to deep clean over 2,000 bedrooms before the start of term, as the student numbers – and consequently the campus – have grown. 144 more rooms have been added to their cleaning rota with the opening of new halls in September 2015. Their primary responsibility – and loyalty – still lies with the back halls,
“We become surrogate parents, adoptive parents, whatever you want to call us, because we end up helping them with their cooking...”
though, the oldest dedicated halls on campus, and which Janet and Ann still consider the best, despite the popularity of the new halls on the block:
“Students are always wary because they’re the old halls, but I think that they’re brilliant because they have a big common room – with the new halls it’s eight to a cluster. These are 36 to a hall and they all congregate in the common room, and they have their parties in there, and they have their X Boxes there, and I feel that they get to know each other better.”
Their birthday card list has grown too, as students stay in touch. Well, most. Janet bumped into one on campus recently, having left halls 17 years earlier. Turned out he’d been working at the University for five years. Janet still refers to him as ‘one of mine’, though. She tells a better story of a student she met ten years ago, who stayed in the area. Janet helped her buy her first house, following a personal
request from the parents. She was invited to her hen night – and was made to wear a sash emblazoned with ‘Ormskirk mumof-the-bride’. And she was in regular contact with her when she became pregnant, even offering to look after her in the days leading up to the birth:
“She kept ringing me, and I rang her, and it was near her due date, and I hadn’t heard from her so I said to my husband, ‘I’m going to ring her’, and there was no answer, and I started getting worried, but that morning she rang me and said ‘nanny Ormskirk, you’ve got a granddaughter’. That grand-daughter is now two years old, and her name’s Scarlet, and she’s beautiful.” Janet recently told this story to an audience of 130 and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
Janet and Ann have other stories they are a little more discreet about, skimming over them with twinkles in their eyes. Have they ever been invited to these parties? “I have, over the years, yes,”, Janet confesses, without going into any more detail. You can bet that they would be first on the karaoke, though, with Ann drawing everyone into a singalong of Always Look On the Bright Side of Life, while Janet would belt out Tina Turner’s dancefloor stomper Simply the Best “because Edge Hill is the best, otherwise we wouldn’t have stayed so long.”
And with that they head back to their cleaning duties, ahead of the next student invasion when they become campus “mums” again, handing out advice to yet another intake of freshers:
“What I always say to my students is, leave your bedroom door open, and as people are passing you get to know your flatmates, ask them in for a coffee or whatever you want to chat about because obviously they’re strangers that are all meeting up for the first time.
“And if you’ve got any problems, boyfriend problems, or homesick problems, go to your cleaners because we’re always there to help you, and listen.”
It’s often said that mother knows best, and you can bet Janet, Ann and the rest of the mop squad will always be around to point you in the right direction.° edgehill.ac.uk/accommodation
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Best of Both Worlds
You’ve earned your place at Edge Hill, but you want to see just a bit more of the North West. This may actually be a brilliant deal, with great transport links between Liverpool and Ormskirk, and pastures further afield. If the quality of the transport links doesn’t convince you, though, maybe these reasons will...
No boundaries Liverpool is a terminus, somewhere you deliberately arrive at, no-one’s just passing through. Pop and counter-cultural icon Julian Cope, who came to train to be a teacher in the late seventies talks of Liverpool’s ‘they’ve got nothing going for them, but we’ll give them a chance’ attitude. The city let him be whoever he wanted to be, it didn’t judge. He left a fully-fledged pop star.
Music Yeah, yeah, yeah, we’ve all heard about that bunch of moptops…But Liverpool’s youth moved on a long time ago, and has developed its own personality and idiosyncrasies. Liverpool is currently enjoying a sustained renaissance, with great new bands seemingly cropping up on a daily basis. The independent attitude is perhaps symbolised by the unique Liverpool International Festival of Psychedelia, now in its fourth year, and the rapidly-expanding Sound City festival and Liverpool Music Week. More cautious music fans may prefer the annual Liverpool International Music Festival, featuring free public performances in places such as Sefton Park, and the city is a regular fixture in most bands’ tour schedule. If you like dressing up and dancing in the streets, then the annual Brazilica samba-fest through the city centre should beat your drum, while the Homotopia Festival each Autumn explores LGBT culture, shocking, amusing, moving and celebrating in equal measure. And the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, based in a great art deco hall and led by the charismatic Vassily Petrenko, is rightly lauded as one of the best in the world.
Nights out Brazilica
Liverpool’s nightlife came straight in at No 3 with a bullet in Rough Guide’s list of 50 things you should do before you die, so it stands to reason that it should be there in our list too. Student-friendly clubs, bars, restaurants, down and dirty boozers, gig venues – whatever your preferred backdrop to a good night out, Liverpool has them all. Try Kazimier Garden or Constellations for al fresco frolics with a
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The Three Graces hipster(ish) crowd. Camp and Furnace is a fun artspace, with a bar, and DJs, and food slams every weekend. And Berry and Rye is one of several off-piste bars if you’re looking for something a little more exotic than a pint of lager and a packet of crisps.
The city centre Liverpool One is every shopaholic’s dream, featuring all the high street names you’ve come to expect from a major city, while Bold Street offers a slightly quirkier retail experience. If you’d rather watch the world go by there’s coffee shops ahoy – chains and independents, while the foodie scene grows year on year, with Hope Street serving as a grubhub, and a burgeoning selection of quality burger joints for that quick fix, including Almost Famous, the Free State Kitchen, and Byron.
Mathew Street
Cultural corner Where to start? With the city’s bricks and mortar. Liverpool has over 2,500 listed buildings, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the city shoreline, featuring the Three Graces. Moving along from there you’ll come upon the Tate in the Albert Dock which will likely be housing an exhibition by a world famous artist. And if art’s your thing, the Liverpool Biennial brings in ideas old and new every couple of years. Theatre-goers are well catered for, with the freshly refurbed Everyman staging new plays and classics alike, and which acted as a springboard for many a tv and film career, including that of Edge Hill alum Jonathan Pryce. Oh, and I almost forgot, there are a couple of fairly well-known football teams plying their trade in the country’s top tier. That’s just a snapshot of things to do, when you’re not on campus, or exploring further afield – Liverpool John Lennon Airport is a hub for Easyjet and Ryanair and cheap getaways to the sun. The one thing we can’t guarantee is the weather. But nowhere’s perfect, I guess. °
Oh Me Oh My www.roughguides.com/best-places/2014/top-10-cities www.itsliverpool.com
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On message... 10 Years of Public Relations at Edge Hill
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ublic Relations is 10 years old. At Edge Hill University, at least. But the origins of PR date back to the beginning of the last century – and as you’d expect in an industry of professionals dedicated to spinning news and events to their own advantage, there’s some debate about its origins.
To some it’s former journalist Ivy Lee, who first coined the term ‘public relations’ in the preface of his Yearbook of Railway Literature in 1897. Others would credit journalist and author Walter Lippmann, who wrote Public Opinion in 1922, a bible of modern journalism, and introduced words and phrases such as ‘cold war’ and ‘stereotype’ to the modern lexicon.
To most, however, and to Time magazine who listed him in its 100 most influential people of the 20th century, it’s Edward Bernays. ‘Who he?’, I hear you ask, and that would be music to Bernays’ ears. The successful PR values invisibility, while the message is shouted from the rooftops: PR as puppet-master. Next time you see a supposed stolen shot of one of the Kardashian clan looking suspiciously good on a beach, ask yourself how the photographers knew the exact time and place to be there. Today’s celebrity culture owes a debt to his 1923 book, Crystallising Public Opinion, which laid the foundations for what would become the public relations industry.
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in 1917, and the first UK government press officer was appointed in 1918. Consumer-orientated companies were also keen to gain any competitive rewards offered by PR, and the US beer industry engaged an agency in 1919 to convince people of the health benefits of their product.
Many of the tricks of the PR trade launched during these early years, such as the practice of setting up trade bodies in order to make certain corporate positions appear more popular, are now in widespread use. These were tactics pioneered by, amongst others, Ivy Lee. For example, the creation of the National Smoker’s Alliance in the US, the pro-smoking body was largely funded by the tobacco industry.
Lee was actually consulted by the Nazi party in 1934, and was named at the Nuremburg trials after WW2, although he’d gone to that big lobby in the sky long before the outbreak of the Second World War.
Back in Blighty, Sir Stephen Tallents, chair of the Empire Marketing Board, was using his communications skills in a far less sinister manner, publishing The Projection of England in 1932, written to tell the world about the identity of the UK, and what it stood for: Parliament, the British Navy, the English Bible, The Times, the Derby, Henley, Piccadilly, the Lord Mayor, the Metropolitan police, things still held up as essentially British to this day. He went on to work for the fledgling BBC under Lord Reith, and set up the UK Institute of Public Relations (now Chartered Institute) in 1948.
The Second World War itself, unsurprisingly, became a fertile breeding ground for the next generation of PR gurus.
Dan Edelman, founder of Edelman, the world’s largest PR firm, initially worked in the US Psychological Warfare Division during WW2, while Harold Burson, cofounder of Burson Marsteller and now a subsidiary of WPP, has said: “World War II was the second great catalyst for forming public relations firms.”
Propaganda has been a powerful tactic throughout the centuries – and particularly during periods of war. During World War One a war of propaganda was waged alongside the catastrophic physical conflict. Lies and damned lies were sent back and forth, as warring sides attempted to maintain the support of their people. The ‘engineering of consent’, as Bernays would have it.
The term Public Relations was brought in, once ‘propaganda’ became tainted by its war associations, but its evident success encouraged the UK Labour Party to form a press and publicity department
1947 saw the industry begin to define itself as a serious and credible sector, with the formation of the Public Relations Society of America, and in 1988 Scotland saw the launch of the first postgraduate qualification in ‘the freedom to persuade and suggest’, as Bernays describes the essence of public relations, swiftly followed a year later by a corresponding undergraduate degree. Finally, in 2005, Edge Hill University joined the party, addressing the glut of employment opportunities available in the modern PR sector, which covers agencies, the public sector, charities, multinational corporations, and freelance consultancy. Notable recent PRs include Sir Bernard
Ingham, Margaret Thatcher’s press secretary during her years as Conservative PM (Ingham began life as a Labour man, incidentally), and Alistair Campbell, Tony Blair’s communications maestro, while, interestingly, current Tory PM David Cameron has a background in strategic communications. Bernays worked for the tobacco industry for much of his career. In one of his more notorious PR stunts he organised ten women to parade down New York’s Fifth Avenue smoking. They were called ‘torches of freedom’ and the women were under the impression they were striking a blow for sexual equality (women smoking in public was frowned upon at the time). The story – and accompanying imagery supplied by Bernays’ photographer – was one of 1929’s more memorable events. However, Bernays’ real goal was the promotion of smoking to an under-exploited market – women. Public Relations, however, lends itself to controversy, in much the same way as practicing law. As Senior PR professional Dougal Paver says, PR is “the whole process of influencing behaviour, protecting reputations and defending difficult standpoints”, and it is how you use your skillset, and who you choose to represent, whether that’s a local charity, a health issue, a new retail outlet, or a political party.
And PR lecturer Paula Keaveney’s own experiences in the industry support this: “There will always be cynics about PR. And of course it is possible to do it in a dodgy way. But in my career I've done PR for some of the UK's leading charities. This has helped change the law to benefit children and to highlight problems and the need for money in the poorest countries of the world. PR can change the world and that is not something you will hear about many professions.” So, let’s raise the torches of freedom and wish happy 10th anniversary to the study of Public Relations at Edge Hill University.°
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What does it take to be a good PR?
4. Belief in what you’re doing DP: “Good PR operators balance work ethic with creativity and attention to detail with flair. If you’re interested in the whole process of influencing behaviour, protecting reputations and defending difficult standpoints then PR might just be for you.”
Degree asked a lecturer, a PR professional, and a former student what it takes to succeed in spin city. 1. Insatiable curiosity Paula Keaveney: “People working in PR have to be the sort of people who are curious about everything. You need to be open minded as well and not decide that certain things are not of interest. If you work in a PR agency you may well be working on an account for a cleaning product in the morning and then an animal charity in the afternoon. You have to find interest in everything.”
Dougal Paver agrees: “Pay attention to the world out there – and to your clients’ worlds in particular… pay attention to everything. Two ears, one mouth – use them in that proportion.”
Sophie Smith: “I worked in the communications team at Aintree University Hospital during my course, and gained invaluable, on-the-job experience, developing my skills in writing, campaign development and communications, speaking to people both inside and outside the hospital on a regular basis.”
2. Communication skills PK: “Doing a bit of writing, broadcasting, or event management gives you the chance to tell us what you can do. School or college magazines are a good place to start, or the local radio station. Can you write a blog? Some of our students write on fashion or cookery. Can you organise a fundraising event for a charity? Better still, can you be in charge of the publicity for a fundraising event?”
DP: “Learn to write properly. If you don’t understand where apostrophes go – particularly how the plural possessive works – then you’re in trouble. You’ll also need the ability to walk with princes and eat with paupers.
3. A strong team ethic PK: “We've seen an increase in the amount of very practical work we do on the course. We run real campaigns for real clients in the real world. First years work on the same campaigns as third years. You start as a junior and end up in charge.” DP: “Be prepared to muck in. Work hard. Be a team player.”
SS: “It’s good practice to adapt your skills to work well alongside other people. Everyone has something to give so working on real life campaigns as part of our PR degree at Edge Hill taught me to be patient and to try to bring out the best in everyone involved.”
SS: “At work level, our boss and Brazen founder, Nina Webb, often tells us to ‘live and breathe our job’ and ‘live and breathe PR’, which inspired our #PRLife campaign in which we challenged ourselves to live solely on Brazen and the brands it represents for one week. However, ‘it’s PR, not ER’ is also a phrase that is brought up at work multiple times. In a fast-paced and highly pressurised field, it’s sometimes easy to let the hard work get the better of you, and it’s important to keep calm and tackle problems with a positive mind.”
5. Understand your audience PK: “PR methods have changed, but the principles are the same: you need a good message and you need to know your audience. When I started my career we used manual typewriters, there was no email and certainly no social media. Today things can be faster, but the media is more diverse and fragmented, and there are difficult decisions to make about which programme or media to prioritise. Most serious organisations still seem to go for the Today programme on Radio 4 but that doesn't mean there aren't other ways of getting through.” DP: “You learn very quickly that a channel is just a means to reach an audience group. Social media channels are often ignored by large sections of the population and are therefore of no use whatsoever in certain PR campaigns. Pick the channels with the most reach and focus on them.”
SS: “Social media creates another platform for crisis development but also for creative thinking, with potential for brands to engage a huge audience in a matter of seconds. I personally think getting a client featured in print will never get old, and nor will the luxury of reading a paper, book, or magazine. Online and social media needs to be embraced but I don’t think the PR industry will forget traditional platforms anytime soon.”
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Paula Keaveney is a lecturer in Public Relations at Edge Hill University. A former journalist and PR professional, her research interests include political communications, public affairs and PR and marketing in the charity sector. She is the co-author of a textbook on charity marketing and guest editor of Behind the Spin (www.behindthespin.com), an online publication for PR students and young practitioners.
Dougal Paver ran a communications agency for many years, but “fell into PR by accident”, having started out in retail marketing. He loved it, and after many years he now knows the business inside out. He claims, possibly only halfjokingly, that not only could he get turkeys to vote for Christmas, he could get them to volunteer recipes for the gravy, as well. He’s worked with many clients on many projects, and knows what it takes to succeed.
Sophie Smith has a BA (Hons) Public Relations, graduating from EHU in 2013. She is an account manager at Brazen PR, a Manchesterbased consumer PR agency. Her clients include Southern Comfort, Hilton Manchester Deansgate, and Kellogg’s. She’s been shortlisted for ‘Outstanding Young Communicator’ at this year’s CIPR Pride North West Awards.
S P U N It’s all about reputation. What you do, what you say, and what others say about you. Getting it right can be hard.
First Lady of PR Georgina, Duchess of Devonshire 18th century ‘it’ girl and scandalista Georgina Cavendish, when not trussed up and pouting in a bodice, posing the selfies of the day for Sir Joshua Reynolds, spent her time writing press releases, lobbying and celebrity campaigning with her friends. In particular, the leader of the Whig party, Charles James Fox, for whom it is said she traded kisses for votes during the 1784 general election.
Kimistry of Information The Kardashian/Jenner PR Machine It’s tough work being famous just for being famous, and nobody does it better than Keeping Up With The Kardashians matriarch and momager Kris Jenner. Deftly managing the careers of all six of her children (Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, Rob, Kendall and Kylie) as well as her own, she has made her family an estimated net worth of $300m – and rising. Constantly keeping the girls at the centre of media attention, while keeping us constantly wondering, “what is it that they do?”
Mmmm... donuts #FixGreggs In 2014 cheeky hacker types tampered with Greggs the Bakers logo, so it appeared as a rather offensive brand slogan on Google. Quick thinking Greggs gave an epic response and turned a brand crisis into a PR triumph. Instead of shying away from the unfortunate mishap, Greggs embraced the Twitter frenzy and tweeted Google UK directly to ‘#FixGreggs’ in return for some freshly baked donuts. Google responded accordingly, resulting in an unusual online brand relationship between the two and a Twitter conversation that made everybody smile and really want a sausage roll.
Twerk it out Miley Cyrus at the VMAs In August of 2013 Ms. Cyrus became the most controversial or, depending on how you look at it, the smartest, artist in America. Either way she became the most famous. Her now-infamous performance with Robin Thicke at the MTV Video Music Awards, featuring a foam finger, flesh coloured bikini and lots and lots of twerking, sent her career into the stratosphere and 140-character social media in to meltdown (306,000 tweets per minute).
Cool as Ice The ASL Ice Bucket Challenge Attracting some of the world’s biggest celebrities – Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Cristiano Ronaldo, Chris Pratt, even former Edge Hill SU Vice President, Thomas Hurdsfield inset, the Ice Bucket Challenge became a 2014 summer phenomenon, raising over £73.5m to fight ASL/motor neurone disease as a huge number of people shared their videos on social media and challenged others to take the plunge.
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“I
Political Player wasn’t always the best at school (or the best-behaved!) but I had what are probably unusual interests for a 12 year old lad, things like the US election in 2000! Sport was always my passion, however, so reading and writing about sport combined two of my major interests.
“I studied Journalism at Edge Hill. The University required me to provide a portfolio of work, sit an entrance exam and interview. I decided to fly to Liverpool and visit the campus. Having passed everything and been given an offer, I had to take it. Even before the massive expansion it was a lovely campus and had a good feel to it.
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recently secured a job as North West Stakeholder Relations Officer for the Alzheimer's Society.
“To new students I’d say don’t get too hung up on it all and don’t be afraid to go to a different university to your friends. Wherever you go it’s what you make of it. Get involved and just enjoy yourself. And don’t forget to take a bottle-opener – ‘nuff said!” Gareth Dowling BA (Hons) Journalism (2008-2012)
“There are too many highlights of my time at EHU! Setting up my own Gaelic football club and captaining Edge Hill to a national semi-final. Two weeks work placement on the much sought-after Liverpool Echo sports desk during the January 2011 transfer window, when Suarez and Carroll were signed. I’m still friends with the journalists I met. Being elected a University governor. And, of course, being elected to the Students’ Union twice was absolutely amazing, as Vice President and then President.
“Edge Hill prepared me for life after uni. I may not have been top of the class, but I always tried hard, while learning to juggle everything from friends to sport to working just to pay for my accommodation. Many of the skills I learned still stand me in good stead now: campaigning and being elected to a representative position got me to where I am today as a local politician, and the skills picked up on my course from writing, filming and website work to general communication, confidence and organisation have served me well in my post-Edge Hill employment.
“When I finished as President of the Students’ Union, a full-time job became available at West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper’s constituency office. I joined the General Election campaign and spent evenings and weekends knocking on doors and speaking to constituents, as well as delivering thousands of leaflets.
“You do a hell of a lot of walking on General Election Day (19 miles!). You get every response, from doors shutting in your face to people who want to talk for an hour. You find roads you didn’t even know existed, and top it all off with a 24-hour shift on the final day, running on pure adrenalin. Luckily in West Lancashire, where the MP almost doubled her majority, the public response was, on average, more positive than negative.
“While I’m ambitious, I’m not very career driven. I generally just want to work in jobs where I can help people. So jobs in representation and politics have appealed to me, particularly fighting for vulnerable people or those hard-done-by. Jobs in the charity sector strongly appeal to me, so I’m really pleased to have
“Jobs in representation and politics
have appealed to me, particularly fighting
for vulnerable people or those hard-done-by”
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My Life in Music: Phil Jackson The first song I can remember hearing I’m not sure of the first song exactly, but it would have been the music that my parents used to listen to back in the 1970s: stuff like Barbra Streisand and The Carpenters. They did also quite like Charles Aznavour, but back in the day I found that a little more challenging! The first record I bought The first seven-inch single that I bought was Abba’s Take A Chance On Me. That was back in 1978. I was seven years old at the time, and I remember flicking through the singles in Daley’s record shop in Kendal. That’s where my love for music began – spending pocket money on records (and sweets!). The first cd I bought was Madonna’s True Blue, back in 1986. I was the first of my friends to get a stereo with a cd player – they were quite jealous at the time! The song that reminds me of being a teenager My teenage years were in the 1980s. What an awesome time it was to be a teenager, and what great music there was. It’s really hard to choose one song as there were so many artists: Culture Club, Duran Duran, Wham, Prince. That said, my favourite Madonna song takes me right back to the mid 1980s – Borderline, from her first album. First band obsession Bucks Fizz! I joined their fanclub and still have some fanzines. The band or song that made me fall in love with the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) I don’t have one in particular. My earliest memory of the ESC is when Brotherhood of Man won back in 1976. I remember being able to stay up late and watch it on the telly, and seeing them performing Save All Your Kisses For Me. When Bucks Fizz won in 1981 with Making Your Mind Up I became a huge fan of theirs (I still am!), and I guess I’ve never stopped watching the Eurovision Song Contest since. The band that reminds me of good times Alcazar. Swedish pop music at its best (other than Abba). Their slightly kitschy-camp pop is infectiously fun and always gets my party started. The song I listen to while getting ready for a big night out Some proper old school disco from the 1970s. A bit of Philly disco, or a [disco/funk record label] Salsoul nugget. Something like Love Is You by Carol Williams (you’ll recognise the sample used in Spiller’s Groovejet). The song I want played at my funeral Is That All There Is? performed by Peggy Lee. I think the lyrics of the song really do sum up a great philosophy for life… “Is that all there is? If that's all there is my friends Then let's keep dancing Let's break out the booze and have a ball If that's all there is…”
Phil Jackson is Associate Head of Media at Edge Hill University, and co-founder of the Eurovision Research Network.
Since 2006 his academic research has explored aspects of the ESC, contributing to several publications, including ‘Welcome Europe!’ The Eurovision Song Contest as a Continuum for Cosmopolitanism.
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“B
y the end I was shattered, mentally and physically. I began work at 9am and didn’t stumble back into the house until 4am on more than one occasion, but each time my euphoria at how amazing the day had been completely overshadowed my tiredness.”
It’s harder than you think, interning on America’s longest-running independent film festival, with a history going back over 50 years. Certainly harder than Harriet Hirshman, currently studying for a degree in Creative Writing and Film Studies, expected. Having said that, she wouldn’t have changed a thing, because she’s still “reeling from the amazing time I had.” For several years Edge Hill University has been supporting the Ann Arbor Film Festival, based in Detroit’s University of Michigan in the United States, as the only
UK tour hosts. The Festival champions the work of first-time and independent film-makers, and screens a programme of short films, ranging from comic animation to the seriously experimental. The developing relationship opened up a couple of internship opportunities for the 2015 Festival. Harriet, along with a student colleague, took full advantage, embracing cultural differences:
“The following weeks were a blur of meeting new people, working hard and exploring Ann Arbor's nightlife. I stayed in a cooperative house, something that I'd not heard of before, home to 50 people split between two houses, with everybody having their own responsibilities and jobs to ensure that the house ran smoothly.” When not getting confused by a new currency, or creating confusion with her very English use of language – ‘cheers’ for ‘thank you’, ‘dead’ for ‘very’, while
delivering the bombshell that it was actually possible to be British without coming from London – Harriet threw herself into exploring the town:
“It surprised me how much of the areas around the university campus adhered to Hollywood stereotypes. I always approach films with a large degree of scepticism in terms of how they present their realities, but I actually found that walking past the largest of the university buildings, a lot of what I'd seen in American college films was well represented.”
Despite widespread student distaste for those much-lampooned American institutions the sorority and the fraternity, though, Harriet guiltily admits to being drawn to the idea of becoming a sorority queen. Has Harriet even seen Scream Queens?
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Leaving behind her American dream, Harriet was eventually required to get involved:
“The team behind the festival took time out of their hectic schedules to make me feel at home. They were all extremely hardworking and dedicated to the festival, and their passion was inspiring. During my first week I was mainly in charge of assembling visitor packs, but I also sent emails and made phone calls, designed invitations, organised spreadsheets, and secured coupons from local businesses.”
Did she get any time to soak up the Festival atmosphere?
“I made sure to see as many films as I could, but as the experimental genre is so unpredictable I wasn't prepared for a lot of what I saw. I really enjoyed getting away from predictable and commercial films and immersing myself in films that pushed boundaries. I saw some truly extraordinary works of art. One of my favourite films was a 12-minute piece by Shambhavi Kaul called Night Noon, understated and deliciously peaceful, with perfectly-timed humour. The film explored a beautiful sandy landscape, and featured a dog and a parrot. Every frame of the film was an artwork in itself.”
Did she soak up anything else? “The opening night reception mainly consisted of drinking wine/cocktails and attempting to project a degree of class. The after-party finished the evening, but knowing that I had an early start the next morning I left in good time. Unfortunately, as there was an after-party at the end of each day of the festival, my self-control eventually wavered and I had a lot of late nights.”
Well, it was a festival, after all. And what has she taken away from her visit?
“I’ve easily had one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life. Experiences such as this should be judged on how much they cause you to jump into the fog and explore new horizons. During my time there I assisted in constructing an art installation; phoned around senators’ offices inviting them to the festival; met incredible artists; got more lost than I've ever been in my life; attended countless screenings of beautiful, progressive, and sometimes disturbing films; and went to an exhausting amount of after-parties.”
Sounds like that might make an interesting film, itself.° aafilmfest.org
The AAFF tour returns to West Lancashire for the 4th consecutive year in 2016. Showcasing the usual range of quirky, funny, strange, eye-opening films without an ounce of fat on them – nothing is more than 15 minutes long -, the audience will be introduced to a new generation of film-makers, and their fevered imaginations. Here’s a few of the highlights. All That Is Solid Louis Henderson | 2014 | 15 min
A technographic study of e-recycling and neo-colonial mining filmed in the electronic waste ground in Accra and illegal gold mines of Ghana. The film constructs a mise-en-abyme as critique in order to dispel the capitalist myth of the immateriality of new technology— thus revealing the mineral weight with which the Cloud is grounded to its earthly origins
Babash Lisa Truttmann & Behrouz Rae | 2014 | 9 min
Babash is a parrot, kept by an Iranian family in LA. He speaks mostly Farsi, sometimes mixing English and Azeri into his conversations. Behrouz Rae has made friends with Babash over the years. An associative portrait about a special relationship and the domestic surroundings in which it grew.
Many Thousands Gone Ephraim Asili | 2015 | 8 min
Filmed on location in Salvador, Brazil (the last city in the Western Hemisphere to outlaw slavery) and Harlem, New York (an international stronghold of the African Diaspora), Many Thousands Gone draws parallels between a summer afternoon on the streets of the two cities.
Special Features James N. Kienitz Wilkins | 2014 | 12 min
Special Features is an apparent interview with three highlights. Presented as if a fragment from an unnamed video production, an interviewee interacts with an interviewer, recounting a special experience at once unique and shared.
The Bigger Picture Daisy Jacobs | 2014 | 8 min
‘You want to put her in a home; you tell her; tell her now!’ hisses one brother to the other. But Mother won’t go, and their own lives unravel as she clings on. Innovative life-size animated characters tell the stark and darkly humorous tale of caring for an elderly parent.
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My Life in Books: Dr Nicky Tsougarakis The first book I remember reading A series of children’s books about Greek mythology, by the Stephanides brothers. Ok, I’m pretty sure these aren’t the first books that I remember reading, but I did spend an extraordinary proportion of my childhood reading and re-reading them. I’ve often gone back to them as an adult, and they are still as good as I remember them. The illustrations in particular are gorgeous and to this day I still visualise the gods and heroes of classical myth as they were depicted in those books. The book that reminds me of growing up This is a good one: a Greek book that I probably read when I was ten or eleven. It has recently been translated into English under the title In the Heroic Age of Basil II: Emperor of Byzantium, but its original title is In the Time of the Bulgar-Slayer. This is a historical novel written in 1911 by Penelope Delta and it belongs to the canon of serious Modern Greek teenage fiction. As is implied by the title, the story takes place during the reign of the Byzantine emperor Basil II (958-1025), also known as the Bulgar-Slayer because of his victory over the neighbouring Bulgars. I remember loving it as a kid, but, with hindsight, I’m amazed to think that generations of children have read it and continue to read it, because it is so unbelievably brutal! I’m sure I remember at least one graphic description of infanticide among the numerous other killings and mutilations! Harry Potter this ain’t… Still, it clearly got me interested in things medieval and Byzantine so it can’t be that bad. The book I would give as a gift It would obviously depend on the recipient, but Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose would be a strong contender. This is another one that I read when I was quite young, probably sixteen, and certainly too young to appreciate it fully. It’s a medieval whodunit taking place in a Benedictine monastery, but, as is the case with many of Eco’s books, the murder mystery serves mainly as a vehicle for the author’s scholarly and philosophical explorations. The first book I fell in love with The Lord of the Rings, for the same reason everyone does. The book I’m currently obsessed/impressed with Anything by Irvine Welsh. Trainspotting is obviously a masterpiece, but I like all of his work, though I have to admit I prefer his Scottish to his American stuff.
Dr Tsougarakis is lecturer in History. His interests include the history of the Latin states that were founded on the lands of the Byzantine Empire after the Fourth Crusade and on the interaction between Greeks and Latins in that period.
The book that would/did make a great film/tv series Most of the ones I’ve mentioned (The Name of the Rose, The Lord of the Rings, Trainspotting) have been turned into really good films. I’m currently obsessed with Game of Thrones, though I’ve not read the books and I don’t think I’ll ever have time to. The book I wish I’d written I never had any literary aspirations, but if we’re talking about academic books, well there are too many to list. If I had to pick one, then it would be Kenneth M. Setton’s monumental four-volume work The Papacy and the Levant (1204-1571). This is an absolutely indispensable source for anyone working on the late Crusade period. Both its scope and the level of detail are astounding and the prose is beautiful.
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The Questionnaire Well Clooney thinks ER was a good show
Senior Lecturer in Applied Health & Social Care Dr Peter Leadbetter.
Best/worst part of your job? Best: the flexibility and satisfaction watching students “progress” and change. Worst: Administration tasks such as booking rooms.
Favourite/best fictional depiction of hospital life, and why? Trying not to show my age. Perhaps ER, although I don’t really watch any. Holiday destination of choice and why? Not fussy. I’m happy to get away anywhere, anytime. Although I love Mexico. Who, alive or dead, has inspired you in life/do you most admire? Easy…my parents, wife, children, brothers and sisters. Culturally, I never miss... ? Visiting and exploring wild places in the UK and abroad. I also love local festivals such as the Sefton Park food and wine festival. Growing up I dreamt of becoming/being… ? Like almost every boy, a professional athlete. Umm…
Who would you invite to your dream dinner party? I don’t know, perhaps relatives and family who passed away in my early years. What is the worst job you’ve ever done? There are a few. Picking fruit in Australia, cleaning hotel rooms, a kitchen hand (chief dish washer). Guilty pleasure? A cold Corona on a hot evening. How do you relax? A cold Corona. What’s in your ipod/cd player at the moment? I like almost any music (except country and some pop). I am currently listening to The Smiths, Nick Cave, and an Australian band called Powderfinger.
...everyone loves a bit of Elvis.
What would be your ideal last supper ? A seafood feast. What has been your most embarrassing moment? I really can’t say as I want to keep this job. What did you do the summer before starting university? Umm…it was a long time ago. I turned 17 in the summer before I started university in Australia. I just remember hot days with mates. Finally, what would your karaoke song be? Anything Elvis…brings back good memories of childhood and everyone loves a bit of Elvis.
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s t c e p s o r P Healthy
Career Opportunities in Health and Social Care
The Careers Doctor is in the house to offer advice and guidance to Health and Social Care students, highlighting a few of the multiple career paths they can follow once their degree has run its course. So let’s open the surgery. First up, Demi Wellington and Terri Uwaibi, both studying for a BA (Hons) Child Health and Wellbeing.
Demi
“I’ve always had a strong desire to help vulnerable people, and knew I wanted to take this further into a professional role, one where I could make a real difference. I wanted to be part of the health and social care sector as it offers a wide variety of exciting and rewarding careers.”
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Demi and Terri have chosen their courses because they’re passionate about helping vulnerable members of society. They’re looking for careers which contribute to social cohesion, or provide a valuable service, while being spiritually rewarding. Family Support Workers provide emotional and practical help and advice to families in long- or short-term difficulties. They regularly provide support in helping children to stay with their families, if that’s in the best interests of the child.
Starting salary: around £18,000 pa
Terri
Terri chose to study here because of the course’s strong emphasis on employability and vocational training:
“Alongside my studies I’m also a volunteer at a day centre for the elderly, which involves providing social activities for the residents to help improve their independence. This practical experience has been invaluable and has enabled me to interpret people’s emotions through their facial expressions, an important asset for any social worker.” They could also do some research into health promotion. Health promotion specialists aim to improve the health of the population through education. They will need to be persuasive and tactful as they stress the importance of a balanced diet, regular exercise, the dangers of smoking or excessive drinking, risks of coronary heart disease and cancers. Specialists also disseminate information on good mental health, sexual health, and drug misuse, and work with agencies such as the NHS, local authorities and the police. Starting salary in the NHS: between £21,692 and £28,180 pa
Michelle
Students on the new BA (Hons) Family and Community Studies are looking forward to careers providing solutions to the social challenges faced by families and young people. The degree adheres to the National Occupational Standards for Community Development, meaning students are learning exactly what they need to be successful in the workplace.
Michelle Bishop was looking for “a new direction” when she started the course. Ideally, she would like to work in this area, but the degree “can lead you into so many different professions, that in itself is exciting.”
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Michelle is spot on, she has various options. A Social Housing Officer is usually responsible for a particular estate or group of properties, supporting tenants and encouraging them to help shape the community in which they live. Qualified housing officer: earn between £21,000 and £27,000 a year
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Michelle
As part of her BSc (Hons) in Nutrition and Health Michelle Oatridge is enjoying the opportunity to prepare for her career, developing a broad base of knowledge and learnt-on-the-job skills:
“I like how we look at other areas, such as biology, entrepreneurship, health behaviours and public health nutrition. A really good part of the course is the opportunity to undertake placements that enable us to gain experience of the careers we’re looking to enter once we graduate. This is invaluable in enabling us to put theory into practice, as well as providing an insight into how organisations work.”
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Bethany
Bethany Spooner has been working in childcare since she was 16. Her interest in community-centred youth activity led her to “the perfect course”, our BA in Family and Community Studies. She’s keeping her options open at present, but is considering a placement looking after recovering stroke victims at a local hospital.
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With her experience with young people, Bethany could consider the role of Youth Offending Team Officer. They aim to prevent young people from offending and reoffending by liaising closely with offenders, their families and their victims. It’s quite demanding work, but it can be very rewarding, providing a multi-layered public service – supporting young offenders while protecting the public, and dealing with problems that can lead to youth crime.
With further training Michelle could consider a career as a nutritionist, working closely with dieticians and other health professionals, such as pharmacists, GPs, and hospital or community diet and nutrition teams. Full time salaries: between She’ll need to inspire and motivate £20,000 and £29,000 pa. people from all backgrounds, without being judgemental. She could also carry out research, providing information and advice about the effects of food and nutrition on health.
In a similar field, Michelle could become a dietitian, using her knowledge to help people make decisions about their lifestyle and food choices, treating people with a wide range of medical problems. Starting salaries, in the NHS: between £21,692 and £28,180 pa
Lee
Lee O’Brien was drawn to the BA (Hons) Family and Community Studies’ thought-provoking content and relevance in today's society:
“I could follow many career paths, such as family support and outreach work, community development, or I could start my own family and community enterprise.”
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Lee’s right, let’s look at one of those options, Community Development Worker (CDW). They help people to improve the quality of life in their local area. Good communications and listening skills are essential, as you need to get on with people from all backgrounds.
Working closely with individuals, families and groups in deprived areas, a CDW provides leadership, bringing local people together to make changes and tackle social inequality. Issues facing a CDW might include improving local facilities, leisure and housing, and reducing anti-social behaviour. Starting salaries: between £15,000 and £20,000 pa.
And these are just a flavour of some of the career options available – talk to one of our specialists for a full career prognosis.
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CareerDs octor edgehill.ac.uk/careers
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Anne Oxbrough Fay Voller
Elizabeth Sullivan Emma Dumbill
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n off-the-cuff remark during the introduction of a science presentation and a subsequent tweet from an audience member resulted in a twitterstorm around the status of women in the lab. Whatever the reasoning behind Nobel Prize-winner Sir Tim Hunt’s comments about the "trouble with girls", it does give us an opportunity to highlight the scientific achievements of women, and talk to some of the many women in our own labs about their careers.
Since their inception in 1901 there have been 575 science-based Nobel Laureates. Of those a mere 16 have been female: 11 for Physiology or Medicine (ten of those since 1977), four for Chemistry, and two for Physics. That doesn’t sound like fair reward for the work of the representatives of half the human race.
But despite an apparent lack of official recognition, women have been working in science for centuries.
In 1732 Italian Laura Bassi became the world's first female professor, of anatomy, in case you were wondering. Caroline Herschel was the first woman to present a paper to the Royal Society, in 1798, while Marie Skłodowska-Curie was the first female to thank her friends, family and agent as she collected the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1903 (she went on to win another for Chemistry in 1911).
“The trouble with girls...”
Crystallographer Rosalind Franklin helped us understand the fine structures of coal, graphite, and viruses, and her photograph of the structure of DNA in 1953 was the basis for Watson and Crick’s 3D model of that same structure. They won a Nobel Prize, she finally received credit after her death. British chemist Dorothy Hodgkin is credited with the discovery of protein crystallography, and in 1969, after 35 years of work and five years after winning the Nobel Prize for Chemistry, Hodgkin was able to decipher the structure of insulin.
“One's tendency when one is young is to do experiments just to see what will happen,” she said, encapsulating the giddy excitement young scientists experience when confronted with the unknown. And Barbara McClintock's studies of maize genetics earned her the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1983.
McClintock is one of several scientists whose works are commemorated by a US postage stamp. At EHU the Biology Department named a new lab after her, alongside Hodgkin. Far more prestigious, I think you’ll agree.
McClintock was undeterred by any perceived gender bias, commenting that
“if you know you are on the right track, if you have this inner knowledge, then nobody can turn you off... no matter what they say.” And our Biology Department, recently rated top in the UK for Academic Support and 2nd in the UK for teaching by our students in the 2015 National Student Survey, shares that philosophy.
Senior lecturer Anne Oxbrough followed her interests when she pursued a career in science. Biology was her favourite subject at school and she “liked the idea of a career where I could work outside”. As a scientist, she has never been treated differently because of her gender: “Colleagues don’t make me feel anything other than equal to them.” Graduate teaching assistant Elizabeth Sullivan also thrives in the great outdoors. A few modules on the MSc Conservation Management and she was “hooked”. She gave up her career in local government to follow her interests full-time: “The MSc course is great and includes lots of fieldwork so there are lots of opportunities to see some brilliant sites throughout north west England.” And her experience has been “entirely positive”. And lecturer Fay Voller is another person who enjoys the outdoor life: “From a young age I would enjoy putting things in order which I guess in biology is
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linked to two things – firstly looking for patterns, which we do a lot – patterns in nature, and secondly, putting things in groups which is linked to taxonomy and grouping species together. I also enjoy being outside which helps when doing fieldwork.”
David Attenborough’s groundbreaking documentaries inspired third year student Emma Dumbill “to understand more about the world that we live in.” And her interest in biology and ecology only got stronger. In Edge Hill’s new Biosciences building she’s been able to really put the subject under the microscope, discovering how organisms function, how abnormalities arise, and what we can learn about diseases and cancers.
All four women seem to have simply followed their interests, and been encouraged to do so. Elizabeth “couldn't really name one particular person who has inspired me but I always enjoy hearing people speaking with genuine enthusiasm and knowledge about their subject whether at a conference or on the tv or radio.”
Anne doesn’t “believe you need inspirational people, what you need is inspirational research. Knowing the work I do directly influences policy in the UK for managing our national forest estate, ultimately to the betterment of society, is extremely rewarding.”
Fay is inspired by the people she works with: “I worked with some great researchers at Kew Gardens and had some brilliant lecturers at [alma mater] Cardiff University. People who are passionate about their work, as all researchers have to be, are often great at communicating that excitement and enthusiasm. It makes you think about your work and how you can improve it and progress it further.”
While Emma can reel off a whole list of geniuses whose refusal to remain in the dark lit up her own ambitions: “In school, I learnt about scientists such as Watson, Crick, Wilkins and Franklin, Alexander Fleming, Charles Darwin and Gregor Mendel, illustrating how hard work and determination can bring its achievements with failures along the way being part of the process.”
Despite the lack of official acknowledgement, however, encouraging women to consider science as a career doesn’t appear to be a problem.
Anne: “I don't think there’s any problem with female applicant numbers in biological science to degree or PhD level, so it seems we’re doing everything right up to that point.” She does think that the pressures of family life can impact on academic research, with less time available to dedicate to writing papers for publication. But, she says, it would be the same in any other work environment, and unpicking traditional childcare roles is more “a question for the sociologists, not the scientists!”
Elizabeth agrees that recruiting women into science is not something that needs special attention: “If the opportunities to study science are exciting and attractive then they should appeal to men and women equally. I don't think we should be targeting women specifically.”
Fay would welcome more female scientists on television, citing space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock as “a great science communicator”, although “having said that I had very few female science role models until I started my degree and that didn’t stop me wanting to study science, maybe because I’ve never felt that there was nothing I couldn't do if I wanted to do it.”
The Entertainment Permutation
Looking for a female role model? Look no further than these top screen boffins. The Big Bang Theory’s neuroscientist Amy has the unenviable task of dealing with Sheldon’s misfiring synapses. Lucky, then, that actress Mayim Bialik holds a PhD in Neurobiology in real life.
Dr Amy Farrah Fowler
Dana Scully MD
Scully always brought a logical scientific approach to Mulder’s wackier theories. Which she will no doubt continue to do when The X-Files returns next year.
Dr Jemma Simmons
Biochemist and half of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D science wizards Fitzsimmons, Jemma fights evil with her two PhDs and inquisitive approach as both a scientist and badass agent.
And Fay probably speaks for the majority of scientists, male and female, when she advocates a non-gender-specific approach to inspiring the next Rosalind Franklin or, indeed, Tim Hunt:
“I think having good science communicators, male or female, is vital to encourage young people to be scientists and the increasing popularity of shows like Bang Goes the Theory encouraging do-ityourself science at home is inspiring the next generation.”
Last word to Emma, though, one of that next generation of scientists, who is inspired by anyone with a love for the subject that matches her own:
“Throughout my education both genders have been provided with the same opportunities. The passion all my lecturers have for their area of study makes me want to understand and learn more about those subjects.”
edgehill.ac.uk/biology
Dr Temperance Brennan Brilliant but socially inept anthropologist, forensic anthropologist, and kinesiologist, Bones is a one woman FBI crime lab.
Thor’s kickass astrophysicist and dimension hopper also has a PhD in Physics, and a PhD in Cultural Anthropology, as well as a mean right hook.
Dr Jane Foster
Hermione Granger
What list would be complete without this Hogwarts smarty pants, who may have, more than any fictional role model, introduced a generation of girls to science.
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But here are five real scientists doing amazing things. These women are making some of the most important and inspiring contributions out there. Dame Jane Goodall is a primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist, and UN Messenger of Peace. Considered to be the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, Goodall is best known for her 55-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania. She has become a passionate advocate of animal rights and is at the forefront of efforts to protect wild apes and their habitats.
Dr Peggy Whitson is an American biochemistry researcher, NASA astronaut, and former NASA Chief Astronaut. She was first female commander of the International Space Station and is NASA's most experienced female astronaut, with just over 376 days in space. This also places her twentieth among all space flyers. Professor Ada E. Yonath is an Israeli crystallographer best known for her pioneering work on the structure of the ribosome, the molecular machine inside cells that makes proteins from amino acids. In 2009, she received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, the first woman in 45 years to win in this discipline, and the first woman from the Middle East to win a Nobel prize in the sciences.
Dr Alice Roberts is a clinical anatomist and Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham. She is also a broadcaster and has presented several BBC science series, including The Incredible Human Journey, Origins of Us, Prehistoric Autopsy and Ice Age Giants. She writes a regular science column for The Observer, and has authored five popular science books.
Liz Bonnin holds a a degree in biochemistry and a MA in wild animal biology focusing on tiger research, and remains involved in big cat conservation work. As well as co-presenting BBC science show Bang Goes the Theory, she is part of the Stargazing LIVE team and her Super Smart Animals series. She has also filmed a Siberian Tiger project for the BBC.
Open Days 10am – 3pm
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