8 How to Catch a Bus in Tanzania, and Other Stories
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The magazine for alumni and friends of the University of Glasgow Issue 47 January 2010 Avenue How to catch a bus in Tanzania, 8 and other stories University of Glasgow www.glasgow.ac.uk We’d like to thank everyone who made 2009 a great year for Glasgow. To our researchers, whose innovation resulted in nearly 70% of the University’s research output being rated as world-leading or internationally excellent by the latest Research Assessment Exercise. To our hardworking students, who reported 90% satisfaction with their experience at Glasgow in the National Student Survey and whose positive feedback saw the University ranked 4th in the UK by the International Student Barometer 2009. To our teaching and service staff, whose dedication to continuing Glasgow’s proud reputation as one of the world’s top 100 universities was rewarded with rises in the league tables of The Guardian and The Times, to 17th and 19th places respectively. To our friends who are making links to Glasgow from across the globe. To the businessmen and women who’ve worked with us to achieve world-changing discoveries. To the schoolchildren and members of the local community who’ve engaged with learning from within our walls and beyond. Here’s to you. And here’s to a great 2010. How to contact Avenue Editorial Strategy Committee: Executive Editor: Susan Stewart Production Editor: Sarah Lincoln Cathy Bell, Alan Johnston, Welcome Alan Macfarlane, Emily Howie Contact details are listed below. All addresses are University of Welcome to the latest edition of Avenue, our Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ. twice-yearly magazine for alumni and friends Alumni news: Development & Alumni Office, of the University. 2 The Square tel: +44 (0)141 330 4951 It has been an exciting few months since I took up my role as email: [email protected] Principal of the University in October. Being an alumnus of Glasgow Giving to Glasgow: Development myself, I am delighted to rejoin the community here and to see how & Alumni Office, 2 The Square the University has gone from strength to strength over recent years. tel: +44 (0)141 330 4951 Avenue provides an excellent taste of just some of the areas that are email: [email protected] important to us and where we are achieving success. Changes of address and obituaries: The student experience is at the heart of the University’s ethos and Development & Alumni Office, the recent National Student Survey results show that today’s students 2 The Square tel: +44 (0)141 330 3210 gain great satisfaction from studying here. On pages 11-13 we look email: [email protected] at the results of the independent rankings and surveys in more detail and find out what makes Glasgow such a unique place in which to Letters to the Editor: Corporate Communications, study. 1 The Square tel: +44 (0)141 330 4919 As Glasgow’s 50th Principal, I am very proud to be head of a University steeped in history. On pages 17-19 email: [email protected] Lesley Richmond, Director of Archive Services, celebrates our heritage by bringing to life stories of the © University of Glasgow 2010. University’s past. ISSN 0950-7167. While our past is important to us, so is our future. In Avenue’s cover feature on pages 8-10, the work of the Produced by: Corporate Communications, Glasgow Centre for International Development is profiled and reveals how the University is not only investing University of Glasgow. in quality interdisciplinary research but is also sharing our skills, ideas and people with developing countries to help create a brighter future for all. Photography by the University Photographic Unit. In this issue we celebrate one of the University’s high flyers, Veterinary Medicine graduate turned rugby Additional photography provided professional Euan Murray, who was crowned Young Alumnus of the Year 2009. You can read about his sporting by Shutterstock, Development & achievements and fond memories of the University on page 20. Alumni Office, Hunterian Museum & Art Gallery, Archive Services. Over the next year I plan to attend as many of the alumni events that take place around the world as I can and Printed by PCP Ltd on 50% look forward to meeting some of you, our Avenue readers, then. In the meantime, thank you for your interest and recycled paper. support and I hope you enjoy reading this issue. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the University or the editors. All rights reserved. Nothing may be reproduced without written permission from the Editorial Strategy Committee. The University of Glasgow, charity Professor Anton Muscatelli number SC004401 Principal and Vice-Chancellor Half-Yearly Contents Meeting of the General Council News For the love Alumni news 02 Recent activities and 16 of words 21 Clubs, reunions and achievements Historical Thesaurus is personal news Wednesday, 3 February published 2010 Report to the Alumni are invited to Cover feature: join the Chancellor 08 The Glasgow Centre for Every archive 26 General Council and Principal at the International Development 17 tells a story Minutes from the Half- Yearly Meeting of the General Council Half- Archive Services Director General Council, including Yearly Meeting in the It’s a student’s life Lesley Richmond talks to the Principal’s report Senate Room at 6pm on 11 The student experience Avenue Wednesday, 3 February then and now 2010. Alumnus of the Exhibitions and Leading the way 20 Year 2009 29 events Read the report of the last What’s on at the Hunterian Professor Anton Muscatelli Congratulations to winner meeting on pages 26–7. 14 Museum steps up as Principal Euan Murray 02 News $10 million grant to eradicate rabies A team of researchers at Glasgow has been instrumental in securing a grant of almost $10 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to help eliminate rabies in low- income countries. Work carried out by Dr Sarah Cleaveland Work began at the end of 2009 to inoculate and colleagues from the Faculties of domestic dogs in Tanzania, with Dr Cleaveland Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical & Life overseeing the programme between Glasgow Sciences has formed the basis of a five- and the East African country. It is hoped year canine vaccination programme in three that this will eventually lead to the complete areas around the world. elimination of both dog and human rabies in the region. Received by the World Health Organisation, the grant will be used to introduce canine ‘Our research found that the circulation of a vaccination programmes in Tanzania, Kwa single virus strain in the Serengeti is driven by Zulu Natal in South Africa and the Visayas domestic dogs,’ says Dr Cleaveland. ‘If we are archipelago in the Philippines. Dr Cleaveland going to successfully eradicate rabies, we need will act as a key member of the scientific to vaccinate at least 70% of domestic dogs, advisory team on these projects. and so hit the virus at its source.’ Sarah Cleaveland at work overseas Small Animal Hospital opens its doors After more than ten years of planning and construction, the doors of Glasgow’s Small Animal Hospital opened over the summer. The £15m hospital offers facilities to train Based at the Garscube complex in Bearsden, building with some of the best specialist vets approximately 120 veterinary students and 30 the hospital has state-of-the-art facilities, in their field. As a training and treatment aid it nurses at a time, making Glasgow’s Faculty including a diagnostic imaging suite, is unsurpassed.’ of Veterinary Medicine one of the most complete with MRI and CT scanners, a unique advanced centres for learning pain and rehabilitation centre containing A dog’s tale and teaching in a hydrotherapy unit, several ultra-modern Four-year-old Irish wolfhound Mathilda was the world. operating theatres and the first comparative among the first patients to benefit from the oncology centre for animals in Scotland. new facilities when she was rushed to the hospital by her owners, Rob and Maggie Professor Stuart Reid, Dean of the Faculty of Williams, suffering from a suspected twisted Veterinary Medicine, believes the University stomach. Specialist small animal surgeon and the city of Glasgow itself can be Kathryn Pratschke operated on Mathilda proud of its new facility: ‘The and, after a short period of recuperation new hospital will allow vets and observation, she was allowed to return of tomorrow to learn in home where she made a full recovery. Rob the most advanced Williams afterwards praised the level of care surroundings, he received at the hospital, saying: ‘The guys linking the here have been so kind to us, you can have first-class the best facilities in the world but it’s the staff who make the difference.’ News 03 Glasgow Sleep Centre scoops Pfizer prize A team of scientists from the Glasgow Sleep Centre won the best patient support initiative category at the Pfizer Excellence in Oncology Awards. Professor Colin Espie and his team in the Section of Psychological Medicine at the University were recognised for the cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) programme they developed for cancer patients suffering insomnia. With the assistance of four cancer nurses trained as CBT therapists, one hundred people who had been successfully treated for cancer were treated with CBT over a five-week period. The results revealed a significant improvement in sleep continuity with participants falling asleep more quickly, sleeping better during the night and achieving more hours of sleep overall. The judges commented: ‘This study has successfully addressed a huge unmet need for many cancer patients and therefore is of real clinical significance. It could make a big difference to many patients.’ Dumfries Campus The programme also secured a grant from Cancer Research UK to study the potential benefits of welcomes new CBT therapy in cancer sufferers with insomnia.