People
Welcome and congratulations New Pro-Vice-Chancellors Professor Philippe De Wilde has joined Kent as the new PVC Research & Enterprise. Professor De Wilde was, until recently, a Professor in the Intelligent Systems Lab and Head of the School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences at Heriot-Watt University. Professor De Wilde has research interests in computational intelligence and cybernetics, using neural networks, fuzzy logic, evolution, and game theory. Before moving to Heriot-Watt, Professor De Wilde worked at Imperial College London for 16 years. He is a Fellow of the British Computer Society and the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, and a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He is a Laureate of the Royal Academy of Sciences, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium, and held the Vloeberghs Chair at the Free University Brussels in 2010. The University has appointed Dr Chris Davies to the newly-created post of Pro-Vice-Chancellor (PVC) Teaching & Learning. Dr Davies was, until recently, Associate Dean of Teaching, Learning and Students in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Manchester. He is a geographer and a software engineer, with research interests in the development and application of Geographical Information Systems. Dr Davies takes responsibility for Kent’s Teaching & Learning portfolio. This will include leading strategic and operational initiatives that advance excellence in learning and teaching, and enhance the academic student experience. He is also responsible for promoting more flexible and blended learning using new and developing technologies.
Child protection expert’s OBE Professor David Shemmings became an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, announced on 13 June, for his services to child protection. He is Co-Director of the University’s Centre for Child Protection, a centre of excellence and innovation in training, research and practice for professionals involved in child protection. David Shemmings said: ‘I am immensely proud to have received this award, which is very much shared with the many hardworking, dedicated and skilled professionals who protect children by supporting families. My thanks also go out to my dedicated colleagues at the Centre for Child Protection here at the University.’
National Teaching Fellowship for biochemist Dr Peter Klappa, Reader in Biochemistry and Master of Rutherford College, has been awarded a National Teaching Fellowship by the Higher Education Academy. Dr Klappa is one of only 55 higher education staff in England, Northern Ireland and Wales to have been awarded a Fellowship, the most prestigious award for excellence in higher education teaching and support for learning. Successful National Teaching Fellows were chosen from over 180 nominations.
AUA Fellowships for Chloé and Linda The University is celebrating the joint highest number of AUA Fellows in the country – following recent awards to Chloé Gallien and Linda Lough, Faculty Administration Managers for Social Sciences and Sciences. The awards by the AUA (Association of University Administrators) are in recognition of Chloé and Linda’s contribution to the AUA and their ongoing commitment to personal and professional development within the higher education sector. This highly deserved recognition means that five staff at Kent have now been awarded Fellowship of the AUA – a figure matched only by Staffordshire University. Chloé and Linda join Melissa Bradley (Faculty Administration Manager, Humanities), Wayne Campbell (Director of Student Services) and Jon Pink (Academic Registrar) who are all current AUA fellows.
Congratulations also to Jill Holliday, School Administration Manager for Biosciences who has been awarded accredited membership of AUA, in recognition of her personal commitment to personal and professional development. AUA members Anne Rushworth MAUA, Chloé Gallien FAUA, Melissa Bradley FAUA and Linda Lough FAUA (pictured from left below) have also been collectively awarded the AUA’s 2014 Contribution to Career Development Award for their continuing collaborative efforts supporting the career development of staff in their work.
International award for Conference Office Kevin Stuckey (Residences and Conference Manager) and Louisa Harvey (Senior Events Co-ordinator) have received the accolade of Session of the Year Award from the Association of Collegiate Conference and Events Directors International (ACCED-I). The award follows a presentation, by Kevin and Louisa at the annual ACCED-I Conference in Toronto, on Kent’s one-stop event management service. The innovative service was introduced three years ago, primarily to support internal academic departments holding major events on and off campus. The service has been an outstanding success and is now widely used by internal and external clients, providing bespoke service levels. For more information, contact Louisa Harvey on ext 8000 or L.Harvey@kent.ac.uk.
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KENT Magazine
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