Innovate Issue 6 The Coventry University Applied Research Magazine

8/14/2019 Innovate Issue 6 The Coventry University Applied Research Magazine

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special ocus

Wome w s vivo s Le e ship i io he Wes Mi l s Police Imp oviWEEE spo io S ppo o si essi he ow HOPE o people wi h loe m he l h co i io s

MadE tO MEaSurE teaching the world the

importance o measurement

buSInESS bOOSthelping businesses to

recover rom the recession

Intelligent design How business will bene t from the Engineering and Computing Facultysinnovative new building

a c u i 6 a 2009


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2 i / a 2009 i / a 2009 5

WelcomeI he m 2009 iss e o I ov e, hepplie ese ch m zi e om Coveu ive si , we e oc si o he imp c

he ew E i ee i Comp iil i will h ve o i s .No th t the p ns h vebeen fn ised nd theconstruction or h sst rted, e c n reve morein orm tion bout the neci ities th t i be inc uded

in the ne F cu ty bui din . Our im is toenh nce the te chin nd e rnin e o er inco bor tion ith business to cre te bui dinth t not on y o ers benefts to students butso to industry.

The investment e re puttin into thisbui din i not on y improve the qu ity oour r du tes but i so enh nce the oro the m ny pp ied rese rch centres ndroups invo ved in en ineerin nd computinprojects.

The ci ities i brin c demi nd

business to ether to fnd so utions to industry-ide prob ems s e s he p to deve oputure innov tors.

The tou h economic c im te h s e t m nybusinesses needin to cut b c on their rese rch nd deve opment(R&D) ctivity. Surviv requires in enuity, nd cut b c s in R&D n ocou d h ve ne tive repercussions ter on. The ne En ineerin ndComputin bui din i o er more opportunities or the Universityto support industry ith R&D. Incre sin numbers o businesses reoo in to c demic institutions to c rry out their R& D bec use usin University c n be more vi b e option.

In this issue you c n so re d bout the extr undin the Universityis o erin to businesses ho need more support to stren then theiron oin deve opment so they c n be t the e ects o the recession.

I hope this issue o Innov te inspires you to nt to fnd outmore bout ho Coventry Universitys pp ied rese rch is m in di erence to individu s nd businesses in this country nd round theor d. You c n eep up to d te ith our projects on our ebsite.coventry. c.u /rese rchnet.I you h ve ny comments bout the m zine or ny o

our projects, p e se do not hesit te to et in touch.I oo or rd to he rin rom you.

P o esso I M sh ll, Pro Vice-Ch nce or (Rese rch)

innov te@coventry. c.u

in sideINNOVaTE / aUTUMN 2009

4 NEwSThe test rese rch ne s rom cross the c mpus

Features 8 ENTERPRISE CUlTUREHo n entrepreneuri ocus is m in Coventryone o the e din business- cin universities

10 JOININg FORCES Cre tin better e ders in the west Mid nds Po iceorce throu h n innov tive ne tr inin scheme

12 BUSINESS BOOST More support or businesses ho re tryin to f htb c rom the recession

22 wOMEN waR SURVIVORS Overcomin the dev st tin e ects o r in liberi

26 HOPE SPRINgS ETERNal a ne pro r mme o ers support or peop e ivin

ith on -term he th conditions

28 RISkY BUSINESS Reducin the ch nces o reo endin ithimprovements to ris m n ement tr inin

Special focus - Engineering

14 HEaVY METal S vin comp nies po er nd money in theproduction o uminium

16 INTEllIgENT DESIgN Improvements or business in the neEn ineerin nd Computin bui din

20 MaDE TO MEaSURE Improvin productivity nd cost e fciencies ithccur te me surin

Regulars

27 CaSE NOTES: CaBlEDCoventrys ro e in the Uks r est test o priv te y-o ned o -c rbon vehic es 30 Q&a P c in up wEEE h s been m de more e fcient

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save tHE date

The number of visits, from 66 different countries, that the dance archive Siobhan Davies Replay has received since it

launched in June this year. Funded by a major grant from the AHRC,the archive is a collaboration between the University and leading Britishchoreographer Siobhan Davies who is a Visiting Professor of Dance. Visit www.siobhandaviesreplay.com for more information.

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the s o e is o e o o l wo ci ce e IKEa si es ihe wo l , he loc io c p ese ch lle es swell s oppo i ies.

He o I s i l desi JohOwe Se io Lec e tim b llwo ke wi h he s o e o p o ce esi ie o he s e s oc e e ew p o c p opos ls.

a e p ese io ohe his o o IKEa, i s v l es,

philosoph si ess mo el, s e s looke ohe s o e o e e e e s i o he si ess.

the s e s se ole pl o he p o o piech iq es i hei p opos ls o show how he p o c sco l e ll i e e i o IKEas wo ki p c ices om m c i h o h o c lo e e p ice e ils.

r chel W llis, S o e M e he ci ch s i :I w s i c e i le o see s ch e h si sm om hes e s. I w s s ic o see he le hs he weo i o e o c e e s ch e es l s. om he p ices o he i ov ive esi s, i w s e cep io l.

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gooD SportS / david goldblatt, author o the ball is round, was

a speaker at the conerence(right) jens sejer andersen,

director o play the game


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8 i / a 2009 i / a 2009 9

eature EntErPrISE

For two years running Coventry has been recognised in the Times HigherEducation awards for its entrepreneurialachievements. Highly commended in2008, it was shortlisted again this yearfor its leadership in enterprise and

entrepreneurialism in the Higher Education sector.Enterprise runs through every strand of the Universitys

activity and it has so far assisted 320 students to start a business. Every year it supports 7,500 SMEs and works

with 500 larger companies.Coventrys commitment to enterprise is also helping

businesses through the recession. It has provided access tostaff expertise, student skills, subsidised training, fundingand assistance with starting, growing or repro ling businesses to support continuity and survival. The drivingforce behind the enterprise agenda is the Institute of Applied Entrepreneurship (IAE). Established in 2008, theInstitute has helped provide a focal point for support of entrepreneurial activity across the campus.

Since launching in November 2008, the last 12months have been exciting times for the Institute of Applied Entrepreneurship, said Dr Gideon Maas Co-Director of the IAE. We have successfully developeda strong reputation for supporting business venturesand encouraging entrepreneurship in Higher Educationnot only locally in Coventry but also on a regionaland international level. We are now a truly innovativeUniversity creating a culture of global entrepreneurshipfor our students and embedding enterprise into every aspect of our curriculum and offering seamless support

from business creation and beyond. An Entrepreneurship committee coordinates all the

entrepreneurial activities at the University and studententrepreneurs are employed by the IAE to help engageother students in the enterprise agenda. Quali cations

Recently shortlisted again for EntrEprEnEurial u nivErsity of thE y Ear at the 2009 Times Higher Education awards,Coventry is making its mark as one of the leading business-facing universities in the UK

Enterpriseculture

such as the MA in Global Entrepreneurship and an MA in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Education also reachout to students wanting to further their knowledge in thesubject.

In 2008/09 the IAE assisted 120 students totransform business ideas into reality and gave 23Enterprise Scholarships of 2,000 a year to students whodemonstrated a air for business. In the same period29 students received grants of 4,400, free of ce spaceand mentoring on the SPEED (Student Placements

for Entrepreneurs in Education) programme and anadditional 29 students have bene ted from SPEED WM with a grant of 4,200 (8,400for growth businesses). Ten of 29students who enrolled on the BA/BSc Enterprise & Entrepreneurshipprogramme have trading businesses and 740 students havetaken Graduate Entrepreneur Add+vantage modules, which giveacademic credit to students in settingup a venture.

There have also been 100postgraduate/postexperiencestudents who have been supportedin setting up a business with an 80%success rate.

Results like these, and itsambitious goals for the future, provehow much enterprise is a principalpart of the Universitys strategy.

Creating even more entrepreneursfrom its students, staff and the wider community will only furtherenhance Coventrys entrepreneurialreputation.

StudEnt EntErPrISEWhe d iel She i h si ess i eo help a ic chil e e e e powe ohei schools, s ppo om he u ive sile o me o s w s o he s ee ep e e .

She i s i e o evelop see s wh co l c e e elec ici while chil epl e o i wo the Lo S o aw2008 o E ep e e i l Spi i . the w seco ise e co e he evelopmeo coll o ive el io ships e weesi esses ive si ies. aw s P o Lo S o s i : d iel e ll is

i spi io l e ep e e o o l h s he spo e evelope eme o s si essi e , i is p o c h co l h ve s ch powe l imp c o he wo l .

I he s me e She i l che Pl M e E e , he w s lso me E ep e eo he ye 2008 he IaE E ep e e i l l w s. He is m ss o oE e p ise uK is l chi ew si ess Pl M e Le i , ime i spi ischoolchil e o esi s s i ili (www.pl m e.co. k). She ico i es o eceive s ppo om he u ive si h s j s s e he Ma i glo lE ep e e ship wi h ccess o ellowship scheme o help wi h i .

* The University has been shortlisted at the West Midlands Lord Stafford Awards 2009 for an innovative shower design, called the Rejuvenator, that it has helped start-up business Innovations 28 Ltd develop.

bEnE ItIng COMMunItyEntErPrISEI 2008, he u ive si wo he Q ee s

a ive s P ize o t eis (tech ic l b si ess E c io I i i ive i So h a ic ) pio ee i p e ship, le he u ive si ,which e co es e ep e e s i So h

a ic s poo es e io s.the cove e i l p ize eco ises he

wo k o e o help il e e so livi i some o he wo l s poo escomm i ies s ppo i ove 1,000comme ci l s - p e e p ises si ce i ses lishme i 1994.

t eis wo ks wi h lo si e people op ovi e s ppo vice c i ic l s es he s o ew p ojec o si ess.

the o is io ssis s wi h s e ies o

e co e l ck eco omic empowe me helpi e ep e e s om is v ecomm i ies se p sm ll si esses.

t ies ece l hel the desi 4li e a icshio Show ( i h ), which e e sho lis eesi s om lo l shio compe i iot eis desi 4 Li e a ic .

InnOVatIVE and

EntrEPrEnEurIaL Stau ive si s e ew e o e ep e e i l c ivi e e p ise iseve em e e i o he pp is l scheme. the es eve S I e s Wo kcompe i io o imp ove he e ep e e i l e vi o me o c mp s wi i i e s e ive he eso ces o m ke hem e li .

Emplo ees i e es e i s i p hei ow e e p ises while wo kie e co e o o so o e s mem e who is eeli he e e s oei E ep e e i l u ive si is IaE P ojec M e J li S ew. Ihe jo she ives p e-s p me o i vice o s e s e o e he joiSPEEd.

I w s e co i o he s o se p hei ow si ess so I ho h I sho lollow m ow vice, s i J li who is looki c e i si ess i hee o esi . M h s is eel ce esi e we w e oo some hi h wo l oos o i come se o c e ive skills.

J li comple e e ep e e i l p o le he u ive si omJ will s o Pg Ce i b si ess E e p ise lo si e he jo .

the co se will o o l help o lisehe si ess i e lso s e he hesi ess me o i skills.

I h ve lw s h i e s eve hhe co e ce o o hi wi h hem oee i he i h e vi o me o ke hle p, s i J li . I ho h I wo l lw sh ve o le ve wo k o s some hi like

his, Cove i h s ee c ivelem ce I m e co e o o o i .J li oes pl o le ve he u ive si

whe he si ess is p i sshe will i wi h he h s who will ei volve ll ime.


6/17

We wanted to invest inan accredited course with auniversity, that would lead to aformal quali cation in coaching. We didnt want to do this by halves, we wanted to approach itproperly, said David Williams,Director of Personnel for WestMidlands Police. The factCoventry University was a CMI

Centre added to the credibility of the course and meant there was the potential for a dualaward from the CMI and theUniversity. Anyone can claim to be a coach, we wanted ours tohave a credible quali cation.

To get maximum return fromthe course, it was important toget the right calibre of student.Candidates were put througha stringent selection process, which the University helpedadminister, because the new coaches would becomechampions of the new style of leadership within thepolice force.

We want the organisation to perform at a greaterlevel, said David Williams about his hopes for theoutcome of the training. The coaches will pass on skillsand knowledge to bring on other leaders.

Mr Williams is keen to point out that the coaching

training is not about developing people for promotion, but about them developing the leadership skills of others.

The coaches started their training this October and willattend days at the University as well as working out in the eld.The vocational course will have some academic content but is

10 i / a 2009 i / a 2009 11

eature EduCatIOn

Police in the West Midlands are going back to school this autumn to learn how to beprofessional coaches.

The University has developed a bespoketraining package for the force that it hopes will not only deliver an improved service

to the public but also save money.Its a new initiative for the organisation that employs

over 14,000 people and serves a population of almost 2.6million. Good leaders are essential in an operation of its

size and the need for professional training is essential.The organisation aims to create a rst batch of coaches who can deliver leadership training to their colleagues.

Investing in a group of internal coaches will not only be rewarding for those gaining the quali cation, but alsomeans the organisation can reduce paying out for costly training elsewhere.

It was clear from the outset that the coaches neededto have a professional, respected quali cation forthe internal training to be considered credible. Theorganisation was also keen to team up with an academic

institution that couldcreate a package inline with the individualneeds of the police force.

In response, theUniversitys Schoolof Lifelong Learning(SoLL) developed aGraduate Certi cate inLeadership Coaching,

which is accredited by the CharteredManagement Institute(CMI), and is unique tothe organisation.

JoiNiNgforces

being led by an industry coach, rather than an academic.The course will involve blended learning, said Dr Sue

Rivers, Acting Dean for SoLL. The trainee coaches will watch a professional coach and will be learning in the workplace, watching what they do. In some cases a coachmaybe working with someone of a higher rank, which is why an accredited quali cation was so important.

While it is very much a work-based, practical

programme, theory is included too, such as learning theethics and the rules and regulations of coaching.

How the coaches are deployed around the organisationis still to be decided but the police force will be evaluatingthe impact of the course with a view to training up more

Coventry University is helping to createthe next generation of leaders in the W Est M idlands p olicE forcE

CrEDiblE /colleagues

trust the training

EMpowEr/making adi erence to

the public

For MorE inForMation: w m p

. - . . / a w s ll + 44

(0) 24 7765 7867

coaches if it proves to be a success.We need to get to a place where we have enough

coaches because 30 coaches between 14,000 peopleisnt really enough, said David Williams. Coventry University has worked magni cently with us to get thiscourse together so quickly. It has delivered a product thatis bespoke to us, rather than just something thats already there on the shelf.

The University hasdelivered a product

that is bespoke tous, rather than just

something thatsalready there onthe shelf


7/17

i / a 2009 13

eature buSInESS SuPPOrt

The West Midlands has been the hardest hit by the recession but a new rescue packagefrom the University is hoping to change thefortunes of local businesses.

As of June 2009 the West Midlands stillhad the third lowest employment rate of all the Englishregions, according to the West Midlands RegionalObservatory. The knock-on effects are hitting industrieshard as the public tighten their belts and spend less.

In an effort to help the region recover from thedownturn, the University is offering individuals and businesses access to 1m worth of support. Part of thisfunding has come from a 25m Economic ChallengeInvestment Fund (ECIF) that the Higher EducationFunding Council (HEFCE) launched to help Englishcolleges and universities take rapid action to support business in the current economic climate.

Coventry secured 500k from the fund themaximum allowance given to any institution which will

be matched to bring the total to 1m.The funding is being used to offer immediate supportto businesses affected by the downturn, including a voucher scheme that can pay up to 3,000 towards thecost of specialist services provided by the University.

The speed at which institutions are able to deliverthe support was part of the assessment criteria for thefunding applications to HEFCE. Coventry University proved it was ready for the challenge due to the existingresources it already has in place.

Any size of business can apply for the support andit is not restricted to Midlands business, but whereappropriate the University will look to support local business. There are ve different packages of supportavailable, three of which are targeted at speci cindustries including automotive, creative industries andICT sectors.

The scheme was announced on 25 June and theUniversity is already supporting some of the successfulapplications making a difference to individual businesses as well as the local economy.

As a business-facing university we are committed tosupporting companies in the economic downturn. Thisnew fund means we can make our expertise and facilitiesavailable to even more companies that are affected,explained ECIF Programme Director Derek Grif ths

As a business- facing university weare committed tosupporting companiesin the economicdownturn

about the scheme that runs until September 2010.Jaguar Land Rover and TRW Conekt both backed the

University's application for the funding and are hopingsome of their staff will bene t from the AutomotiveTechnology support package.

The support available is not applicable for businessesthat are about to go under, but is focused on those that want to put themselves in a better position to survive and

be stronger when they market picks up again, explainedDerek. Its about companies who have hit a wall whiledeveloping a new product, for example, and our specialistexpertise will help them to continue with those projects.The money has to make a difference.

Business Enterprise, Sustainability and Growth av il ili : 30 comp iesde ils: delive e he I s i e o applie E ep e e ship hep ck e i cl es i i i l i osis h e e mi es i ivi lp o les, si ess vi ili o jec ives o evelop c io pl .

a e he p ck e h s ee impleme e , he e is co i o seview o e s, i cl i i i , ese ch co s l c .

Business Sustainability Vouchers av il ili : 40 comp iesde ils: this p ck e o e s p o 3,000 ow s he cos ospeci lis se vices o ckle speci c iss es ce comp iesi he ecessio . S ppo is lso v il le o s i ewsi ess, ccessi i e io l m ke s, speci lis esi

me s eme vice o s e pl ceme s.

Niche Manufacturing/ Automotive Technology av il ili : Wo k o ce skills evelopme o 200 emplo ees

i io l s ppo o 10 comp ies o help m i i heiposi io i he m ke , m e le isl ive co s me p ess eso ive si i o ew sec o s less ec e he ow .de ils: delive e he E i ee i Comp i c l ,i o e s s ppo o he evelopme p ovisio o e e

i i wi h e e l p e s o omo ive m c e s.

Creative Industries av il ili : a espoke me o i e pl cemescheme o 40 ba/Ma es.de ils: delive e he I s i e o C e ive E e p ise he

p ck e p ovi es me o i el io ships e wee es si ess me o s om he c e ive i s ies ece l m i.

Gaming/Serious Games av il ili : Speci lis co s l c p ovisio o 10 - iskcomp ies wi hi he sec o , e lis i he s ppo o sec o speci cc emic, i ves o s i ov io speci lis s me o ip ovisio o 20 es i 2009-10 li ke o i s pl ceme s.de ils: delive e he Se io s g mes I s i e, he me o isessio s will e ph sic ll si vi l e vi o me s.

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8/17

14 i / a 2009 i / a 2009 X

Heavy metal

W hile it is one metal that theearth has in abundance,aluminium is not cheap. Ittakes up about eight percent in weight of the earths crust butis around $0.7 per pound due

to its high production costs.Despite its expense, aluminium is one non-ferrous

metal we would nd dif cult to live without. Fromtransport such as cars and bicyclesto food packaging such as cans andfoil the human race has foundsigni cant ways to employ thismetals services.

Instability during the productionprocess needs to be kept to aminimum to conserve money and energy and the University has been investigating ways to dothis. Coventrys Applied Mathematics Research Centre,alongside Warwick University, began the project in 2007in collaboration with the worlds leading aluminiumproducer Rio Tinto Alcan and with funding from theCarbon Trust.

Its most remarkable qualities are its lightness and itsresistance to corrosion because of the inert oxide lmit forms on its surface. On the downside, aluminiumchemically reacts with other substances very easily andtherefore only occurs in minerals, such as bauxite ore.

Pure metal is extracted from the ore using theelectrolytic Hall-Hroult process. Bauxite ore normally dissolves at about 2000C but this process dissolves itin cryolite (electrolyte, uoride salt), which reduces the

melting temperature to about 960C. An electric current passes through the solution andcauses it to melt. The current travels vertically down fromthe carbon anode to the carbon cathode, causing liquidaluminium to be deposited at the cathode as precipitateduring the process. The anode is oxidised to produce CO2.

Today, the process is performed in huge electrolysis cells,or smelting pots, a few meters wide and more then 10mlong, consisting of steel shell, a carbon bottom (cathode)and numerous huge carbon blocks (anodes) at the t op of the cell. The current that passes through the shallow bathscontaining aluminium is about 300-500 kA.

Deposited liquid aluminium sits at the bottom of thecell as a 30cm deep liquid metal pad, covered with arelatively thin (four to ve centimetres) cryolite layer. Aluminium is siphoned from the cell periodically andfresh bauxite ore is added to the cryolite. This keeps theelectrochemical reaction going continuously.

Cryolite is a very poor conductor of electricity and ittakes an enormous amount of power to produce purealuminium. Major producers of primary aluminium, such

as Rio Tinto Alcan, make great efforts to minimise powerconsumption of the smelting pots.

For example, if the cryolite layers thickness is reduced,the overall resistance of the cell decreases considerably and reduces power consumption. However, if the cryolite

layer is reduced below 4.5cm,the liquid metal surface losesits stability and starts to slosh,producing rolling waves along theperimeter of the cell.

In critical cases the molten metal could even escapethe cell or produce an electric short-circuit between thecathode and the anode. This phenomenon called rollingpad instability occurs due to mutual interaction of theelectric current in the molten metal and the magneticeld generated by the bus bars supplying power to thecell. This produces the electromagnetic body force inmolten aluminium called the Lorentz force, which drivesthe liquid metal into a sloshing or rolling motion.

Aluminium producers constantly optimise theircells in terms of bus bar arrangements to minimisethis unwanted phenomenon. While there have beentheoretical investigations into this instability, no one hasconducted an experimental study to verify these theories

until Coventry began its research two years ago. It is easy to understand why: molten cryolite and aluminium arechemically very aggressive which signi cantly restrictsthe means for experimental investigation of this process.

Coventry reproduced the mechanism of the interfacial waves in a small laboratory at room temperature. Theanode was specially constructed so it did not need theelectrolyte to achieve the electrodynamic behaviour of the system similar to that of cryolite. This avoided highpower demands, an aggressive environment and sideeffects of electrolysis such as fumes and overheating.

In-Ga-Sn alloy was used as a substitute for the liquidaluminium layer as it has similar physical properties buta lower melting temperature of 11C.

The whole cell was placed in the inductor of magneticeld that produced a magnetic eld similar to the bus

bars of the real cells. This successful approach generatedinterfacial instability similar to that observed in the realcells. The application of the alternating magnetic eld tothe cell has also been successful.

The investigation showed that the eld with a certain

frequency dampens the amplitude of oscillations by up to17%, meaning aluminium power plants might be able toreduce energy consumption by a similar amount.

The results have led to another two-year contract withRio Tinto Alcan to study the phenomena further.

The initial successof a two-year project

aimed at reducing theenergy consumption in

aluminium smelting hasled to further research

on the subject. p rofEssor in a ppliEd M athEMatics

s ErgEi M olokov explainshow the University is

helping to save powerand money

eature EngInEErIng

Se ei

Molokovo i e hisPhd i l id micsom tu-ri

(L vi ) i1990. a e wo ki tu-ri he move o ge mi 91, he o O o i 94

ll o Cove i 95.His ese ch i e es s e im e oh o mics elec om eic p ocessio m e i ls.

alePe ce ko

eom ri

tech ic lu ive si(rtu) i 2000

joi e he I s i eo Ph sics i L vi s rese ch assis wo kio pplic io s o m e icel s i semico c oc s l ow h ech olo ies.He h s d .E .Sc. iMech ic l E i ee i

joi e Cove i2007 o ke p i aMrCe pe ime l p ojec .

Biography

SMElting / rio tinto alcanssmeltingacilities

The investigationshowed that the eld with a certain frequency dampensthe amplitude of oscillations by upto 17%

researchsponsor:

eature PrO ILE


9/17

i / a 2009 17

eature PrO ILE

Science and nature are united in the new Engineering and Computing building.The designer chose to illustrate the strongconnection by coating one side of the building in hexagonal aluminium panels

interspersed with glazed panels that have both an aesthetic and environmental resonance.The honeycomb faade of this new 60m state-

of-the-art building will not only make it a landmark construction in Coventry, but the advanced technology inside will also ensure it is a hive of activity for businessinnovation and research.

Time moves on and the existing facilities needsigni cantly enhancing. The Faculty has engaged the

We are transforming theengineering and computing

provision to enhancethe innovation of the

regions businesses The new high-tech EnginEEring and c oMputing building promises to be a striking addition to Coventry in botharchitectural and business terms

latest thinking in technological education to ensure thenew facilities meet industry demands.

Our business and research partners expect somethingdifferent these days, explained E&Cs Associate DeanIan Dunn. They want all of the technical skills and

knowledge but they also expect professional skills,communication, teamworking, leadership, innovation all of those skills on top.

These demands fuelled a determination to create anew Faculty building worthy of its world-class reputationin engineering and computing and one that lived up tothe Universitys business-facing reputation.

The new concepts for the Faculty were formed with business engagement in mind, transforming its

eature PrO ILE


10/17

approach to teaching as well as facilities for research and training. Advanced technology was used to create an environmentally friendly,collaborative teaching and working space that is open to industry.

It is a technically complex building that has been designed toenhance the eco-system in the area. It is almost completely naturally ventilated and is a live building that gives out performance data, suchas how many lights are on or how many people are in the building. All of this data will be available live on the internet so students andresearchers can experiment with the information.

These innovative services will give businesses greater access toresearch, new technology and Faculty expertise as well as student andalumni talent. Teaching has been re-focused so that students will tacklereal business problems that companies have approached the University with to help them nd a solution. As well as these educational bene ts, the building itself will provide more usable space for businessto showcase products in a 2,000m 2 laboratory as well as use of ademonstrator suite for advanced IT.

In addition to the more collaborativeteaching and learning spaces, thereis also a business engagement suite ideal for supporting start up businesses.

"We've drawn up a business wing

with a touch-down facility for start-upsto operate from. This area is designeddifferently to a teaching space so we cantake our students out of the classroomto meet companies. It's dif cult to get businesses into the classroom so this will act as an interface between thetwo," explained Dunn.

It is an impressive set of plans that isfast becoming a reality. The plans have been founded on industry feedback, which revealed what business needsfrom a new facility like this.

The University conducted a businessconsultation study to ascertain theindustry demand for a range of suggested engagement mechanisms.The survey consulted a database of 690SMEs and large corporate businessesin the region and included companiesthat had previously worked with the

University as well as new ones.The survey results have helped toform an 11-point plan for working with business. Its a guide that will improvethe future of students and industry.

7 ac emic i s seco me s Academic industry secondments area mechanism for knowledge transferand innovation. A Knowledge TransferPartnership, where a graduate or academic

is seconded to an organisation for a set period of timeto solve a pre-determined task can result in increasedinnovation, knowledge transfer and productivity.

8I ov io k owle e

s e (r&d)The University has an established expertisein near to market ready R&D. In tougheconomic times funding R&D can be dif cult

but using a University can be a more viable option.

9I e io l li ksIn the growing global marketplace,

international links are more necessary.The University has a wide network of international contacts with businesses, trade

associations, not-for-pro t organisations, Government andpolicy makers and universities across the globe. Many R&D

projects are developed in collaboration with international businesses. Regional businesses can bene t by nding new markets, cheaper suppliers, new development partners, etc.

Over 60% of respondents recognised the need todevelop international links and agreed they would bene tfrom access to the Universitys international connections.

10Showc siThe new building will be a prominent

city centre site for showcasingtechnology. It offers a uniquemarketing opportunity for businesses.

More than half of those surveyed expressed an interest inshowcasing new technology in the real life environmentof the building.

11S e P ojec s Activity Led Learning is a form of teaching which uses real problems from industry as material for teaching. This method is being used in leading universities around

the globe. Industry bene ts from graduates with relevantknowledge and gets solutions to speci c problems.

Advanced technology was used inthe design and build to create anenvironmentally friendly, collaborativeteaching and working space that isopen to industry

Funding R&Dcan be dif cult in tougheconomic times,but using auniversity canbe a more viableoption

X i / a 2009

11 WayS tHE nEWbuILdIng WILL EngagEWItH buSInESS

1I s a viso g o pP icip ioSector speci c-forums where industry representatives give input into relevant teachingand/or research development. These forums

will help to shape the curriculum, research training anddevelopment and business support services provided by the Faculty. Shaping the teaching agenda was a highpriority for businesses (76%) to ensure they receivegraduates with the relevant skills and experience.Businesses were also keen on research that was directly relevant to their sector.

2t i i evelopmeThe University offers industry-focusedtraining and development courses to improveproductivity and processes. Businessesindicated this was a key priority (81%) and

that it would offer bene ts to their organisation.

3theme e wo k eve sThe Faculty will host themed networking eventsfocused on current topics and industry-relevantthemes. These events will encourage industry,students and academics to collaborate and 75%

of businesses were interested in this activity.

4use o cili ies (i cl i hi e o

speci lis eq ipme )More than half of all the businesses surveyedsaid they would like access to the new building facilities. Areas of interest were

the conference and meeting rooms, hot-desking, theassessment centre, technical development space, andspecialist equipment hire.

5g e ec i me As demand increases for industry readyengineering graduates, the Activity LedLearning approach will help preparegraduates for business. They will work on

real-life business product and process problems.Survey respondents expressed a desire to form closer

academic links to identify talented engineering students'.

6S e me o iThe University has run a number of successful industry-led student mentoringprogrammes in niche areas. These courses

give students the chance to interact directly with industry and test out their interview and CV skills.Industry mentors bene t from an opportunity to improvetheir interviewing skills as well as giving them early access to good students for potential recruitment.

eature PrO ILE

tECHnology / the newbuilding encourages improvedcollaboration betweenindustry and academia

i / a 2009 19

indEtaIL

buILdIng aCtS the il i h s ee esi e w -wi i chi ec dipesh

P el i cl es commissio ewo k i si e he il i om ece

es. a p associ es s pplie ll

co s l c , mech ic l s c lse vices.

the oo will e e pe ime lsp ce o e vi o me l ech olo ies,i cl i wi sol ee ooech olo ies. the e e pl s o p we he s io o he oo .

the il i is wi eless i cl es m e o i e c ive e chi evices

s ch s o ch sc ee s o esks vo i ech olo s s ems.

O e he e sp ce will e m e p o wosemi-ci cles h c e ope e i o o eo sp ce wi h 250-se c p ci .

the oo o he si ess e emes i e will h ve sses pl sowi o i . I s o ccessi le c

e viewe om he es o he il i .I e co es io ive si s ppo se io l pl i .

the il i is ei e heu ive si , lo wi h s ppo omie s o he s i he e io .

close up metrology


11/17

20 i / a 2009

p

Iss esKeepi he m chi es i he e o he

o he wise k ow s li h s-o wo l opep ew m ke s o a owsmi h. the Mi l s'comp h s ee m ki sm ll compo e s o hee osp ce i s si ce 1967 speci lises i lowm e s hi h p ecisio . the comp w eo e p i s po olio o wo k e le o s micompe i ive e e s o lo e i p ojec s.

a owsmi h ee e o impleme p o is s em o e le li h s-o wo ki , which wo lme he m chi es co l c o p o ci hecompo e s e o m l wo ki ho s wi ho

h m i e ve io .

ac io a owsmi h di ec o J so al i e co c e heM c i a viso Se vice Wes Mi l s (MaS-WM) o help. He w s ive p i co cwi h Me olo e pe s he WMMMC.

a e wi p pl o how o i ves hei , WMMMC i b ll b checks o ll he

m chi es o e s e he we e o oo e o hs o he p o es o wo k.

al i e s i : "I w s he mos cos e cie wo checki he m chi es ec se speci cp o lems we e ec i e ve q ickl . a e e icse vice oes ' s ll show p h level o e il."

the comp h s ow i co po e b llb checks i o i s ve- e to l P o c iveM i e ce pl (tPM).

ollowi o om he checks, WMMMC ske p o i speci lis o evelop he mos pp op i ep o e o a owsmi h's ee s.

a owsmi h wo ke wi h speci lis s o p ovi e ip

h co l l s o h ee o o ho s ime, slicih o h me ls s ch s nimo ics ti i m.P evio s ips wo l e k ec se o he mo osw (me l sh vi s chippi s) p o ce omhe h m e i l. the speci lis comp evelope ip h w s m ch sh pe c mo e p ecisel .

In dif cult economic times, productivity iseven more vital. Accurate measurementcan boost ef ciencies maximising anorganisations potential cost savings andultimately increasing value to customers.

The West Midlands ManufacturingMeasurement Centre (WMMMC), the regional centrefor measurement expertise and services based inthe University, is keen to get more organisations tomeasure up and has created a new foundation degree.The Centre, which is situated on the Technology Park,has teamed up with the University's School of LifelongLearning to create the Fdeng in Metrology, which willstart in January 2010.

The two-year degree aims to ll the skills gap inthe understanding and application of measurement by teaching students the bene ts of Metrology best practice. It will include levels 1 and 2 of theNational Physical Laboratorys (NPL) framework togain an industry-recognised quali cation and turnstudents into champions of Metrology. Time spentaway from the workplace will be kept to a minimum, with learning materials available through Coventry Universitys Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

Trevor Toman, Metrology Manager at the WMMMC,

Mad

For MorE inForMation aboUt tHEFoUnDation DEgrEE

c k m h s l l + 44 (0) 24 7765 7867

. . . / . m c

. . .

measure believes many businesses undervalue the role of metrology.

Measurement is the language of science, andmetrology is the language of measurement, saidTrevor. All organisations measure what they make but most only have a limited understanding of theirmeasurement processes, their capability and value totheir organisation.

The value of measuring skills recently got evenmore recognition at the World Skills Competition inCalgary. WMMMC were recently called in to help theUK competitors in Manufacturing and Engineering tone-tune their abilities.

Trevor Toman worked with the team to strengthentheir expertise and, in the Canadian Skills AnnualNational Competition, the UK won gold and onecompetitor went on to win a Medallion of Excellencein Mechanical Engineering Design in Calgary inSeptember.

The Centre, which received initial funding supportfrom Advantage West Midlands and the UniversitysFMRC, has helped over 250 companies in the WestMidlands, trained over 100 employees in a number of measurement related disciplines and assisted over 60graduates with metrology needs.

A new foundation degree in Metrology and input into the trainingof skills competitors is helping t hE W Est M idlands M anufacturing

M EasurEMEnt c EntrE (WMMMc) encourage the world to measure up

res l sb i o ci he ew c i ips hecomp h s e ce wo k ime 70%,o wei hi he e mo e p i o he ips.

Impleme i b ll b checks i o i s tPM,h s s ve mo e o e pe sive se vici

he comp h s evi e ce o showc s ome s how e ec ive i s m chi es e.

While he p o i s s em is s ill e i l, a owsmi h hopes i will e le o o li h s-o wo k soo , e li hem o e e mo ecompe i ivel o lo e - p ojec s.

"the i i i l wo k wi h WMMMC w s o love co ple o weeks i h s h s ch i imp c ," s i al i e. "the p o ip ojec will e o oi o e s weh ve evelope ew m i e ce pl .the ip i lli h s move i o ll p so he si ess oo. Wo ki wi h ive si e s o ow peoplehi ki . b i i ew i e s i o me i m size SME is h elposi ive s he wo k o ce i sm lle e vi o me c e

w e o he ech olo ic lv ceme sv il le."

InVEStIgatIng WayS tO KEEP PrOduCtIOngOIng a tEr HOurS SaVEd tIME and MOnEy Or

arrOWSMItH PrECISIOn EngInEErIng

in OCuS

tEaM / (l-r) mas-wm's cli johnson, jason aldridge and mas wm's peter jones

HEaLtH eature


12/17

i / a 2009 23

The war in Liberia that ragedfrom 1989 to 2003 shatteredlives. It destroyed socialnetworks, social services,education, health, roads, foodproduction and food security.

The whole economy was disrupted and themajority of the population ed their homes. Worse still, a considerable proportion suffered war related torture and trauma.

In order to properly understand theeffects of the con ict, I recently reviewed astudy of the women who survived the warin Liberia. The research was carried out in2008 by international womens organisationIsis-Womens International Cross-CulturalExchange (Isis-WICCE), in collaboration withtwo other womens groups Women in PeaceBuilding Network (WIPNET) and West AfricanNetwork for Peace Building (WANEP) and theMinistry of Gender and Development in Liberiaand I was asked to be a consultant on the study.

The research used a multi-stage purposivesampling design involving 643 participants;80% women and 20% men. Interviewsin addition to questionnaires measuring

psychological distress, were conducted in fourareas of Liberia.Data analysis concluded that the 14-year war

in Liberia, and the gender-based violence andtorture, had devastating effects, not only to

individual women and girl survivors, but alsoto whole communities.

The statistics are distressing. Rapeaccounted for 73.9% of sexual violence, atleast 66% survived physical torture, 27% lost aspouse, 61.4% had at least one surgical problemand 80% experienced at least one form of psychological torture during the con ict.

For women the sexual torture has causedlonger lasting physical and psychologicalproblems. Over 60% of women (62.5) reportedpersonal experiences of sexual torture withserious repercussions such as sexually transmitted diseases and reproductive healthproblems. Younger women up to the age of 24 were more likely to get a gynaecologicalproblem due to their increased vulnerability.

There was also a lack of knowledgeregarding the transmission of HIV/AIDS, with65% of interviewees not using any form of contraception. The study found that as a result,Liberia is likely to experience a rapid spreadof HIV/AIDS in a very short time, if publicawareness is not aggressively pursued.

As well as these physical repercussions, theextent of the psychological damage is just as

shocking. The trauma affected just over 69% of respondents ability to work and 42.8% of themhad psychological distress scores suggestive of a mental disorder. At least 12% had alcoholismproblems and 14.5% had attempted suicide.

Women in Liberia are still suffering fromthe devastating effects of sexual violence andtorture during the war. d r . h ElEn l iEbling -k alifani reveals how research is helping to

bring about positive changes

CUltUrE /celebrating

culturesduring theworkshop orwar survivorsin south eastliberia

Wm n wa

survivors

Despite thedevastating effectsof war, research

found Liberianwomen demonstrated resilience. They areactive campaigners

for peace


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eature HEaLtH


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26 i / a 2009 i / a 2009 27

Case notes cAbLeD

b ck oThe Technology Strategy Board launchedan Ultra Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstratorcompetition this summer. The city of

Coventry was one of the winners, along withBirmingham, and formed the CABLED (Coventry and Birmingham Low Emission Demonstrators)consortium to test vehicles in the West Midlands.Funding has come from the Technology Strategy Board and Regional Development Agency Advantage West Midlands.

It marks an important step forward for the futureof transport in the UK and aims to speed upthe availability of low carbon vehicles to thepublic. It brings together expertise from13 organisations including Arup, carmanufacturers and developers, E.ON,councils and academic institutions.

Me ho olo The Governments Technology Strategy Board has invested25m in the project (the

biggest project of its kind), which will fundeight trials nationally within the next six toeighteen months.

Coventry Universitys role is to select arepresentative sample of drivers, who will then testthe 110 cars allocated to the region. This processof user selection is being managed by SURGE, the Applied Research Centre in Sustainable Regeneration.Nigel Berkeley, SURGE Director, said: This is a very exciting project for Coventry University and SURGEto be involved with. We have had much initial interestfrom staff from consortium member organisationsand the general public, showing a real desire to get behind the green agenda and invest their time insustainable transport solutions.

The trial aims to involve a range of participants of both genders and all ages to test-drive the cars. Those who are chosen to take part will have a charging uppoint tted at home, some will also have one at theirplace of work or will use their nearest cluster of publiccharging points.

The electric cars normally take up to eight hoursto fully recharge and this can be done through any ordinary power socket. However, the specialist powercharging points can recharge 85% of the power neededin just twenty minutes.

Comp ies i volve i he p ojec e: a p P ojec m e s E.On Ch i poi s

elec ic l i s c e rdM a omo ive d lo e s Cove Ci Co cil -

I s c e bi mi h m Ci Co cil -

I s c e as o u ive si d l sis Cove u ive si use p o les uivesi o bimi hm H oe

e elli Mi s ishi Vehicle p ovi e Mic oc I s ies Vehicle

p ovi e sm Vehicle p ovi e t Mo o s Vehicle p ovi e J L rove Vehicle

p ovi e Lti Vehicle p ovi e

Vehicles i he fee will e:

40 sm o wo elec ic ives(EV - elec ic vehicle)

25 t I ic Vis EVs 25 Mi s ishi i MiEVs 10 mic o:c c s (H o e

el Cell) 5 L rove s r e-e 5 LtI elec ic tx4s

Professor Martin Seligman rst introducedpositive psychology as a scienti cendeavour at his American Psychological Association Presidential Lecture in 1998.In the same year, Professor BarbaraFredrickson showed how positive emotions

could play an important role in alleviating psychologicaldistress by building psychosocial resources.

A positive state of mind is especially important forpeople living with long-term health conditions and theircarers, and the University, along with its internationalpartners, has developed a new programme underpinned by positive psychology theory and practice.

The Applied Research Centre in Health and LifestyleInterventions (ARC HLI) has been working withcolleagues in the US and Greece to deliver the Help toOvercome Problems Effectively (HOPE) programme toencourage psychological and behavioural change.

Through group coaching and support, HOPEencourages people to develop a positive psychologicalemotional state and builds on participants existingstrengths and resiliencies. The programme uses anupward spiral of positive emotions to achieve greater well- being through the use of positive psychology techniques.These include keeping a gratitude journal, identifyingand using personal strengths, engaging in activities thatprovide meaning and purpose and relaxation techniques.

The gratitude activity is a simple technique to shift theemphasis away from the negative and on to the positive

things in our lives. Research has shown that people, who write a gratitude list, report fewer health complaints, feelmore attentive, energetic and optimistic, more satis ed with life, and feel closer to other people. They are alsomore likely to support others and build social networksand friendships. One UK participant explained how thegratitude list had helped: On the days that you think aredisasters, generally theres something hidden away inthere that was actually quite good. (HOPE UK)

HOPE has been delivered by research partners in theUS to explore factors in uencing the self-management

Hope springs eternal Positive emotions are boosting the well-being of people living with long-termhealth conditions. d r a ndy t urnEr explains how a new international health-coaching programme is offering hope to patients and their carers

behaviours of people living with HIV/AIDS. Resultsshowed, after the programme, there was decreasedanxiety, depression and health distress; and increased self-image, satisfaction with life, medication adherence, copingskills, and job-seeking skills. One participant said: Thiscourse helped me understand I am no longer a victim. I

have become a manager of my health.I have options and choice to have a better life. (HOPE US)

In Greece, HOPE was delivered toa group of Greek women with chronichealth conditions (such as arthritis,diabetes and thyroid disease). They reported feeling more hopeful and

less anxious and depressed after taking part. Participantsemphasised the importance of being in a supportiveenvironment, which helped them improve their quality of life and better understand and manage their healthcondition. Th e programme showed me how to put thingsinto practice and achieve what I want. Now problems seemeasier and I have con dence in anything that happens tome. (HOPE Greece)

HOPE will enable individuals to ourish and is already contributing to positive psychology applied researchand practice.

poSitivE / greekwomen at one o thecourses

projECt tEaM / dr andy turner, davem hattie, rom archli, proessor kenherganrather, georgewashington university

and dr maria otiadourom greece

d at e h see ev l ihe l hco chi

sel -m eme

p o mmes o p ie s hei c e s p o mmes oove 10 e s. He is i e imo iv io l i e viewi ps cholo ic l co chi is pe so l i e .

Biography

This course helped me understand that I am no longer a victim. I have becomea manager of my health I haveoptions and choice to have a better life

research sponsor:

t hE u nivErsity is part of a consortium that will run the UK's largest test of privately-owned low carbon vehicles

P e ic e res l sThe initiative will improve the co-ordination between key players from industry, academiaand government and make it easier to research

and develop the outcome of the trials for future projects.The vehicles will be trialled for a minimum of 12 months

each and have been developed as true alternatives to theirpetrol equivalents.

The trial will help manufacturers to understand themarket potential for these vehicles but it is expected thatfrom 2010, Electric and Plug-in Hybrid cars will be anincreasingly common sight in the UK.

indEtaIL

Car trialS / the new vehicleswill be tested on

per ormance

eature traInIng


15/17

i / a 2009 X28 i / a 2009

The complex process of integrating offenders back into society does not always bring about positiveresults. Of cial statistics of reconviction ratesin Scotland for 2005-06 and 2006-07 offendercohorts, show that almost half of convictedoffenders go on to commit a further crime.

It was a reoffender who committed the high pro le murder of Sarah Payne in 2000 and the media controversy that surrounds acase like this can damage public con dence in the system.

But in contrast to the fear that is created about the release of sex offenders, research often shows that reconviction rates tendto be lower for these offenders than for other criminals.

While there are interventions and systems in place tosafeguard the public, some individuals will reoffend, andoccasionally with tragic consequences. Identifying the nature of the risks presented by individual offenders can be key to keepinga community safer and where training can be targeted.

In Scotland a new sentence has been available to the HighCourts since 2006 called the Order for Lifelong Restriction, which was created by the Criminal Justice (Scot) Act 2003. Thesentence ensures the lifelong managament of high risk, violentand sexual offenders. Before release, an offender will have servedan adequate period in prison and will have satis ed the ParoleBoard that the risk he or she would pose to the community isacceptable.

A plan is put in place to monitor a persons managementprogramme while they are in prison, which is then revised andapproved on an annual basis. It includes the interventions andthe agencies that need to be involved inmanaging an offenders ongoing risk oncethey are back in the community.

The Risk Management Authority (RMA)is the Government body that approves all of the risk management plans. After a successfultender the University was appointed to puttogether a training programme using theRMA's published Standards and Guidelines:Risk Management of Offenders subject to anOrder for Lifelong Restriction. The training was aimed at encouraging all practitioners toproduce plans that met with these guidelines.

There is a balance between managingan appropriate level of risk and beinginappropriately and very expensively restrictive. It is important to constantly

improve and develop the assessment tools, but because the stakesare high there are often disagreements over the best approach.If the authorities do release someone from prison withoutappropriate supervision, it could result in tragic consequences. Itis rare that it results in a death but naturally the media furore overany incident from a reoffender shows the system to be failing.

All applicants to the course had to take an online test to ensurethey had an adequate level of knowledge about risk assessment.In areas where an applicant received a low score, they would haveto pass the individual elements of an online e-learning package before they could move on.

After hosting two sessions of the face-to-face course, teachingtwo cohorts of senior people within the Scottish system including police of cers, psychiatrists and social workers theRMA identi ed a need for national training.

In response, a team from the Universitys Psychology Department and Forensic Psychology and Law Applied ResearchGroup developed a train-the-trainer style course to produce apool of people who could work around the country ensuring otherpractitioners follow the same methods.

The RMA chose the University to do this work after evaluatinga number of tenders. RMA Training Of cer Donald Darroch saidthe decision came down to "the understanding of the RMAsrequirements, the appreciation and development of the brief,the quali cations, experience and credentials of those involved,knowledge of the subject matter and related elds, and the ability to design and develop engaging and effective training."

Working alongside colleagues Senior Lecturer in Psychology Erica Bowen and Reader in ForensicPsychology Development Sarah Brown, weall had practical experience in the trainingside as well as being able to mix academia with the occupational elements. We also hadthe expertise to put together the interactiveonline learning packages because of the blended learning we had developed for ourMSc in Forensic Psychology and Crime.

Scotland looked at the problem of risk management and came to a ground-upsolution. Similar intervention packages are inplace in the rest of the UK but these can vary.

This course, based on the RMA'sStandards and Guidelines, will help improvemulti-agency working and the developmentof robust risk management plans.

Coventry University is helping Scotland to better manage its offenders whenthey are released back into the community. s Enior l EcturEr in p sychology

i an b ritton explains how improved training could save lives

r ky business It was a reoffender who committed the high pro le murder of Sarah Payne in 2000 and the mediacontroversy that surrounds a case likethis can damage public con dence in

the system

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Do you need to fnd n innov tive so ution to di fcu t prob em?

at Coventry University, our pp ied rese rch te ms

or c ose y ith your or nis tion, pp yin theirno ed e nd expertise to devise inventive ndori in so utions or re - or d prob ems.

at oc , n tion nd intern tion eve , e orith c ients cross the pub ic, priv te nd vo unt rysectors. From rt to desi n, he th to sports,re ener tion to hum n security, m them tics toen ineerin , computin to communic tions

e c n fnd so ution th ts ri ht or you.

app ied Rese rch t Coventry University

.coventry. c.u /rese rchnet

Printed on Revive 75 M tt rom the Robert Horne group, hich cont ins t e st75% recovered fbre nd is produced t mi th t ho ds the ISO 14001 certifc teor environment m n ement. The pu p is b e ched usin combin tion oE ement Ch orine Free (ECF) nd Tot y Ch orine Free (TCF) methods.

Innovate Issue 6 The Coventry University Applied Research Magazine

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Transcript of Innovate Issue 6 The Coventry University Applied Research Magazine