News Archive: December 2016

A bold experiment in intergenerational care

Experts from Bangor University including Professor Bob Woods an international expert in psychosocial approaches worked with the Darlun production company to create a new programme, Hen Blant Bach , to be broadcast on 28 December. The programme is a new factual format for S4C, developed in partnership with Sony Pictures Television. It brings two unlikely generations together to share their day care in a centre for older people in North Wales.

Publication date: 22 December 2016

Generous nursing students spread festive cheer to rehabilitation ward patients

Student nurses from Bangor University are bringing some additional Christmas cheer to patients at Wrexham Maelor Hospital. Second year adult nursing students Ceri Davies, Kate Topple and Fern Williams, along with their lecturer Angela Williams, have filled shoeboxes with festive treats for patients on Bedwen, Onnen and ENT wards

Publication date: 22 December 2016

Tens of thousands of dead fish just washed up on a Cornish beach – here's why

This article by Prof Michel Kaiser , School of Ocean Sciences was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article . It must have been an incredibly morbid sight. Walkers on Marazion beach in Cornwall, at the south-western tip of mainland Britain, recently discovered tens of thousands of dead fish had been washed ashore overnight. One eyewitness told the Plymouth Herald the fish stretched “as far as the eye could see”. People speculated that pollution or natural predators such as dolphins or porpoises chasing the fish ashore may be to blame. But a much simpler explanation soon unfolded when the Cornish Sardine Management Association said that one of its vessels had been fishing close inshore and had had to release one of its catches for safety reasons . Exactly what happened in this case remains unclear. But why would a ship ever need to dump fish for safety reasons? After all, catching lots of fish is surely the entire point. In any case, a European Union discard ban was first implemented in 2015 in order to stop this sort of thing.

Publication date: 22 December 2016

Culture Challenge 2016

Bangor University students celebrated cultural diversity and collaboration on Saturday 10th December with an action-packed Culture Challenge! Organised by the International Student Support Office, the Culture Challenge saw ten teams made up of 1 national British student and 3 international students go head to head in both a presentation round and a general knowledge quiz to win a trip of a lifetime to Barcelona!

Publication date: 20 December 2016

How the ‘Santa lie’ helps teach children to be good little consumers

It’s that time of year – the season when parents, schools and retailers sell one of the most magical lies to children: Santa Claus. But far from being a harmless way to fire children’s imagination at Christmas, the “Santa lie” undermines children’s understanding of the world, their savviness and their real imagination in favour of wrapping them up in cotton wool and consumerism. This article by Anne-Marie Smith , and Nia Young , both of the School of Education was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article .

Publication date: 20 December 2016

Successful North Wales Jewellery Business Owner Graduates

Leaving the security of the teaching profession was a risk that paid off for a local entrepreneur who this week, adds being awarded a masters degree with distinction to her list of successes.

Publication date: 15 December 2016

Lord Mostyn visits Bangor cancer research labs as charity commits to funding £400,000

Lord Mostyn has met with leading researchers, scientists and clinicians in North Wales who are pioneering advances in cancer research and treatment. Gregory Mostyn made the visit to the North West Cancer Research Institute at Bangor University's School of Medical Science s recently and met with Institute chair Dr Edgar Hartsuiker, who gave a behind the scenes tour of the state of the art research laboratories.

Publication date: 15 December 2016

School leads panel discussion on I, Daniel Blake

On Saturday evening, 3rd December, a special event was held at Theatre Ardudwy, Harlech, where acclaimed film director Ken Loach’s new award winning film ‘I, Daniel Blake’ was screened followed by a panel discussion involving three academics form the School of Social Sciences, Dr Hefin Gwilym, David Beck and Gabriella Simak.

Publication date: 15 December 2016

Bangor University’s Winter Graduation Ceremony

Over 300 degrees were awarded to Bangor University students at its winter graduation ceremony recently.

Publication date: 15 December 2016

Arthur’s Camelot – possible location is revealed

The quest to find King Arthur’s Camelot has puzzled and intrigued scholars and fans for a thousand years. Now, the search may finally be over. A retired Bangor University English Literature Professor has revealed what he believes to be the location of Arthur’s Camelot- and it turns out to be a small Roman fort at Slack, outside Hebden Bridge in west Yorkshire.

Publication date: 15 December 2016

Why EU rules risk making Italy's banking crisis a whole lot worse

This article by Philip Molyneux , Professor of Banking and Finance, Bangor University Business School was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article . In the wake of the Italian constitutional referendum , the country’s banking crisis is going from bad to worse. The European Central Bank (ECB)‘s decision to refuse an extension to Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena to raise €5 billion (£4.2 billion) has left the country’s third-largest bank facing a government bailout that looks likely to inflict severe pain on many ordinary Italian savers. As if that were not enough, Italy’s biggest bank, UniCredit, announced a restructuring plan that requires a capital raising of €13 billion in the first three months of next year. Given the torrid time Monte dei Paschi has had trying to find sufficient private backing, will UniCredit need help from the Italian taxpayer, too?

Publication date: 15 December 2016

Arthur’s Camelot – Is the search finally over?

The quest to find King Arthur’s Camelot has puzzled and intrigued scholars and fans for a thousand years. Now, the search may finally be over. Peter Field, Emeritus Professor in English Literature at Bangor University, has uncovered what he believes to be the location of Arthur’s Camelot. In a discovery that will be of interest to archaeologists, historians, literary scholars, and Arthurian fans around the world, Professor Field will reveal the location of Camelot during his Shankland Lecture, ‘Searching for Camelot’, at Bangor University on 14 December .

Publication date: 14 December 2016

Is a white Christmas on the cards for North Wales?

Professor Tom Rippeth of Bangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences assesses the likelihood of a white Christmas for north Wales.

Publication date: 13 December 2016

Bangor academic becomes a National Teaching Fellow

Dr Frances Garrad-Cole of Bangor University’s School of Psychology is the latest member of University staff to be awarded an important Higher Education Academy (HEA) National Teaching Fellowship . A National Teaching Fellowship is the most prestigious individual award for excellence in teaching in higher education. Fran joins School of Psychology colleague Dr Fay Short and Peggy Murphy at the School of Healthcare Sciences in becoming a Fellow, and was nominated by the University.

Publication date: 12 December 2016

Bangor University Students Get Crafty

Handmade crafts dominated Bangor University’s Student Christmas Market this year, showcasing the creativity of student across many disciplines. Nearly 2,000 visitors came through the doors and once again it proved a perfect place for buying Christmas presents while supporting the efforts of student traders. It was exciting to have representation from numerous emerging new businesses who seized the opportunity to test trade their products and hone their entrepreneurial skills in the process.

Publication date: 9 December 2016

Planet Earth's adventure into cities cements its position as a pioneer of environmental film

With its depiction of sublime landscapes and unique creatures in a manner unsurpassed by other documentary series, Planet Earth II has been wowing millions over the last six weeks. Conversations overheard on the bus or in the supermarket queue have frequently featured prancing flamingos or those infamous snakes: a whole new generation have been introduced to the wonders of the natural world. Planet Earth first debuted ten years ago, as Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth attempted to engage the public on the urgency of solving global warming. Meanwhile, David Attenborough was fascinating Planet Earth’s audience with stories about endangered species and remote places – trying to raise environmental awareness with a very different approach.

Publication date: 9 December 2016

How ‘gamification’ is engaging students in learning

Imagine sitting in your University lecture, when one of your fellow students ‘dragged out’ of a lecture by masked militia-men because they have become ‘infected’, that was the scenario played out during a ‘gamified’ psychology module at Bangor University recently. Gamification’ is when non-game activities are designed to be like a game.

Publication date: 8 December 2016

What 500-year-old clams can tell us about climate change

You probably don’t think clams are the most exciting animals on the planet. But anyone who dismisses these marine bivalve molluscs surely cannot be aware of just how important they actually are. Without knowing it, they have taught us so much about the world we live in – and how it used to be.

Publication date: 7 December 2016

Bangor University rewards staff for achieving Research Excellence

A new Research Excellence Awards event has just been held at Bangor University to celebrate the high standard of research at the University.

Publication date: 6 December 2016

Longest-living animal gives up ocean climate secrets

Analysis of the quahog clam reveals how the oceans affected the climate over the past 1000 years A study of the longest-living animal on Earth, the quahog clam, has provided researchers with an unprecedented insight into the history of the oceans.

Publication date: 6 December 2016

Head of School attends international forum in China

Professor Jonathan Williams, Head of Bangor Business School, recently visited China to deliver a keynote speech at Beijing Normal University Zhuhai (BNUZ)’s International Business School Dean’s Forum.

Publication date: 6 December 2016