Digest Alumni
Professor Brian Makin of the department of electronic engineering and physics visited Singapore to attend British Council Educational Exhibition. While there, he hosted an alumni event in the Carlton Hotel attended by 34 alumni of the University.Appointments
Alex Wright has been elected to a visiting research fellowship at the institute for advanced studies in the Humanities at the University of Edinburgh. His research programme will focus on the Scottish Executive's foreign affairs agenda. He has also been appointed rapporteur for Scottish-UK relations and Scottish-EU relations for an ESRC/Leverhulme research programme administered by the constitution unit, University College London.Website
The website for Zhejiang Wanli University is now available at www.dundee.ac.uk/wanli/welcome.html. It is partly financed by a grant from Scottish EnterpriseTayside.Election
Deputy Principal Bill Barr has been elected to the Scottish Arts Council's lottery capital committee.CREST
Budding scientists from five secondary schools throughout Scotland visited the University for the 4th annual Scottish CREST- creativity in science and technology awards scheme. Dr Martyn Ward, associate dean of the faculty of science and engineering welcomed the students who gave presentations about their displays. The students discussed their work with a panel of judges which included scientists from the school of life sciences. The winners go forward to the UK finals to be held in London later in the year.Blues
Sportsmen and women of the University gathered in the Hilton hotel for the annual blues and colours awards ceremony recognising this year's most outstanding sporting talents in the University. Sportsman and woman of the year went to Jonathan Oparka and Helen Blair. Fred MacAulay delivered the after dinner speech. Other winners: Dawn Petrie, Alistair Lonie award; Robert Philips, Stewart Campbell award; Jennifer Browning, Alistair G Sankey trophy; Simon Gillis, James Boyle shield. Five blues were also awarded.Australia
Sir Philip Cohen travelled to Australia to deliver the Menzies Foundation lecture "How biochemistry can transform an economy", at the University of Melbourne. He charted the transformation of Dundee from the city of jute, jam and journalism to the city of biochemistry, biomedicine and biotechnology. Government funding of scientific research in Australian universities is poor in comparison to the UK. Sir Philip was invited to convince Australia's politicians that more generous funding of biomedical sciences can be of major economic benefit, as well as playing a key role in the development of the medicines of the future. The lecture is held annually to honour Sir Robert Menzies, a former Prime Minister of Australia.Rape
Suzanne Zeedyk delivered a key-note address at Cambridge University as part of their annual gender seminar series. Talking about "The Science of Rape" she examined contemporary attempts by scientists to explain and combat the phenomenon of rape. She explored men's actions in rape and women's psychological response to it highlighting the ways in which scientific discourse is being utilised in societal institutions such as law and medicine. Suzanne argued that science will never be able to offer women, law, medicine or society a useful account of rape, given its current epistemological foundations and that women need to be aware of the way in which traditional myths about the causes of rape are being reborn and clothed in the respected garb of scientific jargon.Webcast
The department of politics assisted the BBC with a webcast on Scotland and the general election. This was the first time that this medium had been used for elections. Staff were interviewed live along with other invited guests answering questions via email from a global audience.Benchmarks
Researchers at the University's Centre of Applied Language Studies have received confirmation of a £25,000 award for a scheme to benchmark modern languages in higher education. Ms Marion Sporing and Dr Arthur McNeill will work towards identifying practical and theoretical issues related to applying national language standards to individual courses. Said Ms Sporing: "Benchmarking schemes provide meaningful information to employers about what individuals are capable of doing when using a foreign language. The frameworks also make it easy for organisations to determine the levels of language competence required for particular jobs or tasks."Bright List
University of Dundee scientists dominated the science section of the Bright List published last month by the Herald. Three of the five scientists named in the Herald's compilation of Scotland's 50 brightest intellects are from the University. Heading them is University Chancellor Sir James Black "probably Scotland's greatest living scientist". Professor Sir David Lane and Professor Sir Philip Cohen also feature along with Roslin geneticist Ian Wilmut who cloned Dolly and Sir Kenneth Murray who created the hepatitis vaccine and was made an honorary graduate of Dundee last year. Also on the Bright List are Dundee graduates Chris van der Kuyl of computer games fame and Highland Council Director of Social Work Harriet Dempster.Minutes
Want to keep in touch with what's happening at Court and Senate ? Remember the minutes can be read by staff on the web via the intranet service at http://somis.ais.dundee.ac.uk/sec/minutes.htm If you don't have a password find out how to obtain one at http://somis.ais.dundee.ac.uk/general/protect.htmNew web
A massive project to redesign the university web pages is close to completion. For months web administrator Rebecca Linford has been toiling in the Tower to bring the new corporate web pages to life. The new design, which includes an intra-net news service to keep staff and students up to date on what's happening on campus, will be launched soon.Bursary
Duncan of Jordanstone graduate Liz Skulina has been awarded one of only ten Royal Society of British Sculptors' bursaries. Liz graduated last year with a first class honours in sculpture and is currently an assistant trainee with Dalziel and Scullion environmental art practice in the school of fine art.Innovators
The annual honorary graduates' award for innovative teaching will be presented to Dr Jonathan Weyers of the school of life sciences and Kathleen Macmillan of the centre for applied language studies for the development of the Advance@dundee transferable skills website. Two further nominations were received from the school of nursing and the department of history.Languages
Why not make it your year for learning a language on the Open Languages Programme? All university staff and students can study French, German, Spanish and Italian at various levels at lunchtime or early evening classes. Apart from a small registration fee, all classes are free. We are currently preparing the timetable for next session starting in October. If you would like further information please contact Liz Campbell, ext 4385 or email: e.c.campbell@dundee.ac.ukAward for Dr Burns
Dr Suzanne Burns, a specialist registrar in the Dundee medicine for the elderly service has won the prestigious Taylor Brown prize for best scientific paper presented at the Scottish Geriatric Society spring meeting. Dr Burns won the award for her study on the relationship between ill-fitting shoes and foot health in old age. The project was a collaborative one involving Dr Graham Leese, diabetes consultant for Tayside Universities Hospital Trust, and Professor Marion McMurdo from the ageing and health section in the department of medicine.Essay
Shell and The Economist have launched their second international writing prize of US$65,000 for an essay on the theme of mobility and sustainability of 21st century travel. Entrants should discuss how mass mobility will affect on society, politics, commerce, technology, culture or the world's environment. The final deadline is 1 August. Essays should be 2000 words in length with a 300 word synopsis. Full details www.goingfasterbutwhere.com.Cup
Principal Irvine fully appreciated that collegiality is cemented in battle and so, in 1936, he presented a golf trophy for annual competition between St Andrews and Dundee colleagues. Apart from a period during the war, the Irvine Cup has been competed for keenly every year, with home and away matches in the summer term. The most recent match, the sixtieth, was played against a gale at St Andrews' Jubilee course and a downpour at Carnoustie's Burnside. The Dundee team were victorious, wresting the trophy from St Andrews. The tally stands at Dundee 29, St Andrews 25, with 6 ties.Scholarship
Jonathan Longman, law and languages student, has just won an £1800 Stevenson Scholarship to attend a Spanish University next year. Stevenson Scholarships were set up by Sir Daniel Stevenson, a Glasgow merchant and Lord Provost to help students to be ambassadors of goodwill. Jonathan is hoping to go to Jaen University, near Granada.Internships
Two students from the politics department have just completed internships with George Reid MSP, deputy presiding officer of the Scottish Parliament, over the last year. Louise Turner and Catriona McLellan who carried out research and helped prepare speeches for the MSP agreed that their time in parliament had transformed their view of politicians and the political process to a very positive opinion. Norrie MacQueen, head of the department of politics: "We are delighted that our first interns have been such successful ambassadors for the University and that they have enjoyed it so much. We would particularly like to thank George Reid, for sponsoring this scheme.Rome
Dr Colin Farquharson and Professor Allan Struthers were presented with a £50,000 award for the best departmental research from the Menarini Academy Award for clinical cardiovascular research in Rome. The award winning research was "Insights into reactivation of the vascular renin angiotensin system during chronic ACE inhibitor therapy in chronic heart failure".Music
For the first time, this year's annual meeting of Graduates' Council enjoyed a musical interlude before the commencement of business. This was provided by Graeme Stevenson and three undergraduate students, Alex Keith on saxophone, Marion Jordan, soprano and Simon Carter, violinist. Alex and Marion are both recipients of the Graduates' Council saxophone scholarships.Children
Application forms for the children's summer programme are now available from the Institute of Sport and Exercise. The Summer Programme runs from Monday 2 July - Friday 10 August. Nine activity courses are on offer for 3 to 15 year olds. Call 344121 / 3445177 for more information.Challenge
Are you learning a language? Would you like to this summer? The Centre for Applied Language Studies is celebrating the European year of languages by taking part in the national Languages Challenge. On September 26 participants will gather to briefly demonstrate their new language skills in a manner of their choice. A range of proficiencies are welcome from those who can make a presentation in their new language to those who simply want to order a meal. With language classes available during the summer there has never been a better time to learn a new language. For more information contact the Languages in Lifelong Learning Office 34 5488 or the EYL website www.eyl2001.org.ukAppointment
Professor Thomas MacDonald, director of the medicine monitoring unit and the hypertension research centre in the department of clinical pharmacology, has been made a visiting professor in the division of hypertension and endocrinology of the Mayo clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. He will give lectures on resistant hypertension and endothelial dysfunction and hypertension.Zodiac
Four illustrations by first year students at Duncan of Jordanstone were selected to feature in the Scotland on Sunday's Spectrum magazine to represent the zodiac sign Gemini. Jennifer Moran, Gemma Lynch, Claire Venters and Nicola Hodgins interpreted the meaning of Gemini and produced colourful illustrations to accompany the star gazing. The work appears in Spectrum throughout the sign's period until Sunday 17 June.Milestone
The helpdesk at IT Services received its 20,000th call from 4th year ecology student Elinor Grimley. As well as getting advice on her Microsoft problem, Elinor was presented with a bottle of champagne to celebrate the milestone call. The helpdesk is run by Chris Henderson assisted by a team of postgraduate students who provide immediate assistance to callers or direct queries to other IT Services staff. To contact the helpdesk dial 8000 or email helpdesk@dundee.ac.uk
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