SILVER SWAN AWARD FOR PHYSICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL SCIENCES

The School of Physical and Geographical Sciences has had its silver Athena SWAN Award renewed for a further three years.  It was one of twenty-seven higher education institutions and individual departments that were successful in the latest annual application round. Athena SWAN Charter Awards reward good practice in universities supporting the career progression of women in science, engineering and technology (SET) departments.

The aim of the Charter, funded by the Equality Challenge Unit and the UK Resource Centre for Women in SET, is that the best female scientists, engineers and technologists are drawn to the most progressive institutions, directly linking greater diversity to academic excellence.  The University as a whole has Bronze Award status, which was renewed in May last year for a further three years.  At the same time, the School of Life Sciences was successful in gaining a Silver Award for the first time.
 
The School of Physical and Geographical Sciences' application was put together by Dr Katie Szkornik and the awards ceremony will take place in London next month.

NEW RESEARCHER AWARD 

Dr Sarah Yardley, School of Medicine, has received a prestigious New Researcher Award from the Association of Medical Education (ASME). Sarah is training in Palliative Care Medicine and has taken three years out of her clinical programme to do a PhD in Medical Education. Keele is moving from the tradition of two years theoretical scientific education followed by a three year clinical apprenticeship. Instead we offer early clinical experience.

It is postulated that students learn theory better if they simultaneously experience health care. They can embed their learning in the context of the patient's experience.  Sarah's work demonstrates that students interpret these early attachments very differently from their tutor's intentions! For example teachers make an assumption, i.e. "a post mortem is a good way of learning anatomy." For the student a post mortem may be a very profound personal experience. When faced with a recent death, they realise the fragility of human life and don't necessarily focus on the anatomy at all. ASME recognised this is an important study from a talented researcher. It will enable us to work to ensure medical students develop a holistic sensitive approach to health care.

BODY FARM VISIT FOR JAMIE PRINGLE

Dr Jamie Pringle, School of Physical Sciences and Geography, has returned from a five-day visit to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, USA. Co-ordinated by Dr Annette Kratz, head of Keele's Centre for International Exchange and Development, the trip explored a potential short exchange programme for Keele Forensic Science students and Knoxville Anthropology students.

Knoxville is home to the world renowned Forensic Anthropology Centre, or the 'Body Farm', as made popular by Patricia Cornwell. Jamie also toured the National Forensics Academy at Oak Ridge, the US law enforcement agency CSI trainers, who were also keen to become involved. Collaborative research was also explored, drawing on the School's strengths in analytical science and forensic geoscience.

NEW BOOK ON INTERPERSONAL TRUST

Professor Ken Rotenberg, School of Psychology, has released a new book entitled Interpersonal Trust during Childhood and Adolescence.

Since the beginnings of psychology as a discipline, interpersonal trust has been regarded as a crucial aspect of human functioning. Basic levels of interpersonal trust among persons were believed to be necessary for the survival of society and development of successful psychosocial functioning.

This book presents current research in the growing field of interpersonal trust during childhood and adolescence, highlights its importance for researchers from a wide range of nationalities and cultures, and promotes further research by future generations.

PROMOTING UGANDAN WRITING

Dr Emma Dawson, Learning Development Unit, has released a book promoting new Ugandan writers and their work.

Butterfly Dreams and other new short stories from Uganda is the third in CCC Press's series of World Englishes Literature Fiction, which aims to promote emerging writers unknown in the West.

Edited and introduced by Dr Dawson, Butterfly Dreams and other new short stories from Uganda was launched at Uganda House in London, supported by Deputy High Commissioner, and Keele graduate, Mumtaz Kassam. The eight stories in the collection tackle themes including love, sadness, humour, war and weddings.

NIHR POST DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP

Dr Gwenllian Wynne-Jones, Research Institute for Primary Care and Health Sciences, has been awarded a National Institute for Health Research Post Doctoral Fellowship to research primary care management of work-related issues in patients with back pain.

Back pain is a common reason for consulting in primary care and a frequent cause of work absence; managing health and work is now high on the Government agenda. The project aims to design and assess the acceptability and feasibility of an intervention to manage work-related issues in primary care patients with back pain.

This intervention would ensure that primary care patients are provided with advice and support about managing their back pain early on and may enable the prevention and associated costs of work absence due to back pain.

INTEGRATING LEARNING SKILLS

Jonathan Cope and Professor Peter Haycock, from Keele's Foundation Year Centre, led a workshop entitled "Learning to Study and Learning for Life: Integrating Learning Skills in a University Foundation Year Social Science Curriculum" at the 5th International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences at the University of Cambridge. 

The associated paper was also co-authored by Catherine Gillions.  The conference, which attracted over 500 delegates from across the globe, had Education and Social Welfare as one of its streams, drawing together experts on interdisciplinary issues in a broad range of educational fields.

NATIONAL MEMORIAL ARBORETUM BOOK LAUNCH

Media and communications officer Hannah Hiles has written a book telling the stories behind five memorials at the National Memorial Arboretum, near Lichfield. The illustrated volume, entitled Life Stories, was launched this week.

The personal accounts include a woman's 14-year legal battle to clear the name of her grandfather, who had been shot for alleged cowardice in World War One, and the life-changing organ donation, which allowed a woman to experience the joy of breathing for the first time. The book launch was reported by several regional newspapers and radio stations, and Hannah was interviewed on British Forces Radio's global breakfast show and ITV's Central Tonight news programme.