ASTROPHYSICS GROUP DISCOVER 'SUICIDAL' NEW PLANET

A Nature paper, led by Professor Coel Hellier, Research Institute for the Environment, Physical Sciences and Applied Mathematics, reported the Astrophysics Group's most recent planet discovery, WASP-18.

This planet is so heavy (10 times the mass of Jupiter) and so close to its host star (having an orbit only two per cent of Earth's orbital radius) that it excites huge tides on the star, and in doing so drains energy from its own orbit. The star is expected to destroy itself within a million years, an exceptionally short timescale compared to stellar evolution.

An accompanying Nature "News and Views" article explained that this might force us to revise our understanding of tides and tidal dissipation. 

The discovery led to widespread publicity around the world, taken up by the scientific press and by over 100 news outlets, including the print editions of The Independent and the New York Times.  This added to the widespread publicity over the recent announcement of Keele's previous planet discovery, WASP-17, the first to be found in a retrograde orbit.

OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST AT KEELE FOR BUCS CONFERENCE

Olympic gold medalist Dame Kelly Holmes was a guest speaker at the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Conference held at Keele this week.

Dame Kelly, who became the first British female athlete to win both the 800m and 1500m in the 2004 Olympic Games, spoke on the second day of the conference, which showcased all that Keele has to offer, to more than 300 delegates attending from universities and colleges across the UK.

The conference theme was "Widening the Horizon for Sport" and delegates were welcomed to Keele with an opening address from Rama Thirunamachandran, Keele's Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

In addition to a wide range of workshops available to delegates there was also the chance to take part in a variety of social / sports activities, including the opening party at KUSU, outdoor archery, 5-a-side football and golf tournaments. The closing keynote address was made by Sue Tibballs, Chief Executive, Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation and the conference finished with a lively panel debate, titled "Can universities provide the right balance of elite competition and participation for women?"

In a first for the BUCS conference, the gala dinner was open to delegates and non-attendees allowing up to 400 guests to attend the final evening, which was hosted in Keele Hall's newly refurbished Ballroom.

RESEARCH GRANTS

Dr Chris Exley Research Institute for the Environment, Physical Sciences and Applied Mathematics (iEPSAM), has been awarded £19,000 by Spritzer Bhd for a nine months project titled "Renal handling of silicon in health and disease".

Dr Nicholas Forsyth, Research Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine (iSTM) has been awarded £4,950 by the British Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society for a project titled "Can bone marrow derived stem cells differentiate into tendon forming cells?"

Dr Forsyth has also been awarded £4,915 by the North Staffordshire Medical Institute for a 12 month project titled "Turning stem cells into tendon".

Dr Frederic Tripet, iSTM, has been awarded £2,500 by the Gordon Memorial College Trust Fund for a 12 months project titled "Molecular Taxonomy of the subgenus phlebotomy from Sudan".

STUDENTS FROM PARTNER UNIVERSITIES IN JAPAN VISIT KEELE

The Centre for International Exchange and Development and the English Language Unit has hosted its annual three week summer programme for two of our partner universities in Japan, Daito Bunka University and Otani University.

The University welcomed 27 students and four accompanying members of staff and the programme was designed to teach the students about British culture and give them first hand experience of living in the U.K.

As part of their studies, they listened to lectures on English buildings and architecture, life in the U.K., British food and Britpop music; as well as taking part in daily conversation classes.

In addition, the group made educational visits to Stratford-upon-Avon, Liverpool, Chester, Lower-Drayton Farm and local pottery manufacturer, Emma Bridgewater.

The students were asked to create a poster on a subject of their choice and were asked to deliver a short presentation to other students and members of staff.

The audience voted for the most attractive and the most informative poster and the winners were announced at a departure buffet at the Hawthorns restaurant.

The standard of work was very high but the two posters which made the biggest impression were those entitled 'Beer' and 'Impressions of Japan'.