Minerva | June 2019

SUMMER 2019

Minerva LINCOLN ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Building a Medical School for Lincolnshire The latest update on this exciting new development

Campus Spotlight

Discover more about some of our most striking buildings

CHRIS RANKIN: A LIFE IN FILM Lincoln alumnus talks Harry Potter and TomSka

2 Minerva | Summer 2019

W

elcome to the first edition of Minerva, the new magazine for alumni and friends of the University of Lincoln.

The magazine takes its name from the Roman goddess of wisdom, whose image served as the University’s original logo, and after whom the main University building is named. We hope all alumni those who studied some time ago, as well as those who graduated more recently - will enjoy this new way to reconnect with your University and find out about its plans for the future.

And what an exciting future lies ahead!

We have come a long way since the first building (the Minerva Building) opened on the Brayford in 1996, and since we became the University of Lincoln in 2001. Who would have imagined, just 20 years ago, that we would today be one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic universities in the country? That we would outrank some of the country’s most prestigious universities (with the outstanding news that Lincoln has reached 17th in the 2020 Guardian University Guide)? That we would be on the brink of opening our own Medical School (the original criterion for membership of the Russell Group)? Or that we would be recognised throughout the UK and around the world as a thought-leader for 21stcentury higher education?

These remarkable achievements are a great testament to you, the alumni and friends of the University of Lincoln and its predecessor institutions. Your hard work

and success have been the bedrock of the University’s success. We are hugely proud of everything that you have achieved - and continue to achieve - and we hope that you are just as proud of your University.

In this and future issues of Minerva, we look forward to sharing with you the latest developments in the University’s evolution, its future plans, and of course the amazing stories of your fellow alumni.

Please tell us what you like, what you don’t, what you’d like to see more of, and any ideas you have for future editions.

This is your magazine!

And please keep in touch with your University: tell us about your achievements, take advantage of your alumni benefits, come back and visit any time. We would love to welcome you back on campus.

Deputy Vice Chancellor Toby Wilkinson

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR As a University of Lincoln alumnus myself, it has been a really rewarding experience pulling together these stories from other staff, students and fellow alumni.

I hope you enjoy reading about all of the exciting things going on at the University and finding out more about what your fellow alumni are doing now.

I’d like to express my thanks to everyone who has given their time and stories for the magazine. If you would like to update us on what you have been doing since graduating, please get in touch at alumni@lincoln.ac.uk Alistair Berry, PR and Internal Communications Officer University of Lincoln

University of Lincoln Alumni Magazine 3

6 RAF Photographer, Hannah Smoker

9 Women in STEM

11

IN MY OWN WORDS

Ben Lewis – My Placement Year Experience 11

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Success Stories 15 N E W S O N CAMPUS

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Chris Rankin - A Life in Film

8

17 S T U D E N T L I F E AT L I N C O L N

Imogen Napper

10

Postgraduate Study at Lincoln International Business School

18

Medical School Dr Craig Marsh

Campus Spotlight

16

4

S TA F F S P O T L I G H T

7

A Beam of Hope for Cancer Patients

Diane Dubois

Meet Lindsey: She’ll Be Your Guide Today

12 Events

17

ALUMNI ENTREPRENEURS

14 Graduate Start-ups at Sparkhouse

New International Journalism MA

Carol Ann Duffy

4 Minerva | Spring Summer 2019

Campus Spotlight Over the last few years a number of buildings on the Brayford Campus have been renamed to reflect the history of Lincolnshire. In each issue we will take a closer look at some of our buildings, their history and how they have evolved with the University of Lincoln.

NICOLA DE LA HAYE AND PETER DE WINT Built in two halves, the interconnected Nicola de la Haye and Peter de Wint buildings are among the most striking on

campus. The original Architecture building was designed by world-renowned architect Rick Mather and was voted Britain’s best new building in 2003 by The Times.

The next phase was built in 2013, and the two buildings became known as Art, Architecture and Design (AAD) East and West. They became the home to a number of programmes including Fine Art, Graphic Design, Fashion and Illustration, as well as the Architecture programme which was already housed there.

College of Arts Director of Education Gyles Lingwood said: “Staff and students from each of the art and design disciplines were consulted and involved in the

creation of the new building. If you explore you will find that the spaces for each programme are unique and are discipline appropriate. For example, the Creative Advertising spaces feel like an ad agency and the Illustration spaces feel like a professional illustration studio.

“We’ve successfully established a vibrant creative community and studios that reflect the many different working practices of the creative industries. By having such a rich and varied creative community, we have lots of opportunities for collaboration. You have so many different disciplines as you walk through the building, you can’t help but be influenced and inspired by the wide variety of creative things going on.”

First floor of Peter de Wint building during construction, with what is now the Graphic Design studio on the left and Conservation labs on the right.

University of Lincoln Alumni Magazine 5

Campus Timeline

1950s

In 2017, the western half of the building (known as AAD West), was renamed after Nicola de la Haye, who was dubbed “Sheriff of Lincolnshire” by King John in 1216 after her critical role protecting the city during the First Barons’ War. She inherited the position of Constable of Lincoln Castle from her father Richard de la Haye, who was a minor Lincolnshire Lord.

The eastern half (previously known as

AAD East) was renamed after Peter de Wint a watercolour painter, best known for his romantic depictions of landscapes.

Gyles said: “The buildings are a fantastic statement piece for the University. They are highly visible, and a great example of modern architecture in Lincoln.”

1995

Alex Foxley-Johnson Estates Communications Officer University of Lincoln

2000

2007

2018

6 Minerva | Summer 2019

Women in STEM More women are exploring STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects than ever before.

According to campaign group WISE, the UK is on track to reach a target of one million women in science and engineering careers by 2020. In this feature, Professor Libby John, Pro Vice Chancellor for Science and Engineering at Lincoln, discusses what the University of Lincoln is doing to tackle the gender imbalance in science.

“In the Life Sciences at Lincoln we find there are usually 50 per cent or more women on undergraduate programmes.

For Medicine later this year we anticipate half or more of the students will be women. However other subjects like Maths, Physics and Engineering continue to be much more male dominated.”

So why is there such an imbalance in certain subjects? Some of the causes could be the culture around subjects, unconscious bias and attitudes around particular disciplines and a lack of role models.

“People have preconceived ideas about what a computer programmer or an engineer looks like, and it can make them feel like a subject isn’t for them or that they wouldn’t fit in. However, we need to be encouraging girls and young women to see that they too can develop the skills and make a difference in these areas, and to provide the environment and support to help all sorts of different people thrive.

“Promoting role models is one thing we can do that is really important. They can help remove cultural barriers around subjects.

One of the things we have done at Lincoln

is rename what was previously known as the Science Building to the Janet LaneClaypon Building. She was a hidden role model, a pioneer in her field of medical science who had almost been forgotten.”

Janet Lane-Claypon, who was born in Boston in Lincolnshire, was one of the founders of epidemiology. She pioneered the use of both cohort and casecontrolled studies.

The University also offers a longrunning lecture series titled ‘Be Inspired!’ which offers thought provoking talks by successful figures who are underrepresented in their field. It is organised by the Eleanor Glanville Centre, which was created to research diversity issues and promote inclusion and equality.

Among their numerous projects, the Eleanor Glanville Centre oversees the Athena SWAN Charter which the University of Lincoln signed in 2008. In 2014, the University was awarded an Athena SWAN Bronze award, which highlights a commitment to advancing women’s careers in STEM academia.

The Newton Academy was created in 2014 as part of the Athena SWAN project. It delivers a series of Saturday morning science and technology-themed workshops to take girls aged 10-14 on a scientific voyage of discovery over a three-year period. The Academy introduces the Newton Girls to a wide range of science and technology subjects – from chemistry and bioscience, to mechanical and civil engineering, computer programming and mathematics. They take part in projects that develop their confidence, their

enthusiasm for STEM, and essential problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

Professor Belinda Colston who leads the Eleanor Glanville Centre said: “The last year has been fantastic. We completed our second three-year cycle and held our second Graduation, with special guest speaker Emily Cummins, inventor and engineer, giving the girls a glimpse of how exciting STEM careers can be. We hope we have made a difference, that they continue to explore the science around them, and above all, we hope that they will become the scientists and engineers of the future.”

Over the last ten years, the College of Science has transformed with the creation of new Schools including Chemistry, Maths and Physics, Geography and Pharmacy and the School of Engineering in partnership with Siemens – a STEM industry leader – and in the last year the establishment of the new Lincoln Medical School.

These investments in STEM have coincided with a growing recognition of the strategic importance of these skills for the region and the country, and for solving major societal problems like climate change. Ensuring women are not deterred from entering STEM careers in their university choices is therefore a vital step not just for gender equality, but also for economic and societal success.

University of Lincoln Alumni Magazine 7

Beam of Hope for Cancer Patients

Meet Lindsey: She’ll Be Your Guide Today A robot tour guide developed by robotics experts at the University of Lincoln is showing visitors around The Collection museum.

autonomously around humans, and build upon outcomes of the collaborative EU-funded £7.2 million STRANDS project which created the technologies

Standing 5ft 2ins tall and equipped with sensors and cameras, Lindsey finds the best routes around the museum, pausing at exhibits to offer facts and take basic questions from visitors. Her functionality will develop over the three-year project as she learns new behaviours and trends from the people she interacts with.

for mobile robots that are able to operate autonomously around people. The project is the beginning of a longterm partnership between Lincolnshire County Council and the University of Lincoln to advance robotics technology to support education of the public and help people to engage with the latest digital advances.

In the UK alone, one in two people will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime, making cancer one of the most pressing health issues facing our society.

Of the hundreds of thousands of people that receive cancer treatment each year in the UK, around 40 per cent will receive radiotherapy as part of their curative treatment, the majority of which is delivered using high energy x-ray beams. While these treatments are largely effective at treating a range of different cancers, the resulting side effects can have a significant impact on a patient’s quality of life afterwards.

Innovative new treatments like Proton Image caption lorem ipsum Beam Therapy are improving the outlook for patients by targeting tumours more precisely and minimising side effects, however, refining the accuracy of these treatments and how they are planned is the next step in making these therapies more widely available.

This is where ground-breaking research at the University of Lincoln’s School of Engineering is focused. Led by Professor Nigel Allinson MBE, the £3.25 million Optimising Proton Therapy Through Imaging (OPTIma) project, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, uses the same proton beams that are used to treat cancers in a medical imaging system.

The technology creates three dimensional images of a patient’s anatomy, allowing radiographers to more accurately plan optimal treatments for each patient. This enhanced planning can also reduce the dosage of radiation required and more closely target hard to reach cancers in areas such as the head, neck or spine and tumours close to vital organs.

Lindsey is the latest in a family of robots developed by the Lincoln Centre for Autonomous Systems, with others working in warehouses, on farms, and care homes.

The robot employs the latest Artificial Intelligence and robotics technologies, advanced in research projects by the specialists at the University’s School of Computer Science.

They have programmed the robot to navigate the museum on its own and recharge itself, accounting for potential obstacles such as people, exhibits and bags left on the floor, while learning from interactions to develop a better understanding of what visitors are interested in.

These advances are part of a wider project to develop robots which can operate

Professor of Intelligent Robotics & Interactive Systems at the University of Lincoln, Marc Hanheide, who is leading the project commented: “Despite all the progress in robotics research in the past years, taking a robot out of the lab and ‘into the wild’ of public space like The Collection museum is still a most challenging endeavour.

“Lindsey will operate entirely autonomously and navigate the gallery on its own. We hope to learn a lot about the requirements for robots engaging with the public and the specific ways visitors are interacting with the robot.

It helps us tremendously to further develop the long-term autonomy and adaptation of our AI-enabled robots.”

You can keep up to date with Lindsey on Twitter.

8 Minerva | Summer 2019

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Chris Rankin - A Life in Film Lincoln alumnus Chris Rankin is best known for playing Percy Weasley in the Harry Potter films. In 2008 he came to the University of Lincoln to study Media Production and pursue a career behind the camera.

Having filmed on the Harry Potter films since he was a teenager, Chris began his degree at 24.

“When I was 18, I was a little bit busy with Potter, so it wasn’t really possible for me to go to uni. I did a little bit on the fifth Potter film and then I wasn’t in the sixth, so I assumed I could probably get on with my life - which turned out not to be accurate because halfway through my second year they decided they wanted me to come back and film for The Deathly Hallows.

“Studying Media Production there’s obviously quite a large aspect of practical team work involved in that, which was tricky to balance with filming in London.

But I was really lucky I had a very supportive group of friends I was working with who were very patient with me. I did quite a lot of catching up along the way in third year.”

He was studying at the same time as another notable alumnus, Thomas Ridgewell – better known as TomSka. “We were in the same year at uni and we did a first year project together, a film called LifeHack which I produced and Tom directed – he’s still got it up on his YouTube channel and it’s got something ridiculous like three million views. Back then Tom was very much ahead of the game because I don’t think any of us really

grasped the capabilities of YouTube apart from a few, and he was one of them.

After graduating in 2011 Chris worked in a number of production roles on shows such as Atlantis and Downton Abbey.

“

“I worked on The future is Da Vinci’s Demons for BBC looking fun at Worldwide and this stage. then I went onto another BBC show Atlantis which was filmed in South Wales, I was production secretary on the first season and then assistant production coordinator on the next. Then I went straight onto working on a show for FOX called The Bastard Executioner which was created by Kurt Sutter who did Sons of Anarchy.

”

University of Lincoln Alumni Magazine 9

RAF Photographer, Hannah Smoker

Alumna Hannah Smoker graduated from Lincoln’s Media Production course in 2010 and was unsure of what her next steps would be. After travelling through New Zealand, Australia and Fiji, she learned through friends about an opportunity to become a photographer in the Royal Air Force.

Then after that I got called down to London to work on the last season of Downton Abbey. It’s been busy!”

He has recently joined YouTube himself, creating a variety of videos including vlogs, music and Q&As. “It’s a fun and enjoyable way for me to be creative without too much pressure.

“The future is looking fun at this stage. I’m loving the variety of work that is coming my way, from pantomime to audio drama, to directing, producing, blog and essay writing and now creating content for YouTube - it keeps my days unpredictable and I thoroughly enjoy the adventures!”

“Within six months of applying I’d joined up and I went through basic training. After 10 weeks at RAF Halton, we then do specific trade training, so I did seven months photography training.”

You can keep up to date with Chris on his YouTube channel That Ginger Bloke.

She has been in the RAF for the last five years, but for the last two has been working with the Red Arrows.

“The whole of my five years have been amazing, even doing basic training. My mum said I’d never be able to do it because I don’t like being told what to do, but it’s not like that at all!”

In 2017, Hannah got to fly in the back of Red 10 during the team’s summer tour of Europe and the Middle East. “All summer I got to fly around in the jet.

We would land at an airport and we would get in a helicopter to go to a display site, so my transport for the summer was a Red Arrow and a helicopter!

“The experiences I’ve had have been amazing. I was at Marham before in Norfolk and the Queen is an Honourary Air Commodore for RAF Marham. She visits every two years so I got to photograph the Queen and speak with her.“ The Red Arrows are embarking on a tour to North America at the end of July and Hannah will celebrate her 30th birthday the day before the New York Air Show. “It’s an amazing job, I absolutely love it. Best career decision I’ve ever made!”

10 Minerva | Spring Summer 2019

Postgraduate Study at Lincoln International Business School

The University of Lincoln International Business School offers a variety of postgraduate taught programmes designed to help give graduates a competitive advantage in the jobs market. Work placements, professional practice, and industry speakers combine the benefits of academic expertise with industry experience.

Dr Craig Marsh became Pro Vice Chancellor for International Partnerships and Director of Lincoln International Business School in 2016. He discusses his vision for the business school and what postgraduate study can offer.

“A big part of what we’ve been doing as a school over the last two years is developing what I call the business to business activity of the school. For example we have LIBS Connect where three or four times a year we organise events with our local business leaders and our students, to come and discuss a topic of interest to business. At the last event we were talking about international trade, so we had a series of presentations from practitioners on the topic, and we will usually also have an academic presentation.

“It’s about the ability of the College to make those close relationships with industry that students then also benefit from. ” “It’s all about networking and the ability of the College to make those close relationships with industry that students then also benefit from. We work at those relationships to provide opportunities for students to go and work with or spend time with real businesses.”

Postgraduate courses at Lincoln International Business School are designed to complement degrees attained at undergraduate level. “Over the course of the three or four years that you’re doing your undergraduate studies, you start to become a lot more focussed on the first part of the career that you may be interested in. That’s where a postgraduate programme at the business school can be an interesting possibility.

“You’re in a very competitive marketplace as a graduate. Having that kind of conversion from your undergraduate studies into a postgraduate, it makes you stand out.”

University of Lincoln Alumni Magazine 11 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Alumni Success Showcase

IN YOUR OWN WORDS

Ben Lewis – My Work Placement Year

Imogen Napper, MSc Biotechnology, 2014, Sky Ocean Rescue Scholar Imogen is currently a Sky Ocean Rescue Scholar and a National Geographic Explorer, with her research pushing behavioural change to prevent more plastic finding its way into the world’s oceans. Outraged with the polluted beaches she witnessed on the Surf Society trips during her undergraduate degree, Imogen was determined to help drive environmental change. Imogen has presented her research internationally at conferences and has received significant media attention across major newspapers and TV networks.

Dan Sam, BA (Hons) Accountancy and Finance, 2012, Junior Banker Lincoln graduate and former President of the Students Union, Dan Sam, is enjoying a successful career at leading commercial bank, Santander UK. As a Junior Banker supporting FTSE 100/250 businesses within the Aviation, Business Services and Transport perimeter, he effectively comes up with practical solutions to business needs by utilising the banks extensive expertise.

‌ ivek Sharma, BA V (Hons) Journalism, 2001, Head of Features on ITV’s This Morning.

Vivek Sharma is Head of Features on ITV’s This Morning. He was previously the Assistant Editor on the ITV Breakfast show Good Morning Britain and has spent 15 years producing live TV shows from running the features department on Lorraine to series editing Channel 5’s The Wright Stuff. He has covered stories across the globe for Sky News and ITN.

Third-year public relations student Ben Lewis discusses his time at the University of Lincoln and how undertaking a placement year has helped him develop.

“During my studies, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to do a paid placement year as part of my degree.

“Completing a placement year was something I always had in mind, but I was never sure where I wanted to do it, what industry to do it in, or whether I would be successful in finding a placement at all. After many discussions with my parents, friends and lecturers, I decided to pursue an industry which I always passionately followed and knew much about - the automotive industry.

“In summer 2017, after a series of interviews and tests, I was offered the position of Communications Intern at Bentley Motors. After an extremely successful nine months at Bentley, I worked a further two months at an automotive PR agency in London, called Influence Associates.

“For me, a placement year was incredibly beneficial, not just to my studies, but also my career. I was able to establish a wide network of contacts in the industry, from public relations

experts, to journalists and photographers, which I can use in my future career. I was also able to collect data and interviews for my dissertation that I would not have otherwise been able to attain.

“Beyond this, I learned so much and gained invaluable information and advice from industry professionals. I have also received multiple job offers from companies before I have even graduated.

“I don’t feel I would have been successful in receiving the placement year position at Bentley, if it wasn’t for the University of Lincoln.

Volunteering twice a week as a co-presenter on Siren Radio allowed me to hone my communications skills and boost my confidence.

“In addition to this, volunteering with Cygnet PR, a student-led PR agency, allowed me to develop key public relations skills and learn how to successfully operate with real-world clients.

“Finally, having lecturers who have worked in the PR industry for decades, meant I could learn skills and obtain advice from specialists, which not only benefited my placement year, but will no doubt benefit my future career after I graduate.”

12 Minerva | Summer 2019

Events First Thursday Club First Thursday Club is an informal alumni networking event to catch up with old friends and make new connections. The event is held on the first Thursday of each month normally at the Student Union Tower Bar. For more information or to book onto an event, please visit: www.lincoln.ac.uk/alumni

Great Lives The University of Lincoln’s flagship Great Lives lecture series connects audiences with inspiring public figures from the worlds of business, sport, politics, science, and the arts. It returns in 2019 with an exciting line-up of guest speakers.

Alumni of the University of Lincoln are eligible for exclusive priority booking at Great Lives lectures.

Please contact the Alumni Office to register your interest in an event.

Admission is free but prior booking is essential. For more information, or to book your place, please visit our website at www.lincoln.ac.uk/events To see some of our previous Great Lives speakers please visit: www.lincoln.ac.uk/greatlives

Dame Carol Ann Duffy This summer, the University is honoured to welcome back Visiting Artist Dame Carol Ann Duffy to delight audiences once again following her ten-year tenure as Poet Laureate. ÂŁ Free

14 June, 6pm

Isaac Newton Building

University of Lincoln Alumni Magazine 13

Public Lectures The University also hosts a variety of free public lectures throughout the year on topics spanning the arts, science, social science, and business. For more information and to book your place, please visit our website www.lincoln.ac.uk/events

Inaugural Lecture Series - Professor Mark Macklin: The Rivers of Humankind The Lincoln Institute for Advanced Studies presents Professor Mark Macklin, Head of the School of Geography at the University of Lincoln, for his inaugural lecture exploring the defining role rivers have played and undoubtedly will continue to play in the global development of human society and culture. £ Free

10 July, 6pm

Minerva Building

Festival of Creativity Honorary graduate Robert Webb gave the keynote address at the third annual Lincoln Festival of Creativity, which was held from the 28th of May until the 7th of June this year. Curated through the strapline ‘Engage-Explore-Imagine’ the 2-week Festival hosted more than 20 degree shows including 2D and 3D design, digital and traditional media, photo, film, audio, art and performance.

The event was sponsored by Adobe for the first time this year and, in addition to the degree shows, featured 19 talks, workshops and debates to encourage crossdiscipline collaboration. Robert Webb, who received an honorary doctorate from the University of Lincoln in 2018, discussed how to have a successful portfolio career in the creative industries.

College of Arts Director of Education Gyles Lingwood said: “This year’s festival has been amazing, we had over 2,000 visitors to all the exhibitions and events and it really did create a strong sense of community bringing everyone onto the campus whether it was the public, guests, students, friends and family to celebrate these students work. It also sparked a really fascinating conversation about what creativity means to different people.

“I’m really pleased that Lincoln International Business School as well as the Colleges of Science and Social Science have joined us for the first time this year, running events which demonstrated and celebrated that creativity is not just the preserve of the College of Arts.”

Find out more at www.lincolnfestivalofcreativity.co.uk

@festcreativity

festivalofcreativity

14 Minerva | Summer 2019

ALUMNI ENTREPRENEURS

Sparkhouse provides students and alumni with an award-winning business support centre based on campus. They offer workshops, mentoring, training and access to specialist support. Established in 2003, they have supported more than 230 new businesses and helped to create more than 370 jobs.

Market inn

TapKit

Graduate Start-ups at Sparkhouse

Amy Wallis graduated from her Advertising and Marketing degree in 2016. While achieving her degree, Amy worked for Washingborough Hall Hotel, gaining experience within the hospitality industry, and after finishing her studies worked for an internet marketing company. In 2017 she combined her passions, knowledge and experience to start the marketing agency, Market inn Ltd, serving the marketing needs of hospitality businesses.

Amy said: “Working for Washingborough Hall really sparked my interest in the hospitality industry. I combined my two passions, along with my qualifications and experience to set up Market inn and have never looked back since.”

Will De Ath and Chris Burns began their journey by setting up a digital loyalty app in May 2017, shortly after their last exam.

Both computer science graduates, they first began working from their student accommodation.

After selling that business, they decided to focus on using contactless technology for other marketing purposes. In 2018 they created TapKit, moving into Sparkhouse in June. Founder Will De Ath said: “We make interactive mobile experiences

accessed through contactless technology points on products. It works using the same technology as Apple Pay, and they can access a dynamic mobile experience which is interactive.”

Their first pilot scheme launched earlier this year with Lincoln Gin, a local gin company. Customers can tap their phone onto a point on the bottle of gin to open an interactive cocktail maker experience on their phone.

The business started as a virtual tenant at Sparkhouse, which allows the use of meeting rooms and support without the need for permanent office space. In June last year Amy moved into physical office space at Sparkhouse. Amy said: “When you’re by yourself trying to start a business, it’s nice to be surrounded by like-minded people who are in the same boat. It helps with moral support, definitely.”

Market inn has since taken on a number of clients and has hired their first team member, another University of Lincoln graduate who joined last year as a Digital Marketer, Harry Poderskis. Later this year Market inn will be exhibiting at the Hotel 360 at ExCel London, as well as delivering a presentation. Alongside several trips to London, the company is flying to New York with a client – moving towards its pursuit to take Market inn global.

Probably Rational

Computer science graduates Adam Linscott and Zachary Claret-Scott started Probably Rational in their second year while studying Computer Science at Lincoln. After graduating in 2017 they moved into Sparkhouse and entered the Swans Den competition, successfully winning £5,000 of funding.

Adam said: “We’ve grown since then, we’ve moved to a larger office and taken

on three part-time staff members who are students at the University. We’ve also taken on Tom Lock as a director, and he will be joining us full time once he finishes his dissertation.”

Having begun developing mobile apps and tools they have since moved into creating work for clients, including mobile games and a social network.

University of Lincoln Alumni Magazine 15

News from Campus

Elliot Hawkins

University of Lincoln Success at Royal Television Society Awards The University of Lincoln enjoyed a huge success at the Royal Television Society Midlands Student Awards 2019, with winners in four categories.

They include Journalism graduate Elliot Hawkins who won the News award for his documentary Horse Racing’s Gender Divide: The Final Hurdle.

Elliot, who now works as a multimedia journalist at Essex Live, said: “Just to be nominated for an RTS Award was a huge honour, let alone to win it. Gender inequality in horse racing is such an important issue, not just to me but to thousands. To know I’ve been commended for a piece of work that addresses that issue is incredibly humbling.”

Following his success at the regional awards, Elliot has now been nominated for a national RTS Student Television Award. The national winners will be announced at a ceremony on the 28th of June at the BFI Southbank in London, hosted by Radio 1 presenters Matt Edmondson and Mollie King.

Ashton Hinton

Natasha Ireton Bourke

Student Wins Hello Lincoln Prize

Women in Sports Media Conference

For the second year running, Lincoln Illustration students have worked with The Bailgate Independent to design the front cover of the Hello Lincoln What’s On Guide. Working under the theme of ‘The Circus Comes to Lincoln’ each student worked to produce a front cover and all 40 were exhibited at The Collection museum in the city where the public were invited to vote for their favourite.

The School of English and Journalism held the Women in Sports Media Conference earlier this year, giving local sixth form students the chance to discover careers in the sports media industry.

The winning design was created by Ashton Hinton who received a prize from competition sponsors Bang & Olufsen of Lincoln. Ashton said: “There was a lot of incredible work produced by my fellow course mates, and I’m so honoured to have my work chosen to represent a part of Lincoln.”

She said: “I think it’s important to get women working in sport. It is traditionally a male-dominated domain but this has started to change with more women coming into sports media.

Director of Education for the College of Arts at the University, Gyles Lingwood, said: “It’s brilliant that we’re providing students with real commercial opportunities which reflect the real world.

Working to a brief and meeting client expectations are a very highly sought after quality. Giving students the opportunity to experience this makes our degrees not only more valuable, but more relevant for the commercial world.”

Graduate Natasha Ireton Bourke, who now works at ITV Sport, returned to Lincoln to answer questions about her career in sports media.

“Women breaking barriers is so important for the media industry and if you have a passion for sport and sports media it is so important to pursue this. My time at the University of Lincoln taught me this and by gaining work experience I was able to go into a career in sport that I had set out to do before joining university.”

16 Minerva | Summer 2019

S TA F F S P O T L I G H T

DIANE DUBOIS Dr Diane Dubois began teaching in the 1990s while completing her PhD at the University of Hull. She created the first Drama programme at the University in 2003, which with just 18 students, became the cornerstone of the Lincoln School of Performing Arts. A few years later, she wrote the first Dance programme, and went on to write two MA courses. She was also closely involved in the creation of Lincoln Performing Arts Centre (LPAC) which opened to the public in 2008. Diane is currently a Senior Lecturer in the School of Fine & Performing Arts and is planning to retire later this year after more than 25 years of teaching.

When did you first come to the University?

I started my PhD at the University of Hull in 1988 and I was offered a few hours of teaching there. At the same time, I was asked to teach at what was then Humberside College of Higher Education. Over the next decade it would grow to become Humberside University, then the University of Lincolnshire and Humberside, and finally the University of Lincoln, moving south across the River Humber to Lincoln city itself in 2001. I started doing academic work as a parttime lecturer while I was completing my PhD and setting up a theatre company.

When I first came to the Brayford campus there were just the two buildings here, what we now call the Minerva and Alfred Tennyson buildings. I taught on the old Media and Communications programme, the English degree, the old Humanities degree and on the Media Production degree - all at the same time in one particular year! Because I was one of only a few people who had an interest and experience in theatre, whenever theatre came up in a degree or a module I was the go-to girl.

How did you come to create the Drama programme?

My Head of School at the time asked me to do a little bit of research into whether there would be a demand for a Drama degree at Lincoln. I did some research along with the support of colleagues

at the library, and it seemed that there would be a huge demand for performing arts provision in Lincolnshire. The local area had a real need for not just performers but also teachers with drama experience and training.

Since then we’ve gone from 18 students in that first cohort to hundreds of students in a purpose-built, professional receiving house theatre with a huge variety of creative programmes on offer. Originally we only taught Drama and the Drama and English joint honours. Now we have the Dance BA which I also created, as well as Drama and Theatre, Music, Technical Theatre and Stage Management – and a whole range of MA programmes.

What is your favourite thing about the University of Lincoln?

Graduation. Going to the cathedral is so lovely, sitting on the platform and looking out – our view of it from the platform is really rather special. Everyone is out there and you’re trying to spot people in the sea of robes and caps, and you can’t quite make it out. But you can see our graduands, you know where they are because drama students are noisy – they whoop and cheer, and I love them for it!

I love graduation, it’s always really nice to see.

What are you most proud of?

I think just the fact that we’re sitting in the LPAC right now makes me feel very proud. From where we began to what we have built now is an incredible achievement, not just for me but for the whole University.

I am also always proud when I see my students doing well. I’m hoping to go to my last graduation this year.

What advice do you have for alumni?

My advice would be to make networks.

Keep in touch with each other. It’s something we say while people are studying: the students of today are the arts professionals of tomorrow. So work hard when you’re a student because your reputation starts now. Once you’ve graduated stay in touch, support and network with each other. Build on everything you’ve learned and the friendships you’ve forged when you were here at Lincoln. And come back and see us now and again!

It’s also important to remember the critical thinking skills we’ve equipped you with over the years. I really hope our alumni remember what they learned and are able to evaluate what they’re being told in order to come to an opinion of their own.

This is so important, given the world that we find ourselves living in today. Everyone has an opinion, but having an informed opinion is what matters. Stay critical, stay shrewd, think things through, don’t forget how we taught you to be analytical and look below the surface.

And hello to everyone I’ve taught over the years! It was very sweet when I announced my retirement on Facebook and I got such a flood of people saying such lovely things, it was really quite touching.

International Journalism MA in Partnership with the Thomson Reuters Foundation Journalism students will now be offered a unique experience to study alongside top reporters in one of the world’s most respected newsrooms at the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s London headquarters.

The University of Lincoln and the Thomson Reuters Foundation have announced the creation of a unique new Master’s degree course, starting this September*. The MA International Journalism course is an innovative new partnership designed to equip new generations of journalists to report impartially on critical global issues facing society today.

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Student Life at Lincoln LinkedIn: Graduate Survival Guide Harry Marshall

Star in VR Kudzai Muzangaza

The full-time, one-year MA International Journalism programme will offer Master’s students the chance to learn from leading industry professionals through a rich syllabus, made up of both theoretical and practical sessions, both at the University of Lincoln and at the Thomson Reuters Foundation in London’s Canary Wharf.

Antonio Zappulla, CEO of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, said: “Free and independent media is the cornerstone of democracy. There has never been a greater need for the Foundation’s focus on promoting world-class, impartial, trusted news that puts human lives at the centre of the story. We are proud to partner with the University of Lincoln to equip more journalists with the skills they need to ensure the continued flow of unbiased information to the public globally.”

The new programme joins the Creative Writing and Publishing MA which is run in partnership with the Guardian. Launched in 2018, the programme includes workshops, readings, and masterclasses by acclaimed authors from a range of genres. Past speakers have included Dame Carol Ann Duffy, naturalist Chris Packham, and art historian Andrew Graham-Dixon.

University of Lincoln alumni may be eligible for the Alumni Scholarship, which can reduce postgraduate tuition fees by up to 20 per cent. To find out more please visit www.lincoln.ac.uk/PG. *This course is currently subject to validation (as of May 2019).

Please see www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/course/itnjouma/ for more details on the programme.

City of Lincoln Tour UoL Student Life

British Heart Foundation Bins Adam Earl

Eco Friendly Student Food Shop Lynsey Macer

18 Minerva | Summer 2019

Building a Medical School for Lincolnshire 2019 will mark a historic moment in Lincolnshire’s history as the first medical students begin their studies at the University of Lincoln. Established in collaboration with the University of Nottingham, Lincolnshire’s new Medical School will deliver first class medical training to around 400 students. It will build on the many new healthcarerelated programmes – including nursing, physiotherapy and midwifery – introduced by the University in recent years.

Until now, Lincolnshire has been the largest English county without a medical school, without the ability to train its own doctors. That is set to change. The creation of a new medical school will be transformational for Lincolnshire.

The Medical School will inspire young people from local schools and give them more opportunities to train as doctors, encouraging them to remain in the area

when they qualify. It is set to make a huge difference to thousands of people’s lives.

Pro Vice Chancellor and Head of the College of Science Professor Libby John said: “The Medical School will make a huge difference to the people of Lincolnshire who will benefit from the establishment of this hub of medical expertise. It will be underpinned by the University of Lincoln’s outstanding infrastructure, research and employer partnerships. I am grateful for the enormous support we have had from the Lincolnshire community in our bid to establish a medical school for the region.”

A new state-of-the-art medical school building was approved earlier this year and is planned to be the most sustainable on our campus. Scheduled for completion in spring 2021, the building has been designed to meet the BREEAM Excellent environmental standard and features photovoltaic panels generating electricity for its laboratories, as part of the aspiration

to be a carbon neutral scheme.

The five-storey building will comprise lecture theatres, laboratories, clinical and prosection anatomy suites equipped with cutting-edge diagnostic tools, and a dedicated science library. Facilities will include a clinical skills suite with mock consultation rooms (simulating hospital wards or a GP surgery) with the latest technologies to provide high quality teaching. These will enable medical students to explore the latest technology developments in healthcare.

University of Lincoln Vice Chancellor Professor Mary Stuart said: “This is an exciting step forward for everyone with an interest in this project to educate future generations of healthcare professionals.

It represents more than just a building - it is a commitment to current and future communities in Lincolnshire to develop sustainable healthcare for the region.

University of Lincoln Alumni Magazine 19

“Soon we will be training our own doctors right here in the heart of Lincoln, creating more opportunities for local young people to aspire to a medical career, providing new routes for experienced clinicians to develop their teaching and research practice, and increasing the likelihood that newly-trained doctors will remain in the region once they qualify.�

If you would like to support the new medical school, you can find more information at www.lincoln.ac.uk/medschool Or contact the development team: Phone: 01522 835835 Email: development@lincoln.ac.uk

Keep in touch!

Are you part of the University of Lincoln Alumni Network?

When you graduate from the University of Lincoln you become part of our global alumni community, which is made up of more than 90,000 graduates from across 135 countries. As a graduate of the University, you can access a wide range of benefits and services wherever you are in the world.

We have a dedicated alumni team to help you stay in touch with the University and make the most of everything on offer. This includes careers support, discounted membership of the University gym, and associate membership of the University library. There are also discounted rates on local and national services such as hotels, travel, and shopping.

To find out more about the full range of benefits and register with the Alumni Network please visit www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/alumnicommunity/thealumninetwork @LincolnAlumniUK

ULalumni

/school/university-of-lincoln

If you’d like to find out more about postgraduate study at the University of Lincoln or have any questions, please contact our Enquiries team who will be happy to help. www.lincoln.ac.uk/PG pgenquiries@lincoln.ac.uk

+44 (0)1522 886644

All information is correct at time of publication but is subject to change. Visit www.lincoln.ac.uk for up to date information.