MyGlasgow News

New Athena SWAN Awards for UofG 

The University of Glasgow has achieved two new Athena SWAN awards in recognition of its ongoing commitment to gender equality for staff and students, bringing the current total to an impressive 19 awards across the University.

The awards, made by Advance HE (formerly the Equality Challenge Unit or ECU), includes a Silver Award for the School of Veterinary Medicine (part of the College of MVLS); and a renewal of a Bronze Athena SWAN award on the expanded Charter for the School of Chemistry (part of the College of Science & Engineering).

Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak, Vice Principal and Head of the College of MVLS, said: “The College of MVLS is delighted by its most recent Silver Athena SWAN award, and I want to congratulate everyone involved at the School of Veterinary Medicine in making this happen.

“We continually strive to be better in all areas at the University of Glasgow, and these awards are something we are very proud of as we continue our efforts to further equality and diversity, not only at the College, but the University as a whole.”

Professor Muffy Calder, Vice Principal and Head of the College of Science and Engineering, added: “I am proud of the advances the University of Glasgow has made in promoting equality and advancing the careers of women in STEM, so I’d like to congratulate the School of Chemistry on renewing their Athena SWAN Bronze Award. The College aims to value, nurture and support women and we’ll continue to work to address gender quality across all of our Schools.”

UofG Entrepreneurship on the Rise

Entrepreneurship is reaching new heights within the University of Glasgow with a record number of applications from the University to Converge, Scotland’s leading company creation programme for the Higher Education sector.

The nine applications from Glasgow cover three categories (Converge, Creative and Impact), and over half of the applicants are students and 44% are female.

The University wishes the best of luck to all applicants:

• Richard Taylor from the School of Engineering, who has developed a new surface emitting semi-conductor laser for the autonomous vehicle industry that can be electronically steered in two-dimensions.
• Razeen Zahin, a Mathematics & Statistics student and a Glasgow Future World Changer, has created Hydroquo+, a service leveraging Big Data, AI and machine learning to optimise water treatment, forecast water demand and ensure water security for future generations.
• Anji Sandhu, who has created Empowered Earth, a holistic solution for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) in the app 'PCOS Buddy'.
• Elijah Nazarzadeh, for Acu-Flow, a novel nebuliser technology to enable the precise delivery of new and existing therapies with the potential for improved clinical outcomes for chronic pulmonary diseases.
• Viktor Torstenius, Bifrost Wealth Limited, an innovative market place which enables investors with lower investable assets to access digital traditional wealth management services.
• Marwa Ebrahim, Atypical Cosmetics Ltd, a bespoke skincare for people with allergies. The online service uses emerging technology to allow users to customise the ingredients in their facial moisturisers and avoid ingredients they are allergic to.
• Lynn Wilson, a textile designer and circular economy specialist, who is working with The Mottanai Kimono Company to deliver training programmes for commercial and consumer audiences in the basic skills of clothing repair, recycling and sustainable consumption options.
• Saskia Goeres, Designed forLife Ltd, a start-up taking positive action towards a circular economy by designing long-lasting and innovative products.
• Gandit Pichatwatana, Mendet Eco Micro, a green manufacturing company that uses waste materials (such as brewery wastewater) to produce waste treating material (biosurfactant) to achieve net negative pollution.

Entrants are now chasing a total prize fund of cash and in-kind support worth £230,000 which will be awarded at the Converge final in September.

For more information visit - www.convergechallenge.com
https://www.gla.ac.uk/study/studentlife/worldchangers/future/razeen/

Graduate Outcomes Survey

The national survey capturing the activities and perspectives of graduates began in December 2018. This replaced the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE). All graduates are asked to take part in the Graduate ‌Outcomes Survey approximately 15 months after they finish their studies. The information they provide will help the University to evaluate courses and give current and future students an insight into their future careers. 

Graduates will receive an email or telephone call inviting them to complete the survey online. It takes only 15 minutes to complete, and though it isn't compulsory we hope that as many students as possible will take part. Results will provide important data both to the University and to policy makers on the state of the graduate labour market. 

For more info please visit: Planning & BI: Graduate Outcomes.

 

£2.5m funding for SuperPixels project

A University of Glasgow-led research project, which aims to co-develop a new integrated sensor platform that will revolutionise the way we process light to allow the full utilisation of its fundamental properties, has just launched.

SuperPixels (redefining the way we sense the world) will run for 3.5 years receiving €2.5m in funding from the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme,

SuperPixels is led by Dr Martin Lavery, from the School of Engineering. Project partners are the Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Polytechnic University of Milan and Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light.

Professor Lavery explained: "SuperPixels brings together a world leading team of researchers to rethink the way we sense the world around us. This could have considerable impact on the future of imaging, communication, and environmental monitoring technologies.”

SuperPixels is one of three projects involving the School of Engineering that the European Commission awarded from the extremely competitive 2018/2019 FET (Future and Emerging Technologies) open call. The other projects were ChipAI (Energy-efficient and high-bandwidth neuromorphic nanophotonic Chips for Artificial Intelligence systems) and ph-coding (Predictive Haptic COding Devices In Next Generation interfaces). ChipAI (UofG PI Professor Edward Wasige) is led by International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory and ph-coding (UofG Professor Ravinder Dahiya) is led by Lund University. 

Glasgow Crucible applications are open for 2019

The Glasgow Crucible programme is aimed at senior postdoctoral researchers, Research Fellow and new (R&T) Lecturers from any academic area.

Full details of the event and how to apply can be found at https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/research/development/crucibleprogramme/

Free organ recital - rare opportunity to hear world-renowned organ duo

Organ recitals are a regular fixture in the musical life at the University of Glasgow, but this Friday (10 May, 6pm, University Memorial Chapel) offers a rare opportunity to experience an organ duo (that’s four hands and four feet playing three manuals and a pedal board, if you’re counting!).

Vernet-Meckler Organ Duet (Olivier Vernet and Cédric Meckler) are visiting Glasgow for the first time, playing an exciting programme of by Bach, Mendelssohn and Ravel. If you’ve never heard the Chapel organ before, this is the ideal opportunity. You’ll also get a real insight into the workings of the instrument, with cameras installed to reveal the many hands and feet in action.

The concert is free (generously supported by the Ferguson bequest) and will last around an hour.

"The technical polish and interpretive sensitivity of these performances are outstanding.... Their ensemble playing is extraordinarily tight.... The tone is delightfully clear and articulate."
- American Record Guide

"A stroke of genius."
- Michael Barone (Pipedreams)

Erasmus+ ICM funding for staff mobility

Erasmus+ ICM funding is available for staff mobility to partner institutions. The 2017-19 funding cycle is ending, and we welcome applications to fill the following staff places, for teaching or training. Mobilities must be completed by 31 July 2019.

Brazil – University of Sao Paulo
Chile – Pontifical University of Chile, Valparaiso
India – IISER
Kazakhstan – KIMEP
Thailand – Mahidol University
Malawi – College of Medicine
Malaysia – University of Malaya and Universiti Sains Malaysia

Further information and the application form is available here: https://www.gla.ac.uk/explore/internationalisation/erasmusstaff/erasmusinternationalcreditmobility/

And we invite interested staff members to contact us on goabroad@glasgow.ac.uk. 

International sporting honours for Glasgow student

Finlay Todd, a 2nd year Engineering student, has been selected to run for Great Britain in the Junior World Orienteering Championships (JWOC), Denmark 2019 https://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/index.php?pg=news_archive&item=4662. Although a minor sport, competition for JWOC selection is very intense and this is a significant achievement. Finlay runs for Inverness Orienteering Club (INVOC) and also GUOC.

PhD student Fanni Gyurko, who is in the School of Social and Political Sciences, came 4th in the London Marathon (open womens race, i.e. non-elite) on 28 April in a personal best time of 2:38:47.

UofG signs agreement with Ecuadorian student sponsor SENESCYT

On 1 May, the University of Glasgow welcomed the Secretary of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr Xavier Adrian Bonilla Soria, to sign a new discount agreement with the main government sponsor in Ecuador, SENESCYT.

SENESCYT sponsors some of the best Ecuadorian students to study at highly-ranked universities worldwide for undergraduate and postgraduate studies, with a particular focus on health as a priority area. So far, Glasgow has welcomed more than 40 sponsored students from Ecuador since 2013, mainly in undergraduate Life Science programmes.  The signing of this agreement should allow for further collaboration and opportunities to welcome more students in the future.

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First published: 2 May 2019