News Archive: March 2018

The Mabinogion, the Jews ... and Gareth Bale

Studying the medieval Welsh tales of the Mabinogion recently took one of Bangor University’s School of Welsh lecturers to the streets of Jerusalem. This in turn has opened the door to a comparison of the Welsh legends with the stories and mythologies of one of the most remarkable Jewish sects.

Publication date: 27 March 2018

We're mapping wartime shipwrecks to explore the past – and help develop green energy projects

Wartime shipwrecks such as the USS Juneau – recently discovered in the Pacific Ocean by philanthropist Paul Allen and his team – are of great interest to both military historians and the general public. Many such wrecks lie in extremely deep, relatively clear waters and are the legacy of naval battles fought far out to sea. But some of the technologies and methods that are being used to locate and identify such sites are now being employed by scientists in shallower, sediment-rich UK waters for similar – and very different – purposes. This article by Michael Roberts , SEACAMS R&D Project Manager, Centre for Applied Marine Sciences, at the School of Ocean Sciences, was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article .

Publication date: 27 March 2018

A great year for signed languages in film – and what we can learn from it

Looking back at the films released in 2017, and those honoured at the Oscars , it is quite remarkable to note the prominence of signed languages. Three lms in particular stand out for their sensitive portrayals of signed languages as bona fide languages: Baby Driver, The Shape of Water and The Silent Child. Two of these films, Baby Driver and The Silent Child, also make an important contribution – both onscreen and off – towards recognising and respecting Deaf culture, identity, and community; they both have Deaf actors playing characters that demonstrate the importance of signed languages in their everyday lives. This article by Dr Sara Louise Wheeler , Lecturer in Social Policy (Welsh medium) at the School of Social Sciences was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article .

Publication date: 26 March 2018

Women in Science Scholarships Awarded

Two ‘Women in Science’ Scholarships have been awarded to outstanding Bangor University students – Hannah Davies and Lily Stokes. Both were undergraduate students at Bangor and graduated with First Class Honours in July 2017. The scholarships, which cover the full course fees, will enable the talented and enthusiastic students to continue their studies and the recipients of these scholarships are now enrolled in postgraduate research courses at Bangor.

Publication date: 26 March 2018

Hot baths help to prepare Team Wales for the heat of the Australian Commonwealth Games

With temperatures predicted to exceed 30 ° C on the Gold Coast of Australia the Commonwealth Games will place considerable heat strain on competing athletes. In preparation for the heat, Team Wales athletes have been plunging into hot baths after their usual training. Rob Condliffe, a physiologist at Sport Wales Institute who is helping to prepare Team Wales athletes for the Commonwealth Games says, “The hot bath is an extremely practical evidence-based approach to heat acclimation”.

Publication date: 26 March 2018

Multidisciplinary innovation in Adventure Tourism at Bangor University: bringing wellness to North Wales

Enterprise by Design is back for its 7th annual competition for 2018, and the winning team has just been awarded a cheque for £2,500. The challenge brings students from the areas of Psychology, Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Business, Product Design, and Creative Studies and Media to work together in multidisciplinary teams. Their goal is to create a product or service for local businesses over an 8-week period.

Publication date: 23 March 2018

Careers opportunities in Marine Sciences highlighted

Bangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences held its annual careers fair to highlight the huge jobs potential in one of the fastest growing sectors of the UK Economy, the Marine sector.

Publication date: 22 March 2018

Bangor University to turn red for Team Wales

On March 23, Bangor University’s Main Arts building turns red to show support for the Welsh athletes competing at the Commonwealth Games in Australia next month.

Publication date: 22 March 2018

Earth Hour 2018

Bangor University is helping to build a brighter future by supporting WWF’s Earth Hour, a spectacular and symbolic lights out event that focuses the world’s attention on our planet, and the need to protect it. Celebrating the tenth Earth Hour in Wales, the University will be switching off the floodlighting on its iconic Main University Building for the hour, and encouraging staff and students to join in by taking what action they can.

Publication date: 21 March 2018

Bending light

Dr Liyang Yue at School of Electronic Engineering is the lead author of a paper recently published in the scientific journal "Optics Letters” which reports on a new way to produce a curved light beam, and which has created some interest among scientists since its recent publication.

Publication date: 21 March 2018

Bangor Students’ Big Ideas

Six Bangor University students and their business ideas have reached the final round of a national competition that promotes and celebrates entrepreneurship amongst young people. The novel and varied business ideas include a reusable nappy made from bamboo fibre as well as a social project that teaches children about conservation by having them construct little houses for hedgehogs!

Publication date: 21 March 2018

Baby-friendly Award for Bangor University

Bangor University is the first university in Wales to have been awarded the prestigious Baby Friendly Award and is the latest university to gain recognition from Unicef UK for the high levels of training in breastfeeding provided to students on its midwifery course. Student midwives enrolled in the midwifery programme at Bangor University will now graduate with an extra qualification, which will save them having to complete further training when they are employed as midwives.

Publication date: 20 March 2018

Another novel on the way – thanks to inspiration from the School

Ruth Richards from Anglesey is preparing to launch her third volume of prose thanks to the School of Welsh at Bangor University.

Publication date: 20 March 2018

We've located the part of the brain which understands social interactions

The ability to quickly detect and recognise the purpose of a social interaction is as indispensable today as it would have been to our ancient ancestors – but how does the brain do it? This article by Jon Walbrin , PhD Researcher in Cognitive Neuroscience, at the School of Psychology , was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article .

Publication date: 20 March 2018

Six common misconceptions about meditation

Dusana Dorjee, Bangor University Meditation has been hailed as a way to boost mental health, help chronic pain, reduce stress and build a new appreciation for the world around us.

Publication date: 19 March 2018

Brilliant Poems from Bangor

The Bangor University student experience was the inspiration behind one of the volumes that reached the shortlist for last year’s Welsh Book of the Year competition.

Publication date: 19 March 2018

Anthill 23: Bursting the Bitcoin bubble

Bernardo Batiz-Lazo , Professor of Business History and Bank Management, at the Bangor Business School was interview for this article, which was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article .

Publication date: 15 March 2018

Bangor Old Students’ Association support the Gwyn Thomas Memorial Fund

‘On Wednesday morning, 14 March 2018, an informal though pleasant occasion happened in PJ Hall.'

Publication date: 15 March 2018

Shakespeare’s Globe to perform in Pontio during their only visit to Wales this Spring

During Spring 2018, Shakespeare’s Globe will be going on tour stopping at Pontio Arts and Innovation Centre, Bangor 7-9 June for their only performances in Wales during the tour.

Publication date: 14 March 2018

Three scholarships for a new course

For the next three years, a company providing office equipment to Bangor University will be awarding a students from the School of Welsh with a scholarship for a brand new degree course.

Publication date: 14 March 2018

Working to safeguard the public against viruses and antibiotic resistant bacteria

Scientists working to reduce risk the risks to the public from exposure to viruses and antibiotic resistant bacteria in the water environment are meeting to share their research and discuss next steps today (14 March at the Royal Geographic Society, London).

Publication date: 14 March 2018

Russian spy attack: how toxic chemicals can cause widespread contamination

This article by Vera Thoss , Lecturer in Sustainable Chemistry, at the School of Chemisty was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article .

Publication date: 14 March 2018

A Hat Trick for Bangor at the Inter-Collegiate Eisteddfod 2018

Following a weekend of competition, Bangor University were victorious at the Inter-Collegiate Eisteddfod 2018, winning for a third time in a row.

Publication date: 12 March 2018

Stanley Kubrick’s films all had one thing in common: Jewishness

This article by Nathan Abrams , Professor in Film, at the School of Creative Studies and Media was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article .

Publication date: 12 March 2018

Chief Constable of North Wales Police in Bangor Public Lecture

The Chief Constable of North Wales Police, Mark Polin, came to Bangor to discuss ‘Policing – Today and for Tomorrow. In the well-received lecture, attended by students and staff from across the University, the Chief Constable outlined recent changes in police governance, priorities, and demand as well as the challenges facing North Wales Police in the future.

Publication date: 9 March 2018

Distinguished Bangor Alumnus leaves generous legacy to Agricultural Botany

John Trevor Williams (PhD Agricultural Botany, 1962) made an enormous contribution towards conserving the genes of the world’s food crops and has now ensured his legacy goes even further by leaving a £75,000 bequest to support Agricultural Botany at Bangor University.

Publication date: 8 March 2018

Bangor Uni on 8 Shortlists for Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2018

Bangor University has been shortlisted for 8 of 12 Awards in this year’s Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2018, with the nominations based on the excellent reviews and opinions of the University’s own students.

Publication date: 7 March 2018

Thousands of starfish have washed up dead after the ‘Beast from the East’ – here’s why

This article by Coleen Suckling , Lecturer in Marine Biology, at the School of Ocean Sciences was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article .

Publication date: 6 March 2018

The School and ‘Gwyn’s legacy’

A weekend of lectures and discussion are to be held at Bangor with the hope of capturing some of the diversity of the huge contribution made by the former head of the Welsh Department.

Publication date: 2 March 2018

The Science of M-SParc; Delivered on time and budget.

M-SParc, Wales’ first dedicated Science Park, opened its doors on St David’s Day on time and within budget. The £20m facility, part funded by European Regional Development Funding through the Welsh Government has been in development for 5 years and on March the 1st the vision becomes reality – all on time and within budget.

Publication date: 2 March 2018

Bangor academic gives expert evidence to House of Commons on St David’s Day

A Bangor academic is presenting evidence to the House of Commons today on the security of mineral supplies to the UK today (1 March 2018). Professor Barrie Johnson of the University’s School of Biological Sciences is an internationally leading expert on using biological methods for mineral extraction. His contribution to today’s Committee is based on his contribution to a major UK research project investigating solutions for the recovery of cobalt. This Natural Environment Research Council funded project is aiming to increase the UK's exploration, mining and recovery of cobalt, a metal of great strategic and economic importance.

Publication date: 1 March 2018

University closed Friday, 2 March

As a result of the weather warning issued by the Met Office for tonight and tomorrow morning, and the need to restrict non-essential travel, the University will be closed tomorrow (Friday, 2 March).

Publication date: 1 March 2018

All of Stanley Kubrick’s films were Jewish author finds

Jewishness threads through all of legendary director Stanley Kubrick’s films, a new book finds. Kubrick, who died almost twenty years ago, was famously silent on the meaning of his films. But a new study, Stanley Kubrick: New York Jewish Intellectual by Bangor University professor, Nathan Abrams, shows how it underpinned every film he made.

Publication date: 1 March 2018

Royal Support for Scaling Up Collaborative Coral Reef Conservation

Recently, HRH The Prince of Wales, drew attention to the economic drivers behind coral reef degradation and the investments required to ensure the long-term health of these vital marine habitats. Professor John Turner and Dr Gareth Williams from the School of Ocean Sciences were among an invited audience of UN envoys, ambassadors, financiers, conservationists and reef managers to raise the urgency of scaling up resilience and recovery of the world’s coral reefs, with a particular focus on the role of the private sector and philanthropy.

Publication date: 1 March 2018