SUMMER 2011
Princess Royal visits Medway Park The Princess Royal heard about the University’s sports science research when she officially opened a Kent sports centre and Olympics training camp. Princess Anne visited the University’s sports science research, teaching and rehabilitation facilities during her tour of Medway Park in Gillingham. The Princess Royal, President of the British Olympic Association, heard how research and teaching make use of the latest in state-of-the-art sports science equipment. Professor Louis Passfield, Director of the University’s Centre for Sports Studies, described his centre’s work and introduced lecturers and PhD students to Princess Anne. University Chancellor Sir Robert Worcester and Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow were also on hand to welcome the Princess Royal to the University facilities. The University contributed £3m towards the £11m renovation of Medway Park, which also included £5m of government funding.
Humanoid robots arrive in Kent The University has welcomed three unusual recruits – Nao humanoid robots. The robots have joined the School of Engineering and Digital Arts (EDA) to help with teaching and research projects. Nao robots, standing 58cm tall and weighing 5kg, are interactive, autonomous and fully programmable. Features include the ability to see, hear, speak, feel and communicate, as well as to sense and avoid obstacles. Developed by Aldebaran Robotics, Nao are used in research and education programmes around the world to study, for example, motor skills, balance, vision, language and man-machine interaction. Professor Sarah Spurgeon, Head of EDA, commented: ‘Our new robots will be a fun, as well as challenging, way for students to learn about, for example, real-time embedded system development and data-fusion, from sources like cameras, accelerometers, microphones and tactile sensors.’
Lecturer receives Pakistan award A University academic has received one of Pakistan’s highest awards. Dr Jawad Syed, Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Management at Kent Business School, was awarded Pakistan’s Star of Excellence (Sitara-i-Imtiaz) by the country’s President, in recognition of his pioneering research into equal employment opportunity and diversity management in Pakistan and other Muslim countries.
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