CASS Newsletter Issue 2 - April 2010
Welcome message from Professor Chris Gane
Welcome to the second issue of the new College newsletter. Your feedback and comments on the newsletter are greatly appreciated, as well as any suggestions for future issues, so please do get in touch if there is something that you would like to tell us.
In this particular issue we have several articles on the achievements of some of our staff and students, news on some notable events that have taken place across the College over the past few months, as well as a piece on the forthcoming Word Festival and the University’s commitment to the Research Concordat. As always, I hope that you enjoy the read.
Research project sparks major interest on both sides of the Atlantic |
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Dr Barbara Fennell, of the School of Language & Literature, was awarded almost £334,000 under the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Digital Equipment and Digital Enhancement for Impact scheme, to help devise new techniques to analyse a rare manuscript collection held by Trinity College Dublin. A project team led by Dr Fennell will investigate the 1641 Depositions - witness testimonies, mainly by Protestants but also by some Catholics, describing their experience of the 1641 Rebellion – one of the most violent chapters of Irish history. Researchers will interrogate the database for a variety of information including the development of the English language inIrelandand the settlers’ lifestyle there in the 1640s, the language of atrocity appearing in the witness testimony and the reliability of the evidence in the depositions. The project will employ five people over the course of the year: a teaching fellow to replace Dr Fennell, Dr Fennell herself, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Early Modern English Language, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Discourse Analysis and a Software Developer The announcement of the launch of the project attracted global media interest, including a full-page spread in the Guardian, features in the Washington Post, New York Times, Belfast Telegraph and a host of other newspapers and websites on both sides of the Atlantic. |
Word programme set to be most diverse ever for 10th festival celebrations |
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Word is set to celebrate its 10th birthday with its most diverse programme ever ranging from leading literary lights to top names from the worlds of wildlife, politics, science and opera. Big names topping the bill at Word 10 include Father Ted and Shameless actress and author Pauline McLynn, adventurer Benedict Allen, wildlife expert Simon King and former BBC war correspondent and ex-independent MP Martin Bell. David Peace makes his first visit to the Festival after his success last year with the film adaptation of The Damned United and the powerful TV dramatisation of his Red Riding quartet, as does ‘the thinking reader’s thriller writer’ Philip Kerr. In an exciting new development, Word will host the world premiere of Scottish Opera’s successful Five:15 strand for 2010 — five mini-operas, including two written by the University of Aberdeen’s own academics. Word 10, which will run from 14-16 May and is sponsored by Talisman Energy (UK) Limited and the Wood Group, also has a special line-up dedicated to Scots and Gaelic culture, including a tribute to north-east storyteller Stanley Robertson, as well as a series of readings and talks celebrating Scotland’s greatest living poet Edwin Morgan and events with writer Janice Galloway, and singer Anne Lorne Gillies. To mark its milestone birthday, the Festival will kick-off with a reprisal of the very first Word event featuring great prose from Ireland and Scotland with Bernard MacLaverty, William McIlvanney, and Word artistic director Alan Spence. Alan Spence, who will also launch his new collection of poetry illustrated by leading Scottish artist Elizabeth Blackadder at the Festival, said: "This is an exceptional year for Word with our broadest and most varied programme to celebrate the 10th festival. “We are delighted that opera will feature for the very first time and it is a real coup to be able to host the world premier of Scottish Opera’sFive:15 series. “Word is now truly international in scope, featuring voices from America, Ireland, Spain, and even Guatemala while retaining important cultural links to Scotland and the north-east.” Professor Chris Gane, Head of the College of Arts and Social Sciences, said: “We are proud that the Word Festival is now firmly established as one of Scotland's most vibrant and popular literary events. “Word continues to make a unique and important contribute to the cultural landscape of the region and is a cornerstone of the University of Aberdeen’s public events programme. We are delighted that it has continued to grow and develop and we hope that the diverse programme for the 10th Festival will connect more people than ever with inspirational writers, performers and musicians.” |
Leading University conductor bows out with Music Hall anniversary concert |
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A gala concert to celebrate Aberdeen Music Hall's 150th anniversary brought together the combined forces of two of the city's top choirs. The event, which took place in March, also marked the final concert conducted by Dr Roger B Williams, as Master of Chapel and Ceremonial Music and Organist to the University of Aberdeen. After more than 30 years of music-making in the University, the city and the region, Dr Williams will be retiring in June. He rounded off his University choral conducting career on a high note, by combining the forces of the University of Aberdeen Choral Society together with the city’s Aberdeen Choral Society to perform the concert of Mozart and Mendelssohn in the Music Hall, which itself is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. Dr Williams shared the conducting with Mr Alistair Macdonald, his colleague in the University's music department, but was also the conductor of the Aberdeen Choral Society for more than 20 years. The concert featured the Mozart Requiem, one of the great works in the choral repertoire, and a favourite with singers and audiences alike, together with Mendelssohn's rousing choral work 'Lauda Sion', and Mr Macdonald's own edition of Mendelssohn's Psalm 43, written for double choir. In the days leading up to the event, Dr Williams said: "To conduct so many of Aberdeen’s finest singers will be a great thrill. I am much looking forward to what will be a wonderful occasion.” Professor Pete Stollery, Head of Music, added: “Dr Williams has contributed so much to the musical life of the University and the north-east of Scotland. The current health of the music department is as a result of his hard work and enthusiasm over 30 years of loyal service.” |
Return of Aberdeen’s Spanish & Latin American Film Festival |
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Aberdeen’s injection of Latin colour and culture returned to Aberdeen in March with the second Spanish & Latin American Film Festival. After a hugely successful first run in 2009, the festival took place again at The Belmont Picturehouse, from 12-18 March, with an extended set of screenings. Films such as Victor Erice’s beautiful Spirit of the Beehive, the quirky award-winning Uruguayan film Whisky, and the recently released I’m Gonna Explode, produced by Mexican cinema duo Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna, were shown as part of the week-long event. Building on its first year, the festival’s aim was to link up with other similar cultural events taking place in the city, with events to appeal to both locals and the growing community of native Spanish and Latin Americans drawn to live, work and study in the north-east. A partnership between the University of Aberdeen and The Belmont, with support from Aberdeen City Council and Scottish Screen, another aim of the festival was to promote the city as one of the UK’s leading Hispanic cultural centres. Organiser Dr Nerea Arruti of the University of Aberdeen said: “Based on the success of 2009, the intention is that this will now be an annual event in the city calendar, and can grow into a celebration of Hispanic culture in various forms through links with other initiatives in the region.” |
Sociology colleagues achieve recognition |
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Three members of staff from Sociology have achieved noteworthy recognition in their field by being asked to contribute to significant projects and events. John Brewer, Chair in Sociology, has accepted an invitation from the United Nations' Alliance of Civilisationsto join theUN's 'Roster of Global Experts'. Experts are identified by a UN Selection Committee on the basis of recommendations from peers, experts and journalists. Experts are expected to help analyse complex political, cultural and religious issues and crises and their long term impact. Professor Brewer has been selected because of his work on peace processes, especially in Northern Ireland. Tony Glendinning, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, was the keynote speaker for the Scottish Government’s Survey Conference at the George Hotel in Edinburgh on the 16th March 2010. His one-hour plenary session to 100+ delegates from throughout Scotland was about ‘the uses of secondary survey data sources in practice’ for local government and public body analysts. The one-day conference included presentations on all of the major secondary survey data sources currently supported by the Scottish Government, for example the Scottish Household Survey, Growing Up in Scotland, the Scottish Health Survey and a concluding session on the up-coming Census in 2011. Cristina Flesher Fominaya, Lecturer in Sociology, has been appointed as an expert scientific evaluator for the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation's 2010 National Plan for Research Funding in the area of Social Science. Expert evaluators advise the Ministry on which research projects should be funded under the National Plan. |
Law students demonstrate excellence with exciting initiatives |
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Law students at the University of Aberdeen are showing their strengths with the development of two exciting new projects - the establishment of Casus Omissus, a legal clinic, and the launch of the Aberdeen Student Law Review, their own journal to promote the work undertaken in the School. Casus Omissus, the brainchild of current postgraduate student and 2010 Quincentenary Prize winner Ryan Whelan, has been established in order to provide legal recourse to those that would otherwise, due to economic circumstances, be unable toseek - or defend - legal adjudication. All advice given to clients will be overseen and approved by practitioners acting in a pro bono capacity. In addition to this, the project will also engage in educational outreach projects with members of the public and schools. Margaret Ross, Head of the School of Law, said of the project: “I am delighted to support this student-led initiative, which will provide a novel opportunity for our law students to put their legal knowledge and expertise into practice. “This will add further to the skills and employability of our students as well as to the reputation of the Law School, and is an opportunity not to be missed.” The other project instigated by Law students, the Aberdeen Student Law Review, is a journal written and edited by the students and provides a platform for both undergraduate and postgraduate students to submit scholarly essays and case notes on an area of law of their choice. The newly established journal is only the second of its kind in Scotland and the editors are currently looking for contributions for the inaugural issue, which they hope to publish online in May. The Review will showcase the work of the students of Aberdeen and highlight the many areas of law which are taught and researched at the University. Dominic Scullion, Managing Editor of the Aberdeen Student Law Review and a postgraduate law student, said the journal was established to provide a new forum for law students at the University. He said: “We wanted to encourage students at the University of Aberdeen to challenge themselves academically and to provide an opportunity for them to see their work published. “At every stage of your law career, from writing your honours dissertation, to preparing research for the partner in your firm or providing an opinion as an Advocate, being able to write about law is as essential as being able to speak about it". The journal will welcome submissions on any area of Scots law, as well as articles with an international or historical focus. |
A resounding success for 2010 MA Applicant Day |
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The distinctive qualities that make Aberdeen an attractive place to study were showcased in March when the University hosted the sixth annual College-organised MA Applicant Day. Prospective students travelled from far and wide to find out about the broad range of MA courses available at the University and to get a flavour of student life in Aberdeen. An activity-filled day of guided tours and subject presentations was provided to around 1000 visitors, including talks on a range of subjects such as student funding, careers, and student support and accommodation. The MA Applicant Day was a resounding success and the feedback received from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with several applicants getting in touch to say that they have firmly accepted their offer as a result of having attended the event. Many students who attended similar events at other universities across the United Kingdom commented that the MA Applicant Day at Aberdeen was by far the best that they had experienced. The organisation and running of the MA Applicant Day is a huge undertaking, and although the main coordination of the event takes place within the College Office, it succeeds because of the exemplary professionalism and commitment to teamwork displayed by many colleagues cross the College and the wider University community. |
Gaelic artwork produced with the help of Aberdeen students is unveiled |
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Students from the University of Aberdeen helped celebrate the unveiling of new Gaelic artwork at the city’s railway station in February. Three murals designed and created by young Gaelic speakers from Gilcomstoun Primary, Hazlehead Academy, and the University of Aberdeen, now add colour to the station’s waiting rooms. The artwork - the brainchild of the Gaelic Arts Project, funded by Bòrd na Gàidhlig, through the Taic Freumhan Coimhearsnachd fund - features pictures of places of importance to Scotland and Aberdeen, and these images are paired with Gaelic words and phrases. The coordinating team for the project includes three University of Aberdeen students - Celtic PhD candidates Lindsay Milligan and Ashley Powell, and Paula Sledzinska, an undergraduate from the School of Language & Literature. Paula, who was heavily involved in managing the project, said: “The murals will help to draw attention to the presence and use of Gaelic in the urban setting, and the long tradition of Gaelic education in Aberdeen. “We hope they will be enjoyed by travellers at the railway station and they certainly brighten up the new waiting room and travel centre.” A special celebration featuring Aberdeen Gaelic Choir was held at the station to mark the unveiling of the artwork. |
Leading Jewish scholar delivers lecture in memory of Aberdeenshire laird |
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One of the world’s leading authorities on the Hebrew Bible spoke in Aberdeen as part of a bequest to promote a greater understanding and knowledge of the history and culture of the Jewish people, and to combat anti-Semitism. Professor Jon D Levenson, the Albert A List Professor of Jewish Studies at Harvard University, delivered the 2010 Hay of Seaton Memorial Lecture at the University of Aberdeen in February to an audience of over 100 people. Malcolm Hay of Seaton was a distinguished historian and the last Laird of Seaton in Aberdeen. The massacre of the European Jews during the Second World War deeply disturbed him and ignited a lifelong quest to highlight the history of anti-Semitism and the Jewish race. After his death, his widow, Alice Ivy Hay of Seaton, left a bequest in her own will in 1981 to the University of Aberdeen to establish a memorial lecture series. Professor Levenson’s work concentrates on the interpretation of the Hebrew Bible and has a strong interest in the philosophical and theological issues involved in biblical studies, especially the relationship of pre-modern modes of interpretation to modern historical criticism. Much of his work centres on the relationship of Judaism and Christianity, both in antiquity and in modernity, and he has long been active in Jewish-Christian dialogue. His book Resurrection and the Restoration of Israel: The Ultimate Victory of the God of Life (Yale University Press, 2006) won a National Jewish Book Award and the Biblical Archaeology Society Publication Award in the category of Best Book Relating to the Hebrew Bible published in 2005 or 2006. |
Recognition for Real Estate experts |
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University of Aberdeen academics have been recognised for their contribution to Real Estate research over the past three decades, especially since 2000. Professors Patric Hendershott, Martin Hoesli, and Bryan MacGregor are noted for their publications. A new paper, Evolution of the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association appearing in Real Estate Economics, the journal of the Association, lists the most frequent publishers over the entire 35 year life of the Journal. The Journal is widely recognised as the most prestigious publication of academic real estate. Between 1973 and 2008, the Association Journal published 936 research manuscripts. Topics covered included housing, urban economics, real estate finance, commercial real estate and real estate investments. 84 of the articles were deemed ‘more important’ based on citations. Professor Hendershott, part-time Professor of Property, is the second most prolific author in the history of the Association Journal, being the author or co-author of 24 of the papers, six of which were ranked ‘more important’ (only four other academics had more than two ‘more important’ papers). Professor Hoesli, part-time Professor of Finance, and Professor MacGregor, MacRobert Professor of Land Economy, are two of only eight international academics who published three or more papers since 2000. |
Aberdeen scholar receives prestigious professorship |
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A University of Aberdeen scholar has been awarded a prestigious British Academy Wolfson Professorship. Professor Robert Frost, Professor of Early Modern History, is one of four academics who will undertake a major research study, co-ordinated by the British Academy and funded by the Wolfson Foundation. He was selected from a strong field of 176 applicants for the professorships, which recognise the most outstanding scholars in the UK, providing £150,000 in research funding over three years. He will investigate the Polish-Lithuanian Union, 1386-1815, and the lessons which can be learned for current and future European political unions. Professor Frost said: “It is a great honour to receive this prestigious award. It is interesting that I should do so in a year in which the Scottish National Party has challenged the future of the British Union by setting out its referendum vision for Scottish independence. “Historians tend to study nation states and unions are often overlooked, yet modern Europeans can learn much from unions in the past. “It will not be until 2013 that the Anglo-Scottish Union will have outlasted the Polish-Lithuanian Union, which also included much of what is now Belarus, Ukraine, and, for a time, parts of Latvia and Estonia.” Professor Frost spoke for the first time about his research on 15 December 2009 at a special event at the British Academy in London. |
Major funding boost for promotion of Gaelic at University of Aberdeen |
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The University of Aberdeen is to share in funding of £5.29 million for research into the support and revitalisation of the Gaelic language and culture. The University is one of four institutions to share in the research pooling initiative, which will see more than £900,000 invested in the study and promotion of Gaelic at Aberdeen. Soillse (pronounced soil-shuh), which is Gaelic for enlightenment, is a research partnership of UHI Millennium Institute (UHIMI) and the Universities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow. The Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council (SFC) is investing £1.866 million, with £2.483 million being invested by the institutions, £0.541 million from Bòrd na Gàidhlig, and £0.4 million from Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The investment will be used to recruit world-class research staff, create nine PhD studentships based across the partner institutions, with at least four to be in collaboration with Gaelic stakeholders, and hold an annual conference to showcase research findings. The key function of Soillse will be to inform the Scottish Government’s economic and social priorities for Gaelic. The four institutions will work in partnership with key agencies, such as Bòrd na Gàidhlig, to share the information gleaned from their research to inform national and local efforts to reverse the decline of the Gaelic language, and encourage the use of Gaelic in areas where it is not traditionally spoken. To support the project in Aberdeen, the SFC will contribute £242,000, £125,000 will come from other funders, including and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), and the University will invest £539,000. Mark Batho, Chief Executive of SFC said: “Scotland has a rich and colourful history and Gaelic has played a large part in that. “We feel it is important that the Gaelic language and culture should be encouraged to flourish and develop and I am pleased that we and the partners involved are able to fund research to keep this significant part of the Scottish identity alive.” |
Concordat launched to support College researchers |
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Professor Dominic Houlihan - Vice-Principal for Research & Commercialisation, Professor Christopher Gane - Vice-Principal and Head of College, Heather Crabb - Senior Human Resources Manager, Dr Lucy Leiper - Research Development Adviser and Dr Hedda Weitz - Careers Adviser, were present to introduce the Concordat and to address the University’s commitment to implementing the principles. The importance of investing time and effort in managing the professional and career development of research staff and the positive influence that it can have not only on the University’s endeavour to generate world class research but also on making research at the University an attractive career choice was highlighted. Emphasis was also placed on engaging PIs to support the development of their research staff but also that ultimately the responsibility to manage their own progress lies with researchers themselves. The Staff Development Team is developing a specific research staff induction course tailored to the needs of researchers for all new research staff. New staff will be introduced to the principles of the Concordat and how the University is promoting the importance of personal, professional and career development and lifelong learning. Bespoke PI development programmes promote excellence in leadership and management and emphasise the University’s commitment to the Concordat. These programmes are designed to support new and aspiring and also experienced PIs. The programme outlines their roles and responsibilities, raising awareness of the support available within the University and developing their people, management, leadership and project management skills. It also provides support on ‘managing your own research career and that of your team’, ‘how to get the best out of appraisal’, ‘how to develop researchers and the value of developing the generic skills of your team’. A copy of the Concordat was sent out to all research staff and PIs in July 2009, but if you have joined the University since then or have not received your copy, please contact Dr Lucy Leiper (l.leiper@abdn.ac.uk, ext 4580) or download a copy from www.researchconcordat.ac.uk. |
Update on CASS Staff Working Group |
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The first meeting took place in April and to update you on the progress of the Group, the following items were discussed:
The College Office does not have an estate as such; the estate is allocated to the Schools and Research Institutes as appropriate and is managed therein. The only piece of the estate which can be said to ‘belong’ to the College Office is the Powis Gate building itself. Currently, there is one vacant office elsewhere on campus which is managed by the College Office and the offices that become available as a result of the implementation of the space policy with regard to postgraduate research students will be redeployed by the College Office in discussion with the Schools. Otherwise, all work space is managed by the individual School or Research Institute. Please speak to your School Administrative Officer if you have any queries that are specific to your particular School. Of course, the College has to operate within the bounds of the space it has and the College Office plays a role in the management and acquisition of new space projects e.g. 50/52 College Bounds and Edward Wright Annexe. All staff are encouraged to be as flexible as possible with the space that they are allocated. |
The launch of a major research project, which could shed new light on one of the most violent moments in Irish history, attracted global interest when it was announced in March.
The University held a launch event in the College in February to provide an opportunity to learn more about the Concordat - an agreement between funders and employers designed to support research staff by outlining the roles, expectations and responsibilities for researchers, managers, funders and employers - and also to suggest ways in which research staff in the College could be supported.
In response to the results of the CASS Staff Survey and those of the recent successful Investors in People (IiP) assessment, the College has established the CASS Staff Working Group, tasked with identifying the issues raised in the results and establishing any initiatives to address these issues and build on successes. The Group is chaired by Professor Margaret Ross, School of Law and is comprised of representatives from all six Schools and the College Office, including academic, academic-related and support staff.If you have any comments or suggestions for features in future issues please contact us.
