CONVERSATION & NEWS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN SUMMER/AUTUMN 2013 FROM ABERDEEN TO THE WORLD World Whisky Day creator toasts more success BRAND NEW FESTIVAL First May Festival brings out the blossom on campus A SOCIABLE SUCCESS STORY Aberdeen graduate James Withers on his successful career in Scotland’s food and drink industry ALUMNI AND CAMPUS NEWS VOICE EDITORS FEATURES ALUMNI NEWS EMMA BROOKS Senior Marketing Officer 3 20-23 [email protected] A Word From the Alumni Profiles ALUMNI RELATIONS Principal James Withers KAREN SCAIFE Julia Harvie-Liddel Alumni Relations Officer 4/5 [email protected] May Festival 24-26 Alumni News Communications 6/7 SHAUNAGH KIRBY Head of Communications Plaque to the Future [email protected] 8/9 JENNIFER PHILLIPS Royal Composer Hopes Senior Communications Officer to Inspire New Choral [email protected] Maestros EUAN WEMYSS © 2013 UNIVERSITY OF Communications Officer 10/11 ABERDEEN [email protected] Development Trust: WWW.ABDN.ac.UK LAURA MCCOMBIE A New Phase Communications Officer DESIGNED & Produced BY [email protected] HAMPTON Associates 12/13 Aberdeen, Tel: 01224 620562 VOICE magazine Strong Links with Hong www.hamptonassociates.com University of Aberdeen Kong & Lord Wilson King’s College PRINTED BY Scholarships Aberdeen Polestar, Bicester Scotland AB24 3FX Paper sourced from sustainable forests 14/15 Principal & VICE- Campus News CHANCELLOR PROFESSOR SIR IAN 16 DIAMOND FBA FRSE AcSS A Mutual Honour 17 TO KEEP UP TO DATE Events and Exhibitions WITH NEWS FROM YOUR UNIVERSITY: 18/19 Student Profile Blair Bowman Follow us on twitter: @aberdeenuni Add us on facebook: www.facebook.com/ AberdeenUniversityAlumni or www.facebook.com/ universityofaberdeen Sign up to receive the alumni e-zine Voic:E and check the latest University stories, news archive, and media coverage on the University website: www. abdn.ac.uk WELCOME VOICE A WORD FROM THE Principal Welcome to the Summer 2013 edition of the 20th century from which it has gone on The Festival offered something for everyone, of Voice. As alumni of the University, I want to establish a worldwide reputation as a centre for all ages and interests, and with events to particularly draw your attention to the of excellence in nutritional health research, taking place in a range of venues across news inside this issue of Voice of Lord Wilson with three Nobel Prize winners to its name. Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire it was accessible of Tillyorn’s retirement as Chancellor of the Researchers at the Institute have significantly to everyone. The University is proud of the role University and the election of his successor influenced the development of public health it has in enhancing the cultural and intellectual Her Royal Highness The Duchess of policy in the UK and beyond, and there is no life of its region and beyond. We continue to Rothesay. Lord Wilson has been an absolutely doubt that the work of the Institute and its do that with this exciting new addition to the outstanding ambassador for the University and staff has had a major impact on the prevention North-East’s calendar of events. its alumni over the past fifteen years. We are of illness from poor diet and nutrition. hugely grateful to him for all that he has done Professor Sir Ian Diamond These are all achievements that should be FBA FRSE AcSS for Aberdeen during that time both at home proudly celebrated. The Centenary is also, Principal and and abroad. however, an occasion to look ahead at the Vice-Chancellor While we are sad to see Lord Wilson step exciting and important future that the Rowett down, we are nonetheless delighted that Her Institute has as part of the University. The Royal Highness The Duchess of Rothesay research agenda of the Rowett remains a has succeeded him as Chancellor. Her Royal hugely important one, particularly given Highness has visited the University on a the rising rates of obesity. The merger with number of occasions in recent years and has the University in 2008 has opened up new taken a keen interest in the achievements of opportunities for the Institute to work our staff and students. She will be a wonderful with academics in other areas and to forge international ambassador for the University multi-disciplinary approaches. In 2014/15, in keeping with our status as a global centre the Rowett will begin its second century by of teaching and research and she is warmly relocating to a new purpose built research welcomed to the University family. I am also facility at the centre of our Foresterhill health delighted that Professor Iain Torrance will campus. Being located next to scientists, return to the University as Pro-Chancellor to clinicians and patients in one of the biggest support Her Royal Highness. Iain is a highly biomedical campuses in Europe, will help the respected figure as an academic, a former Institute to expand its research capacity and to Dean here at Aberdeen and as immediate past undertake more of the world-leading work it President of Princeton Theological Seminary. has become known for throughout its history. In addition he is a former Moderator of the Finally, in the pages that follow you can learn General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. about the May Festival – a new and diverse OVER THE 10-12 OF May, THE He too will be a wonderful ambassador for Festival that the University was proud to Festival showcaseD THE MANY the University. launch. The University has taken great pride STRENGTHS OF THE UNIVERSITY WITH This issue celebrates another milestone in over recent years in organising events that EVENTS spanninG SCIENCE, MUSIC, the history of the University with a number have proved hugely popular with a range of literature, FILM, GAELIC, AND FOOD of stories linked to the celebration this year audiences across the North-East and beyond. AND NUTRITION. of the centenary of the Rowett Institute of The May Festival builds on our record of Nutrition and Health. Over the past century, success in organising the Word Festival and the Institute has been at the forefront of as host of the hugely popular 2012 British advancing our understanding of both animal Science Festival. Over the 10-12 of May, the and human nutritional health and has recorded Festival showcased the many strengths an impressive number of achievements. The of the University with events spanning Institute played a key role in establishing the science, music, literature, film, Gaelic, and food link between diet and health in the early part and nutrition. 3 VOICE Photos: A young festival-goer proudly shows off his new look after a visit to the May Festival face painter 4 Kilted Chef Craig Wilson, of the Eat on the Green restaurant, rustled up some treats for festival goers Aberdeen graduate Gordon Cameron returned to campus to give an insight into what it is like to work at DisneyPixar FEATURES VOICE FIRST May Festival BRINGS OUT THE BLOSSOM ON CAMPUS Over a (mostly) sunny weekend in May, With the support of principal sponsor energy festival fever was back on campus with the giant Saudi Aramco, Marathon Oil supporting University’s first ever May Festival. yet again the Children’s Festival, and Talisman Energy, the King’s campus welcomed the Building on the well-loved and long-running likes of TV presenter and scientist Dr James Word writers festival ­­­­‒ and the hugely successful Logan, Word favourites Alasdair Gray and British Science Festival visit in 2012 ­­­­‒ this year’s Liz Lochhead, Chapel concerts featuring the May event aimed to offer both serious and exquisite singing of Dame Emma Kirkby and light-hearted events to suit all tastes – quite Jeremy Huw Williams, Gaelic singer Julie literally! Fowlis, and new talent including Aberdeen In this Rowett Centenary year, the annual graduate Gordon Cameron recounting his Boyd Orr lecture in a packed King’s auditorium career in bringing to ‘life’ much loved characters heard Dr Francesco Branco, Director of including Nemo, Ratatouille, Woody and Buzz Nutrition at WHO, considering how close the Lightyear. world is now to achieving the Rowett founder’s The weekend drew to a close with a thought- dream of feeding the globe. Food proved a provoking Question-Time debate on some tasty theme throughout the weekend – from of the greatest global challenges of our time, demonstrations and top tips from some of and the presentation of awards to University Scotland’s leading chefs to the enticing waft researchers who are breaking new ground in of the BBQ on King’s Lawn beside the busy engaging the public in their research, following festival marquees. A popular ‘first’ was the which an all-singing-all-dancing Variety Show local Produce Market which filled Elphinstone saw some of the University’s finest talent take Hall with tempting samples of delicious to the stage before bringing the curtain down baking, chocolate, chutneys and much more, all on the festival. produced here in North-East Scotland, while on the Sunday a Hack ‘n Make showcased clever ideas, projects, crafts, inventions, products and hacks in a vibrant fair-style event. With over 100 events on seven different themes – word, food, discover, music, science, If you are interested in finding out more about the Gaelic, and film – the weekend aimed to May Festival, visit: provide something for everyone, from the www.abdn.ac.uk/mayfestival or for more photos young to the slightly more mature visit www.facebook.com/universityofaberdeen (but still young at heart!) Photos: Margaret Bennett delighted youngsters with a bilingual look at the Further Tales of Peter Rabbit 5 VOICE PLAQUE TO THE FUTURE he focus may be in the UK and abroad DNA from tartar found “This provides us with a T “BEING ABLE TO TRACK on the teeth of ancient completely new window on things that happened but work carried out THROUGH TIME HAS skeletons.