November 2011 - University of Worcester

NEWSUniversity to host World Congress of PerformanceAnalysis of Sport IX ahead of 2012 OlympicsA prestigious international sports conference will be taking place at the University of Worcester next year ahead of theLondon Olympics.The ninth World Congress of PerformanceAnalysis of Sport will feature world leadingkeynote speakers from the world ofperformance analysis.It takes place from July 25-28, immediatelypreceding the 2012 Olympic Games inLondon.University of Worcester’s Professor of Sport,Health & Exercise Science, Derek Peters, whois the Congress Local Organising CommitteeChair, said: “There will be more than 120 oralpresentations of original world class researchand six hours of formal poster presentationsessions to disseminate learning from cuttingedge science and research covering all aspectsof the analysis of sport and performance.“We are delighted to be hosting thisprestigious Congress at the University ofWorcester just before the Olympics, whenmany of our delegates will then get the chanceto stay on in Worcester as a base from whereto commute to see the world’s top athletescompeting.“We hope that Worcester will be the largestCreative writing helps children toengage, according to researchCharles Dickens opens his novel HardTimes with headteacher Mr Gradgrinddemanding facts not fancy from his pupils.But it is the ‘fancy’ that allows children toengage more in the classroom, according toresearch at the University of Worcester.Dr Robyn Cox and Julie MacLusky visitedschools that were trying out some of thecreative writing exercises from their newbook, Teaching Creative Writing in thePrimary School: Delight, Entice, Inspire.They found that the exercises enabledschoolchildren to feel that they had morefreedom in their writing and that this ledto greater engagement and concentration.The researchers noted that at times pupilsdemonstrated a rarely achieved 100%engagement in the writing lesson.Julie MacLusky, Senior Lecturer in Creativeand Professional Writing and Course Leaderin English Language at the University, said:“It was shocking to hear some 11-year-oldssaying they had never written a story before.“The National Literacy Strategy,together with a largely outcomes-basedcurriculum model in UK primary schools,has resulted in some schools teachingwriting lessons which are mechanistic.“The exercises in the book allow them to bemuch more creative and free. With a focuson meaning and story structure rather thangrammatical elements like conjunctives orconnectives, children are able to engagethe reader through emotional responses.”The book aims to support and developwriting skills in primary schools bygiving teachers ideas to inject creativityin their lessons whilst motivatingtheir pupils to be more creative.“The future of the country is in creativeindustries and it’s something that has beenneglected by past governments,” JulieMacLusky said. “However, we think we havethe solution. We believe our exercises willCongress to date and that it will provide avibrant, innovative and world class scientificprogramme.”For more information about the Congressvisit the website www.worcester.ac.uk/wcpas9 or follow updates on Twitter at @wcpas9.Sponsors (local, regional and national) arecurrently being sought for the Congress.Anyone interested should contactProfessor Peters at d.peters@worc.ac.ukenable teachersto both bringcreativity backinto the writingclassroomand engagethose hard toreach pupils.”The bookalso featureswritingexercisesandtemplates that can be used by studentsto progress and develop their ownskills and offers tips on how to writecharacters and plots, and how to conductresearch for fiction successfully.The book, published by the OpenUniversity, is now available.8 / NOVEMBER 2011 / newsandviews@worc.ac.uk

Insight into life behind a lab coatPupils from a Redditch school spent the day making DNA smoothiesand carrying out DNA tests as part of a biology discover day at theUniversity of Worcester.The University’s Institute of Science &the Environment hosted the event to giveschoolchildren an insight into life behind a labcoat.Eleven students, from Trinity High School inRedditch, spent the day in the University’sDarwin lab with Dr Lee Byrne, Dr MikeWheeler and Mark Cook.The students were given an overview by DrByrne of what it is like to study Biology atWorcester, the kinds of research that membersof staff were involved in and crucially the kindof jobs that a degree in Biology might enablethem to consider in the future.The students then had an intensive practicalsession including making an ‘alcoholicbanana DNA smoothie’; making an agarosegel and running DNA to figure out a forensic‘whodunnit’ and identifying human whiteblood cells by microscopy.Dr Byrne said: “The session was a great success.The students were really eager and enthusiasticand it was a great pleasure to spend half a daywith them. The feedback from Trinity High wasexcellent.”Trinity High teacher, CarneaWoods, said that the studentshad a “fantastic day” and Head ofSixth Form, Jeremy Petit, said heknew “that next term, when in year13, many of these students will putUniversity of Worcester down asone of their choices.”Dr Byrne added: “It was a greatday and we hope to put on manymore ‘Discover Biology at Worcester’ sessions.Many thanks also to Biology undergraduateDragana Catici, Dr Karen Blackmore from theInstitute of Education, and Mike’s lab assistant,Susan Harding, for their help and showing suchgreat enthusiasm with the students.”Any schools interested in taking partin Discovery Days at the University ofWorcester should contact the Schools andColleges Liaison Service atd.crawford@worc.ac.uk or call 01905 855393.Chapter explores changing nature of librariesJudith Elkin, Professor Emeritus ofChildren’s Literature, has writtenabout the changing nature of librariesand the impact on children.In a chapter published in Libraries andSociety: Role Responsibility and Futurein an Age of Change, Professor Elkin,a recognised authority on librariesfor children and young people, looksat how ‘libraries might cater for themany and varied needs of the child.’Professor Elkin, places libraries at the heart of education,explaining that they play a vital role in developing earlyliteracy and allowing children to develop in a friendlyenvironment, ‘regardless of age, gender, race, wealth,physical or intellectual ability or geographical location.’The question facing libraries now is how they will continue toprovide a valuable service, whilst responding to a rapidly changingworld in which the future of the written word is becominglyincreasingly uncertain. But as Professor Elkin asserts, librariesare responding well, expanding their services to incorporatemultimedia, audiovisual and computer technology.DiscoverydaysNEWSDramaDiscover, engage, inspireDiscoverydaysBiologyimaginative model for library users. Indeed, no-one could havefailed to notice the shiny new ‘super’ library that is currently underconstruction. Due to open in July 2012, the building is Europe’sfirst fully integrated public and university library, housing a quarterof a million books, journals, DVDs and music collections.Professor Elkin regards Worcester’s new library as a ‘symbol ofshared learning, culture and information that contributes uniquelyto the regeneration of Worcester.’ She dismisses the idea thatthe new library could be considered elitist given its focus on‘accessibility, transparency, flexibility, community, regenerationand partnership’. Younger users in particular will benefit fromthe expertise of specialist librarians as well as activities that aimto develop reader’s abilities. Children will also have differentspaces for both quiet work and noisier, creative activities.Discover, engage, inspireProfessor Elkin cites the soon-to-be-unveiled Worcester Libraryand History Centre, known as The Hive, as an innovative andImpression of how children will use The Hivenewsandviews@worc.ac.uk / NOVEMBER 2011 / 9

NEWSUniversity of Worcester ResearchCollections invite you to attendThe Catalogue of Dreams:KAYS’ MAIL ORDER CATALOGUES & THEDEVELOPMENT OF C20TH ASPIRATIONAL LIVINGDATE: Tuesday 15 November 2011 TIME: 9.30am-4.30pmVENUE: Charles Hastings building, CityCampus, University of WorcesterAttendance is FREE. Lunch will be provided.Howard at the helmNew face at the McClelland CentreEstablished in 1890, Kay & CoLtd of Worcester became one ofthe largest mail-order companiesof the 20th Century, sellingeverything from clothes tocarpets, cheerful homewares tolive chickens.Offering interest-free cash credit,Kay & Co Ltd made both fashionableand functional living available toconsumers outside the metropolis.This day-long conference exploreshow the imagery and text of the Kayscatalogues, 1920-2000, offer a prismthrough which to view the developingtropes of aspirational living and bodyimage presented to consumers duringthe 20th Century.Now deposited in the Universityof Worcester Research Collections,over 1500 images from thecatalogues have been digitisedas part of a JISC-funded project:www.worldofkays.orgSPEAKERS INCLUDE:Clare Weston, Curator of Domestic& Cultural Life, Black Country LivingMuseum‘Stepping out of the Page: UsingKay’s Catalogues to re-createa 3-D historical setting’From the University of Worcester:Dr Maggie Andrews,Associate Head, Instituteof Humanities & CreativeArts ‘Shopping for Identity:Fantasies of Domesticity inpost-war Kay’s Catalogues’Kate Flynn, Graduate ResearchStudent, International Forum forResearch in Children’s Literature‘Playing Paper People: Cataloguesand the Imagination in JacquelineWilson’s Waiting for the Sky to Fall(1983) and Eileen Fairweather’sFrench Letters (1987)’Dr Barbara Mitra, Senior Lecturer inMedia & Cultural Studies, andDr Mehreen Mirza, Senior Lecturer inSociology‘Gendered images, genderedideology. An exploration of gender inthe images of Kays Cataloguefrom 1920-1990’Howard Skerryfull time manager has been appointed atA the University of Worcester’s McClellandCentre for Health and Wellbeing.Howard Skerry was previously Head of BusinessDevelopment at the University and has beenasked to take on the new role of manager of theCentre in order to provide a commercial focus.Situated in the newly restored formerWorcester Royal Infirmary building, theMcClelland Centre offers a host of personalhealth and wellbeing services to students,staff and members of the public.It also provides an environment where studentsstudying for professional qualifications canget the hands-on practice and experiencethat they need to develop their skills.There are a number of student-run clinicsprovided by Sports Therapy, Nutritional Therapyand Counselling students, as well as cardiacrehab classes running for patients who havesuffered heart attacks, and an Alzheimer’sSociety session offering support to families.Funded by JISC e-content programme 2011Jenni Waugh, World of Kays ProjectManager, Research Collections‘Linking catalogues and communities:putting the World of Kays online’Further details and booking forms areavailable from www.worldofkays.org/website/conferencePlease note that availability is limited.If you do book a place and are thenunable to attend, please let us know.Delegates who book a place and thendo not attend shall be charged £50.© all images belong toKays Heritage GroupHoward said: “I have two main challenges.The first is to enable the McClelland Centre torealise its full potential, by providing a uniquecombination of services to students, staff, externalorganisations, as well as the general public.“The second is a more personal challenge;to develop my own personal fitness.”The McClelland Centre offers Health MOTs tohelp people find out their areas of strength andwhich areas they need to work on, in order tomaintain and build their health and wellbeing.To find out more about services at theMcClelland Centre visit the websitewww.worcester.ac.uk, email wellbeing@worc.ac.uk or call 01905 54200110 / NOVEMBER 2011 / newsandviews@worc.ac.uk

NEWSSTEM support for schoolsto continue after Universitysecures new contractSchools across Herefordshire and Worcestershirewill benefit from another four years of Science,Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) support.OpenEventsThe final two Open Events of 2011are taking place in November.They take place on:The University of Worcester has held the STEMNET contractfor the past three years, providing free help and encouragementfor schools, including access to STEM Ambassadors.During that time it has helped six teams to reach the finals of thenational STEM Challenge competition, including Blessed EdwardOldcorne Catholic College in Worcester, which recently won Challenge 6.The University’s STEMNET contract has been renewedfor another four years, further cementing the University’scommitment to helping schools succeed in this area.The STEM subjects are at the centre of the University’s currentprogramme development with many innovative opportunities nowavailable for people looking to train as teachers in STEM-basedsubjects, to improve the depth of their subject knowledge as currentteachers or to promote the STEM subjects and careers in STEM withchildren and young people in schools as STEM Ambassadors.Vacancies are currently available for flexible Physics, Maths andDesign & Technology PGCEs, starting in January. In addition, anew subject knowledge enhancement pilot programme forserving teachers and returning teachers looking to teach Physics,Chemistry or Maths is currently actively recruiting. There are nofees payable for these subject knowledge enhancement courses.STEMNET works primarily with schools and colleges, helpingyoung people and their teachers access a range of STEMEnhancement & Enrichment (E&E) opportunities includingSTEM Clubs and links with STEM Ambassadors.“The emphasis of STEMNET’s work is on helping schools communicateto young people the importance of the STEM subjects for theirfuture lives, whether that is in a STEM related career, or just assavvy consumers of services and commodities,” said Linda Scott,STEM Support Manager at the University of Worcester.“As the STEMNET Support Centre for Herefordshire and Worcestershirewe provide teachers with free assistance in identifying whatSTEM activities can most benefit them and their students.”“We are always looking for more people to join the STEM Ambassadorprogramme,” Linda added. “The minimum requirement is one contact witha school in a year, which fits well into companies’ corporate responsibilityportfolios or can be linked to existing community commitmentssuch as offering work experience placements to local schools.”Wednesday 16 Nov, 1-5pmSunday 20 Nov, 10am-3pmFor further details call the Events Team on01905 542276Thank you for supporting Open Events.SummonFrom 1 November,Library users areable to search acrossapproximately 97%of library resourcesin one search, using…SummonUsing the latestharvesting andsearch technology,Summon provides a single search for 97% of the library’sresources, delivering a Google-style experience which ranksthe results in order of relevance and availability. Summon is anextremely powerful tool which will bring all of our resources directto your desktop, from books and journal articles, to podcasts,conference proceedings, newspaper articles and much more.Try it here:http://summon.worc.ac.uk/Or for further information:http://www.worcester.ac.uk/ils/summon.htmOr emailaskalibrarian@worc.ac.uknewsandviews@worc.ac.uk / NOVEMBER 2011 / 11

NEWSMike Parker60 th Lovatt Lecturein GeographyWorcestershire: an England inminiature?by Mike ParkerThursday 24 November 6pm Urwin Lecture TheatreMike is the author of The bestselling Map Addict, described by TheDaily Telegraph as an “excellent book on the pleasures of maps andnavigation … a withering attack on the infantilisation of the satnavage”. His follow-up book, The Wild Rover, is a passionate celebrationof our rights of way network, and an examination of its chequeredhistory. Veteran author Jan Morris describes it as “a wonderfullyexhilarating literary excursion on and off a hundred beaten tracks”. Mikegrew up in Kidderminster but has written and presented numerous TVprogrammes on his adopted home territory of Wales including thephenomenally popular Great Welsh Roads. He also wrote the cultbook Neighbours From Hell?, a passionate polemic about the historyof English attitudes to their nearest neighbours. He has written and cowrittenten guide books, including five editions of the Rough Guide toWales, and he occasionally performs as an actor and stand-up comedian.Journalism studentsinterview leaderDuck-houses,Disraeli andthe conservationof biodiversitywere among thediscussion topicscovered during auniversity visit byWorcestershireCounty CouncilLeader AdrianHardman.Cllr Adrian HardmanCouncillor Hardman fielded questions from Universityof Worcester Journalism students about his civic roleand social policies for a profile-writing assignmenton a second year Reporting Politics module.The session gave students the chance to find outhow the Council will deliver proposals to makeregional savings of £69m over four years in the faceof the Government’s public spending squeeze.Having represented Bredon since March 2001, CouncillorHardman said being involved in local politics was aboutcommunity support. “County councils have come toserve communities not political parties,” he added.Media lecturer Christine Challand said the visit had been avaluable research and interview experience for the class.“Interviewing a seasoned politician can prove daunting foreven the most experienced reporter,” she said. “But thestudents did their homework in typical Paxman style andkept the questions coming. They covered everything fromMPs expenses to the eviction of travellers from Dale Farm.”Pavement pounding: pounds raisingSome 20 plus runners and walkers fromthe University of Worcester and WorcesterSnoezelen took to the streets of Birminghamon Sunday 23 October to take part in theBUPA Great Birmingham half marathon.Each member of team ‘Uni-Snoezer’ covered the 13.1miles raising vital funds for the Snoezelen Centre - theUniversity of Worcester’s Charity of the Year.For many members this was their first half marathon and the furthestdistance ever covered in a pair of trainers. The race may well havebeen won by Olympic gold medallist and former marathon worldrecord holder, Haille Gebresaillse, but this didn’t stop many membersrunning their own personal victories. It’s fair to say that every oneinvolved found the last two miles incredibly tough, with no one realisingBirmingham was such a hilly city! So far £4,200 has been raised. Whenthe half marathon was first mentioned some six months ago, it washoped a target of £1,000 could be reached. Having smashed the originalSome members of the Uni-Snoezers running teamtargetthe teamare now hoping the half marathon effort will raise £4,500. It costs£50,000 a year to keep Worcester Snoezelen open. For anyonestill wishing to donate visit: www.justgiving.com/uni-snoezers12 / NOVEMBER 2011 / newsandviews@worc.ac.uk

NEWSResearchSeminar ProgrammeAll staff and students are welcome to attendDate Time Presenter* Title Venue Institute8 Nov 1.15pm Philip KiberdTrekbokke! Conservation of theheritage of the jumping goat of theCape of Good Hope - a Karoo taleEE 1026ISE9 Nov 12.15pm Klaus OestreicherAssessment of innovation: thegeometries of strategyCH 1003WBS11 Nov 5pm Dr Mikel KovenThe vampire as fairy, True Blood asfairy-taleWB 137IHCA23 Nov 12.15pm Dr Julie BowerJoint ventures, working withcompetitors and circumventingmerger policy: how UK spirits wentglobalCH 1003WBS23 Nov 6.15pmDavid Allen (DavidAllen ConsultingLimited)Resistance to cultural change(inter-professional context inchildren’s services)BY 1151IoE24 Nov 6pmMike Parker (writer andbroadcaster)The 60th Lovatt Lecture inGeography:Worcestershire: an England inminiature?EE G087ISE28 Nov 12.30pm30 Nov 5pm6 Dec 1.15pm7 Dec9am –1pmAlyson Bessell(University ofPlymouth)Dr Alysa Levine(Oxford BrookesUniversity) & Prof. JeanWebbDr Darren Smith(LoughboroughUniversity)8 Dec 1.15pm Dr John DuttonSupporting those with visibledifferences: Face IT an onlinepsychosocial interventionEE 1102IHSHealth and children’s literature WB 137 IHCAThe diverse geographies ofstudentification: segregation orsocial-mixing?ISES Staff: Student ResearchSummitAn evaluation of Cotswold drystone walls as a small mammalhabitatEE 1026EE 1061EE 1026ISEISESISE* University of Worcester, unless otherwise statedIHS = Institute of Health & SocietyISE = Institute of Science & the EnvironmentISES = Institute of Sport & Exercise ScienceIHCA = Institute of Humanities & Creative ArtsIoE = Institute of EducationWBS = Business Schoolnewsandviews@worc.ac.uk / NOVEMBER 2011 / 13

NEWSTalented illustrator making waves inthe world of children’s booksA talented student at the University of Worcester is making a name forherself in the world of illustration.work illustrating Robert Arley’s book BigBig Secret, for Worcester-based publisher,SevernPix.Just a year after being commissioned toillustrate her first book, Marisa Lewis hasnow had her work published in a secondbook and also in promotional material foran operatic show.The 21-year-old, who studied for a BA inIllustration at the University of Worcesterand is now studying for her Masters inCreative Digital Media, was commissionedto illustrate The Leopard Boy, writtenby Julia Johnson, and published byFrances Lincoln Publishers. She is alsothe illustrator of advertising posters andleaflets for Worcester Gilbert & SullivanOperatic Society’s show, Princess Ida.The commissions came following Marisa’sNairobi visitThe University’s ongoing relationshipwith nurses in Nairobi is going fromstrength to strength.Until starting at the University ofWorcester, Marisa, of Warndon Villages,Worcester, did not realise that her love ofdrawing and illustration could turn into acareer.“I dabbled in illustration at home, but didn’tever think I could do it professionally,” shesays. “However, I managed to use my creditsgained from doing web design courses withthe Open University to secure an interviewat the University of Worcester, and the restis history.”Thanks to her tutor Piet Grobler, SeniorLecturer and Course Leader in Illustrationat the University of Worcester, who put herin touch with his publishers, Marisa wasable to undertake the work as part of herfinal-year Independent Study, and hasn’tlooked back since.“It was great,” she said. “It took severalmonths to complete the work, starting withthe cover and working my way through theother illustrations. I tended to have morethan one illustration ‘on the go’ at the sametime. It was an excellent opportunity.”In 2010 two members of staff fromthe University’s Institute of Health& Society, Judith Davies and RuthPearce, visited Nairobi Hospital. Thepurpose of the visit was to sign a‘Memorandum of Understanding’ toexplore the development of Continuing Professional Development for qualified nurses inNairobi Hospital.Volunteers headto the hillslecturer at the University of Worcester isA helping to create an emotive survey ofMalvern, finding out how local people react toand think about the town centre and its facilities.Using award-winning new research methods,Andy Stevenson is helping Malvern Hills DistrictCouncil (MHDC) to map its new Route to the Hills.The Emotisurvey | Malvern project builds onprevious research projects undertaken by theUniversity of Worcester in central Worcesterwith the City Council’s Landscape Architectand Town Planning teams. As part of themethods used it kits volunteers out with thelatest digital video camera, sound recordingequipment and geographical positioningsystem (GPS) and then asks them to walk a setroute at the same time voicing their thoughtsabout the areas they are walking through.The research phase is being carried out overthe next few weeks with volunteers from arange of different groups including peoplewith disabilities, young people and walkers.Andy Stevenson, Senior Lecturer in Design at theUniversity of Worcester, will then help to analysethe findings and present an online interactiveresource to the Route to the Hills Board. Thefindings will be used to help the project to addresslocal issues and improve the public realm.He said: “It’s been great meeting all the differentpeople involved and there’s already been somefascinating comments made about Malvern, itshistory, architecture, public realm and accessibilityfor visitors and residents with disabilities.”MHDC is one of six partner organisations onthe Route to the Hills. The others are MalvernCivic Society, Malvern Town Council, HighStreet Malvern, Great Malvern Priory ParochialChurch Council and Malvern Hills Conservators.To find out more about the Emotisurvey visit theRoute to the Hills page on the council’s web pagewww.malvernhills.gov.uk/routetothehillsIn June this year, 8 qualified nurses visited University of Worcester, Worcestershire AcuteNHS Trust and Herefordshire Acute NHS Trust to explore nursing practice.Following the report from that visit Rose Omutanyi, Principal of the Cicely McDonnellSchool of Nursing at Nairobi Hospital, and Janet Mathiu, Director of Nursing NairobiHospital, visited the University of Worcester in October to identify educational andresearch opportunities and to develop an action plan for future development, includingboth staff and student exchanges.Speaking about the partnership, Valerie Gorton from the Institute of Health & Societysaid: “We see a bright future ahead for developments with Kenya at this time and in thefuture.”14 / NOVEMBER 2011 / newsandviews@worc.ac.uk

NEWSOctober spooktacular!The University CommunityDevelopment Workers(UCDW) team recentlywelcomed three new members,Emily Gumbrell, John Monksand Jeannie Warmington, whojoin the existing UCDW SiobhanPerry. The UCDWs are hereprimarily to foster a communityspirit within the student bodyand to help students settle in and adapt to university life.We run campaigns and events throughout the yearto highlight issues relevant to students, for instancesexual health, personal safety and bullying. We displayinformation for students on posters and tabletopsthroughout the university; and also hand out leaflets sothat students can access the information at a later date.Halloween is often a major party for students and the UCDWswanted to offer some alternative events to inspire the morecreative students. We held a pumpkin carving competitionand received some brilliant entries. On the evening of the 27October, the UCDWs ran a Zombie Survival Night in conjunctionwith the Spotlight Theatre Group. The event was really wellreceived and over thirty students attended to battle againstthe zombie hoards. The UCDWs used the event to get to knowsome of the students who live in halls of residence on both theSt. John’s and City campuses. We also highlighted safety issuessuch as keeping yourself safe at night. The event encouragedstudents to work together in order to survive the night andwin the game and also gave them the chance to meet otherlike-minded people. It was a successful night with everybodygetting into the spirit of Halloween and enjoying the event.The UCDWs will continue to run similar events and holdcampaigns and awareness days throughout the year in orderto promote a community spirit and support throughoutthe university. We publish a newsletter ‘The WorcesterSource’ every month to publicise these events and to ensurestudents feel part of the wider university community. Ifyou would like to know more about the UCDW team andevents, please contact us at ucdw@worc.ac.uk or visit us inWoodbury 73. We can also be found on Facebook and Twitterand ‘The Worcester Source’ is published online at ISSUU.Mature studentnominated for nationalaward in recognitionof voluntary work withdeaf young peopleRosemary Morgan has been working as a volunteerwith Gloucestershire Deaf Association for the past 13years and now runs its fortnightly youth club. Shehas also been a trustee for more than 10 years.Rosemary, who iscurrently studyingfor her PrimaryPGCE (PostgraduateCertificate inEducation) with thehope of teachingdeaf children, isin the running forthe CommunitySpirit Award fromSignature, the national body for deaf and hearing impaired people.“I’m really humbled to be nominated for this award,” shesaid. “I love the work I do with Gloucestershire DeafAssociation. Working with young deaf people is a dreamand they are so magnificent to be around.”Rosemary, who lives in the Forest of Dean, began volunteeringafter learning to sign. “I come from a family that is heavilyinvolved in volunteering,” said the former civil servant. “I firstlearnt a bit of sign language when I was seven years old.“When I left school I wanted to teach blind children, but it wasn’treally an option due to lack of qualifications in those days. When Ibegan to get more into the sign language and the volunteering, Ibecame more passionate about working with deaf children.”For several years Rosemary has given one to one support toindividual deaf children at school, fighting tirelessly on their behalf.Rosemary was nominated for the award by the ChiefExecutive of Gloucestershire Deaf Association and will findout if she has been successful on Friday 18 November.Racing through a staff-student support tutorialFinal year Sport & Exercise Scienceundergraduate Marc Scriven and SeniorLecturer Dr Paul Castle submitted a lateentry to the ‘Mass Attack’ duathlon at theThruxton racing circuit in Hampshire. Theevent, which took place on Sunday 23October, attracted a highly competitivefield. Competitors entered either asindividuals or as relay teams, so Marc andPaul took the relay option. Still recoveringfrom injury, Marc covered the 5km lapin a time of 00:18.59. Paul’s chain cameoff whilst exiting transition for the 30kmcycle, but despite this, he was able to coverthe 8 laps in a time of 00:49.35, beforehanding over to Marc for the final 5km run.Marc’s second run time of 00:16.51 enabledthe duo to finish in 1:25.25, putting themin first place among the relay teams, byalmost 4 minutes on their closest rivalsand 6 minutes on third place rivals. BothMarc and Paul said it was a pleasure tocompete together, with the common bondfostered by the ethos that runs through theInstitute of Sport & Exercise Science at theUniversity of Worcester. They even manageda ‘productive’ tutorial on the warm-up laps!newsandviews@worc.ac.uk / NOVEMBER 2011 / 15

STAFF FEATUREThis month we chat to Dr Barbara Mitra, Senior Lecturer in Media & Cultural Studies, who mightseem an unlikely rock star.Rock on:Appearances can be deceiving.At 4’11 Barbara Mitra may bepetite, yet when given a drumkit, the beats she can playwould make anyone want tohead-bang along.Barbara used to be one-fifthof a punk band along withfour male members whowere often paid to playat gigs and support otherartists. Barbara only plays ather local church nowadaysand admits that the music islighter and less noisy.“It may surprise some people when they look at me,” she says.“I’ve had a drum kit since the age of 13 and I still have one now.When people see it, they immediately ask whose it is and lookstraight to my husband.”Throughout her time studying at the University of Hull,Barbara was a member of several bands and enjoyed playinganything from contemporary to jazz.She lived in India for seven months with her relatives whilstresearching her PhD.Barbara has been a Media & Cultural Studies lecturer for sixyears and enjoys how her outlook on life enables her to teach.“I like to challenge people’s opinions,” she says. “I like tounderstand why they think how they do.”Barbara’s philosophical side is also evident in her social life.She is an active member of the Café Philosophique groupwhich she attends every six weeks to discuss philosophicalissues and philosophers’ beliefs.Raised in a Hindu-Catholic environment, Barbara becamea Christian and married her husband, Matthew Jenkins, anatheist, in a registry office.“Many non-believers get married in church,” she says. “So I gotmarried in a registry office … wearing my green Doc Martens.”Barbara now lives with her husband and two young sons inWorcester, where she spends her time creatively from writingpoetry and playing the drums to making her own Christmascards.Barbara listens to a wide and varied range of music, one ofher favourite artists is David Bowie and her claim to fame wasbeing one of Radiohead’s first fans.“My friend and I were into them before they became famous,”says Barbara. “We sent Thom Yorke a letter and he replied; hesaid he never dreamt he would have fans.”Barbara’s talents do not end with her drum kit, however. She isalso an accomplished dancer with a Grade 5 in Ballet, a hobbyshe started over 10 years ago.“I suppose I’m quite driven,” she says. “Even though dancingis my hobby, I also like to study it. I want to know more, I likeintellectual stimulation.”To add to Barbara’s long list of hobbies, she also preaches ather local church and is a member of the Green Party.“We have electric solar panels on the roof and I try to cycle towork whenever I can,” Barbara says.Growing up in the East End of London, Barbara has noticedthat it’s had a major impact on her life and attitude.“I grew up surrounded by many different people,” she says.“Being half Irish and half Indian, I am used to different culturesand I like meeting different people. I was taught to be acceptingof people, whoever they are and wherever they come from.”Top photo: Barbara on her wedding dayBottom photo: Barbara with her bandWhat do you get up to when you leave the Campus? Email Sally Jones with your interesting stories at s.jones@worc.ac.uknewsandviews@worc.ac.uk / NOVEMBER 2011 / 16