The free magazine for The University of Manchester UniLife 23rd May 2005 Volume 2 Issue 13 Amazonian Chief Speaks at the University 2 UniLife NewsDigest A summary of the key news in this issue of UniLife: Contents 3 Brazilian Visit The University hosted a landmark visit by 4 News three members of Brazil’s Suya 3 community earlier this month, to discuss 10 Mentoring Plus the preservation of their language and culture. 12 Enterprise 13 Staff Survey Action Plan 16 Profile Scientists in the Centre for Manufacture 18 People have launched a new bedside cabinet 7 impregnated with a proven antibacterial 19 Students agent, to help hospitals fight MRSA. 20 Community 22 What’s On 24 Seminars/Noticeboard The Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences’ Mentoring Plus initiative 26 Classified Ads matches school pupils with 28 Just the Job 10 undergraduate or healthcare mentors, to raise awareness of and aspirations towards careers in the field. Front cover: Brazilian’s Ground-breaking Action Plan addressing many of the Cultural Visit issues identified in last year’s staff survey Photo by Ed Swinden 13 has been approved by the University’s Board of Governors, and a condensed summary can be seen on pages 14 and 15. The University seized victory over Salford in the 34th annual University Boat Race, as 19 the men’s team clinched victory by less than half a length. More than 100 Manchester schoolchildren and their teachers visited the University recently for the launch of the My 21 Manchester initiative, which challenges them to investigate and discover ‘their Manchester’. UniLife 3 Amazonian Chief Speaks Outside Brazil for the First Time The Centre for Latin American Cultural Studies and the School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures hosted a rare opportunity for the public to meet and talk to three members of Brazil’s Suya community earlier this month. The Suya, who live in the Xingu National “The Chief of the village, Kuissi, is so Professor Everett has grants from both the park in Brazil, have sent representatives concerned with the endangerment of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Arts and Humanities outside their country only once before in Suya culture and languages that he feels it their long history. This was the first time Research Board (AHRB) to study necessary to begin developing long-term any of their number have travelled abroad endangered languages, and it is this for more than 100 years. friendships and relationships with funding which facilitated the ground- international partners.” breaking Suya’s visit. Three members of the community, including the Suya’s Chief, visited the UK and Germany to speak about the endangerment of their language and culture and to suggest ways for interested people to help them preserve their way of life. Dan Everett, Professor of Phonetics and Phonology at the University, commented: “The Suya people, language and culture have survived for centuries but their very way of life is threatened by outside influences; such as encroachment upon their territory by large-scale farming and growing contact with the economic pull of Western civilisation. www.llc.manchester.ac.uk/CentreforLatinAmercianCulturalStudies/ 4 UniLife News Film 2005 The University sponsored the opening night of the 2005 Commonwealth Film Festival last month, at an event co-hosted with the Australian High Commission. Caption: Professor Alan The evening began with the screening of cast and crew, saying they had evoked and delighted that it is so well patronised Gilbert with the the UK-Australian production The Oyster “nostalgia for a landscape that means a by the people of Manchester. It is a Australian High Farmer, followed by a question and answer great deal to me personally.” pleasure to be part of this important Commissioner session with writer and director Anna occasion, and an excellent opportunity to The evening continued with a gala Reeves, producer Piers Tempest, composer reception in the Air and Space Hall of the express the University’s commitment to Stephen Warbeck and star Jim Norton. Museum of Science and Industry, with being part of the worldwide cultural It was attended by President and Vice- Vice President for Communications and community and to enriching the vibrant Chancellor Professor Alan Gilbert, Lord External Relations Professor Paul Layzell cultural life of this city.” Mayor of Manchester Councillor Tom and Vice President for Innovation and Programme Director Matt Ravier said: O'Callaghan and Australian High Economic Development Professor Rod “The University has been extremely Commissioner Senator the Honourable Coombs amongst those treated to a set supportive of the festival, and we’re really Richard Alston, along with representatives by local DJ legend Dave Haslem. proud to have our launch event of the region’s cultural, film and media sponsored by an organisation which is organisations and a number of Welcoming guests to the reception Commonwealth cultural attaches. Professor Gilbert said:“The University of itself making such a huge contribution to Professor Gilbert later praised the film’s Manchester is proud to be associated the culture of Manchester, the country with the Commonwealth Film Festival and the world.” www.commonwealthfilm.com University Helps Facilitate Water Framework Directive The University is one of the lead water management - a situation the regional cooperation as well as partners in the new European project aims to resolve. It will consider sustainable water management. Network of Municipalities and Rivers the management of water services The University is involved in a pan-European (ENMaR), funded by EU initiative (including drinking, waste, flood and network led by a German environmental INTEREG IIIc which enables storm waters), and the impact of the WFD protection organisation, and including the collaboration between agencies and on spatial planning, tourism, economic University of Santiago de Compostella in bodies in different regions. development, forestry and agriculture. Spain, a German water company, the The ENMaR project will create networks There will be a strong focus on the Mersey Basin Campaign (a publicly-funded involving more than 100 local authorities participation of local residents and body working towards improving water (LAs), in North West England, Germany, businesses in the implementation of the quality in North West England), a Latvian Spain, Latvia and Sweden. The aim is to WFD, and the results of the project will non-governmental organisation responsible facilitate their contribution to the be communicated to stakeholders via an for environmental issues and a Swedish implementation of the Water Framework annually-produced guide. This in turn river basin partnership. Directive (WFD), a major piece of EU will also inform EU policy-makers and environmental legislation. For more information please contact Dr practitioners about local considerations, Joe Howe or Dr Jeremy Carter of the At present, there is no system to help LAs and it is hoped that ENMaR will Planning and Landscape group, School of communicate effectively and develop permanently raise the profile of Environment and Development at common solutions and best practice for environmental policy as a driver for [email protected] or 275 6885. UniLife 5 News Focusing On Communications Thanks to all members of staff who took part in the internal communications audit recently. Communication between staff across the there are currently gaps in information. It help us do our jobs properly. While we whole University was highlighted as a real looked at all aspects of communications realise that we can’t solve all of the issue in the recent Staff Survey. While including UniLife, all staff e-mails, the University’s communication problems there are some areas where intranet and face-to-face briefings. overnight, there are new ideas and ways of communication is good, many people felt Employees took part in ten focus groups doing things that can be introduced which that they didn’t receive enough useful and which covered all job classifications. A timely information. can help us all be better informed about number of senior managers, Deans and our jobs and the aims of the University as As a result, the Internal Communications Vice-Presidents and the President and Vice- a whole.” Office, which is based in Communications Chancellor Professor Alan Gilbert also took and Marketing Services, commissioned part in meetings with the consultants. The findings of this research – and perhaps internal communications specialists more importantly – some practical Internal Communications Manager Omilia to carry out an audit. Rachael McGraw said:“Internal solutions to the communications issues - The aim was to find out your views about communication is vital to the future are currently being put together as UniLife communication, what kinds of success of the University – we all need goes to press. Look out for further details communication work well and where accurate information at the right time to in future issues. First for Fluoride England’s first independent fluoride information centre has been launched using funding from the Department of Health, to meet an anticipated public demand for information after changes to the Professor Anthony Government’s Water Bill. Blinkhorn Based at the University but academically caused by these attacks. It can be added about fluorides and fluoridation, and we independent, the National Fluoride to the water supply, salt or milk as well as will constantly update our information