SPACE - Spring 2018

sPACE

The magazine for Bath Spa University students and staff | Spring 2018

Students recreate the humble chair with help from leading design agency

Institute for Education partners with Chartered College of Teaching

ITV chairman launches Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries

I am delighted to welcome you to the Spring 2018 issue of SPACE magazine, my first as your new ViceChancellor. As a new member of Bath Spa I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this issue and learning more about the outstanding achievements of both students and staff.

This issue is packed with examples of success at Bath Spa including Creative Writing Professors Naomi Alderman and Tessa Hadley being named in the New York Times most notable books of 2017, School of Art and Design students reimaging the chair, PhD student Jonathan Carr securing a publishing deal for his debut novel, and the Institute for Education entering into a new partnership with the Chartered College of Teaching.

In the next few months we will celebrate Winter Graduation, join together to mark LGBT History month, and welcome potential students to our Applicant Visit Days. If you are an undergraduate student in your final year you will also have the opportunity to share feedback about your time at Bath Spa by taking part in the National Student Survey (NSS). This survey is a vital source of invaluable feedback to the University and a way for us to listen to your views, understand what is working well and where we can make improvements to your experience. I’m looking forward to hearing what you have to say.

I feel privileged to have joined such a distinctive university and I look forward to meeting and working with many of you in helping Bath Spa achieve its ambitions.

Professor Sue Rigby Vice-Chancellor

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in this issue 6

on the cover

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SPACE Magazine is published seasonally for Bath Spa University students and staff.

Email spacemag@bathspa.ac.uk

P. 9 Students recreate the humble chair with help from leading design agency P. 5 ITV chairman launches Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries P. 6 Institute for Education partners with Chartered College of Teaching

Editor Jennifer Davies Features Jane Wakefield Kirsty Reynolds Zainab Rahman

regulars

Design

P. 4 Success at Spa Achievements from Bath Spa’s talented students, staff and alumni P. 13 Ryan’s Column Students’ Union President Ryan Lucas discusses his recent visits to 13 different Students’ Unions in Scandinavia P. 14 Autumn in Pictures Telling stories and sharing your moments through images P. 22 Five minutes with Meet Sabrin Hasbun who is currently writing a non-fiction book on Israel as part of her PhD in Creative Writing P. 20 SPACE to Shout!

Have your say in the National Student Survey and learn more about the Student Community Partnership!

Rosie Maynard Contributors Sophie Rowe Ryan Lucas Ceri Jenkins Sabrin Hasbun Frontcover Bath Spa University students studying BA Textile Design for Fashion and Interiors sold handmade cards, gift wrap, and a wide array of wonderful Christmas present items including makeup bags, brooches, jewellery and home furnishings at the Bath Christmas

FEATURES

Market this year. Read more on page 9 Backcover

P. 16 SPACE to Chat A journey of a lifetime Sophie Rowe graduated from Bath Spa in 2017 with a BA in Creative Writing and is now studying for her Masters in Writing for Young People. She tells us how travelling across Oman allowed her to step out of her comfort zone.

Our beautiful Corsham Court campus in Wiltshire is where much of our postgraduate study and research takes place. The campus is concealed within a Grade I listed country house, surrounded by stunning gardens complete with peacocks.

P. 18 SPACE to Talk Embracing equality and diversity One person who’s leading the field when it comes to championing and celebrating equality and diversity at Bath Spa is Ceri Jenkins, Equality Projects Officer. We caught up with Ceri to talk about Bath Spa University’s first ever LGBT History Month and much more.

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Quirky Hallmark Cards creations A state of flow The three storey high MediaWall in Commons started 2018 with Flow – a series of digitally drawn abstract motion and colour studies created by Anthony Head, Professor of Digital Media Art and Design, and Course Leader for a new BA Digital Animation at Bath Spa University.

Audio triggered interactivity was applied to convert sounds to waves in a pool of colourful water-like substance.

The work absorbed ambient and deliberate sounds from the Commons building, creating a splash that rippled over the surface of the MediaWall screens. Sounds, steps, jumps and music all played a part with Flow analysing the audio frequencies and visualising the noise in a truly unique way.

Did you know you can follow MediaWall projects on Twitter? Just visit @MediaWallBSU.

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Second year BA Textiles for Fashion Design and Interiors students at Bath Spa University recently created unique greeting cards with complementary wrapping paper, bags and accessories as part of a live brief for UK Superbrand, Hallmark Cards.

The brief, which follows the success of last year’s similar project, challenged students to come up with Christmas designs with a twist in the run up to the festive season. Hallmark gave students a number of themes to work from including ‘Hybrid Creature’, ‘Lagom’ ‘Bohemian Bloomsbury’, ‘Dark Opulence’ and ‘Natural Folklore’.

Chanel Buckland, second year Textiles for Fashion Design and Interiors student said: “I was really excited to start this project. I chose the ‘Hybrid Creature’ theme because I wanted to use exotic animals which wouldn’t usually be associated with Christmas and it allowed me to use a vibrant colour theme throughout my work. Giving my collection a slightly humorous side was something I really wanted to do, but I made sure I kept it minimal so that sophistication was still key.

“Having looked at some other cards for inspiration, I was influenced by some I had seen which were simple, but used a play on words. Using this as food for thought I decided to put my exotic animals into hybrid situations in keeping with the brief. I decided to use watercolour paints and chalk pastels to create studies of African mammals including a zebra, giraffe, camel and an elephant and I’m really pleased with the outcome.”

Based on the work produced, Hallmark Cards will soon be choosing one lucky student to undertake a weeklong work placement with the company whose history spans 108 years.

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We’re a safe pair of hands New research has revealed that the South West has the lowest crime rate in the UK, with Bath being one of the safest cities for higher education study.

Bath Spa University ranked in the top ten per cent safest cities out of 128 institutions.

The research, conducted by the Complete University Guide, uses official police data to assess crime rates for the most relevant offences affecting students across universities and higher education institutions in England and Wales.

The Complete University Guide provides a clear picture of the best and worst cities for student-related crimes. It takes three offences into consideration: burglary, robbery and violence, and ranks universities on the cumulative rate of all three crimes occurring over a twelve month period in areas where students live during term time.

A full breakdown of results can be found on the Complete University Guide’s website.

ITV chairman launches Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries British television executive and creative industries figurehead, Sir Peter Bazalgette, recently joined 60 members of staff and students from Bath Spa University to officially launch our new Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries (CCCI).

Sir Peter, who delivered the inaugural lecture at the launch event, spoke about the importance of the creative industries in the UK and shared ideas about the role of the arts in creating empathy amongst people, which is a theme he explores in his recent book, The Empathy Instinct.

The University-wide research centre will bring together practitioners from across the creative industries, supporting and enabling collaboration around the centre’s core themes of creative entrepreneurship and research.

Sir Peter Bazalgette said: “If you ask me what the greatest challenge is for the creative industries today I’d say without hesitation that it is encouraging the next generation to consider a ‘creative’ career over and above more traditional career paths like accountancy or law.

“We also have a job to do in attracting talent from all backgrounds and increasing diversity within the industry, which we’ll only be able to do if we create the right networks, much like the new Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries at Bath Spa University, which provide opportunities to meet and collaborate with like-minded people.”

Kate Pullinger, Director of the Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries and Professor of Creative Writing and Digital Media at Bath Spa University, continued: “Sir Peter’s inaugural lecture, with its emphasis on the importance of the creative industries to our economy as well as our lives, provided the perfect kick-off for the new Centre. His exploration of the idea of the ‘empathic citizen’ who is enabled by the arts to experience and understand the lives of other people is inspiring for students and practitioners alike.”

The Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries will officially open to external practitioners in summer 2018.

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Institute for Education partners with Chartered College of Teaching

Students support Children’s Global Media Summit Five students from Bath Spa worked at this year’s Children’s Global Media Summit, curated by the BBC. Four BA Publishing students and one BA Business and Management student attended the three day summit which took place at Manchester Central.

The summit welcomed delegates from across the world to join in the conversation about the future role of children’s media. Around 130 speakers from organisations including the BBC, Facebook, Sky, The Walt Disney Company and YouTube, delivered keynote talks and sessions on the challenges and opportunities for children’s media in a fast-moving digital world.

During the summit, students were able to put their learning into practice working with the BBC Social Media team in Manchester to create multimedia content.

Business and Management student Emily Butler developed pre-event social media content for the summit. She also created images and content for the daily industry forum discussions.

Second year Publishing student Honey Debney-Succoia and final year Publishing student Liam Jones interviewed Tony Hall, Director General

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of the BBC, Steven Denure, President and Chief Operating Officer of DHX Media, Canada, and the Mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham.

Honey said: “It’s really boosted my confidence speaking to such highly esteemed professionals and interviewing them.”

Liam added: “It was a privilege meeting speakers and hearing the inspirational things they had to say. Dave Coplin was very passionate about how to get to grips with new technology to help children to make their lives easier and transform learning.”

Final year Publishing students Jemma Gardner and Kat Valentine produced reportage and VoxPops.

Jemma commented: “It was fascinating to discover how the industry is trying to break down the barriers in children’s media to take advantage of the digital age.”

James Bridgeman, BBC Children’s Social Media Editor, said: “We were enormously impressed by the enthusiasm, skill and ingenuity of this team of motivated self-starters. They were always willing to help and throw ideas into the mix. It was a pleasure to work with such a talented team.”

Bath Spa University’s Institute for Education is pleased to announce they have become a regional hub for the Chartered College of Teaching.

The Chartered College of Teaching, a professional body for the teaching profession, and Bath Spa’s Institute for Education, which has been educating teachers for 70 years, will work collaboratively to strengthen professional networks for teachers across the South West.

The two organisations will develop a regional network programme which will build on a professional knowledge base of teaching and provide a centre to bring together teachers to work on issues of direct concern to classroom practice.

Professor Kate Reynolds, Executive Dean of Bath Spa University’s Institute for Education, said: “The Institute for Education has been educating students, teachers and other education professionals since the 1940s. We are a place where students, teachers, governors, researchers, support staff and everyone interested in education can come together in a community of research and practice.

“We are delighted to be working with the Chartered College which will enable us to continue our commitment to supporting and training teachers in the South West.”

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Creative Writing student secures publishing deal Jonathan Carr, who is currently studying for a PhD in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University, will have his debut novel, Chicago Rising published

by Scribe UK in Spring 2019. Scribe will publish the novel in the UK and Australia.

Set in 19th century Chicago, Chicago Rising tells the story of the birth and rise of the city, as well as that of America and its relationship with the world beyond.

Congratulations Jonathan!

Virtual dreams become a reality Bath Spa University has partnered with the new Bristol VR Lab to give Creative Computing students the opportunity to enhance their skills in ambient and factual storytelling, theatre, and games.

Founded by the University of Bristol, the University of the West of England, Watershed and Opposable VR; and partners Bath Spa University, the BBC and We The Curious, the VR Lab opened its doors to members in early 2018.

Bath Spa students will be among the first to use the new space which has been specially designed for those interested in research, development, product design, teaching and incubation within virtual and augmented reality.

Technology at the Lab will include stateof-the-art headsets, controllers and green screen motion capture, as well as a range of 360° filming devices.

Lee Scott, Subject Leader in Creative Computing at Bath Spa said: “We’re delighted to announce this partnership.

There’s something for everyone at the VR Lab – a place that will enable the worlds of computing, storytelling and gaming to collide. The Lab supports the Creative Computing course’s aim to connect students to innovation in the region and complements existing industry-focused initiatives we have in place such as a creative ‘incubator’.

“Through the partnership, students will have a place to network, collaborate, problem solve and experiment with the application of immersive technologies in new contexts. Whether it’s augmented reality or virtual reality, students will have a hub to go to develop ideas from start to finish.”

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If you’re a member of staff and you’d like to nominate a student to be considered for the next round of Alumni Scholarships for Excellence, please email your school administrator. If you’re a student just search for ‘scholarships and funding’ on the Bath Spa website and remember, whatever your ambitions, the Development team is here to help and the sky’s the limit!

Alumni funding helps students reach for the stars Thanks to the generosity of our alumni, Bath Spa’s Development Team is able to grant a number of awards to help current students realise their dreams.

Over the last two years, course leaders have nominated final year students who have demonstrated “excellence” to be considered for a Bath Spa Alumni Funded Award, with recipients receiving between £500£1000.

This year we have celebrated the success of seven students from across the University: • Business and Management, Charlotte Tite and Rebecca Roye • Dance, Ayanna Allen • Creative Music Technology, Eliza Wilmott • Geography, Ed Quantrill • Psychology, Helen Leighton-Jones • Creative Writing, Marchant Barron • PGCE Primary, Sarah Pattinson • Fashion Design, Jack Capstick Students are able to use their award in any way they wish. Some have used it to enhance their university experience and achieve their ambitions. Creative Writing student Marchant used the award

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to publish his poetry anthology Autumn Caught, which contains eight poems from his recent exhibition Conversations with Trees at Westonbirt Arboretum.

Fashion Design student Jack said: “The award has removed some of the financial pressure of the course and will allow me to spend more time on my practice”. Jack and 20 other students are also looking to raise a total of £9000 for their 2018 Fashion Degree Show. They’ve set up a project on the University’s crowdfunding platform, Launch Pad - www.bathspa.hubbub.net.

Unlike other crowdfunding sites, Launch Pad is completely free to use and you can seek help and advice from the Development Team at daro@bathspa. ac.uk to ensure you make the most from your fundraising.

These are just some of the awards provided by alumni, and other supporters, through the Development team. Last year, we were able to help more students than ever before, with a total of 161 Bath Spa students receiving philanthropic support. Over £110,000 was awarded in scholarships and prizes.

New baby change unit at Newton Park The University has installed a baby change unit in the Compton building.

Ryan Lucas, Students’ Union President, said: “It started when a student with a toddler came to me and asked what facilities the University has available to students with children. I was already aware that we had very few facilities available.

“I asked the student which services she would like to have available at the University. Baby changing facilities were at the top of her list and I told her I would push the University to implement these somewhere.”

Ryan worked with Andrew Williams, Deputy Head of Estates and Services at the University, to push for a baby change unit to be installed.

He added: “This was a really easy initiative for me to push for. When I know that something is an issue I can speak to staff to get things changed so students should email me or use the Change Something platform on the Students’ Union website if there is something they would like changed at Bath Spa.”

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Chair redesign project has legs Students from Bath Spa University’s Bath School of Art and Design recently partnered with leading design agency Committee, and furniture experts Herman Miller, to redefine one of life’s most common objects – the chair.

First, second and third year students studied the detail and quality of the assembled chairs, which were donated

by Herman Miller, before dismantling them and re-creating them.

One concept which stayed true to the idea of a traditional chair was the humanpowered, ‘Palanquin’ chair, created by students Joseph Constable, Eleanor O’Shea, Efthymia Stavrides and Darcy Tudge.

Other students moved away from the chair’s original form and created an entirely new purpose for it. Samantha Hollingham, Max Farnell, James Hammond, Oliver Langford and Adam Meyrick created the Sound Machine.

Taking the chair completely out of its original context, student Calum Stewart created The Spine.

Check out our Spring in Pictures pages for images of each of the recreated chairs.

Talented textile students sell hand-made gifts Did you visit the wonderful Bath Christmas Market at Christmas? You may have come across chalet number 159 near Primark selling handmade cards, gift wrap, and a wide array of wonderful Christmas present items including makeup bags, brooches, jewellery and much more.

Everything on the stall was handcrafted by final year Bath Spa University students studying BA Textile Design for Fashion and Interiors.

The artistic group named their stall ‘Designers in the Making’ and items were available to buy for just one week only.

Items for sale included screen printed Christmas cards, wrap and labels, framed artwork, embroidered brooches, bespoke jewellery, as well as homeware including cushions and mats.

Student Millie Clake who helped run the stall said: “Organising this Christmas stall has been fun as well as being a great learning experience for the whole final year group.

“As well as taking the time to make a wide variety of high quality items to sell, we’ve also been working as a team to organise the logistics behind manning a stall like this, including the advertising.”

Student Imogen Rhodes-Davies who sold her embroidered brooches at the Christmas Market said: “What I love about studying at Bath Spa University is that I’ve been allowed to find my own style. It’s a very self-driven course, and tutors encourage you to work on open briefs so that you can develop creatively.

I can’t wait to gradate and start my career in the fashion and textile industry.”

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Bath Spa colleagues who have signed the ARC HE and ITT statement of principle

Bath Spa Institute for Education supports Attachment Research Community Ellie West, Senior Lecturer in Education Studies (Primary Education); Chloe Yeh, Senior Lecturer in Education Studies (Research Methods); Peter Jarrett, Associate Lecturer; and Richard Parker, Institute for Education’s Head of Consultancy, recently attended the second annual conference of the Attachment Research Community (ARC), in Birmingham.

Keynote speakers included Sir John Timpson, Dr Andrew Rogers of Changing Minds UK and Professor Jeremy Holmes, an internationally renowned authority on John Bowlby and attachment theory. Sir John challenged schools to match his own commitment to attachment aware approaches in his shoe repair company, and Andrew described his work as a clinical psychologist with multiply damaged young prisoners.

The conference also launched the ARC Higher Education and Initial Teacher

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Training (ARC HE and ITT network), coordinated by Richard, with a statement of principle which a number of Bath Spa University colleagues (listed right) have signed.

Members of the ARC HE and ITT network support the core aims of the Attachment Research Community’s network of schools and settings, trainers and researchers and their commitment to developing best practice in addressing everyone’s attachment needs.

A number of former Institute for Education colleagues are also trustees of the ARC, including Janet Rose of Norland College and Felicia Wood of Kate Cairns Associates.

Richard has subsequently been invited

by Professor Holmes to jointly author an article on the current government’s policy on children’s mental health, to appear on news website The Conversation this year.

• Dr Ghazala Bhatti, Institute for Education, Bath Spa University • Pat Black, Institute for Education, Bath Spa University • Benton Brown, Institute for Education, Bath Spa University • Professor Christine Eden, College of Liberal Arts, Bath Spa University • Dr Helena Enright, College of Liberal Arts, Bath Spa University • Professor Martin Levinson, Institute for Education, Bath Spa University • Richard Parker, Institute for Education, Bath Spa University • Professor Stephen Ward, Institute for Education, Bath Spa University • Professor Geoff Whitty, Institute for Education, Bath Spa University

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Silver spade marks start of Locksbrook Road transformation A ground breaking ceremony was held at the end of January to mark the start of refurbishment work to transform the iconic former Herman Miller factory on Locksbrook Road into Bath Spa University’s new art and design campus.

Senior staff ‘broke the ground’ with a silver spade at the event which included attendees from the University’s appointed construction company Willmott Dixon.

The building will undergo an exciting transformation to provide a state-of-the-art learning environment for Bath Spa art and design students.

Plans for the building include modern teaching facilities, practical workshops, studios, a gallery space, as well as a café and art shop. A new rooftop pavilion will add a third storey to the building providing additional space for reflective and collaborative project working.

The outside of the building will also undergo major refurbishment and an injection of cash is being put towards a landscaping project which will see the area surrounding the site being significantly enhanced and upgraded.

Professor Anita Taylor, Executive Dean

The construction will be completed in the summer of 2019 and students will start to use the building from September 2019. Further information can be found on Bath Spa University’s website: www.bathspa.ac.uk/ locksbrookroad

of Bath School of Art and Design, said: “Heritage, environmental solutions and sustainability are at the heart of both Bath Spa University’s and Willmott Dixon’s approach to this project and we are delighted to be working with them on our exciting new building.

“We have taken on a building with a strong identity which has an original design brief very much aligned with our own aspirations. We hope our new facility will significantly help to bring staff, students and the public together as part of a strong art and design community here in Bath.”

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Silk River celebrations Staff from Bath Spa University recently took part in the year-long Silk River programme of cultural exchange that celebrated the cultural ties and history between the UK and India.

The programme, which was launched last February at an official ceremony at Buckingham Palace, was part of the UKIndia Year of Culture 2017, a governmentled initiative that marked the 70th anniversary of Indian-independence.

Led by internationally renowned arts company Kinetika and supported by the Arts Council England and British Council, Silk River explored the relationship between 20 communities

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living alongside the banks of the River Thames in England, and River Hooghly in India.

Bath Spa University was a key partner in the programme which saw a team of international artists and writers working together to gather stories from people living and working alongside the rivers.

Two performative walks were held to celebrate the end of Silk River. The Silk River UK walk took place in September and saw staff from Bath Spa walk from Kew Gardens to Southend over the course of ten days. The Silk River India walk took place last month. Over the duration of 12 days staff from Bath Spa travelled from Azimgani, Murshidabad to Batanagar, Koltaka.

Staff met with members of each community to discover the rich heritage of the region and participated in a series of talks and cultural programmes which raised awareness of the UK and India’s relationship.

As part of the project, 20 hand-painted hand-woven silk scrolls were created to show the shared heritage between each community. The 20 scrolls were carried by participants from each walk.

Staff attended an official closing ceremony at the Victoria Memorial Hall in Koltaka. Mike Johnston, Senior Lecturer in Broadcast Media Production at Bath Spa, interviewed key partners and documented the walks.

He attended artist workshops in the UK and India, and photographed the development of the scrolls.

Lee Scott, Subject Leader for Creative Computing at Bath Spa, and Bath Spa Creative Computing students created the website www.silkriver. co.uk for the programme which features news, photographs and video footage from the walks.

Lee also created a web app for the programme which showcases all of the scrolls .

Photo: Mike Johnston

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Creative Writing professors make The New York Times 100 Notable Books list Professor Naomi Alderman and Professor Tessa Hadley who teach on Bath Spa’s Creative Writing course were featured in The New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2017 list.

The list showcases the best fiction and non-fiction books, and poetry of 2017, selected by editors of The New York Times Book Review. The Power

by Professor Naomi Alderman and Bad Dreams and Other Stories by Professor Tessa Hadley were listed as two of this year’s most notable fiction books.

Naomi is the author of four novels, including The Power, which won this year’s Bailey’s Women’s Fiction Prize.

The science-fiction novel is set in a dystopian future where women can kill men with a single touch.

In 2013, Naomi was named as one of Granta’s Best Young British Novelists.

Her short fiction has appeared in Prospect, on BBC Radio 4 and in a number of anthologies.

Tessa Hadley is the author of six novels and three collections of short stories, including Bad Dreams and Other Stories. Her stories have been published in The Guardian and Granta.

In 2016, she won the Hawthornden Prize and the Windham-Campbell Prize for fiction.

Naomi said: “I’m delighted to appear on the list in such esteemed company.”

Tessa said: “I am glad to have had my novel selected for The New York Times Notable Books list along with so many splendid books.”

Ryan’s column If you’re anything like me, second term has so far been bloomin’ busy! 2018 started with myself and our Union CEO travelling around Scandinavia. We visited 13 Students’ Unions in three and a half days around three countries: Denmark, Sweden and Norway. The aim of the trip was for us to find new ways to help improve the student experience at Bath Spa Students’ Union to ensure that our ideas remain fresh and innovative.

Two things that stood out from the trip were the alternative models surrounding student welfare, as well as student housing. While housing was a big problem for students across each country, mental health was something the government dealt with, rather than Unions. Mental health was perceived as something that shouldn’t take up Unions’ time…very confusing! However, for me what really stood out was their crazy SU sponsorship deals with Carlsberg…something some may say the UK definitely needs more of!

I was also lucky enough to attend the National Centre for Diversity’s Grand Awards 2018 ceremony. I was shortlisted for the ‘UK’s Most Innovative Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year 2018’ award for my free tampon scheme, because who doesn’t love some free sanitary products? While I may not have won that, I’m pleased to say the Union did win!

Bath Spa was named UK Students’ Union of the Year for the second year running for equality and diversity - a very proud moment for all the Union team.

I end this by saying that for many students, heading back to university after Christmas is a massive relief, particularly as you can get back to being a party animal and pretending you have no work to do - although the reality is you have LOADS! For some students however, coming back can be a pretty negative experience. You’re feeling more homesick than ever, deadlines are fast approaching and you’re questioning if this is really what you want. While I can’t promise that things will get better immediately, I can promise that you’re not alone. Speak to one of us in the Union, speak to members of academic staff, or even your housemates - just talk to someone and don’t suffer in silence!

If you ever need a chat or want to moan about something then please email me on SU-President@bathspa.ac.uk.

Keep smiling! 

Ryan

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1 In February Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis was joined by a panel of creative industry heavyweights to discuss the future of the festival and events sector at an event at Bath Spa’s Newton Park campus. The event was part of Bath Business School’s Creative Business Network series.

2 According to Chris Head, Associate Lecturer in Comedy at Bath Spa, there’s a science behind writing groan-worthy gags. This resulted in media coverage over the festive period. Pat Welsh, Senior Lecturer in Acting, also shared his five top tips on the art of delivery with this ‘cracking’ Christmas graphic.

3, 4 & 5 Students from Bath Spa’s Furniture and Product Design course partnered with leading design agency, Committee and furniture experts, Herman Miller to redefine one of life’s most common objects – the chair. Pictured are the human-powered

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‘Palanquin’ chair (3), the Sound Machine (4), and The Spine (5).

6 80 students from Bath Spa University’s BA Film, Television and Digital Production course recently gained ‘Pointless’ experience and valuable insight into the inner workings of a TV studio as they spent time on the set of hit BBC quiz show, Pointless.

7 Organisations in Somerset were recognised in the recent Travelwest Business Awards. Bath Spa University received a gold award in the Travelwest Business Travel Plan Accreditations category with Sara Cundy Bath Spa Sustainability Co-ordinator and Julian Greaves Bath Spa Sustainability Manager collecting the University’s accolades.

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sPACE TO

“ Chat �

A journey of a lifetime Sophie Rowe graduated from Bath Spa in 2017 with a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing and is now studying for her Masters in Writing for Young People at the University. She never imagined she would hike across the desert for charity. She tells us how travelling across Oman allowed her to step out of her comfort zone.

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“ Chat ”

In the midst of my Masters applications, third year deadlines either from a tarpaulin sheet held up by the guides or the rare and a part time job, the last thing I thought I would be doing shadow of an acacia tree. was signing up to trek across the desert, but when the Our daily routine saw us leave camp at around 8:30am. We opportunity came along, how could I say no? Now three would trek towards our next base and arrive there just before months on I can say I trekked 75km across Oman for the 6:00pm to put our tents up before it went dark. In Oman it gets charity CoppaFeel! light at 6:00am and dark at 6:00pm. You can watch the sun rise or Founded in 2009, CoppaFeel! is an incredible charity that set within a minute. works to spread awareness among young people of the signs and During the day we got to see gorgeous lakes and beaches. symptoms of breast cancer. Founder Kris Hallenga was only 23 The views over the Musandam were stunning. We visited a when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She didn’t realise fishing town and got to experience the local culture. I won’t forget that young people could be so easily affected so she made it her camping on a beach and being woken up by the call to prayer at mission to spread the word to help save others from late detection 5:00am for a long time. and increase survival rates.

On the final day we climbed Jebel Qihwi, one of the highest In my spare time I play for the University’s Women’s Rugby peaks in the Musandam. Arriving at the summit to the Foo team. CoppaFeel! was our Charity of the Year a few years back.

Fighters blasting out was unforgettable. The feeling of being Before that only a couple of girls on the team had heard of the uncomfortably hot and tired went away as soon as we were able charity. This was something I wanted to change. to look across the wadis beneath us. We were able to see just I decided to take part in the trek as I felt that there was little how much we had achieved and remember why we were all there awareness of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer amongst in the first place. people my age. I thought it was a great way of getting the word The experience was unforgettable. We all had our own out. Young people should be aware of their bodies and know how personal link to the charity, whether it be knowing someone to identify a change, something that’s so easy to do when you with breast cancer or experiencing it ourselves. The trek was know what differences to look for. In total, 450 people applied challenging, but the cause was worthwhile. It was a great way of for the trek and I was one of just 60 who spreading CoppaFeel!’s message and it took part. As part of my application I had to has definitely changed my outlook on life.

“In Oman it gets light at 6:00am explain my previous fundraising history and I’m now more aware of how fortunate I am and dark at 6:00pm. You can watch why I should be chosen to take part. compared to others. There was a woman the sun rise or set within a minute.”

The trek took place in November last trekking with us who had only just finished year and raised £225,000 for CoppaFeel! chemotherapy. I thought if she could trek All funds raised help the charity to educate across the desert then so could I. young people about breast cancer - teaching them that knowing I would definitely recommend the experience to others and tell their boobs could save their life. CoppaFeel takes their message anyone who hasn’t seen much of the world to step out and see it. to festivals, schools, universities and workplaces across the UK. It certainly doesn’t get much crazier than being in the desert.

Author Giovanna Fletcher and The Only Way is Essex actor The trek showed me that I am mentally strong. I love Mario Falcone took part in the trek. They each lead a team of challenging myself and this won’t be the last challenge I complete.

30 across Oman, just two hours from Dubai. Not knowing any I’ve set myself a goal of raising at least £100,000 for charity in my of the trekkers beforehand made for great conversation on the lifetime. So far I’ve managed to raise £12,000. I’ve got a little way mountains. We spent the week becoming mountain goats as to go but a whole lot of determination. we travelled across wadis, and up and over mountains in the blistering heat. Trekking for eight hours in 40 degrees is not for the faint-hearted. The only shade we got outside of the camp was For more information about CoppaFeel! visit www.coppafeel.org

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“ Talk ” Embracing equality and diversity Just weeks before this magazine went to print, thousands of activists took to the streets in 32 countries around the world to campaign for equal rights as part of a global movement called Time’s Up.

Closer to home, one person who’s leading the field when it comes to championing and celebrating equality and diversity at Bath Spa is Ceri Jenkins, our new Equality Projects Officer. We caught up with Ceri to talk about Bath Spa University’s first ever LGBT History Month and much, much more.

Telling us what’s topping her priorities list, Ceri said: “There’s lots of great stuff I’m involved in right now and working with our staff and student networks to make sure our first ever LGBT History Month is a success definitely features on my list. I can’t wait to see the feedback from this event.

“Working with a team to put together the University’s 10,000 word application for the Athena SWAN Charter, which recognises work undertaken to address gender equality in higher education, is also an important project that’s keeping me busy.

“Last, but by no means least, is organising exciting activities for International Women’s Day in collaboration with our Women’s Leadership Network, and the SU’s Feminist Society. It will be great to see our ideas come to life and I think it’s really important that staff and students work together on equality and diversity issues as much as possible – the whole University benefits when a multitude of voices are heard!”

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More than a tick-box exercise We asked Ceri why equality and diversity should be something that’s important not only to her, but to the wider Bath Spa community too. Ceri responded: “Aside from the legal requirements, I really believe diversity, equality and inclusion should be part of the core mission of all universities, and the higher education sector as a whole. It has to be more than a tickbox exercise. It has to be something that engages everyone and really gets people thinking.

“It’s also so important to make sure we’re recruiting from as many different backgrounds and experiences as possible. If we’re just hearing from the same set of people, with the same life experiences, and same areas of expertise then we’re really missing out. I believe there’s a moral issue too – a justice issue.

It’s 2018 and equal treatment should be hard-wired into the sector.

“Bath Spa is full of creative, kind and amazing people who value proactivity in making sure we’re a fair place. I see a lot of my work equipping people with the tools and knowledge to tackle equality on an individual level, in their offices, classrooms and halls – everywhere! This then feeds up to an institutional level.

“Thanks to my background as an activist, I’m a huge believer in grassroots movement, in creating change from the bottom up.

To make a difference, you have to show people why something should matter to them personally and empower them to do something about the causes they really care about.”

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EQUALITY & DIVERSITY What's happening at Bath Spa Uni? New Equality Objectives

Sexual Violence & Misconduct

Transgender Equality Policy Published

Gender Neutral Toilets in Commons

Applying for Athena SWAN Charter

Equality Week 2017

Events, Talks and Staff Networks

Questions, comments or suggestions? Email c.jenkins2@bathspa.ac.uk

“ Talk ” Celebrating success Success comes in all shapes and sizes so we asked Ceri what she’s most proud of achieving at Bath Spa so far – big and small. Ceri said: “Being thrown in at the deep end can be a real eye-opener and I’m pleased to say that Equality Week in October 2017, which I organised just weeks after I started, resulted in our highest turnout for the event to date - so thank you to everyone who came along!

“Helping to get not one, but two, staff networks off the ground is something I’m also very proud of. Both our Women’s Leadership Network for all self-identifying female staff and Sonder, our staff LGBTQ+ network, have had great attendance so far and long may that continue.

“Another small but significant victory is the new gender-neutral signage in Commons at Newton Park which has been well-received. I designed it myself after conferring with some amazing activists and student groups and it’s now been sent to other universities around the UK to use!

“If I could thank everyone who has welcomed my equality initiatives with such enthusiasm we’d be here a while! From HR to the SU, and everyone in between, the support has been immense. I’ve been blown away by how many wonderful people I’ve met so far and I can honestly say Bath Spa is the most welcoming place I’ve ever worked. I’m really looking forward to meeting even more of our amazing community as we embark on this exciting and empowering journey together.”

If you’re a member of staff or a student and you’d like to contact Ceri with any equality and diversity questions or comments you may have, or you’d just like to say “hi”, please email c.jenkins2@bathspa.ac.uk.

You can also follow @BathSpaEquality on Twitter!

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! SHOUT ! sPACE TO Have your say – We’re looking for letters, feedback, and general social media musings, so please send in what you like about Bath Spa and the city of Bath via spacemag@bathspa.ac.uk

Volunteer with your SU! The Students’ Union is looking for volunteers for an energy efficiency project. They are looking for a Project Leader, Marketing Officer and other volunteers to help to educate students on energy efficiency in student housing.

They are also looking for a Project Leader, Growing Co-ordinator, Marketing Co-ordinator, Pop-up café Manager and Impact Officer to lead on a sustainable food enterprise project, growing food at a new student allotment in Oldfield Park.

If you’re interested in getting involved in either project, contact Harriet Clark, Bath Spa SU Student Opportunities Co-ordinator at: suopportunities@bathspa.ac.uk.

The Student Community Partnership The Student Community Partnership (SCP) is a partnership between Bath Spa University, the University of Bath and the Bath and North East Somerset Council.

The SCP encourages students and local residents to work together on projects that benefit the community, and offers a range of opportunities for students to volunteer in Bath. Follow @townandgownbath on Twitter to find out about upcoming volunteering opportunities with the SCP. If you need funding for a volunteering project, the SCP may be able to help. You can apply for a community fund of up to £250 to help you design and develop your project.

For more information, email Kalyn Mallard at: community-liaison@bath.ac.uk.

Bath and North East Somerset Council run a volunteer centre too. You can drop-in to the centre and speak to an advisor about voluntary roles with local charities and organisations or search for roles online at: www.vol-centre.org.uk/individual+volunteer

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Students lend a helping hand Bath Spa students recently worked with local residents to clean-up a patch of land in Victoria Bridge Road. The three-day community gardening project known as Sowing Helping Hands was organised by second year Creative Writing student Louise Thacker.

Louise who volunteers as Environment and Ethics Officer with Bath Spa’s Students’ Union, worked with Jo Simmons, Students’ Union Vice-President for Welfare, Kalyn Mallard, Student Community Partnership Manager, and the University’s Good Stuff Society to develop the project.

She said: “I set up the project as I wanted to help the local community and change how students are perceived in Bath. I would definitely recommend volunteering with your local community to other students as it gives you a sense of belonging.”

Louise was awarded a £250 community fund towards the project from the Student Community Partnership (SCP).

Kalyn Mallard, Student Community Partnership Manager, said: “We were pleased to sponsor the project. Not only did Bath and North East Somerset Council benefit from Louise’s initiative, but it was also an opportunity to show the impact students and residents can have when they work together.”

Time to give your feedback We value your feedback on your experience here at Bath Spa and would love to hear what you think about your course. We’re asking all third year undergraduate students to take the National Student Survey (NSS) which is open now. You’ll receive an email with a link to the survey at the beginning of February or you can find out more by visiting www.bathspa.ac.uk/nss

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5

minutes with ...

Meet Sabrin Hasbun, who is studying for a PhD in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University through the South, West and Wales Doctoral Training Partnership (SWW DTP) studentship. She is currently writing a nonfiction book about transnational identities as part of her PhD. Sabrin used to work in the University’s International Office as an International Recruitment Officer, helping to promote Bath Spa University overseas and recruit international students.

1

What do you love about Bath Spa University?

The freedom to experiment. I always say that Bath Spa University is a relatively new university with a lot of potential still to develop.

As staff and students, we have the privilege to be part of this process and we are given the space to try out new ideas and push our boundaries.

2

Where is your favourite spot on campus?

It would have to be the entrance gate at Corsham Court. The moment you see the magnificence of that architecture, you can’t help but feel a part of something.

3

If you went on Mastermind, what would your specialist subject be?

Geography, I hope.

4

Tell me something you’re passionate about at the moment?

I am getting more and more passionate about storytelling traditions in various parts of the world, in particular how their style and language has helped to build a sense of identity.

5

And finally, complete this sentence. Not many people know this about me but…

I just discovered that tea is called Earl Grey and not Early Grey! Better late than never.

Adverts

BE A PEER MENTOR!

We are recruiting for new Peer Mentors to help first year students for the 2018/19 academic year.

Applications from first and second year students from all undergraduate courses are welcome.

For more information please email peermentor@bathspa.ac.uk

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