Issue 272 ▸ 15 may 2014 reporterSharing stories of Imperial’s community Imperial 2.0 Rebooting the College’s web presence to reach a growing global audience of mobile users → centre pages FESTIVAL FOR ALL SAVVY SCIENCE SAFETY SAGE Third Imperial Dr Ling Ge Ian Gillett, Festival proves on boosting Safety Director, huge hit with enterprise retires record numbers and public PAGE 10 PAGE 12 engagement PAGE 11 2 >> newsupdate www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 15 May 2014 • issue 272 Renewed drive for engineering through inspirational role models; and improve and increase Imperial’s recognition for equality in UK science promoting gender equality through Athena SWAN Charter awards. Imperial has joined a campaign led by the Chancellor Professor Debra Humphris, Vice Provost (Education) EDITOR’S CORNER to boost participation in technology and engineering at Imperial, said: “We want to help shatter myths and careers among women. change perceptions about women in STEM. It’s fantastic to get the Chancellor’s backing for these goals. Digital The ‘Your Life’ initiative brings together government, business, professional bodies and leading educational wonder institutions who are all working to improve We want to help shatter myths opportunities for women in science, technology, and change perceptions.” Do you remember those engineering and maths (STEM). The scheme was tentative steps when launched by Chancellor George Osborne at the Science you first dipped your Museum on 7 May. “Meeting this challenge will not be easy. It will toes into the World Wide As part of the campaign Imperial has pledged to: require a concerted effort throughout the College. Web? For me it was extend its outreach work into primary schools throughout But it will be worth it. Creating an environment where finding literary criticism the country; include a greater element of creative design women enjoy greater opportunities in engineering on a novel I was reading in engineering courses starting in 2015; develop and and technology is good for all of us, as educators, at school and I guess promote the careers of women in technology and researchers or beneficiaries of this work.” for many others too it was learning something new. Of course, we’ve all now become blasé Toumazou named about doing everything from grocery shopping among Europe’s to sharing gossip online. But I can still – just about top inventors – recall that initial sense of wonder at the limitless Professor Christofer Toumazou (Electrical potential. The web and Electronic Engineering) is one of fifteen continues to evolve and pioneering inventors who have been named as that feeling of wonder was finalists in the European Inventor Award 2014. re-kindled recently when Boost for metamaterials research I started downloading The award, which attracted 300 entrants, is books, magazines and The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council has Europe’s highest distinction for inventors across apps to the palm of invested £2.5 million to advance metamaterials development, the world, honouring those whose inventions my hand on a tablet. with a five-year project headed by Imperial. have made a major contribution towards social, As one of the foremost technological and economic progress. science institutions in Metamaterials are man-made materials that have unusual Professor Toumazou, the only UK finalist the world Imperial has properties not seen in nature, which could have a range of is distinguished for his work in developing a wealth of incredible real-world applications. Using metamaterials in optics has innovative silicon technology and integrated things to share – and already produced the possibility of an invisibility cloak and circuit design for electronic devices. He is credited partly for this reason, the concept could even be applied to seismic waves to cloak with developing a range of medical devices such the College’s website buildings from vibrations caused by earthquakes. as the digital plaster, which monitors patient is being re-designed to Imperial, the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John vital signs in the comfort of their home. better deliver information Moores University will work to take these ideas further and Professor Toumazou is nominated for an and services to a variety progress theory and application with other potentially award in the Research category – one of six of digital devices (centre transformative metamaterials. categories of award. There is also a Popular pages). This way we can Professor Richard Craster, project lead and Head of the Prize, which enables supporters and friends of reach a wider audience Department of Mathematics said: “This is an unusual and Professor Tomazou to take part in the online and better support current novel grant in metamaterials as it is centred on mathematical vote and help decide who will win in this category. and prospective students theory with considerable input from the Department of Physics, The prizes, regarded as Europe’s ‘Oscars’ for and staff. where metamaterials were originally developed. This will technology and innovation, will be presented ANDREW CZYZEWSKI, EDITOR provide unique insight and access to cutting edge ideas from by the European Patent Office (EPO) at a gala physics that mathematicians can turn into solid rigorous theory. ceremony in Berlin on 17 June. Reporter is published every Conversely theoretical advances from mathematics can be fed Members of royal houses, presidents, three weeks during term time in print and online. directly and swiftly back into experiments and design.” ministers and high-level representatives of the Universities and Science Minister David Willetts added: worlds of business, research and industry have Contact Andrew Czyzewski: “Advanced materials is one of the eight great technologies of the attended previous ceremonies, attesting to the [email protected] future with the potential to propel UK growth. This investment will prestige of the European Inventor Award, which help us to develop further applications for metamaterials and reap is in its ninth year. the benefits of advanced materials for the wider UK economy.” —COLIN SMITH, COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS 3 www.imperial.ac.uk/reporter | reporter | 15 May 2014 • issue 272 >> newsupdate Imperial partners with London Stock Exchange to offer enterprising education Some of the UK’s most promising entrepreneurs will have access to an innovative new business education programme at Imperial. The ELITE programme, a partnership between Imperial College Business School and the London Stock Exchange, provides support for high growth Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Award celebrates The building was the site of Skills and Enterprise Minister Matthew Mohammed Abdus Salam’s work Hancock launched the inaugural ELITE event and history of the on the unification of the weak and welcomed the first 20 ELITE company CEOs to Blackett Lab electromagnetic forces for which he the scheme. was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1979, He said: “Innovative, imaginative and inspiring The Blackett Laboratory, home of as well as Professor Tom Kibble’s small businesses are essential for the British the Department of Physics, was work which defined the mechanism economy and it is part of the government’s long designated an historic site by the by which gauge bosons acquire term economic plan to ensure that they have the European Physical Society (EPS) mass via the Higgs field. right environment to grow. Programmes such as last month. Professor John Dudley, President ELITE that offer access to high quality education, of the EPS, said: “The advances advice and support will help businesses scale up The prestigious recognition is bestowed made at the Blackett Laboratory in the right way.” by the EPS (a not-for-profit association have impacted on all fields of physics, The launch was hosted by Professor G. ‘Anand’ of physicists) upon sites in Europe and the laboratory continues today Anandalingam, Dean of Imperial College Business that hold national or international to produce results at the highest School and Xavier Rolet, CEO of the London significance to physics and its history level and to turn out exceptional Stock Exchange. and was commemorated with the young physicists.” Professor Anandalingam said: “This partnership unveiling of a plaque by Imperial The occasion was marked with with the LSE will enable us to share Imperial’s physicist Professor Tom Kibble. a lecture by Professor Antonino academic expertise with the founders and executives The Blackett Lab, which has Zichichi – President of the World on the frontline of business innovation. We look housed the Department of Physics Federation of Scientists and forward to helping equip the first ELITE company since its completion in 1961, joins former student of Professor CEOs with the tools they need to take their the National Physical Laboratory at Patrick Blackett – who spoke on businesses to the next level.” Bushy Park as one of only two such Blackett’s life and work, from The ELITE programme is a two year programme recognised sites in the UK so far. his contribution to the field of designed by Imperial College Business School, It was selected by the EPS for its role operational research during his which will provide company founders, CEOs and as the home of pioneering advances time as a naval officer to his vital executive teams with a tailored portfolio of business in the fields of theoretical and roles in the discovery of the support tools, education services and access to a experimental physics