University Magazine Cardiff for Alumni & Friends
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SUMMER 2012 University Magazine Cardiff for Alumni & Friends Going for gold FROM ATHLETE TRAINING TO CROWD CONTROL – HOW CARDIFF IS SETTING THE PACE OLYMPIC ALUMNI THE MILLENNIUM STADIUM Meet the Cardiff people Is the iconic ground a good involved in London 2012 investment for Cardiff ? Change the Future – Today Cardi University is the home But we cannot do it without Would you like of explorers and visionaries. the support of people like you. People come here to understand the world around them. Making a gift in your will to help us nd... to Cardi University is an Our students and researchers excellent way of making a alike are united by a desire di erence to the future of the cure for cancer? to bring to light new ways research and scholarship here. of thinking, to share ideas Your support will enable us to and inspire others, to explore make discoveries and inventions an e ective unfamiliar territory and to that will change the world and treatment for discover a brighter future. have far-reaching e ects. Alzheimer’s and other To request your free copy neurological diseases? of our guide to leaving a gift in your will, “Your gift for the future”, please a sustainable contact Eleanor Hewett, Legacy O cer on way for future +44 (0)29 2087 0372 or generations to live? email hewette@cardi .ac.uk Cardi; University is a registered charity no. 1136855. All gifts in wills are tax free. contents Welcome CONTENTS REGULARS 4 News 10 A new VC, a winning Apprentice and other news 24 Network Alumni share their roles in the Olympics, from PR to umpiring 30 First person As you read this, the London 2012 Olympics will be under The BBC’s Olympic head 17 Flex appeal way and sports and non-sports fans alike will be swept up in Louisa Fyans talks about Student physiotherapists keep the excitement and drama of the biggest event to be hosted her time at Cardiff visiting Olympians fi t in an in the UK in our lifetime. Behind the sporting spectacle have award-winning collaboration been many years of planning and delivery, and amongst THE SPORT ISSUE those thousands who will help make the Games a success Crowd control are many who have only a distant involvement in sport. FEATURES 18 Monitoring the movement of The architects who designed the venues, the engineers sports fans through computer who built them, the city and regional planners who have 10 Supporting modelling technology integrated the physical sites into their wider surroundings, endeavour the healthcare professions supporting the athletes and the Discover how universities are journalists reporting the sporting stories – all of these and backing Olympic athletes 20 Stronger many more will have received their professional grounding together at the UK’s Universities. The contribution doesn’t stop there 14 Stadium city Why the University’s business – and you can read about the huge variety of University Is the iconic Millennium partnerships are a great deal involvement in sport in this issue of the Cardiff University Stadium good value for locals? for both parties Magazine. As with so much in life, the London 2012 Olympics will 16 Mind games 23 Mastering the showcase the importance and brilliance of individual talent Philosophy and sport - mother tongue and successful teamwork – skills which so many Cardiff what links these unlikely Why football coach Chris staff , students and alumni demonstrate. Whether taking bedfellows? Coleman is learning Welsh part in sport at University, graduating into professions such as engineering or physiotherapy, or researching ways in which to enable the rest of us to watch and participate in sport in a safer and better way, Cardiff University will have Wherever you are, stay in played its part in a variety of Olympic activities – something of which we can all be very proud. touch with Cardiff University At the end of August this year I will be retiring as ON THE GO? SIMPLY USE YOUR SMARTPHONE Vice-Chancellor. I have been very privileged to serve the TO SCAN THIS CODE AND IT WILL TAKE YOU University in this role for eleven years. I am confi dent that STRAIGHT TO THE ALUMNI SECTION OF OUR WEBSITE our new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Colin Riordan, will lead our University to even greater success in future years. Editor: Sarah Price I wish Colin, the teams in Cardiff , and our world- wide community of supporters, Print: The Westdale Press Limited 70 Portmanmoor Industrial Estate, East Moors, every success in the future. Cardiff CF24 5HB Gold medals, I hope! Cardiff University Magazine is produced in association with: Thank you all Immediate Media Co Cardiff University Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BN Development and T +44 (0)117 927 9009 www.immediatemedia.co.uk Dr David Grant Alumni Relations CBE FREng FLSW Division, Unless otherwise indicated, copyright in this publication Cardiff University, belongs to Cardiff University. This document can be made CEng FIET Deri House, 2–4 Park available in alternative formats upon request. It is also Vice-Chancellor Grove, Cardiff CF10 3PA available on our website at www.cardiff .ac.uk/alumni. Views T +44 (0)29 2087 6473 expressed in Cardiff University Magazine do not necessarily F +44 (0)29 2087 0326 refl ect those of the University. The Editor reserves the right E alumni@cardiff .ac.uk to edit contributions received. While care is taken to ensure www.cardiff .ac.uk/alumni accuracy of information, this cannot be guaranteed. Olympic Torch image: LOCOG/London 2012 image: LOCOG/London Olympic Torch COVER IMAGE: CARDIFF RINGS ©LEWIS FACKRELL www.cardiff .ac.uk 3 news Cardiff grad wins The Apprentice Richard Martin, who graduated from the School of Biosciences UPDATE with a Biochemistry degree FOR THE LATEST NEWS AND EVENTS AT CARDIFF in 2006, took the title in this year’s BBC The Apprentice UNIVERSITY, VISIT WWW.CARDIFF.AC.UK/NEWS series. Recognised as the most improved contestant, Richard won a £250,000 partnership with Lord Sugar, which he’ll New Vice Chancellor Colin Riordan and Chief put towards his scientifi c Operating Offi cer Hugh Jones (inset) recruitment business. Funding boost for Maindy Park Maindy Park, the University’s new state-of-the-art research campus, received a boost in April when Business Minister Edwina Hart announced £6m in new funding from the Welsh Government. The fi rst phase will accommodate the European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute and the Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute. The new funding, which will be matched by the University, A NEW LEADERSHIP will enable the second phase to progress, including a new TEAM FOR CARDIFF Sustainable Places Research Institute. Mrs Hart said: “We know that a sound and vibrant The University has appointed two highly respected Professor Riordan said: “I feel very privileged to scientifi c and technological fi gures as Vice-Chancellor and Chief Operating be given the opportunity to lead Cardiff University. base has substantial potential Offi cer. Professor Colin Riordan, currently Vice- This is a very challenging time in the development to boost the economy.” Chancellor of the University of Essex, will take on of higher education. However, as Wales’s leading the top job in September, when the current Vice- university, Cardiff is well placed to play a Chancellor, Dr David Grant, retires. Meanwhile signifi cant role in the future landscape upon Hugh Jones, formerly at Goldsmiths, University of which so much depends.” London, joined the University in the newly-created As Chief Operating Offi cer, Hugh Jones role of Chief Operating Offi cer in April. will report directly to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Riordan is an expert on post-war and is responsible for ensuring the University’s German culture who has taught at universities administration is effi cient and integrated. Heading including Swansea and Newcastle. He has also been to Wales after a distinguished management career a key fi gure in the higher education debate in the at the University of London, Hugh described UK in recent years: in 2009 he chaired the Higher Cardiff as “a world-class university in a dynamic Education Funding Council for England’s enquiry capital city” and said he was “looking forward to into teaching quality, and he is a board member working with staff across the University to make of Universities UK, the Edge Foundation and the the necessary changes for the next steps in Equality Challenge Unit. Cardiff’s development”. 4 Cardiff University Magazine SUMMER 2012 news New web resource for education in Europe NESETweb – a Europe-wide online and training will be included, as well as resource that will support the issues such as the costs and benefi ts development of education across the of cross-sector working, the strengths European Union – has been launched by and weaknesses of diff erent ‘recovery’ Cardiff School of Social Sciences. strategies for children and young people, Funded by the European Commission and transitions from school to work or and available in English, French, German further education. and Welsh, NESET (the Network of Professor Sally Power, Director of Varsity Shield Experts on Social Aspects of Education NESET, said: “The website has the and Training) will give policymakers and potential to connect the education returns to practitioners access to more than 50 research committee and the policymakers leading researchers from across Europe. and practitioners who face the diffi cult Cardiff Up-to-date debates and evidence task of trying to make education not just The University beat local rival relating to social aspects of education better, but fairer.” Swansea in more than 20 sports on 2 May, including a comprehensive victory in the Varsity rugby at the Millennium Stadium.