Get documents about "A Vision for 2020
Document Sample
UniS
A Vision for 2020
Annual Report 2001/2002
A VISION FOR 2020
Officers of the Chancellor
HRH The Duke of Kent, KG
Chairman of Council
Sir William Wells
University Pro Chancellors Emeritus Senior Pro Vice-Chancellor
Sir Eric Ash, CBE, FREng, FRS Professor P H W Butterworth
Sir George Edwards, OM, CBE, DL, FREng, FRS
Sir Austin Pearce, CBE, FREng Pro Vice-Chancellors
Professor D W Airey
Pro Chancellors Professor B G Evans, FREng
Sir Idris Pearce, CBE, TD, DL Professor G N Gilbert, FREng, AcSS
Baroness Perry of Southwark
Mr J D M Robertson, CBE, DL University Secretary & Registrar
Sir Alan Rudge, CBE, FIEE, FREng, FRS Mr H W B Davies
Vice-Chancellor & Chief Executive and Director of Information Services &
Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University University Librarian
Professor P J Dowling, CBE, DL, FREng, FRS Mr T J A Crawshaw
Treasurer
Mr D J Thomas, CBE, DL
Contents Vice-Chancellor’s Introduction
Focusing on: Research and Enterprise
1
6
Focusing on: Society’s Needs
Focusing on: Space
35
38
Focusing on: The Surrey Research Park 11 Focusing on: International Issues 40
Focusing on: Teaching and Learning 14 Focusing on: The Community 42
Focusing on: Virtual Worlds 16 The Year in Brief 46
Focusing on: Health 20 Preliminary Financial Statements 51
Focusing on: Sustainability 25 Numbers of Staff and Students 52
Focusing on: Sleep 30 The Federal University of Surrey 53
A VISION FOR 2020
Professor Patrick J Dowling,
Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive.
A Vision for 2020:
The creation of a truly
world class university
The University of Surrey (UniS) stands at a labours to achieve academic excellence with Research excellence and enterprise
threshold. After 35 years, past achievements financial robustness.
allow UniS to be recognised today as one of However, ambitions will not be attained by The excellent performance by UniS in the
the UK’s most successful, upwardly mobile, resting on our laurels, and over the past year 2001 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE),
research-led universities. The present we have laid the foundations for our continuing has resulted in an increase in our funding
provides the launch pad for the future – a success by putting in place a new senior base of 22%, from which we will benefit over
future which with careful stewardship will management team and a re-organised School the next five years. This was the sixth highest
witness the University of Surrey becoming structure to position ourselves optimally for percentage increase in funding of all UK
one of the world’s great seats of learning. future challenges and opportunities. universities. The additional revenue will
I know this ambition is shared by my UniS marked the 35th anniversary of its enable us to boost research activities by
staff and I know that it is within their grasp. university status with high profile celebrations – targeting our areas of research strength and
It has been an enormous team effort to arrive on its campus, in Guildford cathedral and by recruiting new staff at both junior and
at our current stage of development, and through a ‘Town and Gown’ parade in its ancient senior levels, by pump-priming new inter-
that it has been achieved in the toughest of High Street which culminated in the unveiling disciplinary research teams, and by
financial environments for the Higher of the sculpture of ‘The Surrey Scholar’ as a upgrading research facilities.
Education (HE) sector, is a tribute to a wise permanent reminder of the University in the heart UniS-led initiatives in collaboration with
Council, sound management, excellent staff, of its home town. The 25 years of service given neighbouring universities have secured ‘third-
focus, hard work and determination. I am by HRH The Duke of Kent as the University’s leg’ funding from the Government to a total
personally indebted to our talented and loyal Chancellor was also marked appropriately by value of £10.85m and have also resulted in
staff, both academic and support, for the a Celebration Dinner held at the University. the establishment of a Surrey Enterprise Hub
load they have borne, in some cases A coffee table book: ‘Understanding the Real based on the Surrey Research Park.
somewhat unevenly and way beyond the call World – A visual history of the University of
of duty. Surrey’ was produced and ‘Hidden Depths – Developing market-led approaches
The University achieved a very An Archaeological Exploration of Surrey’s Past’
satisfactory financial outcome for the year of published by the Surrey Archaeological Society The launch of two major new programmes,
£3.25m – significantly ahead of budget (by was part-sponsored by the University. at undergraduate level, one in Business
more than £4m). This produced a surplus of In terms of achieving specific strategic Management and the other in Law, has
2.3% of turnover. I fully believe that we are objectives much progress has been made proved hugely successful and placed UniS
now beginning to reap the full fruits of our during the past 12 months. amongst those UK universities showing the
Running through the pages of this year’s
Annual Report are images from a
photographic project involving staff and
professional photographers to record a
“Day in the Life” of the University of Surrey.
1
A VISION FOR 2020
“ The launch of two major new programmes, at
undergraduate level, one in Business Management and
the other in Law, has proved hugely successful
”
2
A VISION FOR 2020
An artist’s impression of the new
student residences currently under
construction on Stag Hill.
highest percentage increase in the number of allocates the land at Manor Park for the future Processing (CVSSP) and the Centre for
applicants. Creating well thought-out development of UniS. Nutrition and Food Safety.
courses to meet market demand is now The provision of staff and student
widely accepted and acted upon throughout residences is absolutely key to our future Creating a more efficient organisation
the University. Several more new courses are expansion and detailed funding arrangements
currently in the pipeline. are currently being explored simultaneously The implementation of restructuring in some
with ongoing plans for the infrastructure, of the Academic Schools of the University,
Distinctive skills for UniS graduates sports grounds and buildings. together with reviews of activities in adminis-
A major plank to our future expansion trative and service delivery areas, will reduce
Intensive efforts have gone into identifying plans will be an enlargement of our the cost base of UniS to ensure sustainability
distinctive skills sets for UniS graduates. involvement in the health area where we have of the academic activities of the University.
Many such skills are already part of our already earned an international reputation for The outcomes of the three sets of
undergraduate curriculum, and during the year Biomedical and Life Sciences. Plans for the reviews I announced in last year’s introduction
UniS yet again maintained its outstanding Postgraduate Medical School, to be shared to the Annual Report are now known and
record for producing the most employable with the Royal Surrey County Hospital, are being vigorously implemented. Most of the
graduates of any UK university – a magnificent being jointly drawn up and a professional key recommendations of the Academic
achievement! However, further recommen- team selected for its design. This will be the Strategy Task Group (ASTG) Report have
dations are currently under discussion as we first major academic building on Manor Park been achieved. These have included:
are determined to continue setting the pace and will be located on our land immediately
nationally in this important area. adjacent to the Hospital. • the creation of fewer, larger Schools via a
The possible location of several other new seven-School structure
Developing a campus fit for the facilities on Manor Park, which will strengthen • restructuring and repositioning our activities
21st Century the medium and long-term position of UniS in Engineering and Chemistry
as a leading university, is being actively • a review of teaching courses in each of the
Manor Park considered. Schools
The Government expects higher education • the growth of inter-disciplinary research
institutions such as the University of Surrey Stag Hill across the University
to provide better and relevant education for The building of the Advanced Technology • the recruitment of new academic leaders
more people. To achieve this effectively, Institute, named in honour of Professor • a rationalisation and strengthening of
UniS needs to plan for its future growth. The Daphne Jackson, was completed on time, health-related subjects
importance of the Manor Park site to the within budget and is now occupied, having • the introduction of a Distinguished
medium- and long-term future of UniS recently been opened by Lord Sainsbury. It is Professor Scheme
cannot be over-emphasised. anticipated that the new Management
Against this background, Guildford Building will be completed early in 2003. The results of the Senior Management
Borough Council has considered the Other priority projects on the Estates Plan Review recommended that a new senior
University’s future in preparing its Review of which been completed during 2001/02 have management structure and team be put in
the Guildford Local Plan. The Council has seen the refurbishment of laboratory space place. A new Executive Board has been
resolved to adopt a new local plan which for The Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal created and work on the new committee
3
A VISION FOR 2020
“ The inaugural Federal
Games, resulting in a
much to be commended
and diplomatic draw,
were also held in
the year
”
4
A VISION FOR 2020
Far right: Senior Pro Vice-Chancellor,
Professor Peter Butterworth,
and right: University Secretary and
Registrar, Wyn Davies.
structure is proceeding. I confidently expect mechanisms which the Union now offers its Departures usually mean arrivals and I am
the outcomes of the Process Reviews to students, both in traditional activities such as pleased to welcome Professor John Turner to
increase administrative efficiencies across the entertainment, and through a number of new UniS as Deputy Vice-Chancellor. John is
University to proceed apace with the full initiatives like the Individual Development currently Senior Vice-Principal (Planning &
support of the Executive Board. Scheme. Resources) and Professor of Modern History
Plans for additional student accommo- and Politics, at Royal Holloway (University of
The Federal University of Surrey dation were realised and impressive London). John will succeed Peter
progress is already being made on the Butterworth, no easy act to follow, but I am
Twelve strategic targets have been set for the construction of new residences opposite the confident that John will continue the good
medium-term development of the Federal ATI – much needed for the rapidly growing work Peter pioneered in academic planning
University. The first two federal degree numbers of postgraduate students UniS is and budget management.
programmes, a BA in English Local History attracting from all over the world, especially I am also very pleased to welcome Greg
and the expansion of a UniS ESRC- China. Melly who has recently joined UniS as
recognised MSc in Social Research Methods I have to report that progress on the Director of Corporate Services. He joins the
to encompass students at Roehampton, provision of child care facilities has been new Executive Board which, together with
have been developed and validated. particularly frustrating, and solving this Greg, comprises myself as Chairman, the
Significant preparation was also problem will be a major priority for next year. Deputy Vice-Chancellor, the Pro Vice-
undertaken during the year for the Quality Chancellors, the Director of Finance, the
Assurance Agency’s (QAA) Review of Federal Thanks to Peter and Wyn Registrar, the Director of External Academic
Arrangements. Two further projects which Relationships, the University Secretary and
have developed significantly during 2001-02 My introduction to this year’s report would the Heads of Schools.
are the Science Teaching Initiative, which will not be complete without proper recognition
lead to the establishment of an Academy for of the work of the University’s Senior Pro Achieving our goals
the Teaching of Science Teachers, and a Vice-Chancellor, Professor Peter Butterworth
Federal Centre of Applied and Professional and University Secretary and Registrar, Wyn In the opening words to this introduction,
Ethics which has developed out of the Surrey Davies, both of whom decided to step down I suggested that the University of Surrey had
Ethics Forum. from their positions at the year’s end. During ambitions to become a truly world class
The inaugural Federal Games, resulting in the eight years of my period of office as university. In closing, I trust that the remaining
a much to be commended and diplomatic Vice-Chancellor, Wyn and Peter have been pages of this Report will provide you with
draw, were also held in the year between my most senior colleagues, taking responsi- many excellent examples to suggest why
student teams from UniS and Roehampton. bility for administrative and academic issues we believe our vision is both realistic and
respectively. I would like to thank them both attainable!
Providing for our students’ needs and wish them long and happy retirements.
Peter has decided that he cannot bear to
The level of financial support for the Students’ leave us yet and, from February 2003, he will
Union was increased substantially during the take responsibility for the development of
year. This was partly in recognition of the fundraising. I hope to report on the first fruits Professor Patrick J Dowling CBE DL FREng FRS
increasing number of services and support of his success this time next year! Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive
5
A VISION FOR 2020
Professor Barry Evans,
Pro Vice-Chancellor
(Research & Enterprise).
Focusing on:
Research and Enterprise
The 2001 Research Assessment Exercise 2001 Research Assessment Exercise An impressive 34% of the University’s
(RAE) greatly enhanced the international (RAE) research-active staff are now members of
reputation the University has gained for its 5*A rated research groups. This places UniS
work. In tandem with its research activities, The results of the RAE, published in firmly in the top few research universities in
UniS is also in the vanguard of UK universities December 2001, show UniS researchers the UK as illustrated by the table below:
who are seeking to exploit intellectual have improved their ratings significantly since
property and forge partnerships with industry 1996 in 14 out of 19 of the Units of % Staff in 5* Units of Assessment
and commerce. Professor Barry Evans, Assessment. Three research groupings 1 Imperial
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research & Enterprise) received maximum 5*A ratings; 2 Cambridge
explains: 3 Oxford
4 London School of Economics
“I see our activities as a sort of continuum • Electronic Engineering (including Computing)
5 Surrey
comprising three elements that are constantly • Sociology
6 Southampton
interacting with each other; these are • Subjects Allied to Medicine
7 University College, London
research, income generation and technology
8 Bristol
transfer. UniS exists to support these three Sociology’s rating is a reflection of its 9 Essex
and is in turn supported by them. Our high strengths in research in the fields of ageing, 10 Lancaster
standards and achievements help us to get criminal justice, health, and the social 11 Kings College
the grants we need to carry out our research aspects of new media and communication 12 Durham
work. These awards and other income technologies. Of the 75 entries made by
sustain our academics and improve our Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to the Seven other areas: Psychology, Physics,
research work. This of course leads to RAE in the area of Subjects Allied to Applied Mathematics, Statistics and
commercial enterprises, licensing patents and Medicine, UniS was only one of three to Operational Research, Chemical Engineering
other income generating activities. Some of receive a 5*A rating, with a submission of – Environmental Strategy, European Studies
the profits from these activities then add to much greater breadth than any of its and Russian, Slavonic and East European
other UniS income, thereby completing the counterparts. Electronic Engineering has Languages achieved 5 ratings in the
circle. In fact 30% of total university funding great strength in depth across communi- outcome, meaning that 60% of the
comes from our research activities.” cations, satellite technology, solid state University’s research-active staff are now
electronics, ion beam applications and rated World Class in their field compared to
microwave systems. 22% in 1996 – this dramatic increase is all
6
A VISION FOR 2020
“ The 2001 Research Assessment
Exercise (RAE) greatly enhanced the
international reputation the University
has gained for its work
”
7
A VISION FOR 2020
The UniSdirect Business Hatchery provides office
space, networked computer facilities and meeting
rooms together with office support and management
expertise to assist emerging businesses.
the more remarkable given that the number of compared with £55m for the previous RAE high-technology, high-growth businesses,
staff submitted for the exercise has risen by reporting period, a 70% increase in funding. supporting 1,000 budding entrepreneurs over
nearly 25% since 1992. UniS has recently appointed an the first five years.
Commenting at the time of the outcome, EU/Research Council Officer to spearhead The UniSdirect Hatchery provides office
Professor Barry Evans said: the University’s involvement in Framework VI space, networked computer facilities and
‘UniS aimed to achieve quality in the 2001 bids and to optimise bidding for Research meeting rooms for the emerging business
RAE, but at the same time submitted a Council Initiatives. She will help academics together with office support and the necessary
majority of research groups of critical mass. liaise with the EU, an important role, as 20% technological and management expertise to
The results show that we have succeeded, of the University’s grants come from this determine the feasibility of a business idea.
and illustrate that in each of the areas source. Parallel to this appointment, the It allows the business to develop to the stage
awarded 5 and 5*A ratings, there is a strength Research Contracts Office staff has been where it is ripe for investment and ready to
in depth which should bode well for the expanded. take to the marketplace. Through the
University’s future funding prospects.’ University’s own resources and its networks
Professor Evans’ predictions proved UniSdirect within the region, nationally and internationally,
accurate as UniS received an extra £3m per the emerging businesses are able to access a
annum of government funding as a result of UniSdirect was established in response to the vast range of expertise, as well as business-
its 2001 RAE performance. Research income Government’s agenda to develop the regional angel funding and venture capital.
from industrial and other funders is also set to economy through technology transfer and
rise in view of the University’s much enhanced builds on the University’s commitment to the UniSventures
research status. region. Grants of £9.65m were obtained with
Improved RAE ratings have been partner institutions in the south of England, UniSventures has been set up to cover spin-
matched by the University’s steadily increasing through two different schemes for Knowledge off activities, which include the existing Seed
grants and contracts income. Transfer Awards. Corn Fund (USSF) as well as the University’s
A figure of £20.3m was achieved in 2001/02, involvement in the HEIF collaborative Seed
a year on year increase of £1.6m. Awards and The Business Hatchery Corn Fund, CASCADE. CASCADE has been
extensions also increased to £19.3m, established as a result of a £4 million award
compared with £17.6m last year. A sum of £5m from the Higher Education from HEIF to a consortium of universities
UniS currently lies twelfth in the table of Infrastructure Fund (HEIF) will enable a comprising: Royal Holloway University of
total funds awarded by the Engineering and consortium of universities of Bath, Bristol, London, Brunel, Reading, Sussex and UniS.
Physical Science Research Council (ESPRC), Surrey and Southampton together with the UniSdirect has established a new
with only much larger institutions placed Rutherford and Appleton Laboratory and the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) section,
above it. If this figure were normalised to the Defence Research Laboratory at which has dealt with the filing of 40 to 50 new
number of active research staff, the University Farnborough, to establish a Centre of patents. The section assists academic staff to
would be amongst the country’s three top Excellence for Technology and Innovation in exploit IPR, and licensing income has
universities in terms of research income per Southern England, endorsed by the South- increased to £105K, compared with £34K
active researcher. East and South-West Regional Development last year. Three patents have led to
The total research income received over Agencies. The money will be used to set up a commercial ventures, and the University now
the 1996-2001 period was £93.7m, network of centres for the development of holds 31 revenue-generating patents.
8
A VISION FOR 2020
“ Guildford entrepreneur Jonathan Nwabueze, grew so
tired of ironing and being delayed in the morning because
of last minute creases that he invented an iron that works
without the need for a board
”
9
A VISION FOR 2020
Local entrepreneur Emma Newton has built a growing
business from her idea of spray painting electric
violins to appeal to the youth market.
Working with SMEs millions of DNA extractions are carried out and help with the production of promotional
annually. As a consequence the market is material in advance of the Tomorrow’s World
UniS received a further £640,000 to fund the valued at more than £300 million and is exhibition. Jonathan is now looking for a
appointment of three Innovation Network growing at over 20% per year. DRI aims to manufacturer and investor to support further
Managers. These managers will be exploit its proprietary Charge Switch™ development to the point where the exciting
responsible for liaising with local and national Technology for DNA purification. new product is ready to be launched to
businesses and organisations and assisting consumers.
them with access to the knowledge base of Early successes Emma Newton is another local entre-
the University as well as brokering research preneur, who has benefited from a project
contracts. Guildford entrepreneur Jonathan Nwabueze run by the UniSdirect Business Development
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises grew so tired of ironing and being delayed Office to increase the sustainability of Small
(SMEs) will benefit from the revised mandate in the morning because of last minute and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). It
of UniSconnect, a business club offering creases that he invented an iron that works has given mentoring and support to 40 new
access to the resources of UniS. This was without the need for a board. businesses providing each with a new PC
previously only available to large businesses, His invention, featured on Tomorrow’s and printer.
but new membership packages have now World in July of this year, takes the drudgery Emma owns a successful business
been created to meet the needs of SMEs. out of ironing by using a heated vacuum to making electric violins. Starting in this industry
A new TCS (previously Teaching remove the creases from clothes. Garments as a ‘Saturday girl’, she then trained as a
Company Scheme) office has been set up and other fabrics can be ironed whilst they Theatre Stage Manager and went on to work
with HEIF support to help SMEs to exploit are hanging or free-standing, or when on West End shows, whilst continuing to
research results from the University’s work. travelling. The Jen Turbo Boardless Iron can restore antique violins in her father’s shop. She
The programmes enable high quality also be used for large area fabrics where an had the idea of making electric violins and
graduates to work in companies, normally for ironing board is of no use. spraying them in bright colours to appeal to
two years, on technology transfer projects The Boardless Iron uses a small fan young people. Her first display, held at an
central to the needs of the company. They are powered by an electric motor which draws exhibition for music teachers, had such a
supervised by academic experts from the the cloth towards its heated base, through good reaction that she went into production.
University. a combination of direct suction and the Emma founded The Rainbow Violin Company
A fruitful partnership is with Kent-based lowering of air pressure between the fabric Limited in July 1999, after negotiating a UK-
DNA Research Innovations (DRI) in DNA and plate. Steam is generated in a wide deal and took on an employee – a paint
extraction. The partnership has been chamber above the plate, which is blown sprayer. She now employs three sprayers and
awarded a TCS research grant of £104,000 onto and through the fabric by the internal has sold 2500 violins in the UK. World exports
for the development of new solid phase fan to remove the creases. The steam is are also increasing and plans are underway to
materials for nucleic and acid purification then re-cycled back into the body of the double annual production. In January 2003,
and manipulation. Driven by genomics and iron by the fan. Emma will be exhibiting in Los Angeles at the
clinical diagnostics, the Global DNA purifi- The project was not without hitches, North American Music Messe, the biggest
cation market is growing all the time. All but Professor David Kirby, Director of the music trade show in the US, which attracts
genetic analyses require DNA to be UniSdirect Business Hatchery, was able to 65,000 visitors. Emma says that the PC
extracted from a sample and hundreds of provide Jonathan with technical expertise supplied by UniSdirect has proved invaluable.
10
A VISION FOR 2020
The Surrey Technology Centre.
Focusing on:
The Surrey Research Park
Since development of The Surrey Research Backed by an international consortium that
Park began nearly 20 years ago, it has includes Rolls Royce Aerospace, DERA –
provided a bridge between the University the defence research agency and steel
and business. Many tenants have chosen to manufacturer Corus, they have turned their
locate on the Park not just because of the expert knowledge into a practical computer
high-quality business environment and program that plant engineers and research
convenient international location, close to scientists can use.
London and two international airports, but In 1986, the University opened the
also so they enjoy the opportunity to tap into County’s first business incubator offering
the expertise UniS has to offer. The potential high tech start-ups, a package of flexible
Dr Malcolm Parry, Director of the Surrey Research Park.
for links with the University sets The Surrey workspace and business support. However,
Research Park aside from being in the in the last year the services offered in this
tradition of a commercial landlord; to use a building have been supplemented with
marketing term, UniS is the Park’s Unique
Selling Proposition.
mentoring, investment and mutual support
by the Surrey Enterprise Hub. Similar units “ The potential for links with
the University sets The
The notion of knowledge creators are coming on stream at Royal Holloway
spinning out companies to exploit their (University of London) and Leatherhead Surrey Research Park
discoveries is nothing new to materials Food Research Association, which are the
scientists Professor Peter Miodownik and University of Surrey’s partners in this new aside from being in the
Dr Nigel Saunders. They left the University to business to business network that aims to
set up their company, ThermoTech, in the boost the local economy.
tradition of a commercial
business incubator, The Surrey Technology The South East England Development landlord; to use a
Centre, 12 years ago. Their “virtual Agency (SEEDA) required the Enterprise Hub
prototyping software” accurately predicts the to have a “champion” from the local marketing term UniS is
strengths and weaknesses of possible new business community. We were delighted that
the Park’s Unique Selling
alloys. It could save the world’s metal one of the Park’s most successful
producers millions of pounds by reducing
the need for conventional trial and error
experiments with valuable materials.
entrepreneurs, Nigel Biggs, founder of digital
imaging software company Pixology,
became Hub chairman. His energetic
Proposition
”
11
A VISION FOR 2020
The entrance hall of the Surrey Technology Centre.
12
A VISION FOR 2020
advocacy is raising public awareness of a Defying the all-pervading gloom Above, left to right: Dr Bilgay Akhan of VisiOprime,
Dr Ian McKay of Cleansorb and Derek Wheeler of
concept that has been shown to double a surrounding the international high-tech Disperse Technologies.
new company’s chances of survival. sector, Detica became the first such
The Hub progresses the serviced office company to float on the London Stock
support already available to companies based Exchange in more than a year. As a leading
at the Technology Centre. Several have Customer Relationship Management
received official recognition for their valuable consultancy, it launched the UK’s first CRM
technologies, in the form of DTI SMART course accredited by the Institute of
Awards. These include: Marketing and helped the Ministry of Defence
with a web-based pilot version of the
• Biotechnologists Dr Ian McKay and publication scheme required by the Freedom
Dr Ralph Harris of Cleansorb, who have of Information Act 2000.
developed an environmentally friendly way Since setting up on the Research Park in
of cleaning oil and gas wells 1989, IDBS has supplied chemical and
• Dr Bilgay Akhan of VisiOprime, who is biological data management software to more
developing advanced video compression
techniques so video clips can be sent to a
mobile phone or over a land line for remote
than 150 of the world’s leading pharma-
ceutical, biotechnology and other discovery-
driven companies. In its Occam Court
“ Larger companies on The
Research Park have had
”
monitoring and surveillance headquarters and in three US offices it now
their successes, too
• Dr Alan Cook of VisionTec CL who has employs more than 130 people. This summer
developed the world’s first daily disposable it expanded on the Park when it opened a
contact lens for people with astigmatism, new customer training unit in the Surrey
using a novel spin-moulding manufacturing Technology Centre.
process to greatly cut unit costs Demonstrating the Research Park’s
continuing appeal to businesses of all sizes,
Larger companies on The Research Park Syngenta, the global company formed by the
have had their successes, too. Another merger of Novartis Agribusiness and Zeneca
multiple SMART Award winner, Disperse Agrochemicals, completed the relocation of
Technologies, won a contract from the its 200-strong European Regional Centre to
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research the former BOC Engineering Centre in
Council (EPSRC) to apply its novel Thin Film Priestley Road.
Encapsulation technology to packaging and
printing. Applications could include replacing
solvent-based inks with environmentally
friendly water-based alternatives and “smart
packaging” that warns of tampering or
damaging temperature changes by a
controlled release of ink.
13
A VISION FOR 2020
“ Teaching is informed by
research, academic
scholarship and leading
edge professional,
commercial and industrial
practice
”
Focusing on:
Teaching and Learning
Alongside world class research, UniS seeks campus, the TLSG identified six priorities for
to offer its students high quality programmes development across the University:
of study which have a professional ethos
and a relevance to the real world. Teaching • Widening Participation (WP)
and learning methodologies are continually • Developing Skills across the Curriculum
updated in the light of best practice and • Extending Learning Technologies
congruent with advances in pedagogical • Refreshing Course Provision
approaches and technology. • Flexible Delivery
The University seeks to ensure that • Providing Management Teaching across
teaching is of the highest calibre. In the past the University
year, economics scored an excellent 23/24
in its Subject Review by the Quality Widening Participation
Assurance Agency (QAA), and teaching staff
are provided with support in development UniS’ Widening Participation strategy was
opportunities and rewards for teaching drafted and is monitored by the Widening
excellence. Teaching is informed by Participation Advisory Group (WPAG),
research, academic scholarship and leading Chaired by Professor Stephen McNair. The
Professor David Airey (Pro Vice-Chancellor Teaching &
Learning). edge professional, commercial and industrial group is composed of representatives from all
practice. Schools and Services. A Competitive Fund
Professor David Airey (Pro Vice- aims to support initiatives in Schools and
Chancellor Teaching & Learning) chairs the Services that are congruent with the WP
Teaching and Learning Strategy Group Strategy and that develop models of good
(TLSG) which monitors and reviews the practice. Among the initiatives supported
University of Surrey’s Teaching and Learning during the reporting period covered by this
Strategy. publication were: Schools without Walls;
In autumn 2001, and in the context of Breaking down Barriers; and a Feasibility
the Academic Strategy Task Group Review, Study for a Pre-Entry Study Skills Package.
increased revenue from outreach activities
and plans to develop the Manor Park
14
A VISION FOR 2020
The UniS Widening Participation team at work.
Skills across the Curriculum Refreshing Course Provision and However, a major challenge for the
Flexible Delivery University has been the decline in potential
The Skills Unit, along with the other branches students studying mathematics and the
of the Centre for Learning Developments The creation of a market research capacity physical sciences through to full ‘A’ level.
(CLD), has been brought under mainstream within the University’s Department of A Federal University of Surrey initiative which
funding, providing stability and enabling Marketing and Public Affairs and its is being pursued vigorously will see the
longer-term planning. The Unit has been representation on various teaching and creation of an Academy of Science for the
renamed the Skills and Personal Development learning committees, provides opportunities training of science teachers at the University
Unit (SPDU), to reflect its focus, and its to discuss how the University might become of Surrey Roehampton. This will help to fill the
staffing has been increased. With guidance more market-led through a combination of deficiency of well-qualified maths and science
provided by a Skills Management Group curriculum development relevant to identified teachers in schools and will hopefully
chaired by Professor Airey, the SPDU is now needs and better targeting of potential encourage more students to carry on their
working with individual Schools following a markets. studies in these areas.
comprehensive skills audit. A summary skills Flexible delivery is another priority. Most During the year, preparation for the
statement is being produced and two other Schools operate on a modular basis and are Quality Assurance Agency’s Review of the
priorities being pursued currently are: the responding to market demands by offering Federation was undertaken, and work has
introduction of Progress Files and the part-time courses and distance learning continued to harmonise the pedagogical
Personal Development Plan, and opportunities. The Fund for the Strategic practices of UniS and Roehampton.
Postgraduate Skills Development. Development of Learning and Teaching has In order to bring together all members of
continued to provide support for projects in the academic staff to share good practice, a
Learning Technologies line with the overall strategy. Projects funded one day event entitled Teaching and Learning
during the year have included the in the 21st Century was held in June 2002.
The Learning Technology Management development of e-books, the creation of This was addressed by the Vice-Chancellor,
Group, chaired by Professor Andrew new dietetics programmes, and the use of IT Professor Airey and a range of speakers
Lockwood, is working to the creation of a in chemistry practicals. representing, UniS, Roehampton, the
common platform for all Schools and In recent years, UniS has witnessed and Learning and Teaching Support Network
Services. The aim is to move towards a responded effectively to major changes in (LTSN) and local partners.
Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and student demand. Business management,
eventually to a Managed Learning nursing and midwifery have been hugely
Environment (MLE) which will integrate all expanded at undergraduate level, while the
aspects of the University’s work. introduction of a generic law degree is also
The use of electronic provision, already proving popular. Taught postgraduate
central to the Virtual Business School created courses are currently in great demand,
by the Surrey European Management School, particularly from overseas students, and
allows UniS to educate increasing numbers of such demand is effectively supported by
students through the utilisation of web areas such as the English Language
technologies. Institute, which is able to provide students
with the necessary language skills.
15
A VISION FOR 2020
Lord Sainsbury pictured with the Vice-Chancellor at the
recent opening of the refurbished laboratories of the
Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing.
Professor Maria Petrou (right) who conducts research
in the areas of medical imaging and remote sensing.
Focusing on:
Virtual Worlds
With the help of a £2.7m grant from the from the EPSRC, EU and from industry in the and incorporate a backup system with
HEFCE Joint Infrastructure Fund (JIF) the form of grants. Over the year, 74 papers online ‘snapshots’ for instantaneous file
laboratories at the Centre for Vision, Speech were published, 22 in refereed journals, and retrieval as well as a 42-slot, two-drive tape
and Signal Processing (CVSSP) have been one, on Cursive Script Recognition, won the library for long-term backup storage.
refurbished. Now, according to the Director of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Professor Kittler is seeking to make further
the Centre, Professor Josef Kittler, they are Engineers (IEEE) AH Reeves Award. improvements to the laboratories in the field
comparable with those at the Massachussetts New equipment includes a video server of high definition TV.
Institute of Technology (MIT), allowing for that can hold up to 30 hours of
research and development to be carried out uncompressed video and audio, and can Medical Imaging and Remote
to the highest international standards. handle simultaneous recording or playback Sensing
of eight video channels. Also new is a
The Visual Multimedia Laboratory video-processing engine comprising five Research in the areas of medical imaging and
8x9MHz processor machines that can be remote sensing is led by Professor Maria
The refurbishment of CVSSP’s laboratories configured to appear as a 40-processor Petrou, with a grant of £450,000 from the
has resulted in the creation of a visual cluster. Each of these machines has two EPSRC. Despite the differences of the subject
multimedia laboratory to support research in video pipelines to allow capture, processing matter, there is considerable cross fertilisation
real time video processing and visualisation. and playback of up to ten streams of real between the geoscience and biomedicine
In addition, improvements have been made time video simultaneously. topics which are researched.
to the Centre’s capability for processing, The video engine and video server are In the field of biomedical imaging,
capture and storage of video and audio data. both connected to an extensive network to Professor Petrou’s research group is working
Other additions include a picture quality allow routing of video streams to and from on improving the quality and amount of
assessment laboratory, a medical imaging any hardware in the Centre. This equipment is information from patients using Multi-
laboratory and a robot vision laboratory with supplemented by a professional editing suite Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Positron
a six-axis robot arm. and ten high-end graphic stations. Emission Tomography (PET) data processing.
The Centre, which is one of the largest of In addition, CVSSP has two network- A recent breakthrough has been in the field of
its kind in the UK, comprises 35 PhD students, attached RAID-based file servers with an X-ray video processing which it is expected
12 academics, 20 research assistants and online storage of up to 3.5 terrabytes. The will reduce the X-ray dosage needed for
three support staff. Its annual research income servers allow high speed/high availability endoscopy by almost one order of
is more than £2m, about half of which comes access to all the groups within the Centre, magnitude.
16
A VISION FOR 2020
Left: Professor Josef Kittler, Director of the CVSSP and
right: Professor John Illingworth.
Another project is underway to model Pattern recognition techniques also cover developments in face recognition techniques,
human organs as an aid to pre-surgery the detection of faults in textured surfaces known as Personal Identity Authentication
planning. It will be possible to model the such as ceramic tiles, granite and marble; the incorporate a combination of data such as
shape and the internal structure of say, the detection of microcalcifications in digital face image, voice characteristics and lip
liver or heart of a particular patient using a mammograms (with important implications for dynamics. This is of particular value for access
variety of data input, to give surgeons a three the treatment of breast cancer); the detection control, smart home applications, web
dimensional image of an affected organ of forged banknotes; recognition of printed banking, and a variety of security systems.
before an operation. This will improve the and hand-written script; speech recognition; In general, the focus of research has been
efficacy of any later intervention. and the classification of sound and speech on video segmentation, and the extraction of
A recently completed project allows the synthesis. information about colour, texture, shape and
application of image processing techniques to A major project being led by Professor motion behaviour, and the detection of higher-
auto-radiography, allowing digital radiography Kittler in collaboration with the BBC and level cues. Shape One technique, known as
to be performed at room temperatures, with Sony, is based on a process known as the Curvature Scale Space descriptor has
beneficial implications for tissue imaging. ‘retrieval by content’. Known as ‘Ovid’, the been selected for inclusion in the MPEG7
The application of this technology in the programme is able to identify specific sporting standardisation programme. This particular
field of geosciences employs a remote activities from videotapes containing material research is being carried out in collaboration
sensing technique to detect the position of covering many different kinds of sport. This with Mitsubishi Electric.
buried pipelines from space. This facilitates means that hundreds of hours of tapes from
the safe siting of roads and buildings, and a major sporting event such as the Olympics Robot Vision
can assist such activities as mining or can be scanned automatically to identify and
tunnelling. ultimately extract just the required material. Multimedia data processing is being used to
Professor Petrou has also been Both visual (images, image sequences and develop robot vision, under the leadership of
involved in several European environmental text) and audio clues (speech, sounds and Professor John Illingworth in the Visual
projects, one of which is the analysis of fire music) are exploited to find the required Media Research Group. This technology,
damage to forests and similar areas, information. All of these modalities are together with other programmes, will enable
especially in Mediterranean areas, using combined in the programme; previous robots to recognise objects, and act on or
satellite data. Information obtained this way assumptions that only one channel of avoid them. Tasks such as manoeuvring
can help governments or authorities decide information was necessary have been around simple obstacles, or moving in
whether to replant or allow natural disproved.The system was recently confined areas, are already proving feasible.
vegetation to take over. presented at the International Broadcasting However, better recognition techniques are
Convention in September (2002) and is now needed, and research is in progress into
Pattern Recognition Techniques being assessed by the BBC for possible acquiring three dimensional surface
commercial application. information through statistical estimation.
Professor Kittler’s specific interests lie in Another project, being undertaken with This means extracting only meaningful
pattern recognition techniques, with Canon, is intended to improve the quality and information from a mass of statistics.
applications to object recognition, aerial reduce the cost of video conferencing, by Research in conjunction with statistical
image matching and land cover classification using only a small number of bits to transmit estimation is improving the ability to deduce
– an important tool in environmental studies. highly compressed information. Associated three dimensional information from two
17
A VISION FOR 2020
Left: Dr Adrian Hilton, and right: the automated 3D-
photo booth to capture animated models of people.
dimensional images taken from different 3D Broadcasting and Shape Capture this type of work by Dr Richard Bowden has
viewpoints. This can also be used to infer the been the development of Jeremiah, a virtual
position from which the 2D images are Dr Adrian Hilton leads the Visual Media head that responds to nearby human activity
obtained. It will enable robots to move Research Group (VMRG) where work is by displaying sadness or pleasure according to
successfully in realistic settings where the undertaken in 3D broadcasting and shape the level of interest shown in ‘him.’ Jeremiah
environment is complex. New theories and capture. A recent success was the was on show for several months at the
algorithms are validated in the laboratory development of an automated 3D-photo booth Science Museum in London.
using mobile robot platforms and the six-axis to capture animated models of people. This Currently, the recognition of the human
robot arm. The challenge is to develop and won an EU Information Society Technology participation is fairly simplistic but it has
autonomise a robot which can decide its own prize in 2001. A Joint Infrastructure Fund (JIF) implications for visual interaction such as in sign
goals, and optimise all its relevant sub- award has allowed the remodelling of the language recognition. Methods are being
systems to achieve its objectives. VMRG laboratory: the specifications were investigated which would allow automatic
A typical use of a robot with accurate stringent, with high ceilings, a multi-camera recognition of British sign language. Novel
sensing of the immediate environment could system, an extensive lighting rig, and high spec techniques of modelling and tracking sign
be a driverless vehicle, or, closer to audio-video cabinets and networks. language have been developed that will be of
realisation, a vehicle with artificial vision that The area in which the Group works is obvious benefit to the deaf community. The
could warn the driver of obstructions, or allowing exciting new ‘virtual’ environments to ultimate aim is to produce a system capable of
potentially dangerous situations and possibly be created for use in television. Models are converting British Sign Language to other
take or advise on remedial action. The broad being developed that create the illusion of an interpretation sign languages and to spoken text.
principle of combining a human operator and actor working in, for example, an extremely Visual Content Analysis, which combines
vision system can be exploited for a variety of dangerous setting like a burning building or the use of multiple cues such as motion,
applications, industrial, commercial and against a backdrop of an environment to which colour, texture and depth of field, is being
security. it would be costly to send a production unit. developed for use in editing, manipulating and
Issues of accurate robot positioning can This involves refining methods of 3D information coding of digital video. It allows the digital
be addressed by incorporating data from a capture, and techniques for broadcasting the restoration of film and television archives,
variety of different sources. Using motion and information in 3D form or as film. Apart from where unwanted signals resulting from
positioning sensors alone is not entirely enhancing the visual quality of film or TV, the vibration and intensity fluctuations can be
satisfactory; mechanical wear and lack of application also provides the potential for cost automatically reduced or eliminated.
clear feedback hamper the acquisition of reduction. Human actors could be replaced in New ways are being explored in digital
accurate data about position. So research is part by realistic models, or would not be compression of high definition television which
being undertaken to explore how robot vision required to travel to particular locations. will provide substantial improvements for
can be combined with inputs from viewers. Other research also aimed at improving
gyroscopes and distance-measuring wheels Jeremiah TV quality is an attempt to provide objective
to provide more precise position information. assessment of undesirable material on images
Human/computer interaction is also a subject generated by digital compression. This involves
being researched in this laboratory for taking into account the subjective response of
automated tracking and behavioural analysis human viewers, a difficult area that is, for the
of objects for visual surveillance. One result of moment, proving elusive.
18
A VISION FOR 2020
Jeremiah, a virtual head that responds to
nearby human activity by displaying
sadness or pleasure according to the level
of interest shown in ‘him.’
19
A VISION FOR 2020
There are active links between the University
and the pharmaceutical industry.
Focusing on:
Health
UniS seeks to serve the health needs of the disciplinary approach to strategic developments pharmaceutical companies in the UK. The
community, and in particular to work in relevant research will significantly strengthen University is a leading centre for training in
alongside the local health services. Strengths the local health services. Future growth will Pharmaceutical Medicine and currently runs
in both research and teaching across a range promote the development of the research two postgraduate programmes. It is planning
of disciplines have brought real benefits to the agenda relevant to the NHS and enable the to develop a European Centre in
health of the region and the wider population. Postgraduate Medical School to become a Pharmaceutical Medicine to enhance the
prime leader in postgraduate teaching and educational potential and develop an
Working Alongside the NHS education at both local and national level. independent research facility.
Research within the Postgraduate Medical
The Postgraduate Medical School has School is focussed on areas that complement Delayed Hospital Discharges
developed a strong interface with the NHS, the NHS and operates with many outside and
providing undergraduate and postgraduate visiting staff. An area that the Postgraduate A project based in the European Institute of
education and training as well as international Medical School is active in is that of Primary Health and Medical Sciences (EIHMS) has
calibre research relevant to the health sector. Care Research. The School has been focused on elderly patients’ discharge needs
A primary aim is to ensure that the key encouraging research in Primary Care Trusts and reasons for delayed discharges in older
strategic activities and priorities of the NHS (PCTs) and in the Surrey area, for instance, people in the East Elmbridge and Mid Surrey
are linked to those of the University. Visiting Guildford and Waverley have one of the largest Primary Care Trust area. The project was
appointments of senior NHS staff have been screening programs for osteoporosis in the funded by the Kent, Surrey, Sussex
made in important clinical areas, including country, with over 7,000 women having been Workforce Development Confederation and
cancer surgery, minimal access surgery, screened. was a partnership project between EIHMS,
pathology, medical physics, diabetology/ the PCT and Surrey Social Services. The
endocrinology, vascular medicine and Working Alongside the project was led by Karen Bryan.
cardiology. Pharmaceutical Industry Available information was collected on
Medical research that makes a difference transactions involving people over the age of
to patients is best encouraged by providing an There are active links between the University 65 from health and social services, and the
environment where NHS staff involved in and both the Health Service and the pharma- profile of the staff involved in those
research and teaching have the opportunity to ceutical Industry. UniS is well placed transactions. Information on delayed
meet with and work alongside university geographically, to take advantage of the discharges was analysed for a one year
academics. It is recognised that a multi- positioning within the M25 area of the top ten period with a detailed analysis of a typical
20
A VISION FOR 2020
“ Preparation and assessment
for midwifery practice within
a range of hospital and
community settings is
undertaken at UniS
”
21
A VISION FOR 2020
The inter-disciplinary Centre for Research in Nursing
and Midwifery Education provides a focus for new
areas of research in nursing and midwifery education.
week and a two week period where delayed Researching Midwifery Practice case study was undertaken in early 2002.
discharge increased. A number of key health The project is due for completion in
and social service managers were also A key research project is the investigation of December 2002.
interviewed. the preparation and assessment for midwifery
The project showed that delayed practice within a range of hospital and Focus on Infectious Diseases –
discharges are continuing to occur despite community settings, funded by the Hospital Meningitis and Tuberculosis
measures already taken to prevent them, and Saving Association (HSA) and the Midwife
gave a detailed analysis of the factors Teacher Training Council Trust. The aims of Professor Johnjoe McFadden is Head of the
contributing to them. The cost is significant the study are to investigate: Microbial Sciences Group within the School
and they have a negative impact on the of Biomedical and Life Sciences. His research
health of older people. The project set out a • the nature of practice experience in relation interests are in the development of new
series of recommendations for tackling the to assessing the process and outcomes of vaccines for the infectious diseases
problem of delayed discharges in older midwifery education programmes meningitis and tuberculosis.
people. • the preparation and role of practice The meningococcus is a major pathogen
assessors in midwifery education and and although vaccines have been developed
The Centre for Research in Nursing practice, and the implications for that protect against group A and group C
and Midwifery Education continuing professional development meningococcal infections, no vaccine is
currently available for the group B meningo-
The inter-disciplinary Centre for Research in A multi-method approach is being used coccus, the strain that causes most cases in
Nursing and Midwifery Education is funded in order to obtain robust information on the the UK. The current research, headed by
by endowments from the General Nursing range of issues which will influence effective Professor McFadden, and funded by the
Council for England and Wales and the education and practice in midwifery. The Meningitis Trust, is trying to identify possible
Midwife Teacher Training College Trust. The methods include survey, documentary vaccine antigens, in the form of proteins, that
Royal College of Midwives has also been analysis and case study. can then be incorporated into a vaccine. The
closely involved in establishing the Centre. Five case study sites within England were search for these proteins has been
The aims of the Centre are to provide a selected, based on geographical location, accelerated with the release of the genome
focus for research in nursing and midwifery systems of maternity care and type and level sequence, which allows the targeting of a
education and will include the investigation of midwifery education provision. Four case particular gene that acts as a switch for all the
of the development of nursing and midwifery study sites have agreed to participate in the genes involved in virulence.
knowledge and skills and the effectiveness project to date and data collection has been If the genes are regulated by one genetic
of educational strategies. Activities will completed within these sites. Research switch, then gaining effective “genetic control”
involve networking with local, national and midwives were recruited within each of that switch would allow the deregulation of
international organisations in order to geographical area to undertake local data the genes that cause the disease. The
develop a research programme which collection. The research team is currently research group is actively searching to identify
encompasses multicultural and global undertaking preliminary analysis of such genes and then to see if they would
contexts. documents, transcripts, diaries and make good vaccine candidates but it is too
observation notes and developing the case early to say yet whether a good candidate
records for each site. The fifth (and final) has been found. The timescale for this type of
22
A VISION FOR 2020
research is two to three years to find a good Biosensors The development of biosensors portable enough to be
used in ambulances enables medical staff to know what
candidate and then five to ten to develop a a patient has overdosed on prior to arrival at hospital.
vaccine that can be introduced to the health Dr Sub Reddy is also currently working on
service. smart materials used for electrochemical
Tuberculosis is one of the biggest killers in biosensors and quartz crystal microbalance
the world, with two to three million people biosensors, which have recently received
dying each year, mostly in the African and much interest due to their potential
Asian continents of the developing world. The applications in the NHS. When an overdose
long duration of drug treatment is one of the patient is brought into a hospital’s accident
contributory factors to such a high mortality
rate. Often patients feel better within a few
weeks and so stop their medication, which
and emergency department, the pressure is
on to determine which drug has been taken
as quickly as possible. The biosensor
“ The biosensor developed
by Dr Reddy and his team
should be continued for six months due to developed by Dr Reddy and his team can test
the slow growing states of tuberculosis that a sample of the patient’s blood for certain
can test a sample of the
are resistant to antibiotics. Consequently a substances such as paracetamol in less than patient’s blood for certain
few months later, there is a re-emergence of ten minutes. The sensor is portable enough
the disease which often leads to death. to be used in ambulances to enable the substances such as
Control of these lengthy treatment regimes is medical staff to know what the patient has
one of the biggest problems faced by health overdosed on prior to arrival at hospital.
paracetamol in less than
care workers in this field.
At UniS, a laboratory system has been
developed to slow the growth rate in the
The sensor works by using a quartz
crystal microbalance. When an alternating
current is applied the crystal vibrates and will
ten minutes
”
laboratory. Functional genomic approaches continue to oscillate even when immersed in
are then used to identify genes, proteins and a liquid. Anything which then sticks to the
metabolic pathways that are active in the crystal surface or affects the viscosity of the
slow growing state. Some of these may surface film around the crystal affects the
provide new targets for drugs that attack the vibrational frequency. The concept of the
slow growing organisms. Eventually, it is sensor is to have a small chamber above the
hoped to develop drugs that will work on the surface of the crystal and, when a sample is
slow growing states within a few weeks, so placed in the chamber, a series of carefully
drastically reducing the treatment times. designed chemical reactions can be made to
Professor McFadden and a colleague, occur that are specific to the molecule of
Dr Sub Reddy, whose research interests are interest. These reactions contribute to the
in biosensors, are working as joint supervisors formation of a solid product, which then
on a PhD project that combines both of their attaches to the surface of the crystal and the
research interests to investigate a biosensor corresponding change in vibrational
to detect the slow growing stage of frequency can be measured. As the chemical
tuberculosis. reactions can be made to be highly specific to
23
A VISION FOR 2020
Far left: a patient being fitted with a stereotactic
frame prior to the delivery of high precision radio
therapy on a brain tumour. Left: Developing
radiotherapy using IMRT.
the molecule of interest, only one solid the copies have no errors and subsequently
product is formed and other substances in divide. Cells are much more sensitive to lethal
the sample will not interfere with the process damage by radiation in some parts of this
or provide spurious readings. Research so far cycle than others. For instance, when the
has shown good results with excellent DNA repairs and checking is already active,
sensitivity. extra damage from radiation is also repaired
very efficiently.
Mathematical Modelling When radiotherapy is applied to a tumour,
“
cells in some parts of the cell cycle are heavily
There is a class of brain
Dr Norman Kirkby from Chemical Engineering damaged while others escape with their
tumour called a glioma, is involved with innovative research to damage repaired. The model looks at
mathematically model the response of tumour individual cells and can describe the holes
which is amongst the cells to radiotherapy. There is a class of brain produced in the age distribution when
tumour called a glioma, which is amongst the radiation is applied. This information has
most dangerous, as it is
most dangerous, as it is inoperable and within provided a breakthrough in treatment as, in
inoperable and within seven to ten months of diagnosis 50% of addition to describing the cell cycle effects,
patients are dead. It does not form a lump like it is also possible to describe the recently
7-10 months of diagnosis more traditional tumours but invades healthy discovered phenomenon of hypersensitivity.
tissue in a diffuse manner. Some gliomas Dr Susan Short has discovered that some
50% of patients are
have been found to exhibit a hypersensitivity brain tumours are abnormally sensitive to low
dead.
” to low doses of radiotherapy, which is good
news as they are inoperable and resistant to
doses of radiation. Putting the data about this
hypersensitivity into the UniS model has
chemotherapy because suitable drugs cannot allowed the rapid development of new ways
easily penetrate the blood brain barrier. to apply radiotherapy.
The mathematical modelling work This approach now suggests ways to
followed on from final year undergraduate time the doses of radiation to ensure that the
projects exploring mathematical modelling of maximum number of abnormal tumour cells
tumours. Dr Kirkby works with Dr Neil Burnet, are killed. This method typically requires
a clinician at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in smaller doses to be given three times a day
Cambridge and Dr Susan Short at the Gray for a period of up to six weeks. This research
Cancer Institute at Mount Vernon Hospital in could be a breakthrough for glioma sufferers
Middlesex. The work is close to entering because the smaller doses of radiation do
clinical trials. less damage to healthy tissue and the overall
All cells take part in a cycle of activity in success rates in treating these aggressive
which they grow and divide to form a tumour. tumours will hopefully increase.
In a typical cell cycle, the cells first take in
nutrients until they have enough energy, then
make a copy of their DNA, then check that
24
A VISION FOR 2020
Left: A solar panel-powered electricity project in
Africa, part of Dr Katie Begg’s evaluation work on
emission reduction. Right: Professor Roland Clift,
Director of the CES.
Focusing on:
Sustainability
Understanding the environment has been a key Centre is part of the School of Engineering to An example of this approach is evidenced
focus of multidisciplinary work at UniS, with ensure that it retains a “problem-solving” in a new research project funded by the
scientific, engineering and sociological interests approach. The Centre’s aims, outlined below, Norlands Foundation to study the efficacy of
forming fields of study undertaken by research emphasise that its work is not complete if it is a plastics recyclates pool in Surrey, being
groups. Addressing environmental issues which limited to analysis and criticism. carried out by Dr Gary Stevens, Head of the
affect both developed and developing world Polymer Research Centre at the University
nations has been a key element of much of the Developing Methods to Assess and a director of the UniS spin-out company,
work conducted thus far. Environmental Impact Industrial Ecology Solutions. The University of
Surrey Environmental Body (USEB) project
The Centre for Environmental CES seeks to develop and apply methods to ‘Plastics Recyclate Pools’ will seek to
Strategy assess the environmental and social effects of establish whether stores of the products from
human activities. Chief amongst these is Life used plastic materials could be developed to
Central to the University’s research in this area Cycle Assessment (LCA) – a systematic enable the manufacture or derivation of new
is the Centre for Environmental Strategy approach to analysing the environmental products. The project, to be run over 18
(CES), which opened in 1992. It has grown impacts of the complete supply chain of a months, will draw up a framework for the
into an established research and product or service. CES has been one of the location of such stores across the county and
postgraduate centre. In the 2001 Research leaders in LCA development and it now how they would operate, to give optimum
Assessment Exercise it was awarded a ‘5A’ provides one of the corner stones of technical, financial and environmental
grade, defined as “research of national and European environmental policy. LCA has performance.
international standard”. For a multi- been adapted as a way of assessing waste
disciplinary centre, this is a real achievement management strategies and the Centre, Environmental Issues in the Broad
– recognition of the ability and dedication of together with the Environment Agency, has Context
everyone who has contributed to the been one of the lead players in developing a
development of CES. tool to be used by local authorities to evaluate Most informed observers now recognise that
Although CES, under the leadership of waste management plans. The agenda is global climate change represents one of the
Professor Roland Clift OBE, is characterised now moving on to industrial ecology, an biggest threats to the stability of life on earth.
by the multidisciplinarity which is essential to approach which tries to maximise the value To combat this threat requires us to rethink
address environmental problems “in the obtained from materials and products by the way in which we convert and use energy.
round”, it is nevertheless important that the repeated use and re-use. Renewable energy sources and systems is a
25
A VISION FOR 2020
Industrial ecology tries to maximise the value
obtained from materials and products by repeated
use and re-use. Guildford MP Sue Doughty (right)
pictured with Dr Gary Stevens at a recycling centre.
26
A VISION FOR 2020
continuing research theme in CES, feeding Professor Roland Clift’s membership of
into national and international policy through the Royal Commission on Environmental
analyses of the Carbon Trading systems and Pollution allowed CES thinking to inform the
the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) set Commission’s report on “Energy – the
up to implement the international negotiations changing climate”, which was published in
started in Kyoto following the UN Conference 2000 and has led to a complete review of UK
on Environment and Development at Rio in energy policy.
1992. The Kyoto Protocol of 1997 set legally High-level policy debates can sometimes
The Kyoto Protocol of 1997 set legally binding
binding emission targets for greenhouse ignore the concerns of “marginalised” people, emission targets for greenhouse gases for
industrialised countries.
gases for industrialised countries. The overall not just in developing countries but also in the
target is to reduce the emissions during the industrial world. “Rainforests are a long way
period 2008-2012. Part of this emission from here” was the title of a report by Kate
reduction can be achieved through investment Burningham and Diana Thrush, a joint activity
in greenhouse gas emission reduction projects of CES and the Department of Sociology.
in the developing world. This can be achieved Published in 2001, it investigated the day-to-
through investment by industrialised countries day environmental concerns of some of the
in countries where the cost of emissions
reduction is lower – project co-operation
takes place under the Clean Development
less visible members of UK society.
One of the most important high level
themes and one which is being developed in
“ Much of the research in
CES is directed at
Mechanism. The industrialised partner several projects of CES, is what level of
exploring the practical
country can in this way receive credits for consumption the planet can sustain and what
the emission reductions achieved and the changes in thinking and behaviour are meaning of sustainable
project itself should contribute to the needed for human society to become
sustainable development path of the
developing country host.
sustainable.
development
”
A current Department for International Informing technological, economic,
Development funded-project, CDM Analysis social and political choices
for Poverty Alleviation (CAPA), is studying the
design of small scale poverty-focused energy Sustainable Development has become an
projects. These projects, such as local hydro overworked phrase (even though it was the
power stations, often set up in remote title of the World Summit held in
communities, have an important role in Johannesburg in 2002), but it is linked
emission reduction and additionally bring inescapably with the principle of equity –
poverty alleviating benefits to the local equal access to resources, benefits and
community. Under the co-ordination of opportunities. Much of the research in CES is
Dr Katie Begg, studies in Africa are examining directed at exploring the practical meaning of
their costs and benefits, and how emission sustainable development: how and where
reductions are achieved. inequities arise, particularly along the kind of
27
A VISION FOR 2020
The MSc programme in Life Cycle Management studies
the cradle-to-grave responsibilities of producers of
materials in industrial societies.
supply chain which can be explored by Life The research shows that the problem that Provision of Environmental
Cycle Assessment; and what kind of metrics ETR faces in terms of public acceptance is Education and Training
can be used to help companies measure and not so much outright hostility to environ-
set targets for their environmental and social mental taxation as conceptual problems with CES manages a Doctor of Engineering
performance. An approach known as the design. Similar conceptual problems were programme in Environmental Technology,
Environmental Burden was developed by ICI also found in the interviews with business offered jointly by Brunel University and UniS.
with help from CES; it has been adopted people who: All the Research Engineers following the
widely in the chemicals sector and is set to programme are sponsored by industrial
become the basis for compiling and • did not trust assurances that the revenues organisations and carry out their research
comparing national environmental statistics, in will be used as promised by the with the sponsor, but follow a course of
the UK and elsewhere. It has been developed government taught modules at the two Universities.
further, by several members of CES, into sets • had difficulty in understanding the purpose Fifty Engineers have graduated from the
of indicators which can be used generally for of increasing taxes on energy while programme. They have proved to be in
environmental management. lowering taxes on employment demand, and many are rising to senior
A collaborative study by researchers from • desired measures seen as incentives as managerial levels and are acting as agents to
CES and the Department of Sociology was well as penalties disseminate and apply the CES philosophy.
conducted to investigate the attitudes of The Centre also offers an MSc
policy-makers, business and the general Recommendations made to increase the programme in Environmental Strategy, which
public to environmental tax reform (ETR) in acceptance of future environmental tax took in its first full-time students in 1999.
Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland and the reform included: a levy administered by an With support from the EPSRC, CES is now
UK. Germany and Denmark have ETR independent body; revenues for energy developing a unique Diploma and MSc
applying to both consumers and business. efficiency programmes to be earmarked programme in Life Cycle Management.
The Climate Change Levy in the UK is an ETR targeting areas which can be addressed at Completion of any of these programmes
applying only to business. France and Ireland zero or negative net cost; the provision of offers a direct route to Associate Membership
do not currently have ETR. The UK findings grants for local environmental projects, of the Institute of Environmental Management
from this research have provided interesting renewable energy and public transport and Assessment. CES is the sole provider of
evidence for policy makers as they seek to improvements; sending utility customers Environmental Training for the 5,000 staff of
improve the design of environmental taxation. vouchers for energy efficiency investments the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. In the
ETR is a policy that raises taxes on the with their bills in order to make the connection 2002/3 Academic Year, The Centre starts a
use of energy (or other environmentally- between the levy and its benefits tangible; series of undergraduate modules in
damaging activities) and lowers other taxes, extra help for those on low incomes; and the Sustainable Development for all students in
usually those on employment. The rationale is consideration of levy-free allowances and the School of Engineering.
that tax should be imposed on negative rebates for meeting energy conservation
effects instead of positive ones. A refinement targets.
is the ‘double dividend’ argument: that higher
taxes on energy will lower pollution, while
lower taxes on labour will decrease
unemployment.
28
A VISION FOR 2020
Professor Nigel Gilbert, Professor of Sociology and
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Staff Development).
Improving water resource planning A generic model will be developed and utilisation of existing catches, since it is
applied across the regions, seeking to estimated that some 27 million tonnes of low
Professor Nigel Gilbert’s research interests ensure the outputs are of use to value and undersized fish are discarded each
include computer simulation, the sociology stakeholders.’ year out of the 110 million tonnes landed.
of science and science policy, innovation The models will improve on existing Pollutants such as DDT, PCBs and
and the sociology of the environment. integrated assessments by explicitly dioxins are being monitored as part of the
The Freshwater Integrated Resource representing customers, suppliers and project. Biochemical and physical changes in
Management with Agents (FIRMA), which government at all levels of aggregation. This fish proteins and lipids during processing
he co-ordinates, is funded through the new approach will provide innovative tools for which affect nutritional quality and safety are
Energy, Environment and Sustainable policy makers concerned with issues such as being investigated using advanced spectro-
Development theme of an EU Framework V waste water, water scarcity and integrated scopic, cell culture and rheological
programme. This project brings together catchment planning. Outcomes will include techniques. Innovative techniques are being
environmental and social scientists from the prototype models in the form of tools studied to process under-utilised fish species,
nine partners in seven European Member usable by managers, a methodology for polyunsaturated fish oils and fish gelatin into
States in the development of simulations to developing and applying agent-based models extruded and dried products including infant
help manage drinking water at the local and educational materials for water resource foods. Also improved preservation using
level. The project aims to improve water managers and modellers. indigenous natural antioxidants is being
resource planning by developing and explored.
applying agent-based modelling to Better utilisation of fish stocks The project will aid sustainable
integrate physical, hydrological, social and development of fisheries in line with policies
economics aspects of water resource Dr Nazlin Howell in the School of Biomedical of developing countries as well as the EU
management. The work will yield insights and Life Sciences is co-ordinating a 1m EU Common Fisheries Policy. Research and
into the social processes of water Framework V research project to improve the training at an international level will be
management, leading to the consideration quality and utilisation of low value fish in strengthened and food security in developing
of a wider range of aspects of the developing countries. The project brings regions will be improved, through the
environment in decision making. Better together a multidisciplinary group of scientists dissemination of the results of the work in
management of water catchments, and engineers from the UK, The Netherlands collaboration with industry, the Food and
amongst other improved water and Portugal, and two developing regions in Agriculture Organisation and the United
management techniques, are likely to result Africa and Asia. Although the oceans Nations Children’s Fund.
from this study. surrounding these continents are
‘Stakeholder participation is an essential exceptionally productive, the per capita
feature of the project’, explained Professor availability of marine fish is declining due to
Gilbert, ‘starting with the formulation of over fishing and increases in the regions’
questions and the design of the models. populations. Fish can provide much needed
Each of the five European regions has its protein, frequently missing from the average
own problems, risks and options, each of diet of low income groups – particularly
which needs to be assessed and evaluated infants, in developing societies. These needs
using the models in participatory settings. can be met by efficient preservation and
29
A VISION FOR 2020
The Sleep Disorders Unit presents an exciting vision for
the provision of research and clinical services in the
area of sleep medicine.
Focusing on:
Sleep
Sleep is an area of research that can be Europe and internationally. The Sleep Health Organisation (WHO) revealed that a
encompassed in many disciplines but which Disorders Unit presents an exciting vision for background noise level of 30dB(A) promotes
has only recently gained recognition in its own the provision of research and clinical services “measurable effects upon sleep”, with noise
right. The Royal Society of Medicine now has in the area of sleep medicine, physiology and in excess of 60dB(A) causing complete
a Sleep Section and interest in the subject is applied clinical research and has conducted awakening. Because of the stimulating
increasing all the time. Much research is some of the largest single centre sleep properties of noise, it can be used to promote
driven by questions such as how much sleep studies ever performed. The Unit consists of acute insomnia states in healthy volunteers in
we need and the effects of sleep deprivation. six sleep and chronobiology bedrooms and a a controlled and reproducible fashion.
It is only through the interweaving of the 12 bed ward. The ‘Traffic Noise Model of Insomnia’
research of sociologists, biochemists, Individual bedrooms have advanced uses real traffic noise to provide a psychobio-
psychologists and pharmacologists that a sound attenuation (75-80dB between rooms), logical stimulus in the 12-bed ward. The
proper understanding to accommodate and and are temperature-controlled and isolated model was designed to disrupt sleep in a
treat sleep disruption may emerge in the from all external time cues, such as darkness uniformed fashion across the whole night
future. Dr Derk-Jan Dijk from the School of and daylight. This allows the performance of (similar to sleep maintenance insomnia).
Biomedical and Life Sciences is currently accurate chronobiological experimentation. Awakenings and arousals during the night are
Chair of the Scientific Committee of the Sleep Facilities have recently been improved measured. The ‘Continuous Noise Model of
Research Society. He recognises the need to through the introduction of two new methods Insomnia’ uses a noise level of 80dB(A) and is
formalise the research linked to sleep at UniS to allow the promotion of a state of insomnia presented after waking the subject in the
through the establishment of a Multi- in people who would otherwise sleep middle of the night. The time taken for the
disciplinary Sleep Research Centre to be normally. This is done by subjecting individual to return to sleep is then measured.
realised in 2003. volunteers to either environmental or traffic Both models have allowed large scale
noise. These ‘noise models of insomnia’ are trials in the time course of action of hypnotic
The Sleep Disorders Unit allowing the sleep centre to study insomnia medications to be conducted at HPRU.
and test hypotheses with more accuracy than
As a leader in the field of sleep research, the before. Environmental noise can cause Circadian Rhythm Cycles
present sleep research unit of the Human significant arousal and awakening, and even
Psychopharmacology Research Unit (HPRU) be used to stop sleep altogether, promoting Professor Debra Skene heads the
has a well-established reputation in scientific transient responses in healthy subjects similar Neuroendocrinology Group that is part of the
investigations and novel research across to acute insomnia. Research by the World School of Biomedical and Life Sciences at
30
A VISION FOR 2020
“ The Royal Society of Medicine now has a Sleep Section
and interest in the subject is increasing all the time. Much
research is driven by questions such as how much sleep
we need and the effects of sleep deprivation
”
31
A VISION FOR 2020
Left: Professor Debra Skene, and right: Research has
been conducted on North Sea oil rigs to examine the
effect of shift patterns on the body clock.
UniS. Much of her work is looking at circadian melatonin. This acts in the same way as
rhythm disorders in humans, both natural exposure to light by resynchronising rhythms
disorders such as the desynchronisation of to a night and day cycle which eliminates the
rhythms suffered by totally blind people and sleep disturbances. Science has suggested
forced disorders, which can be short lived, that light is more effective than melatonin as a
such as those experienced by night shift synchronising agent for circadian rhythms.
workers and travellers across time zones. It can be used to both induce advances or
Within each of us is a biological clock, delays in certain circumstances. Thus
the precise working of which is thought to be exposure to light has been studied in people,
genetically determined, giving rise to individ- such as shift workers, who have a mismatch
uality between human beings. It is this between their body clock and the
master biological clock which generates and environment. This research has shown that
“ Within each of us is a
biological clock, the
maintains 24 hour circadian rhythms in
physiological, biochemical and behavioural
variables in the body, like core body
the human circadian system is sensitive to
short wavelength visible light that is dark blue
in colour. A new non-rod, non-cone photore-
temperature, mental performance and the ceptor system has been shown to be
precise working of which
synthesis and secretion of many hormones. responsible for processing and transmitting
is thought to be As we have evolved, our behaviour and information to the body clock.
physiology has developed so that our internal
genetically determined, rhythms complement our surroundings. So, Night Shift Work
for example, we expect to sleep during the
giving rise to individuality
night when it is dark and work or play during There is increasing concern with the possible
between human beings
” the day when it is light.
In fact, circadian rhythms are slightly longer
than 24 hours and everyday we need our
health and associated problems of working
out of hours. The University’s
Neuroendocrinology Group and the Centre
clocks to be slightly reset. This is achieved for Chronobiology have been collaborating
through the natural cycle of night and day. We with Dr Linda Morgan from Nutrition, and
need the light that enters our eyes when it is conducting studies in unusual environments.
daylight to tell the brain what time it is and this The major problems of night shift work
is why totally blind people end up with are an increased accident rate, poor sleep
completely desynchronised rhythms, which and an increased risk of a number of
lead to cyclic sleep problems. There will be diseases including chronic sleep disorder and
times when a blind person’s rhythms are in cardiovascular disease. Chernobyl, Three Mile
phase with night and day and their sleep is Island and Bhopal were all night shift
normal but others when they gradually ‘de- accidents. Sleeping out of ‘phase’ for
phase’ and suffer sleep disturbances. example in the morning after night work,
Debra and her team have been generally leads to shorter sleep of poorer
successfully treating blind people with quality than that taken at the appropriate
32
A VISION FOR 2020
Left: Professor Josephine Arendt, and right: Halley
Base, Coats Land, the most southerly of British Bases.
time. Adjusting the body clock to night work of hastening adaptation back to home life. possible mechanism has been shown in real
will alleviate this problem. In an offshore The initial project is to give subjects extra light shift workers as opposed to laboratory
environment, such as an oil rig, this can be at specific times using special light boxes. simulations.
done relatively easily as workers are a ‘captive Their mood, activity and rest, and the timing Previous studies at Halley have shown
audience’ and they can be given melatonin or of their body clocks are then assessed. The use that a little extra broad spectrum light at the
subjected to light in a controlled way. of melatonin to help shift workers sleep ‘out of right time enables people to maintain
However, in most onshore shift work phase’ and to speed up adaptation has been optimum body clock time and may help them
environments this does not happen. pioneered at UniS by Professor Josephine tolerate the darkness of the Antarctic winter.
The amount of light experienced at Arendt and her team at the Centre for It could even help to normalise risk factors for
different times of the day has a major influence Chronobiology. They are now acknowledged heart disease during the night shift. Special
on adaptation to night work and back to day world leaders in this area of research. light equipment is currently being shipped to
work. Research on North Sea oil rigs has In parallel with these studies in an Antarctica to provide extra lighting for the
shown that some 12 hour work – 12 hour industrial environment, the researchers are Base and assess any change (improvement
leisure/sleep schedules are better than others using the extraordinary natural ‘light or otherwise) in sleep, morale and body clock
for adapting the body clock to night shift (HSE laboratory’ of Antarctica in an attempt to status in future studies.
study). Work from six o’clock in the evening to understand further the light dependent Shift work, such as watch keeping on the
six in the morning is good, whilst working from aspects of human physiology and behaviour. British Antarctic Survey ships provides yet
midnight to midday is not, and light exposure At Halley Base, Coats Land, the most another opportunity to assess the health
times are probably the main reason for these southerly of British Bases (75ºS) the sun implications of working out of hours and the
differences. does not rise for three months in the winter effect of light environments. There have, in the
There are large individual time differences and does not set for three months in the past, been numerous studies of watch
in some shift work schedules and this can summer. During the winter, the average keeping on merchant vessels. They
lead to problems. For example during a week maximum amount of light experienced is concluded that all watch keepers had sleep
of nights, 18.00 to 06.00 hours, most oil rig about one third of that in the UK. The only problems and that different schedules should
workers will adapt their body clocks, but if this light experienced at all being that of be tried. No record of personal light exposure
is followed by a week of days, 06.00 hours- domestic lighting. Some Base personnel or objective assessments of sleep were made
18.00 hours, few will readily adapt back to the may experience low morale and poor sleep, and no one has compared night watch in 24
dayshift. This situation means that each with their body clocks desynchronising from hour daylight (which occurs in Polar Regions)
schedule needs to be evaluated before any the 24 hour day in the way that is seen in with darkness at night. Professor Jo Arendt is
advice or countermeasures can be some registered blind people with no at present evaluating sleep, light exposure
implemented. One major problem with perception of light. and body clock status in watch keepers and
workers who adapt to offshore night shift is The Halley Base environment has been dayworkers.
that, when they return home, they are out of used to show that meals taken during the The results of this research may have a
synchrony with their home environment. night shift lead to an increase in the presence significant impact on the design and use of
Projects funded by the Health and Safety of risk factors for heart disease compared to lighting for the treatment of disorders where
Executive (HSE) and the Institute of meals taken on the dayshift. In general, shift an adjustment of the circadian rhythms is
Petroleum, to be conducted by Professor workers have a higher incidence of heart required. In addition to helping with the
Skene, intend to investigate possible means disease, and this is the first time that a adaptation to shift work, light can also be
33
A VISION FOR 2020
Professor Sara Arber.
used to aid travellers on long haul flights to assessment of their sleep each morning for
avoid jetlag, sleep disorders and seasonal seven consecutive days.
affective disorder. Analysis so far has focused on the
experiences of sleep among mid-life women
Sleep in Ageing Women aged between 40 and 59. The mid-life period
for women is characterised by a multiplicity of
The Centre for Research on Ageing and roles, responsibilities and gender
Gender (CRAG) is based in the Sociology expectations that potentially have a greater
“
Department and brings together social impact on sleep than at other times of the life
The project examines
scientific expertise to conduct policy relevant course. It is not surprising in this context that
how patterns of sleep research on ageing and gender. Research sleep disruption, rather than disorders, is a
into the sociology of sleep is one of the feature of mid-life women’s sleep. The
change in women aged current research projects being undertaken interaction of the physical and emotional
by Dr Jenny Hislop and Professor Sara Arber. labour involved in caring for babies, young
40 and over, the kind of
Working as part of a multi-disciplinary children and teenagers, as well as the worries
sleep problems they scientific team on a three-year EU-funded and concerns associated with family respon-
project ‘Sleep in Ageing Women’, they are sibilities, work, and caring for ageing parents,
experience, how these conducting empirical research which may compromise a woman’s access to
examines the social dimensions of sleep. The quality sleep. While the majority of women in
problems affect their lives,
research aims not only to provide insights into the study accept some disruption to their
and the strategies and the social world and the gendered nature of sleep as ‘part of being a woman’, they do not
our lives, but to complement and challenge consider these disruptions desirable. They
treatments they use to try existing and future research into the biological develop a range of preventive and responsive
to overcome them
” and psychological aspects of sleep.
The project examines how patterns of
sleep change in women aged 40 and over,
strategies to try to improve the quality of their
sleep and to maximise their sleep potential.
The strategies they choose, however, may be
the kind of sleep problems they experience, constrained by their social circumstances and
how these problems affect their lives, and the nature of their sleeping environment.
the strategies and treatments they use to try The study of sleep from a sociological
to overcome them. Using a qualitative perspective is still in its infancy and further
approach to record women’s actual research needs to be undertaken to build on
experiences of sleep as well as how their the foundations provided by the ‘Sleep in
patterns of sleep are related to their gender Ageing Women’ project. This research
roles and everyday lives, the research has to illustrates that sociology can contribute
date included the participation of 82 women significantly to the study of sleep by providing
in ten focus groups, in-depth interviews with insights into the social context of sleep; an
a further 35 women, and the use of audio area which to date has been overlooked in
sleep diaries in which they tape-recorded an the sleep research agenda.
34
A VISION FOR 2020
Professor Greville Corbett.
Focusing on:
Society’s Needs
It is a popular misconception that the Professor Greville Corbett, who heads the structures on a map of the world to establish
University of Surrey’s world class activities are Surrey Morphology Group, has recently been which geographical or genetic patterns can
limited to the fields of science and technology. awarded a prestigious ESRC Fellowship for be associated with a particular language
In the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise research into the notion of possible words. feature. The complete Atlas is due for
(RAE), the Department of Sociology obtained There are 6,000 languages in the world and publication in early 2004 and will have five
the highest possible accolade – a 5*A rating. many of these will be lost before research into chapters from the Surrey Morphology Group.
The quality of much of the research in the them can be completed. There are many Members of the Group have an
School of Arts is of a similarly high level. languages whose chances of survival are impressive range of language expertise and of
poor and, if the development and decline of research techniques. A great strength of the
Understanding Language these is to be fully understood, this research Group is in its multidisciplinary approach to
is necessary and urgent. research, working with colleagues in
Language is a key element which helps to Professor Corbett has worked for many psychology, statistics and computing, and
bind societies together. The study of which years studying the different types of using a variety of computational methods. In
languages are spoken by which societal languages that exist. There are profound particular, the Group uses DATR, a language
groups, in what parts of the world and how differences in the way in which languages that allows the representation of the lexicon of
they relate to each other is crucial to work and his research on gender systems, on a language and the ability to check that the
preserving rare languages and to better which he has become an expert, has forms predicted by a particular theory are the
understanding language development. The provoked much interest. He has contrasted correct ones. This is, in effect, a way of using
Surrey Morphology Group, based within the the familiar languages like French, which has computational techniques to ensure the validity
Department of Linguistic, Cultural and two genders, and German and Russian, of the theory being developed in the Group,
International Studies, was formed twelve which have three, with languages from namely Network Morphology. Members are
years ago as a result of collaborative work Daghestan (typically four) and from West testing morphological phenomena in a range
between Professor Greville Corbett, a Africa that can have up to twenty. As a result, of genetically diverse languages and this work
typologist, and Norman Fraser, a computa- he and other members of the Surrey involves the construction of databases for a
tional Linguist. The Group has been consis- Morphology Group have been asked to genetically diverse sample of languages. These
tently highly rated for its research; in the 1996 contribute typological data to the World Atlas databases are now available on the World
RAE it was ‘flagged’ and in the 2001 RAE it of Linguistic Structures, being co-ordinated Wide Web and have led to the Surrey
was included in the Russian submission by the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig. This Morphology Group becoming part of a
which gained a 5 rating. novel research plots different linguistic European network, based in Utrecht.
35
A VISION FOR 2020
Professor Martin Bulmer.
Answering Societal Questions electronic resource such as the Question
Bank involves a combination of technical
One of the most important investigative tools expertise in web design, the finer points of
of the sociologist and social researcher is the social research methodology together with
social survey. Sociologists at UniS have entrepreneurial outreach to the Question
developed a ‘one stop shop’ to enable Bank’s user community. Professor Bulmer
surveys which provide national benchmark also runs the Survey Link Scheme, which
data on topics such as unemployment, price provides short placements in major surveys
levels and changing social attitudes to be for the UK social science community.
conducted. The National Labour Force The Question Bank is part of the Centre
Survey, General Household Survey, for Applied Social Surveys (CASS) which is a
Expenditure and Food Survey, British Social joint enterprise between the University of
Attitudes Survey and British Household Panel Surrey, the University of Southampton and
Study are all examples of social surveys. the National Centre for Social Research in
Professor Martin Bulmer is the Director of London, the leading independent survey
the Social Survey Question Bank, an agency. Its task is to raise the level of
electronic resource based at the University of expertise in survey research among British
The social survey is a key tool for sociologists
seeking a better understanding of how the population Surrey funded by the Economic and Social academics and postgraduate students.
lives and thinks.
Research Council. Professor Bulmer is aided Martin is a sociologist of huge
by colleagues Harshad Keval and Julie Lamb. experience, whose research for many years
It is a virtual presence on the World Wide has concentrated upon the history of the
Web where social scientists, social social sciences, and on the study of race and
researchers and interested members of the ethnic relations. He is the editor of the world’s
public can discover how particular topics are leading social science journal on the subject,
investigated and study the actual question- “Ethnic and Racial Studies’. During his time at
naires used by the survey agencies. The site UniS, Martin’s work has been strongly
currently holds some 26,000 pages of focused on the area of social research. He is
information. Part of the Question Bank’s task the Co-Director of the Department’s Institute
is to promote the greater use of social of Social Research and has strong
surveys and social survey data by social connections with independent research
scientists. institutes.
Professor Bulmer was attracted to Surrey
by the Sociology Department’s strength in
social research methodology. The
Department has a particularly strong profes-
sional orientation to this area, running two
flagship Masters’ degrees in the subject and
a 5* RAE rating to back it up. Maintaining an
36
A VISION FOR 2020
Adding value to digital products and services will be
crucial to the success of on-line music buying.
The Social Impact of New companies. The mission visited the United consumer if he acquired the rights with their
Technology States to gain an insight into how the advent service. All available repertoire must be
of some of the latest digital developments has available to all digital music services. If this is
A combination of Surrey’s expertise in impacted upon the US music industry, with not the case, piracy will seem a more
sociological research and technology led to the view that what is already taking place compelling option. Digital offerings should
the establishment of INCITE – The Incubator across the Atlantic is likely to appear in the also be more compatible between file formats
for Critical Inquiry into Technology and UK in the near future. The development of and portable players. The mission also
Ethnography. The Research Centre based in digital music products and services depend concluded that there is a lot to learn from the
the Department of Sociology is developing on reducing pirate distribution and delivering success of ring-tones. Despite being of often
interdisciplinary methods of investigating the viable alternatives to free file sharing. Future dubious quality, they serve a social function
social impact of new technology. INCITE music buying options could include a and make a public statement similar to the
collaborates closely with people working in subscription where consumers pay a monthly branding of clothes. Some artists have
a range of commercial roles, including fee to download music or pay per download. already used this form of music distribution –
designers and engineers, together with Another option is that advertising revenue the Dutch group Vengaboys released a single
marketing and business people. The impact could support the free music downloads. as a ring-tone before the track was available
of this collaboration is to broaden the purview The report of the mission ‘Monetising elsewhere.
of the research by adding a commercial Anarchy’ was published in March 2002.
perspective – the results of the research In their report, the DMM stressed that adding
materialise as well-designed products and value to the digital products and services will
product concepts. be crucial to the success of online music
By then studying the methods and buying.
outcomes of this collaboration, INCITE “In the context of new technological
expands the basis for effective academic- developments, companies right along the
industry partnerships. During the year, music value chain are realising that they need
amongst the wide range of research projects to know more about everyday consumers,”
being carried out by the INCITE team, led by Nina Wakeford said. Managing digital rights
Director Dr Nina Wakeford, were several should be straightforward and consistently
specific collaborative areas of work. applied. So far it has been confusing to
One such project was the Digital Music consumers, making pirate file share easier.
Mission funded by the Department of Trade A ‘promise’ to manage change on behalf of
and Industry International Technology Service. the consumer might stimulate development of
The mission comprised a group of leading UK the digital music market. If the consumer has
companies with vast experience of producing rights to play a digital version of his favourite
and distributing music, and their fact finding track, he should be assured that the format
visit to the West Coast of the USA brought he bought would not be useless within a few
them into contact with a huge range of months. This will mean that the service
individuals from academic institutions and provider should make the latest available
large music publishers to small start up versions of the track available to the
37
A VISION FOR 2020
Left: An SSTL engineer conducts pre-launch tests on
AISAT-1 at the Surrey Space Centre; centre: Disaster
Monitoring constellation from space providing fast
Focusing on: delivery of visually intelligible images to the disaster
relief community world-wide; right: Jeff Ward,
Managing Director of SSTL.
Space
The first network of satellites dedicated to quality Earth imaging at 1/50th the conven- and relief community via The Reuters
monitoring and mitigating man-made and tional cost. Foundation Alertnet.
natural disasters is underway at the Surrey Jeff Ward, Managing Director of SSTL, “The disaster monitoring constellation is a
Space Centre, with the first of five satellites said of the project: “Surrey technologically beautiful example of how Surrey’s
already in-orbit above the Earth. and politically enabled the Disaster Monitoring microsatellites are bringing the advantages of
Every year, natural and man-made Constellation. This international collaboration space to a wider global community”, Jeff
disasters result in devastation around the will show that satellite technology can deliver Ward explained. “We start by designing a
world, causing loss of life, widespread human global humanitarian and ecological benefits at microsatellite that is affordable to the world’s
suffering and huge economic losses. The a modest price. And you seldom see smaller countries and organisations. Then we
Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) is an “modest price” and “satellite” in the same show those countries that by forming a
international proposal, led by SSTL, to sentence”. consortium and sharing their microsatellites as
construct a network of between five and The imaging system on each spacecraft a “constellation,” they can achieve a result that
seven microsatellites for rapid-response will be capable of monitoring any rapidly even the major space-faring nations have
disaster monitoring and mitigation. changing phenomena on the Earth’s surface never achieved: satellite images of any
Although satellites currently observing the every 24 hours. In fact, with just one satellite location on Earth, every day. This is a true
Earth may provide images of disaster areas, in-orbit, it is possible to re-image a scene synergy. The whole is greater than the sum of
they are not best suited for the task of every four days. This is due to the the parts, and it is enabled by adapting
monitoring such events. The images from these exceptionally wide imaging capability of the leading-edge consumer technologies (such as
satellites can be infrequent, and sometimes SSTL-built cameras – each image will view an digital imaging) to the rigours of space flight.”
delivery of critical images can take months due area of the Earth’s surface 600km wide. The first satellite for the constellation,
to periodic cloud cover and conflicting tasks Currently, seven nations are working in AlSAT-1, was launched for Algerian
that are being undertaken by the satellite. partnership: Algeria, China, Nigeria, Thailand, customer, Centre National des Techniques
At best, an image of a particular spot on the Turkey, the UK and Vietnam. Each satellite Spatiales, on 28 November 2002 and is fully
Earth’s surface may only be re-imaged every will be owned independently and operated operational. A further three satellites are
17 days. These images are also expensive to on a day-to-day basis for each customer’s currently under construction at the Surrey
generate as their instruments are designed to Earth observation and space science Space Centre for Nigeria, Turkey and the UK,
meet many different user requirements. requirements. When disaster strikes, the all due for launch mid-2003. A third and final
SSTL has developed a highly sophis- consortium of owners will work together to launch will see the entire constellation
ticated 90kg microsatellite to provide high provide fast delivery of images to the disaster operation in-orbit by early 2004.
38
A VISION FOR 2020
Sir Martin Sweeting (right), founder of the Surrey
Space Centre, was knighted in 2002 for services
to microsatellite engineering.
39
A VISION FOR 2020
Focusing on
International Issues
Providing a Lead for Others Developing Effective International Scientific and Technological
Partnership Approaches Co-operation
A world class University thrives on its links
and interaction with institutions across the There is much to be said for developing The development and promotion of scientific
globe. As well as developing and maintaining partnership approaches when working on the and technological co-operation between
collaborative links in research and teaching, international stage. Established in January of institutions and researchers from the UK and
UniS has acted as a role model for others to this year, the International Special Interest the rest of the world is a key theme at the
follow. In a publication to mark Singapore’s Group, comprising UniS, the South East University. There is no doubt that international
Nanyang Technological University (NTU) ‘21 England Development Agency (SEEDA) and collaborations will result in higher impact
Years of Success’, UniS is cited as a major Surrey County Council (SCC) meets every research than that from individuals working
influence on the development and success of three months or so to discuss areas of mutual alone, particularly in areas of global interest.
the institution. The story started with a visit to benefit in the development of international Researchers need to be aware of the
UniS by an NTU team of lecturers and its strategy. Professor Ken Taylor at UniS has international scenery to develop technologies
President Dr Cham Tao Soon in 1995. already opened doors for SEEDA in Finland that can be used to overcome the problems
Associate Professor, Steve Seumahu, the first due to the excellent partnerships UniS enjoys of developing countries. In these countries
satellite project principal investigator recalls with the Baltic States, and the SEEDA there is an enormous human resource
that: “He was very impressed with Surrey’s Incubation Manager is now on secondment potential that is underused because of lack of
capacity for building satellites. He asked: to the Science Park in Kuopio. It is all about opportunities. Research programmes need to
‘Can we do it?’ Nobody said anything, so I sharing networks and moving up the learning incorporate social aspects by integrating such
said: ‘Yes, we can!”’ Expertise and training curve more quickly, something that UniS has human resources in these activities, which
were given at the Surrey Space Centre and taken advantage of by making contact with can easily be done without excluding
as the book recounts: ‘At the time, NTU had SEEDA’s representatives in Washington and academic excellence.
no facilities, no infrastructure, and, worst of Japan. Professor Angela Danil de Namor, a
all, no funding for any project of this scale.’ Professor of Thermochemistry, is a key
Yet, within two years the NTU team launched advocate of such themes. She is involved
its first satellite. with five EU Framework V projects that have
been awarded contracts. In the contract
which addresses the problems of monitoring
and treating mercury contamination in South
40
A VISION FOR 2020
UniS Professors Ferns and Goldfarb meet with a
Finnish delegation.
America, Professor Danil de Namor is agents for the removal of mercury from water
working with partners in Spain, Peru, and a new group of water-soluble receptors
Argentina, Brazil and Sweden. She has for the treatment of mercury poisoning. A
managed to obtain an allocation of funding to further spin off from the work might be a new
train young people from shanty villages in instrumental development for screening
Argentina in water sampling. “It is essential to plants which is expected to be faster than
integrate these people into society and to present methodology.
encourage them to earn their living by In another continent, Professor Danil de
contributing to local needs. We have a lot to Namor is working with researchers from
offer and a lot to learn from them” she says. Russia, Latvia, Germany and Armenia to
Mercury has been recognised as a highly address the problems associated with
dangerous element by the Environmental pesticide pollution in the former countries of
Protection Agency (EPA) due to its accumu- the Soviet Union. It is hoped that method-
lative and persistent character in some ologies for the decontamination of polluted
environments. In the Latin American Region soil, water and food, and in particular milk, will
several countries are affected by the high be the outcome of this project. Professor Danil de Namor.
content of mercury in the environment and
consequently in water. Water treatments are
currently scarce in Latin America and the
current analytical techniques for monitoring
mercury require costly equipment which is
expensive to run. Therapeutic treatments for
curing mercury intoxication are based on
chelating agents (chemicals which combine
“ A world class University
thrives on its links and
with unwanted heavy ions) which are in
interaction with
critical need of improvement.
The general objectives of this project are institutions across the
to develop ‘on site’ methodology for
monitoring mercury, both inorganic and
organic, in water, viable technologies for
globe
”
mercury removal from water and chelators
with therapeutic properties.
It is hoped that the project will bring forth
a series of novel mercury (II) and methyl
mercury ion-selective electrodes and ‘on site’
equipment for monitoring these speciations in
water. It is hoped to develop low cost,
selective and recyclable decontaminating
41
A VISION FOR 2020
Averil Macdonald demonstrates the ‘Fantastic Plastic’
lecture which is very popular with Years 8-10.
Focusing on:
The Community
Working with Local Schools Teachers can use the free CD to load the to teachers from the website. The guide
material onto their school computers, or covers all aspects of model rockets such as
Amongst the more active areas in the access it through the web site. The project classroom resource sheets on aerodynamics,
University working with local schools is the features direct access to datasets and water and air rockets, and powered models.
Department of Physics. Co-ordinated by images from Surrey satellites, a live satellite Across the department a lot of effort is
Dr Paul Sellin, but involving many members of tracking map to monitor space craft put into both visiting schools and in
staff the activities include schools talks and locations, detailed teaching resources encouraging them to come to the University
visits, Institute of Physics’ talks in the covering orbital motion and telecommuni- for sixth form Open Days. Members of the
Department, sixth form open days and taster cations, and more advanced extension department have visited a range of local
days, and probably most uniquely for this activities for school use. schools this year, including Sutton High
department, school resources for teachers StarBase is a CD and website supporting School, Farnborough College, Charterhouse,
and students. The Department has astrophysics teaching in sixth forms. During Bishop Reindorp and many more. There is
developed a range of informative posters 2002 the content of StarBase was extended to also a busy programme of Institute of Physics
covering aspects of its courses and resources also cover topics of Particle Physics. Fantastic evening talks on campus throughout the year.
for teachers, that can be found at: Plastic is a demonstration lecture funded by an
www.ph.surrey.ac.uk/schools. EPSRC Public Understanding of Science Sport
Messages from Space (www.ph.surrey. Award. It looks at the properties of different
ac.uk/satellites) is a website and CD which types of polymers and plastics, including slime, UniSPORT is the name that encompasses all
provides schools with information and data potty-putty and artificial legs! The content is the University’s sport, exercise and
about Surrey satellites. The project was aimed mainly at pre-16s, and has been used community dance activities, and it offers
funded by a £50k grant from PPARC under for example in the department as part of a everyone, whether a student, staff member or
their National Award for Public Understanding Physics Taster Day for local schools. a member of the local community, a chance
of Science. The project was led by Paul Sellin, Liftoff! is a model rocket programme for to change their lifestyle.
in collaboration with Craig Underwood from Y8-Y10 pupils. During 2000, this was run as UniSPORT is active in widening partici-
the Surrey Space Centre. Messages from a rocket building competition with local pation through schools, with groups of local
Space supports the space and satellite schools, culminating in a launch day on schoolchildren visiting the University and
related components of AS and A2 physics campus. Since then the material has been enjoying the many coaching opportunities
syllabuses, particularly the new Salters packaged as a Teachers Guide to using available. There are regular squash roadshows
Horners and Advancing Physics courses. model rockets in schools, and this is available for local schools, which have catered for over
42
A VISION FOR 2020
The Knights are the local American Football team
consisting of consisting of UniS students, Federal
and Associated Colleges students as well as
members of the local community.
1000 children so far, mini tournaments and a programme, student recruitment, sports
squash coaching programme. An ongoing development, student teams and alumni, with
schools dance project and six-week sports national success and recognition. The Knights
courses for children with special needs involve are the local team consisting of UniS students,
many UniS students as well as specialised Federal and Associated Colleges students as
coaches and volunteers. well as members of the local community. The
This year saw the appointment of a team have recently secured a fantastic
UniSPORT Sports Development Officer to additional local sponsorship deal and now
develop further initiatives between the have Premier Prospects, Personal Assurance
Students’ Union, the local community and and the Royal Mail Sports Foundation as their
UniSPORT. Over 20,000 local people already sponsors. They play and train at the
visit the Varsity Centre each year where there UniSPORT Varsity Centre, which boasts an all
is a sports bar and restaurant, squash courts, weather pitch. American Football is a great
tennis and netball courts, a floodlit artificial turf sport that enjoys big popularity in Surrey and
pitch, an archery field and seminar facilities. is an excellent example of how the University
It is also the home for National League works well with its local community.
Squash matches. The world’s top professional
National League Squash players regularly play The Arts
at the University, attracting local interest, Current World Record Holder and World Synchronised
Trampoline champion Kirsten Lawton.
sponsorship and spectators, acting as a The University’s arts events continue to
recognisable link with the school roadshows attract a varied and loyal audience from the
and local coaching programmes. local community. Ranging from lectures and
UniS hosted this year’s BUSA Trampoline exhibitions to a historic sculpture unveiling,
Championship. Current World Record Holder the programme of events in the past year
and World Synchronised Trampoline offered something for every artistic taste.
champion Kirsten Lawton is a UniS student. The Inaugural University Arts Lecture was
Ross Brewer is another of UniS’ sporting given by Chris Orr in conjunction with an
Professor Chris Orr of the Royal College of Art with
stars, and this year in Manchester he won his exhibition of his work. Chris calls his work SEMI- Arts Administrator Pat Grayburn.
second Commonwealth Games Gymnastics ANTICS, a word he invented himself to mean:
Gold Medal at the age of 22. UniS was “semi” half of, part of (as in semi-detached) and
pleased to be chosen as the accommodation “antics”, high jinks, fantastic action or trick.
Centre for the Commonwealth Games teams SEMI-ANTICS is the art of getting things half
participating in the shooting events that were right. Double meanings, bizarre conjunctions,
held at Bisley, with the Vice-Chancellor transpositions, caricature, misspellings, jokes
presenting some of the medals. and accidental misunderstandings are meat and
American Football is a sport that allows a drink to Chris. He writes: “Humour has always
quite unique partnership between University been a mechanism to defeat grinding
and community, representing the youth rationalism, and SEMI-ANTICS can use
43
A VISION FOR 2020
The Vice-Chancellor’s 2001
Prize to students at Wimbledon
School of Art was won by
Kathryn Lang. Her paintings
‘Motion Pictures’ hang in the
new Management Building.
44
A VISION FOR 2020
Anna Pavord (left), who gave the Annual Literary Lecture.
humour and deadly seriousness in any The Surrey Scholar
measures to make a cocktail”. The lecture and
the exhibition were both much admired with a Since 29 May 2002 there has been a
sense of the unusual and the off-beat. notable addition to the High Street in
The Annual Literary Lecture, Gardens of Guildford in the shape of ‘The Surrey
the Mind, was given on 18 October 2001 by Scholar’, a bronze sculpture presented to
Anna Pavord, author of The Tulip. ‘Gardens of the town by the University. It is a tangible
the Mind’ are so much easier to bring into reminder to the people of Guildford of the
bloom than the real things, which have a excellence of local education and the ever-
wretched tendency to be heaving with slugs increasing collaborations between town and
and attacked by unnerving, unnamed varieties gown. The sculpture has been designed to
of fungal growth. In her lecture, Anna Pavord incorporate references to the Guildford Book
explored some literary gardens, and took her Festival and the International Music Festival,
audience for a tour with Wodehouse round two notable ‘town and gown’ events. Allan
Blandings Castle, with Jane Austen to Donwell Sly, a sculptor with an impressive record of
Abbey and with George Eliot through a kitchen public commissions and site specific
garden where “...you were in a delicious sculptures was commissioned to produce
fluctuation between the scent of jasmine and the piece. He studied at the Royal Academy
the juice of gooseberries.” of Arts and is a Fellow of the Royal Society
The Morag Morris Poetry Lecture was of British sculptors and a senior lecturer in
given by Michael Donaghy. Ably assisted by Technical Arts Interpretation at Wimbledon
students from the Guildford School of Acting, School of Art.
who read the poetry, Michael gave an overview HRH the Duke of Kent KG unveiled the
of the work of the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, sculpture during the University’s 35th
citing its relevance to its time. Dylan Thomas anniversary celebrations. Located in a busy
died suddenly whilst on a lecture tour of part of the High Street where people gather
America almost fifty years ago. Though only to meet friends and listen to the various
seven years younger than Auden and street musicians who often play there, the
MacNeice, Thomas seemed to herald a new sculpture has been specifically made for this
age in pre-war London – cherubic, exuberant, site, exploiting the dramatic slope of the hill
disruptive, and adopted by the Sitwells. He without obscuring the view up or down the The Surrey Scholar.
published New Poems in 1943, the year of street. The dancing figure has been
Eliot’s Four Quartets. He displayed in Deaths designed to amplify the sense of movement
and Entrances (1946) those mesmeric as the figure skips down the hill, with precar-
rhythms, stunning images, his craftsmanship iously balanced books and mortar board
and sheer originality. With Collected Poems, adding a strong geometric contrast to the
1952, Dylan Thomas reached the pinnacle of flowing lines of the academic gown.
his popularity and his fame.
45
A VISION FOR 2020
1
2 3
The Year in Brief...
1 Did the Earth Move for You? 3 The Minister drops in
Tigger helped the Vice-Chancellor and UniS staff and students to Sports Minister Richard Caborn MP dropped in to the University’s
launch Science Year by taking part in the Giant Jump in September Varsity Centre in November to received the Regional Statement for
2001. The seismometers made by the University’s Physics Department Sports Development in the South East, delivered by parachutists from
registered the effect of the jump on campus. the Royal Navy Raiders. The Statement, prepared by the South East
Regional Sports Board, seeks to ensure that people in the South have
2 UniS Materials Lecture – Sir John Meurig Thomas the best possible opportunity to participate in sport to achieve their
sporting objectives.
Sir John Meurig Thomas FRS FREng Hon, Master of Peterhouse
College Cambridge gave the 2001 UniS Materials Lecture in
December. Sir John’s lecture on ‘The Electron and the Characterisation
of Advanced Materials’ was hosted by Professor Peter Butterworth,
Senior Pro Vice-Chancellor.
46
A VISION FOR 2020
4 5
6 7
The Year in Brief...
4 New addition to UniS tree collection – black poplar 6 Visits by Patricia Hewitt...
The University made its contribution to preserving a rare species of tree The Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt MP gave a keynote speech at the
during National Tree Week, when the Vice-Chancellor planted a female University to mark the 10th anniversary of the Daphne Jackson Trust in
black poplar close to a male of the species near Terry’s Pond, in the January 2001. She took the opportunity to announce the creation of a
hope that young saplings may result in the future. Franklin Medal with a £30,000 annual prize to raise the profile of
women scientists.
5 Ravi’s national award
7 ... and Polish Ambassador
The University’s youngest professor, Ravi Silva, was honoured with a
prestigious national prize for his work on the physics of growing His Excellency Dr Stanislaw Komorowski, Ambassador of the Republic
nanotubes. The Institute of Physics awarded Ravi the Charles Vernon of Poland, visited UniS to deliver a keynote lecture, ‘Poland’s
Boys Medal and Prize, named after the first President of the Physical Contribution to the Future of Europe’. The Ambassador is shown here
Society. (left) greeting Rafal Soborski, Polish Scholar (right) within the School of
Arts. The Polish Embassy contributes towards the Polish Scholar.
47
A VISION FOR 2020
8 9
10
The Year in Brief...
8 Vice-Chancellor gives Patron’s Lecture 10 UniSVoyager Lecture
The Vice-Chancellor gave the 2002 Patron’s Lecture to the Guildford UniS Voyager arrived in Barbados in December 2001, finishing 12th
Institute at the Guildhall in Guildford in March. Giving this prestigious out of the 36 boats in the Ward Evans Atlantic Rowing Race. István
lecture for the second time in six years, Professor Dowling addressed and Simon returned to UniS in March to give a row-by-row account of
his audience on the subject ‘The University of Surrey: a world class their trip of a lifetime. They are pictured with their UniS coach Professor
university on your doorstep’. Norman Kirkby and Dean of Colours Professor Jim Lynch.
9 UniS Graduate honoured – Karen Earp
University of Surrey graduate Karen Earp was honoured with the award
of Hotelier of the Year 2001 by the Caterer and Hotelkeeper
Management magazine. Karen is General Manager of the Four
Seasons Hotel Canary Wharf and has spent 14 of her 17 years in the
hotel business with the Four Seasons Group.
48
A VISION FOR 2020
11 12
13 14
The Year in Brief...
11 2002 Commonwealth Games 13 High Art
The Commonwealth Games came to campus in the summer, when The innovative event, ‘High Art’, took place on the University’s Sport’s
competitors in the shooting events, staged at Bisley, stayed in a Centre climbing wall involving climbers, lecturers and students from the
specially prepared village. The picture shows the Vice-Chancellor Dance Department presenting a display of ‘vertical dance,’ ‘A collision
presenting the gold medal to the winner of the Women’s Trap Shooting of dance and rock climbing in an exhibition of style, artistry and balance.’
Final, Cynthia Meyer from Canada.
14 A Festival of Chemistry
12 MBE for Betty Johnson
Students from 15 local schools enjoyed a fun-filled day of magical
Dr Betty Johnson, visiting Reader in the ATI and Co-ordinator of the (chemical) tricks in April during the Salters’ Festival of Chemistry. The
Daphne Jackson Trust, was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday groups of eleven to fourteen year olds learned that any magical tricks
Honours List in June for services to people returning to careers in Harry Potter can do, chemists can do better! Grand Wizard Dr Roger
Science, Engineering and Technology (SET). Betty was one of the first Bolton (left) of the Chemistry Department measures an entry for the
Daphne Jackson Fellows from 1986-1988. nylon making competition.
49
A VISION FOR 2020
15
16 17
The Year in Brief...
15 Welcome to new Sabbs 17 35th Anniversary Celebrations
The new Sabbatical Team, headed by President Paul Wright, took over As part of the University’s 35th Anniversary celebrations, HRH The
the reigns in the summer. Pictured at the handover receptions the Duke of Kent KG, Chancellor, conferred Honorary Degrees upon Mr
teams old and new, left to right are: Charlotte Dawson, Denise Arthur Chandler, University Archivist for 13 years and now Shepard
Goodwin, Paul Wright, Toni Borneo, Adam Jakeway, Lisa Widdows, Archivist, and Mr David Watts, who led Guildford Borough Council as
James Buller, John Geeson, Richard Watts and Tristan O’Dwyer. Chief Executive for 18 years and helped build excellent links between
‘town and gown’.
16 Widening Participation
Forty young people aged 14-19 participated in the University’s activity
day in July, when they were given the chance to find out more about
university life and to experience some of the thrills and spills. Activities
included climbing up the climbing wall and abseiling down and
(pictured here) reading the news ‘live’ on student radio station GU2.
50
A VISION FOR 2020
Preliminary Financial Statements
The University has achieved an
excellent financial outturn for the Income and expenditure accounts Balance Sheet
for the year ended 31 July 2002 as at 31 July 2002
financial year to 31 July 2002,
with a surplus of £3.2 million.
There are a number of reasons for Consolidated Consolidated
2001/2002 2000/2001 2002 2001
this good result.
£000 £000 £000 £000
Foremost, our academic
schools have nearly managed to Income Fixed assets
Funding Council grants 31,159 29,478 Tangible assets 92,990 82,073
meet their overall budget targets
Academic fees and support grants 34,649 31,218 Investments 25,087 26,144
without the need for the use of the Research grants and contracts 22,511 19,845
118,077 108,217
University’s central contingencies. Other operating income 33,871 27,171
Endowment and trust income
This gives us further confidence Endowment asset investments 61,487 58,908
and interest receivable 9,263 8,812
that the devolved but centrally
Total income 131,453 116,524 Current assets
monitored planning and budgeting Stocks and stores in hand 1,318 1,099
process is now more soundly Expenditure Debtors 21,116 15,432
Staff costs 69,028 65,142 Investments 4,423 2,980
based. Because we have met our
Other operating expenses 48,409 40,667 Cash at bank and in hand 4,416 5,255
overall student recruitment targets Depreciation 6,442 5,790
31,273 24,766
for 2002/2003, there is a good Interest payable 4,120 4,070
chance that this improvement can Total expenditure 127,999 115,669 Creditors
be repeated in the current Amounts falling due within one year (40,326) (29,463)
Surplus on continuing operations
financial year. Net current liabilities (9,053) (4,697)
after depreciation of assets and
Secondly, the introduction of before tax and minority interests 3,454 855
Total assets less current liabilities 170,511 162,428
the Oracle Financials accounting
Taxation (213) (6)
system and subsequent financial Creditors
coding changes have enabled us Amounts falling due after
Surplus on continuing operations
more than one year (46,363) (48,783)
to be more precise with our VAT after depreciation of assets and
Provisions for liabilities and charges (1,194) (1,128)
tax and before minority interests 3,241 849
recoveries, although part of this
Total net assets 122,954 112,517
improvement in 2001/2002 will Minority interests 4 7
not be able to be repeated in Deferred capital grants 16,061 10,652
Surplus for the year 3,245 856
later years.
Endowments
Finally the University has been Specific 1,891 1,376
able to improve its cash-flow General 59,596 57,532
position, which has resulted in 61,487 58,908
more interest earnings and lower
Reserves
interest payments. Again, part of
Restricted reserves 1,166 1,183
this improvement will not be Revaluation reserve 946 1,765
repeatable in later years. Income and expenditure account 43,284 39,995
The University’s Executive 45,396 42,943
Board has been giving careful
Total funds before minority interests 122,944 112,503
consideration to how it can reward Minority interests 10 14
and incentivise those Schools
Total funds 122,954 112,517
which achieved outturns better
than target.
51
A VISION FOR 2020
Numbers of Staff and Students
Total Student Numbers 2001/2002 Academic Awards 2001/2002 Awarded to students registered at UniS
Undergraduates 5,695 First Degrees 1,116
Undergraduates (part-time)* 2,232 Undergraduate Diplomas and Certificates 448
Postgraduates taught 2,960 Postgraduate Diplomas and Certificates 249
Postgraduate research 936 Masters Degrees 1,205
TOTAL 11,823 Doctorates 218
TOTAL 3,236
20,868 students undertook Continuing Professional Development
provided by UniS or pursued other courses not leading to an award at Students registered at the University of Surrey Roehampton gained
the University. 2,326 awards. 1392 First Degrees, 11 Undergraduate Diplomas and
At our Associated institutions (not including University of Surrey Certificates, 674 Postgraduate Diplomas and Certificates, 234 Masters
Roehampton), 4,495 students were registered for awards of UniS in Degrees and 15 Doctorates.
2001/2002. In addition, students registered at our Associated Institutions
gained 1277 awards. 926 First Degrees, 147 Undergraduate Diplomas
* The majority of part-time undergraduate students are pursuing and Certificates, 135 Postgraduate Diplomas and Certificates, 65
programmes in Combined Studies. Masters Degrees and 4 Doctorates.
Total Staff Numbers 2000/2001
Full-time Part-time Total
Academic 428 71 499
Academic related 304 82 386
Computing 24 5 29
Manual 141 263 404
Research 289 60 349
Clerical 324 258 582
Technician 93 11 104
Tutors 66 87 153
TOTALS 1,669 837 2,506
52
A VISION FOR 2020
The Federal University of Surrey
University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH
University of Surrey Roehampton, Senate House, Roehampton Lane, London, SW15 5PU
UniS Associated Institutions HMS Sultan, Gosport, Nuclear Department Southern Theological Education and
• MSc and PG Diplomas validated by the Training Scheme (STETS)
Farnborough College of Technology University • Certificate, Diploma and BA in Christian Ministry
• Vocationally orientated institution offering a wide • Associated institution since 1985 and Mission validated by the University
range of FE and HE programmes • Associated institution since 1999
• Accredited institution since 2002 North East Surrey College of Technology
• Foundation, BA, BSc and MSc degrees (NESCOT) St John’s Seminary
validated by the University • Specialises in vocational education with a full • Courses of preparation for the Roman Catholic
range of FE and HE programmes priesthood, including Bachelor of Theology
Guildford College of Further and Higher • Associated institution since 1979 validated by the University
Education • BSc and MSc degrees validated by the • Associated institution since 1998
• Wide range of vocational, professional and University
academic qualifications St Mary’s College – A College of the
• Associated institution since September 2000 The Pre-Retirement Association (PRA) University of Surrey
• BA Business Studies and Cert Ed/PGCE • Specialises in mid-career and pre-retirement • Catholic college of HE established 1850
validated by the University education • College of the University since 1992,
• Associated institution of UniS since 1996 accredited 1996
Guildford School of Acting • Offers PG Certificate and MSc validated by the • BA, BA ITT, BSc, PGCE, MA and MSc degrees
• Founded as a School of Dance in 1936 and University accredited by the University
reconstituted as the Guildford School of Acting
in 1964 SHL (UK) Ltd Wimbledon School of Art
• Associated institution since 1993 • International firm specialising in HR, management • Specialist school of art and design
• BA degrees in Theatre and Stage Management consultancy, assessment and training with PG • Accredited institution since 1994
and Technical Theatre validated by the Diploma validated by the University • BA and MA degrees accredited by the
University • Associated institution since 1995 University
USR Associated Institutions SCITT (Agency for Jewish Education)
The 37th Vice-Chancellor’s Annual Report gives a
• Associated with Roehampton since 2000 brief overview of major developments at the
Centre for British Teachers • Offers PGCE Primary, validated by University of Surrey from 1st September 2001 to
31st August 2002 for presentation to the Court of
• PGCE Secondary by Distance Learning Roehampton the University. The University Charter was presented
validated since 1996 in 1966.
Westminster Pastoral Foundation
Published by: Marketing and Public Affairs, UniS.
School Centred Initial Teacher Training • Associated with Roehampton since 1994
• Consortium based in London, West Midlands • Offers MA in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, Cover Image: John Kemp
Photography: Steve Heritage, Robert Irving,
and the South West Postgraduate Diploma/MA in Supervision of
John Kemp, Derek Powell, Linda Westmore,
• PGCE Secondary in Design and Technology, Counselling and Psychotherapy, MA in Group- Design: The Colour Works Design Company Ltd.
Mathematics and Modern Foreign Languages Analytic Psychotherapy and Postgraduate Print: The Colour Works Printing Company Ltd.
validated since 1993 Diploma/MA in Psychodynamic Counselling Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy
validated by Roehampton of the information in this Annual Report but the
SCITT Devon Performing Arts University can accept no responsibility for errors and
omissions.
• Associated with Roehampton since 1999
• Offers PGCE Secondary in Music and Drama,
validated by USR
53
The University of Surrey
Guildford, Surrey
GU2 7XH, UK
Tel: +44 (0)1483 300800
Fax: +44 (0)1483 300803
E-mail: information@surrey.ac.uk
www.surrey.ac.uk
