Issue 264 ▸ 26 September 2013 reporterSharing stories of Imperial’s community The journey begins The pioneering staff and students at our new joint medical school in Singapore → centre pages A BROAD CHURCH EURO TRIPLE WaNDERLUST How Imperial FOR ROWERS Lorraine Craig Horizons is giving Imperial crews on overseeing undergraduates a pick up trio of student new perspective medals at Euros expeditions PAGE 10 to buoy team GB worldwide PAGE 4 PAGE 11 2 >> newsupdate www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 26 September 2013 • issue 264 Imperial celebrates He said: “It’s absolutely fantastic to be here tonight having seen the whole project through to fruition, LKCMedicine launch and having just seen the first students welcomed a few weeks ago.” Imperial recognised the contributions of staff and Dr Naomi Low-Beer, the school’s Vice Dean (Education), EDITOR’S CORNER students to Singapore’s newest medical school at an gave colleagues an insight into the innovative LKCMedicine event on 10 September at South Kensington Campus. curriculum, which is pioneering the use of e-learning tools. Claire Vassie, a fifth year Imperial medical student, New The Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine), told how she and some of her peers helped review these a collaboration between Nanyang Technological e-learning materials and forge early links between beginnings University (NTU) and Imperial, welcomed its first 54 Imperial and LKCMedicine students. students in August (see pages 8 and 9). Professor Dermot Kelleher, Dean of LKCMedicine It’s the first time that I’ve The LKCMedicine London Office has led on and Imperial’s Faculty of Medicine, closed the formal been at College for the curriculum development and much of the organisation. proceedings, paying tribute to NTU for their commitment start of the academic year, Paul Ratcliffe, Singapore Project Manager, set out how and thanking staff at LKCMedicine for their dedication. and although a very familiar the London Office delivered Imperial’s responsibilities He said: “Creating the new medical school is a rhythm for most, it does for the partnership despite the numerous challenges historic moment: for Imperial, for NTU, and for Singapore.” feel rather special this inherent in such ambitious international collaborations. —ANDREW SCHEUBER, COMMUNICatIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS time. Thousands of miles away in Singapore, first year medical students have just started on their journey to become doctors at the new Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine – a historic moment for the College (pages 2, 8 and 9). Closer to home, undergraduate students ’ in London have perhaps Freshers more reasons than ever to be excited about their FAir 2013 time at the College and ➜ uesdayT 6 October the future. In this year’s Support staff turnout despite the rain. National Students Survey gather at Village “The Committee has organised 11.00 – 16.00 (NSS) Imperial gained its events before – walks, staff highest ever satisfaction Fete and BBQ choir, tours of the Queen’s score and response rate, Tower – but we wanted to do thanks to the work every Support staff from across something on a larger scale department and the Union College gathered for a Village to give people the opportunity have done to improve the Fete and barbeque at South to meet a wider group of student experience (page Kensington Campus on the support colleagues,” said 3). Meanwhile, both first evening of 9 September. Louise Lindsay, Director of and second years now Human Resources. have the chance to study a Many braved the rain to take Imperial’s new Provost diverse range of modules part in an assortment of Professor James Stirling took All staff are welcome to from the Horizons games and activities around to the stage to address the explore the Freshers’ Fair programme (page 10) the Queen’s Lawn hosted by audience of staff: so they will be better College support services and join the many Union prepared for the workplace divisions. Around 100 staff clubs and societies. when landing their first from the Hammersmith and While we Freshers’ Fair is taking place across job – which given the Silwood Park Campuses are rightly famous the South Kensington Campus with excellent prospects for made the journey, arriving stalls at Dalby Court, Sherfield Building, Imperial graduates (page 4) by coaches. for the quality of Main Entrance, Sir Alexander Fleming shouldn’t prove too The event, organised by the teaching and Building, and Beit Quad. difficult. the Support Staff Social You can find a full list of all the Union’s ANDREW CZYZEWSKI, ACTING EDITOR Committee, aimed to respond research we also clubs, societies and projects at: to survey feedback that support have an incredibly Reporter is published every staff had little opportunity to imperialcollegeunion.org/a-to-z three weeks during term time in print and online. The next meet people from other areas talented body of publication day is 24 October. of the College doing similar professional and Contact Andrew Czyzewski: jobs to their own. Over 1400 [email protected] registered initially with a good support staff.” 3 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 26 September 2013 • issue 264 >> newsupdate Student last year and 2% higher than satisfaction the sector average (85%). The College’s performance on the up across all NSS question categories was better than Students have given Imperial in 2012. its best ever rating in the The survey revealed National Student Survey (NSS), particular progress in the according to the 2013 results Assessment and Feedback released in August. category, with a 66% satisfaction rate, an increase of 4% on last year and a 12% improvement over the past two years. Academic Support satisfaction rates reached 79%, Engineering honours large group of Imperial academics also a 4% increase on last year. for staff and alumni have been recognised by the Royal The College achieved its Academy of Engineering. All six are highest ever rating for Imperial academics received a record leaders in their field and thoroughly satisfaction with Learning haul of honours from a prestigious deserve recognition for their outstanding Resources at 95%, the engineering academy this summer. contribution to engineering.” joint-second highest rating Five Imperial alumni were also in the sector. The Royal Academy of Engineering honoured including: Naomi Climer, Over the past two years announced the election of 60 new President of Sony Media Cloud every Imperial department has Fellows at its annual general meeting Services (Chemistry, 1986); Dr Richard focused on improving their on 22 July. The Fellows include some of Greaves, Group Chief Technology student experience through the UK’s most accomplished engineers Officer, Meggitt plc (PhD Life Sciences, The feedback from 1,634 departmental action plans. from academia and business. This now 1987); Professor Lin Li, Deputy Head, students – four-fifths of the In addition to this, recent takes the number of Imperial Fellows School of Mechanical, Aerospace and graduating cohort – gives student-centred reforms to 84. Civil Engineering, The University Imperial its highest student include: the Union’s ‘You Said, Among this year’s cohort were of Manchester (PhD Mechanical satisfaction score and response We Did’ Campaign to promote Professors Jeff Magee, Dean of the Engineering, 1988); Dr Andrew rate in the survey’s history. changes in teaching; student-led Faculty of Engineering; Molly Stevens Rickman, Founder and Chairman A greater proportion of teaching awards; a place for (Materials); Robin Grimes (Materials); of the Rockley Group (Mechanical Imperial students took part the Union President and Jianguo Lin, (Mechanical Engineering); Engineering; 1982) and Dr Andrew in the survey than any other Deputy President (Education) Washington Ochieng (Civil and Shields, Assistant Managing Director, university in England and Wales. on the Advisory Group to the Environmental Engineering) and Toshiba Research Europe (Physics, 87% of final-year Imperial Vice Provost (Education); and Stratos Pistikopoulos (Chemical 1986, PhD 1990). students responding to the the expansion of the Imperial Engineering). The Royal Academy of Engineering survey “definitely” or “mostly” Horizons programme to Sir Keith O’Nions, President & also awarded a Research Fellowship agree that their overall broaden the range of academic Rector, said: “Our Faculty of Engineering to Dr Edmund Kelleher (Physics) in experience at the College and professional training is a world beater in terms of the quality, August for his work in next generation was satisfactory. (see page 10). depth and breadth of research and short-pulse visible and ultraviolet light This is a 1% improvement teaching being carried out. It is lasers and an outstanding contribution —ANDREW SCHEUBER, COMMUNICatIONS on the College’s performance AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS absolutely fantastic news that such a to engineering. Introducing the City and Moving on up £22m to improve Guilds Building Seventy eight Imperial healthcare in NW London More than 100 Mechanical Engineering and academics will begin the autumn The Department of Health has Aeronautics staff joined alumni and guests term with new positions in announced £10 million of renewed for the naming of Imperial’s City and Guilds recognition of their research and funding for a programme of teaching successes. The 2013 in brief Building. The 18 September ceremony research aimed at improving marked the launch of a major redevelopment academic promotions round healthcare services. The National programme for what was previously known acknowledges the achievements Institute for Health Research as the Mechanical Engineering Building on of staff from the Faculties of Collaboration for Leadership in the South Kensington Campus. The present Medicine, Engineering and Applied Health Research and Care building was completed in the early 1960s Natural Sciences, the Business (NIHR CLAHRC) for Northwest and stands on the site of the former City School and the Centre for London was established in October and Guilds College building, constructed in Co-Curricular Studies. 2008 to help translate research 1885.