INTOUCH Issue 11

INTOUCHALUMNI NEWSLETTER

ISSUE 11, WINTER 2010/11

IN-TOUCH2010-11-issue11 08/05/2013 09:29 Page 1

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ALUMNI

Jonathan Davies MBE hails from Trimsaran and hisrugby talent was recognised at an early age. Spending the first part ofhis career at Neath RFC and then Llanelli RFC, his first cap as fly-halffor Wales came in a memorable Arms Park victory against England,where he scored a try and drop goal. He would go on to win anotherthirty-two caps for Wales, helping to secure a third place finish in the1987 Rugby World Cup and a Triple Crown success in the 1988 FiveNations Championship.

In 1988, Jonathan changed codes to play Rugby League as aprofessional for Widnes, establishing himself as a force in the game.In 1993-1994, he won the RFL's Man of Steel Award and during hisLeague career he went on to represent Great Britain and Wales onthe international stage. His other clubs included Warrington and theSydney-based Canterbury Bull Dogs.

For personal reasons, in 1995 he returned to Wales and joined CardiffRFC while pulling on the Welsh jersey once again. In 1996, Jonathanwas awarded an MBE for services to the sport. Since his retirement,Jonathan has moved into television and radio working as acommentator on both English and Welsh language programmes.

His cross-code technical knowledge has made him a very popularpundit on the BBC and S4C, and he also writes regularly for nationalnewspapers. Jonathan actively supports Wooden Spoon, a charityfor disadvantaged children in the UK and Ireland.

Wendy Sadler describes herself as having a passion forscience and a strong desire to embed science within popularculture to encourage wider participation. She graduated fromCardiff University and in 1994 became Education Manager atTechniquest in Cardiff. In 2002, she formed her own companyScience made Simple, an innovative science communicationbusiness whose mission is to inspire the next generation ofscientists and engineers. By using an exciting multi-disciplinaryapproach, using topics such as music, art and sport, thecompany has developed and delivered engaging performancesfor schools and the general public. It specifically targets teenageaudiences with topics based around physics and engineering. In2007, the company's art-science show was taken to theEdinburgh Festival where it sold out and was short-listed for aTotal Theatre Award.

The show was then taken on a tour of nine European countrieswhere it reached an audience of over twelve thousand people.Wendy's numerous achievements have been recognised both inWales, where in 2004 she was Welsh Woman of the Year(Science and Technology), and nationally, when in 2008 shebecame UKRC Woman of Outstanding Achievement.International plaudits have included the EU Descartes Prize forScience Communication in 2006.

Professor Barbara Hardy Is best described as acritic, novelist, autobiographer and poet, she was born andeducated in Swansea. Upon completion of her High Schooleducation, she moved to London and ultimately became aProfessor of English Literature Emeritus at the University ofLondon. She is also a member of the Royal Society of Literatureand a Vice President of the Thomas Hardy Society. She waselected as a Senior Fellow to the British Academy in 2006.

In an influential literary career that spans fifty years, ProfessorHardy has published extensively, writing predominately on thenineteenth century novel, particularly those of George Eliot, JaneAusten, Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, W.M. Thackeray andHenry James. She is described as one of the leading post-warexperts on George Eliot.

Professor Hardy is also a successful novelist and her 1996 book‘London Lovers', which is an account of the search for socialliberation in the 1930s and 1940s by a woman from South Wales,was the winner of the Sagittarius Prize.

Furthermore, she has published two books of Poetry, ‘SevernBridge' and the ‘Yellow Carpet', and these collections includemany poems about Swansea and Gower.

In 1993, she published ‘Swansea Girl: a Memoir' which was arecollection of her childhood and adolescence in the inter-warand World War II years in Swansea.

Professor Geraint Jenkins, originally fromAberystwyth, was the Director of the Centre for Advanced Welshand Celtic Studies at the University of Wales from 1993 to 2008.He is a prolific author of over thirty books and one hundredarticles on a wide variety of subjects in both English and Welsh.Under his directorship at the Centre for Advanced Welsh andCeltic Studies he oversaw and was engaged in a variety ofprojects. Professor Jenkins has written extensively on the historyof early modern and modern Wales and prior to his appointmentat the University of Wales he was Head of the Department ofWelsh History at Aberystwyth University. He is the Chairman ofthe Ceredigion Historical Society and a member of the EditorialBoard of the Cardiganshire County History.

He has also served as a member of the Archaeology and HistoryCommittee of the National Museum and Galleries of Wales, andfrom 1993 to 2007 he was Chair and Research Director of theUniversity of Wales, Board of Celtic Studies.

In spite of these numerous commitments, Professor Jenkins hascontinued to write and has recently published a complete historyof Wales. In 2008 he was elected as a Fellow of the BritishAcademy and is currently a member of its Council.

GRADUATION 2010SUMMER CEREMONY

VIDEO CLIPS CAN BE FOUNDON THE ALUMNI WEBISTE

www.smu.ac.uk/alumni

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SWANSEA METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

HONORARY FELLOWSHIPSFOR LEADING WELSH FIGURESA Welsh rugby great, a scientist and former UKRC Woman of Outstanding Achievement, arespected novelist and poet, and an academic authority on Wales all received prestigiousSwansea Metropolitan University Honorary Fellowships at the summer graduationceremony.


Swansea-born scrum half AndyWilliams, 29 years old, has won fivecaps for Wales. He has representedWelsh regions Newport GwentDragons and the Ospreys as well astop English Premiership sides Bathand Gloucester.

This year he was signed for WorcesterWarriors by their new head coach,former England and Bath scrum halfgreat, Richard Hill.

About his time at Swansea Met, Andysaid: "I have really enjoyed my time on

this course. The tutors have been verysupportive. If possible, I hope to returnto Swansea Met very soon toundertake an MPhil."

Swansea Met lecturer, Steve Osbornesaid: "It has been fantastic to haveAndy studying with us. He has broughta lot to the course and I think he hasalso taken a lot from it. He hasaspirations to return as a postgraduatestudent and we will support him in anyway we can."

WELSH RUGBY INTERNATIONALSCORES MET DEGREE

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The Society of Biology represents allindividuals who are committed tobiology in academia, industry,education and research, somethingwhich plays a part in the work of allPostgraduate Certificate in Education(PGCE) Biology students.

Swansea Met student Sarah-JaynePuntan, aged 24 and from Neath, hascompleted the one year full-timeBiology PGCE programme at theSwansea School of Education. Shewas chosen for the award due to herexcellence and commitmentthroughout the course and during herschool placements.

Sarah-Jayne was nominated by hercourse tutor, Bruce Jones. Brucesaid: "Sarah-Jayne has been anoutstanding student. Her effortthroughout the year, especially withinher school placements, has beenexceptional."

“Choosing the PGCEcourse has enabled meto pursue a rewardingcareer in developingchildren'sunderstanding ofeveryday science. I seemy future as a teacherinspiring young peopleso that they can besuccessful andcontribute actively, inwhatever way they can,to our growing modernscientific world”."I'd like to thank Bruce for all thesupport and encouragementthroughout the year. This has been afantastic end to a great year atSwansea Met."

There is no side-stepping the hard work it takes to achieve a degree andfor one Welsh rugby international the hard work has paid off as he hassuccessfully graduated from Swansea Metropolitan University with adegree in sports management.

A Swansea Metropolitan University graduate has won the Society ofBiology Biosciences Award for her outstanding performance throughouther year as a teacher training student.

TOP BIOLOGY AWARD FORGRADUATING EDUCATIONSTUDENT


A conference has been held inSwansea for secondary school supplyteachers to discuss issues importantto them, in an effort to maintain thesame level of support as permanentlyemployed teachers.

The conference was a collaborationbetween Careers Wales West, NewDirections Education - who are one ofthe leading supply teacher agencies inthe UK, and the two teacher educationuniversities in south-west Wales -Swansea Metropolitan University andUniversity of Wales Trinity St David. Itwas supported by the Dragon

Innovation Partnership, which aims tohelp organisations reach relevantexperts from the universities to discusstheir development, support and learningneeds. The conference took place in theVillage Hotel, Swansea.

The aim of the conference was toprovide professional developmenttraining for supply teachers working insecondary schools in the localcommunity. The focus of the day wason issues commonly faced by supplyteachers, including behaviourmanagement and work/life balance.The talks were led by David Vizard

(Behaviour ManagementConsultant) and SandraTaylor (Teacher SupportCymru).

The conference is acontinuation of aSwansea Met-basedproject aiming toimprove the support forsupply teachers. Itchampions the need forequality in the teachingprofession by looking at

the provision of Continuing ProfessionalDevelopment (CPD) courses for supplyteachers, enabling them to maintain thesame level of knowledge and skills aspermanently employed teachers. Theproject also hopes to create an onlineresource for supply teachers to keepup-to-date with legislation and find outabout training courses.

A spokesperson for the event said: "It isrecognised that supply teachers oftenhave difficulty in accessing professionaldevelopment training opportunities andthe organisations involved believe thatthis day was of great benefit to all thedelegates who attend.”

"Hopefully we will find that there is ademand for this type of training andpossibly further training opportunities tohelp support supply teachers and theschools and pupils they serve." "Dayslike this are hugely helpful for supplyteachers. The certification you receivefollowing attendance at such eventsproves to potential employers that yourskills are up-to-date."

SUPPLY TEACHERS BENEFIT FROMSWANSEA CONFERENCE

A reunion of former teaching trainingstudents was held at SwanseaMetropolitan University to celebratethe fortieth anniversary of theirgraduation.

This was the first time that many of thestudents had met up since leaving thethen Swansea College of Education, apredecessor institution of Swansea Met,in 1971. Ex-students organised thereunion at the Marriot Hotel in Swanseaand later moved onto Swansea Met'sSchool of Education to reminisce abouttheir time at the Townhill campus.

The idea came about when graduateMalcolm Evans contacted an oldcollege friend who, in turn, sent him anold college photo. After much research,Malcolm contacted all fellow studentsand a reunion was organised.

It gave the former students a chance tocatch up with each other and to find outthat many of them had gone on to

become head teachers, heads ofdepartment, educational advisors,with one even becoming ChiefConstable of Gwent Police.

After the student's celebrations anddinner, all thirty-eight of them cameto the Townhill campus to see howmuch it had changed in the pastforty years. As a part of their visit,Dean of Humanities Professor KenJones gave the party a tour of thecampus.

Professor Jones said: "It's always apleasure to welcome back formerstudents to what is now SwanseaMetropolitan University. They wereamazed and delighted with the changesthat had taken place on the TownhillCampus since they left in the early1970s. They were particularly impressedwith the new conference facilities andthe facilities in the modern and well-equipped library."

Following the reunion, Malcolm Evanssaid: "We relived our time at theUniversity and everybody had a greatday."

Swansea Metropolitan Universityinherited a long tradition of educationalexcellence as its predecessor collegesserved the people of Swansea and thesurrounding region for nearly 160 years.Its School of Art was established in1853, School of Teacher Education in1872 and Technology College in 1897.

SCHOOL REUNION FOR FORMERTEACHING STUDENTS

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Two performing arts graduatesfrom Swansea MetropolitanUniversity have found success bysetting up their own theatrecompany. Since graduating in2008, Stephen Donnelly and SianStuttard, both from Swansea,have introduced the theatrecompany called ShellShock,offering them a platform to createa site-specific, original theatre inthe city.

ShellShock's first production wasBodyShop, in 2008. This wasdirected by Sian and devised withfellow students as a final yearshowcase piece, part of theirSwansea Met degree course. Aftergraduation, Sian and the cast wereinvited to perform the show at lastyear's Dylan Thomas FringeFestival. It was at this point whereboth Stephen and Sian decided tostart working under the officialname of ShellShock Theatre.BodyShop was developed furtherfor a new space and performedagain at the Cardiff-based galleryand studio tactileBOSCH, tocritical acclaim.

During the summer of 2009, theybegan devising HiddenCity, a showwhich took place throughoutSwansea City Centre. Theaudience was sent onto the citystreets to find some questionablecharacters who helped themexamine the areas regenerationand contemplate its purpose. It

was performed as partof the Dylan ThomasFringe Festival in2009. BothBodyShop andHiddenCitywere

successful shows, receiving goodreviews and sell out performances.

Alongside theatrical productions,ShellShock also devise streetgames that use the urbanlandscape as a place forexploration and play. Adding totheir success, Stephen and Siancreated Phone Box Frenzy, a gameinvolving talking phone boxes andrunning. It was originally producedfor an event in Cardiff and wasfeatured in a BBC news reportabout pervasive gaming. The gamewas also re-developed and playedat the Southbank Centre, inLondon, in February of this year.

Stephen and Sian have recentlyworked with the Forest Fringe ofEdinburgh on their tour andcontributed to performances of theNational Theatre of Wales andVolcano's show, Shelf Life, whichtook place in Swansea earlier thisyear.

ShellShock has also performed atthe Edinburgh Fringe Festival aspart of the Forest Fringe's programof events at the Forest Cafe. 'Don'tCall Us, We'll Call You...' is aninteractive audience participatoryexhibit which, with the help of anold Bakelite phone, sends theaudience on missions around thestreets of Edinburgh to secretlocations to witness site-specificperformances littered throughoutthe city.

SHELL-SHOCKED ALUMNISET UP THEATRE COMPANY


WELSH RUGBYGREAT OPENSNEW METFACILITIESRugby legend Merv ‘The Swerve’Davies has officially openedSwansea Metropolitan University’snew gym and complementarytherapy facilities at its MountPleasant campus.During the summer, Swansea Metembarked upon creating new fitnessfacilities for staff and students at itsMount Pleasant campus, to matchthose already in existence at itsTownhill campus. Thedevelopments, aided by a SportsDevelopment Grant from SportWales and carried out by Nuttal,include a gym equipped with arange of machinery such as runningmachines, rowing machines andcross-trainers. A separate room hasbeen set aside for a number ofclasses which will include yoga andmartial arts.

The facilities were opened by rugbygreat and Swansea Met HonoraryFellow Mervyn Davies who, as one ofthe legends of the game, won thirty-eight caps for Wales playing at No 8.During his career he went on to helpWales secure three Triple Crowns andtwo Grand Slams, and went on twosuccessful Lions tours to NewZealand in 1971 and South Africa in1974. Mervyn is also an Alumnus ofthe institution having studied teachertraining at Swansea Met’spredecessor institution, the SwanseaCollege of Education.

As well as the gym and fitness room,Mervyn Davies also officially openedSwansea Met’s new Metro Extrarefectory and a students’ social studyarea, which hosts a Starbucks coffeeoutlet and Wi-Fi technology. Mervynwas joined by Swansea West AMAndrew Davies and Swansea MetVice-Chancellor, Professor DavidWarner as well as a large number ofstaff and students.

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HIGHER EDUCATION RECOGNITIONFOR SWANSEA MET ACADEMIC

ALUMNI

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A Swansea Metropolitan University lecturerhas gained professional recognition for hisacademic work by becoming a Fellow ofthe Higher Education Academy.

Dr Kene Igweonu, originally from Nigeria, is alecturer at Swansea Met's School ofPerformance and Literature. He is also theAssistant Editor of the African PerformanceReview (APR) journal and Editor of theUniversity's internationally acclaimedperformance-related online publication,Perfformio.

The Higher Education Academy developedthe Professional Recognition Scheme insupport of its aim of raising the status ofteaching in higher education.Nationally, the Scheme providesevidence of support andengagement with the UKProfessional StandardsFramework (UK PSF), aswell as a growing bodyof evidence of thesector's commitmentto professionalisationand to raising theprofile of learningand teaching toenhance thestudent learningexperience.

Fellows form asubstantialgroup ofprofessionals inhigher educationwhich theAcademy drawson, from time totime, to informthe direction ofits work. At adiscipline level,Fellows inform thework of subjectcentres. Fellowsalso have thepotential to influencethe direction ofteaching and learning intheir institutions as wellas acting as peerreviewers for bids andapplications for Academyfunding.

Dr Igweonu said: "My involvement with theHigher Education Academy dates back to2006 when I gained the status of ‘Associateof the Higher Education Academy' while aVisiting Lecturer at Royal Holloway,University of London. I am pleased that thisyear, 2010, the Academy accepted toupgrade my status to ‘Fellow of the HigherEducation Academy' in recognition of mycontribution to learning and teaching inhigher education."

Dr Richard Knapp, Assistant Dean and Headof the School of Performance and Literaturesaid: "This recognition for Dr Igweonu by theHigher Education Academy represents an

acknowledgement of thesignificant contribution

he has made to hisfield as both alecturer anda

research academic, and the department isvery proud of his achievement."

Early this year, Dr Igweonu was invited to theUniversity of Stellenbosch in South Africa toassist a workshop on academic writing andpublishing.

In recent months, he has taken a leadinternational role in the development of newtechniques for performance training, havingbeen awarded funding by PALATINE, theHigher Education Academy Subject Centrefor Dance, Drama and Music, for a researchproject exploring the use of the FeldenkraisMethod in performer tuition.

The Feldenkrais Method is named after itsRussian-born originator Dr MosheFeldenkrais, a physicist, judo expert,mechanical engineer and educator. Based onprinciples of physics, biomechanics and apractical understanding of learning andhuman development, the method is a form ofeducation that uses gentle actions anddirected attention to improve movement andenhance human functioning. Through thisMethod, it is claimed that individuals canincrease their ease and range of motion,improve their flexibility and coordination,and rediscover their natural capacity forgraceful, efficient movement.

Although promoted as a means ofenhancing general well being, it ishoped that Dr Igweonu's study willhighlight and document the benefitsof using the Feldenkrais Method as aperformer training methodology andprovide the basis for furtherresearch into this area.


A Swansea Metropolitan University artand design graduate has collected atop prize at the international D&ADawards for her advertising designwork. Design for advertising studentChloe Powell, 21 years old fromGloucestershire, has achieved acoveted D&AD Global Student Awardfor her final year project work.

The D&AD Student Awards programmeis the design and advertisingcommunities award for those looking tobreak into the industry. It is embeddedin curriculums in over 1,000 universitiesand courses around the world. Throughthe awards they aim to find the bestnew talent for the industry and to putcreativity high on the agenda in thehigher and further education curriculum.The awards are sponsored by a numberof big name companies, such as the

BBC, Channel 4, IKEA and Nokia.D&AD Student Awards Manager, FergalKilroy said: "Judges in the D&ADStudent Awards look for great ideas,well executed and on brief. The juriesare mindful that the awards function is avaluable recruitment tool and thereforeare careful to ensure that awardedstudents can excel in at least one if notmore of our criteria.

"Winning entries were selected on thebasis that they demonstrated thestudent could ‘cut it' in the real world."After winning the award, Chloe said:"Never backing down on a challenge,determination, hard work and somegood friends all helped to bring myideas to life."

SWANSEA ADVERTISING DESIGNGRADUATE SUCCESS

A high profile conference was held atSwansea Metropolitan Universityaimed at higher education staff whoregularly work with internationalstudents.

The Teaching International StudentsConference was organised by SwanseaMet's Assistant Dean of Business andManagement, Paul Osborne, and Headof Quality Learning and Teaching, DrNick Potter. It was aimed atpractitioners who work withinternational students on a day-to-daybasis, whether in the classroom or insupport of the students' studies. Aninternational audience of over fiftyUniversity representatives were inattendance.

The conference was arranged as part ofthe two-year Teaching International

Students (TIS) project. TIS is a jointinitiative of the Higher EducationAcademy and the United KingdomCouncil for International Student Affairswith funding from the Prime Minister'sInitiative 2. The project focuses on theways that lecturers and other teachingstaff can maintain and improve thequality of teaching and learning forinternational students. This is achievedthrough providing guidance andinformation about how to meet thediverse learning needs of internationalstudents.

The event offered a series of practicalworkshops where delegates were ableto work with the resources created aspart of the TIS project and to hearindividual papers from experiencedrepresentatives from a number of UKhigher education institutions.

Themes included issues of plagiarism,the experiences of Swansea Met'sBusiness School in the teaching ofinternational undergraduate students,strategies for feedback and assessmentof international students and managinginternational student expectations.

Paul Osborne said: “I amdelighted to see such astrong turn-out ofpractitioners from all over theworld at the conferencewhich, I hope, will furtherstrengthen the excellentteaching and learningpractice both at SwanseaMetropolitan University andthroughout HEI's in Wales”.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCESUPPORTS INTERNATIONAL TEACHING

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A 2009 textiles graduate from SwanseaMet has been awarded the prominentOne Year On Award at a high profiledesign event in London. Hannah Davies,from Swansea, graduated last year with adegree in surface pattern design. Twelvemonths after leaving Swansea Met andpursuing a career as a designer andillustrator, her work was on show at theUK's biggest student and graduatedesign show, New Designers, in Londonrecently. The One Year On part of theNew Designers exhibition is a selectedshow of the best graduates from theprevious year. Hannah's work impressedthe judges so much that she wasawarded the top prize of £500 as thebest graduate who finished their degreein 2009.

The judges' official comments stated:"When judging One Year On, we arelooking beyond the product to bestidentify the commitment and professional

application shown by the designer.Hannah explored a range of potentiallylucrative opportunities, but has chosen topursue a more focused path closer to heroriginal intentions. She has set herselfclear new objectives and is on course toachieve them."

Hannah said: ‘My main reason for comingto New Designers was to gain experienceand inspiration from everyone here, and toseek advice from my colleagues and thejudges. It has been an eye-opener talkingto the judges about how I should price mywork and I have gained invaluablebusiness knowledge by participating inOne Year On exhibition."

Surface Pattern Programme Director,Linda Nottingham said: "Hannah began todevelop a very distinctive drawing styletowards the end of her degree giving her aunique body of work. Her drawings areintricate, highly detailed and beautiful

patterns inspired by nature. Hannah is awonderful surface pattern designer whosework has very wide applications includingfashion, interiors, graphic design andillustration. She was highly successful atNew Designers in London and at Indigo,Paris in 2009. She was offered a place atThe One Year On week at New Designers2010, and we were delighted to hear thatshe won the award. This is a marvellousaccolade and thoroughly deserved byHannah. She is a very passionate andtalented designer who, I am sure, can lookforward to a very exciting future."

During the same New Designers event,2010 graduate Hannah Stowell won theSelvedge Textile Award while otherexhibiting graduates secured job offersfrom companies such as Laura Ashley,Sainsbury's, Monsoon/Accessorize,Mammas and Pappas, Joules, theGuardian/Observer newspaper andClinton Cards.

It has been revealed that a short sci-fi film, animated bySwansea Metropolitan University students and starringBafta award-winning actor Noel Clarke, is to be made into afull-length feature film.

Reign of Death was initially released as a short film in 2009and follows a private eye (Clarke) and his animated roboticpartner, Jimmy the Snitch, in the pursuit of a robotic murdersuspect. It is a 1940s sci-fi noir murder mystery, directed byDoctor Who concept artist Matt Savage, which uses CGIcharacters and backdrops that were animated by studentsfrom Swansea Met's world renowned 3D computer animationdegree course during the summer of 2009.

The original six-minute film was so well received thatproduction has now started on a full-length feature, againstaring Clarke and written by Savage.

Over the past twelve months the short film has been screenedat the London Independent Film Festival, Sci-Fi London andthe Palm Springs International Film Festival in California.

The students involved in the film were Jordan Davies andFrederick Hughes from Port Talbot, Stephen Williams fromLlanwrda in Carmarthenshire, Nick Cox from Yeovil inSomerset and Linus Hoffman from County Cork in Ireland.

SWANSEA MET GRADUATE SCOOPSDESIGN AWARD ‘ONE YEAR ON'

SWANSEA MET ANIMATORS ENJOY FILM SUCCESS

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ALUMNI


When David Rees graduated fromSwansea Metropolitan Universitythis summer with a BSc (Hons) inWeb Management he soughtassistance from the GO Wales teamat SMU to help gain employment.GO Wales offers a range ofemployment and work experienceopportunities to help kick start yourcareer.

David secured a GO Wales 10 weekwork placement with Concept 2010,a Swansea based lead generation andmarketing company. As a talentedWeb Designer/Developer David wastasked with a project that includedoverhauling the company’s currentwebsite to reflect the organisationsgrowth and development.

He has also designed and createdseveral micro sites to promoteadditional company services andincrease search engine optimisationresults. Gavin Williams Director atConcept 2010 explains ‘David hascompleted work to a high standard;we are really pleased with hisprogress and are in the process ofextending his employment after theplacement.’

David commented ‘the placement hasgiven me experience of building websites from concept briefs through tocompletion; this has really increasedmy confidence. GO Wales is anexcellent way of gaining commercialexposure and enhancing your CV’.

For more information on the servicesGO Wales offers please visitwww.gowales.co.uk or contact theSMU GO Wales team on 01792481109.

Swansea’s Dylan Thomas Centreplayed host to the annual Chair’s lunchof the South Wales branch of theChartered Institute of Personnel andDevelopment (CIPD) in September. Atthe event, attended by both Swanseaand Neath Lord Mayors, two SwanseaBusiness School CIPD students were

presented with a ‘student of the year’award. Louise Bolter from Tata Steel,received an award for outstandingresults achieved in the Post Graduatequalification and Darren Castaldireceived honours for the foundationCIPD award. Dr. Maggie Inman, CIPDCourse Director and Head of the

Centre forProfessional studies,applauded the hardwork put in by allstudents andcommended Louiseand Darren for theirexcellentachievements.

CIPD qualifications arenationally recognisedas a benchmark forprofessionalism andare a requirement formany Human Resourceand Learning andDevelopment roles.This year marks thelaunch of a range ofnew CIPD

qualifications designed to ensurestudents are equipped with theknowledge and skills that employers arelooking for. Swansea Business Schooloffer the full range of qualificationsstarting at level 3, the FoundationCertificate in Human Resource Practiceor Foundation Certificate in Learningand Development, through to theIntermediate Certificate in HumanResource Management (HRM) and thePost Graduate Diploma in HRM. Allprogrammes are delivered on a parttime basis over one or two years. Formore information, please contact Dr.Maggie Inman [email protected].

Photo:Lord Mayor Neath Port Talbot Cyril Jamesand Consort; Dr. Maggie Inman, Head of theCentre of Professional Studies, SwanseaBusiness School ; Lord Mayor of SwanseaRichard Lewis; CPP student of the yearDarren Castaldi; CIPD student of the year,Louise Bolter and CIPD South West WalesChair Mary Dunford.

TWO SWANSEA MET CIPD STUDENTSPRESENTED WITH A ‘STUDENT OF THEYEAR’ AWARD

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GO WALES HELPS SMU GRADUATE TOKICK START CAREER!


Help and advice is on hand for SwanseaMetropolitan University students andgraduates who wish to start their ownbusiness.

Recent figures have clearly shown thatSwansea Metropolitan University producessignificantly more successful graduate start-up business than any other higher educationinstitution in Wales. According to the HigherEducation Business and CommunityInteraction Survey (HEBCIS), the number ofSwansea Met graduate start-up businesses,which have survived three years or more, areby far the highest in Wales.In fact, twenty-six percent ofall thriving Welsh graduatestart-ups began their life atSwansea Met.

Such is Swansea Met’sprominence in graduateentrepreneurship that theUniversity’s Professor ofCreative Entrepreneurship,Andy Penaluna, has takenup the role as Chair ofEnterprise Educators UK, agovernment-initiated groupthat helps Universities todevelop more innovative

and enterprising students.

Swansea Met’s Enterprise Manager,Kathryn Penaluna, said: “The helpthat has been given to oursuccessful businesses to-date isopen to all Swansea Met alumni. Wewould like to let graduates know thatwe offer a range of support activitiesto help them start up their ownbusinesses. We supportentrepreneurship in all its guises, from

developing our students’ ‘right’ brainentrepreneurial skills, such as creativity,through to helping to commercialise ideas. Ourteam includes academics, business mentorsand graduates. It is our entrepreneurialgraduates who make the offering at SwanseaMet quite unique, with our alumni experiencesguiding our thinking and helping to shape thesupport we give.”

One of the support mechanisms on offer forbudding entrepreneurs is the regular Shut Upand Start Up event. Shut Up and Start Up isan entrepreneurs club founded to help

encourage graduates andundergraduates fromSwansea Met to pursuetheir own businessventures. The club isentering its third year in2011. Its mission is to offerno-nonsense businessadvice from local businesspeople, helping itsmembers gain theconfidence to start acompany. The cluboperates in a seminarformat, with one or two keyspeakers giving attendeesa chance to hear

anecdotes from people who have experienceof starting their own business, followed by aquestion and answer session and a chance tonetwork.

The club also offers signposts towardsavailable funding and is launching a web-based advice service in the last quarter of2010.

The Shut Up and Start Up club is run by anaward-winning Swansea Met-based start-upcompany, FauvelKhan, which is celebratingthree successful years in business.FauvelKhan is a multidisciplinary design studioworking from offices at Swansea Met and inCardiff. It was founded in 2007 by formerSwansea Met students Luke Khan, anindustrial design graduate originally fromCardiff, and Warren Fauvel, an automotivedesign graduate.

In the three years since its inception, workproduced by FauvelKhan has received overtwenty national and international awards, hasbeen featured on BBC TV, and has beendisplayed in the O2 arena. The founders’commitment to quality has also ensured thatover 89% of clients return with more work and100% have recommended the business tosomeone.

In spite of their increasing portfolio of clientsand the subsequent work that is generated,Warren and Luke have not forgotten thesupport and advice given to them by SwanseaMet’s Commercial Services department. As aresult, they have poured their energy intohelping potential graduate start-up businessesat the University through the Shut Up and StartUp scheme. Shut Up and Start Up meetingsare held on the third Wednesday of everymonth, usually at Swansea Met’s MountPleasant campus. Anyone who is interestedin attending should contact Kathryn Penalunaon 01792 481199, [email protected] or visitwww.smu.ac.uk/shutupstartup

SWANSEA MET OFFERS HELP TOBUDDING ENTREPRENEURS

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ALUMNI

“It is our entrepreneurialgraduates who make

the offering atSwansea Met quite

unique, with our alumniexperiences guiding

our thinking andhelping to shape the

support we give.”


He's an Australian-born artist with Welshconnections and he's spent some time atSwansea Metropolitan University'sAlexandra Road campus - can you tell whohe is yet?

To the delight of staff in Swansea Met's WelshSchool of Architectural Glass and the School ofIndustrial Design, the legendary Rolf Harristook some time out of his busy schedule to

visit the University and learnabout its one-hundred and sixtyyear history within arteducation.

The visit came about after achance meeting between Rolf,who turned eighty this year,and Swansea Met industrialdesign lecturer, Chris Thomas,in the Swansea Valley.

Chris said: "I approached RolfHarris and a film crew from theBBC in Ystradgynlais, Theyhappened to be filming, outsidemy house, a documentaryabout the work of the Polishartist Josep Herrman, who had

spent time painting in the village during the1940s and 50s."

He added: "They said that they would befilming in the city centre later that week so Iinvited him to visit us at the University."

Before heading back to London after six daysof filming in Wales, Rolf joined Swansea Met

staff within the University's Alexandra Roadbuilding, which has produced some of Wales'greatest artists. The Australian also made useof the outstanding acoustics within the roundReading Room of the former central library,giving an impromptu performance of hisrhythmic voice.

Chris said: "I handed over an information packof catalogues from the Welsh School ofArchitectural Glass and the School of IndustrialDesign. He showed great interest and energyin visiting the Reading Room, where wecurrently have a graduate exhibition. Hecommented on the quality of the ideas and thecraftsmanship involved and was interested tohear about the future plans for the building andthe two Schools.

"Rolf, via his mobile, conducted a series ofcharismatic radio interviews in the ReadingRoom with such energy it would put mostteenagers to shame."

Earlier this summer, an exhibition celebratingsixty years of Rolf's artistic work was on showat the Ice House in Swansea's SA1.

A Swansea Metropolitan University studentis enjoying a double celebration as she hasnot only successfully graduated with adegree in Architectural Glass, but has alsowon one of the discipline’s biggest nationalstudent prizes.

Megan Stacey, from Neath, was presentedwith the prestigious Award for Excellence atthe Stevens Competition for ArchitecturalGlass Design, the only national competitionof its kind.

The competition, run by The WorshipfulCompany of Glaziers and Painters ofGlass, attracted nearly fifty entriesfrom students and young artists fromall over the country. This year'sawards took place at Glaziers Hall,located on the south side of LondonBridge.

These annual competitions demand animaginative approach to design andworkmanship of a high quality. Adistinguished panel of practisingcraftsmen assessed the entries. In recentyears the competition has attracted asponsor who has commissioned work ofhis or her choice from among the prize-

winning entries.

Stacey's prize is an astonishing forty-weekwork placement within a variety of theworld's best stained glass and conservationstudios.

About her double celebration, Stacey said:"It's a real privilege to win the StevensCompetition award. I've really enjoyed mytime at Swansea Met. The Welsh School ofArchitectural Glass is quite a small

department; it hasa very nicecommunityatmosphere. Thelecturers andthe studentsinteract veryclosely andthe equipmentavailable tous isfantastic. It'sbeen a realpleasure tostudy in aplacesteeped insuch a

deep history and I've learned so much."

For the past 75 years, students fromSwansea Metropolitan University's WelshSchool of Architectural Glass havedominated the prestigious annualcompetitions run by The WorshipfulCompany of Glaziers and Painters of Glass.

This year Swansea Met's Welsh School ofArchitectural Glass is celebrating its 75thanniversary. Fittingly, the StevensCompetition has been a strong part of theSchool's history, with Swansea studentsregularly collecting prizes since HowardMartin in 1937, one of the School's firststudents and its early pioneer. This fact waseven referenced in a 1974 inspector's report,which stated that ‘there were few years inwhich students did not win a prize ortravelling scholarship.' Such a winning legacyhas cemented the School's internationalreputation in stained glass education.

Programme Director, Lisa Burkl said: "This isa terrific achievement for Stacey and onewhich is thoroughly deserved. Her work wasof the highest standard and the chance totravel and gain valuable experience will be ofgreat benefit to her."

12


MET TIES AUSSIE ARTISTDOWN TO CAMPUS VISIT

DOUBLE CELEBRATION FOR SWANSEA GLASS STUDENT


EXHIBITION ACCOMPANIESBLACK MOUNTAIN CWTCH

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Following the installation of a Swansea MetropolitanUniversity student's 20ft hand knitted wool blanket deep inthe heart of Brecon Beacons National Park, saw the launchof an accompanying exhibition at the Black MountainCentre in Brynaman.

Situated on the Black Mountain, Carnau y Garreg Las burialcairn became home to the blanket - part of an inspiring artexhibition entitled ‘Cwtch' by conceptual artist and SwanseaMet MA student Ann Jordan, from Killay in Swansea.

Complementing the blanket installation was an exhibitionwithin the Black Mountain Centre which comprised of variousimages from Ann Jordan's project as well as film footage ofthe blanket's journey and a fictional story written and narratedby Ann herself. The exhibition was opened by Brecon

Beacons National Park Authority Chief Executive, John Cook,and Swansea Met's Dean of Art and Design, ProfessorAndrea Liggins.

‘Cwtch' hit the headlines as a unique open-air gallery where acrumbling 4,000 year old burial cairn became a giant crib. Theblanket was knitted from 12 miles of yarn, hand spun fromlocal mountain sheep. ‘Cwtch', Welsh for snuggle up orcuddle, explores the relationship between the artist and anearthy landscape - celebrating the cycle of life, death andrebirth.

Ann said: "This project has been a wonderful experience.Whilst exploring my own personal relationship with the BlackMountain I have met and learnt so much about the history,culture and of the people who live and work in the area. Thereare so many people to thank but I'd just like to make a specialmention to the local graziers, the Meithrin Mynydd LiaisonGroup, Cadw, Countryside Council for Wales, BreconBeacons National Park Authority, the Environment Agency,the Art Council of Wales, Tawe Guild of Spinners, Weaversand Dyers and the people of Brynamman and Llanddeusant,Rob Newell at Swansea Metropolitan University and myfamily."

The origins of the old coffin route date back hundreds ofyears to a time when men from the farms aroundLlanddeusant left the village and walked over the BlackMountain to find work in the quarries and coal mines. It wasthe time of the Rebecca Riots and also a time when wool hadreached rock bottom prices. When the men fromLlanddeusant died in the mines or quarries their bodies werecarried homeward over the Black Mountain by the men fromBrynamman. The men were met halfway on the BlackMountain by the men from Llanddeusant who then carried thebodies home so they could be finally laid to rest in thechurchyard of St Simon and St Jude at Llanddeusant.

The bodies of the men were always wrapped in woollenblankets because centuries before, a Parliamentary Act of1666 decreed that all corpses should be buried in a woollenblanket in an attempt to save the British wool industry fromforeign imports.

John Cook said: "Ann has worked very hard on this fantasticproject which revisits traditional skills and celebrates theNational Park and its local communities."

Professor Andrea Liggins said: "Ann Jordan is an artist whoimpacts upon a place, not with a sharpness or a loud crash,but with gentleness and warmth, just as the title of her newwork suggests, ‘Cwtch'. In a previous work, ‘Transfusion', shewrapped Swansea's former Dynevor School in its transition toSwansea Met's Dynevor Centre for Art, Design and Mediawith a giant celebratory red ribbon. For her ‘Cwtch' projectshe again is using material in the form of 12 miles of handspun wool to wrap, protect, guide and to trace a journey."


14


A public art project completed byeight students from SwanseaMetropolitan University and ondisplay at Swansea’s High Streettrain station has been awardedthird prize in the 2010 Associationof Community Rail PartnershipAwards.

Earlier this year, as a part of the finalyear of their BA (Hons) GeneralIllustration course, the studentsvolunteered to take part in theproject funded by Arriva TrainsWales. The objective of the projectwas to improve the appearance ofthe approaches to the railwaystation while giving the studentsvaluable work experience. Each ofthe participating students graduatedduring the summer.

The theme of the project was‘destinations’ and the sixteenmurals reflect iconic scenes fromaround the rail network, such asPontypridd, Wrexham, Llandudno,Mumbles and Llandrindod.

Speaking at the awards held inSouthend, Swansea MetProgramme Director DuncanMcLaren, said: “It is a pre-requisiteof the general illustration degreecourse that final year studentsengage with industry through atleast one of their major projects.This assignment from Arriva TrainsWales offered eight studentsvaluable experience in working to atight deadline with a client, whilstsatisfying both technical andaesthetic constraints.”

“The students allfound the

experience bothenjoyable and

beneficial and feltthey had gained

a great deal fromthis collaboration.

I will now lookforward to thepossibility of asimilar project

with Arriva TrainsWales in 2011

and theprogramme teamand students will

strive to repeatthis success

again.”Geraint Morgan, Community AffairsManager for Arriva Trains Wales,said: “The award is credit for thestudents’ hard work in helping usimprove the appearance of this partof the station and we’re delightedthat the project has beenrecognised nationally in what was avery competitive category.”

STUDENTS’ PUBLIC ARTPROJECT RECOGNISED ATNATIONAL RAIL AWARDS


Swansea MetropolitanUniversity lecturer TimDavies has beenchosen to representWales at the 2011Venice Biennale.Venice Biennale is theworld’s pre-eminentshowcase forinternational art and itwas inaugurated overone hundred yearsago, in 1895, as aninternational artexhibition. The 54thInternational ArtExhibition of theVenice Biennale willtake place betweenJune and November2011 and Swansea Met’s Head of FineArt, Tim Davies, will be flying the flag forWales.

Tim already has an internationalreputation as an artist. He was the winnerof the Fine Art Gold Medal at the NationalEisteddfod in 2003 and was selected forArtes Mundi 1 in 2004. In 2008 he was aMajor Creative Wales Award recipientfrom Arts Council of Wales. TomRowland, who has assembled anexperienced team to support TimDavies’s Biennale project, and who willcurate the exhibition, is a long-standing

collaborator and has featured TimDavies’s work in London galleryshowings in recent years.

Dean of the Faculty of Art and Design atSwansea Met, Professor Andrea Liggins,said: “I’m absolutely delighted aboutTim’s nomination to represent Wales atsuch a prestigious event. The Faculty andthe University are really pleased to besupporting Tim in this major project,which will bring a wealth of experience tothe Faculty as a whole and particularlythe students. In addition, a uniqueopportunity like this will no doubt raise

the profile of the Faculty’s extensiveresearch work. I wish Tim everysuccess.”

Swansea Met’s attachment with theVenice Biennale runs parallel with Welshinvolvement in the showcase. Lecturerand photographer Peter Finnemorerepresented Wales at the 2005 Biennalewhile last year two Swansea Met videostudents completed a unique workexperience placement with VelvetUnderground founder John Cale, on theproduction of his exhibit for the VeniceBiennale.

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SWANSEA MET LECTURER TOREPRESENT WALES AT VENICEBIENNALE

DID YOU COMPLETE A COURSE AT SMU IN2010? ANNUAL DESTINATION OF LEAVERSSURVEY (DLHE)The Destination Survey is undertaken by the Swansea Metropolitan UniversityCareers Service on behalf of the Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA).

Every year leavers from UK higher education institutions are contacted to findout what they are doing six months after graduation, whether they are inemployment, continuing their education etc.

We would be really grateful if you would complete your questionnaire and returnit as soon as possible to us in the pre – paid envelope provided by the CareersService.

SWANSEA METROPOLITANUNIVERSITY CAREERSSERVICEWhether you are returning from travelling,considering further study, or a careerchange or more general career advice, allalumni are welcomed back by theUniversity Careers Service to use itsfacilities and expertise. We have a rangeof services and information sources tohelp.

Visit www.smu.ac.uk Quick LinksServices for Students/Careers Service forcontact details and further informationCareers Centre staff will be pleased toanswer any of your queries Enquiries to [email protected]


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17

TOP JOBS FOR MET ALUMNI ATINTERNATIONAL AUTOMOTIVECOMPANYTwo Swansea Metropolitan Universitygraduates have gained high-statusjobs at one of the world’s mostsuccessful motorsport and automotivetechnology companies, Prodrive.Motorsport engineering and designgraduates, twenty-six year old GarethWyn Jones from Llanfyllin in Powysand twenty-three year old Mike Potterfrom Kidderminster, join a number ofSwansea Met graduates who alreadywork for the company.

Prodrive employ five hundred people atoperations in the UK, China andAustralia. They work with vehiclemanufacturers and their suppliersacross the world, developing newtechnologies and niche vehicles. Sincetheir formation in 1984, they have wonmore than one hundred international

rallies and six World RallyChampionship titles

with Subaru,five

British Touring CarChampionshipswith BMW, AlfaRomeo and Ford,and they are alsoinvolved ininternational sportscar racing withAston MartinRacing. In addition,they won the GT1class at the LeMans 24 Hourswith a privately-backed Ferrariteam in 2003 andwith Aston MartinRacing in 2007 and2008.

Gareth and Mike join Prodrive afterhelping Swansea Met’s Formula Studentteam reaffirm its place as one of thebest in the world, last July. For Gareth,it was his work on the design of theUniversity’s car that secured his place atProdrive. He said: “The job came as aresult of a presentation I gave to theirtop engineers in September of last year.The purpose of the presentation was todescribe the plans Ihad for the 2010Formula Student car,which was also myfinal year project.“Following goodfeedback andpositive words afterthe presentation, Ikept Prodrive intouch with myproject progress,and the progress ofthe car throughoutthe year. In April, Iwas asked byProdrive’s Head ofEngineering to send my CV and, as aresult, I was given a job as a DesignEngineer without the need for any formof interview.”

Head of the School of AutomotiveEngineering at Swansea Met, RogerDowden, said: “We are absolutelydelighted with the success of both

Gareth and Mike and their achievementproves how accessible vocationalhigher education is. For example,Gareth joined our HND course as amature student, following a career as asenior technician at Ford. After theHND, he undertook our degreeprogramme and has now gained hisplace at one of the biggest automotivecompanies in the world. Prodrive onlyselect their graduate employees from asmall number of international

universities, one ofwhich is SwanseaMet.”

Gareth concluded: “Mytime at Swansea hasbeen a greatexperience. It's beenchallenging at timesbut I must say thatthere is absolutely noreplacement for honesthard work. I feel thatpeople who work hardthrough their universitydays are repaid by

getting the jobs that they deserve.”

Students and graduates from SwanseaMet’s School of Automotive Engineeringhave worked with some of the world’sbiggest names such as McLaren F1,Mitsubishi Ralliart, Tech 3 YamahaMoto GP, Ford, Jaguar and AstonMartin to name but a few.

16


SWANSEA METMOTORSPORT TEAMWORLD BEATERSSwansea Metropolitan University'sFormula Student Team have yet againproved themselves to be one of thebest motorsport teams in the world,having confirmed themselves as bestin Wales, top three in the UK and, evenmore impressively, top twelve in theworld, after the 2010 Formula Studentcompetition at Silverstone.

Formula Student, the biggest studentmotorsport competition in the world,promotes careers and excellence inengineering, by challenging students todesign, build, develop, market andcompete as a team with a small singleseater racing car. It blends academicwork and learning with the developmentof practical engineering skills.

This year's international competitionsaw approximately one hundreduniversity teams from across the worldconverge onto the famous home ofBritish motorsport, Silverstone. Eachcompetition car was rigorously tested inareas such as endurance, speed andbusiness viability.

It is the third year in a row that SwanseaMet has finished in or around theworld's top ten, as the first and onlyWelsh University to be seeded. Swansea Met also maintained its long-standing position as the top Welsh teamand, for the third year in a row, securedits place in the UK top three. In addition,in one of the most competitivecategories, acceleration, the team werebest in the UK and seventh in the world.

The event is the biggest of its kind in theworld and is sponsored by big names inthe automotive field such as Shell,National Instruments and the IET.

The speed of a Formula Student car isparallel to that of a super car, with a 0-60 speed of 3.5 seconds, and isproduced at a cost of £15,000. Theproduction of this car was partly

achieved with kind sponsorship from anumber of national and internationalcompanies.

Faculty Advisor, Malcolm McDonaldsaid: "Of the frontrunners in thiscompetition, Swansea Met is probablythe only all undergraduate team, withmany other institutions includingpostgraduate and research students.The Swansea Met team is totallyresponsible for the design andengineering of the car and the resultsthis year, and in previous years, clearlyshow that Swansea Met is punchingabove its weight in comparison with itshigh budget, internationalcompetitors.This is a

huge result for the guys and their worldranking does justice to the time andeffort they have given."

Swansea Met Vice-Chancellor,Professor David Warner, added:"Swansea Metropolitan University isvery proud of the design, mechanicaland management skills of its motorsportstudents. Some of the money used bythe team is for widening participationand many of our students have comethrough the foundation degree and HNDroutes before undertaking theirdegrees."

“Prodrive onlyselect their

graduateemployees from a

small number ofinternational

universities, oneof which is

Swansea Met.”



18

SWANSEA MET PROFESSOR RECEIVESFIRST UNIVERSITY OF WALESALLIANCE RESEARCH CHAIRA Swansea Metropolitan UniversityProfessor has become the firstrecipient of a University of Walessponsored Alliance Research Chairwhich will further enhance theUniversity's work with industriesacross Wales.

Professor Kelvin Donne is the Dean ofSwansea Met's Faculty of AppliedDesign and Engineering, which iscomprised of seven schools with overone hundred academic and supportstaff and approximately two thousandstudents.

The Chair has been created as part ofthe University of Wales's commitment toworking in partnership with theinstitutions in Wales that offer Universityof Wales degrees; SwanseaMetropolitan University, GlyndŵrUniversity, University of Wales InstituteCardiff (UWIC), Trinity University Collegein Carmarthen and University of WalesLampeter. This has led to the creation ofthe ‘University of Wales Alliance' whoseprimary goal is to develop new strategicinitiatives that will contribute to theeconomic, social, cultural andintellectual well-being of Wales.

This is the first out of a total of fiveUniversity of Wales Research Chairs;one of which will be based in each

Alliance partner institution. The Chairswill act as focal points for work on pan-Alliance initiatives and will also workwith the University of Wales' prestigiousindustry-based programme, the Princeof Wales Innovation Scholarships(POWIS).

Professor Donne has extensive researchexperience in the Computer AidedModelling and Visualisation of radiationand thermal transport, BoundaryElement and Finite Element analysis andthe modelling of crack growth in brittlematerials. In 2007, he was awarded theprestigious National Agency for FiniteElement Methods and Standards(NAFEMS) World Congress award forMost Innovative Use of SimulationTechnology.

Congratulating Professor Donne on hisappointment, University of Wales Vice-Chancellor, Professor Marc Clementsaid: "The University is delighted towelcome Kelvin Donne as the holder ofthe first of its Alliance Research Chairs.The work he is planning at SwanseaMet exemplifies the University of WalesAlliance approach to supporting andbenefitting Welsh industry throughinnovative thinking and appliedresearch. I am looking forward to theannouncement of more appointmentsvery soon."

Professor Donne added: "The Facultyhas a well established reputation ofsupporting Wales' high-tech economy,in particular the medical devices,automotive manufacturing, design anddigital media industries.

The University of Wales sponsoredResearch Chair will enable us to expandour research group so that we canenhance our engagement withKnowledge Transfer activities. It will alsoprovide us with a solid base, over thenext five years, to progress our appliedresearch in computer simulation andvisualisation techniques that willsupport the Welsh manufacturing andcreative industries."

Ongoing research activities within theFaculty include the establishment of aKnowledge Transfer Centre in cuttingand fabrication, which is funded by theWelsh Assembly Government, theEuropean Regional Development Fund(EDRF), with further support from theEngineering and Physical SciencesResearch Council (EPSRC). ProfessorDonne has led a research group in theFaculty's Welsh School of ArchitecturalGlass, investigating novel productdevelopment methods including the useof recycled glass waste.

Swansea Met is also engaged inresearch for the automotive windscreenrepair and replacement industry, whichis sponsored by the world market leaderBelron®. As the parent company ofmany recognised brands globally, whichincludes Autoglass®, Belron® isincreasingly an inward investor in theWelsh manufacturing sector andSwansea Met has become one of thekey research partners for the company'sworldwide research programme.

In addition, Professor Donne's researchgroup works with United Aerospace Ltdin Pembroke, Wales, investigating themanufacture of advanced compositematerials for the country's aerospaceindustry. The University, in partnershipwith The Welding Institute (TWI), is alsoa lead academic partner in the NonDestructive Testing and EvaluationValidation Centre, based in SouthWales.

For more information about theUniversity of Wales please visitwww.wales.ac.uk


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TECHNIUM PERFORMANCE ENGINEERING – THEIDEAL CENTRE FOR INNOVATIVE PRODUCT DESIGNAND DEVELOPMENT

Technium Performance Engineering – the idealcentre for innovative product design anddevelopment.

Technium is a technology–led innovation networkthat provides the relevant knowledge, support andphysical facilities to help technology businesses inWales realise their potential for long-term growth.The network consists of eleven businessincubators across Wales, each with its own uniquetechnology focus and local contacts.

Technium Performance Engineering in Llanelli is apartnership owned and managed by the WelshAssembly Government and supported by Swansea

University, IBM, Carmarthenshire County Council, Coleg Sir Gâr, Swansea Metropolitan University, theWelsh Automotive Forum, the Aerospace Wales Forum and the British Automobile Racing Club(Pembrey). This centre is the ideal location for companies involved in innovative product design anddevelopment, for example the facility may be of particular interest to companies developing technologyin Low Carbon Vehicles or Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).

Modern Facilities for your Design and DevelopmentTechnium Performance Engineeringat Llanelli is perfectly situated togain the best advantages of localexpertise, for example from theWelsh Automotive Forum, the WalesAerospace Forum and the LowCarbon Vehicle Cluster. The centre isalso an easy distance away from testfacilities such as BARC’s PembreyRace Circuit and the ParcAberporthUAS facility and is based only fiveminutes off the M4. TechniumPerformance Engineering hasexcellent facilities ideally suited tothe design and production of yourtechnology, such as the IBM ProductLifecycle Management Suite. Thissuite includes CATIA andSmartTeam, core PLM applicationsoftware which support and manage collaborative creation, simulation and visualisation of products,processes and resources. These software applications are already widely used within manufacturingindustry, and in particular by automotive and aerospace companies. Other facilities available toresident companies include first class office accommodation, extensive meeting rooms including a 60seat conference room and high quality workshops incorporating a product showcase facility. Membersalso benefit from extensive business and technical support provided by the Welsh AssemblyGovernment and its partner organisations.

For more information please visit: www.technium.co.uk/performanceengineering

19



20

MINISTER “IMPRESSED”BYSWANSEA MET’S INDUSTRY LINKS

Welsh Assembly GovernmentMinister for Children, Educationand Life-Long Learning,Leighton Andrews, visitedSwansea MetropolitanUniversity to learn more aboutthe institution’s cutting-edgeinvolvement with industry.

During his visit, Mr Andrews metwith Swansea Met Vice-Chancellor, Professor DavidWarner, and members of theUniversity’s senior management.He was given a presentationabout the work of SwanseaMet’s Creative IndustriesResearch and Innovation Centre(CIRIC), based within theUniversity’s Dynevor Centre forArt, Design and Media, beforevisiting Swansea Met’sAlexandra Road building to hearabout the world-leading researchprojects of the Faculty ofApplied Design and Engineering,as well as the proposed Instituteof Sustainable Design andDevelopment.

CIRIC was established in 2005and is a knowledge transfercentre for projects that supportthe creative industries in Wales.

Current projects include MovingImage Wales, which supportsthe digital media industry; theTextiles Technologies Project,which supports the textiles andapparel industries; CreativeInnovation in Micro-Enterprises,which supports businessthrough creative intervention;and SATnet, which provides alink between artists andbusinesses in the science andtechnology sectors.

The Minister enjoyeddemonstrations of theUniversity’s advanced REDcamera technology, which is fourtimes more powerful than HighDefinition, and its unique laser-cutting technology. He was alsoshown Swansea Met’s water jetcutting facilities, a tool capableof accurately slicing into anumber of different materialsusing a jet of water at highvelocity and pressure.

It was also an opportunity tolearn about Swansea Met’songoing research activitieswithin the Faculty of AppliedDesign and Engineering,including the establishment of a

Knowledge TransferCentre in cutting andfabrication and itsresearch groupinvestigating novelproduct developmentmethods including theuse of recycled glasswaste. In addition, theMinister waspresented with anoverview of theUniversity’s researchcollaboration withnational charityCerebra, aCarmarthen-basedorganisation whichsupports children withneurologicaldifficulties, and theirfamilies.

During his visit, theMinister was given a

brief outline of the proposedInstitute of Sustainable Designand Development, to be basedat Swansea Met’s AlexandraRoad campus. This newdevelopment would giveSwansea Met the capacity toundertake more knowledgetransfer activities withbusinesses and industries aswell as giving further scope forthe teaching of academicsubjects such as productdesign, industrial design,architectural glass andfoundation art and design. It willalso transform the nineteenthcentury building into one withtwenty-first century facilities.

Through Swansea Met’sindustry-centered researchprojects and its cutting-edgetechnologies that are available toindustries, businesses andcharities in the region, theUniversity is ensuring that Welshcompanies can remaincompetitive on a national andinternational stage.


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SWANSEA MET ACHIEVES A‘FIRST’FOR ENVIRONMENTALEFFORTSSwansea Metropolitan Universityhas once again been highlightedas an environmental leader bybeing named in the ‘first class'category of the People andPlanet's Green League 2010,published recently.

The influential Green League,supported by the WWF-UK,assesses the environmentalperformance of all the UKuniversities, focusing on criteriasuch as environmental policy,management and actualperformance in areas such ascarbon reduction, waste recycling,energy efficiency, transportemissions, sustainable procurementand water consumption. It is theonly league table that ranks 133 UKuniversities - awarding them a First,2:1, 2:2, Third, or Fail.

This recognition follows manyenvironmental initiatives which havebeen introduced across theUniversity of late. Recently,Swansea Met gave the biggestindication yet of its environmentalcredentials with the installation of asolar photovoltaic system on itsMount Pleasant campus. Thesystem is already generating 8.8 kWof electricity which is used in theUniversity's Owen Library, while anysurplus energy is exported to thenational grid. A similar system iscurrently being installed at SwanseaMet's Townhill campus.

Swansea Met has also recentlyreceived the Green DragonEnvironmental Standard for itsenvironmental management. Theannouncement was made byGroundwork, initiators of the GreenDragoncertification and aleading local,regional andnationalenvironmentalregenerationnetwork buildingsustainablecommunitiesacross Wales.

Last year, theUniversityintroduced twosmall wind andsolar poweredgenerator externalcampus lights, asmall but crucialsymbol ofSwansea Met'senvironmentalintentions. Ithopes tointroduce twomore in thecoming months.

Swansea Met isone of the top fiveUK universities forits low energy usage. In addition,the University also produced the

best carbon reduction figures inWales, while coming top fourteen inthe UK. These figures demonstratethe effectiveness of campaignswithin the institution, aimed at staffand students, tackling issues such

as sustainabilityand recycling.This year, theUniversity hassigned up to thenational 10:10carbon reductioncampaign, withten weeks of on-campusawareness raisingactivities.

Swansea Met isregularly awardedfor itsenvironmentalefforts, annuallybeingcommended atevents such asthe prestigiousGreen GownAwards, NIACE/Cyfanfyd GlobalCitizenshipAwards, theSWWITCH TravelAwards and theSustainableSwansea Awards.

Professor David Warner, ViceChancellor of Swansea MetropolitanUniversity, commented: "We have avery pro-active approach here atSwansea Met regarding thereduction of energy usage and weemploy lots of different andinnovative tactics. These not onlycontribute to the greater planetaryissues but also help us to save quitea lot of money."

Swansea Met EnvironmentManager, Elizabeth May said: "Weare delighted to have such anexcellent rating in the Green Leaguetable. It shows the commitment thatSwansea Met, its staff and studentshave to reducing theirenvironmental impact. However, westill have more to do and hopefullywe can continue to move up thetable."

“We have a verypro-active

approach here atSwansea Metregarding the

reduction ofenergy usage andwe employ lots of

different andinnovative tactics.

These not onlycontribute to thegreater planetary

issues but alsohelp us to save

quite a lot ofmoney.”


If you have lost touch with an oldfriend from the University we maybe able to help reunite you. Wewill try our best to put you intouch with other graduates withwhom you have lost contact. Justforward your request to theAlumni Office with as manydetails as possible (eg name,(maiden name if appropriate)subject studied, graduation year)

Alternatively you can email uswith your message asking for it tobe forwarded. If we do not have acurrent contact address we willlet you know.

All information held is inaccordance with the DataProtection Act 1998 and thereforepersonal information cannot bereleased without consent.

Letter Box Service


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SWANSEA METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITYINTERNATIONAL ALUMNI AMBASSADOR SCHEMEWere you an international studentwho previously studied at SwanseaMetropolitan University (formerlySwansea Institute of HigherEducation)?Or Are you a British student nowliving and working overseas?

Would you be interested in helping torepresent the University in yourcountry of residence? If so, SwanseaMetropolitan University Alumni Officewould love to hear from you.

The role of an International AlumniAmbassador covers a range ofdifferent activities, which will enableyou to stay in touch with yourUniversity wherever you are in theworld and enhance your personaland professional development. Theposition is extremely flexible,allowing you the opportunity to getinvolved in as many different ways asyou would like. Throughout your timeas an Ambassador, the Alumni Officewill be on hand to offer support andguidance.

Activities that you may like to getinvolved in as an International AlumniAmbassador include:

Sharing experiences of university life in person or online with prospective and newstudents to help prepare them for student life in Wales.

Offering practical advice and information about your home city, region or country to visiting members of staff from the university and fellow alumni who are relocating.

Liaising regularly with the alumni office and supporting their activities overseas, assist with hosting formal and informal alumni events, establishing alumni groups in your home city or country.

Assisting with activities to help raise awareness of the universityin your home country. Participatein school visits and recruitment fairs to provide information to prospective students.

If you would like find out moreabout becoming an InternationalAlumni Ambassador for SwanseaMetropolitan University pleasecontact:

Alumni Office 01792 481217oremail [email protected]

GOVERNMENT MATCHEDFUNDING PROGRAMME FORGIFTS TO HIGHER EDUCATIONThe UK Government programme to encourage gifts from alumni and others tosupport higher education institutions – including Swansea Metropolitan University isnow in its final year. As a former student or friend of the University this means wecan double the value of your gift until July 2011.

Unrestricted gifts are the way in which to make an immediate difference to the livesof current students. A gift will ensure that we are able to maintain and enhance thelives of Swansea Metropolitan University’s students. Your support will have a directand positive result allowing us to invest in areas of excellence, provide bursaries forour students, and develop physical resources which advance our teaching andresearch.

If you would like more information or wish to make a voluntary donation no matterhow big or small to the University please contact the Alumni Office or make acheque payable to Swansea Metropolitan University and address it to the AlumniOffice.

Thank you in advance, your gift is an investment in the future of our students.


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WHERE ARE YOU NOW ALUMNI NEWS

Dr Francis Murphy(HND MechanicalEngineering - Graduated 1970)

“A native of South Wales, Dr Francis Murphyis a lecturer in Mechanical Engineering atCork Institute of Technology in Ireland.Following an engineering education atSwansea College of Technology and BathUniversity, Francis became a Graduate of theInstitution of Mechanical Engineers. After asuccessful career his interest in engineeringled him to complete a Postgraduate Diplomain Engineering Management in 1992, aMaster of Science Degree in Training in 1996and a Doctorate in Education in 2005.”

Samantha Lyall(HND Business andFinance - Graduated 1994)

“Spent 4 years living and working in Italy fora US Embedded software company as asoftware compliance auditor. Fluent Italianspeaker …. still love languages. Main careersteps have involved working in softwareindustry in either marketing or CRM salesenvironments. My HND certainly held me ingood stead. Now working for the NationalTrust looking after data quality, CRM anddata protection standards.”

Serena Prior(BA Hons) Primary Education - Graduated1999)

“I am a teaching Principal in a PrimarySchool in my home county. I have beenemployed in this position for the past twoyears. I was teaching for eight yearsprevious to this in a convent school.”

Congratulations to Veronica Sanchis, one ofthis summer's Photojournalism graduates,who was nominated for the prestigiousGuardian Student Media Awards in the'Photographer of the Year' category.

Veronica follows SMU graduates MikkoTakkunen, the runner-up last year, and PaulRead, who won the award in 2006.

Tanya Simpson (LLB - Graduated 2001)

“Nick Deighton and I met in the Townhill Bar in 1998. We got married this February at Rowton Castle inShropshire. We now live in the East Midlands about 12 miles away from two friends we met at Swansea Institutein 1998. One was our best man, Chris Hambly and the other our usher, Paul Woodhams. Nick, Chris and Paul allwork in motorsport and myself a solicitor.”

REUNIONSThe Alumni Office is happy to help with arrangements for Reunions. We can assist with the mailings of any lost contacts, help with the venue, catering etc. Outof term overnight accommodation can also be arranged at discount prices.

If you are planning a Reunion get in touch and we will give you all the support we can.

We hope that all Swansea Metropolitan University graduates will remain interested and involved in the long term development of the University. We welcomemembers’ suggestions for new services and activities. We would also like to hear from you with your news, achievements and reminiscences. If you have a‘good story’ to tell please let us know.

We wish them everyhappiness!


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PART-TIME STUDY COULD BE THE KEY TO YOUR FUTURESwansea Metropolitan University is one of the largest providers of part-time higher education in South West Wales. Weoffer dozens of vocational courses that are designed to better your job or career prospects. Our courses are built aroundyou, and your busy work and home commitments, so that you can choose to study at your own pace.

Many of our part-time courses are available on a daytime basis and some of our students study alongside full-timestudents. Our courses are developed in partnership with professional organisations which will give you a recognisedindustry qualification or prepare you for professional examinations in marketing, business or accountancy.

CAN I AFFORD TO STUDY?There are many incentives on offer to get you back to study.

No tuition fees for part-time undergraduate students who are unwaged.

Those studying at least 50% of a full-time course are entitled to receive a fee grant depending on their household income.

Part-time Grants available depending on household income.

For further details please visit: www.studentfinancewales.co.ukPhone free on 0800 731 0884 or email: [email protected] or visit www.smu.ac.uk

BROADEN YOUR MINDAND HORIZONS

As a member of the alumni organisation you will be able to use the following facilities and servicesfree of charge:

Use the University Libraries for reference purposes.

Use the Townhill Fitness Centre – so long as we have space!

Have continuing Careers counselling, find out about job opportunities throughout Wales and the rest of the UK, and use the Careers ICT Service.

Get the latest information about University Bursaries and Scholarships

Use our student accommodation, when available at low,low rates.

Use the University’s conference, catering and other facilities for your events at reduced rates.

Gain the latest information about business incentives in South West Wales

Intellectual Property Rights Advisory Service

CONTACT: Julie Reed, Alumni Officer, SWANSEA METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY,Tel/Fax: 01792 481217 E-mail: [email protected]


Documents

INTOUCH Issue 11