RISE May-June 2009 - University of Salford

RISE 

Research Innovation and InternationaliSation NEws 

MAY/JUNE 2009 

Inside this issue ... 

AIR and SPACE 

CONFERENCE 

FOLLOWING IN DANTE’s FOOTSTEPS 

US NAVAL HISTORICAL PRIZE 

DRIVING REGENERATION FORWARD 

INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH WEEK 

plus much more ...

RISE! Research Innovation and Internationalisation News 

Welcome to the second 

edition of RISE, the new 

Research Innovation and 

InternationaliS ation 

NEwsletter from the offices 

of the PVC (Research & 

Innovation) and the Office 

of International Relations at 

the University of Salford. The aim of RISE is 

to demonstrate our expertise in research, 

innovation and internationalisation and 

to reach out locally, nationally and 

inter-nationally. 

In this issue you will see examples of the wide range of research 

expertise that the University of Salford has and projects that the 

University is currently undertaking. These are as diverse and 

wonderful as the CASE Centre for Control and Systems Engineering 

collaborating with Airbus Toulouse in France on optimised power 

systems, architecture and energy storage for electric aircraft, and 

research being undertaken by Professor Phil Craig, who was 

recently honoured by the Chinese Government for his work 

preventing the spread of a killer parasitic disease – potentially 

saving the lives of thousands of people in China’s Sichuan Province. 

There are also articles on post-disaster management, hydrogen 

storage materials for use in fuel cells in cars, planning and 

regeneration in urban areas, the use of urban knowledge to shape 

critical infrastructure, research on homelessness and even acoustic 

research into the humour of flatulence! 

You can also read about some of the prizes won by researchers 

across the University, such as the US Naval Historical Prize and the 

Royal Astronomical Society Award, and honours and awards 

received by postgraduate research students, including one recently 

completed PhD student whose findings have directly informed and 

influenced the 2008 NICE guidelines on Chronic Kidney Disease 

Management. 

Research at the University has had to change and adapt with the 

times. Salford is currently positioning its research areas along the 

University’s six themes that cover energy, media, health & wellbeing, 

human rights, crime & security, innovation & enterprise and the 

built environment. You will find more details about these plans 

inside this issue in the Scoping Studies section. Whatever changes 

take place within the research structures over the next few years, 

here at the University of Salford our main goal is to carry on 

developing our national and international reputation as a 

research-led institution that creates and applies new ideas and 

creates opportunities for individuals and the knowledge economy. I 

would like to take this opportunity to invite not only my colleagues 

within the University, but all our current external, regional, 

national, international and potential new partners to come on this 

exciting and worthwhile journey with us. As partners we can be 

strong, creative and innovative, generating new pathways into 

research that produces results applicable to the real world.


RESEARCH NEWS 

Inside 

Research Innovation and Internationalisation News 

26 RESEARCH SCOPING STUDIES FOR 

NEW UNIVERSITY THEMES 

27 RESEARCH AND INNOVATION: 

SHAPING THE FUTURE REPORT: HEALTH, 

SOCIAL CARE AND WELLBEING 

28 INNOVATION & ENTERPRISE / 

ENTREPRENEURSHIP 

29 THE ENERGY THEME 

30 MEDIA AND CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIES / 

INDUSTRIES 

31 CRIME AND SECURITY 

23 

14 

NEW RESEARCH ON 

SCRI EXPERTISE 

HOMELESSNESS 

RECOGNISED 

32 NEW APPOINTMENTS 

34 POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH NEWS 

36 POSTGRADUATE Awards 

42 FORTHCOMING EVENTS 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

38 CHINA-UK COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS 

39 UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD EXCEEDS UK 

NORM FOR THE RECRUITMENT OF 

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS 

40 GETTING TO KNOW OUR STUDENTS 

40 MORE ENTRY POINTS, MORE 

FLEXIBILITY, MORE INTERNATIONAL 

STUDENTS… 

41 SALFORD TAKES ON THE UNIVERSITIES 

OF THE WORLD! 

13 

SHAKESPEARE 

INTERPRETED 

4 SALFORD RESEARCH CONTRIBUTING TO 

CONFLICT MITIGATION AND POST-DISASTER 

RECONSTRUCTION IN SRI LANKA 

6 WRISTBAND TRIALS 

6 KNOWLEDGE INTENSIVE ORGANISATIONS 

6 WHOOPEE! 

7 DISCIPLINE HOPPING RESEARCH 

7 NEW FUNDING FOR FUNCTIONAL 

ELECTRICAL STIMULATION (FES) AND 

REHABILITATION ROBOTICS 

8 DRIVING REGENERATION FORWARD 

8 ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY AWARD 

8 ‘BUCKYBALLS’ AND FUEL CELLS IN CARS 

9 BAKING WITH ROBOTS 

9 PROFESSOR vs PARASITE! 

10 US NAVAL HISTORICAL PRIZE 

10 SALFORD RESEARCH, MUSIC AND POETRY 

10 COMMUNITY COHESION 

11 WORK LIFE BALANCE in FRANCE and UK 

11 ART IN GAMES 

11 BUILDING EXCELLENCE IN THE ARTS 

12 INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH WEEK 

12 FOLLOWING IN DANTE’s FOOTSTEPS 

12 DEHEMS: Domestic Energy Consumerism & 

Behaviour Change 

13 WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION 

13 SUPPORT FOR RESEARCH BIDDING 

14 FACULTY TV 

15 SYSTEM DYNAMICS SOCIETY 

15 DARWIN’S DECLINE 

16 CASE CENTRE IN CONTROL AND SYSTEMS 

ENGINEERING 

17 AIR and SPACE CONFERENCE 

18 THIK LAB: DESIGNED FOR INTERACTION 

AND COLLABORATION 

19 RESEARCH REPOSITORY INFORMATION 

AVAILABLE TO ALL 

19 ALAS POOR YORICK! 

20 URBAN KNOWLEDGE FOR SHAPING 

CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE: NEW 

FRAMEWORKS FOR CITY-REGIONS 

20 GLOBAL SPORTS FORUM 

21 VISITING SCHOLAR AT JUDGE BUSINESS 

SCHOOL, CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY 

21 SUCCESSFUL BIDDING WITH BUHU 

22 THE FUTURE OF TELEVISION IS THE 

INTERNET AND MOBILE 

23 KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER PARTNERSHIPS 

(KTP) WITH VALVES INSTRUMENTS PLUS 

(VIP) ANOTHER SUCCESS STORY! 

24 COMMERCIAL & TECHNOLOGY 

TRANSFER 

3


SALFORD 

RESEARCH 

CONTRIBUTING 

TO CONFLICT 

MITIGATION AND 

POST-DISASTER 

RECONSTRUCTION 

IN SRI LANKA 

A team of researchers from the 

Research Institute for the Built & 

Human Environment are working on 

a range of activities that will 

contribute to conflict mitigation and 

recovery in Sri Lanka. 

These activities are planned in support of the European Commission, UK 

Department for International Development and the World Bank’s objective 

of supporting conflict affected communities in Sri Lanka, in particular 

helping Internally Displaced People (IDPs), returnees and host 

communities. Infrastructure in the North and East of Sri Lanka has 

suffered from damage and neglect during the war, and from an absence 

of new investment. 

When massive development projects are launched there is a great demand 

for technically trained manpower. The University of Salford research team 

is promoting a community-based approach to acquiring construction skills, 

assisting the process of social reintegration while alleviating poverty. 

The problems that the team have encountered in Sri Lanka 

are manifold, including: 

> Ineffective, inadequate and conflict insensitive community 

infrastructure development and reconstruction 

> Inadequate representation of vulnerable groups in the infrastructure 

development process (e.g., women, IDPs, ethnic minorities) 

> Lack of integration of gender considerations into conflict prevention 

> Need to empower women during post-conflict recovery and 

mainstreaming women into decision-making and vulnerability 

reduction 

> Need to promote ethnically sensitive reconstruction that encourages 

inter-ethnic coexistence within communities 

> Informal non-state actors with inadequate construction skills and 

knowledge to support and deliver infrastructure development 

and reconstruction 

4


> Inability of non-state actors to influence policies and plans that affect 

local infrastructure development and reconstruction 

> Inadequate capacity and understanding among state actors 

on community infrastructure development and reconstruction 

requirements and 

> Inadequate inter-community participation in infrastructure 

development and reconstruction activities 

Professor Dilanthi Amaratunga and Dr. Richard Haigh, leaders of the 

University research team, recently launched and are the editors of The 

International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment 

(www.emeraldinsight.com/ijdrbe.htm), to capture and disseminate 

knowledge pertaining to the reconstruction of conflict affected 

communities. 

The journal provides a unique forum for novel enquiries into the 

development and application of new and emerging practices as a source 

of innovation to challenge current practices, promote the exchange of 

ideas between researchers, educators, practitioners and policy makers, and 

to influence disaster prevention, mitigation, response and reconstruction 

policies and practices. 

In addition to these specific activities, the Salford team, which includes 

academic staff, researchers and PhD candidates, is engaged in a range of 

other disaster management related research initiatives with partners in 

Nepal, Bangladesh, Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia, Japan and 

the USA. 

If you require further information about the team and its research, 

please contact Richard at: r.p.haigh@salford.ac.uk or 

Dilanthi at: r.d.g.amaratunga@salford.ac.uk 

This journal (the only one of its kind) aims to develop the skills and 

knowledge of the built environment professions in strategic and practical 

aspects of disaster (both natural and man-made, including 

conflicts) preparedness, rehabilitation and reconstruction to mitigate the 

effects of disasters nationally and internationally. 

5


WRISTBAND TRIALS 

The University of Salford is part of collaborative team, along 

with University of Liverpool, University of Manchester and 

University of Plymouth, conducting trials to test 

acupressure wrist bands as a drug-free alternative for 

chemotherapy-related nausea. The trial will be the first of its 

kind to run in the NHS and is funded by the National Institute 

for Health Research Health Technology Assessment 

programme. More than 75% of patients undergoing 

chemotherapy experience nausea, this can impact negatively 

on their quality of life. Acupressure wrist bands can reduce 

the symptoms of travel sickness by applying force to the Nei 

Kuan pressure point on each wrist. 

The national study of more than 700 patients, at nine NHS cancer 

centres, will now measure the cost and clinical effectiveness 

of acupressure wrist bands in reducing and controlling chemotherapyrelated 

nausea. Led by Professor Mari Lloyd-Williams from the University 

of Liverpool’s Academic Palliative and Supportive Care Studies Group, 

the team will analyse a wide range of patients diagnosed with different 

types of cancer and undergoing chemotherapy, in order to 

discover which patient groups would most benefit from the 

intervention. Professor Lloyd-Williams said: “Developments in 

anti-emetic drugs – used to combat nausea and vomiting – have 

decreased the symptoms suffered by chemotherapy patients but nausea 

remains a debilitating and poorly controlled symptom. Patients rank 

nausea and vomiting amongst the most distressing side effects of 

chemotherapy. In some cases, poorly controlled symptoms can lead to 

patients choosing to stop potentially curative treatment. If the trials are 

successful, we should be able to control this debilitating symptom with 

a drug-free therapy. The wrist bands could potentially help patients to 

maintain a good quality of life throughout their treatment.” 

For more information on this project contact Dr. Adam Garrow at: 

a.garrow@salford.ac.uk 

KNOWLEDGE INTENSIVE 

ORGANISATIONS 

Dr Maria Burke of Salford Business School has contributed a 

chapter entitled “Cultural Issues: An Exploration Towards 

Improved Knowledge Management Relationships” to 

The Handbook of Research on Knowledge-Intensive 

Organizations, edited by D. Jemielniak, Kozminski Business 

School, Poland and J.Kociatkiewicz, University of Essex, UK. 

This book has just been published and offers an international collection 

of studies on knowledge-intensive organizations with insight into 

organizational realities as varied as universities, consulting agencies, 

corporations, and high-tech start-ups. The research investigated 

knowledge management in Poland, Russia and the UK and offers new 

perspectives for the future. Ongoing related projects will take the 

research to a new stage and examine knowledge sharing in SMEs in 

Poland, Hungary and the UK. 

To find out more about Maria’s work please contact her at: 

m.e.burke@salford.ac.uk 

WHOOPEE! 

The funniest whoopee cushion sounds are long and 

whiny, according to research into the humour of 

flatulence undertaken by Professor Trevor Cox, Professor of 

Acoustics at the University of Salford. People are more 

amused by drawn-out noises than abrupt toots, with a 

seven-second burst most likely to provoke a laugh. 

While whoopee cushions have traditionally been the practical joke of 

choice for cheeky schoolboys, women actually find the sound 

slightly funnier than men. The surprising results were based on a 

survey of 34,000 people who were played six of twenty possible 

whoopee cushion sounds and asked to rank the noises by how much 

they made them laugh. The research on www.soundsfunny.org was 

carried out to help celebrate the charity event Comic Relief, which this 

year features the whoopee cushion alongside its traditional red 

nose logo. 

Professor Cox, who helped set up the survey, said that the research 

would help engage young people in the science of sound, as well as 

having a practical purpose: “The whoopee cushion has a great deal in 

common with the human voice and how instruments work, so it is a 

memorable way of portraying the principles of acoustics,” he said. 

“This research will enable us to engineer the ultimate whoopee 

cushion, and fine-tune the world's funniest design.” The experiment 

produced one more result that will surprise any parent who has endured 

the repeated pranks of a mischievous child; flatulent sounds 

apparently get funnier the more you listen to them. 

For more information on Trevor’s work please contact him at: 

t.j.cox@salford.ac.uk 

6


NEW FUNDING FOR 

FUNCTIONAL ELECTRICAL 

STIMULATION (FES) AND 

REHABILITATION ROBOTICS 

University of Salford’s FES research team have recently 

secured another research grant, worth £470,000, from the 

Department of Health’s i4i NEAT funding stream. 

DISCIPLINE HOPPING 

RESEARCH 

The University of Salford is taking part in a major new 

research initiative linking the Institute for Materials Research 

(IMR) and the School of Health Care Professions (HCP), with a 

major discipline hopping grant from the Medical Research 

Council (MRC). 

Dr Richard D Pilkington, the senior investigator from the IMR and Gillian 

Crofts co-investigator from the HCP stated “this is a very exciting 

project linking the expertise of the IMR with that of the HCP”. 

The project will focus on the use of Laser Induced Breakdown 

Spectroscopy (LIBS) to look at bone density as a measure of suitability 

for bone assessment in dental implants. 

Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is a powerful Optical 

Emission Spectroscopy (OES) analytical tool capable of sampling a wide 

range of solids, liquids and gases for research and industrial applications 

and has been successfully employed in the study and identification of 

malignant tissue cells and also to identify carious teeth. The Salford LIBS 

group is the only one of its type in the UK and has been studying the 

fundamentals of this exciting new materials analysis technique for a 

number of years. The research will compare results with those obtained 

using conventional radiographic and computerised tomography 

techniques. If successful, this project will lead to the development of a 

safe replacement for current bone analysis technologies, prior to tooth 

implant surgery. 

The project begins officially on the 1st June and will develop new 

systems for hand/arm rehabilitation after stroke based on a combined 

approach utilising both functional electrical stimulation (FES) of 

partially paralysed muscles and a novel rehabilitation robotics system, 

using pneumatic actuation, to guide and support the arm. The project 

will build on the previous work of the partners who include the 

University of Leeds, the National Clinical FES Centre (based at Salisbury 

District Hospital) and Grampian NHS Trust. 

Salford’s FES research is led by Dr Laurence Kenney and Professor David 

Howard (both engineers) and the team includes Christine Smith (senior 

lecturer and physiotherapist) and Dr Ed Chadwick (research fellow and 

engineer). The work is also supported by the NHS User Involvement 

team in the School of Nursing (Tracey Williamson and Julia Ryan). The 

new grant is in addition to two existing contracts, one from the 

Department of Health's i4i HTD funding stream to develop an electrode 

array system for correcting drop foot after stroke, and one from the 

Stroke Association for a clinical trial of FES in upper limb rehabilitation. 

The University currently has over £900,000 of current contracts for FES 

research, bringing total funding for FES research (since 2001) to over 

£1.5 million. 

FES is just one part of the cross-faculty research in "Biomedical 

Engineering and Biomechanics" involving the Schools of Health Care 

Professions (HCP) and Computing, Science and Engineering (CSE), 

bringing cross faculty current collaborative research contracts worth 

approximately £2.8 million. 

If you want to find out more about the FES work at Salford contact: 

d.howard@salford.ac.uk 

If you would like to know more about this project contact Richard at: 

r.d.pilkington@salford.ac.uk 

7


DRIVING REGENERATION 

FORWARD 

Researchers on the SURegen project team have been looking 

into the complexity and lack of access to data which often 

leads to problems when planning to regenerate urban areas. 

Because of this decisions are made without built 

environment professionals, planning authorities, developers 

and communities agreeing whether a plan is acceptable, let 

alone sustainable. 

These problems could be overcome by developing communication skills 

and collaborative working methods, but so far no one has suggested 

how to do this. The web-based SURegen workbench will be one the 

first tools of its kind to propose a solution. Now entering the second of 

four years’ funding, the EPSRC funded Sustainable Urban Regeneration 

(SURegen) project team are developing ideas on how to create an 

effective virtual workbench by working with a panel of regeneration 

experts, including those working on the Liverpool Road Corridor (A57) 

at Salford City Council. 

The research team is the result of collaboration between five other 

universities and ten partners including local authorities, NGOs, 

architects, engineers and construction companies. Professor Steve 

Curwell, project leader, said: “The SURegen workbench will help 

decision makers in urban regeneration programmes to collaborate more 

effectively and to learn key lessons from past mistakes by using case 

studies of best practice.” Salford University was chosen by the 

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to lead the 

SURegen project, awarding £2.5m-worth of funding from its £38m 

Sustainable Urban Environment (SUE) research programme. Industrial 

partners have contributed an additional £0.5m. 

For more information on the project contact Samantha Bowker on 

s.l.bowker@salford.ac.uk or visit SURegen at: www.suregen.co.uk 

ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL 

SOCIETY AWARD 

Solar physicist Dr David Tsiklauri, from the Salford Space and 

Solar Plasma Physics Group, has been honoured by the Royal 

Astronomical Society (RAS). 

David, who lectures in space technology, has received the Fowler Award 

for Geophysics for his work on the heating of the solar corona - dubbed 

“one of the major unsolved problems of solar physics”. He was one of 

a number of astronomers and geophysicists from the UK and across the 

world to be recognised by the RAS in its annual list of medals and 

awards. The prizes were presented at the National Astronomy Meeting 

in April 2009. David has already identified a new mechanism for 

accelerating electrons using a specific type of wave disturbance. It had 

never been considered before and could be crucial to explaining the 

heating system. 

For more information on David’s work please contact him at 

d.tsiklauri@salford.ac.uk 

‘BUCKYBALLS’ AND FUEL 

CELLS IN CARS! 

Professor Keith Ross, Professor Ian Morrison and Daniel 

Roach have been awarded £360K by the EPSRC to develop a 

new way of interpreting coherent inelastic neutron 

scattering from polycrystals. 

For single crystal samples, this 

technique is widely used to measure 

phonon dispersion curves 

which can then be directly interpreted 

in terms of interatomic 

interactions. For polycrystals, 

however, the measured data 

becomes very complex and 

cannot be directly interpreted. 

To get round this, the proposers have developed a method of directly 

simulating the scattering expected for a given model of the crystal. So 

far, it has been demonstrated for the case of well crystallised graphite. 

The Project Team are currently trying to interpret the complex scattering 

obtained from a natural graphite taken from rock strata that has 

been deformed over geological time. 

This shows much more complex scattering which, it is believed, comes 

from partial stacking faults produced by the deformation. If these early 

findings are true, it would appear to be the first time that the 

dynamics of such lattice defects have been observed. The research team 

will be applying this approach to both nano- materials, such as carbon 

nanotubes and fullerenes (so called ‘buckyballs’) and hydrogen storage 

materials for use on fuel cells in cars. 

8 

For more information on this project please contact 

d.k.ross@salford.ac.uk


PROFESSOR vs PARASITE! 

A Salford University scientist has been honoured by the 

Chinese government for his work preventing the spread of a 

killer parasitic disease – potentially saving the lives of 

thousands of people in the country’s Sichuan Province. 

Professor Phil Craig has visited the 

Ganze Tibetan Autonomous 

Prefecture in Sichuan Province 

every year since 2000, researching 

a dangerous tapeworm which is 

transmitted from animals to 

humans, causing parasitic cysts to 

grow in the liver and leading to 

poor health and, eventually, death 

in many cases. 

In the last ten years alone, an international team 

including Chinese physicians, directed by Professor Craig, has screened 

the livers of more than 10,000 people using portable ultrasound 

machines – with a 10% detection rate. Following Professor Craig’s 

research, the Province’s health authority has introduced a programme 

providing free-of-charge treatment to those affected – many of whom 

are too poor to afford private health care. 

BAKING WITH ROBOTS 

The University of Salford heads a consortium of the country's 

leading independent robotic and automation facilities, this 

consortium working with CenFRA Ltd, Europe's only centre 

for food robotics and automation, is helping the bakery 

industry remain competitive during this extremely volatile 

economic time with its specialist guidance and support 

on the use of automation and robotics. 

Fosters Bakery is the latest company to 

reap the benefits of improved 

productivity following its £1.5million 

investment in automation and 

robotics systems at its Barnsley plant. 

Investing in automation can help 

ensure the long-term sustainability of 

the baking industry, and is money well 

spent according to Fosters' operations 

director Michael Taylor. 

Mr Taylor commented: “Fosters 

designed a fully bespoke baking robot 

to load and unload a real oven. Unfortunately, while the design was 

great, there were problems with getting the robotic solution to work”. 

CenFRA engaged with Fosters and evaluated the baking robot before 

setting out a project plan to get the robot up and running. 

What CenFRA does prior to the introduction and integration of robotic 

equipment is key to getting things to work. Through the expertise of 

CenFRA's research and development team, the company has been able 

to re-design and re-formulate the robot and support the re-evaluation 

and integration of this robot in the bakery, which is due to be complete 

in April 2009." 

Professor Craig has been awarded the Sichuan Jinding Prize for his 

contributions to health care in the Province. He said: “The Tibetan 

people we work with are poor semi-nomadic pastoralists that live in 

mud-brick houses or tents 15,000 feet above sea level on the eastern 

Tibetan Plateau. 

They have many health problems including tuberculosis, nutritional 

deficits, arthritic problems and parasitic infections. They share living 

areas with livestock, dogs and wild rodents which all may carry the 

tapeworm parasite, so the risk of infection to people is extremely high. 

As well as researching how the parasite is transmitted between animals 

and diagnosing those infected, we’ve been able to educate the local 

people and influence the Province to provide free treatment.” 

For more information on Phil’s work please contact him at 

p.s.craig@salford.ac.uk or read more about his award at 

http://www.rgc.salford.ac.uk/cms/news/article/index.phpid=117 

Others in the bakery industry can also benefit from CenFRA's expertise 

and the organisation is offering all bakery companies in the Northern 

Way free audits, while there is only a modest cost to those located 

beyond this region. 

CenFRA is funded principally by Yorkshire Forward but with additional 

support from Northern Way and the Centre is in partnership with a 

consortium of the country's leading independent robotic and 

automation facilities headed by the University of Salford. 

If you would like further information on CenFRA please contact Nigel 

Hall at n.r.v.hall@salford.ac.uk or visit : www.cenfra.co.uk 

9


US NAVAL HISTORICAL PRIZE 

University of Salford’s Dr. Douglas Ford has been awarded 

the 2008 Rear Admiral Ernest M. Eller Naval History Prize, 

awarded by the US Naval Historical Centre and the US Naval 

Historical Foundation, for the best article in a professional 

journal during a given year (2007). 

The article explains the features which led the US Navy to underestimate 

the capabilities of the Japanese navy during the interwar years and 

illustrates how the shortage of reliable information was a key problem 

which hindered the Americans’ capacity to develop a realistic 

understanding of their adversary. The misperceptions, in turn, 

prevented the US Navy from developing an effective method of 

combating the Imperial Japanese fleet. Douglas, a full time lecturer in 

Military History at the School of ESPaCH and member of European 

Studies Research Institute, has published several scholarly articles on 

British and US intelligence on Japan’s armed forces during the Pacific 

War, which have appeared in leading international journals, as well as a 

book, Britain’s Secret War Against Japan, 1937-45 (Routledge, 2006). 

Douglas is currently preparing a monograph on US intelligence and the 

Japanese navy during the Pacific War. 

For more information on Douglas’ work please contact him at: 

d.ford@salford.ac.uk 

SALFORD RESEARCH, 

MUSIC AND POETRY 

Dr. Judy Kendall, currently researching into the parallels 

between music and poetry, and how to map music lexicon 

and theory on to the process of composition and 

performance of poetry, recently held a workshop 

where she developed and wrote the lyrics for a lullaby for 

the community acapella choir, Ordsall Acapella Singers. 

The choir is based in Ordsall Everyone Community Centre. The singers 

are a community group boasting members from all over Salford, of all 

ages and from a variety of backgrounds. A significant proportion of 

members come from the Ordsall estate. 

Several other members work at Salford University. The lullaby was 

commissioned by Ordsall Hall to celebrate its refurbishments. 

The music to the lullaby chorus was written by the choir’s Director, Jeff 

Borradaile, and the verses were sung extempore by members of the 

choir at two concerts this February at Ordsall Hall. The choir will 

continue to perform the lullaby at its regular concerts as part of their 

efforts to represent the spirit of Ordsall Hall. 

If you would like to know more about Judy’s research project please 

contact her at: j.kendall@salford.ac.uk 

For those who might want to book or join the choir please contact 

Gail Skelly: on 0161 848 8779 

To find out more about Ordsall Hall please visit: 

http://www.salford.gov.uk/leisure/museums/ordsallhall/ 

ghostcam/ordsallhall-history.htm 

COMMUNITY COHESION 

A Salford academic has warned that the UK trend for 

segregated neighbourhoods is undermining community 

cohesion – potentially leading to community fragmentation, 

economic instability and poor living standards. 

Professor Andy Steele from the Research Institute for the Built & Human 

Environment, speaking recently at the International Research week, 

hascautioned that isolated communities such as retirement villages, 

‘hotel-style’ city centre living, and close-knit Asian areas are 

characterised by lifestyle aspirations rather than real need, and could be 

unsustainable in the future. He further warns that the UK trend for 

segregated neighbourhoods is undermining community 

cohesion – potentially leading to community fragmentation, economic 

instability and poor living standards. He goes on to point out that some 

segregated Asian communities are centred on just two or three streets. 

Their desire to stay in that community means they are sometimes 

willing to suffer poor standards such as damp. This could lead to 

economic vulnerability. Similarly young professionals living in ‘hotel 

style’ apartments, and older middle-class white people in USA-style 

retirement villages are cut off from wider society.” The solution, he 

suggests, is mixed communities of older and younger people, black and 

minority ethnic groups, Gypsies and Travellers, and economic migrants 

- promoting diversity at a local level and uniting diverse social groups. 

He concluded by saying: “I would seriously question whether these 

kinds of segregated housing communities are responding to a need or 

creating a new market. Is it what people want or is it the housing 

industry’s idea of community” 

If you would like more information on Professor Steele’s work please 

contact him on: a.steele@salford.ac.uk 

10


ART IN GAMES 

University of Salford researcher, Mathias Fuchs, a 

video games designer, has created an animated game 

showing divisions within Europe – earning the recognition 

of the influential Saatchi art blog. 

Mathias, from the School of Art & Design, used computer games 

technology to create an animated map of Europe which displaying 

groups in conflict such as in Northern Ireland, and the Balkans. The 

game, was shown at the opening of a new gallery in Vienna last month 

and previewed by the Saatchi blog – one of the world’s most respected 

websites devoted to the arts. Players are able to guide characters 

around the map triggering discordant national anthems and angry 

dialogue. It uses games engines, used in current best-selling computer 

games, were employed to create effects such as fire and smoke. 

Mathias said: “Art using computer games technology is a growing 

movement. The elements of animation and interactivity that make 

games so popular commercially can also be exploited to offer a 

different kind of artistic experience. In this case I wanted to show the 

theme of borderlines – how they define allegedly ethnic or political 

areas and are often conflict-laden, irrational, historically grown and 

completely arbitrary. The variety of languages, anthems and images that 

can demonstrate this theme make it a perfect subject for this medium.” 

If you would like to know more about Mathias’ work please contact him 

at: m.fuchs@salford.ac.uk 

WORK LIFE BALANCE 

in FRANCE and UK 

Dr Abigail Gregory's collaborative work with Dr. Susan 

Milner, University of Bath, has led to an article due to 

be published in British Journal of Industrial Relations 

in March 2009 entitled “Trade Unions and 

Work-life Balance: Changing Times in France and the UK” 

The research on family-friendly working in Britain and France, with 

particular reference to fathers, derives from fieldwork carried out 

between 2001 and 2005 in insurance and social work in the two 

countries which was co-funded by the French Family Benefit Agency 

(Caisse Nationale des Allocations Familiales) and the British Academy. 

The project was based on a questionnaire survey, distributed to human 

resources (HR) officers in major insurance companies and local 

authorities in both countries. This was followed up with semistructured 

interviews with corporate HR officers, line managers, trades 

union representatives and a small number of employed parents in 

two case-study organizations in each sector in Britain and France. The 

project also entailed interviews with trades union representatives 

at national level and in the case study organizations in insurance and 

social work. 

For more information on Abigail’s work please contact her 

at: a.gregory@salford.ac.uk 

To view the article please go to: http://www3.interscience. 

wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/121588174/PDFSTART 

BUILDING EXCELLENCE 

IN THE ARTS 

Professor Peter Barrett, Chair of the Salford Centre for 

Research and Innovation (SCRI) and Professor Pat Sterry 

(School of Art and Design) have contributed to a CABE/ACE 

guide entitled ‘Building Excellence in the Arts: a guide for 

clients’, (March 2009). 

This guide and their contributions have arisen from a major AHRC 

funded project Peter and Pat researched with colleagues from 

Cambridge University called Designing Dynamic Environments for the 

Performing Arts (DeDEPA). The guide is designed to be used online and 

gives step by step advice to those engaged in projects on arts buildings, 

from minor remodelling to new buildings. CABE is the government’s 

advisor on architecture, urban design and public space. 

CABE also help local planners apply national design policy and advise 

developers and architects. ACE is the major funder of the arts in the UK, 

including significant investment in capital arts projects. These types of 

projects have been criticised in the past by the NAO for cost and time 

overruns and this guidance is designed to help clients be more effective 

in their role. This new resource reflects Peter’s previous work on the 

briefing process and Pat's research in user consultation and design. 

To find out more about Peter or Pat’s work please contact 

p.s.barrett@salford.ac.uk or p.sterry@salford.ac.uk 

To download a copy of the CABE guide please go to 

http://www.cabe.org.uk/default.aspxcontentitemid=3045 

11


FOLLOWING IN 

DANTE’s FOOTSTEPS 

INTERNATIONAL 

RESEARCH WEEK 

On the 26th January, BuHu (The Research Institute for the 

Built & Human Environment), SoBE (The School of Built 

Environment SoBE), and SCRI (the EPSRC funded Salford 

Centre for Research & Innovation) joined forces to launch the 

International Research Week at the Lowry in Salford Quays. 

This unique event brought together academic partners from leading 

Universities (Reading, Loughborough, TU, Delft and Middle East 

Technical University), along with other key players from the industry, to 

enhance and promote current research within the built 

environment community. 

The full week event comprised of: 

> The industry day – Sustainable Delivery of Housing 

(26th January 2009) 

> International Research Symposium (27-28th January 2009) 

> 9th International Postgraduate Research Conference 

(29-30th January 2009) 

The conference included over 250 registered candidates, over 120 

accepted papers, rich presentations, panel discussions, and interactive 

workshops. The University of Salford was honoured by the presence of 

the Salford Mayor and the Lord Mayor of Manchester at the IPGRC 

dinner. The event was brought to a close with a prize award ceremony 

for best papers, sponsored by BuHu, SCRI, CIOB, Construct IT and 

Emerald Publishers. One of the highlights of the ceremony, was the 

‘BuHu BRANDON AWARD’ to honour the contribution of Professor 

Peter Brandon to the Built Environment. The IRW09 also acknowledged 

the generous contribution of £2000 from the CIOB to sponsor this 

event, and congratulated them for the 175 year anniversary of great 

achievements. 

If you would like further information on the event please contact 

Vian at: v.ahmed@salford.ac.uk 

University of Salford academic, Gillian Ania, has been invited to speak at 

an International Conference at the University of Cambridge in October 

2009, on representations and conceptions of the apocalypse in 

medieval and contemporary Italy. Her paper will discuss 

fin-de-millennium writers who are following in the steps of Dante, 

Boccaccio, Machiavelli, Manzoni and Leopardi, writers who all used 

apocalyptic motifs to comment on, and condemn their society. Gillian 

was also involved recently in the inaugural meeting of Mosaici, at the 

University of Edinburgh. Mosaici is a new electronic Journal of Italian 

poetry, hosted by the University of St Andrews, and Gillian, who 

published her first collection of poems (Moments of Being) in 2005, will 

have joint responsibility for directing the Creative writing section of the 

journal. Gillian has been offered the role of Visiting Professor (spring of 

2010) at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, to teach a 

module on Creative writing, and to organize, with colleagues, a series 

of public interviews with Italian writers. This will form part of her 

research on European Writers and Writing. 

For more information on Gillian’s work please contact her at: 

g.ania@salford.ac.uk 

DEHEMS: Domestic 

Energy Consumerism & 

Behaviour Change 

The University of Salford is a major partner in the EU FP7 

funded project, Digital Environmental Home Energy 

Management System (DEHEMS). 

The aim of the project is to develop cutting edge technology for 

monitoring and assessing domestic energy usage, so that ultimately 

individuals are encouraged to change their behaviour towards 

conserving energy. Households across Europe will participate in this 

project, including the city councils of Manchester, Birmingham and 

Bristol. The homes, known as the Living Labs, will be installed with the 

DEHEMS system that will monitor appliance-level energy usage, detect 

energy usage patterns, and display real-time energy usage (and 

wastage) information. 

As energy is a source for increasing CO 2 emission, it is hoped that the 

DEHEMS project will provide the means and opportunity for individuals 

to take active responsibility in conserving energy. Dr David Kreps from 

the Salford Business School leads the project team at Salford, which 

includes Dr Vasughi Sundramoorthy, Professor Grahame Cooper, 

Dr Haifa Takruri-Rizk and Professor Nigel Linge from the School 

of Computing. 

For more information on this project please contact David at: 

d.g.kreps@salford.ac.uk or visit the project website at: 

http://www.dehems.eu 

12


SUPPORT FOR RESEARCH 

BIDDING 

The latest round of the Research Bidding Support Fund has 

provided awards to support the preparation of a wide range 

of bids in areas as diverse as X-ray optics, Holocaust 

museums, parasites and jazz cultures. This scheme has been 

developed to support the University’s strategic objective of 

achieving an annual research grants and contracts income of 

£30 million by 2015. 

The fund is run twice per year and is designed to help offset the costs 

of preliminary activities associated with putting together large-scale 

research bids, especially collaborative proposals involving industrial or 

academic partners. The fund provides awards up to a maximum of 

£3,000 and can be used to support a range of activities, including 

travel, teaching time buy-out and preliminary research studies. 

For further information see www.rgc.salford.ac.uk/page/ 

internal_funding or contact Matt Boswell in the Research & 

Graduate College on 0161 295 4301 or at: 

m.j.boswell@salford.ac.uk 

WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION 

The Research Centre for Construction Innovation (CCI) as part 

of the School of the Built Environment (SOBE) will be 

successfully entering their third year of supporting and 

training women to enter, stay and progress in the 

construction industry. 

Dr Lisa Worrall and Katy 

Harris have further acquired 

the additional responsibility 

of broadening this activity 

base from the North to 

include the Midlands. This 

expanded third phase will be 

launched from April. During 

Phases I and II, Katy and Lisa received media attention and coverage in 

both North West and North East regional newspapers and were interviewed 

by Heather Stott of BBC Radio Manchester. 

Due to the hundreds of women in construction benefiting from the 

training, support and workshops on offer and complimenting on the 

passion, vision and support offered by its project managers, both Lisa 

and Katy have received invites to talk about their activities and services 

on both BBC radio and Channel M TV. Word of this project is spreading 

further afield, with recent queries for information and interviews about 

the Women in Construction project that is funded by Construction Skills 

coming from BBC Radio in London. 

If you would like to know more about this project contact either Lisa 

or Katy at: L.J.Worrall@salford.ac.uk or Katy.Harris@ccinw.com or 

visit the website at: www.wicnet.org.uk 

SHAKESPEARE INTERPRETED 

Salford University academic Sameh Hanna’s article ‘Othello in 

the Egyptian vernacular: negotiating the ‘doxic’ in drama 

translation and identity formation’ was published in the 

special issue of The Translator in April 2009 on Translation and 

Nation in the Middle East. 

The article, which is part of Sameh’s current interest in elaborating 

sociology of drama translation inspired by Pierre Bourdieu’s sociology of 

cultural production, investigates the workings of identity politics in 

twentieth century Egypt and how drama translators can play a 

significant role in promoting/silencing different versions of national 

identity. This is the latest in a series of articles in which Sameh is 

attempting to map out the ‘field’ of drama 

translation in Egypt, its genesis, 

development, the agents with stakes 

in drama translation and the 

different forms of capital they 

struggle over. The fact that 

Shakespeare has been widely 

politicised in Arabic to enact different 

political and socio-cultural goals has 

motivated Sameh’s sociological 

approach to the Arabic translations 

of Shakespeare in Arabic. 

If you would like to know more about 

Sameh’s work please contact him at: 

s.hanna@salford.ac.uk 

13


FACULTY TV 

NEW RESEAR 

ON HOMELES 

SEE Faculty TV is the ‘on demand’ television channel 

established by Professor Steve Donnelly and implemented by 

Dr Wilfred Darlington from the School of Computing, Science 

and Engineering (CSE). 

The channel’s original function was to showcase Faculty activity in 

research, teaching and enterprise and to reflect academic life in the 

Faculty of Science, Engineering and Environment: all of this is 

showcased in the ‘Salford Science Spotlight’. Programme subject 

matter includes an insight into life at Salford, from both academic and 

social perspectives and a series of films profiling successful SEE Faculty 

graduates at their places of work. The concept of SEE TV has been 

further widened by the development team of students and staff, who 

recognised that SEE TV offered a unique teaching and learning 

opportunity in television engineering. The teaching and learning 

dimension of SEE TV matured within six months of its inception with the 

transmission and recording of Graduation 2008. From the Graduation 

ceremonies of 2008 SEE TV students and staff worked in support of 

BBC Television Outside Broadcasts (now SIS) to provide live coverage 

from the Lowry of the thirteen graduation ceremonies, and recorded 

material for the issue of DVD. The live transmission exercise was 

repeated on a smaller scale when Sir David Attenborough came to the 

University in October 2008 to give a lecture at the inauguration of the 

MSc in Wildlife Documentary Production. Smart City Futures, a 

wide-ranging co-operative of industrialists, academics and community 

groups, led by Professor James Powell, is also supported by SEE TV. 

You can view SEE TV at: www.fsee.salford.ac.uk/tv or on YouTube 

by entering ‘salford science’. 

If you would like more information on SEE TV please contact 

Steve Donnelly at: s.e.donnelly@salford.ac.uk or Wilfred Darlington 

at w.darlington@salford.ac.uk 

Dr Phil Brown from the University’s Research Institute for the 

Built & Human Environment is working on a new £692,000 

project looking at the causes of, and solutions to, the 

problem of homelessness – research which could have a 

major influence on Government policy. 

In partnership with a number of local voluntary and community groups 

the University will be interviewing people who have been, or currently 

are, homeless in Stoke-on-Trent to find out what has led 

to them to being homeless as well as looking at underlying life 

experiences. As one of four national studies funded by a range 

of bodies including the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the 

Department of Health, Salford’s researchers will examine not only a lack 

of adequate housing as a cause, but also problems with drugs, 

domestic violence, mental illness and other factors that lead to social 

exclusion. 

making a major 

difference 

Salford’s study will form part of a major national campaign which seeks 

to look at a range of causes and solutions to homelessness, and 

present findings to the Government in an attempt to eradicate the 

problem. Dr Brown’s research will conclude in 2011, at which point he 

aims to have a set of case studies which, combined with the results of 

the other projects, make a major difference in how government bodies 

and charities deal with the homeless. 

If you would like more information on Dr. Brown’s work please 

contact him at: p.brown@salford.ac.uk 

14


DARWIN’S DECLINE 

As Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday approaches, new research 

from the University of Salford has identified a decline in 

references to the pioneering scientist in ‘A’ level textbooks - 

despite the continuing presence of creationist theory. 

Dr Paul Rees, a lecturer in biology and former ‘A’ level teacher, 

examined textbooks and syllabuses used in the UK since the sixties, and 

found that textbooks currently in use sometimes completely fail to 

mention Darwin, and often only deal very sketchily with the theory of 

evolution. On the other hand, creationism gets several references in 

current textbooks, including Hall et al 2006 which says the idea that all 

living things are descended from a common ancestor is a minority view 

among the people of the world. 

CH 

SNESS 

SYSTEM DYNAMICS 

SOCIETY 

Dr Rees of the Research Institute for the Built & Human Environment, 

said: “While the historical context of important theories, and the names 

of their proponents, are commonplace in textbooks written for some 

other subjects, such as psychology, in biology textbooks Darwin is 

sometimes not deemed important enough to mention. “If people are 

giving space to nonsense like creationism, then they should certainly be 

mentioning the most important figure in our understanding of the 

natural world. Role models and icons are important to help young 

people become inspired by science. It’s a shame that biology examiners 

and therefore textbooks don’t always recognise this.” 

If you would like more information on Dr. Rees’ work please contact 

him at: p.a.rees@salford.ac.uk 

Professor Brian Dangerfield, Professor of Systems Modelling, 

Salford Business School, has recently been appointed as 

President of the UK Chapter of the System Dynamics Society 

for 2009. 

The International System Dynamics Society has 16 national Chapters 

and one Student Chapter (see www.systemdynamics.org). The UK 

Chapter has the largest membership excluding the USA. The UK 

Chapter hosts an annual conference in February and a number of 

networking meetings during the year in the evening. It is hoped to 

convene one of these evening events in the North-West in May or June. 

The annual conference now includes a PhD symposium which allows 

doctoral students to present their work in poster form and receive 

feedback from experts (mainly academics but also from those who work 

in the consultancy sector). 

The UK Chapter offers two prizes annually: The Steer Davis Gleave Prize 

for the best piece of work which applies the system dynamics 

methodology to a significant problem of wide public interest in the UK 

and a Student Prize for the best student project report using system 

dynamics. 

To find out more about the System Dynamics Society please contact 

Brian at: b.c.dangerfield@salford.ac.uk 

15


CASE CENTRE 

IN CONTROL 

AND SYSTEMS 

ENGINEERING 

Paul Stewart (Professor of Aeronautical and Automotive 

Engineering) and TX Mei (Professor of Control and 

Mechatronics) joined the University of Salford in January 

2009, and merged their activities by forming the CASE Centre 

for Control and Systems Engineering to take advantage of 

the synergies and complementarities in their research. The 

Centre also serves as a focus for developing engineering 

research activity in the School of Computing, Science and 

Engineering. 

The focussed research areas of the Centre include: 

> Control and systems engineering, fault tolerant control, advanced 

condition monitoring, data fusion in multiple sensing, intelligent 

control, system optimisation, search and scheduling, complex 

engineering systems design and control, prognostics and 

diagnostics. 

> Mechatronics, electric and hybrid vehicles, fault tolerant actuation, 

traction control, drive by wire (steer-by-wire, brake-by-wire etc), 

active railway wheelset control, vehicle dynamics and control, flight 

dynamics and control, internal combustion engine control, domestic 

intelligent control, robotics. 

> Electronic and electrical systems, electrical architectures, aircraft 

power and actuation systems, electrical machines and drives, electrical 

and electro-mechanical actuators, renewable energy system management, 

energy storage, electric and hybrid vehicles, power electronic 

energy converters, distributed generation and grid 

connection. 

EPSRC Ideas Factory Sandpit – Low Carbon Airport Operations Start: 

July 2009 

1: Landing aircraft energy recovery Collaborating company: Airbus 

Innovation Works 

Figure 1: Energy 

recovery from 

landing aircraft 

Figure2: Landing 

and takeoff pattern 

optimisation for low 

carbon operation 

> Energy and optimisation, power architectures, power management, 

energy efficiency, multiobjective optimisation and design, advanced 

hardware in the loop experimentation. 

CASE Centre – Funded Research 

The prime motivations for the centre are fundamental and applied 

funded research and development. In this section is presented the R&D 

project portfolio of the Centre, which represents the attraction of funds 

from a wide number of bodies and also represents the wide spectrum 

of applications and collaborating companies with which the centre 

members are involved. 

2: Optimised runway, take-off, landing and gate assignment - 

Collaborating companies: Manchester and Zurich Airports 

3: Low carbon airport operations network. 

EU Framework 6 More Open Electrical Technologies (MOET) 

Optimised power systems, architecture and energy storage for the 

more electric aircraft. Collaborating Company: Airbus Toulouse Fr. 

16


AIR and SPACE 

CONFERENCE 

University of Salford Researcher Dr Thurai Rahulan from the 

School of Computing, Science and Engineering, has been 

appointed as the Chairman of the Regional Advisory Group 

by the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) for the forthcoming 

European Air and Space Conference to be held at Manchester 

Central from 26th to 29th October this year. 

This is the second such event that has been organised by the Council of 

European Aerospace Societies (CEAS) as a result of a resounding success 

of the first one that was held in Berlin in 2007. The RAeS has tasked the 

Group with maximising participation of the local industries and the 

universities in the North West along with the sorting out of all logistics 

involving the 500+ delegates from all over the world. 

The Group is now at full strength and comprises of personnel from 

Manchester City Council, Manchester Museum of Science and Industry, 

Northwest Regional Development Agency, Northwest Aerospace 

Alliance, Manchester Marketing, Manchester Central and the 

Universities of Manchester and Liverpool. 

United States Air Force: European Office of Aeronautical Research 

and Development Neural network optimisation of aircraft 

multisensor data fusion 

Figure: Panavia 

Tornado: One of the 

subjects of new 

intelligent sensor 

arrays. 

Carbon Trust Electric/hybrid vehicle electric energy storage systems 

scoping study in collaboration. Collaborating Companies Lotus 

Engineering Ltd and E4Tech Ltd. 

TSB Technology Programme High integrity actuation system with 

embedded intelligence for steer-by-wire. Collaborating Companies: 

Pera, SET, InMoCo and TMS. 

a resounding 

success 

Since this year marks the centenary of the first flight demonstration by 

Alliott Verdon Roe (a Mancunian!) of a British designed and built 

aircraft, the Group is organising an additional event in the form of 

lectures and conducted tours to the public as a whole at the 

Manchester Museum of Science and Industry, in addition to organised 

excursions for the delegates. Thanks to the unreserved support 

provided by Manchester Marketing, a full programme for the spouses 

to accompany the conference has also been arranged. 

If you would like to know more about the Conference or planned 

events please visit: http://www.ceas2009.org/ and 

http://www.manchestercentral.co.uk/ 

TSB/KTP Novel integrated control for vehicle traction and guidance 

systems Collaborating company: GGS Engineering. 

RRUK Measurement of train ground speed by exploring vehicle 

dynamics with intelligent data processing. To start in March, 2009. 

To find out more about Professor Stewart and Professor Mei’s 

work please contact them at: p.g.stewart@salford.ac.uk and 

t.x.mei@salford.ac.uk or visit the centre website at: 

www.control-engineering.co.uk 

The A380 by kind permission of Airbus 

17


Meeting room in the THINKlab 

THINKlab: DESIGNED FOR INTERACTION AND COLLABORATION 

Research is at the forefront of the University of Salford’s THINKlab futuristic virtual environment centre – 

one of the most advanced in the world and unique in Europe. THINKlab is a state-of-the-art facility that 

harnesses leading ICT technologies. 

It brings together people from every conceivable sector such as 

academia, industry, social regeneration, health and media to share and 

generate ideas on how digital technologies can be utilised to solve 

current and future challenges of industry, commerce and the 

community, using the expertise of the best researchers from across the 

University in the field of ICT to explore new possibilities for the future. 

Already engaged in some of the world’s leading research in fields such as 

virtual urban planning, regeneration and digital design, THINKlab is also 

currently home to the CoSpaces project funded by the European 

Commission. The project aims to demonstrate how advanced 

technologies could be brought together to create futuristic 

tele-immersive environments enabling distributed engineering 

organisations to work together to produce new designs of aircrafts or 

automobiles. 

Professor Terrence Fernando, Scientific Director of THINKlab, who leads 

CoSpaces says “Think Lab provides an ideal setting to demonstrate such 

novel working methods and to inspire industry leaders to change their 

current ways of working to gain significant business benefit”. 

THINKlab is available to all researchers across the University and to 

external bodies or organisations for hosting workshops and conferences, 

project development, and experimenting with new technologies. 

If you would like to know more about the THINKlab contact the Facilities 

Manager, Carla Kocsis at: c.kocsis@salford.ac.uk or visit the THINKlab 

at http://www.thinklab.salford.ac.uk/ 

18


ALAS POOR YORICK! 

Two University of Salford Academics, Denis McGrath (Faculty 

of Health and Social Care) and Dr. Rob Aspin (Faculty of 

Science Engineering and Environment) have jointly 

developed a “mixed reality” anatomical simulator prototype 

called Yorick after receiving a grant from the University of 

Salford Enterprise fund, supported by Pawel Zolnierczyk 

from Enterprise and Development and Stephen Bowden 

Virtual Reality consultant from SEE. 

This cross faculty initiative tracks an object in real-time (anatomical or 

otherwise) and allows for simultaneous physical, virtual and online webbased 

interaction with the object for the purposes of teaching and 

learning. 

RESEARCH REPOSITORY 

INFORMATION AVAILABLE 

TO ALL 

Information & Learning Services (ILS) have been 

developing the University of Salford Institutional Repository 

(USIR) which is an online database created to showcase 

research output from the University. 

USIR is an open access repository which allows details of the research 

and a full copy of the text to be deposited so that it is freely available to 

anyone, anywhere, at any time. Research can be read, downloaded and 

copied for non-commercial private study or research purposes. 

With researchers regularly submitting their work to USIR, this 

technology will play a significant role in achieving success within the 

forthcoming Research Excellence Framework (REF) which will assess 

institutions’ research standing based on various metrics including both 

quantity and quality of research publications. 

USIR can be found at http://usir.salford.ac.uk/ If you would like some 

further advice on copyright or any other USIR-related query then please 

do not hesitate to contact the USIR team at: usir@salford.ac.uk 

Yorick’s basic premise is that any one can pick up an unfamiliar 

anatomical object, enter the tracking environment, have the relevant 

data displayed to them on screen and begin the process of interaction, 

exploration and “self directed learning”. The system has successfully 

demonstrated the capability of ‘virtualising’ physically rendered MRI 

scans directly from DICOM slice data, e.g. for , MRI slice data from 

a patient with a badly shattered shoulder complex was then fabricated 

into a physical representation using a rapid prototyping tool then the 

physical representation was tagged for use in the Yorick system. 

Denis and Rob are particularly interested in the use of the simulator for 

the development of teaching and learning for pre-registration Nurses, 

Undergraduate Occupational Therapists, Radiographers and Midwives. 

The virtual information in the prototype can be populated with relevant 

learning, anatomical or interaction data depending on the client group. 

Future investigations include the possibility of using the prototype for 

telemedicine and higher level medical intervention analysis. 

For more information on Denis and Rob’s work please contact them 

at: d.m.mcgrath@salford.ac.uk or r.aspin@salford.ac.uk 

You can view more about the Yorick Project on Faculty TV at 

http://www.fsee.salford.ac.uk/tv/sss4yorick.php or on youtube 

at www.youtube.com/watchv=O8yxMPcS3Xk 

19


URBAN KNOWLEDGE 

FOR SHAPING CRITICAL 

INFRASTRUCTURE: 

NEW FRAMEWORKS FOR 

CITY-REGIONS 

How do city-regions attempt to integrate their 

economic aspirations with new policy drivers to 

more effectively coordinate spatial growth with 

infrastructure networks and to do so in a way that 

accelerates a low carbon transition 

Researchers at SURF are collaborating with ARUP to address these issues 

through a new Business Placement - jointly funded by the Economic 

and Social Research Council and ARUP. Typically the response to 

the above question has focused on the design of exemplary 

eco-developments – eco-towns, eco-cities and eco-regions - that aspire 

to carbon, energy, water and waste neutrality by using decentralised 

technologies to reduce reliance on existing infrastructure networks. Yet 

given the slow pace of renewal of cities attention is now increasingly 

focused on how the existing city can be effectively “retrofitted” for a 

low carbon transition. 

While building new low carbon developments may be challenging, the 

complexity involved in creating managed change in existing cities 

dealing with multiple users, utilities, and property owners, public and 

private sectors is a daunting task. Critically the key questions are ‘who’ 

is responsible for managed socio-technical change in the 

organisation of a cities infrastructure, ‘what’ are the key priorities and 

strategic steps and ‘how’ is capability and capacity developed to ensure 

systemic rather than piecemeal change 

SURF Researchers working within ARUP have been reviewing key 

documentation, holding workshops and interviewing senior level 

directors, specialist consultants in planning, design and infrastructure, 

and graduate planners. Interviews have also taken place with the 

critical infrastructure policy community in the Greater Manchester 

city-region. The work will produce an ARUP/SURF framework that will 

outline the critical steps involved developing systemic rather change in 

the infrastructures of existing cities. 

If you want to know more about SURF’s work contact: 

v.simpson@salford.ac.uk or visit the SURF website at: 

www.surf.salford.ac.uk 

To find out more about the ARUP/SURF collaboration visit: 

www.surf.salford.ac.uk/page/UrbanKnowledgeforShapingCritic 

alInfrastructure 

GLOBAL SPORTS FORUM 

Salford Academic Dr. Garry Crawford was an invited speaker 

at the first Global Sports Forum held in Barcelona in February 

2009. 

The event was attended 

by numerous top-level business 

leaders, politicians and 

professional athletes, including 

amongst others, the French Sports 

Secretary of State, Bernard 

Laporte, IOC Honorary President 

Juan Antonio Samaranch, and 

Olympic medallist, and son-in-law to the King of Spain, Iñaki 

Urdangarin Liebaert. Garry spoke in a session with Lander Unzueta, 

Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer for FC Barcelona, and George 

Bolos, principle organizer of the 2004 Athens Olympics, on the 

importance and role of fans within contemporary sport. In particular, 

Garry discussed the benefits sport can bring to its fans, such as 

providing a sense of community and identity, but warned against 

exploiting and pricing out fans and the importance of taking 

supporters’ interests into consideration at all levels. 

To find out more about Garry’s work please contact him at: 

g.crawford@salford.ac.uk 

To find out more about the Global Sports Forum please visit: 

http://www.globalsportsforum.org/index.aspx 

20


SUCCESSFUL 

BIDDING WITH BUHU 

On the 10th of March, the Research Institute for the Built and 

Human Environment (BuHu) ran an expert panel discussion 

focusing on sharing and exchanging bidding best practice. 

The discussion was chaired by Professor Mustafa Alshawi, 

Director of BuHu, and guided by a panel of successful bidders 

comprising Professor Ghassan Aouad, Professor Terrance 

Fernando, Professor Mike Kagioglou, Professor Trevor Cox 

and Professor Marcus Ormerod. 

VISITING SCHOLAR AT 

JUDGE BUSINESS SCHOOL, 

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY 

Dr. Richard Li-Hua, Director of China Programmes, in Salford 

Business School, has recently been invited to visit Judge 

Business School (JBS) in Cambridge. During his visit he met 

with academics from JBS, attended seminars and gave a 

seminar to JBS MBA Students on Benchmarking 

Competitiveness of Firms in China. 

Whilst in Cambridge Richard was also invited, by Cambridge University 

Asia Law and Business association (CUALA), to deliver a speech on 

Integration of Western Management and Chinese Philosophy in the 

Current Economic Recession at the CUALA Annual Conference aimed 

at addressing the current credit crunch, along with discussions with 

other world leading academics around this topic. 

Richard has been working and researching with Professor Arnoud De 

Meyer, Director of Judge Business School, on the importance of 

keeping up with the fast pace of technological change within the 

global business environment, the close relationship between 

technology strategy, business sustainability and providing fresh insights 

for multinational companies in creating competitive advantage through 

designing an appropriate technology strategy. 

The panel addressed all stages of the bidding process, starting from 

“creating a research idea” to “finances” and “distribution of funds”. 

The main discussion focused on networking and opportunities. The role 

of the former was highlighted as key to produce timely and high quality 

bids with higher chances of success. This is particularly important in 

large national and European bids. The latter, however, refers to having 

the ability to identify an opportunity, in line with one’s strength, either 

in a response to a call or external strong interests from either the public 

or private sector. 

passion is the 

driver of success 

The panel stressed the need to introduce some type of monitoring 

process within the institution to guide staff through the bidding process 

and to ensure that quality is adhered to at all times. This will be critical 

in the future in the light of the expected changes of the funding 

councils’ reviewing process. The panel also acknowledged the excellent 

support that the Contracts Office is giving to staff and encouraged all 

staff to lean more towards this Office in the future. 

The main message which came out of the discussion was “passion is 

the driver of success”. In addition, other factors that could make a 

difference were highlighted. These were security of the individual staff, 

team creation, networking and opportunities, encouraging and 

motivating staff particularly young researchers and networking 

with BuHu. 

To find out more about BuHu visit their website at: 

www.buhu.salford.ac.uk/ 

If you would like to find out more about Richard’s work contact him 

at: r.li-hua@salford.ac.uk 

21


THE FUTURE OF 

TELEVISION IS THE 

INTERNET AND MOBILE 

University of Salford Lecturer and Researcher, Laurence 

Murphy, has been looking into the ways people are accessing 

TV programmes. 

This access to television and radio media is changing rapidly and it is 

having an impact on both the public and the television companies. The 

next generation of mobile phones such as the Apple IPHONE and the 

Nokia N96 are capable of receiving television media either by video on 

demand through the mobile internet or via a direct to mobile TV 

receiver. Laurence, who is also Project Director for the School of Media 

Music and Performance’s Internet Television channel, Salfordtv.net, 

began in 2008 a number of research projects, with the aim of working 

with broadcasters, schools and colleges, internally and externally, to 

analyse the use of new media technologies in both teaching and 

everyday environments. One project, in association with the BBC and 

the Lowry, will be looking at the use of wireless capable handheld 

gaming devices as a media source to enrich school visits to the Lowry’s 

local education and media centre. This project, and others like it, will 

contribute to an underlying research theme establishing the new modes 

and mechanics of media consumption and aim to answer questions 

such as: how are the viewing public accessing media why download a 

programme onto your ipod rather than watch on your TV in the living 

room how will advertising survive this multi platform media 

landscape Laurence, who is Programme Leader for the first 

undergraduate degree to concentrate on the internet and mobile 

devices as a broadcast delivery platform (BSc Mobile and Internet 

Television) says :”The more we understand the new mechanisms and 

new forms of media the more valuable and relevant the research data 

will be in informing and orientating our students in this rapidly evolving 

industry”. 

If you would like to know more about Laurence’s work contact 

him at: l.murphy@salford.ac.uk or visit 

http://www.salfordtv.net 

SCRI EXPERTISE 

RECOGNISED 

The Salford Centre for Research & Innovation 

The Salford Centre for Research & Innovation (SCRI), established in 

2002 in the University’s school of the Built and Human Environment, is 

funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council 

(EPSRC). This award, which has now been extended until December 

2011, is in recognition of the leading role the University plays in 

delivering research excellence in the field. SCRI brings together a diverse 

group of leading international academics from fields such as the Built 

Environment, Computer Sciences, Engineering and Art and Design to 

deliver innovative solutions to current and future research problems. 

SCRI is positioned within the top rated Built and Human Environment 

(BuHu) research institute in the UK and has three main research themes: 

Procuring Value 

Procuring Value examines the way in which we determine the need for 

buildings and the processes which we use to realise value. It considers 

the wider policy and market context in which these business case 

decisions are made and how these issues affect the built environment. 

Nationally, SCRI has contributed to several government reports on 

procurement. Regionally, in partnership with the Centre for 

Construction Innovation (CCI), SCRI has worked with 36 of the 47 

regional local authorities to enable them to maximise social, 

environmental and economic value through their construction 

procurement. 

22


KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER 

PARTNERSHIPS (KTP) WITH 

VALVES INSTRUMENTS PLUS 

(VIP) ANOTHER SUCCESS 

STORY! 

The University recently completed a KTP with VIP, an 

engineering wholesaler, providing significant benefit; not 

only to the company but to the academic team involved. 

Below are some of the examples of how Dr John Davies and 

Dr Aris Syntetos, Salford Business School, were able to 

associate this KTP with a number of other teaching and 

research related activities: 

> A conference paper “The impact of human factors on e-commerce 

implementation in a small business” was presented at the 31st 

Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship Conference, Belfast, 

Northern Ireland. 

Seamless Delivery of Value 

Seamless Delivery is concerned with removing boundaries between all 

partners involved in the design and production of the built 

environment. This theme considers issues such as use of IT to manage 

knowledge intensive processes, supply chain management and the 

implementation of management techniques such as Lean. SCRI plays a 

central role in the International and European Groups for lean 

construction. Here SCRI’s work on Theory Based Lean Production is 

setting the international research agenda. 

At a regional level SCRI seeks to influence company practice through 

the establishment of Lean Special Interest Groups that bring together 

practitioners from across the supply chain. 

Realising Value in Use 

A greater proportion of the value from the built environment is 

determined by how we all use and engage with it over the life of our 

buildings and public spaces. Realising Value in Use is concerned with a 

better understanding of how people live, work, learn and play to 

maximise this value for society as a whole. SCRI’s “Senses, Brain, 

Spaces” workshop brought together thirty invited international experts 

at the forefront of neuroscience and sensory perception, together with 

building specialists from a range of sectors including education, retail, 

banking, offices and housing. The findings from this research are now 

being taken forward in Manchester City Council’s School building work 

in an activity entitled Optimising Learning Spaces. 

If you would like more information about SCRI and its work please go 

to: www.scri.salford.ac.uk or contact Pam Allen SCRI Administrator 

on: 0161-295-2649 

> The successful application of forecasting and stock control theory in 

a practical setting has motivated Aris to further explore the 

commercial potential of his research work; this led to another 

successful proposal to EPSRC which is already receiving considerable 

attention from both industry and academia. 

> The demonstration of the effect that business analytics (i.e. the 

application of quantitatively-based knowledge towards solving 

business problems) may have in an actual organisation has led to the 

development of a new MSc in Business Analytics – the programme is 

currently under evaluation at the Faculty level. 

> Three (3) MBA (Masters in Business Administration) students 

conducted their dissertations on Valves Instruments Plus, the 

academic team identified three problem areas that could be 

addressed by MBA students further expanding the portfolio of 

innovations introduced to the company. 

> Joint paper submitted for peer review to International Journal of 

Production Economics (published by Elsevier). Such a submission 

indicates the true knowledge transfer involved in this project for the 

mutual benefit of all parties involved. 

If you would like to know more about KTPs at the 

University of Salford or you are engaged with a 

company/organisation you feel could benefit from 

a KTP contact please contact Janet Topping at: 

j.topping@salford.ac.uk or visit 

www.ktp.salford.ac.uk 

23


COMMERCIAL & 

TECHNOLOGY 

TRANSFER 

“Encouraging Innovation, Exploiting 

Opportunity” 

Innovation Network provides the opportunity for both new and 

experienced innovators to network with each other, share experiences 

and act as a community of practice. The network hosts guest speaker 

sessions where significant figures of industry are invited to talk. 

Innovation Clubs are a sub-set of the over-arching Innovation 

Network. The Clubs brings together like-minded academics to share 

ideas and gain support for further creative development. The Clubs runs 

two facilitated sessions, an introductory meeting, which outlines the 

innovation process and acts as an induction to the Innovation Network, 

and a sounding board session, where ideas are shared and discussed 

and suggestions developed for possible future Innovation Cells. 

Innovation Cells are small informal groups formed to explore 

and develop ideas for research and commercial opportunities. 

Cells provide a platform for multi-disciplinary creative problem solving 

using a facilitated approach. This helps break down barriers, encourage 

creativity and stimulate ideas. The innovation process is deliberately 

generic so that it can be used in a variety of situations such as research 

bidding, knowledge transfer, process improvement and technology 

exploitation. 

“With a vision to become renowned for excellence in the 

exploitation of research and innovation, the Commercial 

& Technology Transfer Team, based in Faraday House, 

provide a portfolio of services both internally to staff and 

students, and externally with the business community.” 

Do you have a specific business need that could benefit from our 

innovation process 

Our process can be applied within your businesses to aid research and 

development of new ideas for products and services. This can be 

carried out with your own staff internally or a collaborative approach 

can be adopted to include academics from the University. 

IP Commercialisation - We work with staff and students to help 

develop commercial potential from ideas. We provide guidance and 

support on the process of getting the idea off the ground (via the 

Innovation Network/Cells) by: protecting the idea; support through the 

proof-of-concept stage (proof-of-concept funding may be available); 

help finding, managing and negotiating with commercial partners; 

through to creating a spin-out company or license. 

Consultancy Network – We are developing a network of experts to 

identify and develop consultancy best practice. A programme of 

events, including external speakers, and workshops will be on offer and 

the network will provide a forum to share ideas, develop novel 

consultancy opportunities and specialist interest spin-out groups. 

Consultancy & Facilities - We help businesses access the resources 

within the University to assist in developing your people and business. 

From short courses, world class facilities, consultancy, bespoke training, 

student and graduate placements, there is a wealth of opportunity 

available to help your business grow. 

24


INNOVATION EXCHANGE 

This is a short selection of new innovation emerging from 

University research. If you are interested in knowing more 

please let us know. 

Contracts Management - Covers all aspects of contract systems and 

processes, assistance with negotiating contracts, risk assessment, 

approval and signing of legal contractual agreements. The support also 

includes collaboration, partnership and sponsorship agreements, as well 

as the contracts and exploitation stages of commercial and public 

funded research. A whole range of formal documentation related to 

this area is also maintained, along with notes for guidance. 

Consultancy Network – We are developing a network of experts to 

identify and develop consultancy best practice. A programme of events, 

including external speakers, and workshops will be on offer and the 

network will provide a forum to share ideas, develop novel 

consultancy opportunities and specialist interest spin-out groups. 

Innovation Voucher Scheme - The University of Salford is part of the 

North West Development Agency’s Innovation Voucher Scheme which 

is designed to help Northwest business owners, entrepreneurs and 

social enterprises purchase an academic’s expertise to develop 

innovation and enhance business. It provides a voucher of up to £3,000 

to encourage and make it easier for more people to engage with 

Universities. 

The key benefits are: 

> Access the wealth of knowledge from academic institutions 

> Resolve a business issue, quickly, efficiently and through a source 

not previously utilised 

> Easy to apply and ‘spend’ the voucher 

The Scheme is run by the North West Development Agency (NWDA). 

For more information see: www.nwda.co.uk/finance 

Acoustic Buds 

Dr Andy Moorhouse and Dr Olga Umnova are building an industrial 

consortium to develop a range of acoustic materials around a cheap, 

plentiful and lightweight material that uses a unique mechanism to 

absorb low frequency noise. The team want to hear from companies 

involved in architectural componentry, industrial noise control, aircraft 

airframe or trim or any business interested in high noise reduction with 

low weight. 

“Lip Synch” software 

Dawn Shaw has used motion capture techniques usually seen in 

Hollywood movies to develop a programme which produces a 3D 

model of human lips that can accurately simulate speech. The project 

will allow a hearing-impaired person to lip read an animated character 

as text is read out in real time. The team want to hear from animators, 

event production organisers, educational software houses or special 

needs educators. 

Expanded pressurised gas compliance 

The university is examining a material that can store many times its own 

volume of gas at relatively low pressures (sub 10 bar). Applications 

could include small gas struts that behave like larger ones in terms of 

plunger excursion and rate, compact air suspension units and low 

pressure emergency breathing apparatus. 

CONTACT US 

If you would like to know more about any of our services please 

contact Marie Foley. 

Commercial & Technology Transfer 

Enterprise & Development 

Faraday House, The Crescent, Salford, Greater Manchester 

M5 4WT, United Kingdom 

T: +44 (0)161 295 7235 

E: m.foley@salford.ac.uk 

www.business-services.salford.ac.uk 

25


RESEARCH SCOPING STUDIES 

FOR NEW UNIVERSITY THEMES 

A key aspect of the new Research & Innovation Strategy is to develop 

a series of broad interdisciplinary themes. The themes have been 

identified by the University's Strategic Leadership Team (SLT) as areas 

where the internal strengths and potential of the University chime with 

important external drivers. They are set to address key societal issues such 

as understanding climate change, the use of Information and 

Communication Technology in every aspect of our lives, living securely in 

the globalcommunity and creating affordable, energy-efficient 

housing. 

In order to inform the development of the research aspect of these themes, 

the Research & Graduate College commissioned five studies to scope 

the potential for growing research activity within these areas. 

The studies (available at www.rgc.salford.ac.uk/page/research_themes) 

were presented by their authors at an internal conference on 28 October 

2008 that was attended by in excess of 150 members of staff. 

The full list of themes is set out below. Please note that some of these 

titles are broader in nature than the original reports, reflecting the 

feedback already received: 

The themes will provide an opportunity for University staff to 

collaborate in unique ways with staff in other disciplines, whilst 

retaining a strong mono-disciplinary focus through their Research Centres. 

The reports, along with feedback received by the Research & Graduate 

College, will be considered by the Research & Innovation Steering Board. 

This Board, chaired by the Vice-Chancellor Designate, will be leading the 

implementation of the Research & Innovation Strategy and will consider 

how the themes will be introduced and operationalised. 

Your views are still very welcome and should be made by email to: 

m.hession@salford.ac.uk 

The following pages give a précis of the five original scoping study 

reports. If you would like to read the full reports please go to: 

http://www.rgc.salford.ac.uk/page/research_themes 

> Energy (including environmental issues, sustainability, new materials, 

nanotechnology, resources) 

> Human rights, crime, security, terrorism, disaster management, 

war studies 

> Media and creative industries and technologies, including digital 

economy and digital technologies 

> Health and wellbeing, including social care 

> Innovation and enterprise 

> Built and human environment (already well established) 

26


RESEARCH AND INNOVATION: SHAPING THE FUTURE 

REPORT: HEALTH, SOCIAL CARE AND WELLBEING 

Professor Mike Kagioglou, BuHu / SOBE; Dr Lindsey Dugdill, Faculty of Health and Social Care; Mr. Ricardo Codinhoto, 

BuHu / SOBE; and Mrs Kathryn Yates, BuHu / SOBE. 

This scoping report addressed the internal capacity and expertise 

available in this area at the University of Salford, sources of UK/European 

funding available for health, social care and wellbeing related research, key 

policy drivers, and future opportunities. Health, social care and wellbeing 

have been increasingly topical in the political agenda in the last 8 years. 

During this period, in excess of £3.5 billion has been spent improving 

schools, hospitals and other public buildings/infrastructure in the North 

West. In health and social care, the main drivers are to increase quality 

whilst reducing costs, to increase efficiency and effectiveness, improve 

patient experience (Darzi, 2008) and fundamentally improve health and 

social care / wellbeing outcomes. Thus, in general, health and social care is 

moving gradually from “curative” to a more “preventative” approach 

towards sustainable wellbeing. 

Within the Salford University context, some multi-disciplinary/cross 

faculty/health and social care related research has been conducted but 

opportunities have not yet realised the potential with respect to the 

agenda of opportunity in the field. In particular, there is strong need for 

inter and multidisciplinary research across disciplines that cut across the 

whole University. There are many funding bodies and opportunities 

for health, social care and wellbeing research. 

Strategic Recommendations: 

1. Establish an advisory/steering leadership group that would take 

forward the recommendations and explore future opportunities over 

a period of 6 to 12 months. 

2. Prioritise funding/training opportunities as part of a coherent 

strategy in the areas of Health, Social Care and Wellbeing. 

3. Aim to emulate the healthy wellbeing ethos through to all areas of 

the University, for example when planning new buildings, catering, 

etc. so that we move to a situation where the University of Salford 

not only delivers but also embodies this ethos. 

4. Engage with and enhance our collaboration with key institutions in 

the UK and internationally that have an established influence both in 

funding and policy terms, for example University Medical School Kings 

College London, Imperial College, among others. 

Future Opportunities: 

1. Develop a Centre for multidisciplinary research across knowledge 

bases, schools and expertises: the study identified many centres 

working in the same areas across different contexts. 

The report identified the main (high) level research themes to be (in no 

particular order): a) Environment; b) Public/Social Health/Care; c) 

Education/Training; d) Evidence-Based Approaches; and e) Information and 

Communication Technology (ICT). A sixth theme “Patient/ Communities 

Experience” is also included and it was considered as a broader crosscutting 

theme encompassing the other five themes. 

2. Identify and bid for external infrastructure monies in the future that 

will allow the development of mock-up rooms (both physical and 

virtual), link medical and non-medical practices to enable better 

training and education. 

3. Internationalise our funding sources: the majority of the existing 

funding in the areas of the study are UK-based and there is a need 

to engage with international agendas and funding sources. 

4. Work more closely with key user-communities and stakeholders 

through Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) and collaborative 

work to increase our impact and profile and help alleviate 

degreasing research council funding. For example the Media 

City project offers great opportunities in this area. 

5. New multi-faceted courses need to be developed in particular 

around Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and 

organisation specific training (work-based learning). There are 

also opportunities in the area of professional doctorates. 

6. ICT healthcare/workplace health school/centre needed: there is a 

missed opportunity in capitalising our ICT competencies across the 

University and great advances can be made here at a fast speed. 

27


INNOVATION & ENTERPRISE / ENTREPRENEURSHIP 

Mr. Carl Abbott, Manager, SCRI & Professor Christos Kalantaridis, Management and Management Sciences Research Institute 

Innovation and enterprise/entrepreneurship are at the centre of the policy 

agenda regionally, nationally but also across the EU. This interest (and 

investment) on behalf of policy-makers reflects changes in the ‘real’ 

world. Enterprising behaviour and innovation in organizations are 

increasingly viewed as cornerstones of long-term competitiveness and 

sustainable development. This is not confined to private sector 

businesses, but increasingly extends to public and third sector 

organizations. Changes in climatic conditions and increased demand for 

natural resources exert pressure for the identification of innovative ways 

of using resources more intensively, within the context of a 

global economic downturn. These trends underpin a significant growth in 

the demand for knowledge creation (research), application 

(academic enterprise), and imparting (education) in innovation and 

enterprise/entrepreneurship from policy-makers, organizations (private, 

public and third sector), as well as individuals. 

The existence of opportunities in these two fields of research and 

practice led to the emergence of a number of established research 

centres: this is particularly the case in the area of innovation, with the most 

established research centre (SPRU – University of Sussex) going back forty 

years ago or so. However, in the UK and elsewhere in the world, there is 

limited connection between work in innovation and that in 

enterprise/entrepreneurship. Moreover, in many instances centres focus 

heavily on either knowledge creation or its application. This offers a 

niche for the advancement of innovation and enterprise/ent 

repreneurship at the University of Salford. 

The University is well placed to exploit this opportunity. This is because it 

possesses internal assets and a track record in innovation and 

enterprise/entrepreneurship that are internationally leading but diverse 

in character. Interestingly, this cuts across knowledge creation, 

application and imparting. These assets include: more than ninety 

individuals publishing in these two fields, projects totalling in excess of £9 

million, as well as a wealth of educational opportunities at the 

undergraduate and postgraduate levels. 

These activities concentrate heavily, though not exclusively in distinct 

industrial settings, namely: construction, healthcare, media and the third 

sector. Nonetheless, at present, centres, activities and individuals exist in 

isolation from each other and do not maximize their impact 

collectively on external audiences. 

Existing expertise in these areas, where there is evidence of long-term 

demand and impact, augers well for the development of a distinctive 

offering at the University of Salford. This could take the form of a 

‘centre of excellence’ in innovation and enterprise/entrepreneurship that 

would be internationally recognizable for: 

> The establishment of a seamless (two-directional) continuum between 

new ideas and cutting-edge practice & education 

> The adoption of a specific ‘use value’ (rather than technological) 

approach to enterprise/entrepreneurship and innovation 

> The use of a strong sectoral focus – placing particular emphasis on 

rapidly growing and/or strategic sectors for the UK and the Manchester 

city-region 

> The ability to cut across the areas of enterprise/entrepreneurship and 

innovation in contrast to most other centres that focus on either one or 

the other. 

The proposed ‘centre of excellence’ will be: 

> Internationally visible, showcasing the University’s expertise in the fields 

of innovation and enterprise/entrepreneurship 

> Strategic, in that it would incubate large-scale initiatives that cut across 

knowledge creation, dissemination and imparting 

> Embedded in the regional context, with a multitude of linkages with 

enterprises and organizations. 

28


THE ENERGY THEME 

Professor Keith Ross, Centre Director, Institute for Materials Research, and Professor Steve Curwell, Sustainable Urban Development, 

Institute of Built Environment. 

The significance of energy to the future of mankind cannot be 

exaggerated. The population of the Earth has reached a level that it could 

nowhere near be fed without the extensive use of energy in 

agriculture and we have become used to the lavish use of energy in the 

support of our lifestyle. However, whether we consider the 

anthropomorphic rise of CO 2 levels in the atmosphere, giving rise to Global 

Warming, or alternatively consider the imminence of “Peak Oil” and the 

consequences to humanity of an inexorable rise in fossil fuel costs and the 

associated transfer of financial wealth to the Middle East and Russia, it is 

clear that we have to face very significant changes in the way we use 

energy. These necessary changes create a major challenge to the research 

community, internationally and nationally. Training will also be essential to 

produce the number of specialists in the new areas. 

Governments are meeting this challenge by allocating considerable 

resources to research in the area. It is therefore natural that energy should 

become one of the themes of the University. 

The University of Salford already plays a considerable role in energy 

research, in the development of new technologies, the observation of 

global changes resulting from climate change, the development of 

energy savings technologies in the Built Environment and the 

observation of social attitudes to these necessary changes. In the 

development of new technologies, we are active in wind power and 

related meteorological and acoustic phenomenon, in hydrogen energy and 

associated developments in hydrogen/fuel cell and battery cars and in 

materials problems related to nuclear energy. 

All this work on advanced materials is supported by a considerable effort 

in ab initio modelling. We also have various important existing facilities 

such as the radio chemistry laboratories in Cockcroft. Global changes 

related to climate change are inferred from satellite data. Research in the 

Built Environment relates to the adoption of improved thermal insulation, 

smart devices for energy saving and architectural design features that 

minimise the need for additional space heating and cooling. Retrofitting of 

insulation to the existing housing stock is also important. We also have 

major research efforts into the analysis of social attitudes, for instance into 

the popular response to the introduction of hydrogen energy on a broad 

scale. Our current research portfolio (grants awarded since 2000) amounts 

to £7 million, which is spread over the research areas referred to above. 

When it comes to considering how the University might develop its 

research within the energy theme, the proposed philosophy is to invest in 

new research activities in areas adjacent to our existing research strengths, 

thus avoiding overlap but gaining from existing reputations and facilities. 

The specific suggestions are: 

(1) investment in nuclear energy, both fission and fusion, and both at the 

teaching and research levels. This would build on existing research 

strengths and develop related teaching programmes to meet the 

urgent need for new nuclear engineers; 

(2) a senior appointment in the area of new low carbon 

energy technologies (batteries, hydrogen, wind power etc.); 

(3) further development in the area of energy technology in the built 

environment; 

(4) a senior appointment in the socio-economic aspects of new energy 

technologies. 

... we have to face 

very significant 

changes in the way 

we use energy ... 

In each of the above areas, a business plan would be developed, 

implying an investment of the order of several millions, to encompass the 

parallel development of research and teaching, with the objective of 

covering its additional costs in a period of around five years. 

29


MEDIA AND CREATIVE 

TECHNOLOGIES/INDUSTRIES 

Dr Garry Crawford, Institute for Social, Cultural and Policy 

Research, and Professor Ben Light, Director ISOS, School 

of Media, Music and Performance 

It is clear that the media and creative industries have, and continue 

to be, important constituents of our social, cultural, 

political and economic landscape. In particular, new developments 

in media technologies, such as advances in mobile telephone and video 

production technologies, have made media more accessible and 

participatory and are profoundly changing patterns of media 

consumption and production. However, even in the light of such new 

shifts, it is important to recognise that the media and the creative 

industries have a long and rich history - and this must be remembered in 

the light of the excitement around MediaCityUK. Indeed, the University has 

a long and established pedigree in media-related research and 

teaching, with the International Media Centre established in 1993 and the 

School of Media, Music and Performance in 1999 (with media being 

represented in other institutional forms at least as far back 

as 1993). 

Specifically in terms of the University of Salford’s capacity and 

capabilities, we clearly have real strengths in a number of key areas. These 

areas include: film scholarship, script-writing, cultural politics, 

literature and creative writing, music, art, design, heritage, computing, 

video games, social media, information systems and virtual 

environments — but this is by no means is this an exhaustive list. In 

particular, since writing the original ‘peaks of excellence’ report the 

University had significant success in several Research Assessment Exercise 

(RAE) submission areas of direct relevance to the media and creative 

industries. These include Communication, Culture and Media Studies, 

Library and Information Management, English Language and Literature 

and Art and Design. 

There were also important media-related themes and research evident 

in other University RAE submissions made in health, the built 

environment, business and management, social work and social policy and 

administration, law, and of course, music. Regionally, the North West has 

a long tradition in many aspects of the cultural industries, including, 

television, radio, newspaper publishing, music, digital games and other 

cultural industries such as advertising, design and marketing. Indeed, 

although this sector is rapidly growing in the UK, this is 

markedly so in the North West, and the North West Development Agency 

(NWDA) believes that the North West can become the creative hub of the 

UK, if not Europe. It almost goes without saying of course that 

MediaCityUK undoubtedly provides one of, if not the, most 

important and exciting developments in the North West in recent decades, 

and it is evident that the University of Salford will be a key partner in this. 

In terms of the University’s wider engaging with the media and creative 

industries, it is notable that the Government and funding bodies are 

making increasing amounts of monies available to research that is ‘user’ 

focused. Though, this should not be taken to suggest that all academic 

work now needs to be end-user focused, it is important to recognise that 

interdisciplinary working to meet the diverse needs of end-users and keys 

industry partnerships are significant areas for new research opportunities 

and development. 

In terms of the way forward, the media and creative industries ‘peaks of 

excellence’ scoping-report recommends continued investment in core 

areas of media and creative industry/technology teaching and research. 

This also suggests the need for an internal refocusing around 

interdisciplinary clusters and research focused on the media and creative 

industries. This activity needs, we argue, to be pulled together and to 

represent the established and impressive capabilities that the University has 

in the media and creative industries. 

30


CRIME AND SECURITY 

Mr Andrew Wootton, Director, Design Against Crime 

Research Centre; Dr Christopher Birkbeck, School of 

English, Sociology, Politics and Contemporary History and 

Dr Caroline Davey, Design & Innovation Research Group. 

The importance of crime and security 

Crime and security are key issues for the UK Government and for the 

European Union. Crime affects a large proportion of the population. 

England and Wales are among the countries with the highest victimisation 

rates in the industrialised world. Reducing crime and fear of crime and 

increasing security form part of the UK Government’s sustainability 

agenda. Crime and security are major issues for residents and users of 

urban environments, and a key factor in social and economic decline. 

While crime levels are decreasing across Europe, fear of crime and feelings 

of insecurity remain serious problems and negatively impact on citizens’ 

quality of life. In addition, terrorism has become a key issue 

internationally. Attention has focused on radicalisation, improved policing 

and surveillance technologies, legal reform and resilience. The design 

and construction of buildings, places and services can significantly 

reduce the likelihood and impact of a terrorist attack. 

We believe that the University of Salford should aim to create a vibrant, 

ambitious and world-renowned peak of excellence in crime and security. 

‘Crime’ and ‘security’ can refer to a wide variety of concepts, but a key 

consideration is the potential harm to individuals, groups and society. 

Crimes and analogous harmful behaviours are subject to sanction. Security 

is defined freedom from danger or risk of harm, and this report focuses on 

security in relation to crime and analogous behaviours. Insecurity may 

derive from non-human sources (e.g. natural disasters), but this was 

considered outside the scope of our report. 

Recommendations 

Our report provides recommendations that build on the valuable work in 

the crime and security domain currently underway at Salford, and focus on 

three themes: 

A Supporting existing crime/security groups and researchers to flourish 

and grow 

There is a clear need to develop research capacity by encouraging and 

supporting those undertaking research to share ideas, generate projects, 

win funding and achieve their full potential. Established groups require 

practical support to deliver projects, meet demand and ensure continued 

success. 

B Supporting improved interaction between strands of activity in crime 

and security 

The Salford Crime and Security Research Network should be established 

to create a framework for the internal exchange of information, 

knowledge and expertise. 

C Raising Salford’s external profile in the crime and/security domain. 

Recommendations are made to improve external communication of 

Salford crime and security work to other researchers, criminal justice 

and other relevant organisations, funding bodies and the media. 

The internal and external context 

Our research showed that the crime/security domain is already well 

established within Salford. 27 researchers completed a web-based survey 

detailing their current sources of funding, their current enterprise activities, 

how they are influencing policy, and their priorities for the future. Research 

clusters/groups include: Design Against Crime Solution Centre; Salford 

Centre for Prison Studies; Centre for Social Inclusion, Risk and Crime; 

Contemporary History and Politics Research Centre; Informatics Research 

Institute and Salford Centre of Legal Research. 

31


NEW APPOINTMENTS 

Professor Tony Dickson has been appointed Visiting 

Professor to Salford Business School and the University. 

Professor Dickson has fulfilled a number of roles in 

higher education including: Head of Department of 

Sociology, Chair of the Faculty of Life and Social 

Sciences both at Glasgow Caledonian University; Dean 

of Social Sciences, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Development), 

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and then Deputy Vice-Chancellor 

(Development) at Northumbria University. As Deputy Vice-Chancellor 

(Development) his responsibilities included leading the University’s 

significant international activities and expansion. He left Northumbria in 

2006 to establish and become the President of Raffles University, 

funded by the Raffles Education Corporation. Raffles University has over 

50,000 students and has its headquarters in Singapore but it operates in 

10 countries and 19 major cities in Asia Pacific. Since 2008 he has been 

Managing Director of Global Higher Education Consulting. 

Professor Dickson will contribute to the School’s and the University’s 

internationalisation activities and will have an immediate input into 

ensuring the School and University fully capitalise on the prestigious PMI2 

(Prime Minister’s Initiative 2) project with leading Chinese Universities. 

tony.dickson@globalhec.com 

Professor Tony Warne has worked in mental health 

care since 1975. He has over 20 years of experience in 

nursing and service management, and has worked in a 

variety of different specialist mental health service 

environments and contexts. Tony left the NHS in 1995 

to join Manchester Metropolitan University, 

Department of Health Care Studies as a teacher and 

nurse researcher. In 2006, he was appointed Professor in Mental Health 

Care at University of Salford, and appointed Head of School (School of 

Nursing) in 2007. In March 2009 he also became Associate Dean 

(Research) and intends to continue with both roles as the Faculty of Health 

and Social Care embraces the University’s new research strategy. The focus 

of Tony’s research interest is on inter-personal, intra-personal and 

extra-personal relationships, using a psychodynamic and managerialist 

analytical discourse. 

In the main his research has centred on exploring the impact of such 

relationships on nursing practice, policy, organisation and particularly nurse 

education and the preparation for practice. Much of his research has 

involved mental health nursing, although he has conducted research into 

other areas of nursing and health and social care. 

Tony is a Clinical Associate for the Healthcare Commission and has been a 

Magistrate for 14 years, with a special interest in the mentally 

disordered offender. He has published extensively and is the Co-Editor and 

author of the book Using Patient Experience in Nurse Education and 

Associate Editor of the International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 

t.warne@salford.ac.uk 

Professor Sharon Ruston has been appointed Chair 

in Nineteenth-Century Literature and Culture in 

ESPaCH. She joins Salford from Keele University where 

she was Programme Director of Media, 

Communications and Culture for the past two years. 

Since 2007 she has been Vice-President of the British 

Association for Romantic Studies and this year 

becomes one of the judges for the Keats-Shelley Memorial Association’s 

annual essay prize. Her publications include Shelley and Vitality (2005), 

Romanticism (2007) and Literature and Science (2008). She is particularly 

interested in the interrelationships that exist between literature, science 

and medicine in the early nineteenth-century, and is currently working on 

the poetry of chemist Humphry Davy. 

Professor Ruston is an external examiner for the ‘Literature and Medicine’ 

MA at King’s College, London and for the undergraduate degree at 

Lancaster University. Plans for Salford include organising a conference, 

‘Thomas de Quincey, Manchester and Medicine, 1785-1859’ to 

commemorate 150 years since de Quincey’s death, to be held at Salford on 

4th December 2009. s.ruston@salford.ac.uk 

Professor Sue Kilcoyne is the Associate Dean for 

Research in the Faculty of Science, Engineering and 

Environment. She was appointed as Professor of 

Materials in January 2006, became Director of the 

Institute for Materials Research in October 2006 and 

took up the post of ADR in January this year. 

Sue’s academic work has always involved aspects of both biological and 

physical sciences. She graduated from the University of Liverpool with a 

BSc degree in Physics with Environmental Biology and continued at 

Liverpool to study for a PhD, which was awarded for her work on 

Mossbauer Spectroscopic studies of iron containing proteins. 

Throughout her career Sue’s research has focussed upon the application of 

physical techniques to a wide range of problems in for example, physics 

(magnetism, superconductivity), the life sciences (biomaterials, proteins), 

and in geology (Fe oxides in soils and clays). She works with 

multidisciplinary groups of academics throughout UK and Europe - 

physicists and biomaterials scientists at Leeds University, biophysicists at the 

Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire and physicists at the 

Institute Laue Langevin in France, and is now extending this grouping 

through the development of an archaeometry research programme with 

archaeologists and local historians from the Blackden Trust in Cheshire. 

s.h.kilcoyne@salford.ac.uk 

32


Professor Stewart, Chair in Aeronautical and 

Automotive Engineering, was Senior Lecturer in the 

Electrical Machines and Drives Group in the 6* 

Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering 

(Electrical Machines and Drives Group) at the 

University of Sheffield from 2002-2008, where he was 

a Staff Member of the Rolls-Royce UTC in Advanced 

Electrical Machines and Drives, and member of the Board of Directors of 

the Academic Initiative in the More Electric Aircraft (AIMEA-UK). 

In January 2009 he became Professor of Aeronautical and 

Automotive Engineering at the University of Salford, and in 

collaboration with Professor T.X. Mei, formed the CASE Centre for Control 

and Systems Engineering. His research encompasses the fields of control 

theory applications, electromechanical energy conversion, power systems, 

multi-objective optimisation and intelligent control systems. Prior to 

pursuing an academic career, he worked for 14 years in the automotive 

industry, latterly specialising in hybrid electric drivetrains and engine 

development. 

Examples of his research include EC funded projects on 

electromechanical valve actuation, automotive drive-by-wire systems and 

integrated modelling and optimisation toolboxes for Matlab. 

His recent research portfolio extends from free-piston linear energy 

converter technology (EPSCR GR/S97507/01), which is being 

undertaken in collaboration with Group Lotus Ltd., and intelligent 

domestic energy control (Yorkshire Forward Grant), to the modelling and 

optimal control of electrical power generation/energy storage 

systems on ‘more-electric’ aircraft (EU Framework VI). He has led major 

scoping and feasibility projects on power conversion, regenerative 

energy and energy storage with UK partners: Group Lotus PLC, 

GreenUrban Ltd., and ITI Energy Scotland Ltd, and will be leading More 

Electric Aircraft Power Systems work packages under the EU Framework VII 

‘Clean Skies’ JTI. 

Professor Mei, Chair in Control and Mechatronics, 

was a Reader in Control and Mechatronics in the 

School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the 

University of Leeds, which was ranked as the best 

Electronic and Electrical Engineering School in the UK 

in the 2008 RAE. In January 2009, he became 

Professor of Control and Mechatronics at Salford 

University, and formed the CASE Centre for control and Systems 

Engineering with Professor Paul Stewart. He currently leads a strong 

research team of 3 research associates and 5 PhD students which carries 

out leading-edge research in control and systems engineering mainly for 

energy efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles of the future. 

Professor Mei has a strong background and substantial research expertise 

in traction control and drives, steer-by-wire, fault tolerant control, power 

systems and optimisation, intelligent sensing, and condition monitoring. 

Prof Mei is a world leader in the latest research into active steering and 

mechatronic systems for rail and automotive applications. 

He has been very successful in attracting research grants from a variety of 

funding sources and supervised many research projects. He has given 

state-of-the-art plenary talks and invited research seminars at an 

international level and has also disseminated widely and regularly in 

leading academic journals and international conferences, including invited 

papers in special journal issues and special conference sessions. Some of 

his journal publications have been awarded best paper prizes in 

recognition of the quality and significance of his research. Professor Mei 

has also substantial industrial experience from his employment in 

manufacturing industry (including GEC Alsthom, Brush Traction and Linear 

Motors) at early stage of his career. He collaborates closely with a number 

of industrial partners through various research grants and proposals, 

including Modec, GGS, SET, InMoCo, TMS, TNEI, ATP and Greenurban. 

t.x.mei@salford.ac.uk 

Professor Stewart recently attended an EPSRC ‘Sandpit’ event on Low 

Carbon Airport Operations and secured an unprecedented tally of 3 new 

research grants as Principal Investigator, totalling over £1 million, all of 

which will be starting in Salford in July. p.g.stewart@salford.ac.uk 

33


POSTGRADUATE 

RESEARCH NEWS 

PHD STUDENT BECOMES CHAIR 

OF UACES 

Kamil Zwolski, a second-year PhD student in ESRI 

(European Studies Research Institute) researching on 

European Union Security, has been granted a £2,500 

scholarship for a research field trip to Brussels. 

This academic year he will go to Brussels 

to conduct elite interviews for his project. This prestigious and highly 

competitive scholarship is awarded annually by the University Association 

for Contemporary European Studies (UACES). 

UACES is an academic organisation bringing together scholars from all 

over the UK and abroad. Last November Kamil was elected to the 

position of chair of the UACES Student Forum, which is the 

postgraduate ‘branch’ of the organisation. As Chair he coordinates the 

preparation of various academic events, such as the UACES 

Student Forum Annual Conference in April this year. The UACES 

conferences provide an important opportunity for young researchers in 

European Studies to present their findings. This year for the first time, the 

conference will be hosted by the University of Salford. 

If you would like to find out more about Kamil’s work please contact him 

at: K.M.Zwolski@pgr.salford.ac.uk 

ONE YEAR PLACEMENT FOR MASTERS STUDENTS 

Salford Business School is building on its expertise in managing 

student placements and partnerships with local and national 

organisations by launching a scheme allowing Masters students to 

undertake a one year placement. Students enrolling on the MSc Project 

Management, MSc Managing Information Technology, MSc Events 

Management, and MSc International Tourism Management can choose to 

undertake a placement year following successful completion of the taught 

part of their programme. The MSc therefore taking two years in total. The 

MSc placement replaces the traditional research dissertation and it’s assessment 

includes a major report relating experience to theory. This is a unique 

scheme within the University which will give graduates a significant advantage 

and we are keen to talk to organisations interested in offering relevant 

placement opportunities as well as potential applicants. 

For further information please contact Chris Procter, placement 

co-ordinator: c.t.procter@salford.ac.uk 

CAREERS BLOG FOR PHD RESEARCH STUDENTS 

Reaching our dispersed and diverse PhD community is a challenge. 

Fiona Christie, Careers Advisor/Careers Coordinator for Postgraduate 

Researchers, has found a solution. Fiona has risen to the challenge by 

creating a careers blog specifically for research students. Websites, being 

fairly static tools, don’t always allow you to talk directly to a 

specific group or give a glimpse of your own personality, a blog allows 

Fiona to be accessible to our research community and to put in one place 

all the relevant careers news and views for PhD students. It allows for 

comments and interaction from users. You can access Fiona’s blog via 

www.careers.salford.ac.uk/students/phd/blog 

Fiona aims to send posts to the blog about twice a week. Information on 

events and opportunities of interest will be included but the blog will also 

give the opportunity to debate topical issues, such as the current economic 

downturn and how this affects the doctoral and research community. So 

far the feedback from PhD students who use it has been positive, it has 

also attracted attention from outside of the University and Fiona has 

presented at a regional Vitae conference about the blog as an example of 

innovative good practice. Fiona doesn’t only have a virtual identity! Face to 

face communications are critical and she is available to see research 

students and research staff for one-to-one appointments and workshops. 

Fiona is planning non-virtual one-day University-wide careers event on 

June 23rd called “PhD Futures” which will bring together research 

students, staff supporting researchers, academics and alumni. 

To contact Fiona please email: f.christie@salford.ac.uk or call her 

on: 0161 295 5668 

LEADING RESEARCH ON INFORMATION 

NEED 

Dr Paula Ormandy, a research fellow in the School of 

Nursing, has recently completed a PhD making a 

valuable research contribution to understanding and 

measuring the information needs of chronic kidney 

disease patients. As the PhD developed the importance 

of the research was evident winning, in 2007, best poster at the British 

Renal Society and best abstract at the European Dialysis & Transplant 

Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association. Since completion of 

the work the findings have directly informed and influenced the 2008 

NICE guideline on Chronic Kidney Disease Management identifying the 

importance of key information topics to consider when meeting the 

information needs of patients. Paula is to extend this work further within 

her post-doctorate research developing international networks, 

particularly building on Sense-Making Methodology, the focus of a 

workshop she is involved in, taking place in Chicago in May 2009 at the 

International Communication Association Conference. 

If you would like to know more about Paula’s work or the workshop in 

Chicago please contact her at: p.ormandy@salford.ac.uk 

34


AHRC GRANT 

ESRI PhD Student Kimberley Taylor has won a £2,000 grant from the Arts 

and Humanities Research Council in conjunction with Manchester 

University to organise a PGR conference in the region. The conference is a 

one-day interdisciplinary conference on European Minorities 

in Cross-Disciplinary Perspective to be held on 26th June 2009 at 

the University of Manchester under the aegis of the Jean 

Monnet Centre of Excellence (Manchester). Although supported by the 

JMCE and its stakeholders (the University of Manchester, Manchester 

Metropolitan University and ESRI - University of Salford), and 

undertaken as part of their ongoing plan of Training for Young 

Researchers, the bid was drawn up and submitted by Kimberley and Filippo 

Nereo (JMCE Administrator and PhD Researcher in Sociolinguistics at the 

University of Manchester). 

The conference is for advanced PhD students and early career researchers 

in any aspect of ethnic and linguistic minorities in Europe (in its broadest 

sense). Three highly-regarded plenary speakers are to present individually 

and participate in a roundtable discussion on the position of minorities in 

Europe. The speakers are: Patrick Stevenson (University of Southampton) 

who will be looking at Central European sociolinguistics, more particularly 

language myths in a spatio-temporal dimension; Dieter Halwachs 

(University of Graz) will consider ethnic and linguistic minorities within the 

nation-state from a more policy-oriented dynamic and Stefan Wolff 

(University of Nottingham) will look at ethic conflict and the EU's conflict 

management vis-a-vis 'frozen conflicts' in the Soviet Union. Part of the 

conference funding from the JMCE will offer travel grants to PhD 

students from universities across Europe who wish to attend and there will 

also be a wine reception and dinner following the event to make it a 

friendly social occasion for the young researchers involved. 

If you would like more information on the event contact 

Kimberley at: k.j.taylor@pgr.salford.ac.uk 

POSTGRAD CONFERENCE 

Salford’s highly successful Postgraduate Annual Research Conference – 

SPARC, as it is famously known – is taking place this year on 7th and 8th 

May in Faraday House and the Old Fire Station. For the third year running, 

it will be opening its doors to a wide variety of researchers from across the 

North-West. Last year’s SPARC, the proceedings from which will be 

published shortly, was even busier than usual, with 63 paper-givers and 30 

poster-presenters. In addition to the student-led panels, Professor Ghassan 

Aouad gave a talk on “How to Succeed in Doing a PhD: A Personal 

Perspective”. Professor Aouad will be developing the theme of this 

presentation in one of this year’s keynote speeches; the other will be given 

by a senior figure from publishing. 

The conference will also see the return of the poster competition, which is 

judged by a panel from business and industry, and assesses not just the 

quality of the poster, but also at the capacity of the researcher to explain 

their work to a lay audience. Last year’s first prize (£200) went to Simon 

Keens (University of Salford) for his poster on “Hydrogen Storage in 

'Ti-Decorated' Graphite”, and the second prize (£100) to Glenda Melling 

(University of Central Lancashire) for her poster on “Gene Expression in 

Human Post Mortem Dermal Tissue.” The conference dinner on Thursday 

night, free to all paper-givers, will be held in University House, with an 

organised tour and social gathering in Urbis on Friday afternoon. Paper 

abstracts for the conference need to be provided by Friday 10 April – full 

details are available at: http://www.pg.salford.ac.uk/page/SPARC. 

PHYSIO AWARDED DOCTORATE 

A SALE physiotherapist has been awarded a doctorate (PhD) by 

Staffordshire University following five years of part-time study. 

Christopher Norris conducted research into rehabilitation of backpain 

in collaboration with both Salford University and Manchester Metropolitan 

University. He said: “There is a steady move towards 

evidence-based medicine, but also much criticism of studies carried out 

only by researchers based in laboratories. “As a clinician involved in the 

day-to-day treatment of patients, I thought it was important to be at the 

cutting edge of backpain research, and contribute to the future of my 

profession.” Christopher is the former physiotherapist to Sale Harriers and 

has a clinic on Eastway in Sale. His scientific work has 

been published in several medical journals and is available at: 

norrisassociates.co.uk/library.html 

IOLANTHE MIDWIFERY TRUST RESEARCH FELLOW 

Senior lecturer Julie Wray recently visited the the House of Lords to 

celebrate 25 years of the Iolanthe Midwifery Trust and pick up her Research 

Fellowship award. The event was hosted by Baroness Cumberlege, patron 

of the Trust. 

This prestigious award is designed to assist in the final stages of 

completing a doctorate degree and is unique in targeting the 

writing-up phase rather than the research phase of the doctorate. 

Julie’s PhD explores the culture of postnatal care in the UK and women’s 

views and experiences of birth recovery. This work is of national and 

international significance and the results will inform the shape of future 

maternity services. Julie was congratulated for her excellent application 

and hard work by both the Iolanthe judges and trustees. She said: “I'm 

very excited and honoured to have this wonderful opportunity to 

complete my doctorate studies with the support of the Iolanthe Trust and 

the School of Nursing.” 

The awards ceremony was hosted by the patron of the Iolanthe Midwifery 

Trust, Baroness Cumberlege and she welcomed many noted midwives – 

including 18 professors! - as well as MPs, guests from the Royal College of 

Midwives, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, MIDIRS, 

National Childbirth Trust, King’s Fund, White Ribbon Alliance and others. 

The Iolanthe Midwifery Trust exists to promote and improve the care of 

mothers and their families through awarding grants and fellowships in 

support of education, practice and research. 

For more information on Julie’s work please contact her at: 

j.wray@salford.ac.uk 

To follow the events at the award day please go to: 

http://www.iolanthe.org/Award_winners_2008.html 

35


POSTGRADUATE Awards 

Institute/Centre 

Surname 

Forename 

Award 

Title 

Research Institute for the 

Built Environment 

Forgues 

Daniel 

PhD 

Using Boundary Objects to Generate Better 

Value in the Construction Industry. Interpreting 

Cases from an Activity Theory Perspective 

Institute for Materials Research 

Hampshire 

Joanne 

PhD 

A Study of the Structure of Co deposited PVD 

Coatings 


Marques 

Simao 

PhD 

Computation of High-Lift Aerodynamics using 

Unstructured Grids and Reynolds-Stress 

Turbulence Models 


Khan 

Mohammed 

Uzair 

PhD 

Airbag Simulation Utilising Arbitrary Lagrangian 

Eulerian Methodology for Out of Position Cases 

Informatics Research Institute 

Mit 

Edwin 

PhD 

Developing VDM++ Operations from UML 

Diagrams 

Adelphi Research Institute 

Wallace 

Thomasina 

Phd 

A Study of 3D CAD and Implications for Training 

and Skills in the Fashion Industry 

Institute for Health & Social Care 

Blakemore 

Edwina 

PhD 

How Do I Self Manage in a Complex World 

A Health Visitor's Perspective 

Institute for Health & Social Care 

Ormandy 

Paula 

PhD 

Chronic Kidney Disease: Patient Information 

Need, Preferences and Priorities 

European Studies Research Institute 

Al-Taher 

Mohammad 

Anwar 

PhD 

The Translation of Intertextual Expressions in 

Political Articles 

Research Institute for the Built 

& Human Environment 

Lima 

Jose Barreiro 

PhD 

Methodology for Demand-Supply Selection of 

Commercial Off-The-Shelf Software-Based 

Systems. Contextual Approach of Leading 

Contractors in Portugal 

Institute for Social, Cultural and 

Policy Research 

Buss 

Roman 

PhD 

Pathways to Hydrogen Economies: A 

Quantitative Gross-National Investigation of 

Hydrogen Discourse and Strategy Formulation 

in Britain and Germany 

Research Institute for the Built & Human 

Environment 

Vorakulpipat 

Chalee 

PhD 

Exploring Knowledge Value Creation Practices: 

an Interpretive Case Study 

Institute for Health & Social 

Care Research 

Sobuh 

Mohammad 

MSc by 

Research 

Monitoring of Upper Limb Prosthesis Activity in 

Trans-Radial Amputees - A Feasibility Study 


Garcia 

Juan Fernandez 

PhD 

Neutron Scattering Studies and Simulations of 

Hydrogen Absorption in Single-Walled Carbon 

Nanotubes 


Kasiran 

Mohdkhairudin 

PhD 

An Information Framework for Merchant Trust 

in Electronic Commerce (Business to Consumer 

Segment) 

Management & Management 

Sciences Research Institute 

El-Ba 

Khaled Massoud 

Yahia 

PhD 

Factors Affecting the Strategic Planning Process: 

Case Studies from Libyan Public Manufacturing 

Companies 

36


Institute/Centre 

Surname 

Forename 

Award 

Title 



Al-Ajam 

Maher 

PhD 

Integrating Collaborative Extranets with Project 

Integrated Databases to Improve the 

Construction Tender Stage 

European Studies Research Institute 

Al-Jabari 

Raed Yahya 

Ahmad 

PhD 

Reasons for the Possible Incomprehensibility of 

some Verses of Three Translations of the 

Meaning of the Holy Quran into English 


Al-Rashed 

Maha 

PhD 

An Investigation of Leadership Styles of Bahraini 

Women Top Managers 


Fiala 

Jiri 

PhD 

Investigation of Space Charge Neutralization 

Effects in High-Current Positive ION Beams 


Hampson 

Paul Robert 

PhD 

Fluid-Structure Interaction of Metallic and 

Composite Plates Subjected to Dynamic Loading 



Marston 

Christopher 

PhD 

Spatial Modelling of Small Mammal 

Distributions in Relation to Parasite Transmission 

in Western China 


McWhinnie 

David Paul 

PhD 

A Case Study Investigation into an 

Implementation of a Techno-Driven Knowledge 

management Initiative 



Onyenobi 

Timothy 

PhD 

Impact of High-Rise Morphology on Gas 

Temperatures During Fires 



Sulaiman 

Khairuddun 

PhD 

A Study of Building Procurement Process as a 

Potential Too to Enhance Safety Practice in the 

Construction Industry 

Adelphi Research Institute 

Evans 

Howard John 

DMA 

Performance Portfolio 

Management & Management 

Sciences Research Institute 

Al-Mut 

Saeed Abdullah 

Juma 

PhD 

Perceptions of Service Quality and Effects of 

Personality Traits of Employees in the UAE 

Islamic Banks 



Lees 

Melvyn Alen 

PhD 

Measuring the Value of Engagement between 

Higher Education and Industry and Practice in 

the Built Environment 



Mog 

Tiroyamodimo 

Mmapadi 

PhD 

Barriers to Successful Application of Information 

Technology in Botswana 

Institute for Health & Social 

Care Research 

Sha 

Ning 

PhD 

A Surface Electrode Array-Based System for 

Functional Electrical Stimulation 

European Studies Research 

Institute 

Mohan 

Gita 

PhD 

Translation and the Quest for Self-Identity 

in Postcolonial Indian Anglophone and 

Maghrebian Francophone Literature 



Rains 

Jonathan Philip 

PhD 

Hydraulic Characteristics of Siphonic Roof 

Drainage Outlets 

37


INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

CHINA-UK COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS 

The University of Salford is one of seven universities in the UK 

to have been granted a prestigious Prime Minister’s Initiative 2 

China-UK Collaborative Partnerships Award for Employability 

and Entrepreneurship. The funding, administered by The British 

Council is to provide pump-prime funding for UK HE institutions 

to develop partnerships with Chinese institutions in the areas of 

employability and entrepreneurship. The collaboration is with 

three top universities in China: East China Normal University 

and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, both in Shanghai; and 

Harbin Institute of Technology in the North of China. 

The project has been running since May 2008, and together work has 

been undertaken to ensure that the terms “employability” and 

“entrepreneurship” mean equivalent things to all partners. This has been 

a very interesting journey, and the team have gained informative and 

valuable insights in differences between the drivers and response 

approaches both within the UK and China. The partners have also 

exchanged examples of institutional initiatives which have been used 

to support students such as resources, tools and case studies. 

The final aspect of year one of this project has been to explore the 

relationships between universities and employers both in the UK and in 

China. At the end of last year, employer steering groups were held in both 

Salford and Shanghai. 

Fifteen major companies attended the steering group hosted in Shanghai. 

Not only was such an approach in China considered to be extremely 

innovative and different, but it was also felt that attendance and 

participation was reflective of the Chinese culture and also the 

different demographics of companies in China. These steering group 

meetings produced a list of skills and attributes which are considered to be 

the most important when seeking graduates. 

38


UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD 

EXCEEDS UK NORM FOR 

THE RECRUITMENT OF 

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS 

The most recent set of data on international students was recently 

released by HESA, and shows some encouraging signs for both UK 

Higher Education but especially for the University, with increasing 

volumes of international students coming to study at the University of 

Salford. The total number of international students in the UK (not 

including visiting or exchange students) increased by 3.7% since 

2006/07, with a 5.1% increase in EU students and a 3% increase in 

students from outside the EU. Impressively, the University’s growth in 

the same period was 28.3% for EU students, and 28.1% for non-EU 

students, with the total number of international students also 

increasing by 28.1%. This increase also led to a 0.2% increase in 

market share, with 0.9% of students studying in the UK now at the 

University of Salford. 

The number of international students in the UK grew in all of the main 

study levels, with PGR increasing by 4.7%, PGT by 2.4% and UG by 

4.3%. The University also recorded strong increases, but especially in 

the PGT category which increased by 35.9%! The number of PGR 

students increased by 26.8%, with a 20.2% increase in UG students. 

The biggest growth in international students in the UK (from countries 

with more than 500 students in the UK) came from Bulgaria (84.5%), 

Iraq (77.3%), Romania (69.6%) and Oman (41.5%), with many 

countries which have acceded to the EU in the past 5 years (such 

as Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland) also showing strong growth. 

The University of Salford mirrors this to a certain degree, with the 

biggest increases coming in students from Bulgaria (300.0%), Vietnam 

(300.0%), and Brunei (100.0%), but also from some of the target 

countries to which the international office dedicates special resource, 

such as Pakistan (93.8% increase), UAE (85.7% increase), India (85.2%) 

and Nigeria (61.5%). 

See the table below for more statistical information 

As we now approach the end of the first year of this project, which has 

primarily focused on information sharing, the project team are eager, in 

year two, not only to share the information and the lessons learnt, but 

also to develop the Chinese cultural understanding of more staff across 

the University. Results from this project will equip staff across the 

institution with the confidence to better respond to the needs of 

Chinese students, and those students who undertake mobility or 

placements in China. These findings will inform staff how to engage 

with employers in China, or who are perhaps Chinese but based in the 

UK. Work is also planned with partners to establish long-term 

collaborative initiatives such as joint curricula and joint delivery (initially 

in the areas of business and management and art and design), virtual 

student forums and joint research. 

For more information on the project please contact Project Manager 

Xiang Li at: X.li2@pgr.salford.ac.uk 

UK top growth countries 

(500+ students) 

Bulgaria (+84.5%) 

Iraq (+77.3%) 

Romania (+69.6%) 

Oman (+41.5%) 

Kazakhstan (+40.0%) 

Lithuania (+33.7%) 

Latvia (+31.8%) 

Poland (+28.7%) 

University of Salford top growth 

countries (20+ students) 

Bulgaria (+300.0%) 

Vietnam (+300.0%) 

Brunei (+100.0%) 

Pakistan (+93.8%) 

UAE (+85.7%) 

India (+85.2%) 

Malaysia (+81.8%) 

Turkey (+66.7%) 

39


GETTING TO 

KNOW OUR 

STUDENTS 

The University of Salford International Relations team has 

recently hosted two events for our current cohort of 

international students. Focusing on our Bulgarian students 

for the first of these events the team held a social evening 

with a dinner and drinks and Bulgarian music in order to 

allow these students to meet each other and key staff 

members to help make them feel welcome at the University 

as well as introducing them to some of our services such as 

Careers, Erasmus and student support. 

The event was a great success with almost 80% of Bulgarian students 

in attendance along with many key members of staff. This event was 

followed by a similar evening for Turkish Students and was met with 

equal if not greater success. With a similar attendance the students 

were keen to meet others from their own country as well as having the 

chance to discuss issues with staff in a relaxed and sociable 

environment. It’s a great way for University staff to find out a bit more 

about how our current students came to choose Salford and how their 

experiences are living up to their expectations, for example, Sadettin 

Sezer a mature student from Turkey, had originally met with one of our 

representatives in Ankara. On being told he needed to improve his 

English prior to applying, Mr. Sezer embarked upon a trip to the US to 

raise his level of English. He later applied for an MSc Construction 

Management which he is now studying. He told us that he was 

enjoying his time at Salford so much that he is now looking for a way 

to stay here and complete a Phd! 

Over the coming months the International Relations team plans to host 

similar evenings for other large student groups – including a coffee and 

cake event for our Cypriot cohort! See the next edition for an update 

on their success. 

MORE ENTRY POINTS, 

MORE FLEXIBILITY, 

MORE INTERNATIONAL 

STUDENTS… 

A record 450 international students joined the University in 

January and February 2009 from countries including Bolivia, 

China, Cyprus, Egypt, Ghana, India, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, 

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tanzania and Turkey. 

The School of the Built Environment introduced a second intake for its 

MSc programmes in February 2009, following the success of Salford 

Business School’s intake points in January 2008. Brian Meichen, Director 

of Marketing & Business Development in the School of Built 

Environment commented, “The school has been delighted with the 

significant take-up of a second entry point for its suite of MSc 

programmes in 2009. The interest in these opportunities, particularly 

from the Indian sub-continent as well as the UK, has surpassed our 

expectations. It significantly strengthens the viability of many 

programmes as well as enriching our school through the infusion of an 

ever wider group of students.” 

Recruitment to the School of Languages’ International Foundation Year 

and English Study Programmes was impressive and will provide a 

strong cross-university base of recruitment for undergraduate and 

postgraduate programmes in September 2009. Steve Roden, Associate 

Head (Marketing & Recruitment) within the International Relations 

40


SALFORD TAKES ON 

THE UNIVERSITIES OF 

THE WORLD! 

Team commented “It is very pleasing to see such an impressive 

recruitment cycle across an increased range of programmes. We are 

seeing a definite shift in new programme approvals within the 

University where multiple start points are available to students, 

particularly at postgraduate taught and research levels. This increase 

in flexibility is vitally important in terms of international 

recruitment as it allows students who complete their education towards 

the end of a calendar year to join the University immediately without 

having to wait 9 months to join a traditional September start point”. 

In keeping with our Internationalisation strategy, the 

University has recently completed its entry to be 

considered for entry in the QS World University 

rankings. The rankings measure an institute’s level of 

international staff and international students along with its 

delivery of an internationalised programme and how it ranks 

against competitor institutes. 

The University of Salford compares favourably to other UK universities 

listed in the QS World University Rankings, appearing at number 61 in 

the league table published in the Times Higher Education above both 

Bradford and Brunel (both ranked number 62), while in Research 

Fortnight’s widely respected ‘Research Power’ rankings (which considers 

volume of research as well as quality) Salford appears at number 48, 

ahead of Aberystwyth (number 51), Bangor (number 56), Bradford 

(number 61) and Aston (number 64). 

Salford’s research strength in a broad range of subject areas was also 

demonstrated, with more research staff submitted from Salford than 

from the Universities of Essex, Aberystwyth, Bradford, Bangor and 

Aston as well as Heriot-Watt University, and in more categories than the 

Universities of Bradford, Essex, and Aston. The University’s teaching is 

also highly rated by external examiners and professional bodies as well 

its own students. In February 2008, a Quality Assurance Agency 

Institutional Audit praised the University’s action to ensure continued 

robust quality assurance procedures, and placed confidence in the 

management of academic standards at the University. Being considered 

on the merits of our teaching along with the proportions and ratios of 

international students, international staff and international curriculum 

we are hopeful that we shall be successful in our bid. 

41


FORTHCOMING EVENTS 

5th May 2009 – Health Economics and Decision Science, University of 

Sheffield, Impact of structural assumptions within breast cancer 

natural history models on estimates of the benefits of screening, 

CORAS Seminar Series. For information contact Dr. Aris Syntetos at: 

a.syntetos@salford.ac.uk 

5th May 2009 – Royal College of Nursing Debate, Assisted suicide: 

what do you think, University of Salford, Kingston University and 

Manchester Metropolitan University. For information or to book 

attendance contact Janelle Yorke at: j.yorke@salford.ac.uk 

7th May, 2009 – Katherine Preston, College of William & Mary, Confronting 

the Stereotypes, Confounding Cultural Hierarchy: An Unexplored Web 

of American Musial Life 1876-1880. Adelphi Research Seminar. For more 

information contact: adelphiri-amss@salford.ac.uk 

7th - 8th May 2009 - University of Salford, Salford Prostgraduate Annual 

Research Conference (SPARC), Faraday House, University of Salford. 

For information contact Linda Kelly at: l.m.kelly@salford.ac.uk 

12th May 2009 – Professor Peter Diggle , Lancaster University, 

Statistical Modelling for Real-Time Epidemiology, CORAS Seminar Series. 

For information contact Dr. Aris Syntetos at: a.syntetos@salford.ac.uk 

12th May 2009 – The Chancellor’s Lecture, given by Professor Sir Peter Hall, 

Professor of Planning and Regeneration at the Bartlett School of Architecture 

and Planning, UCL, The Geography of Recession: Glimmers of Hope. 

For more information contact: j.m.holmes@salford.ac.uk 

14th May 2009 – 3rd North West Biomechanics Research Day, hosted by 

Manchester Metropolitan, University, Liverpool John Moores University, 

University of Liverpool, University of Manchester and University of Salford, 

Smith Building Lecture Theatre and Foyer. For more information contact: 

M.J.Major@pgr.salford.ac.uk 

19th May, 2009 – Dr. Luc Muyldermans, Nottingham University Business 

School, The benefits of co-distribution: experiments with a local search 

heuristic for the multi-compartment vehicle routing problem, 

CORAS Seminar Series. For information contact: Dr. Aris Syntetos at: 


27th May, 2009 – Professor Sue White, Professor of Social Work, Lancaster 

University, Professional Sense-Making in Health and Social Care, Institute 

for Health & Social Care Research Seminar Series. For information contact: 

d.delargy@salford.ac.uk or call 0161 295 7006 

28th – 29th May, 2009 - PMRC Conference – Sound Property 

Investigating the Legal Status of Sound Recordings an Interdisciplinary 

Conference on Music & Copyright. For information contact: 

d.sanjek@salford.ac.uk 

3rd June, 2009, 2 p.m - Peter Baloh, Faculty of Economics, University of 

Llublijana, Rigor vs. relevance of academic research: an example of 

Knowledge Management Systems design research, Maxwell Building 

Room 516. For information contact: n.audren@salford.ac.uk 

4th – 5th June, 2009 - Professor Ben Light, University of Salford, 

The second Digital Cultures Workshop. For information contact: 

n.audren@salford.ac.uk 

4th – 5th June, 2009 – International Comedy Conference 2009, 

The School of Media, Music and Performance & the Adelphi Research 

Institute present the 3rd Annual International Comedy Conference. 

For more information contact: c.lee@salford.ac.uk or 

a.willis@salford.ac.uk 

9th June, 2009 – Dr. Mario Cortina-Borja Centre for Paediatric Epidemiology 

and Biostatistics, Institute of Child Health, University College London, Suicide 

rate in England and Wales after the London bombings on 7th July 

2005, CORAS Seminar Series. For information contact Dr. Aris Syntetos at: 


17th June, 2009 – Professor Nichola Rumsey, Co-Director, Centre for 

Appearance Research UWE, Bristol, Appearance Matters: The trials and 

tribulations of Appearance Research/Psychology of whole face 

transplantation, Institute for Health & Social Care Research Seminar Series. 

For information contact: d.delargy@salford.ac.uk or call 0161 295 7006 

17th June, 2009 – Julie Adshead, ScoLR and Tim Andrew, Solicitor, Burton 

Copeland, Environmental Crime and the Role of the Magistrates’ 

Courts, Salford Centre of Legal Research Seminar Series. For information 

contact: j.d.adshead@salford.ac.uk or call 0161 295 4369 

23rd June, 2009 – PhD Futures – a one day careers event for PhD 

research students, Lady Hale Building. For more information contact: 

f.christie@salford.ac.uk 

26th June, 2009 – A full day event on Media and the Downturn, 

Adelphi House, University of Salford. For more information contact: 

G.palmer@Salford.ac.uk or adelphiri-amss@salford.ac.uk 

15th July, 2009 – Dr. Roberto De Vogli, Department of Public Health, 

University College, London, Globalisation and Health: Evidence 

and Prospects, Institute for Health & Social Care Research Seminar 

Series. For information contact: d.delargy@salford.ac.uk or call 

0161 295 7006 

3rd – 4th September, 2009 – The British International History Group 

Conference. Keynote addresses from Professor John Keiger, University of 

Salford and Professor Keith Neilson of the Royal Military College, Canada. 

For more information contact Professor Glyn Stone 

at: Glyn.Stone@uwe.ac.uk 

8th – 9th September, 2009 – ISCPR and the Centre for Literary Studies, 

On the Page: Seeing, Reading, Interpreting. Conference, University of 

Salford. Enquiries to: g.white@salford.ac.uk or 

s.barton@pgr.salford.ac.uk 

42

RESEARCH AND GRADUATE COLLEGE 

CONTACT DETAILS 

Professor Ghassan Aouad, 

Pro Vice Chancellor Research & Innovation 

Senior Leadership Team, First Floor, 

The Old Fire Station, The Crescent 

g.aouad@salford.ac.uk 

0161 295 5382 

Professor Sue Kilcoyne, ADR 

Faculty of Science, Engineering and 

Environments 

s.h.kilcoyne@Salford.ac.uk 

0161 295 2865 

Professor Martin Bull, ADR 

Faculty of Arts, Media and Social Sciences, 

m.j.bull@salford.ac.uk 

0161 295 9002 

Professor Les Ruddock, ADR 

Faculty of Business, Law and the Built 

Environment 

l.ruddock@salford.ac.uk 

0161 295 4208 

Professor Tony Warne, ADR 

Faculty of Health & Social Care, 

Allerton Building 

a.r.warne@salford.ac.uk 

0161 295 2777 

Professor Brian Dangerfield, RID 

Management and Management Sciences 

Research Institute, Room 600, Maxwell 

Building 

b.c.dangerfield@salford.ac.uk 

0161 295 5315 

Professor George McKay, RID 

Adelphi Research Institute, 

Adelphi House, The Crescent 

g.a.mckay@salford.ac.uk 

0161 295 2694 

Professor Geoff Hide, RID 

Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Room 

G53, Peel Building 

g.hide@salford.ac.uk 

0161 295 3371 

Professor Mustafa Alshawi, RID 

Research Institute for the Built Environment, 

Maxwell Building 

m.a.alshawi@salford.ac.uk 

0161 295 5128 

Professor John Keiger, RID 

European Studies Research Institute, 

Humphrey Booth House. 

j.f.v.keiger@salford.ac.uk 

0161 295 5614 

Professor Greg Smith, RID 

Institute for Social Cultural and Policy 

Research, Humphrey Booth House. 

g.w.h.smith@salford.ac.uk 

0161 295 2819 

Professor Sunil Vadera, RID 


s.vadera@salford.ac.uk 

0161 295 3622 

Professor Jocelyn Evans, Director 

of Graduate Studies 

Research & Graduate College, Ground Floor, 

Faraday House, The Crescent. 

j.a.evans1@salford.ac.uk 

0161 295 7072 

Mr. Mike Hession, Assistant Registrar 

Research & Graduate College, Ground Floor 


m.hession@salford.ac.uk 

0161 295 4616 

Dr. Matt Boswell, Administrative Officer 



m.j.boswell@salford.ac.uk 

0161 295 4301 

Mrs. Anna Higson, Executive/Projects Officer 

Mrs. Gillian Southwell, PA to PVC Research 

& Innovation 

Mrs. Sandra Wadeson, Administrator 

Mrs. Linda Kelly, PA to Director of Graduate 

Studies 

ADR=Associate Dean Research 

For more information contact: 

Research & Graduate College, 

University of Salford, 

Faraday House, Salford, 

Greater Manchester, M5 4WT 

T +44 (0)161 295 4616/4301 

W www.rgc.salford.ac.uk 

First Floor, The Old Fire Station, The Crescent. 

First Floor, The Old Fire Station, The Crescent. 





RID= Research Institute Director 

a.higson@salford.ac.uk 

0161 295 3176 

g.l.southwell@salford.ac.uk 

0161 295 5382 

s.wadeson@salford.ac.uk 

0161 295 3671 

l.m.kelly@salford.ac.uk 

0161 295 3841 

Editor: Anna Higson 

the design & print group, university of salford T: 0161 295 2639 27686/09

RISE May-June 2009 - University of Salford

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?