Kent Magazine - February 2010 by Miles Banbery

KENT The Magazine for the University of Kent | February 2010 | No 3

Hong Kong links ‘Antichrist’ – The art of commentary

Welcome Happy New Year to all. The end of 2009 and the start of 2010 had much in common, with very cold weather and very frosty announcements from both the Government and the Opposition about the future of government spending. One of the few things that kept me smiling over the holiday period was Mary Beard’s It’s A Don’s Life, in which she brings together various notes from her blog on both academic life and classical scholarship. I hope that by the time KENT is printed, the cold weather and its associated problems will be behind us. Unfortunately, the frosty announcements by government are only just beginning, with both Alistair Darling, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and The Rt Hon Lord Mandelson, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation & Skills, making various announcements. It is not yet possible to see anything more than a very general picture and, therefore, we have been modelling various levels of cuts. Most importantly, the University has long been, and continues to be, in a healthy financial position. Moreover, we have already put cuts in to our budgets so that we are in a good position to be able to respond to any changes in our funding. We are due to get our formal letter about allocations for the next academic year from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) in early March and we will, of course, update you at this stage. Our main challenge will be to continue to focus on our key activities: providing an excellent experience for all our students and increasing our research output in quality and quantity as we continue to make the major economic, social and cultural contributions expected from a leading university. This is part of our Institutional Plan for 2009-2012, together with goals of increasing postgraduate provision and promoting innovation, enterprise and creativity while operating in an effective, efficient, sustainable and professional manner. Finally, I will mention the difficult area of student fees. We are all aware of the strain that the current variable fees cause some students and their families. What many outside the university sector do not realise is that the fees students pay are only part of the real cost. The Government continues to provide considerable funding to supplement the variable fee – the actual amount is dependent on the subject. My biggest worry is that even with a potential increase in funding by the student themselves, government cuts will lead to universities having less money overall to put towards the student experience. This is something that concerns us all and we must look towards a system in which we get the right balance of funding from government and from the individual, backed by bursaries for those who are less financially well off. Again, I wish you all a Happy New Year.

Professor Julia Goodfellow, CBE Vice-Chancellor

3 News 6 Feature: The art of commentary 8 Research 10 Hong Kong Alumni Association 11 Staff profile 12 Enterprise 13 Conservation/Scholarships 14 Kent in the news 15 Green issues 16 WorldFest Special thanks to: Lesley Farr and Chris Lancaster, University Design & Print Centre Photographs by Robert Berry, Nick Ellwood, Spencer Scott, Alison Hollis

News

KENT We have set up a readers’ panel for staff. Please get in touch if you would like to become a member. We are keen to have your feedback and letters are welcome from all our readers. Simply email the editorial team at kentmagazine@kent.ac.uk KENT is also available online at www.kent.ac.uk/campusonline/ kentmagazine Editorial team: Posie Bogan, Media & Communications Manger; Colette O’Reilly, Publications Officer; Fiona Jones, Alumni Relations Officer; Karen Baxter, Media Assistant, Communications and Development Office, University of Kent. Next issue: deadline for the next issue is 1 March with a publication date of 24 March.

University congratulates HE Fu Ying We would like to congratulate HE Fu Ying R85, formerly Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the United Kingdom, who has been appointed to the post of Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs. Fu is the second female Vice-Minister and will take responsibility for European Affairs. She studied International Relations at Kent from 1985 to 1986 and was awarded an honorary degree in 2008.

Kent Hospitality’s staff awards Kent Hospitality’s annual award ceremony took place in December. In 2009, over 80 members of staff achieved nationally accredited qualifications. The Vice-Chancellor, Julia Goodfellow, presented awards to housekeeping, catering, reception and Tanglewood staff, and a degree certificate to Julia Knowles from the Accommodation Office, who achieved a BA in Archaeological Studies. The 2009 learner of the year cup was presented to Sam Beale (acting manager of Mungo’s bistro) for her exceptional commitment to undertaking training relevant to her managerial role. A new award for ‘rear of the year’ was presented by David Jordan (Health & Safety and Food Safety Adviser) to housekeeping staff from Eliot College, for consistently maintaining high standards of cleanliness and tidiness in the area at the back of the College.

High-profile engineering appointment at Kent The School of Engineering and Digital Arts has appointed Paul Tasker as a Royal Academy of Engineering Visiting Professor in Integrated Systems Design. Paul Tasker is a professional engineer and has undertaken a number of engineering leadership roles, primarily in the naval sector. Professor Tasker is a Principal Industrial Fellow at the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing. His appointment, which is shared with Cranfield University, is expected to enhance the undergraduate experience and better prepare graduates for an industrial career. It will also support both institutions’ joint interest in the development of an integrated maintenance systems technology initiative. Professor Sarah continued overleaf...

Cover story Hong Kong links

KENT Magazine

News

2009 event proved to be the biggest ever, with 31 teams taking part. As well as hampers for the winning team, prizes were awarded for the bestdressed team.

Spurgeon, Head of the School and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: ‘I am delighted to have this opportunity to work with Paul Tasker within our undergraduate engineering curriculum.’

The 2009 staff Christmas party was also greatly enjoyed by everyone who attended. Although adverse weather meant that numbers were slightly down on the previous year, those who came were provided with a night to remember.

University signs over £3 million to sports in Medway The University of Kent has signed an official agreement with Medway Council to enhance sports facilities for its students and the wider Medway community. Medway Park will formally open next year as a regional centre of sporting excellence and will be one of the most technologically advanced Olympic training grounds in the country. The University has contributed £3 million to the scheme and in an official ceremony at Medway Park on 17 December, Vice-Chancellor, Professor Julia Goodfellow, publicly signed the agreement to transfer the University’s £3 million contribution.

Encore Theatre Club The Gulbenkian Theatre recently launched its new theatre club – Encore!Gulbenkian – which gives loyal customers the opportunity to make savings and see more theatre productions.

Ursula Fuller retires Medway Park will also be home to specialist facilities for students and staff within the University’s Centre for Sports Studies and will be the location for the Centre’s commercial sports injury clinic. All University students will receive preferential rates to use the general sports facilities at Medway Park.

Major award for Professor of Computing Education Professor Sally Fincher has become the first British academic in 30 years to receive the SIGCSE Award for Outstanding Contribution to Computer Science Education. Each year, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE) honours an individual or group in recognition of their long-lasting impact on, and significant contribution to, computing education. Recipients are selected from nominations by SIGCSE members. Professor Fincher will be presented with her award at the 41st SIGCSE Technical Symposium in Milwaukee, USA in March 2010. She will also give the keynote address at the Symposium.

KENT Magazine

A farewell party was held for Ursula Fuller, Dean of the Centre for Flexible Learning, on Thursday 10 December 2009 in honour of her retirement. Staff from a wide range of departments, as well as research students, attended the party where they heard speakers including the ViceChancellor, Professor Julia Goodfellow and the Director at the School of Computing, Professor Simon Thompson. Ursula worked at Kent for 28 years. Her first post was as a Tutorial Fellow in Social Sciences Computing and she went on to hold other posts, including Dean of the Faculty of Science, Technology and Medical Studies and Executive Director of KIMHS. Most recently, Ursula was Dean of the Centre for Flexible Learning, where her passion and drive will be greatly missed. No doubt her great energy and passion will be put to very good use in her many roles within the community.

Membership fees are £15 for individuals, £20 for joint membership (at the same address) with a concession rate of £10 for students, seniors, disabled, or unemployed; membership lasts for one year. Membership forms are available at the Theatre or online at www.gulbenkiantheatre.co.uk

Shaping academic work: the next ten years On Friday 27th November, over 60 people from the University and higher education institutions across the UK gathered to consider the future of academic work. The seminar, held in Darwin Conference Suite, was organised by members of the Academic Practice Team and sponsored by the Society for Educational Studies. Speakers, including Lynn McAlpine and David Mills from the University of Oxford, Janice Malcolm from the University of Kent and Yvonne Hillier from the University of Brighton, led sessions on topics such as: preparing new entrants to the profession for an academic role and the moral, economic and social obligations upon academics. More information about forthcoming events organised by the Academic Practice Team can be found at www.kent.ac.uk/uelt/

Kent-Ghent links strengthened Ursula was presented with a gift of vouchers and a fig tree to remind her of her time at Kent.

A good time was had by all Kent Hospitality has been organising a Christmas quiz for its staff for some years now. More recently, teams from other University departments have been invited to join in and the

The Universities of Kent and Ghent signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in January 2010 during a visit by the Vice Chancellor to Ghent. Professor Julia Goodfellow was accompanied by Professor Alex Hughes, Pro-Vice Chancellor External, Professor Roger Vickerman, Dean of the University of Kent at Brussels, and Penny Pratt, Head of European Office.

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The two universities already share a number of common interests across a range of disciplines. The MoU will strengthen the institutional links and provide a framework within which to operate.

Journalism student questions Prime Minister Journalism student John Saunders put his training to good use when he questioned the Prime Minster during his visit to Medway in November.

Project aims to sharpen students’ all-round skills A team from the University has embarked on a new project aimed at enhancing students’ personal development and employment prospects. The project seeks to build relationships with local companies so that students get valuable feedback from potential employers. Led by Samantha Osborne, IT Manager for the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, the project has already established links with Kent Police and HM Prison Service. It is also linked to the government-led HEAR initiative – the Higher Education Achievement Report – which aims to provide a more detailed acknowledgement of a students’ overall achievements at university than simply a degree classification. Samantha said: ‘Ultimately, we would like students to start thinking about their careers at an early stage and believe we can do more to help them make informed choices. We are also examining the use of technology to improve learning, teaching and assessment throughout their courses, and aim to produce a model that can be used across not only the University, but the higher education sector as a whole.’ To take the project forward, the five-strong University team has been awarded a place on the Higher Education Academy’s DisciplineFocused Learning Technology Enhancement Academy. This provides consultancy and support for the project from other agencies. The project is supported by ESCalate, the subject centre for education within the Higher Education Academy. In addition, the project team is exploring a cross-institutional link with Canterbury Christ Church University.

Network612 On Thursday 3 December, the third Network612 event was held at Woolf College. Enterprise students, businesses and business support agencies were invited to attend a networking session, with refreshments, and to listen to Professor Sir Robert Worcester, Chancellor of the University of Kent and founder of the MORI organisation, and global entrepreneur and artist,

University signs over £3 million to sports in Medway Ursula Fuller retires Major award for Professor of Computing Education Network612 event

Colin Carter. Sir Robert gave a fascinating talk on branding, targeting and reaching customers, while Colin gave an interesting insight into the life of an entrepreneur, explaining how he has developed many businesses in the shipping world and also turned his skill as an artist into another highly successful global business, with his work sought after in more than 35 countries. An inspiring and fascinating evening was had by all. All are welcome to the next Network612 on Thursday 4 February. (See p12 for more Enterprise news.)

Medway School of Pharmacy celebrates students’ successes A Medway School of Pharmacy graduate, Anthony Samson, has been named Tesco’s PreRegistration Trainee of the Year, while one of the School’s current students, Samantha Hayman, won a prestigious national essay competition. Anthony worked as a trainee pharmacist at Tesco after completing his Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) degree in 2008. The Pre-Registration Trainee of the Year title is competed for each year by pre-registration pharmacists from across the country and recognises the person who has shown the most dedication during the year-long training programme. Samantha landed third prize in the Pharmacy Law and Ethics Association’s national essay competition. Her essay tackled the topic of ethics in providing medicines for children. She received a cheque for £250.

John, 20, who is in the second year of his studies, quizzed the PM over an opinion poll showing that a majority of people feel British troop involvement in Afghanistan is increasing the risk of terrorist attacks at home. The student said the exchange had been one of the highlights of his time at Kent to date. ‘It was a bit nerve-wracking, but it was an amazing opportunity,’ he said.

Law students examine role of state Kent Law School has run a short series of political presentations for first-year Law students at the Medway campus. Entitled ‘The Role of the State in the 21st Century’, the three sessions were aimed at informing and inspiring students’ views on public affairs. Speakers represented a wide range of political views, from the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats to the Socialist Party. Question and answer sessions involving the students followed each of the main talks.

Non-teaching departments at Canterbury showcase their services On 6 November, all the University’s professional services departments put on an event in Darwin Conference Suite to inform staff and students about the work they do. In addition to finding out about each department’s services from the colourful stands on display, the many visitors were able to take part in several competitions and even some experiments. Staff from the Communications and Development Office were particularly thrilled to win a cream tea for everyone in their office, freshly prepared and delivered by Kent Hospitality. The feedback from both those attending and taking part was extremely positive and hopefully more such events will follow.

KENT Magazine

Feature

The art of commentary Professor Smith, this is your first audio commentary for a film. How did you become involved?

Murray Smith, Professor of Film Studies at Kent, has, along with director Lars von Trier, provided the audio commentary for von Trier’s controversial film Antichrist. The resulting commentary was described by The Guardian as one that ‘doesn’t supply answers as much as pose smarter questions’. Here he speaks to Gary Hughes about the project.

KENT Magazine

In June 2009, I was attending an academic conference at the Film Studies Department of the University of Copenhagen, where Lars von Trier had been a Film Studies student. For the conference, the Department had arranged a special screening of Antichrist, for which von Trier was present. It was at this time that his production company decided to use an academic, rather than a creative, collaborator for the DVD commentary. This may have been in response to the scandal surrounding the film since its screening at Cannes – perhaps they thought that an academic would bestow a layer of ‘respectability’ on the project. They invited me onto the DVD as I was already known to them from my work on von Trier.

What was your initial reaction to the invitation? I received the invitation before I’d seen the film, which was flattering – but I had to see the film before I could commit.

What were your first impressions of the film? I immediately thought it was some of von Trier’s best work in terms of just how visceral it is, visually and sonically. I also knew from my first viewing that I wanted to do the commentary, but that it would be a challenge, which was part of the attraction, I suppose.

How do you feel about audio commentaries in general? Most commentaries are a wasted opportunity – just DVD filler. With a few exceptions – mostly in the form of commentaries by film scholars – they usually lapse into casual chit-chat about the making of the film.

What do you consider to be the essential elements of a successful commentary? A good commentary should have an element of drama, an appropriate edge, a bit of tension. They should entertain as well as inform. Hold the viewer’s attention.

Feature

Do you think those elements are present in your commentary?

Did the ‘live’ time constraint put you under much pressure?

I hope so. Certainly one of the contributing factors to the tension or edginess I was aiming for was that, apart from a brief introduction, we’d never met before; also, von Trier had not requested my questions in advance. Consequently, there was no complacency between us. The tension was also enhanced by the realisation that I was going to have to ‘hold my ground’ with von Trier, who can be singleminded in many respects – which is why he can make the films he does.

I was aware of the fact that there would not be an opportunity to re-do the commentary, that it would be a one-take process and as such required total focus and concentration. Consequently, it all went by very quickly.

Did you approach the commentary from your own personal reading of the film or from a wider perspective? I tried to approach it from a variety of perspectives. I was determined to represent my own ideas but also those of the wider community – the press, film studies specialists and the general cinema or DVD audience.

How did you prepare for it? The production company literally wanted me to do it within a few of hours of having seen the film. However, I requested a couple of weeks preparation, during which I could watch it again and make notes from close analysis. I also wanted to research its reception in the press. Thankfully, they obliged. I also reviewed the interview von Trier gave after the screening in Denmark and researched some of his influences for the film, many of whom I was already familiar with. For example, the playwright August Strindberg, whom I would say is probably his most important influence here. Ingmar Bergman and Andrei Tarkovsky also. I needed to ensure that I was completely familiar with this background as I wanted the commentary to be fluid, without me having to refer to notes.

Could you describe the actual process? For example, was it just the two of you in a screening room? Yes, with a couple of technicians in the projection booth. Otherwise, it was just the two of us, wearing single-ear pieces so we could listen to the film and hear each other at the same time.

Your commentary is conversational rather than a scene-by-scene analysis. Is that something you strived for? I was aiming to discuss as many aspects of the film, technical and otherwise, as possible. I couldn’t dwell for too long on one area or scene as the film was like a moving target, but I certainly strove for an interplay between detail and more general discussion.

Did von Trier say anything that surprised you? He is clearly someone who has gone in for some interesting experiments with self-exploration, such as shamanism. As such, he made the occasional comment that was, upon reflection, disarmingly open. But this is what makes him an interesting character. He was also surprisingly self-critical, which may be a consequence of having made the film while he was recovering from a well-documented battle with depression – something that may have affected his otherwise, and equally well-documented, artistic control.

At any stage, did you feel that perhaps you were provoking him into saying something he might later regret – something that may have jeopardised the commentary? Not really. There were a couple of moments when he quite abruptly disagreed with something I said or became agitated with a comment I made, but I never felt as if I had trespassed or gone too far. I had decided beforehand that I didn’t want to confront him head-on with questions about provocative gender politics – probably the single most controversial aspect of the film – as that would most likely have driven us into an unproductive corner.

But you did manage to raise this issue in a way that elicited a non-defensive response? Yes. I think he became open and unthreatened by it. Generally, he was very congenial.

Did you ever feel that he wanted to go in a different direction from the one you were taking? Not so much in a different direction, but once or twice I may have had to steer him away from narrowly technical discussion. Technical matters are absolutely central, but what matters ultimately is how technical decisions affect the tone and meaning of a film.

What do you hope the commentary contributes to the DVD release? I know von Trier’s production company want the DVD package to be a lasting record of work connected to the film. I certainly hope that my commentary has added a layer of slightly more considered analysis and discussion of the film than would otherwise be there.

Did you enjoy the process? It was definitely an enjoyable and rewarding experience. I also felt that I managed to achieve a productive dialogue with one of the most discussed filmmakers today. To a surprising degree, it’s not always that easy to get Film Studies academics or film critics to have a productive dialogue with filmmakers, as they have different goals.

Lars von Trier concluded by saying ‘let’s do it again someday’. Until then, are there any other directors you would like to work with on a commentary? These questions are always tough to answer! Perhaps Clint Eastwood – who would make for an interesting contrast. Eastwood has had such a rich and long career, and made so many fine films. And he just keeps on going. Gran Torino, released last year, is right up there. The DVD of ‘Antichrist’ was released by Artificial Eye on 11 January 2010.

Antichrist is Lars von Trier’s 11th feature film. Since its first public screening at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2009, it has caused widespread controversy and debate. It is about ‘a grieving couple [Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe] who retreat to their isolated cabin in the woods, where they hope to repair their broken hearts and troubled marriage. But nature takes its course and things go from bad to worse…’ KENT Magazine

Research

Tizard Centre to support Autism London project The University’s Tizard Centre will support Autism London on a major new project that aims to provide a better understanding of hate crimes and victimisation against people with autism and learning disabilities. The Medway-based project has received almost £350,000 of funding from the Big Lottery Research Programme and will run for three years. More than 500 individuals and 20 organisations are expected to benefit. The Centre’s role was announced during the launch event at MidKent College on 4 December. Titled ‘Living in Fear: Promoting Better Outcomes for People with Disabilities’, the project will use local focus groups and web- and telephonebased national surveys to research into the nature of hate crime, and responses and barriers to reporting. The aim will be to identify what happens to victims, addressing gaps in our knowledge of how crime against people with autism and learning disabilities is recorded and responded to by community safety agencies, including the police. The project will promote greater safety and well-being within the community, providing an evidence base to

KENT Magazine

enable policymakers to improve the support and services on offer to people with autism and learning disabilities. It will be led by Autism London and MCCH, working in partnership with the Tizard Centre, and will be steered by people with autism and learning disabilities as well as working in consultation with other stakeholders. These include Medway’s Leadership Forum for adults with learning disabilities, Community Safety Partnership, Kent Police, MidKent College, the Valuing Medway People Partnership Board and MCCH’s Pathways to Inclusion project. Dr Julie Beadle-Brown, Senior Lecturer in Learning Disability and the principal investigator on the project from the Tizard Centre, said: ‘I am very pleased that we are to be involved in this very important project that could potentially have an impact on the experience of people with learning disabilities and with autism living in the community, as well as on the experience and knowledge of those dealing with issues of hate crime and victimisation of these vulnerable groups. I look forward to collaborating with Autism London, MCCH, Kent Police and all our other stakeholders over the next three years.’

Research awards list Some recent research awards Dr Ulrich Weger (School of Psychology): £48,475 from the Leverhulme Trust for ‘Practising mindfulness as a strategy to prevent premature judgements’.

Dr Simon Scott (School of Pharmacy): £39,575 from National Institute of Health Research for ‘Osteoclasts and bone cancer’. Dr Colin Johnson (School of Computing): £307,678 from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council for ‘Refactoring and neutrality in genetic programming’. Dr Farzan Deravi (School of Engineering and Digital Arts): £14,466 from the European Commission for ‘BEST Network’. Professor Elizabeth Mansfield (School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science): £296,776 from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council for ‘Group actions in functional approximation spaces’.

Research

Grants Factory 2010 The University’s Research Services department has launched a new programme of masterclasses and workshops to help research funding applicants. Each event in the Grants Factory series will be led by a senior academic with extensive experience in winning funding, sitting on grant committees and coaching colleagues.

Kent researchers make significant advances in molecular computing Researchers from Kent’s School of Computing have made significant advances in molecular computing. These include defining the fundamental limits of such ‘biological computers’. Molecular computing attempts to use components of organisms (eg genes) to run calculations inside living cells. Currently, most of the work in this area is theoretical or concerned with future applications of the technology, such as molecular computers being used to release drugs into the body or enhance our ability to study and learn from biological systems. In a paper published by the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, the University’s Dr Dominique Chu and his PhD student Radu Zabet have, by defining the fundamental limits that molecular computers are subject to, also addressed the question of how fast they can perform a computation – a prerequisite for the design of ‘living machines’. Dr Chu explained: ‘There are a variety of different mechanisms by which living organisms perform computations, and they do so at many different levels. Examples include the nervous system in higher organisms or even individual proteins. Understanding what constrains the

efficiency and the speed of these computations is not only of practical relevance – for example, in the context of engineering purpose-built novel life forms ie synthetic biology – but will most of all provide new insights into the design principles of living systems. ‘Our research demonstrates that the speed of bio-molecular computers is fundamentally limited by their metabolic rate or their ability to process energy. One of our main findings is that a molecular computer has to balance a trade-off between the speed with which a computation is performed and the accuracy of the result. However, a molecular computer can increase both the speed and reliability of a computation by increasing the energy it invests in the computation. With molecular computers, this energy may be derived from food sources.’ Dr Chu also explained the importance of these findings for computing in general. ‘This is one of the first papers deriving fundamental limits on the speed of bio-molecular computers,’ he said. ‘Our results are potentially of high theoretical and practical importance. Much work remains to be done to fully understand its implications for the field of molecular computing but also for our understanding of design principles of the living world.’

The programme started with a talk by Professor Peter Taylor-Gooby on 20 January. Professor Taylor-Gooby is familiar with the decision-making process and ‘mindset’ of a number of key funders (including the Nuffield Foundation, British Academy, Leverhulme Trust and ESRC). His talk explored the ways in which a researcher can raise his or her profile with individual funders and make their projects appeal to specific schemes. The Grants Factory programme includes: masterclasses with academics who have served on the funders’ peer review panels, providing insights into different elements of research proposals; what to watch out for and what to bear in mind; practical workshops, including an introduction to ‘the grant-writer's toolkit’; and mock panel events, enabling researchers to ‘test drive’ a project. For further information on the Grants Factory 2010, contact Jacqueline Aldridge (ext. 4427/email: J.Aldridge@kent.ac.uk or visit the Grants Factory website (www.kent.ac.uk/researchservices/local/ applying/gf2010.html

‘Computational limits to binary genes’ (Nicolae Radu Zabet and Dominique F Chu) is published at http://rsif.royalsocietypublishing.org/

KENT Magazine

Hong Kong

Hong Kong Alumni Association launched On 21 October 2009, the University of Kent Alumni (Hong Kong) Association was formally launched at a reception for alumni and friends of the University in Hong Kong, attended by University staff, including Vice-Chancellor Professor Julia Goodfellow, Pro-Vice-Chancellor External Professor Alex Hughes and Director of Communications and Development, Karen Doyle. The Association is the official University of Kent alumni group in Hong Kong, and has established an Executive Committee comprising Eddy Fong R66 (President), Kennedy Wong K81 (Treasurer), Felix Woo E83 (Secretary), Eric Lee K82, Keith Li K93 and Mary Chong E96. The Alumni Association will give Kent’s alumni in Hong Kong the opportunity to attend more events, including receptions and informal gatherings, and give them access to more networking opportunities. The Association will also assist the work of Kent’s International Office in the region, supporting both current and prospective Kent students by allowing alumni to share their experiences as students in the UK. The University’s connection with Hong Kong goes back to 1966, when Eddy Fong became Kent’s first undergraduate student from Hong Kong, along with Sir David Akers-Jones, a postgraduate student who later became

Hong Kong Alumni Scholarship Fund

Kennedy Wong and Professor Eddy Fong, two of the founders of the Hong Kong Alumni Association and creators of the Hong Kong Alumni Scholarship Fund

Governor of Hong Kong. Kent’s relationship with Hong Kong has developed over the years, and currently there are 138 students from Hong Kong studying at Kent, confirming the region’s importance to the University and its place as an integral part of our Internationalisation Strategy. The Alumni Association will make it easier for our alumni to stay in contact with us and also give them the opportunity to offer support in other areas, such as the Hong Kong Alumni Scholarship Fund, which gives talented students from Hong Kong and mainland China the chance to study at Kent, see right.

In 2005, to commemorate the University’s 40th Anniversary, Eddy Fong and Kennedy Wong donated £400,000 to create the first Hong Kong Alumni Scholarship Fund. The Fund supports the Hong Kong Alumni Chair in International Management, held by Professor Bradley Barnes in Kent Business School, and has to date supported ten students from Hong Kong and mainland China. Below, two of those students tell us what their scholarship has meant to them. Man Shun Fu, PhD student, Biosciences ‘I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the sponsors who awarded me the Hong Kong Alumni Scholarship. Without their support I would have been unable to afford to continue my research in Biosciences at Kent. My research into the biochemistry of fungal pathogens, which are an increasing threat to human health, is rarely found in laboratories in Hong Kong. I therefore hope that one day I can take what I have learnt back to the benefit of Hong Kong and mainland China.’ Meng Di Yang, Actuarial Science ‘I am sincerely honoured to have received this scholarship. Above all, it recognises my past efforts which helped to give me the confidence to study for a BSc in Actuarial Science. The scholarship has also helped to ease the financial burden on my family, for which I am extremely grateful. The financial support has reduced my parents’ worries about my life here in Kent, which enables me to focus completely on my course of study.’ If you would like more information about the Hong Kong Alumni Fund, please contact Karen Doyle, Director of Communications and Development on 01227 824343 or via email K.M.Doyle@kent.ac.uk

The launch of the Hong Kong Alumni Association was attended by many of our alumni in the region

KENT Magazine

Staff profile

Catherine Morris Catherine started work as joint Environmental Co-ordinator, working for both the University and Kent Union, in May 2009. Her position entails working with students and staff across both organisations to promote environmental initiatives and reduce the University’s carbon footprint, and covers everything from recycling to promoting Fairtrade. Catherine is also responsible for running the ‘Degrees Cooler’ programme which has been featured previously in KENT (December 2009 and p15 of this issue) and includes the Green Impact project, which will see a range of teams from academic and non-academic departments working towards accreditation for their environmental performance. What would be your perfect day? Probably something simple like being indoors, baking cakes on a rainy day with an open fire, followed by a home -meal and curling up on the sofa under my duvet to watch a film.

What single thing would improve the quality of your life? I walk up to campus from my home in town, so most mornings I wish there was an escalator, solar powered of course, to take me up the Eliot footpath.

How do you relax? I have just bought a house with an enormous, old, enamel bath and I love just chilling out in it with a good book.

What was your first/worst job? When I was 15, I cleared tables at a restaurant back home. I was paid £2.36 an hour and was eventually fired because I wouldn’t work there full-time when I turned 16!

What is your favourite item of clothing, either now or in the past?

What is your favourite TV or radio programme? I don’t have TV at the moment and radio’s a bit of a sore spot for me as I’m really missing Terry Wogan in the mornings.

What was your earliest ambition?

It is and has always been my pyjamas. It’s impossible to feel anything but comfortable in pyjamas.

When I was younger, I always wanted to be a doctor. I suppose in some ways I have achieved it, albeit through a PhD rather than a medical degree.

Which word or phrase do you use most?

How do you celebrate good news?

I don’t want to get up. Every morning!

By summoning all of my friends to the local pub for a few drinks so I can talk about it all night.

What (if anything) would you like to change about yourself? I’m generally pretty happy with myself, although I can be a bit of a worrier and tend to overthink things, so it would be nice to be a bit more carefree in that respect.

What is your greatest achievement? When I moved to Canterbury three years ago, I took up gymnastics and in September I won a Gold in the British Veterans Championships. I still can’t believe I won and I’m already preparing for this year’s competition.

Who was your first pin-up? I don’t really remember having pin-ups when I was younger, but I remember having a bit of a crush on Edward Furlong who played the kid in Terminator 2.

Which country would you most like to visit? I’m forever planning holidays and then never making them happen. For a while now, I have really wanted to visit the Pacific North West US as the coastline looks stunning. I’m not a very good flyer though, so we’ll see.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? To have confidence in my own abilities. It’s something that I am still learning but has helped me no end in my current job. For more information on Degrees Cooler or to find out how to get involved with environmental initiatives across campus, please contact Catherine on 01227 827049 or C.Morris@kent.ac.uk

KENT Magazine

Enterprise

Students rise to the challenge Enterprise Forum The next Enterprise Forum will provide an introduction to the University’s ICE initiative – Innovation, Creativity and Enterprise. Speakers include Jonathan Friday (School of Arts) and Dennis Tourish (Kent Business School). 12.30-2.30pm, 17th February at Darwin Conference Suite, Canterbury Campus. Lunch Served from 12.30. To confirm attendance, email enterprise@kent.ac.uk

The autumn term saw considerable student enterprise activity. In addition to Global Enterprise Week and the Network612 event series, various student enterprise competitions were held, with the winners announced at a presentation afternoon in the last week of term. Primrose Matambo (School of Arts) came first in the ‘Back of an Envelope’ competition, winning £500. Joint second, winning £250 each, were Carlos Silla (School of Computing) and Katie Hogben (School of English). All three went on to develop their ideas further, with a view to starting up a new business based on their entry.

2009 was also the first year of the ‘Kent Apprentice Challenge’, open to Kent's societies and club teams. The teams competed in five challenges: a creative thinking task, a scavenger hunt, a rebranding exercise, a trader game and a £10 challenge. The winners of each round won £50, and points were awarded to each team. The Film Society came out as winners and were awarded a prize of £400. For more information on this term’s Business Ideas Competition, with a massive £5,000 prize pot, visit www.kentroundone.co.uk or contact Tracy Crowther on ext 7376, or via email T.S.Crowther@kent.ac.uk

University KTP income hits £1.2 million The total University of Kent Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) funding has now hit £1.2 million, thanks to the announcement of approval for a new project. The University will be working with EMS Security Group Limited, who will receive funding of over £127,000 for their project. EMS will be collaborating with the School of Engineering and Digital Arts and the School of Physical Sciences in order to provide in-house capabilities for smoke detector head modelling and design. For more information on KTPs, contact KTP Officer Clare Witcher on ext. 7376 or email enterprise@kent.ac.uk

KENT Magazine

University student entrepreneurs move to the Kent Enterprise Hub Last year’s Business Ideas Competition winners, FatMoose Limited, are continuing their relationship with the University by basing their new company at the Kent Enterprise Hub on the Canterbury campus. FatMoose are three former computing students who formed their company after graduating in 2009. FatMoose is one of over 20 companies that Kent Enterprise Hub has supported. In close proximity to University expertise, the Hub offers support and office space to businesses in their start-up and early growth phase. The Hub has had great success, with four of the companies currently supported outgrowing their space and moving to larger premises at the Canterbury Innovation Centre on the Canterbury campus. Continued success is anticipated for the forthcoming year, with the appointment of a new Senior Enterprise Manager, Stephanie Barwick. Stephanie has a wealth of experience as a business counsellor, with specialisms in sales and marketing, events management, transnational business development and business planning. If you are interested in finding out more about the Kent Enterprise Hub, contact us on ext 7376, or email enterprise@kent.ac.uk

Conservation

Scholarships The Christine and Ian Bolt Scholarship

DICE ensures Flycatcher’s future

A recent Darwin Initiative-funded conservation research project led by Dr Jim Groombridge, Senior Lecturer at DICE, has given new hope that the plight of the critically endangered Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone corvina) will be improved. The Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher is one of the world’s rarest birds, with, at one time, only 250 birds surviving. The birds were all confined to the single 160-hectare island of La Digue. In November 2008, a dramatic recovery initiative began. Dr Groombridge and his team used helicopters to translocate 23 flycatchers from the dwindling remnant population in La Digue to Denis Island, a remote, rat-free island nature reserve. Almost as soon as the 23 birds arrived on the new island, they began to sing, and soon after, they were observed to pair up, form territories and begin to breed. Today, the breeding pairs that make up this growing, reintroduced population have successfully

fledged six juveniles, and this success looks set to continue. Dr Groombridge said: ‘This initial success is very encouraging, and we now look forward with great excitement to monitoring the established population as it grows.’ The important momentum created by this DICE success has also galvanized renewed action for a long-term reintroduction plan for the species, which will involve future reintroductions to several other suitable islands where there is sufficient habitat of good quality, alongside a DICE-led programme for training Seychellois in field conservation techniques. The Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher initiative is the focal mission of a wider, multidisciplinary project involving Nature Seychelles, Wildlife Vets International, RSPB, the Government of Seychelles and resource economists from Kent Business School.

The University of Kent has a number of scholarships in different fields, including academic, music and sports. Many of our scholarships exist thanks to personal donations made by individuals and some are set up in memory of former students or staff. The Christine Bolt Scholarship was established in 2005 by Christine’s husband, Ian Bolt, in memory of his wife. Christine began her career at the University in 1966, later becoming Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Professor of American History. Ian was a good friend of the University, and took an active interest in the selection and progress of all scholars of the fund. Ian was generous with his personal time, supporting the development of information booklets and attending meetings at the University. He firmly believed in the importance of education and championed fundraising to support students. Sadly, in 2008 Ian died. On his death, he left a tremendous legacy in support of the Scholarship and it was renamed the Christine and Ian Bolt Scholarship. The Christine and Ian Bolt Scholarship has supported, and continues to support, many postgraduate students in their research in the USA. Those helped by the Scholarship have conducted research in a variety of areas, including the public understanding of President John F Kennedy’s legacy, and psychopathology in chimpanzees. One student who has benefitted from the fund is Eleni Loukopoulou, she was able to travel to the USA to undertake a study of major James Joyce archives held there. Eleni said: ‘… without this scholarship, I would not have been able to visit the James Joyce archives and study the material, much of which is unpublished.’ In recognition of the Scholarship, the University holds an annual Bolt Lecture. The inaugural lecture took place last year and was given by Professor Phil Taylor from the University of Leeds. This year’s Bolt Lecture will take place on Wednesday 26 May when Professor Peter Coates from the University of Bristol will be speaking. More information will be published nearer the date and all are welcome to attend. If you are interested in obtaining further information about the Christine and Ian Bolt Scholarship, other University scholarships or fundraising in general, please get in touch with Jenny Richardson, Planned Giving Officer, Communications and Development Office, University of Kent, The Registry, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NZ or email J.Richardson@kent.ac.uk. KENT Magazine

Kent in the news

Among those who contributed to the University’s recent international coverage were Dr Gülnur Aybet and Dr Adrian Pabst from the School of Politics and International Relations. Dr Aybet was interviewed by Turkish 6 News TV about the Turkish Prime Minister’s visit to the USA; while Dr Pabst regularly contributes to the international press on geopolitics, political economy, Europe and religion. The latest novel by Scarlett Thomas (School of English) Pop Co was featured on German Broadcasting. National radio and television contributions included: Dr Jan Macvarish (Centre for Health Service Studies) on BBC Radio 4’s Thinking Allowed; Dr Clare Birchall (School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research) on BBC Youth news show Revealed; Dr Theresa Gannon (School of Psychology) on BBC Radio 5 Live; and Professor Dominic Abrams (School of Psychology) on BBC Radio 4’s More or Less. Professor Tim Luckhurst (Centre for Journalism) was interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Two and Channel 4 News. National print coverage included Professor Frank Furedi and Dr Ellie Lee (School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research) in The Sunday Times and The Daily Telegraph, respectively; while Professor Tim Luckhurst wrote articles for the Independent, The Guardian and Times Higher Education.

Obituaries

The Guardian also featured The Drill Hall Library at the Medway campus in an article about the value of historic buildings to modern university life; while the University’s £3 million contribution to the Medway Park sports centre was featured in Times Higher Education. Dr Jeremy Kendall’s contribution to the Economic and Social Research Council’s new report ‘The Value of Volunteering’ was widely publicised online. Regional coverage for Kent staff included: Dr Ellie Lee on BBC 3 Counties and Professor Frank Furedi on BBC Humberside; Dr Alisa Stevens, Lecturer in Criminal Justice Studies on both BBC South East Today TV and BBC Radio Kent; Dr Suzanne Franks; from the Centre for Journalism, also appeared on BBC Radio Kent. There was further significant regional media coverage in the Kent and Medway Messenger, Medway News, Kent on Saturday, Kent on Sunday and Your Medway, and on KM-FM. This is just some of the coverage gained by the University. For more details, contact the Media Office at MediaOffice@kent.ac.uk

Saturday 13 March, Canterbury Cathedral Nave, 7.30pm

The Colyer-Fergusson Cathedral Concert The University of Kent Chorus and Symphony Orchestra Jeremy Ovenden leader Susan Wanless conductor Elizabeth Davidson soprano Natalia Brzezinska mezzo-soprano Gerard Collett baritone

Poulenc Gloria Strauss Symphonic Poem Death and Transfiguration Ravel Pavane pour une Infante Défunte Szymanowski Stabat Mater Tickets £22.00, £18.00, £14.00, £10.00, £8.00 available from Canterbury Bookings Box Office, 12/13 Sun Street, The Buttermarket, Canterbury, Tel 01227 378188 and the University Music Office, Tel 01227 827335, email Musictickets@kent.ac.uk (credit/debit card payment available).

KENT Magazine

Green issues

Going greener Degrees Cooler update The University has begun rolling out the two projects, Green Impact and Going Greener, which it has been chosen to run under the Degrees Cooler programme. This programme aims to change the environmental behaviours of students and staff and, to facilitate this, a Greener Living Assistant has now been appointed to support the Estates Department and the Environmental Co-ordinator in the delivery of these projects. Green Impact is an environmental accreditation scheme which enables staff to make a positive contribution to the environment within their workplace. Fifteen teams, representing both academic schools and non-academic departments, have signed up to take part. Going Greener is a student-led project co-ordinated by the national People and Planet group, which

aims to bring students, staff and the local community together to go greener. This project will be launched during Go Green Week, which will be held on 8-12 February. A number of activities are being planned for this week, including ‘Meat-Free Monday’, film screenings and information sessions. For more information on Go Green Week and to find out what will be happening, visit www.kentunion.co.uk/green

5HARE In December, in conjunction with liftshare.com, the University launched a ‘Getting home for Christmas’ scheme. The aim was to encourage people to think about their travel arrangements and, where possible, consider liftsharing. With support from Hospitality, Kent Union, and the International and European Offices, 158 new members were signed up to the liftshare scheme, which led to Kent receiving the ‘scheme of the month’ award from liftshare.com.

Obituaries Pam Shaw Staff were deeply saddened to learn of the untimely death of Pam Shaw in early January. Pam was renowned for her loyalty to both the University and her colleagues, for whom nothing was too much trouble. She had worked at the University for over 25 years and was a familiar figure across campus due to her responsibility for Kent Hospitality's vending machines. She was particularly well known to Library and Sports staff, having worked in both locations for many years. She also led a second life as a ‘cake lady’, producing her trademark celebratory cakes for many colleagues wishing to mark their birthdays and anniversaries in a traditional way. Pam was a dedicated lifelong learner and achieved numerous nationally accredited qualifications throughout her employment, never missing Kent Hospitality’s annual awards ceremony.

Travel Co-ordinator Teresa Curteis said: ‘I was delighted with the success of this campaign. To add 158 members in a month was fantastic. I am now looking to build on this with our new 5HARE scheme.’ 5HARE is a joint initiative involving Kent, Canterbury Christ Church University, MidKent College, University for the Creative Arts and University of Greenwich. It is a private car share scheme designed so that you can share commuting, or other trips, with students and/or staff from Kent or the other institutions involved. Teresa said: ‘5HARE could save you money, but more importantly it will definitely reduce your carbon footprint and give you a chance to meet people, not just from Kent, but from the other institutions involved.’ To find out more about the scheme, go to www.5hare.co.uk or contact Teresa on Transport@kent.ac.uk

More than anything else, Pam will be remembered with enormous affection by all who knew her. She was utterly selfless and her kindness and concern for others was always apparent. Her passing has come as a shock to many, who mourn the loss of a dearly cherished colleague and friend.

John Thirkell It was with great sadness that the University heard of the death of John Thirkell in December last year. John joined Kent in 1975 and was a Senior Lecturer in the Unit for Regional Learning, School of Continuing Education until 1997, when he became an Honorary Research Fellow in SSPSSR. He will be remembered with great affection for his diverse range of interests, which stretched from industrial relations in Eastern Europe and Russia and all things Bulgarian through to garden history. A true scholar, his breadth of knowledge, interests and great enthusiasm will be sorely missed.

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KENT Magazine

WORLDFEST What’s on

www.kent.ac.uk/worldfest Saturday 20 February 2010 13.00-15.00 WorldFest 2010 Opening Parade. Student Societies and Samba Band. Canterbury High Street Monday 22 February 2010 12.00-13.00 Tango Dance Workshop. £1 charge goes to Seeds for Africa. The Venue 12.00-14.00 International food and drink menu. Gulbenkian Café Bar 13.00-14.00 Lunchtime Music. Kent students perform while you eat. Gulbenkian Café Bar 16.00-17.00 International sports event. 18.00-19.00 Mandarin language taster. £1 charge which will go to Seeds for Africa. Rutherford Bar 21.20 Film. I'm Gonna Explode. See Gulbenkian Cinema Programme for details. Gulbenkian Cinema Tuesday 23 February 2010 12.00-13.00 Bollywood Dance Workshop. £1 charge goes to Seeds for Africa. The Venue 12.00-14.00 International food and drink menu. Gulbenkian Café Bar 13.00-14.00 Lunchtime Music. Kent students perform while you eat. Gulbenkian Café Bar 16.00-17.00 International sports event. 18.00-19.00 Arabic language taster. £1 charge goes to Seeds for Africa. Rutherford Bar Wednesday 24 February 2010 12.00-13.00 Salsa Dance Workshop. £1 charge goes to Seeds for Africa. The Venue 12.00-14.00 International food and drink menu. Gulbenkian Café Bar

13.00-14.00 Lunchtime Music. Kent students perform while you eat. Gulbenkian Café Bar

19.45 Drama. The 14th Tale. See Gulbenkian Theatre Programme for details. Gulbenkian Theatre

11.00-15.00 WorldFest food and crafts market. The Yurt (in front of the Templeman Library)

16.00-17.00 International sports event.

Friday 26 February 2010 11.00-15.00 WorldFest food and crafts market. The Yurt (in front of the Templeman Library)

12.00-14.00 International food and drink menu. Gulbenkian Café Bar

18.00-19.00 Japanese language taster. £1 charge goes to Seeds for Africa. Rutherford Bar

12.00-13.00 Hip Hop Dance Workshop. £1 charge goes to Seeds for Africa. The Venue

18.50 Film. Turtle: The Incredible Journey. See Gulbenkian Cinema Programme for details. Gulbenkian Cinema

12.00-14.00 International food and drink menu. Gulbenkian Café Bar

20.30 International Funny Side Comedy Club. See Gulbenkian Theatre Programme for details. Gulbenkian Theatre

13.00-14.00 Lunchtime Music. Kent students perform while you eat. Gulbenkian Café Bar

International Night. The Venue Thursday 25 February 2010 11.00-15.00 WorldFest food and crafts market. The Yurt (in front of the Templeman Library) 12.00-13.00 Belly Dancing Workshop. £1 charge goes to Seeds for Africa. The Venue

13.00-14.00 Lunchtime Music. Kent students perform while you eat. Gulbenkian Café Bar

19.45 International Students Showcase. See Gulbenkian Theatre Programme for details. Gulbenkian Theatre

18.00-19.00 Portuguese language taster. £1 charge goes Seeds for Africa. Rutherford Bar

20.50 Film. A Prophet. See Gulbenkian Cinema Programme for details. Gulbenkian Cinema

18.00-19.00 Drumming circle. £1 charge goes to Seeds for Africa. The Yurt (in front of the Templeman Library)

Saturday 27 February 2010 10.00-16.00 Global Voices Workshop. See Gulbenkian Theatre Programme for details. Keynes SR13, SR17

18.50 Film. Machan. See Gulbenkian Cinema Programme for details. Gulbenkian Cinema

Sports

Comedy

Food

Film

Drama

a celebration of the University of Kent’s international community

16.00-17.00 Karate taster session. £1 charge goes to Seeds for Africa. The Yurt (in front of the Templeman Library)

19.45 World Music – Ozi Ozza. See Gulbenkian Theatre Programme for details. Gulbenkian Theatre

18.00-19.00 Polish language taster. £1 charge goes to Seeds for Africa. Rutherford Bar

18.00-19.00 Acoustic music jamming circle. £1 charge which goes to Seeds for Africa. The Yurt (in front of the Templeman Library) 18.20 Film. Tricks. See Gulbenkian Cinema Programme for details. Gulbenkian Cinema

18.20 Film. Made in Jamaica. See Gulbenkian Cinema Programme for details. Gulbenkian Cinema

16.00-17.00 Capoeira taster session. £1 charge goes to Seeds for Africa. The Yurt (in front of the Templeman Library)

13.00-19.00 Accidental Collective. Senate Chamber

13.00-21.00 Accidental Collective. Senate Chamber

18.00-19.00 Story-telling/poetryreading circle. £1 charge goes to Seeds for Africa. The Yurt (in front of the Templeman Library)

12.00-14.00 International food and drink menu. Gulbenkian Café Bar

13.00-14.00 Lunchtime Music. Kent students perform while you eat. Gulbenkian Café Bar

Sunday 28 February 2010 10.00-16.00 Global Voices Workshop. See Gulbenkian Theatre Programme for details. Keynes SR13, SR17 14.50 Film. Before Midnight. See Gulbenkian Cinema Programme for details. Gulbenkian Cinema 16.30 Global Voices Shared Performance. See Gulbenkian Theatre Programme for details. Gulbenkian Café Bar 18.20 Film. Tulpan. See Gulbenkian Cinema Programme for details. Gulbenkian Cinema 20.50 Film. A Prophet. See Gulbenkian Cinema Programme for details. Gulbenkian Cinema