Express Issue 18 Spring 2013

Made in Brunel 2013

Previewing this year’s projects, presentations

and personalities

Re-electing Obama

Life on the campaign trail with alumnus Stephen Bediako

Introducing the HEAR

Helping graduates make the most of

their achievements

Media Services

Behind the scenes: Express steps the other

side of the camera

SPRING 2013 :: Issue 18

Flight ClubBrunel students lend their expertise to make James May’s record-breaking glider fly

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3-4 Latest news from

around the campus

5 Introducing the

Higher Education

Achievement Report

6-7 Brunel students make

James May’s glider fly

8-9 Blue sky thinking: Made

in Brunel preview

10-11 Student and graduate

news round-up

12-13 Brunel alumnus on the

Obama campaign trail

14-15 Staff news round-up

16-17 Reassess your resolutions

with Well@Brunel

18-21 Behind the Scenes:

Media Services

22-23 Research news round-up

24 The Gallery

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ExpRESS TEAM

Editor Rachel Turvey

Reporter Joe Norman

Design Andrew Hill

photography Sally Trussler, Neil Graveney

print Brunel University Press

COnTACT uS

Communications Team

[email protected]

01895 265588

Express is available to read and download on our website:

brunel.ac.uk/news/express.

Extra printed copies are available from the Communications Team.

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Scholarship scheme launched for first class graduates Brunel is offering scholarships covering 15% of tuition fees to holders of first class degrees from any uK university who pursue postgraduate studies at Brunel.

The scholarships are available to any student who has an unconditional offer to study a taught Master’s

course, including full-time, part-time and distance learning courses, starting in September 2013.

In addition, graduates who earned first degrees at Brunel will receive a 15% discount off their fee for any self-funded taught postgraduate course, up from 10%.

Professor Julia Buckingham, Brunel’s Vice-Chancellor, said: “It is important that we do what we can to encourage high quality students to take their studies to the next level.

“These awards will help relieve any fears they may have about the cost of a Master’s degree.”

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Perri Shakes-drayton wins double european goldBrunel graduate perri Shakes-Drayton won two gold medals at the European Indoor Athletics Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, in March.

The 2011 Sport Sciences graduate took her first major individual title in the 400m in a personal best time of 50.85 seconds, the fastest time in the world this year. Later the same day, she anchored the women’s 4x400m relay quartet to victory in a time of 3 minutes 27.56 seconds, setting a new Championship and British Record for the event.

Her first major individual title, the 400m gold marks a significant breakthrough onto the world stage for the 24-year-old hurdles specialist, whose 2012 Olympic campaign was hampered by a hamstring injury.

“A lot of people were tipping me for gold,” Perri told BBC Sport. “I said I can’t be too complacent – I just wanted to stay out of trouble. I hope it will benefit me when it comes to the outdoors.”

The success stands the London-based athlete in good stead for the 2013 outdoor season, which culminates in the World Athletics Championships to be held in Moscow in August.

One Water reveals location of Brunel-funded playpump®

A water pump funded by sales of bottled water at Brunel has now been built in the Glen-Red primary School in northern Cape, South Africa.

Brunel’s Catering team sold One Water exclusively in recent years, and the money raised by purchases on campus means that the school’s population of 960 pupils and 28 teachers, as well as the wider community, now have access to fresh, clean drinking water.

An ingenious PlayPump®, powered by children playing on a roundabout, pumps water from underground into a tank ready for use. Glen-Red’s previous water source had broken, and

pupils had to collect water by travelling long distances.

The school thanked the University for their efforts: “By giving the children access to a sustainable clean water supply, you are also giving them the chance to concentrate on receiving the education they deserve. The school will also be able to use the water for cooking and washing, and for maintaining the vegetable garden and orchard.”

Situated in a rural area of the Kgalagadi, meaning ‘Land of Thirst’, the school can be located using Google Earth at co-ordinates S26.58.20.7 E23.54.31.8.

WHAT’S On

Highlights for the Summer Term on campus

Inaugural Lecture SeriesWhen? Wednesday 17 April, 5.30pm

Where? Eastern Gateway Auditorium

What is it? Professor Elke Krahmann continues the Series with a lecture entitled Security Studies and ‘Performativity’: is Security just an Act? Book your place by email:

[email protected].

University examination PeriodWhen? 29 April – 17 May

Where? Venues include the Sports Centre, Indoor Athletics Centre, Council Chamber, Lecture Centre and Howell Building

Festival of awareness and Creative expression (FaCe) When? Monday 20 – Friday 24 May

Where? The Quad (and all over campus)

What is it? A platform for student clubs and societies to showcase their talents. Organised by the Students’ Union, the Festival aims to strengthen Brunel’s sense of community and demonstrate some of the activities taking place around the University.

Made in Brunel When? Thursday 13 – Sunday 16 June

Where? The Bargehouse, London

What is it? The annual Brunel Engineering and Design showcase. Pre-register your interest at

madeinbrunel.com

Keep your calendar up-to-date by browsing the latest events on IntraBrunel

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Hazel Blears visits Brunel Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies The Rt Hon Hazel Blears Mp visited the Brunel Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies (BCISS) in February to find out more about the courses on offer at Brunel and learn how this field of study has developed in recent years.

Blears, the MP for Salford and Eccles, is one of the Labour Party members of the Intelligence and Security Committee, a committee of Parliamentarians which oversees the UK’s intelligence and security agencies. She met with BCISS Director Dr Philip Davies, Dr Stephen Marrin, Dr Tom Owens, Grp Capt (ret) Geoffrey Oxlee and Professor Justin Fisher, as well as Dr Kristian Gustafson by speakerphone from Kabul. She

also talked to students affiliated with MA and PhD programmes at BCISS, before attending an MA in Intelligence and Security Studies lecture and participating with students on a practical exercise in intelligence analysis.

Blears said: “It was clear to me that BCISS students really value the emphasis on practical work that will be invaluable in their future careers. The MA course stimulates critical thinking which is essential in the intelligence assessment field, and I was really impressed by the commitment and energy of Dr Davies, who is clearly an engaging and entertaining lecturer.”

Public Lecture Series 2013 explores disputed territoriesCelebrating its fifth anniversary this year, the 2013 Brunel public Lecture Series united Brunel’s most inspiring speakers.

The overarching theme of ‘disputed territories’ extended to some of the most controversial and relevant concerns of recent times, including the relationships between science and religion, aesthetics and ethics, and social cohesion and multi-culturalism.

Now housed in the Eastern Gateway Building auditorium, the lectures attracted a total audience of 1,120 staff, students and members of the public. Debate between speakers and the audience was encouraged during each lecture, and often became complex and involved as emotive issues were raised.

With a focus on strengthening connections between polarised

viewpoints and developing areas of agreement rather than merely highlighting differences, the lectures proved intellectually stimulating, enjoyable and satisfying to all who attended.

Professor Dany Nobus commented: “In many ways, the 2013 Public Lecture Series was the most successful to date. The controversial topics allowed for razor-sharp debate, the public response system provided the audience with an opportunity to participate directly in the discussion, and there was frantic reporting on the sometimes heated exchanges in various social media. And those who missed the Series can still enjoy the evenings’ intellectual fervour by watching the recordings online.”

Check the IntraBrunel events page for details of forthcoming inaugural and public lectures.

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Making Brunel students heard: introducing the Higher education achievement Report Brunel university has opted to participate in a new initiative to provide a single comprehensive record of students’ achievements throughout their time at university.

The Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) aims to help graduate job hunters make the most of their achievements and acknowledges the full range of activities in which students take part. At Brunel, the report will be known as My Brunel HEAR.

What information will My Brunel HeaR include?

Each student’s report will be divided into six sections containing information about you, your degree (including the level of your degree, the content of the programme, your results and the function of your qualification), and your extra-curricular student awards and activities.

What’s in it for students?My Brunel HEAR has the potential to bring a wide range of benefits to students as well as to future employers. It is anticipated that it will become a key feature in differentiating and distinguishing Brunel graduates from others in the employment market.

Which extra-curricular awards and activities will be included?All current student awards will be added, as well as certain activities undertaken within the Union of Brunel Students, details of part-time work on campus arranged through the Placement and Careers Centre, volunteer work organised through Brunel Volunteers, and verifiable School-based activities.

How will Brunel staff be involved? Over the coming months, academic staff will be asked to provide information on their programmes to populate My Brunel HEAR.

When will My Brunel HeaR be available?Brunel is adopting a phased approach. By the end of the 2012/13 academic year, an enhanced transcript will be available containing some elements of My Brunel HEAR, including more information about you, your results and your extra-curricular awards and activities. The enhanced transcript is still being revised and a mock up final version will be made available later this spring.

The full My Brunel HEAR will be available at the end of the 2014/15 academic year to students who have completed their third year of undergraduate study.

are all students involved? The enhanced transcript will be available to undergraduates who enrolled on a full-time undergraduate programme as freshers in September 2012.

Although the complexity of compiling the reports means that the enhanced transcript will not yet be available to Level 2 and 3 students, much of this information can be added to your CV – the Placement and Careers Centre offers advice and support on how best to do this. Work is underway to assess if current Level 2 students can have access to an enhanced transcript.

At present, My Brunel HEAR will only be offered to students on undergraduate programmes of study.

What if I do not want my extra-curricular activities to be included?Students will be given the choice to opt in or out of having their activities included.

Where will I be able to access my enhanced transcript?The enhanced transcript will be available through eVision.

Find out more and stay up-to-date!

More information about the national HEAR project can be found online: www.hear.ac.uk/about

Students and staff will learn more about My Brunel HEAR over the coming months. Each School has agreed to appoint a member of staff as a local champion, and a dedicated website is in production. Keep an eye out on IntraBrunel for updates and further information.

Flight Club:Brunel students make James May’s record-breaking glider fly

nExT STEpS: EnHAnCInG THE GLIDER’S pERFORMAnCE

Four MEng Aerospace Engineering students – Vijay Maheswar, Martin Trinder, Valerio Tomasso and Evans Nyame (pictured left to right) – are undertaking computational modelling and experimental testing of a scale replica of the glider, exploring methods to enhance the glider’s performance. Their work will be showcased at Made in Brunel, the University’s exhibition for graduating engineering and design students.

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Brunel’s student aerospace engineers helped design, build and fly an unmanned glider across the Bristol Channel for a BBC TV special hosted by Top Gear star James May at Christmas.

The special episode of James May’s Toy Stories, entitled ‘Flight Club’, saw the 14-strong student team play an instrumental role in redesigning May’s original glider to ensure successful completion of its planned flight. The engineless glider flew 22 nautical miles, an unofficial British straight distance record.

Lecturer in Aerospace Engineering Dr Mark Jabbal, who led the team, explained the students’ pivotal role in the project’s success:

“Most of the undergraduate and postgraduate students who took part had recently completed major group projects related to building and flying model aircraft. Their expertise and practical know-how were invaluable, and they had a unique setting in which to apply what they had learned.”

The proposed glider was a Slingsby T45 Swallow, reminiscent of the models May built as a child. After testing a large-scale replica of the glider in a wind tunnel, the Brunel team redesigned the wing cross-section to improve its aerodynamic efficiency; led by Aerospace Engineering student George Schofield, they used the aircraft modelling software XFLR5 to choose a new aerofoil. This increased the model’s glide ratio – the ratio of forward motion to descent – from 14:1 to 20:1, theoretically allowing it to cover the distance proposed.

With the new wing parts cut, the student engineers worked together at Wycombe Air Centre to assemble the glider. The Brunel team was responsible for assembling the wings, tail and fin and worked alongside May, a keen aviator, who constructed the fuselage with the assistance of an engineer. Over 1,000 pieces of balsa wood were used to make the four-metre wingspan glider.

A delay to the flight date due to poor weather was exacerbated by changing the proposed method

of launching the glider at altitude from a balloon to a helicopter. Aviation and Pilot Studies student and remote control model aircraft enthusiast Tom Small was at the glider controls in the helicopter, in regular communication with James May and the production team who tracked the glider from a speedboat.

The first attempt from Ilfracombe in North Devon to Oxwich Bay in South Wales was severely hampered by bad weather and visibility. The helicopter reached only 2,000ft – some 6,000ft less than the required launch height – and consequently the glider flew

“I was very impressed with

Brunel’s students for the work they put in.”

James May


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only 2.5 miles before hitting the sea. For the second attempt, an easterly wind meant that the flight route had to be changed to run from Ilfracombe to Lundy Island, but with high visibility the helicopter was able to reach an altitude of 10,000ft before deploying the glider.

The final attempt proved very successful, with the glider reaching Lundy Island with approximately 2,000ft of altitude to spare.

Of the Brunel students, James May said: “I was very impressed with the students for the work they put in on the new wing. I chose the Slingsby Swallow glider because it was reminiscent of the Keil-Kraft type of gliders I built as a kid. I knew as soon as I saw the plan, however, that the wing section was pretty inefficient but didn’t know how to calculate a new one. The Brunel students did, and came up with something pretty quickly. It worked very well.”

To see the group’s work, don’t miss the Brunel Engineers Showcase on 23 May in the Michael Sterling Building atrium. Register at www.brunelengineers.com

With thanks to Dr Mark Jabbal

Tom Small, who piloted the glider, told Express about his involvement with the project

“My initial involvement with the Toy Stories project was in the group build, when we all worked together to complete the glider. I made use of my model aircraft experience to help build and prepare the wings while other members of the team worked in specific roles such as development of the wing design and wind tunnel testing.

When the production team became aware that I am interested in model aircraft and fly them on a regular basis, I started helping with the flight testing aspect of the production. For the final glider launch, I was given the role of ‘glider spotter’ in the chase helicopter – I controlled the glider out of the helicopter box, stabilised it, ensured it stayed on course and safely landed it on the island, all from the helicopter.

The experience was absolutely surreal. James May was extremely nice, taking on board everything the team said, and it was a real privilege to help him make one of his shows. The opportunity and responsibility was huge, as I had to ensure the safety of the glider. I feel extremely privileged in the fact that I was able to make use of the skills I have learnt at Brunel. It is an experience I will never, ever forget and one that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Since graduating I have been involved in the British Airways Future Pilot Programme, and am waiting to hear if I have made it to the next stage. I am also training as an Air Cadet gliding instructor at 612 Volunteer Gliding Squadron, Abingdon, where I will be teaching cadets how to fly.”


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Express previews Made in Brunel 2013 and finds out why the future is no longer just orange.

The Made in Brunel team are gearing up for 2013’s design and engineering showcase, which this year runs from 13-16 June.

Now in its seventh year, the annual show, run by Brunel’s graduating Design and Engineering students, will return for a third time to the dramatic Bargehouse on London’s Southbank. Running over four days, it will again incorporate workshops, networking events, a Pecha Kucha series of talks, and opportunities for students to discuss their work through presentations and seminars.

Yet for all this seeming stability, there are changes afoot this year. The focus is on the people behind the projects – their individual stories, opinions, ambitions and identities – and to emphasise this, the team have forged a striking new look featuring a jagged nest of interlocking polygons. Based on the Big Five personality test model, the nest is formed from the personality ‘shapes’ of the Made in Brunel team, with each separate frame formed from lines and angles representing the facets of an individual’s personality.

And then there’s the blue. The colour orange is so strongly associated with the Made in Brunel

brand that it seems momentous to have introduced another hue with this year’s strong new azure theme, but as the team explain in their March newsletter, the change forms an essential part of their focus on the breadth of individual identities that form part of Made in Brunel.

“This year we wanted to focus on the individuals, the people behind the work and not solely their projects, and with that create an identity that would be dynamic, and constantly change to reflect the diverse range of people we have at Brunel.

“Blue and orange are complementary colours: they sit opposite each other on the colour wheel, and when placed together make each other appear brighter and more vibrant. The blue wasn’t just plucked from the sky, it was chosen for this reason. Orange is such an integral part of the brand that we couldn’t just scrap it. However what we did want this year was a colour that not only would breathe life, excitement and freshness into the brand, but that would enhance what was already in place.”

Find out more about some of the personalities forming Made in Brunel’s new shape at madeinbrunel.com

Blue sky thinking

“My project is about generating electricity from waves. It’s a structure which sits under the surface, replicates wave movements and converts them into energy using hydraulics. Most of the Scholarship is being put into building the 2.5m long prototype.” Sam EthErington

“1.3 billion people have no access to electricity. My fixed magnet generator will provide enough to charge a mobile phone battery

– phones offer the developing world secure banking, education, price checks and healthcare. The Scholarship will help progress the project.” milo mcloughlin-grEEning

“Overcrowding strains the water and sanitation infrastructure in refugee camps, resulting in disease. I am developing a shower using an e-textile that converts solar energy into electrical energy, to filter and pump water. The Scholarship allows me to visit camps, giving insights into needs and constraints.” andrEa PiSa

“Falling is the main cause of mortality among the UK’s 10 million older people. but walking frames can reduce self-confidence, inhibit movement and restrict domestic tasks. The Scholarship provides me with resources to create new frame prototypes.” BEn clarkE

“In Bangladesh, 18,000 children drown every year. I am developing an affordable, floating rescue device with graphics depicting local risks and CPR. Extensive plastic bottle recycling in Bangladesh provides an ideal material, and the Scholarship helps with testing.” JErEmy irEland

“I am designing an affordable sprint shoe for junior athletes which is adjustable for different lengths and widths, so that athletes don’t have to replace their shoes every season. The Scholarship helps towards the cost of manufacturing a prototype.” JamES Eaton

MiB AT THE V&A

As part of a series of late-night events related to the exhibition “The Secret Life of Furniture” held at the Victoria and Albert Museum in central London, Made in Brunel students used their

‘pop-up house’ – furniture built from found materials – to demonstrate the possibilities created by embracing a make-do-and-mend approach to furniture and other household goods.

The team set challenges such as making a chair, as Made in Brunel Marketing Officer Amy O’Connor explained: “People of all ages were getting stuck in, creating chair seats from just newspaper and tape, or using bamboo, string and cable ties to transform a stool into a chair. The outcomes were exciting, and each attempt was completely different! A group of kids created a ‘spy chair’ complete with spy goggles, while two ladies created a rather ornate chandelier from wire and paper mesh.”


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MuST-SEE pROJECTS: THE JAMES DySOn FOunDATIOn (JDF) MADE In BRunEL SCHOLARSHIp WInnERS

The James Dyson Foundation supports final year students at five uK universities who show a passion for engineering. This year, six Brunel students have been awarded JDF Made in Brunel Scholarships. How are they using the award to further their projects?

Don’t miss Made in BrunelWhen: 13-16 June 2013

Where: The Bargehouse, South Bank, London

Register your interest: madeinbrunel.com

Stay up-to-date: @MadeInBrunel13

Fleet Street editor inspires Brunel’s aspiring journalistsAspiring Brunel journalists picked up some of the tricks of the trade as editor of The Independent newspaper Chris Blackhurst gave a lunchtime lecture in January.

Blackhurst, whose career has included spells at The Sunday Times, The Express and The Evening Standard in both investigative and editorial roles, described how he was inspired from an early age by the power of journalism after learning about the Watergate scandal.

After a brief initial career in law, Blackhurst worked for a number of specialist magazines before being headhunted to work on undercover investigations for The Sunday Times, which he described as “a lot of fun, but scary”. He recounted pivotal moments in some of his most high profile investigations, such as coughing to hide the sound of a colleague’s tape recorder while posing undercover as a Palestinian terrorist, and taking the “lazy” decision not to talk to a school caretaker to whom he

was introduced while covering the Soham murders – the man turned out to be Ian Huntley.

“Journalists like to find out about people – we can’t help it,” Blackhurst explained. “My wife still

gets annoyed when I quiz people at dinner parties. We’re always looking for people who are like us – somebody who has got that hunger, can work in a team and is just as inquisitive and nosy as we are.”

Blackhurst expressed his regret at recent criticism of the journalistic industry, commenting: “The sadness in the whole Leveson scenario is that a group of journalists hacking phones for no other reason than celebrity tittle-tattle have made us forget that without journalists you wouldn’t know about wars, wouldn’t know about suffering, wouldn’t know about famine – or if you did, you’d only know the official story. Every day journalists put their lives on the line because they want to tell the truth.”

uBS Vice-president peter Smallwood runs for nuS presidency

peter Smallwood, Vice-president for Academic Representation at the union of Brunel Students, is bidding to become president of the national union of Students for the 2013/14 academic year.

The election result is imminent at the time of going to press and will be announced at the 2013 NUS conference in Sheffield.

Peter’s campaign, entitled ‘Back to Basics’, has centred on his views about the current state of the NUS and of higher education. He said: “I want to engage better with students and with students’

unions that we don’t usually engage with, and try to stop the NUS from being politically biased. We should be fighting for the rights of all students regardless of their views or background.

“I want to give more power and resources to members and provide a stronger national voice. I also want to focus on the day-to-day aspects of student life that people really care about.”

Peter graduated in 2012 with a BSc in Politics.

Additional reporting by Tom Scott

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“Journalists like to find out about people – we can’t help it. My

wife still gets annoyed when I quiz people at dinner parties.”

Creative Writing PhD student LIESEL SCHWARz celebrated the launch of her novel A Conspiracy of Alchemists, set in an alternative version of the nineteenth century, at the Forbidden Planet bookshop in Central London in February. Liesel – dressed appropriately in Edwardian attire – gave a reading and signed copies. She is currently writing A Clockwork Heart, the second part of her five-novel sequence The Chronicles of Light and Shadow.

Second year Anthropology student BETHAn CRISp will run a half marathon in her home town of Taunton in April as part of continued fundraising for the Nkoaranga Orphanage, Tanzania. Money raised will help fund the salaries of the orphanage’s Mamas – the workers who care for the children – and bolster one-to-one care programmes, for example for premature babies. Bethan is a board member for the non-profit organisation The Small Things, which works to support the orphanage.

www.thesmallthings.org

Sport and Exercise Psychology MSc student nICOLA HOBBS was named English Champion in the 48kg class at the English Weightlifting Championships, lifting 44kg in the snatch and 53kg in the clean and jerk for the title. Fellow Brunel Weightlifting Club member and first year Sport Sciences student LEWIS RIDETT came fifth in the open age group category and now ranks fifth in England in the 77kg class.

Brunel won Childreach International’s HIGHLy EnGAGED AWARD in late 2012, reflecting the international development charity’s increasingly strong relationship with the University. The accolade recognised Brunel students’ engagement as well as their fundraising efforts: the team who climbed Kilimanjaro in 2012 raised £67,619.43, and plans for 2013 include a 520km bike ride across Vietnam and Cambodia.

The Athletics and Judo teams brought home an array of medals from their BUCS competitions in February. Brunel’s athletes won four medals at the indoor championships – gold for AnDRé WRIGHT, SHAnICE HARRISOn and MELISSA COuRTnEy, and silver for JO ROWLAnD. The judokas brought home five medals – gold for MARK CARTER, silvers for CHLOE JACKSOn, EMMA MOSBy and pETRA pASzTOR, and bronze for DAnIEL pEARCE.

The Union of Brunel Students is again acknowledging staff who inspire, challenge and engage their students. Represented by the BEnGuInS, the Student Led Teaching Awards celebrate excellence in the following areas: Inspirational Teaching; Innovative Teaching; Supervisor of the Year; Postgraduates’ Choice; Exceptional Module; Outstanding Admin and Support; Feedback of the Year; Personal Tutor of the Year; Student Teacher of the Year; and Lifetime Achievement. Winners will be announced in May.

Brunel trio to help shape Britain’s Olympic future

Britain’s Olympians have voted for three Brunel alumni to work with the British Olympic Association (BOA) to shape future plans in sport.

James Cracknell (Rowing), Heather Fell (Modern Pentathlon) and Kate Walsh (Hockey – pictured) have each represented Great Britain in the Olympic Games and were among six athletes chosen by their peers to serve on the BOA’s Athletes’ Commission for a four-year term.

Heather, who won silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics,

commented: “I am honoured to have been voted onto the Athletes’ Commission, especially considering the competition from such a strong field of athletes standing for the role. It is great to represent Pentathlon but more importantly I will be able to represent all minority sports.”

The Athletes’ Commission is an advisory group comprising fourteen British Olympians from a variety of sports, which works to ensure that athletes have an input into the initiatives delivered by the BOA.

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Brunel alumnus on the obama campaign trailBrunel politics and History alumnus Stephen Bediako worked on Barack Obama’s re-election campaign during the uS elections in 2012. Express caught up with Stephen to chart his career since leaving Brunel and find out more about life on the campaign trail.

It is widely acknowledged that Barack Obama’s successful campaign in 2012 was highly effective in “getting out the vote” – his use of technology to identify potential voters and then help them cast their ballot was one of the most important factors in his bid for re-election. Working in the midst of this operation – unprecedented in its depth and efficiency – was social entrepreneur Stephen Bediako, a Brunel graduate whose career has taken him from management consultancy at Deloitte Consulting to directing The Social Innovation Partnership, an advisory business that aims to solve some of society’s most intractable problems.

Based at Obama’s campaign headquarters in Richmond, Virginia, for three and a half weeks, Stephen helped organise field workers and campaigners, analysed the campaign, explored techniques to encourage people to register to vote, and assisted in developing innovative ideas that helped secure the Democrat vote in the state.

“It was an eye-opening and inspiring experience,” said Stephen.

“There were many highlights – the debates, the economy, the impact of Hurricane Sandy, the TV adverts, the Super Pacs, and more.” Particularly memorable was Stephen’s experience of the

‘Ground Game’, or the process of using the VAN vote builder system

to acquire a ‘data universe’ about Democrat voters, which could then be connected to practice and organisation in the community. Gathering this data helped

campaign organisers to ensure that key supporters were registered to vote and to target canvassing to encourage those who had previously expressed their support to follow through and vote for Obama. It is a system that Stephen believes is transferable to the UK.

Canvassing centres were established on both North and South sides of Richmond, which attracted people of all ages to volunteer as canvassers and also became general community hubs. Stephen is enthusiastic about the importance of this volunteer involvement during the campaign:

“People could get involved in a variety of ways, such as through regular phone bank sessions and going out canvassing in pairs,” he explained. “There was food, drink, and a little music in the background.” Canvassers were deployed “all over the city”, to people’s homes, playgrounds,

schools and even car parks. As Stephen put it: “If VAN was the brain, and Obama was the heart, the community volunteer effort was the lifeblood of this campaign.”

Since leaving Brunel in 2003 with a first class degree in Politics and History, Stephen has accrued a wide range of experience in the private, public and voluntary sectors, including in the House of Commons and Home Office, at Deloitte in public sector consulting, and as a volunteer in Africa. He explained the benefit of this broad experience: “The main skills I gained were an interest in and love for politics, a solid foundation to break down and understand socio-political themes and phenomena, a good work ethic, and a useful framework for writing and considering literature.”

In August 2010, Stephen founded The Social Innovation Partnership (TSIP), an advisory consultancy that aims to combine academic research and rigour with strategy and delivery support. He leads TSIP’s work on violence, youth and partnership building.

On his plans for the future, Stephen said: “In 2013 I will be focusing on TSIP as we deliver more evaluations in the justice and education space, and I plan to travel to Brazil to explore how gangs are tackled in that part of the world.”

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“If Obama was the heart, the community

volunteer effort was the lifeblood of this campaign.”

STARTERS AnD LEAVERS

Express welcomes some new faces and says goodbye to some of our colleagues who left Brunel in november, December and January.

Welcome to…Rekha Haughton Head of Conferencing, Hotel and Retail • Michael Jenkins Head of Security and Emergency Planning • Maria Kotsovili Lecturer, Law • Dr Liat Levanon Lecturer, Law • Victoria noden Alumni Officer • Dr Apostolos pesiridis Lecturer, Mechanical Engineering • Dr Grant peterson Lecturer, Theatre • Grigorios Theodosopoulos Lecturer, Accounting • Jeffrey Wagland Head of Brand and Communications

We are also pleased to welcome Lord Wakeham to his new role as Chancellor Emeritus of the University, and wish Shani Bishop the best in her move to the School of Sport and Education as Marketing and Recruitment Manager.

Farewell to…Karen Blackney Head of International Marketing and Recruitment • Dr Susan Collins Senior Teaching Fellow, Education • professor Anthony Elliman Chair, Information Systems • Carolyn Garner Alumni Officer • professor John Hunt Professor Associate, BCAST • professor Malcolm Irving Professor, Electronic and Computer Engineering • Eóin Lally Marketing and Communications Officer, Placement and Careers Centre • Lorna Mitchell Assistant Director (Academic Support), Library • professor Barbara prainsack Professor, Sociology and Politics of Bioscience • neil Taylor Safety Officer • professor Fay Weldon Chair, Creative Writing • professor John Woolrich Professor, Music • Charlotte zittel Events and Administration Manager, Graduate School

Journalism lecturer’s report distributed to both Houses of parliament

A report by Brunel university journalism lecturer Jacquie Hughes on the future of current affairs programmes has been distributed to every member of both Houses of parliament.

Hughes, who also works as a journalist and TV producer, was commissioned to write the report by the International Broadcasting Trust (IBT), an educational and media charity, in the wake of Government proposals for the new Communications Bill. Entitled “An Uncertain Future – the threat to current affairs,” the report recommends that the Government should ensure that there is no diminishing of standards or peak hour transmission in public affairs broadcasting.

Sophie Chalk, IBT’s Director of Campaigns, said: “We believe that current affairs programming on television is essential in a modern democracy. It uncovers those stories that we wouldn’t otherwise see.”

The report was launched at ITN’s offices in London, where an invited audience of academics, broadcasters, journalists and politicians took part in a roundtable discussion.

Computer Centre director lends explosives expertise for BBC documentary Director of the Computer Centre norman Bonney called on expertise that isn’t quite part of the day job in late 2012, when he featured in an episode of the BBC2 documentary series How We Won the War.

Norman was approached by the BBC for his expertise regarding munitions design in the Second World War, and particularly for his knowledge of the British weapons research and development organisation Ministry of Defence 1 (MD1),

sometimes known as Winston Churchill’s Toyshop.

Norman explains: “I had studied this organisation during my time in the Territorial Army (TA). Most of MD1’s members were civilians, and it was their dedication that the producer was trying to

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Business School Head joins universities minister to visit Gulf states

Head of Brunel Business School professor zahir Irani joined the Rt Hon David Willetts Mp, Minister of State for universities and Science, on a visit to Qatar, The uAE and Saudi Arabia in March.

Representatives from three UK universities joined Willetts for the four-day tour, meeting government officials, funding bodies and local Vice-Chancellors with the aim of showcasing UK education. Brunel hosts a large population of students from the Gulf region in the UK, and the Business School also has a physical presence in Bahrain with around 40 students undertaking PhD level research in collaboration with Ahlia University.

Professor Irani said: “Being asked to take part in this trip is recognition both of the success of our PhD programme in Bahrain, and of the growing influence of Brunel University in the HE sector in this part of the world.”

The Business School has also secured external funding from the Qatar National Research Fund.

OBITuARIES

Dr Amanda Rohloff Dr Amanda Rohloff passed away on 7 December 2012, aged 30.

Mandy was a gifted academic who had just embarked on a promising career as a sociologist. Born in New Zealand, she moved to the UK to begin a PhD at Brunel – her thesis, completed in 2012, examined climate change and the sociological concept of ‘Moral Panic’. She had recently accepted her first ‘proper job’ as a Wellcome Trust Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Sociology.

Mandy was well-known on campus where she worked in the library, taught undergraduates, and was an active member of the community.

She leaves her parents Judy and Maurie, grandmother Norma, brothers, nieces and nephews.

Dr peter TurnerDr Peter Turner, Lecturer in Electronic and Computer Engineering, passed away on 19 January 2013.

Peter joined Brunel in 1989 and was Director of Undergraduate Studies and Placement Tutor. He was first and foremost a dedicated teacher, and became very influential in the development of undergraduate teaching programmes. The role of Placement Tutor was a perfect match for his temperament and personal skills – he commanded the respect of both students and the many industrialists he encountered, and it is due to Peter that the School of Engineering and Design enjoys so much success in its placement programmes.

He leaves his wife Jenny, and children Reuben, Jonah and Suzanna.

professor Robert WithnallProfessor Robert Withnall passed away on 3 December 2012, aged 54.

Robert moved to Brunel’s Wolfson Centre in 2006. He was a world authority on Raman spectroscopy, with an international reputation in the application of the technique for characterising aspects of archaeological finds and identifying pigments in old paintings.

Robert gave lectures all around the world, and authored or co-authored over 200 journal papers as well as many reviews and a number of patents. Throughout his academic career he took his teaching and educational duties very seriously, and was a dedicated and admired tutor for many students.

Robert leaves his wife Patricia, daughter Phoebe and stepdaughter Jess.

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convey. The whole series is about the contribution of ordinary folk during war.”

He is enthusiastic about the value of the TA and the Officers’ Training Corps (OTC), although his own TA career was unusual. Whilst training with the University of London OTC in the 1970s, Norman attended a Regular Army summer attachment with an Ammunition Inspection and Disposal Unit in Hounslow. From then on he spent much of his TA service in ammunition related appointments, training as an Ammunition Technical Officer (Volunteer).

“The technicians who deal with ammunition for the purposes of supply and inspection also deal with the disposal of ‘war souvenirs’ that are found in Grandad’s loft, or of ordnance discovered on the South Downs, or of explosive devices found in more sinister situations,” Norman explains. Trained in the identification and safe disposal of such items, Norman was in charge of an explosive ordnance disposal unit for eight years.

Subsequently his TA service involved research into old munitions for the purposes of producing identification guides for use in disposal operations – during this phase of his career

he spent three of his TA annual camps attached to Belgian bomb disposal near Ypres.

Norman is relaxed about the potentially dangerous nature of the work. He maintains that the training he and his colleagues received was “very thorough”, and admits that it was “exciting” and that “there were no really difficult situations.” “My involvement ended a long time ago although I do occasionally get asked to identify the odd munition,” he says. He was recently asked to identify a

“pretty ancient” grenade by disposal staff at Porton Down.

Norman concludes: “There’s still a significant level of conventional munitions to dispose of in the UK, but as we approach the 100th anniversary of the First World War, spare a thought for the French and Belgians. In the Ypres area alone the Belgian Army dispose of 300 tonnes of explosive ordnance per year, and have been doing so since their records began.”

Norman holds a Territoral Decoration and is a Member of the Institute of Explosives Engineers. Since the documentary, he has contributed to lectures at The Firs estate in Aylesbury where Churchill’s Toyshop was stationed, in support of The Felix Fund.

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REASSESS yOuR RESOLuTIOnS WITH

With the Easter holidays behind us, many of Brunel’s staff and students are facing the busiest time of the academic year. Whether you’re struggling to keep up with your new year’s resolutions, you’re feeling stressed at work, your studies are overwhelming you, or you’d just like to participate in more activities for fun, Well@Brunel aims to help you feel better.

Well@Brunel is the home of Brunel’s wellbeing services, geared towards improving the day-to-day health and happiness of all members of the Brunel community.

According to the World Health Organisation, ‘health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’, and it is a similarly broad approach to wellbeing that Well@Brunel aims to bring to both staff and students. By defining what makes people mentally ‘healthy’, the development of wellbeing services helps us to achieve our potential, to acquire a sense of control over our careers and of our lives outside of work, and to develop positive relationships.

What is

?

The launch of Brunel’s wellbeing agenda last year reflects a movement in many education institutions and other organisations nationally.

The original founder members of the Well@Brunel group came from Student Services, including the Counselling Service, Disability and Dyslexia Service, Chaplaincy, Brunel Volunteers. They have since been joined by other services and departments, including Catering, HR, the Sports Centre, the Medical Centre and the Union of Brunel Students. Working together, these services can meet the different wellbeing needs of the Brunel community.

Brunel’s Wellbeing Working Group, comprising interested staff members and student representatives, aims to create a community and environment that enhances the health and wellbeing of all its members. The Group aspires to put wellbeing into practice in a way that makes a positive difference to the lives of staff and students.

Five daily activities to keep you mentally healthy:

n Connect with the people around you

n Do something active

n Take notice of the world, catch sight of the beautiful, remark on the unusual

n Learn something new

n Do something nice for a friend or stranger

How to get involved

If you would like to get involved with Brunel’s wellbeing initiatives, or you have any enquiries or suggestions, please email [email protected].

@wellbrunel https://wellbeing.brunel.ac.uk

Wellbeing in the Strategic plan

The wellbeing agenda is explored in the University’s 2012-2017 Strategic Plan, ensuring a high-level commitment to wellbeing as an on-going project which will grow and evolve as more staff and students get involved.

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Express takes a look at some of the initiatives underway via Well@Brunel’s five strands.

EatW lln Healthy eating promotions and

special offers, such as discounts for staff in local restaurants

n Fruit, vegetables, fish, bread and delicatessen stalls available during term time

n Online advice videos for students, including guides to budgeting, cooking and recycling

n Cooking lessons, such as the recent Live Cook with Matt Dawson who made pancakes on campus

WorkW lln More social space available to staff

n Staff inductions including opportunities to improve your wellbeing

n Management training in staff wellbeing and clearer signposting to support services

n An annual Staff Wellbeing Fayre

FeelW lln Relaxation and stress

management workshops

n Stress reduction initiatives, such as the Stress Identification and Management stall

n Positive psychology workshops, including the recent Mindfulness workshop held in the Meeting House

StudyW lln Spaces available for socialising,

quiet work and group study

n Wellbeing opportunities included in induction for new students and for those entering subsequent years

PlayW lln Activities by the Arts Centre and

Sports Centre, including Active Brunel and the Active 50+ scheme and a lunchtime programme of events and ‘taster’ workshops

n User forum on the wellbeing website to allow students and staff to create and promote their own activities

n Stronger connections with the local community, such as the Brunel Good Neighbour award

Behind the Scenes at…

Media Services

The next time you peer up at one of the digital signs dotted around campus, view a recording of a lecture on Blackboard, stumble across some students gathered around a film camera, see a professional photograph or watch a video about Brunel, the chances are that it will have been facilitated by Media Services.


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Express talked to Head of Media Services Colin Burgess to find out how changing technologies, demands and opportunities have shaped the team’s work in recent years.

Lining the walls of the Media Services department is a gallery of stills and memorabilia commemorating some of the occasions when our distinctive campus has featured in films and television series, and charting its development through the decades.

“When I started at Brunel we had not long moved away from ‘chalk and talk’ with the recent installation of whiteboards in the Central Lecture Block,” explains Colin. “The biggest requirement was for OHPs and 35mm slide projection, although the demand for VHS video was increasing.

“We’ve since made the transition to digital media and the demands nowadays are increasingly for new and more flexible methods of communication, connectivity and accessibility to digital media files, such as the facility to live stream, support video on demand and download to any device.”

The AV Services team is responsible for organising digital signage and video conferencing, providing assistance with technical issues and implementing the new ‘Panopto’ lecture capture system. Colin explains: “AV has converged with IT to facilitate new methods of communication and connectivity which, if used properly, will enhance and extend teaching and learning practices. The focus however remains on user requirements and their experience of using this new technology to meet their needs.”

Media Production Services team members offer their creative and technical expertise to produce photographic, video and multimedia projects for Schools and departments. They also keep photographic and video archives – if you missed the Vice-Chancellor’s inaugural presentation, for example, you can watch it via a link from the Media Services web pages.

The department fulfils a teaching function, with staff in the Media Production Centre supporting and delivering a number of film and video production modules, in collaboration with the School of Social Sciences, the School of Arts, and more recently the School of Sport and Education.

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DID yOu KnOW…

n …the university’s appearances onscreen go further than A Clockwork Orange?

The campus has featured in episodes of Lewis, Morse, Spooks and Silent Witness, and films such as Me Without You and The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer brought in celebrities such as Ronnie Corbett, John Cleese, and Peter Cook.

n …the Media production Centre operates a General Loan policy?

This means that, where possible, anyone in the University can rent film equipment.

n … using the video streaming server, staff can host hours of video or audio recordings, for example guest speakers or tutorials, and embed them into Blackboard course pages?

[email protected]

n … Media Services can label home recordings to use on campus, to comply with the university’s ERA license?

n … AV is open from 8am to 8pm in term time?

Eight members of staff work from 8am to 8pm on weekdays in term time, from 8am to 6.30pm out of term, and occasionally on weekends.

n …the audio levels in the Eastern Gateway Auditorium can be controlled remotely using an ipad app?

8,381equipment loan bookings for teaching spaces and conferences in the 2011/2012 academic year

160AV installed rooms consisting of lecture rooms and meeting rooms with capacity ranging from eight to over 300

355sessions recorded using lecture capture (panopto) by the end of the second term of this academic year

20,000photos on the university’s central database, going back ten years

Media Services in figures

24,721videos viewed on the streaming server in the last academic year

Based on the third floor of the Lecture Centre, Media Services provides services and facilities to support learning, teaching and research across the campus. The department is comprised of four teams:

n Audio Visual (AV) Servicesn Media production Services (photography, video, multimedia)n Media production Centre (teaching, training workshops)n Off-air recording and copying service

Media Services: Who’s Who?

Sally trussler – University Photographer and Media Production Services Manager

“The Media Production team which I lead has a key role in promoting the University. My photographic work – along with Neil Graveney – involves capturing all aspects of Brunel life. Today I’m photographing a wind tunnel project for Engineering, shooting staff portraits for Theatre courses, and covering tonight’s Public Lecture.

I enjoy all aspects of the job, but I especially love covering arts events and One World Week and visiting work placement students in London. Recently I photographed a student working for an MP at the Houses of Parliament and a Design student at Philips. With regular events such as graduation I enjoy the challenge of thinking of new ideas to record it as dynamically as possible.

On a typical day I get many requests to supply photos from our photo database for course brochures

and School web pages. Most photos we take are uploaded to Brunel’s Flickr site – graduation 2011 achieved over 46,000 views.

We do some exciting things: I’ve been up in a microlight to record a student champion and to the top of Big Ben to illustrate a maths-related project, and I’ve climbed some very tall cranes during the building of the Bannerman Centre and the Indoor Athletics Centre – although I did have to wait until I stopped shaking before pressing the shutter! I have also photographed many VIPs including the Queen and Usain Bolt.

Some of our work has been published in the national press and on the BBC website so it’s satisfying to be part of marketing Brunel to the broader community. We do a variety of studio work and I also teach photography courses at the Arts Centre.”

Chris dundon – Media teaching officer “I lead the Media Production Centre, and day-to-day this involves teaching media production to students from different courses, particularly Communication and Media Studies, as well as technical and training workshops in the Schools of Arts and Sport and Education. If I’m not teaching a class myself I’m generally working with lecturers to meet their needs for different modules.

I also work with the team to design training content, including for Final Cut Pro and Avid editing software – every summer we update our training to make it as industry standard as possible, so that students learn the skills to get jobs in industry. We also write simple guides for new equipment, rather than expecting students to know all the features at first glance.

The most enjoyable part of my job is watching student films – seeing the blood, sweat and tears that have gone into them. I enjoy working with student groups in the edit suites, too. The most challenging part is when students don’t attend training! They have to have a certain level of training to be able to use the kit and a lot can go wrong if they don’t know how to use it. Non-attendance can have a knock on effect.

I work in the film industry outside Brunel and I finished a short film recently which is showing at 20 film festivals around the world. I want to set up a development scheme where industry professionals I work with can work with students on a film production.”


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www.brunel.ac.uk/life/study/computer-centre/media-services

Jon Holt – aV officer“I started at Brunel as an AV technician. AV began taking on a lot more project work such as digital signage, lecture capture, and more AV installations. My role was created to look after that side of AV.

On a daily basis, it’s very varied. I could be doing anything from specifying equipment for AV installation to something simple like setting up a laptop and projector. Today I was looking at quotes for a large LED screen that’s used to show the graduation ceremonies in the Quad. We also had audio problems in the Mary Seacole Building – I had to go along and find out what the issue was.

We run the digital signage system which involves over 20 screens, including those in the Lecture

Centre and Wilfred Brown. We get requests to display digital posters on the screens from staff and students all over campus.

I especially enjoy working on AV installation projects such as the Eastern Gateway Building, which took years to design. I was brought in to assist with checking the diagrams to see if there was anything that we needed to adjust or change. I spent a lot of hours staring at huge schematics!

It’s rewarding when it’s all installed and works, and it’s satisfying being able to switch the equipment on and see the system run how it should.

I love technology, so this role is great as I get to test and build a lot of different systems.”

terence tiernan – Video officer“I film and edit videos for many Schools and departments as learning resources, research documentation, or marketing and promotional material. I used to teach Film and TV Studies but now the production work takes up all my time.

I often film on campus but I’ve also been lucky enough to film in several European countries and as far afield as Egypt and Brazil. I’ve filmed some famous visitors to Brunel including the Queen and Tony Blair, and not forgetting the Olympic Torch!

I enjoy working with images and sounds and even get to write and record music for some of our films. I work with some great staff and students and am happy when I can put together images and sounds that help tell the Brunel story.

Today I took my lights, microphone kit and Digital SLR camera to the Mary Seacole building to film an interview with a social work student for a promotional film for the School of Health Sciences and Social Care. I uploaded this to my Mac, headed to a Lecture Centre classroom with an HD video camera to film a guest lecturer, then returned to the production suite to continue editing a film. This evening I’ll be doing a five camera live vision mix recording of the Public Lecture in the Eastern Gateway Building. That’s a 12 hour day, and it’s only Monday!

I usually stay away from cameras when I get free time and I unwind by trying to play guitar and recording music.”

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High-intensity exercise can reduce scar tissue in the heart, according to Brunel studyA study by Senior Lecturer in Sports Coaching and Human performance Dr Richard Godfrey has demonstrated for the first time that high-intensity interval exercise can lead to cardiac repair.

Dr Godfrey, formerly Chief Physiologist at the British Olympic Medical Centre, suffered a heart attack in 2007 caused by a blood clotting disorder, which resulted in 16% scarring to the muscular tissue of the heart.

He undertook 60 weeks of high-intensity aerobic interval exercise three times per week, alternating one minute of hard work with one minute of easy activity and taking his heart rate to just above 90% of maximum. Cardiac MRI scans before, during and after the exercise showed a 50% decrease in the amount of scar tissue in the heart – the first time that exercise has been shown to cause cardiac repair.

Dr Godfrey said: “Accumulating evidence suggests that aerobic high-intensity interval training (AHIT) is effective in improving cardiac function in health and disease. However, its impact on myocardial infarction scars has never been assessed. These findings call into question the belief that once scar tissue is present in the heart it cannot be reversed.”

The research was published in February’s BMJ Case Reports.

Study suggests that bullying of lesbian, gay and bisexual young people decreases as they get older

new research suggests that lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) young people are twice as likely as their heterosexual peers to be bullied in high school, although bullying declines significantly as they get older.

The study, by Brunel University and the University of Illinois, used data from a Department for Education survey which followed 8,700 young people over a seven year period. Those who identified themselves as LGB tended to experience higher rates of bullying, but this declined significantly as they left high school. LGB youth also demonstrated higher levels of emotional distress than their heterosexual-identified peers.

Professor of Human Development Ian Rivers, who co-authored the study, said: “While a decline in bullying with age is to be welcomed for both heterosexual and LGB youth, the answer to ‘does it get better?’ is nuanced. The data suggests that bullying is much less likely to happen after 16 years of age when education becomes optional, so it seems likely that the proposed rise in the school leaving age to 18 will have an impact upon rates of bullying.”

Research shows that chemicals extracted from green tea can slow cancer growth

Researchers at Brunel and the uCL Institute of Child Health have found that organic compounds in green tea can suppress the growth of neuroblastoma, one of the most fatal forms of childhood cancer.

The study, funded by the children’s medical research charity Sparks, shows that catechins extracted from green tea leaves slow the growth of neuroblastoma by boosting the body’s own anti-tumour response. It is hoped that this research will lead to the development of less toxic treatments for children with cancer.

Professor Arturo Sala, Deputy Director of the Brunel Institute for Cancer Genetics and Pharmacogenomics, said: “Green tea extracts are currently being used in clinical trials for adults in the USA and we’ve found that they stop the cancer producing a type of cell which prevents the immune system from attacking tumours. I hope our efforts have helped to unlock new non-toxic methods to boost the body’s innate defence against neuroblastoma.”

The research team plan to begin clinical trials in which the catechin Polyphenon E will be combined in treatments for children with relapsed neuroblastoma or who are undergoing cancer immunotherapy.

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Interdisciplinary research creates enterprise initiatives for new theatre companiesA research project examining the connections between commercial success and creativity in fringe theatre production has challenged traditional views – still maintained by some producers – that passion and commitment alone are enough to launch a career in the arts industry.

The project, investigated by Professor of Technology Management Keith Dickson and Professor of Management Ruth Simpson, from Brunel Business School, highlighted the need for aspiring theatre producers in small scale theatre companies (SSTCs) to combine their creative drive – described as ‘Emotional Entrepreneurship’ – with a strong business sense and commercial awareness to increase their chance of success in the field.

With funding for the arts significantly tightened, estimates suggest that nine out of ten theatre companies fail to establish themselves within the first three years. This figure could improved, the researchers argue, by adopting a stronger entrepreneurial and professional identity.

Professor Simpson explained the methodology behind the project:

“We conducted 20 interviews with SSTCs and explored their experiences of trying to survive within the fringe sector. We also undertook discourse analysis of 80 paper-based applications to Scenepool, a theatre development and production company co-founded by Barry Edwards, formerly of Brunel’s School of Arts.”

This combination of interviewing and discourse analysis allowed the researchers “to consider the emotional investment in theatre production and the role of passion in SSTC’s founders’ drive to create drama,” revealing the need for founders to acquire “marketing skills which are necessary for successful enterprise in this sector”.

As a result of the project, initiatives such as the Camden Producers Collective, Theatrelab and Camden Theatres have been developed in order to support new SSTCs in establishing themselves. Scenepool also established the Creative Producers Collective, a producer-led network supported by Camden Council and Theatrelab to share the resources and skills of producers, writers, directors and actors.

Professor Simpson added: “Together, these organisations have helped to break down the sense of isolation experienced by SSTCs and have enabled the dissemination of sector-specific knowledge and the sharing of resources. Both networks encourage entrepreneurship and greater commercial awareness as foundational to the creative process of making drama.”

www.scenepool.co.uk

www.camdentheatres.com

www.theatrelab.co.uk

In BRIEFMRI scan research at Brunel has shown that experienced footballers’ brains have an increased ability to predict opponents’ movements, developing a ‘checking’ system which helps the player detect deceptive feints. Dr Daniel Bishop explained: “Our neuroimaging data shows greater activation of motor and related structures in the brains of expert footballers, compared to novices, when taking part in a football-related anticipation task. We believe that this level of neural activity can be developed through high quality training.”

A study summarising ten years of research into the effects of man-made substances on the environment has concluded that a sharp global rise in hormonal diseases and disorders cannot be due to genetics alone – environmental factors must be involved. The study was produced for the WHO and the UN Environment Programme by a team of international experts including Professor Susan Jobling of Brunel’s Institute for the Environment. Jobling discussed the report on BBC One’s Bang Goes the Theory in March.

Dr Melissa Parker, Director of Brunel’s Centre for Research in International Medical Anthropology, and LSE’s Professor Tim Allen presented their research on drug programmes in the developing world to an all-party Parliamentary Committee in February. The findings, which suggest that competition for multi-million pound grants to tackle parasitic diseases causes concerns about whether current drug programmes actually work to be side-lined, have also been discussed in the House of Lords.

A design by Dr Mark Dowson, who completed his undergraduate and doctoral studies at Brunel, was named Passive (Energy Related) Product of the Year 2013 by the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers. The Aerogel Solar Collector was developed by Brunel University and Buro Happold, where Dowson now works as a Sustainability Engineer, in collaboration with Fraser Brown MacKenna Architects, Nuaire, Xtralite and Permarock Products. www.cibseawards.org/winners-2013

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See your photos here!

Want to see your images published in Express? Submit your best pictures of anything Brunel and you could see them in the Express gallery. Email your high resolution photos (ideally 1MB+) to [email protected] or submit them on Brunel’s Flickr or Facebook pages.

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tHe GaLLeRY

1 One World Week

This year’s One World Week saw parades, dancing, international food tastings and a carnival atmosphere on campus. Staff and students could even try Australian dot painting at the Arts Centre.

2 Snow on campus

Spring came late on campus this year, with snow blanketing the campus in January and flurries continuing well into March.

3 pancake Day with Matt Dawson

Former England rugby international Matt Dawson flipped pancakes in February for the Well@Brunel live cook in the Hamilton Centre Atrium – all ingredients were on sale in the campus market.

4 England netball at Brunel

Brunel is to take a central role in the future development of netball in England as one of only three Intensive Netball Training Centres in the country. Coach Taillisa Haynes (centre) welcomed England players Mikki Austin (left) and Georgia Lees (right) to campus.

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Express Issue 18 Spring 2013

Documents

Transcript of Express Issue 18 Spring 2013