FANFARE FOR THE NEW CHANCELLOR
A trumpet fanfare heralded the Installation of Jonathon Porritt as the New Chancellor of Keele University.
The eminent writer, broadcaster and commentator on sustainable development, officially took up the office of Chancellor of Keele University at a special ceremony in the University Chapel yesterday.
 The new Chancellor told a packed audience: "This is quite a privilege for me - quite a daunting experience to be honest. This is a very heavy responsibility placed on my shoulders and a very interesting time to take up this role as the University embarks on the 50th Anniversary of its incorporation."
 Professor Nick Foskett, Vice-Chancellor of Keele University, said: "We believe that Jonathon's appointment as Chancellor recognises and underlines our core values and ambitions. His profile as critical thinker, as clear advocate for the values that we share, as a believer in the importance of evidence-based and science-based policy and decision-making, and, of course, his leading commitment to the sustainability of current and future society matches closely what we uphold at Keele. We look forward to his support, to his wise counsel and to his engagement in developing and delivering our vision for Keele and its students over the coming years, as we seek to further enhance the achievements, profile, reputation and influence of Keele University."
 In his oration to present the Chancellor Designate, Professor Pat Bailey, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Natural Sciences, said: "Jonathon has received acclaim and recognition from the highest levels, but is committed to addressing issues that affect everyday people around the world. His impact on environmental issues is aligned to Keele's commitment to sustainability – a commitment that concerns activities 'locally' here on campus, but also in the wider regional and UK communities … and hopefully globally too. His adherence to academic rigour and scholarly argument align perfectly with the ideals of this University."
As he proceeded to his Chair of Office, escorted by Pro Vice-Chancellors, Professor Mark Ormerod and Mr Kevin Mattinson, the Chancellor Designate was formally greeted by the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire, Sir James Hawley, on behalf of the County and people of Staffordshire, The Mayor of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Trevor Hambleton, on behalf of the community of Newcastle, and the President of Keele University Students' Union, Rosie Weatherley, on behalf of all Keele students, past and present. Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Marilyn Andrews, presented the robes, while Pro Vice-Chancellors, Professor David Shepherd and Professor Andy Garner, assisted with the robing.
The ceremony included a piano and music recital by Michael Bell and Karen Radcliffe, School of Music and organ pieces by Organ Scholar, Jordan Meakin.
The Chancellor performed his first official duty when he cut a ceremonial ribbon to mark the opening of an extended version of Mark Edwards' ground breaking, internationally acclaimed outdoor exhibition, Hard Rain, adjacent to the Moser Building.
It was also the official UK launch of the exhibition and was attended by Joan Walley, MP for Stoke North and Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, a Parliamentary Select Committee, with key figures from the University. In the evening our new Chancellor delivered a public lecture, 'Sustainability and The Future of Capitalism' to a capacity audience in the Westminster Theatre.
A selection of Installation pictures can be seen here. |
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KEELE STUDENT AMBASSADORS
Keele Student Ambassadors worked incredibly hard and did an amazing job yesterday for the Installation of the Chancellor.
The team of 13 took on a number of duties; meeting and greeting guests as they arrived on campus, escorting them to the reception with the Vice-Chancellor and to the Chapel, where they acted as ushers prior to the ceremony. In the afternoon they assisted at the opening of the 'Whole Earth' exhibition. Professional, smart and wearing big smiles, they were a credit to the Keele Student Ambassador scheme and the University. Keele Student Ambassadors can assist with any event, activity, project or even for extra administrative support during busy times. Please contact Dee Sandom in Widening Participation and Outreach to discuss. |
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WINSTON CHURCHILL AWARD FOR KEELE STUDENT
 Keele research student Hannah Moore has been awarded a prestigious Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Travelling Fellowship.
The final year PhD student, who is studying Chemistry (applied to Forensic Entomology), says the award is 'the opportunity of a lifetime' that will allow her to take her research to the USA.
Once her thesis has been submitted, she will travel to the USA for six to eight weeks, starting in Indiana where she will gain invaluable hands on entomological experience with renowned forensic entomologist, Dr Neal Haskell. She then moves to Massachusetts to work with the co-inventor of a new analytical instrument, Direct Analysis in Real Time.
Her final confirmed visit will be to Oregon to carry out a short project at the US Fish and Wildlife Service Forensic Laboratory. She hopes to round off her trip by presenting her findings to the FBI - but this has yet to be confirmed.
The Winston Churchill Trust - established in 1965 in memory of Sir Winston Churchill - awards annual grants to British citizens to travel overseas, enabling them to study areas of interest in order to gain knowledge for the benefit of their profession, community and the UK as a whole. |
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SEX PHEROMONES OF MALE INSECTS AND DISEASE CONTROL
 Professor Gordon Hamilton, Life Sciences, pictured with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nick Foskett, this week gave the latest lecture in the University's series of Inaugural Lectures. He spoke on "Sex pheromones of male insects and disease control".
Some of the world's most debilitating and pernicious diseases are the result of parasitic infection caused by the activity of blood-feeding insects. Malaria is the most important of these diseases but Leishmaniasis is also of global significance and is described by the WHO as a Neglected Tropical Disease with "no visibility or concept on how to handle the disease". Sand flies can spread Leishmaniasis from animals to humans and between humans when a female sand fly takes a blood meal from an infected host.
Therapeutic drugs are available but are expensive, unpleasant and not always effective and so in the absence of human vaccines, prevention of infection is dependent on controlling the insect vector. Research on the Old and New World vectors of Leishmaniasis has pointed towards the exploitation of the chemical communication of male and female sand flies as a strategy to enhance or replace current vector control methodology. Using synthetic versions of male sex pheromones has offered the possibility of using lure-and-kill traps that are highly specific for the females of the species of sand fly targeted.
The other lectures in the series are:
Monday, 27 February, 2012, Professor Richard Luther, Politics, "Political Parties: who needs them?"; Tuesday, 20 March, 2012, Professor Robert Ladrech, Politics, "Political Parties and the European Project"; Tuesday, 17 April, 2012, Professor Robin Jeffries, Astrophysics, "A star is born"; Tuesday, 8 May, 2012, Professor Carole Thornley, Management, "Why are the low-paid always with us?"; Monday, 11 June, 2012, Professor Andy Hassell, Medicine, "The patient with arthritis, the medical student and the rheumatologist: influencing tomorrow's doctors". |
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KEELE GEOLOGIST FEATURED IN 'SCIENCE' MAGAZINE
Keele geologist Dr Ian Stimpson is featured in the news section of the current edition of 'Science' magazine for his project to photograph a rock for every day for 2012.
The Rock366 project includes images of many samples from Keele's teaching collection of rocks and minerals, which contains many interesting and photogenic samples gathered from around the world over the last sixty years.
Rock366 has already featured on BBC Cumbria earlier in the year and follows on from Rock365 that Dr Stimpson completed in 2010. Photographs of Keele's rocks and minerals, and others, can be found on the project blog at hypocentre. posterous.com. |
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PUBLISHED IN NATURE REVIEWS CANCER
Nature Reviews Cancer has this month published a review by Professor Gwyn Williams, ISTM and Life Sciences, pictured above, and Professor Farzin Farzaneh, Rayne Institute, King's College, London, on the emerging importance of non-coding RNA molecules in cancer development and therapy (Nature Reviews Cancer 12, 84-88 (February 2012)).
Nature Reviews Cancer is in the top 0.1% of scientific journals for impact factor.
DEFIBRILLATOR FOR FIRST RESPONDERS
Keele First Responders Group this week took delivery of a Defibrillator courtesy of the North Staffordshire Heart Committee. This kit will further support the Group's efforts to ensure fast response to staff, students and visitors to the campus in the event of a medical emergency.
The North Staffordshire Heart Committee, a local charity working to care for cardiac patients, has raised over £5million to support research, diagnosis treatment and welfare of cardiac patients. Chairman, Tony Berry M.B.E. said: "We are very happy to be supporting this group which performs a vital role in immediate response to patients experiencing life threatening conditions."
The Keele Community First Responders team is a small, dedicated group of volunteers which operates as a financially independant part of the West Midlands Ambulance Service and respond to 999 calls from the local area, including Silverdale, Newcastle, Madeley, Betley, Keele University and village.
For more information see here.
Alternatively contact the Coordinator of the Keele team, Tom Kirschen, who is pictured above with Tony Berry, at v1z79@students. keele. ac. uk.
CAKE SALE FOR CHARITY
Student midwives and staff at the CEC donated cakes to a charity cake stall and managed to raise a £200 for the charity TWOCO (Tawananyasha Widows and Orphans Christian Organisation) which supports members of the asylum-seeking community, who may be vulnerable and destitute.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Nine years ago -
Dr Rob Jackson, Reader in Computational Solid State Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Physics, has been awarded the degree of Doctor of Science by the University of London for his research in the field of Computational Solid State Chemistry. 7 February 2003. |
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