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AUTUMN/WiNTer 2012 

Loughborough University

LOUGHBOrOUGH UNiVerSiTY DPS 51773 OCT 2012 © 

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cover story 

The greaTesT 

show on earTh – 

London 2012 

The summer of 2012 was an 

incredible time for Loughborough 

– Follow its Olympic and 

Paralympic Journey. 

p4 

The GREATEST SHOW On EARTH 

the sports view 

P4-11 

x 

the research & enterprise view 

The SciEncE OF SiLEncE P12-13 

simpLe SOLUTiOnS cHAnGinG LiVES P14-17 

The MUScLE MOVEMEnT P18-21 

men, MOnEy & Diy DEbT-SOLVinG P22-25 

x 

the campus view 

ambassador, cHAMPiOn, LEADER – VicE cHAncELLOR P26-29 

Lord cOE APPOinTED P30 

reinvenT THE TOiLET P31 

awarded cbE P31 

TabLe OF TAbLES P31 

Loughborough University

the greatest 

shoW on earth 

London 2012 

The 2012 London Olympic and 

Paralympic Games captivated the 

world and will be remembered as one 

of the country’s greatest sporting 

achievements. 

For Loughborough the journey began 

on 6 July 2005, the day the International 

Olympic Committee announced 

that London had been selected to 

host the 2012 Games. 

Given the University’s sporting 

and academic pedigree it was 

clear Loughborough would play an 

important role. This was underlined 

in 2010 when it was selected by 

the British Olympic Association 

as the Official Preparation Camp 

Headquarters for Team GB prior to 

the Olympics. 

In the years leading up to the Games 

Loughborough helped train and 

prepare more than 90 athletes for 

both the Olympics and Paralympics, 

and its academic research led to the 

development of new training aids and 

competition equipment. 

The summer of 2012 was an 

incredible time for Loughborough – 

follow its journey. 

4 the sports view the sports view 5 

Photo: SWpix

the team gB 

Preparation 

camp comes to 

Loughborough 

2012 TimeLine 

For seven and half weeks prior 

to the start of the London 2012 

Games the spotlight was on 

Loughborough University as 

the site of the official Team GB 

Preparation Camp headquarters. 

The Preparation Camp had 

two main purposes: firstly 

to officially kit out all of the 

athletes as part of the Team GB 

‘Experience’. Secondly a number 

of athletes chose to spend time 

at the University to utilise the 

sporting facilities on campus to 

prepare for the Games. 

the team gB 

experience 

524 of the 541 athletes 

selected visited the 

Preparation Camp to be kitted 

out, alongside support staff, 

coaches and officials. The 

process took approximately 

three and a half hours to 

complete. 

Representatives from all of 

the 26 Olympic sports passed 

through the camp, based at 

the Sir Denis Rooke building in 

Holywell Park. 

Other areas of the campus 

utilised by Team GB included 

Burleigh Court, where Team GB 

officials and athletes stayed 

but also used as their Operation 

Office. The new Loughborough 

University Stadium was 

converted into a media centre, 

providing a base for journalists 

and broadcasters and a location 

for press conferences, team 

announcements and photo 

opportunities. 

The two suppliers of kit were 

Next and adidas. The athletes 

first visited Next in order to be 

measured and fitted for formal 

wear and outfits for the Opening 

and Closing Ceremonies. During 

a six week period Next issued 

approximately 80,000 items 

of clothing across 64 different 

sizes. 

After the formal and ceremony 

wear the athletes moved onto 

Thousands of local residents, 

school children and University 

staff gathered on 3 July to 

celebrate as the Olympic Torch 

Relay wound its way through the 

campus. 

Among those carrying the 

Flame at the University was 

Nottingham-based athlete 

Richard Whitehead, who trains 

at Loughborough, and went on 

to win gold in the 200m at the 

Paralympic Games. 

The Flame ended its visit to the 

campus at the Sir Denis Rooke 

building. It was met by 180 

members of Team GB’s Olympic 

Ambition Programme – young, 

talented British athletes who 

were given a unique opportunity 

to experience the Olympic 

Games environment at first 

hand this summer. Among those 

also present at Sir Denis Rooke 

were Team GB Deputy Chef de 

Mission Sir Clive Woodward, 

adidas in order to try on their 

podium tracksuit, alongside 

village, training and sports 

specific competition wear. 

Adidas issued approximately 

175,000 units of kit across 

23 sizes. 

As well as kitting out the 

athletes also had the 

opportunity to sign up to the 

five 'One Team GB' core values 

and Olympic gold medallist and 

Team GB ambassador David 

Hemery. 

Several of the torch bearers 

who took part in the relay 

across the country had links 

to Loughborough, including: 

current students Myra Perkins, 

Jen Jones, Robert Mohan, Stuart 

Gorman and Oliver Hooper; staff 

members Myra Nimmo, Ian 

Henry, Rachel Thomson, Rich 

Smith, Richard Bebbington and 

Debs Eagle; and alumni Sue 

Campbell, Dan Greaves and 

Rebecca Willison. 

of performance, respect, unity, 

responsibility and pride. 

The athletes then spent 25 

minutes conducting media 

interviews and going through 

the experience of a ‘mixed 

zone', which was designed to 

replicate the experience of 

stepping off the field of play at 

the Olympic Games and facing 

media requests. 

Prime Minister 

visits University 

Prime Minister David 

Cameron paid a special visit 

to Loughborough University 

to highlight the country-wide 

economic benefits of hosting 

the Olympic and Paralympic 

Games. 

Speaking to national and 

regional business leaders, 

representatives from the tourism 

industry and University staff, 

the Prime Minister gave a 

rousing speech focusing on an 

‘inspirational’ Games that will 

deliver a lasting legacy across 

the UK. 

Upon his arrival to the campus 

the Prime Minister was greeted 

by the University’s then Vice 

Chancellor, Professor Shirley 

Pearce, before addressing 

more than 150 guests who had 

gathered at Loughborough’s 

High Performance Athletics 

Centre for the event. 

Following his speech the 

Prime Minister visited the 

Team GB Experience where 

he met members of the Team 

GB Volleyball and Basketball 

squads, and Team GB 

Ambassador James Degale – a 

2008 Olympic gold medallist in 

boxing. 

18th June 19th June 3rd July 4th July 5th July 7th July 19th July 25th July 

The Team GB 

Preparation Camp 

opens, with the rowing 

team the first to pass 

through the doors. 

6 the sports view 

Media get the first 

behind the scenes 

viewing of the Team 

GB experience. 

olympic Flame 

lights up campus 

The Olympic 

Torch relay visits 


University, travelling 

throughout the 

campus. 

The Princess royal 

meets the GB 

Men’s Basketball 

team during a visit 

to the Team GB 

Preparation Camp at 

Loughborough. 

Prime Minister 

David Cameron 

visits the campus 

to highlight the 

country-wide 

economic benefits of 

hosting the Olympic 

and Paralympic 

Games. 

Crowds gather to see 

Jessica ennis 

compete at the 


european Athletics 

Permit meet. 

the taekwondo team enjoy their stay 

As well as coming to 

Loughborough to be kitted out 

approximately 200 athletes from 

13 sports utilised the facilities 

on campus. 

One sport that benefitted from 

time at Loughborough was 

taekwondo. As the athletes would 

not compete until the end of the 

second week the sport decided to 

stay away from the Olympic village 

until the last minute. 

Instead, four athletes along with 

coaches and support staff spent 

10 days in Burleigh Court and 

training out of the David Wallace 

Sports Hall, which had a purpose 

built competition mat and stage to 

replicate the conditions that would 

face the athletes at the London 

2012 Games. 

For taekwondo the sport had its 

most successful ever Olympic 

Games, with Jade Jones winning a 

gold medal and Lutalo Muhammad 

winning a bronze. 

The Taekwondo team 

pass through kitting 

out. The squad also 

use the University as a 

training base for their 

final preparations for 

the Games. 

Medal Makers 

A key element of having the Preparation Camp 

sited at the University was the recruitment 

of 400 volunteers through the Medal Makers 

programme. 

The Medal Makers were on hand to support 

the delivery of the Preparation Camp. The 

volunteers worked across all areas of the camp, 

from supporting the kitting out process and the 

press operations, providing the security and 

assistance for the training venues to managing 

the car parks and assisting with the laundry. 

Medal Makers clocked up an impressive 11,642 

hours of volunteering during the Preparation 

Camp. The volunteers ranged in age from 16 to 

84 and from all walks of life from students, staff 

colleagues and members of the community. 

Athletes Dominic King 

and Johanna Jackson 

are the last Team GB 

athletes to be kitted 

out – 97% of the 

athletes visit the Team 

GB experience during 

the six weeks. 


7

A breathing training device 

developed at Loughborough helped 

to prepare Team GB’s Mo Farah to 

claim double Olympic gold medal 

success in the men’s 5,000 and 

10,000 metres. 

The innovative device fits around 

the lower chest and ribcage to 

provide a training load to the 

breathing muscles as the chest 

expands during breathing. Improved 

breathing muscle efficiency means 

more oxygen reaches the exercising 

muscles leading to increased 

strength, power and endurance. 

The Nike Oregon Project Team, 

which includes Farah and Olympic 

10,000 metres silver medallist 

Galen Rupp, used RespiBelt as 

part of the athletes’ training 

preparations. 

The device has been developed 

over several years at the University 

and by Progressive Sports 

Technologies, a spin-out company 

from Loughborough’s Sports 

Technology Institute. 

2012 TimeLine 

device helps Farah to double gold 

27th July 30th July 2nd august 4th august 6th august 7th august 10th august 11th august 12th august 

The opening ceremony 

for the London 2012 

Olympic Games is 

held. Loughborough 

has 73 athletes 

competing in the 

Games for five 

different countries. 

Photo: SWpix 

Loughborough-based 

gymnast Sam Oldham 

helps Team GB to win 

the bronze medal in 

the men’s team event. 

sam oldham (far right) 

Sir Chris Hoy wins his 

first gold medal in the 

men’s Team Sprint at 

the velodrome. British 

Cycling worked with 

Loughborough and 

adidas to develop ‘hot 

pants’ for the team. 

‘hot pants’ give 

British cyclists 

the winning 

edge 

Heated trousers developed by 

experts from the University, 

British Cycling and global 

sports brand adidas were used 

by Great Britain’s cyclists in 

their successful pursuit of 

Olympic glory. 

The ADIPOWER muscle 

warming pants are fitted 

with battery-powered heat 

filaments that sit over 

the cyclist’s core muscle 

groups and maintain their 

temperature between 

warm-up and the start of an 

event. They’re said to perform 

a job similar to tyre warmers 

in Formula 1 racing, keeping 

the muscles heated in a bid to 

improve performance. 

Mo Farah becomes 

the first Briton to win 

an Olympic gold medal 

in the 10,000 metres. 

A breathing training 

device – respiBelt 

– developed at 

Loughborough helped him 

prepare for the Games. 

The trousers were used 

by the Team GB’s track 

sprint cyclists, including 

Sir Chris Hoy who by 

winning two gold medals 

in the team sprint and 

keirin event became the 

most decorated British 

Olympian of all time. 

The University’s 

Environmental 

Ergonomics Research 

Centre – part of the 

Loughborough Design 

School – worked 

with adidas for 

three years on the 

project, establishing 

the scientific basis 

for the trousers. 

The research was led 

by Professor George 

Havenith, PhD student 

Steve Faulkner and 

Dr Richard Ferguson. 

The Team GB 

Preparation Camp 

closes, with 

taekwondo the 

final squad to leave 

Loughborough to 

travel down to the 

Olympic village. 


olympians at 

the 2012 games 

Over 70 athletes with 

connections to Loughborough 

competed in the London 2012 

Olympic Games across 12 

different sports and disciplines, 

and representing five different 

countries. 

Seven of the athletes won 

Olympic bronze medals 

across four different events, 

alongside a number of 

notable performances and 

achievements. 

In athletics the stand out 

performance came in the high 

jump from former Loughborough 

Students’ Athletics Club 

member Robbie Grabarz. 

Robbie, the current European 

Champion, cleared 2.29 metres 

to finish in third place alongside 

two other competitors to win a 

bronze medal. 

Former Loughborough 

College student 

robbie Grabarz wins 

the bronze medal in 

high jump. 

It was a fitting reward for 

Robbie who has broken through 

to become a world-class athlete 

over the last 12 months. 

In the women’s hockey a 3-1 

victory for Team GB won the 

bronze medal in the third place 

play-off match against New 

Zealand. 

Former and current 

Loughborough Students 

women’s hockey players 

Hannah MacLeod, Laura 

Unsworth and Nicola White all 

played their part in the Team 

GB squad that won bronze. It 

was a great performance from 

the team, who are coached 

by University graduate Danny 

Kerry. 

Current and former 


Students’ hockey 

players Hannah 

MacLeod, Laura 

Unsworth and Nicola 

White win the bronze 

medal after beating 

New Zealand 3-1. 

In canoeing two Loughborough 

University graduates who were 

given a lifeline in the sport after 

2008 found themselves on the 

podium in 2012. 

Liam Heath (Industrial Design 

and Technology) and Jon 

Schofield (Human Biology) 

formed a partnership after the 

2008 Beijing Games following 

an alteration in the Olympic 

programme for canoe sprint 

which saw the 500 metre 

events replaced with shorter 

200 metre races. 

In the Olympic final Liam and 

Jon clinched the bronze medal, 

coming in third behind Russia 

and Belarus in a time of 34.421. 

University graduates 

Liam Heath and Jon 

Schofield win the 

bronze medal in the 

canoe sprint K2 200 

metres event. 

Loughborough-based Sam 

Oldham played his part in a 

tremendous performance by 

the Team GB men’s gymnasts, 

which saw them win the bronze 

medal in the team event. 

Sam hails from Nottingham 

but trains at the University’s 

Gymnastics Centre. 

In the Aquatics Centre there 

were a number of notable 

individual performances 

by Loughborough-based 

swimmers. A tremendous swim 

from Lizzie Simmonds in the 

200 metres Backstroke saw 

her finish in fourth place. 

The Loughborough Olympians 

also played their part in 

basketball, football, handball 

and volleyball for which the 

London 2012 Games was an 

opportunity to showcase their 

sports to the public. 

The closing ceremony 


Olympic Games is held. 

Loughborough finishes 

the Games with seven 

athletes winning 

Olympic bronze 

medals across four 

different events. 

8 the research sports view & enterprise view the research & enterprise the sports view 9 

Photo: SWpix 

Laura Unsworth 

Photo: SWpix

2012 TimeLine 

Best seats in 

the house for 

wheelchair 

basketball 

players 

Innovative tailor-made seats, 

developed at Loughborough, 

were used for the first time 

by ParalympicsGB for the 

wheelchair basketball events 

this summer. 

The seats, which were 

individually moulded for each 

player to provide the best 

possible support, helped 

the athletes to improve their 

speed, acceleration and 

manoeuvrability around the 

court. 

The seats were developed 

with UK Sport funding at the 

University’s Sports Technology 

Institute, which is supported by 

the Engineering and Physical 

29th august 30th august 1st september 2nd september 4th september 6th september 7th september 9th september 

The opening ceremony 

for the London 

2012 Paralympic 

Games is held. 

Loughborough has 18 

athletes competing 

in the Games for 

ParalympicsGB. 

10 the sports view 

Sciences Research Council 

(EPSRC). 

The bespoke seats took the 

individual’s size, shape and 

particular disability into account 

and were developed in close 

consultation with the British 

men’s and women’s wheelchair 

basketball teams. 

The women’s 

wheelchair basketball 

tournament gets 

underway, featuring 

current Loughborough 

student Laurie 

Williams. 

The need to revolutionise the 

seats was identified as part 

of a partner UK Sport project, 

led by researchers from the 

University’s School of Sport, 

Exercise and Health Sciences, 

to improve the responsiveness 

of wheelchairs to basketball 

players’ needs. 


richard Whitehead 

wins the gold medal 

in the T42 200 metres 

and psychology 

student Claire Williams 

claims bronze in the 

F11/12 discus. 


athletes Libby Clegg 

and Stef reid win silver 

medals in T12 100 

metres and the F42/44 

long jump. 

technology 

boost for archer 

ParalympicsGB athlete Danielle 

Brown successfully defended 

her Paralympic women’s 

compound archery title at 

the London 2012 Games. 

Danielle has been supported 

by the University’s Sports 

Technology Institute since 

2008, after an approach for 

assistance in the design and 

production of a specialist frame 

which would enhance her 

performance. 

Danielle suffers from reflex 

sympathetic dystrophy 

in her lower legs and was 

previously using a piece of old 

bicycle frame as a prop when 

competing. 

Danielle Brown wins 

gold in the women’s 

compound archery, 

using a specially 

developed frame 

created by the Sports 

Technology institute. 


Paralympians at 

the 2012 games 

Eighteen athletes with 

connections to Loughborough 

competed in the London 2012 

Games for ParalympicsGB 

across seven different sports 

and disciplines. 

Six of the athletes won 

Paralympic medals 

alongside a number of 

notable performances and 

achievements. 

Five of the medals were won 

in the Olympic Stadium in the 

athletics events. 

Loughborough-based athlete 

Richard Whitehead started the 

Paralympic medal rush after 

coming from behind to win the 

gold in the final of the T42 

200 metres. 

richard whitehead Claire williams stef reid dan greaves 

Photos: All images courtesy of Press Association 

The Institute’s team of technical 

experts were able to create a 

design finely tuned to Danielle’s 

requirements, with custom 

features to assist the initial set 

up and a change of concept to 

ensure positional consistency 

of the archer. 

The modifications ensured there 

was consistent positioning of 

the lower limbs and that the 

total load was spread over a 

greater area, making maximum 

use of the permitted space. 

The redesign eliminated the 

sinking of the frame on soft 

ground and the wider base made 

it much more stable on indoor 

shoots. 

University graduate Dan Greaves 

wins silver in the F44 discus. 

Ben rushgrove wins the bronze 

medal in the T36 200 metres. 

Ben has been supported by the 

Sports Technology institute and 

was the subject of the film BeN, 

directed by University lecturer 

Dr John edwards. 

University graduate Dan 

Greaves claimed the silver 

medal in the F44 discus. Dan 

broke the Paralympic record 

with a season’s best of 59.01 

metres, but rival Jeremy 

Campbell threw over 60 metres 

to win the gold medal. 

Stefanie Reid claimed the silver 

medal in the F42/44 long jump. 

Stef, who is coached by Keith 

Antoine at Loughborough, 

broke the Paralympic record on 

two occasions, jumping 5.28 

metres. 

Loughborough-based Libby 

Clegg also won a silver medal 

in the 100 metres T12 event. 

Libby crossed the line with her 

guide runner Mikail Huggins in 

a lifetime best and European 

record time of 12.13. 

Current University student 

Claire Williams won the 

bronze medal in the F11/12 

discus. Claire, who is studying 

Psychology and is a 2012 

Sports Scholar, threw 39.63 

metres to claim third place. 

Away from the track in the 

table tennis there was a bronze 

medal for Loughborough College 

student Aaron McKibbin in the 

Class 6-8 men’s team event. 

There were a number of notable 

performances from current 

University students. 

International Relations student 

Sam Ruddock ran a personal 

best of 28.75 in the heats on 

the T35 200 metres. Although 

Current Loughborough 

College student Aaron 

McKibbon wins bronze 

in the table tennis 

class 6-8 team event. 

not quick enough to qualify for 

the final, it was a tremendous 

performance by Sam who only 

took up athletics a few months 

ago. 

Finally Geography student 

Emma Hollis produced a series 

of gutsy swims in the pool 

despite having fractured her 

ankle less than a week prior to 

the Games due to her condition 

of brittle bones. 

Masters student Crystal 

Lane was only selected for 

the Games two weeks before 

they commenced. But Crystal 

recorded top ten finishes in her 

three events during her debut 

at the Paralympic Games, 

including a sixth place in the 

Women’s Individual C 4-5 Road 

Race held at Brands Hatch. 

The closing ceremony 


Paralympic Games is 

held. Loughborough 

finishes the Games 

with six athletes 

winning six medals. 


11

Noise 

control is big business. Industry 

and Government spend billions of 

pounds every year attempting to protect workers 

and communities from the damaging impact of 

unwelcome sound. From the rumble of road traffic 

to the banging of industrial machinery, solid barriers 

are often employed to lessen the noise with varying 

degrees of success. 

But now a new patented technology, developed by 

a team from the University’s Department of Physics, 

looks set to revolutionise noise control and is 

already attracting a lot of interest. 

When embarking on a joint undergraduate 

research project for their Physics degree, Drs 

Daniel Elford and Luke Chalmers had no idea 

that five years down the line it would see 

them on the brink of launching a brand new 

business venture with the University. At just 

26 years old the friends seem to be taking it 

all in their stride. 

“We are both really excited about where this 

is heading,” Dr Elford says. “We have had a 

lot of support from the department and the 

University’s Enterprise Office and have been 

quite shocked by the positive reaction we 

have had from industry.” 

Their undergraduate project focused on a 

relatively new area of physics called sonic 

crystals – a periodic array of sound wave 

scatterers that severely reduce sound 

in specific frequency ranges. Research 

in this area was already underway in 

the department, led by Professor Feo 

Kusmartsev and Dr Gerry Swallowe. 

Following the interesting results of their 

undergraduate project Professor Kusmartsev 

and Dr Swallowe invited the duo to continue 

their research through a PhD. 

“The PhD went really well,” Dr Elford adds. 

“And in our final year we started to realise 

that what we had been working on could 

have some real commercial use.” 

12 the research & enterprise view 

Conventional sound barriers are solid 

structures built around machinery or 

installed along the sides of road or railway 

lines. However they are not always effective 

and can cause problems with ventilation 

and over-heating when used in an industrial 

setting. 

The sound barriers developed by Drs 

Elford and Chalmers have built upon the 

extensive research already carried out by 

the department. They comprise of a series 

of cylinders, precisely arranged to absorb 

the frequency of sound waves in a specific 

environment. They enable the reduction of 

unwanted sound, whilst allowing wanted 

noise such as fire alarms to be heard. The 

barriers can be constructed from a wide 

variety of materials and use typically less 

than half of the matter needed for a solid 

barrier, making them more cost-effective 

than current solutions. Their design can also 

be tailored to cut very specific types 

of noise. 

Dr Chalmers explains: “Basically our 

design is made from cylinders in a periodic 

row, similar to a fence but with spaces in 

between. In spacing the cylinders in a regular 

pattern you are able to block out a certain 

frequency of sound. This is achieved by 

matching the peaks in a sound wave to the 

spacing between the cylinders – the sound 

gets cancelled out. 

“What makes our technology so unique is 

the design of the cylinders. A conventional 

sonic crystal is a solid cylinder and the sound 

control is only determined by the spacing 

between each one. To block out the lower 

frequency noises the spacing increases so 

your barrier gets bigger, making it unfeasible. 

The solution we developed involves using 

hollow cylinders with a slot cut in, which 

introduces a different mechanism to block 

out certain frequencies. Using this technique 

alongside the spacing of the cylinders we 

are able to block out even more sound 

frequencies at a useable scale.” 

To transform their research into a business 

venture they have secured commercialisation 

funding from the Engineering and Physical 

Sciences Research Council, the University’s 

Enterprise Office, the European Regional 

Development Fund and the Royal Academy of 

Engineering. This has enabled them to carry 

out lab tests at the campus and develop 

prototypes. They are now at the stage where 

they are testing the technology in actual 

industry settings. 

“We have our sound barriers in operation at 

two industrial sites,” Dr Elford says. “To start 

the process we go out to visit the clients 

and perform a noise survey. We take noise 

measurements and then work out which 

frequencies we need to target. We then 

tune the barrier to block out those specific 

frequencies. 

“We offer industry a unique solution to 

noise control that is cheaper, targeted at 

specific sounds and allows the free flow of 

air. The ability to allow air to pass through 

is particularly important to industry, where 

solid noise barriers enclosing machinery 

can lead to over-heating and the need for air 

conditioning.” 

The response to the new sound barriers 

has been incredible, with more that 30 

companies spanning the rail and renewable 

energy sectors interested in the development 

of the technology and its potential uses. 

“They all see the value of the new technology 

and know that the current options on offer 

do not work,” Dr Chalmers adds. “In fact the 

interest has been that great that we have 

had to turn away some companies until we 

are at a stage to be able to help them.” 

“We offer industry a 

unique solution to noise 

control that is cheaper, 

targeted at specific 

sounds and allows the 

free flow of air.” 

Drs Elford and Chalmers, alongside 

Professor Kusmartsev and Dr Swallowe, 

are now working with the Enterprise 

Office to establish a University spin-out 

company. Loughborough is renowned for its 

successful transfer of academic research 

into commercial ventures and Drs Elford and 

Chalmers know they are in the best place 

possible to develop a business. 

“The support we have received from the 

University has been fantastic,” Dr Elford says. 

“Loughborough’s reputation has opened a lot 

of doors for us in the business community and 

we want to retain our strong links with the 

University as things progress. Ideally we would 

like to base the new company at the campus 

on the Science and Enterprise Park, it is the 

perfect environment.” 


13

simple 

solutions 

783 million 

people 

in the world do not have access to 

safe water. This is roughly one in ten 

of the world’s population. 

2.5 billion 

people 

in the world do not have access to 

adequate sanitation, almost two 

fifths of the world’s population. 

diarrhoea 

kills 

more children every year than AIDS, 

malaria and measles combined. 

14 the research & enterprise view the research & enterprise view 15 

Photo: Water Aid

Living 

in the UK it is easy to take the simple things for granted. if you 

are thirsty you turn on the tap, if you need the toilet you go. 

But for so many people in the world accessing safe drinking water and adequate 

sanitation is a daily struggle. Add to this a disability, old age or even pregnancy, 

doing even the simple things becomes a battle. Judy Wing went to meet Hazel 

Jones from the University’s Water, engineering and Development Centre (WeDC) 

in the School of Civil and Building engineering, whose practical, hands on 

approach to help and partnership working is changing people’s lives. 

It was 10 years ago that Hazel first started 

looking at access to water and sanitation 

for people with disabilities as part of a 

Department for International Development 

(DFID) funded research project. 

“Rather than inventing new solutions we 

decided to build on existing good practice,” 

Hazel explains. “Through the DFID research 

we were able to go out and document how 

disabled people themselves were modifying 

their home environments, the solutions they 

had come up with to overcome 

problems accessing water, 

sanitation and hygiene (WASH). It 

was then that we realised that it 

wasn’t just disabled people who 

were affected – the elderly, the 

young, pregnant women, they all 

faced problems.” 

The information gathered during 

the research was analysed and 

the technical solutions collated in 

a picture-led resource book. More 

than 300 copies were distributed to 

WASH implementers and disabled 

people’s organisations working 

in low-income countries. It was 

translated into French, distributed 

on CD and made available to download from 

the WEDC website. For many it was the first 

time they had considered the extra barriers 

facing disabled people and other vulnerable 

groups in accessing water and sanitation. 

“The resource book highlighted just how hard 

life is for the most vulnerable in low-income 

countries, where for many going to the toilet 

involves squatting over a pit in the ground, 

at best. If you are unable to walk or support 

your own weight what do you do? It is a 

similar situation with accessing water – if the 

hand pump is a kilometre away or difficult to 

operate and requires a lot of strength what do 

the elderly or very young do?” 

WEDC has a long-established relationship 

with WaterAid and the DFID-funded research 

further cemented the partnership. WaterAid 

is an international non-governmental 

organisation dedicated to transforming 

lives by improving access to safe water, 

hygiene and sanitation in the world's poorest 

communities. It works in 27 countries with 

local partners, providing them with the skills 

and support to help communities set up and 

manage practical and sustainable projects 

that meet their real needs. 


“Our resource book struck a real chord with 

WaterAid,” Hazel adds. “Equity and inclusion 

in accessing safe water and sanitation 

became an organisational strategy for 

WaterAid and at this point they came to us to 

provide the technical expertise for its staff.” 

WEDC were tasked with developing a training 

course for WaterAid’s employees – the 

people working on the ground in low-income 

countries to improve water and sanitation 

facilities. The distance-learning package 

“it is fantastic to know 

that the research we do 

here at WEDc is really 

helping people in lowincome 

countries” 

Hazel created is the only one of its kind in 

the world. It encourages participants to seek 

out achievable solutions, providing them with 

examples of what they could do differently and 

the practical skills needed through a mixed 

mode format of practical distance-learning, 

assignments and hands-on workshops. 

Today staff from all 27 countries that 

WaterAid work in have completed WEDC’s 

CPD distance-learning course. “It is fantastic 

to know that the research we do here at 

WEDC is really helping people in low-income 

countries,” Hazel says. “The information 

and training based on our original research 

is being provided to implementers, disabled 

people’s organisations and to communities 

to make them think about the needs of the 

disabled in their communities, the needs of 

the elderly, of pregnant women. Things are 

changing for the better for these people.” 

So what next? WEDC has now embarked on 

a three-year research project with WaterAid 

and the Leonard Cheshire Disability and 

Inclusive Development Centre based at UCL. 

The purpose of the research is to examine 

what the problems are that prevent access to 

clean water and basic sanitation for disabled 

and elderly people in Uganda and Zambia. It 

will look at what interventions are effective in 

improving access and the impact this has on 

their lives and those of their families, including 

economic, health and social status. 

The first phase of the research will focus on 

the impact of lack of access in 

three areas: livelihoods; health; 

and social participation, and 

identify the barriers preventing 

access. The second phase of 

the research will assess how 

improved access to water and 

sanitation facilities affects both 

individuals with disabilities and 

their households. 

“It is great to be able to continue 

pushing forward with the work 

and to keep it in the minds of 

policy makers,” Hazel adds. “This 

research project will enable us to 

get a deeper insight into the real 

impact lack of access to clean 

water and basic sanitation has on people with 

a disability, and what a difference improving 

access can make. As with all the work we do 

here at WEDC, it is about improving people’s 

quality of life.” 

Loughborough University’s Water, Engineering 

and Development Centre (WEDC) is a worldleading 

education and research institute. Part 

of the School of Civil and Building Engineering, 

the organisation specialises in developing 

knowledge and capacity in water supply and 

sanitation in developing countries. 

changing 

lives 


Photo: Water Aid 

17



researchers are engineering tissue 

that looks and behaves like human 

muscle. There is future potential to 

implant this tissue into patients who 

have lost muscle through surgery, 

accidents, or through sport injuries. 

Furthermore, studying these muscle 

models as they are ‘stimulated’ in 

the laboratory, could help researchers 

prescribe exercises for older people, 

and help those with degenerative and 

neuromuscular diseases. This science 

could also address strength questions 

for elite athletes, and perfect training 

regimes. 

Professor Mark Lewis of Loughborough’s 

School of Sport, Exercise and Health 

Sciences spoke with Ally Laing about 

the implications of this research for the 

health and wellbeing of society. And he 

explains why he believes collaboration 

is key to future breakthroughs. 


19


Investment in sport and exercise 

medicine is on the rise. New 

multi-million pound institutes of 

expertise have been established, 

including one at Loughborough 

University. These ‘hubs’ bring together 

clinicians, scientists, engineers and 

researchers, all under one roof, experts 

such as Loughborough’s Professor of 

Musculoskeletal Biology, Mark Lewis. 

Their compelling, collaborative research 

could result in therapies that will improve 

the quality of life for millions of people, 

and help prevent diseases related to 

inactivity. 

Professor Lewis explained: “Advances in 

tissue engineering, regenerative medicine 

and stem cell technology mean we can now 

‘make’ a piece of muscle that mimics how 

human muscle behaves. Our in vitro muscle 

models are around two centimetres long. 

“There is potential to grow muscle for 

transplants and reconstruction. We are 

working with orthopaedic surgeons to look 

at how we can attach muscle to bone for 

reconstructive surgery and sports injuries. 

We are also exploring how to grow muscles 

and nerves together.” 

He added: “During the past three to 

five years we have got to the point at 

Loughborough where we are really starting 

to push and interrogate the systems we have 

built over previous decades. We are moving 

forward at some pace.” 

The challenge is to 

use the huge potential 

of exercise as a 

therapeutic tool. 

To make muscle perform in ‘mini gyms’ in 

the laboratory, the team uses two systems. 

One is a mechanical system, where a 

stepper motor is attached to the muscle and 

‘stretches’ it. The motor can be set at any 

variable researchers choose, so they can 

really exercise the muscle hard and introduce 

lots of different regimes that simulate 

different types of exercise or performance. 

The other system used to test muscle 

performance is to use electrodes (an electric 

current) to stimulate it, to make it ‘twitch’. 

Researchers can use these models to 

understand muscle physiology in the 

laboratory, but transferring this science 

to the wider population is where the real 

legacy lies. 

Professor Lewis said: “The challenge is 

to use the huge potential of exercise as 

a therapeutic tool. Whether it’s a cancer 

patient, a respiratory patient, a cardiac 

patient or a diabetic patient, if we can 

introduce exercise into their treatment 

programme, they will benefit, but it needs 

to be prescribed specifically. 

“A term that’s used a lot now is personalised 

medicine. It’s about designing medicines that 

are specific to an individual. What we need 

to be able to do is get evidence out there to 

medics. That’s what we are working towards, 

a personalised exercise prescription, so 

people exercise better and live longer.” 

Professor Lewis and his team are now in 

their final year of a three-year research 

programme which cost £500,000 to fund. 

He explained that one of the most rewarding 

parts of his research in recent years has been 

collaboration. He has been inspired through 

working with colleagues in world-class 

facilities such as the National Centre for 

Sport and Exercise Medicine, which has 

hubs in the East Midlands (at Loughborough), 

in London and Sheffield. Also with peers in 

respected institutions such University College 

London Hospitals (UCLH), and partnership 

work with UCL (University College London), 

Nottingham University and at Keele 

University, among others. 

Professor Lewis said: “You find yourself in 

a room with electrical engineers, chemical 

engineers, sport scientists and sports 

medics, bio-chemists and biologists who 

historically would never have had the 

occasion or opportunity to meet and talk. I 

find these interactions very exciting, and I’ve 

been surprised at just how well it all works. 

“Collaboration is the future. There are too 

many big issues and not enough resources 

to give everyone a bit each. I believe 

collaboration is a paradigm for the way the 

world is going to be, going forward, certainly 

in research and development and in ideas 

and industry.” 

He concluded: “It’s people coming together 

with open hearts and open minds. And when 

you get the right people in a room, with the 

right mindsets, you can get lots done.” 

want to know more? 

Visit: www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/ssehs 

Contact: professor mark Lewis 

Email: hos-ssehs@lboro.ac.uk 


21

MEN 

MONEY 

& 

debt solving 


the the research & enterprise view 23

charities have long acknowledged that more 

XXXX women than men use their services. Women also 

tend to seek that advice early, before a cash crisis spirals out of 

control. So what’s preventing men getting the debt advice they 

need? How can debt charities break down these ‘barriers’ and 

encourage more men to come forward and deal with their debts? 

A leading financial charity commissioned Dr Jackie Goode and her 

team at Loughborough’s Centre for Research in Social Policy, to 

explore the sociological and psychological factors affecting men 

and debt. Dr Goode spoke with Alison Laing about the findings. 

The UK’s economic woes are well 

documented. Financial experts say we are in 

recession with little sign of recovery anytime 

soon. As a consequence, household debt 

is on the rise. While debt charities report a 

slight increase in the number of enquiries 

from men, this trend is against an underlying 

background of gender imbalance. Typically, 

it is still the case that women are the most 

likely to seek help with their debts, while 

men need more of a ‘push’. 

Dr Goode conducted research into these 

behaviours on behalf of the Money Advice 

Trust. It was a project she and her team took 

on with relish. 

Dr Goode said: “There is a whole body of 

scholarship out there on what happens 

to money in households. That research 

has mainly focused on women, for very 

good reason. In low income households in 

particular, it tends to be women who manage 

the household budget on a day-to-day basis. 

Female partners are also more willing to 

come forward and discuss their money 

problems than men. 

“But what made this research project 

so exciting, and quite unique, was that it 

provided a rare opportunity to hear men’s 


voices on the subject of debt. What did they 

see as their role in managing household 

finances? And just how did their overindebtedness 

occur?” 

The £20,000, small-scale, exploratory study 

took three months to complete. The male 

volunteers were recruited on the doorstep 

by a specialist agency. Some were in couple 

households, some were lone male parents, 

and one lived in a house share. Just over half 

were in households in receipt of an income 

of under £15,000 per annum, a quarter were 

in receipt of less than £25,000 a year, two 

were in receipt of between 

£30,000 - £40,000, and 

one was in receipt of 

£42,000. The interviews 

lasted on average 90 

minutes, and each 

was personally 

conducted in 

the 

Dr Jackie Goode 

individual’s home by either Dr Goode or her 

colleague, Dr Amanda Waring. 

Dr Goode said: “Getting a good sample of 

men willing to sign-up for the study proved 

difficult. The specialist agency we employed 

to recruit volunteers experienced much 

resistance. A phrase that kept coming up 

was ‘male pride’. We found this feedback 

from the agency very useful, as it alerted us 

to an issue we would later follow up in the 

interviews.” 

Dr Goode continued: “To get an overall 

picture of over-indebtedness in each 

individual household we began with some 

factual questions, such as what kinds of 

debts they had, at what level, whether they 

had ever sought professional advice, and if 

not, why not? 

“Then we introduced a set of topics which 

were more conversational and exploratory. 

We wanted to understand how men managed 

on a day-to-day basis and what strategies 

they employed to cope with debt. It’s simply 

not the case that you have manageable 

debts one day, and the next you are overindebted. 

It’s an unfolding process, and they 

began telling us their stories.” 

“Men seem to take a ‘do-ityourself’ 

approach to overindebtedness. 

They feel it’s 

their responsibility to get 

themselves out of trouble” 

In looking at the routes into over-indebtedness, 

Dr Goode and her team found that 

arrears on bills and rent were most typical, 

but relationship breakdowns also figured, 

(either where a man had to manage debts 

himself for the first time, or where he became 

liable for a financial settlement). Drug and 

gambling addiction were also mentioned. 

Dr Goode explained one of the research 

outcomes, and perhaps key to why men leave 

it so late to seek advice, centered on male 

identity issues. She said: “Men seem to take 

a ‘do-it-yourself’ approach to over-indebtedness. 

They feel it’s their responsibility to 

get themselves out of trouble. Women may 

feel empowered by being able to manage 

a tight budget, but men often believe they 

should be the providers for their families and 

are embarrassed to share their problems 

with friends, family or professional services, 

meaning debt frequently worsens over time.” 

Dr Goode added: “It’s important to recognise 

that the provider, or breadwinner, identity is 

still out there. Men are often judged on 

the money that they earn, or don’t earn. 

Traditionally, unemployment 

has been an attack on 

men’s identity. If a man is a 

high earner, that enhances his identity. 

This male pride and do-it-yourself attitude 

– in relation to problematic debt – is a new 

finding. I don’t think it’s been properly 

explored in this context before. 

“There are clearly many complex 

psychological and sociological factors at 

play here. If debt advisors could frame their 

marketing messages to men as “providers” 

or as “caring for their family” in seeking 

advice they may find this appeals, and could 

encourage more men to come forward.” 

New technologies also played their part in 

how men managed household income. 

Dr Goode said: “We noted some men took 

pride in using technology to keep track 

of their money. They’d shop around, move 

their cash about to secure better 

rates of interest, 

get text alerts when 

nearing their overdraft 

limit. Online banking and 

telephone banking gave them 

a sense of control over their 

finances. Some tried to make ‘clever’ 

investments and saw this as ‘beating the 

system’, but the danger here was that this 

could also lead to over-indebtedness. 

“Because men appeared to be both 

confident and competent at using these 

new technologies, we suggested to debt 

charities that some of the products they have 

developed, such as online self-help tools, may 

have particular appeal to male consumers.” 

Another barrier to men seeking advice 

was the mistrust that arose from being 

unable to distinguish between the free and 

independent advice offered by financial 

charities, and that of the commercial debtmanagement 

companies. The Loughborough 

team suggested charitable groups emphasise 

their free and independent status. 

Dr Goode said: “From the sample of men we 

studied, those who had sought advice from 

debt charities told us they found it extremely 

useful, which was encouraging.” 

Visit: www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/ss/staff/goode 

Contact: dr Jackie goode 

Email: J.e.goode@lboro.ac.uk 

Publication: Goode, J. and Waring, A. (2011) Seeking direction: Men, 

money advice and the road to financial health. CRSP/Money Advice Trust 


25

Ambassador, 

champion, leader - 

Vice Chancellor 

26 the campus view 

He 

has been at the University for a matter of weeks 

but already Professor Robert Allison – the new 

Vice Chancellor – has been bowled over by the 

‘Loughborough Experience’. 


27

his appointment follows an incredibly successful career in 

academia and he brings to the University a wealth of knowledge. 

Judy wing went to meet Loughborough’s new leader. 

It is clear from the start that Professor Allison is a 

very charismatic and engaging individual. His desire 

to learn all he can about his new ‘home’ highlights 

the passion he already has for the University, and 

he certainly did his homework before coming to 

Loughborough. 

“I actually met all the available former Vice 

Chancellors and Chairs of the University 

Council,” Professor Allison explains. “It was a 

great way to get a real feel for Loughborough, 

as well as an insight into what life as Vice 

Chancellor at Loughborough would be like.” 

Has Loughborough met his expectations? 

“My first few weeks here have been 

incredible,” Professor Allison adds. 

“The welcome I have received has been 

tremendous. My overwhelming impression 

from everyone I have met so far, staff and 

students, is their passion for Loughborough, 

their dedication to its continued success. 

There is a real sense of community here.” 

So what attracted him to Loughborough? 

“Everyone knows Loughborough has 

something special, something unique,” 

Professor Allison explains. “We are 

consistently ranked in the top 20 of national 

league tables, our research is internationally 

acclaimed, we attract high-calibre students, 

our work with industry is the envy of other 

institutions, and of course our sporting 

pedigree is second to none. Need I say 

more?” 

But being a Vice Chancellor is not for the faint 

hearted, as a glance at Professor Allison’s diary 

highlights – virtually every day for the next six 

months he has a meeting, conference, visit or 

event to attend. 

“There are a number of planks to being a 

Vice Chancellor, the first is working with 

colleagues to set the vision for the University 

and supporting those colleagues in delivering 

it. Secondly it is to be the ambassador for 

Loughborough, and I hope the University 

community will be proud of the way I am 

representing them. Thirdly it is helping 

ensure the University maintains its high 

standards and can constantly adapt to the 

challenges that come along. 

“Fulfilling all of these roles means I will 

be incredibly busy, but I know it will be 

immensely rewarding.” 

Professor Allison has taken over from Professor 

Shirley Pearce, who stood down as Vice Chancellor 

in July after seven years in the post. 

“Shirley has done a fantastic job at 

Loughborough and given me outstanding 

support,” Professor Allison adds. “There 

is nothing here that we need to fix, it is all 

about building on our existing success. 

“That isn’t to say there aren’t any challenges 

ahead. Universities across the country are 

facing difficult times. Changes to funding, 

student admissions and greater competition 

on a global scale are all issues we will 

have to face. We need to make sure that 

Loughborough’s success is increasingly 

recognised not only in the UK but around 

the world. We also need to be clear about 

what we can offer prospective students and 


staff. If we get this right, people will want 

to join the Loughborough family. I believe 

Loughborough is in a great position to meet 

all these challenges head on.” 

Loughborough is renowned for its strong partnerships 

with business, and has an enviable track record in 

commercialising leading edge research from the 

University. What is Professor Allison’s message to 

those in the business community yet to come into 

contact with Loughborough? 

“For those who haven’t yet experienced 

Loughborough first hand, I would urge 

them to pay us a visit,” he says. “The 

things that we are good at here, we are 

really, really good at. Working with industry 

is something we excel at and the ways 

in which we can work with industry are 

diverse. We can provide businesses with 

access to some of the top academics in 

their fields and amazing research facilities. 

Our existing relationships with leading blue 

chip companies – the Rolls Royce University 

Technology Centre, the Caterpillar Innovation 

and Research Centre and a bespoke PhD 

programme with adidas, to mention just a 

few – speak for themselves.” 

It is clear the next 12 months will be a whirlwind of 

activity for Loughborough’s new VC. But what does 

Professor Allison want to achieve over the next 12 

months? 

“The priority for me at present is to listen, 

learn and understand as much as I can 

about the University,” he explains. “Before 

arriving at the campus I heard the term 

the ‘Loughborough Experience’ mentioned 

– the unique experience on offer here. 

Since starting my role I have been fully 

indoctrinated into this, we offer students and 

staff an incredible package and I want to 

learn as much about it as possible. We also 

need to reflect on our current position and 

think about what we want to achieve next, 

so that we are proactively determining our 

future. Two questions I have already been 

asking colleagues are where do we want to 

be 10 years from now and what will it take 

to get us there? If we can answer those 

questions, set a high level of aspiration and 

if everyone involved in Loughborough works 

towards a shared vision I don’t think we’ll 

go far wrong. 

“By the end of the year I want to be in a 

position where I have met as many people 

as possible at the University, and our many 

external partners. I want to have consulted 

widely, sought views from everyone that is 

passionate about Loughborough and works 

to maintain us as one of the UK’s leading 

universities. More importantly I want to give 

them a chance to meet me. I do not want to 

be a Vice Chancellor that is known by name 

and not face also. 

“The welcome I have received has 

been tremendous. My overwhelming 

impression from everyone I have 

met so far is their passion for 

Loughborough...” 

BiogrApHy 

1982 – Graduated from 

the University of 

Hull with a BA in 

Geography 

1985 – Awarded a PhD 

from King’s 

College London 

1986 – Becomes the 

Addison Wheeler 

Research Fellow 

at the University 

of Durham 

1989 – Appointed 

Lecturer in 

Engineering 

Sedimentology 

at University 

College London 

1993 – Takes up a 

lectureship at 

the University of 

Durham 

1999 – Appointed 

Professor of 

Geography 

2000 – Becomes Head of 

the Department 

of Geography at 

Durham 

2002 – Appointed the 

Executive Dean 

of the University’s 

Faculty of Social 

Sciences and 

Health 

2006 – Moves to the 

University of 

Sussex as Pro 


2010-2011 – 

Serves as the 

University’s 

Deputy Vice 

Chancellor 

2012 – Joins 


University as 


DIGITAL CONTACT 

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CMYK RGB 

Brightness/Contrast 

MODEL PROGRAM LENS ISO LIGhTING APERTURE RESOLUTION hDR 

Nikon D4 Manual 50-200mm 800 Flashgun Various 4928x3280 No 

CAMERA 

VC 

Title The Loughborough University View 

Date 7/September/2012 


29

Lord Coe appointed 

as pro Chancellor 

Sebastian Coe, 

Lord Chairman of the 

London Organising Committee 

of the Olympic and Paralympic 

Games (LOCOG) and one of 

Britain’s greatest athletes, 

has been appointed as a Pro 

Chancellor of the University. 

As Pro Chancellor, Lord Coe is a member of the 

University’s Council (its governing body), which 

is comprised of leading figures from local and 

national organisations and businesses, as well 

as elected University staff and representatives 

from the Students’ Union. 

Lord Coe is an alumnus of Loughborough, 

having graduated with a BSc in Economics 

and Social History in 1979. He was made an 

Honorary Doctor of Technology (Hon DTech) 

by the University in 1985. 

As a sportsman he was part of the golden era 

of British athletics. 

Initially coached by his father, who designed 

workouts specifically for his son, Coe won his 

first major race in 1977 – an 800m event at 

the European indoor championships in San 

Sebastián, Spain. At Loughborough, he met 

athletics coach George Gandy, who developed 

revolutionary conditioning exercises to improve 

his running. 

Coe won gold in the 1,500m and silver in the 

800 metres at both the 1980 Moscow and 

1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. He also won 

gold in the 800 metres at the 1986 European 

Athletics Championships in Stuttgart, and set 

a total of eight outdoor and three indoor world 

records. 

Following his retirement from athletics in 1990, 

he served as a Conservative MP and, in 2000, 

was made a life peer. In 2006, Lord Coe was 

appointed a Knight Commander of the Order 

of the British Empire. 

Lord Coe played a leading role in winning 

the bid for the London 2012 Games, with his 

inspirational presentation to the International 

Olympic Committee a key moment in the 

bid’s success. 

Of his appointment, Lord Coe said: 

“I have always had very strong links with 

Loughborough, and I am looking forward 

to being able to contribute to the future of 

the University which provided me with such 

support, as both a student and graduate 

and also in my athletics career.” 


reinvent the Toilet 

Challenge awarded 

prize by bill gates 


has won a 

prestigious 

prize of $60,000 in an international competition 

organised by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 

to develop a reinvented toilet. 

The challenge was to create a toilet that is clean, 

safe, durable and affordable for the poor without 

the need for connection to electricity or a sewer. 

The toilet had to be a viable solution in wealthy 

nations as well as in the developing world, where 

2.5 billion people lack access to safe and affordable 

sanitation. 

The prize was awarded to the Loughborough team 

for its prototype toilet which aims to convert 

human waste into carbonised material to provide 

heat, minerals for soil conditioning, and water for 

flushing and hand-washing. It uses a process called 

Continuous Thermal Hydrocarbonisation which kills 

all pathogens to create safe to handle, valuable 

material and uses power from heat generated during 

processing. The toilet is designed to work in both 

single-family and multi-user contexts with daily 

running costs of just a few pence per person. 

Three prototype technologies were recognised 

for most closely matching the criteria for the 

Loughborough climbs 

up ‘Table of Tables’ 

The 

University has risen a further two places 

to be ranked 13th in the Times Higher 

Education (THE) ‘Table of Tables’, placing it firmly 

among the very best universities in the country. 

The THE table is based on the combined results of 

the UK university leagues compiled by The Times, 

The Guardian and the Complete University Guide. 

Loughborough’s continued high rankings in national 

league tables is a reflection of the commitment of 

everyone at the University to providing the highest 

quality learning environment and an outstanding 

all-round student experience. 

Reinvent the Toilet Challenge. Loughborough was 

awarded second prize, with the California Institute 

of Technology and the University of Toronto 

respectively receiving first and third prizes. 

“Innovative solutions change people’s lives for the 

better,” said Foundation Co-chair Bill Gates. “If we 

apply creative thinking to everyday challenges, such 

as dealing with human waste, we can fix some of 

the world’s toughest problems.” 

Almost one year ago, the Foundation challenged 

universities to design toilets that can capture and 

process human waste without piped water, sewer 

or electrical connections, and transform human 

waste into useful resources. Eight universities from 

around the world were chosen for the challenge. 

Loughborough was the only UK university to be 

awarded a grant, receiving $400,000 for research. 

Professor M. Sohail, Loughborough’s project lead, 

said, “It was the opportunity of a lifetime to present 

our research to Mr Gates and we are extremely 

honoured to receive this prestigious award.” 

“Loughborough University has an outstanding 

reputation for applying its cross-cutting research 

to tackle global issues,” added Professor Myra 

Nimmo, the University’s Pro Vice Chancellor for 

Research. “This challenge has brought together our 

experts in sanitation, chemical, materials and water 

engineering and design. I am delighted that their 

expertise has been recognised with this prestigious 

award.” 

professor 

awarded Cbe 

Harriet 

Ward, Professor of Child and 

Family Research at the University, 

was awarded a CBE for services to children and 

families in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. 

Professor Ward is Director of Loughborough’s 

renowned Centre for Child and Family Research 

(CCFR), which she co-founded in 2001. She also 

co-directs the government-funded Childhood 

Wellbeing Research Centre – a partnership between 

the Institute of Education, University of London, 

Loughborough University, and the Personal Social 

Services Research Unit (PSSRU) at the University 

of Kent. 

The work of Professor Ward and her CCFR colleagues 

is influential both nationally and internationally, 

providing the evidence base for the development of 

a wide range of policy initiatives, particularly those 

relating to children in need. 

Her leadership of the Looking After Children 

programme, from which much of the CCFR research 

programme originally derived, has influenced 

government policy and practice in the UK and 

abroad. It also led to a number of research initiatives, 

which informed the development of the CCFR 

programmes of research on outcomes for vulnerable 

children and exploring costs and outcomes. 

She is currently directing a major research study 

on young children who are suffering, or are likely 

to suffer, significant harm, and has recently 

co-authored Safeguarding Children Across Services: 

Messages from Research on Identifying and 

Responding to Child Maltreatment, the overview 

of the Department of Health- and Department for 

Education-funded Safeguarding Children Research 

Initiative. 

Speaking about her CBE Professor Ward said: “I am 

delighted to have received this prestigious honour. 

The work that we undertake at the Centre for Child 

and Family Research has a real impact on society 

and I think all the CCFR team should share the credit 

for its many achievements.” 


31

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