The Graduate

THE 2018/19 GRADUATE The magazine for graduates and friends of Queen’s University Belfast. ‘Derry Girl’ Lisa McGee – Graduate of the Year Queen’s Simulation Centre – Improving patient care MEET THE PLUS — Lynn Building 150th, Farewell to the Students’ NEW VICE- Union, Data Protection – time to ‘Opt In’ and catch up with Class Notes CHANCELLOR PROFESSOR IAN GREER Read more – Pages 9-11 WELCOME TO THE 2018/19 CONTENTS EDITION OF THE GRADUATE NEWS 4 4 News – Latest from around campus 12 Fundraising News – Learn what your support can do 20 Student news – Ambassadors and future leaders 36 Class Notes – Your news 42 Obituaries The passing of our Chancellor Dr Tom Moran in August, came as a shock to the University family. FEATURES 9 P r o fi l e – Introducing the new Vice-Chancellor 9 Tom embraced the role with passion, Also celebrated in this issue is the impact of 18 Graduate of the Year – Meet Lisa McGee giving steadfast support to Queen’s since volunteering on current students (pp28-29), 23 Education – Queen’s new Simulation Centre his appointment in 2015. He particularly and we refl ect on the importance of the Lynn enjoyed engaging with students during Building over the last 150 years (pp48-50), 26 GDPR – How to stay in touch! graduation, for him the highpoint of the year. and the Students’ Union over half a century 28 Volunteer impact – get involved! (pp46-47). 30 Legacies – Three women’s stories We extend our deepest sympathy to Tom’s wife Joan and to the wider family circle. General Data Protection Regulations 32 Widening participation – improving access (GDPR), which came into force in May, to education Tom made an immense impact as Chancellor have impacted on how we communicate 35 Convocation – Have your say – a theme that runs throughout this issue with you. If you have not yet ‘opted in’ to 46 My time at Queen’s – Your memories 18 of The Graduate. The impact of our research receiving emails from Queen’s, you can fi nd on people in Northern Ireland and beyond of the Students’ Union out how to do so on pp26-27. Gerry Power (pp4-7); the impact of donors on the lives 48 The Lynn Building – 150 years on Editor: of students (pp12-17) and that made by I hope you enjoy reading The Graduate. If you Development and Alumni individuals and companies on Pathway to would like to share your views on this edition Relations Offi ce Opportunity undergraduates who recently please contact the Editor ([email protected]) Queen’s University Belfast took up places at Queen’s (pp32-34), are and tell us what you think. Belfast, BT7 1NN highlighted. Northern Ireland Best wishes. Someone already making a big impression is Tel: +44 (0)28 9097 3114 our new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ian Greer Email: [email protected] Alternative formats of this magazine – including Braille, who took up post in August. We welcome Ian audio and large font – are available on request. to Queen’s and wish him well as he starts to Contributors: For those who use screen readers or prefer larger font, ‘transform lives through education, research, Norma Sinte, BA Hons Modern Languages Keith Baker, Brian Gilliland, an online version of The Graduate can be accessed and social responsibility.’ Rachel Ketola, Naomi King, Director of Development at: www.daro.qub.ac.uk/TheGraduate. For further Meaghan Lyons, Sorcha and Alumni Relations information, please contact the Development and MacLaimhin, Gail McMullan, Alumni Relations team on +44 (0)28 9097 3114. Ian Moore, Gerry Power, © Development and Alumni Relations Offi ce 2018 Natasha Sharma, Norma Sinte, The Graduate is an informal magazine published annually by the Development and Helen Surgenor, Susan Wilson Alumni Relations O ce, for alumni and friends of Queen’s University Belfast. Extracts from the magazine should not be published without the approval of the Editor. While every e ort is made to ensure the accuracy of printed information at time of going to Design: www.asgandpartners.com press, no responsibility can be accepted for any errors or omissions. Advertisements are carefully vetted, but the University can take no responsibility for their content. Any Print Services: CDS PS - If you are reading The Graduate for the fi rst time, welcome to our worldwide family views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those of the University or the of 190,000+ alumni. editorial team. Letters, photos and news for inclusion are welcomed by the Editor, but we reserve the right to edit any contributions. 5 UNIVERSITY The new facility in the University’s Northern NEWS Ireland Technology Centre will offer an open door to industry partners, currently including RLC Global Point, Moyola Precision Engineering, JW Kane Precision Engineering Ltd, Travan Precision Engineering and Retec Engineering Solutions. Expressing his delight at the opening of the facility, which is part of the pioneering Centre for Intelligent Autonomous Manufacturing Systems (i-AMS) at Queen’s, Professor Mark University opens Price, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, said: £7.5m facility “The facility will provide key support to our Queen’s has opened a new £7.5 million new pioneer research programme, i-AMS. state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing “Both i-AMS and the new facility are open for technology facility, supporting its mission to business and are already making a difference enable more competitive supply chains with to the advanced manufacturing community increased productivity. in Northern Ireland and the UK. This is a The collaborative investment is one of great example of industry, government and the biggest in manufacturing by Queen’s, academia working in partnership to move the UK Government and Northern Ireland Northern Ireland forward.” industry partners. It has been supported by (L-R) Claire McAlinden, Director of Operations in the Department for Business, Energy and the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences; Huge global productivity Industrial Strategy, Innovate UK and the Adrian Murphy, Professor of Aeronautical Engineering; Aerospace Technology Institute. Professor Seán McLoone, Director of i-AMS and Colm boost in sight Higgins, Head of the NITC. Research led by Nathan Congdon, enterprise dedicated to providing affordable Ulverscroft Chair in Global Eye Health at glasses across the world, and Orbis, a global Queen’s, has shown that the provision of organisation fighting avoidable blindness. Researchers will examine archive records held glasses substantially improves productivity. Professor Congdon, who is also Director by the state, churches and relevant voluntary The research trial observed groups of Indian of Research at Orbis International, said: organisations with the primary task of tea pickers and showed that the provision of “We thought it was crucial to demonstrate preparing a detailed report on the day-to-day glasses improved their productivity by 21.7 that performance even of tasks which may operation and practices of the homes. per cent – and for those aged over 50 the not seem obviously visual can be boosted The research project will also have an oral increase was 31.6 per cent. so impressively by glasses. history element and the team is appealing for The findings represent the largest ever those who experienced life as a resident of a recorded productivity increase from any Nearly 90% of workers were still wearing Mother and baby homes - mother and baby home and/or a Magdalene health intervention. Spectacles not only “ their glasses by the end of the study and laundry – or those who worked in these homes improve workers’ output but could also virtually all were willing to pay to replace major review – to come forward and share their stories. reduce poverty to achieve a huge global them if needed; people knew they were Academics from Queen’s and Ulster productivity boost. If the improvement was benefitting from better vision.” To contact the research team, please email: University are leading a new research project replicated across India’s crop industry it would [email protected], call +44 (0) 28 9097 examining the history of mother and baby 3153 or write to: Professor Sean O’Connell, mean an extra $20 billion in growth from Professor Nathan Congdon was appointed homes – including the notorious Magdalene School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy productivity gains alone. to the Ulverscroft Chair of Global Eye Health laundries – in Northern Ireland. and Politics, Queen’s University Belfast, The research was sponsored by Clearly, at Queen’s in 2015, following a gift This project has been commissioned by the 25 University Square, Belfast, BT7 1NN. a global campaign to bring clear vision to of £800,000 from the UK visual-impairment “ Department of Health after the Executive the 2.5 billion people. It was carried out in charity, The Ulverscroft Foundation. Photo credit: Finnegan, F: Do Penance or Perish. acknowledged that there was limited knowledge collaboration with VisionSpring, a social A Study of Magdalen Asylums in Ireland. Congrave Press, Photo credit: © Sarah Day Photography / Clearly about their operation in Northern Ireland. Ireland, Piltown, Co. Kilkenny (2001). 7 Regarded as one of the most prestigious Queen’s climbs international listings and widely read around world rankings the world, the rankings system assesses over 4,000 institutions, from 88 diff erent The latest QS University World Rankings countries and ranks the world’s top 1,000. (issued in June) have placed Queen’s at No 180 – a climb of 22 places and a return The rankings are based on the expert opinions to the prestigious Top 200 of worldwide of more than 80,000 academics and 43,000 universities for 2019. employers, as well as an analysis of 13m research papers and 67m citations to measure In a University communication in which he the impact of the research produced by those thanked staff for the role they played in the universities ranked.

Load more