2008 Graduates - University of Leicester

Spring 2008Graduates’reviewEducation that InspiresResearch that Changes the World

2 GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008ContentsPage 3An Introduction fromthe Vice-ChancellorProfessor Robert BurgessPage 17Commitment Leadsto Highest HonourTaking responsibility for learningPage 4Fair Access for AllAspiring to a university educationPage 19The University ofLeicesterA half-century of changePage 6A Window to theWorldPage 22University NewsHighlights of the past yearMedia – the great escapePage 9Going GreenPage 25Alumni NewsTurning over a new leafBringing graduates togetherPage 10Messing Aroundwith RealityPage 28Annual FundStudents make a case for supportStorm Thorgerson’s World ofMusic Graphic DesignPage 14Cancer Preventionand Food DerivativesIngredients of a healthy dietCOVER IMAGE: Folding Stars was designed byLeicester graduate Storm Thorgerson, for a songinspired by grief in Biffy Clyro’s album Puzzle (2007).© University of Leicester 2008University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH.Email: alumni.relations@le.ac.ukThe Alumni Relations Website: For the latest alumni news, entries for the 2008Personalia and obituary notices please visit our website: www.le.ac.uk/alumni

GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008 3‘Leicester is a giant on the move’Introduction by Professor Robert Burgess, Vice-ChancellorProfessor Robert BurgessCelebrate Leicester Dayaims to provide an insightinto the work of theUniversity through a day offun, academic stimulationand entertainment for allthe family.As we reach the end of a year ofcelebrations to mark the 50th anniversaryof the University it is useful to reflect onmany significant achievements.At the start of our celebrations inSeptember, The Times published a fourpagefeature on the University ofLeicester, declaring us an “award winninginstitution attracting top academics”.Leicester, it said, is “a giant on themove”. Naturally, we would agree andrecent months have demonstrated ourcontinual development as we have seenthe University rank top for studentsatisfaction in England amongst full-timestudents at mainstream universities. Ourscore of 4.4 out of 5 in the NationalStudent Survey is matched only by Oxfordon this measure. Our research also has,according to a study by Evidencepublished in The Guardian, the greatestimpact of any Midlands university and wehave the strongest record for teachingquality amongst Midlands’ universities.In this magazine you can read about someof the work that has led to theseachievements. For example, ProfessorHelen Atkinson, Fellow of the RoyalAcademy of Engineering, and one of onlytwo women elected to the Academy lastyear, talks about her work leadingLeicester’s Mechanics of MaterialsEngineering Group. Professor YvonneJukes, newly arrived in our Department ofCriminology, discusses her groundbreaking work looking at how prisonerswatch and consume television. In this issueof the Review you can also read of ourleading edge work with schoolchildrenfrom disadvantaged areas. Of the top 20research universities in England only one,Leicester, meets its Governmentbenchmarks for admissions from lowersocio-economic groups. Staff and studentambassadors work with young peoplefrom many areas to ensure that those withtalent are inspired to aim high and receivesupport to progress to university.If you haven’t visited the University in awhile you will be pleased to see how ourambitious £300m development plan istransforming our campus. Our new DavidWilson Library is open fully later this yearand our state-of-the-art John Foster Hall ofResidence, on the site of the old VilliersHall, represents a new standard in studentand conference accommodation. However,the achievements we have made intransforming our estate would not havebeen possible without the generoussupport of our alumni. Over 1,420 havegiven a gift to support this work, many ofwhom are listed on pages 29-30. I havewritten to thank donors personally but Iwould also like to take this publicopportunity to thank them for their supportwhich is invaluable and truly appreciated.You will also be interested to know that onSaturday April 26 2008 we are holdingCelebrate Leicester Day. This is a veryimportant date and aims to provide aninsight into the work of the Universitythrough a day of fun, academic stimulationand entertainment for all the family. Froman invasion of Vikings to explodingchemicals, from the search for extraterrestrial life to the state of Englishprofessional football, my colleagues willlead over 150 different activities open toalumni and the public. There will beopportunities to take a look at our newlibrary, tour the campus, receive a BodyMOT and pick up a bestseller in our newbookshop. Supervised children are welcomeand there are rides and activities especiallyfor them so do please come along and tellall your friends and family about this specialday in our celebratory year.As you read this magazine I hope you feelgreat pride in your University. A Universityof 19,500 students with a turnover of£185m may be very different to theLeicester you knew but our values andcommitment to excellence remain. I amvery confident that after 85 years ofacademic activity, 50 of which have nowbeen as a University, we are poised forfurther success and will grow ever stronger.

4 GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2007 2008Fair AccessforAllOf the UK’s top 20 research universities, only one, Leicester,meets Government benchmarks for supporting participationfrom lower socio-economic groups.Recentvisitorsto theUniversity’scampus may havenoticed somestrange goings-on.From sixth formerslying on the carpet in thefoyer of the Fielding JohnsonBuilding to primary students‘hiding’ in the sculptures and statuesaround the grounds.The University has been playing host tothe next generation of HE (HigherEducation) students in its goal of raisingawareness of and aspirations to auniversity education.In a typical year the University willwelcome over 20,000 young people fromprimary and secondary schools to a wholerange of activities led by staff fromCentres of Excellence in Teaching andLearning (CETLs), Departments, Schooland College Services and the BotanicGarden. Activities include SummerSchools, University Experience Days,Dynamic DNA, Masterclasses, and a rangeof curriculum-related activities at theUniversity’s Botanic Garden.The widening participation agenda andHEFCE targeted guidelines haveencouraged universities to questionwhat barriers able students from underrepresentedgroups face in getting auniversity education. Leicester hasdeveloped activities that dispel some ofthe commonly held myths and attitudesto university. Building on this successshould ensure healthy recruitment ofable students from all backgrounds infuture years.In addition to raising a generalawareness of higher education, manyof the activities focus on subjectspecific attainment and interest raising.Research shows that attendance at asummer school or masterclass can havea positive effect on a young person’sfuture choices. The University hasundergraduate Student Ambassadorswho have personally experienced atleast one on-campus outreach eventbefore applying to study here and theevidence suggests that this is agrowing trend.The most successful on-campusvisits always include a tourof the campus andmeeting StudentAmbassadorsto hear aboutuniversity lifefirst-hand.Studentsattending UniversityExperience days alsoget the chance to‘graduate’ and experience what it feelslike to wear the University of Leicestergraduation outfit – it’s encouraging tosee them take home graduationpictures on their mobile phones as areminder of this special day.Although the University aims to workwith as wide a range of schools aspossible, a focus on some key localschools has also reaped rewards, such asthe links developed with the newSamworth Enterprise Academy. StudentAmbassadors and staff have createdopportunities to meet parents and pupilsat a series of roadshows, as well as a visitby the whole of Year 6 to the campus inFebruary to experience subject-relatedactivities in Physics and Archaeology.In addition to its general outreach workthe University has also engaged with anumber of other key wideningparticipation agendas including ‘LookedAfter Children’, supporting localactivities, co-hosting an annual nonresidentialsummer school for youngpeople in care, and assisting the

GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008 5University to gain the Frank Buttle TrustQuality Mark for Care Leavers in HE.Staff from the University also work withother local HEIs in providing information,advice and guidance for students withdisabilities including a very successful‘Supporting Students with Dyslexia inHE’ event which runs every year.Leicester is also engaging the parents ofstudents from under-represented groupsarranging to visit the campus andproviding opportunities to meetuniversity students themselves in thehope that this will encourage a greaterdialogue about university as a viable andaffordable option.The University takes its involvement withlearners seriously, particularly those fromdisadvantaged and low participationbackgrounds. It is committed toproviding positive opportunities forwidening participation students to visitthe campus, meet university studentsand staff, and develop an interest insubjects offered at degree level. So nexttime you see a face appearing frombehind ‘Souls’ on the Fielding Johnsonlawn or a group posing around ‘The Eyeof Time’ sundial there might just bemore to it than meets the eye.For information about the University’sWidening Participation activity, contactJean Baxter, Head of School and CollegeServices at jb74@le.ac.ukStudent attending ‘Dynamic DNA’ activitiesat the UniversityUniversity Experience Days• Aimed at Year 10 students in Leicester City and Leicestershire• Students spend the day on campus supervised by a Student Ambassador• Based on the theme ‘Work, Rest and Play’ school students find out about the lives of arange of undergraduate and postgraduate students• In 2006-7 over 1,000 students attended University of Leicester UE days andover 96% felt they had learnt what university is likeStudent Ambassadors• Work on Open Days• Support Widening Participation work on and off campus• Receive training in: widening participation; child protection and safeguarding;group work; communication skills• Feedback forms at events help Ambassadors to reflect on their work• Increasingly Ambassadors represent the University at school/college parents’evenings and at HE eventsThe Botanic Garden• This year over 2,400 students (from reception to Year 13) from40 schools and colleges have taken part in activities at theBotanic Garden• Over 800 students (Year 1-6) attended the ‘Journeys toChristmas’ event in December 2007, following three different‘star’ trails around the garden• Over 600 attended the ‘Whole World Cake’ which supportsthe Key Stages 1 and 2 Citizenship curriculumGENIE - Genetics Education Networking for Innovation and Excellence• The GENIE CETL’s ‘Dynamic DNA’ programme isan annual event• In 2007 over 600 students took part in a host of‘Dynamic DNA’ activities over two days including‘Go Bananas’ extracting DNA from a banana, and‘One in a Million’ looking at various genetic traitsand their occurrence in LeicestershireSummer Schools• Since 2000, Summer Schools have involved over 1,000 students from the EastMidlands region• Students have access to a full programme of sports and entertainment – includingten-pin bowling, access to the University’s sports facilities, Sambawamba drum anddance and carnival costume workshops, a celebration dinner and disco• University mentors provide an invaluable link between the social and academic sides ofuniversity life as well as programme support• Residential Summer Schools have included: ‘Chemistry: The Next Generation’; ‘AwesomeEngineering’; ‘Media, Society and You’; ‘Science - It’s Big and It’s Clever’; ‘Science Rocks’;‘Amazing Space’; ‘Chemistry: The Next Generation’; ‘Engineer your Future’; ‘GENIE – Allabout DNA and Genetics’

6 GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008TV and the internet are bringing the outside in. It is a revolution that ischanging the way prisoners see themselves – and view the world outside.For University of Leicester ProfessorYvonne Jewkes, of the renownedDepartment of Criminology, watchingTV won’t be quite the same again.She has studied the way prisoners watchTV – or ‘consume the media’ to useacademic parlance – and it is not quitethe same as you and I.She said: “Although many wouldregard television as a medium oftransparency and openness, and theprison as an archetypal example ofclosure and secrecy, I found therelationship between the two to bemuch more subtle and complex thanthis – certainly the popular press’s viewthat in-cell TV is a perk that encouragesprisoners to while away their time inpurposeless inactivity is pretty wide ofthe mark.“While it was not particularlysurprising to find that prisoners’ useof media is shaped by the coerciverequirements of the institution, it wasinteresting to discover how someindividuals used media texts andtechnologies as a source ofempowerment and as a resource tohelp them adapt to life in prison,adopt an acceptable identity, andenhance their sense of self.“The very personal meanings andmemories that individual prisonersattached to particular TV shows, radioprogrammes or songs left a lastingimpression on me.”The paradox of prisons iscentral to the work of Yvonneas she juxtaposes the role ofthe media as advocates offreedom and transparencywith that of prisons asarchetypal examples ofclosure and secrecy.

GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008 7Yvonne’s research has been concernedwith the relationship between mediaconsumption and power relations inprison. The research was conducted overa period when in-cell television was beingdebated, piloted, rejected (when MichaelHoward was Home Secretary) and then,eventually, introduced as an earnedprivilege across most of the prison estate.“The Internet has changed the lives of all of us for thebetter; certainly, as an academic, it is hard to envisagehow much more difficult and time-consuming it used tobe to access books, find obscure journal articles, or docollaborative research with colleagues elsewhere in theworld before its arrival.”Now she is developing and broadeningthis area of interest to the study ofInternet access in prisons.She said: “Currently only seven prisonsallow inmates access to the Internet, andit is heavily restricted and regulated. It isnot difficult to imagine how great theimpact of ‘new’ media technologies suchas the Internet could be on theexperience of imprisonment. In theirability to liberate users from physicaltime and place, and to bring the outsideinside, the potential benefits ofcomputer-mediated communications toprisoners are incalculable.“In practical terms, access to computers,email and the Internet would allow usersin prison to interact with potentialemployers, public sector organisations thatmight help with particular issues such ashousing prior to release, and increasedcontact with lawyers. The Internet couldbe an immensely valuable tool for thePrison Service in handling fragmented andfragile relationships, would enableprisoners to keep in contact with theirchildren and other family members,and could also provide prisons witha wider range of resources fordelivering effective courses.“This has become an especially pressingproblem since the biggest provider ofdegree courses in prisons moved to onlinedelivery a couple of years ago. Not onlydoes the lack of Internet access precludedegree level study, but many prisoners arenot allowed to possess CD-ROMs or DVDsbecause the discs are considered potentialweapons for assault or self-harm.Consequently, they have to make do withsimulated tutorials that are loaded ontotheir computers rather than the real thing.”Yvonne became interested in the Internetand cyber crime simply as an extension ofher work in the area of media and crime.She said: “Ten years ago there were veryfew criminologists who were researchingor writing about the cyber worldand, somewhat surprisingly,this is still the casealthough there are a fewmore of us now.“But online crime is still absent frommost major criminology textbooks whichI believe is an omission given theincreasing number of high-profile,salaciously-reported Internet offencesthat have come to public attention viathe pages of the popular press.“I can’t claim to be an expert when itcomes to the technology I’m moreinterested in the social impacts of theInternet. I’ve also written quiteextensively about the policing of cybercrimes and the particular problemsassociated with the regulation andpolicing of abusive images of children onthe Internet.Leicester Prison. Image courtesy ofhttp://jonathan.rawle.org/gallery/using/

8 GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008“In general though, I’m an optimistwhen it comes to computermediatedcommunications. Theconstant drip of frankly astonishingstories about the Internet’s potentialto corrupt, fed to us by a popularmedia baying for tougher laws todeal with cyber-offenders, has to beput into perspective.”It is now fairly well established thatmedia are integral to how we makesense of the world, and thatmisrepresentations concerning theextent of certain types of crime andthe effectiveness of the criminaljustice system can create a skewedpicture of crime and punishment. Inher book Media and Crime (2004,Sage) Yvonne attempted to bringtogether the literatures and keytheoretical approaches from the twofields, and aims to reflect thesymbiotic relationship betweenmedia and crime which, after all, aretwo of the most pervasive features ofcontemporary life.Her combined research interests also ledto her founding a new academic journalin 2006 with colleagues in London(Dr Chris Greer, City University) and theUnited States (Professor Jeff Ferrell,Texas Christian University). Crime,Media, Culture: An International Journalis published by Sage(http://cmc.sagepub.com) and isintended for those researchers whowork at the intersections ofcriminological and cultural inquiry. Itpromotes a broad cross-disciplinaryunderstanding of the relationshipbetween crime, criminal justice, mediaand culture, and “the journal stronglyencourages graduate students to submittheir work – not only full-length articlesbut also shorter research notes whichcan be more along the lines of ‘work inprogress’.” Yvonne was delighted thatin 2006 CMC received the prestigiousAssociation of Learned and ProfessionalSociety Publishers/ Charlesworth Awardfor ‘Best New Journal.’She has recently published threebooks on imprisonment - Handbookon Prisons (2007, Willan), Dictionaryof Prisons and Punishment, withJamie Bennett (Willan, 2008) andPrison Readings, with HelenJohnston (Willan, 2006). Yvonne iscurrently working on a revisedsecond edition of Media and Crime(Sage) and is also producing for Sagetwo major three-volume works onPrisons and Punishment and Crimeand Media. This year she also hopesto bid for research funding to carryout a study of prison architectureand design, and the impact theyhave on the lives of prisoners andprison staff.She said: “The theme that brings allmy research interests together andgives it some kind of coherence isan interest in identity: howmasculinity is ‘performed’ in men’sprisons; how lifers manage theiridentity through a disrupted lifecourse; the possibilities thatprisoners could nurture theiridentities as parents, partners,skilled workers, students, etc, if theywere allowed access to the Internet;how new communicationtechnologies permit individuals tocreate, transform, play with, or stealidentities; the extent to whichprison design influences the lives ofprisoners, prison staff, and those inthe community in which the prisonis located. I have a sociologicalimagination which underpins andinforms all my academic output.”Yvonne Jewkes joined the Departmentof Criminology in November 2007. Priorto this she was Reader in Criminology atthe Open University.She said: “Being appointed Professor ofCriminology at the University of Leicesteris a huge honour for me and a particularthrill as it was here that I started myacademic career. I studied for my Mastersdegree in Mass Communications Researchat the University of Leicester in 1989. Ihadn’t thought about becoming anacademic but I saw a research postadvertised at the Centre for the Study ofPublic Order (now the Department ofCriminology) so I went for it and it washere that my interest in criminologystarted to develop. It was rather a baptismof fire for a recent graduate – my firstexperience of teaching was on the MAprogrammes in Policing and Public Orderand the vast majority of our students werefrom the criminal justice professions,including many fairly senior police officers.I was also the designated ‘media’specialist within the department whichentailed everything from teaching aboutmedia constructions of public disorder, toproducing a satellite TV programme aboutpolicing as part of a pan-Europeandistance learning initiative.”Yvonne has also taught Media Studiesat the former Leicester Polytechnic(now De Montfort University) andgained her PhD from the Institute ofCriminology at Cambridge.

GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008 9GOINGGREENdoes not cost the EarthThe University of Leicester stageda huge environmental festivalfrom 15-19 October. ‘Big GreenWeek‘ engaged staff and studentsand raised awareness ofenvironmental issues at the Universitycampus. It demonstrated how to'green' personal lifestyles. Before andduring the week, staff and studentsmade 1,286 pledges, committingthemselves to a small lifestyle changethat will benefit the environment.Staff member, Kerry Glover pledgedto “continue to use public transportto get to work and try to rememberto take reuseable carrier bags with mewhen I go shopping.” Currentstudent, Ali Craft, aimed to “try andeat only local meat and buy moreethical clothes”.Thanks to the University’sEnvironment Team, who spearheadedthe Big Green Week, the Universityhas pledged to reduce its annualwaste by 600 tonnes this year,employ a dedicated Travel Coordinatorto support greenmethods of transport and toachieve fair-trade status.

GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008 11If you don’t think you know Leicester graduateStorm Thorgerson, then think again. If you’ve ever lookedat an album cover of Pink Floyd, or Led Zeppelin, Muse,10cc, The Mars Volta, Peter Gabriel, The Cranberries,Deepest Blue, Alan Parsons or The Catherine Wheel,among many others, then the chances are you’re at leastfamiliar with Storm Thorgerson’s work.“I hang around musicians is what I do,”he writes in his book Taken by Storm –The album art of Storm Thorgerson(Omnibus Press). Clearly that is animportant part of what he does, butequally clearly, there is a great deal moreto designing album covers than that.Now a photographer, graphic designerand artist associated with some of thebiggest names from the popular musicculture from the 1970s onwards, backin 1963 Storm was an English andPhilosophy undergraduate at theUniversity of Leicester.“I had a great time at Leicester,” hesaid. “I made three friends whom I stillhave and I thoroughly enjoyed it. TheEnglish course was excellent, especiallythe American Studies part. There wasan active film club and social calendar.I have excellent memories of Leicester.“I was delighted to go there, butscared too, because of leaving myhome town, which was also a goodplace to be. That was Cambridge, andit was a great town to grow up in. Iwas reluctant to leave all my friends,but I knew it was the right and properway to move on. So I was relieved tohave a good time in Leicester, too. Noteveryone does have a great time duringtheir student years.”Tearing himself away from Leicester in1966, Storm took an MA in Film andTV at the Royal College of Art inLondon, which he also enjoyed,before founding Hipgnosis withAubrey Powell.The graphic design studio specialised increative photography associated with themusic business and he very soon foundhimself designing album covers for artistslike Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Genesis,Black Sabbath and Paul McCartney.“My career came about by accident,” hesaid, surprisingly. “Pink Floyd had goneto the same school in Cambridge as me.They asked a mutual friend to do acover for them and he declined. Ihappened to be listening at the doorand said, ‘I’ll do that’. Pink Floyd didn’twant to use a record company designer.They wanted to be more independent,in control. They thought they might aswell let me do it as anyone else. Fools.”Not such fools, it seems, since thepartnership has weathered forty yearsand is highly successful.Then, he says, he got lucky. “Luck hasan awful lot to do with this. WorkEye to Eye – Pink Floyd (2003)begets work. Sometimes when youwork for one musician you get to workfor another if you’re seen to be goodenough at doing it.”Work for Pink Floyd led to work for arecord company and via WishboneAsh’s manager to an album calledArgos, which Led Zeppelin saw andliked. Working with musicians rapidlybecame Storm Thorgerson’s speciality.“The music is the starting point for alldesign ideas and we played it overand over again in varyingcircumstances,” he writes in Taken byStorm, in relation to the CD front forCatherine Wheel’s Chrome. “We readand re-read the lyrics. And we talked,scribbled, thought hard, andgradually accumulated snippets,doodles and phrases which evolvedby further discussion and thinkinginto more concrete ideas andrecognisable sketches.”

12 GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008Chrome – Catherine Wheel (1993)It doesn’t matter, he insists, whetherhe likes the music or not. Much of ithe does like, but that’s simply notrelevant. “Liking doesn’t haveanything to do with your ability tointerpret it. What we had to do wasexpress a band’s philosophy. Theiroutlook, preoccupations, obsession,the subject matter, how they woulddescribe themselves. We had tocapture their spirit in a visual.Sometimes it worked and sometimesnot – mostly it worked, of course, orwe wouldn’t still be in business.”Much of his work questions reality,makes the viewer look twice, eitherbecause an apparently ordinary sceneturns out to be quite extraordinary, orbecause of the bizarre juxtaposition ofimages. This is very much what heaims to do, to “get the viewer to lookagain, as they might listen to themusic again, trying to persuade,invite, seduce, beguile a person intolooking again.“A painter might do it through the wayhe paints rather than what he paints,”he explained. “A photographer can’t dothat, it has to be what you do ratherthan how you do it. Photography is a‘cold’ medium, quite mechanical.“We use photography completelydifferently from most photographers. Wealways contrive events, usually set in somestrange place. I’m sometimes calledsurrealist, but I don’t think of myself thatway. Some images are just funny, othersare sculptures and some are so amazingto make that I couldn’t bear to leave themthere or no one would ever see them.Some are like land art, some like actualevents, others involve actors or models.”Generally they are photographed in situ,not the result of a computer mock-up.This is true, whether they are of 700beds on a sea shore (Pink Floyd, AMomentary Lapse of Reason); 20wooden telegraph poles incongruouslyspanning across a farmer’s field, eachwith a person on the top (Gentlemenwithout Weapons, Transmissions); or anice sculpture of a swan in Death Valley,the hottest place on Earth (Blinker theStar, August Everywhere).This doesn’t make for easy assignments,as demonstrated by the ice swanincident described in Taken by Storm.“We found Gus, an ice-sculptor, over60 but ever charming and resourceful,but even he couldn’t prevent the icetruck from leaking, and couldn’t preventpunctures, and couldn’t envisage howrapidly the swan would melt, especiallyabove its neck. The virtue of doing it forreal was that the incandescent qualityof the light bouncing around inside theice swan was sustained, and would nothave been nearly as good if we’d doneit as a comp in the computer.”In the 1980s Storm tried his hand atdirecting music videos, but he found it avery different world and feels he wasn’tvery good at it, though the Pink Floyd

GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008 13Stomp 442 – Anthrax (1995)The Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd (1973)video, Learning to Fly won Best DirectorAward at the American Billboard Awards.He also directed commercials, includingone for Tennants lager, One Great Thing,which won The Golden Rose in Scotland.Two television documentaries followed inthe early 1990s, the Art of Tripping forChannel 4, on artists and drugs, and thescience documentary Rubber Universe forEquinox. He has also designed logos forbands, including Dream Theater, bookcovers, including Douglas Adams, and T-shirts, including for Bruce Dickinson.Pieces of Eight – Styx (1978)Sentient Stardust – Marsha Swanson (2007)But his heart lies, it seems, in designingalbum covers. Perhaps we should give thelast word to Storm himself, again fromTaken by Storm “Everyone likes music ofsome kind or another, from grannies toguardsmen, from pubescents topoliticians. Music is intrinsically a goodthing like trees…one of the wondrousthings on this planet. Working for musicfeels relatively clean and wholesome, ifnot spiritually satisfying.”Storm Thorgerson’s work can be seen at: www.stormthorgerson.com/Album CoversThe Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd (1973)Stomp 442 – Anthrax (1995)Folding Stars – song from the album Puzzle by Biffy Clyro (2007) (Front Cover)Tree of Half Life – Pink Floyd (2003)Eye to Eye – Pink Floyd (2003)Chrome – Catherine Wheel (1993)Pieces of Eight – Styx (1978)Sentient Stardust – Marsha Swanson (2007)

14 GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008Leading Researchin cancer preventionf anddderivativesIf only we were all to eat enough of the right sort offruit and vegetables every day we would almostcertainly be less likely to suffer fromcertain cancers.Simple as this sounds, it is difficult to persuade people to change to ahealthier lifestyle, and researchers into cancer prevention at the Universityof Leicester are investigating pills derived from foods that are believed toprevent cancer. Work they have already done with laboratory models suggeststhe pills, too, could be effective.Over the past decade, the University of Leicester Department of CancerStudies and Molecular Medicine has become a world leader in research intochemoprevention (stopping cells becoming malignant), using substancesderived from food to prevent or slow down breast, colon and prostate cancer.

GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008 15Cancer cells: (l) Fluorescent labelling of DNA markers from the bowel wall; (r) cell stained with fluorescent antibodies to show different cell componentsResearch led by Professors Andy Gescherand Will Steward (head of theUniversity’s Department of CancerStudies and Molecular Medicine) looks athow food-derived substances interferewith developing cancer cells, how theyget into the circulation and reach thecancer tissue that is targeted, and howlong they remain in the humanorganism. Their research results havebeen widely reported around the world.Chemoprevention studies into diet-derivedsubstances at Leicester began in 2000with the study of the curry constituentcurcumin. Since then, the research hasattracted international interest and asuccession of prestigious grants. Mostrecently, early in 2007, the University ofLeicester and Leicester’s hospitals wereawarded funding from Cancer ResearchUK and the Department of Health to setup the Leicester Experimental CancerMedicine Centre. The Centre, the onlygroup in the East Midlands to be awardedthis funding, will receiveapproximately £1m over fiveyears, which has given its research asignificant boost.Speaking of this award, ProfessorSteward said: “Our main aim will be todevelop cancer preventative drugs. Wewill be recruiting normal healthyvolunteers to a series of studies andtake a variety of specimens to help findnew ways to detect cancer early andfollow its progress during treatment.“This funding is vital to help us developnew approaches to preventing cancer andmay help us to find new treatments forcancer once it has become established.We can bring together laboratory andclinical research and share knowledge andresources with other experimental cancercentres in the UK.”Since their initial research into curcumin,Professors Will Steward and AndyGescher have led research into resveratrol(from red berries and red wine), tricin(from brown rice), and polyphenols fromtea. Their laboratory findings indicate thatthese food-derived substances not onlyappear to be effective on pre-cancerouscells, but also cancerous cells. Safe to use,they do not have the potential sideeffects of traditional anti-cancer drugs.The next challenge is to establish thatthey work effectively for humans.If so, then derivatives from these foodscould reduce the risk of some cancer insome people, and could offeralternatives to drugs currently used totreat advanced malignancy.Speaking recently on Leicester’s researchinto chemoprevention at a NationalCancer Research Institute Conference,Professor Steward said: “Thecompounds seem to work through awide variety of mechanisms, includingaltering signals which reduce bloodvessel formation, and by reducing DNAchanges which can cause the cells tobecome malignant.“We believe that this approach is alogical way to tackle the huge problemthat societies face with the increasingincidence of cancer. It has to be muchbetter to prevent or delay cancer thanto treat it once it has occurred.“If the research issuccessful we could preventa huge amount of distresscaused to patients andfamilies – not just fromthe cancer itself, butalso from the sideeffects of treatment.”"Left to right Mohammad [Al-Fayez]with Professor Gescher, Dr Hong Caiand Professor Steward'

16 GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008BilberriesIn one of several related research projects part-funded by Hope Against Cancer, Professor Andy Gescher iscurrently leading an investigation to carry out clinical trials with the commercially produced substanceMirtoselect (extracted from bilberries). The hope is to use these agents as drugs to stop colorectaland liver cancer from developing in apparently healthy people, and to prevent it recurring inpatients who have been successfully treated. Ideally, there would be very few, or no,side effects, and so the substances could be taken daily for many years.Red WineTeaA research project involving Leicester Professor KilianMellon and Dr Bruno Morgan is investigating teapolyphenols as prostate cancer preventive agents, andhas already progressed to clinical trials. In the laboratory,both green and black tea polyphenols have been shownto slow the growth of human prostate cancer cells andhave inhibited prostate cancer in laboratory models.This project tests the hypothesisthat resveratrol (a polyphenol foundin red wine and many fruits), whentaken in large doses, generates agentlevels in the human body which havebeen shown to engage cancerchemopreventive mechanisms inexperiments in cells in test tubes. Theresearch, carried out in collaboration with theUniversity of Michigan, USA, received fundingfrom the US National Cancer Institute (NCI),the major US government body to fund andco-ordinate cancer research, the first time thata group outside the US had been funded bythe NCI for the early clinical development of adrug that may prevent cancer.Rice BranEarly in 2007, new laboratory research revealed for thefirst time that rice bran could reduce the risk of intestinalcancer. Published in the British Journal of Cancer,results from a controlledlaboratory study in a preclinicalmodel ofgastrointestinaladenoma indicated thatconsumption of a highdaily dose of stabilisedrice bran caused anaverage 51% reductionin the number of precancerousadenomas inthe intestinal tract.GreensLeicester scientists led by Professor Margaret Manson havefound that a molecule in vegetables such as broccoli andcabbage (Indole-3-carbinol) can inhibit the growth of breastcancer cells and could be used in conjunction with drugs to helpfight the cancer. Professor Mansoncommented: “Dietary agents are kindto normal cells at doses which canslow down or kill cancer cells, socombining them with drugs mayenhance the drugs’effectiveness and couldallow reduceddoses to begiven topatients.”

GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008 17Commitment and Clear ThinkingLead to Highest HonourIn July 2007, Professor Helen Atkinson,Head of the Mechanics of MaterialsGroup at the University of Leicester,was awarded the highest accolade anengineer can receive in the UK.

18 GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008“Cambridge was an absolutelyfantastic experience, both academicand otherwise,” she said. “Theimportant thing for students is todevelop self confidence in theirabilities within a disciplined academicenvironment. Cambridge enabled meto do that. As women students, wegradually developed confidence inhow to learn and take responsibilityfor learning.“I think it is important to be confidentenough to say you don’t understandsomething and to be in anenvironment where you are not ‘putdown’ for admitting it. Theenvironment at Cambridge enabled usto flourish and I believe it is theatmosphere we encourage in ourEngineering teaching at Leicester.”Micro-structure of an aluminium alloy; in this state the gold regions represent what is liquid athigh temperature and the red and blue regions what is solid.Professor Atkinson, described asamong the ‘cream of the UK’sengineering talent’, was elected asa Fellow of the Royal Academy ofEngineering, one of only two womenelected last year. The Royal Academy has1,407 Fellows. Only 27 are women.She is, of course, thrilled at her electionto the Royal Academy of Engineering. “Ifeel incredibly honoured, but I also seeit as a recognition of the teams ofpeople I’ve worked with over the years.I’ve been very fortunate in that respectand I see this as a tribute to them aswell as to what I’ve achieved.”Professor Atkinson joined the Universityof Leicester in 2002. Her researchinterests are on semi-solid processing(thixoforming) of metallic alloys and onthe application of statistics to materialsresearch problems.“My work is all about how you shapemetal alloys when they are part liquidand part solid – like ice cream,” sheexplained. “You can then make carcomponents, for example, which arelighter and stronger than conventionalones. I am also involved with the steelindustry, improving the quality of steel,and the power generation industry,helping to predict whether it’s safe forcomponents to continue in operationover long periods of time.”Helen Atkinson graduated fromCambridge with a first class degree inMetallurgy and Materials Science. “It’sall about how the micro-structure ofmaterials influences their propertiesand their strengths,” she said. “One ofthe things that is so fascinating is thatthe microstructures are incrediblybeautiful. It’s a marriage of theaesthetic and the utilitarian.”She had come from an all-girls’ grammarschool, which had only begun to take inboys in the year below hers. “I thinkhardly any of the girls at the school hadgone on to study engineering or physicalsciences, so I was unusual in that respect.I was just terribly determined to do it.”She was, as it happens, breakinganother stereotype. She was the granddaughterof a miner and her family hadno history of university entrance.She sees her student years as pivotal inthe acceptance of women in degreessuch as hers. “It was 1981, and I thinkwe were one of the first years in whichthere had been significant numbers ofwomen. As the 80s progressed femaleintake in Metallurgy and MaterialSciences grew to become between aquarter and a third. In other areas ofengineering numbers of women haveremained smaller and even today theyare only between 15-18 per cent overallat undergraduate level.”After Cambridge, Helen gained a PhDon the transmission electron microscopyof grain growth in oxide scales fromImperial College of Science andTechnology. She had graduated as ametallurgist, but one of the things sheappreciates about engineering is itsflexibility, and as her career progressedshe moved into mechanical engineering.She worked first for the UK AtomicEnergy Authority at Harwell, includinga period as assistant to the Directorfor Nuclear Power working onstrategic business planning. Then, in1989, she moved to Sheffield CityPolytechnic and a year later joined theUniversity of Sheffield as Lecturer inEngineering Materials.

GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008 21of Leicesterand now...over the years, graduates recall their timehere by the sculptures decorating thelawn in front of the Fielding JohnsonBuilding – beginning with Henry Moore’sDraped Seated Woman in 1970, replaceda year later by his Oval With Points. Since1990 Helaine Blumenfeld’s stunning Soulshas pride of place and remains on site tothis day. More recently, the University’sHarold Martin Botanic Garden in Oadby,has become synonymous withinternational art, having been the venuefor the annual ‘Sculpture in the Garden’exhibition every year since 2002.Today, records show that the Universityhas in excess of 19,000 registeredstudents, made up primarily of 10,000full-time and over 7,000 distancelearning students. With this in mind, it isnot hard to believe that more than90,000 students have graduated fromthe University. Ms Wendy Baldwin (nowknown as Mrs Wendy Hickling) has thehistorical honour of being the University’svery first graduate in 1958.The University has enjoyed many firsts;such as being the first UK university to ownand run its own Bookshop, the firstuniversity to win University Challenge in1963 and our students were among thefirst to stage a sit-in in 1968. Although theprotest was in those days unusual, Leicesterstudents were previously involved in atleast one other demonstration in 1958when they had boycotted the studentrefectory as a protest to the increase in theprice of a cup of coffee from 3d to 4d.Graduates are not alone in spreadingLeicester’s standing world wide. TheUniversity today has an internationalreputation for its work; its research impactis top in the Midlands, 10th in the UK andthe University itself is ranked in the world’stop 200 universities. In the NationalStudent Survey Leicester recorded thehighest student satisfaction rate inEngland for three successive years amongmainstream universities and in 2007 wasnominated for ‘University of the Year’ byThe Sunday Times.From humble beginnings the Universityof Leicester has flourished and become aworld-class academic institution with itssights set firmly on the future. With a£300m investment plan over the next 30years, building space will increase by 30per cent and student numbers will risefrom 19,000 to 25,000, paving the waytowards another triumphant stage in itscontinuing evolution.2007-08Registered students 19,375Undergraduate full-timestudents by FacultyArts 1,679Science 1,442Social Science 1,642Law 888Medicine & Biological Sciences 2,266Full-time students 10,045GenderMale 46.5%Female 53.5%Cup of coffee94p

22 GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008University NewsTo find out more about the University or the stories listed here, log on to www.le.ac.ukOpening of John Foster HallA state-of-the art residential and catering facility was formallynamed John Foster Hall in December 2007, in honour of theformer Chairman of Council Mr John Foster OBE.Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Burgess said that theaccommodation had hugely impressed students, parents, andother universities. He added:“We are very happy to name the hall after John Foster whohas been associated with the University since the mid-90sand been Chairman of Council since 1998. He has helpedand guided the University through a whole range ofactivities, for example developing graduate work and theGraduate School and establishing a fundraising campaignfrom a standing start with Nicholas Corah as Chairman of asmall fundraising group.”Mr Foster thanked the University, which he said had been partof his life: “The University is in my blood – and will be for therest of my life.”Minister Praises Research in Physics and AstronomyScience and Innovation Minister Ian Pearson was in Leicesterfor the opening of the Space Now gallery at the National SpaceCentre – created with the involvement of University staff – andto visit the facilities at the University’s Department of Physicsand Astronomy.Mr Pearson praised the research at Leicester as ‘world-classscience’ and added: “It was great to hear of some of the workyou are doing on the future space missions but also on some ofthe missions with ESA, NASA, in India, China and Russia as well. Itis good that the University is plugged into working in spaceprogrammes right around the world.”Timing of the Minister’s visit was important as the governmentwas expected to issue a new space policy by the year-end. MrPearson was confident about the future of the UK space industryand saw space as one of the key ways of interesting youngpeople into taking science at university.

GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008 23New Research into Presidential DNADNA testing carried out by University of Leicester geneticistsand funded by The Wellcome Trust has thrown new light onthe ancestry of the USA’s third President, Thomas Jefferson.Ten years ago, University of Leicester geneticists led byProfessor Mark Jobling and international collaborators showedthat Thomas Jefferson had fathered at least one of the sons ofSally Hemings, a slave of Jefferson’s. The work was done usingthe Y chromosome – a male-specific part of our DNA thatpasses down from father to son. Jefferson carried a veryunusual Y chromosome type, which helped to strengthen theevidence in the historical paternity case.Now, new techniques applied to Jefferson’s Y chromosome,have revealed that the presidential chromosome belongs to arare class called ‘K2’, most frequently found in the MiddleEast and Eastern Africa. A few K2 chromosomes have beentraced in France, Spain and England. Research in the UKrevealed that two out of 85 randomly recruited men namedJefferson (from Yorkshire and the West Midlands) sharedexactly the same Y chromosome as the President. ProfessorJobling said: “The two men…knew of no historical connectionto the USA. They were amazed and fascinated by the link,which connects them into Thomas Jefferson’s family tree,probably about 11 generations ago.”Earth Enters New EraPicasso Ceramics: The Attenborough CollectionIn the journal GSA Today, Leicestergeologists Dr Jan Zalasiewicz and DrMark Williams presented research thatproposed a change from one epoch inthe Earth’s history (the Holocene era) toanother (the Anthropocene era).The scientists suggested these changesoccurred as a result of the globalenvironmental effects of increasedhuman population and economicdevelopment, and cited the humanimpact on phenomena such as:• Transformed patterns of sedimenterosion and deposition worldwide• Major disturbances to the carboncycle and global temperature• Wholesale changes to the world’splants and animals• Ocean acidification.(l – r) Vice-Chancellor ProfessorBurgess with Lord AttenboroughA major exhibition of unique Picasso ceramics collected by Lord and LadyAttenborough was on display for the first time between June and September 2007at Leicester’s New Walk Museum and Art Gallery.Lord and Lady Attenborough plan to donate the entire collection to the city ofLeicester to commemorate the lives of their daughter, Jane Mary, and theirgranddaughter, Lucy Elizabeth, who perished in the Asian Tsunami in 2004.The exhibition of more than 100 pieces explored Picasso’s developing relationship withceramics between 1947-1973 and traced the artist’s development during his years at theMadoura pottery factory in Vallauris, France.Lord Attenborough said: “My family and I have experienced untold joy assembling ourceramic collection over the last fifty years. We are so happy to be able to share our delightwith those visiting the New Walk Museum and Art Gallery”.

24 GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008Archaeology at Leicester Celebrates 50 Years of Successlaunch of an anniversary book, Digging up our Past by Dr AlanMcWhirr, on the history of the School and its students since 1957.A series of presentations gave graduates a chance to catch upwith fresh research developments. Former head of Archaeologyat Leicester, Professor Graeme Barker, (now Disney Professor ofArchaeology at Cambridge) gave his view of the School in the1990s; Charlotte Roberts (now Professor of Archaeology atDurham) proffered a former student’s view; and Professor ofRoman Archaeology David Mattingly discussed past and currentfieldwork projects.A special day of events was planned for graduates on 15 March2008 to celebrate 50 years of teaching and research in theinternationally acclaimed School of Archaeology, as well as fortyyears of teaching Classics and Ancient History.This special occasion marked the successes and landmarks thatLeicester archaeologists have achieved over the years and theThe School gained its international standing from the reputationof its archaeologists world wide and the results of its fieldworkand research in six continents.Head of School, Colin Haselgrove, commented: “From its modestbeginnings in the History Department in 1957, the grouping ofarchaeologists and ancient historians that makes up the Schooltoday is one of the largest and most distinctive of its kindanywhere, with a reputation that is truly worldwide.”Link between Fish Diet and EvolutionStickleback tooth chips and scratches formed 10million years ago as part of normal tooth wear inliving fish from a lake in Nevada have revealedhow changes in the way an animal feeds controlits evolution over thousands of years. The evidencethat feeding and diet is an important control onevolution is the first time that this aspect of Darwin’stheory has been directly testable.Leicester geologist Dr Mark Purnell explained: “Likefootprints in sand, the wear on teeth preserves a trailof evidence of how a fish feeds and what it feeds on.The difficult bit was learning how to read that trail.”The research team from Leicester and Stony Brookin the US captured living stickleback, fed themdifferent kinds of food in differentconditions and then examined their teethusing a powerful electron microscope. Theteam also looked at the teeth of wildstickleback, which had been feedingnaturally from Alaskan lakes.Leicester’s Professor Paul Hart explainedthat stickleback that feed from lakebottoms have different tooth wear fromthose that eat water fleas and the likewhich swim around in open water andthat the fossil teeth have almost exactlythe same wear patterns as livingstickleback but they have changedthrough time.© Dr Mark Purnell, University of LeicesterRugby: University of LeicesterThe Welford Road pitch, home ofthe Leicester Tigers, was the venuefor the Men’s and Women’s rugbyvarsity matches against De MontfortUniversity in March 2008. Weeks oftraining paid off in a 15-0 win forthe Leicester Women’s team whoretained their undefeated title forthe 5th consecutive year before acrowd of more than 4,000enthusiastic supporters.vs De Montfort University90 minutes later, themen’s teams squared up.At the close of play, theLeicester Men’s team ledby 15-9 and regainedthe varsity trophy for thefirst time since 2004.

GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008 25Alumni NewsTo find out more about the University or the stories listed here, log on to www.le.ac.uk/alumniReception at the Palace ofWestminsterRecent Graduates Meet inLondon and LeicesterIn May, recent graduates (of the last 10 years), who live or workin the city of London, received a special invitation to meet withfellow graduates at the Pitcher and Piano Bar in Trafalgar Square(which was grassed over for two days last summer). Graduatestook advantage of the occasion to drop in after work and catchup on news from Leicester."My husband and I travelled more that 3,000 miles toattend this unforgettable event” said Elaine Latour (MScSecurity and Risk Management 2005).The occasion was the first alumni event during theUniversity’s 50th Anniversary year and was held at the Houseof Lords. Sponsored by the Rt Revd Tim Stevens, Bishop ofLeicester (Honorary Doctor of Letters 2003), this eveningreception took place in the Cholmondeley Room andadjoining Terrace overlooking the Thames, WestminsterBridge and the London Eye.A similar ‘drop in’ event was held in Leicester in October at theRedfearn Bar in the Students’ Union. It was a lively evening asstudents arrived to watch the Euro 2008 qualifying match whereScotland was victorious against the Ukraine in a 3-1 victory. Therewere cheers all round when Scotland’s James McFadden securedthe final goal in the 68th minute.Close to two hundred graduates and guests mingled withuniversity staff, fellow graduates and a sprinkling of Lords.They came from all areas of the UK and further afield,including the USA and Norway. After the reception mostgraduates took advantage of special guided tours around thePalace of Westminster.Students’ Union TrusteesThe Students’ Union will become a registered charity within thenext 2 two years under the Charities Act 2006. For this reason,we are seeking four external Trustees with a range of skills tooversee Students’ Union activities and ensure that they complywith all the legal requirements of a registered charity. If youwould be interested in applying for one of these posts pleasesee the website for further information at:http://www.leicesterstudent.org/trustees

26 GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008Celebrity Speakers Mark the University’s 50th YearRichard Chartres, Bishop of London,was the first of three high-profilespeakers to lecture at the University inNovember. Speaking on “ClimateChange and the God Delusion”, theBishop offered a Christian perspectiveon climate change, one of theimportant issues of the day, in a city ofmany diverse cultures and faiths. Thelecture was sponsored by The VeryReverend Derek Hole (Honorary Doctorof Laws 2005).Honorary Doctor of Science 2006,Professor Dame Carol Black, DBE, MD,FRCP, MACP, FMedSci gave the 2007 FrankMay lecture on “Fibrosis – a majorunsolved medical problem”. Internationallyacclaimed for her research in rheumatologyand connective tissue disorders, DameCarol holds many distinguished positions inMedical Sciences, including being the firstNational Director of Health and Work andcurrent Chairman of the Academy ofMedical Royal Colleges.Writer, broadcaster, Leicester graduate andHonorary Doctor of Letters 2006, ProfessorLaurie Taylor gave the inside story offictional Poppleton University, in a publiclecture entitled “Articulated Laurie”. Thetalk consisted of recollections and hilariousanecdotes from Laurie's past. In addition tobeing Professor of Sociology at theUniversity of York he has enjoyed asuccessful career in broadcasting – as aregular contributor on Stop the Week andas presenter on Radio 4’s Thinking Allowed.Former SU President AdvocatesLifelong LearningStan Miller, graduate and former President of the Students’Union (1956-1957) returned to the University in October, thistime as President of IAUTA (International Association ofUniversities of the Third Age). Stan has been involved inlearning all his life – as a teacher, working for the LEA, andPresident of IAUTA – and credits his good health and activelifestyle to his involvement in Life Long Learning.His return to Leicester was to attend a meeting of IAUTA’sGoverning Board, hosted by the University’s Institute ofLifelong Learning. Stan’s memories of the University ofLeicester in the 1950s gave us a wonderful insight into thechanging student experience at the University.Highest University Honour forLeicester’s First GraduateMrs Wendy Hickling (née Baldwin) was literally the firstgraduate to receive a University of Leicester degree; she earneda BA in English in 1958.After graduation, she embarked on a demanding career in publicservice for over forty years. Her accomplishments were recognisedby the award of an honorary Doctor of Laws from Leicester in1998, and two years later by an OBE from HM the Queen.As a volunteer she served on many University committees: fromConvocation for 16 years and on the University’s Court andCouncil for 20 years. In January 2008, she was awarded aDistinguished Honorary Fellowship, the University’s highest honour.

GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008 27Upcoming EventsAlumni Association Annual LectureDate and Time: 6pm, Wednesday 7 May 2008Place: University of Leicester (Lecture Theatre TBA)Title: Fifty Years as a Space Scientist –Studying the Hot and Violent UniverseThe 2008 Lecture will be given by Ken Pounds, Emeritus Professor ofSpace Physics at the University and Fellow of the Royal Society since1981. Professor Pounds played a leading role in the development of X-ray Astronomy in the UK and Europe and was an early pioneer in usingrockets and satellites for research in the area of active galaxies. One ofhis many discoveries was proof that black holes are common in theuniverse. His lecture will describe the highlights of the last four decadesof space exploration from small national projects to global observatories.Reception at the Bank of EnglandDate and Time: 6pm, Thursday 27 November 2008Place: Bank of England, MuseumGraduates of the University will receive an invitation inSeptember 2008 to a reception at the Bank of England Museumin the heart of London. Hosted by a fellow alumnus, graduateswill be able to enjoy a special visit to the premises in thecompany of former colleagues and friends. Registration for theevent will be on a “first come, first served” basis.Celebrate Leicester Day in 2008Date: Saturday 26 April 2008Place: University of LeicesterThe Celebrate Leicester Day is one of many highlightsduring our 50th Anniversary Year. On this occasion theUniversity will be wide open to welcome graduates, friendsand the wider community and you will be able to make upyour own programme from the activities on offer - exploreevery department, attend mini-lectures, films, hands-ondisplays and visit the newly opened David Wilson Library –at your leisure or on one of the scheduled guided tours.For this year only, the Celebrate Leicester Day will take theplace of the 2008 Homecoming. However, there are anumber of activities exclusively for graduates and guests,to enable you to meet up with fellow graduates.Join us for a free drinks reception at midday, a Review ofthe University by Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Burgessand a special alumni lunch. For these activities, advanceregistration is required by completing the tear-off portionon the enclosed flyer.To receive full details,please make sure we haveyour latest email address at:alumni.relations@le.ac.uk orand visit the website at:www.le.ac.uk/alumni/CALLING MEMBERS OF THEALUMNI ASSOCIATIONCelebrating the 50th anniversary of the granting of its RoyalCharter, the University of Leicester is an established universitywith a proud past and an exciting future. Currently itfeatures in the Top 20 in three major British university leaguetables and in the top 200 in both international world tables.For 3 years it has ranked top for student satisfactionamongst mainstream English universities.We are currently seeking keen and enthusiastic professionals tojoin the Association’s Standing Committee of Convocation tohelp formulate and steer our developing relationship with ouralumni. The role is only open to members of the University. Timeand commitment is required which will be rewarded by afulfilling role as part of a team taking the Association forward.For further information please contact: alumni.relations@le.ac.ukor tel. 0116 252 2153 before 18 April 2008.Information: 0116 252 2153 / 2915 / 2354

28 GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008Annual FundRecruiting supporters one by oneA team of 30 student callers raisedmore than £70,000 for theUniversity last year and they did itone call at a time.The team places calls to about 15,000graduates. Annual Fund Officer HelenRichardson, who oversees the annualtelephone campaign, says theirapproach to raising money hasnothing to do with a hard sell.Graduates are informed in advance toexpect a telephone call. “Our studentsare acting as ambassadors and aregenuinely interested in whatgraduates are doing. When a graduatemakes a gift, it benefits the donor, theUniversity and it gives our studentcallers a real sense of achievement.”Helen believes that student callers pickup invaluable skills from theexperience of calling and learn to dealwith almost any situation. “Theydevelop their communication skills andlearn how to troubleshoot.” Last yearthere were more than 70,000 reasonsto assume they are on the right track.PS There is still time for graduates tojoin in this year’s appeal (on page 29).Welcome to the new David Wilson LibraryGraduates will be among the first to visit the new David WilsonLibrary at the Celebrate Leicester Day on Saturday 26 April 2008– you will be able to wander around at your own pace, or takeone of the staff-guided tours, planned throughout the day.The building, in a contemporary design, combines state-ofthe-arttechnology with the strengths of the traditionalresearch library. Light and spacious, the new constructionprovides 162,653 square feet of space over five floors and isconducive to study with its choice of study environments.The Library has been designed to meet the highest standardsof energy efficiency, including solar louvres that produceclean, green electricity and underscore the University’s futurecommitment to clean energy and sustainable development.• Improved IT facilities including Wi-Fi (internet access) andIT training rooms• A new Special Collections Suite designed to meet theBritish Standard for housing rare collections• 38 kilometres of shelving (to house 20 years’ growth inthe collections)• A 500 seat lecture theatreThe David Wilson Library is the centrepiece of theUniversity’s £300 million Development Plan.Outstanding Library features:• A Café and Bookshop at the entrance• A ‘one stop shop’ for student support – a StudentDevelopment Zone, the AccessAbility Centre and acombined Library and IT Service Help Zone• A variety of different study spaces from formal to informal,individual to group study, for a total of 1,500 students• A Graduate School Reading Room, exclusive topostgraduates and University staff

GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008 29ROLL OF BENEFACTORS 2007-2008Thank you for your generous supportThank you to all those benefactors listed below, and to our 77 anonymous givers, who made a contribution to our AnnualFund between 1 April 2007 – 20 February 2008.Mrs Jacqui Adams (née Wharf)Mrs Marion P AdamsMrs Valerie L Adamson MBE (née Peek)Ms Deborah J Adcock (née Cliffe)Mr John B M & Mrs Caroline M AdlenMr Derek F AkoheneDr Mary S AlburyDr GR & Mrs Elizabeth AllanMrs Sheila L Allcock (née Wood)Mr James A AmbroseMrs Maureen Ambrose (née Oliver)Mrs Susan M E Ambrose (née Porter)Mrs Andrea J AmesMr Paul T AndersonMr Richard E AndersonMrs Sarah L Anderson (née Harburn)Dr Anthony W AndrewsMr David T ArdenMr John E & Mrs Jean L AslettMr Emmanuel Atta-BoakyeMr Charles R M BagotMr Anthony P Baker FSAScotMrs Joanne BakerMr Richard F BakerMrs Rosemary A Baker (née Townsend)Professor Keith C C BancroftMr David W BarehamMr Simon T BarkerMr Timothy J BarlowMr Kurt L BarraganProfessor Martin A BarstowDr David G & Mrs Dina C BartleMrs Elizabeth BartlettMr John A BayldonDr Godfrey L J BeatonMr Hugh A BeavinMr David BeavisMs Anne M BeazleyMr Charles A BeckMiss Joan BeckDr Peter G Bellamy-KnightsMr John E BennettMr John M BennettMr Nicholas A BennettMrs Nicola J Bennett (née Robus)Dr Sanjay R BhaganiMr Howard BillamMr Nicholas P BirdMr Nigel H BirdDr Graham I BirleyMr Daniel P BishopMrs Elizabeth C Blacklidge (née Lloyd)Mr Mark R BlackwellMr Thomas BoaduMrs Josephine C Boorman (née Goddard)Dr John M & Mrs C Barbara BourneMr Stephen D BrearleyRev Douglas A BrewerMrs Sarah J BrocklehurstMrs Abigail A Brook (née Ward)Dr Matthew R B BrooksMr David A BrownMr Frederick J BrownMr Lloyd A BrownMr Rod T BrownMr Ronald A & Mrs Margaret A BrownMr Philip C Bruce-MooreMr Graham & Mrs Claire M BucklandMr Peter & Mrs Brenda A Bullock (néeNash)Mr Warren L BushellMr A W (Rik) ButcherMs Jennifer A CallowMrs Anne Cantan (née Roscoe)Mrs Elizabeth A Carlin (née Kirby)Miss Anne M CarpenterMrs Dawn C L M CarterMr John B CartwrightDr Vicente C CastellsMrs Ann L ChadwickDr Helen M ChadwickMr Steven R ChambersMrs Irene Chapman (née Schuler)Miss Annabel M L ChappleMrs Annette B J Cheeseman (néeWynne)Ms Catherine ChoMr Colin ChorltonMr Alan M ChristieDr Jancis L Clarke (née Taylor)Mr Michael J & Mrs Maureen Clarke (néeMurray)Mr Michael Coates-SmithMr Robert J ColemanMr Grahame CollingeMrs Ann J Collins (née Alen)Mr Larry ColtmanMr David B CookMr Nathan T CookMr Arthur CoppingMr Keith CorbinDr Elisabeth CosterMrs Caroline A Cowan (née Crumpton)Mr John S CowlMr David E O CoxDr Eileen M CoxMr Michael T CoxonMr Robert W & Mrs Joy M CraddickMr John M CraggMs Yvonne M Cresswell (née Hayhurst)Mr Keith R CrickMr John L & Mrs Valerie L Cumming (néeCarter)Miss Julie CummingsMiss Rubina A S CurtisMr Philip S CutcherDr Janet C CutlerMr Simon G CuttingMr Nicholas G DanbyMr Michael W J DandoMr Brian B DaubneyDr Martin J DaviesMr Raymond J DaviesMr John A & Mrs Patricia M Davis (néeBarton)Mrs Denise K Dawe (née Paterson)Mr Glenn R DawsonMr Peter A DellerMrs Johannae Dibbs (née Rickard)Mr Martin J DoughtyMrs Katherine H Downes (née Vickers)Mr Michael A DownsMiss Lisa M DuffMr Philip G DunnMrs Celeste Dunnet (née Deehan)Dr David H DurantMrs Gillian Durrant (née Prime)Mr David R EllisMrs Sheila M Elsdon (née Armstrong)Mr David EltringhamMr Richard ErringtonMrs Winifred D Estill (née Palmer)Miss Joanna F Ewart-JamesMr Robin M EyreMiss Katherine L FarnabyMr Robert J FarnsworthMrs Patricia R FarrowMr Stephen J FernMiss Rosa-Maria S FernandesMr John R & Mrs Josephine A Fitch (néeBagley)Mr Lloyd A FletcherMr Richard H FloatMr Alan D FordMr Keith V FordMrs Jean FouldsMrs Christine A FoulkesDr Shaun A & Dr Louise K FountainMr Julian G FowlesMiss Deborah A FoxMr Donald K & Mrs Samantha J FraserMrs Dorothy E Frost (née Walker)Mr Leslie R FrostMr Gordon J FyfeMr Greenham M GachengoMr Andrew R GarbettMr Alan J GarnettMr Sidney & Mrs Joan M GellMr Keith R GentDr Lynda M GibbonsDr Andrea M Godfrey (née Bone)Mr Ian M & Mrs Christine C Godfrey(née Bushnell)Mr Peter & Mrs Audrey J GodfreyMiss Jessica M GofordMr Simon J GosneyProfessor Barry S & Mrs Diana M GowerMr Peter GrahamMrs Sara R Grant (née Wilkins)Dr Michael D GrayMrs Diana A Green (née Rhodes)Mrs Linda GreenMs Rosalind S GriffinMr Peter J GriffithsMrs Linda Carole GrimmettMiss Jo D HallMrs Nicole J Hall (née Callow)Mr David A HancockMrs Susan M HanesMiss Elizabeth J HardingMrs Barbara HargreavesMiss Kathleen E HarmanMr Michael & Mrs Marian Harrington(née Jeffrey)Miss Annerleigh C HarrisonDr David M HarrisonMr Keith W HarrisonDr Ian J & Mrs Sheila M HarvieMs Nicki HastieMrs Jane E Hatherley (née Perrett)Mr Julian L Haywood Smith MRICSDr Philip S & Dr Alison C HeppellMrs Joan Z Hicks (née Crosby)Mr Pauljit S HiraMrs Alyson J HogarthMr Ronald T HollisMr Gordon HopkinsMiss Catherine M HornerDr Isobel Horsley (née Watt)Dr Patricia A HortonMrs Lisa C Hotten (née Ayliffe)Mr David M HoweDr Richard J W HowellsMr Gary D HoyteDr Roger J HubboldMr Hugh R HughesMr Michael J HughesMr Peter M HughesMr Robert & Mrs Christine E Hull (néeBiffin)Mr Michael J Humphries QC & Mrs JulietC Humphries (née Hampton)Mr John HunterMr J Michael HutchinsonMiss Samina IqbalMr Robert J & Mrs Valerie A Ivens (néePowell)Mrs Janet E Jackson (née Cooper)Dr Philip R & Mrs Corrine J Jackson (néeHarris)Mr Hywel O JamesMr Peter JamesMajor Charles J JenkinsMrs Jennifer M Jenkins (née Green)Mr David C JenningsDr Stephen J JenningsMs Sarah E JillingsMr John JohnsonMr Richard JohnsonMrs Jennifer I Johnston (née Putman)Mr Anthony Jones

30 GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008Mrs Carolyn M JonesMr Christopher L JonesMr David G JonesMrs Elaine L JonesMr Gavin M JonesMr Graham JonesMr H M (Bill) JonesMr Ian A JonesDr Jill E Jones (née Clark)Mrs Susan Jones (née Luetchford)Mrs Vivien JonesMr Richard R JoyDr Steven R JoynerDr David E JusticeMr Michael C KayMr Anthony KearseyMr Allan J KellyMrs Gillian Kelsall (née Harrison)Dr Susan J King (née Smith)Mr A Bernard KingsleyMr Ronald S KinnsDr Brendan W Kinsella & Dr Nina MSeniorMrs Tracy E Kirk (née Perkins)Miss Suzie E KitchinMrs Jean C KnottMr Peng H KohMiss Julia KoopsDr Morton KuppermanMrs Alison M LaitnerMiss Debbie D LalaMrs Yvonne J Lang (née Benton)Mr William L Latimer-SayerMr William T LawrenceMr Shu O LeeMr Michael J LeesonMrs Margaret LeftleyMrs Margaret J Lester (née Marshall)Dr Michael M LevinMr Brian P LewisDr Douglas R LewisMr Jonathan LewisMr Robert A LewisMrs Fiona D Leyshon (née Duncan)Mr David J LindleyMr Peter B & Mrs Carol Lindley (néeMiles)Miss Breta M LloydMr Graham LordMiss Emma LowMr James R LowmanMrs Rosemarie D McCarlie (née Evans)Ms Janet E McFadyen (née Sawyer)Mr Hamish McGechanDr Duncan A C McNeilMr Kevin McSharryMr John & Mrs Sarah L McWilliamsMs Lisa MacDermidMrs Helen F Macdonald (née Edgar)Mrs Karen M Macfadyen (née Smith)Mr Edward N Macfarlane SmithMiss Sarah G MackieMrs Mary E Mailer (née Hartley)Mr Marko T MakkonenMr Peter W MansMr Michael S MansonMr Stuart R MarriottMr Donald M MartinMrs Joan H MartinMr Ian GP & Mrs Moyra J MathewsDr Sara L MatleyMiss Hilary M MeakinStephen R MedhurstChristopher J MellorMr Bryan J MeloyMr John S MetcalfeMiss Catherine V MilesMiss Emma L MillicanMr Dennis F & Mrs Florence A MillsMrs Helen M Millward (née Welsh)Mrs Eva J Milroy (née Kruger)Mr Henry S MoeMrs Susan Moore (née Jefferies)Dr Graham C MorganMr Eric MorrellMr Neil D MorrisMr Robert J MorrisMr Roger MorrisMr Alan D MorrisonMrs Claire M Morrison (née Moul)Dr Clare E Morrison (née Lidington)Mr Alfred M & Mrs Christine M Morton-ThorpeMr J Richard MoultonMr Duncan J & Mrs Susan E MountfordMr Russell MunslowMiss Emma MunsonMr David R MurbyMiss Eleanor F MurkettMr Trevor NashMr Peter W NaylorMr Gerald NewberyRev Prebendary Michael J NewmanMr Michael D NewsteadMrs Jean M NicholasMiss Sandra NoonMr Ikechuru K NwagweMr John A O'ReillyMr Richard K O’SheaMiss Devorah L OrmondeMr Keith L OsborneMrs Linda M OwenMr Robert S PainterMr Charles B PallotMrs Judith Palmer (née Moore)Mr Jagjeet S PanesarMr Rajesh R PatelMr Neil A PatersonMr Peter L PattersonMrs Alison L Payne (née Keane)Dr Nicholas I PayneMrs Marika F Peilober-Richardson (néePeilober)Mr Clifford J PelhamMr John R PennifoldMr Raymond J & Mrs Linda PerhamMrs Viviana PerinoDr Saqib PervaizMrs Susan E PetzoldMr Brian G & Mrs Valerie M Pocock (néeThompson)Ms Elaine V PoleMr Daniel F PopeMrs Anne C Porges (née Carter)Dr Vivienne J PoskittMr Jeffrey R PowellMr Nigel E & Mrs Lorna M Power (néeBarker)Mr Andrew J PullenMr Martin P RadfordMr John S RamsbottomMiss Rachel E RannMr Christopher W ReadeMrs Elizabeth J K Rees (née Coates)Mr Jonathan J H ReesMr Nicholas ReganMrs Valerie A Reilly (née England)Dr David C RexDr Peter S RichardsMrs Heather E Richardson (néeHutchinson)Mrs Mary C RichardsonMr Steven J RichardsonMr Paul RivlinMr John I RobertsMr Tony G & Mrs H Merle RookDr John K H & Mrs Audrey Rose (néeTempleman)Mr Alan G RossMiss Solveig J RusbyMs Jane RussellMrs Angela Salzman (née Boughen)Mr Christopher S SchenkMiss Alexandra E ScottMr Anthony P ScottDr William ScutcherMr Kantilal SharmaMrs Jean G Shaw (née O'Connor)Mr Phillip J SheldonDr Stephen F ShepherdMrs Margaret E Shorter (née Houseman)Mr Craig SissonDr Caroline J SkinnerMrs Pamela Skuse (née Crow)Miss Julie R SlawsonMiss Alison L SmithMrs Angela M Smith (née Roberts)Dr Martin A SmithMrs Clare J Southwell (née Verney)Mr Andrew J SpittlehouseMr Christopher E SquireMr Paul StaffordMiss Susan M StanwellMr Nigel Stennett-CoxMrs Alison J StephensDr Janice M StephensMr David C StibbonsMrs Joy C Stone (née Malkin)Mrs Jean StuckeyDr Christopher J SuttonMrs Carole C SuttonMr Nicholas P SyndercombeDr Benjamin W TaylorDr John D TaylorMrs Caroline L Taylor-Sneddon (néeTaylor)Mrs Gillian L Tewkesbury (née Applebee)Mr Nigel P TheobaldMrs Karen J Thorley (née Law)Dr Michael J ThorntonMiss Renée ThorntonMr Robin TitleyMrs Suzanne J Todd (née Fox)Mr Stephen N ToghillMr Brian J & Barbara J Mrs ToutMs Alison C TownsendDr Ngozi O UoukuMr Michael A UnderhillDr Salim VohraDr John WallaceMrs Susan B WandlessMrs Elizabeth M WebbMr Oliver WebbMrs Gillian WestMr Paul O WheatleyMr Stuart & Mrs Irene WighamMr David R WilksMr George W WilliamsDr Margaret E Williams (née Lamb)Mr Philip J & Mrs Tanya E WillisDr Graham R WilsonMrs June M WilsonRev Brian J WithingtonMrs Josephine S Wolstenholme (néeSharp)Mr Dorian & Mrs Anne Wood (née West)Professor Diana M WoodwardMr Nicholas M WrightDr Michael P WyldesDr David R YatesUniversity KeepsakesTo view or purchase please visit our websitewww.le.ac.uk/alumni/memorabilia.htmlDuring this, our 50th Anniversary Year, the University has launched a new range of university memorabilia for graduates. Along with thetraditional favourites such as ties and scarves, we have introduced a selection of Dartington crystal glassware for special occasions.

GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 2008 31How your generosity can help the students of todayWays to contributeIf you would like to make acontribution, please fill in and returnthe form to the address below.• Regular Gifts – By setting up aBanker’s Order, you can make aregular gift to the University – on amonthly, quarterly or annual basis– over a fixed period of time (werecommend 3 years). Alternatively,you may prefer to set up aBanker’s Order without an enddateand advise your bank to stoppayments whenever you wish.Please complete section 1 and 2.• Single Gifts – You may make adonation of any amount bycheque, credit, debit, or chargecard. Charities Aid Foundation(CAF) vouchers or CAF card arealso accepted. Please completesections 1 and 3.• Gift Aid Declaration – SinceApril 6 2000, if you are paying UKincome or capital gains tax theUniversity is able to reclaim thetax you have paid on any gift,boosting the value of your gift by22% at no cost to you. To enableus to do this, please completesection 4 Gift Aid Declaration.• Higher Rate Taxpayers – Higherrate taxpayers can claim thedifference between the higher rateof 40% and the basic rate of 22%.This means a Banker’s Order of£25 a month would only cost£19.23 a month and a £500donation would cost you just £386.• Directing Your Gift – Pleaseindicate which area you prefer tosupport in section 5.Annual GivingCreating Opportunities for Students1. Details of SupporterNameAddress2. Regular Gift - Banker’s OrderName and address of Bank/Building SocietyAcct No3. Single Gift I wish to make a gift of:£50 £100 £250 £500 Other £I enclose a cheque or CAF voucher made payable to the ‘University of Leicester’.I would like to make my gift by credit/debit card Visa/Mastercard/Delta/Maestro/SoloCard NumberStart Date Expiry Date Issue No Signed4. Gift Aid declaration - UK taxpayers onlyName of Charity: University of Leicester (Inland Revenue Reference X 23305/3)If you pay income tax or capital gains tax, the Charity can reclaim the standard rate tax you paid on your gift.You simply need to sign below.I would like the Charity to reclaim the tax I have paid on all donations made since 6 April 2000 andon all future donations until I notify you otherwise.SignedSort CodePlease indicate if you wish to be omitted from the published list of benefactors.DatePost CodePlease transfer the sum of £ Monthly Quarterly Annuallyto the account of the University of Leicester (92642689) at HSBC Bank plc. 31 Granby Street Leicester LE1 6EP(sort code 40 28 06)Beginning on 20 for years (we recommend 3)or until further noticeSignedDate5. What your gift will achieve I would like my gift to be directed towards:Student Opportunities Students’ Union Facilities Library ResourcesThank you for your supportPlease return your completed form to: Alumni Relations, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH.

32 GRADUATES’ REVIEW · SPRING 200812345678910Did you Know?10 Facts About Your UniversityThe Sunday Times named the University as one of the top six performing universities of theyear as it nominated Leicester for ‘University of the Year 2007’.Leicester is ranked top in the Midlands and 10th in England for research impact in a study byEvidence for The Guardian.Leicester has recorded the highest student satisfaction rate in England for the thirdsuccessive year amongst mainstream universities in the National Student Survey (4.4 out of 5– joint top with Oxford).Leicester has broken into the world’s top 200 universities according to the Times HigherEducation Supplement.Leicester is ranked in the top 20 out of 120 UK universities by three major guides: Sunday TimesUniversity Guide, Guardian University Guide and the UK Good University Guide.The Students’ Union was shortlisted for the award of ‘Student Union of the Year 2007’.Winners in 2005, it was the third consecutive year they made the shortlist.In our 50th anniversary year The Times Newspaper described the University as “a Giant onthe Move” in a special supplement.Leicester picked up the prestigious award at the Times Higher Education Supplement awardsfor ‘Marketing Initiative of the Year’.The University is the UK’s second largest provider of distance learning education. Why notstudy for a masters or other qualification in this way? Visit www.le.ac.uk/distancelearningSaturday 26th April 2008 is Celebrate Leicester Day – a day of fun, entertainment and academicstimulation for all the family. Alumni are especially welcome.