Issue 268 ▸ 24 January 2014 Reportersharing Stories of Imperial’S Community

Issue 268 ▸ 24 January 2014 reporterSharing stories of Imperial’s community

Star makers The researchers and alumni trying to harness the power behind the Sun → centre pages

New President Gene therapy Marking the Introducing breakthrough Great War Professor Alice Promising Loan your Gast, 16th Head first results in memorabilia to of Imperial Parkinson’s a new exhibition PAGE 3 disease trial at College PAGE 7 PAGE 11 2 >> newsupdate www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 24 January 2014 • issue 268

New emergency costs to My Family Care, with individual staff paying for any care childcare service depending on how long services for staff are required for. Noting that Imperial is the first editor’s corner Imperial will provide staff with university in the UK to offer the access to emergency child and adult service, Provost, Professor James care, as part of a new service to Stirling, said: “We recognise that Securing support parents and carers at parents and carers, who make up a the College. significant proportion of our staff, the future can find it challenging to juggle the Paternity Surveys, in which more The new service is being rolled demands of work and family. This than half of respondents called Earlier this month out in partnership with specialist initiative is part of our continuing for back-up childcare provision Professor Alice Gast provider My Family Care to offer all commitment to ensuring that at the College. spoke of her excitement staff access to three backup care staff receive the support and help —Deborah Evanson, Communications at being appointed services – emergency childcare, that they need to balance these and Public Affairs Imperial’s next President, school holiday cover and backup responsibilities.” To register for My Family Care visit: highlighting the College’s adult and eldercare. This step comes in response imperial.ac.uk/hr/procedures/family/ mission “to teach, The College funds the registration to the 2012 Maternity and the 2013 myfamily research and translate its work for the benefit of society” (page 3). Certainly for me and others that’s one of the New Year’s most motivating things about working here – knowing that, even if Honours for indirectly, we are together contributing to a better, more efficient world. Mary and Magdi This issue of Reporter explores fusion energy Two Imperial academics have been recognised for their – an area of research achievements in science and innovation in the New Year’s that, if successful, Honours for 2014. purports to be able to ensure energy security Sir Magdi Yacoub, Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the and alleviate climate National Heart and Lung Institute, has received the Order of change (centre pages). Merit, which is awarded to individuals of greatest achievement The work is nothing if not in the fields of the arts, learning, literature and science. ambitious – and the idea Professor Mary Ritter, CEO of Climate-KIC and former Pro-Rector that humans can master for Postgraduate and International Affairs, has been awarded the power of the Sun an OBE for services to scientific research and innovation. might seem foolhardy. President & Rector Sir Keith O’Nions said: “Sir Magdi and But the potential impact Mary are exemplars for the culture of innovation, scientific on society could not be excellence and outstanding education which we strive for at greater. This is where Imperial. Their awards are richly deserved.” how do we scientists are on the Professor Yacoub established the largest heart and lung front lines, and if you transplantation programme in the world, where more than can excuse the military 2,500 transplant operations have been performed. He has measure up? allusions, they’re not also developed novel operations for a number of complex giving up the fight congenital heart anomalies. ...Look out for the 2014 anytime soon. “The award is totally unexpected and highly appreciated,” Staff Survey. Take part andrew czyzewski, Editor said Professor Yacoub. “It’s the result of the work of many people in many countries.” and help shape up your Reporter is published every In the three years that Professor Ritter has been at the three weeks during term time workplace. in print and online. helm of the Climate-KIC it has grown to a community of over 200 partners across Europe from business, academia and the Contact Andrew Czyzewski: public sector, with a budget of more than €70 million for 2014. [email protected] “I am highly honoured and absolutely thrilled,” said Running from 3 > 19 February 2014 Professor Ritter. “While the OBE is a personal award, it is also a recognition of all those who have worked with me throughout www.imperial.ac.uk/staffsurvey2014 my scientific research career.” —Sam Wong Communications and Public Affairs in Saudi Arabia.in Saudi Universityof Scienceand Technology and Trustee of KingAbdullah Director of theChevron Corporation to Central Asia and is currently aBoard its $500million fundraising campaign. international presence and concluded estate, expanded theuniversity’s increase inthesize of Lehigh’s campus research. She has overseen a47% education and theirintegration with of undergraduate and postgraduate philanthropists and alumni. links to government, industry, campus, Imperial West, and its the development of its new25 acre lead theCollege’s strategy, including Technology. Massachusetts Institute of and Associate Provost at the former Vice President for Research President of Lehigh University and chemical engineering,is currently renowned scholar inthefield of Professor Gast, aninternationally to lead Imperial. sixteenth head and first woman September becoming 2014, the Sir K Professor Alice P. Gast will succeed The C Imperial to lead Alice Gast www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter She has beenaUS Science Envoy At Lehigh she focused onthequality As President, Professor Gast will eith O’Nions as President from in brief ollege has announced that the College is partnering in. to ten, with afurtherfive CDTs that number of CDTs based at Imperial Their creation now takes thetotal will head theCDT inNuclear Energy. and Professor Bill Lee (Materials) Sustainable Civil Engineering, Engineering) will lead the CDT in Cheeseman (Civil and Environmental Materials, Professor Christopher lead theCDT inPlastic Electronic Nicholas Stavrinou (Physics) will based at Imperial.DrPaul Training (CDTs), including three for 19 more Centres for Doctoral David Willetts announced funding Universities and Science Minister During a visit to Imperial, postgraduate centres Perfect 10

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24 2014• January

issue Public Aff Public —John-P a distinguished figure as Alice Gast. this honour and responsibility to such privilege. Iamdelighted to bepassing universities has beenatremendous staff at oneof the world’s great brilliant students, academics and adding: “Working with somany Professor Gast’s appointment, 2010,January warmly welcomed Imperial as President &Rector since coming years.” discovery and innovation over the to push theboundaries of learning, Imperial to grow and to continue and supporters, and to helping of staff, students, alumni, friends getting to know its whole community scientific universities. Ilook forward to Imperial, oneof theworld’s greatest been excited by what goes onat Professor Gast said: “Ihave always Responding to herappointment prevented orcounteracted. Control Systems can be could shut down these Industrial analyse how cyber-attacks that national rail network. They will to energy distribution and the power generation, to manufacturing, range of processes, from nuclear infrastructure that controls a explore potential threats to the ControlIndustrial Systems will Research Institute into Trustworthy at Imperial.Researchers at the will bethefocus of anewinstitute the UK’s industry and infrastructure threats to vital systems that control Averting cyber-attacks and other C

268 yber centre Sir Keith O’Nions,whohas led a ul Jones airs , C ommunic a tions and

the city to get together. alumni living inand around opportunity inrecent years for 6 January, provided thefirst The Chennai reception, held on of whomlive inChennai. alumni inIndia, around 40 Imperial is intouch with 800 Rector Sir Keith O’Nions. hosted by President & association at areception new chapter of thealumni Chennai made plans for a in India, former students in alumni events held this month As partof aseries of Imperial Indian alumni pledge £4 million of which will go directly to theCollege. million to upgrade wind tunnel infrastructure, Cranfield, Glasgow and City – will receive £13.3 the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Southampton, that Imperial and its partners inthe venture – and Science Minister David Willetts also announced During a visit to theCollege this month,Universities experimental aerodynamics and fluids research. F Imperial is to lead onanewNational aerodynamics research Second wind for the creation of better aircraft components. in arange of areas from Formula Onecar design to used by industry and academics to advance research field and its Honda Wind Tunnel facility has been environmental benefits.” energy savings to businesses, as well as bringing efficient heavy goods vehicles. This will create huge including developing thenext generation of fuel support research that is vital to theUK economy, — fuel efficiency.” wind turbines and aircraft wings that improve withstand wind induced vibrations, more efficient us for instance, design bridges that can better in a variety of fields. At Imperial,this will help and drive innovation across abroad range of sectors investment: “This will have atransformative effect who leads Imperial’s wind tunnel facility, said of the designs can bedeveloped. from multiple points,sothat better vehicle technology to capture data airflow simultaneously by drag, which affects fuel efficiency, willthe use how heavy vehicles such as lorries are affected For example researchers learning more about wind tunnel to more accurately model airflow. Imperial to position anarray of lasers inside the acility aimed at keeping Britain at theforefront of C olin Smith, C Mr Willetts said: “This newinvestment will The funds will beused by researchers at For decades Imperial has beenleading inthis Professor Jonathan Morrison (Aeronautics),

ommunic low-carbon solutions.” solution, but many one low-carbon Pres M this to clima >> oniz, outlines month. a ident Ob tions newsupdate te There is no change and Public Aff am the ’ s during Energ US Governmnt’ y S a airs vis e W cret it to Imperial ind ary, Dr Ernes

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The scholarships are designed to encourage the best and brightest students to pursue Master’s programmes in the Faculties of Natural Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, and are aimed at those who might otherwise have been deterred because of financial constraints. John Neilson, Secretary & Registrar, said the investment was a welcome boost to improve accessibility to Masters Imperial’s world-class postgraduate courses. “We are committed to students get attracting the best and the brightest students from all backgrounds, helping hand and this scheme will strengthen the opportunities for these students to Imperial will provide funding totalling move on to high quality employment £1.5 million to academically excellent and research careers.” Master’s degree students from Scholars will be selected based lower-income backgrounds. on academic excellence, with tuition Scholarship fee waivers up to the value of The Master’s Support Scheme, £10,000 being awarded to successful scheme for Indian which is funded by a grant from the applicants with household incomes Higher Education Funding Council for of less than £42,611. Maintenance postgrads expands England (HEFCE), is a pilot scheme grants are also available to those for the academic year starting autumn from households with incomes of The Imperial College India Foundation has 2014 that will allow the College to £25,000 or less, in addition to the announced the expansion of their scholarship provide successful UK applicants tuition fee support. programme for academically outstanding Indian with grants towards tuition fees and, —Deborah Evanson, Communications and students to study at postgraduate level at Imperial. in some cases, their living expenses. Public Affairs

Launched in 2013, the programme will offer two fully funded Master’s scholarships from 2014, as well as one full PhD scholarship, for Indian Mentoring success nationals residing in India. Scholarships will also now be available to A mentoring programme established applicants for study in the Faculty of Natural by alumni in Hong Kong is helping Sciences as well as the Faculty of Engineering and more than 50 students with their the Business School. Funding is provided by the personal and professional alumni and supporters of the Foundation, with the development, with one-to-one College matching the amount pledged. advice sessions and group events. The aim is to attract the most talented Indian life is like for students now and how students to the College, with a focus on supporting The scheme was launched by the I spend my days at Imperial, and those in financial need. Students will be given Imperial College Alumni Association because he’s just a bit older than access to world class academic training and support of Hong Kong during a visit by the me it feels like we are friends.” throughout their studies, which can help them President & Rector Sir Keith O’Nions In addition to the meetings contribute to society, industry and academia upon in May 2013. between mentors and mentees, two their return to India. Dr Paulina Chan (Electrical larger group events have also been The launch of the scholarships coincided with Engineering, 1977), who is championing organised; a mid-summer wine tasting an 11-day visit by President & Rector Sir Keith the scheme, says it enables students reception in September 2013, and an O’Nions to India earlier this month. During the trip to continue their education beyond the afternoon tea in January 2014. to Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi he core curriculum. “It fits perfectly with Ken Ho, Chairman of the Hong hosted an alumni event in each city and met with my personal vision of real education, Kong Alumni Association, said: representatives from government, industry, and which is well beyond studying and “The mentoring programme higher education institutions. making all A’s,” she adds. constitutes one of the association’s Sir Keith said: “The expansion of these The scheme is also forging signature initiatives and provides scholarships builds on the historic and flourishing friendships, as student Cannis a platform for alumni to share their relationship between Imperial and its Indian alumni Chan (Chemical Engineering) recalls. life lessons and wisdom in order to and supporters. Their support is central to this “My first meeting with my mentor help nurture the talents of our next scheme and we’re grateful that their generosity ended up being a very simple dinner generation.” has enabled it to grow further still.” but we spent two hours talking —Jessica Adams, Communications and Public Affairs —Deborah Evanson, Communications and Public Affairs non-stop. He was interested in what 5 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 24 January 2014 • issue 268 >> newsupdate

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

HS2 boost to economy shock, researchers warned. Shock is a common the basic mathematical tools could also consequence of severe infections such as be used to solve equations, Professor ‘exaggerated’ malaria, and current guidelines say affected Pendry added. THE DAILY TELEGRAPH ▸ 5.1.14 children should be given large quantities of fluid. But a large study led by Imperial Bang goes the puppy A key report used by the government to make researchers in 2011 found that this treatment METRO ▸ 10.1.14 the economic case for the HS2 high-speed rail increases death rates. Professor Kathryn line has been questioned by leading academics, Maitland (Medicine) told the BBC: “We’re very The Daily Telegraph reported. Accountancy concerned that two and a half years later the firm KPMG were hired by the Department for guidelines have not changed.” The outdated Transport to assess the economic benefits advice is probably leading to thousands of that would accrue from building the new line extra deaths, she added. connecting London with Leeds and Manchester. However, experts told the Treasury Select Doing sums with light Committee that the £15 billion annual boost predicted by the report is based on dubious NEW SCIENTIST ▸ 9.1.14 methodology. “I don’t think this statistical work A six-month-old puppy blew up his owners’ is reliable,” said Professor Dan Graham (Civil Exotic materials that bend light in extreme ways house in Yorkshire after he chewed through a and Environmental Engineering). “Undoubtedly could be used to perform complex mathematical can of deodorant, Metro reported. Greyhound the work could be done better.” Two authors operations, according to New Scientist. Tools cross Zeus chewed through a can of Lynx of the report conceded that it did not have a for manipulating light waves have taken off deodorant and, as its contents sprayed out, they “firm statistical foundation.” in recent years thanks to the development of were ignited by the heat from a lamp. Professor metamaterials. Researchers at the University of Tom Welton (Chemistry) said the butane Pennsylvania have simulated a metamaterial contained in deodorant was highly flammable. WHO shock guidelines that works as an analogue computer to carry “The lowest temperature it can be ignited may be deadly out calculus functions. “It’s a very imaginative is minus 60oC, so it is very dangerous stuff,” BBC NEWS ▸ 14.1.14 application of metamaterials – it takes things he told the newspaper. “These cans do come off in a completely new direction,” said with warnings but obviously a puppy can’t read Thousands of children could be dying each year Professor John Pendry (Physics), who those.” Zeus and five other pets in the house because the World Health Organisation has not pioneered the field of metamaterials. Although escaped unharmed, but the damage to the updated guidelines for treating those going into image-processing is the obvious application, property was estimated at £2,000.

awards and Engineering Medicine honours Gabor’s legacy lives on Boost for health protection research Professor Erol Gelenbe (Electrical and Electronic Engineering), the The College has been Physics Dennis Gabor Chair, has received awarded funding to establish Astronomy gong for the ‘In Memoriam Dennis Gabor four new Health Protection Dougherty team Award’ from the Hungarian Ministers Research Units (HPRUs). of Education and of Science. The The units are funded by the The Magnetometer Team on the award recognises outstanding National Institute for Health Cassini spacecraft, led by Professor scientific work with a strong Research and partnered by Michele Dougherty (Physics), is innovation content, in line with Public Health England (PHE). to receive the Royal Astronomical Saturn’s moon Enceladus Gabor’s own contributions. Dennis Research at the HPRUs will Society (RAS) Group Achievement Gabor was a Hungarian scientist who focus on: developing better Award in Geophysics. The RAS aboard the spacecraft. One of worked at Imperial in the 1950s and methodologies for modelling awards honour “outstanding the key findings of Cassini – 60s, where he invented holography, infections; fighting contribution to astronomy”. In and one of the most unexpected for which he later received the 1971 antimicrobial resistance bestowing the award, RAS said and scientifically challenging – Nobel Prize in Physics. Professor and other healthcare that the Cassini-Huygens mission was that the small, icy moon Gelenbe’s own research meanwhile associated infections; to the Saturn System had been Enceladus is pouring a jet of focuses on self-aware and combating respiratory one of the most successful space water into Saturn’s magnetosphere. self-organising computer networks infections; and improving missions ever undertaken and that This finding was a direct and has applications in engineering, our understanding of the the Magnetometer had been one result of the efforts of the physics, biology, economics and health impacts of of the most successful instruments Magnetometer Team. the internet. environmental hazards. 6 >> scienceroundup www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 24 January 2014 • issue 268

Climate change poses serious threat to Britain’s peat bogs

British peats will shrink away in the face of climate change and disappear from many regions of the UK, a team of leading experts The Peak District National Park is already under threat from degradation and could be further has found. hit by climate change

Peatlands are a haven for wildlife and naturally filter water, playing The researchers first devised a model to predict where peat can live and how fast a major role in both purification and flood prevention, particularly it could grow. This was important to reliably reproduce the areas known to be around cities such as Derby and Sheffield. They are also important peatland bogs today. They then looked at a scenario where the Earth would warm for storing carbon — currently holding roughly as much carbon as is by four degrees by the end of the century. emitted by the entire nation over three years. They found that climate change will restrict the area over which new active A recent study, jointly led by Professor Colin Prentice (Life peat can be formed, shrinking it to a core area in North West Scotland and parts Sciences), was one of the first to consider the impacts of climate of Ireland. This could in turn release stored CO2 into the atmosphere, further change on the UK upland peatlands. exacerbating global warming. He notes that the peat is sensitive to climate because its However, Professor Prentice says that simple steps to protect the UK’s existence is dependent on a strict set of environmental conditions. peatlands from existing threats, such as overgrazing by farm animals, could ensure “It’s a very unusual thing; it requires a particularly cool and wet that the peat remains firmly in the ground when temperatures continue to rise. climate to develop. If you ever have mean summer temperatures “The peatland can continue to survive and carry out its function of storing that are too high, then the sphagnum moss that constitutes the carbon and storing water, provided that the many other pressures are reduced,” peat doesn’t like it. It doesn’t like to be very warm,” Professor he said. Prentice explains. —MARION FERRAT FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Hunting quotas could enables the land to be set aside for Milner-Gulland. “Our new method boost lion numbers wildlife and this provides the lions for setting quotas relies on information We want with a home.” that is easy for governments to get to ensure that Researchers have devised a simple However, there is currently hold of and it should be simple for and reliable way to set sustainable uncertainty over the sustainability them to use. The next step is for us populations quotas for hunting lions, to help of quotas and a lack of reliable data to test the method in the field and if of lions can lion populations to grow. on the total number of lions in some it proves successful, we hope it can thrive.” countries. This has contributed to a be widely adopted.” Trophy hunting occurs in nine of the decline in the number of lions across —Laura Gallagher, Communications and 28 African countries that have wild Africa, from an estimated 100,000 fifty Public Affairs populations of lions. Hunting is legal years ago to roughly 30,000 today. in these countries but quotas are set In the latest study the researchers to restrict the number of lions that created an algorithm that uses data can be killed. about how long it takes to find and Evidence suggests that it can shoot a lion in a given area to estimate help conservation efforts because it how many adult males can be hunted, generates substantial revenue, which whilst allowing the lion population can be used to sustain wilderness to grow. areas as habitats for wildlife, rather They then modelled the effects than for other uses such as farming. of introducing their new method for “Many people don’t feel happy setting hunting quotas in a heavily about the idea of hunting animals for depleted lion population and found sport, especially animals that are as that the number of adult males beautiful and impressive as lions,” would grow from around 38 to 100 said study co-author Professor individuals in 30 years. E.J. Milner-Gulland (Life Sciences). “As conservation scientists, “However, in some areas, the money we want to ensure that populations that comes in from hunting is what of lions can thrive,” says Professor Lion numbers have dropped from 100K to 30K in Africa 7 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 24 January 2014 • issue 268 >> scienceroundup

Parkinson’s patients get boost from gene therapy

A new gene therapy for Parkinson’s initiated a trial in a small group of disease has achieved promising human patients with Parkinson’s results in its first human tests, disease. The participants, three in involving 15 patients. the UK and 12 in France, all in the advanced stages of the disease, Developed by Professor Nicholas underwent a single operation to Mazarakis (Medicine), Head of Gene inject the virus into the brain. Therapy at the Division of Brain The first patients to have the Sciences, the treatment uses a surgery have now been followed modified virus to deliver three genes up for four years and the treatment into the striatum, a part of the brain has been safe, with no serious adverse that controls movement. The genes effects. Furthermore the patients’ are intended to boost the production scores on movement tests have of dopamine, a chemical that becomes improved on average by 30 per cent, deficient in patients with Parkinson’s. and they also report having a better Current treatments can elevate quality of life and the effect has been dopamine production temporarily, sustained. PET scans confirm that Around 1.2 million people died from malaria in 2010 but the cells that produce dopamine dopamine is being produced in the continue to degenerate until the brain where it wasn’t before. treatments are no longer effective. “I’m very pleased that it has Malaria drug target raises What’s more they can also cause appeared to work in the clinic,” severe side effects, such as said Professor Mazarakis. “It has the hope for new treatments uncontrollable jerky movements, potential to move to the next phase. known as dyskinesia. The new therapy It needs to be done in more people; Scientists have taken an important step towards new malaria aims to provide a long-term solution by we have to find the most effective treatments by identifying a way to stop malaria parasites from stimulating dopamine to be produced dose, to further increase efficacy, multiplying. in a different set of cells. and prove beyond doubt that this Following promising pre-clinical is not a placebo effect.” A team including researchers from the Department of Chemistry tests in rats and monkeys, the team —Sam Wong, Communications and Public Affairs show that blocking the activity of an enzyme called NMT in the most common malaria parasite prevents mice from showing symptoms and extends their lifespan. Although a variety of antimalarial drugs are available, some strains of the parasite are resistant to treatment. Even if acute About Parkinson’s disease illness is cured, the parasite can remain dormant in the blood Parkinson’s is a neurological disease and return to cause illness later. “The drug situation for malaria that affects around five million people is becoming very serious. Resistance is emerging fast and it’s worldwide. The main symptoms are involuntary shaking of particular going to be a huge problem in the future,” warns study lead parts of the body (known as tremor), Dr Ed Tate (Chemistry). muscle stiffness (rigidity) and physical Malaria vaccines movements becoming very slow (bradykinesia). In the advanced stages, have been researched The drug situation patients are often unable to do everyday intensively, but none for malaria is becoming tasks like washing and dressing without have been introduced help from a carer. into clinical practice. very serious. Resistance

Parkinson’s is caused by the gradual The new study shows is emerging fast and loss of nerve cells in the part of the brain that the NMT enzyme is it’s going to be a huge called the substantia nigra. Crucially these involved in a wide range cells produce an important chemical of essential processes problem in the future.” messenger called dopamine, which also diminishes as the disease progresses. in the parasite cell, including the production of proteins that enable malaria to be It is not known why the loss of nerve transmitted between humans and mosquitoes, and proteins that cells associated with Parkinson’s disease enable malaria to cause long-term infection. occurs, although genetic factors and exposure to toxins are considered to “Here, we’ve shown not only why NMT is essential for a wide be possible causes. range of important processes in the parasite, but also that we can design molecules that stop it from working during infection,” said Dr Tate. “We need to do some more work in the lab to find the best candidate molecule to take into clinical trials, but hopefully we’ll PET scans confirm that dopamine is being be ready to do that within a few years,” he added. produced in the brain where it wasn’t before —Sam Wong, Communications and Public Affairs 8 >> featurefocus www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 24 January 2014 • issue 268 Star makers Plasma people: The Imperial scientists grappling with extreme states of matter

Ever since scientists The most visible example of this is discovered the secret behind the $4 billion National Ignition Facility the Sun’s prodigious energy (NIF) in California (see our exclusive tour, opposite page), where some 30 output they have strived former Imperial PhD students are part to replicate it. The goal: of a team working to make fusion a a near limitless supply of viable energy source. NIF uses the clean, zero-carbon energy world’s most powerful lasers to indirectly heat and compress fusion fuel. that is inherently safer than Another large-scale approach is conventional nuclear power. the ‘Z machine’ at the Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico, which Researchers at Imperial were some of uses brief pulses of electricity at the early pioneers who first devised around 50 trillion watts to indirectly experiments attempting to harness heat and compress its fuel. In the past this ‘fusion’ power (see box, right). few years both of these facilities have The Sun is made up of plasma – been showing promising results with The Z machine facility at the Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico hot, ionised gas – compressed by higher and higher output yields from its own immense gravity. So it their reactors. Yet they still don’t seemed logical that squeezing produce more energy than they plasma might be a first step to actually need to kick start them. emulate stellar fusion. Fusion reaction This is essentially what Nobel In a fusion reaction atoms Laureate Sir George Thompson did Compressing of hydrogen are squeezed while at the College in the 1940s. plasma is akin to taking together to form a helium He found that passing electric current nucleus. In the process, a handful of jelly and subatomic particles through a tube filled with hydrogen are expelled, such that plasma generated a powerful squeezing as hard the resulting mass is The MAGPIE facility at Imperial magnetic field that compresses as you can.” less than the sum of its and heats the plasma. original components. This extra mass is emitted as The principle worked in a fashion, Here at Imperial, researchers such as thinner than human hair, which enormous quantities of briefly, before the plasma became Jeremy Chittenden (Physics), Professor dissolve into plasma and are in turn energy – such that just one unstable and basically fizzled out. That of Plasma Physics, look at data from compressed by magnetic fields, gram of fusion fuel has set the tone for fusion research for the NIF and Sandia and try to simulate sending out a powerful pulse of x-rays. the potential to produce more energy than burning next 70 years. the conditions by devising powerful Studying those x-rays can help inform 10 tonnes of coal. The “When it comes to confining computer models. experiments at the larger Sandia Z difficulty with fusion is plasma, a simple analogy is to imagine “It’s about working out where we machine facility. that the hydrogen atoms taking a handful of jelly and squeezing should focus our efforts to improve. Looking to the future, an that make up the fuel are both positively charged it as hard as you can — it’s going to That can only be done by analysing international collaboration is currently and therefore repel one end badly,” says Professor Roland the data that comes out, including building a €16 billion fusion reactor another. Squeezing them Smith (Physics), Head of Plasma x-ray images and neutron counts, called ITER in the south of France. together and keeping them there for long Physics at Imperial. “At the time that have embedded in them Overseeing the UK’s involvement enough to extract energy people thought this would just work. signatures of asymmetry that cause is Professor Steve Cowley, CEO of is the central challenge What they didn’t realise was that the instability,” says Jeremy. the UK Atomic Energy Authority of fusion. when you squeeze plasmas they “Unfortunately, nature is much better at and part-time academic at Imperial 2 H 3H have so many different ways of finding ways to make things go wrong (formerly Head of Plasma Physics). going unstable.” than we are at anticipating them.” While it’s been a difficult road, Still, thanks to the work of some Imperial also has its own lab scale the dream of fusion energy is very pioneering plasma physicists over experiment to probe extreme states much still alive and it seems Imperial’s the decades – such as Imperial’s of matter, dubbed MAGPIE. In a large legacy in that is secure. Professor Malcolm Haines, who room under the Blackett Laboratory, 4He + 3.5 Mev Professor Chittenden will give a talk on fusion n + 14.1 Mev sadly died last year –fusion MAGPIE forces huge electrical currents energy on 4 Feb (see back page for details) research has tentatively progressed. through a web of wires several times 9 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 24 January 2014 • issue 268 >> featurefocus

Inside a star factory: Behind the scenes at the US National Ignition Facility

It’s 08:30 AM, several days Confinement Fusion at NIF and another people aren’t as concerned about after New Year, and I’m Imperial alumnus (PhD Plasma What drives that,” he said. A strong involvement in a vast, grey and white Physics, 1990). “It’s a standing joke most people in and lobbying by public individuals that fusion energy is 50 years away – and organizations could turn the tide. warehouse in California. and it will always be 50 years away.” the program is With the goal of reaching true There are rows of metal pipes Despite the skepticism held by the potential fusion driving them forward, Mike and above me and the place is some, the facility may be close to impact this John draw on the skills earned during quiet and empty, save for achieving ‘ignition’, the state at their time at Imperial. The similarity which the reaction of the fuel pellet could have.” of the cultures – both relying on the man I’m here to meet, produces more energy than the lasers multi-expertise integration and who is carrying something need to kick start it. The drive to be the teamwork – has made the in his hand. first team to achieve a self-sustaining trans-Atlantic jump easier for the fusion burn has attracted the world’s facility’s many Imperial transplants. On closer inspection I see it’s a leading systems engineers and plasma “It’s driven by a lot of esoteric BELOW: The ignition chamber charred tangle of metal and wires physicists (many from Imperial) to (top), where all the lasers science and engineering, but resembling burnt-out light bulb Livermore since the NIF was first converge and focus on the ultimately what drives most people filaments. Later, I’m told that this is conceptualized in the 1990s. point of that pencil-like arm, in the program is the potential impact which at its tip contains the the remains of a cage that, for the Mike is now confident in the gold cylinder (bottom, left) this could have,” said Dunne. briefest time, cradled a miniature star system. He had hoped to reach the and the silver fuel pellet “It’s incredibly motivating.” – ignited by those pipes, which are milestone last year, “but Mother Nature (bottom, right) —Aliyah Kovner for Communications in fact amplifiers for the world’s most threw a few tricks in our way, and it’s and Public Affairs powerful laser. taking a little bit longer,” he said. “But No, it’s not the plot for a sci-fi in some ways, that tells you all you need B-movie – I’m actually in the National to know – people have been saying it’s Ignition Facility (NIF) in Livermore and decades off, yet we were disappointed the scientist I’m here to see is Dr Mike we didn’t get there last year.” Dunne, Director of Fusion Energy and Results from last year’s shots, as Imperial alumnus (PhD Plasma each experiment is dubbed, confirmed Physics, 1982). that the group’s ever-evolving system The NIF is arguably one of the most model is inching closer than ever to important science experiments on the correct parameters of laser the planet, which, if successful, could pulse-shape and fuel composition permanently solve humanity’s energy that will result in ignition. woes and alleviate global warming To speed up the timeline to energy pressures. Fusion is the process that generation, Mike and his team have the sun uses to generate enormous collaborated with engineers from the quantities of energy (see box, opposite power industry to create a design for a page). Scientists at NIF try to emulate steam turbine to capture heat from the this process by using 192 lasers beams reaction. This means that once ignition precisely focused with lab-grown is reached, fewer hurdles will stand in crystals to heat a pellet of hydrogen the way of adapting the system to feed isotope, no bigger than this letter ‘a’, into an electrical grid. inside a gold cylinder chamber. The Even after a prototype has been laser beams hit the inner walls of the built and tested, changing the chamber, causing them to emit x-rays, infrastructure to support a working which implodes the pellet, creating the reactor would be a huge financial necessary extreme conditions for the investment. Edwards worries that hydrogen atoms to fuse. the impact of current natural gas “There are people out there who abundance on US political inclinations will say: ‘fusion energy is a hundred will delay the technology coming year problem; it’ll never happen in our to fruition. “The issue is that, in the lifetimes’,” says Dr John Edwards, meantime, we’re pumping all this Associate Director for Inertial carbon into the atmosphere, but

10 >> featurefocus www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 24 January 2014 • issue 268

The rhythm of research

With a career that began between Having overseen the creation the shelves of an antiquarian music of a brand new library whilst shop, Chris Banks, Director of Library at Aberdeen, this issue of space is one Chris knows she Services, would argue she’s no will have to deal with here at conventional librarian. the College too. But rather than being an issue of While music may have been her first passion, needing more space per se, Chris comes well prepared for the analytical and it’s how we use it, she says. inquisitive environment of one of the world’s “Historically we have foremost science institutions. tended to build library space “My first ambition was actually to be a detective; for one learning style – the I just really loved the idea of investigating things,” quiet studious worker. The says Chris. “When I was at school I saw a programme way in which students are with H. C. Robbins-Landon, a Haydn Scholar, who working now though is very was making historical deductions from manuscripts. different and we see a whole It was this evidence-based approach to analysing range of styles, such as more music that inspired me to go on and study historical group and interactive work. musicology.” So it’s about creating spaces No stranger to London, Chris spent 20 years where they can exist happily at the British Library as a Junior Curator in their side by side.” musical collections, eventually rising to Head Despite changes in the way students use libraries of Reference and Research, responsible for and the increasing focus on digital resources (92.4 Many students the front facing subjects teams. But it was then percent of the Library acquisitions budget is spent actually prefer physical that her career took a somewhat unexpected on digital material), Chris doesn’t think students will turn as she moved into Higher Education. After be shunning the traditional book anytime soon. textbooks. You can giving a lecture at the University of Aberdeen “What is really interesting is that many students mentally map out where on a music manuscript, she was approached actually prefer physical textbooks. You can mentally information is on a page with the news that they were looking for a map out where information is on a page and picture head librarian, and after learning about the role, it in the 3D space of the book in your mind. There are and picture it in the decided to apply. a lot of people who still really value that for certain 3D space of the book Having landed the job Chris then found herself kinds of reading and reference.” in your mind.” in charge of spending £60million on building an Aside from her day job Chris is also looking innovative and architecturally striking new library, forward to being immersed in the musical life of which was opened by the Queen and the Duke of the capital once again. “When I lived in London Edinburgh in 2012. After spending nearly 6 years at previously I was heavily involved in making music Aberdeen she was then tempted back to London for and sang with the London Philharmonic Choir. This a new challenge here at Imperial. time I’m deliberately not jumping back into that and Starting in September last year, a major focus focussing on being a consumer of music instead.” for Chris at Imperial will be the challenges of open Although being just round the corner from the access and research data management – something Royal Albert Hall, the call of the stage will surely her background in special collections will help her always be there for Chris. to tackle. —Jon Narcross, Communications and Public Affairs “By looking at a music manuscript or a composer archive you can learn so much about the author What are you reading Desert island disk? Tell us something your through examining the physical remains of their currently? It would probably be a bit of colleagues won’t know The Dream Team Nightmare Bach. I’ve come late to Bach I sometimes play the creative process. We’ve got some of the best by Portia Tung. It’s an e-book vocal music. For something didgeridoo. It came about scientific brains in the world here at Imperial and Q&A where the reader actually has that is just outrageously after I heard a busker on there is so much in their research method and raw to make decisions as they joyous I might pick something the underground doing the go through, which shapes the like the Christmas Oratorio. most fantastic percussive data – their creative process if you will – that we outcome of the story. I’m near I had it on a lot over Christmas performance playing along to can learn from,” she says. the end now so I’ll shortly as I always put it on when the rhythm of the trains when Chris and her team are working in partnership find out if my decisions have I’m writing Christmas cards. they came through the station. resulted in disaster or not. It just puts you in the most I actually missed two trains with academics devising open access and research fantastic mood. just listening to him. So when data management services that ensure data survival I found a didgeridoo in a and availability for re-use in different ways. shop I thought I’d give it a go.

11 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 24 January 2014 • issue 268 insidestory

Photos and papers of Great War veteran Charles Nyburg, courtesy of inside Dr Anna Nyburg story

mini profile Stuart Whitelaw

Stuart Whitelaw has been coaching at Imperial College Boat Club for 6 years now, becoming Head of Rowing last year. He also attained a PhD in Mechanical Engineering (1997) from Imperial whilst rowing for Great Britain, and worked as a Remembering postdoctoral researcher in the Department. the Great War

What does your current Dr Emily Mayhew, Research Associate job entail? in the Centre for Co-curricular Studies It basically comes down to and professional historian, is currently providing our rowers with an What does the immediate working on a number of projects to environment in which they can future hold for the Boat Club? mark the centenary commemorations attain excellence. In order to World domination! Or at least, of the First World War (1914–1918). achieve this we’re obviously to maintain and improve on She describes the first of these. very fortunate to have the full the success we had last year. support of the College in the In addition one of the things “Staff and students at the College Through the exhibition we hope form of funding, facilities and we’ve been trying to do is to participated both professionally and to show how everyone in the country sporting freedom. In terms of make rowing more inclusive, personally in the conflict, both at was affected in a wide range of ways my own day-to-day activities, to widen the pyramid, thereby home and fighting on the fronts in by the war and its aftermath. it’s very varied. Some mornings pushing the top athletes Europe and beyond. Alongside a As an example, Dr Anna Nyburg I’ll be out there with the athletes higher and bringing more number of projects currently in (Co-Curricular Studies) has loaned on the water at 6am, or I might people in at the bottom, and planning to mark the achievements of material relating to her grandfather, be writing training programmes seeing how far they can get. the College’s scientists and engineers Charles Nyburg, who lost his left arm and scheduling competitions. That’s about integration and towards the war effort, an exhibition fighting in the Durham Light Infantry making sure that everyone will present a more personal point of in 1917. A photograph shows how her Do you feel the weight of feels valued. view – that of the family members father chose not to have a prosthetic responsibility given Imperial’s of current staff and students as they arm to replace the limb he lost, as well great legacy in rowing? Clearly with this role experienced the terrible conflict. as papers relating to his injury from the No. You’re there to do the best you have to eat, sleep If you are a member of Imperial Army. The artefacts are all in excellent for the athletes with you at the and breathe rowing, staff, past or present, or a student condition and provide moving time. People get caught up in but do you get time for or alumnus, and you have archive personal testimony. the history but ultimately it’s anything else? material or artefacts from a family So please get checking your attics what you’re doing now that At the moment I have one member who participated directly or boxes – there is plenty of time (our counts. That said, we do have day off in the week and in the war, please consider loaning deadline for collection is September a picture of the great Bill work through the weekends. it to the exhibition. It could be a 2014) and we would like to get as wide Mason, who lifted Imperial The time I have I spend with photograph, official military papers, a range of contributions as possible.” to stardom, looking down my wife and kids (although letters from family to soldiers, medals, For more details or to suggest an item or send on us from the ceiling of the the kids still think I’m a souvenirs – or indeed anything from an image for consideration contact Emily at: boathouse! human trampoline). the years 1914–1918 and beyond. [email protected] 12 insidestory www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 24 January 2014 • issue 268

Student blogger Emma on: Inspiring the Citizen science next generation

If you’re reading this blog you The awarding of the Nobel Prize are probably at least vaguely for Physics for the postulation and interested in science. However, subsequent confirmation of the you are also more than likely Higgs Boson particle was one of the view that real science of the crowning achievements is done at high levels by of British science last year – people who are very clever hopefully inspiring the next and very well trained (and generation of physicists. who you might one day hope to become one of). Indeed, a new prize for high achieving These days though, physics students, borrowing the The Higgs prize for physics was presented citizen science projects Higgs name, will help contribute to the winners at a ceremony in December by Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond are becoming more to that legacy. widespread, meaning that One of the first winners, Lucy anyone can take part in Willets-White, a first year Physics Professor Peter Higgs, who was a little bit of science for student at the college, will now visit jointly awarded the Nobel Prize themselves. You might have the internationally renowned CERN said: “At my old school in Bristol, seen the BBC’s Stargazing Live facility in Switzerland to take part I was inspired by seeing the name programmes recently, where in its prestigious summer school. of Paul Dirac on the Honours board. volunteers were asked to head The Higgs Prize for physics, Dirac received the 1933 Nobel online to help spot gravitational which Lucy will share with St Andrews Prize in Physics for predicting lenses from a bank of student Peter Rhodes, is awarded anti-matter and, in particular, astronomical pictures. They to two pupils who have shown the positron. I know very well were incredibly successful – outstanding performance in how exciting and amazing visits over six and a half million the Scottish Advanced Higher to CERN can be and I’m delighted images were classified Physics exam. to have my name associated and fifty candidates for On hearing of her success with this prize. I hope it inspires gravitational lenses discovered. Lucy said: “I’m really interested in young students today just as I was particle physics and learning about inspired by Dirac.” For tips on getting involved in citizen science visit Emma’s blog at: bit.ly/1b3gyKu it first-hand should be a real help —Jon Narcross, Communications and to my studies here at the Imperial.” Public Affairs

Cliff hangers “Our biggest challenge was the “I personally feel as if I’ve only sheer exposure,” recalled Ben Coope scratched the surface of the huge Our biggest Yosemite National Park is one of the (Mechanical Engineering). “Nothing amount of potential within Yosemite, challenge was most popular tourist destinations could have prepared us for the and I have a long list of routes I’d still in the world, with over four million terror of hanging hundreds of feet love to tick off in the valley now that the sheer visitors flocking to see its spectacular above the ground being battered I’ve got some more experience in big exposure.” scenery each year. Most are happy to by the elements.” walling,” says Jo. amble along marked trails — but for The seven adventurers spent —Dominic McDonagh, Communications others it holds a more menacing, between one month and six weeks and Public Affairs irresistible challenge. With its in Yosemite, facing multiday ascents towering granite cliff faces, it is one of between 400m and 1km — of the birthplaces of modern rock significantly higher than anything climbing and a proving ground for they had tried previously. Their group up and coming climbers. achieved their aim of successfully climbing three big wall routes in the So it was for a team of seven students valley between them: Washington from Imperial’s Mountaineering Club Column, Half Dome and El Capitan. who submitted a plan to the College’s The crowning achievement, though, Exploration Board for a daring trip went to the youngest and sole female to take on some of those formidable member of the group, Jo Robbings monolithic peaks. (Physics), who successfully ascended From the moment the proposal 800m over ‘The Nose’ of El Capitan. was accepted it was clear that it wasn’t To put the feat into perspective, the going to be a regular summer for Shard, the tallest building in the EU, those students. stands at just 305m. Extreme selfie: Jo Robbings (Physics) 13 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 24 January 2014 • issue 268 insidestory

3D printing brings theory to life

Many people find interactive technology such as iPads can help them to learn more efficiently and better visualise difficult concepts.

Now a group from Imperial has taken this a step further by using 3D printing to create real models of abstract concepts in theoretical physics that students can actually reach out and touch. on many time and length scales and In just eight hours and at the cost which show coherent behaviour and of around £12, the team of researchers certain patterns on a large scale. Jonathan Pritchard receiving the Rees Rawling Prize from Vice-Provost and undergraduates created their own “The basic idea is simple. A 3D (Education) Professor Debra Humphris 8 cm3 object based on a mathematical printer builds up its object in layers. model that describes how forest fires So the height of the object can be can be started and how they eventually thought of as time. The model will Fresh perspectives spread over time. Their work was define at each point in time what the published in the journal European printer should print at one height. The As part of the new Perspectives in Education Lecture series at the Physics Letters. result is a 3D object which shows how College, the Educational Development Unit (EDU) hosted a special Co-author of the study Dr Tim Evans the mathematical model has evolved event on 19 December titled ‘Educational Research in an Imperial (Physics) was inspired by a visit to the over time,” says Tim. Context’. The event showcased some of the work of current and Victoria and Albert Museum where he They have labelled the approach former students of the MEd in University Learning and Teaching came across the first ever 3D printed ‘Sculplexity’ – standing for sculptures course who are researching aspects of educational practice at object the museum had acquired of complexity. They believe it could be Imperial, with presentations reflecting the range and diversity of – a table with branched tree-like used to produce works of art based work undertaken. Special programme prizes were also awarded structures. on science, or transform the way that to Drs Jonathan Pritchard, PGCert (Rees Rawlings Prize for Best This led him to ask if complex ideas and concepts are presented Portfolio); Stefan Buhmann, PG Diploma (Routledge Education systems, often found in theoretical and discussed within the scientific Prize); and Sheraz Ahmad (MEd ULT prize for best dissertation). physics, could be represented in a community. Details about upcoming EDU events can be found at: similar way. Complex systems are —Laura Gallagher, Communications and http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/edudev/networksandevents made up of many parts that interact Public Affairs

The stage is set

Thesps, rock stars and musical maestros at the College can all look forward to performing in a venue more befitting of their talents, following the announcement of a quarter of a million pound grant to renovate the Union Concert Hall.

It comes thanks to an increase in the annual Harlington Grants Fund allocation from the usual £50,000 to around £300,000. The sum will also be used to improve the gym facilities of the Silwood Park Campus. The renovation of the Concert Hall – which is home to many of the Union’s creative societies and famously hosted early gigs of the rock band Queen – will allow the space to host more ambitious productions, helping enhance the standard of performing arts at Imperial. Imperial College Union President David Goldsmith said: “The Union Concert Hall is a space used by student groups throughout the year and this refurbishment is going to make a real difference to so many students. “The Harlington Grants Fund is an important source of funding for many of our student groups and seeing it being used on a larger project like this is really exciting.” The musical theatre society performing Kiss me Kate —Jon Narcross, Communications and Public Affairs 14 insidestory www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 24 January 2014 • issue 268

Show and tell

Vin Chauhan (Surgery and Cancer) is moving on after 45 years at Imperial – 30 of which he spent in the unique role of Curator of the Charing Cross Pathology Museum.

Why do we have a pathology museum? I like to think of it as a hands-on teaching facility for medical students, which was born out of the old Charing Cross Library. It is an invaluable archive of human disease; what doctors saw in the 18th, 19th and even the 20th century, we simply don’t see now due to antibiotics and modern surgery. The only way for students to learn about certain diseases and their natural course is by seeing these specimens. What future do you see for museums like this? What was the most interesting aspect of being curator? In my view you can’t bring these museums into the 21st century Going back some years the forensic work stands out for me. by their very nature; we will never see some of these diseases On occasions I assisted forensic pathologists, detectives and again. Digitising the exhibits would not be an adequate solution coroners working on difficult cases. When the police found either as students can be so focused on their iPads that they forget something unusual during an investigation, they would bring to discuss things. Here we examine the specimens from every the specimen to me for preparation and further examination. angle, talk about the cause of the disease, the signs and symptoms, and the treatment. What changes have you seen over the years? Every effort is made for the students to use the Pathology Museum What are you going on to do now? without contravening the Human Tissue Authority Regulations (which I would like to write a history of pathology museums and I’m came into effect in 2004). It can be restrictive, but the regulations collecting material on that now. But I will really miss this place; are there for a reason, which is understandable after high profile it was like my second home. cases of tissue misuse, such as the Alder Hey organs scandal. —Tamara Szucs, Communications and Public Affairs

obituaries

haematological malignancies. Ian Butterworth John’s major disease interest was Emeritus Professor Ian chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), Butterworth (Physics), died on a disorder that was fatal at the time 29 November; he would have he began his research in 1975. He been 83 on 3 December. His introduced autologous and allogeneic colleagues in the Department transplantation for CML and built the of Physics pay tribute. largest transplant practice in Europe. He later became interested in the use Ian obtained his PhD at the of targeted drugs for this disease and University of Manchester in John Goldman worked tirelessly to bring these into Patrick Blackett’s Cosmic Ray Emeritus Professor John Goldman clinical practice, rendering transplant group before moving to Imperial in 1958 to become the driving force (Medicine), died on 24 December, virtually redundant. He was rewarded behind the experimental High Energy Physics Group. He went on to aged 75, after a short illness. Professor by seeing this previously fatal disease become Head of the Department of Physics (1980–1983), Research Jane Apperley (Medicine) pays become a chronic disorder with a Director of CERN (1983–1986), Principal of Queen Mary College tribute to her colleague and friend. normal life span. (1986–1991) and a Distinguished Research Fellow at the College John was a fine physician, until his death. Born in London, John was educated dedicated to, and much loved by, He obtained international recognition for his work on the discovery at Westminster School and entered his patients. He was erudite and and classification of mesonic and baryonic resonances, a crucial Magdalen College, Oxford, to read a remarkable polymath – just as step towards the currently accepted quark model of hadronic matter. classics. Instead, he graduated with a comfortable discussing Shakespeare, During his long and distinguished career he was both respected BA in Psychology and Physiology then Greek mythology and Nelson as he and genuinely liked by very many colleagues around the world. completed his medical training at St was in managing leukaemia. Above Amongst the many tributes received were: ‘Ian was such a power Bartholomew’s Hospital. John went on all, he was a kind and generous man, for good at Imperial’; ‘He was so spirited and jolly’ and ‘A sad loss to work at the Hammersmith Hospital, approachable and encouraging to of the person who was a source of inspiration for me.’ where he and a small team focussed his junior colleagues, and always Our thoughts are with his daughter, Jody and her husband on the care of patients with supportive of their research. Nicholas. Centre for Environmental Policy Dr Lorenzo DiLucia, Dr Carlo DiFranco, Physics Ms Karen Dhillon, Surgery &Cancer Mr Florent Deledalle, Chemistry Materials Miss Derfogail Delcassian, Dr Marco DeAmbrogi, Medicine Mr IanDavison, Estates Division Mr Thibault Dairay, Aeronautics Surgery & Cancer Dr Katherine Czysz, Dr Anish Cyriac, Chemistry Miss Julia Crean, Library Mr Andrew Coulson, Chemistry Miss Joanne Cooke, Aeronautics Dr Daniel Colquitt, Mathematics Mr GaryChow, Computing Miss Yi Cheng, Bioengineering Dr Christopher Chen, Physics EEE Mr Constantinos Charalambous, Clinical Science Dr YaliniChandramohan, Surgery &Cancer Mr Andrew Busuttil, Faculty of Natural Sciences Miss Ashlee Bugno, Ms Natalie Browne, Life Sciences Mr Andrew Brockman, Life Sciences Dr Vassiliki Bravis, Medicine Dr Avraham Braun, Physics Mr Robert Bradley, Life Sciences Dr Olga Bodero Bahillo, Chemistry Chemistry Dr Ariadna Blanca Romero, Dr Fadil Bidmos, Medicine Dr Clare Berry, Public Health Miss Cristina Beltrami, NHLI Ms Darina Bassil, Public Health Business School Miss Kellianne Bartley, Dr Kirsten Barnicot, Medicine Mr Steven Baginski, Medicine Mr Ali Ayoub, Public Health Mechanical Engineering Ms Louise Austin, Public Health Miss Danielle Ashworth, Dr Rossella Arcucci, EEE Surgery &Cancer Dr Nikolaos Angelopoulos, Surgery &Cancer Dr ShivaniAmdekar, Mr Rhys Algar, Bioengineering Life Sciences Dr Carmen Agustin Pavon, Dr Saima Afaq, Public Health Ms Shea Addison, Medicine Mr Mohammad Adabi, Materials Environmental Engineering Mr Edo Abraham, Civil and new starters Welcome www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter

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moving in. moving on. for complete details: events highlights www.imperial.ac.uk/events January 2014

4 February ▸ Public talk that have so far prevented us from producing take note energy from fusion, but finding ways around Thermonuclear fusion these problems is edging us nearer to igniting versus Murphy’s Law a fusion plasma. In his inaugural lecture, A healthy end Professor Jeremy Chittenden (Physics) asks, to January Nuclear fusion powers the stars and could “Are we at last getting close?” be an almost inexhaustible source of clean, renewable energy on Earth. Sixty years of Sport Imperial is giving you research have revealed a number of pitfalls the chance to keep up those healthy New Year’s resolutions… at least until the end of the month. As part of healthy living 11 February ▸ Public talk increasingly busy. Find out what is in store week (from 27–31 Jan), the team will for road users of the future in the 39th Annual be providing free fitness activities; Engineering and managing Pavior’s Lecture with Ginny Clarke, Director massages; nutritional and postural some of the world’s of Strategy and Planning at the UK’s advice; and body MOTs (including blood Highways Agency. pressure and cholesterol checks) to all busiest highways staff and students. There will also be health Highways have not stood still over the food offers available in catering outlets. centuries, with a technology and infrastructure evolving to keep traffic moving as they become For more information see: bit.ly/1aEBBGw

23 January ▸ Seminar 30 January ▸ Seminar 6 February ▸ Music meet the Augmented and virtual Innovation, insights and Britten String Quartet No 2 reader reality technologies intrigue in a digital world Lunchtime recital performed Irek Starzyk (MSc Systems Imperial Business Insights by the Belcea Quartet. Engineering alumnus). with Adam Warby, Avanade CEO. 23 January ▸ Music Brahms Piano Quartet 29 January ▸ Public talk No 2 in A Randomness, Lunchtime recital by dynamics and risk Touchwood. Professor Damiano Brigo (Mathematics) gives his inaugural lecture. 11 February ▸ Public talk How to make it in Africa 30 January ▸ Seminar 29 January ▸ Public talk Rich in resources, but World Energy Outlook Science metaphor in high in poverty. Panel multilingual translation Dr Fatih Birol, Chief discussion around Economist at the Mark Shuttleworth (Centre Africa’s entrepreneurial Andrew Scheuber International Energy Agency, for Co-curricular Studies). opportunities, challenges (Communications and 27 January ▸ Seminar presents this Grantham and success stories. Public Affairs), Strategic Antibiotic resistance Institute special lecture. 4 February ▸ Seminar and drug discovery A theory of generalized 13 February ▸ Seminar Communications Manger

Professor Laura Piddock, 29 January ▸ Seminar entropies Big business and What are you doing in the picture? University of Birmingham. Meet the President start-ups: competition or Professor Henrik Jensen Enjoying the latest issue of Reporter of IStructE (Mathematics). competitive advantage? 28 January ▸ Public talk on Melbourne’s very sunny Brighton Imperial Business Insights Dark matter: dark energy: Seminar with Nick Russell, Beach on Boxing Day. It was my first 4 February ▸ Seminar with Tim Kay, KPMG. dark gravity newly appointed president of time down under – the trip of a lifetime. the Institution of Structural The future of low carbon Friends of Imperial event with Engineers, and prize giving energy in the UK 13 February ▸ Seminar What would you do if you were Editor Alan Heavens, Professor of ceremony for the Imperial Imperial Business Insights Darwin’s silence of Reporter for a day? Astrophysics (Physics). College London Design with James Smith, Chair of Dr Stephen Webster (Centre Change very little; it’s already one Competition. the Carbon Trust. for Co-Curricular Studies). of the finest magazines out there. 28 January ▸ Arts (In unrelated news, the Editor of Artifact Soapbox 20 February ▸ Fringe Reporter sits next to me.) Meet an animator, printmaker The Arts Experiment 2.0 and sculptor and form a new Who would be your cover star? sci-art collaboration. Whoever’s behind the College Café’s fantastic daily sandwich specials. Imperial’s academics may have predicted the Higg’s boson and developed new ways of treating diseases, but I bet they can’t make a salt beef sandwich like the College Café. Stay in the loop → Visit www.imperial.ac.uk/events for more details about these events Want to be the next reader featured in and others. To sign up for regular updates about Imperial events please Reporter? Send in a picture of yourself to: [email protected] email: [email protected]

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