Interview with From Practice to Professor Penglais Mary King

Hateful the man who loves not the country that nurtured him 29 Contents Moc Lewis brings together over 50,000 Welsh Culture Officer & UMCA President 2 News alumni around the world with news from Aber, our latest research and key This year is quite different from the usual, but there is real 4 Creating a Centre of Excellence developments across the campus. excitement as Pantycelyn re-opens its doors and continues for Bovine TB to be a focal point for Aber’s Welsh culture. As part of the 6 Fundraising expedition to Make sure you’re getting the most drive to reopen the Hall I was struck by the importance of North America, 1890 out of this alumni network – see ‘Stay our alumni community and the invaluable contribution 8 Old College connected’ section below. that Pantycelyn has had over the decades. It’s now our turn to write the next chapter. My aim is to try to engage 10 Old Students’ Association (OSA) The Old College, medieval seals, UMCA with the wider University and to develop an active 12 From Practice to Penglais alumni volunteering, our new School and vibrant community. UMCA is here to of Veterinary Science and lots more are 14 Interview – Professor Mary King protect the rights and interests of Welsh-speaking students packed into this latest edition. 18 Giving to Aber and we will continue to do so by sitting on various councils We hope you enjoy reading Prom, as Welcome and boards within the University. We are 20 New Impressions through always. If you have any comments looking forward with enthusiasm to the Medieval Seals please get in touch. Dealing with the implications of a global pandemic was not on my exciting Old College development and to 22 What’s new on campus radar when I wrote my welcome message for the last edition of . contributing to its Project Board. It is a Dylan Jones However, here at Aber we have faced the challenges head-on, and unique resource to increase Alumni Engagement and Individual our staff and students have adapted incredibly well to new ways of University’s presence in the heart of the Giving Manager working and learning. town, and is a golden opportunity [email protected] for everyone, whether students or There is much to celebrate in this edition of Prom, not least the news residents in the area, to immerse that Aberystwyth is the best UK university for teaching quality and themselves in learning, culture student experience according to The Times / The Sunday Times Good Stay Connected and creativity. It will be a huge University Guide 2021 – this on top of another great performance in boost to the local community @aber_alumni the 2021. I do hope that all our news and as well as and beyond. stimulating articles brings you further cheer as well as pride in the 14 Aberystwyth Alumni | Cyn-fyfyrwyr Aber continued success of your University. +44 (0) 1970 62 1568 I am grateful to all alumni and friends who have supported us in so Nate Pidcock [email protected] many ways. On p.2, we launch the exciting news of a major European Opportunities Fund providing grants for student placements in EU/EEA Students’ Union President aber.ac.uk/alumni countries in support of our strategic objectives for student mobility. It’s been exciting to welcome students back on to campus in I am deeply grateful to William for donating a total of £525,000 to what will be a quite different academic year. In my role I’ll be Remember to keep your contact establish the Fund. In launching the Fund with William in 2021, we making sure the student voice is heard across the University details and preferences updated, visit 20 will also pay tribute to the major impact of Aberystwyth alumni in the and the several committees I sit on. I’ll be looking to improve alumni.aber.ac.uk EU and Europe. These include Honorary Fellow Hywel Ceri Jones, all aspects of student life. One of my main aims is to work 29 | The Magazine of often referred to as the ‘Father of the Erasmus programme’, Gwyn with the University to support students who are struggling Morgan, EU Ambassador to Israel and South East Asia and Honorary with their mental health. This is a national agenda that needs Fellow Aneurin (Nye) Hughes, who sadly died in 2020 following a Privacy Policy our attention, made even more important following the Published by: Aberystwyth University distinguished career in the EU, including as EU Ambassador to Norway isolation that has partnered COVID. Having benefitted from Our privacy statement gives additional and Australia. Nye will be greatly missed by alumni friends around alumni funded projects myself, I recognise the importance Designed by: The Design Studio, information on the data we hold on Aberystwyth University the world and would, I am sure, have been heartened by the news and impact that support has on the lives of students and I you, how it is collected and processed, of the Fund. look forward to further developing the support Printed by: McLays what we do with that data, and your of our amazing global community of 60,000 rights under GDPR. You can read the Finally, thank you to all those who responded to the alumni survey and Cover: Seal of Sibyl de Bonville alumni. We’re excited by the Old College new privacy statement in full here for all the ongoing feedback we get from our alumni. As we approach project and want to play our part. It will bring www.aber.ac.uk/en/development/ our 150th birthday year in 2022/23, there will be many opportunities for much need facilities for our students in The views expressed in are those of data-protection you to re-join us here or meet us at an event elsewhere in the world, the town, creating a new hub of energy and individual authors and do not represent the so do keep in touch. In the meantime, enjoy this edition of PROM. events, bringing together students and the University other than where stated. Although community to support and celebrate every effort has been made to ensure the Professor accuracy and reliability of material published, each other. Vice- the publishers accept no liability for claims made by contributors. 1 NEWS

Awards and Accolades Aberystwyth’s Old College redevelopment Major research projects awarded funding University offers free Best UK university for teaching quality from European Regional Development and student experience fundraising wins global award online training on Aberystwyth is the best Aberystwyth University staff have won a prestigious global Fund domestic abuse during award for the first phase of their fundraising appeal to university in the UK for Two major research projects COVID-19 teaching quality and student redevelop the Old College. by Aberystwyth University experience, according to the A research project in the Department The relatively new Development and Alumni Relations team at and Cork The Times / The Sunday Times of Law & Criminology has been Good University Guide 2021, the University have succeeded in raising £12.3 million towards have been awarded funding offering free online training to as the University continues to the costs of redeveloping the iconic seaside building in the by the European Regional frontline practitioners across the climb the league tables. town as a major cultural and creative centre for students, the Development Fund as part of United Kingdom dealing with cases community and visitors. That fundraising helped to trigger a the INTERREG Ireland-Wales Aberystwyth is ranked 1st in the of domestic abuse among older UK for Student Experience and further £7 million from the Welsh Government and EU funding. programme. people during the current coronavirus for Teaching Quality, up from The fundraising efforts have now received world-wide The ECHOES project will 2nd last year. Aberystwyth has lockdown. recognition from the Council for Advancement and Support explore the effects of climate now been the top university in Based at the Centre for Age, Gender of Education (CASE) with a Circle of Excellence Award. change on the habitats of two Wales for student satisfaction and Social Justice, the Dewis Choice for five years in a row, and is The Old College project competed with 2,752 entries from species of coastal bird in Wales and Ireland. project has been delivering face-to- now the top in the UK. 27 countries. Explaining their decision, the judges said the The 3.5 year study will look at how the habitats of the curlew face training on domestic violence Aberystwyth team had delivered: “Impressive results for a Aberystwyth celebrates another great and the Greenland white-fronted goose might be affected by and abuse in later life to almost 6,000 new team in a short amount of time.” performance in the NSS changes in the climate and what mitigative practices can be put practitioners from the statutory and Aberystwyth is one of the UK’s Louise Jagger, Director of the Development and Alumni in place by land and site managers. the third sector for the past five years. Relations Office at Aberystwyth University said: “Winning this top for student The second project, entitled Brainwaves (Bilateral Regional Demand for the training increased satisfaction, according to the prestigious award is a wonderful boost to our fundraising Accord between Ireland and Wales for Agricultural Valorisation earlier this year following widespread latest National Student Survey as we launch the next phase of our appeal towards the and Environmental Sustainability), will investigate how slurry and (NSS) which was published in concern that the regulations on total project costs of £27.6 million. This is all to achieve our wastewater from the dairy industry could be used to produce July 2020. staying at home and self-isolating vision of opening a transformed Old College for the benefit a high-energy, low-cost and environmentally-friendly feed for could lead to an increase in cases Aberystwyth is the best of students, community and visitors as a major highlight livestock. of domestic abuse, particularly university in Wales, and of all of our 150th anniversary celebrations in 2023. The award The project aims to use farm waste to grow duckweed - a fast- amongst older adults and vulnerable the universities featured in The recognises the collective talent and ambition of our staff, Times / Sunday Times Good growing plant biomass which can then be used as a protein groups. our donors and supporters, including alumni around the University Guide 2020, is one of source for feeding livestock. Sarah Wydall, who leads the Dewis the top 5 universities in the UK world, our community and charitable trusts and foundations.” If successful, the project will enhance the competitiveness of the Choice project at Aberystwyth for overall student satisfaction. beef and dairy industry in Wales and Ireland by generating an University, said: “The coronavirus With overall student economically valuable feed as well as reducing farmers’ reliance outbreak presents considerable satisfaction at 90%, on importing protein-rich feed such as soy. challenges to the health and wellbeing Aberystwyth University Philanthropist creates new European of the nation as a whole. However, outperformed the UK figure of Opportunities Fund for students 83% by 7 percentage points. for older people experiencing abuse Thanks to the philanthropic support of William Parker (History by intimate partners or adult family Gold and silver for Aberystwyth at 1981), the University will launch a new European Opportunities members, the current lockdown can Whatuni student choice awards 2020 Fund in 2021. The £525,000 Fund will provide grants of up to significantly increase the risk of harm. Aberystwyth University was £3,000 for undergraduate and Taught Masters students to fund By offering online training and copies awarded gold and silver in the costs of short study, work or volunteering of our practitioner guidance, we will three of the main accolades be able to equip frontline staff with in the 2020 Whatuni Student placements in an EU or EEA country. the resources to provide the best Choice Awards. William said “The Fund will enable students possible response.” Aberystwyth scooped gold in to continue to benefit from European the Postgraduate category for a experiences post-Brexit, to make key Dewis Choice – Transforming the third consecutive year. It also lifetime professional or social friendships and Response to Domestic abuse in later came top in the International networks and help strengthen cross cultural life is funded by the UK Portfolio category, after two years in links. I am delighted to be in a position to fund and Comic Relief, and is the second place. Aberystwyth reward the University for the 3 years I spent first dedicated service to older people also picked up a silver award experiencing domestic abuse, harm in the University of the Year studying which provided a springboard for my

Liz Cutting, British Trust for Ornithology and neglect. category, which encompasses subsequent working career”. reviews from every aspect of the student experience. Photo : 2 3 FEATURE Bovine Tuberculosis the sometimes conflicting views of different stakeholders Creating a Centre of Excellence and pressure groups. Key Facts M. bovis can also infect humans and its global eradication has Bovine tuberculosis for Bovine Tuberculosis (CBTB) recently become the focus of a ‘One Health’ initiative led by is caused by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the OIE, the Food and the bacterium Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Mycobacterium bovis. for Wales International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (the It is closely related Union) where medical and veterinary organisations work together to Mycobacterium tuberculosis which to control diseases that infect both animals and humans. causes human tuberculosis.

Prof Glyn Hewinson has over 30 years of experience in bTB research. Previously he was the Chief Scientist for the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and led the bTB Research by Professor Glyn at the Agency for over 20 years. He is one of three named Hewinson FLSW OIE experts in bTB and was recently one of a small team of The bacterium can also infect and cause experts who reviewed England’s 25 year bTB control strategy disease in badgers, deer, goats, pigs and Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is the for the UK Government. His team includes two professors camelids (llamas and alpacas), as well as most pressing animal health issue of Veterinary Immunology, Prof Martin Vordermeier and Prof many other mammals. Bernardo Villarreal-Ramos who, between them, have over for Wales today. The economic fifty years’ experience in developing vaccines and diagnostic A combination of milk pasteurisation and and emotional cost of bTB to rural tests for bTB. They are joined by a new Lecturer in Innate other control methods have reduced the number of human cases of TB caused by communities can be devastating Immunology, Dr Amanda Gibson who joins Aberystwyth from the and further academic M. bovis in the UK from 50,000 in the and each year it costs Welsh appointments will take place over the coming year. 1930s to around 30 cases a year today. Government and industry over The CBTB has already launched two annual events: a bTB In 2016, WHO £30 million pounds. discussion session at the Royal Welsh Show, where it was estimated that AberTB conference - Professor Elizabeth Treasure, Vice-Chancellor : Professor standing room only at the first event in 2019, and AberTB an globally there were Glyn Hewinson : Professor Christianne Glossop, Chief Veterinary Officer Wales 14,700 new human and Abi Reader MBE - current Chair of the NFU Cymru milk board and Dairy annual conference that brings everyone interested in bTB Ambassador of the Year control together from the fields of animal health, veterinary cases of TB acquired science, research, government and agriculture, to learn from from animals and n an important initiative for Aberystwyth University Development Fund and has created 12 Sêr Cymru Chairs each other about the latest advances in bTB control. 1,200 deaths due to and for Wales, Professor Glyn Hewinson FLSW, a at Welsh Universities. the disease. world expert in bTB, was appointed through the The establishment of the CBTB is part of a number of Sêr Cymru II programme, to establish a Centre of The vision of this project is to provide expert initiatives at Aberystwyth University to strengthen Veterinary At the end of June 2020, IExcellence for Bovine Tuberculosis in Wales. independent advice to Welsh Government on the Science in Wales. Aberystwyth is the first and only university there were 596 herds in control of bTB, increase capacity for livestock research in Wales to open a School of Veterinary Science. In Wales that were not officially The Sêr Cymru II programme accelerates the including immunology, veterinary bacteriology, collaboration with the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), both TB free due to a bovine TB development of academic research expertise in Wales. It genomics and molecular epidemiology in Wales and Aberystwyth School of Veterinary Science and the RVC incident. is funded by Welsh Government, the Higher Education work with the best national and international research will deliver and welcome the first cohort of students on Funding Council for Wales, participating Welsh Higher groups and institutes such as the World Organisation the BVSc Veterinary Science degree from September 2021, In the 12 months to June Education institutions and the European Regional for Animal Health (OIE). Knowledge generated from part funded by generous donations from alumni. The new 2020, 10,823 cattle were this programme will support Welsh Government and Head of the Aberystwyth School of Veterinary Science, Prof slaughtered in Wales due industry to reduce the costs of bTB control through Darrell Abernethy, has over 17 years of experience in bTB to bovine TB control. improved, targeted disease control strategies. research and led a team of epidemiologists in Northern Ireland 10,823 advising government agencies on bTB control strategies. In Bovine tuberculosis is found throughout the world and other exciting developments, work is soon to be completed is a deadly disease of cattle. Controversial measures to on a new £4.2m state of the art veterinary hub (VetHub1) to control bTB are often front-page news not least because drive forward research to protect both animal and human The UK has the highest level of bovine of the role that one of the iconic mammals of the British health. Led by Aberystwyth University and backed with a £3m TB in Europe and it has been estimated countryside, the European badger, plays in spreading grant from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) that if the situation is left unchecked it the disease. As a result, many of the decisions that need through the Welsh Government, VetHub1 will provide fully would cost UK taxpayers £1 billion over to be made about bTB control have to take into account equipped, high-specification laboratories and office spaces. the next ten years. 4 5 FEATURE ‘Hateful the man who loves not the country that nurtured him’

by Dr Calista Williams

The University College of Wales, Aberystwyth’s and entirely destroyed the Library. At the time of the fundraising expedition to North America, 1890. fire, the College had only been open for 13 years and was already struggling financially; the devastation caused by the fire placed the College in an extremely n the 9th July 1885 newspapers from across precarious position. Nevertheless, an event that could Wales and beyond reported on a ‘Great Fire have marked the end of this fledgling institution, at Aberystwyth College’ that had devastated instead, triggered a wave of support that reached the Northern Wing of the seafront building far beyond Aberystwyth. The newspaper Y Drych, O circulated amongst the Welsh speakers of the United States, printed the College Principal’s patriotic call to Library under construction arms: ‘[t]he college has at length had its baptism of fire. It will arise from its ashes with a new life. Wales will never now let it die.’ Edwards’ first stop on his tour was New York. A reception other states gave less, such as Wisconsin, there was a was held in his honour by the St David’s Society, high level of engagement with the fundraising campaign, Edwards became the Principal of presided over by Judge Noah Davies. Edwards lost no with 227 people giving $205, just under a dollar each. the College at its founding in 1872. Following the fire time in mentioning the great debt of the college and of 1885, he played a key role in fundraising for the On his return to Wales, Edwards reported that ‘many many of the Welshmen in attendance immediately rebuilding of the College. In order to raise money for opportunities were offered me to bring the claims of the pledged donations publicly at the dinner, including the new Library, Edwards planned a personal tour of College under the notice of Welshmen there who still Noah Davies who pledged $900. North America to take place during the summer of 1890. cherish love for “yr hen wlad”. The new Library officially He chose to focus on the Library for his fundraising When Edwards visited in 1890 there were just over opened in 1892 and the event was attended by over 300 campaign because he thought it would appeal to the 100,000 Welsh in America, mainly in the states of people. At the opening Lord Aberdare said that ‘the gift Welsh Americans as, in Edwards’ words, they would Pennsylvania, Ohio and Wisconsin. Welsh migrants by the Welshmen of America was a mark of sympathy want ‘to furnish the new Library with complete fittings arriving in America tended to join family and friends with the personal influence of Principal Edwards, and in a style equal to the very handsome equipments of the in established communities in urban-industrial areas an indication of American generosity towards the cause best American Colleges.’ Also, the cost of the library’s such as Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and Pittsburgh. The of education…That room and its gifts from America fixtures was estimated to be £1,000 ($5,000), which Calvinistic Methodist chapel culture was central to showed that blood was much thicker than water.’ Edwards deemed to be an achievable financial target. these communities, which was ideal for Edwards, Importantly, the Library was a space where a public himself an ordained preacher, as he was able to address inscription could be placed to commemorate those large chapel congregations, without having to organise Dr Calista Williams is the Lifelong Learning Coordinator for Humanities and Science at specific events. who contributed to the building fund. Edwards made Aberystwyth University. Her PhD was part of an sure to tell North American donors about this planned Edwards raised approximately $4,530 of which three- innovative collaboration with The National Library inscription, which would read: quarters came from the states of Pennsylvania, New of Wales entitled The National Library of Wales and national identity, 1870-1916. She is also a Lifelong ‘Dodrefnwyd y Llyfrgell hon gan Gymry cenedlgarol yn York and California, where the average donation was Learning tutor and freelance genealogist. From yr Unol Daleithau ac yn Canada 1890’ and included the just under $12. In these areas some gave substantial October 2020, Calista’s history and genealogy courses proverb “Cas gwr na charo y wlad a’i maco” (This library amounts, such as David Edwards from Plymouth, will be available to study online. Find out more here: was furnished by the patriotic Welshmen of the United Pennsylvania who gave $125. David Edwards was born in www.aber.ac.uk/en/lifelong-learning/courses States and Canada, 1890. Hateful the man who loves Glamorganshire in 1825 and was president of Kingston Email: [email protected] not the country that nurtured him.) Coal and director of Wilkes-Barre hospital. Although Library plaque

6 7 NEW LIFE FOR OLD COLLEGE Be part of our vision and support the Old College 2020/23 Appeal We have already raised £1.1 million of our £3 million tax payer. Details of what your gifts would fund and New Life for Old College: Appeal target, thanks to early and generous donations how they can be recognised at Old College can be from over a thousand alumni and friends around the found at www.aber.ac.uk/en/oldcollege/old-college/ world, and support from the Old Students’ Association. donor-recognition Appeal update With your continued help, we are confident that we can achieve our target and make our vision a reality for our You can donate by returning the enclosed Appeal form students and staff and for all those who care so much or by donating online at www.aber.ac.uk/appeal. Please by Louise Jagger about the University and town. contact us on 01970 62 1568 to discuss a donation, Director, Development and Alumni Relations donor recognition and for ideas on how your reunion The Old College Appeal will remain an urgent group or networks could ‘crowdfund’ a donation and be fundraising priority for my team and our Students Union. permanently celebrated in Old College. We would also be We will be inviting alumni and friends to join together ur plans for the £27.6 million grateful for any further ideas on Trusts we could approach. and to donate whatever they can to our campaigns over transformation of Old College Examples of donor the next three years. All gifts will make a difference Thank you in advance for your support. have continued at a pace since and we can help increase them by 25% if you are a UK Louise our last update in Prom on the recognition opportunities Olaunch of our 2020/23 delivery phase. I am pleased to report that the project remains on track. Old College will throw open its doors to students, community The Library | £1,000 + 50mm and visitors in spring 2023 as part of Standard our 150th anniversary year celebrations, size heralding an exciting new chapter for the Dummy ‘Acoustic’ books on upper level University and town. Our vision has become even more important and relevant in these challenging and uncertain times since March 2020. A transformed Old College will deliver much needed resources for our students, the University and our town and help strengthen the University’s reputation in an increasingly competitive and global Books positioned at plinth level and between 1.9M to 3.4M Higher Education sector. 1038No. Books on lower level if ‘standard size’ at 50mm width.

You can read about the vital importance of the project to our resilience in the Named Seating | £2,000 – £5,000 passionate Appeal letter from our two Student Union Presidents enclosed with Sponsor example your Prom magazine. 1 We continue to work and refine activity plans with a wide range of groups through the Construction Under the leadership of Project Manager, Sponsor phase including: Academic departments, Students Union, Youth Board, our local community and our Jim O’ Rourke, staff and teams of external example 2 project partners National Museum Wales, Hay Festival and National Library of Wales. specialists are working hard to pull £5,000 UK’s first Centre for Dialogue together the many moving parts of the Key project milestones project to ensure building works start in June 2021. • September 2020 – Mather and Co appointed to develop the exhibitions across six galleries • October 2020 – completely empty the building of furniture, art works and archives Our design plans have been commended for their innovation in delivering • December 2020 – complete construction designs and Listed Building Consent application creative spaces and solutions whilst £2,000 Laboratory of Curiosities £3,000 ‘Y Sgrin’ Cinema • June 2021 – construction work to start on site preserving all that is so special about the • April 2022 – appoint Old College Director and other staff building. You can see the latest design Please visit • January 2023 – final fit out to open in Spring 2023 images on key spaces on our website www.aber.ac.uk/en/oldcollege/old-college/donor-recognition www.aber.ac.uk/oldcollege for the full range of donor recognition opportunities

8 9 VOLUNTEER OSA Alumni Volunteering Community Projects Alumni Survey Old Students’ Association People’s Voices in a People’s War: Thank you to all our Whatever stage you’re at in your career, volunteering Aberystwyth 1939-1945 is a new community alumni that gave their time to complete the project led by the Department of History to support its projects and activities. is a fantastic way to give back to your University. survey, your feedback and Welsh History and funded by the is so important to help And it offers opportunities for me to We’re incredibly grateful to over 300 Aber alumni around National Lottery Heritage Fund. It brings guide future activities. demonstrate my gratitude for the skills the world who volunteered during 2019-20. You help us to together the University, National Library and confidence studying here gave

enhance the student experience, improve career prospects, offer of Wales, Archives, Ceredigion by Gwenda Sippings me, by mentoring current students,

industry insights, and provide valuable advice and guidance to Museum, , local OSA President 2018-21 making regular donations and being an the University and our departments. schools, performance and heritage groups, informal and enthusiastic ambassador n these past months, like many of and residents, to bring alive the experience for the University. The OSA is over As volunteers, you continue to inspire, guide and advise the you, I’ve had time forced upon me to of being at war 80 years ago. Over 1,400 of you 125 years old now, and Covid has next generation of Aber graduates. do things I might not otherwise have completed the survey encouraged members globally to Contact us at [email protected] to learn more about The project will tell the story of Aberystwyth prioritised. Like looking back through keep in touch with each other, and volunteering opportunities. in WWII through performances, exhibitions Just under 90% of Imemories of my time as a student in even to maintain programmes of and special events. An online blog will you felt a connection Aberystwyth, long before I became towards Aberystwyth events online. It’s the indomitable provide a forum for community research a full time resident here again after University and 97% Aber Spirit at work in a crisis. The OSA by project volunteers given training in retirement. In papers in cupboards, in Student Mentoring felt informed of was formed to support the University local archives to pursue their own stories our activities and photo albums and online I’ve found In 1961 alumnus Peter Hancock was awarded a scholarship through financial difficulties in its early of the war. developments. items to prompt memories of studies that enabled him to successfully complete his Geology degree days, to ensure that its work and what If you would like to participate, or have and socialising. I fell in love with Aber and set him on course for a successful global academic and Your most preferred we now call Old College survived. memories or stories of the war and its as a student, and benefitted hugely business career. In recognition of the help he received as a news topics are Today’s exciting plans for revitalising impact on the town or university, please updates from what I learnt here to prepare student, Peter and his partner and fellow Aber graduate Pat Old College include meeting spaces contact Project Lead Dr Siân Nicholas from me for my career in Librarianship Pollard gave more than £500,000 to the University in 2015 to for old students, and we are pleased [email protected] your old and Education (which later turned establish ‘The Peter Hancock Scholarship Fund’. to be able once again to contribute Academic into an excellent combination for significant funding towards this from In addition to the financial support scholars are afforded Knowledge Management), and for life the OSA and from our individual tailored mentoring programme. Canada based alumnus Doug International Support in a range of different organisations in Pollard is one of the 16 volunteer mentors to date. members. Aber alumni live in over 150 countries worldwide Department, latest different sectors. I joined the OSA as “Sixty years after entering Aber, I was invited to mentor a representing a truly global community. We are Research and a Life Member when I graduated, and We know that you’ll always be an Innovation projects student. It proved to be a worthwhile assignment. Feeling our grateful to our network of International Alumni enjoyed receiving updates at my home Aberystwyth Alumnus and be kept up way into the relationship both mentee and I discovered mutual and the History of in London on what the Association Representatives who have helped to raise the the University and to date with news directly from the was doing, and how Aberystwyth was interests. He did well and is currently working on his PhD profile of the University to support our goals memories. University’s own active Development at the University of Hong Kong on one of the world’s critical for international recruitment and partnerships. faring. Only several years later did I and Alumni Relations Office, and that problems, clean water supply. We continue to stay in touch, We also appreciate the support of international start to get actively involved with the you’ll always enjoy being in contact and I am glad that I was able to encourage his personal and alumni who volunteer their help in planning Annual Reunion and events of the with fellow students who became your professional development through the sharing of knowledge and promoting our alumni events abroad with London Branch, and realised how friends. But joining the OSA as a Life and expertise.” particular thanks to the Alumni Club of strong the Aber Spirit is, and always Member means you’ve made a small

for their volunteer support over many decades. has been, all over the world, and how extra commitment to keep in touch it didn’t matter when you were in Aber, 76% are interested in with the University and its alumni, and returning to Aber for a where you were from, or what you given yourself a strong voice to work Career eMentoring mentored by our alumni wherever they are in the reunion/celebration studied. You were sure to find people with others to support the University world. Your advice, guidance and much-needed you could relate to and network with and its future. It can also introduce A big thank you to our alumni who have signed up to 93% were likely to encouragement for students and graduates whose for business or social events, even if you to local people with the Aber the eMentoring scheme, it continues to grow with 114 attend an alumni event placements or job offers have been withdrawn has of some sort either you hadn’t met while students. Spirit globally in OSA Branches. Life new e-mentors in 2020 alone. been incredibly important. virtually or in person Membership is available online. We For me, membership of the OSA We are still keen to broaden the sectors, organisations If you think you could mentor our students, you can hope you will stay safe, and we look 43% of you would like gives me that chance to share my and people represented on the scheme; especially in get more information on eMentoring and on how to forward to welcoming you to our to get involved with memories and love for Aberystwyth areas of the Sciences, Creative Arts, Healthcare and sign up in the link below. volunteering of some Association. with former students and staff around the Public sector. sort the world. It enables me to keep in eMentoring has been a valuable service during the www.aber.ac.uk/en/sscs/careers/building-network/ www.aber.ac.uk/en/development/osa touch with the University as it faces impact of the global pandemic. Mentees can be ementoring modern challenges and do what I can www.osaaber.org

10 11 FEATURE

which tackles the abuse of older people and the Veterans’ Legal Project. Both have attracted substantial funds and From Practice to Penglais have the potential to transform the way in which society engages with particularly vulnerable and marginalised people. Another source of pride is the impact which research in Aber has had and continues to have both in Wales and worldwide. For instance, a prime mover in the by Professor Emyr Lewis crucial shift in international law towards requiring states Head of Department of Law to protect vulnerable people against the scourge that & Criminology is human trafficking is our very own Professor Ryszard University College Wales and University Piotrowicz. Ryszard steps down this year from being Vice College London Law Society during the evacuation 1940 President of the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, after an done in city centres can be done remotely, and this shift 8-year stint. offers exciting possibilities for Aberystwyth students. Aberystwyth’s geographical position is of course both I have been fortunate to benefit from the individual and a blessing and a challenge. As I hardly need explain to collective wisdom of the Department’s emeriti. John alumni, it offers the chance to live and study in a safe Williams, Chris Harding, Anne Sherlock, Alan Clarke, and beautiful place, far from the madding crowd, at a and of course the inspirational and evergreen Richard University which is at once cosmopolitan and rooted in Ireland have all been generous with their time and advice. Welshness. On the other hand, it is far from, and not Next year, the Department will celebrate its 120th well connected to, the major centres of economic and anniversary. government activity and (consequently) employment. As part of the celebrations, Chris Harding, Richard This has offered a particular challenge, namely securing Ireland and John Williams, are writing a history of the opportunities for students to experience practical and Department to be published by the clinical work during term time. Rising to the challenge, Press. John describes it as follows: we have built relationships with local employers where students effectively work in-house as part of an “The monograph traces the development of the inspirational employability module, popular with both Department and more broadly legal education in students and employers. Students can also do pro bono Wales since the time of Professors T. A. Levi and Jethro work through the Family Law clinic, part-funded by Brown, the two founding professors. It discusses how the Alumni and run by the law firm of Emma Williams (an Department has responded to the many changes imposed Law Department 1910/1911 alumna) and through the Veterans’ Legal clinic. Looking by professional bodies, the University, and higher to the future, I want the Department to strengthen and education policy. In 1901, Aber was one of the few law t is now just over a year since I left the practice development and personal well-being of students. This extend the practical experience which students can get, schools in the United Kingdom and the only one in Wales. of law to become Head of Department of Law has of course always been a feature of Aberystwyth, and I am pleased that the University has backed this Today Aber is one of many and since 2004 it has included and Criminology at Aberystwyth. Factors outside and it was good to see it persisting in a department ambition by funding a new post to take this forward. It is Criminology. Some people expressed doubts about a anyone’s control (not least the global pandemic) which had perhaps tended to hide its light under a now clearer than before that much work conventionally law school in Aberystwyth as it has no ‘legal hinterland’. Ihave made it occasionally quite a complex and bushel in recent times. The proof of the pudding is in These include Leo Abse MP who attacked the Department turbulent experience – a baptism of fire as one the eating: Aberystwyth law teaching achieved a 98% in a Parliamentary debate in the 1960s. Despite such colleague put it - but it has overwhelmingly been a overall satisfaction score in this year’s National Student petty distractions, the Department has produced many stimulating and enjoyable experience, working with Survey. This is not achieved by accident, and speaks distinguished lawyers, politicians and academics along a team of top-quality scholars and teachers. Another to quality of our teaching in both English and Welsh. with a significant number of graduates entering other very positive aspect was the enthusiastic support In Welsh-medium teaching, we are recognised as a professions and public service in the United Kingdom of alumni at events in , London and the Hay national centre for both Law and Criminology. and far beyond. The study of law has evolved. Besides Festival. It is good to know that the Department has The vision of those who founded the Department was to the traditional areas of law, the range of subjects now so many friends. Unfortunately, the global lockdown prepare people for work in the legal profession by giving offered include many involving a different approach to made it impossible to attend events in Malaysia, where them a thorough grounding in academic aspects of the legal study picking up some of Levi’s views on the role the Department has a long and significant history. law. The Department continues to live up to that vision, of a university law school.” The continued support of alumni and distinguished Sarah Wydall, Principal Dr Ola Olusanya, Senior but of course also does much more. International Investigator of the Dewis Lecturer at the Department To celebrate this milestone John, Richard and Chris are Honorary fellows from Malaysia, both to the University law, for example, remains central to the Department’s Choice project based in the of Law and Criminology and also curating a collection and exhibition of photographs and to the department, is deeply appreciated. teaching and research; growth in criminology has Centre for Age, Gender and founder of the Aberystwyth and other memorabilia, which promises to be a worthy Social Justice at Aberystwyth University Family Legal The first thing that struck me even before I started brought new perspectives, and the Department is the University’s Department of Law Clinic. record of the proud tradition of the study of Law and was the staff’s clear shared focus on the academic home of significant research projects Dewis Choice, and Criminology. Criminology at Aber.

12 13 ALUMNI INTERVIEW Professor Mary King

Mary Elizabeth King studied for her Ph.D in the International Politics department of “When a Senior at Ohio Wesleyan University, I was been lavished on military options – and yet non-violent happily invited to go on a trip to the Deep South to action has brought about phenomenal results for the Aberystwyth University and was conferred as a Fellow of the University in 2011. A graduate of meet Civil Rights leaders – and others such as leading human race; its track record throughout human history Ohio Wesleyan University, she worked extensively in the civil rights movement and served in journalists at the ‘Atlanta Constitution’. I also met is remarkable. Even so, this use of social power has senior U.S. Government posts during the Carter administration. She retains strong links with peers who were working for the Student Nonviolent had only a ‘shadow existence’ in academia. Thousands Coordinating Committee (SNCC) – which would become of nonviolent struggles have never been studied or Aberystwyth, and InterPol in particular, having delivered public lectures and led seminars the most audacious and creative of all the Civil Rights documented.” with students. Among other roles, she is currently Professor of Peace and Conflict studies at organisations. That’s where I needed to be. Two senior the University for Peace, a U.N. affiliate. advisors invited me to join them in running human “What I found in Interpol was a group of people relations workshops involving Southern black and including professors Mike Foley and James Piscatori white students, who were meeting interracially for the who understood that, yes, there was an alternative t was late morning in Virginia, teatime in “Growing up in a Methodist parsonage, I was socialised first time in the South, on the topic of how academic technique that shows up throughout history. They Aberystwyth. Professor Mary King managed to from early childhood to be concerned about social freedom was compromised by segregation. Looking grasped that waves of anti-colonialism were based find time between competing meetings to talk justice. On any playground you will find very young back, I realise how little I had to offer.” on powers with which Gandhi had been testing and to me by video about her life, career and her children saying ‘That’s not fair!’ - with a sense of fairness experimenting with for decades. They had the broad Iconnection to Aberystwyth. I quickly discovered like the air we breathe. I have had great satisfaction Having worked on SNCC staff for four years, decades of contours and seemed pleased to have me able to argue just how deep her association with social change from working to dismantle inequities and injustices work for the federal government and as an international for the fact that there is an alternative use of power issues has been. all my adult life.” consultant followed, while Mary tried to find a suitable that involves no political violence and is found going roost for studying decided to study for a Ph.D. She chose back to ancient times.” Aberystwyth’s International Politics department. How did this come about? Professor King clearly believes that non-violent struggle has an expanding, critical role. “The Environmental and “I was friends with Geoffrey Kemp, now at the Center for Women’s Movements benefited directly, and almost the National Interest in Washington. When he learned immediately, by appropriating insights from the U.S. that my husband and I had a farm in Wales, and that Civil Rights Movement. These two areas gained the most President and Mrs Carter had visited us there, he told by adapting and perfecting elements of what Gandhi me about Aberystwyth and the Interpol department. called an ‘operative technique’. Climate change and He had not studied there, but it seemed that everyone women’s rights remain major issues for the future of he knew had studied in that department. I became the planet; we have got to take seriously the scientific intrigued and looked into it, because I’d been unable advice about climate change – and we have got to find to find any university in the United States willing to ways of benefiting from the talents of women, who address the history, theory, and practice of the field have historically always rebuilt societies after wars. of strategic nonviolent action.” Their experiences lead them to be attuned to finding ways of organising that don’t rely on visibility, money or The farm near had been purchased with weaponry – they are extremely effective at the kind of her husband Peter G. Bourne at the end of the Carter social organising that has been producing democratic administration, in which both he and Mary had served transitions since the late 18th century.” in senior positions. She had worldwide oversight for the Interviewed by Peace Corps and similar national domestic programs. After 100 years of studying war and peace, what John Gilbey “We visited Wales often and would stay at the farms should be the future direction of the International ([email protected]) of cousins in summer and at Christmas. An uncle of Politics department? “Interpol has a unique history – @John_Gilbey Peter’s provided lambs to what is now our farm and one its interdisciplinary character is extremely productive day rang us in Washington to let us know the owner and relevant for this time. Because we cannot think wanted to sell. We bought the 120-acre farm.” Mary has and function on narrow disciplinary bases - we’ve got written all her books there. to be eclectic and derive from many literatures and bodies of experience.” “I wanted to work on the technique of nonviolent struggle – which has been severely under-studied John Gilbey is a writer and photographer based in west and under-theorised in the Academy. Resources have Wales. He Tweets as @John_Gilbey 14 15 ALUMNI InvEnterPrize 2020 Seaweed-based bioplastic Azryn Azhari Arshad business wins student Alumni Profiles Azryn Azhari Arshad graduated in 2016 with a BSc in enterprise competition Psychology and was the first Malaysian student in the An eco-business using Welsh seaweed to Psychology department. She currently manages the South create bioplastic, is the winner of this year’s Aberystwyth alumni are constantly achieving great things, both professionally and personally. East Asia Strategic Partnership department for Karex – the Aberystwyth University student enterprise world’s largest condom maker. competition, InvEnterPrize. Working for a range of organisations, across a range of different sectors in a wide variety of “My job requires an on-the-go tactical approach and I PlantSea is the brainchild of two roles all over the word, our graduates are really making an impact and transforming their lead the Corporate Social Responsibility for Karex which Aberystwyth University PhD students, Alex lives and those of others. has allowed me to apply my academic learnings at Aber Newnes and Gianmarco Sanfratello, and into different circumstances when managing different Aberystwyth alumna Rhiannon Rees. countries – including Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and To feature on our graduate profile page contact us at [email protected] The company plans to use seaweed and many more.” other plant-based materials to create bioplastic, which will then be used to develop environmentally friendly toiletry Sam Griffiths sets for the hotel and hospitality industry. Sam Griffiths graduated in 2014 with BSc International Politics and Intelligence Studies. Now, a Senior Promoter at Cuffe & Taylor, part of Live Nation, the world’s largest live entertainment company. He is one of the youngest promoters in the business, he produces theatrical productions and promotes music In addition to the £10,000 main prize, PlantSea concerts for international best- was also awarded free office accommodation selling artists, as well as working with for a year on Aberystwyth Innovation and global television and film companies Enterprise Campus (AberInnovation), a prize to create live content from their which was presented to the best competition international hit titles. “Aber gave Denitsa Dineva entry from the bio-sciences, life sciences and me the opportunity to meet a huge agriculture sectors. variety of people and learn so much Dr Denitsa Dineva studied a BSc Business and Management A separate prize of £3,000 donated by from my specific course of study, degree at Aberystwyth Business School, followed by Engineers in Business, and open to students which has massively helped me in a specialist Master’s degree in Marketing. Denitsa then or student teams from Computer Science, Alexandra Dodds my professional development.” worked in Consumer Finance at Lloyds Banking Group before she decided to return to Aberystwyth University to Maths and Physics, was awarded to Mwnci Alexandra Dodds studied Marine and Freshwater Biology, do an internally funded PhD degree on the topic “Conflict Data Management (www.mwnci.uk), the graduating in 2013. Since then she has worked in a wide management in online consumption business idea of Rob Barry, who recently variety of remote locations both within the UK and around communities” from which she graduated graduated with an MSc in DataScience. the world. Through her work she has been privileged to in May 2019. Denitsa has since remained Held annually, the InvEnterPrize competition live in some amazing places from the New Forest to the in Wales and currently works as a is sponsored by contributions from the most northerly isles of Scotland and from the Caribbean Lecturer in Marketing at Cardiff alumni AberFund, and organised by the to the Falkland Islands. Currently she works for the British University. This is what she had to University’s Careers Service. InvEnterPrize Antarctic Survey on Bird Island specialising in albatross say about studying at Aberystwyth provides an opportunity for entrepreneurial research. University: “Aberystwyth University Aberystwyth students to develop and pitch a

“Studying and living in Aberystwyth enabled me to Photo: provides a very friendly, but also business idea or social enterprise concept to develop my interest and knowledge in this field and academically rigorous environment, a panel of distinguished University alumni. give me the foundations I needed, whether that was Alan Mehdizadeh which encouraged me to Aberystwyth University is hugely grateful from reading research papers or carrying out practical constantly seek opportunities to the alumni judges: Donald Davies, Nigel conservation work along the beautiful Ceredigion for development and Davies, David Sargen, Jane Clayton, Huw coastline.” progression.” Morgan, Kerry Diamond, Peter Gradwell and Rhian Hayward, CEO, AberInnovation. 16 17 GIVING Your impact 2019-20

Giving to Aberystwyth University Taking-action in response Legacies boost Postgraduate community to Covid Two recent legacies have helped secure vital funds for postgraduate research. Your generosity towards Student Support in 2019-2020 Our community of donors made vital Hardship and Wellbeing funds A legacy of £395,000 from Margaret Wooloff, alumna immediately available for students during (French, 1942) has created the Margaret Wooloff PhD You gave Scholarship with the first three awards announced for the uring such a difficult year, you have the pandemic. Over 158 hardship grants were awarded between February and 2020-21 academic year; Bronwen Lowri, Andrea Jones come together as a community of and Catrin Parsons. alumni and supporters to make a £646,150 June. The funds also allowed staff to plan Professor Ieuan Gwynedd Jones, former head of the life-changing, positive impact on during 2019-20 projects in advance of the new academic Department of Welsh History and Fellow of Aberystwyth Dthe lives of our students and the University. year for maximum impact. University – his £10,000 legacy will provide grants and Nick Dimonaco, a postgraduate student at Hayley Goddard support to numerous PhD students undertaking research in You’re giving all students at Aber, regardless IBERS, received a special bursary for his Individual Giving Welsh History. of their start in life, a chance to succeed Covid related research. Officer and thrive at University and in society. You contribute to research and innovation that “Nick received a Bursary from the OSA Life-changing opportunities addresses local and global challenges. Your (Cardiff Branch) in his first year in Aber, Your donations to the Aber Fund early support has helped unlock significant and went on to be awarded First Class gave IBERS student, Chloe Collins funds for the Old College appeal, a vital Honours in Computer Science. In parallel Farrell, a work placement bursary project to transform the iconic and much- with pursuing a PhD, he joined a team loved building ahead of our 150th anniversary to take on her dream role at Your giving researching means of tracking variations in 2022/23. Chester Zoo as part of an unpaid in 2019-20 in the Covid genome; we were delighted to internship. Gaining new skills and Median regular There is no denying that your donations award a Rhiannon Powell Science Research an opportunity to explore a career Across our three monthly gift £12.50 remain crucial across our priorities. Thank Bursary and a further bursary from in the zoo sector, her internship fundraising you for recognising the importance of giving the OSA in the summer, to help support would not have been possible priorities: to Aberystwyth University; a special place Median single him while he acts as lead author for the without your support. that shapes the world on a local, national, £62.50 £341,604 gift donation resulting research paper.” and global scale. More stories of your impact can be found at Kay Powell, Alumna and OSA Cardiff Branch member www.aber.ac.uk/your-impact Thank you to all our donors who are listed on the Annual Donors List: www.aber.ac.uk/ Individual Supporting the University thankyou donors 1,079 Your support is vital for Aber’s continuing success £293,471 bringing total income to and hugely appreciated by our students and staff. £1million of our £3million target From Trusts and £876,318 All your gifts, together, make a huge impact on current, and Foundations future students across our three priority areas:

Student Support (The Aber Fund) You have funded The Old College Appeal 34 student projects Research and Academic Developments Both new and existing projects across New Veterinary Education Centre You can make a difference by donating a single or regular gift: £13,249 campus that would not have been possible without your help. Thank you to everyone who donated to the • Online at www.aber.ac.uk/give Endowment Fund Appeal, established in 1997 for • Post through a donation form the University’s 125th anniversary. Your support Supporting • For international supporters, you can give in conjunction will specifically fund £500,000 of the capital costs with our partners: SWIFT system or British Schools and over 1,900 students of a new Veterinary Education Centre on our Universities Foundation (BSUF). Student Support The Old College Research and To alleviate hardship; support health Penglais campus, as part of the new Aberystwyth (AberFund) Appeal Academic and wellbeing; and enhance the School of Veterinary Science. Launched in Spring For further details and to discuss a donation or legacy, Developments number of opportunities open to all 2020, the school is the first in Wales and will please contact us at the Development and Alumni Relations students. welcome our first students in 2021. team on 01970 621568 or [email protected] 18 19 NEW IMPRESSIONS How research into medieval seals is contributing to history and science

by Dr Elizabeth New Senior Lecturer in History

Impression of the subsidiary matrix of Hare on hound seal, attached to an early Impression of the seal of William de n the Middle Ages seals – matrices made of a hard Hereford Cathedral, overlaid with hand 14th century document. Exeter Cathedral Fostone, chaplain. Hereford Cathedral material into which a design has been engraved, prints. Hereford Cathedral Archives, HCA Archives, ECA 1862. Archives, HCA 23. and impressions made by them in soft material 159 seal 2. – acted in a similar way to our signatures, credit Icards, and logos, and were just as a familiar a part of The Imprint project also led to unplanned does the text on seals reveal about people’s use everyday life. Seals conveyed far more than signing collaborations with scientists with whom I am of language(s) and understanding of the written your name or swiping a card, however. They were small continuing to work as part of my Leverhulme Trust word? How was identity constructed and expressed but powerful packages of image and text, identifying Major Research Fellowship Identity, interaction and by medieval men and women, and what influenced and representing men and women from royalty and exchange in medieval England. The Cambridge- or constrained this? Seal matrices were owned and nobles to artisans and peasants, as well as a range of Copenhagen Archives project investigates organic used by people across society, and have a personal offices, institutions, and other groups. They presented materials in pre-modern wax with the aim of connection to individuals that is lacking in a contributing to the fight against bee lot of evidence. A quirky and subversive carefully constructed messages about status, wealth, Impression of the seal of Thurstan the armourer, power, family, occupation, and religious and political depicting a closed helm. National Library of Wales, colony die-off, and my work on sense of humour can for instance be affiliations. How, by whom and in what contexts seals Ottley (Pitchford Hall) Deeds, 324. medieval seals facilitates their glimpsed from a seal with the image were used can also be very revealing, especially in research by providing evidence of a hare blowing a hunting-horn relation to the less well-documented middling and attached to a document. Handling the soft wax often which can be given a date and and riding on the back of a hound. lower levels of society. resulted in hand and fingerprints being preserved location. The Imprint team also Craftsmen may have used their along with the impression of the seal matrix, and worked with a geochemist seals as advertisements, such Almost a decade ago, the Arts & Humanities Research investigating these enabled us to challenge existing from the as the armour-maker who had Council (AHRC) funded Aberystwyth-based Seals in theories and pose new questions. For example, print whose analysis of inorganic the image of a knight’s jousting- Medieval Wales project revealed fresh insights into evidence shows that by the early thirteenth century elements in sealing wax helmet on his seal. It is tempting Wales in the Middle Ages, such as the enthusiastic the owner of a matrix was sometimes side-lined from revealed surprising details. to see a ‘portrait’ of the owner exploitation by the Welsh nobility of seals as a the actual process of sealing documents, but in other For example, the abbot and prior in the rather jowly and jolly head means of expressing and consolidating their status. places it remained important for the person whose seal of one wealthy monastery had on the seal of a thirteenth-century It also further demonstrated the complexity of Anglo- it was directly to be involved. This has implications separate supplies of wax but were priest from Hereford, while a woman Norman settlement, which led to cultural integration as for the development of administration and invites a not prepared to share! We are now in Lincoln changed her matrix three frequently as it did to conflict. One of the highlights of more nuanced understanding of how men and women undertaking further analysis with a Seal of Sibyl de Bonville, widow of times, apparently as she acquired this project was an exhibition at the National Library of participated in legal processes and whether they were William the harper, attached to a more property: an early entrepreneur view to understanding more about document dated 1217. British Library, Wales, enabling diverse audiences to engage directly allowed or denied direct access to the power dynamics the production and trade of metals Harley Charter 75 B 36 rebranding herself? There is still a with these medieval treasures. that underpinned these formal exchanges. Imprint used and pigments in medieval Britain. lot we do not know about medieval cutting-edge forensic imaging equipment, which we society and using seals provides fresh insights into More recently, the Aberystwyth-Lincoln AHRC funded promptly broke. Thankfully, the manufacturer was My Leverhulme-funded study is also exploring a this world, as well as sometimes contributing to Imprint project www.imprintseals.org brought together actually grateful for this. We had pushed the boundaries range of historical questions, focusing on society present-day scientific research. I like to think that medieval historians and forensic identity scientists. In of how it was used: adjustments were then made, to the below the nobility. What do seals and sealing the men and women whose seals I am investigating the Middle Ages, ‘sealing wax’ was a mixture of beeswax, benefit of criminal justice agencies across the world. practices tell us about communication (social, would be pleased to know that they are still making resin and (usually) pigment, rewarmed before being Not an everyday experience for a medievalist! economic, geographic), trade, and fashion? What an impression in the twenty-first century.

20 21 September 2020 Pantycelyn welcomes a new What’s new on campus generation of students Wales’ most famous student hall of Aberystwyth University has continued to invest and improve the campus, with several key residence has opened its doors once updates during 2019-20. From major construction projects to new facilities on campus benefiting more, as students returned to Aberystwyth University for the beginning of the new students, colleagues and the wider community. Below are a few highlights. 2020-21 academic year. Pantycelyn has undergone a £16.5m transformation and now offers February 2020 accommodation for up to 200 students Wales’ first School of Veterinary and a modern and contemporary home Science for the University’s Welsh speaking student community. The new Aberystwyth School of Veterinary Science at Each of the bedrooms is newly built and Aberystwyth University will welcome its first students includes an en-suite bathroom, and some in September 2021. It marks the formal launch of a of the Hall’s best-known rooms - the Large new Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc) degree Lounge, the Small Lounge and the Senior offered jointly by Aberystwyth University and the Royal and Junior Common Rooms have been Veterinary College (RVC). reinvigorated. And, in accordance with the Part of the Institute of Biological, Environmental and wishes of the hall’s supporters, the tradition Rural Sciences (IBERS), the School will benefit from the of sharing mealtimes will continue with new Veterinary Education Centre being developed on breakfast and evening meal provided in the Penglais campus. The new Centre represents an the hall’s ‘Ffreutur’, Monday to Friday. investment of £1m, funded partly by alumni donations. Left to right: Professor Stuart Reid, Principal of the Royal (Left to right) Professor Elizabeth Treasure, Vice-Chancellor, Aberystwyth In addition to the University’s own As well as the new Veterinary Education Centre, Veterinary College; Professor Christianne Glossop, Chief University; Peter Ryland, Chief Executive Officer, Welsh European Funding Veterinary Officer for Wales; Professor Elizabeth Treasure, Vice- Office; Darren Hancock, Operations Manager, Willmott Dixon; Professor Colin investment, the project received £5m the students will also study in the excellent existing Chancellor and Professor Tim Woods, Pro Vice-Chancellor at McInnes, Pro Vice-Chancellor - Research, Knowledge Exchange and Innovation, from the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Aberystwyth University marking the launch of the Aberystwyth Aberystwyth University; John Collingwood, Senior Project Manager (Client), laboratory facilities enjoyed by IBERS students and Education and Schools programme. gain valuable experience on the University’s dairy and School of Veterinary Science. Aberystwyth University; Dr Rhian Hayward MBE, Chief Executive Officer, AberInnovation. The Education Minister, Kirsty Williams sheep farms, and at the Lluest Equine Centre. domestic pets to farm animals. MS, visited and marked the re-opening, The five-year degree will see students spend two years Professor Darrell Abernethy has been appointed as the August 2020 alongside Aberystwyth University’s Vice- at Aberystwyth University followed by three years’ study new Head and Chair of the School. He joins Aberystwyth Completion of the new Aberystwyth Chancellor, Professor Elizabeth Treasure. at the RVC’s Hawkshead Campus in Hertfordshire. The from the Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Innovation and Enterprise Campus programme will cover the full range of animals, from Pretoria, South Africa. On time and on budget, the final set of keys were handed over at the Aberystwyth Innovation and Enterprise Campus (AberInnovation), to mark the completion of a two-year construction programme. Investment in study The £40.5m campus at Gogerddan is now fully operational, providing spaces world-leading facilities and expertise within the biotechnology, agri- tech, and food and drink sectors. Following a major refurbishment of the Hugh Owen library during The project has seen the creation of a new Biorefining Centre, Seed 2018, further work was completed Biobank and Processing Facility, Future Food Centre, Advanced to refurbish the Iris De Freitas study Analysis Centre and Innovation Hub. room to improve accessibility, Dr Rhian Hayward MBE, Chief Executive Officer at AberInnovation inclusion and sustainability. The said: “AberInnovation is a major investment in the research and Left to right; Welsh Government Education newly refurbished room is an innovation infrastructure for the UK. I am delighted to receive the keys Minister Kirsty Williams, MS; Moc Lewis, inviting and comfortable group from our contractors, who have delivered these complex facilities President of the Undeb Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Aberystwyth (Aberystwyth Union for Welsh study space for students. to an exceptional standard. We are already attracting a pipeline of Students); Gwerfyl Pierce Jones, former Chair of The 180-seater C22 Lecture refurbishment, including brand new visual system and modern heating collaborative projects to be hosted in the new buildings which is a the Pantycelyn Project Board; Dr Emyr Roberts, Theatre also underwent major seating and carpets, latest audio- and cooling system. testament to the vision of our investors. AberInnovation will be a catalyst Chair of Aberystwyth University Council, and for innovative, interdisciplinary research and development and we look Professor Elizabeth Treasure, Vice-Chancellor of Aberystwyth University at the opening of Neuadd forward to supporting new product development and job creation.” Pantycelyn on Friday 18 September 2020. 22 23 Steve Thomas MS, Former First Appointments Head of Communications and Public Minister In Memoriam Affairs Professor of Law Professor Darrell Abernethy Dr Andrew James Davies Dr Patrick Finney It is with great sadness Alumni & Supporters Head of Aberystwyth School of Head of School of Education Head of Department of International that we record the loss Veterinary Science Politics Anthony-Jones, Mrs Joan, née 1987), died August 2019 Millward, Dr Edward (Welsh, Professor Simon Banham of alumni, fellows and Evans (1947), died November Guckian CVO OBE, Dr Noel 1996), died April 2020 Sally Hore Professor in Scenography and Professor Berit Bliesemann de Guevara members of staff, past and 2019* (International Politics, 1978), Pearce, Mrs Pam, née Principal Lead in Healthcare Education Theatre Design and Head of Professor in International Politics current, of whose passing Bauernfeind, Mr David died December 2019 Smith, Reynolds (Records Professor Helen Roberts Department of Theatre, Film and Professor Milja Kurki we have been informed (International Politics / History, Harris, Ms Karen (Geography Management (DL), 2009), died Director of Research Excellence Television Studies E.H. Carr Chair in International Politics during the last year. Our 1987), died December 2019 (Arts), 1990), died January February 2020* sincere condolences go Beckett, Ms Susan (Classical 2020* Radley, Mr Paul (French And Credit RTS Wales out to the family and Studies, 1982), died 2020 Hilling MBE, Dr David Italian, 1974), died December 2019 friends of those listed here. Bufton, Mrs Rosalind, née (Geography (Science), 1957), Achievements Morris (Geology, 1963), died died March 2020* Rees, Mr Allen (Law, 1958), *Denotes OSA member November 2019 Hughes CM, Dr Stan (Botany, died March 2020* Congratulations to the winners of the Aberystwyth Students’ Burdett, Mr Anthony 1941), died November 2019* Revill, Ms Susan (Music 1977), Union Staff and Student Awards 2020: Dr Peadar Ó Fellows (Agricultural Botany, 1956), Hughes, Mr Colten (Business died April 2019 Muircheartaigh (Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies) died December 2019* And Management, 2017), died Roberts, His Hon Eifion (Law, won Lecturer of the Year, Dr Bill Perkins (Department of Hughes, Mr Aneurin ‘Nye’ Cable, Mr Owen (International July 2020 1948), died September 2019* (Welsh, 1959), died March Geography and Earth Sciences) won Personal Tutor of the Politics And , Hughes CBE, Mr Victor , died Sheard, Mr David (Educational 2020* 2018), died January 2020 Year, and Dr Gillian McFadyen (Department of International September 2019 Studies, 1971), died January Prosser, Sir David Cadifor, Ms Sian (Welsh 2020* Politics) won the Creative Teaching Award. The Department Jenkin, Mrs Jane, née Thomas, NIAB Cup 2020 winners Sol Gardiner-Wade (Mathematics, 1965), died / Education, 1976), died Evans (1951), died February Sheard, Ms Elizabeth, née of Psychology won the title of Department of the Year for March 2020* December 2019 2020* Farrands (History, 1971), died an unprecedented second consecutive year. A full list Richards CBE, Sir Brian Clark, Mrs Margaret, née 2020 A film by students from the Department of Theatre, Film Jenkin, Mr David (Physics, of winners can be found at www.aber.ac.uk/en/news/ (Agricultural Botany, 1952), Griffiths (1953), died March 1952), died January 2020* Sivapathasundram, Ms Geetha and Television Studies has once again won an award at the died November 2019* archive/2020/05/title-232245-en.html. 2020* Johnson, Mr Michael (Law, (Law, 1989), died September 2020 RTS Wales Centre Student Television Awards. Rutted Houghton CBE FRS, Sir John, Dafydd, Miss Eiry (Welsh, 1965), died January 2020 2019 Five of our academics are among the new entrants to Fields by Sol Gardiner-Wade and Monika Bednarczyk is died April 2020 2005), died 2020 Jones, Professor Emeritus Stanton, Mrs Dawn (French), the Learned Society of Wales’ Fellowship: Professor Glyn about alternative living and has compressed hundreds of Owen, Professor John, died Dancer, Mr Gareth Colin (Economics, 1958), died died March 2020 Hewinson (Sêr Cymru II STAR Chair & Director of the Centre hours of a travelling family’s archive into a fifteen-minute February 2020 (Countryside Management, October 2019 Thomas, Mrs Gwen, née of Excellence for Bovine Tuberculosis), Professor Emyr film. Produced as a final year project, the piece won best 1996), died 2020* Khan, Mr Faisal (Business Hughes (French, 1952), died Lewis (Professor of Law and Head of the Department of Law Factual film for students. Staff Davies, Mr Hywel (Education, Administration, 2003), died February 2020* 1978), died March 2020 and Criminology), Professor Ryszard Piotrowicz (Professor Davies, Mr Alun (Economics, May 2020 Thomas, Mr Geraint of Law, Aberystwyth University; Adjunct Professor of Law, Philippa Gibson, a member of the Aberystwyth University 1954), died August 2019 Davies Jones, Miss Bethan, Ladd, Mrs Kathleen, née Evans (Geography (Arts), 1972), died née Francis (Biochemistry, November 2019* University of South Australia; First Vice-President of GRETA), Learn Welsh team that provides Welsh lessons to adults in Evans, Ms Melanie, née Hart (Mathematics, 1958), died 1999), died January 2020 Professor David Rabey (Professor of Theatre & Theatre Powys, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, was presented (History And Welsh History, December 2019* Timmins, Mr Tony (French And Practice, Department of Theatre, Film & Television Studies) with the Inspire! Tutor Award by the Learning and Work 1999), died November 2019 de St Dalmas, Mrs Peggy , died Le Mesurier, Mr James Spanish, 1985), died November December 2019 2019* and Professor Reyer Zwiggelaar, (Head of the Graduate Institute Wales for her exceptional contribution. Evans, Mrs Anna (Education (International Politics / Duarte-Santos, Mr Carlos Strategic Studies, 1993), died Tudor, Mr Richard (Agriculture School, Faculty Associate Dean of Research & Professor And Art, 2009), died August Several staff members were recognised for excellence 2019 (International Politics And November 2019* / Business, 1996), died April of the Department of Computer Science). Third World Studies, 2004), 2020 in Welsh-medium education by the Coleg Cymraeg Howells, Mr Brian Elwin, died Lewis, Dr Robyn (Law, 1953), died June 2020 died August 2019* Turner, Mrs Doreen, died Tun Dr. Haji Arshad Bin Ayub, Malaysia has been awarded Cenedlaethol Associate Lecturer Awards 2019-20: Professor February 2020 Edwards, Mr Prys (1993), died November 2019 Rhys Jones (Department of Geography and Earth Science) Kingsley, Dr Colin, died March Lewis, Ms Deb, née Stewart and conferred the Darjah Seri Setia Mahkota (SSM) which March 2020 won the award for Facilitating Welsh-Medium Education. 2020 (Spanish / Pure Mathematics, Wallis, Mr Malcolm carries the title ‘Tun’ and Tan Sri Mazlan Bin Mansor, Eirian, Mr Siôn (Welsh And 1981), died May 2020 (Education, 1973), died 2020 Lewis, Dr Roy (Geography, Malaysia has been conferred with the award of Commander The joint winners of the best Welsh-Medium Resource Philosophy, 1975), died May 1963), died August 2019* London, Dr Albert Weese, Mrs Menna, née Jones, of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (PSM) category were Professor Rhys Jones, Dr Marie Busfield, 2020 (Biochemistry, 1970), died died August 2019 Nelmes, Martin, died June which carries the title ‘Tan Sri’. Dr Hywel Griffiths, Dr Cerys Jones and Dr Rhys Dafydd Ellison, Mr Stuart (Historical June 2020 2020 Williams, Mrs Marcia, née Jones for their Geography handbook “Astudio a Dehongli’r And Archival Studies, 2014), Lovell, Mr Joshua (Law, 2015), Probert (1952), died January Norrington-Davies, Dr John, Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences Byd a’i Bobl” (Studying and Interpreting the World and its died February 2020 died February 2020 2020* died February 2020 (IBERS) graduate Dewi Eifion Davies won the Royal Welsh People) and also Dr Anwen Jones and Dr Hywel Griffiths Evans, Mr Aled (Geography Maguire, Mr Edward Williams, Mr Peter (Pure Price, Emeritus Prof Glanville, Agricultural Society Award for the Student of the Year 2020. joint editors of Gwerddon Fach. And Welsh History, 1999), died (Geography 1949), died April Mathematics, 1969), died died December 2019 November 2019 2019 November 2019 Robertson, Mrs Ann, née One of the UK’s leading competitions for agriculture and Lord Thomas of Cwmgïedd, Chancellor of Aberystwyth Evans, Reverend Trevor Maguire, Mrs Mary, née Jones Woods Couchman, Professor Davies (Physics, 1954), died crop science students was won by a team of students from University is among those joining the National ’s (Geology, 1959), died June (Botany 1949), died December Anne (Cell Biology, 1972), died February 2020* IBERS for the third year running. BSc Agriculture students Gorsedd of the Bards, honoured for his contribution to the 2020 2018 September 2019 Robson OBE, Professor Brian, Foulkes, Mr Iwan (Law, 2008), McBride, Mrs Elaine, née Woodward Anderson, Mrs Danika Castle, Courtney Ifill, Summer De Slegte and Welsh language in the justice system. Nine other fellows, died July 2020 Yiannos Constantinou lifted the prestigious NIAB (The alumni and staff are on this year’s list: Milwyn Jarman, died July 2020 Stewart (English & German Katrine, née Saito (Economics Steeds, Mr David, died May George, Dr Delyth (Welsh, 1981), died July 2019 1967), died October 2017 National Institute of Agricultural Botany) Cup for their Deian Creunant, Rhiannon Evans, Angharad Fychan, Elin 2020 agronomy, farm management and agricultural decision- Haf Gruffydd Jones, Emyr Llywelyn, Geraint Roberts, Thomas, Professor Peter, making skills. Delwyn Siôn, Siôn Jobbins and Ann Bowen Morgan. died July 2020 If you know that our information is incorrect, or would like to report the death of an Tyler, Bruce, died March 2020 Aberystwyth University graduate, please let us know by emailing: [email protected] 24 25

Sgript y ‘Ten Sgript y ‘Ten Commandments’, ynghyd â deunydd cyhoeddusrwydd a thelegram oddi wrth Cecil B. DeMille Commandments Ten script, publicity material and telegram from Cecil B. DeMille #ArchiveCats: an entire manuscript volume dedicated to Ticker

Buildings series Dr. Blosser’s Catarrh Remedy (medicinal cigarettes!) Certificate of proficiency in butter-making Stamp yn dangos adeilad y neilltuo i Ticker from the 1971 Modern University cyfrol gyfan wedi’i Physical Sciences building stamp Adeiladau Modern Prifysgolion 1971 Gwyddorau Ffisegol o gyfres stampiau #ArchifCathod: llawysgrif, #ArchifCathod: llawysgrif, Tystysgrif Tystysgrif Remedy (sigareti meddyginiaethol!) Dr. Blosser’s Catarrh gwneud menyn hyfedredd mewn

‘Libraries gave us power’. Frank Brangwyn poster for the Library Association

for the UCW the for

layout for the Buarth

been. Proposed Proposed been. What might have have might What

Llyfrgelloedd Dyluniad o wersyll cadw Ruhleben yn y Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf Drawing of Ruhleben WWI internment camp ‘Llyfrgelloedd roes rym i ni. Poster Frank

Brangwyn i’r Gymdeithas

Cymru ar y Buarth y ar Cymru

Yr hyn a allasai fod. fod. allasai a hyn Yr gyfer Coleg Prifysgol Prifysgol Coleg gyfer

It’s not all Senate minutes and annual accounts. The University’s archival might collections hold plenty of things you not expect to find. Here are some of our more unusual items, from both the archive of the University itself, and our deposited collections. are always on the lookout for itemsWe the archive, sofor the join please conversation and share your memories with us: Cynllun a gynigiwyd ar ar gynigiwyd a Cynllun

for Rag for @AberUniArchives [email protected] Cyn-fyfyrwyr Aber | Aberystwyth Alumni

and Esperantist

i gadw pellter pellter gadw i hall that raised raised hall that

Mae mwy i’w gael yn yr archifau na Mae mwy i’w gael yn yr archifau na chofnodion y a’r cyfrifon blynyddol yn unig. Mae casgliadau archifol y Brifysgol yn cynnwys digonedd o rhyfeddodau annisgwyl. Dyma rai o’n heitemau mwy anarferol, o archif y sydd casgliadau o’r ac hunan ei Brifysgol wedi’u hadneuo gyda ni. eitemau am chwilio yn amser bob Rydym i’r archif, felly ymunwch â’r sgwrs a rhannwch eich atgofion â ni: mwyaf at y Rag Rag y at mwyaf

Ap Rhobert caricature

the most money the most money Plaques show the show the Plaques

bookseller, singer, musician A social distancing distancing social A

of Jack Edwards, Aberystwyth Pladur a phicwarch phicwarch a Pladur

ac Esperantydd yn Aberystwyth yn dangos y neuadd neuadd y dangos yn

Gwawdlun gan Ap Rhobert o Jack

scythe and pitchfork? pitchfork? scythe and

a gododd y cyfanswm cyfanswm y gododd a cymdeithasol? Placiau Placiau cymdeithasol? Edwards, llyfrwerthwr, canwr, cerddor | Tales of the Unexpected | Tales Straeon Annisgwyl 26 27