Avenue

Avenue
The magazine for alumni and friends of the University of Glasgow
Issue 59 January 2016
Art
that
inspires
and the people who bring it to you
www.glasgow.ac.uk/avenue
PLUS: NEW STEVIE AND GUU EXTENSION WHERE DO MISSING PEOPLE GO? REUNIONS AND EVENTS

1
University gifts
WELCOME
Welcome to Avenue, our twice-yearly magazine for alumni and friends of the University.
Welcome to Avenue, our twice-yearly magazine for alumni and friends of the University.
Every day in the UK, 800 people are reported missing. You can read about the Geographies of
Missing People research project, which is improving the way police relate to missing persons
(page 14). We also celebrate the opening of the new sport and Glasgow University Union (GUU)
extension (page 8) with interviews from the current Glasgow University Sports Association
and GUU Presidents, and graduate Mark Beaumont. Our cover story focuses on inspiring art.
Curators from The Hunterian and two of our own graduates talk about the influential art they’ve
had the chance to work with (page 10).
I hope you enjoy reading these features along with the regular reunion, event and news updates.
Professor Anton Muscatelli
Principal and Vice-Chancellor
Connect with the University:
@GlasgowAlumni
#UofGAvenue
www.facebook.com/
OfficialUniversityofGlasgowAlumni
www.glasgow.ac.uk/alumni/linkedin
CONTENTS
www.glasgow.ac.uk/avenue
Editorial Strategy Committee:
Executive editor: Ailie Ferrari
Editor: Lynne Maclagan
Committee members: Cathy Bell, Lesley Richmond,
Emily Howie, John Marsh, Helen McAvoy.
How to contact Avenue
See the following contact details. All addresses are
University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ.
NEWS 2
Recent developments,
project updates and
research news at the
University.
EXTENDING
EXPERIENCE 8
University sport and
the GUU open their
impressive new
extension.
Alumni news:
Development & Alumni Office, 2 The Square
Tel: +44 (0)141 330 4951
Email: alumni@glasgow.ac.uk
Changes of address and obituaries:
Development & Alumni Office, 2 The Square
Tel: +44 (0)141 330 7146
Email: alumni@glasgow.ac.uk
Letters to the Editor:
Marketing, Recruitment & International Office
Tel: +44 (0)141 330 7438
Email: avenue@glasgow.ac.uk
INSPIRING
ART 10
Curators at The
Hunterian and
graduates talk about
inspiring art.
MISSING
PEOPLE 14
Where do missing
people go and why?
Our researchers
investigate.
Tote bags, 2016 diaries and calendars, clothing
and many more gift ideas.
Visit us: University Gift Shop, Gilbert Scott Building, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, Monday to Saturday: 0930 to 1700 Sunday: 1100 to 1600
Shop online: Avenue readers receive a 15% discount. Input AVE59 at the checkout. Offer valid until June 2016.
www.glasgow.ac.uk/shop
Produced and designed by the Marketing,
Recruitment & International Office. Printed by Linney
Group. Photography by the University Photographic
Unit. Additional photography from Shutterstock,
Ron Ellis, Development & Alumni Office, The
Hunterian, Clark James Digital, Lynton Gardiner, The
Wolfsonian–FIU, Jodie Mann and Susan MacLeod,
University Archives, Scottish Jewish Archives. Editorial
contributors include Nancy McLardie, Douglas Blane,
Gemma Gillespie, Elizabeth Buie.
Cover: Anne Dulau, curator at The Hunterian
© University of Glasgow November 2015
ISSN 0950-7167
MHAIRI BLACK 16
Our Young Alumnus of the Year 2015 talks
about the media, music and her MA.
RESEARCH CAREERS IN PROGRESS 18
A special focus on PhD researchers and their
world-changing potential.
ALUMNI NEWS & EVENTS 20
Reunions, clubs and personal news.
REPORT TO THE GENERAL COUNCIL 26
Minutes from the half-yearly meeting,
comments from the Convenor and the
Principal’s report.
Half-yearly
meeting of the
General Council
Alumni are invited
to the next meeting
on Saturday 30
January 2016 in the
Senate Room, Main
Building, at 11am.
For a report from
the last meeting,
turn to page 26.
All profits from the shop are donated to the University.
The bag above is from the new range of University gifts designed by illustrator Libby Walker.
Views expressed are not necessarily those of the University or the
editors. All rights reserved. Nothing may be reproduced without written
permission from the Editorial Strategy Committee.
The University of Glasgow charity number SC004401
WHAT’S ON AT THE HUNTERIAN 29
Current exhibitions and collections on loan.
www.glasgow.ac.
uk/generalcouncil

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News
3
News
GLOBAL RISE IN RANKINGS
Excellence in healthcare
An update on some of our successes in the latest round of university rankings.
The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, the Royal Hospital for
Children and the Queen Elizabeth Teaching & Learning Centre
were officially opened by Her Majesty The Queen at a ceremony
in July 2015. Her Majesty has also granted the honour of the
naming of these three centres of excellence.
TOP IN
SCOTLAND
And third in the Russell Group for student
experience. Our highest ever ranking.
The NSS also places 15 of the
University’s subject areas in the
UK’s top ten.
– National Student
Survey 2015
5 STARS+
We are the first and only
UK University to hold this
rare distinction. We also received
5 stars ratings across all eight
other award categories.
– QS Stars University
Ratings 2015
HIGHER
EDUCATION
INSTITUTION
OF THE YEAR
For our exceptional performance.
– Herald Higher Education
Awards 2015
Our experts at the University led on the development of the new
teaching and clinical research facilities at the site in south Glasgow,
which total more than £60m:
• A £25 million purpose-built Teaching & Learning Centre for
the training of undergraduate medical and nursing students
alongside NHS staff
• A £6.5 million dedicated innovation floor which will
accommodate the Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation
Centre, a Scotland-wide collaboration with industry which will
develop ‘precision medicine’ – advanced diagnostics and precise
treatments for individuals across a wide range of diseases
• A new £5 million Clinical Research Facility to ensure that the
hospital is at the forefront of clinical trials of new medicines
• 62nd in the QS World University Rankings 2015–16, which highlights more than 800 of the top
universities in the world.
• Shortlisted for University of the Year. As Avenue went to print we were waiting on the outcome
of the Times Higher Education (THE) Awards 2015. For the result – which is announced on 26
November 2015 – see www.glasgow.ac.uk/avenue.
• 76th in the world. We’ve climbed up 18 places from the 94th spot in 2014–15.
This is our highest ever placing. (THE World University Rankings 2015–16)
• Within the top 50 in the world for teaching and research in clinical, pre-clinical and health
subjects, advancing to 47th from 57th place in 2014. (THE World University Rankings 2015–16)
Careers community
Graduates around the world are signing up to The Network – the University’s new online
career networking community for alumni and students.
Over 2,000 alumni have signed up so far to the community, which has the feel of Facebook
and the professional opportunities of LinkedIn. You can get involved in many ways, such as
networking with your peers or offering advice to current students or recent graduates.
‘Signing up to The Network is a great way to give back to the University,’ says Jo Field (MA
2001, MPhil 2003), who is the head of campaigns & stakeholder engagement with Transport for
London. ‘I’m happy to make myself available to students to help them with their career plans. It’s
also great to see so many fellow alumni on the platform and to feel part of that community.’
The Network is open to all graduates and students. Setting up your profile is really simple; you
can sync it with your LinkedIn account to populate your profile with one click.
www.glasgow.ac.uk/thenetwork #UofGTheNetwork
‘Students past and present will
be delighted, but perhaps not
surprised, to hear that Glasgow
has soared in the latest world
rankings.’
Liam King, President of the University’s
Students’ Representative Council
• A £32m Imaging Centre of Excellence (opening in early
2017). As well as including clinical academic expertise in stroke,
cardiovascular disease and brain imaging, the centre will include
a 7-Tesla MRI scanner – an ultra-high resolution scanner, which
will be the first of its kind on a clinical site in the UK.
‘ Through close collaboration
with the NHS and industry we
have created a facility that will
enable us to train the doctors
of tomorrow in a state-of-theart
clinical environment and to
develop a Scottish collaboration
in precision medicine to
transform the treatment of
patients and the prevention
of disease.’
Professor Anna Dominiczak, Vice-
Principal and Head of the College of
Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences

4 5
News
Jewish impact on Scottish culture
The migration of Jews to Scotland over
the last century and how they helped
transform Scotland’s national identity is
the focus of a new study.
Researchers at the Universities of Glasgow
and Edinburgh have secured £500,000
funding from the Arts & Humanities Research
Council to examine how Jewish migrants,
and refugees fleeing Nazi persecution,
helped change Scottish culture.
The three-year study focuses on how their
new lives in Scotland brought subtle changes
to what is commonly termed ‘Scottishness’
and ‘Jewishness’.
The project will look at the contribution
Jewish migrants and refugees made to
Scotland’s architecture, art, literature and
culture as well as religion.
The team, led by Dr Mia Spiro from the
University of Glasgow and Dr Hannah
Holtschneider from the University of
Edinburgh, will study boxes of detailed written
records and objects, which Jewish migrants
and refugees brought with them when
they moved to Scotland, and the lives they
experienced while they were here.
Dr Spiro says: ‘The personal possessions the
Jewish migrants and refugees chose to carry
with them when they fled reveal a great deal
about what was happening at the time.
‘I think the most poignant and heartrending
items in those boxes are the things that
are not that dramatic or drastic. It’s rather
the small remnants of everyday life that
disappeared for them – letters from home,
childhood mementos, pictures of their
mothers, fathers, siblings and friends. It
makes us realise that often it was not survival
skills but sheer luck that brought Jewish
migrants and refugees here.’
Current Glasgow University Officer Training Corps, and reenactors, recreate
a photo of Training Corps cadets digging a practice trench circa 1914.
The researchers will be working in partnership
with the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre in
Glasgow, which houses extensive collections
on the history of Jewish religious communities
Refugee boys outside
Garnethill Boys’ Hostel,
1939. Photo provided
by Scottish Jewish
Archives Centre.
in Scotland from the early 19th century up to
the present day.
www.glasgow.ac.uk/people/miaspiro
DIGGING IN
Recreations of Allied and German trenches
from WWI opened in Pollok Country Park in
September 2015 as part of the educational
and research project Digging In.
The project, co-directed by Dr Tony Pollard,
director of the University’s Centre for Battlefield
Archaeology, helps bring to life the reality of
war for soldiers, families and communities.
Running until November 2018, the project
will host public events and school visits. The
project is run in partnership between the
University, Northlight Heritage, Glasgow City
Council and Stewart’s Melville College.
@WW1Dig
www.diggingin.co.uk
There are over 2,000 active
researchers at the University.
And social media, such as
blogs, allow you to connect
with and find out about the
world-changing research
that’s happening in your field
of interest. Here we look at
several popular posts from
www.academicblogs.co.uk,
the University’s new and
growing blog community. This
is a brief taste of the diversity
of fascinating areas you can
explore through our research
blog network.
1.
One of our most successful blogs is the
END OF LIFE STUDIES blog, which
focuses on interventions at the end of life. In
one of its most-read posts, Professor David
Clark (pictured) takes a historical look at
the rise and fall of the Brompton Cocktail
– an elixir of opiates used in the early
20th century to ease pain and suffering,
particularly in the care of terminal patients.
BLOGS in brief
On the SCHOOL OF CULTURE & CREATIVE ARTS blog, filmmaking students describe
their summer visit to the Berlin International Film Festival in the way they know best – through
the medium of film.
News
2. 3. Watching paint dry is a
metaphor associated with boredom, but
observing how a material ages is extremely
important for conservation, particularly with
works of art. The CENTRE FOR TEXTILE
CONSERVATION blog recently described
new research they’re running in collaboration
with Historic Scotland – the tapestry
monitoring project. Here they use timelapse
photography to monitor how heavy
tapestries deform while hanging, helping
them to predict and conserve the areas
where damage occurs first.
4. The CENTRE FOR VIRUS
RESEARCH is the UK’s largest grouping of
medical and veterinary virologists. Their blog
posts delve deep into the inner workings of
viruses and the diseases they cause. The
centre is one of the UK leaders in hepatitis C
virus research, and a recent post describes
– with reference to classical Greek legend –
the Herculean task of tackling hepatitis C.
To read these four blog posts, see
www.academicblogs.co.uk/avenue

6
News
Great Scott,
it’s 2015!
A DeLorean skidded onto campus on
21 October 2015 – the day on which Marty
McFly and Doc Brown travel in the 1989
movie Back to the Future II.
BUILDING BUSINESS
7
News
TOIL AND TROUBLE Physics PhD student Kayla Fallon stars as
one of the prophecy-bearing witches in the
film adaptation of Macbeth in 2015.
This was Kayla’s first acting role, and she
appeared alongside Michael Fassbender
(Macbeth) and Marion Cotillard (Lady
Macbeth) in Justin Kurzel’s adaptation of
Shakespeare’s Scottish tragedy.
‘The whole experience was very exciting,’
explains Kayla, who was in her third year of a
physics degree during the filming. ‘I fell into
modelling work – and then acting – while doing
my undergraduate degree. I’d never been
involved in anything like this film before.’
Kayla, who completed her MSc in Physics in
2015, managed to balance filming and her
studies. ‘I studied whenever and wherever I
could: on planes, in my trailer and at the hotel.
I got a little bit of a reputation for it on set.’
Science research remains one of Kayla’s key
ambitions. She is currently working towards
a PhD in physics at the University and is
fascinated by the intricacies of the universe.
‘I’ve always loved science. I find physics very
rewarding,’ says Kayla. ‘My aspiration has
always been to work in research. A lot of my
friends don’t quite understand, but that still
hasn’t changed!’
As people around world celebrated Back to
the Future Day, around 200 people came
along to our two screenings of Back to the
Future II in the University Chapel. A DeLorean
made a special appearance outside.
Film fans, such as graduate Chris Kueh
(MBChB 2009) pictured in the DeLorean
above, got the chance for a quick shot in
the ‘time machine’. A young family travelled
from Ardossan – with the kids dressed as
Marty and Doc – to have their photo taken
with the DeLorean. Sadly, no one came to the
screening by hoverboard.
All proceeds from this sell-out
film evening went to the Beatson
Pebble Appeal. Our campus
cinema season runs in conjunction
with the Grosvenor Cinema and
you can keep a lookout for more
events like this at www.glasgow.
ac.uk/alumni/events.
Graduate Dr Alison Armstrong is
delighted with the talent and energy
interns from the University bring to her
place of work. And the Internship Hub
can help more alumni like Alison to take
on an intern and reap the rewards they
bring to a business.
‘Both the student and the organisation
benefit from an internship,’ says Alison
(BSc 1986, MSc 1990, PhD 1995), who
works for BioReliance, a contract research
organisation which provides testing
services for the biopharmaceutical industry.
‘While the student gets practical work
experience, having them on board helps
us dedicate and focus time on completing
ongoing projects. We can also spot
potential candidates for future jobs.
‘And I wanted to give students the
opportunity to get some practical
experience. Although internships didn’t
really exist when I was an undergraduate,
I did get the chance to work directly within
a scientific environment.
‘Over the years, I’ve been really pleased to
offer that same opportunity so that students
can get some valuable exposure to different
working environments.’
Over 300 employers – large and small – are
working with the Internship Hub to find the
best students for their business. The Hub
helps to make the experience of taking on
an intern easy by managing the recruitment
process and providing support during the
placement.
So far, most of the internships have been
based in the UK, but the Internship Hub has
also placed interns with Fujitsu in Japan and
MJ Boyd in New York.
If you would like to offer an internship, get in
touch.
recruitanintern@glasgow.ac.uk
www.glasgow.ac.uk/recruitanintern
5
benefits of
taking on an
intern with
us:
1. Let us do the legwork to help you find the
right person.
2. Get ahead of your competitors and find
future talent early.
3. Inject energy into your workplace with a
motivated intern.
4. Bring fresh ideas and perspective to your
business.
5. Give something back by helping students
gain valuable work experience.
History makers and shakers
Ophthalmologist and medicine graduate Alan Dyer (1936–2014) is
the latest alumnus to be added to the University of Glasgow Story
website. And we’re looking for more stories like his.
If you wear glasses or contact lenses, it’s likely you’ve had your eyes
tested by a technology inspired by the innovations of Alan Dyer (MBChB
1960). He is the inventor of the Eyelogic System, a revolutionary
computerised eye testing technology which is in use around the world.
It was Graham Dyer (Classics 1957) who brought the achievements
of his brother Alan to our attention. Alan’s story now sits alongside the
stories of other world-changing alumni and academics on the University
of Glasgow Story website.
Talking of his brother’s early years, Graham explains: ‘In his school
years, Alan showed a propensity for maths and science – possibly an
inheritance from our father, a mathematics graduate of the University.’
Alan became really interested in ophthalmology in the 1960s and
he started working on the Eyelogic System in 1986. Ten years later
the Eyelogic System was launched, and it has since ignited further
investigation and development of automated refraction by companies
across the globe.
The University of Glasgow Story website celebrates the role pioneering
people like Alan have played in the University’s 550 years of innovation
and excellence.
Do you have a story to share about a world-changing graduate who
has passed away? If so, please share the story with us: email ugs@
archives.gla.ac.uk.
www.universitystory.gla.ac.uk

8
9
1
3
‘If you go to university and all
you come out with are some
good party stories and a degree
you’ve wasted your time.’
Mark Beaumont (MA 2006)
6
2
7
NO SWEAT!
Dumbbells and
dancefloors
A new £10 million extension to the Stevenson (Stevie) sports
facility and Glasgow University Union (GUU) opened
its doors to students, alumni and the local community in
October 2015. We asked students, past and present, to tell
us what this means to them.
Back in 2013, the 1960s wing of the GUU
building – home to The Hive nightclub –
was levelled to make way for a muchneeded
expansion of the Stevenson sports
facility and an upgraded social space for the
GUU.
A welcoming feature on the corner of
University Avenue and Gibson Street, the tall
windows of this new five-storey extension
give a passers-by a glimpse of the bright new
space. The ground floor is occupied by the
GUU and the other four floors are dedicated
to sport.
In the last three years we have spent over
£42 million on improving student facilities. But
as Ann Allen, director of estates & buildings,
said in the last issue of Avenue, developing our
campus is ‘about more than buildings’.
For graduate Mark Beaumont (MA 2006)
it meant he could keep working on his
adventurous ambitions. The record-breaking
cyclist and broadcaster grew up in the
outdoors. At the age of 12 he cycled across
Scotland. At 15 he solo-cycled from John
O’Groats to Land’s End. Moving to a city
for university could have spelled the end of
Mark’s outdoor interests, even for a while.
But by joining the Ski & Snowboard Club,
training in the Stevie and getting involved with
Glasgow University Sports Association (GUSA)
– eventually becoming Vice-President – Mark
was able to continue and expand his sporting
pursuits while studying for an economics and
politics degree. He built up valuable skills and
experiences to go along with his academic
studies. Most importantly for Mark, his
personal passions were not put on hold – they
added to his university experience.
‘What you realise once you leave university
is that your degree doesn’t actually count for
much,’ he explains. ‘Employers are interested
in really rounded characters with great
ambition.
‘I think by being involved in sports, clubs
and unions, by being active at university,
you’re showing a different sort of intelligence.
You are learning communication and teamwork
skills – things which are as useful in your work
life afterwards.’
Mark fondly remembers training in the
Stevie.
‘I used the Stevie for strength and
conditioning, played squash with friends and
swam in the pool,’ Mark recalls. ‘But the Stevie
I remember sounds like it’s light years away
from the new facility.’
For current GUSA President Caitlin Kelly (MA
4
1. GUSA President
Caitlin Kelly training
in Pulse
2. Inside the new Hive
nightclub
3. Outside the old
Hive
4. The new Stevenson
and GUU extension
5. The old GUU Hive
building
6. Graduate Mark
Beaumont
7. New half racks in
PowerPlay
2015), the prospect of increased capacity for
sport has been markedly exciting.
‘We were at crisis point in terms of
numbers,’ she explains. ‘But it’s not just the
bigger space that’s exciting, it’s also going
to be a place where I think everyone will feel
more comfortable, and it’ll feel accessible to
more people.’
Unlike for Mark, sport hasn’t always been a
part of Caitlin’s life.
‘I didn’t have a sport before coming to
university. I had never even used a gym,’ says
Caitlin. ‘I joined the hockey club when I first
arrived and then got more involved with sport.
I loved the atmosphere and feeling part of
something.’
Caitlin was elected as 2015–2016 GUSA
President just as she was finishing her
final year. But she remembers well how getting
involved in sport helped her with her studies.
‘Within the first semester of being here I
realised how much better I felt for taking part
in sport, particularly when I committed to a
bigger training programme with the boat club.
It helped me to concentrate on my studies;
I was much more alert and it improved my
concentration. I generally felt a lot better.’
5
The Hive returns
GUU President Rory Slater got involved with
the union during his first year. ‘I simply felt at
home in the GUU,’ he says. ‘Getting involved
with the Board has been a hugely valuable
experience. Although this year has been very
demanding time-wise to get the new facilities
open, it has been an incredible project to be a
part of.’
His hard work has paid off. Walking along
University Avenue you see into G12, the new
café bar which welcomes you to the GUU floor
of the new extension. The Hive is back and has
been transformed beyond all recognition with
a distinctly industrial feel. A new whisky bar,
Base, and a dancefloor-cum-music venue, The
Well, complete the new GUU space.
‘This development is the culmination of
a three-year project which brings University
Sports and the Union closer than ever before,’
explains Rory. ‘But it’s not just for students –
we’re keen for the local community and alumni
to come in too.’
Join fellow alumni for a look around the Hive
and the other new GUU bars at a ‘Friends of
the GUU’ event on 29 January 2016. To find
out more, see www.guu.co.uk.
The new Stevie sports extension totals
4,191m 2 and includes:
• PowerPlay: a 722m 2 high-performance
strength and conditioning area, which
includes equipment such as power
racks, lifting platforms, dumbbells
and competition bars. It also offers
diagnostic technology to give feedback
and help you to maximise your
performance.
• Pulse: our 732m 2 cardiovascular and
conditioning area featuring the latest
treadmills, bikes, stair climbers, elliptical
cross trainers and flex-striders, as well as
stretching zones, rowers and resistance
machines. All equipment is fitted with a
new LF Connect Fitness App to help you
to make the most of your gym visit and
track your progress.
• Sports Hall: for indoor sports –
badminton, basketball, netball and
volleyball – as well as a new spectator
experience, the FanZone. The new
viewing gallery means students, staff
and alumni can come along and support
athletes as they represent the Black and
Gold teams of Glasgow.
It doesn’t stop there. Older spaces in the
Stevie are being refurbished, with new
studios for exercise, martial arts and indoor
cycling coming soon.
www.glasgow.ac.uk/sport
GYM
MEMBERSHIP
Alumni and family
can join for just £300 per year
or £25 per month.

10 HISTORY OF ART
11
The
Art that
inspires
and the people who bring it to you
Graduates in History
of Art and curators
at The Hunterian talk
about the inspiring art and
artists they’ve worked with.
BY DOUGLAS BLANE
Iconic symbols and
inspiring architecture
Michelle Millar Fisher (MA 2004,
MPhil 2008), curatorial assistant at the
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New
York, talks about the artistic influences in
Glasgow and in her current field of work.
‘The rainbow flag has become an iconic, worldwide symbol. But many
people might not know that it was designed by an artist called Gilbert
Baker, deliberately to create a visual identity for the Gay Pride parade in
San Francisco in 1978.
‘Gilbert bought a bunch of cotton and some dye, took it to the gay
community centre in Grove Street, San Francisco, and hand-sewed the
first ever Rainbow Flag. Then he hung it in the United Nations Plaza.
From there it became this symbol recognised around the world.
‘One of my real pleasures recently has been reading that
history, interviewing Gilbert and bringing the Rainbow Flag into the
contemporary design collection at MoMA as a permanent part of our
collection.
‘Art can often seem mystical and something reserved for other
people. What I liked about the University was that the people there
were from ordinary backgrounds. There were no airs and graces. Tina
Fiske in History of Art organised for me a short period of working with
the artist Andy Goldsworthy. Not only is his work beautiful, but the way
he makes and documents it demystified the process for me. He was
very kind to everyone, including me, at the bottom of the ladder on work
experience.
‘Glasgow is a great city to do art history, and architectural history in
particular. It has such rich collections, amazing buildings and a strong
sense of pride and culture. I love the Alexander Thomson church on St
Vincent Street. It has this monolithic exterior, as you go up the hill, that
is very powerful. Thomson was an amazing architect. His work is lovely
and lyrical.
‘I think, though, that the people at the University inspired me even
more than the artworks. Teachers, like Juliet Kinchin, were enthusiastic
and thoughtful. They took the time to encourage me to go further with
my studies. As the first in my family to go to university, that was helpful.’
A fascination with
European furniture
Whitney Richardson (MPhil 2004),
curatorial associate at Wolfsonian-
Florida International University in Miami,
talks about the influence of furniture
design on the modern world.
‘Having studied history of architecture at Columbia University in
New York, I knew I was interested in Victorian and early 20th-century
architecture. So I decided to come to Glasgow, where so much of that
architecture still exists. Day one of class was my first time in Scotland.
But I was lucky. I loved it there.
‘I got to see a lot of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s work. I did my
internship at The Hill House in Helensburgh, researching the furniture
and paintings there. I ended up writing my Masters thesis on furniture
in illustrations of fairy tales during the Arts and Crafts movement.
‘Working at the Wolfsonian, which is focused on European material
culture from 1850 to 1950, allows me to use everything I learned
and became interested in while I was at Glasgow. We have furniture
by Mackintosh, but I guess my favourite piece is a Thomas Jeckyll
sideboard (pictured below), from the same period as Whistler, which
I love.
‘Frank Lloyd Wright in the States and Charles Rennie Mackintosh
in Scotland represent a transition to the modern period. Part of my
fascination with Victorian interiors, ornate furniture and architecture is
that I could never imagine living that way myself. I enjoy a much more
modern aesthetic in my own home.
‘At the Wolfsonian, we look at modernity and how the Western world
became the culture we live in today – the new materials, manufacturing
and factories, the mass production and mass communication, and how
these influenced the modern world.
‘We have one room at the Wolfsonian that’s focused on art reform
movements from across the Western world – Italian, Swedish, English,
Scottish, Austrian. I tell the visitors that I show around that this is
my favourite room. While the world around them was industrialising,
these people were committed to making lovely, hand-crafted, wooden
furniture. They were the rebels.’
A recreation of
Gilbert Baker’s
flag which
was designed
for the San
Francisco Gay
Pride parade
in 1978.
This oak
sideboard
(circa 1868)
was designed
by British
architect
Thomas
Jeckyll.
A student taking notes
at the cast of the
Crouching Venus at
the Picturing Venus
exhibition in 2014. This
exhibition was part of
Caption... a joint project between
Caption... The Hunterian and
Caption... History of Art.

12
HISTORY OF ART 13
Working closely with a
Scottish artist
Anne Dulau, curator at The Hunterian, talks
about working with Duncan Shanks, one of
Scotland’s most accomplished painters.
Getting to know The
Hunterian’s founder
Peter Black, curator at The Hunterian,
talks about researching William Hunter’s
art collections and finding hidden gems.
History of
Art
‘The first living artist I’d ever collaborated with was the contemporary
Scottish landscape and still life painter Duncan Shanks.
‘He had been encouraged by friends to consider leaving his entire
collection of sketchbooks to The Hunterian, and I was asked to
investigate. Although familiar with contemporary Scottish art I had never
produced an exhibition on that subject before: it was a real baptism of
fire. As my areas of specialty are mainly confined to pre-World War II
French and British art, I usually research the output of artists who are no
longer alive. At last here was an artist who could answer my questions.
‘I started visiting him to go through the sketchbooks and to
establish what would be most appropriate for The Hunterian: to select
representative examples illustrating his career or to take the whole lot –
over 100 sketchbooks from his student days right up to the present day.
After a few visits it became clear that the material in those sketchbooks
was quite outstanding, and that it could also be used for teaching.
‘We decided to celebrate the gift of his entire output with an exhibition
and Duncan very kindly allowed me to choose a painting in his studio
that would help to illustrate his remarkable journey through the creative
process, from sketchbook to finished work. He was also instrumental in
the production of the accompanying publication, which sold out within
four months of the exhibition opening and will probably be reprinted.
‘Thinking about how to best display the sketchbooks was a team
effort between The Hunterian and Duncan. A room full of tabletop
cases, the most obvious way, did not feel like an attractive option.
Our head of design, Stephen Perry, came up with the solution. The
sketchbooks were displayed on wall-mounted shelves behind a glass
wall, allowing us to maximise their impact within a relatively small area.
‘The whole process, very different from most other exhibitions I have
worked on, was very enjoyable and I’m quite sad it is over. Visiting
Duncan in his studio was a unique experience and I will miss it.’
‘The Hunter picture collection is the most memorable research and
exhibition projects I’ve been involved in here.
‘In 2007 we celebrated the museum’s bicentenary and we used that
opportunity to do research on the art collections of our founder William
Hunter.
‘For me the most exciting part was trying to understand how and why
he bought his collection of 65 old master paintings. The study of his
habits as a collector of paintings was one of the most important outputs
of this exhibition.
‘So Stubbs, for example, was a living artist whom he commissioned
to make paintings of animals that were interesting anatomically, such as
exotic animals, but on the whole he bought old masters.
‘He had a Rubens and a Rembrandt. And three gems of the
collection are works by Chardin, a mid-18th-century French still life
painter.
‘We also improved the state of the collection a great deal as a result
of our research. We investigated the attribution of paintings and found
that there were important paintings that had been downgraded in the
past by scholars, and we were also able to provide some of them with
more suitable frames, where the original had been lost and replaced by
something that was not worthy of the painting.
‘When you go into the gallery now we have a bay dedicated to
William Hunter’s picture collection. We didn’t have that when I came
here in 1998.
‘A curator’s role is to be an ambassador for the objects in the
collection. We are an essential intermediary between the object and the
public. Research is the primary motivation for me, but the research is
useless if it can’t be shared with somebody. So the real pleasure comes
from research directed towards exhibitions and publications. That’s
what motivates me.’
History of Art is a discipline with its origins in
the 19th century,’ says head of History of
Art, Dr Tom Nichols, in his office at University
Gardens, surrounded by several hundred books, a
self-portrait by Albrecht Dürer and a charcoal sketch
of Michelangelo’s David.
‘It’s a popular subject with undergraduates – close
to 200 in first year – despite not being taught in
most schools. Young people are often looking for
something different to what they’ve done at school
when they come to university.
‘And postgraduate courses are taking students
into whole new areas of art and its interpretation,’
says Dr Nichols. ‘We’ve gone from a handful of
postgraduates five years ago to around 60 this year.
At any one time we have 20 to 30 PhD students.’
And the growth of the subject is only going to
continue, helped along by the opening of phase one
of the Kelvin Hall in autumn 2016.
Housing over 1.3 million scientific, history,
archaeology and design objects from The Hunterian,
and around 2 million if we add those from Glasgow
Museums, the Kelvin Hall development will provide
knowledge exchange and object-led education in the
arts, sciences and social sciences.
Postgraduate students will benefit
from research and teaching labs,
and advanced conservation
studios. A range of new
postgraduate programmes has
been developed for the Kelvin Hall, while existing
programmes will be enhanced by the new facilities.
Students will also still have access to and be inspired
by the gallery spaces within the Hunterian Museum
and Art Gallery which remain on campus.
Art History-related Masters-level programmes
offered will include:
• Dress & Textile Histories
• Technical Art History, Making & Meaning
• Curatorial Practice (Contemporary Art)
• Material Culture & Artefact Studies
• Museum Education
• Museum Studies
• Provenance & Collecting Studies in a
Global Context
• Textile Conservation
The iconic Kelvin Hall building was for many
years a sporting and leisure venue and home to
the Transport Museum. It is now home to a
partnership between the University of Glasgow,
Glasgow Museums, Glasgow Life, and the Scottish
Screen Archives from the National Library of
Scotland. The new facility will be the first of its kind
in the UK to enjoy the benefits of a unique
combination of research, cultural heritage, civic,
educational, media, sport and commercial activities
under one roof.
To find out more, see www.glasgow.ac.uk/avenue.
Pink Cloud,
Red Pole
(1973–78)
was inspired
by the view
from Duncan
Shanks’
garden.
A Lady Taking
Tea is a
masterpiece
by French
18th-century
painter Jean-
Siméon
Chardin.
To find out what exhibitions are on at The Hunterian, turn to page 29.
Watch Peter and Anne talk more about these artists, see www.glasgow.ac.uk/avenue.

14 15
ABSENT BUT NOT ALWAYS LOST
BY DOUGLAS BLANE
‘ I DIDN’T THINK I WAS
GOING TO BE A MISSING
PERSON, BUT I KNEW I
DIDN’T WANT TO BE
FOUND.’
Sophie’s story, from the Geographies of Missing People project
EIGHT HUNDRED PEOPLE are reported
missing in the UK every day. ‘That’s about
one every two minutes,’ says Professor Hester
Parr, whose research has transformed the way
police officers relate to missing persons.
‘I am a human geographer. I lead a team
of academics and police partners who
investigate the geographies of missing people
– where they actually go.’
Many are children repeatedly disappearing
from care homes, but a third of missing
persons are adults, says Professor Parr.
‘Around 80% of these have a mental health
issue. Understanding the geographies of
mental health is my passion. How people
with mental health problems negotiate their
everyday lives. How mental health issues are
handled in society.’
Despite the scale of the social problem,
there was no research to explain why adults
go missing or explore their experiences, she
says. ‘Very little was understood about what
happens to these people.’
So her team conducted in-depth interviews
with 45 former missing persons. ‘We found
that people who go missing often stay in
familiar areas,’ says Professor Parr. ‘They want
to be absent and not lost. They use conscious
concealment strategies to help them stay
hidden.’
Many who take missing journeys do so
mainly on foot, she says. ‘They seek shelter in
a range of public and natural environments.
That is when they are at their most vulnerable.’
But their return can be traumatic and
marked by poor police handling.
‘Some people feel criminalised,’ she says.
‘Police officers can be dismissive of the event
or its cause.’
All this qualitative evidence was gathered,
structured and used to create new guidance
and training resources for UK police services
on the handling of missing persons and their
families. The reception has been extremely
positive, says Professor Parr.
‘In 20 years of mental health research
I’ve never seen anything taken up to this
extent. The police have incorporated our
recommendations into good practice
guidance. I’ve been invited to sit on national
strategy committees. We have delivered 25
knowledge exchange and training events to
serving police officers and provide ongoing
input into specialist search training.’
The scale of the missing persons problem,
together with the recognised inadequacy of
current responses, created the conditions for
maximum impact, she believes. ‘There are so
many missing persons cases. Resources are
so limited nowadays that there’s a demand for
innovative thinking. What can we do better?
How can we prevent it?’
A focus on prevention could save public
money, police time and considerable
cost in human suffering, says Professor Parr.
‘That is a multi-sector responsibility. It is not
just the police. It is social work, the health
services and the general public.’
A key area for improvement is what
happens when a missing person
returns, says Professor Parr. ‘Over a third go
missing again. We need to do better work
on return. We have made progress. New
guidance on the police interview, partly arising
from our research, is changing police practice
in this area.’
In recognition of the impact of her research,
the project won an Outstanding Impact in
Society prize from the Economic & Social
Research Council in June 2015. The prize also
helps fund future research.
‘I want to work towards consensus around
what happens when people return,’ says
Professor Parr. ‘Who should support them?
What kind of processes do we need?
‘I want to see the national-level agreements
emerging across the UK being translated
into multi-sector operational practice – by the
police and the other organisations that work
with these very vulnerable people.’
www.geographiesofmissing
people.org.uk
‘ In 20 years of mental health
research I’ve never seen anything
taken up to this extent.’
Professor Hester Parr
ABOUT THE RESEARCHER
Professor Hester Parr is
based in the University’s
School of Geographical
& Earth Sciences. She is
interested in developing
sensitive methodologies
for working with vulnerable
people. Previous research
has investigated the
relationship between
mental health and place by
focusing on how ‘mentally
ill identities’ are defined
by reference to streets,
institutions, cities, regions,
virtualities, natures and
mobilities.
www.glasgow.ac.uk/
people/hesterparr
MISSING VOICES
A series of ten stories of the missing experience
is one of the learning resources to come out of
this project. Listening to these stories – which
have been adapted from real interviews – helps
to prompt new conversations around the missing
experience, as well as encouraging a more
sensitive and empathetic police handling of
missing people.
‘ When the daylight was coming
and I was still alive, that’s when I
started to panic.’
Sophie’s story tells of a 24-hour journey as a
missing person. We hear about her attempted
suicide, being located by her family and the
experience with police officers after she is found.
www.geographiesofmissingpeople.
org.uk/missingvoices

16
17
West End to Westminster
BY ELIZABETH BUIE
www.glasgow.ac.uk/youngalumnus
‘ The biggest learning curve for me was
experiencing just how much the media can twist
and misrepresent things for their own agenda.’
Mhairi Black, MP
Mhairi Black (MA 2015) has
been in the constant glare of
the limelight ever since, as a
final-year student, she was
being tipped to unseat Labour
Shadow Foreign Secretary
Douglas Alexander as MP for
Paisley and Renfrewshire West.
Now, as Baby of the House – the youngest
MP – she is being feted by some of the
‘big beasts’ of the media, ranging from
Channel 4 presenter Jon Snow, for whom
she demonstrated her piano-playing skills, to
Jeremy Paxman, who invited her for a curry at
the Cinnamon Club in London for his ‘Lunch
with the FT’ column.
Being elected at the age of 20 – making her
the youngest MP since the Great Reform Act of
1832 – has thrust her into public prominence
she did not seek. Barely a day passes without
someone speculating on her future in politics.
But for now she finds it ‘humbling’ to accept
one accolade – the title of our Young Alumnus
of the Year 2015.
Mhairi had to combine campaigning for
the Westminster election with her final exams.
Politics lecturer Dr Tom Lundberg, who
supervised her final dissertation and taught
two of her Honours classes, commends
her commitment: she only missed one or
two seminars at a time when she was on
the campaign trail – an admirable record
compared to many other students.
She was to gain a first class MA Honours
degree in Politics & Public Affairs. Dr
Lundberg says: ‘She was very passionate
and enthusiastic about her politics. That was
always present in seminars – it was something
you saw right away.’
As a political scientist he was not surprised
when Mhairi was elected in the tidal wave of
SNP support that swept the country. He adds:
‘It was pretty clear she would probably win – I
did mention that to her, and she seemed quite
concerned about it.’
Her maiden speech in the House of
Commons received more than 10 million
online views – so where did she learn the art of
public speaking?
‘The first time I ever participated in a
public debate was a few months before
the Referendum. One of the panellists had
pulled out of the independence debate that
was taking place, at very short notice, and
my lecturer asked me to stand in because
he knew I was planning to attend the event
anyway. Even though I was debating against
Ruth Davidson MSP and James Kelly MSP,
I felt completely confident as I knew my
facts due to the rigorous research methods
university had instilled in me.’
Perhaps her rudest awakening has been
press intrusion into private aspects of her own
life and into the lives of friends and family.
‘The biggest learning curve for me was
experiencing just how much the media can
twist and misrepresent things for their own
agenda. Almost all of the reports on me
pre- and post-election are inaccurate in
their portrayal of me, and yet the information
hasn’t really been falsified. Watching how
the meticulous and very deliberate selection
of facts and words can project such a
manipulating point of view was quite an eyeopener,’
she adds.
Mhairi came close to dropping out after
her first year but decided to give herself until
Christmas in her second year to see if she
could actually get ‘anything above a C’.
‘I worked the hardest and most intensely I
have in my life (including the election
campaign and my finals) and studied non-stop
for a solid two months. When I opened the
email to tell me my results, I was totally elated.’
Graduation day was very important for
Mhairi.
‘I knew that because of the resilience I had
shown in my first and second year (bearing
in mind that I was 16 when I started university
and was always much younger than everyone
else), I now had achieved a degree which no
one can ever take away from me.
‘That was an incredible feeling.’
• The Young Alumnus of the Year Award is
an annual University honour which aims to
recognise and celebrate the achievements
of alumni who have graduated within the last
15 years and made a major contribution to
the community, arts, sciences or business.
MHAIRI
& MUSIC
Mhairi worked part-time
in the Oxfam Music
shop on Byres Road
during her studies at
Glasgow, and music is
still an important part
of her life. After she
played the theme tune
from Titanic on the
piano to Jon Snow, we
wondered about her
musical influences.
What are you listening
to now?
I’ve been working my
way through all of
U2’s albums and I’m
currently re-listening to
my favourite album of all
time, Achtung Baby.
What music got you
through your exams?
No song or playlist got
me through exams in
particular, however,
the six-hour videos on
YouTube with scores
to lots of different films
always got me through
intense study sessions.
I would always remind
myself, ‘when this video
is done, your study
session will be done –
keep going!’

18
RESEARCH careers in progress
19
RESEARCH careers in progress
In the last few issues we’ve heard about the
careers of a range of graduates, from writers
to lawyers to entrepreneurs. Now it’s time to
explore the early research careers of some of
our current postgraduate students – Hazel,
Joe and Muhammad – whose work is set to
have an impact across the globe.
HAZEL LONG
4 TH YEAR PhD STUDENT
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
SCHOOL OF GEOGRAPHICAL & EARTH
SCIENCES
JOE RYAN-HUME
3 RD YEAR PhD STUDENT
AMERICAN POLITICAL HISTORY
SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES
Joe is currently on a three-month secondment
in the Scottish Parliament (funded by the Arts
& Humanities Research Council), and his
award-winning research has taken him all over
the world. His academic achievements include
a fellowship at the Library of Congress in
Washington DC, a scholarship at Hong Kong
University, a fellowship at the British Library in
London, and a Schlesinger Library Dissertation
Grant from Harvard University.
His PhD examines the presidential era of
Ronald Reagan in the 1980s, and its impact on
the current political landscape. He questions
the notion of the so-called ‘Reagan revolution’
in America by reinterpreting the impact of
liberalism at the time.
Joe says, ‘It is impossible to understand the
present administration’s historic ascension
without examining the political environment
that nurtured it. Having the opportunity to apply
this research in a real-world political setting
has been invaluable.’
‘ Despite a polar bear sighting,
dust storms and swarms of
mosquitoes, my fieldwork in
Greenland produced unique
data and was a huge success.’
Hazel Long
With awards from the Natural Environment
Research Council, the Leverhulme Trust, the
Royal Geographical Society, and the Scottish
Alliance for Geoscience, Environment &
Society, as well as a recently published paper
in the Journal of Geophysical Research:
Biogeosciences, Hazel has been widely
recognised for her excellent work in the field of
carbon cycling.
Her PhD focuses on the role that rivers play in
the carbon cycle, exploring whether they are a
source or sink of CO 2
, what controls this, and
how the carbon dynamics of rivers will respond
to the changing temperatures and precipitation
patterns caused by climate change.
As part of this research she has travelled
across the world researching temperate and
Arctic carbon cycling, including a gruelling
six-week intensive field campaign to the
Kangerlussuaq region of Greenland, where
she collected large amounts of CO 2
efflux
and carbon age data from ice sheet and
permafrost melt-water systems.
MUHAMMAD YAR KHAN
3 RD YEAR PhD STUDENT
ACCOUNTING & FINANCE
ADAM SMITH BUSINESS SCHOOL
In addition to presenting his research at
prestigious conferences, including the
British Accounting & Finance Association’s
Doctoral Colloquium at the London School
of Economics, Muhammad recently received
the Best Paper Award at the 2015 South
Asian International Conference in Islamabad,
Pakistan for his paper entitled ‘Corporate
Governance and the Cost of Capital in
Emerging Markets’.
His PhD, funded by the Commonwealth
Scholarship Commission, examines corporate
governance reforms and their impact on
corporate decisions in the developing world.
Focusing on the level of compliance and
disclosure in developing countries, particularly
in South East Asia, this highly important
research has many practical implications for
developing markets to improve their corporate
governance reforms.

20
21
Alumni News
Alumni News
NOTES FROM
No 2
News from Emily Howie, Head of Alumni
Engagement in the Development &
Alumni Office at No 2 The Square.
I have the pleasure of working day to day at
the Gilmorehill campus. Although with each
year I’m gaining new campus memories, I still
have flashbacks from my student days – such
as the sticky floors in the Hive (and you can
read about the GUU’s Hive reopening on page
9). This makes it easy for me to understand
the feeling you may get when you come back
onto campus for the first time in many years,
perhaps for a visit, or maybe for another life
event, such as a family member’s graduation
or a wedding.
The team at the University Chapel have
been telling us how they’ve come across
several generations of the same family who
have held their weddings at the University. For
example, the wedding of Madeleine Gibb and
Iain Brown, pictured below, where many of the
family in attendance found themselves back
at their alma mater for the young couple’s
special day.
I read another wedding story, this time about
a graduate I knew quite well. I had worked with
John Anderson McNicol (MBChB 1940) for
many years on his class reunions and I’d no
idea that he had also married here. As I was
writing this column, I was saddened to hear
that John had passed away in August 2015.
John, or Dr McNicol as I knew him,
had been back on campus in 2014 for his
granddaughter Emma’s wedding, 72 years
after he married Emma’s grandmother in
the same location. His experience of getting
married was quite different to Emma’s,
however, as the war intervened. John had
to say farewell to his new wife Nancy soon
after the wedding so that he could join his
ship with the Royal Army Medical Corps.
He didn’t then see Nancy for five years! The
couple eventually settled in Glasgow and
had three children, and two of them studied
here at Glasgow.
As well as hearing these wedding stories,
and being reminded how our connections
with the University can continue for a lifetime,
I’ve been pleased to see our campus
cinema season has proved popular with
alumni (see page 6). We hope to see many
more of you back on campus at events
like these, or perhaps even at one of our
international events.
There are many ways to keep in touch with
your fellow graduates and the University.
We have a growing number of alumni
associations around the world, and there
could be one near you. If you’re interested
in joining an alumni association or attending
an alumni event, see our website below for
more details. Or, you could even organise a
class reunion or get-together! Find out more
on page 23.
www.glasgow.ac.uk/alumni
Queen’s Birthday
Honours 2015
KNIGHTHOOD
Sir James Loy MacMillan (DMus 2001)
received a Knighthood for services to Music
DAMEHOOD
Dame Anne Glover (DSc 2014) received a
Damehood for services to Science
OBE
Ms Carolyn Margaret McIntyre Campbell (MA
1971, LLB 1973) received an OBE for services
to Higher Education
Ms Mary Teresa Rainey (MA 1976) received
an OBE for services to Advertising
Mr John McWilliam Welsh (MA 1976) received
an OBE for public service in Ayrshire
Dr Steven William Moffat (MA 1983, DLitt
2013) received an OBE for services to Drama
MBE
Mr Graham Robert Short (MEd 1987) received
an MBE for services to Education
Ms Catriona Morrison (BSc 1998) received
an MBE for services to Sport and voluntary
service in Scotland
Queen’s New Year
Honours 2014
Since publishing details of Glasgow alumni
recipients in the last issue of Avenue, we
have been notified of the following: Dr Stefan
Janikiewicz (MBChB 1972) received an MBE
for services to Reducing Drug Misuse.
TELL US
YOUR
STORY
We don’t always get to hear about
the achievements of our alumni. If you
have received, been shortlisted for or
know of fellow alumni who have recently
been recipients of awards, we would love
to hear from you, email alumni@
glasgow.ac.uk
ALUMNI MEET FORMER SPY
Engineering award
On the day of his graduation in July 2015
Gareth McMillan (MEng 2015) received
the Glasgow University Engineers Society
Medal Award for best final-year student. It
was graduate Donald Coutts (BSc 1968) –
trustee of Glasgow University 68 Engineers
Trust (GU68) – who had the pleasure of
presenting Gareth the award in recognition
of his academic achievements. GU68 took
over the reins of the Glasgow University
Engineers Society affairs in 2014 – and
awarding this medal is one of the Trust’s
new duties. The group is pleased to be able
to continue and increase its involvement
with the development of engineering
students at the University.
A former top spy lifted the veil on British
espionage at the annual lunch of the
Glasgow University Women’s Club
(GUWC) London in May 2015.
Baroness Meta Ramsay (MA 1958, MEd
1960, DUniv 2004), a graduate whose
career took her to the top reaches of British
foreign intelligence service MI6, spoke of the
continued importance of human agents in
an era when Government Communications
Headquarters activities and communications
interception make the headlines. Baroness
Ramsay, who later went on to advise her
fellow alumnus Labour Party leader John
Smith, hosted the lunch event in May on the
terrace at the House of Lords. She described
her own recruitment to the spy agency
and the fascination of a career still largely
shrouded in secrecy, and included dramatic
incidents of burning top-secret documents in
a hotel bedroom in a hostile country.
Other recent GUWC events include a tour
of the Old Bailey, a spring lunch addressed
by young doctors from Arran, Glasgow and
Tanzania, and a tour of London’s Wetlands
Centre. Anyone interested in joining should
see the GUWC website and contact
membership secretary Marjorie Bremner.
marjorie.bremner@bkl.co.uk
www.gu-london.org.uk
Tackling the Ebola
crisis
PhD student Sharon Irvine (BSc 1999,
MBChB 2007) received an Ebola Medal for
Service in West Africa in 2015.
Sharon was part of the first group of NHS
volunteers to go out to Sierra Leone in 2014
to help with the deadly Ebola crisis. Their
departure captured the media’s attention.
‘As we were the first NHS volunteers to go
out, I guess we were going into the unknown,’
explains Sharon. ‘We felt prepared prior to
deployment as we’d received ten days of
military training. But it was pretty chaotic
when we got there. Guidelines were still
being written, and there were lots of different
nationalities all working alongside each other,
trying to form a united front.’
‘On the second visit, in May 2015, I was able
to go back to the same area, and see many of
the survivors we had discharged in November
and December in the survivor clinics. I ran
a WHO psychosocial counselling course
for Ebola-affected individuals along with the
national staff. We had a few survivors who
worked with us, so it was very interesting but
completely heartbreaking to hear their stories.’
RECOGNISING ACHIEVEMENTS
Helen Giejgo (MA 1944) was awarded the Polish Silver
Guardian Medal of Places of National Memory in June
2015 for her voluntary work in the Polish Institute and
Sikorski Museum in London.
The institute aims to secure and preserve documentation and
memorabilia of the wartime Polish government-in-exile and of
the Polish armed forces. Helen played a big role in helping to
achieve this aim through her work in the archives from 2001
to 2010. This was not her first award. In 1996 Helen (pictured
above) received a Lithuanian honour: the Medal of the Order
of the Grand Duke Gediminas. This was for a scheme she
set up in the 1990s to bring teachers of English from Scottish
universities to Lithuanian schools.

22
23
Reunion Reports
Reunion Reports
1949 Chemistry
Although it is 70 years since leaving school
and 66 years since graduating, we met for a
celebratory lunch at the Ubiquitous Chip on
15 July 2015. The numbers were small for
obvious reasons but absent classmates and
staff were fondly remembered, many of whom
had been ex-service men and women, and so
even older than those present. It was another
memorable day.
1948–53/54 Gamma Club
On 10 June 2015, 14 members and 7 guests
had a reception and light lunch in the Marriot
Hotel. A toast to the club proposed by the
Chairman AGH was coupled with a toast to
Charles and Jan McEwan celebrating their
diamond wedding anniversary. JLCD replied
to the club toast with a review of the hospital
changes in the city and a forward glance to the
extension of the University on the site of the
old Western Infirmary. A display of photos from
the yearbook and past reunions organised
by HD was much appreciated. 2018 will be
the next event for the optimists to consider.
Members can keep in touch through the
Development & Alumni Office.
1960 Delta Club
Almost 61 years since we first walked up
University Avenue to attend our classes, 27
of us from the 1960 Delta Club enjoyed an
informal lunch together, along with many of
our partners, at the House for an Art Lover
in Bellahouston Park on 28 August 2015.
The House for an Art Lover proved to be an
excellent venue and we have already made a
reservation to meet there again on 26 August
2016. Contact Dr Anne Loudon: call +44
(0)141 639 4195 or email anneepl@aol.com.
ESGUG outing
Eight members and friends of the Edinburgh
Society of Glasgow University Graduates
(ESGUG) enjoyed a leisurely visit to Mellerstain
House in the Borders on 24 August 2015.
We had coffee and shortbread in the café on
arrival, an informative tour of the house, a nice
lunch and walks in the beautiful gardens.
YEAR
1965 Notre Dame
On 27 August 2015 there was a buzz of excitement as we got together again after 50 years.
Emeritus Archbishop Conti celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving in the University Memorial
Chapel, after which there was a reception and buffet lunch. We shared memories and
anecdotes of our college days. Was that really 50 years ago? There are now plans afoot for
more reunions. There is still a lot of catching up to do.
1965 Chemistry
Reunion
We celebrated the 50th anniversary of our
graduation on 8 and 9 July 2015. Nineteen
of 40 class members attended, together with
12 partners. On the first evening, we held
a reception in the Turnbull Room followed
by dinner in the Melville Room. After dinner,
Emeritus Professor Joe Connolly gave an
interesting talk about the School of Chemistry
past, present and future. On the 9th, we had
an informal reception in the School of
Chemistry, where we met current Chemistry
staff. We then had a tour of the school,
followed by lunch in the Ferguson Room at
One A The Square. We were greatly impressed
by the important world-class research being
carried out in the school and the enthusiasm
of staff and postgraduates. The group plans
to make a reunion gift to the University’s
scholarship scheme to support postgraduate
students in the School of Chemistry.
1975 Geology
We had our first reunion in 40 years on Friday
19 June. All but three managed to meet
during the day and we were delighted to be
reacquainted with some of our past lecturers.
We enjoyed a tour of the old East Quad
where we froze and boiled all those years
ago, followed by a visit – led by Dr Gordon
Curry – to the Gregory Building. It was agreed
that the youngsters of today are certainly
more comfortable! We followed the tours with
some light refreshments and a meal in an old
haunt. The final part was an excursion to the
Highland Boundary Fault at Aberfoyle – ending
with a picnic in the sun. There was some sad
news that one of our lecturers, Professor Brian
Bluck, sadly had passed away that morning.
Despite his soft-spoken Welsh accent, he
brought sedimentology to life for us with his
infectious enthusiasm.
1975 BDS Root Club
We held our 40th reunion at the Westin
Bayshore in Vancouver over the weekend of
7–9 August, with 29 people in attendance
from the UK, Australia and Canada – and an
impressive 100% showing from the ladies of
the class! The weekend was action-packed,
with activities such as a dinner cruise, BBQ
at Grouse Mountain, dinner at the hotel and
other informal gatherings. We also had a great
classroom session on the Saturday morning
with speakers talking on topics from the history
of implant dentistry to the rearing of pedigree
Aberdeen Angus cattle! Five years feels a
little too long between catch-ups, so there is
a definite nudge towards a two-year interval in
future.
1975 Law
On Saturday 3 October 2015, 42 of those who
matriculated in the class of 1975 returned to
the University for a reunion. We received a
warm welcome to the Ferguson Room at One
A The Square by the Principal. An informal
drinks reception accompanied by a 1975–8
playlist compiled by one of those attending (on
an iPod rather than the original vinyl) and much
reminiscing was followed by an excellent meal.
A hugely enjoyable time was had by all and
there was the suggestion of another reunion
soon. To mark the occasion of this first ever
class reunion, the attendees made donations
to the Beatson Pebble Appeal and raised a
grand total of £2,500 on the night.
1984 Chemistry
We held our 30th (plus 1) anniversary reunion
on 25 April 2015, with a meet-up in the GUU
Beer Bar and dinner in Òran Mór. There were
15 attendees (around a third of the class). Lyn
Rowley travelled the furthest, coming over from
Switzerland, while others came from England
and Ireland to meet with those who have
remained in the Glasgow area. Five of us met
on the day before for a tour of Gilmorehill. On
our original graduation day, we were not able
to get into the Bute Hall because of asbestos
removal. We were fated not to get in for our
return visit either, as the hall was being used
for examinations. Dr Bob Hilland gave us a
tour of the School of Chemistry. We moved
on to the QMU bar and were roped into a pub
quiz. Our next reunion is planned for 2024 for
our 40th anniversary.
2010 Earth Sciences
On Saturday 4 July 2015, 22 from our class
gathered in our second-year laboratory for
drinks to celebrate our five-year reunion
(almost five years to the day since we
graduated). The whole Gregory Building has
had a makeover since we last set foot in it. It
didn’t take long for the drinks and conversation
to start flowing. A few of us had met up in the
preceding five years but it was great to see a
third of the class together again. We moved
on to Òran Mór to continue celebrating and
hearing all the wonderful things the class has
gone on to do and places they have been.
Hopefully we’ll see everyone again – along
with those who couldn’t make it this time – at
the ten-year reunion in 2020.
Vet alumni reunion weekend
Professor Gary England gave a fascinating
Weipers Lecture on Friday 30 October. Over
70 delegates attended our CPD event on
Saturday 31 October, followed in the evening
by our celebration dinner and ceilidh with 180
of our graduates joining fellow classmates.
Pictured to the left is a ceilidh in full swing
at the Vet School’s 150th anniversary event
in 2015. For details on the 2016 Vet reunion
weekend please contact Sarah.Hunter@
glasgow.ac.uk.
How to
organise a
Reunion
Reminisce over your student
days, rekindle old friendships
and reconnect with the University.
Here’s how to organise your own
reunion in five easy steps:
1Contact us
We can help you with ideas and
planning, as well as accessing
contact information for your
classmates.
2Make contact with your
classmates
You can email or write a letter
to your classmates to find out who
is interested in attending a reunion.
3Choose a venue and date
Choose a place and time that will
suit most of your classmates.
There are locations on campus, as
well as around the city, to suit all
types of reunion.
4Inform your classmates
You can email or write to your
classmates, and place a notice
in Avenue and on www.glasgow.
ac.uk/alumni/reunions.
5Enjoy the reunion
Have fun, share memories and
take pictures. Send us a
photograph and a short
description of your reunion and
we’ll publish it in Avenue.
Submit your reunion notice
To submit a reunion notice please send a
brief description of your planned reunion
to us at the Development & Alumni
Office. Remember to include your class
or club’s name and year, as well as the
planned dates and location (if known) of
the reunion.
Get in touch:
alumni@glasgow.ac.uk
+44 (0)141 330 7146
www.glasgow.ac.uk/alumni

24
25
Alumni events
Reunion notices
Alumni around the world get together
to celebrate their connection with the
University. Representatives from the
University attend these social events to meet
with and grow our esteemed network of
graduate, current and future students. To find
out about future events, see www.glasgow.
ac.uk/alumni/events.
Barbados: Alumni lunch
Saturday 27 June 2015
Eighteen alumni and guests enjoyed a lunch
and tour at the Clifton Hall Great House. Clifton
Hall is one of Barbados’ oldest houses. The
group learned about the fascinating history of
the house from Sir Henry Fraser. The group
hopes to plan future activities.
Conacyt Mexico: Recruitment Fair
April 2015
Professor Rosa Greaves attended a
recruitment fair in Mexico in April 2015 and
was pleased to be supported by alumni at the
event. From the left, Professor Rosa Greaves,
Dr Abelardo Martinez (PhD 1975); his daughter
Sheila (born in Glasgow during the PhD and
now running her father’s journal and business);
Tania Fuentes Villa (MDes 2013), Dr Santiago
Perez Salazar (MSc 2010) and Cahir Connolly
(University agent in Mexico).
Japan: Japanese whisky event
25 March 2015
The Japan Alumni Society held a gathering at
the International House of Japan. The event
celebrated one of our most notable alumni,
Masataka Taketsuru, known to many as the
father of Japanese whisky. Guests enjoyed
his Nikka whisky, along with speeches from
Kenneth Shimizu as head of the society, Hal
Parker from the British Council and Professor
Jane Duckett, International Dean for East Asia.
China
The Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou Alumni
Association each celebrated that the Adam
Smith Business School received its triple
accreditation (AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS)
in the summer. Over 120 alumni and friends
attended the drinks receptions organised by
our members.
Hong Kong: Cocktail party at Christie’s
11 May 2015
Over 50 alumni and friends met for a special
evening to celebrate Glasgow on the 22nd
Floor of Alexandra House, the new home of
Christie’s Hong Kong. Speakers included
Elaine Kwok, director of Christie’s Education,
Asia. Christie’s Education is an affiliated
institute of the University and a subsidiary of
Christie’s International.
China: University of Glasgow–Nankai
University joint graduate school launch
21 October 2015
A number of alumni and over 100 current
Nankai students joined Glasgow academics
for the joint graduate school launch, which
included an academic procession and
guest lecture by the Bonar MacFie Chair in
Economics, Professor Charles Nolan. Students
also celebrated with a traditional Scottish
ceilidh complete with piper.
Kuala Lumpur: Alumni gathering
19 October 2015
Forty alumni attended the gathering in the
Majestic Hotel for a chance to meet others in
the area as well as hear a University update
from Emeritus Vice-Principal John Chapman.
All enjoyed an evening of delicious treats,
as well as networking with fellow alumni and
prospective students.
Los Angeles: Alumni lunch
16 May 2015
Alumni enjoyed lunch at the home of alumnus
Stephen (MPhil 1988) and Naris Bethel
in Glendale. Fifteen alumni and friends
reminisced about their time at Glasgow
and how they came to live in LA. Frances
Shepherd, Vice-President International
Development, and Caroline Gould,
international development coordinator, gave a
brief update from the University.
New York City: Scotland Week
Saturday 11 April 2015
Kilts swayed rhythmically to the skirl of the
pipes and the beat of the drum as alumni and
staff joined the Tartan Day Parade along 6th
Avenue – one of the highlights of Scotland
Week in New York. The parade was followed
by a lively reception for all Scottish university
alumni at the Long Room on W 44th Street.
San Francisco: Cheese School evening
Tuesday 22 September 2015
Frances Shepherd and Emma Sloan from the
Development & Alumni Office welcomed 40
guests to this evening event at the Cheese
School of San Francisco. Guests had the
chance to sample a number of local cheeses
alongside recommended wine pairings.
Texas: Austin happy hour
Tuesday 15 September 2015
Emma Sloan, international development
officer, joined the group of 12 alumni and
friends for an informal evening at Searsucker,
Austin. Professor Emeritus Hugh S Forrest
(BSc 1944) was the earliest alumnus to join the
group. There are plans for a Burns Supper in
January 2016.
Texas: Houston pub quiz
Wednesday 16 September 2015
Eighteen alumni and guests came together
at The Black Labrador pub to pit their wits
against fellow Glasgow graduates living in the
Houston area. Winning a variety of Glasgow
goodies, the team of Helen Mann (MA 1967),
Norman Ritchie (BSc 1985) and Robert Wylie
(BSc 1978) took the top spot, closely followed
by Jana Jumper (MLitt 2012) and guests.
Washington DC: Burns Supper
5 March 2015
Alumni joined University representatives,
Professor David Fearn, Emma Sloan, Caroline
Gould and Danielle Houston at the Ritz-Carlton
for our annual Burns Supper. Despite the
treacherous winter conditions, more than 60
alumni and guests joined in the festivities for a
wonderful night of dancing and singing. Alan
Dickson delivered the Toast to the Haggis and
Frank Shaw gave the Toast to the Immortal
Memory.
Toronto: Pub night
April 2015
Seventeen local alumni gathered at The
Caledonian in Toronto for a few drinks and
the chance to network with other alumni in
the area. Attendees spanned 60 years of
graduations and were able to share memories
of the city both old and new.
Vancouver: Alumni reception
12 May 2015
More than 30 alumni and friends from the
Vancouver area attended our reception
at Steamworks Brew Pub. University
representatives Frances Shepherd, Caroline
Gould and Leann Schmitz hosted an evening
of food and drinks and gave a quick update
about recent developments at the University,
and alumni shared their stories from their time
at Glasgow and life since.
FUTURE
EVENTS
LONDON BURNS SUPPER 2016
Friday 15 January 2016
Caledonian Club, Belgravia
Tickets £80 per person
The evening will be hosted by the
Principal. Clark McGinn will return as
our guest speaker with Kirsteen McCue
as our guest singer.
1966 Zeta
Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 June 2016;
Seamill Hydro
Medical Graduate Year 1966 is holding a 50th
reunion. Contact: Jim Herbert, call
+44 (0)1786 822 141 or email herbert904@
btinternet.com.
1967 Modern Languages
Christine Bradbeer would like to reunite with
classmates from the 1967 graduating classes
of Modern Languages. Contact: Christine,
email cgbradbeer@gmail.com, or call the
Development & Alumni Office on +44 (0)141
330 4951.
1981 Alpha
Saturday 29 October 2016; Grand Central
Hotel in Glasgow
The Alpha 81 medical year club is organising a
35-year reunion – with a weekend of activities.
Contact: email Helen Mactier helenmactier@
hotmail.com or Garry Dickson garryd_scot@
yahoo.co.uk.
1986 Alpha
Saturday 1 October 2016; the Bute Hall
We will celebrate our 30th anniversary in the
University’s Bute Hall. Contact: Gillian Penrice,
email gualpha86@yahoo.com.
1988 Honours Modern Languages
June 2018
Shall we get together in 2018 to celebrate 50
years since we graduated? We will be invited
to Commemoration Day at the University on
Wednesday 13 June 2018 to mark 50 years
since our graduation. At our last reunion,
we had lunch in the University and spent
time reminiscing in the Modern Languages
building. This time we could spend a few days
away together in a beautiful part of Scotland
with a coach available for outings (spouses,
partners and friends as well). I would be
prepared to organise. Please let me know if
you’re interested and any ideas you may have.
Contact: Anne Ritchie anrit521@icloud.com.
LADIES’ CLUB
The University of Glasgow Ladies’
Club is for all women working or who
have worked at the University, or with
husbands or partners who are working
or have worked at the University. If you’re
now retired and find yourself with plenty
of time on your hands, why not have an
evening out hearing about something
new, join in our daytime activities or enjoy
our social gatherings.
In addition to regular talks and visits,
we hold outings and supper evenings,
where you will find a warm and friendly
atmosphere.
Find out more: email ladies-club@
gla.ac.uk or see www.glasgow.ac.uk/
myglasgow/staff/clubs/ugladiesclub.
Glasgow Auld Students of Kolkata
Annual dinner: 7pm, Saturday 9 January
2016; Calcutta Club, Kolkata
Picnic: Sunday 31 January 2016; Dhulagarh
We are one of the University’s oldest and
most established alumni groups and we
hold a number of social events each year
and welcome new members. Contact:
Shamindra Nath Sengupta (BSc 1964), call
+91 33 40088680 or 9331862215, or email
shamins@rediffmail.com.
Coffee club
Are you interested in joining fellow alumni
for coffee in the Glasgow area? If so, please
contact donald.ross317@ntlworld.com for
more details.
www.glasgow.ac.uk/avenue

26
27
A report prepared for the General Council
by Amber Higgins, Clerk to the General
Council. clerkgc@glasgow.ac.uk.
The last General Council meeting was held
on Saturday 27 June 2015 in Lecture Theatre
2, Boyd Orr Building on the University’s
Gilmorehill Campus. The Chancellor, Professor
Sir Kenneth Calman, was in the chair. This
article contains an abbreviated description of
the business of the meeting. A full minute can
be found at www.glasgow.ac.uk/gcreports.
Report of the Business Committee
Convenor, Mr John Marsh
Convenor John Marsh thanked the Chancellor
for his introduction and welcome to his first
meeting as the Convenor of the General
Council Business Committee (GCBC).
Business Committee Membership: The
Convenor reported to the General Council
the deaths of two GCBC members, Andy
Buchanan and David Anderson. Andy
Buchanan had been a member of the GCBC
for many years and graduated in 1968 in
Engineering. David Anderson had also been
on the GCBC for a number of years and
then was a General Council Assessor on the
The General Council
The General
Council of the
University was
set up by Act of
Parliament to give
voice to the views
of the graduates
and academic staff
on the regulation
and wellbeing of
the University.
Pictured: Iain Brown (LLB 2007), from the
General Council Business Committee.
University Court in July 2008. David rapidly
became a very valued member of Court and
the HR Committee, of which he became the
Convenor in 2010. They will both be sadly
missed.
Business Committee Matters: The Convenor
reported that the GCBC had held two
meetings since the last half-yearly meeting
in January, with again much of the GCBC’s
time taken up discussing the proposed Draft
Ordinance 207. A working group had
prepared a report on behalf of the GCBC
and submitted it to Court following a vote
by members of the GCBC. The report had
included a summary of the comments received
from General Council members and from
GCBC members. The Convenor reported that
the main objection was the proposal to reduce
the number of General Council Assessors from
five to two.
The Convenor stated that the GCBC had
also submitted a response to the Scottish
Government Consultation on the Higher
Education Governance Bill. The Bill
had recently been published and the GCBC
would be considering its position in the
coming weeks.
General Council Standing Orders: It had
been agreed that a Working Group from the
GCBC would look at the General Council
Standing Orders with a view to preparing a
revised document for approval by the General
Council in January 2016.
The Chancellor thanked the Convenor for his
report and thanked all the GCBC members
for all their hard work on behalf of the General
Council.
Principal’s Report, by Principal and
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Anton
Muscatelli
Inspiring People – Changing the World: The
Principal reported that the University was in
the final stages of approving its new strategy.
The new strategic plan sets out the ambition
to build on the current strong academic and
financial position to become even better. At the
heart of the strategy are the University’s staff
and giving them the support, development,
infrastructure and environment to further the
University’s ambition.
The vision is to have a world-class, worldchanging
university. To enable this to
happen the University needs to continue
to bring together and create a world-class
environment for learning and research which
empowers staff and students alike to discover
and share knowledge that can change the
world.
There are three broad themes to the strategy
1. People – bring inspiring people together
2. Place – create a world-class environment
for learning and research
3. Purpose – discover and share knowledge
that can change the world
The Principal thanked all the staff of the
University for their positive engagement with
the new strategy and for their hard work and
dedication over the last academic year.
Scottish Government – Higher Education
Governance (Scotland) Bill: The Principal
explained that the University would review
the recently drafted Higher Education
Governance (Scotland) Bill and consider its
response.
The Chancellor thanked the Principal for
his report and welcomed the positive news
delivered in his report, which showed that
the University continued to grow and move
forward, before inviting comments.
Q&A: In answer to questions, a General
Council member raised concerns about the
lack of acknowledgement by Court on the
views of the General Council members with
regard to Draft Ordinance 207. The Convenor
of Court stated that he would convey the
concerns raised by General Council members
to Court. A General Council member also
asked about widening access and the future
of the Centre for Open Studies. The Principal
reported that the Centre for Open Studies had
recently been reviewed by Court and Senate.
The University, however, was fully committed
to community education and would continue
to offer programmes to maximise the benefits
to the whole community while ensuring value
for money.
Closure of the Meeting
The Chancellor thanked
all those present
and declared
the meeting
closed.
Next
Meeting of
The General Council
The next meeting takes place on
Saturday 30 January 2016
in the Senate Room,
Main Building at 11am.
Convenor’s
Comments
From John Marsh, Convenor of the
General Council Business Committee
As I mentioned last time, the Business
Committee is working hard on establishing
more effective communication with graduates,
whether by email, an enewsletter or an
improved website.
This has been a busy time for the Business
Committee, as the Scottish Government
asked for comments on its Higher Education
Governance (Scotland) Bill, proposing radical
changes in the way the Scottish Universities
are governed, particularly affecting the four
ancient Universities of Glasgow, Edinburgh,
Aberdeen and St Andrews.
Earlier this year, I met with the Convenors of
the General Council Business Committees of
the other ancient universities. In discussing
the Bill we identified many common areas of
concern.
The General Councils of the ancient
universities have a long-standing role in
governance, and the Business Committee
was concerned that parts of the Bill might not
ensure good governance. A submission was
therefore made on behalf of General Council
to the Scottish Government, with a summary
being sent to the leaders of the main political
parties and to the MSP for Glasgow Kelvin
constituency, in which the University lies.
The Business Committees of St Andrews
and Edinburgh have written to their General
Council members, encouraging them to make
individual personal submissions, and many
of you will have responded to my message
in 2015, suggesting that our graduates
should contact their own MSPs. Although the
responses to my email were overwhelmingly
supportive, there had been a small number
of emails that did not support the Business
Committee’s views. I welcome all comments,
even those which disagree with me, as they
are extremely useful in ensuring that we reflect
the opinions of our graduates.
We were particularly concerned to
understand what the Education Secretary
believed was wrong with the existing
governance arrangements – where General
Council and Senate appoint Assessors to
Court – and how the arrangements in the
Bill would improve governance. Our concern
does not seem to have been addressed.
Regrettably, the contribution of General
Council has already been diminished by the
recent reduction in the number of Assessors
it appoints to Court, very significantly
reducing the influence of our graduates.
We were also concerned that the Bill
introduces a level of government control,
similar to that already exercised over the
newer universities, which could potentially
lead to the universities being viewed by
central government as public bodies. We
feel that this amounts to an assault on the
autonomy of the university sector in Scotland
and could have serious consequences for
future funding, threatening their charitable
status, the loss of which could vastly restrict
available sources of funding and investment.
I hope that, by the time you read this, the
weight of opinion expressed widely in the
press, by the universities and by graduates
will have prevented the Education Secretary
from throwing the baby out with the bath
water. To keep up to date with all the
latest General Council news please see
our website www.glasgow.ac.uk/about/
generalcouncil.
The General Council Agenda will include the following:
1. Election of members to serve the General Council Business Committee
2. Minutes of meetings held on 27 June 2015
3. Report of the Convenor of the General Council Business Committee
4. Principal’s address and questions
5. AOCB

28
WHAT’S ON AT:
The General Council
Paper A: Report by the Principal
As I reported in June, we were preparing to finalise and approve our new strategy,
Inspiring People – Changing the World. The strategy was launched in October 2015. Its
focus is People, Place and Purpose, and it is aimed at bringing inspiring people together to
create a world-class environment for learning and teaching, with a desire to discover and
share the knowledge we create to make a difference.
Our strategy plans to take the University to
even greater heights, following our successes
in the last five years, and the story over recent
weeks has already begun to put flesh on the
bones of these ambitions.
The South Glasgow Hospital was opened
by Her Majesty the Queen in July 2015, and
named, significantly, The Queen Elizabeth
University Hospital (QEUH), Glasgow, marking
the University’s important presence on the
site. As previously reported, the QEUH is now
the base for the University-led £20m Stratified
Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre (SMS-
IC), and the site of the £60m University clinical
academic campus.
On 26 October, Jo Johnson, Minister of State
for Universities & Science, visited the QEUH
and announced that the SMS-IC had been
selected as one of six UK regional centres
of excellence by the Precision Medicine
Catapult. The Catapult, established in April
2015 and funded by Innovate UK, is the
UK’s new national innovation centre for
precision medicine. Its aim is to make the
UK the most attractive place in the world
in which to develop precision medicine
tests and therapies. The Scottish centre of
excellence will be led by the University with
investment from all of Scotland’s medical
schools, NHS Research Scotland, and industry
partners Aridhia Informatics, ThermoFisher
Scientific and Illumina. On the same day, the
Minister undertook the ceremonial ‘breaking
ground’ for the new £32m Imaging Centre of
Excellence, housing the UK’s first 7-Tesla MRI
scanner on a clinical site.
Moving to Garscube, the Sir Michael Stoker
Building, a new £23m facility for virus research,
was officially opened. It is home to the Medical
Research Council–University of Glasgow
Centre for Virus Research, one of the UK’s
largest groupings of human and veterinary
virologists.
These developments encapsulate the Place
and Purpose of our strategy, but first and
foremost, they represent the achievement of
our People: without their drive the University
would not be what it is today. And there
are many other examples. They range from
an exciting new collaboration between our
mathematicians and clinicians to create the
Engineering & Physical Sciences Research
Council Centre for Multiscale Soft Tissue
Mechanics, to the important work being
done by the College of Arts through the Arts
& Humanities Research Council project to
compile the first ever Historical Thesaurus
of Scots, and to the work of GRAMNet in
the College of Social Sciences to address
practically, academically and internationally
migrants, refugees and asylum seekers.
While our strategy recognises the value of
our research stars, it also recognises the
value of all our colleagues and the important
part everyone plays in creating a working,
learning and research environment of quality.
Continuing success in the student experience
bears this out. The University was ranked top
in Scotland and third in the Russell Group in
the National Student Survey 2015 as measured
by overall satisfaction.
And as a University, we are committed to being
a good employer and so we were delighted
that the University received formal confirmation
of our accreditation as a Living Wage
Employer in August. The University is also
committed to the Scottish Business Pledge,
a Scottish Government initiative which aims
for a fairer Scotland through more equality,
opportunity and innovation in business. The
Living Wage is part of this initiative and a
formal announcement of our commitment to
both was made on 2 November 2015.
Our international developments in China
with the University of Electronic Science &
Technology of China (UESTC) and Nankai
University are also progressing. We have now
established the University of Glasgow–Nankai
University Joint Graduate School, the first
postgraduate higher education programme to
be set up on a Chinese university campus in
partnership with a UK institution. The school
opened in August, with its first intake of
postgraduates. During her visit to China, the
First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, was present
at a signing to extend our collaborations with
Nankai.
At the UK–China Education Summit in London
in September, Professor Li Yanrong, President
of UESTC, and I signed an agreement in the
presence of the Vice-Minister for Education
China and UK ministers, confirming our
commitment to establish the Joint Educational
Institute (JEI) in Engineering with the UESTC.
The JEI is expected to become a substantial
entity with an anticipated 2,500 students
enrolled (in steady state) in the three new
undergraduate degree programmes.
All of these achievements continue to be
recognised in the wider world. The University
was shortlisted as University of the Year in
the Times Higher Education Awards for the
second consecutive year and we were placed
once again in the top 100 world universities by
both the QS World University Rankings and the
THE World Rankings, the two key international
league tables. In September, the University
received the award of a five stars plus rating
in the QS Stars University Ratings, the first UK
university to achieve this.
‘ I am confident that with our new strategy in place, and our
commitment to follow through on its ambition and targets, we will
continue to progress and strengthen our position as one of the top
UK and world universities.’
1
CURRENT EXHIBITIONS
COMIC INVENTION
18 March to 17 July 2016
Hunterian Art Gallery (Admission charge)
This new exhibition explores the cultural and
historical background of the graphic narrative
and how we tell stories in pictures. Taking us
from the world’s oldest comic to Scooby Doo
and Batman, Comic Invention also reveals
new material central to the history of comics.
Browse treasures from the ancient Greeks to
Hogarth as well as contemporary items.
MOMENTS IN HISTORY
10 March 2016 to 29 January 2017
Hunterian Art Gallery (Admission free)
Explore William Hunter’s outstanding collection
of over 900 16th to 18th century British medals
– a collection considered to be one of the best
in the world. This is the first substantive display
of these medals and it captures moments in
history such as the Reformation, Mary Queen
of Scots, the Union of the Crowns, the victories
of Queen Anne’s reign, Bonnie Prince Charlie
and the Enlightenment.
COMING SOON
SKELETONS: LIFE STORIES
19 August 2016 to 8 January 2017
Hunterian Art Gallery (Admission free)
Come face-to-face with reconstructed
skeletons and discover the impact of life
through the ages as these skeletons reveal the
effects of various living conditions and chronic
diseases on bones. Some of the skeletons
are on loan from the Wellcome Collection in
London and others from different areas in
Scotland.
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL LOANS
You can experience items from our collection
in locations throughout the world through our
loans programme.
NETHERLANDS: DRENTS MUSEUM
20 September 2015 to 7 February 2016
Exhibition: The Glasgow Boys: Pioneers of
Scottish Painting.
On loan: three works on paper and fish-knife
and fish-fork by Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
UK: THE BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON
24 September 2015 to 31 January 2016
Exhibition: Celts.
On loan: Poster for the Glasgow Institute of
the Fine Arts by Margaret MacDonald.
UK: NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND
10 December 2015 to 31 May 2016
Exhibition: Plagues.
On loan: two pieces of medical equipment
and four wet specimens.
UK: NATIONAL GALLERIES OF
SCOTLAND (SCOTTISH NATIONAL
GALLERY OF MODERN ART)
7 November 2015 to 26 June 2016
Exhibition: Modern Scottish Women:
Painters and Sculptors 1885–1965.
On loan: three paintings including Bessie
MacNicol’s Lamplight.
USA: WASHINGTON STATE HISTORY
MUSEUM
16 September 2015 to 23 March 2016
Exhibition: Arctic Ambitions: Captain Cook
and the Northwest Passage.
On loan: 10 Native American/First Nations
artefacts collected on Cook’s voyages.
ABOUT THE HUNTERIAN
The Hunterian is one of the leading university museums in the UK
and one of Scotland’s most important cultural assets. Founded in
1807, it is the country’s oldest public museum and home to one
of the largest collections outside the National Museums.
OPENING TIMES
Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm
Sunday 11am to 4pm
Free admission to the Museum, Art Gallery and The Mackintosh
House. Admission charge for some special exhibitions (free to
University of Glasgow staff and students with valid staff/student
card).
The Hunterian, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ
Tel: +44 (0)141 330 4221
For updates on programmes and events, see
www.glasgow.ac.uk/hunterian.
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SUPPORT THE HUNTERIAN
The Hunterian Friends scheme offers members
a range of exclusive benefits, including
unlimited access to charged exhibitions.
Hunterian Friends give vital support and make
a direct contribution towards new exhibitions
and galleries, our education and conservation
work, and to new acquisitions. To join, visit our
website: www.glasgow.ac.uk/hunterian.
About the artworks:
1.Comic Invention:
Cover of The Looking
Glass, 1825
2.Comic Invention:
Pablo Picasso, Sueno
y Mentira de Franco
Plate 1, 1937.
All © The Hunterian,
University of Glasgow 2016

snaw
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sneesl
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