express magazine winter 2011

Winter 2011 | issue 12

Brunel Wins Queen’s AnniversAry PrizeResearch linking chemicals in rivers and reproductive health wins UK’s most prestigious university prize

P18

P22

P12

CreditsExpress is available to read on our website at: www.brunel.ac.uk/ news/express

We’d love to hear from you with ideas for news items, stories or features, as well as any feedback. Please email your ideas or comments to [email protected]

Editorial tEam

rachel turvey Communications Officer t: ext 65972 E: [email protected]

Jo dooher Communications Manager t: ext 65154 E: [email protected]

ContributionsEmma Filtness

PhotograPhy

Sally trussler Neil graveney Jo dooher

PriNt

Brunel University Press

Brunel Express | Issue 12 |

7575%

P3-9

News round upThe latest student, staff

and University news

P10-11 Subject-enhancing volunteering Discover how volunteering can

benefit your job prospects as

well as your community

P12-17 New facesWe welcome Chair in Creative

Writing Benjamin Zephaniah, among

a host of new starters this term

P18-19 A day in the life: the Student Centre Express spends a day at Brunel’s

hub for student enquiries, in

the first of a new series

P20-21 Literature and film on campus Success for our postgraduate novelists

and a new collaborative film project

keep Brunel’s creative juices flowing

P22 Biofuels for the futureFind out how new biorefinery

techniques are revolutionising

the production of vehicle fuel

and everyday materials

P23 Next term at the Students’ UnionA look ahead to the campaigns

and events lined up for 2012

Back Cover The Gallery

this biennial award is part of the UK’s national honours system and is the most prestigious form of national recognition open to a UK academic institution.

By uncovering a link between exposure to water pollution and sex change in male fish in UK rivers, Professor John Sumpter’s research team provided the impetus for human health research also linking chemical exposure with declining sperm counts, increased incidence of male genital abnormalities, and testicular, breast and prostate cancer in human populations.

This ground-breaking new area of research, continuing under the Institute’s new Head, Professor Susan Jobling, now shows that a plethora of chemicals in everyday use are inefficiently removed by sewage treatment, passing into rivers and eventually into the drinking water supply. Many of these chemicals, including those found in contraceptive pills and dishwasher tablet ingredients, can interfere with or mimic hormones in the body, leading to problems with reproductive health.

The Institute’s work was selected for the Queen’s Anniversary Prize as a leading example of excellence not just in research, but also in its global impact. Through their engagement with policy makers, regulators and industries, the

Institute’s researchers have been instrumental in helping to find cost-effective ways of managing the risk posed by these chemicals, including new wastewater treatment processes to remove them or restrictions and bans on their production.

Professor Sumpter said: “The long-term aim of our research and teaching is to ensure that society thinks more carefully about the use of chemicals and the impact they have on the environment. Our health and the health of our rivers are of great importance, so we’re honoured to receive this recognition of our work.”

Vice-Chancellor Professor Chris Jenks added: “Brunel University is delighted to receive this recognition of our globally influential research carried out by the Institute for the Environment. We pride ourselves on being at the cutting edge of research and the work of Professor John Sumpter and his team is a fine example of our research excellence.”

The award was announced in November at St James’s Palace, and will be presented to the University at a special awards ceremony at Buckingham Palace in February 2012.

Find out more about the awards on the Royal Anniversary Trust website at www.royalanniversarytrust.org.uk

Brunel’s research into the effects of chemicals on the environment wins Queen’s Anniversary Prize Research by Brunel’s Institute for the Environment revealing the link between chemicals in rivers and reproductive health has won the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education.


Brunel climbs national and international league tables

Significant improvements in both the 2012 world university rankings and in the latest UK league tables have confirmed an impressive trend of improvements for Brunel across the higher education ranking lists.


Times Higher Education World Ranking

uP 47 places to 261st

World University Rankings

Brunel improved its position in both of the two major world university league tables.

In the Times Higher Education (THE) world ranking, provided by Thomson Reuters, Brunel rose 47 positions to 261st in the world. This was the best performance in the University’s history, and placed Brunel 36th amongst just 52 classified UK universities. The overall placing included a stellar result for the international outlook of the University’s staff, students and research, for which Brunel was placed 16th out of the 400 global HEIs.

The higher education and careers information provider QS ranked Brunel 351st out of 400 global HE institutions, an increase of ten places since 2010. Highlights included a rank of 162 for the University’s reputation with employers.

The THE rankings are based on 13 performance indicators grouped into five broad areas: teaching, research, citations, industry income, and international outlook.

QS ranks universities based on a combination of hard data and responses to large global surveys of academics and employers.

Sunday Times University Guide

Brunel rose 10 places to 39th in the Sunday times University guide 2012, placing it in the top third of UK institutions.

The substantial improvement was due in large part to the University’s performance in the latest National Student Survey, alongside improvements in student employability and a continued low dropout rate. The results push Brunel to 7th in London, and mark the University’s first return to the UK top 40 since 2007.

Success at institutional level was mirrored at subject level, with Brunel moving up the rankings in 16 of the 24 subject areas in which it was classified. The University is now ranked in the top 25 for 11 subjects, including four – Art and Design, History, Biology and Business – in the top quartile for their sectors.

The Vice-Chancellor said: “The improvements in student satisfaction are the result of years of hard work by University staff and the Students’ Union in listening carefully to students’ needs, addressing their educational requirements and investing appropriately in our campus, and these changes are now becoming visible in national league tables.”

Professor Jenks added: “By continuing to invest in its facilities, Brunel University is looking forward to furthering the success it has achieved by providing a blend of research-led teaching and excellent employability opportunities for its students. For example, the University is poised to open a brand new building to house its Business School next year, as part of a long-term plan to create a unique environment in which to deliver an excellent experience for our students.”

QS World Ranking

uP 10 places to 351st

Sunday Times University Guide

uP 10 places to 39th

Entrepreneurial graduate mixes business with charity Psychology graduate tasha Shackell is combining her entrepreneurial and charitable interests by donating a share of the profits from her own business to the charity that has supported her all her life.

Tasha, who graduated this summer, set up a mini-business selling handmade jewellery and cards after earning £100 selling her craft products in the summer before her final year. She donates 25% of the profits to the Brittle Bone Society, the only UK-wide organisation supporting people like Tasha who are affected by the rare genetic bone condition Osteogenesis Imperfecta.

Since graduating, Tasha has been busy establishing the business, creating new products to sell, setting up her own website and business email address and advertising through social networking sites such as Facebook.

“Now that I’ve finished Uni, I really want to establish my card and jewellery business,” she said. “I know there is a lot of competition out there but my business is helping others in need.

“The Brittle Bone Society plays a huge part in my life and I am always fundraising for the charity. I go to all the Brittle Bone Conferences and I see how the money I raise helps others.”

Tasha has also landed a job as Activity Co-coordinator and Therapy Assistant at an NHS rehabilitation ward in Reading, and has enrolled on a course to gain a counselling qualification.

Visit tasha’s online shop, tasha’s trinkets, at www.tashastrinkets.weebly.com

For more information on the Brittle Bone Society, see www.brittlebone.org

Students: get moving with

Active Brunel Fancy trying out sailing? Ever wanted to learn self defence? then join the hundreds of students already doing so in Brunel’s first lottery-funded ‘casual’ sports and activities programme.

Elite and competitive sport has always been a very visible feature of student life at Brunel, but, until recently, activities have not been so readily available for the many students who don’t want to compete, meaning that they can’t make the most of the huge health, fitness and social benefits that sport can offer.

This all changed with the introduction of Active Brunel, Brunel’s first informal, drop-in activities programme for students. Regardless of ability or experience, students can try out a range of sports in a friendly, relaxed environment. All you need to do is sign up and choose which sessions you want to attend. You can also choose to attend either mixed or women-only sessions. Classes are for absolutely everyone, and complete beginners are especially welcome.

What are the benefits?

For a £5 annual membership, you’ll get two free swimming sessions*, one free gym session* and one free class every week. Further classes cost just £1 or £2 (or £3 for sailing).

If you haven’t signed up yet, head to the Sports Centre to pick up your membership card and a copy of the weekly activities calendar, or follow Active Brunel on Facebook and Twitter for more information. Drag your friends along too and make it a social event!

www.facebook.com/activebrunel

@activeBrunel

Active Brunel classes

Athletics | Badminton | Basketball | Cricket | Dance | Judo (self defence) | Sailing | Softball | Tag Rugby League | Tennis | Swimming | Gym

* Only at specific times of the day. Check the calendar for details.



One Summit, three mountains, a million viewsThree Brunel students and

graduates have been setting

milestones this year, inspiring,

informing and changing lives

around the world

Volunteer addresses 1,600 at future world leaders Summit

Brunel law graduate and humanitarian volunteer Seja majeed addressed an audience of 1,600, including Kofi annan, desmond tutu and Bob geldof, at the 2011 one young World Summit for future world leaders.

Seja was selected to attend the Zurich Summit on account of her highly influential volunteer work in the UK and Iraq. Since graduating in 2007, she has interned with Amnesty International, worked alongside an Iraqi Minister to develop social initiatives, and become a Fellow with the charity Forward Thinking, which focuses on conflict resolution in the Middle East.

I had a great time and was able to meet such inspirational people. The Crown Prince of Norway gave a poignant speech about the attacks in his country earlier this year, and Sir Bob Geldof reminded us that even though it’s great to celebrate culture and diversity, the real purpose of the Summit is to make practical changes and have an impact on the world. Desmond Tutu said that positivity creates change, and that we had to believe in our power as individuals.

During the ceremony, I carried the flag of Iraq and wore my traditional Iraqi outfit – a red and gold dress with an Arabian crown. I was the only representative of my home country and I wanted to make my people proud.

On the second day of the summit I had to present my speech. I’m used to giving speeches, but this was one of the largest audiences I’ve had. My main objective was simply to pass on the message of peace. As soon as I finished, I heard a roar of clapping, and the delegates rose to their feet in support. Many people told me how poignant they found my speech, which focused on the deaths of innocent people in the name of religion. I was really pleased with the response.


Live news blog hits a million page views in 24 hours

a live blog created and edited by Brunel Journalism graduate gaz Corfield was viewed over a million times in 24 hours at the height of the london riots in august.

The blog, part of Gaz’s hyperlocal news website The West Londoner, provided a combination of collated updates and images of the riots from Twitter, Facebook and other social media with news gathered by volunteer reporters on the scene. At the peak of the riots the average time between updates dropped to around 50 seconds.

The concept behind the West Londoner was as a news website which would enable me to keep my journalism skills sharp in the gap between finishing my MA and getting a job.

I built the site using freely available tools: the Wordpress blogging platform, Twitter and Facebook. I wouldn’t have learned how to use these effectively without the benefit of Journalism lecturer Murray Dick’s multi-platform reporting lectures.

The August riots kept us really busy – the team of three (myself, my girlfriend and another friend, all Brunel students or graduates) were working 14 hour days to keep our readers updated.

The highlight for us was when Budweiser’s PR department sent us a bucket of beer on ice as a thank you for our coverage. If that doesn’t show how hard work pays off, nothing does!

I’m happy to say that some industry leaders got in touch with me afterwards, so I’m hopeful for the future.

Visit the West londoner at http://thewestlondoner.wordpress.com to catch up with local news, reviews and opinion.

Epic gap year trek raises over $6,000 for charity

First year Product design student damienmarc (dm) Ford spent six months trekking the length of New Zealand during his gap year – a distance of around 1,800 miles.

As ‘Team Tasty Trek’, DM, his brother and a friend walked the Te Araroa trail from Cape Reinga at the far north of New Zealand’s North Island, to Bluff, the country’s southernmost town. They raised a massive $6,013.90 for the charities Water Aid and Solar Light for Africa.

We always talked about going on an adventure. By chance, we found out about the Te Araroa trail, which links a number of shorter routes together.

We faced some huge challenges on the trek. We had to cross some really large rivers, and we climbed Mount Ngauruhoe (‘Mount Doom’ in The Lord of the Rings), Mount Rintoul on the Richmond Range and Mount Pirongia. Climbing Mount Pirongia, we walked 25 miles and then climbed 1,000 metres in one day – we were rewarded with the best sunset I have ever seen. We also canoed down the Whanganui River dodging rapids, enormous waterfalls and annoying whirlpools!

We learnt a lot from the experience. We found out how to supplement our diet with whatever we could find – rabbit, eel, green lipped muscles, goat, bush asparagus, grasshopper, wild turnip. A Maori woman taught us how to make bracelets and clothing out of flax. We also learned how to work as a team and how to live with hardship and appreciate the smaller things in life, like a comfortable bed and friendly conversation.

When we finished I felt a great sense of accomplishment and pride but I was a little sad to have the adventure come to an end. I would do it again, but maybe something shorter!

take a look at team tasty trek’s website: www.tastytrek.com

Photo: LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images

2011 Inaugural Lectures celebrate the range and impact of Brunel’s research

over 500 staff, students and members of the public attended this year’s inaugural lecture Series.

Inaugural Lectures raise the profile and promote the work of our Professors, and give our whole community the chance to experience the range of research being carried out here at Brunel. Topics this year have ranged across the spectrum of Brunel’s research areas, and each lecture is designed to have a broad public appeal as well as attracting guests with an interest in the specialist field or topic in question.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research Professor Geoff Rodgers said: “The Inaugural Lectures have gone from strength to strength, with the 2011 Series attracting packed audiences to enjoy a set of exciting and entertaining presentations from world-leading Brunel researchers. The Lectures have covered a diverse and accessible range of topics, including psychology and emotional well-being, how the law protects children, and the realities of living in an ageing population.”

Inaugural Lectures 2011

ProFESSor daVid gilBErt (pictured) Computing for biology – can it really help?

ProFESSor lyNN myErS Emotion, health and the repressive coping style

ProFESSor ChriStiNE PiPEr Family law: a cloak of invisibility for children

ProFESSor JoSé goNZálEZ-aloNSo Broken down by age and sex: growing old in the 21st century

ProFESSor ChriStiNa ViCtor Heart, brain or muscles: what really determines the limits of human performance?

Premiere for Media Teaching Officer’s award-winning short film a short film written and directed by media teaching officer Chris dundon will be shown on BBC one hd in January after being accepted and screened at over 20 prestigious international film festivals.

The film, entitled Bro, was funded by the UK Film Council and Screen East, and follows a teenage boy coming to terms with his brother’s disability and its impact on his own life and that of his family. It has won numerous accolades, including an Ability Media International Award for its positive representation of disability.

Bro premiered at the Beverley Hills Film Festival in front of an audience and jury that included Danny DeVito, Billy Zane, Elliot Gould and Michelle Rodriguez, and went on to screen at a further 21 festivals across the world. This included five Academy Award accredited festivals, which are notoriously competitive

– organisers generally receive 5,000 to 7,000 short film submissions, and will usually screen only 20.

Chris is now focusing on a number of major new film projects. “I hope to make my first feature film soon with the company that produced my most recent short film, Ellie. I’m currently working on two scripts that I hope will find their ways onto the big screen, as well as a music video for a new indie band which should appear on music channels before the end of the year.”

Bro is available to watch online at the BBC Film Network at www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/films/p00bbmf2, and via Chris’ website: www.chrisdundon.com


News in brief BrUNEl StUdENtS BrEaK rECordS at 24hr moBilE aPP CodEathoN

Brunel had the best attendance

of any participating university

at a 24-hour codeathon to

design and develop a prize-

winning mobile app.

The codeathon

formed the first stage

of the Samsung bada

Student Developer

Challenge, in which

students from ten UK

universities compete

for a £5,000 prize

and the chance to

see their app in

the Samsung Apps

store. Teams must

hone their final designs by

January, while awards were

also on offer for the best initial

development work conducted

during the codeathon session.

Chris James, Managing Director

of Steel Media Ltd who co-

ordinated the codeathon, said:

“The Brunel faculty’s pro-active

approach ensured record

attendance for the competition.

The quality of apps didn’t let us

down either – the final judging

was so tough that we had to

split the prize five ways.”

aUtUmN tErm SEES Big ChaNgES For BrUNEl CatEriNg

Brunel Catering has introduced

a host of new services, meal

deals and outlets this term.

Students and staff can now

enjoy handmade Cornish pasties

and sausage rolls from the Phat

Pasty Co stall in the foyer of

the Lecture Centre (weekdays

8.45am-3pm) and freshly made

pancakes from the pancake

cart outside the Lecture Centre

entrance (10.30am-4.30pm

weekdays). A Coffee Nation self-

service machine has also been

installed in the Lecture Centre.

The More Foodhall is now

offering a £6 all you can eat

buffet on Friday afternoons,

plus a new range of

meal deals, and More,

Bar Zest and the Hub all

now offer new menus.

Call For WidENiNg PartiCiPatioN rESEarCh BidS: £5,000 graNtS oN oFFEr

The Widening Participation

(WP) team is looking for

academics to carry out research

on a range of aspects of WP work.

Staff across the University are

invited to bid for research

grants of up to £5,000 per

project. The deadline for

proposals is 31 December 2011.

The WP team at Brunel is

committed to inspiring and

motivating disadvantaged

students to apply to university

and to succeed at their

studies. For further details

contact Dr Beverley Crooks:

[email protected]

rESEarCh aWardS total For 2010/11 ShoWS yEar-oN-yEar imProVEmENt

A total of £5,837,313 of research

grants and contracts was awarded

to the University in the quarter

from 1 May to 31 July 2011,

bringing the total for 2010/11

to £17,519,692. This continues

a trend of improvement since

2008/09 in contracts awarded.

The value of proposals

submitted for the quarter was

£13,862,116, making a total

of £79,185,663 for the year.

Particularly significant awards

include: over £1M from EPSRC

for BCAST’s low carbon vehicles

research; a £680K share of the

€2.5M European Commission

Framework 7 project to control

the emissions of marine diesel

engines, led at Brunel by Professor

Wamadeva Balachandran; £700K

split between teams in the

Wolfson Centre and the School of

Engineering and Design to create

a more environmentally-friendly

version of fibre-reinforced

cement, as part of another

Framework 7 project; and £300K

from the Nuffield Foundation

for Professor Judith Harwin’s

continuing evaluation of the

Family Drug and Alcohol Court.

BrUNEl’S SUPPort For rESEarChErS EarNS EU aCCrEditatioN

Brunel has been awarded

the European Commission’s

HR Excellence in Research

accreditation for its commitment

to providing high quality training

and career development

for researchers.

The award

acknowledges

the University’s

alignment

with a number

of UK and EU codes

of practice for the support of

researchers in higher education,

relating to recruitment processes,

degree provision, and career

progression frameworks.

Brunel is one of only 38 UK

institutions to hold the award.



Subject-enhancing volunteering Brunel Volunteers are working with local charities to develop volunteering opportunities specific to your studies and to the career you want. We find out how giving your time for free now can give you the edge in the job market when you graduate.

We all know that volunteering our time for a good cause gives a sense of satisfaction – we feel pride in helping those in need and in making a difference to the environment and community around us. Moreover, we know that volunteering can help us build life skills such as the ability to communicate with people from all walks of life, to work in a team, and to manage our time.

In today’s competitive job market, however, and with unemployment amongst young people at an all time high, it is more important than ever that students spend their time at university gaining specific skills for the career they want. While you may be able to gain work experience via a work placement or internship, these opportunities can be very competitive, and volunteering is becoming increasingly important as a way to gain the skills that make your CV stand out.

According to a recent survey of 500 managers across all employment sectors, almost 96% believe that specific workplace skills can be gained from volunteering. Moreover, half of all managers believe that volunteering experience would give candidates a better chance of securing a job.

With this in mind, Brunel Volunteers have taken a different approach to volunteering this year, focusing on matching students with roles that enhance their skills in their area of study or which could further their career goals. Brunel Volunteers Co-ordinator Priya Pallan explained how the service combines its student focus with a community-minded approach.

“Brunel Volunteers has two key roles. The first is our role with the local community, liaising with charities and organisations to find and create volunteering opportunities for students and staff. The second is to help students and staff to find the most suitable placement for them, matching their interests and experience with the best roles.

“We have worked with local charities to develop subject-enhancing volunteering opportunities for students. These roles will not only help our students to gain valuable work experience, but will also develop specific skills for their careers and allow them to gain valuable work experience and build professional networks.

“We have heard it again and again; employers are looking for candidates with more than just a degree. Never has it been more important for our students to be participating in extracurricular activities and addressing their own employability head on.”

volunteers Awards: gain accreditation for your work experienceBrunel Volunteers accredits your hours of voluntary work through the Brunel Volunteers Award:

• BroNZE for 25 hours and two skills gained

• SilVEr for 50 hours and four skills gained

• gold for 100 hours and eight skills gained

Volunteers record their hours online throughout the year and collect their award

at an annual ceremony in May.

Give your time and watch your career reap the benefits


What kind of roles are available? Many of the local organisations with whom Brunel Volunteers work have been affected by financial problems recently, and the need for volunteers to keep services running is higher than ever.

Current vacancies include:

• Engineering: bespoke equipment designer with REMAP, a charity that custom makes equipment for people with disabilities

• Sport: coaching children across a range of sports with Active 4 Kids

• Education: teaching support at the Yiewsley Cornerstone Centre

• arts: music and art teacher with the mental health charity Hillingdon Mind

• Social Work: emergency responder with Heathrow Travel Care

• Business: marketing assistant at Hillingdon Women’s Centre

• law: advisor at Hillingdon Law Centre

Enoch Baffour is a third year Politics and history student and volunteers with Victim Support.

At Victim Support we aim to provide victims of crime with emotional as well as practical support. We help victims to express their feelings, such as loss of confidence, in a safe environment. We try to develop plans to ease the problems they face. This can include liaising with the police, schools or the council or arranging for personal alarms to make the victim feel safer when they are outside.

I’m planning to take a postgraduate degree and I hope to work in the Civil Service or in politics. My volunteering role will contribute greatly to this by giving me a stronger perspective on domestic issues facing the country. Through my role at Victim Support I am gaining an understanding of crime and methods of dealing with crime, like the work of anti-social behaviour and safer neighbourhood teams.

Volunteering bolsters my CV and helps me compete for jobs. Most importantly, however, I volunteer as I enjoy helping people. Even as a child I wanted to go into a profession that helped people, ranging from being a bus driver to a doctor! Volunteering is a great way of giving back to your community, which otherwise might not have the funds to provide ‘niche’ services.

Jia Feng is a mSc media and Communications student. She volunteers with hayes Fm and hopes to work in the media.

I work with the afternoon team at Hayes FM, helping to produce the programme, writing lead-ins and questions, finding stories and interviewing members of the public, taking part in pre-programme meetings, and editing.

I hope to have a career in the media – the hands-on experience I’m getting at Hayes FM is all related to my degree and I see the potential for my improvement from working there.

We all need working experience to get the job we dream about, and we need to pave the way by ourselves. It’s wise to get skills under our belts, and volunteering is a win-win situation.


“I’d like to make this place

known for Performance

Poetry”


Benjamin Zephaniah, best known as Britain’s leading performance poet, has taken up his first academic position as Chair of Creative Writing at Brunel. Express traces the roots of his work, and finds out how he intends to fight the ‘dead image’ of poetry in academia.

A Rastafarian, vegan and martial arts enthusiast, Zephaniah, 53, grew up in the working class district of Handsworth, Birmingham.

He published his first book of poetry at the age of 22, was voted the nation’s third favourite poet of all time (after TS Eliot and John Donne) in a BBC poll in 2009, and is now developing a new method of teaching creative writing to students – with an emphasis on the sound of the spoken word.

His life has a literary rags-to-riches trajectory. What he calls his “formal education” ended at the age of 13 when he left his approved school unable to read, but he had been encouraged to memorise and recite passages from the Bible in his Afro-Caribbean church community from the age of six. He was performing in his church at 10 years old and he was a known, established poet within his local area by the time he was 15.

Benjamin was jailed for petty crime as a teenager before turning his life around completely. He moved to London, resolving to become a poet who could reach white as well as black audiences, “and to fight the dead image of poetry in academia.”

He still intends to fight this “dead image,” but his views today are more mellow. “I grew up thinking there was an ‘us’ and ‘them’ in poetry and literature,” he says. “At various periods in my family history we weren’t allowed to read so we had a strong tradition of spoken poetry and story-telling, and that kind of thing was passed onto me. We believe poetry is something that people share with each other. And then I thought that there was this ‘other’ poetry that white

people did and it was poetry that excluded people. It was poetry they wrote to show they were part of a club that understands things in a different way than other people do.”

“Then,” he changes rhythm, “I fell in love with [the poet] Shelley. He was like a militant rasta in his time.” He continues, “The idea of a dead white poet is a false one. It is true they were white and a lot of them were male but they’re not dead. The poetry lives on; and they were revolutionary, a lot of them. Now, I don’t see it so much a matter of us and them – I think we’re all different branches of the same tree. The poet-tree.”

Taking up a permanent position as a professor of Creative Writing will be an important move. He comments that he feels “very nervous about the word ‘teach’. It’s about sharing my knowledge and inspiring people.” He tends to think of himself as a “night-time poet”, and teaching will be a new departure for him. He insists that he does not want to “duplicate other people. I want to do something original. The area in which I am most well known is performance poetry. I’d like to make this place known for Performance Poetry.”

Benjamin explains that he is “very dyslexic,” and he argues that this need not be a barrier to writing. “If you give me a novel to read I almost

fall apart because I have to spend so much energy reading it. I always take an actor with me to read it.

“I’m not ashamed of that because I think I always tell people that dyslexia is not a measure of your intelligence and that there are ways to work round it.” He will probably, he says, ask his students to read their work for him, using inflections and performance techniques, “and ask them how they think it should sound.” He adds: “I never take the students for granted. I want to make it worth their while and to stretch them.”

Zephaniah escapes to China in the summer to spend time in Beijing and to train in martial arts in a remote village, Chenjiagou, home of the martial arts technique Chen Tai Chi. He describes this form of Tai Chi as “one of the most deadly Kung Fus.” The western version “looks slow and gentle. People in the west think of it as a hippie-type, floaty exercise. They don’t realise that a movement may mean a strike to the throat, or breaking an arm.”

He is currently learning Chinese and has studied Urdu. “I did alright, I can understand it. I wanted a challenge, and you can use it in London.” He adds that he doesn’t like life to be too easy, and this brings us back to his new post at Brunel. “It’s all new territory,” he says. “It’s going to be interesting. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Helping students find their voice: Zephaniah reflects on his first term

Brunel’s Creative Writing students have been enjoying one-to-one meetings with Benjamin Zephaniah this term as he settles in to his new appointment. “I’ve met a lot of students who are writing and trying to find their voice – a lot of them!” he says. “It’s usually in an advisory capacity – one student came to me with a poem that he’d recorded, not written – the oral tradition is a lot older than the written tradition, so I helped him see that it’s alright to say, ‘This is how I heard it.’”

His main aim for the year is to devise a module on ‘Writing Poetry for Performance’, looking at the point where drama, performance and writing meet.

There have been no formal performances as yet, but poetry is a natural part of Zephaniah’s everyday communication: “I’ve sat in on a couple of classes and spontaneously answered a question with a poem! I often find it easier to answer that way. Plus I was cornered on the Quad once by a student who wouldn’t let me go until I’d performed something. It’s wonderful to see the love from Brunel’s students.”

Introducing Brunel’s new Pro-Vice-Chancellors Introducing Dr Mariann Rand-Weaver, Brunel’s new Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Quality Affairs

Brunel University has recently appointed dr mariann rand-Weaver to the new role of Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Quality affairs. mariann took up the post in early october.

Mariann has worked within the University as an academic since 1995, most recently holding the post of Deputy Head of the School of Health Sciences and Social Care (Learning and Teaching). Her previous experiences as subject lead for Biosciences, Chair of the University’s Academic Appeals Committee, as an academic representative on Senate, Council and numerous other committees, as well as teaching and supervision of students at all levels, have given her a thorough understanding of the University.

Her primary responsibilities in her new role will be to ensure that the University improves the quality of its academic provision, and has processes in place that are fit for purpose and that evidence the excellence and rigour for which we want to be known as an institution.

She will be working closely with the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Student Experience and Staff Development, Professor Ian Campbell, to enhance all aspects of learning and teaching that affect our students’ experience of Brunel.

Mariann said: “I am looking forward to working with colleagues across the University to enhance what we do and how we do it, and to make Brunel an institution known for its quality at all levels of operation and able to withstand scrutiny by anyone

– be they prospective students or external bodies.”

Mariann originally joined Brunel as a Research Fellow in the Biosciences faculty. Her early research focused on fish endocrinology; specifically how stress hormones govern fish behaviour. That early research led to ongoing collaborations with the Institute for the Environment and Professor John Sumpter, exploring the impact of pharmaceuticals in the environment on aquatic organisms.

Other strands of Mariann’s current research work examine the beneficial effects that plant extracts, used as ‘folk’ medicines, may have on breast cancer. Working in collaboration with the Brunel Institute for Bioengineering (BIB) and with other colleagues in Biosciences, Mariann is aiming to isolate the chemicals present in these extracts that could be responsible for their anti-cancer properties.

Email [email protected]

Brunel’s senior management profile has undergone several changes in the last few months. Express looks at who is responsible for which areas, and introduces our two newest Pro-Vice-Chancellors.


Who’s who?

Pro-Vice-Chancellor for researchProfessor Geoff Rodgers

Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Student Experience and Staff development* Professor Ian Campbell

* with additional responsibility for the 2012 Olympic Programmes and Graduation

Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Quality affairsDr Mariann Rand-Weaver

Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Strategy, development and External affairsProfessor Steve Dixon (until 31 January 2012); Professor Dany Nobus (from 1 February 2012)


Professor Dany Nobus appointed PVC for Strategy, Development and External Affairs

Professor dany Nobus has been appointed to the role of Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Strategy, development and External affairs. dany will take over from Professor Steve dixon in February 2012.

Dany was born in Belgium, where he read Clinical Psychology and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy at the University of Ghent. Following the completion of his PhD, which he undertook whilst working as a Human Resources Manager in a private sector organisation, he joined the then Department of Human Sciences at Brunel in 1996 as a Lecturer in Psychology. He quickly moved through the ranks, eventually becoming Chair of Psychology and Psychoanalysis in 2006, and then Head of the newly established School of Social Sciences later the same year.

In his new role, Dany’s initial priority will be to continue the University’s strategic planning process, which will result in the delivery of a new Strategic Plan and a number of supporting, operational plans by the summer of 2012. He will also work closely with the Director of Corporate Relations and the University’s Research Support and Development Office to expand knowledge transfer and entrepreneurial activities, including new collaborative projects with local, national and international organisations.

Dany will be the University’s key representative in the local community, working closely with the Borough of Hillingdon and local residents to develop public engagement activities and a stronger sense of a shared community.

Dany said: “As someone who has been at Brunel for more than 15 years and is therefore somehow part of its history, I’m really looking forward to now playing an active role in helping to design its future. The new

Strategic Plan will take the University into the next phase of its development as an outstanding academic institution. To be able to contribute to this as one of the University’s senior officers is hugely rewarding.”

Dany is a world-renowned authority on the history, theory and practice of psychoanalytic psychotherapy. He has published five books and has presented his work at prestigious academic and professional institutions around the world, including Harvard, Princeton and UCLA.

In addition to his research activities, Dany continues to play an active teaching role. He is the convenor of the successful MA programme in Psychoanalysis and Contemporary Society, and his contributions to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching were recognised in 2006 when he was presented with the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence.

Email [email protected]

Brunel welcomes new Alumni Officer

xxx


Following the departure of Sue Curley earlier this year, Brunel has welcomed Carolyn garner to the development and alumni office.

Hailing from Queensland on Australia’s Sunshine Coast, Carolyn’s journey to Uxbridge has been an exhilarating one. After gaining a Journalism degree and working in journalism and public relations at home in Australia, she made a spur of

the moment decision to visit the UK, booking a flight on Tuesday and arriving in London on Saturday. She’s been here ever since!

Australia’s loss was Britain’s gain, and before coming to Brunel Carolyn lent her skills to the British Legion’s membership department for two years, working in communications and events management.

Starting at Brunel at the end of September coincided with getting married and moving house, and the New Year is looking just as busy: Carolyn is already immersed in next year’s communications and events schedule, as well as pioneering a new approach for alumni relations at Brunel.

“My main goal is to expand our social media presence and make it a focus for our communications,” she explains. “Social media should help us to engage a little better with alumni reunions – Facebook really has taken over for that kind of thing. Ideally I’d like us to develop our presence to the extent that we have a lot of dialogue with alumni, and so that they go to social media to find out information about what’s happening at the University.”

Outside work, Carolyn loves playing and watching sport, and is already a member of Brunel’s staff netball team. She enjoys working in a campus environment, and says that Brunel’s atmosphere has already made a good impression: “My first impression of Brunel is that everyone is so lovely – welcoming, warm and friendly. I’m really looking forward to working with students and staff across the University.”

Starters and Leavers

Express introduces Starters and leavers, a quick glance at some of the academic and administrative staff who have recently joined or departed from Brunel.*

Welcome to… Prof Vassilios (Bill) Baltzopoulos Professor of Biomechanics, Sport Sciences Prof Ray Barrell Chair in Economics Prof Ian Boyd Director, Experimental Techniques Centre (ETC) Helen Emerson Head of Registry Prof Gretchen Gerzina Chair in English Natalia Himowicz Marketing and Communications Manager, School of Social Sciences Prof Elke Krahmann Professor of Security Studies, Politics and History Joanna Oman Marketing and Admissions Manager, Business School Prof Barbara Prainsack Professor of Sociology and Politics of Bioscience, Sociology and Communications Niraj Sachania Corporate Web Editor, Central Web Team Prof Arturo Sala Chair in Translational Biology Prof Nigel Saunders Chair in Systems Biology

Farewell to…Prof Ademola Abass Professor of Law Sue Gammage Insurance Coordinator, Finance Natasha Hard Deputy Manager, Café Rococo Jane Standley Director of Careers, Placement and Careers Centre Tim Jones Disability Advisor, Disability and Dyslexia Service Jennie Long Marketing Officer, Central Marketing Pat Middleton Marketing Manager, Business School Prof Roda Mushkat Chair in Law Antonio Pineda Corporate Web Editor, Central Web Team Keith Somerville Lecturer in Journalism Prof Alex Warleigh-Lack Professor of Politics and History Prof Michael Wright Professor of Psychology Dr Yubo Zuo Research Fellow, BCAST

*This Starters and Leavers list covers changes between August and October 2011. Because of the number of starters and leavers during this period, we can only cover a small selection in Express.


How to rethink your scientific writing

Students attending autumn aSK Week’s scientific writing workshops may have expected to start with the moment of putting pen to paper – or fingers to keyboard.

Instead, Brunel’s Royal Literary Fund Fellow Dr Mario Petrucci explained how the writing process starts long before you write anything. Through his workshops, resources and one-to-one consultations, Mario is introducing the University to a new way of thinking about writing, which could improve more than just the quality of our reports, dissertations and exams.

Royal Literary Fund Fellows are professional writers appointed to work in universities around the country, and Mario has a remit to help Brunel staff and students involved in any branch of science, at any level. He offers free one-to-one sessions on planning, structuring and clarifying written academic work, honing study skills, giving presentations, preparing for exams, and writing letters, CVs and job applications.

Whatever the nature of the task, Mario takes the writing process back even to before the planning stage. “The written task isn’t simply the thing you write,” he explains. “If the way you think has clarity, that will be borne out in your writing.”

In short, Mario aims to help the University’s scientists to improve the quality and structure of their writing by first working on their thinking.

This process can have ramifications far beyond the written task itself.

“People are often surprised by what they find when they come to see me

– asking for help on a straightforward report can actually lead to entirely fresh ways of thinking about how you study and work. It’s an opportunity to fix problems that you may not even realise are holding you back.”

He emphasises the particular value of clear thinking in exams, vivas and interviews, when time pressure and stress make good writing particularly challenging. “Eloquence and efficiency of language is vital in coursework or exam answers, or your word count or time will run out. Exams present some of the most difficult conditions in which to write – eloquence isn’t far up on the agenda, but if you prepare your mind to express what you know with clarity and speed, you can get rid of a lot of exam stress. That’s true of all forms of writing and speaking – from lab reports to interviews. The right kind of preparation helps you to reflect the best side of what you know, and are.”

Mario, who joined Brunel in September, is an award-winning poet, journalist and study skills expert with a scientific background in physics and ecology. Good writing may not be every scientist’s top priority, but Mario’s combined scientific and artistic perspective means that he sees more connections than divisions between the two spheres. “As a physicist, I didn’t always think much about writing. But any act of

presenting an argument, whether it’s in a poem, novel, report or exam answer, has a creative element to it. The main difference is that science is usually about the observed world, while in creativity the truth may be an imagined one. That said, all kinds of writing are about how you visualise or hear things in your own head, in your own way.”

How can Mario help you? If you missed Mario’s workshops during ASK Week, it’s not too late to learn how to rethink your scientific writing:

• Makeanappointmentforaone-to-one consultation on a Monday or Tuesday, by signing up on the RLF noticeboard on the first floor of the Heinz Wolff building (near the Biosciences main office);

• VisittheWritingAdvisorsectionof the School of Health Sciences and Social Care intranet pages for a wide range of resources and help-sheets prepared by Mario (you can find these via the School SharePoint link at www.brunel.ac.uk/shssc);

• Browsetheresourcesandexercises on u-Link.

One-to-one sessions are confidential, and Mario will only discuss students’ work with tutors if they ask him to do so. He is not involved in the assessment process.


Problem busters!Express spends the day untangling the knots of student life with Brunel’s team of problem-solvers in the Student Centre.

Flanked by the Placement and Careers Centre, the library and the Cash office, the Student Centre is an unmissable hub of activity at the heart of campus. as the first port of call for student administrative queries, its front desk, phone lines and inboxes buzz with questions all year round, so we stepped behind the scenes to see how all those questions get answered, and to find out how the Student Centre can help Brunel students to navigate the inevitable complications of university life.

Brunel’s one-stop shopThe Student Centre was established in 2005 to bring together a variety of student administrative services under one roof. Since then, enquiries have risen from 50,000 to over 100,000 per year.

The Centre is open to students from every School – undergraduates, postgraduates and short course students, those attending full-time, part-time or by distance learning, and students from the UK or overseas. Its staff can help with every kind of administrative question that student life might pose – and if they don’t know the answer, they’ll soon find it out.

Who’s who?

Two teams work closely together within the Centre – the Service team man the front desk and answer call centre and email enquiries, and the Operations team maintain students’ University records and manage student funding administration. The teams each describe how their area works.

the Service team

“We’re the first port of call for students. We try to take the problem away from the student, let them know a realistic turnaround time, and then go back to them with an answer.

“It can be hectic – there’s always a queue and always another call waiting – but it’s also really dynamic and varied. When you can help a student it’s a great feeling, and when someone comes back to let you know how much you helped, it really makes your day.”

the operations team “If everything goes smoothly for a student, they’ll never know we’re here – if you don’t need to contact us it means a job well done!

“The team is made up of Records Officers and Funding Officers. Records Officers are the gatekeepers for current students’ records – it’s their responsibility to make sure students’ information is accurate. Funding Officers help sort out any funding issues particularly with loans, scholarships and bursaries, alongside running campaigns like Money Doctors to help students manage their budgets.”


Express spent a two-hour shift on the front desk, to watch the team in action and get a taste of some of the issues that the Student Centre help solve every day.

Tuition fee invoices had just been sent out when we visited, so fees and funding issues dominated the morning shift. Other common queries saw the team explaining parking permit rules to a number of hopeful drivers, suggesting explanations and solutions for a range of computer problems, and confirming student status for a range of purposes from Council Tax exemption to renewing a 16-25 Railcard.

We were very impressed with the while-you-wait ID card printers. Some old cards had stopped working, but others had ended up lost – in locations from France, to a London bar, to down a Library toilet! £10 and two minutes later, a happy customer could leave, new card in hand.

There was a manageable queue three or four students long throughout the morning, interspersed with some rare quiet moments. “If the queue dies down we catch up with emails,” Carly explained. “We can get around 100 a day at a normal time of year – far more around registration, graduation and after tuition fee invoices are sent out.”

“Sometimes people just need a bit of reassurance,” said Susan.

“Listening to them can help make a difference.” For more complex queries, however, it can be difficult to move on to the next in line. Service Team Leader José explained: “We work on the front desk for two or three hours at a time, and then work through an intray of jobs when we’re not at the desk, so there’s a chance to see enquiries through and spend time resolving the complex cases.”

WhEN October 18, 11.30am FroNt dESK tEam José Sanchez, Carly Chesterman and Susan ThomastoP FiVE iSSUES Tuition fees; student ID cards; student status letters; parking permits; computer problems

in the last academic year alone, the Student Centre handled…

29,249student status confirmation letter requests

600

access to learning

Fund applications

6,963 parking enquiries

3,500 course or module changes

2,794 replacement id cards

1,200

graduation enquiries

how students get in touch

n Visit (30%) n Email/letter (38%) n eVision (19%) n Phone (13%)

A day in the life


Third book published for PhD student and award-winning author Sally O’Reilly

in November, Creative Writing Phd student and isambard Scholar Sally o’reilly released a new book explaining How to be a Writer: the Definitive Guide to Getting Published and Making a Living from Writing.

The book, published by Piatkus, covers

the whole spectrum of activities which

modern writers undertake to reach their

audiences, including digital marketing, public

engagement and winning literary awards.

Sally is already the award-winning author

of two novels, and her latest work has

already attracted enthusiastic praise from

leading authors and academics.

Christy Lefteri’s PhD novel long-listed for major award

Creative Writing Ba, ma and Phd graduate Christy lefteri has been long-listed for the €100,000 international imPaC dublin literary award, the world’s most valuable annual literary prize for a single work of fiction published in English.

Christy was selected for her first novel, A Watermelon, A Fish and A Bible, written as part of her Brunel PhD and published by Quercus Books in 2010.

The long-list is compiled from nominations gathered in 122 libraries across the world, and places Christy amongst the most distinguished literary company: other authors on the list include Ian McEwan, Lionel Shriver and Jonathan Franzen, and previous winners include the Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk and the Prix Goncourt winner Tahar Ben Jelloun.

The shortlist will be announced in April 2012, and the winner named in June.


Collaborative film screening project helps put modern day revolutions into context

an innovative collaboration between Brunel Politics and history and the Cult Film Society is bringing academic research to a wide student audience, through a series of film screenings.

Entitled Revolution: 24 Frames Per Second, the project is led by Dr Filippo Del Lucchese and forms part of research activity on political revolution within the Social and Political Thought Research Group. Each screening features an introduction by an expert on the topic depicted, and films shown so far include Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dynamite and the UK premieres of The Silence of The River and October in Paris, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Paris massacre of 1961.

By collaborating with the Brunel University Cult Film Society, Dr Del Lucchese aims to engage interested students with relevant academic research. “The project is about developing a culture of crossover between research and extra-curricular activity,” he explained. “Research can be about more than just conferences and seminars – it enriches your day-to-day life.” Cult Film Society President Robert Cowlin added: “Dr Del Lucchese asked us to collaborate with him because we have a large membership, interested in watching rare or little known films – the series mainly concerns films of this kind, and we’ve had great interest so far.”

The project’s title recalls French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard’s perspective that ‘the cinema is truth 24-frames-per-second’, and Dr Del Lucchese explained that film can be a natural tool for exploring revolution in real life: “Cult cinema in itself can be seen as a revolutionary form of art. Breaking boundaries in film mirrors the subject matter.”

Devised partly in connection with the new MA programme in Modern Political Thought – Violence and Revolution, the screening series was also inspired by a year of revolutions across the world. “We’re living in a time of intense revolution,” said Dr Del Lucchese.

“Understanding revolution in history helps put the events we see on TV every day into context.”

MA writers recognised by leading literary agency

two of this year’s graduates from the Creative Writing: the Novel ma programme have been offered representation by the literary agency Curtis Brown.

The agency award an annual prize for the best Master’s dissertation manuscript, but this year’s submissions so impressed the judges that they awarded the prize jointly. Chris Lacey and Rohail Ahmad (pictured below left to right) each received a £750 cash prize alongside the even more significant offer of agency representation.

CHRIS “My novel is set in London during the summer of 1950. It alternates between three characters who were once members of a repertory theatre company and who headlined together at the start of the War. It’s a story of obsession and double lives – there’s a crumbling marriage, an unambitious but persistent blackmailer, and an eccentric former leading lady who is now a writer of pulp fiction!

I was attracted to the period because of its mood, and was interested in how the stoicism of wartime had, by the 1950s, become a stultifying emotional restraint that concealed trauma, grief and depression caused by the war years – great territory for a novelist. Curtis Brown said the novel impressed them with its calm, confident prose and nuanced psychology.

I’m really excited by the offer of representation from one of the senior agents at Curtis Brown, which will include editorial support and advice as I finish writing the novel. I’m now juggling this with a job in publishing and hope to have finished the book by next year.”

ROHAIL “My novel is about Western exploitation of the East, but where the exploitation is now by Westerners of Eastern origin.

It was an amazing feeling to have won. I worked very hard but there were some strong contenders and I always had this terrible feeling that it would be a case of ‘close but not close enough’.

I began a PhD in Creative Writing before knowing I had won, and my agent (it sounds so good to say that!) is eagerly awaiting my PhD novel.

Although all of this does not guarantee publication, winning the prize has brought the dream of publication into the realms of real possibility.”


Wolfson Centre researchers turn crop and food waste into vehicle fuela team from Brunel’s Wolfson Centre for materials Processing is part of a revolutionary pilot project to turn the by-products of agriculture and food processing into biofuel.

The project, based at the new Biorefinery Centre in Norfolk, aims to produce second generation biofuels made from agricultural waste such as straws and from the inedible by-products of food processes such as cereal milling. Using waste rather than specially grown material removes concerns about the possible competition between growing crops to feed an ever-increasing global population, and crops for biofuel production.

The biofuels produced will be tested by Lotus Engineering, and will have a much lower carbon footprint than traditional fuels as well as a potential performance advantage.

At the heart of the Biorefinery Centre is a steam explosion plant which blows apart the cell structure of the leftover plant materials. This allows the extraction of sugars, which are then fermented with yeast to produce bio-alcohol.

Working alongside industrial and academic partners, the Brunel team are focusing on the pre-treatment of these leftover materials to maximise the efficiency of the biorefinery process. “Yield depends very much on the first stage treatment,” explained Brunel’s project leader Professor Jim Song.

“We are maximising yield at the pre-treatment stage, which makes for high efficiency in the biorefinery plant itself.”

Far from ending there, Brunel’s DEFRA-funded project also extends to recycling the plant’s own by-products. Sugars are locked into the cell structures of the strong, woody parts of plants by a substance called lignin, which cannot be used to produce bio-alcohol. Instead of discarding lignin as waste, the Brunel team are investigating its use as a raw material for fine chemicals such as anti-oxidants and antibacterials. Making bio-based anti-oxidants from lignin is of particular interest, as there is strong demand for non-synthetic anti-oxidants in the food and cosmetic industries.

The IFR’s Professor Keith Waldron said: “Once the food part of a crop has been exploited, there is a mass of material left behind that is often discarded as waste. With the launch of the pilot plant we have all the expertise necessary to help industry explore ways to make use of it.”

€20 million project boosts Brunel’s biorefinery research

a new research Centre has been established within Brunel’s Wolfson Centre for materials Processing to undertake research into sustainable and competitive biorefinery processing schemes for a range of geographical and social conditions.

The Centre for Resource Engineering, Management and Policy was established following the arrival of Professor Ashok Bhattacharya and his research group from the University of Oxford, and will continue work towards the €20 million SUPRABIO project, which Professor Bhattacharya leads.

Funded by the EU 7th Framework Programme, the project looks at how bio-resources – renewable raw materials such as straw, seed oil, algae and waste water – can be improved and converted to make products including cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, biofuels and polymers. Its results will lead to five demonstration units being built across Europe.

The four year project began in February 2010 and involves a consortium of industry, business, research and academic bodies.

President VP Academic Representation

VP Community Welfare

VP Student Activities

Name Promise Phillips

#1 achievement this term Increased engagement in every sector of the Union

Name Craig Best

#1 achievement this term Mind the Gap anti-plagiarism campaign

Name Avina Patel

#1 achievement this term Alcohol and Drug Awareness campaign

Name Gary O’Brien

#1 achievement this term Bringing the Olympic torch tour bus to Brunel

Next term’s focus is on personal development.

“I want to identify what’s lacking so we know what resources students need,” says Promise. His initial targets are final year students, for whom employability is a key issue.

Other initiatives for the New Year include a campaign to engage students who do not live in halls with activities and facilities on campus, and an ‘unsung heroes’ project to thank those whose contribution to Brunel may go unnoticed. “It’s all about communication,” he says. “That’s where I think we can make a difference.”

Brunel was one of just 16 universities selected to run Student-Led Teaching Awards next term, so students can highlight good practice: “We want you to feel like you’re in a learning partnership with Brunel,” says Craig.

UBS will also continue to work with the Learning and Teaching Committee, now chaired by Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Mariann Rand-Weaver.

“We’re really engaged with the Committee,” says Craig. “I couldn’t speak more highly of the collaborative partnership we have with them.”

Next term will be action-packed on campus, with highlights including Green Week, Fairtrade Fortnight and One World Week. “The events are about raising awareness of environmental and ethical issues,” says Avina. “We want to educate students and staff on how they can make a difference both at University and at home.”

Health and health awareness will also take centre stage, with the Stress Less and Well Being campaign in March and April giving both students and staff tips on how to reduce stress over the busy summer term.

Olympics fever will step up a gear in January. “We’ll be focusing on the cultural side of the Olympics as well as the sporting side for One World Week and RAG Week,” says Gary. Planning will also continue for RAG treks to Kilimanjaro and the Great Wall of China, with this year’s fundraising expected to smash the records.

2012 will see the first Societies Guild Ball alongside the annual Sports Federation Ball, and a festival feel at Varsity:

“There’ll be bands, more fixtures and opportunities to work with local businesses,” explains Gary.

This year’s UBS Officers give us a sneak preview of the campaigns and events to watch out for after Christmas

New Year’s Resolutions Brunel Express | Issue 12 |

(l-r) Promise, Craig, avina, gary

1. Fireworks Brunel’s 2011 Olympic-themed display was a huge success, with performances from the Brunel Circus Skills Society (a) and 20 minutes of amazing fireworks (b)

2. The Olympic Torch Tour Bus Brunel was the first of only 20 universities in the country to get a visit from the Olympic bus, giving hundreds of students and staff a chance to hold the torch

3. Sir Steve Redgrave The five times Olympic gold medallist visited Brunel to discuss the Sports Makers programme and show students how to get involved in making local sport happen

4. Flash mob Dancing in the Quad was the highlight of November’s Volunteers Week

The Gallery

A selection of photos capturing activities in and around Brunel

For copies of campus photos, contact Sally Trussler, University Photographer.

Email: [email protected]

1a

1b

136482B 301111

See more Brunel photos on Flickr: www.flickr.com/bruneluniversity

Or why not submit your own Brunel photos to the Brunel Flickr Community Group? www.flickr.com/groups/bruneluniversity

2a

2b

4

3

express magazine winter 2011

Documents

new seriesp20

institutes new head

use of chemicals

human health research

host of new starters

new biorefinery techniques

new collaborative film

plethora of chemicals