Network Magazine 2016 by University of Westminster alumni

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

HUSSAIN MANAWER

CAMPAIGNER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND ASTRONAUT IN TRAINING

ANGEL CAPOBIANCO

EMPOWERING GIRLS AROUND THE WORLD

CITIES OF THE FUTURE

THE WESTMINSTER VIEW OF NEXT-CENTURY COMMUNITIES

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

WELCOME FROM THE VICE-CHANCELLOR AND PRESIDENT

I’m delighted to welcome all alumni, and particularly the class of 2016, our newest cohort of graduates, to the latest edition of Network, the magazine for alumni of the University of Westminster. It’s been another significant year in the development of the University, and one in which we celebrate the 125th anniversary of the opening of our predecessor institution, the publiclyfunded Regent Street Polytechnic. The Polytechnic built on the philanthropic work of Quintin Hogg, and his philosophy of education of the ‘mind, body and spirit’ for all, regardless of ‘social class or financial position’. That philosophy is as important today as it was 125 years ago. At a time when many communities and countries around the globe are experiencing seemingly constant change and facing difficult challenges, it’s essential that the value and power of education are not overlooked. A recent report by Universities UK highlighted the positive impact of universities in this country – supporting local communities, driving growth and productivity, transforming lives, and educating students to become skilled professionals. And Westminster has always taken an international approach to education – part of our vision is to build the next generation of highly employable global citizens. It’s an approach which this year saw us named as the most diverse university in

the UK, US, Australia and New Zealand in the Hotcourses Diversity Index, and ranked as one of the top 100 international universities by Times Higher Education. In this edition of Network it is encouraging to see so many examples of our alumni making a positive difference around the world – or, in the case of Hussain Manawer, even further afield. In 2015 Hussain beat 1,300 other young hopefuls to book his place on one of the first commercial space flights; with the world’s media focusing on his story, he is using his success as a platform to campaign for greater mental health awareness, as well as fighting racism and bigotry. Another alumna with a powerful message is Angel Capobianco, a graduate of Westminster Business School, and the copywriter behind the Always #LikeAGirl campaign which aims to change the way a generation of young women think about what it is to be a girl. The campaign has trended globally on social media with more than 60 million views on YouTube, won over 150 awards, and made a ground-breaking appearance during a Super Bowl advertising break. The efforts and achievements of our staff, students and alumni are continuing to lead the way in many other fields. Our teams are at the forefront of the fight against breast cancer and the development of new treatments for rabies, while the University’s Research Centre for Optimal Health is exploring the wider issue of how we can all live longer, healthier lives. Members of the University’s Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment have spent five years exploring what life could look like in the cities of the future. One alumnus who has already changed the lives of thousands of people is Ammar Al Shahbander. Ammar was the head of the Institute for War & Peace Reporting’s Baghdad operation, as well as a passionate campaigner for a positive future for Iraq. Tragically, Ammar lost his life in a terrorist attack in the city last year,

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

but in this edition of Network his widow, Angela, explains how Ammar’s work and belief continue to bring hope to so many. As a member of our 170,000-strong University of Westminster alumni network, extending across 180 countries, we hope you enjoy reading these stories and other news in this edition of Network. Whatever you studied, wherever in the world you may be, you will always be part of the Westminster family. We are particularly grateful to those of you able to support our efforts to instil the Westminster values in future generations of students; whether through giving your time as mentors or returning as guest speakers, or providing financial backing through scholarships and fundraising, your help is invaluable – thank you. I hope many of you will have the opportunity to renew or strengthen your relationship with the University of Westminster, through events such as Westminster Talks, the annual Alumni Reception, and the various alumni reunions. I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible throughout the coming year. Professor Geoffrey Petts Vice-Chancellor and President

CONTENTS

News, views and comments from our graduates and supporters around the world, and a welcome from the Alumni Team

Marketing Communications graduate Angel Capobianco on the advertising campaign that’s empowering young girls

All the news from across the University, including the latest research, alumni activities and achievements, and how you can get involved

The Westminster team changing our understanding of health and leading the way to a better, healthier future

IN TOUCH

NETWORK NEWS

THE MODEL FOR POLYTECHNIC EDUCATION Celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Regent Street Polytechnic – a pioneering educational institution

CITIES OF THE FUTURE Westminster architects explore how we will overcome dwindling resources, growing populations and climate change to build new communities

ANGEL DOES IT #LIKEAGIRL

OPTIMAL HEALTH: THE SECRET TO A LONG, HAPPY LIFE

A DIFFERENT WAY TO FIGHT A tribute to alumnus Ammar Al Shahbander, the journalist and campaigner killed in Baghdad last year

WESTMINSTER RECOGNISES INSPIRATIONAL CAMPAIGNER Baroness Doreen Lawrence receives an Honorary Doctorate – and shares a powerful message with this year’s graduates

Hussain Manawer, the University of Westminster graduate and astronaut in training, is on a mission to change the world

A selection of just some of the updates we have received from alumni around the globe

STARMAN

CLASSNOTES

NETWORK Consulting Editor: Keith Potter Chief Editor: Heather Ridal Contributors: David Brooks, Laura Garman, Alyssa Martin, Bridey Swarbrick Schwarz Development and Alumni Relations Office University of Westminster Cavendish House 101 New Cavendish Street, London W1W 6XH T: +44 (0)20 3506 6245 E: alumni@westminster.ac.uk Thanks to all alumni, staff, students and supporters who have contributed to this issue. Design: Hannah Green Print: Gemini Print westminster.ac.uk/alumni A charity and a company limited by guarantee. Registration number: 977818. Registered office: 309 Regent Street, London W1B 2UW 7848/09.16/HG/GP

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

IN TOUCH

IN TOUCH HELLO FROM THE ALUMNI TEAM

@ Thank you so very much for the opportunity of speaking at the MBA Tuesday Club. It really was super to refresh links with the University of Westminster and to meet some of the inspiring alumni. All good wishes and a massive grateful thanks. Dr Victoria Harmer (MBA, 2004), Team Leader/Clinical Nurse Specialist, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

The bigger and bolder alumni team (l-r): Andy Colley, Alyssa Martin, David Brooks, Nida Siddiqui, Heather Ridal, Laura Garman, Bhav Davda, Lorna Pontefract and Haydn Worley

Your alumni network is ever growing, and so is our team to match! We are a bigger and bolder alumni office, here to create more opportunities for you to stay connected with the University. Many of you are already volunteering with us, and this year we want to invite more of you to do the same – particularly those of you based overseas. Could you be an alumni ambassador in your country? Or help at a recruitment fair? Or simply organise a social gathering in your local town? Take a look at p6-7 for more information.

We have also listened to your feedback, and have now expanded the alumni discount for further study to a flat rate of 15 per cent, regardless of when you graduated from the University. Further details on this can be found towards the back of this edition on p46. We hope you enjoy this issue of Network magazine. The Alumni Team

There is much that you can gain from volunteering. Mentoring could be an excellent way of honing your coaching skills, or serving on an overseas alumni committee could broaden your professional contacts. We are here to enhance both the student and alumni experience.

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

@uw_alumni @UniWestminster Such a great audience tonight. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. Roland Rudd, @RolandRudd (Doctor of Letters, 2015), Founder and Chairman of Finsbury, joined us for Westminster Talks in February to speak on ‘In or out of Europe? Why the forthcoming vote matters’

@ It was my pleasure to help out at the Property and Construction Fair in November. I received good feedback, met many excellent students and built new contacts. Thank you for all you and your team do for the students and alumni of the University of Westminster. Simon Levinson (Real Estate BSc, 2014), Graduate Surveyor, Chestertons

IN TOUCH

GET CONNECTED

It was a great pleasure meeting with fellow alumni in Jordan last night. Sharing memories of the good old days was great fun and I hope that we can build on what we have initiated.

University of Westminster Alumni Association @uw_alumni

Bisher Zureikat (Architecture – Professional Practice, 1991), Managing Partner at OMB Architects, attended an alumni reception in Jordan

University of Westminster Alumni Association

alumni@westminster.ac.uk Alumni Relations Office Cavendish House 101 New Cavendish Street London W1W 6XH

Great night flying the flag for creative writing graduates! @UniWestminster @uw_alumni Christina Alagaratnam, @MissChrissy_92 (English BA, 2014), who joined as a guest speaker at our annual Employability Month

We would like to offer a huge welcome to the newest members of our alumni community. At this year’s graduation ceremonies in July, we asked a few proud graduates to sum up their Westminster experience in one word. This is what they said.

westminster.ac.uk

Alumni reception in Jordan, June 2016

WELCOME!

Rashida David-Hall (Business Management BA, 2016) was ‘ecstatic’ on her graduation day

@ When I arrived in London ten years ago as an undergraduate from China, volunteers gave me all the help I needed from the very first day of my campus life in Harrow. This is why I volunteer for the University of Westminster’s alumni work in China. Volunteering is also an ideal way to stay connected to my alma mater. Meeting alumni old and new is always exciting and thought-provoking.

Oliver Hughes and Patrick Mildren, who both graduated from the Business Management BA, thought their time here was ‘great’

Pan Deng (Journalism Studies MA, 2006), President, Westminster China Alumni Committee

Congratulations to Zahra Said (Architecture MA, 2016) on her ‘rewarding’ degree

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

NETWORK NEWS

MAKE YOUR MARK THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER HAS A PROUD HERITAGE OF PHILANTHROPY, GOING BACK TO OUR FOUNDER QUINTIN HOGG. OUR ALUMNI CONTINUE THIS TRADITION TODAY BY SUPPORTING THE UNIVERSITY AND OUR STUDENTS THROUGH A RANGE OF VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES. WHETHER YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES OR WANT TO MAKE A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT, VOLUNTEERING CAN BOOST YOUR PROFESSIONAL SKILLS, ENHANCE THE REPUTATION OF THE UNIVERSITY, AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, ENSURE OUR STUDENTS ARE IN THE BEST POSSIBLE PLACE TO LAUNCH THEIR CAREERS.

MENTOR Mentors are role models who help our students make the difficult transition into skilled professionals. Whether you’re based in London, or are part of our international alumni community, you can help widen aspirations, build confidence, and share insights into what it’s really like to work in your sector. In return, you can hone your own skills in communication and coaching.

GIVE A PUBLIC TALK The University of Westminster offers regular opportunities to speak, from our flagship Westminster Talks series, to course-based sessions where you can share your expertise with small groups of students. Hone your public speaking or presentation skills while supporting the employability of our students. Whether your area of interest is broad or specific, employability focused or in reaction to contemporary events, we want to hear from you.

PROVIDE A PLACEMENT Can you or your company offer current students the opportunity to get hands-on experience in an industry they are passionate about? In today’s competitive career environment, experience is crucial for graduates to succeed. Work placements can give students an invaluable insight into your industry, while also giving you the opportunity to work with potential future employees, gain short-term support for a challenging project, or gain fresh insights.

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

ORGANISE A REUNION After graduation, it can be easy to lose touch, especially as Westminster graduates live in over 180 countries around the world. Catch up with your fellow alumni about life after Westminster by organising a reunion. Many of our alumni choose to host reunions in the capital to relive their memories of London, but you could also organise a reunion in your home country.

NETWORK NEWS

JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI COMMUNITY RECRUIT OUR STUDENTS As one of our alumni, you know that Westminster graduates make highly skilled employees. If you have vacancies to fill, or want to raise your company profile, our Employer Services team is here to help you with your recruitment needs. You can advertise a vacancy through our online vacancy service, email key groups through our e-shot service, or attend careers fairs to meet our students.

Our alumni live in over 180 countries around the world, and we need alumni volunteers to co-ordinate activity in your region. By volunteering, you can bring alumni together, raise the profile of the University to prospective students, or support those about to travel to London for their studies. Our international programme is growing to help to support local events, networking and recruitment fairs. Find out more about the opportunities in your region at westminster.ac.uk/about-us/ alumni/international-alumni

SHARE YOUR STORY Many of our students feel apprehensive about leaving university and unsure of their future; you may well remember feeling the same. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why we want to hear from you. A few minutes of your time can provide inspiration, much-needed advice and open up diverse career paths. Share your story by completing an alumni profile at westminster.ac.uk/about-us/ alumni/alumni-profiles-1

MAKE YOUR DONATION TO THE UNIVERSITY GO EVEN FURTHER Did you know that your company could help you support the University of Westminsterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aspirational students, groundbreaking research and capital projects through a matched giving scheme? Many employers will match gifts donated by their employees to charities like Westminster pound for pound, so why not get in touch with your HR department to ask whether your employer can contribute to making a real difference. Visit westminster.ac.uk/support-us to find out more about making a gift to the University.

FIND OUT HOW TO GET INVOLVED Volunteering, mentoring, reunions and recruitment westminster.ac.uk/about-us/ alumni/get-involved alumni@westminster.ac.uk Make a donation westminster.ac.uk/support-us development@westminster.ac.uk

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

NETWORK NEWS

FIRST SECULAR ADVISER IN THE UK APPOINTED AT WESTMINSTER

The Faith and Spirituality Team: (l-r) Yusuf Kaplan (Interfaith Adviser), Isabel Millar (Secular Adviser), David Morris (Assistant Interfaith Adviser)

THE EU REFERENDUM RESULT: A MESSAGE TO OUR ALUMNI The University of Westminster is proud of our alumni, students and colleagues from the UK, Europe and across the world. The university sector has collectively supported the Remain campaign. While we respect the many different individual views, the result of the referendum on June 23 was challenging news for the sector, and by implication for us as an institution. The University of Westminster is engaged in a wide programme of global engagement – both within and

beyond the European Union. It remains our ambition to be an outwardly focused university where all our students will have the opportunity to choose to study or work abroad, or closer to home, in contexts that develop intercultural understanding, and we will continue to be part of our thriving national sector that is both competitive and attractive internationally. We remain a globally engaged institution.

The first in-house secular adviser in a UK institution has joined the University of Westminster’s Faith and Spirituality team. The University is proud of its diverse and multicultural community, and the role has been created to nurture mutual understanding and cultivate dialogue between these groups. Isabel Millar will offer nonreligious pastoral care to students, as well as secular advice at an academic and corporate level.

OBE HONOUR FOR LADY SORRELL The Chancellor of the University of Westminster, Lady Frances Sorrell, was awarded an OBE for her services to Art and Design Education in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in June. The OBE recognises Lady Sorrell’s achievements in championing education and opening up the creative industries to young people through the award-winning Sorrell Foundation. Lady Sorrell made her name as founder and chair of Newell and Sorrell, an internationally successful design business, before starting the Sorrell Foundation with her husband, Sir John Sorrell, in 1999. The Sorrell Foundation aims to bring together the worlds of design and education; more than 10,000 young people have taken part in its programmes, including the pioneering National Art&Design Saturday Club. Lady Sorrell became Chancellor of the University in 2015. Lady Frances Sorrell

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

NETWORK NEWS

A GLOBAL UNIVERSITY FOR A GLOBAL FUTURE The University of Westminster has been ranked as one of the top 100 international universities by Times Higher Education (THE). The THE World University Rankings rate universities on their global performance in research, teaching, knowledge transfer and international outlook. In a separate poll, the University has also been named as the most diverse university in the UK, US, Australia and New Zealand by the Hotcourses Diversity Index. Hotcourses collates data from official government sources to allow prospective students to compare levels of diversity and internationalisation. With 169 nationalities represented on our campuses, and 8,429 international students, diversity and global engagement are at the heart of the University’s values and strategic commitments. Professor Alexandra Hughes, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Global

Engagement, said: “With a highly internationalised community of students and staff, the University of

Westminster is strongly committed to global engagement in all the core areas of our activity.”

THE GREEN REVOLUTION The UI Green Metric World University Ranking on Sustainability has placed the University of Westminster as the fourth greenest city university in London, the 21st in the UK, and 34th in the world. Launched in 2010 by Universitas Indonesia, the UI Green Metric was initiated to give credit to the universities leading the way in reducing their carbon footprints, and highlight the importance of combatting climate change to university leaders and stakeholders. The University is committed to its Green Impact campaign which encourages staff and students to improve their environmental performance. It also supports growing spaces in Marylebone, Harrow and Chiswick, and aims to reduce the University’s carbon footprint by 43 per cent by 2020. NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

NETWORK NEWS

INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI COMMITTEES ANNOUNCED With a thriving community of over 170,000 alumni around the world, the Alumni Team is excited to announce the launch of alumni committees in India, China and Hong Kong. These committees will support the University in creating links with prospective and graduating students, providing internship and mentoring opportunities, and organising local events and activities.

India The University of Westminster India Alumni Network (WIAN) has over 900 active members. WIAN aims to grow alumni engagement in the region by cultivating a pool of volunteers to mentor, attend career fairs and enable student placements.

China and Hong Kong Our long history in China means that we have a strong and active alumni network with over 1,600 registered members. Alumni are located across China, particularly in Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing. In Hong Kong, we have over 800 alumni, and co-ordinate with an Alumni Advisory Group which supports the University’s wider global engagement agenda, including building connections with important academic partners in the region. For more information on your global alumni community or how to get involved, please visit: westminster.ac.uk/about-us/alumni/ international-alumni

Guests smile for the camera at the Alumni Reception in Mumbai on 19 January 2016

Guests mingle at the Alumni Reception in Hong Kong on 13 April 2016

JON SNOW, SANDI TOKSVIG AND BARONESS DOREEN LAWRENCE AWARDED HONORARY DOCTORATES

Jon Snow and Sandi Toksvig after their ceremony

Newsreader Jon Snow, broadcaster and campaigner Sandi Toksvig and Life Peer Baroness Doreen Lawrence have received honorary doctorates from the University of Westminster. All three were given standing ovations at the ceremonies, which

“YOU ARE GRADUATING AT A CROSSROADS IN POLITICAL LIFE. DON’T ALLOW THAT TO DAMPEN YOUR CAPACITY TO CHANGE THE WORLD.” JON SNOW

took place on 11-13 July at Royal Festival Hall, as 2,800 graduands received their degree certificates. Jon Snow, the longest-serving presenter of Channel 4 News, was awarded for his outstanding contribution to journalism at the ceremony for the Westminster School of Media, Arts and Design. At the same ceremony, Sandi Toksvig, who has become a fixture on television and radio through shows such as Call My Bluff, QI and Up the Women, was recognised for her contribution to women’s rights and education, including co-founding the Women’s Equality Party in 2015. Baroness Lawrence received her honorary doctorate at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities graduation ceremony for her commitment to helping disadvantaged young people into education. She established the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust in the name of her late son, murdered in a racist attack in 1993, and also

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

“YOU ARE BRILLIANT YOUNG PEOPLE. DON’T LET THE OLDER GENERATION TELL YOU OTHERWISE. AND GRAB LIFE BY THE THROAT; THAT’S THE BEST ADVICE OF ALL.” SANDI TOKSVIG

helps black, Asian and minority ethnic young people into underrepresented professions through her scholarship scheme. The University of Westminster also awarded honorary doctorates to John McIntosh (Head Teacher of the London Oratory School); Paul Salmon (Managing Director of Byrne Bros, the construction company behind the Olympic Stadium and the Shard); and Susie Orbach (psychoanalyst and writer). More can be read about Baroness Lawrence’s story on p40.

NETWORK NEWS

PROFESSOR MOORAD CHOUDHRY: WHY I BACK YOUNG SCHOLARS

Alumnus Professor Moorad Choudhry left school with “only average” A-levels and aspiring to be the bass player in an indie pop band. Thirty-one years on, after enjoying a successful career as a City banker and published author, Moorad looks back on some highlights of studying here and why he decided to create a scholarship for students studying at Westminster Business School. After realising he was never going to be a famous pop star, Moorad got stuck into his studies in social science at the University of Westminster, later graduating with a First Class degree. “I really loved and enjoyed my time studying here,” Moorad says. “It was a good place to be and I have very fond memories of the academic staff, who were excellent, and the fact that I could specialise in economics. And of course being in central London. “For me, student life was about getting a good degree and getting a good job, so maybe I wasn’t the typical student. I never missed a single 9am lecture! I also had to make up for my average A-levels. Today, student life is very different. Students have to be more diligent because they’re paying their own money, the job market is very tight and there’s a lot of competition out there in a globalised economy.”

Throughout his career, Moorad has held a number of senior positions, including CEO of Habib Bank AG Zurich, and prior to that, Head of Treasury, Corporate Banking and Markets at the Royal Bank of Scotland. As well as this, he has published several finance textbooks, most recently The Principles of Banking. Moorad believes he is fortunate that his parents encouraged education: “My father worked hard to send me to a good school, and later supported me to study for a Masters. Not everyone has that support. If someone wants to study, has a desire to get a degree and shows the drive, determination and learning, but doesn’t have that financial support, I think it’s a shame if such a person can’t get to university.” His affinity to Westminster is what led him to create the scholarship, Moorad explains: “I really identify with the University after having such a positive experience studying here, and later discovering it was one of the best universities to attend for students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford higher education if it were not for scholarships like these.”

“FOR THOSE SCHOLARS LOOKING TO FOLLOW IN MY FOOTSTEPS, I WOULD SAY TREAT THE SUCCESS IN THE SAME WAY YOU TREAT FAILURE: EVERYTHING IS A LEARNING PROCESS. DON’T LET THE FAILURE GET YOU DOWN AND DON’T LET THE SUCCESS MAKE YOU COMPLACENT.”

After establishing the scholarship scheme in 2010, Moorad has seen two of the scholars, Sorwar Khan and Tahera Begum, graduate with First Class degrees: “I know one of the scholars was the first in her family to go to university and wouldn’t have gone if it wasn’t for the scholarship. If I hear a student say those two things I feel chuffed; that’s all I need to hear as I know the scholarship has been of some real value. “Ultimately, I chose Westminster to set up the scholarship because it’s where I came from. I’m an alumnus of the University of Westminster and I’m happy about that and proud to have it on my CV.”

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

NETWORK NEWS

NEW 125 FUND TO OPEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS THE

125 FUND A pioneering scheme to support University of Westminster students has been created in celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Regent Street Polytechnic. The 125 Fund will offer grants to students that can enhance their employability and help them to achieve their full potential by providing extra funds for project work, additional equipment or activities connected with

their personal and professional development. The Quintin Hogg Trust, a charity which continues Quintin Hogg’s principles of holistic education, has generously pledged up to £125,000 in matched funding to enable us to create a total fund of £250,000 over the forthcoming academic year. This means that any contributions will be matched pound for pound, and make an incredible difference to our students in these challenging and uncertain times. As an example of the potential impact of your contribution, a single donation of £100 from a UK taxpayer would be worth £225 (once Gift Aid and matched funding is included),

enough to support a student towards an important – and possibly lifechanging – goal, so your support will be a real investment in their futures. Our current students will also be reaching out to alumni during our annual telephone appeal in November 2016 to seek their support and invite them to join others who have already donated to The 125 Fund. If you are inspired by the aims of The 125 Fund and would like to help our students by supporting it, please go to westminster.ac.uk/ support-us where you can donate now. For more information email us on development@westminster.ac.uk.

TRUTH AND AUTHENTICITY: GEORGE ALAGIAH AND TOM STOPPARD AT THE CHARLES WHEELER AWARDS BBC journalist and newsreader George Alagiah was honoured with the prestigious Charles Wheeler Award for Outstanding Contribution to Journalism in a star-studded ceremony at the University of Westminster’s Regent Street Cinema this June. George Alagiah began his broadcasting career as a foreign correspondent with the BBC, covering the Rwandan genocide and the civil wars in Afghanistan, Liberia and Somalia. He has been presenting the BBC News at Six since 2003. On receiving the award Mr Alagiah said: “The most important thing is looking at how credible the story is and how true the story is, all those things which Charles Wheeler stood for, which is why it is a particular honour for me to be given this award today.” The award is bestowed in the name of the late Sir Charles Wheeler, the BBC’s longest-serving foreign correspondent and one of 12

(l-r): Professor Steve Barnett, George Alagiah and Sir Tom Stoppard at the Charles Wheeler Awards

the UK’s most esteemed journalists. Established in 2009, the award is a collaboration between the British Journalism Review and the University of Westminster, and is held each year at the Regent Campus. Celebrated playwright and journalist Sir Tom Stoppard provided the keynote speech. Sir Tom was made famous by plays such as

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

Arcadia and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, and his work explores the themes of human rights, censorship and political freedom. Previous winners include Jeremy Paxman, Lindsey Hilsum and Jon Snow, and presenters have included Alastair Campbell, Harriet Harman and Alan Yentob.

NETWORK NEWS

TAKE FIVE WITH MIRANDA BRAWN

IN BRIEF The Westminster Institute for Advanced Studies has been founded by the University of Westminster to support interdisciplinary research and enable knowledge exchange across the humanities and sciences. The Institute aims to address contemporary challenges faced by society, culture, arts and technology. Professor Andrew Linn has joined the University of Westminster as the new Dean for the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities. Professor Linn was previously Professor of the History of Linguistics at the University of Sheffield.

2016 has been a stratospheric year for Miranda Brawn (MBA, 2001). Not only was she elected as a Fellow of the RSA for her outstanding contribution to community work and diversity in the UK, but she also featured in the Financial Times List of the Top 100 global leading executives from ethnic minorities. Currently Director of Legal and Transaction Management at Daiwa Capital Markets, Miranda is also a banker, entrepreneur, barrister and public speaker. Miranda founded the Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership Foundation to support black, Asian and minority ethnic future leaders and to raise awareness of diversity and equality in Britain and beyond. We found out more about Miranda in five questions. If you could go back and give any advice to yourself when you were a student, what would it be? Find a mentor. Mentors have been instrumental in my career growth, assisting me with gaining employment and providing valuable advice. What is your proudest achievement? Being in a position to give back to society and help the next generation of leaders. I launched my Diversity Leadership Scholarship to help increase

race diversity within the UK workforce. There will also be the Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership Annual Lecture on 15 October at my old law school, the University of Law, to help inspire future leaders on the topic of diversity. What is your best memory of being a student at Westminster? Graduating with my degree and getting to know the other students on my MBA programme. The students were from all over the world and different industries. I was the youngest student from an investment banking background, hence it was great to exchange knowledge with the other students. This is now a popular term called ‘networking’. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? My desired career changed a few times while growing up from a writer, a bank manager and then a lawyer. To date, I have managed to accomplish all three roles in my career. If you could be an Olympic athlete, in what sport would you compete? Running was my favourite sport at school so it would have to be the Women’s 100m. You can find out more about Miranda Brawn at mirandabrawn.com

An Athena Swan Bronze Award has been granted to the University in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. The University is the first to achieve the award since the charter was broadened to include trans students and staff, and arts, humanities, social science and law subjects. Smoke Radio, the University of Westminster Students’ Union radio station, won Best Student Radio Station at the 2015 Student Radio Awards in November. Coverage of flagship events such as National Student Pride and the Students’ Union elections were cited as examples of the excellent broadcasting standards of the station. A puppy and bunny room in the University’s Marylebone Campus helped students to relax during the busy exam period in April. Twelve puppies and eight bunnies were on hand for students to play with as part of the Students’ Union De-Stress Week. The slots to pet the animals were snapped up in minutes due to high demand.

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

NETWORK NEWS

OSCAR TRIUMPHS FOR WESTMINSTER Asif Kapadia (Film, Video and Photographic Arts BA, 1994) took home his first Oscar at this year’s ceremony in February for his recordbreaking documentary Amy, about troubled singer Amy Winehouse. Asif was awarded Best Documentary Feature for the film, which broke records at the UK box office, and also won a BAFTA for Best Documentary and a Grammy for Best Music Film. The documentary combined archive footage of the singer alongside intimate interviews with her friends to tell the story of her phenomenal career followed by her tragic early demise. A second Oscar for the University of Westminster was won by Shan Christopher Ogilvie (Film and Television Production BA, 2009) with Best Live Action Short Film for Stutterer, about a lonely typographer with a stutter and his attempts to form a relationship. Also nominated in the Best Documentary Feature category was

Asif Kapadia’s Oscar-winning film Amy

The Look of Silence, by Dr Joshua Oppenheimer, Reader in the Westminster School of Media, Arts and Design. The film follows the story of a

man as he confronts those responsible for the ruthless killing of his brother in the 1965 purge of communists in Indonesia.

STAMP OF APPROVAL FOR PINK FLOYD

Six of the stamps celebrating Pink Floyd by Royal Mail

Royal Mail have honoured Pink Floyd by unveiling a set of stamps featuring their iconic and influential album covers and live performances. The founding members of the band – Roger Waters, Nick Mason and 14

Richard Wright – studied architecture at the University of Westminster (at that time the Regent Street Polytechnic), between 1962 and 1965, playing gigs at student parties and in the common room.

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

Pink Floyd are famous for their innovation and experimentation with both their album cover designs and the imagery for their live performances. The set of ten stamps celebrates this, showcasing their most iconic and inventive moments, from The Dark Side of the Moon to The Wall tour. Speaking when a heritage plaque commemorating 50 years of the band was revealed at the Regent Campus last year, Nick Mason said: “Studying at the Regent Street Polytechnic introduced me to some of the key people and biggest collaborators in my career. Three of the founding members of Pink Floyd met there so in essence we were formed under the roof of the Polytechnic.” The stamps can be bought online for between £4.32 and £24.99.

NETWORK NEWS

SONY SUCCESS FOR SIGALA

Sigala in the studio

University of Westminster graduate Sigala has signed a multi-million pound licensing deal with Sony, ensuring his music will be promoted and distributed worldwide. Sigala, whose real name is Bruce Fielder, had a UK Number 1 hit with his debut single, Easy Love, in September 2015, and went on to have a further two top-five hits in the next seven months. Overall he has sold two million records worldwide and has been digitally streamed over 300 million times. Bruce graduated from the Commercial Music BA degree in 2013 with First Class Honours. Dr Chris Kennett, Senior Lecturer in Commercial Music, said: “I’m delighted for Bruce, though I’m not surprised, given his fantastic contribution to the Commercial Music BA degree while he was here. I’m even happier that he’s aware of and grateful for the contribution of the course; ‘You guys really went out of your way to help me,’ as he said on celebrating his first UK Number 1 single.”

Sigala at the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge with Craid David

ROHIT PRADHAN SCORES TOP INDIAN FILM AWARD AT ‘HINDI OSCARS’ A Filmfare Award for Sound Design was awarded to University of Westminster alumnus Rohit Pradhan, at a star-studded ceremony in Thane, India. Filmfare Awards are the most prestigious screen awards in India – often referred to as the ‘Hindi Oscars’ – and are presented annually to honour both artistic and technical excellence in Indian cinema. In contrast to many awards, Filmfare Awards are voted for by both the public and film experts. Rohit was awarded the famed Lady in Black trophy for his acclaimed sound design on the 2014 film Rege. Rege, directed by Abhijit Panse, tells the story of a college teenager who becomes embroiled in a criminal underworld after a chance encounter. The film was both a critical and commercial success in India. Rohit achieved an MA in Audio Production in 2006 from Westminster School of Media, Arts and Design. During his time at Westminster he was able to gain valuable experience in the industry through rigging at live gigs and

volunteering on documentaries produced by the Department of Film and Television. He also found London an inspirational city in which to be based. Rohit, who now lives in Mumbai, said: “The best thing about studying in London was being exposed to the variety of art and culture on offer as well as the diversity of the city, which has spawned a unique artistic subculture.” He added: “Very few universities teach you how to cope with the pressures of working in the media industry, but Westminster taught me how to manage a range of people and priorities at any one time. I learnt how to manage actors, producers, suppliers, finances and all the legalities that come with running your own business. I would not be where I am today were it not for my experience at Westminster.” In 2014 he was awarded the renowned IMFFA award for Achievement in Sound Design for his work on the film Yellow. The short film Mitraa, for which he was a sound designer, also won the National Award for the Best Short Film.

Rohit Pradhan was awarded a prestigious Lady in Black trophy

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

RESEARCH NEWS

PIONEERING BREAST CANCER RESEARCH Dr Dwek and Dr Claire E Robertson (Registered Nutritionist [AfN] and Senior Lecturer at the University of Westminster) have co-authored The Breast Cancer Cook Book, a recipe book that aims to bust the myths surrounding diet and breast cancer. Recipes enable cancer patients to make healthy choices based on the latest scientific research, while enjoying food. The book was written in collaboration with acclaimed breast cancer surgeon Professor Mohammed Keshtgar.

A new blood test identifying patients with secondary breast cancer has been developed by the University of Westminster’s Cancer Research Group. The test, funded by the charity Against Breast Cancer, can detect if secondary cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Secondary cancer is often not diagnosed until symptoms occur years after successful treatment for primary breast cancer, and the new test could dramatically improve early diagnosis of the disease.

Dr Miriam Dwek, leader of the Cancer Research Group, explained that the test works by detecting high levels of a protein called cadherin-5 that displayed abnormal sugar arrangements in women who went on to develop secondary breast cancer. She said: “We are excited and hope to develop this test further so in the future there will be improved methods for better monitoring of patients.”

A bra that treats breast cancer has been developed by a biotechnology specialist at the University of Westminster. Professor Ipsita Roy worked with designer Sarah Da Costa to develop the Material Pharmacy bra. The bra is able to deliver anti-oestrogen drug Tamoxifen to women prone to breast cancer through an embedded biopolymer skin. This allows the women to avoid the side effects caused by oral tablets. The bra could progress to pre-clinical testing within two to three years.

A NEW TREATMENT FOR RABIES A new antibody treatment for rabies has been tested by University of Westminster researchers with astonishing results. In laboratory conditions, the antibodies were proved to be significantly more effective at inhibiting the rabies virus in humans compared to current treatments. Rabies is responsible for up to 60,000 deaths each year, particularly in Asia and Africa, even though successful vaccines exist. Speaking on the impact 16

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

of the research, Dr Edward Wright, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, said: “Rabies remains a huge public health concern. We have shown that [the antibodies] can inhibit a much wider spectrum of the rabies virus and are up to 1,000 times more potent than existing treatments.” The study was undertaken in collaboration with Swiss antibodies specialists Humabs BioMed.

RESEARCH NEWS

TAKE THE HANDEDNESS TEST The University of Westminster’s Dr Gillian Forrester developed an interactive quiz for BBC iWonder in time for this year’s Wimbledon to explain why left-handed tennis players are more likely to win. BBC iWonder consulted Dr Forrester to help solve the riddle of why only ten per cent of the world’s population is left-handed, but 23 per cent of Wimbledon’s singles champions are left-handed. The interactive section explored the idea that handedness is a continuous scale, and allows participants to discover how left- or right-handed they are.

The quiz also offers interesting insights into the psychology of handedness, including that handedness is down to both genes and environment, that each half of your body is controlled by the opposite side of the brain and the left side controls action sequences like tennis serves. It is also possible to improve your weaker side, although this is easier with younger people. Dr Forrester is a cognitive neuroscientist, and is Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Course Leader for the Cognitive and Clinical Psychology BSc at the University of Westminster.

DOES MUSIC MAKE YOU MAD? The UK’s first academic research into mental health and the music industry is being conducted by academics from the University of Westminster’s Music Tank. The campaign is funded by the charity Help Musicians UK, and seeks to better understand and find solutions to the way in which the pressures and insecurity of the music industry can cause psychological and emotional trauma to musicians and other music professionals. Dr George Musgrave, Co-Project Leader and Senior Lecturer on the

Music Business Management MA, said: “Many know the well-publicised stories of Amy Winehouse and others, but we are interested in shining a light on the everyday experiences of those battling conditions that many have not felt able to speak about, and asking wider questions about the risks of music.” Music Tank is an independent non-profit think tank, established by the University of Westminster in 2003.

WESTMINSTER FIGHTS FOR YOUR RIGHTS A call for UK citizens to have a greater say in how they are governed has been launched by the Electoral Reform Society with a landmark report involving the University of Westminster. The Citizens’ Assembly Project aims to start a conversation about where power lies in British politics, and involve voters in the democratic decisions that affect their cities and the UK. A pilot of citizens’ assemblies, including in Sheffield and Southampton, has indicated that “citizens are ready, willing and able to take part in participatory and deliberative forms of democracy”. For the first report of its kind in the UK, the Electoral Reform Society brought together experts from the University of Westminster – including Professor Graham Smith, Professor of Politics in the Centre for the Study of Democracy – as well as the University of Sheffield, the University of London and the University of Southampton. Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, it has support from across the political divides, including former Labour Home Secretary David Blunkett, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas, and Conservative MP, former Attorney General and alumnus Dominic Grieve (Law, 1979). The Rt Hon Dominic Grieve QC MP said: “It seems to me to be an overwhelmingly beneficial idea. Politicians need to understand public opinion and are often very cut off from it. Citizens’ assemblies […] offer an opportunity to get that understanding which can then inform the debate which we have to have in parliament.”

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

NETWORK NEWS

A RACE ACROSS THE OCEAN WITH THE COXLESS CREW GIANT WAVES POUNDED THE BOAT, SHARKS CIRCLED AND SLEEP DEPRIVATION BROUGHT THEM TO THE EDGE. BUT WESTMINSTER ALUMNA MEG DYOS ISN’T ONE FOR GIVING UP. In January 2016, University of Westminster alumna Meg Dyos set two new world records with the indomitable Coxless Crew, becoming the first all-female team, and team of four, to row the Pacific Ocean. In an amazing feat of perseverance, bravery and endurance, the Coxless Crew rowed for 257 days, covering 8,446 miles (13,593km) from San Francisco to Queensland, Australia. This involved rowing for 24 hours a day in shifts of two hours, sleeping for no more than 90 minutes at a time, and living for weeks on a 29-foot boat named Doris with only a small cabin the size of a two-man tent. This incredible journey has so far helped to raise over £54,000 for women’s charities, including Walking for the Wounded’s fund for injured servicewomen, and Breast Cancer Care, a UK-wide charity which provides specialist support for the 55,000 people diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Meg, who graduated in 2014 with a degree in English Literature, joined the team for the last leg of their journey from Samoa to their final destination of Cairns. Back on dry land, Meg told us about her adventure. Congratulations on being part of the first all-female team and first fourperson team to row the Pacific. What does it feel like to have made history? I honestly don’t feel like my feet have touched the ground. Excited, proud, surreal – any of these words could describe how I feel. I think we all need a week to adjust and get back to reality. What is it like to be back on dry land? We were all really wobbly! I think we must have all looked drunk when we 18

came off the boat; we were all over the shop! The first thing I did was hug my mum, as my family was in Australia for my return. And we’ve all been getting used to sleeping normally again, as when we were out on the ocean we had to practise a polyphasic sleep pattern, where you sleep multiple times a day for no longer than 90 minutes. Tell us about your experiences at Westminster, climbing Kilimanjaro as part of the International Development Society and climbing Machu Picchu with the Raising and Giving Society. I was the expedition leader for the Machu Picchu trip which helped me to develop team work and leadership skills. I made some amazing friendships on these expeditions that I still have to this day. The University of Westminster is a very multicultural university and through the societies I was able to meet people from different cultures and backgrounds. They were fantastic experiences.

“WAVES THE SIZE OF HOUSES WOULD KNOCK THE BOAT AROUND IN THE DARKNESS”

What was the biggest challenge or hurdle that you faced when you were out on the waves? Having to overcome fear itself. We were rowing in shark-infested waters and we still had to get in the water to do things like scrape barnacles off the boat, while someone else had to be on shark watch. We got over our fear by naming the sharks. They were all boys – our only male company – and they were Spanish. Fernando circled the girls on their first leg of the journey before I joined. Eduardo followed us for ten days. And Tinto spent two hours trying to bite the boat. When they had names they suddenly didn’t seem so intimidating anymore!

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

“EXCITED, PROUD, SURREAL – ANY OF THESE WORDS COULD DESCRIBE HOW I FEEL”

What is your most amazing memory that you will take away? Sometimes the sea was so flat that you could see your reflection in the water. Whales would pop their heads out of the sea and sometimes you would see a turtle swimming towards you. We had solar panelled speakers so we could only use them when it was sunny but when we were able to use them, it was amazing. It would make you forget the pain of rowing. What did you find most unexpected about the experience? It was the waves. I hadn’t thought about what it would be like when the sea was rough. And the darkness: for one week a month there is absolutely no moon and you are rowing in pitch black. Waves the size of houses would be knocking the boat around in the darkness. There were terrifying moments, but you had to just keep rowing. By the end of your journey, what were you most looking forward to? Hummus! The food we had on board was all rehydrated food made by adding hot water; it was like eating baby food. So now it’s amazing to be able to eat fresh food – like avocado – and be able to chew. Also to have a duvet – I can’t wait to get home to my duck-down duvet. It is not too late to donate to the Coxless Crew’s charities. Text DORIS to 70300 to donate £3 to support their fundraising efforts, or visit the Coxless Crew’s charity page: coxlesscrew.com/charities. You can also read their incredible blog for the full fascinating journey: coxlesscrew.com/blog

Meg Dyos trains in the gym before her trip

NETWORK NEWS

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

NETWORK NEWS

THE MODEL FOR POLYTECHNIC EDUCATION THE REGENT STREET POLYTECHNIC WAS FOUNDED ON 23 JUNE 1891, AND ENDOWED WITH PUBLIC MONEY. IT BUILT ON THE PHILANTHROPIC WORK OF QUINTIN HOGG, WHO BEGAN TO PROVIDE BASIC EDUCATION FOR SOME OF LONDON’S POOREST CHILDREN IN THE SLUMS OF COVENT GARDEN DURING THE 1860s. He developed a vision of providing educational, sporting and social opportunities for young working men at The Young Men’s Christian Institute (YMCI), which moved into 309 Regent Street in 1882. The YMCI took on the spirit of the Royal Polytechnic Institution, which had previously occupied the building, and soon became known as the Polytechnic. New day and evening courses in technical and commercial subjects were introduced to support the expanding economy as London became the world’s largest city. A gymnasium and swimming pool were also installed in Regent Street, and the remarkable growth and success of the Polytechnic sports clubs began. The Polytechnic became the model upon which others were founded – receiving public funding to continue its work, and officially changing its name to the Regent Street Polytechnic. In 1896 the first public moving picture show in the UK was held in the Polytechnic Theatre, which in later years became a cinema. Between 1910 and 1912 large parts of the Polytechnic building were demolished and rebuilt, although the theatre, swimming pool and gymnasium were retained behind the new façade. Fyvie Hall – the venue for this year’s anniversary event – was added as a result of a generous donation from Lord Leith of Fyvie, and the new building was opened by the King and Queen in 1912.

The Regent Street exterior as it looked in the 1890s (top), and the same building today (above)

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

NETWORK NEWS

CELEBRATING 125 YEARS OF THE REGENT STREET POLYTECHNIC

Elements of the original Regent Street foyer (top) can still be seen in today’s extended and updated entrance hall (above)

Student tailors in the 1890s learnt cutting skills in the Polytechnic Theatre (top), which went on to become the Cinema, and the refurbished facility today (above)

University alumni, honorary doctors and friends of the University joined Westminster staff to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the establishment of our predecessor institution, the Regent Street Polytechnic. The event, hosted by the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Geoffrey Petts, and the Chair of the Court of Governors, Peter Kyle, included a celebration dinner and an evening of music featuring performances by Billy Ocean – an honorary doctor of the University – and Emmanuel Nwamadi, current Westminster student and finalist on BBC’s The Voice UK 2015. On 28 June 2016, guests gathered in Fyvie Hall at the Regent Campus, to hear more about the

Professor Geoffrey Petts with Emmanuel Nwamadi (left) and Billy Ocean (right)

work of the University, as well as enjoy the entertainment and a stunning meal prepared by chef Simon Wood, 2015 winner of Masterchef. Guests included the University’s Chancellor, Lady Frances Sorrell; broadcaster and honorary doctor Sandi Toksvig; and Director General of the UK and Foreign Commonwealth Office, honorary doctor Cressida Dick, among many others.

Simon Wood prepared a delicious dinner

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

CITIES OF THE FUTURE

CITIES OF THE FUTURE IMAGINE A WORLD WHERE CITIES FLOAT ON THE OCEAN, METROPOLISES RISE INTO THE SKY, AND HOLIDAYS ARE TO THE MOON. Toby Burgess (Director, Toby Burgess Design) and Arthur Mamou-Mani (Director, Mamou-Mani Architects), both award-winning architects and lecturers in the University of Westminster’s Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, have spent five years exploring how technology will advance the spaces that we inhabit in the future. How will we respond to the challenges we face with growing populations, climate change and dwindling resources, and how will these shape the cities that house, protect and sustain us? For the launch of TV series Impossible Engineering, Arthur and Toby joined a panel of urban and architectural experts to research the innovations and new technology that will transform our cityscapes in 100 years’ time. The predictions were then put to 2,000 members of the British public who were asked to vote for those they believed most likely to become reality. These ideas were developed further in the SmartThings Future Living Report into how we will live, work and relax in the future. Arthur Mamou-Mani said: “Toby and I have been working with our students to explore the future of living since we first started teaching at the University of Westminster four years ago. Our homes and cities are undergoing a fast-paced technological revolution which is caused by the convergence of the physical and the digital world. Together with a team of scientists and based on

our academic and professional research, we have tried to identify the main changes in our living space that are likely to take place in the coming 100 years.” Here they share with us their top predictions for the future.

EARTH SCRAPERS Superdeep basements are the top prediction for the future of cities, voted for by 41 per cent of the public. This trend can already be seen in dense and expensive urban centres like London, where turning basements into habitable spaces can extend the size of homes when it is impossible to extend above ground. On a grander scale, BNKR Arquitectura have already planned a 300-metre deep ‘earth scraper’ in Mexico City, designed to preserve the historic landscape of the city while utilising the unused space beneath the ground. The building will consist of an inverted pyramid with a ‘central void’ to bring natural lighting and ventilation to inhabitants. Benefits of building down include the insulation properties of the soil, which can keep us warm without additional

HOW WILL WE RESPOND TO THE CHALLENGES WE FACE, AND HOW WILL THESE SHAPE THE CITIES THAT WE LIVE IN?

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

CITIES OF THE FUTURE

IN THE FUTURE, HOMES ARE LIKELY TO HAVE AS MANY FLOORS BELOW AS ABOVE THE GROUND

Energy could also be created through water currents and waves, as can already be seen with wave farms. With their own energy and food sources, these aquatic communities may never need to visit land, and could continually float towards the ideal weather conditions. Rising sea levels through global warming, and the increasing population, are cited as reasons by the experts for the likelihood of this development.

UP AND UP

energy expenditure. This means that in the future, homes are likely to have as many floors below as above the ground.

INTERLINKING PODS WILL FLOAT ON THE SEA, DRIFTING TOWARDS IDEAL WEATHER CONDITIONS

LIFE AQUATIC Floating cities are the second most likely prediction, gaining 30 per cent of the vote. However, this is the most desirable form of habitation, with one in four hoping to see this become a reality, compared to one in five who want to see superdeep basements. Out of this, 19 per cent imagine floating pods on rivers to ease inner-city crowding, while ten per cent believe

they will take the shape of underwater cities. Our researchers imagine reef-like structures consisting of interlinking pods floating on the water, and linked to the mainland by roads. This would be enabled by technological advances in splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen, which could create a breathable atmosphere below the water, and a viable source of fuel.

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

Immense advances in building materials and the automation of construction processes could bring cities into the sky. Twenty-eight per cent of people asked believe that urban high-rise farms were a possibility, where animals and fields could be stacked in tall structures to address the increasing shortage of space. Malls, bars, cafĂŠs, parks and prefabricated homes could be hosted in giant, vertical megastructures, lined by elevated streets and huge aerial highways connecting the cities. Streets may evolve to be both horizontal and vertical, with drone cars flying to different levels of the high rises, negating the need for lifts. This in itself will change the architecture of high rises, which would become more open. Prototypes for all of these ideas can already be seen, with the Kingdom Tower in Saudi Arabia anticipated to exceed a kilometre, and shops in Tokyo already stacked and accessible via escalators.

OFF-THE-SHELF HOMES 3D printing will begin to revolutionise the way we build and buy houses. It is already possible to download and construct houses, a method which is both quicker and more environmentally friendly than conventional building,

CITIES OF THE FUTURE

with the opportunity to use recycled materials. Twenty-two per cent of voters believe that it will become the norm for people to buy homes â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;off the shelfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, and 16 per cent are excited about this prospect. Other predictions include using algorithms to create personalised homes through analysing patterns of social behaviour and search engine use. Recycling will also become more efficient, with solvents that can break down polymers that are used by 3D printers meaning that furniture and other household items could be reconstituted anew again and again, reducing transportation and use of materials.

LIFE ON MARS As life on Earth becomes more challenging, with climate change, expanding populations and diminishing resources, we may need to look further

THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO POPULATE MARS, WHICH HOLDS UNDERGROUND STREAMS OF WATER

afield for the necessary resources to support life. According to the research, 21 per cent think we will need to make use of technology such as self-contained microclimates, to allow us to survive in otherwise uninhabitable areas. A further 12 per cent predict that spaceports will make travel to the moon

and Mars a possibility. New commercial enterprises that could include asteroid mining would bring communities to live on the moon, where cities would be designed to generate food and oxygen. After discovering how we can live outside Earth, the next step would be to populate Mars, which holds underground streams of water. To find out more, please visit westminster.ac.uk/news-and-events/ news/2016/westminster-academicspredict-underwater-citiesdownloadable-food-and-3d-printedhouses-by-2116

The University of Westminster has launched a new degree course to respond to the challenges of a rapidly expanding and urbanising global population. The Designing Cities: Planning and Architecture BA Honours Degree will begin in September 2016. For more information visit westminster.ac.uk/courses/ subjects/planning-housing-and-urban-design/undergraduate-courses/ september/full-time/designing-cities-planning-and-architecture-ba-honours

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

STARMAN

STARMAN NETWORK MAGAZINE TALKS TO HUSSAIN MANAWER, THE WESTMINSTER GRADUATE AND ASTRONAUT IN TRAINING, WHO IS ON A MISSION TO CHANGE THE WORLD. The Science Museum’s Exploring Space gallery is a dark, atmospheric arena, recreating a sense of the seemingly endless ocean of blackness, dotted with stars and planets, that only a tiny proportion of people will ever get to experience first hand. The exhibits – including a full-size replica of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s 1969 Eagle lander – may be there as tangible examples of the reality of space exploration, but even here it’s hard to escape the idea that journeying above the Earth’s atmosphere is something which belongs in comic books and sci-fi films. Try telling that to Hussain Manawer though. The 25-year-old University of Westminster alumnus from east London is about to join that band of fewer than 500 space travellers, having won the Kruger Cowne Rising Star competition in November last year and secured his place aboard one of the first commercial space flights as early as 2018. And as he walks into the Museum’s gallery to talk to Network about his incredible achievements, he’s displaying a smile and an attitude that could light up some of the darkest reaches of space. Hussain’s success in the competition – organised by Kruger Cowne, in partnership with Spaceship Earth Grants and One Young World – was a result of his powerful performance in front of judges and more than 1,500 delegates at the One Young World summit in Bangkok. His three-minute, poetry-slam-style presentation was an

impassioned plea for greater awareness and understanding of mental health issues. Was he as confident as he appeared? “In my hotel room the night before, I was a mess,” says Hussain, “telling myself that I should never have entered the competition.” But spurred on by messages of support from friends and family back home, and the competitiveness of some of the other candidates, when the time came to give his presentation, he was ready. “After I saw the reaction of the crowd, I knew I’d won. And when they read my name out as the winner, it felt incredible. But since that moment, in a really strange way, it’s felt like life has always been like this. In my head I’d already seen all this happen a million times, because I’d dreamed of winning. Everything felt like it was right.” Hussain’s route to space travel may be more unusual than most, but his journey along the way has already seen him notch up some impressive achievements, both as a fundraiser and humanitarian, and in his marketing career. As well as helping to rebuild and renovate a remote village in Botswana as a 17-year-old, Hussain’s fundraising efforts for Pakistan flood victims culminated in a climb of Mount Kilimanjaro while a second-year student on the Quantity Surveying BSc at Westminster – and it was this charity climb which gave him his first career break. “That was when I met some directors from Coca-Cola, and they offered me a job in marketing,” explains Hussain. “So as

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

STARMAN

soon as my degree finished, I went to work for Coke. “It was a big jump from quantity surveying, and I didn’t really know what I was doing in marketing. But they really believed in me, for which I was very grateful. And I wasn’t going to miss out on the opportunity of working for one of the biggest brands in the world. I actually started to work for Coke during my final year, as well as studying.” What started out as an internship led to a full-time job after graduation: “Looking back, I was so lucky,” says Hussain. He worked as part of Coca-Cola’s Olympic team, and when the London Games were over, the team then moved on to Brazil. “That wasn’t for me,” says Hussain. “I had the opportunity to put myself forward for a place working out in Brazil, but I didn’t.” After several agency jobs and short-term contracts, Hussain then went on to work for marketing firm Havas, with clients including Manchester United, Asda, One Direction and Yahoo. “It was interesting, but I didn’t get the same sense of belonging as I had at Coke,” says Hussain. “Then one lunchtime, I set up a YouTube account. I went home, put up a video, and the next day I handed in my notice, because I knew it was what I wanted to do. I was comfortable there, because I was getting paid okay money, but it wasn’t about the money. I was just not 28

happy. I had this vision in my head and I knew I had to go and do it.” That vision led to the launch of the Hussain’s House YouTube channel. “I put up my first video, and it was really bad – it was so bad,” he admits. “And it’s still there now; I cringe whenever I watch it, but I have to leave it there, because people need to see the truth in the journey.” It was a different story when Hussain uploaded his second YouTube effort though, a video with comedian Kevin Hart, which got more than 150,000 views. “No-one could figure it out – I certainly couldn’t!” says Hussain. “But after that I started getting calls from record labels, publicists and PRs, asking me if I wanted to interview people. So that’s when things really started to pick up. “I came to a point with that when I thought, it’s cool, but it’s not really me. I’m not really giving the world the ‘me’ that I want to give. That’s when I saw the competition to go into space.” Fate certainly played a part in Hussain’s application. Having seen the competition and looked at the application form before deciding it was too long and complicated, he found himself in Los Angeles, at the end of a day’s filming for his YouTube channel which really hadn’t gone well, when the competition came up on his phone again. “I decided to go for it, and filled

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

out the application while I was in LA. I thought that if I could get through a couple of rounds, that would be great, but I didn’t think I could win. Especially when they put up the shortlist of 30; it was madness – there were UN ambassadors, people from Harvard, people who work at Google – all these mega-creative people, and I thought, maybe I’m just a bit out of my depth here.” But Hussain also knew to focus on his strengths and the creative skills gained through his social media and marketing work, as well as his passion for poetry. “We had 24 hours to make a video, so we went to film at the Olympic Park in Stratford, and the police came and tried to stop us! I had to tell them a little lie – that I was a student and my deadline for a project was the next day. In the end they just said ‘go on, but hurry up’. For me, that round was easier than the final round in Thailand.” While Hussain’s presentation in Thailand was a powerful one, his acceptance speech was no less impactful. His opening lines to the audience were: “Hello, my name is Hussain, and my problem is I care too much. My name is Hussain, and I am not a terrorist. And I say right now, I want to speak on behalf of two billion sane Muslims on the planet when I tell you we stand with the world in the war against terror – that’s not something we’re about.” Hussain then went on to dedicate his space flight “to every single person who suffers from mental health issues”, adding: “I want to tell you that if you’re suffering from mental health issues, welcome to the club – there’s seven billion of us!” Were they important statements to make? “I’ve focused much more on mental health over the past year or two, mainly because it affects me and so many other people,” explains Hussain. “I really believe mental health issues are the root cause of a lot of problems in the world.” What about his stance on racism and Islamophobia? “I wanted to say something before some people started going off down that route, because I knew they would, and they did,” says

STARMAN

Hussain. His fears seemed well-founded after a round of media interviews, when online responses included some frighteningly racist comments and abuse. “I knew then that first of all I had a job to do, to correct anyone who would think like that. And then I knew I could use the opportunity of the focus from the prize to talk about mental health,” explains Hussain. So does he feel he is having to fight a battle against bigotry? “Sometimes – only sometimes. But I think it happens to everyone in every culture at some point, we all have a battle. We really should have got past it a long time ago. And it’s mostly only online now – it’s not as if someone would come up to me and call me a terrorist – so you just have to train yourself to ignore it, because it’s all just gibberish, there’s no validity to any of it.” Since winning the Rising Star competition, life has certainly become a media and social whirl. “It’s so strange, because I feel now like life has always been like this. It’s not that I’ve forgotten the struggle to get here, but I can’t imagine it any other way now. And I know I need to work hard to keep

it that way, I can’t take any opportunities for granted.” With daily TV news show Good Morning Britain following his training schedule, Hussain won’t be far from the media spotlight over the next two years. But he’s already making plans for what happens after the space trip touches back down. “I want to organise the world’s largest mental health summit. Imagine Cirque du Soleil meeting a huge university seminar… I want it to be such an extravaganza of out-of-this-world craziness, mixed with demolishing the stigma of mental health, providing solutions for mental health, and having world leaders coming to talk about it and create that change. “Unfortunately in the education system, you don’t get taught how to deal with mental health issues at all,” says Hussain. “So that’s what I want to campaign for, and that’s why I want a summit to put pressure on the Government. One thing I have said is that, maybe not this year but by the end of next year, I want to have a meeting with Michelle Obama.”

Talking to Hussain, you get the feeling that if anyone can make all this happen, it is him. The re-occurring phrase he uses in many of his presentations, poems, and even as an email sign off, is “Sorry for the inconvenience, I’m trying to change the world”. Talking to him you realise that, far from being a throwaway slogan, that is his genuine aim, and one which he may well achieve. Yet there’s no sense of him losing his east London, British Muslim identity, or his grip on reality. “I think being yourself is the answer to everything – I can’t stress that enough,” adds Hussain. “That’s how I’ve got to where I am now. Just be normal – people love normal, and they can see through anyone being false. And don’t be scared – too many people are scared – just trust in your journey. Everyone can do whatever they want to do, all you’ve got to do is believe, visualise it, then get up and do it.” This is one rising star who looks destined to be burning brightly for the foreseeable future.

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

ANGEL DOES IT #LIKEAGIRL

ANGEL DOES IT #LIKEAGIRL OVER THE PAST YEAR THE ALWAYS #LIKEAGIRL CAMPAIGN HAS BECOME AN UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS, TRENDING GLOBALLY ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITH MORE THAN 60 MILLION VIEWS ON YOUTUBE, WINNING OVER 150 AWARDS, AND MAKING A GROUND-BREAKING APPEARANCE DURING THE SUPER BOWL. MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT IS CHANGING THE WAY A GENERATION OF YOUNG WOMEN THINK ABOUT BEING A GIRL. WE TALK TO ANGEL CAPOBIANCO (MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS MA, 2012), WESTMINSTER BUSINESS SCHOOL GRADUATE AND THE WRITER BEHIND THE CAMPAIGN.

We are at the photoshoot with Angel on the South Bank, on a slightly chilly day in May, and the photographer has gathered together some young girls – the target audience of the #LikeAGirl campaign – to join in. The girls all happen to be French, over in London on a short holiday. On asking them if they are aware of the campaign, there is a momentary language barrier. Then one of the girls exclaims, “Oh, comme une fille!” “That was me, I did that!” says Angel. It is testament to the powerful impact of the campaign – and to its international appeal – that it is remembered by these girls, over the hundreds of adverts they must be exposed to daily. #LikeAGirl tapped into an issue which transcended cultural differences and languages to speak to a whole generation of young women. For anyone who hasn’t seen it, the video for the campaign features young women who are asked by documentary maker Lauren Greenfield to perform various actions such as running, fighting and throwing ‘like a girl’. All interpret the phrase as an insult and do silly runs, flailing their hands and mimicking pathetic throws. However, when she asks younger girls to do the same thing, they run, throw and fight as hard as they can. They are all asked

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

ANGEL DOES IT #LIKEAGIRL

the same thing: “When did doing something like a girl become an insult?” The video cleverly brings the viewer on a journey with the young women; the first reaction is to join in, laughing along with their silly runs and flouncing, until the earnest and enthusiastic response of the younger girls challenges you to re-evaluate the idea that doing something ‘like a girl’ is inherently weak and feeble. It also highlights that this transition takes place in early adolescence. As the young women realise they have become complicit in perpetuating language which puts them down and are then given a second chance to really run, throw and fight ‘like a girl’, it is a genuinely moving moment. Angel Capobianco was fresh from Westminster Business School when she landed her first copywriting role with the Leo Burnett Group, a leading global ad agency. Having spent ten years in

HERE IN LONDON THERE IS A LOT OF DIVERSITY; THAT BRINGS SUCH A WEALTH OF INFORMATION AND DIFFERENT APPROACHES

New York as an actress performing in many adverts, she had decided she wanted to make them instead, and moved to London to study for a Masters in Marketing Communications at the University of Westminster in 2011. It was an auspicious move, as almost her first project would turn out to be one of the most celebrated and far-reaching campaigns of recent years. Angel knew it was going to be a game-changer when the brief came through from Always, the feminine care brand. “Always had discovered a statistic which showed that girls have a drop in confidence during puberty twice as great as that of boys,” she explains. “They decided this wasn’t acceptable and that they needed to do something about it. I thought about why this drop in confidence might happen, and during my research I came across a Buzzfeed article that asked people why we still need feminism. Down towards the end of the article there was one girl who held up a sign saying, ‘Because I used to call my brother a girl like it was a legitimate insult’. And something about that really resonated with me. That’s how the idea started.” At first the campaign was due to go live in the US to test the water, before

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

being released to around ten countries a week or two later. But due to its success, it was quickly released to 22 countries. Hence, ‘comme une femme’ in France and ‘wie ein Mädchen’ in Germany, whereas in Russia it translates to ‘like a little girl’. As Angel points out: “We talked to agencies in different countries to find out if ‘like a girl’ was a phrase that people used. And yes it was. It’s not just an Englishspeaking thing, it’s all over the world.” Among its many awards, #LikeAGirl has won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Commercial, a Cannes Grand Prix, a Black Pencil and a White Pencil and 11 Webby Awards. It even made it onto the news, appearing on Good Morning Britain and The One Show, and broke new ground as the first feminine care advert to appear during the Super Bowl. It has also had over 85 million global views and 290 million social impressions to date. However, the most important statistic has been the change in attitude that Always captured. Before watching the film, only 19 per cent of 16-24 yearolds had a positive association towards the phrase ‘like a girl’. After viewing the film, 76 per cent agreed that they no longer saw the phrase as

ANGEL DOES IT #LIKEAGIRL

negative, while two out of three men said they would no longer use the phrase as an insult. For Angel, this impact of the campaign has been more important than selling products. “The reaction on social media was so powerful. We had gold medallists who said ‘I win gold medals like a girl’, and others who said they would never use ‘like a girl’ in a bad way again. It is one thing selling a product, but it is so much more rewarding to make a change in people’s lives and behaviour. It was nice to be a part of starting a movement which reclaimed the phrase as an empowering statement as opposed to an insult. It was both overwhelming and humbling.” Angel believes her Masters from Westminster is a huge factor in her success. “One thing that sets me apart from other copywriters is that most are from an English Language or a creative writing background. I really wanted to come from a marketing and creative strategy background. I wanted to be

IT WAS NICE TO BE A PART OF STARTING A MOVEMENT WHICH RECLAIMED THE PHRASE AS AN EMPOWERING STATEMENT AS OPPOSED TO AN INSULT. IT WAS BOTH OVERWHELMING AND HUMBLING

able to not only write something great but to justify the choices that I make, and argue that this is why it is going to work. It has served me really well.” It was the London location and the international outlook which drew Angel to Westminster. This has been intrinsic to her career, and helped her to prepare for the challenges of advertising in a globalised environment, which is so key to succeeding for all new graduates. “The great thing about the course was the fact that it was such a culturally diverse group. I now have a couch to crash on in five continents! And

seeing how people deal with different problems – not just practically but creatively and intellectually – was a really cool experience. Here in London there is a lot of diversity; that brings such a wealth of information and different approaches. You can’t have a globally integrated campaign that will work really well in Western Europe and in the United States and is going to work terribly in Africa and Asia or South America. Having multiculturalism is a big deal, and a good piece of advice – especially for students at the University of Westminster that is so multicultural – is to use that.”

You can find out more about the #LikeAGirl campaign at dandad. org/en/d-ad-leo-burnett-holleralways-likeagirl-campaign-casestudy and about Angel Capobianco at www.angelcapobianco.portfoliobox.me

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

OPTIMAL HEALTH

OPTIMAL HEALTH: THE SECRET TO A LONG, HAPPY LIFE IT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING OUR AGE. HOW CAN WE LIVE LONG, HAPPY, HEALTHY LIVES WHEN WE ARE FACING A GLOBAL EPIDEMIC OF OBESITY, DIABETES, HEART DISEASE AND CANCER? THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER IS ANSWERING THIS CHALLENGE WITH THE INAUGURATION OF THE RESEARCH CENTRE FOR OPTIMAL HEALTH (ReCOH). FRONTED BY PROFESSOR JIMMY BELL, AN EXPERT IN OBESITY AND METABOLISM, ReCOH IS CHANGING HOW WE UNDERSTAND HEALTH AND LEADING THE WAY TOWARDS A BETTER, HEALTHIER FUTURE.

The Research Centre for Optimal Health (ReCOH) was officially opened by the University of Westminster earlier this year, to tackle the question of how – in a 21st-century environment that encourages bad diet, sedentary behaviour and poor lifestyle choices – can we be the healthiest that we can possibly be? Headed by Professor Jimmy Bell, ReCOH is made up of a team of academics and PhD students from the Department of Life Sciences, whose expertise ranges from biochemistry, molecular and cell biology to whole body imaging. It has brought the University to the forefront of global research into health and accelerated ageing, and its objective is far reaching: to completely redefine what it is we mean by health.

WHAT IS ‘OPTIMAL HEALTH’? “So far, we have defined health as the absence of disease,” explains Professor Bell. “However, it has become clear that this is not sufficient. We live in an environment that is obesogenic – we do very little physical activity, we are surrounded by an excess of calories and too much alcohol, and we don’t look after ourselves. But if you ask

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

OPTIMAL HEALTH

people how they feel, they invariably respond ‘I feel very healthy’. The truth is that individuals functioning at their optimal level are actually few and far between.” According to Professor Bell, this tendency to think of ourselves as healthy as long as we are not presenting any symptoms is damaging to our long-term health. It can lull us into a false sense of security until, after a lifetime of unhealthy living, we begin to experience problems as we age. “Most of us are living longer, but with more and more clinical complications,” continues Professor Bell. “This is especially so as a significant portion of the population has become obese or overweight, leading to conditions such as type II diabetes, some forms of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. In other words, our technical and social advances should have translated into increased ‘health-span’ – time lived free of medical conditions – yet we have only managed to increase our life expectancy by a few years, and with a poorer quality of life. “Health perceived as the absence of disease will no longer be the default option for adult life. We should be able to achieve a natural state where we are functioning at our optimal level. This extends to cells and organs functioning at their optimal metabolic and physiological capacity, ensuring functional cognitive and physical longevity.”

THE SECRET OF HEALTH One of the first challenges facing the team is to re-evaluate what a normal, healthy body actually is. In order to do this they are innovating new, highly accurate ways to measure our health status. “At the moment, most people

THE KEY TO IMPROVING INDIVIDUAL HEALTH IS TO RE-INTRODUCE SMALL CHALLENGES, WHICH HAVE DISAPPEARED FROM OUR COMFORTABLE LIFESTYLES, BACK INTO OUR DAY-TO-DAY ROUTINES

measure their weight and their height, and determine if their BMI is ‘healthy’. But this method is not fit-for-purpose and it is highly likely that their body composition is completely dysfunctional,” reveals Professor Bell. “So we have developed MRI techniques that allow us to get a better estimate of a person’s body fat and muscle content and distribution, as well as assessing individual organs. This can tell us about a person’s lifestyle choices, and the impact of age, ethnicity and physical activity on their body composition, as well as how effectively lifestyle interventions work. When people say ‘eat this’ or ‘do that’ or ‘take this drug’, we now have very objective and sensitive measurements of the impact of such advice.” So once we have defined what optimal health is, how can we achieve and maintain it? The secret is in the tiny organelles that live in our cells known as mitochondria. Organelles are small structures within our cells that perform a specific function, and mitochondria are known as our ‘powerhouses’, producing most of our energy. Just as importantly, they are very sensitive to environmental changes, which they can communicate among themselves and to the rest of the cell through specific signals. Professor Bell explains: “We believe that mitochondria function is key. If your mitochondria are healthy then the rest of your body will follow suit. Mitochondria are the first organelles, we believe, that become dysfunctional when an unhealthy environment becomes chronic. If you can re-educate your mitochondria to do what they are supposed to do, and eliminate the ones that are not functioning properly, then your cells will be in a healthier state. If the state of your cells is improved, then your organs will be healthier, and there is a knock-on effect throughout your body.” ReCOH is devising new methods of looking at how mitochondria function, both in blood samples and in the body. By measuring mitochondrial levels and the signals they are producing, the team aims to make more accurate measurements of the health of different

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

WHEN PEOPLE SAY ‘EAT THIS’ OR ‘DO THAT’ OR ‘TAKE THIS DRUG’, WE NOW HAVE VERY OBJECTIVE AND SENSITIVE MEASUREMENTS OF THE IMPACT OF SUCH ADVICE

organs. This means that in the future, we will be able to use blood tests to see which organs are working properly and which are not, so that individual organs can be targeted, rather than simply treating the symptoms as a whole. The impact of this will be a more targeted yet integrated approach to healthcare. “We will be able to tune the whole system to work properly. The idea is that the body is a network of connecting organs and systems. Your gut bacteria is talking to your brain, your brain is talking to your organs and so forth. We need to look at both individual organs, and what is happening to cells within those organs. We need to look at both, and at the moment we are not doing either properly; that is one of the long-term challenges.”

FITTER, HAPPIER, MORE PRODUCTIVE But what can we do for ourselves now to try and attain our optimal health, and is it possible to maintain this throughout our lives? According to Professor Bell, there is no reason we cannot live long, healthy and active lives well into old age. As he jokes: “We should be hang-gliding, fencing and riding bicycles up to the age of 100.” Professor Bell believes the problem is the highly controlled environment in which we live, with buildings designed so that we use the lift instead of the stairs, air conditioning stabilising the temperature, long hours in offices where we spend most of our time seated – making physical activity difficult to integrate into our lives – and the overabundance of processed, cheap food when healthy food is expensive. The research conducted by ReCOH suggests that the key to improving

OPTIMAL HEALTH

individual health is to re-introduce small challenges, which have disappeared from our comfortable lifestyles, back into our day-to-day routines. “In a recent study we have shown that by simply standing rather than sitting during part of your working day, it is possible to change your body composition. So if you work at a desk, spend half an hour at a time standing.

“ReCOH IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF NEW APPROACHES TO THE MOST SIGNIFICANT HEALTH CHALLENGES FACED BY WESTERN SOCIETY. WE ARE PROUD TO LEND OUR SUPPORT TO THIS VALUABLE WORK.” DR GEOFFREY W GUY, CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER, GW PHARMACEUTICALS

When you answer the phone, don’t stay sitting down, walk around; when you travel on public transport give up your seat; walk up the stairs, never use a lift. In your office, you should not have a perfect air condition where you can walk around in a t-shirt all day, every day, throughout the year. Minimise the amount of alcohol that you consume. Sleep more – just having a proper sleep every night will have a very significant impact on your health. Practice intermittent exercise which is also better than prolonged exercise. “Without these challenges our system cannot be at an optimal level. You need to keep challenging your body all the time. It may sound boring and even monastic! But the question is, do we want to live to the age of 80, with chronic ill-health, taking 10 or 20 tablets a day, needing a scooter to move around, or do

we want to be fully active throughout adult life?” Asked what needs to change if we are to stop the slide into a future of obesity, accelerated ageing and declining quality of life, Professor Bell believes that a bigger societal change is overdue. “Our working and living environment will have to change. It is a change that requires everybody’s involvement, from governments, to the food industry, to the leisure industry, to the public at large. Health is not only a matter of lifestyle choices, it is a political issue. Vote. Get involved. Demand the type of society that will allow each and every one of us to achieve and maintain optimal health.” For more information visit: westminster.ac.uk/research-centrefor-optimal-health

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

A DIFFERENT WAY TO FIGHT

A DIFFERENT WAY TO FIGHT IN MAY 2015, AMMAR AL SHAHBANDER, THE BAGHDAD CHIEF OF MISSION FOR THE INSTITUTE FOR WAR & PEACE REPORTING (IWPR), WAS KILLED BY A CAR BOMB AS HE WALKED HOME FROM AN EVENING MEAL WITH FRIENDS IN THE CITY; 16 OTHER PEOPLE DIED IN THE EXPLOSION, AND AN IWPR COLLEAGUE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. TRIBUTES WERE PAID TO AMMAR FROM ACROSS THE WORLD, BY POLITICIANS, PEACEKEEPERS, JOURNALISTS, CAMPAIGNERS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. THOSE WHO KNEW AMMAR TALKED ABOUT HIS PASSION, OPTIMISM AND BELIEF IN A POSITIVE FUTURE FOR IRAQ, AND HIS COMMITMENT TO HELPING TO BRING ABOUT THAT FUTURE. AMMAR, 41, WAS A GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER, AS IS HIS WIDOW ANGELA. HERE WE PUBLISH A SHORTENED VERSION OF AN ARTICLE WRITTEN IN OCTOBER 2015 BY ANGELA FOR THE IWPR WEBSITE, ALONG WITH SOME OF THE TRIBUTES PAID BY INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANISATIONS. THE UNIVERSITY IS INVESTIGATING OPPORTUNITIES TO ESTABLISH A MEMORIAL EVENT IN MEMORY OF AMMAR.

AMMAR STILL GIVES HOPE TO MANY By Angela Alaliaoui When Ammar asked me to marry him, we were just sitting quietly together in the university library. I was happy, but shocked; as far as I was concerned, we had only known each other for a few months, working together with friends in a youth NGO. We both grew up in Iraqi exile families in Sweden, part of a small expat and conservative community where young people didn’t take this kind of initiative with their love lives. Ammar saw things differently. He later told me that a few years earlier, we had both been guests at the same wedding. He caught sight of me – I have no memory of this at all – and there and then, he decided I was the woman he was going to spend the rest of his life with. That was Ammar all over. He was a dreamer, but with perfect faith that his dreams could come true. He had this crazy confidence, this belief that he could change the world if he dedicated enough effort. We were married in August 2000 and moved to London a month later. It was tough. We were university students without much money. I studied in the morning and worked in the afternoon, and Ammar worked in the morning and studied in the afternoon. But London gave us the opportunity to learn more about the situation in Iraq. Both our families used to talk a lot about life back home, and we both had relatives who had been executed by the regime. Ammar had always been interested in politics and in London he began to spend more time with members of the opposition, with writers, dissidents and

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

former prisoners. He always had a dream of going home to Iraq. In February 2003, he sat his final exams and left London before even finding out the results. He travelled to northern Iraq with a BBC film crew. On the Friday, he told me, “Angela, I am going to go.” By Monday he was there. We knew something big was about to happen. When the US-led invasion came, he travelled to Baghdad as soon as he could, and I met him there in April 2003. We were part of a group of young people from Europe, Canada and the US who had come back in the belief that we could rebuild Iraq. It was chaotic; there were still burnt-out vehicles and bodies in the streets. We worked with the Iraqi Red Crescent, we led seminars at universities, and we went through the streets knocking on doors and asking people what they needed. It was really tough at the beginning. Still, Ammar was absolutely over the moon to be back home. He felt he was building the Iraq he had always dreamed of. Of course, those who promised us a liberated, non-sectarian Iraq never delivered on that, and things got worse and worse. The exiles proved the biggest disappointment. As soon as they were in power, they changed. Between us, Ammar would admit to doubts and disappointments, but in public he always stayed positive, exuding optimism and always insisting that obstacles could be overcome. Family life was difficult because he spent most of his time in Iraq. When he was home, Ammar would do anything for our four kids. He was happy to stay up all night if they needed him, to change nappies, to play and read and talk with them.

A DIFFERENT WAY TO FIGHT

TRIBUTES “The United Nations family in Iraq pays tribute to the dignified defender of freedom of expression and human rights, who trained scores of his journalist colleagues on how they could help Iraq become more democratic, more free.” Ján Kubiš, Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) “He was a bright, dynamic and fascinating guy, a real Iraqi patriot, and I learned a lot from him about Iraq… I imagine there are thousands of people in several countries whose lives he touched and who are just devastated with this news. I am one of them.” ©IWPR

Former US Ambassador Steve Steiner, who worked with Ammar at the State Department’s Iraqi Women’s Democracy Initiative Ammar was very driven. He believed he was doing this for our kids’ future. “We missed this opportunity,” he used to tell me. “I don’t want our kids to miss it too.” On his last trip, we both had this strange feeling, like a premonition. Ammar usually took a taxi to the airport, but this time, for some reason, he asked me to drive him. We left early, but we got stuck in a traffic jam for two hours. That was wonderful; we had time just to sit and talk about everything. He told me that he had never been so happy. “I feel complete, happy with work, our relationship, our kids. I can see their future somehow and I know they will be successful. I have a vision that everything will be ok.” When we said goodbye at the airport, he hugged me, and told me to take care of the kids. I told him to relax, as it wasn’t the first time he was leaving for work. “Just take care of the kids,” he said. We spoke for the last time on the day he died. He spoke to all of his kids, even Jenna, although she was only four months old. He spent an hour and a half on Skype with us. Later, he texted me to say he was on his way home. But then I heard nothing more for hours and hours.

That was so unlike him. I called but his phone wasn’t connecting. I put the kids to bed, and waited. And then Ammar’s brother called to tell me what had happened. I am so angry that I lost Ammar at such a young age. I lost my husband, my best friend, my teacher. Ammar is irreplaceable. But I’m also so proud of him. When I went to Iraq I met many people who told me that Ammar was the person they could turn to with their troubles, their problems and their dreams. I am happy that he still gives hope to so many people. I talk to the kids about him every day. Adam is quiet, like his father. Lara is cheeky, like her dad. Zack is only two but already walks, talks and eats exactly like his father. Jenna is just nine months old, so who knows? They will all know that their father left them a legacy that they can be proud of. Just a few days before he was killed, Ammar participated in a conference focused on young people. He told them that they had a future in their homeland. “Even if we cannot manage to build a new Iraq, you will,” he told them, “You are going to find a different way to fight.”

“An avid human rights activist, Ammar dreamt of a free and democratic Iraq where all citizens would be equal before the law, despite differences and conflicts. Ammar was an optimist who always saw the light in the end of the tunnel.” Raya Barazanji, Senior Programme Officer, US Institute of Peace, Washington “In the worst of environments, Ammar gave hope. Will that hope be extinguished? Or is it just possible that his passing may inspire those he touched to recommit to that dream?” Anthony Borden, friend and Executive Director, IWPR “Hivos is overwhelmed with grief and shocked by this tragedy. Ammar worked tirelessly to train journalists and photographers in the conflicttorn country that Iraq has become. He never stopped believing in a better future for the country where he was born in 1973.” Hivos, West Asia

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

WESTMINSTER RECOGNISES INSPIRATIONAL CAMPAIGNER

WESTMINSTER RECOGNISES INSPIRATIONAL CAMPAIGNER UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER GRADUATES WERE GIVEN A POWERFUL MESSAGE OF SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT FROM ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S MOST INSPIRATIONAL CAMPAIGNERS WHEN BARONESS DOREEN LAWRENCE RECEIVED AN HONORARY DOCTORATE AT THIS YEAR’S GRADUATION CEREMONY.

Introducing Baroness Lawrence, Professor Alex Hughes, the University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement), outlined the campaigning efforts of Doreen and her husband, Neville, following the horrific racist murder of their son, Stephen, in 1993. It was a murder which should have shocked the nation, but in truth, and in the climate of the time, it was a tragic loss of life which could have soon become another unsolved crime, had it not been for the determination of these devastated parents. Their calls for action eventually led to the inquiry into the police investigation of Stephen’s death, set up by then Home Secretary Jack Straw, and the subsequent inquiry report which has had a huge impact on tackling racism in organisations and institutions – and in wider society – across Britain. “The pervasive, open racism of the 1950s and 60s, and the pernicious, sniggering racism of the 1970s, 80s and 90s, is gone; for that we have to thank Doreen and Neville Lawrence above all others,” said Prof Hughes. Receiving a standing ovation as she approached the lectern, a clearly emotional Baroness Lawrence told graduates: “I see education as the most precious gift we can give our children. As a child growing up, I’d always dreamt of sitting where you are today. I waited for this moment much later in life, and the wait was well worth it. “So savour the moment of your achievement. Parents, this is the

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

moment which shows that the struggle we had to go through, being there at the other end of the phone to give encouragement during those difficult moments, was well worth it. “I’d like to congratulate all the graduates on getting this far; but I would especially like to congratulate your parents and loved ones.” Baroness Lawrence also spoke about the inquiry report into the investigation of Stephen’s death – published as the Macpherson Report – and the impact it had on racism in Britain. The report made 70 recommendations, 67 of which led to specific changes in practice or the law within two years of publication. These included the creation of the Independent Police Complaints Commission, the introduction of black and minority ethnic recruitment targets for the police, and the partial elimination of the ‘double jeopardy’ rule, meaning that an individual can be charged again for the same crime if there is new and compelling evidence. “During the last 23 years, since the murder of my son Stephen, we’ve had a private prosecution, and later a public inquiry,” said Baroness Lawrence. “In the past 16 years, two out of the five people [originally charged with Stephen’s killing] have been convicted of his murder. The inquiry, which took place in 1998, with the report coming out in February 1999, had far-reaching consequences. The report helped to highlight the institutional racism which exists in all

WESTMINSTER RECOGNISES INSPIRATIONAL CAMPAIGNER

institutions – not just the police service, but all institutions including education.” In the same year as the inquiry took place, the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust was established, to promote a positive community legacy in Stephen’s name. The Trust’s vision includes supporting young people to transform their lives and overcome disadvantage and discrimination to take up professional careers; ensuring businesses benefit from more diverse talent in management structures; and continuing to campaign for fairness and justice, ensuring the lessons from Stephen’s murder are acted on. The Trust also operates the Stephen Lawrence Centre in Lewisham, and has worked particularly in the architectural education field – the profession which Stephen had hoped to enter. Baroness Lawrence said: “The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust was

inspired by Stephen’s dream, and my dream to help others to pursue their goal in life. “I wanted to make a difference to young people’s lives, especially students in the black and minority ethnic communities. The work of the Trust is a positive catalyst to increase the number of black and minority ethnic people in the architectural profession. “Many things have changed over the years. Before the Trust was started, I understand that around two per cent of architects were from the black and minority ethic communities. Today the number has increased to four per cent. I’d like to think that the Trust’s work has helped to increase those numbers. “I do not want to dwell too much on this, but as you can see, there is still a long way to go in this area. The work of the Trust has continued to support young, aspiring architects through its

Building Futures programme, with paid internships, work experience placements, professional mentors, and professional workshops, working with a number of architectural firms and also supporting work in the community.” Baroness Lawrence has also worked with law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer to establish the Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship Scheme, designed to address underrepresentation in large commercial law firms of black men from low-income households. The scheme, which was launched in 2013, is aimed at first-year law students; between 2013 and 2015, more than 120 applicants applied for a place, and 20 were awarded scholarships, including two University of Westminster students – Eniola Asaolu in 2014, and Jonathan Farmer in 2015. Baroness Lawrence’s efforts to improve opportunities for young people, as well as campaigning for fairness and justice, have been recognised in many sections of society. In 2003 she was awarded the OBE for services to community relations, and in 2013 she became a life peer – Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon, one of the few peerages designated to a location outside the UK (Clarendon is in Jamaica). She has also received a Pride of Britain Lifetime Achievement Award, was named as Britain’s most influential woman in the BBC Woman’s Hour power list 2014, and was invested as Chancellor of De Montfort University in Leicester in January this year. “As I said there have been many changes in my life since 1993,” added Baroness Lawrence. “I completed my degree, I brought up my two remaining children, I’ve seen them through their education, and I’m now a Life Peer sitting on the Labour benches. I would like to think that I’m making a difference, giving support where I can. “Today is a celebration of your achievement, and your foot on the ladder of success, so savour your accomplishment. I would like to wish every one of you success for the future, and say that I am truly honoured to accept this Honorary Doctorate from the University of Westminster.”

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

CLASSNOTES

CLASSNOTES The University of Westminster has a global community of more than 170,000 alumni in over 180 countries around the world. Classnotes is just a selection of some of the updates we have received from alumni. We would love to hear about your career and life since you left Westminster, so please send your news along with any photos to alumninetwork@ westminster.ac.uk. ALAN TYE ARCHITECTURE, 1961

Studying architecture at ‘The Poly’ was great: made to work hard, no girlfriends while studying, marvellous teachers including James Stirling. After graduating I worked in Prof Arne Jacobsen’s office in St Catherine’s College Oxford. Under the influence of Jacobsen, I most enjoyed Industrial (Product) Design. Twice Duke of Edinburgh designer of the year finalist. Over 30 International Design Awards. Royal Designer RDI, Honorary Fellow Royal College of Art, founded Healthy Industrial Design HID on realising that most design has lost its way 42

and degrades human health. Mainly retired now to the wilds of Sweden.

JOE PIDGEON BUSINESS STUDIES BA, 1989

WESLEY HING-TAI FUNG ENGINEERING, 1983 I am currently a volunteer for the election campaigns in Ontario. Prior to this, I served as a secretary general for the Chinese Canadian Intercultural Society, assistant general manager of Smart Talk Network, and as a TA for the University of Macau. I also undertook engineering at the University of Westminster in London and Texas A&M University, Kingsville, and completed a BA in Economics from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and an MA in development economics from Boston University. Lately, I obtained an online PhD in History of Ideas from the Oscarmount University located in the USA. SHAMA BHARGAVA VERMA COMPUTER SCIENCE BSc, 1990

I went on to study an MSc in Analysis, Design and Management of

After returning from travelling, I dropped back into London life working on the first Notting Hill Carnival Magazine in 1991 and then joining the London urban music and culture magazine Touch. From selling all the advertising and Information Systems from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Thereafter, I started my career in an IT company in New York as an executive. Then I worked in the information technology industry in various companies. I finally opened my own business, Texas Internal Medicine & Diagnostic Center and Forever Young Wellness & Medical Spa. I am the CEO of both of these companies and I manage all of their IT. I am also the founder of Global Health Foundation, a non-profit organisation. I currently live in Texas with my husband, my eldest daughter (a television anchor), my second daughter (a law student), and my son (a medical student).

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

building key brand relationships, I ended up publishing the magazine while also building up a roster of events for brands like Diesel, MTV, Universal, Momentum, Konami, Vivendi and a whole host of other youth brands. After over two decades in event management, in 2012 I co-founded and now run Best of Britannia, an event and online platform showcasing the finest Britishmade products. TONY DE NAZARETH MBA, 1994

I have enjoyed a wide and varied career within the financial services sector in London, Luxembourg, Hong Kong and Cayman Islands. I was previously a director of Arab International Trust before forming my own financial boutique, E C Capital. I am currently the founder and director of Crowd for Angels, which is a regulated crowdfunding platform for both debt and equity pitches and is currently raising capital.

NOREEN NAROOPUCCI FASHION DESIGN BA, 1993

My journey has taken me from the UK, to Hong Kong, Italy and finally the USA. Companies have included M&S, Champion EU, Fila (both EU/USA) and currently Under Armour, here in Baltimore, USA, as senior creative director for apparel. Over the years I have managed men’s, women’s and youth product lines, from concepts to final production ready collections. I have grown into a successful visionary and creative leader. Another keen interest is giving back and mentoring to young design talent. My passion has allowed me to sit on various boards which offer opportunities to inner city students with a keen focus on the design disciplines. IFAN RHYS-JONES URBAN ESTATE MANAGEMENT BSc, 1995 I was a mature student at Marylebone Campus, after working in the property industry for eight years in London and Sydney. I needed the technical knowledge

CLASSNOTES

of a university degree to be competitive and in order to qualify for the RICS, which I completed in 2001. After employment with leading firms like Chesterton, King Sturge and JLL, I started my own property consultancy firm, Listers, in 2011. We specialise in commercial agency in the south west of England and have now secured a good market share and strong enough revenues to employ a couple of people. We have also advised on property in Italy, Austria, Ireland and Scotland which has been an adventure. YANNIS SAKARIDIS CONTEMPORARY MEDIA PRACTICE BA, 1995

I was invited to speak at the Cambridge Union Debating Society on 19 November 2015. I graduated from the Westminster Law School, University of Westminster, in July 1993. I did the law degree as a mature student while serving as a Metropolitan Police Officer. I was awarded an Honorary Master of film Wild Duck (2013) which had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. My second feature Amerika Square (2016) is in post-production. PRACHI PINGLAY JOURNALISM STUDIES MA, 2003

After graduating, I was London based for almost two decades. I have directed short films and I have dozens of credits as a film editor in award-winning feature films, documentaries for television and cinema trailers. I moved back to Greece in 2007 and made my debut feature

JEMMA WAYNE BROADCAST JOURNALISM PGDIP, 2003

DAVID MICHAEL LLB, 1993 HONORARY DOCTOR OF LAWS, 2002

In June I completed a month-long Legislative Fellows Programme, organised by the US State Department. I was one of 34 delegates from India and Pakistan to study different aspects of public policy and community development. Posted in Washington DC and Cleveland, I studied how arts and culture

Laws Degree by the University of Greenwich in July 2001 and an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree by the University of Westminster in November 2002. I am one of the Scholarship Patrons for University of Westminster. I joined the Metropolitan Police Service as a 19-year-old Police Constable in December 1972 and retired as a Detective Chief Inspector at New Scotland Yard in December 2002. In May 2014 I was elected as a local councillor in the London Borough of Lewisham. initiatives are used to bring diverse communities together. Finally we attended a three-day Professional Fellows Congress, meeting some of the 268 fellows from 45 countries. As a journalist I also looked at the foreclosure crisis, environmental issues and, of course, the upcoming US elections. It was an important experience and will help in understanding larger issues such as diplomacy, immigration, human rights and everyday challenges of people from different corners of the world.

After studying broadcast journalism at the University of Westminster, my first job turned out to be as a print reporter at The Jewish Chronicle. After a year there, I decided to go freelance so that I could also pursue fictional writing. My first book (nonfiction) was published at the age of 25, while my short stories began to appear in a variety of

ABDUS SABOOR IT SECURITY, 2008

I finished studying IT Security at Westminster in 2008. I now hold around 34 certifications that revolve around virtualisation, networking and

magazines and anthologies. I continued to freelance as a journalist, including work for The Evening Standard, The Independent on Sunday, and becoming a featured blogger for the Huffington Post. In 2009, a play I co-wrote ran at The New End Theatre, and in 2014 my first novel, After Before, was published. In 2015 it was longlisted for the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction, the Guardian’s Not the Booker Prize, and shortlisted for the Waverton Good Read Award. My second novel, Chains of Sand, was published in June 2016.

security. After achieving my first penetration testing cert in Jan 2016, I feel I am ready for another challenge in trying to reach the top. THARUNI SATHIYALINGAM BUSINESS – FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT BA, 2009 Shortly after graduating, I joined one of the biggest shipping companies, COSCO (China Ocean Shipping Company). I

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

CLASSNOTES

was a trainee in their accounts department for a year and was made permanent in 2010 as an accounts assistant. Over the next five years I learned a lot about the shipping industry. In 2014, I started my studies in ACCA in order to move forward in my career. Recently, I have taken up a new position at a Japanese shipping company, NYK, as an assistant project accountant. Although this is a one-year contract, I am hoping to learn the necessary skills and acquire the accounting knowledge that will help me in finding my next job. LISBETH BANG PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIES MA, 2010

I’ve made a photo and text book which documents the lives of 29 people between the ages of 70 and 100 years. The work has been exhibited with the title A Human Being is a Human Being is a Human Being in several cities in Norway, as well as Birmingham and London. I have a contract with the Norwegian publisher LIV, and the publishing date is spring 2017. 44

SOLOMON UDOUNWA INTERNATIONAL LAW LLM, 2007

After I left the University of Westminster, I held several active-duty military appointments before my current job as Military Adviser to Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York. I advise the Mission and help to shape Nigeria’s position on a wide ANNA SOWA ARABIC WITH INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS BA, 2010

My studies (at the University of Westminster and then at SOAS) inspired me to translate complex academic research into films. I now run Chouette Films – a film production company committed to using film as a tool for social change. Chouette Films has been awarded at

range of military issues in the United Nations, including disarmament, decolonisation, peacekeeping, and peace building in conflict areas around the world. I also work with staff of the United Nations Secretariat in managing Nigeria’s personnel and equipment contributions to United Nations peacekeeping operations. I thank the University of Westminster for preparing me for the journey. many international film festivals and recognised for building social inclusion through film. Based on my experience of working as a producer at Chouette Films I’ve also been awarded a scholarship to complete a PhD by Practice at London Film School/ University of Exeter. ROY IKOROHA ARCHITECTURE BA, 2011 Studying and graduating with my BA Honours degree in Architecture enabled me to also realise my strong passion for photography, graphic design and fashion. Aged 24, and using my creative experience gained from study and subsequent work experience at firms

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

WILLIAM STEWART DIRECTING: FILM & TV MA, 2012

The last four years have been busy since my graduation from the MA Directing: Film & TV course in 2012. In 2013, my short film Touch screened at the Cannes Film Festival and has made Official Selection in

such as David Collins Studio, I set up as a freelance graphic designer and photographer under Roy Ikoroha Design. I also run London unisex fashion brand Labels Are Limitations®. I recently volunteered time to the Media Trust and loved it! VALERIA PUIG SOBREDO SCREENWRITING AND PRODUCTION MA, 2011

I currently work as the Regional Reporting and Marketing Officer for West and Central

festivals in the UK, Canada and India. And in 2014, my MA graduation film, The Three of Us, also screened at the Cannes Film Festival. In February 2016, my company published my late uncle’s novel Pleasure Island; I wrote an afterword to the novel. Right now I’m preparing to make my first feature film in India tentatively called The Devil’s Madhouse.

Africa for IEDA Relief, an International NGO based in Houston, Texas. We provide humanitarian aid to populations affected by natural catastrophes, terrorist attacks and civil wars. I am in charge of reporting the impact of all of our operations; I develop and maintain the information management system of the organisation and I consolidate all the reports of the organisation at regional level. My job allows me to advocate on behalf of refugees so their stories and their needs can be heard by the international community. CONSTANCY PRISCA ALERU BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES MSc, 2012 I graduated from the University of

CLASSNOTES

GRAHAM ALCOCK HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT MA, 2014

Having started my HR career in Birmingham, I spent five years in London and studied part-time at Westminster Business School. After being fascinated by the international HRM challenges that

Westminster in 2012. One of the most valuable skills I acquired was the ability to work and understand students from different backgrounds and cultures. I really enjoyed the daily interactions with my fellow students, my lecturers and Professor Tajali and his PhD students, who were very supportive to me. My greatest achievement so far is being where I am now; living and working as a lecturer and as a researcher in a reputable university in Nigeria. Thank you to the University of Westminster.

many global organisations face, I was keen to move to Asia and submerge myself in a new culture. I’ve been fortunate enough to move with my current organisation and I’m now living and working in Hong Kong at a magic circle law firm. It’s been such a fantastic opportunity for me. I stay in contact with the University of Westminster and was pleased to attend the first Hong Kong alumni event earlier this spring.

STEVE PETITJEAN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT BA, 2014 Once graduated from Westminster Business School, I decided to train at the Energy Institute and get accredited in oil trading and price risk management in UAE. That step gave me a huge advantage in the market. I finally got an offer at an international firm headquartered in the Emirates, Dubai. I am now managing my own trading desk and enjoying every single day of my expatriate life. I now mentor current University of Westminster students. FRENCHEZ PIETERSZ TRANSPORT STUDIES MSc, 2015

and working out innovative ideas to my work portfolio. MOHAMMED RAHMAN ACCOUNTING WITH MANAGEMENT BSc, 2015

The experience at the University of Westminster has been a

OBITUARY KIRIT PATEL MBE (1949-2016) MBA, 1988

DR NAJAT ALSAIED ART AND DESIGN PhD, 2013 I am working as Assistant Professor at Zayed University. Everything I learned helped me in my career, including the skills of research and writing. London is a cosmopolitan city that has given me the opportunity to build my network. Participating in conferences and symposiums really helped me in my studies and enhanced my time at the University. I would recommend the University of Westminster because of the knowledge of Westminster School of Media, Arts and Design.

My time at the University of Westminster provided me with new contacts, friends, occasional hand cramp during exam time and knowledge I directly could apply in my work. After graduation in 2015, I continued working at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences as a senior lecturer in aviation operations, where I added research

remarkable one that I can never forget. Being involved and constantly expanding one’s knowledge, social and cultural experience; asking questions and making professional connections with university lecturers; having life-long friends from the whole spectrum of life and different degrees. The University of Westminster will help an individual to prosper and attain their respective career goals with both academia and professional skills.

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Kirit Patel, one of the UK’s most successful pharmaceutical entrepreneurs. Kirit founded the Day Lewis Group in 1975, which subsequently grew from two pharmacies to over 250, with a turnover exceeding £300 million. In 2005, Kirit was awarded an MBE by Her Majesty the Queen in recognition of his contribution to

pharmacy and public service. His other achievements include being listed as one of the Top 100 Entrepreneurs by Management Today magazine, being voted CEO of the Year at the PwC Private Business Awards in 2014, and becoming an honorary graduate of the University of Bath in 2016. Kirit completed an MBA with the University of Westminster in 1988, and, most recently, shared his ‘secrets of being a successful entrepreneur’ as a guest speaker at the University’s Westminster Talks series in 2015.

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

THE WESTMINSTER TALKS SERIES FEATURES A DIVERSE MIX OF SPEAKERS WHO ARE PROUD TO HAVE A SHARED HISTORY AND AN EXCITING FUTURE WITH US. WEDNESDAY 26 OCTOBER 2016, 6PM UNDERSTANDING NATURE: THE KEY TO OUR FUTURE Alumnus Nigel Winser, (Life Science DSc, 1976) Life Scientist WEDNESDAY 2 NOVEMBER 2016, 6PM CATHEDRALS OF SOUND: MUSICAL PERFORMANCE, ACOUSTIC SPACE AND THE LEGACY OF 30TH STREET STUDIOS, NEW YORK CITY Professor Jonathan Stockdale, Westminster School of Media, Arts and Design MONDAY 5 DECEMBER 2016, 6PM FILM SCREENING: SOW THE WIND FOLLOWED BY Q&A WITH DIRECTOR ANDRE SINGER Professor Andre Singer, Westminster School of Media, Arts and Design WEDNESDAY 8 FEBRUARY 2017, 6PM WAVING OR DROWNING: CAN ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION SURVIVE THE TIDE OF GLOBAL PROCUREMENT? Professor Stephen Brookhouse, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment

WESTMINSTER

TALKS LECTURE SERIES 2016/17

WEDNESDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2017, 6PM WHAT DO THE ARABS REALLY WANT? Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, KCMG LVO, Group Head of Government Affairs, HSBC Holdings plc WEDNESDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2017, 6PM FINANCIALIZATION: WHY IT MATTERS Professor Pauline Gleadle, Westminster Business School WEDNESDAY 1 MARCH 2017, 6PM PRIME MINISTERS AND DOWNING STREET FROM 1735 UNTIL TODAY: A UNIQUELY BRITISH PUZZLE Alumnus Sir Anthony Seldon, (MBA, 1989) Vice-Chancellor, University of Buckingham WEDNESDAY 29 MARCH 2017, 6PM THE POWER OF LONDON’S HIDDEN FLOWS Professor Michael Neuman, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment For further information and to book your place for any of the lectures, please contact:

BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW

Paula Cadenhead E: p.cadenhead@westminster.ac.uk

westminster.ac.uk/westminster-talks

ALUMNI DISCOUNT EXTENDED

DON’T MISS OUT

YOU ARE NOW ENTITLED TO 15% OFF YOUR MASTERS OR PhD*

JOIN OUR INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI COMMUNITY TODAY

The alumni discount on further study at the University of Westminster has been extended. All alumni are now entitled to a 15% discount on full- or part-time Masters and PhD courses at the University.

Alumni Online is the one-stop location for you to stay connected with the University and one another. Over 20,000 alumni have already joined.

All those who hold a Bachelors degree with honours, a Masters degree, or have completed a minimum of one semester of study as a study abroad or exchange student from the University of Westminster are eligible. *Terms and conditions apply.

For more information please contact our Course Enquiries Team on course-enquiries@westminster.ac.uk

NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

Join alumni online at westminster.ac.uk/alumni for: • your free access card to the University campuses and libraries • invites to topical talks and networking events • the latest news and discounts

LEAVE A LEGACY TODAY TRANSFORM LIVES TOMORROW A LEGACY IS ONE OF THE EASIEST WAYS OF MAKING A LASTING GIFT TO THE UNIVERSITY WHICH HELPS SUPPORT FUTURE STUDENTS To find out more about remembering Westminster in your will, contact our Development Office: T: +44 (0)20 7911 5741 E: development@westminster.ac.uk

CHANGING THE WORLD

PROFESSIONAL AND SHORT COURSES The University of Westminster has an extended portfolio of programmes for continuing professional development (CPD), and offers short courses in a number of subject areas. Alumni receive special discounts for selected courses, and your attendance may count towards CPD with professional bodies.*

STUDY WITH PROFESSIONALS MBA, Westminster Business School Study with us and you will immerse yourself in the real word of business from day one. You will learn from industry-leading experts who understand today’s complex commercial challenges. You will also gain a wealth of practical experience and make invaluable contacts. What better way to become a successful leader of tomorrow. Discover more at westminster.ac.uk/mba

Find out more and apply: westminster.ac.uk/courses/professional-and-short Please see individual course descriptions for details

UNDERGRADUATE OPEN DAY If you know someone who is looking to embark on higher education, invite them to start their journey at the University of Westminster

8 OCTOBER 2016 11AM—3PM 9 NOVEMBER 2016 2PM—5PM

Cavendish • Harrow • Little Titchfield Street • Marylebone • Regent

westminster.ac.uk/study/prospective-students/ open-days

SHARE YOUR MEMORIES We are inviting alumni to tell us about their student days and help us compile an oral history of life at the University and its predecessor institutions. We want to hear from participants from any period of our history, but particularly from individuals who graduated between 1992 and 2005. For more information about the project, visit westminster.ac.uk/oral-history NETWORK UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2016

FREE MEMBERSHIP

OF THE REGENT STREET CINEMA The historic Regent Street Cinema is now open again – showing a selection of repertory programming including classics, cult favourites, documentaries, indie films, world cinema and premieres. Alumni can get free membership (worth £40) by entering the discount code ‘alumni’ when they sign up on the website. www.regentstreetcinema.com