Alumni Issue magazine 09 16 Life through a lens Timothy Allen’s images of a human planet 05 The Brotherton Library Life at 75, and where it all began 12 Barry Cryer The comedian goes back to his Leeds roots 22 Water of life Research on our most precious resource CONTENTS FROM THE EDITOR First, thanks as always for your letters and 160,000 emails in response to the last magazine. We READERS received a lot of comments, particularly on our urban myths feature, and our alumni world map. This included some important connections Leeds has to Antarctic research, which we hope to cover in a future issue. The international flavour continues this issue, Leeds is published particularly through the photographs of twice a year by Timothy Allen, whose amazing images of people the University of and culture across the world have been part of Leeds Alumni the BBC’s Human Planet programme. & Development Team. It is received We take a closer look at our own backyard too, by more than as travel writer David Atkinson returns to the 160,000 graduates, members and city of Leeds to see what has changed since he friends of the studied here. University across the world. There’s a huge amount going on in the Leeds community, both here at the University, and 16 amongst our alumni. As always, what you read in these pages is only the tip of the iceberg. It’s Camera man great to read online too about what you are up to and to find out how we can help you stay involved with your University. 05 Our alumni numbers continue to grow (more than 160,000 of us now). It’s always a Brotherton anniversary matter of pride and pleasure to hear from and meet other Leeds alumni, as we continue to develop a fantastic community right across the world. 30 Phil Steel (English 1997) Head of Alumni Relations Legal eagles JOIN THE DISCUSSION 12 Barry Cryer Editorial Team www.alumni.leeds.ac.uk www.facebook. Phil Steel, Editor Tel: +44 (0)113 343 7520 com/leedsalumni Jill Bullock, Deputy Editor Email: [email protected] Leeds Alumni 24 Simon Jenkins on Linked In Victoria Sheard This magazine is also @LeedsAlumni Grim up North? available for download from on Twitter Views expressed are those www.alumni.leeds.ac.uk of the contributors and or can be emailed out not necessarily those of on request the University This magazine is printed Correspondence is on 50% recycled paper If you would welcomed and should be and mailed out in 100% like to receive addressed to the Editor at: biodegradable packaging. this magazine Alumni & Development, electronically and EC Stoner Building, help reduce our University of Leeds, environmental Leeds, UK Design: Appetite impact, email LS2 9JT www.appetiteuk.com [email protected] CONTENTS CONTENTS REGULARS Leeds alumni 02 Film, fashion and pinch analysis: some of the latest stories from our graduates What’s going on 09 What’s happening in your department The latest from Leeds 14 The new Liberty Building, and other University news from on and off campus Giving to Leeds 28 How equations could help us understand brain tumours, and other stories Forthcoming events 32 What’s on for Leeds alumni in the coming months Vice-Chancellor’s view 34 Fees, funding and the future for Leeds Profile 35 Esther Hall, actor FEATURES CONTRIBUTING ALUMNI Leeds’ campus jewel 05 The 75-year story of the Brotherton Library Images Words Funny man 12 After having his David Adam (Chemical Barry Cryer, Leeds’ showbiz icon photographs appear in all Engineering 1993, PhD the British broadsheets, 1997) is Op-ed editor for Views of the world 16 multiple award-winning the science journal Nature . Timothy Allen’s stunning images photojournalist Timothy From 2003 to 2010 he was Our most precious resource 22 Allen (Zoology 1992) a specialist correspondent Water research at Leeds, and why it turned his lens to for The Guardian, in science is so important indigenous people around and then environment. the world. He recently Revisiting Leeds 24 spent nearly two years David Atkinson The changing face of the city of Leeds travelling the world with the (French & Management BBC’s Human Planet. Studies 1993) Justice done 30 www.atkinsondavid.co.uk How a student Law project is helping Photographer Marcus Lyon David has covered stories the community (Political Studies 1987) is from Japan to South a British artist and social America as a freelance entrepreneur. His work travel writer for The Daily has been exhibited globally Telegraph , The Independent in more than 90 shows. and Wanderlust magazine Outside of the art world amongst others. But he is the chairman of the returning to Leeds, advocacy network and where he started writing think tank the Consortium for Leeds Student, was a for Street Children. story he never expected to write. Kipper Williams (Fine Art 1974) draws for a number of publications including The Sunday Times, The Guardian and The Spectator. Cover image: Timothy Allen’s photo of five-year-old Evelyn, Papua New Guinea SPRING/SUMMER 2011 –– 01 NEWS – LEEDS ALUMNI THE EMPEROR’S The term “bespoke” NEW CLOTHES is understood to have originated in Savile Row when cloth for How Patrick went from Leeds to Savile Row, a suit was said to “be spoken for” by and success at the British Fashion Awards individual customers. BRIDGE OF SIZE Many believe that a bridge built by Michael Martin (Civil Engineering 1975) is one of the most elegant in Britain, a description that hides the complexity of its construction. Michael was chief engineer in charge of the construction of the Kylesku Bridge, which links two headlands in northwest Scotland. The project was so complicated that Michael had to explain the design at a minute level of detail, using more than 250 drawings. Michael also spent two years as chief engineer on Dornoch Bridge in northeast Scotland. Five years ago, he became chief operating officer at Scottish Water Solutions where he oversees a £2.2 billion programme delivering more than 2,500 projects all over Scotland. Graham Jepson British Fashion Awards count kings, emperors, prime lead me into a career in fashion Menswear Designer of the Year ministers, designers, rock design. The course gave me 2010 Patrick Grant (Materials stars and actors among their many skills that I still use in Science and Engineering 1994) customers. this industry.” is Director of Savile Row tailors Norton & Sons and the ready to Patrick said: “I studied Regularly featured in the wear line E. Tautz. engineering because of a best-dressed lists of British fascination with how things men’s magazines, Patrick Both houses were founded in are made. I enjoyed my time at was also featured in a BBC Photography: Michael Martin – The Cumberland News the 1800s and between them Leeds, but I didn’t expect it to documentary series. Kylesku Bridge – Tom Parnell 02 –– SPRING/SUMMER 2011 LEEDS ALUMNI – NEWS LEEDS FOR LOVE Relationship building in the alumni community HOME MOVIES Film fan Colin Needham David Scavone (Computer Science 1988) started IMDb (The Internet Movie Database) as a hobby in 1990. Today, IMDb is the most popular entertainment website in the Our alumni community includes world and is an integral part of many couples who met whilst the film industry. at Leeds, but others found each Simon and other post-graduation day. A photographer captured the moment when Erin Way (Political Communication MA 2006) first met Vincent Flament (Transport Economics MA Matthew Parris (Computing and in June, said: “The place we met 2007) at an alumni evening in Management 2007) first set eyes was the perfect location and the Washington, DC, last May. They Williamson, Getty Images Todd on Lucy Gibson (Graphic Design cheers of the students afterwards soon started dating and have 2007) across a corridor in Henry really took me back. been together ever since. Price halls of residence. After seven years together, he proposed “I will always remember our Did you meet your partner to her in the exact same spot – time at Leeds with great affection while at Leeds or at an alumni the hallway of Floor 5, Block C. and this has cemented those event? Let us know by emailing Lucy, who is expecting a baby memories for me.” [email protected] As a teenager Colin created a computer games software THE PRICE IS RIGHT HEAD OF HOUSE business and started to build his personal database of movie information. After Leeds he Television and theatre producer At the age of just 29, Anna worked in technology research Richard Price (Botany 1950s) Robinson (Fine and Decorative and continued his movie financed the development of the Arts with Mathematics 2003, database, combining it with original script of The King’s MA History and Theory of similar data collected on the Speech as a stage play. Architecture 2004) is responsible Internet in the late 1980s and The script went on to huge for the renowned collections of early 1990s. Colin’s IMDb success, with the film winning Harewood House, one of the first went online in 1990 and four Oscars and seven BAFTAs. country’s great stately homes. he coordinated IMDb as a The King’s Speech is the highest worldwide volunteer effort grossing British independent film As Head of House and until 1996, when the volunteers of all time. Collections, Anna is responsible became shareholders. IMDb for the cultural and exhibitions became a wholly owned Richard also financed a programme which engages tens subsidiary of Amazon.com in substantial part of the of thousands of visitors who April 1998.