insight

LIVERPOOL’S PLACE AT THE HEART OF CERN The University’s 60-year role in the most important physics laboratory on the planet

Blackboard to red carpet Making my heart bleed Cemented in history Educating Yorkshire’s Michael Steer The UK’s Information Commissioner on How the University’s expertise infl uenced adapts to life in the limelight tackling online fraud the world during WWI

THE UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL ALUMNI MAGAZINE 2014/15 EDITION CONTENTS

04 - University news 24 - Summer in the city 36 - Volunteering Rounding up an eventful year Some familiar faces return in a Alumni Ambassador for for the University round-up of city news Beijing, Jason Han

insight The Excellence In history: In touch 09 - 26 - 37 - Scholarships University life during the Following alumni from across A new programme for the First World War the decades 16 most talented students The University’s contribution Hello and welcome to your STILL to the war effort 40 - In memoriam new-look magazine! ACCELERATING 10 - Faculty news Including alumni, staff, AT 60 Tofu, Ebola treatment and 30 - Changing lives students, Friends of the I joined the University at the terrorism in the latest Faculty across the globe University and honorary beginning of the year and what a The University’s updates Online postgraduates’ impact graduates year it has been! contribution to six in Pakistan, Germany, Africa We have held events across the incredible decades 22 - Legacies and the Gulf 42 - Alumni travel guide globe and welcomed our Class of discovery at the Former English Literature Focusing on Hong Kong, of 2014 graduates to our alumni CERN laboratory lecturer, Brian Nellist’s 34 - Building a healthier home to Liverpool’s oldest network. Our London campus in Finsbury Square scholarship gift future for our children Graduate Association opened its doors in September. We will be using the Why Liverpool is the world’s space for some of our London events, so you will 23 - By appointment leading centre for research 46 - Events and reunions have the opportunity to visit in future. On page 47, Professor Janet Beer to into children’s medicine Showcasing the events hosted you can view our calendar of events for 2014/15, both become the University’s by the University to bring in the UK and internationally, but please do check fi rst female Vice-Chancellor together students and alumni our website for new additions to the programme. in 2015 We have included a short questionnaire with this magazine, which we would be grateful if you could take the time to complete. This will help us to learn more about you and inform our activity in the future. If you return the questionnaire before 31 January 2015, you will be entered into a competition to win a 28 £100 Amazon voucher. ALUMNI PROFILE: Please get in touch if you have any questions or to FROM BLACKBOARD feedback on the magazine. 06 TO RED CARPET VYING FOR Best wishes VIRTUAL SAFETY TV star and self-confessed maths geek Michael Steer Anita Irving The UK’s Information Commissioner, on life in the limelight Head of Alumni & Supporter Relations alumnus Christopher Graham (BA Hons [email protected] History 1973), on tackling online fraud

P.S. Our magazine is now available online. If you would like to ‘go green’ and receive your magazine by email in 20 44 the future, please contact: [email protected] with ALUMNI PROFILE: AUTHOR, A WEIGHTY ISSUE ‘Green Magazine’ in the subject line. ROMESH GUNESEKERA Researchers from across “Ginsberg described Liverpool as ‘the a range of disciplines are centre of consciousness of the human working together to tackle Stay connected at: www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni. universe’. I wanted to be there” increasing obesity levels

www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 3 UNIVERSITY NEWS

ENHANCING OUR GLOBAL OFFER THE GUILD PACKS A PUNCH

The University’s partner organisation in Suzhou, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), now o§ers more A word from the than 50 undergraduate, postgraduate Left to right: and doctoral programmes and student Sir Peter Vice-Chancellor numbers have grown to 8,000 since it Westmacott, opened in 2006. President Bill Clinton, Voted ‘Most In®uential Sino-Foreign Professor Sir his will be the last opportunity I have to write to you as Higher Education Institution in China’, Howard Newby Vice-Chancellor, prior to my retirement in January 2015. XJTLU has also celebrated the launch T Over the last six and a half years, it has been my privilege of its business school this year. The to have met so many alumni at events all over the world, as well International Business School Suzhou PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON RECEIVES HONORARY DEGREE The Liverpool Guild of Students as at graduation ceremonies in Liverpool, Suzhou, Washington is the —rst business school in China to reopened its doors in September DC and the Cayman Islands. President Bill Clinton, Founder of the Clinton Foundation and 42nd following a £14 million refurbishment. Next summer will see the graduation of the —rst cohort of UK President of the United States, received an honorary degree at a special Improvements include a cinema students paying £9,000 tuition fees. Many of these students will ceremony held at the British Embassy in Washington DC. room, a new-look Stanley theatre, and have bene—ted directly from the support of alumni, through President Clinton, who left o¦ce after eight years with the highest one of the biggest performance venues generous scholarships and bursaries, to those who have taken approval rating of any President since the Second World War, was in the city. part in our successful mentoring programme. honoured with a Doctor of Laws for his signi—cant contributions to The courtyard has also been Despite concerns within the higher education sector that improving global health care and protecting the environment, as well as re—tted with new lighting, heating and increased fees would be a deterrent, I am delighted that the strengthening education and international economies. furniture, and a food servery. This recruitment of students to Liverpool has been excellent, and The ceremony was hosted by the British Ambassador to the United major overhaul means that the Guild is we have also seen record numbers of potential students at our States, Sir Peter Westmacott; he said: “It is a privilege to welcome once again the largest students’ union 2014 Open Days. President Clinton and the University of Liverpool, especially on such a building in the country. The £600 million investment we have made to enhance the momentous occasion. student experience, including building award-winning student “This honorary degree from a British university re®ects the depth, accommodation, improving our libraries and refurbishing the breadth and longevity of the unique ties between the United States and £62 MILLION INVESTED IN STUDENT ACCOMMODATION Guild of Students, makes our campus a major showpiece of the United Kingdom – links that have long been especially strong in which you will be very proud. higher education.” As a leading Russell Group institution, we are proud to In order to provide a world-class attract the brightest students to our University and I am student experience, the University pleased that our new Excellence Scholarships, launching in continues to invest in accommodation, 2015/16, will help to support the next generation of academic with a £62 million investment in talent. You can read more about this on page 9. LONDON CAMPUS NOW OPEN student accommodation at Crown Over the last year, accomplishments have included have a Thomson Reuters Financial Lab Place in the heart of the campus. establishing our London campus; rising in the QS World on site, o§ering students practice in employers, professional institutes and The student village, which opened University rankings; the launch of our Hong Kong Foundation – dealing with equities, bonds and other policy makers, and to o§er graduates in September, includes 1,259 en-suite a critical milestone in our international alumni and fundraising —nancial products, while providing a and professionals the opportunity to bedrooms and features a sustainable activity; the opening of the International Business School signi—cant tool for research enhance their capability in one of the and ener°y e¦cient design. Suzhou at our partner university in China, XJTLU; and more and analytics. world’s most dynamic and inspiring Work also commenced in March recently, the awarding of an honorary degree to President Bill University of Liverpool alumni The University of Liverpool in London cities. on a £7 million refurbishment of Clinton in Washington DC. are an important part of the XJTLU o¦cially opened in September 2014, The University of Liverpool in student accommodation in Melville It is di¦cult as an outgoing Vice-Chancellor to pinpoint one family and those interested in o§ering a suite of vocationally focused London campus is situated at 33 Grove. The scheme involves the achievement I am most proud of, but spending time meeting continuing their studies in China will postgraduate programmes delivered Finsbury Square, right in the heart of total refurbishment of 338 student our alumni and supporters has de—nitely been a highlight. I automatically be eligible for a 20% in premium facilities. London’s professional and business apartments, with completion of the would like to thank every one of you who has supported the reduction in tuition fees. The range of programmes on o§er communities. —rst phase in September. The whole University by o§ering your time and generous donations; your is designed to build on the University’s development will be completed by support really does make a di§erence. Read more at: www.liverpool.ac.uk/xjtlu. existing links with London-based Read more at: www.liverpool.ac.uk/london. January 2016.

4 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 5 CYBER SECURITY

Vying for virtual S4feTY With ever more sophisticated fraudsters, keeping yourself safe online should be a top priority

e conduct more of our lives Agency (NSA) scandal, and the recent eBay data “The eBay customer data breach that we saw online than ever before. From breach a§ecting millions and sending shockwaves earlier this year was di§erent to that of the online banking to supermarket around the world. “ We leave an online footprint Heartbleed scandal,” said Alan Marshall, shopping, every day we carry “The Heartbleed virus was a very good Professor of Communications Networks at the out transactions from the example of why we all need to be very alert to everywhere we go and this is University’s School of Electrical Engineering, Wcomfort of our homes in favour of visiting how vulnerable we can be online and to make Electronics and Computer Science. something we need to bear shops in person. But is our reliance on internet sure that we think ‘privacy’ in all that we do,” “In this case, an internal account appears to shopping making us more vulnerable? Christopher said. in mind.” have been used to access databases which “We all want to reap the bene—ts of what the The Heartbleed virus – one of the biggest contained users’ personal details, including date - Christopher Graham, UK Information Commissioner internet has to o§er, but we also have to be aware security threats the internet has ever seen – hit of birth, address and password information.” of the risks,” explains alumnus Christopher the headlines in April this year, when sites that eBay isn’t the only organisation that has had Graham (BA Hons History 1973 and President of were vulnerable to the bug left themselves open to manage the consequences of an internal the Guild of Students 1971´2), UK Information to their information being stolen. after it sensibly and keep it locked away. source leaking information. The NSA is currently Commissioner. “We leave an online footprint These security breaches occur for a number of “It’s incredibly important to be very careful dealing with the rami—cations of the interception everywhere we go and this is something we need reasons and have far-reaching consequences. about passwords and to take a common sense of communications, surveillance and to bear in mind.” “Identity theft is one of the biggest threats,” said view to our lives online. You wouldn’t give a security services. In recent years, the media has reported widely Christopher. “Because we are doing so much stranger your PIN number out in the street, “In recent years we’ve had to turn our attention on cyber security scandals, which are estimated online – work, banking, social correspondence, so the same principles should be applied when to how we track legitimate users behaving to cost the UK economy £10 billion a year, with shopping, entertainment – there’s a lot of you get an email from someone asking for abnormally,” Alan said. “Essentially, this is an the Heartbleed virus, the National Security information that can be accessed if we don’t look sensitive information.” insider who appears to be, for example, a normal

6 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 7 CYBER SECURITY THE EXCELLENCE SCHOLARSHIPS

employee, but under the surface is doing How to stay safe online things surreptitiously.” “Over and above the — nancial motivations, people also release viruses for both political and The online world is a minefi eld when it comes to competitive gains,” says Alan. “People will safeguarding your information. Here are a few pointers deliberately spam someone else’s website at a key to keep in mind the next time you are surfi ng the web: time so that users can’t view the content. Similarly, something that’s not uncommon is • Set a really strong password. Avoid names of competitors spamming each other’s websites, so “3L*#D!p9” family members and choose something that has that customers need to seek an alternative whilst a mixture of letters, numbers and symbols the service is unavailable. There are so many motivations for cyber crime.” • Make sure both your Wi-Fi and smartphone Professor Marshall and his team at the have passwords University are also researching another area of concern: viruses that can spread via Wi-Fi • Don’t give away your personal information – banks networks. The team has shown for the — rst time Þ Þ Þ 3 don’t ask for PIN numbers and card details online that networks can be infected with a virus that can move through densely populated areas as • Be aware of public service Wi-Fi – browsing is e¦ ciently as the common cold. fi ne, but avoid using it to make purchases or By designing and simulating an attack by a to share information virus called Chameleon, they found that not only UNLOCKING THE POTENTIAL could it spread quickly, but that it was able to • Keep your wits about you – if something doesn’t avoid detection and identify the points at which seem right, chances are it could be a threat. Wi-Fi access is least protected by encryption and OF THE MOST TALENTED STUDENTS passwords. The team are now using the data they have generated through this study to develop a new technique to identify when an attack is likely. “Project Chameleon demonstrated that a virus doesn’t just have to reside either on the internet “This is a unique inter-disciplinary research he University of Liverpool has received £100,000 programme as an initiative that will allow young people or in a computer. It can spread from access point project which uses mathematics to improve the from US graduates to support a new scholarship to reach their full potential. to access point, via Wi-Fi. And from this threat decision-making skills of those working in IT T programme for undergraduate students. Karen Brady, Director of Philanthropy & Alumni people are incredibly vulnerable – it can be used security operations,” said Simon. The Excellence Scholarships fund will ensure that Relations at the University, said: “By donating to the to misinform, extract passwords and gain access “The toolset we are developing will ensure UK undergraduates from households where — nance Excellence Scholarships fund, our supporters will play to personal information. But it can be avoided. So that decisions are made based on what the may be a barrier to further education, but who have an important role in investing in a bright future for the many people don’t change the administrator evidence actually indicates rather than what predicted A-level grade of AAA or equivalent, can next generation of scholars and potentially future password on their access point. This sort of people – often mistakenly – think the secure a place at the University for 2015 entry. research stars. attack could be avoided by simply changing evidence indicates.” Successful applicants, from families that receive less “Given the increasingly important emphasis that our this password.” As we become increasingly reliant on the that £42,000 in annual income, will receive up to prospective students are placing on money matters, Simon Maskell, the University’s Professor of internet, taking a careful and informed approach £3,000 for each year of study. Those from households additional — nancial support is extremely important in Autonomous Systems, is also leading a project in to our behaviour online is essential to protect with income of less than £25,000 will receive a total informing decisions about whether to continue with partnership with Hewlett Packard to protect ourselves against potential threats. package of £4,000 each year. education or not. organisations of all sizes from cyber threats, “Fraud and the idea of fraud is not new,” The donation has come from the directors of “We are grateful for the support we have had so far drawing on psychological studies into how Christopher Graham explains. “What is new is Liverpool’s US Foundation, an initiative that was and welcome others to consider how their donations people make decisions in stressful situations. that fraudsters are becoming ever more versatile established to allow US graduates to support University could positively change a young person’s life.” Funded by the Engineering and Physical and ingenious with the fraud they are executing. research and students. Directors of the Foundation, Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the project is Most credit card fraud is accessed online, so we Former Finance Director of Wyeth, Tony Crowe; Senior Every one of our supporters has the power to play a role in our future. using mathematical models to improve how have to be incredibly alert. That threat isn’t going Independent Director at Rolls-Royce, Dr Lewis Booth; To fi nd out more go to: www.liverpool.ac.uk/giving. decisions are made when dealing with complex to go away, but we can manage it better by being and Executive-Vice-President of EnCore Composite Or contact one of the team at: [email protected] security IT problems. more aware of our online behaviour.” l Structures Inc., Dr Brian Jones, commended the new or +44 (0)151 794 6987.

8 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 9 FACULTY NEWS: SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING STUDENTS AIM TO BUILD FASTEST Material BIKE IN HISTORY f A team of engineering students gains in are attempting to create the fastest chemistry human-powered vehicle in history. The University of Liverpool Velocipede Team’s students are hoping their design will smash the 83.13 mph Scientists in the Department of dimensional, but it has record set in September 2013 by TU Chemistry have created a new an electronic band gap making Delft and VU Amsterdam universities. material related to graphene it potentially suitable for use which has the potential to in transistors. ARION1 (pictured below) will be improve transistors used in The new development comes designed, manufactured and ready electronic devices. as the University announced that to race by May 2015, and will attempt the record in September 2015 at The material, ‘triazine-based it will open a £65 million Materials the World Human Power Speed graphitic carbon nitride’(or TGCN), Innovation Factory in partnership Challenge in Battle Mountain, Nevada. was predicted theoretically in with Unilever to accelerate 1996, but this is the — rst time that research and reduce new product it has been made. development times relevant to Graphene is one atom thick, a range of sectors. The facility is strong, and conducts heat and expected to be occupied by a total electricity highly e¦ ciently. The of 250 researchers and will open in new TGCN material is also two- the summer of 2016. CHEMISTRY PRIZE WITH 81-YEAR HERITAGE RETURNS

f An alumna of the University Liverpool has received the fi rst Potts Medal for outstanding contribution to Chemistry to be awarded in 13 years, assists thanks to a generous gift from an Fukushima anonymous donor. A surprising The Medal, named in honour of monitoring distinguished chemist Harold Edwin Potts (BSc Hons Chemistry 1906, MSc new use for 1907), was fi rst awarded in 1933 to Research at the University of Liverpool is developing new alumni from the Department of Chemistry and, following a 13-year sensors that will help the tofu ingredient hiatus, the prize has now been awarded recovery and regeneration of to Professor Alison Ashcroft (BSc Hons the post-disaster Fukushima Chemistry 1977), Professor of region and pave the way Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry in the Researchers at the University’s the world, but it is highly toxic and study to be as e§ ective as for improved monitoring and control of radioactivity at nuclear sites Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Stephenson Institute for expensive to produce. the alternative. worldwide. Biology and Faculty of Biological Renewable Ener°y have replaced Physicist Dr Jon Major (pictured Dr Major said: “Cadmium The continued release of radioactive material from the earthquake- Sciences at the University of Leeds. a highly toxic and expensive above) has found that it can be chloride is toxic and expensive damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station in Japan, with the substance used to make solar cells replaced with magnesium chloride, and we no longer need to use associated risks to water, coastal environments, agricultural land, animals with one used to make tofu and which is extracted from seawater it. Replacing it with a naturally and human health, have drawn international concern. bath salts. and is used in products such as tofu, occurring substance could save As a result of this, the University team, which is made up of engineers, Cadmium chloride is currently bath salts and de-icer for roads. the industry a vast amount of environmental scientists and physicists, is looking at developing smaller a key ingredient in solar cell Safe and at a fraction of the money and reduce the overall and more accurate versions of detectors known as Compton-geometry technolo°y which is used in cost – $0.001 per gram compared cost for generating power sensors. The aim is to see how radioactivity moves with changes in water ChemSoc President Helen Cauldbeck (left) presents millions of solar panels around to $0.3 – it has been shown in the from solar.” ® ow or sediment movement, and how the radiation in contaminated soil the 2014 Potts Medal to Professor Alison Ashcroft gets into the food chain through plants and animals.

10 insight 2014/15 edition FACULTY NEWS: HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES SLAVERY AND FORCED LABOUR UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT

f The Director of Anti-Slavery Garstang Museum International, Aidan McQuade, joined University researcher Glynn of Archaeology Rankin to deliver a seminar on ‘Forced Labour and the Supply £1.7 million reopens Chain’ as part of Liverpool’s International Festival for Business. to trace lives The University’s Garstang Museum of Drawing on research at the Archaeolo°y reopened in July following a University on exploitation in major refurbishment. The museum holds an hotels and the agricultural of convicts important collection of antiquities, re® ecting industry, Glynn stressed the the University’s long history of archaeological importance of businesses taking study, including objects excavated in E°ypt, responsibility by ensuring that the Aegean, Sudan, Jericho, Anatolia and recruitment and agency worker Great Britain. policies included provisions for dealing with exploitation. Read more at: www.liverpool.ac.uk/garstang.

BBC CORRESPONDENT’S TALK ON TERROR

f Honorary A huge boost for the Award for helping graduate and Institute of Irish Management School Hillsborough lawyers Studies Professorial A tough sentence: The project aims to shed light on the plight of more than 60,000 convicts imprisoned or transported to Australia A refurbishment programme to transform the A team from the Liverpool Law relatives during the stadium Fellow, Fergal Senate Drum Building into a modern teaching School have won prestigious disaster of 1989. The student Keane (Hon and learning facility has bene— ted from one of national awards for their work in team won the award for Best LittD 2011), the biggest individual donations received by the supporting the — rm investigating Contribution by a Team visited the University to deliver a University in recent history. the Hillsborough disaster. of Students. talk about terrorism called Terror Through Time, ahead of the The School of Law and Social Justice is leading a Alumnus Paul Brett (BA Geography 1965) Christine Ball, who works at the “The students displayed release of his 25-part BBC Radio £1.7 million Arts and Humanities Research Council made a generous gift to the University of University of Liverpool Law Clinic, considerable diligence and 4 series of the same name. (AHRC) award to make it possible for people to trace Liverpool Management School that will enable won the LawWorks Pro Bono professionalism whilst undertaking the records of more than 60,000 Londoners sentenced MBA students to bene— t from a dedicated suite Award for Best Individual after this highly sensitive task,” said DEVELOPING POSTGRADUATE to either imprisonment or transportation from 1787 up featuring the latest audio visual equipment, putting together a team of 30 Christine. “Their dedication STUDENTS to the 1920s. break-out spaces, careers interview rooms, students to examine thousands of enabled the legal team to comply The project, ‘The Digital Panopticon: The Global exhibition spaces and social zones. documents for local law — rm with deadlines which would have f The School of the Arts has Impact of London Punishments, 1780´1925’, uses The new building (pictured above) will be Broudie Jackson Canter, who been impossible to meet without launched a pioneering digital technologies to bring together genealogical, renamed the Brett Building in memory of Paul’s represent the 21 families who lost the students’ assistance.” programme designed specifi cally biometric and criminal justice datasets held by late mother, Kathleen Brett. Paul said: “Next for postgraduate research di§ erent organisations in the UK and Australia in order year marks the 50th anniversary of my students to develop their to produce a searchable website. graduation from the University of Liverpool and research, professional and The Digital Panopticon will not only be of interest I am delighted that I can support the interpersonal skills. to the 12 million family historians in the UK and University’s current and future students in LiNK (Liverpool Network of Australia, but will also help resolve some important this way.” Knowledge Exchange) offers questions that have intrigued historians, sociologists, Paul is the former Chief Executive of short-term placements at major social geographers, linguistic researchers, economists Thomson Travel Group Plc. He was with the cultural partners such as and criminologists about the impact and e§ ects of Company for 20 years when he retired. Since Bluecoat, National Museums imprisonment, and transportation to Australia. then, he has invested in and helped develop a Liverpool, Royal Liverpool Left to right: Rt Hon Dominic Grieve QC MP former Attorney General and Rt Hon Louise Ellman Philharmonic and Tate Liverpool. number of new businesses in the travel, wine MP for Liverpool Riverside with winning students: Curtis Ball, Christopher Williams, Alexandra and restaurant industries. Charlton, Valeriya Sterkhova, and Rt Hon Steve Rotherham MP for Liverpool Walton

12 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 13 FACULTY NEWS: HEALTH AND LIFE SCIENCES TSETSE FLY GENETIC CODE SEQUENCED

f Scientists in the Institute of Integrative Biology have successfully sequenced the genetic code of the tsetse fly, making major advances in disease control possible. Tsetse flies are unique to Africa and can infect New approaches people bitten by them with sleeping sickness, which kills more than for Ebola virus 250,000 people each year. Geneticist, Professor Neil Hall (BSc Hons Genetics 1993, PhD 1997), whose paper on the subject was Researchers from the University, in collaboration Once the team identi—ed these cellular proteins published in Science, said, “Decoding with Public Health England, have investigated new they were able to —nd out whether any drugs were this genome has been a long and ways to identify drugs that could be used to treat already in existence that could block the function painstaking process, but now that Ebola virus infection. of the particular protein. One such drug identi—ed the data is available to researchers, They looked at which proteins inside a cell are was ouabain, which can be used in the treatment of a range of possibilities for controlling critical for the functions of Ebola virus and are heart disease. Administering this drug reduced virus sleeping sickness have opened up.” hijacked by the virus to help with infection. One of replication in treated cells. the proteins they have targeted is known as VP24. The study was led by Professor Julian Hiscox This protein disrupts signalling in infected human from the University’s Institute of Infection and The European NEW CENTRES LAUNCHED cells and disrupts the body’s immune system and Global Health and Professor Roger Hewson at Public mobile laboratory in Guéckédou, Guinea – the —ght against the virus. Health England. the initial epicentre f The University has launched two of the Ebola outbreak new centres to research childhood arthritis and cancer.

The Arthritis Research UK National Experimental Arthritis Treatment Centre for Children aims to improve Human feet Tracking the effect of the health and wellbeing of children with arthritis and related rheumatic ape those of revolutionary new medicines conditions. The research team will test new treatments specifically tree dwelling The University has been awarded more rapid treatment of disease. targeted at children with these £2 million to fund research into The Liverpool Radiomaterials conditions. tracking materials used in Chemistry Laboratory at the ancestors Meanwhile, North West Cancer breakthrough medicines. University will tag parts of the Research (NWCR), which also A multi-disciplinary team from medicines by making some of incorporates Clatterbridge Cancer Research at the University has shown the Department of Molecular and them harmlessly radioactive and Research, has moved its headquarters that the mechanisms of the human Clinical Pharmacolo°y and the then monitor how they move to the University’s Cancer Research foot have much more in common Department of Chemistry will use around the body once the drugs Centre in order to be closer to the with the ®exible feet of other great radioactive labelling to —nd out are administered. research teams and facilities at the apes than previously thought. where key materials used in Chemist, Professor Steve University and nearby hospital In a study of more than 25,000 nanomedicines go once they have Rannard, said: “Nanomedicines campuses. The NWCR Centre – human steps made on a pressure- entered the body. Nanomedicines are increasingly going to improve University of Liverpool will act as a sensitive treadmill at the University’s great apes, such as orangutans features evolved to enable us to move can deliver small quantities of a future medicines for a broader hub for researchers working in a range of disciplines in the cancer field. Gait Laboratory, scientists at and chimpanzees. quickly on the ground. drug in a targeted way to the range of conditions, and this work Liverpool have shown that despite Dr Karl Bates, from the University’s “Our limbs, however, did not adapt a§ected part of the body. Unlike will provide important information To find out more about the University’s having abandoned life in the trees Institute of Ageing and Chronic to life on the ground anywhere near traditional therapies, nanomedicines that may accelerate the process child health research, go to page 34 long ago, our feet have retained a Disease, said: “As time passed and as much as those of other ground- are formulated to use lower of getting them into the clinic or visit: www.liverpool.ac.uk/giving/ surprising amount of ®exibility, as humans became more and more dwelling animals such as horses, quantities, with the potential for and provide bene—ts to patients child-health. seen in the feet of tree-dwelling ground-dwelling animals, some new hares and dogs.” cost savings, fewer side-e§ects and globally.”

14 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 15 CERN AT 60

CERN has fundamentally changed the way we comprehend the universe and how we live our lives and, throughout its 60-year Still accelerating at 60 history, the University has contributed enormously to its success.

he European Organization Professor Themis Bowcock, the engineers were central to the for Nuclear Research, University’s Head of Particle Physics, construction of one of its — rst machines or CERN as it is more said: “After the war, Liverpool had a – the Synchrocyclotron. “In many ways widely known, was major role in developing CERN. The one can say that Liverpool technolo°y established with a lofty world had seen enough death and was at the heart of the founding of Tambition to promote world peace destruction and wanted to show that CERN,” said Themis. while unravelling the mysteries of scientists could work together “From the early days there were a the universe. peacefully. There was a big push to tie lot of Liverpool people who were tightly While the job may not be quite Europe together.” involved in CERN at the technical and complete, over six decades it has © 1954 CERN Work began in Liverpool on another directorate levels. The North West can contributed enormously to our big, high-ener°y machine – a 136-inch be thought of as the home of particle understanding of the structure cyclotron. However, researchers rapidly physics worldwide because so much of the universe, inspired generations realised that building ever-bigger has been discovered here and so many of scientists and engineers, and accelerators was too much for scientists have come from here and brought particle physics into individual institutions and the work come to work here.” popular consciousness. must become a national and In 1984, Liverpool’s Particle Physics CERN was established after the international endeavour. Group got a major boost when Second World War by a group of When CERN was established in 1954, Professor Erwin Gabathuler joined as Europe’s leading scientists who saw an University of Liverpool technolo°y and its head. Gabathuler was an extremely opportunity to build an international well-known scientist who had founded laboratory for fundamental research experiments and worked all around that would bring nations together the world, most notably at CERN, through science. However, Liverpool’s where he was the Research Director renown in the — eld of particle physics Top left: The fi rst image taken when Carlo Rubbia won a Nobel Prize far pre-dates the creation of CERN, as of the CERN site; inset: for work leading to the discovery of W construction under way; the University was one of the few below: Professor Themis and Z particles. He immediately set places in Europe to house a cyclotron Bowcock, the University’s about revitalising the department (an early type of accelerator) before Head of Particle Physics and proposing experiments at CERN, the war broke out. The cyclotron was including CPLEAR, which pioneered the used by James Chadwick, the Nobel study of anti-matter in the early 1990s. Prize-winning physicist, to prove the As work began at CERN on the existence of neutrons. This epoch- Large Electron Positron (LEP) Collider making discovery paved the way (housed in the same tunnel as the now towards the — ssion of uranium 235 famous Large Hadron Collider), and towards the creation of the Liverpool’s experts were prime movers atomic bomb. in making one of the big four © 1955 CERN

16 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 17 CERN AT 60

Left: Peter Higgs stands below right: The ATLAS on the cavern fl oor with semiconductor tracker the detector open for undergoing testing. Photo maintenance behind him courtesy of CERN.

below: Detail of the ALICE photon spectrometer

© 2014 MAXIMILIEN BRICE/CERN

experiments work, with Paul Booth RD50 collaboration, developing therapy for eye cancers, brain cancer largest particle accelerator facilities terribly expensive – its budget is less becoming deputy spokesperson for devices for high luminosity colliders, therapy, and engineering-based and to continue the University’s proud than some universities – but it employs DELPHI and Liverpool hardware at are still ongoing and are recognition applications like vacuums and history of particle physics expertise. tens of thousands of academics, is its core. that the University leads on “ Far from being a black electronics – these are all things A chemistry graduate, Clive was a leader in terms of ideas and In 2000, attention switched the technolo°y. hole in the ground, coming out of CERN,” says Themis. inspired to fund the post following an engineering innovation, and it will towards the Large Hadron Collider “At the same time our nuclear But CERN is also playing another alumni event held at CERN in 2013. His continue to drive our economy for 20 (LHC) and the University was heavily physics group was part of the team CERN is a fountain of crucial role; it has inspired a new generous donation helped to establish to 30 years. involved in two experiments – the that created 38 atoms of anti-hydrogen ideas, creativity, and generation of scientists and engineers. a pound-for-pound matching fund to “Far from being a black hole in the ATLAS experiment, which discovered for the — rst time at CERN, and Dr “Studies have shown that it is these encourage other alumni to support the ground, CERN is a fountain of ideas, the Higgs boson; and LHCb, which Monica D’Onofrio from Liverpool has well-informed and big projects that help to bring in young initiative which raised £16,000. creativity, and well-informed and studied the di§ erence between matter been leading the search for super- educated students.” engineers and physicists,” explains Student William Turner started his educated students and we are proud and anti-matter. symmetry. We are very much at the Themis. “As they learn more, they PhD at CERN this year. to continue our involvement with it in Themis said: “We were unique in forefront of particle physics and will - Professor Themis Bowcock, the become inspired and motivated and “This generous donation by Dr the future.” l building the inner tracking component continue to be with our involvement in University’s Head of Particle Physics branch out, and this role is McLintock shows how individuals can of two LHC experiments. There was the ATLAS and LCHb upgrades and the extraordinarily important.” make a direct contribution to solving If you would like to join us for a obviously a huge fanfare for the Higgs Future Circular Collider.” Alumnus Dr Clive McLintock (BSc some of the most fundamental behind-the-scenes tour of CERN on discovery and at Liverpool we were On 29 September 2014 it was 1959, BSc Hons Metallur°y 1960, PhD questions in science,” said Themis. Saturday 30 May 2015, please visit: very proud to have contributed to exactly 60 years since CERN was 1963), one of the — rst directors of “William will be working at the www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni/events. that. Around that period Professor Phil founded. During that time, the Barclays Development Capital Ltd, forefront of physics and it’s a Allport was also elected as the leader organisation has done an enormous airport terminals. MRI scanners in recognises the importance of investing wonderful opportunity for a talented of the upgrade project for ATLAS – amount to bring physics to the wider hospitals employ the same in the scientists of scientist to build their career.” Every one of our supporters has the a multi-billion dollar endeavour public. Discoveries in particle physics superconducting magnet technolo°y the future. “The European Physical Society power to play a role in our future. involving thousands of engineers and have enabled better diagnosis and used at the Large Hadron Collider. He has helped to create a new PhD commissioned an independent review To fi nd out more go to: www.liverpool.ac.uk/giving. physicists. treatment in health, aided the safe “It goes without saying that the position at the University that will which showed that every euro invested Or contact one of the team at: “This project and Gianluigi Casse’s development of ener°y sources, and world wide web came from CERN. PET allow a student to gain work in fundamental science returns three [email protected] work as co-spokesperson of the CERN improved sensors in public security at scanners, MRI imaging, hadron experience at one of the world’s euros to the economy. CERN is not or +44 (0)151 794 6987.

18 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 19 ALUMNI PROFILE

Romesh’s top tips for aspiring writers f course, by the time I got support himself while he followed his dream to Liverpool, I was far too of writing for a living. 1. Put the time in. You cool to admit to liking The In 1992 Romesh’s — rst short story have to treat it like a Beatles!” laughs Romesh, collection, Monk sh Moon, was released, job and make time who describes his student kick-starting a literary love a§ air with his to write. It may take Oself as “the long-haired, hippyish type”. “I homeland that included his Booker Prize months or even years was more interested in the Liverpool poets nominated debut novel, Reef, and continues to produce something – Adrian Henri, Brian Patten and Roger today with the recently published novel, you’re happy with, or McGough – and the fact that Alan Ginsberg Noontide Toll. that will be published, once described Liverpool as ‘the centre “For a long time I didn’t write about Sri but keep at it. of consciousness of the human universe’. Lanka,” explains Romesh. “I wrote about 2. Read as much as That’s why I wanted to be there.” the here and now, about London or you can. Read widely, Romesh moved with his family to Liverpool. When the political violence and outside of your Liverpool in 1971. Despite his teenage began I wanted to understand where I’d chosen genre. You dreams of going to America, Romesh’s come from, to explore my own personal never know where parents were keen for him to come to history through the country’s past and inspiration will come England to study. present. from. It’s important “At that time, Liverpool had the only “As a writer I’m interested in the links to remember what combined honours programme in the between places and people. My tangible is enjoyable about country, which was perfect for me because links to Sri Lanka are getting fewer and reading before you try I didn’t have a particular career in mind,” he fewer. People move on or pass away, so by to write yourself. says. “The course allowed me to — nd out writing about the country I can keep that more about literature and philosophy, and connection alive.” 3. Write as much as read books I’d never have read otherwise. On top of his career as an award-winning you can. Write in as They also had one of the earliest courses on novelist, Romesh teaches creative writing many forms as you American Literature, so the syllabus was and runs workshops and mentoring sessions like, but get everything really quite progressive.” for aspiring writers. He was also one of the down. Take the time to Having spent his formative years in the — rst writers on the First Story project, which Romesh try and fi nd what your idyllic surroundings of pre-civil war Sri delivers outreach programmes in schools, values are. You need Gunesekera Lanka, Romesh found 1970s industrial designed to encourage children from to be in touch with Liverpool something of a culture shock. disadvantaged areas to engage with reading your heart to write. BA HONS COMBINED HONOURS 1976 “We all thought we knew about Liverpool and foster creativity. from The Beatles,” recalls Romesh, “but it “Teaching, whether it’s with new writers 4. Seek out a mentor. was very di§ erent to how I’d imagined. It or schoolchildren, allows you to engage with Writing is a solitary wasn’t the heritage and tourist city it is writing in its rawest state, and that really thing and it can be today. It was in economic decline and was appeals to me,” says Romesh. quite hard to keep In 1967, author Romesh very run down in parts, but at the same “I love having the opportunity to give yourself motivated. Gunesekera was a 13-year-old time it was a fantastic creative and cultural people a space where they are not judged or Getting feedback and boy sitting on a Sri Lankan beach environment. assessed, where they can spend time doing encouragement is vital. singing along to The Beatles’ “I met my wife, Helen, in my third year at something simply for the joy of it.” l 5. Don’t give up. Penny Lane with his friends. He university,” adds Romesh. “Her father, Professor John Pick, was also an alumnus, It might not happen couldn’t have known that in a few so I came to love Liverpool. It was, and Romesh Gunesekera’s latest novel, overnight for you. years’ time he would be travelling continues to be, a big part of my life.” Noontide Toll, was published in July 2014 It can be a very long to his idols’ home city to study, and After graduation, Romesh moved to by Granta Books. He has just completed journey, but the Novel Writing, a Writers’ and Artists’ journey itself can what an important part Liverpool London. Discovering that the roads weren’t Companion with AL Kennedy, which is Left: Romesh be meaningful. would come to play in his life. on campus in paved with gold, he took temporary jobs – due for publication in early 2015. 1967 van driver, Harrods porter, delivery boy – to

20 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 21 LEGACIES BY APPOINTMENT

Brian Nellist’s Leading GIFT FOR LITERATURE THE WAY rian Nellist, who was a lecturer in English Literature at the The University has appointed B University from 1959´2000, has Professor Janet Beer as its next pledged a sizeable donation to establish Vice-Chancellor. a scholarship fund for English students, inspired by his own route into higher education and using money he has saved all of his life. rofessor Beer will be the University’s —rst female “I was supported by a William Vice-Chancellor and is only the third woman to be Noble Fellowship when I arrived at the P appointed in the role within the elite Russell Group. University as a junior academic,” said She will take up the position on 1 February 2015, Brian. “This support enabled me to succeeding Professor Sir Howard Newby, who is retiring pursue my career, so I’ve given this after six years. donation as my o§er to help future An outstanding researcher in the —eld of late 19th and students.” early 20th century American literature and culture, Although he has now retired from Professor Beer is extremely well known and respected in his role in the School of English, Brian Distinguished teaching painting of Nellist in oil by the artist Thomas Newbolt the higher education sector for the national leadership currently works for Liverpool’s Reader roles she has undertaken. Organisation, which promotes reading She chairs the Higher Education Public Information to people from a wide variety of talented students from underprivileged If you are interested in discussing Steering Group (responsible for the National Student a legacy gift, we would love to backgrounds, and also works part-time backgrounds. Survey and Key Information Set), is an elected board work with you to make sure any at the University’s Centre for Lifelong “Reading literature introduces you bequest is used in exactly the member of Universities UK (for which she is Vice-President Learning. to complex thoughts, feelings and way you would wish and can talk for England and Northern Ireland), a board member of His gift will enable many more ideas, and in doing so is bound to have you through the important steps UCAS, and a member of the Higher Education Policy to consider before you consult a students to have the opportunity to an e§ect on your own way of thinking,” Institute Advisory Board. She is Chair of the Equality solicitor. For further information, study at the University in the future said Brian. “The most complex use of including suggested wording Challenge Unit and has previously been an Arts and and will help to share his enthusiasm language is found in literature and for inclusion in your will, please Humanities Research Council panel member. for English Literature. The scholarships studying it helps to improve the way contact Stephen Kehoe on Her previous career has included periods in local +44 (0)151 795 4637 or email: are for undergraduates in the School of you articulate your thoughts. And that government as well as university teaching and [email protected]. English and will help to support is a valuable skill for anyone to have.” l administration. Her track record in leadership and management is also well established – she has led Oxford Brookes University successfully since 2007. Professor Beer said: “I have strong links with the North University of Liverpool alumni progressing to programmes. And, if you successfully introduce a West, so to be invited back to the region to lead the world Alumni postgraduate study in either 2014 or 2015 can now friend, family member or colleague to one of these famous University of Liverpool feels truly special to me. POSTGRADUATE receive a 20% discount on their tuition fees. online programmes, you will both receive £300 worth “The University is a centre of excellence in research and DISCOUNT The Postgraduate Progression Award is available of rewards in the form of an Amazon gift certificate teaching with the dynamism and power to transform lives. to all University of Liverpool undergraduate students (or, if you are already studying online with the “The University, like the city, has many unique or alumni considering a postgraduate taught course University, as a reduction in your tuition fees). advantages, and the real potential to build on its history (including MRes qualifications) at either our Liverpool and recent successes to develop, grow and improve in or London campuses. You do not need to make an Find out more at: ways we can all be proud of. application to receive this award as it will be www.university-liverpool-online.com/refer. “I am looking forward to meeting its committed and automatically awarded to all eligible students. To discover the wide range of postgraduate study talented sta§ in the New Year, and inviting them to join me University of Liverpool alumni are also eligible for options available at the University, visit: on the next exciting stage of the University’s journey.” l a 20% tuition fee reduction on any of our online www.liverpool.ac.uk/study/postgraduate.

22 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 23 SUMMER IN THE CITY

University Festival of Ideas To coincide with the arrival of the Giant Spectacular, the University staged a free, two-day Festival of Ideas showcasing the University’s global contribution to the arts and sciences. As the huge marionettes travelled through the city, the University campus Duke of York visits University campus hosted a range of musical Giant spectacular performances, poetry HRH the Duke of York visited the investigations in additive manufacturing recitals, exhibitions, University in June as part of the processes and rapid prototyping for use —lm screenings, craft International Festival of Business. in the production of advanced 3D printed This summer, Liverpool welcomed back some giant-sized Memories of August 1914 was a poignant and spectacular workshops, and interactive During the visit, —nal year architecture implants for medical purposes. visitors to roam the streets of the city. Following their piece of street theatre that saw three giant marionettes demonstrations, many of students presented their design projects The Duke also met Professors Themis unforgettable visit for the 2012 Sea Odyssey event, French embark on a journey around the city. More than 1.5 million which were designed to (pictured above) which aimed to push Bowcock and Tara Shears, who were theatre company Royal De Luxe returned to Liverpool as the people converged on the streets of Liverpool to follow the illustrate the University’s the boundaries of engineering and involved in the discovery of the Higgs city hosted one of the UK’s ®agship 2014 commemoration story of the Grandmother Giant, the Little Girl Giant and involvement in the First materials science, and researchers in the boson at CERN, home of the famous events for the centenary of the start of the First her dog, Xolo, as they helped to tell the story of how the World War. School of Engineering presented their Large Hadron Collider. World War. city was a§ected by the events of the First World War.

events during 2014, the IFB Chancellor George City Council for another (RIBA) Stirling Prize, panels featuring life-size 2014 INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL FOR BUSINESS aimed to showcase great Osborne has also committed festival here in Liverpool architecture’s most images of Liverpool British industry across funding for the IFB to return in 2016.” prestigious prize. residents. multiple sectors and to Liverpool in 2016. Built on the site of the The theatre was also f Liverpool was the host champion UK businesses to Speaking at one of the former Everyman and named Building of the Year city for the International new markets, new products festival’s key events – the EVERYMAN WINS designed by leading in the regional round of the Festival for Business (IFB) and new partners. Santander SME summit – he STIRLING PRIZE theatre architects Haworth 2014 RIBA Awards. Other this year, a 50-day festival The University played a granted a request for Tompkins, the new building winners from Liverpool which attracted business key role by staging a number financial support for IFB 2016 features a 400-seat were the Enterprise South delegates and trade of public lectures and from the Mayor of Liverpool. auditorium, green room, Liverpool Academy and intermediaries from around hosting a three-day higher “I am backing this f Liverpool’s Everyman café and bar, and rehearsal, Liverpool Central Library, the world. education conference – initiative, committing the theatre (pictured right) has workshop and writing which also won the Award The largest global Global Universities of the funding requested by Mayor won the 2014 Royal Institute spaces. On the front of the for Best Conservation concentration of business 21st Century. Joe Anderson and Liverpool of British Architects Awards building are 105 aluminium Project. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PHILIP VILE

24 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 25 IN HISTORY HONOURS AWARDED INCLUDED

Å Lieutenant Francis Chisholm Young (1897–1917) Lieutenant ‘Frank’ Young was the son of mathematician William Henry Young (1864–1942), UNIVERSITY Associate Professor (1912) and Honorary Chair in Philosophy 5 VICTORIA CROSSES and History of Mathematics (1913–1919) at the University. 26 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE A 2nd Lieutenant of the Royal The Liverpool Pals ORDERS Flying Corps, he died in service Within weeks of the outbreak of war, in 1917 aged 20. Lord Derby put forward the idea of 101 MILITARY CROSSES life In a letter stored in the a battalion drawn from the Liverpool University’s archives, his business workforce. DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR colleague and friend wrote: “His Volunteers were asked to turn up Squadron Commander, Leman, at The King’s Regiment Liverpool told me that he considered that HQ in St Anne Street on 28 August, he would have made one of the 1914, and extra rooms had to be fi nest pilots in France if he had opened to deal with all the men who lived. The day before he died wanted to enlist. hen war broke their University roles; William he had four fi ghts in the air and Addressing the volunteers, Lord 84 out in August Gilmour, Head of the School of described it as the fi nest day he Derby said: “I don’t ask you to MEMBERS of UNIVERSITY 1914, patriotism Dentistry in 1916, treated facial had ever had. On the last day uphold Liverpool’s honour, it would dictated that every injury patients in France; engineer Ç Olaf Stapledon (1886–1950) he and his observer must have be an insult to think that you could TEACHING STAFF able-bodied man, and architect Sir Charles Reilly was Olaf Stapledon, the infl uential science been in some way surprised. do anything but that. Wirrespective of his quali— cations, an Assistant Inspector of Munitions; fi ction author and philosopher, served They were fl ying at about 5,000 “But I do thank you from the was expected to volunteer for the Sir Ronald Ross and JW Stephens as a conscientious objector in the feet and nine German planes bottom of my heart for coming here armed forces. were consultants on malarial Quaker Friends Ambulance Unit in dropped down from about tonight and showing what is the spirit More than a third of the diseases; Professor Share Jones France and Belgium. He survived 12,000 feet and suddenly fi red of Liverpool, a spirit that ought to OTHER University’s teaching sta§ and male organised veterinary hospitals in the war and was awarded a PhD in into them. Of course they had not spread through every city and every EMPLOYEES students signed up for active France; and Sir Robert Jones from Philosophy from the University in 1925. a chance.” town in the kingdom.” 39 service between 1914´18, while the Department of Surgery ran a He used his thesis as the basis for his STUDENTS female students joined Voluntary military orthopaedic hospital at fi rst published prose book, A Modern Aid Detachments or gave up their Alder Hey. Theory of Ethics (1929). The picture holidays to work on the land. The four years of war put a great above, taken in July 1915, is stored Å Captain Noel G Chavasse (1884–1917) Everything became focused on strain on the University. Income in the University’s Stapledon archive. Captain Noel G Chavasse, whose heroism is commemorated the war. The Engineering from student fees was signi— cantly with a statue in Abercromby Square, was a former student & Departments became a centre for reduced, lectures were restricted of both Liverpool and Oxford who became a lieutenant in 555 the production of shell gauges; the to mornings so students could be the Royal Army Medical Corps. He served in France and Chemistry Departments undertook free for war work, and some Belgium, attending to wounded soldiers for hours on the inspection of explosives and departments were forced to close Æ Professor EE Glynn end amidst heavy gun fi re and often in frequent view of FORMER STUDENTS research into the production of down completely. (1873–1929) the enemy, and saving the lives of more than 20 men. drugs, dyes, edible oils; the School By 1916, student numbers had Professor EE Glynn was George He died at around 1pm on 4 August 1917, after of Tropical Medicine became a fallen from 1,178 to 706 and the roll Holt Professor of Pathology being struck by a shell while resting at his First Aid post. His military hospital for tropical call of sta§ and student casualties between 1912–28. He served bravery led him to become the only individual to be awarded diseases; and the Veterinary School totalled more than 200, including as a captain in the Royal Army both the Military Cross and the Victoria Cross and Bar ‘for most Medical Corps during the conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty’. 995 became a consultative centre for four members of the teaching sta§ . the North-West Command. Their names are now inscribed in a war and was commended for He is buried in the Brandhoek New Military Cemetery, WERE ALL IN ACTIVE SERVICE Sta§ who remained on campus memorial at the University’s Home Service. He is pictured Belgium, where his headstone reads: “Greater love hath no DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR found themselves displaced from Victoria Gallery & Museum. in his army uniform on the far man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” left of the front row.

26 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 27 ALUMNI PROFILE: MICHAEL STEER

From

e is known to many as the straight- Award, a Royal Television Society Award and a talking Deputy Head of Dewsbury’s BAFTA nomination for best factual series. Thornhill Community Academy on “The National Television Awards was the — rst Channel 4’s documentary series, big thing we did,” recalls Michael. “I was on the Educating Yorkshire, but Michael’s red carpet standing next to Kelly Brook with Hown time as a student was far from exemplary. photographers shouting my name, which was BLACKBOARD “I was a terrible student,” admits Michael. “I quite surreal. to red did the bare minimum to scrape through. I “Perhaps the best moment, though, was being deliberately selected modules that had the fewest in the nominees’ room backstage (which is carpet number of lectures, and I often didn’t even turn brilliant enough anyway) and Ricky Gervais came up to them. over, shook my hand and said how much he liked © GARY CALTON “I really enjoyed living in Liverpool and I had a the show.” great time at university but, if I have one regret, And what about the rumours that Myleene it’s that I didn’t apply myself more. I got a 2:2 in Klass has a crush on him? the end, but I know I could have done so much “I’m not sure about that!” he laughs. “I invited better. At least when I’m speaking to my students her to present the certi— cates at our GCSE award about higher education, I’m a good example of ceremony and she tweeted something like ‘On my what not to do.” way to Thornhill Academy. Hope I meet Mr Steer Michael took a job at a high street bank after *swoon.*’ She was very sweet and we exchanged graduation, and quickly rose through the ranks to a few texts, but it was all very professional! become a student business advisor, but soon “It was strange when the — rst ad for Educating realised he wanted to be back on the other side of Yorkshire appeared in the break of Coronation the counter. He did a PGCE, specialising in maths, Street,” says Michael. “It included a clip of me and found himself on a placement at Thornhill shouting at a child, completely out of context, Community Academy. which initially cast me in a very bad light. In fact, “I remember my tutor apologising for sending Heat magazine called it ‘the most horrifying TV me there,” says Michael, “It was initially quite moment of the summer’! But in the end, as terrifying, but something about the place people got to know me on the show, the public resonated with me, so when they o§ ered me a reaction has been overwhelmingly positive.” job I felt it was somewhere I could make a real While Michael admits that being a “temporary di§ erence.” media celebrity” has led to some extraordinary Five years later Michael was appointed Deputy experiences, such as appearing on quiz show Head and was instrumental in the decision to Pointless and hosting the Yorkshire Television open Thornhill’s doors to the cameras. Awards, it hasn’t completely changed his life. “In the last six years, Thornhill has gone from “For me, the show just reinvigorated my Self-confessed maths geek Michael Steer (BSc Hons Mathematics 1998) never imagined that his being one of the worst performing schools in the passion for teaching,” says Michael. “It was fun to love of teaching would eventually see him nominated for a BAFTA, hobnobbing with Ricky Gervais country to the most improved school in the be a ‘Twitter sensation’ for a while, but now I’m on the red carpet, and exchanging fl irtatious tweets with Myleene Klass. Yorkshire area and in the top 6% of schools planning timetables and looking ahead to the nationally,” explains Michael. “So we felt we had academic year. a great story to tell.” “I’ve got no regrets about doing Educating Educating Yorkshire was watched by around Yorkshire, but my ambition is still to get my own four million people and has gone on to receive headship and continue making a di§ erence to numerous awards, including a National Television students’ lives.” l

28 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 29 ONLINE POSTGRADUATES

Educating for health contacted the relief organisation with a Islamabad for training, so she o§ered plan to improve women’s health and to teach them. She met with tribal Ambreen Naveed Haq (currently studying reduce maternal mortality through chiefs to explain how women’s health online for a Master of Public Health) education, prenatal care and economic is crucial to their tribes’ futures. “It empowerment. was a breakthrough moment,” said For nearly two decades, Dr Ambreen In July 2013 she boarded a bus in Ambreen. Naveed Haq, a 43-year-old mother of Islamabad carrying boxes of Now, back at her base in Islamabad, three, has operated an obstetrics and medication and nutritional and continuing her online MPH °ynaecolo°y practice in the heart of supplements for pregnant women. She studies, Dr Haq holds three-hour Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad. also brought machines to test patients’ Skype sessions each week with the CHANGING Last year she began studying online blood and oxygen. Five hours later, she Swat Valley’s female health workers on for a Master of Public Health, driven arrived in the Swat Valley. The hospital ultrasound procedures, breastfeeding by her belief that to improve health was dirty and lined with patients, and prenatal and postnatal care. Every conditions in her country there many of whom were anaemic. Some two months she visits Swat to deliver LIVES ACROSS needed to be a change in both were ready to deliver their twelfth live workshops. With the guidance of behaviour and society. child. “The women there were in the scholars and tribal and religious Shortly after starting her online worst possible shape,” Ambreen leaders, she is also developing a degree, Ambreen learned about the recalls. There was no electricity, so she manual that deals with domestic THE GL BE Swat Relief Initiative, an organisation pressed the administrators to —nd a violence and adoption, and explains committed to improving conditions in generator to power her machines. that certain forms of contraception are Students and alumni of the University of the rural northwest corner of Pakistan, One day, a pharmaceutical not at odds with the Qur’an. Ultimately, Liverpool’s online master’s programmes are which was previously under Taliban company’s representative took her on she hopes to replicate the Swat Relief having an impact right across the globe – rule. World attention was focused on a tour of nearby villages. Many villages Initiative’s model to improve from Pakistan’s Swat Valley to Africa’s the plight of women there in 2012, sco§ed at her suggestion that they use healthcare for all Pakistani women. when Swat Valley teenager Malala highest mountain, and from the Gulf to a contraception. “This isn’t just religious “This is about more than health,” Yousafazai was shot in the head while – it’s a cultural issue too,” Ambreen explains Ambreen. “This is about futuristic venture in Frankfurt, Germany. defending the rights of girls to attend says. Female doctors confessed they building a community – breaking school. hadn’t been taught to use medical the cycle of intolerance and enabling Ignoring friends’ warnings about equipment, in part because they people to hold themselves Swat Valley’s dangers, Ambreen couldn’t leave their families to travel to accountable.”

Reaching for the top

proud of is that I have managed to prosthetic limbs and upper body improve sourcing through Middle East strength to reach the summit. localisation,” said Malek, who works “These two kids managed to reach the for an international company in Dubai summit despite all the di¦culties from managing the sourcing of materials for weather, fatigue and altitude,” said vital components for the Middle East Malek. “The word ‘impossible’ doesn’t electrical sector. exist anymore in my dictionary.” Malek is keen to use his degree to The daring ‘Climb of Hope’ Malek Zouki (MSc Operations and advance his career; however, he also adventure was organised by the Supply Chain Management 2013) dreams of becoming a world-class Palestine Children’s Relief Fund – a mountaineer after taking time out non-pro—t organisation that provides MSc graduate Malek Zouki loves a to climb Mount Kilimanjaro earlier medical and humanitarian aid to challenge. He is using the knowledge this year. children in the Middle East. “In and skills he gained in his online Malek was one of a group of Lebanon, where I grew up, I liked to go master’s to devise new strategies and volunteers who accompanied two up the mountains for snowboarding,” business processes in Middle East teenage amputees to the top of Africa’s said Malek. “But this climb was really supply chains. highest mountain. Both youngsters something else. It really elevated me to “One of the achievements that I’m had lost a leg and had to use their a di§erent place.”

30 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 31 ONLINE POSTGRADUATES IBF 2014 Building a healthier world

Smart living for our children using various web technologies. His For his own future, Nicolas has typical day involves writing, testing and various aspirations: possibly a PhD debugging code and creating with research into the Internet of documentation, as well as developing Things, more travel to the US and UK and testing new solutions with where he previously lived, and colleagues – all with a view to reaching de— nitely his own smart home. l new heights in smart living. “Smart homes and applications already exist, but it depends on how you de— ne smart. Turning on the lights at home while you are 2,000 miles “ Smart homes away to make people believe that you are at home is somewhat smart. and applications However, creating an entire simulation already exist, but it where blinds go up and down at random times and lights and TV/entertainment depends on how “LEGO” advert Nicolas Becker (MSc Internet systems create the illusion that you are you defi ne smart.” Systems 2013) home – that makes your home a lot - Source image to come - smarter,” said Nicolas. Alumnus Nicolas Becker works for a The same is true of o¦ ces, where futuristic company in Germany which sensors embedded in heaters and is creating a smarter way of living, one connected to the internet can be used piece of code at a time. to remotely control more than just the The 32-year-old MSc graduate is a temperature. “If sensors in an o¦ ce software developer for Mediola – are designed to recognise that the CO2 Connected Living AG, a Frankfurt output is over a certain threshold, they technolo°y company that enables can trigger actions to regulate it by clients to control their homes and switching o§ lights and heaters and o¦ ces remotely from their smart closing or opening windows once phones and other mobile devices. everyone has left the building. Your “Today, turning on your lights from o¦ ce immediately becomes a lot anywhere in the world is already smarter,” Nicolas explained. Alumni offer Our new research and education facilities at Alder Hey in childhood infectious diseases, cancer, asthma, cystic possible,” said Nicolas, who studied Although there are risks involved in online for his master’s. “But this year a connecting your home or o¦ ce to the Benefi t from a 20% alumni the Park will build on our position as the UK’s leading fi brosis and lupus. tuition reduction centre for research into medicines for children. lot has happened around ‘smart homes’ internet, Nicolas sees huge potential in A gift to support the development of this project will help and the ‘Internet of Things’ – a proposed areas such as ambient assisted living, As a University of Liverpool graduate Our team will push forward breakthroughs in the to ensure healthier and longer lives for children locally development in which everyday objects health, automation or security. “The you can now benefi t from a 20% are connected to the internet – with Internet of Things is based on sensor tuition fee reduction when you development of paediatric medicines and in treating and throughout the world. key players like Google, Apple and and actuator networks and I believe successfully enrol in one of our fully online master’s or doctoral Microsoft entering the sector. It’s a that once the technolo°y evolves further programmes. To learn more about really exciting time to be a developer.” and becomes a§ ordable for everyone, our fully online postgraduate One of — ve developers at Mediola, most homes and especially o¦ ces will degrees, visit: Nicolas focuses on the design and be equipped with some sort of ‘smart’ www.liverpool.ac.uk/study/online. development of front-ends and apps, technolo°y,” he said. Every one of our supporters has the power to play a role in our future. To fi nd out more go to: www.liverpool.ac.uk/giving or contact one of the team at: [email protected] or +44 (0)151 794 6987. 32 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 33 INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH

UK’s only National Experimental Arthritis technolo°y which will improve the way healthcare is Treatment Centre for Children. delivered – from keeping patient records to dispensing Director of the Centre, Professor medicines by robot. Michael Beresford, said: “Children and In tandem with this, the University is currently young people with arthritis have been slow fundraising for a research and education facility to be to bene—t fully from new treatments. We located just 40 metres from the new hospital. Building have the expertise within the Centre to on the University’s position as the UK’s leading centre ensure that in future children will be for research into medicines for children, this facility among the —rst to receive new medicines will enable researchers to push forward breakthroughs that are safe and e§ective and will improve in child health by working together under one roof and their health, wellbeing and quality of life.” bene—ting from easy access to samples and patients. Cutting-edge research is also being The University and Alder Hey are working in conducted into respiratory viral infections partnership to develop and raise funds for the building, in children, paediatric autoimmune equipment and research. £14.8 million of the £25 rheumatic disorders, and detection of million required has already been raised, including a biomarkers to improve the management of gift of £1 million from the Wolfson Foundation and a serious bacterial infection, cystic —brosis pledge of £75,000 from Liverpool alumnus Huw Jenkins and asthma, while a team from the (BA Hons Social Studies 1980). University’s Institute of Integrative Biolo°y Huw said: “This is a really important project for are currently searching for clues to a Liverpool and I’m very happy to be able to support an serious bowel condition which a§ects area of research in which the University excels.” thousands of premature infants in their Peter Hynd, of Neptune Investments, who donated —rst few weeks. £100,000, said: “I’ve seen the great work that the Using a variety of techniques, including University of Liverpool is doing with the new Centre genetic sequencing and gas for Better Births at Liverpool Women’s Hospital and chromatography mass spectrometry, the team is everyone knows that Alder Hey is outstanding. BuildingA HEALTHIER WORLD FOR OUR CHILDREN looking for patterns in the bacterial makeup of 13,000 I’m proud to support the University on such an children’s stool samples to —nd the causes of important project for children’s health in Merseyside necrotising enterocolitis, more commonly abbreviated and beyond.” l speed and quality of randomised controlled trials and to NEC, which causes tissue in the intestine to become The University of Liverpool is the other studies of medicines for children and adolescents. in®amed and die. UK’s leading centre for research into Researchers from the University’s Centre for Drug “The bacterial makeup of the gut is extremely In the run up to Christmas, Matalan is supporting medicines for children, bringing Safety Science are also working with Alder Hey to complex,” PhD researcher Nicholas Ellaby (BSc Hons Alder Hey Children’s Charity by selling Alphabet Scarves to raise funds for the new Research and together the expertise of world-class examine the thousands of patients in the UK who come Biological Sciences 2011, MRes 2012) explains. “But into hospitals showing potential signs of adverse what we’re predicting is that there will be a pattern in Education Centre that is being built next to the new researchers from across a range of reactions to drugs. Although children and young babies with NEC, and it’s only by working with a large hospital in Alder Hey in the Park. disciplines both within the University people are the most frequent users of healthcare number of samples that we can gather enough data to and at nearby Alder Hey, one of the provision in the UK, many potentially life-saving drugs identify this.” This exciting campaign is supported by celebrities largest children’s hospitals in Europe. are never clinically tested for children, so researchers Access to large data samples is one of the many in the UK and US and the funds will help Alder Hey are working to produce guidelines for accurately bene—ts of the University’s close working relationship and the University of Liverpool to lead the world monitoring and assessing drug safety and dosage, and with Alder Hey, which will be further enhanced in 2015 in ground-breaking research to help the lives of to support new drug development. when the new £288 million Alder Hey in the Park opens. children everywhere. To find out more, visit: or many years, Liverpool has led the way The treatment of childhood arthritis is another area Based on the site of the existing Alder Hey hospital www.matalan.co.uk/alphabetscarves. internationally in supporting delivery of bene—ting from the University’s collaborations with in Spring—eld Park, the state-of-the-art hospital will clinical trials for children and young people. Alder Hey; Liverpool has one of the country’s leading include 270 beds, spacious wards, improved clinic At Alder Hey, the University hosts the centres for research into this —eld, undertaking clinical areas, education and research facilities, new operating Every one of our supporters has the power to play national coordinating centre for the National trials of novel drugs for childhood arthritis and theatres, and an Accident and Emergency department. a role in our future. FInstitute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research contributing to the development of the —rst new drug Each patient will bene—t from views of green space To find out more go to: www.liverpool.ac.uk/giving. Network: Children’s Theme, which has dramatically for arthritis in 50 years that is fully licensed for or parkland and there will also be play areas, dedicated Or contact one of the team at: [email protected] increased and signi—cantly improved the co-ordination, children. This year, Liverpool successfully became the places where patients can relax, and next generation or +44 (0)151 794 6987.

34 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 35 VOLUNTEERING IN TOUCH

Norman John Williams (LLB Hons 1952) took on a print shop franchise in Grimsby after a secretarial commission in the RAF and In consulting in industry. He is now retired and is touch an active campaigner. Following alumni from ❱❱ across the decades Ron Webster (Certificate in Social Science 1960s 1949) avoided a £4,500 fine when he John Ansell (BSc Hons Biochemistry returned a course book to the library 1969) has spent the whole of his career in 61 years late! Ron (pictured above with pharmaceuticals. He is a senior partner with University Librarian Phil Sykes) returned TransScrip Partners and an independent the book, which he originally took out as a business consultant. His first book – research assistant in the University in 1953, Transforming Big Pharma-Assessing the on a recent visit to Liverpool with his son- Strategic Alternatives – was published by in-law, Rick. Gower Publishing.

Lorna Anne Brown MRCVS (née Fraser) Ambassador impact (BVSc 1966) is the co-founder of community ❱❱ 1940s ❱❱ 1950s charity ‘Dolen Ffermio’ (Farming Link), which Jason Han (MSc Management 2012) was appointed Alumni Ambassador for Beijing in September 2013. links her local Welsh area with two areas Philip N Bird (BEng 1944) retired 25 years ago Hilary Mary Barnes (née Harris) (BA 1958) of Eastern Uganda through livestock and and is the proud father of three children – two is a retired social worker in Liverpool working environmental projects, children’s projects and ince taking responsibility for coordinating recruitment and graduate employability, Jason of whom studied at the University of Liverpool – with elderly and disabled people. Since 1976 school links. Visit: www.dolen-ffermio.co.uk. a network of more than 300 graduates in and his team are making a real impact. and grandfather of seven. she has been an avid hand spinner and taught the Chinese capital, Jason and his team of “It is my pleasure to be an Alumni for Lancashire County in Preston. At the age of Dr Stephen Morris Coppell (BSc 1969, BSc S Cyril Morris JP (BArch 1949) is the co-author 79, most of Hilary’s time is now spent spinning Hons Chemistry 1970, PhD 1973) joined the volunteers have introduced a programme of Ambassador,” said Jason. “I love the role because of Preservation and Progress: the story of and knitting. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in 1976 and events, o§ered support in recruiting the next I want to help the University and its links in Chester since 1960, which was published by currently works as HM Principal Inspector in generation of students, and established links with Beijing. For me this is the best way to do that.” the Chester Civic Trust to celebrate its golden Margradel Jean Biran (née Dillon) (BA Bristol. His daughter Danielle Elise Coppell other Liverpool networks across the country. Jason is one of several graduates who coordinate jubilee. Cyril, along with James Latham (BArch Hons English Language & Literature 1958) has (BA Hons 2008) followed him to the HSE in Highlights have included a reception for 100 a network for Liverpool alumni living in their area; Above: Jason 1952, MCD 1953), is a founder member of published her third novel under the pen name 2009 and works as a construction inspector in people, hosted by Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir however, this is just one of the many ways in which is relishing the the Cheshire Society of Architects, for which Jane Biran. Hope Street is set in Liverpool and London. Howard Newby at the British Ambassador’s alumni support the University. opportunities his they recently received an award from Stephen London, beginning in the 1960s and spanning position as Alumni Residence; a careers event with the Management If you’re interested in —nding out about our Hodder, President of the Royal Institute of five decades in the lives of two very different Dr Barry Johnson MRCVS (BVSc 1969, Hon Ambassador British Architects, to mark the organisation’s women. The book is available from Amazon. DVSc 1994) was sworn in as the new High School (pictured above); a networking session range of volunteering opportunities – from helping presents 50th anniversary. Sheriff of Lancashire in April 2014. Dr Johnson, with a Halloween theme; and an HR workshop. to recruit the next generation of students, to Dr Barry Anthony Enoch FRCP (BSc Hons former President and current elected Council By building a network for alumni to receive becoming a student mentor, or supporting our Physiology 1959, MBChB 1962), President of Member of the Royal College of Veterinary support in their life and career, and identifying graduates to get their foot on the career ladder – the Guild of Undergraduates 1962–63, has now Surgeons and the current Chairman of World graduates to support the University in areas like visit: www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni/get-involved. l retired after 40 years as a consultant physician Horse Welfare, spent his career in veterinary and endocrinologist in Manchester. practice and once served as the vet to the Lancashire Constabulary’s mounted section. Anthony Lance Silson (BSc Hons Geography 1959, MSc 1961, Certificate in Education Cliff Jones (BA Hons Political Theory and 1962) has now retired, but is still busy writing Institutions 1966, MEd 1987) is a fellow of 90 of friendship and learning and had two articles on local geography and the International Professional Development YEARS history published last year. Association, in recognition of his outstanding l to r: Stephen, Cyril and James achievements in the promotion of individuals The University of Liverpool Women’s Club provides an tasting evening. Future events include a visit to a nearby His Honour Donald Brian Williams (LLB and schools to engage in research activities, opportunity to meet people and make new friends, observatory and a local archaeology site. Oswald John Oliver (BEng Hons Civil 1953) has published the 10th edition of the thus making a significant contribution to broadening your connections in Liverpool. The club offers Engineering 1949) has retired from Guide to Motor Insurers’ Bureau Claims, which improved learning, teaching and school a varied programme, with recent events including lectures We are always looking for new members to join us Buckinghamshire County Council and in offers a concise outline of the scope and improvement. about CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, the Reader and continue our evolving 90-year association with December 2012 was elected as Chairman of workings of the Motor Insurers’ Bureau and is Organisation and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic the University. For more information, please visit: the Aylesbury Centre of the National Trust, the available to order online from: www.lawsociety. Dr Roger Key MBE (BSc Hons Geology local supporters’ group. org.uk/bookshop. 1968, PhD 1972) has, after a 38-year career Orchestra; visits to local areas of interest; and a wine- www.liverpool.ac.uk/womensclub.

36 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 37 IN TOUCH

with the British Geological Survey, set up his post with the North Cumbria University Hospital Remoter World is a haunting tale of restless has become a fellow of the Institution of Civil Philip Valiente (BA Hons Hispanic Studies own consultancy - Kalahari Key Ltd - which NHS Trust as Pathology IT Manager across ghosts and forbidden love, set on Ireland’s Engineers, London. 2002, MA Latin American Studies 2003) and specialises in the geology of Africa and East/West Cumbria and hopes to develop his remote west coast. The book is available to Marianne Christina Valiente (née O’Reilly) offers a Mandarin-English geoscientific interests in music and travel. purchase on Amazon. Andrew Paul Smith (BSc Hons Geography (BA Hons Combined Honours 2002) set up translation service. 1998) started a new healthcare company last and run Feed Me Mummy, which sells an Peter Lake (BSc 1972, BSc Hons Gareth Purnell (BSc Hons Geography 1987) year to revolutionise healthcare commissioning award-winning breastfeeding vest designed by Emeritus Professor Trevor Alan Norton Psychology 1973, Cert. in Education 1974), ❱❱ 1980s presents a television channel for anglers, and provision in England. Marianne. Visit: www.feedmemummy.co.uk. FRSE (BSc Hons Botany 1963, PhD 1966) former General Secretary of the Athletic Fishing TV, and is the sports betting analyst for is Emeritus Professor at the University of Carol Elizabeth Abbasi (née Mason) (LLB The Independent newspaper. He also runs several Dr Alison Whybrow (BSc Hons Psychology Union, completed the 2014 cycling event: Liverpool and has written a book, Imagination Hons 1980) is a partner and Head of the Private sports betting and fishing websites and apps. 1990, PhD 1995) is an award-winning ❱❱ 2010s and a Pile of Junk– a light-hearted look at the L’Etape du Tour, from Pau to Hautacam in Client team at Morecrofts LLP solicitors in chartered and registered psychologist and history of inventors and inventions, published the Pyrenees. Liverpool. She was part of the ‘Merseyside Phillip Richard Swift (BEng Hons Mechanical has published a book in collaboration with Dr Ibrahim Sebutu Bello (MPH 2013) is by Coronet. Private Client Team of the Year 2013’, awarded Engineering 1988) is Director of THS Rail, a rail Alan Williams, Managing Director of Service a family doctor who is leading public health by the Liverpool Law Society, and is a member construction company in Hong Kong. Brand Global. The 31 Practices shows initiatives to control and eradicate malaria in his John Rothery (BSc Hons Chemistry 1966), 1982. In 1989 he joined British Airways, flying of Soroptimist International. how an organisation’s values and brand home country of Nigeria. Dr Bello is reaching since retiring in 2009 from a career in Boeing 757s and 767s. In 1995 he converted to can be translated into daily practices and the poorest communities via appearances occupational safety and health, has been the Boeing 747-400 and is now a captain and Michael Ashton (MEd 1989) is Chief Executive ❱❱ 1990s to the behaviour of their employees – from on the radio and in market places, in a bid compiling a book about jazz musician Sidney flies all over the world. He is married to an airline of Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of the boardroom to the front-line customer to educate the public about the importance ‘Big Sid’ Catlett, the favourite drummer of Louis purser and has two children. Commerce and was awarded British Chambers Kai Hughes (BA Hons Psychology 1997) is experience. The book is available on Amazon. of vaccination. Dr Bello said: “Malaria is the Armstrong. The 160-page limited edition book of Commerce Chamber of the Year 2013 and Honorary Consul for the Republic of Estonia and predominant disease in primary healthcare has been deposited with a number of libraries Eric Gilhooley (BSc Hons Zoology 1976) Worcestershire Ambassador of the Year 2011. has been elected as President of the Liverpool settings in Nigeria. We need to invest in and archives, including the University of has retired after 35 years at St Robert of He is married to Dr Diane Taylor (MBChB 1981). Consular Corps. ❱❱ 2000s prevention rather than sinking all resources in Liverpool Archives. Newminster School and Sixth Form College in purchasing drugs and fluids.” Washington, Tyne and Wear. During his time Trinidad Cruz (BSc Hons Marine Biology Thomas Betts (BSc Hons Computer & William Solesbury (MCD 1963) worked he worked as a biology and science teacher, 1980) undertook postgraduate studies at the Multimedia Systems 2007) has started his K S Madusanka Fernando (BEng Hons for many years as a town planner in the UK Head of Biology, and Head of Science. He is University of London, St George’s Hospital. own tree surgery business. Woodpecker Mechanical Engineering with Management and abroad. Following on from his continued hoping to spend more time as a volunteer with In 1984 he started in banking and is currently Tree Care offers commercial and domestic 2012) is Director-Technical at St Theresa enthusiasm for visiting new places, he has Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Director at Credit Suisse in Gibraltar. He has arboricultural services. Visit: www. Industries, a metal fabrication company in written a book, World Cities, City Worlds Rescue Team. published a number of poetry books in Spanish woodpeckertreecare.co.uk. Sri Lanka, whose company has been able – explorations with metaphors, icons and and has an interest in promoting philanthropy. to manufacture 33 KV and 132 KV power perspectives, which provides a fresh insight Ian McKee (BA Hons Geography 1977) is a He recently organised the first Gibraltar Paul Evans (BA Hons Business Studies 2009) transmission towers for the first time in into cities and city life from both the past senior casework executive at Hull Land Registry Philanthropy Forum Conference. He is married is Director of Financial Claims in Liverpool, and Sri Lanka. and modern times. Published by Troubador and has worked for HM Land Registry in and has four children. has helped to reclaim more than £1 million in Publishing Ltd. three different offices over a career spanning mis-sold PPI for Armed Forces personnel. Poppy Frost (BA Hons Criminology & 36 years. He has been married to Carolyn Dr Aidan Mark Dodson (BA Hons Archaeology Sociology 2012) worked as a mentor with the McKee (née Jones) (BA Hons French 1980) 1985) has been teaching Egyptology at the Abila Pointing MBE DL (MA Sociology Dr Paul Johnson (BSc Hons Computer & Liverpool Probation Service for a year before ❱❱ 1970s for 33 years after meeting at the University University of Bristol since 1996, where he is & Social Policy 1994) was installed as Multimedia Systems 2005) held an engineering travelling the world and visiting Canada, South as students. Carolyn is Head Teacher of currently a Senior Research Fellow. He spent the new High Sheriff of Merseyside at a lectureship at the University of Shanghai for America, Australia and New Zealand. John Desmond Bishop (BA Hons Social Springhead Primary School in Hull. the spring 2013 semester as William K and special ceremony in the Victoria Gallery & Science and Technology throughout 2013 and Studies 1976, MA 1979) retired this year after Marilyn M Simpson Professor of Egyptology has recently started working at Jaguar Land Roger Tangry (LLB Hons 2011) has completed Museum in April 2014. Abila, who also sits 32 years as a sociology lecturer. He says that Linda Catherine Shuttleworth (née at The American University in Cairo and is Rover as a Process and Quality Engineer. an LLM program in International Business on the University Council, gained her MBE without the University he would not have had Morrison) (MPsychol 1978, Diploma in now one of the general editors of their new and Corporate Law at Boston University his rewarding and enjoyable career. Psychotherapy 1985) is a clinical psychologist History of Ancient Egypt series. His latest book, for voluntary work in prisons in Liverpool Kevin Douglas Skinner (BA Hons Accounting School of Law. He has worked on a project for the Cheshire and Wirral Partnership (CWP) Amarna Sunrise. Egypt: from golden age to age and Manchester. At the latter she was the 2000), having worked for Ernst & Young for 13 for a non-profit organisation in Washington James Dempsey (BA Hons English Language NHS Foundation Trust and is involved in of heresy, has been published by the American Governor’s personal adviser in race relations, years, has recently left to take over the family DC, advocating for greater transparency and & Literature 1976) is an instructor in developing a mental health partnership between University in Cairo Press. which is one of her specialisms. construction business, Kennaugh & Skinner, in accountability at the Board of Directors of the Humanities and Arts at Worcester Polytechnic CWP and Kisiizi Hospital in South West Uganda. the Isle of Man. He enjoys boating, golfing and World Bank, including drafting legislation and Institute in Massachusetts, US. He has Julian Earl MRCVS (BVSc 1981) is a socialising with friends and family. policy initiatives. published The Tortured Life of Scofield Thayer Dr Valerie Warr (née Coghlan) (BEng Hons veterinary surgeon in Horncastle and in 1991 Raymond Pyke (BA Hons Combined Subjects – a biography of the conflicted promoter of Mechanical Engineering 1970, PhD 1975) became a world record holder. He cycled from 1994) has published two books: The Touch Daniel Tyte (BA Hons English Language & modernism, and friend, patron and cuckold is Director of the Heswall Arts Festival and Land’s End to John O’Groats for charity in 41 of the Universe and The Virgin Spirit. Both are Literature 2002) has written his first novel Half of EE Cummings. manager for the L’Orchestra dell’Arte, a group of hours, 28 minutes, 26 seconds, although his available from Amazon. Plus Seven, published by Parthian Books. The talented musicians who perform as a salon or record has been beaten since! Welsh national newspaper, the Western Mail, If you would like your news to Captain Eric Howard (BSc 1976, BSc Hons symphony orchestra. Visit: www.dellarte.co.uk. Philip Alan Robinson (MSc Eng Maritime named him as the ‘Writer to Watch for 2014’, be featured in the next edition of insight let us know. Email: Physical Geography and Geology 1977) served Fiona Glass (née Rubbra) (BA Hons Ancient Civil Engineering 1993) is a network planning and his short story Onwards opens a collection [email protected] with in the RAF as a pilot and flew the Nimrod, seeing John Thomas Wrigley (BSc Hons and Medieval History and Archaeology 1985) manager in the Department for Regional of contemporary stories called Rarebit, which ‘In touch’ in the subject line. active service in the Falklands campaign of Biochemistry 1974) recently retired from his has published her second novel. Gleams of a Development – Transport Northern Ireland and was published in January this year.

38 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 39 IN MEMORIAM

STAFF, STUDENTS, FRIENDS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL ALUMNI AND HONORARY GRADUATES

❱ Dr Mohammad Akbar Ali School of Archaeology, Classics ❱ Dr Wendy Anne Beryl Allen (née ❱ Dr Kenneth George Corless ❱ Dr David Alan Halsall ❱ Dr Ruby Margaret Lewis ❱ Dr Md Rahmatullah ❱ Dr Charles Walter Suckling CBE (Hon LLD 2006) and Egyptology. Fairhurst) (MBChB 1955) (BEng Hons 1953, PhD 1958) (BA Hons 1968, PhD 1976) (MEd 1985, MPhil 1988, Dipl in (PhD 1968) FRS (BSc Hons 1942, PhD 1949, Spec.Ed 1975) ❱ Dr Gerald Rushworth Beech ❱ Emeritus Professor David Mills, ❱ ❱ Dr William Keith Cowan ❱ Joan Alison Hamilton-Peters (née ❱ Dr Elizabeth Rhind Hon DSc 1980) Richard Cameron Anderson (Dip in Arch 1947, Dipl in Civic Professor and former Head of (MBChB 1950, MD 1961) Wright) (BA 1944, MA 1952) ❱ (MBChB 1947) (BEng 1964) Emma Rosamund Lindley ❱ Dr John Milne Swithinbank Design 1948, BArch 1952), Department in the School of (BA Hons 2000) ❱ John James Andrew ❱ Canon Michael Harry Cross ❱ Andrew John Hargrave ❱ Elizabeth Selwyn Richards (MBChB 1941, MD 1948) former member of staff in the English from 1963–2003. (BSc Hons 1953, Dipl in MRCVS (BVSc 1950) (MSc 2003) ❱ Andrew Grant Lloyd (BA 1950) School of Architecture 1937–1988. ❱ Stephen Brian Taylor ❱ Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw Education 1954) ❱ Holly Angharad Davies (MSc 2011) ❱ John Philip Harrison ❱ Mary Richardson (LLB Hons 2000) ❱ Valarie Bennett, a Secretary (Hon LLD 1994) (BA Hons 1997) (BA Hons 1966) (BA Hons 1959) in the Vice-Chancellor’s Offi ce ❱ Colonel William Edward Iredale ❱ Keith Lockyer JP ❱ Emeritus Professor Ralph ❱ Patricia Anne Thompson 1968–1996. Armstrong OBE TD, DL (BEng Hons ❱ Dr Malcolm Henry Dean ❱ Dr Wendy Hawes (BA Hons 1961) ❱ Edward David Deirne Riley Mansell Prothero (PhD 1962), 1941, MEng 1943) (BSc Hons 1953, PhD 1956) (BSc Hons 1991, PhD 1995) MRCVS (BVSc 1953) (BA Hons 2003) ❱ who worked in the Department of ❱ Mary Long (née Kerfoot) John Brockbank, former member of the Finance Department and a Geography 1955–1989. ❱ Professor Alan Astbury FRS ❱ Robert Sharp Dugdale (formerly ❱ Dr Janet Higgin (née Hawcroft) (BA 1941, Dipl in Education 1942) ❱ Gerard Aloysius Rimmer ❱ Geoffrey Neil Thorne (BSc Hons 1956, PhD 1961, Dugdill) MRCVS (BVSc 1942) (MBChB 1959) (BSc 1951, BSc Hons 1952) (BSc Hons 1969) Friend of the University. ❱ Fred Runacus, Maintenance ❱ Dr Michael Francis Mangan Hon DSc 2003) ❱ Technician in Facilities ❱ Desmond Harold Dutton ❱ ❱ H Edward Cockerill, a Friend of Philip John Higson (BA Hons 1956) (BEng Hons 1963, PhD 1967) Jean Patricia Ritter (née Finch) ❱ Ian Charles Thornton Management 1969–2010. ❱ Alan Atkinson (Dipl in Business Admin) (BSc 1945, Dipl in Education 1946) the University of Liverpool. ❱ James Crosby Hindson MRCVS ❱ (BArch 1956, MCivic Design 1957) (BSc 1969, BSc Hons 1970, Cert in Dr Mary McBride (née Gregson) ❱ ❱ Lady Lisa Sainsbury, a Friend of ❱ Jane Lesley Eggleston (née (BVSc 1954) ❱ John Arthur Roberts Professor Sir John Warcup (MBChB Hons 1954) ❱ the University of Liverpool. Education 1971) Ellinsworth) (BA Hons 1990) (BEng Hons 1939) Dr Richard Charles Turnock Cornforth (Hon DSc 1976) ❱ Barbara Jennifer Hitchon (née (BEng Hons 1944, MEng 1948, ❱ ❱ Margaret McHutchon ❱ ❱ Sir Nicholas Vernon Scheele John Headland Ayers ❱ Dr John Baptist Fallon Clark) (BA Hons 1962) ❱ Lady Florence Davies, Honorary (BA 1947) Dr William Glyn Roberts PhD 1953) (Hon LLD 2000) (BEng Hons 1951) (BEng Hons 1958, PhD 1965) (MBChB 1945) Fellow in the School of English and ❱ Dr Robert David Howard ❱ Robin Maxwell McIntosh ❱ Ronald Tushingham wife of former Vice-Chancellor, ❱ Jim Grahame Settle (BSc Hons ❱ Robert Andrew Barlow ❱ Anne Winifred Farrer (née (BSc Hons 1963, PhD 1966) ❱ (BSc 1965) Dr Dorothy Mary Roels (née Professor Sir Graeme Davies. 1963, MSc 1965), member of (BSc Hons 1987) Brogden) (MA 1997) Broadhurst) (MBChB 1949, Dipl in (BSc Hons 1950) ❱ Dr David Hudgins staff 1975–2004. ❱ Stephanie Charlotte Mclean TropMed & Hygiene 1952) ❱ Sir Colin Rex Davis ❱ Richard Craig Belfi eld ❱ Flora Stewart Figgins (née McVey) (MBChB 1968) ❱ Jerrold Samuel Vickers (BA Hons 2011) (Hon DMus 1973) ❱ Emeritus Professor Andrew (BEng Hons 1985) (BA Hons 1963) ❱ Robert Rummer (BSc 1956) ❱ Dr Gareth Hughes ❱ Professor Brian Eyre FRS CBE, Best Semple, Professor of Public ❱ ❱ Andrew Fitzsimmons ❱ Ian Scott Melville (BSc Hons 1976) Richard Michael Bend (MBChB 1956) ❱ Marcia Walters Professor of Materials Science Health from 1953–1978. (BEng 1973) (BA Hons 2013) (BArch Hons 1948) ❱ Glyn Sanders MRCVS ❱ David Roger Illingworth (Bed Hons 1974, MEd 1987) 1979–1984. ❱ Emeritus Professor Elizabeth ❱ (BVSc 1954) ❱ Barbara Bingham Julie Flynn (née Gallagher) (BSc Hons 1967) ❱ Ronald William Moore Slater, Garstang Professor ❱ Joyce Warham ❱ Emeritus Professor James Pearse (BA Hons 1946, Dipl in (BA Hons 1988) (BEng 1954) ❱ Frank Seddon of Archaeology, Head of ❱ Joyce Marie Jackson (née Moore) (BA Hons 1941, Cert in Social Fletcher, Louis Cohen Chair of Education 1947) ❱ (BEng 1952) Archaeology, Classics and Alastair Charles Campbell Furniss (BEd 1989) ❱ John Morris MRCVS Dental Surgery. (LLB Hons 1949) Studies 1942, MA 1967) Egyptology and Faculty of Arts ❱ Dr Peter Driscoll Booker (BVSc 1948) ❱ Ian Hilton Sergeant MRCVS ❱ William Martin Johnson MBE ❱ Emeritus Professor Gerard until her retirement in 2007. (MD 2002) ❱ John Gibbs (BVSc 1967) ❱ Rosemary Edith Wickstead (BEng 1950) ❱ Aubrey Joseph Morris-Cohen Galletly (BEng Hons 1947, MEng (BEng Hons 1971) (née Weir) (BSc Hons 1988) ❱ Adam Smith, who was on his fi rst ❱ David Richard Bourne (BA Hons 1949) ❱ Lucy Jane Shanks-Rickard 1950, DEng 1977), member of ❱ Dr Christine Elizabeth Jones (née year of study on a programme ❱ Dr Nicola Jane Gilbertson (BSc Hons 1999) ❱ staff in the School of Engineering (BEng 1959) Cain) (MBChB 1975) ❱ Michael Hallawell Widdows OBE leading to a BSc in Chemistry. (MBChB 1981) Dr Thein Maung Myint 1964–1995. ❱ (MCommH 1978) ❱ John Stanton Shirley-Quirk CBE (BEng 1944) William Graham Brown ❱ Glynne Hughes Jones ❱ Father Austin G Smith ❱ Denys Halley Goose (BSc 1951, BSc Hons 1952, DipEd ❱ Neil Gilbert, who worked in the (BA Hons 1969) ❱ Reverend Thomas Wilkinson (Hon LLD 2002) (MDS 1961) (BA Hons 1979) ❱ Dr Yan Goh Ng (BEng Hons 1976, 1953, Hon DMus 1976) University Library from 2009. ❱ Professor Andrew Kenneth ❱ PhD 1983) (MA 1953) ❱ Peter Smith, former Estate ❱ Michael Gorman Heather Kendall (née Brownrigg) ❱ Dr Kenneth Hubert Slatter ❱ Dr David Hall, former member of Burroughs (MBChB Hons 1976) and Development Offi cer. (BA Hons 1973) MRCVS (BVSc 2001) ❱ Dr Johnson Olutayo Odufalu (MBChB 1943, MD 1957) ❱ Sheila May Williams (née staff in the School of Sociology, ❱ Benjamin James Carroll ❱ (BPhil 1968) Roberts) (BSc 1956) Social Policy and Criminology. ❱ David Southern, former member ❱ Valerie Grant (née Globe) Lyam Kirkham ❱ Brian Hunter Smart (BSc Hons 2008) of staff in the Department of (LLB Hons 1954) (BA Hons 2010) ❱ Ruth Louise Pacey (BSc Hons 1989) ❱ Kirstin J Hart, who was studying ❱ Mark Timothy Wilson Residential, Sport and Commercial ❱ Stuart Paterson Cassie (BEd 1990) for a BSc in Occupational Therapy. ❱ Sir Clifford Harry Grant ❱ Dr Trevor Asher Kletz OBE ❱ Kenneth Isaac Smith (BDS 1983) Services. (BA Hons 1962) (BSc Hons 1944) (LLB Hons 1949) ❱ (BA Hons 1949) ❱ Sharon Lockley, coordinator for The Honorable Dr Frank David ❱ Michael Emanuel Wolff ❱ John Desmond Taylor, Friend of ❱ Lyndon Fraser Cave-Brown-Cave ❱ Dr Ulku Kuran Paterson (LLB Hons 1940, the Interchange Charity in the ❱ Mary Louise Griffi ths (née Lees) ❱ Dr Michael Robert Smith (LLB Hons 1963) the University of Liverpool. (Dipl in Arch 1947) (BDS Hons 1942) (PhD 1964, DSc 1973) HonLLD 1993) (BSc Hons 1973, PhD 1980) School of Sociology, Social Policy ❱ ❱ Denis Gage Wray and Criminology. Robert (Bob) Turner, Gardening ❱ Matthew Paul Christie ❱ Martin Lionel Guedalla ❱ Reverend William Norman Leak ❱ Dr John Francis Pennock ❱ William Stonehouse Stacey Manager in Facilities Management. (BSc Hons 2001) (BA Hons 1971) (BA Hons 1948) (BSc Hons 1956, PhD 1959) (MA 1992) (MChOrth 1961) ❱ Emeritus Professor Christopher Mee, former Head of Department ❱ Professor James Williamson ❱ Ingrid Jill Clarke ❱ Dr Thomas Henry Richard Hall ❱ Dr William Mervyn Frederick Leat ❱ Patrick Desmond Pound ❱ Christopher Fyson Stell OBE FSA ❱ Dr Esme Maria Wren and Charles W Jones Chair of CBE, Chair of Geriatric Medicine (Board of College Studies 1988) (PhD 1975) (BSc Hons 1952, PhD 1954) (BEng 1947) (BArch 1955, MA 1960) (MBChB Hons 1945, MD 1953) Classical Archaeology in the 1973–1976.

40 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 41 ALUMNI TRAVEL GUIDE

HONG KONG: AN INSIDER’S GUIDE Alumnus Gary Wong (BSc Psychology & Neuroscience 2007) has picked some of his favourite hidden gems to visit in and around Hong Kong.

Tai Mei Tuk village (left) Hong Kong is a food lover’s Once a sleepy — shing village, Tai paradise, and rightly so – it is often Mei Tuk is extremely popular with said that while most people eat to live, FOCUS ON Hong Kong residents wanting to the Chinese live to eat! Great food can escape city life, yet remains relatively be found all around the city; however, unknown to foreign tourists. Things the best food is often also the cheapest. Hong Kong to do include hiring a bike and riding Hong Kong’s street food is a real delight, along the Plover Cove Reservoir, so if you — nd yourself drawn towards hiking up the Pat Sin Leng Mountain, the aromas while you’re out shopping, and sampling the local cuisine – be sure to sample what’s on o§ er. including a traditional Cantonese hotpot traditionally served on ong Kong is home to more than special occasions at one of the many 900 alumni and current online restaurants in the village. H students, as well as Liverpool’s oldest and most established Graduate Yuen Long Association. Despite being one of the New The Association organises various Territories’ most bustling towns, Yuen events through the year to enable Long isn’t likely to be included in the Hong Kong-based alumni to stay itineraries of many foreign tourists. connected with each other, and with The town is particularly famous for its the University. poached meatballs and many Hong For the last 17 years, they have also Kongers travel from all parts of the city provided — nancial assistance to to eat in one of the many Yuen Long hundreds of students studying at cafés serving this dish. Liverpool. Last year, a generous donation by the Tung Foundation, Mong Kok founded by the late father of graduates Most travel guides will inevitably Dr CH Tung (BEng Hons Marine lead tourists to Stanley Market in the Engineering 1960, Hon LLD 1997) and Foundation Launch upmarket seaside town of Stanley in Dr CC Tung (BEng Hons Mechanical Thanks to the generous support of our Dr Kenneth Lam (PhD the south of the island. However, the Engineering 1964, Hon LLD 2009), alumni and supporters in Hong Kong, Musculoskeletal Biolo°y 2012), a real bargains are to be found in the established the Tung Liverpool the University formally launched an University donor, said: “Having received many markets in and around Mong Scholarship, which supports students independent charitable foundation a scholarship myself to undertake a Kok, one of the most popular being from Hong Kong and mainland China in August 2014, which enables Hong PhD during my career, I know only too the Ladies’ Market. Don’t be put o§ by undertaking postgraduate study Kong-based alumni and supporters well the importance of giving back and the name though – in this market you at Liverpool. to give to the University and ensure the di§ erence that this support can will — nd a range of cheap clothes for Bargains galore: Mong Kok markets. maximum impact from their gift. make. I am pleased that my donation both men and women, as well as toys, For more information about the The launch of the foundation was will give students a helping hand.” souvenirs, jewellery and household Hong Kong Graduate Association, celebrated with an event at the To — nd out more about the goods. Most stall-holders will only please contact Chairman James residence of the British Consul in Hong foundation, please contact Karen speak basic English at most, so it might Read Gary’s guide to Hong Kong in Lo (BEng Hons Civil Engineering full, and leave your own travel tips, on Kong, attended by the Vice-Chancellor, Brady, Director of Philanthropy & be worth learning a few numbers in 1980) by emailing lojames2010@ the alumni website at: gmail.com. Professor Sir Howard Newby, alumni Alumni Relations, at: karen.brady@ Cantonese if you intend to haggle for www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni/travel. and other distinguished guests. liverpool.ac.uk. Scholarship recipients at the launch the best bargain! of the Hong Kong Foundation

42 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 43 ©GETTY RESEARCH IN FOCUS

With more than 50% of people in probably the biggest public health the study, two groups of people were hope to demonstrate the longer-term the EU classed as overweight or problem facing this country.” put on a healthy diet but one group bene— ts of including such products in obese, University researchers At the University’s Institute of was also given prunes to eat. The a healthy balanced diet.” are working together across a Ageing and Chronic Disease, John and group who added prunes lost more But what is causing our waistline to his team are helping to explore range of disciplines to explore weight over a 12-week study then those expand in the — rst place? And what potential solutions by investigating in the non-prune eating group. can we do to tackle the problem at the how and why people are putting whether the diabetes drug liraglutide “These are the — rst data to root? According to public health on weight and what can be done could help non-diabetics to lose demonstrate both weight loss and no specialist Professor Simon Capewell, to curb this escalating public weight. negative side e§ ects when consuming the main problem is our increasing health issue. The team conducted a trial with prunes as part of a weight management consumption of sugar, which he 4,000 participants from 27 countries diet,” said Jo. “Indeed, in the long term describes as “the new tobacco”. where participants were divided into they may be bene— cial to dieters by Simon is part of a nationwide group two groups and asked to follow a diet tackling hunger and satisfying appetite called Action on Sugar, which is containing 500 calories less than the – a major challenge when you are trying campaigning to reduce the amount of recommended daily amount and to to maintain weight loss.” added sugar in food and soft drinks. he University has a long Along with his colleagues history of research into Dr Emma Boyland and the biolo°y of ener°y Rosa Whalen from the regulation, obesity and Department of obesity-related illness. In “ Obesity and diabetes already Psychological Sciences, TMarch 2005, the Liverpool Obesity Simon is recommending Research Network (LORN) was convened cost the UK more than £5 billion that adverts for unhealthy to promote existing inter-disciplinary every year.” foods are pushed back research within the University and until after the 9pm - Professor Simon Capewell to stimulate new research activity in watershed – advice which Liverpool and the North West. has been included in the LORN comprises a number of Labour Party’s health research groups, including the Human policy proposals. He is TACKLING Ingestive Behaviour Laboratory, the increase their physical activity. One of Another solution may be to change also calling for health warnings to be Diabetes and Endocrinolo°y Clinical the groups was also given a 3mg daily what we eat and how often we eat it. put on sugary drinks, and for the Research Unit, the Obesity Biolo°y dose of liraglutide each day before Professor Jason Halford, Director of guidelines promoting — ve portions WEIGHTY Unit, Public Health Nutrition and breakfast. the University’s Human Ingestive of fruit and vegetables a day to Promotion, the Epithelial Signalling The group who took liraglutide Behaviour Laboratory, is leading a £6 be doubled. Research Group, as well as Europe's each day lost an average of 19lb over 12 million European Union’s Seventh “The obesity epidemic is already only clinical centre for weight control months, which equated to a weight Framework Programme (FP7) project, generating a huge burden of disease ISSUES in pets. loss of 8%, compared to 2.6% in those SATIN, to develop new foods that help and death,” said Simon. “Obesity and Professor John Wilding, who leads who did not take the drug. people to feel full faster. diabetes already cost the UK more the Diabetes and Endocrinolo°y Clinical The researchers found that the drug “We have been developing a range than £5 billion every year. Without WITH Research Unit, is the University’s Head tricks the brain into feeling full. It also of prototype foods and beverages that regulation, these costs will exceed £50 of Obesity and Endocrinolo°y. He deals has other bene— cial health e§ ects, aim to — ll people up quicker and for billion by 2050. The public deserves with the clinical fallout and health including lowering blood pressure, longer which have been tested to e§ ective action now.” l consequences of obesity – such as raising ‘good cholesterol’ and staving assess their impact on key satiation diabetes – on a daily basis. o§ diabetes. and satiety triggers within the body,” RESEARCH Every one of our supporters has the “This is not a cosmetic problem but Meanwhile Dr Jo Harrold, from the explains Jason. power to play a role in our future. a serious medical issue”, he explains. Institute of Psycholo°y, Health and “This innovative approach will help To fi nd out more go to: “I believe that the food industry has Society, is leading research into the us to select the most promising www.liverpool.ac.uk/giving. Or contact one of the team at: perhaps unwittingly helped create the bene— cial e§ ects of eating dried prototypes to take forward into our [email protected] problem we now have, which is prunes to promote weight loss. During clinical studies, through which we or +44 (0)151 794 6987.

44 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 45 EVENTS AND REUNIONS For the diary

2014

Thursday 27 November Wednesday 10 December Snapshot Webinar: Is it time for a Lecture with Sir Robin feminine movement? Saxby (BEng Electronics Here are just a few of the events and reunions that the University has hosted over the last 12 months. 1968, Hon DEng 2000) in Silicon Valley, California

2015

Thursday 20 January Saturday 30 May Science & Society lecture Behind-the-scenes tour of CERN, Geneva Tuesday 24 February International Slavery May Lecture with Professor Webinar: Making big Annette Gordon-Reid, data smaller Harvard Law School June Lucrezia Zaina lecture Friday 27 February Webinar: Getting serious with Tim Parks Chinese New Year event, about business models London Campus Alumni Up-Close Thursday 5 March Lecture Series London pub quiz Class of 1963 Physics October Monday 9 March Alumni Up-Close Science & Society lecture Lecture Series Graduation London Class of 1963 Physics Thursday 8 October at their reunion in 2013 Thursday 19 March Liverpool pub quiz Liverpool pub quiz Monday 12 October Thursday 2 April Science & Society lecture Particle Physics lecture Liverpool pub quiz Monday 9 November & exhibition private view Friday 17 April Science & Society lecture Alumni golf day London Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake, Wirral Thursday 12 November London pub quiz Friday 15 May Charity golf day Thursday 19 November Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Liverpool pub quiz Hoylake, Wirral Tuesday 8 December Tuesday 19 May Science & Society lecture Science & Society lecture

Guests attending the Fred Freeman lecture Behind-the-scenes tour Launch of the on Philanthropy which featured Professor For full details of all of our upcoming events, visit of CERN, Geneva Hong Kong Foundation Sir David Cannadine, 2013 our website at: www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni/events.

46 insight 2014/15 edition www.liverpool.ac.uk/alumni 47 Here is a moment in time; a place where ideas grow and friendships form. Here is where great minds meet, where leaders stand and thinkers dream. Here is where discoveries are made, where theories evolve and cures are found. Here is the place that unites us all. Here is life changing and world shaping. It all starts here.

Every one of our supporters has the power to play a role in our future.

To find out more go to: www.liverpool.ac.uk/giving. Or contact one of the team at: [email protected] or +44 (0)151 794 6987.

PLEASE RECYCLE PRINTED ON THE UNIVERSITY IS A MEMBER OF THE ELITE THIS DOCUMENT RECYCLED PAPER RUSSELL GROUP OF RESEARCH-LED UK UNIVERSITIES PRODUCTION: UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS