CFM – CELEBRATING SUCCESS

Awards were presented to more than 100 Commercial and Facilities Management staff at a special ceremony this week in Keele Hall. The event, "Celebrating Success", brought together more than 250 members of staff from across the Directorate. Marcus Wilson, CFM Head of Communications and Marketing, hosted the event at which a raft of awards were presented, including industry awards, diplomas, NVQs and a BA (Hons) Literature for Jean Wilshaw (Business Manager).

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nick Foskett, presented the University's successes in the meetings, catering and facilities management sectors and commented on Keele's notable reputation, both locally and nationally, whilst paying tribute to CFM staff for their contribution to the ongoing success of the University.

The Vice-Chancellor is pictured above presenting awards to chefs Allan Jones and Kim Barnish.

Secretary and Registrar, Simon Morris, presented the professional qualifications, and long service awards to Rob Burgess and Peter Rotherham, 25 years; John Knott and Karen Barratt, 30 years; Barry Ellis, 35 years, and Iris Birch, 40 years.

The event also saw the announcements of the winners of CFM's new initiative, 'Total Recognition', a scheme devised by a group of CFM staff to recognise individuals and teams worthy of particular praise. The winners were Sharon Copestick (Employee of the Year); The Medical School Cleaners (Team of the Year), pictured above with their 'Oscars'; Bob Mander (Unsung Hero) and Sharon Hattersley (Above and Beyond).

THE STRUCTURE OF SWEETNESS

Research presented by Dr Susana Teixeira, RI for the Environment, Physical Sciences and Applied Mathematics, at the "Neutrons in Food" conference in Sydney has featured in the Australian science magazine, Cosmos, in an article on "The structure of sweetness", 

Dr Teixeira, pictured, explained how neutron scattering studies, and high resolution neutron crystallography in particular, can provide unique information on the structure of thaumatin, an extremely sweet protein, often used in Europe and Japan as a flavour enhancer and modifier in food and pharmaceuticals.

Sweet proteins are a very promising natural alternative to synthetic sweeteners but a better understanding of what makes these proteins so sweet is essential. The structural basis for their sweetness still remains elusive and Dr Teixeira believes neutrons will bring the missing link to understand their taste properties.

SCIENCE TEACHERS INSPIRED

Twenty-two enthusiastic and dedicated Newly Qualified Science Teachers (NQTs) took part in the Science Learning Centre West Midlands Inaugural NQT Conference at Keele.

They were inspired by science communicator Paul McCrory's introductory keynote session and his unique take on engaging children by encouraging emotional involvement. The participants then enjoyed either an informative visit to Professor Nye Evans at the Keele Observatory or an opportunity to learn how to make use of video in the classroom.

The following day, delegates made active contributions to a wide range of highly interactive workshops, including How Science Works and Exciting, Effective and Safe Demonstrations. The group reported that the presenters were "enthusiastic, excellent communicators" and that they had been encouraged to "think about their teaching in a different way".

GLOBALISATION: THE EDUCATIONAL CHALLENGES OF HUMAN DIVERSITY

Professor Val Wass, Medicine, this week delivered the third lecture in the University's programme of Inaugural Lectures for 2010/11.
 
The lecture, "Globalisation: the educational challenges of human diversity", explored her work on understanding how ethnicity impacts on student learning and achievement in the context of undergraduate medical education and socio-cultural learning theory.

The other lectures in the series are:

Tuesday, 7 December 2010, Professor David Shepherd, Cultural Theory, "The Theory of Culture and the Culture of Theory"; Tuesday 18 January 2011, Professor Nadine Foster, Primary Care Health Sciences, "Challenges and Choices: Musculoskeletal Health in Primary Care"; Tuesday, 22 February 2011, Professor Gordon Ferns, Medicine, "A fire that burns within: the impact of free radicals in health and disease"; Tuesday, 15 March 2011, Professor Clare Holdsworth, Social Geography, "'A degree isn't enough anymore': Student experiences and orientation to HE"; Tuesday, 10 May 2011 Professor Krysia Dziedzic, Primary Care Health Sciences, "Best evidence for best therapies in osteoarthritis".

SCIENCE WEEK IRELAND

Dr Graeme Jones was one of this year's presenters at the 2010 Lecture Series for Science Week Ireland. He presented his Saturday Night Science show to a packed audience at the Science Gallery at Trinity College, Dublin, and gave interviews on breakfast and drive time radio shows.

He then moved on to Cork to set up an exhibition of Mega Mols at Discovery, a four-day science extravaganza at Cork City Hall, where he also ran a 'makeitmolecular' stand.

PRESTIGIOUS WELLCOME TRUST FELLOWSHIP

Dr Joanne Gordon has been awarded £143,867 to take up a prestigious Wellcome Trust Clinical Fellowship in Biomedical Ethics at Keele. Her study is entitled, 'The Management of Alcohol Dependence Syndrome: Autonomy, Compulsion and Ulysses Contracts'. She will be working with a multidisciplinary supervisory team led by Dr Tom Walker and Professor Stephen Wilkinson, Centre for Professional Ethics, School of Law / RI for the Social Sciences. The fellowship funds three years of full-time study, leading to a PhD in Bioethics.

Joanne has a background as an NHS doctor with seven years experience in general medicine and psychiatry. She has also recently completed a residency in clinical ethics at a large tertiary hospital in Canada.
 
Her doctoral work arises from clinical experience, both local and international, of the dilemmas encountered in the management of alcohol dependence syndrome (ADS).  Her research aims to find out more about whether people with ADS (sometimes called 'alcoholism') are capable of making their own voluntary decisions, especially as regards their own medical treatment.  It also examines the ethical issue of when, if ever, compulsory treatment or detention of people with ADS is justified, and asks whether the use (and enforcement) of Ulysses Contracts is preferable to the main alternatives.

JOURNAL EDITOR

Dr David Hunter, Lecturer in Ethics, Centre for Professional Ethics at Keele, has been appointed joint editor of the journal, Research Ethics Review.

Research Ethics Review is the official journal of the Association of Research Ethics Committees and goes to most members of NHS and university research ethics committees throughout the UK. It focuses on ethical issues both in the practice and conduct of research as well as the regulation of research and science.

More information about the journal can be found here.

KEELE HOSTS HOSPITAL STAFF AWARDS

Around 200 guests attended the University Hospital North Staffordshire staff awards night last week. The awards evening was hosted in the ballroom of Keele Hall with staff receiving honours in various categories. The event included an evening buffet and an orchestra made up of hospital and Keele staff. Judith Lawton, UHNS Human Resources, said: "Our awards evening went very well, the food was great, everyone enjoyed the disco and most importantly the staff working on the night were exemplary – kind, courteous, helpful."

FROM THE ARCHIVES

This week 16 years ago -
 
18 November 1994

Rector Alexei Kudinov, of Tver University, paid a three day visit to Keele as part of a new Tempus-funded project to link Keele, Tver and Osnabruck Universities.