News from around BU BU student in record-breaking attempt
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econd year BSc (Hons) Sports Management student Vedangi Kulkarni is also an ultra-endurance athlete and writer. In June, she will attempt to become the Guinness World Record holder for the fastest and youngest woman to circumnavigate the globe, unsupported, on a bicycle. She will leave Perth in Australia to tackle a journey west to east of over 18,000 miles, travelling across Australia, New Zealand, Alaska, Canada, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Mongolia, China before flying back to Perth to cycle to the finish line. She aims to cycle about 200 miles a day.
Visit www.vedangikulkarni.com to find about more about this attempt as well as her #StepUpAndRideOn project.
Funding secured by BU student supports restoration work in Bali
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ach Boakes, a second year Environmental Science student, has received funding from the Society of Conservation Biology to continue his placement work into the restoration and protection of the marine environment on the Indonesian Island of Bali. As part of his placement, Zach co-founded a non-government
“The money is vital to allow us to create 50 more artificial reef sections and to help restore the area to how it was before it became so damaged. The project is ongoing, with both locals and volunteers monitoring the reef and contributing to the education of the local community.” More about the project can be found at: northbalireefconservation.com
O SUBU President Daniel Discusses Driving the Students’ Union Forward We’ve witnessed some great achievements over the past two years, with more students engaging with the Students’ Union than ever before.
organisation with Balinese locals and established a marine protected area, designed to help with the problems of pollution and overfishing. Some of this work has involved the construction of artificial sections of reef, designed to restore structural complexity and encourage recruitment of coral, fish and other marine organisms.
ur 2016 Freshers’ Fair was recognised as number one in the UK and there has been a huge increase in students engaging with our 120+ clubs and societies. The annual Sports and Societies Festival has proven to be a massive success with students, and our new initiative, the Inclusion Sports League – which gives students with disabilities more opportunities to take part in sport – have been huge steps forward for both SUBU and SportBU in ensuring each student feels that our services are accessible and fair. When it comes to student welfare, we’ve put mental health and inclusivity at the top of our agenda. We introduced the Mental Health Zone, a studentled initiative to raise awareness of, and reduce the stigma around, mental health. Alongside this, we launched six new student-led Liberation Campaigns this academic year, each made up of and run by students of self-identifying marginalised groups here at BU.
SUBU Debates has been another initiative which, after a humble beginning, has become a major part of the Students’ Union this year, offering students the space to discuss and debate on sensitive and often controversial issues in a safe space, and in a healthy and constructive way. We’ve also recognised the achievements of our Black, Asian, and minority ethnic students through our BME Awards, celebrating diversity and showcasing the talent and hard work of students of colour. I am truly proud of the work we have done to create a more inclusive environment for everyone at BU, and am excited to discover what lies ahead for SUBU after my tenure as SUBU President comes to an end this summer. I can only imagine how much further our Students’ Union will climb, with the fantastic partnership we have with BU, to positively impact on the journey of every BU student.
InsideBU | Spring 2018 | 5