Aston University Alumni Magazine Issue 15 Spring 2005 LA Story Reading between the lines Alumni in the media 2 You must remember this... You must remember this... A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, Princess Leia and R2-D2 welcomed the first arrivals at the May Ball. Contents 3 You must 16 remember this... 5 11 19 29 Contents Special thanks go to everyone who contributed to this Features issue of Apex. Apex is published twice a year for alumni Reading between the lines 4 of Aston University. Letters, photographs and news M for safety 7 are very welcome but we reserve the right to edit any contributions. Please address all correspondence to Alumni in the media 8 the Alumni Relations Offi cer. The opinions expressed in Report on the AGM of Convocation 10 Apex are those of the contributors and do not necessarily LA story 14 refl ect those of the Alumni Relations Offi ce or Aston University. Regulars Apex is also available via the website in html or pdf You must remember this 2 formats, but please contact us if you experience any Profile on… 6 diffi culties accessing the publication. Where are they now? 24 How to contact the Alumni Relations Office: Reunions 29 www.aston.ac.uk/alumni AGA 30 [email protected] In-touch 31 T +44 (0)121 204 3000 Gifts 32 F +44 (0)121 359 4664 Alumni Relations Office News Aston University, Aston Triangle Applications to Aston on the increase 5 Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK Careers services for Aston graduates 6 Designed by Linney Design The Net works 9 Printed by Linney Print Long service awards 11 Photo credits: Ed Moss, pages 5, 16, 17 18, 19, 22, Topping-off ceremony 11 and 23; Tony Flanagan page 17; John Hipkiss pages International news 12 6, 10 and 28; Martin Levenson pages 9 and 28. School of Engineering & Applied Science 16 Success at the 8th Formula Student Competition Aston taps into France Telecom Aston Business School 17 Beta Gamma Sigma ‘Sketch and Search’ a potential money saving fi nd School of Life & Health Sciences 18 Come and meet Aston’s scientists Life Sciences Laser Institute Sarah Pymm Caroline Hidson School of Languages & Social Sciences 19 Alumni Relations Officer Alumni Relations Assistant Languages really do work Combined Honours 20 New horizons A place for earning and learning News from the Advancement Office 21 Guild helps students in new ways Planned legacy giving programme Plus Laura Stansbie All the latest news from the Alumni Relations Office, the Students’ Professional Network Guild and the Societies and Sports clubs. Administrator 4 Reading between the lines How much do we give away in our handwriting? It’s a serious question for those engaged in the science of graphoanalysis. Handwriting may not simply be a way of communicating ideas, but a representation of something deeper – our individual personality traits. Owen Williams (1966 BSc Industrial Administration) invited Apex to discover more about what he feels is often a neglected science. Reading between It was left to the French to establish the in a team, aspects of temperament, art of graphology and to the Germans to reliability and commitment to the develop and add to the evolving theory task in hand – all laudable indicators surrounding it. Probably the most notable of career success or compatibility with the development was when handwriting ceased a work or social environment. to be thought of as simply handwriting. When analysing a sample of handwriting Supporters began to suggest that if the Owen looks for around two hundred hand is moved by impulses from the brain different traits – thin or thick lines, and the brain is obviously unique to each large or small curves, open or closed individual, the assumption can be made loops, even the amount of space lines that there must be some unique trait between words can tell a story. associated with the brain’s output; in this case the impulses that cause the hand to move in a certain way to produce script. This development in thinking led Willhelm Prayer to coin the term ‘brain writing’. My work is all Last century a similar idea began to evolve about personality in the States from work associated with teaching shorthand. Although there are agreed symbols for shorthand script, each assessment individual develops his or her own style “ to the extent that it can be difficult, if not impossible, to read another’s shorthand Owen has been practising his science for script. Research was undertaken and over fifty years and has taught nearly 200 theories established and accepted. The art people. In 2004 the IGAS acknowledged of graphoanalysis gained in credibility, Owen’s contribution to his field” of study by a body of theory began to be established awarding him International Graphoanalyst and a professional institution grew up. of the Year. An Honorary Member of IGAS, The International Graphoanalysis Society President of the British IGAS Chapter (IGAS) which teaches, assesses and accredits in 1993, a Fellow of both the Chartered practitioners of handwriting analysis. Institute of Management and the Institute “My work is all about personality of Management Services and a long The history of handwriting analysis can assessment,” explained Owen who goes to serving member of the AGA Committee, be traced back to at least the fifteenth great lengths to insist that in the UK the Owen continues to promote this discipline century when the Roman Catholic Church whole discussion of handwriting analysis widely to help raise its profile in the was searching for a way to measure an has been sensationalised into something it UK and increase general acceptance individual’s ethics and moral code. People isn’t. “Here we have psychometric testing of the methodology and practice. could say what they thought you wanted to to help recruitment, why not employ hear, references and personal judgements graphoanalysis with the aim of identifying could be too subjective and potentially a person’s strengths and aptitudes?” unreliable. What was needed was Reading more than between the lines, something that was unique to an individual rather deep into the way each letter is – handwriting seemed to offer a formed on the page, Owen can identify possible solution. traits which signal the ability to work University news 5 Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Professor Graham Hooley, shares Aston’s good news with alumni at a time when applications across the HE sector as a whole are showing relatively slow growth. Applications to Aston on the increase Back in January, the Department of Schools and Colleges Liaison undertook some quantitative analysis to compare the level of applications to Aston with applications across the HE sector as a whole. On 5 January it was reported that Home/EU applications were 32% up on the same time in 2004 and that international applications were up a huge 44%. These figures were particularly exciting for Aston at a time when applications across the HE sector as a whole were only marginally up by 9% (with some evidence of a last minute rush to beat the introduction of variable fees). Our showing at over 21% above the national average is excellent news, and is down to a number of factors: • All Schools of • There has been a greatly enhanced Study across the international student recruitment drive University had both through the International Office and a very successful within Schools. This has been coupled with programme of the creation of the Aston Graduate School innovation. New under the direction of Dr Mark Oakley programmes that now co-ordinates the applications for in areas such postgraduate taught programmes across as Biosciences, the University. Many of our postgraduate Multimedia applications are also from international Technology, students and Mark and his team work very Politics, Spanish, International Business closely with the International Office to and Management, Economics and attract applicants to Aston. Management, Audiology and our new • Our improved positions in the University major/minor combinations through and subject specific league tables, in Combined Honours are all drawing strong particular our jump to 22 in The Times Good interest from prospective students. University Guide 2005 and 13th overall in • Enhanced and positive marketing The Guardian 2004 table, have had a major campaigns have also helped raise our impact on our reputation and standing profile. These have included renewed direct among prospective students and those that mailing, a successful pre-application open influence them. day in September (a record 3,000 attendees) Through innovation in programmes, and good relationship marketing. Over enhanced reputation showing through 200 teachers and careers advisers attended particularly in the league tables, and the 10th Annual Admissions Conference improved marketing effort, it is clear hosted at Aston early in the year and that across the University demand for our significant work has been going on with programmes is more buoyant than it has student ambassadors and colleges locally ever been. and nationally. 6 University news Profile on… Careers services for David Upton Aston graduates David studied a sandwich course at Aston in Mechanical How much time and effort did you put into getting that first job? Engineering in And how much more will it take to make the next step? Aston alumni the late 1960s and can still use the careers service for up to three years after graduation. obtained his degree Maureen Tibby, Head of the Careers Service, answers some of in 1970. He then took David Upton your FAQs. a 12 year sabbatical working for Tube Q: Do you provide information via a website? Q: Can I use other university careers services? Investments in manufacturing research prior www.careers.aston.ac.uk gives details of If you no longer live in the West Midlands to returning to Aston in 1982 to undertake services and facilities, provides advice and you may be able to use the facilities of other a research programme into new designs of offers links to useful career-related sites university careers services although this is cutting tools.