04News
Monday November 08 2010 • gair rhydd • news@gairrhydd.com
University apologises Sustainability week An apology has been released following noxious fumes entering a lecture theatre in Julian Hodge Morgan Applegarth News Editor
Last week gair rhydd reported that over 300 Law students were subjected to noxious fumes as they attended a lecture in the Julian Hodge building on Wednesday October 20. In response to the incident a Cardiff University spokesperson has said: “We apologise to those students and staff who were inconvenienced.” The incident occurred when students in the lecture began to smell fumes entering the lecture theatre, causing lecturer Professor Phil Fennel to abandon the lecture for fear of his students’ health and safety. “Once security staff were notified of a smell, the University’s Estates Division was contacted and an Estates foreman sent to investigate.” However, the investigation found
no internal problem with the building’s air intake system. The fumes were believed to come from equipment, or a vehicle, belonging to contracted workers. “The foreman investigating the incident also noticed a smell and, as a consequence, increased the ventilation system to expel it before any students were allowed back into the lecture theatre. “The University always takes complaints of this nature extremely seriously and they are always investigated. “As a result of this event, the Estates Division is considering fixing signs adjacent to the few low-level air intakes…to warn people using petrol-driven tools or vehicles away from the vents.” Students and staff have also been advised to contact the University’s Estates or Security Divisions immediately if they encounter any unexplained smells.
Cystic fibrosis research gets a boost from Trust
Jamie Evans Reporter Cardiff University has been granted £45,000 to fund cystic fibrosis research. Research scientists at the School of Bio-Sciences have announced the launch of a new one year research project aimed at studying a bacterial infection that causes problems for people who suffer from cystic fibrosis. The University have inherited a £45,000 grant from the Cystic Fibrosis Trust to carry out this investigative research. Cystic fibrosis is one of the most common debilitating, life threatening diseases in the UK that can affect every part of the body. Symptoms of the disease range from difficulty breathing, as a result of recurring lung infections, to frequent chest infections, sinus infections, infertility, poor growth and poor weight gain. It is caused by a single mutated gene. Infections caused by the Burkholderia bacteria are particularly problematic,
these infections are difficult to treat due to the body's resistance to antibiotics. Dr Eshwar Mahenthiralingam, leader of the research project, announced: “These bacteria are made up of many different species. Infections in people with cystic fibrosis caused by Burkholderia cenocepacia were common from the 1980s to 2000, so as a result the majority of research has focused on this bacterium. However, in the last decade,another species called Burkholderia multivorans has become more common, and to date we know little about how it causes infection and resists treatment.” He went on to add: “Using modern genetic approaches we will be studying how Burholderia multivorans causes infection and how to target new therapies.” A spokesperson for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust said: “We spend over £3 million on medical research every year which aims to benefit people and help us find new ways of treating those with cystic fibrosis.”
Ben Price News Editor For a second successive year Cardiff University hosts its Sustainability Week, which begins today and will continue until Friday. The week will see a range of special events, as well as many new initiatives taking place to encourage staff and students at the University to become more involved this year. Some of the activities happening around the main campus include a special sciSCREEN showing of the hit film The Garden, and the film regarded by The Telegraph as ‘highly provocative’, The Age of Stupid. The Main Building will host a fruit and vegetable stall, with fairtrade menus available. There will also be a chance to get bikes serviced for free. Some of the initiatives to be launched include the ‘Bring a Jumper to Work’ campaign, which hopes to encourage staff to wear an extra jumper at work instead of turning the heating up. There will also be a chance for students and staff alike to ‘Post a Pledge’, where
the aim is to promise to make one change in day to day life that would benefit the environment. Hywel Thomas, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Engagement and International, said: “Hundreds of staff and students took part in the University’s first Sustainability Week last year. The event certainly helped raise the profile of the University drive towards becoming more sustainable. It also provided an ideal platform from which to showcase our worldleading research. It would be great to see more staff and students getting involved this year.” Cardiff Students Union is also backing the week once again, hosting the UV bike marking and the opportunity to win tickets to the screening of The Age of Stupid. Many of the week’s initiatives echoed suggestions made by the staff and students as part of the Sustainable Idea online initiative. Earlier this year, the University also became the first higher education institution in Wales to sign up to the Welsh Assembly Governments’ Sustainable Development Charter.
Police warnings Hannah Pendleton News Editor Following a spate of robberies across Cardiff in recent weeks, city police are urging students to follow basic crime advice. They have stressed that the most common items to be stolen are wallets and electronic devices such as laptops and mobile phones. PC Steph Samuel said: "While the city remains a safe place, we would ask people to be aware of their personal safety when they are walking alone at night and to be mindful of their surroundings." "We would encourage students to contact us if they have any ideas about how to make Cathays safer." Although there seems to have been a lot of incidents recently, robberies in the city of cardiff have been greatly reduced by 32.3% since this time last year. Police have encouraged students to report anything suspicious and not to hesitate in the event of an emergency. Contact PC Steph Samuel on: steph.samuel@south-wales.pnn.police.uk