alumni issue magazine 17 autumn 2015 06 Pilot project Giving young people a taste of flight 10 The jazz singer How Barb Jungr’s musical journey began at Leeds 16 Taking on the world Gordon Benson and Leeds’ world-beating triathletes 22 Astbury’s legacy Why Leeds is the home of molecular biology Contents

FROM THE EDITOR Contributors

Kersten Hall is Honorary Fellow in the Centre for History and Philosophy of Science, at the University of Leeds. His book ‘The Man in the Monkeynut Coat: William Astbury and the Forgotten Road to the Double-Helix’ (Oxford University Press), was shortlisted for the 2015 BSHS Dingle Prize. Phil Steel (English 1997) Andrew Harrison Head of Alumni Relations (Political Studies 1990) is a journalist and former editor of Ever come across an old photo that’s prompted the music magazines Q, Mixmag a flood of memories you’d forgotten? We’ve and Select (where he invented been collecting more than 5,000 photos of Britpop). His proudest moment, life at Leeds over the decades, many of which however, was editing Leeds Student in 1988-9. He now were sent in by you. It’s been both fascinating writes for Esquire, The Guardian and fun to see pictures of student life from the and the New Statesman. fifties to the present – thanks to all of you who sent them in. So when you get a moment, make Adam Robinson a drink, go to our website, and step back into (English 2006, MA 2008) is a your student days. Be warned though, you may photographer who has spent the last twelve years living, studying be there some time. and working in Leeds. See his And so to the present… this magazine is full work at www.pikchures.com of stories of about how rewarding Leeds life can be in 2015 – students reaching their potential as Ceri Thomas athletes, working with young people, or making (English 1990, MA 1993) the most of their academic study using facilities is a freelance lifestyle and entertainment journalist and like our new Laidlaw Library. editor working for assorted What links those examples of student life magazines and newspapers. to a scrapbook of photos? You do. All of the He admits to having dodged all examples I’ve mentioned were ideas made real of James Joyce’s works while at because of alumni. The support of so many Leeds, but promises that he’ll Leeds graduates, through gifts of money, time read Ulysses soon... honest. and expertise, makes Leeds an inspiring place Andy Wilson to live and study. When our current students (Politics 1994) is a member of graduate, and look back at photos of their the University’s Rugby League time at Leeds, they will have you to thank for alumni, having played for three their memories. seasons. He has covered sport, We’re so grateful, and so proud to be mainly rugby league and cricket, for The Guardian and Observer, part of such an amazing community. and interviewed Alistair and for Leeds shortly Enjoy the magazine before they won Olympic gold and silver at the London 2012 Olympics.

Kipper Williams (Fine Art 1974) draws for 16 a number of publications alongside Leeds, including Editorial Team Phone: The Sunday Times, The Guardian Phil Steel (Editor) +44 (0)113 343 7520 and The Spectator. Jill Bullock (Deputy Editor) Simon Jenkins Help us reduce our Megan Owen environmental impact Additional contributions Leeds magazine is Rachel Barson, Vicky printed on 50% recycled Blake, Laura Dakin, paper and mailed in Catriona Leggat, Greg 100% biodegradable Miller, Rob Wadsworth, packaging Sarah Ward, Becky If you would like to Winwood help us reduce our Leeds is published by the environmental impact by University of Leeds Alumni Mail: Alumni and receiving the magazine & Development Team. It is Development Team, digitally, let us know at received by more than 230,000 University of Leeds [email protected] graduates, members and LS2 9JT friends of the University across the world.

autumn 2015 Contents

CONTENTS

Regulars

Alumni news 02 06 Leeds graduates – from royal palaces to racing cars VC’s view 05 Milestones achieved – and more to come The Latest from Leeds 08 A Northern home for the South Bank Show Department Round-Up 13 Your digest of what’s coming out of LS2 THANK YOU 28 10 How you’ve made a world of difference Events 32 Highlights of alumni activity this year

features

The power of flight 06 How alumni helped a student idea take off Barb Jungr 10 From Botany graduate to acclaimed jazz singer Leading the pack 16 Leeds’ world-beating triathletes Step back in time 20 Highlights from our photo scrapbook 16 A Leeds Pioneer 22 To keep up to speed with The astounding work of William Astbury Leeds visit alumni.leeds. ac.uk or search for “Leeds Alumni” on Facebook, An open book 26 LinkedIn, Twitter Welcome to Leeds’ newest library and Instagram A Leeds literature guide 30 We’ll help you navigate Joyce’s Ulysses

Cover image: Join the Gordon Benson, Leeds student and triathlete, discussion photographed by Adam Robinson.

“Working with Gordon Benson, a world-class athlete and ambassador for Leeds, was a real pleasure,” says Adam. “Hearing about his regime and the dedication he puts into what he does was very inspiring. Training at that level, whilst also studying for a degree at Leeds, must be incredibly demanding, but Gordon www.facebook.com/leedsalumni seemed to be stoical about the challenge. I wanted to capture both Gordon’s calm, Leeds Alumni on LinkedIn cool nature along with the dynamism of his 22 @LeedsAlumni on Twitter discipline in the shoot.” autumn 2015 NEWS ALUMNI NEWS

Jon Moss (Education 1993) refereed the 2015 FA Cup Final between Arsenal and Aston Villa at Wembley.

6 where he demonstrated how to perform CPR on a furry friend. “I had wanted to be a vet as long as I can remember”, says Ian, “I chose my degree at Leeds as a stepping stone to realise my dream, and I display it in my office with pride.”

A game of two halves

The deafening roar of 90,000 football Tripoli after the outbreak of civil war fans greeted Jon Moss (Education Jon refereeing the in 2014. Michael lived in in 1993) as he refereed the 2015 FA Cup FA cup final the early eighties, teaching English at Final. The match between Arsenal a secondary school in the northern and Aston Villa was the largest of town of Ed Damer. Since joining the Jon’s refereeing career so far, and a Foreign and Commonwealth Office far cry from the Sunday games that in 1984, Michael has worked all over kicked it all off when he was 18. Jon the world, including posts in Jordan, originally trained as a teacher, but fit Jay and Eve outside Kuwait and Iraq, where he has made the Houses of his refereeing commitments around Parliament with good use of the Arabic he learnt school hours. Despite his pitch-side Chinese visitors at Leeds. success, he has not left education behind and still works one day a week as executive head of Beech Hill School Dr Ian Kupkee on in Halifax. NBC 6 East meets west

The Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales are just two of the British Michael Aron beauty spots on Beiwei55’s tours of the UK. The company was founded by Chinese Studies graduates Eve Baker and Jay Smith (2013) and Back to A dog’s best offers trips across the UK to Chinese tourists in their native Mandarin. the future friend But there’s a twist: all the guides are Michael Aron (Arabic and French TV vet Dr Ian Kupkee (Agricultural British-born and bred. “We know the 1981) became British Ambassador Science 1983) recently gave Florida ropes”, explains Eve. “We realised to the Republic of Sudan in August. residents a crash course in animal the Chinese were seeing the UK solely He was previously Ambassador CPR. Dr Kupkee, owner of Sabal with Chinese guides, and only visiting to Libya, where he supervised the Chase Animal Clinic in Miami, has a the obvious destinations. We offer evacuation of British citizens from regular slot on TV channel NBC them a more local experience.”

2 — autumn 2015 NEWS

Johnny Mowlem (Geography and Spanish Ian Kupkee (Agricultural Science 1983) is 1988) has won both the Le Mans 24 and the owner of Sabal Chase Animal Clinic in the Daytona 24 hours and the Sebring 12 Miami, and has a regular TV slot on NBC. hours races.

major sports car races. In 2015 he The play’s has been competing in the Prototype Challenge class of the North the thing American Endurance Championship, Katy Rudd (Theatre & Performance setting the Daytona 24 pole position 2009) is the Associate Director of The and finishing second in the race. He Curious Incident of the Dog in the also runs his own Driving Academy, Night Time. The production scooped working with both corporate clients best play at this year’s Tony Awards and aspiring professionals to improve on Broadway and also claimed best their skills on the track. leading actor, best scenic design and best lighting. “It was an incredible experience to take a play to New York”, Katy notes, “every member of the creative team worked tirelessly out of their comfort zone.” Katy’s directorial life began as a student at Leeds where “we were often given the freedom to take risks.”

Keeping the Michael Day, outside Hampton past alive Court Recurring Michael Day (English 1974) received pattern the Outstanding Contribution prize Julie Price (Textile Management in the 2015 Museums and Heritage 1980) is breathing new life into the Awards. As Chief Executive of Johnny Mowlem North East’s textile industry with her Historic Royal Palaces, Michael business, AMA. Julie came out of is responsible for six historic sites, up to speed retirement to set up the venture and 4.2m annual visitors, 800 staff and Whether inside a racing car or out now employs almost 200 machinists. £80m annual turnover. “Every day Julie Price and of it, World Sportscar driver Johnny “My father introduced me to the is different”, says Michael. “My fellow director Mowlem (Geography and Spanish textile industry,” explains Julie, “most of AMA Group Paul office is at Hampton Court Palace Watts 1988) lives life in the fast lane. of my holidays were spent travelling but I’m often at our other sites. I had Johnny is ranked amongst the top on business with him. I loved it.” As a leading role in the poppies project professional sports car drivers in Julie grew up, the textile industry at the Tower of London last year, for the world, has competed ten times declined, and many UK factories example.” Michael, who was made at the Le Mans 24 race and is a two closed. With the AMA Group, Julie Commander of the Royal Victorian time British champion and 2013 hopes to restore sewing to her native Order in this year’s New Year’s European Le Mans champion. He North East and is planning to work Honours, credits “the brilliant Tony has also won the Daytona 24 hours closely with local universities to bring Green”, lecturer in Folk Life Studies, and Sebring 12 hours and has earned young people into the trade. for first inspiring his career. podiums in virtually all of the world’s

autumn 2015 — 3 NEWS

Brigid Coady (Materials Science & Engineering 1994) won the 2015 Romantic Novelists’ Association’s (RNA) prize, sponsored by another Leeds graduate, gardening expert David Hessayon (Botany 1950, DSc 2008).

pleased to discover David is a fellow of Carlisle’s “First XV” women Changing Leeds graduate”, says Brigid, “It priests in 1994. Serving her own three shows that no matter where your life rural parishes until “retirement” at 70 perceptions takes you, being a Leeds University in 2002, she has remained Chaplain graduate makes connections.” to Ulverston Auction Mart ever since. Isaac Mwaura (MA Social and Her last church service was in June Public Policy 2012) is using his role 2015, at the age of 85. “I think I may as member of the Kenyan Parliament have really retired this time”, says to improve disability rights. He is A job for life Doreen, “but priesthood is for life!” fighting to change the way albinism Doreen Harrison (Geography 1953, is perceived in parts of Kenya, where PGCE 1954) taught Geography people with the condition have been in local grammar schools, before ritually killed. Isaac, who founded becoming Head of Geography the Albinism Society of Kenya in at Charlotte Mason College of 2006, was appointed as Advisor Education for teachers in the Lake on Special Interest Groups in the District in 1961. Retiring in 1992 to Prime Minister’s office before joining be ordained Deacon and Curate of parliament. “My Leeds education has Ambleside, she was one of the Bishop greatly helped my debating skills in parliament, to advance the course of marginalised people,” says Isaac. IN BRIEF

Sarah Griffiths (MA American pharmaceutical company Brigid with her Criminological Research 2011), Cerulean Inc. has appointed award Placements Manager with the Stuart Arbuckle (Pharmacology Youth Justice Board, has been & Physiology 1986) to its Board awarded a Winston Churchill of Directors. Memorial Trust Fellowship to explore bullying among young Watch out for Sally Hurst (Political people in Australian custody. Studies 2000) at next year’s Paralympics, representing Great Dr Tom Milligan (Medicine 2003) Britain in the para-cycling team. has founded futuremedics.co.uk, which gives advice to school leavers, Roger Marsh (Metallurgy 1976), teachers and parents on how to gain Chairman of the Leeds City Region a coveted place at medical school. Enterprise Partnership, was made an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Evelyn Heathcoat Amory (Politics Honours for services to business Romance & Russian 2008) is head of and the economy. Russian Art at renowned auction house Christie’s. Radio 1 DJ Alice Levine (English blooms Language 2008) is one half of Hull’s UK City of Culture 2017 London’s popular supper club, Two Leeds alumni, who graduated programme will be led by Martin Jackson and Levine. decades apart, are linked through a Green (MA Theatre Studies 1996). romantic novel. No One Wants to Martin was previously Head Management graduate Ryan be Miss Havisham by Brigid Coady of Ceremonies for the London Kohn (2005) has broken into the (Materials Science & Engineering Olympics in 2012. notoriously tough food market 1994) won the Romantic Novelists’ with “Propercorn”, a range of low- Association’s (RNA) Joan Hessayon Dr Andy Hargreaves (Sociology calorie popcorn snacks. Award for new writers. The award is 1985) is the recipient of the 2015 sponsored by gardening expert Grawemeyer Award in Education Dr David Hessayon (Botany 1950, from the University of Louisville for Honorary DSc 2008) in honour of his research on the development and his late wife, a longstanding member support of effective teachers. of the RNA and a great supporter of its New Writers’ Scheme. “I was so

4 — autumn 2015 VC’s view VC’s view

Vice-chancellor Alan Langlands on milestones achieved – and more to come

As we begin the new term it seems a That future is an exciting one. the world – and recruitment is already good moment to look back at our Major developments are changing under way for our second cohort. recent successes, and forward to the both the physical face of campus and More than simply the numbers, year ahead. our capacity to impact on some of the these initiatives are about creating 2014/15 ended on a series of high major challenges of tomorrow. and sustaining a career pathway notes – and our alumni played their Earlier this year we announced a for talented people. Through these part in many of them. £17 million investment to make our studentships and fellowships we are July saw almost 200 donors, internationally-renowned Astbury developing future academic leaders regional partners, staff and students Centre for Structural Molecular who are grounded in the kind of gather for the official opening of Biology one of the best resourced interdisciplinary working that is the Laidlaw Library, to which so centres of its kind in the world. a feature of Leeds, and which is many of you have contributed. This Powerful electron microscopes will crucial in addressing the big research beautiful library provides the ideal give researchers new insights into the challenges of our time. learning environment for today’s structure of healthy and diseased cells. Future campus developments will undergraduate – silent reading space, An ultra-sensitive nuclear magnetic From alumni support just that kind of working. gatherings and group study areas, thousands of key resonance spectrometer will offer the many meetings Our £100 million plans for the texts, top-notch wireless access and insights into how to design new I have had with northeast quarter of campus (the area decent coffee. Little wonder that in drugs for complex health challenges alumni during from the north end of the Parkinson my two years as the run-up to exams, students were like cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Vice-Chancellor I Building through Engineering) will queueing to get in. Funding from the Wellcome Trust know that these bring together computing, physics, This was followed by a busy and the Biotechnology and Biological are all people who chemistry and engineering in research fortnight of degree ceremonies Sciences Research Council will also care deeply about the University and teaching facilities equipped to the which saw more than 6,000 students allow us to recruit a cohort of the and are playing an very highest standards. The Bragg graduating, swelling our worldwide brightest postgraduates to study for important role in Centre at its heart will bring the most Leeds community to almost a quarter their PhDs at the Astbury Centre. our future advanced equipment to Leeds to be of a million. Alumni played a role This reflects our wider commitment used for interdisciplinary research here too. Banners around campus to increasing the number of PhD creating functional materials from the celebrated the achievements of students at Leeds by over 35% in the nano-scale upwards. In the southeast some of our most illustrious former next five years. It is a competitive field. corner of campus, a new £40 million students, while biologist Professor Postgraduate research students are a Innovation and Enterprise Centre Howard Morris (Chemistry and crucial part of the academic engine will increase incubation space, create Mathematics 1967), plant scientist and, with a goal of having up to 3,000 laboratories for technology start-ups Sir David Baulcombe (Botany PhD students at any one time, we and provide the range of professional 1973) and London’s transport need to attract 1,000 young talents support needed by new ventures – commissioner and new chair of to Leeds every year. With recent while also enhancing our facilities Network Rail Sir Peter Hendy successes in attracting new Doctoral for collaboration with business (Economics and Geography 1975) all Training Centres, PhD scholarship and industry. returned to receive honorary degrees. support from alumni and their As the new academic year begins Over nine days in September businesses, and our 110 Anniversary and we welcome our new students alumni around the world celebrated Scholarship Scheme, we are making to Leeds – many supported by the this special Leeds community at more important progress towards this goal. scholarships made possible by our than 40 events – from picnics to pub At the same time, our 250 Great generous donors – we look to the nights and bike rides to barbecues – in Minds programme is recruiting future buoyed by the knowledge our first Big Get Together. From these outstanding academic fellows that the involvement and support gatherings and the many meetings over a three-year period. Already, of alumni and friends can help us I have had with alumni during my these fellowships have attracted 70 to achieve our highest ambitions. two years as Vice-Chancellor I outstanding academics from MIT, know that these are all people who Harvard, the Max Planck Institutes, care deeply about the University Oxford, Cambridge and other top and are playing an important role in universities. This migration of talent our future. is attracting attention from around

autumn 2015 — 5 FEATURE

How a trainee pilot gave young people a flying start

6 — autumn 2015 FEATURE

“I got to sit in the Captain’s seat of an Airbus A321. Hopefully I will return there as a fully trained pilot one day in the future. Reach for the Skies has kept my dream alive.”

Ciaran Morrison of Notre Dame College in Leeds says the scheme has given him a real insight into a career he now hopes to follow: “It was absolutely fantastic. To get advice from an experienced commercial pilot Take one student’s passion for flying. Add support was really inspirational. from Leeds alumni. The result: young people in the city “I got to sit in the Captain’s seat of an Airbus A321. Hopefully I will are broadening their horizons Young people return there as a fully trained pilot visited the University one day in the future. Reach for the “I always wanted to be a pilot,” says and aeroplane engineering. They also for talks on Skies has kept my dream alive.” Ben Gillard (Philosophy 2014), who is got the chance to try their hand on aviation careers Ben’s own dreams are very much and aeroplane training for a career with UK carrier the flight simulators in the Faculty of engineering. alive: “I’ve been training for just easyJet. During his time at Leeds, Ben Engineering. Another Leeds alumnus, Another Leeds under a year and have completed six had an idea that other young people, Adam Howey (Aviation Technology alumnus got months of theoretical training and whatever their background, might with Pilot Studies 2006) got involved involved too, passed the required exams and I’m speaking to share that passion, and that it could too, speaking to them about his them about his about to finish basic flying training. help them raise their aspirations and successful career as a pilot. successful career The programme has been pretty think about university. Reach for the Skies brought an as a pilot tough and the theoretical training Thanks to the involvement and extra dimension to the Reach for was really intense but the flying has support of alumni links, Ben turned Excellence programme. Louise Oddy, been great fun!” his great idea into reality. He started a student at St Mary’s Catholic The last part of this course is in by securing funding from the Leeds High School in Menston says: “The the stunning setting of Phoenix, for Life Foundation. Supported by highlight was the opportunity to go Arizona – then on his return to the alumni gifts to the Footsteps Fund on the flight simulators. It was a great UK Ben will begin six months of and funding from Santander Group, feeling and it really felt as though you detailed tuition on A320 simulators, the Foundation supports projects were up in the air.” replicating the aircraft which he will that reflect the enthusiasm, creativity Ben’s Reach for the Skies be operating when he takes up his and initiative of Leeds students. project culminated in a two-day position at easyJet. “As long as I pass 1 2 3 Applicants are encouraged to seek programme for the students to all of the training I’ll start flying as a out new challenges, experience new travel to Manchester City Airport First Officer in the spring.” environments and cultures and make and Heliport, where they visited the 1. Ciaran Morrison He remains grateful for the support a positive difference to the lives control tower, had a tour of Thomas 2. Ben Gillard he received to establish Reach for the of others. Cook’s headquarters and sat in the 3. Louise Oddy Skies: “It allowed me to demonstrate Ben didn’t just receive funding cockpit of a commercial airliner. to airlines that I had the drive and however. Ben developed the project “I learned a great deal from commitment towards aviation and as part of the University’s Reach organising the project,” says Ben. becoming a pilot which I’m sure for Excellence programme, which “It was really rewarding to get such helped me a lot in the selection each year works with students from positive feedback from the students process. Being able to get funding schools and colleges across the who participated in it. They said they from the Leeds for Life Foundation north to demonstrate the value of learnt a lot from it and for some it was incredibly useful.” higher education. had really motivated them to pursue Vicky Blake, Student Talent Funded for five years by the Liz a career as a pilot and all said how Spotting Officer at the University, and Terry Bramall Foundation, the much they enjoyed taking part.” is now hopeful that the programme scheme benefits 1,000 young people For Ben, the scheme was not only a can run again: “It was a really across the region. It also provides chance to share his passion for flying, exciting two days,” she says. “It scholarships for those who progress but it also supported his application opened all kinds of doors in terms through the scheme to win a place at to join easyJet’s pilot training scheme: of work experience, and helped Leeds, helping to relieve the financial “It felt like a professional experience. the young people to see the whole pressure of studying and allowing I had to engage with professionals in range of careers which are available them to take full advantage of the the field of aviation, look after the in aviation. many opportunities that going to budget and perhaps most importantly “More than that, it helped them to university opens to them. manage the many changes to the develop themselves and understand The project got off the ground with project as it developed.” that if they come up against a group of young people visiting the And for the young people involved, obstacles, they have the tools to University for talks on aviation careers it proved an eye-opening experience. overcome them.”

autumn 2015— 7 NEWS The latest from Leeds

Foyer and the Market Square, as well as essential maintenance and the installation of solar panels. The Union is a key part of the student experience, and is regularly voted one of the best student unions in the country. The upgrade will make facilities more accessible for students, and for students clubs and societies to make the most of their time at Leeds. www.unionupgrade.com

South Bank Show Archive finds a new home

A major archive comprising hundreds carefully stored in climate-controlled of hours of unseen interviews with conditions as part of the University of (Left to right) Dale many of the world’s leading artistic Leeds Library’s Special Collections, Grayson, Director of Archive & figures has been established at Leeds. there are up to 700 hours of footage, Information Policy Thousands of video tapes from the which has been restored and digitised at ITV, Chancellor 32 year run of The South Bank Show thanks to support from the North Melvyn Bragg, Vice-chancellor have been acquired from ITV by the American Foundation for the Alan Langlands University. The cultural coup has been University of Leeds (NAFUL). driven by the University’s Chancellor University Librarian, Stella Butler, Leeds showcases Melvyn Bragg, who conceived, edited said: “The South Bank Show Archive Jo Johnson MP and presented the flagship arts show is potentially a hugely rich and learns about iPAM, our robotic pioneering throughout its run. untapped resource from one of the exercise system The South Bank Show was a longest-running arts programmes in to help stroke research mainstay of British living rooms on the world. We have been granted an patients with Sunday nights from 1978 until 2010 exclusive licence to use the material rehabilitation for Minister and is widely celebrated for the way for educational purposes, so as well it combined high art and popular as using this archive for research and The new Minister for Universities culture for a mass audience. Virtually teaching, we plan to digitise parts so and Science, Jo Johnson MP, visited every leading light from all branches that the public can view some of the world-leading research facilities at the of the arts joined Melvyn Bragg at materials too.” University in June. some stage to film at least two hours Mr Johnson toured Leeds’ of in-depth interview for one of the There are 8,500 Institute of Medical and 760 or so shows. tapes and reels Biological Engineering (iMBE), Major makeover of film covering Interviewees ranged from Paul almost 700 hours which has pioneered research in McCartney and David Hockney to for Union of footage from joint replacement technologies, Ingmar Bergman to Victoria Wood. The South Bank regenerative medicine and tissue Show in the The show focused on subjects as building University’s Special engineering, and the National diverse as Ralph Vaughan Williams, Collections Facility for Innovative Robotic The Smiths, Scottish writers and Plans have been approved for a major Systems, one of the best equipped Puerto Rican ghetto music. From the upgrade of the Union Building. The robot building labs in the world. original interview tapes, usually only £20 million project follows several Mr Johnson said: “I’ve been 15 or 20 minutes were broadcast, with years of student feedback and staff hugely impressed by iMBE and the the rest rarely, if ever, viewed again consultation. The plans include robotics and autonomous systems after the initial editing process. redevelopment of the Riley Smith are just mind-blowing. The benefits This means that on the almost Hall, the Arts Quarter, the South we will see to UK productivity in 8,500 tapes and reels of film now Entrance, the Common Room, the years to come will be immense.”

8 — autumn 2015 NEWS

100 22 National knowledge teaching partnerships fellows completed The Award of Higher Education Academy (HEA) National Teaching Fellowships to The University of Leeds is marking Dr Dave Lewis (Biological Sciences) and the completion of its 100th successful Professor Nigel Lockett (Leeds University Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP). Business School) for excellence in teaching Dyson Technologies Ltd teamed up with the and learning brings the total number of Centre for Technical Textiles in the School Teaching Fellowships at Leeds to 22 – more of Design to develop novel filter fabrics for than any other institution in England, Dyson’s innovative vacuum systems. Northern Ireland and Wales. Leeds offers Simon Fujiwara top student sculpture experience installed on Students have rated the University campus of Leeds as offering one of the best student experiences in the UK. The A striking new sculpture by a rising University has now been ranked in the star on the international art scene top ten for the fifth year running. has been installed at the University Each year, the Times Higher of Leeds. The unveiling on Thursday Education student experience 11 June of Simon Fujiwara’s A Spire, survey asks over 14,000 full-time outside the University’s impressive undergraduates what they think about new Laidlaw Library, coincides their university, gathering views across with the launch of a new art trail to a range of aspects of university life, guide people around the institution’s from the quality of teaching through “Using large and complex data impressive collection of public to social life and accommodation. LIDA’s Professor sets presents huge challenges artworks. To download a copy visit Leeds is ranked ninth for students’ Mark Birkin for organisations. They may be alumni.leeds.ac.uk overall experience and is rated highly combining different data with across all categories, with Leeds their own sales data, analysing and University Union being voted the integrating data from various sources, New home joint-second best student union. or simply thinking about diverse data Leeds was also ranked joint-second sets that can be pulled together to for Bodington for centralised and convenient reveal new insights. facilities and joint-third for extra- “With all these challenges, there is mural curricular activities and societies. a constant need for new techniques and tools, and to ensure organisations If you were a resident of Bodington have the right data analytics Hall you will remember the huge capabilities. That’s where LIDA comes mural relief on its exterior. The Leeds institute in – we’re a trusted partner that has work, by artist Hubert Dalwood was developed world-class facilities under commissioned by the hall’s architects for Data one roof, so we’ve raised the bar in and installed in 1961. Bodington standards of secure data storage, closed in 2012 but the relief is about The Times Higher access and analysis.” to get a new home in the centre of the Analytics Education survey puts Leeds in Leeds campus. Subject to planning A new institute set up to help the top ten UK permission, the relief will be installed public and private sector Universities for the Art on campus on the side of the stage@leeds student experience organisations meet the challenges for the 5th year building, home to the University’s and opportunities of the Big Data running, and top School of Performance and Cultural revolution has opened its doors. 3 for the student Industries. Professor Ann Sumner, union, facilities, The Leeds Institute for Data extra-curricular Public Art Project Officer at Leeds, Analytics (LIDA) will partner with activities and said: “We’re looking forward to researchers and organisations to societies displaying this important bas-relief on help them make the most of the campus. It will clearly make a major rapidly growing fields of consumer impact and form an excellent addition and medical data analysis. to our growing collection of sculpture Professor Mark Birkin, Director that is being enjoyed by students, staff of LIDA, explained more about the and members of the public alike as one-day event, the LIDA Research part of our new public art trail.” Forum. He said: “Today is all about making sure researchers and organisations know about LIDA and the expertise, support and resources we can offer.

autumn 2015 — 9 FEATURE

There are many splendid reasons to choose Leeds as your academic seedbed. There’s the glittering reputation for excellence, the no-nonsense redbrick attitude, the Yorkshire bluntness that sharpens the mind like a blast from the Moors, the Otley Run and the beckoning hills and the finest curries you’ll ever eat…

Or you could just pick up a copy of I’ll go there. And why not do a degree your favourite rock’n’roll album and in something you know nothing think “‘The Who Live at Leeds’? about? I like flora, I like the open air… If it’s good enough for Pete Townshend why not?” Times were and Roger Daltrey then it’s good Thus began a three-year stint at different then. If you’d wanted enough for me.” Leeds defined by “doing quite a lot to do music you’d Such was the case with Barb Jungr, of daft things.” Barb played in a have had to British jazz singer, upholder of the trad jazz band, performed at The reinvent yourself grand chanson tradition and – from as an entirely Faversham pub, dabbled a little in different human 1972 to 1975 – student of Botany theatre (“they were a bit precious being in an entirely at Leeds. and cliquey”) and “generally different place The study of plant life was perhaps experimented with music, sex and not the obvious choice for a young drugs.” She and her friend Jelly woman with a musical bent. It’s worked behind the bar at The certainly a curious beginning for Original Oak and would sneak out someone whose long career has taken bottles of booze under their long in the post-punk cabaret circuit, overcoats (“We’d walk down the early 80s tours supporting Julian street clanking”). On her botany Clary, and Kid Creole course Barb wandered the rainy And The Coconuts, international moors in the full flouncy uniform music workshops across Africa and of post-hippydom. “Everyone else (most recently) widespread acclaim would be in sturdy walking boots for a string of albums reinterpreting and I’m in strappy high heels and the songs of , big skirts, imagining that I’m the and in the jazz idiom. French Lieutenant’s Woman.” But as has often been the case with Leeds was then experiencing the Barb, the unusual decision turned out best of a golden era in British music. to be the right one in the long run. Hirsute monsters of rock gave way “I went to a Catholic girls’ school to the stylish Roxy Music-David in the 60s,” explains Barb, an Bowie vision of sophisticated Euro- effusive 61-year-old whose engaging pop and then, by 1975, the earliest demeanour comes of being born in rumblings of disco. Rochdale and raised in by “We were really spoiled back German and Czech parents. “Times then,” she says. “It was an amazing were different then. If you’d wanted time for music at Leeds. We saw The to do music you’d have had to reinvent Sensational Alex Harvey Band, and yourself as an entirely different human Elton John in his cape and massive being in an entirely different place. glasses. Real showmanship in the “But luckily I had a teacher, a Refectory at Leeds, not Wembley natural mentor, who pointed me Stadium. When Roxy Music had to towards the sciences. I just followed the cancel, the replacement – it took me path without questioning it too much. years to appreciate how amazing this Unlike nowadays, my generation didn’t was – was Elkie Brookes and Robert feel a horrible pressure to come up Palmer. Can you imagine?” Every with a plan for our lives and stick to week another fantastic record would it. I really did just think “‘The Who come out. “You’d spend hours round Live at Leeds’, what a great album, someone’s house listening to the

10 — autumn 2015 FEATURE

Barb Jungr sings Words: andrew harrison Images: steve Ullathorne

The acclaimed jazz singer studied botany at Leeds. Welcome to Barb Jungr’s journey through the secret life of plants

Autumn 2015 — 11 FEATURE

FIVE SONGS THAT REMIND 1 BARB JUNGR OF HER DAYS AS STEELY DAN ‘Rikki A LEEDS STUDENT: Don’t Lose That Number’ (1974) “I dropped into another student’s house and they’d just Listen at: got it on vinyl. We alumni.leeds.ac.uk/barb-jungr all just imploded at the creativity and new Steely Dan together, or Leonard more in her singing career. “It made sound of Steely Dan. Twenty Years Jungr: Nothing prepared Cohen, or Dory Previn, or Janis Ian. me cry,” says Barb, “because they you for them. It still A Barb Jungr playlist We were really, really lucky at that had supported me in lots of ways. stands so tall today. particular time.” But mostly I had to do it for myself, ‘Once in a Lifetime’ (2010) At the end of her days in Leeds and that’s a good thing.” 2 From ‘The Men I Love: The Barb moved down to London into New American Songbook’ Jungr the emerging punk scene. “It was transports Talking Heads’ an impulsive thing to do but again it new wave classic into her own turned out to be the right decision.” LEONARD COHEN dreamy space. ‘Bird on the Wire’ (1968) Her then-boyfriend asked her why With the release of her album ‘Every “We had a running she wasn’t singing for a living, then Grain of Sand: Barb Jungr Sings joke that you couldn’t ‘Everybody Knows’ (2014) fixed her up with some sessions. Bob Dylan, in 2002, Barb’s career have a Leonard Cohen Leonard Cohen’s bitterly funny album and a Dory “I was rubbish but it broke the found a new focus and an expanded Previn album in the cynic’s anthem rendered as chains. So I started singing, and I international audience. Billy Bragg same collection. They ice-cold jazz. kept on singing.” Music for theatre, began to describe her as our greatest might mate in the night, and the love child an early a cappella group living interpreter of Bob Dylan songs. would be a triumph of ‘Waterloo Sunset’ (2003) called The Three Courgettes – She’s been exploring the world of darkness of the soul The best English pop song ever “we were years ahead of the vintage rock songwriting further ever since. hitherto unimaginable.” written? Jungr does it justice with trend,” she laughs – and album “I do think that the great rock and this spare piano arrangement. releases via Billy Bragg’s Utility pop records work as a songbook, 3 Records label followed. This carefree in the chanson tradition,” she ‘Way Down in the Hole’ (2012) hand-to-mouth life alarmed Barb’s says. “The Tin Pan Alley songs are A shimmering ‘Riders on the parents, who had lived through the amazing, but I grew up in the 60s ROXY MUSIC Storm’-style version of the Tom privations of the Second World War. and my songbook is The Beatles ‘Virginia Plain’ (1972) Waits song best-known as the “They struggled with a lot of it,” and Dylan and Cohen. My job is to “We loved this. It theme from ‘The Wire’. Got that was our getting Barb admits. “They didn't really transmit what I hear in a song and ready to go out and cabaret jazz, yo… understand what I did. They’d had ask, are you OK with this? If I can party record. The a completely different life to me. steer clear of trying to tell you what silver boots were ‘What a Waste’ (1999) out and the hair My dad had been taken away at 18 I think it is, and just sing it, then I’ve dye was flowing.” A wry, dry and funny take on to the German work camps, where done my job.” Ian Dury’s cockney daydream. they worked you to death if you She’s proud, then, to work in a 4 weren’t robust enough. He never tradition as an interpreter of songs, ‘Always on My Mind’ (2000) talked about those times so our family like her heroines Nina Simone and From Jungr’s Elvis project, this was always a little at sea. What they’d the folk, blues and civil rights activist is the polar opposite of the Pet experienced was a world away from Odetta Holmes. Barb became friends Shop Boys’ version. ‘John, I’m Only what I was doing. I only really got to with Odetta before her death in Dancing’ (1972) know him towards the end of his life.” 2008, and from her she inherited a “The king of hearts ‘Don’t Let Me Be Shortly before his death in 2004 mantra that she uses every time she — the androgyny Misunderstood’ (2008) thing was around her father Miroslav, a Czech former goes onstage. It goes like this: and we were riding Jungr mines the bleakness in a song chemical engineer, wrote down his “Thy will be done this day. This those pre-punk originally written for Nina Simone wartime experiences in the form of day is a day of completion. I give winds with him. This rather than The Animals. is the record that a letter to a friend. Barb had the letter thanks for this perfect day. Miracles made me want to go turned into a little booklet for her shall follow. Miracles and wonders to New York.” ‘(S)He’s Not There’ (2012) mother, her nephew and herself. It shall never cease.” An uptempo organ-led groove described how one night Miroslav Barb Jungr is touring the UK in 5 on The Zombies’ original. saw fires outside the prison camp September and October. and noticed that the guards had www.barbjungr.com ‘Hard Rain’ (2014) disappeared. Although he did not The Dylan epic turned Bryan DORY PREVIN know it yet, the Liberation was at ‘Mythical Kings and Ferry hit gets a raucous Kurt Weill- hand. Miroslav broke out and lived Iguanas’ (1971) “All style treatment. wild in the forest for three months that despair and before making his way back to wonder. Another ‘The River’ (2010) writer whose work civilisation. “I’ve got a photo of him has really stood the An intimate and devastating when they found him,” says Barb. cruel test of time. We reading of ’s “He looks like a skeleton in a suit.” all had that album — small-town drama. see Leonard Cohen, Before he died, Miroslav apologised above. But not in the to his daughter for not supporting her same cupboard. ”

12 — autumn 2015 NEWS Department round-up

enabling the user to have enhanced control and sensation. “The diameter of the nerves can be smaller than the width of a human hair so the microelectrodes need to be similarly sized,” says Dr David Steenson. Food Science and Nutrition

Bioinformatics from plants will help researchers develop predictive modelling for disease control in Chemical Dr Matthew Education crops. The work is possible thanks Murray and his to a multi-million pound government award-winning and Process glass Researchers in the School of grant to the N8, a consortium of Education are part of a consortium universities who collaborate on Engineering investigating multilingual interaction priority research. The project will also Harehills, one of in four locations. “Translation and focus on solutions to sustainable food Dr Matthew Murray (PhD Process, the areas in Leeds Translanguaging” aims to develop production, resilient supply chains and featured in the Environmental and Materials study, with St new understandings of “superdiverse” improved nutrition. With a growing Engineering 2014) received the 2015 James's Hospital on cities – those populated by speakers global population, providing access to Royal Academy of Engineering and the right and the of multiple languages. The team are affordable food is seen as one of the ERA Foundation Entrepreneurs’ Bilal Mosque on conducting linguistic investigations greatest challenges to society. the left Award for his work in glass in Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds and security. He is spearheading the London within a range of settings commercialisation of a laser to obtain detailed evidence of how technology that creates patterns people communicate across languages of new material in the structure of and cultures. The project will inform glass. These patterns are impossible the development of teaching materials to counterfeit, and can carry detailed and give educators a more holistic information about where the product A formal understanding of communication in was manufactured. The technique presentation of settings outside the classroom. could play a major role in tackling feminist volumes to Special counterfeit goods in sectors that Collections as rely on glass containers, such as a result of the Electronic pharmaceuticals and alcohol. conference. From left to right: Katy Thornton, and Electrical French Head of Special collections, Leeds hosted the biennial Women Dentistry Maggie Allison, Engineering / Honorary in French conference which focused The University is at the helm of a new Senior Lecturer, Medicine and on the events of 1975, a period of four-year programme which aims to University of intense feminist creativity in France. Bradford, Dr transform dental care across Europe. Owen Heathcote, Health Participants discussed Les Femmes The €6 million research project, Honorary Reader in s’entêtent, a major feminist text of funded by the EU, will shift practices French, University Microelectrode arrays so fine they the decade, and evaluated its legacy from a focus on treating teeth by of Bradford, can attach to human tissue are the in 21st century Francophone culture. Professor Diana extraction and fillings, to more Holmes, LCS, latest step in the quest to create Organised by Professors Margaret effective oral health care, ultimately Leeds, Professor life-like artificial limbs. Researchers Atack, Alison Fell and Diana Holmes, preventing disease from developing. Margaret Atack, are working to join nerve-endings the conference welcomed leading LCS, Leeds, Dr Researchers will use anonymous Imogen Long in the arm to a revolutionary bionic feminist historian Christine Bard. data from millions of health records School of Modern hand, capable of sensing temperature She introduced her research on the across Europe to identify strategies to Languages and pressure. Thanks to this micro- relationship between the Women’s University of Hull, combat the onset of dental disease in Professor Alison technology, real-time information can Movement (MLF) and French State each country. Fell, LCS, Leeds be relayed from the hand to the brain, initiatives in 1975.

autumn 2015— 13 NEWS

their own notions of heritage and will evaluate whether commercial citizenship. Watch more at vimeo. occupiers and landlords are being com/135783634 treated equally within the real estate cycle, and assessing if property advisors represent their interests fairly.

1

Geography 2 The colonisation of America brought 1. Christopher about the start of the ‘Anthropocene’, History Columbus, 3 a geological epoch dominated by discoverer humans, according to Dr Simon As part of the international Magna of continent, definer of Lewis. In 1610, roughly 100 years Carta Conference at the British geological Leeds Social after the Old World met the New, a Library, Professor of Medieval epochs. Albert marked change in the level of CO History Graham Loud was one of Bierstadt, The Sciences 2 Landing Of in Earth’s atmosphere was recorded, the keynote speakers at a round-table Columbus, 1892 species had jumped continents via new event which discussed contemporary Institute global trade routes, and a global re- European parallels to the Magna 2. John sealing the ordering of life began. These changes, Carta. He spoke about the Emperor Magna Carta Authorities on city planning by Frank Wood caused entirely by humans, fulfil the Frederick II’s ‘Constitutions of Melfi’ 1925. (www. came together at Future Cities, criteria for defining a new epoch. (1231) and his imperial land peace, bridgemanimages. a University event to explore the issued at Mainz in August 1235. com) changing face of city life over the 3. Professor next 50 years. Leeds showcased its Adam Crawford work in the areas of Big Data, Low speaking at the Carbon Futures and iBuild which Italian Future Cities conference focuses on the networks of roads, The decline of the Italian aristocracy energy, water, transport and ICT in 19th century Italy resulted in 4. Setting up a that support an urban society. “The shoot in a Stasi behavioural uncertainty, according to Watch Tower cityscapes we will inhabit in years research by Dr Annick Paternoster. with project to come are of concern to us all,” Traditional behaviour codes, for research says conference organiser Professor assistant Axel centuries inherent in Italian society, Bangert Adam Crawford, “so this was a were lost along with the noblemen welcome opportunity to see how 4 who propagated them. As a result, leaders in the field view the city of hundreds of conduct manuals were the future.” published, advising the Italian German bourgeoisie on a range of social norms and etiquette. Among these were the Professor Paul Cooke worked with “Nuovo Galateo” which reached a young people from the UK and total of 46 reprints, and “La Gente Germany to produce a series of Per Bene” which had reached 27 films exploring the legacy of the reprints by 1901. German Democratic Republic in contemporary Germany. The project was based at the Bautzen Memorial, Law the former prison of the Stasi, and will be incorporated into its permanent Professor Gerard McCormack and Medicine exhibition. A community filmmaking Adam Baker (Law 2006) are working group provided training to the young with British small-to-medium- The natural world could once participants, who were encouraged sized business leaders on a project again help us beat disease, to reflect creatively upon the ethical examining conflicts of interest in the according to two recent research lessons to be learned from the GDR commercial property sector. They projects. Margatoxin, a usually dictatorship and to relate this to aim to produce a white paper which venomous poison from a Central

14 — autumn 2015 NEWS

STAFF GOODBYES

LAW SOCIOLOGY The School bade farewell to Professor Leeds held a one-day conference, Clive Walker (Law 1975) on his retirement. Researching Relationships across Clive, who joined the staff as a lecturer in Generations and through Time, which 1983, later founded the Centre for Criminal celebrated Professor Bren Neale’s retirement Justice Studies and twice headed the School. and her contributions to research, policy He continues to supervise research students and practice. Wish Bren well with a message and to publish research on terrorism. Wish at alumni.leeds.ac.uk/brenneale Clive well with a message at alumni.leeds. ac.uk/clivewalker

American scorpion, could be used Department news to prevent neointimal hyperplasia, Politics and in brief a complication causing blood vessel blockage following bypass surgery. International BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES: Africa, too, offers potential medical A £17 million investment solutions. Professor David Beech’s Studies will bring state-of-the-art research shows that the Phyllanthus laboratory equipment to the engleri bush may hold the key to Depictions of war in videogames Astbury Centre for Structural killing renal cancer cells. Englerin are too simplistic, according to Rob Molecular Biology. (see p.24) A, a chemical in the bush, activates Young and Dr Nick Robinson in their a protein which triggers changes in seminar Killing in the Name, which ENGLISH: A first edition of The the cancer cell. explored aesthetics and narratives of Hobbit inscribed to a former warfare in military videogames. Such Co-author Tim English student sold at auction Moorsom (right), games allow players to be an active co-lead author for £137,000. JRR Tolkien Nursing part of combat, in an environment Fatma Al Ma'Mari wrote the inscription in Elvish where the iniquity of the enemy (left) and research to Kitty Kilbride, a student of leader Dr Oscar A recent report by Professor Karen is seldom questioned and violence Cespedes (centre) his when he taught at Leeds. Spilsbury looks at the care and generally favoured over negotiation. with the SQUID professional development needs of the The seminar addressed the impact magnetometry FINE ART: Dr Mark Westgarth facility used to nursing workforce in UK care homes. of this reductive form of combat and perform the bulk has developed an online Nursing staff employed in this sector argued for more academic analysis of of the research resource that charts the British are often overlooked, yet ensuring virtual war. antiques trade. With interactive their future recruitment, retention maps and information on and development is of pressing public British dealers throughout concern. This research provides a the 20th century, this is the platform for policy makers to focus on first comprehensive study of these nurses and to ensure the needs the trade. of care home residents can be met. LEEDS UNIVERSITY BUSINESS SCHOOL: Professor Nick Wilson’s study of 5.1m directors found Physics and that smaller companies are three times more likely than larger Astronomy Scene from The ones to have a female director. Dreaming Researchers have demonstrated how MATHEMATICS: Dr Vassilios Dallas Performance to generate magnetism in metals that has been awarded a Newton are not naturally magnetic, potentially International Fellowship jointly and Cultural ending reliance on iron, cobalt and by the British Academy and the nickel. Such a restricted choice of Royal Society. He will conduct Industries ferromagnetic metals “limits our research on rotating turbulence ability to tailor magnetic systems to and dynamos. Audience members took a leading the needs of applications,” explains role as the protagonists in final co-lead author Tim Moorsom. PSYCHOLOGY: Professor Daryl year students’ performance of By manipulating the electronic O’Connor has recently been The Dreaming, an immersive interactions in copper and manganese, elected a Distinguished performance based on Ibsen’s Peer Leeds scientists have beaten the Stoner International Affiliate of Gynt. Participants were taken on an Criterion, an equation that determines the American Psychological hour-long journey through a labyrinth whether an element is magnetic, and Association’s Division 38 containing a series of one-to-one given them magnetic properties. The (Health Psychology). encounters with performers. The Stoner Criterion was formulated by audience followed the eponymous Professor Edmund Clifton Stoner, a anti-hero’s quest and were encouraged theoretical physicist who worked at to dream, contemplate and wonder. Leeds from the 1930s to the 1960s, “This kind of immersive theatre is an and after whom the EC Stoner antidote to the modern ‘heads down’ building is named. culture,” commented one participant. Read more: http://bit.ly/1Jbrkyw

autumn 2015— 15 FEATURE FEET YOUR WORLD AT THE

16 — autumn 2015 FEATURE

GORDON BENSON IS THE LATEST MEDAL-WINNING TRIATHLETE TO EMERGE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS. WITH A EUROPEAN GOLD UNDER HIS BELT HE HAS THE RIO OLYMPICS IN HIS SIGHTS

Gordon Benson is sitting in the It means that for the last four years café on the Headingley campus of Benson, a local lad who attended Leeds Beckett University, sipping a Leeds Grammar School, has been Lilt and reflecting on a summer in able to train with Alistair, Jonny and which he became Great Britain’s first numerous other dedicated triathletes, gold medallist at the first European under state-of-the-art coaching and Games in Baku, on his chances of in a range of facilities, while studying

FEET supporting the Brownlee brothers at Nutrition at the University of Leeds. the 2016 Olympics in Rio – and on “I’d say I was fortunate to have this the “surreal” prospect of racing “five centre around me naturally,” reflected minutes down the road” in a World the 21-year-old. “I grew up in west Series event in his home city. Leeds, near Elland Road, so I’ve Life was pretty sweet for Benson not really moved away from home. anyway – having stumbled on I moved out, got my own place in triathlon by accident in his teens, in a Headingley, it’s perfect for me. I grew At 21, you take a tale that includes locking himself out up here, loved it – I go away for 10-15 risk, you go for it, and even if I of a courtesy car near Ilkley, he was weeks a year but I always love coming don’t get there able to join one of the elite training home to Leeds.” it furthers my set-ups in the world without having to He played rugby as a lad, alongside development as an athlete. There’s leave West Yorkshire. Stevie Ward, now of the Leeds a blank box and I Then, in April, came the Rhinos, before his success in an want to write my announcement that Leeds will stage aquathlon at Leeds Grammar – name in it an event in next year’s World Series. “swim to run, triathlon without the

YOUR “If I could do two races next year, you bikes” – earned him an invitation to know what they’d be,” Benson says the Yorkshire Triathlon Academy.

with a smile. “I’d love to race Leeds “But I’d never been on a road bike in and Rio. my life,” he explains. “They arranged “Having a triathlon in the centre for me to borrow one from one of of town? It’s surreal that it’s going to the coaches, but then I managed to be here. The course will literally be lock myself out of a courtesy car up five minutes from here, just down the at Ilkley Lido. My mum wasn’t very road. We travel all the way around impressed – it turned out the spare the world to do this sort of race, and keys were in Birmingham so I left her

WORLD AT THE the start line’s going to be 10 minutes stood in the car park and went for a away which is almost unbelievable. bike ride. We finished at the top of the But bring it on. Cow and Calf hill, a solid hill. That

WORDS B Y A ndy W ilson “And if Yorkshire people get was the first time I’d been on a bike behind it like they have done for and I enjoyed it. That was that. We the Tour de Yorkshire and the got the car back eventually, and I got PICTURES B Y ADAM RO INSON Tour de France, then it will be a bike. absolutely amazing.” “That summer (2008) I entered They surely will, because thanks three , just three local mainly to the Brownlees from races, nothing massive, and won Bramhope, and their success at all three local races. After that I London 2012 – where Alistair won applied for the British Triathlon gold and Jonny bronze – Yorkshire squad. They said ‘We’re not sure sporting folk are now properly proud you know what you’re doing, of the Leeds High Performance but you’ve got some credentials’ Triathlon Programme that is based – so they welcomed me on to at the city’s two universities. the squad.”

autumn 2015— 17 FEATURE

Leeds’ aim is to provide the best university sports experience in the UK. In 2014/15 Leeds was ranked 5th in country for Sport Experience (Times Higher) and 3rd in the Russell Group for Sport Experience (International Student Barometer).

Soon he was travelling to Portugal for a youth championship in which Jonny Brownlee was competing at under–23 level. “Jonny was 20 at the time and I was 16 – it was great to have him to look up to. Having the lads, not only Al and Jonny but the rest of the group, offering me a little bit of advice here and there – it’s great to have such a great group his training with his degree, just as around you.” the Brownlees did in the run-up to Gordon celebrates That group includes London 2012. In doing this he has after winning the men's triathlon and Non Stanford, who are also benefited from the extra support event at the 2015 aiming to double up in Leeds and that comes with a Sport Scholarship European Games Rio next year – and if all goes to plan funded by Leeds alumnus Patrick Way (Getty Images) Benson will also travel to Brazil with QC (English 1975). the Brownlees as their pilot athlete. “My mind and heart were set on “Like a domestique in cycling,” he Leeds so I enrolled on nutrition, says. “You’re basically there to aid and from the first couple of weeks I medal delivery. So I’m going to put thought ‘Yeah, I’m into this’. I’ve been my hand up at the end of the season fortunate to have a lot of support and say I’d like to go to Rio, and I’ll from the Uni. It’s almost a welcome Why does play that pilot role. For me it’s a great distraction sometimes. You go to a opportunity to go to an Olympic lecture and it’s an hour away from Games. It would mean me being the triathlon physically and mentally. third man on the team, alongside You sit there so you’re recovering Leeds Alistair and Jonny most likely, and and mentally I can switch off from I’m basically sacrificing my chance to triathlon for an hour. run, and concentrating on swimming “The Centre is based around both produce the and biking for them. I just think at Universities, which makes us unusual 21, you take a risk, you go for it, and – in other sports they compete against even if I don’t get there it furthers my each other with a fierce rivalry, world’s best development as an athlete. There’s whereas in the triathlon club we do a blank box and I want to write my everything together. An average week name in it.” is five swims using a range of facilities Benson had a first taste of what – the pool at Leeds Beckett, which you triathletes? could await in Rio and beyond when wouldn’t call state of the art but keeps he won gold in Baku in June. “It was us down to earth, plus the newer one my biggest win to date, definitely,” he down at The Edge, and also up at says. “For me it was all a bit surreal. Holt Park and in the lake at Otley At the start no‐one knew too much Sailing Club through the summer. about it, we were on one of the early “Riding wise we’d always head With Gordon’s growing success, events, but I knew myself if it goes north – places like Knaresborough, the continued dominance of the well I can get a medal and there’s no round Harrogate way, then we’ve Brownlee brothers, and other reason I can’t win the race. It went got Otley, and down in the valley, Triathlon hopefuls coming through well and suddenly I’m doing all sorts Grassington, Kettlewell, places like the ranks, Leeds is set to rule the of press conferences, I’m on all the that. It’s perfect. It’s not leisurely, world for some time to come. news channels in the UK apparently, you’re doing 30k an hour around It’s not just something in the water. and the next morning I’m live on BBC the Dales, but we’re chatting, we’re Leeds Triathlon Centre, a partnership Breakfast. Then 24 hours later it’s enjoying it and we’ve got a great between the University, Leeds Beckett back to reality, I had more races to group. If you didn’t enjoy doing it University, British Triathlon and crack on with. It was the biggest thing you wouldn’t be able to do it. It’s that Leeds City Council is widely regarded in the world on the Monday, and much of a demanding sport with that as the leading triathlon programme in on the Tuesday it was all gone and many hours required you’d struggle if the world. forgotten about.” you didn’t.” Between 2009 and 2014, athletes Normality for Benson for these from Leeds won 17 medals in last four years has been combining Olympic, Commonwealth and World

18 — autumn 2015 FEATURE

17,000 people – mainly students – are members of University sports facilities. There are more than 1 million visits to the facilities every year, and Leeds has invested £18 million in sport and wellbeing over the last decade. £2 million of that Other Leeds students to look out for 60 Leeds sports teams currently compete has come from external funding – grants, in future Triathlon competitions: Sam in national University sports competitions. partnerships, and financial support Dickinson (Sports Science); Constantine Last year Leeds achieved highest ever national from alumni. Last year we opened a new Docherty (Physics); Josie Savill BUCS league ranking of 13th. We have boathouse on the River Aire – the first time (Management and Mathematics); ambitions to be in the Russell Group Top 5 the University’s rowers could train in the Jack Willis (Mathematics). by 2018. city since the 1980s.

Coaching and Support

There is as a talented group of people behind students like Gordon, not just to help them develop as athletes, but to ensure they can balance performance and their studies. Leeds’ Head of Triathlon Liam O’Neil, works alongside the Leeds Triathlon Centre coaching team, Malcolm Brown, Jack Maitland and Rob Harvey on the athletes’ training, fitness and conditioning. Alongside this, Leeds’ Athlete Scholarship Scheme, supported by alumni donations to the Footsteps Fund and the Making a World of Difference “Leeds Triathlon Centre has Campaign provides developed since about 2010,” explains Rob Wadsworth, Head of Sport at • Up to £10,000 financial Leeds. “With the success of Ali and support Jonny, and particularly after the • Strength and conditioning 2012 Olympics, the Centre has really services grown. It’s designed to enable athletes • Physiotherapy services to achieve their potential in triathlon • Essential race equipment alongside excelling in their studies, so support it’s starting to attract student athletes • Bike maintenance with world-class potential. That • Discounted accommodation means our ability to produce the best athletes can only keep getting better.” Crucially, it also provides the Championships. More than double This couldn’t have happened administrative support so the number won by all USA athletes. without the support of Leeds alumni. athletes can balance academic The programme currently supports Alistair Brownlee was one of the study with a busy schedule around 110 athletes, including first students to benefit from a Sports of races and events. Gordon Gordon Benson, Alistair (Biological Scholarship funded by the Footsteps Benson needed to split his final Science 2009, LLD 2013) and Jonny Fund, which also enabled Leeds to year over two years to allow Brownlee (History 2012, LLD appoint a Head of Triathlon, Liam him to train to qualify for the 2013), Tom Bishop (History 2013) O’Neil. Gifts from alumni support Rio Olympics without affecting and Heather Sellars, who have all the Athlete Scholarship Scheme his study, while Jonny Brownlee succeeded on the international stage (see coaching and support sidebar). completed a history exam at whilst studying at Leeds. Other high- “Alumni support has transformed the University of Sydney whilst profile athletes are also part of the what we’ve been able to do in he was in Australia for a World Leeds centre, including Non Stanford, Triathlon,” Rob says. “It’s thrilling Series race. Mark Buckingham, Richard Varga, to see our students excel, not just as Lucy Hall and Vicky Holland. elite athletes, but in their academic Athletes use the University’s studies too.” facilities: the swimming pool, and The future is bright: next year gym at The Edge on campus, and the Leeds will hold the World Series Race running track at Weetwood. There – a huge coup for the city that is set to are plans to build a 1.6k closed loop do for Triathlon what 2014’s Tour de cycle track and dedicated triathlon France did for cycling in Yorkshire. centre at Weetwood, in partnership On your list of “great things to come with British Cycling, British out of my university” it might be time Triathlon and UK Sport. to add “the world’s best triathletes.”

autumn 2015— 19 THE SCRAPBOOK

Put yourself in the Picture A picture tells a thousand words. With your help we have built a scrapbook of more than 5,000 photos of life at Leeds, from the 1950s to the present day, from class and team photos to field trips and Christmas parties. Here are some that caught our eye. Do any look familiar? To view the scrapbook visit alumni.leeds.ac.uk

20 — winter 2014 - 2015 20 — autumn 2015 THE SCRAPBOOK

winter 2014 - 2015 — 21 autumn 2015— 21 FEATURE Professor

William Astbury at his desk at the University of Leeds (Reproduced with the permission of Leeds University Library)

22 — autumn 2015 FEATURE Professor X

So influential was the research of William Astbury that Leeds simple crystals but also of more has just invested £17 million in the Centre for Structural complex fibrous materials found in living organisms. Molecular Biology named AFTER him. But who was Astbury, and why Whilst of fundamental scientific was his work so important? interest, this was a question which also had very practical applications. Ever since the end of the 19th century Kersten Hall there had been growing concern Honorary Fellow in the Centre for History that Britain might be overtaken by and Philosophy of Science economic rivals, particularly Germany tells the story of a Leeds pioneer which excelled in applying basic science to industry and providing its Thanks to a legendary performance nurtured his talents. Her drive manufacturing workforce with a solid by Ian Botham in the Ashes Test and determination were rewarded training in science. In response to Series of 1981 and, more recently when he won a scholarship first these concerns there was a feeling that Alastair Cooke’s Test run record, to Longton High School and later if Britain was not to be left standing the Leeds suburb of Headingley to Jesus College, Cambridge. His economically it must emulate the is probably more famous for its undergraduate studies were soon example of Germany in applying basic association with sporting prowess interrupted however by the First science to industry and, after his years than with scientific achievement. Yet World War during which he served in in Leeds, Bragg had one particular almost directly over the road from the Ireland with the Royal Army Medical industry in mind that he felt might world-famous cricket ground stands Corps (RAMC) in charge of a medical benefit from the insights offered by the former home of a scientific pioneer X-ray unit. Since the discovery of X-ray crystallography. who not only played a role in one of X-rays in 1895, the medical profession Astbury worked Ever since the Cistercian monks the biggest scientific discoveries of the had been quick to seize upon their with a passion at Kirkstall Abbey in Leeds had 20th century but who also helped to remarkable power to penetrate human and excitement sold the fleeces of their sheep to that his colleague found a whole new scientific discipline tissue and reveal the underlying RD Preston once foreign merchants, wool had come that has had a powerful impact on bone structure, but by the time that described as to dominate the local economy and science and medicine today. Astbury took up his posting, scientists “boisterous to account for a large proportion of its the end, with Once described as ‘scientist, scholar, had already discovered that X-rays every morning a wealth. At one point the city boasted musician, bon viveur, humorist, in could do far, far more. Christmas morning” the world’s largest woollen mill owned some ways a swashbuckler’, William One of the most eminent names by the industrialist Benjamin Gott and Astbury was a physicist who became in this field of research was physicist the importance of textiles to Leeds is fascinated by biology and was William Bragg who, whilst Cavendish still reflected today in the city’s coat convinced that the best way to study Professor of Physics at Leeds in 1913, of arms which bears a hanging fleece. life was by using the tools of physics. had developed a ground-breaking Yet despite the importance of textiles Starting from studies on wool fibres, new method together with his son to the city, Bragg had lamented before he pioneered the use of X-rays to study Lawrence which used the scattering, his departure to London that the the structure of the giant molecular or ‘diffraction’ of X-rays to determine Textile department at Leeds ‘does fibres found in living systems. In the the precise arrangement of atoms not know enough physics’. What was course of this work he made early and molecules in a crystal. Known needed, he suggested, was ‘a keen studies of the structure of DNA, the as X-ray crystallography, 28 Nobel young man’ who could use X-ray genetic molecule, and his laboratory prizes have since been awarded for crystallography to reveal important at Leeds was once hailed by the Nobel discoveries made using this method new insights about the molecular laureate Max Perutz as ‘the X-ray and for their achievement, William nature of wool and when Astbury Vatican’. Yet today his name is hardly and Lawrence Bragg were themselves joined his team in London, Bragg was known other than to a select group of jointly awarded the 1915 Nobel prize confident that he had found the ideal historians of science. in physics. candidate for this role. Despite his international stature, At the end of the war, Astbury Astbury however did not share Astbury came from a humble completed his studies and joined the enthusiasm of his mentor. In background. He was born in 1898 William Bragg’s research team, a letter written to his friend and in the market town of Longton, first at University College London fellow crystallographer JD Bernal near Stoke-on-Trent, where his and then the Royal Institution in September 1928 he said that father worked as a potter’s turner where Bragg set him the challenge leaving the Royal Institution to and furniture maker. Recognising of finding out whether X-ray take up the new post of Lecturer that her son showed academic flair crystallography might be used not in Textile Physics at Leeds left him from an early age, Astbury’s mother just to determine the structure of feeling as if he was “going into the

autumn 2015— 23 FEATURE

Come and find out about how it all works! A free public event on 12 April 2016 from 3pm - 5pm will demonstrate the importance of structural molecular biology. Get involved in interactive, hands-on activities and see demonstrations from the various Astbury disciplines of chemistry, physics and biological sciences. For more information and to book, visit astburyconversation.leeds.ac.uk

Astbury’s future: The Astbury BioStructure Laboratory

Early this year, Leeds announced that it was investing £17 million in a state-of-the-art laboratory for structural biology research within the Astbury Centre. The new facility will provide the University’s internationally- renowned Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology with instruments for Electron Microscopy and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance that are amongst the very best in the world. Professor Sheena Radford FRS is Director of the Astbury Centre. She says: “The biomedical challenges we face today include wilderness.” Dismissed by some as By the end of the Second World complex disorders associated New instruments being ‘biochemically lifeless and War, Astbury had a grand vision of with ageing, cancer, lifestyle and in the Astbury uninteresting’, wool did not seem like establishing Leeds as the national Biostructure drug resistance. To develop new Laboratory (see a promising subject on which to build centre for molecular biology and therapies for these diseases, we sidebar) will a scientific career, yet it was from his in a letter to the Vice-Chancellor need to understand biological allow researchers initial X-ray studies of wool fibres in 1945, he declared that “Leeds to understand structures at a molecular level and the biological that Astbury established himself both should be bold and help to lead the this investment will keep Leeds at structures as an international authority on the way” in this emerging new science. the forefront of this science.” of individual study of biological fibres using X-rays In support of Astbury’s vision, the The funding, approved by the molecules and and as the standard bearer for a whole develop new University Senate passed a resolution University Council, will pay for therapies for new science (see sidebars). to establish a new research unit two powerful 300 kilovolt (kV) complex disorders Popularised by Astbury as dedicated to studying the structure of electron microscopes (EM) that including cancer ‘molecular biology’, this new scientific biomolecules with Astbury as its head. and Alzheimer’s. will give researchers new insights This image shows discipline aimed to understand living Much to Astbury’s irritation however into the structure of healthy and the aggregates systems in terms of the shape of the they refused to allow him to use the diseased cells, and how pathogens (grey) that giant molecules from which they name ‘molecular biology’ in the title, cause amyloid like viruses and bacteria attack diseases (such were made. Working with a passion insisting instead that it be called them. The new microscopes will as Alzheimer’s) and excitement that his colleague ‘The Department of Biomolecular also allow researchers to solve the and the protein RD Preston once described as being Structure.’ Astbury referred to it as that forms these structures of individual molecules aggregates (green “boisterous to the end with every “that rather ridiculous mouthful.” and the complexes they make, in and yellow) morning a Christmas morning”, Semantics aside, there was the rather unprecedented detail. Astbury now turned his attention more urgent problem of how to fund The University will also fund a to a whole range of other fibrous the new unit, a golden opportunity new, ultra-sensitive 950 megahertz materials, including DNA, the for which came early in 1946 when (MHz) nuclear magnetic resonance molecule which we today know to Astbury was invited down to London (NMR) spectrometer which can be at the centre of heredity. In 1938, to present his case before the Medical reveal how biological structures his research assistant Florence Bell Research Council (MRC). Sadly move and interact in real time. took the very first successful X-ray however, the MRC did not share his This is essential to understand photographs of DNA fibres and vision and they rejected his proposal healthy cells and how they from these early studies by Bell and for funding, forcing him to return to malfunction in disease. The new Astbury, the Cambridge scientists what he lamented as ‘the cap-in-hand’ instrumentation will also provide James Watson and Francis Crick business (a description which may researchers with insights into how gained an important foothold when be familiar to many researchers in to design new drug molecules to they began their own work on the academia today). target complex health challenges structure of DNA, for which they Rejection by the MRC came as such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease would eventually be awarded the a severe blow to Astbury’s spirits, and antimicrobial resistance. 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology and on top of this there were more and Medicine. immediate challenges. Today, the

24 — autumn 2015 FEATURE

The Astbury Centre headed by Professor Sheena Radford brings together researchers from across the University – largely from physics, the biological sciences and chemistry – to understand the molecular basis of life. You can read more about William and Find more about the work of the Astbury Lawrence Bragg’s initial development of Centre at www.astbury.leeds.ac.uk X-ray crystallography at alumni.leeds.ac.uk

Astbury Centre headed by Professor of science in a very similar way, with Chain molecules and Sheena Radford for Structural clear winners and losers in a race to classical music Biology at the University of Leeds the finish line. Nowhere is this truer is internationally renowned for than in the story of the discovery of Astbury was a passionate producing top-quality research housed the structure of DNA. Yet the flaw in communicator of science and in an impressive building on campus, such accounts is that they interpret the would regularly explain to both but this is a far cry from its origins. past in terms of the present – the route lay and scientific audiences how Astbury’s new unit was originally to which looks obvious with the the idea of giant chain molecules housed in 9 Beechgrove Terrace, an benefit of hindsight. Writing history changing shape could account for old row of Victorian terraced houses in this way overlooks Astbury’s everyday phenomena such as the that stood opposite the Student Union true scientific legacy which went far boiling of an egg or the perming of building but which have since been beyond DNA and was wonderfully hair. Along with science, another demolished. As a former residential symbolized in his rather unusual of his great passions was for home, the property required extensive overcoat (see inset). Historians and classical music and this furnished work before it was fit for use as a philosophers of science will no doubt him with a poetic image when scientific research laboratory and fell continue to debate these issues. Whilst explaining the importance of these far short of what Astbury had hoped they do, what remains certain is that large molecules, by describing them A cartoon for, described once by him as being ‘a thanks to William Astbury and his depicting Astbury’s as ‘Nature’s chosen instrument makeshift and poor solution’. work, Leeds has a scientific heritage ‘Monkeynut coat’ in the symphony of creation’. In Yet despite having to contend of which it can be proud. which appeared a wonderful convergence of these in the Yorkshire with a number of challenges, not the Evening Post in two passions, he once exhibited least of which was regular flooding, January 1944 an X-ray image which showed the Astbury continued his work here and patterns made when X-rays were in 1951 his research assistant, Elwyn scattered by the fibrous protein Beighton, took some new X-ray keratin in human hair. On one photos of DNA that showed a striking The Man in the occasion, this image is said to pattern of black spots in the shape MonkeyNut Coat have even moved him to tears as of a cross. Nearly two years later, the hair fibres that were used in an almost identical image known as Astbury sported an overcoat the experiment had actually come ‘Photo 51’ and which was taken by which had been woven from an from the head of none other than the King’s College scientist Rosalind experimental fibre called ‘Ardil’ Mozart, who was one of Astbury’s Franklin and her PhD student, that was made by deliberately favourite composers. Raymond Gosling would provide unravelling the chains of the main James Watson with an important protein component of monkeynuts, The Astbury Conversation clue in the quest to solve the structure and refolding these chains into 11 - 12 April 2016 of DNA. Yet whilst Watson later insoluble fibres. While this did recalled how ‘Photo 51’ made his jaw not ultimately provide a cheap The Astbury Conversation will drop and his pulse race, Beighton’s and abundant alternative to wool bring together leading researchers near identical image elicited no such for use by the textile industry as from across the globe to discuss excitement in Astbury: he never had been hoped, it did illustrate the most recent work taking published it in a scientific journal nor the important idea that we could place in the field of structural did he ever present it at a meeting and now not only understand life in molecular biology. This unique (TOP RIGHT) it was the last piece of work on DNA terms of molecular shape but X-ray diffraction event will take place over two days that he did. deliberately alter living systems image of Mozart’s and will comprise a Symposium, Astbury’s apparent failure to at the molecular level. Not that hair, taken by Public Engagement Event and Astbury’s research grasp the significance of Beighton’s Astbury himself was entirely assistant Elwyn Public Lecture by Nobel Laureate photographs may well account for comfortable with this idea, for Beighton in 1958. Professor Michael Levitt, FRS. For his lapse into obscurity. But whether having spent his career passionately (By permission more information and to book visit of Astbury and this would be a fair or accurate way evangelising for molecular biology, Beighton families) astburyconversation.leeds.ac.uk to remember him is another question he was also deeply concerned that a entirely. More than thirty years after solely reductionist and mechanistic his legendary cricket performance at view of life might leave humanity Headingley, Ian Botham’s name is still with a severely diminished and well known, because when writing impoverished view of itself. the history of sport, it is the winners who are remembered. All too often there is a tendency to write the history

autumn 2015— 25 FEATURE

Old book– new chapter

The new Laidlaw library is cutting-edge, but part of tradition that stretches back two centuries

“I look back on my time at Leeds with great fondness and remain In 1786, William Hey, a Leeds The Laidlaw Library , named acutely aware that my university surgeon and the ‘principal medical after Irvine Laidlaw (Economics experience men of the town’, agreed to pay half 1963) will continue the tradition of provided a critical a guinea a year each to buy medical ensuring easy access to the Library’s foundation for my future life. It books, disseminating the latest High Demand Collection, including gives me enormous knowledge to the local professions. undergraduate texts for all disciplines. pleasure to In 1865, the resulting collection was It offers students over 900 study have been able presented to the Leeds School of to support the spaces, bookable group study rooms development of Medicine, later part of the University to promote collaborative writing, this beautiful new of Leeds, and so the Health Sciences great technology including universal library, which Library, now in the Worsley Building wireless access, and that much coveted will provide a stimulating and and refurbished in 2008 with support prize, decent coffee. The Community enjoyable learning from the Wolfson Trust, was born. Classroom is a unique feature of the environment for By 1936, Lord Brotherton, a new building, inspiring young people generations of students to come.” successful industrialist, philanthropist from schools across the country, and one of the country’s leading especially those from non-traditional Lord Laidlaw private collectors of rare books, had backgrounds, to enjoy their first taste (Economics 1963) funded the wondrous Brotherton of university life. Library; and in 1975 former Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, opened Alan Langlands the Edward Boyle Library, the Vice-Chancellor University’s ‘undergraduate library’, offering students core course materials and new teaching space.

26 — autumn 2015 FEATURE

2 1

1. The new library has more than 900 spaces to study 2. View from Woodhouse Lane 3. A wall near the entrance lists the names of the 2,300 Leeds alumni who gave a donation to help build and equip the library 1

3 Laidlaw Library Top Facts 2,300 Leeds alumni contributed to the £26 million investment. All their names are written on the “thank 95% of waste generated during “Architecturally it forms a stunning you” wall near the entrance. the construction of the library new entrance to our campus; was recycled. The building has an educationally it provides the As well as silent study areas, there ‘excellent’ BREEAM environmental stimulating and flexible space are 8 group study rooms, 10 group rating. All the LED screen and low needed for current and future study booths, and a cafe on the energy lights turn themselves off generations of students. I’ve watched ground floor. when no-one is around or when with fascination as the new library natural light levels increase. has risen from its foundations There are more than 900 spaces and taken form, beautifully clad to study with 17 different types of The Brotherton and Edward in Portland stone. Its design is in chair to choose from. There are Boyle Libraries continue to be harmony with the iconic Parkinson 1,068 charging sockets for laptops essential resources for students and Building, its facilities utterly in tune and tablets. academics. The Edward Boyle is with the demands of modern study. beginning a major refurbishment. The Brotherton Library, with its breathtaking domed reading room, inspired postwar generations. The Edward Boyle Library, with its brutalist design, provided cutting- The library houses 150,000 books. To see a video of the building edge facilities for a new generation. of the Laidlaw library, from The Laidlaw Library will make an plans to completion, visit equally profound impression on the https://www.youtube.com/ students of the future.” watch?v=671bz2PDyL8 The library has two beehives, on a Lord Bragg green roof halfway up the building Chancellor home to 50,000 bees. The queen is born from a long line of Leeds bees!

autumn 2015— 27 NEWS Thank you Student and research successes that you made possible

It was an opportunity to thank members of the Brotherton Circle, which recognises those who have chosen to include a gift to the University in their Will, and alumni who have expressed an interest in supporting the University in this thoughtful way. The group takes its name from Lord Brotherton, whose remarkable philanthropy helped create one of the UK’s great academic libraries at Leeds and guests were able to see some of the rare books and manuscripts which he bequeathed. We are enormously grateful to the growing number of people – alumni, current and former staff and friends of the University – who are choosing to support Leeds through a gift in their Will and we look forward to he says. “More often than not the holding more events which recognise conversation centres on which pubs Some of our their special contribution. c are still around and which bands student call team they saw in the union!” members Like many on the call team, Blake is himself a scholar, so knows Each year, alumni gifts to the first hand the benefits which this Footsteps Fund ensure students have support can bring. He was awarded the opportunity to make the most of a Centenary Alumni Scholarship, their experience at Leeds, regardless created to broaden the intake of of their background. young people from disadvantaged School pupils on A large proportion of your gifts backgrounds. the IntoUniversity support scholarships to enable “I’ve really enjoyed my time programme students from less-privileged families as a Footsteps Fund caller,” says to come to Leeds. Blake. “It gives me an opportunity From our callroom in the EC to fundraise for other student IntoUniversity Stoner Building, a team of students scholarships, which will hopefully makes phone calls on behalf of the help them like mine has helped me.” Thanks to the support of our donors, Footsteps Fund to graduates across Thank you to all of you who have our partnership with national charity the world. Contacting alumni over donated to the Footsteps Fund and IntoUniversity is going from strength the telephone connects graduates we hope that the next time you to strength. with current students, enabling them receive a call, you’ll enjoy talking February saw the official opening to hear the news from campus and to one of the current students and of our centre in Harehills in share their own stories. During the sharing your stories from your time East Leeds, where children aged last academic year the gifts given by at Leeds. seven and upwards attend after- alumni over the phone have funded school classes aimed at raising over fifty scholarships. their attainment and sparking an It’s also a great opportunity for Legacies event interest in higher education. current students to speak directly It’s based on a successful model. to graduates. Blake Lawrinson, More than 50 guests enjoyed a IntoUniversity began in 2002 as a studying International Relations, is guided tour of the stunning new homework club in North Kensington one of the Footsteps Fund student Laidlaw Library, followed by – and now operates 21 learning callers: “One of the great things afternoon tea at a special event to centres across the country, typically about speaking to alumni is having celebrate the important role legacies in communities with high levels the chance to share stories and hear have played – and continue to play – of poverty and poor attainment what University used to be like,” in the University’s development. at school.

28 — autumn 2015 NEWS

MAKING A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE Scholars’ success Donations from alumni and supporters over New figures show that on average, the last 5 years have taken our Campaign scholarship students are out-performing the total to nearly £60 million. Gifts to date rest of our student body. Of all last year’s have supported low-income students in graduates, 78% received either a First Class coming to University; research in heart degree or a 2:1. In the same year, 88% disease and cancer; sustainable agricultural of scholars achieved either a First or 2:1, techniques; theatre, music and literature proof that despite them sometimes entering projects. They have provided opportunities with lower A-Level grades than their peers for undergraduate students to run their own and having experienced barriers to higher research projects, and for students to get education, a scholarship enables them to their business ideas off the ground. fulfil their potential at Leeds.

Gifts from seven donors have Clinical Research Fellow Dr funded the first five years at the Sebastian Trainor has joined a team Harehills centre, based in a local investigating key proteins involved community hall. With its places in the development of kidney cancer, already fully subscribed, lively classes with a view to designing drugs to take place every weekday, its success target these proteins. PhD Scholars underlined by students like 16-year- Michelle Wantoch and Matthew old Aysha, transformed from a shy Holmes are contributing to Leeds’ and reluctant participant when she work on using viruses to kill hard-to- first arrived, to a confident, hard- beat tumours which survive surgery, working Student Council member. chemotherapy or radiotherapy. A student mentor from the Dr Naveen Vasudev, Honorary University worked with Aysha to Consultant in Medical Oncology, develop her confidence and perfect said: “We are so grateful to the her revision technique as she prepared Tony Bramall Charitable Trust for for her GCSE exams. Supported by this generous gift, which is funding IntoUniversity, she won a full bursary vital research and investing in talent. to take part in an expedition to These young people will not just be Canada, spending three weeks away working on our approaches to cancer from home, learning survival skills England rugby over the next three years, but will go and meeting many new people. union player on making important contributions (and former Now support from three alumni sports scholar) throughout their careers as researchers donors, a donation from engineering Calum Clark and clinicians.” firm Mott Macdonald and a major gift from the Asda Foundation have enabled the opening of a second centre in Beeston, close to the A great night, Scholar’s supermarket group’s headquarters just south of the city centre, offering actually World Cup the same life-changing opportunities to young people from this inner Leeds cinema and photography hopes city community. students took the chance to showcase their own talents – while creating Former sports scholar Calum Clark films about our Making A World of (Computing 2010) made his England PhD Scholar Difference Campaign – for a special rugby debut as the national side Michelle Wantoch, cinema themed event in London. prepared for the IRB Rugby World working on research into Students submitted screenplay ideas Cup. The Northampton Saints star using viruses to for short films covering one of three captained England’s under-20’s while kill tumours which projects supported by the Campaign: still a student – and is now hoping to survive surgery or treatments the IntoUniversity programme, Special make an impact in the tournament Collections and brain cancer research. which starts on September 18. The shortlisted film-makers each picked up a cheque for £500 and went on to make and edit their films, which To read more about how your support were shown to an alumni audience at has made a world of difference to our the Mondrian cinema on London’s students and research visit: Trust backs South Bank. The event was hosted campaign.leeds.ac.uk by Col Needham (Computer Science cancer 1988) who established the internet movie database IMDb. research The audience on the night voted ‘Leeds Actually Is You’ by third years Pioneering cancer treatments Stacey Kendall and Alice Greenfield as are the focus of three young the winning film – for which the two researchers whose work is being students received a further £500 prize. funded by a gift from a Yorkshire To watch the films go to http://bit. charitable trust. ly/1S8HVrI

autumn 2015 — 29 FEATURE

an amazing feat of writing to even Set sail with Ulysses contemplate, let alone achieve. Let him entertain you Ulysses is a massively funny book. It’s full of jokes and, as in real life, some of them are groaners. One character, called Lenehan, offers a dreadful pun about opera being like 2016 will MARK 75 YEARS SINCE of the death of author James Joyce and a railway line with its rows of cast Ulysses is his masterpiece. Don’t panic you’re worried it might be steel. Rose of Castille! Ulysses, like life, is full of people who tell bad wild, weird or difficult for the UNINITIATED – Dr Richard Brown from jokes. There are satirical elements the SCHOOL OF ENGLISH will guide you through. (It’s more accessible too, but the underlying humour of the book emerges from a warm, open and rewarding than you might think) and tolerant understanding of human nature in all of its complexity.

Science in literature Here’s your fact to impress others. A day in the life ...BUT ALSO AN EXPANSIVE ONE The word quark, now commonly To most people, the prospect of sitting James Joyce (left) Ulysses is as epic as the titular tip of used in physics, was coined by Joyce down and reading Ulysses would be in 1920 chatting the hat to an ancient hero suggests. in his novel Finnegan’s Wake. There’s with Shakespeare daunting. It’s too big, too challenging, & Co. book shop Take one episode, a rambling broad spectrum of science in his too difficult. But at its heart, there’s owner Sylvia soliloquy by Molly Bloom which isn’t novel Ulysses too. Leopold Bloom is something quite simple. The novel Beach (centre) even set in Dublin. Molly may be in interested in astronomy, in physics, in and writer and covers what’s happening in Dublin on publisher Adrienne bed in Dublin but her thoughts range urban engineering. Acknowledging a single day, the 16th of June 1904. Monnier (right). throughout her life - particularly her just how much about his own field Joyce tries to take account of all of Beach was to upbringing in Gibraltar. There’s as can be learnt from Ulysses, the the things that might happen to an publish Ulysses in much history in Ulysses as present 1922. (Gisele Freud/ psychologist Carl Jung “I suppose the ordinary person, in an ordinary city, Getty Images) moments, as much science as there devil’s grandmother knows so much on an ordinary day. is literature. about the real psychology of a woman, I didn’t.” A SMALL STORY... Flowing language In Ulysses, Joyce brings Aristotle’s There are moments in Ulysses where Irish writer notion of the unities of time, place, Joyce embarks on a linguistic journey James Joyce the quintessential character and action into the 20th Each year on that removes you from being able to Dubliner? In reality, Joyce left Dublin century. Ulysses has a very limited 16 June, people understand, at a simple level, what’s in 1904, at the age of 22, and he only place and time – the urban space of around the going on – and it doesn’t matter one returned for one short period after world celebrate Dublin on the 16th June 1904 – a Bloomsday, in bit. In one chapter, some medical that. He lived in Trieste, then Zurich, small number of key characters – the tribute to the students are gathered in a maternity then Paris, where he was at the everyman Leopold Bloom, his wife meanderings hospital. Their conversation soars on epicentre of European experimental on that day of Molly and the intellectual Stephen the book’s main wild and wonderful literary journey art and literature. Dublin, however, Dedalus – and a minimum of action. character, from the very origins of English as remained the setting for his stories. Though, of course, from another Leopold Bloom a language through the English of Joyce died in 1941 at the age of viewpoint quite a lot happens. medieval times, the Renaissance, the 58 and was buried in Zurich in 18th and 19th centuries and into 20th Fluntern cemetery. century urban idiomatic slang. It’s

30 — autumn 2015 FEATURE

Dr Richard Brown, Reader in Modern Literature in the School of English at the University of Leeds, where the main focus of his interest is modern literature and especially the work of James Joyce and selected contemporary British novelists. As well as conference papers and article, he has published four books on Joyce, and co-edits The James Joyce Broadsheet. Richard was speaking to Ceri Thomas.

James Joyce Leeds students at Leeds and James Joyce in Dublin. Students visit the locations Joyce wrote a body of work worthy of in Ulysses as part a literature course in itself, beginning of their study with relatively simple short stories – Dubliners and his lyric poems Chamber Music – and then going through A Portrait Of The Artist as a Young Man, then Ulysses to his last, even more experimental work, Leeds’ Special Finnegan’s Wake. “But I don’t think Collections holds a number of rare that that’s the necessary trajectory for books by Joyce, everyone” says Dr Brown. including a first “At Leeds,” he says, “we have all edition of Ulysses (pictured). The sorts of ways to help people into University also James Joyce. We edit a journal has a copy of the about Joyce called The James Joyce French magazine Broadsheet which recently passed its ‘Transition’ that contains an 100th issue. extract of what “I teach a module on Ulysses where was to become we read it in detail, get to know Finnegan’s Wake, and a postcard about the ways it has been discussed in the Dobree and can even go off to Dublin on a Collection day trip to explore the locations of featuring a sketch of Joyce the book. by the vorticist “Since 2011, we’ve been running a Wyndham Lewis reading group based around Joyce’s final novel, Finnegan’s Wake. People who haven’t encountered any James Joyce, or even any literature before, are very welcome to come and participate in the challenging and enjoyable process of trying to make sense of Finnegan’s Wake.” That’s four years. On the same novel. One imagines Joyce’s pleasure at turning the modern book club on its head.

autumn 2015— 31 LEEDS ALUMNI EVENTS LEEDS ALUMNI EVENTS

2,027 of you have attended an alumni event or reunion over the last year. You brought an additional 1,248 guests with you! Here are highlights from some of the 102 alumni events that took place. To find out about forthcoming events visit alumni.leeds.ac.uk/events

April 2015 Hong Kong alumni lecture and reception We visited our alumni in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong in April. The Vice-Chancellor Alan Langlands joined us for his first alumni events in Malaysia and Hong Kong. April 2015 Singapore alumni reception

May 2015 Alumni Sports Day, Weetwood

September 2014 Wimbledon alumni reception

32 — autumn 2015 LEEDS ALUMNI EVENTS

April 2015 April 2015 Hong Kong alumni lecture Kuala Lumpur alumni reception and reception We’ve had fun at the Leeds2London quiz night, annual Sports Day and wine tasting event.

March 2015 Alumni pub quiz, London We’ve had some very special events this year including our first ever event at Wimbledon in September and our fifth event at the House of Lords in June 2015. May 2015 House of Lords alumni reception We’ve thanked our donors at some fantastic events including the Scholarships Reception, Hard Hat Dinner, Leeds Actually and the official opening of the Laidlaw Library. DECEMBER 2014 October 2014 Scholarships RECEPTION LAIDLAW LIBRARY HARD HAT DINNER

autumn 2015— 33 Can we Count on you?

funding deadline 31-12-15 URgenT

will you be the start of something amazing for future generations of leeds students?

new vision Central atrium

new vision riley Smith hall

you Can give your gift We need your urgent help to renovate the in a number Leeds University Union so that future Leeds of ways students can discover the passions, interests GIVE ONLINE and friendships that will last a lifetime. at alumni.leeds.ac.uk/unionappeal With the student population growing, the Leeds and find out more about the essential University Union building is no longer fit for refurbishment you could help to fund. purpose. That’s why we need your support. CALL 0113 343 2499 to make a gift by phone. By helping to fund this urgent refurbishment, POST your donation to us by completing the form you could give the students following in your enclosed with this issue and returning it in the footsteps the space and facilities they need envelope provided. to join societies and sports teams, make new friends and enjoy a uniquely Leeds education – Alternatively, if you are in the USA please visit one that goes far beyond seminars and lectures. alumni.leeds.ac.uk/unionappeal-us to give your gift.

Please give your gift today

The University of Leeds is an exempt charity under Schedule 2 of the Charities Act 1993. Our reference number with the Charities Division of HM Revenue and Customs is X6861.

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