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3 November 2014Issue 2 Volume 12
unilifeBringing learningto life for ourstudents
The free magazine for The University of Manchester
Message from the President
Since 2012 we have described the University’s mission under three core goals: world-class research,outstanding learning and student experience, and social responsibility. We define social responsibilityas activities which make a beneficial difference to society.
Contact usNews and story ideasMikaela Sitfordtel 0161 275 2112email [email protected]/staffnet/newsDeadline 12 November 2014
Events and listings informationPhilippa Adsheadtel 0161 275 2922email [email protected] 12 November 2014
Ads Sarah Davenporttel 0161 275 2922email [email protected] 12 November 2014
Next issue 1 December 2014
NewsLandmark donation fromLord Alliance of Manchester
ResearchStar-shaped molecule breakthrough
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or a university of high academic standing likeours, the inclusion of social responsibilityalongside research and teaching is unusual,but we consider this to be one of our defining
features. The importance of social responsibility isillustrated by the fact that since 2010, this agendahas been led the President and Vice-Chancellor.
For the past three years, Professors Aneez Esmailand Colin Hughes have played a key leadership role,reporting to the President on social responsibilityand environmental sustainability respectively, andboth have made huge contributions to oursuccesses in these areas.
In 2013 Dr David North, who joined our Universityfrom Tesco where he was the company’s lead forsocial responsibility, undertook a review of ouractivities in this area. His recommendations, which were accepted in full, included the need tobetter define and focus our activities on a numberof high priority programmes; identify measurableoutcomes; and that we should appoint a Directorfor Social Responsibility and a single Associate Vice-President (AVP).
Julian Skyrme became Director of SocialResponsibility in March 2013 and since then wehave defined more clearly our aims and outcomes.Professor James Thompson from the School of Arts,Languages and Cultures took up the role of AVP forSocial Responsibility at the beginning of October – a position which combines the previously separateroles of his predecessors.
Hence it is timely to reiterate what socialresponsibility means to our University. What havewe achieved? What are our plans for the future andhow will we measure our success?
Social responsibility gets to the heart of thequestion: “What are we good for?” It thereforedescribes the way that we make a difference to thewell-being of society, culture, the economy and theenvironment through our various teaching, research,public events and activities.
In November 2013 we launched a new and focusedapproach in this area around five key strategic
priorities for social responsibility: research with social impact; socially-responsible graduates;engaging our communities; responsible processes,including equality and diversity; and environmentalsustainability.
We also selected a small number of ‘signatureprogrammes’ for social responsibility. These areemblematic of what social responsibility means for our University and each are characterised by theirsignificant ambition and clearly defined outcomes.Progress on these signature programmes has beendeveloping apace:
• School Governor Initiative: Volunteer SchoolGovernors play a critical role in raising educationalstandards, yet many state schools in our localcommunity cannot recruit sufficient governors withappropriate skills. We set out to change this byengaging with our staff and alumni to create thelargest growth of School Governors in England bythe end of 2014/15. We have met this ambitioustarget a year ahead of schedule and now have a200-strong network of staff and alumni in SchoolGovernor roles across the country. Last year wefilled one in five governor vacancies in the North West and recruited more than twice as many volunteers as the NHS. This success led to a national and international Social ResponsibilityGreen Gown award last year.
• The Works: Skills and employment levels in ourneighbouring communities are some of thelowest in the UK. Led by the University, TheWorks was established as a unique programme inBritish higher education with the aim oftransforming the life chances of people living inour local communities of Moss Side and Ardwick.The programme is exceeding all expectations withmore than 1,900 people being brought back intowork, creating £25 million of savings to the localeconomy. This impact was recognised by judgesfor the Times Higher Education ‘OutstandingContribution to the Local Community’, which wewon last year.
• Ethical Grand Challenges Programme: By2017/18, every undergraduate student at our
University will be confronted with three ethicalgrand challenges of the 21st century:sustainability (Year 1); social justice (Year 2); andworkplace ethics (Year 3). Because of our size,this will be a major undertaking and we arepiloting sustainability and social justiceprogrammes in 2014/15. Nearly 200 first-yearstudents took part in an exercise in WelcomeWeek where they were challenged to plan asustainable campus meeting environmentaltargets. Feedback has been positive and work onscaling up this and other pilots will be a prioritythis academic year.
• Cultural Access Programme: This programmewas developed during 2013/14 to encouragechildren to visit the Jodrell Bank Observatory, the Manchester Museum, the Whitworth ArtGallery and John Rylands Library. Almost 1,000children from our local communities have visitedthis year and many have made return trips sincethen with their friends and families.
• Make a Difference: Think Sustainability:As one of the largest higher education institutionsin the UK we have a significant environmentalimpact. This programme will ensure that, by2017/18, every member of staff has theknowledge and resources to enhance positiveenvironmental actions in the workplace.
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With alumni in the Far East
Contents2 Message from the President
4 News
9 Research
12 Features
18 What’s On
20 Making a Difference
Front cover: Siddharth Krishnan
Photo by Mark Waugh
FeatureReal life experience, confidence –and awards
FeatureAcross campus – and back in time
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• Addressing Inequalities: We undertake a rangeof high-profile work on global poverty andinequalities, but are sometimes less well knownfor our research on inequalities more locally inGreater Manchester. Led by Professor JamesThompson and senior academic colleagues inMedical and Human Sciences and Humanities,four research areas (education, work, health andurban environment) will aim to capture ourexisting impact and drive new research into majorinequalities in Greater Manchester.
These six signature programmes will be our majorfocus in the next three years. In some, like ourSchool Governor Initiative and The Works, we haveachieved fast impact and external acclaim. We knowthat other areas, like our Ethical Grand Challengesprogramme and Make a Difference: ThinkSustainability will take time because of the scale ofwhat we are trying to achieve, but will deliversignificant long-term impact.
Of course, we will be planning new signatureprogrammes in the years that follow and we arekeen to hear ideas from colleagues as to the newprogrammes that might exemplify the ambitions ofsocial responsibility.
A huge amount was achieved in 2013-14 to ensurewe are more strategic and focused on our socialresponsibility priorities. In the future, attention willbe focused on delivering and evaluating each ofthese signature programmes and we will aim tocapture the outcomes, and not just the outputs, ofthese key activities.
By rigorous demonstration of how and where wehave ‘made a difference’, we can ensure that socialresponsibility is a real distinguishing and definingfeature of The University of Manchester.
Professor Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor
Professor James Thompson, Associate Vice-President for Social Responsibility
To download a copy of the Making aDifference publication, read our impactreport ‘Measuring the Difference’ and findout how you can engage with the socialresponsibility goal of the University, visit:
manchester.ac.uk/socialresponsibility
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With Professor Chris Phillipson, Councillor Mary Watson and Professor Chris Cutts at the Dementia Friends launch
Tell us how you aremaking a differenceYou can see how our colleagues, studentsand alumni are making a positive differenceto society; culture; the economy and theenvironment by taking a look at our blog atmakeadifferencemcr.tumblr.comWhy not upload your own story?
News
UniversitycommemoratesheroesThis month the University will commemoratethe contribution made by staff and studentsduring the First World War.
As reported in last month’s UniLife, theconflict had a significant impact on theUniversity and our community. As a centre ofknowledge, expertise and personnel, the Warsaw our predecessors play a diversity of rolesin military, medical and agricultural service, inresearch and efforts for peace.
The centenary commemoration – at theWhitworth Hall on Tuesday 25 November,12.30-2pm – will be attended by civic leadersand senior University figures are attendingalongside staff and students.
Senior Leadership Team Gets Ithe University’s Senior Leadership Team hasbacked the Zero Tolerance to SexualHarassment campaign by signing the We Get It pledge.
Aimed at both staff and students, the pledge hasattracted over 4,000 signatures.
A joint initiative by the University and the Students’Union, its first phase was launched in February 2014.
Its scope has now been extended to all forms of bullying and harassment.
A range of events and activities has been planned and will begin during Anti-Bullying Week(17-21 November).
• For more information, visit:staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/we-get-it
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The Senior Leadership Team with their wristbands
Biomedical campus redevelopmentew plans for the £250 million developmentof the biomedical campus as part of theUniversity’s Campus Masterplan have beenannounced.
The centrepiece of the revised plan is a majorrefurbishment of the Stopford Building to create amore modern teaching and learning environmenthousing the Manchester Medical School (MMS), the School of Pharmacy and teaching for the Facultyof Life Sciences.
New entrances from both Ackers Street and Grafton Street will create a stronger identity andpresence for the School of Pharmacy and the Faculty of Life Sciences, while the Zochonis andDover Street Buildings will undergo refurbishment to allow relocation of the School of PsychologicalSciences from Ellen Wilkinson and Coupland 1.
The work will be carried out in a phased approachstarting with the development of a new researchbuilding, adjacent to Stopford, scheduled to getunderway within the next five years.
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The changing face of the campus
Social media bringingJohn Rylandscollections to lifeThe John Rylands Library ran a 'Photo a Day'campaign throughout October, to increase thedigital reach and exposure of the Library'scollections.
Each day, an image from the Library'scollections was shared on Twitter andInstagram, a diverse range from portraits ofAlexandre Dumas to postcards from a Buffalo Bill scrapbook.
The campaign also supported local, nationaland international festivals and anniversaries –including Manchester Literature Festival andGandhi's birthday – to maximise its reach.
University staff were asked to support thecampaign by following it on Instagram andTwitter, retweeting images, commenting and sharing their own images using thecampaign hashtag.
• Take a look on @TheJohnRylands on bothTwitter and Instagram; the hashtag is#jrlphotoaday
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anchester Business School is to become the‘Alliance Manchester Business School’ inSeptember 2015 following atransformational donation.
The University has received £15 million, to be investedin the School’s new building and also drive its researchagenda forward, from Lord Alliance of Manchester andhis fellow Trustees of the Alliance Family Foundation.
In recognition of this support and Lord Alliance’slong-standing relationship with the University andthe Business School, the School will be named the‘Alliance Manchester Business School’ or ‘Alliance MBS’. The naming comes at a pivotalmoment for the School as it continues to attractmore world leading researchers and teachers,prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary andbreaks ground on a new building.
Lord Alliance said: "Over many years I have followedwith growing admiration and pride the developmentof Manchester as a world-class centre for businesseducation and I am delighted to support the nextmajor stage in its growth and development.”
Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor said: "This announcement marksthe culmination of decades of engagement andsupportive partnership with Lord Alliance. We honour with tremendous gratitude his long-heldvision for the potential for a world-class businessschool to help power the economic development of the city and region.”
MChief ScientificAdvisor on campus
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Government Chief Scientific Advisor, ProfessorSir Mark Walport, delivered a lecture to scienceand engineering postgraduate students to helpraise awareness about the unique and diversecareer opportunities offered by the Civil Service.
Chaired by Professor Luke Georghiou, Vice-President for Research and Innovation,and organised by the Careers Service, theevent included a networking session withrepresentatives from the Government Officefor Science, Health and Safety Executive,Health and Safety Laboratory, National Institutefor Biological Standards and Control andCentre for Applied Science and Technology.
Organiser Rachel Mutters, Careers Manager forthe Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences,said: “It was wonderful for our postgraduatestudents to learn about different career pathsand how employers such as the Civil Servicewant more than a degree. Our students haveto demonstrate resilience, determination anda host of skills and competencies.”
Sir Mark Walport
Landmark donationfrom Lord Alliance of Manchester
Lord Alliance, one of the North West’s mostsuccessful businessmen, has had a long-standingassociation with the Business School and the widerUniversity. He was made an Honorary Fellow of theUniversity of Manchester Institute of Science andTechnology (UMIST) in 1988 and an Honorary LLDfrom the Victoria University of Manchester in 1989.
Lord Alliance of Manchester
Celluloid celebration
he University has produced a film highlightingour distinguished history, many successesand future plans.
The seven-minute film, produced by the Division ofCommunications and Marketing and shown atFoundation Day, features stunning shots of thecampus and a range of University ambassadors fromPresident and Vice-Chancellor Professor DameNancy Rothwell and Alan Gilbert Memorial ScholarFaith Nanyonga to human rights campaigner andour Honorary Professor of Law Shami Chakrabartiand many more.
As the President puts it in the film, our Universityhas a lot to be proud of: “It is fantastic at research,provides a great student experience, it’s in a brilliantcity and it makes a difference to our communities.”
As UniLife went to print, the film had had morethan 37,000 views in its first 17 hours on socialmedia. To watch, visit: staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/foundation-day-film
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Stills from the University film
News
Jewish studentscelebrate Succot on campusFor the first time in its 190-year history, theUniversity had a kosher sukkah on campus.
A sukkah is a temporary hut constructed foruse during the week-long Jewish festival ofSuccot. It is topped with branches and oftenwell decorated with autumnal, harvest orJudaic themes.
Rabbi Eli Simon, the Chabad Manchesteruniversities student rabbi, and Dr Yaakov Wiseof the Centre for Jewish Studies receivedpermission from the University Registrar’soffice to erect the sukkah on the lawn infront of the School of Law’s WilliamsonBuilding on Oxford Road.
Dr Wise gave a mini-seminar in the sukkah,also attended by senior Anglican chaplainReverend Dr Terry Biddington.
Have we got newsfor youThe amount of coverage in the mediafeaturing our University has hit an all-timehigh with more than 24,000 articles beingpublished in UK print media in 2013/14, witha value of £7.5 million.
The University’s Media Relations team, whichis based in the Division of Communicationsand Marketing, is tasked with building andenhancing the reputation of our University inline with the Manchester 2020 strategy.
The team works with colleagues across theDivision and the wider University to find andpromote stories which show the amazingwork which is going on here.
And our profile on the international stage isbuilding too, with coverage reports createdby the World 100 group which looks at thereputations of the world’s leading universities,showing that our University regularly ranks inthe top ten for media coverage each month.
• Sign up to receive the News Digest, a dailyround up of media coverage, by contactingSuzanne Ross [email protected]
• Find out more about the Division ofCommunications and Marketing at:staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/services/communications-marketing/
Whitworth to open its art on Valentine’s Day
he newly developed Whitworth Art Gallery,closed for over a year while it undergoes a£15 million transformation, has announcedits opening date: Saturday 14 February 2015.
With twice the space, an art garden, sculptureterrace and orchard garden – and a new restaurantin the trees – the gallery opens with a major soloexhibition by one of Britain’s most acclaimedcontemporary artists, Cornelia Parker.
Alongside are nine other exhibitions, with work bythe Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang, Sarah Lucas and
the photographer Johnnie Shand Kydd, as well astwo exhibitions of contemporary artworks andsculpture recently donated to the Whitworth by theKarpidas Foundation.
The opening shows will also celebrate the Gallery’sextensive and eclectic collection – historicwatercolours (with paintings by J.M.W Turner,William Blake and others), textiles, wallpaper andworks from the 1960s.
The gallery opens with a full weekend of free events,music and fireworks – make a note in your diary!
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Medic volunteersto help fight Ebola
University medic has volunteered to travel toSierra Leone to help fight the Ebola virus, whichis threatening to sweep across Africa and hasnow been diagnosed in the US and Europe.
Dr Amy Hughes, an NHS doctor and Clinical AcademicLecturer in Emergency Response at the University’sHumanitarian and Conflict Response Institute(HCRI), is one of 400 NHS health professionals whowill support communities in West Africa that are indesperate need of their knowledge and expertise.
The Ebola virus, first identified in the 1970s, causes aserious, usually fatal, disease for which there are nolicensed treatments or vaccines. The World HealthOrganisation (WHO) has warned that the number of cases from this outbreak, which started inDecember 2013, could reach hundreds of thousands by January 2015.
Amy, 34, says: “I’ve been involved withhumanitarian work for the past six years. I love thechallenge it presents and the privilege of engagingwith different communities.
“Of course we will be apprehensive, and it is alwaysa shock when you are first confronted with thedevastation. We will be subjected to sights unlikeanything we’ve encountered back home.
“But I have learnt from my previous deploymentshow to develop a level of resilience. There is a realpassion among NHS staff to make a contribution.Those that aren’t able to deploy abroad are coveringshifts at home."
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An artist’s impression of the redeveloped Whitworth Art Gallery
HCRI Deputy Director Professor Tony Redmond OBE,himself experienced in leading teams to disasterareas, said: “Amy is a hugely dedicated professionaland has the skills and passion to make a realdifference in an area where resources are stretchedto breaking point.”
Dr Amy Hughes
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Charity beginsat work
ur University is making it easier formembers of staff to give to their favouritecauses through a new Workplace GivingScheme. This will enable staff to make
regular donations to charities of their choice, directly from their pay, allowing them to uniquelyboost their donations.
For example, a monthly gift of £10 from take-homepay will be boosted to £16.66 for a 40% rate taxpayer and £12.50 for a basic rate taxpayer. Forhigher rate taxpayers, donating via pay is the onlymethod of giving that allows the chosen charity to receive the full taxable amount automaticallyevery month.
It’s easy for members of staff to sign up:
• Online manchester.ac.uk/workplacegiving
• Mobile app - download “Workplace Giving UK”in the App Store or in Google Play
• Tel HR Services 0161 27 54499 and request anapplication form
For anyone who signs up between 30 October and 9 November, Workplace Giving UK will give an extra £10 towards their first chosen charity forthe first month.
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Jodrell’s silver screen spectacularatch the Skies, the first ever large-scaleoutdoor cinematic event at the University’sJodrell Bank Observatory, was a spectacularsuccess – attracting more than 1,600 people
from as far away as Saudi Arabia, Japan and the States.
The event saw classic sci-fi films shown on a giantscreen, along with specially-commissioned worksprojected onto the dish of the iconic Lovell telescope.
World-famous director Stanley Kubrick recognisedthe role of Jodrell Bank and interviewed radioastronomer Sir Bernard Lovell for a prologue to hismasterpiece ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’. The footagewas lost but the transcripts formed the basis for one
of the new works which featured Jodrell Bank staffspeaking the words of renowned thinkers of the dayon subjects such as the possibility of alien cultures,intelligent computers and the origins of life.
Professor Tim O’Brien, from the School of Physicsand Astronomy, said: “We wanted to show thatscience fiction and science fact are intrinsicallylinked. We were delighted with the result andamazed that people had come from so far away justto be there.”
‘Watch the Skies’ formed part of the BFI’s threemonth Sci-Fi Days of Fear and Wonder season:bfi.org.uk/sci-fi
Crowds watch the show. Photo courtesy of Christopher Foster and Abandon Normal Devices
University Musicgraduate signs with FaberComposer and University graduate Tom Coulthas been appointed House Composer withFaber Music, one of the leading independentBritish publishers of classical, contemporary,media, and printed pop and educational music.
Tom, who completed his BMus in Music atthe University in 2010, graduating with first-class honours and receiving the Awardfor Outstanding Academic Achievement,says: “Manchester was absolutely crucial tomy development as a composer – I receivedinspiring and meticulous tuition on my pieces, was part of a rewarding community of composers, and benefitted from theUniversity’s admirable emphasis on givingperformance opportunities for composers.”
Manchester frogs on Norden’s ArkManchester Museum has been developing a very special partnership with the largestanimal conservation centre in Europe –Norden’s Ark in Sweden.
The collaboration forms part of aninternational amphibian conservationinitiative to help save a critically endangeredfrog, the Lemur Leaf frog, from extinction.The holistic project, established and led byManchester Museum Curator Andrew Gray,incorporates new cutting-edge research andconservation measures to protect the lastremaining populations of the species for the future.
Sir David Attenborough also directly supportsthe project and recently highlighted it in hisnew BBC Two documentary ‘Fantastic Frogs’.
Exciting new research conducted as part ofthe project has been instrumental in theestablishment of the world’s first geneticallyinformed studbook for any endangeredamphibian.
• For more information visit: lemurfrog.org
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Tom Coult
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News
Making a differenceby raising awarenessof dementia
City oasis landsGuardian award
The Sensory Warmajor exhibition of art from the last hundredyears exploring the impact of war on thehuman senses is to go on show atManchester Art Gallery.
‘The Sensory War 1914-2014’ has been curated byDr Ana Carden-Coyne, Co-Director of theUniversity’s Centre for the Cultural History of War,David Morris, Head of Collections at the WhitworthArt Gallery, and Tim Wilcox, Principal Curator ofExhibitions at Manchester Art Gallery.
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Artists running a workshop with singers.
Henry Lamb, Advanced Dressing Station on the Struma 1916, © The estate of Henry Lamb
The exhibition examines how artists from 1914onwards depicted the devastating impact of newmilitary technologies utilised in a century of conflictbeginning with the First World War. The showfeatures leading artists and will also showcase works by the ‘hibakusha’; survivors of the atomicbomb dropped on Hiroshima which were created inthe 1970s and are being shown in the UK for thefirst time.
• ‘The Sensory War 1914-2014’ runs until 22 February 2015.
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The Dementia Friends initiative, one of theUniversity's social responsibility flagshipprogrammes, held its official launch – andcelebrated already exceeding its target ofrecruiting 30 Dementia Champions by theend of the year.
Dementia Friends aims to raise awareness and understanding of dementia throughencouraging people to attend a short trainingsession or to become a Dementia Championwith a commitment to delivering dementiafriends training.
Speakers included President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Nancy Rothwell,UK Dementia Tsar Professor Alistair Burns andspecial guest Councillor Mary Watson, whosaid the University’s involvement supportedManchester’s commitment to become anage-friendly city.
• For more information email [email protected] visit bit.ly/1yCkp0T
Local Hulme Community Garden Centre hascome second in a national competition tofind the most inspiring community projects inthe Guardian newspaper, thanks to votesfrom University colleagues of volunteerMichelle Inwood.
The Centre is as an ‘oasis’ amid a sea of bricksand asphalt, having risen from a piece ofscrubby grassland in 1999 as a not-for-profitorganisation to bring the community togetherand run a fully-functioning and ever-expandinggarden centre open seven days a week.
Michelle, who conducts contact lens clinicaltrials in at Eurolens Research, Optometry,said: “Thanks to everyone who voted for thisworthwhile community project; any recognitionand publicity for the Centre is gratefullyreceived. Staff and volunteers work hard atthe Garden Centre which operates on a shoe-string budget.”
• For more information,visit:hulmegardencentre.org.ukor follow the Centre on Facebook or Twitter.
collections with local choirs, She, ‘Ordsall ACapellas,’ Golden Voices and the Network schoolschoir. As Boff tweeted: “Teaching our songsyesterday to a choir of over-60s and today a choir ofunder-10s: best job in the world…”
Anna Bunney, the Museum’s curator of shortPublic Programmes, says: “We’re also creating anew choir for the project as participation in theprocess is key. ‘Strangers singing, connectingthrough music and curiosity’, a tweet by PeopleUnited, sums up the project.”
• For more information on the event, on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 November, visit:museummeets.wordpress.com
anchester Museum will see musicalsurprises all over the building withWonderstruck – a live event later this monthof original song and performances inspired
by the Museum’s collections, created by artistsDaniel Bye, Sarah Punshon and Boff Whalley.
The Museum’s partners for Wonderstruck are an arts charity, People United, who aim to use the artsto create a kinder society and have been recognisedfor their innovative research-led work with ArtsCouncil funding.
Daniel, Sarah and Boff – formerly of pop bandChumbawamba – returned to Manchester inSeptember to share songs inspired by the Museum’s
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Weekend of Wonder at Manchester Museum
Councillor Mary Watson
Significance of Lib Dem “switchers”
oters who are intending to switch fromLiberal Democrats in 2015 will have animportant impact on the outcome of the General Election, according to a
University researcher.
Kathryn Simpson, based at the British Election Study(BES), says the Liberal Democrats could lose 75-78%of their 2010 vote to other parties.
According to BES data, of the switchers, 27% of the2010 Liberal Democrat voters intend to vote Labour,around 20 % are undecided, 9-10 % will voteConservative, 9-11% will vote UKIP and 5-8% theGreens. The rest will vote for the minor parties.
She said: “The Lib Dem’s seat targeting strategy willbe a crucial element in the election, so we can’treally be sure there will be a wipeout. But becauseso many are undecided, the party may have a fighton its hands.”
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Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg
n international team of astronomers hasbeen able to see into the heart of anexploding star, by combining data from radiotelescopes that are hundreds or even
thousands of kilometres apart.
Highly-detailed images pinpointed the locationswhere a stellar explosion (called a nova) emittedgamma rays (high energy radiation). The discoveryrevealed how the gamma-ray emissions areproduced, something which mystified astronomerswhen they were first observed in 2012.
Professor Tim O’Brien, from the University’s JodrellBank Observatory, said: “A nova occurs when gas
from a companion star falls on to the surface of awhite dwarf star in a binary system. This triggers athermonuclear explosion on the surface of the starwhich blasts the gas into space at speeds of millionsof miles per hour.
“When it explodes it brightens hugely, leading in somecases to the appearance of a new star in the sky,hence the term nova. These explosions areunpredictable, so when one goes off, the pressure is on for us to try and get as many of the world’stelescopes as possible to take a look before it fadesaway. For this nova, our international team was primedand ready to go and we really came up trumps.”
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Artist’s impression of a nova explosion similar to that in V959 Mon. Photo by: (c) David A. Hardy/astroart.org
Fracking impactscrutinisedGreenhouse gas emissions from theproduction and use of shale gas would becomparable to conventional natural gas, butthe controversial energy source actually fairedbetter than renewables on some environmentalimpacts, according to new research.
The UK holds enough shale gas to supply itsentire gas demand for 470 years, promisingto solve the country’s energy crisis and end itsreliance on fossil-fuel imports from unstablemarkets. But for many, shale gas exploitationis viewed as environmentally dangerous andwould result in the UK reneging on itsgreenhouse gas reduction obligations underthe Climate Change Act.
University scientists have now conducted oneof the most thorough examinations of the likelyenvironmental impacts of shale gas exploitationin the UK in a bid to inform the debate.
The results suggest that the averageemissions of greenhouse gases from shale gasover its entire life cycle are about 460 gramsof carbon dioxide-equivalent per kilowatt-hour of electricity generated. This, the teamsays, is comparable to the emissions fromconventional natural gas. For most of theother environmental impacts considered bythe team, shale gas was also comparable toconventional natural gas.
Lung cancer hopeUniversity scientists have found that offeringradiotherapy to patients with small cell lungcancer in addition to chemotherapy improvestheir chances of survival two years aftertreatment.
The researchers are now recommending thatpatients with extensive disease small cell lungcancer (EDSCLC) are given thoracic radiotherapy(TRT) to treat part of the chest after completingchemotherapy to help extend their lives.
Dr Corinne Faivre-Finn, from the Institute ofCancer Sciences in the Faculty of Medical andHuman Sciences, part of Manchester CancerResearch Centre, said: “Our research showsTRT improves both the chance of controllingthe disease within the chest and survival andtherefore it should be offered to patients.”
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Research
Astronomers see into heart of exploding star
Research
Grant to advanceearly test forpancreatic cancerThe British company Abcodia has won aEuropean Commission grant to advance theearly diagnosis of pancreatic cancer usingtechnology developed in collaboration withthe renowned biostatistician Professor CarloBerzuini from Manchester’s Faculty of Medicaland Human Sciences.
The grant from the European Commission’sHorizon 2020 programme will be used tovalidate a test for the screening of people athigh risk of pancreatic cancer, which aims toimprove survival rates.
Pancreatic cancer is a silent killer as thephysical symptoms tend not to show until it isadvanced, by which time treatment optionsare limited. The disease is the tenth mostcommon cancer, the fifth most commoncause of cancer death and the only cancerwith a predicted worsening mortality trend in Europe.
UK food povertyworse than thoughtFood insecurity and malnutrition in the UK is a much wider problem than has beenrecognised, according to new research.
Dr Kingsley Purdam, from the School of SocialSciences, says the demand for foodbanks isunderestimated with large numbers of peoplethought to be at risk of malnutrition in theUK. Many older people also face foodinsecurity and the rapid growth in thenumber of foodbanks and food donation points in supermarketssuggests a ‘normalisation’ of food aid.
The research drew on survey evidence, case studies of foodbanks and interviewswith foodbank users.
Dr Purdam said: “Many of the foodbankusers we spoke to seemed to be survivingfrom week to week, even day to day.”
Mining big data yields Alzheimer’s discovery
niversity scientists have used a way of working to identify a gene linked to diseasessuch as Alzheimer’s.
Researcher David Ashbrook and colleagues from theUK and USA used two of the world’s largestcollections of scientific data to compare the genes inmice and humans. Using brain scans from theENIGMA Consortium and genetic information fromThe Mouse Brain Library, he was able to identify anovel gene, MGST3, that regulates the size of thehippocampus in both mouse and human, which islinked to a group of neurodegenerative diseases.
David, from the Faculty of Life Sciences, says: “Thereis already the ‘reserve hypothesis’ that a person with
a bigger hippocampus will have more of it to losebefore the symptoms of Alzheimer’s are spotted. By using ENIGMA to look at hippocampus size inhumans and the corresponding genes, and thenmatching those with genes in mice from the BXDsystem held in the Mouse Brain Library database, we could identify this specific gene that influencesneurological diseases.”
Senior author Dr Reinmar Hager says: “What iscritical about this research is that we have not only been able to identify this specific gene but also the networks it uses to influence a disease like Alzheimer’s.”
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Star-shaped molecule breakthroughanchester PhD student Alex Stephens hascreated a new star-shaped molecule madeup of interlocking rings, which scientistshave been trying to create one for over
a quarter of a century.
Known as a ‘Star of David’ molecule, it consists of two molecular triangles,entwined about each other three timesinto a hexagram.
Professor David Leigh, at the School ofChemistry, said: “It was a great day when Alex finally got it in the lab. In nature, biologyalready uses molecular chainmail to make thetough, light shells of certain viruses.
“This is the next step on the road to man-made molecular chainmail, whichcould lead to the development of newmaterials which are light, flexible and very strong.
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Brain scans
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Image of the‘Star of David’molecule
New partnership with Age UKhe University and Age UK have agreed aninnovative partnership, taking a major step incollaborative working on ageing research.
The partnership will enhance the translation ofresearch findings into more effective public policy,the exchange of ideas and thought leadership inageing research and practice.
The new agreement builds on a history ofcollaborative working on research over more than20 years and is set out in a Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MoU) officially launched byProfessor James Goodwin, Head of Research at
Age UK, and Professor Chris Phillipson, Executive Director of the Manchester Institute forCollaborative Research on Ageing (MICRA).
MICRA and Age UK have identified significant areasfor the partnership, such as knowledge transfer,advice and consultancy, researcher capacity building,conferences and public events, and PR and media.
Professor Phillipson said: “This is a very excitingdevelopment. MICRA and Age UK have a sharedinterest in expanding research focused on olderpeople and ensuring this has a direct impact onimproving the quality of life in old age.”
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Research partnership aims to improve quality of life for the elderly
Immune cells key to melanomatreatment
mmune cells may be responsible for drugresistance in melanoma patients, according toresearch published in Cancer Discovery.
Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancerwith around 13,300 people diagnosed in the UKeach year. Rates of the disease have increased morethan fivefold since the mid 1970s.
Cancer Research UK scientists at our Universityfound that chemical signals produced by a type ofimmune cell, called macrophages, also act as asurvival signal for melanoma cells.
When the researchers blocked the macrophages’ abilityto make this signal - called TNF alpha - melanomatumours were much smaller and easier to treat.
When melanoma patients are given chemotherapyor radiotherapy it causes inflammation, increasingthe number of macrophages in the body – andraising the levels of TNF alpha. This researchsuggests that targeting this chemical ‘survival signal’could lead to new ways to treat the disease.
Professor Richard Marais, Director of the CancerResearch UK Manchester Institute and co-author
of the study, said: “Melanoma is particularly difficultto treat as many patients develop resistance tostandard treatment within a few years. This researchprovides a key insight into why this is the case.
“Drugs which block this ‘survival signal’ havealready been developed and using these along withstandard treatment may be a promising newapproach for melanoma patients.”
I
Red immune cells among blue tumour nuclei
Private securitycutting war costs New research from the Faculty of Humanities suggests that employing privatesecurity companies in war cuts costs butcauses problems.
In recent years, private military and securitycompanies have been used to bolster statetroops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Although it is supposed to cut the costs of war, both financially and personally, the study reveals a number of moral problems that arise from their use.
Author Dr James Pattison explains: “Whengovernments employ private contractors itcircumvents many of the constitutional andparliamentary constraints that are normallyplaced on them when deciding to sendtroops into action, such as a debate inparliament. Using contractors therefore givesfurther scope to start wars covertly or toextend the size of state involvement withoutpublic debate beforehand.”
Rugby League has‘Magic’ touchMajor events are being used to attract newfans to Rugby League, according tomarketing expert Dr Leah Donlan, from theManchester Business School.
The research outlines the League’s strategy ofhosting major events like the Magic Weekendand the Super League Grand to attractnewcomers to the sport.
Dr Donlan said: “These events cater for the needs of die-hard rugby fans and alsocasual spectators with a variety of on-pitchentertainment pre-match and at half time.The Super League has understood thatdifferent fan groups have differentmotivations for attending the event.”
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St Helens' Tom Makinson
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Teaching, Learning and Students
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hen Siddharth Krishnan started working atthe renowned Mayo Clinic in Florida aspart of his degree in Pharmacology withIndustrial Experience, he knew he had
landed a great work placement.
The clinic has an education wing, a research centreand a hospital all on site, giving Sid the chance tocarry out a genetic study of Alzheimer’s disease withaccess to patient volunteers – and all before he hadeven graduated.
“The clinic blends education, research and medicalcare so it was excellent experience for me,” Sid recalls.
“For one project, I examined DNA from patients tocheck if they had any known mutations that wouldput them at risk of the disease. Other research hasdiscovered some new mutations, so I also checkedDNA samples from Alzheimer’s patients for these.
“For another project, I used a mouse model toinvestigate a novel gene that had been found tohave an important role in Alzheimer’s by mysupervisor there, Dr Nilüfer Ertekin-Taner.”
Prestigious
It was the second project at Mayo that saw Sid winthe Life Sciences category of The UndergraduateAwards, a highly prestigious, international academicawards programme that identifies leading creativethinkers through their undergraduate coursework.
The awards had been promoted by the LearningThrough Research programme, in which Universitystudents are taught about their subject by lookingat, or even doing, research.
This has seen linguistics students handling majormedia coverage after using YouTube and celebrity
couple David and Victoria Beckham to answerdynamic new questions about language changeunder Dr Laurel MacKenzie; meteorology studentshelp create a weather app under Professor DavidSchultz; and students of Italian Medieval Literaturegetting to hold history in their hands as they usedthe John Rylands Library’s remarkable collection of 15th century books with Dr Guyda Armstrong.
Graduate Naomi Proszynska, who worked on theBeckham project, said: “Dr Mackenzie gave us thetools required, but after that she left us to researchand write our reports independently. That’s somethingthat has importance out in the real world.”
Sarah Todd, who studied at the Rylands, said:“Because of the richness of both the collections andthe teaching, I was trained how to effectively carryout my own research, not just how to write anessay. I graduated as a competent bibliographer.”
ConfidenceSid agreed that research can take learning to a newlevel: “Working in research gave me confidence – I had already been doing a lot of the lab work whenI started my PhD in Neuroscience.
“At Manchester, we get a lot of lab experience andit helps you decide whether research is a path youwant to take.
“And as well as experience and confidence, it sawme win this award. I was surprised and delightedand am excited about meeting the other studentsfrom different subjects.”
Sid won’t be alone – Jacob Brunner, of the School of Environment, Education and Development; Harish Kathiresan, School of Electrical and Electronic
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Real life experience,confidence – and awards
Siddharth Krishnan in the lab
The University’s new LearningThrough Research programmeteaches our undergraduate studentsabout their subject by having themlook at – or do – research. This notonly enhances our students’ learningexperience, it improves theiremployability by increasing thescope of their studies and skills base.And this month, some of ourstudents who have taken part in this initiative are attending theprestigious, internationalUndergraduate Awards.
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Engineering; Eliot Haworth, Faculty of Life Sciences;Bethany Haworth, School of Arts, Languages andCultures; and Ella Szklaruk, School of Law; werehighly commended.
All six will be attending the ceremony in Dublin,known as the UA Global Summit, in which studentsfrom around the world take part in discussions,workshops and events which enhance their personaldevelopment, encourage responsible leadership andequip them with the knowledge they need tofurther themselves, their ideas and research.
RewardThe Learning Through Research team was delightedby our results, particularly as 4,792 papers weresubmitted by 206 universities across 27 countries.
Kersti Börjars, Professor of Linguistics and AssociateVice-President for Teaching, Learning and Students atthe University, said: “The Learning Through Researchproject aims to recognise, reward and develop theintegration of teaching and research throughout the curriculum, right from the first year of study. This result is evidence that there is already someexcellent work going on across the University.”
To see films about the Learning Through Researchprogramme, visit:manchester.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/teaching-learning/methods-materials/research
Dr Guyda Armstrong
Dr Laurel Mackenzie
Professor David Schultz
Feature
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t was on Manchester’s busy Coupland Street in1917 where Ernest Rutherford split the atom forthe first time.
In the building next door, a few decades later, the world’s first stored programme computer wasswitched on.
The father of modern computing, Alan Turingworked here…and it’s where Sir Bernard Lovelloriginally started work on his ideas for a new-fangledradio telescope.
Too much electrical interference from the trams andthe general hubbub of city life eventually forcedLovell out into the quieter Cheshire countryside atwhat became the Jodrell Bank Observatory.
Today scores of children walk to school past thesehistorical hotspots, unaware of how the events that took place there shaped the world they live in.
Also many staff and students are eager to learn the rich history of the buildings that make up our University – their early beginnings in Quay Streetand Cooper Street, or the stories behind the greatmen they are named after.
Now a new heritage app has been launched to takeeveryone back in time…and also remind us how thephilanthropy of Victorian gentlemen like JosephWhitworth and Richard Copley Christie saw ourinstitution flourish and grow.
University Historian and Heritage Manager Dr James Hopkins believes historic buildings and old photographs go to the heart of our culture and identity.
Yet we often don’t know how the buildings got theirnames and what happened there. So it’s importantthat we know more about our University’s history,and our buildings are a great way to understand that.
“As staff or students we are all part of The Universityof Manchester and it’s a community that cutsthrough time,” says James.
“It becomes part of our identity and its buildingshave a resonance for us.
“But when I do tours for the general public, virtuallynobody knows why the Whitworth Building is so-called, or who Christie was. In fact the Universityowes a lot to their generosity.
“Joseph Whitworth came from very humble originsand had a tragic childhood. His mother died and hisfather abandoned him to join the church.
“He made his fortune through engineering and whenhe died, he appointed three trustees to give away hismoney to causes they thought he would approve of.
“Charles Frederick Beyer, who gave his name to theBeyer Laboratories in 1888, made one of the largestever endowments to the University, around £10 million in today’s money.
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Bringing our buildingsto life
The John Owens Building, 1908
The University of Manchester holds a special place in history. Our originsas England’s first civic university are closely linked to Manchester’sdevelopment as the world’s firstindustrial city. We were formed atthe birth of the modern world andour founders invested us withprogressive principles and a desire to improve people's lives throughresearch and teaching. Throughoutour history we have led the way andhelped shape the modern worldthrough discovery, ideas andknowledge. Here UniLife looks at our historic buildings – and how wecan step back in time as we walkthrough campus using that mostmodern of technologies, the app.
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“Richard Copley Christie was a professor of historyhere and something of a genius who taught history,political economy and commercial science, but wasalso a barrister.
“He gave the funds to build the Christie Library anddonated volumes of books he had collected.Interestingly it's the same Christie who gave themoney that founded the Christie Hospital.”
The new Layar app – developed by University Historyand Heritage and the Division of Communicationsand Marketing – pinpoints many of the historichighlights in a real-time walk across the campus.
It means we can stand in front of each buildingfeatured as we discover the true story behind it.
“We want to physically go and touch where somethinghappened ….like a stately home or a castle – it’s atangible part of our culture,” says James.
“That’s one reason we are trying to make ourhistory more accessible – being in the physicallocation where something happened means somuch more.”
The Old Quad, 1972Richard Copley Christie’s memorial window Alan Turing
To access the virtual tour you’ll need todownload the Layar app. Layar is available for Android, iPhone, BlackBerry and GoogleGlass. Scan this QR code using a scannerthat’s AR-compatible (such as Junaio, Wikitudeor Layar, if you have it already), or visitmanchester.ac.uk/heritageapp.
How to use the app
Once you’re on campus, open the app thenselect the menu from the top-left corner (make sure you have your GPS switched on);select ‘Geo Layers’, then ‘Search layers’; type in ‘Manchester’; select ‘Explore our past: Heritage tour of The University ofManchester’; move your device’s camera until you see a building marker. Tap themarker to access information about thatbuilding’s history.
Christie Library, 1939
Dr James Hopkins in the Council Chamber corridor
Feature
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ur University’s research in advanced materialsis having a significant impact on a widerange of sectors, including nuclear energy;oil and gas; aerospace; airport security;
biomedical materials; manufacturing and defence.
It also produces wider benefits by transferring thisknowledge and understanding into medical and lifesciences; cultural heritage; palaeontology and foodtechnology; as well as training future engineers andscientists in the use of leading imaging techniques.
A major impact has been through our developmentof new techniques for the 3D imaging of structuresand defects in materials, and mapping the state ofstress, microstructure and damage in engineeringmaterials and components.
Coupled with this is the University’s knowledge andexpertise to develop reliable models based on theseimaging results to introduce life-extendingtreatments and to accelerate the safe adoption ofnew manufacturing processes.
To date, our University has supported a wide networkof 90 companies and 35 institutions, recentlyreceiving the Queens Anniversary Award. One suchcompany is power systems giant Rolls-Royce.
Working with researchers in the School of Materials,Rolls-Royce has developed and introduced a newprocess to ensure the safe operating life of aircraftengine fan blades.
Fan blades suffer large loads and high frequencyvibrations. Over time these stresses can create
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The Research Excellence Framework –the new system for assessing the qualityof research in UK higher educationinstitutions – asks us to show the impactthat our research has on the world. HereUniLife looks at how our researchersreally are changing the world…
Flying highProfessors Nancy Rothwell, Phil Withers, Peter Lee and Colin Bailey with the Queen’s Anniversary Prize
microscopic cracks in the blades which couldeventually cause potentially catastrophic and lifethreatening engine failure.
Researchers from the School of Materials, led byProfessor Phil Withers, analysed the potential of thenew process ‘laser shock peening’ (LSP) to strengthenblades. Using penetrating synchrotron X-ray beams,they discovered that it generates deep compressivestresses which remain stable under the fatigueloading of air travel. These compressive stresses canstop the growth of any microscopic cracks.
Rolls-Royce has adopted LSP to treat its Trent 800,Trent 500, Trent 1,000 and XWB engines. It has soldmore than 1,200 of its latest XWB engines – worthover £60 billion in total.
In addition, the Metal Improvement Company (MIC),contracted by Rolls-Royce to carry out LSPtreatment, has received training and expert supportfrom our research team. MIC employs 30 people inthe UK and works for Rolls-Royce’s Singapore plant,which produces 6,000 blades annually.
And as part of our work with Rolls-Royce, weestablished a Materials Testing and Analysis Unit toroutinely ensure the treated fan blade components are sufficiently compressively stressed, work integral toRolls-Royce’s quality assurance and contributing to CivilAviation Authority accreditation of Trent aero-engines.
So the next time you fly and look out the windowremember the part we play in making sure youarrive safely.
Aircraft engine fan blades
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Listings
What’s On
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ManchesterMuseum
EXHIBITIONS
All exhibitions at The Manchester Museumare FREE
Siberia: At the Edge of the World untilMarch 2015
FAMILY ACTIVITIES
Most activities are free and drop-in, someactivities may need to be booked and maycost. Suitable for all ages.
Every Sat and Sun, 11am-4pmDiscovery CentreDrop-in, free, all ages
Available Sat and Sun 10am or 2pm –bookings one month in advanceNew! Children’s Birthday Parties
Tues 11 and 25 Nov, 10.30-11.15am,11.30am-12.15pm and 1-1.45pm.Baby Explorers Book on 0161 275 2648 (Bookings will betaken a week in advance from 2pm), free.
Sat 22 Nov, 9.15-10amEarly Opening for Early BirdsDrop-in, free, families with children under5s and their older siblings.
Sat 22 Nov, 11am-4pmBig Saturday: DinosaursDrop-in, free, all ages
Fri 28 Nov, 10.30-11.30 and 11.30am-12.30pmMagic CarpetBook on 0161 275 2648 (from a weekbefore), free, under 5s and theirfamilies/carers
TALKS, TOURS AND WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS
Most activities are free and drop-in, someactivities may need to be booked and may cost.
Every Wed and Thurs, 1pmTaster toursDrop-in, free
Every Thurs, 12pmVivarium ToursBook on 0161 275 2648, free
Tues 4 Nov, 1–2.30pmEnglish CornerDrop-in, free, adults
Wed 5 Nov, 1-2pmCollection Bites: Carbon: Innovationand SustainabilityBook on 0161 275 2648 [email protected], free, adults
Thurs 6 Nov, 6.30-9pmAfter Hours: Look200 Drop-in, free, adults
Sat 15 and Sun 16 Nov, 11am-4pmWonderstruck Drop-in, free, adults and families.A weekend of wonderful musical surprisesall over the Museum. Choirs from acrossManchester have joined forces with artistsDaniel Bye, Sarah Punshon and Boff Whalleyto create live performance and originalsongs inspired by the Museum's collections.
Wed 19 Nov, 10am-4pmNorthern Knap InBook online manchester.ac.uk/museum (maximum 65places), £10/£8 concessions, adults
Thurs 20 Nov, 2-3pmRock Drop: Geology IdentificationSessionsDrop-in, free
Opening times Open: Tues-Sat 10am-5pmSun-Mon (and Bank Holidays) 11am-4pm
FREE admission
The Manchester Museum, Oxford Road, Manchester 0161 275 2648manchester.ac.uk/museum Follow us on Twitter @McrMuseum facebook.com/ManchesterMuseum
John RylandsLibrary (Deansgate)
EXHIBITIONS
Giving it Wigan: Norman Nicholson at 100 until 14 Dec
Communities in Communication until 21 Dec
Echo and Narcissus until 9 Jan
FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES
Thurs 6 Nov, 10.30-11.30amToddler Tales
Sat 15 Nov, 11am-12pmEnchanting Tales
THINGS TO DO
until 23 NovemberHarmonious Society: Asia TriennialManchester 14
Sat 8 Nov, 11am-1pm and 2-4pmExploration of Silence
Wed 12 Nov, 11am-1pm and 2-4pmWhimsical Wednesday: PersonalPatterns
Thurs 13 Nov, 11am-1pm and 2-4pmPaper Cutting Workshop
Tues 18 Nov, 12pmEcho and Narcissus: Curator’s Talk
Wed 19 Nov, 3-4.30pmUnusual Views: Library tours forphotographers
Thurs 20 Nov, 5-7pmThird Thursday Late
Thurs 20 Nov, 6pmThird Thursday Late: Owen Lowery
Wed 26 Nov, 2pmCollection Encounter: Egyptian Amulets
Sat 29 Nov, 3.30pmCollection Encounter: NormanNicholson
TOURS
Booking required for all tours.
Every Friday, 3pmIntroductory Tour
Wed 5 Nov, 3pmExplorer Tour
Thurs 13 Nov, 3pmExplorer Tour
Sat 15 Nov, 11amTour en Français - French language onlytour
Wed 19 Nov, 3pmConservation Studio Tour
Thurs 20 Nov, 3pmTours and Treasures
Tues 25 Nov, 3pmExplorer Tour
For further details of our events, please visitour website
FREE ADMISSION
Public opening times: Sun-Mon 12-5pm,Tues-Sat 10am-5pmReader opening times: Mon-Weds, Fri-Sat10am-5pm, Thurs 10am-7pmThe John Rylands Library 150 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3EH General/Reader Enquiries: 0161 275 3764 Email: [email protected]/Event Enquiries: 0161 306 0555Email: [email protected]
InternationalSociety
Visit some of the most beautiful andinteresting locations around England,Scotland and Wales. There are visits takingplace almost every weekend throughoutthe year.
Sat 8 NovAlton Towers – Ultimate Fireworks!
Sun 9 NovNorth Lake District visiting Keswick andGrasmere
Sat 15 NovOxford (with guided tour)
Sun 16 NovFountain’s Abbey and Stockeld Park’sChristmas Adventure
Sat 22 NovNorth Wales visiting Conwy Castle andLlandudno Christmas Fayre
Sun 23 NovPeak District visiting Chatsworth House(at Christmas) and Bakewell
Sat 29 NovYork (St Nicholas Fayre Market)
Sun 30 NovCheshire Oaks Retail Outlet andChester Christmas Market
Opening times Mon-Fri 9.30am – 7pm (during term time)Mon-Fri 9.30am – 5pm (during vacation)
Small World Café opening timesMon-Fri 11am – 3pm
327 Oxford Road (next to Krobar)0161 275 4959 email [email protected]
Artwork by Alison Erika Forde
This is our leading image for theexhibition ‘Men Who Like WomenWho Smell Of Their Jobs.’
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The Whitworth Art Gallery
Re-opening Saturday 14FebruaryThe Whitworth Art Gallery has started anew and exciting chapter in its history. Amajor building project is now taking placeto transform and extend the 120-year-oldgallery, doubling its public areas whilstreducing its carbon footprint and improvingfacilities for visitors.
This new development by architects MUMAwill re-connect the 19th century buildingwith Whitworth Park through an elegantcontemporary extension. The newWhitworth will bring you more art, moreactivities, more events and more space. Itwill be all things our many visitors havealways loved about the Whitworth.
We look forward to welcoming you back inthe Spring.
Visit our website for details of ourforthcoming outreach events…..
Whitworth Art GalleryOxford Road, Manchester0161 275 7450email [email protected]/whitworth
Chaplaincies
St Peter’s House Chaplaincy Sunday, 11am Holy Communion12.45pm Lunch (1st Sun)Sunday, 5.30pm Student Service (term-time only)Wednesday 12.15pm Eucharist, followedby free soup lunch (term-time only)
RC Chaplaincy Avila House Mass Times (term-time only)Sun, 7pm (in the Holy Name Church) nextdoor to the ChaplaincyMon, Tues, Thurs and Friday, 5.30pm in theChaplaincy ChapelWeds, 1.05pm in the Chaplaincy Chapel
The Jewish Student Centre andSynagogue07817 250 557Email Rabbi Ephraim Guttentag:[email protected]
Muslim Chaplaincy South Campus Mosque, McDougall CentreJammaat (Group Prayer) Daily Juma Prayer Friday 1.15pm Honorary Imam: Imam Habeeb,[email protected]
North Campus MosqueBasement of Joule Library, Sackville StreetBuilding Jammaat (Group Prayer) DailyJuma Prayer Friday 12.30pm
The role of Volunteer Muslim Chaplain is toprovide pastoral support, guidance and alistening ear to Muslim staff and students.Chaplains’ contact details are available inthe prayer rooms or via St Peter’s House.
Gig GuideThe Martin HarrisCentre for Musicand Drama
DRAMA
Wed 19/Thur 20/Fri 21 Nov, 7pm,£5.50/£4.50/£4Purgatory - University of ManchesterDrama Society: Autumn Showcase
FREE LUNCHTIME CONCERTS
Thurs 6 Nov, 1.10pmWalter Carroll Lunchtime Concert Series- Piano Recital by Eliza McCarthy
Fri 7 Nov, 1.10pmMUMS Lunchtime Concert: OperaScenes
Thurs 13 Nov, 1.10pmWalter Carroll Lunchtime Concert Series- Quatuor Danel Lunchtime Concertwith Richard Whalley (piano)
Thurs 13 Nov, 2.30pmQuatuor Danel Seminar: Masters ofComposition
Fri 14 Nov, 1.10pmMUMS Lunchtime Concert: CosmoSingers
Thurs 20 Nov, 1.10pmWalter Carroll Lunchtime Concert Series- Harry Cameron-Penny (clarinet) andAlissa Firsova (piano)
Fri 21 Nov, 1.10pmVAGANZA - Landscapes, Ceremoniesand Meditations: Music from Taiwan,Japan and Korea
Thurs 27 Nov, 1.10pmWalter Carroll Lunchtime Concert Series- Richard Boothby (viola da gamba)
Fri 28 Nov, 1.10pmMUMS Lunchtime Concert: ChamberWorks
FREE EVENTS
Thurs 27 Nov, 7.30pmJim Rose Lecture with Greg Dyke(Chairman of the Football Association)
EVENING CONCERTS
Fri 14 Nov, 7.30pm, £14/£9/£3Quatuor Danel
Sat 15 Nov, 7.30pm, £10.50/£6.50/£3MUMS String and Brass Ensembles
Fri 21 Nov, 7.30pm, £8/£5.50/£3VAGNZA - Landscapes, Ceremonies andMeditations: Music from Taiwan, Japanand Korea
Sat 22 Nov, 7.30pm, £10.50/£6.50/£3Manchester University Wind Orchestra(MUWO)
Sun 30 Nov, 7.30pm, £12/£9/£3The University of Manchester Chorusand Symphony Orchestra
The Martin Harris Centre for Music and DramaBridgeford Street, Manchester, M13 9PL0161 275 8951 email [email protected]/martinharriscentre
Jodrell BankDiscovery Centre
Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre offers a greatday out for all the family. Come and explorethe planets using our model of the SolarSystem. Find answers to the wonders theUniverse, listen to the sounds of the BigBang and discover what the scientists areresearching ‘Live’ in our interactive SpacePavilion. The glass-walled café offersspectacular views of the iconic Lovelltelescope and fantastic homemade cakes!
EVENTS
Sat 15 NovFamily Pop Up Planetarium Day
Sat 22 NovGirls Night Out
Information:Live from Jodrell Bank websitelivefromjodrellbank.com
Tickets: ow.ly/hQCFUTickets include entry to the Discovery Centre.
Opening times10am-5pm
For more information and prices please visitour website Jodrell Bank Discovery CentreMacclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9DL01477 571 766jodrellbank.net
Mon 3 Nov Deathstars + The DeadAnd Living - £13.50rescheduled date, originaltickets remain valid
Tues 4 Nov Y & T – 40 YearAnniversary - £16.50
Wed 5 Nov The Knife - £25
Orphaned Land - £11.50
Thurs 6 Nov Chvrches + Lizzo - £16
Cockney Rejects – 35thAnniversary Tour - £12.50
Fri 7 Nov Jamie T + Slaves - £19.50SOLD OUT
Lindsey Stirling + MikeTompkins - £17.50
Sat 8 Nov The Kooks - £19.50
Sikth - £14
Turin Brakes - £20
Sun 9 Nov Trouble - £12.50
Grubson - £16
Mon 10 Nov Lords Of The Riff Vol. 2featuring Anti-Mortem -£10
Tues 11 Nov Adventure Club - £11
Wed 12 Nov John Waters – This FilthyWorld, Volume 2 - £25/30
Blue Pills - £8 this show hasmoved from The Star andGarter, original tickets remainvalid
Thurs 13 Nov Miranda Sings with specialguest Colleen Ballinger -£22
Fri 14 Nov Rich Robinson + FederalCharm - £20
James Bay - £10
Sat 15 Nov Feed The Kid + The HighNines + Lucky T. Jackson +Second Hand Guns - £8
Mallory Knox - £13
Absolute Bowie - £14
Sun 16 Nov Volbeat - £17
The Quireboys + VargasBlues Band + PreachersSon - £16.50
Mon 17 Nov Jamie T + Slaves - £19.50
Suicide Silence - £12
Tues 18 Nov Against Me! Billy The Kid -£14
Set It Off – Slow Magic +Odesza + Craft Spells +Blue Hawaii + Yung Gud +DJ Paypal - £15 (Over 18’sOnly)
Wed 19 Nov The Pretty Reckless +Heaven’s Basement +Nothing More - £17.50
Kiesza - £11
Tyketto - £16
American Authors - £12
Thurs 20 Nov The Jesus and Mary Chain- £27.50 SOLD OUT
Fri 21 Nov Pop Punk’s Not Dead –New Found Glory + TheStory So Far + StateChamps + Candy Hearts +Only Rivals - £18.50
Dan Baird + HomemadeSin - £12.50
Joey Bada$$ + Waldo - £15
Deaf School - £17.50
Sat 22 Nov Levellers – Greatest HitsTour 2014 + Special GuestsThe Selecter performingtheir debut album “TooMuch Pressure” + SheMakes War - £22.50
Limehouse Lizzy - £15
Manc Floyd - £12
Sun 23 Nov SOS Band + Gwen Dickey(Rose Royce) + Loose Ends- £27.50
Mon 24 Nov Mastodon + Big Business +Krokodil - £22.50
The Orwells - £10
Mad Caddies - £15
Crossfaith + Silent Screams+ Coldrain + Cytota - £11
Wed 26 Nov Protest The Hero - £13
Thurs 27 Nov Orgy + Deviant UK + TheLadder - £13
Delain + Wolf - £14
Fri 28 Nov The Ruts DC + SteveIgnorant (Crass) with SliceOf Life - £15
The Beat + The Plates -£17.50
Sat 29 Nov Tonight Alive + Chunk!No, Captain Chunk! -£12.50
Alabama 3 + The CorneliusCrane - £20
The Doors Alive - £11
The Lancashire Hotpots -£12
Tickets fromStudents’ Union, Oxford RoadRoyal Court (Liverpool) 0151 709 4321 (c/c)Students’ UnionOxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL0161 275 2930 manchesteracademy.net
Manchester Academy 1, 2 and 3
Feature
Next Issue 1 December 2014
M1183 10.14 The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL Royal Charter Number RC000797Created by the Division of Communications and Marketing Cert no. SGS-COC-3059
Please help us distribute UniLifemore efficiently.
Undelivered copies should be sent toSarah Davenport at The University ofManchester Visitors Centre, UniversityPlace, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL.
University staff should send changes ofwork address [email protected]
Or opt out of receiving hard copies atstaffnet.manchester.ac.uk/opt-out/
Clinical lecturer at Manchester Medical School Dr Rebecca Farrington not only teaches her studentsabout caring for patients, she inspires them to trulydevelop their vital role in society through herextensive work to help asylum seekers.
Rebecca – who was recognised at the University’sVolunteer of the Year 2014 awards – explains:“Despite being some of the strongest, most resilientpeople you could meet they face extreme stress,both before they seek sanctuary and after arrival inthe UK. This has a direct impact on their physicaland mental health.
“Asylum seekers are a hard to reach group but manyare in need of a lot of support. There is widespreadconfusion about their entitlements in the NHS, whichaffects their access to care despite clear guidancefrom the British Medical Association. As a healthprofessional, I find it extremely rewarding to use myskills to help them.
“I try to pass this on to my students – this is why wetrain so hard, for so long, to help people in need,whoever they may be.”
Alongside her University role, Rebecca works as aGP and, after working in refugee camps for theMedecins Sans Frontieres in the 1990s, has workedto help asylum seekers since 2005.
She was a GP in a specialist service for asylumseekers in Salford when funding was withdrawn due to NHS reforms. Rebecca went on to develop aproposal for a specialist mental health service forthem, which she now leads.
Mainstream health services are not set up to addressmany of the problems asylum seekers face so, wereit not for Rebecca’s service, many of the mostvulnerable people in Salford would struggle toaccess the care that they need.
Rebecca also runs education sessions on the needsof asylum seekers and victims of torture to trainees,GPs and University student groups, to inspire thedoctors of the future to work with the disadvantaged.
She is part of a local Health Interest Group lookingat the needs of vulnerable migrants in the NorthWest and is on the steering group for Support Our
Sisters, a group raising awareness of female genitalmutilation and providing psychological support tothose affected.
She works closely with local community asylumseeker and refugee support agencies includingFreedom from Torture.
Professor Chris Cutts, Associate Dean for SocialResponsibility in the Faculty of Medical and HumanSciences, has supported this group, and ProfessorTony Freemont, Head of Undergraduate MedicalEducation, has sponsored an awareness raisingevent due to take place in February 2015.
• To read more of these inspiring stories visit:makeadifferencemcr.tumblr.com
• To find out more about social responsibility at the University visit:socialresponsibility.manchester.ac.uk
Treating trauma – and inspiring the next generation
Dr Rebecca Farrington
The University's strategic plan,Manchester 2020, lists one of ourgoals as contributing to the socialand economic success of thelocal, national and internationalcommunity. Though ourengagement campaign, theUniversity collects stories of howour staff, students and alumni aremaking a difference to society,and here UniLife shares some ofthose stories with you…
