Alma Matters - 2016/17 by Newcastle University Alumni

The US Friends of Newcastle University Graduate Newsletter | Issue 9 | 2016/17

Alma

Matters

Welcome to Alma Matters Welcome to this edition of Alma Matters, Newcastle University’s newsletter produced especially for our US graduates and friends. Being a Newcastle graduate remains a rewarding experience. As I’m sure you do, I have an immense sense of pride that I am able to support a university which is world-renowned for its pioneering and life-changing research. In April 2016, we were delighted to welcome TED Prize-winner Professor Sugata Mitra to New York for an exclusive alumni event. He shared his vision of a new model of education and discussed how it is impacting communities around the world. You can read more about his work in this issue. In September 2016, we were delighted to be joined by fellow graduate Professor Elroy Dimson, who hosted a professional networking event and delivered a fascinating seminar on ‘The Price of Wine’. As always, I would encourage you to keep in touch with your University. You can update your details online at: www.ncl.ac.uk/alumni/intouch. By doing so, the University can keep you posted about a number of exciting developments underway for the coming year and future events where it would be great to see you. With best wishes Anthony Hutchings BA German 1965, President, US Friends of Newcastle University

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US News Round-up

Engineering the future In March 2016, Newcastle University hosted a Faculty-led study tour of students from the University of Cincinnati’s College of Engineering & Applied Sciences. In addition to visiting major engineering firms in the region, the visiting students attended lectures and guided tours of the University’s state-of-the-art engineering facilities and Smart Grid.

ACE Fellows visit Newcastle University The American Council on Education (ACE) Fellows, a group of University Leaders from various US institutions, visited Newcastle in April 2016 as part of a fact-finding mission to examine leadership in the light of the challenges and opportunities faced by UK universities. The Fellows, made up of Vice-Presidents, Deans and Department Heads, met with senior managers to learn more about our mission and our vision of Newcastle as a world-class civic university.

Renewed scholarships take students to USA

Freedom City 2017 A website for Freedom City 2017, the city-wide celebration marking the 50th anniversary of Dr Martin Luther King Jr receiving an honorary degree from Newcastle University, is now live: www.freedomcity2017.com

Two historical US scholarships have been revived for 2016/17. The Capstaff Scholarship will enable one postgraduate science student to undertake research at the University of California, San Diego. The scholarship was bequeathed in 1968 by alumnus John G Capstaff. Likewise, the revived Rowan-Textron Scholarship, established in 1998 by alumnus Brian H Rowe, will take two mechanical engineering students to the University of Cincinnati, Ohio, for one semester. Both scholarships have been reinstated by Thomas Snell, International Partnerships Manager, as part of the University’s ongoing strategy for international research and collaboration.

Alma Matters | The US Friends of Newcastle University Graduate Newsletter

Strengthening Institutional Partnerships with the USA As a world-class civic university, Newcastle University has international partnerships with a number of US institutions. These partnerships enable staff and students to collaborate on teaching and research projects that address the needs and challenges of a global society. Funding for staff and student exchanges Newcastle University has been successful in its application for ERASMUS+ (European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students) International Credit Mobility funding. The funding has already enabled a number of invaluable staff and postgraduate student exchanges with the University’s US partners: Indiana University, Cornell University and the University of Pittsburgh. A number of distinguished academics from the US have already visited Newcastle, including leading academics in applied economics, history, renewable energy and physics. Newcastle University staff have also received Erasmus+ awards. Leading

academics in river science, agri-business management and modern languages from Newcastle will be travelling to the US over the coming year. A range of Newcastle PhD students have also had the opportunity to access facilities and knowledge at Newcastle’s partner institutions for a semester abroad. ‘The amount of Erasmus+ Funding allocated to exchanges with the Industrialised Americas was very limited, so we were extremely pleased to be successful in the first-ever round of this funding being made available for mobility to countries outside of the EU,’ said Thomas Snell, International Partnerships Manager.

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‘Exchanging staff and postgraduate students with our US partners has enabled us to strengthen our institutional partnerships and deliver quality outputs in research as well as teaching and learning.’

Dental exchange An innovative collaboration with Indiana University School of Dentistry gave students from both Indiana and Newcastle the opportunity to work together and deliver primary dental care outreach. In 2016, students from Indiana spent a week on Tyneside providing dental care in some of the city’s poorest areas. As part of this community engagement, they also delivered oral health education to mother-and-baby groups and adult day-care centres. During the current academic year, students from Newcastle will travel to

Indiana University and provide oral care to underserved populations in deprived areas of Indianapolis. In doing so, both sets of dental students will gain mutual awareness of delivery, access to care and the barriers to oral health care facing patients in the UK and US. By working together to deliver oral health care to community groups, students will further develop their skills and gain experience of working alongside international colleagues. It also provides students with first-hand experience to compare and contrast the healthcare approaches between the UK and the US while directly helping the most vulnerable members of society.

Find out more… For further information about the University’s international impact and partnerships, visit: www.ncl.ac.uk/international-relations

Alma Matters | The US Friends of Newcastle University Graduate Newsletter

US Scholar’s life on Tyneside Autumn is always a special time on campus. The weather may be cooler – even by North East standards – but it remains a lively hub of academic and social activity. With the semester now fully underway, new and returning students are settled into their studies and campus is awash with the red, purple and yellow colours of autumn. Among the new faces on campus this year is Maureen Lawless from Illinois, who is studying biomedical sciences at Newcastle thanks to a scholarship she was awarded. Alma Matters caught up with Maureen to find out how she was enjoying her studies, the University and life on Tyneside.

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Maureen, 22, from Peoria, Illinois, is studying at Newcastle for a full academic year after being awarded a scholarship that covers living expenses. ‘I’ve already completed my first assignment,’ she says. ‘It was a module about clinical cases in neuroscience and it was great to undertake actual case studies.’ Maureen, who is a Molecular and Cellular Biology student at the University of Illinois, plans to do an accelerated nursing programme when she finishes at Newcastle, with a view to becoming a nurse practitioner. ‘For a long time I didn’t know what I wanted to do,’ Maureen recalls. ‘I had considered a career in biology research, but then spent some time volunteering in a hospital. I got to see exactly what nurses do and how they care for and interact with their patients. I knew then it was something I wanted to do.’ Studying at Newcastle as part of her final year is allowing her to undertake clinical skills courses she was unable to take back home. ‘The courses at Newcastle prepare you for a career in health care,’ she says. ‘My previous research was interesting, but here I can get invaluable hands-on experience.’

Tyneside and beyond With family roots in Glasgow and County Clare, Ireland, Maureen is also using her time in the UK to explore her family

tree and visit relatives from her base in Newcastle. ‘I’ve visited Glasgow already,’ she says. ‘I’ve also visited London and a friend in Barcelona. I might travel a little bit more, but I still have so much to explore in Newcastle – I’m yet to visit the Quayside! ‘I really like the city centre and everything being so close. There are a lot of places to visit, places to shop and some great places to eat in Newcastle too.’ When she isn’t studying, Maureen has been participating in the social and sporting activities enjoyed by many Newcastle students. ‘I joined the women’s tennis team. I really like the social events they hold each week. They’re really fun, it’s great to be part of a team and socialise with your teammates.’ The scholarship Maureen was awarded covers living expenses, allowing her to focus on her studies and extracurricular activities without worrying about bills or finances. ‘It’s allowed me to become so much more involved,’ says Maureen. ‘I’m a member of Bio Sci, the Bio Medical Sciences society, and enjoy playing some basketball too. ‘I’m really grateful for this opportunity. It’s given me a chance to shadow medical professionals and meet other students from around the world. I’ve already made friends with fellow students from Lithuania, Germany and Malaysia!’

Find out more… For further information about supporting the student experience, including scholarships, visit: http://go.ncl.ac.uk/alumni/studentexperience

Courting Success The biggest sporting clubs in Newcastle have more in common than success on the playing fields. Whether it be the Magpies – as Newcastle United are affectionately known – or the Falcons, Newcastle’s rugby union team, or the Eagles, the most successful team in British Basketball League history, they all have names synonymous with flight. Newcastle University has its own sporting highflyers too – quite literally when it comes to the basketball court. Every year, new and experienced basketball players at Newcastle University take to the courts, both for training and active competition. The University’s Basketball Club currently has teams competing in both the British Universities and College Sport (BUCS) and National Basketball leagues. The club boasts recruits from across the UK, professional leagues in Europe and an increasing number of talented players from North America.

Kara Bonenberger (pictured left), 23, from Northampton, Pennsylvania, and Lauren Godde (pictured right), 24, from Jackson, California, both graduated from the University in summer 2016. Like many Newcastle students, their sport played a major part of their time here. ‘I learned a lot through my time playing basketball for Newcastle,’ says Kara. ‘The dedication from the strength and conditioning coaches has increased my strength and agility on the court. The coaching staff challenged myself and the team every day to become better players.’ Lauren agrees: ‘It was a great experience and it was the first year the team played in the BUCS premiership league. Coaches Mark Elderkin and Noelia Quintas are establishing a good foundation for Newcastle University’s Women’s Basketball Club.’

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Both players made history during their time playing for Newcastle. Their success on the court saw the team secure a place in the women’s premiership for a consecutive year and reach the BUCS play-offs. Looking ahead to the future, Kara and Lauren are now pursuing careers in their chosen sport and both plan to stay on Tyneside. ‘I am continuing my basketball career in the UK,’ says Kara. ‘My time at Newcastle gave me the opportunity to become a better basketball player.’ ‘I’m now studying on a strength and conditioning course,’ adds Lauren, ‘I hope one day to be a head coach and train my own team.’

Aiming high The next generation of basketball students at Newcastle will benefit from new investment in sport. The University’s Sports Centre is to be redeveloped to include an eight-court sports hall, a strength and conditioning suite and two exercise studios. The investment will ensure Newcastle remains one of the top sporting universities in the UK and continues to attract the sports stars of the future. Irving Eggleston Jr (pictured right), 22, from Cincinnati, joined the University at the start of the 2016–17 academic year and plays for the Knights, the University’s men’s basketball team, having previously played for Bison Pride of Nichols College, Massachusetts.

‘It’s great to continue my career here,’ says Irving. ‘The basketball programme has had success in the past and we are now looking to win at a high level. I’m also very fond of the city, it’s very lively and offers many things to do.’ Irving is studying for an MSc in Accounting, Finance and Strategic Investment at the University’s triple-accredited Business School with the help of a Santander Scholarship. As part of a long-standing partnership with Santander Universities, these sports scholarships help attract elite athletes and reward sporting excellence at the University. ‘Completing a Master’s degree at a world-class university is something that will put me well beyond competitors in my field,’ says Irving.

Find out more… For all the latest basketball and sport news and results visit: www.ncl.ac.uk/sport

Changing Lives Research at Newcastle University changes lives. From New York to Nepal, the University’s work is addressing some of the major challenges facing the world today. It is thanks to the support of the University’s graduates and friends – and in particular, those in North America – that Newcastle continues to be at the forefront of pioneering breakthroughs. In our last issue of Alma Matters, we highlighted how a school in Harlem had created the first American research lab dedicated to exploring self-organised learning environments (SOLEs). Developed by Professor Sugata Mitra, the concept of self-organised learning follows on from his ‘Hole in the Wall’ experiments, in which he placed a computer in a wall of an Indian slum and observed as children taught each other

subjects from English to programming. SOLE NYC is the eighth ‘School in the Cloud’ lab and opened last year. Based at John B. Russwurm PS 197M, the revolutionary approach to learning sees children, aged between four and 13, working together in small groups with access to a computer. ‘When SOLE-NYC opened there were high expectations as to how our

Pictured above: Second-graders at John B. Russwurm PS 197M present their own findings to kindergarteners.

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lab would unfold in one of the most important cities in the world,’ explains SOLE NYC Co-ordinator Natalia Arredondo. ‘We have already had over 500 SOLE sessions and the learning has been amazing. The children have led the way by teaching us how they learned through SOLE.

Tara Millington, Campaigns Officer, said: ‘We were delighted so many of our US alumni and supporters gave to this important campaign. It has delivered real impact and supported further research into these learning environments, which has already benefitted children in the US, the UK and around the world.’

‘The self-organisation process has continued outside the lab and it supports students emotionally too,’ says Natalia. ‘Whenever a student struggles to find an answer, other students are very keen to help them until they do so. Our hope for the second year of the SOLE NYC lab is to watch how these New Yorkers – students, families and teachers – use the lab for learning and social change.’

Making an impact

Last year, the University’s US alumni community helped raise funds to continue the vital ‘School in the Cloud’ work taking place in India. Thanks to their support, and matched-donations from the University and an anonymous donor, Prof Mitra has opened a new SOLE research lab and is able to keep the existing independent SOLE labs in West Bengal up and running for the next three years.

From protecting future generations from mitochondrial disease, to relieving pressure on global water supplies, research taking place at Newcastle University has never been more important. ‘The support we receive from our alumni is vital to the success of the University’s research,’ explains Tara. ‘We’re grateful to each and every member of our US alumni community who gives. It is because of them we continue to make a difference and deliver real tangible impact to people’s lives.’

Get involved… Find out more about the Newcastle Annual Fund and how research at Newcastle University shapes lives, influences policy and is addressing global challenges: www.ncl.ac.uk/alumni/impact Thanks to the support of the US Friends of Newcastle University, US alumni and supporters can claim tax deductions on their donations. You can find out more about tax-efficient giving – and ways to donate – on the alumni website: http://go.ncl.ac.uk/alumniusa

USGraduates–Get involved! As Newcastle University’s US community of graduates and friends grows, so too does the number of ways to get involved and support our activities. Networking and events

Student recruitment

Our professional networking events help connect graduates with industry leaders, giving them unique opportunities to gain insightful career tips and advice. Our alumni mixers and reunions are always a great excuse for catching up and sharing news and memories!

Our alumni are fantastic ambassadors for the University. You can ‘give back’ in your own way by sharing your own experiences of Newcastle with prospective students or by attending a recruitment event.

E-mentoring Newcastle University is developing a professional online mentoring and networking platform to launch in late 2017. We’re currently looking for volunteers to help us be part of an exciting pilot phase.

Alumni profiles

Career insights

Taking part…?

By sharing your story as an alumni profile, you can directly enhance the aspirations of current and potential students who may wish to follow your professional path. To submit yours, please visit: http:// go.ncl.ac.uk/alumniprofile

Your experiences are a huge asset to our students, their careers and future employability. We are keen to hear from any anybody interested in delivering a webinar, or who may be able to offer a placement or internship.

If you would be interested in taking part in any of these activities, we would be delighted to hear from you. You can contact us at: alumni.volunteer@ncl.ac.uk

Are your details up to date? Please take a moment to update your details with us at: www.ncl.ac.uk/alumni/ intouch By doing so, you will be first to hear about all our upcoming events and activities.

NU Advancement, Newcastle University, King’s Gate, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)191 208 7250 | E-mail: advancement@ncl.ac.uk