News Archive: November 2010

One of ten UK projects selected for Award

An academic at Bangor University’s School of Chemistry is one of ten British academics involved in British-Israeli research projects selected to receive funding through the Britain Israel Research and Academic Exchange Partnership, BIRAX. The announcement of Awards to projects which tackle global challenges in Energy and the Environment was made recently by British Foreign Secretary William Hague at an event hosted by Britain’s ambassador to Israel Matthew Gould, celebrating scientific collaboration between the UK and Israel. He hailed science as “one of the cornerstones of the relationship between Britain and Israel” and added “both are countries that have built up our economies and our identity through being leaders in science and technology”

Publication date: 29 November 2010

Bangor University to take Business expertise to the City of London

Bangor University is set to be the only Welsh higher education institution to take its teaching into London as the University’s Bangor Business School, currently ranked as the leading institution in the UK for Accounting and Finance research, launches a new teaching base in the City.

Publication date: 25 November 2010

Launch of new Centre for Crime and Social Justice linking universities across Wales

Aberystwyth University has joined with six other universities across Wales to form the Welsh Centre for Crime and Social Justice (WCCSJ), which will be formally launched at the Senedd at 5.00 p.m. today, Wednesday, November 24, 2010.

Publication date: 24 November 2010

Bangor University contributes to first Science Advisory Council for Wales

Professor Sian Hope, Executive Director of Innovation and Professor of Computer Science at bangor University and a Director of RIVIC (Research Institute for Visual Computing Wales) has been appointed an inaugural member of the Science Advisory Council for Wales (SACW) by the Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales, Professor John Harries.

Publication date: 24 November 2010

More European Recognition for Bangor's Psychology Department

The 2010 CHE European Excellence Ranking placed 59 European Universities in the "Excellence Group" for Psychology. Of these Bangor's Psychology department was placed in joint third overall (second in UK) in terms of the number of stars it achieved based on the institutional survey and was also placed in the top ten based on the CHE preselection criteria index. Stars are awarded to departments who do particularly well in certain areas and the fact that Bangor has scored so highly in terms of stars awarded is a clear demonstration of the department's overall quality and the international esteem in which its staff and students are held.

Publication date: 24 November 2010

Modern Languages celebrates AHRC success

The School of Modern Languages has been two prestigious Early Career Fellowship by the AHRC for 2011. This success is particularly notable as it is very unusual for a school to be awarded two such Fellowships in the same year. The successful recipients, Dr Helen Abbott and Dr Anna Saunders, will take up their Fellowships in January 2011. Head of School, Professor Carol Tully said ‘We are extremely proud of the work being undertaken by colleagues and these awards are an indication of the quality of research the School is able to boast.’

Publication date: 24 November 2010

Bangor University one of Siân’s Special Places

Singer, harpist and composer, Siân James, has the opportunity to choose three places of special significance to her in S4C’s series 3 Lle in the programme on Wednesday, 1 December.

Publication date: 23 November 2010

Hitler’s signature passed on as security

A heart-warming story of courage and friendship lies behind an interesting letter signed by Adolf Hitler is being displayed at Bangor University’s Main Arts Library. The letter bearing Hitler’s signature was sent to a senior Civil Servant, Dr Theodor Lewald, thanking him for his assistance in staging the Berlin Olympics in 1936- he was the head of the German Organising Committee. It contains a lie, however, Dr Lewald was not retiring due to old age as the letter states. He was coerced into leaving his post because he was of Jewish descent. He passed the letter on to schoolteacher, Dr Dorothea Wegle, who was one of a number of upper middle class Germans who did not support the Nazi movement and everything it represented. She had become known locally for her opposition to the Nazi regime which eventually led to her being reported and forced to resign her post as a teacher. Dr Lewald hoped that giving the letter to Dorothea Wegle might save her life if she was stopped by the Gestapo.

Publication date: 22 November 2010

BBC’s The One Show revisits Beatles’ Bangor visit

Remember to watch The One Show on BBC 1 at 7.00 on Tuesday 23 November to find out about when The Beatles came to Bangor.

Publication date: 22 November 2010

People of our city; Reflections from Bangor's Young People

The artist Catrin Williams was recently appointed to lead a community art project entitled ‘People of Our City’ to be held in partnership between Pontio, Bangor University and the Gwynedd Arts Forum. The aim is to create a large mural created by young people to be displayed on the wooden hoardings surrounding the building site of the new Pontio Arts and Innovation Centre in Bangor.

Publication date: 19 November 2010

Research Income Increase

There has been a significant increase in the research income won by the University in the last academic year. The recent University Council meeting welcomed a report which showed that the value of research income awarded to the University had increased by over 142%, - one and a half times last year’s income, from over £15.5 million to nearing £38 million.

Publication date: 18 November 2010

Shortlisted for Outstanding Student Support

They’ve become part of the Bangor University ‘landscape’ during Fresher’s Week: those brightly T-Shirted Peer Guides-but they really are something special. In fact, Bangor University’s Peer Guide Scheme has been shortlisted for a UK award for Outstanding Student Support, presented by the Times Higher Education (THE) magazine, the magazine covering the higher education sector in the UK.

Publication date: 18 November 2010

Autumnwatch viewers to learn about the Sea Trout

Autumnwatch viewers across the UK will learn about a project that’s hoping to improve the situation for the sewin or sea trout, on the programme to be broadcast on Thursday 18 November (BBC 2 21.30pm 18.11.10).

Publication date: 17 November 2010

Radio Wales’ Science Café join our performance researchers

Listen to Radio Wales' latest edition of Science Café (broadcast Tuesday 16 November).

Publication date: 17 November 2010

Congratulations to Aelwyd John Morris-Jones!

Among the 500 competitors who managed to reach the grand stage of Pritchard-Jones Hall during Saturday's annual celebration of cerdd dant and traditional music were members of Aelwyd John Morris-Jones.

Publication date: 15 November 2010

Nobel Prize Winner to give Public Lecture

There is no more pressing and controversial a subject than “Global Warming” and one of Wales’ most eminent scientists has been invited to deliver the Annual Chaplaincy Lecture on “God, Science and Global Warming".

Publication date: 12 November 2010

Hold the front page!

Nicholas Whitmore, a third year Journalism and Media student, has had an article he has written printed on the front page of the Daily Post, Thursday, November 11.

Publication date: 11 November 2010

Indian Diwali Celebrations

Bangor’s Indian students celebrated the Hindu festival of Diwali in style last Friday (5th November) as the International Student Welfare Service hosted a party at Neuadd Rathbone.

Publication date: 10 November 2010

Participatory research to aid food security and biodiversity in Eritrea

CARIAD, Bangor University’s Centre for Advanced Research in International Agricultural Development, is to begin a €520,000 (£453,000) 3 year EU-funded project to increase food security and the biodiversity of farms in drought-prone areas of Eritrea. CARIAD will work with local institutions and farmers to identify improved varieties of crops and better growing techniques, and to improve seed production and marketing. Eritrea is in one of the driest parts of Africa and is subject to frequent droughts. These are likely to worsen as climate change leads to more erratic rainfall.

Publication date: 9 November 2010

Archbishop of Canterbury honours Bangor Professor

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has announced the award of the degree of Doctor of Music to Professor John Harper, a research professor in music at Bangor University. The Archbishop writes that the award recognises Professor Harper’s ‘distinguished contribution to the development and appreciation of church music as a scholar, administrator, teacher and composer, and to a greater understanding of the relationship between music and the liturgy of the church.’

Publication date: 9 November 2010

Bangor graduates make a difference on World Challenge project

Two Bangor graduates are working on an environmental project in Madagascar, shortlisted for the World Challenge, a global competition aimed at finding projects or small businesses from around the world that have shown enterprise and innovation at a grassroots level.

Publication date: 9 November 2010

His music creates epic atmospheres on screen

A programme full of drama and excitement- such as the X Factor- was just what composer Owain Llwyd had in mind when writing epic music for the media- and he hit the nail on the head- as one of his compositions from that collection was selected to be used on the X Factor itself.

Publication date: 8 November 2010

Explosives detection research being conducted at Bangor University

Scientists at the School of Chemistry in Bangor University are working on novel sensor technology which will, it is hoped, soon be trialled in airports. The group at the School of Chemistry in Bangor is working as part of a European consortium called Nanosecure. The group consists of 26 partners both academic and industrial all working towards an integrated system which will detect airborne explosives, narcotics, chemical and biological agents. The system will also be able to decontaminate the air from chemical and bio agents should some be detected. It will do this by integrating with a building’s air-conditioning units. One of the partners in this consortium is Schiphol Airport where it is hoped the units will be trialled.

Publication date: 8 November 2010

Bangor University Researchers Invited To Present Flagship Project To Welsh Assembly Members

Bangor University researchers have been invited to present their work to an audience of Assembly Members for the second time this year. Dr Nathan Abrams and Dr Sally Baker, from the Schools of Creative Studies and Media and Social Sciences respectively, were awarded £19,000 from Beacon for Wales to hold a touring exhibition of Jewish Life of North Wales. Beacon for Wales promotes public engagement work by universities, bringing the general public and universities together. The exhibition has so far visited Blaenau Ffestiniog and Bangor and is currently in Pwllheli, having attracted visitors from across Wales, Europe and the US. Fifty people attended a reception with kosher wine and snacks in Bangor University’s Main Arts Library to mark the arrival of the exhibition in Bangor.

Publication date: 4 November 2010

New R.S.Thomas Manuscripts for University Collection

The tenth anniversary of the R.S. Thomas Study Centre at Bangor University has been marked by two major acquisitions. The Centre has acquired a large collection of manuscripts and typescripts, including much unpublished material, from the estate of the late Peter Jollife, a prominent collector of modern literary books and manuscripts.

Publication date: 4 November 2010

Bangor graduate's BBC role marks dream start to career

A Bangor University graduate who has won a place on the prestigious BBC Production Trainee Scheme has described it as “the dream start to a career.”

Publication date: 3 November 2010

Blowing the whistle on blowing the whistle at the top of Snowdon

Before Hafod Eryri, the exciting new visitor centre, opened at the top of Wales’ highest peak, the Stationmaster would announce the departure of the train by blowing his whistle. This did not quite seem in keeping with the new 21century development so Snowdon Mountain Railway (SMR) turned to Bangor University for assistance. The result has been the installation of a brand-new fully-automated announcement system for Hafod Eryri, which is now fully operational and has quickly become an essential for the day to day running of the summit terminus.

Publication date: 2 November 2010

Bangor graduate Awarded World Prize for Work on Marine Biodiversity

Elizabeth Taylor Jay, who gained an MSc Marine Environmental Protection in 1997/98 after studying at Bangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences, received the World Award for the Best Action on Biological Diversity 2010, during the UN Summit on the Convention of Biological Diversity, held in Nagoya, Japan last week.

Publication date: 2 November 2010

Super Furry Animals Costumes in Bangor's Pop Archive

Bangor University's Pop Archive has received a donation of musical memorabilia from one of Wales' biggest bands.

Publication date: 1 November 2010

Congratulations to Teacher of the Year

Congratulations to Bangor graduate, Llew Davies who has just been voted Teacher of the Year.

Publication date: 1 November 2010