Joanne Harris talks novels with newview - Sheffield Hallam University

newview
The Sheffield Hallam University newsletter
Spring 2008
Joanne Harris
talks novels with
newview
HRH Prince Philip visits
Robert Winston Building
Kelly Holmes sparks
media debate after
University lecture
Love2B celebrates
another successful year

welcome
2
Welcome to the
spring edition of
newview.
It has been a busy few months since our last
edition and the University has played host to a
number of high-profile people. You can read all
about Kelly Holmes’ inspiring lecture on the next
page and her comments about the controversial
athlete Dwain Chambers. Her strong opinions on
his selection to compete for Great Britain hit the
headlines all over the country and part of her
lecture was broadcast on Sky News. You’ll always
hear it first at Sheffield Hallam University!
Our last issue featured the visit of Prince Andrew
whilst this issue features his father HRH The Duke
of Edinburgh, who popped in to see staff and
students at the Robert Winston Building.
Our cover star this month is acclaimed novelist
Joanne Harris who entertained a University
audience as part of the Nights Out season. You
can read her thoughts on Johnny Depp and
JK Rowling on page 21.
I hope you enjoy spring’s newview. We would like
to thank everyone for their contributions – keep
them coming, and we’ll see you in June.
Suzanne Lightfoot and the newview team
newview’s editorial board
Corporate
Communications
Suzanne Lightfoot
0114 225 4025
s.lightfoot@shu.ac.uk
The Enterprise Centre
Victoria Hainsworth
0114 225 2091
v.hainsworth@shu.ac.uk
Human Resources
Suzanne Duke
0114 225 4991
s.duke@shu.ac.uk
Students’ Union
Lisa Watts
0114 225 4144
l.j.watts@shu.ac.uk
Department of Marketing
Peter Gibbins
0114 225 3580
p.gibbins@shu.ac.uk
Facilities Directorate
Georgina Kersey
0114 225 5339
g.kersey@shu.ac.uk
Student and Academic
Services
Julie Smith
0114 225 4270
julie.smith@shu.ac.uk
Finance
Matthew Parkin
0114 225 3911
m.parkin@shu.ac.uk
Learning and IT Services
Hazel Scott
0114 225 3967
h.scott@shu.ac.uk
Faculty of Health and
Wellbeing
Susan Dodd
0114 225 4386
s.dodd@shu.ac.uk
newview - spring 2008
Faculty of Development
and Society
Maxine Greaves
0114 225 5774
m.j.greaves@shu.ac.uk
Liz Lye
0114 225 5658
e.f.lye@shu.ac.uk
Faculty of Organisation
and Management
Elizabeth Owen
0114 225 2872
e.owen@shu.ac.uk
Faculty of Arts,
Computing, Engineering
and Sciences
Vicky Fillingham
0114 225 3703
v.fillingham@shu.ac.uk
Kaye Burnett
0114 225 3125
k.burnett@shu.ac.uk
p8
p18
In this issue...
Here are just a few of the great articles to look out for in your
spring edition of newview…
Dame Kelly sparks debate during guest
lecture - page 3
Dame Kelly Holmes spoke her mind during an inspiring visit to
the University.
Survivors recount horrors of Holocaust
- page 6
Three people who survived the Holocaust shared their
experiences with staff and students as part of Holocaust
Memorial Day.
Duke of Edinburgh shown cutting edge
healthcare teaching - page 8
HRH Prince Philip visits the Robert Winston Building.
City strips off steely image to reveal
red-hot heart - page 14
Highlights from the best bits of Love2B 2008.
Jamie sees the wood for the trees
- page 18
Read all about entrepreneurial alumnus Jamie Chaplin-Brice
who is making a name for himself with an innovative furniture
business.
Author talks about sweet taste of success
- page 21
newview talks to best selling novelist Joanne Harris.
Lighting the Flame - page 23
A special look at Sheffield's sporting innovation.
What’s On - page 26
A guide to what’s coming up at Sheffield Hallam University and
beyond over the next few months.
p14
p21
Dame Kelly sparks debate
during guest lecture
Double Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes sparked a national
media debate when she spoke out against Dwain Chambers during a
guest lecture at Sheffield Hallam University.
Speaking before a 400-strong audience in the Pennine Theatre
last month, the gold medallist said that letting a confessed cheat
compete for Great Britain casts a cloud over the whole country.
‘Each case (drugs) is different,’ she said. ‘But in his case I don’t
believe he should be running. This was an athlete who went to
America, knowingly took a drug that was undetectable at the time,
got caught, admitted he’d taken drugs then went on to say that
you can’t win anything without taking drugs. And then goes and
competes again, I presume because he wants to win.
‘I don’t believe he should be running because you are representing
your country. I don’t think it puts us in a good light as a country
allowing a cheat, who has admitted he’s a cheat, to represent us.
There are so many other people like myself who are completely
dedicated, focused, committed and went through so many things
to try and be the best you can be and then there’s other people
knowingly cheating. I don’t think it’s right.’
An ambassador for the 2012 London Olympics, Kelly also urged
people to get behind the games.
‘It’s a chance for everyone to get behind what is the biggest
showcase for sport on earth and we are so lucky to have that
come to our country. The Olympic spirit is so powerful that you
can’t really describe it unless you’ve been there. The best thing
about it is that everyone will get to experience a bit of that.
Believe me it is going to be the best event ever and that is why I
am a 2012 ambassador. It is going to inspire a new generation and
put us back on the sporting map. I hope we live up to what we
say we’re going to do.’
Dame Kelly also toured the University’s world renowned sports
facilities and met staff and students from the Centre for Sport and
Exercise Science.
Kelly used her own inspirational journey to encourage the
audience to make their own dreams come true.
‘When you've got something you really want to achieve in life it is
down to you to make it happen. Of course you rely on a team of
people to help you get there but it has to come from within and
you have to make that decision.
‘My life totally changed when I became double Olympic champion
in terms of all the opportunities I’ve been given. It has given me a
voice to help other people be the best they can be. If you
experience one little thing in your life that makes you feel proud,
remember it forever.’
feature
Dame Kelly meets staff and students at the Centre for Sport and
Exercise Science.
Dame Kelly Holme’s guest lecture sparked a national media debate.
3

4
European
student union
set to take on
the world
A European union between
students from Sheffield and
Poland is aiming to take on the
world in an international
competition.
Talented design students from the Faculty of Arts, Computing
Engineering and Sciences and the Academy of Applied Art in
Krakow are working together to create an innovative new radiator
system for the global manufacturer Therma.
The budding designers recently teamed up in Poland to work on
their plans. They picked the brains of top psychologists, creative
writers and representatives from Therma to make sure their
project would be the one raising temperatures.
Design professor Paul Chamberlain said, ‘The visit was an integral
part of the project but also provided an opportunity to develop
ongoing collaborative links between the two institutions.
‘MA design at Sheffield has an international focus and recognises
the importance that design students need to reflect on their role
and contribution to society from a global perspective.’
An exhibition of work developed by the multi-disciplinary and
multi-cultural groups of students working together, was held at
End Gallery at the Psalter Lane Campus earlier this year.
MA Design students have been to Krakow as part of an international
competition.
news and views
Changes to the Local
Government pension
scheme
The Local Government Pension Scheme, administered for the
University by the South Yorkshire Pension Authority, is changing.
The changes, which apply to both existing and new members,
come into effect from 1 April 2008. Contributing members of the
pension scheme on the 31 March 2008 will automatically become
members of the new scheme.
Why are the pension schemes changing?
One of the main reasons is that people are living longer and
receiving their pensions for longer. This means that the cost of
pension schemes is rising. The government has therefore made
changes to ensure that the scheme can remain affordable whilst
still providing a good level of pension benefits for current and
future employees.
Overall, the new look final salary scheme will provide many
enhanced benefits and continue to be an excellent pension
scheme to be in.
What are the changes?
Final salary pension will now be calculated on 1/60th of final pay
for each year of membership in the scheme from 1st April 2008,
which is a more generous calculation than the current 1/80th
scheme.
Employee contribution rates for existing members who are
currently paying six per cent, and for all new members, will be
tiered according to the following table based on whole time
equivalent pay at the beginning of each financial year:
Band Whole time pay of Contribution rate
1 £0 - £12,000 5.5%
2 More than £12,000 and up to £14,000 5.8%
3 More than £14,000 and up to £18,000 5.9%
4 More than £18,000 and up to £30,000 6.5%
5 More than £30,000 and up to £40,000 6.8%
6 More than £40,000 and up to £75,000 7.2%
7 More than £75,000 7.5%
The band ranges will be increased each April in line with the rise
in the Retail Prices Index.
The University’s Human Resources Department is currently
working with Northgate Payroll to assess each member’s
contribution tier in preparation for the scheme changes. Current
policies and processes are also being reviewed to ensure they
reflect the changes.
For more information on changes to the scheme including extra
benefits and retirement ages check the Local Government
Pensions Schemes Website at www.lgps.org.uk
The University opens a new
overseas office
Sheffield
Hallam opens
India office
By Rebecca Crookes
The University’s international reputation has
received a boost with the opening of its
own office in New Delhi, India.
Kalpana Das has joined the University in
the post of India Country Coordinator, in
collaboration with MB Educational
Consultants. She will work with the
International Office and all four faculties to
further develop and market the overseas
presence, including student recruitment
and partnership activities.
The key responsibilities of the India office
will be to develop and conclude
agreements with education institutions,
businesses and industry contacts, develop
and implement a marketing plan to raise
the University’s profile throughout India,
International development officer Anna Lilley
and Kalpana Das
support and build on existing relationships with educational recruitment agents,
strengthen relationships and engage in activities with our Indian alumni.
Kalpana joins the team after a long and successful period employed with the British
Council India. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge about UK higher education
recruitment and development work in the Indian sub – continent and is already proving to
be an invaluable asset in efforts to recruit undergraduate and postgraduate students.
She has already settled into her role and is looking forward to the year ahead. She said,
‘My experience with Sheffield Hallam so far has been challenging and exciting. Making
links with Indian institutes, universities and agents, meeting key people, building and
maintaining relationships, counselling students at education exhibitions and travelling
extensively has certainly kept me busy. I am looking forward to the challenges 2008 will
bring, in particular focusing on working towards developing partnerships with schools
and higher education institutions to strengthen Sheffield Hallam’s image within India.’
The India office will also be getting involved in developing and producing marketing
materials and direct student recruitment and will soon welcome two new members to the
team.
For more information about the India office and Sheffield Hallam’s activities in India and
other overseas markets please contact the International Office at international@shu.ac.uk
Pedal
power
your way
to work
Keep fit, save money and cut
down on your carbon
emissions by investing in pedal
power.
The University is underlining its
commitment to a healthier, safer and less
congested city by teaming up with
Halfords to offer a Cycle2Work Scheme
from April.
As part of a government initiative to
promote health and sustainability, the
University can buy bicycles for employees
who want to use them to commute to
work, on the agreement that they repay the
cost over a 12-month period. Staff can
choose any bike to suit their needs,
providing it is used primarily for travelling
to and from work.
Halfords Cycle2Work offers the widest
range of bikes of any scheme provider and
a selection can be found at
www.halfords.com. They also offer a
special order service on 08450 778 850 for
employees who cannot find the bike of
their dreams in store.
For more information, visit our staff
benefits site
https://staff.shu.ac.uk/hr/staffbenefits/cycle
2work.asp
5

6
Dr Otto Jakubovic, Steve Mendelsson and
Hanneke Dye were invited to share their
stories at a special event organised by the
University’s Multifaith Chaplaincy.
Dr Otto Jakubovic told an audience of staff
and students how he was sent from his
home in Czechoslovakia to the
Theriesenstadt ghetto before being
transferred in a cattle truck to the
notorious Auschwitz camp in May 1944,
aged 15. Telling the SS guards that he was
18 and a professional gardener ensured he
was sent to the labour camp rather than
the gas chambers.
He recalled that arriving at Auschwitz was
like being ‘on the edges of hell’. He added,
‘Our heads were shaved and we had a
number tattooed on our arms. This was the
moment when the dehumanisation started
– when we stopped being people and
simply became another number’.
A month after D-Day, in July 1944, Dr
Jakubovic was moved to a work camp – at
16 the youngest of the 1,000 men
transported. He remained there for several
months but, as the Russians advanced
into Germany at the end of the war, the
inmates of the camp were moved in what
became known as a ‘death march’. Threequarters
of the men died on the four week
journey before the survivors were found by
the Russian army and the Red Cross.
Dr Jakubovic said, ‘During that time we
always knew that any moment could be
the end. In many ways, though, I was
lucky. Lucky that I had overheard
something of the place we were going to
and thought to lie about my age; lucky that
after D-Day the Germans needed prisoners
as labour to replace men sent to join the
Army; and lucky that I came out of
Auschwitz because most people who went
there never made it beyond the
extermination camp.’
Immediately after the war Dr. Jakubovic
came to the UK to join his father who was
a surgeon in Manchester. He earned a PhD
and became a scientist working in
research and development. He arrived in
Sheffield in 1970 and is married with three
children and eight grandchildren.
news and views
Three people who escaped the horrors of the
Holocaust to make a new life in Yorkshire
shared their experiences with University staff
as part of the commemorations marking
Holocaust Memorial Day.
Survivors recount horrors of
Holocaust
Otto Jakubovic, Hanneke Dye and Steve Mendelsson shared their horrific experiences under the
Nazis to mark Holocaust Memorial Day
The other speakers were Steve
Mendelsson and Hanneke Dye. Steve was
born in Breslau, Germany, (now Wroclaw in
Poland). In 1938 his father was imprisoned
in Buchenwald concentration camp, only
to be released, amazingly, the following
year on the orders of Hermann Göering. In
1939 Steve’s mother made the impossible
decision to send him and his younger
brother to England under the
kindertransport programme – a scheme
intended to help youngsters flee Nazi
persecution in Europe.
Steve recalled how he arrived in England
wearing several layers of clothes and
‘looking like a penguin’, as he was only
allowed to bring one small suitcase and his
mother had dressed him in as many extra
clothes as possible. He also told the
audience of his surprise that the first thing
he was given in England was a cup of
milky tea, and how after ‘please’ and
‘thank you’ the first words he learnt from
English schoolmates were rude ones!
Thankfully, Steve was soon reunited with
his parents, as they also arrived in England
just 36 hours before war was declared in
September 1939 – although many other
family members did not survive. Staying in
England after the war, Steve moved to
Sheffield in 1968 as consultant to Park
Gate Iron and Steel Co, eventually
becoming a lecturer at the University of
Sheffield.
Hanneke Dye moved to the UK from
Holland aged 22. She was born in 1943
while her family was in hiding from the
Nazis, and smuggled out of the house in a
vacuum cleaner box on the back of a
bicycle. Later, she was separated from her
parents and sent to another house which
was subsequently raided by the Germans
but luckily baby Hanneke, who was
sleeping soundly in an attic, was not
discovered.
Following this she was sent to a Catholic
children’s home for safety, where her hair
was bleached to try to disguise her
appearance. Hanneke was reunited with
her parents in 1945 but lost grandparents,
an aunt and uncle in the Holocaust. She is
now an active member of the Bradford
Jewish community.
As well as hosting the three speakers the
Multifaith Chaplaincy also ran a special
holocaust exhibition as well as screening a
special film by the Holocaust Memorial
Day trust.
How a book of poetry is aiming to
change minds about mental health.
Greater Goings On...
Guests from South Yorkshire mental health NHS Trusts, the voluntary sector and service
user organisations joined lecturers and students at the Robert Winston Building to
celebrate the launch of a special poetry book.
Greater Goings On… contains the work of 51 poets who have had personal experience of
mental distress or of using mental health services. Several contributing poets also
attended the event in November, and pupils of High Storrs School helped out as
stewards.
The book was compiled from entries to a national poetry competition which could be
used in the education of mental health professionals.
The competition and book were developed by senior Sheffield Hallam lecturers Neil
Carver and Nicola Clibbens in partnership with Justine Morrison and Terry Simpson of
the UK Advocacy Network (UKAN), as well as Peter Bullimore of Asylum Associates. Both
UKAN and Asylum Associates are Sheffield based organisations with previous
involvement in health care education.
The competition winners were chosen by Barnsley poet, author and presenter Ian
McMillan and poet Peter Campbell, winner of the MIND Diamond Champion Award in
2006. Both poets also contributed poems to the book which was produced with financial
support from the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing. The value of the project was explained
by Peter.
He said, ‘I believe survivor poetry can play a creative role in educating healthcare
professionals... [and] poetry can create types of understanding and reflection that
discussion and argument fail to do. Producing an anthology of survivor poetry available
to health care educators and students is an important step towards a more effective use
of the personal experience of mental distress.’
At the launch guests were treated to performances by Ian McMillan and Terry Simpson,
who both read poems from the book. A lively discussion then took place with Terry and
Ian taking questions from the audience before Professor Gail Mountain rounded off the
evening by stressing the importance of service user involvement in health care education.
The event was recorded by Richard Badger and Jonathan Willis from Health and
Wellbeing and a DVD of the launch is being sent to each of the poets who contributed to
the book.
Enquiries about the book should be made to Neil Carver at n.carver@shu.ac.uk
Left to right – Terry Simpson (editor and Chair of the U.K. Advocacy Network), Ian McMillan
(poet) Neil Carver and Nicola Clibbens (editors and mental health nursing lecturers) and Justine
Morrison (editor and UKAN. worker). Photo by taken by Patrick Wood of Voluntary Action
Sheffield.
Leading
the way in
information
systems
security
By Elaine Vinter
Recent security blunders such as the loss
of disks containing valuable information
from government departments are destined
to become a thing of the past if University
experts have their way.
It is producing a new breed of
professionals skilled in securing our
information systems with a prestigious
course endorsed by world leaders in
information security.
Sheffield Hallam’s MSc in Information
Systems Security is not only endorsed by
the British Standards Institute (BSI) but has
recently been given the seal of approval
from the SANS Institute which is the
largest and most trusted source in the
world for information security training,
certification and research.
Almerindo Graziano who is also
responsible for delivering the course,
commented, ‘I was very pleased at how
well my presentation was well received by
SANS. This endorsement is a great honour
for us as it means that Sheffield Hallam is
the only university in the world to provide
accredited SANS course content. Not only
that, our MSc students will benefit from
BSI and SANS course modules that if
taken in isolation would cost £1,800 each.’
In 2008-09 Sheffield Hallam is offering
PG/CPD specialist routes to security in the
areas of forensics, wireless networks, and
information security.
7

8
His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh met
staff and students at the Faculty of Health and
Wellbeing during a visit to the city.
Accompanied by the University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Philip
Jones and the Lord Lieutenant of South Yorkshire, David Moody,
the Duke saw practical demonstrations by student nurses and
paramedics at the University’s flagship teaching centre in
Broomhall, the Robert Winston Building.
The Duke was invited to listen to the heart of a simulated patient
and watched student paediatric nurses save the life of a simulated
baby - these are computer programmable models used by
students to provide training as close to real life as possible.
The models are among the state-of-the-art facilities offered at the
faculty that replicate realistic clinical settings.
The building has an authentic operating theatre and digital X-Ray
suite as well as the largest radiotherapy planning suite in the world
where students can study complex conditions using 3D and real
patient data.
The Duke spoke to student nurses, midwives, paramedics,
physiotherapists, radiographers and oncologists before moving on
to meet some of the University’s sports engineering experts
involved in various projects for major sports governing bodies
including the Tennis Federation and UK Sport.
Professor Steve Haake leads the sports engineering team at the
University’s Centre for Sport and Exercise Science (also part of the
Faculty of Health and Wellbeing) and showed the Duke various
products developed for Olympic sports and elite athletes.
These included a 3D laser scanner used for body mapping, the
Skeleton Bobsleigh developed for winning British Olympic athletes
and the research work being done with Sheffield company HD
Sports in the development of blades for ice skates.
The Duke was shown a pair of Queen Victoria’s own ice skates
from 1840 made in Sheffield and retained by HD Sports.
Before leaving the Duke of Edinburgh was presented with a silver
bowl designed and made by a metalwork and jewellery graduate.
Professor Rhiannon Billingsley, the University’s Pro-Vice
Chancellor for Regional and Public Health Development, said, ‘We
were delighted to welcome the Duke of Edinburgh to Sheffield
Hallam where we had the rare opportunity to show him some of
the cutting edge inter-professional healthcare teaching and leading
research work going on in the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing.’
news and views
Leading research and facilities
attract a Royal admirer
HWB’s health check
from HRH
Making sense of the digital maze
Tales of technology
Did you know that a new blog is created every
30 seconds or that 2.7 billion Google searches
are performed each month?
The University’s Learning and Teaching Institute is committed to
making sure staff and students are up to date with developments
in the computer age. Their Digital Fluency Initiative aims to equip
people with the knowledge they need to live, learn and work in the
twenty first Century.
Their latest initiative challenged students to write about their
experiences in a story competition about their triumphs and
tragedies in negotiating the digital maze. The top prizes went to
Lauren Haggar and Mike Ward who shared some insightful tales
about the love/hate relationship we have with technology.
newview has exclusive extracts from their prize winning entries
Lauren Haggar
‘Taught to use a mouse in primary school,
and to type in early secondary, as
technology became more advanced, we
were progressing with it. Looking back, I
can see how as I became older and more
able to grasp the use of these new toys, so
new ones which challenged me further
were released. The ability of my youngest
siblings to navigate the internet and create
reports and fancy presentations amazes
me, as they were skills I didn’t pick up until my latest years of
education.
‘Technology, when it’s not abused, is amazing. Who knew twenty
years ago that you’d be able to use a computer the size of a book
to do your food shopping directly from your kitchen? Or that you
could sit in front of a TV as big as a bed and pause it when you
got a video call from China on your tiny wireless phone? It’s like
science fiction. And I love it.’
‘Navigating the digital maze? My relationship with technology has
always been more like a bridge than a maze, a path to cross over
the pitfalls of modern life to a world of infinite promise.’
Mike Ward
‘Does technology support my learning at
University? Well, this week I’m working on
a Powerpoint based quiz for a seminar, with
doctored photographs of famous
entrepreneurs (guess the face, guess the
strategy). I spent two hours last night
hammering out an assignment, and then
promptly chopped it all up and moved the
paragraphs around changing it totally, and
next week I’ll be videoing myself
demonstrating that today’s baby feeding
bowls need redesigning, and then researching the worldwide
market to see where I can improve them.
‘Who knows what technology will emerge in the next year, the
next two years, the next 10? Well, I have a general idea, but I look
forward to seeing where new technology will take me next.’
The Learning and Teaching Institute will be highlighting the issues
around digital fluency at a special showcase event on 14 May. For
more information about this, the initiative or how you can get
involved please contact Kay Moore at k.m.moore@shu.ac.uk
Setting a new direction for Sheffield Hallam
The University has begun a
process of consultation about
the shape it will take over the
next five years. Staff have been
asked for their comments on
the first phase which will lead
to the development of the new
corporate plan 2008-13.
The first phase focuses on how the
University should position itself within an
increasingly competitive market place, set
out a number of strategic priorities and
examines how Sheffield Hallam might
develop in four key areas learning,
teaching and the student experience,
research, knowledge transfer and
community engagement and inclusion.
The consultation has been supported by a
variety of communications, including open
meetings at City, Collegiate and Psalter
Lane campuses where staff were given the
opportunity to discuss the plans with Vice-
Chancellor, Professor Philip Jones.
Responses from staff are being fed into the
report on the first phase of consultation
which will be completed in April. The
second phase will begin in the same
month and will develop the implementation
strategies and practical actions that will
help the University to achieve its aims.
This will address issues such as the way
Sheffield Hallam works and the resources
needed, and set the direction for the key
services which the University provides.
Staff will also be consulted on this phase
before both elements are brought together
into the new corporate plan for 2008-13,
which will be presented to the governors
for approval in the autumn.
9

10
Can your food
determine your
fortune?
Is love on
the menu?
By Joe Field
If you want to know what kind of person
your date is, you should pay attention to
what they order from the menu, according
to a new study by a Sheffield Hallam
student.
The study, by psychology PhD student
Catherine Day, asked 150 volunteers to try
out a range of pasta sauces, from plain
tomato to spicy arrabiata. She found that
our eating habits often reflect our
personalities.
The results showed that more adventurous,
‘novelty-seeking’ personality types
preferred the stronger flavours, like sour,
spicy or sweet. More reserved personality
types favoured the blander sauces.
Catherine said, ‘The study suggests that
anxious, uncertain individuals tend to show
dislike for sour and spicy tastes. In
contrast adventurous, thrill-seeking types
show high preference for the stronger
tastes.’
Catherine also found that certain
personality types are more likely to overeat.
She said, ‘Dependent, anxious
individuals show a tendency to eat beyond
their calorific need. These types are
potentially more likely to struggle with
weight loss and dieting.
‘The study shows that personality can
influence dietary preferences and eating
behaviour. This has clear implications in
terms of marketing and advertising, and
could be used to combat the global
obesity epidemic.’
research round-up
Research looks at the right support
for expanding profession
Looking after the
next generation of
social workers
Finding the right training for today’s new
generation of social workers is more
important than ever as the demand grows
for them to have a wider variety of skills
and experience.
Their role has expanded beyond all
recognition in the past 20 years with an
increasing call for social workers in less
traditional environments such as prisons,
hospitals and women's refuges.
Recent restructures to social work
education means that students spend half
of their education – up to 200 days – in
work placements. Whilst this helps
students gain valuable and relevant
experience, it is equally important that the
quality and relevance of training is of the
highest standard.
A new initiative is underway to study the
placements of student social workers to
make sure that they are gaining the right
experience. The Skills for Care and
Children’s Workforce Development Council, which aim to improve adult and children’s
social care services across England, has commissioned researchers from Sheffield
Hallam to assess whether the practice sites are providing the right kind of support for
student’s practice learning.
Professor Mark Doel of the Centre for Health and Social Care at Sheffield Hallam said,
‘Good practice begins with good training and education, so it’s crucial at this stage that
we are confident students are getting the right kind of experience and support. We’ll be
looking at sites that were first studied three years ago to see whether they have been
able to sustain and develop innovative approaches to practice learning, as well as
investigating new approaches to learning. We are also eager to find new placements in
different kinds of settings such as schools and children's centres, prisons, hospitals, and
women's refuges.’
Part of the research includes the study of 30 practice sites and projects within the
categories of education, criminal justice, health, service user and carer-led sites, black
and minority sites, and other non-traditional sites such as the voluntary and independent
sectors.
Professor Doel leads an experienced team from Sheffield Hallam’s social work unit which
includes Pete Nelson, Elaine Flynn and Caroline Mulrooney
New technology puts
paid to wrecked specs
A new process developed by engineers at Sheffield Hallam is
quietly revolutionising the durability of our everyday objects.
Simple items such as a pair of spectacles or mobile phone can
get the same treatment as a Formula One engine to extend their
life indefinitely by receiving a special coating.
Other everyday items such as bathroom taps, door handles and light pulls can also be
given the treatment which can even be made in a range of fashionable colours.
The process, known as physical vapour deposition (PVD), is a new technology created to
put high quality coatings on parts to protect them from the environment.
The PVD coating system has huge implications for industry as it is very high quality and
much more versatile than most existing coatings. The process has already been applied
in the automotive industry to increase the life of piston rings and in textiles where
production has been increased by coating combing rollers so the needles stay sharper
for longer.
One of the most remarkable applications is in the medical industry where biomedical
implants such as knee and hip joints are coated so they are resistant to wear and have
less chance of being rejected by the body.
Arutiun Ehiasarian, senior researcher from the University’s Nanotechnology Centre for
PVD said, ‘We are very proud of our achievement in creating this process. The first
laboratory tests began in the year 2000 so it has taken quite some time and a lot of hard
work and cooperation with other partners to develop this process to an industrial scale.
The potential uses for this system are endless, and it is already licensed to five
companies around Europe.’
The University led the development and holds the patent on the PVD coating system but
has also worked closely with power supplier HÜTTINGER Electronic on developing the
necessary power supply to an industrial scale.
Part of the process involved creating a new method called high power impulse
magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) which is a ‘plasma’ technique where the coating is
produced by bombarding the surface to be coated with carefully prepared atoms and
metal ions.
The University, along with Netherlands company Hauzer Techno Coatings which supplies
the coating machinery, has produced the first machine to operate HIPIMS automatically
as a turnkey solution. This has now become a product in its own right because it makes
it much easier for a wider range of companies to offer a premium coatings process
service.
The Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, John Denham, officially
opened the University’s world renowned PVD research lab in July 2007. In 2006 we
generated the most research income of all post-1992 universities - around £18.4 million.
Learning to lead
from the front on
citizenship
Changing the way early years professionals
are taught and understand citizenship
could have a real influence on empowering
children, according to new research.
Researchers from the University’s Early
Childhood Studies Unit have looked into
how students’ own knowledge and
understanding of citizenship can lead to
real improvements in teaching the new
wave of early years professionals.
A case study was carried out amongst
students as part of a wider project, ‘Active
Learning, Active Citizenship’, examining
how teaching and learning strategies help
students develop their understanding.
As part of their study of children’s rights,
students worked in groups to examine their
own attitudes towards citizenship. Using
videos and seminars they were
encouraged to integrate their own ideas
into the learning process, improving their
ability to criticise and evaluate issues and
broadening their understanding of how to
actively encourage citizenship once they
are working with children.
Project leader Janet Kay said, ‘The study
was aimed at helping practitioners of the
future to be active in meeting children’s
emotional needs and wellbeing.
‘We now have a clearer understanding of
what works best for our students and in
turn they understood that they could have
a real influence on empowering children. It
has enabled us to improve the quality of
our BA in Early Childhood Studies and has
proved of real advantage in increasing
confidence and furthering understanding,
particularly among some of our younger
students.’
The study has led to the course being
rewritten to incorporate more practical
learning. Staff have reduced the number of
lectures and have worked with students in
smaller groups with the aim of giving them
the confidence to be more innovative in
their approach.
Details of the findings are available in a
paper entitled From Rome to Athens?
Developing Participatory Concepts of
Citizenship in Early Years Professionals’,
written by Caroline Bath and Janet Kay. It
is due to be published in the summer by
Routledge as part of a book on relational
pedagogy edited by Janet Moyles.
11

12
Researchers at Sheffield Hallam have
completed a three year study examining
the effectiveness of intensive support for
families at risk of homelessness as a result
of antisocial behaviour.
The study, carried out on behalf of
Communities and Local Government and
the Home Office, found that taking action
to address the underlying causes of
problem behaviour resulted in very positive
outcomes.
The study, one of the few pieces of
independent research examining the
experiences of families, found that in the
longer term seven out of ten families had
experienced positive changes since
leaving the Intensive Family Support
Project (IFSP) and complaints about
antisocial behaviour had stopped. The risk
of homelessness had also been
significantly reduced.
The study formed part of a three year
evaluation involving over 256 families who
had been referred to six IFSP’s after their
behaviour or that of their visitors had
resulted in them being threatened by
eviction and homelessness. The interim
research report, published in Oct 2006,
found that in the short term these projects
were a cost effective way to reduce
problem behaviour, prevent family
breakdown and avoid homelessness for
the families involved. This final piece of
work confirms that in the longer term
families were able to sustain the progress
they had made once they were living
independently in the community.
In seven out of ten families positive change
had been sustained and family members
now enjoyed an increased sense of social
inclusion and well being.
A small minority of families however,
continued to experience considerable
difficulties and their lives remained
dominated by complaints about antisocial
behaviour, managing ongoing support
research round-up
Offering intensive support to families is the
key to tackling antisocial behaviour in our
neighbourhoods
Intensive family support projects
help crack antisocial behaviour
By Clare Morris
needs, homelessness, risk of eviction
and/or family breakdown. A key
characteristic shared by virtually all of
these families was ongoing concerns
about the criminal behaviour of one child
or young person.
Families who had been referred for help
from the IFSP were connected with a wide
range of different types of antisocial
behaviour. While some allegations involved
criminal behaviour, the majority of cases
concerned low level but persistent
nuisance behaviour mainly youth nuisance.
The families also shared key
characteristics – many had three or more
children and were reported as having
multiple support needs. Very high levels of
family violence were also reported and the
percentage of children diagnosed with
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD) was higher than the national
average.
The projects were said to be more effective
compared to other forms of enforcement
Picture posed by models
action in changing behaviour and bringing
relief to communities which had been
troubled by persistent antisocial behaviour.
The key to the success was early
intervention and for families to still have
access to specialist support after leaving
the project.
Judy Nixon, principal lecturer in Housing
Policy led the project. She said, ‘Family
Intervention Projects have developed a
new way of working with families at risk of
losing their home as a result of antisocial
behaviour, and such projects are
increasingly recognised by policy makers
and practitioners as providing a highly cost
effective service in both the short and
longer term. The findings from the final
element of the evaluation programme
illustrate the beneficial outcomes
associated with the provision of intensive
support.’
The full report can be seen at
www.communities.gov.uk/publications/hou
sing/familysupportprojectssummary
Technology could hold the key to
swimming success
New computer software could
enable Britain’s swimmers to
improve a key aspect of their
technique more quickly and
effectively than previously
possible – and so help them
win more medals in major
championships in future.
The software, being developed with input
from Sheffield Hallam, provides instant,
in-depth feedback on a swimmer’s glide
technique. Swimmers glide following starts
and turns, when a swimmer is not moving
their arms or legs but is just using their
momentum to travel through the water. As
well as supplying data on head position
and body posture/alignment, the software
actively suggests ways a swimmer can
improve their posture to minimise
resistance and pinpoints the optimum
moment to begin kicking.
The new system offers two key benefits
beyond the capabilities of any other
currently used in elite swimming training.
First, the feedback it generates is available
immediately, so swimmers and coaches
can use it at the poolside and implement
its recommendations while a training
session is still in progress; this will speed
up the whole process involved in
improving glide technique. Second, it
generates data of unprecedented quality in
terms of detail and accuracy.
Ultimately, the result will be faster times in
races. Gliding more efficiently, with less
‘drag’, can cut vital fractions of a second
from a swimmer’s time. The difference
between winning an Olympic title and
finishing out of the medals is often
measured in hundredths of a second, so
this innovative software could give British
swimmers a valuable edge in their quest
for glory.
The software is being developed by sports
scientists at the University of Edinburgh’s
Centre for Aquatics Research and
Education (CARE) with additional input
from Sheffield Hallam University, and
funding from the Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) in
collaboration with UKSPORT. Once tested
and validated, it should be available to
swimmers throughout the UK within
around 12 months.
Government ‘should phase out grammar schools’
Academics at the Centre for Education and Inclusion Research have carried out the first full
survey of secondary school admissions in England since 2001.
The team, led by the centre’s assistant dean Professor John
Coldron, worked with the National Centre for Social Research to
ask parents about their experience of the current process and to
gauge the effectiveness of the system.
The findings sparked a huge amount of media coverage after
researchers found that parents were largely happy with schools
their children attended. But they also warned that many schools –
especially grammars and faith schools – were socially exclusive
and took more pupils from wealthier backgrounds. It backed
wider use of lotteries to allocate school places and suggested that
the government phase out England’s 164 remaining selective
grammars.
Writing in the Yorkshire Post, Professor Coldron said, ‘If most
parents are satisfied, why does segregation matter? It matters
because it adversely affects overall standards of attainment.
Segregated school systems perform worse overall than those less
segregated. Further, a child’s educational success is enhanced if
they go to a school where the children are mostly from higher
socio-economic groups and decreased if the majority of children
are from less affluent groups. In other words, some children are
gaining a better education directly at the expense of others. This
explains the poorer overall performance of segregated systems
and is morally indefensible.’
The report states, ‘Fair and just policies on school admissions are
an important mark of commitment by governments to equality of
opportunity. Selection by prior attainment is also largely selection
by social background. One option would be to phase out selective
schools. Another is to require the admissions authorities for
grammar schools to ensure equal social representation among
those who qualify on the 11-plus test.’
The report recommends that the best way to promote equal
opportunity is with a variety of methods including an independent
body to set or apply the admission criteria for all schools in an
area, fair banding, subsidised travel for lower income families,
measures to ensure balanced intakes to grammar schools,
random allocation and removing the ability to select a proportion
by aptitude.
13

14
feature - love2b 2008
City strips off
steely image
to reveal
red-hot heart
It may have been cold outside but
temperatures soared in Sheffield
during February as the Steel City
revealed its heart of gold.
The Love2B festival painted the town a romantic shade of red during nine sizzling days
and nights of city-wide celebration that also raised thousands of pounds for charity. Over
100 events showed off why Sheffield is the most passionate place on the planet.
The city’s famous sporting fervour was represented by athletics golden girl Dame Kelly
Holmes who gave a lecture in Sheffield Hallam’s Pennine Theatre and talked about her
fond feelings for the city. The University also reinforced Sheffield’s love affair with culture
by screening the northern premiere of Breda Beban’s internationally acclaimed film, The
Most Beautiful Woman in Gucha.
Other events included a Valentine’s Fair, a bachelor auction in aid of St Luke’s Hospice, a
chance to cuddle up with lambs at Whirlow Hall Farm, a Wall of Love at the City Library
where romantics penned literary love notes for their sweethearts, and city-based sex
entrepreneur Julia Gash offered lessons in love at her famed lingerie store.
The major venues for art, theatre, music and shopping all asked for events taking place
during the festival to be included in the Love2B love-in. So Ronan Keating and Strictly
Come Dancing stars were also part of the fabulous February fling.
Last year’s festival, which had glamorous TV couple and dancing duo Darren Bennett and
Lilia Kopylova as stars of the event, raised thousands of pounds for charity and was
shortlisted as the best community event in the Chartered Institute of Public Relations
Awards.
Love2B in Sheffield was coordinated by Sheffield Hallam University and sponsors this
year included the First Group, Meadowhall, Crystal Peaks, Westfield Health, The Moor,
Chamber of Commerce, Creative Sheffield, Yorkshire South, Sheffield City Council and
Halliwells.
You can see everything that went on by visiting www.love2b.com.
Sheffield Hallam students took the message of love to London.
Cuddling up to cute lambs at Whirlow Hall Farm.
The National Blood Service joined the Love2B celebrations to
encourage more people to give blood.
Pink banners decorated the city during
the festival.
Wall of Love - Literary love notes at the City Library. The Valentine’s Fair was a big hit with children of all ages. 15

16
A new e-communications foundation and honours degree is
going onlline thanks to the Sheffield College and Sheffield Hallam
University.
The course will enable people to study in their own time, meaning
they don’t have to interrupt their working lives.
Funded by the South Yorkshire e-learning partnership, the course
will provide a skills boost to the region and benefit the economy.
Julie Hooper, course manager at the Sheffield College, said,
‘Every workplace wants employees who can write text to the
highest standards and have expertise in digital technologies.
‘We have 25 local people starting on the course soon. Most are
low paid workers in South Yorkshire and will take their skills back
to their workplace.
‘The beauty of this is that these students can go on to get a
degree and even onto an online masters degree - all from their
homes and workplaces. They do not have to physically attend
college or university at all.’
As well as learning to write text professionally, students will learn
how to produce web pages, brochures, make promotional video
and audio clips, organise web-conferencing, social networking
and develop company wikis.
A University wide programme
to improve the student learning
experience is proving to be a
big hit.
Shared Futures, led by the Learning and
Teaching Institute, is an innovative
approach to engaging with student
feedback. The internal change academy
focuses on how to actively make use of
student feedback on their learning
experiences to improve and prepare for
future students.
A programme of professional development
and support has enabled teams of
colleagues to put into action a number of
ideas that will improve the student
experience.
It is the first time this approach has been
tried at the University but similar projects
Heritage, Innovation and Enterprise
The first fully online
e-communications course in the UK
is being launched in Sheffield.
New distance learning course to
help boost workplace skills
have proved successful at other
universities and the Higher Education
Academy’s Change Academy.
This academic year five projects are being
supported in three faculties, the Students’
Union and Learning and IT Services. They
range from smoothing the transition
between student personal development
planning and continuing professional
development; developing and establishing
a student Digital Fluency Associate role to
support peers and staff; and developing
and applying a model of student
engagement.
Student involvement is key and bids were
asked to demonstrate how their idea linked
to student feedback.
Students also played a central part during
a two day intensive residential course for
all the teams by facilitating an activity
Kevin Bowman, who co-ordinates the degree at Sheffield Hallam,
said, ‘This course is created by experts in the field of e-learning.
The quality of the content Sheffield College make available to
students is the highest I have come across for an online course.’
For more information call course administrator Cathy Cotton on
0114 2603212, or visit
http://www.sheffcol.ac.uk/onlinecollege/onlinecourses/foundation.
Innovation takes centre stage at Sheffield Hallam’s
Change Academy
which involved making a five minute film
about each project.
Feedback showed that student
participation in the teams and the
collaboration with the Students’ Union
added a powerful dimension throughout
the Shared Futures process: increasing the
energy and creativity and ensuring that an
authentic student perspective was central.
The call for bids to take part during 2008-
09 will be announced shortly. More
information can be found by visiting the
Learning and Teaching Institute’s intranet
(https://staff.shu.ac.uk/lits/lti/sharedfutures.
asp) or by contacting Abbi Flint
(a.l.flint@shu.ac.uk), telephone 0114 225
4724.
Eager entrepreneurs compete for a
head start in business
Enterprise Challenge 2008 is
launched!
Money doesn’t grow on
trees but it does grow from
ideas - that’s the key
message behind this
year’s Enterprise
Challenge.
The University has launched its
annual search for the very best
business brains in Sheffield and
entries have been flooding in
from the next generation of
entrepreneurs.
Sheffield Hallam has an unrivalled reputation for encouraging all
students to explore their potential. The Enterprise Challenge is
designed to help give students and graduates a chance to kickstart
their ideas. The Enterprise Centre acts as a guide through
the process of setting up in business, offering valuable free
support and resources which would normally cost thousands of
pounds.
Sheila Quairney, business and enterprise manager at the
Enterprise Centre, said, ‘We have students and graduates from all
kind of backgrounds entering our annual business start-up
competition, the Enterprise Challenge. Our winners have gone on
to achieve great success in their chosen fields through taking
advantage of the free support and advice, plus access to funding,
to develop their own businesses.’
The competition is judged by a range of regional companies, with
prizes awarded for businesses with the best potential. £5,000 in
cash is up for grabs, plus advice and support from a range of
companies to help get the individuals or teams going for real.
Entrants will go through a number of stages to put their ideas to
the test, culminating in an awards dinner in October for all the
finalists.
This year, the Enterprise Challenge is sponsored by Omnia
Offices, Hart Shaw Chartered Accountants, Footprint Tools, UK
Steel Enterprise, Inspiral, Sheffield Technology Parks and South
Yorkshire Investment Fund. A grand total of £9,000 will be
available for the sponsored cash prizes, plus another £10,000 of
in-kind support.
For further information about the competition, and how Sheffield
Hallam supports student enterprise, please contact the Enterprise
Centre on 0114 225 5000 or e-mail us at enterprise@shu.ac.uk
The Enterprise Challenge is also open to over 16s in colleges
within our Associate School and College Partnerships Scheme. To
find out which colleges are part of the Associate School and
College Partnership, please contact the University on 0114 225
5000 or visit www.shu.ac.uk/study/ug/schools
Past entrants to the Enterprise Challenge have
seen their budding businesses take off
Winners’ gallery
Glenda Kirby
Glenda won the top prize of £5000 in
cash and £3000 of office space from
Omnia Office last year with Chariband.
Her socially driven enterprise aims to sell
reusable carry bags to raise funds for
charity. The idea came after Glenda’s son
was in intensive care and this became her
way of saying thank you to the hospital
for their help. The colourful bags are now
a feature all over the city. Glenda
graduated in 2004 with a BA in
Packaging Design
Jamie Chaplin-Brice
Jamie took second place last year
winning £2500 in cash. His innovative and
eco-friendly venture aims to design and
manufacture sustainable furniture using
local materials. You can read all about his
business in a special feature on pages 18
and 19 of newview.
Allen Holland and William Parsons
The first prize in 2006 was
scooped by Allen and William and
their company Wares Ltd. Wares is
an independent product design
consultancy which has gone from
strength to strength since their
Enterprise Challenge success.
Allen graduated in 2006 with an
MA in Industrial Design Innovation and William graduated in
2005 with a BA in Product Design.
Emma Killilea
Emma’s business Delicious Alchemy took
the top prize in 2005. The company offers
a range of gluten free and lactose free
products designed to meet the needs of
people on restricted diets. The accolades
have been flooding in ever since with an
Excellence in Food and Drink award and
first place in the prestigious UKSEC
(United Kingdom Science and Enterprise
Challenge) National Business Plan
Competition.
17

18
Jamie sees the wood for the
trees to set up innovative
furniture business
By Clare Morris
Jamie Chaplin-Brice is not
backpacking around the world after
leaving university nor is he circling
ads in the job pages looking for the
opportunity to put his degree to
good use.
Instead the 21 year old from Cumbria has become one of a
growing number of Sheffield Hallam students to become an
entrepreneur and take the brave step into the business world.
Jamie designs and manufactures sustainable furniture using local
material. His newly launched furniture company, Wudwork, has
got an eco-friendly ethos and for every piece of furniture created
more trees are planted.
Jamie graduated from Sheffield Hallam last summer with a BA in
Furniture and Product Design.
During his time away from home he always had the intention of
becoming a young entrepreneur but he said it was his work
placement which gave him the inspiration for his environmentally
friendly company and the University’s Enterprise Centre which
gave him the confidence to go it alone.
‘In my second year I had a placement in Finland and it was then
that everything came together,’ he said.
‘I looked at their sustainable designs and it made me think ‘this is
what we should be doing in England’.
‘I began to seriously look at setting up my own business and the
Enterprise Centre was really helpful giving me advice and
information. I can’t speak highly enough of them.’
feature
With his skills and experience from University Jamie headed back
home after graduating to the family farm near Keswick, Cumbria –
the perfect place to launch his business.
The farm boasts 17 acres of managed woodland, including a
woodland trail, interpretation centre and a café which attracts
plenty of visitors.
‘In Cumbria we get 15 million tourists a year and many people
have second homes up here so it seemed like the ideal place,’ he
said.
‘Because it’s on our family farm I can explain what’s happening
and where we are coming from.
‘I am also able to plant more trees than I work with.’
Jamie can often be found working ten hours days, seven days a
week, but he is enjoying his work and already looking to the
future. Currently he is working with another furniture designer to
revamp a local guest house and he has also been busy working
on commissioned pieces as well as smaller items to sell to the
farm’s visitors.
But there are plans to expand and he hopes to have franchises or
sister companies in other regions of the UK and hopes to be
internationally recognised in five years time.
Wudwork, clockwise from top left – door
detail, dovetail bench, tilt table, oak swill
chair, measuring timber.
‘At the moment my business is coming
from word of mouth but through people
coming to the farm I’m also selling a lot of
smaller products like chopping boards and
candlestick holders,’ he said.
‘There’s lot of work and it is time
consuming but I was brought up to work
hard and it does help that I enjoy it,’ he
said.
‘The best bit about it is the customer
satisfaction and giving something back to
nature.
‘I’m hoping to keep building the business
up and I would like to employ a few people
and move to a bigger production base in
the future.
‘At the end of a day’s work, or a project’s
completion, there is nothing more
satisfying than the ‘I made it with my own
hands’ feeling. Better still, through
Wudwork I can now make people smile
without even talking to them.’
Jamie is already making a name for himself
outside of Cumbria. He received £2,500
after achieving second place in the
Sheffield Hallam’s Enterprise Challenge
Award which allowed him to buy essential
tools for his business and fund a trip to
London to exhibit at the Hot House Gallery
in Hackney which led to commissions.
He was also shortlisted for the Trefor
Campbell Award and was one of six young
entrepreneurs to reach the finals but
narrowly missed out on the £15,000 prize
money.
But despite the disappointment Wudwork
is growing every day and Jamie hopes to
make it recognised for its environmental
benefit over other furniture available and
aims to eventually have a negative carbon
footprint.
‘Wudwork is not ‘fashionable’ but the
business is timely in accordance with the
environmental benefits,’ said Jamie.
‘The furniture is timeless and enduring,
perhaps designed with a contemporary
twist. The outcome is a timeless product
that will last a lifetime and not be tossed to
the trash if it’s not in fashion, because it
won’t go out of fashion.
‘Fashion is a way to make a quick buck
Wudwork intends to make a slow buck
with customers buying products to last
rather than continually buying new
products.
‘The target is not to be a money grabbing
monopoly and although I want Wudwork to
get national acclaim it will be for what will
be learnt as a result of its existence rather
than the current attitude of ‘I own a
Wudwork’.’
Jamie’s website www.wudwork.co.uk is set
to go live soon.
19

20
Considering the costs
of sex inequality at
work
This was the question posed
by Professor Liz Doherty in a
thought provoking lecture at
Sheffield Hallam. Despite three
decades of anti-discrimination
legislation women still remain
under-represented at the top of
most industries and
professions and the gender pay
gap still stands at around
seventeen per cent.
In her professorial lecture Liz, an expert in
gender equality, drew on the voices of
participants from her own research to show
how women continue to experience
barriers to their progression in two different
work environments – hotels and catering
and higher education. She also challenged
her audience to consider the costs of
gender inequality – to women themselves,
to their families, to employers and to our broader society.
Reflecting on her own experiences of human resource policy, legislative and training
interventions, she concluded with practical proposals for improving women’s
opportunities, getting men on board and using sticks and carrots to drive further
organisational change.
Professor Liz Doherty lectures in Organisational Behaviour and human resource
management and she is a member of the ACAS panel of independent experts who
provide advice to employment tribunals about claims for equal pay for the work of equal
value. She has spent much of her working life, both as a human resources practitioner
and an academic researcher, trying to better understand the ways in which women can
be disadvantaged at work and then doing something about it.
people
QAA appoints
first student
board member
A Sheffield Hallam student has
become the first ever to be
appointed as a board member
to The Quality Assurance
Agency for Higher Education
(QAA).
Will Haywood
(pictured), an
academic affairs
executive at Hallam
Union will help the
board to strengthen
its work with students
and student
representatives.
Speaking about his new position Will said,
‘I am really excited to be joining the QAA
Board of Directors.
‘At Hallam Union I’ve been involved in
work on engaging students in quality
processes at the University and, having
seen the impact this has had on the
student experience, I am looking forward
to playing my part in improving the
engagement between students and the
QAA.’
Sam Younger, QAA’s Chairman,
commented, ‘Will’s appointment is an
important step, which underlines QAA’s
commitment to listening and responding to
the student voice.’
Will takes up his new position with
immediate effect.
Nursing students looking for aid to travel to Africa
Nursing students Rhona Hubbard and Leah Harland are hoping to
travel to a rural African hospital as part of their training. The 20year
old friends, both final year students at the University, will
make the trip to Ntonda Rural Hospital in Malawi in May - but they
need a bit of help raising the funds to go on the expedition.
The duo is desperate to help out with the local community’s
medical programme and to assist at a centre which looks after
380 Aids orphans every day.
But they need to raise around £3,000 to cover the cost of the trip.
If you can help Rhona and Leah please contact the,m via e-mail at
rhona_hubbard@hotmail.co.uk or leah_harland1987@hotmail.com
Author talks about
sweet taste of success
newview talks to best selling novelist Joanne Harris
about her new novel, Johnny Depp and JK Rowling
Fans of the award winning author Joanne Harris got a taste of her
much anticipated follow-up to the hit novel Chocolat when she
visited the University.
The Barnsley born novelist gave a guest lecture in December,
where she talked about The Lollipop Shoes, a continuation of the
book Chocolat, which was turned into an Oscar-nominated film
starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp.
At the time Joanne mingled with Johnny Depp and the rest of the
stars on set and admits it would be nice to see The Lollipop
Shoes also made into a movie but said that no plans are in the
pipeline and points out that the book is very different.
‘I have taken two or three characters from that story but the book
is not written in the same style, it is a different kind of story and I
experimented,’ she said.
‘I did not plan to go back to Chocolat and I don’t think I have
gone back.’
Last year saw the release of Joanne’s first children’s novel
Runemarks, which just like JK Rowlings’ Harry Potter books, has
won the approval of both children and adults.
‘It would be very nice to have the same success as JK Rowling
but it is not what I am aiming for,’ said Joanne.
‘Runemarks was tremendous fun to write. No-one was expecting
it. There will be at least one more and then after that I’m not sure.’
Joanne, whose hobbies are listed in Who’s Who as ‘mooching,
lounging, strutting, strumming, priest-baiting and quiet subversion
of the system’, has just published a new short story, Harry Stone
and the 24-hour Church of Elvis in Mums: A Celebration of
Motherhood. She will also be writing a piece for Dads – A
Celebration of Fatherhood again published by Random House and
due out in time for Fathers’ Day in June.
And one to keep her fans guessing is In Bed With... which is
published by Little Brown towards the end of 2008. You will have
to guess which of these stories is Joanne’s though, as the
contributors will be listed by their real names on the cover but all
the stories will be attributed to the writers’ made-up ‘nom de
plume.’
21

22
Meet the governors
The University’s Board of Governors has five
new members.
Combining a wealth of experience from academic and student
backgrounds, the governors have already taken up their roles on
the board. They will play a vital part in the life of the University,
determining its educational character and mission and looking
after its resources.
The new members are
Sarah McQueen
Sarah is the president of the Students’ Union. She graduated last
year with a BSc Honours in Sport and Leisure Management.
Christine O’Leary
Christine is a principal lecturer in the Faculty of Organisation and
Management. She joined the University in 1993 and has held a
number of leadership and management roles including programme
leadership, Learning, Teaching and Assessment Co-coordinator,
and more recently associate director for the Centre for Excellence
in Promoting Learner Autonomy (CPLA) and Teaching Fellow.
Peter Westland
Peter is head of the Built Environment Division within the Faculty
of Development and Society at Sheffield Hallam. He has been at
the University since 1991 during which time he has had various
responsibilities relating to programme leadership, quality and
strategic portfolio management. Peter is passionate about the
enrichment of the student and staff experience at the University.
Will Haywood
Will Haywood is the academic affairs executive of the Students’
Union, currently taking a sabbatical year from reading BSc
Honours in Science and Education (with Qualified Teacher Status).
When not at the Union or playing music, Will enjoys messing about
on the river as an active member of SHU Canoe Club.
Vice Chancellor Professor Philip Jones
Professor Jones moved to Sheffield Hallam from Durham
University, where he was Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Sub-
Warden.
Since joining the University he has become a director of Creative
Sheffield, the National Science Learning Centre and Yorkshire
Universities and a member of the Universities UK Teacher
Education Advisory Group (TEAG). He has also become a member
of the All Party Parliamentary University Group (APUG), the
University Alliance, Knowledge Starts in South Yorkshire, Sheffield
Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sheffield First Partnership
and the Governors Council of the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals
NHS Foundation Trust.
people
Clockwise from top left –
Sarah McQueen, Christine
O’Leary, Vice-Chancellor
Professor Philip Jones,
Will Haywood
Conference Ambassador
update - lighting the flame
Yorkshire South Tourism (YST), the organisation responsible for
raising the profile of Sheffield as a conference destination,
recently launched a conference ambassador scheme to attract
more national and international events to the city.
Sheffield Hallam’s own conference organiser, Conference 21, was the first organisation to
link up with YST with the aim of creating a network of ‘conference ambassadors’ to
promote Sheffield as a venue for events, conferences and meetings.
One of the first conferences to take off following the launch is being organised by Skills
Active in partnership with Sports Pulse, and the University.
Skills Active is the sector skills council for the active leisure and learning industry. The
conference ‘Lighting the Flame, Shaping Skills for the Future’ is being held at Sheffield
City Hall and will be aimed at those working in higher or further education, schools or
private training providers.
The event fits well with the city’s event calendar for this year following the British
University Sporting Association (BUSA) Championships which took place earlier this
month.
Looking to the future, Skills Active has committed to bringing this conference to Sheffield
for the next four years with plans to grow the event to a two day residential.
If there is an event you would like to bid for or you are interested in becoming an
ambassador please e-mail ambassador@yorkshiresouth.com or phone Gemma
Bradshaw, ambassador manager, on 0114 201 1015. Alternatively, register online at
www.yorkshiresouth.com/ambassador
When in Rome… show them how to
bend it like Beckham
They may be the FIFA World Cup Champions and have given the
English team a new football manager, but the Italians are turning
to a leading sport scientist from Sheffield to teach them how to
bend it like Beckham.
Professor Steve Haake, head of Sports
Engineering at Sheffield Hallam University
and technical dDirector of SportsPulse,
was invited to the Rome Institute of
Engineering to highlight how technology
can be used to develop sports equipment.
Steve and his team gained international
fame for analysing the science behind
David Beckham’s free kicks.
Professor Haake and his team will be part
of the Institution of Engineering and
Technology (IET) European Lecture Tour
which takes in venues in Italy, France,
Greece and Malta, finishing in Sheffield on
15 July.
feature
He explained, ‘The use of science and
technology is a relatively recent addition to
the world of sport. Lots of money and
effort is spent on developing sport and
athletes to make sure that they perform at
the highest level. With it being an Olympic
year and the UEFA European
Championships this summer, it’s a perfect
opportunity to talk about the relationship
between science and sport.
‘I’ll be highlighting how our work has
helped to support top sports men and
women. Sheffield Hallam is one of the
pioneering centres in our field. It is a great
opportunity to showcase what we can do
on an international stage.’
Golden girl gets
‘Lighting the
Flame’ lecture
season off to
flying start
A sporting season of
enlightening lectures is set to
enhance Sheffield’s reputation
at the city of sport.
Double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes
kicked off Sheffield Hallam’s ‘Lighting the
Flame’ lectures in February and the next
few months will see a series of talks that
include audiences with the controller of
sport at Channel Five and top sports
scientists from the UK and China.
In Olympic and European Football
Championship year, the University is keen
to use its international reputation within the
worlds of sport and active lifestyles, to
encourage conversation and debate in the
city and beyond. Kelly Holmes will pass
the baton to three more sporting experts
who are at the top of their game.
Robert Charles, Channel Five’s controller of
sport, will talk about the huge sums of
money involved in sports broadcasting and
how much influence the media have on
events. Professor Mingxiao Bao, a director
of the Chinese Institute of Sport Science in
Beijing, will share his special insights into
the 2008 Olympics and Sheffield’s
involvement. The University’s very own
Professor Steve Haake will conclude the
season in July with a fascinating look at
technology and sport and just how far it
can be pushed before it is considered
cheating.
Dates – Robert Charles - Wednesday 23
April, Professor Mingxiao Bao - May (Date
to be confirmed), Professor Steve Haake -
16 July. All events are free and will be held
in the Pennine Theatre, City Campus,
Sheffield Hallam University. For tickets
and/or more information call 0114 225
4957 or e-mail events@shu.ac.uk.
23

24
The British University Championships has been staged this year
for the first time in Sheffield.
The Championships is a new major sporting festival that brings
together the UK’s universities to compete in 22 team and
individual events.
Thousands of sporting students descended on the city for four
days of intense competition during 13 to 16 March. Sheffield
Hallam was well represented by the men’s hockey and volleyball
teams, the women’s basketball team, athletes Zara Hohn, Amy Hill
and John Kelley and swimmer Debbie Hall.
The aim of the British University Championships is to raise the
level and profile of student sport from participation through to elite
competition, creating a legacy of experience for students, both as
athletes and spectators, and is designed to replicate the feel of a
major sporting event.
sport
Exciting new sporting festival makes
its debut
Major sporting
championship comes to
Sheffield
TV sports presenter John Inverdale
is president of BUSA, the British
University Sports Association. He
said, ‘This is a great example of
BUSA developing talent ahead of
the Olympic and Paralympic
Games in 2012 and to raise the
level of competition. The British
University Championships will
provide the perfect platform for
students to gain the invaluable experience of competing in a
major competition.’
Sheffield will also exclusively stage the event for the next two
years with the local economy set to benefit from a £2.3million
boost as over 5,000 competitors and 3,500 spectators head to
the city. The Championships were held at various prestigious
venues around the city, including Don Valley Stadium, Ponds
Forge ISC and the EIS Sheffield (English Institute of Sport).
Students set to become brains
behind Britain’s future sporting
success
An Olympic medallist, bosses from the
UK’s leading sport’s organisations and an
international award winner were amongst
those who shared their knowledge to help
sporting students become the brains
behind Britain’s future sporting success.
The second Sheffield Hallam University PE,
Sport Development and Coaching Student
Conference, held in January, gave students
expert advice and insights into the latest
research and practice. Topics included
tackling obesity, identifying young talent
and using 2012 as the basis for building a
world class school support system.
Olympic swimmer and bronze medalist
Steve Parry, chief executives including Pat
Duffy from Sports Coach UK and Steve
Grainger from Youth Sport Trust plus
Professor Margaret Talbot OBE, who has
received international accolades for her
work, were just some of the featured
speakers.
The inaugural event last year was the first
of its kind within the UK to bring physical
education and sports specialists together
with the world of academic study.
Sarah Wenham, a senior lecturer in the
faculty of Health and Welleing, said,
‘Sheffield Hallam is looking to set the
standards in relation to providing physical
education, sport development and
coaching students with the most varied
and up to date knowledge and learning
experiences as possible whilst at university
and this conference is seen as a major
contributor to this aspiration.
‘Our students will be the next generation of
coaches, teachers and performance
directors who could be fundamental to a
UK success in the 2012 Olympics.’
The conference was sponsored by a
number of organisations dedicated to
developing sport in school, including the
Arches School Sport Partnership, Points
School Sports Partnership, Links School
Sport Partnership and Forge School Sports
Partnership.
The Elite athlete programme
produces another star
Elite continue
to shine
Sheffield Hallam student Amy Hill scored a fantastic result in a
recent athletics competition.
Amy, who is part of the Elite Hallam programme co-ordinated by Sport Hallam, took part
in the Amateur Athletics Association’s (triple As) combined indoor events – the national
championships and the North of England championships – competing in the heptathlon.
The 18-year-old first year physiotherapy student achieved second place at the triple As,
notching up a personal best score of 3814, as well as personal bests in the high jump
and shot put. In the North of England championships, Amy won her event and has now
been selected to represent Great Britain in a team international in France.
Amy also competed in the North of England individual championships, finishing first in
the junior and senior shot put and third in the hurdles.
Amy Hill (far right) collects her medal at the triple A championships
Professor scoops
historic sporting
treble
Sheffield Hallam’s ‘Ice King’
Kristan Bromley has been
crowned Britain’s first bobsled
world champion after an
amazing season of success.
The honorary professor added the World
Championships to World Cup and
European Championship titles, completing
an historic treble. It is the first time in the
history of the sport that an athlete has won
all three major titles in one season.
Bromley, 35, said, ‘It’s been a remarkable
season and to be the first Brit to win the
title of world champion and the first person
in history to win the triple crown of titles is
really as good as it gets.
‘It’s probably my single biggest
achievement and it was definitely the
hardest race of my career because I was
constantly under so much pressure from
the other guys.
‘We needed to make all the right technical
calls and it was very much a team effort.
To have won all three titles is probably
something that will never be repeated and
it makes me incredibly proud.’
Kristan joined the University’s Centre for
Sports and Exercise Science (CSES) in
2006 with his coach and brother Richard
Bromley. He has been working with a team
of top sports engineers from the centre
modelling the aerodynamics of his
equipment, to help shave crucial
hundredths of a second off his times.
The innovation has paid off with Kristan
claiming his new sled is helping him to
achieve fast times.
25

26
What’s on at Sheffield
Hallam University
Thursday 3 April 2008
Professor Gareth G Morgan
The Spirit of Charity
Stoddart Building, City Campus
6pm for 6.30pm until 8pm
In recent years, the UK has seen a huge new emphasis on the role
of the voluntary sector, and more recently on the broader third
sector. The lecture will explore these changes and will ask how
the ‘spirit of charity’ can continue to serve the third sector in the
twenty first century.
Wednesday 23 April 2008
An evening with Robert Charles Channel 5’s
programme controller of sport.
Pennine Theatre, City Campus, 6.30pm for 7pm
Tuesday 29 April 2008
An evening with Reverend Dr Inderjit S Bhogal
‘Responding to our multifaith society’
Room 7140, Stoddart Building, City Campus, 6.30pm for 7pm
In association with Sheffield City Council’s Standing Advisory
Council for Religious Education (SACRE) we are delighted to
present ‘Responding to our multifaith society’ with Revd Dr
Inderjit Bhogal, a Methodist minister who is director of the
Yorkshire and Humber Faiths Forum. Faith communities have an
important role in challenging religious illiteracy and enhancing the
The thinking
person’s
lunchbreak
If you would like to do something a bit different with your
lunch break, why not try the Centre for Individual and
Organisational Development’s monthly seminars – billed as
the thinking person’s lunchbreak. They take place on the
first Wednesday of every month at 1pm in the Wentworth
Suite, floor five, Surrey Building.
The seminars are for anyone who wants to break out of
their busy day to think about and debate many of the
emerging concepts in organisation and management.
what’s on
religious understanding which is critical for the cohesion agenda
for communities. In his presentation Dr Bhogal will explore ways
of engaging faith communities in challenging religious ignorance.
May 2008 (date to be confirmed)
Professor Mingxiao Bao from the Chinese
Institute of Sport Science
Pennine Theatre, City Campus, 6:30 for 7pm
Wednesday 4 June 2008
Professor Isobel Doole
Global markets, Parochial Minds
Stoddart Building, City Campus
6pm for 6.30pm until 8pm
Isobel is professor of international marketing at Sheffield Hallam
and visiting professor at Audencia Ecole de Management, Nantes
in France. She is an experienced marketing professional,
researcher and senior academic in the field of international
marketing, international competitiveness of small firms and
strategic marketing decision making. With her co-author Robin
Lowe she has built an international reputation through the highly
successful textbooks; Strategic Marketing Decisions and
International Marketing Strategy.
Wednesday 2 April 2008
‘Using the Public Sector Scorecard to integrate strategy,
service improvement and performance measurement in the
public and voluntary sectors’ presented by Max Moullin.
The Public Sector Scorecard is an integrated service
improvement and performance measurement framework
which adapts the balanced scorecard to fit the culture and
values of the public and voluntary sectors. The seminar will
be an opportunity to discuss the framework and its
applications.
Wednesday 7 May 2008
‘Does trade unionism have a future in the UK?’ Presented by
Tony Bennett
Is the union movement in the UK in terminal decline or is the
recently reported modest rise in membership, linked
particularly to growing numbers of professional workers
joining a union, indication that the unions remain significant
players in the world of employee relations? Join in the debate
this lunch time.
Wednesday 25 June 2008
Professor Frances Gordon
Clockwise from top
left – Isobel Doole,
Revd Dr Inderjit
Bhogal, Mingxiao
Bao, Gareth Morgan,
Steve Haake.
Robert Winston Building, Collegiate Campus
6pm for 6.30pm
Frances Gordon is a nurse by professional background. Before
being appointed by Sheffield Hallam University, Frances was a
principal lecturer at Middlesex University in London for five years.
She is currently head of Interprofessional and Multidisciplinary
Learning and director of the Centre for Interprofessional eLearning
(CIPeL), a collaborative initiative with Coventry University and one
of Sheffield Hallam’s three centres of Excellence in Teaching and
Learning. To book your place please contact Nicola Proctor at the
Faculty of Health and Wellbeing or call 0114 225 3039
Tuesday 15 July 2008
Professor Steve Haake, head of Sports
Engineering Research
‘Newton at the Olympics – advances in sports
engineering’
Pennine Theatre, City Campus, 6:30 for 7pm (see page 23 for more
information)
Wednesday 4 June 2008
HR strategy in an SME – Can it make a
difference? Presented by Ann Norton, Liz
Doherty and Sarah Carmody
Most of the existing research and resultant theory about human
resources strategy has been based on large corporate
organisations. This seminar will explore the realities of developing
a strategy within small and medium sized companies and will
challenge the current rigidities in HR strategy.
For more information, or if you are interested in contributing to
a future seminar, please contact the seminar series
co-coordinator, Prof Jim Bryant at J.W.Bryant@shu.ac.uk. For
more information on attendance and general enquiries, please
contact Lana House at l.house@shu.ac.uk or 0114 225 3891.
The first Annual Sheffield Area Restaurant
Awards
14 April 2008
The Sheffield Area Restaurant Awards has been created in
recognition of the economic impact that the restaurant sector
brings to the wealth and creative development of Sheffield and
the surrounding area. The newly formed Sheffield Area
Restaurant Forum (SARF), in conjunction with the Centre for
International Hospitality Management Research Centre
(CIHMR), will be hosting the first celebration of the diversity
and success of Sheffield ‘eateries’.
The celebration will be across a broad range of categories,
championing the best of Small Restaurants, Indian, Oriental,
Modern European, Gastro-pubs, Business Lunch, Local
Produce, with a senior prestige award of the Sheffield
Restaurant of the Year.
The categories will be voted on by the general public, with the
short listed winners announced prior to the awards ceremony.
The winners are to be announced on the evening of 14 April
2008, at the inaugural industry awards dinner. This is an
opportunity for the general public to bestow recognition onto
the restaurant industry of Sheffield. For further information
please contact d.graham@shu.ac.uk.
The Enterprise Show 2008
Saturday 26 April, 10am - 5pm and Sunday 27 April,
10am - 4pm, Meadowhall Coach Park, Sheffield
If you’ve ever dreamed of starting a business, or even if you are
already trading, The Enterprise Show is a date for your diary.
This free event is your chance to get professional advice on
both starting and developing your own business, and provides
a valuable opportunity to make new contacts, acquire
knowledge and gain confidence and abilities which will help
you to succeed.
For more information or to register call 0800 032 26 26 or visit
the website at www.theenterpriseshows.com.
27

Celebrate spring
with newview
To celebrate the arrival of
spring (fingers, toes and
everything else crossed)
newview has splashed out on
£25 worth of Marks & Spencer
vouchers for one lucky reader.
Whether you want to spring clean your
wardrobe, reinvent your culinary habits
with a tasty treat or spruce up your
surroundings with some fragrant flowers,
the vouchers will help you on your way.
Simply answer the following question to be
in with a chance of winning - What date is
traditionally regarded as the first day of
spring?
Send your answers to Suzanne Lightfoot at
s.lightfoot@shu.ac.uk or by post to
Department of Corporate Communications,
Unit 11 Science Park, City Campus,
Howard Street, Sheffield, S1 1WB by 31
May 2008. Good luck!
Lily Cole models the M&S Limited Collection
for spring/summer
This information can be made available in
other formats. Please contact us for details.
SHARPENS YOUR THINKING TM is the trademark of Sheffield Hallam University
2118-03/08
Notes from the President
The past few months have seen a wide variety of campaigns,
activities and awards for Hallam Union and our students.
Hallam Volunteering triumphed in the
Higher Education Volunteering Awards - we
were the only university to receive two
accolades for achievement. Outstanding
Project of the Year went to the Monday
Club scheme and Natasha Pearson won
National Student Volunteer of the Year.
They celebrated their successes at their
annual showcase, which highlighting the
brilliant community work achieved by all
thirty-four projects.
The most significant event of the year was
the election of a new executive committee.
This year’s election results were announced
on 29 February at a Hollywood themed
party in Bar Phoenix. The themed
marketing campaign may have contributed
towards our impressive election turn out, which saw an 18.5% increase on last year, with
15,625 votes cast in total. For the first time it included video manifesto speeches which
were played in the Union and the entrance to City Campus.
Hallam Union headed up Ecclesall Road in February for another successful Collegiate
Week. This year the theme was ‘Love Your Union’ and it was a great chance to showcase
our work. Students were given a real sense of the activities, representation and support
available from their Students’ Union. Events ranged from a higher education debate to
pod cast workshops and student rep surgeries and much, much more. A programme of
self defence classes, organised in response to demand, particularly from nursing
students, was also launched. Overall, the week demonstrated the need for Union
activities and presence across the campuses. This week was only achieved with the
support and motivation of all Union staff and students, whom I would like to take this
opportunity to thank.
Also in February, Will Haywood (our Academic Affairs Executive) was announced as the
first full student board member of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.
Will’s appointment came despite robust competition and so we would like to congratulate
him on his accomplishment.
Other activities the Hallam Union has been involved with included a variety of awareness
raising campaigns such as sexual health, top-up fees and stopping violence against
women.
Finally, this year marks the twelfth Sheffield Varsity Challenge, the annual sporting
competition between Sheffield University and Hallam. Over twelve days Sheffield Varsity
will see in excess of thirty sports, with seventy fixtures competed in at venues all across
the city. In total one thousand students will compete, all with one aim - to win the Varsity
Trophy - hopefully we will see the trophy returned once more to Sheffield Hallam.
Sarah McQueen
The Student Union executive pictured during
Collegiate Week
This publication is printed on Revive (a recycled paper containing a minimum of
75% post consumer collected waste). The stock is also NAPM approved.