3 February 2014Issue 4 Volume 11

unilifeMeet our newapprentices

The free magazine for The University of Manchester

Message from the President

This month we recognise the contribution which our Professional Support Services staff make to the continuedsuccess of our University.

Contact usNews and story ideasMikaela Sitfordtel 0161 275 2112email uninews@manchester.ac.ukwww.manchester.ac.uk/staffnet/newsDeadline 12 February 2014

Events and listings informationPhilippa Adsheadtel 0161 275 2922email unievents@manchester.ac.ukDeadline 12 February 2014

Ads Sarah Davenporttel 0161 275 2922email uniads@manchester.ac.ukDeadline 12 February 2014

Next issue 3 March 2014

NewsNew Year’s Honours for our colleagues

NewsA passion for our past5 8

he University has much to celebrate: majorresearch outputs; significant new researchgrants; student achievements and improvedstudent satisfaction; and real progress in

social responsibility.

These are powerful examples of where we aremaking a real difference in wider society. We quiterightly celebrate these achievements, most of whichname our academic staff as leaders in our keyactivities and in our three core goals.

But like a theatre production where the actors takethe applause, the many backstage staff ‘make ithappen’; we should find more time to acknowledgethe work of those who facilitate our successes andmake things happen.

These are the University’s Professional Support Services(PSS) staff who are behind just about everything wedo. As well as providing essential support and services,it is our PSS colleagues who have helped theUniversity to build an excellent reputation.

PSS staff are critical to our success in so many areas.Working in partnership with academic colleagues, PSS staff played a critical role in the recruitment,induction and registration of the 10,500 newstudents we welcomed last September; co-ordinatedand managed the University’s mammoth submissionto the Research Excellence Framework (REF), which was completed in November, and make sure that our business processes work efficientlyweek in and week out.

PSS staff are also key to helping to ensure that theUniversity is a ‘good place to work’ and is a real forcefor good in our local community. PSS colleagues fromHuman Resources forged a partnership with localcommunity organisations in Hulme and Ardwick toset up “The Works”, which provides support to getlocal unemployed people into work, and one in 50 PSS staff now serves as a governor at local schools.

Many readers of UniLife will know the names and befamiliar with the work of PSS colleagues in their own

School, Faculty or Directorate, but they may not know,or rarely think about the other, often ‘unseen’ PSScolleagues who clean and maintain our buildings,make the sandwiches, prepare the contracts, install thesoftware and are there to offer support and guidanceto students when they are having a difficult time.

One of our challenges is the scale and diversity ofour PSS operation, which reflects the size andcomplexity of the University itself. In supporting theUniversity, for example, every year we have to pay250,000 invoices, manage 50,000 rooms and 8,400study bedrooms, run 4,800 separate examinations,provide individual counselling for 2,200 students and staff, handle 33,000 job applications, deal with19,500 stories in the press, respond to 450 Freedomof Information enquiries, facilitate 1,000 conferencesand events and serve 100,000 sausages and 65,000litres of soup to our hungry students and staff!

You can find more fascinating facts and figuresabout our services at:www.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/pss-facts

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With students at the Stargazing LIVE transmission

With Dr Andrew Robinson at the Investing in Success event

Contents2 Message from the President

4 News

11 Research

15 Features

22 What’s On

24 Making a Difference

Front cover: Faculty of Engineering andPhysical Sciences apprentices.

Photo by Jason Lock

ResearchCoronation Street star’s cancer mission

FeatureInspiring researchers of the future

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We have been working hard over the past two years to bring all these teams, local and central,specialist and general, office-based and manual,together as ‘one PSS’ and to build a team that offers a professional and seamless service. We arebeginning to hear from colleagues in surveys andfeedback that they are seeing an improvement inhow ‘joined-up’ our services are.

That is a good start, but there are still furtherchanges that we need to make. In any organisationof this scale, there is always much more that can be done. Our focus during the coming year is on the improvement of key processes and we have selected five specific processes – staff recruitmentand appointment; timetabling; attendancemonitoring; points-based system and purchase topay; where we know that we can do better andmake real improvements.

We are also finding new and more efficient ways todeliver many of our core services and as a result theoverall cost of the PSS is declining in absolute terms

and as a proportion of University expenditure, which is helping us to release valuable funds toinvest in new services to support our staff andstudents. We recognise that despite our size, we can’tdo everything ourselves and, therefore, we work withexternal partners to deliver some of these services.

Of course, there are many challenges for the PSS,and one of the key areas for development in 2014will be creating better working partnerships betweenPSS and academic colleagues. The University cannotfunction without its academic staff or its PSS staff,but this level of interdependency is not alwaysrecognised. The recent Staff Survey suggested thatPSS staff don’t always feel as valued as their academiccolleagues. We have set up a group to examine thisand make recommendations.

The achievements of our PSS colleagues areincreasingly being recognised outside of theUniversity. Over the past few months, we’ve won a Times Higher Education (THE) award for “The Works”; two Green Gown awards (one of

them in an international category) for our SchoolGovernor initiative; a Chartered Institute of PublicRelations Pride award for our Staff Survey campaignand both a Gold Cardiac Smart Award and NationalHeart Safe Award for our work providingdefibrillators across the campus and training morethan 500 staff in basic life support skills.

The success of our PSS colleagues in these awards is a clear signal that our University is a place whereideas are encouraged and things get done, while also recognising that as in almost all areas of ouractivity, we face challenges and areas of improvement.

Professor Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor

Will Spinks, Registrar, Secretary and Chief Operating Officer

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On the Stargazing set

News

Manchester winsnational doctoraltraining centresThe University has been chosen to host five newnational Centres for Doctoral Training (CDT) inscience and engineering.

The funding – from the Engineering and PhysicalSciences Research Council (EPSRC) and NaturalEnvironment Research Council (NERC) – will targetareas vital to economic growth.

The four EPSRC CDTs awarded to Manchester are in ‘power networks’, ‘next generation nuclear’,‘science and applications of graphene and relatednanomaterials’ and ‘regenerative medicine’, while a new £8 million training centre aimed at helpingthe oil and gas sector put environmental science atthe heart of responsible management of the planetwas announced by NERC.

The University is also one of the universities to sharein £100 million of new investment in 15 DoctoralTraining Partnerships (DTPs) for environmentalscience PhD students.

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The economist Professor Jim O’Neill - whocoined the term BRIC economies back in 2001,predicting that Brazil, Russia, India and Chinawould become future powerhouses of theworld economy - has been appointed HonoraryProfessor of Economics.

Brought up in Gatley, Manchester and a life-long Manchester United fan, he worked for Goldman Sachs Group between 1995 and2013. He was Chairman of Goldman SachsAsset Management and the firm’s ChiefEconomist from 2001 to 2011.

He has recently presented four programmes onBBC Radio Four on what he predicts will be thenext group of growing economies – coining anew acronym “MINT,” which stands for Mexico,Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey.

Renownedeconomist joinsUniversity

ony Thornley has received the University’sMedal of Honour, the highest award theUniversity can bestow, for his work to developand lead the North American Foundation for

The University of Manchester (NAFUM) and hiscontinuous commitment to the University.

Tony (BSc (Hons) Chemistry 1967) has been involvedwith the University for many years in his roles asPresident of the NAFUM board (2007–2013) andnow in his role as a Director of the board; as well

as being an active and committed member of theUniversity’s Global Leadership Board (GLB).

Tony and his wife Gillian’s support for the Universityhas included funding for Masters students; seedfunding for a highly innovative partnership withHarvard in the area of regenerative medicine; and most recently a landmark gift to support a newChair and clinical Fellow in Regenerative Medicine.

Tony said: “Being involved with the outstandingleaders of the University over the past ten years has

been very rewarding and receiving the Medal ofHonour from Professor Nancy Rothwell was humbling.

“Gillian and I have been very fortunate in our livesand want to give back where we can.

“Donations also help students who would otherwisenot be able to enjoy the Manchester experience andthose students both local and from around the worldenrich the experience for everyone involved.”

Professor Nancy Rothwell with Tony and Gillian Thornley

Professor Jim O’Neill

Honour for ourStatesidechampion

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irector of Whitworth ArtGallery Maria Balshaw hascurated the Selfridges Festivalof Imagination, featuring a

series of talks with some of the UK’smost successful artists, writers,musicians, actors and innovators, a host of workshops and Pop-upWhitworth – an in-store version ofManchester’s gallery in the park.

The festival runs until Wednesday, 19 February and plays host to giant of British sculpture and photographyRichard Wentworth, interior designerBen Kelly, whose client list includes the Hacienda nightclub and reads like a Who’s Who of British art andculture, and multi-award winningauthor Jeanette Winterson.

Book via 0161 838 0610 or email FOIManchester@selfridges.co.uk

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Colleagues celebrate New Yearwith Queen’s honour

Lenox Green, Postgraduate Office Administrator inthe School of Maths, was awarded an OBE for hisvoluntary work helping youngsters, families andhomeless people in Manchester.

Twenty years ago, Lenox and wife Heather re-mortgaged their home to set up the RainbowChristian Centre in Hulme, now open four days aweek and offering support and inspiration for thelocal community such as helping families withhousing, benefits, education and a weekly food bank.

Professor Carole Anne Goble, from the School ofComputer Science, has been made a CBE for herservices to science.

Carole is a leading authority on the Semantic Web -a means of enriching the Web with knowledge -having an impact on bioinformatics, e-Science, open science and applied computer science.

Professor Douglas Kell, from the School ofChemistry and the Manchester Institute ofBiotechnology, has been awarded a CBE for hisservices to science and research.

Douglas is a leading figure in the field of systemsbiology, the multidisciplinary approach to tacklingcomplex biological problems using theory, computer modelling and experimentation.

Balshaw curates star-studded festival

The Queen’s New Year Honours list has included some of our University colleagues.

Pop-up Whitworth at Selfridges (Jacob Epstein’s Genesis). Photo by Joe Gardner

News

Celebrating ourpassion and innovation

he University celebrated the innovative ideas of its staff, brought to life by the £1.3 million career development project‘Investing in Success.’

More than 150 projects – including a gadget to enthuse children about computer science, a national campaign to help young cancersufferers and a mobile phone app allowing ourstudents to give immediate feedback to theirlecturers – were set up by the pilot schemedesigned to boost staff development andbenefit the University.

And 30 of them were on display for the Senior Leadership Team and managers to seehow the funding was well spent.

President and Vice-Chancellor Professor NancyRothwell was impressed: “I could not have imaginedwhen we launched this pilot fund how our staffwould respond with such passion and enthusiasm.The quality of the applications was very high.”

‘Investing in Success’ was launched in November2011. The funds - up to £15,000 per project - wereawarded to staff irrespective of their grade or length

of service; the project simply had to be innovativeand make them better teachers, researchers,managers, professionals and support staff.

Director of Human Resources Karen Heaton, who hosted the event, said: “It was a tremendoussuccess and provided an opportunity for participantsto showcase their varied, interesting and impressiveprojects. Everyone I spoke to was very enthusiastic.”

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Devine at the tophe University has appointed Professor Fiona Devine OBE to the role of Head of Manchester Business School (MBS).

Fiona, awarded an OBE for Services to SocialSciences in 2010 and elected to the Academy ofSocial Sciences in 2011, took over as Acting Head of Manchester Business School in September fromher previous role as Head of the School of SocialSciences (2009-13).

Her research focuses on social stratification andmobility, work and employment, and politics andparticipation from a comparative US/UKperspective. Fiona is also Co-Director of theCentre for Research on Socio-Cultural Changehere in Manchester.

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University champion rememberedmemorial service was held at ManchesterCathedral for Sir John Zochonis, who diedin November at the age of 84.

Sir John donated millions of pounds to goodcauses across the region.

He served on the Victoria University of Manchester’sCourt and Council for over 20 years and was Chair of Council from 1987-1990. The Councilminutes pay tribute to his ‘intuitive understandingof and sympathy with academic aspirations andstudent needs’.

To mark his contribution, the University awardedhim an honorary degree in 1991 and named

the Zochonis Building on Brunswick Street in his honour.

Sir John was always passionate about supportinglocal young people. At the University, he instigatedthe Zochonis Special Enterprise Fund which providestravel awards for students to undertake projects orspecial study. His most recent gifts were for ZochonisScholarships which support local young people fromdisadvantaged backgrounds to study for a degree.

Sir John was an industrialist, synonymous with theImperial Leather soap brand through the distinguishedfamily business now known as PZ Cussons.

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Karen Heaton and Alistair Revell

Professor Fiona Devine OBE

Shama Chaudhary speaks to colleagues

Sir John Zochonis (third left, standing)

Manchester academic scoopsNHS innovation prize

he stars were out at Jodrell Bank Observatoryonce again when it hosted the fourth seriesof Stargazing LIVE, the BBC’s hugely-popularspace exploration show broadcast live from

the University’s iconic location.

Hosted by our own Professor Brian Cox and comedianDara O Briain, the astronomy extravaganza – whichaims to encourage everyone from the complete

beginner to the enthusiastic amateur to make the most of the night sky – was watched by 13 million viewers over three nights.

The series featured Professor Tim O’Brien and hiscolleagues racing against the clock to get scientificobservations of a rare ‘Einstein ring’ made withthe eMERLIN network in time for the final show.

And this year’s series also had an offshoot -CBeebies Stargazing, a special mini-seriesintroducing children to the wonders of the nightsky and the universe.

• The award-winning Jodrell Bank DiscoveryCentre looks set to expand thanks to a£250,000 donation by the WolfsonFoundation. The Discovery Centre has proved a huge hit with visitors since opening in 2011,attracting more than 140,000 people last yearalone. The Wolfson Foundation grant will paytowards a new Star Pavilion to complement theexisting Planet and Space Pavilions.

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niversity researchers and their industrypartners have unveiled the world’ssmallest mobile phone - that’s also atracking device that allows parents to

keep a remote eye on their children.

Professor Patrick Gaydecki’s team, Antony Bartonand Sheheera Ismail, at the School of Electricaland Electronic Engineering, and Manchester-basedcompany KMS presented their “first of its kind”GPS tracker (pictured) at the CES gadget show inLas Vegas.

Worn on the wrist, the phone has integrated GPS that has just one button. It works like apanic button: when pressed, it dials a series of pre-programmed phone numbers until it gets ananswer from a human, automatically detectinganswer machines and skipping to the nextnumber in the list.

It automatically answers incoming calls and theGPS chip also allows parents or carers to trackthe wearer on a map using a website orsmartphone app.

In its final stage of development, it is expected to be ready for production later this year.

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researcher in Biostatics has helped an NHS Trust team scoop an NHS InnovationChallenge Award.

Dr Stephan Rudolfer, Honorary Research Fellow atthe Centre for Biostatistics, Institute of PopulationHealth, was part of the successful East KentHospitals University NHS Trust team which wonthe accolade and £50,000 prize money.

Dr Rudolfer and the team set up a websitefor Carpal Tunnel Syndrome sufferers,whose nervous system problem causesnumbness and pain in the hands. Thisincludes a self-diagnosis questionnairewhose results can filter referrals to dedicated‘one-stop’ clinics, reducing NHS costs.

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he University and the National NuclearLaboratory (NNL) have been awarded £8 million to establish a Nuclear Fuel Centreof Excellence (NFCE).

The new Centre will work with fuel manufacturersand others to play a leading role in the optimisationof current fuel designs and the development ofadvanced fuels for new reactor systems.

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Researchersshowcase‘world’s smallestphone’ - andtracking deviceJodrell Bank the

star once again

Jodrell Bank Observatory controller Kim Mance

Professor Nancy Rothwell with Professor Brian Cox

£8 million fornuclear research

News

A passion for our past

idden artefacts and fascinating stories were unearthed when more than 1,000staff, students and alumni took part in asurvey asking how the University should

look at its past.

Newly appointed University Historian James Hopkinsasked how we should approach our University’s pastat open meetings for staff and students and on anonline survey for alumni, to help shape priorities fora University History and Heritage strategy.

James said: “This fantastic response showed howpassionate our University community is about our past.

“Hidden artefacts and archives came to light andcan now be properly looked after, retired staff cameforward to share some fascinating stories and wereceived a flurry of letters and photos from ouralumni all over the world.”

Find out about volunteering opportunities:heritage@manchester.ac.uk

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esearch by a graphene scientist has beenincluded in the top 10 breakthroughs inphysics in 2013, as judged by PhysicsWorld magazine.

Dr Roman Gorbachev was highly commendedfor research he and his team carried out into the first measurement of Hofstadter’s butterflyin a solid-state system.

The recognition, jointly awarded to Philip Kim of Columbia University and Pablo Jarillo-Herreroand Ray Ashoori at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was part of research Dr Gorbachev was leading combining graphene with other 2D materials.

The groups demonstrated that graphene, when combined with materials such as boronnitride, paves the way for vast new areas ofscientific discovery and previously unheard-ofapplications.

Dr Gorbachev added: “It is a great honour for our work to be included in the top 10 physicsbreakthroughs of the year, and is testament to the curiosity-driven science we undertake at The University of Manchester.”

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Graphene research in top10 physics breakthroughs

rofessor Maj-Britt Mosegaard Hansen,from the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, has been elected Fellowof the Royal Danish Academy of

Sciences and Letters.

The specialist in French language andlinguistics, based in the Division of Linguisticsand English Language, said she was delightedto be honoured by the Danish equivalent ofthe British Academy.

The Academy was founded in 1742 by thethen secretary of state Count Johan LudvigHolstein and the history professor HansGram. The Academy has approximately 250 national and 260 foreign members.

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Prestigiousfellowship forManchesterProfessor

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Dr James Hopkins

Dr Roman Gorbachev

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he roof is now on the stunning new extensionand major redevelopment of Whitworth ArtGallery after a “topping out” ceremony.

The gallery is set to re-open in September 2014,following a £15 million transformation supported bya major Heritage Lottery Fund grant as well as theUniversity and other funders.

This will reconnect the Gallery with the surroundingWhitworth Park, as originally conceived, double thepublic space and create new facilities for visitorsincluding expanded gallery spaces, learning studioand a café nestling amongst the trees in the park.

An additional £1.8 million grant has been agreed by Arts Council England to complete the

reorganisation and refurbishment of the existing19th century building, to reveal previously hiddenarchitectural details.T

A new weekly support campaign for both staffand students is being launched this month.

Wellbeing Wednesdays will see free activities to promote our physical and mental healthacross campus.

Set up by the Wellbeing Action Group – a collaboration between Sport, CounsellingService, Equality and Diversity, HR, the Students’Union and The Atrium – it will include: swimming,yoga, meditation, MOT health checks and more.

Visit www.sport.manchester.ac.uk/wellbeing.

Weekly boostto wellbeing

Artist’s impression of Whitworth Art Gallery redevelopment

Whitworth gets its crowning glory

he Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences is continuing to build on the University’scommitment to social responsibility with a new Co-ordinating Centre for Public

Involvement and Engagement in Research andTeaching/Learning, launched last month.

The Centre aims to become a “one stop shop” forinformation, advice, networking and opportunities

regarding engagement and involvement across allaspects of the Faculty’s work and is aimed at bothresearchers and the public.

Dr Bella Starling, Director of Public Programmes, said: “Having a Co-ordinating Centre will help ensurethat all research taking place within the Facultymeaningfully takes into account patient perspectivesin order to produce research of the highest quality.”

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Patient perspectiveis key to new centre

Kate Dack, Public Programmes Manager, Nowgen; Dr Bella Starling, Director of Public Programmes, Nowgen; Dr John Baker, Faculty Academic Lead for Engagement and Involvement, FMHS; Professor Chris Cutts, Associate Deanfor Social Responsibility, FMHS and Kerin Bayliss, Patient Involvement and Research Project Manager, Nowgen.

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Diamonds are foreverat Manchester Museum

anchester Museum has reached new heights of bling thanks to thedonation of diamonds and other minerals.

The collection belonged to the eminent University of Manchestermineralogist, Professor R A Howie, who worked at the University for many years.He passed away in 2012, leaving his collection to the Museum.

The collection of over 300 minerals includes gold, opals and other treasures from around the world.

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anchester Business School has opened itsnew office space in China to praise from ahost of stakeholders, from students to theBritish Council.

The Centre, located in the central business district of Shanghai and equipped with first-class facilitiesfor staff, visitors and students, occupies more than1,000 square metres – four times larger than theprevious office – to accommodate the growingstudent body in the city.

Paul Chin, finance director of Fenner China, who hasstudied at the Centre, said: “This is absolutely great!The workshop room is very spacious and comfortable,which has enhanced our learning experience.”

In his keynote speech at the opening ceremony, Matt Burney, Area Director of the British Council, said the development and achievements made byMBS are a role model for British education overseasand he expects more Sino-UK education projectsand cultural cooperation in the future.

• MBS’ China Centre has received the OutstandingContribution to the China Education IndustryAward at the annual sohu.com educationceremony in Beijing, and the Best InternationalCooperative Partner Award from Shanghai JiaoTong University. Both awards reflect MBS’increasing influence and reputation in China sincetheir first Centre opening in Shanghai in 2008.

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China Centre Director Sherry Fu

New start in ShanghaiSherry Fu, China Centre Director, said: “The newcentre was carefully designed by combining westernand eastern styles together with the overall style of MBS in the UK. We are committed to providingworld-class business education opportunities to the Chinese people and continuously making acontribution to society and development of regional education.”

Representatives from MBS partner institutions –Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Tongji University– together with senior executives from majormultinational companies also attended the event.

Vice-President of The University of ManchesterProfessor Keith Brown, Head of ManchesterBusiness School Professor Fiona Devine and Chief Global Officer Nigel Banister also made the trip to China to attend the ceremony.

They and Sherry Fu are pictured opening the ‘digital doors’ of the Centre.

News

Research

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Coronation Street star’s cancer missionoronation Street actress Julie Hesmondhalgh– who plays pancreatic cancer patient Hayley Cropper – visited the University on a fact-finding mission to look at work being

done by scientists to fight the disease.

Julie, who is calling for more funding to supportresearch into pancreatic cancer, met scientistsworking on a two-year study, funded by the nationalcharity, the Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund (PCRF).

Julie’s character Hayley was diagnosed withinoperable pancreatic cancer and given six monthsto live in the soap back in September. Since then shehas met dozens of families who have lost loved-ones

to the cancer and joined a campaign calling formore funding for research.

Julie met Professor Richard Marais, who heads theresearch carried out in the University’s PatersonBuilding, and Professor Caroline Dive, from theClinical and Experimental Pharmacology Group,whose £150,000 research project is analysing straytumour cells that circulate in the blood. She hopes it will pave the way to profiling the molecularcharacteristics of patients’ pancreatic tumours froma single blood test.

Julie said: “Pancreatic cancer has the worst survival rate of any common cancer – only three in every

100 people diagnosed will live beyond five years and we need to see more investment so thatscientists, like the ones I’ve met today in Manchester,can continue to make steps forward to find ways tofight this disease.”

• Scientists from the Faculty of Life Sciences believe they have discovered a new way to make chemotherapy treatment more effective for pancreatic cancer patients. A team, led by Dr Jason Bruce, believes they have found atreatment that selectively kills pancreatic cancerwhile sparing healthy cells which could maketreatment more effective.

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Ribbons of graphene

esearchers have helped demonstrate thatlong ribbons of graphene can be made.

Writing in Nature Chemistry, researchers, led by Dr Cinzia Casiraghi and her group, confirmedthat these ribbons, called GNRs, are structurally well-defined and have excellent charge-carrier mobility.This could allow graphene to be used in transistors.

Dr Casiraghi said: “The GNRs produced can allowdevelopment of graphene-based transistors, but alsoas an active material in solar cells, chemical sensorsand as novel energy storage material.”

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Speaking languagesgood for kids

ew research on schoolchildren showsthe more languages they speak, the better they can speak them.

The School Language Survey, a new methoddeveloped at the University, was carried outby the University’s Multilingual Manchesterproject, led by Professor Yaron Matras.

According to Professor Matras, the surveyhas a powerful potential to change ourunderstanding of the role of heritagelanguages in schools and communities.

Also according to the research, maintaininga home language has no adverse effect atall on children’s proficiency in English.

Pupils of minority and immigrantbackground who scored high on theproficiency test for their home language alsoshowed high scores for English proficiency.

The 531 children in two primary and twosecondary schools in Manchester spoke 48 different languages, including Urdu,Somali, Arabic and Romani.

NNew risk markers for arthritis

niversity researchers have helped discover afurther 42 genetic markers associated withrheumatoid arthritis in the largestinternational study to date on the topic.

The Manchester team, led by Professor JaneWorthington, joined others in seven countries to

examine over 10 million genetic markers in over100,000 individuals, 29,880 of whom haverheumatoid arthritis.

The 42 markers adds to the 61 that were alreadyknown about.

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(l-r) Dr Mahmood Ayub, funding campaigner Maggie Watts, Coronation Street’s Julie Hesmondhalgh, CEO of the Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund Maggie Blanks and Professor Caroline Dive

Research

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£1.8 millionboost toleukaemiaresearch

cientists have been awarded a £1.8 milliongrant by the blood cancer charity Leukaemiaand Lymphoma Research, to improvetreatments for leukaemia patients.

Professor Tony Whetton will lead the five-yearproject which aims to develop new treatmentsthat are more effective at seeking out anddestroying leukaemia cells.

Leukaemia patients produce large amounts ofabnormal white blood cells that accumulate inthe bone marrow and hinder the production ofother important blood cells.

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Religion can combatdelinquency

eople who regularly visit a place of worshipare less likely to be involved in low level crimeand delinquency, according to new research.

The project, led by PhD student Mark Littler andfunded by the Bill Hill Charitable Trust, involved theanalysis of new survey data and in-depth qualitative interviews with young members of the UK’s major faiths.

The study used eight measures of delinquency:littering, skipping school/work, using illegal drugs,fare dodging, shoplifting, music piracy, propertydamage and violence against the person.

Mark said: “These results suggest a more positivepicture of Britain’s religious life than the doom andgloom you might read about it in the newspapers.

“But they are not necessarily a blow to theproponents of atheism. Other, more secular,activities may equally serve a similar role.”

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Backing for risk-reductioncancer surgery

anchester researchers have foundthat women with a high risk ofbreast cancer who have any formof risk-reducing surgery have an

increased survival compared to thosedeciding against such an operation.

Women who carry a fault in one of twohigh-risk genes known as BRCA1 or BRCA2have an increased risk of dying from breastand/or ovarian cancer.

“Life expectancy was almost normalised in those that underwent surgery butsubstantially reduced in those who didnot,” said Professor Gareth Evans, from the Institute of Cancer Sciences, part ofManchester Cancer Research Centre.

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Diabetic Muslims in Ramadan dilemma

ritish Muslims with diabetes mayavoid attending GP surgeries todiscuss fasting during the holy monthof Ramadan – with potentially serious

consequences for their future health.

The first study in the UK to explore thebeliefs which influence the experience andpractices of British Muslims’ diabetesmanagement found tensions often existbetween observing the important religiousritual in accordance with their faith and theneed to manage their health.

Lead author Dr Neesha Patel, from theFaculty of Medical and Human Sciences,said the study showed British Muslims with diabetes would like support and advice from their GP on fasting safely,providing their GP was trained andunderstood the significance of Ramadan for Muslims with diabetes.

Short-term risks of fasting include poordiabetes control and dehydration. Longer-term risks include a reduced quality of life and increase in mortality.

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Leukaemia cells under the microscope

Dr Neesha Patel

Stockings betterthan bandages

eg ulcers take the same time to heal whetherpatients wear compression stockings ortraditional bandages, research by the Schoolof Nursing shows.

But researchers also found less ulcer recurrence afterusing the stockings and that patients required fewernurse visits, making stockings better value formoney for the NHS.

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iant moa bird (Dinornis robustus, literallymeaning ‘robust strange bird’) may not haveactually had robust bones, according to newresearch by the Faculty of Life Sciences.

The leg bones of one of the tallest birds that everexisted were actually rather like those of its modernrelatives, such as ostrich and emu, the study bybiomechanics researcher Charlotte Brassey shows.

It found that the largest of the moa species had legbones similar to those of modern flightless birds that

can run fast, whereas a much smaller species of moa – from a different family – had anextremely robust skeleton.

To find out whether the leg bones were overlythick and strong, the researchers first had towork out how heavy the birds were in life. They also applied an engineering techniqueknown as Finite Element Analysis (FEA) toestimate how robust the moa really were.

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First nationalreport intochild injurycare

oys are twice as likely as girls to suffersevere injury according to a study byTARNLET, the paediatric component of the University’s Trauma Audit and

Research Network.

The group also found the busiest times inhospitals were weekends and early evenings andthe commonest cause of injury in kids is a roadtraffic accident, either as a pedestrian orpassenger. Falls from a height are also a majorcause of severe injury.

The figures come from the first national report onthe nature and outcome of trauma managementfor children in England and Wales. It also foundmore than 4,700 children under the age of 16suffered significant injuries in 2012.

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Immigrantsface povertytrap

ew analysis reveals a shocking one inthree Bangladeshis and Pakistanis inEngland and Wales lived in a deprivedneighbourhood at the time of the 2011

Census, as defined by the government.

In contrast, only one in twelve of the Census’sWhite British group lived in deprivedneighbourhoods.

Dr Stephen Jivraj from the School of SocialSciences, with Dr Omar Khan from theRunnymede Trust, say all ethnic minority groupsare more likely to live in deprived neighbourhoodsthan the White British majority.

The non-white ethnic groups have unemploymentrates in deprived and other neighbourhoodswhich are double that of white groups,suggesting they face employment disadvantagewherever they live.

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Extinct robust birdsnot so tough

Funding fornerve-repairkit trial

biodegradable nerve repair tool – with the potential to help accidentvictims restore feeling in their limbs byimproving repair of severed nerves

– has been devised by scientists in the Institute of Inflammation and Repair and theSchool of Materials.

The nerve repair kit works by creating an artificialnerve pathway or conduit to guide nerve fibres

across the gap between nerve endings, caused bya gash or laceration, towards muscle or skin.

It then safely degrades within the body after the healing process is completed.

A Conduit or nerve pathway

Teaching, Learning and Students

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grandmother has picked up her University of Manchester degree alongside her proudgranddaughter, 70 years after she finishedstudying.

Gene Hetherington (formerly Helen Georgine Jones),90, received her BA in Commerce on 3 August1943, but because of the war was unable to attendthe graduation ceremony.

The graduate studied from 1940 to 1943, but wentstraight to help the war effort after she finished.Working in the ministry of aircraft productionfounded by Lord Beaverbrook, she audited aircraftfactories manufacturing Wellington bombers.

She subsequently followed a career as a Lewis’sbuyer and led a busy family life, so never found the time to attend a graduation ceremony.

She said: “The ceremony was wonderful and I wasso pleased to see my granddaughter Rachel receiveher degree, for which she worked so hard.”

Her 23-year-old granddaughter Rachel, who studiedfor a Master’s degree in Law, attended the samegraduation ceremony at the University’s historicWhitworth Hall.

Rachel said: “I have enjoyed my time at Manchesterand I was very proud to share my graduationceremony with my grandmother.

“I cannot imagine that many people can claim tohave done that!”

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Grandmothergraduates after70-year wait

he latest Venture Out student ideascompetition – open to all currentstudents and researchers andorganised by the Manchester Business

School – attracted a record 126 entries,with 20 making it through to the final round.

Our students’ innovative ideas, manycreated in collaborative projects, includedan anti-theft bike rack, at-home clinicalsupport for people with autism and bodyarmour made out of graphene.

The winners were:

Business: Kuok Si Nok (School of Languages,Arts and Culture) and Qiuhao Xu (ManchesterBusiness School) – anti-theft bike rack.

Graphene: Uybach Vo, Stanislava Panovaand Eve Blumson (Faculty of Life Sciences) –turning seawater into energy bydesalinating and extracting precious ions.

Social: Kuok Si Nok and Qiuhao Xu – a home refurbishment project to help theunderprivileged.

Technology: Daniel Jamieson (Faculty ofLife Sciences) and Radu Nedelcu (School ofComputer Science) – a biomedical dataextraction and maintenance company.

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Bright ideasboost

anuary is a tough month with its post-Christmasblues and miserable weather. And some of ourstudents face the hard blast of exams too.

But this year the Main Library hosted LibraryWellbeing: eight days of free wellbeing activities tohelp students manage exam stress such as Tai Chi,massage and revision clinics. Feedback for the event

– inspired by last year’s entries into the Eureka!Library Innovation Challenge – was excellent.

Dr Tim Westlake, Director for the StudentExperience, said: “Library Wellbeing is an excellentinitiative that contributes towards supportingstudents and enabling them to make the most oftheir University of Manchester experience.”

JStress-busting support for students

post-graduate cancer researchstudent is hoping to land a placeon the first manned-mission toMars after being shortlisted

from a list of 202,000 applicants.

Danielle Potter, who is completing a PhD at the Cancer Research UKManchester Institute, is one of 1,058remaining candidates for the plannedmission in 2025.

The 29-year-old will now be testedfurther for the final list of 24 would-be

Mars-dwellers – for what would bea one-way trip to the red planet.

Mars One, a private-funded projectset up in 2011 aims to establishpermanent human life there.

Danielle (pictured) said: “What hasalways driven me with my researchis that hunt to find something new. When I learnt about this opportunityI thought it would be great to be apart of the most historic thing toever happen in our galaxy.”

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On course for Mars mission

Gene Hetherington and her granddaughter Rachel

Feature

Silver-platedsuccess storyThe University has eight Athena Swan awards, given forcommitment to the recruitment,retention and progression ofwomen in science, technology,engineering, medicine andmathematics - five bronze andthree silver. This is a good startbut we need more. So how doyou get your Athena Swan silver?UniLife speaks to ProfessorChristopher Whitehead, Head of the School of Chemistry,which is celebrating itsachievement of just that...

“It was a team effort, started by Professors Paul O’Brienand John Helliwell and technical services managerJohn Robinson, and involving a range of peopleincluding professional services staff, academics,post-doc researchers and postgraduate students,”explains Professor Whitehead.

“Helen Dutton worked very hard organising thewhole application, having been ‘talent-spotted’ by the University, following Chemical Engineering’sSilver win, while Dee-Ann Johnson organised ourhighly successful post-doc forum, among others.

“We looked at what is known as the ‘leaky pipeline’- in which Schools lose staff as they move alongtheir career path - to identify at which stage peoplewere leaving and the reasons why. In our School, wewould start out with 43% women undergraduatesbut by Professorial level that had dropped to 5%. It seemed we lost many between post-graduate andpost-doc levels, in their mid to late 20s, which is thestage when they may want to start a family.

“Our next step was to address that - to stoptalented women believing a career in Chemistry isnot conducive to bringing up a family.

“We increased our family friendly practices, such asholding important meetings and seminars outside ofthe school run hours, so not at 9am or 4pm. And infact, we have lots of members of staff of both sexesaffected by this, fathers who share the school run,so they benefited from this as well.

“We also set up a post-docs forum, helped by theFaculty and which is now self-running. This organisessocial events and career briefings, such as how toapply for Fellowships. We recently held a Women inScience event, involving a cross section of Chemistrygraduates in a range of roles.

“So quite simply we identified the problem, reachedout to those affected, and gave them practical advice.”

He adds: “Fortunately during the period we wereworking towards the Silver, we were able to appointtwo very talented female Professors, MelissaDenecke at the Dalton Nuclear Institute and PerditaBarran. We also now refer to the award on ourstationery, job advertisements and so on, explainingwhat it meant and our commitment to improvingour female retention rate.

“I’m pleased to say that this led to feedback from asixth form student, applying for an undergraduateposition who she said she felt up against it as awomen in terms of succeeding in her chosen field at school and the position at Manchester was goodto see - we had encouraged and inspired her.

“We’re very proud of our efforts and now we havecelebrated our Silver, we are regrouping so we cango for Gold.”

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Professor Melissa Denecke

(l-r) John Helliwell, Cinzia Casiraghi, Dame Julia Higgins, Anna Volota

Feature

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here can’t be many apprenticeships whereyou get to try out your employer’s flightsimulator - but that’s exactly what happenedto our young employees taken on under a

new scheme set up at the Faculty of Engineeringand Physical Sciences.

“I landed perfectly but somehow fell off the edge,”recalls Jasmine Fernley, one of 11 apprentices thatmake up the Faculty’s first intake.

The Faculty is expected to lose 25% of its technicalstaff to retirement in the next five years. The Schoolof Physics and Astronomy alone could lose fourpeople in three years and there’s even a glass blowerwho produces the bespoke vessels needed in theSchool of Chemistry, who will one day pass on hisunique baton.

Back on the flight simulator, Roseanna Byrne“crashed” and Simbiat Sanni was “nowhere nearthe runway”, but for Liam Baguley it was thehighlight of his first four months in post.

Hopefully the simulation of working at “one of thetop universities for science,” as Liam put it, will be amuch smoother ride with tangible and exciting results.

Fulfilling career

All the apprentices were looking for a fulfillingcareer. They spotted the posts - advertised to local youngsters - on the National ApprenticeshipScheme website and, having landed the job, started work in October.

Four of the apprentices, training to be lab technicians,work on campus four days a week and go toTrafford College one day a week. The remainingseven, training to be mechanical technicians, areworking through several modules at the collegebefore starting work on campus later this year.

But all wear Faculty sweatshirts during their workinghours; had an induction and came to the FacultyChristmas party - so they are in every sensemembers of staff.

“I have really enjoyed all the activities, setting upequipment, making different concentrations ofchemicals, and going round the different Schoolsand seeing what they all do,” Simbiat, 18, fromNew Moston, says.

“It has been much easier than I thought getting to know the staff here,” Jasmine, 20, from Ashton-under-Lyne, adds. “They are so friendly and helpful and accepting of us.”

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Apprentices ‘take off’on their new career

(l-r) Harry Chadwick, Scott Butterworth, Harris Maudsley, Joshua Major, Matthew Coffey, Jacob Skelly, Jake Cartwright

Matthew Coffey training on the lathe

The Faculty of Engineering andPhysical Sciences is expected to losea quarter of its technical staff toretirement in the next five years. So Head of School Administration inthe School of Physics and AstronomyColin Baines and his network oftechnical managers took on 11 youngapprentices. UniLife found out howthey were getting on…

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Shining stars

Colin Baines, Head of School Administration in theSchool of Physics and Astronomy, who set thescheme up with his technical managers network, is rightly proud of the scheme - and the apprenticesand their mentors in the Faculty.

“I started the technical mangers network so wecould all discuss what was happening across theFaculty, down to what equipment was around, in our various Schools,” Colin explains.

“The apprentice scheme was borne out of that. We had apprenticeship schemes before but wedidn’t really take sufficient care of them - we wouldbring them in, they would go into one School andlearn how to use one or two machines in a bigmachine shop, and that was it; they didn’t movearound the Schools or see what was happening inthe rest of the University.

“This scheme is different - we are taking theapprentices around the Faculty so they can see whatthe different Schools do in all areas of our businessand we are making sure they are fully trained beforewe expect them to be a positive resource.

“I researched apprenticeships elsewhere, with visitsto Bentley in Crewe and GE Energy in Kidsgrove, tosee what worked best.

“We’re also very happy with Trafford College’s input,who won the contract after getting a unanimousvote from the technical managers network.

“The network has been key, they have been shining stars. We worked really hard to get thisdone, and to a tight schedule, because we reallybelieved in it.

“We had to make sure the whole Faculty had buy in - we needed that for it to succeed - and our staffhave proved great mentors.

“I am very proud of the result.”

Buzzing campus

Colin started work as a technician at Jodrell Bankand spent 24 years there, working his way throughthe ranks, before taking a post on campus, and feelsthe apprentices reflect that career pathway. They havecome to address a pressing need at the Universityand will have the hands-on, practical training thatwill make them a real asset to us.

They in turn will come to work on a buzzing campusand enjoy a fulfilling career in a Faculty that boastsin excess of 20 Nobel Prize winners amongst itsformer and current staff in a world-leading institution.

The flight simulator was only the start of it!

Harris Maudsley making a component

(l-r) Jasmine Fernley, Liam Baguley, Simbiat Sanni and (sitting) Roseanna Byrne

Liam Baguley at work in the lab

Faculty of Engineering andPhysical Sciences Apprentices

Jake Cartwright

Jacob Skelly

Harry Chadwick

Harris Maudsley

Scott Butterworth

Matthew Coffey

Joshua Major

Roseanna Byrne

Jasmine Fernley

Simbiat Sanni

Liam Baguley

Feature

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Inspiring researchers of the futureOur researchers always aimto make an impact on theworld we live in, throughtheir investigations into theissues and subjects thatinfluence our lives. But thereis another, very interestingway they can do this – byinspiring the youngsterswho will be the researchersof the future. UniLife looksat how a year-old,Government-fundedprogramme does just that…

Altrincham Grammar School for Girls

Ashton-on-Mersey School

Cheadle Hulme High School

Fallibroome Academy

Loreto College

Loreto High School

Manchester Creative and Media Academy

Sir John Deane’s College

St Ambrose Barlow RC High School

Trinity High School

Our partner schools

he University of Manchester ResearchGateway for Schools and Colleges helpsour researchers inspire, mentor and eventrain youngsters by supporting their direct

engagement with schools.

The University set up the programme a year ago,having won its bid for Government funding to becomeone of a small number of Research Councils UK (RCUK)centres to create and build partnerships betweenuniversities and secondary schools and colleges.

It involves a host of activities bringing togetherresearchers, teachers and school students.

Its foundation projects for youngsters, covering a wide range of subject areas that represent thediverse research profile of the University, include:

Extended Project Qualifications (EPQs), led by Dr Louise Walker and Kate Dack, are practicalprojects designed for A-level students to allow them to plan and undertake self-directed projects,supervised by tutors.

For example, at Nowgen, students are working with University researchers to develop their ownunique project that involves a model piloted here in Manchester that uses a technique called DNAbarcoding (using a short sequence of DNA toidentify plants and animals and can be used toinvestigate many biological questions).

Fastbleep Pharmacy, led by Dr David Allison, is atrilogy of workshops and a half day at the School of Pharmacy where school students will interactwith young researchers and mimic pharmaceuticalindustry research processes.

Knowledge exchange: Investigating researchtogether, led by Menaka Munro and Dr EmilyRobinson, couples researchers from across theUniversity with the collections at ManchesterMuseum, the Whitworth Art Gallery, and JohnRylands Library to bring current research to life in a powerful and unique manner. Teachers andstudents will be involved in the development of new curriculum-linked sessions.

T Tomorrow’s Citizens: Exploring the Challengesof Humanitarianism, led by Professor Peter Gatrelland Dr Jennifer Carson at the Humanitarian andConflict Response Institute, will see young peopletake part in workshops with leading NGOs, such asMédecins sans Frontières and the InternationalCommittee of the Red Cross.

Geography@Manchester, led by Dr JenniferO’Brien, has geography ambassadors (PhD andundergraduate students) host learners on campus,or travel to schools to run interactive workshops, to disseminate our research to learners.

The programme also invites teachers to participatein seminar sessions delivered by our researchers, so that they can learn about new developments in our research and consider ways in which thosefindings and methods could inform teaching.

It has also included workshops to ‘match’ researchersup with teachers whose students would benefitfrom taking part in the scheme and teacher trainingsessions for researchers, given by teachers whosestudents are hoping to take part, including knottyareas such as classroom management. And it hasrun a session in January in which early-careerresearchers bid for a small amount of funding forcollaborative projects with partner schools in aDragon’s Den-style competition.

The feedback from schools has been enthusiastic,with the sessions making a great impression onyoungsters and their teachers alike.

One teacher said: “It was fantastic! The initiative isjust what we all need in order to inspire our pupils.”

Another expected to have “enormous possibilitiesfor encouraging independent learning”, a skill that’s a major aim and particular challenge forsecondary schools.

And one of our own researchers said it had taughthim a lot: “The project has armed me with skills onhow to present my work in the future.”

Dr Emily Robinson from the Knowledge Exchange

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The project team consists of the Faculties’ AssociateDeans with remits for Social Responsibility, while staffin Widening Participation, Social Responsibility andthe School of Education deliver the programme.

Director of Social Responsibility Julian Skyrme said:“This important programme builds on our long-standing excellence in both wideningparticipation and public engagement with research.

“It will allow us to bring contemporary research to life for young people and develop the skills of our own early-career researchers such ascommunication, creativity and team work.”

And Professor Tim O’Brien, Associate Dean for Social Responsibility in the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences and Principal Investigator for the project, said: “We are delighted to have beenawarded RCUK funding for this project, whichengages young people in local schools with ourresearchers across a wide range of disciplines in thesciences and humanities.”

• For further information contact Project Officer Roz Cooper on rosalyn.v.cooper@manchester.ac.uk

• Visit www.manchester.ac.uk/supi

Faculty of Life Sciences PhD student Ruth Brignall in the lab with school students

Professor Tim O’Brien

Feature

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A meeting with… Jamilla Hawa

Jamilla, Visitor Services Assistant at ManchesterMuseum, started at the University in August2012. She and the team provide visitors withinformation about collections, services, eventsand exhibitions and aim to ensure that visitorsget the best out of their experience.

What’s the best part of your job?

Working for such an interesting and historicinstitution makes it significantly easier to get up in the morning! I also get the opportunity to workwith other departments at the Museum andbecome involved in some very interesting projects.

What would you say to your 16-year-oldself now?

Take more chances and not procrastinate whenmaking decisions; actually, that’s good advicefor my adult self too!

Favourite book, film and TV programme?

I have read To Kill a Mockingbird many timessince first discovering it as a teenager. I can’tthink of a favourite film or televisionprogramme, but I do like classics such as Rebeccaand Great Expectations from the 1940s.

What is your earliest childhood memory?

On Morecambe beach when I was two years old;I was playing with another little girl when Idecided I preferred her pink bucket to my greenone. I claimed it as my own and didn’t even giveher mine to replace it! Oh the shame….

Any interesting hobbies?

I really enjoy walking and getting out into thecountryside with my camera. I also love to write,rock climbing and, because I’m keen to try newthings, I’ve recently taken up ballet!

Any challenges?

Having sound subject knowledge about theMuseum and its objects. It is also essential that weare able to communicate with a diverse audience.

How did you get to the role you have now?

History has fascinated me since childhood. Afterstudying archaeology, I went on to teach Englishand history before completing an MA in MuseumStudies so working in a museum was very much aconscious decision.

Any future projects coming up?

I am currently involved in an outreach project at theMuseum, as I’m interested in improving accessibilityand encouraging socially isolated groups to engagewith cultural institutions. I will also be delivering aprogramme of English sessions using objects fromthe Museum’s collections, which I’m really lookingforward to.

Who would be your ideal dinner party guests?

I would love to have a conversation with: David Attenborough, Henry Mayhew, John Locke,Judith Kerr, Michael Palin, Sister Rosetta Tharpe,Stephen Fry, Ted Hughes and Tony Benn.

University of Manchester academic hasbecome the first UK ‘expert witness’ of rap lyrics in UK murder cases.

When Gangsta Rap lyrics were presented by prosecution counsels as evidence of intent tocommit violence, defence teams approached Dr Eithne Quinn, a rap expert and author of the book,‘Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang: The Culture and Commerceof Gangsta Rap’ (Columbia University Press, 2005).

They asked her to explain why some young menwrite violent rap lyrics and what they mean.

Eithne has now acted as expert witness in threemurder trials at the Old Bailey in London, as well asother cases. Criminal barristers who have workedwith her say that defendants have received fairertrials thanks to her testimony.

In several cases, the Crown contended that the first-person character in the gangsta rap versewritten by defendants should be taken at face value– as an autobiographical statement. They contendedthat the rap lyrics were ‘blueprints’ for violence.

But Eithne rebutted that the defendants were simplymimicking the verse form of famous rap stars. In hermonograph, she had explored the use of the

persona device in gangsta rap. The first-personperspective helps establish all-important streetcredibility. So she finds it worrying that gangsta raplyrics are being increasingly taken literally by theprosecution in serious criminal cases.

Eithne said: “The outlandish personas they adopt drawon narrative traditions of boasting in black folklore.Due to the huge commercial popularity of gangsta rap,they have become very formulaic. Usually, young menwrite these rhymes in the hope of becomingsuccessful rap artists or to entertain their peers.

“Sadly, judges and juries, who aren’t familiar withthe music, may easily conflate rapper and persona.

In the context of a gruesome murder, they couldeven believe that such violent verse is personaltestimony.”

In one 2010 murder case at which Eithne testified,the judge agreed to exclude the violent rap lyricsfrom the case, ruling that the lyrics were moreprejudicial than probative.

Eithne believes that the use in prosecution cases ofsuch lyrics is prejudicial – in both a legal and a racialsense. All of the defendants in the cases in whichshe has testified have been black.

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The Research Excellence Framework –the new system for assessing the qualityof research in UK higher educationinstitutions – asks us to show the impactthat our research has on the world. Here UniLife looks at how our researchersreally are changing the world…

On song for a fair trial

Dr Eithne Quinn

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Listings

What’s On

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ManchesterMuseum

EXHIBITIONS

All exhibitions at The Manchester Museumare FREEFragmentary Ancestors: Figurines fromKoma Land until 5 MayCoral: Something Rich and Strange until6 Mar

FAMILY ACTIVITIES

Most activities are free and drop-in, someactivities may need to be booked and maycost up to £1.50, all ages

Every Sat and Sun, 11-4pmDiscovery CentreDrop into the Discovery Centre for drawingand other art activities inspired by theMuseum’s collection and pick up one of ourfree Museum activity sheets.

Available Sat and Sun 10am or 2pm –bookings one month in advanceNew! Children’s Birthday Parties

Tues 4 and 18 Feb, 10.30am, 11.30am and1pm, Free (booking essential)Baby ExplorersSensory play for babies

Sat 15 Feb, 11-4pmBig Saturday: Birds and Flight

Mon 17–Fri 21 Feb, 11-4pmFebruary Half TermCreate under the sea creatures and mythicalmonsters inspired by the Coral exhibition.

Fri 28 Feb, 10-12.30pm – bookings oneweek in advanceMagic CarpetStorymaking and activity session for under5s and their families/carers.

TALKS, TOURS AND WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS

Every Tues and Thurs, 12pm, FREEVivarium Tours

Every Weds and Thurs, 1pm, FREETaster Tours

Weds 5 Feb, 1.05-2pm, Free (bookingrequired)Collection Bites: The Poetry of Objectswith Dr Melanie Giles

Thurs 6 Feb, 6-8pm, Free (booking required)Scientific Journeys to the Amazonwith Professor Richard Preziosi

Sat 8 Feb, 9.15-4.30pm, £30 (bookingrequired)Sons of Osiris: Men in Ancient Egypt

Sat 22 Feb, 2-4pm, £3 (booking required)Urban Naturalist: Birdsong

Tues 25 Feb, 5.30-6.30pm, FREEManchester Museum Book Club

Thurs 27 Feb, 2-3pm, FREERock Drop: Geology IdentificationSession

Thurs 27 Feb, 6.30-9pm, FREEAfter Hours: Coral

Opening times Open: Tues-Sat 10am-5pmSun-Mon (and Bank Holidays) 11am-4pm

FREE admission

The Manchester Museum, Oxford Road, Manchester 0161 275 2648www.manchester.ac.uk/museum Follow us on Twitter @McrMuseum www.facebook.com/ManchesterMuseum

The Martin HarrisCentre for Musicand Drama

TALKS

Sun 9 Feb, 4pm, £12/ £10Jeanette Winterson “in Conversation”with Russell T Davies

LITERATURE LIVE

Mon 24 Feb, 6.30pm, £6/£4Vona Groarke and Jamie McKendrick

THEATRE AND DRAMA

Tues 4 Feb, 7pm, FREE (suggested £3donation on the door)Save Our NHS Manchester Presents

Weds 5 Feb, 7pm, FREELittle Blue Man – Scratch Performance(A Work in Progress)

Weds 19 Feb – Fri 21 Feb, 7pm,£5.50/£4.50/£4University of Manchester DramaSociety’s Manchester In-Fringe TheatreAwards (MIFTA’s)

Wed 26 Feb, 7.30pm, £5/£3Away From Home

Fri 28 Feb, 7.30pm, £7/£3VADA LGBTQ Community Theatrepresents: Love Notes

FREE LUNCHTIME CONCERTS

Mon 10 Feb, 1.15pmRNCM Monday Recital Series

Thurs 13 Feb, 1.10pmFeatured Artist: Richard Casey (Piano)

Sat 15 Feb, 1.10pmChamber Ensembles

Thurs 20 Feb, 1.10pmTwo-piano concert with Michelle Assayand David Fanning

Mon 24 Feb, 1.15pmRNCM Monday Recital Series

Thurs 27 Feb, 1.10pmQuatuor Danel

Thurs 27 Feb, 2.30pmQuatuor Danel Seminar: The Hot Seat

Mon 3 Mar, 1.15pmRNCM Monday Recital Series

EVENING CONCERTS

Fri 7 Feb, 7.30pm, £13.50/£8/£3Quatuor Danel

Tues 11 Feb, 7.30pm, £10/£6Chetham’s Sinfonia and Ensembles

Fri 14 Feb, 7.30pm, £10/£5/£3Psappha in collaboration with Vaganza

Fri 28 Feb, 7.30pm, £13.50/£8/£3Quatuor Danel

MUSIC SOCIETY CONCERTS

Sat 15 Feb, 7.30pm, £10/£6/£3MUMS Chamber Orchestra andEnsembles

The Martin Harris Centre for Music and DramaBridgeford Street, Manchester, M13 9PL0161 275 8951 email boxoffice@manchester.ac.ukwww.manchester.ac.uk/martinharriscentre

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The Whitworth Art Gallery

Re-opening summer 2014The Whitworth Art Gallery has started anew and exciting chapter in its history. Amajor building project is now taking placeto transform and extend the 120-year-oldgallery, doubling its public areas whilstreducing its carbon footprint and improvingfacilities for visitors.

This new development by architects MUMAwill re-connect the 19th century buildingwith Whitworth Park through an elegantcontemporary extension. The newWhitworth will bring you more art, moreactivities, more events and more space. Itwill be all things our many visitors havealways loved about the Whitworth.

We look forward to welcoming you back insummer 2014.

Watch this space for details of ourforthcoming outreach events...

Whitworth Art GalleryOxford Road, Manchester0161 275 7450email whitworth@manchester.ac.ukwww.manchester.ac.uk/whitworth

Chaplaincies

St Peter’s House Chaplaincy Sunday, 11am Holy Communion12.45pm Lunch (1st Sun)Sunday, 5.30pm Student Service (term-time only)Wednesday 12.15pm Eucharist, followedby free soup lunch (term-time only)

RC Chaplaincy Avila House Mass Times (term-time only)Sun, 7pm (in the Holy Name Church) nextdoor to the ChaplaincyMon, Tues, Thurs and Friday, 5.30pm in theChaplaincy ChapelWeds, 1.05pm in the Chaplaincy Chapel

The Jewish Student Centre andSynagogue07817 250 557Email Rabbi Mati Kos:rabbikos@mychaplaincy.co.uk

Muslim Chaplaincy South Campus Mosque, McDougall CentreJammaat (Group Prayer) Daily Juma Prayer Friday 1.15pm Honorary Imam: Imam Habeeb,h_chatti@hotmail.com

North Campus MosqueBasement of Joule Library, Sackville StreetBuilding Jammaat (Group Prayer) DailyJuma Prayer Friday 12.30pm

The role of Volunteer Muslim Chaplain is toprovide pastoral support, guidance and alistening ear to Muslim staff and students.Chaplains’ contact details are available inthe prayer rooms or via St Peter’s House.

Gig GuideJohn RylandsLibrary (Deansgate)

EXHIBITIONS

8 Feb-23 JunAftermath (exhibition to mark thecentenary of the IWW)

THINGS TO DO

Tues 4 Feb, 2pm (booking required)The Last Day of a Condemned Man

Weds 12 Feb, 12.30pm (booking required)Testaments of Youth

Thurs 13 Feb, 10-3pmConservation in Action/Caring for yourFamily Archive

Fri 14 Feb, 5-7pmGothic Valentine

Tues 25 Feb, 11-4pmWhimsical Weekday Workshop –Jewellery Making

Thurs 27 Feb, 5-7pm‘Thursday Late’ – storytelling for adults

TOURS

Booking required for all tours.

Fri 7 Feb, 10.30am and Tues 18 Feb, 3pm Explorer Tour

Sat 8 Feb, 12pm Here be Dragons

Thurs 20 Feb (every 3rd Thurs of themonth) 12-1pmTour and Treasures

Sun 23 Feb, 3-4pmUnusual Views

For further details of our events, please visitour website

FREE ADMISSION

Public opening times: Sun-Mon 12-5pm,Tues-Sat 10am-5pmReader opening times: Mon-Weds, Fri-Sat10am-5pm, Thurs 10am-7pmThe John Rylands Library 150 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3EH Visitor/Event Enquiries: 0161 306 0555General/Reader Enquiries: 0161 275 3764 Email: jrul.visitors@manchester.ac.ukEmail: jrul.special-collections@manchester.ac.ukwww.library.manchester.ac.uk/specialcollections/

Jodrell BankDiscovery Centre

Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre offers a greatday out for all the family. Come and explorethe planets using our model of the SolarSystem. Find answers to the wonders theUniverse, listen to the sounds of the BigBang and discover what the scientists areresearching ‘Live’ in our interactive SpacePavilion. The glass-walled café offersspectacular views of the iconic Lovelltelescope and fantastic homemade cakes!

EVENTS

Thurs 13 Feb, 7.30pmLovell Lecture – Phil James

Mon 17–Fri 21 Feb, 11.30am, 12.30pm,2.30pm and 3.30pm (bookingrecommended)Kids V’s Grown-ups Science Quiz Show

Weds 26 Feb, 7.30pmTelescopes for the Amateur AstronomerWorkshop

Information:Live from Jodrell Bank websitewww.livefromjodrellbank.com

Tickets: http://ow.ly/hQCFU Tickets include entry to the Discovery Centre.

Opening times10am-5pm

For more information and prices please visitour website Jodrell Bank Discovery CentreMacclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9DL01477 571 766www.jodrellbank.net

InternationalSociety

Visit some of the most beautiful andinteresting locations around England,Scotland and Wales. There are visits takingplace almost every weekend throughoutthe year.

Sat 8 FebStratford-upon-AvonManchester United Stadium

Sun 9 FebCheshire Oaks and Chester

Sat 15 FebOxford (with guided tour)

Sun 16 FebWarwick Castle

Sat 22 to Sun 23 FebOvernight trip to Edinburgh

Sat 22 FebJorvik Viking Festival, York

Sun 23 FebFountain’s Abbey, Keighley SteamRailway and Haworth

Sat 1 to Sun 2 MarOvernight trip to Bath and Stonehenge

Sat 1 MarNorth Lake District – Keswick

Sun 2 MarLiverpool (with guided tour)

Opening times Mon-Fri 9.30am – 7pm (during term time)Mon-Fri 9.30am – 5pm (during vacation)

Small World Café opening timesMon-Fri 11am – 3pm

327 Oxford Road (next to Krobar)0161 275 4959 email int.soc@manchester.ac.ukwww.internationalsociety.org.uk

Tues 4 Feb Ron Pope + Special GuestsWakey! Wakey! + AlexzJohnson - £15

Weds 5 Feb We Are The In Crowd - £12

Little Comets - £11.50

Thurs 6 Feb Protest The Hero - £12

Fri 7 Feb Cassetteboy vs DJ Rubbish- £10

Sat 8 Feb illumiNaughty – MaskedBall Part 2 - £17

Sun 9 Feb The Treatment - £9.50

Mon 10 Feb August Burns Red - £12

Tues 11 Feb Phoenix - £17.50

The Defiled + ButcherBabies + The Killing Lights- £9

Fri 14 Feb Milkill Pane - £9(rescheduled from Wed 16 Oct)

Sat 15 Feb Tich + Mike Dignam - £9.50

Parquet Courts - £13

Mon 17 Feb The Kerrang! Tour 2014featuring Limp Bizkit - £20

Tues 18 Feb Taking Hayley – Farewell Tour (visit www.takinghayley.com for tickets) - FREE

Weds 19 Feb Sonic Boom Six - £10

Fri 21 Feb The Strypes - £12

Twenty One Pilots - £10

M.A.D. - £18.50

Sat 22 Feb Room 94 - £8

MIDNGHT - £8

Laura Cantrell - £17.50

Mon 24 Feb ReConnected - £12.50

Weds 26 Feb Rock Sound ImpericonExposure Tour 2014 – WeCame As Romans + Chunk!No, Captain Chunk! + TheColor Morale + PalmReader - £12

Thurs 27 Feb Black Onassis - £6

Fri 28 Feb Gavin DeGraw - £18

Sat 1 Mar The Dear Hunter andAnthony Green - £13

Temples - £11

Sun 2 Mar Blackberry Smoke - £14

Tickets fromStudents’ Union, Oxford RoadPiccadilly Box Office @ easy Internet Café (c/c) 0871 2200260Royal Court (Liverpool) 0151 709 4321 (c/c)Students’ UnionOxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL0161 275 2930 www.manchesteracademy.net

Manchester Academy 1, 2 and 3

Feature

The University’s strategic planManchester 2020 lists one of ourgoals as contributing to the socialand economic success of thelocal, national and internationalcommunity. Our new engagementcampaign to encourage staff to highlight how they are ‘making a difference’ to societywas launched featuring campusinstallations and a new blog. Here UniLife looks at a colleaguewe can be proud of…

Next Issue 3 March 2014

M995 01.14 The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL Royal Charter aNumber RC000797 Cert no. SGS-COC-3059

Please help us distribute UniLifemore efficiently.

Undelivered copies should be sent toSarah Davenport at The University ofManchester Visitors Centre, UniversityPlace, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL.

University staff should send changes ofwork address tohrservices@manchester.ac.uk

Or opt out of receiving hard copies atwww.staffnet.manchester.ac.uk/opt-out/

Rachel Brealey is passionate about education, spendinga lot – in fact almost all – of her time involved in it.

Our Director of Faculty Operations in the Faculty ofEngineering and Physical Sciences has worked inhigher education throughout her career.

Since May 2012, she has been a local authoritygovernor at Chapel Street Primary School inLevenshulme, chairing the governing body sinceSeptember 2012.

And she is the mother of ten-year-old twins, so ofcourse their schooling is top of the agenda at thedinner table.

“Having worked in higher education throughout mycareer, I am passionate about education and schools,especially science and engineering,” she says.

“Chapel Street is a large primary school with adiverse intake, providing many challenges. The school is currently undertaking building work to expand to three form entry and is working hard

to continue to improve standards, particularly inMaths and Science - so an exciting time to be a part of the team.”

Of course she could have joined the Board ofGovernors at her children’s school, as many of ourcolleagues do – but chose to take this role instead.

“I believe one of my most important functions as a Local Authority governor is to be able to take an active interest in how the school is performingwithout the emotional investment of a parent or theday-to-day involvement of a teacher,” she explains.

“I can step back and take a view about what is rightfor the school.

“But as a parent of children of primary school age, I also have a personal interest in education at KeyStage 1 and Key Stage 2 and I appreciate theenormous impact that a good experience withinprimary education has on children’s attitude andenthusiasm for learning.”

Passion for education…that spans the years

Rachel Brealey with children from Chapel Street Primary School