Alumni Magazine | Spring Edition 2011
Rising to the challenge. How increasing fees will affect Southampton What a difference a gift makes Philanthropy has shaped our history Groundbreaking research collaboration Joining forces with Lloyd’s Register In my own words A conversation with Adrian Newey
In this issue
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I am delighted to introduce this issue of Hartley News, the magazine for University of Southampton alumni. The past year has been a particularly challenging time for UK universities, not least because of the government’s decisions on university funding. Earlier this year, a number of alumni had the opportunity to question me on how the latest changes in higher education policy and funding will affect the University; you will find the question and answer session on page 15. Over the years, the University of Southampton has benefited immensely from generous individuals and organisations, and in the light of recent challenges, it is clear that philanthropy has never been more important. On page 8 you can learn about the history of philanthropy at Southampton, from the founding of the Hartley Institution to the present day; you will see how it continues to enable Southampton to be the world-class institution it is today. I am particularly passionate about widening participation, and am committed to improving access to the University for talented students of all backgrounds. As a Southampton alumnus, and the first in my family to attend university, I know how important raising the aspirations of young people can be. On page 16, you will hear from one of our Student Ambassadors, an inspiring example of how students are giving their time to benefit others. Last year we published our University Strategy, outlining our ambitions over the next five years: to become an internationally recognised research university that changes the world for the better through our research, education, innovation and enterprise. I am proud that we are continuing to break new ground; last year we announced a new alliance with Lloyd’s Register, which will become the largest research collaboration of its kind in the UK, putting Southampton firmly on the map as a hub of inward investment in the maritime sector. I hope you enjoy reading this magazine and that you will continue to stay involved with your alumni community. With your continued input and support we can realise our aspirations, and in doing so continue to change the world for the better. Professor Don Nutbeam (MA Health Education, 1983; PhD, 1988) Vice-Chancellor
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Hartley News | Spring 2011 | University of Southampton
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1 What a difference a gift makes Discover how philanthropy has helped Southampton become a world-leading university. Page 8 2 Rising to the challenge Our Vice-Chancellor gives an insight into how rising tuition fees will affect Southampton. Page 12 3 Groundbreaking research collaboration Learn more about the exciting new alliance between the University and Lloyd’s Register. Page 18
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4 In my own words Top Formula 1 engineer Adrian Newey talks about his time at Southampton. Page 26
More highlights Why I am a Student Ambassador Find out how our students are inspiring young people to enter higher education. Page 16 Get involved Discover how you can support the success of our students and world-leading research. Page 22 Class notes Find out what your friends are up to. Page 24
www.southampton.ac.uk/hartleynews
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University Research
New frontiers in astrophysics A pioneering Southampton research team is working to answer fundamental questions about the universe, including how galaxies are born and how gravity works. The University of Southampton is playing a key role in the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) project, a wave of new technology telescopes across Europe that will enable astronomers to view the universe in unprecedented detail. Last September, the UK’s contribution to this project, the LOFAR UK station, opened in Chilbolton, Hampshire. The revolutionary new radio telescope station was coordinated by a consortium of more than 20 partner universities, led by Southampton’s Professor Rob Fender (BSc Physics, 1990). LOFAR UK will help shed light on rare and transient events that are fundamental to our understanding of physics and astronomy – such as galaxies forming and black holes swallowing stars. “Instead of one dish, the LOFAR UK telescope has an array of fixed antennae that pick up radio waves. By linking the data gathered from each antenna,
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we can build up a detailed picture of the whole sky,” explains Rob, a world expert in astrophysics. “The most amazing thing is that these small antennae can pick up faint radio signals from over 10 billion years ago, when the universe was a fraction of its current size, and these signals can be mapped over the entire sky by the telescope without a single moving part,” he adds. Rob recently won a prestigious €3m European Research Council grant to lead a global project that will combine the power of three state-of-the-art radio telescopes to view the universe as never before. The 4 pi sky (which means ‘the whole sky’) project will help identify the first sources of gravitational waves, which are fundamental to the laws of physics, but have never been detected. “This project gives us a unique and exciting chance to dramatically push back the frontiers of our understanding of highenergy astrophysics,” says Rob. “Every time such an advance has happened in the past, exciting new discoveries have been made – who knows what we might find this time.”
Hartley News | Spring 2011 | University of Southampton
“This project gives us a unique and exciting chance to dramatically push back the frontiers of our understanding of high-energy astrophysics.” Professor Rob Fender Head of Astronomy Research
DNA cancer vaccine Southampton scientists have developed an innovative DNA vaccine for two forms of bone marrow and blood cancer. The vaccine is now being trialled on patients for the first time in the UK.
Top prize in engineering competition Two cutting-edge inventions by Southampton scientists – a medical device that can isolate stem cells to mend fractures and a gold-medal-winning sled – won prestigious national prizes at the Engineer Technology and Innovation Awards in 2010.
Improving recovery from stroke Every year around 150,000 people in the UK alone have a stroke; it’s the third most common cause of death in the UK and the leading cause of severe disability. A pioneering Southampton research project could significantly speed up and improve recovery for people who have had a stroke. Southampton researchers in Health Sciences are carrying out the groundbreaking study with help from volunteers who have lost some of their arm and hand function through having a stroke. The researchers believe this study is the first in the world to combine electrical brain stimulation (known as trans-cranial direct current stimulation, or tDCS) with rehabilitation robots. The study is funded by the Wessex Medical Trust.
If this technique proves successful, it could lead to the development of a tDCS machine for stroke patients to use at home, improving their recovery and bringing significant cost savings for the NHS. Jane Burridge (PhD Medicine, 1999), Professor of Restorative Neuroscience, says: “Anyone who has had to endure the debilitating effects of a stroke, either themselves or in helping a loved one in that situation, will know just how difficult it can be. Through our research, and with the help of people who have had a stroke, we are really hoping to transform the recovery process and make life more manageable for those who find themselves in that situation in the future.”
Southampton researchers will lead a project to study, recover and revive the music, known as the conductus, which consists of vocal compositions that merge Latin poetry and music. They will be working in partnership with Hyperion Records and the National Centre for Early Music in York.
To keep pace with society’s ever-increasing data transmission requirements, Southampton is leading a new project to develop the next generation of internet infrastructure. It has the potential of increasing bandwidth to 100 times the current capacity.
Rediscovering Vivaldi Last year, Southampton research fellow Andrew Woolley received widespread media coverage for discovering a manuscript of a lost Vivaldi flute concerto. In January, the ensemble La Serenissima, which includes alumnus Gareth Deats (BA Music, 1994), performed the world premiere of the concerto.
CBE for asthma scientist
Bringing medieval music to life The University of Southampton has been awarded almost £600,000 from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to research, catalogue and create sound recordings of a lost genre of medieval music that was last performed in the 13th century.
Towards faster broadband
The project is called ‘Cantum pulcriorem invenire’ or ‘to find a more beautiful melody’. The work will result in a monograph published by Cambridge University Press and an online catalogue of the manuscripts, which will be hosted by the University of Southampton. Selected works will be performed by worldclass musicians. Head of Music Research, Professor Mark Everist, comments: “Conductus were performed widely in the 13th century across Europe, but eventually fell out of fashion and haven’t been heard for around 700 years. Our performances will bring to life this all but forgotten, yet highly significant genre of music, making it accessible to a 21st century audience.”
Professor Stephen Holgate, whose research focuses on improving our understanding of and finding new treatments for asthma, has been awarded a CBE for services to clinical science.
Smart satellites Southampton scientists have developed the world’s first control system – Sysbrain – that will allow engineers to programme satellites and spacecraft to think for themselves.
Stephen Fry backs web project Stephen Fry is backing the ‘Fix the Web’ project, which harnesses volunteer energy to tackle reports of web accessibility problems. Disabled people can now report sites to volunteers using a toolbar, called the ATBar, developed by Southampton researchers. www.fixtheweb.net
www.southampton.ac.uk/hartleynews
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University News
Inspiring learning spaces A new social learning space, designed by students, for students, opened on the Highfield Campus last year as part of our new ‘Create your Campus’ competition. Create your Campus gives students the opportunity to put their creativity to the test by designing a new learning space on campus. The winning team for 2010 created the ‘Tesseract room’ (pictured), a comfortable and welcoming new space for discussion and study. Based in the Murray Building (Social Sciences), its innovative features include group and individual study cubicles, a presentation area with interactive touchscreen technology and an exhibition area to promote the sharing of knowledge and ideas.
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Hartley News | Spring 2011 | University of Southampton
“It has been an amazing experience and immensely satisfying to see our creativity, imagination and hard work come to life. We hope we have created a space that inspires and makes group work much more fluid,” says team member Daniela Ceder (BSc International Relations, third year). For this year’s competition, students were invited to redesign a room in the Hartley Library. The winning team – ‘Team fgConcept’ – has designed a flexible learning space with an innovative touch-screen table for presentations and sharing creative ideas; the new room has been generously supported by donations from alumni and is due to open this October.
Southampton graduate in the top 10 Southampton graduate Anna Belcher (BSc Oceanography, 2010) has been selected in the top 10 of the country’s top 100 graduates for the first British Graduate 100 Awards; Anna was short-listed from over 13,000 candidates.
University Strategy published
Top of the league in British science
2010 saw the launch of our University Strategy 2010–15, outlining our ambitions over the next five years to become an internationally renowned university, changing the world for the better through our research, education, innovation and enterprise. www.southampton.ac.uk/strategy
Open data revolution
Three Southampton professors from Electronics and Computer Science have featured in a list of 100 most important figures in British science, published in The Times newspaper. Web science innovator Professor Dame Wendy Hall (BSc Mathematics, 1974; PhD Mathematics, 1977) featured at number 26 and was also the fourth highest placed woman. Inventor of the world wide web Professor Sir Tim Berners-Lee (Hon DSc, 1996) is ranked
at number 52. At number 56 is Professor David Payne (BSc Electrical Engineering, 1996; PhD (Science), 1977), Director of the Optoelectronics Research Centre, who has carried out world-leading research at the University for over 40 years. Dame Wendy says: “I’m just thrilled to be in such an eminent list. It’s great to have the spotlight put on science in this way. It’s a great tribute to the support for research and scientific endeavour at the University of Southampton.”
Enterprising graduates The University of Southampton has won a national award for its contribution to creating enterprising graduates. The Outstanding Impact Award was awarded by Enterprise UK, which is fronted by Dragons’ Den’s Peter Jones and supported by the CBI, British Chambers of Commerce and Institute of Directors, for a collaborative event called the Dynamo Enterprise Boot Camp, which took place during Global Entrepreneurship Week last year. The Dynamo Enterprise Boot Camp event, which was organised and funded by Southampton, Winchester, Bournemouth, Portsmouth and Southampton Solent universities, involved 90 students from the five universities. The students were challenged to
solve a real business problem based on sustainable transport in Britain. Helena Schulze, the University of Southampton’s Student Enterprise Officer and coordinator of the event says: “Enterprise isn’t just about starting a business but I’ve seen an increase in students wanting to gain an insight into starting a business as a genuine career choice. This event has been a great platform to show the potential of being an entrepreneur.” Southampton student Suzanne Butcher (BSc Economics and Management Science, final year) adds: “I’m in my final year so I’m thinking about my future. Taking part in the Boot Camp made me realise that one day I really could start my own business, so it’s opened my eyes to a future career as a self-employed business.”
The University is publishing its non-personal data online to help potential students decide what and where to study. The open data initiative provides information on University buildings, statistics, research outputs and financial statements, which anyone can use to create new iPhone apps. www.data.southampton.ac.uk
Brian Eno Winchester School of Art (WSA) students were lucky enough to have a visit from Brian Eno, WSA alumnus and founder of Roxy Music. Brian talked at length to Paul Morley, NME journalist and critic, about his time at art school and why so much popular music came out of art schools in the 1960s and 70s.
Leading the way to a greener future The Higher Education Academy (HEA) has selected Southampton to be one of eight higher education institutions in the UK to participate in the pilot change programme ‘Green Academy: Curricula for Tomorrow.’ Through this programme we will become a leader in embedding sustainable development across the curriculum and student experience.
New Doctoral Training Centre The University has been awarded an Economic and Social Research Council Doctoral Training Centre (DTC), demonstrating the excellent quality of our postgraduate research training in the social sciences. As an accredited DTC, we will award 18 studentships each year for the next five years to talented research students who wish to pursue doctoral studies in the social sciences. For more information on these stories, and the latest news from the University, visit www.southampton.ac.uk/mediacentre www.southampton.ac.uk/hartleynews
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Feature
The University of Southampton was founded on philanthropy. Pictured here is the procession through Southampton High Street (looking north to Bargate) to mark the official opening of the Hartley Institution in 1862. Prime Minister Lord Palmerston oversaw the event
What a difference a gift makes
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Hartley News | Spring 2011 | University of Southampton
The University of Southampton was founded almost 150 years ago on the fortune of a wine merchant. Since then, pioneering individuals and organisations have shaped an institution whose research, education, innovation and enterprise are helping to change the world. Here are some key examples of the transformational impact philanthropy has had on the University. We were founded on philanthropy
Creating a city of culture
The University’s story begins with Henry Robinson Hartley, the son of a successful Southampton wine merchant. Henry didn’t follow his father into the family business; he didn’t have much love for his increasingly industrialised home town either, leaving 25 years before he died in 1850. So it’s surprising, perhaps, that he would leave almost his entire estate to the Corporation of Southampton.
Southampton’s vibrant arts scene benefits both students and the local community. Today we host three leading arts venues on the Highfield Campus, all of which were founded on philanthropy.
Although Hartley’s manuscripts, which contained some of his more radical ideas, were destroyed by his trustees, they carried out his wishes to use his bequest to ‘promote the study and advancement of the sciences of natural history, astronomy, antiquities, classical and oriental literature in the town’. The Hartley Institution – a library, museum, reading room, lecture hall and five classrooms – was opened on the site of Hartley’s property on Southampton High Street in 1862 by the Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston.
Turner Sims is one of the UK’s leading venues for classical, jazz, folk and world music. It was built on the Highfield Campus thanks to Margaret Grassam Sims, whose father’s own bequest had helped to build the Hartley Library. Margaret left the University £30,000 to be used for a ‘hall, theatre or building of like purpose’. Her gift launched a fundraising appeal for the £216,000 building costs, and Turner Sims opened in 1974.
Purchase of the Highfield site Philanthropy had a key role in finding a permanent home for what would become the University of Southampton. Patrons such as Charles Darwin’s son, William, and Jewish religious thinker Claude Montefiore – whose name now adorns Montefiore halls of residence – donated £1,000 (equivalent to £57,000 today*) each to help buy 11 acres of land in 1909, on which the Highfield Campus was built. Development of the new campus was fuelled by generous gifts. In 1925, George Moore, a Council Member whose daughter had been a student, left the remainder of his estate to the College; his legacy has helped to develop Southampton’s research expertise in life sciences. And in 1932, the daughters of local businessman Edward Turner Sims, and executors of his will, gave over £24,000 (equivalent to £800,000 today*) for the Hartley Library.
Celebrating 100 years Building up to its centenary, the University launched a centenary appeal in 1959 to enable it to expand and develop. Before the campaign launched to the public, Vice-Chancellor David Gwilym James approached a number of large companies, such as Esso, ICI and Pirelli, to elicit their support. Records show that the single biggest gift of £50,000 (equivalent to £765,000 today*) was donated by Esso in 1959 which, in the words of Esso’s Director George Noble, was to go “towards the expansion of the University of Southampton”. Support from individuals, local councils and businesses, large and small, helped the centenary appeal to raise more than £400,000 by 1965, which equates to an impressive £5m* in today’s money. *Source: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency
In 1963, thanks to £130,000 (equivalent to over £1.6m today*) from The Nuffield Foundation, the University built a theatre on campus. Today, The Nuffield Theatre is recognised as a major force in British theatre.
A gift from merchant banker John Hansard (Hon LLD, 1970) launched a £150,000 fundraising appeal to convert the building into the John Hansard Gallery, which opened in 1980 and is now one of Britain’s leading galleries of contemporary art.
Removing barriers to achievement Philanthropy can have a life-changing impact by helping to ease the financial burden of university study. Richard Newitt was Chairman and President of car distributors Wadham Stringer; his wife Freda lectured at the then Faculty of Social Studies and was awarded an honorary degree in the 1980s. Both Richard and Freda made a number of gifts – mainly student prizes – to benefit the University. When they retired in 1978 they set up the Richard Newitt Trust to give bursaries to students at Southampton and other institutions. The scheme continues to benefit Southampton students today.
Giving the gift of sight The generosity of the local community is helping Southampton researchers to restore people’s sight. Andrew Lotery, Professor of Ophthalmology, launched the Gift of Sight Appeal in 2004. The impact of fundraising initiatives – from marathon running to charity balls – enables the research team at Southampton General Hospital to combine laboratory work with treatment, which means patients benefit quickly from scientific developments. Donations to the Appeal have resulted in significant medical breakthroughs, such as treating people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is a gradual loss of central vision; the most common cause of blindness in the developed world, it affects one in three elderly people. For someone with AMD, treatment can have life-changing benefits, enabling them to regain their independence.
www.southampton.ac.uk/hartleynews
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Generous gifts from alumni and friends have enabled the University to help people with hearing loss regain their sensation of sound with cochlear implants
Pushing back ocean frontiers
Helping people regain their hearing
The world’s oceans play an important role in regulating global climate change. Pioneering researchers are using a cargo ship to explore previously unmonitored reaches of the ocean to find out how changes in carbon dioxide (CO2) will impact on our world.
More than 500 people with severe to profound hearing loss have benefited from a cochlear implant at the University’s South of England Cochlear Implant Centre since it opened in 1990. Cochlear implants – commonly known as ‘bionic ears’ – help people regain their sensation of sound.
Since 2006 the UK and Hong Kong based Swire Group has provided over £400,000 to the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (NOCS) to set up the Swire NOCS Ocean Monitoring System. The programme enables NOCS scientists to design and install ocean monitoring equipment on a Swire cargo ship to capture data about remote areas of the globe. Commercial vessels allow scientists to access unexplored parts of the ocean, where the ocean’s interaction with the atmosphere is largely unknown. The global shipping community is now in discussions with NOCS about expanding the programme.
Sir Michael Cobham was a businessman, chairman and life president of Cobham plc, the aerospace and defence group founded by his father, the aviator Sir Alan Cobham. During his lifetime, and through a significant gift made in his will, Sir Michael helped the University’s Institute of Sound and Vibration Research (ISVR) take forward its research into hearing loss. Sir Michael also supported research into understanding how humans are affected by vibration. The ISVR, one of the world’s leading centres for research into sound and vibration, is home to the Human Factors Research Unit, which investigates the effect of motion on people’s performance and comfort. The Institute’s new premises opened in 2008 and part of the new building – the Cobham Terrace – is aptly named after one of our great benefactors.
Henry Robinson Hartley leaves a bequest to the Corporation of Southampton
1850
Hartley Institution becomes a College
1883
1862 Hartley Institution founded on 15 October
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1902 Hartley College becomes a degree-awarding branch of the University of London
Hartley News | Spring 2011 | University of Southampton
Highfield site purchased
University receives its Royal Charter
1909
1952 1914
Highfield Campus opens on 20 June
1953 First University of Southampton degrees awarded
The Broadlands Archives Campaign hit its fundraising target of £2.85m in 2010, ensuring this important resource will continue to be available to the public and researchers from around the world
Preserving history
Transforming science
The Broadlands Archives, on loan to the Hartley Library since 1989, were saved thanks to the tremendous fundraising efforts and generosity of Southampton staff and alumni. The campaign hit its target of £2.85m in 2010, following a donation of nearly £2m from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, to ensure the Archives continue to be available to the public and researchers from around the world.
Our Institute for Life Sciences brings together world-class scientists and engineers to address today’s biggest challenges such as climate change, improving human health and how best to make use of our planet’s finite resources. Philanthropy has played a key role in its development.
The Archives are one of the UK’s most significant collections, covering major political, diplomatic, social and economic events of the last two centuries. Nestling within 4,500 boxes are hundreds of thousands of papers relating to Victorian Prime Minister Lord Palmerston and Lord Mountbatten, whose documents cover the whole of his career including his time as the last Viceroy of India and the first Governor General of the newly independent nation.
The hub of the Institute is our state-of-the-art Life Sciences Building, which opened in 2010. Investment towards the £47m development came from high-profile donors including the Wolfson Foundation and the Hilary Marsden Trust. The development also attracted the University’s largest ever single philanthropic gift from an individual of £800,000, made by Malcolm and Jill Isaac through their charity, the Malcolm Isaac Charitable Trust. Their generous gift funded a spectacular suite of glasshouses on the roof of the new building.
These historic milestones, and many others, could not have been achieved without the vision and generosity of people who believe in the University of Southampton. Every gift, large or small, makes a lasting difference and will continue to help us create opportunities that transform the lives of our students and benefit our community, society and the economy. We would like to thank all our past and present donors for the difference you have made through your generous gifts. To find out how you can make a difference, visit www.southampton.ac.uk/supportus If you would like to make a gift, you will find a donation form enclosed within this magazine.
University celebrates its centenary
1962
1963 The Nuffield Theatre is built
Turner Sims opens
1974
1980 John Hansard Gallery opens
Winchester School of Art is integrated with the University
1996
2002 University marks its golden jubilee
University Strategy is published, outlining our ambitions for the next five years
2010
2012 University will celebrate its 60th anniversary (and 150th anniversary of its founding)
www.southampton.ac.uk/hartleynews
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Feature
Rising to the challenge 12
Hartley News | Spring 2011 | University of Southampton
Last autumn, changes to higher education funding became front page news, with thousands of young people protesting against the potential trebling of undergraduate tuition fees to be charged by English universities from 2012. Professor Don Nutbeam, the University’s Vice-Chancellor and a Southampton graduate, has been close to the debate. He speaks exclusively to Hartley News about what the changes mean for Southampton.
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How far has government policy changed the landscape for universities in England?
It’s too soon to tell at this stage. It’s hard to believe that such a substantial change in the fee structure won’t have an impact on demand for university education and result in a re-shaping of the sector. Some universities may not survive long-term, and opportunities for new forms of higher education provision may open up.
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Were you surprised by the proposals?
Yes. Neither of the coalition government partners had given any indication of such radical change in their election manifesto (the Liberal Democrats specifically campaigned on ‘no fee increases’). We had undertaken scenario planning but hadn’t considered that there would be more or less a complete withdrawal of government funding for education, or that universities would be able to charge up to £9,000 a year.
In truth, I’m not of the view that the case for withdrawing support has been well made by the government, and am certain that it has not been able to undertake any serious modelling of the effects on universities and the sector as a whole. Together with colleagues from the Russell Group of research universities I have been engaged in continuing discussion to influence both the underlying policy and its implementation. Some of our advice has been heeded, some not.
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Where did you manage to make a difference to the policy?
We actively participated in a campaign to protect the science budget that supports much of the research undertaken at the University. As a consequence this budget was spared any major cuts. We also argued against a proposal to levy a ‘tax’ on universities that charged higher fees as this might act as a disincentive to philanthropy. This proposal was dropped in favour of the fixed range of tuition fees.
“It’s hard to believe that such a substantial change in the fee structure won’t have an impact on demand for university education and result in a re-shaping of the sector.”
www.southampton.ac.uk/hartleynews
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“I’m not complacent, but I don’t think that economic austerity itself leads to a downturn in philanthropy.”
Q
What future challenges face the University of Southampton?
With so much distraction, our biggest challenge will be to maintain focus on our core business. Southampton is a world-leading research university, and is held in high esteem for the experience it offers its students. We’re working hard to improve our status in research – attracting, developing and retaining some of the best minds in the University system and improving our research facilities. We will also adapt to the new ‘market’ for students by building on our strengths in education, and responding to student needs and preferences. We’re committed to maintaining needs-blind admission and working hard to identify ways in which we can provide useful financial support to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Q
How will increased fees affect demand?
It would be unusual for such a change in fees not to have an impact on demand for university education. These changes will ensure that universities are responsive to what students want, and we will continue to offer programmes that students want to attend. It’s too soon to predict whether the impact will be across the board or highly differentiated. While we have no room for complacency, we have very strong historical demand for our courses compared to the great majority of English universities. There may well be some short-term ‘market correction’ with a reduction in demand overall for higher education, and students opting for more vocationally oriented programmes. We will need to guard against over-reaction to this.
Q
The University was founded on a gift. What part can philanthropy play in securing its successful future? We’ve benefited enormously from the generosity of alumni and a range of people who have been willing to support our ambition to be a world-class research university. We’re well on track with this ambition. In the last year, two major international university ranking systems placed us in the top 100 in the world and we were the only English university to go up in both rankings. We continue to attract outstanding students, and world-leading academics. Our alumni and university supporters provide practical support for scholarships, enable the development of our facilities, and provide long-term support for our researchers through their philanthropic giving.
Q
Can philanthropy survive the economic downturn?
It’s an interesting conundrum. In the UK I would observe that people are remarkably generous during periods of economic downturn – possibly because they can see need more acutely – and those who can give, do. I’m not complacent, but I don’t think that economic austerity itself leads to a downturn in philanthropy. I’m a natural optimist. If we can communicate clearly what we’re achieving, and the needs of our students and staff, I’m certain that our friends will respond positively.
“While we have no room for complacency, we have very strong historical demand for our courses compared to the great majority of English universities.”
Thanks to Malcolm and Jill Isaac’s generous gift of £800,000, Southampton researchers are carrying out cutting-edge research in a spectacular suite of glasshouses at our new Institute for Life Sciences
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Hartley News | Spring 2011 | University of Southampton
Any questions? Hartley News invited a number of alumni to put their questions to the Vice-Chancellor on what the changes will mean for the University.
Q
To what extent are you concerned about the huge debts many undergraduates are incurring?
As someone from a very modest background who benefited from free university education I am very concerned. Our view is that anyone with the talent to benefit from a Southampton education should be able to do so regardless of their financial background. We’re working hard to identify a range of ways in which we can support students through fee relief and other assistance. While not being convinced of the need for such a radical change in the fees, I can see that the graduate loan system put in place by the government has a number of progressive elements to it – ensuring that students can attend university at no direct cost, requiring repayment only at a stage when students are earning more than £21,000, with repayments increasing only when students are earning above the national average. Ruth Armistead (BA French with Latin, 1978; Certificate in Education, 1979), a teacher and parent
Q
Students will want a better experience if they are taking on a heavier financial burden. What does the University have in mind to help enhance the student experience? Over the past decade we have invested significantly in improving all aspects of the experience students enjoy at the University and will be investing more into the future. As a leading research university, we will continue to ensure we offer our students a first-class education, with the opportunity of working alongside our world-leading research teams. We’re currently engaged in a fundamental examination of our university curriculum to identify ways we can offer students additional value. This includes offering students greater flexibility, increased contact time with academic staff and the ability to customise their education.
Billy Fitzjohn (BA History, 2010), SUSU President
Q
People from poorer backgrounds are more debt-averse than the wealthy. What measures will you put in place to attract the less well off to Southampton and retain them? We’re committed to improving access to the University and will build on an excellent track record. Currently 84 per cent of our students come from the state education sector – a figure higher than almost all other comparable universities in the UK. In my reply to Ruth I make the point that we’re working hard to identify a range of ways in which we can support students through fee relief and other assistance.
James Laidler (BSc Physics and Astronomy, 2006), a presenter, journalist and scientist, currently producing Breakfast on BBC One
Q
Will the changes in government funding mean that the University will give greater priority to ‘foreign’ (non-UK) students and to postgraduate students? We’re committed to recruiting as many UK students as possible. If the government allows, our plan is to recruit more than at present. As an international research university with a global reputation for excellence we would also expect to continue to attract the best students from across the globe. The increasing numbers of international students choosing to study here over the last 10 years is testament to our outstanding reputation. Increased undergraduate fees may well affect demand for postgraduate courses but this is one of many unknowns we’re dealing with at the moment. I recently wrote an opinion piece on this issue in The Guardian newspaper (Postgraduates need financial support, published 1 February 2011).
Stuart Popham (LLB Law, 1975), Partner, Clifford Chance
If you would like to comment on any of the issues raised in this article or submit questions of your own to us, please email alumni@southampton.ac.uk
www.southampton.ac.uk/hartleynews
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Feature
Student Ambassador Rachel Gomez (second from left) with pupils she mentored on the Aimhigher Associate programme
Why I am a Student Ambassador The University of Southampton encourages its students to make a positive impact on the local community. Hartley News meets one student who was inspired to aim high, and who is now helping the next generation to believe in the power of education.
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Hartley News | Spring 2011 | University of Southampton
The University’s UK Student Recruitment and Outreach team runs activities in local schools and colleges to give young people a taste of higher education. Student Ambassadors are crucial to the team’s success; as role models for local youngsters, they can help raise aspirations and counter the assumption – held by many young people – that ‘university is not for me’. As representatives of the University, we ask our Ambassadors to do a range of different jobs, from giving a presentation at a school assembly to showing groups around the campus. As Rachel Gomez (BSc Audiology, second year) says: “It’s something new every time”. At 13, university wasn’t on Rachel’s horizon: no-one in her family had been to university and it wasn’t an aspiration for her. “At that age I wasn’t looking too far ahead into the future. I had lots of career options in line but wasn’t sure if or how university fitted in; I was particularly into sport, but as members of my family got into sports-related jobs without university, I assumed I would follow a similar path,” explains Rachel. “I was lucky enough to attend a great secondary school, which encouraged us to work hard and reach our potential, enabling many to go on to university,” she adds. Rachel changed her mind when students visited her London school on an Aimhigher project – a national, government-funded outreach scheme. “They showed me that I had the potential to get to university; I began to see the connection between working hard at school and being able to progress in life. Then the more I found out about university, the more I wanted to go.” Rachel’s first encounter with students awakened her ambition, but it was on one of the University of Southampton’s ‘FE2HE’ residential trips in year 12, run by the UK Student Recruitment and Outreach team and supported by Student Ambassadors, that made her choose Southampton. “It was the only university event where I stayed on the campus and it left such a positive impression. Then when I came to Southampton, I wanted to give something back to other kids, so that’s why I got involved in outreach work here,” says Rachel. “During residentials I spend up to a week on mentoring five or six kids of varying ages, getting involved in different activities. Spending that amount of time with them means that you really bond. Many are approaching GCSEs or A levels and often they feel daunted by the amount of work they think goes into university.
“When I came to Southampton I wanted to give something back.”
“At first, this surprised me because I always thought that you’d want to work hard, but maybe they just need encouragement that if they put in the work they’ll get the rewards at the end,” she adds. Now training to be an audiologist, Rachel is beginning to reap those rewards herself. She hopes to work with young people who are experiencing hearing loss and thinks her experience as a Student Ambassador will be useful: “Often adolescents are hard patients to deal with. They are going through a difficult time so being adaptable and able to communicate well with them would definitely be a benefit.” All UK universities are being urged to redouble their efforts to attract students from poorer backgrounds, but this summer the government will cut its funding for Aimhigher – the national scheme that first inspired Rachel to reach for university. She is worried that if young people like her don’t know how much support is available, the prospect of higher fees could deter them. “It depends on the kinds of funding the government puts in place, the course someone wants to do and whether they think they’ll be able to pay it back once they have got a job. However, if you need an educated workforce in the future then nobody should be discouraged from going to university.” Find out more about the vital outreach work undertaken by our Student Ambassadors at www.southampton.ac.uk/schoolsandcolleges To find out how you can provide further opportunities for our students, such as placements at your organisation, email placements@southampton.ac.uk or call +44 (0)23 8059 3501. If this initiative inspires you to want to give something back, please call +44 (0)23 8059 7156 or make a donation using the form enclosed with this magazine or online at www.southampton.ac.uk/supportus
-- We launched the Student Ambassador scheme in 2002. -- Over 300 of our students now take part, acting as role models to young people. -- Student Ambassadors work with students aged nine to 18. -- Each year Student Ambassadors work with more than 25,000 young people on campus.
Rachel Gomez (BSc Audiology, second year) Student Ambassador
www.southampton.ac.uk/hartleynews
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Feature
Groundbreaking research collaboration The University of Southampton is joining forces with Lloyd’s Register to form the largest research collaboration of its kind in the UK.
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Hartley News | Spring 2011 | University of Southampton
Over the next three years, the former Boldrewood Campus will be transformed into a new, state-of-the-art technology and training campus. This new hub will enable University engineers and students to work on joint projects with staff from Lloyd’s Register, a not-for-profit company whose global business focuses on the marine, transport and risk management sectors.
Work will start on the £116m campus, known as the Southampton Centre of Excellence, this September, and it’s due to open for business in 2014. The University has received funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the South of England Economic Development Agency (SEEDA) to enable the new Centre of Excellence to take shape.
The alliance will work on innovations in transport, energy and the environment. It will aim to identify and tackle the challenges that businesses and communities worldwide face in these areas, such as the need for cleaner fuels, ‘greener’ ships, safer work environments and more dependable infrastructure. Teams of scientists, engineers and industry experts will work together to find the best solutions to these challenges.
At the heart of the Centre will be a new Maritime Institute, which will bring together Southampton’s wide range of expertise in maritime engineering, ocean science, law and business, and strengthen links with existing marine businesses on the south coast. It will also include the Lloyd’s Register Group Technology Centre, the cornerstone of the organisation’s global research and development network.
“The Institute aims to stimulate innovation, create new businesses and establish the city of Southampton and the wider south Hampshire region as a place for inward investment in the marine sector in the UK,” says Don. “This is great news for the University and for Lloyd’s Register. It’s also excellent news for the city, the region “Building on our 40-year history of collaboration in ship and for UK plc. Research and innovation are key drivers science, marine and energy-related projects, we will for building a strong knowledge economy, and we know extend our cooperation to create new technologies that that governments around the world are looking to address some of society’s most pressing problems, as well collaborations such as ours to help secure a strong as providing our students with unique opportunities to economic future.” interact with real-time development projects and connect directly with potential future employers.” Vice-Chancellor Professor Don Nutbeam comments: “This marks the beginning of a groundbreaking collaboration between the University of Southampton and one of the world’s leading knowledge-based organisations.
www.southampton.ac.uk/hartleynews
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Alumni News
Classes of 1960, 1970 and 1980 reunite Alumni catching up at their anniversary class reunion
We welcomed 200 alumni and guests back to campus in September to celebrate the 30th, 40th and 50th anniversaries of their graduation. Guests revisited old haunts, took a trip on Toastrack (a vintage bus built in 1929 and maintained by the University’s Engineering Society), heard from world-renowned academics and experienced how the University has changed over the years.
Pro Vice-Chancellor Debra Humphris hosted a three-course dinner and guests continued to catch up long into the evening, with some staying on to visit the Southampton Boat Show the next day.
Arctic expedition
London alumni group celebrates 61st anniversary
Army Captain David Mans (BSc Oceanography with Physical Geography, 2005) has been chosen as part of a six-man team for a pioneering Arctic expedition – rowing to the North Pole. The team will set off from Resolute Bay in Canada in July 2011 for the six-week, 450-mile journey to the magnetic north. The 28-year-old beat hundreds of international entrants in a gruelling selection process which included a two-and-a-half-hour endurance row. The challenge has global significance as both a pioneering maritime adventure and an environmental expedition, which is only now possible due to the increase in seasonal ice melt. David says: “I’ve been interested in climate change since my time at Southampton and I’m looking forward to seeing conditions in the Arctic for myself. I’ve been rowing since university and decided to take it up again after returning from Afghanistan. This will undoubtedly be one of the biggest adventures of my life.”
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Hartley News | Spring 2011 | University of Southampton
Many guests also generously contributed to the Class Gift, which raised over £5,500 to contribute towards 100 new scholarships for postgraduate research students.
Stalwarts of the University’s London alumni group held their 61st annual lunch on 20 November at the Civil Service Club. Academics, students and vice-chancellors have all spoken at past lunches. This year Joanne Donahoe from the Office of Development and Alumni Relations joined the group to celebrate and to update members on new developments at the University. “The London alumni group is a University institution in itself. Members’ collective knowledge of the University’s history and their warmth for Southampton is overwhelming and their recollections of their University days were a treat to discuss,” said Joanne. “Just as they were keen to reminisce, we also discussed current issues facing higher education and advancements being made across the University, particularly in research.” Mary Harris (BA General Arts, 1956; PGCE, 1957), who has been with the group since she left the University, adds: “We begin all of our reunions with a toast to the University’s founder Henry Robinson Hartley – we’re excited about where Southampton is going and equally proud of our past.”
International events
Summer get-together for alumni in Greece
Vice-Chancellor Professor Don Nutbeam met with a group of our most notable business leaders in Hong Kong last November. Guests included SH Leung (LLB Law, 1956; Hon LLD, 2001), Non-Executive Director of Cheung Kong Holdings Ltd and founder of the Hong Kong alumni branch; branch president Conrad Wong (BSc Civil Engineering, 1986), Director of Yau Lee Holdings, the third largest construction company in Asia; and Grenville Cross (LLB Law, 1973), former Director of Public Prosecutions. The group had a lively discussion about the University’s vision and strategy, and the active role they can play in achieving its ambitions for the future. In Greece, the new board of our alumni branch arranged a summer get-together for over 30 alumni. Branch President Christos Papachristos (BEng Aerospace Systems Engineering, 1993) says: “After graduating it was important to me to keep a connection to the University and the friends and contacts I made. The alumni branch in Greece puts on several networking events each year. As well as the social side, it can be good for younger alumni to have the opportunity to meet with people further along in their careers.” Keep up to date with future events in Greece at www.sotonalumni.gr
Dates for your diary
Geology graduates unearthed for 20th reunion
7 May 2011 Alumni Sports Day
Last August, members of the geology class of 1990 celebrated their 20th reunion. Co-organiser Jacqueline Ford tracked down former classmates Marc Goodman and Mark Gibson via Facebook.
25 June 2011 Summer BBQ for recent alumni
Before they met up, the group circulated photos and updates from each class member. Jacqueline says: “It was interesting to see what everyone was up to. Six of us have stayed in geology; five have PhDs; some are running their own companies; some work in the private sector and some in the public sector (two are physics teachers). Looking at the 1987 and 2010 photos side by side, we all look the same, just a little more ‘lived in’.”
10 September 2011 Alumni Anniversary Class Reunion for the graduating classes of 1961, 1971 and 1981
The group camped in Weymouth along the Jurassic coast, the site of many a geology field trip. “Would we do this again? Yes,” says Jacqueline. “Would we camp? No. Will we leave it another 20 years? Absolutely not!”
To keep in touch, and to view more photos of the events on this page, visit www.southampton.ac.uk/alumni Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter www.facebook.com/universityofsouthamptonalumni www.linkedin.com (University of Southampton Alumni) twitter.com/UniSotonAlumni
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Get involved
Coming back to campus to share your expertise is just one way you can make a difference to current students
Our alumni are a vital part of the University community. Here are just a few of the ways in which you can get involved and support the success of our students and world-leading research. Offer a placement
Support our telephone appeal
Providing placements for our students not only helps young people develop their transferable skills, it’s also a way to secure valuable, targeted resources for your organisation from a pool of over 17,000 undergraduate and 5,000 postgraduate students from the University of Southampton.
We would like to thank all our alumni who donated to our telephone appeal last autumn, which raised nearly £19,000 to support the University, our students and our world-class research. Many of you were making a gift for the first time, and we would like to thank you for your generosity and welcome you to our donor community.
Offering a placement to one of our students can make a real difference. Thanks to the placement Emma McIntosh (BA Modern History and Politics, 2004) offered to Jessica Moodie (BSc Politics, 2010) last Easter, Jessica now has a job in the Houses of Parliament.
We usually hold our telephone appeal in spring; last year, for the first time, we held a second appeal in the autumn, enabling our student volunteers to speak to 3,000 more alumni. Talking to a student is a great way to stay in touch with the University and learn more about your vital role in supporting our work. We will be calling alumni again this spring and hope you will take the opportunity to speak to one of our students.
Jessica worked alongside Emma, who at the time held the position of Senior Committee Assistant for the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee. “I had by chance heard about Jessica via a colleague, and I decided to take her on because she was from the University of Southampton. I would encourage anyone to apply for work experience at Parliament,” says Emma, who is now on secondment as an Education Outreach Officer for Parliament’s Education Service. Through a combination of University and alumni donations, our Career Destinations service runs placement opportunities across all programmes and areas of study. These schemes can be adapted to suit your organisation’s requirements, and usually run over the Easter break and from mid-June to the end of September.
To find out more about our telephone appeal, visit www.southampton.ac.uk/annualgiving or email annualgiving@southampton.ac.uk
Share your expertise By giving a small amount of your time and sharing your expertise, you can make a real difference to our students. Just a few examples of how you can help include coming back to campus to talk about your experiences, sending us your career profile, organising an event or linking up with our world-class researchers.
“There are so many ways that the alumni can help support the future success of the University and its current and former students. Whether you give your time, your knowledge, a donation, or participate in one of our many If you would like to offer a placement, email placements@southampton.ac.uk or call +44 (0)23 8059 3501 projects, every contribution makes a real difference,” says Sarah Warrington, Alumni Relations Manager. To find out more about our placement schemes, visit www.southampton.ac.uk/careers/placements
To find out how you can get involved, visit www.southampton.ac.uk/alumni/getinvolved
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Hartley News | Spring 2011 | University of Southampton
A day to remember.
Anniversary Class Reunion 2011 We are delighted to invite the graduating classes of 1961, 1971 and 1981, friends from surrounding years and guests, back to campus on Saturday 10 September 2011 to celebrate your 30th, 40th and 50th anniversaries. Make your reunion a day to remember – revisit old haunts on Highfield Campus, stay in halls, meet some of our world-renowned academics and catch up with old friends over dinner at Garden Court (formerly known as the West Ref). To find out more, visit www.southampton.ac.uk/alumni or call +44 (0)23 8059 2747 to request a booking form.
Class notes Every issue we receive many more class notes than we have space to print, but you can view full updates and photos at www.southampton.ac.uk/graduatenews
1930s Helen Yates née Richardson (BA General Arts, 1938) writes: “I am now 94 years old; however, I keep quite busy and enjoy life. I will never forget my days at UCS.”
1940s Mary Whitton née White (BA History, 1949) and Professor Peter Whitton (BSc General Science, 1950) celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary on 3 August 2010.
1950s Margaret Kyrle née Round (BA English, 1959) and Martin Kyrle (BA History, 1957) celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on Good Friday 2010 with a lunch with guests including their best man Michael Roberts (BA General Arts, 1958) and ushers Brian Keith-Smith (BA German, 1958; MPhil Arts, 1969) and Peter Tippetts (BA French, 1960; MSc Education, 1978). Alex Turner (BSc Economics, 1959) lives in Reno, Nevada. He is still active in real estate investments and is married to Ruby. Alex would like to hear from any of his economics contemporaries or others who know him.
1960s Philip Arundel (BSc Chemistry, 1967) is currently living in North Yorkshire and heading for retirement so he can spend more time with his four children and three granddaughters. He enjoys travel, music, reading and good food and wine. David Domone (BSc General Science, 1965) writes: “Having taught for 35 years I have spent the last 10 years working in a psychiatric hospital, first as a teacher and latterly in IT. I have recently got back in touch with Paul Beswetherick (BSc Economics, 1965). We would particularly like to get back in touch with everyone we knew from 1962 to 1965.” Wendy Langford née Stewart (BA English and French, 1969) writes: “I am enjoying a new lease of life with two grandsons and my husband recently retired. I still teach French to adults. I am enjoying reading, exploring the countryside, meeting friends and am at last learning to swim!”
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Dr Andrew Marsden (BSc Zoology, 1968) still works as a general practitioner and occupational medical consultant in a remote rural area of northern Western Australia and the Kimberley.
1970s June Stephen née Bukenberger (Certificate in Education, 1974; BA Archaeology, 1975) lives in Oxfordshire. She was married to Michael Stephen (BA Archaeology, 1976) who passed away 10 years ago. June worked at Oxfam’s headquarters for 17 years. Now, due to multiple sclerosis (MS), she is retired but active in MS charity work. June would like to hear from any former friends. Nicholas Stephens (BSc Mathematics, 1970) writes: “I worked in the steel industry in Sheffield straight from university, then moved to global engineering group GKN in the Midlands. After four years living on a narrow boat on the canals I moved back to Devon.” Lynda Woodhams née Smith, Hoyle (Certificate in Education, 1970) retired from teaching and moved house in 2007. She is enjoying living near the sea and having more leisure time. Daughters Jessica and Christina are both married. Jessica Woodhams (BSc Psychology, 1999) gained her doctorate at Leicester and is now lecturing at the University of Birmingham.
1980s Dr Patrick Garrod (BM Medicine, 1988) and pillion rider Dr Vanessa Lewis (BM Medicine, 1988) have completed a four-year, 100,000mile motorcycle journey around the world and ridden the length of Africa four times. Howard Phillips (BA English, 1981) writes: “I have just retired after 25 years as Head of English in a prep school. If any gatherings are planned I would love to catch up with long-lost friends.” Anne ‘Andy’ Ponting née Davies (BSc Sociology, 1982) is running her own theatre costumier business near Christchurch, Dorset and is also a Justice of the Peace. She would love to hear from anyone who remembers her.
Hartley News | Spring 2011 | University of Southampton
1990s Mark Allen (BA English, 1994) writes: “I’m running my TV production company and we have our first BBC show on soon. My daughter Olivia has just finished a six-month run in Oliver! in the West End. It was hell for us but heaven for her.” Alison Heal (BSc Environmental Sciences, 1995) has been happily civil partnered to Rachel Auckland since 2006. Alison has survived appendicitis and Rachel has survived cancer. They are rebuilding an ecological and translation (Welsh and German) business and they keep chickens. John Sampson (BA French and Spanish, 1994; MPhil Arts, 2000) and his wife Anne now have two daughters and live in a crumbling old ruin in Normandy that has several guest rooms for anyone in the class of 1994 or any postgraduate friends.
2000s Michelle Baillie née Leach (BA English, 2001) gave birth to her first child, Oliver, in September 2009. Scott Beeton (MSc Race Car Aerodynamics, 2008) recently married and moved back to Australia from the UK where he was working as an aerodynamicist with the Williams F1 team. Benjie Gillam (BSc Mathematics with Physics, 2007) and Jem Gillam née Sturgeon (BSc Biochemistry, 2008), who married in 2008, have just celebrated the birth of their first child, Xander Gillam. Christopher Morris (MSc Maritime Archaeology, 2001) is on ‘deployment cheating death’ for science, doing disaster recovery operations on the US Gulf Coast. Daniel Wright (BA History, 2008) was selected to represent England as a referee at the 2008 European Men’s Lacrosse Championships and the 2010 World Lacrosse Championships.
Marriages and engagements The following couples were married recently: Sarena Chopra (BA Spanish, 2004) and Shyamal Bala (BSc Economics with Actuarial Studies, 2003), 1 October 2009
Ying Liao (BEng Civil Engineering, 2008) and Xiaoxing Liu
Richard Watkins (BA Philosophy, 2003) and Katy Gardner (BA Philosophy, 2003), 5 August 2010 The following couples are now engaged:
Emma Grant (BSc Biology, 2004) and Daniel Fowler (BSc Biology, 2004), 6 November 2009
Michael O’Connor (BSc Chemistry with Ocean and Earth Science, 2008) and Kelly Major (BA Geography, 2008), 2 January 2011
Sarah Gummett (BA Music, 2006) and Jonathan Hart (BA Music, 2006), 26 June 2010 Dr Marcus Hawkesford (BM Medicine, 2006) and Gemma Jephcott (BA Geography, 2004), June 2010 Melissa Jarmain (BA English, 2000) and Damian Gardiner (MPhys Physics, 2001), 30 July 2010 Alexandra Jones (BA History, 2008) and Thomas Tarling (MPhys Physics, 2009), 4 September 2010 Atsuyuki Kubota (MSc Operational Research, 1999) got married in Tokyo on 20 September 2010, and two University of Southampton classmates came to his wedding: Russell Simpson (MSc Operational Research, 1999) from the UK and Ming Li (MSc Integrated Environmental Sciences, 1998) from Hong Kong. Twelve years ago they promised that when they got married they would invite each other.
Atsuyuki Kubota, Russell Simpson and Ming Li
We are sorry to announce the deaths of the following alumni: Ying Liao and Xiaoxing Liu
Amy Hicks née Strugnell (BA History, 1940) Michael Pearce (BSc Chemistry, 1956)
Jonathan Mack (LLB Law, 2004) and Victoria Bird (Diploma in Nursing, 2008), August 2009 Bianca Peters (BA Textile Art, 1999) and Ben Bristow, 8 May 2010
John Robinson (BSc Physics, 1955) Their obituaries are available at www.southampton.ac.uk/alumni or can be requested from the Office of Development and Alumni Relations.
If you would like to get back in touch with a former friend from Southampton, take advantage of our ‘Find a Friend’ service. Contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations with a message for your friend, and we will send it on to them if we have their current contact details. If they choose, they will then get in touch with you. See www.southampton.ac.uk/alumni for further details and a form under the ‘Services’ section or write to us at: Office of Development and Alumni Relations, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton, SO17 1BJ. Bianca Peters and Ben Bristow
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Alumni Profile
In my own words Adrian Newey (BSc Aeronautics, 1980; Hon DSc, 2000), Chief Technical Officer, Red Bull Racing The world’s most successful Formula 1 car designer tells Hartley News about his experiences as a Southampton student and life after University.
Q
What made you choose Southampton?
At six years old, I knew that I wanted to be a motor racing engineer. I chose Southampton because I figured that a degree in aeronautical engineering would give me the skills I needed to learn about racing cars and I was aware that Southampton had a long affiliation and direct contact with racing teams.
Q
What were your first impressions?
I loved the practical elements of the degree course. Southampton has good laboratories and the experiments were fascinating to me. My first year was difficult because I struggled with maths; around Christmas I had contemplated quitting. A lecturer in my department, Ken Burgin, encouraged me to stay. He was an inspiration throughout my degree; and as I progressed through the course, I enjoyed it more and more. In the third year students do design projects, but the University only allowed one motor-oriented project at the time. Ken made sure I got that project, which really helped to cement my desire to work in motor sports.
“I loved the practical elements of the degree course.”
Q
What do you enjoy most about your work?
I love the immediacy of our field. In our job what we are working on now we will see realised within a matter of months or hours, whether that is good or bad, for all the world to see. In other fields it could take years to see your work come to fruition. We are constantly trying to marry fresh, creative ideas that will stand the test of physics. In previous positions I have come into a more mature team and provided the design-based expertise. At Red Bull we worked to build the infrastructure and the research-oriented side of the engineering from the ground up before we had the tools to design a car.
Q
What motivates you?
My degree from Southampton gave me a competitive edge. It also filled a critical skills gap because I had just done a final project on ground-effect aerodynamics on racing cars, in which not many people in F1 had had training at that time.
Q
What are you most proud of?
Motor racing was not a recognised industry when I graduated and job opportunities were scarce. F1 teams only employed a handful of engineers. I did the milk round, applied to all the teams and, just when I thought I would have to consider other options, I was offered a job.
Q
Do you have any tips for new graduates?
Q
Can you sum up your Southampton experience in three words?
Q
Q
How did your time at Southampton influence your life and your career?
Is there anything that you have found out about the University recently that has surprised you?
I’ve been impressed by Southampton’s sensible and structured growth over the years. I’m proud that it’s seen as a top UK university. Many of the graduates we recruit to Red Bull are from Southampton. This is not because of any loyalty on my part, but because Southampton graduates consistently produce better CVs, interview well and bring the right skills to the table.
The opportunity to focus on designing the car. I delegate as much as I can so that 50 per cent of my time can be at my drawing board sketching and developing ideas.
The championships we have won at Red Bull. It has always been a dream to win, but often our dreams are not fulfilled. To be able to win with Red Bull has been fantastic.
I realise this is a difficult time to be a graduate and it’s also a tough job market. If you are not fortunate enough to get your dream job, then accept a position that is close and will put you in the job market and keep striving towards your goal. I’m not a big fan of endless gap years – I think you need to get out and get on with it to decide what your next step is going to be.
Key formative years.
“To be able to win with Red Bull has been fantastic.”
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Hartley News | Spring 2011 | University of Southampton
The Atlantides are statues in the image of Atlas. Originally from the Hartley Institution’s High Street façade, they are now positioned outside the Hartley Library on the Highfield Campus
Make a lasting difference. Leave a legacy By leaving a legacy to the University, you can help us change the world for the better through our research and offer lifechanging opportunities to our students.
If you feel you could help make that difference, and would like to discuss leaving a gift in your will, please contact Ellie Shaw, Office of Development and Alumni Relations on +44(0) 23 8059 9079 or email supportus@southampton.ac.uk
Throughout our history, legacy gifts have helped support and inspire our excellence in research and education, making the University of Southampton Thank you. the world-leading institution it is today.
www.southampton.ac.uk/hartleynews alumni@southampton.ac.uk +44(0)23 8059 2747