WELLCOME GRANT FOR NEW EQUIPMENT

Dr Gordon Hamilton, Research Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine, with Dr Frederic Tripet, Professor Richard Ward, Dr Daniel Bray and Dr Rhayza Maingon, has been awarded nearly £300,000 by the Wellcome Trust for new analytical equipment and associated technical support to identify the chemicals that insect vectors of human and animal disease use to communicate with each other and to gain information about their environment.

It replaces equipment originally bought with Wellcome Trust funding 15 years ago and which is now effectively obsolete.

Dr Hamilton, pictured above, said: "We need to replace this equipment with modern versions that will allow us to continue existing projects and bring additional benefits, such as improved sensitivity, data-processing and enhanced access. These improvements will facilitate and enhance ongoing and planned projects over the next 5 -10 years."

Photograph courtesy of the Wellcome Trust.

CONSERVING THE YEW TREE

Dr Peter Thomas, School of Life Sciences and the Research Institute for the Environment, Physical Sciences and Applied Mathematics, pictured, gave a plenary talk at the Third International Workshop on Yew, held in Ponferrada, Spain. The aim of the workshops is to exchange knowledge on the biology and ecology of the tree and effective means of its conservation.

The yew is the longest lived tree in Europe, possibly living up to 5,000 years.  As such it is integral to the culture of many European regions.  In the UK the earliest churches were likely to be built beside significant yews that the Celts would have used as places of worship, leading to the long association of churches and yew trees.

Despite their cultural links and the fact that UK yews seem safe in churchyards and gardens, the yew is under serious threat throughout Europe.  Peter, who also gave a plenary talk at the second workshop two years ago, put forward five ideas on how biological and ecological features of the tree allow it to live for so long, ranging from its ability to tolerate environmental extremes, to its wood anatomy and genetic makeup.

BIRCHALL SYMPOSIUM AT KEELE

The Birchall Symposium, (a celebration of the award of a Royal Society of Chemistry Medal in the name of Derek Birchall OBE, FRS, Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at Keele, 1992-1995) at Keele last week was attended by approximately 50 delegates, including many from industry and, in particular, many with connections to ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries).

The Medal Lecture was given by Professor Terry McGrail (also ex-ICI) and was an exciting account of how materials science has and continues to influence aircraft manufacture. This was followed by three personal accounts of both working with Derek Birchall and their current research given by eminent materials scientists, Professors Kevin Kendall, Neil Alford and Bill Clegg. Sir Brian Fender concluded the meeting, which was followed by a celebratory meal at Crewe Hall.

Pictured left to right: Neil Alford, Bill Clegg, Terry McGrail, Chris Exley, Brian Fender, Kevin Kendall.

SPECIAL 90th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS FOR OWEN POWELL

The School of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy (SPIRE) and the World Affairs Group held a surprise celebration for founder of the successful World Affairs Series, Owen Powell's forthcoming 90th birthday.
 
A book of birthday messages, secretly compiled from staff in SPIRE, the World Affairs Group and past speakers, was presented to him by Mike Tappin, Lecturer from SPIRE, who was also the guest speaker in his former role as Stoke-on-Trent Labour leader, at the latest lecture series' final talk.

There was a standing ovation for Owen's work on one of the most successful adult education courses in England, which has a regular audience of over 300 members and celebrates its 30th anniversary in September. Owen is not only the founder of this series, but is also the sole organiser of the programme and host to the guest speakers, which have included Arthur Scargill, Shirley Williams and former Guantanamo Bay prisoner Moazzam Begg.

The picture shows Mike Tappin presenting the book of 90th birthday messages to Owen Powell.

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD FOR STUDENTS' UNION

Keele's Students' Union has been presented with a prestigious national environmental award at the NUS Services Annual Dinner at the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool.

The Sound Environmental Impact Awards, now in their fourth year, seek to encourage, nurture, reward and celebrate good environmental practice in students' unions. This year, 83 unions took part in the scheme and the average score obtained was 433.  Keele obtained an impressive 585 points to gain a silver award – 40 points up on last year.  This has been attributed to the hard work by all KUSU staff and students who pursue an active role in taking action to combat climate change.  

Joan Hope, KUSU's Premises Manager said, "The scheme gets more challenging each year, with increasing criteria and more stringent standards to meet, so it's no mean achievement to be accredited silver status."

RESEARCH GRANTS

Dr Tracy Nevatte and Professor Shaughn O'Brien, Research Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine, have been awarded £23,655 by the Guy-Hilton Research Fund for a 12 month project to characterise symptom prevalence in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) in North Staffordshire.

The project relates directly to the complications of PCOS which are considered national health priorities with specific reference to obesity, cardiovascular risk, dyslipidaemia and endometrial cancer.

Dr David Hunter and Tom Walker, Research Institute for Law, Politics and Justice/ Centre for Professional Ethics, have been granted £2,210 to organise a workshop at Keele in April on the Ethical Issues in Infectious Disease Control.

Dr. Tsachi Keren-Paz, Research Institute for Law, Politics and Justice, has been awarded £680  by the Society of Legal Scholars Research Activities Fund 2010 in order to fund research assistance for the project "Sex-Trafficking: A Private Law Response."

FROM THE ARCHIVES

11 April 2003

UniWorld, an interactive CD Rom for schools developed by Keele's Widening Participation department, has won a prestigious Higher Education Information Services Trust Gold award. Dr Sarah Hatfield, Kate Fox and Helena Thorley, co-creators of UniWorld, were invited to a presentation ceremony to receive the award, which recognises outstanding achievement in Education Marketing.