News Archive: November 2016

Understanding the conditions that foster coral reefs' caretaker fishes

This article by Adel Heenan , National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ; Andrew Hoey , James Cook University ; Gareth J. Williams , School of Ocean Sciences Bangor University , and Ivor D. Williams , National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article. Coral reefs are among the most valuable natural assets on Earth. They provide an estimated US$375 billion worth of goods and services every year, such as supporting fisheries and protecting coasts. But reefs face many stresses and shocks , from local threats like overfishing, habitat damage and pollution to the global impacts of climate change . Many scientists are working to identify management strategies that can effectively buffer reefs against the array of threats that challenge them.

Publication date: 30 November 2016

Bangor University wins Sustain Wales Award

Bangor University came first in the Sustain Wales Awards Further Education category. The Award recognised the educational institution that demonstrated strong evidence of impact or innovation, and was sponsored by Acuity Legal. More than 11,000 individuals participated in the vote and we extend a special ‘thank you’ to all who voted for Bangor University! Congratulations to all the other eight winners and nominees; it was inspiring to learn of all the excellent work on sustainability taking place across Wales.

Publication date: 29 November 2016

CALIN – New Life Science Innovation Network for Welsh and Irish businesses launched

Bangor University’s School of Chemistry is delighted to contribute to a newly launched life-sciences network. The new €11.96M EU-funded Ireland-Wales life science network was given the green light by Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford.

Publication date: 28 November 2016

Using the social sciences to tackle poverty

Local sixth form students from Ysgol David Hughes, Ysgol Tryfan and Ysgol Friars attended a one-day conference at Bangor University on the 7th November to celebrate the Social Sciences and to discuss ideas for their Welsh Baccaulaureate assignments.

Publication date: 28 November 2016

School Swap: Korea Style

MA film making student Rory Farmer, from the School of Creative Studies and Media, has recently returned from a filming project in South Korea. Felinheli-based company Darlun TV have produced a two-part documentary for BBC Cymru Wales, School Swap: Korea Style , in which three teenagers from Pembrokeshire had a taste of what is regarded as one of the best education systems in the world.

Publication date: 28 November 2016

PwC delivers skills masterclasses to students

What does it take to get into one of the ‘Big Four’ accounting firms? That was the focus of two PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) masterclasses delivered to Bangor Business School students last week.

Publication date: 24 November 2016

Services to Bilingual Healthcare Awarded

A project to provide Welsh cautionary labels has won the prize for Services to Bilingual Healthcare in the inaugural Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Achievement Awards. The partners in the project were the Language Technologies Unit (LTU) at Canolfan Bedwyr and the Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation (CHEME) at Bangor University, together with the pharmacy team at Ysbyty Gwynedd.

Publication date: 23 November 2016

Over 160 pupils attend residential course arranged by the School of Welsh

Between 14 and 18 November, over 160 ‘A’ level pupils from all over Wales – both first language and second language students – attended a residential course organised by Bangor University’s School of Welsh in conjunction with the Urdd, the leading Welsh youth movement, at their centre in Glan-llyn.

Publication date: 23 November 2016

From “What? A Woman?” to “What a Woman!”

Public lecture: Have women finally broken through the political glass ceiling? Are Hillary Clinton, Theresa May, Angela Merkel, Nicola Sturgeon and Leanne Wood symptoms of a fundamental shift or mere aberrations in a persistently male-dominated arena? Can women also rise to the top in other spheres, or are the odds stacked against them?

Publication date: 22 November 2016

A 'sapphire rush' has sent at least 45,000 miners into Madagascar's protected rainforests

This article by Julia P G Jones , Professor of Conservation Science, Bangor University was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article . The rainforests of Didy in eastern Madagascar usually ring with the calls of the indri, the island’s largest lemur. There is a different noise now : the chopping of trees, digging of gravel, and cheers of encouragement from the thousands of illegal miners who have flooded to these forests since sapphires were discovered in late September.

Publication date: 21 November 2016

Bangor's second Nurse of the Year

A student from Bangor University has won a prestigious Award which celebrates her exceptional achievements and professionalism. Stephanie Morris, a third year Adult Field BN Nursing Student at Bangor University’s School of Healthcare Sciences has been awarded the Royal College of Nursing Nurse of the Year Student Nurse Award 2016.

Publication date: 17 November 2016

Bangor University’s English Drama Society present Saunders Lewis’ Iconic historical tragedy, Siwan

BEDS, Bangor’ University’s English Drama Society, will stage a production of the tragedy Siwan by Saunders Lewis on the 23rd and 24th of November at 7.30pm, in Pontio’s Theatr Bryn Terfel.

Publication date: 15 November 2016

How Humans/children develop social skills: €1.5M ERC funding to examine the Cognitive Neuroscience behind the development of a “Social Brain”

Humans are inherently social creatures and our understanding of the world is shaped from the very beginning by the social interactions we observe and engage in. As a consequence, we are truly excellent at extracting information from social scenes. We can quickly discern if two people are cooperating or competing, flirting or fighting, and helping or hindering each other. Most important of all, we swiftly learn a great deal about people from observing their interactions with others – even a brief interaction give us important clues about their personality, their social abilities and their current mood. How does this remarkable skill develop? What are its brain bases? How is this kind of “social interaction perception” related to real-world social ability and social learning across development?

Publication date: 15 November 2016

Trump's victory shows that people don't always vote for what is best for their wallet

One of the supposed attractions of a first-past-the-post electoral system is that political leaders have to embrace the centre ground to win. Donald Trump’s victory has turned that on its head – and with it the assumption that voters will make rational choices based on what is best for their own circumstances, and without regard for how others fare. This article by Shanti P Chakravarty , Emeritus Professor of Economics, Bangor University Business School was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article .

Publication date: 15 November 2016

Housing – or Homes? An Introduction to Co Housing, as it could be applied to Gwynedd

An Introduction to Co-Housing, as it could be applied to Gwynedd is to be the topic of a talk organised by Bangor University and the University Students’ Geography Society. Housing or Homes? Takes place at 6.00 on Monday November 21 in Room g23 of the University’s Thoday Building on Deiniol Road. The talk is open to all and free.

Publication date: 14 November 2016

Dr Gillian Jein’s triple Welsh Crucible funding success

Gillian will also conduct research as co-investigator on Migration, Moral Panics and Meanings , a project which looks at historical representations of migrants and their post-Brexit impact in three regions across Wales. This work is undertaken in collaboration with Dr Dawn Manny (principal investigator) from the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University, Dr Rhys Dafydd Jones from Geography and Earth Sciences at Aberystwyth University and Dr Angharad Saunders, a human geographer at the University of South Wales.

Publication date: 14 November 2016

First Minister announces a welcome for overseas students in Wales

Post-Brexit Wales will welcome overseas students and the Welsh Government will press the UK government to ensure they do not fall victim of plans to reduce immigration. That was the message from First Minister Carwyn Jones when he addressed students and academics at Bangor University recently.

Publication date: 14 November 2016

Volcano Theatre’s MACBETH - DIRECTOR’S CUT returns in a 21st Century remake

Volcano Theatre will be paying their first visit to Pontio Bangor on Wednesday 16 November. It is 18 years since the Swansea-based company premiered its breathtakingly original version of Macbeth, subtitled ‘Director’s Cut’. With its ‘libidinous’ choreography by Nigel Charnock, its strobe-and-thrash-metal descent into chaos after the murder of Duncan, and its visual references to the sordid crimes of Fred and Rose West, it was universally acknowledged as an extraordinary performance, and elicited strong responses on every part of the spectrum, from awe to outrage.

Publication date: 14 November 2016

Bangor University’s Property and Campus Services team win prestigious national award

Bangor University’s Property and Campus Services team has won the title of Principal Contractor of the Year at the National CDM Awards on Thursday 27th October organised by the Association of Project Safety. The title was awarded for the University’s work on the fitting out of the Pontio building in Bangor. The University’s team was also shortlisted for the Client of the Year award.

Publication date: 11 November 2016

Children’s project shortlisted for national public engagement award

Researchers at Swansea and Bangor Universities have been shortlisted for a prestigious national award for the public engagement work of their project Little Voices Shouting Out. The project has been shortlisted for the ‘Engaging with Young People’ award, in the national Engage Competition run by the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE), which celebrates university researchers who engage with the public in innovative and effective ways. Little Voices Shouting Out is a Big Lottery funded project run by the Wales Observatory on Human Rights of Children and Young People, based at Swansea and Bangor Universities .

Publication date: 11 November 2016

Students forge vital links with employers at law careers fair

Students at north Wales’s only Law School have had an exclusive opportunity to meet and network with some of the region’s most prominent employers at a dedicated legal careers event.

Publication date: 11 November 2016

Positive Psychology project aims to improve work place wellbeing and individuals job prospects in Rhyl

In a world where most of us spend a large part of our lives at work, we need to create environment that fosters productivity, motivation and in-work support. A student at Bangor University has been given just this task. Kate Isherwood, a PhD student in the School of Psychology will be researching the use of Positive Psychology and Behaviour Change techniques, in the workplace, under the supervision of Professor John Parkinson.

Publication date: 10 November 2016

Latin Grammy winner Chango Spasiuk returns for gig at Pontio Bangor

The next performer in Pontio’s successful cabaret strand of laid-back musical evenings will be Chango Spasiuk, an accordion player from Argentina, who will perform in Theatr Bryn Terfel on Friday, 18 November at 8pm.

Publication date: 10 November 2016

A Tribute to Max in Wales: Psappha, Hebrides Ensemble, Benyounes Quartet & Ensemble Cymru

An unique event which brings together leading chamber and contemporary music ensembles from across the UK.

Publication date: 8 November 2016

Phoenix Piano Trio perform in Theatr Bryn Terfel

The Phoenix Piano Trio will perform a recital in Theatr Bryn Terfel this Wednesday 9 November at 7.30pm.

Publication date: 8 November 2016

Discussing the impact of Brexit on the Welsh language

As part of Canolfan Bedwyr ’s #Bedwyr20 celebrations, Bangor University will host a symposium on 8 November to discuss the potential impact of Brexit on the Welsh language. The key note address will be delivered by Emyr Lewis . A highly respected lawyer and specialist on language rights, Emyr Lewis will deliver a lecture on the legal implications for the Welsh language following Brexit, titled ' Dwi isio fy iaith nôl': sofraniaeth, xenophobia a'r Gymraeg yn dilyn refferendwm Ewrop ’ ('I want my language back': sovereignty, xenophobia and the Welsh language following the EU referendum)

Publication date: 7 November 2016

The men who impersonate military personnel for stolen glory

This article by Leanne Simpson , PhD Candidate, School of Psychology | Institute for the Psychology of Elite Performance , Bangor University was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article . In 2009, a 61-year-old man joined an annual Remembrance Day parade wearing an impressive array of medals. So impressive in fact that an expert said their awarding would have made him “ world famous – and some sort of Rambo character ”. After he was tracked down, the man, later named as Roger Day, claimed his medals were “pukka” but his story was denounced by military personnel and the public alike

Publication date: 7 November 2016

Bangor University crowned for its business collaborations and its sustainability campaign

Bangor University has been crowned University of the Year for its work with the business sector and won two other awards at the Business Insider Awards ceremony in Cardiff last night (3 November). Also on the same night, the University received an award for sustainability campaign by the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) at an event in London.

Publication date: 4 November 2016

Bangor means business at annual Careers Fair

In an increasingly competitive graduate job market, it’s never too early for students to begin considering their career options. Attending university is now about more than lectures and essays: it’s also about preparing for the world of employment, and networking, work experience and a strong CV are all key tools in any student job hunter’s arsenal. At Bangor Business School, the annual Careers and Employability Fair offers students a vital opportunity to develop these competencies and to get a head-start on their graduate job search.

Publication date: 4 November 2016

Paris climate agreement enters into force: international experts respond

The Conversation asked a panel of international experts to give their view on the significance of the agreement coming into force. Among the invited contributors is Professor Julia Jones, Professor of Conservation Science at the School of Environment, Natural Resources & Geography .

Publication date: 4 November 2016

Unpublished Poems by R.S. Thomas come to light

A collection of previously unpublished poems by the major Welsh poet R.S. Thomas has just been published under the editorship of Professor Tony Brown ( School of English Literature ) and Professor Jason Walford Davies ( School of Welsh ), the Co-directors of the University’s R.S. Thomas Research Centre, the major archive of the poet’s work.

Publication date: 3 November 2016

Excellent Employment policies recognised

Bangor University’s excellent employment policies enable the University to attract some of the best national and international researchers, and this will now been recognised for another four years with the successful review of the University’s European Commission HR Excellence in Research Award .

Publication date: 3 November 2016

New ‘Safe Operating Spaces’ set to sustain world’s coral reefs

Leading coral reef science experts call for new ’safe operating spaces’ to be agreed to ensure the survival of valuable coral reefs for the future. In a review article published this week in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment , ( Guiding coral Reef Futures in the Anthropocene doi 10.1002/fee.1427), which draws together all the latest knowledge on coral reefs, the scientists argue that, globally, we should agree ‘safe operating spaces’ or buffers in order to ensure survival of coral reefs.

Publication date: 3 November 2016

Dr Sophie Williams inaugurates the Moongate entrance to the new Chinese Garden at Treborth Botanic Garden, Bangor.

During the 2016 summer vacation at Bangor University, Treborth Botanic Garden hosted a visit by Dr Sophie Williams and her partner Robert, with staff from Ysbyty Gwynedd’s High Dependency Unit. Dr Williams (32) is continuing on the road to recovery after contracting the viral brain infection Japanese Encephalitis, while on a research project in southern China during 2015. Sophie cut the ribbon on the ‘Moongate’ entrance to the Chinese Garden, which is a newly-developed area of Bangor University’s Treborth Botanic Garden facility.

Publication date: 1 November 2016