March 2010
Queen Mary Student
Dear Student, Welcome to the first edition of Queen Mary Student. This is your e-newsletter, providing bite-size information on recent news and research from Queen Mary, University of London. If you would like to comment on QM Student or have any news you think is relevant, please email Kate Ashenden: k.ashenden@qmul.ac.uk
The National Student Survey - we can do it! The National Student Survey (NSS) is an independent, national survey specifically for final year students. It takes just five minutes to complete, but by participating in this short task you could have a long term impact on the experience of future Queen Mary students. Your answers will help us develop new initiatives to enhance university life and
study at Queen Mary, so every comment counts! Last year we were awarded the ‘Most Improved Student Experience Award’, at the Times Higher Education Awards. This year we want to be one of the BEST student experiences in the UK – and with your help we believe this is possible! For more information, visit: www.thestudentsurvey.com. Please fill in your response by Friday 30 April 2010.
New research to tackle classroom behaviour ‘Embodied Emotions’, a new research project led by Queen Mary, draws on insights from psychology, philosophy, social history, performance practice and educational theory, to help improve the emotion wellbeing of school children. Ali Campbell, from the Department of English and Drama, and Dr Thomas Dixon from the Department of History have joined forces with artist Clare Whistler and film maker Bhavesh Hindocha, to explore past attempts by British governments to shape the nation’s emotional wellbeing, and to develop a series of workshops using role-play to help children investigate issues such as bullying, peer-pressure and classroom violence. The project is funded by a £100,000 grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Queen Mary Student: a newsletter for you
Latest News Queen Mary leads new NHS initiative to benefit millions in North-East London The School of Medicine and Dentistry is to lead a ground-breaking new NHS and university initiative, which will revolutionise patient care and benefit more than six million people in North East London and beyond. The new Health Innovation and Education Cluster (HIEC) is led by Queen Mary (on behalf of NEL Health, which includes all NHS bodies in NE London), along with University College London (UCL Partners), and Anglia Ruskin University/Essex NHS. The three partnerships will come together to research and pioneer new approaches for treatments of common diseases such as chronic lung disease; provide a new focus for preventing major illnesses such as stroke and heart disease; and support better choice and care for maternity care.
Junk the Jargon Final! First competition of its kind for PhD students and post-docs
Queen Mary medic made ‘people’s peer’ Professor Ajay Kakkar, Professor of Surgical Science and School of Medicine and Dentistry Dean for External Relations, donned parliamentary robes for the first time on Monday 22 March 2010 to mark his induction as a life peer in the House of Lords. An expert in the treatment and prevention of blood clots, Lord Kakkar, as he is now known, was one of four new cross-bench peers recommended to the Prime Minister by the House of Lords Appointments Commission. The others were paralympic gold medallist Dame Tanni Grey Thompson, Design Council chair Sir Michael Bichard and Royal Opera House chief executive Tony Hall.
Claire Sarell, a PhD student from the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, was awarded first prize and £500 in the final of ‘Junk the Jargon,’ in February. In the first contest of its kind, Queen Mary challenged its postdoctoral and postgraduate researchers to present their research in an easy-to-understand, jargon-free way, in under three minutes. The ten participants had already taken part in heats within their Graduate School to get through to the final. Claire, winner of the judges' and audience vote, was commended for her interesting, entertaining and creative delivery of the topic entitled 'What causes Alzheimer's disease?' Katie Lidster, from the Neuroscience and Trauma Centre at the Blizard Institute of Cell and Molecular Science, was awarded second place and £200 prize money for her detailed but clear presentation 'How do mice with green eyes contribute to MS research,' and Rebecca Burgell from the Institute's Neurogastroenterology Group, came in third place for her excellent use of props in 'Code Brown / Code Red!! Causes of constipation.'
Queen Mary Student: a newsletter for you
Latest News (cont) National Science and Engineering Week 2010 Staff and students at Queen Mary took part in National Science and Engineering Week this year with a series of public talks and schools events at the Mile End campus between Tuesday 16 and Friday 19 March 2010. Coordinated by the British Science Association, National Science and Engineering Week was a 10 day programme of around 3,500 events running throughout the whole of the UK with the aim of celebrating science, engineering and technology and its importance in our lives. Hundreds of thousands of people take part in National Science and Engineering Week every year, attending activities organised by universities, schools, motivated individuals and national scientific bodies. This year's programme at Queen Mary involved people from across the College, including the Astronomy Unit, Department of Physics, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, School of Mathematical Sciences, School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, School of Engineering and Materials Science, Centre of the Cell and the Centre for Digital Music.
Queen Mary graduate wins London’s top black student prize Nanayaa Hughes-Brittain, a first class Materials Engineering graduate from Queen Mary, has won the top prize at the Black Students Academic Achievement Awards. Diane Abbott MP, who hosted the annual event, hailed the applicants as the highest standard of students so far. Celebrity guests including Mayor Boris Johnson, Education Minister Iain Wright, actress Naomie Harris, Sky News presenter Gillian Joseph, and Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu.
QM alumnus invests millions in the future of UK science and engineering An ambitious scholarship scheme to help the poorest students pursue their dreams in science and engineering, sponsored by an alumnus of Queen Mary, has been announced. Successful businessman and Queen Mary alumnus Dr Naim Dangoor, has pledged a generous ÂŁ3 million to give talented students the opportunity to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects at 1994 Group and Russell Group universities.
Queen Mary Student: a newsletter for you
Latest News (cont) Robert Peston lectures to Queen Mary Economics students on credit crunch The award-winning business journalist spoke to some 200 Economics students at the College’s Mile End campus on the cause and effects of the recent financial meltdown. Robert Peston is son of economist Lord Maurice Peston, who was Emeritus Professor and founder of the Department of Economics at Queen Mary. Speaking of his Father’s close association with the College, Robert said: “I take great pride in how Queen Mary continues to go from strength to strength especially the impressive, thriving Department of Economics. This is a fantastic time to be studying in this field.”
Queen Mary illuminates great Olympic moments As the leading university within orbit of the Olympic Park, Queen Mary has demonstrated a strong commitment to providing support for the London 2012 Olympics. Contributions include student volunteering, hosting 1,000 members of the Olympic family in our student village at Mile End during the games, and an arts cultural and health programme
before, during and after the Games. The College is also involved in the strategic thinking around the Olympic legacy, for example what the Olympic park might look like after the Games. One of our most interesting contributions is the research we provide in understanding the significance of the games to the present and future. This subject is explored in depth during the Olympic Lectures Series, which highlights major aspects of the history of the Olympics. The lecture series, consisting of four separate lectures, started on 9 February. The opening public lecture compared the first Games held in Ancient Greece to the forthcoming global spectacles of London 2012
and Rio 2016. The second, on 23 February, discussed the impact of the two modern Olympics held in London since 1908 on British politics. The series then looked at the Berlin Games of 1936 - an athletic showcase of growing Nazi power and propaganda. The final lecture of the 2009 - 2010 academic year, to take place on 20 April from 6.30pm in the Peoples Palace, will discuss Munich 1972, staged with the aim of reflecting a new, democratic Germany to the world, but overshadowed by the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes by Palestinian terrorists. Queen Mary scholars are also producing a series of films, performances and seminars in 2011 and 2012, outlining the links between sport and health; religious traditions and physical discipline, the cohesive role of sport in communities, and much more.
Queen Mary Student: a newsletter for you
Research Brief Groundbreaking findings from your top research led university… Increase in Down’s Syndrome offset by better screening The number of Down’s Syndrome pregnancies has risen sharply over the last 20 years as women have opted to have children later, according to new research conducted by National Down Syndrome Cytogenetic Register – a unique resource held at Queen Mary, University of London, which has recorded almost all Down’s Syndrome pregnancies and births in England and Wales since 1989. The study’s author is Joan Morris, Professor of Medical Statistics at the School of Medicine and Dentistry. She said: “What we’re seeing here is a steep rise in pregnancies with Down’s syndrome but that is being offset by improvements in screening. It was thought that these improvements would lead to a decrease in the number of births with Down’s syndrome. However due to increases in maternal age this has not occurred.
Study sheds light on role of stem cells in children’s brain tumour New research from the Blizard Institute of Cell and Molecular Science (based at the School of Medicine and Dentistry), has shown how the most common type of children’s brain cancer can arise from stem cells. Silvia Marino, Professor of Neuropathology said: “This study is a major advance for us because it shows for the first time that some of these tumours develop from endogenous stem cells. This is important for two reasons. First, it could help us to tell which cancers will respond well to treatment and which will need a more aggressive therapy. Second, this new
understanding could help us to find much-needed new drugs for the disease.”
Little pill means big news in the treatment of multiple sclerosis Researchers from the Blizard Institute of Cell and Molecular Science have discovered a new drug for multiple sclerosis. A major trial of the oral drug Cladribine has revealed that it significantly reduces relapse and deterioration of the disease, and goes a long way to eliminating the unpleasant side effects associated with existing therapies. Led by Professor Gavin Giovanonni, Professor of Neurology (Centre Lead for Neuroscience and Trauma), the new study involved over 1,300 MS patients who were followed up for nearly two years and monitored using MRI scans.
Queen Mary Student: a newsletter for you
Research Brief (cont) Groundbreaking findings from your top research led university… Dolphin and bat DNA on the same wavelength Dr Stephen Rossiter and Dr James Cotton from the Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, have shown that the remarkable ability of echolocation is shared by bats and dolphins at a much deeper level than anyone previously realised – all the way down to the molecular level. Writing in the journal Current Biology, they describe how dolphins and bats have both evolved the same specialised form of inner-ear hair cells that allow them to use sophisticated echolocation: detecting unseen obstacles or tracking down prey by making a high frequency noise and listening for the echo that bounces back. The discovery represents an unprecedented example of convergence between two very different animals, and suggests that further studies might unearth more genetic similarities between species than scientists would have suspected.
Skull bone may hold the key to tackling osteoporosis Scientists at Queen Mary, have uncovered fundamental differences between the bone which makes up the skull and the bones in our limbs, which they believe could hold the key to tackling bone weakness and fractures. The new research, led by Dr Simon Rawlinson, Lecture in Oral Biology,
offers an explanation for this phenomenon for the first time. The researchers say that their new understanding of the differences between the two types of bone could lead to new ways to treat or prevent osteoporosis.
HPV jab will prevent two thirds of cervical cancers in under 30s by 2025 Professor Jack Cuzick, from the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine (based at the School of Medicine and Dentistry) has unveiled a new HPV jab which could prevent two thirds of cervical cancers in under 30s by 2025. Professor Cuzick said: “In women in their twenties alone, around 145 cases of cervical cancer will be prevented each year in the UK thanks to the HPV vaccine. And around 13,000 women each year will be spared from having an abnormal screening test result.
Queen Mary Student: a newsletter for you
MySIS The new Student Information System
Queen Mary will be using a new Student Information System (SIS) to manage student data from August this year. This will mean important changes to how you interact with the College. You will be given a user account and access to MySIS, your personal area of the Student Information System, which contains your data, and allows you to complete many tasks such as re-enrolment, module registration, and programme changes online at a time that suits you. We will also use MySIS to communicate important information to you through your personal in-tray. MySIS will also hold a lot of information that is relevant to you and your studies, including departmental events, reading lists, term dates, and a great deal more.
Re-enrolment The first thing that you will be able to access through MySIS will be re-enrolment. All returning students need to re-enrol at the start of each academic year. Re-enrolment is already an online process, but you will find that the screens look slightly different in MySIS this year. You will re-enrol in September this year. Make sure that you check your College email account regularly, as we will send you more information and a link to re-enrolment in MySIS over the summer.
Module registration This year will be the first time that you will be able to select your modules online, through MySIS, rather than filling in forms. Any compulsory or core modules will be pre-selected (you cannot delete or change these), and you will also be able to select from a specified range of modules appropriate to your programme of study. You can submit comments with your selection to assist your adviser in the approval process.
You will also be able to ‘undo’ your initial selection and submit a revised selection for re-approval, but your final module selection must be confirmed by the specified deadline and when you undo your selection you will risk losing your place on popular modules, so you should avoid or limit the use of undo if you can. Once you have made your selections, you will need to submit them for approval by your adviser or departmental administrator. The final outcome of your selections will be confirmed to you by email. You will receive an email with a link to module registration in MySIS in September – please do check your College email account for this message.
Personal details and programme maintenance MySIS will let you update your address and contact details online throughout the year, saving you a trip to Registry. Just log-in to your MySIS account, and make the changes.
We are also working to let you manage changes to your programme of study online in the future, which will let you make amendments at a time that is convenient for you.
Resitting Assessment If you have the option of resitting assessment from the previous academic year, you can log-in to MySIS to confirm whether or not you want to take up the opportunity.
More changes ahead MySIS will be developed throughout the coming year to include more tools to help with managing your study at the College. We want to keep you informed, so make sure that you check your College email account regularly – there are lots of changes ahead! For more information please email sis@qmul.ac.uk or you can visit the website at www.qmul.ac.uk/sis