Life November 2012

Life Online

www.beds.ac.uk Email

beds.life@beds.ac.uk

November 2012

New technology could save premature babies lives PAGE 5

The rainforest of the sea See page 8

Can you cook it?

Yes you can!

PAGE 9

Dodging the world record PAGE 12

News

Online

Democracy needs strong media and society links

www.beds.ac.uk

Cheap pizza!

Pizza Express is offering up to 25 per cent off the total bill – including drinks – to University staff and students at Luton.

For a limited period, Pizza Express in Bedford is offering 25 per cent off the total bill to University staff only. The offer is available Sunday to Friday and all that’s required is you show your University ID. Please note: the offer is not to be used in conjunction with any other offers including Orange Wednesday and Tesco vouchers.

Pizza Express restaurants are located at: 22 St Peter’s Street, Bedford, MK40 2PN Church St, Luton, LU1 3JE

Are you supported?

Professor Jon Silverman

COMMUNICATIONS TEAM CONTACTS Rose Taylor Head of Communications & Events rose.taylor@beds.ac.uk Kevin Cunningham Communications Officer kevin.cunningham@beds. ac.uk Simon Wesson Communications Assistant simon.wesson@beds.ac.uk Caroline Jacobi Communications Administrator caroline.jacobi@beds.ac.uk Darren Matthews Events Manager darren.matthews@beds. ac.uk.

CONTRIBUTORS John O’Brien, Cherrelle Emanuel and Natalija Al-Mutava Got a news story? Please contact the comms team.

Democracy is unlikely to survive in countries emerging from conflict if there are no strong links between the media and society. That is what the University’s Professor of Media and Criminal Justice, Jon Silverman, will tell the audience at the International Peace Research Association’s biennial conference in Japan later this month (24 to 28 November.)

Professor Silverman, a former BBC correspondent, will deliver a paper about post-conflict rebuilding in Liberia and Sierra Leone, part of a three-year project funded by the British Academy.

Prof Silverman said: “There needs to be a robust relationship between the media and the civil society, or democratic stability is unlikely to take firm root.

“The opportunity to share my research with other experts in the expanding field of peace research is the great attraction of the Japan conference. I am hoping to forge links which might be of future benefit to the University.”

The theme of the conference is ‘Peace and Justice in the Globalised World’ and meetings will be attended by hundreds of researchers, practitioners and decision makers from around the world. The opening address will be delivered by the

02 Life – November 2012

Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshihiko Noda.

Professor Silverman is currently supervising a PhD student from the University, Abu Bakarr Mohamed Binneh-Kamara (nicknamed Binneh) who is completing his studies from his homeland of Sierra Leone. Binneh is investigating the impact of war crimes trials on society and is funded from the grant Professor Silverman received from the British Academy, which aims to build links between UK institutions and those overseas.

“Having worked as a magistrate and a journalist, Binneh has a good combination of legal and media knowledge,” said Professor Silverman. “He wants to become an academic so this course is a chance for him to gain a qualification from a British university, and do something positive for his country.”

“I am hoping to forge links which might be of future benefit to the University”

The Student Engagement and Mitigation (SEAM) team is here to support all students who may be struggling to settle in to university life or are facing problems that may affect them handing in an assignment on time or sitting an exam. SEAM will advise you or refer you to other support services to help you through your problems. We can award extensions or reassessments for assignments and allow you to re-sit exams if you miss these for serious and exceptional factors outside of your control.

For more information or to book an appointment, visit at the Student Support reception on the second floor of the Campus Centre in Luton, H block in Bedford or email student.engagement@ beds.ac.uk.

The SEAM Team – from left to right: Jon Stanley, Sarah Thompson, Joyce Bailey, Clare Tozer-Roodt and Andrew Jessamine

Got a story?

Contact the ions Communicat n Team – se d an email to uk life@beds.ac. 2 8 5 01 e or phon 3 7 3 3 74

Caring for victims of trauma The country’s first trauma course for healthcare professionals is being provided by the University – offering skills that could save lives, Caroline Jacobi reports Specialist training for those who care for victims of major trauma - road accidents, falls, knife or gunshot wounds and sports injuries – is being taught at the University of Bedfordshire. The threeday Emergency Trauma Care course, which involves initial three contact days, then three months e-learning, is the first of its kind in the country.

Held at the University’s Buckinghamshire campus in Aylesbury, the course teaches nurses, operating department practitioners and paramedics that what they do in the crucial seconds and minutes after a patient arrives in hospital can improve their chances of survival and reduce disability. The training involves not just the physical and psychological aspects of care but also covers ethical, moral, legal and forensic awareness skills,” said Claire Kane, a former A&E and theatre nurse who is one of the of the Unit Leaders.

Trauma is the main cause of death in people under 40 and the third-most-common cause of death in older people. A national enquiry into patient outcome and death in 2007 showed that 60 per cent of those suffering major trauma in the UK received ‘less than good practice’.

“This course goes part-way to changing this and subsequently the patient outcome,” said Joint Course Lead Dean Whiting, who, as a former Army Critical Care Nurse, has worked in field hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan. “We teach delegates to anticipate, assess and manage injuries in order to improve patient care.”

Mrs Kane added: “Most courses will tell you ‘If this happens this is what you do’. On this course we show students why they do something, and also the long-term effects of what they do.”

Last year the Government set up a number of Major Trauma Centres and Level 2 Trauma Units. Stoke Mandeville Hospital, managed by Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, was designated a Level 2 Trauma Unit, also dealing with some specialist trauma such as spinal injuries and burns. To ensure the continued development of the nurses working at the Unit, the Trust wanted a course that was specifically aimed at nurses dealing with emergency trauma.

Esa Rintakorpi, the hospital’s Clinical Lead Nurse, said: “Part of the bidding process to become part of the trauma network was to demonstrate

Students and University staff at the course launch

that we are developing the skills and ability of our nursing staff to deal with trauma.

“The curriculum of the course is very much grounded in the theory of trauma care. Students spend three days at the University receiving workshop- and lecture-based teaching, before going back to the Emergency Department. They spend

“On this course we show students why they do something, and also the long-term effects of what they do”

the next three months doing e-learning and applied knowledge, and the course culminates in an exam.”

Seven A&E nurses from Stoke Mandeville have completed the first course – the next is due in February – and Mr Rintakorpi said the “feedback from the first three days was very positive”.

Katrina Crow, an A&E nurse at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, was among the first to complete the course earlier this month. She said: “I wanted to gain more knowledge of trauma so I could improve practice and deliver better care. A more structured approach is good in a traumatic situation. We are still nurses and we’re not trying to be doctors but this course is very appropriate for us. I would highly recommend it.”

Lawrence Fernando, who also completed the course, said it had been “an eye opener”.

The course has been endorsed by the UK’s only Professor of Clinical Traumatology, Sir Keith Porter, who said: “This cutting-edge course will deliver learning in clinical practice of emergency care and also enhance the development of knowledge and skills for continuing personal and professional development.

“The management of time-critical trauma demands knowledge and competency and this course will provide the underpinning knowledge to deliver a high standard of trauma care.”

Life – November 2012 03

News

Online

There is always hope for peace Revd Cassandra Howes, Co-ordinating Chaplain at the Bedford Campus, meditates on the lessons to be learnt and remembered at this time of year “Remember, remember the fifth of November, gunpowder treason and plot”... The words of the nursery rhyme referring to Guy Fawkes and the gunpowder plot in the 17th century ring in my head at this time of year. The popular nursery rhyme ensured that the crime was never forgotten and hopefully therefore never repeated, and has served as a reminder to each new generation.

Similarly, those who served in World War One, including my own grandfather, hoped that their experience would never be repeated and suffered by anyone again. My parents were both serving soldiers in World War Two, hence my unmet aspiration to be a military chaplain. I never dreamt that in my lifetime I would be supporting young women and men serving in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan, along with their families and friends, nor working with those who once served and have returned to university to be trained as

teachers and the like.

This year, Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day have fallen on the same day. Armistice Day commemorates the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front in World War One, at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

Ceremonies have been held in Bedford and Luton as well as many other villages, towns and cities across the UK. The two-minute silence allows for remembrance of the war dead, and for thoughts for those who survived and all those affected by the horrors of war. The peace lilies in the community and faith centre on the Bedford campus which will be presented to each place of worship visited on the Bedford Faith Walk on the 17th November also serve as a reminder that peace has to be our common goal, and has to be what we all strive and work for, whatever our faith, ethnicity or culture.

Exhibition helps lecturer on road to recovery

Dr Sally Bentley

New Dean of Education and Sport takes up post Dr Sally Bentley has been appointed Dean of the Faculty of Education and Sport at the University.

Dr Bentley moves from Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln, where she was Dean of the School of Culture, Education and Innovation and a member of the Leadership Team.

Dr Bentley said: “I am looking forward to working with colleagues in the Faculty of Education and Sport, building on the potential of the superb sport science labs at the Bedford campus and the long history of education and training.

“I am thrilled to join the Faculty at a time when we are able to

enrich the academic experience of our local, national and international students through a major new investment in academic staff and facilities.”

She worked as a secondary school teacher before arriving at Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln in 1994.

Starting as a Lecturer in English, she became Head of English in 2000 and Head of Arts and Humanities in 2004.

Her research interests have migrated from English towards higher education pedagogy, particularly innovative forms of assessment, and she also acts as a reviewer for the Quality Assurance Agency.

04 Life – November 2012

From drawing at the kitchen table as a child to the walls of an art gallery in Hackney, the work of Fine Art Lecturer Rebecca Meanley has taken her on an exciting journey. Her latest solo exhibition, Dissembling, which was shown at the Atrium Space gallery in Hackney earlier this month, also helped her through another journey, that of healing.

“This exhibition is significant to me because it shows a body of work made since June this year when I came out of hospital after being very ill and undergoing surgery,” said Rebecca, who lives in Hackney. “The work charts my experience of my illness and the process of reflecting on what happened to me.”

Now on the mend, Rebecca hoped the latest work would allow viewers to share her experience.

“I hope that those who see the exhibition will begin to feel or sense something of my experience and that the work communicates something quite powerful,” said Rebecca.

www.beds.ac.uk

EVENTS – NOVEMBER Postgraduate Study Lunchtime Seminar

Tuesday 20 November, 12pm-1pm, Luton Campus, Room TBC

Come and find out about Postgraduate study options available here and what it involves. There will be a panel on hand made up of support stuff such as SID and admissions to answer. Find out more and reserve your place at: //uob.cc/lunch-life

‘Preserving natural beauty at the extremes: from the bottom of the ocean to the top of Mount Everest’ A lecture by Professor James Crabbe and Partha Dey Wednesday 21 November, Welcome Reception from 5.30pm, lecture from 6pm

FREE EVENT Luton Campus Centre, ground floor, room J012

Knowledge Network Guest Speaker Event

Monday 26 November at Putteridge Bury

Howard Rolfe, NHS Director of Procurement, East of England, and Dr Anne Blackwood, Chief Executive Health Enterprise East will reveal the range of services and products the NHS buys in and how SMEs can become NHS suppliers.

The event opens at 5.30pm and the presentations start at 6pm – University staff can attend for FREE! Spaces are limited so call 0800 328 5334 or email knowledge@beds.ac.uk to book your place.

Postgraduate Study Open Event

Wednesday 28 November, 2pm-8pm, Luton campus

Find out about courses on offer and how a postgraduate qualification could help you in your career. Academic and support staff on hand to answer questions.

To reserve a place visit: uob.cc/unibedspg, email: uob.cc/life-november or call 01582 743512.

Carols by Candlelight

Thursday 6 December 2012 – from 6.30pm

FREE EVENT St Mary’s Church, Church Street, Luton, LU1 3JF Seasonal refreshments provided

Symphonia Academica Concert Series Saturday 8 December

The next in the Symphonia Academica’s University of Bedfordshire Concert Series 2011/12, bringing music into the community, continues on Saturday, 8 December, 8pm, St. Nicholas’ Church Hall, Church Road, Barton-Le-Clay, MK45 4LA. Mendelssohn Quartet in A minor opus 13, Walton Quartet in A minor plus a selection of seasonal music.

Tickets £12/£10 concessions (including programme and seasonal refreshments) Please reserve your tickets by calling 01582 882159.

Christmas Conversations and Carols by Candlelight

Tuesday 11 December 2012 – from 6.30pm

FREE EVENT St Paul’s Church, Bedford

‘Happily Skipping Along’ by Rebecca Meanley

Got a story?

Contact the ions Communicat n Team – se d an email to uk life@beds.ac. 2 8 5 01 e or phon 3 7 3 3 74

News

New technology could ‘save lives’ of premature babies Medical experts could soon be able to further identify newborn babies at risk of brain development issues using technology developed at the University A computerised system designed by Livija Jakaite to accurately estimate patterns of the brain from electroencephalogram (EEG) tests (brain readings) could help doctors “save the lives” and prevent damage in later life.

More than 70,000 babies per year are born premature or sick and their brain development can suffer from birth injuries.

Currently ultrasound scanning is the best way of diagnosing these injuries, however newborn babies may still be at risk as the brain develops and this can only be recognised in EEGs. Dr Jakaite, who did her PhD in Science and Technology at the University’s Institute for Research in Applicable Computing, works at the University said: “Age-related patterns are difficult to recognise as they widely vary during first weeks after birth, and newborn EEG is a very weak signal easily corrupted by artefacts and electrode noise.

“This makes the analysis of EEG laborious, and experts spend hours to confidently interpret an EEG recording. As a consequence of that,

“The proposed technology provided the highest accuracy of EEG assessment” EEG analysis cannot be made available for all newborns at risk.

“An expert assessment can sadly be made mistaken, as there are no standardised rules for interpretation of brain maturity patterns and for estimating the risk of decision making.”

To deal with the problem of interpretation, various methods for computer-assisted assessment of maturity-related patterns were developed.

Using methods of probabilistic inference is crucial for experts to quantitatively evaluate the

Dr Livija Jakaite

confidence of assessments. That can be estimated most accurately by using the Bayesian theory of probabilistic inference. This technology, however, requires massive computations to explore assessment models, and has only recently been made computationally feasible.

Dr Jakaite said: “Using the Bayesian theory, we developed a new technology for EEG assessment of newborn brain development and tested it on almost 1000 healthy newborns aged between 36 and 45 weeks post-conception.

“We found that the accuracy of the proposed technology is comparable with that provided by the most experienced experts. Overall the proposed technology provided the highest accuracy of EEG assessment along with accurate estimates of risk of decision making.

Analysing the risk, experts can decide how confident they are in making decisions.”

The technology also provides experts with information on how decisions are made. The proposed technology enables experts to timely identify newborns at risk of brain development pathologies and thus save their health and lives.

The £80,000 work – funded by The Leverhulme Trust with EEG date from the University of Jena, Germany - was deemed so impressive that Dr Jakaite, 27, was shortlisted for an engineering award at the National Science + Engineering Competition – becoming the University’s first nominee since Professor Carsten Maple, currently Pro Vice Chancellor for Research and Enterprise.

Dr Jakaite, who also has a BSE in Artificial Intelligence, was also invited to present her finding in the House of Commons.

Autumn scene The cold early mornings are producing some outstanding nature scenes in and round Bedfordshire.

Professor James Crabbe sent in this photo to Life of cold dew on spiders’ webs in his garden.

Got an interesting photo to share with Life readers?

Email your images to life@beds.ac.uk

Life – November 2012 05

News

Online

Balance needed to flourish in dance

www.beds.ac.uk

Happy ending for bookshop opening

Bedfordshire academic Dr Imogen Aujla presented her latest research on the importance of a balanced life to an international conference Young talented dancers need a “harmonious balance” between dance and other commitments in their lives to stay the course. Research conducted by Senior Lecturer in Dance Dr Imogen Aujla showed that young dance students are less likely to stay in training courses if they are unable to find that balance.

Dr Aujla presented her findings at the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS) annual conference in Singapore.

“This is a really new area of dance science and a new topic to bring to the conference. The science validates what dance teachers often intuitively know and already see in their students,” said Dr Aujla.

“It was positive to see that those who have a passion for dance but find a harmonious balance with other areas of life such as school and friends are more likely to continue training.

“There is a traditional belief that if you want to succeed in dance, you have to sacrifice everything else, which according to this research, is not the case. You can love dance but you can fit it in with other areas of life.”

Dr Aujla interviewed talented dancers aged 10-18 years old, some who were currently training and some who had dropped out in order to understand why some dancers stay in training, while others leave.

“You can love dance but you can fit it in with other areas of life” 06 Life – November 2012

“This age group is interesting because it is a time when young people are growing up and finding out who they are. Peer relationships also become very important at this age, and in terms of dance are crucial not only for friendship support and encouragement but also for working together artistically,” said Dr Aujla.

The most common reason for dropping out was having too many other commitments, which reflects findings that those young dancers who could find a balance between dance and the rest of their lives were more likely to stay in training.

Dr Imogen Aujla

Peter Gray (left) and Bill Rammell unveil the new bookshop

The first chapter of a new bookshop began with the official opening of John Smith’s bookshop – in partnership with the University of Bedfordshire.

Students, University staff and invited guests filled the store to see Vice Chancellor Bill Rammell, Peter Gray, Chief Executive of John Smith’s and Daniel Logan, Beds SU President cut the ribbon, opening Luton town centre’s first academic bookshop.

The shop, based in The Mall, first opened in September, but this month’s official opening proved a chance for staff and students to have a look around and see exactly what’s on offer.

The night also proved the perfect opportunity for Mr Rammell to remind first year undergraduates that they have £50 to spend on everything in store – no catches.

All they have to do is sign up to the Aspire card, which can be collected in store or by visiting www.jscampus.co.uk/bedfordshire The Aspire card can also be used to pay for anything that the University deems relevant to their course.

Opening the store Mr Rammell said: “I still remember when I went to University; the excitement of going to the University’s bookshop and actually looking and feeling and reading, and having that access to learning.

I know we live in an information age with technology and the internet really taking over, but I still think there’s something really inspirational about having a bookshop that you can look around, dip into things and make some choices to develop yourself as a learner.”

He added he saw the partnership as “powerful and productive”, while adding the “fantastic” store was “another important milestone taking us forward at the University of Bedfordshire”.

Mr Gray said he was “hugely excited” about the partnership.

He praised the “fantastic support” from the University in helping with the launch and said he forward to a long relationship with all campuses to offer students with essential studying resources.

Got a story?

Contact the ions Communicat d n se Team – to il a an em uk life@beds.ac. 2 8 5 01 e on or ph 743373

Celebrating students’ achievements More than 150 graduates from the University and partner colleges are presented with their degrees reports Caroline Jacobi

HRH The Princess Royal meets some of the BSO’s latest graduates

Hundreds of graduands celebrated completing years of hard work when they received their awards at graduation ceremonies this month.

Students who completed programmes accredited by the University at the British School of Osteopathy (BSO) in London received a royal seal of approval with the school’s patron, HRH The Princess Royal, present at the ceremony.

In her address, she not only celebrated the hard work of the graduands but focused on the importance of staying in touch after graduation, particularly in terms of lifelong learning and continuing the BSO’s work within the communities.

The graduands also heard words of congratulations from the University’s Vice Chancellor Bill Rammell.

Over at The Church of Christ the Cornerstone in Milton Keynes, more than 150 students from the University and its partner colleges were presented with their degrees during two ceremonies.

Mr Rammell, who took over as Vice Chancellor in September this year, praised students for their commitment and dedication and urged them to use the education tool “not just to further your career but also to make a difference in your community, in your country and in the world.”

Graduation ceremonies will be held Luton later this month.

“Make a difference in your community, in your country and in the world”

Lecturer joins nursing Professorate

Uni wins £1m grant

Principal Lecturer Major Tony McGrath has been asked to join the TA’s Nursing Research Professoriate.

Set up in January 2012, it aims to ensure the challenges of serving in hostile environments do not limit the operational research conducted by Army nurses. The group is made up of senior academics – military and civilian – from across the UK and aims to raise the bar for leadership, development and guidance to positively influence Army nursing research.

Maj McGrath said: “I am very pleased to join the Professoriate as it recognises that I am not only a nurse academic but also a military nurse who has operational experience and who is willing to support and develop new military nurse researchers.

“I also feel very honoured to be part of a group that aims to promote military nursing research.”

Maj McGrath is 2IC (second in charge) of Nursing at 256 City of London Field Hospital. He has served in Iraq and recently in Afghanistan working in the busiest trauma centre in the world caring for injured patients both military and civilian.

The Centre for Computer Graphics and Visualisation (CCGV) has been awarded a £1million research grant from the European Commission – as it marks its 25year anniversary.

The money will be used to fund two Europeanwide projects that will find ways for specialists to optimise treatment of cancers and give patients greater control over their healthcare. It is due to start in early 2013.

Head of the CCGV, Professor Gordon Clapworthy, said: “In the current competitive research environment, it is a great achievement not only to have been in existence for 25 years but also for the consistent quality of our work to be recognised by CCGV’s continuous generation of external research income throughout that time.

“This is a special occasion, and these latest research grants are the icing on the celebratory cake”.

Experts from CCGV will work on the projects in collaboration with hi-tech companies, research institutions, health providers, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) locally and across Europe.

Life – November 2012 07

News

Online

Professor James Crabbe

“It’s a tremendous privilege to work with a completely different ecosystem and it’s very exciting”

The importance of coral reefs Professor James Crabbe talks to Caroline Jacobi about his work studying coral reefs, and their importance for the future of the planet.

When he’s not at work as Dean of the Faculty of Creative Arts, Technologies and Science, Professor James Crabbe can be found diving in Caribbean waters, checking on the health of coral reefs.

“It’s a tremendous privilege to work with a completely different ecosystem and it’s very exciting,” says Professor Crabbe. “You almost feel like part of the reef when you dive.”

The professor has just returned from a trip to Jamaica, where he dived on two areas of coral reef – Discovery Bay in the north and Port Royal in the south. He works with the University of the West Indies, which has two excellent marine stations at these locations.

Professor Crabbe was in the West Indies during July and August - part of the hurricane season.

Luckily, his work out of Port Royal ended just before tropical storm Ernesto passed close by – the storm became a hurricane as it hit the east coast of Mexico. But there were occasions when the Professor had to race back to shore as black storm clouds approached.

“Fortunately, by the time I had driven up to

08 Life – November 2012

www.beds.ac.uk

Discovery Bay, the major effects of the storm had passed, and I was able to continue my work,” says Professor Crabbe, who teaches Biochemistry at the University. “You can’t dive in those conditions.

When a storm or hurricane watch is implemented on the island, the marine stations take their boats out of the water and no-one goes out.”

Perhaps surprisingly, Professor Crabbe has seen only three sharks while diving on Jamaica’s coral reefs, and he considers himself lucky that on this trip, he saw two. “Because of over-fishing, fish are scarce around the coast, so sharks, which are top predators, follow suit, which is a shame because I love sharks.”

Research carried out by the Professor shows that while coral reefs can be resilient against pollution and climate change, they need space and time to recover.

“Coral reefs are important, both to the planet and to the people that rely on them,” says Professor Crabbe. “One third of all fish species and tens of thousands of other species are found on coral reefs – they are like the rainforests of the sea.”

More than six million tons of fish are caught annually from reefs, which provide incomes for commercial fishing fleets, and for communities that also rely on local fish and invertebrate stocks for nutrition.

The annual global economic value of coral reefs has been estimated at around $375billion.

“It is important that we preserve the reefs, particularly as global warming, pollution, resort development and other human endeavours are resulting in their degradation,” says Professor Crabbe. “In any government’s policy development, the environment should be seen as part of the answer towards prosperity and sustainability, not part of the problem.”

Professor Crabbe has been diving off the coast of Jamaica for more than 10 years and although he relishes returning to the island, it’s not without its challenges.

“I’m like an honorary Jamaican,” he says. “I love Jamaica and the people dearly but it can be a very challenging place to work. The generator broke in the hotel I was staying in and for a time there was no water, light, air conditioning or sanitation.

For many non-Jamaicans, living without air conditioning in August is like death.”

On his first visit to the country in 2000, Professor Crabbe was left with a broken collar bone following a knife attack by two muggers as he walked to the marine station.

“I was determined that I would not let that deter me from my work and I returned to Jamaica later that year to continue my research. Things are now much better,” he says. “It’s a fabulous island with wonderful scenery, and many endemic flora and fauna. The main roads have improved beyond recognition, and I now always make sure I hire a car.”

Professor Crabbe and Luton businessman Partha Dey will present a joint lecture ‘Preserving natural beauty at the extremes: from the bottom of the ocean to the top of Mount Everest’ – in room J012 at the Luton campus on 21 November.

This Free event starts at 5.30pm and everyone is welcome to attend

Can you cook it? Yes you can!

Got a story?

Contact the ions Communicat n Team – se d an email to uk life@beds.ac. 2 8 5 01 e or phon 3 7 3 3 74

Wild mushroom and blue cheese on toast (Serves four)

If you think creating good meals is expensive and time-consuming, think again. Award-winning chef Jean-Christophe Novelli shares some secrets with Life readers so you can cook up a storm on a budget.

Tasty food doesn’t have to cost the earth – it just needs good preparation and attention to detail says AA Rosette and Michelin-award-winning chef Jean-Christophe Novelli.

Jean-Christophe was just 14 when he began his career as a baker in his home town of Arras, northern France, before becoming private head chef to Elie de Rothschild five years later. He spent a year as head chef at Keith Floyd’s pub The Maltsters, while Keith was filming for Floyd on Food, and soon afterwards opened his first gastro pub in Harpenden. He had just £500 to his name at the time.

Jean Christophe went on to open three more restaurants in the UK, one in Cape Town and another in France, and became a familiar face on television. His passion for cooking led to a desire to pass on his expertise, resulting in The Novelli Academi, at Tea Green, in Hertfordshire – just a few miles from Luton. Within months it was voted one of the top 25 cookery schools in the world by

Waitrose Food Illustrated magazine.

In 2007 the University of Bedfordshire awarded Jean-Christophe an honorary Doctor of Arts for dedication to his craft and outstanding achievements in cooking. He is one of just three chefs ever to receive such an accolade.

Jean-Christophe has devised three recipes exclusively for Life: a starter, a main course and a pudding – all affordable and easy to prepare – which will feature over the next three issues, beginning here with the starter.

Jean-Christophe has devised three recipes exclusively for Life: a starter, a main course and a pudding Jean-Christophe Novelli cooks up a treat

INGREDIENTS 400g mixed mushrooms, cleaned (mushrooms should be cleaned with a brush and not washed in water) Sea salt and black pepper 1 tbsp sugar Small bunch of mixed herbs: marjoram, thyme, tarragon, parsley 1 bay leaf Spices to taste: cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seed, smoked paprika, chilli powder, star anise, cardamom pods, nutmeg 4 slices of brown or granary bread 2 tbsp stilton cheese at room temperature Vegetable stock/water 50ml double cream optional 2 garlic cloves crushed

METHOD 1. Cut the larger mushrooms in chunks and rip the oyster mushrooms (if used) into strips and sprinkle with a little salt and the sugar and your choice of spices, crushed garlic and thyme. Cover with cling film and leave to sweat for 30 minutes.

2. Place a heavy bottom saucepan on the heat and make hot.

3. Add all the mushrooms and shake the pan vigorously or stir them with a spoon. Keep over the high heat for a minute before adding some stock or water.

4. Cover the pan with a lid and shake it. The mushrooms will start to cook and release liquid. Cook for two minutes.

5. Place a colander over a bowl (we need to save the mushroom jus) and drain the mushrooms.

6. Return the liquor to the pan and reduce to concentrate the flavour.

7. When the liquor looks like a thick syrup and has the same consistency of double cream, remove from the fire and add the cheese to the pan and allow it to melt, add the cream if used and mix.

8. Return the mushrooms to the sauce and warm up if needed.

9. Remove from the fire add the herbs, mix and serve over toasted bread.

Look out for the Main Course recipe in the December edition of Life

Life – November 2012 09

News

Online

Real-time news has great impact on politics

www.beds.ac.uk

Law students rewarded by local legal firm

The University welcomed two prestigious speakers talking about the impact of the media on democaracy at the Politics Group’s conference Robin Lustig (left) and Professor Natalie Fenton

“Politicians may long for the days when they were not under constant surveillance by the media, but those days are gone and they won’t be coming back.”

That’s what BBC journalist and radio broadcaster Robin Lustig told the audience at the Political Studies Association’s Media and Politics Group’s annual conference, held at the University of Bedfordshire.

Robin, who is due to retire after 20 years at the BBC, also talked about the arrival of “realtime news” and how it has impacted on the relationship between the media and politics.

“In the past, news was written, edited and subedited. Real time news is none of these things – it is raw, unfiltered and unmediated. More people have more access to more information more accurately, but we need to be able to separate the true from the false,” said Robin.

Also speaking at the conference was Natalie Fenton, a professor in media and communications from Goldsmiths University in London.

“The media has changed dramatically over the past few decades, there has been an explosion of news outlets and online and mobile platforms,” said Prof Fenton. She then went on to describe the dilemma faced by journalists working today,

10 Life – November 2012

including the need to produce more news for more platforms in as short a time as possible, resulting in journalists becoming “desk bound.”

“This is a critical moment to re-establish a link between the media and democracy. For real freedom of the press, we need regulation”.

More than 50 speakers from all over the world discussed the future conduct of the British press in the aftermath of the Leveson Inquiry at the two day conference, which was opened by the University’s Vice Chancellor Bill Rammell.

Broadcaster Professor Ivor Gaber, Senior Lecturer of Politics and Media at Bournemouth University Dr Heather Savigny and Dr Julie Firmstone, Lecturer in Communications Research from the University of Leeds were among speakers.

“This is a critical moment to reestablish a link between the media and democracy”

L to R: Professor Jonathan Black-Branch, Tassneem Attia, Bill Rammell, Rebecca Corbert and Dr Shane Sullivan

Two of the highest achieving Law students at the University of Bedfordshire received a positive verdict when they received cash prizes last week at the Bedford campus.

Third year students Rebecca Corbert and Tassneem Attia were each awarded £1,000 as part of the Taylor Walton Prize. This prize, supported by the local law firm, is to recognise academic excellence and the exceptional legal academic ability of the two students, who got the highest marks in the second year of the LLB Law Degree.

Rebecca, 20, from Busy St Edmunds, said: “It is really nice to have your hard work recognised.

Obviously the money is great but it’s also something we can put on our CVs which will look really good to potential employees. I’m applying for training contracts so hopefully I’ll be successful.

I plan to spend the next year working hard and getting good grades.”

Tassneem Attia, 20, from Bedford said: “It’s good to know that I did well in the second year as I’m going into my third. I hope to be a commercial lawyer when I graduate.”

Managing Partner of Taylor Walton Dermot Carey said: “We take our responsibility to the local community and

to all our stakeholders very seriously. We are committed to making sure we are supportive of local initiatives, particularly towards young people looking for a career in the legal profession.

“The legal sector is becoming increasingly competitive and as is often the case those who are most disadvantaged by this are young people looking to enter the profession. We hope that

“It is really nice to have your hard work recognised” by recognising talented young people through these scholarship prizes, others will be encouraged to follow them.”

LLB Law Course Leader Dr Shane Sullivan: “It’s a fine achievement for the students and demonstrates the quality of teaching at the School of Law. It’s also splendid that a major local firm is willing to support the School of Law and our students in this way.”

Head of the University’s School of Law Professor Jonathan Black-Branch: “The strength of the School of Law is based on the ability of our students.

We have excellent students committed to studying Law and excelling in our courses.”

Got a story?

Contact the ions Communicat n Team – se d an email to uk life@beds.ac. 2 8 5 01 e or phon 3 7 3 3 74

News

Going the extra mile for Sports Relief More than £17,000 has been raised in sponsorship following the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile held in Bedford earlier this year.

The event was organised by the University, in conjunction with Bedford Borough Council’s Sports Development Unit. Morris dancers, a team pulling a Landrover and a group of young people with cerebral palsy in imaginative fancy dress were all part of Bedford’s sell-out event.

Julia Lines, Sport Development Manager at the University, helped

plan the Bedford event and said: “The University was delighted to play a major part in this very worthy cause. Hundreds of people came along on the day and showed great enthusiasm despite the wet weather.

“The University was also involved in organising the Bedford Sport Relief Mile event in 2010 which raised some £14,800, so despite these hard times it was bigger and better all round this year.”

Comic Relief Campaign Events Manager Jess Kirke added: “Without the University’s support

at the Bedford Mile, Sport Relief 2012 simply wouldn’t have been such a massive success so, on behalf of everyone here at Comic Relief, thank you.”

The Sport Relief Mile took place across the country, with entrants choosing to complete one, three or six miles with all the money raised going to help to change the lives of people living unimaginably tough lives in the UK and in some the world’s poorest countries.

Nationally to date Sport Relief 2012 has raised some £67 million.

Fun runners raised more than £17,000 at this year’s Bedford Sport Relief Mile

Commonwealth scholarship launch Students from developing countries have the chance to study at the University and improve the lives of those back home.

Thanks to funding, the University can offer three places under the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme to students of MSc Public

Health next academic year.

Professor of Diversity in Public Health and Director of the University’s Institute for Health Research Gurch Randhawa said: “Our bid for these scholarships was judged on the quality of the course and adherence of the need

for Commonwealth Scholars to return home straight away at the end of their award, so the scholar can make a positive impact on their home country.”

The scholarship pays the tuition fees. They also receive 50 per cent of a bursary. The remainder is paid by the University.

“The scholar can make a positive impact on their home country”

Making a real difference Uvanney Maylor was made professor at the University’s graduation ceremony held in Milton Keynes on Thursday, 1 November.

Professor Maylor joined the University as a Reader in Education in April 2010. She served as deputy Director of the Institute for Research in Education from November 2010, becoming Director of the Institute in June 2012.

In 2014 the University will submit researchers to the Government’s Research Excellence Framework - an assessment of the best research in universities across the country.

Professor Maylor is leading the University’s submission to the Education subpanel and has also been selected to sit on the national subpanel that conducts the assessment. A leading figure in race and gender in education, Professor Maylor has written more than 70 journal articles, conference articles, book chapters and reports. She is currently under contract to write her first book, Teacher Training and the Education of Black Children: Bringing Colour into Difference.

Professor Maylor is among six academics across four universities (Plymouth, London Metropolitan, Manchester Metropolitan and University of Bedfordshire) to have been awarded an ESRC seminar series for 2010-2012.

The series ‘New Perspectives on Education and Culture’ is cross disciplinary and aims to facilitate dialogue between academics, policymakers and practitioners.

Bill Rammell and Professor Uvanney Maylor

Resources at your fingertips Second and third year journalism students using Apple Macs to develop and produce magazines as part of their course work had been outstripping supply until an academic stepped in to help.

Concerned student reps contacted lecturer Tracey Bearton in the Journalism Department to help.

“The University has now introduced seven additional Macs, worth more than £5,000, with the all-important InDesign publishing software built in,” said Tracey.

Life – November 2012 11

Sports

Online

www.beds.ac.uk

Bedfordshire Bulls gets set for World Record attempt

Dodging the world record

A group of dodgeball players plan on hurling their circular missiles towards each for 50 hours virtually non-stop – in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record The Bedfordshire Bulls, the University’s dodgeball outfit, are to play around 2000 games in three days of action to get their names in the record books for the longest-ever dodgeball event, and raise money for charity. They aim is to collect £4,000 for SportsTraider, a charity offering youngsters the kit and backing they need to get into sport.

Team captain Johnathan Rudland said the exhaustion, pain and physical effort will all be worth it, if they raise the target amount for the charity, which encourages children to try new sports, and helps talented youngsters

12 Life – November 2012

from all backgrounds excel.

Johnathan said: “We wanted to challenge ourselves, not only physically and mentally, but to do something which is a once-in-alifetime opportunity and something which will raise a massive amount of

money for a charity.

“We decided to support SportsTraider as it is a local charity that helps local children participate in sport no matter what their background is. Dodgeball is a sport anyone can play, irrespective of ability,

“We wanted to challenge ourselves, not only physically and mentally, but to do something which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”

sex or race, and we feel SportsTraider reflects the ethos of our sport.

“The charity is also expanding nationwide so some of the money will support other children around the country.”

In 2013 the Bedfordshire Bulls will also be volunteering their time to run a local community dodgeball club with SportsTraider, to allow more people to access the sport. But first they must pass the 41hr 3min 17sec mark to beat the current record, set by a group from Vermont, USA. The rules are pretty simple: they must have six players participating on both teams at all times; and they cannot leave the Petit Gym, in Bedford, where the event is being held, except for a fiveminute toilet break every hour.

The event starts at 5pm on Friday, 14 December.

To help, get involved behind the scenes or make a donation visit www.facebook.com/BullsDodgeWR or www.twitter.com/BullsDodgeWR Alternatively email BullsDodgeWR@ hotmail.co.uk