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Year in Review Some highlights of the Newcastle University research, events and activities that have made headlines in the past 12 months, and achievements and accolades awarded to our students and staff. September 2012 The Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2014 places us among the top 20 UK universities. Lady Elsie Robson officially opens the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation PET Tracer Production Unit. The cutting-edge facility, which will help with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other serious diseases, is the first of it’s type in Europe and only the second in the world. Professor of Plant Physiology, Anne Borland, is named as the UK lead in a five-year, £8.8m project funded by the United States Department of Energy to explore the biofuel potential of plants found growing in some of the world’s harshest environments. The University is announced as one of four research teams who will lead the UK’s first academic research institute aimed at improving understanding of the science behind the growing cyber security threat.
October 2012 The University announces that it will offer Singapore’s first undergraduate degree in Electrical Power Engineering, after signing an agreement with Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) to deliver a two-year full-time programme. Work led by Newcastle University at Lake Suigetsu, Japan, could be used to refine estimates of the ages of organic material by hundreds of years. We celebrate the 45th anniversary of the award of an honorary degree to Dr Martin Luther King Jr by hosting the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) Claudia Jones Memorial lecture in King’s Hall, where Dr King received his honorary Doctor of Civil Law degree in 1967. The event commemorates Claudia Jones, the journalist, trade unionist and campaigner for social justice who launched the Notting Hill Carnival and Britain’s first black newspaper, The West Indian Gazette.
Thousands of copies of Hisham Matar’s Man Booker Prize-shortlisted novel In the Country of Men go on sale on campus for just £1, as part of the Booker Prize Foundation’s One Book reading challenge to get new students reading for pleasure and not just to pass exams. Top Mexican designer Carmen Rion, who is a Santander Visiting Fellow at the University, showcases her new collection, ‘Mocheval Landscape’, featuring modern versions of mochevales – traditional indigenous woven garments.
November 2012 John Goddard OBE, Emeritus Professor of Regional Development Studies, receives the Lord Dearing Lifetime Achievement Award at the Times Higher Education Awards. The Prime Minister, David Cameron, hosts a ceremony at which the University’s Chair of Council, Mark I’Anson, signs an agreement with the Rector of Universitas Indonesia to set up a Newcastle-Indonesia Doctoral Training Centre, based in the Faculty of Medical Sciences, specialising initially in biomedical research excellence. Graduation ceremonies are held in Singapore for students who have completed their studies at our branch campus, Newcastle University International Singapore.
December 2012 The University announces a consortium with industry to provide stem cells for drug discovery research. With a total budget of €55.6m, the project, called StemBANCC, aims to generate and characterise 1,500 human-induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell lines that researchers could use to study diseases and test drugs for safety and efficacy.
Newcastle University researchers publish findings that show recipes by prominent TV chefs are actually less healthy than supermarket ready meals. Meanwhile, Professor Ashley Adamson is recognised as one of the country’s most outstanding research leaders when she is awarded a fiveyear professorship from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to carry out research into the prevention and treatment of obesity.
January 2013 Several people with links to the University are recognised in the New Year Honours List, including the Chair of Council Mark I’Anson who receives an MBE for services to entrepreneurship, community engagement and higher education; Professor Gary Ford, Director of the UK Stroke Research Network (CBE for services to research in stroke medicine); Miss Florence Kirkby, a long-serving member of the University’s Court (MBE for services to education); and Robert Oliver, a technician at the University’s Dove Marine Laboratory and Coxswain of Cullercoats Lifeboat (British Empire Medal for services to higher education and to the community of Cullercoats). A feature film by lecturer, Tina Gharavi, is nominated for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) award for ‘I am Nasrine’. We launch Teachers’ Toolkit, an online directory of more than 250 teaching resources and events covering everything from biofuels and biology to philosophy and citizenship, designed to give schools easy access to the University’s world-leading expertise to support, inform and inspire classroom lessons. Continued on page 21
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Foreword There has been much to celebrate this year at Newcastle University; achievements that have put us in a strong position for 2014. We welcomed our highest ever intake of students on to our campus, from all corners of the globe, eager to study here and enjoy the rich experience we offer at Newcastle.
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At the same time we have continued to meet our students’ high expectations of their time here. The latest National Student Survey saw Newcastle University placed 10th in the UK for Student Satisfaction, which is very encouraging, and something we want to build on. This commitment to providing an outstanding student experience is demonstrated clearly in our investment in our campus and facilities. Last year, we spent more than £21m on improving student accommodation, teaching and research facilities. Over the next year we plan to increase this to £30m. Our focus on continuing to provide the very highest standards for our students was reflected in our rising in the annual Times/ Sunday Times Good University Guide 2014 to 18th in the UK. It has also brought us welcome recognition from our peers with Newcastle University winning the Times Higher Education’s Outstanding Leadership and Management Team 2013.
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On the research front, we also enjoyed our best ever year for grant income with more than £100m awarded – the largest increase in research council grants in the country. As our research performance will be judged next year through the influential Research Excellence Framework (REF) process, this is a very positive indicator. During the year we have continued to strengthen the contribution we make to our city and region. Perhaps the most visible impact we are making is on the Science Central site where the massive task of reclaiming the land is now finished and the first building, ‘The Core’, is nearing completion. Over the next three years the site will be developed further, becoming a hub for the University’s research into urban sustainability which will see academics working alongside industry to pioneer new approaches to energy storage, power grids and transport. It will also become home to our School of Computing Science and its Cloud Computing Centre of Excellence.
Away from the city centre and we are again collaborating with business in a unique venture – the Neptune National Centre for Subsea and Offshore Engineering. A key project in the government’s innovation strategy, the Neptune Centre will allow us to research new techniques to harness the opportunities of the world’s oceans for energy, drug discovery and power. We are also making major advances in our international operations. At NUMed, our medical campus in Malaysia, we now have 365 students housed in state-of-the-art facilities, supported by 96 staff who are training the doctors of the future. The first of these will graduate in June 2014 and begin careers that will be vital in supporting the health service in this part of the world. In Singapore, we now have seven degree programmes running successfully, equipping over 300 students each year with skills ranging from naval architecture to food and human nutrition. As from next year, we will be enhancing our research presence in Singapore, building on established links with major businesses and involving them in our research.
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We also have our sights set firmly on China. The partnership we now have with Xiamen University points the way to a greater presence in this strategically important country, which will benefit students and academics alike. As a world-class civic university we direct a good deal of our research on the profound challenges that affect people’s lives across the world. In this Profile and Annual Review you will learn how our Societal Challenge Themes of Ageing, Social Renewal and Sustainability, coupled with research into subjects as wideranging as mitochondrial disease, cyber-crime and educational technology, are making a real impact far beyond our city.
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Indeed, our research into rural economies and societies, which has led to positive policy changes to help countryside communities internationally, has just been recognised with a prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize. At the same time, we recognise the significant role we have to play in supporting Newcastle and the wider region in becoming more economically, culturally and socially prosperous. This was best demonstrated in our hosting of the British Science Festival this year. Over six days our campus was transformed into one of Europe’s largest celebrations of science and technology, inspiring thousands of visitors – young and old – to learn more about the discoveries we are making every day here at Newcastle. The achievements of the past year and the ambitious goals we have set ourselves for the year ahead are a result of the efforts and commitment of our staff, students, governors, alumni, friends and benefactors. I thank them all for their support.
Professor Chris Brink, Vice-Chancellor
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(l-r) Professor Chris Brink, Pat Ritchie, Chief Executive of Newcastle City Council, and Colin MacPherson, Science Central Development Director, on the Science Central site. Professor Sugata Mitra, winner of the 2013 TED Prize. Graduation ceremony in Singapore.
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International Relations 1
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With the global demand for higher education likely to outstrip provision in the next 20 years, our internationalisation strategy will ensure that the University is wellpositioned to be responsive to the forces of globalisation and demographic change. Economic changes in new and emerging economies with a young demographic is leading to a burgeoning demand for higher education and skills. While these new markets will be catered for partially by increased domestic provision, many countries are turning to international partners for support. Increasing our international profile and forging meaningful international partnerships in support of our global ambitions is a vital part of our civic mission.
Meanwhile, an inspirational new partnership between Newcastle and Luanda, the capital of Angola, is supporting the training of a new generation of environmental scientists in sub-Saharan Africa. The Centre of Excellence in Science for Sustainability in Africa (CESSAF) has been established to promote teaching and research in key areas of sustainability, such as sustainable agriculture, sociology, environmental studies, and natural resource management.
The massive upsurge in the need for highly skilled, forwardthinking graduates being generated by Brazil’s diversifying and expanding economy has prompted the country’s government to look overseas to help meet the demand for university places. Newcastle University is one of the key UK destinations for students on the Science without Borders programme, introduced to support the development of Brazil’s HE sector and their scientific research base through international exchange. The programme has identified a number of priority areas, including health and biomedical sciences, renewable energy, marine sciences, computing and IT, and engineering and technology. The University has a history of co-operation with the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS) in Southern Brazil, which this year was formalised by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding and an undergraduate exchange agreement designed to identify areas of potential for further collaboration between the two institutions.
A partnership between Newcastle University and the University Agostinho Neto, CESSAF is supported by the Planet Earth Institute, the Angolan Government and UNESCO and funded through the Banco Espirito Santo Angola. Four professors from University Agostinho Neto have spent 15 months in Newcastle, receiving guidance and training to enable them to provide an international PhD programme and Doctoral Training Centre in Angola. Our relationship with Xiamen University, in the People’s Republic of China, goes from strength to strength. In May, Xiamen sent its largest ever international delegation to Newcastle, headed by its President, Professor Zhu Chongshi, to celebrate the formal opening of our Confucius Institute and to sign a strategic partnership agreement setting out the commitment to furthering the co-operation between the two institutions.
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Working with academic colleagues at Xiamen, we have dentified seven research themes which have great potential for the two institutions to share their considerable expertise. These are: energy; ocean science; biomedicine; China and the global economy; Chinese language and culture; creative industries; and youth and identity. As the University’s global reach continues to expand, so does our commitment to serving the needs of our international students and alumni, at home and overseas. Our medical branch campus in Malaysia continues to flourish. NUMed now has 96 staff and 365 students, including the first cohort of students enrolled onto the newly launched BSc Honours in Biomedical Sciences. These students will study the first two years of the programme in Malaysia and then spend their final year attached to one of our research institutes here in the UK, giving our students in South East Asia the opportunity to study on one of the Faculty of Medical Sciences’ most highly successful programmes. The MBBS programme at NUMed continues to grow, with a number of students being recruited from East Malaysia. This is in line with the Malaysian government’s desire to attract doctors to work in the country’s rural areas, where more doctors are badly needed. NUMed reaches a milestone next summer, with the graduation of its first cohort of medical students. This batch of junior doctors will graduate with a UK Primary Medical Qualification, making them eligible for provisional registration with both the General Medical Council and the Malaysian Medical Council.
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of Technology) and Singapore’s five polytechnics, many of whom are employed as academic staff at the polytechnics or working for world-leading industries based in Singapore. Holding our first graduation ceremonies in Shanghai in February 2013 was an important landmark for the University as we look to build on our links with China. Many of our Chinese graduates are unable to stay in the UK to attend their graduation ceremonies, or their families and friends are not able to travel to see them graduate, so taking the ceremonies to them was a natural step. Some 230 graduates attended the ceremonies, which also provided an opportunity for them to meet fellow graduates based in Shanghai. Among them Kelvin Li, chair of the Shanghai branch of the University’s Alumni Association, spoke about how his Newcastle University experience has helped shape his career and personal life. A graduate of Newcastle University Business School, Kelvin is now VicePresident, Corporate Sales and Fixed Income, at Citibank.
In Singapore, a record number of new students have registered for the coming academic year, including a first cohort of electrical power engineering students, taking the total studying in Singapore to 605. In addition we now have 20 doctoral candidates based at SIT (Singapore Institute
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The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chris Brink (left) and Xiamen University’s President Zhu Chongshi at the signing of the strategic partnership agreement. Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ella Ritchie (seated left) with Orlando da Mata, Rector of the University Agostinho Neto, with colleagues from Newcastle and Luanda. Students at Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia. Student Orator, Yichun Zhang (MSc Banking and Finance, 2011), who attended the University’s first graduation ceremony in Shanghai in March 2013. A traditional Chinese lion dance was part of the celebration at the launch of the Confucius Institute.
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Careering Ahead 07
From careers advice and paid work placement schemes, to major employer events on campus and our Rise Up business incubator unit, we support our students throughout their university life, helping to give them a head start in the jobs market and the best possible chance of a successful career. 1
Despite the ongoing difficult economic conditions, Newcastle University graduates remain among the most sought after in the UK when it comes to entering the increasingly competitive world of work. Latest figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) place Newcastle fifth among peer group universities for its employability rate. Last year 95.2 per cent of our graduates were in employment or further education six months after leaving the University. Of those in employment after completing full-time undergraduate courses, 84.9 per cent were in professional or managerial roles. And with some 44 per cent of our graduates staying in the North East to embark on their careers, the University is a net importer of talent, providing key skills for sectors such as engineering and marine technology. Engineering graduates Simon Tate, Will Hawkins and Jack Armistead landed the jobs of their dreams with the UK’s largest motorbike manufacturer, Triumph Motorcycles Ltd, after impressing the company during their year-long work placements. They are now working for the company on improving a variety of components on existing motorcycle models, and will eventually progress to taking component designs from concept all the way through to production. While many of our graduates land jobs with major multinational companies, a growing number of others are setting up their own businesses. Last year alone saw a 47 per cent increase in the number of graduate business start-ups. Among the businesses launched last year was Cut Out Girls, set up by Fine Art graduates Carla Bromhead and Libby Chilton. The pair design and produce fashion bags, satchels and rucksacks. They have been so successful selling their unique designs through small stockists and online that they have started to branch out overseas, to Japan.
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Brigitte West and Rose Brown, founders of the Beauty by the Geeks blog. Natalie Diver. Angela McLean. The Rise Up incubator unit in the University’s Careers Service.
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Another successful student venture, launched by medical sciences students Rose Brown and Brigitte West was Beauty by the Geeks – a blog designed to dispel some of the secrets surrounding the beauty products industry. When it went live earlier this year, the site received over 10,000 hits from around the world in its first 10 days. Both companies benefitted from the expertise offered by the University’s Careers Service through its Rise Up business incubator unit. Rise Up provides support for students with great business ideas, while a new initiative, the Rise Up Visiting Entrepreneur scheme, gives students direct access to three of the North East’s top business people: former North East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year, Jane Nolan, who received an MBE for services to UK exports; 3-D X-ray imaging pioneer, Max Robinson; and multiple award-winning Angela McLean, whose children’s rainwear and swimwear company, Baggers Originals, started from her kitchen table, achieved a turnover of £2m in two years. Inspired by TV’s Dragon’s Den, the three share their knowledge, helping students devise strategies and giving them a realistic insight into starting, growing and developing a successful business. Business Management student Natalie Diver undertook a 10-week placement with Baggers Originals, carrying out research into the re-launch of a brand within the brand. The company was so impressed with Natalie’s work that her role was expanded to look after its social media, and she also helped to create a new-look website. Her work led to major stores stocking the products. Managing director Angela McLean cited Natalie as ‘intrinsic’ to the successful re-launch, and she went on to be named national employee of the year at the National Association of Student Employment Service Awards.
Entrepreneurship has become more visible in the last 10 years. I wish the kind of support on offer at Newcastle University had been available when I was a student − it would have been a huge help to me, minimising the risk involved. 3
Angela McLean, entrepreneur
North East businesses have also benefitted from working with Newcastle University, thanks to the Newcastle Work Experience programme. The scheme was set up to enable small and medium-sized companies in the region to recruit talented students and graduates at a subsidised rate. The project-based work placements offer a cost-effective and flexible solution to short-term business needs at the same time as bringing fresh perspective to the companies. One such company to benefit from the scheme was Sunderland-based 4 x 4 vehicle hire specialist Car2U, who recruited students Gongbao Wang from the School of Modern Languages, and Rebecca Grant, a Marketing and Management student, to improve the effectiveness of their promotional activity. The pair redesigned the company’s website, devised a marketing strategy and helped to build its social media profile. As a result, Car2U was able to reach a specific target audience and generate extra revenue.
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Learning by Example Newcastle students enjoy their time here so much they have voted the University one of the best in the country for student experience. They gave their Newcastle experience a 90 per cent approval rating in the latest National Student Survey (NSS) – well above the average of 86 per cent for the university sector as a whole.
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At Newcastle University, we are committed to giving our students the best possible chance of achieving their full potential by offering them a fully-rounded, enjoyable and formative student experience designed to equip them for a lifetime of success. Our excellent showing in the NSS is a sure sign that the University’s ongoing investment in providing students with high-quality facilities, world-class teaching expertise and excellent learning resources is paying dividends when it comes to student satisfaction. As a Russell Group university, research-led teaching delivered by academics at the forefront of their field is a hallmark of our degree programmes. More than 3,000 of our students completed the NSS this year and rated standards of teaching very highly, with nine out of 10 agreeing that staff were good at explaining things, and that their lecturers were enthusiastic about teaching. Students also highlighted learning resources (91 per cent satisfaction), including the library (93 per cent satisfaction) and access to IT resources (92 per cent) as some of the best aspects of their experience, along with contact with academic staff (91 per cent). It’s not only our students who appreciate the quality of teaching at Newcastle: during the year, two of our academic staff, Professor Sue Robson, Head of the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences and Dr Jarka Glassey, a Reader in Chemical Engineering Education, received National
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Teaching Fellowships. Awarded by the Higher Education Academy, the Fellowships recognise excellence in higher education teaching and support for learning. Satisfied students are our best ambassadors, and this year a new competition gave them the opportunity to capture on film their favourite aspects of university life, the city and region. Entries in the ‘NU through my lens’ competition were judged by a panel of media experts, and featured categories including Best Film, Best Concept, Best Cinematography, Best Original Music and Best Trailer. The winners of Best Film were Emma Oulton, Catherine Davidson and Christy Clemence. Their entry, Endless Opportunities, featured some of the highlights of University life, including playing sports, studying in great facilities, and having access to a varied and active social life. The award for Best Concept was won by Christian Cargill and Ludo Roupell, for Made in Jesmond − a spoof of Channel 4’s reality TV show Made in Chelsea. Christian put his prize money to good use, funding his first attempt at directing a music video in Berlin, and went on to be named MTV’s Student of the Year, an award that recognises the nation’s most passionate, inspiring and ambitious student. He has since begun a paid summer placement with MTV at its headquarters in Camden, London. Our students also have a vital role to play in fulfilling our Civic University mission, with many of them already putting their learning to good use to improve people’s lives around the world. The University actively encourages research in this field. Undergraduate students are supported to work alongside researchers on summer vacation projects, both at home and overseas through the University’s Expeditions scheme.
A group of civil engineering students who took part in a three-week expedition to Borneo, Malaysia, with youth charity Raleigh International, designed and built a gravity-fed water system which now provides clean water for 48 houses and the church in a remote village in the jungle, Kampung Samparita. Meanwhile, modern languages student Jack Deverson spent time at the Sprengel Museum in Hanover, Germany, researching the early life of Kurt Schwitters. The University has strong links with Schwitters, whose iconic Merzbarn wall forms part of the fabric of the University’s Hatton Gallery. Students at NUMed, our international branch campus in Johor, Malaysia, are promoting the University’s civic responsibilities too. Throughout the year, medical students held a number of Health Camps in the outlying rural communities of Johor, promoting the public health agenda by giving free basic health checks and offering healthy living advice, particularly to mothers and village children. NUMed staff and students also organised a six kilometre ‘Run for Life’ in support of the Malaysia Lysosomal Diseases Association (MLDA). The event raised much-needed funds for the charity, as well as helping to raise awareness of this debilitating disease.
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Politics student, Alby Shale, set a new world record by batting non-stop at the Oval’s nets for 26 hours in a bid to raise funds for the Rwanda Cricket Stadium Foundation. He faced nearly 250 people in the net, including Prime Minister David Cameron, and was only out seven times during the whole challenge, despite facing a total of 6,062 balls. Alby, who has taught cricket in Rwanda, hopes the funds he raised will help provide the country’s first international-standard cricket pitch. The University has maintained its top 10 position in the national BUCS rankings for the second year running thanks to a string of excellent performances from our student sportsmen and women in more than 40 disciplines. An outstanding year for the Boat Club resulted in six of our rowers and coach, Angelo Savarino, being selected to be part of the GB Under-23 squad, while the men’s fencing team returned to the Premier League.
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Staying with sport, the University has teamed up with sportswear giant adidas, in a two-year agreement that will enable us to support more promising sportsmen and women and help us to build on our strong reputation for sport. The partnership will provide scholarships and sportswear for two of the University’s most talented athletes, as well as funding to improve coaching and support for the Athletics’ Union. The University’s reputation as a great place to be a student has resulted in our best ever year for recruitment, with home student numbers up by 15 per cent, and international figures up by 21 per cent. This is also reflected in the increasing popularity of our Visit Days, which this year were attended by more than 35,000 prospective students, parents and teachers. For the first time this year, free Wi-Fi was available, giving visitors access to a brand new mobile-responsive Visit Day website anywhere on campus to help them get around and make the most of their time in the University.
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Christian Cargill and Ludo Roupell, winners of the Best Concept film award. Olympic Gold medal-winner, Jessica Ennis-Hill coached students during the launch of the University’s partnership with adidas. Students Helen Chapman and Craig Fleming test the gravity-fed water system with Raleigh International Medic, Issy Rix (far left in the background). A health camp, run by students at NUMed Malaysia. Newcastle University Visit Day.
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Excellence with Impact Through our three established societal challenge themes of Ageing, Social Renewal and Sustainability, we are leading the way in promoting understanding of the role of a world-class civic university in finding solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing global society. The societal challenge themes are the embodiment of the University’s vision of excellence with a purpose, marrying world-class research with real, visible impact within society. The first of our themes, Ageing, is forging ahead under the leadership of the Newcastle Initiative on Changing Age (NICA), keeping the debate about the ageing population in the public arena. In November, world-leading innovation experts from industry and academia met in Newcastle to share new ideas and concepts to encourage healthy and active ageing. The event was organised by the N8 Industry Innovation Forum which aims to encourage new collaborations between industry and the eight most research-intensive universities in the North of England to drive innovation, competitive advantage and growth. More than 100 senior figures from industry, charities, the NHS and the N8 group of universities (Newcastle, Durham, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and York) attended the event, which focused on a range of age-related issues, including digital innovation for health and well-being, ageing skin, and food and nutrition.
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Members of the Ageing Creatively choir helped University researchers study the role of creativity on wellbeing in later life.
In March, the UK’s innovation foundation, Nesta, published a major report reiterating one of NICA’s headline messages: that while the UK’s population is ageing by five hours a day, innovation is lagging behind. Echoing the work of Professor Tom Kirkwood, Associate Dean for Ageing, the report, Five Hours a Day: Systemic Innovation for an Ageing Population, emphasised the need for systemic change through innovations in policy, products, services and markets, as well as behaviours, to meet the dramatically changing needs and opportunities of an ageing population. Within the University, one of the main aims of the societal challenge themes is to encourage interdisciplinary research. One such example was the Medical Research Council-funded Ageing Creatively study, which aimed to find out if the arts could improve well-being in later life. Sixty volunteers aged 55 and over took part in a series of workshops designed to test the relationship between the arts and well-being and shed light on whether writing a story makes more of a difference than simply reading one, or if listening to music has more or less of an effect than singing in a choir.
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British
Science
Festival 2013
Newcastle University helped create a science spectacular to remember when we hosted the 2013 British Science Festival – one of Europe’s largest and longest-running public science events.
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And what a week it was!
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Six days 22 press conferences Dozens of leading science journalists 250 events 350 scientists 7,000 schoolchildren ...and tens of thousands of visitors
250 events
Festival
fever
sweeps through the city
Since 1831, the British Science Festival has been bringing together top scientists from different disciplines to explore the breakthroughs their colleagues have been making, and to publicly demonstrate how research can make a real impact on diverse areas of science, business, innovation and professional endeavour. This year was no different! Newcastle University’s successful bid to host the 2013 Festival provided the city of Newcastle with a unique opportunity to showcase its world-class scientific credentials and further its reputation as a Science City.
The Festival also provided an opportunity for many of the University’s academics who are making advances in areas ranging from ageing and sustainability to groundbreaking genetic techniques, to showcase their research on the world stage.
Months of hard work by teams across the University were rewarded when the British Science Festival 2013 swept through the city, bringing science to people of all ages and levels of knowledge. Together with partners Northumbria University and Newcastle City Council, and a host of other organisations and venues, the University turned the Festival into a city-wide celebration of the North East’s rich past, present and future in the realm of cutting-edge science, engineering and technology.
TED Prize-winner, Professor Sugata Mitra, who inspired the film Slumdog Millionaire, shared his vision for delivering education to children in India’s slums through his ‘Schools in the Cloud’ project, while Professor Tom Kirkwood CBE, one of the world’s leading experts on ageing, joined panels of experts for two headlining events to discuss the global challenges associated with an ageing population.
The six-day Festival programme was packed with 250 events designed to entertain and engage the thousands of visitors who flocked to science-themed shows, featuring artists, musicians, comedians and Newcastle University’s very own Street Science Team. There were debates and lectures with eminent scientists, including stars of the small screen, those at the forefront of today’s technology and scientists searching for solutions to tomorrow’s challenges. Household names including Lord Robert Winston, Dr Michael Mosley and Dr Maggie AderinPocock appeared alongside many of our own established experts and up-and-coming young researchers. The Festival’s biggest ever Young People’s Programme saw 7,000 schoolchildren coming to the University campus to take part in a multitude of science workshops and presentations specially designed to inspire a new generation of scientists, technologists and engineers.
Newcastle University researchers Dr Michael Sweet and Professor Hayley Fowler were selected to deliver two of five prestigious Festival Award Lectures – respectively the Charles Darwin Award Lecture and the Joseph Lister Award Lecture – in recognition of their skills in presenting their work to a general audience. A highlight of the Festival programme, the lectures are awarded to rising stars of science. Physicist and television presenter, Professor Brian Cox, and psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman both gave Award Lectures at the start of their careers.
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Festival feedback Organisers and visitors alike were thrilled with the public’s response to the Festival and the appetite for science in the city.
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We were overwhelmed by the warm welcome we received in Newcastle, the friendliness of the people who took part, the excitement that people felt about the Festival and the level of interest in science. Lots of our event organisers commented on how interested and engaged the audiences were on the topics discussed. The level of understanding on scientific subjects was noticeable, with audiences keen to get answers to their questions and to take part in very stimulating debates that often ran over schedule because they were so lively. It was an incredibly popular Festival, with more than half of the event tickets being sold in advance of the box office even opening, which is unprecedented and just proves the appetite for science in the area. The wonderful atmosphere the University achieved on campus really made this year’s event stand out, with live performers, musicians and logic puzzles creating a real festival feel and a memorable event. Imran Khan, Chief Executive at the British Science Association
I was especially pleased that three of our four sessions were staffed and given by young women who I thought were excellent role models for our girls, who I hope will be founding members of our own Women in Science and Engineering group and who I also hope will go on to study sciences at university. My pupils chatted most of the way home about what they’d seen on both days. John De Witt, Teacher from Ampleforth College, York
Our events brought visitors face to face with our researchers to hear for themselves about their discoveries and how they have potential to positively impact on our lives. It was fantastic to have so many new visitors to our campus, to be able to introduce families and children to our world-class facilities and help inspire the next generation of scientists. Science engagement is very high on our agenda and this was a golden opportunity to work with our partners to throw the spotlight on Newcastle’s science and technology strengths. The Festival was so much more than just a six-day science event – we expect to see lasting legacies in innovation,industry and investment. Professor Ella Ritchie, Deputy Vice-Chancellor
It’s given me so much confidence in dealing with the public and talking to children about different scientific issues. Children are so much smarter than I expected! It’s really rewarding when they figure out a challenge and then want to know the science behind it. Because of my experience with the Street Scientists and the Festival I know I will definitely pursue some kind of science outreach work in the future – even if my career isn’t solely focused on it I will make sure I help inspire more young people to study science. Claire Thompson, a Street Scientist and PhD student in Chemical Engineering
350 scientists
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The newest of the three themes, Social Renewal, led by the Newcastle Institute for Social Renewal (NISR) and its Director, Professor Mark Shucksmith, has rapidly gathered momentum through a series of innovative projects and high-profile events. NISR worked with Newcastle University PhD students on an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded competition to develop business ideas based around social renewal. The ‘Innovations that Benefit Society’ competition saw students grappling with issues that affect society, and seeking positive solutions. The winner was Buggiwalk, a scheme introducing healthy, guided walks for new parents aimed at increasing their self-confidence and well-being. In May, the University welcomed internationally-renowned Harvard Professor, and American political philosopher, Michael Sandel, to deliver the second annual Chris Patten Social Renewal Lecture. More than 650 people packed in to hear him speak on ‘The Moral Limits of Markets’. We also marked the 45th anniversary of the award of an honorary degree to Dr Martin Luther King Jr by hosting the Claudia Jones Memorial Lecture. The Trinidadian journalist and civil rights activist is remembered each year with a lecture in her name organised by the National Union of Journalists’ Black Members Council.
The University remains committed to finding solutions to long-term sustainability on both a global and local scale under the leadership of the new Director of the Newcastle Institute for Research on Sustainability (NIReS) – renewable energy expert Professor Phil Taylor. Professor Taylor is the academic lead for the UK’s largest Smart Grid project, the Customer-Led Network Revolution (CLNR). Together with partners Northern Powergrid, Siemens, EA Technology and 14,000 Smart Meter customers, we are at the forefront of the UK’s move towards a low-carbon economy. He is also tasked with overseeing the development of Science Central in the heart of Newcastle, where world-leading research solutions to urban sustainability will be pioneered and tested. Everything on the site, from the buildings themselves to the energy supply, will be a demonstrator site for urban sustainability research. The site will also be one of only six centres around the world linking up to create a ‘school in the cloud’.
Elsewhere, the University continued the tradition of recognising individuals for work relating to social renewal that began with Dr King by awarding honorary degrees to four individuals whose interests represented communities most affected by social, political and economic change. Leading Indian businessmen and philanthropists, Rakesh and Sunil Bharti Mittal, who are passionate advocates of the right to a good education, were joined by the Director of civil rights group Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti, and Lord Garry Runciman, one of Britain’s most eminent sociologists. Bringing together academia, industry, stakeholders and local communities to share knowledge, experiences and expertise continues to underpin the research being carried out under the Sustainability societal challenge theme. 2 3 4
Professor Phil Taylor, Director of the Newcastle Institute for Research on Sustainability. Honorary graduates Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Shami Chakrabarti and Lord Garry Runciman. Professor Mark Shucksmith with Buggiwalk team member, Timi Oriaku.
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Research witha Purpose 13
From highlighting the plight of the humble honey bee and harnessing energy from sewage, to combatting antibiotic resistance and joining the fight against terrorism, Newcastle University’s research is impacting on people’s lives all around the world. 1
The strength, depth and quality of Newcastle University’s academic research is reflected in our continuing ability to secure increasing levels of research funding and income year-on-year. In 2012–13, the total value of grants and contracts awarded reached £125.1m, representing a 28 per cent increase on the previous year. Our focus on excellence with a purpose – demand-led research with the potential to address some of global society’s most pressing problems – means that the University is rarely out of the international headlines. Water is a vital requirement for all forms of life, but for some 768 million people – roughly one in 10 of the world’s population – life without access to safe water is a harsh daily reality. Newcastle University researchers are leading studies across a range of disciplines, all of which are working towards a common goal: to provide clean water. Together with partners from Wales to Brazil, our civil engineers are working on novel and sustainable methods of removing heavy metals from lakes and rivers, a legacy of the planet’s mining heritage, to provide a source of clean water for some of the world’s most remote communities. In a world of increasing energy costs, powering the treatment of wastewater is a growing global problem; the five major emerging national economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are adopting existing energy-intensive treatment technologies in the face of rapid urbanisation. Working with Northumbrian Water Ltd, our biological engineers are harnessing the energy locked up in sewage to power wastewater treatment, which currently accounts for around two per cent of all electricity used in the UK. The team’s research has shown that, by using the energy generated by the billions of microbes that occur naturally in sewage, not only can wastewater treatment plants be completely self-powered and the treatment process improved, they can also be used to produce significant quantities of valuable hydrogen gas with the potential to power electric vehicles or contribute to the production of organic chemicals. As the world’s population continues to grow, our experts are also concentrating their efforts on sustainable transport. The three-year SwitchEV project, led by Newcastle University and Future Transport Systems, is investigating the impact of electric vehicles and the role they could play in transport systems of the future.
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The team is also trialling in-vehicle communication systems that link directly with the city’s Urban Traffic Management Control (UTMC) centre. Based in the University’s Transport Operations Research Group, the UTMC monitors traffic flow, helping motorists drive more efficiently, and keeping our city’s transport network moving. Passenger safety is the driving force for the EU-funded SecureMetro project, being led by the University’s NewRail team, to design a new generation of train and metro carriages that are better able to withstand a terrorist attack. The Madrid bombings in 2004 and the attack on the London Underground in 2005 brought the need for safe and secure public transport into sharp focus, leading our experts to develop a range of blastproof technologies and systems ultimately aimed at saving lives. Newcastle University has long occupied a much envied place at the forefront of medical research, and the past year has been no exception. In May, Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts, announced that Newcastle University medics would lead a £6m Medical Research Council-funded programme to carry out the largest-ever study designed to develop new treatments and improve existing therapy for patients with Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBC), a life-threatening liver disease thought to affect 20,000 people in the UK.
This [study] will dramatically improve quality of life for patients, reduce the number of liver transplants and drive growth in the pharmaceutical sector, supporting the Government’s life sciences strategy. David Willetts
In July, a team of biochemists studying a protein derived from E. coli bacteria, called Colicin N, reported a chance discovery that one simple part of the protein could kill a whole cell. The findings show promise in combatting an increasingly important class of antibiotic resistant infections.
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Our research is also impacting on the natural world. A study into the effects of pesticides on honey bees carried out by Newcastle University neuroscientists prompted a national debate about whether a class of pesticides, known as neonicotinoids, should be banned. The study demonstrated how these chemicals interfered with the bees’ ability to learn and remember, highlighting once again the plight of this threatened species. In Japan, a study of algae in sediment cores that have been laid down over a period of more than 50,000 years on the floor of Lake Suigetsu, is set to make radiocarbon dating more precise and accurate. Studying the layers of organic material could help archaeologists to refine estimates of the timing of the extinction of Neanderthals or the spread of modern humans into Europe by hundreds of years, and climate scientists to better understand the chain of events that led to the advance and retreat of the ice sheets during the last glacial period. And bringing a whole new meaning to cutting-edge research, our archaeologists are attempting to understand how our ancestors fought and survived in the Bronze Age. By testing replica weapons, the team hope this wide-ranging study will shed new light on life during that period. 1 2 3 4
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Professor Tom Curtis carries out a trial of a hydrogen Microbial Electrolysis Cell (MEC) on raw sewage. A controlled, full-scale explosion on a decommissioned metro carriage, carried out by the NewRail team. Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts, with PBC patient Fiona Hale. Wearing protective clothing, Dr Andrea Dolfini tests a replica sword in an experiment to find out how people fought in the Bronze Age.
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Influencing
Policy
Our researchers are helping policy makers determine how we prepare society for future challenges – including caring for our ageing population, rising water levels and ensuring our communities thrive in the face of economic, social and demographic change.
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For the first time this year, the University hosted events at all three mainstream political party conferences, seizing the opportunity to engage senior politicians in a dialogue about our work to address global problems through our societal challenge themes of Ageing, Social Renewal and Sustainability. At the Liberal Democrat conference, Professor Phil Taylor outlined how there are doubts that the UK will meet its extremely demanding target of reducing carbon emissions by at least 80 per cent by 2050. In front of an audience including the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Davey, he suggested that a better understanding of how consumers use and generate electricity could lead to the creation of smart grids with the potential to make a huge difference to our ability to create a sustainable low carbon energy sector. Professor Taylor also told the conference of the need to consider ways to change behaviour so that less pressure is placed on the network at peak times. Regional development expert, Emeritus Professor John Goddard, joined the Labour party conference in Brighton to argue that there are strong incentives for universities to strengthen partnerships with their local communities in order to deliver widening participation, to enhance the student experience and employment opportunities, and to demonstrate the impact of research. Newcastle Central MP and Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office, Chi Onwurah, chaired the debate, with panel members including Gareth Thomas MP, Shadow Minister for Civil Society, and Gordon Marsden MP, Shadow Minister for Further Education, Skills and Regional Growth. Discussing wellbeing in later life in the company of the Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts, two of our experts in ageing, Professor Tom Kirkwood and Dr Lynne Corner, outlined how future policy needs to be informed by groundbreaking research such as the Newcastle 85+ study, because too much is based on out-of-date misconceptions. The unique study examines the health of more than 1,000 people from Newcastle and North Tyneside born in 1921. They called for the same ingenuity that has increased the average UK lifespan by five hours each day of the last century to be put into efforts to make the most of the new reality of an ageing population.
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Ageing has also been at the forefront of debate elsewhere in the political arena. Giving evidence in the House of Lords, another of our experts, Professor Carol Jagger, warned that the UK is woefully underprepared for the impact of the increasing number of people living to a much older age. She forecast that unless treatment and cures were improved, the incidence of the five most common chronic conditions among the over-65s – arthritis, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and dementia – would increase by 25 per cent by 2020 and more than 50 per cent by 2030. Based on her evidence, the Nuffield Trust and the Institute for Fiscal Studies calculated that, even assuming ‘heroic’ productivity improvements, the National Health Service would face a shortfall of between £28 and £34bn – a significant proportion of its £110bn annual budget. Meanwhile, a proposal to change the law to allow mitochondria replacement is beginning its progress through Parliament. An independent public consultation found broad support for an IVF technique, pioneered by a Newcastle University team, to be made available to families at risk of passing on a serious mitochondrial disease. The team’s ground-breaking work allows them to remove the nucleus from a donor egg and replace it with the nucleus from the mother, preventing debilitating diseases passing from generation to generation. Professor Doug Turnbull, Professor of Neurology and Director of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Mitochondrial Research at Newcastle University, said the technique could help hundreds of women have healthy children. Leading scientists Sir Tim Hunt and Sir John Sulston, both recipients of the Nobel Prize for Medicine, have joined calls for the technique to be legalised. Director of the Newcastle Institute for Social Renewal Professor Mark Shucksmith addressed the Commons Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, where he outlined coping with the current financial and economic circumstances as the biggest challenge to rural development in the short to medium term. Professor Shucksmith also said the biggest issue in the medium- to long-term is how to connect with changing technologies, such as high-speed broadband, that threaten to leave rural areas behind ‘in the same way that the railways left parts of the Wild West behind when they were being developed in the railway age.’ 3
And the senior adviser on environment and energy to the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, quoted Newcastle University research highlighting the climate challenge to cities. Blogging about London’s strong position, Matthew Pencharz wrote: ‘There is growing awareness that the resilience of a city to extreme weather is an important component of its international reputation.’
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Guy Opperman, Conservative MP for Hexham, Northumberland, chairs a fringe debate on wellbeing in later life at the Party Conference with David Willetts MP and Professor Tom Kirkwood. Rural communities risk being left behind by technologies such as high-speed broadband. Professor Doug Turnbull with Mitochondria patient, Nikki Parker. (l-r) Professor Ella Ritchie, Energy Minister Ed Davey MP, Professor Phil Taylor and Fiona Hall MEP at the LibDem Conference.
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Driving Regional Regeneration In a city and region facing significant challenges, it is essential that the University plays its role as a core regional organisation. Our strategic vision, academic strength, growing international presence and financial stewardship mean that we are uniquely placed to provide vision for the North East of England.
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Newcastle University sits at the heart of its city in a region with huge challenges: high unemployment, low aspirations among its young people and low average life expectancy. In the current economic climate, nowhere is there a greater potential for a university to be a driving force for economic, social and cultural regeneration than here in our region. Throughout 2013, our three societal challenge themes of Ageing, Social Renewal and Sustainability have continued to be important drivers of our teaching, research, and engagement activity. These themes address global challenges, but they are challenges that also have particular relevance in our own city and region. In other words, while we are global in our ambitions, we remain firmly committed to our mission ‘to play a leading role in the economic, social and cultural development of the North East of England’. Over the past decade, no other UK university has done more to define and realise the concept of the world-class civic university than Newcastle. In common with our internationalisation strategy, collaboration with a range of partners at regional level is helping to extend the University’s influence and reinforce our ties with the city and region. Together with the City Council, we are leading a £380m project to transform Newcastle into a City of Science. The project reached a milestone in February 2013 with the unveiling of a major campaign aimed at attracting potential investors and developers to what is one of the country’s biggest city centre regeneration projects. Work on Science Central is now well underway, with a masterplan and outline planning consent in place, and a funding package in excess of £30m secured. Forming part of the Newcastle Science City initiative, the development is vitally important to the economic regeneration of the city. Moving to the banks of the River Tyne, Newcastle University is to lead a national centre for subsea and offshore engineering as part of a major drive to develop new materials and technologies to explore the world’s oceans. The Neptune National Centre for Subsea and Offshore Engineering was unveiled by Business Secretary Vince Cable, as a key part of the government’s oil and gas strategy. 1 2 3
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The Neptune National Centre for Subsea and Offshore Engineering will lead the quest to harness valuable resources from the ocean. Development work on the Science Central site. (l-r): Robin Casson, Head of Enterprise, Lifelong Learning and Quality Assurance at Northumberland County Council with Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chris Brink, Council Leader, Grant Davey, and Steve Stewart, Council Chief Executive, at the signing of the strategic partnership. Visitors to the Great North Museum: Hancock.
The Centre is set to be the first of its kind in the UK, bringing together industry and academia to create a world-class engineering research facility that will be at the forefront of our quest to harness the ocean’s potential as a source of food, energy and medicine. Building on the region’s maritime heritage and Newcastle University’s world-leading expertise in marine engineering, the Neptune Centre will bring with it much-needed jobs and investment.
This cutting-edge new facility will help put our academic community and industry at the centre of subsea and offshore engineering research. It will drive up skills and develop the innovations needed to fuel growth in the North Sea. Vince Cable
Further afield, the University has signed a new strategic partnership agreement with Northumberland County Council to explore areas of collaboration and align the two organisations in addressing issues specific to Northumberland. Under the agreement, Newcastle University academics will help firms in Northumberland address their current and future skills needs, and the companies will gain access to talented graduates through paid placements and internships. It will also see the University and Council working together to build links with local schools and raise awareness of the opportunities available at a research-intensive university. A particular focus of the agreement is based on the University’s world-leading research into ageing, enabling the Council to maximise the benefits of the county’s growing ageing population by encouraging older people to start businesses, and to attract investment from firms who are providing goods and services to support healthy ageing. The close relationship between the University and the City Council was brought into even sharper focus at the end of 2012, when the Council announced sweeping cuts to its arts budget. The University brokered a deal to share services and ring-fence savings to mitigate the impact of cuts on cultural venues. Looking to the future, the University is playing a leading role in the development of a growth strategy for the region. Commissioned by the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (NELEP), the Smart Specialisation strategy will identify key strengths to build on to underpin economic recovery. It will also help unlock funds from the European Union.
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Creative Partnerships An important part of our civic mission is the role we play in the cultural life of our city and region. Our campus is a thriving cultural hub where students and staff are encouraged to showcase their creative work, while our ever-popular programmes of guest speakers and performers attract thousands of visitors to the University every year. At Newcastle University, we’re proud of our expertise in the creative arts. Acclaimed composers, musicians, conductors, artists, award-winning poets and novelists and a Baftanominated film-maker are among our staff. The Newcastle Institute for Creative Arts Practice (NICAP), launched earlier this year, is bringing together this rich seam of experience, knowledge and talent to foster new and exciting partnerships within the University, as well as developing new ideas with outside organisations. NICAP is building upon our long–standing strengths in creative arts practice, including creative writing, drama and theatre studies, film and digital media, music composition and performance, and fine art. Staying with fine art, the Hatton Gallery at the heart of the campus has occupied a place at the forefront of contemporary British modern art practice for 90 years. The Gallery is the venue for the legendary annual Fine Art and MFA degree shows, and its collection and archives inspire new exhibitions curated by our MA Art Museum and Gallery Studies students. The Hatton is also the permanent home of Kurt Schwitters’ Merzbarn wall. This year saw a resurgence of interest in this iconic artwork, thanks to one of the most comprehensive ever exhibitions of the artist’s work at Tate Britain. Our Newcastle Centre for the Literary Arts enjoys an international reputation for excellence in creative writing, especially poetry. In June, the University took possession of the archive of Bloodaxe Books, one of the most important contemporary poetry publishers in the world, which was set up in the University in 1978 by student Neil Astley. Poets and Newcastle University graduates Anna Woodford and Tara Bergin have been investigating the archive, a fascinating treasure trove of materials that includes personal correspondence and first manuscripts from poets such as Simon Armitage and Sean O’Brien. Elsewhere, the University is now a strategic partner in the ¡VAMOS! Festival − a celebration of Spanish and Portuguese music, film, food, art and dance which is now in its eighth year. University staff helped to get the festival off the ground, and still play a key part in this riotous annual event.
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The University’s Science Festival science buskers take to the streets of Newcastle. The ¡VAMOS! Festival. Outdoor maths classes on the Quayside. Dr Anna Woodford with some of the volumes from the Bloodaxe Books archive. Part of Kurt Schwitters’ iconic Merzbarn Wall, on permanent display in the Hatton Gallery.
The University’s public lectures series Insights is widely acknowledged as one of the best programmes of its kind in the country, regularly attracting capacity audiences. Among the prominent public figures to feature in the most recent series were Sarah Brown, who gave the Fickling Lecture on Children’s Literature, and Baroness Kinnock, who delivered the Inaugural Newcastle Jubilee Development Lecture. Our LIVE in the King’s Hall concert series features musicians from all over the world. One of the outstanding performances during the year was given by the North Yorkshire-based Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band, whose programme included new compositions by Newcastle University students as well as a memorable medley of show tunes from Les Misérables. Sharing knowledge and helping people to understand more about our work and what we’re trying to achieve is an important part of our activity. In the run up to and during the British Science Festival, our science buskers became a familiar sight on the streets of Newcastle. The 27-strong team of ‘Street Scientists’ − made up of science, technology, engineering and maths students − drew the crowds around the city centre with demonstrations explaining the science behind an array of props, tricks and experiments. Meanwhile, the University’s very own ‘Dr Maths’, Steve Humble, a Teaching Fellow in the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences, set about showing schoolchildren that maths can be learned absolutely anywhere. He transformed three of the region’s best known attractions − Europe’s largest shopping mall, the Metrocentre in Gateshead, the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and Newcastle’s Quayside − into giant maths puzzles. Our Children’s Literature Unit has been helping to encourage a love of reading in youngsters by donating 80 ‘must-have reads’ to a local community-run library. We also became the first university to be made a member of Investing in Children, a national organisation concerned with the human rights of children and young people, in recognition of the work our Centre for Learning and Teaching does to consult young people.
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Year in Review February 2013 Sugata Mitra, Professor of Educational Technology, whose research inspired the film Slumdog Millionaire, wins the 2013 TED prize, becoming the first $1m winner in TED prize’s eight-year history for his ‘wish to inspire the world’. His wish: ‘Help me build the School in the Cloud, a learning lab in India, where children can embark on intellectual adventures by engaging and connecting with information and mentoring online’.
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Our scientists discover that sea urchins use nickel particles to harness carbon dioxide from the sea, a finding that could hold the key to capturing tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere. A major campaign is launched, aimed at attracting potential investors and developers to Science Central, one of the country’s biggest city centre regeneration projects, in which the University partners with Newcastle City Council.
March 2013 Newcastle University graduates, Simon Barker and Roland Glancy, launch the Radfan – a revolutionary device to warm homes and reduce heating bills. Roland came up with the idea while studying for his MSc in renewable energy. Business Secretary, Vince Cable, announces that Newcastle University is to lead a national centre for subsea and offshore engineering as part of a major drive to develop new materials and technologies to explore the world’s oceans. The Neptune Centre will be the first of its kind in the UK, bringing together industry and academia to create a world-class engineering research facility. The University holds its first ever graduation ceremonies in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China.
April 2013 Civil engineers Professor Stephanie Glendinning and Dr Mark Powell, and Director of Architecture, Graham Farmer, demonstrate the art of ‘upcycling’ – taking material that would normally be considered waste and turning it into something of value – by creating a café where everything but the coffee is recycled.
Bike thefts on campus are reduced by 60 per cent after University Security Officer, Ken Nott, placed pictures of staring eyes above cycle racks. Ken tried the experiment after reading about research by Professors Melissa Bateson and Daniel Nettle of the Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, which showed that people put more money in an honesty box when a picture of eyes was placed next to it. Baroness Glenys Kinnock discusses the challenges facing the battle to eradicate extreme poverty when she delivers the inaugural Newcastle Jubilee Development Lecture.
May 2013 The first-ever study of interactive tables in the classroom is part of a major trial to understand the benefits of technology to teaching and learning. Harvard Professor, Michael Sandel, delivers the second annual Chris Patten Social Renewal Lecture to a packed King’s Hall. A delegation from Xiamen University and representatives of the Chinese Embassy, the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China, and Hanban – the organisation which promotes Chinese language and culture worldwide – and the City Council and local Chinese Community, attend the launch of the Confucius Institute at Newcastle University.
July 2013 More than 3,000 students celebrate their graduation, among them identical twins, Lisa and Laura Davidson. Honorary Degrees are awarded to leading psychologist, Professor Dorothy Bishop; Chief Medical Officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies; Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Mark Walport; renowned historian, Professor Keith Wrightson; and one of the world’s foremost philosophers, Professor Martha Nussbaum. A ‘TripAdvisor’-style app which helps new mothers to locate breastfeedingfriendly places while they are out and about is launched. ‘Feed-Finder’ rates cafés, restaurants and any public places around the world for breastfeeding. Politics graduate and cricket fanatic, Alby Shale, sets a new world record by batting for 26 hours at The Oval’s nets to raise funds for his charity, the Rwanda Cricket Stadium Foundation.
August 2013 Prison Letters, a mini opera created by Professor of Composition, Agustin Fernandez, has its first public performance in Newcastle. The piece is based on an idea by PhD student and artist Lyn Hagan, inspired by her correspondence with a death row prisoner in California’s San Quentin State Prison.
nu-food, a state-of-the-art sensory testing facility that will be used to improve the quality, taste and texture of food for consumers is launched by Lord Curry of Kirkharle.
Research led by Professor Mark BirchMachin and published in the journal, Scientific Reports, reveals that some species of whales get darker with sun exposure, incurring DNA damage in their skin and accumulating damage to their skin cells as they get older in the same way that humans do.
A study by Dr Cristina Dye, a lecturer in child language development, finds that children’s speech is far more advanced than previously thought, with two and three-year-olds using grammar far sooner than expected.
Results from the National Student Survey (NSS) show that 90 per cent of students are happy with their overall experience at Newcastle University, placing us in the top 10 for full service universities.
June 2013
The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies, and Ted Webb, Deputy Director for Health Science and Biothethics, outline the government response to HFEA advice on new IVF techniques for the prevention of mitochondrial disease.
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