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STAFF MAGAZINE | TRINITY term 2018 PAGES 18 and 19 PAGES TOM ROCKS MATHS TOM ROCKS contributors inSIDE EDITORIAL TEAM 3 Introduction: Research & Annette Cunningham Innovation team Internal Communications Manager Public Affairs Directorate 4 Day in the Life: Dr Julia Viebach, Faculty of Law Shaunna Latchman 6 Solving the Plastic Communications Officer (secondment) Problem Public Affairs Directorate 8 News Laetitia Velia 11 My Oxford: Senior Graphic Designer Hillier Wise Public Affairs Directorate 12 Teamwork: OTHER CONTRIBUTORS Ashmolean Events 14 Lifeline for Academics at Risk 15 Student Spotlight: Finley Sheppard Gail Anderson Liam Arnull John Kay Head of Communications Ambitious Futures Graduate Internal Communications and Marketing, Department Trainee (seconded from UAL) Manager, Oxford 16 Social Sciences: for Continuing Education University Press Impact Conference and Awards 18 COVER: Tom Rocks Maths 20 CuriOXities Chris Jarvis Rebecca Hedges Stuart Gillespie Education Officer, Administrative Assistant, Head of Research, Impact & 22 Continuing Education Oxford University Museum Public Affairs Directorate Innovation Communications of Natural History Public Affairs Directorate 24 Intermission 26 Open Days 28 What’s On 34 Bookshelf Meghan Lawson Harmanjit Sidhu Abby Swift HR Officer (Policy & Ambitious Futures Communications Officer, Communications), Graduate Trainee Academic Administration 35 Swift Action Personnel Services (seconded from SOAS) Division Cover photo: Dave Fleming 2 Blueprint | Trinity term 2018 Read me online at www.ox.ac.uk/blueprint inSIDE A new approach Stuart Gillespie, Head of the new Research & Innovation Communications team in the Public Affairs Directorate, explains how he and colleagues will be helping cement Oxford’s reputation as a world-leading place of research and innovation Can you tell us about the new structure in the Public Affairs Directorate? Colleagues will be familiar with the News & Information Office within the Public Affairs Directorate (PAD) as the first point of contact for media and communications issues – from research stories to sensitive reputational matters. There are now two teams handling media and communications, one of which has the remit of promoting research, impact and the innovation agenda. PAD has also recruited two new members of staff to manage campaigns as part of our new approach to how we communicate with the wider world – including our strength as a research institution and as a place of innovation. Fleiming What will the new approach to research communications involve? Dave The new approach is rooted in feedback about how the University is perceived University – as well as the international Stuart Gillespie (centre) with by others. This suggested that, given impact and benefit of the research. team members Chris McIntyre and Lanisha Butterfield its undoubted strength in research Over the coming weeks and months we’ll and innovation across the full range of be consulting with colleagues across the academic disciplines, Oxford doesn’t have University on what these themes should the reputation it merits among external be. While this is happening, we’ll continue audiences. We want to help change that. preparing for our opening campaign on AI. After reviewing how we communicate What will happen to research that research, we’ve decided to move away from isn’t part of a themed campaign? our traditional press release-led mainstream Our new approach is about making the best media-focused approach, towards a more – and most impactful – use of our resources targeted strategy. in PAD. But we realise Oxford’s research is We’ll be running creative, digital-led world-leading across the board, so divisions campaigns on selected research themes – will continue to have a first point of contact starting with one on artificial intelligence within the team. We’ll continue to help (AI) this summer – and we’ll be targeting publicise research stories that might not more specialist, engaged, influential fit into a campaign theme but are likely to audiences with whom we can create real generate significant interest and impact impact. This will include specialist media, outside the University. For more politicians and policymakers, and industry By putting resources into themed campaigns information about and funding bodies. we may not, from now on, be able to say this new approach How will you choose the research yes to every request for help with publicity. please contact themes? But we hope that colleagues will see the Stuart Gillespie, We’re looking for research themes that benefits of our new, more targeted approach, Head of Research share a few characteristics: existing cross- and that with the help of communications & Innovation disciplinary strength at Oxford, clear colleagues across the University, there will Communications at external interest, strong Oxford voices still be avenues for anyone who wants to stuart.gillespie@ and demonstrable strategic benefit to the promote their research. admin.ox.ac.uk Blueprint | Trinity term 2018 3 Day in the life of Julia Viebach Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellow at the Faculty of Law Dr Julia Viebach talks to Annette Cunningham about her role at the University and her photographic exhibition Kwibuka Rwanda (Remembering Rwanda) currently on display at the Pitt Rivers Museum – a translation of research into an art piece that introduces the world of Rwanda’s genocide memorials to the public 4 Blueprint | Trinity term 2018 ince joining the University five years ago Public Julia has undertaken various roles. On Viebach engagement and arrival she was a postdoctoral research S Julia engaging with fellow as part of a knowledge exchange Julia Viebach your work in project. This was followed by a Career an artistic way Development Lectureship and her current can make a real Leverhulme Fellowship role. difference In September this year, she takes up a Nyange Genocide new post as Departmental Lecturer at the Memorial, Western African Studies Centre to strengthen her Province, Rwanda regional expertise on Rwanda and the Great Lakes Region. ‘I have transformed this research into the Kwibuka Rwanda exhibition, which aims Like many people, Julia spends part of her to raise further awareness of the 1994 working day responding to emails and Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and dealing with administrative tasks. ‘I usually what we can learn from it.’ try to finish those by lunchtime, so that I have the afternoon to read, write and engage The photos displayed reveal the meaning of with my projects in a meaningful way,’ she memorials for survivors, and shares their explains. attempts to remake their world and be closer to their loved ones. ‘It’s an educational ‘I feel like I’ve had a particularly good opportunity to learn about the pain of day when I accomplish something, distant “others” in a time of heightened be it finishing a draft of an article or xenophobia and indifference to the suffering summarising field notes and thinking about of “others”.’ conceptual frameworks. Julia feels it is vital to work with non- In addition to teaching Transitional Justice academic partners and to reach out to the on the MSc in Criminology and Criminal public and to those communities affected Justice for the Centre for Criminology, most by her research. where she is based, Julia is currently ‘For the launch of the Kwibuka Rwanda pursuing two major research avenues. exhibition and the commemoration event, ‘The first one lies within my Leverhulme I worked with the Ishami Foundation, project Atrocity’s Archives: The Remnants the National Association of Rwandese of Transitional Justice in Rwanda. I am Communities in UK and the Rwandese particularly interested in the narratives Community Association Oxford. that emerge in the archival material of ‘At the exhibition’s launch around 180 the International Criminal Tribunal for interested people stood with the Rwandan Rwanda, and those of Rwanda’s local Gacaca community to reflect on what happened. Courts, from a comparative perspective. It was an absolutely fantastic experience to ‘I explore how themes such as dignity, see people from the University, the general forgiveness and reconciliation are addressed public and the Rwandan community in the archival texts and what different engaging with the exhibition,’ continues narratives emerge about the same crimes.’ Julia. Her second research avenue lies with ‘Many members of the Rwandan her doctoral research regarding the community, many of them survivors commemoration of the 1994 Genocide themselves, were deeply touched by the from a survivors’ perspective. exhibition and felt a direct connection to their own lives and experiences during the ‘I conducted numerous interviews with Genocide. The Kwibuka Rwanda survivors working at memorial sites, (Remembering learning about what memorials and ‘This day made me realise that for us Rwanda) exhibition is commemoration mean to them,’ she academics there is more than getting on display at the Pitt explains. ‘And importantly, why they have published in high-ranked international Rivers Museum until pledged their lives to clean, preserve and journals. Public engagement and engaging 28 September 2018 take care of the remains and bodies of with your work in an artistic way can make www.prm.ox.ac.uk/ their loved ones. a real difference.’ whatson Blueprint | Trinity term 2018 5 Fleiming Dave Professor Peter Edwards with Dr Zhaoxi Zhang Solving the plastic problem Stuart Gillespie reports on how Oxford Sustainable Fuels, an Oxford University