North American Newsletter, Issue 21, Autumn 2016

Issue 21 Autumn 2016 For alumni and friends living in North America

North American Newsletter Alumnus sails the Northwest Passage See Page 3

US success Great news Giving Tuesday Outlander: for alumni for Alumni 2016. How can On set with a start-up Associations you help?

PhD Student See Page 2

See Page 3

See Page 4

See Page 6

Welcome

Welcome to the latest edition of our North American Alumni Newsletter.

Student mobility – creating opportunities for Glasgow students to have that allimportant, career-enhancing, international experience – is a major part of the University’s strategy. The goal is to achieve 20% mobility by 2020, and an important part of my role is creating new opportunities through developing existing partnerships and negotiating new ones.

Alumnus and son win Canadian awards

Andrew Scanlon, BSc 1966, Penn State Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering, and son, Mark A Scanlon, were both recently recognized by the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE).

Professor Scanlon (pictured above) received the CSCE Fellow Award, while Mark received the Young Professional Achievement Award, during the Annual Awards Gala, which was held on 3 June in London, Ontario.

I’m delighted to see significant growth in the number of Glasgow students taking advantage of the opportunity to spend a semester or a year (most choose a year) with our Canadian and US partners. In 2015-16, 86 students travelled. This figure has grown to 122 for 2016-17.

You can see the available destinations at glasgow.ac.uk/abroadexchange.

Double Success In previous Newsletters I have mentioned the success in attracting exceptional scholars to Glasgow through our Fulbright programmes. Here, I’d like to highlight double success in the opposite direction.

Dr Arun Sood, a recent PhD graduate, has received a Scottish Studies Fulbright Award to research and write a book on the reception and cultural influence of Robert Burns in the USA during the 19th Century; he will be studying at Georgetown University, Washington DC. Dr Karen Renaud, a Senior Lecturer in Computing Science, with research interests in cyber security, has won the Fulbright Cyber Award and will be hosted

by Mississippi State University.

Professor David Fearn International Dean for North America 2

American Success for UofG alumni start-up Two UofG alumni have recently had success in securing a deal with a number of US universities, including Harvard and MIT. Dr Robin Donaldson, PhD 2012 (above left), and Dr Jamey Heit, PhD 2011 (above right), developed a software programme, which helps to improve students’ work by grading their essays.

The programme, Ecree, is meant to help students improve their writing skills and boost their grades.

Dr said, ‘We tryyou’d to mimic how DoDonaldson you have exciting news a professor grade an essay. It like to share would with the University? grades thelike work feedback Then we’d to and heargives from you!

And the way a good teacher would. We look for please be sure your contact details measures of quality the essay are up-to-date, so wewithin can send you and use dozens ofevent indicators to do it. our news and invitations.

‘The software looks at things like, “Does one paragraph argue one coherent point?” and can assess this. It works across social science-type subjects such as politics, sociology and economics.’

Dr Heit told us, ‘Glasgow introduced me to some of the best teachers in the world. My professors and colleagues are a reminder of how much impact teachers can have on a student’s life. This is what teachers should be doing with their time - engaging students in a way that will last a lifetime. If Ecree can help teachers do that by making sure they don’t spend all weekend marking papers, we’ll consider Ecree a success.’

Find out more

• www.Ecree.com

Alumnus shares story of Northwest Passage trip Emeritus Professor Hugh Lewis, BVMS 1965, recently attended a University of Glasgow alumni tour at the Washington State History Museum, where the exhibit focused on Captain Cook and the Northwest Passage.

He was able to see artefacts from Captain Cook’s voyages which are of particular interest to him and his wife, Mair. After the tour, Hugh got in touch and shared the reason he and Mair attended the event – a once-in-a lifetime experience.

From Kuglukuk to Kangerlussuag ‘My wife Mair and I enjoy going on small expedition-ship cruises to far-away places.

Last September, we joined about eighty other people on a cruise from Kuglukuk in Nunavut, Canada, to Kangerlussuag in Greenland. This is the long sought Northwest Passage, linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. We went as far north as we could which was about 10 degrees from the North Pole – we even saw a polar bear on an ice flow far from land!

‘From the expedition team of experts, we learnt much about the history of Northwest Passage exploration, the indigenous inhabitants, the hardy wildlife and the spectacular geology of this area.

From Scotland to Canada, via Wales ‘The geologist on board was a Scot, Tom Sharpe, who was previously the director of the Natural History Museum of Wales in Cardiff, our hometown. He spoke very good Welsh, which thrilled my wife who has had little opportunity to speak her native language since coming to the USA in 1966.

‘Being there gave us an entirely fresh perspective on the courage and fortitude of those sailing ship explorers. The final leg of the cruise was down the west coast of Greenland, from Qaanaaq to Kangerlussuag with stops at several fjord communities. We experienced the Inuit culture, saw humpback and minke whales, and many ice flows and icebergs, some much larger than our ship.

From Glasgow to Tacoma ‘We developed a great interest in the arctic and its exploration, which is why we were attracted to the exhibition at the Tacoma Historical Museum featuring the much earlier exploration of the Northwest Passage from the Pacific side. The exhibition was very well done and impressive. It was good to see that some of the remarkable artefacts from Captain Cook’s third and last exploration voyage were from the Hunterian Museum of my alma mater, the University of Glasgow.’

Since speaking with Hugh, we discovered that the Scottish geologist, Tom Sharpe BSc 1977, is in fact a Glasgow alumnus as well! It just goes to prove, you never know how far you are from a Glasgow grad!

Front Cover Picture A polar bear on an ice flow near Devon Island.

Pictured Davis Strait, near the West Greenland coast, close to Ilulissat.

Great news for all Alumni Associations There have been some big changes in the University’s Alumni Associations Programme, as you’ll find out if you visit our new website at the address below.

It has all you need to start an Association in your area, including a toolkit with ideas for events, an application for funding, and official UofG products for your group.

Most exciting of all is our new rewards scheme! All our Alumni Associations now have the chance to scoop prizes for being the top group in their region. It’s our way of saying ‘thank you’ for all your hard work as a group. And to add to the fun, we’ll be sending official Associations a starter-pack, which will give your group exclusive UofG gear.

Pictured University of Glasgow Singapore Alumni Association.

Find out more or start your group

• www.glasgow.ac.uk/alumni/reconnect • E: alumni@glasgow.ac.uk.

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Giving Tuesday 2016 Where will your gift travel?

The season of a giving is just around the corner and at Glasgow we’re getting into the spirit with another Giving Tuesday campaign on 29 November 2016.

We are delighted our alumni truly feel the impact they have on our student’s shared study-abroad experiences through supporting Giving Tuesday. As a result, more students every year are able to take up these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities which often leave a life-long impression on their careers and life outlook. It is the aim of the University

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70 graduates and friends in the US and Canada have given over 100 gifts.

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that all students from all backgrounds will have the chance to take up these studyabroad opportunities; therefore our Giving Tuesday campaign will ask our alumni for support of the Travel Scholarships Fund.

Our alumni in North America have helped to make Giving Tuesday a success since 2014.

This year we would like to ask our alumni to help us raise enough funds for ten new Travel Scholarships which will allow even more students to take up an international opportunity.

Donors have funded 40 study-abroad experiences for students over the last two years.

£10k

2015 saw our biggest ever Giving Tuesday, smashing our target of £10k in a day.

Our website plays host to several student stories, pictures from recent study abroad adventures and all the information you may wish to read more about with regards to how great of an impact your gift can have on our students.

Be sure to visit the webpage and check out our Facebook page for a load of fantastic stories which truly express how these experiences have changed the lives of so many students.

‘My trip has opened my eyes to a career path I never had the confidence to pursue. Travelling really does broaden horizons and for that I am so thankful.’

Fiona Kipling Veterinary student

Main Image: Brackendale, Vancouver: John McKenna, Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia Opposite: 1. Ailish McCafferty, Immunology, University of Adelaide. 2. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe: Emma Kennedy, Law, University of Cape Town. 3. Barker Beach, San Francisco: Inga Freund, Psychology University of California, Berkeley. 4. Mont Royal, Montreal: Eleanor Young, French, Université du Québec à Montréal. 5. Colmar, France: Nikolena Nocheva, French, University of Strasbourg.

6. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe: Sofia Hallstrom, Sociology & Business Management, University of Cape Town 4

Tuesday, 29 November

What can you do?

Give

Like

Make your gift online now at

Get social and follow us at: facebook.com/ GivingTuesdayUofG instagram.com/glasgowalumni Twitter @GlasgowAlumni #GivingTuesday #UofGworldchangers #UofGinspiringpeople

www.glasgow.ac.uk/ givingtuesday

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Our students will be taking over our Facebook and Instagram pages on the day to share their very own experiences from studying abroad. Be sure to look out for their amazing photos, videos and stories from their time spent in places like Africa, Canada, Australia and the USA.

You choose how much to give this Giving Tuesday, from $10 to $1000+ and anything in between: this will have a great impact on our students.

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Share Visit us on Facebook to tell us about your experiences of studying abroad and why you’re supporting Giving Tuesday.

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6 And don’t forget, gifts from the USA and Canada to the American Alumni of Glasgow University and the University are tax deductible.

Students to call North American Alumni between 28 November and 1 December 2016

Our team of bright, enthusiastic, UofG students are looking forward to speaking to you. They’d like to find out more about your time at Glasgow and share with you what life as a student is like today.

We hope you’ve felt the impact Glasgow has had on your life, and our team of student callers are keen to share how you can make a difference and help to create lasting memories, by supporting students to experience an opportunity they may never have dreamed of.

Every year students like recent Philosophy graduate, Holly Maxwell-Stevenson (pictured above), have the chance to embark on an incredible journey of studying abroad through a travel scholarship. Holly studied Philosophy at the University of Oklahoma as part of her scholarship and this remains the greatest experience of her life to date.

2 Don’t want to wait until December? Get into the Giving Tuesday spirit early and give online today. Postal contributions can be sent using the donation forms on the back page.

Sharing with our students

Remember to include your photos!

Holly was so grateful for her scholarship she decided to join our team of student callers earlier this year so that she could have the chance to thank those that supported her dreams and to help pave the way for future students to have the chance she had.

‘Opportunity is important for students like me. If it wasn’t for the generosity of alumni, I would not have been able to study in Oklahoma, and would never have realised my dream of pursuing my PhD at the University of Iowa. I am excited about my next adventure….’

Please be on the lookout for your call from a student like Holly during our Autumn Telephone Campaign – our students will be calling you from right in the heart of the University on Monday, 28 November until Thursday, 1 December.

You can be part of changing a student’s journey by making a gift which will provide a once in a lifetime opportunity!

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Outlander: one year on UofG PhD student, Guillaume Lecomte, updates us on his experiences on the set of the tv series, Outlander.

It’s already been a year since I left the set of Outlander Season 2. The last experience was a memorable one, as we spent a week in Prague, Czech Republic, where we shot the scenes that were taking place in the streets of 18th Century Paris. The last time I saw the whole crew was at the ’wrap-party’, in February.

My role was tutoring the cast in French, and according to the reception of the series, people were pleased by the result. This season was broadcast in France for the first time, which added to the pressure, but French folks seemed to be really happy too.

This role also gave me the opportunity to work a bit on some aspects of the script with the screenwriters. This is the dream for a researcher in film adaptation. I’ve learned a lot; it was an eye-opening experience, for the good and the bad. I enjoyed every bit of it,

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but some of the things I have seen have ‘ruined the magic’, as they’ve given me a completely different perspective on the art I love.

I conceive my research. As a result, my thesis is currently undergoing an important revamp which will include some things I’ve learned.

What I discovered is that the aspects of the production and filming I got the most interested in, were not the ones I would have thought of in the first place.

The post-production process is what I loved the most. Seeing how the film is really put together, all the different elements that come into play before getting the final result: editing, sound editing, SFX, voice, soundtrack, colours and aspects, etc. It’s just amazing, and forced me to put everything I know about film in perspective.

At the moment I’m in an ‘in-between’ place. I’m trying to figure out how I could keep a foot in the industry, hopefully by getting into postproduction, and at the same time I’m now back into my research rhythm and I love it. I’ve missed teaching a lot, I’ve missed the students, but mostly I’ve missed getting deep into my field and all its ramifications.

When I finished my contract after the ‘post-prod’ process I was worried that I had left my PhD for too long and that it would be very difficult to focus on my research. However, the experience had a big impact on me and the way

I’ve managed to publish a couple of articles this year, and it felt great. So that’s where I am, torn apart by two immensely difficult fields to get into, and trying to find a way in. It’s scary, and it’s exciting. But mostly scary.

Be sure to look out for scenes shot at the University in Outlander Season 3!

What’s On? Vancouver Welcome Event

Thursday, 6 October 2016, Sage Bistro, UBC The Vancouver Alumni Association invites those in the area to an evening event to welcome visiting students from Glasgow who are studying at University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University, as well as all recently returned graduates. Professor Anne Anderson will give a short presentation with the latest updates from Glasgow.

Washington D.C. Scottish Christmas Parade

Saturday, 3 December Old Town Alexandria Last year, alumni in the Washington D.C. area marched in the Alexandria Scottish Christmas Parade. Alumni are welcome to join in this day again.

Further information on all events • T: +44 (0)141 330 7071 • E: caroline.gould@glasgow.ac.uk

Alumni Events Roundup Burns Supper Boston & Burns Supper Chicago

Thursday, 25 February & Saturday, 27 February 2016 The University held two Burns Suppers in North America this year, both hosted by the illustrious Clark McGinn (PhD 2014).

The first took place in Boston at the iconic Hampshire House on Beacon Hill. The second dinner was hosted in Chicago at the University Club of Chicago.

Tacoma Museum Tour

Sunday, 28 February 2016 A small group of Alumni took part in an exclusive tour of the Washington State History Museum, which focused on Captain Cook and the Northwest Passage. Several artefacts on display are from Cook’s voyages, which were contributed by the Hunterian Museum.

NYC Event

Monday, 7 March 2016 Over 60 friends and alumni (pictured above, right) of the University gathered at Upper Story by Charlie Palmer, at the D&D Building, for a chance to mingle and to hear all the latest about the upcoming developments on Gilmorehill.

Atlanta Alumni Gathering

Thursday, 9 March 2016 A small group gathered in Atlanta at TAP Gastropub to meet fellow alumni in the Georgia area.

Toronto Event

Thursday, 7 April 2016 57 alumni came together at the Mill Street Brewery in Toronto. Guests sampled local craft beers, and had the chance to hear more about the world-changing discoveries recently made at Glasgow.

UofG signs MoU with Smithsonian The University of Glasgow signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 8 April with the Smithsonian Institution. This significant and much valued partnership stems back more than 20 years.

Saturday, 9 April 2016 A group of 33 alumni and their families braved a dreich day in NYC (pictured above, left) to walk in the Annual Tartan Day Parade to represent the University.

Professor James Conroy, Vice-Principal Internationalisation, said, ‘The MoU will forge stronger links for the benefit of all, helping enhance greater learning and knowledge exchange and provide greater opportunities for students and staff both here in Scotland and America’.

Denver Alumni Gathering

Read the full article

NYC Tartan Day Parade

Friday, 3 June 2016 Hosted by members of the Marketing, Recruitment & International Office, 19 alumni and friends descended upon Punchbowl Social to mix and mingle.

• www.glasgow.ac.uk/news

Glasgow, Kentucky Highland Games

We were delighted to welcome Sir Paul Nurse, the world-renowned geneticist and cell biologist, to Glasgow on 25 May to deliver the Andrew Carnegie Lecture.

Saturday, 4 June 2016 A few Glasgow graduates gathered at the Highland Games in Glasgow, Kentucky with typical Glasgow weather: bouts of sunshine, but overall quite ‘dreich’.

SF Alumni Reception

Thursday, 7 July 2016 Over 50 guests (pictured, top) were welcomed to Haas-Lilienthal House by Principal & Vice-Chancellor, Professor Anton Muscatelli. San Francisco Heritage Volunteers gave tours of the historic home.

Third Annual Carnegie Lecture In his lecture, ‘Trust in Science’, Sir Paul set out to answer three questions: Why should we have trust in science?

What benefits have been brought to humankind over the ages by having trust in science? and What are the threats to trust in science?

Find out more

• www.glasgow.ac.uk/carnegielectures 7

Giving from Canada

Giving from the United States

Tax Deductible

American Alumni of Glasgow University

Give online: www.glasgow.ac.uk/about/givingtoglasgow telephone: +44 (0)141 330 2810 or email: Emma.Sloan@glasgow.ac.uk to arrange a call from Glasgow.

Give online: www.glasgow.ac.uk/givefromtheUSA

or please complete this form and return it to:

The Development & Alumni Office, 2-3 The Square, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK

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Details about this gift will be shared with the University. American Alumni of Glasgow University is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization (recognised by the US Internal Revenue Service) which funds grants that benefit the University of Glasgow. In compliance with IRS regulations, the Board of Directors of American Alumni of Glasgow University maintains complete discretion over allocation of gifts to the University. A copy of its latest annual report may be obtained, upon request, from its Treasurer.

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You Can Also Give to the University Online To find out more, please visit our website www.glasgow.ac.uk/givingtoglasgow

Please Get in Touch Caroline Gould International Development Coordinator Development & Alumni Office 2-3 The Square University of Glasgow Glasgow G12 8QQ Scotland, UK 8

T: +44 (0)141 330 7071 E: caroline.gould@glasgow.ac.uk www.glasgow.ac.uk/alumni © University of Glasgow 2016 The University of Glasgow, charity no. SC004401 Printed in Glasgow on 100% recycled paper

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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.