Kent49: Autumn 2007 by University of Kent

The Magazine for the University of Kent AUTUMN 07 ISSUE 49: NEWS INTERVIEW NEW FRONTIERS RIDING HIGH THE QUESTIONNAIRE FUNDRAISING IN BUSINESS WHO’S, WHAT, WHERE… EVENTS

Kent Magazine Interview

EDITORIAL Autumn 2007

This autumn 5,500 new students began their studies at Kent, aided and abetted by an army of volunteers engaged by Kent Union to help them settle in. It has been a busy few months since the last issue, with construction work beginning on the new £27 million postgraduate college at Canterbury. Earlier in the year, Medway welcomed Higher Education Minister Bill Rammell when he came to open the newly-refurbished Pilkington Building which now houses a 175-seat lecture theatre among other things.

We would also like to introduce you to Karen Doyle who is currently Acting Director of Development and Alumni Relations. Some of you may already know her in her day job as Kent’s Director of Communication and Marketing. The sharp-eyed among you may also have noticed a change in the magazine itself, in terms of content as well as image. The focus for this issue is conservation and ecology. We work hard to make sure the magazine is always fresh and interesting and think that this latest change is a great step forward. We hope that you like the new look and that you’ll keep sending in your news and views – we love to hear from you and look forward to hearing your comments, memories and stories. Posie Bogan Fiona Jones Editors

Special thanks to: Chris Lancaster and Lesley Farr in the University Design & Print Centre; David Clark R82; Karen Bayfield, Hilary Saunders and Karen Donaghay in C&DO. Photographs by: Robert Berry, Piers Locke, Nick Ellwood, Spencer Scott, Tim Stubbings Contact us: Communications & Development, The Registry, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT1 7NZ

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ISSUE Contents

Interview Julia Goodfellow Taking Kent to a new high

03.INTERVIEW

As the academic year gets underway, Professor Julia Goodfellow is hitting the ground running as the University’s new Vice-Chancellor. Formerly Chief Executive of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, she spent five years at what is one of the largest of the research councils where, among other things, she oversaw the rapid establishment of world class UK research capacity in systems biology.

04.NEWS 08.NEW FRONTIERS 10.RIDING HIGH 14.THE QUESTIONNAIRE 16.FUNDRAISING 18.IN BUSINESS

kentmagazine@kent.ac.uk www.kent.ac.uk/alumni

20.WHO’S WHAT WHERE

Design: Third Eye Design thirdeyedesign.co.uk 020 7608 0180

24.EVENTS

Julia has also had a successful academic career in teaching and research at Birkbeck, University of London where she was ViceMaster. She originally did a physics degree at Bristol and has a PhD from the Open University Oxford Research Unit.

“ The University is in superb locations. It really is a wonderful place to work…” Before taking up her appointment, she admits her knowledge of the region was confined to its castles as a result of day trips with her children when they were young. Now she says she is amazed at what else the county holds. ‘The University is in superb locations. It really is a wonderful place to work. As I was walking across the Canterbury campus, I thought just how privileged I am to work here. And I am very impressed with the

Medway campus – again, I feel it’s a privilege to be there. It is very inspiring, and a great symbol of regeneration.’ ‘We have excellent facilities at Kent. In fact, before term started I visited the student accommodation in several of the colleges. I was impressed – Kent Hospitality, working with the Estates Department, is doing a great job to refurbish and update facilities for students.’ But it was not just the location that impressed her when she first arrived – it was the friendliness and professionalism of the staff. ‘People mentioned this to me before I started and I have to say the University does have a lovely atmosphere. Everyone has been very supportive.’

out of over 100 other institutions for course satisfaction, scoring 89%, which is way above the average. And this is all thanks to the hard work of both staff and students. All those students who work as mentors and ambassadors make a huge difference to people’s experience of studying at Kent.’ The University also fared well in the 2007 Sunday Times University Guide which states Kent ‘can claim to be Britain’s only international university’ as a result of recent developments including the University’s expanding Brussels campus and its ‘involvement as one of five partners (and the only non-French one) in the bilingual University of the Transmanche’. The Guide ranked Kent 42 out of 123 participating higher education institutions in the UK, an increase of four places from the 2006 printed edition.

its real weight. ‘Kent is an exciting place to be and we have to make sure people know all the good things about us – and this is where alumni can help by telling everyone about what a great place it is. We all know that once people come here, they are hooked!’ Julia is also passionate about the role of universities in enterprise and innovation, which is why she is particularly pleased with the recent announcement that planning permission has been granted for the building of the new innovation centre on the Canterbury campus. ‘This is very good news and I am looking forward to working with SEEDA, Canterbury City Council, Kent County Council and others.’

Julia was initially attracted to Kent because it has many strong attributes. ‘Student recruitment has been excellent in recent years which, in particular, is a tribute to the work of my predecessor Professor Sir David Melville, and David Nightingale, the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor.’

In fact, she sees that one of the joys of the job will be working with the region as well as at a national and international level. People across the county can only benefit Julia’s take on league from her championing tables as a whole is that the University’s role as although universities an economic and cultural should not be ruled by driver. In turn, Julia will them, ‘we do need to have the opportunity to acknowledge them’. find out even more about She continues ‘Research what the county has to is the one area Kent seems offer. Despite a frantic to rank below similar schedule, she has already institutions, not in terms discovered some of its of quality but in volume. excellent restaurants Much of what we do which, she says, are a little here is excellent. In fact, more appealing these days we know from recently than castles. published tables that when staff at Kent submit grants they are successful. We need to build on this.’

‘I was very pleased with the results of the latest National Student Survey. We were ranked 10th

Julia feels the University, despite its obvious calibre, continues to find itself in a position well below

She also says she is pleased to be back among students. ‘Working in a research council was great, but I was based in an office in Swindon, far away from where research was being carried out, and I missed the “buzz” of having students around.’

Professor Julia Goodfellow Vice-Chancellor

Kent Magazine News

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01. Kent, a top ten university 02. Green Prize 03/04. Honorary degrees 05. Pilkington launch 06. Music prizes

Did you know: 2,500 students graduated from Kent in July Visit: www.kent.ac.uk/alumni/

Kent Magazine News

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News Continued… Kent voted top ten Students have voted Kent among the top ten universities in the UK. According to the results of the 2007 National Student Survey, 89% of final year full-time undergraduates at Kent are overwhelmingly satisfied with the quality of their courses, a figure significantly higher than the average of other universities. Universities also ranked in the top ten include Oxford, St Andrews, Exeter and Loughborough. Senior Deputy ViceChancellor David Nightingale said ‘This is excellent news and builds on the already good results of the previous National Student Surveys in which students consistently ranked us the top university in the south east.’

The new accommodation is scheduled for completion in September 2008. The academic teaching space will be completed later in the year. Kent ‘Britain’s only international university’ The University of Kent ‘can claim to be Britain’s only international university’, according to The Sunday Times in its 2007 university guide. This is a result of recent developments including the University’s expanding Brussels campus and its ‘involvement as one of five partners (and the only non-French one) in the bilingual University of the Transmanche.’

The Guide also flagged up the sharp rise in student applications to Kent, which it identifies as being ‘largely as a New postgraduate result of the Universities college at Medway initiative Kent is celebrating the which has brought higher latest addition to its education to a deprived Canterbury campus with part of the county’ and the construction of a new student facilities were development destined to also praised. Professor become a postgraduate Julia Goodfellow, college. The £27m scheme Vice-Chancellor of the includes accommodation University of Kent, said: for almost 550 students, ‘These achievements are a new 480-seat lecture a tribute to the hard work theatre and a number and dedication of both of seminar rooms. the students and staff.’

Number of student societies: Eighty

The Sunday Times University Guide 2007 ranks Kent 42 out of 123 participating higher education institutions in the UK, an increase of four places from the 2006 printed edition. Music prizes 2007 This year’s music prizes were awarded to four outstanding students. The winner of the Canterbury Festival Music Prize is Susannah Thackray; the University Music Prize was jointly awarded to Ruth Samuels and Kate Soper. The Colyer-Ferguson Prize for Music was awarded to Michael Norman and Tereza Rejšková, who is from the Czech Republic, received the University Music Awards Committee Prize which is awarded to students who have made a special contribution to music in just one year. All five students received music scholarships from the University.

Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) have shown that when CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) introduces a ban on trade on a species it can take up to a year to come in to effect which can lead to an increase in legal trade. Once the ban is in place, this may drive trade underground. The alternative, the researchers suggest, is more proactive, swift and flexible species management which will be in the interests of both traders and conservationists. Green student prize Two Kent students received an award in recognition of their environmental activities on campus. This is the first time the Townsend prize has been awarded.

Matthieu Chauvin and Dan Doctors received the Wildlife bans can £250 award for setting up increase trading and running Conscious Banning the commercial Consumers, a student trade in specimens of union society which endangered species of highlights the ethical wildlife can actually dimensions of day-to-day increase trading, consumer decisions, and according to conservation they immediately handed scientists from Kent. it on to next year’s Conscious Consumers Working in partnership society to help fund with their French their activities. counterparts, researchers from Kent’s Durrell

Top conservation prize for graduate Sanjay Gubbi, a recent MSc graduate from the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), has won a joint first prize for the best student talk at the 21st Society for Conservation Biology Annual Meeting held at Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Around 1,700 delegates from 90 countries attended. Sanjay spoke about his MSc research on whether an investment of US$6 million by the World Bank had succeeded in promoting integrated conservation and development around Periyar Tiger Reserve in southern India. Dreams & Nightmares Dreams and Nightmares was the second exhibition of work from the Kent Print Collection and was held at the Canterbury campus before transferring to the Museum of Canterbury. Devised and curated by students on the History & Philosophy of Art degree who are studying Print Collecting and Curating, it explores the representation of dreams and nightmares in art and literature and included important works by Salvador Dali and Francisco Goya.

03 01. New college 02. Sarah Londsdale 03. Gulbenkian Cinema

Top marks for Medway from Minister The role of the Universities at Medway in widening access to higher education has won warm praise from Bill Rammell, Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education. The Minister, who visited the Medway campus to open the newlyrefurbished Pilkington Building, said the Universities partnership – which consists of Greenwich, Kent and Canterbury Christ Church universities, plus Mid-Kent College – was playing a vital part in spreading the message about higher education. Degrees of success This summer honorary degrees were awarded to Tracey Emin; Sir Michael Gambon; Sir Graeme Catto; Kennedy Wong; Professor Lord (Colin) Renfrew; Peter Hawkes; Lady Northbourne and John Reilly. They joined more than 2,500 graduates who took part in the ceremonies held at Canterbury Cathedral. The summer also saw the first ever graduation ceremony for the Medway School of Pharmacy, an innovative joint project between the universities of Greenwich and Kent.

In November, Kent is awarding anhonorary degree to Nitin Sawhney at Rochester Cathedral and Polly Toynbee and Professor Richard Holmes will also receive honorary degrees during ceremonies at Canterbury Cathedral. Gulbenkian Cinema launched This autumn saw the launch of the Gulbenkian Cinema following a major refurbishment of the former Cinema 3 thanks to funding from the Film Council and the University. With new décor, seating for 300 and improved access for people with limited mobility and wheelchair users, the cinema also has a new screen, new projectors and Dolby digital surround sound. A new initiative is the launch of the GulbCineClub, offering a range of benefits including discounted ticket prices, social functions and talks – all for an annual subscription of just £10.

Number of students graduating in 2007: Five thousand

China links The Department of Electronics at Kent and the School of Electrical Engineering and Automation at Tianjin University, People’s Republic of China, have agreed a final-year direct entry scheme between the two institutions. Under the agreement students will study at Tianjin University for the first three years before they join the third year of the existing programmes at Kent. Environmental shortlisting for Kent lecturer A Kent lecturer has been shortlisted for the title of Journalist of the Year in the British Environment and Media (BEMA) Awards. Sarah Lonsdale, a lecturer for the University’s School of English and for the newly-created Centre for Journalism, has received the nomination for her weekly ‘Greenpiece’ column in the Daily Telegraph. The BEMA awards recognise writers and journalists across all forms of print, broadcast and online media who have produced outstanding, environment-related work, made the

issues relevant to a wide audience and demonstrated how people can live in a more ecofriendly manner. The shortlist of three for the BEMA journalist of the year includes John Vidal, environment editor for The Guardian, and Fiona Harvey, environment correspondent of the Financial Times. Sarah’s Greenpiece column offers readers expert advice and guidance on a range of subjects. ‘The columns are focused on the simple changes we can make at home to reduce our carbon emissions. They look at everything, from dull-but-essential loft insulation, to more amusing activities like foraging for wild foods, such as chestnuts, mushrooms and sea kale (wild spinach),’ she said. The BEMA awards are run by World Wildlife Fund UK.

Kent Magazine New Frontiers

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New Frontiers Research at Kent Childrearing today Child protection, reproductive choices, infant feeding and teenage parenthood were among the topics discussed at an international conference on childrearing in the age of ‘intensive parenting’ organised by Dr Ellie Lee from the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research.

Dr Lee explained that her own research about women’s experience of feeding their babies had led her to organise the event. ‘The research showed that a basic, everyday aspect of being a mother has become moralised and politicised. The choices women make in this area seem to have become bound up, for many, with identity, with demoralising consequences. By all accounts it seems as though mothering is seen as too important to be left to mothers.’

03 01. Greenfoot prize 02. CENTICA award 03. Seaside Challenger 04. Dr Jon Williamson

Award boost for research students Kent is one of only five UK universities to have been awarded more than two Economic and Social Research Council funded Collaborative Awards in Science and Engineering studentships for 20072008. The awards provide PhD students with the opportunity to gain experience of work outside an academic environment. Among those who have received studentships is Dr Helen Newing from the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology for work with the Forest Peoples Programme.

Professor John Baldock, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, said: ‘These awards are a good indication that the University is making its research useful to the wider community.’

working in partnership with Professor Amran Hamzah of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, based in Johor Bahru.

£400k grant to fight lethal brain infections Biosciences’ Professor New Centre Fritz Mühlschlegel has for Reasoning been awarded £400k by A Kent academic has set the Medical Research up the UK’s first Centre Council to combat for Reasoning. Dr Jon fungal brain infection. Williamson, Reader in The fungus Cryptococcus Philosophy, has neoformans can infect the established the Centre human brain leading to with the principal aim of disease (cryptococcosis) developing new research that is usually fatal if ideas and interactions in untreated. It is ‘dressed areas related to reasoning. to kill’ with a sugar coat that protects it against The Centre will host attack by the human seminars and workshops immune system. on reasoning, develop and administer an Professor Mühlschlegel, interdisciplinary MA who is also Consultant in Reasoning, and Medical Microbiologist for promote its activities the East Kent Hospitals via a web-based portal Trust, will now conduct for reasoning-related research into how the research at the University. production of the fungal Dr Williamson has also sugar coat is regulated. been shortlisted for a He said: ‘Almost 40 Times Higher Education million people worldwide Supplement ‘Young are infected with HIV Researcher of the and more than 60% of Year’ award. these (approximately 25.8 million) live in Tourism impact on sub-Saharan Africa. South East Asia Cryptococcosis is the Kent’s tourism research initial defining illness in centre has won a grant 88% of AIDS patients to carry out a pilot study in southern Africa. of cross-border tourism in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. The award was granted to CENTICA – Medway’s Centre for Tourism in Islands and Coastal Areas – by the South East Asian Studies Research Committee, which is part of the British Academy, the United Kingdom’s leading organisation for supporting research into the humanities and social sciences. Project leader, Dr Mark Hampton, is

Funding boost for glass medical research The Functional Materials Group at the School of Physical Sciences has received £266,000 in additional funding from the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to continue its research on new forms of bioactive glass. The purpose of the research, which involves teams from the universities of Kent and Warwick, Imperial College London and University College London, is to investigate bioactive glass foams, and polymer composites of the glass, with the aim of developing materials that will promote bone regeneration in loadbearing sections of the skeleton. As a part of this regenerative process, the glass dissolves safely away when in contact with body fluids such as blood plasma. New stars at Kent A team of astronomers including Dr Dirk Froebrich, Lecturer in Astronomy and Astrophysics, has discovered a closelypacked group of about 100,000 stars located 30,000 light years away in the inner parts of our galaxy. This previously unknown globular cluster, detected with the aid of the European Southern Observatory’s New Technology Telescope at La Silla, Chile, is about seven light years wide.

Greenfoot prize for Computing A team of researchers from the Computing Laboratory has won a Duke’s Choice Award for 2007. The team, including Dr Michael Kölling, Ian Utting, Cecilia Vargas and Poul Henriksen, received the award for their work on Greenfoot, the leading Java development environment for novice programmers and one that is particularly aimed at high school students. James Gosling, the inventor of Java, arguably the most widely used programming language for teaching in the world today, presented the team with their award in San Francisco. Seaside challenges Researchers and leading health services experts from Kent took part in a conference on the socio-economic challenges of seaside towns and coastal areas in Britain. Professor Andy Alaszewki, Director of the Centre for Health Service Studies (CHSS), chaired the first day. He said: ‘The distinctive challenges and opportunities of seaside towns and coastal areas – from urban renewal to transport and access problems – have been relatively neglected in both academic and policy debates. This conference will bring together a range of experts to examine the varied approaches and imaginative solutions to these opportunities and challenges.’

Does employment pay? Dr Rachel ForresterJones, Lecturer in Community Care at the Tizard Centre, has been awarded £25,000 by MCCH Society Ltd, with support from the Shaw Trust, to investigate the benefits and impact of supported employment on people with learning disabilities. Her research will focus on four Tuck by Truck services, a project which involves people with learning disabilities preparing and delivering snacks to offices and small factories for the national minimum wage. Dr Forrester-Jones said: ‘The benefits of supported employment for people with learning disabilities have been documented as increased choice, empowerment and independence. At the centre of these benefits are social relationships. However, there are concerns that these benefits are not experienced by a large number of people with learning disabilities.’

Why conspiracy theories persist Conspiracy theories still abound ten years after Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris. Although most people ostensibly dismiss them out of hand, research by academics from the Department of Pyschology shows they actually believe them far more than they think they do. These are the findings of the first psychological examination of the impact of conspiracy theories carried out by Dr Karen Douglas and Dr Robbie Sutton. Dr Douglas said: ‘Our findings suggest that conspiracy theories may actually have a “hidden impact”, meaning that they powerfully influence people’s attitudes whilst people do not know it.’ These findings echo previous work by the authors which shows that people are also persuaded by pro-gun, pro-fossil fuel and anti-fossil fuel arguments but without the awareness that their attitudes have changed.

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Ancient skills can play a vital role in conservation work, as Dr Piers Locke found when he became an apprentice elephant handler in Nepal. It was also a great adventure, he tells David Clark.

02 01/02. Elephant handling in Nepal

Most students working towards a doctorate undergo a lengthy period of academic research. But Piers Locke, K95, had a rather different experience. He researched his PhD in Anthropology by learning how to ride an elephant. ‘Becoming an elephant handler was my crowning achievement,’ he says. ‘It was the adventure of a lifetime.’ In the course of his training, he discovered that not only is this ancient skill still alive and well, it also has a vital role to play in today’s wildlife conservation work. Piers, now 33, currently works as a temporary lecturer in Social Anthropology at Kent. He started academic life as a film studies undergraduate in Sheffield and discovered anthropology, he says, ‘by accident’ when he was studying the work of Claude Lévi-Strauss. ‘I had always been interested in social issues,’ he says.

‘When I discovered that anthropology was sociology with a bit more adventure thrown in – with social anthropologists going out to the field and living with and studying communities – I decided that it was the thing for me.’ Piers applied to Kent and was accepted. On arrival at Canterbury, he was particularly intrigued by the teaching staff. ‘They seemed a pretty strange and exotic group themselves,’ he says. ‘I remember thinking that someone should do an ethnographic study of anthropologists. I was fascinated by them, as they had such interesting stories to tell from their own research. Within the first three weeks, I realised that I wanted to become an anthropologist.’

After graduating in 1998, Piers spent a year studying for a masters at The School of Oriental and African Studies in London, then returned to Kent to study for his PhD. ‘I had previously done some backpacking in India and I came up with a plan for studying elephant handlers in Nepal in the context of the national park,’ he remembers. ‘I wanted to come back to Kent to do it, as it has excellent credentials in the field of Environmental Anthropology.’ Piers went on a monthlong reconnaissance mission to Nepal in 2001 and made important contacts via his Nepali teachers at SOAS. His application for funding was accepted and he finally travelled to Nepal in 2003, staying at the Khorsor Elephant Breeding Centre in Chitwan.

Kent Magazine Riding High

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Elephants respond to a repertoire of about 26 verbal commands and can learn as many as 100.

04 01–06. Servants of Ganesh

The website for Piers’ film Servants of Ganesh can be viewed at: www.oneworldfilms.com

He arrived during Nepal’s Maoist insurgency, when many parts of the country were under the rebels’ control, though it didn’t affect his daily life. ‘As far as my work was concerned, the insurgency was just a sort of irritation and hindrance,’ he says. ‘I didn’t see any violence. The Maoists ignored me because I spoke Nepali, and in any case they were renowned for being polite to tourists.’ The elephant handlers themselves are traditionally from the Tharu people, a low status caste, and are treated with disrespect by members of higher castes. They are understandably wary of outsiders. However, once Piers had made his intentions clear, he was offered an unusual way of doing his research. ‘They said that if I wanted to learn about their lives, the only way was to learn to become an elephant handler myself. It made sense. We all know how to ride a bicycle, but if we try to explain how to do it in words, it’s very difficult. It’s the same with riding an elephant.’

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The chief elephant handler gave permission for Piers to work with the team and learn how to drive elephants. He gave Piers a female elephant with which to work, named Sitasma Kali. Slowly, over the next couple of months, Piers built a rapport with the handlers and the elephants. He already had a working knowledge of the Nepali language, which was also the second language for the other handlers. Working as an apprentice elephant handler soon gave Piers important insights into their work. ‘By personally working with an elephant, I realised there was a relationship of trust between elephant and handler,’ he says. ‘For instance, elephants have bad eyesight and they recognise you by smell. So every day I’d go and say “Good morning”, and Sitasma Kali would put her trunk all over me, in such a way that, if she wanted to, she could have at any time picked me up, thrown me down and broken me. There have been occasions when that has happened to people. This greeting was all part of developing a real connection, a real relationship with the animals.’

Elephants are crucial to the Nepali economy for their role in environmental tourism, as they are used to carry tourists on elephantback safaris to see other wildlife. However, most of the key work for the elephants and handlers is patrolling Nepal’s Royal Chitwan National Park and preventing poaching. They are also used for carrying out census work on other species, such as rhinos and tigers. Elephants have also been used to capture rhinos in Chitwan by surrounding them with a herd numbering up to 100. Then the rhinos can be captured and translocated to other national parks where they have become extinct. Piers didn’t experience rhino capture first-hand but he did get to chase a rhino on elephant back. ‘We were called in by some villagers because some rhinos were going too close to their fields,’ he remembers. ‘So we were asked to chase them back into the jungle. It was tremendous fun. Chasing rhino is one of the most exciting elephant rides you can have.’

After nine months in the field, Piers returned to Kent to write up his PhD thesis. He submitted it at the end of 2006, five Piers’ field research lasted years after first for a year and a half and embarking on his study. he was based with the Academic work on this elephant handlers for nine subject is extremely rare. months. He found that ‘As far as I’m aware, elephants respond to a mine is the first social repertoire of about 26 anthropological study verbal commands and of elephant handlers, can learn as many as 100. the first research by However, most of the participant observation,’ basic commands are he says. ‘I’m very communicated by the surprised that nobody else handlers using their feet has done it, as I think it’s to apply pressure behind a really interesting topic.’ the elephant’s ears in different ways.

It has been a long journey, and it’s one that continues today. Piers is working on new applications for further research and developing his relationships with organisations involved with captive elephant management and elephant handlers. I didn’t want to just get a PhD out of my experiences,’ he says. ‘I felt I acquired an obligation. At the end of my field work, I thanked the handlers for letting me into their world and sharing their lives with me. ‘My main mission now is to make sure I can do something for them, as I don’t think they get the respect they deserve. They’re knowledgeable professionals and you can’t run the national park without them, yet they are at the bottom of the pile.’ During his time in Nepal, Piers was temporarily joined by his friend and colleague Mark Dugas and together they shot a documentary film titled Servants of Ganesh. Named after the elephantheaded Hindu god, it has been used in Piers’ teaching work and has attracted interest from distributors. Piers is currently chasing the possibility of a television broadcast. He has also successfully mounted an exhibition of photographs taken while in Nepal. Elevating the status of elephant handlers in Nepal won’t be an easy task, but it’s a cause that Piers is proud to champion. ‘It’s not my job to transform society,’ he says, ‘but I would like to make a contribution to management plans with regard to training practices and recruitment of elephant handlers, and I’d like to do something to improve the welfare of the handlers.’

Piers feels that his experience in Nepal has had a profound impact on his life, and while he will move on to other anthropological work, this project remains the most important to him. ‘It has shaped my sense of identity,’ he says. ‘I found field work a really liberating experience because there was no longer any distinction between the private and professional, between work and play. ‘Field work isn’t about going to a place; it’s a state of mind. It was all work, it was all life, and I really enjoyed that. It was a total experience. Being an anthropologist and being one who learned to ride elephants has become fundamental to who I am.’ David Clark R82 interviewed Piers Locke. David is a senior features writer for IPC Media.

TheQuestionnaire

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Alumni and staff talk about their memories & experiences at Kent.

01. Matthew Crosby 02. Mary Evans 03. Achike Ofodile 04. Neil Froggatt 05. Caroline Shenaz Hossein 06. Tim Luckhurst

Matthew Crosby K99: English & American Literature Film Studies Comedian Matthew is a member of comedy troupe Pappy’s Fun Club (www.pappysfunclub. co.uk), recently returned from the 2007 Edinburgh Festival where they were nominated for the 2007 if.comedy Best Show award. Members also include Tom Parry R00 and Brendan Dodds E98. Matthew is also compere at the monthly Horsebridge Comedy in Whitstable. Favourite book: I was obsessed with Charles Bukowski. I would get drunk in a park reading Post Office or Ham on Rye and then try and write comedy shows. Place of residence: I lived in Keynes in my first year and then St Michael’s Place for the next two years. Favourite bar/pub/hangout: Eliot Bar. Most embarrassing moment: When we lived in St Michael’s Place one of our neighbours complained about my house – mate drumming at three in the afternoon. It turned out that they were no strangers to rocking; their son was the guitarist in Bananarama. Enduring memory: A sketch show that I co-wrote and directed in my final year. At the end of the first half Tom Parry fell off a stool on stage and I announced that he had been taken to hospital. About 15 minutes into the second half, a film appeared on a screen and the audience watched Tom run from the hospital to campus before bursting through the back door of the theatre. The reaction was incredible. I was really interested in Andy Kaufman and tricks you can play on the audience and that was a moment when it really worked. Favourite item of clothing: I had a nice zip up sports top – it was the nearest I ever got to doing any actual sports. Favourite song: I really liked the album ‘Bleed American’ by Jimmy Eat World. Biggest influence: It has to be Keith Carabine. He has a personal anecdote for even the most outrageous moments in American literature. Societies: I tried to join the short-lived Cult TV society and I was also a member of the Drama Society. I used the budget to put on a comedy show.

First job: I was a secondary school English teacher for two years after leaving Kent and completed my PGCE. All the while I performed in comedy in clubs. Professor Mary Evans Professor of Women’s Studies School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research ‘I have taught at Kent since 1971, in various locations and departmental incarnations. For those of us who have been at Kent for some time there has been a good deal of opportunity for internal travel. I have always taught sociology but the various aspects of it that have interested me the most are gender divisions and narrative fiction. I increasingly have come to the conclusion that fiction has noticed most social events and social changes long before any social scientist has done so. I was delighted to take part in the establishment of Women’s Studies (both at Kent and elsewhere) and I shall continue to take part in the various networks established! I shall miss – but also hope to maintain – those many friendships made and treasured.’ Favourite book: Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park. Place of residence: Patrixbourne Favourite bar/pub/hangout: None in particular, though I’m always pleased to go to the Walpole Bay Hotel in Margate. Most embarrassing moment: Mistaking lecture theatres and addressing a group of rather surprised, though very polite Physics students, until I realised my mistake. Enduring memory: Births of my children Favourite item of clothing: A silk shawl which belonged to my grandmother. Favourite song: ‘Soave sia il vento’ from Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte Biggest influence: My parents First job: Assistant in greengrocers Societies: I’m interested in everything, so all of them!

Achike Ofodile R04: Law Kent Union President 2007-2008 As Kent Union President, one of Achike’s aims over the next year is to provide students with the opportunities to drive change now and in their futures. The Union intends to create a culture of activism within the student population, inspiring them to be strong and active citizens within the University and the wider community. Favourite book: The Concubine by Elechi Amadi. Place of residence: Lypeatt Court in Park Wood. Favourite bar/pub/hangout: Woody’s in Park Wood. The refurbishment over the summer has been amazing and made an old classic even better! Most embarrassing moment: I can’t think of any at the moment, but I’m sure that this year will have a few! Enduring memory: Elections result night in the Venue; people were chanting my name even before the result was announced! Favourite item of clothing: Kent Union Hoody. Favourite music track: ‘Always’ by Bon Jovi Biggest influence: My mother. Societies: Afro-Caribbean Society, Law Society and Rutherford Football Club. First job: Retail assistant at Marks & Spencer. Neil Froggatt E90: Computer Science Neil is an Exective Director at Goldman Sachs International in London Favourite book: I’m supposed to say something like Z Specification by Allan Grimley as he was my tutor but it was The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Place of residence: First year: Eliot S1E-8, one of the twin bedders beneath the bar and dining hall – always useful! Second year: Herne Bay – Pier Avenue. Third year: Eliot S1W-6

MSc year: A flat above Pizza Express in Canterbury – handy for takeaways although not if you weren’t a fan of pizza! Favourite bar/pub/hangout: On campus: Woody’s, otherwise it would have to be The Olive Branch (now Buttermarket), Alberry’s and of course ‘Studio 3’ (not sure what it’s called now – The Works nightclub?) Most embarrassing moment: Being found asleep on a bed of nettles in the middle of a field after an all-night rave and doing way too many snakebite – induced stunts. Enduring memory: The fantastic view of Canterbury Cathedral from Eliot Dining Hall at night as well as the graduation ball that we (AIESEC) organised. Favourite item of clothing: More of a ‘look’ as Trinny and Susannah would say: Faded jeans, T-shirt and big Timberland boots – bit different from my usual attire nowadays! Favourite song: ‘The Power’ by Snap Societies: Fencing, badminton, AIESEC but ‘dabbled’ in quite a few more… First job: Post MSc, working as Consultant for a banking software house in London but generally commuting weekly to Amsterdam, Dublin, Jersey, Geneva, Zurich, Brussels and Athens. Caroline Shenaz Hossein E93: Law Caroline has worked at several international NGOs and is currently Microfinance Consultant at Ebony Development Associates (www.ebonydev elopment.org). Ebony Development Associates deliver assistance to improve the programming and project management of services for ‘at risk’ communities.

Favourite bar/pub/hangout: I liked going to the pub in Eliot College because so many of our law professors would also hang out there too. Most embarrassing moment: An embarrassing moment may have been confusing exam dates but luckily the professors let me retake the exam with no penalty! Enduring memory: My best memories are of the people. I also treasure the travelling with friends all over the UK and further afield. Having friends from all over the world deepened my cultural awareness. It was Kent’s global environment that I think encouraged me to move into international development work. Favourite item of clothing: I think when I came from Toronto I dressed pretty conservatively. But Kent was so close to eclectic London and I remember loving to shop for hats. The wilder the better! I loved wearing hats back then. Favourite song: My favourite song as a student had to be Bob Marley’s ‘Legends’. This May I was in Jamaica and every time I hear Marley it reminded me so much of those Kent days. Biggest influence: Kate Diesfeld and Joanne Conaghan were wonderful women professors in the law school who have positively influenced my life. Thank you Kate and Joanne for always giving excellent advice to the new Canadian girl! Societies: Kent Law Clinic, Park Wood Student Council – women’s rep First job: After I left Kent, I went on to graduate school at Cornell University but my first job after school was with the US Peace Corps.

Professor Tim Luckhurst Professor of Journalism and the News Industry, University of Kent at Medway Professor Luckhurst is a former editor Favourite book: of The Scotsman and has also held When I was at Kent I remember reading various editorial positions at the BBC Sowing the Mustard Seed by Yoweni which included foreign postings to Museveni (given to me by a fellow student) Washington DC, coverage of the Romanian and it was an eye-opening book. It was great revolution in 1989 and reports from the to read it then because I could then talk to First Gulf War in 1991. He also contributes students from different places to learn regularly to a variety of newspapers and is more from them. a commentator for a number of television Place of residence: and radio stations. Ellenden Court in Park Wood and Eliot’s Becket Court (in the tower!)

Favourite book: Depending on mood I might nominate The Face of War by Martha Gelhorn, Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell, The Rachel Papers by Martin Amis, On Liberty by John Stuart Mill, Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon, Charles de Gaulle’s War Memoirs or Having it so Good by Peter Henessy Place of residence: St Mary’s Island, Chatham, Kent Favourite bar/pub/hangout: Kramer Books and Afterwords, 19 Street NW, Washington DC. Most embarrassing moment: Being interrupted while broadcasting live from the siege of the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas. I was on air and my friend had just arrived. As I described the scene to listeners in the UK he ran towards me shouting “Tim, how are you mate? I haven’t seen you for months!” I hardly faltered... Enduring memory: My first foreign assignment for the BBC, arriving in Timisoara on Christmas Eve 1989 to cover the Romanian Revolution. That is closely followed by geting stuck behind a truckload of inebriated Serbian paramilitaries on the road between Pristina and Skopje in 1999. Favourite item of clothing: A battered old motorcycle jacket. Favourite song: ‘Visions of Johanna’ by Bob Dylan from the album Blonde on Blonde (1966) Biggest influence: Phil Harding, my first editor at the Today Programme. Societies: National Union of Journalists First job: My first ever job was as a tour guide at Traquair House, the oldest inhabited house in Scotland. If you would like to feature in The Questionnaire in a future issue of KENT, please email your answers (including a high-quality, recent photograph of yourself) to: alumni@kent.ac.uk

Kent Magazine Fundraising

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Fund Raising Support the Phonathon By the time you read this issue of KENT, you may have already had a call from one our telephone fundraisers, all of whom are current students here at the University. They will be calling as part of our annual Phonathon, now in its fifth year. Since 2002, our student callers have contacted over 10,000 alumni and, thanks to your support, we have raised funds to support a range of areas including scholarships and student support. Money raised goes into what is called the Annual Fund, which is run by the University of Kent Development Trust, a charity set up to accept and manage donations from alumni and friends of the University.

01. Natalie Salunke

As well as scholarships and student support, the Fund provides postgraduate scholarships, University-based projects such as the student newspaper, InQuire, and a student entrepreneur society. Money donated by our alumni has already helped to create an ethnobotanical garden on the Canterbury campus, set up CSR, the new student FM radio station and purchase new prints for the University of Kent Print Collection. Alumni support is crucial to the University’s music activities with funds going into music scholarships, groups, concerts and performances by visiting musicians. Sport at Kent also benefits from your support and alumni contributions already fund a £1000 a year sports scholarship. However, there are other areas where we need your support. In particular, we would like to continue to improve our facilities for students with disabilities, our library resources and also our research assistance for specific projects.

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How to give: www.kent.ac.uk/alumni/donate Email:giving@kent.ac.uk

‘ Student volunteers at RaG raised over £15,000 this year.’

Behind the Scenes Before graduating with a degree in English and French Law in 2006, trainee solicitor Natalie Salunke, E02, was one of our student callers. She is still very much involved with the University and is part of the Kent Law School 40th Anniversary Committee, which is organising a series of events in 2007 and 2008 to commemorate 40 years of critical legal education at Kent. This will culminate in a Law Alumni Dinner at the Law Society in London on Thursday 26 June 2008.

What did you personally gain from the experience? I think I helped forge a stronger relationship between Kent Law School and its alumni. I really enjoyed speaking to different businessmen and women. I even called one alumnus who was a senior partner at a law firm I had done a work placement with.

What did you enjoy about doing the Phonathons? I really enjoyed being part of the Phonathon team. It was great meeting other What kind of reception students from different did you receive years and subjects, Finally, the Phonathon from alumni when especially the newer students are not just you called? students. I think they calling to raise funds. They were generally really found it a good way to They are also calling to let pleasant and more than get to know the University you know about some of happy to talk about their a bit more and settle in. the events we have coming previous experiences. up and to check whether I really enjoyed sharing we have the right contact and hearing stories details so that we can keep of student life, past you in touch with what’s and present! going on at Kent.

What are you planning to do in the future? I have just started as a trainee solicitor in the Corporate Department of London-based Taylor Wessing. It is something I’ve always wanted to do so all being well I’ll be here for a while. Eventually I would be keen to take my experience of corporate law into directorship positions at different companies. I still try to keep in close contact with Kent Law School and theDevelopment and Alumni team, and will no doubt continue to be involved in Kent alumni events. Has any part of your experience as a student been influenced by Annual Fund money? Among other things, I had a lot of experience with the Kent Law Clinic, which provides free legal advice to the local community and has been greatly helped by the Annual Fund.

02. Claire Tanner 03. Nick Foster 04. RaG Volunteers

Scholarship update This year two students have benefited from the Alumni Postgraduate Scholarships. Claire Tanner, E98, graduated from Kent in 2002 with first class honours and the Keith Lucas Prize for Excellence in Politics and International Relations. After working in Student Support at Kent Union and in secondary education, the Alumni Postgraduate scholarship made it possible for her to return to postgraduate study. Her research specialises in the political experiences of women representatives in local government and the ways in which social and institutional barriers to women’s participation can be removed.

Nick Foster, E04, is a PhD student in the School of Physical Sciences. His research centres on the analysis of cosmic dust returned by the NASA Stardust space mission. He says, ‘From an early age I have been fascinated by space and the planets around us. Through the Alumni Scholarship I have been able to get involved in research working with scientists from NASA and UK institutions. The Stardust mission flew to comet Wild/2 to collect early and intact samples from the formation of our solar system and returned them to earth in January 2006. These precious grains will help us gain a greater understanding of how our solar system has evolved.’ Nick has also been successful in obtaining a scholarship to study at a summer school in Japan and this year has travelled to conferences in Houston and Texas to present some of his research findings.

Student Fundraising Led by RaG (Raise and Give) President Emma Rowe, the student volunteers at RaG have worked tirelessly and raised over £15,000 this year. Launching the year with a fancy dress recruitment drive, RaG raised the profile of charities through large –scale events such as the Snow Ball at Christmas, which alone raised nearly £6,000. The rest of the year saw RaG week, The RaG Blag, Valentine’s Day Speed Dating, skydives and good old–fashioned street collections. Earlier this year, a small team of ‘Raggies’ travelled to Liverpool over St Patrick’s Day weekend to raise money with other RaG groups from across the country. RaG also supports other student groups in their events including International Night and Keynestock.

Kent Magazine In Business

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PageNineteen

InBusiness Softpro support The Softpro Group, a leading vendor of systems for the capture and verification of handwritten signatures, is supporting the University’s MSc in Information Security and Biometrics. Based in Germany with local subsidiaries in North America, the UK and Asia-Pacific, Softpro provides biometric solutions that are increasingly used in industries such as banking, insurance, retail, government, health, life sciences and defence. Its customers include American Express, Bank of America, Barclays, JPMorgan Chase. Softpro will also fund a prize for the bestperforming student on the MSc in Information Security and Biometrics.

Bid success for Enterprise The University is one of the lead partners in a consortium of 11 universities which has won a bid for £5 million in the third round of the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF). The aim of the consortium is to turn research and ideas into business opportunities and bring commerce and technology to the south east of England. One company that has already benefited is Kent-based Screaming Talent, an independent record and music management company. Director, Peter Moore, said ‘The University’s funding scheme has enabled us to progress in a highly competitive market. So far, our success has included one of our artists having several songs featured in a hit US film and we have been successful in gaining a private investor to push the company to the next level.

Kent’s Romanian links HSH Prince Radu of Hohenzollern-Veringen, Special Representative of the Government of Romania, Advisor to His Majesty King Michael I of Romania and Patron of the British Romanian Chamber of Commerce, recently gave a lecture at the Canterbury campus. This was the first event of the Prince’s week-long visit to the UK and was hosted by Kent Business School and Canterbury Enterprise Hub, with special support from the British Romanian Chamber of Commerce and the Embassy of Romania in the UK.

Kent forms national biometric centre Prominent figures from the biometrics research and technologies sectors celebrated the formation of the United Kingdom Biometrics Institute (UKBI) at a recent meeting at the Canterbury campus. Initiated by the Department of Electronics, and supported by Kent Enterprise, UKBI will enhance the productive exchange of knowledge and expertise in the UK across all stakeholders, including the University’s researchers, the biometrics industrial sector and potential end-users; and provide leading-edge solutions to emerging and future market needs. There are increasing opportunities for successfully deploying biometrics technologies, not just in current high profile applications such as the National ID Card Programme, but in the financial sector, in healthcare, in securing documents and, indeed, in any situation where a high degree of confidence in individual identity is important.

Kent Business School academic appointed‘Thinker in Residence’

Double business masters Kent Business School has launched a double masters programme with the Hong Kong Baptist University – the first double degree to be offered by a Science Faculty in Hong Kong – with an agreement that means that upon completing the one-year full-time or two-year part-time course, students will have two masters degrees in Operational Research and Business Statistics conferred by HKBU and the University of Kent respectively.

The University is one of the lead partners in a consortium of 11 universities which has won a bid for £5 million in the third round of the Higher Education Innovation Fund. 01. HSH Prince Radu 02. Softpro 03. Screaming Talent 04. Double masters

Number of academic departments: Twenty

Kent Magazine Who’s what where

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Who’s what where The complete Who’s, what, where is updated online at: www.kent.ac.uk/alumni Key: D Darwin, E Eliot, K Keynes, R Rutherford. Location: The location at the end of the entry is from the mailing address we hold for the individual. Please let us know if any corrections are required.

These are just a selection. By submitting a 3 entry, you consent to its publication online and possible inclusion in KENT magazine. To contact any of the individuals listed here, email: alumni@kent.ac.uk. 1960s: Barnes, Diana (E) Have been several kinds of librarian, mostly in Kent but also Zambia, and had time off bringing up two sons, but have now settled as children’s librarian. After six years in Portsmouth, I have been working for Hampshire since Nov 2003. Both sons by first marriage are now graduates (Norwich and Cardiff) and doing well. Clive (the reason I moved to Southampton) and I were married in April 2005, 10 years after we first met. Saw someone who could have been Richard Hugh Simpson, Eliot 69, while on holiday in Penzance, April 2007 – get in touch, Richard, if that was you! Hampshire. (30/04/2007) 1970s: Lamme, Jill (K) Living in Portland, Oregon, USA. Married to Étienne Lammé and working as a legal assistant to the Federal Public Defender for the District of Oregon. I miss the UK and dream of eventually retiring there. Portland, USA. (16/07/2007) Wildsmith, Martin (R) Still working for BAE Systems (30 years this coming September) and still at Warton but now in a Commercial Governance role which

I am really enjoying. Life is as busy as ever with ailing parents adding to the mix. Sue takes the brunt of this and somehow manages to keep us all in order. Hannah is now 18 and currently in the thick of A levels. Alastair is now 12 and has settled well into his secondary school despite his learning difficulties. Lancashire. (11/06/2007) Page, Richard (R) After a brief time as a teacher then Head of Economics in the Kuwait English School I returned to the UK and moved into the business sector. After working for SAP AG for eight years including a Board Directorship managing a joint venture between SAP and Citibank I am now helping to build a midmarket software house into a global player. I enjoy scuba diving (warm water only) and foreign travel. Berkshire. (19/02/2007) Baker, Steve (E) After many years in the flight simulation business, I decided to take a U-turn and turn a hobby into a career – so now I’m writing computer games for Midway Studios in Austin, Texas. My son, Oliver, is now 16 years old. For fun, I restore classic cars (I’m working on a 63 Mini which couldn’t look more out of place in Texas – the land of the big Pickup truck!). Cedar Hill, Texas USA. (25/06/2007) Grant, David (E) Having left UK in 1979, I joined the then Royal Hong Kong Police as an Inspector, to see a bit of

the world, and 28 years on, find myself still here at the dizzying rank of Senior Superintendent. Married to a gorgeous girl, I have two wonderful daughters and am enjoying life immensely but concerned with the onset of old age. Still playing rugby but no closer to learning the laws of the game than I was in 1979. I keep in touch with some of my old UKC contemporaries and attend alumni functions here. Hong Kong. (27/03/2007) Wingate, Tom (R) Following six years at City of London School English Dept, and in charge of Debating Society; winning the ESU’s ‘GGB & International’ trophy in 2006, I returned to Mexico City in Sept 2007 to run college counselling at the British International School. It will be my third posting there! Still going strong with Elena Espinosa de los Reyes E80; our silver jubilee is in July. Elena has been Trade Commissioner for Mexico in the UK for seven years. She returns home in 2007. London. (06/06/2007) 1980s: Gibb, Neil (E) Having spent the last seven years working and training as an independent business consultant and coach I recently joined JMW as an associate consultant. I love it! I am also taking the opportunity to relocate from London to Melbourne for love as well as work. After a hiatus of a few years I am now working on my third book. I am six years

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sober, learning Pilates, and am very fond of sushi. Tullamarine, Australia. (06/06/2007) Morgan-Busher, Ted (R) Enjoying our historic 1885 yacht in the Mediterranean – it has been a long, but very worthwhile, project. Valletta, Malta. (20/04/2007) Kilcoyne, Sarah (R) Hi, I’m married and live in Harrow on the Hill. I have a son, Joshua, who is two and a half years old, and my absolute pride and joy. On the career front I’m an Operations Manager with NCR. I’m based at their office in Marylebone. I would love to hear from anyone who knows me. Please get in touch! Hertfordshire. (25/02/2005) Oka, Tomoko (D) I got married last October and I am going back to Tokyo after working at UNICEF Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Office in Panama for three years. Let me know if you are coming to Tokyo! Japan. (07/03/2007) Roksa, Jarmo (R) Living in Norway, originating from Finland. I work with new digital media and technologies. Holidays are spent in restoration of 19th century countryside house in Finland and travelling with the family. Please feel free to make contact! Jonsvatnet, Norway. (16/03/2007)

1990s: Houston, Ian (R) I am at the American Foreign Service Association (which is affiliated with the State Department). I am the Legislative Director. Also adjunct faculty for International Relations/ Public Policy/Political Science at two colleges in Virginia. Woodbridge, USA. (30/08/2007)

Laura B. Would love to hear from more old Kent friends. North Yorkshire. (13/03/2007)

Weltin-Hirsch, Ute (D) MA Theatre Studies (Munich). After graduating in Munich I was associate director at the Theatre Regensburg (Bavaria) for two and a half years, now freelance director. Currently working on a Mahmud, Najam (E) PhD dissertation at the Still working for Abbott University of Munich. Pharmaceuticals, now I got married in as Regional Human September 2006. Resources Director for I would love to hear Pakistan and Middle from all fellowdrama East. I visited the campus students, people involved in July 2005 and God, it in ‘Amadeus’ in 96, was nostalgic! All those and UKC Dramatics great memories flashed members. Munich, in front of my eyes. I Germany. (05/03/2007) would love to travel back in time if that was Al-Mansoori, Ahmed possible. Kent was (E) Currently working a great experience and as a product marketing I can never forget the manager at Bahrain great times I had during Telecommunications those years. Karachi, Company (Batelco); Pakistan. (24/04/2007) based in the kingdom of Bahrain. Manama, Herring, Dominic (K) Bahrain. (08/08/2007) Working as the Technical & Business Development Jones, Abigail (E) After Manager for a leaving UKC, I worked biotechnology company at the Royal National looking after the Asia Theatre, before going Pacific region, and to Essex University to making use of my degree! complete an MA in Had a fantastic time at Museum and Gallery Kent and am in contact Studies with Curating. with several people but I then worked at the not enough, so please feel V&A before moving free to contact me. on to my current Wiltshire. (16/08/2007) employment at Tate. London. (24/07/2007) Sundaram, Vanita (D) Currently employed as Research Fellow in the Department of Education at the University of York. Moved back to the UK in 2006 after completing my PhD at Copenhagen University. Am still sporadically in touch with Chris, Lucy and

2000s: Collier, Ian (R) Currently work as an IT Director at John Allen Consulting (a construction design company on the North Downs). My office is in the middle of nowhere and is a 15th century manor house. I also do some freelance work, doing a lot of web programming and web design amongst other things. I am also setting up a part time business with some friends. I’ve been married to Debbie (nee McCourt) for 19 years and have two children - Leigh (12) and Daniel (nine). Kent. (22/03/2007) Only Connect Robert Ostrov (D82) wltf Kerry Smith (R82) and Sophie Green (Pike) (D82); Lenny Ferman (E83) wltf Andre Wilkin (D83) and Judy Share (E83); Claire Elliot (Garrett) (K86) wltf Hank Cole (K86); Khang Chew (K90) wltf Andrew Brittain (K88); Junmin Chen (E92) wltf Wayne O’Brien (R92) and Robert Mulcock (K92); Adam Parker (E93) wltf Pepita Gaylard (K91); Hira Zahari (E94) wltf Melda Sharif (E95); Caroline Hertrich (K95) wltf Timothy Leighton (E95); Natalia Ilieva (K95) wltf Andrew Jordan (K95); Paul Anderson (R98) wltf Nigel Ward (R98)

Deaths: Since the last issue of KENT went to press, we have learned of the deaths of the following alumni and staff. If you would like to be put in touch with the families or friends of anyone listed here, please let us know. We may be able to help. Alumni: Mary Colloff (née Bovington) K83, Jean Cronin D82, Geoffrey Groom E89, Joyce Aylwin Guilmant (née Green) R75, Gillian Hatt R81, Sam Hess E02, Mary Huston K95, Heather Jackson K98, Carol McNally (née Round) E83, David Mendel K86, Khek Mek Wong K75, Staff and friends: Lord Bill Deedes, honorary graduate 2000; Dr Michael Leahy, Philosophy; Lord Bernard Weatherill, honorary graduate 1990;

Alumni events 2007 01. Benefactors Garden Party 02. Celebration of Music at Kent 03. House of Lords alumni reception

Kent Magazine Who’s what where

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Field Work

01. Bonobo

Kent PhD student Inogwabini Bila-Isia has just returned to his native Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after a brief visit to Canterbury to catch up with his supervisor, Professor Nigel LeaderWilliams, Director of the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE). Bila, who last year won a UNESCO Young Scientist of the Year Award, is carrying out research on a large and recently discovered population of pygmy chimpanzees or bonobos Pan paniscus. After successfully completing his MSc in Conservation Biology, for which he was awarded the Maurice Swingland Prize for the best masters student of the 1996/7 cohort, he returned home to work on conservation projects for a range of organisations on species such as elephants and bonobos.

However, he always harboured ambitions to undertake a PhD on bonobos, which were realised when he won a Beinecke African Scholarship from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in 2004 and a Charlotte Program Fellowship from the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) in 2006. Bila’s passion for bonobos arose from growing up within the wide bend of the Congo river, which is the only place in Africa where bonobos are found. Bonobos are the most recently discovered and least known of the six species of great ape, all of which are listed as critically endangered. Therefore, since starting his research in the Lac Tumba landscape, it is really heartening that Bila has discovered the largest population of bonobos yet recorded, comprising one quarter to one third of the world’s known population.

In Lac Tumba, bonobos live at high densities in swamp forest that provides their favoured fruits all year round. Bonobos appear to have highly evolved emotional attributes and display very specific behaviour if one of their group dies. Despite their name, bonobos are far more peaceful than the more aggressive chimpanzee and are predominantly vegetarian. Indeed, the bonobo is used as a symbol of peace and some indigenous groups revere bonobos as holding the spirits of their ancestors. In turn, the protection offered by these indigenous groups in the Lac Tumba landscape has allowed this large population of bonobos to survive outside the confines of a strictly protected area, such as a national park.

Bila fully recognises the importance of the training he is receiving at DICE, and is encouraging his project staff to come for postgraduate training, in order to further build conservation capacity in DRC. As with the other great apes, the future for bonobos is uncertain. But with Bila and the local indigenous groups with whom he is working as their champions, the Lac Tumba bonobos have more than a fighting chance.

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The End of Mr.Y

Michael Leahy 1934–2007

Described as ‘a Foucault’s Pendulum for the ipod generation’ (Philadelphia Enquirer), The End of Mr. Y is the latest novel by Scarlett Thomas, a lecturer in the School of English. The novel features heroine Ariel Manto, a lonely PhD student who stumbles across a rare novel in a second-hand bookshop and takes the reader on a journey which begins in Kent and ends at the perimeter of thought itself.

Dr Michael Leahy was appointed Lecturer in Philosophy at Kent in 1967, he was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1976 and was Faculty Admissions Officer from 1981 to 1985. He took early retirement in 1996 but returned to the University on a part-time basis as an Administrator in the International Office until October 1999. Below we print an appreciation of Mike’s life from Robert Cannon R66, a friend and former student.

Kent alumni will also notice distinct similarities between the university of The End of Mr. Y and a certain other campus on a hill! The End of Mr.Y is published by Canongate (UK) and Harcourt (US). More information about Scarlett Thomas is available on the School of English website at: www.kent.ac.uk/english/

Scarlett describes her novel as ‘a thought experiment wrapped in a contemporary adventure novel that asks questions about thought, language, destiny and the very limits of being and time’. The novel brings together such diverse themes as quantum physics, post-structuralism, homoeopathy, evolutionary theory, theology and the origins of consciousness and moves at such a pace it is impossible to put down.

On Monday 21 May 2007 Michael Leahy was buried in Chilham churchyard. For at least seven years Mike had had a form of dementia that saw his fine mind and active, fit body slowly close in on itself. It was a terrible end for someone who had been so mentally and physically alert. Mike was unusual in his combination of intellectual and sporting excellence. 02. The End of Mr.Y

garde and included jazz which he had learnt to appreciate during his lectureship in America. No memory of him can fail to recall his refined and enthusiastic interest in wine. To dine with him and his wife Rosie was always both a gastronomic and bibulous treat. His cellar was large and wide in its scope and, in the early days, he made an important contribution to the University cellars. But it is as a philosopher – both teacher and thinker – that he will be most remembered and sorely missed.

Like his music, wine and sport, his interest was wide ranging – rather than merely eclectic. His passion for the pre-Socratics – above all Parmenides – and at the other end of the chronological and methodological scale, Wittgenstein, was perhaps most notable. As a teacher he taught not so much the facts of The latter was dominated the matter, although he by cricket, which he was an excellent guide, played for many years as but rather why these part of both University writings and ideas were and village teams. so important. Above all In other areas too he was he showed his students full of life. His love and how to make use of understanding of music philosophy: how to look was considerable, he past appearance and had a profound and probe the cogency and discerning taste that validity of what one saw, ranged from Gregorian heard or was taught. chant to the avant He was an inspiration;

in particular because this serious concern was so naturally accompanied by humour, wit and a wonderful sense of fun. The life that he taught one to illuminate with philosophic application was a life that was truly worth the effort – full of pleasure and humour, the richness of the arts, physical activity, the joys of good food and wine. Like Socrates’s companions at the end of the Phaedo, it is our loss that we mourn on his untimely death – and our lives that will remain enriched by the memory of everything witty, entertaining, thoughtful and instructive that he did.

03. Michael Leahy

KENT Events

Here are some of the events planned for the next few months. Keep an eye on: www.kent.ac.uk/alumni for more information, or email alumni@kent.ac.uk 30 November 2007 Professor John Butler Emeritus Professor of Health Services Studies, School of Social Policy, Social Research and Sociology and Canterbury Cathedral Guide The Red Dean of Canterbury: Hewlett Johnson and the Russian connection 6pm Brabourne Lecture Theatre Canterbury campus 4 December 2007 University of Kent in America alumni reception Orlando, Florida 6 – 8pm Gray Robinson Law Offices, 301 East Pine Street, Orlando, Florida 7 December 2007 In conjunction with the English Speaking Union William Fullerton CMG former UK Ambassador in Somalia, Kuwait, Morocco and Mauritania Palestine, persistent tragedy of the Middle East; is there a solution? 6pm Brabourne Lecture Theatre Canterbury campus

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3 January 2008 University of Kent in America alumni reception Toronto, Canada From 7pm Location tbc (suggestions welcome) 25 January 2008 The Tizard Annual Lecture Dame Jo Williams DBE, Chief Executive, Mencap 6pm Brabourne Lecture Theatre Canterbury campus 1 February 2008 The Chancellor’s Lecture Sir Simon Jenkins 6pm Brabourne Lecture Theatre Canterbury campus 8 February 2008 Ian Gregor Memorial Lecture Professor Hermione Lee 6pm Brabourne Lecture Theatre Canterbury campus 22 February 2008 The Lord Mayor’s Lecture The Rt Hon John Redwood MP 6pm Brabourne Lecture Theatre Canterbury campus

February 2008 – date tbc Alumni London Pub Night Venue tbc 7 June 2008 ArtsFest Canterbury campus www.kent.ac.uk/music/ artsfest/ 26 June 2008 40th Anniversary of Kent Law School Alumni Dinner The Law Society, London July 2008 – date tbc Benefactors’ Garden Party Vice-Chancellor’s Residence, Canterbury 10 October 2008 ‘First 500’ Dinner National Liberal Club London

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