Seven Stories Stem Cells Mat Tait Relief in Darfur Visit: Arches Contents
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The Newcastle University Alumni Association Magazine Issue 10 / Winter 2007 Arches Seven Stories Stem Cells Mat Tait Relief in Darfur Visit: Arches Contents www.ncl.ac.uk/alumni Development and Alumni Relations Office Newcastle University 6 Kensington Terrace Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU Telephone: + 44 (0) 191 222 7250 Fax: + 44 (0) 191 222 5905 E-mail: [email protected] Contents Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/alumni 04 Cover image: Story Lab, Seven Stories, the Centre for Children’s Book. © Infinite Design Contributors: Dan Howarth (editor), James Johnston, 08 Martin Cox, Sarah Andrews, Gemma Davies, Stewart 10 Evans, Liz O’Sullivan, Katja Linssen, Bill Herbert,Anna Wright, Caroline Callaghan and the Press Office. Acknowledgements: Many thanks to Kathryn Row and Alison Neill at Seven Stories, Cathy Atkinson at 04 – 06 Arches Feature Arches Feature Cravens Advertising,Anna Wright and Laura White at Gardiner Richardson, Colin Willis at Business Link, News 10 –11 14 –15 Gail Fulthorpe at Northern Rock, Mark Smith at Keep up to date with the latest Newcastle Falcons RFC, Christine Macgregor and Harnessing the Seven flights of fancy news straight from campus Suzanne Fairless-Aitken at Bloodaxe Books,Adam We delve into the world of Seven Chataway, Gerry Dane, Gareth Trainer, Carole Riley, power of stem cells Stories, the Centre for Children’s Books Alison Pickard, the staff at the Press Office and The Arches Feature Martin Cox looks at recent Courier.Very special thanks to Marion Wilson, Shirley developments in stem cell research Tindle, Dave Whitfield at Infinite Design, and all the 07 Arches Feature staff in DARO, who have helped to make this at Newcastle magazine possible. The perpetual 16 –17 Arches Picture credits with thanks: Alex Telfer for Cravens; apprentice Water relief in Darfur Sporting-heroes.net, North News and Pictures, BioTransformations Ltd, Newcastle University Print A look at the work of sculptor 12 –13 The story of Sarah Andrews, an Services, The Courier and Eddie Gerald. Jennifer Allinson, on the eve of her Breaking news in alumna working amidst the conflict ACS Board members are: Dan Howarth (editor, latest exhibition deep within Sudan DARO; alum), Lauren Huntington (DARO), Kara Byers Tel Aviv (alum), Sharmishta Chatterjee-Banerjee (Business Arches Feature Arches chats to editor and Arches Interview School), Prof Patrick Chinnery (Faculty of Medical journalist Jeff Barak Sciences), Robin Cordy (alum), Dr Eric Cross (Faculty 08 – 09 18 –19 of Humanities & Social Sciences), Gemma Davies (Union Society; alum), Melanie Reed (Press & A formula for success Bird of prey Communications Office), Mark Scrimshaw (Chair of the Alumni Association; alum), Helen Stark (alum), Arches meets Chris Brink, Arches chats to Rugby World Melissa Suddes (Student Recruitment Office), Gareth Newcastle University’s seventh Cup finalist and Newcastle Trainer (Careers Service; alum), and Dr Andrew Young (Faculty of Science,Agriculture & Engineering). Vice-Chancellor student, Mat Tait Arches 02 The Newcastle University Alumni Association Magazine Foreword Mark Scrimshaw, Chair of the Alumni Association ‘Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until faced.’ James Baldwin Welcome to the latest Arches, and at a 12 16 particularly relevant point in a university’s history – when a new vice-chancellor takes residence. Chris Brink is a man with a fascinating and vigorous past. He comes to us after five years as Vice-Chancellor at Stellenbosch, having been active at universities in Australia as well as South Africa. His personal commitment to equality of access is well known, as was his active part in the transition period from apartheid amongst South African academic institutions.Whatever struggles we face, they are as nothing compared to that one, and I welcome a man with his record to 14 30 our University. Professor Brink will have been one man in the region to be happy at the outcome of the Rugby World Cup, but a key reason for England’s gutsy and unexpected run to the final is 20 24 – 25 also celebrated in this edition. Mathew Tait is a second-year Pride in the Lion The Courier Biomedical Sciences student, and he’ll be remembered for many years for the blistering run that so nearly pulled off the A preview of a new book, Highlights from the University’s Cup – but hopefully it’s a memory which will be soon chronicling the history of award-winning student newspaper overshadowed by other exploits. Newcastle University’s Rugby Club It’s also time for the second election to the Alumni 28 Consultative Group, which represents you all to the University, 22 and administers the Fund. I’d like to personally thank the Classnotes members of the ACG over the past three years for their efforts Going solo Catch up with the latest news and support in what’s occasionally been a turbulent time, but The first in a new series:Tips on from old friends and acquaintances which has been rewarding and illuminating – and with things how to set up your own business around the world like the Great North Museum and the New Writers’ Centre to come, the future looks equally bright. 23 30 – 31 Details on how to get nominated for the ACG can be found on page 29 – and this of course applies to current The Hotlist Events members who need to stand again. Our pick of flourishing alumni Notice of upcoming events, and a businesses and how to make use review of Reunion Weekend 2007 of their services Mark Scrimshaw 03 Visit: Arches News www.ncl.ac.uk/alumni For more information about any of these features,and to keep up to date with the very latest alumni news from Newcastle University, News visit:www.ncl.ac.uk/alumni Cooking up new New research set to improve ways to teach science hi-tech security Scientists at Newcastle University have developed an inventive way of improving password security for hand-held devices such as the iPhone, Blackberry and Smartphone. The software, which uses pictures instead of letters and numbers, could also soon be expanded into other areas. The team of computer scientists, led by Dr Jeff Yan,have developed the alternative software in response to growing concerns over the security of traditional passwords created from words and numbers.The BDAS system, which builds on existing DAS technology, allows users to create ‘graphical passwords’ on top of a background image.Those who took part in testing the system created passwords that were Rose Stephenson, whose innovative kits are improving science education in hopitals significantly more secure than ordinary text, and Recent graduate Rose Stephenson (BSc with ideas to make the kits fun to use.’ most testers also found them easier to remember. Medical Microbiology and Immunology Her dissertation research showed Dr Yan has received a £66,000 grant from 2007) is inspiring young scientists of that hospital teachers need simple, Microsoft Research (MSR) to support his work, the future with her innovative hospital inexpensive materials that are safe, easily which will also enable the team to carry out science kits. transportable and accessible for pupils further research into how easily the BDAS system Thousands of sick children miss out with disabilities. can be used by people who have difficulty with on practical science lessons every year After discovering there were no kits textual systems, such as those with dyslexia. simply because hospital teachers do not currently available that matched these Dr Jeff Yan demonstrating the BDAS system have access to the necessary resources. needs, the 22-year-old set out to produce By using cheap household items a lab kit, workbook and accompanying such as vinegar and sugar, Rose has devised teachers’ guide for practical Key Stage 3 kits which are safe, fun and easy to use. science lessons. She also designed similar The kits have proved so successful that a packages to help pupils complete A level company in Middlesex is now looking to Biology course work – all in just ten weeks! market them across the country. ‘Every item in the kit can either be ‘Obviously, you can’t use a Bunsen found at home or bought from a local burner in bed, so I had to improvise and shop,’ added Rose.‘The aim is for the kits either alter existing experiments to fit, or to be cheap to re-stock, and safe – the invent my own that were suitable for use most dangerous item is vinegar, and the in a hospital setting,’ said Rose.‘I’m a bit of worst that will do is taste horrible if you a science geek really and loved coming up drink it!’ Arches 04 The Newcastle University Alumni Association Magazine Light-activated Willow antibodies help Foundation lays roots in fight cancer Newcastle Scientists at Newcastle University have Earlier this year, Newcastle University was the developed a cancer-fighting technology which host for an event publicising the work of the uses light to activate antibodies which very Willow Foundation. specifically attack tumours. Founded in 1999 by BBC presenter and Therapeutic antibodies have long been former Arsenal goalkeeper, Bob Wilson and his recognised as having excellent potential, but wife Megs, the Willow Foundation funds special getting them to efficiently target tumour cells days for young adults who suffer from serious has proved to be very difficult. illness.The Foundation was established in Now, Professor Colin Self and Dr Stephen memory of the couple’s daughter,Anna, who Thompson have developed a procedure to cloak tragically died at the age of 31 from malignant antibodies, which can then be activated by schwannoma, a rare form of cancer. UV-A light and so can be targeted to a specific Over 70 members of staff from the area of the body just by shining a probe at the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust attended the relevant part.