your

manchesterFor Engineering and Physical Sciences Alumni

Spring 2014 Stand up for climate change

Stargazing with Leena Gade Tim O’Brien

The real value of No1 Engineer & our water ‘man of the year’ THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER TIMELINE EPS people 1824 Manchester Mechanics’ Institute founded The Faculty is led by the Vice-President and Dean, Professor Colin Bailey, 1851 and comprises nine academic Schools and four Research Institutes. Owens College founded The Faculty Leadership Team also includes six Associate Deans who support key areas of activity, including Research, Teaching and Learning, 1872 Graduate Education, Social Responsibility, Internationalisation and Owens College incorporated the Royal School of Medicine Business Engagement. The Director of Faculty Operations is responsible and Surgery, which had been for leading the administration across the Faculty. formed in 1824

1880 Owens College becomes the School of Chemical Engineering Manchester Institute of Biotechnology first constituent part of the federal and Analytical Science Victoria University, England’s Director, first civic university Head of School, Professor Nigel Scrutton Professor Mike Sutcliffe Photon Science Institute 1883 School of Chemistry Director, The Mechanics’ Institute converted Head of School, Professor Richard Winpenny into the Manchester Technical Professor Christopher Whitehead School and in 1892 becomes University of Manchester Aerospace the Manchester Municipal School of Computer Science Research Institute (UMARI) Technical School Head of School, Director, Professor Jim Miles Professor Costas Soutis 1903 Owens College reconstituted as the School of Earth, Atmospheric and Acting Associate Dean (Research) Victoria University of Manchester Environmental Sciences Professor Stephen Yeates Head of School, Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning) Professor Hugh Coe 1918 Dr Danielle George The Technical School renamed School of Electrical and Electronic the Manchester Municipal College Associate Dean (Graduate Education) of Technology Engineering Professor Ann Webb Head of School, 1956 Professor Tony Brown Associate Dean (Social Responsibility) Professor Tim O’Brien The College of Technology gains School of Materials independent status as a university Acting Associate Dean (Business college and in 1966 renamed Head of School, the University of Manchester Professor Paul O’Brien Engagement) Institute of Science and Professor Mike Sutcliffe Technology (UMIST) School of Mathematics Head of School, Associate Dean (Internationalisation) Professor Stephen Flint 1994 Professor Peter Duck UMIST gains its own School of Mechanical, Aerospace Director of Faculty Operations degree-awarding powers and Civil Engineering Rachel Brealey Head of School, Head of Faculty Finance 2004 Professor Andy Gibson The University of Manchester Pauline Morgan created when, after a century School of Physics and Astronomy Head of Faculty HR of partnership, UMIST and the Head of School, Sue Field Victoria University of Manchester Professor Stephen Watts agree to combine and form a single, world-class university Dalton Nuclear Institute Director, Professor Andrew Sherry

For full history visit www.manchester.ac.uk/ aboutus/heritage/history/ Contents 14 30

STAND UP FOR NUCLEAR NEWS CLIMATE CHANGE Cutting-edge facility now open, 2 Public engagement the DNI-AMEC partnership and Royal 22 Society Fellowship funny way

THE DEAN’S EXTREME WELCOME REMOVALS Professor Colin Bailey introduces 16 Start packing – how we’re this edition of Your Manchester planning our move to the new 32 for EPS engineering campus WE ARE MADE SUCCESSES AND OF STARS AWARDS 4 Tim O’Brien on Stargazing LIVE 24 Peter Higgs and Bobby Charlton and making our work accessible recognised and New Year’s Honours for three colleagues LE MANS WORLD HONOURING We talk to top motor racing OUR HISTORY engineer and EPS graduate Alan Turing remembered and Leena Gade 20 34 the brave contribution our community made to WW1 BUSY PEOPLE ROYAL AWARD FIND TIME World-leading imaging Peter Mount CBE proves that techniques honoured with 8 Queen’s Anniversary Award fundraising can run alongside 26 a brilliant career A NEW SCHOOL FACULTY NEWS FOR MLAMBE Anti-matter to X-ray vision; global impact to school Three friends building a new 21 governors 36 school in a Malawi village

A DREAM COME STUDENT SUCCESS TRUE AND NEWS 10 A prestigious Fellowship for 28 From speed networking to Women in Science in Sub- European City of Science Saharan Africa for Mercy Badu announcement THE REAL VALUE GRAPHENE NEWS OF OUR WATER Graphene Flagship sets sail, Our new Chair of Water partnership brings £5m and Engineering on how we manage Regius professorship bestowed our water supplies

1 Welcome from the Vice-President and Dean

2 Universities are all about people, whether students, staff or alumni – and it’s the people that make The University of Manchester one of the greatest universities in the world. In this annual Faculty alumni magazine we highlight some of the achievements of our graduates, as well as highlighting some new staff members and news across the Faculty.

As always the articles only scratch the a commitment to fundraising can run The outstanding contribution made by surface of the activities within the Faculty alongside a demanding career. As well as another Manchester legend Alan Turing of Engineering and Physical Sciences, being the chairman of Central Manchester during the Second World War is also which continues to grow its global University Hospitals NHS Foundation remembered. A new film, The Imitation reputation in education, research and its Trust, Peter also supports hundreds of Game, is about to be released, and it is impact on the economy and society. schoolchildren to access an education in fitting that Manchester graduate Benedict Engineering graduate Leena Gade was told Uganda and Rwanda through a number of Cumberbatch (who skilfully portrays ‘engineering wasn’t for girls’, a comment charitable projects. Sherlock Holmes in the critically acclaimed I personally find infuriating. Such narrow- The work of the Faculty’s academic BBC TV series) is playing the role of the minded thinking has no place within community is also put under the spotlight. brilliant code-breaker. modern society and within the Faculty we Professor Tim O’Brien, Associate Director From our earliest heritage to today’s are continually engaging with primary and of Jodrell Bank Observatory, talks about success stories, everything we do in secondary schools to promote engineering his role in supporting the Faculty’s the Faculty of Engineering and Physical and physical sciences to girls. We all know commitment to making our work more Sciences is underpinned by a dedication that design teams are much more creative accessible and relevant to the wider public. to quality. This was demonstrated recently and effective with a reasonable gender This is an aspect of our work that all staff when we were once again awarded balance as well as the leadership qualities are passionate about. A good example is the Queen’s Anniversary Prize – one of that both genders provide. Luckily, Leena the BBC Stargazing LIVE event broadcast the most prestigious awards in higher completely ignored this nonsensical advice earlier this year from Jodrell Bank and education. The recent award recognises and pursued her passion for a career in featuring our own Professor Brian Cox and our leading staff and the work they carry engineering and motor racing. But how science champion Dara O Briain. out in imaging techniques, which in turn is many other great female engineers and In an interesting twist on supporting supporting the UK’s strategic development scientists have been lost? We must all our public engagement strategy Dr Ruth in advanced materials and manufacturing. work hard to promote the discipline we Wood, a Research Fellow at the Tyndall This is the second Queen’s Anniversary love and the rewards it gives to all those Centre for Climate Change Research, has Prize presented to the Faculty following that follow this path. As you will see from taken to the stage to use comedy as a way recognition in the previous round for our Leena’s story she has proved herself to be of getting her message across about the internationally renowned research and one of very best engineers in motor racing, challenges of our vulnerable environment. skills training for the nuclear industry. Such helping her Audi team win the Le Mans As you can imagine this is not an easy task coveted hallmarks demonstrate the impact 24-hour endurance race twice! I am sure but Ruth is a natural! we are making to our economy and society she will achieve even more in the future as as a whole. well as being an inspiration to us all. The changing state of our environment is also very much at the heart of work led by I hope you enjoy this latest edition of Your Mercy Badu is a scholar who has been Professor Julien Harou, our new Chair of Manchester. We always have an open recognised as someone who is also set to Water Engineering. Julien’s research group invitation for you to become even more make an impact in her chosen field. Mercy will be putting some radical proposals directly involved with this Faculty and the has been awarded the prestigious L’Oréal- forward on how we can better manage our University, so please contact us with your UNESCO Regional Fellowships for Women water supplies so we are not dealing with thoughts and ideas. I look forward to in Science in Sub-Saharan Africa in a bid to floods one season and droughts the next. hearing from you. break down any barriers she may face to fulfil her academic destiny in this region. With the anniversary of the outbreak of First World War being marked this year, we Equally determined to support the are also reminded of the brave contribution ambitions of developing Africa are three made by our community during this friends – Jamie Proctor, Tom Morris and tumultuous period and the sacrifices that Aidan Mosley – who have set up their own were made. Thankfully many graduates project to build a new school in a Malawi and staff returned to Manchester from village in a bid to give local young people their front line experiences – although their own chance to gain an education. sadly, so many of our University colleagues While Peter Mount CBE reveals that lost their lives during this terrible time. Professor Colin Bailey FREng, CEng, BEng, PhD, FIStructE, FICE, MIFireE Vice-President of The University of Manchester Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences 0161 306 9111 [email protected]

3 Le Mans World

Leena Gade graduated from ‘‘Engineering isn’t for girls’ – that was the more efficient and able to fix problems the University in 1998 with a advice given to Leena Gade when she was that previously we were facing maybe four younger. Advice she has always ignored. or five tests down the line when it’s very degree and Masters in Aerospace close to the final event. As you get closer When she began her studies at the Engineering and is now a to Le Mans there is less and less that you University she was one of five women can change because you need stability. The familiar, and celebrated figure in a cohort of 100, and by the time she race itself is 24 hours but the car is built in the motor racing profession. applied for her Masters she was the only up on the Wednesday evening and into female left. That didn’t stop her pursuing As a No1 Engineer, she’s won the Thursday morning, bringing the time it’s her dreams, and in 2007 she landed Le Mans 24-Hour race twice as racing closer to 36 hours. her perfect job with the “factory” Audi part of the Audi Sport team in team, where she has become a lead race “It’s been a great experience as I’ve learnt 2011 and 2012 and in the same engineer on one of its sports cars that a lot about how the system operates at year was named the FIA World compete at Le Mans and in the FIA World Audi Sport, and how work is prioritised to Endurance Championship’s Endurance Championship. She moved make sure deadlines are kept. There are ‘Man of the Year’, as well as to Germany in 2012 where she is now many technical developments, whether it’s involved in the early development stage of new strategies on software or for utilising receiving the C&R Racing new race cars. tyres, and being part of that process has Woman in Technology Award, a opened my eyes and hopefully will benefit “Its been a bit of a stepping stone to move the team in future races.” prestigious accolade supported out of my comfort zone, but at the same by motorsport specialists time a really good thing to do. At Audi, Winning the Le Mans 24-hour endurance C&R Racing as part of the US- we operate differently to other race teams race twice, Leena is at the top of her based Women in the Winner’s and engineers, and the whole process game. “As a race engineer, I’m in charge from inception to race is more integrated. of how the cars go out on track, what Circle Foundation awards. Coming in with a race background allows needs to be changed during a race, How did this successful me to articulate what we need to use on looking at the strategy and working out if Manchester graduate make the racetrack. you can get 12 laps instead of 10 for a fuel tank – do you push to get that and what “My new role means additional team the leap into an environment does it save you in the long term? As well work, discussion and input between the perceived to be a man’s world, as making sure I have a good overview of designer and engineers, and has cut down all of the data. I look after all the engineers and does she see the funny side of the process of trial and error; we are now being crowned ‘Man of the Year’? and I rely on them to do the background

4 “As a race engineer, I’m in charge of how the cars go out on track, what needs to be changed during a race.”

Leena Gade images, including cover photograph, supplied by Audi

5 “If an engineer happens to be female it’s seen as a big deal. Even in mainstream engineering women are still massively outnumbered. Everyone laughs at the ‘Man of the Year’ award, and a fair few people have asked if I was offended when I received it. I wasn’t.”

management, they feed the information to male-dominated industry and the public come from pressure to be seen as inclusive. me and I’m able to see what’s happening perception is that women are only grid That time should come when there are including any problems that may arise. girls or are behind the scenes in marketing. more females in the profession.” It’s unfair actually because people simplify “Usually during a session we have eight Leena believes that women should not those positions, but they are part of a to 10 engineers on each car and, receive special treatment – recognition well-oiled machine that couldn’t function although I have one chief mechanic, I should be on merit alone. “The best without those female-dominated roles. will work closely with all of them to person for the job should get the job, and ensure they are given the right information “Conversely, if an engineer comes along we are in unsafe waters when positive so they know what they need to do. It’s and they happen to be female it’s seen as discrimination takes hold. Anyone can do a bit like a communications role, but at a big deal, even in mainstream engineering any job if they really want to. I would hate the same time there’s a lot of technical women are still massively outnumbered. to think that I got to where I was because awareness needed. I also have to ensure Although everyone laughs at the ‘Man of I was female and not because I was good that our drivers stick to the stringent the Year’ award a fair few people have at my job. driving time limits.” asked if I was offended when I received “If you are female and want to get into it, but I wasn’t. The award existed before Despite being warned ‘engineering engineering you have to accept that there I came into motor sport and it’s designed isn’t for girls’ Leena has pursued her are more men, and that some of them can to reward someone from the profession passion regardless. be quite old school and will call you ‘love’ who’s exceptional at what they do. When I and may patronise you. At the moment “It’s been what I wanted to do since I was won it they made a conscious decision not that won’t change, so accept it and use young, so for me it’s been a case of ‘get to change the title, and I agreed because those people to learn the knowledge you on with it’, and it’s always been my job. I it just proved that the best person that need to make yourself a better engineer. think recently it’s become more of a wake year happened to be female. I don’t see It took a long time for me to get into up call because I’ve done something in a negatives about it, and changing it would motorsport, and my advice is to persevere,

6 images supplied by Audi

for girls especially, and accept that there were really enthusiastic and got a good we can head into this year with more are some things you cannot change.” grounding in hands on engineering, which information than some of our competitors. is really important. Using the knowledge I’m really looking forward to this coming Leena is an ambassador for both the FIA you gain at university on a practical project season – it’s going to be a different type Women and Motorsport Commission is invaluable, and they get an overall of racing compared to what we’ve known and the 2013 Formula Student initiative, picture of what motor racing is about. It’s a before, with different challenges.” and believes both roles give her the unique programme. I spoke with many of opportunity to support upcoming motor the students and offered them advice.” engineers. Leena’s ambassadorial role focuses on sharing her experience as The year 2014 is shaping up to be a busy a female engineer, while the Formula one for Leena, with Le Mans firmly in her Student scheme is a European motorsport sights once again. “Although Audi scored competition for university students. its 12th victory at Le Mans since 1999, Backed by industry, it allows upcoming ‘my’ car didn’t win in 2013 as we had engineers to build a single-seat race car to deal with a 45-minute pit repair issue, and test the vehicle. which meant we lost out on the world championship title we’d won the previous “I had the chance to go to Silverstone year. It was a bit annoying as the statistics and see the event, as well as a trip to showed that we had one of the fastest cars Hockenheimring in Germany. What struck of the season. We will use the mistakes me was how creative the students were, we made and learn from them. My work using their engineering skills to produce within the development team means we racing cars to meet very strict criteria – are now in a better position because we very similar to what we do. The students know what works at an earlier stage, and

“The award is designed to reward someone from the profession who’s exceptional at what they do. When I won it they made a conscious decision not to change the title, and I agreed because it just proved that the best person that year happened to be female.”

7 A new school for Mlambe

The Mlambe Project was set up by a group of recent physics and engineering graduates in a bid to help fellow graduates gain experience of volunteering in Africa. The first project to begin in 2014 will see the group build a new village school in Mlambe, a community based in south Malawi.

Jamie Proctor in the Liwonde National Park

Jamie Proctor, Tom Morris and Aidan poor children in India and Malawi, funded Mosley are three friends determined to through its national social enterprise make a difference – so they founded programme for UK school children. We got The Mlambe Project. This original team together some information and presented graduated from Manchester in 2012 with Wings of Hope with our ideas, and they degrees relating to physics and engineering agreed to help us.” and their fledgling project is already Malawi is a one of the ten poorest attracting support from like-minded countries in the world, with foreign aid graduates from other UK universities. accounting for 15% of its GDP. Ten per Jamie, a Physics and Philosophy graduate, cent of that goes towards education, is project manager of The Mlambe Project, which has given many children a free which aims to support primary education school place, but there is no extra funding Meeting The Director of Basic Education in Lilongwe in Malawi, an impoverished and landlocked for more schools, which results in large country in southeast Africa bordered by overcrowded classrooms. Building more Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique. schools would drastically reduce classroom sizes, and lead to a better education experience for children. “We decided it made Jamie and his fellow students were keen sense to use our brains to build something sustainable, which would provide local jobs, adding real as well as the skills we’d benefit to that community. “We initially developed during our looked at setting up something in Malawi because Wings of Hope had experience time at university.” in that country, and we would be able to use their contacts, such as NGOs and local Classroom at Mlambe Junior Primary School “The idea came when I was in my second communities. year at Manchester,” explained Jamie. “Within Malawi we tried to find a project “I wanted to do something that would that was also suitable for us and ticked benefit other people, so I discussed this the boxes of what we wanted to do, with a group of friends, and we decided and in that process we came across HELP it made sense to look at using our brains Malawi, an NGO whose mission is to help as well as the skills we’d developed during children from rural areas to access primary our time at university. We also had an idea education and to further support them for a programme to develop creative roles through secondary school scholarships.” for new graduates to gain experience and benefit a community at the same time. On his first trip to the country last year Jamie toured a school that HELP Malawi “I had some experience of working for had built. “The school has been operating the education charity Wings of Hope, as for six years and is flourishing. We were Teachers’ houses at Nanthomba I had spent a gap year with them before able to meet a group of students who had my studies. It provides free education for

8 A new school for Mlambe

Jamie Proctor with the headmaster of Nanthomba and Help Malawi representatives (in Nanthomba School).

Zochonis Special Enterprise Fund can support current students with the cost of a project or special study which demonstrates enterprise or originality of thought in planning and execution. It is one of the three schemes available to students wishing to travel either as part of their course or during University vacations. More information can be found on the My Manchester student portal: https://my.manchester.ac.uk

ProjectWill Barkley volunteer at School Will Barkley at School come through the primary school, moved “We are still working to raise more funds, onto secondary school, and were now but we will go to Malawi in spring this seriously considering university, which was year, and will begin work on the school, a first in the area. Seeing the fruits of all perhaps setting our sights a little lower of this hard work is the real acid test, and and building a smaller school with definitely spurred us on to want to fewer classrooms.” do more. “Inspired we started looking at nearby “The entire village sites to build another similar school and turned out for the the Mlambe community were, in particular, very welcoming, and excited about the meeting, and we were prospect of a new school within their able to explain our Children at Mlambe community. In fact the entire village turned out for a meeting, and we were able to vision and meet the explain our vision and meet the elders and elders and chief.” chief. They have even committed to mould all of the bricks needed to build the school, Jamie’s ambition is clear and, although and to supply, free of charge, the labour of he is heading to Sandhurst this year for 20 people for the duration of the build.” Army officer training, he has great hopes Although Jamie and the team have great for the project. “In the future we’d like vision, the support of the local community to help students to design their own in Mlambe, and NGOs on the ground, similar projects whilst studying for the there is still the small matter of raising the undergraduate degrees, with a view to funds necessary to begin this project in working for the project after graduation, earnest. “We’ve taken a few approaches, and managing their projects in Malawi. and initially worked towards applying for It would be a great benefit to the Will Barkley with some local children at Mlambe grants. We were successful in securing a community, and would give the graduates grant from the Zochonis Travel Awards at some tangible work experience before they the University, and we are also trying some embark on their careers.” direct fundraising activities. What else is in the pipeline for 2014? “In 2013 we ran a mobile phone “We’re looking for new recruits and charging tent at Glastonbury Festival, volunteers for this year, as our time and we run events across the UK which managing the project will come to an end, include a regular ‘backjamming’ night in and we are planning to recruit them with Brighton; a mix of musicians jamming and the help of course tutors at Manchester.” backgammon. People have volunteered their time for free, so this has been a good > FIND OUT MORE avenue for raising funds. You can help The Mlambe Project to raise funds by making a one off donation at Jamie Proctor and Will Barkley meeting village chiefs www.themlambeproject.com

9 The real value of our water resources

Portrait by Christine Twigg

10 The real value of our waterresources

So often taken for granted, we can all easily forget water is a precious natural resource. But is it being managed in the best interests of our society? Professor Julien Harou has recently joined The University of Manchester to lead research in hydro-economics and to help decision- makers recognise the true value of water.

“I’ve only been here a few weeks,” says “This is a relatively new field of research Professor Julien Harou, nodding briefly and a new development for Manchester,” towards the empty bookshelf and a he comments. “Our hope is for lonely copy of Water International. “I’ve Manchester to become an international been busy finishing off a grant proposal leader in this area in future.” before the deadline, so unpacking has had to wait.” Where to invest in water, Professor Harou has taken the journey and how? north from University College London, If your home water supply is metered then and before that California, to bring a new you will have some idea on what domestic perspective to the University’s expanding water consumption – around 150 litres per portfolio in water research. person per day – can cost. But a thorough valuation of water resources goes deeper; “Manchester is a great place for water using different modelling techniques research,” he notes, not missing the irony Professor Harou and his group help water of his remark. “It was here where several companies, regulators and governments essential discoveries of modern hydraulics to assess the social and economic value of were made, so it is a privilege to build on water. His work helps them make better such heritage.” decisions on where to invest, how to But it is not hydrology, hydrodynamics reorganise the water sector and how to or hydraulics which will benefit from secure reliable, sustainable and affordable Professor Harou’s work. As the new Chair supplies and reduce water demands in the of Water Engineering, his research interests face of an uncertain future. involve water management, analysing “So what is water worth?” he asks. the engineering, hydrological and socio- “Water companies charge one price, but economic impacts of water resources our research goes beyond price to come up management and planning decisions. with how the societal value of the resource Hydro-economic analysis aims to help varies over space and over time, between decision-makers choose investments and seasons or years with different rainfall. We policies that are in the public’s best interest also track a range of performance metrics, over the long-term. Framing decisions as not just economic value, but ecological trade-offs between different societal goals and social metrics as well, and look at how allows analysts to help real-world water different plans or policies imply different managers and policy-makers improve trade-offs between them. This helps water their decisions.

11 KEY DROUGHTS OF THE LAST 100 YEARS

0 APRIL 1995 - 1997 25 MONTHS AUGUST 1920 - DECEMBER 1991 - 17 MONTHS MARCH 1990 - FEB 1992 24 MONTHS MAY 1975 - AUG 1976 - 16 MONTHS APRIL 2010 - MAR 2012 24 MONTHS APRIL 1933 - NOV 1934 20 MONTHS AUGUST 1947 - SEPT 1926 26 MONTHS AUGUST 1972 - MAY 1974 - 22 MONTHS FEB 1943 - JUN 1944 17 MONTHS AUGUST 1988 - NOV 1989 16 MONTHS NOV 2004 - APRIL 2006 18 MONTHS DEC 1963 - FEB 1965 15 MONTHS

-100mm

-200mm

-300mm

-400mm The worst droughts across Lowland England since 1910, ranked by rainfall deficit and showing the deficit in mm and the duration of the drought. -500mm Information courtesy of the Met Office www.metoffice.co.uk

companies and regulators make informed interconnectivity, with trading between co-funded by government regulators and choices about investments and policies, some neighbouring suppliers, could water companies. The ‘Water Resources of helping them make decisions that achieve significantly improve the security and the South East’ and the ‘Water Resources multiple societal benefits rather than just affordability of the UK’s water supply. of East Anglia’ projects have fostered ‘least cost’.” collaboration and joint planning between “At the moment, the entire sector is water companies as they have developed Professor Harou led the technical geared around water companies investing their five year business plans, submitted to contribution to the ‘Value of Water’ in their own sources – building more Ofwat, the economic water regulator, in project funded by the UK Water Industry reservoirs and extracting more water December 2013. Research Association and is working with from the ground, rivers and lakes rather several water companies to improve their than piping it across from a neighbour, “The idea is that water development and future plans. investment programmes are optimised across a region,” Professor Harou explains. “Water has an intrinsic environmental “Just creating a forum where companies value too,” he continues. “It provides “Manchester is a can come together to talk and plan their habitat for aquatic life, lakes for boating, investment cycle openly and strategically fishing, leisure. Where would the Lake great place for water is a great step forward for the sector and District and its tourism be with poorly research. Several eventually for consumers.” managed water resources? The modelling essential discoveries tries to take this into account so we can Looking ahead assess how water decisions have wider of modern hydraulics The UK’s fundamental need for secure environmental, social and economic supplies of food, water and energy – impacts.” were made here. It is a privilege to build despite the uncertainties around fossil fuel Trading water? reserves and the impact of climate change on such heritage.” – is now recognised by government. Perhaps one of the more controversial Funding for research in these areas has topics considered in Professor Harou’s increased substantially in recent years. research group is the idea that water even if that makes sense for both parties. companies should work more closely Despite all the storms and flooding There is next to no trading between water together, sharing assets and in some cases around Christmas 2013, drought is an suppliers because current regulations do trading water. While the engineering for a increasing risk in the UK. A combination not encourage it. nationwide water grid is not cost-effective of changes in rainfall patterns, rising because under normal conditions water “Our research shows how greater population and changes in land use is likely is expensive to pump around in large interconnectivity and trading increase to make water shortages more common quantities, strategic interconnections that resilience and lower costs, especially in the future, especially in the South East allow regions to share water under special when linked to a balanced portfolio where annual rainfall is similar to some circumstances can be very beneficial. which includes reducing demand where areas in the Mediterranean. possible,” Professor Harou explains. Professor Harou turns back to his computer “In my line of resource management screen and pulls up a map showing the Professor Harou and his team have research you don’t get to make discoveries disjointed, unconnected water networks provided modelling and analysis for two as such, but still the work is immensely in the country. His work shows how more projects of national importance in this area satisfying. Everything we do is applied and

12 “Despite all the recent storms and flooding, MANCHESTER’S drought is an increasing risk. A combination COLLABORATIVE of changes in rainfall patterns, rising population and changes in land use is likely to WATER PROJECTS make water shortages more common.” SmartH2O A European Union funded collaboration to study how smart water metering and social media can change citizens’ attitudes and water usage.

WiseUp to Climate A German Environmental ministry- funded project that will demonstrate how natural and built infrastructure jointly enable effective climate change adaptation and sustainable development.

Jordan Water Project Will develop an integrated agent-based modelling framework to evaluate water policy interventions in water-stressed we work directly with water managers the beautiful countryside around countries using Jordan as a model and policy makers and quickly see Manchester beckons. The unpacking can system. how the research makes a difference. wait a little longer. Simulating different government policies “In 20 years I expect the UK water and regulatory frameworks helps explore Mesopotamia Water industry will look quite different and the potential impact of changes and This UN sponsored project aims to I’m excited to be involved in research helps government and companies make assess joint water infrastructure balanced decisions. investments between Syria, Iran and Iraq, using multi-criteria evaluation and the trade-off of benefits between countries “The idea is that water and water using sectors. development and investment programmes Transforming Water Scarcity are optimised. Creating WE Through Trade USE This EPSRC funded project looks at a forum where AROUND how local trading between water users companies can come (abstractors from all sectors, not just water companies) could help reduce the together is a great step societal cost of water scarcity today and forward for the sector into the future. and eventually for consumers.” LITRES OF WATER Hydra Platform PER PERSON This open water management software platform is a Technology Strategy Board PER DAY “Internationally, the water-food-energy funded joint venture between University ‘nexus’ is attracting the attention of of Manchester and Halcrow/CH2M Hill. An earlier proof of concept version was countries who want to guarantee chosen by NASA as a top 10 global water their resource security. In this area our supporting these changes. If water bills innovation. contribution will focus on planning remain affordable and the quality of our water investments and policies given water and aquatic environments improves, future uncertainties and how these can then I’ll be proud of our contribution. simultaneously fulfil multiple societal goals. Internationally, helping countries plan their water future and collaborate with “This is an exciting time to be involved neighbouring countries is an area we look in water management research and forward to contributing to.” Manchester is a great place to start a new group in this area.” He glances out again toward the sun, > FIND OUT MORE the prospect of a weekend walk exploring www.water.manchester.ac.uk

13 Stand up for climate change

Dr Ruth Wood, a Research Public engagement plays an important role audience. I’ve given general public talks on across the University, and is embedded climate change, and you tend to find that Fellow at the Tyndall Centre in its strategic vision, and so researchers the audience is filled with people already within the University’s School of are always looking for ways to bring their interested in the subject, who already Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil findings to new audiences. know the answers to what you are going to say. Bright Club gives researchers an Engineering, is proving climate “Climate change is one of the biggest opportunity to reach an audience that may challenges we will face in our lifetime, change is no laughing matter by not come to a university lecture. I enjoyed and the consequences of ignoring it are highlighting the issue at comedy attending them and listening to other enormous and devastating. If as a society people’s sets, and I was asked if I would be clubs. Ruth’s research involves we are going to have a chance of avoiding interested in taking part. climate change mitigation, such consequences we all need to play a predominantly by looking at role in some way. Getting clearer messages “The first Bright Club performances I gave how greenhouse gas emissions across about the challenge and what were based on research I’d been doing we need to do to meet it to the public is examining the carbon emissions associated can be reduced both in the UK paramount,” says Dr Ruth Wood. with producing everything we consume in the UK. For example if you consider and internationally in line with Ruth uses the usual routes for the food we eat, greenhouse gases are international commitments to disseminating research findings through produced at each stage of the supply chain peer reviewed journals, industry avoid dangerous climatic shifts involved in getting it onto our plates - publications and conferences, but she has from the production of the fertiliser and Ruth talks to Your Manchester recently moved towards direct contact with pesticides used on the farm, the farm the public in a more unconventional way - about her unusual way of sharing machinery, transportation, processing and through a series of comedy shows. knowledge with a wider audience. packaging, the supermarket and so on. The Bright Club in Manchester is home “Similarly for everything else we consume to the ‘thinking person’s variety night’, there is a long, often global supply and plays host to comedians and UK chain. At each stage of the supply chain, researchers. How, and why, did she energy -–usually in the form of a fossil make this move from the lofty heights fuel – is used releasing CO2 into the of academia to the beer soaked floors of atmosphere causing global warming and dimly lit clubs? as a consequence climate change. My “I’d been to a few Bright Club events in colleagues and I examined the current Manchester, and had seen the diverse consumption based emissions in the UK

14 Ruth performing in Edinburgh demonstrating the amount of CO2 that would be released if we burnt different types of fossil fuels compared to the limit (half a pint in the photo) to avoid dangerous climate change using an analogy of the drink drive limit. and how we might reduce those over “The talk I gave in Edinburgh was based given three things to think about when time at the scale necessary to avoid on a project on shale gas. It aimed to place writing. The first, was to use anecdotes dangerous climate change. It’s quite the debate on shale gas exploitation within and stories to bring my work to life, then a challenge to deliver; we have to try the context of climate change. I looked to use afterthoughts – comments after I’d to balance growth in population and at what fossils fuels we have already, and finished a sentence – for comedic effect; consumption while reducing the climate how much CO2 would be released if we and last to think about my attitude on and environmental impacts of producing burnt them, putting the results in the stage, and the influence that has on the everything we consume.” context of the amount of CO2 that can be audience. Inviting people to laugh with put into the atmosphere before causing you is very important - although having dangerous climate change. Turns out them laugh at you will also do.” there’s more than enough conventional “It was so scary. “The difference between my usual style fossil fuels out there to cause dangerous Absolutely terrifying! I of performance at a lecture is that I had climate change before we get to more to be much more careful about the order prepared and prepared unconventional sources like shale gas or in which I explained a topic, as well and prepared, and tar sands. Using the analogy of the drink as having to be much tighter with my drive limit and a well stocked bar I tried managed my nerves sentences and structure. Lots of people to convey visually what can be quite an by testing and trialling came and told me afterwards that it was abstract concept.” my material amongst funny and they enjoyed the show and colleagues and friends. Delivering research talks to a ‘safe’ learnt something new, so I’m hopeful that audience in the comfort of a university it was well received!” Fortunately they laughed lecture hall is a far cry from stand-up In all seriousness is this avenue of public in all of the right places.” comedy. “It was so scary. Absolutely engagement worthwhile, and is it terrifying! I basically prepared and something Ruth would like to pursue? prepared and prepared, and managed “It’s definitely been worthwhile. For After her initial tread of the boards, Ruth my nerves by testing and trialling my me, it makes academic research much was invited to attend the Green Man material amongst colleagues and friends to more relevant and accessible to a wider Festival in the summer of 2012. “Bright check they understood what I was trying audience. It’s designed to enhance Club was running an event each evening, to say, and all importantly that it was understanding not cloud things in and I performed at the festival along with funny. Fortunately they laughed in all of academic jargon, so I think it makes all researchers from across the UK.” Then in the right places. research more available. I probably will do 2013 Ruth performed at a Bright Club at “I was helped in developing my material by some more; I think there are plans for this the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2013. a workshop run by the organisers, and was year, and I would love to take part.”

> FIND OUT MORE There are Bright Clubs in towns and cities across the UK. You can find out more about upcoming events at www.brightclub.org

15 We are made of stars

Professor Tim O’Brien is a man of many guises. He is Associate Director at the iconic Jodrell Bank Observatory, part of the University’s School of Physics and Astronomy; Associate Dean responsible for leading on social responsibility at the Faculty of EPS; and a dedicated scholar who needs to find time to carry out research and to teach. However, for many, Professor O’Brien is familiar from his media work, including the popular Stargazing LIVE programme broadcast earlier this year on BBC2 to millions of viewers.

“It’s the fourth year we’ve done Stargazing classifying galaxies from tens of thousands turn all of our viewers into astronomers, so it’s feeling like a bit of a fixture at of people, an incredible response. The but if they are excited by what we do, and Jodrell. Average audiences reach three Space Warps team then had to statistically especially whilst at school, we can help million, which is staggering for a prime- analyse their information to find the best inspire the next generation of scientists time science programme and a great candidates – one of which turned out to and engineers”. showcase for Jodrell and the University. be really very exciting indeed! Tim’s role on Stargazing LIVE is to take the “I think the most recent series in January “Our e-MERLIN team at Jodrell worked lead from Jodrell Bank in liaising with the was possibly the best yet. It featured hard to co-ordinate six of our radio BBC and to act as an adviser on science live viewing of the Northern Lights telescopes across the country, including content. Usually around June, he starts from Norway – an amazing natural the Lovell Telescope, to view the target to get involved with discussions with the phenomenon triggered when plasma object. We were only ready to go just producers to help develop ideas for the ejected from the Sun crashes into the a few minutes before the start of the series. “I chip in suggestions for content, Earth’s magnetic field. The team even Wednesday evening programme. In fact, and as the host for Jodrell, I go on air chartered an aircraft to fly above the the Lovell telescope swung in to action as to talk about what we do and to join in clouds which was very ambitious – I think the programme was being broadcast, discussion of a range of topics covered in it was the first time the aurora had been so viewers may have seen it turning as the programmes.” He is also responsible broadcast live from an aircraft.” they watched. for setting up any observations that take place. “This year we wanted to show the The other amazing event was the discovery “The target was followed by all of the audience how we can see the spiral arms of a new astronomical object live on TV - telescopes until it set in the west, then our of our own Milky Way galaxy, which is not something that happens every day. astronomers worked hard to process the no mean feat considering we are actually We featured a ‘Citizen Science’ project data overnight, until we finally obtained an inside it. Our radio telescopes can see right called Space Warps in which the audience image of it at 5.45 the next afternoon. We across the galaxy, picking out the spiral were invited to help us discover new were able to show that e-MERLIN image in arms, as we demonstrated live on air. distant galaxies with the help of a weird the Thursday evening programme; real, live phenomenon called gravitational lensing. science in real time to an audience of three “The BBC comes to us because of our This is something very close to our hearts million people. I hope that goes to prove reputation as a world-leading observatory at Jodrell Bank, as the first example of this that science is exciting and that people can – we are seen as iconic for astronomy was discovered in 1979 by a team led by get involved.” in the UK – and our research is always scientists here. featured in the series. Most professional The theme of increased involvement in observatories tend to be in exotic places, “As the light from distant galaxies travels science is one that’s close to Tim’s heart, on mountains where they are above the towards us it can be bent around other and a large part of his role is to encourage clouds or even in space. But Jodrell is in the galaxies in the foreground because space is participation, making science accessible UK because, handily, our radio telescopes bent by the mass of the galaxy, something to a wider audience. He added: As he can see through cloud!” that Einstein suggested. The foreground continues: “Of course we don’t expect to galaxy acts like a lens, a gigantic natural telescope, and we see a magnified and distorted view of the distant galaxies. “On the Tuesday evening programme we invited the audience to start searching through data. Within just a few hours there had been a million attempts at

16 “One of the amazing occurrences was the discovery of a new astronomical object live on Stargazing. The Lovell telescope swung into action. Real, live science in real time to an audience of three million.”

17 Apart from Stargazing LIVE he also interaction, but by inspiring the teachers across the University into schools to inspire features each month on two BBC Radio who deal with their pupils day in day out, both pupils and teachers to get involved. 5 Live programmes. On Saturday Edition year after year, you can multiply “We recently held a networking event for he discusses topical issues in science with the effect.” teachers, where they were able to talk presenter Chris Warburton, whilst on Giving people the opportunity to access to researchers to find out which projects Phil Williams’ show he has a Night Sky science and education, especially those their pupils might like to get involved with. phone-in where he talks astronomy and who wouldn’t typically think about such We will then link researchers to specific answers listeners’ questions on all things routes for themselves, is important for schools, and they will go and work with space-related. Tim. “I went to a comprehensive school pupils in projects related to their work. Although his involvement with the media and was the first in my family to go to Only 12 universities have received funding is what makes him most recognisable, university. I appreciate that if your eyes for this initiative, so it’s a prestigious Tim is passionate about his academic are not opened to the possibilities, your project for us to be involved in.” roles at both Jodrell and elsewhere in chances of success are reduced. As a When he is at Jodrell Bank, Tim works the University. A key part of Tim’s role as local lad I’m very proud of the University’s closely with staff in its rebuilt Discovery Associate Dean for Social Responsibility record in widening participation in higher Centre, including the Director Teresa is to communicate the University’s education, and where I can help, I do.” Anderson, providing scientific input to research with a wider audience. “Public As principal investigator at Manchester for its exhibitions, such as its newest arrival engagement with our research is very the School-University Partnerships Initiative charting how large telescopes work around important, not least because we are - a three-year initiative to create structured the world. funded by the tax payer. Our research and strategic mechanisms for universities is not conducted in an ivory tower and Jodrell is also home to a well known series to work in partnership with secondary we want to talk to people and get them of musical events, and Tim is part of the schools and FE colleges - Tim works with involved with what we do where we can. team that puts together mini science colleagues to manage projects aimed at festivals at each of them. “We’ve had The “I love talking to school students as well as getting teachers and pupils involved in Flaming Lips, Elbow, Sigur Ros, New Order their teachers. Both are important; I hope research. “It’s a Research Councils UK and the Halle perform at Jodrell Bank, to I can inspire the students by face-to-face project in which we are taking research name a few, and I go on stage between bands to talk to the audiences about the work we do at Jodrell – fortunately I’ve not yet been booed off! It’s never simply a venue for music; we always ensure we get across the excitement of research going on at Jodrell and in other groups across the University who also come along to take part in the festival.”

Professor Tim O’Brien in front of the iconic Jodrell Bank Observatory

18 Other artistic endeavours aimed at in beautiful places. For example, before advances, including the new e-MERLIN broadening engagement with research to a night’s work begins at the Very Large telescope array, mean it’s now becoming new audiences, include work with artists Telescope in the Andes Mountains you can feasible for us to piggy back on and musicians Tasawar Bashir and Brian watch the Sun set over the Pacific. There’s observations made by other astronomers Duffy on the creation of an audiovisual a real sense of wonder to that, and I’m still doing different science; searching through installation Silsila: Infinite Qawwali, part inspired by the beauty of the night sky at the data for other types of signal. This of the Asia Triennial Manchester 2011; these very dark sites.” makes it win-win, we get the core science the creation of the sound content for the but we don’t miss the chance of seeing It’s an exciting time for radio astronomy at Pulsar Polyphon which was exhibited in the something unexpected in the same data, Jodrell. “The international headquarters of European Capital of Culture in Linz 2009, whether it’s a signal from ET or new the next big thing in radio astronomy, the and Tim has also worked with composer astronomical phenomena. Although this Square Kilometre Array, is now at Jodrell Alan Williams and the BBC Philharmonic approach is in its infancy, it’s a very Bank” explains Tim. Orchestra in the science background exciting time.” and schools programme for “Wonder: A “The SKA is a truly ambitious project. It will Professor O’Brien’s role as Associate Dean Scientific Oratorio”, a new work which be the world’s largest telescope, thousands for Social Responsibility has meant that was premiered in 2009. of dishes and other receivers spread over his teaching hours have been reduced, hundreds, perhaps thousands of kilometres but it remains an area of his job that he in the deserts of Southern Africa and “Public engagement relishes and enjoys. As he explains: “My Western Australia. is very important. main teaching is to first year students on “Our astronomers and engineers are my Introduction to Astrophysics and Our research is not playing a leading role, working with Cosmology course. Manchester has the conducted in an ivory colleagues around the world and with largest Physics department in the UK with staff at the SKA HQ in designing aspects 280 students each year, and their first tower and we want to get of the telescope systems and in setting out lecture on the first day of term at 9am is the public involved with its scientific programme. This programme with me. It’s great to talk to students right includes looking to answer some of the at the beginning of their time with us. I what we do.” biggest questions in astronomy, including hope I don’t put them off! what is dark energy, was Einstein right and “I also work closely with undergraduate Although he is a busy man, his first love are we alone in the Universe.” students in their final year of study. is of course his research, and his main New projects are being planned which Currently students under my supervision strand of work looks at exploding stars. might include Tim spending more time are building computer models of stellar “I’ve been researching stellar explosions on SETI – the search for extra-terrestrial explosions, running large numerical models for many years. When we see a new star intelligence. “We are at a very interesting in gas dynamics and using physics to in the sky, people used to think it was a time for astronomy. In the last 20 years calculate how the explosions develop star being born, but we now know they we’ve discovered many planets orbiting to compare with observations. Their mark a point at or near the end of a other stars, we know there are billions hard work will hopefully result in a star’s life. Studying stars is fundamentally of planets in our Milky Way. I think there research paper, which is relatively unusual important; we are made of stuff from stars must be life on some of those planets. at this level. – the oxygen we’re breathing now was made inside a star, billions of years ago, “The difficulty is that distances in space are “�I’m very proud to work at The University of before the Sun and planets were formed. so vast that it’s hard to imagine travelling Manchester. It’s fantastic to be involved in Exploding stars spread these elements into to see what’s out there. If there is extra- new approaches to research engagement space, making the next generations of terrestrial life there is a chance that it at a strategic level within the University, stars and planets. may have evolved to the point where it is and also to work closely with the next capable of communicating. So if we can generation of physicists.” “One of the most interesting aspects of send and receive signals that travel at the this research is its unpredictability; one speed of light then we can cross those night there is nothing there and the next, distances in a matter of years instead of bang! A star has exploded. My email inbox tens of thousands of years. fills up too as, working with colleagues around the world, we coordinate “During a five-year programme from telescopes to follow up on the aftermath. 1998-2003 we used the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell to listen for signals coming “I’m very lucky to be able to use telescopes from extraterrestrial intelligence – that is, around the world and in space - although alien lifeforms, but found nothing after I am still to get to space myself. Many searching a thousand stars. Technological > FIND OUT MORE of these telescopes are at high altitude www.jb.man.ac.uk

19 MY CAREER Busy people always find time

Manchester graduate Peter Mount CBE with fellow HUGS fundraisers Peter Mount Peter Mount CBE is a man who likes to keep busy. Being Chairman Peter Mount graduated of Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in 1961 from UMIST – a forerunner of The University would keep the most industrious of us fully occupied, but this of Manchester – with a graduate takes it to a different level. BSc in Mechanical and Production Engineering. As well as being in charge of eight hospitals, needs school in the west of the country. The “I have extremely good Peter’s charity work sees him travelling regularly Good Shepherd school came out of a visit memories of UMIST. During to Africa, raising funds and building schools. He from a Catholic nun who was studying for her a very happy three years I is a founding member of HUGS (Help Uganda Master’s at The University of Manchester – we established the Mechanical Schools) which delivers programmes to bring Manchester graduates are everywhere! Children Engineering Society, was education and skills development to children in with learning disabilities get a very raw deal Chairman of the Catholic Uganda and Rwanda. “I got involved in 1995 in Africa. Even if these children do get the Society, and a member of through my Catholic parish in Marple Bridge. chance to go to mainstream school, with typical the Students’ Union Council. A visiting Ugandan priest had been asked Ugandan classes of over 100 such children get Any spare time was spent to take over the leadership of a major new no personal attention and are often bullied. university in Uganda, and had travelled to the on the rugby field and “The school was opened in 2009, and it’s UK to complete a doctorate at The University of tennis courts, and I played a beautiful school with its own small farm, Manchester, and we began to form a friendship. both sports competitively a woodwork shop, and practical textile and for the Faculty.” “He told me that he was personally paying garment making lessons for the children. for about 15 young children to go to school. Peter went to work at “We’ve also carried out some work on a I began to wonder what we could do to help. Rolls-Royce and obtained seriously under-resourced school in Rwanda. My network of friends raised enough for these his chartered membership Hopefully in the next couple of years we can children to attend school. of the Institute of expand this and build a secondary school. We Mechanical Engineers. “Three years later the priest returned to do have to be mindful of the tribal diversity From his mid 20s to early 30s Manchester and, over a Chinese takeaway, we in countries such as Rwanda. The schools are Peter spent time working discussed the progress of the children. An idea essentially Catholic, but children from all faiths at Urwick Orr, now part of emerged: perhaps instead of 15 children going are taken, and their faiths are respected.” to school, we could work with the village and Price Waterhouse Coopers HUGS is now helping to provide primary and local people to buy land, build a school, and give then spent time working at secondary education to nearly 900 children as 100 children an education? So we did! The land Thorn EMI, rising to Chief well as helping an orphanage with 40 children in was bought, the villagers made the bricks, and Executive of one if its large the north of Uganda. international divisions in the we opened in 2001. The primary school now late 1980s. has around 400 pupils and is in the top 5% of “We want to look at further education 11,000 schools in the country.” opportunities now. We began with 11 students After leading an almost who have now moved on to further education A great achievement, which would be enough successful management and degree level, and we are sponsoring a for most. But not for Peter. “We’ve now also buyout of Thorn EMI in number of students through university. built a secondary school for 150 children, the 1990s. (“As a result of They must promise to stay in the country, and with the help of Mike and Jean Oglesby, being the ‘leader of the use their skills and knowledge to improve founders of the Bruntwood property group, we revolution’, I was the first to their communities” go!”) he moved to the NHS, have funded a vocational school. So we now when it was beginning the have a campus from junior through to vocational > FIND OUT MORE Trust movement. “It was skills, so children leaving these schools have a HUGS has raised more the £750,000 since its good timing . I found myself chance to make a living for themselves.” The inception. Incidental costs are privately funded, chairman of Salford Royal vocational school is due to open in 2014. and all of the money raised goes to the schools Hospital - an extremely good Peter travels regularly to Uganda. “We have and to find scholarships. If you would like to hospital and kick-started my a great team there, so my focus is on raising become a regular small donor please visit career in the NHS.” the money for other projects such as a special www.helpingugandaschools.org

20 Dream come true for Mercy

The groundbreaking work of Mercy Badu, an international scholarship student at Manchester, has been recognised with a prestigious accolade as part of a scheme to boost the profile of women in the global scientific community.

Mercy has been awarded the 2013 L’Oréal- The L’Oréal-UNESCO regional fellowship on thermal properties - characterised by UNESCO Regional Fellowships for Women is a competitive award given to a few crystallisation or melting behaviour - which in Science in Sub-Saharan Africa. selected women with potential to make affect the processing of fats, particularly great strides in the field of science. The trans-fatty acids from hydrogenated oils. The PhD student from Ghana has been award recognises Mercy as an individual, studying at The University of Manchester “These oils increase the risks of as well as recognising the work she is for nearly 12 months, based in the Organic cardiovascular disease. My research is doing as regionally important in Africa. Materials Innovation Centre (OMIC) under looking at how to replace the use of The associated grant she has received will the supervision of Professor Stephen Yeates hydrogenated fat with naturally occurring support Mercy to continue her research and Professor Peter Budd. saturated fats. in Ghana. Mercy said: “I was very happy to receive “I arrived in Manchester with an idea I The University of Manchester is also the award. When I was thinking about wanted to work on and a raw material helping with this endeavour by sending submitting an entry I showed it to Stephen that I had identified. We spent the first few surplus equipment from the School of Yeates and he said ‘go for it’, so I did. I months looking at what we could do - and Chemistry to international partner Kwame didn’t expect anything from it - but having the last six months have been dedicated Nkrumah University of Science and the work I do recognised is a good feeling.” to looking at how we can formulate these Technology (KNUST) in Ghana. materials to facilitate drug delivery.” Peter Budd, Professor of Polymer Professors Yeates and Budd have Chemistry, added: “This award is a Peter Budd added: “We will be publishing developed an MSc in Polymer Chemistry significant achievement for Mercy, like a a paper of a very detailed characterisation at KNUST, and from that a number of dream come true. She will now be able to of this material very soon.” Ghanaian graduates have benefitted from acquire the equipment she needs, such as a Commonwealth Split-site Scholarship The research has also seen collaborations glassware and standard reagents to enable programme to Manchester, including with the Federal University of Ceara in her to continue her research after her Mercy Badu. Brazil and that partnership will help Mercy Commonwealth scholarship ends. This will identify more uses for her material. be additionally supported by equipment Mercy’s research at Manchester looked donated from OMIC. at the utilisation of naturally occurring Mercy returned to Ghana at the beginning biopolymers as innovative materials for the of 2014 but will receive ongoing support “After she has returned to Ghana, Mercy Ghanaian chemical industry. from The University of Manchester. She plans to maintain a strong collaboration will be able to submit results from her with The University of Manchester in joint Her work is based around vegetable research to the Polymer Science group at research projects. This will enable her to fats, which have become important Manchester for additional evaluation. contribute significantly to the development commodities in world trade as they have of the Ghanaian chemical industry.” many uses. In particular she is focused

21 Extreme removals

Anyone who has moved house will testify it is one of the most stressful experiences in their life. So spare a thought for those colleagues involved in the precision planning to relocate highly specialist equipment from their existing locations into the new Manchester Engineering Campus Development (MECD). We talk to some of the movers and shakers behind this herculean project and find out about what is probably the biggest logistical challenge of their careers.

A wind tunnel in action: central cross-section of the flow field over a non-spinning disc-wing, with an electrically heated wire vaporised oil to create smoke, visualising the flow field when illuminated

The Manchester Engineering Campus develop a conceptual design to meet all Ryan Lewis, University Capital Project Development project is well under way. these requirements in efficient, ingenious Manager, is currently planning this It forms the largest single project in the ways. The MECD concept, expected decanting phase. One of the biggest University’s Campus Masterplan, a ten- later in 2014, will form the core for the headaches is the transfer of the school’s year £1 billion investment announced in architectural design brief. entire suite of imaging equipment out of 2012, to create a single campus with new the basement of the Materials Science As part of this early stage design process, teaching and research buildings, student Centre. “You can’t move such sensitive each school has catalogued all its facilities and major improvements to the equipment just anywhere,” he explains. equipment and services – an inventory of public realm. “Electron microscopes, for example, are 1,500 large-scale (ie bigger than benchtop) highly sensitive to vibration. We have had All four schools – Chemical Engineering items, most of which will ultimately move to test a whole load of buildings to find and Analytical Sciences; Materials; Electrical to the new site. the most suitable location.” and Electronic Engineering; Mechanical, Indeed some of this impressive and Aerospace and Civil Engineering – who The Henry Moseley X-ray imaging expense equipment will have to move will eventually occupy the new site equipment will decamp further south to twice. First the Materials Science Centre have already identified their current the new Photon Science Institute in the must be emptied (‘decanted’) so this old equipment, space and facility requirements Alan Turing Building. Most of the School building can be demolished along with working with a team of consultants. of Materials’ 12 electron microscopes will Grosvenor Halls to make space for the end up in the Maths and Social Sciences They are now starting to think about new construction. building – shown to be least susceptible to how they would like the new campus to Preparations are already underway to vibrational noise. work. What facilities will they need? What renovate space in alternative buildings, equipment will they move? How much It is not the challenge of physically getting including the Morton Laboratory, floor space will kit require? What kind the equipment out of the basement The Mill and the Maths and Social of extra, ancillary systems do they need, that concerns Ryan the most. “We will Sciences Building, to host temporary such as steam, compressed air, water work with the equipment manufacturers labs, clean rooms, testing rigs and sprinklers or vacuum tanks? Once these and specialist movers. The dismantling more. Here research will continue questions are answered the consultants is certainly complex, although these as normal during the construction will compile all the requirements for contractors make it look easy as they of their new permanent homes. the Manchester Engineering Campus dismantle, label and box everything for Development (MECD). They then have to transportation. However, getting the

22 microscopes back up and running is the done his bit: CEAS moved into the new every step in intense detail. It is no good biggest challenge because they are so James Chadwick building in 2012. He arriving in your new lab to discover that sensitive. remembers how much work went into the you need extra pipework!” transfer of the 20m tall Cameron MEG Rig. For Gary, success comes down to “The unique rig cost about £1 million, so The Titan electron microscope, a goliath collaboration and communication. “There’s it had to come with us despite the high at 3m tall which comes with a roomful of at least one meeting every fortnight for costs involved in its transfer. Of course peripheral devices, could take eight weeks projects like this, and that’s before we get we brought in outside specialists; they or more to move. Ryan says that to the nitty gritty of architectural design, dismantled it into manageable modules, he plans to move one microscope at a floor layouts and putting in services,” he everything was labelled and packaged time to minimise disruption and allow notes. “It is exciting to see electricians, before being loaded onto trucks for the research to continue. “At least when mechanics and specialist engineers short journey from the Mill.�” it comes to moving again into the new swarming over a piece of kit, cleaning it building we’ll know exactly what we are Gary says that every item of equipment out, labelling and delicately packaging it doing!” he quipped. requires individual consideration and for transport. But it is close communication attention to detail. “Actually physically as much as clever engineering that gets Gary Burns, Technical Services Manager dismantling and transporting is the easy multimillion pound equipment out of old for the School of Chemical Engineering bit – and we use contractors anyway. What labs and quickly installed in new ones.” and Analytical Sciences (CEAS) has already really matters is planning and designing

A wind tunnel in action: central cross-section of the flow field over a non-spinning disc-wing, with an electrically heated wirevaporised oil to create smoke, visualising the flow field when illuminated

HOW TO… MOVE A WIND TUNNEL “We’ve got around 16 wind tunnels in MACE,” says Mike Carroll as turn the air intake through 90 degrees. So when we get round to he unlocks a basement door in the George Begg building. “They designing the new home for these tunnels – and we’re talking a hall range in size from benchtop dimensions to these.” the size of a football pitch – I’m sure something will change. We will be rebuilding with modifications.” He opens the door into a large hall, dominated by two industrial looking blue-painted steel tubes. They look a bit like four or five But it isn’t necessarily the wind tunnel itself that poses the biggest shipping containers – some rather shrunk in size – bolted end to engineering challenge. Mike opens the door to another tunnel. The end. It looks like a big job to move these out, but Mike just smiles. experimental area is less than a metre long, and half the width. A “Yes, but that’s what moving contractors do best. You can see that 5cm metal model of an aircraft wing is mounted in the space. Yet the wind tunnel is quite modular, so we can dismantle it in bits that this tunnel, which delivers air speeds up to Mach 5, requires an will fit through the door using a forklift – we had to enlarge the door entire room of ancillary equipment: a 5m high pressuriser, a 2m long when we first moved in. However, you can be fairly sure that when heater and two enormous vacuum tanks stacked to the roof. we rebuild this at the other end it probably won’t be quite like this.” “Moving the actual tunnel will be relatively straightforward,” Mike Mike explains that wind tunnels, like a lot of research equipment, suggests, “but we need to plan how we will use the new space. evolve and adapt to their environment. “You construct the kit Will we take these rusty looking tanks with us? Can we design a according to its environment. When we moved in here we had to central vacuum facility with our wind tunnels radiating out from it? How much floor space do we need around each tunnel for measuring equipment? Could we run tunnels simultaneously in a shared space?” He doesn’t have the answers yet – there are many meetings in his diary – and in the meantime the research must go on. “We plan for the future, but stay focused on the present. It’s my job to minimise the disruption as we wait for the creation of our brand new home.”

> FIND OUT MORE Giant wind tunnels which are among some of the specialist equipment that will www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/vision/ be relocated as part of the Manchester Engineering Campus Development

23 ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCESNEWS

The first official movie still of Manchester graduate Benedict Cumberbatch as British computer pioneer Alan Turing in The Imitation Game. Image supplied by Black Bear Pictures

Manchester graduate to bring Turing to the big screen anchester graduate and “Beyond Computer Science he made consider unjust and discriminatory and Sherlock Holmes star Benedict important contributions to many fields which has now been repealed. Cumberbatch (Drama, 1999) is to including mathematics, psychology, M “Dr Turing deserves to be remembered and play Alan Turing in a new film expected to chemistry, physics and biology.” recognised for his fantastic contribution to hit the big screens later this year. The big screen interest in Turing coincides the war effort and his legacy to science. A ‘The Imitation Game’ focuses on the with him being awarded a posthumous pardon from the Queen is a fitting tribute cracking of the Enigma code during royal pardon from the Queen and praise to an exceptional man.” World War Two, and drama graduate for his war-time contribution from the Prime Minister David Cameron added: Cumberbatch will be play the codebreaker Prime Minister. “Alan Turing was a remarkable man who alongside a star-studded cast, including The rare pardon, awarded under the played a key role in saving this country in Keira Knightley, Charles Dance, Matthew Royal Prerogative of Mercy protocol, World War Two.” Goode, Mark Strong and Rory Kinnear. follows a request from Justice The film is directed by Morten Tyldum and Secretary Chris Grayling to address a written by Graham Moore. “discriminatory” conviction. From 1948 until his death in 1954, Justice Secretary Chris Grayling polymath Alan Turing – hailed as the explained the reasoning behind “father of modern computing” – worked the pardon: “Dr Alan Turing was on the world’s earliest computers at The an exceptional man with a brilliant University of Manchester. mind. His brilliance was put into “Turing was an exceptionally talented practice during the Second World man,” said Professor Jim Miles, Head War where he was pivotal to of Computer Science. “It’s important to breaking the Enigma code, helping remember that although he was Deputy to end the war and save thousands Director of Manchester’s Royal Society of lives. Computing Machine Laboratory his “His later life was overshadowed appointment in Manchester was Reader by his conviction for homosexual in Mathematics. activity, a sentence we would now

Pioneer Alan Turing 24 NEWSENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES

Life on the front line as depicted by soldier-artist Walter Phythian. This drawing is on display until June 29, along with poignant war letters written by Manchester students, as part of the Aftermath exhibition at the University’s John Rylands Library. www.library.manchester.ac.uk/rylands

University to mark WW1 and the Faculty’s ground-breaking contribution he University of Manchester the Faculty. This former officer went on is set to mark the 100th to work with Ernest Walton to eventually A CAREER CUT SHORT anniversary of the outbreak “split the atomic nucleus” and from this T Scientist Henry Moseley had his of World War One with a series work Sir John Cockcroft, as he become promising career cut short after of events and activities running known to the world, was awarded a Nobel being killed in the Gallipoli campaign throughout 2014. Prize for Physics. in 1915, aged 27. Just before the “We want to mark the diversity of the Ironically, explains historian James, the outbreak of the war, while working in University’s contribution to the war effort,” artillery shells used by young gunners like Manchester, Moseley observed and explained Dr James Hopkins, the University John Cockcroft were produced at a better measured the X-ray spectra of various Historian and Heritage Officer. and faster rate, thanks to the work of the chemical elements. Through this work original technology faculty he studied at. he discovered a systematic relation “Many fought on the front line and paid between wavelength and atomic A new type of gas furnace pioneered in the ultimate sacrifice but thankfully many number, a discovery known as Manchester boosted the UK’s munitions returned. Others from the University Moseley’s Law. production and therefore helped power community had a role to play on the home the national war effort. Today Manchester has a world-class front, while others passionately objected to reputation in X-ray imaging technology the war and became pacifists. We want to Other innovations included a deep sea which was recently recognised with a reflect all of this in the year ahead.” hydrophone to counter submarine Queen’s Anniversary Prize. See pages threats to shipping, improvement in the James said the then Faculty of Technology 34 and 35. fabric used by R33 and R34 airships, – a forerunner to UMIST and The University as well as advice on how to stretch the of Manchester – itself lost 196 students, nation’s bread supply. including 63 who had been members of the Manchester University Officers’ “This pioneering work helped propel what Training Corps. would become our Faculty into one of national significance,” James added. “In One survivor was 2nd Lieutenant JD fact, you can trace some of the modern Cockcroft, who returned from serving in If you have any information relating to the Faculty’s world-leading reputation for the Royal Artillery on the Western Front to Faculty’s contribution to World War One applied excellence from this period of complete his BScTech and MSscTech at please contact Dr Christine Twigg: ambitious technological application.” [email protected]

25 ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCESNEWS

EPSUCCESS Charm matters in anti matter Andrew Welfle anchester scientists working at the European Organisation for Nuclear MResearch (CERN) have reported the world’s most precise measurement of the difference between matter and antimatter – known as CP violation – during the decay of charm particles. The team, pictured, which included colleagues from the universities of Oxford and Glasgow, presented their findings at the sixth International Workshop for Charm Physics hosted by The The event, organised by members of University of Manchester’s School of Physics Andrew Welfle (pictured Manchester’s High Energy Physics group who and Astronomy in September and have now left), a PhD researcher participate in CERN’s Large Hadron Collider submitted their publication. in the Tyndall Centre for Beauty (LHCb) experiment, is the leading Climate Change Research Manchester scientist Dr Silvia Borghi, who conference for research in particles containing has been selected as one of presented the new result at the conference, charm quarks. five students representing said: “This measurement – the first to search for The LHCb collaboration contributed a range of Manchester at the Global matter-antimatter asymmetries in charm particles brand-new results, one of which was obtained Young Scientists summit with a precision of better than 0.1 per cent – is a 2014 in Singapore, which under the leadership of Dr Marco Gersabeck, major milestone for our group’s research.” took place in January. who was also co-chair of the conference. He Professor Chris Parkes, co-chair of the Andrew’s research focuses said: “Attracting more than 100 delegates from conference, added: “This is an important topic on Biomass, Resource around the world exceeded our expectations and Modelling, Bioenergy, of research at the Large Hadron Collider, as it shows the huge interest in this field. The results Climate Change, provides a unique way to search for sources of from the LHCb experiment are now shaping the Energy Policy. new physics, and we were pleased to host this world’s knowledge of charm physics.” conference in the UK for the first time.” The summit is an annual gathering of primarily PhD students and post- docs from all over the New X-ray vision can reveal internal structure of objects world, and internationally niversity of Manchester researchers, eminent science and working with colleagues in the technology leaders, UK, Europe and the US, have with an interdisciplinary U developed a new kind of ‘X-ray vision’ theme covering a range of that can peer inside an object and map a subjects from chemistry, physics and medicine to three-dimensional distribution of its nano mathematics, computer properties in real time. A laboratory system for element specific hyperspectral science and engineering. The novel imaging technique could have X-ray imaging. Analyst 138 (2013) 755-759 The students attend a five a wide range of applications across many The research, published in the journal Nature day programme, interacting disciplines, such as materials science, geology, Communications, explains how the new imaging with world-renowned environmental science and medical research. scientists and peers, to technique uses scattered X-rays to form a three- discuss science Professor Robert Cernik in Manchester’s dimensional reconstruction of the image. and research. School of Materials, said: “This new imaging “When X-rays hit an object they are either method – termed Pair Distribution Function- Andrew said: “The GYSS transmitted, absorbed or scattered,” explained Computed Tomography – represents one of the is important as there are Professor Cernik. “Standard X-ray tomography most significant developments in X-ray micro few similar events that works by collecting the transmitted beams, tomography for almost 30 years” bring together such a large rotating the sample and mathematically number of leading scientists “Using this method we are able to image objects reconstructing a 3D image of the object. This is representing the spectrum in a non-invasive manner to reveal their physical only a density contrast image, but by a similar of scientific research. Often and chemical nano-properties and relate these to method using the scattered X-rays instead we when you are working in their distribution in three-dimensional space at can obtain information about the structure your research area it is the micron scale. and chemistry of the object even if it has a too easy to lose a wider nanocrystalline structure. perspective of what you “Such relationships are key to understanding the are doing, and be unaware properties of materials and so could be used to “By using this method we are able to build a what relevant research look at in-situ chemical reactions, probe stress- much more detailed image of the object and, for may be being carried out in strain gradients in manufactured components, the first time, separate the nanostructure signals other scientific disciplines. distinguish between healthy and diseased tissue, from the different parts of a working device to The GYSS provides a great identify minerals and oil-bearing rocks or identify see what the atoms are doing in each location, forum for addressing this. illicit substances or contraband in luggage.” without dismantling the object.”

26 NEWSENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES

Manchester alumni take EPSUCCESS up the challenge IBM award for John Keane n award-winning scheme ensuring we John Keane of the School of to encourage Manchester support our Computer Science and the Agraduates to become school current and Manchester Institute of governors is proving a big success. former students Biotechnology, Co-Director of the Since August last year, 125 Manchester to make a positive difference to cross-faculty Decision and Cognitive alumni have signed up to the School young people in state school education.” Sciences Research Centre, has won a Governors One-Stop Shop (SGOSS) Manchester is the first university to prestigious IBM Faculty award; one of initiative – along with participating formally partner with SGOSS, a national only four in the UK. He joins 13 other University staff, this helps to make the charity whose aim is to help fill the researchers from around the world University the country’s leading recruiting 30,000 current vacancies for state who each receive $10,000 to bring organisation for school governors under school governors across England. School together their research for the benefit the SGOSS partnership. governors form the country’s largest group of curricular development. The partnership is part of the University’s of educational volunteers – on average The IBM Faculty Awards is a world- commitment to make a real difference and each governor influences the education of wide programme intended to foster engage with communities. This work forms around 550 children. collaboration between researchers part of a core social responsibility strategy The University’s successful school at leading universities and those in as outlined in the Manchester 2020 Vision. governors programme won the IBM, and to promote courseware and curriculum innovation to stimulate Julian Skyrme, Director of Social ‘Social Responsibility’ category of the growth in disciplines and geographies Responsibility at the University, said he Environmental Association of Universities that are strategic to IBM. was delighted with the response from and Colleges (EUAC) Green Gown Award – the same project also went the alumni community. “Manchester The award will be used in collaboration on to win the ‘International Best Social alumni are an amazing resource for school with Dr Goran Nenadic to support Responsibility’ category. leaders and young people,” he said. “As research and teaching in ‘big data successful, professional individuals across and analytics’. In particular, the a rich range of occupational backgrounds, Find out more about this award will support technical case they have a lot to offer governing bodies in Signature Programme at: studies investigating the design and schools and young people directly.” www.sgoss.org.uk/sgoss-and-the- implementation of big data solutions “We are making social responsibility a university-of-manchester.html to enhance postgraduate teaching. distinguishing feature of all our activities, Big data refers to large quantities of raw information generated GLOBAL GRADUATES GLOBAL IMPACT AWARDS by changing technologies As part of an international fact-finding Three students from the Faculty have and corresponding changing mission to gather careers advice from received Global Impact Awards, which organisational practice. The rapidly Manchester alumni, Qualeem Hussai are funded by alumni donations to expanding volume of complex, multi- (third year Electrical and Electronic the University and are awarded by the modal data, allied to its perceived Engineering) travelled to Singapore, Alumni Association Advisory Board. potential, impacts both analytic Taranvir Sagoo (third year, Civil techniques and organisational To qualify for the £250 award, the Engineering) visited Dubai, while Robin context to utilise the analysis results. students have to travel overseas and Drinkall (third year Chemistry with These impacts have led to the recent undertake voluntary work of sustainable Medicinal Chemistry) went to New York. emergence of ‘data scientist’ and benefit to the community. This work Each was supported by the University’s related activities as a hybrid role must also be beyond the main focus of Global Graduates programme and requiring mainly technical skills but their subject of study. given the opportunity to meet alumni also understanding of organisational from a range of professions during their Lucy Major, third year MEng Civil context. The award will support both respective week-long meetings. Engineering, travelled to Uganda to research and teaching in big data. spend a month working with charity At least three quarters of students who Professor Keane holds the MG East African Playgrounds. Muhammed participated in the scheme are from Singh Chair in Data Engineering. His Nurul Bin Shahul Hamid, second a widening participation background primary interest is data analytics year BEng Mechanical Engineering, and are funded to participate by a gift and decision support for complex, visited Turkey to work with high-school from a donor with special recognition multi-modal data. The work students, while Alexander Crow, going to University governor Paul explores a range of applications first year BSc Electronic and Electrical Lee who funded 12 of the 16 Global from bio-medical to financial. Engineering, went to Kenya to construct Graduate students. The scheme – which a new classroom and kitchen at Marigat is administered by the Careers Service ! Catholic Primary School. – aims to raise career aspirations and heighten cultural awareness in students. It will run again in June, with visits to New York, Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong.

27 ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCESGRAPHENENEWS

Graphene Flagship sets sail he Graphene Flagship has been “One challenge will be to keep the agility, to get launched as one of Europe’s first the right new partners inside, so that you can Tten-year, €1bn flagships in Future react and steer in a new direction as the context and Emerging Technologies. Selected by changes. Another is of course the scientific the European Commission, its mission is to challenge. Thirdly, we need to bring in industry take graphene and related-layered materials in such a way, that ideas are taken up in a way from academic laboratories to society, that leads to new products and markets. That’s revolutionise multiple industries and create the whole idea of the flagship.” economic growth and new jobs in Europe. The consortium of Graphene Flagship initially Launch of The Graphene Flagship: During January, a flagship sail was symbolically includes 75 academic and industrial partners Professor Karin Markides, President and CEO of Chalmers University of set jointly by Wolfgang Bosch of the European in 17 European countries. It focuses on the Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden, Commission, Karin Markides, President of general area of communications, concentrating Professor Jari Kinaret, Director of Chalmers University of Technology, and Nokia on ICT and on the physical transport sector, and The Graphene Flagship, Chalmers representative Tapani Ryhänen. supporting applications in the fields of energy University of Technology, Gothenburg, technology and sensors. Sweden and Professor Konstantin The Graphene Flagship strategy is divided into Novoselov , Member of the Graphene two separate phases: a 30-month ramp-up The consortium will be expanded in the near Flagship Strategic Advisory Council, The University of Manchester, phase under the seventh Framework Programme future with another 20-30 groups, further (1 October 2013 to 31 March 2016) with a total strengthening the engineering aspects of the European Commission funding of €54m, and Graphene Flagship. a steadystate phase under the Horizon 2020 Parallel to this, work is performed among programme, starting 1 April 2016, with expected EU member states and associated nations, European Commission funding of 50m per year. € through an ERA-NET, to coordinate national Carl-Christian Buhr, member of the Cabinet of funding initiatives on graphene, complementing European Commission Vice-President Neelie Graphene Flagship funding from the European Kroes, said: “Now, we are all in this together, the Commission. Graphene Flagship launches Commission and all the academic and industrial a range of initiatives focused on graphene partners of The Graphene Flagship. It’s is an dissemination within and outside the flagship. unusually long-term commitment, and there will be challenges, let’s be clear about that.

‘Tense’ graphene joins forces with gold nano-antennas riting in Nano Letters and to move back and forth along with the He said: “When a sheet of graphene, Physica Status Solidi Rapid light wave, causing an increase just one atom thick, is placed on top of WResearch Letters, a team in the electric field at the surface of two gold particles next to each other, led by Dr Aravind Vijayaraghavan the particle. the graphene bends around the particles in collaboration with Professor and gets stretched in the gap between When two such particles are brought Stephanie Reich at Freie Universität the particles. When light falls on the close to each other, the oscillating Berlin and Professor Stefan Maier graphene, it is scattered to different electrons in the two particles interact, at Imperial College London, has extents from the strained and unstrained forming an even higher electric field shown that graphene can be used to parts of the graphene. between the two particles, which investigate how light interacts with results in a coupling between the two “Fortunately, the strained part of the gold nanostructures of different particles. It has proven to be difficult to graphene also lies in the same region shape, size and geometry. This could experimentally observe and measure the as the plasmonic electric field – in the potentially increase the efficiency of magnitude of this coupling and resulting cavity in between the two dots. This solar cells and photo detectors. electric field. allows us to compare the amount of This interaction, through plasmon light scattered by the plasmonic cavity Dr Vijayaraghavan’s team and resonance, is the same phenomenon and the surrounding region, and derive collaborators have shown that graphene that gives colour to the gothic stained a quantity for the enhancement from can be placed on top of such coupled glass rose window of Notre-Dame the plasmonic antenna cavity. gold antennas of different shapes and, de Paris. by performing Raman spectroscopy on “The light scattered from the When light shines on a metal particle the graphene, this coupled plasmonic strained graphene can be 1000 times smaller than the wavelength of the system can be observed and measured. brighter than the light from the light the electrons in the particle start surrounding graphene.”

28 GRAPHENENEWSENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES

University attracts £5 million research Queen awards Regius partnership from graphene manufacturer professorship to School of luestone Global Tech - one of are leading the emerging graphene Physics and Astronomy the world’s largest graphene market, providing mass production of rofessor manufacturers - will open its high-quality 2D materials to enable the B Andre Geim European base at The University of commercialisation of many graphene- has become Manchester, and sign a £5 million enhanced applications such as advanced P the inaugural collaborative agreement; a decision displays, flexible electronics, energy Regius professor which could create many new jobs storage materials, and cosmetics. at the University; in the city. In addition to providing the material for one of only two The partnership will allow University research projects, Bluestone will initially such awards academics to work closely on research open a pre-production facility and at Manchester projects with Bluestone to produce offices at the University to partner with in the past 100 the next generation of graphene a few leading consumer companies, years. Regius applications. before setting up larger European professorships headquarters and a pilot production are bestowed Graphene was first isolated at The plant within Manchester. by the Queen in University of Manchester by Andre recognition of exceptionally high quality of Geim and Kostya Novoselov in 2004, Bluestone joins Graphene Industries teaching and research. A total of 12 Regius earning them the Nobel prize for and 2D-Tech, the University spin-out professorships were awarded by the Queen Physics in 2010. companies supplying graphene and to mark her Diamond Jubilee. other 2D materials around the world, Work has begun on the £61m National in a group of graphene manufacturers Professor Geim received the 2010 Nobel prize, Graphene Institute (NGI), funded by based at the University. alongside Konstantin Novoselov, for his work the Engineering and Physical Sciences on the novel material graphene. He said: “The Research Council and the European Dr Chung Ping Lai, Chief Executive Regius professorship reflects the tradition of Regional Development Fund, which Officer for Bluestone Global Tech, exceptionally strong physics at The University will provide a centre for industry said: “The link with The University of of Manchester. I am most honoured to play a and University academics to work Manchester and the National Graphene role as the current figurehead for this century- side by side on emerging graphene Institute is integral to our strategy of long effort. I would like to express my deep applications. The deal with Bluestone working with our customers to bring appreciation to the University and School marks the first strategic partnership products and processes from the lab leadership for their efforts in gaining of the NGI. to the workplace. With our long-term this hallmark.” commitment and co-operation with The University has more than 100 the University, BGT will have access to The School of Physics and Astronomy is one scientists and engineers working on a critical mass of world-class research of the world’s principal physics departments graphene and other 2D materials, across talent, facilities and resources and we with more than 1,000 students, and carries all disciplines providing the expertise are very excited to be located at the out innovative research projects in physics, and critical mass Bluestone and other home of graphene.” astrophysics and astronomy, as well as industrial partners require. significant public engagement activities. The Bluestone, who currently have School boasts world-leading staff in all areas STOP PRESS ... laboratories in New York and Taiwan, of modern physics and has produced nine of the 25 Nobel prize winners associated with The Sir Andre Geim and University of Manchester, two of whom are Sir Kostya Novoselov among the current staff. have been awarded the Freedom of the City of Professor Stephen Watts, Head of the School Manchester. of Physics and Astronomy, said: “Physics at Manchester has a proud tradition, starting with The freedom of the Rutherford and the discovery of the atomic city is the highest nucleus, to the recent discovery of graphene. ” honour Manchester can bestow and recognises Professor Colin Bailey, Vice-President and Dean the pioneering work of the University’s Faculty of Engineering and undertaken by Sir Andre Physical Sciences, added: “I am particularly and Sir Kostya, who won the delighted that Andre has agreed to accept Nobel prize in 2010 for their the inaugural Regius Professor of Physics. His work on graphene. passion for scientific research and education, together with its impact on society and the In their resolution, council economy, is truly inspirational.” leaders also recognised the importance of the A celebratory event was held at the University University to the growth in October, and Professor Geim received the and regeneration of Queen’s Warrant at the University’s Foundation the city. Day lecture.

29 ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCESNEWS

Cutting-edge nuclear research facility opens in Cumbria

The University’s recently opened Dalton Cumbrian Facility on the Westlakes Science and Technology Park, near Whitehaven

he University of Manchester’s of world-leading nuclear research and the research centre is a key component for the Dalton Nuclear Institute has transfer of knowledge to industry. success of the decommissioning mission, opened its Cumbrian research recognised by our significant investment in T Research will focus primarily on the facility on the Westlakes Science and the Dalton Cumbria Facility” areas of radiation science and nuclear Technology Park near Whitehaven. engineering decommissioning. The “Locating the DCF here in West Cumbria The Dalton Cumbrian Facility (DCF) is facility is fully equipped following provides a unique combination of a world a new research base established with delivery and commissioning of a particle class research facility with appropriate an initial £20 million joint investment accelerator, and has detailed computer staff and equipment, able to work by the University and the Nuclear modelling capability and large-scale collaboratively with the likes of the Decommissioning Authority (NDA). experimental laboratories. These include National Nuclear Laboratory, close to the It will strengthen world-leading extensive irradiation facilities and Sellafield site that presents us with the academic research in nuclear energy associated analytical and inspection most significant decommissioning and in West Cumbria. equipment, to provide a comprehensive radiological challenges. research environment. Now a core component of the new “More broadly the DCF and its links with National Nuclear User Facility, part of the Through the DCF, the University has NNL add to existing investments such as Government’s Nuclear Industrial Strategy, pioneered unique academic access in an Energus and the Construction Skills Centre, the DCF is designed to complement and agreement with the NDA to the National to provide West Cumbria with probably an significantly expand the nuclear research Nuclear Laboratory (NNL)’s extensive R&D unrivalled network of research, education and education capability of the UK’s and engineering facilities at the Central and training infrastructure that brings nuclear R&D sector. Laboratory, on the Sellafield site, and benefits to the decommissioning mission, at Workington. This access, available to the nuclear industry as a whole and the The Facility is adding to the growing wider UK academia, is vital to support full local economy and community.” research, education and skills infrastructure lifecycle development and deployment of in West Cumbria, key elements in the innovative technologies. Britain’s Energy Coast programme > FIND OUT MORE designed to deliver diverse and sustained Adrian Simper, the NDA’s Director of www.dalton.manchester.ac.uk economic wellbeing for the area. The Strategy and Technology said: “The NDA has +44 (0) 161 275 4263 overall aims of the DCF are the delivery always believed that a world class nuclear [email protected]

30 NEWSENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES

EPSUCCESS Dr Nick Smith awarded prestigious Royal Society Fellowship

Professor Andrew Sherry (left), Director of the Dalton Nuclear Institute with Rt Hon Michael Fallon and AMEC’s Tom Jones National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) Research Fellow Dr Nick Smith has been awarded Dalton Nuclear Institute and AMEC – creating a four-year Industry Fellowship by the a North West global centre of excellence Royal Society. Fellowships are awarded to scientists for work on a collaborative MEC and The University of “This partnership supports strong project with an academic organisation. Manchester’s Dalton Nuclear collaboration between industry and Dr Smith’s primary focus is fundamental Institute have announced a academia, one of the cornerstones of A and applied research into remote 2D long-term strategic partnership. The the Nuclear Industrial Strategy, and will and 3D, laser-based characterisation collaboration will see both parties support the UK in exporting its skills techniques in the nuclear industry. The working collaboratively to create and expertise overseas ensuring that we research has significant potential in a global centre of excellence for keep our rightful place as the leader in helping to solve key characterisation reactor engineering and nuclear the nuclear sector.” challenges faced by the nuclear industry. skills in the North West. Professor Andrew Sherry, Director His research has already seen close The partnership will allow the University of the Dalton Nuclear Institute said: collaboration between NNL and The to build on its track record of innovative “Our relationship with AMEC has University of Manchester’s School of research and development projects and developed over the last decade. There Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental broaden the services both parties offer is great scope to combine academic Sciences and the Laser Processing Group, to respective customers. This will include and industrial capability for skills and future research will involve work at Reactor Technology Development; development and technology. Jointly we NNL’s Workington Laboratory and the a project that will take technology can offer an even better service to our University’s Dalton Cumbrian Facility (DCF). developments from the Dalton Nuclear respective customers in the domestic Institute and put them into industry and international markets.” A Chartered Geologist and Fellow of the application through AMEC. Geological Society, Dr Smith is NNL’s lead Clive White, President of AMEC’s Clean geologist and 3D geoscientific and remote Rt Hon Michael Fallon, UK Minister Energy – Europe business, added: sensing/characterisation expert. He holds of State for Energy, announced “There are many benefits in extending visiting research/teaching roles at three the partnership: “I am delighted what is already established as a highly UK universities and holds membership of to announce the launch of this successful partnership. Through the European Federation of Geologists partnership. The UK nuclear sector is academia and industry joining together, and the European Geosciences Union. second to none and it is critical that the in support of the UK’s Nuclear Industry UK continues to showcase its expertise Strategy, the UK will effectively export Dr Smith said: “I consider the award of this and skills around the world. its nuclear skills and capabilities into the fellowship a huge honour both personally international marketplace.” and for the National Nuclear Laboratory. It will further raise the profile of NNL’s research collaborations and I very much look PARTNERSHIP OBJECTIVES forward to working with the University and the Royal Society over the next four years.” • Establish the North West as a globally-recognised centre of excellence for reactor engineering within the nuclear industry. Professor Andrew Sherry, Director of The University of Manchester’s Dalton • Create a recognised hub for customers to receive independent, expert advice Nuclear Institute, added: “This provides working on world-leading projects. an outstanding opportunity to show the • Support the delivery of the Nuclear Industry Strategy, helping to meet benefits of how industry and academia the future people capability requirements for future and existing UK can work effectively together to drive nuclear requirements. innovation within the nuclear sector”.

31 ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCESNEWS

Bobby Charlton and Peter Higgs among honorary degree recipients

anchester football hero and a He burst onto the scene as a flag-bearer recent Nobel Prize winner Sir Bobby for the ‘Busby Babes’ and went on to form part MCharlton and Professor Peter Higgs of United’s fabled ‘Holy Trinity’ alongside George recently received honorary degrees from Best and Denis Law. the University. His achievements since his football career ended Professor Peter Higgs, the scientist who gave have been immense, often for benefit of the his name to the Higgs-boson particle, was City of Manchester, as well as further afield. Sir awarded the Nobel Prize in 2013. His work Bobby is a member of the Laureus Academy in the 1960s was dedicated to theorising the which uses the power of sport to help tackle Higgs-boson particle. Professor Higgs posited in pressing social challenges through the Laureus 1964 that subatomic particles gained mass by Sport for Good Foundation projects. way of a particle that has since been called the In 2011, he founded the ‘Find a Better Way’ Higgs-boson. charity to develop new technology to accelerate Forty-nine years later in 2012 the Large the detection and removal of landmines globally, Hadron Collider discovered the theoretical working with The University of Manchester and particle, helping to explain how the building other partners in the North West. blocks of the universe have mass. Honorary degrees were also conferred upon His theory of the missing boson drove Frances O’Grady (Politics and Modern History, physics research for decades. In July of last 1980), first female General Secretary of the TUC, year at the European Organization for Nuclear and Nobel Prize-winning chemist Professor Research, CERN, results were presented which Mario Molina. confirmed Peter Higgs’ idea and heralded the Professor Mario Molina is a Professor at the start of the next chapter to study in detail the University of California. In the 1970s he drew properties of this new particle. attention to the threat to the ozone layer from Sir Bobby Charlton is probably best known industrial chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) gases. He for his outstanding record as a footballer for has received many honorary degrees, as well Manchester United and England. as numerous awards for his scientific work, including the 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

New Years Honours for EPS hree colleagues from the Faculty of TEngineering and Physical Sciences have been given awards in the 2014 New Year’s Honours list in recognition of their Lenox Green, a postgraduate Professor Carole Anne Professor Douglas Kell, achievements and service. office administrator at Goble, at the School of at the School of Chemistry the School of Maths, has Computer Science, has been and the Manchester Institute been awarded an OBE made a CBE for her services of Biotechnology, has for his voluntary work to to science. Carole is a leading been awarded a CBE for help youngsters, families authority on the semantic web, his services to science and and homeless people in also known as Linked Data - a research. Douglas is a leading Manchester. Twenty years means of enriching the web figure in the field of systems ago Lenox and wife Heather with knowledge. She has biology, the multidisciplinary re-mortgaged their home to worked on the computational approach to tackling complex set up the Rainbow Christian and technical underpinning of biological problems using Centre in Hulme. The centre scientific disciplines, particularly theory, computer modelling offers a range of activities, life sciences, systems biology and experimentation. This support and inspiration for the and biodiversity, and has had work is revolutionising how local community - including an impact on bioinformatics, bioscientists think and work - helping families with housing, e-Science, open science and and will make the outputs of benefits, education, court applied computer science. their work both more useful, appearances, family liaison and and easier to apply in industry providing a weekly food bank. and policymaking.

32 NEWSENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES

Sustainable partnership agreed between EPS PEOPLE University and Unilever Perdita Barran welcomed to Manchester Institute of Professor Luke Georghiou, Vice-President Biotechnology (MIB) for Research and Innovation at The University of Manchester, said: “Unilever recognise that access to university research can give its organisation a new vantage point. Strategic alliances of this nature are helping to put innovation and research at the heart of economic growth in the UK. “Unilever will benefit by gaining intellectual insights from world-leading researchers. The University will benefit from the commercial insight that can inform and direct our research in the future and generate real-world impact.” he University of Manchester Professor Jim Crilly, Senior Vice President, and Unilever have agreed to a Unilever Strategic Science Group, added: Tlong-term strategic partnership, At Unilever we believe that to continue making Manchester a key partner to be successful we need to collaborate for the consumer goods company’s with the very best partners to access new Perdita Barran joins MIB as the research across a number of specific ideas and technologies to create superior current Chair of Mass Spectrometry fields in science. and sustainable products. The University, and Director of the Michael Barber with its history of leading scientific The University of Manchester joins a small Collaborative Centre for Mass achievements and its future ambitions, number of strategic academic partners as Spectrometry at The University of makes it an obvious choice for Unilever. the company works towards fulfilling its Manchester. She graduated from The diversity of research fields that we ambitions of growing the business while Manchester University with a degree in will be exploring together is testimony to reducing its environmental impact. Chemistry with Industrial Experience, the range and depth of expertise to be after which she completed her PhD in found at the University and to our mutual Unilever has agreed that its role will be to Chemical Physics at Sussex University, interests in key areas of research.” support some of the University’s research under the supervision of Professors across all four of its faculties in areas The landmark agreement has the potential Tony Stace and Sir Harry Kroto. such as sustainable consumption, process to translate cutting-edge science into engineering, biophysics and systems She has held posts at the University solutions for sustainable products of the biology, as well as aspects of inflammation, of California Santa Barbara and the future accessed by billions of consumers toxicology and hair biology. University of Edinburgh, where across the globe. she helped to establish a Centre of Proteomics (SIRCAMS). £100,000 agreement to extend ties with Brazil Dr Barran was awarded an EPSRC he University has signed a way Amazonia affects global climate Advanced Research Fellowship in 2003 co-operation agreement with change. We now look forward to fruitful to study the structure and dynamics TBrazil’s leading scientific research cooperation on a much wider wide range of model peptides and proteins in funding agency to promote research of scientific disciplines.” the gas phase. The Barran group has links between the UK and São Paulo. developed IM-MS instrumentation Professor Colin Bailey, Vice-President of to investigate changes in protein The agreement with FAPESP (São Paulo the University and Dean of the Faculty of conformation and aim to Research Foundation) will last for five Engineering and Physical Sciences added: understand biological systems years, and will make it easier for UK “We are particularly pleased to sign using mass spectrometry based researchers and their contemporaries in this agreement with FAPESP, which will techniques in conjunction with Brazil’s top-ranked universities to work continue to support and grow our research collaboration with biologists and together. The University and FAPESP links with the state of São Paulo”. biomedical research groups. will contribute £50,000 to fund calls for proposals across a range of In 2009 in recognition of her science disciplines. achievements she was awarded the inaugural Joseph Black award by the FAPESP already has similar cooperation RSC Analytical Division. She is also an agreements with 13 UK universities and Editor of the International Journal of all the UK Research Councils. Mass Spectroscopy. FAPESP President, Professor Lafer, said: “Researchers at Brazilian universities sponsored by FAPESP are already working very closely with experts from The Professor Celso Lafer, President of FAPESP, with University of Manchester to study the Professor Colin Bailey 33 ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCESNEWS

EPSUCCESS Science Council Royal award recognises University recognition for Professor Jon Lloyd contribution to UK plc he University of Manchester’s world-leading imaging techniques CASE STUDY: X-ray technology helping intelligent design of materials for safer aircraft Tto support the UK’s strategic development in advanced materials and manufacturing has been honoured X-ray technology is being used by researchers with a Queen’s Anniversary Prize – one at the University of Manchester to help make of the most prestigious awards in air travel safer – by aiding the intelligent higher education. design of aeronautical composite materials. Manchester is at the forefront in developing The team from MXIF (Manchester X-ray new techniques for the 3D imaging of Imaging Facility) is looking at the tolerance to Professor Jon Lloyd has structures and defects in materials, and impacts of composite materials that make up been recognised by the interpreting the state of stress, the panels on new Airbus or Boeing aircraft Science Council in a list of microstructure and damage in engineering such as the A350 and the Dreamliner used by the UK’s 100 leading materials and components. airlines across the world. practising scientists. This is coupled with the University’s knowledge “Theories explaining how damage to metal Jon, who is Professor and expertise to develop reliable models panels occurs due to impacts are well of Geomicrobiology in based on these imaging results to allow the established, but how modern composite the Faculty’s School of development of engineered life-extending material behave in similar situations is less Earth, Atmospheric and treatments and to accelerate the safe adoption well understood”, says Professor Phil Withers, Environmental Sciences, of new manufacturing processes. MXIF Director and Professor of Materials Director of the Williamson Science based in the University’s world-leading Research Centre and an To date the University has supported a wide Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences. affiliate of the Research network of 90 companies and 35 institutions providing unique insights into materials “Therefore we are using X-rays to ‘see’ the Centre for Radwaste damage caused by impacts. These include Disposal, was cited in the behaviour and failure, enabling innovation and direct impact to UK plc. low energy impacts such as, for example, a ‘Developer/Translational’ spanner being accidently dropped onto an category. He was The Queen’s Anniversary Prizes are administered aircraft panel during routine maintenance recognized for his work by the Royal Anniversary Trust and presented as well as high velocity impacts occurring in at the interface between every two years to reward innovative work flight, for example by hail stones. biology and geology, of outstanding quality within the higher and including current capacity further education sector. “Such impacts can be barely visible to building research funded by the naked eye. This is because composite a prestigious Royal Society Professor Colin Bailey, Vice-President of materials show little damage on the Industrial Fellowship. the University and Dean of the Faculty of surface but this could be masking more Engineering and Physical Sciences, said: “The serious problems underneath,” said Via part-time secondment University, and its staff across a range of Professor Withers. to the National Nuclear disciplines, has become the world-leader in the Lab, Jon is also building development of X-ray imaging techniques and The use of X-ray technology, explained a unique programme of their application. Professor Withers, is invaluable because it research that addresses allows us to see below the surface in 3D the widespread impact “The techniques support the development of to reveal what is really happening to the of microbial life on the advanced materials and manufacturing across a composite fabric following an impact. range of industrial sectors which is critical to the nuclear fuel cycle, from Manchester hosts one of the most extensive nuclear plant operation, UK’s economic growth, as well as addressing global challenges. The Queen’s Anniversary X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging through to contaminated facilities in the world. This allows the team land remediation, Prize is a great honour, highlighting the excellent work carried out by our staff.” to collect 3D images for precise analysis, in decommissioning and the same way as medical specialists use CT radwaste disposal. Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, the University’s scanning to create realistic images of the inner Regarding the Science President and Vice Chancellor, added: “The body to reveal injury or disease. Queen’s Anniversary Prizes reward excellence in Council’s recognition, Jon In addition, because X-ray imaging is non- said: “I am delighted that work of outstanding importance and quality in higher and further education, so this honour is destructive, it means researchers can track the interfacial work that we how damage may develop in situ over time. do has been recognised, a real testament to the cutting-edge research in something at which I think imaging techniques being carried out here Manchester really excels.” in Manchester.”

34 NEWSENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES

EPSUCCESS Royal award recognises University Researcher wins world’s contribution to UK plc top award CASE STUDY: X-ray technology helping intelligent design of materials for safer aircraft

X-ray image of a novel 3D woven composite which make up the panels on new Airbus or Boeing aircraft such as the Dreamliner, below The fibres are rendered semi transparent to see the damage (artificially coloured). James Allan, a Senior Research Fellow in SEAES and a member of the National Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, has been awarded the 2013 Smoluchowski Prize by the German Aerosol Society GAeF at the European Aerosol Conference in Prague. The award, named after the physicist Marian Smoluchowski (1872-1917), recognises significant research contribution to aerosol science and is given to a young researcher, under 40 years of age, who has made the 2mm Image produced courtesy of Stein, Bradley, Yu, Soutis and Withers greatest impact on their chosen research field. James studied for his undergraduate degree in Physics at Manchester, after which he took a PhD in atmospheric aerosol measurement in the University’s Centre for Atmospheric Science, graduating in 2004. Professor Hugh Coe, Head of the School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, said: “Having been an undergraduate, postgraduate and research scientist here, he is truly a product of The University of Manchester and has developed into a world leader. “Aerosol particles in the atmosphere are extremely important as they The Manchester team are comparing the This research is feeding directly into affect climate and harm human architecture of both conventional industry, explained Professor Withers, health through decreasing air quality. 2D and novel 3D composite materials. because of the strong relationships with To understand and quantify these Two dimensional composites are made the University and the cluster of high- impacts we need to understand up of flat sheets each containing fibres tech material manufacturers based in how such particles behave and in a single orientation bonded together the North West of the UK through the quantitatively predict their lifecycle. by glue. National Composites Certification and “James has been at the forefront of Evaluation Facility In Manchester. Such 2D laminates are therefore using new technologies to advance incredibly strong but the layers are “This research will certainly help our understanding of such processes prone to delamination on impact in accelerate the development of novel over the last decade and has been comparison to 3D materials. These materials that are even smarter in influential in the development of include interwoven carbon fibres application, so helping to boost methods now widely adopted across that bind all the layers together. safety and performance” added the globe. This award is a huge Professor Withers. recognition of his achievements.”

35 ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCESNEWS

confidence networking with William Shaw graduated from MEng Civil Speed networking professionals and gain a real insight and Structural Engineering in 2001 and is he School of Mechanical, into the world of work and variety of the Chief Engineer at Black & Veatch Ltd: Aerospace and Civil Engineering careers available to them. “12 years after graduation I made my first return to campus and it was really great to Trecently hosted two speed Rachel Bailey from MACE said: “The feel like I was adding an extra dimension to networking events for its current feedback from the students was fantastic; the great educational experience that I had students and recent graduates. they really valued the opportunity to speak myself. Both the students and the alumni to alumni in small groups and find out The events saw a total of 17 alumni return seemed educated by the process and it what they do day to day and how they got to campus representing an array of career also gave me an opportunity to increase to where they are today. They also noted destinations including Jaguar Land Rover, awareness of Black & Veatch.” Rolls-Royce, Morgan Sindall, the British that being in a group meant that the Army and REACT Engineering. dreaded ‘networking’ was a lot Jamie Holmes, Operations Director less intimidating!” at Xoomworks Ltd and 1990 BEng Speed networking events are a great Mechanical Engineering graduate, added: Both events were a great success, with a opportunity for alumni to share their “There’s no point keeping over 20 years of total of 76 students attending, and there university and career experiences with work experience bottled up in your head was a great buzz in the room. current students. Alumni speak to small – students need this knowledge to help groups of students for ten minutes, Student feedback was very positive, with them make informed decisions about their discussing their career and answering 100% of students who attended saying future – and what a great, relaxed and questions. After ten minutes, the students they now felt motivated to start taking informal event this was.” rotate round to the next alumnus. The action about their career, and 98% saying evening finishes with informal networking they would recommend the event to other for students to continue networking and students. Students also commented on > FIND OUT MORE asking questions. just how insightful and useful the event If you would like more information about speed networking events or how you The events, organised by the Division proved to be. can contribute to student experience, of Development and Alumni Relations The event wouldn’t have been a success employability, or recruitment activity in partnership with the MACE Student without the enthusiastic alumni that please contact: Rosie Haynes, rosie. Experience Manager, Rachel Bailey, offered volunteered to share their advice. [email protected] students the opportunity to build their

niversity of Manchester students scooped three top Students celebrate SET award success awards at the 2013 SET (Science, Engineering and UTechnology) Student of the Year Awards in September. Record numbers of entries were received this year and judges paid tribute to the exceptional quality of the work. Laura Howarth-Kirke, a graduate of the School of Computer Science, won the award for the Best Computer Science Student for her project, ‘Learning and Recognising Human Gestures using the Microsoft Kinect’. Laura was the highest scoring winner overall, and she also received the BP SET Student of the Year honour. Laura’s success meant that the award for the Lecturer of the Year went to Dr Gavin Brown in the School of Computer Science, who supervised her final year project. Using the Microsoft Kinect device, Laura built a software interface capable of recognising human gestures for the purposes of controlling media devices like TVs. However, the project went beyond what is available on the high street, using ‘machine learning’ techniques to automatically learn new personalised gestures from the user. 36 Manchester named European City of Science for 2016 anchester has been selected to host the EuroScience He said: “With Manchester’s unique tradition in technology, Open Forum (ESOF) as part of its status as European industry, engineering, science and innovation we are sure that we MCity of Science in 2016. can offer a superb environment for delegates from all over the world. The main aims of ESOF are to showcase the latest advances in science and technology, promote a dialogue on the role of “We are looking forward to work together with EuroScience to science and technology in society and public policy, and stimulate make Manchester 2016 a worthy successor to Dublin 2012 and and provoke public interest, excitement and debate about Copenhagen 2014, and we are grateful for the support from the science and technology. The 2016 forum will be themed around Department of Business, Innovation and Skills.” breakthroughs in science, and the conditions needed for a city to Dr Gail Cardew, chairperson of the ESOF Supervisory Board, said: capitalise on its scientific knowledge. “For a city to be awarded ESOF is to effectively give them the title The Forum is Europe’s largest general scientific conference, and is of European City of Science. The city becomes a focal point for a expected to attract around 4,500 delegates to Manchester. discussion about science, not just among scientists but with the whole city. Professor Luke Georghiou, Vice-President for Research and Innovation at The University of Manchester, was jointly “Manchester’s tradition of world class research together with responsible for the team that prepared the successful the bid engaging the public provides a perfect backdrop for ESOF, and we to host ESOF 2016, alongside the City authorities. look forward to developing a strong and exciting programme with the senior team at Manchester.” The EuroScience Open Forum will be hosted in Manchester from July 22-27, 2016.

> FIND OUT MORE www.esof.eu

Laura has now secured a prestigious place on the BBC’s ‘Future and a team of five MEng undergraduate students in the School of Media’ graduate scheme, developing similar technologies. Mechanical Engineering at the University of Leeds. Dr Brown said: “When Laura was awarded the Best Computer Minimally Invasive Surgery, also known as keyhole surgery, has Science Student prize I was extremely happy, but when her name significantly reduced patient trauma and recovery times, but post- was called out as the overall SET Student of the Year, I was operative infection still remains a significant problem affecting ecstatic, and even more so when I had to get up to receive around 14% of patients at a cost of £930m in the UK alone. my award. Laura is now creating the future of your TV The ARTEMIS project investigated the feasibility of developing technology, working at the BBC. Here at Manchester, we’re swallowable autonomous robots capable of performing minimally all very proud of her.” invasive surgical procedures. Manchester students also shortlisted for the SET awards were The project explored the key technological challenges required to Michael O’Connor, for best Chemical Engineering Student, and deliver such robotic systems, and demonstrated the feasibility of James Roscow, for best Materials Student Award. the approach using a 6:1 scaled surgical capsule and an actuated physical model of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Joseph Northwood, a Masters student last year in the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, who won the ARM award Other Manchester students involved in the ARTEMIS project were for the Best Electronic Engineering Student for the ARTEMIS Maria McKavanagh, Martin Schuster, Roberto Fernandez Bautista, (Autonomous Robotic Technology Enabling Minimally Invasive Sertunc Tuncel, John Waymont and Stephen Alderman, and the Surgery) Project. Manchester project was supervised by Dr Danielle George and Mr Peter Green. The ARTEMIS Project, led by Joseph, was a collaborative project involving a team of seven MEng undergraduate students in the School of the Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Manchester

37 External Relations +44 (0)161 306 4045 Faculty of Engineering and www.eps.manchester.ac.uk Physical Sciences [email protected] The University of Manchester B13 Sackville Street Building Manchester Royal Charter Number RC00097 M13 9PL United Kingdom Written and designed by coppermedia.co.uk