News Archive: October 2017

Putting poverty under the spotlight

Bangor University’s School of Social Sciences is combining discussion and drama to put the spotlight on poverty at a public event on Wednesday 8 November. ‘ Poverty: Local, National and International’ will showcase pioneering research from academics and students at the School, which shows how poverty affects people's identities and shapes their lives. The event forms part of a week of the UK’s Economic & Social Research Council Festival of Social Sciences public engagement activities.

Publication date: 30 October 2017

Can we stop fake news in the next 10 years?

Vian Bakir (Prof. in Political Communication and Journalism at Bangor University's School of Creative Studies & Media ) is pessimistic, but urges us not to give up. Andrew McStay (Prof in Digital Life at Bangor University) is more optimistic. Speaking recently at the CommsCymru conference on trust, Bakir gave an overview of the various solutions to fake news found in the 79 submissions to the UK Parliament’s ongoing Fake News Inquiry . (This overview of proposed solutions was written with Bangor University’s Professor of Digital Life, Andrew McStay.)

Publication date: 30 October 2017

What causes marathon-runners and other extreme sport enthusiasts to catch colds?

Participants in this year’s Snowdon Marathon (28 October), described as one of Europe’s toughest, have been invited to help with research at Bangor University’s School of Sport Health & Exercise Sciences . Exercise physiologists at the School want to identify why some runners appear to be more susceptible to falling ill or feeling poorly after running a marathon or taking part in other endurance activities, while others remain well.

Publication date: 28 October 2017

The young Bangor fish entrepreneur who believes that any fin is possible

A 20 year old student at Bangor University is using his lifelong passion for marine biology to drive his ambitions to become the largest livestock supplier of fish species in the UK. Sam Hamill, who is currently in his third year studying Marine Biology , is set to launch Big on Fish in November, an online shop and retail store selling aquarium equipment and stocking over 1100 exotic fish and coral species.

Publication date: 27 October 2017

ESRC Festival of Social Sciences

The ESRC Festival of Social Sciences is back in Bangor for its second year. This week long celebration of social sciences takes place every year across the whole of the UK. After a number of successful events last year, Bangor University is again holding two events to join in the celebration.

Publication date: 27 October 2017

Welsh on tour

The School of Welsh is part of an ambitious national scheme to raise awareness amongst school pupils of studying Welsh for 'A' level and at university. In November, nearly 2000 pupils in 40 secondary schools will benefit from the scheme through a series of visits.

Publication date: 27 October 2017

Research to further increase resilience and sustainability of the UK food system

Bangor University is to receive and manage a portion of the UK’s Global Food Security programme- funding of £4.9 million for interdisciplinary research to increase the resilience and sustainability of the UK food system. Over 1.5 million has been awarded to Bangor University’s School of Environment, Natural Resources and Geography . Under the lead of Professor Paul Withers, a world-leading interdisciplinary team of biophysical and socio-economic scientists, together with a wide range of UK stakeholders, will investigate how to make the best sustainable use of phosphorus, a finite global resource, in the UK food system.

Publication date: 25 October 2017

Bangor University’s Dr Yue shortlisted for prestigious Newton Prize

Dr Liyang Yue of Bangor University’s School of Electronic Engineering has been shortlisted for the 2 017 Newton Prize for his project building a super-resolution metamaterial 3D printing system. The Prize is an annual £1 million fund awarded for the best research or innovation that supports the economic development and social welfare of developing countries. Dr Yue is in with the chance of winning up to £200,000 from the Prize to be used to advance or develop the work further.

Publication date: 24 October 2017

Solving how a complex disease threatens our iconic oak

Latest scientific methods reveal multi-bacterial cause of stem bleeding in acute oak decline and pioneer novel methods for analysing the causes of complex plant diseases Team work between Forest Research, Bangor University and others has for the first time, tracked down the cause of the stem bleeding symptoms of this newly identified threat to the native oak.

Publication date: 24 October 2017

Significant Composition appears on CD

A major orchestral piece composed by Guto Pryderi Puw is included on the latest CD by celebrated violinist, Madeleine Mitchell. Acclaimed as one of the foremost Welsh composers, Guto Pryderi Puw is also Head of Composition and Senior Lecturer at Bangor University’s School of Music and was commissioned by Madeleine Mitchell to write a concerto to be premiered at the Bangor Music Festival in 2014. The work, Violin Concerto - Soft Stillness was inspired by quotes taken from Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice to mark the author’s 450th anniversary year .

Publication date: 23 October 2017

Bangor University to lead a Science and Innovation Audit

Bangor University has been chosen by the UK Government to lead a Science and Innovation Audit of the North West Nuclear Arc Consortium, and to participate as partners in two other audits. Twelve Science and Innovation Audits will map local research, innovation, and infrastructure strengths. Bangor University will lead an audit into the North West Nuclear Arc Consortium, together with support from Welsh Government, North West England LEPs, the University of Manchester’s Dalton Institute, and the National Nuclear Laboratory.

Publication date: 20 October 2017

UK Gov’s Environment Minister visits Bangor University

Bangor University’s School of Environment, Natural Resources and Geography hosted a visit by Dr Thérèse Coffey MP recently, who took part in roundtable discussions with staff and students involved in the school’s forestry programmes.

Publication date: 20 October 2017

Can psychology help football academy players to maximise their potential?

Sports psychologists from Bangor University have teamed up with Manchester City Football Club to identify and understand the psychological characteristics that help young academy players to fulfil their potential. Over the next four years, Manchester City’s academy players will be tracked as part of this unique research project. City’s coaches have already identified the psychological characteristics that they believe are key to talent development, and these will be monitored and regularly assessed. The extent to which they predict improvements in performance levels during this time will be evaluated.

Publication date: 20 October 2017

60 years on, students revisit St Mary’s

Thirteen former students visited the newly renovated St Mary’s residential village recently. As well as a well-enjoyed trip down memory lane, they were delighted by the way the site had recently been developed by the University. The friend group were all former students of St Mary’s College a Teacher Training College which later became part of Bangor University.

Publication date: 19 October 2017

'Welsh in the Community' Discussion Panel

Innovative ideas to promote the use of Welsh in the community are to be shared at a ‘Welsh in the Community’ Discussion Panel on Wednesday 25th of October, 6.30-8pm, at Menter Iaith Bangor’s Popdy Centre, Lon Bopty, Bangor. Experts who are involved in promoting Welsh in the community, both locally and nationally, will share some new ideas being used by community groups and businesses in Wales at the event.

Publication date: 18 October 2017

Hidden Histories

Anyone interested in local history will be eager to book a place on a Hidden Histories ‘Day School’ at Bangor University on Saturday November 4th. The event promises to reveal the history, archaeology and architecture of Bangor University.

Publication date: 13 October 2017

Volunteering is a way of life for Elan

Eighteen year old Elan Môn Gilford, from Llanfairpwll, a first year Sports, Health & Exercise Science student is one of only 20 people worldwide to have received a Diana Legacy Award for her volunteering. The Diana Award is given out in Diana, Princess of Wales’ name to young role models who are selflessly transforming the lives of others. The Award recognises young people who are going above and beyond their daily lives to create and sustain a positive change.

Publication date: 13 October 2017

Seeing events in Catalonia through the lens of Spanish twentieth-century history

The violent scenes which accompanied the referendum in Catalonia at the beginning of the month, and the general strike which followed, may have seemed surprising and shocking to us, but not so to those who are more familiar with the history of Spanish politics. According to Dr Helena Miguélez-Carballeira at Bangor University’s School of Modern Languages & Culture , current events should be viewed and analysed through the longer lens of history. Dr Miguélez-Carballeira has organised a student and public meeting to place these events in their wider political and historical context.

Publication date: 13 October 2017

Lifetime Contribution recognised

Gwerfyl Roberts, a Senior Lecturer at the School of Healthcare Sciences has just received a Lifetime Contribution Award at More than just Words 2017 . The More than just Words Showcase Event recognises and celebrates the importance of Welsh language provision in health, social services and social care, and the exceptional achievements of individuals and teams.

Publication date: 11 October 2017

Monumental arts project changing perceptions in Welsh care homes

An arts participatory project involving 122 care homes across Wales (nearly 20% of the total) has brought fundamental changes to the way staff view some of their most vulnerable residents. This was one of the key findings of an evaluation of Age Cymru’s cARTrefu project and presented to ministers and AMs at a special celebration in the Senedd today (Tuesday 10 October 2017).

Publication date: 10 October 2017

WAW! Waste Awareness Week

Bangor University students and staff along with local and national organisations, have been out and about cleaning up the streets and campuses across Bangor, raising awareness and sharing ideas about reuse and recycling during Waste Awareness Week.

Publication date: 9 October 2017

Investing in warmer housing could save the NHS billions

British weather isn’t much to write home about. The temperate maritime climate makes for summers which are relatively warm and winters which are relatively cold. But despite rarely experiencing extremely cold weather , the UK has a problem with significantly more people dying during the winter compared to the rest of the year. In fact, 2.6m excess winter deaths have occurred since records began in 1950 – that’s equivalent to the entire population of Manchester. Although the government has been collecting data on excess winter deaths – that is, the difference between the number of deaths that occur from December to March compared to the rest of the year – for almost 70 years, the annual statistics are still shocking. In the winter of 2014/15, there were a staggering 43,900 excess deaths , the highest recorded figure since 1999/2000. In the last 10 years, there has only been one winter where less than 20,000 excess deaths occurred: 2013/14. Although excess winter deaths have been steadily declining since records began, in the winter of 2015/16 there were still 24,300 .

Publication date: 5 October 2017

Research reveals how housing improvements can lead to health benefits

Warmer homes can improve the health of social housing tenants and reduce NHS service use according to health economists at Bangor University. Working with Gentoo housing association and Nottingham City Homes, Health Economists at the University’s Centre for Health Economics & Medicines Evaluation (CHEME) evaluated the costs and outcomes associated with social housing improvements and found a link between warmer homes and improved health for social housing tenants and reduced NHS service use.

Publication date: 5 October 2017

Bangor University Lecturer selected as Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Expert

Owen Davies from Bangor University’s School of Education has been recognized as a global leader in using technology to transform education and been named a Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Expert, joining the more than 6,700 educators in the MIE Expert program worldwide. Each year, Microsoft selects innovative educators to share ideas, try new approaches and learn from each other as a global community dedicated to improving student outcomes through technology.

Publication date: 3 October 2017

Five-country survey of carers highlights continuing delays in dementia diagnosis across countries

Today, at the 27th Alzheimer Europe Conference in Berlin, Prof. Bob Woods ( Bangor University , Wales, United Kingdom) presented the top line results of a five-country survey on the experience of 1,409 carers of a diagnosis of dementia.

Publication date: 3 October 2017