www.aber.ac.uk/en/news

Aberystwyth...probably the best place in the world to be a student ISSUE 5 - June 2011 NEWS UNIVERSITY NEWS 4 A toolkit for supporting Information Services students 5 Green design under one roof award Over the summer the Hugh Owen Library will be undergoing some changes. Following feedback from staff and students, a new quiet computer room, more toilets and in fact, all the services offered by Information Services will now be located under one roof. Also in 6 Aber Research response to requests from students, some of the space released in Llandinam will be used joins Aber for a new postgraduate student facility. News Rebecca Davies, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Director of Information Services explains, “We’ve listened to what students and staff have been telling us about how they’d like all IS services to be based in one central point on campus. This move will ensure that our customers will 10 Lessons from be able to access the IT and Library Enquiry Desks, ICT and Media Technical Services and Japan Stunet from the library. “To make room for all the IS staff in the library, the Hugh Owen building will undergo some structural changes. Some disruption is inevitable which is why the work is being undertaken during the quieter summer months. The resulting changes will ensure a 11 Mobile Apps better experience for all library users. There will be a new quiet computer room on Level Challenge F, additional toilets on Level E, better energy-efficient lighting throughout the library, and improved access to IS services and staff.” The building work will start in mid-June and will be completed by Freshers’ weekend. For further details, and to keep up to date with developments as they happen, please visit the 13 Race for Life IS Facebook pages www.facebook.com/aberuni.is 2011

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NEWS is published by the Department of Communications and Public Affairs, University. Tel: 01970 621763 E-mail: [email protected]. Copy deadline for the next edition is Friday 8th July. Copy deadline for September 2011 edition is Monday 18th July. NEWS

UNIVERSITY NEWS and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol As the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol prepares to • Incentive Scholarships, to the value of £1500 over a period of host its first conference at Aberystwyth on the three years, will allow students to apply for finance to study appropriate Welsh-medium degree schemes offering 40 5th of July, Dr Mari Elin Jones from the Centre for credits in each year. Welsh Language Services here at AU outlines the • The Postgraduate Scholarship Scheme for postgraduates role of this new institution. will continue, and academic posts will be created at the end In September 2011 The Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol will admit of the funding period. its first student members. This new national institution will play What about publishing academic research through the a key role in supporting, developing and supervising Welsh- medium of Welsh? Medium provision in the Higher Education Sector in . It • The University has appointed a Publications Officer, funded will not exist in one geographical location and will not award nationally, to be responsible for the Research and Publication its own degrees, but will, rather, work in partnership with Welsh Strategy of The Coleg. The work of the Publications Officer universities. will be an extension of the Gwerddon project (www. In 2009 the Welsh Assembly Government decided to accept the gwerddon.org) and the aim will be to increase the number of recommendations of a report prepared at the request of the Welsh publications using the latest e-publishing technology. Minister for Education to create a ’Coleg Ffederal Cymraeg’ or How will staff become members of the Coleg Cymraeg? ‘Welsh Federal College’, and an Executive Board was established • Present members of staff who teach through the medium of to review the process of establishing The Coleg. The Executive Welsh, or who wish to teach through the medium of Welsh, Board has now completed its work, and The Coleg Cymraeg is can become members of The Coleg Cymraeg. This will not a new and independent legal entity with its own constitution. affect their membership of Aberystwyth University. It is important to note that establishing The Coleg Cymraeg • The Coleg will fund about 20 academic posts annually for a is the culmination of years of campaigning by friends of the period of 5 years. These lectureships will be located within Welsh language, as well as years of diligent academic activity by University departments across Wales. universities such as Aberystwyth, Bangor and Trinity St David, who are considered to be the main providers of Welsh Medium • Six academic posts will be funded in Aberystwyth University Higher Education. The Coleg Cymraeg will bring together the through the Academic Staffing Scheme in 2011/12. The expertise of these three institutions, as well as other universities lecturers appointed will receive a contract by The Coleg, who have seen their Welsh medium provision increase during through the University, that will outline their specific duties recent years. in relation to the development of Welsh-medium provision. What effect will establishing The Coleg have on the How will students become members of The Coleg Cymraeg? University’s Welsh Medium provision? • Present students, new students and prospective students • Our academic departments will continue to teach the can become members of The Coleg. This will not affect their modules and degree schemes that are part of the present membership of Aberystwyth University. Welsh-medium provision. They will have an increased • Student members will have access to learning resources opportunity to collaborate with corresponding departments on Y Porth; they will have the opportunity to apply for in other HEI’s through the National Network Panels, building undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships, and an on the success of the present collaborative modules. opportunity to get a Language Skills Certificate. • Many projects are funded at the University already, and • Information regarding work experience opportunities, where departments will have the opportunity to apply for more the ability to work bilingually is essential, will be available for finance from the Strategic Developments and Projects Coleg members also. Fund in order to develop modules and materials to support How will the Coleg be promoted? students studying through the medium of Welsh. • The University will continue marketing its Welsh-medium • Students will have the opportunity to benefit from provision through the present structures. collaborative modules offered through the video network • Mantais’s national campaign (www.mantais.ac.uk) will work or residential modules, and all the necessary resources with schools to promote a continuation into Welsh-Medium will be available for them on the national platform, Y Porth Higher Education. (www.porth.ac.uk). We look forward to playing a prominent part in this important • Departments who have appropriate degree schemes development in the history of Welsh-Medium Higher Education and can offer 80 credits through the medium of Welsh in in the University and the sector in Wales. each year, will be part of the Lead Scholarship Scheme for Undergraduates at The Coleg, and students can receive Further information about the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol is finance of £3000 over a period of three years. available at www.colegcymraeg.ac.uk 2 www.aber.ac.uk/en/news

UNIVERSITY NEWS Vice-Chancellor’s column Higher Education continues to experience rapid change – The future of Aberystwyth University a recurring theme in my contributions to Aber News! The as an institution where research is acceleration of change have been very evident over recent important, depends critically on our months: we are in a period of exceptional turbulence. We have performance in the REF. In an environment seen serious reductions in funding from government - with which is becoming sharply more competitive and in which the recurrent grant to Aberystwyth University for 2011/2012 concentration of research funding is increasing, we must ensure showing a reduction of about 10% in the baseline compared that we do everything within our power to further improve our with that for the previous year – a position which is broadly performance – the next six to nine months are critical. typical for the sector. The University is also experiencing changes in personnel, and I We also see the fundamental shift, from 2012 onwards, in want to mention two in particular. First, Brian Foster is retiring the mechanism for the funding of Higher Education. You will after an association with the University which spans 40 years. read elsewhere in Aber News about the University’s decision Having come to Aberystwyth as an undergraduate, Brian to establish the level of ‘graduate contribution’ for Home/EU progressed through the Registry and has been a hugely valuable undergraduates at £9000 per annum from 2012/13. member of the Senior Management Team as Director of Planning It is important that we explain how repayment of the fee and of the Academic Registry. I wish him well in retirement. loan is going to work: it is a percentage of earnings above a David Craddock has left CCS to become Chief Executive of certain level, which initially will be £21,000 p.a., and we will be High Performance Computing Wales (HPC Wales), a large preparing information for departments so that staff can respond project which is being run by a Special Purpose Vehicle owned to questions raised by prospective students and their families in by the universities in Wales and which will provide exciting open days and visiting days. opportunities for universities and business to develop the use The Welsh Government’s policy is to allow universities to charge of cutting-edge computing technology. up to £9000 per annum for Home/EU undergraduates, but to These two changes have led to adjustment to some reporting cover the difference between current levels of fee and those lines. The Research Office and CCS report directly to the PVC determined for the future for all students ordinarily resident (Research), currently Professor Aled Jones, and the Academic in Wales, wherever they study in the UK. This applies also to Office and the Admissions and Recruitment office report to the students from the EU outside the UK, studying in Wales. PVC with responsibility for Learning and Teaching, Professor Clearly the impact of the new funding regime is a major Martin Jones. uncertainty for the future. In the medium term I want to emphasise the importance to the University of a good performance in the REF when it comes. Graduation 2011 This year’s graduation ceremonies will take place the 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th of July. The order or ceremonies is as follows: Tuesday 12 July 2011 Tuition fees for 2012-13 Ceremony 1: 11am Ceremony 2: 3pm English and Creative Writing School of Management and Following a meeting of the University Council History and Welsh History Business on Monday 9th of May Aberystwyth became the European Languages Sport and Exercise Science Wednesday 13 July 2011 first university in Wales to announce that it would Ceremony 3: 11am Ceremony 4: 3pm be charging £9000 per annum for tuition for the International Politics Theatre, Film and Television School of Art Studies 2012/3 academic year. Education The Council needed to ensure that future revenues substituted Thursday 14 July 2011 for any phased reduction in government support, were Ceremony 5: 11am Ceremony 6: 3pm invested in capital and teaching infrastructure to maintain a Law and Criminology Institute of Geography and Earth competitive position, covered the expected effects of inflation, Psychology Sciences Information Studies Welsh and in particular were aligned with the priorities of the Welsh Government and the Funding Council. Friday 15 July 2011 Ceremony 7: 11am Ceremony 8: 3pm A summary paper setting out the relevant factors in reaching Computer Science Institute of Biological, the decision is available online at Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences www.aber.ac.uk/en/media/Graduate-Contribution.pdf Environmental and Rural Sciences Institute of Mathematics and Physics All universities in Wales were required to submit their fee plans to HEFCW by the 31st of May. Once approved by HEFCW, a process Further information is available online at which should be completed by the 11th of July, each university’s www.aber.ac.uk/en/graduation/ fee plans will need to be made available online within 7 days. 3 NEWS

Careers Advisory Service A toolkit for supporting students An online toolkit to support staff in their interactions with students, has been developed by a cross University team led by Julie Keenan, Reflective Learning Officer in the Careers Advisory Service and Caryl Davies, Assistant Director of Student Support. The Supporting Students Toolkit has been developed from a Learning and Teaching Enhancement Fund project which initially focussed on evaluating the resources and skills needed in the personal tutor/tutee relationship. “We set out to uncover good practice we believed was behind our great student satisfaction scores and to seek staff and Caryl Davies, Assistant Director of Student Support, and Julie student views about the need to put resources online in the Keenan, Reflective Learning Officer in the Careers Advisory Service. form of a toolkit”, said Julie Keenan. The project surveyed over 2000 students, many departmental Caryl Davies said “In the course of our research it became clear organisers of personal tutoring and a range of personal tutors that other staff play a key role in supporting students and could including those new to the role. benefit from the resources the Toolkit offered and therefore A selection of good practice resources has been included in the we widened the scope of the Toolkit to accommodate these first phase of the Toolkit. These also inform newly developed colleagues”. skills based training sessions for personal tutors now available The Toolkit is available online now at: www.aber.ac.uk/en/toolkit twice a year and delivered via a cross university team of trainers. and the quest for good practice resources continues. Contact [email protected] for more information.

European Languages The AND started life in 1947 Prix Honoré Chavée when a “glossary committee” met in Oxford, to discuss the compilation of a dictionary (or at that stage, a glossary) of Anglo- Norman, the form of French in use in Britain as a result of the Norman Conquest in 1066. Professor David Trotter At first a spoken language, later increasingly used in writing alone, Anglo-Norman was extant from 1066 until the mid-fifteenth-century, lingering on in legal language, and leaving a lasting impact on English especially in vocabulary. The AND set out, over sixty years ago, to record this language and was thus also the beginning of an attempt to document the entirety of its usage, and the words it was made up of. According to Professor Trotter, Anglo-Norman has long been regarded with at best wry amusement, and at worst with contempt, by a French establishment which viewed it as a semi- literate offshore dialectal oddity, but which nevertheless believed, in the words of Clemenceau, and because of the impact of French on English, that English was simply French pronounced badly. A section of the Bayeux Tapestry the depicts the death of Harold in 1066. “That the AND should have been awarded a prestigious prize by a leading French institution suggests that those days are over, The Anglo-Norman Dictionary project (AND), and that Anglo-Norman is again regarded as what it was: part since 2001 directed by Professor David Trotter and of the second-most important language of culture (after Latin) in western Europe in the Middle Ages, not only an inspiration based in the Department of European Languages, for the development of vernacular literatures, but also an has been awarded the Prix Honoré Chavée by the international trading and diplomatic language from Spain to Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres in Paris. Scotland, and from Italy to Ireland,” he said. 4 www.anglo-norman.net www.aber.ac.uk/en/news

Residential Services Room to spare? New halls of residence Interest free loan available for Six companies have progressed to the joint competitive dialogue staff who take part in the Rent stage for the development of new self-catering halls of residence a Room Scheme. on land behind Pentre Jane Morgan. Would you like to host a student in a room The companies are Sir Robert McAlpine Limited, Miller Construction Limited, Balfour in your home for next academic year? Beatty Student Accommodation, Kier Northern Limited, City Heart and Evans The University would like to make it easy Management Limited. for staff who are interested in hosting Subject to planning approval, building work on the new halls is expected to start in the a student to have the correct facilities summer of 2012, with the first students expected to take up residence in September available in their homes (study desk, 2013. Construction costs are expected to be in the region of £40m to £45m. wardrobe, lamps, pin boards, appropriate The new residences will provide accommodation for 1000 students. bed size etc.). In the mean-time construction is well underway on a new residential block between To assist staff members to rent a room, Trefloyne and Cwrt Mawr on the Penglais campus. The new block, known as G Block, the University can offer an interest free Rosser, pictured below, will provide 60 new en-suite bedrooms on campus and will be loan up to £2,000 with repayments made ready for the start of the 2011/12 academic year. over a one year period via direct debit. Participants may also be eligible for tax exemption up to a maximum of £4,250 a year from the Rent a Room scheme. For further details please visit the Accommodation Office’s website: www.aber.ac.uk/en/accommodation

Aberystwyth Arts Centre ESTATES Win a ‘Year in a Creative Unit’ Competition Green design award The new IBERS building on the Penglais campus has been awarded the BREEAM Award Returning for the third year, for the highest scoring building in the Higher Education sector, achieving an “Excellent” this exciting competition offers rating with 75.27% at the Design Stage. a year’s rent free studio space BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method) is the leading and most widely used from August 2011, in one of the environmental assessment method for buildings. Award winning Creative Units Designed to make the most of natural sunlight and ventilation, the IBERS building will be heated by a 4000m2 ground source heating system that has been installed under at Aberystwyth Arts Centre. Pantycelyn field. The winner will benefit from modern and flexible studio space in one of the sixteen Creative Units at Aberystwyth Arts Centre, which is Wales’ largest arts centre and recognised as a ‘national flagship for the Arts’. Applications are invited from individuals or new businesses working in any field of the creative industries including film, TV, new media, performing arts, visual arts, applied arts and literature. The deadline for the submission of applications is 17.00 Friday 24th June 2011. For full details of the competition, visit: www.aber.ac.uk/year-in-a-unit Pictured at the topping out ceremony for the new building which was held in March Alternatively, contact Tony Orme, are (L to R), Paul Evans from construction company Willmott Dixon, Ryan Dixon from Enterprise Manager, Aberystwyth Architects Pascal and Watson, Professor , Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wayne University [email protected] / Powell, Director of IBERS and Jamie Lannen from project managers Davis Langdon. 01970 622203. 5 RESEARCH ABER Research

Welcome to this edition of RESEARCH. You will notice that we have now integrated with NEWS, which will increase the regularity of research news and prevent duplication in stories and the number of publications hitting your desk! Preparations for REF 2014 continue with conducted by UK higher education Further information on the timeline for the next Research Monitoring round in institutions were invited to nominate REF2014, together with details of the June/July, and the announcement of sub- candidates. The sub-panel membership remit and membership of the sub-panels panel membership for REF2014, marks a comprises a balance of academic subject can be found at further milestone in the countdown to experts and those with expertise in the www.hefce.ac.uk/research/ref/timetable/ the Research Excellence Framework (REF). use or contribution of research more For further information about research Under REF the number of Units of widely, as well as members with an monitoring, research funding or research Assessment (UoA) have been reduced international perspective on the main support please email [email protected] from 67 to 36 and as usual, the expert panels. Gary Reed - Head of Research Office sub-panels will have a central role in the review process for each unit; both Aberystwyth Members of the UoA Panels through developing specific assessment criteria and reviewing submissions. The Professor Gareth Edwards-Jones, - Agriculture, Veterinary and Food publication on guidance on submissions Joint Aberystwyth and Bangor Universities Science is expected in July. Waitrose Chair, Experts from the University have been Professor Qiang Shen, - Computer Science and Informatics appointed to 5 of the sub-panels, as Head of Computer Science detailed in the table opposite. Members Professor Colin McInnes, - Politics and International Studies were appointed to the panels by the four Dean of Post Graduate Studies UK higher education funding bodies Professor Aled Jones, PVC Research - History following an open nominations process, whereby subject associations and other Dr Colin Cruise, - Art and Design: History, Practice and organisations with an interest in research Research Lecturer, School of Art Theory

HR Excellence in Research Aberystwyth is one of 23 UK institutions who have been The University also has a Concordat task group that overseas recognised by the European Commission for their commitment the annual review of the Policy Statement and manages the to improving researchers’ working conditions and career implementation plan. Should you wish to pass any comments, or development. A total of 23 British institutions have now been require further information, please contact the Chair of the Task awarded the HR Excellence in Research badge, compared with Group, Gary Reed ([email protected]), Head of the Research Office. just 15 in the rest of Europe. The accolades reflect institutions’ This task group reports to the Research Staff Advisory Group progress in implementing the Concordat to Support the Career (RSAG), which is chaired by Prof. Aled Jones, PVC for Research. Development of Researchers which was launched in 2008. This committee is currently being renewed, and we are The Concordat is an agreement between the funders and seeking new research staff representatives from the different employers of researchers in the UK, representing a significant departments. The RSAG is the main forum where research- development in national policy to support good management only staff at AU can raise issues that concern their working lives of researchers and their careers. with the PVC for Research, and the system of representatives There are 7 Concordat principles, which are included in Aberystwyth provide feedback on the current concerns of research staff Policy Statement for the Recruitment, Management and and professional and career development in their individual Development of Research Staff, see www.aber.ac.uk/en/research, departments. For more information please contact Ian Archer where Aberystwyth’s Concordat implementation plan can also be ([email protected]), Skills Development Officer for Postgraduate & found. Postdoctoral Researchers. 6 www.aber.ac.uk/en/research

Excellence with Impact Centre for European Studies IBERS is the winner of the The Centre for first ever Biotechnology European Studies and Biological Sciences (CES), a cross- Research Council’s departmental, Excellence With Impact multi-disciplinary Awards. research-based Over 20 university teaching centre, departments UK wide has been launched participated in the with a vision is Award which was to be a world leader in the study developed to reward and Dr Elena Korosteleva, Director CES and esteem those university and teaching of Professor Wayne Powell, Director further European Lord Robin Teverson, Chairman of the departments most active of IBERS, receives the Award House of Lords EU Sub-Committee on in embedding a culture integration, and from Minister of State for Europe’s relations Foreign Affairs and former Member of that recognises and Universities and Science, David the European Parliament, who gave the values the achievement with the outside Willetts MP. world. keynote speech at the opening of the of impact alongside new centre. excellent research. Originally founded in 1996, the CES became a Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence in 2000 after Early milk key to Olympic success? receiving official recognition by the European Union. At the Research at the Department of Sport and Exercise Science has time, the Jean Monnet Centre was the only such Centre in Wales, showed that taking a drink of dairy colostrum (early milk) can and one of a select few in the UK. In 2010 it was decided to re- enhance athletic performance by reducing gut disorders which launch the Centre with a vision of ‘creating leaders for Europe’s are common to runners. future through world-class learning’. The research was led by Ray Playford, Professor of Medicine at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry and the work at Aberystwyth was done by Dr Glen Davison. The findings were published in the March issue of the American Melting glaciers Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology. Melting mountain glaciers are contributing to sea-level rise faster than at any time in the Stonehenge bluestone mystery last 350 years according to A small but significant discovery that pinpoints the source of a team led by Professor Neil some of the bluestones at Stonehenge has been made possible Glasser (pictured left) from the thanks to a technique pioneered at the Institute of Geography Institute of Geography and and Earth Sciences. Earth Sciences. Using a technique known as laser ablation induction coupled mass The team mapped changes spectrometry, Dr Nick Pearce has been able to match the chemical in position of 270 of the largest outlet glaciers of the South and composition of tiny grains of zircon found in bluestones at Stonehenge North Patagonian Icefields since the “Little Ice Age”. They found to those found in rocks at Pont Saeson, north Pembrokeshire. that the rate at which the glaciers have been losing volume over The study was led by Dr Richard Bevin, Keeper of Geology at the the last 30 years has been ten to a hundred times faster than the National Museum of Wales and an Aberystwyth alumnus. 350 year long-term average. The findings were published in Nature Geoscience. Healthy oats Research Support Contacts New varieties of oats which are being Name Position Email Extension developed at IBERS could help lessen the Research Office danger of heart disease. Gary Reed Head of Research Office gar 1789 Hannah Payne REF and Research Monitoring Officer hep 8490 Led by Dr Athole Marshall, the team are Dafydd Roberts Faculty of Arts and Humanities - Research Support Officer dir 8787 breeding varieties of oats with higher Joanne Walker Faculty of Social Sciences - Research Support Officer jnw 1616 beta glucan content which can help trap (maternity cover for Jenny Deaville) Sonia Monteiro Faculty of Science - Research Support Officer smm14 2947 cholesterol and stop it from entering the Huw Merfyn Hughes European Funding Manager hmh 8742 bloodstream. IBERS Trials are being carried out at Aberystwyth Steve Fish IBERS IP Development Manager stf 3232 and Scotland so that they can be tested Martine Spittle IBERS Research Fund Development Officer rjs 1562 under different weather and soil conditions. Liz Humphries IBERS Research and Knowledge Transfer Officer elh20 3072 7 NEWS

Human Resources Staff Performance Review- what’s in it for me? Graham Lewis ([email protected]) from the Centre for the Development of Staff and Academic Practice on why Performance Review should be a positive experience. Staff Performance Review, and under its many other titles, is often viewed as a bit like visiting the dentist once a year; an unpleasant but necessary experience, best done quickly and forgotten. The process is usually seen, by all those involved, as largely a bureaucratic burden. Graham Lewis If either or both managers and employee see it in this light then it certainly is a waste of valuable time. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. So why should you, and your manager, take it seriously? What exactly is the bottom line; what’s in it for you? Just what is Performance Review meant to achieve? Well, review performance, right? But what do we mean by performance? Put simply, it’s a chance to look at the tasks and activities that you agreed to perform the previous year and then set the goals for the coming year. However, if it were just that; just ‘are you worth your salt?’, it would tend to focus only on the individual and would generate a defensive atmosphere and not one conducive to honesty and productive action. Sure, Performance Review is about providing a space to discuss what is going well and what isn’t going so well, but in the broader context of the team, department and university. After all, none of us, work in a vacuum. Although the title, gives few clues to this, Performance Review Of course, Performance Review is also there to help everybody is also about your needs. What do you need to do make your to learn from objectives that have not been met, but not in job easier, more effective and more interesting? order to apportion blame. Rather, it is meant to provide a framework for sometimes difficult conversations, so that the How often do you struggle with prioritising work? outcome is critically constructive and mutually informative. How often do you wonder where your career is taking This is what Performance Review, when everybody you? understands it and values it, is for. How often do you feel like a leaf in the wind; not in control The University is currently piloting a system of Performance of what you do every day and how you do it? Review for all staff. Over the past few months, seven pilot These are the issues that well applied Performance Review groups have been exploring how they can tailor a process should address. It should enable you to: to best fit both their own local needs and the organisational • achieve a common understanding of tasks and duties “Am needs of the University. We will be reviewing the outcomes I doing what I am expected to be doing and am I doing from these pilots and from 2011/12 all departments are being okay?” asked to implement their own schemes. • help you plan your work “What am I going to do next year?” Performance Review will be as useful as we want it to be. If • clarify the team objectives and your role in the team. “How reviewers see the process as a valuable leadership tool that does my work connect to the work of my colleagues? provides a rare opportunity for joined-up-thinking and How well do we function as a team? How can this be reviewees see the process as a rare opportunity to discuss improved?” their own needs and aspirations, performance review will more than justify the time we spend on it. • make the connection between what you and your team do with what the University does. Whatever your role in the University, Performance Review will do something for you and not to you. Make use of it. Don’t • find out what else you could do; “How can I learn to do be a leaf. the things I do better and do new things? How do I wish to develop and how can my manager help me?”

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Performance reviews – www.aber.ac.uk/alumni a gender perspective The true essence of performance reviews is Cic Arall i’r Bar organisational improvement through the The Bar Kicks Back development of its Aduniad alumni Aberystwyth University staff. In equality Prifysgol Aberystwyth alumni reunion of opportunity terms, performance 2il - 4ydd 2nd - 4th Medi 2011 September 2011 reviews provide a Olymbia Petrou good opportunity for staff to showcase their contribution to teams, departments and the University as a whole, by highlighting their accomplishments during the previous year as well as agreeing priorities for the year ahead. From a gender perspective, there is evidence that performance reviews particularly assist women in the planning of their careers. At a recent ‘Women in Science’ conference at Bangor University, women voiced the view that reviews were essential for their career planning. A priority was subsequently set to improve participation levels of women engaging in performance reviews, particularly for contract research staff. Vitae (www.vitae.ac.uk) who champion the personal, professional and career development of doctoral researchers and research staff in higher education institutions and research institutes highlight ‘The Concordat to support the career development www.aber.ac.uk/sportscentre of researchers’ (www.researchconcordat.ac.uk) which acknowledges that “Research managers should be required to participate in active performance management, including Exercise & career development guidance and supervision of those who Recreation work in their teams” (Section B3). The Concordat also states that Summer 2011 Classes ‘Having the opportunity to spend dedicated time discussing their performance and career goals can be immensely valuable for a researcher’. The UK has one of the highest levels of part-time working in Europe, with many women with young children working part- time to combine their work and caring responsibilities. Equality monitoring at the University shows that, in comparison to males, there are less women working full time and more women working part-time. In these circumstances, performance reviews can help support and motivate women, to positively There is a wide range of classes monitor performance, help women focus on their careers and for you to enjoy and we hope also ensure they are valued in their work. to inspire you to workout in a fun and friendly atmosphere. All of It is important to note that the Human Resources department our staff are well-qualified and has developed a range of policies and initiatives to support aim to motivate you to a fitter and staff, and actively encourage discussions on innovative work healthier lifestyle. approaches that fit into busy lives, enhance work-life balance th to and contribute to well-being. June 6 th Reviews can help all staff to meet personal and team needs, September 24 contribute to career aspirations and most importantly, open up 2011 two-way communication. In the challenging times Universities face today, time allocated to our own individual reviews should Tel: 621500 / 622280 be valued. Email: [email protected] Olymbia Petrou ([email protected]) 9 NEWS

Geography and Earth Sciences Lessons from Japan Dr. Carina Fearnley Dr. Carina Fearnley ([email protected]), lecturer in Environmental Hazards at the Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, considers the effectiveness of tsunami early warning systems. The magnitude 9.0 Tohoku earthquake on March 11, 2011 is one main wave of the tsunami hit, and the earthquake lasted in the region of the most documented disasters in history with video footage, of six minutes, leaving little time to recover and evacuate to higher photographs, and TV documentaries providing rapid insights into ground. In 2004, the Indian Ocean tsunami struck Sumatra within the devastation following the quake. Like millions around the 20 minutes of the earthquake killing 168,000 people, when many globe, I viewed this footage with horror and a sense of disbelief; the people were still confused and disorientated by the earthquake. The destruction and trauma witnessed are difficult to rationalise. Yet, 8.8 earthquake off the coast of Chile in 2010 generated a tsunami the early warning system in place saved the lives of at least 50,000 that arrived within 30 minutes in the Valparaiso-Concepcion- to 100,000 people demonstrating that the devastation could have Temuco coastline and is responsible for a proportion of the 521 been far worse; as it currently stands the Japanese National Police people killed during the event. These instances pose a challenging Agency has confirmed around 15,000 deaths. problem; that even with a sophisticated warning system using the The 2004 Sumatra-Andaman tsunami in the Indian Ocean was latest technology that can detect an earthquake in seconds and particularly devastating killing over 230,000 people across fourteen provide a tsunami warning within a couple of minutes, there is countries, partly because there was no early warning system in often not enough time for potentially affected communities to fully place and tsunami awareness was generally very low. Despite this evacuate the tsunami inundation zone. absence a number of people who felt the earthquake in Indonesia Three months on from the devastating Tohoku earthquake and the Andaman Islands moved to high ground, in response it has been demonstrated that in most locations the tsunami to local or traditional knowledge passed down through many early warning system was largely effective; mortality rates in the generations of those rooted in the area. For these people simple populations in inundation zones in the worst affected areas of knowledge of tsunamis and understanding their warning signs Miyagi and Iwate prefectures was less than 10% compared to over of an earthquake and a receding ocean proved an effective early 30% for corresponding areas of Arche in 2004. Areas outside the warning system by self-evacuating to high ground demonstrating worst impacted areas e.g. northern Iwate, Aomori and Hokkaido the value of simple education and knowledge. the inundation zones were largely evacuated and casualties were There appears to be a recurring trend following recent earthquakes very low, with only a few per town, in contrast to the 10% mortality greater than magnitude 8.8 that generate tsunamis that inundate rates as far away as Thailand and Sri Lanka in 2004, demonstrating coastal communities located near to the epicentre with less than 30 the preparedness and effectiveness of the tsunami early warning minutes warning. The residents of the Sanriku coast and Sendai in system. It is clear that we cannot fully rely on early warnings to give Japan only had 10-30 minutes of warning time before the leading enough time for everyone to evacuate (including the young, senior, ill, or disabled), however the Japanese tsunami has proved that

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Commercialisation and Consultancy Services the most sensible method of coping with rapid onset tsunamis is to focus on Fast Forward Award being prepared. The University has been awarded the It is becoming increasingly possible to prestigious ‘Fast Forward’ Award by the forecast where large scale earthquakes Intellectual Property Office. may occur and potentially generate The Award recognises and supports a destructive tsunami. By taking the innovative approach developed by preparedness actions such as good the Technology Transfer team (part of land-use planning can be highly Commercialisation and Consultancy effective, for example high schools in Services (CCS)) here at Aber, to protect towns along the Sanriku coast built on and commercialise Intellectual Property Dr Rhian Hayward receiving the Fast higher ground had high survival rates. relating to software created by University Forward award. In areas of flat terrain where there was researchers. not time to evacuate to safety, especially As a ‘2011 Fast Forward’ competition Aberystwyth University. Through when a tsunami wave is travelling at winner, the University will receive interactions with industry, charities high speed, tall strong tower buildings £30,000 from the Intellectual Property and government, UK institutions are (vertical evacuation sites) need to be Office to develop a model for the rapid creating new companies, improving built that people can get to in time, commercialisation of software, focusing public services and attracting foreign albeit a costly solution. Whilst some on the effective use of copyright and investment. This is an essential driver of buildings (e.g. port facilities) and their trade marks. economic growth and prosperity.” workforces need to be located by the shore, it may be recommended that The model which will be developed will The award was accepted by Dr Rhian populations be located on higher build on the University’s early success Hayward, Technology Transfer Officer, grounds, where possible, including the in commercialising software through who can be contacted on 01970 622385 vulnerable populations of a community. smart phone applications, including / [email protected]. the Welsh learning ‘Cwrs Mynediad App’ The solution therefore is to work on a developed by Professor Chris Price from case by case basis, understanding the the Department of Computer Science. local geography, social and cultural contexts, and economic capabilities to Intellectual Property Minister Baroness prepare for and respond to rapid onset Wilcox said, “I would like to congratulate Fresh ideas forwww.aber.ac.uk/challenge tsunamis for each and every town, city, or new ‘apps’? region. This requires significant political Enter the ‘mobile apps will, as to standardise preparedness challenge 2011’ today! www.aber.ac.uk/challenge and warning procedures is the easiest Closing date: 15 Open to all Aberystwyth University staff and students and run by Commercialisation & Consultancy Services. and most cost-effective approach. For th July 2011 rapid onset tsunamis there is no time for hesitation, everything needs to be considered because that ten minutes warning needs to be as effective as

5235 possible, otherwise, well you have seen 060411 - 1 some of the footage.

Have you had an innovative idea for a The ‘Apps Challenge’ has two competition mobile application for smart phones or categories to enter, with prizes for the iPad (an ‘app’)? Are you working on the most inventive and commercially software already or do you have an idea promising app/app idea. for an app that you would like to explore? Further information, entry forms and the The Technology Transfer team in Terms & Conditions can be viewed at Commercialisation and Consultancy www.aber.ac.uk/challenge. Services (CCS) has launched the ‘Mobile Closing date is 15th July 2011. Apps Challenge 2011’ for staff and students at AU. 11 NEWS

ABER PEOPLE Obituary Professor John Barrett The name John John was awarded a DSc from the University of Wales in 1982 Barrett will always and appointed Head of Department and Professor of Zoology be synonymous with at Aberystwyth in 1983, a post he held until 1988 when the term parasite the Department merged with the Department of Botany & biochemistry, especially Microbiology to form the Institute of Biological Sciences. In with advances in 1991 he was elected Dean of Science and over the next three comparative metabolism years was instrumental in steering the Faculty in its move and drug detoxification to modularity and a two semester teaching year, a task that mechanisms. His first called on his patience and clear understanding of the needs of over two hundred of undergraduate training in science. Later, in 2000 Professor research papers was Barrett was appointed Pro Vice-Chancellor, a post he held published in the journal until 2005. Nature in 1968 while Through his awareness and understanding of contemporary he was based at the issues in higher education he was able to make a substantial Molteno Institute of the contribution to the running of the University. Whether University of Cambridge. involved in student affairs or management and strategic He contributed to a planning, he was master of his brief and fully committed to number of book chapters the University. The value of his skills in management and in parasitology, and his administration were no more clearly evident than, when book ‘The Biochemistry of Parasitic Helminths’, published in on the point of retirement, he was persuaded to take on 1981, remains a reference text for parasitologists worldwide, the interim headship of the Department of Sport & Exercise and was used to help annotate the schistosome parasite Science during the search for a permanent head. genome in 2009. The responsibilities of management did not lessen his research Originally from Chippenham, John graduated from Cambridge impact and contribution to the work of learned societies. He in Zoology in 1965 and was awarded a PhD in 1968. It was was awarded the C. A. Wright medal by the British Society during his research for the PhD at the Molteno Institute that for Parasitology in 1985 for his outstanding contribution to his interest in the biochemistry of parasites blossomed and he the discipline, and the Bueding-von Brand award from the laid the foundations of a distinguished research career. Apart American Society of Parasitologists in 2001 for his exceptional from his obvious intellectual capacity, his hallmarks were record of achievement in the study of the biochemistry of kindness and a ready, but always gentle wit, attributes that parasitic helminths and the drugs used to treat them. He were evident throughout his career. served as Council Member for both the British Society for The significance of his early work on metabolic pathways Parasitology and the Society for Experimental Biology, and of parasites was quickly recognized. On leaving Cambridge was President of the British Society for Parasitology from 2007 he held a National Institute of Health research fellowship at to 2009. He chaired the World Health Organisation’s steering the University of Massachusetts from 1968 to 1971 and was committee on chemotherapy for schistosomiasis from 1987 Browne Research Fellow at Queen’s College, Oxford University to1992 and was until recently a member of the Biotechnology from 1971 to 1973. He was appointed lecturer, later senior & Biological Sciences Research Council’s Animal Sciences lecturer, in parasitology at Aberystwyth in 1973. Committee. He had an extensive network of collaborators in Here he joined Dr F. G. Rees, later Professor F.G.Rees F.R.S., a the UK and overseas and was made an honorary member of founder member of the British Society of Parasitology, and the Bulgarian Society for Parasitology. along with Dr M. R. L. Johnston they laid the foundations for Throughout his career, John was supported by his wife Penny excellence in both teaching and research in parasitology in and together they were the most genial of hosts. Although the Department of Zoology at Aberystwyth. very supportive of Penny’s equestrian activities he could These were productive times for John Barrett. He quickly not be persuaded to be an active participant and found his established a rapport with undergraduate students and was relaxation through gardening, where his skills were evident in recognised as a stimulating lecturer at the forefront of his the flower beds and a highly productive vegetable garden at field. He was a dedicated research supervisor and throughout his home in Llanfarian on the outskirts of Aberystwyth. his career successfully obtained research council funding He is survived by his wife and two daughters, Sara and Kate. to maintain an impressive team of graduate students and Professor John Barrett, parasitologist, was born on October postdoctoral fellows who were actively encouraged to publish 21, 1943. He died on March 29, 2011, aged 67. group findings in a wide range of international biochemical Dr John Fish journals. Many went on to establish successful careers as leading parasitologists.

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Race for Life 2011 Well done to members of the IGES and IBERS teams who successfully completed the 5km ‘Race for Life’ in Aberystwyth on 15th May. IGES raised over £1,000 and IBERS raised over £2,000, thanks to generous donations and cake sales! All the money raised goes towards supporting the work of Cancer Research UK. The IGES team Whilst the ladies of IBERS were busy training and racing, the Running for IGES were Rosie Stirling, Rachel Smedley, Julie gentlemen of IBERS provided an excellent support team and Durcan, Hollie Wynne, Lynda Yorke, Nia Blackwell, Lucy Jackson, provided an impressive and much appreciated barbeque at the Cerys Jones and Maggie Cooper. finishing line. Runnig for Team IBERS were Martine Spittle, Eli Saetnan, Chantal Thomas, Gwenith Hughes, Chloe Manzanares, Sharon Huws, Jane Watts, Katie Thomas, Pip Nicholas, Hayley Watson, Lucy Hill, Susan Girdwood, Hilary Worgan, Tina Blackmore, Kirsty Dougal, Jamie-Leigh Douglas, Florence Prive, Nikki Bryan, Helen Lloyd, Sarah Spicer, Danielle Young, Kate Waddams, Liz Hart, Joan Edwards, Sarah Hawkins, Catriona McEwan, Louise Davies, Sam Jones, Jessie Newbold, Karen Munslow, Sophie Doran, Luned Roberts, Mina Davies Morel, Pauline Rees Stevens, Sofi Abebe, Teri Davis and Sarah Purdy.

Members of the IBERS team waiting for the race to begin. 2011 Tir na n-Og Book of the Year Gruff crowned Congratulations to Dr Hywel Welsh Champion! Griffiths from the Institute of AU staff member Geography and Earth Sciences Gruff Lewis was on winning the 2011 Tir na crowned 2011 Welsh Road Race n-Og Book of The Award. Champion in The Award, which was announced at May, less than the National Urdd Eisteddfod was for two years after his first novel for children, Dirgelwch y taking up the Bont, a historical fantasy, which follows sport. Gruff, the adventures of three friends as they who rides for Team UK travel back in time to the exciting days of Youth in a semi-professional capacity, Dr Hywel Griffiths Owain Glyndŵr. works as a part time recreation assistant Hywel has already established himself as a and gym and spin instructor at the poet having won the Urdd Eisteddfod chair in Anglesey in 2004 and in Carmarthenshire University’s Sports Centre. in 2007, and the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Crown in Cardiff in 2008. His first individual collection of poetry, Banerog, reached the Wales Book of the Year shortlist in 2010.

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WHAT’S ON Summer courses at the School of Education & Lifelong Learning

Summer Art School: Gregynog Hall French Beginners One Week Intensive August 1st - 4th 4th - 8th July Hugh Owen Building with Meirion Davies Enjoy three memorable days of This module introduces you to contemporary tranquility and creativity. Lifelong French, developing all four skills: speaking, Learning Art students enjoy the listening, reading and writing. A wide range opportunity to steal a few days of activities are undertaken, such as practical away learning new skills in the Arts. language exercises, work into and out of French Why not join them at Gregynog Hall and vocabulary-building activities. This will this summer? Courses on offer are: be delivered by commercially produced and Abstracting the Landscape with Paul in-house language materials from a variety Webster; new module: ‘Sourced from of sources. On Successful completion you the Landscape’ with Laurie Plant and should have a good introductory command Approaches to Landscape Painting of French, and should be able to proceed with Angela Drinkwater-Lunn. to the next level. 9am - 1pm each day. Open to all AU staff and students. Course Code KA334F For further information call 621580 or email the summer school Manager Web Design (Dreamweaver) Summer School Alison Pierse: [email protected] 11th - 15th July Cledwyn Building with Dave Bowen For a leaflet see: This is very much a hands-on course starting with a basic introduction www.aber.ac.uk/sell/courses/lllearn/artdesign/index.htm to HTML and general concepts explaining the basics of designing web pages and web sites. You will then move on to learning the essentials Wood Engraving Summer School of Adobe Dreamweaver, progressing on to more advanced features 20th - 23rd June 2011 School of Art with Edwina Ellis as your skills and confidence grow, enabling you to be competent in producing web sites to your own requirements. The summer school This course aims to develop competency in handling woodblocks and assumes basic computer literacy, such as competence with opening, plastic polymer blocks for engraving; it will be taught in the School saving and printing files on a PC and an elementary understanding of Art, using the well equipped print workshop. Some materials are of and experience with using the World Wide Web and either word included in the course fee and tools can be borrowed for the class. It processing or desk top publishing. Ennrolment closing date is 30th is recommended that you complete ‘Introduction to Printmaking’ first June. Course Code CA307. in order to develop basic skills in relief printing or have previous skills in printmaking. This 4 day intensive course also offers an opportunity Basic Latin For Family & Local Historians for those living outside the area to attend by taking advantage of the 25th - 28th July Old College with Gill Rossini many places to stay in Aberystwyth town. Course Code CA306. This course is an informal introduction to the Latin used in many Writing for Radio Intensive course of the records we scrutinize in Family and local history. Students starting 25th June Old College with Jane Belli will become acquainted with the basics of the language and vocabulary, and begin to read simple extracts as they build Suitable for beginners with little or no previous knowledge of writing their skills. An essential tool for all historians and Medievalists. for radio - you will be looking at the specific techniques required for Course Code HA309 writing a radio play. It is designed to be flexible in its delivery, consisting of two intensive weekends. Time is allowed between sessions to allow you to produce your final radio script. Course Code HA307 Spanish Beginners One Week Intensive Enrol Now to Guarantee your Place! 27th June - 1st July 2011 Hugh Owen Building Courses open to all AU staff and students. with Antonio Barriga Rubio For further information, call 621580 or This module introduces you to contemporary Spanish, developing all four skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing. A wide range of email: [email protected] activities are undertaken, such as practical language exercises, work into and out of Spanish and vocabulary-building activities. This will be delivered by commercially produced and in-house language Download enrolment form from: materials from a variety of sources. On successful completion you should have a good introductory command of Spanish, and www.aber.ac.uk/sell/geninfo/enrol/index.html should be able to proceed to the next level. 9am - 1pm each day. Course Code KA335F

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