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Transcript of ISSUE 8
SOU
THA
MPTO
N SO
LENT
UN
IVER
SITY M
AG
AZ
INE
WINTER 2012
Showcase opening
Bonding with BestivalOlympic ambitions
ISSUE 8
2. Olympic Hopes
4. Solent Showcase
6. Football Science
7. Cricket Legends
8. Bestival Bonds
10. Royal Approval
12. Winning Faces
14. Meet Lord West
17. Interior Art
CO
NT
ENT
S
HOW TO CONTACT US:Send your news, views, queries and
comments to: The Press and PR Officer,
Southampton Solent University,
East Park Terrace, Southampton SO14 0RB.
Telephone: 023 8031 9040
Email: [email protected]
Designed and published by:
Southampton Solent University’s
Marketing and Communications Service
Printed by: Indigo Press
Sail starsPage 2
Royal visitPage 10
GraduationPage 16
Winter 2012 | 1
WELCOME | ISSUE 8
The Olympic Games return to Britain in 2012 for the first time since the post-war ‘Austerity Games’ of 1948, and this edition of ISSUE provides some splendid examples of how Solent University is providing athletes, together with scientific, cultural and broadcast expertise, to contribute to their success.
Working together to win
Business student Kate Macgregor, at 20,
is the youngest in Great Britain’s sailing
squad and joins graduate Paul Goodison
and Honorary Doctor Ben Ainslie in
a team that will be hoping for many
golden moments in Weymouth
during August.
The Great Wight Attack, a film following
charity swimmers in a ‘round-the-
island’ swim, will be viewed by millions
attending the Olympics and Paralympics
after it scooped Best Documentary
(20–25 category) at the Film Nation:
Shorts Awards, part of the London 2012
Cultural Olympiad. Our new gallery,
Solent Showcase, also has an Olympic
theme to its latest exhibition opening
which is entitled ‘100m: The Creative
Campus Initiative. Responses in Art to
the 2012 Olympic Games’.
I am delighted that sport is an area
in which the University is creating
a national reputation and real
distinctiveness in the range and quality
of its offering. A measure of this
success is illustrated in the following
pages through the work of our sports
scientists who, amongst many things,
are providing fitness and conditioning
for two of the South Coast’s professional
football teams, Southampton and AFC
Bournemouth. Is it any wonder that the
Saints are topping the Championship
going into the second half of the
2011–12 season?
Following many years of successful
partnership working with the
Glastonbury Festival, Solent has
now also teamed up with the Isle of
Wight’s award-winning Bestival event
as its sole academic partner, allowing
staff and students to take on the full
range of festival production roles. This
demonstrates the fusion of theory and
practice that lies at the heart of our
identity as a university.
It can easily be overlooked that the
sports and cultural industries have multi-
billion-pound annual turnovers and
contribute hugely to both the nation’s
economy and its psychological well-
being – after all, who doesn’t feel better
when the team we support wins on a
Saturday afternoon?
Cities can be winners too when
they work closely with their local
university. I am currently exploring,
with Southampton City Council and
other organisations in the city, how
the creative industries might add lustre
(and jobs) to the local economy and
support the exciting development of
Southampton’s proposed cultural quarter
over the next two years. The opening
of Solent Showcase, our innovative
new exhibition and performance
space, during the Graduation Week
celebrations in November 2011 provided
the first physical manifestation of this
development, which will be followed in
April 2012 by the opening of the
Sea City Museum by the City Council.
Another important milestone in the
development of the University’s estate
saw the opening of Warsash Maritime
Academy’s new manned model Ship
Handling Centre at Timsbury Lake. This
world-leading facility for improving
safety at sea was later given a royal seal
of approval by a well-reported visit from
the Duke of Edinburgh.
Finally, I am delighted to see the
distinguished career of our Chancellor,
Lord West, featured in ISSUE 8. As all
our graduates will tell you, his immense
warmth and presence, and the personal
congratulations or word of advice he
offers each and every one of them, helps
to make our Graduation Week very
special indeed!
Professor Van J Gore
Vice-Chancellor
ISSUE 8 | ??????
2 | Winter 2012
Solent’sOlympic starsFormer student Paul Goodison, present
student Kate Macgregor and Honorary
Doctor Ben Ainslie will be flying the flag
for Solent University when they take to
the waters to compete against the best in
the world at Weymouth.
At just 20 years old, BA (Hons) Business
Management student Kate Macgregor
is the youngest in the squad. She joins
Annie Lush and her older sister, Lucy, as
part of the Match racing team going
for gold.
Kate and Lucy are the first sisters in
British sailing history to be picked for
Team GB. It’s the culmination of an
exciting campaign which saw the team
win the Match racing worlds in France.
“It’s been an incredible year. I really
didn’t think I would be representing Great
Britain in the 2012 Olympics,” said Kate.
“We were ranked world number one
earlier this year, so a gold medal is a real
possibility and we are working hard with
that in mind.”
Kate came to Solent University to study
for a career in business and to take
advantage of the University’s sailing
successes.
“I became part of the University sailing
team that went on to win the student
world championships and I was invited
to join the Match racing team with Lucy
and Annie. My lecturers were incredibly
supportive and I found my business
training to be useful in our sailing
endeavours. I’ve been able to use planning
skills for our racing schedule, budgeting
and sponsorship skills. I’ve deferred my
studies to concentrate on the sailing but
am keen to continue after the Olympics.”
Match racing differs from other sailing
events in that it consists of two boat
‘sprints’ over a two-lap course, with
winners racing each other until there is an
overall victor. It requires quick thinking,
tactics and fitness as competitors use
boat-handling skills, the winds and
currents to gain control of the race.
“Annie and and Lucy are the experienced
ones in the team, whereas I bring
freshness and enthusiasm. We’re a great
combination,” said Kate.
“There’s nothing like winning an event
on home waters. With the London 2012
Olympic Games just 40 minutes from my
home club in Poole and so close to my
family and my university, this campaign
is the chance of a lifetime. It would be
my dream to win a medal and make my
family, friends and the University proud.”
Solent alumnus Paul Goodison, the Laser
sailor who won gold at Beijing 2008, is
also hoping for a top spot on the podium.
Since Beijing, Paul has continued to shine
in his sailing challenges, and secured
victory in the Melges 32 Europeans.
He said: “Ever since Beijing I’ve been
focusing on 2012 and all the hard work
over the past few years has been to make
sure I’m in the best possible shape. I’ve
been doing a lot of ‘on the water sailing’,
supplemented by four gym sessions a
week, mainly on weights, and six to ten
hours of aerobic training through cycling.
“I’ve also been working on my technique
and exploring any changes so that they
come automatically before next summer.
“It’s going to be a great honour to
represent Team GB at the Olympics again
and even more special with so many
friends and family there to watch.”
As a former Solent student, Paul is
especially pleased to see Kate in the
team. He said: “Kate is in good hands and
I’m sure her team will be in a good place
to deliver the right result. My advice is:
‘keep doing all the small things right and
don’t get carried away by the occasion’.”
Solent University Honorary Doctor of
Sport, Ben Ainslie, is an inspiration to
both Kate and Paul. Ben will compete in
the Finn category, having returned to the
event last winter after two years away.
He has won gold at every Games since
Sydney 2000 and is on course to win a
fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal.
He said: “It was a big relief to have my
place for 2012 confirmed. It’s now about
getting the plans right for my fitness and
preparation to peak at the right time.”
Hailed as the university of sailing, it’s hardly surprising that Solent has such a strong representation at the 2012 Olympics.
Winter 2012 | 3
SPORT | ISSUE 8
Wight wins
A documentary produced by
two Solent University graduates
will be viewed by millions during
the London 2012 Olympic and
Paralympic Games.
The film, made by Jon Lovell-
Knight and Stephen Salesse,
was picked for the prestigious
screenings after winning Best
Documentary (20–25 category)
at the Film Nation: Shorts Awards,
part of the London 2012 Cultural
Olympiad.
Jon and Stephen produced the
three-minute documentary while
they were working as interns for
the University’s in-house media
agency, Solent Productions.
The Great Wight Attack follows the
efforts of charity swimmers Dave
Savage and Martyn Kennaugh as
they take to the seas around the
Isle of Wight to raise money and
awareness for cancer. It records
their highs and lows as they tackle
the busy waters before completing
a 65-mile endurance run around
the island.
“It was a challenging but
ultimately rewarding project,”
explained Stephen.
“We had to shoot with both a
large shoulder mount camera and
an underwater camera from a
speed boat, while trying to record
good audio of the guys telling us
how it was going as they battled
through the waves.
“The standard of the competition
was high, so knowing the judges
chose our film out of the
hundreds of entries makes us
incredibly proud.”
NEWS IN BRIEF
“…we were ranked number one earlier this year… a gold is a real possibility…”
4 | Winter 2012
ISSUE 8 | ART
Solent University celebrated the opening of its brand-new gallery and exhibition space with a stunning display of thought-provoking art from one of the most celebrated artists and cultural commentators of the last few decades.
With a prime city centre spot and a footfall
that should encompass shoppers and
seasoned art lovers alike, Solent Showcase
is designed to encourage community
engagement, discussion and participation
in contemporary art through nationally and
internationally acclaimed exhibitors.
It coincides with the expansion of
the University’s art courses and the
development of a new space for the
Solent School of Art and Design, close
to the city’s Bargate.
The new venue – the first major addition
to Southampton’s emerging cultural
quarter – opened with ‘Nine Artists, Nine
Narratives’, an exhibition of works from
Professor Richard Demarco’s personal
archive, featuring renowned artists Joseph
Beuys, Paul Neagu and Ian Hamilton Finlay.
Octogenarian Demarco CBE also received
an Honorary Doctor of Arts from Solent
University. He said: “The University
has proved that it cares deeply about
creativity. Art is the most potent language
given to us. It makes us human; it enables
us to make contact with our fellow
human beings and to make sense of the
mysteries of life. The language of art gives
hope for the future.”
Solent Showcase will also be a centre for
performance art and its opening night
performance by Budapest’s Yvette Bozsik
Dance Company was a taste of things
to come.
Miss Julie, directed by Marcell Ivanyi,
demonstrated how the space will be used
for live events, which the University hopes
will cover a variety of disciplines, ranging
from contemporary dance to theatre,
poetry reading and acoustic sets.
The Chancellor, Admiral The Right
Honourable Lord West of Spithead, said:
“The University has the largest arts and
creative industries faculties outside London
and Solent Showcase is a truly wonderful
thing that will open up art to more people.”
Gallery curator Les Buckingham added:
“Our new gallery space will facilitate
more exhibitions and performances in the
city centre and will work in harmony with
the city’s cultural quarter activities.
“It’s fabulous that the University was able
to display works from Professor Demarco’s
personal archive at the opening and that
he was honoured with a doctorate for his
commitment to the arts over many years.”
Opening up ART
Winter 2012 | 5
DEVELOPMENT | ISSUE 8
Psychology project to aid
IT industry
Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Dr
Carolyn Mair, has been awarded a
£91,000 Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council grant
to lead an 18-month project
investigating IT business decisions.
‘Metacognitive Instruction,
Confidence and Prediction Accuracy
in Software Engineering’ (MICaPASE)
will address poor software cost
prediction in the IT industry.
Using field studies, surveys and
experiments, it should help senior
software engineers understand
and improve judgement, decision
making and prediction processes
under uncertain conditions.
Improved prediction will enable the
IT industry to reach better business
decisions, including tendering,
cost-benefit analyses, project
management and tracking.
Industrial collaborators Hewlett
Packard and Lloyds TSB have
committed their time and
resources to the project with the
expectation that principles derived
from the research can be fed
directly back to the IT industry.
“With total UK state spending on
IT estimated at more than £7.6
billion, this project is important
and timely,” said Dr Mair.
“Making the right decisions in IT
has an impact on public sector
spending and recent cuts have
highlighted the need for better
management of government IT
projects. This need for improved
project management is a major
feature of the Cabinet Office
Business Plan 2011–2015.”
NEWS IN BRIEF
ISSUE 8 | SPORT
6 | Winter 2012
Two of the South Coast’s top football teams have turned to Solent University for the ‘science bit’ in a bid to be even better on the pitch.
The University’s Sport Science Department
has become a regular fixture for the region’s
football clubs, with both Championship
league Southampton Football Club and
League One AFC Bournemouth working
with sport scientists to analyse, assess and
act on player fitness and performance.
Southampton FC put the squad through
its paces at the University’s £1.3 million
centre for Health, Exercise and Sport
Science (CHESS) in the run-up to the
season, with regular follow-up sessions.
The club’s Senior Strength and Conditioning
Coach, Nick Harvey, worked with Senior
Lecturer in Sport Science, Dr Stewart
Bruce-Low, and his team of CHESS staff and
students on a series of physiological tests to
establish individual fitness profiles.
Players were pushed to the limit on
the VO2 max test, involving running
on a treadmill wearing oxygen masks
and having blood measured for levels,
intensity and movement of oxygen to
muscles around the body. The results
provided data that directly impacted the
training undertaken at the club’s ground.
“It’s been fantastic to be able to use
Solent University’s facilities and to access
the expertise of Dr Stewart Bruce-Low
and his team,” said Nick.
“It’s important to get accurate
physiological measurements of the
players and at Solent University we’ve
been able to analyse the gas that players
are breathing through measuring VO2
max in a laboratory situation.
“The results are critical in working out
exercise and fitness regimes for individual
players at different stages in the season.”
The University has also become AFC
Bournemouth’s official sport science
partner after three years of putting the
players through a series of tests that have
helped them to obtain and retain top
performances.
AFC Bournemouth manager Lee
Bradbury said: “We’re very happy to
have access to such great facilities and
a fantastic team of scientists who can
monitor our playing staff.”
Dr Stewart Bruce-Low added: “Our
partnership with AFC Bournemouth
has been benefitting the players and
coaching staff as well as our own sport
science students. They’ve gained valuable
experience with professional footballers and
some students have been offered internship
positions with the club, giving them the
edge in a highly competitive job market.
“More and more managers and coaches are
seeing the benefit of using sport science
to enhance performance and to prevent
injuries. Our students have been delighted
to see their skills and the laboratory
equipment being used to help analyse and
assess high-calibre professional athletes.”
Above: Solent sport scientists put Saints
through their paces.
Solent tests South’s football teams
COMMUNITY | ISSUE 8
Winter 2012 | 7
Solent University is a proud supporter of Southampton’s annual Black History Month, which highlights the positive impact of the city’s black community through cultural events and historical exhibitions. Latest offerings focussed on seminal moments in sport and music...
Bat to black The University’s photographic exhibition
of Caribbean cricket legends was opened
by the Jamaican High Commissioner, His
Excellency Anthony Smith Johnson.
‘Caribbean Cricket Legends‘ was
commissioned by Black History Month
as an exploration of the relationship
between white and black cricket players
since the first Hampshire v West Indies
game in 1900. It included nostalgic images
of former Hampshire and international
players, including Malcolm Marshall,
Gordon Greenidge and Andy Roberts.
Former Hampshire and England fast
bowler Norman Cowan – aka ‘Flash’
because of his 100mph bowling – was
a guest at the opening. His greatest
moment came in 1983 when he took a
match-winning six-77 against Australia.
He said: “As a child, I idolised the earlier
West Indian cricketers. They inspired kids
like me to excel in an area where we really
felt we could make our mark.”
His Excellency Anthony Smith Johnson was
delighted with the exhibition and the Black
History Month project. He said: “We’re all
united in one idea, that of celebrating the
history and legacy of our forefathers.”
Vice-Chancellor Professor Van Gore
added: “We were honoured to have the
Jamaican High Commissioner open this
fantastic exhibition. Solent University
is privileged to be among the main
supporters of Black History Month in
Southampton. We are a university that
prides itself on being inclusive.”
Reggae sourceThe University also paid homage to the
impact of black music on the cultural
history of Southampton.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Van Gore unveiled
a plaque at the Fleming Arms – formerly
the Coach House Club – to celebrate
its little-known link with iconic singer/
songwriter and political activist, Bob Marley,
who played at the Coach House in 1973.
Above: Tribute to Bob Marley
Inset: Gordon Greenidge
City’s Black History
“…As a child I idolised the West Indian cricketers…”
ISSUE 8 | ??????
8 | Winter 2012
The University has teamed up with the
Isle of Wight’s award-wining Bestival in a
formal agreement that places Solent as
its sole academic partner.
It means students and staff will be taking
on a full range of festival production roles
for both Bestival and sister event Camp
Bestival, as well as curating Bestival’s
Science Tent.
Bestival founder Rob da Bank has been
supporting the University’s ground-
breaking work in festivals since his
involvement with the University’s annual
music industry event, SMILE.
He said: “Everything Solent University has
done for us has been great. I’m chuffed
with the academic partnership, which is
a natural fit for us and will be the start of
even more things to come.
“The students have been exceptional. The
graphics, VJs, artist liaison, The Bugle daily
paper – it’s all been really good.”
Course Leader – BA (Hons) Popular
Music Journalism – and Solent University
Festivals Coordinator, Dr Martin James,
added: “We’ve developed some very
exciting links with music festivals over
recent years, but our partnership with
Bestival is the best yet. It allows us to
support students who have real drive
for future employment within the music
festival industry. They will have unrivalled
opportunities to focus their skills.”
During the 2011 Bestival event, students
worked in stage management and
production, sound and lighting, and
artist liaison. They also filmed two stages
for a live multi-camera feed which was
projected onto the festival’s LED screens.
Popular Music Journalism students
worked on Bestival’s daily newspaper, and
Solent University bands The Widowmaker
and Fly, Frankie Fly! performed at Camp
Bestival.
Popular Music Journalism student Carl
Gwynne was a production assistant at the
festival. He said: “It was really rewarding. I
was able to put a lot of transferable skills
into practice.”
Students also continued their work at
the other festivals including Glastonbury
and Blissfields, where Music Journalism
students created the programme and
a documentary, while others worked in
artist liaison, box office, stage crew and
backline technical support.
Three Popular Music and Production
students ran the mobile stage at the
award-winning Wilderness event and one
Music Journalism student was the official
journalist for the Sonisphere festival.
Head of Blissfields, Paul Bliss, said:
“The Solent students were indispensable.
They were of good calibre and we
would certainly like to work alongside
Solent again.”
Britain’s multi-million-pound festivals industry provides employment opportunities in areas ranging from performance to sound engineering and broadcast. Solent University continues to lead the way in its involvement.
Bonding with
Bestival
Picture by Jamie Baker
Winter 2012 | 9
INDUSTRY | ISSUE 8
Solent to stage international
ICT conference
Solent University is to manage a
world-leading conference on ICT
in Education.
The School of Technology is to
partner the University of the
Aegean for the peer-reviewed
2012 International Conference
on Information Communication
Technologies in Education in
Rhodes.
The conference, which has been
running for 12 years, addresses
the challenges and directions
presented by technological
innovations in educational settings,
providing a forum for intensive
interdisciplinary interaction and
debate.
Thematic streams of alternative
processes, procedures, techniques
and tools for creating learning
environments will include:
pedagogy in the evolving
technological environment;
informal and formal adult
education; multi-grade education;
intellectual property; and ethical
considerations in the use of
information technology in
teaching and learning.
Reader in the School of
Technology, Dr Chris Barlow,
will chair the conference, while
administration will be undertaken
by the Maritime and Technology
Faculty’s Enterprise Centre.
Previously run by the University
of the Fraser Valley, Canada, the
conference, to be held in July,
attracts delegates from more than
40 countries and acts as a forum
to promote research and scholarly
activity in technology-led learning.
NEWS IN BRIEF
“ We’ve developed some very exciting links with festivals…”
Science fires up festival
Pole-dancing robots and energy-saving
ecology were part of an eclectic science
show put on by Solent University lecturer
Anthony Gallagher at Bestival.
Coastal sustainability expert Anthony
is now rolling out the tent – designed
to promote science in a positive and
engaging light – to more festivals and
events across the UK.
The tent featured contributors from
across the UK, including Solent University
projects. Visitors to a TARDIS-like video
booth were filmed by Solent University
Outside Broadcast students for a science
vox pop. A science timeline, which
ran around the inside of the tent, was
designed by the University’s Design team.
University of Southampton research
fellow, Dr Helen Czerski, demonstrated
the importance of bubbles and
sound in ocean and atmospheric
interactions, while Newcastle University
demonstrated audio–visual interfaces,
and Minty Geeks, an electronics and
circuit-building group, allowed festival
goers to make small-scale circuits.
Representatives from Vestas R&D showed
their work on wind turbine blades in
relation to wind energy. Keele University’s
outreach group ‘Science for Sustainability’
demonstrated the use of solar ovens and
the building of solar-powered fans.
Solent Forum displayed its EU-funded
‘Coastal communities adapting to change’
(CCATCH) interactive model of climate
change in the Solent.
Anthony is now setting up an umbrella
group, the Future Science Collective,
which will encompass various science
projects and organisations, including
contributors to the Bestival science tent.
10 | Winter 2012
ISSUE 8 | DEVELOPMENT
The University last played host to the
Duke 15 years ago at its former ship
handling site in Marchwood. Impressed
with the newly opened £2.7 million centre
at Timsbury, near Romsey, the Duke of
Edinburgh once again boarded ‘Challenger’
and navigated the lake under the expert
tuition of Senior Lecturer Gordon Maxwell.
The Duke, who spent more than 20
years in the Royal Navy, was keen to
learn how the facilities emulate challenges
in maritime navigation, increase pilot
skill levels and ultimately improve
safety at sea.
He was especially interested in how
the lake and its training features were
constructed and the type of training the
centre provides.
“With his Royal Navy background,
the Duke had a particular interest
in the purpose of our training and
its environmental benefits through
prevention of catastrophes like the Exxon
Valdez oil tanker spill,” said Gordon.
“I showed the Duke where we had
excavated the canal and demonstrated
how well the canal replicates the effect
of interaction with ships, which he is very
familiar with.
“We also discussed the lengths the University
went to in protecting and preserving the
flora and fauna during the development
of the lake and I was able to point out the
water vole protection features.”
Back on shore, the Duke watched
delegates in the manned models
undertake a range of ship handling
scenarios, before meeting staff and
students during a tour of the new
classroom and workshop facilities.
Solent University Vice-Chancellor, Professor
Van Gore, said: “The University was honoured
that the Duke of Edinburgh visited our new
world-class ship handling facility.”
The centre – one of only five in the world
– was officially opened in June 2011.
Warsash Maritime Academy’s new manned model Ship Handling Centre was given a royal seal of approval when the Duke of Edinburgh paid a visit.
Royal visit for Ship Handling Centre
Veterans land at lake
A D-Day veteran, who helped
convert the Warsash campus from
its wartime role into the School
of Navigation, was among a group
invited to the Maritime Academy’s
new Ship Handling Centre in
Timsbury.
Reginald Neile helped create the
School of Navigation – which later
evolved into the Warsash Maritime
Academy – in the late 1940s. He
was part of a group of veterans
visiting the Ship Handling Centre
to see how today’s marine pilots
and ships’ officers are trained.
The visit – arranged through the
Normandy Veterans’ Association
– included a tour of the facilities
and first-hand experience of the
manned models’ navigational
challenges on the lake.
Bill Wakefield, of the Normandy
Veterans’ Association, said: “The
Warsash Maritime Academy Ship
Handling Centre is a wonderful
training centre and the visit was
especially interesting for D-Day
Veterans.”
The veterans gave University staff
a fascinating insight into the heroic
missions of the 1944 D-Day landings.
Reginald Neile’s ship, HMS Gazelle,
a mine sweeper with the 40th
Mine Sweeping Flotilla, led the
way for a battleship bombardment
group to approach Sword and Juno
beaches.
Veteran Vernon House was a deck
boy on the SS Coalville, which was
deliberately run up on to Gold
beach filled with jerry cans of
petrol for the thousands of vehicles
pouring ashore.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Winter 2012 | 11
LINKS | ISSUE 8
The former i-D magazine co-editor and
Clothes Show presenter spoke to Solent
University fashion students as part of the
‘All Walks Beyond the Catwalk’ campaign
for diversity in the industry.
Caryn set up ‘All Walks’ with supermodel
Erin O’Connor and fashion PR professional
Debra Bourne amid fears that women
were developing self-esteem problems
because of restrictive representations of
weight, age and ethnicity.
Caryn said that she hoped Solent students
would consider their responsibility as
designers, manufacturers and promoters to
provide a wider representation of women in
the future.
She said: “I regularly see thin, young, pale
models and wonder if there is room for us
to think about broadening the message.
Fashion isn’t just clothes or style; it’s a
huge cultural mindset.
“It’s important that we look at more diverse
ideals of beauty and include emotionally
considerate design in the curriculum.”
Caryn, an external assessor for the Royal
College of Art, Central St Martins and the
London College of Fashion, has worked
with Solent University students on several
projects around diversity.
Students have been keen to hear Caryn’s
views on brands, the corporatisation of fashion
and her own experience of the industry.
“All Walks Beyond the Catwalk’ celebrates
individuality amongst professional models.
Our campaign ‘Size Me Up’ featured models
ranging between sizes 8 and 16 and ages 18
to 65 wearing designs from eight of Britain’s
hottest designers,” said Caryn.
‘All Walks Beyond the Catwalk’ co-
founder, Debra Bourne – who has a
background in body psychotherapy – is
also keen that fashion students engage in
ideas about body image.
She said: “The students are genuinely
interested in the campaign. Often, it’s an
issue that’s close to home and they are
keen to know how their work in the future
could influence the way women feel about
their bodies. It’s important to challenge the
parameters of beauty and we are encouraged
by the questions young people are asking.”
Solent University Fashion, Design and
Communication Lecturer, Philip Clarke, added:
“Caryn has already successfully worked
with our students on projects based on the
‘All Walks’ ethos. We’re keen to sustain our
partnership with ‘All Walks’ and to continue to
inspire students to consider diversity issues. It’s
important that prejudices within the fashion
industry are continually addressed and that
this campaign is taken seriously.”
Above l-r: Debra Bourne, Erin O’Connor
and Caryn Franklin
British fashion guru Caryn Franklin brought her campaign on to campus in a bid to ensure that tomorrow’s style leaders create a mix of models on the catwalks.
Caryn makes a case for models
…students are genuinely interested in the campaign…
12 | Winter 2012
ISSUE 8 | ACHIEVEMENTS
BA (Hons) Make-up and Hair Design
students Kat Vogart and Sasha Wren
confirmed their credentials when they
were named winners of the Distinction
in Make-up Artistry Awards, run by the
luxury brand Illamasqua.
The students clinched the award after their
stunning designs were put forward for a
public vote by a panel of industry experts,
including Dazed and Confused’s Senior
Fashion Editor, Katie Shillingford, Academy
and BAFTA Award-winning make-up artist
and hair designer, Christine Blundell and
Illamasqua Creative Director, Alex Box.
Images of the students’ made-up models
were uploaded on to Illamasqua’s
facebook page for the public vote.
Kat was voted best in the Foundation
and Second-Year Student category for
her harpy-inspired face modelled by her
boyfriend, Southampton waiter Matt
Wegner (featured on cover).
She said: “I wanted to recreate the
mythological harpy – half-bird, half-
woman – and my boyfriend was happy to
be my model.
“The whole effect took just under an hour
and a half, but I did do a lot of thinking
around it. It required very
careful brushwork.”
Kat’s ambition is to work in the film
industry – but she says the fantasy look
should not be confined to the stage. “I’m
always looking for new ideas and doing
something a little different and exciting.”
BA (Hons) Make-up and Hair Design for
Music, Film and Photography graduate
Sasha Wren won the Final-Year Student
category (pictured opposite). She said:
“I’ve always seen make-up as an art form
and have pushed the boundaries with
texture and colour. The look I created
for the competition evolved from an
accident. I had to use some tissue on my
face after some paint I used started to
sting. I realised that leaving the tissue on
and painting over it created an edgy look.
“The face is an interesting canvas and the
impermanence of cosmetics provides an
intriguing creative platform.”
As a make-up artist with the leading
brand Bobbi Brown, Kat has demonstrated
her versatility since graduation. “I’ve
landed an amazing job which I thoroughly
enjoy. My job with Bobbi Brown clients
is to create an understated look, so it
was good fun to go for something
completely different.”
Solent University course leader,
Clementine O’Hara, said: “The team was
thrilled at the strong presence of Solent
students in the Illamasqua competition.
They are challenging the contemporary
role of the make-up artist.”
Two Solent University students beat competitors from all over the globe to scoop top prizes in an international make-up competition.
Make-up maestros
“The fantasy look should not be confined to the stage…”
FASHION | ISSUE 8
Summer 2011 | 13
14 | Winter 2012
ISSUE 8 | SOLENT PEOPLE
Meet the Chancellor
What does Solent University mean to
you and what made you say ‘yes’ to
being Chancellor?
The Southampton location resonated
with my naval connections, while Warsash
is probably the best maritime training
centre in the world.
I’m also very interested in the arts – my
wife, Rosie, is a contemporary artist – and
I liked Solent’s focus on media and the
creative arts.
I liked the fact that Solent University
wasn’t stuffy or snobbish; it was offering
people of all backgrounds the opportunity
to fulfil their potential and to make a real
contribution.
Social inclusion is central to Solent
University. I went to a state grammar
school and joined the navy largely
because it is the most meritocratic of the
military services.
I think that academic excellence,
vocational skills and creativity are equally
important, and everyone should have the
opportunity to excel in either of these
areas. Solent University gives people a fair
chance, whether they are from a poor or
wealthy background.
You must hold the record for the
length of time you talk to students as
you award them their degrees. What
do you say? Do you ever get tired of it?
I absolutely love graduation. It’s such a
big day for students and I’m genuinely
delighted for them and interested in the
experiences they’ve had at university and
what they’re going to do with their lives.
I might ask them what they’re doing next
– and I have had answers that include
‘going for a beer’.
You have had a distinguished navy
career, which led to you becoming a
full Admiral in 2000, as Commander-in-
Chief Fleet, NATO, and heading up the
British Navy. How and why was that
such a successful career for you?
I decided, aged seven, that I wanted to be
in the navy. My father was a civil servant
in the dockyards and I was just eight
months old when I sailed with my mother
on a troopship to join him in Singapore.
Solent University Chancellor, Admiral the Lord West of Spithead, was Minister for Security and Counter-terrorism from 2007 to 2010, under Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Before his ministerial appointment, he was First Sea Lord, the professional head of the Royal Navy. He left office following the 2010 general election but continues to sit as a Labour peer in the House of Lords.
Winter 2012 | 15
SOLENT PEOPLE | ISSUE 8
I just had to work out whether to go in
the Royal or Merchant Navy – a decision I
made at 14 years old.
I joined Britannia Royal Naval College
in 1965 when I was 17, which was
comparatively young. The navy is very
egalitarian, with huge numbers of officers
coming up through the ranks. If you are
good, you can progress. That appealed
to me. I was lucky enough to have
an extremely successful career, going
on to serve on 14 different ships, and
commanding three.
The navy was something that agreed with
me. In those days travel was not so freely
accessible, so it gave me the opportunity
to travel all over the world. It was an
adventure and there was great loyalty
between the chaps.
There were downsides – being separated
for long periods from my family, for
instance.
In 1982, during the Falklands War, the
ship you commanded, HMS Ardent, was
sunk and 22 lives were lost. You stayed
on the ship right up until the end
and were awarded the Distinguished
Service Cross for your leadership. How
did you cope with that event?
As commander, you have so many
things to think about. But it would be
wrong to say that when one sees aircraft
coming, you don’t get a bit of a wobble
in your tummy. It was wonderful how
some of the youngsters, in very difficult
circumstances, were able to get on with
the job in that situation.
Training and tradition helps you through
– but it is terrible to lose people. I’m
President of the HMS Ardent Association
and keep in regular contact. I remember
being at a 20th anniversary event
commemorating the sinking of the Ardent
and meeting the son of one of the men
who was killed. His girlfriend, who had not
been registered as a next of kin, had been
pregnant at the time. His son wanted to
meet us, to make a connection. It was
incredibly moving.
What makes a good leader?
Having a very clear view of where your
organisation is going and articulating
the key messages to the people on the
‘factory floor’. If your company is
making submarines and you ask the
cleaner what he does, he should be able
to say: “I make submarines.”
Loyalty works both ways. The ultimate
in good leadership is having people that
that would rather do anything but let you
down. I get that feeling from the lecturers
at Solent University. There seems to
be real respect between students and
lecturers.
You move among a variety of people
– from royalty and politicians to
celebrities and artists. What’s the
secret behind the ‘Lord West charm’
and how important is it to get on
with people?
You need to care about people and to
be genuinely interested in them. Some
people find this difficult, but I find it easy.
My family motto is ‘Be just and kind’.
Kindness is underrated. If you can be kind
in your relationships you’ll go a long way.
People are people, whoever they are. It’s
important that you treat people right;
show them respect.
You’ve been Under Secretary of State
for Security under Gordon Brown. What
was it like?
It was a great honour to receive the
peerage, because the Prime Minister
wanted me to be the nation’s Security
Minister, a newly created role. I had to be
an MP or a peer to do that.
I worked on security for the Olympics,
security in the water supply, crowded
places, hazardous sites and nuclear
substances, as well as cyber security,
science and innovation, the counter
terrorist policy, national security forum
and strategy and the nuclear, biological,
defence strategy.
Because of the work that I did with
various people at that time, the nation is
much safer now and that’s a good feeling.
Higher education funding has changed
recently. How do you see Solent
weathering the choppy waters?
Bearing in mind the pressures on higher
education, Solent University is in a good
place. It is offering more opportunities
to youngsters in academic, creative
and vocational areas – giving them a
chance to contribute to the wealth and
prosperity of the country – and it has
continued to invest. I’m very optimistic.
I like to be involved in the University and
how it is developed.
You sit in the House of Lords and you
seem very busy. What’s the future
bringing for you?
I have three grown-up children, four
grandchildren and one on the way, so
I have lots going on in the family. I’m
also patron of the Docklands Sinfonia
Orchestra, War Museum and 14 charities
and I’m looking forward to continuing my
work with Solent University.
Images clockwise l-r: Lord West, in naval
attire; with Rosie at his House of Lords
investiture; presenting Dannii Minogue
with her honorary degree; with student
at graduation; Lord West family, man.
16 | Winter 2012
ISSUE 8 | GRADUATION
Ten ceremonies, 2,500 students and ten stars of business, media, art and education made an inspiring spectacle during Solent’s graduation week.
The Chancellor, Admiral The Right
Honourable Lord West of Spithead, and the
Chair of the Board of Governors, Grahame
Sewell, presided over the ceremonies,
which were beamed all over the world by
live webcast.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Van Gore spoke of
the University’s commitment to providing
quality higher education to all those who
deserved it, adding that the ‘real-world’ skills
gained at Solent University are crucial to
the British economy.
He said: “We are an engine for social
mobility, seeking to erase lines of inequality.
“Our prime focus is on our students, their
intellectual and personal development
and their future success.”
Despite tough economic times and
changes in higher education funding, the
University remains financially robust and
last year re-invested £18 million.
Highlights included: the purchase of a prime
site for development to the side of the
main University campus; the opening of the
Timsbury Lake Ship Handling Centre near
Romsey; the new Wessex League-standard
football facilities at Test Park; and a new
home for the School of Art and Design.
But it is the diversity and quality of
the courses that is a key feature of the
University’s continuing success.
“There is a distinctiveness that combines
innovation, academic excellence and
contemporary relevance,” said Professor Gore.
The University awarded honorary doctorates
to inspirational people in areas ranging from
fine art to media and business, including:
Screen, music and fashion personality,
Dannii Minogue (Doctor of Media); Chief
Executive of the Mary Rose Trust, Rear
Admiral John Lippiett CB MBE (Doctor of
Maritime Studies); internationally renowned
make-up artist and Creative Director of
cutting-edge cosmetic range Illamasqua,
Alex Box (Doctor of Design);
Brad Roynan, former Chief Executive of
Southampton City Council (Doctor of
Business); Managing Director of P&O
Cruises, Carol Marlow (Doctor of Business);
former Principal of Totton College,
Mark Bramwell (Doctor of Education);
internationally renowned musician,
composer and conductor, Mike Moran
(Doctor of Music); Southampton Solent
graduate Stephen Bolton, Group Controller
of Diageo and former Finance Director of
Unilever (Doctor of Business);
Richard Demarco CBE OBE, internationally
renowned artist and promoter of the
visual arts and performing arts (Doctor of
Arts); Managing Director of Newsquest
Hampshire, Stewart Dunn (Doctor
of Media).
Graduation 2011
Winter 2012 | 17
MARITIME | ISSUE 8
Peter runs workshops in architectural
drawing and rendering in the corporate
environment, as well as for the Campaign
for Drawing’s Big Draw events. He has
exhibited his watercolours at venues
throughout the UK, including the Mall
Galleries and Bankside Gallery in London,
as well as Liverpool, Birmingham,
Cambridge and Southampton.
Although he is inspired by decaying and
weathered structures, Peter’s work is
remarkably fresh and vibrant.
How did you start?I began to draw as a way of interpreting
the world around me and it became a
habit. As a schoolboy it was limited to
technical drawing, but in my teens it
developed into sketching.
After gaining a Diploma in Technical
Illustration at Ravensbourne College of Art in
the early 1970s, I practised as an illustrator in
advertising and publishing. I gained an MPhil
from the Royal College of Art in Information
Illustration and began practising as a
freelance architectural illustrator in 1984.
What sort of interior design projects
have you worked on?
I’ve worked with several interior designers
to visualise future projects. But my
commercial work is mainly exterior
architecture. I really enjoyed doing a
series of watercolour illustrations of a
Grade II listed, six-bedroom Georgian
townhouse in Chichester to show the
building’s potential for development.
I also produced work for the development
and refurbishment of a house following
an Arts and Crafts theme, built in 1925.
Can art influence interior design?
Painting and sculpture has a way of
influencing how we decorate our homes
and the workplace, and the corporate
world is an immense sponsor of art and
design in public spaces. Periods in art
and design come and go in terms of
fashion and trends, but my favourite is
1930s Art Deco with artists like Tamara
de Lempicka, a popular inspiration for
interior decoration for over 20 years.
What is your relationship between
design and art?
My commercial projects sometimes
offer me the freedom to be creative in
visualising a client’s vision, but I have a
different approach to my personal work,
which I think of as illustration. It can be
more rewarding, but is often the result of
struggle and torment.
How do you inspire your students?
I teach by example, running workshops in
a range of methods and media and using
online resources to show professionals’ work
and working processes. By dispelling the
mysteries surrounding the design process,
students are more able to practise and
experiment in a step-by-step approach.
The design process can be taught, but the
solution depends on many factors. Good
research, problem solving and competence
in handling media are all important.
I’m often found with a sketchbook around
Southampton. I find the mix of industry
and nature around the docks fascinating.
Interior Design Lecturer and Society
of Architectural Illustration Education
Officer, Peter Jarvis, has been using
architectural representation in his fine
art watercolours and illustrations for
more than 25 years.
Putting the art in architecture
ISSUE 8 | ??????
18 | Winter 2012
Want to further your career prospects?Postgraduate coursesWe offer a wide range of postgraduate courses in the following areas:
• Advertising/Communications
• Art and Design
• Business
• Computing
• Criminology
• Fashion
• Film and Television
• Human Resource Management
Professional coursesUpskill your workforce, gain a competitive edge in the jobs market or progress in your career by enrolling on one of our professional courses. We offer the following accredited qualifications:
• ACCA (Association of Chartered Accountants)
• CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing)
• CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development)
• Cisco Certified Network
• ILEX (Institute of Legal Executives)
Short coursesOur professional development units (PDUs) and short courses offer continuing professional development to meet your specific business needs. We can also offer employer-driven courses tailored to your organisation. For a list of courses, visit our website.
Want to know more?www.solent.ac.uk/coursesGive us a call on +44 (0)23 8031 9000Email [email protected]
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