Connect Spring 2016

CONNECT Spring 2016

UNIVERSITY AND NATIONAL TRUST SIGN GROUND-BREAKING AGREEMENT Pre-eminent biologist opens university laboratories Fusehill Street campus steps up in response to Storm Desmond’s destruction

STAFF

CONTENTS/WINTER 2015 ISSUE 04 Youth work team holds pioneering conference 05 Linda’s bench 06 Suzanne’s day at the palace 06 Congratulations

STUDENTS

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Pre-eminent biologist opens university laboratories University of Cumbria wins leading business award Cumbrian artists raise funds for the flood recovery appeal University gains HR Excellence in Research Award Student teachers take to the outdoors Sarah Dunning kicks off university’s guest lecture series University and National Trust sign ground-breaking agreement University staff donate to flood funds Proud sponsors of inaugural World Health Summit Racing drivers ‘feel the heat’ at university campus Fusehill Street campus steps up in response to Storm Desmond’s destruction

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University staff author latest edition of key radiography text book Research news 2016 publications

RESEARCH

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08 09 10 12

UNIVERSITY

06 Student gains Radiation Protection Adviser Certificate of Core Competence Amazing opportunity for performing arts students Radiation protection students visit LLWR Kingsley wins Rotary scholarship for research in Nigeria Students swoop to hone photography skills

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If you would like to contribute to the next issue of Connect, please contact a member of the communications team:

lynn.bewley@cumbria.ac.uk julie.ratcliffe@cumbria.ac.uk fiona.hughes@cumbria.ac.uk The copy deadline for the next issue of Connect is 13 May 2016

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FOREWORD

The end of the autumn term saw the university facing challenging times following the serious flooding episodes in Carlisle, Lancaster and Ambleside. Although none of our campuses was directly affected, staff and students found themselves homeless as a result of flooded residential properties.

However, what followed the crisis served to show the calibre of the university community at its very best. The weekend that Storm Desmond struck saw university staff putting aside personal arrangements to step up to managing the situation as part of the university’s emergency response, working long hours over the weekend and then continuing to work very long hours in the days that followed. Keeping staff and students abreast of developments was a priority, primarily using messages via social media to direct people to the emergency services’ instructions, and then communicating the university’s intentions in the ensuing days and weeks.

In the weeks that followed, many staff and students gave up their own time to volunteer in the centre, helping those whose lives had been affected by Storm Desmond. The commitment and dedication shown throughout December made me very proud to be part of the University of Cumbria and I want to reiterate my personal thanks to all those who worked so hard and unselfishly for both the institution and the community.

By the time we started the spring term, the memories of Storm Desmond had receded, and we were able to welcome our students back to fully functioning campuses and focus yet again on the more conventional challenges that we face in the HE sector.

You will recall that I have often identified the strength of our university as residing in its staff and students. It has to be said that if ever proof were needed of this statement, we were able to witness the evidence in action when the university was faced with a crisis such as this.

Students who found themselves homeless had to be helped to find alternative accommodation and the decision was made to suspend teaching until the New Year to allow for a rationalisation of the situation, by which time it was hoped all would be back to relative normality.

Following this decision, Estates Manager North Peter Trumper, and Event Manager Carol Milnes developed the idea of offering help to the sorely-pressed community shelters and distribution centres in Carlisle. With a now-empty sports hall on the Fusehill Street campus, they contacted the city council and offered not only premises as storage for the many donations that were being received, but also shower facilities and accommodation if needed.

Professor Peter Strike Vice Chancellor

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Our Staff

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YOUTH WORK TEAM HOLDS PIONEERING CONFERENCE Stuart Wroe with conference attendee

The university’s youth and community work team organised a conference on 3 December at the Lancaster campus entitled ‘Youth Work, Radicalisation and Islam’.

The practical day provided an opportunity for like-minded practitioners and organisations to discuss effective approaches to engage young Muslim people in discussions about so-called radicalisation and extremism, religious ideology, identity and foreign policy.

There were over 100 attendees from a range of private, public and third sector organisations in Cumbria and Lancashire.

Organiser Stuart Wroe, lecturer in youth and community work, explains: “With its focus on open dialogue and empowerment, youth work has a crucial role to play in helping young Muslim people to talk about these issues without fear of being labelled as a ‘threat’ or fear of the stigmatisation that they and their community face in a media that appears to portray Islam as synonymous with violent extremism and terrorism.”

The conference demonstrated the expertise of the youth and community work team and extended their external network. It also positioned the university as having a voice on a significant contemporary issue and contributed to the PREVENT strategy.

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LINDA’S BENCH

A circular bench has been created around a willow tree at Fusehill Street campus in remembrance of senior lecturer Linda Gillespie, who died in April 2015. The erection of the bench, in the gardens between Calva Bar and Fusehill Street, was made possible by generous donations from staff and is now available for everyone to use and enjoy.

Linda was posthumously awarded her MA in Higher Educational Professional Practice at the graduation ceremony on Wednesday 25 November 2015. Her name was called out during the main ceremony in the cathedral and a small private ceremony was conducted afterwards, when the degree certificate was presented to Linda’s daughter and husband.

Linda’s family, colleagues and close friends then attended a small function at the Calva Bar, when the bench was also officially unveiled and dedicated to Linda’s memory.

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SUZANNE’S DAY AT THE PALACE Professional Partnership Tutor with the Institute of Education, Suzanne Chambers was awarded an MBE by His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace on 10 of December.

“The prince was very interested to hear how the university had been affected by the floods, and in fact he paid a visit to Carlisle the following week,” remembers Suzanne, who attended the investiture with husband Ian, daughter Kirstie and Kirstie’s boyfriend Neil. “And it was lovely to see Buckingham Palace decorated for Christmas!”

Suzanne originally trained as a teacher at Charlotte Mason College, now the Ambleside campus.

CONGRATULATIONS! Sylvia Grainger

Lucas Elijah Gray UK Recruitment Officer Louise Gray and husband Alan are celebrating the birth of their second son Lucas Elijah, who arrived 5.00pm on 15 Feb . Lucas, who weighed in at a healthy 8lb 15oz, is baby brother to Joshua.

Wednesday 25 November saw Student Enterprise Co-ordinator, Sylvia Grainger, presented with her award of MBA at the graduation ceremony in Carlisle Cathedral. Studying for the qualification over two years, Sylvia completed the course while working full time for the university, so congratulations are well deserved!

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Our Students

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STUDENT GAINS RADIATION PROTECTION ADVISER CERTIFICATE OF CORE COMPETENCE Valerie Atkinson, studying BSc (Hons) Radiation Protection (top-up) while working at Sellafield, recently submitted her portfolio of evidence and gained a Certificate of Core Competence as a Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA). The university’s radiation protection foundation and top-up bachelors degrees provide students with the academic requirements for RPA certification.

Valerie explains: “The course gave me the academic requirements to underpin my practical experience and competence to achieve accreditation, and gaining RPA Certification status is a key requirement for furthering my career at Sellafield.“

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AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR PERFORMING ARTS STUDENTS A talented group of performing arts students has just achieved a notable early success in the acting and drama world.

Image: HeadsUp Productions theatre group in rehearsal. (Left to right) Ashleigh Egan, Rhys Burton, Hannah Woodfine, Thomas Newall, Amie Petricca-Lear and Gary White.

A play which was written, directed, produced and performed by members of the group, has been selected for the prestigious National Student Drama Festival (NSDF), held each year in Scarborough. The play is one of only 12 productions selected from over a hundred national entries this year.

The NSDF is open to 16–25 year olds from across the country and is sponsored by The Sunday Times.

A panel of judges visits entrants throughout the year to view and shortlist the student shows, which are then presented in repertoire format during the week-long festival in March.

The university theatre group is made up of six students currently studying for a degree in performing arts in Carlisle. Amie Petricca-Lear (21) wrote the play, entitled Dahmer, and co-directs it with fellow student Thomas Newall (23). Together they established their theatre group HeadsUp Productions, enrolling four other students to perform roles in the play.

Amie explains: ”The idea for the play originally came from a documentary we watched about the serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. Tommy and I were intrigued by the way the scale of his horrific crimes was not reflected in his charming character.

“After we did some further research, I began writing the script. There have been a number of rewrites since that first version and it was only in January that we decided to enter it into the NSDF competition.”

Thomas adds: “This is really exciting for our future as it is a big step in the right direction - I’m overwhelmed that we have made it this far. Amie and I will continue to work hard to gain more notoriety in this competitive industry.”

Student Gary White plays the title role of Jeffrey Dahmer in the play with Rhys Burton, Ashleigh Egan and Hannah Woodfine completing the six-strong cast.

Drama lecturer Richard Milburn is immensely proud of the students’ achievement and comments: “This project shows just the kind of enterprising spirit we are trying to foster on our courses, so to have this selected for a national festival is fantastic. We hope they have a great time showcasing their work, meeting industry professionals and, of course, we hope they come back to Carlisle with an award (or two!)”

For more information about the Sunday Times National Student Drama Festival, please visit: https://nsdf.org. uk/about-us

The students have no intention of resting on their laurels however and already have plans for the future. “We hope to continue making new, contemporary theatre and projects as HeadsUp Productions,” Amie continues. “We would like to write more original pieces, including extending Dahmer into a biographical crime trilogy involving other cases - and maybe begin writing a musical.”

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RADIATION PROTECTION STUDENTS VISIT LLWR As part of the study module on Radioactive Waste Management, students recently spent a day visiting the Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR) near Drigg.

BSc (Hons) Radiation Protection (top-up) cohort two Front row, left to right: Valerie Atkinson, Alan Marsh (lecturer), Terri Atkinson Back row: Cameron Finn, Ross Murray, Martin Kears, Thomas Suter, and Martin Ainsworth

The students were given lectures on UK Waste Management policy, LLWR’s role in implementing this policy and the requirements for receipt of radioactive materials at LLWR and toured the LLWR Site.

Student Thomas Suter commented:

“The visit to LLWR Ltd has helped us to develop a more detailed understanding of the issues, limitations and uncertainties associated with managing radioactive waste in the UK. As aspiring Radioactive Waste Advisers, we’d like to thank the team at Pelham House for their time and enthusiasm.”

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KINGSLEY WINS ROTARY SCHOLARSHIP FOR RESEARCH IN NIGERIA PhD student Kingsley Adinnu has impressed the Rotary Club of Britain and Ireland to the extent that they have offered him a scholarship to develop his study into SMEs in developing countries.

Chartered Engineer and business graduate Kingsley has worked as a contractor and consultant in the energy, manufacturing, higher education and creative industries across the UK As he explains: “I spotted an opportunity to make a difference among small and medium enterprises and organizations with which I have spent most of my working life, which drove me to pursue research in this area. “ Kingsley says he chose to study at the University of Cumbria because of the diversity in the research discipline and the focus of the university on the growth, development and sustainability of SMEs, which is what his research is based on.

“After working with a number of SME companies in the past and engaging in their activities, I felt there is a lack of strategic clarity in the way they run and execute their businesses and many eventually fail. This triggered me to select this PhD topic because I have a natural inclination towards assisting in developing the solution to this problem and I believe I can make a difference in tackling these issues.“ Kingsley says he finds the staff very supportive and friendly and there is a culture within the university that encourages inclusion, growth and student development. He has been offered several opportunities since his study started and he considers the main ones to be sitting on the REF steering group and the graduate school sub-committees.

The most challenging aspect of studying for Kingsley has been developing his skill-set while managing the academic work load.

Kingsley believes that in the short term the qualification is creating for him the platform to be able to exercise and develop his leadership skills and engage in student-led study, while in the long term, it will provide the expertise he requires to advise on business issues and formulate practical solutions to solve various economic problems that SMEs face today.

As for the scholarship “It means that I can engage in a field study to investigate first-hand the problem and how it can be solved.”

Rotarian Professor George Chadwick describes the background to Kingsley’s scholarship: “The Rotary Foundation, which has awarded this scholarship in partnership with the Rotary District 1190 Cumbria and Lancashire, is Rotary’s own charity. The Rotary Foundation has become one of the foremost non-government foundations in the world and boasts a scholarship endowment schemes raising over $50 million a year.

“For this district rotary global scholarship for the year 2015 we were looking for a post graduate student who displayed two characteristics: 1. understanding and commitment to what Rotary is and what the Rotary Foundation is committed to world wide

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2. Undertaking a project that, if successful, would produce long-term real change in small and medium companies.

“Kingsley’s proposal to do just this in Nigeria, linked to his excellent academic profile, convinced us we had found an excellent candidate to forward our ideals. We are delighted to award him this scholarship of $30k.”

About Rotary Made up of 34,000 Rotary Clubs around the world, Rotary International forms a global network of business , professional and community leaders who volunteer the time and talents to serve communities locally and around the world. www.rotary.org

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STUDENTS SWOOP TO HONE PHOTOGRAPHY SKILLS Have you ever watched a wildlife documentary and marvelled at the amazing video footage? Ever wondered how photographers learn to take those stunning pictures?

The answer may lie with the students on our BA (Hons) Wildlife Media course.

The university takes pride in offering practical, hands-on experience for their students and that certainly was the case last week, when a falconer spent time flying birds of prey at the Brampton Road campus, to allow the fledgling photographers to hone their skills.

Gary Swainson from the Cumberland Bird of Prey Centre at Thurstonfield brought along a number of birds including a Harris hawk, a Bateleur eagle, a turkey vulture, an African spotted eagle owl, a barn owl and a gyrfalcon, the largest falcon in the world.

“I wanted to give the students a taste of the different speed and styles of flight of the various types of bird,” he says. “Falcons prey on other large birds so are incredibly fast, while the Bateleur eagle and barn owl fly at a more leisurely pace.”

Wildlife media course leader, Fiona Stoddart explains: “We feel it’s crucial to give our students every chance to gain practical skills in film making and photography. We’ve provided this opportunity with the birds of prey, so that students can develop their film and photography skill and experiment with different techniques” “The university has industry-standard media equipment for students to use in the production of their wildlife documentary films and wildlife photography, so it’s important for them to have the chance to practice and become proficient with them.”

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Bateleur eagle

Wildlife media students from across all three years of the course turned out to take advantage of this amazing photo-shoot. Becky Melton (21) from Cornwall is a second-year student and comments: “Capturing an image of a bird in flight is technically very difficult, so it’s really helpful to be able to practice in these more controlled conditions. Having said that, the birds were still a little unpredictable, so it was a challenge to catch them at just the right moment.�

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University

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PRE-EMINENT BIOLOGIST OPENS UNIVERSITY LABORATORIES The university celebrated the opening of its new science laboratories at the Fusehill Street campus on 4 November, with guests from local businesses and employers.

Sir Martin Holdgate, biologist, conservationist and former chief scientist for the Department of the Environment, as well as honorary fellow of the university, was guest of honour and unveiled a plaque to mark the opening of the laboratories.

Local businesses and employers were invited to the event to view the new facilities and to discuss ways they can collaborate with the university. These include helping to shape academic programmes to meet their needs for skilled workers and enriching students’ learning experience through work placements, site visits and providing guest speakers. In return, the university can support businesses’ research and consultancy needs.

Sir Martin Holdgate emphasised the importance of science, ... “as a foundation for much in the life of our nation. It has been said that ‘the world’s economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the world’s ecology’. A wide range of industries, from farming to manufacturing, have a strong base in science

and need a steady flow of well-trained science graduates.

Hitherto they have had to look outside the county for them, but now our own university is beginning to correct that situation.”

Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Strike hosted the event and said of the new laboratories space, “The opening of the labs marks an exciting start to a new science focus that will create growth and opportunity for university staff and students and the wider community. However, our aspirations do not end there as we want to extend our existing laboratories so that we can develop a specialist science centre to engage young people early on in their educational careers, expand our programme of science subjects and offer research consultancy services. The university is ambitious in its desire to be the lead provider of science-related subjects in the region.”

The university invested £1.2m in state-of-the-art labs to respond to a national shortage of graduates with specific science skills, to support regional industry requiring skilled staff

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From left: Professor Sandra Jowett, PVC Sandra Booth, Professor Peter Strike, Sir Martin Holdgate, Dr Sheila Pankhurst, Dr Elspeth Lees

and to create more opportunities for young people to participate in STEM subjects in the local area.

creating a true centre of collaboration and learning for STEM in Carlisle and the region.

During the event, plans for a second-storey extension to the current laboratory and creation of a ‘STEM centre’ in Carlisle were presented to businesses with the view of gaining their support.

The existing laboratories were constructed over a seven-month period beginning in February last year and were opened to students at the start of the new term in September 2015.

The proposed extension will enhance existing science programmes, and allow the university to expand its science portfolio by offering degree-level qualifications in engineering, chemistry and biomedical science.

To initiate study in the laboratories, the university developed a series of life-sciences programmes, with the first courses to be offered being BSc (Hons) Biology and BSc (Hons) Zoology in 2015 and BSc (Hons) Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences will follow in 2016/17.

The new STEM centre will facilitate work with local schools to encourage interest in STEM subjects from an early age. The new facilities will support clientoriented research and consultancy for employers as well as laboratory technician apprenticeships,

The Portakabin Group constructed the new facility offsite using a Yorkon building solution to radically reduce the programme time ready for the start of the new academic year.

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UNIVERSITY OF CUMBRIA WINS LEADING BUSINESS AWARD The university’s efforts to support small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs) and the local economy have been recognised with a leading business award conference on domestic violence.

The Small Business Charter, which brings together leading business schools and SME communities across the UK, has given the Business School a Small Business Charter bronze award in recognition of its active participation in supporting start-ups and small businesses in Cumbria and North Lancashire.

Examples of the great work recognised by the award include the Knowledge Action Network, which worked with business owners over an eight-month period on growth initiatives; its Cumbria Growth hub offer, which supported business growth and sustainability through graduate projects, skills development and master classes; its Unite with Business programme that places students and graduates with businesses for knowledge and skills transfer; its Carlisle Retail project which helps local retailers compete in a global market; and how it has supported several student and graduate start-ups, including Multi-sports childrens’ sport camps, autism and confidential rape counselling services and drama classes within schools and during the school holidays, with many more student ventures currently being developed.

Pro Vice Chancellor Sandra Booth said, “The university is extremely proud to achieve the Small Business Charter bronze award. Whilst, as one of the UK’s newest universities, we are still a relative new start-up ourselves in the world of business and enterprise, this award recognises our commitment and the strength of our broad range of programmes to support business enterprise and growth. Particularly, amongst small businesses who are the backbone of the Cumbrian economy.

“I am especially proud of the Business School and our dedicated staff at the Business Interaction Centres who have channelled their research, training, knowledge, expertise and mentoring to support 100s of growing businesses and our own student start-ups.”

The Small Business Charter awards were established by the Chartered Association of Business Schools, Lord Young and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in order to connect SMEs with world-class business school knowledge, facilities and networks.

Ian McNaught, executive director of the Small Business Charter said, “We are delighted to award the Small Business Charter to the University of Cumbria’s Business School after a further round of rigorous assessments.

We continue to be impressed by the level of investment and innovation showcased by schools passionate about providing core services and consultation programmes to SMEs and start-ups. Business schools are vital to the local lifeblood of the economy – their world class business expertise can have a huge positive impact on regional and national economic growth. Our 31 award-winning business schools are dedicated to making long-lasting change to the productivity and vibrant initiatives happening across the country.”

University business schools awarded with Small Business Charter awards have already directly helped over 18,750 small businesses – working with them through a range of support including on-site incubators with dedicated space for students and small businesses to start up and grow; dedicated Small Business Growth & Leadership programmes; and strong full-time support networks of alumni and local business experts supporting both students and small businesses.

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CUMBRIAN ARTISTS RAISE FUNDS FOR THE FLOOD RECOVERY APPEAL The university formed a collaborative partnership with Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, The Halston Aparthotel, Honorary Fellow and Alumnus, Derek Eland (Class of 2009) and the CN Events Team to organise an auction of artworks to raise funds for the Cumbria Community Foundation’s Flood Recovery Appeal.

The Love Cumbria Art Auction took place at The Halston in Carlisle on 11 February and was co-compered by Carlisle Living columnist and teacher, Sarah Ledger, and local auctioneer, John Wharton.

Entertainment throughout the evening showcased local talent providing a rich mix of poetry, music and song.

Over 100 artworks were generously donated by the

creative community with contributions from artists across the county, including several of our alumni and former members of staff including Conrad Atkinson, Margaret Harrison Gillian Naylor and Ray Ogden amongst many others.

University Development Manager Karen Jones said, “We were delighted at the response from such a range of artists including several of our former students.

We even received a line drawing and poem postcard from Honorary Fellow, Melvyn Bragg who was keen to play a part.

It was an excellent example of partnership working and we really valued the wealth of shared knowledge. Students from our BA (Hons) Event Management and BA (Hons) Performing Arts programmes were involved and tested their skills through their experience of working with a number of partners in creating such a unique event.”

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The event was attended by over 200 people and raised over £12k for the Flood Recovery Appeal. Chief Executive of the Cumbria Community Foundation Andy Beeforth OBE, who attended along with the Mayor of Carlisle, Councillor Steve Layden, thanked everyone who was involved with the event, commenting that it had a great feel to it and recognising the amount of work and expertise required.

To view the artwork included in the auction

https://lovecumbria. wordpress.com

UNIVERSITY GAINS HR EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH AWARD The university has been recognised for its work in improving working conditions and career development opportunities for researchers by gaining the HR Excellence in Research Award from the European Commission. This accreditation will lend strength to the university’s application for Research Degree Awarding Powers (RDAP).

The award recognises the university’s commitment to supporting the growth and professional development of its research staff, with the aim of improving the quantity, quality and impact of research undertaken.

Director of Human Resources and Organisation Development, Michelle Leek commented: “We are extremely proud that we have gained this award, which recognises the university’s commitment to providing a professional, ethical approach to research by fully supporting our researchers.

“It reflects our efforts to provide good working conditions and career development for our research community, to facilitate the benefits research delivers to society as a whole.”

A total of 268 UK and European organisations now hold the award, which also commits them to a programme of ongoing internal and external evaluation. More information about the award can be found here: www.vitae.ac.uk/hrexcellenceaward

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STUDENT TEACHERS TAKE TO THE OUTDOORS The university launched its outdoor classroom at the Fusehill Street campus with a special event for children from Brook Street Primary School and Norman Street Primary School.

Dobbie’s Garden Centres generously provided sponsorship for the classroom in the form of donating brightly coloured plants, bulbs and pond plants.

Having access to, and learning in, an outdoor classroom is an essential part of all early years settings and primary schools, so it is vital that student teachers can gain such experience before embarking on their first job in the profession.

The students will be more confident at using the outdoor environment, and this will encourage creativity which in turn will benefit the children.

The university also hopes to create even stronger links with local schools, inviting the children to come onto the campus for sessions in the outdoor classroom with the students.

Lisa MacGregor, who is the programme leader for Early Years QTS, explained the cooperation that had led to the development of the outdoor classroom:

An outdoor classroom is a learning area which is, as the name implies, outside, allowing children to explore, investigate, learn and develop using a range of specific outdoor resources.

With the aim of enhancing the teaching programmes at the university, creating an outdoor classroom will stimulate the sessions for students and give them first-hand experience of planning, teaching, assessing and learning for classes in this environment.

The university also hopes to create even stronger links with local schools The outdoor classroom at the university retains as many natural features as possible and incorporates a pond, to encourage the children to experience nature for themselves.

From left, Hayley Berry, Lisa MacGregor and Andrew Senejko

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“We’ve had enormous help from, and have worked closely with, our estates team, project managed by Andrew Senejko.

“Importantly too, Dobbies Garden Centre at Orton Grange near Carlisle have offered to donate resources for the classroom in support of this project, and we’re very grateful for their sponsorship.”

Hayley Berry, who is a community champion with Dobbies in Carlisle said: “We are delighted to be working with the University of Cumbria by supporting the students to develop their first outdoor classroom. This will also be beneficial to schools in the local area with which Dobbies works closely on a regular basis. We will support them by donating a variety of colourful plants to attract wildlife, bulbs for lasting colour each year and water plants to brighten up their existing pond.”

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SARAH DUNNING KICKS OFF UNIVERSITY’S GUEST LECTURE SERIES

The university welcomed one of its honorary fellows, Sarah Dunning OBE, to deliver the first in a series of guest lectures being held over the coming months.

A well-known local businesswoman, Sarah Dunning is chief executive of Westmorland Family which runs Tebay Services, Gloucester Services and the Rheged Centre near Penrith.

Her talk was entitled ‘It’s the journey not the destination’ and was held at the university’s Fusehill Street campus on 25 February.

Sarah’s lecture covered the origins and growth of the family business, the challenges along the way and how its success has been dependent upon staying close to its roots and true to its values.

“It’s really important not to be distracted by the competition” she explains. “Instead, focus on getting better at your own game; as Michael Caine recently said ‘you’re only ever in competition with yourself!’ ” Pro Vice Chancellor Sandra Booth says: “We see these guest lectures as an ideal opportunity for the university to be more open and accessible to the public. The speakers are all our honorary fellows and cover a range of experience and expertise across the business community, the arts and outdoors.

“Sarah’s lecture is the start of an entertaining and informative series of talks, which will hopefully be of interest to many people in the local community.”

The university awarded Sarah Dunning an honorary fellowship in November 2012 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to business in the community and her charitable work in supporting Cumbrian initiatives.

The lectures are free and open to the public, although booking is required by emailing carol.milnes@cumbria.ac.uk Sarah Dunning was born in Cumbria and educated at St Anne’s School in Windermere. A languages graduate, she spent her early career in corporate roles in London before returning to Cumbria in 1999 to join the family firm, best known for their awardwinning motorway services at Tebay. In 2005 she took over from her father as chief executive and has continued to expand the business, Westmorland Family, including the opening of a second eco-friendly motorway service area on the M5, near Gloucester.

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UNIVERSITY AND NATIONAL TRUST SIGN GROUND-BREAKING AGREEMENT In the first collaboration of its kind in the country, the university and the National Trust have signed a memorandum of agreement to cement their future working relationship..

At a ceremony on 10 November at the Ambleside campus, Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Strike and the National Trust’s Director for the North Region, Harry Bowell signed the official document.

“Both the university and the National Trust are ideally placed to engage with local communities to face future challenges and help secure the excellent reputation and continued prosperity of the Lake District.”

From left, Sandra Booth (University of Cumbria Pro Vice Chancellor Enterprise and Business Development), Harry Bowell (National Trust Director for the North Region), Professor Peter Strike (Vice Chancellor, University of Cumbria), Mike Innerdale (National Trust Assistant Director (Operations) for the North Region).

Harry Bowell commented:

nature, conservation and cultural settings and inspire students and local communities alike through thought leadership and engagement.”

A number of areas are covered by the joint agreement, including: •

the university working with the National Trust as members of the Lake District National Park Partnership to support the nomination of the Lake District as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016

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collaboration on the joint development and delivery of new courses, including masterslevel programmes

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the university supporting the National Trust activities to celebrate Beatrix Potter’s 150th anniversary in 2016

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the National Trust and the university identifying research topics that are of interest and relevance to both parties

Professor Peter Strike said: “We see the signing of this agreement as an opportunity to further enhance learning within the natural environment and cultural landscapes.

“This is an opportunity for both organisations to draw from our strengths and together, provide a solid foundation for learning and partnership working in the Lake District. In its current form, The University of Cumbria is one of Britain’s newest universities, but has a history of educating professionals spanning over 150 years.

“The National Trust aims to support the university with its deep-rooted expertise

Following the ceremony, Harry delivered a talk entitled ‘In service of a city: how public land could help make a place even greater’, in which he explained how the National Trust was working with Sheffield City Council to find new ways of gaining maximum benefit from publically owned land.

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UNIVERSITY STAFF DONATE TO FLOOD FUNDS Staff donated more than £2500 to the Cumbria and Lancashire Community Foundation flood recovery appeals to support individuals and families and vital community organisations and resident groups affected by Storm Desmond.

The funds were collected at the staff Christmas lunches which took place in December. In Carlisle, £1075.08 was given in cash which the university then match funded to make up to a total of £2150.16. In Lancaster £744.27 was received, which the university again match funded to make up to a total of £1488.54.

Communications and External Affairs Manager, Lynn Bewley, said: “Staff and students have pulled out all the stops to support communities affected by the floods in a variety ways and we’re delighted that we can make this further contribution to such a vitally important fund.”

In addition, the university’s schools and college liaison

PVC Sandra Booth and Cumbria Community Foundation Trustee, Ian Burke

team lifted spirits by visiting 102 schools across North Lancashire and Cumbria and distributing mince pies, while at the same time sharing information about how the university can support schools in getting pupils interested in higher education.

PROUD SPONSORS OF INAUGURAL WORLD HEALTH SUMMIT The university sponsored the first World Health Innovation Summit in Carlisle on 10-11 March.

The summit brought together health professionals to share their experiences, knowledge and expertise to improve health care and had a specific focus on recruitment and workforce development issues in the region and beyond.

The university was the summit’s ‘thinking cap’ sponsor and promoted its work on digital health care solutions as well as its digital health continuing professional development and sustainable leadership programmes.

Pro Vice Chancellor Sandra Booth said: “The university is honoured to be involved in such a valuable event. Many challenges faced within the health economy in the county are not unique to the North West and apply across the country and even abroad.

The university has a range of research and innovation projects on the go as well as courses that are specifically designed to help working professionals develop desired skills and knowledge for their own benefit as well as that of the region.”

In addition to sponsoring the summit, the university’s Professor Alison Marshall was a keynote speaker and discussed how the Cumbria Rural Health Forum supports local communities.

The forum was formed to help address specific issues faced by rural communities when accessing health and social care and looks to technology to provide the solutions.

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RACING DRIVERS ‘FEEL THE HEAT’ AT UNIVERSITY CAMPUS If you watched Lewis Hamilton win his latest F1 world title, you could be forgiven for thinking that the life of a racing driver consists mainly of glitz, glamour and champagne.

But of course that doesn’t represent the reality of the months and months of hard work and training that goes into every single race.

In November, a team of six racing drivers from M-Sport Ltd near Cockermouth spent a day at the Fusehill Street campus undergoing intense race simulation at the university’s ‘human performance lab’, in preparation for their forthcoming endurance race that will take place under conditions of intense heat and humidity.

The day involved heat acclimatisation activities (exercising in a heat tent in temperatures around 40 degrees), followed by a recovery phase with massage and physio support, and then an imagery session using video footage of the track.

heart rate, hydration status, heat stress, core body temperature and exertion levels carefully throughout the day Chelsea Norris (19), is a second-year sport coaching and development student from Carlisle and was assisting with the supervision.

“We’re much more accustomed to studying sports such as football, rugby and netball,” she explained, “so I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to be part of this preparation exercise and to work with the racing drivers to maximise their fitness levels.”

M-Sport’s fitness coach Barry Johnson was overseeing the day and observing the drivers in action. He said: The six drivers are part of M-Sport’s race team, competing in the six races of the Blancpain Endurance series. They come from Germany, Belgium, Spain and the UK and range in age from 20 to 42.

Jeff Thorpe, senior lecturer in coaching and sport performance explained: “The drivers were in Cumbria for a week of training and to work on the cars with the engineers, but they would not normally have had access to this type of race simulation.

“We’ve recently invested in some cutting-edge sports science facilities, so we’re very happy to work with M-Sport and their drivers to provide this training locally.”

Sports students and lecturers were on hand to provide massage and sports therapy and to monitor the drivers’

“Before every race the drivers need to complete training that is appropriate to the location of the circuit. Most of the races take place in Europe, so it’s not difficult to replicate cold weather conditions at our base in Cumbria! However, for the next race, it’s important that the drivers become acclimatised not only to the heat, but also to the extreme humidity.

“This partnership with the university is invaluable; it will provide us with analytical data and fitness reports on each of the drivers as well as additional support and research to ensure we meet all our objectives.

“Evidence gathered today will allow us to plan individual fitness strategies for each of the drivers, which they will follow for the next few weeks during the run-up to the race.”

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FUSEHILL STREET CAMPUS STEPS UP IN RESPONSE TO STORM DESMOND’S DESTRUCTION When Carlisle was flooded on 5 December, reception centres were set up in a number of locations to offer shelter to those displaced from their homes.

The UCSU pulled out all the stops as well, with Volunteering Co-ordinator Kati Brown assembling an army of student volunteers to man the centre, which was open from 9am and 5pm on week days and 9am to 4pm weekends.

Additionally, donations of food and clothing began to pour in to these centres, and they rapidly became overwhelmed by the sheer volume of goods. Those seeking shelter found themselves surrounded by piles of unsorted donations, and the environment was far from ideal.

Along with the students and staff, volunteers from Carlisle’s Rotary Clubs, worked in shifts to man the centre. Items available included clothes and shoes, bedding and blankets, food and water, cleaning materials and storage boxes.

To the rescue came two members of staff at the Fusehill Street campus.

Event manager Carol Milnes and Estates Manager North Peter Trumper went to the Greystoke Community Centre and offered to take the problem of the donations off their hands. Peter volunteered to open the sports hall to store the ever increasing mass of items, while Carol put her event management skills to good use by bringing order to the chaos and streamlining both the donations themselves and the running of what became a major distribution centre. When national companies such as Tesco and Morrison’s started making bulk deliveries, Carol stepped up to the role of logistics manager, arranging the storage and sorting the donations into categories that made it simple for those in need to pick up their requirements.

With teaching suspended until January, Peter also made the showering facilities in the sports centre available to anyone who no longer had a working bathroom, and it became a common sight to see whole families arrive clutching towels and shower gel. The luxury of a hot shower on a cold December day provided an oasis and refuge from the heart-breaking chore of clearing silt and debris from their homes, and it was greatly appreciated.

The centre remained open until 23 December, by which time most of those displaced had been rehoused, and the need for the emergency supplies had dwindled. During this time, many of the Top: Peter Trumper Below: Carol Milnes

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staff and student volunteers worked long hours in the centre. Carol herself notched up more than 160 hours over 16 days and willingly gave up her weekends and social life to help others.

Both members of the public and businesses donated goods to the centre including 20 pallets of clothing from Sainsburys, ÂŁ16K worth of goods from Aldi as well as crates of cleaning products, tin openers and storage containers from Asda.

The UCSU pulled out all the stops as well, with Volunteering Co-ordinator Kati Brown assembling an army of student volunteers to man the centre, which was open from 9am and 5pm on week days and 9am to 4pm weekends.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales visited Carlisle in the aftermath of Storm Desmond (photo courtesy of Carol Milnes)

It was widely acknowledged that the university had reacted magnificently to the crisis and a spin off was that many more people now know where the Carlisle campus is, as it is estimated we helped over 4000 flood victims. As an exmaple of community engagement, the actions of staff and student provided an outstanding illustration and certainly fulfilled the University of Cumbria’s mission to be of and for the county.

Water was a necessity with plumbing systems out of action.

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RESEARCH ROUND-UP

UNIVERSITY STAFF AUTHOR LATEST EDITION OF KEY RADIOGRAPHY TEXT BOOK

A selection of some of our staff research outputs from the past few months

Gail Jefferson, Ken Holmes, Charles Sloane and Craig Anderson from the Department of Medical and Sports Sciences attended the launch of the 13th Edition of ‘Clark’s Positioning in Radiography’ on Friday the 20th November. They are four of the six main contributors to the latest version of this historic radiographic book which was first published in 1937.

The event was hosted at the Society and College of Radiographers in London and was attended by a wide variety of individuals from industry, academia and the professional body. The previous edition of this work sold over 10,000 copies worldwide and was translated into Japanese and Spanish.

From left, Gail, Charles, Craig and Ken

Charles Sloane, principal lecturer from the Department of Medical and Sports Sciences said: “The production of this text has been incredibly hard work but it has been a real privilege to work with Gail, Ken and Craig on the production of the latest edition of this historic text. This book is widely recognised as the UK’s standard radiographic positioning text book. We are delighted that 7000 copies have already been sold to India and it is being translated into French.

This work really does help to raise the profile of the University of Cumbria both nationally and internationally. It is really pleasing that we are able to demonstrate to students and other course stakeholders that we are able to make a significant contribution to the continuing development of the profession through the publication of this well respected text.”

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Commissioning success The youth and community work team has secured two research and evaluation commissions: 1. Developing an asset-based approach to youth homelessness for the Foyer Federation (who run 300 homeless shelters across the UK) from December 2015 - March 2016.

Prestigious committee membership for Sandy and Grace Senior Lecturer Accounting & Finance Sandy Ryder has just been appointed member of the Conduct Committee (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants).

2. Evaluating a complex new service that supports the young victims of crime across Lancashire from January 2016 - March 2017.

Keith Jackson (CRED) presented a paper at the 38th annual Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) Conference held in Glasgow on 11th-12th November 2015.

Additionally, Senior Lecturer in Public Services Leadership Dr Grace Hurford has been appointed member of the Research Ethics Committee (Health Research Authority).

IFLAS outputs:

According to the review, “Keith Jackson of the University of Cumbria challenged a number of commonly-held views and beliefs with a particularly engaging and brilliantly presented paper on the ‘flipside’ of regulations. This paper showed that, for certain types of innovative and ‘high-end’ businesses, regulations can be highly beneficial, for example by allowing them to carve out a niche through helping others comply with particular regulations and/or by eliminating ‘rogue trader’ competition.”

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Professor Jem Bendell is co-editing of a special issue of SAMPJ (Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, Emerald Group) which contains contributions from presenters at the Brathay Trust and University of Cumbria Leading Wellbeing Research Festival in July 2015.

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The first issue of the Journal of Corporate Citizenship (JCC) under the editorship of Dr David Murphy (Issue No 61) will be published in March 2016.

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UNCTAD (2015) Enhancing the Contribution of Export Processing Zones to the Sustainable Development Goals, UNCTAD Discussion Paper, Geneva, www.unctad. org/epz was co-authored by Prof Jem Bendell.

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You Must Carry Me Now - The Cultural Lives of Endangered Species Bryndís Snæbjörnsdóttir and Mark Wilson´s book You Must Carry Me Now – The Cultural Lives of Endangered Species was released at the annual Society for Literature, Science, and the Arts conference “After Biopolitics”, at Rice University, Houston, Texas on 14 November.

The book was presented by a panel discussion and a book-table by 284 publishers at the conference.

Artists: Bryndís Snæbjörnsdóttir and Mark Wilson Editor: Mark Wilson and Ron Broglio Foreword: Gordon Knox Introduction: Heather Sealy Linberry new essays written by: Æsa Sigurjónsdóttir, Ron Broglio, Fröydi Laszlo, Cary Wolfe, Amanda Boetzkes, and Bryndís Snæbjörnsdóttir and Mark Wilson.

“In our often belated attempts to steward, care for or ‘repair’ environments – when individual animals and animal populations are transformed from beings and societies into data, what of consequence is really captured – and importantly, what is lost?

“The project investigates tensions and cooperation among scientific, public, and corporate stakeholders in how we have managed the wilds and the public lands. As the artists capture the complexity of human groups each vying for their ideas about the future of endangered species, the art work becomes a figure for the larger difficulty of realizing any sustainable future. Who is included in the future and at what cost?”

Snæbjörnsdóttir/Wilson – November 2015

UNIVERSITY OF CUMBRIA 2016 PUBLICATIONS CACHET – Innovative & Health Technology • Marshall, A., Quinlan, P., & Berry, J. (2016). Supporting regional growth from the higher education community: the Energy Coast Campus Programme in West Cumbria. In Impact: The Journal of Innovation Impact, 5(1), 104.

Psychology, Counselling, Sociology, Philosophy including Social Work • Kaye, L. K., & Bates, E. A. (2016). The impact of higher fees on psychology students’ reasons for attending university. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 1-14.

CRED • Roncevic B, Peck F (2016) Cognition, Innovations and Knowledge Spillovers Third International Sociological Association (ISA) Forum of Sociology July 10-14 2016

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Bates, E. A., & Graham-Kevan, N. (2016).

Is the Presence of Control Related to Help-Seeking Behavior? A Test of Johnson’s Assumptions Regarding Sex Differences and the Role of Control in Intimate Partner Violence.

Partner Abuse, Volume 7, Number 1, 2016

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Pharmacy & Nursing, Midwifery, Advanced Practice, Community Practice, • Jan van de Rakt, Steve McCarthy-Grunwald (2016) The beginning of ‘striker foot’ (Pes equinus varus) with severe stroke patients Italian Journal of Sports Rehabilitation Posturology; 3; 1; 476 -497; doi:10.17385/ItaJSRP.016.030103 • Magas, M. (2016). New drugs and developments in the research into diabetes treatment. Partnership, 16, 26 Radiography, Medical Imaging & Radiation Protection • Booth, L., Henwood, S., & Miller, P. (2016).

Reflections on the role of consultant radiographers in the UK: What is a consultant radiographer? Radiography, 22(1), 38-43.

• Henwood, S., & Booth, L. (2016). On becoming a consultant: A study exploring the journey to consultant practice. Radiography, 22(1), 32-37.

• Henwood, S., Booth, L., & Miller, P. K. (2016).

Reflections on the role of consultant radiographers in the UK: The perceived impact on practice and factors that support and hinder the role. Radiography, 22(1), 44-49.

• Litchfield, D., & Donovan, T. (2016). Worth a Quick Look? Initial Scene Previews Can Guide Eye Movements as a Function of Domain-Specific Expertise but Can Also Have Unforeseen Costs. Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance.

• Parker, A. J., Joyce, M. J., & Boxall, C. (2016).

Radiometric detection of non-radioactive caesium flux using displaced naturally abundant potassium. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 307(1), 769-776.

• Fanshawe, T. R., Phillips, P., Plumb, A., Emma, H.,Halligan, S., Taylor, S. A., ... & Mallett, S. (2016). Do prevalence expectations affect patterns of visual search and decision-making in interpreting CT colonography endoluminal videos?. The British Journal of Radiology, 20150842.

Outdoor Studies • Clough, P., Mackenzie, S. H., Mallabon, L., & Brymer, E. (2016). Adventurous Physical Activity Environments: A Mainstream Intervention for Mental Health. Sports Medicine, 1-6.

Conservation, National School of Forestry, Environmental engineering • Mayhew, M., Convery, I. Armstrong, R. & Sinclair, W. (2016) Public perceptions of a white-tailed sea eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla L.) restoration program. Restoration Ecology.

• Stansbury, A., Deecke, V.,Götz, T., & Janik, V.M. (2016). Potential Uses of Anthropogenic Noise as a Source of Information in Animal Sensory and Communication Systems.

In The Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life II (pp. 1105-1111). Springer New York.

Active Ageing • Bampouras, T.M., Dewhurst, S. Carrying shopping bags does not alter static postural stability and gait parameters in healthy older females. Gait and Posture. In press. (IF 2.752) doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2016.02.017 • Ruggiero, L., Dewhurst, S., Bampouras, T.M. Validity and reliability of two field-based leg stiffness devices: implications for practical use. Journal of Applied Biomechanics.

Accepted for publication. (IF 1.1) Sport, Coaching, & Psychology • Hayes, L. D., Sculthorpe, N., & Grace, F. M. (2016). A commentary on” Testosterone and cortisol jointly modulate risk-taking” by PH Mehta, KM Welker, S. Zilioli, JM Carre, Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2015, 56, 8899. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 63, 380.

• Miller, P. K., & Benkwitz, A. (2016). Where the action is: Towards a discursive psychology of “authentic” identity in soccer fandom.

Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 23, 40-50.

• Cronin, C. J., & Lowes, J. (2016). Embedding experiential learning in HE sport coaching courses: An action research study. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education, 18, 1-8.

University of Cumbria Excellence Awards 2016 open rds are made University of Cumbria Excellence Awa k and formally in recognition of outstanding wor individuals recognise the invaluable contribution university. the of ess and teams make to the succ the university Anyone employed or contracted to an award can nominate and be nominated for alf of teams beh on e and nominations can be mad f. . staf of and individuals by other members ersity of Cumbria For more information see the Univ Applications es. pag Excellence Awards StaffNet or email to d should be submitted via PebblePa l 2016. aqd@cumbria.ac.uk by Friday 15 Apri

Recruitment of Magistrates

Cumbria Mag istrates Adviso ry Committee recruiting for are currently voluntar y mag istrates in the region.

If you are inte rested in appl ying, full deta an application ils and form can be ac cessed at w w w.gov.uk/ become-magist rate. The univ on Public Dut ersity’s polic y ies and Cour t A pp earance Time will be applicab Off Polic y le. The relevant excerpt from th detailed here: e polic y is Appointment as a Magistrate /Justice of the Peace If appointed as a Magistrate, the university you to take up will allow to 35 half days unpaid leave pe to fulfil your co r year ur t duties. How ever you may a loss or earnin cl ai m gs allowance at a set rate fr cour t. For furt om th e her informatio n, contact your Cour t Advisory lo ca l Committee. M agistrates unde between 26 an rtake d 35 half- day sittings per ye ar.

CRED Seminar at Paternoster Row, Carlisle Wed, 20 April, 17:30 – 18:30 Carlisle Business Interaction Centre, 4-5 Paternoster Row, Carlisle, Cum bria CA3 8TT, United Kingdom (map) “Deal or No Deal? The Governance of Infrastructure Investment in the UK” by Dr Peter O’Brien.

Dr O’Brien is a Research Associate at the Centre for Urban and Regional Developmen t Studies (CURDS), Newcastle University. Prev iously, Peter was Head of the Interim Nor th East LEP Secretariat, Director of Tyne and Wear City Reg ion, Assistant Chief Executive of the Nor th East Assembly.

Tea and coffee will be available from 5.15pm.

For further details please contact Keith.

Jackson@cumbria.ac.uk 01228 888 718.

SEND US YOUR STORIES

If you would like to con tribute to the next issue of Co nnect, please contac t a memb er of the communications team: lynn.bewley@cumbri a.ac.uk julie.ratcliffe@cumbri a.ac.uk fiona.hughes@cumbri a.ac.uk The copy deadline for

the next issue of Connect is 13 May 2016

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