University of Kent Newsletter Vol 27 No 6 August 2006 Degrees of success This summer’s degree ceremonies at Canterbury saw nearly 3,000 students graduating from the University. During a ceremony on 13 July, Sir Robert Worcester was installed as Kent’s new Chancellor. Among the highlights of this summer’s degree ceremonies was the installation of Sir Robert Worcester as the new Chancellor and the graduation of Cecilia Leguen de Lacroix from the University of the Transmanche. Honorary degrees were awarded to Sir Robert Worcester, Dr David Starkey (middle right), Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, Professor Gabriel Josipovici, Dr Declan Doogan, Paul Bennett and Baroness Helena Kennedy (top right), who spoke of the University as ‘having a special place in my heart’ and of her long-standing relationship with the Kent Law School and the Law Clinic which she described as ‘making real the practice of law’. First graduate from University of the Transmanche Cecilia Leguen de Lacroix, a British citizen who lives in Belgium, has become the first student to graduate from the University of the Transmanche, the world’s only Franco-British higher education institution which was developed by Kent together with its French partners. Cecilia, a student of Politics and International Relations, received her MA (with merit) in Conflict, Peace and Identity: France, Britain and Europe at the graduation ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral on 11 July. As with all Transmanche students, Cecilia will also receive a French Master’s degree, in this case from the Université du Littoral Côte d’Opale (ULCO). Professor Roger Vickerman is Associate Dean of the University of the Transmanche. He said, ‘The Transmanche University Network, with our close partners in France, is a defining part of our European mission. Distinctive cross-border integrated programmes add a new dimension to international collaboration and we are very proud of these first pioneering students.’ Cecilia started her course in 2004 and was one of the first cohort of Transmanche students. Her MA is a 15-month programme jointly run by Kent and ULCO. She spent the first term at ULCO’s campuses in Boulogne and Dunkirk. She then spent Spring Term 2005 at Kent. The final phase of the programme was spent carrying out her research dissertation. Teaching fellowship for Biosciences’lecturer Dr Dan Lloyd, Lecturer in Pharmacology and a member of the Cancer Research Group in the Department of Biosciences, has won a 2006 National Teaching Fellowship from the Higher Education Academy. Chosen from a record 242 nominations submitted by higher education institutions across England and Northern Ireland, Dr Lloyd is one of only 50 winners, all of whom will receive their awards at a ceremony in London on 19 September. Dan said, ‘I’m stunned, but obviously delighted to have been selected for such a prestigious award. It is a fantastic feeling to be rewarded for something that I enjoy so much. It really was a team effort though, and I must pay tribute to the support of my colleagues, and of course the students who have undertaken such exceptional work.’ A statement from the Higher Education Academy reads, ‘Despite the enormous demands placed on an early-career academic, Dr Dan Lloyd has succeeded in transforming elements of the undergraduate curriculum at Kent. When he took over the role of leading final-year undergraduate research projects, he immediately saw the potential to move beyond the usual laboratory-based or dissertation approach to something more innovative. He felt that the projects might represent an ideal opportunity for students to research a topical or controversial area of science and present the information in a manner that would be interesting and accessible to a non-scientist. He initiated the idea of Science Communication Projects and won over even the most conservative students, who now respond with great enthusiasm. ‘In addition to undertaking in-depth scientific research, [Kent’s] Communication Projects involve the preparation of a talk aimed at a non-scientific audience. Dan is now working with Kent’s Partnership Development Office to target regional schools that currently have low participation in science and higher education. ‘Student Science News, a newsletter covering topical scientific issues aimed at 14-18-year-olds, grew out of the enthusiasm expressed by students for the Communication Projects. It was founded by Communication Project students and is written, edited and published by them. With a print run of 6,000, the newsletter is circulated to schools across Kent.’ Professor Peter Jeffries, Head of the Department of Biosciences, said, ‘Dan has been an inspiration to us all in leading this development. His award, along with our top position in the National Student Survey, reinforces our view that Kent is an excellent place to come and study biosciences.’ Jamestown revisited The University recently held a unique symposium which brought together Virginia Indian chiefs and academic experts, Helen Rountree, Dr Warren Billings and Dr Peter Thompson. The event was part of Kent’s Virginia Indian Festival and contributed to the national programme of events to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America. The symposium attracted over 200 people, including members of the public and school students, who had the opportunity to learn about the historical events in Virginia and explore issues of cultural diversity. Sir Robert Worcester, Co- Chairman of the Jamestown 2007 British Committee and the University’s Chancellor-designate closed the event. He said, ‘Jamestown 2007 isn’t just America’s 400th birthday; it is the marking of the establishment of the first permanent English-speaking settlement in the New World. In fact, the landing and settlement in Virginia happened 14 years before the pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock. From its shaky start grew first Jamestown and from there the other English colonies which were eventually to form the original 13 United States of America. This symposium was part of the national commemorations of those intrepid settlers who left England in 1606, and the Indians who befriended them, without whose help the settlers would not have survived.’ Rare species caught on camera Scientists from DICE are part of a joint Indonesian and British team who have recorded one of Indonesia’s rarest species of bird while working in the tropical forests of west-central Sumatra. The team, surveying for tigers in a former logging concession close to Kerinci Seblat National Park, photographed a species in their camera traps that took them all by surprise. ‘We’ve photographed Rhinoceros Hornbills and Great Argus Pheasants before but when we found that we’d photographed a Sumatran Ground Cuckoo, we couldn’t believe it,’ said field team leader Yoan Dinata of Fauna & Flora International’s (FFI) Indonesia Programme. Until now, the endemic Sumatran Ground Cuckoo Carpococcyx viridis has only been recorded once since 1916, and then only from southern Sumatra in 1997. ‘Re-finding this critically endangered species close to Kerinci Seblat is especially exciting,’ said project manager DICE’s Dr Matthew Linkie. ‘We’ve recently shown how critical Kerinci Seblat is for the long-term survival of Sumatran tigers [a reference to a study published in the latest Journal of Applied Ecology] but finding the Sumatran Ground Cuckoo gives me hope, because it was photographed in disturbed forest that has been left to recover near the national park, and because our project has built capacity among young Indonesian scientists to lead camera trapping teams that undertake routine monitoring.’ Sumatran rainforests contain some of the world’s richest biodiversity but they are also among the world’s most threatened forests. The ongoing threat of deforestation by farmland expansion that follows selective logging is of greatest concern because it completely removes forest habitat. Open Days Numbers were high at the recent Open Days for both Canterbury and Medway. Hundreds potential students came to the Medway Open Day on 24 June where visitors had the chance to look round the campus, chat to teaching staff, attend subject presentation and attend tours of the Drill Hall Library and the newly refurbished Pilkington Building, both jointly run by Kent and Greenwich universities. Meanwhile, at Canterbury on 8 July, the campus was packed with people who took the opportunity to sample life at the Canterbury campus. As well as having the chance to visit the laboratories, the new School of Architecture and the Templeman Library, the Open Day also gave them the chance to attend a range of sample lectures and try out the cafés and bistros. Vice-Chancellor to chair Lifelong Learning UK Vice-Chancellor Professor David Melville has been appointed as the new chair of Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK). One of 25 sector skills councils that make up the Skills for Business Network, LLUK was set up by employers to raise skills levels among the workforce through better training and development. His new role will commence in November, subject to formal ratification by the LLUK Council. He succeeds John Hedger who has been chair of LLUK since 2004. David Melville, who has been a Council member of LLUK since its beginning, said he is fully committed to the mission of the sector skills councils and sees the development of learning professionals as central to raising the standards of education and training in the UK. He is now looking forward to leading the board of LLUK through its next stage of development. University honours school head Philip Wicker, Head of St Anselm’s Catholic School in Canterbury, is to become an honorary senior member of Darwin College at the University of Kent. St Anselm’s is one of the University’s designated Partner Schools and, as such, is part of an exciting new scheme which gives as many young people as possible from across the county the opportunity to go to university. Philip Wicker said, ‘I am delighted to have been offered honorary senior membership of Darwin. It reinforces the close partnership between the University and St Anselm’s as we work together to encourage school students to realise their potential by progressing on to higher education.’ Dr Anthony Ward, Master of Darwin College, explains, ‘An honorary senior college membership is one way in which the University recognises the importance of its relationship with the regional community. I am very pleased at the association between the College and St Anselm’s.’ Jen Wyatt, Head of Kent’s Partnership Development Office, has played a key role in developing the Partner School initiative. ‘This scheme builds on strong existing relationships to deliver, more formally, progression opportunities for students into Kent, through the offer of a high quality curriculum to Partner Schools and the creation of Partner School scholarships for students. It is good news that this development is not only helping to deliver new opportunities to local school students but that it is also clearly fostering wider relationships between the University and Partner School staff.’ Others who have recently become honorary members of Darwin College include, Robert Neame, President of Shepherd Neame, Dr Edwin Boorman, President of the Kent Messenger Group, and Sir Graeme Odgers, Chairman of Locate in Kent. Tizard professor on government task force The UK government has appointed Professor Jim Mansell, Director of the Tizard Centre at the University of Kent, to the Learning Disability Task Force. The Task Force was set up after publication of the White Paper 'Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century' in 2001. Its role is to monitor and support implementation of the White Paper by acting as a champion for change and improvement at local level and offering advice to government on the continuing development of learning disability policy. The membership includes academic experts, representatives of voluntary organisations, health and social care professionals, family carers and people with learning disabilities. Researching mixed-race identities CHSS’s Peter Aspinall and SSPSSR’s Dr Miri Song have been awarded £156,000 by the ESRC to investigate the range of identity choices potentially available to mixed-race young people in Britain. Together with Ferhana Hashem, also from CHSS, they are undertaking the largest and most detailed study of its kind in the UK and will supply the research community, census agencies and the providers of educational, health and other public services with a comprehensive insight into the personal, group and political dimensions of mixed-race identities. The study will explore how such identities are constructed, what they mean for the people holding them, the factors contributing to the possession of these identities, how they affect individual lives, and how such identities constrain or enable an individual’s freedom. Learning at work week This year the University celebrated national Adult Learners’ Week with a range of activities – from promoting job swap/shadowing opportunities, to the annual staff development awards ceremony, which took place on Thursday 25 May, national Learning at Work day. A lively and successful Learning at Work Fayre, to which all staff were invited, was held in Eliot Dining Hall on Friday 26 May. Following the success of last year’s job swaps and shadowing, this year 25 members of staff from across the University took the opportunity to find out more about what other people do. Swaps included members of staff from UELT and the Templeman Library going to the Disability and Dyslexia Support Service, and a Master’s Assistant shadowing both the Vice-Chancellor’s PA and grounds maintenance. At a specially held lunch those who took part had the chance to discuss to their experiences and to give feedback. Everyone felt they had learned a great deal about other areas of work, and that they had been given the opportunity to meet other people and develop a greater understanding of other people’s pressures. At the annual Staff Development Awards Ceremony, certificates were presented by Judith Armitt, Chief Executive of Medway Council and Chair of the Staff Policy Committee, who praised all the staff who had gained awards for their hard work and commitment, and recognised the challenge of combining learning with work and family life. The qualifications presented covered a wide range including the Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE), the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL), the Award in Diversity Practice and a range of accredited Health and Safety qualifications. The week finished with the Learning at Work Fayre in Eliot College which gave many staff the opportunity to get involved in activities such as tasting wok-cooked food, trying out wines, talking to a plant expert, learning about part-time academic programmes and finding out more about Fair Trade. Staff development would like thank everyone who contributed to any aspect of Learning at Work week for helping to make it a great success. To find out more about this and other staff development activities email on stdev@kent.ac.uk, ext 7825. Chinese academic award Yong Yan, Professor of Electronic Instrumentation in Electronics, has been appointed a Chang Jiang (Yangtze) Scholar by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China. He is the first scientist in the area of measurement and instrumentation to receive this prestigious award. The Chang Jiang Scholar’s award was granted by the Chinese Ministry of Education and acknowledges special contributions made by Chinese scientists and overseas scholars in various research fields. To be considered for this award, the candidate must have achieved an outstanding international recognition in his or her field. The Chang Jiang Scholar’s award is part of an ambitious programme initiated by the Chinese government to rapidly develop and improve the quality of research conducted at major research universities in China through the development of collaborations with eminent scientists throughout the world. Yan will receive an initial grant of 2m Chinese RMB (£150,000) to establish a collaborative research programme in measurement and instrumentation at Tianjin University, one of the premier science and technology universities in China where he has been a visiting professor since 2002. Korean lecture Dr David Ayers, from the School of English, was a keynote speaker at the 2006 International Conference of the Modern English Society of Korea in May. The conference was titled 'Earth, Man and Culture', and featured a range of contributions by academics from Korea, the United States and Japan. The theme of the Conference was 'ecocriticism' - the study of the presentation of nature and environment in literature. The Modern English Society of Korea is the professional body of Korean academics in the field of English and American Literature and Language. The conference was held at Chungnam National University in the city of Daejon, a major city which is home to five Universities and numerous technical institutes. Dr Ayers spoke about the philosophical difficulty faced by literature and literary scholarship in grasping the relationship between 'man' and 'nature'. Ethics role for KIMHS academics Two honorary senior lecturers from KIMHS have been elected to the Ethics Committee of the Association for Palliative Medicine. Dr Andrew Thorns, who is also Consultant at the Pilgrims Hospice in Margate, has been elected as Chair of the Committee and Dr David Oliver, also Consultant at the Wisdom Hospice in Rochester, is Chair elect. The committee has been considering many different ethical issues within palliative care, and recently has been involved in the opposition to the Assisted Dying Bill, introduced in the House of Lords by Lord Joffe, with the aim of legalising physician-assisted suicide. French connections In early June, the Medway campus hosted an event with an international flavour when it welcomed members from the Université du Littoral to its campus. Staff from both sides of the Channel took part in a series of presentations on topics including good communications and management of multi-site universities. All the speakers were ably assisted by University of Kent lecturer Dr David Hornsby who acted as translator. UKM Dean Dr Anthony Ward said there were huge benefits to be enjoyed from a close relationship between the two universities. ‘We have both played a key role in urban regeneration and can learn from each other and share experiences,’ he said. The visit, arranged by the European Office, was part of the PACS project between the Kent and L’Université du Littoral Cote d’Opale. PACS is part-funded by the Interreg IIIA programme, within the European Regional Development Fund. Medway campus takes shape Staff and students at the Universities at Medway campus can look forward to enjoying a range of new facilities next term with the opening of the Pilkington Building. Formerly known as the Canteen Building, Pilkington – a joint University of Kent and University of Greenwich development – is in the latter stages of a multi-million-pound refurbishment and will be completed by the time students arrive in September. The ground floor will house a 170-seat lecture theatre, a cafeteria area, an exhibition room and two large seminar rooms. It will be the new location for UMSA (the Universities at Medway Student Association), which includes the student advice centre, and also contains offices and a cashpoint. The first floor of Pilkington will provide additional teaching rooms, with Kent having ‘first call’ on bookings. UKM staff can also look forward to the opening of the Gillingham Building, located adjacent to the Medway Building. Work is expected to finish by late July, with staff moving in to their new offices at the end of August. The Gillingham Building will house staff from a range of departments and subjects, including SSPSSR, Humanities, Politics and International Relations, Creative Events, Kent Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, the Centre for Work and Learning and Kent Enterprise. Gillingham will also contain meeting rooms, general teaching and seminar facilities and IT teaching rooms. Up to 40 parking spaces will be available for UKM staff. When Pilkington and Gillingham are completed, attention will turn to a £1.4 million renovation of UKM’S Rochester Building. Work on the Rochester (formerly ‘No 1’) Building is expected to begin in October and finish by late May next year. Rochester will be equipped with catering, dining and kitchen facilities, two meeting rooms and a boardroom for more than 30 people. Welsh academics learn from Medway Kent has been sharing its ground-breaking experience with three top figures from another university. Senior members of the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC), including Vice-Chancellor Professor Antony Chapman, visited the Medway campus on a fact-finding mission in June. UWIC is considering expanding its operations by launching a partnership with other higher education institutions. Professor Chapman said that the rising reputation of the Universities at Medway partnership has spread to other parts of the country, including Wales. ‘We were deeply impressed with the set-up at Medway. It is a truly magnificent concept and a fabulous campus,’ he said. ‘I hope it can serve as a role model for us in our future plans. Higher education in Wales can learn from Medway’s success.’ Vice-Chancellor Professor David Melville said that he expected the unique partnership at Medway to continue to attract interest from other parts of the country. ‘By building on the individual strengths of the institutions, we offer our students a diverse range of high-quality courses and an enjoyable all-round experience,’ he said. ‘We are delighted to be able to share our experiences and that Universities at Medway is seen as a model for others to build upon. We expect our reputation to continue to grow far and wide.’ Historic setting for new degree UKM’S newest degree programme, Creative Events: Design and Production, has taken a leap forward after signing the lease on its new premises. The course, which launches in September, will operate from the former Victory Centre at Chatham’s Historic Dockyard. The building, a former visitor centre, is now being equipped with sophisticated lighting and sound facilities for its split-level design studio and will house students’ IT facilities, a large workshop, teaching rooms and a lecture theatre. Course director Gavin Carver is restoring the Victory Centre’s original name – the Galvanizing Shop. This name dates back to around 1890, when the building – now a Grade II listed structure – was used for the process of galvanizing iron. Lieutenancy salutes Medway The Lord Lieutenant of Kent Allan Willett and 30 of his deputies recently visited the Universities at Medway campus. The group was taking part in a tour of regeneration sites across Medway and heard how the area is being transformed by investment in homes, offices, road systems, waterfront developments and even a new cultural quarter. The Universities at Medway campus has been entered for the Royal Town Planning Institute Awards, the winners of which will be announced later in the year. Sir Crispin Tickell The University marked Sir Crispin Tickell’s 10 years as University Chancellor with the unveiling of his portrait by Jonathan Yeo at a special event held in the Senate Building.The portrait of Sir Crispin, who is the University’s fourth Chancellor, hangs alongside those of former Chancellors, Princess Marina Duchess of Kent, Lord Grimond and Sir Robert Horton, as well as previous Vice- Chancellors Dr Geoffrey Templeman, Dr David Ingram and Professor Robin Sibson. Speaking at his installation in Canterbury Cathedral, Sir Robert Worcester, who succeeds Sir Crispin as Chancellor on 1 August, praised his reputation as a diplomat and environmentalist. Music prizes This year’s music prizes at the University of Kent have been awarded to four outstanding students. They recently attended a ceremony on campus, and received congratulations from Rosie Turner, Director of the Canterbury Festival, Dame Anne Evans, Patron of the University Music Scholarship Scheme, and Professor Keith Mander, Pro-Vice-Chancellor. The winner of the Canterbury Festival Music Prize is Mariah Mazur. She is a fourth-year student from Columbus, Ohio, reading Drama and Italian. Mariah has made an outstanding contribution to the University’s musical life as Principal Harp in the Symphony Orchestra. She has also given many solo recitals and receives a Music Scholarship. The 2006 University Music Prize has been awarded to second–year Susannah Thackray. Studying for a Law degree, she is Principal Flute in the University Symphony Orchestra and also plays flute and piccolo in the Concert Band. She receives a Music Scholarship to study with Rosemary Rathbone. Two students, finalist Robert Kent and post-graduate Jonathan Stott, receive the Colyer- Fergusson Award for their outstanding contribution to organising music on campus, both as music librarians for the University Concert and Big Bands and for their work behind the scenes at the major concerts this year. Director of Music, Susan Wanless, is amazed at the wealth and wide-range of musicians at Kent. ‘Students of all subjects have the opportunity to get involved in all the music-making, and this year’s prize winners reflect the breadth of talent and enthusiasm amongst them. Thanks to the continued generosity of the Canterbury Festival and our other supporters, we can highlight their achievements and give them the recognition they deserve.’ Lecturer studies business of backpackers KBS’s Dr Mark Hampton has embarked on a unique study into the economic importance of the backpacker tourist market in the Asia Pacific region. Mark, who runs the Tourism Management degree course at UKM, will be working alongside Professor Amran Hamzah, of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in Johor Bahru, in a £50,000 project funded by the Malaysian Government. The two academics and their research team will spend several weeks in Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam analysing the views, travel experiences and spending habits of backpackers before presenting their findings to the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism. The Malaysian government is the first in the developing world to commission such major independent research into backpackers. By challenging the conventional view that that backpackers are ‘second-class’ tourists, Mark said that the study could lead to a major strategic change in the way in which Malaysia markets itself to tourists in the future. ‘The results of the study will help the government decide where to allocate resources, and to develop the services and skills to cater for the backpacker market far more effectively,’ he said. ‘There could be as many as 750,000 backpackers a year visiting Malaysia, which has a big impact on the economy.’ The prestigious project also marks the launch of KBS’s latest research centre, CENTICA – the Centre for Tourism in Islands and Coastal Areas. Led by Mark and based at UKM, CENTICA will provide applied research on the tourism industry for governments, agencies and the private sector. Leadership is in the genes Mark van Vugt, Professor of Social Psychology, has challenged traditional theories of leadership by announcing that ‘leadership is in our genes’. Mark’s theory, published in the journal 'Personality and Social Psychology Review', states that: leadership is the product of human evolutionary history in which, for several million years, humans lived and worked together in small groups in order to survive (much like our primate cousins, the chimpanzee); and leadership helped our ancestors cope with the pressures of group life and enabled them to more successfully defend their group against other groups. Leadership thus played a crucial role in the success of humans, and is now deeply embedded in our genes; so much so that the human brain possesses a hardwired leadership ‘prototype’, a fixed idea of how a leader should behave and what they should look like, that is innate and difficult to change. Mark also argues that for millions of years there was no formal leadership in human groups. He says, ‘Essentially, it was the best hunter or the fiercest warrior that emerged as leader. In present times, we still evaluate leaders in that way. Ideally we would like our leaders to know us personally and take an active interest in our lives which, of course, is increasingly difficult in modern society in which leaders govern millions of people. Yet successful leaders are still the ones that make people feel special, like Gandhi.’ He also found that leaders who try to dominate followers are particularly disliked. In ancestral times, overbearing and selfish leaders were simply ignored, ridiculed or sometimes even killed. This egalitarian ethos is still visible in modern society in which political leaders often become the target of ridicule or hatred. Students inspire young children to have fun with maths Three Kent students have helped create a series of stimulating web-based games to encourage young children to hone their maths skills. Titled Sum-Fun, the project is the work of Bethan Hampson-Jones, Danielle Barnetche and Amelia Lew, all of whom are final-year Multimedia Technology and Design students at the University’s Department of Electronics. Created in conjunction with a professional games developer from Kingsway Green Learning (KG Learning), Sum- Fun is a stress free method of introducing basic maths by using visual guides that enable pupils to better understand how they reach an answer. Pupils also learn by playing games with basic maths themes. As part of their project, the students visited St Stephen’s Infants school in Canterbury to see first hand how children learn maths before designing the games content, which is both attractive but also appropriate for teaching maths to young people. To Russia with love Students at the Tonbridge Centre learned some priceless lessons during a recent trip to Russia lead by tutor Dr Graham Whitham. The students, who are studying a part-time degree course in Art History, visited the magnificent Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, which houses one of the largest collections of Russian art and artefacts in the world. Denyse Straker, who is both librarian and a tutor at the Tonbridge Centre, said the Russian trip helped bring the students' academic studies to life. 'It was a stimulating and exciting experience, which provided a vivid insight into Russian life and art,' she said. 'It was especially rewarding for the students studying our Russian Art and Design module to see so many of these amazing treasures. All in all, students gained an unforgettable insight into Russian culture and society.’ Medical Chief Executive at Kent symposium Professor Colin Blakemore, Chief Executive of the Medical Research Council, delivered the closing lecture at the 14th Annual Biosciences Symposium. Titled ‘The Brain: Myths and Reality’, Professor Blakemore’s lecture was well- received by an audience of students, staff and invited guests from Pfizer and the local NHS Trusts. During his introduction to the lecture, Vice-Chancellor Professor David Melville described Professor Blakemore as ‘one of the world’s most outstanding brain scientists and a leading champion in promoting the public understanding of science.’ Professor Peter Jeffries, Head of the Department of Biosciences at Kent, said: ‘Professor Blakemore’s lecture was a highlight during a day in which research students, fellows and honorary staff gave presentations about their research, which ranged from the intricate details of protein biochemistry through to the ecology of Antarctic soils.’ Grant for Indian medical research study Dr Pratik Chakrabarti, Wellcome Lecturer in the History of Modern Medicine at the University of Kent, has received funding of £220k for a project titled Laboratory Medical Research in Colonial India, 1890-1950. Funded by the Wellcome Trust, Dr Chakrabarti’s research will provide a comprehensive analysis of laboratory research in India and further the historical elucidation of modern medicine there. Specifically, his research will focus on three establishments for the period 1890 to the 1950s: the Plague Research Laboratory at Bombay (established 1899); the Pasteur Institutes at Kasauli (established 1900), Coonoor (established 1907), Rangoon (established 1916), Shillong (established 1917) and Calcutta (established 1924); and the Central Research Institute at Kasauli (established 1905). By focusing on these laboratories Dr Pratik Chakrabarti aims to illustrate how they played a crucial role in research in tropical diseases and public health and also in facilitating international research. Their history would also unfold the genesis of laboratory medical research in modern India. Archiving a Cameroonian photographic studio Anthropology’s Dr David Zeitlyn has been awarded a grant of £36,000 from the British Library’s Endangered Archives Programme to work with a Cameroonian photographer to make digital copies of his negative archives in situ in Cameroon. This builds on David’s twenty year involvement as a social anthropologist working in Cameroon which resulted last year’s exhibition of the work of two Cameroonian studio photographers at the National Portrait Gallery, London and then subsequently at Keynes College. One of the photographers, Joseph Chila, from the exhibition introduced David to Jacques Touselle who possesses 20,000 negatives, the legacy of his 40 year career. The collection is an unparalleled archive of local photographic practices. Canterbury Enterprise Hub celebrates third year of success The Canterbury Enterprise Hub at the University of Kent celebrated its third year with a dinner event on 22 June. The dinner, which was held at the University’s Canterbury campus, was attended by Professor David Melville, Vice- Chancellor, Professor Phil Davies, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at the University, Carole Barron, Director of Kent Enterprise at the University, Councillor Pat Todd, Lord Mayor of Canterbury, Julian Brazier MP, and members and supporters of the Canterbury Enterprise Hub, including several Canterbury councillors. Former international businessman Allan Willett, the founding chairman of South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), and now Lord-Lieutenant of Kent – the Queen’s representative in the county – was guest of honour for the evening. Lesley Anne Rubenstein, Director of the Canterbury Enterprise Hub, said, ‘This was a very special occasion not just for the Canterbury Enterprise Hub and the University but also for the many organisations, businesses and network partners who have worked with and supported us over the years. The Canterbury Enterprise Hub is one of 22 SEEDA hubs in the South East and part of Kent Enterprise at the University of Kent Japan visit In June, Professor Roger Vickerman, Department of Economics, spent three days in Japan at the invitation of the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The Ministry is currently preparing a new Spatial Development Plan for Japan and has been examining European approaches, including consideration of a more international dimension which recognises the importance of developments in China and Korea as part of an East Asia perspective. The Ministry was particularly interested in Professor Vickerman’s work on the impact of Trans- European Transport Networks and transport infrastructure investment on regional economic development in the EU. During the visit Professor Vickerman met senior officials of the Ministry, participated in an internal seminar at the Ministry and gave lectures on ‘Trans-European Networks: Policy and Appraisal’ at the Japan Transport Policy Research Institute in Tokyo and a keynote lecture at a conference on spatial development in Japan at Tohoku University in Sendai. Books extra Deadly dances in the Bornean rainforest: hunting knowledge of the Penan Benalui Dr Rajindra K Puri, Anthropology For two years Rajindra lived and hunted with the Penan Benalui people in the rainforest of eastern Borneo in Indonesia. Here he reports on Penan hunting techniques, the knowledge required to be a successful hunter, and the significance of hunting for Penan communities. A hunt offers the opportunity for younger Penan to learn crucial survival skills, knowledge of the environment, local geography, genealogy, history, and beliefs and values. Songs and stories recount hunting adventures and legends, while ceremonial dances demonstrate the coordination and agility required of the expert hunter. Rajindra makes a case for using active participant-observation, in conjunction with standard ethnobiological research methods, for documenting non-verbal knowledge. This work will be useful to anthropologists, conservation biologists, and those interested in Indonesian ethnobiology. Law student displays a cutting edge UKM student Christine Mungham is on her way to becoming a barrister – after more than 20 years of working as a hairdresser. Christine, 40, embarked on a law degree programme in 2002, studying part-time for the first two years of her course. Having completed her final exams, she has now been awarded a prestigious scholarship from the Middle Temple – one of London’s four Inns of Court – to continue her training as a barrister. From September Christine will attend the BPP Law School in London for her one year bar vocational course, which will teach her the skills required for a barrister’s role. Hairdressing is now something that is firmly in the past as Christine prepares for her bar training. ‘I don’t even cut my husband’s hair any more as I simply don’t have the time,’ she said. ‘But I suppose there is always the sight of the barristers’ wigs in court to remind me of my previous job, in case I ever forget.’ Christine’s story gained extensive press coverage. She also appeared on BBC Radio Kent to talk about her experiences as a mature student, alongside Lesley Phippen, Director of Legal Studies at UKM. OBE for Law Clinic Director John Fitzpatrick, Director of Kent Law Clinic, has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for 2006 for ‘services to the administration of justice’. John, a Senior Lecturer in Law, has been Director of Kent Law Clinic since it was established in its present form in 1992. He joined Kent in 1991, having previously practised as a solicitor in London. For the past 30 years he has contributed to the provision of public legal services in this country. Starting in 1976 he has worked in community law centres in Brixton and then Hammersmith in London, and he still assists with that work today. He has served for several years recently on the Executive of the Law Centres Federation. John Wightman, Head of Kent Law School said, ‘We are delighted at this recognition of the work of the Law Clinic. John has inspired hundreds of law students to think about the law in a different way, and the Clinic has enriched the education of our students in the Law School.’ Fairtrade at Kent Over the past two years, students and staff have worked hard to make Kent a Fairtrade University. Professor Richard Norman chairs the Faitrade Steering Group. He writes: ‘We’ve worked hard over the past two years to make Kent a Fairtrade University. Big changes have happened. Kent Hospitality has introduced Fairtrade products including tea and coffee at all its outlets, and includes Fairtrade wines on its house list. The Gulbenkian Café has also switched to using exclusively Fairtrade coffee, tea and hot chocolate as well as stocking other Fairtrade products. Kent Union has given strong support; the shops stock an increasing range of Fairtrade products including Fairtrade wines in ‘Extras’, and the two new Wicked Cafés in The Lighthouse and the Sports Centre have raised the profile of Fairtrade. Along with these changes we’ve worked to raise general awareness of the importance of Fairtrade and the real difference it makes to the lives of producers in developing countries, guaranteeing them a viable price for their products, paying a community premium to support local provision for facilities such as health and education and economic improvement, and supporting environmental sustainability. Raising awareness has also meant demonstrating that Fairtrade products taste good, so we’ve had events and stalls to give out free samples. For some strange reason students – and staff too - seem to appreciate free alcohol and free chocolate. Many of our publicity events happen in Fairtrade Fortnight, in March each year, when we’ve had an aerial banner flown over the University, information on screens in the bars, Fairtrade oranges at a football tournament, and cultural events including performances from the Vayu Naidu Storytelling Company and the CPAS Gospel Choir. We’ve also worked closely with the local community, and a landmark event in Fairtrade Fortnight this year was the triple celebration of Fairtrade District status for Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay, and Fairtrade Church status for the Cathedral, alongside Fairtrade University status for Kent. We need to maintain this momentum. It’s in the nature of a University that raising awareness has to be repeated each year, with each new intake of students. But beyond that, we want to build on the success. We hope to have a bigger presence at the Freshers’ Fair, to recruit new students who will get involved. In the autumn we aim to repeat last year’s very successful Fair Trade Fair in Rutherford College, linking support for Fairtrade with support for local produce. We want to see a Fairtrade dimension more closely integrated into the programme of cultural and social events in the Colleges and across the University and we would like to see our Fairtrade University status highlighted in the University’s publications. And we are always looking for new members willing to join the Fairtrade Steering Group, bringing fresh ideas and linking the work to all sections of the University community.’ If you would like to find out more about Fairtrade at Kent contact Richard at R.J.Norman@kent.ac.uk Computing postgraduate conference The Computing Laboratory recently held its inaugural postgraduate conference which involved 22 research postgraduate participants showcasing their work in the form of a poster. In addition, they had to produce a two page research paper to be reviewed by other participants in the lead up to the conference. This provided an excellent opportunity for the students to receive feedback from their peers and showed newer students how the review process works. Over 50 people attended and it is anticipated that the conference will continue as an annual event. Group drinking leads to less risks Research from the Department of Psychology on the effects of alcohol and attitudes to risk has produced surprising results. After consuming a moderate amount of alcohol, individuals find risky choices significantly more attractive, however groups do not. This unexpected discovery is the outcome of a study into how group processes combine with alcohol consumption to affect risk attraction among young people. The results of the study, conducted by Professor Dominic Abrams, Tim Hopthrow, Lorne Hulbert and Daniel Frings, indicate that, with moderate social drinking, groups may provide an informal means of mutual regulation and monitoring that can offset some aspects of ‘alcohol myopia’. Professor Abrams explained: ‘Until now, research on the effects of alcohol has focused largely on individuals. For example, as a result of drinking alcohol, individuals are more likely to be sexually irresponsible, aggressive or emotional. However, drinking within groups is a ubiquitous part of our modern social setting. It is not uncommon for people to make decisions as part of a group while consuming moderate amounts of alcohol – for example, in business meetings or at conferences. Much to our surprise it seemed that groups may have been more careful about their decisions to offset the effects of the alcohol, contrary to the stereotype that when people drink in groups they become more unruly.’ Grant success with LACE Richard Jones and Dr Andy King from Computing have been awarded a grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council for a three year project entitled LACE: Lifetime-Aware Collection. Modern garbage collection techniques are not expected to meet the challenges of the next generation programs with heaps of tens of gigabytes. The project envisages a Lifetime-Aware collector that exploits predictable program behaviour to avoid processing objects before they are likely to be dead but to reclaim space promptly after their death. It will construct a GC framework – Lifetime- Aware (LA) collection – that encompasses a new heap architecture based on our Beltway collector framework, and novel allocation/collection policies that can take advantage of programs’ object demographics in order to reduce pause-times and increase throughput. The Editor can be contacted at C&DO,The Registry, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NZ T: 01227 764000, ext 3100/3581 E: media-office@kent.ac.uk Newsletter welcomes all articles, letters and photographs. Copy can be submitted by email to mediaoffice@kent.ac.uk Small adverts are also welcome. They are free for University staff, otherwise the cost is £10 per ad (up to 30 words). Next issue Deadline for the next issue is 25 September 2006, with a publication date of 13 October 2006. Newsletter is published by C&DO.