Alumni Issue magazine 10 06 Due south So what’s it really like to visit the Antarctic? We talk to some recent visitors about research, rocks … and what to pack 10 Ethical dilemmas Why teaching ethics is more than just a matter of right and wrong 12 A matter of life and death Transforming maternity care in Sierra Leone, and the extraordinary doctor at the heart of it 18 Spy games Jane Featherstone on Paul Gascoigne, Gene Hunt and Harry Pearce Contents From the Editor Following last issue, when we ran a feature on 180,000 our alumni news page called “Leeds for Love,” ReadeRs we were inundated with letters and emails from alumni couples telling us their own stories about how they all met at Leeds, over many different decades. We couldn’t resist printing another one this time. Here in the alumni team at Leeds, we read Leeds is published every single email, letter, and comment that twice a year by comes from you, whether a question, a query, a the University of memory, or a request to make contact with a long Leeds Alumni lost friend, and while we can only ever publish & Development a small number, we really appreciate finding Team. It is received out about you, your life, and your memories by more than of Leeds. You can also use our Facebook and 180,000 graduates, members and LinkedIn groups to share your stories, memories friends of the and start discussions too. University across the world. This issue, we’re starting in heading south. From Leeds to Sierra Leone, and ultimately to 18 Antarctica. Leeds is about people, their journeys, and perhaps how everyone who’s been here takes Jane Featherstone a little bit of Leeds with them wherever they go. Enjoy! 06 Phil Steel (english 1997) Head of Alumni Relations Antarctic challenge 32 Harewood event Join the discussion 16 Chinese guests editorial Team This magazine is also Phil Steel, Editor available for download from Jill Bullock, Deputy Editor www.alumni.leeds.ac.uk Simon Jenkins or can be emailed out www.facebook. Victoria Sheard on request com/leedsalumni 12 Leeds Alumni thanks This magazine is printed on Linked In Kathy Isherwood on 50% recycled paper @LeedsAlumni Sierra Leone Emma McKeown and mailed out in 100% on Twitter Kate Hitchen at Kudos biodegradable packaging. Correspondence is Views expressed are those welcomed and should be of the contributors and addressed to the Editor at: not necessarily those of the University of Leeds Alumni & Development, If you would EC Stoner Building, like to receive University of Leeds, Design: Appetite this magazine Leeds, UK www.appetiteuk.com electronically and LS2 9JT help reduce our Web: alumni.leeds.ac.uk environmental Tel: +44 (0)113 343 7520 impact, email Email: [email protected] [email protected] Contents contents regulars leeds alumni 02 History, Haiti, hand-made shoes… and more Leeds for love the latest from Leeds 17 Olympic teams, Climate talks and the Queen’s Anniversary Prize What’s going on 22 Across our departments, including T-rays, dental treatment, robot worms giving to Leeds 26 Alumni talk about the value of Leeds, and a huge boost for new students the Vc 30 What partnership really means at Leeds Forthcoming events 32 What’s on for Leeds alumni in the forthcoming months Features Polar expedition 06 contributing Leeds researchers talk about Antarctic life alumni ethical thinking 10 Why it’s important to teach ethics – and what that means Henry Gee (Genetics simon Hattenstone and Zoology 1984) (english 1984) is the rebirth of hope 12 is a Senior Editor of a feature writer for Maternity care in Sierra Leone Nature. His book The The Guardian. Over Kudos to Jane 18 Beowulf Effect: Fossils, the past year he has The Executive Producer behind some Evolution and the Human interviewed Lady Gaga, of Britain’s most-watched TV dramas Condition is forthcoming Max Clifford, Jonathan from the University of Ross, Gary Barlow and the magic numbers 29 Chicago Press. His gothic Paul Gascoigne. He also Why 40647 is popping up all over the place horror mystery By The writes about miscarriages Sea is available right now of justice, and his goodbye 31 on iBooks and Kindle. books include Out of It Parting thoughts from Dr Sue Jacklin (Sceptre), about a boy and Professor Dick Killington Fergus Walsh (english who went to bed with a 1983) began working headache and didn’t get cover image: for the BBC in 1984 and up for three years. View towards the Antarctic Peninsula has reported on health, from Davies Dome on science and medicine Kipper Williams (Fine James Ross Island, taken by Dr Jonathan for nearly twenty years, art 1974) draws for a Carrivick, School of covering topics such as number of publications Geography. stem cells, obesity, HIV/ including The Sunday To see more images of AIDS, malaria, TB, polio Times, The Guardian and Antarctica taken by Leeds researchers visit and cloning. Fergus The Spectator. alumni.leeds.ac.uk/ has had all his genes antarctica sequenced, his heart, brain and other body parts scanned, as well as being vaccinated against bird flu – all to illustrate TV news reports. AuTumn/winter 2011 –– 01 news – Leeds alumnI maKing history Centenarian preacher and history graduate recalls his university days in the interwar years More than 3700 Leeds alumni live of the early 1930s and work in China Sky’s the limit Carma Elliot CmG OBE (Chinese & German 1987) is Executive Director of Half the Sky, a children’s charity founded in 1998 to enrich the lives and enhance the prospects of China’s orphans. She oversees 51 children’s centres in government institutions, and is currently working with officials on a training scheme aimed at bringing nurturing care to all of the country’s orphans. Her first trip to China was in 1984 as a Leeds exchange student at Shanghai’s Fudan university. Carma said: “Studying Chinese and German at Leeds really changed my life. my experiences then really drove me to look for a career where Canon John Clayton at his local church in Leeds (picture courtesy of Yorkshire Post Newspapers) Centenarian Canon John day and how nervous everyone Another graduate, the Very Clayton (History 1933, mA was, going up and getting their reverend Catherine Ogle 1943) is still leading worship at degrees. Afterwards, there was (Textile Design 1982, mPhil his local church, despite retiring a dance in the Great Hall.” Textile management 1985, as a vicar in 1976. Once a The campus was much mA Theology 1991) is one of month, he preaches at Evensong smaller in Canon John’s day the most senior women in the and takes Holy Communion and many of the university’s Church of England. As Dean of services at the church near his iconic buildings, such as the Birmingham Cathedral, her role Carma Elliot and daughter Isabel home in Bramhope, Leeds. Brotherton Library, had yet to includes conducting services, The Queen presented him be built. “In my day the library managing cathedral finances and I could use my language skills with the royal maundy money was in a room at the back of a working with people across the every day. Being able to speak in recognition of his devotion building near the Great Hall.” city. Catherine’s son, Thomas Chinese in particular has to the Church. Canon John has One particular day Goater, now studies at Leeds. shaped my life in ways I never fond memories of his student that stands out for John is imagined, and I have now lived days, 80 years ago. He said: “In remembrance Day, 1932. longer in China than I have in my time, there were only 2,000 “There was a protest by a group the uK.” students. I became friends with of pacifists which was dealt A former British Consul- people from other faculties, with quite firmly by the then General, Carma’s 23-year such as medics and engineers. Vice-Chancellor. They were told diplomatic career included These days, I think people tend to stop otherwise they would be postings in Brussels, Paris, Jedda to socialise with people from kicked out of the university. I and Beijing, where she now lives their own departments. remember that quite clearly.” with her daughter, Isabel. “I remember my graduation Picture courtesy of Birmingham Post 02 –– AuTumn/winter 2011 Leeds ALumnI – news LEEDS FOR LOVE reVisited More tales of relationship building in the alumni community Thanks to all who responded taKing stocK to our Leeds for Love feature in the last issue. many stories told of love blossoming in lectures, Photographer richard laboratories and socials, and Hanson (mechanical some spent time apart before Engineering 1989) recently rekindling the old flame. exhibited images from his three The most enduring visits to post-earthquake Haiti came from Donald Vincent at Central Hall, in London. (Chemistry 1942) and his wife It is just one of his many Hazel (Chemistry 1943) who assignments working for media last year celebrated the 70th and charities; trips that have anniversary of their wartime taken him to 40 different romance which began when countries covering major news they met across a bench in in Leeds from his post on the events and their effect on the Inorganic Chemistry roof of the old botany building Donald Vincent and Hazel Vincent people. Laboratory. in university road. when they were students at Leeds richard developed his They both took part in They married in 1944 and passion for photography firewatch duties and Donald have been followed at Leeds by For more, visit: as secretary of the union reported the first fall of bombs a son and granddaughter.