www.thecourieronline.co.uk Monday 26 October 2015 Issue 1317 Free
"-../,##*$ 0-)"'/*$)"//! 1234
The Independent Voice of Newcastle Students
Est 1948
!"#$%&'()$'*!#&+'#, */(#.$-*-.5)') Speaking to guitarist A breakdown on the Ryan Jarman p. 27
Nobel Prize results p.37
Research tunnel moving to Blyth to make way for new social space Boiler House to become multipurpose student function space Emerson Cavitation Tunnel to relocate to new facilities on the coast PhDs to be put on hold during move
got permission to do anything yet, but our intentions are to create a student function space.” This space will be able The University is renovating the Boiler to be used for congregation ceremonies, House to create a new social space for open days and performances. The students. This will mean relocating the Students’ Union will also be able to use Emerson Cavitation Tunnel, a world- the building. The renovation will probably involve renowned experimental facility which is used by the School of Marine Science removing the top floor extension to restore the original castellations, and and Technology, to a new site in Blyth. The cavitation tunnel is the only one Professor Stevenson said that they were in operation in the UK, and is used not hoping to “bring back the splendour” to just by the University but also for global the building. He continued: “The design was done research projects and by commercial companies. Although the main function in-house by some of our architectural of the tunnel is to test propellers, it has assistants that came out of the architecture school, so also been used for research into other marine-related !"##$%&'$()*+',%-$ we’re using students who have been working on areas, such as the water turbines and even the best ,.))'/%#0$.-1/2$ placements and then got paint to use to coat ships’ %&'$%.//'#$31##$ jobs within our estates department.” hulls. Professor Andrew In March 2016 the &45'$%*$6'$ Willmott, Head of the tunnel will be shut down, -.-('/7'78 School of Marine Science disassembled, cleaned and Technology, said: and repaired and then reassembled in a new, purpose-built “The University is very keen to ensure facility in the port of Blyth, around that the quality of its estates is the 13 miles away from Newcastle. This highest possible because we’re in a process is expected to take around nine very competitive market for higher months, during which time the tunnel education. As part of that exercise the University is focussing particularly on will be out of operation. All the projects currently using the the region around the central square, tunnel will have to be suspended, where the Boiler House is, and has including research for a major EU planned to renovate that building project and three Newcastle PhD because it’s in such a prominent projects, although the University has position.” The University hopes to open the ensured that students will not lose out refurbished building in September 2017, as a result of this. The Boiler House, situated in between in time for the celebrations for the fiftieth the Armstrong Building and the anniversary of Martin Luther King Students’ Union, will then be extensively receiving an honorary doctorate from refurbished, transforming the building Newcastle University. Both Newcastle and Northumbria Universities, as well into a multi-purpose event space. Professor Tony Stevenson, Deputy as Newcastle City Council, are planning Vice-Chancellor, clarified: “The plans a series of events to commemorate the are still being developed, so we haven’t Continues on page 4
By Mark Sleightholm Current Affairs Editor
The Main Boiler House is set to be transformed into a student function space Image: Mark Sleightholm
Medics killed unlawfully, coroner rules By Sinead Corkett-Beirne News Editor
An inquest into the deaths of Aidan Brunger and Neil Dalton, two Newcastle University medical students, has led to the coroner ruling that they were both killed unlawfully. The pair, both aged 22, died following an unprovoked attack which occurred as they were making their way back after a night out in Kuching, Sarawak, on the island of Borneo. Brunger, from Kent, and Dalton, from Ambergate in Derbyshire, were stabbed in August 2014 – three days prior to completing a six-week hospital placement in Sarawak. Malaysia’s high court found Zulkipli
Abdullah, a 23 year-old local fishmonger, guilty of committing the fatal stabbings and sentenced him to death in March. The inquest into Brunger and Dalton’s deaths was delivered at Derby and South Derbyshire Coroners court where it has been reported that Coroner Dr Robert Hunter became visibly upset as the families of the two students delivered heart-breaking statements. He said: “There were great hopes for them as doctors. The light that they shine far outweighs the darkness that befell them on 8 August. I know you will miss them terribly.” The enquiry heard evidence from pathologist Michael Biggs who revealed that Brunger was stabbed in the left side
of his chest, while Dalton was found to have two stab wounds to the chest and back. The students’ families said in a joint statement they were satisfied with the conclusion. “The loss of a child is utterly horrific and we still find it hard to believe we will never see our sons again,” they added in their statement. “We will always miss Neil and Aidan terribly, and wonder what might have been if they were able to pursue their dream of being doctors and helping others. A memorial football match between the Newcastle Medics and Belper United took place on 25 October.