KEELE RESEARCH MAKES INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES

Research from the School of Psychology received worldwide media attention this week after Richard Stephens, John Atkins and Andrew Kingston found that swearing can have a "pain-lessening effect".

Sixty-four undergraduate volunteers were asked to submerge their hand in a tub of ice water for as long as possible while repeating a swear word of their choice; they were then asked to repeat the experiment, this time using a more commonplace word that they would use to describe a table.

The researchers found the volunteers were able to keep their hands submerged in the ice water for a longer period of time when repeating the swear word, establishing a link between swearing and an increase in pain tolerance.

The research, published in the journal Neuroreport, was reported internationally. Richard Stephens was interviewed by Radio 4, Radio 5Live, BBC World Service, the Daily Telegraph, CNN, New York Times and many more – while the research was for some time the most shared story on the BBC News website.

CITIZENSHIP TESTS "REINFORCE 'US AND THEM' ATMOSPHERE"

Citizenship tests and ceremonies fail to increase shared values and build common bonds among newcomers to Britain, research from the RI for Law, Politics and Justice has found.

Dr Sherilyn MacGregor, Professor Andrew Dobson and doctoral candidate Gavin Bailey conducted a pilot study funded by the British Academy to investigate the citizenship test and ceremony that have been in place in the UK since 2004.

Using Stoke-on-Trent as a local case study, they conducted interviews and focus groups with key people involved in all aspects of the process.

Throughout the project, Dr MacGregor, who emigrated from Canada in 2004, went through the citizenship process herself and a blog of her experiences forms part of the data on which the research draws. 

The general conclusion of the study is that the process is failing to create the 'British citizens' with the 'shared values' that the Government claims will enable greater social cohesion.

Dr MacGregor says: "We found, and I have personally found, that the process is exclusionary: it serves to reinforce an "us and them" atmosphere rather than creating a climate where citizenship can flourish."

Two final project workshops were held at Keele recently to disseminate and get feedback on the research findings. The team heard that this project has broken new ground on an important and rapidly changing policy issue.

KEELE'S NEW DOCTORS TO STAY IN THE COMMUNITY

Almost half of the 88 medical students who graduated this month from Keele University School of Medicine are to stay in the West Midlands.

All the new graduates are starting their medical careers in well-earned first jobs across the country, but 40 of them are staying within the West Midlands Deanery to work in hospitals in North Staffordshire, Stafford, Shrewsbury, Birmingham and Telford.

Professor Richard Hays, head of the School of Medicine, said: "We were all pleased to see so many successful medical students and their families here at Keele for the graduation ceremony. They've worked hard for five years and are graduating with a firm grounding in medicine, which puts them in a great position for taking on their Foundation training jobs. It's great to see so many of them staying to work in the local area. We congratulate them all on their achievements and wish them long and successful medical careers."

MARK TAKES UP FUNDRAISING CHALLENGE

Mark Warren, of Audio Visual Services, took part in the Bupa Great North 10K in Sunderland last weekend to raise money for St Luke's Hospice in Winsford.

He completed the race in one hour 13 minutes and 48 seconds, coming 2,541st out of around 4,500 runners.

His father Pete was diagnosed with prostate cancer 10 years ago and was taken into St Luke's in December last year before losing his battle in January.

Mark said: "St Luke's holds a very special place in my heart, and always will, and I would like to raise as much as I can for them by doing my 'little bit'."

His next challenge is the 13-mile Great North Run in September. If anyone would like to sponsor Mark please visit his fundraising website at http://www.justgiving.com/running4pete

MEDICAL GRADUATE EYES TOP HONOURS

Alex Creavin, who has just graduated from her fifth and final year at Keele School of Medicine, has received a top honour in the 2009 Duke Elder Undergraduate Prize in Ophthalmology.

The standard for this award is set high by The Royal College of Ophthalmologists and Alex achieved fourth place out of 421 candidates from 32 medical schools in the UK and Ireland.

Professor David Amigoni, School and RI Humanities, conducted a conversation with Booker Prize-winning novelist Ian McEwan about the impact of Charles Darwin's writings on his work in front of an audience of around 500 at the Corn Exchange, Cambridge. At the same event, Dame Professor Gillian Beer conducted a similarly themed discussion with the novelist Dame A.S. Byatt, another winner of the Booker.

The conversations were a key contribution to the week-long Darwin Festival held at the University of Cambridge, celebrating Darwin's bicentenary and the 150th anniversary of the publication of 'On the Origin of Species' from the perspectives of the sciences and the arts. Speakers included Richard Dawkins, Steve Jones, Daniel Dennett, Sir Peter Crane, Lord Robert May, Evelyn Fox Keller, Sarah Hardy, Ruth Padell, and the Nobel Prize winners Sir Paul Nurse and Sir John Sulston.

ALL-ROUND CONFERENCE OFFER RESULTS IN ALL-ROUND SUCCESS 

Last weekend saw the National Association of Cytologists take full advantage of the range of services provided by the Keele Conferences team for its 20th Annual Scientific meeting for the third year running.

The two-day residential conference was managed by the team who handled delegate bookings, registration, exhibition management, full on-site support and speaker liaison as well as producing all the required conference materials including colour coded badges, attendance certificates and the conference programme.

Workshops and sessions utilised facilities in the Medical School and the Westminster Theatre, while the exhibition suite and gallery hosted exhibits from suppliers.

On the Saturday evening the Gala dinner in The Ballroom at Keele Hall provided delegates with a unique experience with entertainment from Leslie Smith – Historian from 'Most Haunted' who appeared as Nell Gwynne followed by dancing to the 'Dinosaurs'. 

KEELE PROFESSOR HOLDS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

Professor Scott McCracken (English) held the Second International Conference on the pioneering modernist writer Dorothy Richardson on 8 July in Bloomsbury. Papers were given by academics and research students from the Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden, with participants from France and the United States.

Professor McCracken has just signed a contract with Oxford University Press to lead a team of scholars who will edit Dorothy Richardson's Collected Letters.