MAR | APR10
BEST FOOT FORWARD staff successes David House: farewell message
Editor Rebecca Haroutunian Communications manager Assistant editor Phil Mills Communications officer Channel magazine is published every two months by Marketing and Communications. Channel is available online at www.brighton.ac.uk/channel. Alongside this publication our online newsletter eChannel is produced monthly at http://community.brighton.ac.uk/ echannel. For the latest news about the university, please see www.brighton.ac.uk/news. For an insight into research conducted at the university, see www.brighton.ac.uk/research.
Contact details Channel Marketing and Communications Mithras House Lewes Road, Brighton BN2 4AT +44 (0)1273 643022 communications@brighton.ac.uk
service coordinator with Student Services, and Emma Illingworth, assistant information adviser in the Aldrich Library.
Send your news to communications@brighton.ac.uk.
Print and reproduction By DSI Colourworks, registered to environmental standard, ISO 14001. This magazine was printed using inks made from vegetable-based oils and without the use of industrial alcohol. Ninety-five per cent of the cleaning solvents were recycled for further use and 94 per cent of the dry waste associated with this production will be recycled.
Front page image Congratulations to all our colleagues who were taking part in the inaugural Brighton Marathon on 18 April. Most were raising money for charity including the four on our front cover. Pictured, left to right, are: Anne Solley, faculty administrative assistant and PA in Education and Sport Faculty Office; Laura Bottomley, senior research administrator in Health Professions; Helen Abrahams, student advice
Photo by Stephen Lawrence, Southern News and Pictures.
Next editions of Channel May–June 2010 Copy deadline 3 May Distributed on 1 June
Contents Regular features News
08
04–07 Round-up News from across the university
18–19 Research briefing News and grant awards
Lead features
11
12–15 Lead article Staff vote Brighton a great place to work
16–17 Research feature Net.Weight: fighting obesity with the internet
Features 08–09 Staff in focus Creating a healthy university
20
10 Opinion Olympic legacy or lethargy 11 The Long View Playing with tweed
20–21 In conversation with David House 22 A week in the life... Senior lecturer James Ebdon 23 On campus With a little help from our friends 24 Events
12–15 18
16
March | April 2010 Channel Magazine 03
UNIVERSITY ROUND-UP
Comment Tributes to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor David House
Tributes have been paid to the university’s Deputy ViceChancellor David House who retires on 30 April after 37 years with the institution. David, 64, was appointed assistant director (resources) in 1988, deputy director in 1991 and the title changed to Deputy Vice-Chancellor in 2002. Vice-Chancellor Julian Crampton said: “David’s guiding hand, wise counsel and expert knowledge have made a tremendous contribution to the growth and stature of this institution – there is no doubt that he has played a major role in the success of the University of Brighton. “His influence has reached across the country through his association with the Joint Information Systems Committee and through the many other organisations and individuals who regularly seek out the advice of Brighton on how to manage a complex university successfully.” Lord Mogg, chairman of the university’s Board of Governors, said: “Quite where the university would be without David’s profound contribution to its growth and development is anyone’s guess.“It is not only the years and years that David has been here: it is far more his detailed understanding of a working institution and its philosophical approach; his grasp of the changing opportunities as political and educational approaches evolve, mature and sometimes go into reverse; and his appreciation of the people who work and have worked here over the years. We all owe him an immeasurable debt.” Professor Sir David Watson was Director and ViceChancellor of Brighton Polytechnic and the University of Brighton between 1990 and 2005, and who from October 2010 will be Principal of Green Templeton College, Oxford. He said: “David has had the priceless quality of a senior manager, of being able to take pleasure and pride in what every other member of the university is able to achieve. For David, even on the darkest days, it has always been fun, and it has always been worthwhile. Personally, I couldn’t have hoped for a better deputy: loyal, imaginative, supportive, ready to tell me (but nobody else) on those many occasions how wrong many of my initial judgments were, and never afraid to follow through on difficult decisions. I owe him an enormous debt, but so too, I suggest, do all of the other members of the University of Brighton, past, present and future.”
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UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON A festival of benefits The university will be playing a bigger role in this year’s Brighton Festival and it will mean extra benefits for all staff and students. The university has become associate sponsor for the festival’s highly successful Books and Debate programme which this year offers a huge range of topics including climate change with the university’s honorary graduate Lord Nicholas Stern, the memoir Apathy for the Devil with British rock critic and musician Nick Kent, and there will be talks with children’s author Jacqueline Wilson, and Antonia Fraser on her life with Harold Pinter. The books and debate series offers some of the lowest priced tickets across all events making it one of the most accessible aspects of the festival which runs from 1–23 May. But there is more. As part of the university’s sponsorship, the following benefits are being offered to all staff and students: • 20 per cent discount for Brighton Dome and Festival Members’ Scheme, which offers exclusive access to the artists, plus year-round discounts • 10 per cent discount on tickets for festival shows and shows at Brighton Dome all year • Access to the VIP lounge at the Dome during the festival • Waiving of telephone booking fee for staff and students • 15 per cent discount for staff and students in Dome bar. Colin Monk, the university’s pro-vicechancellor for business and marketing, said: “The university has been a sponsor of the festival for many years as part of our continuing commitment and interest in our local community. We take our role in the community very seriously and we are proud of the positive impact we make across the region.”
Heather Thomas, director of Development at Brighton Dome and Festival, said: “The university’s support of the festival as associate sponsor for the Books and Debate series plays a critical part in enabling us to develop the quality and profile of what is now England’s biggest arts festival as well as our year-long programme of events at the Brighton Dome.” In order to claim these benefits in person you will need proof of your employment with the University of Brighton. This can be in the form of a standard University of Brighton business card. If you do not have one then you can request a letter to be signed by your employer by contacting events@ brighton.ac.uk. For further information on the full Books and Debates programme and other festival events during 1–23 May please visit www.brightonfestival.org.
UNIVERSITY ROUND-UP
FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING International success for Kath Dr Kath Browne, senior lecturer in Environment and Technology, has won international recognition for her work, co-authored with Jason Lim former research fellow for Kath’s Count Me In Too project, researching lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans in Brighton and Hove. Her paper Senses of Gender on trans people’s lives and how we understand gender, published by Sociological Research Online, was one of only four nominated for their annual award. Kath said: “It did not win but I was thrilled we were nominated. It is important recognition for the Count Me In Too project which local and national government bodies have recognised as an important piece of work.”
BRIGHTON AND SUSSEX MEDICAL SCHOOL International award Professor Darrell Evans has received a top international award. The Brazilian Society of Anatomy presented him with the Professor Alfonso Bovero Award for his outstanding contributions to medical education.
UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON Green light for Hastings academies Two multi-million pound academy schools will be created in Hastings after the proposals were given the final go-ahead. The government’s signing of the funding agreement for the new academies is a significant and major milestone in the project and signals the green light for more than £40m worth of investment in the two new twentyfirst century schools. The news has been welcomed by the sponsors – the University of Brighton, East Sussex County Council and BT – who have set up the trust that will manage the new academies.
They believe the new academies, which will replace Hillcrest, Filsham Valley and The Grove secondary schools, will not only improve educational opportunities for young people in the town but also play a role in the wider regeneration of the area. Professor Julian Crampton, Vice-Chancellor, said: “I am delighted this has been given the final go-ahead which will allow us to realise our ambitious plans. We are committed to leading the academies programme and are looking forward to sharing our expertise. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the hard work of the staff, students, head teachers and the governors from the predecessor schools.”
Above: Brian Eno, guest artistic director at the 2010 Brighton Festival, photograph credit Rex Features
Darrell received the award at the inaugural international meeting of Anatomy Education held in Sao Paolo, Brazil, and, in addition, he received honorary membership of the society. Darrell said he was “delighted to receive the award which demonstrated that BSMS was at the forefront of curriculum design and delivery”. Darrell gave two presentations focusing on innovative ways to teach and assess anatomy within medicine and on training the next generation of anatomists. He is hoping to build further links with Brazil by developing e-learning materials that benefit students both in the UK and Brazil.
March | April 2010 Channel Magazine 05
UNIVERSITY ROUND-UP
FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING The senile snail Research on the common pond snail resulted in coverage on BBC TV, radio, the Times Higher Education, local and national newspapers and even on France 3 Normandie TV. The snails are being used to look for treatments for senility. Researchers have discovered they suffer the same memory loss that humans experience as they get older. Professor Richard Faragher said: “One of the things you have to remember if you are a snail or, indeed, a person, is where you have left your food. As these little chaps get older, they forget where their lettuce is. I think all of us humans have been there and can sympathise. “These poor animals get forgetful – there are such things as senile snails.” By studying the snail’s nervous system scientists are understanding how the more complex human brain functions and that could help in developing treatments for conditions such as dementia. Professor Faragher’s colleague Dr Mark Yeoman is looking at what might cause our brains to age, a process that seems to involve the connections between some nerve cells losing their efficiency over time.
UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON New enterprise centre The university is supporting the development of digital media businesses and freelance professionals in the Hastings area.The Media Enterprise Centre offers workshops, masterclasses and short courses for the industry plus co-working desk space, exhibition space and meeting facilities. The first three enterprise workshops have been fully subscribed by practising professionals, on subjects including creating and analysing ideas, action-oriented business plans and networking skills. Future topics will cover entrepreneurship, finance, intellectual property protection and marketing.
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One of the beneficiaries of the centre is Martin Close, who graduated from the university’s Broadcast Media degree course in summer 2009. Martin set up in business as a freelance film maker and is now actively working in the area; “Staff at the centre have been really helpful with many things and I have made contacts with people who I am now collaborating on projects with. “The enterprise workshops have helped me understand the business side of things and built my confidence. I am now happier negotiating fees in meetings with clients and during my start up phase I was able to hire the university’s filming equipment which was great because I couldn’t afford to buy everything up front”. Dates for future events at the centre are listed at www.brighton.ac.uk/ mediaenterprise.
Above: Dr Mark Yeoman examining a pond snail.
FACULTY OF ARTS New principal lecturer
To see the video please visit http://tiny.cc/r47kt.
Dr Joan Farrer is joining the university’s School of Architecture and Design as Principal lecturer/reader in design and materials. Joan previously was associate professor of design in fashion, textiles, sustainability and materials practice at Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand. Her previous academic posts in the UK include senior research Tutor at the Royal College of Art, London, and senior research fellow at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, University of the Arts, London. With 30 years global fashion and textiles industry expertise, Joan has been a London Technology Network
UNIVERSITY ROUND-UP
Delegates focused on the increasing recognition that to be successful, longterms strategies relating to defence and security must be bound up with efforts to promote conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peaceful coexistence. Professor Sugden has spent 20 years working with sport as a vehicle to promote cross-community relations in societies in conflict. He stressed the significance of the cultural dimension to peace building, arguing that hearts and minds cannot be won through the barrel of a gun.
FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT AND INFORMATION SCIENCES The women kingmakers The election will be decided not just on jobs, MPs expenses or the recession but on women’s equality. Jackie O’Reilly, professor of comparative employment, said the female vote will be more crucial than ever. She said: “The Conservatives learned how important it was at the last election when they failed to keep tabs with what women were doing and needing – and lost their support as a result. Business Fellow, a peer reviewer for the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), and a design and strategy consultant for UK premier industrial fashion and supermarket retailer’s non-food divisions and their home and overseas supply chains.
FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND SPORT Conflict resolution John Sugden, professor of sociology of sport and director of Football for Peace International, made a keynote address at an international conference. The conference was organised by the Brussels-based think tank the Security Defence Agenda, in cooperation with NATO and the British Council, held in the Belgian Capital.
“They put forward policies supporting women to stay at home when the majority of women were out working, earning to help put children through school, to pay mortgages or to finance holidays.” Conversely, she said, Labour’s recent political dominance was largely due to their policies which helped women in the workplace, like the introduction of the minimum wage. David Cameron, she said, appeared to be learning the lesson – he wants to increase the number of women Tory MPs. But, she said: “All parties still have a long way to go – women are still being offered different employment contracts and are not enjoying equality in the workplace.”
The Plug The Really Useful Physical Education Book Sid Hayes and Gary Stidder, senior lecturers at Chelsea School, are set to release their new book, The Really Useful Physical Education Book, this July. Providing trainee and practising teachers with the practical, engaging ideas needed to teach PE imaginatively, the book is predominantly aimed at key stage three, while also covering the transition period from key stage two. Areas focused on include how to encourage pupils to exercise safely and enjoyably, the importance of exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle and the ways in which learning and teaching can be delivered through outdoor and adventurous activities, games, gymnastics, dance, swimming and athletics. Underpinned by easy to understand theory, it engages with the newly revised curriculum and presents a wide range of high quality, fun lessons alongside engaging teaching examples and methodologies. Shooting to Kill? Policing, Firearms and Armed Response In a few terrifying moments at the Stockwell Tube station in 2005, eight shots fired by armed police officers ended the life of an innocent Brazilian, Jean Charles de Menezes. Shooting to Kill? Policing, Firearms and Armed Response represents a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate on the rules of engagement. The authors, Professor Peter Squires from the School of Applied Social Science and Peter Kennison, Middlesex University, combine their expertise to identify the key drivers of police armed response policy. They identify the historical phases in the police use of firearms, showing how policing in a ‘gun culture’ and the post-9/11 era have come to shape contemporary police paramilitarism, and exploring the contradictions and ambiguities this presents for armed response policy and practice. Finally, by addressing six controversial police armed response case studies – including an in-depth analysis of the Stockwell shooting – the authors draw out the broader tensions, uncertainties, and dilemmas that arise in this most difficult and controversial area of policing. The book was due to launch on 16 April. Authors: Peter Squires is professor of criminology and public policy at the University of Brighton. Peter Kennison is a senior lecturer in the Department of Criminology and Sociology at Middlesex University.
March | April 2010 Channel Magazine 07
STAFF IN FOCUS
IN FOCUS...
Creating a healthy university The University of Brighton is playing a leading role in developing universities as centres for promoting health and wellbeing in their local communities. Brighton has just completed the first phase of a twoyear development project to determine how good health and wellbeing can be embedded into the many different aspects of university life, and how health-promoting activities can be integrated into the university’s structures and policies. This will establish Brighton as a health promoting university (HPU). This approach has been adopted successfully over the last 20 years in the UK and internationally in a variety of settings, including healthy cities and healthy schools, for example. It focuses on the socio-cultural environment as a setting for individual health-related behaviour. Settings-based health promotion recognises that the context in which people live their lives day to day is important in determining their health and wellbeing. It also is based on an understanding that the promotion of health is not determined by traditional health care services alone, but requires broader investment in social systems and structures outside the traditional health sector. In order to achieve this vision of establishing the university as an institution in which health and wellbeing are considered in all its activities – from building design and transportation to curriculum development and environmental sustainability – the project needs to obtain university-wide commitment and support to integrate health-promoting policies and structures, and to explore best practices for effective, sustainable implementation. Therefore, phase one of the project has included a scoping study carried out by a team from the International Health Development Research Centre (IHDRC) (Davies & Newton 2010). This study consisted of a review of academic and grey literature (unpublished local literature) related to the concept of the health promoting university, an interactive workshop, and indepth interviews with staff and students to determine their views on developing Brighton as a HPU. These findings are now being fed into the second phase of the project – putting the plans into action.
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The findings and interim recommendations are currently being discussed by the project steering group which includes representatives of the university’s Senior Management Team, Students’ Union, heads of Sport and Recreation, Occupational Health, Student Services, Health and Safety, Marketing and Communications and IHDRC. They will be presented at the next staff development conference, the national HPU network and the World Conference on Health Promotion in Geneva. Papers are also being written for academic journals.
We are ahead of the game as, although other universities have pockets of good practice, we are amongst the first to seek to embed these into the core policies of the university “One of the overwhelming findings was that people felt the university was the natural place for health promotion because it is a big employer and has a big impact on the local community,” said project manager Joanne Newton of IHDRC. “They also felt it would be good for business and would increase recruitment, retention, morale and productivity and reduce absenteeism and sickness.” She added that everyone who took part in the research, which involved a cross section of people from the university, was in favour of the goal of Brighton being a health promoting
university and identified initiatives, such as the Community University Partnership Programme and the Environmental Action Network, which were doing good health promotion work and having a wide impact on the community. The findings showed that, although people were unclear about what health promotion was, they seemed very clear on what a HPU would look like, saying it would, for instance, offer healthy, affordable food, opportunities for physical activity and that HPU values should encompass everyone at the university and be part of its everyday life. The research also showed that the university has good policies and practices on health promotion and sustainable health, as reflected by the results of the staff survey, which showed high satisfaction levels among staff and low absence rates. However, because of the multi-campus nature of the university more work was needed to link up existing initiatives. She added: “It’s a question of embedding the ethos and culture of health promotion into all the university’s policies, linking the initiatives up and communicating what we are doing better.” Joanne hopes that the next HPU meeting will result in plans for developing a system for ensuring that the embedding process works well. Other ideas include the development of an interactive website which brings all the initiatives together, and a training strategy to ensure all staff are fully engaged. The project is also developing ways of evaluating the impact of being an HPU to ensure a sound evidence base for its future development.
STAFF IN FOCUS
Sarah Hogg, Joanne Newton and Professor John Kenneth Davies
March | April 2010 Channel Magazine 09
OPINION
Olympic legacy or lethargy BY PROFESSOR JO DOUST Will the legacy of the 2012 London Olympic Games be eight athletes watched by 30 million couch potatoes? The build-up to the event sees UK sports scientists and technologists providing worldleading backroom support to the British team, yet while our Olympians’ bodies are being honed to perfection, statistics show the general population are roundly fat and unfit. At 23 per cent, the UK has the highest obesity rate in the EU; 60 per cent of men and 72 per cent of women fail to achieve even the minimum levels of activity necessary for a healthy life. There is good reason to be extremely pessimistic about the future. A powerful two stranded argument suggests the evolution of homo sapiens is moving inexorably to homo sedentarians. One strand lies in natural evolution and the belief that our metabolic systems evolved in a way that suited a hunter-gatherer lifestyle with phases of feast and famine. Nowadays, the easy availability of food, often highly calorie-dense, places us in a phase of permanent feast. The second strand argues that mechanisation and computerisation, along with widespread car ownership, has shrunk levels of habitual physical activity by around 600 calories a day. We no longer need to be active to survive, so we sit in our obesogenic environment. Many exercise scientists reject this pessimistic view. High-profile biomechanical advances in cycling technology have filtered down from professional riding to the high street. Aerodynamic shapes, disk brakes and suspension have improved comfort, safety and efficiency, making recreational cycling and commuting by cycle more attractive. Some of the most interesting science has come through the application of fundamental knowledge and experimental techniques.
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which measure functions such as heart rate and blood pressure, are now being linked to mobile phones and computer hubs to allow continuous analysis of activity. While most people know that exercise is good for them, most do not do enough. This dislocation between knowledge and behaviour is being investigated by exercise psychologists, who are examining theories of choice and change to see how environmental, social and personal factors can be influenced to result in more physical activity.
For instance, Dr Joanna Scurr from the University of Portsmouth has been using 3D digital video analysis and force measurements to study breast bounce during exercise. Pain from breast movement affects about half of all female exercisers. Understanding the biomechanics of breast movements is leading to improved bra designs and less painful exercise. Study of athletes’ training regimes has improved knowledge of the dynamics and adaptability of physiological systems. For the average person, the amount of exercise versus the health benefit is important.
Studies have demonstrated the value of fragmented exercise, showing that repeated short doses (say, 10 minutes) add up and prove the health benefits of “active transport”. Recent research in the US by L D Frank showed each kilometre walked per day was associated with a 4 per cent reduction in the likelihood of obesity, whereas each hour spent in a car was linked to a 6 per cent increase. But measuring physical activity remains a major problem. The limitations of simple mechanical pedometers are being overcome with GPS technology; and micro-monitoring devices,
Professor Jules Pretty and colleagues at the University of Essex have argued the particular value of using the natural environmental. They suggest that the same amount of exercise outdoors is of more benefit than in a gym. While the excitement of the Olympics inspires only a brief change in the public exercise and evolutionary drives, and the car and microchip compel sedentary behaviours in us, the past few years have seen a small increase in the activity levels of the population, so perhaps there is hope.
THE LONG VIEW
PLAYING WITH University of Brighton researcher Kirsty McDougall has dedicated herself to bringing tweed into the twenty-first century and her work has just earned her the prestigious Jerwood Contemporary Makers prize. Tweed has always had a fairly traditional image, conjuring up pictures of trout fishing and country picnics, but Kirsty’s work subverting and updating the textile has brought her growing success, not just in terms of media coverage – her work has been featured on the BBC’s Harassed Tweed and British Style Genius, for instance – but in terms of recognition by her peers. The award of the Jerwood prize comes after she was selected to exhibit at the Jerwood Contemporary Makers Exhibition 2010 and also in an exhibition of new British fashion design showing in Vienna in summer 2010. The Jerwood Exhibition showcases work by the new generation of innovative makers and replaces the former Jerwood Applied Arts Prize. Kirsty, who is based at the Centre for Research and Development, founded and runs textile company Dashing Tweeds with partner Guy Hills. The aim is to both subvert and build on the heritage of tweed techniques. She has worked with a range of clients, including hip hop fashion label Billionaire Boys Club and had her costume for comedy film The Boat that Rocked archived by Hollywood, but also presented papers on sustainability work with the Isle of Harris. Kirsty, who studied at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and then at the Royal College of Art from which she graduated in 2002, has had a successful freelance career designing woven textiles for the fashion, interior and film industries.
Above: Kirsty McDougall, dashing tweed advert Top right: Kirsty McDougall Right: Agyness Deyn modelling Kirsty’s work
In 2004, two examples of her work were requested by the V&A for their permanent collection of European textiles. In 2006 she cofounded Dashing Tweeds and Hills McDougall, companies whose focus is on producing functional, innovative and aesthetically exciting fabrics for the menswear market. They build on the traditional function of tweeds in fitting into their surroundings. Initial designs placed tweeds in urban settings with inspiration drawn from city colours, including double yellow lines, the colour of wet pavements, the red route and the architecture and parks of London. “Weaving has a dull, traditional image,” says Kirsty. “I want to produce cloth that challenges ideas of taste, colour and form, yet still refers to traditional techniques.”
Designs have included clothes aimed at cyclists and pedestrians with reflective threads woven right into the material for nighttime visibility, and a showerproof coating.
March | April 2010 Channel Magazine 11
LEAD ARTICLE
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LEAD ARTICLE
Do you enjoy working at the University of Brighton? If so you are in the overwhelming majority. The staff survey reveals that the university is in the top ten of public sector employers of choice. Capita carried out the survey in October/November last year and found that 94 per cent of staff rated the university a good place to work. This is the second highest score ever recorded among universities around the country.
THE RESULTS, BASED ON RESPONSES FROM 1,350 STAFF OR JUST OVER 54% OF THOSE EMPLOYED BY THE UNIVERSITY, SHOW:
Capita has supported 212 other public sector organisations in staff surveys and says Brighton compares very favourably, reaching the top scores in a number of positive areas. Top reasons for the high rating were the values espoused by the university, including its commitment to work life balance, general wellbeing and a strong sense of community. One member of staff, listing the advantages of working at Brighton, wrote: “Strong sense of community. Interesting and worthwhile work. Friendly and supportive work environment.” The university offers many ways to balance work and life outside work, such as flexible working, parental and other leave, job sharing, part-time working and familyfriendly schemes. Wellbeing is an area the university has prioritised – it has recently, for instance, invested £50,000 in a health promoting university project. This aims to link up a number of existing initiatives, including the university’s wellbeing week, healthy choices in university canteens and the Environmental Action Network which promote activities such as cycling and walking.
OF STAFF FEEL PROUD TO WORK AT THE UNIVERSITY
FEEL THE UNIVERSITY RESPECTS EQUALITY
The university has invested in staff wellbeing, through the self-referral employee advice service, support through occupational health when staff are unwell, a range of health and safety at work policies which ensure staff are safe at work, sport, leisure and recreation facilities as well as healthy choices in university catering outlets and promotion of activities such as cycling, rambling and walking. In addition, the university runs a bike scheme which allows staff to save on the cost of a new bike and related equipment. Working with Cyclescheme, staff can borrow up to £1,000 towards cycle or related equipment and pay back the loan over 12 months through a salary sacrifice scheme which allows them to save money on tax and national insurance contributions. Staff particularly singled out the university’s stance on equality and diversity and felt that staff were treated with respect irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or disability. A large number of staff said that they generally enjoyed their work and felt that they could support the university’s values and direction. Also mentioned was the university’s fee waiver scheme so staff can do part-time courses free of tuition fees. Areas which had lower scores were relationships with line managers, support for managing change and communication from school and departmental management teams. The survey results have been formally reported to the university’s Management Group and the Board of Governors and the resulting action plans will inform the next corporate plan and staffing strategy. The staff survey steering group will work with senior managers to encourage further discussion of the results, to assist in getting a better understanding of local issues and to ensure staff can feedback their priorities for future action. There is a staffcentral webpage on the staff survey where the reports can be read, and where news will be reported. This also includes a blog so staff can comment on the results, ask questions or make suggestions – http:// staffcentral.brighton.ac.uk/staffsurvey/home.html.
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LEAD FEATURE
University and College Union (UCU) and Unison gave a joint response to the survey “Both unions took part in the working group which identified the areas to be covered by the questionnaire, and which decided on the best provider to deliver useful information, which included meeting the university’s obligation to comply with the HSE requirement to survey staff on work-related stress. Both the university and the unions encouraged all members of staff to complete the survey in order to get the clearest possible picture of staff attitudes and the results provide useful baseline data for future reference. The results are complex and initial evaluation of issues that have emerged indicates that there are wide variations between faculties and schools. The reasons behind these variations will need to be investigated by the university. Several areas of concern have been identified by the survey. One key issue is that staff don’t feel they have adequate resources to complete their work and that stress levels are exacerbated by insufficient staff. The financial crisis and tightening of higher education budgets may have a significant further impact in this area unless careful choices are made.
OUT OF THE 1,350 STAFF THAT WERE SURVEYED, 52% OF RESPONDENTS WERE SUPPORT STAFF WHILE 45% WERE ACADEMIC STAFF
DR KATH BROWNE SENIOR LECTURER SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENT AND TECHNOLOGY The university granted Kath a sabbatical from February to August last year and funded a research fellow to cover her teaching and administration duties. Kath said: “The support from the university was invaluable. It enabled me to focus on investigating and writing about community engagement and writing extra keynotes for policy-based conferences.” WOULD RECOMMEND IT AS A PLACE TO WORK
Staff also indicated that there is a lack of support from managers and that routine decisions are seen to need too many approvals.
Kath is the lead researcher for Count Me In Too which works with lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people in Brighton and Hove. It was launched in 2005 with Spectrum, the LGBT community forum, to progress positive social change for LGBT people in part by exploring what services are needed.
There is a lot of work still to be done on analysing the wealth of material amassed by the survey and the working group will continue for some time. The unions are looking forward to working with management on ways to address the concerns expressed by staff.”
Kath said: “We found that some LGBT people had benefited from equalities legislation but there continues to be significant needs on the basis of gender and sexual difference.” SAY THAT THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN THE UNIVERSITY AND IT IS JUST A PLACE TO WORK
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Here, staff members tell of their positive experiences of working at the university.
The sabbatical also allowed Kath to write papers and to work on the Queer Spiritual Spaces project looking at spiritualities and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning and Intersex (LGBTQI) communities, and to co-edit a Queer Methods and Methodologies book.
LEAD FEATURE
ERICA EVANS AND LOUISE JUHL SENIOR LECTURERS, EARLY YEARS SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
PETER MARSH MODEL-MAKING TECHNICIAN SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
Most of Erica and Louise’s students are already working in their chosen field and are focused on their professional development.
Peter is studying a part-time MA in Fine Arts thanks to the university’s fee waiver scheme. “I deal with a broad scope of students from interior architecture, architecture and their related postgraduate courses, and teach the basics of working with materials as diverse as paper and card to concrete and fabrics, and assist students who may be working on conceptual ideas using electrics and lenses up to large scale, accurate, site models.
Erica said: “They are mostly in their 30s and 40s and are really committed to what they are doing. It is wonderful to see them progress to the day they walk out with their Early Years Professional Status certificate. We spend time working one-to-one with the students. They are unique and each has their needs. We get to know their circumstances and that helps us steer them to success. It is a great feeling knowing we have helped them reach their full potential.”
“The myriad requests from over 500 students on how to make or how something works make the job often quite intense but always interesting. It is a cliché but you never know what each day is going to bring. I’m just ending my second term of the MA in Fine Arts. I’m studying part-time, one day a week. It’s good to get that complete shift of work emphasis in the middle of the week and it provides me with a different perspective on both my personal work and my job.
Job sharing and interesting work are two benefits but Louise said seeing her students receive the recognition they deserve gives her the most fulfilment. She said: “Many are more mature students who have done their foundation degrees and BAs and it is tremendous seeing them gain professional confidence and recognition.”
“The best case scenario would be to study fulltime but, living in the real world, I’m happy and it is fantastic to have the opportunity to study again on what, so far, is proving to be quite an engaging course. Although it sounds like a strange combination the course sits well with my job and the two feed each other directly. The MA has forced me to start making my own work again and as my work is materials based, all the experimentation I do I pass on to students as techniques and, hopefully, as inspiration but the students also inspire me with their constant run of ideas and enthusiasm (otherwise why do this job?).”
Louise job shares with senior lecturer Erica Evans. Louise has vast experience in early years and has worked in the UK and abroad, including Malaysia, Bangladesh and Uganda. She and Erica are joint programme managers for the Early Years Professional Status. “We run a number of pathways for people to work in early years and gain this status. “No two days are the same and there is great variety working in continuous professional development area and tremendous satisfaction in seeing students succeed.” Top: Dr Kath Browne Middle: Erica Evans and Louise Juhl Bottom: Peter Marsh
March | April 2010 Channel Magazine 15
RESEARCH FEATURE
The latest weapon in the fight against obesity may lie at the click of a mouse, a University of Brighton study has revealed. The research uncovered a mine of motivation and willingness among overweight participants to try new ways to manage their weight when they logged on to healthy living websites. But the study also found there was a need for more tailored and personalised information, especially on local health websites. The two-and-a-half year Net.Weight project, launched with a £332,000 grant from the Department of Health, was led by Flis Henwood, professor of social informatics, and looked at whether the internet had a role to play in supporting people to look after their health. She said there were thousands of people whose health was poor because they were overweight and many of them wanted to do something about it but found it difficult to access information, advice and support. She said: “This project sought to narrow the gap between what is available and what is known about, useable and used.” The study focused on Brighton & Hove and found there was great potential for increased and effective uses of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the self-management of obesity in the city.
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Responses from questionnaires and focus groups were used to help design workshops aimed at encouraging participants to look at a range of healthy living information and engage with different internet-based tools. The workshops provided a space where participants could reflect on what was more or less useful to them in terms of supporting their weight management activities. The project found great potential both in the widespread access and use of the internet across the city, and in terms of the motivation and willingness amongst those seeking to manage their weight to try new approaches. In particular, it uncovered a wealth of expertise among people involved in weight management which could be exploited to develop more usercentred programmes.
Professor Henwood said: “The research found that projects designed to encourage people to use ICTs for weight management can have very positive outcomes.” However, she added that “whilst it is clear that technology has a role to play in enabling wider community engagement and greater userinvolvement in health-agenda setting, there continues to be a need for more critical reflection about where and how technology can be best applied. “The Net.Weight findings suggest people trying to manage their weight and have a healthy lifestyle want more than just information; they want ways of feeding back their experience and expertise into service and information design.”
RESEARCH FEATURE
Professor Fliss Henwood
March | April 2010 Channel Magazine 17
RESEARCH BRIEFING
INCUBATING NEW IDEAS in the National Health Service (NHS)
Are you frightened to go to the dentist? Does the thought of having an injection to have teeth extracted fill you with fear? Research done by NHS staff, with the support and advice of a research service run by the University of Brighton with the universities of Kent and Surrey, could help. It looks at managing the pain caused by removing wisdom teeth and is testing whether giving paracetamol tablets is as good as giving anaesthetic by injection. This could not only save the NHS money and time, but help patients who are phobic about needles. The initiative is among 200 new ideas to improve NHS services that have been supported by the Research Design Service South East. It provides free advice to NHS teams who want to innovate and need information on everything from how to prepare a grant application and finding suitable funding sources to designing a research study, involving patients and the public and building a research team. The aim is to help NHS staff to develop ideas which can improve the way their services are run.
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Since it was set up in October 2008, the Research Design Service has held nearly 400 sessions with over 226 NHS staff who have come up with 200 research projects. They include systems for monitoring pre-term babies with breathing problems, improving medication regimes for older people with diabetes, developing exercise programmes for children with cerebral palsy, helping stroke patients recover and improving sexual health clinics. The University of Brighton’s Professor Valerie Hall, director of the service, said: “Quite often, NHS staff need specialist help in applying for funds to test or develop their ideas.” She added: “More than 200 research projects have been initiated, most of which will improve the patient experience, while having a significant impact on the way that the NHS works.”
Professor Val Hall, above, director for the Research Design Service South East which is part of the infrastructure of the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR)
RESEARCH BRIEFING
OILS CAN RUB OUT SUPERBUG
Essential oils could kill the deadly MRSA hospital superbug, according to university scientists. Researchers tested essential oils derived from thyme plants normally used in aromatherapy and found it destroyed MRSA within two hours. The Brighton study was triggered when Maggie Tisserand, director of Sussex-based company, Benchmark Oils Ltd, asked university researchers to conduct laboratory research with a small selection of oils. She was convinced that a specific blend of essential oils could be the answer to the growing MRSA problem, which not only affects people in hospital, but is also in the wider community. The Brighton study concluded that Benchmark thyme rapidly killed MRSA. Maggie said: “What is interesting is that the thyme oil we use is food grade, and in preliminary company trials shows no adverse effects on intact skin.” The MRSA bacteria is often carried on the skin or in the nostrils of healthy people but when a carrier enters hospital for an operation or any procedure that punctures the skin, bacteria can enter the body causing serious medical problems. Each year up to 5,000 people die as a result.
The research was published in the International Journal of Essential Oil Therapeutics and was carried out by a team of microbiologists led by Professor Geoff Hanlon of the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences. Dr Jonathan Caplin, who conducted much of the research, said: “These are very promising results. We have shown at least in the laboratory that this blend of thyme has a very strong effect on MRSA. Now further work needs to be carried out to ascertain its effect in real cases.” Benchmark Oils is now looking for partners in order to take the research further.
These are very promising results. We have shown at least in the laboratory that this blend of thyme has a very strong effect on MRSA.
Articles were published about this research in The Engineer magazine and the BBC website and broadcast on BBC South East TV.
March | April 2010 Channel Magazine 19
IN CONVERSATION
IN CONVERSATION…
David House He joined Brighton Polytechnic in 1972 as a lecturer in librarianship and modern languages, and, as he put it, “never managed to escape”. Thirty-seven years later, David House, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, has retired after one of the most distinguished careers the university has ever hosted. He spoke to Channel about his journey. Born in Southampton, I took A-level exams in French, German and Latin, and then studied German and European Studies at University of East Anglia. After graduating, I took a post as a graduate trainee librarian in Norwich, which led to a postgraduate course at University College London, and two years professional practice as a librarian. I joined Brighton Polytechnic in 1972 when it was preparing a new degree programme in Librarianship with Modern Languages. At that time the polytechnic consisted solely of the former College of Art at Grand Parade and the former College of Technology in Cockcroft Building at Moulsecoomb. In 1975 I took responsibility for library services at the Moulsecoomb campus and a major design and refit of Watts Building. Subsequently, I served as deputy head and then head of Learning Resources, with responsibility for library and audio-visual services across the institution, including the Education Development Unit, a forerunner of CLT. These years saw the integration of Brighton College of Education (Falmer) and East Sussex College of Higher Education (Eastbourne) into the polytechnic. I was appointed to the senior management team as assistant director (resources) in 1988. My initial task was to help prepare the institution for corporate status, the transfer of land and buildings from the county council, the creation of a new governing body, and the development of new systems for staff and financial management. The learning curve was steep but most of the things we put together then are still serving us well 20 years later. We became independent in 1989 and, soon afterwards, saw David Watson arrive as the polytechnic’s second director, and the removal of the binary line, leading to our change of title to the University of Brighton.
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I have always been irritated by commentators who speak of our ‘attaining university status’. Our status was already beyond question, and our profile of activity did not change; it was simply a change of title, and the removal of an unhelpful label. Almost all the areas of which we were proud as a polytechnic – engineering, architecture, business, pharmacy, art and design, computing, education – remain at the heart of our work today. I was designated deputy director in 1991, and the title later changed to deputy vice-chancellor. My main reflection, looking back, has been the steady growth in the university’s academic reputation. External bodies including the Quality Assurance Agency and Ofsted, have recognised us for teaching quality and the quality of the relationship between students and staff. Research activity has grown and prospered through successive Research Assessment Exercises and we have a really strong story to tell on economic and social engagement. I hope this is due to our willingness to trust our academic and professional staff to develop their ideas and initiatives without too much bureaucratic interference. We have also been businesslike in our approach to finance and estate development, which has allowed us to improve the working and learning environment at every campus but still remain solvent. In health, academic growth began in a small way with podiatry and occupational therapy joining our original programmes in social work. In 1994, nursing and midwifery arrived and this brought fresh expertise and networks. Our rich profile in health (including pharmacy) enabled us to work with the University of Sussex, with its complementary strengths, to establish the Brighton and Sussex Medical School.
Research activity has grown and prospered and we have a really strong story to tell on economic and social engagement... we have also been businesslike in our approach to finance and estate development, which has allowed us to improve the learning environment at every campus but still remain solvent. Partnerships have long been important to us. Our further education partners – at City College Brighton and Hove, Plumpton College, Sussex Coast College Hastings and Sussex Downs College – have played a large part in delivering higher education to their local and specialist communities and we have learned a great deal from them. It has been a privilege to be a member of a collegiate senior management team, which has always tried to remain close to the interests and concerns of the staff as a whole, and has genuinely believed that it exists to serve the university community, and not simply to control it (though some gentle steering is sometimes necessary!). A significant strand of my work has been with our trades unions and, though we have sometimes disagreed, there are many occasions when we have responded positively to their concerns. We have also been fortunate to have an effective Students’ Union, with a succession of talented and purposeful officers.
IN CONVERSATION
I am looking forward to new challenges during my retirement but there are many aspects of life at the university I shall miss. As the staff survey shows, most – and I include myself – have been proud to work here. I hope and trust that we can build on that success. The Board of Governors has been hugely important. We have attracted external members of outstanding quality from a range of walks of life, who have provided a wealth of guidance and expertise to the senior management team at critical points in the university’s life. I have learned a great deal from each of our four distinguished chairmen – Michael Aldrich, Christopher Hume, Michael Checkland and John Mogg – and am happy to count them all as personal friends. Life in the public sector over the next few years is clearly going to be difficult but this university is well placed to deal with the challenges. If I were to offer a word of advice, it would be to urge you not to fight with one another as resources become scarcer, but to maintain a cohesive sense of purpose, and an understanding of the bigger picture rather than the needs of any one department or interest group. I am looking forward to new challenges during my retirement but there are many aspects of life at the university I shall miss. As the staff survey shows, most – and I include myself – have been proud to work here. I hope and trust that we can build on that success.
March | April 2010 Channel Magazine 21
STAFF IN FOCUS
A WEEK IN THE LIFE...
Senior lecturer Dr James Ebdon James Ebdon, in the School of Environment and Technology, is a member of the Environment and Public Health Research Unit (EPHRU) and is interested in the behaviour of micro-organisms in surface waters, ground water, sediments and shellfish. Dr Ebdon’s role involves teaching, research, international workshop facilitation and conference presentations. In April he will be visiting the Federal University of Viçosa in Brazil with Dr Huw Taylor to run a training workshop on implementing low-cost water quality detection methods. France’s national marine research institution, to improve understanding of risk prediction, pollution prevention and ability to respond to wastewater and agricultural pollution of surface waters. The afternoon is spent coordinating the evaluation of teaching modules. With support from the Information Services team (Katie Piatt and Marion Curdy) I help oversee the transition to online module evaluation, whereby students can feedback information regarding quality of teaching and resources via studentcentral.
MONDAY Meet with our five PhD students and one post doctoral researcher alongside colleague Dr Taylor. These get-togethers are good for planning supervision, discussing conference presentations and organising laboratory-based teaching and research activities. Our researchers are from Europe, Africa, Asia and South America, and bring diverse experience to our work. After lunch, I head to our microbiology lab in Cockcroft to meet the third year undergraduates who are carrying out their final year projects.
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TUESDAY Much of this morning is spent chairing meetings as deputy Research Student Division Leader (RSDL) with some of the 67 postgraduate researchers undertaking MPhil/PhD studies. These meetings help determine the academic validity and feasibility of a planned programme of research. I also help conduct transfer meetings which assess if a research student has the potential to move from MPhil to PhD research. Back to the lab to prepare microbial cultures, agar and growth media for shipment to the Federal University of Viçosa, Brazil, ahead of my forthcoming visit. Also preparing for our undergraduate field trip around Sicily and on the Mount Etna lava flows.
WEDNESDAY I address reviewers’ comments on a research paper for water research, based on a study we carried out with scientists at the University of Hawaii, involving identification of a new method for determining the presence of pollution sources in the waters around Hawaii. THURSDAY Appointment with marketing and communications’ web development officer, Stuart Elliot. I’m constructing a website for a 2.9 million EU-funded project we are leading. AquaManche is in collaboration with the UK Environment Agency, the University of Caen BasseNormandie and IFREMER,
FRIDAY Collect freshwater samples from the River Ouse then back to Cockcroft by 9.30 am and prepare lecture for the second year undergraduate module Soil and Water Analysis. We transfer to our laboratory to analyse the river samples. Students get to culture micro-organisms to assess pollution levels present. The previous week we took all the students in the university minibuses to explore the river catchment and identify sites for water quality testing. I arrange to meet them on the following Monday lunchtime to see how many bacteria were present in their water samples. These results help give us a better understanding of the potential health risks associated with contaminated water resources.
ON CAMPUS
With a little help from our friends An increasing number of alumni are actively involved in the university. These individuals provide support and encouragement in ways which benefit current students as well as staff and the institution. The Development and Alumni Office welcomes this growing interest and works closely with our alumni volunteers to ensure they are supported in the various voluntary activities they undertake. It would be challenging to accurately measure the benefits the university gains from accessing the wealth of knowledge, talents and life experiences possessed by our alumni volunteers and therefore it is important we can show how much their involvement is valued.
Paul Harvey, member of the recently established Alumni Advisory Board
Alumni can participate in a range of volunteer opportunities, depending upon their areas of interest and the amount of time they are able to give. Three of our alumni told us about their volunteering experiences and why they choose to remain involved with their university. Steve Maycock, a former business studies student, who is now involved in a number of university activities, told us why he thinks volunteering is so beneficial: “It provides an opportunity to give back, but equally important is the chance to meet bright, enthusiastic people with different experiences and views from mine... that experience alone makes volunteering worthwhile.” Steve is a current member of the Board of Governors and recently delivered a beepurple session entitled Selling Yourself Effectively. Steve’s experience as a senior human resources specialist meant the 100-strong audience comprising students, recent graduates and staff were exposed to some fantastic pieces of advice about how to stand a better chance of success whether in employment terms or when pitching new ideas for business. Sharing the expertise developed through working life is a perfect way for alumni to connect with current students.
The Momentum mentoring scheme brings together students with a professional in their chosen career sector. Savita Khemlani is one of the 20 alumni who are currently involved with Momentum and would heartily recommend the experience: “I don’t really see it as an obligation but rather as a personal attitude – something that one should enjoy doing whilst feeling good about it.” Having the opportunity to interact with alumni as a student is something Paul Harvey would have jumped at: “I would encourage any current student to be involved as much as possible with the alumni volunteers. With the current state of the economy, the more insight any student has into the work environment they are about to enter, the better prepared they are. Some of the most beneficial parts of my degree were those that involved interaction with local people and businesses and allowed me to gain a commercial rather than just a theoretical perspective on my subject.”
Paul is a member of the recently established Alumni Advisory Board, a representative group of the wider alumni community, which acts as a forum to encourage discussion, feedback and the generation of new ideas for increasing levels of engagement amongst alumni. These are just three examples of how our graduates can play a meaningful role as volunteers for the university. It is clear that they consider it to be as much a positive learning experience for them as for the students or staff they are working with. The Development and Alumni Office would like to encourage more alumni to become involved in the university and is keen to identify other volunteer opportunities which can be offered to the alumni community. Please contact Sarah Grant, alumni engagement manager by email, s.r.grant@brighton.ac.uk should you have any suggestions for how alumni could participate in your activities.
March | April 2010 Channel Magazine 23
Events PUBLIC EVENT Plumpton College open day Date Venue Time
Saturday 8 May Plumpton College, Ditchling Road, Plumpton, Nr Lewes, BN7 3AE 10am–5pm
PUBLIC EVENT Panel discussion Date Venue Time
Tuesday 11 May The Royal Society, 6–9 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AG 6.30pm – 7.30pm
Ageing is the single greatest challenge facing our society today. Recent breakthroughs have demonstrated that it is possible to combine a long life with the absence of age-related disease. Scientists at the forefront of this research will explain the science of slower ageing. Speakers will include Professor Richard Faragher from the University of Brighton.
LIVE BROADCAST Any Questions? BBC Radio 4 Date Venue Time
Friday 14 May Asa Briggs Hall, Checkland Building, University of Brighton, Falmer 6.45pm – for ticket information contact events@brighton.ac.uk
VICE-CHANCELLOR’S OPEN MEETINGS Monday 10 May Sallis Benney Theatre, Grand Parade 11.00am–12.00pm Tuesday 18 May C122, Checkland Building, Falmer 4–5pm Wednesday 19 May G8 Mithras House, Moulsecoomb 4–5pm Tuesday 25 May Room 304, University Centre Hastings 1.30–2.30pm Wednesday 26 May H129 Hillbrow, Eastbourne 4–5pm
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Left: Jonathan Dimbleby will present Any Questions from the Checkland Building Below: Professor Richard Faragher will be one of the speakers at the Royal Society’s panel discussion on ageing