JONATHON PORRITT TO LECTURE AT KEELE ON SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

Environmentalist Jonathon Porritt, founder member of Forum for the Future, the UK's leading sustainable development charity, will give a public lecture at Keele entitled 'Sustainable Communities' as part of an Environmental Symposium at Keele Hall on Friday, 29 October.

The symposium, 'Sustainable Communities', will showcase Keele's research on environmental sustainability, across both science and social science arenas, as well as major developments on campus, such as the ' Keele Sustainability Hub building' (www.keele.ac.uk/keelehub), which will be housed in the former Home Farm buildings.
 
Jonathon has served as Chairman of the UK Sustainable Development Commission, the Government's principal source of independent advice across the whole sustainable development agenda. He was formerly Director of Friends of the Earth; co-chair of the Green Party (1980-83) of which he is still a member; Chairman of UNED-UK (1993-96) and a Trustee of WWF UK (1991-2005).
 
Anyone interested in attending the full day of events, or just Jonathon's lecture, which starts at 2.45pm, should contact Shirley Courthold to register: s.p.courthold@epsam.keele.ac.uk; tel: 33175.

CASH INJECTION FOR NANOTHERICS

Birmingham-based venture capitalists, Catapult Venture Managers and Mercia Technology Seed Fund, have ploughed a combined £800,000 into a £1.1m funding round for Keele spin-out company, nanoTherics.

Catapult has injected £600,000 into nanoTherics, and Mercia has invested £200,000 from its Advantage Enterprise and Innovation Fund, with the remainder coming from private investors. The technology, based on the use of magnetic nanoparticles for gene delivery, was developed by Professor Jon Dobson's group (ISTM) in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Florida, who are co-owners of the primary patent with Keele.

Jon, pictured above, said: "We are especially pleased with the support nanoTherics has received from David Carson and Peter Hooper in Research Services, as well as from their counterparts at the University of Florida. This second funding round was oversubscribed which, in the current economic environment, is exceptionally encouraging. We look forward to using the funds to build the company into a major competitor in the gene transfection market."

Professor Gordon Ferns, Research Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine Director and Head of R&D at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire, said: "It is very stimulating to our translational research at the Guy Hilton Research Centre to have a company like nanoTherics based here with us.  Our goal is to bring laboratory-based research to benefit patients as rapidly as possible and the new investment will facilitate that."

PERSONAL BEST FOR EMMA AT COMMONWEALTH GAMES

Keele student, Emma Jackson, ran the race of her life at the Commonwealth Games to record a new personal best of 2:00.46 in the 800m final in Delhi but just missed out on a medal as she finished fourth.

The 22-year-old City of Stoke AC runner, who is studying for a PGCE in Mathematics and graduated from Keele last summer in Accountancy and Finance, had won her heat with a time of 2:01.63, beating Kenya's Olympic 1500m champion, and eventual gold medallist, Nancy Langat. Then, despite a brave effort in the final, she couldn't take the bronze medal.
 
She said: "I ran a personal best, which was a first at a major competition, so I have to be happy with that. I enjoyed it so much and now I have experienced the atmosphere, I can't wait to do it all again."

3ME INITIATIVE SEMINAR

Keele's 3ME Initiative, this week welcomed Professor John King, University of Nottingham, to give a seminar on mathematical modelling of biological tissue growth. Over 20 members of the 3ME Initiative, drawn from the Research Institutes of Science and Technology in Medicine and the Environment, Physical Sciences and Applied Mathematics, attended the event at the School of Pharmacy.
 
John King, pictured, is Professor of Theoretical Mechanics and Deputy Head of the School of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Nottingham, UK and has expertise in mathematical modelling, mathematical medicine, industrial mathematics, nonlinear mathematics, systems biology and computational toxicology.
 
For further details on the 3ME Initiative, visit the 3ME website http://www.keele.ac.uk/research/istm/ or contact Mrs Maria Kyriacou on 01782 554605 or m.kyriacou@istm.keele.ac.uk.

UNIQUE SCHOLARSHIP FOR KENYAN STUDENT

A young Kenyan from a "humble background" has been given the chance to study Pharmacy at Keele, thanks to a unique sponsorship scheme drawn up by the University and global pharmaceutical company sanofi-aventis.

Myron Odingo, pictured with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nick Foskett, has begun his studies at Keele after winning a fully funded place. He had to undergo a rigorous selection process to be awarded the sanofi-aventis scholarship for the four-year MPharm Pharmacy degree course.

Professor Steve Chapman, Head of the School of Pharmacy, said: "Even with bursaries many gifted young students from Kenya just can't afford to come to the UK to study. This is an extraordinary offer that allows an exceptional student the chance to study here at Keele."

Myron, who studied at Starehe Boys' Centre in Kenya, said: "I come from a humble background – my father is currently jobless and my mother runs the family, while still doing her studies, under minimum wage."

LOCAL AND EXOTIC LOCATIONS: MUSIC IN THE MIDLANDS AND EUROPE 100 YEARS AGO

Professor Barbara Kelly, Michael Bell and Karen Radcliffe, Music, gave a public lecture and recital at Hanley Museum and Art Gallery last weekend, as part of the Museum's celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the federation of Stoke-on-Trent. The aim was to make musical links between the region and Europe, particularly Paris. 

Professor Kelly, pictured, explored a number of regional and Parisian connections, such as Ravel's friendship with Arnold Bennett, which began in 1908.  Ravel also taught the English composer Vaughan Williams, who was directly descended from the Wedgwoods and the Darwins.  He wrote On Wenlock Edge in 1909, which was performed in Paris at Ravel's Société Musicale Indépendante.  The Society also performed Delage's Poèmes Hindous, which reflect the vogue for exoticism.  The talk draws on Kelly's recent work on Ravel, Delage and the Société Musicale Indépendante.

Michael Bell (piano) and Karen Radcliffe (voice) performed Debussy's Chansons de Bilitis, Delage's Poèmes Hindous, songs from Vaughan Williams's On Wenlock Edge and Britten's Winter Words.  These works complement the extensive repertoire of this established duo, which has just returned from a recital tour of Ukraine. The Museum plans further musical events with Keele.

CONFERENCE KEYNOTE

Dr Stefan Krause, Research Institute for the Environment, Physical Sciences and Applied Mathematics, presented an invited keynote at the 26th Annual Conference of the Limnological Society in Bayreuth.

His presentation to an audience with academic and environmental management and regulation backgrounds, discussed the role of reactive contaminant transport in lowland river systems and the potential of novel tracing technology to identify attenuation hotspots in streambed environments.

FOUNDATIONS OF BRITISH SOCIOLOGY

A new catalogue of the Foundations of British Sociology: The Sociological Review Archive at Keele, has been launched online (http://calmview.keele.ac.uk).
 
This extensive archive has been catalogued by Project Archivist, Annabel Gill, funded by The Sociological Review and supported by the University Library, the Keele Key Fund and the Research Institutes of Humanities; Law, Politics and Justice and Life Course Studies.

The archive is a unique resource held in the University Library's Special Collections and Archives. The material, from the 1880s to the 1950s, consists of papers from the Sociological Society, LePlay House, the Institute of Sociology and several smaller subsidiary groups - all part of the early sociology movement in Britain. It includes material relating to key activists and opinion-shapers, such as Victor Branford, Francis Galton and H. G. Wells.
 
To consult material featured in the catalogue, please contact the Special Collections and Archives Administrator, Helen Burton; h.burton@lib.keele.ac.uk

BEING A STUDENT DAY FOR YOUNG LEARNERS

The Widening Participation and Life Long Learning events team welcomed 60 learners onto campus for a 'Being a Student' event. The day was part of the HE challenge programme that, on completion, entitles the Year 13 pupils to an offer on a course at participating institutions.

The attendees, all from the West Midlands, enjoyed a lecture from Dr Richard Waller on Climate Change, before break out seminars led by Dr Natalie Lane and Dr Jonathan Parker, amongst others. The day was rounded off with a campus tour led by Keele undergraduate event mentors. Many of the students had attended a recent Unifest, three-day residential at Keele, also as part of the HE challenge programme, and took pride in informing event mentors that Keele was now their number one choice on UCAS applications!

EVENTFUL WEEKEND AT KEELE

A Hollywood themed ball organised by the Douglas McMillan Hospice at Keele Hall last weekend was attended by 300 guests. The evening, hosted by Hollyoaks actress Rachel Shenton, saw £9,000 raised through text auctions, live auctions and a tombola.
Acacia Training celebrated their 10th Anniversary in Keele Hall's Ballroom, with a second Hollywood themed party. The Acacia Oscars night, hosted by snooker commentator Dennis Taylor, attracted 70 party goers.
  
Aspire Housing welcomed 200 delegates to their customer conference held in the Chancellor's Building. The conference, hosted by local celebrity, Sam Plank, took over the Westminster Theatre for question time sessions, whilst 20 exhibitors were present in the foyer and gallery.

TAKE HEED MR GOVE

Pro Vice-Chancellor for Community and Partnerships, Kevin Mattinson, is a among a group of leading figures from across the children's services and education sector who have produced a collection of pieces taking Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, to task for failing to listen to the sector as he looks to radical changes to re-structure education in England.

Take Heed Mr Gove, is a collection of papers launched this week by recognised experts, and includes a chapter written by Kevin, titled "Assessment and Testing – an opportunity to focus on learning".

Kevin, pictured above, is clear that "the introduction of an 'English Baccalaureate' is in danger of reinforcing a divide and undermining the development of the high quality vocational education that he has espoused."

The book is available from The IRIS Press, email: sales@irispress.co.uk. The cost is £12.99 plus £3.00 p&p

DEMENTIA CARE STUDY DAY

The Active Ageing project organised and hosted a study day focusing on contemporary issues in dementia care, attended by over 110 participants from the public, voluntary and independent sectors. 

The event included presentations from an impressive range of speakers and workshop facilitators. Ruth Ely, the Department of Health National Lead for the National Dementia Strategy, opened the day with an overview of dementia policy and current priorities for implementation of the strategy.  Workshops included the development of current case law in respect of the Mental Capacity Act (Dr Rosie Harding, Law) and the role of Independent Mental Capacity Advocates (Steve Gray, ASIST). 

Participants' evaluations focused on the benefit of being able to hear from policy makers, researchers and practitioners at the forefront of dementia care developments.  Further study days on topics relevant to research and practice with older people are planned over the course of the coming year.

PREVENTING DEATH BY INDIFFERENCE TEAM WIN REGIONAL AWARD

A two year, collaborative project designed to help local health care workers to support people with a learning disability in hospital has won the West Midland's Health and Social Care Award for partnership working.

The Preventing Death by Indifference Team, led by Dr Sue Read, School of Nursing and Midwifery, pictured below, received funding from the Staffordshire and Shropshire Locality Board to develop a bespoke toolkit.

Seven team members (including representatives from Keele, UHNS NHS Trust, ASIST, PCTs and two people with a learning disability) attended a ceremony in Birmingham to receive the award. They now go forward to the national awards.

Sue said: "This is a wonderful achievement, which truly recognises both the importance of this work and the high standard of the toolkit that was produced and embedded across the West Midlands, with financial support from the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority and the Staffordshire and Shropshire Locality Board."

TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE

Swedish physics teachers responded enthusiastically to the presentation of an Earth Science Education Unit workshop on 'Tackling climate change' at "Fysikdagarna 2010" at Kalstad University.

The Earth Physics workshop was presented by Professor Chris King, Director of the Keele-based Earth Science Education Unit, pictured above, to more than 80 teachers in three sessions and helped them to focus on the recent changes in their physics curriculum, which includes more on climate change as a global issue.

The session was described as 'very useful in helping teachers to develop the new educational thinking needed by the new curriculum'.

TIME FOR COFFEE

A coffee morning organised by the Quality Assurance Office raised £80 in aid of the Douglas Macmillan Hospice in Stoke-on-Trent. QAO would like to thank everybody who was involved in supporting the effort.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Eight years ago -

18 October 2002

Baroness Susan Greenfield, CBE, gave a lecture at the University. The world renowned neuroscientist spoke on "The Brain of the Future" in the final event of Keele's Celebrating Women Series 2002 - a year long programme of high profile events that endeavoured to create an environment in which more women are able to succeed.