ARC Life
Welcome to the September 2023 edition ARC Life!
Welcome to the October edition ARC Life. This is your monthly guide to what’s happening in the ARC to help keep you informed and to provide opportunities to engage with events, workshops, and conferences.
Things to highlight this month include a survey on how useful this newsletter email is, Yoga in the ARC, drop-in clinics to find out more about Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, and there are limited places left at the Hack the ARC information session.
Survey – let us know if this is worthwhile!
This month, we’d like to hear your thoughts on ARC Life so that we can ensure it remains relevant, useful and accessible. We would be grateful if you could spare 5 minutes to complete a survey, which will help us gauge our viewership and spot opportunities for improvement. The survey is available at https://forms.office.com/e/rLM4tCqe7F and will remain open until Friday, October 13.
Other things to highlight this month include Yoga in the ARC, drop-in clinics to find out more about Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, and there are limited places left at the Hack the ARC information session.
Upcoming events, visits and workshops
The ARC hosts events and workshops which are open to researchers and staff, alongside invitation only events. To help keep you informed of opportunities and what’s happening generally, we spotlight some of the key activities over the coming month.
Yoga in the ARC – 5th Oct (and every Thurs during term time) 5.30-6.30pm, Studio 2
We are partnering with Glasgow University Yoga Club to run yoga classes in the ARC. Classes are open and welcome to all abilities. Mats provided, but please bring your own if you can. These drop-in sessions are free but there will opportunity to make a charitable donation. Please note spaces are limited and available on a first come, first served basis.
West of Scotland Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Centre Drop-in Clinic – 3rd, 11th, 19th & 24th Oct, available all day, Level 3 Collaboration Zone
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) link businesses with University expertise to deliver innovation projects led by graduates. The University of Glasgow works closely with the West of Scotland KTP Centre to secure funding for, and deliver, KTP Projects. Andrew Kinnear and Nathan Fonder from the KTP Centre will be based in the ARC, once a week throughout the rest of 2023, to answer any questions you may have on KTP and how to secure funding.
Glasgow Knowledge Exchange Fund (GKEF) is open for applications – workshop
The University allocates funding to support knowledge exchange activities arising from research. The Flexible Fund and Enabling Fund schemes are now open and have the same aims and eligible activities, however, the Enabling fund is aimed at applicants who are earlier in their research independence. We are holding two workshops outlining what the GKEF is looking to fund, what it does not fund, the application process – including assessment criteria, and some common pitfalls applicants make. The deadline for applications to the fund is the 7th Nov at 11am.
- Online workshop – 4th October 2023, 12-1pm – ZOOM. Book online workshop.
- In-person workshop – 11th Oct 2023 – 1-3pm (2-3pm is 1-2-1 questions, discussion and networking). Kelvin Meeting Room, 11 The Square. Book in-person workshop.
Connect & Collaborate – events and workshops which provide a chance to connect and collaborate with colleagues from across the University
HACK the ARC – Information Session 2nd Oct 2-4pm – last few places available!
If you have an idea to enhance something about the ARC, our HACK the ARC initiative could be for you! Grants of up to £2k will be available for projects which aim to increase cross-disciplinary connections or enhancing the reach of the ARC’s research engagement activities. We’re hosting an information session in the ARC on Mon 2 Oct (2-4pm).
Project HeritAIge, 6th Oct, 1-4 pm, Studio 2
Project HeritAIge, led by Tim Peacock, is exploring new ways of using AI to translate cultural heritage sites into research-informed video games, starting with turning St Giles Cathedral into a historical video game. An initial project workshop is being held on 6th October, at 1-4 pm in Studio 2. Anyone interested in further information on the project, or on registering to attend a workshop, should contact Timothy.Peacock@glasgow.ac.uk.
"Rereading the American Revolution 250" - Brainstorming Workshop, 9th October, 1.30-3pm
From Astronomy to Veterinary medicine, 'Rereading Revolution 250' aims to find creative diverse perspectives and ways of researching and publicly engaging with this history, exploring potential events and cross-college collaborations at the University of Glasgow over the next 10-11 years. Join us for the opening brainstorming workshop, connecting staff and students to imagine and discuss what some of these future activities and collaborations could entail. To sign up to attend, or for further information about the project, contact Timothy.Peacock@glasgow.ac.uk
Evidence for Change - Building partnerships between academia & third sector, 10th Oct, 1-3pm, Studio 2
Join researchers, practitioners and advocates to discuss building partnerships between academia and the third sector in the Global South.
PechaKucha Lunch - 12th Oct, 12-1pm, Studio 2 - free lunch provided
Want to learn more about the work of your colleagues? And get a free lunch into the bargain? Join us for the ARC’s first PechaKucha Lunch, where we’ll get to know each other over bitesize presentations.
Public and academic events, visits, and workshops
What Future for Arts and Culture? (CREATe lecture), Dr Bridget McConnell, 4th Oct, 6-7.30pm
Until recently Chief Executive of Glasgow Life, the city’s agency for culture and sport, Bridget’s career highlights include the 2022 reopening of The Burrell Collection (UK Museum of the Year 2023) and the opening of the Riverside Museum. Among her many current roles, Bridget is a member of the UKRI’s Arts & Humanities Council, Honorary Vice-President of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Chair of the Strategic Development Board of The Hunterian, and a Trustee of the National Museums of Scotland. Bridget will be in conversation with Philip Schlesinger, Professor in Cultural Theory at the University of Glasgow.
Exhibition: Rebirth and Revolution: The Life and Legacy of Mary Barnes, 5th to 21st Oct
Rebirth and Revolution is an exhibition celebrating the life and legacy of Mary Barnes (1923-2001) in her centenary year. Her artwork demonstrates the radical potential of creativity to support recovery from mental illness.The exhibition will open on Thursday 5th October with ‘Mary Barnes: a creative revolution in mental health care’, where experts from psychology, social geography, fine art, and medicine consider the artwork and legacy of Mary Barnes. For full details of the Mary Barnes programme, visit https://www.mhfestival.com/
Festival of Social Sciences: 21st Oct to 17th Nov
We’re delighted to be taking part in EPSRC’s Festival of Social Sciences this October and November, with events including Wintering well: Living with Seasonal Affective Disorder and Repair Café. Browse the programme for full details of what’s going on across campus.
CinemARC: Donnie Darko and the Horrors of Sleep, 26th Oct, 6.30-10pm
Come along to this special Halloween screening of the cult-classic film, Donnie Darko. Join researchers as we invite you to think about the darker side of sleep, where dreams turn into nightmares and illusions turn into hallucinations. Ahead of our screening, delve into the horrors of sleep where University of Glasgow colleagues from across the disciplines invite you to share in some of their research on dreams and illusions. Grab a drink, have a chat to a researcher, and discover the spooky side of sleep.
If you would like to host an event or develop an engagement activity, please contact the ARC’s Event & Engagement Team ARCEngage@glasgow.ac.uk to discuss your ideas. Sign up to hear about future ARC events by subscribing to our ‘What’s on at the ARC’ newsletter.
If you would like to host an event or develop an engagement activity, please contact the ARC’s Event & Engagement Team ARCEngage@glasgow.ac.uk to discuss your ideas.
Sign up to hear about future ARC events by subscribing to our ‘What’s on at the ARC’ newsletter.
Research news
ARC-XR
- ARC-XR hosted two public engagement events as part of the Explorathon festival. MyoSITE, allowed members of the public to visualise a cardiomyocyte - a heart muscle cell - as if it was "floating" in the room. The project used augmented reality (AR) to bring to life a cell which the public could then interact with by observing what effects various molecules would have on it, for example, adrenaline or beta blockers. This experience was developed by master's student Mirja Koponen under supervision of Professor Craig Daly. The second event used virtual reality (VR) to allow members of the public to explore a spinal cord capillary and climb it like a play park tower. This was made using high-resolution images captured from a confocal microscope in a collaboration between Professor Craig Daly and Dr David Hughes.
- Research project led by Dr Andrea Blomkvist from LSE titled "The Role of Mental Imagery: Investigating Cognitive Functions in Aphantasia Using Virtual Reality and EEG" has received funding from the Templeton World Charity Foundation via a sub-award from the Summer Seminars in Neuroscience and Philosophy (Duke University). Data collection for this project will take place in ARC-XR early next year.
Creative Economy and Cultural Transformation
- The Creative Economies and Cultural Transformations theme is undergoing transformation itself with theme leads Prof. Sarah Cook and Dr Mark Wong standing down to take on subject-based leadership roles in Information Studies in the College of Arts and Humanities, and Urban Studies in the College of Social Sciences, respectively. Sarah would like to thank Mark for his exemplary team building work and allyship in leading the theme from its move to the building up to now. Both would like to thank the ARC team for their support over the last few years and look forward to continuing to work together on our ongoing research around AI, technology, and society. Congratulations to Sarah and Mark on their new appointments!
- Internationally acclaimed artists Semiconductor (Ruth Jarman and Joe Gerhardt) have been spending time in the labs of the Extreme Light Group and around the campus ‘filming’ photons for a new work of art to be completed next year curated by Sarah Cook. This artwork and the research of Prof. Daniele Faccio will feature in a forthcoming feature documentary by filmmaker Thomas Riedelsheimer called ’Tracing Light’. Keep an eye out for the release of this in early 2024.
- Our Heritage Our Stories welcomes Abi Glen who will be working on the Archives work stream with the project team in the ARC for the next six months.
Global Sustainable Development
- Congratulations to Prof Alison Phipps who received a D.Litt (honoris causa) from Edinburgh for ‘Research and Refugee Advocacy’ in July and will receive a second D.Litt (h.c) from University of Waterloo Canada on 20thOctober for her Research with Refugees, Spirituality and Intercultural Education.
- Congratulations to Nicol Keith & Rob Jones, both received awards for services to global cancer control. In August 2023, the Union for International Cancer Control expressed its sincere thanks to Profs. Nicol Keith and Rob Jones with an award to acknowledge well over a decade of dedicated service as the Programme Chairs of the UICC Technical Fellowships programme. They have provided tireless oversight and guidance in the development of the programme and the evaluation of hundreds of applications from cancer professionals from around the world (especially low-income countries), seeking to acquire essential skills and knowledge in cancer control from renowned experts overseas.
- Congratulations to colleagues on the publication of new books, including:
Strachan, Z. (2023). Catch the Moments As They Fly. Blackwater Press.
Perry, M. (2023). Pluriversal Literacies for Sustainable Futures: When words are not enough. Routledge.
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ARC web pages
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Best wishes
The ARC Communications Team