Kent staff magazine july 2014 by University of Kent

Staff

KENT The Magazine for the University of Kent | July 2014

Congregations 2014 Top 20 Guardian position

Welcome Dear colleagues,

The University is now close to the end of its first 49 years and we can look back on another year of success. At this time of year, it is especially the success of our students that we are celebrating. Some 4,000 have graduated this summer, one of the highest figures in Kent’s history. Graduation is the formal expression of the core element of our work – the expansion and transmission of knowledge, and the development of people and their skills and understanding. It is a source of pride for all of us – academic and professional service department staff – to see the result of this hard work as our students graduate within the magnificent surroundings of the Cathedrals of Canterbury and Rochester. This month (July) also saw the installation of our new Chancellor, Dr Gavin Esler (see p7). This was a moving degree congregation in which, in his acceptance speech, he reflected on his time as a student, the honour of being awarded an honorary degree and the importance of universities to society.

It has also been a year of success for the University as a whole. We have maintained our position as a top 20 university in the Guardian league table (p3) and risen from 28 to 22 in the Complete University Guide. And in social media, Kent was voted the 10th most influential university on Twitter.

During the next academic year, we will be preparing for one of the most significant recent changes in the higher education landscape, the lifting of the government cap on student numbers from 2015/16. Kent is well placed to face this challenge. Our UK campuses and European centres provide attractive and varied venues for study. We have ambitious building projects in progress – the new residential Turing College and the Templeman Library extension (p12) – and in the pipeline – innovative new uses for some of the historic dockyard buildings and a new student leisure centre at Medway, and new academic and service buildings at Canterbury.

And we will be using our 50th birthday not only to celebrate, but to position ourselves for the exciting opportunities that will come our way in the next 50 years. I will write more about this in my next message. But in the meantime, let me thank you for all your hard work over the past academic year. I look forward to seeing you back ready for the 50th.

Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow Vice-Chancellor

3 News 6 Feature: Congregations 8 Research 10 Staff profile 11 Human Resources 12 Enterprise/Templeman Library 13 Environment 14 Kent in the news/Sport 15 People 16 What’s on Special thanks to: Lesley Farr, University Design & Print Centre. Photographs by Jason Dodd, Group Travel Organiser, Donna Landry, Tim Stubbings, Tempest and Matt Wilson.

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KENT To have your say on all aspects of internal communications, including KENT Staff magazine, please contact communications@kent.ac.uk. Editorial team: Wendy Raeside (Editor), Karen Baxter and colleagues in Corporate Communications, University of Kent. To contact us or submit a story, email kentmagazine@kent.ac.uk. Next issue: the deadline for the next issue is 18 September with a publication date of 17 October 2014. Online version KENT Staff magazine is also available online at www.kent.ac.uk/campusonline/kentmagazine/ The online version contains additional media, as indicated in the icons below.

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Top 20 Guardian position for Kent

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Staff

KENT The Magazine for the University of Kent | July 2014

Congregations Top 20 university

Cover story Comedian Harry Hill, who received an honorary degree from Kent in July (p6).

Kent has been ranked in the top 20 in the Guardian university league table for the second year running.

ratio and the percentage of graduates who find graduate-level jobs, or are studying further, within six months of graduation.

Two thirds of the subjects offered by Kent are also ranked in the top 20 by the Guardian. These include national top 10 subjects: Journalism (1st); Film production & photography (2nd); American studies (4th); Anthropology (6th); Social policy & admin. (7th); Classics (8th); History of Art (8th); Social work (8th); Art (10th); and Drama & Dance (10th). Medway School of Pharmacy, a collaboration between the universities of Kent and Greenwich, was ranked 9th in its subject area.

Recently, Kent was placed in the top 10 for overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey and was ranked 22nd in the Complete University Guide 2015.

The 2015 Guardian table (published in June 2014) is based on criteria that include teaching quality, student course satisfaction, staff-student

Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow said: ‘This is an excellent result for Kent. It is also further recognition for all our staff as they continue to provide our students with one of the best academic experiences in the UK. ‘Our league table position remains a reflection of our ability to attract high-calibre students and to provide them with the appropriate skills for their future careers.’

KENT Magazine

News

Kent Student Awards

Athena SWAN Bronze award

Exceptional students from the University who have made an outstanding contribution to university life and an impact on the wider community were recognised at the Kent Student Awards on 31 May.

The University has received the Athena SWAN Charter Bronze award for its work in supporting the career progression of women in STEMM (science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine) areas.

A joint initiative between the University and Kent Union, the Kent Student Awards were launched this year to celebrate and give students official recognition for their achievements. Students were nominated in nine categories with the entire shortlist being congratulated for going above and beyond in a number of activities and initiatives that benefit others.

The Bronze award recognises that Kent has established a solid institutional foundation through the development of policies, practices and systems to advance gender equality and to embed an inclusive culture that values all staff.

The awards were presented by Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow at a gala dinner attended by shortlisted nominees, their guests and members of the University community. A special ‘Student of the Year’ award was also presented to Tom Currie, an exceptional student who has led initiatives designed to make the University a ‘greener’ place. Kent students were also congratulated at the annual Volunteering Awards, led by Kent Union. The awards, held at both the Canterbury and Medway campuses, celebrated students’ achievements which included spending 105,000 hours volunteering on campus and in the local community.

KENT Magazine

Beliefs underpinning the Athena SWAN Charter are that: advancement of STEMM is fundamental to quality of life across the globe; it is vitally important that women are adequately represented in what has traditionally been, and still is, a male dominated area; and that science cannot reach its full potential unless it can benefit from the talents of the whole population.

Law Clinic triumphs Kent Law Clinic, the University’s pro-bono legal service, has won the Ethical Initiative of the Year award at the Lawyer Awards 2014. The Clinic secured first place in a category featuring a host of well-known international law firms.

Announced at the 20th anniversary edition of the Lawyer Awards on 25 June, the award recognises the work carried out by the Clinic’s staff and students in its immigration and asylum team. This included supporting individuals with asylum claims, working with refugee support groups such as Kent Refugee Help and Kent Refugee Action Network, and conducting research into the treatment of unaccompanied minors who apply for asylum.

Gulbenkian awarded national status Gulbenkian has been accepted onto Arts Council England’s national portfolio programme. Arts Council England announced its three-year funding strategy on 1 July, unveiling Gulbenkian as one of only 30 new National Portfolio Organisations outside London. Gulbenkian’s status as a National Portfolio Organisation means that, in addition to the current support from the University of Kent, Gulbenkian will receive an Arts Council England grant of £220,000 for each of the next three financial years (starting April 2015). In its report, the Arts Council highlighted how Gulbenkian’s vision reflects its own priorities, specifically working with and for children and young people: ‘The organisation under the current Director has become one of the leading

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Kent Student Awards Orlando Bloom Fine Art Education Day Group Travel Awards

deliverers of arts experiences for and by children and young people in Kent. They continue to run the pilot for ART31, a project which empowers young people, they connect nationally and internationally to children’s theatre and festival programming and are proposing their own children’s theatre festival with strong management involvement by young people.’

Copeland-Bloom, collected the award on his behalf during a ceremony at the University’s Canterbury campus on 12 June.

The awards are voted for by readers of the Group Travel Organiser magazine and recognise the best suppliers in the group travel industry in more than 20 categories.

Acclaimed Belgian author at Paris centre Belgian author Amélie Nothomb visited Kent’s Montparnasse centre in May for a conference on her autographically inspired work. Students from the University of Kent at Paris had the opportunity to interview the internationally renowned author, and to watch and discuss the documentary Amélie Nothomb, une vie entre deux eaux with its writer Laureline Amanieux and writer/director Luca Chiari. Academics from Canada, USA and Europe also participated in the conference, which was entitled ‘Identity, Memory, Place: Amélie Nothomb – Past, Present and Future’.

Kent icon award for Orlando Bloom Orlando Bloom has been named Kent’s Cultural Icon by overwhelming public vote in the Canterbury Cultural Awards 2014, sponsored by the University. In a category to mark the University’s 50th anniversary celebrations, the actor – awarded an honorary degree by Kent in 2010 – was nominated alongside Brenda Blethyn, Tracey Emin and Ellie Goulding. His mother, Sonia

Orlando Bloom, who is currently filming in the USA, sent a personal video message to the audience, thanking everyone who had voted for him, and explaining just how important it is for Kent’s cultural scene to stay vibrant and exciting. http://youtu.be/DeFJKJM_vPM

Pupils meet emerging Medway artists Groups of school pupils and young people from across Medway attended a special ‘Education Day’ on 2 June as part of the University’s annual Fine Art Degree Show exhibition programme. Invited to take part in workshops at the University’s art facilities based at the Chatham Historic Dockyard, the ‘Education Day’ was organised and led by Kent’s Fine Art students to coincide with their own work being displayed in a public exhibition at the Dockyard. The main public exhibition, from 24 May–2 June, was opened by renowned painter Humphrey Ocean and Artistic Director of the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival Graham McKenzie. It featured bold, large-scale installations at various locations across the Dockyard and showcased the work of 50 graduating Fine Art students from the School of Music and Fine Art.

Record 7th group travel award The University has won Group Travel Organiser’s ‘Best University Accommodation for Groups’ award for an unprecedented seventh consecutive year.

The award was presented to members of Kent’s Conference, Reception and Housekeeping teams during a ceremony at London’s Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel on 6 June. Accepting the award, Head of Residences and Conference Services Kevin Stuckey paid tribute to Kent Hospitality’s dedicated team of staff who work so hard to maintain such consistent high standards year after year.

Sport England funding for Kent Sport Sports provision for staff and students at Kent has increased following National Lottery funding from Sport England’s University Sport Activation Fund. Kent is one of 54 universities to benefit from nearly £10 million of funding to help around 180,000 new students playing sport. The University’s £214,924 award, which will help launch its ‘Let’s Play – Project 5.0’, aims to increase participation in sport across the University’s Canterbury and Medway campuses. It will offer non-active students and staff the opportunity to engage in regular sport and physical activities with the overall aim of creating a sporting habit for life. Each term, the project will offer themed blocks of activities, ranging from ‘Around the World’ to ‘Grass Roots’, with swimming, cycling and climbing available throughout the year. Some activities will be delivered by specialist qualified coaches, but others will require help and assistance from University student clubs.

KENT Magazine

Feature

Congregations Honorary degrees Comedian Harry Hill, broadcaster Sandi Toksvig, artist Billy Childish and musician Robert Wyatt were among those receiving honorary degrees from the University in ceremonies at Canterbury and Rochester Cathedrals during July. Comedian Harry Hill grew up in Kent and trained as a neurosurgeon at the University of London before becoming one of the most successful TV comedians of the past two decades. His TV Burp regularly gathered more than eight million viewers and other television credits include The All New Harry Hill Show and You’ve Been Framed. His first feature film, The Harry Hill Movie, hit cinemas in 2013. Broadcaster Sandi Toksvig OBE was born in Denmark and studied at the University of Cambridge, where she wrote and performed in the first all-woman show at the Cambridge Footlights. She has since become a familiar figure on both television and radio, hosting, for example, 15 to 1 on Channel 4 and chairing BBC Radio 4’s News Quiz. In 2013 she was named Roberts Radio Broadcaster of the Year and in 2014 she received an OBE for services to broadcasting. Artist, musician and writer Billy Childish was born in Chatham, Kent. After school he worked at the Chatham Naval Dockyard, where he began producing drawings that won him a place at St Martin’s School of Art. Although his uncompromising style led to his expulsion, he embarked on an artistic, literary and musical journey that has seen him gain cult status worldwide. Musician Robert Wyatt was born in Bristol but moved to Canterbury where he attended the Simon Langton Grammar School and was a leading light of the city’s influential music scene of the late 1960s as the founder of the band Soft Machine. He continued his music career as a solo artist and had a 1983 chart hit with the song Shipbuilding.

Framestore co-founder Sir William Sargent helped build the internationally renowned visual effects company after studying business and law at Trinity College. During Sir William’s time at Framestore, the company has worked on Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity, Steven Spielberg’s War Horse, Joe Johnston’s Captain America: The First Avenger, and Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.

from Kent in 1976 and then worked for a year at St Augustine’s psychiatric hospital in Chartham. She was Policy Director of Mind for eight years (1990-98) and is currently Chief Executive of Disability Rights UK. She is also a Commissioner at the UK Commission for Employment and Skills and recently led an independent review for the Government on disabled employment programmes.

Kids Company founder Camila Batmanghelidjh trained as a psychotherapist and became an advocate for vulnerable children. She founded Kids Company in 1996, where she currently works. Its services reach 36,000 children and intensively support 18,000 of those across London and Bristol, including the most deprived and at risk whose parents are unable to care for them due to their own practical and emotional challenges.

Penal reform campaigner Baroness Vivien Stern CBE has been a crossbench peer since 1999. From 1977 to 1996 she was Director of the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders. She is an Honorary President of Penal Reform International, an NGO promoting penal reform throughout the world, of which she was a founder member and Secretary-General from 1989-2005.

Media executive Geraldine Allinson was born and brought up in Kent. She began her career in the local media industry in 1986 and, after working at the Midland News Association and Northcliffe Newspapers, she joined the Kent Messenger Group in 1993, which was her family’s media company. Since that date, she has held a number of positions, including Chairman from 2006. She was also President of the Newspaper Society from 2011 to 2012. Disability rights campaigner Liz Sayce OBE gained a first-class degree in English and French

KENT Magazine

Businessman George Kennedy CBE has lived in Canterbury for 40 years and was a member of the University’s Council from 1998 to 2005. He was employed by Smiths Industries plc for 30 years as Chairman of the Medical Systems Group and a main board director. He is President of the Association of British Healthcare Industries and, at local level, a trustee of the Parish Recreation Trust, a Kent Ambassador and Chairman of Kent County Cricket Club. Corporate and social responsibility advocate Lord Hastings CBE began his career as a teacher and then moved into government. He

Feature 1 Sandi Toksvig OBE 2 Billy Childish 3 Geraldine Allinson

New Chancellor installed Award-winning journalist, broadcaster and author Gavin Esler was installed as Chancellor of the University of Kent at Rochester Cathedral on 8 July. His installation took place during one of three University congregation ceremonies at the Cathedral. As Chancellor, Gavin Esler’s duties will include conferring degrees, chairing the University’s Court and representing the University on special occasions. Born in Glasgow and brought up in Edinburgh and Northern Ireland, Gavin Esler – who graduated from Kent with a BA in English and American Literature in 1974 – has worked for the BBC since 1977. He was its White House-based Chief North American correspondent from 1989 to 1998 and, more recently, has been one of three main presenters on BBC2’s Newsnight and main presenter on Dateline London (BBC World and BBC News Channel). The University awarded him an honorary MA in 1995 and an honorary Doctor of Civil Law in 2005. 3

Gavin Esler has the unique distinction of being the first Chancellor to have also been a student at Kent. Being offered the post was, he says, a complete surprise.

spent 12 years at the BBC where he was Head of Public Affairs and its first Head of Corporate Social Responsibility. He is KPMG International’s Global Head of Corporate Citizenship, Chairman of Millennium Promise UK, a Board Trustee of the Vodafone Group Foundation and President of ZANE – a development aid agency focused on Zimbabwe.

‘I’m absolutely delighted personally,’ he says. ‘I’m also really pleased that in the University’s 50th anniversary year, the role has been given to an alumnus. It seems to me it’s a coming-ofage moment for the University that one of our own can be offered such a wonderful honour. I just hope I can make a contribution that people will think worthwhile.’ An interview with our new Chancellor featured in the Summer 2014 issue of the KENT Alumni magazine: www.kent.ac.uk/alumni/news/kent/1406.html

Painter Daphne Todd OBE went to Simon Langton Grammar School for Girls before studying at the Slade School of Fine Art in London. She exhibited widely in Britain in group shows including the Royal Academy, painting but teaching part-time at the Byam Shaw and the Heatherly Schools of Art in London. She was elected the first female President of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters in 1994 and awarded first prize in the BP Portrait Award 2010. Diplomat Shan Morgan studied French Literature and Language at Kent, graduating in 1977. Her early career focused on employment and social affairs policy and she was seconded to the European Commission in Brussels in 1984-87 to work on long-term unemployment policy and local economic development. She is currently the Deputy Permanent Representative to the EU and represents the UK on the Council Committee responsible for negotiating policy and legislation.

KENT Magazine

Research

Worldwide media coverage for international genetics conference at Kent Research leads to Cultural Route An international research project led by the University has resulted in the establishment of a new UNESCO Cultural Route in Turkey. Created as part of a project to generate interest in Turkey’s vanishing horse culture and to reconnect Turkish people with their heritage, the Evilya Çelebi Way is the first designated route of its kind to give tourists the opportunity to see remote landscapes in Turkey from horseback. It also provides them with an opportunity to experience how the physical and logistical conditions of travelling in this way can help people engage with local communities.

An international genetics conference at the University attracted national and international media coverage. The annual meeting of the Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis International Society (PGDIS) took place at Woolf College, Canterbury campus from 29 April to 2 May. It was attended by more than 300 experts, including IVF pioneer and television personality Professor Lord Winston.

Darren Griffin, who was also the conference chair, gave a presentation entitled ‘Counting chromosomes: from sexing to Karyomapping’ as part of a session looking at early discoveries in the history of PGD and how they have led to more recent innovations.

His keynote address and other conference discussions, such as the impact of IVF on embryonic and long-term health, received media mentions across the globe, including the front cover of the Daily Mail, Guardian online, the i, the Washington Star, ITV and Nursing Times.

Alongside debate and discussion, the conference showcased announcements of advances in the science of PGD – which involves the genetic profiling of embryos prior to implantation and can be used for the diagnosis of specific diseases.

The conference reunited many members of the original research team, led by Professor Winston and Professor Alan Handyside (currently an honorary member of Kent staff), which pioneered pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) in the 1980s. Professor Darren Griffin, now Professor of Genetics in the School of Biosciences, was one of that team.

Darren said afterwards: ‘PGD continues to be an exciting, and sometimes controversial area of medicine. This conference addressed the past, present and future of this ever-evolving area of science. We have had a lot of good feedback from this meeting whose legacy will be the place in which a number of “firsts” were announced.’ He added: ‘I am grateful to all the team, particularly my lab and students on the MSc in Human Reproduction for making it happen.’

KENT Magazine

Led by Professor Donna Landry of the School of English, the research involved re-enactment of the 1671 horseback journey undertaken for 40 days by Evliya Çelebi – one of Ottoman Turkey’s greatest writers, travellers and historians – en route to Mecca. By celebrating the life and work of Evliya Çelebi, the new route aims to appeal to people interested in preserving Turkey’s heritage through sustainable tourism.

Failed child asylum claims Research from the University raises concerns that many young people who are refused asylum in the UK are not being advised appropriately and are not appealing against decisions even when they have an arguable case. Young people refused asylum are granted leave until age 17½, but further applications for leave are generally refused. The Home Office often repeats the original reasons for refusing the first claim, adding that the applicant must have accepted their first decision by not appealing the first refusal. The research, presented in a report entitled ‘How children became “failed asylum-seekers”’, has been conducted by specialist asylum and

Research 1 Professor Darren Griffin (left) and Professor Lord Winston 2 UNESCO Cultural Route in Turkey 3 Scientific motorcycle expedition

immigration solicitors from Kent Law Clinic. The report aims to improve outcomes for children seeking asylum in the UK.

Endurance motorcycling research

http://bit.ly/1kadPJy

Brussels conference on ‘Precautionary Impasse’ Europe’s precautionary approach to regulation, and its impact on the biotech sector, was the theme of a conference at the Brussels campus in May. The conference, titled ‘Breaking Through the European Precautionary Impasse?’, was organised by Reader in Social Policy Adam Burgess (School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research). Speakers included the EU Chief Scientific Adviser, leading academics of regulation and representatives of the OECD, US Government, European Commission agencies, NGOs and industry. Adam Burgess explained: ‘In the 1990s, Europe embraced a predominantly precautionary approach to regulation. The biotech sector was, perhaps, the principal victim, with ‘Frankenfoods’ being effectively banned through regulatory delay. Discussion and analysis in this area is rare, so I set up a conference to find out what is really going on and whether this ‘precautionary impasse’ could be better understood and engaged with. ‘The Brussels campus was the perfect venue for our highly informed audience of European experts and practitioners to gain an inside track on the rationale and development of precautionary approaches and how they might be opened up to greater scrutiny and challenge. The take-home message was that while precaution is here to stay, it needs to be used less routinely, more clearly and explicitly, and carefully balanced against the cost and benefits of alternatives.’

Results from University research into the physiological and psychological demands of adventure motorcycling were presented at a public event on 12 June at the Medway campus. Professor Samuele Marcora, a keen motorcyclist and Research Director in the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences at the Medway campus, presented findings from research he conducted last year on a scientific motorcycle expedition from London to Beijing. The marathon bike ride, from April to July 2013, saw Professor Marcora use himself and fellow bikers on the Globebusters-organised adventure ride to measure how the gruelling conditions affected physical and mental performance. The research findings will include details of the effects of using caffeine to reduce fatigue in motorbike riders. The event formed part of Kent’s involvement in Universities Week 2014 (9-15 June), which focused on how universities engage with the public to demonstrate the way in which research can change their lives.

Researching Social Exclusion: Relevance for Public Policy and Practice The School of Psychology hosted a British Academy-funded research impact event in June entitled ‘Researching Social Exclusion: Relevance for Public Policy and Practice’. The event was organised by Dr Ayse Uskul and Dr Lindsey Cameron, both social psychologists at Kent with expertise in this area. It brought together psychologists who research social exclusion and members of policy groups, practitioners, activists and charities working in social exclusion with an interest in research and collaboration.

The day followed an innovative format, with academic presentations discussed by practitioners who commented from the perspective of their own work and responsibilities. A panel with experts in equality and social exclusion discussed main benefits and challenges facing collaborative research on the causes and consequences of social exclusion. Discussions continued over a drinks reception hosted by the Graduate School. Keynote presentations were given by Professor Rupert Brown (University of Sussex), Professor Patrick Lehman (Royal Holloway, University of London), Professor Steve Reicher (University of St Andrews), Dr Craig Morgan (King’s College London), Dr Hannah Swift (University of Kent), and Dr Harriet Tennenbaum (University of Surrey), with commentary provided by the Three Faiths Forum, Greenwich CID, Schools Linking Network, the McPin Foundation, Age UK, and Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Recent research awards Professor Dave Brown (School of Biosciences), £642,789 from the European Commission for ‘Parasite-specific cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibitors to target neglected parasitic diseases’. Dr Jim Groombridge (School of Anthropology and Conservation) £352,913 from the Darwin Initiative for ‘2013: Reconnecting poverty-alleviation to biodiversity conservation in Kenya’s Eastern Arc Mountains’. Professor Michael Kölling (School of Computing), £297,767 from Oracle for ‘Programming tools: BlueJ/Greenfoot 3’. Professor Chris Heady (School of Economics), £143,183 from the Economic and Social Research Council for ‘Collaborative tax administration research centre’.

KENT Magazine

Staff profile

Ann MacDonald Ann MacDonald joined Kent in May 2014 in the newly-created role of University Archivist. As a qualified archivist, she has worked with a diverse range of physical and digital archives in institutions such as the British Library, Altonaer Museum Grafik Archiv, the National Library of Wales and the Museum of the Order of St John. What is an archivist? Archivists are the exact opposite of the Vogons from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. We dig up documents and undertake to ensure they are preserved and accessible. My role is to manage the archives which relate to, or illustrate the historical, cultural, evidential and administrative development of the University and individuals within and connected to it. Why is the University Archive being created? Because the University is recognising the importance of its archives, as a unique resource of documentary evidence. They are a primary source of information on our environment, governance and vision throughout the University’s existence. I aspire to develop the archive to be at the core of Kent, being an organ that connects the diversity of ideas, places, people, decisions and actions that have shaped the University. I hope that the University Archive will encourage a culture of collaborative and interdisciplinary thinking, as a place where the archives of the different schools come together. I’m targeting collection areas to support the institutional identity of the UK’s European university, and as a cultural focus for Canterbury and Kent. What single thing would improve the quality of your life? I find the things that make me happy are usually unexpected. For example, in my first month at the University, I accessioned a desk that belonged to the first Registrar, so had been with the University for over 50 years. It is a beautiful walnut, green leather affair, with a delicate key for each of the 12 drawers and two cupboards. Sitting at this desk feels like belonging in a small part of history. I hope to put it somewhere prominent in the new Reading Room of the Templeman extension. Which word or phrase do you use most? “Craic/crack” is one of my favourite phrases. To do something for the craic is to do something for the simple joviality of it. However, I censor my use of it as, in the British Library, a colleague made the assumption that I was talking about cocaine. What is your favourite TV/radio programme? I’m a big sci-fi fan. I love Dr Who, and hope that one day archive services will run like a TARDIS. What was your first job? One of my first jobs was helping out on a scallop divers’ boat just off the Isle of Skye. It was a great gig – I would watch the buoys of the divers and help pull up lobster pots. What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? I trust fictional characters to give me the best advice.

KENT Magazine

Human Resources

Aurora: Vice-Chancellor’s keynote role Kent has been participating in the pilot programme of Aurora, the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education’s new national leadership development initiative for women.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) Valuing Everyone: Building and Maintaining an Inclusive Culture The EDI and Learning and Development teams are rolling out a new training workshop entitled ‘Valuing Everyone: Building and Maintaining an Inclusive Culture’. This programme is being spearheaded by the Vice-Chancellor as a positive step towards embedding EDI within the culture and work of the University.

Ten female members of staff from across the three faculties have participated in a programme of workshops, action learning sets and mentoring from autumn 2013 to spring 2014. The University contributed to the pilot’s success through the provision of mentors, role models who facilitated groups at the workshops and a keynote speaker, our Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow. Delivering the keynote address at workshops on ‘Key Leadership Skills’ in London, Bristol and Manchester, the Vice-Chancellor described her own philosophy of leadership as creating an environment that others want to be a part of. This needs to stem from an inner confidence and understanding of where we are, and where we are trying to get to. Leadership is not something that we suddenly just do or master. Rather, leadership is learned throughout our careers; we begin acquiring leadership skills and exercising leadership, from PhD onwards in the case of academic staff and at various career stages for professional services staff. The Vice-Chancellor emphasised the importance of clear communication, careful listening, and saying thank you. She offered helpful practical advice for women at the early stages of taking on leadership roles. She emphasised the need to balance our inward- and outward-looking roles so that we establish very strong networks of supporters, male and female, who really understand the contributions we are making, and can support us as we progress in our careers. The Twitter feed #LFAurora was lively, with participants commenting on how inspired they were by the talk. One participant tweeted:

‘So refreshing & inspiring to hear Dame Julia Goodfellow sharing her career experiences in a lovely down-to-earth way.’ Another said: ‘Great talk by Prof Dame Goodfellow on walking the tightrope: work/life, independent/team, talking/listening, research/leadership.’ Plans are being made to select a new Kent cohort of participants for Aurora2 while continuing to support the ongoing development of the pilot cohort. Kent’s Aurora Champion, Ruth Blakeley, says: ‘The Aurora programme has provided women early on in their academic careers with an opportunity to explore their potential for leadership, identify their existing skills in this area and build on others. This is incredibly important since the number of female professors in HE in the UK has declined in the last ten years. Meanwhile, research shows that organisations really prosper when both genders are well represented at senior levels and in leadership positions.’ http://bit.ly/WqWvFf

Staff will be invited to attend a workshop and sessions are being offered on a departmental basis at both Canterbury and Medway campuses, with several phases of workshops running until December 2015. The workshops aim to go further than just covering equality and diversity legislation – looking at diversity within teams and considering issues such as stereotypes and unconscious bias, and reflecting on how these may impact on decision-making processes.

Stonewall success The University leapt 63 places in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index to become one of the Top 300 Gay-Friendly employers in the UK (across all sectors). Work on the latest submission is about to begin and a new questionnaire is available on the EDI website: http://bit.ly/1p24AXS

New EDI Advisor Welcome to Emma Ransley (pictured) who has joined us as our new EDI Advisor. Emma brings a wealth of experience from the higher and further education sectors. She is looking forward to working with staff and helping to move the EDI agenda ahead at Kent.

KENT Magazine

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EP scheme success

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Enterprise

Expansion of Environmental Innovation Network (E-iNet) The first E-iNet event, in collaboration with the Kent School of Architecture, took place on 27 June with the Passivhaus Conference chaired by Dr Henrik Schoenefeldt. The event, hosted by Kent Innovation and Enterprise, saw a packed audience of local architecture and building surveyor SMEs keen to learn more about the economic, technical and cultural challenges of delivering the Passivhaus standard in the UK.

A pioneering University scheme to reward students for developing life and work skills with company internship places and other prizes celebrated its most successful year to date on 2 June with its annual Rewards Evening. Now in its third year, the University’s Employability Points (EP) scheme saw a record 3,600 students taking part, with 110 companies offering 410 prizes to its most engaged students. Developed by Kent Innovation and Enterprise, EP encourages students to develop personal and work skills of value to future employers, and offers reward points for their active engagement in activities, from volunteering to completion of a world language module, outside their degree programme.

The Templeman Library – a sustainable and green building approach The Templeman Library project is coming on apace with the concrete frame now up to roof level. The new Library wing is due to open early in 2015 and will provide a new lecture theatre, study space, seminar rooms and exhibition display area, with the next part of the project being substantial improvements to the central facilities including new stairs, windows and lifts. The project is incorporating environmental best practice throughout with the aim of gaining a

KENT Magazine

At the Rewards Ceremony – sponsored by Santander Universities – students with the highest points were presented with prizes such as paid internships, project placements and training programmes, sponsored by organisations or companies. Among guests at the ceremony were Lord Mayor of Canterbury Councillor Ann Taylor, representatives from Santander, members of Medway and Canterbury City Councils and the University’s Chancellor, Gavin Esler (pictured second left with the ViceChancellor and Carole Barron and Marcus Wright from Kent Innovation and Enterprise).

Kent students and staff presented 13 case studies to eminent local architects who contributed to lively, interactive discussions during the afternoon session. The benefits of the E-iNet programme were introduced to the audience by Emma Lansdell, E-iNet Project Manager. Emphasis was placed on the many and diverse specialist resources that the University can provide to local SMEs; from business and marketing support to more technical, R&D and scientific research. To find out more, contact Emma Lansdell on 01227 823376 or E.Lansdell@kent.ac.uk

For more information, contact Matt Cook on employabilitypoints@kent.ac.uk or visit: www.kent.ac.uk/employabilitypoints

‘Very Good’ BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology) rating by the end of the project. Some of the environmental approaches include maximising natural light and ventilation and minimising the use of heating and artificial light in the Library. Automated opening vents and windows are part of the design with solar control glass and blinds to control heating. The new library wing is cooled from roofmounted chillers and the new lecture theatre will take air from outside, cool it via underground pipes and then feed the cooled air under the seats. Shading fins are being incorporated into the building’s façade in pre-cast concrete plus

anodised mesh panels, creating shade and secure ventilation. Solar roof panels will also contribute towards the building’s long-term energy saving. www.kent.ac.uk/is/templeman

Environment

Green Impact Awards The Green Impact project ended 2013/14 with an excellent show of enthusiasm and dedication from staff and students for reducing the University’s collective environmental impacts. Twenty nine teams were presented with their awards in April, and showcased their achievements to colleagues. Deputy ViceChancellor Denise Everitt spoke of her admiration for the fantastic work completed by the teams, and presented certificates, celebration booklets and tree plaques. Each team was awarded a tree, planted on campus to showcase their efforts. Plaques made from recycled materials decorate the trees, and teams received a certificate, with a frame made from recycled wood, sourced and made on campus from a dismantled bike shed. The Green Impact team are currently working with Web Development to produce an interactive map of all the trees. We are also working on a Green Impact film, to promote and celebrate this year’s project – both will be available on the Green Impact webpage soon.

Gold Awards

Well done to all of the teams, and thank you for your efforts and commitment to the University’s environment!

Gulbenkian Café Darwin Kitchen Office of the Vice-Chancellor Rutherford Catering

Bronze Awards

Pioneering Teams

Corporate Communications Dolce Vita School of Engineering and Digital Arts Estates Department Project Team Finance Information Services International Development Green Team Kent Sport Safety, Health and Environment Unit School of Physical Sciences

Cleaning and Waste Green Team – Silver Award Grounds Maintenance – Silver Award Tsaousis’ Lab, Biosciences – Gold Award

Silver Awards Origins Centre for English and World Languages Development Office Enrolment Management Services School of Politics and International Relations K-Bar Mungo’s School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science

Excellence Awards Human Resources Medway Student Services Unit for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching The Green Impact team would also like to thank and congratulate our student Project Assistants and Auditors.

DigiPlant innovation Winner of the Green Impact Innovation award, the EPSRC-funded DigiPlant project aims to develop sensor technologies that can support effective urban agriculture. The project has developed an integrated device consisting of low-cost sensors that can measure soil moisture content, air humidity, environmental temperature and light levels. Project trials will begin in

September, and the team is looking for keen growers to monitor their plants with a DigiPlant device. If you’re a techie-lover with green fingers, contact: g.marcelli@kent.ac.uk

Sustainable laboratories A key goal of Green Impact for 2014/15 is to increase the involvement of laboratories on campus. Our Pioneering Labs team, led by Dr Anastasios Tsaousis in Biosciences, achieved an outstanding Gold Award this year. University laboratories have their own dedicated Green Impact workbook, to reflect their diverse nature. To start a labs team, email: greenimpact@kent.ac.uk

50th anniversary plans To celebrate the University’s 50th anniversary, the Green Impact team has set an ambitious goal of 50 teams for the 50th! If your school or department would like to get involved, or would like more information about Green Impact, contact Environmental Co-ordinator Jen Blair at greenimpact@kent.ac.uk or ext 7647, or visit the Green Impact website: http://bit.ly/1A1M8ar

KENT Magazine

Kent in the news

Experts from the University continue to appear in a number of news publications, on TV and radio, in the UK and internationally. In particular, Kent sport scientists have featured heavily across national and regional news, including a special news item on BBC Radio 1’s Newsbeat programme at the start of the World Cup. Using the School’s scientific atmosphere chamber, which can recreate conditions of anywhere in the world, Dr James Hopker directed a BBC journalist through a specialist football fitness test which is comparable to playing a match in the Brazilian rainforest. The item was also mentioned on BBC Radio 1’s breakfast programme and shared extensively online.

Representatives from the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences also appeared on ITV Meridian explaining their involvement in the University-organised World Congress in Cycling Science.

New University news site Corporate Communications has recently launched the first phase of its new site showcasing University news – www.kent.ac.uk/news

Other media articles (The Belfast Telegraph, MSN UK, Mail Online) featured articles on a research report into failed child asylum claims produced by Kent Law School, while the School of Psychology secured articles in Science Daily, The Metro, Mail Online and The Times of India, among others, for research into alcohol primes and aggression.

The site, which was developed with the support of IS’ Web Development team, is mobile responsive. It will continue to be developed over the next few months, and your feedback and comments are invited. Take a look and let us know what you think: newsbeta@kent.ac.uk

Sport Vice-Chancellor’s Cup

Kent Sport survey

Another competition done and dusted. As each month passes, we inch closer to the main event: crowning the Vice-Chancellor’s Cup champion.

Almost 600 students, staff, alumni and members of the public told us what they think in the annual Kent Sport survey. The response was fantastic and we would like to say a big thank you to all participants. Your feedback helps us to continually improve and enhance what Kent Sport offers.

Introduced in 2011, the Vice-Chancellor’s Cup is an interdepartmental staff competition for anyone who’s interested in keeping active, but also wants to have fun in a relaxed environment. At the last event, staff from across the University put on their game face. But this was not just some ordinary competition; it all came down to teamwork. Bringing back fond memories of school, the VC Cup Sports Day proved to be an extraordinary event. From welly tossing to threelegged racing to over and under, it was quite a sight. There was lots of cheering, plenty of laughter and maybe a few expletives. So, how are the teams stacking up? Currently, the 2013 champions, Uniquely Essentials from Kent Union Retail, are in the lead. Kent ‘B’ Serious has just slid into second place, but Biocelona is hot on their trail with only a onepoint separation. The top three are keeping their eye on the prize, but could an underdog swoop in and come out on top? For latest results and upcoming activities, see the VC Cup webpage: http://bit.ly/1nNMuYw

KENT Magazine

Survey participants were entered into a prize draw to receive a £100 Amazon voucher. Our lucky winner is University Systems Support and Project Officer Paul Sales (pictured below). Paul is an avid runner and a member of Kent Sport. He takes part in parkrun with his 10-year-old son and is hoping to organise a new running course next term so staff can get involved once a week.

He said: ‘The way the Sports Centre and the Pavilion are set up, they’re fantastic. I’ve been at the University for eight years and it’s incredible to see how the facilities have changed. It’s brilliant.’

Summer vacation exercise Kent Sport has an exciting range of classes and activities available from 23 June to 19 September. There is plenty to choose from, including Body Pump, Pilates, Spinning and Zumba, a 5km parkrun jog, staff netball and sports coaching. The fitness class timetable is available at the Sports Centre and Pavilion receptions and on the Kent Sport website: www.kent.ac.uk/sports/classtimetable.html Classes are free to Gold and Silver members and Bronze members can participate on a pay-peractivity basis. Classes can be booked in advance online or by calling 01227 823623. If you are not a member yet, visit: www.kent.ac.uk/sports/membership

People

Welcome and congratulations New Pro-Vice-Chancellors Professor Philippe De Wilde has joined Kent as the new PVC Research & Enterprise. Professor De Wilde was, until recently, a Professor in the Intelligent Systems Lab and Head of the School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences at Heriot-Watt University. Professor De Wilde has research interests in computational intelligence and cybernetics, using neural networks, fuzzy logic, evolution, and game theory. Before moving to Heriot-Watt, Professor De Wilde worked at Imperial College London for 16 years. He is a Fellow of the British Computer Society and the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, and a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He is a Laureate of the Royal Academy of Sciences, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium, and held the Vloeberghs Chair at the Free University Brussels in 2010. The University has appointed Dr Chris Davies to the newly-created post of Pro-Vice-Chancellor (PVC) Teaching & Learning. Dr Davies was, until recently, Associate Dean of Teaching, Learning and Students in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Manchester. He is a geographer and a software engineer, with research interests in the development and application of Geographical Information Systems. Dr Davies takes responsibility for Kent’s Teaching & Learning portfolio. This will include leading strategic and operational initiatives that advance excellence in learning and teaching, and enhance the academic student experience. He is also responsible for promoting more flexible and blended learning using new and developing technologies.

Child protection expert’s OBE Professor David Shemmings became an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, announced on 13 June, for his services to child protection. He is Co-Director of the University’s Centre for Child Protection, a centre of excellence and innovation in training, research and practice for professionals involved in child protection. David Shemmings said: ‘I am immensely proud to have received this award, which is very much shared with the many hardworking, dedicated and skilled professionals who protect children by supporting families. My thanks also go out to my dedicated colleagues at the Centre for Child Protection here at the University.’

National Teaching Fellowship for biochemist Dr Peter Klappa, Reader in Biochemistry and Master of Rutherford College, has been awarded a National Teaching Fellowship by the Higher Education Academy. Dr Klappa is one of only 55 higher education staff in England, Northern Ireland and Wales to have been awarded a Fellowship, the most prestigious award for excellence in higher education teaching and support for learning. Successful National Teaching Fellows were chosen from over 180 nominations.

AUA Fellowships for Chloé and Linda The University is celebrating the joint highest number of AUA Fellows in the country – following recent awards to Chloé Gallien and Linda Lough, Faculty Administration Managers for Social Sciences and Sciences. The awards by the AUA (Association of University Administrators) are in recognition of Chloé and Linda’s contribution to the AUA and their ongoing commitment to personal and professional development within the higher education sector. This highly deserved recognition means that five staff at Kent have now been awarded Fellowship of the AUA – a figure matched only by Staffordshire University. Chloé and Linda join Melissa Bradley (Faculty Administration Manager, Humanities), Wayne Campbell (Director of Student Services) and Jon Pink (Academic Registrar) who are all current AUA fellows.

Congratulations also to Jill Holliday, School Administration Manager for Biosciences who has been awarded accredited membership of AUA, in recognition of her personal commitment to personal and professional development. AUA members Anne Rushworth MAUA, Chloé Gallien FAUA, Melissa Bradley FAUA and Linda Lough FAUA (pictured from left below) have also been collectively awarded the AUA’s 2014 Contribution to Career Development Award for their continuing collaborative efforts supporting the career development of staff in their work.

International award for Conference Office Kevin Stuckey (Residences and Conference Manager) and Louisa Harvey (Senior Events Co-ordinator) have received the accolade of Session of the Year Award from the Association of Collegiate Conference and Events Directors International (ACCED-I). The award follows a presentation, by Kevin and Louisa at the annual ACCED-I Conference in Toronto, on Kent’s one-stop event management service. The innovative service was introduced three years ago, primarily to support internal academic departments holding major events on and off campus. The service has been an outstanding success and is now widely used by internal and external clients, providing bespoke service levels. For more information, contact Louisa Harvey on ext 8000 or L.Harvey@kent.ac.uk.

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KENT Magazine

What’s on

Music Wednesday 8 October, 1.10pm, ColyerFergusson Hall, Lunchtime Concert: Helen Crayford piano. The first lunchtime concert of the year will get your feet tapping to the irresistible rhythms of ragtime and early piano jazz, as Helen Crayford presents her virtuoso one-woman show ‘Rags to Riches’. Admission free, with a suggested donation of £3. Friday 17 October, 7.30pm, Colyer-Fergusson Hall, Trevor Pinnock: Harpsichord, performing JS Bach, Toccata in E minor, Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor, French Suite No 6 in E major, Partita No 4 in D major. Trevor Pinnock is known worldwide as a harpsichordist and conductor who pioneered performance on historical instruments with The English Concert, the orchestra which he founded in 1972 and led for 30 years. He now divides his time between conducting, solo, chamber music and educational projects. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music by Kent in 1995 and is giving this concert in aid of his Faversham Music Club Youth Scheme. Tickets: full £15/ students £7.

Gulbenkian Theatre Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 August, bOing! International Family Festival. Saturday 13 September, 7.30pm, Sally Barker, The Voice that made Sir Tom Jones cry. Friday 19 September, 7.30pm, Turin Brakes, with a hypnotic collection of songs. Sunday 21 September, 7.30pm, Actors Touring Company’s Blind Hamlet transforms Shakespeare’s tragedy into an interactive theatrical battle.

Tuesday 23 September 1.30pm and 7.30pm, Propeller Pocket Dream presents a 60-minute version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 September, 7.30pm, Omid Djalili Iranalamadingdong. Friday 26 11am, Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 September 11am and 2pm, Tall Stories – Emily Brown & the Thing. The creators of the popular Gruffalo stage show, present their new show. Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 September, 7.30pm, Wednesday 1 October, 2pm and 7.30pm, Custom/ Practice and the Corn Exchange Newbury present Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. Monday 6 October, 7.30pm, Tom Wrigglesworth – Utterly at Odds with the Universe. Wednesday 15 October, 7.30pm, Tim Key – Single White Slut. Saturday 18 October, 8pm, doors 7.30pm, Tankus the Henge, a line-up of six sharp dressed and bedraggled gentlemen from London Town.

Gulbenkian Film Friday 8 – Saturday 9 and Monday 11 August, The Young and Prodigious TS Spivet 3D (tbc). Tuesday 12 – Thursday 14 August, The Golden Dream (15tbc), Spanish w/Eng ST. Friday 15 – Sunday 17 August, The HundredYear-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (15). Friday 15 – Thursday 21 August, Boyhood (tbc). Thursday 4 September, 7pm, NT Live: Medea.

50th anniversary diary dates! It’s less than 100 days until the launch of our 50th anniversary year and the start of an exciting programme of special projects and events to mark this significant milestone. Staff, students and alumni have designed – with the support of the 50th anniversary team – a year of celebrations that will give us all the chance of being involved at Kent’s campuses in the UK and its centres in Paris, Brussels, Athens and Rome. And if you have heard the rumours, they are true: the Kent Eye is coming to the Canterbury campus from 24 September 2014. The anniversary year begins with evening events in Canterbury on Wednesday 1 October and Medway on Thursday 2 October. Make sure these dates are in the diary; it’s going to be a great night at both of our campuses and all staff are invited. Over the coming weeks, the 50th anniversary team, and staff and students leading projects and events, will be letting you know more about what’s coming up over the next 12 months. Keep an eye out for the new 50th anniversary website later this summer and a bumper 50th edition of KENT magazine in autumn 2014. Further information is also available by emailing Tim Farrow in the 50th anniversary team: 50years@kent.ac.uk

University Events Calendar To find out more about these and other events across the University, click on: www.kent.ac.uk/calendar