Finding My Feet 22 Balancing Act 24
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ALUMNI AND FRIENDS // AUTUMN 2016 A fond farewell Baroness Hale reflects on her time as Chancellor Hole in the heart A revolution in medicine The road ahead Your University launches a new strategy A fond farewell ALUMNI AND FRIENDS // AUTUMN 2016 We thank our Chancellor for 13 years at the helm of the University Page 14 Contents Features The road ahead 6 Hole in the heart 10 A fond farewell 14 Letter to my lecturer 20 Finding my feet 22 Balancing act 24 News Latest from Bristol 2 In pictures 4 Listings In memoriam 27 Events 28 4 10 6 Graduation 2016 © Bhagesh Sachania Photography Sachania Bhagesh © 2016 Graduation Autumn 2016 // nonesuch 1 Latest from Bristol bristol.ac.uk/news News In brief Former Bristol academic and Nobel Prize winner Professor Sir Angus Deaton was awarded the University’s highest honour earlier this year, an Honorary Fellowship, for his distinction in the field of economics. His Awards Awards research has had a significant and lasting Writing residency award Queen’s Anniversary Prize impact at Bristol and Playwright Ian McHugh has been named Professor Hugh Brady, Vice-Chancellor around the world. as the first ever recipient of the annual of the University of Bristol, has been Kevin Elyot Award by the University of presented with the Queen’s Anniversary Aircraft engineer and Bristol Theatre Collection. Prize for Higher Education on behalf of Bristol graduate Emma the University. England (MEng 2013) is The award, created in the memory of the renowned flying the flag for women playwright, screenwriter and Bristol drama alumnus, The prize, also presented to Denis Burn (BSc 1975), in engineering after being will support Ian to create a new dramatic work Chair of the Board of Trustees, and Professor named the Best of British inspired by Kevin’s archive, which was donated to Katharine Cashman, leader of Bristol’s Volcanology Engineering at the Semta the collection by his sister following his death in 2014. University Group, is the highest accolade for any academic Skills Awards. The archive comprises hundreds of scripts, institution. HRH Prince Charles and the Duchess of correspondence, manuscripts and publicity material Cornwall gave the award in recognition of Bristol’s Katharine Cashman, detailing Kevin’s work from initial idea to finished Institute receives world-leading research in volcanology. Professor of Volcanology product from across his entire career. in the School of Earth Classics funding Sciences, and Professor David Lodge, Visiting The A. G. Leventis Foundation has Fellow in the School awarded a grant of £147,819 to the University of Physiology and University of Bristol’s Institute of Pharmacology, have Greece, Rome and the Classical achieved the rare Tradition. Nobel Prize winner announced distinction of being The award will be used to fund a elected fellows of the as University’s next Chancellor postdoctoral fellowship programme based world’s most eminent and Sir Paul Nurse, a Nobel Prize-winning scientist and former President within the Institute, continuing the support oldest scientific academy of the Royal Society, has been named as the next Chancellor of the already received from the Foundation. in continuous existence: University of Bristol. ‘We are delighted that the A. G. Leventis the Royal Society. Foundation has once more agreed to fund a Medicine A leading geneticist and cell biologist, Sir academics on its staff. It is an exciting Alumni postdoctoral fellowship programme,’ says Bristol’s Dr Matthew Paul’s work on the control of cell division time for the University with a new Vice- Dr Nicoletta Momigliano, Reader in Aegean Drug-resistant infections Ridd has been awarded underpins current research into treatments Chancellor at the helm.’ Bristol alumni in Rio Prehistory and Director of the Institute. the 2017 John Fry Award for cancer and other serious diseases. ‘The current holder of the A. G. Leventis A consortium of nine academics from the by the Royal College of His contributions to science were ‘Universities have a huge It was two golds and a silver for Bristol Fellowship in Greek Studies is Dr Adam University of Bristol has been awarded General Practitioners recognised with a knighthood in 1999. role to play in providing alumni after 25-year-old hockey player Lecznar, whose research, teaching and £1.5 million to carry out research on and Society of Academic In addition, Sir Paul’s endeavours relating knowledge and thought Georgie Twigg (LLB 2012) helped her outreach activities in local Bristol schools antibiotic resistance (AMR) in animals Primary Care. Dr Ridd is a team to defeat defending champions and the risks it poses to humans. to the discovery of molecules that regulate leadership as we develop have been outstanding. We are very happy practising GP and Senior the cell cycle saw him jointly awarded the the Netherlands in a tense final. that another young scholar will be able to Lecturer at the University a future Britain’ The award, from the Natural Environment Research Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine Hannah Mills (Diploma 2013), along with partner follow in his footsteps.’ Council (NERC), the Biotechnology and Biological of Bristol. in 2001. Over the last 30 years, Sir Paul has Saskia Clark, also netted top honours in the The A. G. Leventis Foundation promotes Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Sir Paul said: ‘I am delighted to have held many senior research leadership women’s 470 sailing. The two golds, added to Greek and Cypriot cultural heritage Medical Research Council (MRC) is part of the been appointed to be the University roles, including Director General of the silver won by Tom Mitchell (BA 2011) in the and supports numerous public benefit ‘AMR in the Real World’ call. A major aim of the of Bristol’s next Chancellor. Bristol is a the Imperial Cancer Research Fund, men’s rugby 7s, means that if the University programmes, pioneering environmental University of Bristol project is to test whether AMR university I have long admired: high quality and since 2011, Director and Chief of Bristol were a country, it would lie 39th in projects and medical research. bacteria from cattle cause drug resistant infections research, great students and excellent Executive of the Francis Crick Institute. the final medal table. in humans. 2 nonesuch // Autumn 2016 Autumn 2016 // nonesuch 3 In pictures News 1 2 University 1 Modernist grotto unveiled in Bristol Hollow, a piece of public artwork made from 10,000 tree samples from across the world, was unveiled by the University earlier this year. City 2 Royal Fort Garden awarded top accolade Bristol’s Royal Fort Garden has been named one of the best green spaces in the country with a prestigious Green Flag Award. Medicine 3 A new bio-ink for 3D printing with stem cells Bristol scientists have developed a bio-ink containing stem cells, allowing 3D printing of living tissue for surgical implants. University 3 4 4 New student ‘habitat’ opens in landmark building The former Habitat store on Clifton Triangle has been transformed into a student centre, public reception and café. Achievements 5 Honorary degree awarded to FGM activist Activist Fahma Mohamed received a Doctor of Laws accolade from Bristol for her work on campaigns to end female genital mutilation. University 6 Bristol’s courses are among 5 6 7 the best in the world Data from the QS World University Rankings by Subject has listed 28 subjects taught by the University of Bristol in the world’s top 100. Students 7 Bristol a cappella group claims national title The Bristol Suspensions beat off stiff competition to be named University A Cappella Champions at the Voice Festival UK. 4 nonesuch // Autumn 2016 Autumn 2016 // nonesuch 5 Theroad ahead University A new focus on internationalisation, enhanced physical and digital infrastructure, stronger research partnerships and a first-class student experience… Richard Elliott gets the inside story on the University’s new Vision and Strategy. Visualisation of the proposed new heart of Bristol’s main campus 6 nonesuch // Autumn 2016 Autumn 2016 // nonesuch 7 student wellbeing and enabling students to Physical and digital infrastructure develop their personal resilience and self- The University will continue its rolling reliance are vital in ensuring that our students investment across campus in high-quality In numbers get the best from university life. academic infrastructure. Our new Strategy proposes a transformation Research, innovation and partnerships of key physical features of the main campus to The University of Bristol is ranked among create a welcoming, highly-visible and student- 1,000 alumni from 50 countries the world’s leading research-intensive centred heart for the University. This will universities. Our reputation is built upon our involve the provision of new facilities including shared their thoughts via core disciplinary strength and breadth, in a new University Library and a ‘Global online surveys and forums which we will continue to invest and build. Lounge’. Existing buildings will be remodelled Through our new Strategy, we will build and enhancements made to the University’s on our current position; the establishment external public realm. 2,000 of a limited number of Specialist Research Looking further ahead, the University is staff, students and external Institutes will give greater external exploring a range of options for the creation stakeholders expressed visibility to areas of research where Bristol of an additional campus within the city. is particularly strong, and the creation of their views