KEELE AT FOREFRONT OF DEVELOPING RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES SAYS MINISTER

Regional Minister Ian Austin, MP, visited Keele yesterday as part of a trip to Staffordshire to see how the county is looking ahead to the future and encouraging its young people to play a key role in boosting the West Midlands economy. The Minister  was met by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Janet Finch, and  Secretary and Registrar,  Simon Morris, before hearing presentations about the new development site for the expansion of the University and the energy plans for the campus, with particular focus on our proposed Sustainable Technologies Hub and Carbon Reduction.

He then held discussions with a number of our Science Park tenants about their SME experiences; their reasons for moving into the Science Park; the prospects for their companies in the current economic environment and what else the North Staffordshire Regeneration Partnership and central government should be doing to attract and support SMEs.

Mr Austin said: "Keele University Science and Business Park continues to thrive and develop. It is good to see that Keele University is at the forefront of developing renewable energy sources. This will be one of the important industries of the 21st century and we in the West Midlands region have the opportunity to lead the world in this.

"I am delighted to be here as Regional Minister in helping recognise the importance that Staffordshire has on the region and recognise the efforts being made by the people in Staffordshire to turn dreams and aspirations into reality."

CERTIFICATE OF MERIT FOR EXCELLENCE FOR POSTGRADUATE STUDENT

Postgraduate student Mona Khalil, School of Life Sciences/ Research Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine, has been presented with a Certificate of Merit for Excellence in Academic Studies by the Cultural Counsellor and Director of Egyptian Cultural Bureau in UK and Ireland, Professor Dr Maisa Farid, on behalf of the Egyptian Student Union UK and Ireland.

The presentation, at the Egyptian Cultural Bureau in London, was in recognition of the international prize she received from the European Association of Fish Pathologists and Schering Plough Animal Health for the poster presentation at the13th International European Association of Fish Pathologists Conference on Fish and Shellfish Diseases held in Grado, Italy, in September last year. The poster, entitled 'The differential susceptibility of the different stages within the life cycle of the cestode, Bothriocephalus acheilognathi to cadmium pollution', was presented in conjugation with her lead supervisor, Dr. Dave Hoole, and co-supervisor, Professor Hilary Hurd. The PhD project aims to determine the effect of cadmium, an aquatic toxicant, on the life cycle of the pathogenic cestode, Bothriocephalus acheilognathi, which infects the common carp Cyprinus carpio. Mona is sponsored by the Arabian Peoples Republic of Egypt.

OUTSTANDING REVIEWER

Dr Nigel Cassidy, School of Physical and Geographical Sciences, has been recognised by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) as one of the Society's "outstanding reviewers" for his peer review work in their leading scientific journal, "Geophysics".

 The SEG is an internationally renowned scientific organisation and Dr Cassidy has been a regular reviewer for its journal articles since 2002.  In the Society's annual award commentary, (The Leading Edge, November 2008), the SEG's chief editor highlighted the important, but often unrecognised, role that reviewers play in the publication process and praised Dr Cassidy for the way his reviews "considered the technical aspects in depth and breadth"

Dr Cassidy said: "As a journal editor myself, I believe that good peer reviewing ensures that high-quality science reaches the public domain.  It takes hard work, for very little reward, and can be extremely frustrating at times. However, I try my best to be fair and thorough and it is pleasing to know that the effort is valued by the journal editors – I am flattered to be included in the list".

TEACHING TEACHERS EARTH SCIENCES IN MACAU AND HONG KONG

Professor Chris King has returned from presenting Earth Science Education Unit primary and secondary workshops as part of last week's launch for the Pearl River Delta Science Learning Centre Network (linked to the National Science Learning Centre in York).

Professor Vin Davies, Chair in Education at the International Islamic University Malaysia, invited Professor King to present KS3/4 (Spot that Rock, The Dynamic Rock Cycle, Earth Science Out-of-Doors and The Earth and Plate Tectonics) and KS2 (The Rock and Soil Circus Comes to Town, Spot that Rock and How Earth Science Works in Your Classroom) workshops to teachers in Macau and Hong Kong.

Feedback from the workshops was very positive with one attendee commenting: "I would go as far as to say it is the best CPD day I have ever done. A view which I am confident will be shared by many of those who took part. Professor King was brilliant and modelled some great lesson ideas and teaching styles, challenging many of the concepts and theories that I have taught (somewhat incorrectly apparently!) for the last 10 years."

BIOPOLITICS OF SECURITY NETWORK SEMINAR SERIES LAUNCHED

The Contemporary Biopolitical Security Technologies seminar series, convened by Dr Luis Lobo-Guerrero, Research Institute for Law, Politics and Justice (iLPJ), was launched at the Claus Moser Centre last week. The first workshop, 'Securitising Mobilities and Circulations', co-organised by Dr Lobo-Guerrero and Dr Peter Adey, Centre for International Studies, Politics and Philosophy (CISPP), brought together a group of 40 experts, research students and early career academics to discuss the challenges of promoting and protecting liberal circulation in the 21st century. The keynote address, 'The Mobility Assemblage', was delivered by Professor Mark Salter, University of Ottawa.

The workshop was opened by Professor Tim Doyle (CISPP) and panels included papers on biosecurity, biopolitics and infectious microbes; the biopolitical dimensions of infrastructure protection and mobility spaces; the security of borders and bifurcations, as well as aspects of the politics of targeting and targeted circulation. Novel empirical and theoretical contributions were made on the distinctive role of biopolitical security technologies and global liberal governance. 

The event was actively supported by iLPJ research students Chris Zebrowski, Corey Walker-Mortimer and Alessandra Ceccarelli and was used to officially launch the Biopolitics of Security Research Unit through which Dr Lobo-Guerrero and Dr Adey, together with their students, will continue to develop a research agenda on these matters.

REACHING FOR THE STARS

The Science Learning Centre welcomed teachers on a unique course, 'Bringing Cutting Edge Science into the Classroom: Astrophysics' last week.

Keele Observatory staff welcomed the teachers on the Friday evening, introducing them to their work and showing them round the facilities and equipment in the Keele Observatory, with the foggy skies failing to prevent much enthusiastic use of the telescopes. Provision of overnight accommodation meant that the participants were able to have an extended observatory experience on the Friday night, followed by a day's CPD training on the Saturday. Participants on the Saturday course were led by David Martin, a teacher of Astronomy and author of online textbooks covering Astronomy, including the Edexcel GCSE Astronomy courseas, well as Keele scientists Raphael Hirschi and James Reeves.

The course delivered was particularly relevant given that 2009 is the international year of astronomy. The event was also one of the Science Learning Centre's first trials of weekend training and it was well received by participants, as one remarked "I can spend the time focusing purely on my own development without the worries of what has happened to my classes.... plus the school doesn't have the expense and uncertainty of supply cover."

STUDENT NURSE VISITS MALTA THROUGH ERASMUS FUNDING

Student Nurse, Jennifer Nixon, School of Nursing and Midwifery, has recently returned from a clinical placement at St. Phillips Hospital, St. Venera, Malta. She did a presentation this week to School staff and students on the differences in culture and nursing practices between Malta and the UK. She spent time in both theatre and recovery placements. Jennifer is the first nursing student from the School to access funding through Erasmus. She is now a qualified nurse and is considering returning to Malta in the future to work. Wynne Thomas, International Placement Facilitator at the School, and colleagues in the School aim to develop their international strategy in order to facilitate opportunities for future students.

Research grants

Dr Tony Fryer, Research Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine, has been awarded £5,500 by the Institute of Biomedical Science for a project titled "the role of glutathione S-transferase polymorphism in relation to skin cancer risk in renal transplant patients".

Professor Elaine Hay, Research Institute for Primary Care and Health Sciences, has been awarded £1,200 by The Health Foundation for a project titled "implementing evidence based primary care for back pain".

Westminster briefing

Dr. Carole Thornley, SEMS and Research Institute for Public Policy and Management, was invited for the second time this year to deliver a paper and chair a stream at a prestigious Westminster Briefing/House Magazine event for MPs and senior policy makers. 

The 'Equality Conference 2008: Achieving a Fairer and More Equal Society for All' attracted a large attendance to debate the issues around the Equality Bill.  Dr. Thornley's paper and stream focused on 'Tackling the Gender Pay Gap': other scheduled speakers included Teresa May, MP, and the Head of Equality and Employment Rights for the Trades Union Congress.

Gastroenterology prize

Final year medical student, Suraj Thomas, won the Midlands Gastroenterology Prize for the best oral presentation at the regional meeting in Nottingham last week, for his presentation entitled "Healthcare Professional's knowledge of the Indications for Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) Feeding  - how well are we doing?". He undertook this work as part of his fourth year project option.

He beat many of the region's Gastroenterology Specialist Registrars to win the prize with the paper that was chosen from 25 abstracts and 10 oral presentations from the West and East Midlands.

History UK convenor

Professor Ann Hughes, History, is one of two professors appointed as co-convenors by History UK, the independent organisation, which promotes and monitors history as a discipline.

Professor Hughes said: "Undergraduate applications are buoyant, research funding on the increase and public concern for history unprecedented." Convenors serve for three years.

Nursing and Midwifery mentor conference

More than 200 nursing and midwifery mentors, who assess and support students during their clinical placements, attended a conference at the Britannia Stadium, Stoke. The mentors were given a variety of presentations on Mentoring Students for a Brave New World, Implementing the Nursing and Midwifery Standards, Role of the Clinical Placement Facilitator and Qualities of a Mentor and Becoming a Sign-off Mentor.

Students at the School of Nursing and Midwifery have the opportunity during the academic year to nominate their Mentor and Clinical Placement of the Year.

Professor Rebecca Jester, Head of School, presented the awards for 2007/2008 to Kathy Wood, Mentor of the Year, who works at Meadowview, North Staffordshire Combined Health Care Trust. Phyllis Dunn, Manager of the Central Treatment Suite, University Hospital of North Staffordshire, received the award for the Clinical Placement of the Year.

Christmas at Keele Hall

Keele Hall opened its doors for the first of many Christmas Fayre party nights last Saturday.  The night was a complete success with more than 240 people enjoying the traditional surroundings of the Great Hall with a choir, followed by a five course dinner in the restaurant.

The evening finished with a Freddie Mercury tribute act and disco. npower held their Christmas party at Keele Hall on Thursday. Returning for the second year, this is the largest single party we host with more than 500 guests attending.
Christmas Fayres have been held for more than two decades and are a valuable source of income to the University, generating over £1/4 million.