inspiring future generations · 2015-07-22 · meet our alumni graduates talk about their careers,...

SuccessIssue eleven autumn 2012 www.mmu.ac.uk

Opinion

Sir Howard Bernstein,CEO of ManchesterCity Council

Research & Innovation

Research that couldaffect the future ofcomputing

Meet Our Alumni

Graduates talkabout their careers,influences andinspirations

Working with Business

How the Universityand businesses areworking together

Inspiring futuregenerationsMultiple Paralympic gold medal winnerSarah Storey OBE

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Contents

Foreword

P1 Professor John Brooks, Vice-Chancellor of ManchesterMetropolitan University

News

P2 Round-up of news from acrossthe University

Opinion

P6 Dianne Thompson, chief executiveof Camelot and Universitychancellor and Manchester City Council’s CEO, Sir Howard Bernstein

Honorands

P8 Honorary doctorates awarded by MMU in 2012

Sarah Storey

P10 Paralympian’s recent successes


P12 Alumni ambassador Nicola Waller,head of food at SelfridgesPlacement scheme providing workexperience for studentsExpertise for businesses from MMU

Research and Innovation

P15 Knowledge Transfer Partnershipbetween MMU Cheshire and SouthCheshire Chamber of CommerceThe future of computing?New Britain Palm Oil productresearch

Postgraduate Study

P18 Recent students on the benefits ofpostgraduate study

Student Successes

P20 Prize-winning students

Events

P24 Programme of events at theUniversity’s venues

Meet Our Alumni

P21 Exhibition featuring three MMU alumniPrimary school teachersWelsh Rugby physiotherapist andLiverpool Playhouse playwright

SuccessIssue eleven autumn 2012Success is published by Manchester Metropolitan University

Vice-ChancellorProfessor John Brooks

Editor - Rachel CharnockWriters - Kat Dibbits

Gareth HollymanDesign - Steve KellyPhotography - Ade Hunter

Contact us - [email protected]

No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission from Manchester Metropolitan University

L to R: Andy Jones, Dean of the Faculty of Education, Sarah Storey OBE, Barney Storey MBE, Dennis Dunn, Dean of MMU Cheshire, P10

Alumni at MMU Cheshire’s centenary celebrations, P4

Birley Fields campus, P2

Miriam Jones’ jewellery, P20

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T his issue of Success arrives as we reflect upon our firststudent recruitment period

since the raising of university fees.

Across UK universities, we see 54,000fewer enrolments than last year withmany leaving it late to decide not toenter university this time around.Thankfully we have not seen adisproportionate reduction of studentsfrom low-income families and this mustbe in part due to our robust wideningparticipation agenda which includes our offer of more bursaries to morestudents than any UK university.

Perhaps more importantly, the quality ofour students continues to rise, includinga record number of A-grade students,and this bodes well for the future.

The economy continues to be inrecession and we must do all that wecan to stimulate our local economy and to protect employment. Our clearpriority is to give our graduatesimproved choices within an increasinglycompetitive employment market. In thiscontext, I am proud of our work on

employability and our various workingwith business schemes, which arereported inside this issue.

We continue to invest in our physicalestate and I hope that you are asexcited as I am about the start ofbuilding work at our new Manchestercampus at Birley Fields and our soon-to-open new facilities for theManchester School of Art. By 2014 wewill have a truly world-class campus forall of our staff and students.

We also need to continue to challengeand motivate our staff, and we needoutstanding role models. In this edition,you can read about Sarah Storey’s

huge contribution to the success of theParalympic Games - a truly ‘golden’performance to complement our ownInvestors in People Gold award.

I hope that you enjoy reading ourSuccess magazine, which highlightsjust some of the exciting achievementsof our students, staff and alumni.

Professor John BrooksVice-ChancellorManchester Metropolitan University

1

Meeting theexpectations of the free market

Foreword

6250_Success Magazine - Issue eleven 2012_Layout 1 12/11/2012 08:56 Page 1

S ir Richard Leese, leader ofManchester City Council, saysthe University’s £139m Birley

Fields campus is the “final majorbuilding block in one of the UK’s mostsuccessful regeneration projects.”

After decades of investment in housingand regeneration, it is hoped the newManchester Metropolitan Universitycampus will be an active centre piecefor the community - a heart for Hulme,he said.

Speaking as the diggers moved in tobegin the major two-year project, SirRichard said: “Where we are now stoodwas one of the worst housing areas inEurope, it was unliveable.

“Now people have come back to Hulmeand it is a place and a story that thepeople of Manchester can be proud of.

“We’ve seen what MMU have done withtheir new Business School and here the city will have another world-classresource, this one for nursing, teachertraining, social work and the healthprofessions.”

Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Brooks,said the campus which replaces MMUcampuses in Didsbury and Rusholmewould be environmentally sustainable andhighly innovative with electric car ‘pumps’,novel heat generation and enviro-townhouses for student residences.

2

News

City welcomes fantastic Hulmecampus

Manchester MetropolitanUniversity is “world-class” andat the “cutting edge in people

management”, according to the UKInvestors in People organisation.

Chris Jones, head of IiP operationsNorth West, was fulsome in his praise ofthe University as he presented the Goldaward at a recent celebration event.Mr Jones said MMU was the largestuniversity to achieve the standard and

placed us in the top one-and-a-half percent of organisations in the UK fordeveloping its employees.

Around 600 colleagues from all fivecampuses gathered at the BusinessSchool and Student Hub to celebratethe award with champagne and a hugeteam cake.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Brooks,said: “I didn’t honestly think that wewould achieve the Gold, and to do sowas a wonderful surprise. It is anenormous achievement and one of myproudest moments as Vice-Chancellor.”

Together, he said, we were creating anew MMU; putting service to students atthe top of the agenda, academicallyand with new campuses and facilities.

“Continuous change will be the normfrom now on; the market for highereducation has changed forever and weare rising to new challenges.

“IiP has been immensely helpfulbecause you cannot be successfulunless your people understand changeand buy into its benefits.”

Professor John Brooks at the controls withRichard McAlpine, Sir Richard Leese and Sir Howard Bernstein.


Goldman SachsSME growthschemeCheshire entrepreneur David Forrest isrealising his dream of the big time afterbeing part of the Goldman Sachs10,000 Small Businesses growthscheme at Manchester MetropolitanUniversity’s Business School.

David’s company, Compliance ControlLtd, specialises in quality andcompliance consultancy and softwaresolutions in the pharmaceutical andmedical sector, and he has been quickto credit the scheme for helping to turnhis product into a real money-spinner.

David and his funders believe his latestsoftware could be a game-changer forSMEs, reducing the risk and cost ofnon-compliance and allowing them tofocus on R&D and sales.

With backing of £350,000 from the NWFund for Biomedical, and the TechnologyStrategy Board, the Northwich-based firmcan fully scale-up the software and pursuea strong marketing and sales campaign.

“I would not even have consideredspeaking to venture capitalists if I hadnot done the course,” says David.

“The financiers and entrepreneursinvited gave me the idea about applyingfor grants, while the course gave me theknowledge of finance to understand thebest choices for my business.”

10,000 Small Businesses is a freeprogramme of support for companieswith high growth potential, offeringmanagement training, workplacecoaching and peer networking.

Programme director Jonathan Lawsonsaid: “David’s story shows that with theright knowledge, and a little support anygreat business can get the funding itneeds to really grow.”

MMU is the provider for the GoldmanSachs 10,000 Small Businessesprogramme for the North West. To beconsidered for the scheme, visitwww.10ksbnw.co.uk or email (Lucy Edgar) at [email protected]

3

Business and Law combine

P rofessionals from all over theNorth West gave the newBusiness School and Student

Hub their seal of approval at a specialevent in September.

Around 200 business people came to seethe new building and celebrate the newlyformed Faculty of Business and Law.

Representatives attended from dozensof professional partners, frommultinationals to SMEs, along withorganisations such as the CharteredInstitute of Marketing and theFederation of Small Businesses, withmany saying how impressed they werewith the facilities: “It’s an absolutelystunning building,” said Eamonn Bell ofCampanile Hotels.

“I’m a cynical person,” said JohnBuckley from the Federation of SmallBusinesses, “but I’d struggle to findanything wrong with it. It’s fantastic forMMU and is miles ahead of anything anyother universities in the area have got.”

Others commented on the significanceof the building in terms of the

University’s strategic vision: “Thefacilities for students are mind-blowing,”said David Fox of John Smith’s Group.“This building is a real statement ofintent, a demonstration of confidence inthe future.”

Drinks and canapés were served givingguests the chance to network beforebeing welcomed by Professor RuthAshford, Dean of Business and Law,and then listen to the keynote speechby marketing guru Dr Dave Chaffey.

Ruth said: “I was delighted to welcomeso many members of the North-Westbusiness community into our newworld-class building. It’s a significantinvestment in our aim to be a leadingmodern business and law school - andworking with commercial partners is avital part of this.”

“This building is a realstatement of intent, a demonstration of

confidence in the future.”


Top tengreenranking

M anchester MetropolitanUniversity is celebratingafter being named in the

UK’s top ten greenest universities.

The University is now ranked 10th out of145 universities in the People & PlanetGreen League 2012.

Ben Atkins, President of MMU StudentUnion said: “It is great to see theUniversity at the forefront when pushingthis agenda on a national scale.”

Since 2005, MMU has shrunk its carbon footprint by 18.5% investingheavily in carbon reduction projects:‘green buildings’, recycling, travel andsolar energy.

The audit of all 145 UK universities sawMMU score maximum marks forenvironmental policy, environmentalmanagement, curriculum, and staff andstudent engagement.

Louise Hazan, lead researcher forPeople & Planet, said: “This year's resultsshow how universities are increasinglyaware that going green both helps savemoney and enhances the quality ofeducation they can offer their students.

“The likes of MMU have set a newbenchmark for sustainability, shiftingaway from ‘business as usual’ to helpdeliver a skilled low carbon economy forthe future.”

Thumbs upfrom students

T he University has returned oneof the biggest improvements instudent satisfaction in the UK.

The 2012 National Student Surveyshowed a 6% jump in students givingMMU the ‘thumbs up’ for teachingquality, facilities, support, managementand other key performance criteria.

Professor Kevin Bonnett, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience) saidMMU was on the road to even betterscores: “We have achieved massiveprogress in online information andlearning resources, and when you bearin mind that key changes, such as intimetabling and the curriculum are yet tohave an impact, we are confident thatwe can score even higher next year.”

Overall, 26 departments improved theirresults and top performers, scoring 90%or more, were: Human Resource andSport Management (Business & Law)with 100%; English (Humanities,Languages and Social Science) with94%; Accountancy & Finance (Business& Law) with 92%; and Nursing (Health,Psychology and Social Care) with 90%.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Brooks,said: “We have closed the gap on thesector, but enhancing the quality ofclassroom teaching further will be anabsolute priority for the coming year.”

And he urged departments to share andlearn: “We have many departmentswhere the perceived quality of teachingexceeds the sector average, so weneed to learn from our best.”

The University also rose 10 places in the 2012 Sunday Times universityleague table.

Centenarycelebrationsat Cheshirecampus

A week-long celebration at theManchester MetropolitanUniversity campus in

Cheshire marked 100 years ofeducation on the Crewe site.

Events included a gala dinner, whererecord-breaking Paralympian SarahStorey and her husband, Barney, wereguests of honour, and visits fromalumni, some of whom studied on thesite in the 1950s when it was CreweCollege of Education.

Students and graduates showcasedtheir work, which included the premiereof former soldier Adam Shilton’s piecefor brass band, Through the Pink Mist,which is based on the life of US Marine,Eugene B Sledge, and influenced by his own time serving on the front line in Basra.

There were also numerous academicdebates, including one exploring thePhD novel, and another looking at theimportance of imagination in education.

4

News

Adam Shilton


Investigatingyouth speakin Manchester

L inguistics lecturer RobDrummond has been awardeda grant to investigate the

growth of ‘multicultural ManchesterEnglish’ across the city.

The £3,000 Research Accelerator Grant,awarded by MMU, will help fund the study.

Multicultural Manchester English, like itsLondon counterpart, is the variety ofspeech adopted by many young peopleacross the city which incorporates severaldifferent ethnically marked features.

The dialect was the focus of muchmedia coverage following last summer’s

riots, with some newspapers dubbing it‘Jafaican’, meaning ‘fake Jamaican’.Rob says that this particular variety ofthe language is often misunderstood,with many adults thinking it is simplybeing ‘put on’, while young people areunaware of the effects it can have onthe way they are perceived.

Rob said: “Possible barriers includebeing judged by teachers and police whomake the rather dangerous link betweenthe way people speak and criminality.

“The more people know about languagevariation and language change thebetter able they are to clear up anymisunderstanding andmiscommunication.”

Rob will be speaking to local school-children and also asking them to recordtheir own conversations for analysis.The research will finish in January.

Languages, Linguistics & TEFL is one of the departments within theFaculty of Humanities, Languages andSocial Science.www.hlss.mmu.ac.uk/languages

Art debut forManchestericon

L ast summer, the Universityhosted the first exhibition byManchester icon Richard

Creme, four years after he suffered adevastating stroke.

Richard, who is credited with bringingdesigner fashion brands to the city in theEighties, lost the ability to speak whenhe suffered a stroke, aged 50. Sufferingfrom depression and unable to continuewith his work at his shop, Creme, heturned to painting to express himself.

Arts for Health director Clive Parkinsonexplained that the exhibition cameabout through a meeting with the StrokeAssociation to discuss the arts.

Clive said: “Richard is an extremelyelegant man but the stroke has affectedthe right-hand side of his body andtaken away his ability for word-findingand speech, leaving him with a millionthoughts and ideas, but unable to

converse in sentences. He passionatelywanted his drawings and paintings to be exhibited and talking with thecurators of the Link Gallery - ElisaArtesero and Roger Bygott - it quicklybecame apparent that we had expertiseto make it happen sooner rather than later.”

In his heyday, Richard dressedcelebrities including David Beckham,

Gary Oldman, David Bowie and Prince,as well as most of Manchester United.

Arts for Health at MMU is the UK'slongest established arts and healthorganisation. With specialism inresearch, advocacy and development, itworks with a range of partners to betterunderstand the impact of creativity,culture and the arts on health and well-being. www.artsforhealth.org

5

Rob Drummond


M y day job is runningCamelot, the operator ofthe National Lottery, but I

am also immensely proud of my roleas Chancellor of this University.

I’m proud that it has its feet firmlyplanted in the real world, with its strongbias towards giving graduates the bestpossible start in the world of work. Eachyear, 90% of our graduates go straightinto work or further study within six monthsof graduation. That’s a fantastic recordin recessionary times like these.

I am also incredibly proud of the factthat more than 44 per cent of ourstudents come from low-incomebackgrounds - and that we give moremoney in bursaries and scholarshippackages to more of them than anyother university in the UK.

I see myself in those students: my dadwas a butcher and my mum worked in ashoe shop. I had a really happy childhood,but we didn’t have much money.

People like me didn’t go to college,didn’t become university lecturers andcertainly didn’t go on to lead multi-billion pound turnover companies, but thanks to MMU, I did.

The University - Manchester Polytechnicas it was then - opened so many doorsfor me. It opened my eyes too.

It made me see what was possible. And that’s what I want for every one of our students - whatever theirbackground.

Part of my role as Chancellor is tosupport the University and makeconnections that help our students -and to do this, I recently accepted therole of patron of the University’sfundraising working group. With highertuition fees comes a responsibility for allof us to do more to help academicallyable students to attend universities likeMMU and lead successful lives - andthere are a number of practical ways inwhich you can be involved.

We need organisations to offer paid andvoluntary, short-term (two to six weeks)and longer-term (three to six month)placements to our students so that they can learn from your experience and expertise.

And with more than 1,850 of ourstudents spending a year on asandwich placement, we are alwayslooking for more openings.

Then, of course, there are jobs for ourgraduates. We see ourselves asproviders of talent to this region withover 70% of our graduates choosing tomake their careers in the North Westevery year.

So the next time you receive acommunication from MMU, or a jobapplication from one of our students orgraduates, open it, read it and beprepared to go the extra mile and getinvolved. We want to help as many ablestudents as we can, from allbackgrounds, to fulfil their potential.

FulfillingpotentialCamelot CEO and University

Chancellor, Dianne Thompson CBE,explains why a universityeducation can change lives.

6

Opinion

Dianne Thompson CBE graduated from Manchester Polytechnic in French and English, was a Business School Lecturer in the 1980s and was appointed CEO ofCamelot in 2000. In 2011 Dianne became the third Chancellor of MMU. To get involved in any of the ways Dianne mentions, please email [email protected].


Despite the gloomy economicclimate in the country at large,there’s been much good news

for Manchester. In September, Iattended the groundbreaking ceremonyfor the new Manchester MetropolitanUniversity campus in Hulme.

Under Vice-Chancellor, Professor JohnBrooks, MMU has firmly established itselfas one of the best universities in the UK.

It’s a real Manchester success story.Although a ‘new’ university, MMU tracesits roots back to the early 19th century aspart of the Mechanics Institute and theManchester School of Design. As well asbeing one of the biggest universities inthe UK, its teaching standards areamongst the highest in the country.Teaching quality inspections put theUniversity in the top 20 of the UK.

The new campus is the final and largestpart of a £350m capital investmentprogramme and will house the Facultyof Education and Faculty of Health,Psychology and Social Care. More than5,000 students will study on the site,with more than 1,200 making Hulmetheir home in a combination oftraditional halls and town houses.

This is great news for Hulme, as theUniversity has pledged that it will be acampus that will be open to all, withhigh quality public realm.

MMU has a commitment to become partof Hulme’s community, wholly integratedand making a positive difference to thearea as well as employing local people.Hulme’s transformation has been a longprocess, but also a successful one -setting the standard for elsewhere in the country.

The campus development will alsogenerate some more immediatebenefits.

The Birley Fields campus represents a major boost to construction inManchester. Valued at £139m, it makesit one of the biggest regenerationprojects in the North West.

It represents jobs for hundreds ofpeople. MMU has promised that at least a tenth will be employed from theimmediate area. It also sends out thesignal that Manchester is committed toensuring that we have the highestpossible standard of academicinfrastructure.

One of the keys to our city’s success isthat we have the largest studentpopulation in Europe.

As the students returned to the city after the summer break, you couldclearly see that their presence herekeeps our city young and vibrant. Andour world-class universities also helpManchester maintain its globalreputation. Some of the country’s, andthe world’s, brightest come here tostudy and fall in love with the city, evenif they don’t stay at the conclusion oftheir studies. And it gives us aknowledge base that is second to none,allied with a competitive edge that helpsensure that we remain the UK’s highestranked global city outside London.

The Birley Fields campus is an excitingdevelopment and exactly the kind ofproject the city needs.

Find out more about the Birley Fieldscampus at:www.mmu.ac.uk/birleyfields

“The Birley Fieldscampus represents

a major boost toconstruction inManchester.”

7

Expansion for a citybucking the trend

Sir Howard Bernstein, chief executive of Manchester City Council.


E ight notable names were givenhonorary degrees from theUniversity this year to

recognise their achievements inbusiness, charity and the Arts.

Sir Rod Aldridge, the founder ofCapita and chairman of The AldridgeFoundation, which encourages youngpeople to create their own socialchange, became a Doctor of BusinessAdministration from the Faculty ofEducation.

Sarah Burton OBE, who is creativedirector of the fashion brand AlexanderMcQueen, studied Art Foundation atManchester Polytechnic before going onto Central St Martins, in London. She isknown as the designer who created thewedding dress for Catherine, HRH theDuchess of Cambridge, and has alsocreated dresses for Michelle Obama,Cate Blanchett, Lady Gaga andGwyneth Paltrow, and was namedDesigner of the Year at the 2011 BritishFashion Awards.

She said: “This award is incrediblyspecial as the school holds a specialplace in my heart. Thank you toManchester Metropolitan University forrecognising my achievements and forawarding me with an honorary degree.” She was given the title of Doctor of Arts at the graduation ceremony for the Department of Clothing, Design and Technology.

Honorands 2012

8

“Thank you toManchesterMetropolitanUniversity forrecognising myachievements and for awarding me withan honorary degree.”Sarah Burton

Graduation ceromony at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester


Guy Garvey, singer with the MercuryPrize-winning band Elbow, became anhonorary Doctor of Arts at thegraduation ceremony for the Faculty ofArt and Design. Garvey, who is alsoknown for presenting a show on BBCRadio 6 Music, met his bandmateswhile studying in his hometown of Bury.

He said: “I’m one of seven kids and theonly one that didn’t go to university as Idecided to stay in the band. My mumstuck a picture of me singing on thedegree wall at home many years ago,but now I can finally join the clanwearing the right outfit.

“The young people that come toManchester and Salford to be educated,teach or research are the life blood thatkeeps this city’s heart pumping. I knowmany tutors and students from MMUand know what an amazing university itis. I’m thrilled and very proud to behonoured by them in this way.”

Gethin Jones best know as a televisionstar, became a Doctor of Science.

Gethin studied Economics andGeography at the University, graduatingin 1999. He started his media careerpresenting children’s programmes forWelsh channel S4C, before moving onto join Blue Peter in 2005, and has sincebecome one of the most popular faceson television, coming third in the 2007BBC series of Strictly Come Dancing.

He said: “It is an absolute privilege toreceive this honorary degree from myuniversity. The time I spent at MMU wasone of the best periods of my life andprepared me in the best way foreverything that has followed.”

Mike Leigh OBE, award-winningfilmmaker became a Doctor of Arts at thegraduation ceremony for the Departmentof Contemporary Arts, part of the MMUCheshire Faculty based in Crewe.

Leigh, who was born in Welwyn but spentmuch of his childhood in Salford wherehe attended Salford Grammar School,is known for his films including VeraDrake, Life is Sweet and Topsy Turvy.

He won the Best Director award atCannes for Naked in 1993 and thePalme d'Or in 1996 for Secrets & Lies.

Martin Narey, former Barnardo’schief executive, received a Doctorate ofLetters from the Faculty of Education.

Narey, who was born inMiddlesborough and studied atSheffield Polytechnic, started his careerin the NHS before joining the prisonservice in 1982. He held his position atBarnardo’s from 2005 to 2011, and wasappointed as the ministerial adviser onadoption last year.

Mr Narey said: “As a graduate of one ofthe old polytechnics I have watchedtheir growth and success in recentdecades with real interest. There arelots of success stories, but none moreso than at this University which hasgrown to be the third biggest universityin the UK and with an internationalreputation. So it is an immense privilegefor me to be recognised with anhonorary doctorate.”

Lord Smith of Leigh, who has beenthe leader of Wigan Council since 1991,became a Doctor of Laws at theceremony for the Faculty of Humanities,Languages and Social Science.

For many years Lord Smith worked toimprove life for people living in the NorthWest of England and expanded the roleof the Greater Manchester city region bysitting on the board of the North WestRegional Assembly, where he was chairfrom 1999 to 2000, and sat on theExecutive Board until the organisationwas wound up in 2009.

He was made a Lord in 1999, inrecognition of his work in localgovernment, and was awardedFreedom of the Borough of Wigan lastyear.

Professor Richard Thorpe washonoured by the Business School,becoming a Doctor of BusinessAdministration in recognition of his work across the country.

Professor Thorpe spent nearly 20 yearsworking at the University where he ledthe development of a new MBA andwas instrumental in the creation of thedoctoral programme for the Faculty ofManagement and Business, which hasnow become the Business School.

“I know many tutorsand students fromMMU and know whatan amazing universityit is. I’m thrilled andvery proud to behonoured by them in this way.”Guy Garvey

9

Professor Richard Thorpe


10

Inspiring futuregenerations

S he has 11 gold medals and isbeing tipped for a damehood in this year’s New Year’s

Honours List.

But MMU honorary graduate SarahStorey’s achievement is made all themore remarkable because her cleansweep in this year’s Paralympic cyclingevents was in her ‘second’ sport.

Sarah started her athletic career as aswimmer, and first competed at theBarcelona Paralympic Games in 1992,aged just 14. Despite her tender age,

she won two golds, three silvers and abronze, and at subsequent Paralympicswent on to win a total of five goldmedals in the pool.

Following a recurrent ear infection she switched disciplines, and at her first Paralympics as a cyclist, in Beijingin 2008, came away with two goldmedals.

While psychologically Sarah says thereare several similarities in training for thetwo sports, physically she says they arevery different.

“Cycling sessions tend to vary in length agreat deal more than in swimming, andwe produce power in a much greaterrange in cycling, compared to swimmingand our energy systems are far moretargeted from one session to another.”

At the London 2012 Paralympic Games,Sarah won four gold medals - one inevery event she took part in - makingher among the most successfulParalympians of all time.

And she said that her success wouldnot have been possible without the

Paralympian Sarah Storey OBE talks to Successmagazine about her recent successes and howher training regime was boosted by thefacilities at MMU Cheshire.


support of MMU Cheshire, where shedid much of her training in the run-up tothe Games.

To achieve peak fitness, Sarah trainedthree times a week at the Crewecampus in the Department for Exerciseand Sport Science altitude chamber,which she said made an “incredibledifference” to her athletic performance.

The altitude chamber works by puttingthe body under stress which in turnimproves the aerobic capacity - meaningSarah could cycle faster and for longerbefore the effects of fatigue kicked in.

She said: “Being able to access thealtitude chamber was a real bonus and gave me such an advantage to my training. It helped me become farmore efficient and there is no doubt thatthe winning margins in all my eventswould have been less without thataltitude exposure.

“Having a facility like that on mydoorstep meant that I didn't have tofactor in training camps away from myracing season and this also proved tobe an added bonus as I didn't have tomiss any critical races either.”

Sarah, who along with her husband,fellow cyclist Barney Storey MBE, wasgiven an honorary doctorate by MMUCheshire in 2009, completed a cleansweep in the C5 Pursuit, the Time TrialC4-5 500m, the Individual Road TimeTrial C5 and the Individual Road RaceC4-5 and took her tally of gold medalsto 11 - putting her equal with sportinglegends Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and Dave Roberts CBE.

And following her historic win, Sarahsaved her first glass of champagne toshare with the Dean of MMU Cheshire,Dennis Dunn, and the team beforeflying to St Lucia with Barney for a well-earned rest.

She said: “I’m not sure that life hasreturned to normal yet, but it has been anamazing time with so many events to goto and people to see! I am very proudthat my first engagement after the Gameswas at MMU Cheshire. It was very fitting.”

Sarah was born without a functioningleft hand after her arm became tangledin the umbilical cord in the womb, yetthis year she not only obliterated theopposition at the Paralympics, she alsoonly missed out on a place in the able-bodied Olympic team pursuit by a whisker.

But it has not always been plain sailing,and she has in the past spoken aboutthe schoolyard bullies who made her lifedifficult following her return from her firstvictorious Games. Happily however, shehas put those experiences behind her, andsays they made her a stronger person.

“That really is all in the past,” she said.“I guess that it gives me empathy withother school children who are goingthrough a similar experience and givesme the ability to be able to tell them tobe strong and that it won't last forever. I followed the dream I had and ignoredthe bullies, so it turned out well in the end.”

Her next goal is the WorldChampionships in 2013, at which shewill be competing with one eye on Rio 2016. Sarah said: “As defendingchampion in all four events that I won in

London, I will have a busy periodbetween now and Rio trying to defendthose titles, or win them back if I losethem at any point.”

Despite having won so many goldmedals, she is not resting on her laurelsand says there are plenty of goals whichremain for her.

“In time trial events, as so many of myevents are, there are always timed goalsto aim for,” she said. “Gold medals arethe outcome goal at the end of a list ofprocess goals and so by focusing onthe things you can control - like the timeyou ride, or the power you produce - youcan always improve your performance.

“I’ve always measured achievement byhow well I have done compared to thelast time I raced and would hope to bean international level athlete for as longas that is physically possible. I still havethe ambition to make myself faster and stronger.”

And that ambition will hopefully berealised with the continuing support ofMMU Cheshire.

“The University has been incrediblysupportive and the links we have herewith Dennis Dunn and John Brooks arevery special to both Barney and I,” saidSarah. “The facilities are world-classand the altitude chamber hastransformed my training.

“I’ve got to sit down with my coach andwork out the plan of attack for 2013 butRio is the end goal. You work in four-year cycles so we will be puttingtogether a plan for that. The mostimportant thing after such a big year isto make sure you recover sufficiently, soI am not rushing into anything otherthan light training!”

For those who hope to follow in herfootsteps, Sarah has some simpleadvice: “Always give your best andmake sure you enjoy it. There is noshortcut and it won't be easy, so unless you give your best you won'thave a hope of being able to enjoy it because you will know you arecheating yourself.”

11

“I am very proud thatmy first engagementafter the Games wasat MMU Cheshire. Itwas very fitting”

Sarah and Barney Storey


N icola Waller loves her job.From negotiating the rights toSelfridges’ exclusive Olympic

Gold Coke bottle to discoveringdelicious Tobasco chocolate from atiny supplier in America, no two daysare the same when you are runningthe food operations for the globaldepartment store of the year.

“Food retailing is very fast-paced anddynamic,” Nicola says. “One minute Ican be negotiating with one of theworld’s biggest brands and the next I’mplanning a PR campaign where peoplecan have a model of their house madein gingerbread. I love the variety.”

Having worked in the industry sincegetting a degree in Retail Marketing in1992, Nicola says barely a day has goneby when she has not used somethingshe learnt on her course: “I used to sit inretail law lectures wondering what I wasdoing there, but it was so useful.

“My degree set me up for a career in retail.Of all the people I have come across inthe industry I really think the degree Istudied has been the most relevant.”

Nicola started her career withSainsbury’s as a trainee buyer, after aplacement in her second year led to thesupermarket giant offering hersponsorship through her final year anda guaranteed job on graduation.

She says that getting work experienceand networking are vital for graduatesthat want to get ahead in the jobmarket: “I was lucky, but it just showshow important placements and workexperience can be. My advice to anystudent or graduate out there is to getas much experience as possible anddon’t be afraid to start at the bottom -any experience is better than none.”

After four years with Sainsbury’s, Nicolamoved to Safeway where she learnt alot about buying branded products andworked her way up from buying crispsand nuts to being category manager offrozen foods.

From there she moved to Marks andSpencer where she spent ten yearsworking across the British retail giant’sfood department, something she sayswas invaluable experience: “I lovedevery minute. I worked in all sorts ofareas from delicatessen to pies and

fish, and from desserts and juice tofresh fruit - I learnt a lot.”

“Of all the people Ihave come across inthe industry I reallythink the degree Istudied has been themost relevant.”Nicola decided to become an alumniambassador as she feels passionatelythat the degree she did was such agood one and wanted to help otherstudents starting out: “I’d tell anyonewho thinks they could be an alumniambassador to just do it.

“It takes so little of your time incomparison to what we got out of ourdegrees and our time in Manchesterand if people out there have the skill setto help graduates starting out, there’sno reason not to.”

Food for thoughtAlumni ambassador Nicola Waller talks to Success about Tobasco chocolate,gingerbread houses and how she got to be head of food at Selfridges.

12


To find out more about becoming analumni ambassador, please contactthe Alumni and Development Officeat [email protected].


A new scheme from MMU willgive recent graduates theopportunity to gain some all-

important work experience – andpotentially a new job.

And in turn, businesses in the NorthWest will benefit from financialassistance to allow them to take onskilled and educated graduates asinterns.

The £100,000 GradMatchMMU projectwill create 100 paid internships forstudents who graduated in 2012 buthave been unable to find work. They willbe placed within small and mediumbusinesses in the North West for aminimum of eight weeks.

Graduates who are no longer studyingbut have managed to find part-time workwill also be eligible for the scheme, as willEU, international and Masters graduates.

It is hoped that the project will lead tolonger-term or permanent employmentfor the participating graduates.

Rita Lewin, Head of StudentEmployability and Success and DeputyDirector of Student Services, said: “Weare really excited about our new project,GradMatchMMU, and the positiveimpact it will have on supporting ourrecent graduates and businesses withinthe North West.

“MMU takes the employability ofgraduates very seriously and givingthem support in getting high qualityexperience of the graduate labourmarket via a paid internship is one wayof doing this.”

Current MA Landscape Architecturestudent, Jake Helm, found work atlandscape design consultancy BarnesWalker following a placement, and saysthe idea of targeting smaller companieshelps interns be more successful.

“If you work at a smaller company youare working with decision makersdirectly - in a big multinational it’s notthe people in your office who make adecision,” he said. “You needexperience to get the job nowadays.”

Colin Barnes, from Barnes Walker, saysthat the placement system is a popularone at his company which often leads toan offer of permanent employment: “Thecompany likes supporting the course. It’sgood for the course to have interactionwith businesses, and because of that wegain from having good quality studentsjoin us, and we then recruit from theuniversity too. The University does agood job of matching students to whatwe do and the fact we are known atMMU means we will have goodstudents, so we have good symbiosis.

“As we see from Jake, he came to us for athree-month placement and he has nowbeen with us for nine months. He’ll bewith us for another year and if it works out,

he will stay here. I think two or three of thepeople here have done placements andcarried on and it’s a pattern that workswell. Almost everybody in the companywas a student at MMU and we nowhave 10 working with us.”

He added: “Traditionally people hadapprenticeships. If you look back, anarchitect would become an architect by being an apprentice, learning verybasic skills, so this placement model is good.”

13

Anyone interested in taking partshould contact Freya Marshall on+44 (0)161 247 6512 or [email protected].

Success finds out about a new placement schemeat the University for recent graduates - andtalks to 2012 graduate, Jake Helm, who foundhis perfect job following a student placement.

Graduates helped to meet their

perfect match

Jake Helm


T housands of companies,public bodies, charities andcommunity organisations have

already developed innovativesolutions by tapping into our specialistresearch capabilities, consultancy,specialist facilities and cutting-edgetraining and developmentprogrammes.

A team of four key account managerswill be your point of contact when youcontact the University. You can alsocheck out the new Business websitewhich signposts people outside theUniversity to the right collaborators.

Mark Ratcliffe, head of KnowledgeExchange said: “Many different kinds oforganisations are benefiting from theworld-class expertise developed at MMU.

“Whatever challenges you face, whetherthey are driven by commercialconcerns, public service or community-based initiatives, our expertise couldprovide the solutions you seek.”

The University has ambitiousperformance targets, set out in theCorporate Strategy 2012-17, whichinclude increasing the number of staffwinning enterprise contracts by 50% by 2015 and enterprise income by 10% per year.

To find out more, please contact Mark Ratcliffe at [email protected] on +44 (0)161 247 2186.www.mmu.ac.uk/business

Fundinginnovation

MMU has a strong history ofmaking a positive impacton growth and success in

companies and organisations in theNorth West.

And potential partnerships have becometwice as attractive with the announcementof two types of grant - the InnovationVoucher Scheme and the KnowledgeExchange Innovation Fund (KEIF).

Innovation VoucherSchemeAn Innovation Voucher is financialsupport for a particular idea orinnovation and is available to any smallor medium enterprise which wants towork with external experts.

Vouchers to the value of £5,000 will initiallybe available to businesses working onnew ideas in three areas: agrifood, builtenvironment, and space technology.

Apply online atwww.innovateuk.org/competitionsor call the helpline for guidance on 0300 321 4357.

Knowledge ExchangeInnovation Fund (KEIF)Academics can also apply for a slice of £250,000, if they work closer withbusinesses, public and third sectororganisations.

KEIF offers up to £5,000 to ‘kickstart’new mutually-beneficial associationsand up to £50,000 to develop existingpartnerships with external organisations.

Projects may be research, continuingprofessional development orconsultancy with the potential to deliversustainable revenue and/or otherimpacts including: economic, social,cultural, health, well-being and more.

[email protected] orcall the team on +44 (0)161 247 2186.

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Manchester Metropolitan University isstrengthening its offer to business with a newteam dedicated to linking your organisationdirectly to University expertise.

Businessexpertise

Mark Ratcliffe


15

KnowledgeTransfer

A Knowledge Transfer Partnership(KTP) is helping to ensure that the South Cheshire Chamber ofCommerce is meeting the needs of local businesses.


S taff at the South CheshireChamber of Commerce arededicated to supporting local

businesses in Crewe and Nantwich.

The Chamber’s membership accountsfor 15 per cent of the local businesscommunity, twice the national average,but not being satisfied with this, actingchief executive, Paul Colman, knew thathe had to find out why the majority ofbusinesses in South Cheshire did notsee the Chamber as relevant.

Paul approached the University todiscuss a project which he believedwould be mutually beneficial.

He said: “We were looking at the futurestrategy of the Chamber. We had avision of what we could progress intoand we knew it would be in MMU’sinterests for the local Chamber to bestrong and have good relationships witha higher proportion of the localbusiness community.

“We sat down with the University atlength to discuss what we wanted theoutcomes to be. The project waslooking at the reorganisation of theChamber to make it more relevant tobusinesses and to improve upon theengagement with our members.”

Following their discussions, the KTPproject was conceived and approvedand MSc Strategic Leadership andChange student, Nadeem Ahmad, wastaken on to research the new visionwhich included integrating a SocialMedia Web Portal at its heart. This wouldallow the Chamber to interact with localbusinesses and for member companiesto interact better amongst themselves.

The Chamber acts as an independentvoice for business, representing and

promoting the interests of the localbusiness community and helping itsmembers grow and develop. Nadeem saw that the best way to dothis was to incorporate the mostmodern technology andcommunications methods, using themodel that has made social mediaplatforms so successful.

Paul said that the project has given theChamber confidence that they areheading in the right direction.

He said: “It became clear as the projectwent on that developing the portal wasa sizeable task, but I personally enjoyedthe in-depth look at our Chamber inrelation to businesses throughNadeem’s eyes and his research.”

Nadeem, who has since been taken onfull-time by the Chamber as businesscommunity co-ordinator, added: “I thinkit’s going well and there is a lot ofpotential to expand further beyond what was originally conceived, which we want to explore.”

Trevor Brown, MMU Cheshire’senterprise manager, said: “The KTP with South Cheshire Chamber ofCommerce and Industry Limited was a complex project as it revisited the role and function of the Chamber to enable it to truly represent thebusiness community.

“The project reinforced the close workingrelationship between the Chamber and MMU Cheshire and enabled theBusiness and Management Departmentto more fully understand and exploreissues within the sector. Bothorganisations benefited from thepartnership and the Chamber now actsas an enthusiastic advocate for KTP in the region.”

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships offer innovative solutions to help organisations develop and improve products, processesand competitiveness through the best use of technology and skills. The scheme places graduates (KTP associates) in thehost organisation, supported by an academic supervisor.

Paul Colman


T wo mathematicians, JonBorresen and Stephen Lynchbelieve it is possible to design

superfast microprocessors whichmimic the configurations in the human brain.

If their models are correct, the circuitrywould produce world-record computingspeeds at a fraction of the power input.

Their ‘binary half adder’ circuit, which isprotected by three patents, UK, Taiwanand international, is already attractinginterest from leading figures in thesupercomputing industry.

But the pair, who work in the NovelComputation Group in the Science &Engineering Faculty, admit the potentialbreakthrough in microprocessing didn’tcome from research into computing atall: “We were modelling the behaviour ofneurones in the brain, just observingreally, when it struck us that certainconfigurations could perform binarycomputations,” said Jon.

“We thought, if these binary interactionscould be replicated in electroniccircuits, it had the potential torevolutionise silicon chips,” said Steve.

The new circuit is brilliantly simple: twooscillators connected in such a way thatthe addition of each extra oscillatorresults in a doubling of processing

power, such that (2+ n) components ~2n processing power, resulting inmassive savings in power andcomponents.

Following a series of theoretical tests,Jon and Stephen pitched their theoriesat Daresbury Science & TechnologyFacilities Council and at the Rutherford-Appleton Laboratories in Oxford, wherethey were encouraged to obtain patentprotection for their ideas.

“We thought, if thesebinary interactionscould be replicated inelectronic circuits, ithad the potential torevolutionise siliconchips.”

But it was a recent trip to the New Yorkoffices of high-tech firm HYPRESinc

which provided the real breakthrough.

“We had been researching how we couldbuild one of these computers usingbiological neurones, CMOS, opticalresonators or Josephson Junctions (JJs).HYPRES have been using JJs since 1983in commercial circuitry and we now seethese as being the key,” added Steve.

Independently, HYPRES had beenresearching JJ Arithmetic Logic Units(ALUs) and, after the New York meeting,announced they had built the world’sfastest (20GHz) hybrid ALU, using 8,000oscillators. The MMU team calculatethey could produce the sameprocessing power with just 50.

The team, who are being supported by the University’s Research andKnowledge Exchange team, are nowplanning a prototype to simulate a 64-bit adder and are seeking potentialcommercialisation of the technology.

Added Jon: “We started this as anabstract exercise in mathematics, andwe’ve ended up on the brink oftheoretically building the world’s firstneuron computer.”

Their paper, ‘Oscillatory ThresholdLogic’, is published on PLUS ONE.According to Stephen: “Recent resultsshow that both the binary oscillator logic and memory are sound andremarkably robust.”

The work may also have applications in neural biology, providing a muchneeded assay test for neuraldegradation - having particularimplications for the design and test of new drugs.

Are we lookingat the future of computing?A “simple invention” by Manchester MetropolitanUniversity scientists holds the prospect of aparadigm shift in computing.

16



17

N ew Britain Palm Oil contactedthe University to findsomeone to carry out

research into the baking performanceof sustainable fats versus that of theirunsustainable alternatives.

Dr Valentina Stojceska, of theUniversity’s Manchester Food ResearchCentre, passed the details of the projecton to a graduate with whom she hadbeen in touch, Caroline Noble, whosuccessfully won the position workingon the year-long project.

Caroline, who graduated in 2010 with afirst class BSc (Hons) in Food andNutrition, worked with the researchcentre to test the products and alsolooked in a more general sense at thesustainability of palm oil and itsimportance as a key ingredient to theUK food manufacturing industry.

Caroline said: “I was given theopportunity to present my findings tocustomers helping them to makeinformed decisions about making theswitch to sustainable products.

“I was quite intrigued because I didn’treally know anything about palm oil apartfrom what I had read on the internet, andif you Google it then everything thatcomes up is negative. But New BritainPalm Oil’s company values and integrityare very different - I think everyone wantsto work for a company like that.”

As part of the project, Carolinepresented her findings to severalcompanies, to support New Britain Palm Oil’s efforts.

She said: “I think people had theirreservations about sustainable fats, so my research did reassure people.

“I was given the opportunity to presentmy findings to customers, helping themto make informed decisions aboutmaking the switch to sustainableproducts.”

For Caroline, who had struggled to finda job that she found fulfilling despite herexcellent degree, the opportunity towork on the project had another benefit- it led to a full-time position as atechnical support technician with NewBritain Palm Oil.

She said: “I am really excited about mynew position and to be given thechance to work for a leading UKcompany. They have invested a lot oftime and money in me.

“My recommendation to othergraduates would be that it is definitely

worth staying in touch. My lecturershave all been so supportive. I alreadyhad a good relationship with them andthat continued when I left. Without theirhelp and support things could havebeen very different.”

The Manchester Food Research Centre,in the Hollings Faculty, is one of theUniversity’s specialist centres. With awealth of expertise to share, MMU hascreated a number of dedicated centreswhich focus on access to specialistservices for organisations and thecommunity. Whether it is arts andentertainment, environmental impact,industry sector-specific or public policysupport, each of these centres iscommitted to ease of access to cutting-edge knowledge and creative talent.

www.mmu.ac.uk/business/specialist-centres

Knowledge ExchangeA joint project between Hollings Faculty and NewBritain Palm Oil has helped to make the nation’sfavourite pastries and cakes more sustainable.

Expertise for your business - talk to usMany different kinds of organisationsare benefiting from the world-classexpertise developed at MMU. Whateverthe challenges you face, whether they

are driven by commercial concerns,public service or community-basedinitiatives, our expertise could providethe solutions you seek.

To find out more, please contact Mark Ratcliffe at [email protected] on +44 (0)161 247 2186.www.mmu.ac.uk/business


M ike Halley is vice-president(sales) Europe, Middle Eastand Africa at TOA

Technologies. After building up hiscareer experience for many years, he decided that completing an MBAwould allow him to ‘fast track’ hisprogression into generalmanagement, which began at HewlettPackard. He was head hunted by TOA after completing his MBA, andbelieves it was the main reason for his career success.

“I’d always wondered if people with anMBA really felt more enabled toprogress at work, or whether it wasmerely a box-ticking exercise to showthat they had reached a higher level ofcompetency in management.”

His curiosity got the better of him andhe completed his MBA in 2010: “Iwanted to discover more about theconstructs of business and understandaspects I’d never fully comprehended,and the MBA was a way for me to dothis, and to demonstrate my ability tocompete at the highest level.

“General management demands morethan a working knowledge of the key

areas of a business, and rather thanspend ten years working my waythrough the key areas I wanted to ‘fast track’ my progress. Afterresearching my options I decided tocomplete my MBA at MMU; it has agreat reputation for delivering MBAsthat progress into world-leadingcompanies, and I felt so comfortableafter meeting some of the key staff soknew I’d made the right choice.”

Completing the MBA has given Mike awhole new approach to working, andthe strategy he learnt has underpinnedthis new way of working.

“I honestly use every aspect of my MBAlearning. Business strategy was a keyelement of the MBA and I was keen todeepen my knowledge. It’s furthered myunderstanding of the importance ofbuilding clear strategies in every aspectof a business. The MBA had given methe confidence to hold my own withsenior staff within finance, HR,marketing - the list goes on, because I can now underpin my decisions with knowledge.”

Mike was head hunted, and puts thisdown to his AMBA-accredited MBAqualification: “As soon as you add MBAto your CV it puts you in another league.I didn’t know at the time but aprerequisite for my current role was anMBA, so I wouldn’t be where I am todaywithout it.”

The next enrolment date for our part-time, Executive MBA is February 2013. For more information about the course and ourrange of MBA scholarships, please contact Daniel Sheratte, MBA Programme Manager, on +44 (0) 7717 860 343, or at [email protected].

Advancing your careerManchester Metropolitan University offers the highest concentrationof postgraduate taught courses in the North West of England, manyrecognised by professional bodies and associations. We hear fromcurrent and recent students about the benefits of investing in postgraduate study at MMU.

18

Postgraduate Study

Mike HalleyMBA

Business School Faculty of Business & Law


E arlier this year, Ibrahim Sheikhcompleted the GraduateDiploma in Law, which is

designed for non-law graduates andequips students with the legalknowledge required to train as alawyer. He is currently studying on the Bar Professional Training Course.

“I began my career working for amerchant bank in the City before settingup and running my own managementconsultancy for 15 years. I had alwayswanted to study law and knew that my

commercial business experience wouldbe a valuable asset for studying law atpostgraduate level.

“Returning to study can be a dauntingprospect, but I knew my experiencewould come in useful. In fact mymaturity has been a real bonus and ledto my election as student representativefor the course.

“I chose to study at Manchester LawSchool because of the friendliness of thestaff and their excellent links with locallaw firms and chambers. Thisprofessional network has beeninvaluable to me. I’ve been able tocombine my studies with pro bono workplacements and voluntary work, and thatcombination of academic excellenceand work experience has placed me in a great position to further my career.”

To find out about all our postgraduatelaw courses, go to:www.law.mmu.ac.uk

Nadia Ali came to Manchesterfrom Jordan to study for anMSc in Biomedical Science.

After graduating in 2006, she went onto study towards a PhD, which shecompleted in 2012.

“I combined my research in the area ofdiabetes with my passion for teaching,which gives me the perfect balance.

“I was born in Iraq, and moved toJordan to complete my school and

undergraduate education. I then travelledto the UK with my husband and settled inManchester to continue my study at MMU.

“The core subject of my study wasabout the effect of the drug simvastatin -an inhibitor of cholesterol - on advancedglycation, the main culprit of diabetes.Having completed my PhD, I am nowworking at the university as a part-timeassistant lecturer supporting first yearhealthcare science students. I havealways wanted to work in academic andresearch fields. It is an exciting job withmany opportunities to learn new skills.”

To find out more about postgraduateresearch degrees, go to:

www.mmu.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research

19

n opportunities to meet like-mindedstudents with the highestconcentration of postgraduate taught courses in the North West

n flexible programmes with full-time and part-time options in most course areas

n courses that have close links withbusiness and employers helping youget industry relevant experience

n award-winning staff at the forefront oftheir fields giving you the chance toshare the latest academic thinking inmany areas

n more than 200 postgraduate taughtprogrammes and dozens ofpostgraduate research areas

Visit usPostgraduate Courses Fairs are heldfour times a year in September,November, March and May.To check dates and book your place: www.mmu.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/visit

Find out moreFor all postgraduate information: www.mmu.ac.uk/study/postgraduate

Ibrahim SheikhGraduate Diploma in LawBar Professional Training Course

Manchester Law School Faculty of Business & Law

Dr Nadia AliMSc Biomedical Science PhD

School of Healthcare ScienceFaculty of Science & Engineering

The benefits of postgraduate study at Manchester Metropolitan University


A student from Hollings Facultywon an award for a highlyclassified Top Gun-style

design project.

Melissa Barker, who has recentlycompleted a Masters in Clothing ProductDevelopment at Manchester MetropolitanUniversity, designed a jacket for fighterpilots which could deal with bothextremely hot and cold weather, such as that found in Afghanistan.

She was presented with a cheque for£1,000 and the award for Innovation inFunctional Clothing Design byrepresentatives of military clothingmanufacturer RFD Beaufort. The awardsceremony was part of the annual

showcase day at the University’s HollingsFaculty, where the most outstandingstudents were rewarded for their work.

Melissa worked with top secret materialsand used research into chimney fluedesign to create the jacket.

“The main problem was that it had tofunction in hot conditions and extremecold because pilots are in their aircraftfor up to eight hours, so ventilation isimportant, but could be ejected intovery cold conditions,” she said.

The back of the jacket features a panelfilled with top secret spacer material tolift the layers, with an opening collar tofacilitate ventilation.

Melissa had to sign a non-disclosureform which means she cannot revealthe material used to anyone. In addition,she used a reflective lining to utilise the pilot’s own body energy to keepthem warm. And in a nod to fashion, the lining features a graphic print of theRAF logo.

I t isn’t often that a prize-winningjewellery collection will have itsroots in a conversation about

cows - but that’s exactly whathappened to Miriam Jones.

The winner of this year’s Success prize,Three Dimensional Design graduateMiriam was inspired to create hercollection by a chat about farming witha guide on Mount Kilimanjaro.

Miriam said: “We were discussingfarming, and discovered culturaldifferences, especially in the way wevalued cattle. He thought I was rich with20 cows, and I thought that was absurd,as in Wales it’s the quality of cattle notthe quantity that gives you wealth,where as Africans value the quantity ofcattle they have, as it means a greaterchance of survival.

“I found it hard to forget theconversation, so I researched owningcattle and the impact it has on people’sstatus and wealth within society.”

Some of the designs use the patternscreated by cows’ noses, each one ofwhich is unique, like a fingerprint.

Miriam first became interested in art anddesign at school, and says she not onlyenjoys experimenting with wood, metaland plastics, but also researching thehistory which inspires her designs andgives them meaning.

She names the jeweller Robert LeeMorris as another inspiration.

“When I read his book I found I couldidentify with his work,” she said. “He isinspired by similar things to me, but hasa different approach. He focuses onform to create statement wearables,while I focus on the symbolism and themeanings behind my work.”

Miriam is continuing her studies at MMUwith an MA in Design.

Hollings student wins design award

Miriam’s prize-winning jewellery

20

Student Successes


A ndrew Singleton, JamesAldridge and Nicola Dale were all commissioned to

make pieces for the new exhibition,which showcases the intricate art ofpaper cutting.

Curator Fiona Corridan said: “In an agewhere so much is digital we wanted to focus on artists who had gone backto basics.”

James Aldridge’s huge monochromecreation, As Above, So Below, featuresEdgar Allen Poe-esque ravenscombined with spider webs, owls andtrees inspired by the forests surroundinghis home in Småland, southern Sweden.He works by eliminating the unwantedspaces, slowly revealing the final image.

James, who graduated with a degree inFine Art in 1993, said: “When I startworking on each piece I don’t knowwhat it will look like, so for me it is verymuch about having a mental image ofthe piece as it evolves - there’s nopreparatory drawing or a mock-up, itcomes about by itself.”

He said that despite the logisticalchallenges it presented he wanted thepiece to be large so it would be “likeentering an environment and becomingpart of the landscape.” Because of itssize, James had to create the work inpanels, and it took him a “nerve-wracking”week to assemble in the gallery.

Since graduating with a degree inAnimation with Illustration in 2006,Andrew Singleton has worked on anumber of prestigious commissions fornames such as Liberty, Hermès andKensington Palace.

But he says his Manchester Art Gallerycommission, Stellar Spire in the EagleNebula, is possibly his favourite.

Andrew says: “My course was veryexperimental, and in my final year I startedto work with paper - cutting into illustrationsthat I was doing. I found that the things Iwanted to express worked better.”

Inspired by natural forms, Andrew lookedto pictures from the Hubble Deep SpaceTelescope for this commission.

“The nebula are these massivesculptural forms hanging in spacemade from dust which look really stillbut in actual fact have so much energygoing on,” he said.

Nicola Dale’s poignant piece Sequel hasits roots in an acorn planted by her friend.

When the resultant oak tree grew toobig for the garden, Nicola offered to turnit into a work of art.

Nicola, who graduated in InteractiveArts in 2000 and followed it up with anMA in Visual Culture in 2005, usedleaves cut from reference books tocreate a literal “tree of knowledge” witheach branch having leaves from adifferent facet of learning.

“Because we are moving into a digitalage, books are suffering - particularlyreference books,” she said. “At least Ihave rescued these things and turnedthem into something beautiful.”

Another work by Nicola, Downed,featuring hundreds of feathers cut fromOrdnance Survey maps, is also ondisplay at the gallery.

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Meet Our Alumni

Art graduatesmake the final cutThree Manchester School of Art graduatesfeature in the stunning new exhibition atManchester Art Gallery, The First Cut. Success magazine takes a look and finds out what inspires them.

The First Cut runs until 27 January2013. For more information, visitwww.manchestergalleries.org

Andrew Singleton

Nicola Dale’s Downed

James Aldridge’s As Above, So Below


Success visits fouralumni working asteachers in the sameprimary school andgains an insight intotheir hugelyrewarding profession.

Primary school is the age whenchildren can gain the buildingblocks that will set them up

for a successful life, and so thetraining of primary school teachers is of utmost importance.

At Queen’s Road Primary School, inCheadle Hulme, four of the staff aregraduates of MMU’s BA (Hons) PrimaryEducation - Christian Park, SarahClifton, George Pew and Lisa Quin.

Despite the “ridiculously early starts”, allfour know they are making a differenceto the lives of hundreds of children.

And they credit the structure of theirdegree with preparing them to becomesuccessful teachers.

Christian, who graduated in 2006, said:“It was a very steep learning curve. Iwas still in regular contact with my linktutor, Brenda Judge, which definitelyhelped - that gave me the guidance thata lot of newly qualified teachers missout on.”

Christian started at Queen’s Road inSeptember this year, having begun hiscareer at St Paul’s Primary School, inWithington. St Paul’s was the schoolwhere Christian had his final yearplacement, and he says that beingoffered the post was down to havingthat placement opportunity.

He said: “I was supported well by theUniversity - we were given guidanceabout how to look for primary educationteaching jobs. It was daunting -especially because there were so manyapplicants - but I got a job fairly easily.Coming from MMU meant something tothe schools.”

Christian describes the job as “full on”,but said: “Every day is different -nothing is the same and you can neverget bored.”

“Every day is different -nothing is the sameand you can never get bored.”

Fellow MMU graduate, Sarah Clifton,who graduated in 2008, agrees. Shesaid: “No day is the same.”

Now in her fifth year at Queen’s Road,Sarah completed her third year teachingpractise at the school, and when a jobcame up after graduation jumped at the chance.

“Having had some good placements atsome really lovely schools helped whenit came to standing in front of a class onyour own that first day,” she said.

“Queen’s Road is so supportive, it’s anice school, the children are lovely andyou get great opportunities forprofessional development.”

That professional development includesa return to MMU for Sarah, who is themaths co-ordinator at the school.

“I am really interested in how childrenlearn maths, and so when the schooloffered me the opportunity to go backto university and take the MAST course,the Mathematics Specialist Teacherprogramme at MMU, I jumped at the chance.”

She has some simple advice for anywannabe teachers currently enrolled at MMU or considering signing up for a course.

“Make sure you have lots of experienceso you can decide it’s what you reallywant,” she said. “It’s not an easy 9 till 3,there’s a lot of work that goes on behindthe scenes. But it is incredibly fulfilling.”

22

The Faculty of Education runs anAlumni Support Programme for allNewly Qualified Teachers (NQTs). Tofind out more, go to:www.ioe.mmu.ac.uk/nqt.

Teachers’calling

Meet Our Alumni

L to R: Christian, George, Lisa, Sarah


A s a sport-mad teenager,Ashley James knew that hewanted to pursue a career on

the pitch. But despite being selectedfor the Wales under-18 rugby unionsquad, it was Ashley’s experiencewatching the physiotherapists whohelped his granddad recover from aheart condition that really inspired him.

Now North Wales physiotherapist for theWelsh Rugby Union, Ashley studied fora BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy at MMU.

After graduating and finding the NHScareer route limited, Ashley set up hisown practice working in a gym andtreating high-level athletes includingpole vaulters, gymnasts and footballers.After a year he returned to his first loveof rugby, where he worked with theyounger teams before being offered theposition of Rygbi Gogledd Cymru (RGC)Senior and Academy Physiotherapist.

Ashley said: “My job involves themedical care for all regional players from

senior level down to under-16. I havedeveloped injury prevention programmesto be disseminated throughout theregion as low as under-14.

“And to aid the development of theregion and future physiotherapists, Irecently set up a link with MMU toprovide two recently qualifiedphysiotherapists to cover the under-16and under-18 teams through theirregional age grade campaign againstall the other regions in Wales.”

For those wishing to follow in hisfootsteps, Ashley says hard work andthe determination to stay continually up-to-date with new ideas are key.

“The beginning of a career in sport can beextremely challenging as you’re expectedto do a lot of work for very little or nomoney, so be prepared to persevere!”

23

Writing talent

James, who graduated this year with a BA (Hons) inCreative Writing from MMU

Cheshire, won a coveted place as writer on attachment at theLiverpool Playhouse.

He is currently working on two plays inhis “cupboard” at the theatre - a dramaabout the prison system, based on anaward-winning piece of studentjournalism which James wrote while atUniversity, and a jazz musical, which hedescribes as “a big experiment.”

A man of many talents, James has alsojust been announced as the winner ofthe first Edge Hill Crime Writing Prize - forwhich he took home a £1,000 prize.

“I didn’t have particularly goodqualifications, but I convinced MMU tolet me on the course. It was really good,and they encouraged me to go forabsolutely everything - that’s the reasonI’m at the Playhouse now,” said James.

“I think if you want to write for a livingyou’ve just got to get on and do it; youhave to sit down, keep at it and keepsending your work off - no matter howmany rejection letters you get.”

Creative Writing programme leaderRobert Graham said: “It was clear assoon as he set his suitcase down on ourcampus that James had talent to burn.

“I’ve been teaching undergraduateCreative Writing since 1994, and I've neverseen a student do so well so quickly.

“All of us at MMU Cheshire are immenselyproud of him and look forward to followingwhat will surely be a starry career.”

Ashley James tells Successhow he came to be aphysiotherapist at the Welsh Rugby Union.

In just a few short months, James Harker has gone fromstudent to professional playwright.

Ashley keeps hiseye on the ball


A postcard from Damien Hirst isjust one of the creations byworld-class artists to go on

display at MMU this season.

The Artists’ Postcard Show will alsofeature work by Gilbert and George,Gillian Wearing and John Cage and willrun at the Holden Gallery from 7December to 24 January.

The show will follow an exhibition ofwork by two Chinese photographers,Chi Peng and Wang Fu Chun, whichruns from 19 October to 22 November,and precedes an exploration of citiesand the people who live there, ArchiveCity, which runs from 3 February to 15 March.

The current exhibition of paintings byAnthony Ratcliffe, Shoreline andWatershed, runs until December, andwill be followed by an exhibition on thetheme of Art Nouveau, featuring itemsfrom across the collections.

Thousands of visitors have alreadyflocked to MMU this year, to see thework of renowned graphic designerMalcolm Garrett, meet top authors atthe Manchester Children’s BookFestival, or watch one of the excellentproductions put on at the CapitolTheatre and the Axis Arts Centre.

The spring season at the CapitolTheatre and the Axis Art Centre will beannounced in December.

Tutor and director at the Capitol Theatre,David Shirley, said: “Following thesuccess of the autumn season, we arecurrently finalising the productions for

next term. As always, we can promise agenuinely exciting and highlyentertaining programme that will appealto a broad range of tastes. Check outthe Capitol Theatre website for furtherdetails and book early to avoiddisappointment!”

For more information about arts eventsat MMU, visit:

www.axisartscenter.org.uk

www.capitoltheatre.mmu.ac.uk

www.holdengallery.mmu.ac.uk

Events at MMU toattract thousands of visitors

24

MMU Events

The Business School Spectacular new contemporary venue in the centre of Manchester.

Suitable for a wide range of events:

n conferences, meetings, networking receptions, award dinners, product launches

n tiered lecture theatres seating up to 250

n wide choice of meeting rooms

n exhibition space

n conference dining

We look forward to giving you a warm welcome at MMU.

Contact our friendly and professional team on +44 (0)161 247 1565 or at [email protected]: www.mmu.ac.uk/venues


Offer a discount or promotion to our alumni and staff and in return we’ll promote your

business on the university website and in selected communications.

Many businesses, including those ownedby, or employing MMU graduates, arealready partnering with us.

Alumni can take advantage of theseoffers simply by updating contactdetails whenever they change at:www.mmu.ac.uk/alumni/register

To view the full package of benefits, go to:www.mmu.ac.uk/alumni/benefits

Contact us today [email protected]

Alumni Benefits and Services

“I decided to offer adiscount to thealumni benefits

package because I wanted to do

something for myuniversity and for

fellow alumni whilealso promoting

The Place.”

Business graduate, Steven Clarke,Sales Executive at

The Place, Manchester.

Could your business offera special promotion toMMU alumni and staff?


Contact usAlumni and DevelopmentEmail: [email protected]: +44 (0)161 3402www.mmu.ac.uk/alumni

Careers and EmployabilityEmail: [email protected]: +44 (0)161 247 3483www.mmu.ac.uk/careers

Expertise for BusinessEmail: [email protected]: +44 (0)161 247 2186www.mmu.ac.uk/business

GradMatchMMUEmail: [email protected]: +44 (0)161 247 6512www.mmu.ac.uk/careers/gradmatch

Knowledge ExchangesEmail: [email protected]: +44 (0)161 247 2186www.mmu.ac.uk/business

Marketing, Communications and DevelopmentEmail: [email protected]: +44 (0)161 247 5036www.mmu.ac.uk

MMU InternationalTel: +44 (0)161 247 1022www.mmu.ac.uk/international

MMU VenuesEmail: [email protected]: +44 (0)161 247 1565www.mmu.ac.uk/venues

Postgraduate StudyTel: +44 (0)161 247 6969www.mmu.ac.uk/study/postgraduate

Success MagazineEmail: [email protected]: +44 (0)161 247 3402www.mmu.ac.uk/alumni/benefits/success

Manchester Metropolitan UniversitySuccess MagazineBellhouseLower Ormond StreetManchester M15 6BXUnited Kingdom

www.mmu.ac.uk

This publication is available in alternative formats. Please telephone +44 (0)161 247 3402.

Manchester Metropolitan Universityvalues its relationships with companies,organisations and alumni, and is keen tomake new connections. To find out moreabout any of the schemes or stories inthis issue, please contact us.


inspiring future generations · 2015-07-22 · meet our alumni graduates talk about their careers,...

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