Anti-Stress Garden Coming to RHS Chelsea Flower Show
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Spring 2019 News from the University of Surrey for Guildford residents SURREY.AC.UK UNIVERSITYOFSURREY @ UNIOFSURREYCPE Page 4 - Surrey graduate Page 7 - Could your car Page 10 - Iain Sinclair, Page 11 - Shrek workshop meets Michelle Obama park itself? Writer-in-Residence supports local group Guildford Residents’ Survey 2019 The University is calling on residents of Guildford to take part in our fifth annual residents’ survey. Since its launch in 2015, the Guildford Residents’ Survey has provided the Right: an artist’s impression of the garden design University with Main image: the garden will feature irises, flowers celebrated valuable insight, for their wellbeing properties. Credit: Getty Images feedback and ideas to build greater links with our home town. Last year, more than Anti-stress garden coming to 1,300 local residents took part, with many entering the annual RHS Chelsea Flower Show prize draw to win The University has partnered with Silent Pool Gin to present an anti-stress garden at the one of five £100 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, transporting visitors to the Surrey Hills using scents and sounds. cash prizes. We want to hear The exciting collaboration with Albury-based He will be using sensors to detect and from you – to gin brand Silent Pool, acclaimed Surrey-based capture changing electrical signals directly complete the survey garden designer David Neale and Dutch from the plants, enabling the garden to visit: surrey.ac.uk/ horticultural pioneers Plant-e will explore govern and interact with the soundscape. guildfordsurvey plant technologies that encourage wellbeing. Professor Murphy said: “This truly exciting The survey closes Through their combined expertise, the team collaboration brings to life the hidden power on 1 July 2019. will create a sustainable oasis of calm for of plants, their value for sustainability and visitors to enjoy, with a plant-controlled the innovative ways we can experience soundscape created by two professors the natural world.” from the University. These natural sounds, which help the body Professor Tony Myatt, Head of the Department relax, will be combined with flowers that are of Music and Media, has designed a natural, celebrated for their wellbeing properties, three-dimensional soundscape featuring including roses and irises. audio recordings from the Surrey Hills. The orchestration of the soundscape will After the Flower Show, the garden will be be carried out by the garden itself, through donated to Guildford-based respite charity, the power of plants. Cherry Trees. Professor Myatt said: “By creating a Ian McCulloch, Co-Founder of Silent Pool Gin, soundscape orchestrated by the plants, the said: “We’re thrilled to be working alongside garden will reveal more about what’s going the University and award-winning garden on inside plants and how we can work with, designer David Neale for this partnership. rely on and benefit from them.” Through emulating sounds inspired by the Director of the Centre for Environment and beautiful Surrey Hills, it will be a celebration Guildford High Street Sustainability Professor Richard Murphy of the local heritage of both the Silent Pool specialises in plant science and sustainability. Gin distillery and the University.” 2 YOUR UNIVERSITY SURREY.AC.UK 3 Welcome Community news Instagram: Spring has sprung To celebrate the beauty of Guildford in spring, we asked Support for sustainable travel our Instagram followers to share their best seasonal snaps – The University of Surrey is supporting Guildford Borough here’s a selection of our favourites, taken by students, staff Council and Surrey County Council’s new and improved and local residents. Sustainable Movement Corridor (SMC). Follow @uniofsurrey on Instagram to see more. The SMC aims to encourage people to walk, cycle or take the bus by providing a safe, attractive and 1 high-quality route across Guildford. In support of the SMC, University researchers and students have investigated ways to improve the pedestrian and cycle path routes between the town centre and western neighbourhoods of Guildford – routes that have often presented challenges due to perceived road safety issues, litter and air pollution. Left to right: Sir Martin Sweeting OBE, Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell DBE and Distinguished Professor Alf Adams Credit: David Hatful To help tackle this, Professor Prashant Kumar and his Global Centre for Clean Air Research have been providing advice on pollution mitigation measures and sustainability improvements, which will be used to further enhance the A stellar performance: prestigious Adams experience of pedestrians and cyclists on the route. Sweeting lecture series celebrates women The University’s Students’ Union has also contributed to the scheme by designing a mural that will be installed in astronomy 2 3 in one of the two underpasses near the campus, making pedestrian access more attractive. The University welcomed world-renowned astrophysicist Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell DBE to present the first event of the 2019 Adams Sweeting lecture series, hosted by Surrey academic, Professor Jim Al-Khalili. Guest editor, Peter Gordon Adams Sweeting is the University of Burnell give her lecture, which shed Surrey’s flagship lecture series, created light on the challenges of today’s Welcome from our guest editor Peter Gordon, in honour of two of the University’s most perception of female scientists, prestigious academics; Distinguished while celebrating the careers of local broadcaster, media adviser and actor Professor Alf Adams – who invented some well-known female astronomers. the strained quantum well laser used I was delighted to be invited to be guest I would also recommend that you study in devices such as DVD players and Dame Jocelyn has been credited editor for this edition of Your University. the recent social impact report (page 6). barcode scanners – and Distinguished with ‘one of the most significant I know you’ll find it a truly interesting It’s easy to simply see the University as Professor of Space Engineering, achievements of the twentieth century’ read. As a Guildfordian born and bred, a group of buildings and people at the Sir Martin Sweeting OBE, a pioneer for her co-discovery of the first radio and having worked in the area’s media top of Stag Hill, but it’s so much more! of modern small satellites and the pulsars in 1967, and has since become for nearly 30 years, I have a huge The report gives the facts, figures and Founder and Executive Chairman a role model for young students and respect for the University of Surrey. evidence to support this – from charity 4 of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. female scientists throughout the world. In recent years particularly, the giving to local volunteering. growth and opportunities which avail The events offer the local community The next lecture in the series will welcome themselves at the University have On page 10, there’s an interview with the chance to hear about the pioneering geneticist Sir Paul Nurse, Nobel Prize seemed to be almost limitless. the University’s Distinguished Writer- developments and innovations that are winner and Chief Executive of the Francis in-Residence, Iain Sinclair, who has an shaping our world. Crick Institute, on 16 October. Within the spirit of collaboration interesting take on how to interact with A greener Guildford On 27 March, more than 250 guests To find out more and register for a ticket, and under the progressive and budding writers which is well worth a read. passionate leadership of Professor The University is leading a locally-focused research project, joined us to hear Dame Jocelyn Bell visit: surrey.ac.uk/asevents Max Lu, the University continues to The University’s work in cosmic dealings collaborating with stakeholders in the north-west Guildford area. go from strength to strength. I have is well known – but what it’s now doing in In partnership with Surrey of life, as well as witnessed this first-hand through the terms of making all things space relevant to Wildlife Trust and Guildford understanding more about joint projects we have completed at our daily lives is of particular interest, as we Seeing the funny side of research Borough Council’s Project the community’s aspirations. Eagle Radio, as well as being lucky head onwards in this ever-changing twenty Aspire, the ambition of the After a successful 2018, Bright Club Guildford kicked off the year with a sold out enough to have received a Guildford first century. For example, on page 12 you There are several other NW Guildford 2030 project is performance at Guildford’s Boileroom on Wednesday 6 March. Roll of Honour award – a joint scheme can find out more about the SPRINT scheme local research projects which aims to help small businesses better to help support the residents between the University and Guildford taking place in tandem, Bright Club is a national platform where, Bright Club will return later in the year understand space technologies and what of north-west Guildford in their Borough Council. 5 all designed to enhance for one night only, university academics at Guildford’s Fringe Festival on 19 July, this means for our future. desire to spark positive change the community and help Among the pages to follow, I would 1. @raincat_photography and researchers put down their followed by an autumn performance at in their community. Drawing better understand and solve draw your attention to the details of Finally, I would also encourage you 2. @surreycwb microscopes, pick up a microphone the Boileroom. For more information 3. @marmelx on participation from the local practical problems faced by the Guildford Residents’ Survey – to read about the various collaborations 4. @ms_emilog and find the funny side of their research. about Bright Club, find them on Facebook community, alongside analysis those living in the area, such the fifth of its kind and a vital way for between the University and local 5.