Chancellor's Fund Newsletter (Issue 20)

News

Issue 20 October 2014 Chancellor’s Fund at the University of Glasgow

Welcome from the Chancellor Your gifts to the Chancellor’s Fund provide a way to support innovative projects that have an impact across the whole University, enabling projects that enrich the student experience, support excellence in research and teaching, and enhance the physical and cultural heritage of the University.

The Baxter Research Robot stacking blocks in the Sir Alwyn Williams Building

The robotics revolution: the Baxter Research Robot comes to Glasgow The Chancellor’s Fund has made an award of £10,000 to support the costs of a Baxter Research Robot, a state-of-the-art bi-manual humanoid robot which will be used for undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and research in the School of Computing Science.

Advanced robotics systems are now used in a wide range of applications, from traditional domains such as manufacturing and vehicle guidance to new domains such as robotic surgery and care for the elderly.

Despite the complexity of robot control and sensing, Baxter is an intrinsically safe robot that will give undergraduate and postgraduate students direct experience of programming, developing and investigating robotics systems using tools and systems previously only available to the most advanced research labs.

Using the operating software ROS, a freely available platform for robot control and applications, students will gain handson experience in testing new ideas and challenging robotics-based projects.

Baxter will also be used in teaching for exploring topics such as computer vision applications, software engineering,

artificial intelligence, machine learning, information retrieval and big data.

Baxter’s new home is a showcase glass-walled laboratory in the foyer of the Sir Alwyn Williams Building. Dr Paul Siebert, Reader in Computing Science, said: ‘He has already proved to be enormously popular with open day visitors and will hopefully attract and inspire the best student applicants to Glasgow. The Chancellor’s Fund award to secure Baxter’s acquisition, which has been matched by the school and by the College of Science and Engineering’s Dean of Learning & Teaching, will help us build on our current research base to provide an outstanding student experience, expand our capacity for robotics research and help to show that we are at the forefront of teaching and research in advanced robotics systems.’

One of the key aims of the Chancellor’s Fund is to support the learning environment by providing access to new technologies and enhanced facilities. I hope you enjoy reading about the Baxter Research Robot your gifts have helped the School of Computing Science purchase, and how he will engage and challenge our students. You can also read about an innovative approach to learning for our Bachelor of Education (Music) students, who are developing activities to integrate new arrivals in schools hosting children who have come from other countries; and an update on the front-cover story in our last issue, the Great War Project.

An increasing number of applications are being made to the Fund and we can usually only make a grant towards half of these. We are therefore particularly grateful for your regular gifts which ensure a steady income stream to support projects and allow our students to continue to benefit.

Professor Kenneth Calman Chancellor

Data as sculpture

Overcoming barriers with music

The Chancellor’s Fund has granted £5,000 to the School of Social & Political Sciences to test the potential benefits of using 3D printing to turn complex statistical data about the study of human populations into a physical structure that can be looked at and explored.

Initially this will be applied to Lexis maps (pictured below), used to understand changes in ageing and mortality. Dr Jon Minton, Applied Quantitative Methods Network Research Fellow in Urban Studies said: ‘We hope the physical structures produced, with various peaks, troughs and scars, will reveal important information which graphs on a page do not. Four statistical sculptures, shown below, were exhibited at the SECC in Glasgow as part of Explorathon 2014 European Researchers’ Night. They show population sizes and mortality rates in Scotland from the middle of the 19th century onwards.

As part of the Great War Project (see right), Dr Minton discusses the concept of Lexis maps in the context of West Germany and what they reveal about the long-term events of the Great War. See www.glasgow.ac.uk/deepscars for more information.

An award of £10,000 has been made to investigate the use of music education activities as a tool to integrate new arrivals in schools hosting children who have come from other countries. The grant will be used to involve BEd (Music) students in developing activities, data collection and analysis to identify good practice and enhance understanding of the impact of such activities.

The Bachelor of Education (Music) degree is the main route into music teaching in Scotland. Delivered in collaboration with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, it is one of the only degrees in the world that offers school experience across all four years of the programme. Students participating in the project will gain handson experience of a research project and enhance their understanding of equity and social justice issues, vital skills for entering the job market after graduation.

Lexis cubes showing changes in mortality and population in Scotland over 150 years.

Dr Oscar Odena, leading the project, is Reader in our Robert Owen Centre for Educational Change. ‘There is growing evidence that using music activities as integration tools can overcome linguistic and socio-cultural barriers,’ he says.

‘This is particularly important in the current context of increasing numbers of new arrivals in Scottish schools from a variety of backgrounds and with shared linguistic barriers. Music education activities can be used to support community cohesion, promote intercultural education and facilitate inclusive learning. In Spain, festivals including students’ performances have been used for reducing absenteeism and in England creative music projects and digital technology have been used to re-engage disaffected students. Our project will be the first of its type in Scotland.’ Over 600 children in six schools will initially benefit and we then hope to expand the project to benefit all student teachers in the School of Education and tens of thousands of children in partner schools.

Great War project launch In the last issue of the Chancellor’s Fund newsletter we reported on our award of £30,000 to support ‘The University of Glasgow’s Great War’, a research project led by Dr Tony Pollard.

The project explores the experiences of the University community during the First World War, documenting the lives of individuals who were impacted by it, as well as reflecting more broadly upon the ways in which the First World War changed University life, from the experiences of female staff and students to the profound effects it had on professions like medicine.

At the end of September the official launch of this project was

commemorated by a special remembrance service for Captain Harry S Ranken, who was a student of the University and the first Glaswegian to be awarded the Victoria Cross.

Following the service, a white cross was planted in the University’s Garden of Remembrance.

Guests also viewed the University’s Great War: the University Officer Training Corps, the first in a series of exhibitions on the University in World War 1. The current exhibition is curated by Museum Studies postgraduate student Michael O’Brien and will be on display in the Chapel from 25 September until January 2015.

Find out more about the Great War Project at www.glasgow.ac.uk/greatwar.

A memorial plaque was unveiled at the remembrance service for Captain Ranken.

Ping! A Commonwealth Games concert In 2013 the Chancellor’s Fund made an award of £2,000 to support the Scottish debut of ‘Ping!’, a piece for string quartet and four table tennis players, composed by Joe Cutler.

The piece was performed by the Fusion table tennis club and the Coull Quartet at the Sound of Sports Glasgow afternoon in June, which saw the unifying of sport and music in new and inventive ways.

University composer Nick Fells also premiered his new piece ‘ps[c]yched’, for four amplified bikes and string quartet. Table tennis taster sessions

by Drumchapel Table Tennis Club ran throughout the afternoon in the University cloisters.

This project was part of Music in the University’s contribution to the Commonwealth Games, which was awarded a Game Changer silver medal

for its creative and cultural contribution to the Commonwealth Games.

Anne Cumberland, Music Development Officer said: ‘This inspirational collaborative performance wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the Chancellor’s Fund, which gave staff, students and the wider community the opportunity to experience a very special performance embracing the spirit of the Commonwealth Games.’

Want to help? Here’s how Direct Debit If you would like to give a regular gift, simply complete the direct debit form below and return it to the Development & Alumni Office, 3 The Square, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ. Please keep the Direct Debit Guarantee slip at the very bottom of the page for future reference.

Bequests Bequests are favoured by many alumni and friends who want to make a difference after their death. A gift of this kind also helps to reduce your inheritance tax liability. Please call +44 (0)141 330 4951 for more information.

Stocks and shares Since 6 April 2000, individuals have been eligible for tax relief on gifts of certain shares, securities and other investments. This is in addition to capital gains tax relief on gifts of assets to charity. Tax relief for donors is based on the value of the shares on the day they are transferred to the University. If you would like to support your chosen project by gifting shares and securities and would like more information, simply call the Development & Alumni Office on +44 (0)141 330 4951.

Giving from the USA US taxpayers can give tax-deductible gifts to the American Alumni of Glasgow University, an independent charitable corporation organised

in the United States that has been recognised by the Internal Revenue Service as a section 501(c)(3) charitable organisation. All donations to it are deductible as charitable contributions to the full extent permitted by law. Its Board of Directors will determine the use of all gifts.

Contributions should be made payable to: American Alumni of Glasgow University, 183 Wolf Harbor Road, Milford, CT 06461–1961, USA. Giving from Canada Canadian residents will be provided with a receipt for their tax records from the University.

Cheques should be made payable to ‘University of Glasgow’ (and not the University Trust) to be able to claim tax relief.

Data Protection Act 1998 Under the codes of the 1998 Data Protection Act, the University of Glasgow will use the information provided by you for University education, social and charitable purposes only.

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 The Development & Alumni Office acts in accordance with the terms of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. Information on donations received by the University of Glasgow is provided in Giving to Glasgow and other project-specific newsletters. Information is included only on donors who have given us their express permission to do so.

University of Glasgow Trust Donation Form Chancellor’s Fund Newsletter – issue 20, October 2014 The University of Glasgow Trust is a registered charity, No. SC008303 The University of Glasgow is a registered charity, No. SC004401

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Chancellor’s Fund giving: how you can help make a difference We commemorate all gifts of £250 and above with an inscription as a way of acknowledging your support. Your chosen dedication will appear in our publications, such as Giving to Glasgow, and also on our Online Benefactor Wall, a web-based version of the traditional donor wall. Unless you have chosen to remain anonymous your name or dedication will appear on these lists as a means of recognising your generosity. All Chancellor’s Fund donors receive this newsletter twice a year, which will include information about the initiatives made possible as a direct result of your gift.

Your vision and generosity will ensure that our students thrive in a challenging academic environment, taught by eminent academics, and benefiting from some of the best facilities that a university can offer.

Chancellor’s Fund giving levels Giving level

Monthly gift

Annual gift

Gilmorehill

£5

£60

Avenue

£10

£120

Bute

£20

£240

Tower

£40

£480

Kelvin

£100

£1,200

Major gifts

For gifts over £10,000

Development & Alumni Office 3 The Square University of Glasgow Glasgow G12 8QQ Tel: +44 (0)141 330 4951 Fax: +44 (0)141 330 4647 Email: campaign@glasgow.ac.uk Produced by the Development & Alumni Office and the Communications Office at the University of Glasgow.

Gift naming opportunities over four years are as follows:

How to contact us Editor: Barrie Bryson Tel: +44 (0)141 330 4951 Email: barrie.bryson@glasgow.ac.uk

Photography supplied by the University of Glasgow Photographic Unit.

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This Guarantee is offered by all banks and building societies that accept instructions to pay Direct Debits.

If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit the University of Glasgow Trust will notify you 10 working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request the University of Glasgow Trust to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request.

If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit, by the University of Glasgow Trust or your bank or building society, you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society. If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when the University of Glasgow Trust asks you to.

You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify us.

Latest projects The latest projects to benefit from the Chancellor’s Fund are listed below.

The paintings of James McNeill Whistler (see right) £15,000 To help support a three-year project to update, link and ensure stability of the existing Whistler websites, and establish websites for catalogues raisonnés of Whistler’s oil paintings and works on paper.

Scottish religious cultures network £5,500 To bring together academics and postgraduate students in the study of the role of religion in shaping Scottish culture and history.

Bawdry in Scottish chapbooks £2,466 To begin work on a database of ‘Bawdry in Scottish Literature’, concentrating on examples of bawdy song and verse in the University’s special collection of chapbooks – an early type of popular literature.

From Glasgow to Saturn £500 To print the first two printed issues of From Glasgow to Saturn, the University’s creative writing magazine.

TEDx University of Glasgow £2,500 To support the hosting of an independently held student-led TED conference on the theme of connectivity.

Students for Kids International Projects (SKIP) £3,500 To support a group of student volunteers providing healthcare education in Blantyre, Malawi.

Student teachers using music education to integrate new arrivals £10,000 To investigate the use of music education as a tool to integrate new arrivals in schools.

Data as sculpture £5,000 To explore the potential benefits of using 3D printing to turn complex statistical data into physical sculptures.

Dementia simulation project £4,218 To develop a dementia simulation project for nursing students to enhance knowledge and skills related to caring for the adult with dementia.

Working with the Baxter Research Robot £10,000 Towards the costs of a state-of-the-art humanoid robotics facility for undergraduate and postgraduate research projects.

Glasgow University Environmental Sustainability Team, Summer 2014 £5,000 To support the work of the studentled GUEST in improving the University’s sustainability reputation and help secure a stable future for the team.

Chancellor’s Fund for Sport £10,000 To support the Glasgow University Sports Association fund for individual students to undertake exceptional one-off sport and recreation opportunities.

The Great War and the shaping of modern international security law £5,000 To promote a series of lectures open to the public about the influence of WW1 on topics such as world organisation, dispute settlement and chemical weapons.

Twenty years of democracy: art and activism in South Africa £3,120 Towards a high-profile one-day symposium on the role that art and activism have played in shaping democracy in South Africa as part of the 2014 Africa in Motion Film Festival.

GLEAM festival relaunch: SynchromiCity £5,000 To support student involvement and engage the community in a two-day festival of social and audiovisual arts held in collaboration with the CCA and Glasgow School of Art. Society, culture and conflict in 20th-century Italy £686 To support a one-day workshop inaugurating a new collection of material on 20th-century Italian history at the Library.

Developing public engagement skills in psychology with the Glasgow Science Centre £7,500 To run an internship scheme for undergraduate psychology students to deliver a public engagement project at the Glasgow Science Centre.

The GIST: Glasgow Insight into Science and Technology £1,900 To produce two issues of the GIST magazine, created jointly by students from the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde to report on science and technology news.

International student experience enhancement through volunteering £2,000 To pilot a project to improve integration of international students, providing opportunities to gain knowledge of Scottish culture, meet friends and integrate more closely into the community.

Game changer: spring into summer 2014 for Commonwealth Games volunteers £5,519 To fund classes provided by the Centre for Open Studies on the art, history, music and culture of Glasgow and Scotland for Commonwealth Games volunteers.

ScAYE! (Glasgow University Science Magazine) £916 To establish an interdisciplinary science magazine for students showcasing the latest developments in all scientific fields currently taught and researched at the University.

Rose et or: La Tulipe (James McNeill Whistler 1894–96)

Thanks to all our donors...

The following lists those who have given new gifts, named existing gifts or have been upgraded a level between 18 March 2014 and 19 September 2014.

In addition to those listed below, there are a number of donors whose gifts are awaiting confirmation of naming or who have chosen to remain anonymous.

Kelvin Donor

The John Liston Scottish Charitable Trust* • Alistair B Mills • Oxford Society of Glasgow University Graduates

Tower Donor

Dr Fiona L Brown • Dr Winifred E I Finlay* • Dr John J Liggat • Helen M Mann MBE†*

Bute Donor

The Mary Andrew Charitable Trust • Dr and Mrs L Ade Benedict†* • Dr Sally-Anne Coupar • Jennifer Gardiner • Kenneth and Jean Inglis • Duncan Macfarlane • James Sweeney • David J Watt • Two anonymous donors

Avenue Donor

Gordon J Cockburn* • Marjory D Kellett* • Ray T Reed • Dr Duncan L & Mrs Elizabeth A Weir • Peter G R M Waddell* • One anonymous donor

Gilmorehill Donor

Mr Alexander M M Bell • The Honourable Lord Cowie • Greer Jarrett • Malcolm Livingstone • In memory of Thomas and Jean Millar * denotes donors that have been upgraded a giving club level. We would like to thank all donors for their continued support. † denotes gifts to American Alumni of Glasgow University (AAGU). We would like to thank AAGU for their support.