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2019. What a year.
The sun shone as a record number of students graduated – including one who rapped his dissertation. A world famous scientist opened a brand new building. Research from UEA confirmed that blueberries really are a super food. And dog walking became a popular pastime on campus in an effort to boost student welling.
And, for a brief moment in November, the Alumni office thought it had discovered that Leonard Cohen played on campus in the 70s. Alas, he never made it. But loads of great musicians have including, this year, Kate Tempest, Gary Numan, IDLES, and the Flaming Lips. Check out UEA Gig History for more.
In the new year we’ll be ramping up for graduation, Global Gathering 2020, the arrival of Dippy the Dinosaur in Norwich, and publishing a novel’s worth of new alumni stories from grads across the world. (Which reminds us – if you’ve something to share, please do. Simply fill in this form, or email the Alumni team.)
All of which just leaves us to say: Happy Christmas to those celebrating, and a very Happy New Year to all. See you after the break.
A BBC documentary revisited the Climategate scandal 10 years after it rocked the science world. And the outcome remains clear: the honesty of UEA scientists was in no doubt, and the science is sound.
A decade ago, thousands of emails at the Climatic Research Unit at UEA were hacked and ended up in the hands of vocal climate change sceptics. The emails were misinterpreted, and the story was soon picked up by the world’s media.
The scandal became a totem for climate change deniers. But behind the misleading headlines was a simple truth: nothing had been purposely misrepresented by the scientists and they had nothing to hide.
Ten years on, this BBC documentary revisited the event, and features some of those involved. It’s a timely reminder of the important work being done at CRU, the value of science and the responsibility the media has in reporting the facts.
Stephen Fry and Prince Harry lent their support to an event designed to reshape provision and consider mental health requirements for young people.
The Health and Social Care Partners Mental Health and Wellbeing Conference in November brought together various groups to help highlight the needs of 0-25 year-olds, looked at pioneering projects, and at how services need to change.
Stephen Fry opened the event via video, telling the conference: “We are familiar with just how deep and dark the epidemic of youth suicide, anxiety and self-harm has become. We know it is an urgent crisis and if the young are not diagnosed, understood and helped early then things can be very bleak indeed. This is why the work the UEA Health and Social Care Partners are doing is so important.”
Others speakers included, Sir Norman Lamb; Emma Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of the charity Young Minds; and Sara Tough, Executive Director of Children's Services, Norfolk County Council. Prince Harry, a prominent adherent of greater mental health provision for young people, sent a letter of support.
UEA, the University of Exeter and the Global Carbon Project published the Global Carbon Budget on Wednesday 4 December, coinciding with the COP25 event in Madrid (read graduate Fabio Bicalho’s blog on COP25, and more, on UEA Stories). Emissions from burning fossil fuels are projected to grow by 0.6 per cent this year, reaching almost 37 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, down from 2.1 per cent in 2018. The lower rate of growth is due to substantial declines in coal, though this decline has been offset by the growth of natural gas and oil use.
The late queen’s “usefully messy” handwriting has helped disclose the author of a 400-year-old manuscript. Dr John-Mark Philo made the discovery while looking for translations of the Roman historian Tacitus. The document is written on paper stock favoured in the 1590s, and the corrections are “a match for Elizabeth’s late hand, which was, to put it mildly, idiosyncratic.” Dr Philo adds: “The higher you are in the social hierarchy… the messier you can let your handwriting become. For the queen, comprehension is somebody else's problem.”
Sequencing the DNA of the Arctic
UEA is leading a pioneering project to sequence the DNA of marine microbes in the Arctic Ocean. The results will help to develop models that predict how global warming impacts the diversity and activity of microbes – such as viruses, bacteria, microalgae and fungi – and ultimately alter ecosystem processes. The research is being made possible by the voyage of the RV Polarstern, which will drift across the frozen ocean over the next year.
Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson, who met while studying at UEA in the late 70s, returned the University last week (Thursday 5 December) to celebrate 25 years of The Fast Show, the popular 90s BBC comedy sketch show.
Interviewed by Prof Brett Mills in front of a sell-out crowd, the duo swapped stories about their days at UEA, from the student punk band they formed together (“The most hated of all concepts,” said Whitehouse) to self-penned nicknames – Switch was the name Higson chose for himself. Still at their quick-witted best, the pair kept the audience in stiches while recalling days spent writing and filming The Fast Show – particularly their fears over the sketches featuring with Ted and Ralph, now perhaps their most beloved creations – and how collaborating with other comedy icons including Vic Reeves, Bob Mortimer and Harry Enfield led to their success.
As the evening came to a close, Whitehouse was presented with a letter from the Vice-Chancellor offering him an honorary doctorate (Higson received his from UEA in 2014). “Dr Whitehouse and Dr Switch” left the stage to a huge round of applause.
It was International Volunteer Day on Thursday 5 December and, in the spirit of the day, co-founder of the UEA Women’s Alumni Network group Kathy King shared her reasons for giving up her time for others.
“It’s inspiring. It’s communal. It pushes you,” Kathy writes. And, as she explained: “Volunteering is like a workout for the spirit.”
You can read Kathy’s blog on LinkedIn or UEA Stories – an insightful, informative and illustrative piece on the pleasures of giving up your spare time to support others.
Inspired? Well, we’re always on the lookout for volunteers. Whether you’re keen to write a blog, help out at an open day, or host an event or reunion of your own, check out the alumni pages, or email Will Stileman, our Global Alumni Officer.
FUN FACT: UEA is the new home for the Institute of Volunteering Research. Find out more on the UEA website.
When it comes to sustainability, the fashion industry’s commitment is, well, somewhat murky. Luckily one UEA student has come up with a simple solution to improve a dismal record.
Second year student George Bailey is launching Coral Eyewear, a range of fashionable glasses frames made from abandoned fishing nets. He’s secured £50,000 of funding from the University's Enterprise Fund, and will be launching the range early in the new year.
Eyewear prescriptions are on the rise: an aging population and an increase in screen time mean nine million glasses frames, most made from non-recycled plastic, are produced in the UK each year. Meanwhile, our oceans are at increased threat of plastics pollution. And so, inspired by David Attenborough and the fight against plastic waste, George has come up with a product that recycles some of the 640,000 tonnes of fishing nets dumped at sea each year.
In other Enterprise Fund news: UEA recently renewed a partnership agreement with Santander Universities, ensuring students like George will continue to get support through bursaries and business grants.
The UEA Enterprise Fund is open to students and alumni who graduated within the last three years and is funded by our generous donors.
A new partnership between the University and the Norwich Theatre Royal (NTR) will help to set UEA students apart in the UK's growing cultural sector.
NTR’s Chief Executive, Stephen Crocker, visited campus in November to sign a memorandum of understanding alongside Prof Sarah Barrow, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Arts and Humanities. The new partnership will provide more training and professional experience opportunities for students and includes new opportunities in teaching, research, employability, innovation and civic engagement.
Other benefits for UEA include giving students more practical, hands-on experience by offering access to specialist venues in the city, extending research potential and creating opportunities to work with directors, and production and technical staff to develop new creative work. It will also give greater opportunities to UEA’s radio station, Livewire and UEA TV.
We’ve just about recovered from the excitement of this year’s Norwich Science Festival, which saw 137,000 people come to crawl through a giant nose, observe an ostrich dissection and enjoy more than 40 talks by UEA staff and students.
Now in its fourth year, the 2019 Festival was the biggest yet. And UEA is a key partner, coordinating more than 100 different Festival activities by contributors from across the Norwich Research Park.
As well as hands-on science, talks, shows and debates, this year’s Festival also featured its first ‘lates’ event. Science After Six was a chance for the adults to have a go, and enjoy comedy, ‘rap science’, cocktails and even an Offal Waffle, where the battle for the best organ was fought.
Now the countdown starts for the 2020 festival – and Prof Ben Garrod is already looking forward to next year’s live dissection.
To keep up-to-date with 2020 announcements, follow Norwich Science Festival on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and keep an eye on the website for headline announcements.
Sign up for one of our postgraduate open events and set your sights on a year of further study.
Next year’s open days take place on Wednesday 29 January and Wednesday 18 March.
At each event you’ll have the opportunity to attend subject talks and meet one-to-one with academic faculty to discuss the courses that interest you, hear first-hand what it's like studying for your Master's, ask current students about their life and studies at UEA, find out about the range of Master's Scholarships available at UEA and how to apply for the Postgraduate Student Loan (worth up to £10,906), gain advice from UEA's Student Services, focusing on your wellbeing and study support… plus ask any question you may have about the application and enrolment process.
And, don’t forget: all UEA alumni get 10% off postgraduate study. Whatever you love, go further.
Tesco customers across East Anglia cast their votes this summer to help community projects in the region. And, thanks to your support, Prof Colin Cooper’s prostate cancer research received a transformative financial boost.
The Tiger Test, one of this year’s UEA success stories, helps diagnose and detect aggressive prostate cancer, ultimately changing – and saving – men’s lives around the world. And the £15,000 received will help Prof Cooper and his team set up a lab where the test will be developed in clinical trials with prostate cancer patients.
Prof Cooper said the team were incredibly grateful to everyone who voted, adding: “We’re aiming to transform prostate cancer treatment across the world and to do that we need to raise £2.2m by 2022, so this grant will really make a difference.”
The BBC adaptation of Emma Healey’s best-selling book garnered rave reviews following its screening on Sunday 8 December.
Jonathan Coe described Elizabeth is Missing, the debut novel from Creative Writing graduate Emma Healey, as “One of those semi-mythical beasts, the book you cannot put down.” And the BBC adaptation proved similarly gripping.
The show saw Glenda Jackson in the screen-stealing lead role of Maude, who sets out to find out what has happened to her friend Elizabeth. An Oscar-winning actress and former Labour MP, Jackson has been widely celebrated for her return to the screen after a long absence. As Lucy Mangan wrote in her five-star review of the show, “We will see its like again, I’m sure, but it may take another 80 years.”
Thomas Paine Study Centre Lecture and Q&A 6.15-8pm (doors 6pm)Free, all welcome
How should we respond to the multitude of crises that seem to define the contemporary age? Do we need to ‘take back control’? What would that really mean?
We all face moments of crisis, but in the world today crisis seems to have become a near permanent state, infecting every aspect of our public and private lives.
The 2020 Philosophy Public Lecture Series will explore crisis in family life, in our prison system, in political rhetoric and our emotions, and ask why so many people today are turning to the ancient philosophy of stoicism for answers.
The series starts on Tuesday 14 January with a talk on Managing a Domestic Crisis: Seneca, Stoicism and the Family by Dr Elizabeth Gloyn (Royal Holloway).
Our annual series of London Lectures returns in the new year, starting with a fascinating talk on the ways algae can help clean up our oceans.Join Dr David Lea-Smith on Thursday 13 February as he takes us on a journey to the deepest known location on Earth, the Mariana Trench, in his discussion of the mysterious microbes that may play a role limiting oil pollution. The rest of the series includes lectures on the power of film, regulating the internet, and the ways in which new approaches in artificial intelligence are leading to improvements in the clinical management of prostate cancer.
UEA London Lectures give you an opportunity to hear about current UEA research and to meet and reminisce with fellow alumni, all at the Regent Street Cinema in the heart of London.
We’ve enjoyed a fascinating season of inaugural lectures this autumn, with topics from marine microbes to fluid dynamics, and from alternative performance measures to feminism and eating problems. Together with our newest professors, we’ve dived deep into some of the most interesting research happening right here in Norwich.
If you’re currently feeling like you’ve missed out, don’t fret – we upload each of our inaugural lectures to YouTube so that you can watch them at your leisure.
Inaugural lectures celebrate our newest professors, giving them the opportunity to talk about their research to a general audience. They’re free and open to everyone, so if you like what you see online, why not attend one in person? If you can’t make it to Norwich, you can also watch live on the night via our event livestreams.
Alfred Anderson (EAS 1976)Giacomo Donati Clarke (ECO 2016)David Drake (CHE 1964)Ann Farrant (EAS 2000). Read the EDP obituary Gail Goldberg (BIO 1979)Richard Jarrold (Honorary)