150 buzz June/July 2014 Pioneering Physics 2 VICE-PRINCIPAL'S VIEW FEATURE: EPS Provost’s view Our Chancellors have always been an integral part of the fabric of University life Provost and Vice-Principal, Professor Adam Tickell As you will already know, Lord (Karan) Eden was the last of our Chancellors Bilimoria is to be the University of to have a political career, but not the last to YOUR BUZZ Birmingham’s seventh Chancellor. make a contribution to public life. Sir Peter The Chancellor is unpaid and the Scott (1973–83) was a founder of the Next edition 6 August 2014 responsibilities are simply to confer degrees World Wide Fund for Nature and the Copy deadline 11 July 2014 and chair the Annual Meeting of Court. Slimbridge wetlands sanctuary. Sir Alex However, whilst each has defined the Jarratt (1983–2002) had a distinguished Contact us [email protected] role differently, our Chancellors have always career in business but is best known been an integral part of the fabric of for authoring an inquiry into higher Buzz online University life. The first, Joseph Chamberlain, education that – whilst controversial at buzz.bham.ac.uk was probably England’s finest local the time – helped lay the foundations for politician and was the driving force behind the internationally recognised excellence Follow us on Twitter our foundation. The University, he said, of British universities that we take for twitter.com/buzzunibham would be: ‘A school of universal instruction, granted today. Find us on Facebook not confined to any particular knowledge Sir Dominic Cadbury (2002–2013) facebook.com/buzzunibham but taking all knowledge in its province. was Chairman of both Cadbury Schweppes A place in which those who come to teach and the Wellcome Trust. Dominic was an shall continue to learn and in which the exceptional Chancellor who saw himself as work, the most important work, of original an ambassador who could help to raise research shall be continuously carried on philanthropic support. Under Dominic’s under favourable circumstances.’ leadership and guidance, the University’s Edited by Rebecca Vowles On 12 November, 1918 – the day Circles of Influence campaign exceeded our [email protected] after the Armistice was signed to end the expectations and he will be much missed. Great War – Robert Cecil, Viscount of Lord Bilimoria will sit well within such Your details Chelwood, used his inauguration speech illustrious company. Born in India, Please let us know if you want extra to outline the architecture for a League Lord Bilimoria founded Cobra Beer and copies of buzz or if you think we need of Nations, that ultimately unsuccessful is an active Crossbench Peer. Although not to amend your distribution details. attempt to create a machinery to prevent an alumnus himself, his mother, uncle and another conflict in Europe (and for which he grandfather all studied here and he has Views expressed in the magazine are won the Nobel Peace Prize). Cecil was long been a member of the Business not necessarily those of the University succeeded in 1944 by Anthony Eden who School Advisory Board. Like all of our or a statement of University policy. combined his duties to us with serving as Chancellors, Lord Bilimoria will shape the All submissions may be subject to Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister. role but I have no doubt that he will do editing. The Editor’s decision is final. Eden resigned as Premier after the so with distinction and dedication. disastrous Suez Crisis but continued as Chancellor until 1973. Suez represents, Adam Tickell as much as any other single event, Provost and Vice Principal the decline of British power and one of Professor Front cover image: David Charlton, Eden’s legacies to us are private papers Professor of Particle Physics from this period. FEATURE: EPS 3 Global impact in Engineering and Physical Sciences: leading the way in computer science and electrical engineering Samantha Williams learns more about the important partnership between the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences and the University of Science and Technology China Information science research is transforming approaches. Such cross-disciplinary speech aided by computer technology. the future landscape of our world at a approaches provide solutions to everyday ‘This research has extremely important rapid pace. Thanks to technology being concerns such as vehicle routing challenges. applications: for some classes of patients developed by the University in collaboration The Institute’s other focus, data analysis who have lost their voice, perhaps due with Chinese scientists, Birmingham is and mining, is an important challenge to disease, or as a result of a surgical leading the way, from tracking consumer of the digital age. The research is of procedure, the technology can be behaviour and pioneering smartphone significant commercial value with internet life-changing.’ capability to mapping underground energy companies competing to understand Ian’s projects have commercial value. systems and healthcare technology. consumer behaviours. While whisper conversion was initially The University of Birmingham has Xin’s team is able to analyse data envisaged as a technique applicable to partnered the University of Science and collected from users to map trends and voice loss, it is becoming more viable as Technology China (USTC), the country’s are engaged with Baidu (China’s Google) a technology for mainstream users who leading institution for science and to take this information one step further wish to talk to (and whisper to) their technology, for more than a decade and and consider predictions connected to intelligent devices. Ian is working with has seen growing scholarly exchange and browser pathways. international mobile phone manufacturers. knowledge transfer. Building on the success of a dedicated research laboratory for Nature Inspired Computation and Its Professor Ian ‘International collaboration Applications, set up in 2003, the institutions McLoughlin is a win-win situation for the established a formal research institute, Professor Ian institutions and researchers. The USTC-Birmingham Joint Research McLoughlin’s 22-year Institute in Intelligent Computation and career, including work It can play to the strengths of Its Applications, in 2010. across three continents both teams, avoiding local Professor Xin Yao, Professor of for multinationals, weaknesses and leveraging Computer Science and Director of the big and small industries, joint USTC-Birmingham Research Institute, charities, consultancies and academia, on special talents present in and Professor Ian McLoughlin, Professor in began at the University’s School of both teams.’ Electronic Engineering and Information Electronic, Electrical and Computer Science at USTC and Birmingham alumnus, Engineering, where he received his have embraced travel in their research undergraduate degree. He returned to the The collaboration enables Xin to map endeavours and understand first-hand the University for his PhD. He joined USTC as significance of international collaboration. Professor in the Department of Electronic research focuses and demands onto Engineering and Information Science expertise among colleagues in both in 2012. Birmingham and USTC to ensure a critical Professor Xin Yao ‘Working in China was a long-term mass that can pioneer developments. Professor Xin Yao, ambition for me and I was delighted He said: ‘There is a good match between who received his PhD to make the move two years ago. expertise at Birmingham and USTC and from USTC, leads the USTC seems to have recently begun a the Institute brings together a range of USTC-Birmingham Joint significant drive to increase the number skills and approaches as well as local Research Institute in of international professors working in and international knowledge. Intelligent Computation the University, and the number of Ian added: ‘International collaboration and Its Applications. international students studying there. is a win-win situation for the institutions ‘The Research Institute focuses on two This coincided with the setting up of and researchers. It can play to the strengths main areas: adaptive optimisation and a National Engineering Laboratory of both teams, avoiding local weaknesses advanced data analysis and mining.’ relating to speech – which is my main and leveraging on special talents present By working closely with engineers and research area.’ in both teams.’ technicians, the Institute develops applied Ian’s research in speech processing operations research using nature-inspired looks at the conversion of whispers to 4 NEWS NEWS New Chancellor announced of matters including commerce, In May it was announced that Lord Karan entrepreneurship, education, diplomacy, Bilimoria of Chelsea CBE has been minorities’ contributions, and academia. appointed as our seventh Chancellor, Lord Bilimoria has a long association with following in the footsteps of our the University; he has been a member enormously distinguished Chancellors of the Business School Advisory Board including the Right Honourable Joseph since 2005 and his mother, uncle, and Chamberlain, the Right Honourable Sir maternal grandfather all studied here. Anthony Eden, and Sir Dominic Cadbury, As well as his significant business who stepped down last December after achievements, Lord Bilimoria has also 11 years in the role. been acknowledged as an ambassador The Indian-born founder of Cobra Beer, for Britain, India, and the Parsi Community. Lord Bilimoria is a highly respected