President's Weekly Update
27 April 2017
We celebrated the University’s Regius Professorship of Materials, which was formally presented as a Royal Warrant by the Queen’s representative, the Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Mr Warren Smith. The inaugural holder of the Regius Professorship is Professor Phil Withers from our School of Materials; Phil is also Chief Scientist of the Royce Institute. Professor Martin Schroder, Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, gave a brief overview of materials research at the University, then Phil gave the Regius Professor's lecture on ‘The inside story of advanced materials’. Before the formal celebrations, guests also had an opportunity to view an exhibition on advanced materials.
Professor Malcolm Press, Vice-Chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University, and I met Joanne Roney, the new Chief Executive of Manchester City Council, to discuss a whole range of issues including skills, health research and education, culture, internationalisation and each of our university’s major plans.
Professor Ian Greer, Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, and I held a meeting with staff from all three faculties to consider the huge opportunities around research on health informatics and how we bring together relevant strengths across the University, particularly in the context of ‘Health Devo’.
Ian and I also met with Jon Rouse, Executive Director of Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, which oversees ‘Health Devo’, to discuss evaluation of new interventions and outcomes, driving innovation into health and social care, developing research links with Harvard University and again, health data and informatics.
I gave the opening welcome to the European Informatics for Health International Conference, held at Manchester Central and attended by almost 800 computer scientists, healthcare professionals and staff from industry. I spoke about the history of computing in Manchester (encouraging them to visit the exhibition of the ‘Baby’ computer at the Museum of Science and Industry) and the great importance of health informatics in light of ‘Health Devo’.
In a visit to the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering we discussed the many ongoing issues around Brexit, the Higher Education and Research Bill, Teaching Excellence Framework, the National Student Satisfaction Survey and the ongoing review of the Faculty of Science and Engineering. It was good to hear about a major increase in research awards this year. No students came to the open meeting but we assumed they are busy and happy.
I met Dr Tim Rolph, who I was at University with. Tim leads on life sciences for Apple Tree Partners, a New York-based venture capital company. He was visiting UMI3 to discuss potential investment in research projects in the University.
I gave two first-year lectures to students in the School of Biological Sciences on stroke and related brain diseases, including our understanding of the mechanisms of brain damage, our own research and potential new treatments. I was very impressed to see Theatre B in University Place almost full at 9am on a Monday, which was the first day students were back after the holiday.
It was great fun to ‘fly’ one of the latest flights simulators with students in the School of Mechanical Aerospace and Civil Engineering. I did one good landing and an OK take-off, but also crashed once. The students I met had just won all three prizes (including best overall) at the IT Flies US competition for their new aircraft designs.
Several senior staff from the University, including the Chair of our Board, Edward Astle, and our two Nobel Laureates, Professors Sir Andre Geim and Sir Kostya Novoselov, attended a remarkable dinner to celebrate the hugely successful career of Sir Howard Bernstein, outgoing Chief Executive of Manchester City Council. The event, which was held at Manchester Central, was attended by over 850 people, many from local and regional businesses, and raised over £350,000 for young people in Manchester. George Osborne, former Chancellor of the Exchequer, gave the main speech and Marty Edelman, who holds and honorary professorship with us, gave the final tribute and announced that the main entry to Manchester City Football Club would be named ‘Sir Howard Bernstein Way’. In the auction it was pleasing to see that the highest bid went to a ‘physics lesson with Kostya Novoselov’, which was more than the bids for a number of football related prizes!
I travelled to London to co-chair the Prime Minister’s Council for Science and Technology, so Professor Colin Bailey, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, chaired Senate this week. He and colleagues reported that, due to the imminent General Election, there will be a delay in many announcements, including the results of the first Teaching Excellence Framework, and the good news that non-UK students from the EU starting their study in 2018 will still be treated as ‘home’ students.
Yesterday we were relieved to hear that everyone was safe and no one was injured as a result of a major fire at the Paterson Building, which houses staff in The Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute and other researchers from the University and The Christie. We are working hard to assess the damage and put in place contingencies as quickly as possible.
Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor
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