News Archive: March 2011

New species of viper identified

A group of Bangor University scientists have featured in the National Geographic this weekfollowing their discovery of two new species of snake in Southeast Asia.

Publication date: 29 March 2011

Antarctic flowering plants warm to climate change

The first issue of a new journal in the prestigious Nature series, Nature Climate Change (issue 1; April 2011) highlights how one plant species in the Antarctic appears to be taking advantage of climate change.

Publication date: 29 March 2011

Major five year survey to report on positives and negatives of ageing

We have an ageing population. Older people are living longer and form a greater proportion of the population than ever before. By 2025, for the first time in history, 20% of our population will be over 65 and 5.5% over 80. Statistics suggest that dementia rates in the UK will increase by 38% over the next 15 years and 154% over the next 45 years.

Publication date: 29 March 2011

The strange death of British higher education

As Wales and the other devolved countries within Britain develop their own policies relating to University education, Professor Sir Deian Hopkin is to give a timely public lecture on ‘ The strange death of British higher education’ at Bangor University at 6.30 on Thursday 31 March at the University’s Main Arts Lecture Theatre.

Publication date: 25 March 2011

EX- FOREIGN SECRETARY IN CONVERSATION

Former Cabinet Minister David Miliband talked candidly about his life and career at Bangor University recently (Thursday 24 March). Mr Miliband

Publication date: 25 March 2011

Bangor University student shines in International Student Awards 2011.

German student Ilka Johanna Illers, who is in her second year of a BSc Ocean Science degree at Bangor University, has been named Wales’ International Student of the Year 2011 in a prestigious competition organised by the British Council.

Publication date: 25 March 2011

Come and discover Japan and its culture at a fundraising event this weekend.

A group of Bangor Students will be holding a fundraising event to support the victims of the Tohoku Earthquake at Rathbone Hall, College Road on Saturday, March 26th between 2pm and 6pm. There will be a series of exciting activities such as Japanese culture workshops featuring calligraphy, Origami, face-painting and try a kimono as well as live performances, a charity market, a fashion show with outfits from all over the world and raffle.

Publication date: 24 March 2011

Lifelong Learning Students joined by Iwan Bala

Lifelong Learning at Bangor University was pleased to introduce a renowned artist to its students recently. Iwan Bala joined the fine art programme on Friday 11th March for a comprehensive lecture of his work and later in the day led a workshop with fine art degree students developing themes identified in the lecture, particularly the idea of mapping in response to ideas of identity, place and culture. These have been Bala’s main themes and preoccupations in his work as an artist and writer.

Publication date: 24 March 2011

Prestigious Prize awarded to Staff at the School of Environment, Natural Resources and Geography

Dr James Walmsley and Professor Doug Godbold have been awarded the prestigious Silviculture 2010 prize by the Institute of Chartered Foresters for their article ‘Stump Harvesting for Bioenergy – A Review of the Environmental Impacts’, published in the journal Forestry 83(1).

Publication date: 23 March 2011

Leading Chinese Universities visited by senior Bangor delegation

Following on from the successful launch of Bangor University’s Beijing Office by the British Ambassador to China, a team of senior academics and administrators headed by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. John Hughes have visited leading Chinese Universities in March 2011.

Publication date: 23 March 2011

Fujitsu win contract to boost super computing in Wales

Global technology giant Fujitsu has today (March 22) been named as the successful bidder to partner with the Universities in Wales to create a unique £40 million world-class super computing network, a research and innovation institute and a skills academy. The supporting infrastructure will stretch to the four corners of Wales and have a reach across the rest of the globe.

Publication date: 22 March 2011

The Egyptian novel at the School of Welsh

With Egypt and neighbouring countries currently in the news, a lecture hosted by the School of Welsh at Bangor University will suggest that the path towards revolution can be traced in the Egyptian novel of the last decades. Professor Sabry Hafez, Distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature at Qatar University, will give his lecture on Cairo and the Egyptian Novel, at Bangor on April 1.

Publication date: 22 March 2011

Strict Metre Twittering

To mark Twitter’s fifth birthday, an item on S4C’s Wedi 7 programme tonight (21.3.11) will feature the creative use that a member of University staff makes of the popular social networking service.

Publication date: 21 March 2011

Bangor University Archive opens its doors

The historic signatures of Elizabeth I, Florence Nightingale and Charles Darwin, medieval manuscripts and rare books are some of the items on display at Bangor University’s Archive on March 25 th between 1.00- 4.30. There will be a warm welcome to the Public to the Archive Open day, which is free and open to all.

Publication date: 17 March 2011

Could the Arctic be coming out of hibernation?

Reduced ice cover in the Arctic Ocean could be the reason why the UK has experienced colder winters recently. The ice has acted to insulate temperature changes in the sea from the atmosphere. But as the ice decreases in coverage this could have a consequent effect on our climate. “Some climatologists believe the absence of sea ice north of Siberia last autumn allowed the warmer open ocean to heat the atmosphere, resulting in changed wind patterns and the development of a “blocking” atmospheric high pressure system over Siberia. This then results in cold air being channelled south from the Arctic, over northern Europe,” explains Dr Tom Rippeth of Bangor University. Scientists at the University have also just discovered that the Arctic Ocean, is not as tranquil as previously supposed by oceanographers and this too could have an effect on the climate.

Publication date: 16 March 2011

Researchers reveal that sharks are hygienic

Scientists at Bangor University have shown for the first time, that sharks visit shallow tropical reefs or ‘seamounts’, to benefit from cleaning services and rid themselves of cumbersome parasites. The strategy is risky however, since by being there, they become vulnerable to interference from human activity.

Publication date: 15 March 2011

Celtic Media Festival Shortlist

A Bangor University lecturer is on the short list at the annual Celtic Media Festival for his latest documentary. Dr Llion Iwan directed a tribute to master poet Dic Jones following his death in 2009, and which was broadcast on S4C in 2010. Llion lectures in journalism and documentary film at the School of Creative Studies and Media .

Publication date: 14 March 2011

Partnership and Cooperation the key themes at the Opening of Bangor University's Office in Beijing, China

Bangor University has officially opened an office in Beijing, China with the launch being led by the University's Vice-Chancellor Professor John G Hughes and including speeches by both the UK's Ambassador to China, Sebastian Wood CMG and Director An Yuxiang of the Chinese Services Centre for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE). The event also included the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between CSCSE and Bangor University.

Publication date: 11 March 2011

Bangor University announces third year of expansion of Postgraduate Research Scholarships

New Research Scholarship places are being offered at Bangor University for the third successive year. The places are part of the University's five year post-graduate expansion programme. They were also created to mark the University’s 125 th Anniversary in 2009. "A strong postgraduate community is an essential element of any international research-led university. As well as contributing to the further growth of our already vibrant postgraduate community, over half the Scholarship students will work on projects that will assist businesses working in key sectors of the Welsh economy. This will enable them to access the expertise that exists within the University to develop their businesses,” said Professor John G. Hughes, the University's Vice-Chancellor.

Publication date: 11 March 2011

The Census in plain Welsh

The influence of Canolfan Bedwyr, Bangor University will be felt in every home in Wales over the next few weeks as the 2011 Census forms are completed. Eleri Jones from the centre's Uned Cymraeg Clir (Plain Welsh Unit) has played a central role in the work of ensuring that the Welsh version is one which Welsh speakers can understand and use without difficulty. Following criticisms in the past that the Welsh version was difficult and stiff, officials at the Office of Statistics have striven to ensure that the 2011 questionnaire will not read as a translation. For the first time in the census’ history, the 2011 Welsh questionnaire has been developed simultaneously with the English version, with the support of a team of specialists, including the leader of Uned Cymraeg Clir Canolfan Bedwyr.

Publication date: 11 March 2011

Prince Madog takes part in Bangor Science Festival

The public have a unique opportunity to visit Bangor University’s research vessel, the Prince Madog on Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th March, as part of Bangor Science Festival. The crew led by the Operations Manager, Trefor Owen, will offer 30 minute tours of the vessel for groups of up to 6 individuals, between the hours of 10-12.00 and 14-16.00 on each day.

Publication date: 10 March 2011

Bangor University team crowned Gaelic Football Champions

Bangor University’s Gaelic Football team are celebrating a surprise win at the British University GAA Championships in Birmingham.

Publication date: 9 March 2011

New research centre to help shape services for Children and Families in Wales

Building on research that has shown how programmes for infants, young families and teachers across Wales, support children’s social and emotional development, a new research centre should provide further answers that will continue to help the Welsh Assembly Government shape services for children and families in the future. The Centre for Evidence Based Early Intervention (CEBEI) will be launched by Huw Lewis AM, Deputy Minister for Children on Wednesday 9 March at the Incredible Years Wales Annual Conference in Cardiff.

Publication date: 9 March 2011

Nightline Awareness Week

From March 7 th , Nightline will be running an Awareness Week to publicise the service to Students with various events around Bangor. Nightline is an anonymous and confidential listening and information service made for students, run by students.

Publication date: 9 March 2011

ECB enlists Bangor University scientists to help with cricket talent testing

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has turned to sports scientists at Bangor University to assist them in creating a talent forecasting model to help identify future generations of world-class cricketers. The aim of the research project between the ECB and the University’s School of Sport, Health & Exercise Sciences is to validate a model for predicting cricket talent. This will be used to help selectors and coaches assess and identify promising young players and increase their conversion rate into successful international cricketers.

Publication date: 9 March 2011

Pontio seeks Creative Director

Bangor University is currently in the process of seeking a Creative Director for the £37 million Pontio Arts & Innovation Centre . The successful candidate, who will be a Welsh speaker, will be responsible for planning programming and overseeing the performing arts that take place across the new Centre.

Publication date: 8 March 2011

CARIAD helps Ethiopian researchers to improve food security

Ethiopian researchers working with scientists at Bangor University’s Centre for Advanced Research in International Agricultural Development (CARIAD) , have achieved a breakthrough in increasing the food security of poor farmers in drought prone areas of Ethiopia. They have identified two Indian wheat varieties, adapted to Ethiopian conditions, which give higher yields when rainfall is scarce.

Publication date: 8 March 2011

Scholarship awarded to Welsh musical talent

Owing to her exceptional achievements and the glowing endorsements of her academic tutors, PhD student gwawr Ifan of Bangor University is one of the two winners of the University of Wales D Afan Thomas Memorial Award for Music.

Publication date: 4 March 2011

Getting to the heart of the matter

n a research project for the ESRC Public Services Programme, co-funded by the General Medical Council (the regulatory body for doctors), Dr Mark Exworthy and Professor Jonathan Gabe from Royal Holloway-University of London, and Ian Rees Jones from Bangor University , explored the impact of disclosure of death rates on cardiac surgeons. In 2009, they undertook an in-depth study at the micro level of a surgical unit, the meso level of the hospital in which the unit was based and the local Primary Care Trust, and the macro level of the regulatory environment. The research explored the connections between clinical professionals, managers and regulators.

Publication date: 4 March 2011

Dating Anglesey’s birth as an island and formation of the Menai Strait

Research has revealed when Anglesey became a permanent island through the formation of the Menai Strait. Mike Roberts, a mature student from Amlwch, conducted the research as part of his PhD at Bangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences, supported by the Cemlyn Jones Trust and the Countryside Council for Wales. His research, just published in an academic journal, reveals that the Strait became a permanent feature between 5,800 and 4,600 years ago around the time when hunter-gatherers were replaced by the first farmers in north Wales.

Publication date: 1 March 2011