NEWSLETTERNEWSLETTERNovember 2007

Bangor University has won over £20min research grants during the last year

- a record-breaking sum for the University.

As well as exceeding previous year-endfigures for grants awarded under fiercecompetition among higher educationinstitutions; an analysis of grants awardedto universities (conducted by the TimesHigher Education Supplement) places BangorUniversity 45th according to the numberof most prestigious Research Councilgrants awarded to universities. ResearchCouncils are the bodies which funduniversity research.

For an institution such as Bangor, this is anotable result and places the Universityahead of many larger and more well-known universities – Bangor is 24thaccording to the number of awards permember of staff.

A further analysis (Research Fortnight)illustrates Bangor's excellent success ratein winning research grant applications.Bangor leads Welsh higher educationinstitutions according to the success rateof applications.

“The competition to win research Councilgrants is extremely stiff and grants arehighly sought after,” explains Professor JohnFarrar, Pro Vice Chancellor at BangorUniversity. “They are the gold standard forresearch income, and success at winningthem is a tribute to the quality of our staff.”

“The quality of research at BangorUniversity has improved even further –and this is reflected in the sums awardedto the University for research that willhave national and international relevanceacross a wide range of disciplines. Bangor'sresearch also benefits the region. Ourresearch feeds into the 'knowledgeeconomy', attracting and establishing newor spin-off businesses. We also conduct

research for industry, business andregional bodies,” added Professor Farrar.

Among the grants awarded is one of £5mto establish a research centre for thestudy of bilingualism.

Professor Margaret Deuchar, Director ofthe ERSC Centre for Research onBilingualism in Theory & Practice said:“We will be examining the relationshipbetween the two languages of bilingualspeakers in bilingual communities bothwithin the UK and internationally. Wewill carry out studies on theoreticalissues such as bilinguals' linguisticknowledge of their two languages andany potential interactions between thoselanguages, the neurological basis ofbilingualism, language development inbilinguals, and cognitive benefits of

Record breakinggrants won

bilingualism throughout the lifespan.”A grant of £342,000 has been made bythe Engineering & Physical SciencesResearch Council to Bangor's School ofComputer Science for a project: Physicalbased virtual environments for training invascular interventional radiologicalprocedures. Professor Nigel John wholeads the research explains: “Virtualenvironments offered by highperformance 3D graphics offer greatpotentials for applications beyond theentertainment field. Our research willenable interventional radiologists to gaintraining and experience of medicalprocedures outside the clinicalenvironment. This will enable newlytrained professionals to practice withgreater confidence and a higher level ofskills.” A prototype simulator is expectedto undergo clinical trials in late 2008.

As a new cohort of undergraduates settle into life at Bangor, this was the scene on an Anglesey beachduring an afternoon of activities organised by the School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences during

this year's Freshers' Week

New Freshers settle into Uni life

2

The Centre for Mindfulness Researchand Practice, formerly part ofIMSCaR, is now working within the

School of Psychology. The Centre's staff arecommitted through training and researchto developing the use of mindfulness-basedapproaches in health care and othercontexts.

Rebecca Crane, Director of Trainingexplains: "Mindfulness is the developmentof the ability to pay deliberate attention toour experience from moment to moment,to what is going on in our mind, body andday to day life and doing this withoutjudgement.”

"Becoming more aware of our thoughts,feelings and sensations may not sound likean obviously helpful thing to do, howeverlearning to do this in a way that suspendsjudgement and self criticism can have

surprising results. Many people reportfinding inner strengths and resources thathelp them make wise decisions about theirhealth and life in general."

The move into the School of Psychologycomes at an exciting time for the Centre,which is just starting a collaboration withProfessor Mark Williams (formerly Schoolof Psychology & IMSCaR) and his team atOxford University. This is a research trialof Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapyfunded by the Wellcome Trust and offersan investment in Bangor University of £1.1million. The work involves several projectscentred around the concept of cognitivereactivity (the way in which small moodchanges may induce large and catastrophicpatterns of negative thinking), and howour memory for past events sometimessucceeds and sometimes fails to switch offthis type of thinking. The two site

randomised trial of Mindfulness-basedCognitive Therapy will be testing whetherthe approach can help reduce the escalationof suicidal ideas in vulnerable patients byreducing cognitive reactivity.

This research work will run alongside thedevelopment of other areas of the centres’activity. This includes a rapidly expandingpostgraduate programme in Mindfulness-Based Approaches, a programme ofcontinuing professional developmenttraining events and the development of astrong research programme in other areas.“We are particularly pleased to welcome toour team, Prof Richard Hastings who hastaken on the Acting Directorship of thecentre over this academic year,” saidRebecca Crane.

For more information seewww.bangor.ac.uk/mindfulness/

New Beginning forMindfulness

Recent visitors to Bangor Universitywere very impressed with the PeerGuide Scheme. Participants from

Oxford Brookes, Edge Hill, Warwick,Cardiff, Chester and LiverpoolUniversities had wanted to find out moreafter having attended presentations byPeer Guide Coordinator, Kim Davies, atconferences organised by HE Academy,European First Year Experience Networkand the Student Transition and Retentionproject. The visitors spent the day findingout about the Peer Guide Scheme. Overthe course of the day they saw how thescheme was developed, how it isstructured and operates now and thenlooked at the practicalities of training andimplementing Peer Guide support beforelooking at recent evaluations showing itseffectiveness.

Everyone enjoyed the day and thecomments afterwards included ‘a verystimulating day … I have unashamedlyborrowed bits’ ‘a very useful insight intoboth the strategy and the mechanics’ ‘afantastic scheme …we came away withrenewed energy and direction.’

"It was particularly pleasing to receivethis praise just as our largest ever cohortof Peer Guides were about to smotherBangor in a swathe of orange shirts.This year saw almost 450 Peer Guidesdoing sterling work helping our

incoming students find their wayaround both the university and thetown," said Kim Davies, Peer GuideCoordinator, Centre for Careers &Opportunities.

PRAISE FOR PEER GUIDE SCHEME

New students and Peer Guides enjoy a Choral workshop at the School of Music

GEORGE HERBERTHaving published the first book containing the poems of

George Herbert, the greatest devotional poet in theEnglish language, in 1633, Cambridge University Press

(then referred to as 'Printer to the University') has againpublished his work. The English Poems of George Herbert,edited by Helen Wilcox, is described as 'the definitive modernscholarly edition of his works, accompanied by extensiveexplanatory and textual apparatus'.

The volume is the culmination of some 20 years of research by HelenWilcox, Professor in the School of English.

Although chiefly remembered as a devotional poet, GeorgeHerbert, who also wrote prose and Latin poetry, was one of thegreatest scholars of his age. He became the public orator ofCambridge University and was famed for setting out the mostcomplex arguments with rhetorical skill and fine wit.

"He was highly regarded by his peers and could have followed acareer at the university or at the royal Court, but instead hechose to become a parish priest. His devotional poems have beengreatly admired and enjoyed down the centuries. His work islyrical and seemingly simple though highly crafted. In his viewwriting an overly complex work would reflect too much on thepoet rather than on the subject – God. It is this seemingsimplicity and humanity that is so appealing," explains ProfWilcox. "Admirers of his work have included Coleridge, T.S. Eliotand the Welsh poet R.S. Thomas. Many of Herbert’s poems aresung as hymns, while his work has inspired some of our greatestcomposers including Purcell, Vaughan Williams and BenjaminBritten."

The newly published volume has introductions to each poem,including an overview of how each has been discussed by critics,as well as comprehensive notes explaining unfamiliar vocabularyand biblical or historical references which may be lost to themodern reader. It provides a foundation for all who want tostudy his work, whether for the sheer poetry, for the religiouscontent or for enjoyment.

Professor Wilcox has been at Bangor for a year and waspreviously professor at the University of Groningen in theNetherlands and before that a lecturer at Liverpool University.Her areas of expertise include Renaissance and early modernliterature (16th & 17th centuries). As well as being a leadingauthority on George Herbert, she studies Shakespeare and hiscontemporaries, both male and female, and the representation ofwomen in literature from the period.

The new edition was launched at an international conference:George Herbert's Pastoral: Poetry and Priesthood, Past and Future,which took place recently in Salisbury, where George Herbertministered as a priest until his death in 1633.

Commemorative window at Bemerton Church, Salisbury, also used as the book's cover image.

3

The new Award for Excellence is open toall Bangor University support staff andwas awarded through nomination. Itunderlines, not only a job well done, butoutstanding and exceptional service,significantly above and beyond what isrequired in an individuals' role; or aparticular contribution which is judged tobe excellent, which is consistent with theUniversity’s objectives and has had asignificant impact on the life and work ofthe University in areas such as staff orstudent support; enhancing theUniversity’s image, performance orreputation; the introduction of innovativeideas; or the University’s relationship withthe community.

Numerous nominations were made andfive individuals were selected for specialcommendation: Caroline Creasy,Administrator at the Institute for Medical,Social & Care Research, Wendy Halstead,Finance Manager at the Schools ofElectronics and Computer Science, PatsyThomas, Senior Assistant Registrar at theAcademic Registry, Dilys Williams,Administrator of the Incredible Years WalesCentre at the School of Psychology andEmlyn Roberts, Technician at the Schoolof Biological Sciences. The Award waspresented to Emlyn Roberts, who wasdescribed as a 'quite exceptional technicianand role model for others in the School ofBiological Sciences’.

For the first time ever, six new AssociateTeaching Fellowships were also awarded.These are to be awarded to those who havemade an exceptional contribution to theUniversity by supporting teaching andlearning. This can include staff whoprovide administrative support or academicstaff who have an exceptionally strongrecord in the administration of courses,placements, practical activities and soforth. They can also be awarded to supportstaff in central departments who haveprovided exceptional service to students.

STAFFAWARDED

Members of staff were invited to attend an Awards dinner with theirguest, hosted by the Vice-Chancellor at the University recently. Thiswas the first such event to be held, at which the first Award forExcellence was presented.

The First Associate Teaching Fellows are:Carys Bower, Teaching Administrator, School ofBiological SciencesSharon Fraser, Programme Coordinator North WalesClinical Psychology Programme, School ofPsychologyWyn Griffith, Technician (Design & Technology),School of Education.Bethan Hamilton-Hine, Postgraduate Administrator,Bangor Business SchoolGaynor Mew, School Administrator, Schools ofElectronics & Computer ScienceDonald Poirot, Technician, School of Electronics.Donald Poirot, Technegydd, Electroneg.

"All these individuals are to becongratulated for the high level ofcommitment and the excellent quality ofwork that they have contributed to theUniversity" commented Professor MerfynJones.

Dr Kevin Anderson, Energy ProgrammeLeader at the Tyndall Centre, will presentDrinking in the last chance saloon:the challenge of climate changeand sustainable energy at the thirdannual Phil Williams Memorial Lecture, thisyear hosted by the University.

The Tyndall Centre is a network of morethan 200 UK researchers evaluating thesocial, political and economic dimensions ofoptions to slow the rate of climate changeand minimise the risks caused by climatechange.

The lecture commemorates one of theNational Assembly Sustainable EnergyGroup's founding directors - a scientist,academic and politician and leadingproponent of sustainable energy in Wales.

The Lecture, which takes place on Friday9th November in the Main Arts LectureTheatre at 6.00pm, is also supported by theCountryside Council for Wales, theEnvironment Agency Wales and MorganCole.

The exciting and dramatic Italian artist,Caravaggio, is the subject of the T. RowlandHughes Lecture on Wednesday 21November 2007. Sian Walters discusses: "ARebel on the Run - Caravaggio's Final Years".Sian Walters studied History of Art atCambridge University and lectures for theNational Gallery, Surrey University andBirkbeck College, among others.

The Lecture takes place at 6.00 in the MainArts Lecture Theatre.

CLIMATECHANGE ANDCARAVAGGIO

Vice-Chancellor ProfessorMerfyn Jones congratulates

Emlyn Roberts, Technician atthe School of Biological

Sciences

4

5

The School of Psychology's ImagingUnit was opened recently. The

Imaging Unit houses a state-of-the-arthigh field Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI) scanner, which is used for bothbasic and clinical research. MRI is a veryversatile technology, which can givedetailed information about the structureand function of almost any type of tissuein the body. Researchers in the School ofPsychology use it to study the brainmechanisms involved in perception,cognition, emotion, language and thedevelopment of mental abilities. There isalso a large research programme into themake-up of the brain and relatedneurological and psychiatric disorders.

Exercise scientists from the School ofSport, Health, and Exercise Sciencesinvestigate the effect of exercise andfatigue on human tissue, which hasimportant clinical implications forexample for musculoskeletal disorders.The Unit will enable them to conductdynamic cardiac imaging, allowing for theinvestigation of the structure and

function of the heart in action. This isanother exciting development both inbasic and clinical research.

The University has a longstandingcollaboration with the local NHS Trusts,and the expansion of the imagingprogramme testifies to the success of this.It has been possible to attract funding fromthe Welsh Assembly Government throughthe Higher Education Funding Council forWales (HEFCW) for the equipment, andfrom the Wolfson Foundation for thebuilding work. The Imaging Unit alsohouses laboratories for brain research withother methodologies (electroence-phalography, transcranial magneticstimulation, patient testing) and hasalready attracted a number of intern-ationally renowned scientists to Bangor.

A programme of lectures and workshopsmarked the opening of the Unit. Thesecovered exciting aspects of the applicationof MRI techniques to questions of basicand cognitive neuroscience as well astopical clinical issues. Speakers considered

the increasingly popular combination ofMRI with other neurophysiological andneurobiological tools. Researchers fromBangor also presented posters makingMRI accessible to a wider audience andguided visitors around the imaging unit.

Bangor Imaging Unit Opens

COURT AND COUNCIL NEWSThe University Court has appointeda new Vice-President - Sir PeterDavis, former Chief Executive ofthree major FTSE companies,including J Sainsbury plc, andcurrently Chair of Marie CurieCancer Care. Three new lay Councilmembers have been appointedsince May 2007.

• Elinor Bennett

• Dr Dewi Roberts (retired GP andcurrently High Sheriff ofGwynedd)

• Alun Ffred Jones AM

Thinking of buying any books, music or DVDs as Christmaspresents? Be sure to take advantage of an offer available onBangor's Alumni pages (www.bangor.ac.uk/alumni/amazon.php.en). Having registered as an 'associate member' theUniversity will receive commission on every item sold fromAmazon via this link. The commission will be donated to theStudent Opportunities Fund. Happy shopping!

‘AMAZON’ SUPPORT FOROUR STUDENTS

Peter Hain MP Secretary of State for Work andPensions and Wales was a recent visitor to theUniversity. Here he views the new facility.

At the Opening are: (left-right) Professor Kimron Shapiro, Professor Oliver Turnbull (Head of School), Prof David Linden, Professor John Farrar, Pro Vice- Chancellor, who cut the ribbon to open the Unit, Professor Lew Hardy, Dr Stan Colcombe, Professor Paul Downing and Dr Paul Mullins.

The University has awarded several newHonorary Professorships. Honorary

Professors will make an academiccontribution to the life of the University intheir subject area.

Filmgoers will be able to see the first filmbased on the 'His Dark Materials' trilogyby Whitbread and 'Carnegie of Carnegies'Prize winning author, Philip Pullmanfrom early December. Meanwhile, theauthor has been made an HonoraryProfessor in Arts & Humanities at theUniversity. Already an Honorary Fellow,Philip Pullman has agreed to deliver anumber of lectures and workshops on the'science of writing' for staff and students.

Other Honorary Professors are:

Wales’s Chief Legislative Counsel,Thomas Watkin is Honorary Professor inLaw. He was founding Professor of law atBangor's recently inaugurated Law School.

James T. Boulton (Hon Prof in English),Emeritus Professor and former Head of theDepartment of English in the Universityof Birmingham, and Emeritus Director ofBirmingham’s Institute for AdvancedResearch. He is a Fellow of the BritishAcademy and of the Royal Society ofLiterature and holds honorary DLittdegrees from Durham and NottinghamUniversities. The School of English lookforward to his input into staff researchinterests in 18th century literature,scholarly editing and modern literature,particularly DH Lawrence.

Terry Hewitt (Hon Prof in ComputerScience), Bangor PhD. Terry Hewitt gaineda Post-doc position in the Plamsa Physicsgroup, the first in Bangor to make use ofcomputer graphics. In 1978, Terry leftBangor to join the first dedicatedcomputer graphics unit set up in a UKuniversity, at Manchester University,where he has been ever since. He ran theManchester Visualization Centre for manyyears and is now Head of ResearchComputing Services. With the recentexpansion of visualization research atBangor and the facilities available here andat Technium CAST, Terry will be able tolend his vast experience in the field to helpestablish Bangor on the world map forvisualization.

Judy Hutchings, Director of theIncredible Years Cymru Centre at theSchool of Psychology has been awardedan Honorary Professorship in recognitionof her research in the field of childbehaviour. Professor Hutchings isemployed by the North West Wales Trustand runs the Incredible Years CymruCentre at the School of Psychology. TheCentre researches and trains staff todeliver the evidence based 'IncredibleYears' programmes for children, parentsand teachers funded by grants from theWelsh Assembly and WestminsterGovernments and a variety of other grantsources.

HONORARY PROFESSORS

Items for inclusion in the nextedition of Newsletter should besent to the Editor:Editor: Elinor Elis-Williams,Bangor University, e-mail: press@bangor.ac.uk

Newsletter is published by the CorporateCommunications & Marketing Department,

© Bangor University. Please contact theEditor for permission to reproduce anyarticle. Updated University news can befound at www.bangor.ac.uk/

Author and HonoraryFellow, Philip Pullman

The Chief Executive of HSBC Bank plc, Welshman, Dyfrig John visited the University recently. He presented the 2007 George Rae Memorial Lecture, which is held on alternate years. Here he is seen

with Professor Ted Gardener, Head of the College of Business, Social Sciences and Law.

6

7

New Bangor University Honorary Fellow,and former student in the School of OceanSciences, Stefan Rahmstorf is a member ofthe Intergovernmental Panel on ClimateChange; recently awarded the Nobel PeacePrize jointly with Al Gore.

The Nobel Award is for the IPCC’s effortsto build up and disseminate greaterknowledge about man-made climatechange, and to lay the foundations for themeasures that are needed to counteractsuch change. Climate changes, the IPPCwarn, may lead to increased danger ofviolent conflicts and wars, within andbetween states as living conditions changeand there is greater competition for theworld’s resources.

Professor James Scourse from the School ofOcean Sciences, who presented ProfesorRahmstorf for his Honorary Fellowshipearlier this year, was keen to congratulateProfessor Rahmstorf saying: “The 2007assessment of the IPCC is THE keydocument in climate change. It representsthe conscensus of the scientific communityon what is, and what is not, known aboutthe most important issue of our times.Stefan has been a key player in

understanding the role of the deepcirculation of oceans in climate change andwas a lead author in the 2007 report.”

Following the announcement of the award,Stefan said “It was fantastic news aboutthe IPCC prize! I commented to thenewspapers in Germany that it really is ahuge collective effort of the whole climate

community that is rewarded, not anyindividual people. The best thing is that ithopefully will help the negotiations for aglobal post-Kyoto treaty along.”

Stefan is now at Germany’s PotsdamInstitute for Climate Impact Research, andProfessor of Physics of the Oceans atPotsdam University. After receiving hisFellowship in Bangor in the summer, Stefandelivered a short address: “Thank you verymuch. I feel very moved and very honouredto be awarded this Fellowship. It was herein Bangor in 1982-83 that my passion forocean and climate science was awakenedand it was the people who taught me here,like Professor John Simpson, who inspiredme to devote my career to this field. I hope,not least for my little daughter Laia and allthe other children in the world, thatsociety will finally take the scientificfindings to heart and start to act decisively.It is a huge challenge, but I am convincedthat we can stop global warming and I feelthat it is the very values that we celebratehere today - our ability to learn, tounderstand and to take responsibility -which compel us and allow us tosuccessfully tackle this challenge head on.”

Honorary Fellow Congratulatedon Nobel Prize

Newspapers and news websites, radioand television stations around the

world have been spreading the news of adiscovery by a team of scientists from theSchool of Ocean Sciences, who believethey have found the longest living non-colonial (creatures such as corals) animal;Arctica islandica, a clam which was livingand growing on the seabed in the coldwaters off the north coast of Iceland foraround 400 years. When this animal wasa juvenile, King James I replaced QueenElizabeth I as English monarch andShakespeare was writing his greatest playsHamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth.

Bangor’s news has been reported in LosAngeles, New Zealand, Australia, Europeand Japan and has received coverage fromThe Sunday Times, The Guardian, BBC,Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror,National Geographic and Nature, amongothers.

The team: Professors Chris Richardsonand James Scourse, with Al Wanamakerand Paul Butler, study the growth and ageof clams using annual growth lines in theshell in much the same way as othersstudy the growth of trees using tree-rings. Clam shell growth is related to

environmental conditions such asseawater temperature, salinity and foodavailability. The team analyse the shellgrowth histories with a view tounderstanding changes in the oceanlinked to climate change. Full story:www.bangor.ac.uk/news/full.php.en?Id=382

World hears of Bangor’s aged clam!

8

Dr Sion Williams, a Lecturer in Nursingin the School of Healthcare Sciences,

attended the launch of a healthcareinitiative at the Senedd building recently.The Research Capacity BuildingCollaboration (rcbcwales) was launchedby Health & Social Services Minister,Edwina Hart.

Sion is one of 4 rcbc post-doctoral Fellowsunder the initiative, which aims todevelop research capacity in nursing,midwifery and allied health professions inWales. The initiative also includes 7doctoral Fellows

Sion's interested in how chronicconditions are managed, by the individual,their families and the multidisciplinarysupport team. His post-doctoral study ison advanced Parkinson's disease, but otherwork includes Alzheimer's disease, strokeand rheumatoid arthritis. His concern ishow those with Parkinson’s disease andtheir families adjust to the demands of a

life with a range ofdistressing symptoms and adecline in wellbeing and thecomplex process ofadjustment that people andtheir families need to make.

At the heart of his research is the patient'sown experience. He's interested tounderstand more about people's copingmechanisms and how they and theirfamilies adapt to long term conditions.This will lead to the development of abetter understanding of the adjustmentsthat older people have to make andimproved support services.

"We're delighted to host one of theseFellowships as their aim so closelymatches our own research interests anddesire to extend research capacity at theSchool," said Professor Jane Noyes,Professor in Nursing Research, Centre forHealth Related-Research at the School ofHealthcare Sciences.

EditingEnglishBangor’s School of English has

been successful in its bid toedit the prestigious journalEnglish (Oxford University Press).With seventeen bids in therunning, the competition to editthis international journal ofliterary criticism, creative writingand reviews was intense. Aftermaking the short-list, the Schoolof English was selected for theeditorship by the EnglishAssociation Board of Trustees.

"The Board commended our aimto broaden the criticalperspectives and period range ofthe critical material. They alsochampioned our desire to developthe creative writing input and usethe reviews section periodically asa forum for critical reflection onthe discipline" said Head of SchoolProfessor Justin Edwards.

English is the journal of TheEnglish Association, the oldestnational learned society devotedto the dissemination ofknowledge, understanding andappreciation of English languageand literatures in English.

The editorial team consists of Dr.Andrew Hiscock and Prof. HelenWilcox (editors), Dr. Ian Davidsonand Prof. Ian Gregson (creativewriting editors), and Dr. StephenColclough and Dr. SueNiebrzydowski (reviews editors).

Growing collaboration A joint 'Strategy Board' has beenformed by Bangor andAberystwyth Universities tooversee the growing collaborationbetween the two institutions.

New School The University Council hasapproved the establishment of a'School of Medical Sciences' withthe aim of building on thebiomedical research strengths ofthe University, developingpostgraduate medical educationand co-ordinating the University'scontribution to the North WalesClinical School.

Smoking consultation The Safety Executive Task Group isconsidering extending the ban onsmoking e.g. banning smokingnear doorways and windows. Aconsultation will take place overthe next few weeks, and anyonewishing to express views is askedto contact Gareth Wynn Jones(Head of Health & Safety).healthandsaftey@bangor.ac.uk

New FiguresAdmission and registration figuresthis year show positive features:home undergraduate registrationsare 2.5% higher than the previousyear and internationalundergraduate numbers are 23%higher. However, there is a drop inhome postgraduate numbers. TheUniversity is focussing on ways ofimproving student retention.

In Brief

EXTENDING OURRESEARCH

rcbwales Fellows with Health & Social Services Minister Edwina Hart AM at the Senedd Buildingrecently (Siôn Williams is top right).

9

The Staff Development web site(http://www.bangor.ac.uk/hr/staffd

evelopment/) has now been expanded tobring together all the training anddevelopment opportunities provided bythe University for staff. On the site youcan search development opportunitiesavailable in terms of role and in terms ofthe type of training that is providedsuch as; personal and management skillstraining, IT skills, health and safety andWelsh language skills.

The site also links to the new site forthe Academic Development Unit(ADU), which contains extensiveinformation about workshops andresources in teaching, learning andassessment delivered both within theUniversity and by external organisationssuch as the Higher Education Academy.

The ADU also looks after the personaldevelopment of postgraduate researchstudents and contains all theinformation that students andsupervisors need to know about the newGraduate Skills Programme.

Nia Gwynn (Deputy Director, HRDevelopment) said "Staff should takefive minutes to go through the site tosee the range of training opportunitiesavailable to them. The StaffDevelopment Team have developed aprogramme based on feedback fromprevious workshops and of course,performance reviews. We hope thatagain this year many staff will take theopportunity of developing their skillsand knowledge to assist them in theirroles."

The Chair of the University Council, His HonourEifion Roberts QC, has retired after more than

ten years in the position, and twenty-five years as amember of the Council. Born on Anglesey, andeducated at Beaumaris, Aberystwyth University andOxford, he was called to the Bar in 1953 andpractised as a Junior Counsel on the Wales & Chestercircuit until 1971. He served as a Recorder of theCrown Court for 6 years and was subsequently aCircuit Judge from 1977 until his retirement fromthe Law in 1998.

The Chair of Council plays a leading role in thegovernance of the institution, chairing not only theCouncil itself but key sub-committees such as theNominations Committee, the RemunerationCommittee and the Strategy Committee. He haspresided at Degree Ceremonies and other Universityfunctions.

Paying tribute to Eifion Roberts at his last Councilmeeting on 5 October, the University President, LordElis-Thomas, said:

“Eifion Roberts has made a unique contribution tothis University over a time of very significantchange. Great ‘Chairs’, who are well-prepared, leadpeople to wise decisions, and Bangor University isimmensely grateful to Eifion for his wise leadershipof the Council over the years.”

Dr Tony Claydon of the School of History,Welsh History & Archaeology, has beenappointed to the Chair of Early ModernHistory and the Directorship of the Instituteof Medieval and Early Modern Studies (partof the research collaboration withAberystwyth University).

Dr David Linden, has been appointedProfessor of Biological Psychiatry at the School of Psychology.

The following academics have been awardedPersonal Chairs: Dr Sally Sambrook and Dr Jonathan Williams, (Business School),Chris Richardson, (School of OceanSciences).Congratulations go to all.

CHAIR OF COUNCILRETIRES

Development Opportunities for Staff

PERSONALIA

His Honour Eifion Roberts QC

10

Have you sat in your armchairwatching an international snooker on

the TV and wondered what it would belike to play against a champion? Look nofurther than Emyr Humphreys, of theAcademic Office, for an answer to yourquestion.

Four teams vied for the honour ofbecoming the University’s first

Volleyball champions, but the title wasfinally bestowed upon the sportingrepresentatives of the School ofEnvironment & Natural Sciences!

The Tournament was held on Saturday 15September with four teams competing:Maes Glas, the School of Environment &Natural Resources (SENR), Psychology andChemistry. All teams played each otherleading to a close-fought final betweenPsychology and SENR.

“All the participants had attended a tastersession during the preceding week to learnabout the game’s rules and tactics, leavingeverybody keenly awaiting thetournament!” said Iona Williams, SportsDevelopment Officer at Maes Glas.

This was the third sport tournament totake place, following from earlier 5-a-sidefootball and netball tournaments.

Next tournaments: Netball: 6 December2007; 5 a Side football: 26 January 2008,

with Basketball to follow at Easter.For more details contact Iona by e mail to:pes205@bangor.ac.uk

Here are tournament winners (l-r): JensHaufe, Colin Leballe, Michelle Jones, JohnEvans, Georgia Koerber, Andrew Packwood,Prof. Mike Geng.

MARATHONMAN

Dewi Owen, Security Supervisor atEstates & Facilities is preparing to run

his sixth marathon and 4th Londonmarathon (1 April 2008).

Currently ahead of his training scheduleand running an average 40 miles a week,Dewi is running for CLIC Sargent, acharity that supports children with canceror leukaemia and their families.

Dewi's sponsorship is being organised byRhiannon Rowlands, administrator at theDyslexia Unit. Dewi is running in memoryof Rhiannon's daughter, Lisa, who died ofleukaemia.

"I'm really impressed that Dewi wants torun another marathon, and grateful thathe's chosen again to support these charitiesin memory of my daughter. I will also befundraising to make sure we reach thetarget," said Rhiannon.

If you wish to support Dewi in Lisa'smemory and donate to CLIC Sargent youcan contact Rhiannon on 07833 525187 orvisit the donation website which will beavailable soon at www.clicsargent.org.uk/especiallyforyou. All CLIC Sargent fundsare spent locally.

Emyr plays for his country

Emyr has played against Ken Docherty,Irish Snooker Champion and rated 4thin the World snooker ratings. How didEmyr get to play against one of thebest? As he’s among the best in the inhis own country, representing Wales atthe sport.

“Playing against Ken Doherty was a goodexperience though ‘nerve-racking’ when Itook the lead in the first frame! I lost thenext two frames- but the score was quiteclose, nevertheless.” says Emyr.

Emyr represented Wales in a homeInternational in Prestatyn recently, wherehe won two games, contributing toWales’s final third place.

Emyr has only been selected as one of the6 snooker players who represent Wales inthis last year. He performed well in thesix qualifying games, competing against60 other hopefuls to reach the quarterfinal each time and achieving asufficiently large score to qualify. Hisqualification was also supported by beingawarded the North Wales ChampionsCup Champion last year and scoring arecord break of 129.

Emyr plays at the Conservative Club inCaernarfon and in the Bangor and DistrictLeague. He practises around six hours aweek, though he admits that this ishardly sufficient. He says he trains bystudying the champions at their game.

VOLLEYBALL CHAMPS!