Structural Biology Unit @ the Biocentre Welcome to Reading : Reading
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Reading : reading Spring 2003 | issue 33 Structural Biology Unit @ The BioCentre Welcome to Reading : reading You will see some changes in this edition of The photograph on the Reading : reading, the magazine for alumni, Friends left shows past issues of The University of Reading and supporters of The University of Reading. In magazine. The very first issue, order to ensure that you are kept as fully up-to-date printed in November 1914, as possible with news of the University, from now dates back to the days when on we plan to publish two issues each year. These Reading was still a University Extension College based at will incorporate alumni news which was formerly London Road. published separately in Alumni and Friends. Do keep your news coming in, and anything we are unable to fit into the magazine we are happy to publish on the alumni web pages at www.reading.ac.uk/alumni. There have been a few other minor changes and we hope you will enjoy the end result. Email is becoming more and more important as a means of contacting alumni. It is the fastest, cheapest and easiest way of letting people know about events and activities that could interest them, and if we don’t already know it, please do let us have your email address. You can update this via the alumni website, which will be improved over the next few months so keep an eye out for changes there too. A big thank you to our stalwart former team of volunteers on the magazine; Ted Bell, Rosemary Chapman, Stella Rymer, and Jill Williams have all worked for many years and many enthusiastic hours on the alumni magazine in its various incarnations, and we wish them well for the future. Finally, if you would like information on any of the courses at the University – undergraduate, postgraduate, part-time or one of the many short courses that are now run here – details are on the University web-site, or we are always willing to pass on requests for prospectus or any other information. Marion Armson, Alumni Officer Did you leave Reading in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 or 2002? Then you are invited to the Grand Reunion! For the first time ever, RUSU are hosting an evening especially for alumni at 3sixty, the new purpose built nightclub in the totally refurbished RUSU hall. Come and see 3sixty – have a good night out – meet up with old friends! • Disco – all the classic hits from your uni days • Bars – 3 bars – relive the Snakey-B experience! • Food – cheesey chips and plenty more! • Tickets £6 advance/£10 on the door Accommodation (limited): ensuite B&B available at £45, standard at £30. Ring the Alumni Office on 0118 378 8006 to book tickets and accommodation. See www.reading.ac.uk/alumni or email [email protected]. Add your name to the list! News Feature The University of Reading magazine Editor Ian Burn Editorial board Marion Armson, Matt Carey, Carol Derham, First interview with the new All change at Sonning 8 Veronica Kay, Brenda Morris and Sue Rayner. Vice-Chancellor plus all the Reading : reading is latest University news 2 published by The University of Reading, Whiteknights, Feature Feature Reading rg6 6ah. Editorial Office Alumni Office, Whiteknights House Annexe, The University of Reading, po Box 217, Reading rg6 6ah. Tel: +44 (0)118 378 8006 Fax: +44 (0)118 378 6587 E-mail: [email protected] World Wide Web: Shakespeare’s music 12 Children’s literature 14 www.rdg.ac.uk Design and editorial consultancy Text Matters www.textmatters.com Feature Feature Printers Warners Midlands plc, The Maltings, Manor Lane, Bourne, Lincolnshire pe10 9ph. Photography University Media Production Unit and individual contributors. The views expressed in Gardening in the global Measuring soil moisture from Reading : reading are solely those of the individual authors greenhouse 16 space 18 and do not necessarily reflect those of the University, The Friends of the University, The University of Reading Society or members of the Editorial Alumni news Plus… Board. Cover image: High The ‘Where are you now?’ section Footprints in the sand 10 resolution structure of starch phosphorylase from is now part of the main magazine. cornyebacterium callunae. News printed here, other alumni The first protein structure Structural Biology Unit determined by the Structural news and details of future events @ the BioCentre 15 Biology Unit using The University’s new X-ray are on the alumni website, which crystallography facility. you can find at www.reading.ac.uk/ International news 25 alumni 19 University merchandise back page 2 University news University news 3 University news been good at invention, but poor at application. In order to overcome the problem of ‘excellent research, poor development’, all universities are now expected to build a ‘third leg’ of activities to sit alongside teaching and research. We must find new and effective ways of trans- ferring the results of research out into the world of busi- ness, industry, public policy and practice, the world of the modern knowledge economy – which is not inconsistent with scholarship. The ‘regional powerhouse’ We need to work with the local community and with regional partners in business, industry, government, health- care, and the Regional Devel- opment Agency, to develop enterprise and innovation activity. We need to build Listen to the Vice-Chancellor on 17 May. See page 19 for details. new strategic alliances with local and regional colleges, so that we can play the part we are required to in deliver- ing the national agenda of The new Vice-Chancellor civic integration – enhancing social mix and widening par- ticipation among those who enter higher education. outlines the future My vision is of Reading as a regional powerhouse for the knowledge economy. We I was absolutely delighted to South Oxfordshire science to meet new challenges of Research and teaching need to promote ourselves be offered the post of Vice- complex. these uncertain times. excellence as a university and a location Chancellor at Reading and We will continue with the where innovation happens, the opportunity to contribute Profile raising Under-funding and drive on research excellence. where exciting new knowl- to the University’s future at But not all of this is quite as uncertainty If we want to keep our posi- edge is generated, and inter- an important time – indeed a visible as perhaps it should Universities are being asked tion in the research league, esting people come and go. crossroads – for higher edu- be. We’re good – really good to achieve much more nowa- we must do even better. We And that message needs to cation in this country. – but I have a strong sense days than ever they were in must try harder for research get out from campus, to the The University of Reading we have to make a much bet- the past. The whole higher grants, and also find new town and local businesses, is probably the best kept ter job of selling ourselves. education sector is suffer- ways of enriching teaching back to funding and regional secret in the Thames Valley. How many people in the ing from a history of chronic and learning – recognising development agencies, and It is truly an institution of region know that Reading under-investment and uncer- that quality assurance is no indeed all round the world which the town – indeed is one of the top twenty tainty about future direction longer sufficient and that via our international commu- the whole country – can be research universities in of policy and funding, which quality enhancement is now nity of graduates. We must proud. It is one of the top country? The world of higher is in the long run unsustain- the name of the game. Nowa- see to it that they report back twenty research universities education in which we now able. The decision has been days teaching includes life- in very positive terms about in the whole UK. It employs live is highly competitive. The a long time coming and much long learning, and continuing ‘the Reading experience’ to many groups of researchers, UK has moved to a system delayed. But now we do at education is a corporate rest of Europe and beyond. individual scientists and of mass higher education. last have the Government responsibility and no longer So here at Reading we’re scholars, who are known Institutions are becoming White Paper that will shape an optional add-on. far better positioned than throughout the world for the more diverse – and more higher education policy in the most to flourish in this new quality of their work. It has aggressive – in an attempt to coming years. Many of you Knowledge transfer and still developing environ- a well-deserved reputation secure a larger share of the will have seen the extensive We must expand knowledge ment. Meeting these new for excellence in teaching, limited available resources, media coverage, and may transfer in arts, humanities challenges will not be easy, has pleasant campuses in a to attract the brightest stu- well be wondering what this and social sciences no less but we are determined to vibrant local community and dents, and recruit and retain will mean for The University than in life and physical succeed. is superbly placed for access the best staff. We cannot be of Reading. sciences. In this country Professor Gordon Marshall to Heathrow, London and the complacent and must evolve we have for many decades Reading : reading | issue 33 Reading : reading | issue 33 2 University news University news 3 The private lives Mammoths of Pompeii in Jersey Dr Les James, of the Institute Dr James has worked of Education recently returned for many years in the from the Channel Islands Channel Islands, particularly with a signifi cant fi nd; a Alderney, gathering evidence mammoth tooth found in infi ll for Quaternary (last two gravels in Jersey.