Advent Calendar 2016

Yesterday children of University staff, students and alumni (and their parents) experienced some spectacular science from Aberdeen Science Centre and treats in Elphinstone Hall while they waited for darkness, 3:45pm here in Aberdeen. At 5:00pm a very special guest switched on the lights on the Christmas tree outside Elphinstone Hall. View the special moment here.

Today, Professor John Swinton, Chair in Divinity and Religious Studies, brings us a story about a woman who finds hope in remembrance.

An elderly lady living with dementia, paced the corridors of the nursing home restlessly - repeating over and over, just one word. The staff were disconcerted, but no one seemed quite sure how to calm her and put her mind at rest. In fact they were at a loss to understand the reason for her distress. The word she repeated over and over again was God - and that was all she said. One day a nurse got alongside her and walked with her up and down the corridors until eventually in a flash of inspiration she asked the lady, "Are you afraid that you will forget God? "Yes, Yes!" she replied emphatically. The nurse was then able to say to her, "You know even if you should forget God, He will not forget you. He has promised that." For this lady who was forgetting many things, and was aware of it, that assurance was what she needed to hear. She immediately became more peaceful, and that particular behaviour ceased. She was responding positively to care which extended beyond the needs of body and mind - care of the human spirit [1]. This story is deeply moving. Ending your days in a situation where people do not understand the deepest things that are important to you is a frightening thought. Knowing that that which has always been central to your life – God – is slipping away and that you feel that you can only express your distress through bodily movements that are open to multiple interpretations is both touching and disturbing. The key that unlocked this woman’s distress came from someone who saw beyond the "obvious" interpretation of her situation based on the normal associations that come with her diagnosis, and asked the simple but profound question: "Are you afraid that you will forget God?" The deep fear of being forgotten is overcome by the deeper promise of being remembered.

Advent is a time of remembrance and remembering. It is a time of hope in the midst of situations that can often seem to be profoundly hopeless. For some of us it is important that God remembers us. For all of us it is important that we remember one another.

[1] The story originally comes from: Hutchison, Margaret G. 'Unity and Diversity in Spiritual Care.' Paper originally presented at the Sydney University Nursing Society First Annual Conference for Undergraduate Nursing Students in NSW, September 1997: http://members.tripod.com/marg_hutchison/nurse-4.html reproduced in John Swinton Dementia: Living in the memories of God (2012) Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

With box sets being one of the most popular gifts for the holidays, your gift of the latest season of ‘Homeland’ might have unintended, positive side effects. This latest research from the University of Aberdeen explores how couples who watch 'box-sets' and movies together can improve relationship quality and commitment.

In the future, robots working in human environments, such as the kitchen, will face situations where they will need to improvise. The usual tool for a given task might not be available to the robot. Humans can use a frying pan to tenderise meat; a wine bottle to roll dough; or a kitchen knife to lift a pancake and, conversely, a spatula to cut lasagne. Tools share visual and physical similarities than can be explored in order to find suitable substitutes. This everyday creativity comes naturally to humans. Find out how researchers at the University of Aberdeen are trying to bring robots one step closer to this kind of creativity.

So, how did Professor Andrew Porter’s name end up on a bottle of gin? This is an inspirational tale of entrepreneurship brought about by the close connection between Aberdeen alumni and their alma mater. Ben Iravani, one of the founders of Porter’s Gin and an alumnus of the University suggests the following festive cocktail for the season:

Porter's Gin Alexander

40ml Porter's Gin

20ml White Creme de Cacao

20ml Single cream

5ml Sugar

Method: Shake all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker and double strain into cocktail glass 

Garnish: Forrero Rocher

University of Aberdeen alumni can take advantage of a 10% discount when ordering Porter’s Gin from the Whisky Exchange. The code is PORTER10.

The advent calendar has a musical tone today. The University has its own record label, Vox Regis, and in May of this year ‘O Sacrum Convivium: A Feast of Sacred Music’ was its first release. Directed by David J. Smith, this CD combines world-première recordings of new music with familiar favourites, including some seasonal classics. Proceeds from the sale of this CD support vital research undertaken at the University of Aberdeen into prevention and early diagnosis of diseases that cause dementia.

Coming soon from the University of Aberdeen Chamber Choir is ‘Immortal Memory - A Burns Night Celebration’ - a tribute to the poetry and music of Robert Burns. The album will be available on Amazon and iTunes on 20 January 2017 and proceeds will be contributed towards the Ballater Flood Appeal.

“...a long-standing puzzle in the field of dementia research has now been resolved to a large extent." In today’s advent calendar entry we bring you some breaking news in the area of Alzheimer’s research. The results of the study, undertaken at the University of Aberdeen, will have implications for the development of new drugs, but may also provide important information for diagnosis of the disease.

Today, Professor Pete Edwards introduces the complex topic of ‘The Internet of Things’. Promising to transform every aspect of our lives by connecting our cars, homes and even our bodies to the Internet, what does this mean for our privacy, and how will we manage these devices and the data they produce? 

It's day 9 of our advent calendar and today we introduce the loudest society on campus. TAU (Team Aberdeen University) Racing was established in 2007 by a group of undergraduate engineers of various disciplines at the University of Aberdeen. The team’s goal each year is to design and build a single seat racing car to compete at Silverstone in the Formula Student competition.

This student society teaches team members to apply engineering methods to a real life engineering project, allowing the students' designs to be manufactured and used on the car. This year, TAU Racing received an early Christmas present in the form of a £19,300 sponsorship from Nexen Petroleum. This will allow the team to make several improvements to the car, enabling the team to compete at the highest levels in 2017.

This time of year it can be so easy to pile on the pounds and while most of us will wait until the new year to redress the scales, there is something we could all practice now. Would you be willing to use your imagination to curb temptation?

Want to get an early start on your new year’s resolutions? Sign up to the University’s Nutrition MOOC.

Today we’d like to introduce you to AU Magazine, a publication and blog produced by the Science Journalism Society at the University of Aberdeen which aims to showcase research taking place in Aberdeen’s universities. The next issue will be published in January 2017 and you can download it here. Today, day 11 of our advent calendar, you can read their weekly review of what’s going on in science both here in Aberdeen and further afield.

Your festive dram of whisky could do more than give you holiday cheer. Professor Graeme Paton introduces DRAM technology. DRAM uses the by-product of the whisky industry to clean wastewaters. In addition, DRAM is sustainable because it makes use of a natural product that is planted, harvested and treated using the highest quality control procedures.

Each year the University chooses artwork from the Special Collections at the Sir Duncan Rice Library to create a unique calendar. Today, we feature some of the stunning images from the 2017 calendar. The art can come from centuries old manuscripts, such as the Aberdeen Bestiary (c. 1200) or ‘more recent’ art deco poster art (c 1925). We’ll give one of these distinctive calendars to each of the first five people to comment on our Facebook page, where you can view all twelve images.

What do we understand by the phrase 'successful business leadership'? Is this an individual's function within an organisation or a shared responsibility? Are the traits and competencies necessary to be a strong leader inherent or can you learn them? In this webinar, key contributors to the University of Aberdeen MBA discuss the real meaning of successful business leadership.

Today it's a 'throwback Thursday' to this time last year when an acclaimed Swedish composer created the first ever 'rune carol' set to words adapted and translated by Dr Hannah Burrows of the University of Aberdeen. The Christmas carol was inspired by a visit to Aberdeen by the Swedish ambassador in 2015 where Dr Burrows spoke about her work in Scandinavian studies and translations of Old Norse poetry. She was then approached to provide the lyrics for the carol, created in conjunction with the Financial Times and performed by Stockholm’s Musikgymnasium choir. A performance of the carol can be viewed here.

This year, the Rowett Institute of Health and Nutrition moved to its new purpose-built facility on the University’s medical school campus at Foresterhill, Aberdeen, which is one of the largest health campuses in Europe. The building is located right in the heart of the University’s medical teaching and research facilities. The Rowett has produced ‘Stovies Reloaded Recipe Book’ a light-hearted take on traditional Scottish recipes and how they can be adapted in the light of increased nutritional knowledge. Pick up your free copy just in time for your Hogmanay celebration. 

Each year the British Council Alumni Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of alumni and showcase the impact and value of a UK higher education. Award winners and finalists are leaders in their fields who have used their experience of studying at a UK university to make a positive contribution to their communities, professions and countries.

This year, the University of Aberdeen was proud to nominate Timipre Wolo, MSc Oil and Gas Law, class of 2009 in the Professional Achievement category. We love the video Timi made as part of her submission. Winners will be announced at Alumni Award ceremonies in each of the 14 participating countries between January and March 2017.

The 2016 BBC Sports Personality of the Year will be crowned tonight, but we have our own sporting heroes to celebrate: Alan Sinclair, Nail Fachie, Karen Darke and Benjamin Jesson, competed and won medals at the highest levels in this summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio.

Alan Sinclair, from Inverness, represented Team GB in rowing. He studied medicine and trained at the University with support from a sports bursary from the Development Trust. He competed in the men’s pair at Rio just missing out on a medal. The 31-year-old has already affirmed his desire to continue on to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo and is keen to emerge with an Olympic medal before he calls time on his career.

Neil Fachie, from Bridge of Don, studied Physics and trained at the University as a track and field sprinter coached by the current Performance Athletics Coach Eddie McKenna. His move into cycling came towards the end of his University career, and his performances in the velodrome at the London 2012 Olympics saw him pick up gold and silver medals. Neil was awarded an MBE in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to para-cycling, and he also received an honorary degree from the University later that year. In the Rio Paralympic Games he secured a silver medal in the tandem B one kilometre time trial.

Karen Darke, who lives in Inverness, completed her PhD in Geology at the University in the 1990s and received an honorary degree in 2013 in recognition of her charitable work. A keen mountaineer, Karen was paralysed in a rock-climbing accident on a Scottish sea cliff at the age of 21 and since then has worked tirelessly to raise money for charity, undertaking many feats of endurance including a crossing of the Indian Himalaya by hand-cycle and a 600km traverse of the Greenland ice cap. As a competing hand cyclist, her achievements include winning a Silver Medal at the London 2012 Paralympic Games in the Women's H1-2 time trial. Karen won the H1-3 time trial to grab a gold medal at the Rio Paralympic Games.

Rio was Benjamin Jesson’s second taste of the Paralympics, after taking part in the Mixed R6–50 m rifle prone SH1 at London 2012. Graduating from the University with a degree in Marine Biology, he was inspired to take up shooting after coming across the Aberdeen University Rifle Club at a Fresher’s Fayre.

Donald Pirie, Head of Sport at the University of Aberdeen, said: “The University of Aberdeen has a long and proud tradition of students and alumni who have achieved sporting success and Karen, Alan, Neil and Benjamin are the latest example of athletes with a University connection who have gone on to represent their country in Olympic and international competition. “We are immensely proud of what they have achieved in their careers.”

We're holding our annual Celebration of Carols in St Marylebone Church in London on the 21st of December, featuring our brilliant Chamber Choir under the direction of royal composer Professor Paul Mealor and featuring readings by Sir Tony Robinson and Aberdeen alumna Laura Main. The event will be recorded by Classic FM and broadcast on the evening of the 23rd December. If you'd like to attend please email us at alumni@abdn.ac.uk.

Here’s a taste of what you can expect from the evening from past years.

Volunteering time to care for elderly friends or neighbours could help them live longer, according to a University of Aberdeen study. It is the first time that scientists have proved a causal link between volunteering and the longevity of care recipients.

Professor Tom Weber dispels some of the myths surrounding the famous Christmas day peace between British and German forces in 1914. He introduces the idea that these fraternisations, which happened on numerous fronts and at different times of the year, amounted to ‘archipelago of islands of peace’ during several conflicts.

Today we’d like to highlight the Aberdeen Bestiary. The manuscript, written and illuminated in England around 1200, considered to be one of the best examples of its type due to its lavish and costly illuminations, is of added interest since it contains notes, sketches and other evidence of the way it was designed and executed. Recently it was determined that the book, which belonged to Henry VIII, was not created for the royal elite but was a tool for teaching:  http://www.scotsman.com/heritage/people-places/aberdeen-bestiary-secrets-of-ancient-book-owned-by-henry-viii-revealed-1-4276434

We had a delightful time at our annual Celebration of Carols in St Marylebone Church in London on the 21st of December. The evening featured our brilliant Chamber Choir under the direction of royal composer Professor Paul Mealor and included readings by Sir Tony Robinson and Aberdeen alumna Laura Main. The event was recorded by Classic FM and you can catch the broadcast tonight at 8pm on 100-102 FM or online using the Classic FM radio player. On the evening we took the opportunity to raise funds for the University's groundbreaking research in the fight against dementia. Thanks to the many generous donations we received we have raised a substantial amount for this excellent cause and more are coming in every day. We're looking forward to announcing the grand total in the new year!

It’s the final day of our advent calendar and we hope you enjoyed each day’s little treat. Today it seems fitting to finish on a festive picture of our beautiful campus. If you have a picture of the campus (particularly a wintry one), please feel free to post it on our Facebook page. Happy Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza and season’s greetings to every single member of our Aberdeen family, far and wide. Come and see us in 2017.