KEELE GEOPHYSICIST AWARDED INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH PRIZE

Dr Nigel Cassidy, Research Institute for the Environment, Physical Sciences and Applied Mathematics and the School of Physical and Geographical Sciences, has been awarded the 2009 Ludger Mintrop Award from the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers.  

The annual, peer-evaluated Award is presented to the author of the best paper published in the Association's international "Near Surface Geophysics" Journal and recognises research that is of an exceptionally high scientific standard and represents a significant contribution to the discipline. 

Dr Cassidy's paper, titled "Frequency-dependent attenuation and velocity characteristics of nano-to-micro scale lossy, magnetite-rich materials", has provided new insights into the geophysical properties of naturally occurring magnetic minerals and has significant implications for a wide range of geophysical exploration applications - from Martian exploration through to precious metal mining.

Dr Cassidy said: "The award came as a complete surprise to me and I'm delighted to be its recipient. I've always found this area of research fascinating and it's nice to be rewarded for something you really enjoy doing."

The Award will be presented to Dr Cassidy at the Association's annual award ceremony in Amsterdam on the 8 June.

DOUBLE FIRST FOR KEELE CHEFS

Two Keele chefs have been named as the best in the county at the prestigious Taste of Staffordshire Master Chef and Young Chef of the Future Awards presented at the Moat House, Acton Trussell.

Keele Hall Head Chef, Allan Jones, won the prestigious Master Chef Award and Modern Apprentice, Luke Staton, was voted the best young chef 2009. 

The task in the junior competition was to produce a three course menu consisting of a fish starter of Red Mullet and a main course featuring Chicken Chasseur.

Part of Luke's prize is a week's work experience at the Michelin starred Edmunds Restaurant in Birmingham, with Head Chef Andy Waters.

Allan's menu was: Paupiette and fillet of Sole with asparagus and pine nut tortellini, sauce beurre blanc; roasted rack of lamb, roulade of potato and polenta, spinach in butter, with confit of Mediterranean vegetables and Tia Maria cappuccino mousse, mascarpone and lemon Alaska, strawberry and pistachio salpicon

Earlier in the year Allan won the TUCO (The University Caterers Association) Knorr Chef of the Year Award.

FUELLING THE FUTURE

Professor Mark Ormerod, Dr Zoe Robinson and Lucy Gallagher, Research Institute for the Environment, Physical Sciences and Applied Mathematics, have been awarded a grant of £78,000 from the EPSRC Partnerships for Public Engagement scheme, for a two year project entitled 'Fuelling the Future: Sustainable energy approaches for sustainable communities'. The project builds on previous externally funded projects (EPSRC, Defra, Research Councils UK, ESRC, Learning and Skills Network, Institute of Physics), for which the Science for Sustainability group has a rapidly growing national reputation and been shortlisted for major national awards.

 This has included developing highly innovative resources, practical activities, hands-on demonstrations and interactive workshops and presentations on the topics of climate change, sustainable energy and sustainable living approaches, working closely with different target audiences; schools, school teachers and the wider public, engaging them and trying to identify the most effective ways to achieve attitudinal and behavioural change in society.

This action research project will work specifically with local communities, particularly socially and educationally deprived communities in North Staffordshire, engaging these communities with issues of energy utilisation, conservation and efficiency, renewable and clean (sustainable) energy technologies and the wider environment context of these issues, aiming to identify the most effective strategies for achieving attitudinal and behavioural environmental change, to drive positive environment and sustainability improvements within these areas.

LIFELONG HEALTH AND WELLBEING PROJECT

Dr Ross Wilkie, Research Institute for Primary Care and Health Sciences, and Professor Chris Phillipson, Research Institute for Life Course Studies, have been awarded £43,753 by the Medical Research Council, as part of the Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Project, to develop an interdisciplinary and multi-centre network focusing upon health transitions in employment in middle and later life. 

The project, which is organised in collaboration with the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, University of Kent, will run for 10 months and involves combining the expertise of researchers from various disciplines with key policy and user groups.

 The network will have a particular focus on the management of two of the main reasons for work loss (stress and musculoskeletal conditions) occurring during the middle and later phases of working life and will aim to (i) identify ways to maintain work participation throughout life and (ii) explore the basis for further studies and projects to improve the ability of adults to stay working.

JOB SWAPS AT KEELE FOR NATIONAL LEARNING AT WORK DAY

To mark National Learning at Work Day on Thursday, members of the Commercial and Facilities Management Directorate tried a different job for the day.

National Learning at Work Day is an annual celebration of workplace learning and this year's theme was "skilled for success".

Rachel Cairns, CFM's Head of HR and Training said: "Maintaining the ability and motivation to learn and adapt quickly is essential in changing economic circumstances. As individuals and organisations we need to reflect on our skills needs and take action where required. As a directorate we decided to encourage our staff to swap jobs in order to understand and appreciate the skills that colleagues use in their roles, as well as to build relationships across organisations."

Among the job swappers was Caron Jones of the sales team who exchanged roles with Yvonne Lovatt from the accommodation services team in the Oaks, while Rachel worked in Le Café.

SWEET TASTE OF SUCCESS

The Royal Society of Chemistry and a team from Chemistry at Keele have put Cadbury's and Hershey's chocolate bars to the test. They offered squares of the American milk chocolate and its British counterpart to members of the public in the courtyard of Burlington House on Piccadilly to see which was considered the best.

The tasters came from many parts of the world, including the USA, where the Hershey's bar, like the Cadbury bar in Britain, is a national institution.

Results showed that of the 300 people polled (with nearly two-thirds having been raised outside of the UK) 74% preferred Cadbury, and 26% preferred Hershey's. Of those polled who were raised in North America, 71% preferred Cadbury chocolate.

The survey was part of the Royal Society of Chemistry's Food 2009 year, looking at all aspects of food production, transportation, storage, consumption and waste.

PAPER AT CONGRESS ON YORK MINSTER

At the invitation of the Christianity and Spirituality project based at the Centre for Medieval Studies at University of York, Dr Nigel Tringham, History, last week gave a paper at the 44th International Congress on Medieval Studies at Western Michigan University at Kalamazoo.

The paper was part of a session on York Minster and discussed the relations between York citizens and the vicars choral of the Minster, the latter being the subject of a long-term research project.

POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANCE FUND

This opportunity is available thanks to University benefactors – an open competition was held to all postgraduate research students studying at Keele.  The main purpose of the fund is to facilitate postgraduate research activity that will contribute to the completion of a research degree in any discipline.  A total of 43 applications were received, and the Postgraduate Research Directors and the Dean of the Graduate School judged these.  Our congratulations go to the following successful applicants:  Gail Verasammy, Qing Ju, Marie Molloy, Zoe Groves, Natalie Zadurian, Michelle Marshall, Sylvain Charbonnier, Keith Morris, Katherine Dashper, Eleanor Wong, Sarah Rathbone, and  Konstantinos Gemenis.

KEY SPEAKER ON CRIMINAL GIRLS

Professor Barry Godfrey, Research Institute for Law, Politics and Justice, was one of four key speakers at the 5th Annual "Girls, Community and Justice" conference held last Friday at Dartmouth, University of Massachusetts (UMASS). His talk on the treatment of criminal girls in British history was followed by former presidential candidate, Governor Michael Dukakis, who spoke about the American response to girls' delinquency. A round table discussion ended a very succesful conference attended by over a hundred academics, practitioners and politicians, organised by Professor Robin Robinson of UMASS.

MANAGEMENT, UNCERTAINTY, PRAGMATISM
 
Professor Mihaela Kelemen, Management, this week gave the last lecture in the University's programme of Inaugural Lectures for 2008/2009. The title of her lecture was "Management, uncertainty, pragmatism: the new triumvirate". 

Professor Mihaela Kelemen said: "Post bureaucratic organisational interrelations are fraught with uncertainty and ambiguity.   My research shows that the ability of management to tap into such uncertainty requires a form of managerial pragmatism that starts with a sense of critical reflexivity and the belief that there are practical solutions to existing problems.  The pragmatic interest in what works and how and why it works (or doesn't) translates into a notion of knowledge that is directed towards problem solving using the data and the understandings available at the time."

OUTSTANDING ENERGY PERFORMANCE

Keele continues to perform well in the arena of energy costs according to the latest sector wide Estates Management Statistics report, which has just been released.

The University's procurement and energy management strategies and the continuing support of staff, students and Energy Champions across campus have combined to deliver an outstanding performance.  In the benchmark report, which presents results for Keele in the context of the 1994 Peer Group, average total energy cost per square metre of Nett internal area (NIA), Keele's cost was £13.82 per square metre of NIA, the sector's lower quartile cost was £16.22;  the median was £18.14 and upper quartile £19.82.

POETRY LIVE! READING

Popular poet Wendy Cope read to a large and appreciative audience in the Westminster Theatre this week in the last of the present series of Poetry Live! performances.

The former primary school teacher and TV critic delighted the audience with the range of her verse and a repetoire of old favourites and new, unpublished work. After the reading she answered questions on a variety of themes such as her views on the role of Poet Laureate, the teaching of poetry in schools and the creative process itself.

GOLD AWARD FOR INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS

Wrekin Construction was awarded a gold award in the Considerate Constructors Scheme's 2009 National Awards, which are aimed at improving the image of the construction industry, for the infrastructure work at Keele to support the expansion of the University. Wrekin was able to save 12,000 lorry journeys during the project, which was complemented by using local suppliers to further reduce the site's carbon footprint.

All sites registered with the Scheme are monitored to assess their performance against the eight point Code of Considerate Practice, which include the Environment, Cleanliness, Safety, Responsibility and Accountability.