The Stag, Issue 91

THE

STAG UNIVERSITY OF SURREY

STUDENT MAGAZINE

VC

Issue 91 / April 2017

ADDRESSES STUDENTS ON RACIAL ATTACK

JIM AL-KHALILI

Talks media, science and social media in an exclusive interview with The Stag

INTERNATIONAL

Part II of our Surrey students across the globe special, from the USA to Japan

AUTISM AWARENESS

Meet students with Autism and learn more about autism awareness week!

The Editorial Team Head Editor

Head of Marketing

Head of Design

Connor James Ibbetson

Matthew Nolan

Vasiliki (Alice) Papadopoulou

With special thanks to our team EDITORS

Opinion: (Open) Fitness: Molly Miles Societies: James Bucu Creative: Emma Dast Science and Technology: Katie O’Brien Fashion: Akanshya Gurung Beauty: Ross Carter Literature and Art: Ibrahim Sarwar Sport: Darcy Cox Ents: Alice Papadopoulou Food: Charli Whittaker Music: Charley Jean-Douglas

DESIGN AND PROOFING Alice Papadopoulou Connor James Ibbetson Matthew Nolan

WRITERS Alice Papadopoulou Ak Gurung Connor James Ibbetson Connor James O’Hara Charley Jean-Douglas Dan Hood Dana Perry David Thomas Ewa Pospieszynska Georgina Smith Jana Browne Katie O’Brien Laurie Hagan Lena Kowalczyk Maya Knox-Macaulay Megan d’Ardenne Michal Frackowiak Monique Botha Rebecca Hollister Rohullah Yaqubi Sabrina Hadimadja

Steph Clarke COVER PHOTO Connor James Ibbetson PHOTOGRAPHY Connor James Ibbetson Li Zhonghao Naina Pahuja William Beckwith Yousif Sadik WITH THANKS TO Prof. J. Al-Khalili Jordan Owen-Oneil Kane Walsh Luke Underdown Hayley Smith

Head Editor’s Letter

This Editor’s letter shall carry with it a serious and sombre message.

As I am sure you have all heard, not only was there the public outcry for the racial attack that occurred on campus, but we have lost now two of our own.

On February 26th, University of Surrey Student, Victor Ivanelo was reported missing after leaving a friend’s house in Esher. Despite huge efforts in the search, British Transport Police were called to a railway arch near Surbiton station at 1.30pm on Tuesday, March 28, following reports that a body had been discovered. This sadly proved to be Victor Ivanelo. I am even more saddened that I must alter my letter in order to report the death of a second student, John Igboanugo, while on an Easter sports trip. Due to a lack of confirmed information at the time of writing The Stag is holding off on further comment, but I hope we can all to come together as a commuinity to honour their memory.

On top of this, the campus was embroiled in a scandal revolving around the racial attack on Jordan Owen-Oneill. Frustration among students came to head at the final evening of SurreyDecides Question Time. This lead to an open meeting of the University and the Students Union, where the Vice Chancellor apologised for the way the incident was handled.

It has certainly been a troubling time for our student community. The housing crisis is putting pressure on all of Guildford, I have even seen stickers on lamp posts on my walk into University declaring areas to be ‘Student Free Zones’.

But what gives me hope is to see the individual communities within the University rally to the cause of the common good. The open meeting headed by the Vice Chancellor was packed with students of all races and ethnic backgrounds. The students union has launched its housing awareness programmes and the community representative programme, both of which I am sure will prove highly successful. I have also seen people coming together to supprt the families of the two students who have lost their lives. Links to these support pages will be on our social media.

We also approach the end of our year, and for me the end of my tenure as your editor and as a student. It’s important that we as students look after each other, now more than ever. As exam pressure looms, make sure to keep an eye on your friends. Everyone struggles at some point, and sometimes the hardest thing to do is admit that to yourself. The centre for wellbeing offers excellent services for those who are struggling. If someone you know is struggling, don’t be afraid to suggest to them to check out the centre for wellbeing, or contact the centre on their behalf if you are truly worried. Because at the end of the day, we all have to look out for one another.

If you, or someone you know, requires support in light of this news discussed here, please contact the University’s Centre for Wellbeing on campus by emailing centreforwellbeing@surrey.ac.uk, calling 01483 689498, or visiting the Centre in person.

As always, I leave you with a quote I find to be fitting in times of hardship. All the best.

“Bond is stronger than blood. The family grows stronger by bond.”

ITOHAN EGHIDE, MASTER OF MAXIMS

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THE STAG UPDATE: Publication deadlines

Issue 92 is set for release in June 2017, our final issue for the academic year 2017.

Articles will be accepted until may 1st 2017

New Committee Members We welcome Charley Jean Douglas as our Music Editor Also congratulations to the new commitee elected at our AGM, from Summer 2017 Katie O’Brien will be taking over as the Head Editor

Fancy becoming an editor?

Contact Connor, the Head Editor, to learn more and apply

take the stag with you, wherever you go.

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WE WANT YOUR SUBMISSIONS Opinion: (Open) Fitness: Molly Miles Societies: James Bucu Creative: Emma Dast Sci/Tech: Katie O’Brien Fashion: Ak Gurung Beauty: Ross Carter Literature: Ibs Sarwar Sport: Darcy Cox Ents: Alice Papadopoulou Food: Charli Whittaker Features: Ricardo Mendes Photos: Connor Ibbetson Music: Charley Douglas

Opinion@thestagsurrey.co.uk Fitness@thestagsurrey.co.uk Societies@thestagsurrey.co.uk Creative@thestagsurrey.co.uk Sci/Tech@thestagsurrey.co.uk Fashion@thestagsurrey.co.uk Beauty@thestagsurrey.co.uk Literature@thestagsurrey.co.uk Sport@thestagsurrey.co.uk Entertainment@thestagsurrey co.uk Food@thestagsurrey.co.uk Features@thestagsurrey.co.uk Editor@thestagsurrey.co.uk Music@thestagsurrey.co.uk

pHOTOS and other content TO: EDITOR@THESTAGSURREY.CO.UK 5

FASHION

GUCCI - 84 MARC JACOBS - 88 FASHION GETS POLITICAL - 90

FEATURES

VC ADDRESS TO STUDENTS - 20 JIM AL-KHALILI ON SCIENCE, MEDIA AND POLITICS - 30 AUTISIM AWARENESS WEEK - 40

THE STAG

EDITORS LETTER - 3 UPDATES - 4 PHOTOGRAPHY SPREAD - 52

OPINION AND POLITICS

CONNOR O’HARA ON: FUTURE OF THE UNION - 18 DO WE NEED MORE GENDERS? - 12

CONTENTS

SOCIETIES AND UNI LIFE HARRY POTTER SOC - 78 ALUMNI SECTION - 74 ALUMNI PROFILE - 76

ENTERTAINMENT

MODERNISED SHAKESPEARE - 80 REFRESH YOUR NIGHT LIFE PART II - 58 TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB - 62 13 REASONS WHY - 82

SCIENCE

SURREY STUDENTS AROUND THE WORLD - 8 BACTERIA, A BIOLOGICAL WEAPON AGAINST CANCER - 62 TRUMP AND SCIENCE - 70

FOOD

RED PEPPER PESTO RECIPE - 51

LITERATURE

DESTINATIONS FOR LITERATURE LOVERS - 66 7

SURREY STUDENTS AROUND THE WORLD PART II. ACCOUNTS CURATED BY KATIE O’BRIEN If you are in the second year of your course at Surrey, you may be starting to consider going on placement for the next academic year - or may have applied already! For those considering going abroad for placement, students across the globe have shared their experience of living in a different country. This may help I am currently doing my placement at the University of Milan, Italy, among some of the most supportive and warm-hearted people. The Research focuses in the field of plant biology and in particular to understand the molecular mechanisms that enable plants to endure drought stresses.

Plants have three main phases during their life cycle, including Germination, Vegetative and Reproductive. I am currently investigating gene and its expression site, and also protein localisation in the plant. Thus, at the end of the term, I will have to present my results to other lab colleagues and write a report on it. In order to gain more knowledge in this field, I am also able to attend various seminars, read journal articles from either the Nature of any other sources, or discuss a specific issue with my colleagues.

Besides the lab work, there is a whole range of things one can do in Milan or in Italy, such as visiting the historical cities, to trying Italian foods and or attending parties with other Erasmus students. Although living at the central of Milan is as expensive as London is in UK, there are some cheap stores or shops for students to purchase their daily or weekly items such as groceries or foods. Students wanting to invest less on transport in Milan can purchase a €20 monthly ATM card that can be used in undergrounds, trams and buses and in almost all parts of Milan.

Milan is a vibrant, posh and ethnically diverse city, and in particular doing a placement at the University of Milan is a bonus point, since it is one the top of Universities of Italy.

Rohullah Yaqubi

DESTINATION:

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–MILAN, ITALY

We are so lucky to live right on the lakefront and just a 30-minute drive to the mountains so it’s a perfect place for an active outdoor lifestyle. There are loads of cycle routes around the lake and in the mountains and in the summer we went on motorboats, pedalos and tried paddle boarding.

Sailing, wind surfing and kite surfing are also really popular here. We’re just coming up to ski season and I will definitely be going skiing and also trying snowboarding for the first time. It’s a bit of an adjustment adapting to life in France as there are some cultural differences you have to get used to, but if you travel with an open mind, are willing to try new things, make the effort to be friendly and sociable, try your best with the language and appreciate everything the region has to offer, you will get so much more out of the experience.

Georgina Smith

DESTINATION:

I’m spending five months living and working in Veyrier-du-Lac, a gorgeous lakeside village in the French Alps. It’s just across the lake from Annecy, which is the main town in the region. I had never heard of Annecy before applying for this placement, but it’s one of the most beautiful places I have ever been too. and I absolutely love living here.

Known as the Venice of the Alps, it’s old and quaint with canals running through the town alongside the castle, bridges and pastel coloured buildings. While it’s definitely not like living in Paris, which is where most French students spend their placement year, there is still a good mix of tourists, students and locals here to make it a fun and interesting place with enough going on throughout the year.

I am doing a receptionist internship at a conference centre and my job is really varied. Some of the tasks include welcoming the guests, arranging taxis, creating documents and signs, sorting out keys and room allocations, preparing the conference rooms and advising clients on things to do in the area. Each day is different and we are given a lot of responsibility and treated like a valued member of the team. We work with a young, dynamic and sociable group of people which makes every day fun, even if we are all busy with our jobs! The two other interns I’m doing the placement with have made my time in France even better - we get on so well and have become close friends so it’s been great to share this experience with them.

- Veyrier-du-Lac, France

TRAVEL

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DESTINATION:

Spokane, USA

I am doing my placement at the Sleep and Performance Research Centre at Washington State University. World-renowned research is conducted in the lab and I feel honoured to be part of it. I have two roles in the lab – my first is as a Research Assistant. The lab I work in is not a traditional one; it is actually a 4-bedroom apartment! Here we conduct sleep deprivation studies, and test how capable people are at performing tasks after being deprived of sleep. My second role is as a study manager, co-ordinating the overall running of a study we are conducting at a local rehabilitation hospital.

Adjusting to life in America was more difficult than anticipated; I hadn’t expected the culture to be so different, having not been to America before I moved here! I am based in a small town, so the experience is wholly different than that of someone who lives in a big city. Being honest, I initially felt quite isolated; I really missed my family and boyfriend. But this didn’t last forever! I started to become really interested in my work, I read papers and textbooks and became really excited about what I had become involved in.

Living in a small town has its benefits; my living costs are quite low so I am able to travel with spare money. So far I’ve been to New York, Seattle and Vancouver, Canada! Next year I have a lot planned, I will be doing a road trip through California and other travels. I will also be going to a conference in Boston, and should hopefully present a poster on my study. I’ve learned a lot about myself by living abroad, and whilst it’s had ups and downs – I really believe it’s helped me grow as a person.

I think doing a placement year is a key part of the university experience; it really gives you an idea of what your future could be like. If you aren’t sure what you want to do in the future, it can help you decide.

Katie O’Brien

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The lab I work in is not a traditional one; it is actually a 4-bedroom apartment!

TRAVEL

I am also studying the Japanese language, history and culture

Living here is very comfortable, much like studying at Surrey. I am staying in a dormitory with around 120 other international students, we all get along and hang out and socialise with Japanese and international students alike. There are also many free trips organised

by Okayama University for us; for example, I went to visit Shizutani school, Japan’s oldest school of 346 years. I actually got invited to a famous local temple called S¬¬ōgen-ji, just because I spoke Japanese to a lovely woman at a bus stop 2 weeks after arriving in Japan, telling her about my research project (Good thing she spoke fluent English).

This has definitely been one of the best decisions of my life so far. It suits me as a student and as a person perfectly, and I’m grateful Surrey gave me this opportunity. I encourage you all to do the same; seek to make wonderful things happen for yourselves!

Find something that can make you happy, to the point where it no longer feels like work. Finally, do your best to strive for greatness on your search for a placement, in your studies and in life wherever it takes you:

David Thomas

DESTINATION:

Alongside my placement, I take a minimum 10 hours of classes to maintain my visa, so I am also studying the Japanese language, history and culture. My favourite so far has been the language module; it has been very interesting to learn and apply a new language daily. I also take a History of Kyoto class, in which we study dialect, trade and the traditions of Kyoto. We recently had a trip to Kyoto, where I visited Arashiyama and Gion, amongst many other famous places historically and culturally in Japan.

- Okayama, Japan

I am currently on placement at the University of Okayama, Japan. My research placement is in the molecular oncology department. I am researching the effect of nuclear proteins on cancer causing genes and their role in the mechanism of the most common and aggressive brain cancer, glioblastoma (GBM). These proteins play an important role in the production of other proteins, by changing the way their coding molecules (mRNA) are synthesised. My professor allows me to carry out an independent research project also. Understanding the concepts from the second year bisoscience modules is important if you want to do a placement like this or work in this field!

DO WE NEED MORE GENDERS? OPINION

MALE AND FEMALE THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC OF 2016: GENDER.

LAURIE HAGAN

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OPINION

W

ithout doubt, the concept of gender reached peak discussion last year. A new wave of liberalism has hit, allowing thousands to freely express their new gender identities on social media and finally feel accepted for who they are. On the other hand, this has left others feeling frustrated and confused, questioning everything they have learnt about basic biology and being reluctant to speak up in fear of being branded disrespectful and offensive. The topic is so alarmingly sensitive, delicate and frighteningly controversial, that I was unsure if it was something that I could write about – on the fear of offending those who so strongly advocate for these new non-binary identities – but I wanted to, to speak with honesty and make my viewpoint known to others.

As a cis-gendered (being the gender I was assigned with from birth) woman, I often find it difficult to accept the nonbinary stance completely. I am hit with a minefield of political correctness, the pressure to use correct pronouns and overwhelmed with fear of offending the wrong person at the wrong time.

New concepts surrounding gender seem to be multiplying by the Tumblr blog… general twitter users struggling to keep up. The debate is simple: Tilda Swinton as David Bowie for Vogue Italia creates a starting point for conversation about the blurred lines should we accept this new compilation between genders. of gender terms that have captured so much attention in our society? identifies. Gender is a social category.” your favourite fruit at a supermarket.

Non-binary believers are quick to Those who believe in these new correct those who mix up the terms They may be correct in saying sex gender identities consistently make and strongly believe that gender, which refers to biology, and gender typically one thing clear – that the terms refers to the behaviours and ideas refers to cultural and social differences, “male” and “female” refer to sex, associated with being a certain sex, are but to argue that gender and sex whereas “man” and “women” socially constructed behaviours that are completely unrelated is highly refer to gender, and that the first is have been learnt over time. They argue debatable. Studies have shown that, completely biological and physical, that the identification of a certain whether you’re born male or female, whereas the latter is a social construct. gender is purely psychological, and you are likely to display traits that are that if you want to you can identify as typically masculine, such as aggression, YouTuber marinashutup in her however much of a “man” or “woman” or feminine, such as empathy. series Feminist Fridays insists, “Sex is you want. This enables you to pick Psychologist Dabbs et al found using a binary system based on a person’s from a whole new spectrum of genders saliva samples that those with a high genitals, chromosomes and hormones known as “non-binary”, such as agender level of testosterone (which is primarily …gender is many things. and bigender, almost like picking found in male bodies) were more likely 14 Gender is how someone to act aggressively. The Scandinavian

Journal of Psychology, 1995 found that women show more empathy compared to men as they have an increased activity of “mirror neurons” that imitate other people’s behaviour.

Findings like these reveal that you can be more typically masculine and feminine depending on whether you are born male or female, proving tthat sex and gender are linked. However, this is not the case with everyone.

Gender and sex are also linked through evolution. Because women biologically made more of an investment in their child millions of years ago in huntergatherer societies (holding them for 9 months, breast feeding, limited number of gametes), they have evolved to be naturally more nurturing and fussier with their sexual partners, which has led to the current “stay-at-home” mum stereotype. Men, on the other hand, had responsibility to provide resources for the mother and child, and had unlimited sperm. This has made a lot of men evolve to be more likely to provide resources for their family, as well as more likely to have more sexual partners. Therefore, it can be argued that behaviour typically associated with men and women is a direct result of your sex, i.e. what genitals you are born with. So, gender and sex are likely to be linked. A lot of feminists, however, argue that these gender rules are purely socially constructed and ignore any evolutionary basis for the behaviour.

This is not to say that society plays no role in gender at all. Throughout generations, gender behaviours that have occurred due to biology and evolution have been reinforced to create stereotypes: women being associated with staying at home and nurturing children whereas men being encouraged to work and occupy higher status roles. Luckily, in our more sophisticated modern society, gender roles have become more interchangeable, with more equality for women. However, many feminists argue that these differences between men and women should be completely erased and dismissed as they do not reflect all men and women. In reality, I think they should be acknowledged

as something that typically reflects a lot of men and women, but should be constantly challenged and reevaluated as we progress as a society.

Because of this link between gender and sex, it can seem reductionist to label gender to simply what you “feel,” regardless of sex and all the biological and evolutionary evidence that supports it. However, for many, feelings are enough. “Being non-binary feels like having this hole in your chest where something – my sense of genderused to be, where you know that almost everyone else has something, and now I just… don’t.” (J, 39, when interviewed on what being non-binary feels like.

Independent, 2016) For those who don’t experience these feelings though, it can seem difficult to understand.

Labels on the non-binary spectrum such as “gender questioning,” which is described as those who are unsure about their gender or “affectugender,” which is a gender affected by mood swings, seem to hold overwhelming focus on temporary personal beliefs and personality traits in defining gender.

Rather than accepting that being a “man” or “woman” can adequately express these different personality traits (as all men and women are different), they have decided to create a whole new range of definitions which to some people could seem unnecessary.

Reddit user thoawaybecuasereaso argues: “Saying that there are more than two genders because some people don’t identify as a “typical woman” or a “typical man” is just like saying that girls like pink and boys like blue. You don’t have to be a typical girl/boy to be the way you are. Why does not wanting to adapt to social constructs of gender roles count as being another gender?”

Another reason why the movement has been criticised is that if gender is purely a social construct, then, by definition, transgender people can’t really exist. This is because, despite all the social constructions placed on transgender people from birth, they still have an ongoing and undeniable need to change to the opposite gender.

This need to change is argued by

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OPINION

transgender people as inherent and innate, revealing that gender is likely to be biological and genetic rather than socially conditioned throughout childhood. If gender was purely a social construct, then everyone would be whatever gender they were conditioned to be since birth, and no one would feel the need to contest against this.

Despite the huge pressure our society has on satisfying the non-binary movement (such as creating genderneutral toilets in all public areas), only 0.4% of the population actually identify as non-binary according to Titman, 2014. Should we really shift our lifestyles, habits and language, as a whole population, for such a tiny number of people in our society?

Not being trans myself, I think it is important to consider their feelings and views when discussing the topic.

Thousands of people strongly believe that they are truly neither just a man or woman and their happiness depends on “coming out” and revealing this. “It can be tedious to be constantly equated to just a man or a woman. It affects my sense of self and I can feel my identity being erased (Ugla Stefania, when interviewed on what being nonbinary feels like, Independent, 2016).

They have a strong desire for people to accept them as they are; many create Tumblr and Twitter accounts to constantly express their argument and point of view. Gabriel Coppersan of The Huffington Post writes, “I figured it [wanting to be non-binary] would pass eventually, except it didn’t….as I read about it, I felt more at peace.

This is who I am. And best of all, I am not alone.” If there is such a growing group that feel so strongly about changing their identity just to be happy, then should we not just let this happen peacefully? If it is not harming us or affecting our lives, shouldn’t we just allow them to feel accepted?

But – what if it is affecting others? Children in schools are being increasingly impacted by this new movement. For example, leading private school Brighton college has abolished distinctions between boys’ and girls’ uniforms. Many non-binary believers intend to break down children’s sense of what gender they are and wipe any sense of gender norms from their minds. A recent video from Buzzfeed gained huge popularity when they featured two parents who chose to be a “gender non-conforming parent”- in other words, raising their child with no gender. In one clip one of the parents says (when referring to their child): “He has this book that, when you open it up, there’s a picture of a girl and a picture of a boy and it’s like ‘girl,’ ‘boy’ and I’m just like: ‘child.’ Child. Is this

“I think it is important to consider [the] feelings and views [of trans people] when discussing the topic.

Thousands of people strongly believe that they are truly neither just a man or woman and their happiness depends on “coming out” and revealing this.”

really what we should be telling our children in order to prepare them for understanding later life and society around them? Could this not just be a counter-active way of breeding confusion by diminishing essential understanding of what gender is considered to be? Of course, everyone

has the right to feel accepted and happy in our society, when it is affects them personally. But promoting this to others, especially the young and vulnerable, is a more controversial matter.

Another question is how much time and attention should be dedicated to this modern-day western “issue” that no one realised was a problem for centuries until now. There are battles that are vital and essential to the functioning of a healthy society, such as racism, sexism and ableism. These have been fought across years and campaigned against; their effects are catastrophic to our population if they are not tackled: riots, assault, death.

Does the customized online Tumblr blog with a selection of unlimited gender options based on mood really live up to these battles? It almost feels self-indulgent in comparison.

“Objective reality crumbles under the supremacy of subjective desire.

Those who demur are damned as heartless,” sarcastically writes Melanie Phillips of The Spectator. It often feels as if this is the case nowadays. But, whether you’ve hopped on the nonbinary bandwagon or not, there will always be a continued argument against the right and left over what we should pay attention to and acknowledge as important social issues, such as this one. You may not agree with asking for people’s pronouns before speaking, or Facebook’s choice of providing options of hundreds of genders for your profile. But, no matter what, there will always be an argument for the gender spectrum, and it is your choice on whether to put all your attention on these subtle concepts or fight for the social issues that really matter.

Feature image via nme.com All other images: Tilda Swinton as David Bowie by Craig McDean for Vogue Italia, February 2003 via lesbeehive.com Images chosen to illustrate the discussion around gender.

17 Disclaimer: the opinion expressed is that of the author, not of the magazine.

OPINION

WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF THE UNION? THE BIG ISSUES FACING THE NEWLY ELECTED EXECUTIVE OF THE STUDENTS’ UNION

CONNOR JAMES O’HARA 18

To the average student, the University of Surrey Students’ Union means societies, sports clubs and VKs on a Friday night in Rubix. Beyond that somewhat superficial surface, however, the Union is facing political issues on a local and national level not seen since the last tuition fee hike in 2010.

The successful candidates from Surrey Decides will have a lot on their plates when they take over, juggling their manifesto commitments with these major issues affecting the student experience at Surrey.

Teaching Excellence Framework With all the on going furore about Brexit, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the Government hasn’t really been up to much apart from declaring war on Spain, killing off the NHS and cuddling up to Donald. All the while, Jo Johnson, younger brother of Boris, has been burrowing away as Universities Minister to push through his long-planned Teaching Excellent Framework (TEF) as part of the Higher Education and Research Bill.

The bill seeks to improve teaching quality at universities and aims to create an Office for Students, but includes provision for universities to change their fees on a course-bycourse basis. This will be based on their performance when assessed against the TEF. The scheme has pros and cons; it should lead to an improvement in teaching standards, but could create a class division between courses. The National Union of Students (NUS) is resisting this by leading a boycott

of the National Student Survey (NSS). Surrey Students’ Union have decided not to take part in this boycott, but are lobbying the university directly to try and prevent a rise in fees. The fee rises are set to begin with the September 2017 intake, so this issue is unlikely to go away anytime soon.

Campus Infrastructure The University of Surrey continues to perform well in national league tables and is becoming a popular choice for students seeking an institution outside of London with a strong academic record. This has seen a massive explosion in student numbers, which is putting pressure on the University campus. There are growing numbers of overflowing lecture theatres, oversubscribed courses and substandard, cramped accommodation; the campus is fit to burst, yet it seems that senior management are insistent on drawing in more students. The Union will face an uphill battle to prevent this affecting the student experience at Surrey. Clearly, more students means more money for the University. The challenge for the new sabbatical team is to prove this growth can’t go anymore.

Housing Housing in Guildford is in crisis.

The University doesn’t have enough campus accommodation to house its growing student numbers and the private rental prices are skyrocketing. The Students’ Union has been campaigning hard on affordable housing for students and graduates with Guildford Borough Council, but there’s been no real improvement as of yet. Housing is clearly a national issue, and as Guildford is sucked further and further into the London property bubble, the problem is only likely

to get worse. The Union’s strategy has been led by the ‘Living on the Limit’ campaign, coupled with the e-petition to the UK government demanding that Surrey students have access to the London maintenance grant. This kind of legislative campaign takes years to succeed, so this will need to form part of the Union’s long-term strategy if it is to bring results.

The National Union of Students The National Union of Students (NUS) and its embattled President Malia Bouattia are in crisis. Bouattia has been embroiled in controversy from the moment of her election, facing allegations about antisemitism (which she was later found guilty of by an NUS investigation) based on comments she has previously made campaigning for Palestine. Her election has subsequently led to various student unions across the country holding referenda on their membership of the national body, as students begin to ask what the NUS Subvention really pays for. Surrey has been at the forefront of a plan for a ‘South East Network’, a collection of south-eastern student unions working together to tackle issues and lobby government. This has failed to get off the ground this year, but the groundwork is certainly in place with a view to a possible NUS exit and it wouldn’t take much for a successful referendum campaign to take Surrey out of the NUS. This could all come to the fore after the Annual Members Meeting (AMM), so watch this space!

The new leadership team of the Students’ Union need to take stock of this and consider how they can make the process as relevant and as engaging as possible. Will this also bring about a conversation about the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system that we use to elect our officials? With the close nature of some of the most important votes taken during the process, this could make its way onto the agenda of the Union Exec.

Union Rebuild Over the past six months, a great deal of Union time and energy has been spent drawing up plans for a refit and refurbishment of the Union building. Since the new year, these plans have been scuppered by the University, on the grounds that the refit simply was not cost effective. The University has thrown its weight behind plans for a completely new union building, meaning that bigger, better plans are apparently in the works. The current Sabb team, with only a few months left in office, do not have time to see this through. The task will instead fall to Saskia, Alex, Jess, Alistair and Helena when they take up their posts in July.

Union Democracy Voter turnout for Surrey Decides was lower overall this year and two of the sabbatical positions, paid trustees of the union, were confirmed by less than 10 votes.

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HAVE YOU HEARD?

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OPINION

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OPINION

THIS IS JORDAN.

He studies math here at surrey, he does air cadets, he goes out in Guildford. He is one of our community just the same as you and me.

On the night of the 12th of February this year, while walking home in guildford, a group of upto 15 white men beat Owen to the ground, and continued to beat him even after he lost consciousness.

You might well find yourself asking, did Owen provoke them?

Did he start the fight?

Was this in retaliation to a previous altercation?

No. They did this because Jordan is black.

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OPINION

After a fun night out with some friends in Guildford Town Centre, I decided to walk ahead of my group in an attempt to get home relatively sharp - I had to be at work at 10am. When I had entered the campus and was around a two minute walk from my accomodation, I saw a group of 10-15 men walking towards me. As they got closer I noticed them staring directly at me. I thought nothing of it, and continued to walk. After I passed them, I heard from behind me "Yeah, walk home you fucking nigger". I stopped in my tracks and turned around, to see them all standing there and snickering amongst themselves. I replied with "Say that again", to which they laughed.

They began advancing towards me, and so I walked up to the group and repeat myself. They then created a circle around me, and one of them began counting down and insisted I should run.

I told them I was not running anywhere. When the countdown ended, I received several punches directly at my head, at first from behind but soon the whole group joined in.

Trying to protect myself, I managed to run back to my accommodation, but they soon caught up and knocked me to the ground. I was then stamped on, kicked and beaten until I became

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unconscious. This did not stop them.

Around 5-10 minutes later, I woke up up the road from where i was unconscious. I could hardly stand and had suffered severe injuries. Around me were two men, whom I had never seen nor talked to before in my life. I’m ashamed to say I do not know their names.

These two men saved my life, by stopping the group and helping me escape. They stayed with me, and called security to assist me. I was then taken to an ambulance and later to hospital, where I would spend all night undergoing scans and tests. What they did required bravery and above all else selflessness. I am still in shock that I am alive right now.

Luckily, I have not suffered any spinal injuries, just muscular injuries around my head, neck, back, chest and face.

In confronting these men who attacked me, I was foolish and very nearly lost my life as a result, but I will NEVER tolerate racial discrimination. I stood up for what I believe in, and that’s having confidence that the colour of my skin doesn’t make me or anyone else better or worse genetically than anyone else, and I won’t allow myself to be treated differently as a result.

“

“

What follows is Jordan’s own account of the event:

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OPINION

You might also find yourself asking how this escaped your attention, or why you didn’t hear about it, or receive a notification from the University. Well the answer is simple, there wasn’t one.

I don’t need to tell you that this has generated massive amounts of controversy across campus and Guildford.

Despite the attackers being promptly identified and dealt with by Surrey Police, the relative silence of the University in the lack of an official statement caused frustration for many, who saw this as an attempt to ‘brush it under the carpet’. The actual decision to not release a statement was confirmed by upper-university management to be because the risk of a repeat attack was deemed extremely low.

Emotions came to a head at the final evening of SurreyDecides Question Time. I put it to the presidential candidates how they intended to work towards preventing a repeat incident. In the following days the students union organised an official protest, termed ‘Zero Tolerance, set to occur on the following Wednesday, a university open day.

The threat of student demonstration on the main plaza lead to an open meeting of the University and the Students Union held in Rubix.

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Harrys Bar was filled to capacity with students of all ages, races and ethnicities. The tension in the air was quite palpable as students awaited the arrival of University management. The Vice Chancellor, Max Lu and Professor Jane Powell, Vice-Provost Education and Students apologised for the way the incident was handled. Both made commitments to review the policies that dictate the way in which incidents of this magnitude are handled in the future.

I was able to get in contact with Jordan, who has since recovered and returned to University, to ask him a quick question:

How do you feel about campus now? Do you feel safe or at home here?

I mean I still feel relatively safe, but I do feel on edge when walking around alone at night Did you hear the VC speak? What did you think? Get in touch with The Stag to share your views on what happened and what you thought of the university response via social media

Connor James Ibbetson, Head Editor

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MEDIA .

SCIENCE. POLITICS. An Interview With

INTERVIEW: Connor James Ibbetson, Head Editor 28

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INTERVIEW

INTRODUCTION

To start off with, some short introductions, tell us about yourself Professor.

I have many hats, I usually introduce myself as a physicist, author and broadcaster. In reality, this is my day job here at the University of Surrey, Professor of Physics, but I’m also the Professor of public engagement in science. I divide my time 50/50, half of the time I’m a lecturer, teaching undergraduates, working with my PhD students and doing research, as well as running the undergraduate admissions for the Department. The other half of my time, I’m out making television and radio programmes, doing public events, and of course writing.

For the last ten years I have balanced these two sides of my career and wouldn’t want to give up either!

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“I have many hats, I usually introduce myself as a physicist, author and broadcaster.”

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INTERVIEW

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT In your opinion, how important is the traditional media (Print, Television and Radio) in science?

Increasingly, most scientists and engineers, and academics in general, are realising they cannot remain in their ivory towers, we of course need to focus on our research and teach our students, but we also have a moral obligation and duty to justify what we do, particularly if we are using taxpayer money to do our research, to the wider public.

In science there are a lot of issues that the public need to be well informed about; we need a scientifically-literate public. These include politically charged issues like GM foods, nuclear power and climate change, which the public need to know about so they can make informed decisions, so the way we do is this is through the media. This could be through television or radio, writing, or indeed nowadays through online platforms such as blogging and social media.

It is vitally important that we widely engage with the public.

Not every scientist or academic has to do it, but there needs to be those who are prepared to stick their heads up above the parapet.

So the benefits of this communication are quite clear for the public, but how can this benefit science?

Well, certainly, there is the advantage that if the public know what we are doing and feel confident about what we are doing, they will support the scientific endeavour. After all, we live in a democracy and if the public are going to be voting in governments which will be in support of science they need to know the value of that.

These are the issues we are concerned about at the moment given the situation with the new administration on the other side of the atlantic. When the public vote in governments in the 21st century that don’t support science, then it’s partly our fault as scientists if we aren’t getting the message across. But also, because of a technological age we live in, we need trained scientists and engineers and

so we need to inspire the next generation. Unless you go out there and talk to people through the media and inspire them, whether it’s television documentaries or popular science writing, how do you get kids hooked on science who are meant to take our jobs in the generations to come?

How important is social media in bring new interest to STEM subjects?

Well I think certainly things like Twitter, are now becoming vitally important, people such as Bill Nye, Brian Cox and Neil Degrasse Tyson have millions of followers on Twitter and what they say can influence a lot of people. Social media is becoming hugely important, not just for STEM subjects but across all culture and the decisions we make as part of society. Social media is a way of getting information directly from the experts to a wider public.This simply didn't exist in the past – if you didn't watch the television documentaries or read books, how would you know what scientists were up to?

“People such as Bill Nye... have millions of followers on Twitter and what they say can influence a lot of people.”

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WE TALK POLITICS Well it’s clear we agree that social media presence is important for both the general public and academia. What is your opinion on Donald Trump banning American scientists working for the government from talking about their work to the public?

I get incredibly nervous about this, as do all scientists, engineers, and anyone who has an expertise in a subject. We are all very worried if there is going to be a sort of, well, if it is difficult for scientists to get their message across, if those

who don't understand what the details are if they try and constrain open discussion, then we enter into a sort of totalitarian way of living where they will only allow those to speak if they agree with them.

Science and scientific method is all about putting ideas out there for discussion, testing and checking. The whole edifice of science is built on: “Here’s an idea, I think this is the way the universe works, let’s see if it’s true or not”

If you try and stop people from getting their data, their results, theories and ideas out to the public then you are not going to hear the full story, and that is incredibly dangerous.

It’s hard enough in this day and age for the wider public to know who to listen to and who to believe, if you read something online in a blog, how do you know if that’s a credible source or not?

Climate change is a perfect example, 99% of people who work in the field agree and say

climate change is happening and it really is down to us: we are causing the climate to change. Then the tiny 1% stands up and says it’s nonsense, so it’s already hard for the public to try and discriminate between the vast majority of scientists who are saying ‘This is consensus view’ and the minority who might not have the expertise.

If you stop people getting across their idea, this is only going to make it harder for the wider public to know who to listen to.

It is interesting you’ve mentioned climate change since, recently all of the climate change data was removed from the White House website. What impact might this, and the ban imposed on scientists have on progression towards cleaner energy?

With America being one of the biggest consumers of energy and responsible for production of global warming gases, they need to be on board. Its taken many years to try and put together a tenuous international agreement on how we move forwards in terms of tackling climate change. If the US administration are going to start unpicking that, if the administration’s voice becomes one of scepticism and putting pressure on other governments, then this is a huge concern to us all.

A lot of work has gone into

the climate change agreements and they have taken too long to put together to be undone, so it seems quite strange that it's taken so long to get China onboard and now China, when compared to America, are seen as championing efforts to tackle climate change.

I don't know yet, there are a lot of things we are concerned about with the new administration, as for taking things down from their website, they will argue that although they took lots of things down

“Evidence based policies have to be the way governments work.”

but say will be putting them back up. It is when you see the president appointing people into key positions that will have an impact in terms of public perception of science, whether it's creationists in charge of education, or climatechange deniers in charge of environmental issues, that is a huge worry. Some may just want to stick their heads in the sand and hope it all goes away, but at some point we must realise we have to stand up and be counted. I think a lot of scientists worldwide are realising this is now very serious and we have to make sure we are combatting these anti-scientific sentiments.

INTERVIEW

So would you argue that globally scientists should take a more active role in politics?

I think they have to, as experts, particularly with all this business of Fake News from the conspiracy theorists.

It was always regarded that the conspiracy theorists, the climate change deniers, the antivaxxers and the people peddling pseudoscience were seen as marginal, whereas governments were made up of largely intelligent people who by-andlarge understood how science works.

If you don’t have anyone within the government who understands the scientific method, or if you have people who deny the results of science - then the responsibility falls on those scientists and experts to say ‘This is how we have come to reach this conclusion, we don’t have vested interests, we are not all paid by the big pharma companies, or the oil industry, we are trying to understand how the world works, we gather information and data’ Evidence based policies have to be the way governments work, and that’s my concern, that they (The US administration) are going to move away from this.

Scientists now more than ever cannot afford to just ‘get on’ with whatever they are doing, because before you know it they won’t be listened too. We are already worried about the world having had enough of experts!

Experts need to stand up and shout even louder!

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SOCIAL MEDIA “It’s hard enough in this day and age for the wider public to know who to listen to and who to believe.”

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Would you say social media would be a good platform to show a bit more transparency about their work and combat that negative stereotype of being a ‘shill’ for those big industries?

How important in your opinion is it, for those highlevel names in science to perhaps step back from their research to act as ambassadors for their subjects?

Yes, I think social media is becoming a way of directly talking to the public, but it’s still an issue in the sense that it's still an echo chamber.The people who follow me on twitter for example, I have nearly onehundred thousand followers, I expect virtually all of them buy into the scientific method and the science that I do. So when I am tweeting about science or about a particular report or a new discovery, the people I am talking to by and large are already ‘converted’. I think more broadly those who have a much bigger platform on social media, people like Brian Cox, Neil Degrasse Tyson and Bill Nye have a much wider audience and I think it's vital they get their message across.

I think a group of us are doing that, but I still think it is vital we are still seen as scientists.

There is this credibility issue that if all you are doing is commenting on other people’s work, then as far as the public will be concerned, you are a

The issue of transparency is one that has to be tackled, no longer can you say ‘what I’m doing is really clever stuff, much more detailed than your little minds could ever understand just fund my work and allow me to get on with my research’ We just can’t do that anymore.

INTERVIEW

journalist or correspondent. I think it is important we remain scientists rather than scientific communicators, that’s why I don’t want to give up my academic research, then when I do talk about issues in science, the public can see I am one of those people actually doing the science. It’s tough though.

How can you do both properly?

You do have to step back from the lab a little, even just to gain some time to communicate your work, but I think it’s dangerous for scientists to completely back away from their research because then the credibility issue becomes important.

The number of women entering science is always a big problem. Could better utilization of social media be used to increase the number of women interested in science from a young age?

We are seeing it happen, there have been big campaigns on twitter for example challenging the idea of ‘what is the image of a woman in science?’ particularly for things such as engineering which is traditionally very male dominated.

What’s really important is to have those role models, to have those women in science and engineering that the public sees, and I think social media is a good way to make them more visible. Yes you can get a woman presenting a television programme about engineering or science but social media is a tool that can be used to dispel this stereotypical image, which isn't such an issue for areas such as the life sciences but definitely for areas such as physics, computing, and electronic engineering.Social media can be good way of getting that positive message across

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Connect with Professor Al-Khalili: @jimalkhalili

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SCIENCE AND ENTERTAINMENT Keeping with the theme of stereotypes, recently one of the physics students wrote an article about the Big Bang Theory discussing the stereotypes and role models of the show. Would you argue that the somewhat negative stereotypes on/of show outweighs the benefits of popularising science?

For something like the Big Bang Theory (BBT), no. I think what it did, and I know there are people who will argue all it did was show physicists to be ‘geeks with no social skills’ but what I think the BBT did was celebrate the geekiness of science and that science is so broad. Yes, there are some scientists in their white coats who don't have social skills but there are people in the ‘geeky’ end of the spectrum in all walks of life.

We are starting to see there are scientists who are quite cool and that you wouldn't think of being typical ‘scientists’.

Yes the BBT portrayed that stereotypical geeky kind of scientist but it did it in a way that endeared the characters to a

wider audience. A lot of people, I mean I see it as the admissions tutor, I read personal statements via UCAS from students saying they got hooked onto science from the BBT, not turned away from it. It’s had a positive impact, not a negative one.

And indeed people who are not interested in science have also enjoyed the BBT and celebrated science as something that can be fun and enjoyed even if they don’t want to spend their whole lives thinking about it. By and large the positive impact has far outweighed the negative in terms of the narrow stereotypes it shows.

Following on from that, would you say the entertainment industry is another tool that could be used in spreading the positive messages of science?

Very much so, and to some extent it always has done, Hollywood movies have often portrayed scientists as the heros, as cool, as people you would aspire too. That is becoming increasingly common these days, there was a period when the scientist really was

the ‘guy in the lab’ and the hero being someone much cooler. Now being studious and devoting yourself to a niche area of science is portrayed well in Hollywood movies so I think it is moving in the right direction.

Great! That wraps things up nicely! Could you talk about anything you’ve got coming up to close the interview?

I seem to have everything happening at the same time at the moment, I’ve got a BBC4 documentary coming out next month on Gravity, tied in with that is a smartphone app which can measure how much gravity is slowing down your time according to the theory of relativity, which was developed here at the University!

I’ve just published a ladybird book on quantum mechanics too and I’m still on the radio, and I’ve been writing a science fiction novel in my spare time which is coming out later this year. It all keeps me busy and off the streets, and it means no one day is like the previous day, which just how I like it!

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Auti Awaren We

Sabrina Ha

ism ness eek!

adimadja

FEATURE

It’s World Autism Awareness Week!

So. Autism. What is it about?

"Autism is a lifelong, developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people, and how they experience the world around them" (quote taken from the National Autistic Society website).

That's it, really.

So why do we still have things such as World Autism Awareness Week?

Why is it important to still "raise awareness" and to speak out about it?

Three things: 1. Awareness is important as it helps those living with autism get the right support they need. It also helps those to better understand anyone they know who lives with autism, and for both parties to develop better relationships with each other.

2. To break certain misconceptions of what autism is and what it's about.

3. For those living with autism - this is your chance to tell your story!

I was diagnosed with Asperger's just about a month after my 18th birthday. Considering that most of my male friends with ASD were diagnosed at the age of 4 or maybe even younger, it seems ludicrous that this had been a battle; a hard-fought, long battle for my Mum to get my diagnosis. My Mum had fears about how other people would perceive, or treat me. For example, I’ve been put in the position where I was made to perform a dance in front of an audience, at a time when I was not comfortable with this, because of my condition. People were unable to tell that I was uncomfortable to

do this, because my condition was not visibly obvious. This led to a number of humiliating moments for me, and my Mum was constantly concerned about potential social embarrassment in my day-to-day life in interacting with other people.

When I was little, I used to not like meeting new people, or going out to new places. I used to not even be able to make one friend at prep school. I disliked making eye contact with people, it made me feel very uncomfortable, and it still does for me now, sometimes. I hated things like labels on clothing that would rub and scratch against the back of my neck, I used to cut them out before I could wear anything. I used to do weird things like sit and watch an entire film and echo everything that was coming out from the TV (echolalia), and then repeat them to myself 100 times or until I was satisfied with the amounts of repeats that I had done, or until I was tired.

At the age of 7, I wrote my first book. I loved writing and would keep going at it, non-stop, until someone would say to me, "Ok Sabrina, you can stop now". Most of my primary and secondary school teachers were confused by how "clever" I was but that I couldn't even answer a simple "How?" or "Why?" question, about even the smallest of things. It turns out that not only do I have ASD, but also a thing called "auditory processing difficulties", which means that it is harder for me to process, understand and respond, to some things.

I was basically a weird kid. And people saw me as strange, and it was frustrating for me, and also for my family (who had to deal with me and my difficulties 24/7), because we didn't know why I was 41

1. Awareness is important as it helps those living with au need. It also helps those to better understand anyone th and for both parties to develop better relationships with

2. To bre is and wh 3. For those living with autism - this is your chance to tell your story!

the way I was, before the diagnosis.

For years, my Mum was turned away by professionals, doctors, paediatricians, psychologists, psychiatrists, you name it - all those who said I was doing "just fine" and that I was "normal", because I “look normal” on the outside. Mum didn't give up on me, she carried on and strived and literally fought for my diagnosis. All the while, she was the one who supported me, who helped me build better social and communication skills – on top of everything else that would usually come intuitively to others.

It breaks my heart every time I realise this, and it breaks my heart to know that there are still others out there, fighting for their diagnosis - or worse - living in confusion, knowing that they are different from everybody else but they can't put a word to it.

People with autism come from all different races, cultural backgrounds, genders, levels of intellectual ability, 42

financial backgrounds - we come in all shapes and forms. There are no certain looks, behaviors, personalities or traits that we all share.

There are still people who would refer to things like Sheldon Cooper from the Big Bang Theory, or Forrest Gump, or the boy from Mercury Rising, or Rain Man and then go "oh ok, so that's what autism is all about". And then when they come across someone like me, they go "no wait a minute... you can't be autistic, because you are not male, you don't do maths and you can't crack codes, so therefore, you do not have autism". NO. Please.

Stop it, it’s not like that.

If you are unfamiliar with the term "autism" or what's on the spectrum, I would suggest to at least have a browse through the next couple of pages to realise that different people on the spectrum experience different things. And yes we may share some similarities, but that does not mean we are all the same.

We are just like the rest of the human species - different, unique, but the same.

There is no cure for autism, and that’s great, because we don’t need a cure. Autism is not a disease, or an illness. We just process and interpret things in different ways, we see things differently within the moment because that’s just how we are and how our brains work.

Hopefully we will all come to a good level of understanding, and that way, we can all help each other out and discover innovative ways of connecting with each other.

The Autism Awareness week is important to create understanding, and conversation around aspects of autism. This gives an opportunity for family, friends, teachers or anyone else to gain an insight and possible understanding of what autism is about. By having an awareness programme, it can lead to better integration and relationships within the community. There can be a positive outcome for all parties

FEATURE

utism get the right support they hey know who lives with autism, h each other.

eak certain misconceptions of what autism hat it's about.

involved, and hopefully a sense of inclusion, help and support for those with autism.

Having the awareness programme also helps to de-bunk certain myths and perspectives of autism, and hopefully create a more positive understanding. This is a chance for those living with autism to have a voice – in order to raise concerns, raise positive stories, and promote autism.

During Autism Awareness week, there will be a variety of opportunities to hear and learn about autism. Please keep an eye out on the Student Union’s social media (Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat) and campus activities.

For any other information, please contact the Student’s Union

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Sabrina Hadimadja, Creative Music Technology, Final year

I am probably one of the most disorganised students you will ever meet on campus. I have severe difficulties with time keeping, and obviously this has caused some trouble in and outside of my university life. It’s not just in terms of coursework deadlines, and being late to (almost) absolutely everything, but I also tend to double-book appointments, and in most cases, I would have to make the painfully awkward choice of going to one then turning down the other, at last minute notice. Sometimes I will “forget” important upcoming events, and again, I leave it to the last minute to plan and organise my journey, budget and what clothes to wear, etc.

Despite this “problem”, I am currently juggling two part-time jobs alongside my studies (final year research project and all), as well as keeping up with friends/family/ social life, weekly sport activities and being a regular member at three student-led societies. It’s funny because I always wonder to myself like, how on earth am I doing this?

And without a doubt, I know that it’s because of the support I am getting from my incredible family, as well as my mentors at ALS. They have been extremely helpful, in being understanding towards my condition, and also in helping me find strategic ways of coping with my difficulties. My Mum, especially, who I call my “life mentor”, has gone way above and beyond to help me over-achieve the expectations of what some people have of me, as an autistic. It’s time for people to know more about Autism and what it entails, so that others like me could get the right help and support they need.

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“

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FEATURE

FEATURE

Hiya!

My name’s Dan Hood, and I’m a first year Vet student here at Surrey.

My first semester has been a very interesting experience, with lots of ups and downs as one would expect from the next big step in their lives.

I have been taking advantage of some of the extra-curricular activities available at the uni. I have continued to play rugby with the university team, and I have also been selected for the Hertfordshire U20 County Rugby Squad. I am also passionate about music. I have a great time singing in the vet choir and hopefully I will have a chance to play some alto sax in the Jazz Band.

As somebody diagnosed with autism, I was quite apprehensive about heading to uni, as it meant that I would have to be much more self-sufficient, and I was worried about losing the support and safety I faced at home. Small things like cooking, doing laundry and managing my finances were very daunting when I left home, and I still face many challenging situations while living with new people in the flat. However, I was amazed at the level of pastoral support provided to me by both my course and the university. From the ALS team, to the Student Life Mentors and my Tutor, I have been made to feel very welcome here at Surrey.

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Dan Hood

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Monique Botha, Psychology, PhD, Year 1

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Some of my favourite achievements include my TEDx talk about autism and mental health comorbidities, attaining my MSc in psychology last year, and having spent three months working in a post child labour school in India.

When I was younger no one thought I was capable of what I have achieved to date. Teachers thought that I was clever but too distracted, that I would never really go far. To be in my position now is more a testament to both my sheer bloody headedness and my mother’s ability to support me. There are a lot of stereotypes when it comes to autism, and I face them every day. People are always surprised when I tell them I am autistic, partly because they think autism only affects men, and partly because they don’t think of autistic people as ever being successful individuals. I am very open about what it is like to be different but it doesn’t mean that some questions don’t hurt a little. Things I have been asked include: ‘But how do you KNOW you have autism?’, ‘do you like your mothers affection?’, ‘you don’t really care being along all the time, do you?’, ‘what is the worst thing about being autistic?’

I always do my best to answer honestly but sometimes I think people forget we are just as human.

We display emotion differently, but we still feel. We know we are different because we are always treated differently, because we think differently, but you can be different and not less. I wish more people didn’t carry the stereotypes they do, that would make my life easier. I wish I didn’t fear disclosing autism on job applications. I’d love to say it doesn’t affect the way people see me but it does, that’s what I would like to change.

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FEATURE

Rebecca Hollister

I feel like people should be more educated about Autism - my friends find it a lot easier to understand my behaviour due to me explaining what my condition entails, therefore allowing them to support me. I am currently training to run my second half marathon on the 12th March this year, raising money for The National Autistic Society, in order to allow more people to gain the support and resources they need.

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Hi, my name is Rebecca, I am 19 and am a first year student. When I first joined Surrey I was studying Computer Science, however, within the first 2 weeks of my course I really struggled with the maths. I made the decision to change to the course Media, Culture and Society, looking at the more theory based side of ICT. I am a lot happier on this course and am really enjoying myself, it has also made my experience at university a lot better.

Living with Asperger’s can be extremely difficult at times and coming to university was something that I was incredibly nervous about.

Being away from home in a new and different environment was something that caused me great anxiety, however due to the amazing support services on campus I now feel comfortable living in university accommodation – this was a great achievement for me. I have also developed better communication skills - before coming to university I was incredibly nervous to talk to new people, however I am now a lot more confident with this and have a large group of friends.

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FEATURE

I suffer from Asperger’s Syndrome, OCD and dyslexia. I have found the education journey very turbulent and challenging. From the beginning Surrey University has been very supportive and accommodating in supporting my needs. Even before I had started, the University had arranged an ALS induction day for us to meet others students with autism, and showing us around campus early without all the other students before freshers started.

This was very useful as for those with autism, change, noise, crowds can all lead to heightened anxiety – and therefore the early induction day the University put on was fantastic in helping reduce the anxiety that I felt before getting here. Getting books and finding quiet, isolated spaces in the library to work can be daunting and increase anxiety tenfold, then often leading to bad headaches caused from the overthinking and stress of the situation.

For someone with Asperger’s and OCD, living with others can be a challenge! For many with autism social awareness and reading others emotions and feelings is an

Anonymous 50

issue, so therefore when I had to share accommodation kitchen and communal space with others and accept that others don’t live the same way as I do, it was difficult to do! To even go into the kitchen and encounter such mess for fear of germs made me so anxious. For someone without autism this would likely not faze them, but for me in my first year just cooking a meal in the kitchen surrounded by the mess was a huge personal achievement!

For me, everything has to be very organised, and ‘in its place’, and I commonly found my cooking utensils being and not where I left them, which made me so stressed that I got so fixated that I would then miss lectures, trying to dig my items out the dirty sink and get them back to where they belonged before I could move onto anything else! However, I am still here and graduating this summer, so despite the day-to-day struggles us with autism have to deal with, we are still capable of achieving great things, sometimes it just takes a little more patience for us to get there!

RECIPES

ROASTED RED PEPPER PESTO

MAYA KNOX-Macaulay Simply blend together: 30g toasted almonds 2 roasted red peppers Handful of grated parmesan 2 minced garlic cloves (fried in 1 tbsp olive oil until soft) Salt and pepper to taste

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emester One is full of wonders, there’s something gloriously disgusting about it. In short it’s a combination of Stale alcohol and making friends that will probably last you a life time. You might find yourself jumping in the Uni Lake at 3am or waking up in Battersea Court toilets because “you got a bit lost” on your way home. It’s a concoction of stories telling one night stands, all-nighters, and fast enders because, let’s face it, every group has a light weight and that light weight, is probably you.

REFRESH YOUR NIGHT LIFE PART II.

For six whole months you get thrown in to a bubble of borderline alcoholism; it’s party central with a side of welcome lectures that you probably won’t remember.

Which is why, when it all comes crashing down, there is something truly disconcerting about the end of Semester One. The foam settles and you remember what it feels like not to be hungover again. It’s something shiny and new all in itself, and yet one thing always rings true; at the end of Semester One, without fail, you’ll have seen so much of Rubix, that it will start to feel like an ex you ended it with on “good terms.” Sure, you’ll go back there, probably frequently and after too much alcohol, but realistically any love you ever shared for Rubix died that night you had one too many tequila shots at pre-drinks and ended up kissing some random stranger at the Foam & Paint Party. Rubix is the queen of Campus, but somehow when that Refreshers dust settles you’ll realize that you can “venture out” and “drink in places where your feet don’t stick to the floor” and honestly, it will be a truly wonderful time.

You’ll want to try something new, maybe even pre in a place where ring of fire isn’t the only means of pre-ing. You’ll remember that you’re not all about just that club life, and realise you’re in a brand new town that you’re yet to explore.

So here it is, a very simple guide of where you can go, based entirely on what kind of alcohol consuming student you are. From Pints, to Pitchers & Cocktails, we’ve got you covered.

Just be sure to have a good time, and remember that your student loan won’t last forever… so be sure to make the most of it.

Steph Clarke

SOCIAL

3. “Hone a Shot & Hit a Club” For the “born to party” people. The main piece of advice to be offered here, is to definitely pre. You don’t know the meaning of extortionate until you task for the cheapest shot in Casino and get charged £4 for Sourz; not today Satan. Nonetheless, clubbing is a staple piece of student night life, and small though Guildford may be, there’s a small host of clubs you have to try… it’s custom.

Pop World, one of the seven wonders of the world we believe. Music still plays in there that you would likely see your drunk aunt dancing to at your cousins wedding reception; it would almost be cringe except it’s cool because it’s ironic… or rather you pretend it is whilst you hone another top hat cocktail whilst donning the free cowboy hats they’re handing out, because hey, you’re only twenty once, right?

Legion is small, quaint and hides in the corner like that weird kid at school, up until 12pm when someone puts the speakers on high, and then half of Guildford seems to appear in a flash mob of bad dancing and loud slurring.

There’s something endearing about it, if you find weirdly hyped places endearing. If Legion is not for you though, you could maybe hang out with its slightly less edgy cousin, also known as 33Hz. Perks namely are that it allows late entry and is conveniently located very close to the Charcoal Grill which provides the most glorious drunk food known to man.

Bar 13 & Casino. I feel some may consider it a fatal sin to couple the two together, but it has to be said that these two seem to be the staple clubs of Guildford. By final year you will probably have a deep loathing for both, either because of the entry fee, or because of the memories made there, but nonetheless, these too will someday hold warm a place in your heart and remind you of a time where it was acceptable to twerk whilst stampeding a VK (side note: probably never acceptable.)

4. “Cosmo, Convo & Cocktails if you will…”

Komos The staff are all expertly trained, extremely friendly and generally wonderful people. Every night brings with it a different atmosphere, and these are the type of trained professionals that you can slur “best… sweet gin cocktail” to and be provided with a masterpiece. Be sure to head down for their ‘See You Next Tuesday’ evening, and ask for the bar man’s favourite cocktail; they tend to know the good stuff. It’s Sex & The City with extra cheese, what’s not to love?

Five & Lime

Lively, loud and loveable. Five & Lime offers some great deals and has a garden with heaters that makes every night enjoyable. Depending on the time and day you go, this venue is either perfect for a drink and catchup with friends, or a night of dancing, drinking and mischief.

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SOCIAL

5. “Beer on a Budget” This would not be a student article without reference to everyone’s favourite place: Spoons. It’s somewhere etched in the Student Bible that every student will enjoy a burger and a drink for £6.49. Plus, it’s very hard to get lost on the walk home… All round brilliance really.

“But how will I get home?”

So that’s the lot. Hopefully somewhere within this you’ll have been hit with a majestic inspiration and find yourself pleasantly tipsy and lost somewhere in the middle of town. Kudos to you for venturing out of the University Cocoon and seeing all of the weird and wonderful things that town we call our term time home has to offer.

Nonetheless it seems only right that we provide you with a safe means of getting home. The Law Society have kindly lent us their Uber code, which if you’re new will get you a free journey home for anywhere up to £15. Just download the app and enter ‘USSULawSoc’.

Have fun, and remember that despite all of your well found knowledge on all of the best hotspots on town, to hang out with Rubix at least occasionally, she’s still a great place to be.

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Bored of essays, assignments, and deadlines?

Is your creativity lacking an outlet?

Want to get involved in something new?

Stop. You need look no further…

BeanStalk Social

is everything you are looking for. A new game-changing digital agency, run by students just like you, who specialise in working with brands and businesses to organically grow their social media presence. Think of us as the expert gardeners to your digital allotment; there’s nothing we can’t turn our green fingers to, whether it be social strategy, content creation or graphic design. We know how to nurture and tend to your social audience, growing engagement and driving that priceless stream of organic traffic to your website.

Fresh this year, built by four entrepreneurial students from here at the University of Surrey, BeanStalk Social has been crafted with creativity, innovation and passion to create exciting, boundary-pushing marketing campaigns for clients, with the ultimate goal of redesigning how brands interact with their audiences.

With expertise in Social Media Marketing techniques and the energy to connect with new audiences, here at BeanStalk Social, we are always looking to be the best we possibly can, with aspirations to eventually expand into experimental marketing and new technological solutions such as Augmented Reality and VR. And we want YOU. With clients booked and work already rolling in, BeanStalk Social is now recruiting content writers, market researchers, graphic designers, videographers and editors.

If you can put your hand up for any one of these, if you’re creative, or if you want to be a part of new generation of marketers, we want you. Give us a ‘Stalk’ on social media, email us at info@BeanStalkSocial.co.uk, or just drop by and say hello at the Enterprise Studio.

Opening times @ Enterprise Studio: Monday - 1-6 Wednesday - 12-3 Thursday - 12-5 61

TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB, ALEXANDRA PALACE, SUPPORT FROM SUNDARA

After sets at festivals such as Reading and Leeds, and the release of their long-awaited third album last year, TDCC are rounding off their UK tour with two dates at Ally Pally. With 9 dates across the country and the likes Circa Waves and Sundara Karma supporting, it’s little surprise they had to add extra dates due to demand.

First up are Sundara Karma, a band from just down the road in Leeds who released their first album just last month. I’ve caught the band at festivals before, and they definitely fit the laid back hanging out in a field vibe, but I wasn’t sure how 62

well it would translate to an 8,000 capacity room. As it turns out they handled it pretty well. Singer Oscar seems to be finding his own on stage persona – not in your face but awkward and captivating it its own way. Tracks Like Flame and She Said get the crowd going and there’s more than a few people that know the lyrics word for word. Overall, it’s a promising start for this relatively young band and with their own tour starting up this month, they’re definitely one to watch out for.

Next up is circa waves, and I have to confess I’m a massive fan of the band. In fact, if you gave me a

choice of circa waves or two door I think I would have to go for the former. I’ve seen them a few times and whilst they are musically similar to the two bands they share a stage with tonight, their performances couldn’t be more different. Circa Waves come to life on stage, they yell at the crowd and bounce around.

They’re the kind of band where you can tell that they really want to be there. Mixing in with fan favourites like fossils and Get away, the new tracks Fire that burns and Wake up get a rousing reception, before finishing with T-shirt weather, the ultimate summer song – it’s just a shame it’s snowing outside. With

MUSIC

a new album due for release in in March followed by a UK tour, it looks like 2017 is going to be a good year for these guys.

With the supports out of the way, the venue is packed out with people waiting for the main event. And, after a few minutes of dance music and lights to build the tension, the band take to the stage and get started.

Two door are an odd band live.

They’re amazing, but when you take it apart it really shouldn’t work. There’s little to no crowd interaction, a silence bordering on awkward between the songs, and singer Alex looks like he could be standing in line at a supermarket.

So in theory there shouldn’t be thousands of people here dancing and screaming the words to every song. But there is. Somehow, this unlikely trio have become crowd

favourites at festivals and venues alike. The energy at their gigs is something very few bands manage to cultivate, a party atmosphere where there isn’t a single person standing still. Though most gigs these days tend to be enjoyed through the screen of a phone, there are relatively few people attempting to film, perhaps because dancing and holding a phone in the air don’t tend to be a great mix.

And if you’ve ever heard a Two Door song, which if you own a TV the chances are you probably have, you’ll know it’s near on impossible to listen while standing still.

the words. It seems strange that a band that has just released a full LP would only play 3 or 4 new songs in an hour and a half set. In fact, at an album release gig for Gameshow they did the same thing - only played 3 new tracks, instead sticking to old fan favourites. It makes for a better show that’s without a doubt. But it’s a little disheartening that after 3 years away, the band are basically coming back and doing the same thing they did last tour, just in slightly smaller venues. Nevertheless, what they’re doing works and perhaps they are sticking to the theory that if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

Whilst the new material gets a good reception, it’s clear to see it doesn’t quite match up live to their earlier music. The set list leans heavily towards their first two albums, with only one non-single new track played, where everyone seemed to mumble along not quite knowing

I can’t tell you what makes two door so good, but I can say that they are one of the most fun bands to experience live and it is well worth your time heading out to see them, especially if it means you get to catch circa waves too!

CHARLEY JEAN-DOUGLAS

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SCI - TECH

BACTERIA, A BIOLOGICAL WEAPON AGAINST CANCER Salmonella are a group of closely related bacteria, which are most commonly associated with Salmonellosis, a form of food poisoning caused by eating contaminated food.

However recent research has shown that these usually harmful bacteria could instead be used to help the body destroy cancerous cells.

These bacteria have been modified in order to be less toxic to the host.

The idea of using deactivated bacteria to treat cancer is well established, with the first study conducted in 1997, due to its innate ability to target and thrive in the oxygen depleted areas characteristic of a solid tumour. Cancerous tumours also provide a source of nutrients in the form of necrotic tissue, and shield the bacteria from patrolling immune cells, both of which ensure the survival of the bacteria and the implementation of the anticancer drug the bacteria has been modified to produce.

Unfortunately, even the most effective techniques derived from this approach have experienced issues with tumours reappearing.

However, in February a study published in Science Translational Medicine demonstrated the 64

effectiveness of utilising the body’s own immune response against a modified non-toxic strain of Salmonella in order to fight cancerous growth, rather than through the production of anti-cancer drugs by attenuated Salmonella strains.

This modification involved developing the weakened strain to secrete the protein FlaB (flagellin B), isolated from the bacterium Vibrio vulnificus, which was found to trigger an extreme immune response in a previous study conducted by the Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital in South Korea.

Triggering this type of immune response works as an anticancer treatment as cancer cells frequently evade detection by the immune system through a variety of mechanisms, from producing proteins that mark cancerous cells as healthy, to suppressing the immune system in the immediate area surrounding the tumour.

Therefore, once introduced into an organism the Salmonella strain would target solid tumours, while the production of FlaB would flag these likely cancerous cells to the immune system. This flips a switch within the body, as the immune system changes from ignoring cancerous cells to actively killing them.

The overall goal for this treatment would be to produce a strain of Salmonella that is non-toxic, and has an anti-cancer effect that doesn’t negatively impact healthy cells. This study has shown promise in this regard, as 120 days after 20 mice with human colon cancer were injected with the modified strain, just over half of the mice showed no detectable tumours, and all of them showed no discernible side effects.

An additional trial comparing the modified Salmonella that produced FlaB against two control groups, mice treated with a non-FlaB strain and non-treated mice, showed a reduced number of metastases (malignant growths around the body away from the initial site of cancer). This indicates that the FlaB protein is likely to be the cause of this reduced cancer spread.

There is a long way to go to perfect this treatment however, as further experiments need to be conducted in order to determine its effectiveness against other types of cancer and to refine the technique to make it safe for trial within humans.

DANA PERRY

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3 IA W O K C A R F L A H IC M 66

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LITERATURE

DESTINATIONS FOR LITERATURE LOVERS I think of myself as a bit of a literature freak. I’m totally obsessed when it comes to its history, fun facts, discussions, recommendations, reviews.

Literally, anything associated with books.

destinations that will make you want to see them all; you don’t have to be a particular fan of reading, but these places are quite likely to make you want to get familiar with the related literary texts too!

There are some fascinating literature-related locations, which are connected to an author’s history, their characters, their stories, and so on. I want to introduce you to my top 3 literary

Before I come to the substance of the matter, I’d like to mention some travel advice you might want to consider before going, since we’re talking about pretty international destinations. First,

if you travel within Europe, remember to have the European Health Insurance Card always with you. Don’t forget your essential medicine supplies and remember to have your emergency details filled out in your passport. When travelling to the US, you’ll be required to have visa to enter the country. Find more specific information on the #travelaware campaign page: https:// travelaware.campaign.gov.uk

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LITERATURE

Green Gables, Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, Canada Yes, that is a real place! For those who’ve read Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, this might an interesting piece of information.

Apparently, the Green Gables was once owned by the Montgomery family which is the possibly the reason why she decided to set the action of the series in this very place. It’s been widely recognised as one of the National Historic Sites in Canada since 1985, despite being built over 100-150 years before, probably because of the movie adaptation of the first book from 1985. Green Gables is one of the most important landmarks in the history of Canadian literature and remains a highly popular tourist destination in the country.

Statue of Franz Kafka, Prague, Czech Republic Franz Kafka shouldn’t be an unfamiliar name to any literature connoisseur. His most wellknown works include texts like The Metamorphosis, The Trial, Amerika, and many more. Kafka’s style of writing can be succinctly described with the word bizarre, as can the circumstances surrounding most of his characters. What’s also bizarre – but immensely fascinating – is the statue of Kafka in the centre of Prague, created in 2014 by the artist David Černý.

As the Official Tourist Website for Prague says, it is ‘made of 24 tons of stainless steel sheet and divided into forty-two tiers, which, driven by a motor and a kilometre of cables rotate independently of one another’. I’ve seen the statue already, and I can assure everyone: it’s magnificent. Additionally, Prague itself is one of the most beautiful and charming places I’ve ever visited!

The Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, Missouri, USA We should definitely have more places like this! I’m sure that the percentage of people reading books would rocket up. The Kansas City Public Library is very peculiar a place. One of its breath-taking elements is called The Community Bookshelf, which includes 22 book spines, 25-foottall each, with 42 titles reflecting a wide range of literature. The garage behind the ‘books’ was constructed in 2006 since more parking space was needed. Now the wall passes for one of the

most interesting cultural spots for the readers, but also for any other tourists and locals. Among all the titles you can find: William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, or A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. The Community Bookshelf is currently on my ‘must-go’ list, and Kansas City Public Library is one of my top 3 literary places to see!

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SCI - TECH

TRUMP VS SCIENCE #SCIENCENOTSILENCE KATIE O’BRIEN SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

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n 2016, the US population elected a reality TV star with no political experience in as President of the United States. Trump’s Anti-Science views were apparent long before his bid for the presidency. In 2012, Trump tweeted “The concept of global worming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S manufacturing noncompetitive”. Essentially, Trump does not believe 72

global warming is real. His thoughts on global warming can no longer be considered an opinion when 97% of environmental scientists agree that global warming is a hard fact, and down to the actions of mankind.

Since being inaugurated, Trump has fiercely censored the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA were forced to remove their webpage on climate change, and were prevented from publicising any research unless approved by a White

House official. Following public outcry, this decision was refuted; nonetheless the public access to such information will likely continue to be filtered.

In addition to his suppression of environmental agencies – Trump is big on fossil fuels. As a planet, we are generally reducing our fossil fuel consumption and investing in renewable sources of energy in order to combat climate change.

However, Trump during his short time in office has made a series of decisions to continue the growth of fossil fuel industry. To begin with, Trump appointed a chief executive

SCI - TECH

of an oil company as secretary of state. Moreover, Trump recently revived the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline and the Key Stone Pipeline, which will deliver oil from Canada into the USA. The project was halted under President Obama due to opposition from environmental and human rights activists.

Trump has also spoken out against vaccines. The anti-vaccine movement was largely started in the 90’s due to the publication of a paper in The Lancet, which suggested autism was due to the MMR vaccination. This paper was eventually withdrawn from the journal due to falsification of research and a conflict of interest.

Following the media attention this paper received, vaccination rates declined up to 80% in the years following the study. There have been a multitude of studies following this, which have failed to find an association between vaccines and autism. Scientific fact hasn’t stopped trump repeatedly stating his opinion that vaccines are the cause of autism. Prior to his inauguration, trump met with prominent antivaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This is worrisome; it suggests that trumps unfounded opinions on vaccinations could be translated into action as president.

There is talk that Trump is considering setting up a vaccine safety commission, which is totally

unnecessary considering vaccines are subject to years of testing through drug trials. Trump’s words and actions in relation to vaccines pose a serious threat to public health. Fear surrounding vaccines leads to reduced vaccination rates and a higher prevalence in diseases such as measles and mumps.

The science community are not staying silent; on the 22nd of April there will be marches all over the world to protest the likely changes to scientific policy. You can get involved by attending the march in London to voice your opinion on Trump’s dangerous and unfounded anti-science viewpoint.

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FOREVER SURREY

It’s been a busy time for us here in the Alumni and Development Office – the Chancellor’s 50th Anniversary Appeal has been officially launched to raise valuable funds for student scholarships, student hardship, and pioneering research into the future of healthcare, clean water and cancer research. This means a lot of fun things will be happening in the coming weeks and months!

1) The Festival of Wonder - from scienc demonstrations, music and dance performances, sports activities and hands-on workshops, there will be something for everyone. Students,

staff and alumni are all welcome to join us on campus on Saturday 13 May. 2) Giving Day – we will be hosting a 24-hour online fundraising drive to raise money for the Chancellor’s 50th Anniversary Appeal. Students, staff and alumni are all encouraged to get involved and make their gift, so watch out for this day on Tuesday 6 June!

Don’t forget to follow us on social media to keep up to date: Facebook:/surreyalumni Twitter: @SurreyAlumni

Instagram: surreyalumni And we would like to say a huge congratulations to our postgraduate students who will be graduating this week. Come and join us at the reception after the ceremony where we will have Prosecco, a live band, and some fun stalls waiting for you!

Jana Browne, Alumni and Development Office

60 seconds with a student telethon caller In February we ran a telethon with the aim of raising some valuable funds for the Chancellor’s 50th Anniversary Appeal.

Thirty dedicated student callers worked tirelessly to contact as many of our alumni as possible, all over the world.

One of our callers, Lauren Tiffin, who is in her final year , studying International Tourism Management.

Q: Hi Lauren. Why did you become a student caller?

A: I became a student caller because I wanted to gain some fundraising experience, and I also thought it would be great to give something back to the University. I’m a final year and Surrey has given me so many opportunities, so I felt like I wanted to do something to support it in some way. I also wanted to get some advice from alumni who have graduated and I thought it would be interesting to find out what they thought of the University when they went – someone that I spoke to was at Surrey in 1972, so it must have been completely different! It’s really nice to see how far the University has come.

Q: What do you enjoy about it?

A: I like talking! I love speaking to people and hearing what alumni have to say about the University. I’ve

also loved meeting new people who I’m working with and who I wouldn’t have met otherwise. And I basically just love talking – I could talk on the phone for hours!

Q: Why do you think it’s important?

A: Surrey has invested so much time and care into us, the students, that I think it’s so important to support the University. We do so much research here too – I didn’t even realise how much until I started this job, so I think it’s important to let our alumni know the amazing work that’s happening and talking to someone on the phone gives that personal touch. It’s also important for students to find out about the work their university does, and it can open up many doors for them. I’ve heard that some students have been offered internships, PTYs and jobs just from having that chat on the phone, which is amazing!

Q: What skills have you learnt?

A: I’ve never done something like this before, so I’ve learnt loads of skills that I can put on my CV. I’ve learnt how to talk to people on the phone and be professional, and I’ve also learnt some great negotiation skills. I’ve also learnt personal communication skills which I will definitely use in the workplace once I graduate. I think I’ve also learnt how to be patient and understanding in the cases where people can’t make a donation, which is also really important.

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Alumni Profile: Luke Underdown, Owner of Garage Coffee A graduate who developed a love for coffee while working at the University’s Lakeside coffee shop as a student is so full of beans that the outlet is selling his very own brand of the beverage.

Luke Underdown, who graduated with a BSc in International Hospitality Management in 2014, is now owner of Garage Coffee, a specialty coffee roasting business, which sources beans from all over the world.

Tony Webber, Lakeside Assistant Manager, said: “As a friend and former coffee shop supervisor of Luke’s I cannot express how excited and proud of him and his company I am. It is a great privilege to be a part of a team that is willing to support former students. Luke’s coffee has been selling

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really well. It just goes to show that with a lot of passion and determination you can do anything you put your mind and skills to.”

We caught up with Luke to find out more.

What was the inspiration behind Garage Coffee?

Garage Coffee is a speciality coffee roasters based just outside of Canterbury in Kent. I grew up in the lovely Kentish countryside, working and living at my parents’ campsite (where I have now set up the

roastery). It was great because I was meeting different people every summer and always loved helping out. After finishing school, I went on to the University of Surrey to study BSc International Hospitality Management, which is where I really developed my love of coffee! Working in the University coffee shop, I learned more and more about coffee, and was fascinated by everything the industry had to offer. After graduating I went to work for Harris + Hoole and went on their extensive coffee and barista training and have continued my love of coffee from there! On moving back to Kent, I approached the local council for an investment to start up the business and was successful, and have now been operating for almost 18 months.

I am

now opening a coffee shop and training centre in the centre of Canterbury which is going to be a great space to showcase some wonderful coffee!

How does it feel to have your University stock your coffee?

Fantastic! Having worked at the Lakeside Coffee shop with Rhian and Tony, I was delighted when they got in touch about stocking Garage Coffee. I owe a lot to the shop as it is where I really first started working with coffee, and where I caught the bug for it! We have started off with a really delightful filter coffee from Papua New Guinea in there, and hopefully more additions will be coming soon!

How did your course prepare you for setting up the business?

I have always been a big hospitality fan, from restaurants to hotels, and that is why I chose to study at Surrey.

The BSc International Hospitality Management is a fantastic course, as it gives a real insight into all aspects of the industry across a really broad spectrum – which is demonstrated by the number of different career paths graduates take following it. The skills you learn throughout it are invaluable and are great tools for succeeding in the industry – I know that, when you are trying to digest accounting for the first time, it doesn’t seem useful, but I am really grateful for it now! Not only that, but the support network within the faculty is excellent, and I am now really beneftting from that.

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THE HARRY POTTER SOCIETY

Every issue, The Stag interviews one of the lesser known and more niche societies on campus.

This issue, we take on....

What is the Harry Potter Society all about?

The Society is really just a load of fun. It’s a place where fans of Harry Potter, or even just people with a casual interest can socialise. It provides students with something a little different and quirky to do with their time.

How can people get involved?

We have a Facebook Page: University of Surrey Harry Potter Society. We pride ourselves on being very responsive to any enquiries or questions. People can also become a member on the Students Union Website. Both of these will provide access to events, showing when and what is going on in the near future.

What are the Benefits of getting involved? Any interesting activities?

There’s plenty! We have marathon movie nights, where we of course watch Harry Potter films. Like a vast majority of societies we also do bar crawls, including joint bar crawls, most recently with some of the other Fandom-based Societies.

We are also taking part in a varsity-based event this year where we will be playing Quidditch against other university teams. We’ll definitely be on the lookout for any budding Seekers or Chasers!

Is there anything that makes the Society stand out from others? Why should people join?

Harry Potter was a large part of many people’s childhood, especially in the UK. Being able to talk to other people about such a massive part of growing up can be a great way to meet new friends with shared interests. The main goal of the society is really and truly to bring people together; University can get lonely, so this gives people the opportunity to come together and do something fun and quirky.

A special thanks to Harry Potter Society committee members Hayley Smith and Kane Walsh for this interview.

If you’d like your Society to be featured in a future issue, please contact societies@thestagsurrey.co.uk

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MODERNISED SHAKESPEARE D espite loving Shakespeare’s work, having taken a module on Shakespeare last semester I found that, although the stories depicted in his plays are masterfully constructed, the language used can often be tedious and difficult to understand. So, when it got to the night before my weekly Shakespeare seminar, I couldn’t face another 5 acts filled with “art thou” and other Shakespearean jargon I would struggle to decipher, so I resorted to looking into ‘modern adaptions of Shakespearean plays.’ I was surprised to find out that many popular films are actually a variation of plays from Shakespeare’s canon.

Whilst you can apply the general storyline of Romeo and Juliet to any film featuring star- crossed lovers, these 4 films are direct adaptions of Shakespeare’s admired plays.

The Taming of the Shrew - 10 Things I Hate About You

The complicated storyline of someone being bribed to go out with a girl just so another guy can date her sister is taken directly from ‘The Taming of the Shrew’.

However, ‘10 Things I Hate About You’ features the brilliantly iconic moment of Heath Ledger serenading Julia Stiles, making it all the more enjoyable.

Romeo and Juliet – West Side Story

One of Shakespeare’s most iconic love stories is modernised into a New York musical revolving around 2 feuding street gangs, the Jets and the Sharks. ‘West Side Story’ adheres closely to ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ as Tony, a member of the Jets, falls for Maria, the sister of Bernardo, the leader of the opposing gang. It differs from its counterpart by wimping away from Shakespeare’s tragic ending, as, although Tony is killed, Maria doesn’t die, perhaps detracting from the poignant moment in the original where the lovers sacrifice their lives for one another.

Hamlet – Lion King

Shakespeare’s violent tragedy is modernised by conversion of the main protagonists into lions, but nevertheless, just like in Hamlet, Simba’s wicked uncle kills his father, and usurps the throne, which is rightfully Simba’s. Yet, ‘The Lion King’ features some very catchy tunes that one just can’t help sing along to Hakuna Matata anyone?

Twelfth Night – She’s the Man

‘She’s The Man’ is based on ‘Twelfth Night’ and follows the story of a girl disguising herself as her own twin brother in order to join the football team. Both the play and the film see Viola, in her male guise, falling in love with a man who is in love with her female self –and both get very complicated, yet mutually end with Viola getting exposed and getting the man she desired. However, modern audiences are graced with many topless scenes of Channing Tatum, which is so

Megan d’Ardenne

ENTERTAINMENT

13 REASONS WHY

*Now 110% Spoiler Free

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Alice Papadopoulou

B

ased on the book with the same title, written by Jay Asher, the 13-episode Netflix series was a passion-project of producer Selena Gomez, which came out on March 31 and is now available for streaming.

The show was created by Pulitzer-Prize winner Brian Yorkey and stars Katherine Langford as Hannah Baker and Dylan Minnette as Clay Jensen.

do something. He cannot understand how the classmates that received the tapes before him have done nothing, how they could just sit there and listen. He is burnt by the desire to avenge Hannah’s death, so, after listening to each tape, he confronts each person and makes them face what they did.

That gives us a more complete picture of all these high-school kids that are usually a backdrop in most teenage The basic plot and the structure of the dramas, like the popular girl, the jocks series follows the book closely: the sto- and the overachievers; we actually get ry begins when Clay receives a box of involved in their stories too. tapes that his classmate Hannah Baker recorded, outlining the reasons that led Although at the beginning the show her to kill herself. Each episode then seemed to me a lot like another teenunravels a different aspect of her story, age drama, and perhaps a less poignant a different reason, as recorded in each echo of Veronica Mars, by the end of tape. But, unlike the book, which sim- it I had changed my mind. The show ply outlined each reason in each chapter does not shy away from graphic deand moved on, the show takes its time pictions of rape and suicide (warning exploring more than Hannah’s story. It signs appear at the beginning of the takes a look at Clay and his relationship episodes dealing with these matters), with his parents and classmates, espe- although how well they are done might cially the ones that were featured in the be arguable. I personally felt that, tapes and are not eager to have Clay lis- though shocking, these should not disten to their wrongdoings. It also shows courage more squeamish viewers from us how Hannah’s parents are coping watching the show, as they are only in with the loss of their daughter, how a limited number of episodes. I would the school has reacted, and how Clay advise though not to binge-watch the is emotionally wrecked not just because series, especially towards its end, as it he lost the girl of his dreams, but be- can get quite bleak. cause he might have possibly caused “The show confronts her suicide. It paints a more complete picture of not just the tragedy, but the and dissects unsettling characters involved in it and its effects.

Clay in fact is portrayed with more depth in the Netflix adaptation. He is not just a nice, shy guy, who has a crush on Hannah and would never do anything to hurt her. Like everyone, he has his faults. He is nice and sweet and he does love Hannah, but that did not stop him from passing judgment on her when slut-shaming rumours about her were going around the school, no matter how sorry he was afterwards.

But, most importantly, Clay is, like many other nice guys, passive. Though he reaches out to Hannah occasionally, he is never fully there for her to be her friend and he is not assertive enough to be there as her boyfriend. And while the book leaves him off the hook simply because he never directly did something to Hannah, the show delves deeper than that.

issues like bullying, rape, and suicide, in its mission to change people’s perception of them; they are not just “not OK” or “not cool”, they can be quite dangerous and can have devastating consequences.”

comes in, talks about nothing, and then leaves, because he is charged with the duty to protect Clay from… bad choices? The constant refusal of Clay to talk to his parents and their worried conversations about him also tend to repeat; Clay doesn’t open up easily, we get it.

But for each repetitive scene, there is a scandalous story to compensate for it and spread the message that everything we do to other people can affect them more than we think.

The performances by the cast are quite satisfying and definitely easy to watch.

Katherine Langford was amazing as Hannah and should be praised not just for that American accent that totally fooled me (I was surprised to find out she’s Australian), but also for managing to portray Hannah so convincingly.

I never felt that her performance was too much; she was not overly dramatic, she was just enough in every situation and let’s bear in mind that she had to handle some very heavy scenes. Dylan Minnette’s Clay is affable and immediately likable, much like Logan Lerman’s Charlie in Perks of Being a Wallflower, but Minnette also does an amazing job in the episode where Clay listens to his tape. The climactic scene where he stands at the edge of a cliff and confesses his regrets over his relationship with Hannah has stayed in my mind. It really made me look at Clay as a character on his own merits, instead of just accepting him as a way to discover Hannah’s story.

In general, I would say that episodes 9 to 13 are the best, although some of them are the hardest to watch. As for the show’s conclusion, it is intense and does not exactly offer the kind of peace we long for after watching so many heart-wrenching things happen to a lovely girl. In fact, it leaves us with many questions about the future of the characters… and possibly sets up the groundwork for another season. Overall, the show confronts and dissects unsettling issues like bullying, rape, and suicide, in its mission to change people’s perception of them; they are not just “not OK” or “not cool”, they can be quite dangerous and can have devastating consequences. As Clay says: “It has to get better. The way we treat each other and look out for each other… it has to get better somehow.”

The only issues I had with the show were a few episodes in the middle, where the plot was lagging a bit. There are also a lot of repetitive elements; a lot of staring is going around, as Clay begins to listen to a tape and obviously the most intimidating thing to do is stare at the person that the tape reAnother element that the show wanted fers to as you pass them in the hallway. to explore was the need for action. Clay Also, the character of Tony becomes *The Samaritan’s suicide prevention does not just listen to the tapes and a bit of an annoying Yoda that simply hotline in the UK is 116 123. cries; he is overwhelmed by a desire to

FASHION

Irony behind “The Alchemist’s Garden: an Anti-Modern Laboratory”

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Ewa Pospieszynska

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bsurdity, chaos, mystery, uneasiness—these are the words that come to mind when I look at the Gucci Fall 17 collection designed by Alessandro Michele. The artist decided to overwhelm us with so many different motives that it’s hard to follow. We saw a combination of elements of radically different eras and cultures; precisely this complexity was what made the collection so interesting that once seen, it cannot be forgotten. Renaissance was mixed with Japanese paper parasols, along with references to 17th- and 18thcentury imitation of Chinese and East Asia decorative arts. Designs went from ‘80s to as far as the ‘40s with voluminous capes, bell flares, beaded flannels, track suits and round glasses.

But there was even more oversized nose rings, enormous, boxerstyle belts, and Gucci T-shirts with the words “Common Sense Is Not That Common”. On top of it, a pinch of aristocratic English-eccentric and then suddenly, Italian luxury mirrored in bodies and faces covered in crystals.

Alessandro also included well known parts for the fans of Gucci flower prints, and images of butterflies and moths which gave a feel of Art Deco.

It flows that the point of this collection was the impossibility of attaching it to any particular time period. Additional confusion was caused by the steelgirdered walkway and the plexiglas wall separating the models from the audience. Wouldn’t it have been easier to present the collection in a green garden that perfectly matches the floral motifs?

Of course it would! But then we could not have experienced the daub and oddness amounting, in this case, to art.

This show was reflecting Alessandro’s own vision of the garden which was rather experimental. It left us wondering what the designer wanted to tell us. It was thought-provoking, controversial and … deep. Was there an idea behind all of this? It is good to look at the show in light of the main slogan by Spanish artist Coco Capitán: “What will we do with all this future?’’. With this

hint, it all starts making perfect sense.

Designers might send us the message that the future is, in fact, a huge mix of the past and everything that will come flows into it. By transforming what we already have, we create something new. So, in order to predict the future, we first need to take ourselves back in time to things that helped to shape it and made us become who we are now. Today’s world contains so many elements that we often get lost and cannot separate them anymore. But maybe we shouldn’t? Let’s enjoy the diversity and acknowledge that our past is in fact a huge part of our future.

But not everyone liked Alessandro’s maximalism. Vanessa Friedman, wellknown for her sharp tongue, said: “Michele has made something of a signature out of embracing everything and the kitchen sink”. In her opinion, the collection did not show anything different from previous seasons by Michele despite the fact that it was the first official men’s and women’s show

by Gucci. Harsh! But the designer acknowledged that he does not present a completely new story each season.

He sad: “We need to let the world not to go so fast. If you’re doing that, you don’t reflect, and in these times we need to reflect more”. This quote perfectly shows his philosophy.

Michele compared his role to that of an alchemist and as it often happens, some experiments might not work out. There definitely were weaker and completely unwearable elements of collection.

For me, the worst look was the men’s bodysuit covered with the Gucci logo and giant ‘Gucci Animaliuv’ drawing on it and white socks just under the knees.

But let’s not forget that the show has its own rules, and it is there to surprise and sometimes even shock us. This does not mean that every piece should be worn as seen on the runway. Quite the opposite. By adding our own style and identity to clothes, we create real stylization and it’s hard to deny that Gucci’s collection is a deep mine of inspiration due to the blend of so many different elements. I like the

fact that Alessandro doesn’t pressure himself to come up with a whole new style story every season. It takes time to fully explore a concept, and in this case, it’s a real pleasure to watch it.

‘‘The core Gucci theme is celebration of diversity.”

Jess Cartner-Morley

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“It was decidedly maximalist, which is the single most effective word to describe Alessandro Michele’s design style and ironic, too, given the show notes (future) and the overwhelming references to the past.”

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Leandra Medine

“What will we do with all this future? Simply acknowledge that it’s a hodgepodge of manifold elements of the past?”

Feature image: Alessandro Garofalo/Indigital.tv Source for text: vogue.com Runway images: Yannis Vlamos / Indigital.tv

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MARC JACOBS A designer who works perfectly with his city

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ew York. It always conjures up the same images: inspiring powerful people, who feel amazing in the urban atmosphere of the city, rushing around the crowded streets.

It is exactly where individuality gains a new meaning. It is a place where everyone creates their own reality. It is where you can speak with-out saying anything, where you become who you really are without even trying. Marc Jacobs called it “Respect”. He captured a fragment of his New York life and took it to the streets. Yes, literally, it was on the street. There was no intri-cate set, no music, no lights and no social media.

Everyone was instructed to not use

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Lena Kowalczyk their phones, to leave everything behind and enter his world.

It all started in an almost empty hall in 67th Street Armory. Two rows of bare metal chairs, narrowly set out, creating a runway for the models.

Wooden floor, no windows. That was it. That was all that was waiting for the guests. In fact, not a lot of them were even invited. Marc wanted to keep everything very inti-mate, he wanted all eyes concentrated on one thing - his designs. And that is the only thing that mattered. The show was, for Jacobs, a “gesture of respect for a generation that will forever be the foundation of youth culture street style”. He was referring to the late 1990s hip-hop generation which, as he claims, is a well-known generation for every born-and-bred New Yorker like himself.

The inspiration was definitely there as he transmuted the iconic elements of hip-hop style into modern interpretations of streetwear.

Chunky knits, plaid, leather, sheepskin and corduroys (yes, we all remember how we hated the corduroy that our mums would make us wear. I’m sorry, it’s back and it’s so in), all in shades of brown and rust with a bit of powerful red. Screams autumn right? The majority of his silhouettes were thigh-high dresses covered over with over-sized, grandad-like jackets. However, he did not forget about those

slouchy, flared pants and mock zip-up turtlenecks that everyone was crazy about in the 90s. The hats were also there and they were the statement of every outfit. Bean-ies, massive bowlers and paperboy caps with exaggerated crowns. These were all paired with gold rings, massive earrings and thick chains (that every rapper should own), creating a complete look.

But wait— since every item was loose-fitting and bulky, can we say that the col-lection was not feminine at all? I would not hesitate to say… no, we cannot say that. While Jacobs played with forms and created a lot of unflattering pieces, it is always the fabric that describes the character of clothing. Here, he did not disappoint.

Every fashion girl loves shiny sequins, lace and fur, which he re-membered to incorporate. Although hidden under coats, the dresses were very short and skin tight. Also, he didn’t lose any proportions of the body and he cleverly emphasized the models’ waists by adding leather belts. What’s more?

The long, heeled boots worn by the models added that girly, sophisticated edge. Just perfect for every “cool girl”.

The presentation went further as models walked out of the mysterious cat-walk and sauntered down the Park Avenue sidewalk. When the guests exited the show, it turned out that the models were all seated in front of an immense wall of speakers, which blasted the show’s soundtrack.

They were holding spe-cial matching cellphones, taking selfies and pictures of the people around. That was Jacob’s way to manifest his view on how social media and technology affect the fashion industry. A brave move for a change. His intention was to make everyone appreciate the moment in person, to think about the collection and its message, hear the steps of the models, whispers of the audience and follow the show not through the lens of a camera, but with their eyes. An experience for yourself only. So simple.

So obvious. Yet, so rare these days.

“It became clear that the collection was based on the style of hip-hop, only a little more dressed up.”

Eric Wilson (Fashion and News Director, InStyle)

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FASHION GETS POLITICAL

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Kelly Taub/WWD/REX/Shutterstock

ACTIVISM IS IN THIS SEASON....

AK Gurung

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his year’s Fashion Month provided the perfect platform for designers to showcase their discontent with current political climate, namely against the policies and rhetoric adopted by US President Donald Trump. The socially liberal fashion industry used the art of fashion to demonstrate powerful social and political messages.

Prabal Gurung

With the inauguration of the controversial figure of Donald Trump taking place just under two months before this season’s Fashion Month, designers took it upon themselves to stand against him through their work.

Following his inauguration, Trump did not take long to fulfil some of his xenophobic and misogynistic promises by placing a 90-day Muslim Ban and approving measures against abortions,

specifically targeting Planned Parenthood (a non-profit organisation that offers sexual and reproductive health services to both men and women). Amongst the protestors, the journalists and politicians from various parties and countries, fashion designers proved themselves to be some of the most powerful voices in the movement against Trump.

Antonio de Moraes Barros Filho/Getty Images

A life-long supporter of Hillary Clinton, who even created a t-shirt for her campaign, Nepalese designer Prabal Gurung once again voiced his political beliefs in his newest collection.

all donning t-shirts with empowering political messages on them. Imagine by John Lennon played in the background, whilst tissues were being passed around in the audience. T-shirts read a range of slogans from ‘The Future is Female’ His finale consisted of an array of to ‘Revolution Has No Borders’, models of different sizes and races, led with Puerto Rican model Joan Smalls by model-of-the-moment Bella Hadid, closing the show with ‘We Will Not

Be Silenced’. Gurung himself came onstage for a standing ovation wearing the iconic ‘This Is What a Feminist Looks Like’ slogan. Such simple but powerful t-shirts showed his homage and solidarity to the feminist movement, the LGBT+ community, immigrants and other targeted minorities.

“Amongst the protestors, the journalists and politicians from various parties and countries, fashion designers proved themselves to be some of the most powerful voices in the movement against Trump.”

Public School

Slaven Vlasic/Mic

Meanwhile, Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne from Public School mocked the infamous ‘Make America Great Again’ red cap from Trump’s campaign. Instead, they played on the last two words to spell out ‘Make American New York’. New York has traditionally been a Democratic

stronghold and been the hub for political, social and cultural liberal ideas. Chow himself told the Business of Fashion: “We wish the rest of the States were like New York from an inclusivity standpoint, from a diversity standpoint, from an action standpoint”.

The cap fitted in well with the high fashion streetwear collection, while also omitting a significant stance against Trump’s views. Chow and Osborne transformed something from Trump’s own campaign and used it against him, in a way that is simultaneously subtle and strong.

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Tommy Hilfiger

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

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Another political accessory was TOMMYxGiGi collection took place also seen in the catwalks of in Venice Beach, CA, in a huge festivalFashion Month: the white bandana. themed fashion show/event with an army of famous models, including In one of the most creative and Hailey Baldwin, Stella Maxwell and spectacular shows Fashion Month has Hadid’s younger sister, Bella Hadid. seen, Tommy Hilfiger’s collaborative collection with model Gigi Hadid But amongst the excitement and was showcased in ‘TommyLand’. The fun of TommyLand, models were

seen adorning a simple white bandana around their hand— signifying a political symbol of unity.

White bandanas were also seen in Calvin Klein’s show as Raf Simon, the new chief creator officer of CK, sent them out to the audience members prior to his debut collection.

Missoni

Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images

Two words: Pussy Hats.

Following Trump’s infamous words “Gram ‘em by the pussy” via a leaked recording, women all over the world have since stood up to such misogynistic terms by adorning ‘pussy hats’—pink hats in the shape of cat ears.

These were especially seen all over the

Women’s March in Washington, D.C. in signs at the Women’s March. It is January…and then we saw them grace thus important to remember that the catwalks of Milan Fashion Week. genitalia do not define womanhood.

However, these hats have raised some controversy as members of the transgender community reported feeling isolated with the genitalfocus of these hats and other

Nevertheless, from protests to fashion shows, these hats seek to celebrate women and the message of the feminist movement.

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