cooking up

apex a business Alumni Magazine Catering for a food intolerance Issue 20 Autumn 2007 News from your school Latest research from Aston where are they now? you must remember this...

RAG goes out into the City in a bath to raise money for charity!

Send in your photos and share your memories of your time at Aston.

2 AUTUMN 07 autumn ’07 apexfeatures 5 aston honours contents 9 graduate recruitment: a new generation 1 0 get involved! 1 1 a sustainable future? 1 2 cooking up a business 2 1 an artful message apexregulars

4 profile on… 8 Alumni discounts 2 0 News on development activities 2 2 where are they now? 12 21 2 8 international alumni reunions and events 3 0 News from Aston Graduates’ Association 3 1 intouch 3 2 gifts apexnews

1 4 school of Engineering & Applied Science World’s first robotic micro-drill developed at Aston Highest honour for Aston Professor 1 5 aston Business School Understanding behaviour: the new cognitive research centre National schools business competition

1 6 school of Life & Health Sciences 27 An OSCAR for Aston Aston scientists join fight against MRSA 1 7 school of Languages & Social Sciences Forensic linguistics gathers strength Meet the team... 1 8 combined Honours Working with the Combined Honours family apexplus

All the latest news from the Alumni & Development Office, the Guild and benefits for Aston alumni.

How to contact the Alumni Sarah Pymm Caroline Broome Farzana Sayani & Development Office: Alumni & Development Office Head of Alumni Relations Alumni Relations Assistant Marketing and Events www.aston.ac.uk/alumni Aston University Administrator Freepost BM2599/13 [email protected] Birmingham T +44 (0)121 204 3000 B4 6BR F +44 (0)121 204 4783

Special thanks go to everyone who contributed to this issue of Apex. Apex is published twice a year for alumni of Aston University. Letters, photographs and news are very welcome but we reserve the right to edit any contributions. Please address all correspondence to the Alumni & Development Office. The opinions expressed in Apex are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Alumni & Development Office or Aston University. Apex is also available via the website in pdf format, but please contact us if you experience any difficulties accessing the publication. Katy Barry Lara Fleming Emmy Pong Designed by Linney Design. Printed by Linney Print. ABS Alumni Executive Development Manager: Development Assistant Photo credits: Huw Meredith page 16, 17, 27 and 30 Trusts and Research Ed Moss page 14 and page 16 Rod Wylie front cover, page 12 and page 13

AUTUMN 07 3 Aston retains its place in top 15 universities Aston University has been ranked 15th in this year’s Times Good University Guide. This ranking puts Aston ahead of universities such as Manchester, Birmingham and Nottingham.

The Times Good University Guide is the most authoritative “We are particularly proud of this placing as it builds on our and widely-respected guide to universities in the UK and is an success overall in The Times rankings last year and the recent essential and comprehensive tool for students and parents in Good University Guide. Aston scored particularly well on the UK and abroad. It ranks 113 UK universities according to criteria such as graduate employment, spending on facilities, eight criteria, including student satisfaction, research quality student support and staff:student ratios. These factors are and degree results. extremely important to our students and have a positive impact on their experience with us as well as their futures as Prospective students can access the Guide online at successful graduates.” www.timesonline.co.uk/gooduniversityguide James Seymour, Head of Schools Liaison, said: “This ranking, yet again, This good news for Aston came just a week after the publication confirms Aston’s position as a top UK university. of a new university guide which ranked Aston 12th in the UK. Aston 12th in new UK Quality experience continues university guide for Aston students Aston University has come 12th in a new UK Universities guide. Aston achieved very positive satisfaction ratings from students The Interactive Guide was compiled by Bernard Kingston and who responded to this year’s National Student Survey. We Mayfield University Consultants (who previously compiled the gained an overall satisfaction score of 87% for undergraduate highly respected Times Good University Guide) and is degrees* against an 81% score for the UK overall.** sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The new rankings can be found at www.thegooduniversityguide.org.uk Aston took top place among West Midlands’ universities for overall satisfaction (above Warwick, UCE, Wolverhampton, Birmingham, This good news came just a week after it was announced that the Coventry, Staffordshire and Worcester universities) and was rated University has a higher percentage of state school pupils than any extremely well on the overall ‘personal development’ criteria. other Top 20 UK university, according to a new report. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) figures show that Professor Graham Hooley, Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor said: “It is 89% of students starting full-time first degree courses at Aston in extremely encouraging to hear that our students are very satisfied 2005-6 came from state school backgrounds. Furthermore, it means with their studies and their overall experience at Aston, but we are that Aston has surpassed its 86.8% benchmark for intake of state not complacent. We are working hard to improve every area of our school pupils – a target which is set each year by HEFCE. To put this service at the University with the aim of scoring even higher in the achievement into context, only three other top 20-ranked institutions survey next year.” in the Times Good University Guide 2007 had state school *Aston’s score is up from 84% in 2006. participation rates of over 80% and only two of those – Leicester **Taking out specialist colleges, part-time/distance learning institutions (for example the and Cardiff – exceeded their benchmarks. Open University, Birkbeck College) and private institutions (University of Buckingham).

Many of our readers must recognise The worst aspect of the job is telling people Miranda Cleal. She’s been working at Aston you can’t offer them a place. It’s awful to hear for the last 17 years, having started in the their disappointment and you need a certain Nelson Building in 1990 on a two-week amount of tact and discipline to deal with placement from Secretarial College. At the such cases. On a lighter note, I have recently end of the placement she was offered full- experienced my first trip abroad, travelling to time employment as a course secretary, Kazakhstan to recruit students. I really enjoyed progressing to the Business School this opportunity and learned a tremendous Undergraduate Programme and then to amount from it – it has certainly enhanced Mechanical Engineering. For the last five my work with international students. I hope years Miranda has been working for it will be the start of many trips to come!” Combined Honours as Admissions Officer/ Departmental Secretary. Out of work, Miranda trained and taught in karate for a number of years to black belt “My role in Combined Honours involves a lot of third Dan level. “I entered a number of contact with both staff and students – through competitions and competed abroad for my club admissions, open days and enrolment. I really in countries such as Brazil. Unfortunately, due enjoy my work and love hearing how happy to injury, I had to retire so nowadays I do more students are when they find out they have a light-hearted exercise such as jogging. profile on... place on the course they want and to see all I completed the Great North Run in 2001. miranda cleal their hard work come to fruition at graduation. I am also a keen supporter of Aston Villa!”

4 AUTUMN 07 At this year’s Degree Congregations, Aston ’welcomed new honorary graduates as members of Ast Convocation, acknowledging n their achievement and contribution to their H respective fields. nours 7 He is currently the Deputy Chair In 2006, she joined the Executive sits on the Press Complaints of the Commission for Racial Committee of the World Lotteries Commission, and is a member of Khurshid Ahmed Equality and Chairman of the Association and she now chairs its the CBI President’s Committee. In British Muslim Forum, the Dudley Responsible Gaming Committee. February 2006 she was appointed Muslim Association and the She also chairs Camelot’s Social as a Non-Executive Director of Dudley Community (Strategic) Responsibility Board. Camelot is Domino’s Pizza UK & IRL plc. Partnership. He is a former Chair in the top 30 in Business In The Dianne received a CBE for of the National Association of Community’s Social Responsibility services to business in the 2006 British Pakistanis and a Non- Index. The company is also ranked New Year’s Honours List. executive Director of the Dudley 13th in the Sunday Times 100 Best Group of Hospitals NHS Trust. Companies to Work For 2007 list.

He is a member of the Attorney Dianne has personally raised Simon Topman General’s Diversity Advisory funds for ChildLine as Chair of the Group and was a member of ChildLine Foundation, reaching the Khurshid has had extensive the Government’s Preventing landmark figure of £1 million in involvement in community Extremism Together Task Force. December 2006. She received a development. His interest BA (Hons) in French from London burgeoned from his own University and started her career community as Secretary of the Dianne Thompson as a marketing trainee at the Dudley and Sandwell Pakistan Co-operative Wholesale Society. Welfare Association where She has worked in marketing he learned to foster relations for a variety of companies with other communities and including ICI Paints (1974-1979), later joined Dudley Community Sterling Roncraft (1986-1988) Relations Council (which he and Signet Group (1994-1997). Simon Topman’s early career chaired from 1997 until 2002). embraced the Civil Service, the She was Director of Marketing He represented the interests of jewellery trade and the steel at Woolworths (1992-1994) all Dudley’s local communities industry. He became CEO of and lecturer at Manchester and developed an insight into the Acme Whistles, the world leader Polytechnic (1979-1986), during multiple deprivation experienced in whistles, signal horns and which time she founded and ran by minority ethnic communities. sound effects, in 1989 and Owner/ her own advertising agency. Dianne Thompson is Chief Manager in 1991. The company He has accumulated over three Executive of Camelot Group Between 1988 and 1992 she was manufactures its products in the decades of experience in highly Plc. She joined Camelot in 1997 Managing Director of Sandvik UK and exports to 119 countries. complex local authorities with as Commercial Operations Saws and Tools. Dianne is a over 15 years experience at Chief Acme is famous for its Corporate Director and took over as Chief Fellow of the Royal Society of Officer/Chairperson level. He was Social Responsibility, employing Executive in December 2000. Arts, the Marketing Society Assistant Chief Executive and people only from the Aston, and the Chartered Institute of Head of Race Relations and Equal Dianne has developed and Lozells and Handsworth areas in Marketing, a Companion of the Opportunities at Birmingham City driven Camelot’s strategy for Birmingham. The Acme C.S.R. Chartered Management Institute Council from 1984 and served growth, with year-on-year sales programme supports Young and a liveryman of the Worshipful on the official enquiry into the up in 2003/4, 2004/5 and 2005/6. Enterprise and local schools and Company of Marketers. Darnall disturbances in Sheffield. Camelot also runs the world’s Simon plays a full part in the area’s He was appointed a Commissioner most successful interactive lottery Dianne has previously been decisions and development. at the Commission for Racial via the internet, interactive TV and awarded the titles of both Veuve He became the Chairman of Equality in April 2002 and made Play by Text. Dianne is leading Clicquot Business Woman of the New Deal for Communities in up to Acting Deputy Chair from Camelot in its bid to operate Year 2000 and Marketer of the Year 2003. Simon is interested in the August 2002 to April 2003. the Lottery in the third Licence by the Marketing Society in 2001. arts and their role in the Acme Period, a process which includes She was named the ‘first lady He was appointed the CRE’s Company and he was delighted a root and branch evaluation of of marketing’ when she topped Special Ambassador to the when it won the National Arts the business and game portfolio. Marketing magazine’s Power 100 Muslim Community and was a and Business Award in 2001 list in June 2007 for the second participant at the Berlin conference Dianne is an Executive Committee for its innovative theatre in the year running and in September which decided the outcome of Member of the European workplace programme that is 2006 she was awarded the the Earth Summit in Rio. Other Lotteries Association and chairs open to the whole community. Chartered Management Institute’s international projects include its New Media and Distribution Simon was a Director of The Gold Medal for her strategic the European Commission, the Channels Committee. Birmingham Repertory Theatre direction and leadership. Dianne World Bank, UNESCO and OECD. between 2001 and 2006.

AUTUMN 07 5 economy and local government. continued Ashok was educated at Rykneld Aston honours 07 School for Boys in Derby and He is also Young Enterprise member of Marketing Birmingham He joined the Board at Villa in at Aston University. He holds a Advisor to Mayfield School, and Optima Community Housing 1968 when the Club was in the BSc in Chemical Engineering, Chairman of Governors at Association. From 1991 to 2004 then Second Division and virtually an MSc in Process Analysis and St George’s School in Edgbaston he pursued his European interest bankrupt. With the exception of Development and a PhD in Fluid and an occasional lecturer on as a member of the Executive a three-year break between 1979 Mechanics. He is a Fellow of the operations and marketing to of Eurocities a.s.b.l. Since 1994, and 1982, he served continuously Institution of Chemical Engineers, MBA students. He was President Sir Albert has been one of the as Chairman until September a Chartered Engineer and a of Birmingham Chamber of members nominated by the UK 2006 when the Club was sold to Member of the Institute of Energy. Commerce in 2006, is National Government to the European Randy Lerner. During his tenure Ashok has been Parliamentary President Elect of The British Union’s Committee of the Regions as Chairman, Ellis set about Private Secretary to the Rt. Hon. Chambers and has had a and was President from 2002- bringing Villa’s stadium into the Hilary Benn, Secretary of State, number of government roles, 2004. He now holds the role of 20th Century. Three new stands Department for International member of the DTI Better President of the Commission and one of the largest conference Development since 2003. He has Regulation Programme Board, for Territorial Cohesion Policy. centres in Birmingham were built. held roles in various high-profile the Ministerial Challenge Panel In January 2002 he received a Villa Park has been chosen as Parliamentary Offices, Committees and The Small Business Council. knighthood in the New Year’s the venue of countless FA Cup and Groups including Chair of the Simon is the author of publications Honours List for his services to Semi-Finals, was involved in the Parliamentary Office of Science on pensions, flexible working local government. In June 2005 successful staging of Euro ’96 and Technology (POST), Member and whistle collecting. He is he was appointed West Midlands and hosted the last ever final of of the Parliamentary Scientific also a public speaker for charity Local Government Association’s the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in Committee, Vice-Chair of the fundraising and has great affection European and International Affairs May 1999. It also hosted several Parliamentary Group for Energy for all things Aston, the place of Portfolio Holder and he chairs England International matches Studies, Member of the Trade his childhood and upbringing. the West Midlands Regional while the new Wembley Stadium and Industry Select Committee Assembly’s European and was being built. Doug has been and Member of the Science & International Affairs Partnership. a member of the FA Council Technology Select Committee. Councillor Sir Sir Albert was appointed Chairman for 18 years, is a Member of Ashok’s interests include cricket, Albert Bore of the University Hospital its International Committee badminton, reading history and Birmingham NHS Foundation and was inaugural Chairman philosophy and listening to jazz. Trust in December 2006. of the Technical Control Board. He is currently Chairman of the Ellis Group of Companies, Herbert ‘Douglas’ Ellis Lord Paul Drayson Ellmanton Construction and Aston Manor Brewery.

Doug established the Aston Villa Charitable Trust in 1985. Doug was awarded the OBE for services to football and the community in 2004 and holds an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Albert Bore was born in Scotland Central England (now Birmingham in 1946 but subsequently lived City University). He is married in various locations around and has three adult sons. Germany and England. He arrived in Birmingham in 1969 to Doug was born on the Wirral Born in 1960, Paul Rudd Drayson pursue a postgraduate degree in Cheshire, but Birmingham is Dr Ashok Kumar was educated at St Dunstan’s programme and was awarded a his adopted home – a strong College, London, and Aston PhD in Physics by the University advocate for the City, promoting University. In 1982 he took a BSc of Birmingham in 1973 before it at every opportunity. Doug (Hons) in Production Technology taking up a post as lecturer at moved to Birmingham after and Production Management Aston University in 1974. his War Service and formed at Aston sponsored by BL Cars at Longbridge, followed in He was a member of Birmingham his own travel company. He is 1985 by a PhD in Robotics. City Council in 1980 and has recognised as the pioneer of the played a major role in the package holiday industry in the From 1986-1991 he was Managing regeneration of the City. He provinces in the early 1950s. Director of Lambourn Food was Leader of Birmingham City He was Chairman and owner Company. In 1993 he co-founded Council 1999 and 2004 and from of well-known travel companies PowderJect Pharmaceuticals 1984 to 1993 he chaired the such as Mato, Global, Sunflight, Plc and was Chairman and City’s Economic Development Jetway and Ellis travel. He sold Chief Executive until 2003. Committee, which helped Dr Ashok Kumar was born in all his travel companies in 1976. He floated PowderJect on the bring forward such schemes as 1956 and has been Member of Doug’s other business activities London Stock Exchange in 1997 Brindleyplace, the City Centre Parliament for Middlesbrough have included electronics, and built PowderJect into one pedestrianisation, Centenary South and East Cleveland insurance, farming and retailing. of the world’s leading vaccine Square and the development since 1997. Prior to this he He was Chairman of 19 companies with operations in of the International Convention was a Research Scientist at companies before relinquishing the UK, USA and Scandinavia. Centre, National Indoor British Steel (1985-1997) and the majority to concentrate on Arena and Symphony Hall. a Research Fellow at Imperial Between 2001-2002 he was the Chairmanship of Aston Villa Plc. College, London, (1982-1985.) Chairman of the Bio-industry Since the mid-1980s, he has Doug was Chairman of Villa for Association and was active in held company directorships of His policy interests are science 35 years and is now the Club’s the industry’s campaign to tackle both Aston Science Park and the and technology, further and higher Honorary Life President. animal rights extremism. National Exhibition Centre and is a education, trade and industry, the

6 AUTUMN 07 He was Chairman of the Oxford energy policy, is co-Chair of the of the Manchester City Centre index of forward-thinking public Children’s Hospital Fundraising Energy Research Partnership Management Company for the and private sector organisations in Campaign from 2002-2005. From and a fellow of the Institution first five years. In April 2007 he 2001. Watts is named one of the 2003-2005, he was Science of Engineering and Technology was installed as High Sheriff of Midlands’ most powerful figures Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Energy Institute. He is Greater Manchester for a year’s and is Master Entrepreneur of at the Said Business School, married with three adult children term of office and in 2006 he was the Year for Central England. In Oxford University, and taught and is a keen equestrian. voted CBI Businessman of the May 2005 he was appointed entrepreneurship to MBA Year in the North West. In May Ambassador for Advantage West students. He was raised to the 2006 he received an honorary law Midlands and in September 2005 peerage as Baron Drayson of Dr Michael Oglesby doctorate from the University of Deputy Lieutenant for the West Kensington in the Royal Borough Manchester. Michael’s personal Midlands. In December 2005 of Kensington and Chelsea in interests include theatre, music, Tim was made Vice-President of May 2004. Lord Drayson was sailing, skiing and walking. the Spinal Injuries Association. appointed Parliamentary Under Other recent achievements Secretary of State, Minister include lifetime President of the for Defence Procurement and Tim Watts Birmingham Foundation and Government Spokesman for honorary membership of the Defence to the House of Lords in Beta Gamma Sigma Society. May 2005. In March 2007 he was promoted to Minister of State for Defence Equipment and Support Gurjeet Kaur Bains at the Ministry of Defence. Dr Michael Oglesby DL, LLD, Paul is married to Elspeth, they BSc, High Sheriff of Greater have five children and live in Manchester was born in London. His other passions Scunthorpe in Lincolnshire. He are sword fencing and, more received a degree in building recently, motor racing. He is from Aston University and spent currently competing in the British his early working years in the GT Sportscar Championship, construction industry before Tim Watts joined the family racing a unique bio-ethanol moving to Manchester in 1970. business in 1970. He expanded fuelled Aston Martin DBRS9. He has been married for over Pertemps geographically 40 years to his wife Jean and throughout the West Midlands they live in Bowdon. They have and divisionally by introducing Dr Paul Golby Businesswoman Gurjeet two children, Chris and Kate, technical and industrial services. Kaur Bains arrived in Britain both of whom work in the family He was made a Fellow of in 1961 and went to school in business, and five grandchildren. the Institute of Employment Consultants nearly 20 years ago. Hertfordshire. She became a In 1978, Michael founded the Pertemps grew steadily through nurse after convincing her mother Bruntwood group of companies, the 80s, establishing offices in of her dedication by undertaking of which he is now Chairman. Bristol, London and Manchester. a week-long fast and remained Bruntwood owns in excess of in the profession for three years 65 buildings in central and south The recession of the late ’80s before turning to industry. Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds. and early ’90s proved to be the In 1979 she married Jaspal Singh In Manchester City Centre, catalyst for strong growth. In Bains. They had the first of their Bruntwood owns approximately 1993, he formed an adjoining five children a year later and 20% of the commercial office partnership and changed the name went into business with Gurjeet’s Paul Golby is the Chief Executive stock. Oglesby is a strong believer of the company to Pertemps sister and brother-in-law in 1986. of E.ON UK plc. He was born in in the strength of the family and Recruitment Partnership. It was Gurjeet and Jaspal then moved Market Bosworth in February 1951 the unique benefits that core approximately five years ago that to Northampton and built a string and was educated at Hinckley family values bring to a family- the fashionable concept of single of successful businesses: four Grammar School and at Aston owned business. He sees the source supplying started to have a shops, a restaurant, a clothes University, where he graduated role of business and business real impact on Pertemps’ growth factory and a café. In addition with a first class honours degree leaders in the community as and geographical expansion for the to her family and business in Mechanical Engineering. Whilst being key. Through Bruntwood first time became client led. With responsibilities, Gurjeet worked training as a graduate Engineer and the Oglesby Charitable a policy of using all the company’s part-time on the Northampton with Dunlop, he went on to gain Trust, he currently awards in profits to remunerate Pertemps’ Chronicle. She became editor a PhD from Aston, researching the region of £1m each year to own employees, coupled with of the Sikh Times in 2001 and offshore oil structures. arts and charitable causes. the heavy investment in an outstanding successful ISO9002 later edited Eastern Voice. She Following a series of management He is currently Chairman of the accreditation across all divisions; now has a prominent role at the appointments with Dunlop and Steering Board for the Manchester the achievement of Investors Birmingham-based publishing BTR, he joined the Board of Cancer Research Centre, MIDAS, in People and a comprehensive house Eastern Media Group. Clayhithe plc in 1992. Golby joined the Board of Governors of the training programme for every Gurjeet was the first woman East Midlands Electricity in 1998 Royal Northern College of Music Pertemps employee has given to chair the Institute of Asian and became Chief Executive of and the Oglesby Charitable Pertemps the marketing edge Businesses. Other notable E.ON UK in 2002. Since that time Trust. He also sits on the North which saw its turnover reach in achievements include winning he has steered E.ON through two West Business Leadership Team, excess of £400 million in 2002. ‘Businesswoman of the multi-billion pound acquisitions Manchester Enterprises and Year’ (1991) and becoming to a £8.5bn turnover organisation the Manchester International Watts was elected to the West an ambassador for the 2012 employing 16,000 people. He is a Festival. He is currently leading Midlands CBI Council and installed Olympics. Gurjeet is a member Top Executive member of E.ON a team building a new school for as one of the founding sponsors of the Birmingham Chamber of AG and a non-executive Director Chetham’s School of Music and for the Centre for Tomorrow’s Commerce and Industry and the of AEA Technology plc. Golby is is Vice-President of the Liverpool Company. Pertemps now has Birmingham DiverCity Board. a frequent commentator on the School of Tropical Medicine. sixteen operating centres around UK Government’s scientific and Oglesby was founding Chairman the UK and was named one of the most visionary companies in an

AUTUMN 07 7 alumni discounts

On-campus benefits Off-campus benefits

Conference facilities: Conference Aston is offering alumni 10% off conferences booked* with them at either of their venues, Aston Business School Conference Centre or Lakeside Centre. Cottages4you is offering a 10% discount on your next cottage They are also offering a discount on accommodation. The following holiday. Cottages4you offer a range of over 13,000 holiday properties rates are for bed and breakfast and are inclusive of VAT: across the UK, France, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and Italy. To search online, check availability and book visit www.cottages-4-you.co.uk/ Classic Room (single occupancy) £60.00 aston or call the holiday helpline on 0870 192 1751. To receive Standard Room (single occupancy) £85.00 your 10% discount simply quote code ‘AST10’ when booking. Standard Double (double occupancy) £100.00 Superior Room (single occupancy) £91.00 Superior Double £106.00 Best Western is offering up to 20% discount To take advantage of the above offers, please call Conference for Aston alumni at all of their hotels – over 290 in Aston on +44 (0)121 204 3011 and quote ‘Aston Alumni Offer’. the UK and 4,000 worldwide. To book, simply call Should you wish to see more details about their conference central reservations on 08457 73 73 73 and quote facilities, please visit www.conferenceaston.co.uk the Connect Business Plus Number: 01357700. *Must be booked for 30+ delegates Cancellations must be made prior to 4pm on the expected date of arrival in order to avoid a charge.

APH Ltd (Airport Parking and Hotels Ltd) is offering Aston alumni a 10% discount on participating airport car parks, airport hotels and airport lounges. To check availability, or to book, please visit www.aph.com/alumni or contact the call centre on 0870 737 7671 quoting ‘ALUM’.

National Car Rental is offering Aston University alumni preferential rates on car and van hire in the UK and on international car hire in over 80 countries worldwide – including all the major destinations. For a National car or van quotation, or to make a booking, please call 0870 191 6950. To benefit from these preferential rates please quote: Library: As an Aston graduate you are able to register to A001639 for UK Car hire use the University Library for just £24.50 a year. This entitles A001640 for UK Van hire you to borrow one medium loan item and five long loan items 8580898 for International Car hire subject to the Library’s normal loan rules. Access to Aston’s A001639G for Guy Salmon hire web catalogue is available. Printed material can be used in the Library and use of the Library’s photocopy services subject to the usual rules of copyright. There is limited access to electronic resources for users who are not current staff or students. Amazon Associates: The Alumni & Development Office is an To join the Library as an external borrower, send an email to ‘Associate’ of Amazon.co.uk If you order through the link from our [email protected] and you will be sent an application form in web page www.aston.ac.uk/alumni/amazonassociate/ 5% of any the post. Alternatively, contact the Alumni & Development Office purchases made will come back to the University to support projects for an application form. More information about membership in the Alumni & Development Office. can be viewed at www.aston.ac.uk/lis/visitorinfo/alumni.jsp

Sports facilities: All Aston graduates can now use the sports facilities on campus. Once you have joined and become a member you can take advantage of vast reductions on many activities such as swimming, aerobics and badminton. With membership costing £35 for Aston alumni, there’s nothing All offers are subject to terms and conditions. The University provides no guarantees or to stop you leading a healthier lifestyle! To join, contact the warranties in relation to the quality or suitability of any services offered by third parties, Woodcock Sports Centre on +44 (0)121 204 4623 or email nor in relation to the accuracy or reliability of advertisements placed by them and accepts [email protected] for an information pack. no responsibility or liability whatsoever in relation to such services.

8 AUTUMN 07 graduate recruitment... a new generation Every year over 150,000 young people leave UK colleges and universities to enter a workplace that is changing at an unprecedented rate. At the same time young people are entering work with very different expectations and ways of communicating. Aston graduate Jane Aitken (2006 BSc Managerial and Administrative Studies) has been at the forefront of an exciting campaign to recognise and develop the full talent of young people in the workplace and to help businesses better understand the people they employ.

Orange and the Make Your Mark Campaign created the Many employers are also unaware of the potential of social Graduate Panel to help young people and their employers stay networks and blogs where young people build relationships motivated, committed and productive in this rapidly changing with peers for personal and professional development. environment. The Make Your Mark campaign is run by not-for- Graduates clearly value networking opportunities and, once profit organisation Enterprise Insight which aims to create employed, employees continue to network with their peers. an enterprise culture in the UK by inspiring young people in The modern employer needs to engage with new technologies their teens and twenties to have ideas and make them happen. and explore how building mentoring and networking The campaign is backed by an unprecedented coalition of schemes can ensure new graduate recruits feel supported businesses, charities, education bodies and government. in the workplace, learn new skills, stay committed to the organisation and learn about the breadth of the business. The Graduate Panel addressed issues arising from research undertaken by Orange and Demos in 2006 called Working Progress: The work of the Graduate Panel has shown that an unwillingness how to reconnect young people to organisations. The Panel to take risks and an organisational culture that stigmatises failure comprises current students and recent graduates in full-time work discourages creativity and does little to add value to the organisation or self-employment. Twelve panellists met to discuss whether in the eyes of its young employees. current assessment methods and criteria used by employers for The way forward suggests recruitment are relevant to today’s graduates and how graduates the need to build an can improve the way they identify and articulate their own skills. entrepreneurial culture, a risk-tolerant The report concluded that graduates can feel demotivated environment where and not connected to the cultures they encounter at work employees can and that organisations would risk losing their best new talent feel confident if the differences were not resolved. The findings of the to suggest and Graduate Panel have been made publicly available on You Tube implement and, through a series of seminars and conferences, been new ideas and brought to the attention of HR professionals who, in turn, are learn from their implementing the recommendations in their organisations. mistakes rather than fear failure.

Jane has strong views on how her generation is viewed and assessed by potential employers, commenting: “Good graduates are trained to get through assessment centres which all now seem

terribly generic. It is increasingly harder for students and graduates to show organisations their key differentiating strengths and understand the culture of the company to which they are applying. I think it’s important to rethink the way “ graduates apply and how companies assess them as potential employees so that the organisations can uncover differentiating skill sets whilst also “enabling graduates to ask whether the company is right for them.

It would appear that graduates’ expectations of their first job are also changing. Increasing numbers of graduates report that they want to work for socially responsible, ethical companies that are open and transparent in the way they engage with potential recruits. The modern employer is faced with a number of challenges, including how to demonstrate its ethical stance and social responsibility in a sustained and genuine way.

AUTUMN 07 9 Tell us your news!

We are always delighted to see so many of you returning STOP PRESS – the Graduate Update Form which is mailed out with Apex. PRIZE DRAW! It confirms to us the attachment you so clearly hold to your University and that you are committed to keeping in touch. Win dinner and an overnight We are very proud to read about all of our alumni’s achievements, stay at Aston Business School whether they be career related or otherwise. However, we’d Conference Centre! still like to hear from more of Return the enclosed Graduate you! For instance, have you just Update Form by 4 January been promoted or started your 2008 and you could be in with own business? Got married or the chance of winning dinner had a baby? Decided to start for two and an overnight stay a whole new life somewhere at Aston Business School else? Then tell us! You never Conference Centre! To be know, we may even contact you entered, please ensure that with a view to publishing an you tick the box on the back article about you in Apex, or ask of the Graduate Update if you can help by doing one of Form to say you wish to be our Network Lectures, designed included in the draw. The draw to connect undergraduates with will take place on 7 January a graduate who may be in a 2008 and the winner will be profession they are interested in. notified on that date. Please To update your details with note that the prize must be us, please either complete taken by 30 June 2008. the enclosed Graduate Update Good luck and we look forward Form or go to www.aston.ac.uk/ to receiving your entries! alumni/update.htm where you can update your details online. Back to Business! Get involved! We’re looking for dedicated Aston graduates with ideas and Did you know Aston University offers a energy who want to continue to be involved in the life of Aston. world class portfolio of dedicated conference There are many ways you can be involved with your University when you have left and, if this is important to you, we urge you to and meeting venues? consider a nomination to the Standing Committee of Convocation. Aston Business School Conference Centre offers an award Graduating from Aston University gives you so much more than a winning residential venue with 24 purpose-built conference well-respected degree. When you graduate you automatically become and meeting rooms accommodating 2-235 delegates and fully a member of the University’s Convocation. The Convocation includes equipped with the latest audio visual equipment. A restaurant you and your fellow alumni and a body of people who want to support seating 260, lounge, bar, central courtyard and 163 luxurious and work with Aston. The Convocation has contacts with MPs, en suite bedrooms all with Internet access are also available. community leaders and professional institutions to name but a few.

The Lakeside Centre, overlooking the Chancellor’s Lake, provides The Standing Committee of Convocation is an elected body of 6 state-of-the-art suites accommodating up to 200 delegates, graduates and other Convocation members which represents ideal for conferences, banqueting and corporate entertainment. the interests of Convocation. Members receive reports from Council, the Students’ Guild and the Alumni & Development Office and they have the right to express opinions to the University. Campus Conferences offer the University teaching and There are just six evening meetings a year which members are accommodation facilities during the summer vacation period. expected to attend and the nomination procedure is simple. Over 54 high quality conference and meeting rooms and in excess of 1000 beds are available on the city centre campus. Firstly contact the Alumni & Development Office and make sure we have your correct contact details. In early January we will be For further information sending out information about the Annual General Meeting on please contact our sales 15 March 2008 and we will be including nomination forms in the pack. team on 0121 204 3011 Complete a nomination form and return it to the University before the or email published deadline. Results will be announced on 15 March 2008. conferenceaston@ aston.ac.uk If you want to be more closely involved in your University and would like further information on membership of the Standing Committee of Convocation, contact Sarah Pymm on [email protected] or call +44(0)121 204 4541.

10 AUTUMN 07 A sustainable future? The past twenty years or so have seen a growing realisation that the way we are living our lives and conducting our business is placing an increasing burden on our planet. Our small, everyday actions add up to make a big difference in the world. Increasingly, sustainability is becoming a key issue for businesses and society in general, as people realise that current industrial, economic and social systems are storing up problems for the future. Keen to promote the values of ethical business, Tom Greenwood (2004 BSc Engineering Product Design) has launched Scamper Brand Strategy – a pioneering approach to sustainable brand strategy.

“Brands are probably one of the most powerful tools ever Having established the key elements of their brands, Scamper created,” claims Tom. “We want to help ethically responsible advises their clients on how to live their brand through their organisations harness the potential of branding to take business activities. Why Scamper? It represents reaching on unethical competition and transform their markets out for different perspectives through global connections and for good so that we can all enjoy a better future.” exploring new ideas – a young, energetic company with a name which suggests an innocent connection with the earth. Scamper is a brand strategy consultancy specialising in assisting organisations which are committed to sustainability harness Tom’s time at Aston was the starting point for his interest in the power of branding and increase profits on the triple bottom sustainable business. “I’d been interested in sustainability for a line. Scamper has made a commitment to only work with few years before coming to Aston but the product design course companies which, like them, are committed to working towards helped me to appreciate the importance of business,” explains sustainability. “They don’t have to be perfect,” admits Tom, “because Tom. In his second year of study Tom entered the Mercia Business no-one is perfect. But they must show a genuine intention to Ideas Competition with course mates Amandeep Chana and improve their practices and move towards sustainability.” Mel Nursaw and reached the finals with an idea for a technology that allows shoes to grip in icy conditions. In his final year of Tom’s experience with sustainable business has found that many study he launched a business with his brother Richard producing companies aspiring to improve their practice lack the in-house and selling calendars based on the life and aspirations of J.R.R. expertise to develop powerful brands. Scamper’s core services Tolkein. “My first couple of ventures into business were a fantastic include brand creation, brand auditing, strategic brand advice learning experience but were not particularly sustainable. I’ve and brand guardianship. Scamper tailors its services to the since set about learning how business can be used as a driver individual needs of each client and works with them to identify of positive change and contribute to a more sustainable world.” the unique elements of value in their company, products and Tom was recently awarded the 2007 KTP Business Leader of services. Scamper then designs and defines brands in terms Tomorrow Award for his work helping Telford-based fireplace of their vision, visual and verbal identities and their strategic manufacturer Charlton and Jenrick Ltd develop a strategy to relationships to other brands within the organisation. tackle the rapidly declining market and reduce the environmental impact of its products. The judges commended his positive and forward thinking attitude and commitment to sustainability.

For more information on Scamper visit www.sustainablebrandstrategy.com

AUTUMN 07 11 Food is essential to life and one of its many pleasures. Most of us take for granted the ability to be able to eat whatever we want, when we want it. But what if you’re suddenly diagnosed with a food intolerance that means you’re no longer able to eat all of the things you’ve previously enjoyed? Cooking up a business Aston graduate Siobhan Wylie (1999 BSc European Studies gluten-free such as potatoes, rice, cheese and polenta. But there and French) experienced this when, in 2000, she was are also many foods where gluten is hidden in the ingredients and diagnosed with gluten intolerance, similar to coeliac disease, so it can be quite challenging. My love for pasta and beer was meaning she would no longer be able to consume food items the hardest to deal with, but in the last three years some decent containing gluten. Replacing once-loved foods with good gluten-free beer and pasta has become available on the market.” quality gluten-free substitutes proved difficult, so Siobhan decided to start experimenting with her own recipes. Six Siobhan accepted her condition and lived for many years on years later she is now the owner of her own gluten-free food a restricted diet, suffering, as she describes, ‘poor quality business, Raspberry Creek Foods. We went to find out more replacement products’. Siobhan continued working in supply and quite happily put some of her products to the test! chain management for ICI but also spent much of her free time

developing gluten-free recipes at home. “I’ve always loved cooking Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease where, upon and so I carried on my gluten-free cooking for pleasure, but at consumption of the protein gluten, the body produces antibodies the back of my mind I always wanted to turn it into a business.

that attack the tissues. According to the website for the charity I felt there was a niche in the market for high quality, home- Coeliac UK (www.coeliac.co.uk) there is evidence to suggest made products that, despite being gluten-free, could be enjoyed that the prevalence of coeliac disease is 1 in 100 people across by everyone. I just never seemed to have the time to do it.” I suddenly realised that you take what you eat for “ granted. I had suspected for some time that certain foods were making me ill, but it was only following various “tests that I realised that I would have to completely change my diet.

Europe, and even globally. The numbers of people with coeliac That was until 2005 when she decided to take a year out to disease who are medically diagnosed is much less. Symptoms travel the world with her fiancé, Paul Bradshaw (1999 BSc are quite broad, most of us probably suffering with one, if not Managerial and Administrative Studies). It was whilst visiting all, at some point in our lives. They include bloating, diarrhoea, Australia and New Zealand, where excellent fresh gluten-free nausea, wind, tiredness, constipation, anaemia, mouth ulcers, food is readily available, that she was given the motivation she headaches, weight loss, hair loss, skin problems, depression, needed to turn her own recipes into a business back home. It infertility, recurrent miscarriages and joint or bone pain. Many was in New Zealand that she found the inspiration for the name people confuse the symptoms with those for IBS or stress and for the business. “After a long and bumpy drive to a place called so getting a correct diagnosis can be quite a lengthy process. Raspberry Creek in South Island, Paul and I spent a day hiking through an alpine forest to a beautiful glacier. Whilst having lunch Siobhan was diagnosed with gluten intolerance seven years ago, at this stunning viewpoint we decided that, on our return to and although she may have coeliac disease, an accurate diagnosis the UK, I would go into business making gluten and wheat-free has been difficult to obtain, as is often the case. Siobhan explains foods. As we made our way back down to Raspberry Creek we that she initially found it difficult to accept. “I suddenly realised that decided it would make the most perfect name for the business”. you take what you eat for granted. I had suspected for some time that certain foods were making me ill, but it was only following In July 2006, having returned from her travels, Raspberry Creek various tests that I realised that I would have to completely change Foods was launched and ready for business. Raspberry Creek my diet. Fortunately, there are many foods that are naturally Foods is run from Siobhan’s parents’ kitchen (in agreement with Environmental Health and the Council) and help developing recipes

12 AUTUMN 07 Cooking up a business has come in the shape of Siobhan’s future mother-in-law, Lyn. One way is through the food fairs they organise across the country. “Lyn is a fantastic cook and was so supportive when my diet I now do around four or five of these each year to an audience of changed. Together we have created lots of recipes over the years anywhere between 500-800 visitors which is great because we can and are now able to use them in the business.” Siobhan assures offer people samples of our products. I can also take advantage of me that baking gluten-free products is very different to standard direct mailshots to members of the various groups across the cookery and requires a lot of perseverance and lots of practice. country. In addition I have also placed adverts with a specialist “With the sweet products the difference is simply the substitution magazine called Foods Matter which covers all aspects of allergies of wheat flour with naturally gluten-free flours such as brown rice and food intolerances including coeliac disease. Since the magazine flour, potato flour and corn flour. You need to combine the flours went online I have also been able to advertise on their website. A carefully for both lightness and taste. Bread has been the biggest lot of business, though, has been through word of mouth which of challenge though as it really needs gluten to become a soft pliable course is free and is also extremely rewarding. I now have many dough. Many gluten-free breads are so hard they could break a regulars who I’ve got to know really well.” window, but I think Raspberry Creek Foods is leading the way with soft, tasty gluten-free bread. And sales demonstrate this!” Plans for the future, Siobhan tells us, include hunting for bigger premises to base the business and to see her products stocked Products currently available from Raspberry Creek Foods include in more outlets. Her priority right now is to finalise her Christmas millionaire’s shortbread, carrot cake, chocolate brownies, raspberry range and so we leave her in peace. We have a feeling though, and almond slices, various rolls and breads, to name a few. Products that having tasted some of the delights she already has on offer, can be purchased online at www.raspberrycreekfoods.co.uk and that an order for mince pies may soon be coming her way! some are available in health food shops, farm shops and cafés. Siobhan has also recently started to supply two of the leading online gluten-free supermarkets. With products aimed at such a specific market, we ask Siobhan how she’s gone about advertising the business to relevant groups of For more information on coeliac disease, people. She explains: “Coeliac UK is a charity please visit www.coeliac.co.uk offering support to coeliacs and it gives us a network through which to advertise the business.

AUTUMN 07 13 School of Engineering & Applied Science 14 A H The world’s roboticmicro-drill firsttruly developed byP Engineering &AppliedScience,has beenusedinasurgicaloperation. T T T The drill does not have to be programmed or made to workto made or programmed be to have not does drill The AUTUM07 N of the Royalthe of AcademyEngineering(FREng).of ear and a second portion that is surgically placed under the the under placed surgically is that portion second a and ear to sound of sense a provide to help can that device electronic can give a deaf person a useful representation of sounds in in sounds of representation useful a person deaf a give can skin. cochlearimplants. organ) and aligned to the correct place, where it drills a hole less less hole a drills it where place, correct the to aligned and organ) a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard-of-hearing. hard-of-hearing. severely or deaf profoundly is who person a I the environment and help him or her to understand speech. understand to her or him help and environment the medicine before.medicine where to go and what to do. This has never happened in in happened do. never to has what This and go to where N Professor Ian Bennion, who is Head of the Photonics Photonics the of Head is who Bennion, Ian Professor Research Group at Aston, has been elected as a Fellow a as elected been at has Aston, Group Research from a computer operated by a human. It is smart. It knows knows It smart. is It human. a by operated computer a from t was tested in surgery by surgery in tested was t hroat hroat he implant consists of an external portion that sits behind the the behind sits that portion external an of consists implant he he new micro-drill is applied to the cochlea (the inner ear hearing hearing ear inner (the cochlea the to applied is micro-drill new he HS World’s first robotic micro-drill developed at Aston sto ighest ho

A F oundation oundation n implant does not restore normal hearing. hearing. normal restore not does implant n C onsultant onsultant n T rust. rust.

S cochlear implant is a small, complexsmall, a is cochlearimplant A P urgeon at at urgeon T rofessor he drill was tested on patients needing needing patients on tested was drill he M r David David r U niversity niversity n T A experience to further the art the further to experience engineers. engineers. each year from nominations nominations from year each character of its membership, membership, its of character and practice of the profession profession the of practice and enormous the of advantage U through the interdisciplinary interdisciplinary the through the the made by existing existing by made wealth of engineering engineering of wealth provide a unique breadth of of breadth unique a provide knowledge they possess and, and, possess they knowledge in all its forms. its all in our for he he P cademy is by invitation only. invitation by is cademy p to 60 60 to p roops, roops, UK R H oyal ospital ospital ’s most distinguished distinguished ’s most F E A ellows are elected elected are ellows ar, Nose and and ar,Nose I cademy honours honours cademy t aims to take take to aims t B I nstead, it it nstead, irmingham irmingham lection to the to Election F ellows. ellows.

T T A committees, journals, and and journals, committees, of our previous previous Vice our successful outcomes. outcomes. successful with all – patients human three on tested been has drill so preventing drilling and other debris dropping into the ear.”the into dropping debris other and preventingdrilling so surgical drill under the microscope, the drill tip will naturallywill tip drill the microscope, the under drill surgical only being used for cochlear implants, but the potentials the but cochlearforimplants, used being only at at an able to detect the approach of the drill tip as it approaches this this approaches it as tip drill the of approach the detect to able the title ‘ title the the designatory letters designatory the the holder of 31 patents. patents. 31 of holder the S funding for his researchteamhis for funding to improved hearing for the patient following implantation. implantation. following patient the for hearing improved to than a millimetre in diameter to enable the cochlear implant to be be to implant cochlear the enable to diameter in millimetre a than E who was elected in 1985.in elected was who interface. tissue imply put, it will revolutionise this type of micro-surgery.of type revolutionisethis will it put, Simply widely to D to widely lead will drilling of means precise more this that expected is It for wider surgery applications in the future are extensive. extensive. are future the in applications surgery wider for P P P perforate the surface through the inner flexible boney tissue tissue boney flexible inner the through surface the perforate knowledge knowledge has attracted very substantial substantial very attracted has as honour this given been have 650 research papers and is is and papers research 650 is only the second person to to person second the only is inserted. inserted. into the space. space. the into protrude and membrane inner the with cochlea the of interface in the perfect place and to a perfect depth. depth. perfect a to and place perfect the in hey are distinguished by distinguished are hey he other person was one of of one was person other he rofessor rofessor rofessor rofessor cademy of of cademy cience said: “ said: cience xecutive Dean of the the of Dean xecutive A ngineering & Engineering A ston and has contributed contributed has and ston ston F niversity employee.University P A B ellow of of ellow Sir rofessor rofessor rofessor P TI shok ennion has published published has ennion P E rofessor rofessor and other national national other and F ngineering’ and and ngineering’ rederick T U o the best of my of best the o I K sing the new robotic micro-drill, the device is is device the micro-drill, robotic new the sing t is then able to avoid penetrating the membrane, membrane, the penetrating avoid to able then is t Applied C ochhar, T hancellors, hancellors, B he he rett explains: “ explains: rett B I S R t drills a perfect hole, the perfect size, size, perfect the hole, perfect a drills t Crawford, FREng. ennion ennion chool oyal eter BrettoftheSchool H e W T developing novel ideas through through ideas novel developing developing their applications. developingtheir structures periodic developing academic the both in systems activities. activities. achievement in creating creating in achievement outstanding his recognises also and industrial sectors and and sectors industrial and to practical applications.”practical to and generating of and teams motivating and leading of record the 50-member 50-member the industry. in exploitation their for the development of of development the for t also notes his eminence in eminence his notes also It achieving and promoting for R EU B photonic components and and components photonic his international recognition international his research productive highly in guided-wave optics, and for and optics, guided-wave in he citation for for citation he esearch ennion’s hen working with a traditional traditional a with working hen research management management research T he drill is currently currently is drill he roup at Group H F ellowship highlights highlights ellowship e has an excellent excellent an has e P P rofessor rofessor hotonics hotonics A

ston. T he he

It Understanding behaviour: chool the new cognitive S usiness

research centre B

A ground-breaking research centre devoted to understanding the way we think and act in ston the workplace has been launched at Aston Business School. The Organisational Cognitive A Neuroscience Centre (OCNC) is believed to be one of the first of its kind in the world and will also conduct research into our thought-processes as consumers.

The OCNC will aim to develop existing research on subjects “In some respects we are taking two steps backwards in order to such as the so-called toxic manager syndrome – the effective progress,” he continues. “But there will be significant practical manager who meets all his goals and targets and yet applications in doing this. For example, there is an application has very poor relationships with subordinates – and how in terms of marketing and advertising. We absorb different decision-making, such as appointing new members of staff, information in different ways and through cognitive neuroscience can be influenced by the attractiveness of candidates. techniques we will be able to understand a lot more about how Launched by Dr Michael Butler and Dr Nick Lee of Aston Business and why people process the information in advertisements. This School and Dr Carl Senior of the School of Life & Health Sciences, will enable marketeers to target consumers more effectively.” the OCNC will particularly look at ways in which organisational Such practical applications are key to both the creation of cognitive neuroscience can be applied in the world of business. the OCNC and the type of work the research team will be “Our aim is to advance theoretical understanding of the cognitive concentrating on. All three Directors of the OCNC are keen processes which underlie human behaviour in markets and to stress that one of the aims is to make links to practice organisations and to develop applications which have socially so that when they collaborate in research, they will work

and managerially beneficial outcomes,” explains Dr Senior. on practical issues that affect organisational members. Dr Butler explains that the trio will be publishing a book in December linked to the launch of the OCNC, which will also

expand on ways in which businesses and organisations can use Effectively, we will be looking at the expertise and research gathered at the centre. “Traditionally “ in organisations you have observed behaviour,” he says. “But we the differences in our thought processes want to go deeper and take a detailed look at the motivations that make people think and act in the way they do in a business when we enter the workplace or a business environment, either as an employee or a consumer. As well as “environment and trying to understand developing the idea of the toxic manager we can also look into why we choose particular banks or buy CDs from particular shops.” why those changes happen. The OCNC will provide research leadership by way of high- quality publications, innovative research collaborations and original doctoral-level research in what is still the embryonic field of organisational cognitive neuroscience. There have been a number of advances in brain imaging techniques For more information go to www.aston.ac.uk/ocnc where in recent years and Dr Lee adds that the OCNC will bring existing Carl Senior, Michael Butler and Nick Lee discuss the creation research strands together to provide a much deeper understanding. of the OCNC in a podcast. National schools business competition Aston Business School has played host to the regional final of the National Schools Business Competition. Competitors were drawn from a wider area than the traditional Midlands boundaries, with schools from Yorkshire and the South West also competing.

The ten schools had three hours to Head of International Relations and MBA The winners of the national competition, analyse a case study about a failing Director (External). “All the schools did which is organised by the Ogden Trust, hotel and make a presentation very well,” commented Dr Griffiths. “To get an all-expenses paid five-day trip to the judges detailing how they come to a University environment and to New York where they will visit the would turn things around. They present to 40 strangers is no easy task. Deutche Bank trading floor. The runners were required to develop a realistic Many innovative ideas were presented and up get a three-day visit to Paris. business plan, marketing strategy it was difficult to choose the winners.” For more information on the National and appropriate financial forecasts. First place went to Torquay Grammar Schools Business Competition go to Aston Business School provided two School, closely followed by Loughborough www.businesscompetition.co.uk of the judges: Pamela Pinski from the High. The two go through to the final to Undergraduate Office and Gareth Griffiths, be held at Merrill Lynch in London. AUTUMN 07 15 Aston scientists An OSCAR

ciences join fight

S for Aston

against MRSA Researchers in the School of Life & Health Sciences ealth

H are using powerful brain scanners to develop ground breaking methods of replacing invasive experiments on laboratory animals. Their work has just won an ife &

L Outstanding Scientific Contribution to Animal Replacements (OSCAR), which is an ethical science award from non- animal medical research charity, the Dr Hadwen Trust. Aston’s Neuro-imaging Research Group has pioneered chool of

S human volunteer research using the University’s MEG (Magnetoencephalography) brain scanner. MEG measures the magnetic fields naturally present outside the head due to electrical activity in the brain. The technique is completely non- invasive and harmless. The Dr Hadwen Trust first funded the unique MEG project back in the 1990s when Aston operated the only MEG machine in the United Kingdom. Aston’s research was vital in demonstrating MEG’s capabilities and expanding its use. The School now combines a range of complementary non-invasive brain research techniques, including MEG, fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging), EEG and MRS (Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy), to A team of researchers from the School of build up an accurate picture of how the human brain functions. Life & Health Sciences is involved with an The MEG and other systems are being used in a programme innovative research trial at Selly Oak Hospital of wide-ranging humane research projects. Key research areas include human behaviour, epilepsy, pain, hearing, which is investigating the use of copper to speech and language and non-invasive drug development help prevent the spread of infections for neurological illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease and depression. Professor Paul Furlong, Director of the Neuro- including MRSA. imaging Research Group, received the award from Nicky Gordon from the Dr Hadwen Trust at a special presentation event. Professor Tom Elliott from Selly Oak is leading the trial with funding of up to £100,000 from the Copper Development Association. Professor Elliott is also a Visiting Professor at Aston University. On one of the medical wards at Selly Oak Hospital, copper door handles, soap dispensers and other working surfaces are being installed. Extensive research has already been undertaken by scientists, including the team at Aston, which has confirmed that, under laboratory conditions, several types of bacteria die within hours when placed on copper alloy surfaces. The latest research will enable Professor Elliott and his team, who have been working closely with Professor Peter Lambert, to put these findings to the test in the clinical environment. Professor Lambert’s colleagues, including Dr Tony Worthington, Dr Anthony Hilton, Dr Barbara Conway and research and placement students, will help with the research. Professor Elliott said: “The qualities of copper have been known for many, many years – it is an intelligent metal that kills bacteria and we want to see if it can help in the control of infection. The trial will run for approximately 18 months. An additional ward is being run as normal and will act as a control and therefore will continue to utilise the standard equipment. This will enable the team to compare results at regular intervals. The potential results may have an effect on how we deal with contamination in the future. I want to ensure our patients have the very best care available and this is a wonderful opportunity.”

Above, back row from left to right: Dr Anthony Hilton, Prof Peter Lambert, Dr Barbara Conway, Laura Wheeldon, Tarja Karpanen, Dr Tony Worthington, front row from left to right: Cait Costello, Manita Mehmi, Preena Mistry, Christian Lowden and Rita Chohan.

16 AUTUMN 07 Tim Grant (left) and Krzysztof Kredens Forensic linguistics 1989, the the 1989, Forensic whichisbased&Socialciences,now intheSchoolofLanguages well- linguistics, A gathers strength given evidence on author identification in in identification author on evidence given discovertoordercourt, in in evidence courts in in courts of of of Justice in in Justice of court and analyse the language inlanguage the analyse and court in defendant a of cross-examination research group,makingitthestrongestinworld. this. this. forensic and world real the to relevance the to work on high profile cases. cases. profile high on work to the the witness for both both for witness world’sfirst the as appointed was simply, it is a sub-discipline of applied applied of sub-discipline a is simply, it messages or documents to be used as as used be to documents or messages quad was disbanded. Next month he will he month Next disbanded. was Squad established andinternationally respected. Threenew members ofstaffhave recentlyjoined the prepared reports and acted as an expertan as acted and reports prepared police statements and in interviews. in and statements police work with the police analysing text text analysing police the with work who the author was. also author might the They who B Northern Northern publish a new book book new a publish So, what is forensic linguistics? Put Put linguistics? forensic is what So, linguistics is a particularly strong example of of example strong particularly a is linguistics in over 180 civil and criminal cases. cases. criminal and civil 180 over in For example, a forensic linguist might might linguist forensic a example, For involved with the the with involved linguistics relating to the interface the to relating linguistics look at the language used in the the in used language the at look between language, the law and crime.and lawlanguage,between the ston’s rigorous research activity has has activity research ston’s rigorous olden trial, at the conclusion of which, in in which, of conclusion the at trial, olden F orensic orensic ourt of Court B I ridgewater ridgewater n 2004, 2004, n E I W reland and and reland ngland, ngland, L est est ppeal at the at Appeal L inguistics and continues continues and inguistics P ondon, as well as in lower in as well as ondon, rofessor rofessor M F P idlands idlands B our our rosecution and Defence Defence and rosecution G irmingham irmingham F ermany, S orensic orensic A cotland. cotland. ppeal and the the and ppeal M S alcolm alcolm R erious erious oyal H L H ong ong inguistics: inguistics: S H ix ix e has has e Courts e was e C C A P oulthard oulthard K rime rime ppeal, ppeal, rofessor rofessor H ong, ong, R e has has e onald onald Tim im started his career as a as career his started Tim A expert witnesses in actual legal cases. legal actual in witnesses expert evidence of collusion and collusion of evidence dictionary and and dictionary co-edited, will be published next monthnext published be will co-edited, collection by him called him by collection collusion and detection partner. detection and collusion checking all the personal statements in statements checkingpersonal the all are all leaders in the field. field. the in leaders all are author identification in the journal of the the of journal the in identification author responsibility for for responsibility K K S I role will involve David’sinvolve will role by selected been recently L inguistics) and David and Linguistics) Malcolm’sat colleagues new Evidence: plagiarism in an an in plagiarism with with F David’scompany, have significant experience of acting as as acting of experience significant have half a million or so so or million a half high profile legal cases; for instance he he instance for cases; legal profile high by by nternational nternational ellow). anguage in in anguage ssociation of of ssociation rzysztof rzysztof rzysztof has recently worked on a case of of case a on worked recently has rzysztof cholars will publish a further co-edited co-edited further a publish will cholars lison Johnson from Johnson Alison P rant (Senior Grant eter M alcolm and has worked on similarly similarly on worked has and alcolm ll three have published on havepublished three All ang. Lang. K tudies in Studies redens ( redens E O vidence, which is co-authored co-authored is which vidence, L F utlooks, which he has has he which utlooks, n early 2008, 2008, early In orensic orensic anguage and the the and anguage E F nglish- CFL L orensic orensic UCAS ecturer with special with ecturer L

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Expert guidance Swimming – a hit with at EnterpriseFest Aspiring student entrepreneurs took advantage international students of EnterpriseFest 2007 on 21 February, which was an Swimming sessions at Aston’s Woodcock Sports Centre action-packed day of advice have taken on an international flavour with non-UK and information hosted by Aston’s Careers Service. students increasingly taking advantage of the facility. Following the success of EnterpriseFest 2006, this year’s event encouraged students of all ages in the Midlands to understand self-employment and entrepreneurship. Experts were available to provide advice on banking, marketing and writing a business plan, as well as guidance on taxation and law. “After last year’s successful Festival, the Careers Service was delighted to be able to produce another similar event,” said Siobhan Qadir, Careers Service Advisor. “Students received some top quality advice and information on entrepreneurship with the aim to help them set up their own businesses.”

One of the keynote speakers was Wade Lyn of Cleone Foods, who was voted one of the top 100 most influential businessmen of the West Midlands. Also speaking was Aston alumnus Ninder Johal (1987 MBA), who set up Nachural Records in 1991 and Jo Miners (née Barnes, 1988 International students in the Woodcock Pool BSc French and German) founder of Stonehouse Marketing. Jo said she owes a The Woodcock Pool, which celebrates its centenary this year, has run twenty courses since the lot of her own success to the lessons began in July 2004. Although they are open to all University members, they are most time she spent at Aston and popular with international students. was delighted to be supporting Mike Kirkman, Head of Sports and Recreation, believes UK students tend not to participate in the event, as there was little lessons because they would have learned to swim at primary school as part of the National advice for students hoping to Curriculum. “What we have found at the University since we’ve been operating these lessons is set up their own businesses that the prime business comes from international students who have not had the opportunity in in the 1980s. “EnterpriseFest their own country.” Of the 150 people who have learned to swim in the sessions, two thirds have should signpost graduates and gone on to participate in Woodcock’s ‘improvers’ class, which looks at improving stroke technique, undergraduates to some of the endurance and general water skills. support mechanisms that are available. I think that self-belief Mike puts this success down to the instructor, Nick Campbell, whose classes have become and practical help from people increasingly popular. “In my view he has a real talent for teaching people who have a fear of water who have already trodden the and putting them at ease in what can be a frightening situation. Since he began teaching, Nick has path of setting up in business expanded the programme to such an extent that classes have been fully enrolled over the last are vital ingredients in getting academic year.” a new business venture off the ground.” Panel members were The privacy afforded by the Woodcock Pool further adds to the appeal. Time is set aside exclusively also on hand from organisations for lessons and there is a female only session, staffed by female lifeguards, on Tuesday afternoons such as The Prince’s Trust, Lloyds between 4.30pm and 5.30pm. The gym is also very busy and, although the facilities are targeted TSB, Birmingham Chamber at students, staff and the local community can also take advantage of them. Discounts for alumni of Commerce and Divercity. are also available. Please contact the Alumni & Development Office for an application form.

AUTUMN 07 19 Aston Alumnus donates scholarship for Aston students An Aston alumnus has recently donated funds to support Aston students through a named scholarship fund.

Raman Mistry (1977 BSc Administrative Science) has donated Lata, and their two children, Monika and Suneel. Raman gratefully CDN $7,000 (approximately £3,500) to provide seven Raman acknowledges the foundation set for him by attending Aston Mistry Scholarship Fund prizes during the academic year 2007- University and feels compelled to help students at Aston today, to 08. Raman has also pledged to continue the Scholarship Fund encourage those in financial difficulties to complete their education in future years, with subsequent gifts of CDN $1,000 each year. and achieve their dreams.

Raman was born and raised in Tanzania and came to Birmingham in The Raman Mistry Scholarship is available to Aston undergraduate 1973, studying at Hall Green College and Aston University. Raman students on any programme of study in years one to four. The remembers: “I had very little money while I was studying, so Scholarship is aimed at students from low income backgrounds who alongside holiday jobs at the Post Office and a local factory, I applied are performing exceptionally well on their courses and who may be for, and was awarded, a grant from the City of Birmingham. This struggling to finance their studies at Aston. As Raman says: grant has touched my heart ever since and I will always be “Without financial help during my studies, I would not be where I am grateful. A university education opens so many doors.” today. I would never have done so much or progressed so far if I hadn’t pursued my education at Aston.” After graduation, Raman emigrated to Canada, working with accounting firms whilst pursuing the Certified Management If you would like to establish a Scholarship Fund at Aston University, Accountant designation, qualifying in 1986. In 1998, he also qualified or would like to discuss ways of giving that are meaningful to you, as a Certified Financial Planner. Raman now owns and manages a please contact the Alumni & Development Office via telephone on tax and financial planning practice in Toronto and lives with his wife, +44 (0)121 204 3341 or via email on [email protected] Telephone campaign goes from strength to strength The Alumni & Development Office’s telephone campaign has gone from strength to strength in the last three years. Generous alumni donations have enabled Aston to consistently beat fundraising targets, from an historic £53,171 in the very first campaign to a record-breaking £165,563 in November 2006.

We hope to exceed this even projects such as a minibus More recently the campaign has Each year’s team of students further with our current for the Students’ Guild, funded a Presentation Suite in works extremely hard on the telephone campaign, Aston Business School’s the Students’ Guild opened by campaign, but they also manage running from 22 October to Undergraduate Common Sir Adrian Cadbury at the end of to have a few laughs along the 18 November. The money Room, student bursaries January 2007. The new suite way with chocolate incentives raised has so far funded and placement grants. provides a work and meeting and competitions to find the space and will be an excellent quirkiest alumni story of the resource for students to practice night. To the delight of those their presentations using its students involved, many new projector facilities. amusing and interesting stories about the University have Students who take part in the been revealed. caller campaign gain many new skills, most noticeably in their If you would like more ability to communicate information about Aston’s effectively with their target telephone campaigns, or audience. Some have even had would like to request that you work placements offered to not be contacted during a them by alumni as well as telephone campaign, please call detailed advice about travelling +44 (0)121 204 3341 or email and/or working abroad. [email protected]

20 AUTUMN 07 An

Artfulmessage

Art provides a space to contemplate both the intentions of the artist and personal reactions to the subject represented. From visual images, meanings are drawn out and messages decoded. This visual language is equally as powerful as the written word – both being vibrant elements of contemporary communication. Aston graduate, Amarjit Lahel (2003 BSc Politics and Sociology), has combined both of these elements in a powerful and stunning exhibition in the main reception of the School of Languages & Social Sciences.

“I was commissioned by Executive Dean of School, Dr Pam Each piece was designed for the area in which it now hangs and Moores,” explains Amarjit. “My brief was to produce a collection Amarjit made a conscious decision not to use frames in an attempt of canvases that reflect the activities of the School. Whilst it to avoid putting a barrier between the messages of her work and was important for the collection to work together, each canvas the observer. If her aim is to make students and visitors think as stands alone as a work in its own right.” Amarjit they walk past the collection, then this decision is crucial to is currently reading for a PhD in Political Science, one of the communicating her intentions. research interests of the School, and her collection reflects this alongside international relations, translation and cross- Amarjit is not a newcomer to art and has been drawing and painting border communication. since a very young age. After GCSE and A Level studies, Amarjit went to Central St Martin’s School of Art and Design in London and Amarjit is particularly inspired by overlaying text on images and continued her studio work. Her move to Aston was in response to using these two methods of communication – words and pictures – wanting to explore a more academic interest. As part of her work for to produce a powerful message that makes people think. “I wanted Cultural Communication, Amarjit was able to combine her studies students to be inspired about their studies,” she continues, “to think with her love for art. Her commission in the School of Languages & and not to be offended.” Her work uses words associated with Social Sciences followed an exhibition in the Students’ Guild. “In theorists such as Marx, Weber and Durkheim, quotations from some way I feel my art is putting something back into Aston. I’m newspapers on recent world events and a series of translations making myself part of the School in a totally different way.” which question both grammar and syntax and the world in which we find ourselves.

Text is not the only inspiration in Amarjit’s work. She also enjoys exploring texture. “Texture brings the idea to life,” Amarjit explains. “I wanted each canvas to be different, to have a mixture of styles. I chose acrylic over watercolours as they are stronger and could deliver a stronger message. Watercolours might not have been able to carry the political messages of some of the people featured in my work.” Amarjit was also inspired by maps and her work features interpretations of the European space in terms of country boundaries and historical political borders.

The space for the exhibition is permanent in the School and this had an important influence on the conception of the collection. Some canvases can be found in alcoves, whilst others run the length of a complete corridor telling a story as they weave around the School.

AUTUMN 07 21 where are they now Itching to find out what your friends from Aston are up to? Looking to see who’s up to what and with whom? Well look no further because ‘W?here are they now?’ is the place to find out the latest news from Aston’s thriving alumni network. You never know, you might just spot someone you want to get in touch with. If you want your face noticed in the spring edition, contact us at the usual address with your news – and, go on, send a photograph!

1960s Email: Did you [email protected] Brian Harrison ended up being based there 1968 BSc Metallurgy for the next twenty years! We graduate or write to: did however return to the UK Alumni & Development Office “When I left school I began for three years in 1972 when in the 60s? Aston University work as a laboratory assistant I ran the international division Freepost BM2599/13 We’d love to find out Birmingham at the Witton factory of from London. We put our two what you’re up to! B4 6BR ICI. In 1955 I was selected daughters into English schools to be one of the country’s but it did nothing for their Deadline: February 2008 first representatives on the American accents! We returned Metallurgy sandwich course to America in 1975 when I at Aston’s predecessor, was made President and COO the College of Advanced of the company. Franklin Mint Technology. I became one of was sold off in 1986 and since the ‘sandwich six’ Metallurgy then I have occupied myself students who helped to with other things, hobbies increase the Dirty Duck’s often taking priority. I used profits no end! The course to fly my own plane and involved six months at college also enjoy sailing, skiing and and six on work placement golf etc. I am also Chairman with ICI. It was here I met my of the Board of Trustees of wife, Maureen, and we married Thomas Jefferson University, in my final year at college. one of the leading medical At the same time I served universities in the United as President of the Students’ States. Maureen and I recently Union. In 1963 I left ICI and returned from cruising our we sailed on the Queen Mary 33ft sailboat in the Bahamas from Southampton to New York for two months. We shall as I had secured a job with celebrate our 50th wedding 3M in St Paul, Minnesota. We anniversary this December.” Brian Harrison and thought we’d only be there for his wife, Maureen. a couple of years, but in 1966 I applied for a job at The Franklin Mint in Pennsylvania and

22 AUTUMN 07 1970s 1980s

Clare Farnworth Martin Walder Steve Sumner née Masterton, 1985 1978 BSc Environmental Health BSc Managerial and Steve worked for Leicester City Council as an Environmental Administrative Studies Health Officer for two years before returning to university “Following graduation, I started in Newcastle to study for an MSc in Occupational Hygiene. a career in purchasing with After leaving Newcastle he worked for a number of local Austin Rover. I spent the next authorities, his last post at Bolton Metro where he was 21 years in the automotive group manager for food and occupational safety. During industry working for Rover, his time with Bolton he was seconded to the headquarters BMW, Land Rover, Jaguar and of the Health and Safety Executive dealing with technical finally Aston Martin until policy issues. Steve now works as National Health and summer 2006. I married Mike in Safety Policy Adviser with local government employers. 1988 and we have two teenage He was awarded the OBE in the New Year’s honours list children. Although Mike and I for services to local government and received his award met in the Midlands, we are from Prince Charles on 12 July. On receiving the award, Catherine Maddox both originally from the North Steve said: “I was delighted to be nominated and it is very née Parratt, 1986 BSc West and one of our long-term gratifying to have your work recognised in this way, but it goals was to return to our Human Psychology was completely unexpected!” Steve lives in Lancashire with ‘roots’. We achieved this last “After graduating I attained his wife and 17 year old son. He enjoys fell walking, cycling, year and are now running our the CIM Diploma and joined live music, real ale, cinema and theatre in his spare time. own purchasing management a Marketing Consultancy. I consultancy near Lancaster.” married in 1989 and then spent seven years in Hong Kong and Singapore working for Standard Chartered Bank. Back in the UK, with three children and a small property development business, I launched a Childcare Voucher operation. This was in response to the change in legislation in 2005, which significantly enhanced the tax and NI benefits to parents using vouchers to pay for registered childcare.

Clare Farnworth This year, the business has

spotlight on... won the Childcare Voucher Provider of the Year Award Martin Walder 1985 for consistently high service BSc Electrical and levels and competitive fees.” Electronic Engineering Go to www.allsaveukcom for more information. “For the last 27 years I’ve

continued to work tirelessly Catherine assisting UK manufacturing Maddox companies to stay competitive in the global economy. I completed a thin sandwich at Aston whilst employed by the Timken bearing company

Steve receiving his OBE but soon moved into the supply of factory automation equipment, spending four years at Honeywell and 12 years at Did you Email: Rockwell in various engineering, [email protected] sales and management roles. graduate or write to: For the last six years I’ve Alumni & Development Office been Managing Director of in the 70s? Aston University ABB Robotics in the UK. ABB Freepost BM2599/13 is the UK’s leading supplier We’d love to find out Birmingham of industrial robots and a what you’re up to! B4 6BR regular sight on TV thanks to Citroen’s Picasso adverts!” Deadline: February 2008

AUTUMN 07 23 24 “ Tim ‘first’ left left ‘first’ technology for performing performing for technology the to the the to truck (the longest coveringtrucklongest (the four-ton army old an in trips an sat and though through through year. a for A A P R P is second to none – if any any if – none to second is lifestyle the but interesting and intervention remote AUTUM07 N my undergraduate sponsors, sponsors, undergraduate my only not is work the and now massive period of growth rightgrowth of period massive started to become popular. popular. become to started me driving overland trucks trucks overland driving me engineering company.engineering engineers reading this fancy afancy this reading engineers call! call! fascinatingdevelopingsome climes than the the than climes warmer in career challenging them). above platforms oil wells (the ones withoutones (the wells oil change in direction sawdirection change in abandonment work on subsea subsea on work abandonment associated with the location location the with associated Mechanical around the time time the around I erth, roject roject ’m currently working in in working currently ’m ustralia is going through a through going is ustralia fter a couple of extended extended of couple a fter &D. &D. Tim DallasTim Did you you Did in the 80s?the in graduate graduate We’d love to find out out We’d find to love what you’reto!what up inistry of Defence,inof Ministry G D I W oing back a few years, years, few a back oing A back drawn soon was allas M ston ston A estern A anager for a subsea subsea a for anager frica. frica. B ston to work with with work to ston efore long another another long efore T riangle in 1989 1989 in riangle T A Engineering UK his was was his GAP ustralia, as aas ustralia, 1988 courseIT , give me a me give ,

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“ 1990s & & wanted the opportunity to travel travel to opportunity the wanted (1994 (1994 G continued to work forwork to continued acquired skills and knowledge. knowledge. and skills acquired newly my of some ‘use’ and but divisions, sales and fter completing myAfter completing “ ary S (my first degree was in in was degree first (my they have not been able to do before. do to able been not have they the college and one-to-one help with assignments. with help one-to-one and college the felt weary of travelling and was tremendously homesick. homesick. tremendously was and travelling of weary felt E was a great experience. experience. great a was C with the elderly to give something back to society and to and society backto something give to elderly the with countries in nine months, including including months, nine in countries understand the issues elderly people face. face. people elderly issues the understand helping students on a one-to-one basis with maths and and maths with basis one-to-one a on students helping started work as a lecturer at the at lecturer a as work started ceremony and reception were held in in held were reception and ceremony Faith in the Department of of Department the in married another another married my work and it is it and work my my return return my across journey near to to near a difference by teaching a student to do something that that something do to student a teaching by difference a again though and and though again my husband’smylife’s travelweon as company together.”road Mechanical are still some countries countries some still are I chweppes in the equipment equipment the in chweppes went travelling to to travelling went nglish. nglish. hile, hile, MBA D U C ruguay, spotlight on... ea W C heddar. I e also provide in-class support to courses within within courses to support in-class provide also e er 1994arter decided to consider teaching and a year later later year a and teaching consider to decided k ) in in R B T M ussia, ussia, razil, razil,

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A merica in 2001, visiting nine nine visiting 2001, in merica Ph Faith and her husband on their weddingtheir dayFaithon husband her and B D ity of City T T razil, razil, venture strategic partnerships.venture strategic to improve the top line growth growth line top the improve to U anager for the beveragesthe for Manager businesses. businesses. as their their as a number of franchise and jointfranchise and of number a ‘ the building by profit and o he opportunity came from came opportunity he nilever, who recruited me me recruited who nilever, L A arket’ capabilities through capabilities Market’ anguage Development, Development, anguage rgentina, rgentina, C C O S A B hina. hina. anterbury anterbury ciences). ciences). xbridge, xbridge, olivia and and olivia n 7 7 n Bristol T I M rans- decided to work work to decided E T exico, so there there so exico, uropean uropean A he travel bug hit hit bug travel he A pril this year, this pril fter this trip, trip, this fter S I P was challenged challenged was College. iberian train train iberian araguay, I S T appreciate appreciate U omerset, omerset, he wedding wedding he P niversity niversity eru. eru. enjoyI O perations perations I workI t O I I I n G o I spent between two to four impact of products and Ailsa (far left) at Jane’s wedding current role is in the poker arm months in all the major western services, including their carbon of the business, where I look European countries; Paris, footprint. Since graduating she after poker players when they Vienna, Zurich, Hamburg, Milan, has set up and run her own qualify on our poker software Lisbon, Brussels etc. A great business in complementary for live poker tournaments, experience that enabled me to therapies, which she now meaning I occasionally put to use many of the tools I does as a hobby. Also in her need to travel with them to had developed during my MBA. spare time she enjoys yoga, Singapore, Monte Carlo, Las Either by fluke or because running, tennis and skiing Vegas and London (note: this of the great training I had and is currently organising is not as glam as it sounds!) received at Aston, I delivered her wedding in April 2008 2000s Prior to this I worked in the strong growth and was asked to Gav, whilst trying to train online acquisition team as a to expatriate to sunny Brazil her new puppy, Stella. “Life Campaign Executive. In my as General Manager of the is busy, but very good!” limited free time I am the Estelle Bentall Beverage business, which was captain of Hammersmith and essentially a start-up. My wife 2002 BSc Psychology Fulham Rugby Club. Bizarrely and three daughters had the Heatha Anderson and Management enough our coach, Milton adventure of a lifetime! Brazil Stephens (1987 BSc Computer “I’ve literally just got engaged is such a wonderful place with Science and French) used to to Rebecca Lynch (2002 BSc great people, exceptional food be a Cobra! At work I have International Business and and beaches. We lived in Sao the pleasure of sitting next French) who I met at Aston in Paolo, made great friends and to Chris Harrison (2006 BSc my final year. We are planning lived an outdoor lifestyle that Marketing) who used to be a our civil ceremony for late next dreams are made of. Again, Stag. Small small world…” year. I seemed to manage to with a great team, I was able avoid the wider world of work Estelle and Rebecca to build the business quickly to when I graduated, spending $30m turnover in three years a year working in the Guild and was ready for the next as VP Student Activities, then challenge. I am now back in a winter doing a ski season, the UK (great to be back to HP followed by the completion of Sauce, Boddingtons beer and Ailsa Pollard a Master’s degree in Sports Man Utd football!) still with née Maguire, 1995 Management. I finally secured Unilever, working as Beverage BSc Managerial and myself a job at Betfair and my Global Sales and Marketing Administrative Studies Capability Director. I enjoyed studying for the MBA and Since leaving Aston, Ailsa has Hayley and Mark on their wedding day without a doubt it enabled me undertaken an executive MBA to look at complex business at London Business School situations and implement and has pursued a career in ‘correct’ decisions which strategic consulting and real resulted in business growth.” estate. She lived in New York for two years and has spent Gary Deakin the last three years living in Dubai with her husband Jac. Ailsa is currently Head of Strategy for the Dubai Government’s Private Equity Real Estate Investment Group, spotlight on... acquisitions this year including the QE2, the Mandarin Oriental Hayley Wright 2005 Hotel in New York and a BSc Applied and Human Biology number of assets in Asia. Ailsa is attempting to run the New “I met Mark Evans when we were both first year biology students York Marathon this year and and we married five years later on 11 August 2007 in Suffolk. spends most of her spare Whilst at Aston we were both involved in the Entertainments time in Italy renovating an Department at the Guild and a large number of Aston students old farmhouse which never and alumni were there to help us celebrate. Our best man was Heatha Anderson quite seems to be finished. Martin Greyson (2005 BSc Computer Science), our usher was 1995 BSc Business She keeps in touch with Andi Tim Lake (2005 BSc Computer Science), the bridesmaids were Felicity Young (2005 BSc Applied Biology) and Alyce Markham Administration Rogers, Lucy Inskip (née Elliot) and Jane Gambarini (2005 BSc Applied Biology) and our photographers were Paul and French from her course at Aston Channon (2003 BSc Electromechanical Engineering) and Simon Heatha is now living in and would welcome hearing Clifford (2004 BSc Civil Engineering). After an afternoon of Glasgow and working in the from any old friends. If you games and bouncy castles we ended the day in true Aston style environmental consultancy would like to be put in touch with a disco organised by current Aston students ending with unit of Valpak Ltd. She has with Ailsa, please contact the infamous New York, New York! Mark is now in his final year recently become an LCA the Alumni & Development of a PhD at UCL whilst I am finishing mine at KCL and looking Practitioner, which enables her Office at the usual address. forward to many more official and unofficial alumni events.” to assess the environmental

AUTUMN 07 25 Alexander Gattas Azhar Ali Jaffery 2003 MSc Business and 2004 BSc Optometry want to be in Apex? Information Technology “I went on to pass my “I am currently based in professional qualifying If you would like to be featured in Basel, Switzerland working examination after graduating ‘Where are they now?’ in the spring edition for Syngenta AG – the world’s and became a registered of Apex, please send some information about leading Agrochemical company Optometrist in 2005. I started yourself either by email to: and currently ranked third working for Specsavers in the high value seeds Opticians in Cannock and in [email protected] business. I am working as the March 2007 opened my own or by letter addressed to: practice ‘Eyesavers Opticians Business Controller for Area Alumni & Development Office, East Europe Crop Protection Ltd’ in Bordesley Green, and am involved in the Global Birmingham. We provide Aston University, Freepost BM2599/13 Headquarters management quality professional eye care Birmingham, B4 6BR and control of nine business using modern instruments. Should you wish to send a photo to accompany your profile, entities across Central and Any graduate from Aston please either post an original, which we will return, or email Eastern Europe spanning University will qualify for a one at high resolution (250-300 dpi). from Poland and the Czech 20% discount on all designer We are waiting to hear from you – don’t be afraid! Republic to Kazakhstan and frames. I have four children (Deadline for receipt of information is February 2008.) Russia. In my spare time I am and am enjoying a very enjoying hiking and skiing all successful professional career.” over Switzerland as well as Azhar Jaffery cycling and endurance running. Having been studying for the professional CIMA qualification since completing my Master’s degree at Aston (and joining Syngenta) in 2003, I am about to sit my final examination paper in November.”

Alexander Gattas

Mike Wallis 2006 Ariana Mansury BSc Information Mathematics aim, to find a job that I would in 2003 as an international “After graduating I thought enjoy and not be bored in. The student from Dallas, Texas. it’d be nice to have a break various bits of programming Arriving in a city I had and take some time before in my course have gone a never visited before was an Did you deciding what career direction long way in helping me in this adventure and an interesting to explore. I had a part-time role, so it has made uni seem story all in itself. Luckily, I graduate in job with Tesco that offered a worthwhile and beneficial. It had visited London several steady income and, before I was certainly worth waiting for times before. My goal was to the 2000s? knew it, the summer was over the right job to come along!” complete my PhD at Aston and winter was approaching. Business School in three We’d love to find out I had started to look for full Mike Wallis years and, amazingly, I was what you’re up to! time roles elsewhere but able to do it. Professor James nothing was jumping out at Love played a vital role in my Email: me. Pressure to find a job accomplishment and together [email protected] increased and I started to we have three academic do some temp work for an or write to: journal articles in the works. agency, but this was quite Alumni & Development Office I am indebted to him for his boring and not the direction I Aston University conscientious guidance and Freepost BM2599/13 wanted to go in. In February for the support of all my Birmingham 2007 I applied to be a Graduate family. Prior to graduation, B4 6BR Risk Analyst for a Credit Card I was offered a position Company. I had been so at Cadbury Schweppes’ Deadline: choosy that this was only my headquarters, Dallas, Texas. February 2008 second application for a full Ariana Mansury 2007 Currently, I am working as a time role! The job description PhD Management Customer Marketing Associate sounded great and, after a Manager. I enjoy what I do second interview, I was offered and I am appreciative of all the role. I’ve been there over “I completed my MBA in my experiences which make eight months now and I’m still International Marketing in the what I do manageable.” enjoying it. That was my main USA before arriving at Aston

26 AUTUMN 07 Birmingham showcases on an international stage

A new promotional video created to showcase Britain to an international audience features the CBSO, Bullring, local band Murdoch and Birmingham graffiti artist, Temper. The three minute video, created by the national tourism agency VisitBritain, takes visitors on a virtual journey through Britain’s attractions, towns and cities. The video is available on the VisitBritain web site, which regularly attracts over 13 million visitors a year.

Dave Hodgson, Marketing Director of Marketing Birmingham, said: “The fact that the film features Birmingham attractions so prominently belies the City’s diversity and vitality, and illustrates that Birmingham has a lot to offer visitors. The city’s rich history, famous landmarks, vibrant culture and top quality facilities and attractions make it a favoured destination for visitors from the UK and around the world.”

This view is borne out by recent research and visitor numbers, which are currently at 30.4 million. According to the TNS Perception Survey 2007, Birmingham is increasingly perceived as a leading city for shopping, restaurants, bars and nightlife and an important city for sports, arts and culture. Sixty-three per cent of those surveyed thought of Birmingham as a great place for music, gigs and concerts, while 58% perceived Birmingham to be a leading city for events and festivals.

Katey Attwell, VisitBritain’s Britain Brand Manager, said: “We wanted the film to highlight the brightest and the best that Britain has to offer for the international traveller, and our challenge was to pack as much as possible into just three minutes!”

The energy, cosmopolitan culture and iconic landmarks of Birmingham “ really lent themselves to the ethos of the “film and the end result is a stunning testament to the diversity of both Birmingham and Britain as a whole.

The film has used footage from Birmingham’s own tourism video, Brilliance, created by Marketing Birmingham. Brilliance takes a dramatic tour of the city enabling the myths and outdated views of the Midland’s capital to be broken. By highlighting the underlying character of Birmingham, the film portrays the city’s For further information or to obtain your copy of Brilliance, stars – the local people – and in turn, the opportunities this please contact Tracey Saunders at Marketing Birmingham on thriving city has for retail, sport, education, business and tourism. 0121 202 5002 or [email protected]

AUTUMN 07 27 re:unions A global community Aston graduates are literally on every continent in the world and we are always delighted to report your meetings and activities in Apex. The past few months have been very busy. Our international chapters have been meeting up regularly with each other to network professionally and socially. There have also been a number of occasions when Aston staff have visited overseas and were excellently looked after by our alumni. A big thank you to all our ‘meeters and greeters’ in the four corners of the world. Here’s a taster of our international activities. Overseas chapters Aston Beijing Alumni (ABA) Are you living in Beijing? Want to expand your personal network? Why not join the official alumni chapter? ABA was founded by Peter Thong (1970 BSc Production Engineering) and regular events are organised throughout the year. Recently members enjoyed a BBQ dinner and a visit to the National Centre for Performing Arts. For more information on joining the Aston Beijing Alumni, contact the Alumni & Development Office.

Delhi, 2 July Vienna, 11 September Kathryn Priest, Director of MSc Dr Helen Higson, Pro Vice Chancellor International Relations and Associate Dean Programme, and Liza Rodger from Undergraduate Programmes enjoyed dinner with our two alumni in Vienna, Sian Rowland Aston’s International Office met alumni (1999 BSc European Studies with German) and Kevin Hall (1996 BSc International in Delhi’s Ruby Tuesday Restaurant. Business and German).

Hong Kong, 5 July Delhi, 27 September and Professor David Bennett of Aston Banglaore, 30 September Business School joined alumni from our Liza Rodger from Aston’s International MBA and MSc International Business Office took time out from her busy programmes and was able to share news schedule to meet Aston alumni in India. of the exciting developments on campus and the recent successes of ABS.

The Persatuan Alumni Universiti Aston Malaysia We are delighted to report that our official Malaysia Alumni Chapter was inaugurated on 10 September 2007. Professor Graham Hooley took the congratulations and best wishes of Aston University to the pro tem committee which was set up under the leadership of The Honourable Datuk Ir Mohamed Al Amin Abdul Majid. The Minister of Higher Education Y B Dato Mustapa bin Mohamad was also present. Alumni from many different subject disciplines and graduation years met together to celebrate the inauguration of the Chapter which was followed by the first AGM. The Chapter plans to have many events and socials for all alumni in the region including sporting challenges and professional seminars. All alumni living and working in Malaysia are invited to join the Chapter. For more information on the Malaysia Chapter, contact the Alumni & Development Office.

28 AUTUMN 07 Fondue Memories 2007 Another successful Fondue Memories Reunion was held this July, with over 400 alumni from 2003-2006 returning to Aston to meet up with old friends. A brave few even turned out in the miserable weather to attend the pre-Guild BBQ organised at Aston Business School Conference Centre. Needless to say, thanks to the weather, the BBQ ended up as an indoor event which was a big disappointment for those on the lookout for hot sunny weather! Despite this everybody had a good time, the evening at the Guild made up for it and everyone enjoyed themselves. Keep your eyes peeled for next summer’s Guild event!

Aston graduates hit the roof On 4 August, Southeast-based graduates were invited to join members of the Alumni & Development Office for a reunion BBQ at the Kensington Roof Gardens in London. Owned by Sir Richard Branson as part of Virgin Limited Edition, alumni were able to explore over 1.5 acres of themed gardens 100ft above Kensington High Street, some even spotting the two resident flamingos (Bill and Ben) and the pintail ducks that inhabit the gardens. Fully booked, the event was a tremendous success and was a successor to our previous London reunions held at equally unique venues including the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Next year we are hoping to add a reunion dinner at Tower Bridge to our list of successful London events.

Forthcoming reunions and events for 2007-2008 EVENT LONDON ALUMNI calendar ’07-’08July 2008: PUB TBC CHRISTMAS 4 December: EVENT LONDON GUILD REUNION – Trafalgar Square, for a July 2008: Pitcher & Piano, Alumni Come along to the TBC hristmas drink with fellow alumni and members of the C Entrance free. 5.30pm onwards. & Development team. PUB CHRISTMAS 12 December: Please contact the BIRMINGHAM Christmas REUNION – Brindley Place, for a Alumni & Development Office for further All Bar One, lumni & Come along to A details about any of these events. [email protected] drink with fellow alumni and members of the Entrance free. 5.30pm onwards. Call 0121 204 4543 or email Development team. Details are also available at TION www.aston.ac.uk/alumni/reunions AGM OF CONVOCA 15 March: University are invited to this annual All alumni of the Year. event. Details will be out in the New

AUTUMN 07 29 News from Aston Graduates’ Association Jenny Martin updates readers on the recent activities of AGA

Middleton Hall Pétanque In April, AGA The annual pétanque match took place this year on a bright sunny members and evening in August. This event is becoming increasingly popular friends visited and over 50 people took part. After the first round AGA had hardly Middleton Hall scored a point, but we pulled the match back and finally won by a near Tamworth. single point. Well done Aston! The Hints village team again produced We began with a a wonderful buffet supper to sustain us throughout the evening. We talk (by a former look forward to being invited to defend our title again next year. professor of Metallurgy at Aston – Professor Preserving our life Dillamore) about the history of the Hall and its recent restoration. The oldest parts date from the 13th century and the Hall itself All museums collect archives for which they have insufficient was originally home to Francis Willughby, Father of the Royal exhibition space, but the Birmingham Museum has over half a Society. There are examples of buildings from the 16th and early million items in store. This museum collection in Duddeston 19th centuries including a beautiful Georgian house, which is now has recently been opened to the public and AGA members had used as a conference and wedding centre. In 1980 the site was in a guided tour of the facility in October. Items both large and ruins and since then all the restoration work has been undertaken small are housed here, from buttons to a bin lorry, from pen by volunteers. Now almost all the buildings are restored together nibs to a ten-ton traction engine. The tour provided us with a with about 40 acres of parkland, the gardens, lake, children’s area, fascinating insight into the social history of the West Midlands shop and much, much more. If you missed this event you would and the ways in which this is being preserved for us all. be well advised to add it to your list of future places to visit. Calling all budding artists

Joint Meeting with Birmingham Two years ago AGA’s first art competition was held at Aston AGA hosted the joint meeting with Birmingham Guild of Graduates to inspire and motivate budding artists to exhibit their work this year in June. John Ray, the Deputy Director of Twycross to the University community. The competition has gone from Zoo, gave an illustrated talk explaining how the Zoo developed strength to strength with last year seeing more entries and from two pet shops owned by ladies in Sutton Coldfield and more varied work – from photographs to pastels to oils. AGA’s Hints. He explained how the chimpanzees’ tea party, used third competition will be held in March 2008 – full details will by a well known company to advertise tea, had provided the be sent out in the New Year. Once again three prizes will be revenue for the development of the Zoo into a World Primate awarded by a panel of judges. Time to get out that paint box! Centre. The talk was followed by a buffet supper to enable us all to update the gossip between the two associations. Visit to Twycross Zoo As a result of the talk given by John Ray in June, a visit was arranged to Twycross Dates for your diary Zoo in September to see the collection of primates in situ. We Monday 12th November Fun evening with a quiz and were invited to an educational lecture on the variety and habits of buffet supper in the Aston Business School. Come primates by Sophie Stevens (2006 BSc Applied and Human Biology). along and pit your wits against your contemporaries. You She explained that Twycross is a World Primate Centre and is home never know, you might win one of the fun prizes! to over fifty different kinds of primates. Although the Zoo is home to elephants and giraffes amongst other animals, it is the chimps, Tuesday 11th December As requested after last year’s visit, we gorillas, monkeys and bonobos for which it is now famous. Family return to the Birmingham Council House Banqueting Suite for groups have grown up here, in some cases over 50 years, and some Christmas lunch. offspring have been sent to zoos abroad to start new family groups. AGA badges are available from the secretary Conservation of endangered species is a major concern of the Zoo (tel +44 (0)121 427 2047) price £5 to and it is certainly working hard to counteract species extinction. include packing and postage.

Several subscriptions have been returned as they have been paid to the wrong account. Please check that your sub. is paid to Aston Graduates’ Association A/C No 00774235 Lloyds Bank 2 The Priory, Queensway, Birmingham B4 6BP (Code 30 96 28)

30 AUTUMN 07 News from Aston Graduates’ Association Jenny Martin updates readers on the recent activities of AGA intouch RACHEL COLLINGE rOB hemstock CAROLINE neave (1997 BSc International (1981 BSc Transport (1995 BSc International You’d like to find Business and German) Management and Business and French) A number of you take advantage of our pAUL FLEETWOOD Computer Science) Mark PURSGLOVE in touch service to track down long lost friends. (1997 BEng Chemical JOANNA MICHOPOULOS (2001 BSc Applied and Whilst many are happily reunited, others Engineering) (1995 mba) Human Biology) remain far more difficult to locate. Do you know any of the following? If so, let us know!

Rosie Jallport Sarah Payne Mark Taylor (2000 BSc Law with Legal (2004 BSc International (1981 BSc Electrical and We’d like to find Practice Management) Business and French) Electronic Engineering) The Alumni & Development Office has lost touch Faye Kenning Andrew Pearce Ian Thorne with the following graduates. Do you know any of (2007 MSc Human Resource (1991 BSc Transport (1978 BSc Chemical them? We need your help to track them down… Management and Business) Management) Engineering) Said Khan Timothy Pearcey Denis Thornley (1993 BSc French and Society (1993 BSc Managerial and (1960 BSc Engineering) Phillip Allen Sebastian Dalheimer and Government) Administrative Studies) (1979 BSc Managerial and (2002 BSc International David Tinline Administrative Studies) Business and German) Gibson Kong (1988 BSc Christopher Phillips (2005 BSc International Ophthalmic Optics) (1996 BSc Management and Business and French/German) Neal Armstrong Serge Fenouil-Gangi Computer Science) (1998 BSc International (2001 BSc International Sonia Kundu Helen Todd Business and French) Business, French and German) (1998 MSc Marketing Emma Phillips (2000 MSc Teaching English to Management) (2003 BSc Psychology Speakers of Other Languages) Helen Arnold Roger Fielden and Sociology) (1980 BSc Managerial and (1984 BSc Chemical Sharon Lawrie Mark Tracey Administrative Studies) Engineering) (née Rankin, 1989 BSc Helen Podd (2001 BSc Information Geological Sciences) (1999 BSc Public Policy and Technology for Business) Paul Ashworth Karen Fox Business Administration) (1981 BSc Human Psychology) (1996 MSc Information Maria Lorite Henry Turgoose Technology) (1998 PhD Pharmacy) Neil Pollard (2005 BSc Marketing) Kate Aston (1995 BSc Optometry) (2004 BSc Sociology and Caroline Gardner Beverley Martin Josephine Tyack Psychology in Business) (née Bradley, 1985 BSc (1998 BSc Applied and Alice Ready (1985 BSc Civil Engineering) Business Administration and Human Biology) (2005 BSc International Nicholas Van De Weyer Claire Bagley Business and French/German) (1992 BSc French and German) Computer Science) Gayle Martin (2003 BSc Information (1997 BSc International Ivor Reed Technology for Business) Susan Baines Gemma Glaves (2004 MPharm Pharmacy) Business and French) (1984 BEng Electrical and Edward Weekes (1988 BSc Managerial and Electronic Engineering) Administrative Studies) Catherine Gray Thomas Martin (2004 BSc Logistics) (2001 BSc Business Computing (2006 BSc Computer Science) Andrew Riding (1978 BSc Stuart Wells Judith Bartels Production Technology and (2005 MBA) and IT) Clifford Matthews (1996 BSc Business (1990 MBA) Management) Administration and Maths) Mustafa Bazelya Edward Green (1999 BSc Transport Stephen McAllister Karen Robinson (2000 Rebecca Well (1977 PhD Production BSc Optometry) Engineering) Management) (1996 PhD Pharmacy) (née Eastham, 1997 Karen Slinger BSc Managerial and Thomas Beecroft Stuart Grimwade Mark McGibbon (1980 BSc Building Economics (1995 MBA) (1996 BSc International Administrative Studies) (2006 BSc International Business and French) Business and German) and Measurement) Euan Mckay Lisbeth Westbrook Colin Smith (née Jessen, 1992 BSc Adriana Ceruso Jemma Holmes (1997 BSc Optometry) (2000 BSc Public Policy and (1993 MBA) International Business and (2005 MSc Engineering Nina Miller German) Management) Social Studies) (2000 BSc Public Policy and Bryony Staats Lyndsey Holsey Social Studies) (2002 MSc Mcdonald Willcox Sukhvinder Chahal Telecommunications (1999 BSc Public Policy and (1999 BSc Chemistry) (2000 BSc Public Policy and Peter Millington Social Studies) Technology) Social Studies) Jennifer Chu (1998 BSc Logistics) Julia Horwell Neville Stanton Deborah Wilson (2001 BEng Civil Engineering) Huw Oeppen (1990 MPhil Applied (2001 BSc Psychology and (2005 BSc International (2001 MSc International Kiersten Cowan Business and Economics) Psychology) Management) (1996 BSc Optometry) Business) Sara Huggins Elizabeth Steel Rowenna Wood Julie Creaton Stewart Orrell (2003 BSc French) (2002 BSc European Studies (2002 BSc International (1997 MSc Information (2001 MSc Financial Business and French) Ivor Szkolar and Sociology) Management and Control) Technology) Jenny Hunt (1980 BSc Physics) Zheng Zhang Robert Daley Ketan Patel (2007 MSc Accounting (1999 MSc Information (1994 BSc Ophthalmic Optics) Lucy Taylor (2004 MRes Photonic Technology) (née Rundle, 1995 BSc Maths and Business) Networks) and Society and Government) Looking for somebody from Aston?

If they aren’t listed on our email directory on the website telling us when they move on, we cannot guarantee the www.aston.ac.uk/alumni/contactsdb then contact the person you are looking for will still be at that address. We Alumni & Development Office and we will see if we are in would like to hope, however, that you all keep in touch with us touch with them. If we have a current address you will be and let us know of any changes to your address. The in touch invited to write a letter or leave your contact details. We will service does not give out individual names and addresses to pass these on to the address we hold. As we rely on alumni enquirers and all mail is treated in the strictest of confidence.

AUTUMN 07 31 gift shop

Tie and Cufflink Set Sweaters Scarf Mug

Parker Rollerball Bookmark Lapel Badge Shot Glasses (x4) Crest Keyring

To order your Aston University gifts, please complete the order form and return it to: Alumni Relations Office, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK. All prices include postage and packaging.

Item Description Price Quantity Total Item Description Price Quantity Total 1 Tie and Cufflink Set £15.00 4 Mug £4.00 Pink Sweater s M L XL £25.00 5 Rollerball £6.00 Grey Sweater s M L XL £25.00 6 Bookmark £2.00 2 Light Blue Sweater S M L XL £25.00 7 Lapel Badge £1.00 Navy Sweater s M L XL £25.00 8 Shot Glasses (x4) £8.00 3 Scarf £20.00 9 Crest Keyring £2.00 Total

Payment can be made by credit card or cheque made payable to Aston University, in sterling and drawn on a bank in the UK. All orders must be accompanied by full payment. Refunds will only be given if the goods are faulty. Please allow 28 days from receipt of order.

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32 spri AUTUMng N07 07