Northumbria University News - Autumn 2022

#TakeOnTomorrow

Autumn 2022 • northumbria.ac.uk

Issue 27

NORTHUMBRIA NAMED AS UK’S BEST UNIVERSITY Turn to page three for the full story.

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Northumbria University NEWS • Autumn 2022

IN THIS EDITION AUTUMN 2022 NEWS

IMAGINE LEARN CREATE

Reaching new heights in space exploration partnership, page 5

pull out supplement, page 15-22

Energising the search for renewable power sources, page 9

SOCIETY

ECONOMY

The original climate change crusaders, page 27

Northumbria expertise helps young entrepreneurs in Africa, page 33

HEALTH Northumbria premieres BFI partnership, page 14

Research on low toxicity treatment for childhood leukaemia, page 31

SPORT Football success hits fever pitch, page 36

Keep up to date with the latest news from Northumbria University at www.northumbria.ac.uk/news

Students help turn the tide on plastic phone accessories As part of their undergraduate consultancy project, a group of final year students from The Business Clinic at Northumbria have been working with Wave, an eco-friendly phone accessory start-up company founded in 2019 by three Northumbria Alumni.

The North East based founders had each undertaken this project whilst at Northumbria’s Business Clinic, as part of their degree courses. Recognising the value of the scheme, they were keen to get a student ‘consultancy firm’ on board to research the feasibility of Wave moving production from China to the UK and identify more sustainable ways of working.

Ross Longhorn, one of Wave’s founders, said: “The team considered a range of options and put forward solid

recommendations, which we are assessing as part of our business plan.

“We want to create more jobs closer to home and the students were able to take time to research opportunities and look at things from different angles, which we often don’t get time to do when we are busy running the business day-to-day. They should be exceptionally proud of themselves for what they have achieved and the levels of professionalism they have shown.”

Since its inception in 2013 the pioneering Business Clinic has provided free student-led consultancy advice to some 600 clients with an estimated value of £3.3 million.

To find out more about free consultancy support please visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/ businessclinic

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ARTHUR COLLECTING HIS AWARD WITH RICHARD WATTS AND ISABELLA MASCARENHAS (CREDIT: ROBBIE DUNION)

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NORTHUMBRIA NAMED AS UK’S BEST UNIVERSITY Northumbria University has been named University of the Year 2022 in the prestigious Times Higher Education (THE) Awards.

The THE Awards are widely recognised as the ‘Oscars of higher education’.

The impressive win recognises exceptional performance, as well as bold, imaginative and innovative initiatives that have advanced a Higher Education institution’s reputation during the academic year 2020/21.

It marks Northumbria’s remarkable transformation to become the UK’s first research-intensive modern university. The strategy, which began in 2008, embedded quality research at the centre of everything that the University does, alongside a clear social mobility mission, and alignment to business and the demands of the regional and local economy. This success was borne out in the Research Excellence Framework (REF), which is a measure of the quality and strength of research across UK universities. In the REF 2021 results, Northumbria recorded the biggest rise in research power of any UK university for the second time, moving up 27 places to 23rd having previously risen to 50th in 2014, from 80th in 2008.

But Professor Andy Long, ViceChancellor and Chief Executive of Northumbria University explained it is more than a focus on research that has

led to this monumental win.

“Our ambition is to give all students with the potential and ability the opportunity to benefit from a Northumbria education. Winning this award shows that the education we give our students is enriched by research – but I genuinely believe what sets us apart from others is that 40 per cent of these students are from traditionally low-participation backgrounds. Along with all our students, they learn from researchers and academics, participate in research and co-create knowledge.

“To be shortlisted for such a prestigious and internationallyrecognised award was a remarkable achievement in itself - to go on and win is a true milestone in the University’s history and in the work of my many outstanding colleagues.

Northumbria has undergone an extraordinary transition. The dedication of everyone at the University has made this possible, and it is thanks to them that we can now celebrate this phenomenal success.”

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Chancellor of Northumbria University, added: “When I was invited to become Chancellor at Northumbria there were

two things that stood out. The first was the people, who are extraordinary, and the second was the level of ambition.

It wasn’t about being a bit better, it was about being the absolute best they could be. Winning the THE University of the Year award recognises these qualities for all to see. It is amazing to be part of an institution where the vision has become a reality and I congratulate everyone at the University.”

Adding to the congratulations, Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods, Chair of the Board of Governors at Northumbria, said: “I believe this award reflects the fact that Northumbria is unique in the sector – a research-intensive modern university that has retained its clear social mobility mission. Combined with other recent successes, such as the REF 2021 results, the University’s global reputation has been significantly enhanced and people will now be looking at us through new eyes.”

This year Newcastle University was shortlisted alongside Northumbria for THE University of the Year Award 2022, offering further evidence of the combined strength of the city’s

universities. It is the first time, outside of London, that two institutions from the same city have appeared on the same category for this prestigious award. Leader of Newcastle City Council, Cllr Nick Kemp said: “This is an outstanding achievement for Northumbria and a recognition of its transformation and growth. It is also a clear signal of the strength in depth we now have in Newcastle for world-leading research and education.

We are extremely proud that both universities made the shortlist for this important award. They are integral to this city’s success and together play a significant role, economically, socially and culturally, helping to make Newcastle a fair and inclusive place to live – and raising our profile on the global stage. Congratulations again to Northumbria on their win.”

Find out more about the award win at www.northumbria.ac.uk

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Northumbria University NEWS • Autumn 2022

Northumbria partners with sustainable design event

DR CLAUDINE VAN HENSBERGEN, RUTH SHELDON, ADAM GOLDWATER OF GREAT NORTH MUSEUM: HANCOCK AND DR GARETH RODDY

Hub for Humanities Two of the North East’s historical treasures will form part of a major celebration this year after Northumbria University was named one of five institutions selected as a hub for the UK’s only national festival of humanities.

The Being Human Festival is held across the country each November to celebrate the ways in which humanities-based subjects enrich our everyday lives. Hub status for the festival is awarded annually to just a few research organisations to present a programme of free, thought-provoking public events on a chosen theme, that respond to the histories, cultures, and communities of their local area.

Dr Gareth Roddy, a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow in the Department of Humanities at Northumbria, and Dr Claudine van Hensbergen, an Associate Professor of 18th century English Literature, were instrumental in putting together the bid for the University to host the event for the North East.

“This year’s festival will explore the theme of ‘breakthroughs’” said Dr Roddy. “Our hub programme will celebrate two of the North East’s landmark treasures, the Lindisfarne Gospels, which are returning home to the region in September for a three-month

period at the Laing Art Gallery, and Hadrian’s Wall, the preeminent monument of Roman Britain, which saw construction begin 1,900 years ago.”

Dr van Hensbergen, who is a UK Research and Innovation Fellow, leads the University’s partnership with Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums (TWAM), which will be involved as a hub partner.

The University will also be working with St. James’ Heritage and Environment Group Community, who are promoting the history of Hadrian’s Wall in Newcastle’s West End. Being Human will take place between 10 November and 19 November. Full details of the programme of events are available at www.beinghumanfestival. org and look out for an event round-up in the Spring 2023 edition of Northumbria News.

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk/ humanities

“WE ARE SO EXCITED TO BE PREPARING FOR OUR SECOND DESIGN FOR PLANET FESTIVAL. ONCE AGAIN WE WILL HAVE AN INCREDIBLE LINE UP OF SPEAKERS TO CHALLENGE AND INSPIRE THIS YEAR, WITH EVEN MORE FOCUS ON ACTION.” MINNIE MOLL, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE DESIGN COUNCIL

Northumbria University has partnered with the Design Council to support this year’s Design for Planet Festival, aimed at galvanising the design community to help tackle climate change.

The much-anticipated event provides a platform for visionaries across the design and business sectors who are leading the way in sustainability and climate action.

This year’s Design for Planet Festival will take place on 8 and 9 November providing a series of virtual events and live broadcasts with an overarching theme of action – aiming to support designers to make their sustainability plans a reality and develop collective action through a series of workshops and panel talks.

Speakers will include Biologist and Wildlife Film Maker, Patrick Ayree, Circular Fashion Designer Phoebe English, Model and Ecologist Zinnia Kumar, Architect and Systems Thinker Michael Pawlyn, and many more. It follows the successful launch of the festival in Dundee last year where 120 sustainable design leaders and 6,000 online attendees came together for the Design Council’s flagship event.

Minnie Moll, Chief Executive of the Design Council, said: “We are so excited to be preparing for our second Design for Planet Festival. Once again we will have an incredible line up of speakers to challenge and inspire this year, with even more focus on action.

In the months since our last event we have witnessed more shocking impact of the climate crisis and we must keep a sense of urgency about the huge changes we need to make.”

Northumbria holds a range of accolades relating to sustainability which make it the ideal partner for the event, including a first-class rating for sustainability in the People & Planet University League table and a Gold Award from Green Tourism’s GreenCheck award scheme for the conference and events offer. Northumbria’s School of Design has an international reputation for producing innovative, hands-on and industry-ready graduates, as well as world leading research.

As well as playing their part in events on the festival programme, Northumbria University staff and students will be running a carefully curated schedule of activities in parallel with the festival, to ensure their own researchers and creative minds can help inform the conversation.

Head of Northumbria School of Design, Dr Heather Robson, said: “Following the success of last year’s festival, we are thrilled to be a partner for the 2022 Design for Planet Festival and look forward to engaging our students, their creativity and future-focused critical thinking, to help us shape a more positive future.”

Discover more about the Design for Planet Festival 2022 by visiting the website, www.designforplanet.org and look out for an event roundup in the Spring 2023 edition of Northumbria University News.

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Reaching new heights in space exploration partnership Northumbria University and global aerospace company Lockheed Martin have announced a collaboration, which includes a £630,000 investment to support the development of skills, research and technology across the region.

In recent years Northumbria has invested heavily in space and solar physics research, with world-class facilities and the recruitment of leading experts. The University is now a centre of expertise in this field.

Headquartered in Maryland, USA, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The company’s collaboration with Northumbria forms part of a wider £7m investment into engineering facilities for research and teaching at the University. Funded by the Office for Students, the UK Space Agency and Northumbria itself, this investment will help propel the University, the city of Newcastle and the wider North East into a leading position in the global space economy.

Lockheed Martin’s initial investment with Northumbria will focus on two strategic projects; firstly, exploring new ways of transmitting power to enable wireless charging of satellites, and for new forms of inter-satellite communications. Secondly, it will also sponsor two PhDs in solar physics.

The initiative comes hot on the heels of a similar collaboration between Lockheed Martin and

ROBERT LIGHTFOOT, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF LOCKHEED MARTIN SPACE WITH PROFESSOR JOHN WOODWARD, FACULTY PRO VICE-CHANCELLOR FOR ENGINEERING AND ENVIRONMENT, NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY Regional Technology Centre (RTC) North – a project that aims to give small and medium enterprises greater access to UK, US and other international space exploration and development programmes.

Lockheed Martin continues to build plans to expand its manufacturing space operations in the UK and is exploring options to establish a new research, development and satellite manufacturing facility which would support up to 2,300 jobs for the North East.

Talking about the partnership Paul Livingston, Chief Executive of Lockheed Martin UK, said “This initial collaboration with Northumbria demonstrates

Lockheed Martin’s commitment to investing in a long-term space industrial base in the UK. Our plans will grow the UK as a space nation, help it become a science and technology superpower, and contribute to levelling up the economy.”

Professor John Woodward, Faculty Pro ViceChancellor for Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University, added “We are excited: to develop our relationship with Lockheed Martin and look forward to working with them on satellite technology, space science research, and enriching our portfolio to deliver high-quality satellite-skills-related education.

Lockheed Martin is a global leader

in aeronautic, space and satellite research, partnering with the likes of NASA and the UK and European Space Agencies with whom we already work. We are delighted that Lockheed Martin recognise the expertise in satellite and space technology within Northumbria and the potential for the wider North East region.”

The collaboration between Lockheed Martin and Northumbria University follows a successful Space Skills and Suppliers Summit, which was held in Newcastle earlier this year, in partnership with Invest North East England. The summit brought together potential new partners from industry and academia keen to work on initiatives linked with growing the UK space sector.

Lucy Winskell OBE, Chair of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership, said that Lockheed Martin’s collaboration with Northumbria University would ensure the region has the skills and capability to drive forward the Government’s National Space Strategy, and would showcase

the talent and innovation within the North East. She added: “The number of North East businesses actively working in the space and satellite sector continues to grow.

The investment by Lockheed Martin in the new North East Space Skills and Technology centre will open the door for businesses of all sizes to support the growth and expansion of this emerging sector.”

Lockheed Martin is also a strategic partner to the UK Government, and is working with the UK Space Agency to conduct northern Europe’s first vertical satellite launch from the recentlyapproved SaxaVord Spaceport, creating a wealth of jobs and injecting millions into the UK economy.

For more information on collaborating with Northumbria please visit: www.northumbria. ac.uk/business

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Northumbria University NEWS • Autumn 2022

ine distinguished figures N honoured by Northumbria The University awarded nine honorary degrees to inspirational individuals during its summer graduation ceremonies, which were held on Northumbria’s Newcastle City Campus in July 2022. The ceremonies, held over five days, celebrated the achievements of more than 6,000 students from across all four of the University’s faculties.

Professor Chris Whitty

Professor David Croisdale-Appleby OBE

Pat Ritchie CBE

rofessor Chris Whitty was P awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science in recognition of his outstanding leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Professor Whitty is a globally recognised physician and epidemioogist and became one of the UK’s most trusted figures during the pandemic, delivering understandable and accessible televised briefings to the UK public.

An alumnus of Northumbria, Professor Whitty studied for the Master of Laws (LLM) in Medical Law, graduating in 2005.

hair of the Royal College of C Physicians, Professor David Croisdale-Appleby received an Honorary Doctorate of Science.

His work in health and social policy has helped many oppressed and disadvantaged people worldwide.

He has led multiple public sector organisations, including those in medical care, social care, and criminal and civil justice.

ecognised for her work to help R the City of Newcastle and its communities, Pat Ritchie was made an Honorary Doctor of Civil Law. As the Council’s first female Chief Executive, Pat was pivotal in the creation of the North of Tyne Combined Authority and Collaborative Newcastle – a citywide partnership which aims to improve the health, wealth and wellbeing of everyone in Newcastle.

Professor Andrew Wathey CBE

Tim Brown CBE

Professor David Ormerod CBE

he University’s former T Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Professor Andrew Wathey received an Honorary Doctor of Civil Law recognising his contribution not only to Northumbria University, but to the North East and the Higher Education sector as a whole.

Joining the University in 2008, Professor Wathey repositioned Northumbria into a research-intensive modern university that addresses some of the biggest challenges facing contemporary society.

orthumbria alumnus and one N of the world’s most influential designers, Tim Brown was presented with an Honorary Doctor of Civil Law. As executive chairman of global design company, IDEO, he advises leading brands such as Ford Motor Company, Sony and H&M. Tim is also an ambassador for Northumbria as an external examiner and Visiting Professor.

eputy High Court Judge and D Professor of Criminal Justice, Professor David Ormerod was made an Honorary Doctor of Civil Law in recognition of his distinguished career as both an academic and a practitioner.

Professor Ormerod was also formally recognised by the University for his role as a Criminal Justice Law Commissioner, and his editorships of critical legal texts.

Moira Stuart CBE

Bernard Cornwell OBE

Professor Saleemul Huq OBE

I conic presenter, who made history in 1978 as BBC Radio 4’s first black newsreader, Moira Stuart received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters for her outstanding contributions to broadcasting.

Moira’s career in radio and television spans five decades, during which time she has continued to shift barriers to achieve personal success, while opening doors and paving the way for others.

uthor and journalist A Bernard Cornwell received an Honorary Doctor of Letters. His contributions to journalism and literature are renowned internationally – he has written more than 60 books selling over 30 million copies worldwide.

He is perhaps best-known for historical anthology The Last Kingdom, which reached worldwide audiences with the successful on-screen adaption in 2015.

limate change influencer C Professor Saleemul Huq received an Honorary Doctorate of Science in recognition of his work towards saving the climate, and for his work to help developing countries and vulnerable communities adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Professor Huq is the Director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development, lobbying governments, politicians, and advisors to adopt new policies and sign up to impactful agreements.

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“I’M COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAY BY THE VIRTUAL REALITY TECHNOLOGIES I’VE SEEN HERE… THIS TECHNOLOGY IS ENABLING YOU ALL TO SEE SOME ELEMENTS OF THE ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY IN A WAY THAT I COULD ONLY EVER HAVE DREAMED OF WHEN I WAS A STUDENT.” PROFESSOR MARK RADFORD, CHIEF NURSE AND DEPUTY CEO OF HEALTH EDUCATION ENGLAND

PROFESSOR MARK RADFORD USING ONE OF THE NEW VR HEADSETS

Virtual Reality technologies enhance post-pandemic nurse education training Key influential representatives from the NHS health education team have visited Northumbria to see how the University is using the latest in virtual reality and simulated learning technologies to benefit students.

Health Education England, which is part of the NHS, recently awarded £300,000 to Northumbria University to upgrade simulation-based education for students on healthcare programmes. The funding has enabled the University to invest in a new virtual reality learning platform and 200 virtual reality headsets providing simulation training of practicebased skills. This simulationbased learning will be used to support those students whose placements were interrupted during the pandemic, and will ensure new students have access to new simulation training methods before starting their placements in hospitals and care settings.

The new equipment was unveiled during a special month-long SkillsFest programme where students had the opportunity to take part in specialist simulationbased training across a range of medical areas including the

cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal, digestive, genitourinary and nervous systems.

Professor Mark Radford, the Chief Nurse and Deputy CEO of Health Education England, visited Northumbria along with his colleagues Professor Laura Serrant, Regional Head of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions with Health Education England and Dr Navina Evans, who was recently appointed the Chief Workforce Officer for NHS England. All three spent time with students and staff during a tour of the University’s state-of-the-art Clinical Skills Centre and had the opportunity to try out the new virtual reality tools themselves.

Addressing the students, Professor Radford thanked them all for their contribution to the NHS and social care during the pandemic. Expressing how impressed he was with the new technologies they were using as part of their studies, he said:

“I’m completely blown away by the virtual reality technologies I’ve seen here. I’ve just spent time deconstructing a brain through the VR headset which has been fascinating. This technology is enabling you all to see some elements of the anatomy and physiology in a way that I could only ever have dreamed of when I was a student.

“We’ve all been delighted to see the innovation, passion and commitment from Northumbria’s academic team in terms of what they are delivering for students and how our investment is going to improve outcomes in education.

You’re going to be fantastic practitioners working in health and social care as a result of the education you’re getting.”

Professor Debra Porteous, Head of Northumbria’s Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health explained that the investment would benefit both students and placement providers. “The last couple of years have been

Professor Mark Radford and Northumbria’s Professor John Unsworth seeing some of the simulation-based learning technologies in the classroom incredibly difficult for everyone working in health and social care. The pandemic has caused immense pressure and has meant that we have needed to think differently in how we train the healthcare staff of the future,” she said.

“We have been so impressed with the response from students to the new simulation technologies we have introduced. Having used the equipment they say that they feel much more confident and have more time to practice their skills before they begin their placements.”

Northumbria is the largest provider of health education training in the North East of England, and ranks within the top 20 in the UK for nursing studies according to the Complete University Guide 2023.

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Carbon dioxide and water could be recycled into renewable future fuels under a new system being developed by engineering experts at Northumbria University.

PhD student Rana Faisal Shahzad and Dr Shahid Rasul discussing a CO2 recycling project with Dan Ferguson of SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, at the SUEZ plant in North Tyneside

A project, expanding an existing collaboration between Northumbria University and SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK, aims to create a safe and sustainable pipeline of carbon-based fuels made from waste flue gases. Such innovations in technology are considered vital to ensuring the UK hits plans set out by the Government for achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Led by Dr Shahid Rasul, an Assistant Professor in the University’s Department of Mechanical and Construction Engineering, the team has successfully used an inexpensive copper-based catalyst to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into both gas and liquid fuels. One of those gases is carbon monoxide (CO), which is used in processes such as metal fabrication, drug, alcohol and fragrance manufacture, and in industrial and domestic heating.

It is hoped this development will have a major impact upon both society and industry, including the areas of specialty chemical production, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and the metallurgy sector - the science and technology of metals and alloys.

Dr Rasul, a leading researcher focussing on developing efficient catalysts for CO2 utilisation, explained: “Production of on-site and on-demand renewable fuels from recycling CO2 and water will be a significant development for the process industries and gas distributors. For example, if we produce on-site and ondemand carbon monoxide from recycling CO2, it could support industrial partners, such as SUEZ, in delivering an affordable supply of CO from their waste flue gases. It will provide flexibility and ease of operation and eliminate workload

“ TO MEET THE UK’S AMBITIOUS CO2 EMISSION TARGET, IT IS CLEAR THAT NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS WHICH UTILISE WASTE AS A RESOURCE ARE ESSENTIAL.” DR CAROLYN HORROCKS

in ordering supplies, monitoring stock, and logistics. Our technology will produce both the quantity and quality of CO required, according to demand.”

The process, which uses costeffective and efficient materials and electrolysers that in turn use renewable electricity, will not only produce future fuel more sustainably, but will also generate energy from waste, including landfill waste, and prevent atmospheric emissions by capturing and re-using gases such as methane. Andrew Hughes, Regional Director at Energy North, SUEZ said: “We’re developing a number of Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) projects in the region, so this partnership immediately felt like a natural fit for us, very much aligned to our sustainability targets. We’re pleased to have the opportunity to

collaborate with Dr Rasul and his team at Northumbria University.

Together we’ll explore the longterm feasibility of recycling the CO2 captured from our energy assets.”

Dr Carolyn Horrocks, IP Commercialisation Manager at Northumbria University, responsible for creating commercial opportunities to licence and develop new intellectual property (IP), added: “To meet the UK’s ambitious CO2 emission target, it is clear that new technological developments which utilise waste CO2 as a resource are essential. With significant expertise in CO2 conversion to CO, Northumbria will through this collaboration with SUEZ gain a real understanding of the needs of industry, making Dr Rasul and his team well placed to deliver a proof of concept that could provide a major step forward in this area.”

The 12-month project has been awarded £50,000 from Northern Accelerator, a partnership between all five of the North East’s universities that supports the creation of innovative businesses based on research by regional academics. It is one of a number of projects across several disciplines, such as health, business and climate change, to have received funding from Northern Accelerator, which is supported by Research England’s Connecting Capability Fund.

To find out more about Northumbria’s work to help tackle climate change, visit www. northumbria.ac.uk/livesustainably

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Energising the search for renewable power sources

A Northumbria scientist has created a novel technique that can help to tackle climate change and alleviate the global demand for fossil fuels.

Dr Shafeer Kalathil, a ViceChancellor’s Senior Fellow in the Department of Applied Sciences, is part of a team of esteemed academics that has discovered a chemical process that transforms sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into acetate and oxygen to create fuels and chemicals powered by renewable energy. The aim of the project is to curtail the rise in atmospheric CO2 levels, secure much-needed green energy supplies and alleviate the global dependence on fossil fuels.

As part of the process, bacteria are grown on a synthetic semiconductor device known as a photocatalyst sheet, which means that bacteria can grow without the assistance of organic additives, creation of toxins or use of electricity. A paper detailing the findings of the team’s research has been published in scientific journal Nature Catalysis.

Dr Kalathil is working on the project with Erwin Reisner,

Professor of Energy and Sustainability at the University of Cambridge, Dr Qian Wang, Associate Professor at Nagoya University in Japan, and partners from Newcastle University.

The team’s research directly addresses the global energy and climate change crises facing today’s society. Dr Kalathil said: “Several incidents have demonstrated the fragility of the

global energy supply, such as recent soaring gas prices in the UK, the outbreak of conflicts and civil wars in the Middle East, and the ecological and humanitarian threat of a nuclear meltdown in

Fukushima, Japan. The search for alternative energy sources is therefore of major global importance.

“We need to develop new technologies to address these grand challenges without further polluting the planet we live on. There has been an increase in electricity generation from renewable sources such as wind and solar, but these are

intermittent in nature. To fill the gap when the wind does not blow or the sun does not shine, we need technologies that can create storable fuels and sustainable chemicals. Our research

addresses this challenge head on. As well as securing additional much-needed energy supplies, our sustainable technology can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and play a key role in the global drive to achieve net zero.”

The project was supported by funding from the European Research Council, UK Research and Innovation, and Research England’s Expanding Excellence in England Fund, which supports higher education research units and departments to expand and increase their activity.

The Research England grant was secured via the Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment (HBBE), a joint initiative between Northumbria and Newcastle University, which has received a total of £8 million from Research England to conduct project work. Launched in August 2019, the HBBE develops biotechnologies to create environmentally friendly buildings that can metabolise waste, reduce pollution, generate

sustainable energy and improve human health and wellbeing.

Dr Kalathil’s latest research highlights the expertise of Northumbria’s Department of Applied Sciences, which covers an extensive portfolio of subjects including biology, biomedical sciences, chemistry, forensic science, food, and nutritional sciences. Many of Northumbria’s courses in this field are professionally accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry, Institute of Biomedical Science, the Chartered Society of Forensic Science and Association for Nutrition.

Visit www.northumbria. ac.uk/energyfutures for more information on the University’s leading research into new technologies and solutions for renewable and sustainable energy.

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Northumbria University NEWS • Autumn 2022

The Conversation is a collaboration between news editors and academics to provide informed news analysis and commentary that’s free to read and republish.

At Northumbria, our academics have been working with The Conversation to produce independent, quality current affairs journalism on some of the latest topics to hit the news.

CALLING ALL NORTHUMBRIA ACADEMICS! If you have a great idea for an article, please email media.communications@northumbria.ac.uk

HERE ARE SOME OF OUR TOP PICKS OF RECENTLY PUBLISHED ARTICLES

Facial recognition: UK plans to monitor migrant offenders are unethical – and they won’t work

Crypto currency price collapse offers hope for slowing climate change – here’s how

As the UK Government sets out plans for migrant offenders to scan their own faces five times a day for tracking, Namrata Primlani, Doctoral Researcher at Northumbria’s School of Design discusses the flaws in today’s facial recognition technology and the ethical dilemmas of using these systems for law enforcement purposes.

As crypto currencies crash and the speculative assets become less appealing to investors, Dr Pete Howson, Assistant Professor in International Development, explains how a collapse of cryptocurrencies could be a small win against climate change.

Domestic abuse: how survivors can get through family law court

Hope from despair: how young people are taking action to make things better

One year on from the enactment of Domestic Abuse Act, survivors of domestic abuse in England and Wales are still navigating a broken system. Dr Rima Hussein, Senior Lecturer in organisation studies, and Dr Imane El Hakimi, Assistant Professor in Leadership and Human Resource Management, highlight the legal challenges facing survivors of domestic abuse and provide advice on safely navigating through them.

After the various global challenges that have been faced since 2020 it would be easy to feel overwhelmed, however Professor Caron Gentry, Faculty Pro ViceChancellor for Arts, Design, and Social Sciences at Northumbria, discusses how young people are remaining hopeful in the face of adversity.

Conservation science still rests on how animals can benefit humans

Avian flu has jumped from chickens to wild birds and is spreading fast

Dr Helen Kopnina, from Northumbria’s Newcastle Business School, Dr Heather Alberro, Nottingham Trent University, and Professor Bron Taylor, University of Florida, discuss the need for a fundamental value shift in conservation if we are to avoid mass extinction and help species to thrive.

Only observed and treated in domestic birds, avian flu has now seen an outbreak in the wild birds of the UK. Dr Andrew Suggitt, Vice Chancellor’s Research Fellow, explains how avian influenza has jumped from chickens and other domestic birds to the British wildlife and what is needed to tackle the spread.

Find out more about The Conversation, and keep up to date with articles by Northumbria academics, by visiting www.theconversation.com or visiting our online newsroom at www.northumbria.ac.uk/news

FEATURE

#TakeOnTomorrow

the scene for the development of the next strategy that will take the University to 2030 – and listening to our people, understanding their challenges and drawing on their knowledge and experience will be central to this.

Northumbria has grown in stature as a research-intensive university – both here in the UK and internationally. How can the University build on this success?

THE BIG INTERVIEW: PROFESSOR ANDY LONG Northumbria’s new Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Professor Andy Long, explains why the opportunity to join the University was so compelling to him, and how Northumbria can look to the future with confidence and ambition.

What attracted you to move from the University of Nottingham to Northumbria?

It was very clear to me that the staff and students at Northumbria have a real sense of pride in both the University itself and its importance to the city and the wider region. It was also abundantly evident that the University is on an impressive trajectory, particularly in developing its research profile and capacity.

After I was appointed, but before I started in the role, this was further confirmed in the results of the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF). This is an exercise carried out typically every six or seven years to assess the quality and strength of UK university research.

Northumbria rose from 50th to 23rd in the UK for research power in the REF 2021, making it the highest ranked university outside the Russell Group. And more recently, Northumbria has been shortlisted for the highly prestigious Times Higher Education (THE) University of the Year Award. The fact that Newcastle University has also been shortlisted for the award this year – the first time outside of London that two universities from the same city have been nominated – only adds to the positive momentum and appeal. It’s also great news for

Newcastle. These are outstanding achievements and, along with other successes, combined to make a compelling proposition that convinced me that Northumbria was a great place to come to. I also believe that with my background, including delivering on universitywide strategies and overseeing major campus developments, I can help Northumbria move on to the next stage in the journey.

What have been your priorities for your first 100 days as ViceChancellor and Chief Executive?

I see this very much as a discovery phase. There is a lot I need to learn about the University, so in the first month I spent a lot of time meeting the senior team and walking around both our city centre and Coach Lane campuses to discover their look and feel. I also plan to visit the London and Amsterdam campuses in due course. By Christmas I want to have visited every academic and professional services department across the University; I want to meet our people, see them in their working environments and understand their opportunities and challenges. Beyond this I will be meeting key external partners with a view to exploring and developing further opportunities to work together. I see all of this as setting

At the simplest level I think this comes down to confidence and ambition. We need to focus on quality in everything we do, especially in our teaching and our research.

We also need to continue to grow our research base. Northumbria has built a robust and impressive platform and can most certainly push on from here. In particular, we need to secure more external funding for the research that we do while also developing the range of knowledge exchange activities related to our research strengths so that we can share our expertise more effectively and collaboratively with our many partners. This ranges from consultancy through to industry-related projects, from short courses to continual professional development. We also need to ensure our taught programmes remain distinctive and fully reflect our research strengths. We have the opportunity to leverage our growing reputation to ensure we continue to recruit students with the highest potential to benefit from a Northumbria education – and importantly this includes students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds.

What do you feel makes Northumbria distinctive from other universities?

We are a research-intensive university with a widening participation mission. If you look at the top 25 research intensive universities, we serve a fundamentally different community, educating a much higher proportion of students from lower participation neighbourhoods.

We have educational programmes which are being developed and delivered by research leaders who are engaging with a wider cross section of society than many other research-intensive universities.

Around half of our students are from the North East, and many of our graduates also stay in the region.

Indeed, results of the latest HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey for 2019/2020 leavers show that 63% of our graduates who said they were in employment in England 15 months after graduation were in the North East. In nursing and midwifery for example, or the Police Constable Degree apprenticeship programmes we have with both Northumbria

and Durham Police forces, our graduates are making a huge difference regionally. Furthermore, I am struck by the fact that more graduates from Northumbria go into professional careers here in the North East than from almost all other UK universities combined.

These graduates are making a huge contribution to the regional economy and to public services. As the topranked university in the North East for graduate start-ups based on estimated turnover we are also using our distinctive entrepreneurial drive and innovation to create prosperity and jobs.

What has impressed you most about Northumbria?

So much has impressed me, but a real stand-out to date has been the University’s approach to Confirmation and Clearing. This is the process used by students to secure their university place when they receive their A level or equivalent exam results. It is one of the most important dates in the academic year for both students and universities, and I was fortunate enough to witness this first hand at Northumbria in August. Listening to the teams answering the calls and seeing the active decisionmaking around grades and offers as the day developed was really impressive – a hugely professional approach involving so many staff across the University. I have spoken with a lot of colleagues who, like me, have come to Northumbria from other institutions, and I think between us we all agree the delivery of Confirmation and Clearing at Northumbria is the best we have seen in the sector. What became increasingly clear from the calls and conversations was just how popular this University is, and how its popularity is increasing – I think that tells us a lot about Northumbria’s reputation. You could also see from so many appreciative and excited social media posts just how valued our Clearing teams are by the students they speak with and help.

These are conversations that we all know can change lives and it is fantastic to see how professional, caring and supportive our staff are.

What do you consider are the biggest opportunities for the University in the months and years ahead?

In short, I think we have an opportunity to build on our reputation as the research-intensive modern university. And I genuinely believe we are the research-intensive modern university – not one of several. We really are in a very strong position to take this even further across a range of activities. Take for instance just one area – that of partnership working, our enhanced reputation offers us the opportunity to secure more long-term

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partnerships with leading companies and other organisations linked to our research and education, and in turn we should be looking to use these to leverage further Government support for our activities.

With the new academic year firmly underway what is your message to Northumbria’s students and staff?

I would say again that there is so much to be proud of. The University is in a really great place; we have been shortlisted for the THE University of the Year Award, we are recognised widely across the sector, the country and increasingly internationally for the amazing work that we do. To my colleagues and our students, I would say there are no limits to what we can achieve – so be confident and ambitious.

What are your early impressions of Newcastle and the North East?

I was already quite familiar with the city. My background is in engineering and in 1990 I did my Master’s dissertation at the NEI Parsons factory in Heaton, living nearby in Walker. More recently, my daughter was a student in Newcastle and we have enjoyed lots of family holidays in Northumberland. We are big fans of the region. Newcastle is a fantastic city with a really interesting combination of classic architecture but with a modern feel behind it – I think the engineer in me appreciates this as really clever design. The way the Quayside has been developed is also very impressive, it has become a destination in its own right. And of course, it is great to be so near to the coast and beautiful countryside across the region. I really like it here.

Finally, I am a football fan and while I must confess my own team is West Ham, it is great to see Newcastle United performing well. When I walk onto campus in the morning, St James’ Park forms the backdrop and it’s such an impressive sight.

Who knows, if Newcastle can qualify for the Champion’s League again it would do wonders for the city’s profile – and dare I say make us even more attractive to international students! These are exciting times for Northumbria, the city and the region and I am genuinely thrilled to be here.

Professor Long took up his role as Northumbria’s fifth ViceChancellor and Chief Executive on 1st August 2022, having previously held the post of Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Nottingham. His appointment followed the retirement of Professor Andrew Wathey CBE. This article was written before the results of the Times Higher Education Awards.

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk

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NEWS

Northumbria University is featured in a new white paper, an in-depth report about a specific topic and the problems that surround it, which has been published to raise awareness and share best practice of the wide-ranging roles that universities can play as drivers of social mobility and opportunity.

The University Best Practice White Paper sets out just some of the actions and projects that are having a direct impact on students and communities.

These include widening participation activities to support those from underrepresented backgrounds, examples of collaboration with local businesses and student case studies students whose lives have been turned around by higher education.

The white paper is driven by the Levelling Up Universities Coalition (LUUC), a network of policy makers, business leaders and more than 20 universities from across the UK including Northumbria. The LUUC forms part of the wider Purpose Coalition, a group of the UK’s most innovative purpose-led leaders and organisations, chaired by former Education Secretary Rt Hon Justine Greening.

The report commends Northumbria’s commitment to social mobility highlighting some of the work that the University does to address, and support people to overcome, social and economic disadvantage in the NorthEast and beyond. It spotlights the University’s NU Entry scheme which enables a fair and transparent admissions process, engaging with schools nationwide. In addition, the paper describes how the University’s research supports and drives economic growth in the region, with work aligning to regional priorities such as climate change, energy futures, health, social care and life sciences.

“This white paper basically looks at what a range of very

Northumbria University NEWS • Autumn 2022

Driving social mobility and opportunity

Below: Rt Hon Justine Greening (L) and Dr Sue Graham, Economic Development Manager, Northumbria University

different universities are doing on the ground to drive levelling up,” explained Ms Greening, adding: “Not just the more usual stuff on access and outreach, but a whole range of other things they do around how they help very different students, with very different challenges to thrive, learn and succeed when they get to university, and what they’re doing to help them connect up with a wide range of careers. But also, crucially, what these universities do as anchor institutions, as big employers, and big organisations in their own regions. What they’re doing to provide the skills that their local and regional economies need, and their NHS.” The launch of the white paper comes after Northumbria worked with the Purpose

Coalition, made up of some of the UK’s most innovative purpose-led leaders and organisations, to launch a Social Mobility Impact Report, demonstrating initiatives and programmes that the University is undertaking to spread opportunity. Dan Monnery, Director of Strategic Planning at Northumbria University said: “We are proud to be involved with this white paper, and that our modern, research-intensive University has been commended as an exemplar in driving social mobility in the North East. We know there is more to do and we have ambitious plans to ensure our University grows its impact in addressing some of the inequalities in our region and in making a difference in people’s lives.”

“WE ARE PROUD TO BE INVOLVED WITH THIS WHITE PAPER, AND THAT OUR MODERN, RESEARCHINTENSIVE UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN COMMENDED AS AN EXEMPLAR IN DRIVING SOCIAL MOBILITY IN THE NORTH EAST.” DAN MONNERY

Northumbria was also one of the universities recognised as playing a leading role in driving social mobility at the Levelling Up Universities Awards 2022.

Former Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Professor Andrew Wathey, received a Levelling Up Spotlight Award for his leadership within the higher education sector. The University as a whole was recognised with an award for Extending Enterprise for its work in supporting students

and graduates to become more entrepreneurial and to set up their own businesses.

Discover more about the University Best Practice White Paper at www. levellingupuniversitiescoalition.org

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk/ socialmobility

NEWS

#TakeOnTomorrow

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BrightSpark winner shines at Northumbria A Northumbria University student has been named one of the country’s top young engineering talents.

Arthur Matusevicius, who graduated this year with an MSc in Electrical Power Engineering, is one of only 30 winners in the 2022 BrightSparks Awards from Electronics Weekly.

The BrightSparks scheme aims to highlight the brightest and most talented young engineers in the UK today, with a view to encouraging a greater takeup of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematicsrelated subjects at school and in Higher Education.

Dr Richard Binns, Head of the Department of Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering at Northumbria, recently worked with Arthur on an article exploring the evolving state of battery technology, which was instrumental in his nomination for the award.

He said: “Arthur has always engaged and come at problems from a completely oblique angle, which has very interesting potential solutions. He always excels in his work, both inside the University and externally, and this is reflected in his approach. He is a true innovative talent.”

Arthur is one of many Northumbria students to benefit from the University’s new world-class £2 million teaching and research facilities for engineering programmes.

These were opened recently by George Freeman MP, who at the time was Minister for Science, Research and Innovation.

Looking ahead, Arthur is looking to further his engineering career in Switzerland, designing antidrone systems and perfecting his programming skills learnt at Northumbria.

FROM L-R REBECCA STEWART, SUE TWEDDELL, MIA EASTHOPE, TRACY ORD, SUMAIYA MIAH, JOANNA VINTIS AND AMY BARLOW

Northumbria nurses tackle diabetes in the community A team of student nurses at Northumbria have inspired a new initiative across Northumberland aimed at helping members of the community to reduce their risk of diabetes.

ARTHUR COLLECTING HIS AWARD WITH RICHARD WATTS AND ISABELLA MASCARENHAS (CREDIT: ROBBIE DUNION)

“I CHOSE TO STUDY AT NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY BECAUSE, AS WELL AS GREAT FACILITIES, THE COURSE OFFERS MORE TIME AND OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON REALWORLD APPLICATION PROJECTS THAN OTHER ENGINEERING COURSES.” ARTHUR MATUSEVICIUS Commenting on his award, he said: “This accolade has been pleasantly unexpected as I just like building stuff, but I attribute the success of my award to my tutors as I think the fact their nomination was so very detailed was what made it stand out.

“I chose to study at Northumbria University because as well as great facilities, the course offers more time and opportunity to work on realworld application projects than

other engineering courses, which tend to focus more on theory. It’s this aspect of the degree I’ve really enjoyed and I’m excited to see what opportunities the future brings in light of this lovely news.”

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk/ engineering

Amy Barlow, Rebecca Stewart, Mia Easthope and Sumaiya Miah have been hailed as among the very best in nursing, having made it to the final of the Royal College of Nursing’s Nursing Awards 2022 for their work at Seghill’s Netherfield House Surgery in Cramlington.

The team of students came up with the idea to host a diabetes prevention event at the surgery, helping 70 patients to reduce their risk of diabetes in just one morning by providing health advice, taking blood pressure and checking patients’ weight.

The success of the event inspired the development of a new mobile pop-up initiative, called Nurses On Tour, to run at GP practices across Northumberland.

Each pop up event includes blood pressure, height and weight checks, alcohol and smoking screening, and blood tests when needed, to detect and help prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.

Susan Tweddell, Practice Education Facilitator in Northumbria’s department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, supervises the students. She said: “This honour demonstrates the value that nurses can add within the primary care environment in helping people prevent life-

limiting conditions, as well as the high levels of teamwork and initiative required of today’s nurses.”

On behalf of the shortlisted students, Amy Barlow said: “Placement is such an important part of our training, and we all feel privileged to have been recognised in this way, especially because our nomination was based on feedback from patients who attended our event.

“We hope Nurses on Tour goes from strength to strength and want to thank the whole team at Netherfield House for their incredible support.”

The team of students will find out later this year if they have won against fellow finalists from Bournemouth, Keele, Leeds and the Open University.

Northumbria University is one of the largest providers of nursing education in the North of England and recently became an approved Nursing and Midwifery Council Competence Test Centre.

For more information please visit: www.northumbria.ac.uk/ nmh

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk/ nursesontour

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NEWS

Northumbria University NEWS • Autumn 2022

Northumbria premieres BFI partnership Northumbria University has joined forces with the British Film Institute (BFI) on an ambitious partnership that will support the expansion of the screen industry in the North East.

The BFI is the UK’s leading organisation for film and the moving image and is home to the world’s largest film and television archive.

Northumbria will work with the BFI on a variety of projects, including live briefs, masterclasses and curriculum development for undergraduate and postgraduate arts and humanities programmes.

Professor Katy Shaw, Director of Cultural Partnerships at Northumbria University, said: “Northumbria is delighted to launch this national partnership with the BFI. Preserving, producing and promoting film and television is core to our activities in teaching and research within the creative industries in the North East today.

“As a result of this partnership, we will be offering students live briefing learning opportunities alongside industry experts, workshops and masterclasses. This new national partnership will create a muchneeded talent pipeline to address a

creative industries skills shortage, training the best new screen talent, in the North, for the global screen industry.

“On a national level, the partnership speaks directly to a wider explosion of interest and investment in the screen industries in our region with the launch of North East Screen, new BBC devolution deals and global production companies joining us in the city to work with our students and recent graduates to make the best of new British TV and Film.”

As part of the collaboration, students and staff based in the UK have been given access to BFI Player – a streaming service showing critically acclaimed classic, cult and archive films available for both research purposes and to enjoy at leisure. The service also includes curated collections including LGBTQIA+, visionary directors and black stories. Over 12,000 archived titles covering British life over the last 120 years are available.

Simone Pyne, Senior Business Development Manager at the BFI, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Northumbria to enrich learning and embed moving image culture throughout the university with BFI Player and our upcoming projects.

“A robust and meaningful relationship between higher education and industry is critical for the future success of film and highend television, and together we’ll develop transferable and industry specific skills, helping to address the UK’s screen skills shortage.”

Professor Solomon Lennox, Head of the Department of Arts at Northumbria University added: “Our approach to partnerships is to facilitate research-enriched learning opportunities, where our students are working with cultural partners to address big questions and global challenges. We are extremely proud of the partnership with the BFI and the scope it provides students

“ NORTHUMBRIA IS DELIGHTED TO LAUNCH THIS NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BFI. PRESERVING, PRODUCING AND PROMOTING FILM AND TELEVISION IS CORE TO OUR ACTIVITIES IN TEACHING AND RESEARCH WITHIN THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES IN THE NORTH EAST TODAY.” PROFESSOR KATY SHAW

to work on responding to matters of social justice within the film industry.”

Northumbria University is committed to partnering with leading arts and cultural organisations to bring benefits for teaching, research and the wider region. Professor Shaw is currently leading a £1.5 million project with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and UKRI to explore how culture can address regional inequality and help level up the UK. For more information please visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/ partnerships

DISCOVER MORE www.bfi.org.uk

IMAGINE LEARN CREATE FUELLING CREATIVITY AT NORTHUMBRIA Eight-page supplement

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IMAGINE, LEARN, CREATE

Enabling excellence, empowering success

Northumbria University NEWS • Autumn 2022

JONATHAN BIRCH’S MOVE WITH THE TIDE CONCEPT ENCOURAGING THE RE-USE OF STEEL FROM DECOMMISSIONED OIL PLATFORMS

There’s plenty to celebrate at Northumbria as the University continues to grow its reputation for research excellence, staff kick-off a clutch of new industry partnerships and students receive national and international recognition through numerous prestigious award wins. Faculty Pro Vice-Chancellor for Arts, Design and Social Sciences, Professor Caron Gentry, speaks to Northumbria University News about her plans to build on that success and seize every opportunity to champion the importance of creativity and culture in society.

“Having the courage to think outside the box is how we make the world a better place,” reflects Professor Gentry. “Creative work builds empathy and empathy helps us work in more creative ways. All of the global issues we face today, whether that be poverty, mental health, the climate crisis, health inequality - all of these areas need people from different disciplines working together and assuming a different approach to help solve them.

“That’s why we should never underestimate how much arts and humanities subjects are about people and communities, and how much the creative industries really make a valuable difference to people’s lives.”

She cites the rich cultural history of Newcastle and the wider region as one of the things which attracted her to Northumbria from the University of St Andrews. And she believes the commitment to social justice shown by students, staff and partners is key to supporting everyone to be able reach their potential as well as ensuring the region can thrive with a well-equipped workforce.

“I’m learning the stories of the region through the work of our staff and students – stories of Newcastle that often go untold. Together with our partners, including Baltic, Live Theatre and New Writing North, we can demonstrate the richness of everything the

cultural industries have to offer. We work together with partners to give students the best experiences possible and make sure everyone has access to information which changes their lives for the better.”

Professor Gentry believes creativity and culture are not just important in building the regional economy, they are vital for supporting our national wellbeing. Work

by Northumbria academics is leading the way on levelling up through culture and supporting the delivery of Arts and Humanities Research Council programmes aimed at building opportunities for the next generation of creatives. Novel approaches to everything from city planning to preserving crime scenes are just some of the areas where Northumbria researchers are demonstrating the real-life benefits of a creative approach to problem solving.

“There’s a willingness and desire directed at working together to break down barriers which is so evident in the work we do, the way we speak, the conversations we have,” added Professor Gentry. “My mission is to keep creating the space for and enabling empowerment.”

Read on through this special supplement to discover some of the success stories from the last few months.

Stay up to date with the latest news and events by visiting www.northumbria.ac.uk/news

“THESE AWARDS REPRESENT THE VERY BEST OF WHAT THE RSA IS ABOUT; FINDING AND EMPOWERING TALENTED YOUNG PEOPLE, HELPING TO SHOWCASE THEIR VISION AND USING THE POWER OF THE RSA TO SUPERCHARGE THEIR EFFORTS”.

ANDY HALDANE, THE RSA’S CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Students highly commended at prestigious Design Awards The 2021-22 RSA Student Design Awards from the Royal Society of Arts saw no fewer than eight nominations for Northumbria students, with two projects being selected as highly commendable.

Since 1924, the RSA have challenged students to tackle pressing social, environmental and economic issues with creative design solutions. Notable previous winners include Northumbria alumnus, Sir Jonathan Ive, former Chief Design Officer at Apple.

This year, Northumbria University students were recognised for their visionary work addressing issues such as health inequalities and the sustainable re-use of steel.

In total, eight students, currently enrolled on Northumbria’s Design for Industry BA (Hons) programme, were shortlisted in five out of the nine possible categories, more than twice the number of students than from any other university. Two Northumbria

students’ projects each received a Highly Commended Award at the ceremony in London.

Jai Mistry, a student enrolled on the Design programme, won his award in the “Healthy Hearts” category for his Chalo kawana (Let’s eat) initiative, a meal swap scheme devised to reduce the development of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Meanwhile, classmate Jonathan Birch saw success with his “Move with the Tide” project.

Jonathan looked at how steel from decommissioned oil rigs could be repurposed to build special underwater turbines. In turn, these would provide subsidised energy for remote communities in Scotland. Jonathan was shortlisted in the “Steel Appeal” category

alongside two of his peers, Hector Owles and Sam Willcox. Together, the trio made up 60 per cent of the finalists.

Four more Northumbria students were also shortlisted for the prestigious awards, They were, Francis Hall, Angus Douglas, Harriet Almond and Rob Swan.

Andy Haldane, the RSA’s Chief Executive said: “These awards represent the very best of what the RSA is about; finding and empowering talented young people, helping to showcase their vision and using the power of the RSA to supercharge their efforts.”

To see all the successful entrants from this year’s awards, including Jai and Jonathan’s work, visit thersa.org

IMAGINE LEARN CREATE

All will be REVEALed as degree shows make a welcome return to campus

Students enjoy catwalk success in the capital at Graduate Fashion Week

Fine Art skills win international recognition

Take a look into the future with our winners at New Designers 2022

CONTENTS

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pages 4-5

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Students REVEAL their creative talents Northumbria’s annual REVEAL showcase returned to campus for the first time in three years this summer, with friends, family and the public invited to view the work of students across the University.

Throughout May and June, a variety of events and exhibitions were held on campus, online, and across the city to celebrate the hard work and commitment of final year students from Northumbria’s Architecture, Design, Fashion, Fine Art, Media and – new for this year – Computer and Information Sciences (CIS) degree programmes.

Commenting on this year’s REVEAL showcase, Faculty Pro Vice-Chancellor for Arts, Design, and Social Sciences, Professor Caron Gentry said: “It has been an absolute delight seeing the return of REVEAL to campus after a small hiatus. The creativity and talent displayed

by Northumbria students was remarkable and more exciting still, was the introduction of students from the department of CIS for the first time.

Congratulations to all involved on staging a fantastic visual showcase and celebration of hard work.”

As part of the REVEAL exhibition Computer Science with Web Development graduate Matthew McGregor showcased his final year project exploring the benefits of an interactive, custom-built website for the National Trust’s Seaton Delaval Hall. This is the first year that students from this course have taken part in REVEAL and Matthew’s project is a fantastic example of how students across the department of CIS explore real-world problems and societal challenges through their work.

Master of Architecture (MArch) graduate, Miranda Hornsby is tackling one of the greatest

A CAPSULE OF DEEP TIME’ BY ARCHITECTURE MARCH GRADUATE, MIRANDA HORNSBY

challenges facing our planet.

Her project at Derwent Valley in County Durham, is a response to climate change. ‘A Capsule of Deep Time’ explores how to protect Derwent Valley’s historic natural springs while challenging humanity to carefully consider its effect on Planet Earth.

Fine Art student Sabby Jamalulail exhibited her work representing the different cultures she has grown up in. Creating houses from recycled materials, she aimed to represent a blend of aspects from the different buildings she has seen in both Malaysia and England. Sabby has been awarded an artist’s residency programme with Middlesbrough

Art Weekender, an annual contemporary arts festival, via a New Graduate Award. This award showcases work by budding artists from all over the region.

As well as the various exhibitions on display across Northumbria’s city campus, a private show was held at Ernest, an independent café bar in Newcastle, displaying the work of Animation students. A Media Gala was also held at Newcastle’s Tyneside Cinema, where Film and TV Production students were given awards in recognition of their work. Dodged, a short film about a woman who winds up in a seemingly vulnerable situation when her car breaks down in the

“THE CREATIVITY AND TALENT DISPLAYED BY NORTHUMBRIA STUDENTS WAS REMARKABLE AND MORE EXCITING STILL, WAS THE INTRODUCTION OF STUDENTS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CIS FOR THE FIRST TIME. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL INVOLVED ON STAGING A FANTASTIC VISUAL SHOWCASE AND CELEBRATION OF HARD WORK.” FACULTY PRO VICE-CHANCELLOR FOR ARTS, DESIGN, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES, PROFESSOR CARON GENTRY middle of the road, secured the title of Best Film recognising the Director, Michael Dunn and Producer, Jay Armstrong. On the same project, Hannah McMenzie was recognised for her work as Editor, in the Best Editing category. Mia Saldanha, Director of Photography for the project Way Back Home, received an award for Best Cinematography.

And Get Punch saw Tony Park recognised within the Best Sound category.

Under the watchful eye of experts in their field, be it successful artists, filmmakers, creative professionals or ground-breaking designers and architects, Northumbria students’ have shown a wealth of talent and creativity which was highlighted throughout REVEAL. To find out more, please visit www. northumbria.ac.uk/REVEAL

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk/alumni

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IMAGINE, LEARN, CREATE

Northumbria University NEWS • Autumn 2022

FASHION FORWARD: FAB FOUR IMPRESS AT AWARDS Final year fashion students from Northumbria have upheld the University’s impressive record of success at the prestigious Graduate Fashion Week event, with no less than 26 students shortlisted for awards and four winning their categories at this year’s event.

Graduate Fashion Week is the world’s largest showcase of BA fashion talent and provides final year fashion students with the opportunity to showcase their work in front of industry professionals from around the world, often leading to once in a lifetime career opportunities. The annual event is organised by the Graduate Fashion Foundation, a charity which aims to bridge the gap between fashion education and employment.

Taking place in London over five days this summer, Graduate Fashion Week 2022 was attended by staff and students from across Northumbria’s Fashion, Fashion Design and Marketing, and Fashion Communication degree programmes.

The 26 students shortlisted were tasked with presenting their work in person during the final stage of the judging process. The winners of the 16 award categories, as well as the stand-out collections from each University catwalk show, were then announced in glittering daily awards ceremonies.

Speaking about Graduate Fashion Week, Gayle Cantrell, Head of Subject for Fashion at Northumbria University, said: “This is a flagship event for which our students work extremely hard to prepare, supported by our dedicated team of academic and technical staff.

“To have so many students make the shortlist, and have four student projects singled out for awards by industry judges, is a fantastic achievement. Recognition on a national level is a great way for students to be noticed as they take the next steps towards furthering their studies or starting their careers.”

HAYDN BROWN – FASHION COMMUNICATION BA (HONS) FASHION COMMUNICATION PORTFOLIO AWARD Haydn’s passion is bold and colourful photography which champions diversity and the LGBTQ+ community by featuring elements of queer culture and underground nightlife, inspired by 90s cinematography.

He has already been commissioned to work on editorial photo shoots for international magazines, the charity Northern Pride and the popular Drag Race UK television series. Haydn’s award submission included an art zine publication called the Kloset Club, featuring the work of queer artists from all over the world, which he created as part of his final degree module.

“For me, photography started as a hobby and now it’s what I do full time,” explained Haydn. “The fact that I won this award has taken a while to sink in. It’s surreal but absolutely brilliant.”

LEVI WARREN-HOWARD – FASHION BA (HONS) CULTURE AND HERITAGE AWARD Levi’s womenswear collection ‘Can I touch your hair?’, celebrates Black hair through fashion and was made with specially designed tactile fabrics to reflect African and Caribbean hair styles and textures such as braids, afros, dreadlocks, curls and waves. It was inspired by Levi’s own experiences of growing up with curly hair.

Graduate Fashion Week was a really positive experience where I met lots of new people who were interested in engaging with my work – including some industry professionals who were very interested in what I’ve been doing,” said Levi.

“To win the award was a shock but also a confidence boost. It’s encouraging to know what I created caught people’s attention.”

“RECOGNITION ON A NATIONAL LEVEL IS A GREAT WAY FOR STUDENTS TO BE NOTICED AS THEY TAKE THE NEXT STEPS TOWARDS FURTHERING THEIR STUDIES OR STARTING THEIR CAREERS.” GAYLE CANTRELL

IMAGINE, LEARN, CREATE

#TakeOnTomorrow

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OLIVIA FLETCHER - FASHION DESIGN AND MARKETING BA (HONS) FASHION ILLUSTRATION AWARD Olivia was shortlisted in three different categories at this year’s Graduate Fashion Week and, while mulling over a number of job offers to join various fashion houses, hopes to eventually build on her own brand ‘Otherness’ to become an independent creator.

She is passionate about the brand being peoplefocused, with self-expression woven into each garment. As an antidote to fast fashion, Olivia’s

designs show the ageing process in a positive way, with a jacket forming the centrepiece of her collection 100 per cent upcycled, made mostly from her grandfather’s old shirts, alongside offcuts from the rest of the collection. This piece was showcased in London as part of Graduate Fashion Week, alongside a dress, two bonnets and a skirt inspired by the theme of ‘Antique Queens’.

THE FOLLOWING NORTHUMBRIA STUDENTS WERE SHORTLISTED IN THIS YEAR’S GRADUATE FASHION FOUNDATION AWARDS: The Fashion Illustration Award

The Terry Mansfield Fashion Publication Award

Olivia Fletcher – Fashion Design and Marketing BA (Hons)

Katie Donaghy - Fashion Communication BA (Hons)

Storm Anh Thu Le – Fashion BA (Hons)

The Sportswear & Leisurewear Award

The Fashion Innovation Award Olivia Fletcher - Fashion Design and Marketing BA (Hons) The Fashion Marketing Award WRITER AND BLOGGER, MEGAN JAYNE CRABBE, PRESENTED OLIVIA FLETCHER WITH HER FASHION ILLUSTRATION AWARD

Olivia Fletcher - Fashion Design and Marketing BA (Hons) The Fashion Portfolio Award Bethany Oakey - Fashion Design and Marketing BA (Hons)

Cindy Salim – Fashion BA (Hons) The Range Plan Award Levi Warren-Howard – Fashion BA (Hons) Zoe Jefferson – Fashion BA (Hons) The Fashion Concept Award Zoe Jefferson – Fashion BA (Hons) The Fashion Communications Portfolio Award Haydn Brown – Fashion Communication BA (Hons)

Lily Clark - Fashion Design and Marketing BA (Hons)

EMILY GIBSON - FASHION BA (HONS) NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY DOME SHOW WINNER Emily’s work was selected by judges watching the Northumbria catwalk show, which rounded off the week and highlighted designs and creations from all Northumbria students who took part in the event.

Emily’s collection of womenswear was also chosen by a panel of judges, including designer Henry Holland, model Munroe Bergdorf and designer Patrick McDowell, to be included in the opening Graduate Fashion Week show, featuring garments from all the universities involved.

The FACE Excellence Prize The Fashion Styling & Creative Direction Award

Angelica Dodds – Fashion BA (Hons)

Rebecca Barnes - Fashion Communication BA (Hons)

The Accessories Award

The Footwear Award

Bethany Oakey - Fashion Design and Marketing BA (Hons)

Rosie Holt – Fashion Design and Marketing BA (Hons) Bethany Oakey - Fashion Design and Marketing BA (Hons) The Zandra Rhodes Fashion Textiles Award Amelia Jackson - Fashion Design and Marketing BA (Hons)

The Culture and Heritage Award Levi Warren-Howard – Fashion BA (Hons) Holly Wright - Fashion Design and Marketing BA (Hons) Angelica Dodds – Fashion BA (Hons)

Holly Wright - Fashion Design and Marketing BA (Hons)

The Childrenswear Award

Olivia Pennie - Fashion Design and Marketing BA (Hons)

Amelia Jackson - Fashion Design and Marketing BA (Hons)

Lily Clark - Fashion Design and Marketing BA (Hons)

See more work from our talented graduates at northumbria.ac.uk/fashionshow

6

IMAGINE, LEARN, CREATE

Double win in RIBA Student Awards

Northumbria University NEWS • Autumn 2022

International recognition for Fine Art graduate A talented Northumbria University graduate, known for her large-scale vibrant oil paintings, has been presented with the Student Artist of the Year award from the Fine Art Trade Guild.

‘THE BATTERY HUB’ BY ARCHITECTURE BA (HONS) GRADUATE EVELINA SOMOGLOU

Two Northumbria University students have been named as the winners of this year’s Student Awards by the North East branch of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

Architecture BA (Hons) graduate Evelina Somoglou won the award for her project ‘The Battery Hub’, which envisaged a very different future for a site in Newcastle that is currently being demolished as part of the city’s Pilgrim Street redevelopment.

Her proposal for the space, which was created to transform a public venue that encourages recycling practices, included both a centre to reprocess used batteries, and an active playground to harness the kinetic energy from children’s play.

Judges, Paul Milner and Scott Savin of ALT Studios and Ryder Architecture’s Andra Antone, said of The Battery Hub: “The project confidently addresses its complex, urban site constraints, art decostyle facades and existing structures. This is an impressive understanding of context, proposing a sensitive and fun implementation of future technologies.”

Architecture Degree Apprentice Laura McClorey’s project ‘Belfast Stories’ also looked at an existing space in a new way by selecting a building in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Her scheme would transform it into a hub that would acknowledge and celebrate

Belfast’s heritage to attract potential visitors and connect people from different parts of the city.

Laura’s tutor Kelly MacKinnon, an Associate Professor in the Department of Architecture and the Built Environment, awarded her the title of Northumbria’s Most Outstanding Degree Apprenticeship Student 2022.

She said of Laura’s prize from RIBA: “This is especially impressive as it’s been two years running that a Degree Apprenticeship student from Northumbria has won this award,

and for students to win whilst working is incredible, and a real testament to the talent we are attracting here at Northumbria.”

Find out more about RIBA at www.architecture.com

DISCOVER MORE northumbria.ac.uk/ architecture

Sophie Woodward, who recently graduated from the Fine Art BA (Hons) programme at Northumbria, was selected for the international honour at the Guild’s Art and Framing Industry Awards 2022 held in Stratfordupon-Avon.

“I was encouraged to submit my work to the awards by one of my tutors,” explained Sophie, who said she was honoured to be chosen as the overall winner. “All of the staff have been extremely supportive and there to offer advice and encouragement, but otherwise let me take the lead on where I want my work to go.”

The 22-year-old, who is continuing her studies with a postgraduate programme at Northumbria, describes her favoured style of painting as “maximalist”. “I’ve tried lots of other things, including photography, but I always come back to painting,” said Sophie.

“I loved Greek mythology as a child and I’m really inspired by views of cities like Newcastle, so those things often feature in my work.”

The Student Artist of the Year Award was established in 2015, inspired by the late Jorge AguilarAgon, a successful international artist, who wanted to encourage artists at the beginning of their careers. Louise Hay, Managing Director of the Fine Art Trade Guild said: “This international award provides recognition for an up-and-coming artist’s talent. The emphasis of the competition is to find a student who exhibits a talent and skill in traditional drawing, painting, or working with mixed media.

We’re all looking forward to seeing Sophie’s career as an artist develop.”

Earlier this year, Sophie displayed her work at the University’s Newcastle City Campus as part of the annual

SOPHIE WOODWARD PICTURED WITH HER STUDENT ARTIST OF THE YEAR AWARD FROM THE FINE ART TRADE GUILD

“THIS INTERNATIONAL AWARD PROVIDES RECOGNITION FOR AN UP-AND-COMING ARTIST’S TALENT. WE’RE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING SOPHIE’S CAREER AS AN ARTIST DEVELOP.” LOUISE HAY, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE FINE ART TRADE GUILD

REVEAL showcase, which sees degree shows open to friends, family, and members of the public throughout May and June by students from programmes including Architecture, Design, Fashion, Fine Art, Media and new for this year - Computer and Information Sciences.

Explore other REVEAL 2022 student success stories online at www.northumbria.ac.uk/reveal

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk/arts

IMAGINE, LEARN, CREATE

#TakeOnTomorrow

7

Northumbria graduates celebrate design awards success Almost 50 students from Northumbria’s School of Design recently exhibited their work at New Designers, many picking up several awards in the process.

New Designers is the longest running design showcase in the country; it features the work of 2,500 handpicked graduate design talents from around the UK. One of the event’s big winners was Harriet Almond, a recent graduate from Northumbria’s Design for Industry course.

She’ll spend six weeks on placement with homeware creator Joseph Joseph after judges selected Harriet’s project ‘Snoot’ for the Brilliantly Useful Design Award.

Her product provides a potential solution to reducing household food waste, with Snoot’s built-in aroma detection identifying the freshness of food and providing ideas for using and preserving foods to prevent waste. Commenting on her success, Harriet said “I’ve admired Joseph Joseph for a really long time now and wanted to incorporate the brand’s playfulness and sense of possibility into my ideas. To now have the opportunity to be immersed in its design team is amazing.”

New Designers is now in its 38th year and displays the work produced on 200 of the UK’s flagship design courses, connecting the finest students with leading lights of industry.

Rose Wong is a tutor and senior lecturer on Northumbria’s Design for Industry programme and programme leader for 3D Design. She said: “Well done to the students and to all the staff and technical team who helped

HARRIET ALMOND

us get this far. This has involved a lot of work by a lot of people, so it really is time for a collective celebration, and I can’t wait to see this group go on to change the world with their talent and ideas.”

Further success came from Graphic Design student Poppy Scoffings who attended the event shortly after being named a Graphite Pencil award winner at the 2022 D&AD New Blood Awards, an achievement her tutor describes as “the highest design accolade you can get.”

At New Designers, Poppy was named runner up in the New Designer of the Year Award category. She was also recognised by Joseph Joseph, alongside her course mate Abbie Malton, after the pair worked together on the branding of Northumbria’s Graphic Design trade stand at the event. A sample of all the Northumbria students’

POPPY SCOFFINGS

work can be viewed on Instagram @wellcannylike.

Abbie enjoyed individual success too, having been highly commended for her teenage podcast kit. Award sponsors

Creative Conscience described it as being one of the best in show for its ethical and environmental design.

Abbie, who was given a tutornominated studentship award at her recent graduation ceremony,

has recently started work at a visual media company and feels much of the success gained at New Designers is down to the support given by Northumbria’s School of Design.

She said: “Our tutors really help and really care, offering insight and support at every stage while encouraging you to work independently. I really feel we wouldn’t have done half as well if it wasn’t for them.”

This year’s winners were presented with their awards by Dr Tristram Hunt, Director of the V&A Museum and Honorary Doctorate of Civil Law at Northumbria.

Cheryl Carroll, Event Director for New Designers, which took place at Islington’s Business Design Centre, said: “It was fantastic to see such high calibre of work from Northumbria University and we would like to congratulate the students who were shortlisted and those who won awards. We hope their achievements lead to future opportunities and further success.”

To see the full list of students exhibiting at New Designers, please visit www.newdesigners.com

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk/design

23

#TakeOnTomorrow

A lesson in history shaping the future

Scientists have discovered that a lengthy drought led to the collapse and abandonment of the prehistoric Mexican city of Mayapan, showing how climate change can have an impact on social behaviour and society in general.

An extended period of turmoil in the Maya city of Mayapan between 1441 and 1461 was marked by population declines, political rivalries and civil conflict, eventually leading to the complete institutional collapse and abandonment of the city in the Yucatan region of Mexico.

This period occurred during a longer than expected regional drought, and an international team of researchers, including an expert in past environmental change and its impact on human society from Northumbria University, present new evidence that proves this is not a coincidence. Their research suggests that drought may in fact have stoked the civil conflict that brought about violence, which in turn led to the institutional instabilities that precipitated Mayapan’s collapse.

Their study examined environmental, archaeological and historical data from Mayapan, including isotope and microfossil records, radiocarbon data and DNA sequences from human remains. The team then used regional sources of climatic data and combined it with a new, local record of drought from cave deposits beneath the city to document an interval of unrest between 1400 and 1450.

The researchers said that this multidisciplinary work highlights the importance of understanding the complex relationships between natural and social systems.

“Drought-induced civil conflict had a devastating local impact on the integrity of Mayapan’s state institutions that were designed to keep social order,” said Dr Sebastian Breitenbach, an Associate

Professor in Northumbria’s Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, who worked on the study. “In this study we have one of the best compilations of data from independent archives which piece together a highly detailed picture of what happened during this period.

We already had evidence of a hiatus in cave deposits.

Essentially, there was no water, which meant stalagmite growth was interrupted because it was too dry. At the same time lakes became more saline due to lack of rainfall. Seeing how these different climate records fit together provided us with unique insights that

“ THE EVIDENCE TELLS US THAT SUSTAINED CHANGES TO THE REGIONAL CLIMATE HAD A HUGE IMPACT ON WHAT WE KNOW WAS A HIGHLY ORGANISED SOCIETY AT THAT TIME.” DR SEBASTIAN BREITENBACH help us understand what was happening, showing how climate change impacts social behaviour and society in general.

“The evidence tells us that sustained changes to the regional climate had a huge impact on what we know was a highly organised society at that time.

Even if Yucatan seems far from Great Britain, the drought experienced across Europe this summer should remind us strongly that any similarly organised society today will still depend heavily on sufficient rainfall.”

Yet significantly, a network of small Maya states also proved to be resilient after the collapse at Mayapan, in part by migrating

across the region to towns that were still thriving. Despite decentralisation, trade impacts, political upheaval, and other challenges, these populations adapted and persisted into the early 16th century. It all points to the complexity of human responses to drought on the Yucatan Peninsula at that time — an important consideration for the future as well as the past.

For more information about Northumbria’s impactful research in Geography and Environmental Studies visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/ research

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk/ geography

24

Northumbria University NEWS • Autumn 2022

Glacier studies assess impact of climate change With the largest team of glaciology experts in the UK, Northumbria University is leading the way on research into how climate change is affecting our Arctic and Antarctic ice sheets.

In recognition of the University’s expertise in this field, Dr Jan de Rydt has been awarded a prestigious UK Research and Innovation Future Leaders Fellowship Award, worth £1.5 million, to evaluate changes to the Antarctic ice sheet and the impact this will have on global sea level in the future.

Jan is Northumbria’s fourth recipient of this Fellowship, which provides researchers with the freedom and long-term support needed to progress adventurous new ideas across disciplinary boundaries.

The funding will allow Jan and a team of four other researchers to run computer simulations over the next four years to generate a better understanding of the complex interactions between ice flows, ice sheet movements and the atmosphere in Antarctica.

Their findings will feed into other global simulations modelling the changes in ice sheets in other areas of the world. They will provide vital intelligence for environmentalists,

governments and policymakers at a national and international level, identifying different scenarios that map out ways in which countries can respond to environmental change.

“What happens in Antarctica has an impact globally,” said Dr de Rydt. “Rising sea level will inevitably have a detrimental effect on low-lying coastal communities such as Bangladesh and the Pacific Islands – in terms of damaged infrastructure, for example, or a reduction in the quality of life of their inhabitants.

Eco systems in Antarctica could also suffer, with sea level rise having an adverse impact on wildlife.”

As the world experiences unprecedented heatwaves and flooding resulting from global warming, research into the effects

“ WHAT HAPPENS IN ANTARCTICA HAS AN IMPACT GLOBALLY. RISING SEA LEVEL WILL INEVITABLY HAVE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON LOW-LYING COASTAL COMMUNITIES SUCH AS BANGLADESH AND THE PACIFIC ISLANDS.” DR JAN DE RYDT

of climate change on our ice sheets becomes even more crucial.

Professor John Woodward, ProVice-Chancellor for Engineering and environment is investigating how ice sheets behaved in the past and how they have evolved over time.

This knowledge and understanding means we can better predict how they might behave in the future. He recently contributed to a major study published in Nature Geoscience which found that two key glaciers in West Antarctica – Thwaites and Pine Island – now appear to be losing ice faster than they have in at least the last 5,000 years.

Radiocarbon dating was used to examine shells and bedrock samples from ancient beaches that now sit above sea level to understand how glaciers may have grown and retreated over time.

“We believe that the ice had thinned to a point during the midHolocene era and has been relatively stable over the last 5,000 years, with no evidence of large-scale retreat or advance until very recent times,” Professor Woodward explained. His co-author, Dylan Rood of Imperial College London, suggested that the findings could indicate that the vital arteries from the heart of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet have burst, saying it could be “potentially disastrous for future global sea level in a warming world”.

Impactful research such as this contributed to Northumbria being ranked second in the UK for research power in Geography and Environmental Sciences in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.

Find out more at www.northumbria.ac.uk/research

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk/cape

25

#TakeOnTomorrow

Nuna project offers new hope for Arctic communities Indigenous Arctic communities battling the devastating impacts of climate change are being supported through a £1m international research project involving Northumbria University academics.

Home to almost 50,000 Inuit people, the Inuit Nunangat area of northern Canada has been severely impacted by climate change. Thawing permafrost, disappearing sea ice and high rates of erosion mean that some areas are under such threat they could be lost completely in as little as 20 years. As well as affecting infrastructure, navigation routes, and food and water security, the environmental changes have had a serious impact on the physical and mental wellbeing of the area’s Inuit population.

In response to this crisis, academic researchers from the UK and Canada have teamed up with local action groups, government agencies and Inuit knowledge-leaders to investigate what action is needed to protect the future of the indigenous community.

The project, named Nuna, taken from the Inuvialuktun word for ‘land’, ‘country’ and ‘soil’, will

collect data to help predict when relocation will need to take place in the areas most under threat.

The research will also be used to provide an early warning for ground subsidence, as well as to issue clear guidance on harmful dust exposure levels.

Water-based threats such as driftwood or contaminants released during storms will also be addressed through new accessible community monitoring and citizen science data.

Experts from Northumbria’s Departments of Mechanical and Construction Engineering, Geography and Environmental Sciences and Maths, Physics and Electrical Engineering, will work alongside their Canadian counterparts from McGill and Wilfred Laurier Universities.

They will join Arctic community initiatives

and researchers from Natural Resources Canada, the National Research Council of Canada, Environment Canada, Parks Canada, and the Government of Northwest Territories to drive unique solutions-based research.

Northumbria’s Professor Mike Lim, who will lead the project alongside Tuktoyaktuk Community Senior Administrative Officer Shawn Stuckey, explained: “Coastal communities have demonstrated exceptional resilience to the challenges of Arctic living but are having to make increasingly difficult decisions over how to respond to the complex nature of more intense and disruptive environmental changes.

“Through Nuna we’ll combine a wealth of existing data and Indigenous knowledge with exciting technological developments, empowering communities to better identify and avoid emerging hazards related to the rapidly changing landscape.”

One of only 13 successful applicants to the Canada-Inuit Nunangat-United Kingdom Arctic

Research Programme (CINUK), funding for the project will be split between the team at Northumbria and researchers based in Canada, with the UK award provided by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Professor Christopher Smith, UKRI International Champion and Executive Chair at the Arts and Humanities Research Council said: “The need to understand and respond to the deep and interlinked impacts of climate change in the Arctic has never been greater. We recognise and embrace the value and importance of doing so in genuine and mutually respectful and empowering partnership with Inuit researchers and communities.

I look forward to seeing how the projects develop over the next three years and hearing the results of both their work and their partnerships.”

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk/ livesustainably

ABOUT INUIT NUNANGAT Inuit Nunangat covers nearly a third of Canada’s land mass and

50 per cent of its coastline.

It is made up of four regions – the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (northern Northwest Territories), Nunavut, Nunavik (northern Quebec) and Nunatsiavut (northern Labrador).

Around three-quarters of the

65,000 Inuit

in Canada live in Inuit Nunangat.

More than a third of the

53 communities

“ THROUGH NUNA WE’LL COMBINE A WEALTH OF EXISTING DATA AND INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE WITH EXCITING TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS, EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES TO BETTER IDENTIFY AND AVOID EMERGING HAZARDS RELATED TO THE RAPIDLY CHANGING LANDSCAPE.” PROFESSOR MIKE LIM

in Inuit Nunangat have populations of under 500 people and most can only be reached by air year-round and by air and sea during the summer.

26

Northumbria University NEWS • Autumn 2022

Giving young refugees a voice

PROFESSOR MATT BAILLIE SMITH AND DR BIANCA FADEL HELP INSTALL THE RYVU EXHIBITION AT GALLERY NORTH

Findings from Northumbria research have revealed the links between volunteer opportunities and the livelihoods of young refugees.

After conducting what is believed to be the largest survey of its kind involving more than 3,600 young refugees in Uganda, most of whom were displaced by conflict in neighbouring countries, researchers discovered that 50 per cent of them relied on income from some form of voluntary labour as a means of survival. Many of these young refugees rely on the nominal sums of money paid to cover their basic living costs from working for large humanitarian or community organisations.

Outcomes from the Refugee Youth Volunteering Uganda (RYVU) project, which is funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), have been revealed by researchers from Northumbria’s Centre for International Development – a team of academics who work to highlight and help tackle the issues of global poverty and inequality.

Professor Matt Baillie Smith and Dr Bianca Fadel from Northumbria collaborated with experts from Loughborough University, Uganda Martyrs University and Mbarara University of Science and Technology during the project.

Teams of Youth Advisory Boards were established in order to advise on the key themes of research, made up of young refugees in four areas of Uganda; Kampala city and the refugee settlements of Bidibidi, Nakivale, Rwamwanja.

“What we found is incredibly high rates of participation in different forms of volunteering work among communities of young people who are facing considerable daily challenges themselves,” said Professor Baillie Smith, who spent World Refugee Day in Uganda in June.

“For many of them, volunteering also becomes a source of livelihood because of the precarious living conditions they face, where any small stipends or remuneration are then perceived as a job. If large humanitarian and development organisations give these opportunities and then take them away, it can have a very devastating impact.”

Dr Fadel said: “The majority of these refugees are aged under 24 years, so building the skills and employability of young people caught up by crises is critical to their own future prospects, but also to the long-term stability of their host country and region.”

The survey also revealed that 70 per cent of young refugees were involved in volunteering activity with 85 per cent dedicating as much as 10 hours a week to volunteering activities and 73 per cent volunteering within their own villages.

The research findings will help shape a set of tool kits and policy briefings to help inform and ultimately improve the way volunteering is understood and promoted, helping to ensure it is not exploitative and does not exacerbate inequalities.

During the research young refugees were given cameras and asked to capture their own day-to-day experiences and bring the research findings to life. Photovoice, or participatory photography, was another research method used in Uganda.

These images have been turned into a travelling exhibition which has been staged at universities and refugee settlements in Uganda. To coincide with Refugee Week in the UK, the exhibition was installed at Gallery North in the heart of Northumbria’s City Campus and officially opened by chair of the University’s Board of Governors, Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods.

For more information, visit the project website, www.ryvu.org

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk/cid

GIRLS AND BOYS VOLUNTEERING IN A HAIR SALON, PHOTOGTAPH BY IRENE TIKO IN BIDIBIDI

Focus on volunteering The importance of bringing together local, national, and international volunteers and their skills has been highlighted in a new piece of research by international development charity Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) and Northumbria University.

This bringing together of volunteers across the globe for any given project is known as “blended volunteering” and is the VSO’s flagship approach. The organisation’s latest study with academics from Northumbria University concluded that local volunteers are experts and should be recognised as such. Key findings suggest the knowledge of national volunteers should be valued equally with that of their international counterparts if they are to help tackle global poverty and inequality. Analysis of what makes successful volunteer combinations, based on interviews and workshops with volunteers, community representatives and VSO staff, determined that there was no “one size fits all” approach.

The research questions assumptions about volunteering for development programmes which aim to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Professor Matt Baillie Smith led the study with Professor Katy Jenkins from Northumbria’s Centre for International Development,

working alongside researchers in the UK, Nepal, Tanzania and Uganda. The team looked at practical examples from some of VSO’s projects involving young people and education, as well as the impact of pandemic travel restrictions on international volunteering.

Professor Jenkins said: “The research shows that local ‘community’ volunteers are not just important because of where they live, but that they bring knowledge, expertise and context specific experiences, which can hold the blend together.”

Dr Philip Goodwin, VSO’s Chief Executive, said: “This research demonstrates the importance of a blended volunteering approach which brings together international, national and local volunteers to maximise development outcomes.”

Read the full research report, Volunteering Together: Blending skills and knowledge for development at www. northumbria.ac.uk/vso

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk/cid

27

#TakeOnTomorrow

The original climate change crusaders The role of clergymen and their parishioners in the founding of the early conservation movement is to be explored by a Northumbria University professor.

Professor Brycchan Carey, who works in the University’s Department of Humanities, will lead a research project about how, between 1660 and 1859, Anglican parishes played a central role in the development of the science of natural history, of the genre of nature writing, and of the origins of modern conservationism.

The three-year study will look at three centuries of natural history writing by clergymen and their parishioners across the British Empire. It will examine the work of physician and natural historian, William Turner of Morpeth, and Northumbrian Henry Baker Tristram, a canon of Durham Cathedral. Tristram read out Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace’s papers on evolution to the Linnean Society – the world’s oldest society devoted to the history of science - in 1858. Tristram was also known for writing The Natural History of the Bible. Professor Carey will also investigate the contribution of lay people, as well as clergymen.

Professor Carey has been awarded a British Academy Wolfson Professorship worth over £160,000 to conduct the project titled “The Parish Revolution: Parochial Origins of Global Conservationism”.

Through his research, Professor Carey aims to demonstrate that clerical naturalists made a major contribution to the scientific knowledge that enabled nineteenth and twentiethcentury theories of ecology and evolution. The research aims to show that local communities collaborating with these clerical naturalists profoundly influenced the character of the

PROFESSOR BRYCCHAN CAREY

future conservation movement.

“In the 200 years to the midnineteenth century, a great deal of scientific research was conducted by clergymen, but few people have asked why,” explained Professor Carey.

“I plan to investigate who these clerical naturalists were, how they worked, how they interacted with one another, and how they communicated with their fellow naturalists in the wider scientific community.

“Through my research, I want to remind people that religion and science have worked together very closely and effectively in the past. Clergymen and their

close associates in the Age of Enlightenment made an enormous contribution to natural history that helped lay the groundwork for modern ideas of evolution, ecology, and environmentalism.”

Professor Carey is one of five academics to be awarded a British Academy Wolfson Professorship, which enables some of the UK’s most outstanding SHAPE (Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts for People and the Economy) scholars to conduct vital research. First established in 2009, the awards are a joint initiative between the British Academy and the Wolfson

“CLERGYMEN MADE AN ENORMOUS CONTRIBUTION TO NATURAL HISTORY THAT HELPED LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR MODERN IDEAS OF EVOLUTION, ECOLOGY, AND ENVIRONMENTALISM.” PROFESSOR BRYCCHAN CAREY Foundation, which awards grants to support and promote excellence in education, science and medicine, heritage, humanities and the arts, and health and disability.

Northumbria has outstanding research in the field of humanities. For English Literature, Northumbria University is ranked 21st in the UK for research power in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, while history at Northumbria

occupies 26th place. Almost all of Northumbria’s research in these disciplines is rated world-leading or internationally excellent.

For more information about Northumbria’s research in the field of humanities visit www. northumbria.ac.uk/humanities

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk/news

28 People form judgements about others from the way they speak, yet listeners are often unaware of their deeply embedded ‘implicit’ biases.

So say the findings from the British Academy-funded Speaking of Prejudice research led by experts from Northumbria University, based on responses from hundreds of people from across England when they listened to Northern English and Southern English accents.

Analysis of responses was broken down into self-reported explicit bias and implicit – or unintentional – biases uncovered evidence of prejudice against Northern English speakers.

“People do think that speakers in the North of England are less intelligent, less ambitious, less educated and so on, solely from the way they speak,” said sociolinguist Dr Robert McKenzie, who carried out the four-year study with Northumbria colleagues Dr Andrew McNeill, from the Department of Psychology and Dr Mimi Huang, from the Department of Humanities. “On the other hand, people in the south are thought to be more ambitious, and more intelligent.”

Evidence of compensatory attitudes was also uncovered, whereby people in the north were often stereotyped as being friendly, outgoing and trustworthy.

The study found big differences between the self-reported biases and the implicit ones. “The negativity towards speakers of Northern English speech or the Northern English speaker was much more extreme, much more intense when you were looking at the implicit level. That tells us that at a conscious level people are less prejudiced than they once were but at an implicit level we still have those biases,” Dr McKenzie explained.

Evidence was also found that younger people were generally less biased, suggesting that attitudes are changing and moving towards a greater acceptance of Northern English speech forms.

Since language-based prejudice also has profound negative social, educational and economic implications for the speakers of any denigrated accents, a longterm aim of the project is for accents to become a protected

Northumbria University NEWS • Autumn 2022

Mind your language Below: Implicit and Explicit Language Attitudes – Mapping Linguistic Prejudice and Attitude Change in England, by Dr Robert McKenzie and Dr Andrew McNeill, and published by Routledge

DR ROBERT MCKENZIE

characteristics under equality legislation.

“This is the prejudice that can dare speak its name,” added Dr McKenzie.

“Just as people shouldn’t hold gender biases or biases about age, we shouldn’t have biases against accents.

These things all have real-world implications.”

The research project was one of 12 chosen to be the subject of an exhibit at the British Academy Summer Showcase in London, a free two-day festival of

ideas where the work of academic researchers was presented to the public in June.

Visitors to the Speaking of Prejudice exhibit were given the opportunity, via three interactive activities, to increase their understanding of their own – and others’ – embedded prejudices towards UK accents and learn about the linguistic features we use to recognise them.

The British Academy Summer Showcase coincided with the publication of Implicit and Explicit

Language Attitudes – Mapping Linguistic Prejudice and Attitude Change in England, by Dr Robert McKenzie and Dr Andrew McNeill, published by Routledge.

For more information on Dr McKenzie’s research, please visit www.northumrbia.ac.uk/ speechprejudice You can also keep up to date with the latest news from the research team on Twitter @SpeechPrejudice

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk/ humanities

“THIS IS THE PREJUDICE THAT CAN DARE SPEAK ITS NAME. JUST AS PEOPLE SHOULDN’T HOLD GENDER BIASES OR BIASES ABOUT AGE, WE SHOULDN’T HAVE BIASES AGAINST ACCENTS. THESE THINGS ALL HAVE REAL-WORLD IMPLICATIONS.” DR ROBERT MCKENZIE

29

#TakeOnTomorrow

Offering a steadying hand The risk of older people suffering from falls and injuries can be significantly reduced by them taking part in tailored strength and balancing programmes, new research by Northumbria University has revealed.

Academics studying the outcomes of patients taking part in the Staying Steady programme discovered a range of benefits, including improvements to patients’ strength and balance, a boost in confidence, and a reduction in their fear of falling.

Delivered by Newcastle-based community health charity Healthworks, Staying Steady is a 27week tailored strength and balance programme for older adults who have been referred by healthcare professionals, or have applied directly, due to a history or risk of falling.

Northumbria’s Dr Alasdair O’Doherty, a senior lecturer in Exercise, Physiology and Health at Northumbria, and PhD student Emily James, analysed six-years of patient data from the programme,

with their findings recently published in the influential journal BMC Public Health.

Speaking about their research, Dr O’Doherty said: “Falls prevention exercise programmes like Staying Steady can make a real difference; simply having the ability and confidence to get out of a chair and walk around is so important for physical wellbeing, quality of life and independence.

“However, promoting the success of these communitydelivered interventions and understanding more about participants who stick with the full programme, or dropout early, has

been hampered by a lack of studies using real-world data.

“Our research sought to address this to provide the evidence base for Healthworks and other community providers to expand their programmes and help more people.”

As well as confirming the benefits of taking part in the full programme, the research has also given valuable insight into why some patients may fail to complete the exercise programme. As Dr O’Doherty explains: “We also noted some important characteristics of people who dropped out of the programme such as having lung

“ FALLS PREVENTION EXERCISE PROGRAMMES LIKE STAYING STEADY CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE; SIMPLY HAVING THE ABILITY AND CONFIDENCE TO GET OUT OF A CHAIR AND WALK AROUND IS SO IMPORTANT FOR PHYSICAL WELLBEING, QUALITY OF LIFE AND INDEPENDENCE.” DR ALASDAIR O’DOHERTY disease or being from a low-income background.”

Collaboration with community groups and charities such as Healthworks to help people live well for longer and improve quality of life is a rapidly emerging field of research for Northumbria.

Healthworks is one of the North East’s leading charities, working with disadvantaged local communities to tackle health inequalities and improve their health and wellbeing. Talking about the impact of the Staying Steady programme, CEO Paul Court said: “The risk of falling can have a huge impact on quality of life. Through our collaboration with Northumbria

University, we have been able to evidence Staying Steady is a costeffective intervention that keeps people out of hospital, and ensures they can live safely at home for as long as possible, reducing pressure on NHS and Social Care services.

“Healthworks is collaborating on other studies with the University and I’m hoping this is just the start of a long partnership.”

For more information on Healthworks please visit healthworksnewcastle.org.uk

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Northumbria University NEWS • Autumn 2022

Research with real bite “COMMON DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS FAILED TO IDENTIFY THESE BACTERIA CORRECTLY - IF YOU WERE INFECTED WITH THESE, A DOCTOR WOULD END UP GIVING YOU THE WRONG ANTIBIOTICS, POTENTIALLY MAKING MATTERS WORSE.” DR STERGHIOS MOSCHOS

RESEARCHERS FOUND BACTERIAL DNA IN THE VENOM OF ALL THE SNAKES AND SPIDERS THEY TESTED

Recently published research, led by Northumbria University, has revealed that snake and spider venom contain bacteria that could cause infection in people who have been bitten. The study highlights the need for clinicians to think differently about treating venomous bites.

2.7 million venomous biterelated injuries occur annually, predominantly across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Of these, it is thought that 75% of victims will develop infections in venom toxin-damaged tissue, with bacteria Enterococcus faecalis being a common cause of disease. These infections have previously been thought to be caused by the open wound from the bite, as opposed to the infection-causing bacteria having come from the venom itself. This is because, for decades, scientists have thought that animal venom is an entirely sterile environment due to it being full of antimicrobial substances - materials that can kill bacteria. However, new scientific evidence from research led by Northumbria

Associate Professor Sterghios Moschos and venom biologist Steve Trim, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of biotechnology company Venomtech, has shown that this is not the case. The research indicates that victims of venomous animal bites may therefore also need to be treated for infections, not just with antivenom to tackle the toxins deposited through the bite.

The study, which has been published in scientific journal Microbiology Spectrum, demonstrates just how adaptable microorganisms are.

The research provides strong genetic and culture evidence that bacteria can not only survive in the venom glands of several species of snakes and spiders but can also mutate

to resist the notoriously toxic liquid that is venom.

Dr Moschos and colleagues investigated the venom of five snake and two spider species.

“We found that all venomous snakes and spiders that we tested had bacterial DNA in their venom,” explained Dr Moschos. “Common diagnostic tools failed to identify these bacteria correctly - if you were infected with these, a doctor would end up giving you the wrong antibiotics, potentially making matters worse. When we sequenced their DNA, we clearly identified the bacteria and discovered they had mutated to resist the venom. This is extraordinary because venom is like a cocktail of antibiotics, and it is so thick with them, you would have thought the bacteria

would not stand a chance. Not only did they stand a chance, but they had also done it twice, using the same mechanisms.

“We also directly tested the resistance of Enterococcus faecalis, one of the species of bacteria we found in the venom of black-necked spitting cobras, to venom itself and compared it to a classic hospital isolate: the hospital isolate did not tolerate the venom at all, but our two isolates happily grew in the highest concentrations of venom we could throw at them,” added Dr Moschos.

Steve Trim of Venomtech commented on the study’s implications for further research: “By exploring the resistance mechanisms that help these bacteria survive, we can find entirely new ways of

attacking multi-drug resistance, potentially through engineering antimicrobial venom peptides.”

The paper, ‘Bacterial Adaptation to Venom in Snakes and Arachnida’, is published in openaccess journal, Microbiology Spectrum, an American Society for Microbiology publication.

The paper and full list of authors can be found on Microbiology Spectrum’s website at www.journals.asm.org/ journal/spectrum.

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Newly published research carried out using synthetic human bone marrow cells is paving the way for the development of safer and kinder treatments for children with leukaemia.

Leukaemia is the most common cancer in children under 15, with over 650 children and young adults in the UK affected each year.

Childhood leukaemia is almost always acute, meaning it develops quickly and symptoms can include tiredness, breathlessness, bruising or bleeding easily and suffering severe, long-lasting infections.

Research progress over the last few decades has dramatically improved survival rates, which are now over 80%. However, treatment resistance and treatment toxicity remain major clinical challenges that urgently need resolving in order to further reduce lives lost from leukaemia and to prevent lifealtering side effects of drugs used in cancer treatment.

A new study, conducted by experts at Northumbria University, Newcastle University, the Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology and the University of Glasgow, has revealed an innovative way of mediating these challenges. Currently in its early stages, the research could lead to anti-cancer treatments that mitigate side effects while also showing improved efficacy. By using a low toxicity drug which has not previously been used to treat leukaemia and combining it with dexamethasone – a drug which is routinely given to cancer patients – scientists found that the treatment was more effective in killing leukaemia cells and the combination did not cause any added toxicity.

To test this method of treatment, the team of researchers, led by Northumbria University Assistant Professor Dr Deepali Pal, developed an artificial bone marrow using human stem cells to study the interaction of leukaemia cells with its surrounding, known as the ‘cancer niche’. Crucially, investigating cancer biology and consequently treatments using this novel approach is also helping to replace the use of animals in cancer research. Findings from the study, which was funded by the National Centre for the Replacement Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs), the Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG) and Cancer Research UK, have been published in open-

NORTHUMBRIA PHD STUDENT JESSICA PARKER, WHO WORKED ON THE PROJECT WITH DR DEEPALI PAL

Finding a kinder treatment for childhood leukaemia access journal Cell Reports Medicine.

Dr Deepali Pal, previously an NC3Rs Fellow at Newcastle University, said: “We developed a New Approach Methodology (NAM) or non-animal approach, to replace and reduce the use of animals in cancer research.

We show that this NAM made of synthetic human bone marrow cells enables us to study patient-derived leukaemia cells in a clinically relevant manner.

We have also studied how the leukaemia cells interact with its surrounding bone marrow cells and consequently detect a potential new low toxicity treatment for leukaemia. Our aim is to continue developing such human relevant sustainable techniques that limit the use of animals in medical research to find safer and kinder anti-cancer treatments.”

Northumbria recently ranked 8th in the UK for research power for

professions allied to health, such as cellular and molecular sciences, in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.

The paper, entitled ‘hiPSC-derived bone marrow milieu identifies a clinically actionable driver of nichemediated treatment resistance in leukemia’ and a full list of authors can be found online at www.cell. com/cell-reports-medicine.

“OUR AIM IS TO CONTINUE DEVELOPING SUCH HUMAN RELEVANT SUSTAINABLE TECHNIQUES THAT LIMIT THE USE OF ANIMALS IN MEDICAL RESEARCH TO FIND SAFER AND KINDER ANTI-CANCER TREATMENTS.” DR DEEPALI PAL

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Northumbria University NEWS • Autumn 2022

Inequality research wins high profile support

Below: Professor Matthew Johnson delivering the keynote academic speech at the Basic Income North Conference in Manchester

“ FOR WHATEVER REASON, MANY POLITICIANS HAVE ASSUMED THE IDEA OF A UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME IS UNPOPULAR. BUT WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS, WHEN IT’S EXPLAINED TO PEOPLE CORRECTLY THAT IT WOULD ENSURE SOCIAL SECURITY FOR HARDWORKING PEOPLE WITH AN ACCEPTABLE STANDARD OF LIVING, IT IS ACTUALLY A VERY POPULAR POLICY – ESPECIALLY IN THOSE PARTS OF THE COUNTRY TARGETED FOR LEVELLING UP.” PROFESSOR MATTHEW JOHNSON

The First Minister for Wales has endorsed research outlining the public health case for a Universal Basic Income (UBI), launched by a Professor of Politics at Northumbria University.

Professor Matthew Johnson gave the keynote academic speech at the Basic Income North conference held in Manchester to mark the publication of an interim research report backed by the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) and supported with a powerful foreword by Welsh First Minister, Mark Drakeford.

Professor Johnson, who is working with a number of research partners to compile a body of evidence on the impacts of a regular government-backed payment for all citizens, addressed the event alongside Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham and Baroness Natalie Bennett, former Leader of the Green Party.

In his foreword, Mr Drakeford outlines the trial launched by the Welsh Government in July to provide care leavers with a Basic Income, and says that he hopes the results “will support a national consensus that Basic Income has a central role to play in addressing inequality”.

Projections developed for the study named ‘Levelling the mental health gradient among young people: How Universal Basic Income can address the crisis in anxiety and depression’, suggest between £99m and

£160m could be saved every year in mental health support for 16 to 24-year-olds who would benefit from the introduction of a Universal Basic Income.

Other key findings outlined in the report demonstrate why a Universal Basic Income is both affordable and popular and could be used as a preventative public health strategy. It articulates how money can affect mental health and that trials, such as the Basic Income pilot in Wales, can be evaluated to further the understanding of the impact on mental health.

“It’s clear that increasing people’s income through the introduction of a Universal Basic Income would be an effective public health strategy,” said Professor Johnson.

“For whatever reason, many politicians have assumed the idea of a Universal Basic Income is unpopular. But what we have found is, when it’s explained to people correctly that it would ensure social security for hardworking people with an acceptable standard of living, it is actually a very popular policy – especially in those parts of the country targeted for Levelling Up.” The research, which began in August 2021 and was funded by the Wellcome Trust, serves as a pilot study for a much broader, long-term examination of the role of a Universal Basic Income as a public health measure.

Working alongside other researchers from the University

of York, the University of Bristol, the University of Oxford, the University of Liverpool, Newcastle University and Landman Economics, Northumbira has been involved in two further reports published by campaign group, Basic Income Conversation powered by Compass . ‘Tackling Poverty: the power of a universal basic income’, was released in May and ‘Winning the vote with a universal basic income: Evidence from the ‘red wall’, outlining the idea that a Universal Basic Income is a vote winner in traditional ‘red wall’ constituencies, was released in September.

All publications can be found on the project website, www.northumbria.ac.uk/UBI

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Northumbria expertise helps young entrepreneurs in Africa

SAM GUILLON, INTERNATIONAL SPORTS MANAGEMENT GRADUATE

Graduates support business growth ambitions across the region Businesses across the North East are enhancing their competitiveness with the help of Northumbria graduates as part of the Northumbria Enterprise and Business Support 2 (NEBS2) scheme.

The NEBS2 scheme offers financial assistance and expert advice to SMEs as a resul t of funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Through this scheme, Newcastle based creative marketing agency, O Communications have employed several graduate interns over the years.

International Sports Management graduate Sam Guillon, who joined the agency’s Consumer PR team, said: “Stepping into this role was a natural progression for me. I had always been interested in PR and had done a lot of research into sporting influencers as part of my university dissertation.

“Working for the Consumer

PR team presented me with the opportunity to explore this further, and so much beyond that. I gained experience in various areas including, influencer marketing, media outreach, content creation and event planning. Having not worked in the industry before, I was really motivated to get stuck in and eager to do a good job.

“I’m grateful for the skills and experience my internship has given me and would recommend all graduates looking to gain valuable insight into the industry they’re hoping to step into, to consider a similar role.”

Lauren Regan, Associate Director of O Communications said: “As an agency we believe in doing what

we can to drive careers forward, which drew us to NEBS2. We have employed a few graduate interns through the scheme and each one has brought real value to the company. Having Sam on board, brings a new set of ideas and creates the space for us to win new clients.

“NEBS2 has given us that extra bit of support, which we needed in order to continue growing at such a fast pace. Northumbria has always provided us with high quality graduates, who are brilliant additions to the team and Sam has been exceptional. So much so that we are delighted to have offered him a permanent position on the team.”

“NEBS2 HAS GIVEN US THAT EXTRA BIT OF SUPPORT, WHICH WE NEEDED IN ORDER TO CONTINUE GROWING AT SUCH A FAST PACE. NORTHUMBRIA HAS ALWAYS PROVIDED US WITH HIGH QUALITY GRADUATES, WHO ARE BRILLIANT ADDITIONS TO THE TEAM AND SAM HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONAL.”

For more information on NEBS2 and for businesses who are looking at ways to recruit highly skilled interns, please visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/NEBS

LAUREN REGAN, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF O COMMUNICATIONS

www.northumbria.ac.uk/business

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Academics from Northumbria’s Newcastle Business School are working with The British Council on a project to support graduate entrepreneurs in Kenya.

While there is no shortage of entrepreneurial spirit among young people in Kenya, many new enterprises fail in the first three years because young entrepreneurs lack the skills needed to sustain a successful business beyond the start-up phase. In response to this, The British Council has established the Innovation for African Universities (IAU) programme – a new partnership between The Technical University of Kenya, Kenyatta University, Northumbria University and the Entrepreneurship Educators Foundation for East Africa, aimed at supporting young Kenyan entrepreneurs.

Northumbria is internationally recognised for the quality of its entrepreneurial teaching and support, and academics from the University will now share their knowledge of how young businesses can survive and grow through an online portal for Kenyan entrepreneurs. Dr Alison Pearce, from Newcastle Business School, says the portal will be a hub of practical advice, case studies and access to mentors rooted in the experiences of successful Kenyan businesses, adding: “In particular, it will help ensure access to support for people in rural areas of Kenya.

We are also very conscious not to take examples from the UK and other parts of the world and transplant them directly into Kenya.”

Duncan Ochieng of the Entrepreneurship Educators Foundation, Eastern Africa – the organisation responsible for building the online portal, commented: “When entrepreneurs come in at incubation, they are on their own or a partnership of two people, but when they scale up their businesses, they will have created job opportunities. That success can be replicated in different environments and have a big impact on entrepreneurial development.”

To find out more about the British Council IAU programme visit: www.britishcouncil.org

“WHEN ENTREPRENEURS COME IN AT INCUBATION, THEY ARE ON THEIR OWN OR A PARTNERSHIP OF TWO PEOPLE, BUT WHEN THEY SCALE UP THEIR BUSINESSES, THEY WILL HAVE CREATED JOB OPPORTUNITIES.” DUNCAN OCHIENG OF THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATORS FOUNDATION

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Northumbria University NEWS • Autumn 2022

Technology and traditional craft combine to highlight women’s safety Greater transparency in technology use could increase public trust in policing

“THESE SISTER QUILTS EXIST TO SUPPORT SOLIDARITY AMONG WOMEN IN TWO CITIES THAT ARE THOUSANDS OF MILES APART.” DR ÖZGE SUBASI

The UK Government is currently piloting an Algorithmic Transparency Standard to help public sector organisations, such as police forces, provide clear information about the algorithmic tools they use, and why they are using them. New research shows that adopting the Standard could bring significant benefits to policing, such as improved public confidence and the opportunity to share best practice among police forces.

Led by Northumbria University Associate Professor Dr Marion Oswald, MBE, the research explores the implications for police forces of participation in the Government’s new Algorithmic Transparency Standard. The aim of the Standard is to ‘promote trustworthy innovation by providing better visibility of the use of algorithms across the public sector and enabling unintended consequences to be mitigated early on’.

Based on interviews with police personnel and representatives of commercial providers, the study was conducted in parallel to the piloting of the Standard by the Cabinet Office and the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation.

Interviewees generally thought that the rewards for the police of a carefully tailored Standard, implemented at the right stage of algorithmic development, outweighed the potential risks.

Dr Oswald, said: “Transparency has not traditionally been associated with policing technology, for understandable reasons, but this is changing.

Our interviewees – both from policing and the commercial sector – recognised how transparency can bring rewards.

It can enable the public to understand more about how the police are using technology and the reasons for this.

It can also enable the police themselves to learn from each other and improve what they are doing.”

The report concludes that in order to help improve the quality of policing technology, the Standard should be linked to other oversight processes and promotion of best practice on a national basis, enabling police forces to learn from each other. Without this strategic approach to its use, the Standard may come to be regarded as an administrative burden rather than a benefit for policing.

The research recognises the confidentiality concerns around policing contexts, where revealing technical details could fuel criminal activity. According to the report, these concerns could be mitigated in a number of ways including a non-public version of the Standard for sensitive applications and tools, which would be available to bodies with an independent oversight function The full report ‘The UK Algorithmic Transparency Standard: A Qualitative Analysis of Police Perspectives’ is available to read on the open-access online pre-print community, SSRN.

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An intercontinental project is using traditional crafting techniques and the latest technology to explore the international issue of women’s safety.

Dr Angelika Strohmayer, Assistant Professor at Northumbria School of Design and Programme Leader for the BA (Hons) in Interaction Design, is collaborating on the project with Dr Özge Subasi, director of Futurewell Research Group at the Department of Media and Visual Arts at Istanbul’s Koc University, to explore women’s safety.

The partnership resulted in the creation of two ‘sister quilts’, featuring symbols, words and shapes inspired by resistance against poverty, threats to women’s safety and the rupturing of traditional gender roles. A series of patchwork squares were created during live and online sessions which were held at Northumbria Campus and in Turkey, as part of the Istanbul Women of the World Festival. During the Newcastle workshops, discussions covered childhood and growing up,

childcare, accessibility of cities for disabled people and cyclists, and systematic oppressions.

Meanwhile, in Istanbul, patches were embroidered by individuals from a non-government organisation (NGO) supporting blind people, women cyclist activists, personnel from NGOs combatting migrant food poverty, and others.

Dr Strohmayer explained that they used technology to ensure this globally important topic could be explored multiculturally: “These quilts, one of which will remain in Newcastle and the other in Istanbul, will be digitally connected through Augmented Reality markers, virtually linking the stories stitched into them.” Dr Özge Subasi added: “These sister quilts exist to support solidarity among women in two cities that are thousands of miles apart.”

Textile artists in Turkey

and members of the public including support workers and charity representatives, have all contributed towards ‘Embroidering Protection’. Sevra Davis, Director of Architecture Design and Fashion at the British Council, stated: “We are proud to support the ‘Embroidering Protection’ project, which demonstrates how craft, collaboration, community and technology can come together to address one of today’s most pressing issues; women’s safety.”

To find out more about ‘Embroidering Protection’ visit www.northumbria.design/ projects/embroideringprotection/

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Northumbria research combats counterfeit crime Northumbria University academic Professor Xuemei Bian has been awarded almost £80,000 by the British Academy to research the growing influence of social media on counterfeit crime.

In collaboration with the UK Intellectual Property Office, the funding is being used by Professor Bian to deliver a research project entitled Trademark Infringement and Social Media - A Collaborative Approach. As part of the project, Professor Bian also organised a symposium at Northumbria exploring how research in this area is enabling a greater sharing of knowledge and fostering

collaboration opportunities between government officials, eminent scientists and researchers and business practitioners.

According to the International Anti-counterfeiting Coalition, counterfeiting, by definition, is a crime involving the theft of someone’s registered trademark.

Counterfeit, or fake, products are characterised as those bearing a trademark that is identical or

indistinguishable from genuine trademarked goods. Counterfeiting is considered a serious crime that can discourage innovation, reduce consumer confidence and destroy brand reputations. Counterfeiting can also cause economic damage through a loss of revenue, increased costs and impact on jobs. Furthermore, it can threaten consumer health and safety, and lower global welfare.

“ALMOST 60,000 ACTIVE ACCOUNTS PROMOTING COUNTERFEITS WERE DISCOVERED ON INSTAGRAM IN 2019, AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 171% COMPARED TO THREE YEARS PRIOR.” PROFESSOR XUEMEI BIAN Professor Bian, from Northumbria’s Newcastle Business School, said various anti-counterfeiting measures, including diligent litigation, are often implemented to combat counterfeiting, but added: “Nevertheless, it continues to thrive, fuelled by the increasing volume of counterfeits on social media platforms. Almost 60,000 active accounts promoting counterfeits were discovered on Instagram in 2019, an increase of more than 171 per cent compared to three years prior. With 45 per cent of the world’s population now active social media users who would be likely to make purchases from social media networks, counterfeits on social media platforms pose a greater risk than ever. This is therefore a hugely important research area, and I was delighted to receive the grant from an organisation as prestigious as the British Academy.”

Professor Bian’s symposium earlier this year attracted key speakers, including fellow academics, legal experts, trading

standards and other professional bodies, businesses, and research centres such as the Anticounterfeiting Centre for Product Protection (USA). It was used to stimulate debate and encourage wider collaboration in advance of future workshops where findings from the research will be revealed and disseminated.

The British Academy is the UK’s national academy for the humanities and social sciences. It invests in researchers and projects across the UK and overseas to gain new insights, engage the public with fresh thinking and debates, and bring together scholars, government, business and civil society to influence policy for the benefit of everyone.

For more information on research at Northumbria please visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/research

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Autumn 2022 • northumbria.ac.uk

Issue 27

L-R: BECKY LANGLEY, GRACE BOYES, GRACE DONNELLY AND LAUREN ROBSON OF NEWCASTLE UNITED WOMEN WITH CO-OWNER OF NUFC, AMANDA STAVELEY

As interest in women’s football surges following the England Lionesses victory against Germany in the Euro 2022 final, Northumbria University is playing an active role in supporting female athletes both on and off the pitch.

For more than three years, Head of Women’s Football at Northumbria, Becky Langley, has helped a number of talented female students secure their positions playing for regional football clubs such as Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Newcastle United. Becky’s success in leading the women’s football programme at Northumbria has been so notable that she has now been selected to manage Newcastle United Women (NUW) full-time. Newcastle United Football Club announced in August that the women’s team was under ownership of the Club for the first time in its history, after a formal restructuring.

Becky told Northumbria University News: “I think the beauty of Northumbria is that there are a lot of different sport-specific courses which link very well into the playing side and the coaching side of women’s football, and

that kind of education will enrich the players even more in terms of understanding what goes on behind the scenes to make athletes perform at their best. I would urge people to come to Northumbria because you have the opportunity to train like a full-time athlete, while also getting a world-class education.”

Going on to speak about her own footballing success with the NUW team, Becky said: “We’ll have an emerging talent system that will create a legacy in the North East, giving girls in the region a welldefined pathway, with the chance to enjoy playing first and foremost, as well as an opportunity to develop within the club.”

Grace Donnelly, a Northumbria alumna who is one of nine current and former students that now play for NUW, has been made team captain for the 22/23 season after being signed by the Club during

Football success hits fever pitch her second year of study. Grace played football during college and continued her development while studying at Northumbria, where she became the students’ Sport President.

Describing her journey to becoming a professional player, Grace said: “Northumbria is a brilliant choice of university and is up there as one of the best in the country for women’s football. The wraparound service of sport physiotherapy, nutrition, psychology and analytics gives students an amazing

opportunity to see what competitive football is really about.”

Another star of NUW is current student, Kacie Wordingham, who has been selected for the Football Association (FA) Women’s Leadership Programme.

Participants are given the chance to develop their skills, confidence, and professional networks through a series of workshops, residential days and networking events delivered at St George’s Park National Football Centre in Staffordshire.

Only 12 positions are offered from applications across the UK. Northumbria’s contribution to football in the region is also supported by a number of investments, including a new synthetic 3G pitch which was completed in September. The main floodlit grass pitch with 176 seats at Coach Lane Sports Centre, Newcastle, has been converted into a 3G multisport pitch which can be used for football matches as well as rugby union and league, American football, and lacrosse.

For more information about Northumbria’s sport facilities and study options visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/sport

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