Professor James Stirling Joins the College in the New Role of Provost → Centre Pages

Issue 263 ▸ 1 August 2013 reporterSharing stories of Imperial’s community

Meet our first Provost Professor James Stirling joins the College in the new role of Provost → centre pages

Mysterious The Silwood Medical perspective messengers circle Imperial students Neutrino The top hone their skills particles may ecologists who at new medical show the way made their name school in to new physics at the campus Singapore PAGE 5 PAGE 8 PAGE 3 2 >> newsupdate www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 1 August 2013 • issue 263

Imperial launches Alumni Visitor Centre

Mr Koh Boon Hwee, Imperial alum- developing these activities. Impe- nus (Mechanical Engineering, 1972) rial has alumni all over the world and editor’s corner and Chairman of Nanyang Techno- London is probably the most cosmo- logical University, joined members politan city. Alumni will pop by and of the College’s Council and other the Alumni Visitor Centre provides a Wanderlust prominent alumni to formally open very good point of contact.” the new Alumni Visitor Centre on Anne Blake, alumnus (Mechani- With all the great work the South Kensington Campus last cal Engineering, 1974) and a mem- that goes on across our month. ber of Imperial’s Court, said: “Alumni campuses in the UK, it coming to Imperial can wander round can sometimes be easy to The Alumni Visitor Centre provides an Mr Koh noted how much the Col- campus, reminiscing about their time forget that Imperial has a exclusive space on campus for visit- lege had changed since he was a stu- here, but it’s invaluable that they now truly global reach. In this ing Imperial alumni and their guests dent, with iconic campus buildings have a space specifically for them, issue alone we report on to relax, work, meet friends and col- now facing onto Exhibition Road. where they feel welcome.” Yoshi Uchida and Morgan leagues, and catch up with the latest He said: “It’s important to engage — Caroline Davis, Communications and Public Wascko’s research at the developments at the College. alumni and it’s great to see Imperial Affairs T2K particle experiment in Japan (page 5); Sunday Popo-Ola’s work with the United Arab Emirates using Major grants for date palms as sustainable New centre building materials (page future technologies 10); and Imperial medics will reap on elective at the new Storing energy from sustainable sources and Lee Kong Chian School rewards of improving surgical robotic technology are two of Medicine in Singapore Imperial-led projects receiving major funding from (page 3). The School – the government. established by Nanyang synthetic Technological University The projects received a combined total of £18.3 and Imperial in October biology million from the Engineering and Physical Sci- 2010 – will admit its first ences Research Council and were announced this students on 5 August A £24 million cash injection will help realise the UK’s goal week by David Willetts, Minister for Universities after three years of careful of commercialising synthetic biology into a range of new and Science. Imperial is one of 20 UK universities planning. industries. to receive funds for research that has been Perhaps our most exciting identified by the government as a future driver adventures happen in The Imperial-led SynbiCITE Centre will be a national resource, of UK growth. outer space, with Imperial involving researchers from a further 17 universities and aca- Professor Nigel Brandon, Director of Impe- technology having been demic institutions across the UK, as well as 13 industrial rial’s Energy Futures Lab, has been awarded a used on interplanetary partners including the research arms of Microsoft, Shell and £14.3 million project to develop new technolo- missions over the years. GlaxoSmithKline. gies for storing energy captured from low carbon That expertise was called The main aim of the Centre will be to provide a bridge sources, such as wind farms and nuclear reac- upon for a recent BBC between academia and industry to speed up the develop- tors, so that it can be used more effectively by interactive series, How to ment of new technologies in synthetic biology. This is a field the National Grid. He will lead a group of 10 uni- put a human on Mars, to of science where researchers re-engineer cells to develop versities in the project. which academics across microscopic devices that can be used to address a range of Professor Guang-Zhong Yang, co-director of the Faculties of Natural global challenges such as producing low-carbon fuel, reduc- the College’s Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery, Sciences, Engineering ing the cost of industrial raw materials and producing new will take the helm of a £4 million project that will and Medicine contributed pharmaceuticals. establish new engineering facilities for developing (page 4). The Centre will be led by Professors Richard Kitney (Bio- miniaturised robots for surgery and new types of For those with sights closer engineering) and Paul Freemont (Life Sciences). targeted therapies for patients. to Earth this summer “One of the major challenges that industry and academia Imperial’s President & Rector Sir Keith O’Nions though, keep safe and face in synthetic biology is translating breakthroughs in said: “These two projects exemplify some of the have fun. research into new products. The aim of the new Centre is to technologies that could successfully power the andrew czyzewski, Acting Editor break down roadblocks so that new industries can be devel- UK’s economy well into the future. Developing bet- oped that could ultimately help to safeguard the UK’s eco- ter surgical robots could pave the way for their Reporter is published every three weeks during term time in nomic future,” said Professor Kitney. wider use, which should mean better outcomes print and online. “The UK is a global leader in synthetic biology and we for patients, and creating better ways for storing Contact Andrew Czyzewski: hope the establishment of SynbiCITE will help us to capitalise green energy should put the UK on a much more [email protected] on our research success,” said Professor Freemont. sustainable path in terms of our power usage.” — Colin Smith, Communications and Public Affairs — Colin Smith, Communications and Public Affairs 3 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 1 August 2013 • issue 263 >> newsupdate

Huawei and Imperial explore “Our clinicians gave good research collaboration feedback and I was Chinese networking and telecommunications company personally Huawei and Imperial have signed a memorandum of under- impressed by standing (MoU) to consider the development of a research and the students’ innovation centre focused on the next generation of big data bedside technologies. manner”

Imperial and Huawei plan to collaborate on a joint R&D hub, enabling academic researchers and business experts to collec- tively develop innovations and applications in research areas including digital, energy, healthcare, future cities and life sci- Medics get unique ences. The proposed joint centre would be located on Imperial’s new research and translation campus, Imperial West, in White experience in Singapore City, west London. The MoU was signed by Imperial’s President & Rector, Sir Seventeen MBBS students from the College recently completed a clinical Keith O’Nions, and William Xu, Chief Executive of Huawei’s elective in Singapore – the first group of Imperial medics to undertake a Enterprise Business Group. placement there. Oliver Letwin MP, Minis- ter of State at the Cabinet The elective was offered by the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedi- Office, attended the sign- cine), Singapore’s newest medical school. Established by Nanyang Techno- ing ceremony at Imperial logical University and Imperial in October 2010, the School is awaiting its first and underlined the gov- intake of students in August this year. ernment’s support for the The Imperial medics, who are in their sixth year of study, undertook a partnership. three or six-week placement. Supported by the School, the students gained an Sir Keith said: “We are insight into the Singaporean healthcare system. excited to have taken the MBBS student, Anil Sunny Chopra, said: “I had always wanted to go to Sin- first step in what we hope will be a long-term collaboration with gapore because of what I had heard about the weather, culture and food. After Huawei, a company which plays a major role in the global ICT a one-week induction to Singapore’s healthcare system with visits to hospitals, industry. Imperial and Huawei share a commitment to translat- clinics and rehab centres, I spent the next three weeks in Tan Tock Seng Hospi- ing research, innovation and developing next generation data tal’s Emergency Department. I found it interesting how much more streamlined science technology for the benefit of society and the economy.” their admissions became as a result of their fully electronic medical record sys- Under the terms of the MoU, Imperial and Huawei have also tem – we could learn a few things from them.” agreed to spend a year exploring other opportunities for collabo- The LKCMedicine team also found the pilot a success. Associate Profes- ration over the next decade. Options being considered include sor Tham Kum Ying said: “The Imperial elective placements went well. The a Huawei-Imperial Joint Innovation Centre suite, which would students were friendly and got along well with the other trainee doctors. Our be used by Imperial researchers, students and Huawei staff as a clinicians gave good feedback and I was personally impressed by their bedside meeting and work space. The suite could also act as a state-of- manner and good interpersonal skills.” the-art demonstration centre where technology, including Hua- Following the successful pilot the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine elec- wei solutions, can be viewed by the public. tive will now be offered to eligible Imperial students every year. — Andrew Scheuber, Communications and Public Affairs — Lucy Handford, Communications and Public Affairs

Mind the Business School Passing on the funding launches first Innovations baton I received a call gap summer school Susan Searle has stepped down as Chief on Monday from the Disorders of Students from around Executive Officer of Imperial Innovations College to ask if we in brief the brain, the world have Group after 20 years of service, 11 as CEO. including attended the Busi- Russ Cummings, Chief Investment Officer could ring the bells to dementia, ness School’s first and a Director since the group’s flota- celebrate the birth of stroke, and mental health issues, cost the summer school pro- tion in 2006, has become Chief Executive UK around £112 billion annually, a new gramme. The one- Officer with immediate effect. Dr Martin the royal baby. After a report says. The research, led by scientists month programme Knight, Group Chairman, said: “On behalf series of emails and from the University of Cambridge, the Uni- aims to give students of the board and the group as whole, I phone calls, I had versity of Hertfordshire and Imperial, is the a taster of what it’s would like to thank Susan for her consid- most recent and comprehensive study of like to study here and erable contribution. During her tenure, assembled our team the costs and prevalence of brain disor- also provides a path- she transformed the group from an oper- by Tuesday morning.” ders in the UK. The figure includes direct way for them to apply ational division of Imperial College Lon- medical costs as well as indirect costs, for a graduate degree don, as its technology transfer office, to JAMES WHITE, WHO HAS RUNG THE BELLS IN THE QUEEN’S TOWER REGULARLY OVER such as lost productivity due to absence programme in the a major independent venture capital and THE LAST 13 YEARS. from work or early retirement. future. technology licensing business.” 4 >> newsupdate www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 1 August 2013 • issue 263

Join our mailing list media mentions for regular news alerts: www. —Colin Smith, Communications and Public Affairs imperial.ac.uk/media/jointsignup

Revolution in the air Mock Martian mission iKnife can be applied in a wide range of financial times ▸ 11.07.2013 bbc news ▸ 24.07.2013 cancer surgery procedures,” Dr Zoltan Takats (Surgery and Cancer) told BBC Synthetic biology could be the next Scientists from the College have worked with journalists from the BBC News Online. “It provides a result almost ‘industrial revolution’ for the UK, to design a concept mission to land astronauts on Mars. The plan instantly, allowing surgeons to carry out where tiny devices manufactured envisages a three-person crew journeying to Mars aboard a small procedures with a level of accuracy that from cells are used to improve two-part craft, which would rotate to generate artificial gravity and hasn’t been possible before.” many facets of our lives, Professor use a heat shield to protect itself against solar flares. “Every part of Richard Kitney (Bioengineering) this mission scenario has been demonstrated one way or the other, told the Financial Times: “From including the in situ propellant production on the surface of Mars,” Anti freeze producing new, more sustainable said Professor Tom Pike (Electrical and Electronic Engineering), who daily mail ▸ 21.02.2013 fuels to developing devices that led the Imperial design team. “There are big, big jumps between a can monitor or improve our health, demonstration at one level and putting together the engineering A period of global warming five million years the applications in this field are systems for a mission, but they are engineering challenges.” ago may have caused parts of Antarctica’s limitless.” His comments followed large ice sheets to melt and sea levels to the announcement that Imperial rise by approximately 20 metres, reported academics will join the US, China, Cancer sniffing knife the Daily Mail. The researchers studied mud India and other countries in the bbc news ▸ 17.07.2013 samples to learn about ancient melting synthetic yeast project, which of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. “Our study aims to recreate the yeast genome An ‘intelligent’ knife that can sniff out underlines that these conditions have led from scratch in the laboratory. tumours to improve cancer surgery to a large loss of ice and significant rises in “Now we have the opportunity to has been developed by scientists. global sea level in the past,” said co-author adapt yeasts further, turning them The Imperial team aim to overcome Dr Tina van de Flierdt (Earth Science and into predictable and robust hosts the dangerous and common problem Engineering). “Scientists predict that global for manufacturing the complex of leaving bits of the tumour in a temperatures of a similar level may be products we need for modern patient, which can then regrow. Early reached by the end of this century, so it is living,” Professor Paul Freemont results showed the iKnife could accurately identify cancerous tissue important for us to understand what the (Life Sciences) added. on the spot. “These results provide compelling evidence that the possible consequences might be.”

awards and rescence lifetime imaging. Emeritus charity fundraising and drama, to honours Professor Tom Kibble becomes one knitting and American football. The of four new honorary fellows of the nominees each received an award IoP for his exceptional service to valued at £700. campus services physics. Professors Ed Hinds and Just desserts Lyndon Rees Evans both received engineering Gold Awards. Toumazou wins Royal Imperial’s Catering team was Society medal recognised with an award for natural sciences engineering Best Catering Service at the Five physicists receive Alumni association Professor Chris Toumazou (Elec- annual College and University IoP accolades recognises students trical and Electronic Engineering) Business Officers (CUBO) awards has been awarded the Royal Soci- ceremony last month. They faced Five leading academics from the Nineteen students from across the ety’s biennial Gabor Medal for his stiff competition from fellow Department of Physics are among nine departments of the Faculty of work in applying semiconductor nominees and won the overall the 2013 Institute of Physics (IoP) Engineering have received awards technology to biomedical and life award jointly with Kent. Part of award winners. Professor Sir John in recognition of extra curricular science applications. The technol- Campus Services, Catering has Pendry received the Isaac New- achievements. The Student ogy’s most recent application has undergone considerable growth ton Medal for his outstanding con- Activity Awards are conferred by been to DNA analysis. The Gabor and development over the past tribution to physics, in particular the Old Centralians’ Trust – the Medal is named after the late Impe- six years, turning around a loss- his work exploring metamaterials. charitable arm of the City and rial physicist Dennis Gabor and is making operation and improving Professor Paul French won a Joule Guilds College Association, the awarded for interdisciplinary work its satisfaction score by 44% Medal Subject Award for his contri- Engineering alumni organisation. between the life sciences with to 80%. butions to the development of fluo- The student activities ranged from other disciplines. 5 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 1 August 2013 • issue 263 >> newsupdate

Bubbles could be used to deliver drug treatments

using a powerful microscope. This allowed them to map the microbubble shells accurately and determine their flexibilty. Information about the properties and behaviour of microbubbles could be used to improve their manufacture so that they can be designed for specific biomedical purposes, such as ultrasound and for delivering drugs. The researchers also demonstrated that adding certain molecules to the bub- Scientists have found a way to illuminate ble shells makes them more stable. In Shape shifting tiny bubbles injected into the bloodstream the future, scientists could replace these to aid ultrasound imaging of blood flow, molecules with drugs, so that the bub- particles could hold potentially allowing the targeted delivery bles could deliver medicine to where it is of drugs. required in the body in an efficient, tar- key to new physics geted way. Until now, researchers have been unable One of the lead researchers, Dr Marina New research has shown that subatomic particles to study the flexibility of the bubble shells, Kuimova (Chemistry), said: “The new tech- called neutrinos have a previously unseen iden- making it hard to predict their behaviour nique can potentially have a big impact on tity-shifting property. under ultrasound beams precisely. our understanding of how microbubbles By inserting a glowing molecule just interact with living cells and each other in The T2K experiment in Japan fires beams of neutri- beneath the outer shell of the bubbles, blood vessels. We can now begin work on nos – ghostly particles that have almost no mass researchers at Imperial and the University how to manipulate or manufacture micro- and interact very weakly with matter – under- of Oxford were able to study the shells of bubbles for use in medical treatments.” ground to a detector 295km away. bubbles in minute detail for the first time —Michael Jones, Communications and Public Affairs Scientists from the T2K collaboration, which involves Dr Yoshi Uchida and Dr Morgan Wascko (Physics), recently confirmed that neutrinos change between different types, or oscillate, in three ways. Bird and human brains wired similarly Dr Uchida said: “Using huge volumes of data collected at the T2K experiment, we have been You may have more in common with a to craft and use tools. able to check and cross- pigeon than you realise, according to Professor Shanahan commented: check the results of our “We are now new research showing that humans and “Birds have been evolving separately from neutrino experiments, and ready to make birds have brains that are wired in a mammals for around 300 million years, so are now ready to make a a statement similar way. it is hardly surprising that under a micro- statement that stands up to that stands up scope the brain of a bird looks quite differ- scientific scrutiny.” to scientific Professor Murray Shanahan (Computing) ent from a mammal. Yet birds have been Following the new scrutiny” and colleagues have developed a map of shown to be remarkably intelligent in a findings, the researchers are a typical bird brain, showing for the first similar way to mammals such as humans keen to explore whether neutrinos oscillate in a time how different regions are connected and monkeys. Our study demonstrates different way to their antimatter particles (called together to process information. By that by looking at brains that are least like anti-neutrinos). Equal amounts of matter and comparing it to brain diagrams our own, yet still capable of generating antimatter were thought to have existed at the for different mammals such as intelligent behaviour, we can determine start of the universe but now everything that we humans, the team discovered the basic principles governing the know is made of ordinary matter. that areas important for high- way brains work.” If any such differences between neutrinos level cognition, like long-term The team’s long-term goal and anti-neutrinos can be found, this will help memory and problem solving, are is to use the information scientists explain how all the antimatter has wired up to other regions of the generated from the wir- disappeared from the universe. brain in a similar way. ing diagram to build “The exciting thing is that, combined with Birds have been shown in pre- computer models that other neutrino experiments, this work can help vious studies to possess a range of mimic the way animal us understand whether there is a significant skills, namely a capacity for com- brains function in order matter-antimatter asymmetry in neutrinos,” said plex social reasoning, an ability to to control a robot. Dr Uchida. solve problems, and some have —Colin Smith, Communications —Simon Levey, Communications and Public Affairs even demonstrated the capability and Public Affairs 6 >> featurefocus www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 1 August 2013 • issue 263 James the first

This month Professor James Stirling becomes Imperial’s first Provost, responsible for the College’s core academic mission, following an esteemed career in physics research and higher education leadership.

When Henry Taylor Bovey was appointed Imperial’s first Rec- tor in 1908, the College had an income of £65,000, just three buildings and only around 500 students. Since then the role has become infinitely more complex, requiring the juggling of many different priorities – not only excellence in research and teaching but also in forging corporate partnerships and alumni relationships. For this reason Imperial has now decided that a Presi- dent and Provost model – which has proved successful in many top US universities – is the right path for the College.

Dual leadership

After a global search, Professor James Stirling becomes Imperial’s first Provost this month. James was born and raised in Belfast and went on to study at the University of Cambridge on a Natural Sciences Entrance Scholarship. After appointments in the USA, Swit- zerland and the UK, in 2011 he became Head of Cambridge’s world famous Cavendish Laboratory – boasting some 30 Nobel laureates – from where he joins Imperial. “I was the 13th Head of Department and, when you look back at the history of the Cavendish, the phrase ‘standing on the shoulders of giants’ comes to mind,” James says. “You look at the names of the first few heads of department – James Clerk Maxwell, Lord Rayleigh, J.J. Thompson, Ernest Rutherford – and to be part of that line of command has been an immense privilege.” Still, James says he has admired Imperial from afar for some time. Having previously concluded himself that a

What novel or book are you currently reading?

Q & A I’ve just finished Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel. As good, if not better, than Wolf Hall, and I put the book down thinking, “please hurry up and write the third one!”

Who has influenced you most in your career? Richard Feynman. I had the privilege of meeting him a couple of times as, back in the 1980s, there was a tiny portion What would be your desert island disc? of his extensive research career that Probably a Leonard Cohen compilation CD. There’s just some- overlapped with mine. The word genius thing magical about the man and his music. When I was getting should of course be used sparingly, into popular music as a teenager he was an early favourite and but his contributions to science are so now, all these years later, we’ve got tickets to see him perform at many, so varied and so influential that the O2 arena in September, still going strong at 78 years old. I think he deserves the accolade. 7 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 1 August 2013 • issue 263 >> featurefocus

dual leadership model was the best way forward for UK uni- itage in his own field – physics – noting the pivotal role Imperial versities, he was immediately interested when he heard Imperial Professors Abdus Salam, Tom Kibble and others has adapted that the Imperial Provost job was available, noting that it played in developing the theory relating to the now-con- very well to wasn’t just any university, but one of the world’s best. firmed Higgs Boson particle. “The external perception of Imperial is an institution “One of the things that has pleased me most about the the challenges that has adapted very well to the challenges facing any UK Higgs Boson discovery is the way it has grasped the pub- facing any UK university with aspirations to be world class in the twenty- lic’s imagination; I think as scientists we communicate university with first century. There is a certain amount of envy, not least in the excitement of what we do to a general audience much Cambridge, of the excellent research environment at Impe- better than we used to. This is another of Imperial’s great aspirations to rial, and of the quantity and quality of research outputs strengths.” be world class and impacts that are produced. in the twenty- As Provost, James will report to the President & Rector Out and about and take responsibility for delivering and enhancing Impe- first century” rial’s core academic mission – education, research and James says one of his first tasks at Imperial will be to help translation. This allows the President & Rector, Sir Keith ‘bed in’ the new management structure and of course get- O’Nions, to give more emphasis to strategic issues and the ting out and about meeting staff and students. College’s development. “My learning curve started back in January and has In taking on the Provost role, James will also draw been getting steeper and steeper all the way through. I’ve on his three years’ experience as Pro-Vice-Chancellor been fortunate to have been able to spend a significant for Research at Durham University, where he had overall amount of time here in the last few months but I still have responsibility for preparing the university’s submission to the feeling I’ve only scratched the surface. So, over the the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise. next few months I will be very busy finding out more about “It was there that I came to realise that the way world the organisation, which will involve a programme of visits class research is defined, carried out and assessed doesn’t to all the academic and administrative departments and differ too much whether one is talking about engineering meetings with student representatives.” or mathematics, history or French. As a keen folk musician who has played in a ceilidh “The values that people attach to scholarship, in both band, James was interested to find out about some of the research and teaching, are common across all the subjects artistic and musical activities that happen at the College. – the key is to recruit the very best people and then give “There is perhaps a perception out there that Impe- them the time and space to discover and innovate. Excel- rial is a university that focuses on its core academic sub- lent infrastructure and support are also crucial.” jects – science, technology, medicine and business – to the exclusion of everything else, and so it was a pleas- Academic success ant surprise to come here and see how culturally diverse it in fact is.” James has enjoyed considerable success and recognition James might also be vying with President & Rector Sir in his own research area of theoretical particle physics – Keith O’Nions to present the medals at the annual var- publishing over 300 research papers and picking up pres- sity rugby match, being an avid follower of the game from tigious accolades, notably Fellowship of the Royal Society his student days, when he captained his College team at and a CBE for services to science. Cambridge. While impartial in the role of Provost, James is clearly And who knows, perhaps we’ll see James cheering on pleased to be coming to an institution with a strong her- Imperial against Cambridge in the not too distant future.

Do you have a favourite travel destination? Who will win the Six Nations this year? Much of my career has been spent travelling to meetings, conferences Wales will be hard to beat, having recently beaten Australia masquer- and so on in some amazing places around the world, but on such ading as the British and Irish Lions. But Ireland did beat Wales quite trips it is often difficult to experience the places fully. We’ve just come convincingly last year, and so we live in hope. In fact if you’re an Irish back from a week on Corsica which was great, and we’ve also enjoyed supporter you always live in hope! many holidays on the Greek island of Ithaca. But my favourite would have to be our house in the west of Ireland.

8 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 1 August 2013 • issue 263 inside Oar some! story

mini profile Lena Heinrich Imperial students celebrate as they edge out Oxford to win the Prince Albert Chal- Lena Heinrich recently joined lenge Cup, a race contested by men’s student crews in coxed fours at Henley Royal the College in the new role of Regatta. Head Coach Stuart Whitelaw has been working with the team, compris- Anglian Water Research Coordi- ing Club captain Ben Spencer-Jones (Medicine), Henry Goodier (Medicine), Tim nator, working in the Centre for Richards (Medicine), Jonny Rankin (Mechanical Engineering) and cox, Ellie Smith Environmental Policy. Trained (Medicine) since last September. as a water engineer, Lena has extensive experience working for the water industry, as well as Can you give an example? for organisations like UNESCO, One key topic is re-use. At the book preview where she examined issues moment we don’t have water re- such as the sharing of ground- use and that’s partially down water resources between neigh- to public perception. We’re not The Silwood Circle bouring countries. talking about drinking waste water; you don’t necessarily take Many staff at the College will be familiar with The History of Imperial College 1907– What are the current water out of the sewage treat- 2007, the highly regarded book by Dr Hannah Gay, Honorary Research Associ- challenges for water ment works and make it drink- ate in the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine, which has in our region? ing water again, but it could be just moved to King’s College London. Now, for readers who have worked their way Quite simply we have too little used for industrial processes or through that impressive volume, there is more. water to support such a large to recharge groundwater. Hannah recently completed The Silwood Circle: A History of Ecology and the population; we are living in the Making of Scientific Careers in Late Twentieth-Century Britain (Imperial College driest and most How are you Press, 2013). It recounts the careers of a close-knit group of 10 ecologists that densely popu- tackling this at formed at Silwood Park Campus in the late 1960s and early 1970s, namely Richard lated area in the At the Imperial? Southwood, Robert May, Gordon Conway, Michael Hassell, Roy Anderson, Michael UK. When we last moment we There had previously Crawley, John Lawton, John Beddington, John Krebs and David Rogers. had a drought and don’t have water been some collabo- Members of this group, which became known as ‘the Silwood circle’, have hosepipe ban – ration with Anglian since acted as government advisors for conservation and biodiversity, resource around a year and re-use and Water but, given how management, pest control, food policy, GM crops and foods, sustainable agricul- half ago – the that’s partially much expertise we ture, international development, defence against biological weapons, and epide- authorities consid- down to public have here at the Col- miology and infectious disease control. May and ered multi-million perception” lege, we could be Beddington both became chief scientific advisors pound solutions making more of this; to the UK government, and May was elected Presi- such as desalination of sea helping the company find the dent of the Royal Society. water and even the creation of best solutions for their chal- The book also shows how ecology, a periph- a national water grid – pump- lenges and, ultimately, our water eral discipline in the first half of the twentieth ing water from the north to the and environment. I will be coor- century, came to be viewed as a science central to drier south. Then, thankfully, it dinating this, bringing together modern existence. started raining. But the point is, experts from all parts of Impe- Hannah, who is an “The book shows if there’s been a prolonged dry rial and Anglian Water. That, of Imperial alumna (Chem- how ecology came spell, a month of rain will not course, involves engineers but istry, 1961; PhD, 1964), to be viewed do the trick. You need to look also includes medics, psycholo- is currently working on a as a science at managing it better, reducing gists and business experts. history of the Department central to modern losses and developing alterna- of Chemistry with Profes- For more information contact existence” tive resources. [email protected] sor William Griffith. 9 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 1 August 2013 • issue 263 insidestory

inventor’s corner Green designs Imperial Racing Green, the student-led, low-emission Life online racing team, has won first prize for its latest electric car design at the 2013 Formula Student competition.

After months of work, the students presented their Dr James Rosindell (Life Sciences) is a EV2 design at the competition finals at the Silverstone Natural Environment Research Coun- motor circuit on 4 July, vying with 24 other UK and inter- cil (NERC) Fellow in the Division of Ecol- national university teams. The team were questioned ogy and Evolution. He recently launched on every aspect of the vehicle, from the overall concept the website www.onezoom.org, which through to the design. They were also asked to produce maps the diversity of life on earth and a viable business proposition, budgets and manage- shows how it’s all related through ment plans. evolution. Santhosh Sankaranarayanan (Mechanical Engi- neering), EV2’s Chief Engineer, said: “The competi- Why did you decide to launch tion level was very high and the only reason we got the this website? Can you adapt OneZoom? edge over our competitors was because of the solid Thanks to advances in genetic analysis OneZoom currently acts as a visualisa- engineering design of our vehicle and the fact that we scientists have sequenced many differ- tion tool for universities, researchers and have a great team.” ent biological species and can produce schools, but we can also imagine it as a Imperial Racing Green was created in 2007 to give bigger and bigger evolutionary ‘family touch screen display in museums or exhi- students from engineering disciplines the opportunity trees’. However, there is no way to visu- bitions. I have already adapted it for use to design, build and race low-emission vehicles. The alise this large amount of data. I felt that as an index for Simon Fraser University team is mostly based in Mechanical Engineering but scientists and the public would benefit in Vancouver, Canada. On their custom- support for the student-led project also comes from from a website where they could easily ised display, species on the tree include staff across the Faculty of Engineering. It is sponsored explore this information in an appealing information about the relevant depart- internally by Climate-KIC, the Energy and user-friendly way. mental researchers studying them. In Futures Lab, and the Grantham general, the OneZoom concept should be Institute for Climate Change. How did you achieve this? useful in any big data visualisation, from —Lucy Handford, Communications and I used algorithms based on a branch of recording threatened species to chart- Public Affairs mathematics known as fractal geom- ing government spending. It is a novel etry that is not typically applied to data way to make large amounts of data freely visualisation. OneZoom adapts these available, easy to understand and fun to techniques to automatically build a sin- explore for a non-expert. I hope that what gle, visually striking image containing we have seen so far in OneZoom is just huge amounts of information. Users can the start of something much more. explore the information easily by zoom- —kailey nolan, imperial innovations ing in and out, just as they would on a For help in finding a commercial application large map – hence the name OneZoom. for your research visit: bit.ly/YQZ1Vi

Breaking barriers

A weekend of talks, workshops and panel ses- student volunteer as mentors, many of whom sions took place at the College last month, aimed heard about the charity through Imperial as One, at inspiring young men aged 16 to 24. the College’s diversity forum. Two mentors, Dr Mark Richards (Physics) and Dr Sunday Popo-Ola Supported by Imperial’s Equality and Diversity (Civil and Environmental Engineering), spoke at Unit and held at South Kensington Campus, the the event, giving the students an insight into life student conference was organised by the Amos as an academic. Bursary, which supports young men of British Amos Bursary graduate Richard Butler African and Caribbean heritage from schools and recently completed a BSc in Economics at “The Amos sixth form colleges in London. Coventry University: “The Amos Bursary Bursary really The Amos Bursary helps students with experience and networking. really supported me, pushing me forward supported me, gaining entry into university, ensuring they Every young person has a peer and to achieve my goals at university. I’ve pushing me achieve their potential educationally and professional mentor to support and already secured a job and I’d love to keep forward to professionally. As well as financial assistance, guide them. in contact with the Amos Bursary and achieve the scheme facilitates access to a range of Currently seven members of become a peer mentor in the future.” my goals” opportunities including internships, work Imperial staff and one postgraduate —Lucy Handford, Communications and Public Affairs 10 insidestory www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 1 August 2013 • issue 263

A date with sustainability Staff featured in this column have given many years of Phoenix dactylifera, or the date palm tree, is perhaps best known for service to the College. Staff listed below celebrate anni- its fruit but, as growers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have known versaries during the period 1 July-30 August. The data is for thousands of years, its leaves can also be used in construction. supplied by HR and is correct at the time of going to press.

A collaborative project involving Imperial, UAE, Buro Happold Con- 20 years sultants and architect Sandra Piesik of 3 Ideas Ltd is now looking at • Mrs Fereshteh Afshari, Team Leader: Strategy and Innovation expanding the use of the leaves as a renewable, low-carbon building Support Services, Library Services material. • Dr Sally Power, Reader in Ecosystems Ecology, Division of Ecology On 5 June, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Maktoum Al and Evolution Maktoum, First Secretary of the UAE Embassy, visited the Structures 30 years Laboratories in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineer- • Dr Michael Coppins, Reader in Physics, Department of Physics ing where the innovative work • Mr Roland Hutchins, Main Aeronautics Workshop Supervisor, is being carried out. Department of Aeronautics Known for his keen interest • Mr Herbert Lewis, Mechanical Supervisor, Estates Division in evidence-based eco-tech- • Mrs Susan Jackson, Secretary to Head of IT Services, Information and Communication Technologies nology, His Highness observed

testing of palm leaf structures using rigs normally applied Spotlight to steel. Susan Jackson, Secretary to Head of IT Services, ICT Dr Sunday Popo-Ola (Civil and Environmental Engineering), who 30 years is leading the work, said: “This is the first opportunity to evaluate the I started at Imperial as a 22-year-old and worked in structural characteristics of the date palm leaf material and deter- the Department of Chemistry for two years, followed mine its structural performance. These properties can then be used by another two years at the Department of Computing, to invent modern, more ambitious versions of traditional palm leaf before finally coming to ICT, where I’ve been for 26 structures”. years. Before email everything was hand typed in memo form and, if urgent, had to be hand delivered His Highness noted that scientific testing on the leaves could to other departments. I have seen a vast amount of influence date palm leaf industries in the UAE, as well as in other change – some for the better and some for the worse. countries in the region. Back in the day, technology used to fill a whole room, Demonstration projects are now being planned, the first of which now I need my glasses to see it! My father worked here before me, so I have been coming to the College is likely to be a food shelter, where a large-spanned palm leaf struc- since 1966. I have enjoyed working at Imperial and ture could offer weather protection for harvests in countries where have some happy memories. the logistics of food storage are critical for food security.

Research students present best of Imperial science

A new method to scan the brains uate School, Professor Andrew of unborn babies, a surgical robot George, mentioned that several of controlled by gestures and a the judges had told him how much ‘magic’ theory of gravity were just they had enjoyed the event and that a few fascinating research pro- it had shown them something new jects on display at this year’s Grad- about the College. uate School Summer Research “It’s not often we get this oppor- Symposium. tunity to look across the entire Col- lege at the breadth of research being Over 100 students were nominated carried out here,” Andrew said. by their departments to participate Andrew also presented Mr Ebra- in a poster presentation competi- him Mohammed (Business School) tion in the Great Hall on Friday 12 “It’s not often we get this with the Graduate School Director’s July, where they gave a two-minute opportunity to look at the Award for Professional Skills Training ‘elevator pitch’ to three judges. entire breadth of research recognising his outstanding contri- With scores awarded for con- being carried out here” bution to and support for the profes- tent, visual impact, design and run the risk of becoming alienated sional skills training programme. public engagement, Andrea Maron- Andrea, a second year PhD stu- from the lives of those whom we set The day concluded with a key- giu (National Heart and Lung Insti- dent, said: “Being able to commu- out to help with our research in the note lecture by Professor Lord tute) emerged as the overall winner nicate science in a simple manner first place.” Winston, holder of the College’s for his plan to study the cardiores- that’s accessible to all is easier said Presenting the prizes for the first Chair in Science and Society, piratory effects of arc welding in than done. If we get wrapped up in winning and highly commended entitled Why bother with science shipyards. our own little world of research, we posters, the Director of the Grad- communication? Centre for Environmental Policy Miss Katrin Glatzel, Mr Amit Gautam, Medicine Dr Carole Garnier, ESE Dr BenjaminNHLI Garfield, Dr Ranjani Ganji, Life Sciences Chemical Engineering Dr Anton Gabrienko, Surgery and Cancer Mrs Maureen Francis, Mrs Katherine Fletcher, NHLI MissGraduateFaux, School Sarah Miss Zoe Durrant, Registry Dr AnneDucout, Physics Chemical Engineering Mr Nikolaos Diangelakis, Mechanical Engineering Mr Fabian Denner, Faculty of Engineering Miss Diana DeFreitas Batista, Mr David Davis, Public Health Dr Rachel Davis, Surgery and Cancer Dr Alessia David, Life Sciences Mr Nick Collis, Business School Miss Silvia Colicino, NHLI Dr James Cole, Medicine Dr Ciro Chiappini, Materials Mr David Charles, Life Sciences Miss Sandra Charlemagne, Finance Civil and Environmental Engineering Dr Alfredo Camara, Faculty of Medicine Miss Laura Brown, Dr Michael Brown, Chemistry Mechanical Engineering Mr Andrew Brand, Faculty of Engineering Dr Valeria Branciforti, Mrs Hanna Box, NHLI Business School Ms Julie Bourguignon, Dr Julie Borgel, Clinical Sciences Mr Gavin Blake, Accommodation Miss Cynthia Bishop, Medicine Catering Services Mrs Iveta Biriukove, Surgery and Cancer Mr Adam Bernard, Miss Victoria Bemmer, Materials Mr Sergey Belyakov, Materials Medicine Professor Facundo Batista, Ms Nisha Barot, Registry Faculty of Medicine Miss Nicole Barnes, Mr Evgeny Barkhudarov, Physics Mr Ioannis Bakolis, Public Health Mr Sunit Bagree, Public Health Faculty of Engineering Miss Leman Aydemir, Dr Ali Awan, Bioengineering Security Services Mr Ryan Armstrong, Dr Neza Alfazema, Clinical Sciences Miss Resha Al Rabeh, Medicine Dr Mohammed Afsar, Mathematics Mr Dennis Affram, NHLI new starters Welcome www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter

reporter

1 August 2013 • Mr Fotis Petrou, Surgery and Cancer Dr Inma Perez Dorado, Life Sciences Business School Miss Amanda Payne-Danson, Dr SamraatPawar, Life Sciences Dr David Palomas Dona, Chemistry Accommodation Mr Michael O’Shea, Dr Daniel O’Keeffe, Computing Mr Patrick O’Driscoll, EEE Faculty of Medicine Ms Ruth Nicholson, Mr Charles Nash, Public Health Dr Saira Naeem,Materials Estates Miss Alexandra Myers-Thomson, Health Dr Ummezeinab Mulla, Public Engineering Mr Samuel Mugodza, Faculty of Dr David Morley, Public Health Chemistry Dr Julia Morales Sanfrutos, Dr Lawrence Mitchell, Computing Chemistry Ms Aino-Maija Maskuniitty, Surgery and Cancer Dr Julian Marchesi, Accommodation Mr ThirukumaranMaheswaran, Dr Robert Mahen, Physics Dr Yunxia Lu, Public Health Dr LiLu, Materials Mr Andrew Lovell, Medicine Miss Maria Lopez Heras, Materials Mr Jason Long, Medicine Life Sciences Professor Jonathon Lloyd, Mr Simin Li,Bioengineering Dr Victor Lesk, Surgery and Cancer Public Health Ms Maria Leal Sanchez, Communications and Public Affairs Mr Mark Lancaster, Life Sciences Mr Sebastian Lambert, Surgery and Cancer Dr Marianna Kyritsi, Miss Marion Koch, Medicine Surgery and Cancer Dr Oliver Keown, Medicine Professor Georgios Kassiotis, Mr Thomas Joseph, Computing Mr Jun Jiang, Materials Mr Timothy Jefferson, Chemistry Mrs Fatama Jagne,EYEC Dr Carl Jacquemyn, ESE Dr Yilin Huo, NHLI Ms SuzanneHoy, Catering Services Surgery and Cancer Miss Rebecca Holmes, Dr Yonek Hleba, Life Sciences Surgery and Cancer Mrs Ania Henley, Dr Adam Hampshire, Medicine Dr James Hall, Chemistry Professional Development Mr Matthew Haddrill, School of Ms Christine Greig, Clinical Science Dr John Grasvik, Chemistry issue

263 Dr Xiaowei Zhao,EEE Mechanical Engineering Mr Jie Zhang, Miss Katharina Zeissler, Physics Yow,Dr Shu Aeronautics Miss Joanna Young, Life Sciences Engineering Mr Hao Ye, Civil and Environmental Miss Jenna Yates, Medicine Dr Poonam Yadav, Computing Ms Eleanor Wilson, Public Health Surgery and Cancer Professor Ian Wilson, Mr Peter Wilcox, Estates Division Chemical Engineering Mr Rajagopal Vellingiri, Mr Georgios Vamvakas, NHLI Mechanical Engineering Dr Jennifer Vail, Dr Jonathan Medicine Underwood, Ms Tanya Tomic,ICT Professor ThomasNHLI Thum, Mr Anthony Thomas, Public Health Mr Marco Thiene, Aeronautics Dr Sinbad Sweeney,NHLI Miss Claire Streatfield, Medicine Ms Library Sian Stanfield, Dr Dimitrios Stampoulis, Medicine Dr Arash Soleiman Fallah, Materials Accommodation MissAnita Solanke, Mr Ian Smallman, Physics Ms Anna Skorecka, Bioengineering Dr Matthew Siggins, Medicine Dr Igor Shevchenko, Mathematics Professor Patrick Serruys, NHLI Mr Pablo Salinas, ESE Mr Diogo Rodrigues Feleciano, NHLI Dr Ursula Rodgers, NHLI Mr Rob Robson, Human Resources Life SciencesRidewood, Ms Sophie Surgery and Cancer Miss Heather Reeves, Dr Paul Randell, Medicine Dr Lucio Raimondo, Aeronautics Surgery and Cancer Mrs Tina Prendeville, Mr David Pitman, Physics Mr Stephen Blake,Mr StephenBusiness School Miss Abigail Bentley, NHLI Dr Ivano Benedetti,Aeronautics Dr Elena Barquero, Public Health Materials(6 years) Dr Anna-Karin Axelsson, Ms Rebecca Atkinson, Medicine Mr Nabil Asif, ICT Human Resources Miss MoniqueArthur, Educational Quality Office Mr Alistair Appleby, Medicine(14 years) Ms Carolyn Andrews, Public Health (19 years) Sir Roy Anderson, Ms Keren Alleyne, ICT (6 years) Dr HarithAlam, NHLI moving on Farewell Dr Karine Macritchie, Medicine Business School Dr Boris Maciejovsky, Grantham Institute (6 years) Mr Richard Lorch, Dr Katharine Looker, Public Health Mr Jean-Eloi Lombard, Aeronautics Environmental Engineering Mrs Yanzhi Liu,Civil and Dr Guangquan Li,Public Health Ms Li,Humanities Jingjing Mr Lianbo Li,EEE Dr Jared Leisner, Physics Dr Dominic Lee, Chemistry Dr Yiannis Kyratsis, Medicine Dr Dmitry Kovrizhin, Mathematics Dr Beril Kavukcuoglu, Materials Sciences Dr Andrea Jimenez Dalmaroni, Life Mr Xavier Jeanbourquin, Chemistry Corporate Records Mrs Imogene Inge, Archives and Ms Robina Ibanda, Public Health Dr Matthew Hughes, Chemistry Dr Emmalina Hollis, Chemistry Mr Kevin Hochstenbach, Medicine Dr Lucy Heinemann, NHLI Dr Heather Life Harrington, Sciences Dr Gareth Hall, Physics (6 years) Mechanical Engineering Dr Rory Hadden, Dr LiGuo, Computing (6 years) Miss Charlotte Graham, Medicine Computing(13 years) Dr Moustafa Ghanem, Dr Elizabeth Gardner, NHLI Dr LinFou, Grantham Institute Dr Marion Ferrat, ESE Miss Zsofia Feltoti, Medicine (6 years)Engineering Dr Zheng Fan, Mechanical Chemical Engineering Dr Davide Fabozzi, Faculty of Medicine Miss Sophia Eglin, Materials years)(5 Mrs Dagmar Durham, Cateringyears) Services(6 Mr Alexander Dugdale, Mr JonDowning, Materials Mechanical Engineering Miss Claire Dempster, Dr Maria Dawson, NHLI andSport Leisure Ms Alenah Da Costa, Dr Karina Corware, Medicine Environmental Policy (9 years) Dr Marcello Contestabile, Centre for Faculty of Engineering Dr Nicola Combe, Environmental Policy (5 years) Dr Tim Cockerill, Centre for years)(7 Communications and Public Affairs Ms Emma Chesterman, Public Health (5 years) Miss Pimphen Charoen, Dr Ailsa Butler, Public Health Dr Sarah Burl, Medicine Dr James Buckley, NHLI Surgery and Cancer (8 years) Dr Greg Brooke,

insidestory the timeof going to press. 15 July. This data was and byHR issupplied data This Mrs Anne Travis, Finance (31 years) years) (13 Physics Dr Peter Slootweg, Dr Patricia Ndhlovu, Medicine Medicine(17 years) Professor Paul Farrell, retirements Professor Allan Young, Medicine Mrs Jing Yang, EYEC Dr Poonam Yadav, Computing Miss SuzanneWilliams, NHLI Catering Services Mrs TheresaWhite, Dr Andrea Weisse, Bioengineering Dr Baojun Wang, Mathematics Ms Danielle Wagner, NHLI Dr Jakub Trzebinski, EEE Business School Miss Stephanie Tapply, Dr Lee Tan, Medicine (5 years) years)Medicine(5 Ms Julianna Stylianou, Public Health (5 years) Dr Rebecca Stephenson, Miss Luxumi Sridharan, NHLI Life Sciences Dr Roberta Spaccapelo, Dr Weihua(6 years) NHLI Song, International Office Mr Rajandeep Singh, Miss Gurpreet Sehra, NHLI years)ICT(9 Ms Melanie Sanderson, Dr Benoit Raymond, Life Sciences Surgery and Cancer (6 years) Dr Daniel Ramirez Cano, (8 years)NHLI Dr Kristof Raemdonck, Dr HuiQian, Aeronautics Mr JoePrinold,Bioengineering Dr Lee Potiphar, NHLI Miss Lisa Pomfrett, Registry Surgery and Cancer (6 years) Dr Ariel Poliandri, Ms Natalia Palasz, NHLI Dr Niamh O’Sullivan, Medicine MsNolas,Life SarahSciences Miss Katherine Mudge, Medicine Dr SachikoMiyata,Life Sciences Dr Mayur Mistry, Chemistry Environmental Engineering Dr Patricia Melo, Civil and Dr Silvia Almedina, Martin NHLI Ms Luise Marino, Medicine Miss Kalliopi Makarona, Medicine these as necessary. right to edit or amend The Editor reserves the [email protected] and retirees to the Editor at about new starters, leavers images and/or comments covers theperiod 18June– Please sendyour

correct at

moving in. moving on. forfor complete complete details: details: events highlights www.imperial.ac.uk/eventswww.imperial.ac.uk/events 1 August 2013

take note 12 september ▸ PUBLIC LECTURE together to unlock the secrets of the human body and improve your What makes me ‘me’? life. The first in the 2013–14 Fringe As plans for the Imperial West programme, this free public event at Call for award campus evolve, come to the site and Wood Lane Studios and ThinkSpace nominations meet some of our doctors, scientists is all about you! and engineers to find out things you Nominations are invited for the 2013 never knew about yourself. Explore Julia Higgins Medal and how our researchers are working Awards, which recognise individuals and departments that have made a 23–27 september ▸ PUBLIC LECTURE boxes will be taking to the street on significant contribution to Imperial’s pop-up tricycle to dazzle the support of academic Research in motion and amaze you from 12.00–14.00 women at the College. Join groundbreaking researchers each day from 23–27 September. For Download the nomination form from Imperial for thought-provoking a full schedule of where to find them from bit.ly/1c9orTa and submit by demos while you munch your lunch. and what they will be doing see: 30 September 2013 to Professor Dot As part of the Royal Borough of Kens- www.imperial.ac.uk/festival/fringe Griffiths, Chair of the Academic ington and Chelsea’s Celebration of Opportunities Committee: Science week, the College’s brain [email protected]

12 september ▸ PUBLIC LECTURE 23 september ▸ PUBLIC LECTURE 12 september ▸ PUBLIC LECTURE The scientist in an adventure with TEDxAlbertopolis Science Uncovered meet the rocks, oil, water and volcanoes How art and science fit together in the Imperial research returns to the Natural reader Professor Matt Jackson (Earth Science modern world. History Museum and Engineering)

Photo expo Exposat, showing at the Blyth Gallery until 13 September, is a series of artworks and photographs exploring perceptions of space and time. Shown left is Stephen Greenwood’s Dragon – a fantasy sculpture made from Herbert Lewis, Mechanical Supervisor, Estates Facilities forged mild steel. In the background, What are you doing in the picture? Sam McKenney’s chainmail shirt is Just browsing Reporter in the mechanical a reconstruction based on a tenth- workshop, where I’ve been in and around for 30 years now after starting out as an century Anglo-Saxon and Viking design apprentice. It’s here where we keep the College infrastructure ticking over 24/7, be composed of approximately 20,000 8mm it electrics, plumbing or gas – you name it. I spring steel links, weighing 9.3kg. Simon also coordinate contractual suppliers to the College. We’ve had air conditioning experts Bastians’ print meanwhile shows how the in this week to make sure we’re all cool! way we perceive things is influenced by What would you do if you were editor of Reporter for a day? light, medium, time and preconceptions If I were editor for the day I would appeal to schools to come and have a look at all the of what we expect to see. possibilities of a career at Imperial, whether that’s in research, teaching, administration, electrical, mechanical or management. There are so many aspects of Imperial that make it tick.

Who would be your cover star? Stay in the loop → Visit www.imperial.ac.uk/events for more details about these events My main operational manager Chas Guirey and others. To sign up for regular updates about Imperial events please (Head of Maintenance). He runs the complete estate, not just South Kensington but email: [email protected] the hospitals too.

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