7 April 2014 Issue 6 Volume 11
unilife The free magazine for The University of Manchester
University wins Royal seal of approval
Message from the President
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ecently I made a brief visit to Singapore, which reminded me of the increasingly international nature of higher education. The leaders of the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technical University (NTU) face the same issues as we do, notably in maintaining a globally competitive position. We have strong research and educational partnerships with NUS, NTU and two other universities in Singapore. Our Manchester Business School Worldwide (MBSW) office in Singapore provides part-time business programmes and we have just signed an agreement on joint PhD students with A*STAR, the major research institutes in Singapore. We also have strong research and educational agreements with universities in many other parts of Asia, Europe, North and South America, and have just launched a joint travel fund with the University of Melbourne to promote collaboration between staff.
Looking to our own campus, The University of Manchester, like the City, has a strong international flavour. About a quarter of our staff and students are from outside the European Union. Similarly about 25% of our research publications are with international collaborators - since 2011 we have published over 15,000 research articles with collaborators in 100 countries. We also participate in many international research programmes such as the Square Kilometre Array of international telescopes which is headquartered at Jodrell Bank Observatory and international collaborations in humanitarian conflict resolution and world poverty. Increasingly our commercial partnerships have an international network, such as the BP International Centre for Advanced Materials, led from The University of Manchester and involving three other partner universities. Currently about 9,200 of our students are from outside the EU (about 12,000 including non-UK EU students). The largest proportion of overseas
Taking Lucy Powell MP on a tour of the National Graphene Institute site
students is from mainland China, although this year undergraduate applications to date from Malaysia have slightly out-stripped Chinese applications for the first time since 2004. We have students from 157 different countries and actively support recruitment from about 50 countries. Applications for entry in autumn 2014 are buoyant, with overseas applications up by about 15% for undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes, but down by about 4% for postgraduate research study. The key here is to ensure that we recruit excellent applicants onto our programmes. The pattern of applications is shifting slightly with fewer applicants from India, Pakistan and Nigeria, but more from smaller markets in Central and South America, Malaysia, Indonesia, Russia and parts of the Middle East. Demographic changes mean that the number of university age students in the UK is falling, but the reverse is true across many parts of the world as a result of population and economic growth. So we must consider the most appropriate balance of home and overseas students for our University. While our total number of non-EU students is the highest in the UK, because of our scale, the percentage (approximately 25%) is considerably lower than some other UK universities. International students bring great benefits to the University, the City and to the UK. At the recent ceremony to award the Freedom of the City to
Meeting the Business Engagement Team
Contact us News and story ideas Mikaela Sitford tel 0161 275 2112 email uninews@manchester.ac.uk www.manchester.ac.uk/staffnet/news Deadline 16 April 2014 Events and listings information Philippa Adshead tel 0161 275 2922 email unievents@manchester.ac.uk Deadline 16 April 2014 Ads Sarah Davenport tel 0161 275 2922 email uniads@manchester.ac.uk Deadline 16 April 2014 Next issue 6 May 2014
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News Imaging research honoured by the Queen
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News Graphene art to spark new life at Whitworth Art Gallery
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Visiting MyFutureFest
Professors Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov, the Leader of Manchester City Council, Sir Richard Leese, reminded us of the music entrepreneur, Tony Wilson’s description of Manchester as a ‘city of immigrants.’ There is also great value in our enormous alumni network spread across the world, many of whom are now in very senior positions in business, government and education. Because of the value of international students, we offer many bursaries, most notably our Equity and Merit Scholarships, which support students from Rwanda, Uganda, Bangladesh and Tanzania through University funding and generous donations from our alumni. We are considering how we can expand this programme to offer further bursaries to the brightest students from across the world. Many of our own students now wish to spend part of their university education overseas to broaden their experience and enhance their career prospects – at the moment around 600 of our students spend part of their studies abroad. In recognising the importance of an international experience, we have launched our ‘Global Graduates’ scheme to support
small groups of students for short periods in other countries. The programme is generously supported by our alumni, and this year students will be travelling to Dubai, Hong Kong, New York, San Francisco and Singapore. There is another approach to international or ‘trans-national’ education through the provision of distance learning or blended learning programmes to students who wish to study in their home country. The latter is operated very successfully by MBSW, which provides a combination of distance learning courses together with some face-to-face education at its six international offices. The number of students studying for a degree in their home country using a programme supplied from outside that country is now growing faster than the number of those travelling for study overseas. Hence we will soon be at the point of ‘market crossover’ and this is likely to develop further in the future. At present, The University of Manchester has about 38,000 students studying on our campus and about 5,000-6,000 studying the entirety of their degrees overseas. In the future, it is likely that we will be
educating far more students either partly or wholly in their home country, while many more of our campus based students will spend periods of study overseas. This will mean a change in how we offer many of our programmes and more flexibility will be required in the ways in which students learn and access information and guidance. A greater diversity of educational delivery modes could be of benefit to students who wish to study entirely in Manchester, as well as those in far flung parts of the world. It is clear that the globalisation of higher education is likely to continue to grow and the role of our University in international education and research is of major importance. We need to carefully consider the balance of international students who study on campus and through distant learning and the focus of our international collaborators. In higher education there is no doubt that ‘the world is shrinking.’ Professor Nancy Rothwell President and Vice-Chancellor
Contents 2 4 10 13 18 20
Message from the President News Research Features What’s On Making a Difference
Front cover: Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell and Professor Phil Withers receive the Queen’s Anniversary Prize
Research Viking find features in blockbuster show
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Feature Behind the mask… University unveils its medical treasures
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News
University hosts healthcare’s great and good
Campus Masterplan Update This issue of UniLife comes with an additional four-page publication, Campus Masterplan Update, which gives an update on some of the projects which form part of the University’s 10-year £1 billion investment to create a single site, world-class campus. Featured are progress reports on the Manchester Cancer Research Centre, Whitworth Art Gallery, National Graphene Institute, Coupland 3 and the A V Hill Building.
New PhD programme President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell recently visited Singapore to accompany David Willetts, Minister of State for Universities and Science, during his visit to promote UK higher education taking in Australia, Indonesia and Singapore.
Professor Ian Jacobs welcomes guests from NHS Expo
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he University played host to the health industry’s great and good, thanks to two major events.
health with the proportion of people living in cities projected to increase to 70 per cent by 2050.
President Barack Obama’s Assistant Secretary for Health Dr Howard Koh was among those taking to the stage as the city hosted The 11th International Conference on Urban Health following in the footsteps of Toronto, New York, Amsterdam, Nairobi and Vancouver.
And Professor Ian Jacobs, Dean of the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences and Director of Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (MAHSC), hosted a dinner at Manchester Museum for NHS leaders and other key stakeholders attending the recent NHS Expo.
The event, organised by the University, provides a platform for policymakers and researchers to discuss urban
Held for the first time outside London, the Expo brought together clinicians, industry and researchers
to highlight and share good practice in tackling particular conditions and improving the quality of care and communications across the NHS.
Professor Ian Jacobs, Dr Howard Koh, Lord Major Naeem UL Hassan and Dr Arpana Verma
Wigwam bam!
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ore than 3,000 students were inspired and enthused about their future during MyFutureFest, a week-long programme of events designed and delivered by the Careers Service.
The festival’s focal point of the festival was a PapaKata teepee, installed next to University Place for three days, which showcased the many things our students can do to prepare for their futures – from Volunteering to Sport, Student Societies to International Programmes, Mentoring to Student Media. And there was a range of other activities and workshops across campus including an Internships Clinic in University Place.
Lise-Marie McDonnell talks to students
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Teepees on Oxford Road
A highlight of the programme was the signing of an agreement between the University and A*STAR (Graduate Academy) for joint engagement in A*STAR’s Research Attachment Programme (ARAP). The University-wide agreement will extend the current engagement which began with the Faculty of Life Sciences. Students are registered in the Faculty and spend two years in Manchester, funded by the Faculty, and two years in a Singapore Research Institute, funded by A*STAR.
Imaging research honoured by the Queen
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he Queen has presented the University with a prestigious award in recognition of its world-leading imaging techniques and extensive knowledge base in advanced materials technology.
To date, the University has supported a wide network of 90 companies and 35 institutions providing unique insights into materials behaviour and failure, enabling innovation and direct impact to UK plc.
President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, accepted the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Further and Higher Education from Her Majesty at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace last month.
Professor Rothwell said: “It was an honour to be invited to meet the Queen and accept this award on behalf of our staff and students. The Queen’s Anniversary Prizes reward excellence in research of national and international significance and reflects the outstanding work in imaging techniques being carried out in Manchester.”
Professor Rothwell was accompanied at the Palace by University Chancellor, Tom Bloxham, Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Professor Colin Bailey, Professor of Materials Imaging, Peter Lee, Professor of Nuclear Materials, Paul Mummery, and Phil Withers, Professor of Materials Science, who accepted a scroll for the Prize from His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. Five students from the School of Materials also attended the event.
Professor Phil Withers and Dr Robert Bradley in the lab
Manchester is at the forefront in developing new techniques for the 3D imaging of structures and defects in materials, and interpreting the state of stress, microstructure and damage in engineering materials and components.
Alan Gilbert Learning Commons scoops top award
Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell and Professor Phil Withers accept the Queen’s Anniversary Prize
Budget potential for University
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hancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne MP announced plans in last month’s budget to fund an Alan Turing Centre for computing, and a new graphene centre.
There has not yet been a decision about where either of these will be located, but the University confirmed it would be bidding for both to come to Manchester.
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he University of Manchester Library has won the Facilities Project category in the 2014 Guardian University Awards for its innovative and highly collaborative project, The Alan Gilbert Learning Commons.
Speaking about graphene, Vice President and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences Professor Colin Bailey said: “We are engaging across the UK to commercialise graphene and to utilise the world-class knowledge base here at The University of Manchester. We are developing an infrastructure at the University which links in with the existing catapult centres to ensure efficient commercialisation of graphene to accelerate applications to market. Today’s announcement is welcome support from the Government.”
The Guardian University Awards reward projects in universities that demonstrate genuine innovation in the sector, collaborative delivery on the ground, and meaningful impact both inside their institutions and beyond, with the potential to inspire others. “We are delighted that all the hard work on this important project has been recognised with this award,” said Jan Wilkinson, University Librarian. The £24 million Learning Commons was conceived by former President and Vice Chancellor Professor Alan Gilbert, who sadly died just after his retirement in 2010. The building is a tribute to his vision. The Alan Gilbert Learning Commons
On the new Alan Turing Institute announcement, Professor Bailey added: “The University of Manchester has extensive knowhow and expertise in big data handling and will be supporting the new Alan Turing Institute for the benefit of UK Plc. Our impressive heritage and strong track record in both computing and mathematics, not least from the work Alan Turing himself did here, means we will be bidding to have the new Institute based in Manchester.”
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News
Appointment of Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor David Willetts (third from right) at Jodrell Bank Observatory
New government investment for UK science
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niversities and Science Minister David Willetts has pledged £100 million to the construction of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) – a radio telescope array across South Africa and Australia with headquarters at
the University’s Jodrell Bank Observatory. The SKA will be the world’s largest and most sensitive radio telescope – the total collecting area will be approximately one square kilometre,
giving 50 times the sensitivity, and 10,000 times the survey speed, of the best current-day telescopes. Mr Willetts made the announcement during a visit to Jodrell Bank last month.
Graphene art to spark new life at Whitworth Art Gallery
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n amazing collaboration between one of Britain’s most acclaimed artists and graphene Nobel Laureate Sir Kostya Novoselov - which will set off a firework meteor shower in Whitworth Park - is to open the doors to the Whitworth Art Gallery following its £15 million redevelopment.
Novoselov took microscopic samples of graphite from drawings in the Whitworth’s collection by William Blake, Turner, Constable and Picasso as well as a pencil-written letter by Sir Ernest Rutherford (who split the atom in Manchester). He made graphene from these samples, one of which Parker is making into a
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Professor Bailey will support the President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, across the full range of the duties involved in the direction and leadership of the University and will have particular responsibility for external engagement and internationalisation.
Green for go! Our Environmental Sustainability Team has launched a new engagement portal to help staff, students and visitors to think about the issue and take action.
The gallery will reopen on 25 October 2014 with a major solo exhibition from Cornelia Parker, whose work invites viewers to witness the transformation of ordinary objects into something compelling and extraordinary. Parker has been collaborating closely with Sir Kostya, who, with Sir Andre Geim, was awarded the Nobel Prize for his work on graphene - the thinnest and strongest known material.
Professor Colin Bailey has been appointed Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor by an Appointments panel chaired by Mr Anil Ruia, Chairman of the Board of Governors. Professor Bailey will succeed Professor Rod Coombs, whose retirement was announced earlier this month.
Cai Guo-Qiang, Unmanned Nature: Project for the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, 2008. Photograph: Seiji Toyonaga, courtesy Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art.
work of art – a Blake-graphene sensor activated by breath which will set off a firework meteor shower in Whitworth Park at the opening of the exhibition.
a forty-five metre long, four metre high gunpowder drawing as the first exhibition in the Whitworth’s new Landscape Gallery.
Chinese-born artist, Cai Guo-Qiang, best known for his firework displays for the Beijing Olympics in 2008, will present Unmanned Nature (2008),
There will also be highlights from the Whitworth’s eclectic collection of historical and contemporary fine art, textiles and wallpaper.
The new website has a range of initiatives, actions and activities which will help individuals make a practical and positive contribution. The portal was launched at the inaugural Think Sustainability: Inspiring Action event attended by more than 100 members of staff. • Visit the engagement portal at www.sustainability. manchester.ac.uk
Museum chimes with the times
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he Museum has a long history of working with artists to investigate and animate its collection and the latest group to take up the role is the Owl Project – Steve Symons, Simon Blackmore and Anthony Hall – in a residency coordinated by art and science organization Invisible Dust. Owl Project’s residency will enable the artists to access the scientists, curators and collections of the Museum to create
beautiful wooden objects, combined with electronics to play amazing digital sounds. Their creations highlight both the technical and natural world and also reflect our disposable culture – exploring the rise in ‘making culture’ as a counter-culture. The Owl Project will complete their stay by creating a new work to exhibit in the Museum. • To find out more see: www.owlproject.com
Owl Project Flow Instruments. Photo: Jill Tate
Dr Chris Steele
Ian Wallbridge (right) receives his bike from Oscar Murray, team leader at Biko Bikes
TV doc to launch stroke awareness month
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lumnus Dr Chris Steele is among the speakers taking part in a month long series of cultural events to raise awareness of stroke.
by President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, a world-renowned expert on stroke, on the work of our scientists who are looking for treatments for stroke.
To coincide with Action on Stroke Month in May, “Science Stroke Art 2014” aims to highlight stroke through the media of science and art. The programme of events will include talks, theatre, science and art demonstrations and music to capture the public’s imagination and challenge misconceptions about the disease.
Professor Tony Rudd CBE, National Clinical Director for Stroke, NHS England, will discuss the changing face of stroke medicine, while Andy McCann, stroke survivor and motivational speaker, will discuss his life after stroke.
The month kicks-off with a launch event for stroke survivors and health practitioners at Manchester Town Hall, which will feature a presentation
Finally, stroke survivor and guitarist Pieter Egriega and poet Mike Garry will take to the stage. • For more information visit www.sciencestrokeart.co.uk
Cycle theft victim back on the road
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an Wallbridge had his bike stoken from the main campus but thanks to the University’s Cycle Theft Victim Bike Loan Scheme, he’s back on the road.
The scheme has given Ian a free loan of a reconditioned bike for a couple of months while he’s sorting out another one. It also supplied him with a gold standard ‘D’ lock to make sure he feels more confident about bringing a new bike onto campus.
Innovation boost
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he University has been chosen to host a Johnson & Johnson Innovation partnering office at our campus-based Innovation Centre, UMIC. Johan Verbeeck, Senior Director of Partnership Management at
Johnson & Johnson Innovation, will establish a regular presence at the University. The Innovation Centre aims to bring together experts from Johnson & Johnson with local innovators to facilitate the exchange of ideas.
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News Obituary: Bill Manning The University is mourning its oldest staff member – boathouse stalwart Bill Manning who ‘arrested’ two intruders, battled a blaze that threatened tens of thousands of pounds of kit… and retired at 95. Bill retired from his role as part-time caretaker of the University boathouse at Sale in 2012, having worked there for more than a decade. He joined the SPORT department during the merger of 2004, having previously been employed by UMIST – following a medical he was pronounced fit to continue his work at the age of 87. Chris Renshaw, Deputy Head of Sport, said: “It wasn’t unusual to find Bill clearing leaves out of the gutters on the roof of the boathouse, or up a ladder sawing branches from overhanging trees. The nearest we came to falling out was when he was 90; I took his ladders away and produced a risk assessment confining him to light duties. “He will be sadly missed.”
The great and the good get the graphene experience
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ir Kostya Novoselov hosted EU Regional Policy Commissioner Johannes Hahn on a visit to the National Graphene Institute last month. The Commissioner, who approved a £23 million investment via the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) towards the £61 million Institute, was given a guided tour of the construction site and an overview of graphene research and commercialisation. The remaining £38 million was provided by the UK Government through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Commissioner Hahn said: “The Graphene Institute is an excellent example of how EU regional funding in the UK is supporting innovation and taking excellent ideas into the marketplace.” Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell also made a visit to the University to learn more about wonder material graphene.
EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn in discussion at the National Graphene Institute
Mrs Powell was hosted by graphene researcher Dr Aravind Vijayaraghavan and also met Sir Kostya and Vice-Chancellor Dame Nancy Rothwell. The visit was part of a Royal Society MP-scientists pairing scheme to build bridges between parliamentarians and some of the best scientists in the UK. As part of the scheme, electrical engineer Dr Alex Casson hosted civil servant Dr Matthew James in January.
Lucy Powell MP and Sir Kostya
• The National Graphene Institute has appointed James Baker as Business Director. James, formerly Vice-President of Technology Collaboration Programmes at BAE Systems, is responsible for attracting commercial organisations to work with the University on future graphene applications.
Fighting for life... at the Museum
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oxing hares, burrowing parasites, baby birds and prowling wolves are just some of the characters appearing in ‘From the War of Nature’, a story of predation, competition, co-operation and collaboration that is Manchester Museum’s latest exhibition. The exhibition – during the nationwide commemoration of the start of World War I – reveals that living things resolve conflict in many, often unexpected,
ways and aims to challenge the perception that war is an inevitable outcome of conflict. It includes films of University academics showing how they explore natural relationships and behaviour using a variety of approaches and methods. They include Dr Sheena Cruickshank, an immunologist studying immune responses to parasites from hosts. From the War of Nature opens to the public on Friday 11 April and runs until 7 September.
Struggle for Existence, George Bouverie, 1879 © National Museums Liverpool
Honorary professorship for captain of industry
New home for Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Resource Centre
The University has appointed a leading industrialist as honorary professor to teach the next generation of engineers and further develop commercial research collaborations.
The Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Resource Centre has now relocated in the newly restored, much loved and iconic Manchester Central Library.
Juergen Maier, Managing Director of Siemens UK and Ireland Industry Sector and a member of the Siemens UK Executive Management Board, will take up the five-year post within the University’s Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences.
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The Centre remains a part of the University and will have its own space in the Lower Ground Floor of the Library. Visitors will need only a Manchester city library card to borrow resources from the collection and the Centre hopes to welcome many University students and academics to their new premises.
Wonder women! The University is celebrating the achievements of our academics after winning two categories in the Manchester City Council International Women’s Day Awards. The Centre for Women’s Mental Health won the Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) category, while Professor Margot Brazier – who was also shortlisted for the Women in STEM category – won the Women in Legal and Business category. And Ruth Daniel, Manager of In Place of War, was shortlisted in the Women in Culture and Art category.
Fries on the prize
(l-r) Professor Vaskar Saha, James Milner and James’ partner Amy Fletcher
England star backs childhood cancer research project
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form of childhood cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, are now over 90%, but those children who relapse after treatment have a poor outlook.
Survival rates for the most common
University scientists, funded by blood cancer charity Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, are developing testing to identify those children
anchester City and England footballer James Milner visited laboratories at the University and gave a £25,000 cheque to fund a life-saving research study into childhood leukaemia.
A University chef is in the running to be named ‘Cook of the Year’ by BBC Radio 4. who are likely to be resistant to chemotherapy and looking for alternative ways to treat these patients. The James Milner Foundation raises funds and awareness for national charities including Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.
Deborah Kerrmath heads up the catering at Ashburne Hall, serving more than 160 students. Radio 4 has placed Deborah in the final three as part of their Food and Farming Awards.
A meeting with… Elaine Shillcock Any challenges? We can’t solve every problem, and sometimes people have unrealistic expectations. Sometimes people think that making a reasonable adjustment is giving an advantage, but it is about levelling the playing field and giving people the opportunity. How did you get to the role you have now?
Elaine Shillcock, Head of the Disability Support Office, started at the University in 1997 as a Technical Support Officer at Access Summit, a HEFCE-funded project to improve provision for disabled students. She ensures disabled people have access to the same opportunities as non-disabled people, whether in work or study, working to see that all parts of the University consider the needs of disabled people in their day-to-day activities. What’s the best part of your job? The best part of my job is seeing the difference that support can make to an individual, seeing people suddenly realise that they can succeed when they thought they couldn’t. There are lots of things that can be done to minimise the difficulties that people face, some are very simple.
My degree was in Chemistry and I started work for ICI as a research scientist. My great claim to fame is that I actually had a wallpaper design named after me! I was a chemistry lecturer in further education and worked with students with severe emotional difficulties and with profound learning difficulties. I am also quite a ‘techy’ person, always thinking of different ways that gadgets can be used, which led me to apply for the post at Access Summit.
What would you say to your 16-year-old self now? I come from the inner-city slum areas of Manchester and my 16-year-old self was probably quite insecure. It has taken me a long time to realise that we all have equal value regardless of our backgrounds. I would just say go for it! You can achieve anything that you want to. Favourite book, film and TV programme? This is where it gets really embarrassing. I think my favourite book is whatever I’m reading at the time. My favourite film (as much as I hate to say it) is Top Gun and on the rare occasions I get the remote, I watch Motorway Cops! What is your earliest childhood memory?
I’ve recently come across a piece of software that can convert a page of text into a unique code that can be read on a smart phone – I can think of loads of uses for that around the University, so watch this space.
My earliest childhood memory is the night my sister was born – I don’t remember anything at all about her so she obviously didn’t make a big impression. I do remember my dad allowed me to sit downstairs on the kitchen sink while I was waiting with him.
Who would be your ideal dinner party guest?
Any interesting hobbies?
Richard Branson – he is dyslexic, as am I, and has achieved so much. I think one of the great strengths of many dyslexic people is their creativity and he personifies what can be achieved.
I relax by taking my dog for long walks. I also play guitar and piano and have been trying to teach myself to play saxophone for a long time. Also crafts, knitting crochet and making jewellery.
Any future projects coming up?
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Research
Bloody Sunday, 1887
Importance of Victorian funeral revealed
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ewly discovered details of the funeral of a protester trampled to death by a police horse in 1887, have turned the event into one of Victorian time’s most significant moments, according to a University historian.
Dr Peter Yeandle says over 100,000 people paid tribute to Alfred Linnell – one of three killed in London’s ‘Bloody Sunday’ protests against new laws which curtailed freedom of speech and the right to assembly. But the significance of the funeral, he says, has been consciously written out of history because of its uncomfortable reading for Left and Right-wing commentators. Linnell, a law clerk, apparently fell close to the famous writer and radical George Bernard Shaw, though it’s not known if the 41-year-old was a bystander or a protester. The controversy was heightened when the body was misplaced – or at worst swapped – by pathologists conducting an autopsy for an inquest whose inconclusive verdict split the press.
New research reinforces danger of drinking alcohol while pregnant
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omen who drink alcohol at moderate or heavy levels in the early stages of their pregnancy might damage the growth and function of their placenta – the organ responsible for supplying everything that a developing infant needs until birth – University research shows. The study looked at the effect of two or three standard drinks and four to six standard drinks consumed in one go on the placenta’s function in a laboratory environment. They found it reduced cell growth in the placenta. Sylvia Lui, from the Tommy’s Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre based at the University, said: “In the long-term, there could be consequences to how much support the infant receives from the placenta during the rest of the pregnancy after this exposure.”
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Fish oils could treat rare disease
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nother health benefit for fish oils has been uncovered by scientists at the University.
New research has found that the oils can help infants suffering with congenital hyperinsulinism. The disease is a rare and potentially lethal disease and is the clinical opposite of diabetes that causes those with the disease to make too much insulin. The risk is when the brain is starved of blood sugar – a likely cause of brain damage or long-term disability. But by giving sufferers purified fish oils similar to those used to treat some heart attack patients, alongside standard medical treatment, their blood sugar levels improve. Congenital hyperinsulinism is a rare disorder affecting roughly 1 in 50,000 children overall in the UK. It causes the child’s body to produce too much insulin, leading to frequent low blood sugar episodes. Low blood sugar in a baby’s developing brain can lead to long term disabilities or brain damage, according to previous research carried out by the team.
Talking-therapy could reduce osteoarthritis pain
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ackling the way the mind deals with pain may be as effective as anti-inflammatory drugs to tackle osteoarthritis, University research shows. Scientists funded by Arthritis Research UK suggest talking-therapies and counselling can target brain mechanisms to enable the brain to cope more effectively with chronic pain. Professor Wael El-Deredy said: “More research is needed but this suggests we should be putting more resources into a common approach to developing new therapies that target these potential brain mechanisms.”
Research
Viking find in blockbuster show
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rtefacts from the UK mainland’s first fully intact Viking boat burial site, discovered by University archaeologists working in the Scottish Highlands, are one of ten extraordinary objects to feature in the British Museum’s latest blockbuster show.
Managers, not bosses, get things done Oliver Harris and Eleanor Gray at work
summer of 2011 on the remote Ardnamurchan Peninsula on Scotland’s west coast. The 1,000-year-old find was made by the Ardnamurchan Transitions Project (ATP), which is a team led by experts from the Universities of Manchester, Leicester, CFA Archaeology Ltd and Archaeology Scotland.
In ‘A history of the Viking world in 10 extraordinary objects’, author of A History of the World in 100 Objects and Director of the British Museum, Neil MacGregor, condenses the museum’s latest blockbuster show into ten fascinating pieces. The burial, from late ninth or early tenth century, is part of a rare fully intact site excavated in the
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ong suffering and much criticised middle-managers, not the people at the top, are the most likely people to tackle the nation’s health challenges according to research at the Faculty of Humanities. Dr Kathryn Oliver says it’s not academics, Directors of Public Health, politicians or big business who are the most influential, but those without any public health background – managers in the health service and local government. And it’s the middle managers, she says, who have successfully brought issues such as minimum unit price for alcohol to the forefront of the policy agenda.
A sword found at the site
Her findings provide some rare comfort to middle-managers under fire by some media commentators and politicians, who claim there are too many. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and his predecessor Andrew Lansley have highlighted the “pen-pushing culture” in the NHS, promising to reduce bureaucracy. For her research Dr Oliver asked 152 policy leaders across local government and the NHS in an English conurbation to nominate the most powerful and influential people in public health policy across the city.
New protein involved in lung cancer Dr Rahul Nair with a graphene water filter
Graphene’s love affair with water
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ater filters allowing precise and fast sieving of salts and organic molecules have been revealed by graphene scientists.
This bizarre property has attracted intense academic and industrial interest with intent to develop new water filtration and desalination technologies.
Graphene has proven itself as a wonder material with a vast range of unique properties, but one of its the least-known marvels is its strange love affair with water.
The team led by Dr Rahul Nair and Sir Andre Geim has tested how good the graphene membranes are as filters for liquid water. The results appear in the latest issue of Science.
Graphene repels water, but narrow capillaries vigorously suck in water allowing its rapid permeation, if the water layer is only one atom thick – that is, as thin as graphene itself.
Dr Nair said: “The water filtration is as fast and as precise as one could possibly hope for such narrow capillaries.”
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niversity scientists have discovered a new protein that is involved in cancer and inflammation in lung tissue.
The findings could help in the development of new drugs to target lung cancer - the most common cause of cancer death in Greater Manchester. Professor David Ray, Professor of Medicine and Endocrinology, said: “This work shows that targeting a protein, known as Merm1, could offer a new strategy in developing anti-inflammatory treatments. “The study has given us a new insight into the mechanisms at play in lung inflammation and lung cancer.”
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Research
Students’ war letters go on show for first time
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The free exhibition shows the letters to Professor Thomas Frederick Tout (1855-1929) displayed alongside six specially commissioned works by University of Salford visual arts students. They were written over the course of the conflict, whose centenary is being commemorated across the country this year.
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niversity researchers have discovered a new mechanism that governs how body clocks react to changes in the environment.
The discovery could provide a solution for alleviating the detrimental effects of chronic shift work and jet-lag. Dr David Bechtold’s team has revealed that an enzyme controls how easily the body’s clockwork can be adjusted or reset by environmental cues such as light and temperature. Internal biological timers – or circadian clocks – are found in almost every species on the planet. In mammals including humans, circadian clocks are found in most cells and tissues of the body, and orchestrate daily rhythms in our physiology, including our sleep/wake patterns and metabolism.
Professor Thomas Frederick Tout
our poignant letters, written by Victoria University of Manchester students to their History Professor from the battlefields of World War I, are being displayed in public for the first time at The John Rylands Library.
New way to reset body clock
Conscientious objector J Stanley Carr survived the war but fellow student Thomas Seymour Hurrell, who also survived the war, died in 1918 during an influenza epidemic. It is not known if another of the student writers, SL Connor, survived the war. But Herbert Eckersley, killed in action in 1917, was one of 300 Victoria University of Manchester students who lost their lives in the Great War, according to a 1918 speech by the then vice chancellor Sir Henry Miers.
The work was funded by the Biological Sciences Research Council and undertaken in collaboration with scientists from Pfizer led by Dr Travis Wager.
Ethnic minorities ‘better qualified’
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ew evidence from the 2011 Census shows that ethnic minorities in England and Wales have become increasingly better qualified than their White British counterparts.
The research, by the University’s Centre on Dynamics and Ethnicity (CoDE), shows an overall improvement in attainment by students in further and higher education over the past 20 years. However, ethnic minority groups are doing better overall. For example, Indian, Chinese and Black African groups had higher educational attainment than other ethnic minorities and the White British group in both 2001 and 2011. The findings are particularly significant, argue the team, given the continuing ethnic inequalities in employment identified in CoDE’s earlier census briefings. The figures are mostly down to wider and improved access to higher education, particularly among women.
An artist’s impression of the Star Carr settlement
Call to change prostate cancer screening
Stone Age research is project of the year
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Professor Ken Muir, from the Institute of Population Health, is proposing the UK moves to a risk-based approach in the community – a move backed by charity Tackle Prostate Cancer.
study of one of the Europe’s most important Early Mesolithic sites, Star Carr, near Scarborough, has won “Research Project of the Year” in the national Current Archaeology Awards 2014. A team of archaeologists from the Universities of Manchester and York have worked at Star Carr since 2004 to piece together its use by
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hunter-gatherers at the end of the Ice Age around 9,000 BC. Joint directors Dr Chantal Conneller, of The University of Manchester, Professor Nicky Milner, from The University of York, and Dr Barry Taylor, now of the University of Chester, said they were thrilled to win the award.
he UK needs to invest in testing for those men most at risk of prostate cancer rather than follow a cast-the-net-wide approach targeting the whole population, according to a Manchester academic.
He surveyed more than 1,000 men and over 100 GPs about whether they would be happy with a risk-based approach to prostate cancer screening. The findings show over 80% of men expressed strong support and 77% of GPs were supportive.
Feature
The future is bright
The University is taking part in the innovative graduate trainee programme Ambitious Futures. Here UniLife talks to our first trainees Alex Barker and Jacinta Blythe, who started their Manchester placements in January...
Ambitious Futures is a national programme which gives talented graduates training opportunities in the higher education sector - effectively nurturing future senior leaders. Alex and Jacinta were the successful Manchester applicants after passing a rigorous selection process. You may have seen the distinctive teepee outside University Place in February, and this was Alex’s first task: working on MyFutureFest, a week-long programme of events for the Careers and Employability Division.
She says: “It’s been an exciting but daunting period, but the team have been very welcoming and supportive. I’m now working on a campaign to promote a series of ‘boot-camps’ for the Class of 2014, helping them to hone their skills and increase their confidence in preparation for when they graduate. It’s quite a challenge to engage such a large and diverse student community.” Jacinta, meanwhile, has been shadowing the management team and working within the newly-established projects office in the Library. She says: “The scheme appealed to me because I’d previously worked in the University’s Accommodation Office and it gave me a taste for working in higher education. And it works two ways, it’s a great opportunity for the University to utilise the talent they’ve nurtured within a structured, supportive programme.” Both will be moving on to their next placements in May. Alex is going to Lancaster University to work on knowledge exchange partnerships with China, while Jacinta is going to Liverpool University to work in their student recruitment division. Manchester, in turn, will play host to trainees from two other universities in the scheme. Alex says: “Both Jacinta and I have a great support group of graduates who are taking part in the scheme at other universities. We regularly keep in touch with each other and it’s an opportunity to share our experiences about how we’re getting on.”
Alex Barker
Will Spinks, Registrar, Secretary and Chief Operating Officer, who led the steering group to bring the
Jacinta Blythe
initiative to Manchester, said: “The Ambitious Futures scheme is a bold innovation for the higher education sector. It aims to grow into one of the largest graduate recruitment schemes in the country. We are very pleased that Manchester is involved in its early development.” Alex and Jacinta will return to Manchester in October to start their final six-month programme placement. If you have a suitable placement role within your department, or could host a trainee from another university, contact Helen Barton, Planning Support Office on ext. 52154 or helen.barton@manchester.ac.uk.
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Feature
Learning and the criminal mind
The University’s new Learning Through Research programme teaches our undergraduate students about their subject by having them look at – or do – research. This will not only enhance our students’ learning experience, it will improve their employability by increasing the scope of their studies and skills base. Here UniLife meets one of the academics showing our students a new way of learning…
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t’s never been about CSI or ‘Cracker’... and forensic psychology students are now hammering that message home by creating their own myth-busting posters. From day one, the School of Psychological Sciences’ undergraduates use research tools; collecting and analysing data to further their knowledge on a wide range of topics. Today, thanks to the University’s ‘Learning Through Research’ programme, its second year students are facing a new challenge – how to put complex issues in lay person’s language and promote their work to the wider world. “We’re closing the final bit of the loop,” says Dr Lee Wickham, Programme Director for the BSc in Psychology. “Some universities simply teach students how to replicate phenomena, testing existing research, but Manchester has always wanted its students to take the next step. “They don’t just access current literature; they learn to think critically about how they can extend knowledge by finding the next new questions to ask.
that you can look at a crime scene and write a profile for the culprit; that you can tell someone is lying if they scratch their nose. “There is no scientific basis for any of that.” While the FBI uses the polygraph – or lie detector – on the strength of mere anecdotal evidence, UK policing takes a more statistical line, drawing on the advice of psychology professionals. The turning point came in the wake of the Wimbledon Common murder of Rachel Nickell in 1992. The police set a ‘honey trap’ for prime suspect Colin Stagg – who was wrongly arrested and eventually acquitted before the real killer was brought to justice, having killed again. “Sometimes flawed information doesn’t just not help, it can be extremely damaging,” says Dr Wickham. The designs have already been exhibited in the School and at University Open Days. The next step is to show them on the web. Dr Wickham is impressed: “Our students have real creative flair.”
“The posters then test their ability to explain the answers in simple terms to the general public. It’s about developing skills that can be used in any workplace to improve their employability.” So far most posters have focused on destroying misconceptions about the subject – particularly on lie-detectors and criminal profiling. “People think it’s CSI and Cracker,” says Dr Wickham. “The problem is those misconceptions have come up through the criminal justice system; the belief
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Dr Lee Wickham
Feature
Behind the mask The University is about to unveil its medical treasures. UniLife has a sneak preview of the Museum of Medicine and Health...
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ioneering facial reconstructions by artist Richard Neave and neuro surgery illustrations drawn by Dorothy Davidson as the operations actually took place are just some of the treasures rediscovered in the 1970’s and now being cared for in the Museum of Medicine and Health. During the move from the old Medical School in Coupland Street to the then newly-built Stopford Building in 1973, a veritable treasure-trove of medical equipment initially collected by Professor of Anatomy George Mitchell was boxed up and put into storage. Later unearthed by the then Executive Dean, Dr Bill Beswick, he immediately recognised the historical importance of the items and his wife, Charlotte, set about identifying and cataloguing each piece, using her skills in calligraphy to write labels.
Stephanie Seville
The collection, which has been added to over the years, has created a medical museum which staff and students can utilise for research and teaching. And now a programme of public events is to open up the collection to other organisations beyond the University with loans to schools, galleries and the Museum of Science and Industry proving a huge success. Kate Dack, Public Programmes Manager with Nowgen at the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, is working closely with Stephanie Seville, Heritage Assistant for the Museum, and Dr James Hopkins, University Historian. Kate said: “There are some amazing items in our collection and my role is to help find ways to engage with the public and tell the stories about the medical artefacts and the people who worked with them.” Consisting of medical and nursing equipment, instruments, apparatus and some archival material, the museum’s aim is to collect and conserve anything relevant to the practice of medicine, nursing and pharmacy. A medical collection in the widest sense, it is a teaching resource to support further understanding of the history of medicine, health and disease.
Stephanie has the enjoyable task of caring for and presenting the collection. She said: “There are lots of gems in our collection and I just want to get stuck in. In the future, along with our public events programme, we are hoping to produce leaflets and postcards featuring some of the museum collection.” Members of staff and students are invited to access the collection for research and teaching purposes. • For more information visit www.mms.manchester.ac.uk/museum or email medical.museum@manchester.ac.uk
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Feature
Blue – and grey – sky thinking
The Research Excellence Framework – the new system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions – asks us to show the impact that our research has on the world. Here UniLife looks at how our researchers really are changing the world…
Teams of scientists hunch over instruments and computers aboard what appears to be an ordinary passenger plane, but it is in fact an airborne laboratory capable of measuring important atmospheric properties and responding within hours to atmospheric pollution incidents anywhere in the world. Many members of the School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences staff lead and contribute to these activities on board this national facility, managed by the National Centre for Atmospheric Science, a NERC Centre. Whilst the aircraft is the platform for collecting the important data, the real analysis takes place at the school’s Simon Building, in the Centre for Atmospheric Sciences. Under Professor Hugh Coe, the team has developed world-leading expertise on the impact of pollution on climate and the ability to quantify the effect of aerosol particles within changing atmospheres. Over the past two years alone they have provided data on the 2012 Icelandic ash cloud that enabled the UK’s grounded airline industry to get back into the skies; extracted the first accurate measurement of how much gas was being emitted from the damaged North Sea Elgin platform; and are now working with the Brazilian government to evaluate the effect of biomass burning on climate and crop growth in the Sao Paulo region. “During the ash cloud event, airlines were unable to operate and wanted the engine manufacturers to tell them how much airborne ash their engines could safely tolerate,” explains Professor Coe. “The CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) had grounded all flights and the situation just went on and on.
Professor Hugh Coe at work
“The engine manufacturers determined a limit of ash mass for safe operation and it was the Met Office’s job to predict the ash mass across the UK, allowing the CAA to decide whether or not to close UK airspace. “We flew into the cloud to determine exactly how much ash was there and how high up it was. These data provided the Met Office with the information they needed to verify their model predictions and so help the CAA decide that flights could resume. “Without going to the scene and carrying out detailed measurements this wouldn’t have been possible. “Our research and analysis at Elgin had a similarly practical outcome and now in Brazil we are providing data that’s important for prediction of weather and climate that affects everything from transport infrastructure to crop growth. “The School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences is an inspiring place to work and it is fantastic to be able to do so among so many motivated young scientists, who are using fundamental physical science to tackle globally complex problems.”
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Listings
Drawings by Anthony McCarthy, from The Space Between, currently on show at The John Rylands Library
What’s On
The Manchester Museum
Drop into the Discovery Centre for drawing and other art activities inspired by the Museum’s collection and pick up one of our free Museum activity sheets.
EXHIBITIONS
Available Sat and Sun 10am or 2pm – bookings one month in advance New! Children’s Birthday Parties
All exhibitions at The Manchester Museum are FREE Fragmentary Ancestors: Figurines from Koma Land, Ghana until 5 May From the War of Nature from 11 Apr – 31 Aug FAMILY ACTIVITIES Most activities are free and drop-in, some activities may need to be booked and may cost up to £1.50, all ages. Every Sat and Sun, 11am-4pm Discovery Centre
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Tues 15 and 29 Apr, 10.30am, 11.30am and 1pm, FREE (booking essential) Baby Explorers Sensory play and interactive story sessions for babies who aren’t walking yet. Fri 25 Apr, 10.30am and 11.30am, FREE (booking essential) Magic Carpet Story making and activity sessions. For toddlers up to 5yrs and their families/carers. Sat 26 Apr, 11am, FREE Magic Carpet Big Saturday: Plants, Poisons, Platypuses
FREE TALKS, TOURS AND WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS Every Tues and Thurs, 12pm Vivarium Tours Every Weds and Thurs, 1pm Taster Tours Fri 25 Apr, 2pm (booking essential) Urban Naturalist: Urban Wildlife Opening times Open: Tues-Sat 10am-5pm Sun-Mon (and Bank Holidays) 11am-4pm FREE admission
The Manchester Museum, Oxford Road, Manchester 0161 275 2648 www.manchester.ac.uk/museum Follow us on Twitter @McrMuseum www.facebook.com/ManchesterMuseum
The Whitworth Art Gallery Re-opening 25 October 2014 The Whitworth Art Gallery has started a new and exciting chapter in its history. A major building project is now taking place to transform and extend the 120-year-old gallery, doubling its public areas whilst reducing its carbon footprint and improving facilities for visitors. This new development by architects MUMA will re-connect the 19th century building with Whitworth Park through an elegant contemporary extension. The new Whitworth will bring you more art, more activities, more events and more space. It will be all things our many visitors have always loved about the Whitworth. We look forward to welcoming you back on Saturday 25 October 2014. Visit our website for details of our forthcoming outreach events….. Whitworth Art Gallery Oxford Road, Manchester 0161 275 7450 email whitworth@manchester.ac.uk www.manchester.ac.uk/whitworth
The Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama THEATRE/PERFORMANCE Wed 23 Apr, 1pm and 7pm, £10/£8/£5 Black Box Theatre Company presents Romeo and Juliet Thurs 24 Apr, 10am and 2pm, £10/£8/£5 Black Box Theatre Company presents Romeo and Juliet
Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre
John Rylands Library (Deansgate) Gig Guide
Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre offers a great day out for all the family. Come and explore the planets using our model of the Solar System. Find answers to the wonders the Universe, listen to the sounds of the Big Bang and discover what the scientists are researching ‘Live’ in our interactive Space Pavilion. The glass-walled café offers spectacular views of the iconic Lovell telescope and fantastic homemade cakes!
EXHIBITIONS Aftermath (exhibition to mark the centenary of the IWW) until 23 June Bus Stop Stories until 22 June
Manchester Academy 1, 2 and 3 Wed 9 Apr
Devildriver - £17
Thurs 10 Apr The Wildhearts + Hey! Hello! - £20 Johnette Napolitano - £17.50 Hue and Cry - £19.50
EVENTS
The Space Between: Exhibition of Artworks by Anthony McCarthy until 3 Aug
Mon 7 – Fri 11 Apr Mars Exploration
FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES
Mon 14 – Thurs 17 Apr Mars Science Show
Mon 7 Apr-Sun 27 Apr Grumbold’s Dragon Egg Hunt
Sat 12 Apr
FREE LUNCHTIME CONCERTS Thurs 1 May, 1.10pm Trio Atem
Tues 22 – Fri 25 Apr Mars Exploration
Sat 12 Apr, 11am-4pm (booking essential) Passion Art Trail: Easter Craft Workshop
Tues 15 Apr Gallon Drunk - £10
Fri 2 May, 1.10pm Manchester University Commissioning Ensemble (MUCE)
Information: Live from Jodrell Bank website www.livefromjodrellbank.com
Mon 14 Apr, 2pm-4pm (booking essential) Learn Together: Pop-up Books and Cards
Thurs 17 Apr The Summer Set - £12
Tickets: http://ow.ly/hQCFU Tickets include entry to the Discovery Centre.
Sat 26 Apr, 12pm-1pm Here be Dragons!
Opening times 10am-5pm
THINGS TO DO
Fri 25 Apr, 10am, £10/£8/£5 Black Box Theatre Company presents Romeo and Juliet
EVENING CONCERTS Wed 9 Apr, 6pm, £8/£5 Poems and Songs by Bertolt Brecht The Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama Bridgeford Street, Manchester, M13 9PL 0161 275 8951 email boxoffice@manchester.ac.uk www.manchester.ac.uk/ martinharriscentre
Chaplaincies St Peter’s House Chaplaincy Sunday, 11am Holy Communion 12.45pm Lunch (1st Sun) Sunday, 5.30pm Student Service (term-time only) Wednesday 12.15pm Eucharist, followed by free soup lunch (term-time only) RC Chaplaincy Avila House Mass Times (term-time only) Sun, 7pm in the Holy Name Church Mon, Tues, Thurs and Friday, 5.30pm in the Chaplaincy Chapel Weds, 1.05pm in the Chaplaincy Chapel The Jewish Student Centre and Synagogue 07817 250 557 Email Rabbi Ephraim Guttentag: ephraim@mychaplaincy.co.uk Muslim Chaplaincy South Campus Mosque, McDougall Centre Jammaat (Group Prayer) Daily Juma Prayer Friday 1.15pm Honorary Imam: Imam Habeeb, h_chatti@hotmail.com North Campus Mosque Basement of Joule Library, Sackville Street Building Jammaat (Group Prayer) Daily Juma Prayer Friday 12.30pm The role of Volunteer Muslim Chaplain is to provide pastoral support, guidance and a listening ear to Muslim staff and students. Chaplains’ contact details are available in the prayer rooms or via St Peter’s House.
For more information and prices please visit our website Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9DL 01477 571 766 www.jodrellbank.net
International Society Visit some of the most beautiful and interesting locations around England, Scotland and Wales. There are visits taking place almost every weekend throughout the year. Sat 12 Apr North Wales visiting the Snowdon Mountain Railway, Swallow Falls and Betws-y-coed
Mon 7 Apr, 12.30pm-1pm Rylands Gallery: Bitesize Talk
Sat 19 Apr
Berlin Berlin + Puppet Rebellion - £8
Mon 21 Apr Kvelertak - £10 Tues 22 Apr Brody Dalle - £12
Fri 25 Apr
Jace Everett with Band £14.50 Patent Pending + People On Vacation - £12.50
Sat 26 Apr
The Smiths Ltd – The UK’s No.1 Smiths Tribute - £10
Sun 27 Apr
John Butler Trio - £20
Mon 14 Apr, 2pm-4pm (booking required) Photography Workshop: Bus Stop Stories Thurs 24 Apr, 12.30pm-1pm Rylands Gallery: Bitesize Talk Weds 30 Apr, 12.30pm-1pm Rylands Gallery: Bitesize Talk
Mon 28 Apr Blood Red Shoes + Slaves + DZ Deathrays - £10
TOURS
Fri 2 May
De La Soul – Celebrating 25 years of Hip Hop - £25
Sat 3 May
Northside - £15
Mon 5 May
Neon Trees - £12.50
Booking required for all tours
Wed 23 Apr, 2pm-3pm (FULLY BOOKED) Shakespeare 450
Sat 26 Apr Stratford-upon-Avon
Fri 25 Apr, 3pm-4pm (FULLY BOOKED) Explorer Tour
327 Oxford Road (next to Krobar) 0161 275 4959 email int.soc@manchester.ac.uk www.internationalsociety.org.uk
Brand New + Saves The Day - £22.50
Tues 15 Apr, 12.30pm-1pm Rylands Gallery: Bitesize Talk
Sun 20 Apr Robin Hood’s Bay and Scarborough
Small World Café opening times Mon-Fri 11am – 3pm
Fri 18 Apr
Thurs 24 Apr Clutch - £16.50 Uncle Acid and The Deadbeats - £11.50
Thurs 17 Apr, 1pm-3pm Tours and Treasures
Opening times Mon-Fri 9.30am – 7pm (during term time) Mon-Fri 9.30am – 5pm (during vacation)
Wed 16 Apr Augustines - £12.50
Fri 11 Apr, 12.30pm-1pm Rylands Gallery: Bitesize Talk
Sat 19 Apr Peak District visiting Poole’s Cavern and Hardwick Hall
Sun 4 May North Wales visiting Conwy and Caernarfon Castles
UB40 - £28.50 Penetration - £12
Wed 9 Apr, 11am-11.30am Curator Talk: Bus Stop Stories
Sun 13 Apr Cheshire Oaks and Chester
Sat 3 May Lake District visiting Aira Force Waterfall and Ambleside
Memphis May Fire + The Word Alive + Cytota £11 Manchester Orchestra £12.50
Wed 23 Apr The Temperance Movement - £11
Sun 13 Apr, 3pm-4pm Unusual Views: Library Tours for Photographers
Sun 27 Apr Blackpool
Fri 11 Apr
Tickets from Students’ Union, Oxford Road Piccadilly Box Office @ easy Internet Café (c/c) 0871 2200260 Royal Court (Liverpool) 0151 709 4321 (c/c) Students’ Union Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL 0161 275 2930 www.manchesteracademy.net
Sun 4 May, 3pm-4pm Explorer Tour For further details of our events, please visit our website FREE ADMISSION Public opening times: Sun-Mon 12-5pm, Tues-Sat 10am-5pm Reader opening times: Mon-Weds, Fri-Sat 10am-5pm, Thurs 10am-7pm The John Rylands Library 150 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3EH Visitor/Event Enquiries: 0161 306 0555 General/Reader Enquiries: 0161 275 3764 www.library.manchester.ac.uk/ specialcollections/
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Feature
The inside story on saving lives The University’s strategic plan Manchester 2020 lists one of our goals as contributing to the social and economic success of the local, national and international community. Our new engagement campaign to encourage staff to highlight how they are ‘making a difference’ to society was launched featuring campus installations and a new blog. Here UniLife looks at a colleague we can be proud of… Professor Tony Peyton at work with his team
Professor Tony Peyton is using electromagnetics to improve people’s lives – from testing the quality of food to detecting landmines in war-torn countries. Tony and the team at the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering investigate ways to use electromagnetics for a range of inspection applications. Their work – which involves formulating algorithms to describe the signals received – has a huge range of applications, including revealing the microstructure of a steel component, testing the quality of food, detecting whether a person is carrying a hidden weapon or just a mobile phone and locating buried objects. Tony says: “I’m lucky to have good connections with many companies, charities and organisations, who we partner to provide technological solutions for a range of real-world problems. We also work closely with other Schools in Engineering and Physical
Sciences.
these devastating weapons.”
“A recent example, of which I am most proud, is ‘Find A Better Way’; a charity founded by Manchester United and England legend Sir Bobby Charlton. This charity is dedicated to providing practical, humanitarian solutions to the global problem of landmines. “Our team is working with Find a Better Way to find quicker, effective and safer solutions to the problem of detecting landmines in war torn countries across the world. It is early days but we have already identified that we can use the technology developed and tested in Manchester to find a solution that will help reduce the huge amount of time spent dealing with metallic clutter rather than landmines by humanitarian clearance teams. “Saving this time will ultimately save lives, as more effort can be focused on the challenge of clearing
Tony (left) with Sir Bobby Charlton
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Next Issue 6 May 2014 M1032 03.14 The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL Royal Charter aNumber RC000797
Cert no. SGS-COC-3059