June 2010 - University of the West of England

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Fashion s udents inspired by
hot air bal oons and Scott sh hil s
27 June 2010 s ue 95
Bulletin deadlines 2010
Month/Issue Copy deadline
July/95
1 July
Sept/96
1 September
Oct/97
1 October
Nov/98
1 November
thebulletin
27 June 2010 - Issue 95
Fashion students inspired by
hot air balloons and Scottish hills
Staff ads
Dawlish Warren. Six berth/two bedroom caravan to let on family run
site. Fully equipped. Site facilities include four swimming pools, kids
club, evening entertainment.10 minutes walk from beach. Close to
Torquay, Dartmouth, Paignton etc. Reasonable rates – from £110 per
week
(low season). Tel: Tracey 07957 232 763/Shaun 07932 907 882.
Flooring innovations: Domestic and commercial floor laying.
Tiles, vinyl and laminate, all types of work undertaken. Please
contact Colin Doran on 0117 937 2589 or 07989 558 545 or e-mail
flooringinnovations@yahoo.co.uk.
Tang Soo Do Martial Arts classes - learn self defence, improve
fitness and confidence. Families and beginners welcome. Contact
Victoria.Nash@uwe.ac.uk for further details.
French holiday home in Vendée town of Aizenay, West France.
15 minutes from the coast and golf courses. Sleeps 10, fully equipped
from £300 per week. For further details and dvd contact
01454 850698.
Kitchens, bathrooms, plumbing, tiling, decorating. Full range of
suites and units to suit all budgets. Now available: Magnet products at
trade prices. Reliable, experienced and reasonably-priced work carried
out to your instructions. Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire. All work
to quotes unless otherwise requested.
Call 01454 312535/ 07825 816 050.
E-mail rhtbuilding@gmail.com
Beautiful villa for rent in Monte Pedreguer, Spain. Four bedrooms,
two bathrooms, air-conditioned, satellite tv, fully equipped kitchen,
large private pool, bbq area, fantastic views. Valencia airport 75mins,
Alicante airport 70 mins. Terms negotiable. www.villacolina.co.uk
La Beauficerie Bed and Breakfast, Hambye, Normandy,
France. Situated in the rural Normandy countryside. Good vacation
accommodation for short or long stays for families, couples and
single travellers. Contact: lizandalan@hambyebandb.co.uk www.
hambyebandb.co.uk
Staff Association
Staff Association Coach Club -
Forthcoming Trips - As you all know, in 2010
the Staff Association is celebrating its 40th
Anniversary and as part of that the Coach
Club will be continuing to offer special offers
on trips over the next few months. Look out
for these bargains! ‘Once they’re gone, they’re
gone!’
Saturday 17 July – Dawlish
Special Anniversary cost:- Members £9, Non-
Members £10, child price available on request.
Last trip before the summer break! Why not
join us for a day in South Devon!
Dawlish has been a popular seaside resort
since the 18th century.
Saturday 4 September
– Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Special Anniversary cost:- Members £10, Non-
Members £11, child price available on request.
One of England’s finest medieval market
towns packed with timber framed black and
white buildings, steep narrow streets and
alleyways. It has over 600 listed buildings
including a castle and Shrewsbury Abbey,
home of the fictional Brother Cadfael.
If you fancy a stroll there are riverside walks
and the Quarry Park, but should this not be
enough, the Shrewsbury International Street
Theatre Festival is on for the weekend of
our visit providing further entertainment if
needed!
If you are interested in any of the above please
contact us through the following channels
only: Coachclub@uwe.ac.uk,
Telephone: 0117 32 83001
Walking Club
The next trip will be on the 3 July at Felton,
in the area of Bristol Lulsgate. Sandra Nash
will be leading – she can be contacted on
extension: 82312 or
e-mail Sandra.Nash@uwe.ac.uk
For further information on the Staff
Association please visit our web pages:
www.uwe.ac.uk/staff-assoc/
As you all know, in 2010 the Staff Association
is celebrating its 40th Anniversary and as part
of that the Coach Club will be continuing to
offer special offers on trips over the next few
months. Look out for these bargains! ‘Once
they’re gone, they’re gone!’
For further information on the Staff
Association please visit our web pages:
www.uwe.ac.uk/staff-assoc/
www.uwe.ac.uk
Graphic Design Team MC952
UWE, BR STOL F 06 10
Printing & Stationery Services

In this
month’s issue
3 Technology students
show off degree work
4 Planning and
Architecture Show
6 Product Design
competition winner
secures design job at
Bisley
7 Graduates design rides
on new pier at Westonsuper-Mare
8 Dream Doctor’s book
helps you to interpret
your dreams
9 University achieves
Carbon Trust Standard
16 Fashion students
inspired by Scottish
hills, hair and latex
38 Staff survey update
The Bulletin is published by the
Marketing and Communications
Office who reserve the right to
select items for inclusion and to
edit copy. For further information
contact Jane Kelly or Mary Price on
ext 82208, e-mail Jane.Kelly@uwe.
ac.uk and Mary.Price@uwe.ac.uk.
Editor: Jane Kelly
Editor: Mary Price
Contributor: Lesley Drake,
Kate Mooney
Production: Jayne Andrews,
Kate Mooney
Designed by Graphic Design
Printing and Distribution by
Printing and Stationery
The next issue will be circulated
at the end of July. Please do keep
sending contributions in. The
Bulletin regrets that it cannot
be held responsible for any
claims that arise out of
advertisements carried.
Front cover:
Fashion designs by Georgina Kitchen,
Kate Dunkling and Vanessa Brownlie
were inspired by hot air balloons,
Sixties fashions, and Scottish hills. The
UWE students modelling the fashions
are (from left) Lizzie Wheatley,
Rebecca Naglia and Angela Ogborne.
Ashley Hribar-Green, a final year Product
Design Technology student, has designed
‘Roto’, a new concept in stair lift design
that makes it easier for people who
are wheelchair bound to move from
wheelchair to stair lift without help.
Ashley explains, “The ‘Roto’ design
reduces the risk of falls when moving
from wheelchair to stairlift in the home
by means of a saddle that swivels to the
height of the wheel chair so that the
user can easily manoevre onto the lift.
“The saddle then moves into position
and the lift climbs the stairs in the usual
way. I have tried to respond to the need
for a more aesthetic design whilst at the
same time maintaining the mechanics.
‘Roto’ can be used in a very small space
- this is critical as many people who
NEWS
Ashley Hribar-Green with ‘Roto’
become wheelchair bound have to move
to single level accommodation or make
very expensive adaptations to their
homes. ‘Roto’ could be manufactured at
around a third of the cost of having a
full lift installed.”
Ashley has enjoyed his time at UWE,
saying that the Product Design
Technology course has enabled him
to develop a useful skill set including
sketching, product development, CAD
design and technical analysis that will
enable him to work in a variety of design
fields, “I’m really keen to continue
work in this area and I’ve been sending
invitations to the show to possible
employers and manufacturers as well as
making a lot of speculative applications
for work.”
Technology students show off degree work
A board game to help prospective foster carers, a new look and design for a stair lift, innovative gaming
solutions and a fast indexing system are just some of the ideas that featured in the Bristol Institute of
Technology (BIT) Show on Friday 11 June.
This year the show, branded the 470 show, reflected the 470 students taking part and showcased final year
graduate work. Tod Burton, Head of School, (BIT) said, “Once again we have a very exciting array of projects on
show. The Institute now encompasses a fantastic range of programmes of study from product design to games
technology to robotics and software engineering. 470 is a culmination of final year project work attracting a
wide audience.”
Christine McFadden, a Creative Product
Design student, has designed a game aimed
at people who are considering fostering,
to help them navigate the application
process and to develop some of the skills
needed to foster a child. The game is called
‘Foster Life’ and includes a board, four
resin ‘jelly baby’ looking character pawns, a
polypropelene ‘home’, playdough and cards
that help with skills development.
Christine has designed and made all the
components as well as coming up with an
original concept.
She said, “I was inspired by my parents who
started the fostering process but got put off
by its complexity. This game has a ‘street’
divided into six colours that take players
through each stage of the application
process from initial enquiry to the final
panel meeting. Each colour pathway is
divided into boxes and identifies an aspect
of the application process to help people
gain a better understanding of what’s
involved. The plastic home is made to look
friendly with flowers
laser cut into the
plastic. Contained in
the house are pink
and blue cards that
form a tool kit for
dealing with skills
like communication,
confidence,
relationship
building and
bonding, all critical
when aiming to
foster a child.”
Christine McFadden with
her game ‘Foster Life’
Kurt Gauss, incoming leader of the Product Design programme,
said, “The students have come up with really innovative ideas
around human centred design criteria. I am always impressed with
the strong ability of the students to synthesise their education
at UWE and to build upon it during this year long independent
project; it shows a tremendous talent and maturity.”
Daniel Twomey is a final year Games Technology student. His
project is entitled ‘Procedural generation of urban environments
for Sandbox games’, Daniel said, “I have designed what is known
as a city generator – this involves putting out district markers,
and from these building a road network and placing buildings
using procedural techniques, to create a simple city for gaming.
Procedural generation technology is known technology but not
overly used in industry, especially not for city generation. Sandbox
games are open world games with no predefined path, a good
example of a well known Sandbox game being ‘Grand Theft
Auto.’ The aim of my project, however, is to create a new world or
city to explore, each time the game is played.
“The UWE course has been fantastic – I’ve learned all about
software design not just about game design so my degree will put
me in good position to apply for a range of jobs.”
James Walmsley, a final year Computing for Real Time Systems
student, has designed a new data filing system. James said,
“The need to reliably and rapidly store and retrieve data is
critical to all computing applications. I had developed an opensource
file system (FullFAT - www.fullfat-fs.co.uk) in 2009, which
has already been adopted by some organisations, and as part
of my final year project I researched more sophisticated data
indexing methods. By applying these complex algorithms I have
re-developed the application and improved the performance up
to 1000 times.”
The file system has potential for use in a broad range of
applications from mp3 players and digital cameras to desktop
computers. Such devices can utilise the improved performance,
allowing them to be more responsive and save power, extending
their battery life.
“Before university,” James said, “ I had already developed a good
knowledge of IT, however this challenging technical course has
transformed my knowledge, understanding and experience. As
part of my degree I took the opportunity to take a 14 month
assignment in Austria with a company called Bluetechnix. Together
with this real life assignment the course has provided me with
both the technical and commercial experience to begin a career
in industry.”
2
3

Melissa Patterson’s Culinary Garden
NEWS
Giant ribbon welcomes visitors to Planning and Architecture Show
Students used nearly three kilometres of coloured ribbon to
create a trail with giant geometric shapes to guide visitors
around this year’s Department of Planning and Architecture
Show on 11-12 June in the Studios Building at Frenchay
Campus. The opening event was hosted by Sunand Prasad,
Immediate Past President of the Royal Institute of British
Architects.
The exhibition showcased work of around a hundred students
graduating in BA(Hons) Architecture and Planning, Bachelor
of Architecture and BSc (Hons)Architectural Technology
and Design. As well as the work of students graduating
this year work was on show from around 200 students on
related courses including BEng Architecture Environmental
Engineering, MPlan Town and Country Planning, MPlan Spatial
Planning, MPlan Geography and Planning, MPlan (Property
Development and Planning) and MA Urban Design.
Programme Leader Elena Marco said, “The fourth year is one
of the best years we have had so far. The students’ architecture
project work reflects planning elements - a key aspect of
the integrated course. It shows that we are now producing
Wayne Mannings ‘Gloucester Music and Dance Factory’
students who are architect-planners in the way they think
about design. This year major architectural project work in the
Department has focused on our region and its cities, both the
final year Architecture and Planning students and students in
the postgraduate Bachelor of Architecture have based projects
in Gloucester, while other Bachelor of Architecture work has
proposed contemporary ‘utopian’ concepts for Bristol.
“The project work the students do gives them real world
experience of designing within a community, considering all
the urban planning options and the pressures that city councils
face. We also ensure that health and sustainability in the
built environment are key concepts we build into students’
professional approach.”
In Gloucester the theme of the project was ‘The Good Life – a
new benchmark for the future’. It looked at solutions for the
historic city of Gloucester from within the city’s own context
and students were encouraged to challenge preconceived
ideas of iconic architecture and focus on creating briefs that
define an environmental philosophy and a social agenda.
Melissa Patterson created a scheme for Greyfriars in Gloucester called the Culinary Garden. Melissa said, “The proposal
combines a number of programmes that work together to provide a unique scheme for all aspects of the food cycle, enabling
the community to grow, cook and eat their own food, and understand the way in which it is farmed. The scheme will transform
the Greyfriars area from a derelict mass of concrete and car parking that rejects its heritage into an organic landscape of activity
that reinstates the quarter’s traditional use and enhances its most important historic assets.
Peter Spall’s design for the
Gloucester Sump Works
Students who worked on the Bristol-based project were
asked to consider issues of sustainability and to anticipate
ways in which society and the economy might change in the
future. Students were encouraged to develop a stance on
climate change, to question existing values and beliefs and
to look at alternatives in their proposals.
UWE’s Department of Architecture and Planning is also
applying the principles of sustainability to a whole range
of courses across the University and is contributing to the
University’s master planning process for the new campus
development.
"The fourth year is one of the best
years we have had so far."
Programme Leader Elena Marco
Wayne Mannings worked on a design for Gloucester and he is now taking steps to turn his student project into a real
vision for Gloucester. Wayne said, “The Fleece Complex, a vacant historical site within the centre of Gloucester is due to
go onto the market in September. The site contains several buildings of historic value currently in a dilapidated condition
as well as a building of no architectural or historic interest. Following detailed research and analysis of under-provided
cultural facilities within the city centre, I came up with a vision for the ‘Gloucester Music and Dance Factory’ – which
aspires to bring an identity to the submerged creative interests of Gloucester. Through providing education in a range of
formats, the facility aims to strengthen pathways into music and dance within the city centre. A number of small music
and dance organisations who desperately need adequate facilities for creative arts have been in touch with me and it
is their aspiration to eventually submit a bid to the National Heritage lottery funds. Work has begun to submit a grant
application to carry out a full feasibility report of the project.”
Another student Peter Spall, worked on a design for the
Gloucester Sump Works in Greater Blackfriars. He said,
“The concept involves abandoning ‘landmark’ architecture
and reinstating the historic urban grain to re-establish
a link with the river. This includes an exterior exhibition
space fluctuating with the large tidal range of the River
Severn. The ephemeral nature of this void is reinterpreted
in the interior spaces as the reflectivity of surfaces
emphasise daily processes, and seasonal fluctuations.”
4 5

The electric floored track under construction at Weston-super-Mare Pier
NEWS
Product Design competition winner secures design job at Bisley
A competition winning product design
student has won permanent employment
at Bisley, the international office
furniture company, after making a
positive impression during a recent work
placement.
UWE’s Product Design degree programme
has worked in partnership with Bisley
for three years, the highlight of the
collaboration being an annual competition
where Bisley sets a design challenge
project for the students.
Penny Blurton won the annual UWE/
Bisley Design competition last year for
her portable workstation design that
she named Porto. Her prize was a work
placement at Bisley which has since
become a permanent position as a Design
Engineer. Penny has not yet completed
her degree at UWE and has decided to
study part-time towards her qualification
as the opportunity at Bisley was too good
to miss.
“I’m really enjoying the work at Bisley,”
said Penny, “It’s quite a challenge juggling
work with study but I’m already involved
in a range of projects. My Porto idea
is currently being refined and we are
getting the prototype ready to show
at the Orgatec Show in Germany this
autumn. I’m also working on a new
product for Bisley to add to the locker
range. A team of us are working on a Tote
Box designed for hot deskers so they can
transfer essential office kit between locker
and work station.
“This week I paid my first visit to Bisley’s
showroom in Great Portland Street. Clients
visit the showrooms to see the product
range, discuss bespoke requirements
and to place orders. We provide many
blue chip companies throughout the UK
with storage solutions including the BBC,
Clifford Chance and KPMG to name a few,
so this was an interesting insight into the
way Bisley does business.
“The course at UWE has been very
relevant – as well as teaching me practical
aspects of design it has improved my
confidence in my abilities immeasurably.
I am a mature student and I had previous
experience working for a sheet metal
engineering company and I’m sure this
also helped me get the job at Bisley. I
would recommend the course as it gives
a broad based introduction to product
design principles as well as the
valuable placement experience.”
John Fogarty, Bisley Design Director,
said, “We have been working with
UWE for the past three years. Our
relationship stems from the fact that
I was at college with Product Design
lecturer David Ames. At Bisley we are
keen to put something back and the
partnership with the Product Design
course at UWE has worked well.
Students get to work on a real design
brief and their work is put under
genuine scrutiny. The idea is that the
students are stretched and get to grips
with real design issues that prepare
them for work.
“If students come up with designs
that we think we can use, we reward
this with opportunities to work on
placement. If a design goes into
production we negotiate royalty
payments.
“The office furniture market is a
regulation-strewn minefield. There
are work standard directives relating
to ergonomic requirements. Penny’s
design for a portable workstation
is suitable for use as a product we
can market for occasional short term
From left: Doug Barber, Penny Blurton and John Fogarty
working. We are showing the protoype
in Cologne at Europe’s biggest office
furniture show Orgatec this coming
October.
“Two years ago UWE student Alex
Forsyth designed an item of office
furniture called Bite which has now
been put into production. We are
serious about taking on design ideas
but the original concepts will always
need refinement to be matched to our
manufacturing processes and to meet
standards and working directives. Our
relationship with the UWE Product
Design course is proving fruitful and we
hope that we are helping to inspire the
students to go on to better and greater
things.”
Doug Barber, UWE Product Design
Lecturer, said, “Bisley is a great company
and we are thrilled at the outcome for
Penny Blurton and Alex Forsyth. It’s so
important that students get the chance
to put theory into practice. The course
is very practical and students get plenty
of opportunity to put their ideas into
practice but working to a brief and
selling an idea are skills that need to be
honed and we place equal weight on
these criteria.”
Graduates design rides on new pier at Weston-super-Mare
Graduates from the Product Design course have worked on the
design and manufacture of some of the rides and amusements
on the newly rebuilt Grand Pier at Weston-super-Mare. The
new pier is due to open for business this summer.
Just one year after graduation Matt Tucker, Doug Campbell
and Neil Macqueen have been working with Gravitron, a
specialist company based in Stroud, to come up with a range
of new and exciting rides and amusements for Weston-super-
Mare’s star tourist attraction . Gravitron are designers and
manufacturers of electric vehicles, rides and drive systems for
the leisure, service and automotive industries.
The flag ship ride is a Go Kart track with an electric floor. UWE
graduate Matt Tucker has been working on the 300m track
that is made up from 100 tons of steel He said, “We’re sure
people will be thrilled to take a ride on Gravitron’s unique
electric floored track. Karts pick up current from a constant
loop of electricity, negating the need for batteries. One set of
karts races around the track while one set is in the embarking
pit so this allows a quick turnover of rides. The system is low
noise, low emissions and ideal for an indoor space like the pier.
“I’m absolutely certain that my degree at UWE was integral to
getting me the work with Gravitron. It’s been really exciting to
work on such a thrilling project from beginning to end.”
Doug Campbell is working on various aspects of the new fun
house including a giant hamster wheel, moving stairs, piston
walkways, a ski slider, spinning discs and vertical rollers. The
fun house has been custom designed by Gravitron. Doug
said, “I was the first graduate from UWE to begin working
at Gravitron after sending a speculative application. I was
fortunate to be involved in the initial pitching for the contract
to design the rides on the new pier. The rides have been great
fun to work on – we have been involved in all aspects from
design to build. The course at UWE really helped me get this
job and I’ve actually recommended it to a friend who is now
studying towards a product design degree.”
Neil Macqueen is involved with rides including the helter
skelter, the ghost train and the dodgems. Talking about the
design challenges he said, “We designed the helter skelter
with a twin helix, a highly complex geometric shape to work
with. There are two slides to choose from, people walk up
through the centre of a 12.5 metre spiral staircase to the
top of one of the pier towers and then have a choice of two
slides, a constant slide that twists around the outer edge of
the tower, and a much faster slide that tapers inwards as riders
reach the bottom. The course at UWE gave me the material
understanding, a firm grip of engineering principles and the
good practice at working to a brief in a way that is client
focused. I also represented UWE on a KTP with Formflo which
opened up some great learning opportunities.”
Heather Latham, Gravitron Managing Director, is delighted
with the input from the UWE graduates who she describes as
sponges who soak up everything as they go along. “They’ve
obviously all loved working on the pier rides and the injection
of enthusiasm has been tremendously refreshing for all of
us working at Gravitron. They were all able to hit the road
running at 100 miles an hour but we have been able to
mould them to our way of working. It was good to have
Doug on board during the project tendering process and he
recommended fellow graduates who have joined us as the
project has grown.”
Gravitron say that the pier is their biggest contract to date
and that the company has mushroomed since it set up in 2006.
Heather continues, “Gravitron grew out of another company
that I have been running with my husband for the past 13
years. We now employ 40 highly skilled people. If the three
graduates we have taken on from Product Design course are
anything to go by UWE is absolutely doing something right.
They’re all brilliant!”
David Henshall from UWE’s Product Design course said, “We’re
delighted to hear that our graduates are doing so well with
a local company working on such an exciting project. All
students were first class and we are confident that they will
continue to go onto to achieve great things.”
6
7

UWE achieves Carbon Trust Standard
Family
businesses hear
about ‘succession
minefield’
Twenty local family businesses
attended an event at Bristol
Business School on 2 June with
Michael Silvey, MD of Silvey
Holdings and former MD of
Thomas Silvey Ltd, a third
generation Bristol business. The
event was hosted by the Family
Business Research cluster, BBS and
Bristol Family Business Community.
Michael Silvey told the audience
of family business owners about
his family business’s journey
through the succession minefield.
He spoke eloquently about
the realisation he had that he
could not let the business carry
on without a clear plan for
succession. He wanted to avoid
a situation that had occurred in
the business where the family
had split and fallen out over who
would succeed as owners.
To this end Michael instigated
a family discussion about what
should be done with the business
in the future. The ‘discussion’ he
described lasted two years and
had many highs and lows. Conflict
was inevitable and disagreement
common. But overall Michael
described the experience as being
a highly productive one that
helped to clarify the future of the
business for all the stakeholders.
For more details contact Dr Lorna
Collins of the Family Business
Research Cluster: Lorna.Collins@
uwe.ac.uk
NEWS
Dream Doctor’s book helps you
to interpret your dreams
What do you dream about? Do owls,
butterflies, wolves or dolphins feature?
Do you dream about flying, looking fabulous
or wearing new clothes? Maybe a sense
of place or emotional elements feature
strongly. But what does it all mean? Did
you know that dreaming about bears can
transform your view about yourself, or that
a dream about a cat can bring hope after a
severe setback?
Dr Jennifer Parker, UWE’s dream expert, has
written a book to help you understand more
about the meanings behind your dreams
and nightmares.Dreams and Nightmares:
A guide to interpreting what your mind is
trying to tell you while your body sleeps will
be launched by Apple Press on Monday 26 July.
Jennie Parker
All of us dream and experience nightmares, and common threads have been
discovered by famous dream analysts like Freud and Jung that help to make
a sense of the subject, setting, characters and emotions experienced when
we dream.
The book helps unpick the complex academic analysis by sorting dreams and
nightmares into 100 types using symbols. The symbols work for both dreams
and nightmares and to help the reader with interpretation Dr Parker has
divided the book in two sections. One side of the book is about dreams and
then the book flips over for the nightmare analysis.
The dream and nightmare symbols include animals, place settings, emotions
and important life events like marriage, birth and death and for each symbol
the dream type is explained, followed by an insight into the interpretation
according to the famous experts and tips on what the dreams could mean.
Dr Parker explains, “This book is a journey into what people have told
me they want. As a dream and nightmare researcher I get to engage with
people’s dreams as research objects. As a Dream Doctor I help people find
meaning for their dreams. This book has allowed me the chance to give
people an insight into the theories of the famous dream interpreters such
as Freud, Jung, Hartman and Dwyer. But the book is more than an academic
work as I translate the theories into a dream analysis guide that everyone
can understand.
“Dreams and Nightmares provides an opportunity to explore in a new way
the illusory world created by our minds every night. Ordinary dreaming and
nightmares are usually treated separately, but the approach in this book
is to treat dream life as a holistic psychological event; this is reflected in
the two-sided structure, putting together the yin and yang of dream life,
reinforcing the idea that they are two sides of the same phenomenon.
“Based on current, scientifically based yet accessible information, each half
of the book mirrors the other, and each is divided into four sections. The
first explores what dreams/nightmares are and why we have them; then we
learn how to deal with our experience; the third section covers 100 dream/
nightmare symbols, gathered under themed headings with explanations
from Freud, Jung and new dream theorists. Finally, there is a review of the
work of established dream writers to interpret common symbols and dream/
nightmare symbols.”
To buy the book go to Amazon or Tesco web pages after 26 July.
The University has gained the Carbon
Trust Standard, a mark of excellence
that has been awarded in recognition
of measuring, managing and improving
our carbon efficiency*.
Tessa Gordelier, UWE’s Energy
Management Engineer, said, “Having
the work we have been doing externally
recognised by such a prestigious award
is fantastic for the University – it shows
that there is real substance behind the
work going on and that it is not just
‘green wash’.
“Staff in the Estates and Facilities
Services are very proud of this
achievement as it proves that we have
taken genuine action on climate change
and is external recognition for the
work that we have done. We had to
demonstrate an improvement in our
carbon efficiency over the last three
years and undergo an on-site assessment
of the processes and procedures we
have in place for managing UWE’s
carbon emissions.”
Key projects that are part of the
ongoing efforts at the University to
reduce carbon emissions include PC
Power management, the installation of
a site wide automatic metering system
for electricity consumption, a trial of
free cooling systems and in the Student
Village automatic lighting controls and
units fitted to optimise fridge energy
use have been installed. In addition
to these key projects the team have
highlighted the importance of staff and
students becoming more energy aware
Electricity metre example
Carbon Dioxide emissions
and responsible for the equipment they
use.
The PC management improvements will
save over 110 tonne of CO2 per annum;
the metering system will measure
energy used every half hour allowing
insight into any wastage; the free
cooling trials are being piloted in one
part of the university and will mean a
saving of 23 tonnes of CO2 per annum
and the Student Village improvements
will save over 120 tonnes of CO2 per
annum
Tessa Gordelier continued`, “The key
target is set out in UWE’s Sustainability
Strategy which is a 30 per cent reduction
in buildings’ carbon emissions between
2001/02 to 2011/12. Currently we are
on a 25 per cent reduction so there
is still a lot of work to be done but it
is definitely an achievable target. In
2008/09 UWE buildings emitted 15,174
tonnes of CO2.
“The Carbon Trust Standard requires us
to keep reducing our carbon emissions
and to recertify every two years. This
means we have to continue the great
work and all keep reducing our impact
on the environment.
“A key area to work on is individual
actions, which have a large contribution
to UWE’s CO2 emissions. Making staff
and students responsible for the areas
they work in and helping them to
understand where energy can be saved
is crucial and this is something that we
will be increasingly focusing on in
the future.”
Share your ideas...
Pictured from left to right are Melissa
Clarke, Tessa Gordelier and Simon Ho from
Estates and Facilities who helped achieve
UWE Carbon Trust Standard.
What can you do to help?
Individual actions can have a
huge impact in reducing energy
use. Please remember to switch
off all equipment around you
every evening and weekend, or
even if you are away from the
desk for a few hours. Encourage
your colleagues to do so too.
Things to remember include:
• Computers/monitors
• TV screens
• Projectors
• Printers/photocopiers/fax
machines
• Hot water boilers
• Lights
• Heaters
• PC screens use a lot of
energy and screen savers do
not save energy. Get into
the habit of switching off
when you have a meeting,
go to make tea or even if
you are reading for a few
minutes, it all helps!
• If your room is air
conditioned, remember to
keep the windows closed
– it will cool down quicker
and save energy!
• Make individuals
responsible
for communal equipment
in large offices.
If you have any ideas on what UWE could do differently to save energy and resources, we want to hear from you.
E-mail ourfootprint@uwe.ac.uk and if you want to find out more about UWE’s sustainability work, go to
www.uwe.ac.uk/environment/our-footprint.shtml
*Tonnes CO2e/£ Turnover
8 9

3D image of foot –
credit DJ corporation
NEWS
UWE at cutting edge of partnerships with schools
UWE is leading the way in the UK with its commitment to
partnerships with schools and with its successful track record
of supporting academies.
With the possibility of up to 1,500 new academies being
created, giving schools more autonomy and taking them out
of local authority control, the experience of UWE and the
City Academy in Bristol highlights the value of
universities partnering local schools. UWE was
Ray Priest
the first university to sponsor an academy and
since its inception in 2003, the relationship has
led to raised standards and aspirations at the
City Academy in East Bristol.
Ray Priest, Principal of the City Academy, Bristol,
delivered this year’s annual Bolland lecture on
Tuesday 15 June, entitled ‘City Academy, Bristol:
a principal’s story of transforming education
for young people through partnership and
community engagement.’ He was joined
by several Post 16 students who will share
reflections on their community and the
Academy at the heart of this community.
Ray Priest said, “I believe there is a moral and
social imperative for universities to be outward facing and
to partner LAs and schools in helping to raise attainment.
Universities also need to develop and support new ways of
working in bringing together communities through new
approaches to community engagement. I believe that UWE
is at the cutting edge of this work through its partnership
approach and that this is a model to be adopted nationally.”
Bristol is one of the UK regions with the widest gap in
aspirations of those going on to HE. In South Bristol (Knowle)
only 5 per cent go on to HE compared to 99 per cent in North
Bristol (Clifton).
Through its work with the City Academy, based in East Bristol,
CEO of the Technology Strategy Board
visits the Bristol Robotics Laboratory
Iain Gray, Chief Executive
of the Technology Strategy
Board and a Governor of UWE,
visited the Bristol Robotics
Laboratory (BRL) on 21 May.
Prior to joining the Technology
Strategy Board, Iain was
Managing Director and
General Manager of Airbus
UK, whose Bristol operation
he joined when it was still
part of British Aerospace. Iain
is a Chartered Engineer, a
Fellow of the Royal Academy
of Engineers, a Fellow of the
Royal Aeronautical Society and
in 2007 was awarded the Royal
Aeronautical Society Gold
Medal.
Professor Chris Melhuish gave
Iain a tour of the labs and
briefed him on the current
projects BRL is engaged in.
Speaking about the visit Iain
Gray said, “This visit has been
awesome - 'real' science fiction
happening on our doorstep in
Bristol, world leading research
with world leading researchers,
let's make sure we support it."
Professor Chris Melhuish
said, “Linking the outcomes
of academic research with
industry is a key aspect of
our work at BRL. We know
and other academies and trust schools, UWE is seeking to
bridge a divided city through permanent encounters with
local schools and colleges. Figures show that only one in
ten students went on to university from the City Academy
when it opened. Seven years later the figure is one in three
with equally good improvements evident in achievement,
attendance and other outcomes.
Only a handful of these students apply to UWE.
But UWE’s aim is to raise aspirations, regardless
of where students apply. UWE now has half a
dozen such enhanced relationships amongst its
300 school and college partnerships across the
region. In addition 40 UWE staff are playing key
roles in school governance.
Ron Ritchie, (Assistant Vice-Chancellor UWE),
said, “UWE has a good track record of engaging
with schools and we have learned a great deal
about how to do this successfully. Universities
are in a strong position to support academies,
given their commitment to and understanding
of education, their subject mix and their
regional and national roles. They are well placed
to support young people’s aspirations, achievement and
attendance. Universities can’t sit on the sidelines - supporting
young people’s educational aspirations is a part of their civic
responsibility.”
In the new tighter fiscal environment some of these
university initiatives may now be harder to resource. To
enhance the valuable work in this area, UWE is looking to
engage in fundraising to resource projects into new models
of community engagement. Through the Families and
Community Engagement Project, the University is seeking
to raise £½ million to support community-based activities
intended to increase young people’s motivation, aspirations
and achievements.
that robotics will play
an important role in
our economic future,
and engaging with key
stakeholders is a vital
part of this. We were
delighted to show the
breadth of the leading
edge research at BRL first
hand to the head of such
a key organisation with
a leading role in driving
the UK’s technology and
innovation strategy.” See
http://www.innovateuk.
org/
Iain Gray meets ‘Bert’ on his visit
to BRL.
Dr Sanja Dogramadzi, an engineer from
Bristol Robotics Laboratory at UWE, is
working with an orthopaedic surgeon
from the Bristol Royal Infirmary and
a specialised software company to
enhance the management of complex
joint fractures by creating a robotics
device that can put the fractures back
together as perfectly as possible, using
the state of the art of 3D imaging,
pattern recognition and robotics.
Dr Dogramadzi, will use CT scans of
healthy and fractured joints to work
out the mathematical algorithm for
the exact displacement and rotation
needed for each fragment to be put
back together in exactly the right place.
The 3D puzzle solution will be a starting
point for creating a minimally invasive
surgical robotic system. The work will
be carried out in consultation with
Professor Roger Atkins (Orthopaedic
Surgeon at Bristol Royal Infirmary) using
the 3D imaging software by Simpleware.
(http://www.simpleware.com)
A further phase of the work will create
a robotic device which will test the 3D
puzzle by putting all the broken pieces
back together on a 3D model, created
with specialised print technology from
UWE's Centre for Fine Print Research.
Ultimately it is hoped the research will
Engineer to
create 3D puzzle
to mend broken bones
lead to a robotic device which will be
able to perform the minimally invasive
surgery using the information from the
CT scans, under the expert control of a
surgeon.
Dr Dogramadzi explained, “The idea
for this project came from a series of
discussions with Dr Milan Bates and
Professor Roger Atkins from BRI. In
complex breaks, particularly joints, there
are often many surfaces to the broken
bone. Getting these to fit back together
accurately (reduction) is essential for
the healing process. Currently this
can be solved by using open surgery,
where the break is exposed and the
surgeon then manipulates the bone so
it fits together accurately. However, a
3D puzzle of the broken bone, made
using the information from the CT scan,
would give clinicians a more accurate
understanding of what they need to do,
before surgery needed to take place. At
the moment, even in open surgery, all
the surfaces of the break are not visible
to the surgeon.
“Using the technology of the Centre for
Fine Print Research, presented to us by
Dr Peter Walters, we have already been
able to create a 3D model of a bone
fracture from a CT scan. Another use of
this technology may be to create models
of these complex breaks which may be
used in training doctors to help their
understanding of bone displacement
and shapes. The ultimate aim of our
research will be to create a robot which
can use the 3D puzzle model to carry
out bone reductions using minimally
invasive surgery (keyhole surgery).
Professor Roger Atkins said, “We were
impressed with the 3D model that was
produced by UWE, using a CT scan
and the 3D print technology. It was
fascinating for me, even with all my
years of experience, to see an accurate
3D model of a break. This research
could be a new departure for us in the
way that complex breaks are fixed. It
would give us all the information – and
more – that we get from open surgery,
but without the risks that represents.
Currently the non-invasive methods, key
hole surgery, don't have the depth of
information that this research will give
us. We are looking forward to working
with UWE to develop this research.”
The project entitled: Robotic reduction
of complex fractures using 3D puzzle
solving algorithm is being funded by
an Engineering and Physical Sciences
Research Council grant worth: £97,176.
(http://epsrc.ac.uk/)
12 13

NEWS
Patrick Fallon is pictured receiving his prize
from Executive Dean Paul Olomolaiye.
UWE-Spark
competition winners
FET students Patrick Fallon, Will
Marshall and Kit Smithson have won
the first FET UWE-spark competition
for their design ‘rubbish form’
which proposed a sculpture made
from reclaimed materials to make a
statement to students and staff about
our energy use and waste. Patrick,
Will and Kit jointly received the first
prize of £200 cash. The competition set
out to raise awareness amongst FET
students of sustainability issues and to
encourage creative ideas for making
the Faculty more sustainable.
The competition was organised by
Rosemary Bailey, Nick Biggs, and Anja
Dalton. Anja said, “The competition
has been really successful. We aimed
to raise awareness about sustainability
and capture some of the innovative
ideas our students have about
making FET cleaner, greener and
more sustainable, and we feel the
competition achieved this. We were
overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and
creativity of the entries we received,
the breadth of ideas, and the support
of Faculty staff. The winning entrants
are all excited about the opportunity
to make their ideas a reality, and
contribute to sustainability in the
Faculty, and we are looking forward to
taking the competition UWE-wide next
year!”
The second prize (£100 Bordeaux Quay
voucher) was won by Chris Ray for his
self-built wireless power consumption
monitoring system, and the third prize
(£50 ‘Bike’ voucher) was won by Attie
Grande for his proposal for an online
coursework submission system to
reduce paper, waste and energy.
Chancellor’s and Vice Chancellor’s
visit to Malaysia and India
Baroness Elizabeth Butler-Sloss and Professor Steve West, as part of
a small delegation from UWE, visited key partners in both Malaysia
and India at the end of March. The Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor
were able to meet key representatives of strategic partners in these
important regions for UWE.
Malaysia
New Era College
New Era College started delivering
UWE’s BA(Hons) Graphic Design
and BA(Hons) Graphic Design with
Animation in September 2009. The
College was granted approval in March
from the Malaysia Qualifications
Agency to deliver UWE’s programmes
and this should lead to an increase in
students starting the programme this
September. New Era College is very
keen to offer students studying at
UWE the opportunity to study part of
their programme at New Era.
The Chancellor meeting Graphic Design
lecturers and viewing students’ work at
New Era College
From left: Ms Hong Woan Ying, Head
of International Affairs; Mian Ng,
School of Creative Arts; Mr Mok Soon
Chong, Deputy Principal and Head of
Government Liaison, Professor John
Duffield, HLS; Ms Siow Yin Yoong - Head
of Art/Design; Kelly Robinson IDO;
Baroness Elizabeth Butler-Sloss; Dr Pua
Eng Chong, Principal, pictured with New
Era lecturers and students.
University of Malaya
Strong research links have been
established with the University of
Malaya in the areas of breast cancer
and urology. Colleagues from the
University of Malaya will be presenting
at UWE’s one day conference on
Current Issues in Breast Cancer. Both
institutions would like to deepen
the relationship and discussions are
currently taking place to support
students on joint research projects
in the areas of robotics, plant/
biotechnology, medical, green
technology, and architecture.
Taylors University College
UWE and Taylor’s Business School has
developed a strong relationship over
the last year. When UWE’s franchise
programme started it recruited 17
students. This has increased to nearly
600 students. Bristol Business School
and Taylor’s Business School recently
started a new dual degree and the
number of expected students was
exceeded. Due to the success of
this relationship, further areas of
collaboration are being explored
with the Faculty of Environment and
Technology and Faculty of Health and
Life Sciences.
India
The delegation met with the Deputy
Director of the British Council in
South India to discuss the education
sector in India and opportunities for
UK institutions. They also attended
a reception for Indian Scholarship
students hosted by the Deputy High
Commissioner, Mike Nithavrianakis.
The visit to India included to visits to
Karunya University and PSG College.
UWE has already welcomed over 50
students from both institutions and
the visit ensured that this current
success would continue to grow.
Academics from UWE’s Machine
Vision Laboratory will be taking
part in a joint UWE/PSG College of
Technology International Conference
and Exhibition on Biometric
Technology being held at PGS College
in Coimbatore taking place in early
September. UWE hopes that it will be
able to hold other such conferences in
the future.
Governance and Accountability
in Financial Services Conference
The Centre for Global Finance and
Bristol Centre for Leadership and
Organisational Ethics (BBS) hosted a
conference on the topic of Governance
and Accountability in Financial
Services at UWE on Friday 12 March.
The conference was organised in
collaboration with the Foundation for
Governance Research and Education, a
charitable trust.
Introducing the Conference Vice-
Chancellor, Professor Steve West, placed
governance in the profit and not-forprofit
sectors as a priority for concern
and study in today’s world.
Sir Bryan Nicholson, a patron of the
Foundation and former Chairman of
the Financial Reporting Council, set the
context for what followed by pointing
out that governance is an evolutionary
process which ultimately relies upon
ethical and transparent behaviour for
its effectiveness. The Walker Review
on Financial Sector Governance had
produced a perfectly sensible set of
recommendations, but of themselves
they would not necessarily be sufficient
to prevent a future crisis. Moreover,
so far as large financial institutions
were concerned it was arguable that
their very size and complexity prevents
effective governance under any
circumstances. This point was central to
a response to Walker by Professors John
Mellor (also founder of the Foundation)
and Jon Tucker and is likely to be a
subject for continuing study and debate.
Low standards of ethical behaviour due
to, amongst other factors, the pursuit
of self-interest, were put forward as a
significant contributor to the financial
crisis by Professor David Knights, who
argued for radical change.
Additionally, risk management and
regulation are key components for the
governance of financial institutions.
Sir John Bourn (senior adviser to the
Foundation) examined issues to be taken
into account to secure an acceptable
balance so as not to impede progress
and innovation. Professor Laura Spira
argued that non-executive directors
have been accepted for some time
as an important precursor to good
governance, though our expectations of
them are unrealistic, raising questions
on their role, qualifications and
development. Reflecting on the Financial
Reporting Council’s internal review of
the UK Combined Code on Corporate
Governance in the light of the financial
crisis, Professor Ian Percy (president of
the Foundation) thought good progress
was being made, whilst at the same
time offering some practical alternatives
based on his extensive experience as a
board director. The revised Combined
Code will be published in the summer of
2010 by the Financial Reporting Council.
The Conference was widely held as very
timely and a great success. Its aim was to
encourage greater collaborative research
and knowledge exchange between the
university, financial institutions, and
other stakeholders.
Sir Bryan Nicholson
Researcher Tessa Sanderson from the Academic Rheumatology Unit has
been awarded a silver medal from the British Health Professionals in
Rheumatology for her doctoral research on wellbeing and prioritisation
of treatment outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis. University of Bristol
researcher, Dr Jo Nicklin completed her PhD at UWE and also received
a silver medal for nursing. The £1,000 prize money was given by the
arthritis research campaign. Tessa and Jo were awarded the silver medal
at the British Society for Rheumatology conference in April. Both were
supervised by Professor Sarah Hewlett from the Academic
Rheumatology Unit.
ESRC Business
Placement
Fellow Scheme
Professor Nicholas O’Regan has been
successful in his application for funding
under the ESRC [Economic and Social
Research Council] Business Placement
Fellow Scheme for a project entitled
Fast-Tracking the Competitiveness of
Second Generation Family Firms.
Family owned businesses in the UK
account for over 75 per cent of all
business firms and employ about 50
per cent of the national workforce,
making a significant contribution to
the economy. Yet, less than a quarter
of family businesses survive to the
second generation and about a seventh
survive to the third generation.
Knowledge exchange is seen as vital for
attaining and maintaining competitive
advantage.
Over the past year, Bristol Business
School has examined the processes and
the characteristics of family business
that facilitate the acquisition, sharing,
transfer and application of knowledge.
The ESRC Business Placement Fellows
Scheme will provide assistance for
placements from family businesses
to UWE and from UWE to family
businesses over the next four months.
The goal of the scheme is to encourage
greater engagement between academia
and family businesses. This form of
collaboration will involve placements
to promote the project, encourage and
facilitate further involvement and the
development of innovative means of
further effective engagement.
The placements will significantly
increase the interaction between
family business and academia as
theyt bring together a range of firms
from both manufacturing and service
industries within the South West Region
and academic researchers. Contact:
Nicholas O’Regan ext: 83735 e-mail:
Nicholas.O’Regan@uwe.ac.uk
Pictured from left are Dr Jo Nicklin, Professor Sarah
Hewlett and Dr Tessa Sanderson.
14 15

NEWS
Voluminous
fabrics edged in
leather are used by
Georgina Kitchen
Fierce but
beautiful:
design by
Emily Warren
UWE fashion students inspired by Scottish hills, hair and latex
The contours of Scottish hills, soaring
lines of station architecture and
‘disturbing’ materials such as latex, hair
and feathers have inspired students
from SCA who showed their collections
at Bristol Graduate Fashion Show
2010 and at London Graduate Fashion
Week. The brightest talents from UWE's
Fashion Design and Fashion/Textile
Design courses also showed their work
in a fashion POP-up at Cabot Circus
from 24 May to 1 June.
Ali Taylor Fashion/Textile Design and
Adrian Grandon, Fashion Design course
leaders at UWE said, “We are impressed
with the innovation, creativity and
variety demonstrated in the students'
work this year. The shows will launch
the careers of some of the newest
talent in the fashion business and
offer a good opportunity to pick up on
directional and inspirational trends.
“In recent years UWE students have
won several major national prizes
for their work and many have gone
forward to work for well known
fashion companies or to set up their
own labels. Employers have included
Tom Ford, Christopher Kane, Burberry,
Luella, Matches, Victoria Beckham,
Toast, Benetton, Angel Jackson, Urban
Outfitters, John Smedley, River Island,
John Richmond, Jens Laugesen, All
Saints, Jigsaw, Abercrombie & Fitch,
Coast, River Island, M&S, Asos, JJB
Sports amongst others.”
Recent awards include Kimberley
Naylor, who was a Como Texaprint
finalist in 2009; Joanna Wills who
was named Young Stylist of the Year
at The Clothes Show 2008; first year
Fashion Design Student Millie Gleeson
who won the River Island / Graduate
Fashion Week Recycling competition in
2008; Hannah Stewart, Como Texaprint
finalist 2008, and knitwear designer
Nick Thomas won joint Gold Award at
River Island Graduate Fashion Week
2007.
Student work placements have included
Anna Sui, Betsey Johnson and Marc
Jacobs in New York, Givenchy and
Chloe in Paris; Alexander McQueen,
Aitor Thorpe, Richard Nicol, Matthew
Williamson, Jenny Packham, Carolyn
Massey, Felder & Felder, Christopher
Kane, Kyri, ASOS, i-D, Company
Magazine, Fashion 156 and Eskimo PR.
Fashion Design student Vanessa
Brownlie said, “My six piece Contour
Collection is inspired by the undulating
landscapes of my native Scotland and
their representation in two dimensional
map form. I take ideas of the intricate
and descriptive contours from maps and
transpose them onto the female form.
The seam lines within the garments are
made to move in relation to the ebb
and flow of the body, reaffirming the
feminine and organic nature of woman
and providing an elegant and positive
view of the female dresser.” Vanessa’s
palette is blue, black, yellow and grey,
and she uses luxury natural fabrics
like silk and leather. For example, her
collection includes a blue silk moiré
skirt, intricately cut and shaped to echo
the 2D contour lines on a map.
Georgina Kitchen, also a third-year
Fashion Design student, links striking
architecture from Victorian railway
stations across southern England
with emotive photography of hot air
balloons both close up and from afar
to form a contrasting set of visual
stimuli. She uses a subtle palette of
black and grey with a purple metallic
tint and a bright blue. With laser
cutting techniques, she etches designs
onto see-through fabrics, producing
clothes that are voluminous but edged
in leather, allowing movement, and
showing the contrast between hard and
soft, light and dark. She said, “There is
a subtle balance between the engorged
and bulbous shapes formed in the
balloon fabric and the hard angled iron
structures forming the roofs of the train
stations. This contrast has harmonised in
the clothing collection creating a fresh
silhouette that is modern and wearable
yet also abstract. Patterns have been
deliberately broken down into many
sections and in some cases removed to
reveal flesh below. Fabrics and colours
are contrasted and 3D forms sit away
from the body supported by angular
rigid structures.”
Fashion Design student Kate Dunkling’s
capsule collection for autumn/winter
uses bright blocks of colour. The
collection has a hint of vintage, but
puts a contemporary twist on sixties
fashion. Kate said, “Colour is key, and I
use quality fabrics such as silk and wool
crepe, combined with cut and shape
that create a feel of simplicity and
wearability. I am inspired by the work
of Pierre Cardin, so attention to detail
has been a focus point throughout.
From circular pockets to buttonholes
placed within seams, every detail of
each garment has been painstakingly
considered. Eclectic, fresh and cleancut,
this collection persuasively
demonstrates the strength of colour in
fashion.”
Emily Warren is a Fashion/Textile Design
student whose collection sets out to
be ‘feminine, controversial, dark and
erotic’. For her monochrome draped
dresses, leggings and jackets, Emily uses
latex, feathers, lace and plaited hair
(mostly fake!) incorporated into the
actual fabrics. Her look revolves around
a dark gothic romance that is feminine
yet with a tough edge. She said, “My
inspiration is the infamous Mata Hari
and the adornment of her body. I use
engineered draping of silks combined
against body-conscious panels to reflect
a striking and feminine silhouette that
compliments the female form. The
dark theme is constant but manages
to incorporate seductive luxe pieces
into the mix, blending them until the
collection accumulates into a sensual
and intriguing aesthetic. The textures
between fabrics and textiles was
important to echo a 'rough luxe' edge
to the collection that was intentionally
unusual and controversial in choice. I
used a mix of fabrics that aren’t obvious
for daily wear, such as contrasting
latex and hair as my main media, but
combining them with much more
luxurious fabrics to achieve a really
strong impact of powerful femininity
and sexuality with a fierce but beautiful
attitude.”
Fashion/Textile Design student Sophie
Rees has produced a collection of
deconstructed menswear for women,
using traditional tailoring techniques
and finishes. She produces waistcoats
and shorts, and fastenings include
cufflinks and buttonholes. She marbles
lining fabrics with a smoke pattern
and uses stiff interlining materials
such as canvas and horsehair. She said,
“My inspiration was born from my
fascination for traditional tailoring
and the skills learnt over many years
to perfect the intricate details and
finishings. I have taken these elements,
and with traditionally worn men’s
Sophie Rees’
designs show
a fascination
with traditional
tailoring
suiting, recreated them to produce a
modern women’s wear collection. The
exaggerated stitch techniques paired
with marbled fabrics limited to canvas
and lining, influenced by smoke patterns
and research into bookbinding, create a
sleek and innovative collection.”
Amber Hards is a Fashion/Textile
Design student who machine knits
incredibly fine nylon monofilament into
Kate
Dunkling’s
collection
uses bright
blocks of
colour
voluminous, floaty, mobile shapes. Her
inspiration comes from jellyfish and how
they move – she uses lots of lycra, to
give a ‘sucked in’ silhouette, and weaves
LEDs into the fabric to suffuse a blue/
white light through the garment and
give the impression of light filtering
through. She said, “Producing knitted
fabrics from such a fine thread means
that it is hard to predict exactly what
Voluminous, mobile shapes
designed by Amber Hards
Intricately cut designs
by Vanessa Brownlie
the garments will look like until they
are made up. The fabric dictates the
final shape.” She has created dresses,
skirts and wearable shapes around the
body, all in white and cream, with light
grey silk undergarments.
For information about the
designers visit:
http://bristolfashionshow.tumblr.com/
16 17

5.
1.
2.
NEWS
Breakdance, gymnasts and lace collars inspire
UWE’s creative students
4.
3.
1. Still from Adam Davis’ film The Low Road
2. Illustration by Caroline Halliwell of a fisherman
and a bear
3. Chris Gape’s work explores breakdance and
boxing through sound and video
4. Grace de Berker’s ‘lace collar’ is made from
honesty seeds
5. From Théa Payne’s photographic study,
The Gymnast
Breakdance, gymnasts and traditional lace collars were among
the inspirations for final year undergraduate and postgraduate
students from SCA.
The Bower Ashton campus hosted a spectacular range
of inspiring and original work from 13 courses including
Animation, Drawing and Applied Arts, Fashion and Media
Practice. Unique and innovative work by undergraduate and
postgraduate Fine Art students will be located at Spike Island
on Bristol’s Harbourside.
Among UWE’s Graphic Design students are six who have
been admitted to the prestigious International Society of
Typographic Designers (ISTD).
Jono Lewarne’s final year study focuses on rules. He said, “The
subject extends from law as a matter of rules, to the rules of
thumb that influence our personalities and how we live our
lives. Conversation and dialogue have informed my practice,
forming the basis of some of my projects and inspiring others.
“I'm interested in expression through typography, and have
recently been awarded entry into the International Society of
Typographic Designers with merit. I'm inspired by classic and
contemporary typography as well as important social issues,
which will continue to inform my work in the future.”
Other successful Graphic Design students who have gained
admission to the ISTD are Ged Palmer, Myles Lucas, Rowan
Caney, Romilly Winter and Liam Randall.
Adam Davis’ animated film, entitled The Low Road, is about a
small town law enforcer who, upon discovering the face of his
father's murderer, heads out in search of justice. After locking
up two outlaws and taking down their wanted posters on the
wall of his office, the character sees more faces underneath,
including one half-covered, showing only the jaw and scarred
chin of a man. Taking a closer look, the lawman realises who
the man is and sets off in search of him.
Grace de Berker’s work, inspired by forms such as traditional
lace collars, is concerned with the natural world that lies
all around us, even in the most urban of settings, and the
relationship we have with it. She said, “Through constructing
with repetitive natural forms, such as leaves, buds, seeds and
twigs, my work aims to disengage these objects from their
everyday, overlooked context and emphasise the colours,
textures and beauty that can be found in any environment if
we become inquisitive enough.
“The lace collars, which these forms are based on, elevate
the perspective of the natural materials used and place
the potential wearer in direct contact with them. This
arrangement suggests the long running existence of humans
within the natural world. The equality of this relationship
however is questioned by the detachable nature of the
garment and hints towards the ambivalent relationship we
often adopt with our surroundings.”
Caroline Halliwell uses a combination of materials to create
her illustrations. She described her inspirations, “I was first
drawn to illustration by my interest in communicating an idea
through image, and transforming text rich with description
into aesthetically pleasing images. I find inspiration in any
narratives with vivid and inspiring imagery, whether in books,
songs, poems, articles or elsewhere. I am particularly drawn to
images involving nature and pattern.
“I rely on different mediums and techniques such as paints,
monoprint, etching, pen and ink to create textures, which I
then scan in along with my sketches and craft into final images
digitally. By adding hand rendered texture and pattern I aim
to create a rich and tactile quality to my images.
“I have really enjoyed working in a creative environment
for the last three years and I find being surrounded by
other illustrators both inspiring and invaluable in my own
development.”
Chris Gape’s work Beyond the Battle explores the different
worlds of breakdance and boxing through sound and video.
“It shows the distance between the two worlds through the
relationship between sound and video, as the work evolves
from an independent sound installation into an intimate
portrayal of the characters displayed over multiple screens.
The space which the two worlds occupy creates moments
of conflict and tension, interweaved with synchronicity and
harmony in which the character’s dedication and passion
portray the individual’s moments of pain and ecstasy.
“The work has been inspired by Still Waters Run Deep
directed by Wilkie Branson, a Bristol based b-boy, as well as
Darren Aronofsky’s film The Wrestler where the protagonist's
infatuation for a pole-dancer presents us with an interesting
tension between the world of brutal fighting and the
performance of dancing on stage.
“My initial approach to the work was to create separate
documentaries for each subject through recording interviews
and representing the material through creative sound design.
I crafted the sound piece using Pro Tools, building the work
up through locative sound recordings and edited dialogue.
The video piece involved the use of a highspeed camera
where I aimed to capture the strength and movement of the
characters in 757 frames a second. It was important to focus
the work on the character and the aim of the installation is to
put this at the foreground.”
Théa Payne described her photography study, The Gymnast:
“By subtracting the familiar surroundings of the gymnasium,
the viewer’s attention is focused purely on the body of
the gymnast without distraction. Detail of performance is
observed giving a rare, intimate view and providing a greater
understanding of the skill, strength and precision involved.
“Fast moving performance is frozen or portrayed at slow pace
through the medium of photography and film, allowing the
audience to appreciate the intense power and beauty that the
female gymnast exerts.
“The project was inspired by spending ten years training and
competing as a gymnast up to international level, along with
a continuing passion and fascination for this impressive sport.
The exhibited work reveals contours of the body that the eye
often fails to see when performance is viewed as a spectator
from distance. This incredibly dynamic and demanding sport
gains relatively little media recognition and reward, therefore
this project goes some way to addressing this and draws
attention to The Gymnast in a new way.”
Lucinda Orrell explained her work in Design: Process Material
Context (D3), “The phenomenon of the urban experience has
become of great importance within this project. I have focused
particularly on emotions relating to our experiences in the
public realm. What if we were able to visualise emotions? I
have proposed a hypothetical product/application that enables
people to see emotions and experiences in any location.
Another feature of this is that experiences can be stored in
such a way that people can find them easily to potentially
uncover hidden patterns of their lives. What could this
enhanced insight represent in terms of the future relationships
we have with the self, people, and space?”
For more information visit
www.uwe.ac.uk/sca/degreeshow2010
18 19

NEWS
The image supplied for
this article is too small and
cannot be used.
Conflict
or consensus
on countryside
policy?
CCRI research
shows rural
communities
benefit from
Government
Environmental
Stewardship
Scheme
Pupils estimate the age of a
horse chestnut tree by joining
hands to measure the trunk’s
circumference.
How images of pitiable children
are used by cinema and charities
New research into the use of images of ‘pitiable’ children in cinema has
begun at UWE. Michael Lawrence, Senior Lecturer in Film Studies (SCA), is
making a chronological study, starting with postwar films from Europe about
displaced and destitute orphans to more recent films about street children in
Latin America and the Middle East.
Analysing how such images relate to the history of international charities is a
new way of thinking about world cinema. Michael said, “The child is central
to both humanism and moral universalism, and the appeal of children has
been exploited by both cinema and charities. Children are usually seen as
pre-political, and a magnet for sympathy. Children are a powerful way to
market both international cinema and international aid campaigns.”
As part of his research Michael will access hard-to-see films at the British Film
Institute. These include both Hollywood cinema and foreign-language films
from the 1940s and 1950s about war orphans from Italy, Poland, France,
Hungary, Japan and Korea. The research also involves films about urchins
and street children from India, Latin America and the Middle East and that
have appeared regularly since the 1960s.
Michael has just been to New York to work with the UNICEF archives,
looking through correspondence and reports from the 1940s, including
monthly reports from displaced children's centres throughout Europe. He
found evidence that people were compelled to send UNICEF money after
seeing European films about orphans. He also discovered that UNICEF has
very close ties with the mass media, including several Hollywood studios.
He said, “My research could lead to a potential dialogue with charities and
organisations that use images of children to elicit support. Charities can
learn from films and films from charities about ways that they can most
responsibly present the plight of suffering children.”
Michael received an award to undertake this research from UWE’s early
career research grant scheme. The University is investing nearly £300,000 to
fund researchers to undertake some preliminary research with a view to then
making a substantial bid for external funding to take the work forward.
Awards vary in size from £5,000 to £20,000.
He recently co-organised a one-day seminar on Slumdog Millionaire in
Bristol’s Pervasive Media Studios with Fabian Frenzel (BBS).
The CCRI’s 2010 Policy
Conference – Conflict or
Consensus? The Next Decade
of Rural Policy will take place
on 19 October at the Queen’s
Hotel in Cheltenham. It will
follow an exciting new format
in the form of four online
seminars which will set the scene
for the conference discussions
by providing background
information and a briefing on
the latest research.
Key speakers include Dr Kate
Braithwaite MBE, Director of
the Rural Programme of the
Carnegie UK Trust; Professor
Terry Marsden, Director of
the ESRC Centre for Business
Relationships, Accountability,
Sustainability and Society, and Dr
Matt Lobley, Assistant Director
of the Centre for Rural Policy
Research, University of Exeter.
The organisers are Dr Matt Reed
and Bekki Griffiths of CCRI.
The Countryside and Community
Research Institute (CCRI) is a
collaboration between the
University of Gloucestershire,
UWE, Royal Agricultural College
and Hartpury College.
For more information visit
the conference website
at www.ccri.ac.uk/Events/
policyconference2010/
PolicyConference2010.htm,
call +44 (0)1242 714122 or
e-mail the conference team at
ccri@glos.ac.uk
Research undertaken by the CCRI for
Defra and Natural England has shown
that farmers who make commitment
to land management schemes aimed
at protecting biodiversity and the
natural environment also provide
additional income, employment and
other social benefits for their local
communities, thus strengthening
rural communities and sustaining
local jobs. The research assessed the
incidental socio-economic benefits
of the Environmental Stewardship
(ES) schemes in England in order to
identify their impact on the wider
local economy. In particular, it assessed
the extent of local multiplier effects
and employment creation as a result
of agri-environmental expenditure.
The key findings showed that as
a direct result of the ES, 665 new
full-time equivalent jobs in local
communities were created between
2005 and 2009, and an additional
£64.7 million was generated by
the local economy. The final report
reinforces how government funding
can lead to increases in local income
and employment, as well as the
development of farmers’ social
networks and farm business skills.
For the full story, visit www.ccri.ac.uk/
News/PressReleases/incidentalsocioeconomicbenefitsES.htm
or read the
Defra report at www.defra.gov.uk/
evidence/economics/foodfarm/
UWE records wildlife
diversity at Bristol BioBlitz
A food web made by school children,
helped by Rebekah O’Driscoll and
Dave Molesworth.
Staff and students from Life Sciences
took part in Bristol’s second annual
BioBlitz on 21 and 22 May, helping
schools and the public find as many
species of wildlife as possible in two
days at the Blaise Castle Estate. The
30-hour race against the clock was one
of several BioBlitz events nationally to
mark the International Year of Diversity.
The official final tally for the event
was 537 species, including freshwater
invertebrates, birds, flowering plants,
insects, ladybirds and butterflies.
UWE was involved in BioBlitz as part
of its role with the Bristol Natural
History Consortium, and provided
technical support including microscopes,
reference materials for identification,
and a food web activity. Rhiannon
Davies (Technician, LS) supported the
microscopy, showing the children a
Yellow Archangel, a woodland
plant common locally, member of
the mint family.
variety of organisms up-close, while
Dave Molesworth (Technician, LS) led
botanic walks for schools and the public.
Also among the activities were a bat
excursion and moth trapping using
mercury vapour lamp traps.
Student ambassadors Rebekah O’Driscoll,
Lorraine Belcher, Jason Wotherspoon
and Natalia Gonzalez ran a food web
activity for 268 children from seven local
primary and secondary schools. Children
constructed individual food chains, then
collaborated to connect these to create
a food web with over 50 species which
had been found at last year’s Bioblitz
in Ashton Court. UWE’s involvement
in BioBlitz was organised by Dr Darren
Reynolds (LS), Dr Fiona Matthews (RBI),
Rhiannon Davies and Dave Molesworth
(both LS).
Bristol Law School's Pro-Bono Unit was runner-up in the ‘Best Contribution
by a Law School’ category in the Attorney-General’s Pro-Bono Awards for
2010. The awards ceremony took place at the House of Lords in March.
Pictured receiving the runners-up certificate from Baroness Scotland, the
Attorney-General (centre) are Andy Stone, representing the Community
Legal Advice and Representation Service, Laura Wills, representing the
Innocence Project, Gareth Hughes representing the Stars in their Bars Prison
Project, and Beccy Berryman representing the Schools programme.
The Unit was also shortlisted for the ‘Oscars’ of the legal world - The Lawyer
awards ceremony, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London on
22 June.
20 21

NEWS
New Visiting Professor
joins Machine Vision Lab
John Henderson
has been appointed
Visiting Professor at
UWE’s Machine Vision
Laboratory (MVL).
Professor Henderson
is clinical lead and
co-investigator, with Dr
Lyndon Smith (BIT), on
a project to develop a
non-invasive instrument
to monitor the
breathing of very young
children with respiratory
problems using 4D
(moving 3D) imaging
techniques.
The Machine Vision Laboratory’s
new Visiting Professor
John Henderson.
The project is a
partnership between
UWE, Bristol University
and consultants at
University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust's Bristol
Royal Hospital for Children and Frenchay Hospital.
Entitled Novel Non-invasive Assessment of Respiratory
Function (NORM), the project is funded by the National
Institute for Health Research, through the i4i Invention
for Innovation Programme. i4i aims to improve the
identification of promising health care technologies and
accelerate the development of new health care products
for the 21st century.
The novel real-time 4D vision based breathing
measurement system has now been built, and Professor
Henderson is involved in generating the associated
breathing model to relate the acquired data with the
patient respiratory condition.
Professor Henderson has been Professor and Honorary
Consultant in Paediatric Respiratory Medicine at the
University of Bristol since 2009 and was previously Senior
Lecturer and Reader. Prior to this he was a Consultant
Paediatrician at Southmead Hospital, Bristol. He has had
a distinctive, extensive and accomplished medical career
and since 1981 has been a co-applicant on funding bids
with a total value in excess of £21 million. He has an
unusual combination of both a clinical and academic skill
base and has achieved significant advances in various
aspects of research and teaching in paediatric respiration.
Professor Henderson is co-director of the Avon
Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC),
which has studied 14,000 children and their parents.
ALSPAC’s important findings are a premier resource in the
field of child breathing and asthma. Professor Henderson
is also a co-applicant on a number of current funding
bids with the MVL team on breathing disturbance, sleep
apnoea, scoliosis and facial morphology in children.
For more information on the work of the MVL visit
www.uwe.ac.uk/cems/research/groups/mvl/index.shtml
A still from the new animated
documentary on the return of
the ss Great Britain
First glimpse of
ss Great Britain animated
film on view
A preview of a new animated film about the salvage of the
ss Great Britain has been released by SCA.
The release of this short trailer marks the 40th anniversary
of the world’s media descending on Montevideo, Uruguay,
to cover preparations for the last leg of the ship’s journey
across the Atlantic Ocean.
The Visualising Voices project is a collaboration between
UWE and the ss Great Britain Trust aimed at ensuring that
the story of the ship's rescue from the Falkland Islands and
her homecoming to Bristol reaches a new generation.
The animated film helps bring to life the oral history
interviews carried out by the ss Great Britain Trust. It has
been designed for use on a variety of platforms, including
online, for broadcast, and as part of a new exhibition at
Brunel’s ss Great Britain entitled The Incredible Journey,
which opens on 17 July.
The story of the ship’s journey is retold in three parts
covering the salvage, the voyage on a pontoon across the
Atlantic Ocean, and homecoming to Bristol. Each part has a
different style, treatment and colour palette. The preview
trailer will focus on the salvage operation, including sinking
a 3,000-tonne pontoon below the ss Great Britain to raise
her from the seabed.
Chris Webster, Deputy Head of UWE’s Bristol School of
Animation said, “While most audiences are familiar with
animated films, the animated documentary is a rather
unusual form of filmmaking. In order to fully explore
the complexities of this wonderful and rather epic event
we have used a mix of very traditional and high tech
contemporary digital animation techniques.”
The full version of the film will be shown to coincide with
celebrations to mark the 40th anniversary of the return of
the ss Great Britain in July 1970.
To view the trailer of the animated film visit www.uwe.
ac.uk/sca/research/voices1.shtml
To read the full story visit http://info.uwe.ac.uk/news/
uwenews/article.asp?item=1747&year=2010
Creative graduates get ready for creative success this summer
UWE is working with Gallery Creative Business Consultancy
to run six free graduate-focused workshops to help people
showcase their skills and find work in the creative industries.
The workshops are open to all graduates, including UWE
students graduating this summer.
The professional skills workshops are being held in June and
July with funding from solutions4recession. Solutions4recession
spokesperson, Mark Haley (RBI) said, “We are delighted
to help cultivate confidence among those working in
the creative industries. The workshops are part of UWE's
solutions4recession service, utilising HEFCE's Economic
Challenge Investment Fund to find ways of helping individuals
and businesses during the recession.”
Rachel Cunningham (SCA) helped to set up the workshops. She
said, “These workshops provide a great chance for creative
graduates to start honing skills that will help to secure work
within the creative industries. At UWE we want graduates to
be the best they can when it comes to meeting prospective
creative industry clients or employers, showcasing their work
and communicating with confidence.
“Valuable tips and guidance will help to give those who take
part the edge in this competitive professional environment.”
The creative industry-focused workshops are led by Emma
Collins from Gallery Creative Business Consultancy.
Each half-day workshop is free of charge and takes place from
10.00 until 14.00.
To book a place or find out more about the workshops e-mail
sca.cpd@uwe.ac.uk or telephone 0117 32 84810.
For more information on the solutions4recession programme
visit http://rbi.uwe.ac.uk/solutions/ or telephone 0117 32 86688.
Academy Award for Walking with Robots programme
Professor Alan Winfield (BIT), Dr
Karen Bultitude (FAS) and Dr Claire
Rocks (FAS) have won a top accolade
for their work on a project to enable
the public to engage with advanced
robotics along with team members
Professor Noel Sharkey (University of
Sheffield) and Professor Owen Holland
(University of Sussex). The Walking
with Robots project team received The
Royal Academy of Engineering Rooke
Medal at the Academy Awards Dinner
at London’s Guildhall on Monday 7 June
from Academy President Lord Browne
of Madingley.
Walking with Robots has just completed
a three-year programme of public
events funded by the Engineering and
Physical Sciences Research Council. High
profile public events across the UK have
explored questions such as What is a
Robot? What do we want robots to do
in the future? What can they do now?
Can robots have personalities? Can
a fully-functional conscious robot be
developed? If so, would it be human?
And should it have rights?
Walking with Robots formed a network
to bring key researchers on intelligent
robotics together with leading science
communicators to promote a wider
public engagement with the reality
of contemporary robotics research
and with the people who do that
research. The network covers the
UK’s most exciting areas of intelligent
robotics research, including artificial
consciousness, biomimetic (animallike)
robots, evolutionary and adaptive
robots, climbing and walking robots,
space and planetary robotics, swarm
robotics and socially interactive robots.
Walking with Robots team receiving their award – from left: Professor Owen Holland,
University of Sussex, Dr Karen Bultitude, Dr Claire Rocks, Professor Alan Winfield and
Professor Noel Sharkey, University of Sheffield.
With activities ranging from building robot gardens with schoolchildren to a pub
guide to robots, the project involved people all over the UK, often engaging
audiences in a two-way exchange with the robotics community. A public debate
called ‘Robot Rights at the Dana Centre’ was sold out, drawing attention to the
ethical questions raised by intelligent robotics technology. The Academy hosted
a young people’s vision conference enabling 45 students from London schools to
explore visions of their future and the part robots might play.
Walking with Robots provided robotics expertise at over 100 events in total, reaching
over 80,000 people. The programme has inspired young people to consider robotics
as a career, caused them to think more deeply about robotics research and changed
attitudes towards robotics and its impact on society.
Dr Lesley Paterson, Head of Public Engagement at The Royal Academy of
Engineering, said: “The strategic thinking behind this programme was excellent,
and has ensured that this initiative leaves a legacy not only in the number of young
people and adults it has engaged through its creative events, but also in the network
of robotics researchers for whom public engagement has now become a valued
activity that will be continued, reaching further audiences as this field advances.”
Professor Alan Winfield commented: “Robotics is an important technology, which is
likely to have an impact over the next20 years at least equal to that of information
technology over the last 20. To compete and contribute, the UK needs a new
generation of young roboticists with the talent, enthusiasm and vision to drive
forward UK robotics. Walking with Robots has, we hope, helped to create that new
generation while fostering real debate about the kinds of robots that we want in
our futures.”
22 23

NEWS
Freya Stark and companions in Jebel Druze (photo courtesy of the Royal Geographcal Society (with IBG) Picture Library)
UWE to explore women expeditioners’ records
The history of twentieth century
women expeditioners is being
unearthed, in many cases for the first
time since the accounts of their travels
were written. A three-year partnership
between geographers at UWE and
the Royal Geographical Societywith
IBG (RGS) will study women's
geographical expeditionary work
from 1913, when women were fully
admitted to the RGS, to1986.
Twentieth century women's travel
and travel writing has been neglected
within geographical research,
compared to the rich body of work
on nineteenth century travel writing.
Examples of twentieth century women
explorers are Gertrude Bell, who was
awarded RGS medals for her work
in Arabia in 1913 and 1918, and
Gertrude Caton-Thompson, Elinore
Gardiner and Freya Stark, whose
expedition to The Yemen in 1937-8
was sponsored by the RGS and Lord
Wakefield.
Dr Avril Maddrell of UWE said,
“None of the RGS-IBG archives
of twentieth century women's
expeditions have had their content
fully catalogued or their long-term
significance analysed. Expedition
records show shifts from single to
mixed sex expeditions and to women's
leadership of these mixed expeditions
by the mid-1980s. Women undertook
expeditions in single sex groups both
from choice and through necessity -
some universities would only sponsor
single sex groups, and women faced
exclusion from most expedition
societies and groups until the 1960s.
“This project will explore the
role of funding constraints, equal
opportunities legislation and
positive choices to work in an allfemale
group. The significance of
expeditions in contributing to today’s
geographical knowledge in areas such
as people-environment relationships
will also be analysed.”
A postgraduate student will spend
around half of their time delving into
the unique expedition archives of
the Royal Geographical Society with
IBG. Researchers will also conduct
oral history interviews with any
members of the expeditions still living,
creating a new digital archive of these
interviews.
This research project builds on Avril
Maddrell’s recent book Complex
Locations: Women’s geographical
work in the UK 1850-1970, published
in 2009 by Wiley/ Blackwell in the
RGS-IBG monograph series. The
book explores 120 years of women’s
contribution to geographical
knowledge, including war work,
government committees, travel
writing, teaching, university lecturing
and research.
The RGS-IBG Unlocking the Archives
project is funded by the Heritage
Lottery Fund.
To read the full story visit
http://info.uwe.ac.uk/news/uwenews/
article.asp?item=1766&year=2010
CEPT Professors gave a seminar for
FET colleagues.
UWE hosts visitors
from Gujarat, India
The University recently hosted a
group of visitors from CEPT University,
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, to discuss
mutual academic interests in the built
environment including planning,
transport and social inclusion, and
concerns about the environment (and
climate change). The visit was facilitated
and organised by Professor Graham
Parkhurst (Professor of Sustainable
Mobility, Centre for Transport and
Society, FET) and Rutul Joshi (PhD
researcher, Centre for Transport and
Society, Lecturer, on leave from the
Faculty of Planning and Public Policy,
CEPT University).
Dr Sharwan Acharya, Dr C N Ray and
Professor Saswat were welcomed to
UWE by Janet Askew (BNE). Janet led
a meeting in which both institutions
discussed their academic programmes
as well as mutual interests in the
environment and climate change.
It was agreed that there may be
important possibilities for peer-topeer
learning and mutual exchange of
ideas. A meeting with the International
Development Office followed where
possible teaching partnerships and
internships were discussed. The visiting
professors also gave a seminar for
colleagues in FET on some of the
challenges of delivering equitable and
sustainable development in rapidly
growing large Indian cities.
There were also meetings between CEPT
representatives and representatives of
UWE Research Centres. The visit (on
18 March) has led to a commitment by
both universities to take forward the
opportunities identified. There will be
a further visit by CEPT academics in
September, whilst the two universities
have agreed to explore holding a joint
summer school on sustainable urban
development in India in 2011.
For further details contact:
Graham.Parkhurst@uwe.ac.uk or
Rutul.Joshi@uwe.ac.uk
UWE staff appointed to ESRC Peer
Review College
Eight UWE staff have been invited to join the newly established Peer Review College
of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), following a nomination and
selection process which began last December. As a result, they will provide expert
quality reviews of grant proposals within their areas of expertise to inform the
ESRC’s decision-making processes. Membership may also include sitting on panels
which meet to decide the final grades and ranking of grant proposals submitted to
the ESRC.
Dr Jo Angouri (SSH), Dr Erel Avineri (FET), Dr Diana Harcourt (HLS), Professor David
James (SSH), Professor Glenn Lyons (FET), Professor Robin Means (HLS), Professor
Nicholas O’Regan (BBS) and Professor Nichola Rumsey (HLS) have each been
appointed for a term of four years, commencing June 2010.
Professor Paul Gough (PVC Research, Enterprise and Knowledge Exchange) said,
“Many congratulations and good wishes to all successful appointees of the College
on the eve of their four-year term. The ESRC anticipated total membership of the
College to be 5 per cent of the total size of the social science community, which
makes UWE’s membership success all the more impressive.”
Aside from bringing their own personal expertise to the College, these newly
appointed members also bring the knowledge and experience which comes with
winning and managing ESRC-funded projects, as three of them (Professors Lyons,
Means and O’Regan) currently hold ESRC projects. UWE has a total of nine ESRCfunded
projects currently running. Others involve staff in BBS (Professor Anna
Pollert, Dr Nick Wylie), FET (Dr Tim Chatterton, Dr Laurence Carmichael) and HLS
(Professor Danny Burns, Dr Tessa Sanderson).
Richard Bond (Head of R&D in RBI) said, “Peer review is a crucial aspect of most
research grant application processes and lies at the heart of ESRC’s operations.
As well as making an important contribution to the ESRC’s peer review processes,
the experience gained by membership of the College will also provide benefits to
individuals, departments and the University as a whole.”
For more information on the ESRC Peer Review College and on ESRC generally,
contact Mandy Donoghue, Research Development Manager in RBI Mandy.
Donoghue@uwe.ac.uk
UWE hosts neuroimaging event
with GE Healthcare
GE Healthcare chose UWE as a
partner to develop and deliver their
regional Neuroimaging Knowledge
Exchange event at Glenside Campus
on 27 May. The aim of the event
was to bring together psychiatrists,
dementia specialists, radiologists
and Primary Care Trust (PCT) funding
specialists to discuss the provision
of diagnostic neuroimaging services
in South West England and Wales.
Aspects of clinical practice such
as the use of CT scans, MRI scans,
blood flow perfusion (HMPAO
SPECT) and Dopamine Receptor
Imaging (DaTSCAN SPECT) were
discussed at the event. There was
also a debate on the commissioning
of new health initiatives for older
people and recent developments
within the National Institute for
Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
The morning was co-ordinated by
Marc Griffiths and Rob Stewart
(both HSC) and Amalia Hasan (GE
Healthcare) and provided a platform
for promoting neuroimaging services
across the region.
Pictured from left are, Marc Griffiths
(Programme Leader Nuclear Medicine
and Subject Group Leader Radiography,
UWE), Amalia Hasan (Account Manager,
GE Healthcare), Shirley Mallon (Senior
Strategy and Re-Design Manager and
PCT commissioner, Birmingham), Dr Paul
Kemp (Radiologist, Southampton General
Hospital), Dr Tim Lewis (Radiologist,
North Bristol NHS Trust) and Professor Roy
Jones (Director of Research Institute for
the Care of Older People).
24 25

Foundation degree Art, Design
and Media graduates Samuel
and Maya Abrahams who first
met in 2000 whilst studying at
Bower Ashton Campus, have
written, associate produced and
directed alongside four of their
friends in their first comedy
Hung Out. Broadcast on Friday
23 April on Channel 4 as part
of Comedy Lab – a platform for
new comedy talent, Hung Out
is a comedy about the etiquette
of friendship and focuses on
a group of close mates living
in London. The group based
the material on their real-life
experiences. Talking about his
experience at UWE, Samuel
added, “I look back on the films
I made at Foundation with a
lot of fondness. If I'm honest,
despite it having extremely low
production values, I think the
first film I made there probably
remains my favourite of all the
things I've directed. It was a
huge turning point for me.”
Hung Out is still available to
watch n 4OD:
www.channel4.com/programmes/
comedy-lab/4od#3074777
Samuel’s mother Rita Abrahams
is the Trading Services Manager
in the Students Union. Pictured
are: (clockwise from top left)
James Shakeshaft, Lucy McCall,
David LE Davis, Alex McGettigan.
NEWS
The GRADSchool tutor team, from left to right: Sarah Kearns (University of Plymouth),
Chris Wood (University of Exeter), Anne Goodman (Cardiff University and South West and
Wales Vitae hub co-ordinator), Paul Spencer (UWE), Tracey Stead (University of Bath),
Jamie McDonald (training consultant) and Claire McQuillan (UWE, course administrator)
UWE leads the second South West
Universities GRADSchool
Thirty-six research students from across the South West headed for the Welsh hills
at the end of May for the South West Universities GRADSchool. This was the second
GRADSchool organised by UWE as part of a growing regional collaboration in the
provision of personal and career skills development for PhD students. Building on
the pioneering UWE local GRADschool programme, the four day residential course
involved students from the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Exeter and Plymouth as well
as UWE. The group also ranged in age from 25 to 60 and came from a variety of
countries including Iran, Kuwait, Egypt and Nigeria.
In the delightful surroundings of Buckland Hall in the Brecon Beacons, the students
undertook a series of challenging exercises designed to identify and develop skills
that will assist them in their future careers, whether this involves continuing their
research in academe or elsewhere, or a career outside research.
One participant said, “I found the most useful aspects of the course were making
contact with researchers from other disciplines and universities, learning about
myself as a person and how I work in a team. The discovery of possible career paths
and hearing about the career journeys of others was particularly enlightening.”
Professor Paul Gough (PV-C Research, Enterprise and Knowledge Exchange,
UWE) visited the GRADSchool to give a presentation reflecting on the role that
undertaking research, supervising PhD students and maintaining his art practice
has had in his career. He said, “I was delighted to be invited to present at the
GRADSchool. This programme is an important collaboration demonstrating the
way in which the five universities can work together in an exciting and mutually
beneficial way to support the career development of research students. Regional
co-operation of this nature has to be the way forward for the future.”
The programme also included an exercise piloted for the first time on a
GRADSchool that focused on developing skills in social enterprise. The Common
Good includes cases studies in social enterprise being developed by UWE’s Paul
Spencer (RBI) in collaboration with consultant Paul Toombs with funding and
support from Vitae, the national research skills development organisation.
“This exercise focuses on developing problem solving skills in a rather different
context, raising awareness of new ways of doing business where the bottom line
is still financial but the driving motivation is about social good,” said Paul Spencer.
“The exercise draws on the creativity, innovation and social motivation of the
students and helps them realise how they can bring their research experience and
enterprise skills to bear on social and environmental issues.” Following the successful
pilot, it is planned to make The Common Good available widely to local and
national GRADSchools as well as a stand-alone development exercise.
Demand for the South West Universities GRADSchool is such that another is being
held in August to be run by the Universities of Plymouth and Exeter with more in
the pipeline for 2011. For further information, contact Dr Paul Spencer, Research
Skills Development Officer, RBI, paul.spencer@uwe.ac.uk
Workshop to reduce
work-related disorders
for sonographers and
mammographers
Pat Young, the Alexander Technique teacher,
works with delegates during the individual
workshop sessions
UWE recently hosted a fourth workshop
to explore methods to prevent and
reduce the effects of work-related
musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs)
in sonographers. Feedback from
sonographers who have previously
attended the workshop has been so
positive that the workshop was opened
up this time to mammographers who are
experiencing similar WRMSD problems
within their profession.
The workshop was introduced by Viv Gibbs
and Jeanne Scolding (both HSC) and there
were presentations from physiotherapist
Carole Augousti on ergonomics, and its
application to the sonography profession,
and from Simon Monnington (from the
Health and Safety Executive) on the role
of the Health and Safety Executive.
Dr Pat Young explained what the
Alexander Technique involves, and how
it can be used to prevent or reduce
WRMSDs. Together with two colleagues,
all qualified Alexander Technique teachers,
she gave individual tuition and guidance
to the delegates.
Follow-up of the participants attending
the workshops is being undertaken in
order to establish the long term benefits.
Lunch for the delegates was kindly
sponsored by Toshiba.
Generation2Generation
A new summer school for students and graduates from families in
business is being organised by Bristol Business School from 16 – 20
August 2010.
In a business environment characterised by intensified
competition, family-owned businesses face unique challenges.
At Generation2Generation (G2G) participants will learn how
to embrace the strengths of their family business and how to
successfully implement practices that drive strong performance,
shareholder loyalty and create healthy family relationships.
G2G is a four day residential course for students, postgraduates and
recent graduates (of business and non-business studies degrees)
who are second, third or fourth generation members of privately
owned limited family managed business.
The curriculum explores four key areas: Dynamics of the Family
Business, Governance, Succession, and Fundamentals of Business
(optional). The Faculty team work with individuals on a one-to-one
basis and in small groups throughout the week to develop their
thinking, knowledge and skills in key areas.
For more information contact Nicholas O’Regan ext: 83735
e-mail: Nicholas.o’Regan@uwe.ac.uk. For more details see:
http://www.uwe.ac.uk/bbs/business/short.shtml
Transport researchers talk
to Bath residents
Researchers from the Centre for Transport and Society at UWE
invited 40 local residents to a workshop in Bath on 26 June to
comment on a feasibility study by Ultra PRT (Personal Rapid
Transit) into the potential advantages and disadvantages for
using this system for Bath. PRT uses driverless, personal vehicles
and provides a direct service to a range of destinations without
waiting or changing. ULTra PRT has been carrying out a feasibility
study into the potential for the ULTra PRT system to be part of a
future transport solution for historic cities, and Bath was chosen for
this feasibility study. The study is part of the CIVITAS Renaissance
Project. For more information see: http://www.ultraprt.com/
applications/system-studies/bath-uk/
UWE is leading an independent evaluation of the feasibility study,
and invited the Bath residents to take part in a four-hour workshop
to explore some of the issues which arise from the study in detail.
The team were keen to access the views of non-experts as well as
carrying out work with experts. The project is supported by the
European Union.
For more information contact: Graham.Parkhurst@uwe.ac.uk
26 27

One of the world's leading experts
on addiction has died.
Martin Plant was born in
Birmingham on 7 August 1946. He
studied for an external degree at
the City of Birmingham College
of Commerce and then an MA
in sociology at the University of
Nottingham. This was followed by
a PhD at the University of Bristol on
drug-taking among young people
in the Cheltenham area that later
formed the basis for his celebrated
first book, Drugtakers in an English
Town (1975).
NEWS
After being appointed as a research
sociologist at the University of
Edinburgh in 1973, Professor Plant
spent the bulk of his career in the
Scottish capital, which allowed
him to pursue his passion for
mountaineering.
He served as director of the alcohol
research group in Edinburgh's
department of psychiatry (1978-
97) and then director of the
independent Alcohol and Health
Research Centre, while securing
a professorial fellowship in the
department of medicine in 1993.
Professor Plant was impassioned
and outspoken, and he was always
concerned to study, understand and
help those stigmatised by society.
He wrote extensively on the medical
and social aspects of drug and
alcohol misuse, in books such as
Drinking Careers (1979), Drugs in
Perspective (1981, revised 1987)
and a number of jointly authored
volumes, but he also looked at
issues surrounding imprisonment,
Obituary - Martin Plant, 1946-2010
Martin Plant
sex workers and HIV/Aids. He even
published a novel, Project Wolf (2000),
about the reintroduction of wolves into
Scotland.
After almost three decades in
Edinburgh, Professor Plant moved to
the University of the West of England in
2002 as professor of addiction studies,
where he carried out much of his
research with his wife Moira, a professor
of alcohol studies.
Their book, Binge Britain: Alcohol and
the National Response (2006), was
"highly commended" by the British
Medical Association.
His final work, Drug Nation, was sent
off to his publisher the day before he
died.
For Douglas Cameron, retired senior
lecturer in substance misuse at the
University of Leicester, "Martin
energised everyone with whom he
came into contact ... We hitched a
ride on his journey, deriving energy
from his energy, and became the
bigger and braver for it.
"Martin was never afraid to put his
head above the parapet. If he felt
strongly about something, he would
stand up and be counted. It didn't
matter whether it was releasing a
wild bird from a cage outside a cafe
or writing to the prime minister."
Professor Plant died of heart failure
on 16 March 2010 and is survived by
his wife and their daughter, Emma.
This obituary for Professor Martin
Plant first appeared in the Times
Higher Education on 29 April.
The author is THE journalist
Matthew Reisz.
"Martin was never afraid to put his head above the parapet.
If he felt strongly about something, he would stand up and be counted.
It didn't matter whether it was releasing a wild bird from a cage outside
a cafe or writing to the prime minister."
Foreign language
learning for UWE staff
Would you like to learn a foreign language or
continue studying a language at a higher level?
The UWE Language Programme offers part-time courses
in ten languages:
• Arabic
• Mandarin Chinese
• English as a
Foreign Language
• French
• German
Classes are taught for a total of 23 weeks throughout the
academic year from October to May, with a fee of £150
for UWE staff.
We also offer modules in Intercultural Communication.
For further information please visit
Website www.uwe.ac.uk/ulp or
E-mail ulp@uwe.ac.uk
• Italian
• Japanese
• Portuguese
• Russian
• Spanish
Printing and
Stationery
Services
Did you know that we not only provide printing for
the University but also do private work for staff and
work for external organisations?
If you are involved in a club or an organisation and
you need some printing, please contact us for a quote.
Telephone:
Internal 84670 External 0117 32 84670
E-mail: printing@uwe.ac.uk
Our services include:
• Lottery/raffle tickets
• Event tickets
• Event programmes
• Posters
• Newsletters
• Calendars
• Booklets with a variety of bindings
(coil, comb, tape, ring, wire)
• Bulk printing and burning of CDs and DVDs
• Postcards
• Printed envelopes
• Promotional goods
Tired of stuffing envelopes?
We are able to offer a sophisticated mail-merge
and mailing service to both University and external
customers. Contact Roland Cowley on ext 84672 for
more information or e-mail Roland.Cowley@uwe.ac.uk
Hot news
We are now able to accept jobs via our electronic
submission service. At present it is only available to
staff through the intranet. We are developing an
external portal for staff over the internet. For more
information, please contact Carolyn Hancocks on
ext 84674 or e-mail Carolyn.Hancocks@uwe.ac.uk
Website
Our website contains lots of information about our
services. Why not take a look today?
www.uwe.ac.uk/printing/
28 29

NEWS
Community liaison update
Nigel England (Community Liaison Manager) has
produced a Keeping the Peace – a Guide to Community
Living, and A6 cards which will be sent to all first year
students moving out of UWE accommodation and into
private accommodation. The new guide encourages
good neighbourly behaviour and gives advice on
important issues such as noise and parking problems.
Further work has been carried out by Nigel and the
Accommodation Team to update the Terms and
Conditions of Occupancy for new first year students
in order to improve the situation regarding parking
complaints. New students will also receive an e-mail
prior to arriving at UWE which aims to improve the
situation regarding use of vehicles and parking. A
public consultation about parking restrictions in
Stoke Park (adjacent to Frenchay Campus) is due to
take place soon.
A Family Fun Day was held at the Centre for Sport
on the 6 June to which local residents were invited.
(For further details see article below).
A subgroup of the Healthy University Group has
been formed to look at drug and alcohol awareness
for students, and a series of events to raise
awareness amongst students is being planned. The
group includes Nigel England, Nikki Coghill, Mark
Sawyer, Diane Zimmer, Vicky Barrington, Rachael
Tonge, Viv Jowett, Hugh Boyes, Paul Dingley and
Paul Volker from South Gloucestershire Council.
For more information contact Nigel England on
0117 32 81366 or at Nigel2.England@uwe.ac.uk.
Nigel is based in Building 650 on Bristol Business
Park, BS16 1EJ.
UWE presents at
Nuclear Medicine
conference in
North America
Marc Griffiths (HSC) attended the 57th Society
of Nuclear Medicine conference in Salt Lake
City, Utah in June to present an oral paper on
evolving new approaches to the development
of nuclear medicine education, workforce
progress and advanced practice. The paper
was the result of collaboration between
UWE and Gary Dawson from Salisbury NHS
Foundation Trust and presented the results
of research conducted on the current cohort
of postgraduate nuclear medicine students
at UWE. The research focused around the
development of new blended learning and
assessment approaches within the nuclear
medicine programme.
Attendance at the international conference
was also an opportunity to develop research
and knowledge exchange links with the
Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM), which
is the professional body affiliated with the
training and development of nuclear medicine
technologists in North America. Further
collaboration between UWE and the SNM
will lead to the development of international
educational frameworks and professional
practice competencies within this emerging
area of clinical imaging.
The Centre for Sport’s indoor climbing wall
Family Fun at the
UWE Centre for
Sport!
It was fun for all at the Centre for
Sport on Sunday 6 June when 50
people visited the Centre for Sport
to take part in trampoline coaching,
inflatable fun, football coaching
on the world class astro pitch and
professional climbing tuition on the
25 ft indoor climbing wall. Feedback
on the day was very positive, with
families agreeing that it had been a
‘very enjoyable day, kids thoroughly
enjoyed themselves’. The state of
the art complex was opened in 2006
to students, staff and the wider
community, and features a fully
equipped fitness suite, multi-use
sports hall and the best all weather
astro pitch in the region.
30 31

Staff in the media
NEWS
Nigel England (Community Liaison
Manager) was interviewed on Heart FM on 1
April about Bristol City Council now recording
the number of student noise complaints. He was
asked how the University deals with noise, and
anti-social behaviour complaints and also what
information is given to students living in the
Community.
Dr Sue Tate (CA) was interviewed on BBC
Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour on 10 May about the
City Museum and Art Gallery’s new exhibition
on the new American arts scene for which the
burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese performed at
the opening night.
Alice Hortop (HSC) was interviewed on
BBC Radio Bristol on 12 May about the use
of humour and laughter as an occupational
therapist.
Nick Startin, Lecturer, Politics (SSH) took
part in a live discussion on BBC Radio Bristol’s
Breakfast Show on 13 May about what the new
coalition government could mean for Britain’s
relationships with America and Europe.
Chris Alford (HLS) talked to Ali Vowles on her
BBC Radio Bristol breakfast show on 14 May
about the effects of sleep loss on politicians
and media people during the run up to the
general election. In his discussion he pointed
out that acute sleep loss reduces people’s ability
for planning and strategy, and they are more
likely to be outspoken or let things slip having
reduced social control. Emotions may also get
the better of us leading to emotional outbursts
– as seen in tired young children. The effects of
reduced sleep over a long period are becoming
well documented, including significantly reduced
life expectancy.
Mike Jempson, Senior Lecturer, Journalism
(CA), was interviewed by Vernon Harwood on
BBC Radio Somerset on 19 May about the Press
Complaints Commission's latest annual report
and government attitudes to media regulation.
He also took part on 23 May in the Marvin
Rees Show on Radio Bristol speaking about
the upcoming ESCR/UWE seminar in Bristol on
30 June about the recruitment problems faced
by Black and Ethnic Minority journalists in the
media, and reviewed the week's newspapers.
Andrew Crawley (BBS) was interviewed on
BBC Radio Wales on 19 May about public sector
pay cuts in Wales.
Phillippa Diedrichs (LS) was interviewed on
BBC Radio Bristol on Tuesday 25 May about
perceptions of body shape and male models
in advertising. Phillippa also did radio and tv
interviews for the Australian media.
Emeritus Professor Peter Gold (HLSS) was
interviewed on Gibraltar for World Politics
Review on 28 May 2010. The interview can be
seen at http://worldpoliticsreview.com/trendlines/5648/global-insider-british-and-spanishclaims-to-gibraltar.
News in Brief
John Rushforth, Deputy Vice-Chancellor,
was interviewed on BBC Radio Bristol about the
latest cuts in Higher Education.
Helen Butcher (EDU) was interviewed on
Wednesday 2 June on BBC Radio Somerset as
part of a phone in discussion on the issue of
children playing with guns as toys.
Sarah Proudfoot and Colette Percival
(Careers) were interviewed on Monday 7 June
on BBC Radio Bristol about career opportunities
for graduates.
Publications
John Fisher (HLSS) has edited a new book
with Vice-Chancellor Emeritus Keith Robbins
(D.Litt, UWE). Its title is Religion and Diplomacy:
Religion and British Foreign Policy, 1815 to 1941
(Republic of Letters, 2010), ISSN: 1875-0184
hardback and paperback, 257 pp.
Anna Grear (Law) has published a new book -
Redirecting Human Rights: Facing the Challenge
of Corporate Legal Humanity (Basingstoke:
Palgrave MacMillan, 2010)
Avril Maddrell’s (BNE) book Complex
Locations: the production and reception of
women’s geographical work and the canon
1850-1970 was published by the Royal
Geographical Society-Institute of British
Geographers/Wiley-Blackwell as part of the RGS
research monograph series. Avril also published
an interview with Anne Buttimer in Gender,
Place and Culture 16(6) and contributed an
article on Marion Newbigin to Geographers
Biobibliographical Series Vol. 28 (edited by C
Withers and H Lorimer.) Avril’s article A place
for grief and belief: the Witness Cairn at the
Isle of Whithorn, Galloway, Scotland appeared
in Social and Cultural Geography 10: 675-693.
She contributed a chapter entitled Mapping
changing shades of grief and consolation in the
historic landscape of St. Patrick’s Isle, Isle of Man
to Emotion, Culture and Place, edited by Joyce
Davidson, Liz Bondi, Laura Cameron and Mick
Smith, and published by Ashgate.
Andrew Spicer (CA), Reader in Cultural History,
has published The Historical Dictionary of Film
Noir, a comprehensive guide that ranges from
1940 to present day neo-noir. It consists of a
chronology, introductory essay, bibliography,
filmography, and over 400 cross-referenced
dictionary entries on every aspect of film noir
and neo-noir, including key films, personnel
(actors, cinematographers, composers, directors,
producers, set designers, and writers), themes,
issues, influences, visual style, cycles of films (eg
amnesiac noirs), the representation of the city
and gender, other forms (comics/graphic novels,
television, and videogames), and noir's presence
in world cinema. The book is published by
The Scarecrow Press, part of the Rowman and
Littlefield publishing group –
www.rlpg.books.com
Dr Salima Paul (BBS) published the book
Strategic Credit Management in January. It has
been printed in the UK and US and is selling well
all around the world.
Appointments
Avril Maddrell (BNE) has been appointed as
Chair of the Women and Geography Study
Group of the Royal Geographical Society and
Institute of British Geographers.
Clara Greed (BNE) has been appointed
to the Consumer and Public Interest (CPI)
of the British Standards Institute (BSI). This
involves monitoring the work of BSI standards
committees with reference to the needs of user
groups, the community and ergonomic issues.
Thus this will contribute towards a more human
perspective being applied to what are often very
technical standards. As a member of the BSI CPI
network she will be involved in committee work
with BSI in the UK and also with international
ISO standards and European standards
harmonisation.
Dr Salima Paul and Dr Eleimon Gonis (both
BBS) have been made honourable members
of the ECF (European Credit Forum) and were
guest speakers at their London conference
in February. In association with ECF, they are
running a comprehensive survey of credit
policies/practices and benchmarking for the UK
hardware/software sector. In March they also
joined the board of the ICM Bristol and West
branch as the joint Education officer. Dr Paul
was also awarded a fellowship by the Institute
of Credit Management for her contribution to
research in credit management.
Conferences
Dr Salima Paul and Dr Eleimon Gonis (both
BBS) recently presented papers at the European
Accounting Association congress in Istanbul
(EAA) and at the Malaysian Finance Association
in June.
Alice Hortop (HSC) guest-presented
alongside two UWE students at the College of
Occupational Therapy student conference on
15 May in Cardiff on Social inclusion, reducing
poverty and isolation in the UK and Europe.
Dr Helen Frisby (History, HLSS) recently
presented on the sense and significance of
Victorian mourning costume to a Death Day,
hosted by the Department of Theology and
Religious Studies, University of Winchester. The
presentation used theories about the nature
and purpose of grief, in particular the notion of
‘continuing bonds’, to challenge the commonly
held assumption that the wearing of mourning
was necessarily burdensome, depressing, or
symptomatic of pathological grief.
Avril Maddrell (BNE) recently gave research
seminars at the Universities of Liverpool,
Plymouth, London, Bristol and Bath Spa, and at
UWE’s SCA. She presented two research papers
at the Royal Geographical Society-Institute of
British Geographers annual conference - one
on Mapping grief: Mourning and loss in John
Banville's The Sea’ and the other on Hilary
Chew in the geographical archives. At the
conference, a book panel session with four
leading professors of geography was dedicated
to discussion of her book Complex Locations:
Women's Geographical Work 1850-1970. She
gave a paper at the International Geographial
Union Borderscapes II conference in Sicily
entitled Using novels to teach the borderscapes
of migrant experience and identity. Avril also
presented a paper at the AHRC/ESRC Religion
and Society Phase III launch conference at
Lancaster University on Landscape aesthetics,
meaning and experience in Christian pilgrimage.
Mike Jempson and Dr Rakesh Kaushal (SCA)
are involved with a University of Newcastle
project - Ethnic Diversity in the News Media
Workforce- examining the lack of ethnic minority
diversity within the British news industry. They
hosted the second seminar in a series of six on
the topic this month with the specific remit of
investigating the barriers to recruitment and
how they can be overcome. This project is being
funded by the ESRC and involves many eminent
names from within journalism and academia. Dr
Rakesh Kaushal attended the first seminar in this
series at Newcastle University on January 20.
In April Mike Jempson (Senior Lecturer,
Journalism) ran a week-long series of
workshops for journalists and NGOs in Ukraine
as part of a EU programme to improve public
awareness and media coverage of violence and
abuse against women and children. He then
found himself stranded under the volcanic ash
cloud, and made his way back crossing Ukraine,
Poland, Germany and Holland by coach in 36
hours, then had to wait five days to get on
Eurostar. On Monday 10 May Mike addressed
the annual conference of the British Association
for the Study and Prevention of Child Abuse and
Neglect in Birmingham on the topic – building
relationships of trust with the media.
Dr Ibrahim Seaga Shaw (HLSS; Project
Manager, Refugee and Migrant Support
Hub) gave a guest lecture at CEED, Bristol
on 26 March on Raising attainment and
facilitating progression to higher education
amongst adult learners to a group of visitors
from several European countries working on
an EU funded Grundvic research and public
engagement project. He also gave a guest
lecture on The African Journalism Model to MA
Global Journalism students funded by the EU
at Swansea University on 19 April 2010 and
facilitated a workshop on Scholars at Risk at
the African Voices Forum Education and Health
conference at the Council House on 24 April
2010.
Marc Griffiths and Gary Dawson (both
HLS) give four presentations at the Spring
British Nuclear Medicine Society Conference
in Harrogate on the 26 and 27 April 2010.
The presentations related to the development
of a mentorship framework within nuclear
medicine practice in the United Kingdom, safe
working practice (handling, storage and injective
radiopharmaceuticals) and the evaluation
of e-based learning frameworks for nuclear
medicine education. The e-based learning
frameworks for nuclear medicine education
presentation won best overall presentation in the
technologists section and two posters were also
presented in collaboration with some of students
from the current cohort.
A research paper titled E-Banking and E-Fraud:
A Comparitive Investigation in Jamaica and the
United Kingdom by Dr Umut Turksen and Dr
Clare Chambers (both LAW) was presented
at the annual CYBERLAWS 2010 Conference in
St Maarten, Netherlands Antilles last February.
After being reviewed, this paper has been
awarded as one of the top research papers. Dr
Umut Turksen also presented a paper titled The
Honeymoon Is Over - A Critique of Vietnamese
Foreign Direct Investment Commitments at the
2010 Costa Rica Global Conference on Business
and Finance last May. A short 12 page version
of this paper has been published as part of the
conference proceedings by the Institute for
Business and Finance Research. A longer 61
page version of this paper will be published in
the Journal of World Investment and Trade in
August 2010.
Dr Antonia Beringer (Research Fellow, HSC),
Lesley Donovan (Director of Educational
Partnerships, HSC), Stefanie Scott (Senior
Lecturer in Adult Nursing, HSC) and Mandy
Tuckey (Senior Lecturer in Radiography HSC)
recently presented a series of papers relating
to their team’s research project, ‘Education
for Practice’. Lesley Donovan presented
Education for Practice: is current provision fit
for purpose in preparing the workforce for their
NHS roles? at the NETNEP 2010 Conference
in Sydney, Australia 11-14 April 2010. This
was co-authored by the other members of
the research team. Dr Antonia Beringer
and Stefanie Scott presented Education for
Practice: Are university health care courses ‘fit
for practice’ in preparing staff for their health
service roles? at the Royal College of Nursing
2010 International Nursing Research Conference
in Newcastle, England (co-authored by the
research team). The research team will also
present at the 2010 Beijing International Nursing
Conference in August.
Dr Dimitrios Christopoulos (Politics) made
an address on Clandestine Networks and Dark
Social Capital during a conference at Europol
Headquarters in The Hague on 4 June.
Research
Avril Maddrell (BNE) has been awarded an
AHRC/SSRC Religion and Society grant for a
project entitled, Landscape aesthetics, meaning
and experience in Christian Pilgrimage. She is
principal investigator of a team of colleagues
from the Universities of Bristol, London and
Glasgow.
Congratulations to Suze Adams (PhD
student, SCA) who has received an AHRC
Beyond Text award of nearly £2,000 to run a
Student Led Initiative (one of 13 funded from
50 applications). This will take the form of a
conference and will be held at UWE Bower
Ashton on 01 and 02 July. The event, Moving
Between the Lines, will bring together artist
and geographer PhD students from across
the South West and Wales and will combine
theoretical debate with practical projects
focusing on creative strategies for the writing
up of fieldwork. Moving Between the Lines will
launch the Art, Place and Landscape Group - an
inter-disciplinary, cross institutional network for
informal discussion and possible collaboration
between postgraduate students. For more
information contact: info@suzeadams.co.uk
Dr Salima Paul (BBS) was awarded £20,000
from ACCA to investigate the problem of late
payment and power between SMEs and their
larger counterparts.
32 33

NEWS
Human Resources Update
Right to work checks
As an employer, UWE has a responsibility to
check that all employees are entitled to work
in the UK.
The Government changed the law on
employing illegal workers in 2008. The
Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act
2006 (effective from 2008) strengthened
the requirement for employers to check
documents to establish a person’s eligibility to
work in the UK.
Under the new law, UWE would face civil
penalties of up to £10,000 for each illegally
employed worker.
All employees require a right to work check
if they receive a payment through the UWE
payroll – irrespective of whether or not they
are already employed in another university.
There are three steps UWE must carry out for
each individual it wishes to employ:
Step 1 Request right to work documents
Step 2 Check the validity of the documents
Step 3 Copy, sign and date to show it has
been certified, and stored.
If you have been nominated to carry out right
to work checks for any employee, training is
available by Human Resources.
More information on right to work checks
can be found in the recruitment procedures
section on the HR website.
Different+equal
Stonewall is the leading UK organisation
campaigning for gay, lesbian and bisexual
issues. In 2009, UWE signed up to join
Stonewall's diversity champions programme.
In signing up to this programme, UWE has
joined 400 other organisations who have
committed themselves to promote lesbian,
gay and bisexual equality in the workplace.
UWE submitted
an entry for
Stonewall's
workplace
equality index
for 2010. The
workplace
equality index
provides an
audit of an
organisation’s
employment
procedures
and practices.
Stonewall’s
index placed
UWE 7th out
of 21 universities
putting themselves
forward for audit.
As a Stonewall
diversity champion,
UWE has also
received a tailored feedback on how we
compare with other organisations, and what
improvements we can make in the future.
UWE has used the Stonewall feedback (and
that from staff and student groups) to develop
a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender action
plan. The action plan will be implemented
over the next 12 months.
In addition, all LGBT staff are invited to
participate in a confidential survey run by
Stonewall to get feedback on working at
UWE. If you wish to participate, please go to:
www.stonewall.org.uk/stafffeedback/. You
will need to enter UWE’s institutional code,
which is 717.
The survey closes on 10 September 2010.
The weather is getting warmer….
why not cycle to work?
For the last three years, UWE has offered a
cycle to work scheme and 300 staff have now
taken the opportunity to save money on the
purchase of a bike. Would you like to
be next?
The exact amount of saving depends
on your tax band but on average the
savings are between 30 per cent and
40 per cent of the original cost of the
bike. Under the rules of this salary
sacrifice scheme, you must also be over
18 and on a permanent or fixed term
contract that outlasts the 12 month hire
period and where you will be receiving
consecutive monthly payments for at
least that 12 month hire period.
As well as saving money on the purchase
of the bike, you will also save money on
parking and car running costs. Other
benefits include:
• Improvements to your health -
cycling four miles a day halves
the risk of coronary heart disease
and regular cyclists enjoy a fitness
level equivalent to being 10 years
younger.
• Help the environment by cutting vehicle
emissions.
• Reduce stress levels - cycling is an
excellent stress-reliever helping you feel
good when you arrive at work and at
home.
• Get to work quicker - the rise in road
congestion means cycling is increasingly
becoming a faster means of transport
than the car for shorter journeys
For further information regarding the scheme
please visit www.uwe.ac.uk/cycle or contact
Michelle Gregory in HR – Michelle2.Gregory@
uwe.ac.uk
We are open to
the community
not just staff and
students! See what
we have to offer!
Summer Membership at
UWE Centre for Sport
Limited Offer!
All inclusive Membership just £20 per month
when you join before the 31 August 2010!
Reverts to standard community rates after 31/08/2010
All inclusive package, includes UNLIMITED use of fully equipped fitness suite
and free weight area, squash courts, aerobics classes, punch bag, table tennis,
badminton and climbing wall (provided experience can be proven)
Terms and conditions apply, subject to availability,
see website for further details.
Badminton and table tennis unavailable between
7 June and 25 June 2010 due to Sports Hall Maintenance.
No contracts
or joining fees!
Contact
www.uwe.ac.uk/sport
Telephone 0117 32 86200
E-mailcentreforsport@uwe.ac.uk
$
$
34 35

NEWS
UWE graduate intern scheme results in employment
success with Solsoft
Staff survey update
The first UWE staff survey, carried out
in December 2008, highlighted key
areas for action. A staff survey action
group was set up (with representatives
from Faculties, services and trades
unions) to analyse the survey data and
develop an action plan to address the
key issues which the survey highlighted.
The action plan was agreed by the
University’s senior management team;
each action has now been assigned to a
manager tasked with delivering specific
actions. An implementation group is
meeting every three months to
track progress.
Key positives identified in the
survey
• Good pay and terms and conditions
eg pay, holidays, pensions
• Approachable and supportive
managers
• Commitment to equality and
diversity
• Pride in working with students and
service users
• Belief that faculties and services
offer a good service
Key areas identified for action
• More staff empowerment and
better workload management
• Improved management of change
• More consistent appraisal and
development review
• Better internal communication –
particularly around change
• Improved line manager training
• Better understanding of UWE
strategy and values
You said that change was not
well managed
We set up a change team led by the
AV-C Business Change and Innovation.
The change team is developing a
project plan for organisational change,
is equipping leaders to manage change
(through a Future Focus managers’
Pictures from the process mapping event
conference and change workshops),
and is strengthening the emphasis on
internal communications.
You said that you had to put in
extra time to meet workload, and
that decision making was complex
and unclear
We have implemented a new oneto-one
meeting between managers
and individuals in order to discuss
workload issues, provide opportunities
to raise issues, and give feedback about
University priorities.
We are developing a single academic
workload model to ensure the fair,
consistent and transparent allocation of
academic workloads.
We have improved decision making
processes (eg capital project approvals
EFin 10 and staff recruitment decisions
EFAF) to provider quicker turn-round
times.
We have asked the change team
to focus on process improvement
to improve efficiencies save on
transaction costs; the change team are
reviewing student recruitment, student
registration, student records, marketing,
graduation, assessment, and student
advice.
We are also simplifying governance
structures, and proposing new
arrangements to Academic Board.
You said that some managers did
not manage poor performance
effectively, and that management
standards were inconsistent.
We have developed a new UWE
Manager standard covering all
managers.
The new management standard is
accompanied by a mandatory training
programme for all new managers.
The programme covers performance
and development review, one-to-ones,
team briefing, project management,
recruitment and selection, equality
and diversity, health and safety,
communications, employment law,
leadership, and working with others.
You said that many staff had
not had an appraisal in the last
two years
We have implemented a new and
simpler performance and development
review scheme for all staff. We will
carry out an annual audit to ensure that
review meetings are being held.
You said that some people did not
feel valued by the University
We have implemented a new
performance and development review
scheme which provides an annual
opportunity for managers to give
feedback and recognition to individuals
for work carried out.
We have launched a variety of new staff
events including the Better Together
awards, the new starters’ Welcome Fair,
Feel good events, VC BBQ and Welcome
fair.
We have implemented a new scheme
for paying the fees of staff who wish to
study on UWE modules to enhance their
personal development.
You said that communication
between Faculties and Services
was poor
We are developing an internal
communication strategy including
more face to face communications,
with opportunities for cross-University
feedback.
We have developing a new team
briefing system to improve the sharing
of University information.
We are reviewing the VC Update to
improve its usefulness for all staff.
UWE’s Graduate Internship Scheme is making positive ripples
amongst the small business community in the region.
Maggie Westgarth, Head of UWE Careers, said, “The interest
in the UWE Graduate Internship scheme has been phenomenal
and has enabled the university to partner up with and develop
relationships with many new businesses and organisations. The
eight week paid internships designed to help recent graduates
find work are already proving fruitful in terms of job creation.
Many of the smaller businesses who are taking part have
not taken on graduates before and are seeing real benefits
to their organisations. As the internships are coming to an
end we are seeing many businesses creating new jobs within
their organisations. It’s early days but if recent indicators are
anything to go by the Scheme looks like it is going to have
a very significant impact on graduate employment in the
region.”
As a result of UWE’s outstanding success at engaging the
initial interest of employers the Higher Education Funding
Council has doubled the number of internships UWE can
support from 200 to a total of 400.
Solsoft is one of the first businesses to offer permanent work
to two UWE graduates as a direct result of UWE’s Graduate
Internship Scheme.
UWE + Solsoft
The Graduate Internship scheme that was launched earlier
this year is already proving successful with the employment
of two graduates by Solsoft Technology. Solsoft Technology,
Bristol is one of the first companies to offer permanent roles
to graduates from UWE’s internship scheme.
The graduates, Stefan Mikic (International Business with
French) and Laurence Ho (Computer Systems Engineering), will
be joining the Sales Department as Internal Account Manager
and the IT Service Department as an Infrastructure Support
Technician respectively.
Solsoft’s Managing Director Mike Ralston said, “We are
Mike Ralston
(Solsoft), Stefan
Mikic (Solsoft),
Colette Percival
(UWE Careers),
Stuart Pick (Solsoft)
delighted to be a part of the UWE Graduate Internship
scheme and were so impressed with the quality of Stefan
and Lawrence’s work for Solsoft offering them permanent
employment was the next logical step. I am sure they will
maintain their very high standards of work for Solsoft and
can foresee a real future for both of them with the company.
I would recommend that any company gets involved with
this scheme and hope to offer further internships to UWE
graduates.”
Laurence Ho said, “I have enjoyed working at Solsoft very
much, it has been challenging and rewarding at the same
time. Working at Solsoft has given me a great opportunity
to gain valuable work experience and learn new skills. The
internship has also allowed me to further develop what I
learned at UWE. Solsoft has now offered me a permanent
position and the Graduate internship has definitely been a
major help, especially when it has been so difficult to find a
job this year.”
Stefan Mikic said, “Whilst at Solsoft, I have had the pleasure
of working in a dynamic and rewarding environment. From
the very start I was given the opportunity to experience
working in different business areas such as service delivery,
and existing client/new customer business opportunities. The
latter has been especially interesting for me personally as I am
now being trusted with more responsibility and managing my
own set of accounts.
“I receive constant training, support and feedback from the
senior members of my team which has contributed greatly to
my development. Additionally, with the type of consultancy
service Solsoft offer there is always something new to do and
new challenges which require a unique approach. I am glad to
have been offered a new contract and am currently working
on several new business opportunities which will enable me to
develop my own client portfolio.”
Solsoft provide IT support and solutions to over 200
companies and charities across the South West and South
Wales and are the most highly qualified Microsoft Gold
Partner in the region.
36 37