Issue 285 ▸ 29 may 2015 reporterSharing stories of Imperial’s community Legacy of renewal The changing face of Imperial’s South Kensington site from the nineteenth century to the present → centre pages ALL STARS MARCHING ON SAFE HANDS The 2015 Fourth Imperial Safety Director President’s Festival Surrinder Johal Awards for attracts talks about Excellence 15,000 visitors enabling PAGE 4 PAGE 13 research PAGE 10 2 >> newsupdate www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 29 May 2015 • issue 285 Bridging the Gulf EDITOR’S CORNER Imperial College Business School will bring its expertise in business to new audiences in Abu Dhabi A glance in thanks to a new partnership. the rear-view The agreement was signed with the Abu Dhabi School of Management (ADSM), an educational institution In recent issues we’ve dedicated to developing the UAE’s covered the very latest future entrepreneurial leaders. College developments The signing ceremony, held such as the new Surgical at the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Innovation Centre, Commerce and Industry was practices and expertise currently and formulating innovative Dyson School of Design attended by the Chamber’s Director available. The two organisations solutions amidst a rapidly evolving Engineering and Althea General His Excellency E. Mohamed are also exploring the possibility global business landscape.” enterprise programme. Helal Al Muhairi; Professor G. of student and faculty exchanges Professor Anandalingam But for this issue we’ve ‘Anand’ Anandalingam, Dean of in future. added: “This relationship allows turned back the clock. An Imperial College Business School; His Excellency said: “We are us to share our unique approach event landed in my inbox, and Professor Abdullah Abonamah, very excited over the numerous to business education, technology that at first seemed like President of the Abu Dhabi School possibilities the partnership opens and entrepreneurship with new a rather routine plaque of Management. up. Imperial’s global expertise audiences in Abu Dhabi and unveiling on Campus The partnership with Imperial combined with ADSM’s local the UAE, while benefitting from (page 3), but actually will provide the ADSM with access knowledge will groom a new ADSM’s valuable local and regional opened up a treasure to some of the best business generation of leaders capable of business insights.” trove of historical insights and entrepreneurship resources, effectively addressing challenges —LAURA SINGLETON, COMMUNICATIONS AND into the origins of Imperial PUBLIC AFFAIRS (centre pages). We’ve delved into the archives and poured over old plans and sketches by Victorian architects and String theorist and chemist rare original letters such become Royal Society Fellows as those from Charles Darwin to his collaborator Professors David Phillips CBE (Chemistry) and Richard and College forbearer TH Thomas (Mathematics) have been elected to join the Huxley (page 11). We’ve ranks of the UK’s most eminent scientists as part of It’s everyone’s uncovered factoids such the 2015 announcement of 59 new fellows. responsibility as the expression ‘spend a penny’ which originates Richard Thomas is a Professor of Pure Mathematics and has become a to keep College from the Great Exhibition world leader in the development of a branch of mathematics involved and personal and the campaign to save in string theory, which aims to explain the makeup of elementary the Queen’s Tower from particles using one-dimensional objects called strings. information secure. destruction. Imperial is, Professor Thomas said: “It’s a very nice honour. You never really and always has been, have any indication of whether people in your field might think your Visit the ICT website an institution resolutely work is stupid, but I guess this means someone thinks it’s not stupid.” to find guidance focused on the future, but Emeritus Professor David Phillips has been investigating on sharing, storing it can be useful every now photochemistry and photophysics for 26 years at Imperial. More and again to take a look in recently, his work has explored photodynamic therapy, where light- and accessing the rear-view mirror as we sensitive dyes are used to fight tumours. Professor Phillips also has information securely. speed along. an active role in science outreach, with live demonstration lectures Be Secure ANDREW CZYZEWSKI, EDITOR reaching a combined live audience of over a quarter of a million. He said: “It is an enormous honour to be elected a Fellow, even Make sure you are protected. Visit www.imperial.ac.uk/be-secure Reporter is published every so late in life. I believe the FRS has been awarded for a lifetime’s work three weeks during term time in print and online. Contact in these fields, and also for the enthusiastic promotion of science in Andrew Czyzewski: general, chemistry in particular, to young people and to the lay public.” [email protected] —HAYLEY DUNNING, COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS Be Secure At the time of the 2015 Fellowship announcement 73 members of Imperial staff or people who have an ongoing association with Imperial are Fellows of the Royal Society. 3 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 29 May 2015 • issue 285 >> newsupdate Supermarket grand challenge Imperial and Sainsbury’s have from the experts was great to launched a scholarship to help understand how we can unlock farmers tackle agricultural the potential in our soils. The challenges on the ground by challenge now is to put the partnering with academics and learnings into practice on farm, industry. and I look forward to investigating my research topic.” The year-long programme, The scholarship is organised which kicked off last month, by Dr Rudiger Woscholski and offers suppliers for Sainsbury’s Dr Laura Barter (both Chemistry), the opportunity to collaborate who commented: “I am looking with top UK scientists tackling forward to seeing how challenges All aboard for new high challenges in the agricultural in soil health and management can sector. This year, the programme be addressed with innovative tools speed partnership will focus on issues in soil health and technologies. Discussions and management to coincide with between the scholarship farmers, Imperial has joined with China South Railway (CSR) Sifang Corporation the UN International Year of Soils. academics and industrial partners − the world’s largest maker of electric locomotives − in a bid to develop As part of the launch seven have already begun to stimulate the next generation of efficient, high speed trains, supported by the farmers from across the country the genesis of wholly new latest manufacturing and monitoring technologies. spent a week at Imperial learning ideas, which could lead to the about research advances development of next generation The Sifang-Imperial Centre for Rail Transportation Manufacturing in soil health, and how the solutions in the field.” Technologies will focus on streamlining the construction and testing understanding they unlock —HAYLEY DUNNING, COMMUNICATIONS AND of high speed trains, so that they are safer, more cost effective and will support improvements in PUBLIC AFFAIRS environmentally friendly. its management and lead to The new Centre will be based in the Department of Mechanical enhanced yield, quality and Engineering and headed by Professor Jianguo Lin, a world-leading expert sustainability. For the rest of the in using materials processing and moulding or plasticity technologies for year, they will choose a particular the production of structural components. aspect of soil health and Professor Lin said: “In order to truly reap the benefits of the next management to tackle on their generation of rail travel, more work needs to be done to make trains farm, and partner with scientists lighter and durable, so that they are more cost effective to make and and industry to come up with efficient to run, and are cleaner in environmental terms.” potential solutions. Professor Peter Cawley, Head of the Department of Mechanical Cheshire dairy farmer and Engineering, said: “The new Centre really plays to Imperial’s strengths. Sainsbury’s researcher John We are leaders in metal-forming and materials modelling research and Brocklehurst explains why he we have a very strong track record working with the transport sector on joined the programme: “Improving ways to improve safety, efficiency and sustainability of rail, automotive crop yields and quality starts and air transport.” by managing soil health,” he −COLIN SMITH, COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS said. “Getting the fundamentals Marking a shared heritage Latest Athena SWAN awards Staff and students from Imperial continue drive for equality The purple in and The Royal Commission for the Imperial’s Department of Medicine the hoods you wear Exhibition of 1851 came together on has gained a Silver Athena SWAN May 11 to unveil a commemorative award and the Department of was chosen because in brief plaque on the Western Gallery Aeronautics a Bronze award Wall at the back of the Sherfield bringing the total number of of William Perkin… Building, to acknowledge the Athena SWAN awards the College and symbolises the College’s heritage and inform holds to 14. Medicine upgraded its visitors and passers-by. The Bronze award reflecting a number spirit of endeavour section of wall now standing is all of initiatives, including a thriving and discovery that that remains of the Eastern and mentoring scheme, alongside Western Galleries built in 1870 by entwined history of the Commission events including an academic characterises those the